CHENANGO COUNTY – The Chenango County Board of Supervisors recently passed their first-ever countywide plan aimed at improving and expanding on local transportation options in rural areas.

Chenango County Department of Planning and Development Planning Director Shane Butler said the plan is all about improving transportation opportunities, especially for the more rural areas of the county, and allowing for the county to apply for grants.

“We want to improve transportation, especially in rural areas where there is no First Transit,” said Butler. “We’re hoping to improve employment rates by helping people to get to work.”

He said the county hopes to invest in more transportation options, and the organization needs additional funding to help make it happen.

“You can’t apply for a lot of state grants without a plan,” he added. “A lot of these plans are living documents, and we are expecting there to be developments as we work through the process.”

Butler said currently the county’s department of planning has a contract with the Rural Health Network of South Central New York, and that network pays the department to, “...be the boots on the ground when it comes to promoting their office and improving transportation in Chenango County.”