Coos County Area Transit will receive enough funding to balance its Dial-a-Ride budget under a proposal supported by three members of its advisory committee but state transportation funds also could be shared with two other area nonprofits this year.

Under a recommendation proposed by the CCAT Advisory Committee, the county's public bus and Dial-a-Ride operator will get the bulk of about $121,000 allocated to Coos County from the state's cigarette tax dollars. The Nancy Devereux Center and Star of Hope will share a minimal portion of those funds for their own transportation services.

"This is our recommendation to the county and they will be notified," said advisory committee Chairwoman Connie Croy.

CCAT Director Bruce Bennett said the agency needs about $104,000 to balance its Dial-a-Ride budget, which provides an on-demand response for seniors and the disabled who call and request dedicated rides around Coos County communities.

"As our budget stands, if we reduce our deficit to zero, there would be about $17,000 to divide," he said.

The advisory committee granted Star of Hope $12,930 for its transportation services, providing after-hours transportation for adults with developmental disabilities. The organization, which initially requested $28,108, planned on expanding its transportation service in the upcoming fiscal year specifically to bring residents from their group homes and private residences to social and leisure activities, such as weekend outings to parks.

The funding would primarily pay for staff wages and benefits but also for the estimated cost of gasoline, insurance premiums and administrative costs.

The Nancy Devereux Center requested $9,138 to expand its transportation service for mentally ill clients, transporting them to and from the center, and was awarded $4,207 by the committee. The funds would purchase fuel for four van routes, which run five days a week and also would support one driver for three hours per week for the full year. The center's written requests indicated that any funding would help ensure the continued operation of the center's vans.

The committee initially considered a proposal that would have increased the funding for Start of Hope and The Nancy Devereux Center but it was rejected without a vote after two committee members expressed concern that CCAT's Dial-a-Ride budget would fail to balance.

Member Arthur Poole said he worried that CCAT, which receives no tax dollars, relies entirely on state funding and that a subtraction of those dollars would force the agency to look for outside sources to balance the budget. Member Tom Giles expressed similar concerns.

"From my point of view, any transportation is good and the cheaper the better," Giles said.

On the other hand, Giles said subtracting nearly $40,000 from CCAT's Dial-a-Ride budget would create too big a gap in the agency's books.

CCAT last year received all of the state transportation funds provided to the county, about $117,000. About three years ago, the state provided Coos County about $140,000 in transportation funds.

Gerald H. Miller, executive director for Star of Hope, said he appreciated the advisory committee's offer. Asked by Croy if he thought the advisory committee's recommendation had been fair, Miller said he believed the process was clumsy but was thankful for the award nonetheless.

"This is an awkward process," he said, "but I'll take what you're offering."

The committee's recommendation still must be approved by the Coos County Board of Commissioners. Once the board approves the allocation of funds, the request must be sent to the state.

A funding decision is expected to be reached in the next two months.

The funding does not help pay for CCAT's public bus loop around the Bay Area, a service restored the past summer using contributions from public and private donors. Kevin Stufflebean, a Coos Bay city councilor and vocal supporter of public transit, said a fund-raising campaign to continue the public bus loop is expected to begin shortly.