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Trumbull commissioners authorize additional $175,000 to restore rides through transit service
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
The Trumbull County commissioners Wednesday authorized using an additional $175,000 in seniors levy funds to provide rides through the Trumbull County Transit Service.
In January, the officials who run the service said a change was being made for financial reasons: Riders would no longer be able to schedule rides at all times they wished.
It meant that people needing a ride through the service for doctor’s appointments and other things requiring a ride at a specific time would need to use another service.
But that caused a lot of complaints from senior citizens, said Frank Fuda, county commissioner.
“I had 30 people in one day calling saying they were not getting rides,” Fuda said.
Many complained that it made it impossible for them to get to exercise class, he said.
So the county commissioners and the senior services advisory council agreed to use $175,000 in levy money to restore the service to the way it was before. Fuda said he doesn’t know how long the additional money will last.
The commissioners do not use any county general fund money to operate the service, which provides the rides under a contract with Community Bus Service for about $1.50 to $2 each way.
“We don’t want people sitting at home,” Fuda said. But the amount of money generated by the levy has not increased since 2007, while the demand has gone up.
One reason the demand is higher is because the senior-citizen population is rising fast, as evidenced by the senior-citizen housing complexes being built. One, for example, is being built by the Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority on Parkman Road, and one is being built by a private company at the corner of state Route 46 and Youngstown Road at the Niles/Howland border, Fuda said.
In other business, the commissioners are scheduling a public hearing for 11 a.m. June 30 on the fifth floor of the county administration building, 160 High St. NW, to discuss the retire/rehire of Ernest Cook, county 911 director. Cook has applied to retire and be rehired to his same position, which is under the authority of the county commissioners. The rehire would be effective June 30.