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Commissioners defer acceptance of $396,000 FTA vehicle grant pending broader transit briefing
Summary
Kootenai County transit staff sought approval of a $396,000 FTA grant (with $99,000 local match) for replacement demand‑response/paratransit vehicles. Commissioners asked for a broader discussion of service levels and program planning and agreed to revisit acceptance rather than finalize it at the Feb. 4 meeting.
Kootenai County transit staff asked the board Feb. 4 to accept a grant agreement from the Idaho Transportation Department (FTA 05/1939) to purchase demand‑response paratransit vehicles. The grant amount on the table is $396,000 with a required local match of $99,000.
Chad Engel, Transit department representative, said the agreement covers replacement paratransit vehicles and that the application was submitted in February 2024. "This is the acceptance of the grant," Engel said during the discussion about the application status.
Several commissioners said they wanted a fuller understanding of how individual grants fit into the county's overall transit service plan before approving additional funding commitments. Commissioners requested a briefing that would include program‑of‑projects timing, service‑level implications and participation by partner jurisdictions and stakeholders. Engel said the program of projects is typically brought before the board in March and that staff is working on the related planning documents.
Board members did not record a final approval on the grant at the meeting. Instead, the board agreed to schedule a follow‑up discussion with transit and partners in the coming weeks to clarify service levels, funding match responsibilities and timing before taking final action.
Background: Engel told the board the expected useful life used for planning is five years or 50,000 miles for replacement buses; staff noted the grant performance period starts in October and that planning timelines require adding projects to the program of projects and state plans.
