It is expected that people affected by the Disabled Transportation Society’s recent service cuts will speak at Tuesday night’s city council meeting. As of June 1st, DTS cancelled all non-essential trips citing a lack of funding and support from the city.
Mayor Bill Given says he knows the service is important to people and that council is working with DTS to find a solution.
“The city is actively looking for other options. We are engaged with other private operators to see what ability they might have to provide service if it turns out that DTS can’t continue.”
Since the initial cuts were made the city says it gave the organization $996,300 in funding this year and says that funding has not been reduced since it was approved in the fall of 2018. Despite that, DTS board members maintain the city’s lack of funding is at fault.
While Given says it wouldn’t surprise him if people showed up at council tonight, he thinks they should also go to DTS for answers.
“All of the members of the service and the riders have a relationship with DTS. They are an independent organization and the members of DTS should be asking for the DTS society to be providing them information directly. The city doesn’t have a direct relationship with those members.”
Given adds that he is hoping to change that by working with the board to make sure riders are getting timely and accurate information about what’s going on. People will be able to speak at tonight’s council meeting starting at 6 p.m.