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Board approves two‑county transit route; county does not approve contingency match for facility upgrades
Summary
Macon County approved two years of ConCPT funding to partner with Haywood County and fund a full‑time operator for an Asheville route, but a separate motion to appropriate a $40,000 local match for a 5339(b) facility/grant package died for lack of a second.
Macon County commissioners voted July 11 to accept ConCPT grant funding to establish a weekday route to Asheville in partnership with Haywood County and to add a full‑time transit operator to run the service.
Transit Director Darlene Asher said the ConCPT request is for $108,000 per year for two years; the money would fund a full‑time operator to run a Monday‑through‑Friday route (8 a.m.–5 p.m.) with a Haywood County stop to pick up that county’s passengers headed to Asheville destinations such as Mission Hospital and the VA hospital. Asher said, if the pilot is successful, the county could reapply for continued support with matching funds later.
Asher additionally requested $200,000 in federal 5339(b) funds to pay for facility improvements (lighting, lot resealing/restriping, window treatments, TV mount) and solar panels to prepare for electric vehicles. She asked for a $40,000 county match to complete the project. Commissioner Shearl asked why the county did not buy an electric vehicle now; Asher replied the vehicles’ battery life and current operating conditions in Macon County would not meet route needs.
Commissioner Shields moved to appropriate $40,000 from the general fund contingency and apply $160,000 to the Transit budget; the motion died for lack of a second, so the local match was not approved. Separately, the ConCPT funding and the addition of a full‑time operator were approved by unanimous vote.
The transit director said solar panels could reduce the facility’s annual electric bill (which staff estimated at about $6,000) but the immediate capital purchase of electric vehicles was judged impractical for the county’s routes and terrain.
