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Greene County approves one-year FTA formula grant agreements, staff to rebid operations after ridership review
Summary
Greene County supervisors approved continuing agreements for Federal Transit Administration formula grants and a one-year operating contract with ARC Mid-Hudson, while staff promised competitive rebidding and an updated transportation plan to address low ridership.
Greene County supervisors voted to authorize continued participation in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula grants and to approve a one-year agreement for operating and capital assistance with ARC Mid-Hudson on terms tied to Section 5311 program rules.
The authorization, carried by voice vote, funds operating and capital assistance for rural transit under the federal program and keeps existing continuing project agreements with third-party operators in place while staff conducts a competitive procurement.
Why it matters: The contract will remain in effect for one year while county staff conducts a full competitive procurement and the county’s mobility manager updates the county transportation plan. That plan will address ridership figures and route needs, which supervisors flagged as the central concern for continuing the service.
County discussion and next steps Warren (staff member) said the county could cancel the service under the contract if state funding did not materialize or if modifications were required, and outlined two performance requirements tied to the resolution: "We have a contract with them, and there is sufficient in the contract that if we don't terminate service and modify service, if we don't get the funding from the state, cancel that contract." He added that the county must run a "full blown, open, competitive approach" this year to stay in compliance with FTA requirements and that the parks mobility manager must update the transportation plan to include ridership figures and route-level details.
Supervisor Jane (board member) asked whether the county would be locked into the contract if ridership did not improve; Warren answered that the contract term is one year while the procurement and planning steps proceed. Laura (board member) and others confirmed staff will bring the transportation plan back to the Transportation Advisory Board and then to the board for review.
Outcome and formal action The board approved the resolution to continue participation in the FTA rural formula (Section 5311) program and to authorize the one-year operating and capital assistance agreement with ARC Mid-Hudson for rural services, with continuation contingent on the county’s competitive procurement and the transportation plan update.
Ending Staff said they will put the route and ridership data into the county’s transportation plan and reissue the operations contract through a competitive bid process this year, after which the board will review any long-term contract proposals.
