District adding security to stop theft

The school district plans to build a security fence behind the bus garage to try to stop the flow of recent thefts.

Superintendent Paul Turner told the school board Monday night that the security measures would cost the district about $16,000. He indicated that he would seek another bid to see if he could get a better price.

The report of gas, tires and parts thefts was made to the board by bus garage manager Bill Kemble. He said that thieves had taken 250-300 gallons of gas, several tires and mechanical parts.

Kemble said that on one occasion he and another employee had yelled at someone who was moving around the buses, and the party left the site.

The security chain link fence would make it more difficult to gain entrance to the bus garage itself, Turner told the board. Cost of security measures would be covered by the district’s transportation fund.

Thieves have stolen gas by crawling under buses and cutting fuel lines to drain the gas from the tanks.

Kemble said that the crew had spent maybe 30 hours in making repairs to the buses.