Owasso City Council: Public transportation plan OK'd

The Owasso City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to approve city funding for a public transportation program, despite the city manager's recommendation to hold off on the plan.

The money will be added to grants and other funds to provide two handicapped-accessible vans through Pelivan Transit, operated by the Grand Gateway Economic Development Association.

The system offers transportation to workplaces, doctors' offices, grocery stores and appointments for a small fee.

Councilors Doug Bonebrake, Stephen Cataudella and Jon Sinex voted to approve the funding; Councilors D.J. Gall and Susan Kimball voted against the motion.

The cost for the first year of operation will be $235,730, officials said. A federal grant for $150,805 and a state grant for $37,950 will go toward that amount.

Oklahoma Baptist Village in Owasso has pledged $5,000 for advertising space on one of the vans, leaving the city to fund the remaining $41,975.

The city had set aside $10,000 for the program in the 2007-08 budget, so the remaining $31,975 will come from the city's general fund.

Pelivan is projecting 12,500 rides a year in Owasso, raising about $23,000 during the program's first year. Fares would range from $1.75 to $3, depending on a rider's age and destination, and fares would go toward city operating costs.

According to the City Council agenda, city staff members recommended approving the funding for the first year of operation. But during the council meeting, City Manager Rodney Ray changed the recommendation and asked the council to deny funding and move the transit program to next year's budget process.

"We do not recommend and cannot support programs off budget," Ray said.

Cataudella, referring to the federal and state grants, asked, "Why not take advantage of $188,000 now?"

Other councilors were less sure.

"We have a budget process in place. I don't think we've had an opportunity to really study this," Kimball said. "We can't let them (residents) use it and then yank it from them. If we do it, we have to make a commitment."

Jeanette North, executive director of Owasso Community Resources, said that "transportation is a basic need."

Cataudella agreed.

"We talk about quality of life," he said. "This is quality of life."

By Sara Plummer World Staff Writer