Transit director seeks increase from Jackson

Seeking to complete a trifecta of increased support from area taxpayers, Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority executive director Jeff Brune on Monday asked the Jackson Board of Aldermen for $14,000 more than in 2006.

After several pointed questions about how the transit authority would increase services in Jackson, board members put off a decision until early next year. Board members then voted unanimously for a $28.1 million budget that includes $6,000 for the transit agency.

Brune acknowledged to the board that he was making the request late in their budget deliberations. The transit authority has gone through a "whirlwind" of expansion in the past six months, he said, adding that he's made -- and been granted -- increased stipends from the Cape Girardeau County Commission and the Senior Services Fund Board.

To justify the extra money, Brune promised the transit authority will be opening a satellite office in Jackson early next year and stationing demand-response vehicles -- vans operating as taxis -- in the city.

Questions from board members focused on whether the transit authority is doing enough in Jackson to warrant an increase in support. "You are obviously expecting a tremendous increase to go to three times" the previous support, alderman Dave Reiminger said.

Brune replied that the transit authority had from July through November provided more rides than it had in the previous year. He could not give specific figures for Jackson, but he noted that Jackson's riders tend to be older, seeking rides to doctors and grocery stores. The transit authority has already moved to boost ridership in Jackson by cutting rates for rides within the city by 50 percent, Brune said.

Mayor Paul Sander set the request for study during the board's next meeting on Jan. 8.

The budget approved Monday evening includes a 3.5 percent increase in payroll and an 8.3 percent increase for employee health-care costs. There are no major new capital improvement projects in the budget, Sander noted. The city is in the midst of three 12 percent increases in electric rates and decided to avoid any spending that could force those rates even higher, Sander said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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