[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6203743,"mediaKeyId","3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15","parentId",3781624,"title","Council hears Valley Transit data on bus shelter costs and ridership drop; shelters not justified under current thresholds","audioSeconds",446,"startMs",1889000,"endMs",2335000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15&start=1889&end=2335","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15/thumbnail_1889000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6203743/College-Place/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/Council-hears-Valley-Transit-data-on-bus-shelter-costs-and-ridership-drop-shelters-not-justified-under-current-thresholds","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203743-58ca8454286393857282c17f230c7aee/orig.mp4?Expires=1776563643&Signature=WV1hOVlfx1nqECkmVEuKKMGMoDlJccmir2~49r4XhzmpeMcKJVxCmNm0oJFjdyjaC5uUzUbWO52Fgu7SShqSNZ3wxTy1eDXkMi-KW4voXHAcQpGWb5HJnBTv7ZqnghnDfjtQsOi~sEoM077ClTUc2UaPJjtJW3d~WRvblwbu6A1OBtAvtJufWmxjJhIklQ3bLlZX1SOomTUsaoAtWpuGRgWeHHWda7iWAT8Cb1gLFPRj0hPrGocvzNHDlHu0bLQYZb1BY8wrY-sU-JMtJdnQJiUPQadhJS-Ez9deJm9YvcUl87QQID48-gOD6ULOhbQDQdROG9EA6AAhvEi5gdBJOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of College Place, WA","date","2025-06-12T09:15:58.533Z","article","A council member renewed a request on June 10, 2025, for shaded bus stops in College Place to protect riders from heat. Valley Transit staff responded that shelters cost approximately $13,000 each and that current ridership levels and agency thresholds do not justify additional shelters in the city.

The council member said many riders—children and older adults—wait for buses in the heat and asked whether state or grant funding might be available for shelters. Staff replied that Valley Transit manages routes and shelter placement; staff and a Valley Transit representative noted any shelter installation must meet the transit agency’s Title 6 plan thresholds for placement.

“They are about $13,000 a piece,” the Valley Transit representative said. The representative added that a route change rolled out in March reduced College Place ridership by roughly half to date, which reduced eligibility under the agency’s placement criteria: “thus far, that has actually reduced College Place's ridership by 50%. So we're not we're not heading in the right direction to justify shelters.”

The mayor and staff said they would pass the council’s request to Valley Transit and follow up. The Valley Transit representative said the city’s current stops that have shelters already exceed the agency’s thresholds for shelter placement under its Title 6 plan, and that adding new shelters now would conflict with those standards unless ridership increases.

No funding decision or new shelter installations were approved; staff will convey the council’s concerns to Valley Transit for further consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council 6.10.2025","oneSentenceSummary","A council member asked about installing bus shelters to protect riders from heat; a Valley Transit representative said shelters cost about $13,000 each and that a March route change has reduced College Place ridership by about 50%, so current stops do not meet the agency's Title 6 thresholds for shelter placement.","taxTitle","College Place, Walla Walla County, Washington","taxId",59219,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6203747,"College Place mayor begins interim recruitment after city administrator announces departure",513,1521000,2034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15&start=1521&end=2034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15/thumbnail_1521000.jpg","/articles/6203747/College-Place/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/College-Place-mayor-begins-interim-recruitment-after-city-administrator-announces-departure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203747-4d2b4f80a47d39cc6fc4946a327e1443/orig.mp4?Expires=1776563643&Signature=hIBGeAcWTewtjoPaQ2G8uhdgdDQORcv2NFKAqMQnxEmTQQYPzY4iE6nu6H24O2Cy8aYHw6WSBorLzsqi0VcUa5navUMpxUEB6cDwEOArnAJaMixfKdPujMjhGiijesf4Dm~1n9GiixXR6Ssco7DGspTqtoBGx0rl1I91VdGwULSGggKSNAcLRNsODkO~DTkUMZ85P4tUHd5yn6FZJtUsTqPl2VYGbtHY0muObJsNkIJin0n-iSbRyKNo6DPpAwqmu~7wWd~zby6YqJUUOQksrZPPTzmDYzUIQDgoPyWHo-mThEWzMZ-roMIPtqwnGyPArlIAD~MZtfk8Glazs~IH5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Norma L. Hernandez told the City of College Place Council on June 10, 2025, that the city administrator will depart at the end of the month and that recruitment for an interim will begin immediately.

The mayor said she has spoken with a recruiter—referred to in the meeting as Dave (or Mike) Zabel, described as a recruiter and former Pasco city manager—and that the recruiter will send potential interim candidates and resumes. She asked council members how much participation they want in interviewing candidates and whether a small subcommittee should meet with candidates and report back.

