That's the crux of two new reports issued Thursday by transition teams representing the new east-side school district and the west side's remaining Jordan School District. Charged with the equitable distribution of bond assets, school buildings and administration facilities following the the split last fall, the teams have negotiated back and forth for months.

The process all but stalled in June, when the transition team representing the new east-side school district threatened arbitration. Shortly afterward, officials representing West Jordan met with Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in attempts to persuade him to call a special legislative session to temporarily halt the district's split.

They charged the split will leave the remaining Jordan School District short-changed for construction of needed schools, while the new school district insists it needs money enough from the split of assets to remodel and fortify its older school buildings.

Mayors representing municipalities impacted by the district split have since met to help form a solution that might avert arbitration, but details are vague.

"I'm not ready to talk about them at this time," said South Jordan Mayor Kent Money. "We have to discuss this with the transition teams and see if we can get their buy-off. We may not. Then we're back to square one."

Neither team seemed to pay the other's report any mind. Both, however, were pleased to hear each had incorporated identical rules for arbitration. Each team is scheduled to pick one arbitrator by Sept. 1, with a third to be agreed upon later. Meanwhile, both sides have agreed to continue negotiating a settlement for asset distribution up to the very moment arbitrators issue a final ruling. Both transition teams consider that important, as it preserves the possibility that some, or perhaps all, of their disagreements might be resolved rather than face a decision that makes both school districts unhappy.

"That was the only part of their report I was concerned about," said Steve Newton, chairman of the new school district transition team for the east side. "That's a positive thing."

Peggy Jo Kennett, a school board member for the remaining Jordan School District as well as a member of its transition team, agreed. "It's nice that we agree on language for arbitration," she said. "It's too bad we couldn't agree on other things."