HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-05 Government Operations Committee Minutes
Government Operations Committee
Monday, August 5, 2013
5:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers
MINUTES
Council Members: Baldacci, Blanchette, Civiello, Longo, Durgin, Nealley, Gallant,
Sprague
Staff: Farrar, Conlow, Linscott
Others: Don Cooper, Media, Tom Crikelair
1. Community Connector/Odlin Road Bus Route – Review of Public
Comments and Discussion of Proposed Route Discontinuance.
Several Councilors have expressed a desire to revisit the previous decision
to cease operation of that route on September 1, 2013. The net cost to
operate the route is approximately $2,000 a month. Funding for two
months of service (July and August) was included in the approved FY
2014 budget. The cost to reinstate the route for the remaining 10 months
of FY 2014 is approximately $20,000.
Assistant City Manager Farrar stated that after the decision to cease the Odlin Bus
st
Route on September 1, there was a public hearing held regarding this issue. Many
of the public either attended or send word of their opinions. One business came
forward on this route that offered $2,000 toward keeping the route open. Before
taking action to see if any other donors are willing to help fund the route we wanted
to see if the committee has ideas, concerns, etc. Staff spoke of needing an order to
allow solicitation for this fund.
Councilor Longo added that he was at the public hearing as well as rode this route
and the stories he’d heard have been heartfelt.
Assistant City Manager Farrar, also spoke of the change in funding for public
st
transportation by the State. Penquis Cap as of August 1, is purchasing significantly
fewer monthly passes, hence the lower revenue. This is an issue in addition to
Odlin Road.
Discussion of numbers in regards to the Odlin Route. It is the route with the least
number of riders, but no less important then others. Is it fiscally responsible to
keep the route open if we can’t get donors to cover most costs? Could other routes
that are not being utilized totally be cut down a bit to help spread the money
around?
Councilor Baldacci proposed to authorize the creation of a fund so donations can be
accepted and to keep the route open for 2 months while donation efforts get off the
ground.
Councilors discussed different ideas of what could be done to save this route.
Councilor Longo moved to set up an account to solicit and accept funds as private
donations to go into keeping the Odlin Route extension running. Councilor
Blanchette seconded and it was approved.
2. Update from Crikelair and Associates, Transit Consultant, regarding
Community Connector Hub Study.
Crikelair and Associates were engaged to perform a study of the transit
hub at Pickering Square and alternative sites. The Consultant has
completed a portion of the work, and would like to update the Committee.
Draft Chapters 1-6 of the study will be provided separately with
Councilor’s weekly packets due to their length. The Consultant will be
seeking Committee input on Chapter 6, Preliminary Review of Candidate
Sites.
Assistant City Manager Farrar introduced Tom Crikelair who is the Transit Hub
Consultant. Crikelair wanted to go through some chapters of the study so he can
be sure they are on the right path of their short list of what could be potentially
done in regards to the hub. The study’s purpose is to see if Pickering Square is
the best option or are there other possibilities. Crikelair stated what they had
found in regards to different sites and Pickering Square. They feel that buses at
Pickering Square should be reduced to 5 buses or so and moving them to Water
Street; it would still be at Pickering Square minus the confusion in front of the
garage. First there needs to be a reduction in the number of buses at the hub at
one time. This will allow vehicles to flow freely through there.
Crikelair spelled out all the options that they have come across in regards to
different candidate sites but still feels that rearranging Pickering Square is still
the City’s best option. He discussed changing routes and making them more
usable to more potential riders by intermingling routes.
Councilor Gallant asked why he had been told all along that the hub and spoke
system is the best, not an intermingled system. Crikelair stated that it is the
most inexpensive, not necessarily the best system. There is a need to decrease
transfers as much as possible because customers do not like that.
Councilor Baldacci asked for hard numbers for the top 4 or 5 sites to make an
educated decision. Can Crikelair come back in 30 days with a strong
recommendation with a fiscal impact out of the top 4? (Pickering Square, Water
Street, Airport Hub, Quirk Property). Crikelair responded that he can return to
the Committee later in the fall with the requested information on the top four
potential sites.