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Commission approves retroactive amendment to MV transit contract to resolve grant compliance; staff to return with operations plan
Summary
To avoid potential grant repayment the board approved a retroactive ninth amendment to the MV Transportation contract that staff says will resolve roughly $900,000 in grant compliance issues; county staff (now under Airports) will return with route efficiency and service‑level recommendations.
Okaloosa County commissioners on Feb. 17 approved a retroactive amendment to the county’s contract with MV Transportation intended to bring the transit operation into compliance with FDOT and federal grant rules and to avoid an estimated $900,000 repayment to grantors.
Tracy (Trisha) Stage, who recently oversaw moving the transit department under airports, described the amendment as a technical but necessary step to reconcile procurement and contract management issues dating back to 2019. She said county staff and MV officials worked with FDOT to secure a management decision that recognizes allowable uses and avoids enforcement action. Commissioners were told the amendment will make the county “whole” with the grant funding agencies.
At the same time, Stage and other county leaders described operational problems in fixed‑route service: low ridership averages (staff cited about 120 riders per weekday across 25 buses) and inefficiencies that may justify a restructuring of routes or a shift in service model. Commissioners directed staff to return with a detailed operational analysis, including route efficiency metrics, potential alternatives (for example, paratransit‑focused service models), and impacts on users who depend on transit services. Several commissioners asked for written outreach to riders to document what alternative options they would have if fixed routes change.
The board approved the amendment by roll call (4–0; Commissioner Mixon absent) and instructed staff to present a report with options and metrics for the county’s next meetings.
What’s next: Staff will prepare an operational analysis and route‑efficiency metric and report back with recommendations, timelines and any procurement steps necessary to competitively re‑procure services when the current contract ends in August.
