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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-0621 Continued Meeting Packet CITY OF ASHLAND Council Communication Meeting Date: Department: Approval: June 20, 2006 Administrati~~jl Martha BenrteUf:tP RVTD Primary Staff Contact: Ann Seltze~. ann@ashland.or.us . 'W Secondary Staff Contact: Estimated Time: 45 minutes Statement: The current contract for enhanced services with RVTD will terminate on June 30 and changes in RVTD services and fares will begin July 1. Council must make a decision at this meeting about the enhanced services it wishes RVTD to provide in Ashland. Background: At the city council meeting on June 6, the council voted to eliminate Route #5 and devote $290,000 to buying down the fare on Route #10. This item is coming back to the council at the request of Councilor Chapman. RVTD has provided various costs for each option based on changes in ridership and the actual operating costs of Route #5. It is impossible to determine the actual costs to the city as those costs are determined by the number of riders. The city will be billed for actual costs on a quarterly basis. Related CitY Policies: The City of Ashland has supplemented public transportation for a number of years believing that increased use of public transportation eases the transit demands on the community including parking and congestion. Council Options: 1. Retain Route #5 and subsidize fare for 50% ($1.00 fixed fare and $2.00 for Valley Lift). Actual costs to the city will be based on ridership and billed quarterly. 2. Eliminate Route #5 and buy down fare on Route # 10 to $.75 fixed fare and $1.50 for Valley Lift. Actual costs to the city will be based on ridership and billed quarterly. Staff Recommendation: Retain Route #5 and subsidize fare at 50% ofRVTD fixed fare. (Ashland fare = $1.00 for fixed route and $2.00 for Valley Lift). NOTE: The city will be billed quarterly for actual charges based on ridership. Staff will closely monitor the expenditures to ensure that we are within the approved budget of $290,000. Should we determine that the expenditures are approaching the limits of the budget staff will bring this information to the council with proposed actions. Potential Motions: Move to direct staff to prepare contract with RVTD for enhanced services including route #5 and 50% subsidized fare. Attachments: 1) Council Transit Options, June 20,2006 1 r~' ...'--'-.- en c o ;:; Co (0 og ~N ~O caN a... Q) ~ C "(3 :::J C-, :::J o U i "'0 o I:: _ <IS 'It: 2 II) ;::l ~ 8 0"'0 ~ II) ~~ II) V) ;Cr-- ';) ~ ~ .~ !:l.. u ~.a ~~ 0.0 ....... .- '" '" <IS ~ ~~ u ~ ~ 0....... "'00 >'f-o ;::l > ~~ 'It: u - :~ ~ !:l.. ;E ~ u "'0 .t:: ] o <IS .... ~ ~o .....:l .u >-;:;3 ~~.o p.,C;;0 .. > - ~oo f-oV)f-o o .> z~~ i ~ o !:l.. .... ;E "'0 '" u .... >< u t+::~ .... .... ~"; o .E C! ~ - ~ .... '-'~ a'2.o 0.- V) 0 -::::: ~:.o cSB "'00 8 f-o .g~ II) ~~ .~ >. ]~ -g"; '" ~ -g~ <IS 0 V)C! 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Approval: Martha Ben~/'{'(~ Primary Staff Contact: Paula Brown E-mail: brownp@ashland.or.us a1J Secondary Staff Contact: James Olson, 552-2412 1(/ E-mail: olsonj@ashland.or.us Estimated Time: 5 minutes Statement: On June 30, 2006 the Public Works Department will submit an application for OD01's Transportation Enhancement (TE) Program for years 2009-2011. The City is asking for $275,000 in TE Funding for the Laurel Street Project. As part of the supporting documentation for the fund request, the City must include a resolution from the City Council supporting the request for TE funds. A Notice of Intent was sent to ODOT on March 20, 2006 indicating the City's plan to apply for this grant. Background: Historically the City has relied heavily on the Transportation Enhancement grants, among others, to construct sidewalk and multi-use path projects. In recent years grant funds were used to construction the Central Ashland multi-use path, Oak Street Sidewalk Project and the current North Ashland multi- use path. As we have learned from recent projects, sidewalk construction projects often do not fit well into a standard local improvement district. This grant is an excellent method by which these sidewalk projects can be funded. This year's project is located on North Laurel Street from Hersey Street to Randy Street and consists of sidewalks, sidewalk ramps and other pedestrian friendly amenities. There