At the request of Councilmember Charles Bergson, the Williams City Council discussed the possibility of splitting from the Colusa County Transit Agency joint powers agreement (JPA) and starting its own transit service.
” Last meeting, we discussed the condition of our roads and our concern about getting construction dollars, and whether our conscription to the JPA is paying or not,” Bergson said. ” Part of that, also with the JPA, Ive discovered that cities can run their own little transit systems. The current transit system is not very efficient, and there are questions about their service levels.
After discussion, the council agreed by consensus to form an ” exploratory ad-hoc committee” tasked with determining whether forming their own local transit agency would be in the best interest of the city. Mayor Alfred Sellers appointed Bergson and Councilmember John Troughton, Jr. to the ad-hoc committee, at the behest of Bergson.
” My recommendation is that we form a sub-committee of myself and Mr. Troughton, that the subcommittee be directed to contact the elected representatives to discuss the legality of our obligations with the JPA, and to investigate the steps and costs of forming a transit agency,” Bergson said.
Bergson again asked that the city request of the Colusa County Transportation Commission funds to initiate the programming and design for reconstruction of Husted Road, Seventh St. and E St. in Williams.
Troughton said that he had no objections to the city exploring its options on forming its own transit agency, but only if the city wasnt spending money to do so.
” We need to know the process, the benefits to this city, the costs, the management and administration, the permits… (but) I dont want the city spending any money on something they may not get to,” Troughton said. ” I will support it to the point where we find out what the reality is, as long as we dont start spending any money… I want to go to that point and no further than that.–