“...we, are getting the ball rolling on starting to look to, for interims. He's going to be sending a few, potential candidates with resumes,” the mayor said during the meeting.

Council members raised process questions about whether interviews or question-and-answer sessions would require a quorum and therefore be subject to open-meeting rules; a staff member offered to confirm the rules and report back within a day or two. Council Member Williams suggested forming a small subcommittee to conduct interviews and report to the full council because assembling a full quorum in the near term could be difficult.

No candidate was selected at the June 10 meeting. The mayor and staff will follow up with legal/process clarification on quorum and public meeting requirements and will circulate recruiter submissions and scheduling options for council members who wish to participate.","Mayor Norma L. Hernandez told the council the city administrator, Mike (surname not specified), will depart at the end of June; the mayor said she has begun outreach to a recruiter for interim candidates and asked council members whether they want to participate in interviews or a subcommittee.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6203753,"City staff proposes truck route code to qualify for Freight Mobility investment funds",263,1122000,1385000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15&start=1122&end=1385","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15/thumbnail_1122000.jpg","/articles/6203753/College-Place/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/City-staff-proposes-truck-route-code-to-qualify-for-Freight-Mobility-investment-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203753-681152861171dd559a863886a030bd09/orig.mp4?Expires=1776563643&Signature=YVXQtUf58lH6j29dJ9nsXMsQvCql~CeA~c4gPVH7zuIGL330nzzq2O2t3EH43sqw66mAmwfdUx~yqXQPlmaEF2FO-PmtU4OB-KNEHEqez5i3WeJJQbxB8IfaKomFiiz12w5b-X~Kj8iqCQV8g1Dgh9WCekyrxi8cyOlZJwmhrdGTCWhSxDytAmDxN5gzSQKKhWX3yPm5~B~~i-w3~sltEQYW7DVwsgYcYkAXflhKgXOE-lqML3G5hp~qZ2-QckpqMkkfhGFSPVOey-8UiogS9jQ3Pnh8B2HnjAExGwju3hDGcS~ebA-fGNnYVIZ4K7IDaGJBg6iWpalXwxgMP8i9nw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City of College Place staff introduced a proposed truck route code (proposed Code 10.18) at the June 10, 2025 council meeting aimed at formalizing freight routes through recently annexed areas and positioning the city to apply for state freight funding.

The presenter said the city currently relies on mapped freight routes but lacks a codified truck route ordinance; that gap is more pressing after annexations such as the Martin Ayrfield and Stone Creek areas. Staff listed candidate streets used by agricultural and freight traffic and said adopting a code would allow the city to access the Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board for potential roadway repair and improvement funding.

“...if you have a code, the 5 that opens it up for, it's a newer agency a state created, but State Freight Mobility strategic investment board, and then Investment Board, and then you can get money from them to go fix up stuff,” the presenter said.

Council members requested clearer mapping for future action; Council Member Williams asked that when the item returns for formal action staff provide a simplified map showing only the proposed truck routes. Staff said they could pull relevant maps from state sources for the council packet.

No ordinance was adopted at the June 10 meeting; staff will prepare a map and return with a proposed ordinance or formal action in a future meeting.","College Place staff presented a draft truck route code (Code 10.18) to formalize freight routes after recent annexations; staff said adopting a code would make the city eligible for funding from the State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board to repair or upgrade freight routes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6203758,"Council reviews draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy tied to EDA planning grant",254,912000,1166000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15&start=912&end=1166","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15/thumbnail_912000.jpg","/articles/6203758/College-Place/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/Council-reviews-draft-Comprehensive-Economic-Development-Strategy-tied-to-EDA-planning-grant","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203758-6f0c575fe8fe92967fd7aad707a5dcaf/orig.mp4?Expires=1776563643&Signature=BH3Yp3EFhfVTRZF8lPJz7t4JCFt6GrPFSunbFohyPVApsKAvnr4QglMROFoFAOfuA0M0hzPNVcSVK9gwpzV1ZKYCVESCDHmqWS5aEKvau1utCdY75GT7X-UQ0gADfn9kzw9jy~ZixymnSxGIhk4L00eHUcrAaBOOatoN7L-XDv~~XfjZATh9siXBgC7g79Yp~bA9TKJAIlhWRixcFQvKqOGRMWkR1NEkXDSp6UZpgDMqUECVwbJi9yA-lW1jl4ID-h9IcAxZqXGgIvw3u~3OvXvJU5Y9-PmRnnb9A78hnT64mkbV1qSCcEB1hRf~v08Di--7znnUTyjx6CutY9sdkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to the College Place City Council on June 10, 2025, explaining the plan is largely funded by a U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) planning grant and is intended to align the city’s economic goals and capital projects with EDA eligibility criteria.

