The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Pact to give U-46 access to government surplus items

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved,  via a 7-0 vote, of a government surplus agreement at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 11.
  The vote will allow the district to obtain surplus items from the federal government. The district is required to get a signature from the board president, Sue Kerr, “in order to participate in the government surplus program,” according to Superintendent Tony Sanders.
  “This will give the district access to any federal government equipment that is no longer needed at no cost,” said Bruce Phelps, senior business official. “The only cost that the district would curtail is the movement of the equipment from the location that it is currently at to the district.”
  Phelps added: “If the board approves, what we will do is we will get access to a website. We will be able to review the equipment and work with any and all of our departments to see if there is any interest in any of the type of equipment that they have made available to all school districts and state entities, and once then once we figure that out the business department will work with the federal government on obtaining that equipment and getting it back here to the district.”
  A memo to the board regarding the agreement stated that the district has 36,930 students, 6,383 staff members and 58 schools. The memo states U-46 is “in the business of educating students from Pre-K through 12th grade.”
  Kerr asked if the district has received surplus items from the federal government in the past. Phelps said the district has never had a formal agreement previously for surplus equipment from either the state or federal governments.