POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie administration’s efforts
to turn over its buses to Dutchess now that the county is handling city
bus service, failed in a hurriedly called city council meeting by one
vote.
The session, called for 5:45 p.m. on Friday, would have turned the city’s
eight buses over to the county. The city administration has warned without
doing that, Poughkeepsie would have to pay back the federal government
some $1.25 million since the lion’s share of the cost of the vehicles
was borne by Washington.
Five votes were needed to approve the transfer, but only four could be
garnered with two council members voted against it and two abstaining.
One of those who abstained, Christopher Petsas, has long been opposed
to the city giving up its bus service and it is his hope that the city
might be forgiven in part or completely by the federal government.
With all eight seats on the council up for grabs in November – all
incumbents are seeking re-election – Petsas is also hoping that
new blood will come in so they will be able to garner the votes sufficient
to override Mayor Robert Rolison’s veto that would have continued
city bus funding and therefore, the service could be taken back by the
city.
