Trumbull transit funds hinge on acceptance of plan

By IAN HILL
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- The federal government giveth and the federal government taketh away.
That's what could happen to the Mahoning Valley under a recommendation Friday from the transit subcommittee of Eastgate Regional Council of Governments.
It recommended 8-0 to set aside $248,200 in federal money next year for a Trumbull County transportation system proposed by Niles Mayor Ralph Infante.
The money is earmarked for local highway projects.
If the transportation system proposal does not meet criteria for federal funding, the Federal Transit Administration would not give the money back.
Infante said he plans to ensure that the proposal meets the funding criteria.
"We sure don't want you to lose federal funds, believe me," he told the subcommittee. "We're going to work hard to make sure that everything meets the criteria with the FTA and everything meets the criteria with Eastgate."
Eastgate agreed to set aside $600,000 in federal money for a similar proposal in 1999. The FTA rejected the proposal and the federal government found other use for it.
A step forward: Infante added that he felt the recommendation was a great step forward for the transportation system proposal. The proposal still needs to be considered by Eastgate's technical advisory committee, which meets Jan. 10, and general policy board, which meets Jan. 28.
Eastgate Executive Director John Getchey said the council can maneuver funds so that local highway projects slated for 2002 would not be affected by the transportation system. Federal money for the system would come from an Eastgate account that has a balance of about $4.7 million.
The recommendation calls for an allocation of $248,200 to help pay for a $620,500 demand-response transportation system in Trumbull County next year.
The system would allow county residents to set up a time to be picked up and dropped off. A similar system operates in Niles.
Infante said Trumbull County officials would seek bids for service.
Trumbull County commissioners also have agreed to pay $120,000 to help fund the system next year. Infante added that he is talking with another local source of funding.
Funding: Money from the source could replace funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation, which cannot afford to help pay for the system next year, Eastgate officials said.
Niles, Cortland, Howland, Liberty, McDonald, Vienna, and Weathersfield also agreed to kick in $1 per resident next year for a total of $194,939.
The transportation system still needs to find funding beginning in 2003.
If the system meets the guidelines for the highway funds, it would be eligible to receive the same federal money paid to the Western Reserve Transit Authority beginning in 2003.
The WRTA received about $2.56 million in federal money this year. Eastgate would be responsible for dividing the money between the WRTA and the Trumbull County system if both are eligible.
hill@vindy.com