An engineering consulting firm recommended Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department increase services during a workshop presentation at Tuesday’s regular Commissioners Court meeting.

The Court also accepted grant funding from the Texas Department of State Health Services to be used for HIV prevention efforts and approved an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for FEMA’s continued use of the Fort Bend County Sienna Annex as a disaster recovery center.

1) Long Range Transit Plan

Supervising planner Pat Waskowiak from engineering consulting firm WSP USA, Incorporated presented strategies to improve the county’s public transportation services, focusing on optimizing current resources and outlining potential areas of growth.

The long-range transit plan proposes new commuter buses to Downtown Houston, Westchase, Uptown Houston, Greenway Plaza, and the Houston Energy Corridor for additional service, according to presentation documents. It also proposes adding a new route to Sugar Land Town Square and redesigning the current Richmond-Rosenberg route as that service is underutilized.

In contrast, there is an increasing demand for services to job centers in Harris County and to retail destinations in Sugar Land and Missouri City, Waskowiak said. Looking at opportunities to grow, she said rural areas in the county are underserved but growing at a fast rate with urban development.

The county’s demand response service is over capacity, she said. This service allows passengers to call the county’s transportation department and request to be picked up from their homes.

“It is a remarkable service,” Waskowiak said. “It covers your entire county. We actually looked at some other agencies of comparable size to Fort Bend County. No one covers the geographic area that Fort Bend covers with demand response.”

The plan also recommends the county improve external communications to residents about available transportation services, including its use of signage, website, and map and schedule displays.

Another challenge is decreasing support from federal funding, which shifts the burden to the county, Waskowiak said. The plan recommends Fort Bend County to pursue partnerships with federal, state and other local authorities for increased operating revenue.

2) Grant Funding for HIV Prevention and Detection

The Court voted to accept $288,722 in grant funding from the Texas Department of State Health Services to be used for HIV prevention and detection efforts.

This is a grant renewal and will be the third year Fort Bend County has received the grant, said Kaye Reynolds, deputy director of Fort Bend County Health and Human Services. The grant will be used to pay for supplies and hired personnel, including risk reduction specialists and a HIV consultant, she said.

“What the grant is all about is going into and finding high-risk communities—people that are at the highest risk for HIV infection—and trying to educate and test people in the field so that they will know their status,” Reynolds said. “The purpose behind that is to get them into care and treatment.”

The Center for Disease Control estimates at least a third of the people who are HIV-positive don’t know it, which may result in potential HIV outbreaks as they continue high-risk behaviors with others, Reynolds said.

“It’s not meant to be for general population screening,” Reynolds said. “This is really looking at going into communities where there is the highest risk of HIV infection.”

Over 2,400 people have been tested since the county first received the grant, and seven individuals were identified as HIV-positive, Reynolds said.

“When somebody is in treatment or on antiretroviral medication, that lowers the virus load in their blood stream and their body and makes them less likely to be able to spread the disease,” Reynolds said. “Plus, they can live long and reasonably healthy lives compared to what will happen if you live with HIV and don’t treat it.”

3) Disaster Recovery Center

The Court approved an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the agency’s continued use of Fort Bend County Sienna Annex as a disaster recovery center through Jan. 31.

These centers provide disaster recovery services and information about FEMA programs and other disaster assistance programs, according to the FEMA website. Those in need may also speak with representatives from entities such as the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Small Business Administration, and volunteer groups.

The center is located at 5855 Sienna Spring Way, Missouri City.