Russellville board approves $1.12 million to replace buses damaged in fire

The Russellville Board of Education voted Sept. 16 to approve replacement of school buses damaged in a recent fire, authorizing $1,120,740 in replacement costs before insurance reimbursement. The motion to authorize the expenditure was moved by Lacy Murray and seconded by Mitch Ledbetter and was approved during roll call.

Board members recorded affirmative responses during the roll call after the motion; the transcript includes three explicit “Aye” responses (Tammy Powell, Lacy Murray and Chris Clayborn). The clerk's roll-call sequence as transcribed did not explicitly record Mitch Ledbetter’s verbal vote, and the transcript does not specify the number of buses or the expected timeline for purchase and delivery. The motion text recorded in the meeting was “approval to replace buses that were damaged by the fire,” and staff identified the total replacement cost as $1,120,740 before insurance reimbursement.

The chair opened the meeting and invited public comment on agenda items; no public comment on the bus replacement was recorded in the transcript. The board proceeded to other business after the vote and adjourned shortly thereafter. The transcript does not specify which department will manage the procurement or when reimbursement from insurance is expected.