Assurances that the Bach administration went to the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority asking for money to continue FREX are now in dispute, raising questions about whether the commuter bus service could have continued through 2012.
According to interviews and an email obtained by The Gazette, the city of Colorado Springs never asked the PPRTA for “potential financial support” following last week’s City Council vote to continue FREX.
“In reviewing the statements from the City of Colorado Springs concerning PPRTA funding, in particular transit funding, I’ve noticed several inaccuracies,” Robert MacDonald, executive director of the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, said in an email Tuesday to Chief of Staff Laura Neumann.
“First, the city staff has not met with the PPRTA Board to ask for additional funding for FREX, FREX is fully funded by the PPRTA through the end of the year,” he wrote.
El Paso County Commissioner Dennis Hisey, who chairs the PPRTA board, said Tuesday he was surprised to read in The Gazette that morning that the city had asked for additional funds and that further financial support “was not an option.”
“At our commissioner meeting (on Tuesday), I made the comment that what I read in the paper where the city had come to the RTA and asked for more money, I don’t know when that happened,” he said.
“We did have a discussion about FREX a couple of months ago, but it was not a request from the city for more money to fund FREX, and we didn’t have any discussion about it at the last RTA meeting,” he said. “There had been some talk of having a late item added to the agenda to talk about FREX, but it didn’t happen.”
Councilwoman Angela Dougan, who also serves on the RTA board, has a different recollection.
During last week’s PPRTA board meeting, she said, she asked whether “the PPRTA board would like to look at funding the FREX system” and that no one raised a hand to have that discussion.
“Not a peep,” she said.
When Mayor Steve Bach formally announced the discontinuation of FREX at a press conference on Tuesday, he said he believed the city had been having “ongoing conversations” and that “this matter” has come up several times.
“We went to the PPRTA and asked if they could help additionally, and they were not able to do so,” Bach said during the press conference.
“That’s really what drives the decision today is that we’ve exhausted our efforts to try to find funding help from PPRTA, from the county, from Monument, from Denver,” he said.
After the press conference, Neumann, the mayor’s chief of staff, said she didn’t have those conversations with the PPRTA.
“However, staff of the city were present, and (the PPRTA board) didn’t have the appetite to talk about any more additional funding as it relates to supporting FREX or any other transportation matter at that time,” she said.
“We went seeking an answer, and the answer was no,” she added.
But in an email Wednesday morning, Neumann said “obviously there is a disconnect as to who remembers what” and that she was going to find out what happened.
“You may rest assured I will get to the bottom of this matter and resolve not only “who said what”; but, more importantly, if are there are actually monies available to continue FREX,” she said.
The Gazette has requested a tape of the PPRTA board meeting and will update this story as soon as possible.
Wow. I’m not sure who Bach’s opponent will be in the next election, but I’ll be donating $100 to their campaign.
PPRTA maintains a reserve account for transit. As such, it’s not really viable to dip into that account for normal operational funding since it would need to be replaced to restore the fund balance. Otherwise the city transit division receives all the transit portion of the PPRTA sales tax and allocates it annually with oversight from both the PPRTA board and City Council.
I’m confused by any mention that the PPRTA should even be approached to fund FREX.
Here’s the truth: They are all lying to cover their behinds. Mistakes made on all sides, and each side plays the game of recollections.
Don’t. Trust. Anyone.
The citizens of Colorado Springs has received what was voted for, “lies and deception from both the mayor and PPRTA”.
I don’t care who said what, the Mayor did what should have been done a couple of years ago. Way-to-go Mr Mayor, keep up the good work.
Douches are douches no matter what side of govenment your on. This sounds like a bunch BS (Baboon Scrotums).
Well I can say the City never came before the PPRTA Citizens Advisory Committee to ask for money. And everything comes before the CAC before it goes to the Board. How do I know this? Because I am the Chairman of the CAC.
V/R
Tom Harold
If it was a lie, which it certainly sounds like, the Gazette needs to press both Bach, Neumann, and Angela Dougan relentlessly until they publicly apologize to their “bosses” (aka the taxpayers) for lying.
