BRTA Approves $11.7M Budget for FY25By Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:34AM / Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority's budget has increased by $1.7 million for fiscal year 2025, totaling $11.7 million.
On Thursday, the BRTA Advisory Board approved an $11,739,227 spending plan that includes nearly $223,000 in direct expenses for grant requirements. Fixed route fares increased by 13.5 percent, totaling around $682,500, and paratransit fares saw a more modest increase of 5.4 percent, totaling about $80.500.
The budget includes state reimbursements for two fare-free events in July and December.
Reimbursement for maintenance costs was increased by $5,000 to $20,000 "because it costs more to repair things," Administrator Robert Malnati said.
Local grants had the smallest increase of 2.5 percent, totaling $1.1 million in FY25, while state and federal saw higher increases. State income including contract assistance and grant funding increased by over 25 percent from $4.3 million in FY24 to over $5.4 million in FY25. Federal income had a more than 13 percent increase from $3.7 million to more than $4.2 million.
Malnati explained that the RTA budgeted level with this year's state allocation and added three grants for route connecting from Pittsfield to Northampton, route connecting from North Adams to Greenfield, and two paratransit grants.
There was a change in the federal allocation because of the 2020 Census, decreasing from $2.9 million in FY24 to $2.4 million in FY25.
"We're not the only transit authority to be affected by that," Malnati said, explaining that there were three small urban areas in the state and now there are four.
"We're going to be living with that until the next Census," he said.
Administrative expenses increased by about $700 due to a $38,000 reduction in interest expenses. Fixes route expenses increased by about $1 million with nearly $920,000 attributed to operating advances.
"[Paratransit operating expenses] went from $1.1 million to $1.6 million, so there's $461,000. All in all $1.38 million," Malnati explained.
"A majority of that is collective bargaining, it's contracts for wages for operators. Also in this budget, there were two more staff members needed for the two more grant routes we just talked about and the paratransit has five more people for the two grants that we just talked about so those are in this number. Also is fuel costs and insurance costs."
A three-year contract was ratified last week and will start on July 1.
BRTA's finance committee endorsed the spending plan and recommended that it be approved.
In other news, Douglas McNally of Windsor was voted as the new chair, replacing Sheila Irvin of Pittsfield who is stepping down. Brian O'Grady of Williamstown was elected as the vice chair.
The board also discussed the possibility of hosting hybrid meetings to improve attendance but recognized that the state's Open Meeting Law amendment allowing remote meetings is set to expire in 2025 unless it is extended.
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