By Tim Hrencher, Topeka Capital-Journal, October 19, 2010
The Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority will seek more public input and wait another month before it chooses from among four alternatives for cuts in city bus service.
TMTA board members voted 6-1 Monday to approve board member Nancy Johnson's motion to defer the decision and direct the Topeka Transit staff to reach out to businesses and other potential stakeholders to educate them about proposed service cuts and ask for their input.
"This is the time to say, 'We're concerned with what you all think,' " Johnson said. "We don't want to hurt your business."
TMTA board members Johnson, Jim Daniel, Andy Sanchez, Matt Gassen, Steve Kramer and Rodney Miller voted in favor of the move.
Board member Neta Jeffus voted against it, saying local business people are already aware of what is being considered because "we've been in the media for some time."
Monday's meeting was the TMTA board's first since the city's transit service held public hearings Oct. 6, 13 and 16 to share information related to proposed reductions in fixed-route and/or evening and Sunday service.
The changes became necessary after the Topeka City Council voted Aug. 17 to reduce the TMTA mill levy to 4.2 mills for 2011 from 4.4 mills for 2010, effectively reducing the transit service's annual property tax revenue by about $200,000. David Billam, strategic planner for the TMTA, said some service inevitably must be lost to keep the bus service going with less money.
Billam told TMTA board members Monday that overall, 48 people expressed opinions at the TMTA's three public hearings as to which of four alternatives they'd prefer to see the board choose.
He said an alternative known as "Scenario 3" received support from the largest number of respondents, with 21. That scenario focuses on eliminating the city's least productive fixed routes and a "downtown circular route" offered from 10:20 a.m. to 2 p.m. while continuing to provide evening and Sunday service.
TMTA board members voted 4-3 Monday to reject a motion to adopt the cuts outlined in Scenario 3. Jeffus, Miller and Daniel voted in favor of the move while Johnson, Gassen, Sanchez and Kramer voted against it.
Board members then approved Johnson's motion to defer action for one month after hearing Johnson say she didn't feel comfortable making a decision based on only 48 responses. She said the TMTA still needed "to reach out to entities we didn't reach out to."
Johnson volunteered to help TMTA president and chief executive officer Janlyn Nesbett-Tucker compile a list and arrange meetings with those entities, including business groups such as the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce, Topeka Independent Business Association, North Topeka Business Alliance and Downtown Topeka Inc.
Johnson said the transit service could build goodwill by having Nesbett-Tucker or Billam meet face-to-face with various stakeholders to explain what is being considered and hear their thoughts.
"If you work with them, they'll be backing you next time you ask for a mill levy increase," she said.
Tim Hrenchir can be reached at (785) 295-1184 or tim.hrenchir@cjonline.com
Details of the four scenarios for proposed cuts can be found at: http://topekatransit.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Service-Update-Scenarios1.pdf