Boardman schools joins purchasing consortium

February 23, 2016 at 12:00a.m.

By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK

BOARDMAN

The Boardman Board of Education will join the Ohio Schools Council and participate in some of its cooperative purchasing programs.

The Ohio Schools Council is a consortium of about 200 school districts, educational service centers, joint vocational districts and developmental disabilities boards in 34 northern Ohio counties.

The council exists for the purpose of obtaining top-quality products and services at the most-competitive price through cooperative purchasing.

The cost to the Boardman schools for the remainder of the school year is $406, said L. Greg Slemons, district treasurer.

The board adopted the resolution to join at its meeting Monday night.

Also at the meeting, the board approved a resolution to authorize the council to advertise and receive bids on behalf of the board for the purchase of three school- bus chassis and bodies.

The district wants to purchase two 78-passenger buses and one 47-passenger wheelchair-lift bus.

“The amount of money that we’re paying to be part of the cooperative is more than made up in the savings through our bus purchases,” said Frank Lazzeri, superintendent.

Buses typically cost $90,000 to $95,000, said Slemons.