Veterans in the Carbon County Veterans Court program who have trouble finding a ride to their appointments will soon have a little easier time getting to and from these required services.

On Thursday, the county commissioners approved an agreement with Lake Harmony Turismo LLC to provide transportation to participants in the veterans treatment court for one year, which took effect Nov. 1. The charges are $60 per hour, billed in 15-minute increments; and $30 an hour for wait time.

Richmond Parsons, chief adult probation officer, said that transportation is a huge issue for the program.

There are 12 participants in veterans court and five of them have issues finding transportation.

Through $4,000 in donations from the Lehigh Fire Company No. 1 in Lehighton and Towamensing Trails Golf Committee, the transportation costs will be covered for now, Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said.

He added that the county is continuing to look for funding sources for the program and said that donations from people and organizations to help veterans in trouble with the law as a result of drugs and alcohol who qualify for veterans court are welcome.

In other court-related matters, the county approved a project modification request to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for funding for Carbon County’s restrictive intermediate punishment project.

Parsons said that there was a miscommunication with the original grant, missing $11,100 that was to be allocated for the second year of the grant, which runs July 1 to June 2018.

He said the money will be used to purchase additional ankle monitoring bracelets that use cellular data for those on house arrest, as well as cover the daily monitoring fees.