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Committee refers 3.5% request from contracted transporter to finance
Summary
The county was asked to approve a 3.5% increase for Duran Transportation (contract cap 2%); staff said the net increase to the county would be about $13,000 and that 59.5% of costs are reimbursable; the committee voted to refer the request to the finance committee.
Washington County staff presented a request from Duran Transportation to raise contractual rates by 3.5% for specialized student/early-intervention transport. The county's contract cap is 2%, and staff said the larger increase would raise net county expense by about $13,000 compared with the $9,600 increase that a 2% cap would have produced.
"Increasing the rates by 3.5 percent would increase the net expense to the county by about $13,000," the director said, noting the county would receive an offsetting reimbursement (described in the meeting as roughly 59.5% of eligible costs). Committee members reviewed per-trip examples cited by staff — $71.60 round trip for routine trips and $223 round trip when an aide is required — and discussed annual program costs (staff estimated around $700,000 on the transportation line).
Members debated whether the county should explore providing transport internally, buying modified transport vans or partnering with school districts. Several members noted legacy costs and regulatory complexity for wheelchair-accessible transport and suggested a cost-benefit analysis before moving away from the existing vendor. A motion to refer the request to the finance committee was made, seconded and approved by voice vote for further budget-level review.
