COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County commissioners have again put off a decision about whether to accept federal grant money to replace paratransit vehicles nearing the end of their useful life.

Administered through the Idaho Transportation Department, the grant makes federal resources available to replace, rehabilitate and purchase buses and related equipment to support public transportation in rural areas. If accepted, Kootenai County would receive $396,000 and contribute $99,000 in match funds. 

Citylink’s paratransit services are for people with ADA-eligible functional limitations that prevent them from using the fixed route buses. This is not medical transportation, but rather public transportation. 

Commissioner Bruce Mattare said the board didn’t have enough information to give the green light for accepting the grant. He said commissioners should consider how accepting the grant funds contributes to public transit service levels and if the board wants to provide that level of service. 

“I, personally, am resistant at this point in time to accept more grants until we can have a little better discussion about how it fits into what we’re doing and if what we’re doing is what we want to be doing as a board,” Mattare said. 

“Bingo,” said Commissioner Marc Eberlein. 

Chad Ingle, program manager for Kootenai County Public Transportation, emphasized that the grant funds would not be used to increase Citylink’s services. 

“We’re not expanding or doing any additions,” Ingle told commissioners. “It’s just the replacement of buses.” 

The vehicles have an expected useful life of five years or 150,000 miles, Ingle said. 

The grant acceptance matter previously came before commissioners during the Jan. 21 business meeting. At that time, Commissioner Marc Eberlein said he’s “not a fan.” 

“I’m not in favor of this transit system,” Eberlein said during the earlier meeting. 

Commissioners voted 2-1 during Tuesday’s meeting to approve a three-year, $75,000 contract for paratransit vehicles, as well as to extend the performance period for a separate ITD grant. Eberlein cast the dissenting votes. 

Mattare and Eberlein indicated Tuesday that they want to meet with county transit administrators before deciding whether to accept the grant funds. 

    Eberlein