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County moves Swift paratransit service to developmental‑supports agency to avoid $300,000 cost increase
Summary
To improve continuity for clients with developmental disabilities and avoid an estimated $300,000 operating increase, the county will transfer most Swift paratransit service for JCDS clients from Transit to Johnson County Developmental Supports; the change is budget-neutral and adds about 3.5 FTE to JCDS.
Johnson County Transit, Johnson County Developmental Supports (JCDS) and county managers unveiled a service restructuring that transfers much of the Swift paratransit service used by developmental‑supports clients from Transit to JCDS.
Officials said the current delivery model required either adding transit staff and support (an estimated 10 positions under a new assessment protocol) or finding alternative approaches. By shifting the bulk of the program’s $634,000 in support to JCDS, county leaders say they can avoid a nearly $300,000 operating increase while giving clients drivers and aides who are more familiar with their needs.
"Instead of transit providing most of this service as a segregated service, why not allow for JCDS to provide this service?" Aaron Otto, who presented the proposal, said. Chad Vonan of JCDS said the agency will add about 3.5 full‑time positions and a small fleet of lift‑equipped vans to serve clients more directly and that the change can be funded within existing program dollars.
County staff described the change as net budget‑neutral: Transit will reduce its tax support by the transferred amount while JCDS will receive increased support to cover staffing and vehicles. Officials noted an open question about whether moving funding between departments affects federal match or grant eligibility for some vehicle types; staff committed to follow up. The board did not take a separate vote on the change in the presentation but was informed of the operational and fiscal rationale.
