Fiscal Note
There is no fiscal impact associated with the adoption of the report. However, implementing some of the specific recommendations within the report will have fiscal impacts in the future. Common Council approval will be sought as necessary.
Title
Adopting the final report of the Long Range Metro Transit Planning Ad Hoc Committee and the recommendations contained therein.
Body
PREAMBLE
The Mayor and the Common Council created the Long Range Metro Transit Planning Ad Hoc Committee to explore ways for Metro to improve service and become financially stable, moving beyond the cycle of fare increases, service cuts and increases in general fund support. Members represented a cross section of the community including Transit and Parking Commission members, a paratransit user, a low-income transit user, a Metropolitan Planning Organization member, a representative from a funding partner community, several business community members, a University representative and one at-large member. The committee was asked to address a variety of specific topics and communicate with other transit-focused groups.
The Committee held regular meetings from January 2007 through May 2008. Members also broke into subcommittees that met regularly to explore the areas of funding, cost management, service improvements, increasing ridership and marketing. After an interim report was produced, there were four public meetings in August of 2007 to get public feedback on the Committee's work to that point. Feedback was also solicited by mail, email and an online survey. The Committee used the public feedback to inform their continuing work and produced a draft final report to solicit more public feedback in April of 2008. In addition to another online and paper survey, there were three more public meetings.
The attached report represents the work of the Committee as well as the incorporation of generous public feedback throughout the process.
WHEREAS, the Mayor and the Common Council appointed the Long Range Metro Transit Planning Ad Hoc Committee with the overall goal of making Metro more financially stable; and
WHEREAS, the Long Range Metro Transit Planning Ad Hoc Committee (LRMTPAC) represented a diverse group of stake holders including transit users, the business community, the University, the MPO, the TPC and the Common Council; and
WHEREAS, the LRMTPAC prepared this final report with generous public input; and
WHEREAS, the LRMTPAC included in this report the short-, mid- and long-term recommendations they think would best help Metro improve service and become more financially stable; and
WHEREAS, the LRMTPAC calls upon Metro, the TPC, the Common Council and the Mayor to implement the recommendations included in the report;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Madison City Council does hereby adopt the Long Range Metro Transit Planning Ad Hoc Committee Final Report.