Council idles Handibus fee plan

COLUMBUS - Columbus couple Scott Engdahl and Sandra Kay would like to shop at J.C. Penney and eat at Applebee's.

But to do so, they need to use the city's Handibus service, a program earmarked for a .25-cent-per-ride fee increase and a two-hour reduction in hours of daily operation.

"We take the bus as needed, and take it quite often," Engdahl told the Columbus City Council on Monday night. "Those are places we'd like to go to and continue to promote Columbus."

Kay said she has used the Handibus more in the past couple of years to get around town and participate in activities like bowling.

"I would hope you would keep the hours 'til 9 o'clock if you're going to raise the price. Because it's really not fair for people with disabilities or senior citizens. You want to cut the service and add more price to the service, and that makes no sense at all," she said.

Several citizens expressed similar concerns about a city plan to cut hours and raise fees for the senior center handibus program. Most people were more concerned about eliminating service between 7 and 9 p.m. than raising the fare to $1. Some complained that the city already made changes in service even though the budget doesn't go into effect until Oct. 1.

After more than an hour-long public hearing, the council decided to refer the issue to the finance committee, essentially leaving the handibus service unchanged for now.

Gloria Martinson, 3012 22nd St., has a daughter who has a physical disability who uses the Handibus often.

But Martinson is also concerned that the bus, which only operates in the city limits, doesn't go to Central Community College-Columbus, meaning she must act as chauffeur for her daughter. As a result, Martinson said she has had to turn down two jobs in the last three weeks.

"Elderly and people with disabilities want to go to athletic activities, they like to go to school functions that are sometimes held in the evenings and on weekends, and there's no way for them to get there and get picked up," Martinson said.

Quoting from the Americans with Disabilities Act, Martinson said access means being able to use, enjoy and participate in society's activities, and transportation is a vital link that allows full participation.

"And if they don't have participation, how can they be vital to the community, how can they get around and get to enjoy the same things that everybody else enjoys?" she asked.

Mayor Gary Giebelhaus said he agreed, yet he also disagreed with Martinson.

"It's philosophical. You're asking me as a taxpayer to take your daughter out to college when you can do it," he said. "You tell me you have to give up two jobs because you have to take your daughter to college, but you want me, the taxpayer, to take your daughter out there."

According to a memo from Mike Oglevie, human resources director, the city subsidized the Handibus program with nearly $15,000 in the 2001-02 budget year, and would subsidize it by about $4,000 in the next budget year even with the cuts. Next year, the city also plans to replace a bus at a cost of around $14,000.

To stay within budget expectations, Oglevie said they had to look for areas to cut back. In looking at the program, they looked at cutting back during the slowest times, and the evening hours were by far the slowest. An average of one person a day used the bus during those times, according to counts of random weeks conducted in each of the four seasons.

Councilman Chuck Whitney said raising the fee even higher, to $1.25 per ride, could be enough to keep the bus open extended hours. He also suggested raising the price seniors are charged for meals with a voluntary, two-tier price system in which seniors who can afford it would pay more than the current $2.25 per meal.

"There are seniors who are very, very needy, who can barely afford to eat. But then there are seniors who are very, very wealthy, and seniors tend to be more wealthy than not wealthy," Whitney said. "If they say they can't afford it, we'll believe them."

Pam Stevens, senior center director, said seniors pay what they can right now and are asked for a suggested donation. The average price paid per meal is $1.60. Stevens said increasing the Handibus fee and increasing the price per meal would effectively kill the meal program.

In addition, Stevens said the reimbursement she gets from the state for meals is capped at $2.45 per meal for health and human services clients, so even if the price is raised by the city she wouldn't be able to get any more.

Councilman Jim Bulkley asked about selling space for advertising on the bus to generate income. City Administrator Joe Frei said that idea was discussed at one time but it never materialized.

"There's an avenue I think we need to pursue," Bulkley said.

Bulkley said there has to be a way to meet the day in, day out, basic needs of people.

"I think we have the compassion, I think we want to make it work, you're going to have to work with us to come up with the right answer," he said. "At the same time, we can't serve all the needs of all of you. We've got to try to serve the basic needs of most of you."

For now, the bus will be restored to its previous operation times of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and one-way rides at 75 cents.

Reach Scott Aust at 563-7534 or scott.aust@lee.net.