GIRARD, Kan. — Casey Brown, community engagement coordinator for SEK-CAP, updated the county commissioners on the current state of their transportation section at the board’s regular meeting on Tuesday. According to Brown, only two routes are currently in operation — a city route that is fully funded by the City of Pittsburg, and a countywide route that is funded through the end of June.
The organization typically runs five routes: two that run circuit routes in Pittsburg; two general public routes that mainly stayed in Pittsburg but would run in the county when needed; and a third general public route that covers the county outside of Pittsburg.
Because of cuts in funding from state and federal programs, SEK-CAP has been forced to curtail services. The impact of the reduction in service was highlighted by Brown. Between March and May of 2025, Brown said the general public routes saw 3,217 riders. During the same period in 2026, 1,585 riders.
The program’s new fiscal year (FY2027) begins July 1. Brown said the only funding SEK-CAP has, going into the new year, is the $14,901 already pledged by the county. Given that amount only, Brown offered two options: run for a full year by offering only one-and-a-half days service each week; or run five days a week and be out of funding by the end of September.
“Without some additional funding,” Brown said, “we’re going to have to look at shutting down or shuttering the rides even further.”
With state and federal funds, Brown said he could run at full capacity for the next year, but to access those funds, he needs 30% in local matching funds. Without those matching funds, $285,000 of state and federal funding, which is enough to run four of the routes, would be left on the table and not invested in the county.
Starting July 1, Pittsburg State has fully funded two GUS routes to operate five days a week and covers their game days and SafeRide programs. The City of Pittsburg has provided $40,000 for one PACT bus. The remaining PACT route and the rural routes are coming to an end as SEK-CAP has no more internal resources to reallocate. Girard and Arma have said they cannot contribute this year but will look at next year’s budget, Brown said.
“We are hoping to get at least one general transportation route funded,” Brown said.
Commissioner Carl Wood recommended a work session to further investigate resolving the issue, even if it means just cutting down to a single rural route from three. Brown said to make any changes and notify the public, he needs a decision by the end of the second week of June.
Storm sirens
Director of Communications Tim Mikrut updated the commission on grants for new storm sirens throughout the county. Because FEMA closed during the government shutdown earlier this year, responses to grant requests have been delayed. Mikrut said FEMA is looking through requests from multiple states, including Kansas, which has submitted more than 20 requests.
Another concern is the remaining funding from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) received during the pandemic. Those funds must be spent by December 31 of this year or be returned to the federal government. Some of that money was designated as matching funds for FEMA grants to erect new tornado sirens around the county.
With the delay in FEMA funding, Mikrut cannot say with certainty whether that funding is going to be approved before the deadline to spend the ARPA funding. To change gears and use the ARPA funds for a new siren in Opolis would mean changing the current grant applications and risk gumming up the works should they be approved before the end of the year. It would also mean a new siren in Opolis would be outside the control of the new command system that ties the entire grant together.
“If we touch anything, buy anything, break ground on anything, we pretty much lose the grant,” Mikrut said.
Caught in a Catch-22 scenario, Mikrut recommended that the county reallocate the ARPA funds to something else and begin looking for other grants for next year.
Wood asked how much a siren costs. Mikrut responded with $35,000. Wood suggested using part of the $45,000 of ARPA funds to buy the siren for Opolis.
“Again,” Mikrut repeated, “that would totally affect the whole application. So, we would lose not only the money for the siren, but the money for the command system, which is the heart of the system that ties the whole project together.”
Commissioner Bruce Blair asked if there is an area not covered in the grant application that needs a siren. Currently, there are eight areas designated in the application — Opolis, Brazilton-Beulah, Walnut-Hepler, Crawford State Park-Farlington, Arcadia-Mulberry, Cherokee-McCune, Chicopee-Ringo, and Franklin — but Mikrut said there are other areas that need one.
The issue with the ARPA funds is that they can’t be simply reallocated at this point. The deadline for allocation was December of 2025. Because the funds are allocated for a storm siren, they have to be used for a storm siren.
Wood asked if Mikrut can make sure that the county can’t pay for one without messing it up.
“I had a conversation with them yesterday about this,” Mikrut responded.
“Can we put one on the edge of Opolis,” Wood asked.
“That is up to you,” Mikrut said. “But I can’t change the plan.”
“Then still put one in Opolis?” asked Commissioner Tom Moody.
“No, we wouldn’t,” Wood responded.
“Then that changes the plan,” Mikrut repeated, again. “And I cannot change the plan.”
The commissioners asked Mikrut to come back with a Plan B for the ARPA funding in case the FEMA grants fall through.
This reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/Localnews
