In a recent government meeting, officials discussed the urgent need for funding to support transportation services for veterans in Flower Mound. Currently, the service operates without dedicated funding, relying on limited resources to transport veterans to essential appointments, including those at the Veterans Affairs (VA) facility in Dallas.

The meeting highlighted that while the city does not currently allocate funds for this service, there is a growing recognition of its importance. A representative from SPAN, the organization providing the transportation, noted that they serve approximately 55 unduplicated riders in Flower Mound, including four veterans. The representative emphasized the need to increase awareness and funding to better serve this demographic, particularly as ridership has not fully recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Council members discussed the possibility of earmarking $2,500 to support the transportation of veterans, with one member suggesting that this amount could be included in the upcoming budget discussions. The conversation also touched on the need to amend existing contracts to explicitly include provisions for veteran transportation services, ensuring clarity and support for this initiative.

The council ultimately moved to approve an agreement that would increase funding for SPAN to $80,873.12, which includes provisions for veteran services. The meeting concluded with a commitment to further refine the budget and ensure that the needs of veterans are adequately addressed in future discussions.

As the council prepares for the final budget adoption on September 16, the focus remains on ensuring that veterans receive the necessary support and services they deserve.