Developmental services group seeks county signatures on public-transit grant support; plans Nov. 5 coordination meeting

Jerry Michaud, president of Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas (DSNWK), and Wade Kraus, transportation manager for DSNWK and Access Public Transportation, asked the Ellis County commission on Oct. 7 to sign letters of support for upcoming transit grant applications. Michaud said the letters are not financial commitments and instead affirm the county’s view that the service is valuable to the community.

Kraus said the organizations are preparing grant applications for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2026, and are seeking local partner support as they coordinate with KDOT and state legislators. “It’s not a financial support letter. It’s just basically saying that Dallas County is worth what we do,” Kraus said. (Speaker used the county name in the request; the organization services multiple regional communities.)

Kraus and Michaud said they are arranging a coordination meeting on Nov. 5 at 8:30 a.m. at DSNWK that will include KDOT staff, representatives from the city of Hays and county officials; County Administrator Darren Myers said he expects to receive a meeting invitation and commissioners indicated willingness to attend. Michaud described the current challenge as a funding shortfall that will require conversations with KDOT and legislative outreach and said Access is also reviewing internal operational adjustments to increase efficiency.

No formal resolution was requested; commissioners indicated no objection to signing letters of support and asked staff to share the Nov. 5 meeting invitation.