Board approves steps to pursue bus purchase and memorandum of understanding for sponsored charter

The North Wasco County School District 21 board directed the district's finance and transportation staff to advance a possible purchase of a bus for a sponsored charter school referred to in the meeting as Moer. Administration said the arrangement would allow the district to own and maintain the vehicle, provide driver training and complete required state reporting while charging the charter about $4.25 per mile to operate the route.

District staff presented a five-year loan scenario: a new bus priced roughly at $189,000, depreciation on a 10-year schedule, and a reimbursement structure where state school fund transportation reimbursement would cover about 70% of eligible transportation costs. The CFO said preliminary calculations make the deal close to revenue neutral over a five-year term and would allow the district to use the bus for its own needs when available.

Directors moved and seconded a request that the CFO continue steps toward purchase and prepare a memorandum of understanding and a purchase agreement for board consideration at the May 28 meeting; the motion passed with no recorded opposition.

Board members also discussed contingencies tied to the charter's instructional-hour decisions under a recent executive order and agreed staff should confirm compliance before finalizing the agreement.

The item will return to the board for formal approval of purchase documents and any related interlocal agreements.