Transit seeks support of Havre, Chinook city councils

Transit seeks support of councils

Tim Leeds

Zach White

Representatives from Opportunity Link Inc. and its North Central Montana Transit system made appearances at two city council meetings in two of the biggest communities they serve.

Barbara Stiffarm, Opportunity Link's executive director, went to the Chinook City Council meeting and Jim Lyons, director of the transit system, went to Havre's.

Monday's meetings were just two of several the transit leaders have been attending to try to get letters of support from all of the communities served by NCMT.

Jim Lyons said the letter would be included in the 2012 coordination plan the system will submit to Montana Department of Transportation Tuesday, March 1.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said he does not see any problem with the city of Havre approving the letter, and that he will put it on the agenda for the next council meeting.

Chinook council member Freda Bryson is a big fan of the system.

"I've always thought this bus is so important to this area," Bryson said, recalling riders who require it attend medical appointments without breaking the bank any further. "This has been such a blessing, it isn't funny."

Chinook's council voted at Monday's meeting to approve the letter of support and send it, on city letterhead, to be included in the coordination plan.

Havre council member Pam Hillery asked how implementing a fare, as the transit system is proposing, would impact state funding. Previous discussions had indicated that fares could reduce the state grants, she said.

Lyons said further research has shown that the fares can be used without cutting back the state funds.

"We've learned how to work with it, " he said.

He also told Hillery that he does not expect ridership to decrease, despite studies showing an average initial drop in ridership of 17 percent when fares are implemented.

With diesel selling for $3.31 a gallon and gasoline going for $2.97 a gallon, and both likely to go up in price, he expects bus ridership to increase Lyons said.

He told Hillery and Council member Robert Kaftan that, at this point, he can't predict if the transit system would come back to Havre to ask for monetary assistance.

"Understanding what the transit system provides to the community, if the city would find it in its graces to give us a dollar and cents amount, we would graciously accept it …, " Lyons said. "At this stage of the game, I can't say. I've got to see what the system looks like once we get this fare base in place. "

Representatives from Opportunity Link Inc. and its North Central Montana Transit system made appearances at two city council meetings in two of the biggest communities they serve.

Barbara Stiffarm, Opportunity Link's executive director, went to the Chinook City Council meeting and Jim Lyons, director of the transit system, went to Havre's.

Monday's meetings were just two of several the transit leaders have been attending to try to get letters of support from all of the communities served by NCMT.

Jim Lyons said the letter would be included in the 2012 coordination plan the system will submit to Montana Department of Transportation Tuesday, March 1.

Havre Mayor Tim Solomon said he does not see any problem with the city of Havre approving the letter, and that he will put it on the agenda for the next council meeting.

Chinook council member Freda Bryson is a big fan of the system.

"I've always thought this bus is so important to this area," Bryson said, recalling riders who require it attend medical appointments without breaking the bank any further. "This has been such a blessing, it isn't funny."

Chinook's council voted at Monday's meeting to approve the letter of support and send it, on city letterhead, to be included in the coordination plan.

Havre council member Pam Hillery asked how implementing a fare, as the transit system is proposing, would impact state funding. Previous discussions had indicated that fares could reduce the state grants, she said.

Lyons said further research has shown that the fares can be used without cutting back the state funds.

"We've learned how to work with it, " he said.

He also told Hillery that he does not expect ridership to decrease, despite studies showing an average initial drop in ridership of 17 percent when fares are implemented.

With diesel selling for $3.31 a gallon and gasoline going for $2.97 a gallon, and both likely to go up in price, he expects bus ridership to increase Lyons said.

He told Hillery and Council member Robert Kaftan that, at this point, he can't predict if the transit system would come back to Havre to ask for monetary assistance.

"Understanding what the transit system provides to the community, if the city would find it in its graces to give us a dollar and cents amount, we would graciously accept it …, " Lyons said. "At this stage of the game, I can't say. I've got to see what the system looks like once we get this fare base in place. "