Kimball County Seeks Transportation Funding

Sidney offers service opportunities drawing residents from other counties, and transportation bringing those residents to Sidney is seeking help financing the program, from Cheyenne County.

Kimball County Transit Service Administrator Christy Warner met with the Cheyenne County commissioners Monday to discuss her program and its impact on Cheyenne County. She said the bus service numerous people to and from Cheyenne County.

“We are in Sidney every day of the week,” she said.

She said her commuters come to Sidney for doctor visits and for the retail outlets.

“I can tell you we bring more people into Cheyenne County to spend money than to pick up in the county,” she said.

She said she is asking for $10,000 as matching funds for the 5311 grant. The program’s total budget for 2019-2020 is a little more than $429,000, and projected at about $498,000 for 2020-2021. For the 2020-2021 fiscal year, the program is expected to receive $327,521 from the federal government and about $77,000 from the State of Nebraska. The challenge is she needs matching funds for the State grant. She said Lodgepole, Sunol and Big Springs communities have fundraising efforts scheduled.

Commissioner Randal Miller said the county encouraged the Stageline bus service to seek sponsorships when the Visitors Committee removed its funding, and asked if Kimball County has considered sponsorships.

“We have to be a little bit careful because we are regional,” she said.

Warner said the bus service stops at several locations and some might be competing with an advertiser.

The agency’s web page says rides to and from Sidney are $15 with one stop included. Warner said most of the program’s clients pay the $15 for a round trip, a discount based on age.

“To me, it is going to be really hard to make a decision until July,” said commissioner Phillip Sanders. “There’s a lot going on in Cheyenne County.”

In other business, the commissioners opened bids for purchase of a new motorgrader. Options included John Deere Caterpillar. Prices and specs were submitted to Highway Superintendent Doug Hart for review.

The commissioners also discussed maintenance on the courthouse generator. County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh said there was a question if Nathan Jewell was on call to service the generator. She said he believed the contract is just for routine maintenance. She said he told he won’t do it for $640 per year if it includes on-call services.

Miller said he sees two needs: maintenance of the generator and of the electrical system, and the county shouldn’t expect a person skilled in one discipline to do the other. He said maintenance of the engine is the bigger issue.