are several missing sidewalk connections along this important collector and local street network to reach Helman Elementary School. This project would also serve as a pedestrian connection to the popular dog dark, the Greenway Bicycle Trail System and the downtown core. All construction work is located within the existing public right-of-way therefore property acquisition is not necessary. The proposed Laurel Street Sidewalk project meets the 2005-2007 City Council goal to improve pedestrian and traffic safety and is supported by the City's Traffic Safety Commission. The project is also listed in the current Capital Improvement Projects for implementation within the TE Program timeline. Related City Policies: None. Council Options: Council may approve this attached resolution supporting the application of Transportation Grant funds for the Laurel Street Sidewalk Project or Council may decline to approve the application. There is insufficient time to propose alternative projects for this grant for this year. G:\pub-wrks\eng\dept-admin\ENGINEER\0D01\2006 TE CC in Support of Application.doc r~' ~ Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends support for the resolution. Potential Motions: Council can move to support the request for ODOT Transportation Enhancement Program Funds for the laurel Street Sidewalk project. Council can move to deny support for ODOT Transportation Enhancement Program Funds for the laurel Street Sidewalk project. Attachments: Notice of Intent dated March 20, 2006 Resolution C:\DOCUME-I\shipletd\LOCALS-I\Temp\2006 TE CC in Support of Application.doc r4.' RESOLUTION NO. 06- A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE REQUEST FOR OREGON DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $275,000 TO BE USED TO CONSTRUCT THE LAUREL STREET SIDEWALK PROJECT. THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOllOWS: SECTION 1. The City of Ashland supports and will accept a grant offer of the State of Oregon in the amount of $275,000 for the purpose of constructing the laurel Street Sidewalk Project. SECTION 2. The Ashland City Administrator is authorized and directed to sign the statement of acceptance of the grant offer on behalf of the City of Ashland. SECTION 3. A true copy of the grant application is attached. SECTION 4. This resolution takes effect upon signing by the Mayor. This resolution was read by title only in accordance with Ashland Municipal Code ~2.04.090 duly PASSED and ADOPTED this 20th day of June, 2006. Barbara Christensen, City Recorder SIGNED and APPROVED this day of June, 2006. John Morrison, Mayor C:\DOCUME-1\stephens\lOCALS-1\Temp\2006 TE Laurel St Sidewalk Council Resolution.doc ~ March 20, 2006 CITY OF ASH.LAND Patricia Fisher ODOT Transportation Enhancement Program 355 Capitol Street NE Room 326 Salem Oregon 97301-3871 RE: NOTICE OF INTENT FOR 2006 Dear Ms. Fisher: The City of Ashland respectfully submits the attached Notice. of Intent to apply for ODOT's Transportation Enhancement Program for years. 2009 - 2011. The Laurel Street Sidewalk Project meets the first approved TE activity: provision of . facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project will be designed in accordance with the Oregon Bicycle. and Pedestrian Plan and conform to .all federal and state requirements. The City is asking for $200,000 in TE funding and will match . $25,000 or 12.5% in staff services and local funds. . The proposed project is located on North laurel Street from Hersey Street to . Randy Street and.consists of sidewalks, sidewalk ramps and other pedestrian friendly amenities..There are several missing sidewalk.connections along this :important collector and local street network to reach Helman Elementary School. . This project would also serve as a pedestrian connection to the highly popular Dog Park, the Greenway Bicycle Trail System and the downtown cOre. All construction work is located within the existing public right-of-way therefore property acquisition is not necessary. . The proposed laurel Street Sidewalk project meets the 2005-2007 City Council goal to improve pedestrian and traffic safety and is supported by the Citis Traffic Safety Commission. The project .is also listed in the current Capital Improvement . Projects f()r-implementation within the TE Program timeline. ~i:re~.