StanCOG focuses on transit needs

Extra help for seniors and disabled advances

By Garth Stapley
gstapley@modbee.com

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The idea of door-through-door help for senior and disabled riders throughout Stanislaus County took a step forward Wednesday.

Eighteen months after senior advocates first demanded more transit options, transportation leaders unanimously approved changes in criteria that could result in a higher level of care for passengers with special needs.

Taxis and dial-a-ride services generally pick up people at the curb, sometimes going the extra mile by knocking on doors. A milestone study produced in May found greater demand for people needing help from inside their homes all the way through the doors of their destinations.

The assessment estimated 5,800 homebound people throughout the county might fall through the cracks 780,000 times a year. On Wednesday, Stanislaus Council of Government leaders tweaked "transit needs" definitions, making it easier for them to use money on a future door-through-door service.

"This gives us the foundation to address these needs," said Dick Monteith, a StanCOG policy board member and county supervisor.

Wednesday's wording changes prevent the new service from siphoning off money needed by the five transit services already operating in the county and cities of Modesto, Turlock, Ceres, Oakdale and Riverbank.

Some advocates praised the progress made since seniors asked why no funds would be set aside for them in a transportation tax last year. Measure S failed on Election Day in November, but officials made good on a promise to chart a course helping senior and disabled riders.

"There are people out there who need this," said Jenny Kenoyer of Golden Agers for Progress.

Ball in StanCOG's court

Tom Truax, executive director for the Society of Handicapped Children and Adults, urged leaders to continue pursuing a program helping thousands of homebound people.

Terry Plett, executive director for DRAIL, or the Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living, said the May study shows "we documented the need and we know where we're going."

Now it's up to StanCOG staff to recommend a solution. Consultants in May talked about establishing a driving corps of volunteers who would be reimbursed, costing about $1.9 million over five years, or creating a "mobility management office" referring callers to appropriate services at a cost of $2.9 million over five years. Most effective would be boosting awareness of buses and dial-a-ride, the firm suggested.

But StanCOG has not employed a transit manager, who would spearhead the new service, since before its executive director, Vince Harris, arrived four years ago. An exhaustive search produced only one unnamed candidate who wants a lot more money than the agency's salary range allows. So policy board members on Wednesday also increased the range's upper end from $83,720 to $100,256 per year.

In other action Wednesday, StanCOG policy board members unanimously:

• Supported legislation waiting for Gov. Schwarzenegger's signature, which would transfer $91 million previously reserved for the discarded idea of an Oakdale bypass to the North County Corridor. That 26-mile expressway would link Highway 99 to Highway 108 east of Oakdale, skirting Modesto on the north and Riverbank and Oakdale on the south. Senate Bill 532, by Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, sailed through the state Senate and Assembly on unanimous votes. The governor has not indicated whether he likes the bill and has until Oct. 11 to take action.

• Agreed to fire off a letter to the state Department of Transportation, whose officials could push aside the valley when allocating federal stimulus money meant for economically distressed areas. State officials have told Washington, D.C., that the entire state is economically distressed, drawing the ire of valley representatives who consider the area "chronically disadvantaged" compared to Southern California and the Bay Area.

Bee staff writer Garth Stapley can be reached at gstapley@modbee.com or 578-2390.