Public transportation stakeholders to meet

[July 26, 2008]  Logan and Mason counties continue their efforts to apply for a public transportation 5311 grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation. Community representatives and any interested residents will meet Thursday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the American Legion in Mason City.

The first step was to create a Transit Partnership Group. The TPG is a growing group of volunteers working under guidance from the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transportation Clearinghouse. While the group is still open for more members, they have now moved on to the second step of assessing the needs of the community. Surveys were distributed at local businesses and service agencies and online. At the meeting on Thursday, the group will review the results of the survey and continue the second phase of the process.

Angela Stoltzenburg, executive director of Community Action Partnership, is the team leader of the Transit Partnership Group. Community Action provides senior transportation to Logan and Mason counties. The agency is helping to facilitate the primer process as part of advocacy efforts for both low-income and seniors in central Illinois.

"In Community Action's fight against poverty, we support efforts that help people move themselves toward economic health," said Stoltzenburg. "We support the five action themes developed by the national Community Action Partnership, which includes building an economy that works for everyone and ensuring healthy people and places. We recognize that healthy people living in healthy places are less costly, more productive and more engaged. They learn better, live longer and contribute more to the world around them.

"One strategy to ensure healthy people and places is to design transportation systems that meet the needs of residents to reach jobs and services, connect with other parts of the community, and travel safety at the times they desire to do so at the lowest possible cost. One strategy to invest in the future is to design communities to maximize public transportation in order to build social capital, conserve resources and reduce pollution."

Interested participants who would like more information or transportation to the meeting should contact Stoltzenburg by calling 217-732-2159, ext. 224.

Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois serves the low-income and senior populations of six counties in central Illinois. For more information, visit www.capcil.org.

[Text copied from file received from Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois]