CPS New Coach is Realized Through Depreciation Funds

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

When I arrived four years ago the Colstrip Board of Trustees laid out a plan to purchase a new coach to replace a Blue Bird coach commonly known as "C1." It has taken over five years of saving bus depreciation funds in order to purchase the new MCI coach bus. The timing was perfect as "C1" had been fully depreciated in the last fiscal year.

Every new route and coach bus is a depreciated asset as soon as it is purchased. The school district is able to leverage funding to replace these vehicles through the depreciated value of each vehicle. The depreciation funds are then used (and can only be used) to purchase and replace current route and coach buses.

I am very pleased with this purchase as it maximizes our staff and students' safety, support and belonging.  We have had problems in getting parts for C1 since Blue Bird discontinued making coach buses. Breakdowns were becoming more common and our District needed to execute it's plan to purchase a new coach.

The MCI J4500 is the top selling coach in the United States. It is a coach that is reliable up to one million miles. We are lucky to have this piece of equipment for our students to travel in. The bus is accented with our school logo and name. FMC 3D Printing and Design located right in Colstrip was able to decal and wrap the new coach.

I am not sure what it will be called by others, but I kinda like the title "Big and Beautiful." It certainly is all of that. I am sure our students will make the most of it and take special care.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"

Transportation Transparency

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Planning for the future includes updating equipment that has reached its useful life expectancy as well as replacing equipment that no longer functions. The District experienced both of these equipment dilemmas this fall with the replacement of a 28 year old food service van and with a 47 year old coal dump truck.

While the 1990 Ford Food Service Van continued to require increased maintenance and lacked the functionality of space and capacity to compliment newer food service equipment, the 1972 Coal Dump Truck had complete engine failure and no longer worked. Both the van and dump truck needed to be replaced.

The District was able to find viable solutions for both situations: 1) a van that provides ample room and capacity to load and unload meal carts and other equipment utilized in transporting prepared meals from the high school to the elementary and middle school; 2) a running dump truck to haul coal in order to heat the high school with a capacity to haul more coal than the 1972 truck reducing multiple trips from the mine to the upper parking lot of the high school.

A used 2017 Dodge Van was purchased for Food Service. It has 4.5 years and 20,000 miles of drive train warranty and the District installed a 4' Tommy Lift Gate to compliment the newer food service equipment as well as the head room to allow food service personnel to stand while moving serving carts in and out of the vehicle (saving back stress and possible workman's compensation claims, not to mention multiple bumps on the top of heads).

A used 2000 Dump Truck was also purchased to replace the 1972 Chevy Dump Truck that lost it's engine at the end of the 2018 winter.  Until the purchase of the newer truck, the District would have had to hire a third party vendor to haul coal at a premium price. The 2000 Dump Truck provides the District a larger bed and capacity to haul almost twice the amount of coal as the 1972 truck. This saves significant time and money in hauling coal reducing multiple trips. The 2000 Dump truck also provides versatility as it can be used to transport snow build-up out of District parking lots as well as other other landscape needs.

These types of purchases are necessary and made possible through the community's support. As you can see in the photos our hardworking staff are more than appreciative. Thank you Colstrip for your continued support on levys, activities and academics. You make a difference in the education of Colstrip Students.

WEATHER RELATED: School Closure Process

by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! Winter weather is about to set in. AND with MONTANA winter weather comes the unpredictability of road condition as well as a number of other inhibiting factor. SO...this podcast will feature school closure information.

GO COLTS! GO FILLIES! 

MAKE DUST OR EAT DUST!

"Get out in front and stay there!"