GATEWAY to hold public hearing on use of federal stimulus money
By Steve Herring
Published in News on March 22, 2010 1:46 PM
The Goldsboro-Wayne Transportation Authority, which operates the GATEWAY bus and van system will hold its regularly scheduled meeting on March 30 at 10 a.m. in the city's anteroom located adjacent to council chambers on the second floor of the historic City Hall.
The meeting will include a public hearing to consider a grant application to the N.C. Department of Transportation for the Community Transportation Program for fiscal year 2010-11.
Also, it was announced earlier this month that GATEWAY will receive $90,000 in federal stimulus monies that can be used for operational costs on the urban side of the system. Since no local match is required, the grant is expected to save the city of Goldsboro $22,500.
GATEWAY receives funding through the federal government that requires a 50 percent local match for operating expenses. That local match is provided equally through the State Maintenance Assistance Program (SMAP) and the city.
The $90,000 will be used to make that match saving the state and city $22,500 each.
"Before I can use this (stimulus) money I have to use all operating monies," Stubbs said. "It will be several months before it is used. There are a lot strings attached to this stuff."
The stimulus funding has to be used by 2015, he said.
The public hearing on March 30 will be for a state grant mainly for administrative and capital expenses as well as for some operating costs on the county side of the system, including the Mount Olive route.
"The main thing we are looking for is to replace three conversion vans with 22-foot LTV (light transit vehicles) and one min-van," Stubbs said.
The mini-van is used for out-of-county trips when a van with a wheelchair ramp is not needed, he said.
The LTV's are expected to cost $61,500 each while the mini-van will cost $27,500. The grant will cover 90 percent of the cost of the vehicles and will require the county to provide the remainder.
Another capital item is a new $28,865 computer system, Stubbs said. The system will replace one that is five years old, he said.
The grant also seeks $42,063 for the rural side's operating budget which would include a 50-percent local match.
The application includes another $275,757 for administrative costs that would require a 15 percent local match of $41, 365.
"Normally the county has to certify that it has the money to provide the local match," Stubbs said.
That will be the case this time as well.
"But I have been able to provide the local match for the past year and a half," Stubbs said. "But with all of this capital it may be more difficult this year."
Stubbs said GATEWAY had been able to provide the match by increasing revenues and decreasing expenditures.
A copy of the grant application is available for public inspection at the GATEWAY office, 1615 E. Beech St.
A recent closed session meeting resulted in no action being taken after sources close to the meeting said it concerned an employee complaint that was determined to be unfounded.