JAY — Regional School Unit 73 directors approved the purchase of four transportation vehicles Thursday night, August 6.

The vehicles will be purchased using the Coronavirus Relief Fund from the CARES Act. In April, it was announced that Maine schools were being awarded almost $44 million in federal relief to cover costs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money is part of more than $13.2 billion in emergency relief from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or Cares Act, for K-12 schools nationwide and was announced by U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. It can be used by school districts for immediate needs, such as tools and resources for distance education, ensuring student health and safety and developing and implementing plans for the next school year.

School districts that receive the funds can use them to cover activities and costs specific to the challenges incurred by the COVID-19 crisis including preparedness and response efforts, sanitation, professional development and distance learning.

The vehicles to be purchased are:

•  A 77-passenger bus for $89,856

•  A box truck/cargo van for $32,990

•  A brand-new 12-passenger van with 0 miles for $43,974

•  A 2019 15-passenger van with 18,000 miles for $35,990

Superintendent Scott Albert said the passenger vans would be used to get special services students in and out of the district.

“Our regular vans can’t do that. The opportunity to get an extra bus is huge,” he said.

The cargo van will help with food delivery outside the district. Bus drivers who helped with food delivery during the spring and summer will be busy when school starts, Albert added.

“Because it is for transportation, we need board approval. This is zero dollars for local taxpayers, it’s all under the grant,” he said.

In an email Friday, Albert noted, “Its intent is to help school be able to re-open. It is very important that people understand that we cannot use this money to replace money in the regular budget, it is not allowed. It is only for additional items that districts need to re-open. We are paying for ipads for grades kindergarten and one that we would not have had money to pay for without these funds. They also help pay for extra PPE  (personal protective equipment) items.”