POUGHKEEPSIE – Poughkeepsie’s
bus fleet, idle since June 30, may be back on the road in the not too
distant future.
After months of contentious debate, the common council adopted a compromise
resolution offered by Democrat Ann Perry on Monday night. Her solution,
a low-cost lease of the buses to Dutchess County.
“I expect Dutchess County, in good faith, and the City of Poughkeepsie,
in good faith, to keep their work to our citizens,” Perry said.
“And if the county is going to take over the running of a bus service,
I expect them to run a service that benefits the entire City of Poughkeepsie.”
Perry, who lost her re-election bid last month, said she has “no
further fight” in her quest to keep the buses in city hands and
that this is the best option under the circumstances keep the buses on
Dutchess County roads.
Fellow Democrat Matthew McNamara called it a “fair compromise.”
Republican Lee Klein said it is the “best resolution available.”
Remaining adamant in his opposition to giving up the buses was Democrat
Christopher Petsas.
“I cannot support a lease where there are no guarantees in place
that indeed the county is going to restore the routes that were lost under
the takeover, that there is no seat at the table for us as a city,”
Petsas complained. “There is no guarantee that these buses will
actually be used on our city streets. There’s nothing in that lease
agreement that those leased buses will be used on our city streets. They
can be taken to Beacon. They can be taken to Dover.”
Petsas, Lorraine Johnson and Randall Johnson were the three “no”
votes.
City Administrator Marc Nelson reiterated that the city is still under
mandate from the Federal Transit Administration to transfer the buses
or face service financial repercussions.
Not heard from Monday night was councilwoman-at-large-elect Ann Finney,
who two weeks ago, authored a letter to the FTA asking for an extension
on the deadline to transfer the buses. She said she had a plan for the
city to restore its own bus service.
Council Chairwoman Natasha Cherry had requested Finney to attend the latest
session, but announced that Finney told her, after learning of the pending
vote, a late entry to the agenda, she decided not to attend.