The draft includes foundational goals, action steps and visual materials prepared by the consultant Economic Growth Strategies; staff asked council members to review the language and project listings before the next meeting when the plan may be brought forward for adoption.

Why it matters: staff said adopting the economic development element to EDA standards would make College Place projects eligible for the EDA public works grant program—potentially opening a six-year window for funding that otherwise would require separate planning work. The presenter noted other local agencies (for example the port) did not prepare plans to this federal criterion, which is why the city pursued the EDA planning grant.

Staff described the process and next steps: staff will compile capital projects from the city’s Capital Facilities Plan, the Transportation Improvement Plan, recent studies (including the Martin Ayrfield planning study) and the upcoming Safe Streets for All plan, then return with a consolidated project list for council consideration. The presenter said the draft had received an advisory vote from the Economic Development, Tourism and Events Commission with business owners.

“Once this is adopted, key thing of importance is that, the comprehensive plan economic development section, most jurisdictions don't do it according to federal economic and, development administration principles. If you do it according to the SUDs concept, then it opens up all the economic development administration, public works program, grants, for about a 6 year period,” the presenter said.

No formal council action occurred at the June 10 meeting; staff said they hope to return with a consolidated project list and a proposed adoption at a future council meeting.","City staff presented a draft economic development strategy funded by a U.S. Economic Development Administration planning grant; staff said adopting the strategy to federal criteria would make local projects eligible for certain EDA public works grants for about six years.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6203762,"College Place council backs Walla Walla County Rural Library District sponsorship for AWC benefits trust",230,721000,951000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15&start=721&end=951","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3781624-130a3da9ecff0f978532bb39776dcd15/thumbnail_721000.jpg","/articles/6203762/College-Place/Walla-Walla-County/Washington/College-Place-council-backs-Walla-Walla-County-Rural-Library-District-sponsorship-for-AWC-benefits-trust","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6203762-bb0609c23c074d1c0d6a19a8bb233ee0/orig.mp4?Expires=1776563643&Signature=neVryjyS3w~TxoAoxnoe3KJ8RMlhoEqXhhmzfHJZbcCosg8AXXAwTnY0MA2O9MiRQ9IbWkuPOPFLVMyOw2pV8QRTtVbnPT66gmRVRQd9-Z6ikaUg7CapnOBZmaStpc~9xOLM0DhP6x8m6Ruway2E9Bq82T12e3oY-oDcexnYrWpB4m4qv7m4XJ-zc1Focsa5XuDhPWJbTjUqWBmSzvjYs3xQPO8LEFXqHVGKe6~xrT6uBUDLr9Qmw-AkjrvQhhEGG00MiL5F70t0P5u--oLL8aBuDSrdpi-LS3q~-57ZX3ZrLSmvc44UP6Kt5aezAbfgUVMkUJQ~FT5FwLXWkOE6EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of College Place City Council voted to sponsor the Walla Walla County Rural Library District’s application to join the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Employee Benefit Trust on June 10, 2025.

The resolution, numbered 25-038, passed after a motion by Council Member Williams and a second from Councilmember Cleveland; the mayor called for the ayes and the motion carried. The sponsorship is a jurisdictional endorsement required by AWC so the library district can join the pooled employee health program.

Why it matters: council members were told the sponsorship is administrative—intended to vouch for the library district’s membership in the pooled health program—and does not create liability or an ongoing financial obligation for College Place. That endorsement allows the library district to access AWC’s employee benefit programs more quickly than it could on its own.

City staff described the request at the meeting. “There is no liability on us. It's literally just a resolution saying, hey. We're cool with them, joining the employee benefit trust,” the presenter said. Council members asked no substantive questions before the motion.

The council’s action was procedural: it provides the local jurisdictional sponsor AWC requires for membership and does not change city budgets or benefits. Executive Director Anna Romero of the library district attended the meeting after the vote to accept the council’s support.

The resolution passed by voice vote with council concurrence. Staff will convey the council’s endorsement to AWC and to the Walla Walla County Rural Library District so the district may complete its application process.","The City of College Place voted unanimously to sponsor the Walla Walla County Rural Library District’s application to join the Association of Washington Cities Employee Benefit Trust; council members were told the sponsorship carries no fiscal obligation for the city.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears Valley Transit data on bus shelter costs and ridership drop; shelters not justified under current thresholds

College Place mayor begins interim recruitment after city administrator announces departure

City staff proposes truck route code to qualify for Freight Mobility investment funds

Council reviews draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy tied to EDA planning grant

College Place council backs Walla Walla County Rural Library District sponsorship for AWC benefits trust