Ride in Kane funding in jeopardy

The organization in charge of coordinating funding for the Ride in Kane transit program recently learned it's not qualified anymore to continue receiving the federal grant that keeps buses moving.

As a result, Dundee Township Supervisor Sue Harney came to the Kane County Board's Transportation Committee to beg for permission to use the gravitas of the county stamp to keep the program running.

"I have a deal for you," Harney told the committee. "You're just going to love this."

Or not.

Committee members told Harney a budget deficit has the county cutting programs, not adding new responsibilities.

If Kane County doesn't come to the rescue, Harney told the committee, the loosely-formed Paratransit Coordinating Council will try to reconstitute itself as a not-for-profit to satisfy the requirements the RTA has said are necessary to receive the federal funds. The problem with that plan is that such an organization will burn up some of the federal funds in administrative costs. More money spent in that realm means less to subsidize the buses for the program, possibly causing reduced service.

The program currently serves mostly seniors and people with disabilities who need transportation to get out in the community and to and from work. The buses are funded by both local money from townships and municipalities and federal matching dollars for a total operating budget of about $4 million. About $2.4 million of that comes from the federal government and is the amount that's at stake in applying for the grants.

Despite the potential funding loss, transportation committee members said they need a lot more information before agreeing to anything.

"My concerns are as state funding dries up and the federal funding dries up, then it really becomes our program," said Committee Chairman Bill Wyatt, of Aurora. "Once you create a program, it's really, really difficult to get rid of it."

Harvey said the county can sign up now to get the funding request rolling, but it has the option to back out and have the current organizers pursue the not-for-profit plan.

Committee Member Gerald Jones, of Aurora, said that may create an even worse scenario if the county opts out and the funds evaporate midyear.

"If after the fact the board decides this is not something we want to do, you're going to be left out in the cold," Jones said.