Transportation agencies provide public forums

Meetings to educate on budget constraint, gather feedback

COLUMBIA BASIN - Following word of budget constraints, several area transportation agencies are putting on community forums to spread the information.

Special Mobility Services, Grant Transit Authority, HopeSource and People for People are holding community forums in Moses Lake Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Moses Lake Fire Station, located at 701 E. Third Ave., and in Ritzville Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ritzville Senior Center, located at 118 W. Main St., in Ritzville.

People for People Executive Assistant Amy Neal said the event's purpose is to educate people about changes occurring due to the agencies' funding from the state's Department of Transportation.

"Due to some of the funding coming in not as we had anticipated, what we had applied for, there will be some changes to some of the routes," she said. "Therefore, we are putting out the invitation to folks who receive those services, different social service agencies as well as direct riders who can talk with us about what their needs are."

The forums will ensure the funding is being used the best way possible and share the funding restrictions for a dialogue, Neal said.

"It may be last year someone was using the service to get to a nutrition program," she explained. "They'd be able to go and find out if that's still available to them. Let's say it's not, then they can share with us why it's so important."

Past meetings have ranged from about 10 people to 35.

Neal said meetings are being provided through Grant, Adams, Lincoln and Kittitas counties to discuss the needs of specific locations.

For more information, call Neal at 509-248-6726.