Reporter-News Archives

Tuesday, April 14, 1998

Wylie board defers decision on vending machine contract

By JERRY DANIEL REED Senior Staff Writer

Wylie school trustees decided Monday night not to choose right away a winner of a local version of the cola wars.

The board tabled competing bids from Coca Cola and Dr Pepper/Pepsi Cola/7 Up bottlers for the exclusive contract on vending machine drinks and snacks for the next 10 years. Members want to see a more detailed comparison of the two rivals' bids at the next regular board meeting on May 11.

As Superintendent Cecil Davis outlined the bids Monday night, Dr Pepper would pay a bonus of $300,000, plus 10 $3,000 scholarships to Wylie High graduates, on top of a commission on the sale of each sale and drink item, as the district already receives.

The bonus would go to help fund the construction of a community multipurpose building on the Wylie High School campus. That structure is to be built without tax revenue, but will become the property of the school district.

The board also approved a joint Wylie school district-City of Abilene project to construct a complex of soccer playing fields this summer on school district property. City construction equipment would be used, and the school district would assume maintenance responsibility once the complex is completed.

In other business, the board:

-- Approved $18,000 to fund a summer reading program for prekindergarten through sixth-grade students who've struggled to read at grade level. Students will be selected based on standardized tests, report cards, Title 1 eligibility and parents' requests.

The funds will pay the salaries of 16 classroom teachers, three computer lab teachers, and supplies. The classes will run weekdays 8-11 a.m. from June 8-June 26.

-- Rehired Davis, Kinard and Company as the district's outside financial auditor. The Abilene accounting firm agreed to a fee at its standard hourly rate, plus out-of-pocket costs, with a cap, including expenses, of $6,450, barring unexpected circumstances.

-- Chose Sturdy Steel to build additional seating at the Wylie High School football stadium. The project will lengthen the home grandstand by 96 feet and the visitors stands by 60 feet, upping the stadium's seating capacity by more than 2,000 to about 7,500. Completion is targeted just days before the Wylie Bulldogs host the San Angelo Lake View Chiefs on Aug. 25.

-- Accepted the resignations of veteran Wylie High band director Louis Thornton and teacher Stephanie DeBoom. Thornton is retiring from the public schools to become Abilene Christian High School's band director, while DeBoom plans to move to Central Texas.