ITEM TITLE:
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#16-41 Supporting the Valdez Senior Center Transportation Grant Application
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SUBMITTED BY: Lisa Von Bargen, CED Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve Resolution #16-41 Supporting the Valdez Senior Center Transportation Grant Application.
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
On December 15, 2015 the Council approved the 2016 Community Transportation Plan. A copy of the plan is attached for Council information. Although the plan includes Connecting Ties, the Senior Center and Frontier Services as agency participants, Connecting Ties had taken the lead role as a transportation provider in the community. Connecting Ties was dispatching for what is called "purchase of service" rides in the community. Eligible senior citizens and persons with disabilities were able to buy vouchers for $4. The vouchers could be used to purchase service (transportation rides) from the local cab company or from Connecting Ties. Connecting Ties was also the recipient of a matching grant to manage these services. This is a very brief description of the complicated nature of the program. If the Council is interested a comprehensive report about transportation issues was written last year and has been attached to this agenda statement.
At this time Connecting Ties has opted to discontinue managing transportation services in Valdez and will be focusing purely on providing service to their clientele - persons with developmental disabilities. This leaves a significant gap in the transportation services available to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
The Valdez Senior Center wishes to fill some of this gap and has been working with the Alaska Department of Transportation to understand how to take on some of this responsibility in a manageable fashion. Very soon the Senior Center will take ownership of a new eight passenger van funded by the City of Valdez and Valdez United Way. They...
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