Transportation cooperative to cut school bus maintenance costs State matching dollars pay for 90 percent of project without raising local bond taxes

The August 2009 groundbreaking of the Southeast Washington Transportation Cooperative marks a significant milestone for the school district and entire community.

The facility is located at 1162 Entley Street across the street from Koncrete Industries. T.W. Clark Construction is the project general contractor and more than 11 local construction firms will be employed as subcontractors. The project is expected to be completed June 2010.

The Southeast Washington Transportation Cooperative offers discounted school bus maintenance and repair service to cooperative members, which include Prescott and Dixie school districts and Education Service District 123. Walla Walla Public Schools will serve as the host district.

The district has developed a forward thinking funding plan to provide the community a nearly $8 million project, which also includes a second phase Support Services facility, without asking for additional local tax dollars. The district is using the $3.4 million state matching money from the Edison construction project to fund the transportation cooperative. This will leverage nearly another $4 million in state matching money from the Transportation Cooperative project to build a Support Services complex for the warehouse, maintenance, grounds, print shop, and food services.

The Support Services facility will be built on the same site as the Transportation Cooperative and be completed Fall 2010.

What is a Transportation Cooperative?
The Southeast Washington Transportation Cooperative offers member school districts Walla Walla Public Schools, Prescott, Dixie and ESD 123:

• Discounted school bus maintenance and repair service
• School bus inspection support
• Bus driver professional development opportunities
• School bus preventative maintenance schedule
• School bus service record keeping

Project benefits

• Project generated a 90 percent state match ($4 million)
• State match funds do not increase local bond taxes
• Saves money
• Improves school bus safety
• Extends school bus life
• Reduces risk liability

Project Finances

• Project cost: $3,691,400 (construction bid)
• Project leveraged nearly $4 million in state match funds (State matching dollars do not add to local bond taxes)

For decades, the district has successfully reinvested state matching dollars in capital projects. For example: Sharpstein project matching dollars funded new HVAC at Prospect Point Elementary School.

Project Timeline

• Summer 2009 - Break ground
• Summer 2010 - Project completed
• Fall 2010 - Operational