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WARREN -- Trumbull County will look to raise $296,357 as a 50% match for money being made available from the Ohio Department of Transportation that would allow the Western Reserve Transit System to reestablish two fixed routes eliminated earlier this year.
County Transit Administrator Mike Salamone is expected to approach Warren Mayor Doug Franklin to determine how much money the city will be willing to contribute to reestablish the service, because the majority of the riders either live or work in the city, according to the county commissioners.
Franklin said he is looking forward to having discussions with the commissioners and learning more details about the grant proposal. He added that as far as providing additional finances, he cannot do anything without consulting council.
The two WRTA routes being considered are Elm Road and Northwest, which were among five routes eliminated by WRTA when the ODOT did not renew the grant that funded them in August.
WRTA received a $1 million grant from ODOT that funded the five fixed routes in 2020.
Commissioner Niki Frenchko has been a proponent of the county joining WRTA to receive bus service throughout Trumbull County. Once the county joins the regional bus service, WRTA will place a quarter percent sales tax increase on the ballot, which would allow voters to decide whether to provide funds to continue the services.
Frenchko said that with the passage of the quarter percent tax increase WRTA will provide transportation services throughout the county, not just the areas that were previously served by the five fixed routes.
Frenchko said the 2020 grant was supposed to be temporary so the county could find other funding sources.
"Everyone knew, or should have known that," she said.
County Commissioners Mauro Cantalamessa and Denny Malloy said the proposed sales tax increase annually would raise $7 million to be paid to WRTA. Cantalamessa said the vote would include Trumbull and Mahoning voters.
"If Trumbull residents overwhelmingly vote against the sales tax increase and Mahoning voters support it, it would pass," Cantalamessa said. "People don't want Mahoning voters determining what happens in Trumbull County."
Frenchko argued that the commissioners should let the voters decide.
Salamone told the three commissioners, nearly two dozen residents and others during Wednesday's meeting the county must complete its required application and matching funds by the end of December to have the two routes reestablished by April 1.
Prior to Wednesday's meeting a small group of residents protested with signs outside of the county commissioners offices stating they want the eliminated bus transportation returned.
Cantalamessa said the three other routes would not be restarted because of low ridership.
Frenchko described those routes as arteries that allowed county residents that were not on the Elm Road and Northwest routes to transfer onto them to get to their destinations.
Warren resident Carl Clemens suggested the two sides of the bus transportation issue must find ways to work together.
As a way to reduce costs, Clemens suggested WRTA could consider restart charging fares, so users could pay at least a portion of the cost of providing transportation.
Julie Stout, a grassroot organizer with Transit for Trumbull County, disagreed, saying WRTA's bus transportation should remain free for residents.
Malloy said that people who drive vehicles must pay for them, as well as the cost of gas and vehicle maintenance.
"Nothing is free," he said.
Stout agreed with Frenchko that Trumbull County should join WRTA and then allow voters to determine whether they should support the bus service by increasing the sales tax amount.
Malloy and Cantalamessa also asked Salamone to work to establish Trumbull County or a county designee as a Section 5307 grant recipient. That action will allow it to receive federal transit money directly, instead of having to go through a third party, such as WRTA.
Trumbull County was formerly a Section 5307 grant designee but gave up that designation after the previous transit board was dissolved. WRTA has that grant designation and is the only local entity that can receive these federal grant funds.
Salamone emphasized that process likely would take more than a year to accomplish. They would have to establish a plan of funding and operation of a transit system, obtain support from the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments and the signature of the governor.
Frenchko argues it would be difficult to get the local support because of questionable decisions of the previous transit board.
In addition to convincing city officials to provide some of the $296,357 local match for the ODOT funds, Salamone also will work with local residents in developing ideas on what they want from a future bus services.
Salamone suggested Trumbull County could operate a pared down bus service for an estimated $3 million per year, instead of passing a quarter percent sales tax increase that would raise $7 million a year for WRTA by contracting with the agency, instead of joining it.