County staff seeks permission to recruit on‑call backup drivers for senior bus service

A staff member asked the Madison County Board of Commissioners for permission to recruit additional on‑call backup drivers to support the county senior bus program.

The staff member said current backup coverage is inconsistent because an existing backup driver’s availability is limited by outside work, and added that the county has new vehicles and needs more drivers to avoid turning riders away. "It can't hurt to have as many people available as possible so we don't drop the service," the staff member said.

Commissioners discussed budget capacity; one commissioner said the budget can handle on‑call drivers because the position does not include full benefits and is not a simultaneous full‑time hire. They suggested outreach through the library, the local paper (referred to as the Ruby Nugget) and the program’s board. The staff member said they would advertise and coordinate with the board and library to spread information about the service and the new schedule.

The board also discussed whether the buses could be used for third‑party events (for example, to bring seniors to functions) and noted that such uses typically require documentation, wages and fuel reimbursement. Officials said they will verify the county’s policy and require approvals for third‑party use.

No formal motion or vote was recorded; commissioners signaled support and asked staff to return with specifics at the next meeting.