G'ville Council votes yes, but is 'disappointed'

GAINESVILLE - Gainesville City Council Tuesday night approved the city/county intergovernmental agreement that promises to keep the city's fixed route transit service, the Red Rabbit, running, but not without misgivings.

The council meeting agenda progressed normally until it was time for City Manager Kip Padgett to present an update on Hall Area Transit, then Council adjourned for an executive session on personnel and litigation that lasted nearly an hour. Afterwards members unanimously approved the resolutions calling for the city to own, operate and fund Red Rabbit, with the county running and funding the Dial-a Ride service.

In effect the city has agreed to apply for the nearly $400,000 in Federal Transit Administration funds which amounts to 50 percent of the Community Service Center's operation money for Hall Transit and its non-transit programs beginning in FY 2014, starting July 1st. The State Department of Transportation set a Friday deadline for applying for those funds.

The resolutions also call for the city and county to continue funding services through June 30th. Council member Ruth Bruner read a statement which said Council was approving the agreement with Hall County to 'ensure that the critical services offered through the Community Service Center are continued'.
Bruner said Council was disappointed by the 'actions of those Hall County Commissioners who have withdrawn their support of the Community Service Center including the Senior Center, Meals on Wheels, Community Outreach and Public Transit'.

A June 30th, 2014 termination date was proposed by Commissioner Craig Lutz during the Commission's Monday work session. Lutz said the Service Center's non transit services would remain jointly supported.

"It's still joint funded and I think going forward I think it should be joint funded," Lutz said. "It's just what we have to figure out going forward is if it is being administered appropriately, and what should the property funding mechanism be. It's convoluted under this whole community services umbrella. The Commission in the future would like to make direct payments or allocations for direct services. We are making payments today for services that the Commission may not necessarily support."

Council was unhappy with the Commission's decision to insert the June 30th, 2014 deadline in the agreement, suggesting a 'lack of commitment' to Community Service Center services and leaving program operations uncertain'. Bruner said Council was signing the agreement in the best interests of the community, but 'is not pleased with all the circumstances' which led up to it.

"We hope that one day the existence of transit operations and the Community Service Center will no longer be under attack and our employees will not have to live in fear for their jobs," Bruner continued. "We look forward to a day where we can focus our energies on providing our citizens with the best services possible."

County Commissioners are expected to sign the agreement at their Wednesday afternoon regular session.

"The Council took the first step today in voting affirmatively for the intergovernmental agreement and Wednesday I'm hopeful the County will do the same," said Community Service Center Director Phillippa Lewis-Moss. "I've been with the Community Service Center for 11 years this September and this is really the most trying and difficult time that we have had."

Moss added the discussion between the city and county has not just affected the employees, its affected many of the clients.

"There's just a sense of uncertainty, and a huge cloud over everyone's head; they're all anxious," Moss said. "It's our hope that things will get back to normal."