Controversy prompts superintendent to pull recommendation from agenda

The Muscogee County School District's superintendent canceled his recommendation to buy 30 propane-fueled buses for $3.1 million after his proposal blew up over the weekend, sparking more controversy at the school board's work session Monday night.

Instead, to save transportation costs and modernize a mostly outdated bus fleet, the administration plans to present a "dual fuel strategy" at next month's board meeting, said superintendent David Lewis. The district would buy a mix of buses, some that run on propane and others that run on compressed natural gas, also known as CNG, to conduct its own cost benefit analysis, rather than rely on industry studies that might be biased.

But the chief executive officer of Atlanta-based American Fueling Systems, Rahim Charania, insists the administration already has all the information it needs to choose CNG -- and his company made a $2.5 million bet on it. That's how much AFS has invested to build the first CNG station in Columbus, he said, adding that it is scheduled to open in two months.

Charania said he flew from Texas to attend Monday's work session, speak to the board and clear the air. He told the board that, 17 months

ago, Myles Caggins, then the MCSD's chief operations officer, led him to believe the district was leaning toward CNG. Charania noted his company sells all types of fuel, but he contends CNG is the best option for the district, and he made a presentation to back up that assertion.

Charania argued CNG is cheaper and cleaner than diesel and propane. After the meeting, the district's interim operations chief, David Goldberg, who replaced the retired Caggins in February, told the Ledger-Enquirer that Charania didn't disclose the higher upfront cost and maintenance expense it takes to equip a bus fleet with CNG. That's why the administration wants to see for itself which alternative fuel gives the district the best results over the course of a year, he said. Plus, with diesel prices falling, the district has time to make a decision, he added.

District 8 representative Frank Myers asked Charania whether administration had treated his company fairly.

Charania said fueling 30 buses for MCSD would amount to only 0.0001 percent of his company's monthly distribution, but he came to Columbus to defend a 25-year-old employee who "thinks this whole thing is his fault."

Myers said, "I just appreciate you standing up for yourself, for your business and helping us straighten out the record here, at least partially. I don't favor your business, but I favor you being treated fairly."

Responding to Charania's presentation, Lewis told the board, "There are a lot of things that are not detailed in this information, relative to infrastructure, to purchase of buses, as well as the maintenance."

Lewis praised Caggins for being "very thorough" in his approach but said that he never received a copy of the letter Caggins sent Charania. "If he represented the district," Lewis said, "he did so without my knowledge or that of the board."

Regardless, Lewis continued, Caggins' letter to Charania emphasized that any purchase would be contingent upon the superintendent's recommendation and the board's approval.

District 2 representative John Thomas said the board should decide which type of fuel to use because it's a matter of policy. Board chairman Rob Varner of District 5 said the board would set the policy based on the superintendent's recommendation.

Thomas countered that the superintendent was about to recommend purchasing propane-fueled buses without a cost benefit analysis. "That's why I'm upset about the way this went down," he said.

Lewis said Charania told him that he spoke to "two contentious board members" on Friday.

"That's not true at all," Charania said. "I recorded the conversation, if you would like to hear it. I never told you who I spoke to."

Lewis told the Ledger-Enquirer after the work session that he pulled the agenda item because of the controversy and the new information about alternative fuels he received from Charania during their phone conversation Saturday, which the CEO presented to the board Monday. Asked whether Charania had threatened legal action, the superintendent shook his head.

Retirement

Lewis announced St. Elmo Center for the Gifted director Angel Cash is retiring. Her last day in the position will be Friday, he said, when she will be honored at a reception, 4-6 p.m., in the center at 2101 18th Ave.

Retired educator Carol Mashburn, formerly a St. Elmo teacher and an assistant principal in the district, will be the center's interim director, Lewis said.

Cash is shifting from public to private education. As of Sept. 21, she will be the gifted program director for St. Anne-Pacelli's lower school, according to an email St. Anne-Pacelli communications director Jennifer Sillitto sent the Ledger-Enquirer on Tuesday morning. Cash succeeds Penny Thornton, who is moving to Augusta to be closer to family, Sillitto wrote.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272. Follow him on Twitter@MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published September 14, 2015 at 10:24 PM with the headline "Controversy prompts superintendent to pull recommendation from agenda ."