Waiting for promised money is causing a strain on bus service in Vilas and Oneida counties.
Northwoods Transit Connections Manager Jim Altenburg says the feds have not sent promised money to the state who then distributes the money to the local commission. Altenburg says of their $685,000 budget, half comes from federal coffers.
He says the paperwork was filed in late July for the funds and since then they've been waiting...
"....last year we received our first and second quarter check from them on the first week of September. So you have a mindset as to what you're expecting from only one year in business not knowing there is a grey area with the government. It's pretty hard to support an organization this size when you're almost into October of your fiscal year and you're waiting for your first and second quarter...."
Altenburg says after payday9/22/17) the money has run out...
"...we're looking at some private funding coming in to help cover us. We're looking at how we're going to handle it going forward...."
This year’s total ridership is on pace to reach 55,000-60,000 rides by the end of 2017.
Altenburg says some of the workers have said they would be willing to postpone their paychecks until the end of October. He says with that staffing level they will be able to maintain about 75 percent coverage of current routes.
Altenburg says in a worst case scenerio they're looking at a very short shutdown until the funds come in.
