Transportation officials have started the public input part of an effort to develop a long-range transportation plan for the Hall County area. The Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization held a meeting Thursday night at the Hall County Government Center in Gainesville to hear from residents about particular concerns they have about traffic and possible suggestions to ease congestion. Heavy public input means “this plan is going to have the best shot at representing what you as a community want and need,” said Brian Bolick, vice president of Pond & Co., a Norcross firm that’s been hired by Hall to help produce the long-term plan.