A second community vote for the Bemus Point Central School District has passed, allowing for the district to move forward with their 2023 EPA Rebate award and purchase two electric school buses and update the bus garage. Submitted file photo

BEMUS POINT — After holding a community vote for the second time, the Bemus Point Central School District is able to move forward with their 2023 EPA Rebate award, allowing the district to purchase two electric buses.

Following the original vote a few months ago that did not pass by 13 votes, the second community vote was held Tuesday and passed with 272 yes votes and 227 no votes. Since the original vote the district has determined that it will cost $2.5 million to upgrade the bus garage in accordance with state mandates saying all schools will be required to have all electric bus fleets by 2035. The district’s 2023 EPA Rebate award will provide financial incentives that will cover 90% of this cost and will also allow for $3 million in financial incentives to flow into the district at no additional cost to district taxpayers. If the vote had failed again, this cost would have fallen on the district’s taxpayers.

The community vote was able to be held by the district for a second time after they applied for and were granted an extension on the 2023 EPA Rebate Award.

Superintendent Joseph Reyda said the public hearing that was held before the vote also went well.

“The public hearing was well attended by community members,” Reyda said. “We were able to provide answers for the concerns brought to us.”

During the public hearing and in the time between the two votes, Reyda said the district has been working on emphasizing the financial incentives that the district will now be provided with thanks to the positive vote. The two electric buses will now be able to be purchased by the district with no additional tax increases to the community, and the district can now move forward with the award.

“We’re going to begin the process of accepting the EPA rebate award,” Reyda said. “Once this is completed, we’ll put in the order for the two electric school buses. We would like to thank the community for their involvement in this important event.”