HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN FEB 6 1996 PUBLIC HEARING - FEBRUARY 6, 1996
1996 ADA PARATRANSIT PLAN UPDATE
THOSE PRESENT: David W. Moore Mayor
Becky Ames Mayor Pro Tem
Councilman At Large
Andrew P. Cokinos Councilman At Large
Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I
Guy N. Goodson Councilman, Ward II
John K. Davis Councilman, Ward III
Bobbie Patterson Councilman, Ward IV
Ray A. Riley City Manager
Lane Nichols City Attorney
Barbara Liming Deputy City Clerk
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MAYOR MOORE
Mr. Manager, we will go to the regular scheduled agenda. I understand the first item is a public
hearing. I will let you do the prelude to that.
MR. RILEY
Mayor and Council, we're continuing with the plan with regard to the public transit service.
Specifically that of our STS program, which is the Special Transit Services. Council is aware of
the information that has been put before you, but I think it is good to review the activities that have
been conducted over the past few years with regard to Special Transit in order to bring it into
perspective. First of all, we actually commenced operation in July of 1983, in which a Special
Transportation Service commenced to where we provided transportation to disabled persons who
could not have normal transportation on our regular fixed route service. And since then, we have
been operating a program which has been in compliance with the UMTA regulations from which
we receive, in other words, the federal funds come through UMTA which provide for a good deal
of support of our regular fixed route system as well as our STS. However, in 1990 there was a
modification as a result of ADA, which the American Disabilities Act also required additional
requirements, and rather than having two different systems to where you could provide additional
February 6, 1996
transportation from our STS and not on the fixed route system, the two now have become
dependant and both must comply in order to be able to continue to receive federal funds. We
would have to be in compliance by this year. We're happy to report that we are in compliance with
all provisions of the original act of the Urban Mass Transit Authority and as impacted by the ADA.
This last year we have added the number of vans to the fleet to where we will actually have
operating on the street during the week days, an increase from three to five. We'll continue with
the same numbers on Saturdays, but our operating costs, as you can see, have increased fiscal
year '95 from a total of$227,000 to where this year we anticipate that we'll be spending $322,000
on our STS system. The number of passengers that we will actually provide rides to this year will
be about 17,800. It is absolutely a requirement that we provide the special STS system in order
to comply with the rules, the regulations, and in addition to the fixed route system. In order to
continue to be in compliance, it does require a public hearing. The public hearing, at this time, we
have reported to you that we are in compliance in all aspects of the plan. We now have to hear
public comments with regard to that in order to provide this information to UMTA.
MAYOR MOORE
For the benefit of those of you in the audience, as well as our students, this is a time where we
allow the public to address our policy in regard to our transportation system, specifically, our
paratransit plan. If there is some input they'd like to have, you'd like to share or questions you'd
like to get answered, this is your opportunity to address this City Council in regards to the plans.
The City Manager stated our present plan is in compliance, but citizen input is always welcome.
So, if there's anyone that would like to make public comment on the public hearing which I will now
officially open, you are welcome to do so at this particular point and time by coming to the
microphone, giving us your name and address, please. Again, the public hearing on our
paratransit assistance plan is now open. If there is no one that would like to make to make
comment on our plan as far as our compliance goes, we will, I will now publicly close the public
hearing.
END OF EXCERPT
I, Barbara Liming, Deputy City Clerk of the City of Beaumont, Texas, certify that the above is a true
copy of an excerpt from the regular City Council session held February 6, 1996.
Barbara Liming
Deputy City Clerk
February 6, 1996