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Transit board split on taking over new services

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are considering bringing in an attorney to help settle an internal dispute at the Trumbull County Transit Board.

Michael Verich, the board’s mobility manager, and Mark Hess, the administrator of the board, are at odds over whether the board should take over transportation services at the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services.

Commissioners Frank Fuda, Dan Polivka and Mauro Cantalamessa said they need more information and a meeting with members of the board, along with John Gargano, the director of JFS. They are considering bringing in an attorney knowledgeable in transportation issues, who the county hired before to help with transit issues.

JFS clients receive transportation from providers the county contracts with, on the recommendation of Gargano.

The commissioners passed a resolution in 2012 stating the transit board would start overseeing transportation at the department, but it proved to be more complicated than expected to make the transition, Hess said.

If the board were to take over, it would have to acquire a franchisee to administer the service — a company that would be selected during a bid process. Hess said the board would have to hire two new employees to oversee it all.

The board uses Community Bus Services of Warren to provide low-cost, first-come, first-serve rides and run the daily operations. Anyone can use the system. The fees for a one-way trip range between $1.50 for seniors living in communities that pay to subsidize the cost of the ride, to $8 for members of the general public living in a community that does not subsidize the cost.

If the board were to create the franchise and find a franchisee, CBS could put a bid in to stay the contractor, but would have to keep new records to fulfill certain requirements, and may have to jump through some extra hoops, Verich said.

But it would protect the county, by insulating it from liability, Verich said.

The move would increase ridership in the transit program, which would open the board up to more Federal Transportation Administration funds, Verich said.

Hess said a study by RLS Associates Inc., the Dayton-based company that created a coordinated plan for the board, showed that additional funds the board could procure if it made the move, would not surpass, or greatly surpass, the expenses incurred for running transportation services for JFS.

When the commissioners hired him two years ago, Hess said one of the reasons they selected him was to look into the move and provide his opinion.

“I don’t think it is the way to go. We don’t want to be tied into a 10-year contract and find it is unreasonable,” Hess said.

The board would be responsible for more costs up front, and the federal funding wouldn’t catch up for at least two years, Hess said.

There are other, little ways to increase ridership and funds, Hess said. The board should concentrate on delivering better services with what they have for now, he said.

Hess said he would support going out for bids to see if any other company could give rides for fewer dollars.

The board and CBS ran into trouble at the beginning of 2017 when many seeking rides complained they couldn’t get them. The problem was that CBS in 2016 wasn’t turning down ride requests, even though it wasn’t getting paid, to offset a disparity in funds for rides and the number of people who wanted them. When federal officials found out, CBS stopped doing the proactive, so scheduling got tighter in 2017, leading to complaints.

Verich said the board has to find creative and brave ways to bring more transportation services to the people, and the clients at JFS will lead to more opportunities to do that.

“If we don’t do this and next year there are cuts in services, than those that are against this move will have to answer to the public for the problems we have because we couldn’t increase the amount of matching dollars. We need to be innovative and proactive, instead of simply reactive when we have to be because there is no funding. If that happens, we will have to answer to the people,” Verich said.

rfox@tribtoday.com

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