~ v'ames H. Olson . . Proje.ct Manager Traffic Safety Commission Staff Liaison cc: Gino Grimaldi Joe Strahl Engineering 20 E. Main Street Ashland, Oregon 97520 www.ashland.or.us G:\pU~wrks\eng\dept-admin\ENGINEER\OD0T\2006 TE Notice of Intent narrative 3 06.doc Tel: 541/488-5347 Fax:541~488-6006 TrY: 800/735-2900 ,., NOTICE OF INTENT This Notice is reQuired for all applicants. FAX to: (fOO)986-3290 or mail to: o DOT Transportation Enhancement Program, 355 capnol St NE,Hm 326 Salem.OR 97301-3871 Due: March 23, 2006 INSTRUCTIONS: (1) Enter prOject information in the boxes below. (2) Attach a letter or narrative (1 page max.) explaining the need for the project, type and extent of proDOsed work, property ownership status, funds reQuested and.matchina funds available, and the role of any co-applicants or partners. (3) Attach a vicinity map and site map or other appropriate graphics-1 or 2 pages, APPLICANT Agency . City of Ashland Address 20 East Main Street Ashland OR 97520 Contact Title Telephone . Email James H. Olson Project Manager (541) 488-5347 olson' ashland.or.us CO-APPLICANT (K any) Name Address Contact Title Telephone PROJECT (name, location, and one-line description) .The Laurel Street Sidewalks project is located in the City of Ashland Oli North Laurel . Street between Hersey Street and Randy Street and includes construction of sidewalks, . sidewalk ram sand other edestrian friendl amenities. COST SUMMARY RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS TE Funds Re.quested: . $200,000 Matching funds $25,000 Other Noh- TE costs Total Pro'ect Cost . $225,000 . COORDINATION ISSUES (mark all that apply) [Xl Project.located in MPO jurisdiction (metropolitan area wnh population >50,000) . [] Project wnhin state highway right-of-way [ ]. Use of land owned by another agency Property to be purchased? [ ] yes (X] n~ .[ ] don't know yet Easements or donated property? [ es ] no [Xl don't know at [ ]. Project on railroad property. . [X] Project at Of near a railroad crossing [] Contribution from other th~m applicant [X] Maintenance by other than applicant ODOT Reply Area. . [ .] APPROVED TO PROCEED Wnh an application for FY 2009-2011 funding, [] Application requires advance coordination or endorsements, See 'Part2 Checklist' attached. . [] Please call the TE Program Manager at (503) 986-3528 to disGuss this proposal before applying. G:\pub-WJb\eng\dept-adniin\ENGINEER\OOO1\2006 TE Notil;e of Intent 2nd.doc __ H....._.~. . [jf]@f1f11j]fjjfJ8 , l &f1@f1Ij]&mJ/?~W ~.I' @@[jf]@@[1 ~ .~ \ 0JQ i- i~~ -6~c~ R:f IIOIMTMl 1IIDr " " ~ ,.' - ,l rf': j-~ .flD :q ~ ~ a ~ ~ ~r flJLJ~': b! ~- @ L- : " J . ] 1" ~H-, ";~;,~ ___ ~ ~'~~'.~ ~~ ~ Thi,\~\.. B ~~ .~~'~ ~ ~~[j ~"1 : \ ,,5r7 Q ~, < ~'i () · . ,,/.!;;J l::) ~ \ ~ \0 ~ j \\\5.." 'f() ~>' l!1'J." ~ ". ....... . ~ . ~~;.~ '-- ~,\,Q()M (~J~ ~~ E ',' " :, \\ ~ \ 'J ~ " ~ ~ + [;:) ~"'-.. 8<::;;~~ g " j tj ~ p~ ~/~ ~ ~I ~ ' ~ ST. r b ~' thJ.-.r- · e; )Lr k2j 0 ~)r( -- ~ ~ IJ o In f-;J c: . " Ir If ~~~<:l=~ ~YQ \.C(] t '~~ 1J ....1"" -:::: Dc::;: ~ r-'i "F . ~~ l:l, CITY OF ASHLAND Council Communication Procedure on Selection of Council Position #1 Meeting Date: Department: Contributing Departments: Approval: June 20, 2006 City Recorder ~ None Martha Ben~ Primary Staff Contact: Barbara Christensen, (541) 488-5307 christeb@ashland.or.us Secondary Staff Contact: None Estimated time: 10 minutes Statement: A Special meeting of the Council is scheduled for July 17 to conduct interviews and make appointment to Council Position #1 for a term ending December 31, 2006. Background: As was approved by council at the June 6 meeting, advertisement seeking letters of interest was placed in the local newspaper as well as on the city website. The deadline for applications to be submitted to the City Recorder's Office is 5pm on June 30. History on past apoointments bv council: 1997 Council Position #6 vacated by Brent Thompson filled by Alan DeBoer · 3 applications received through advertisement of vacancy · No interviews conducted, but questions were presented to the candidates and turned into the council · Nominations were made by council · Appointment based on majority of votes; 3 for DeBoer; 1 for Lewis and 1 for Hartzell. 2001 Council Position # 6 vacated by David Fine filled by Chris Hearn · 7 applications received through advertisement of vacancy · Interviews conducted · Council voted on applicants; 3 for Hearn; 1 for DeBey and 1 for Lininger · Motion was made to appoint Chris Hearn. Appointment based on majority of votes 5-0. 