Niles Trumbull Transit will get additional $55,000 for this year

Staff report

WARREN

Trumbull County commissioners approved a $55,000 increase in the 2010 funding for Niles Trumbull Transit to provide rides to Trumbull County senior citizens with money from the senior-services levy.

The $635,000 approved Wednesday is $55,000 more than the $580,000 NTTS received in 2009 and $175,000 more than NTTS received in 2008.

Paul Heltzel, Trumbull County commissioner, said the additional levy money was granted to NTTS because of a reduction in grant money NTTS will receive in 2010.

But NTTS has been advised that there will be no additional increases for the next two years.

“We provided the money to make up the shortfall, but that’s all we have of the levy money, so they have to plan accordingly,” Heltzel said.

NTTS, which uses buses and drivers from Community Bus Service of Warren, was organized in 2003 but expanded in 2006, after the money from the levy became available.

Money from the levy has been used since 2006 to fulfil a promise made by seniors-levy-campaign members to use some of the levy money to provide Trumbull County residents age 60 and over with one-way rides of $2 or less.

The 0.75-mill, five-year levy, approved by voters countywide in November 2005 and renewed this past May, raises about $2.3 million annually for senior- citizens services.

Heltzel said he hears occasional complaints from riders about not being picked up, but most comments are positive.