Parkland School Board directors recently approved the purchase of additional surveillance cameras from Sage Technology Solutions of Mount Joy at a cost of $101,182.

The company will supply and install 23 cameras at new locations in Springhouse Middle School, 14 cameras in Orefield Middle School, and eight cameras in the high school and its auditorium.

Director of Safety and Security Dr. Tony Naradko and school resource officers identified vulnerable security areas which could be improved by the presence of more cameras.

In another matter at the April 18 meeting, the board approved a quote from Samsara Inc. to provide GPS hardware to monitor bus locations in transit.

The GPS hardware connects to the vehicle computing system which provides data for speed, mileage, temperature and fuel.

Parkland will need 204 GPS devices to outfit its fleet of 148 buses, 34 vans and 22 maintenance vehicles.

Related management software will be included.

The 39-month proposal with Samsara will cost $38,188 for each year through July 2025.

Looking at a report from Project Manager Erik Troutman, the board approved the purchase of a 2023 Chevrolet 2500 Cargo van from Hondru Chevrolet, Elizabethtown, at a cost of $43,740.

This van will replace a 2002 Chevrolet Express van with 218,592 miles on it and frequent trips to the repair shop.

The new one will be manufactured in July and fitted with a package for interior shelving and partitions.

Considering additional information from Troutman, the board approved purchasing a 2014 Ford F-350 XLT utility truck from Upper Macungie Township.

With 73,930 miles on it, cost of the truck is $24,000.

Troutman said the grounds department has seven personnel but only six trucks that can tow and plow.

He said Upper Macungie is getting rid of the truck through its replacement cycle and fleet plan.

The truck will be obtained through intergovernmental agreement with Upper Macungie, which means the district will not have to go through a public bid process.