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County transit to add admin vehicle and bus cameras after federal 5311 grant approval
Summary
CHQ Transit will amend its 2025 capital budget to purchase a $37,000 administrative vehicle and to install multi-camera systems on buses under an accepted Section 5311 grant (80% federal, 10% state, 10% local); the committee approved the budget amendment.
Chautauqua County's Public Facilities Committee on Sept. 15 approved an amendment to the county's 2025 capital budget to accept Section 5311 grant funds for transit equipment, including a $37,000 administrative vehicle and multi-camera systems for buses.
"We need to amend our capital budget for 2025 to include a vehicle purchase for our administration vehicle for $37,000," Michelle Westfeld, senior project coordinator for CHQ Transit, told the committee. She said the 5311 grant structure for these purchases is 80% federal, 10% state and 10% local.
Westfeld said the $37,000 purchase would replace a van with a small SUV to be used by the county's examiner to ride along behind drivers for oversight. On the camera equipment, she said the quoted system would include several cameras per vehicle to capture interior and exterior views for accident or complaint verification. The camera program was described as a $200,000 grant, with $160,000 federal, $20,000 state and $20,000 local share.
A committee member asked whether cameras were mandated; Westfeld said they are "not mandated, but highly recommended." She and others noted cameras help protect drivers and the county by providing footage in incidents; Westfeld described a prior instance when outside camera footage exonerated the transit agency.
The committee voted to carry the budget amendment. The public transcript does not list a named mover or a roll-call tally.