2002 Council Position #4 vacated by Cameron Hanson filled by Kate Jackson · 5 applicants received through advertisement of vacancy . Interviews conducted · Council voiced their support of various applicants · Motion was made to appoint Kate Jackson. Appointment based on majority of votes 4-1. 2005 Council Position #6 vacated by Chris Hearn filled by David Chapman · 14 applications received through advertisement of vacancy · Interviews conducted · Council voted for the top three applicants; due to a tie, Council kept the two top applicants (Swales and Dimitre) and voted in a second round to determine the third applicant to be considered; Council then voted on the top three applicants (Swales, Dimitre and Chapman); council voted 3 for Chapman and 2 for Swales. · Motion to appoint Chapman based on majority of votes. 5-0 Interview Questions previouslv used bv council: · What do you believe you would contribute to the City Council based on your experience? What are you good at? · What do you want to accomplish while serving on the City Council? · What do you think are the biggest issues facing the city? r.t. , ._~ · Relative to the key issues mentioned, what approach would you recommend the Council take? · How long have you lived in the community and what community activities have you been involved in? And what is your primary motivation for seeking the vacant council seat? · What do you think are the biggest issues facing the city? And how do you see yourself contributing to resolve the issues? · What personal skills and time availability to you offer the council? · When moving ahead on a particular project, that is the best for the community at large, but would impact an existing neighborhood, how would you handle this? · Do you see yourself representing a particular constituency or group? · Do you have any questions of the council? Related City Policies: There is no charter law or city ordinance that sets the method in which the council elects an individual to a council seat in the event of a vacancy. Council Options: 1) Discuss if pre-selection process of applicants should take place prior to the July 17 meeting. 2) Discuss what questions should be asked of the applicants and if these questions should be made available prior to the scheduled interview. 3) Discuss method of voting. Staff Recommendation: None Attachments: None . r., DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED AT THE JUNE 21, 2006 CONTINUED MEETING. City Council Meeting Continuation (Wed, Jun 21, 2006) Art Bullock RVTD The RVTD situation is an extreme example of fiscal irresponsibility. And now we suffer its damaging effects on Ashland's elderly, disabled, students, employees trying to get to work, and taxpayers who'll waste millions of dollars on congestion and downtown parking garages instead of adequate bus service. To establish some measure of basic financial management on Ashland's part of the RVTD mess, consider: 1. Fiscal responsibility based on a professional model. Develop your own model of routes-rates- ridership-revenue. Modern bus lines are run by professional models that tell you anticipated effects of any known set of conditions. You asked RVTD the cost of Scenario X, and they didn't know. You asked staff, they didn't know either. RVTD has relied on federal subsidies to cover its failure to adequately model RVTD routes and revenue, and we're paying the price big-time now that federal bus money is shifted to fund the war, and bus subsidies are drying up. For you to spend Ashland's taxpayer money wisely, you need a model that answers your basic questions, like: 1. If we drop Bus 5 (route), what is the anticipated effect on how many people use the bus (ridership)? 2. If we raise the fare to $1 or $2 from free, what do we expect for ridership and revenue? 3. If we altered the route to include East Main Street, what are the effects on ridership and revenue? 4. If we replaced 15..minute service during the day with 30-minute service and added nights and weekend service, what are the anticipated effects on ridership and revenue? 5. If we add a shuttle on Mountain Ave (or Oak St, by Ashland Hospital, Tolman Creek, etc.), what would be the ridership-revenue results? RVTD has made it clear they aren't up to the job. Their focus is raising taxes through property tax increase and a payroll tax, not optimizing routes and ridership. That means that you'll need to do it yourselves. You don't need to do it for the whole valley, as RVTD does; you need to do it for Ashland to spend our tax money wisely, which is not happening. 