By: Diane Benjamin

Last night’s meeting was 1 hour and 42 minutes.

I can recap everything in a few of lines:

The campaign to make YOU see the value of Connect Transit will be launching soon. You WILL love them!

The scaled back fixed route schedule will continue. Mentioned was the aging buses and the inability to handle what they used to do. There was NO mention of the electric buses that are evidently still out of service. They aren’t aging, they are just not working.

Since the requests for Mobility service keep increasing, don’t plan on “getting where you want to go” when you want to get there. They don’t have enough vehicles, the 6 vehicles referenced in this story might take a year to get: https://blnnews.com/2024/02/27/connect-transit-festivities-tonight/

Connect Transit can’t present their budget to the Bloomington City Council as required by the inter-governmental agreement because they don’t have one yet. Their fiscal year isn’t the same as Bloomington, Connect Transit is just starting on the budget.

The board had a first look last night at what will be proposed. All Board members were ordered to meet one on one with the General Manager before the next meeting. Budget details are here: https://connect-transit.com/file/2222/General%20Managers%20Presentation_02%2027%202024_BoT%20Meeting_FINAL.pdf

David Braun wants an assistant general manager. Evidently they used to have one before he was hired, now he sees the need to free up his time for other projects and let the assistant handle day-to-day operations.

Braun claimed January ridership was down because of cold weather when ISU closed. That tells you why CT exists.

Braun also claimed Chicago is facing a fiscal cliff. He wants our downstate elected officials to support efforts to save Chicago so downstate keeps getting money. 🤔😏