Another smart move by the transit authority no doubt
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Transit authority chairman dissolves citizen committee
Thursday, July 07, 2005
BARNETT WRIGHT
News staff writer
The chairman of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority has dissolved a citizen committee designed to give independent feedback on transit operations.
"I told the advisory group they were not officially formed, that their terms had expired," Phil Gary said Wednesday. "The transit advisory committee as we know it is nonexistent; it's defunct."
Birmingham City Councilwoman Carol Reynolds said she was appalled by the move and contacted the city's law department about the action.
The 15-member transit advisory committee is made up of members from Birmingham, Bessemer, Homewood, Mountain Brook and Jefferson County. The group serves as a liaison between bus riders and the transit board.
"Our records reflected the appointments had expired and there was one representative who is serving on the advisory committee who has never been formally appointed by either the municipalities or the county," Gary said. "All of them need to go back and review the resolutions on their appointments and notify us in writing who the appointees are and the term of their office."
Reynolds, chairwoman of the Birmingham City Council Transportation and Communications Committee, said she was baffled.
"I felt like we put good, intelligent, hard-working, transit-minded people on that committee to help steer the board in the direction we need to go," she said. "I wasn't notified that they were going to take that action, and when I found out I was appalled."
James Clark, of the transit advisory committee, said members were informed by transit officials that they were to serve for only two months.
"We were appointed May 18, 2004, and the resolution said our terms expired July 31, 2004," he said. "To my understanding we were supposed to serve for two years and not two months. I'm assuming that's a clerical error on the resolution and that could be easily corrected."
The Transit Committee nomination form stated, "These members are appointed for a two-year term."
Clark said the committee and board have sparred over several issues, including the termination of former executive director Mark Stanley and the need for regional transit.
Gary acknowledged the two sides had differences.
"Currently the advisory committee is not working in support of the transit authority," Gary said. "They have been in opposition. There have been negative letters written about me and the transit board. How can you be an advisory committee if you are criticizing the organization and the board?"
E-mail:
bwright@bhamnews.com
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