2. Open, transparent government. Ask and answer your questions in public, using the model. Many people in Ashland could contribute to a model-building effort to replace requests to RVTD and staff for "How much would this cost?" to using the model in public and answering any question from councilor or attendee on the spot, at the meeting, with the entire city watching. Busness corporations have run this way for years--it decreases staff work and speeds strategic decision-making because it forces you to clarify your assumptions and learn from your mistakes. Instead of having political arguments about whether to keep or drop Bus 5, keep or drop free fare, you figure out the anticipated effects, amke the trade-off decision, and let the entire community watch. Not only would you get more for our tax money and decrease staff work, you would increase transparency, since decisions currently made behind closed doors and blessed in public would be replaced by a knowledge-based decision model that the entire community could contribute to and observe and support. 3. Stop payments to RVTD. Given RVTD's poor fiscal management, you should withdraw all Ashland money being sent to RVTD. You don't subsidize poor performance, you terminate it. With the possible e~ of a 3-month extension to buy time to establish fiscal responsibility for Ashland's part of the puzz1e;'''MJbsidies from Ashland to RVTD should stop. Our money is being misused. The money should NOT be redirected to Public Works to 'pave all streets'; it should go to Ashland-only bus support, and not through payments to RVTD. " L 4. Subsidize monthly passes for Ashland only. Professionals models and Ashland's experience show that ridership increases when marginal cost approaches O. Ashland has achieved this in the past with free bus service. You can approach the same result with time-based bus passes (30 days, not 30 rides). If an employee working in Ashland has a monthly bus pass, it will be 'free' (no marginal cost) for them to ride the bus every day rather than drive the family car. That's exactly what you want. You produce the desired shift to public transportation by driving the marginal cost to 0 as gas prices increase the marginal cost of driving higher and higher. You can do that by subsidizing monthly bus passes. Note how pre-occupied RVTD and you are on the per ride bus fare. That's not the answer. As a frequent bus rider, I can tell you that most people don't put a $1 bill in the machine, they produce a pass. To solve our current financial problem, you need to redirect your thinking from SOc or $1 or $2 fares to the cost and subsidy of monthly bus passes. The solution to this problem is well-managed monthly bus passes. Instead of talking about whether fares should be $1 or $2, you should be talking about how much the monthly bus pass should be, and how to use that mechanism to increase bus usage. Professional models show that you can increase the per-ride fare and INCREASE ridership if you significantly increase monthly passes. The key to public transportation is not the occasional rider; it's daily riders getting to work, shopping, medical appointments, school and university. These riders are predictable and consistent. You can-and should-build a viable bus service on them. That means monthly bus passes. 5. Replace payroll tax plan with voluntary employer-employee partnerships. Instead of using payroll taxes to support fiscal mismanagement, use a matching employer-employee-city bus pass program. Lers work together as a community on this. Employers would get recognition for helping provide monthly bus passes for their employees, we'd decrease demand for parking garages and angle parking spaces, and you could leverage limited City resources by requiring employers to pay their fair share voluntarily, not through paperwork-generating payroll taxes. Employers oppose the RVTD payroll tax because they don't know what they'll get for their money. Business people asking annoying questions like that. RVTD's answer of 'more of the same' didn't sell. With employee-employer partnerships, employers would exactly what they're getting for their money. Instead of wasting time and money on paperwork to pay and reconcile payroll taxes, all the money voluntarily goes to financially support their employees, their business, and their community. RVTD will set monthly pass rates for the entire valley, without adequate models. To restore modeling integrity for Ashland, you'll need to subsidize the monthly bus passes. I encourage you to learn, via models, the effects of no subsidy for the per-ride fare, with aggressive subsidy and community-building effort to dramatically increase use of monthly bus passes. 