City does not commit funds to Catch-a-Ride program

NEW LONDON – The New London Economic Development Committee took no action on Waupaca County’s request to provide funding for the Waupaca County Catch-a-Ride program.

The committee discussed the funding request when it met Aug. 25. Waupaca County had requested funds for this year and future years.

At the meeting, New London City Administrator Chad Hoerth reminded the council that at last month’s committee meeting, Waupaca County presented information about the county’s Catch-a-Ride program and its request for a partnership with all municipalities within Waupaca County. The partnership request was for it to begin this year which Hoerth said the city of New London did not budget the requested $36,000 for the program. The partnership would also involve city budgeted funds for the program in future years.

While Waupaca County has been presenting the information to municipalities throughout the county, Hoerth said he is unaware of any municipalities who have fully committed funds to the program other than the city of Waupaca.

“They immediately jumped into the program,” Hoerth said.

The money that the city of Waupaca was using for its subsidy for taxi service is now being used for the Catch-a-Ride program, Hoerth said. 

Hoerth told the committee that the city of New London already funds a transportation service for seniors and disabled individuals within the city limits. The city included $44,000 in this year’s budget for that service.

“We see the need for transportation already and we’re doing that to a clientele in the city of New London,” Hoerth said. “Obviously, this service that the county is talking about is the full public service. Would be expanded hours from what we do already. It would be for anyone.”

Hoerth said one option for the city would be to help fund the program for a year or two to help get it started financially. He said the goal of the program is to secure business sponsorships to help fund the program.

“They need to have some answers sooner than later, so we need to have these conversations on our end sooner than later,” Hoerth said.

Ald. David Dorsey said he is concerned that if municipalities start funding the program, the urgency to solicit business sponsors will lessen.

Committee Chairperson Ald. BaLynda Croy questioned why the county was now asking for funds from the 2026 budget when it knew the grant for the program would be ending. She said she would like more information about how the Catch-a-Ride program has evolved since it first began and what the plans are for the program in the future.

“I do feel that having some kind of taxi service or a Catch-a-Ride program that worked like a taxi service would be beneficial to New London for a multitude of reasons,” Croy said.

New London Mayor Mark Herter said he doesn’t think the city should provide funds to the program from its 2026 budget.

“I wouldn’t mind if we’re going to talk about subsidizing moving forward from month eight, but not for the whole year,” Herter said. “That fell under their budget I feel like, not ours, because obviously we didn’t budget for it. We weren’t asked.”

Croy said providing funding for next year is questionable considering the county made the request from the city so late in the year.

“I just feel that their lack of planning does not become New London’s emergency,” Dorsey said.