A local transportation official today told the Free Lance that
San Benito County is restricted in its use of $374,000 it has
slated for two replacement buses and that there are no other
expenditures, besides the vehicle purchases, eligible for the
funds.
HOLLISTER
A local transportation official today told the Free Lance that San Benito County is restricted in its use of $374,000 it has slated for two replacement buses and that there are no other expenditures, besides the vehicle purchases, eligible for the funds.
Council of San Benito County Governments Executive Director Lisa Rheinheimer responded to a Free Lance story detailing the area’s allocations with its piece of the $787 billion federal stimulus package intended to create or maintain jobs. The county will get $1.2 million in the first installment, while the second dollar amount coming late is unknown. The city and county will use most of the money on minor street work.
“The majority of the transportation money is going to road repairs,” she said. “The only eligible projects (for transit) are for replacement buses.”
Rheinheimer when first questioned last week about the local allocations and how the bus purchases will stimulate the economy did not explain the formula-based funding and her contention that the agency has no other eligible projects ready to go.
Rheinheimer said other agencies might use the federal funding for bus stations, but the county doesn’t have any of those facilities. Furthermore, COG will be replacing bus stop locations, but will use other funding to do that.
In order to secure the funds, COG needs to have projects ready to begin within 120 days.
“The money has to be out in the street, essentially, very quickly,” Rheinheimer said. She added that the agency has a narrow window of eligibility for these funds and they must be used for job preservation and creation.
“From my perspective, this is job preservation,” Rheinheimer said.
In the first round of payments, San Benito County received $1.2 million in stimulus funding. The city of Hollister and San Benito County will both be receiving $811,000 for road repairs. Both of these repair projects will cost well over the $1.2 million allocated. This was done to ensure that all the money is spent.
The second tier of projects – which will be ready to begin by August 2010 – will include road repairs, LED street light installation and a bike lanes project.
In total, the cost of the projects is at $7.7 million, according to a release from COG.
