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22 <br /> 1 That page is given in the attachment for your review. This information should be helpful when <br /> 2 the BOCC discusses sections 8, 12, and 13. <br /> 3 <br /> 4 Chair Pelissier introduced Jim Ward from the Chapel Hill Town Council. <br /> 5 <br /> 6 PUBLIC COMMENT: <br /> 7 <br /> 8 Jim Ward, Chairman Chapel Hill Transit Public Transit Committee, said that he would <br /> 9 not read the resolution that he just distributed, but he would just go through the gist of it. He <br /> 10 said that Chapel Hill Transit is supportive of the process and of the Bus and Rail Investment <br /> 11 Plan, but the Public Transit Committee cannot support the current proposed implementation <br /> 12 agreement, which unnecessarily restricts Chapel Hill Transit's ability to operate the transit <br /> 13 system in a manner responsive and responsible to the interests and needs of the riders and <br /> 14 citizens of the community. He said that the current draft of the Implementation Agreement <br /> 15 establishes a baseline of the number of hours of route service provided in 2010. The <br /> 16 agreement prohibits funds from the local sales tax from being used to support operating costs <br /> 17 below this floor. He said that the legislation requires that new funds do not supplant or replace <br /> 18 existing funds, not existing hours of service. The latter interpretation could result in their not <br /> 19 being able to support new or expanded service. He said that the current language of the <br /> 20 agreement does not allow for any funds to be used for relief in the event of state or federal <br /> 21 funds should they be reduced. This could force service cuts on established routes, but <br /> 22 providing funding for introduction of new service. He said that they would not advocate support <br /> 23 for this referendum with the current Implementation Agreement. <br /> 24 The resolution is shown below: <br /> 25 <br /> 26 A RESOLUTION FROM THE PUBLIC TRANSIT COMIMTTEE REGARDING THE <br /> 27 IMPLEMENTATION AGREEMENT FOR THE BUS AND RAIL INVESTMENT PLAN IN <br /> 28 ORANGE COUNTY <br /> 29 <br /> 30 WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit is a public transit provider in Orange County funded by the <br /> 31 communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and the campus of the University of North Carolina at <br /> 32 Chapel Hill, and <br /> 33 <br /> 34 WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit serves the Orange County communities of Chapel Hill, <br /> 35 Carrboro, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as scores of rural Orange <br /> 36 County families who work in our communities, and <br /> 37 <br /> 38 WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit serves a population of over 90,000 persons and provides 7 <br /> 39 million rides annually, and <br /> 40 <br /> 41 WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit and its supporting partners have supported the legislation to <br /> 42 provide local option tax, and <br /> 43 <br /> 44 WHEREAS, Chapel Hill Transit and its partners participated in the development of the Bus and <br /> 45 Rail Investment Plan in Orange County, and <br /> 46 <br /> 47 WHEREAS, the Public Transit Committee of Chapel Hill Transit consists of representatives of <br /> 48 the Town of Chapel Hill, the Town of Carrboro and the University of North Carolina at Chapel <br /> 49 Hill; <br /> 50 <br />