Mystery Blue Loon donation has yet to come through
Published Date
TAMWORTH — The mystery donor who was supposed to pay Conway's share of Blue Loon's dial-a-ride service has yet to cough up the cash.During the municipal budget season, Tri-County Community Action Program officials asked voters in 12 Carroll County towns to each approve a $3,000 contribution toward the dial-a-ride service, which functions like a taxi service. Every town except Conway approved money. Conway voters declined the request, 831-701. The contributions help the Blue Loon meet grant requirements for matching funds. The town contributions also help defray operating expenses.
Conway's vote put the Carroll County Transit Advisory Committee in an awkward position of having to consider shutting off dial-a-ride service to Conway, which is the town that uses the system the most.
In April, Conway town manager Earl Sires said an anonymous donor would pay for Conway. The committee agreed the donation would cover Conway for the rest of the year.
As of the end of August, the money still hasn't arrived, said advisory committee chairman Jack Rose.
"We have made several attempts, including a letter to whom it may concern, requesting that donor come forth and tell us when we're going to be funded," said Rose. "We have continued the service in spite of the fact that the money has not come forward so far."
Rose says the advisory committee is looking for a "solution." Rose is trying to get a follow-up meeting together. A couple of people have donated a total of $525 toward keeping the Blue Loon's dial-a-ride service in Conway. Rose believes someone ought to "step up to the plate" and pay for Conway.
Sires is the only person who knows the donor's identity, said Rose, adding the committee has verbally asked Sires twice about contacting the donor. At Sires' request, the committee wrote the donor a letter.
"We have gotten no response," said Rose.
The Blue Loon also has a bus route between Conway and Wolfeboro. This service will be unaffected by the issue with the mystery donor.
In other Blue Loon news, the Kiwanis Club of the Mount Washington Valley recently donated $800 for 40 bus stop signs, which are now in the process of being installed, said Rose. The signs would be for the scheduled bus service.
The bus routes run between Wolfeboro and Conway and Ossipee and Laconia. A new mid-day route from Ossipee to Laconia is starting. A kickoff ceremony for the new mid-day route was scheduled for Tuesday in Sandwich.
