I think she's gonna find a soup wash. Yeah, I think they have three or four. I was wrong. And Sonic's here. Thank you, Melissa. Look, everyone's rolling. Superintendent. Awesome. Thanks. Thank you to this as a board meeting. That's right. All right, Wayne, we're ready. Hello everyone. I'd like to call the special school board meeting for Friday, May 2nd to order. Acting clerk will please take the role. Director Bogacheski here. Director Gogggins here. Treasurer Clark is here. Chair Anderson here. Thank you. All right. Our one action item on the agenda is consideration of transportation bids for the 2025 2026 school year. Leading things off will be business director Sheri Thompson. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Um so earlier uh I guess late winter we had issued a request for uh quotation for our transportation services that was issued on February 27th. So that request was um sent out to uh not only do we advertise in the paper for two weeks, but it's sent out to various contractors uh throughout the metro. Uh we actually received um bids or quotes from three vendors. Um you will see on the cover sheet I note the different types of vehicles. what we're looking for primarily in this area right now we have um uh we have 60 routes that run on um type C or D buses those are like the 71 or 77 passenger buses so this is really to provide transportation to and from school for the majority of our students uh we did uh as I said we received three quotes back um one was uh Metropolitan Transportation Network was just for type A, which those vehicles are typically like 20 to 27. Those are smaller vehicles, so they didn't bid on the, um, on the larger vehicles. Um, and once we received those quotes, uh, as authorized per statute, uh, I began negotiations, um, with the other two firms. Uh, so we, um, negotiated, um, pricing. Uh we also as um was included in our R uh request for quotes. Uh the district has the opportunity to award to one contractor or multiple. Um we were looking at um um dividing that up going forward. Um and as a result uh Centerline Charter uh corporation um withdrew their quote. Um uh they wanted all 60 routes um or nothing. So they did re uh withdraw their quote. Um shortly thereafter we also had another reputable firm um and let me say American Student Transportation that did submit a quote is a very reputable firm. They provide transportation um some of our neighboring districts. We were contact contacted by another vendor. Um so due to the fact with centerline withdrawing their quote uh what I would like to do and again this is authorized per statute is um I uh would recommend uh that you reject all the bids that we've received and allow us to uh negotiate directly with contractors. And our objective is to have a contract awarded a contract or contracts uh awarded um to bring a contract to you on May 13th. Um so it's quickly, you know, a little bit it's quick turnaround, but again I I feel confident that we can do that and that's the reason that we requested the special meeting. Um and I think that's all I have unless there just want to confirm that we also sought guidance from our district attorney. Yes, we did. We did seek guidance legal guidance on this. So what what were the three firms again that bid that sent initial bids? So initially it was um Metropolitan uh transportation network. Yeah. American Student Transportation of Mountains View and Centerline Charter Corporation. And then once you Director Boeski, sorry to interrupt, but it's on the back. It's on the back side. You got them all listed. Just just for you. Yeah, but our audience can't see that. I was just doing a service for thousands of viewers who are glued. Yep. Yep. To channel 16 or whatever it is right now. I got it. And then once you said that we wanted to do to split it up, then center line is they did withdraw their uh they did withdraw their bid. So, and then I'd asked a question I think earlier about the legality and it's legal to do it. Yes, it um would Metropolitan Transport andor American student feel or would be allowed to take any action against us if they felt they've met the bid parameters? No. Now we're rejecting all of them. That was part of the legal advice we got from Maggie. Correct. MTN did not bid on the larger buses. Okay. And um yes, per um our legal uh uh advice. In this case, it was actually J Squires, but Okay. Got familiar with him and there. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So um but yes, we are within our rights and and I've had discussions um with American um regarding this and in full transparency and we will use the same parameters as far as quotes um even in direct negotiations. We're going to use the same parameters that we sent out and that request uh in the RFQ. Okay. that. So, yes. And then when you do begin the direct negotiation process, is it going to include other providers that haven't been part of this process to this point in time or will be a subset of those same? It will it will be one of the providers that was included um in here and then um an additional provider. Got it. And is the intent to still try to split it? Um we're going to we're just going to see what what works comes out what works best. Yes. For the district because it is 60 60 buses. Um you know we're in now we're into May. So it's um it's it's a big gulp for someone to pick up all of those routes. Um but I've also had conversations um that I I I believe we can get there. But we just wanted the option, the flexibility to go with um multiple vendors if if that's in the best interest of the district. Got it. But in your opinion, it is possible, if not likely, that then at the start of the next term, it will be a different provider or providers other than who we're currently using. Yes. Okay. Thank you. It's all questions I had. All right. entertain um any other questions or entertain a motion. Entertain a motion um to recommended the board well all to reject the transportation bids received in March 26th and authorizes the administration enter direct negotiations for a contract for student transportation as authorized by Minnesota statute 123b.52 subdivision 3. So moved. Okay. Is there a second to that? Second. All right. Any further discussion? All right. Seeing none, all those in favor signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed. Motion carries. Thank you. Thank you for Thompson everybody. Thank you. Okay. And if there's u no further business before the board, uh the special meeting stands adjourned. [Music]