6. Get SOU and Ashland School District involved. The unive~ity and schoal systems benefit greatly from RVTD, yet underpay their fair share. ASSOU recently stopped all RVTD funding, prompting RVTD to ask City of Ashland to cover the University's share, which City declined to do. The solution to not to pick up other people's slack, the solution is to work with the school district and university to clarify what their fair share is, and to require them, not Ashland taxpayers to pay for it. 7. Stop pass abuse. SOU has a poor history of abuse of bus passes. Credible anecdotal evidence is that they're frequently passed out on a 'who you know' basis rather than as intended. Passing out free bus passes is more fiscal irresponsibility, and needs to stop. 8. Shuttles on side routes. When gas prices increase, you need to INCREASE public transportation, not cut back. Bus transportation is a leveraging city service that generates economic and social activity . Ashland needs to consider side street shuttles, managed locally rather than by RVTD. We don't need massive buses to provide bus service to Mountain Meadows, Oak Street, Hospital area, Tolman Creek, etc. Gas efficient shuttles could make the bus within walking and biking distance of everyone, just just Main Street and Siskoyou Blvd. We need to consider jitneys between the downtown and railroad district rather than angle parking on B Street. Note the current Figure 8 loop for the Gateway District, which would be unidirectional without Bus 5. We need to build on that, and consider more Figure 8 loops. 9. Change city policy on parking vs. bus passes. Make the mental and policy shift to life without cheap gasoline. It was ironic that the same night you were scheduled to vote on discontinuing RVTD bus inside Ashland, the first item on the agenda was a variance request for an additional driveway. The homeowner had 2 trucks, a family car, a motorcycle, and an RV; neighbors complained of congestion and parking problems. After the chair disclosed a financial conflict of interest for having a business relationship with the applicant, you approved the variance, overturning the Planning Commission Hearing Board decision. Compare that with our experience in Jackson County Sustainability Network at the Eugene Permaculture Gathering. There, a property owner got the city to allow them to REMOVE a driveway and replace it with monthly bus passes for residents. They jack-hammered the driveway, removed the concrete, decreased impervious surfaces (which decreases flooding and increases summer flows in creeks and rivers), and planted gardens and food trees. Which neighborhood is going to be ready when gasoline prices are $5-10/gallon, and food prices skyrocket due to transportation costs and petroleum-based fertilizers and herbicides? To move "Sustainability" from buzzword to social policy, you'll need to do a 180 degree turnaround in your thinking about cars and buses. Solve parking problems with monthly bus passes. 10. Practice what you preach. Do you have any idea how strange it is to watch almost everyone drive to a Council meeting to vote on discontinuing bus service? When time comes for political campaigns, we see candidates posed on their bicycle, talking 'sustainability' and 'livability'. I've bicycled the bike path for years, and have yet to meet the first councilor or mayor or city recorder or city administrator on the bike path. I HAVE met our elected Parks & Rec Commissioners on the bike path-- they do a better job of walking their talk. You just hired a city administrator and it's reported that she gets a $400 monthly car expense allowance. We have people living on $400 per month, who depend on the bus to live in Ashland. Instead of $400 car expense allowance, try a $40 bus pass. It's going to take more than posed pictures and car expense accounts for city employees to solve our transportation problem. You have more than 200 city