QPS getting ready for snow with new trucks, plows

QUINCY — With a fleet of aging pickups, The Quincy School Board approved five-year leases for three trucks with plows and an SUV.

At Wednesday night’s board meeting, Chief of Business Operations Ryan Whicker said the district would continue to use Enterprise Fleet Management to add new vehicles while selling the older ones.

Whicker said now was the time to do it before the snow began to fall. He said along with having three new trucks with plows, it was also the best time to sell the old trucks because they will be sold with the old plows attached.

School Board President Shelley Arns asked Whicker why the district couldn’t use the same plows, he said they would not fit the new trucks.

Whicker said the district would sell the old vehicles by using sealed bids, a process they have used in the past. The maximum total monthly payment for lease of the four vehicles is $3,946.68, before any governmental incentives are applied.  All three trucks will also be outfitted plows and plow packages and one will have utility truck bed from Knapheide and a ladder rack.

The SUV will be used to make deliveries throughout the district, replacing an aging van that would also be sold via sealed bid.

The district began using Enterprise in 2018, acquiring pre-owned vehicles to establish a five-year replacement cycle.

Board members Richard McNay and LaTonya Brock were absent.

In other action, the School Board approved:

• Authorization for Whicker to apply for the Illinois State Board of Education’s school maintenance project grant. The $50,000 matching grant can be used for maintenance projects and the district will apply it toward construction of the $10 million Central Services complex, which will house the district’s maintenance, transportation and IT operations.
• A memorandum of understanding for para-educators to have more flexibility in using their comp time, regarding parent-teacher conferences. This allows para-educators the same option as teachers to take Friday afternoon off if all parent teacher conferences are completed. The district has a half-day of classes today and no classes on Friday, but teachers will be on hand for conferences.