∫ The Alpena Community College Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 10 ThinkPad laptop computers in the amount of $20,250 from Lenovo which will be used during TRiO Talent Search summer camps. The purchase was made using TRiO Talent Search funds.

During the five-day summer camp, students will learn the fundamentals of game design through the development and planning of game maps, character creation, Java coding, using programming logic and animation, with the end result of creating and publishing a game on the site platform.

The college received three bids for the computer purchase, but college officials did not recommend the lowest bid because it did not meet specifications.

The board agreed to spend $37,658 to purchase a pneumatic vehicle lift system from Snap-on Industrial for the college’s automotive service program, which will replace the aging system currently used in the program’s lab.

A mix of funds, including state and federal grants, will pay for the new system. However, because some funding will come from a Perkins grant, the equipment needs to be purchased and delivered before the end of the college’s fiscal year in June.

Additionally, the college and ACC Foundation received $62,036 in pledges and gifts from 38 donors between March 9 and April 8.

∫ The Alpena-Montmorency-Alcona Educational Service District recently distributed its annual payout of nearly $1.4 million to local school districts for costs incurred in 2019-20.

The amount provided to area school districts include a little over $994,000 to Alpena Public Schools, $259,000 to Alcona Community Schools, $53,700 to Atlanta Community Schools, and nearly $69,000 to Hillman Community Schools.

“We are glad to distribute these funds in support of our local districts,” AMA ESD Superintendent Scott Reynolds said. “Without these funds, our local school districts would have significant costs for mandatory services — I cannot emphasize enough how critical these funds are to them. Much of this would not be possible without the generous support of our community.”

∫ The Alcona Community Schools Board of Education approved at a workshop this month the $72,222 purchase of a used Blue Bird School bus from the Holland-based Holland Bus Company.

The board approved the resignations of Bus Driver Linda Somers, who is retiring effective June 30, Lead Secretary Veronica Miller, who is also retiring effective May 5, and Paraprofessional Angela Breier, who resigned on March 12.

It also approved the hiring of Lacie Stephenson as cook, cashier, and facility caretaker and Grace Griggs as a cook and cashier.

∫ The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education will meet at 5:30 p.m. Monday via the online conferencing software Zoom. Visit Zoom.us to attend the meeting and enter the meeting identification number 830 2778 6799 and enter the passcode 122334. Call 1-312-626-6779 to join the meeting by phone and enter the identification number and passcode.