Grant Could Provide KABS With 18 Months Of Funding
May 13, 2020 at 1:26 a.m.
Grant Could Provide KABS With 18 Months Of Funding
By David [email protected]
“Normally, we’d be here today presenting the calendar 2021 operating and capital grant agreement for you to sign, and we are, I have it with me, but it’s a little different than it typically is,” Boren said.
The Indiana Department of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration, was awarded Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding through “all the bills that were passed,” Boren said. “And part of that is, an 18-month period where 5311 providers, like you, are funded at 100% with federal funds.”
5311 formula grants are specifically for rural areas with fewer than 50,000 residents. These grants provide capital, planning and operating assistance to qualifying public transportation agencies, according to the website ecolane.com. As a rule, the 5311 funding is awarded to one provider per county/region.
Boren explained that in a typical year, “Our grant is 50% federal, that’s the net operating after fares and everything. Fifty percent of it is covered. Federal requires it to have a state and local match, dollar for dollar. But because of the coronavirus and the CARES funding that has come in, the federal money is covering it 100%.”
He said the grant agreement he presented to the commissioners Tuesday was for approximately $1.3 million for July 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021.
“I think the intent is to give some relief to some of those local sources that are probably going to get a hit because of some of the issues with the coronavirus,” Boren said.
He said they the funding is causing them to do things a little bit different than the typical year.
“You’ll see our not-for-profit application to you for Cardinal is a little bit different. The balance isn’t as heavy on KABS because we’re using it for capital as opposed to the operating. But there is still a need for that funding, but it’s not as much on the KABS end,” Boren said.
The agreement he presented was for 100% operating, but Boren said there was a capital request in there, too, but it’s still only 80% federal funding.
“So we are looking for two replacement buses this year. We’re coming to the county for the local match of 20% for one of them. That’s not in this. That will be in another request. And then going to the city for the other bus match,” Boren said.
Commissioner Cary Groninger asked if they’d be applying for the bus money through the Michiana Area Council Of Governments. Boren said it was INDOT money and would cover 80% of the purchase price of the buses.
“Know that the operating changes our 2020 grant. So once this goes into play, starting July, we’ll be at 100% federal, which ... we’ll have to make some changes to account for that,” Boren said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the grant application request for 2021 capital and operating costs.
Peterson then presented the first quarter 2020 operating claim.
“We are requesting $87,481 in federal and $46,268 in state,” he said. “The claim process has changed somewhat. Beforehand, the (KABS) general manager would complete the claim, come to you, ask for your approval, get your signatures and then submit it to INDOT. It’s been reversed. Now we submit the claim all electronically to INDOT. They approve it, send us an invoice and then we come to you for approval.”
Groninger asked Peterson what KABS’s ridership has been through the whole COVID-19 pandemic.
Peterson said it’s been down “quite significantly.”
“Typically, we would have about 1,000+ rides per week. Now, we’re averaging around 200. Luckily, last week, we were up to 284 rides, so we’re climbing up,” Peterson said.
Groninger said those people still need those rides and he appreciated what KABS does.
“We anticipate it to continue to go up,” Peterson said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the 2020 first quarter claims.
In other business, Kosciusko County Community Corrections Director Barry Andrew said the Indiana Department of Corrections will be releasing its grant application soon and he asked for permission to apply for those grants. He didn’t have a time frame for the grant process, but said his department will again be applying for the Drug Court grant of about $70,000 and the Community Corrections grant of $362,000, the maximum.
The commissioners approved his request, and Andrew will present his request to the county council at its meeting Thursday night.
Groninger asked Andrew how things are going in Community Corrections since he took over last year and through the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re getting there. I think when you had a program run the way it was being ran, expectations to get it fixed in a short manner is probably unrealistic,” Andrew said. “My goal is, in the first year, to get things fixed, back to normal, but we’ve had a great team effort. Not only with our office, but the whole entire county that we’ve had to start fixing, correcting, cleaning some of the mess up. So we’re getting there. I’m thankful for what we’ve got, and I’m thankful for the direction we’re going in, and I appreciate all the support.”
KCCC is charged with monitoring people who have been sentenced to home detention and ankle monitoring bracelets. Andrew replaced former KCCC Director Anna Bailey in December. Bailey is facing felony charges of obstruction of justice and official misconduct for her behavior while she was the director.
Commissioner Bob Conley said the county had “great expectations” and Andrew was not letting them down.
“We’re going to keep going one day at a time, and with the team effort, we’ll get there,” Andrew said.
“You’ve signed up for a tough job,” Commissioner Brad Jackson said.
