Hamburg Township will contract the county to provide additional transit to municipality residents through the Livingston Essential Transportation Service.

The service agreement includes transportation for senior citizens residing in the township between their homes and the Senior Center, as well as group outings between the Center and destinations in Brighton, Howell, and Ann Arbor. The township will compensate the county for the local share of the service cost based on the number of vehicle hours dedicated to the service. Passengers transported to and from the senior center will be charged a fare of $1 for a one-way trip. All other passengers will be charged a fare of $1 per round trip for in-county service and $3 for a round trip for out-of-county service. The term of the agreement, which begins on July 1st, ends on June 30th, 2020 with an option to renew for an additional two years.

The intergovernmental agreement was considered by the county’s Board of Commissioners at their meeting Monday night. Deborah Kaiser, a member of the senior center and alternate to its advisory council, told commissioners that the agreement has numerous benefits as it helps to provide social interaction for senior citizens that may not leave their homes as often due to a lack of transportation or confidence. She added that it encourages seniors to step outside of their comfort zone. Kaiser says that seniors utilizing the service could help boost the local economy if they’re shopping or eating at area businesses and restaurants while waiting for an appointment they’ve just been driven to or for the bus to pick them up.

The agreement was approved by the Board of Commissioners with the only oppositional vote coming from Commissioner Wes Nakagiri, who stated the agreement was “shy in detail”. (DK)