For 153 Texoma Area Paratransit System employees, the past four days have been a roller coaster as TAPS officials announced Friday they could not make the organization's payroll. However, thanks to the North Central Council of Governments, that payroll will be paid within the week.

Friday afternoon, drivers, call center agents, supervisors and other operations staff were told by TAPS officials their paychecks would not be delivered as planned. Landmark Bank, a major lender for TAPS, pulled a promised line of credit offered during the Oct. 21 TAPS board meeting that was slated to pay payroll.

On Monday, NCTCOG staff met with the TAPS management team and expedited funding to cover $184,000 in payroll that was not paid. NCTCOG is one funding source that provides budget dollars for TAPS operations in Collin County.

NCTCOG has also stepped in to offer a "backstop" of $250,000 to secure an additional loan or extension of TAPS' line of credit. However, during a Collin County Commissioners Court meeting, County Commissioner and TAPS board president Chris Hill said the bank was weary of extending the line of credit based on this type of loan security.