WARSAW — Kosciusko Area Bus Service gave back some of its CARES Act funding after not being able to use it all.
Marcie Arndt, vice president of programs at Cardinal Services and interim KABS general manager, presented KABS’ quarterly claims for July 1 to Sept. 30 to the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday. The claim represents 50% operating assistance totaling $71,432 in federal funds; and 50% operating assistance totaling $71,432 in state funds, she said. Also included is the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds received for operating expenses and it represents 100% assistance totaling $41,697.
“And then lastly, one other thing that just came up yesterday, we did not use all of our CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act funding for operating expenses, which ended June 30, 2022. The unused portion for the CARES Act funding totals $258,902. We were just simply given more than what we could use at the time. It’s primarily due to ridership being low at the height of the pandemic, in conjunction with the difficult labor market,” Arndt explained.
The funds, along with other transit agencies’ unused CARES funds, were de-obligated back to the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), she said. They will be redistributed to all transit agencies in 2023.
The Commissioners approved the quarterly claims 2-0, with Commissioner Brad Jackson absent.
In other business, the Commissioners:
• Approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and city of Warsaw for the city to provide $500,000 to the county to share in the use of the upgrades and installation and connections of one of the three communication towers in the county’s nearly $7 million public safety communications project.
The Warsaw Common Council unanimously endorsed the MOU at their meeting Monday night, with the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety scheduled to vote on the MOU at its Dec. 16 meeting.
The police departments in the county are already on the system, with firefighters expected to be on by Monday. The project has been four years in the making.
• Approved the purchase of a lawn tractor for snow removal, without the mower deck, from More Farm Stores for $24,871.82, as requested by County Administrator Marsha McSherry. The other quote was from John Deere GreenMark Equipment for $32,462.51. Both quotes came through Sourcewell, a purchasing service cooperative.
• Approved the 2023 board appointments, including Alan Alderfer, Alcohol Beverage Commission; Stanley Moore, Arrowhead RC & D; Ron Robinson, Kevin McSherry, Lee Harman, Board of Zoning Appeals; Jon Garber, Bowen Center Board; Jim Smith, Community Corrections Advisory Board; Joe Irwin and Cary Groninger, Drainage Board; Cary Groninger, Emergency Management Advisory Board; Matt Metzger and John Hall, KCCRVC; Brad Jackson, KEDCO; Cary Groninger, MACOG; Doug Hanes and Rob Parker, MREDD; Brad Jackson, OrthoWorx; Susie Stookey and Phyllis Olinger, PTABOA; Dan Thystrup, Mike Metzger and Doug Hanes, Redevelopment Commission; Jon Roberts, St. Joseph River Basin; Brad Jackson and Marsha McSherry, Strategic Planning Committee; and Brad Jackson, Wage Committee.
• Approved the 2023 department head appointments including Marsha McSherry, county administrator; Ed Ormsby, county attorney; Bill Holder, GIS; Steve Moriarty, county highway superintendent; Ed Rock, Homeland Security/LEPC; Cathy Reed, human resource director; Bob Momeyer, system administrator; Darryl McDowell, veteran service officer; and Rob Barker, weights and measures.