Where I work, lying on a matter this important would be immediate grounds for dismissal. Why shouldn’t those bigwigs be held to the same ethical standards?
This was clearly a decision made before Council even voted that the “Strong Mayor” would trump any attempt to continue FREX through the end of the year. (even though the funds are there) There is a whole lotta closed door politics going on and this form of city government never benefits the public. Deals are being made and then the public is being given some storybook tale of how wonderful this is going to be for the City.
Mr. Bach is more concerned about proving he has total authority to do whatever he wants – regardless of the will of the people or the legally elected City Council.
Another example of the I want to do what I want mayor. We need to make sure he is out in the next election along with Dougan on the Northside. Bach wants to be a dictator not a servant of the people. He must go.
Wow – as someone who supported Bach through the primary and mayoral race, and was in favor of a “Strong Mayor” in theory, this has all gone upside down. It seems to me like they are killing off FREX early and try to get their hands on that money that has been put aside for FREX to spend elsewhere. I will be very interested to see how this turns out, especially as I have recently become a FREX rider while my vehicles are down and out.
If what Tom Harold says is true! I think it is time for Bach an all his stooges to go. He has been lying to the public since he was elected.
I don’t understand how this works between the city council and mayor. I thought the mayor submitted a budget to the council and when they got done with it, they sent it back to the mayor for his approval or veto. If he veto’s it, then the council upholds his veto or over rides it. Bach the dictator has said he dosen’t care what the council doe’s or says, he’s going to do what he want’s to do.
Just a little more. If you wait till he is up for relection in three years. He and all his developer and real estate buddies will ruin Colorado Springs.
I agree with Pogo 100%. The good ole boy handling needs to cease or I foresee a downward spiral for C/S. He’s just trying to hook up his buddies and himself before he’s booted. He’s only sucking money from other sources for him own personal gain….just wait and see. I think it’s time to contact the Govenor’s office…I say impeach the MAYOR!!!
Correction…its not “impeach” its “mayoral recall”.
Where is Jan Martin on this issue. She was to be the big supported for FRexx.
AS for Angela she needs to learn how to comb her hair rather then looking like she just rolled out of bed.Does this really surprise the cititzens of the Springs hell too the NO!!!!
Lilithia
Well, Colorado Springs this is the mayor that you voted for. So don’t be whining and complaining about him now, it’s too late for that. And any talk of a recall is simply hollow nonsense, that will eventually fall flat…
You elected a mayor with a very questionable past, no real experience running a business of any size. You elected a salesman! This man has been lying to you before he was elected and you expect him to not lie to you now?
He said, she said, blah, blah, blah.
The critical issue here is where is the money to come from? Transit systems in general are money pits. According to the article in the CS Indy, the fares covered between 40 and 45% of the operating cost. And that is on the high side for transit systems.
Therefore, the general taxpayers fund at least 50% of the transportation of the patrons on transit systems.
Sorry if I don’t lose sleep over that.
Henry Reardon, the general taxpayers fund DOES NOT pay for FREX. Only PPRTA sales tax designated for transit pays for it just as the remaining PPRTA sales tax pays for rebuilding and repairing most roads in our county.
Well Mayor Bach once again has proven that he is not the brightest light bulb in the box. I think there should be a recall drive before he totally screws up the City.
L.A had transit in the 202 and 30s till the rubber and car companies bought it up and closed it down. Now they stuggle to recreate it. Bach is such a Neandrathal.
RMS said it perfectly!
Mr. Bach is more concerned about proving he has total authority to do whatever he wants – regardless of the will of the people or the legally elected City Council.
i feel sorry for people that will be loosing their job if they count on Federal Express. There are people with disabilities that need the job and depend on bus service. Like I am a person with a disability and I don’t drive. I really want to go to Alamos, Co. Greyhound doesn’t do it. It’s really frustrating. I will try to give money so the Frex can continue first I need to make sure this isn’t conflict of interest. Carpool is not an option because we cannot share for the driving. It cost more for us. People with disabilities are on limited funding thanks Michele