By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 29th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
HERMISTON – Hermiston School Superintendent Tricia Mooney is one of the members of the newly-created Joint Task Force on Resilient Efficient Buildings. The purpose of the 27-member committee is to guide the development of the state’s building code policies as they relate to energy efficiency, air quality, and public health.
“I am honored to be able to represent rural Oregon, Eastern Oregon, school districts, and public agencies,” Mooney said. “It’s a big job. It’s not one that I take lightly.”
Mooney was selected as the representative for building owners and managers. The Hermiston School District includes 10 publicly-owned school and administration buildings of varying ages. The school district is also the largest in Eastern Oregon with one of the fastest-growing student populations in the state.
“Rural school districts and local governments have needs that far surpass our local tax base,” she said. “We need the state to invest in our local communities. If we work together, we can promote cleaner air while lowering energy costs for local taxpayers and build public facilities that are healthier for the people who use them.”
The first meeting of the task force will be April 5, and streams of all meetings are available on the Oregon Legislature website.