County continues talks about HOP services

Milam County Commissioners once again postponed a decision on HOP tranportation services in the county during a meeting on Monday.

Commissioners tabled a decision to contribute $75,000 toward funding the HOP transportation service. Over the course of several months commissioners have tabled the issue several times. 

Hill Country Transit, or HOP services, started in 1960 as a volunteer transit service that serves Milam County as part of a nine county service area. 

Precinct 1 Commissioner Henry Hubnik, who serves as the court’s representative on the HOP Board, said Milam County residents are by far the largest user of the service and the grant money that provides the service will no longer be available to fund the program. The HOP Board is asking each service area to pay their part in order to keep it up and running. 

Nearly 40 percent of all HOP use comes from Milam County, with the breakdown showing usage in the cities of Cameron and Rockdale and the Cameron and Rockdale school districts making up at least 95 percent of that. 

County Judge Bill Whitmire took that information and asked Cameron, Rockdale, Cameron ISD, and Rockdale ISD to contribute to funding the HOP, though all but the City of Rockdale have officially declined while Rockdale has not responded. 

Commissioners are waiting on official word from the City of Rockdale befor making a decision. If the county elects not to contribute, HOP services will come to an end at the end of this year. 

Comissioners also heard reports from WIC and Central Counties Services during the meeting.

In other business commissioners: approved several utility installation requests from Southwest Milam Water Supply; approved several items related to the upcoming November Constitutional Election; and tabled a request for financing for the Milam County Sheriff’s Office’s for new software regarding records management, jail management, and other information systems.