Supervisors Watch (05/06/09)

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By unanimous vote, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday:

— Accepted a study assessing transit needs of senior and disabled riders, and forwarded it to the Stanislaus Council of Governments. The study estimates that people in the county have transportation trouble 780,000 times per year.

— Recommendations include creating a volunteer driving corps that would be reimbursed for helping people needing more help than provided by buses and Dial-a-Ride.

— The study can be used to apply for transit grants. Some money would require StanCOG to revise its definition of unmet transit needs with the help of an advisory committee yet to be formed.

"We won't be satisfied till we see a program in place (helping the) homebound," said Jenny Kenoyer, Golden Agers for Progress coordinator.

— Laid off a building inspector and suspended management bonuses and training. However, supervisors postponed discussion on laying off a cooperative extension secretary and reducing building permit hours by 30 minutes per day. The county is facing a $34 million budget gap for the year starting July 1, will issue more pink slips and expects to dip into reserves by $8 million in each of the next three years.

— Sent a letter supporting the West Side Theatre Foundation's quest to serve Newman and Gustine with public-access radio. Programs could feature art, poetry, civic affairs, voting issues and gardening.

— Amended a transportation plan to include street repair on the west half of North Martin Luther King Drive in west Modesto, and to design and build a Howard Road bicycle trail from Highway 33 to Grayson School