Poughkeepsie’s bus fleet has not been used since the county took over
the service on July 1
POUGHKEEPSIE – The Federal Transit Administration has given the City of Poughkeepsie 30 days to turn over its buses to Dutchess County.
City Administrator Marc Nelson told the common council on Friday that the federal agency “clearly puts the city on written notice that if the transit assets are not transferred as per the approved plan, the FTA will take recapture and other steps required to protect their interest.”
Councilman Michael Young, who has supported the transfer ever since the county took over the city transit system this past summer, said the city must act immediately or face the potential of other consequences by the federal government.
“They can withhold money in grants from the US Treasury by other mechanisms, so, for example, the Department of Defense gives us money for what is called the COPS grant for policing and that grant is potentially liable to not be paid out to the City of Poughkeepsie because the FTA can put a hold on that and take those monies instead of asking us for a check,” Young said.
The city owes the FTA between $1.6 million and $1.9 million.
The common council has not been able to reach a consensus about the transfer since Dutchess took over the bus service.
