Voters League urges county to defend grant funding, asks commission to press transit agency on public comments and paratransit suspension

At a public-comment period during the Macon-Bibb County Commission meeting, a representative of the Bibb County Voters League praised county officials for preserving grant-funded programs and urged commissioners to intervene when county-funded entities limit public comment or appear to violate federal law.

"We are pleased that these grants are continuing to come," the speaker said, praising the commission's work to sustain grants amid changes at the state level. The speaker identified herself as representing the Bibb County Voters League, a long-standing voter-service organization she said was organized about 50 years ago in the basement of New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church.

She asked the commission to press the Macon Transit Authority, a recipient of county funding, to reinstate opportunities for citizens to comment on both agenda and non-agenda items. "If you don't... know the agenda, how do you know what item that you would like to address?" she asked on the record.

The speaker also asked the commission to investigate a reported suspension of a county resident from paratransit service, saying the suspension may violate federal law and asking commissioners to use their influence as funders of transit services.

She closed by noting outreach efforts by the voters league to register and mobilize voters and by complimenting county decisions to preserve grant funding.