Officials say RTA close to absorbing municipal bus line
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published March 2, 2005

City officials may be driving down the road toward an agreement where the North Olmsted Municipal Bus Line will be absorbed into the Regional Transit Authority.

Council's streets and transportation committee was scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. last night to hear details of a draft agreement between the city and RTA and also consider second reading of an ordinance approving the takeover. A special council meeting was tentatively set for March 8 to consider final approval of the agreement.

City officials said major portions of the current draft agreement would include RTA guaranteeing "certain minimal levels of bus service in the NOMBL service area," such as a community circulator on the current 53 bus route during the next three years; paying $750,000 in administrative fees over the next three years to help the city deal with the financial blow of losing NOMBL, and recognizing the bargaining rights of current NOMBL union workers and allowing them to retain their seniority as well as providing non-bargaining unit NOMBL workers with equivalent paid positions at RTA.

North Olmsted and RTA officials said an agreement was near.

Law Director Jim Dubelko and a member of the city negotiating team said since an agreement could not be reached which provided for NOMBL maintaining some independence, the draft does provide protection in three areas of major concern for city officials. He said it would maintain levels of service for the city of North Olmsted and NOMBL customers, protect the rights and jobs of NOMBL workers and help the city deal with the financial impact of NOMBL being absorbed.

"In the absence of an agreement which provides for another extension of the current contract or a new contract which provides for NOMBL's independence, we found that this agreement provided the most good for the city and the bus line," Dubelko said.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, County Commissioner Jimmy DiMora and the county mayors and city managers all sought another three-month extension for North Olmsted when the current three-month extension expires March 31. However, RTA officials said they would take part of the funding in the draft agreement off the table if an extension were granted.

RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese said the situation is close to being worked out after several months of hard negotiations.

"The negotiations are going well," Calabrese said. "I see the situation working out as a win-win-win situation for everybody."

Calabrese said his understanding is that Maple Heights is also close to an agreement with RTA, which would allow it to absorb that municipal bus line as well.

He said if RTA assumes control of NOMBL operations it would hold public meetings in the community about the service. He also said it would work on expanding the park and ride lot.

At a council streets and transportation committee meeting Feb. 22, Ward 4 Councilman Dean McKay asked if RTA was going to repair damages to Kennedy Ridge Road.

Calabrese indicated at the meeting RTA would take care of damages and said Monday if the agency had caused the damages, it would pay for repairs.

Councilman-at-large Michael Gareau Jr. said he had doubts about RTA's credibility because it had not kept promises made before by RTA officials at the agency before Calabrese. He cited the work and discussions on the park-n-ride project as well as promises of a new bus garage that now will not be built.

Marty Gelfand, senior staff counsel for Kucinich, said several times at the meeting the congressman wanted to make sure the city does not feel it was being "strong-armed," or "backed against the wall," in the negotiations by RTA. He said Kucinich would not stand in the way if city officials felt they were getting a fair agreement with RTA.

After listening to the various comments and questions, Gelfand said he would report to Kucinich if the city felt it is being strong-armed.

Calabrese Monday declined comment on that allegation.

Officials at Kucinich's office said Monday the congressman continues to be behind North Olmsted and is continuing to work on the situation. Kucinich has applied for funds for an independent study of transit operations in Cuyahoga County and asked RTA to sign a new agreement with North Olmsted and Maple Heights while a study was done. Gelfand said last week the congressman expects to get the funds.

Calabrese said he expects the RTA Board of Trustees to approve final agreements March 15.

Mayor Norman T. Musial said Monday the situation remains open.

"It's a fluid situation that can and does change," Musial said.

George Nashar, chairman of the council streets and transportation committee, said Monday the agreement will probably go before the full council next week.

"We wanted to get the best possible agreement for North Olmsted citizens and bus line employees," Nashar said. "Kucinich's staff has helped a great deal in getting us better terms by working with the city on the situation."

In addition to terms already noted, the draft agreement also provides for:

lRTA to implement a separate service out of its Triskett garage which would provide NOMBL-like service to the NOMBL customers.

lRTA would have to provide written notice to the mayor and city council of any route changes such as discontinuance or major modifications.

lRTA and the city would both execute mutual settlement and release of claims each it might have against each other pertaining to the contract.

lRTA would hold the city harmless on all third-party claims from the agreement.

lThe city and RTA would work together in the future on mass transit needs, including future RTA capital projects.