Duplin County opens public hearing to apply for FTA 5311 and 5310 grants to fund vans, tablets and operations

Duplin County's transportation director held a public hearing and asked commissioners to approve applications for three federal and state transit grants for fiscal year 2027.

Dawn Strickland, director of Duplin County Transportation, said the county intends to apply for an FTA Section 5311 administrative grant (amount described in the hearing as $267,095), a Section 5311 combined capital grant of $114,915 (10% local match of $11,491) to buy a raised-roof van and 16 driver tablets, and an FTA Section 5310 operating grant for elderly and disabled transportation in the amount of $40,000 with a $20,000 local match. Strickland said the department's contracted revenue and enterprise fund balance will provide the local matches.

No public comments were offered during the hearing. Commissioner Garner moved to approve the grant applications; Commissioner Edwards seconded, and the board approved the requests by voice vote.

Strickland said the 5310 operating grant local match will come from contracted revenue generated by the department during the fiscal year. The transcript records the grant amounts and local-match percentages as presented in the public hearing; the administrative grant amount was spoken on the record but the transcript contained a minor transcription hesitation while the figure was read.