“That’s what I’m figuring out,” Andrew concluded.
“Normally, we’d be here today presenting the calendar 2021 operating and capital grant agreement for you to sign, and we are, I have it with me, but it’s a little different than it typically is,” Boren said.
The Indiana Department of Transportation, through the Federal Transit Administration, was awarded Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding through “all the bills that were passed,” Boren said. “And part of that is, an 18-month period where 5311 providers, like you, are funded at 100% with federal funds.”
5311 formula grants are specifically for rural areas with fewer than 50,000 residents. These grants provide capital, planning and operating assistance to qualifying public transportation agencies, according to the website ecolane.com. As a rule, the 5311 funding is awarded to one provider per county/region.
Boren explained that in a typical year, “Our grant is 50% federal, that’s the net operating after fares and everything. Fifty percent of it is covered. Federal requires it to have a state and local match, dollar for dollar. But because of the coronavirus and the CARES funding that has come in, the federal money is covering it 100%.”
He said the grant agreement he presented to the commissioners Tuesday was for approximately $1.3 million for July 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2021.
“I think the intent is to give some relief to some of those local sources that are probably going to get a hit because of some of the issues with the coronavirus,” Boren said.
He said they the funding is causing them to do things a little bit different than the typical year.
“You’ll see our not-for-profit application to you for Cardinal is a little bit different. The balance isn’t as heavy on KABS because we’re using it for capital as opposed to the operating. But there is still a need for that funding, but it’s not as much on the KABS end,” Boren said.
The agreement he presented was for 100% operating, but Boren said there was a capital request in there, too, but it’s still only 80% federal funding.
“So we are looking for two replacement buses this year. We’re coming to the county for the local match of 20% for one of them. That’s not in this. That will be in another request. And then going to the city for the other bus match,” Boren said.
Commissioner Cary Groninger asked if they’d be applying for the bus money through the Michiana Area Council Of Governments. Boren said it was INDOT money and would cover 80% of the purchase price of the buses.
“Know that the operating changes our 2020 grant. So once this goes into play, starting July, we’ll be at 100% federal, which ... we’ll have to make some changes to account for that,” Boren said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the grant application request for 2021 capital and operating costs.
Peterson then presented the first quarter 2020 operating claim.
“We are requesting $87,481 in federal and $46,268 in state,” he said. “The claim process has changed somewhat. Beforehand, the (KABS) general manager would complete the claim, come to you, ask for your approval, get your signatures and then submit it to INDOT. It’s been reversed. Now we submit the claim all electronically to INDOT. They approve it, send us an invoice and then we come to you for approval.”
Groninger asked Peterson what KABS’s ridership has been through the whole COVID-19 pandemic.
Peterson said it’s been down “quite significantly.”
“Typically, we would have about 1,000+ rides per week. Now, we’re averaging around 200. Luckily, last week, we were up to 284 rides, so we’re climbing up,” Peterson said.
Groninger said those people still need those rides and he appreciated what KABS does.
“We anticipate it to continue to go up,” Peterson said.
The commissioners unanimously approved the 2020 first quarter claims.
In other business, Kosciusko County Community Corrections Director Barry Andrew said the Indiana Department of Corrections will be releasing its grant application soon and he asked for permission to apply for those grants. He didn’t have a time frame for the grant process, but said his department will again be applying for the Drug Court grant of about $70,000 and the Community Corrections grant of $362,000, the maximum.
The commissioners approved his request, and Andrew will present his request to the county council at its meeting Thursday night.
Groninger asked Andrew how things are going in Community Corrections since he took over last year and through the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re getting there. I think when you had a program run the way it was being ran, expectations to get it fixed in a short manner is probably unrealistic,” Andrew said. “My goal is, in the first year, to get things fixed, back to normal, but we’ve had a great team effort. Not only with our office, but the whole entire county that we’ve had to start fixing, correcting, cleaning some of the mess up. So we’re getting there. I’m thankful for what we’ve got, and I’m thankful for the direction we’re going in, and I appreciate all the support.”
KCCC is charged with monitoring people who have been sentenced to home detention and ankle monitoring bracelets. Andrew replaced former KCCC Director Anna Bailey in December. Bailey is facing felony charges of obstruction of justice and official misconduct for her behavior while she was the director.
Commissioner Bob Conley said the county had “great expectations” and Andrew was not letting them down.
“We’re going to keep going one day at a time, and with the team effort, we’ll get there,” Andrew said.
“You’ve signed up for a tough job,” Commissioner Brad Jackson said.
“That’s what I’m figuring out,” Andrew concluded.
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