GRANGER ISD
GRANGER — The Granger Independent School District could pay more than $1.2 million for bus seat belts and repairing sprinklers damaged by motorists at the new athletic facility, trustees learned this week.
The retrofitted seat restraints are needed to meet state regulations and the sprinkler heads as well as sod must be fixed after vehicles parked on the grass instead of a parking lot during a recent track meet, school board members were told during their March 11 session.
“It will cost us $1,246,401,” said Jolene Volek, director of operations.
For the seat belts, state funding or grants are expected to assist schools in need.
Senate Bill 693 requires Texas districts to have three-point seatbelts in all buses by September 2029.
Unlike other seatbelts, the three-point version protects the upper body and is designed to hold students in place and reduce injury during an accident.
Granger ISD will need to retrofit current buses with the safety restraints or purchase buses that meet the state requirements, board members heard.
While board President Daryl Stefek noted the district has “made significant improvements in our fleet,” Granger ISD only has four buses with three-point seat belts.
Senate Bill 546 requires all school districts to provide the Texas Education Agency with an estimate on how much it will cost for each district to comply with SB 693 before the end of the 2025-26 school year.
Meanwhile, at a track meet hosted at the new Granger athletic field last week, several visitors parked in the grass instead of the new parking area, damaging the fresh sod and breaking some inground sprinkler heads.
Fixing the sprinklers and replacing the turf is not about the money but instead caring for the new facility and respecting taxpayers’ investment, said Superintendent Stephen Brosch.
“We will set an example,” Brosch added, indicating there will be penalties in the future for not using the parking area.
A local tow service will remove the next vehicles found on the grass instead of the parking spot and fines could be assessed, district officials said.
The school board next meets 6:30 p.m. April 8 in the board room at 300 N. Colorado St.
