PHOTO OF THE DAY: TRANSIT TALK

Travis Bortnem, executive director of Brookings Area Transit Authority (BATA), visits with Freeman City Council President Blaine Saarie during an informational meeting late Thursday afternoon, March 28. Bortnem was in Freeman along with assistant executive director Jay Caylor to discuss BATA’s plans to build a three-stall facility as a base of operations for Freeman Community Transit, which operates under the BATA umbrella. As proposed, the climate-controlled facility would be constructed across Third Street north of City Hall and, in addition to the parking stalls, would include an office and restrooms.

Bortnem shared with those gathered that the cost of construction is higher than anticipated — the estimate is now close to $500,000 — and BATA needs additional funding from the community in the amount of $34,000 to reach the match required by the $320,000 DOT grant that was awarded earlier this year. That funding could come from a variety of courses, Bortnem said, from local government funds to local grants to private donations.

Watch for more on this in the April 4 edition of The Courier.

Also pictured here is Freeman City Councilors Elizabeth Waltner (middle left) and Charly Waltner (lower right), as well as Marlene Herman (lower left) representing the Freeman Lions Club.