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County hears program updates: GoGo Grandparent funding cut, Fueling Futures gas cards and concerns about electric school bus mandate
Summary
Oswego County agencies reported the State Office for the Aging reduced funding for GoGo Grandparent in 2026, limiting in‑county medical trips and monthly trips per client; CiTi BOCES launched a Fueling Futures gas‑card pilot for students; officials raised concerns about New York’s 2035 zero‑emission school bus mandate over grid capacity and winter operations.
Sara Sunday of the Office for the Aging told the TAC that GoGo Grandparent usage rose in late 2025 but that the State Office for the Aging reduced funding for 2026. As a result, GoGo Grandparent "will no longer be able to open up to in‑county medical appointment at this time due to reduced funding," Sunday said, and the program will limit the number of trips clients can use each month.
Rachel Pierce described results of a CDL workforce grant (June 2023–Dec 2025) that awarded $63,846 and helped expand local CDL training; the project provided 88 scholarships, produced 59 CDL licenses and led to 40 trainees obtaining driving jobs at an average cost near $1,500 per person.
Brian Heffron of CiTi BOCES introduced Fueling Futures, a January 2026 program that gives qualifying CTE internship students $75 per month in gas cards for six months; 32 students currently participate and 13 more will become eligible by mid‑March. Heffron and others raised concerns about New York State’s zero‑emission school bus mandate requiring all‑electric school buses by 2035, noting local issues such as grid upgrades, battery performance in winter and the buses’ emergency‑evacuation roles.
Lawmakers and providers discussed the potential cost‑sharing implications for school districts and community resistance at the ballot level when bus referendums are proposed. Heather Snow said she is arranging a meeting with Emergency Management and a school superintendent to discuss contingency planning and grid questions.
