Seven people told the Hall County Board on Tuesday that they'd hate to see Hall County Rural Transit go away.
Because of cuts in federal and state funding, the board is considering pulling the plug on Hall County Rural Transit or modifying the service, which serves county residents outside the Grand Island metropolitan area. Riders pay $2 a ride, but the actual cost of each ride is $147.
Four of the people who spoke in favor of the transit service Tuesday represented two families who include individuals with special needs.
Mindy Littlejohn talked about her son, Gavin Trotta, who has worked at Pump & Pantry on Capital Avenue for three years.
Without Hall County Rural Transit, "I don't feel that he would be able to go to work," Littlejohn said.
The public transit service allows him to be "independent in making his rides," she said.
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Gavin was born with autism.
It would be a shame to take vulnerable individuals out of the workforce "when they can be a contributing member of society, which is something that I never thought was possible for him when he was 5 years old," Littlejohn said.
Ridesharing services could be scary for him because they're operated by strangers, she said.
"My son talks all the time about his conversations with the drivers, and how they give him advice about things. And I think it means a lot to him — those relationships," Littlejohn said.
The loss of rural transit wouldn't just impact her son. It would affect her family as well as Gavin's employer, said Littlejohn, who was crying while she was speaking.
"Gavin is in a position where he'll never be able to drive. He isn't going to be able to have that kind of freedom," said his grandmother, Pam Franks. "So having some type of public transportation gives him the ability to be a taxpayer — gives him the ability to be a community asset."
Gavin sometimes educates law enforcement on how to deal with those with special needs. "So that's another way that he has contributed to the community," Franks said.
Gavin also talked to the commission about his situation.
Mike Kreis of Doniphan spoke about his stepdaughter, who has special needs. She uses the transit service to get to her job at Taco John's.
Shannon McWhirter said she needs the service to get to physical therapy.
McWhirter's mother-in-law, Carol, lives in rural Doniphan. She said property taxes paid by farmers and retired farmers should be taken into account when some of those people need Rural Transit.
Littlejohn and Franks said they could pay more for rides, and Littlejohn would be willing to volunteer her time.
But increasing the fee would have little benefit for Hall County. If the county increases the charge, federal funding would decrease by an equivalent amount.
Franks said more people would use the Rural Transit service if they knew about it, and if they knew the service was open to everyone in the rural part of the county.
Keith Baumfalk, who's a driver for Hall County Rural Transit, said he has built a good relationship with many of his riders, some of whom are in wheelchairs. The Bible tells us we need to care for widows, orphans and people who are in distress, Baumfalk said.
Also speaking Tuesday were Hall County Public Transit Director Bob McFarland and two representatives of Midland Area Agency on Aging, which is based in Hastings.
Per-ride costs are not as high for Midland Area Agency's bus service because many of its passengers are on Medicaid.
Commissioners and Hall County Attorney Marty Klein will look at Rural Transit's contract with Brown Transfer Co. to see if something can be done to keep the service.
Also during the meeting, the board returned to the subject of paying $600 a month to Hall County Veterans Service Officer Don Shuda to help oversee the construction of the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Grand Island.
On June 16, a motion to discontinue Shuda's extra compensation failed because it ended in a 3-3 tie.
Commissioner Gary Quandt placed the item on Tuesday's agenda with an eye toward possibly voting again with a full complement of commissioners present.
Quandt noted that the cemetery was dedicated in July of 2025. Shuda has done a great job, Quandt said, but he feels Shuda's work overseeing the cemetery is done.
Mike Ponte, chairman of the Veterans Service Committee, told the board June 16 that the cemetery won't be finished until the carillon tower is built.
Quandt said Tuesday that bids for the carillon tower have been awarded. "Last I heard it was all about the veterans, not about getting paid for stuff," he said.
The additional compensation paid to Shuda comes from money paid to Hall County for veterans services provided to Howard, Nance and Sherman counties. The Veterans Service Committee determines how those funds are spent.
Speaking to the board Tuesday, Shuda told Quandt that the commissioner has had a "personal vendetta" against him since a flagpole dispute at Hall County Veterans Park.
Quandt denied that's the case.
Shuda said the cemetery is not done. "We haven't even got the footings in place yet for the carillon tower," he said. The colors also haven't been finalized. In addition, a flag needs to be added.
Klein said the County Board can either not distribute money to the Veterans Service Committee, or it can withdraw its spending authority to the committee.
The board didn't act on the matter Tuesday, because no such action item was on the agenda. Quandt indicated that the issue will resurface at a future meeting.
In addition, the board:
— Accepted a bid from Saul Ramos Construction of Shelton for three box culvert projects. The bid, for $688,588.89, was the lowest of nine received on the project.
— Appointed Shuda and Mitch Binfield to the Hall County Weed Board.