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Mountain Climber director warns TransAid decline, proposes small mill-levy increase and outreach to Logan Health
Summary
Elizabeth Wood told commissioners that TransAid reimbursements have dropped from a recent high and the Mountain Climber transit program will feel the impact; she recommended considering a small mill-levy increase (from 0.55 to 0.65 mills) and said she will seek larger contributions from Logan Health to help cover medical-ride demand.
Elizabeth Wood, director of the Mountain Climber transit program, told Flathead County commissioners on May 1 that state TransAid reimbursements used by local transit providers have fallen from a recent peak and that the program will need to consider options to maintain current service levels.
Wood said the county’s TransAid allocation is slated at about $213,807 for the coming year after a larger 2024 distribution that the state does not expect to continue. She reviewed historical TransAid receipts shown to commissioners (about $114,000 in FY22; roughly $159,000 in FY23; a jump to about $317,346 in FY24; and a decline to the current projection).
The Mountain Climber director said the program gives many rides to Logan Health and that the hospital historically contributed $25,000 a year; that contribution was not budgeted for the coming year. Wood said she will pursue the hospital for additional support and suggested asking for a reasonable increase to reflect the volume of patient drop-offs the transit service provides. Commissioners discussed other sponsorship and advertising opportunities on buses and suggested outreach to private businesses that receive customers delivered by transit.
Wood also proposed a sidebar request to increase the transit mill levy from the current 0.55 mills to 0.65 mills to help restore prior funding levels; she said current cash reserves are adequate at about 32% without the change but that the projection does not yet reflect the $25,000 that was not received. She added that if TransAid continues lower than projected and partner contributions are not restored, adjustments to service or additional local funding would be necessary.
Wood described operational details: Mountain Climber provides roughly 65,000 to 80,000 passenger trips annually depending on which routes are counted, has two Ford Transit vans on order for deployment next fiscal year, and delayed a planned parking-lot repave to preserve cash this year. She also noted that certain employee training and advertising costs are reimbursed at higher federal/state rates (up to 80% in some categories), which offsets local costs.
No formal action was taken; Wood said she would begin outreach to Logan Health and other partners and provide refined figures and any sidebar request materials if the commission wished to consider a mill-levy change.
