County to cut Wadsworth bus service
One of two MCPT routes to be eliminated in January
MEDINA – Bus service in Wadsworth will be cut in half next year as a result of an agreement between the city and Medina County Public Transit.
Transit Director Mike Salamone told county commissioners Nov. 15 about discussions he has had with city officials about their decision to reduce the subsidy they pay MCPT from $45,000 to $15,000 a year starting in 2017.
That decision prompted county commissioners to recommend eliminating one of the two bus routes MCPT offers in the city to reduce costs and the deficit MCPT is likely to see in its overall budget next year.
Salamone said MCPT could not easily cover the loss in revenue from the city and said another option for commissioners to consider is eliminating both fixed routes in Wadsworth. However, County Administrator Scott Miller suggested MCPT continue offering one bus route in the city for at least one more year.
Salamone said ridership on the Wadsworth buses has been poor with the two routes providing only about 400 rides per month.
Salamone also reported to commissioners that ridership on all MCPT buses is down about 11 percent since the agency reduced costs and operating hours in January.
Salamone told commissioners MCPT provided 4,293 trips to riders in October, about 3,000 of those through its on-demand service in which passengers schedule a ride in advance and 1,300 of those rides on the fixed routes MCPT operates in Medina and Wadsworth.
Ridership also dipped on the Brunswick Transit Alternative, which is also managed by MCPT. Salamone reported BTA provided riders with 2,278 trips in October, about 19 percent fewer than October 2015.
Public defenders
The Medina County Public Defenders Commission closed 135 cases in October and had 675 pending according to Chief Public Defender Jocelyn Stefancin.
The Public Defenders Office represents indigent defendants who cannot afford their own attorneys and face the prospect of incarceration for the crimes they are accused of.
A quarterly report presented to Medina County commissioners indicated that public defenders opened 72 new cases in Medina Municipal Court in October, 38 in Wadsworth Municipal Court, 24 in Juvenile Court and five in Common Pleas Court.
Probation grant
Commissioners voted to accept a $522,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for the Probation Improvement and Incentive Fund managed by the Medina County Adult Probation Department. The grant covers a period that runs through September of next year.
Commended
County commissioners issued a commendation to Jim Gerspacher for his 14 years of service on the board of the Medina County Port Authority.
Gerspacher helped found the Port Authority in 2003 to act as an engine of economic development and was a leading advocate for the construction of the Medina County fiber optic communications network.
Council on Aging
Commissioners appointed Montville Township Trustee Sally Albrecht and Hinckley Township Trustee Ray Schulte to serve on the Medina County Advisory Council on Aging.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses was $1,400 for three employees in the Clerk of Courts Office to attend a three-day conference in Columbus, $1,000 for the director of the Adult Probation Department to attend a four-day training module in Columbus, $835 for Highway Engineer Mike Salay and Highway Engineer-elect Andy Conrad to attend a two-day conference in Columbus, and $750 for the Sanitary Engineer to attend a two-day conference in Columbus.
In addition, commissioners authorized $800 for Common Pleas Judge Joyce Kimbler to attend a three-day conference near Columbus, and $700 for an employee of the Adult Probation Department to attend a three-day training program in Columbus.
Transit Director Mike Salamone told county commissioners Nov. 15 about discussions he has had with city officials about their decision to reduce the subsidy they pay MCPT from $45,000 to $15,000 a year starting in 2017.
That decision prompted county commissioners to recommend eliminating one of the two bus routes MCPT offers in the city to reduce costs and the deficit MCPT is likely to see in its overall budget next year.
Salamone said MCPT could not easily cover the loss in revenue from the city and said another option for commissioners to consider is eliminating both fixed routes in Wadsworth. However, County Administrator Scott Miller suggested MCPT continue offering one bus route in the city for at least one more year.
Salamone said ridership on the Wadsworth buses has been poor with the two routes providing only about 400 rides per month.
Salamone also reported to commissioners that ridership on all MCPT buses is down about 11 percent since the agency reduced costs and operating hours in January.
Salamone told commissioners MCPT provided 4,293 trips to riders in October, about 3,000 of those through its on-demand service in which passengers schedule a ride in advance and 1,300 of those rides on the fixed routes MCPT operates in Medina and Wadsworth.
Ridership also dipped on the Brunswick Transit Alternative, which is also managed by MCPT. Salamone reported BTA provided riders with 2,278 trips in October, about 19 percent fewer than October 2015.
Public defenders
The Medina County Public Defenders Commission closed 135 cases in October and had 675 pending according to Chief Public Defender Jocelyn Stefancin.
The Public Defenders Office represents indigent defendants who cannot afford their own attorneys and face the prospect of incarceration for the crimes they are accused of.
A quarterly report presented to Medina County commissioners indicated that public defenders opened 72 new cases in Medina Municipal Court in October, 38 in Wadsworth Municipal Court, 24 in Juvenile Court and five in Common Pleas Court.
Probation grant
Commissioners voted to accept a $522,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for the Probation Improvement and Incentive Fund managed by the Medina County Adult Probation Department. The grant covers a period that runs through September of next year.
Commended
County commissioners issued a commendation to Jim Gerspacher for his 14 years of service on the board of the Medina County Port Authority.
Gerspacher helped found the Port Authority in 2003 to act as an engine of economic development and was a leading advocate for the construction of the Medina County fiber optic communications network.
Council on Aging
Commissioners appointed Montville Township Trustee Sally Albrecht and Hinckley Township Trustee Ray Schulte to serve on the Medina County Advisory Council on Aging.
Personnel expenses
Commissioners authorized the expenses for several county employees to attend a series of out-of-town meetings and training seminars. Among those expenses was $1,400 for three employees in the Clerk of Courts Office to attend a three-day conference in Columbus, $1,000 for the director of the Adult Probation Department to attend a four-day training module in Columbus, $835 for Highway Engineer Mike Salay and Highway Engineer-elect Andy Conrad to attend a two-day conference in Columbus, and $750 for the Sanitary Engineer to attend a two-day conference in Columbus.
In addition, commissioners authorized $800 for Common Pleas Judge Joyce Kimbler to attend a three-day conference near Columbus, and $700 for an employee of the Adult Probation Department to attend a three-day training program in Columbus.
