Bentonville School Board approves construction project, bus purchase, contract renewals and property appraisal authorization

The Bentonville School District Board of Education on April 20 approved multiple action items that district leaders said will refresh facilities and preserve operations ahead of summer work.

Construction and remodel: The board approved a motion (mover: Bill; second: Rachel) to proceed with the construction/remodel phase to convert a former infant/toddler classroom into two plant and animal science classrooms and repurpose the existing plant and animal science room to create a construction‑trades pathway at Bentonville High School. Dr. Schwanhauser presented a project cost of roughly $513,930 (figure in transcript truncated) and said the change is a cost‑effective repurposing compared with new construction.

Bus purchase: The board authorized purchase of 18 72‑passenger diesel buses from Rush Truck Centers under the statewide procurement contract at $162,250 each (total about $2.9 million). Dr. Swanhauser said using the statewide contract and keeping one bus make simplifies maintenance and protects familiarity for mechanics and drivers. The board asked about disposal timing for retired buses; staff said disposal decisions will be made as new buses arrive.

Property appraisal and sale posting: The district authorized engagement of an appraiser and public posting to sell or otherwise market a roughly 1.4‑acre strip of district property adjacent to Mary May Jones International School. Dr. Schwanhauser said the owner who requested purchase or easement is Randy Lawson; because Lawson is the father of board member Rachel Nut, Nut recused from discussion and vote. The board directed staff to obtain an appraisal and proceed with a public sale process.

Roof replacement awards: Public bids for two roof projects were awarded to M2 Roofing as the lowest qualified bidder. The guaranteed maximum price (GMP) listed in the presentation was $937,827 for the international school at Mary May Jones and $568,440 for Tenny Russell. Board members confirmed warranty and schedule details; work is slated for summer months.

Contract renewals: The board authorized year four of five under the district’s custodial contract with SSSE Service Solutions, approving a 2% contract increase (the contract caps CPI increases at 2%). District staff said SSSE’s mid‑year pay increase last year helped staff retention and that vacancy levels had improved. The board also renewed the food‑service contract with Aramark; district leaders said Aramark has helped the program return to financial stability and that food dyes will be eliminated from 2026–27 menus.

Votes and roll call: Most motions were approved by roll‑call votes recorded by the clerk Becky Ross with aye votes from Tatum, Bill, Willie, Jeremy, Rachel and Jennifer when the member was not recused. Where a recusal was recorded (land offer), the transcript shows Rachel abstained from voting and left the dais for that item.

What’s next: For the plant/animal remodel and the bus purchases, staff indicated procurement and summer scheduling will proceed. For the land sale, staff will obtain an appraisal and post the parcel for public sale. The roof projects and vendor work are scheduled for summer construction windows.