Ottawa council approves help to update NCAT’s strategic plan

North Central Area Transit’s strategic plan is set for an update, and the Ottawa City Council on Tuesday authorized the help of a consultant to help make that happen.

Ottawa Commissioner Wayne Eichelkraut said the agreement was reached to provide SRF Consulting Group of Chicago with $293,000 in grant funds in exchange for help in “tweaking” the existing strategic plan that is being challenged by the transit agency’s rapid growth and demands for its services.

“We received the grant to have this company basically sit down with us, look at the plan for NCAT, where we should be going, how many routes we should be running, how we can do a better job of raising it up to 300, 400 people a day,” Eichelkraut said. “As Commissioner [Brent] Barron said, we can use this in the future to help us secure other grants for different things down the line.

“With that, we can look to add a route here or there and ask if there are grants available to help pay the driver. It’s nice to have that there for when we need it. And the state’s actually paying for it, so it’s a plus.”

The council also approved a commercial lease agreement with Horizon House of the Illinois Valley for NCAT’s use of the property at 4041 Progress Blvd. in Peru, while also authorizing transit service agreements with several neighboring communities and sanctioning an agreement with the La Salle County 708 Community Mental Health Board to provide a specific number of rides in exchange for a $5,000 contribution.

Also approved was employment agreements for two people who will clean and maintain the buses at the end of the workday.

“NCAT is a great service, something that the city and Wayne should be proud of,” Mayor Robb Hasty said. “When you’re in Streator or La Salle-Peru or Marseilles and you see the NCAT buses getting around, you have to smile and say, ‘That’s because of Ottawa.’ It’s a great service that we provide.”

In other action, the council:

• approved the sale of a property at Route 23 and Technology Drive, in the city’s industrial park, to a new business coming to town. For legal reasons, Hasty was not at liberty to provide the name of the business just yet, but he confirmed the purchase has been completed.
• approved a quote from McConnaughhay & Sons for roof repairs to the NCAT garage.
• approved the purchase of a 2024 Ford truck with a snow fighter package and three snowplows from Bonnell Industries in Dixon.
• approved a change order from Vissering Construction for $12,481 for work in Allen Park.
• approved the annexation agreement for three properties in the Oak Terrace subdivision.