Joint board to vote on START plan to close $1.5M gap

The town-county joint board is set to decide Sept. 14 whether to approve a START budget amendment package that closes a $1.5 million FY27 shortfall with a mix of local dollars, service reductions, and higher fares. Staff are recommending $750,000 in added revenue split 48% county ($360,000), 32% town ($240,000), and 20% partners ($150,000), plus $633,638 in service reductions and about $117,000 in FY27 fare revenue once the new fare structure starts in January 2027 (half-year impact). Regular Joint Meeting Agenda

If the board follows the staff report, some of the first changes land this fall: staff say they plan to start implementing reductions beginning 10/12, including cuts to late-night fixed routes and trimming START On-Demand hours, depending on which reductions the board signs off on. The board will also have to pick a funding split, since staff note the 48/32/20 plan depends on actually securing partner contributions, or else the $150,000 share has to come from town/county or more cuts. Regular Joint Meeting Agenda Packet