County to share department head position

Ryan Damlo is now officially transit director for both Wadena and Becker counties.

The Becker County Board made the move earlier this month.

Personnel at Becker County Transit will stay on the job, and Rusty Haskins will continue as transit supervisor, said County Administrator Jack Ingstad. Damlo will spend time in both counties.

"We'll contract with Wadena County (for Damlo's services)," Ingstad said. "He'll be a Wadena County employee."

The Becker County Board had considered pursuing a joint powers agreement with Wadena County, but decided that contracting for services would be a simpler approach.

Damlo was named transit director for Wadena County in the spring of 2015. At that time, the plan was to have him work for both counties but it took most of the year to figure out how that would work.

Friendly Rider has seen a number of changes since Damlo started last spring. In 2016, longer routes were added between Wadena and Staples.

Buses are now available as early as 6 a.m. for people needing to get to work, early medical appointments, classes at M State - Wadena or Central Lakes College in Staples, early dining or shopping.

Wadena and Staples now also has buses running later - until 6 p.m. - each night.

In Wadena, a late night bus has started operating until 10 p.m. one night a week depending on demand.

A new day route leaves Wadena around 7:30 a.m. and make stops if needed in towns along Highway 10 on the way to Motley before making the same trip in reverse and returning to Wadena by 9 a.m. The same route is done in the afternoon leaving Wadena at 3 p.m. and returning to Wadena around 4:30 p.m.

Damlo has heard from staffing agencies and employers who say workers need to get to jobs in Staples or Motley by 7 a.m. and that's something he will continue to look at offering.

Other services Damlo hopes to add in 2016 include an online reservation system at www.friendlyrider.com and a PayPal type system where people can use a debit or credit card to buy passes, tickets and fares.

Nathan Bowe, who writes for Forum News Service, contributed to this report.