/<!– /* Font Definitions */@font-face{font-family:"Times New Roman";panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";panose-1:0 2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */p.MsoNormal li.MsoNormal div.MsoNormal{mso-style-parent:"";margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-hyphenate:none;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;mso-fareast-language:HI;}table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-parent:"";font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";}@page Section1{size:8.5in 11.0in;margin:56.7pt 56.7pt 56.7pt 56.7pt;mso-header-margin:.5in;mso-footer-margin:.5in;mso-paper-source:0;}div.Section1{page:Section1;}–County to fund transit implementation plan

<!– /* Font Definitions */@font-face{font-family:"Times New Roman";panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;}@font-face{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";panose-1:0 2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */p.MsoNormal li.MsoNormal div.MsoNormal{mso-style-parent:"";margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:none;mso-hyphenate:none;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-font-kerning:.5pt;mso-ansi-language:EN-CA;mso-fareast-language:HI;}table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-parent:"";font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";}@page Section1{size:8.5in 11.0in;margin:56.7pt 56.7pt 56.7pt 56.7pt;mso-header-margin:.5in;mso-footer-margin:.5in;mso-paper-source:0;}div.Section1{page:Section1;}–County to fund transit implementation plan

By Chad Ingram

Published Jan. 4 2018

Haliburton County council has decided itwill hire a consultant to complete a transportation project implementation plan but whether or not the municipality moves ahead with some sort of transitsystem will be a decision for the next council.

During their Dec. 13 meeting councillorsreceived a business case for a public transportation system submitted by alocal transportation task force. That task force was formed during a localtransportation summit held in November of 2016.

That submission suggested two main optionsfor a transportation system in Haliburton County. One was a booked shared rideservice that would see some kind of shuttle picking up residents who bookrides operating five days a week with an estimated cost of about $192000 ayear. The second was a blended model that would see a bus travelling a fixedroute with a booked shared ride service bringing residents to pick-uplocations of the fixed route. Operating five days a week the estimated costfor this service would be $31500 per annum.

During a Jan. 4 council meeting countyplanner Charlsey White told councillors that a new community transportationgrant program from the Ministry of Transportation provides communities withgrants of up to $500000 over a five-year period. With an application deadlinein February a catch of the program is that municipalities must commit to afive-year project.

“The first year (or part) may be used toplan and create an implementation process for an intended service” reads areport from White. “The remaining four years where the implementation planidentifies that the service is viable can be used to fund the start-up of theprogram together with a municipal (county) commitment of financial support.Grant recipients are required to build sustainability into project developmentand will be required to report on a sustainability plan in the fourth year ofthe grant program. In addition a successful transportation system will be requiredto collaborate with at least one community organization to be eligible toapply.”

The idea of a five-year commitment madecouncillors uneasy especially since they felt there was not yet enoughinformation on how some sort of transit system might be implemented.

“I'm a little cautious about this becauseI'm not sure we have enough information” said Algonquin Highlands Deputy MayorLiz Danielsen. Instead Danielsen said she'd prefer to see the county pay forthe creation of an implementation plan.

“I think we all share some of the sameconcerns” said Algonquin Highlands Mayor Carol Moffatt. At the Decembermeeting councillors expressed logistical concerns about operating a system ina geographically large community with a sparse population as well as thoseabout financial sustainability and safety. It was also suggested that themunicipalities of Algonquin Highlands and Highlands East would not benefit asmuch from such a program as Minden Hills and Dysart et al which contain thecounty's main communities.

Moffatt agreed with Danielsen that therewas not yet enough information for the county to commit to a provincialprogram.

“I don't see it as a fully formed enoughplan to lock us in” Moffatt said. She noted the conversation around publictransportation is a long-standing and ongoing one in the community.

“I think we've come along way” Moffattsaid. “You fund a plan you don't fund an idea.”

“I understand your hesitation” said MindenHills Mayor Brent Devolin who'd said at the December meeting that it was timefor county council to take some kind of action on public transportation. “Wouldyou be willing to fund $50000 for a plan with a consultant?”

“Yes” Moffatt replied. “To me it's notdissimilar to dare I say it the pool discussion” she said noting an indoorpool is also something many in the community clearly want.

“I'm not alone in having very seriousconcerns” Moffatt said reiterating that she cannot forge ahead with an ideaas opposed to a concrete plan.

Dysart et al Mayor Murray Fearrey agreedand said he could also support funding the creation of a plan.

“A part of me would like to jump in thedeep end and go but I understand the caution" said Devolin.

Councillors agreed that $50000 would beadded to the 2018 budget for the purpose. They also agreed that publiceducation would be a key piece of the puzzle.

“Are we going to change people's patterns?”asked Dysart Deputy Mayor Andrea Roberts pointing out that those who don'tdrive already have ways of getting about the community. “We need a certainlevel of users to make this even remotely viable.”

Moffatt agreed that the promotion of systemwould be paramount and the public needed to realize that any service wouldonly last if it is being used.

“If people are not going to use it then wetake it away” she said. “We can't have a bus driving around like the ice creamtruck and flag it down.”

Fearrey noted that moving ahead with thecreation of a plan would leave the decision about whether to proceed with atransit system for the next county council. Municipal elections in Ontario takeplace in October.

The county will also create a transitadvisory committee.