26 08 24 Board Meeting

The Columbia Coyote school district’s regular board meeting was held September 15, 2026. The board approved the six-item consent agenda, including one hire and two resignations, and reapproved the board’s operating principles. The budget report was unchanged from the prior month because Walla Walla County had not provided updated financial data; reported balances through May 2026 were $2.6 million in the general fund, $324,000 in capital projects, $298,000 in debt service, $212,000 in the ISF fund, and $136,000 in the transportation vehicle fund. The district also noted that a previously ordered replacement bus is expected to arrive in November and that funds are available for its payment.

The main purchasing-related action concerned bus 12, whose inspection found an engine-block crack. Replacement was estimated at $35,000–$50,000, and the superintendent recommended declaring the bus obsolete rather than repairing it; the board approved the motion. The district expects to seek roughly $750–$1,000 in scrap value, subject to the surplus process. Members also discussed updating the district’s capital facilities plan, including long-term campus layout, security, and shared facilities; staff will develop a plan and consider options for additional visioning support, but no consultant or project was selected or funded. The district reported continued work on consolidating irrigation water rights and on a sidewalk project.