Panel requests funds for senior commuting

One county commissioner isn't ready to leap into the deal without looking.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The Senior Citizens Advisory Council has recommended to the Trumbull County commissioners that they provide $151,000 to the Niles-Trumbull Transit System to keep it operating the last five months of 2006.
By a 4-2 vote, the council said Wednesday the funding is necessary to provide transportation to 3,200 senior citizens who rely on it. Members Jennie Dennison-Budak and Lena Franklin voted no.
Darlene St. George, attending her first meeting as a member of the council, abstained from voting.
Judging from the reaction of Commissioner Paul Heltzel, who attended the meeting, it may be difficult getting the commissioners to agree to the funding.
Heltzel told committee members that some analysis done by Tom Harwood, transportation subcommittee chairman, was "good, but it stops a little short."
"Let me know when you have a final report," Heltzel told Harwood as he attempted to leave the advisory council meeting because of another commitment.
Short on time
Earlier in the meeting, Harwood told the committee that the city of Niles will cut off its funding for NTTS at the end of the month. "That's a real problem. We're potentially at risk in less than two weeks," Harwood said.
Heltzel said it will take longer than two weeks to properly analyze the situation so that the money is being properly spent.
He asked Harwood whether giving each of the 3,200 senior citizen riders $20 apiece to obtain taxi rides and the like wouldn't be cheaper than giving $151,000 to NTTS. Advisory council member Jack Foley questioned how $20 would be enough to pay for rides for the rest of the year.
But he added that he didn't care how the commissioners went about serving the 3,200 senior citizens who need the rides as long as they get them.
Harwood said he's worried that if the current problem isn't corrected in time, the services that NTTS provides won't be available in 2007.
Niles Mayor Ralph Infante said late last month that the county -- either through the funds from the senior citizens levy passed in November or some other source -- needs to reimburse the city of Niles $151,000 or he will shut down the bus system. Infante said the commissioners promised the money to the system earlier this year.
Niles pays the money to operate the transit system and is then reimbursed. The system gets money to operate through federal sources, fares, the county and member communities based on $1 per resident. The service is door to door.