employees, and parking lots full of SUVs and gas-guzzling pickups. Set the example by: (1) NOT driving to city meetings. Learn the reality of biking and busing inside town. Make it real. (2) Report to all taxpayers your performance as a city for how many employees DON'T drive to work. Ashland's City Hall and Planning Building are downtown, by the Plaza. You'll be amazed when you report how many people live within walking and biking distance of their city offices, and yet drive a gas- guzzler. Then we get complaints from downtown business that it's not convenient for tourists and customers to find a parking place due to "congestion". Who do you think is taking those spaces? (3) Replace car expense allowances with bus passes. The solution is isn't an annual "Car-Free Day" for guilt relief. We need more than a token effort. We need to change daily behavior. Replace photo ops with awards for "Haven't Driven To Work For A Month" or some such. (And no, vacationing for a month doesn't count.) Bottom line: To help solve the RVTD problem, increase demand for bus service through your own efforts, starting in your own house and City Hall. 11. Don't throwaway 10 years of progress with a rush decision. RVTD dumped this on us at the last minute, which is irresponsible and unacceptabJe. Representative Peter Buckley has weighed in, and I agree with him. We're scrambling now that it's dumped on us, and it will take a community effort to prevent adverse impact on many people hurt by RVTD's actions. I attended the RVTD public hearing a few weeks ago, eager and optimistic, and left hugely disappointed. Their 'visioning'process asked us what we wanted, and RvrD got the same answers as the last 10 years--night and weekend service, options off the main route, etc. Having 'loosened us up', they told us they want a payroll tax and property tax increases just to keep current service. Reaction to the Board members and presenters was negative. They conveyed the impression that the meeting was really to build public support for a property tax increase and a new payroll tax, and it backfired. Attendees wanted responsiveness to obvious problems, not a tax increase to cover them up. The solution to fiscal irresponsibility isn't 'visioning'. That's just a distraction. The solution is open and transparent professional transportation models that make public transportation feasible at a price taxpayers are willing to pay. The solution isn't brainstorming. it's professionalism. We already know what we want. We need open models to tell us how much we can get--at what price. RVTD canceled the City of Ashland contract effective next week. Because of RVTD's lack of foresight, we don't have enough time to figure this one out in a fiscally responsible way.. Mayor Morrison is in Mexico, Councilor Kate Jackson is out of town, the hole in council and the community heart by the passing of Councilor Jack Hardesty is unfilled, and today we're struggling to assemble a quorum to even talk about RVTD. Don't get captivated by the current budget 'crisis'. Our problem is bigger than this week's budget crisis, which could've been, and should've been anticipated. We need to solve the transportation problem, which includes congestion, parking garages, Park N Ride locations, disabled access, retirees losing their driving licenses, parking problems downtown and in the Railroad District, bike paths through downtown, etc. If you're not careful, you'll solve this week's 'surprise' budget 'crisis' and create even bigger problems. You need a total system solution, notjsut a quick patch. 12. Buy time. In this situation, you need to consider buying a 3-month, or maybe 6-month, window to figure this out. We're in danger of making a rush decision, and reversing 10 years of progress in decreasing congestion, improving our air, and making Ashland livable for everyone. Ashland's bus ridership is the envy of the Rogue Valley. Lers not throwaway 10 years of progress with a rush decision. As gas prices increase and federal transportaton subsidies decrease, bus costs are going to increase significantly, yet the community need for effective bus transportation will increase 3 times as fast as gasoline prices. As I told RVTD at the public hearing, our unexpected problem is going to be how to manage a local economy and transportation demands at $5-10/gallon gasoline. It'll take thinking outside the box to solve this one.