WAUPACA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Transportation Coordination Sub-Committee Minutes
May 31, 2012
This meeting and all other meetings of this committee are open to the public. Proper notice has been posted and given to the press in accordance with Wisconsin statutes so that the citizenry may be aware of the time, place and agenda of this meeting.
Meeting called to order by ADRC Manager Pat Enright at the Waupaca County Courthouse, Waupaca, WI, Room 2123 Second Floor at 1:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Pat Enright, Jason Kakatsch, Nancy Ferg, Karl Schulte, Dave Lowe
I. ADOPTION OF AGENDA: ADOPTION OF AGENDA: Motion by Dave Lowe, seconded by Jason Kakatsch to approve agenda. Motion carried
II. Discussed Committee Purpose
A. Need to develop short term strategies to provide a broader service for our clients. Primary purpose would be to spend dollars to provide transportation to the elderly for trips other than medical. Other than the local taxis operating in Waupaca and Clintonville and the Senior Bus in operating in the city of New London, there are subsidized transportation services for shopping, personal business, etc. Unspent funding allows us to review how we might be able to fill that gap through better coordination.
B. The Freedom Bus service used to provide that expanded, non-medical/nutritional transportation service but ridership was low and it was eliminated as not efficient. We believe that the mini-bus may have had difficulties achieving success for a variety of reasons but believe that the need still exists
C. From a transportation standpoint the last year was filled with lots of changes and we ended up with an unanticipated surplus that went into the transportation trust. Those funds are now earmarked only for capital improvements such as purchasing vehicles. So as not to duplicate that contribution we’d like to see how we can improve access through improved coordination for those non-medical transports.
D. We know that transportation services for facilities have also undergone changes and we believe there are partners who may be interested to help as providers or beneficiaries of improved services and we would like them at the table.
E. Provide recommendations to the Coordinated Transportation Committee on how to proceed.
III. Reviewed Transportation Services in Waupaca County
A. Inventory of current services and vehicles
- We discussed the two taxi services in Clintonville and Waupaca and the city subsidized service available in New London. All currently have limitations in their service areas.
- WCI has vehicles that currently only serve their cliental, they do transport some to employment outside of WCI. Mostly have school buses to do this, also have newest 53.10 freedom bus.
- Many nursing homes or assisted living facilities have vehicles that are typically used for their clientele but there has been an interest expressed by some facilities how we can improve coordination
- King and Lakeview Manor also have 53.10 accessible vehicles used for their purposes. King has made them available for other uses with volunteer or family drivers.
- Some churches have vehicles.
- According to Jason, Outagamie County is considering buying a vehicle for their rural transportation.
- Other vehicles may be out there that we are unaware of.
B. Gaps in services
- No rural subsidized service for people who live in rural Waupaca County. We have people who used the Freedom Bus when it was operational and continually get calls from people seeking transportation that is not available.
- Although many people would rather ride w/their friends, relatives there are many people who have no access.
- The increasing wave of people turning age 65 is a clear indicator that the need for transportation friendly communities will be ever increasing.
C. Service Expansion Strategies
- Several ideas were discussed about expanding current services that could be subsidized by 85.21 that could utilize the most cost effective modality of transportation that would be coordinated. Utilizing volunteer drivers, taxis, and facilities with an interest in their community mission we might be able to fashion access on a limited basis with part of the payment coming from the consumer.
- Getting a better handle on the needs of others serving the elderly and disabled would inform us of more opportunity for coordination and identifying barriers to that coordination.
- Get a harder list of vehicle assets that may be available and the interest of participating and plan well in the purchase of future 53.10 vehicles.
- Invest time and marketing efforts to increase ridership
- Get Chambers of Commerce involved to see if they can support by having senior days on days when transportation was available.
- Consider reaching out to contiguous counties to see if there is an ability for even greater coordination.
- Bring together people interested in the topic to become partners in finding solutions. Find a coalition of the willing who can support the mission of increasing transportation access for elderly and disabled.
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IV. Set Schedule for Next Meetings
This discussion centered around the need to bring people to the table sooner than later to see how we might be able to get some movement quickly. We may have to start small and expand as we go but there are some at the table who are interested in moving forward and have the capacity.
The recommendation is that we have a meeting of transportation providers and other interested parties to get a better handle on available inventory of vehicles and partners to hopefully expand the circles of services about the population centers that already have services.
The committee suggests that this meeting take place at the next Coordinated Transportation Committee so all members will be able to participate in the discussion.
V. ADJOURN
Motion made at 3:33 PM by Jason Kakatsch, seconded by Karl Shulte to adjourn. Motion carried.
NEXT MEETING – July 12, 2012 – 2:00 PM – Waupaca County Courthouse
Respectfully submitted by:
Nancy Ferg, Transportation Coordinator
Aging and Disability Resource Unit