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Helix board approves 10‑year Mid‑Columbia Bus contract with 11.7% increase
Summary
The Helix School Board approved a 10‑year transportation contract with Mid‑Columbia Bus that includes an 11.7% initial increase and a dedicated activity bus; the company said the term helps both parties budget by limiting annual increases to CPI adjustments.
The Helix School Board voted to approve a 10‑year contract with Mid‑Columbia Bus on April 8, 2026, in a 4–0 recorded vote with one member absent. Board Chair Larry Parker moved the motion and Bobby Corey seconded it; the motion carried.
Brian Johnson of Mid‑Columbia Bus told the board the agreement includes an 11.7% increase and would provide a dedicated activity bus wrapped in Helix branding and the option to install dash cams on buses. Brian said the long term offers predictability: "it locks the District in with only a CPI increase each year but no increase in rates," which he said helps both the bus company and district budget over the decade. The contract discussion included a replacement schedule for buses and a daily driver safety report tied to the dash cam proposal.
The board’s minutes record the motion as carried (Yea: 4; Nay: 0; Absent: 1). The check register for March also lists payments to Mid‑Columbia Bus Co. totaling $51,224.79 for home‑to‑school and activity transportation services earlier in the year, which the business manager read into the record.
