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RESOLUTION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY ON FARE AND SERVICE CHANGES FOR JONESBORO ECONOMICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
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WHEREAS, The City of Jonesboro, Jonesboro Economical Transportation System (JETS) is committed to the solicitation and consideration of public comment with respect to any proposed changes and/or major service changes; and
WHEREAS, Section 9, subsection E, subsection 3, subsection H of the Federal Transit Act requires that a recipient, as a condition of receiving funds under Section 9, certify that it “has a locally developed process to solicit and consider public comment prior to raising fares, or implementing a major reduction of transit service”; and
WHEREAS, A major reduction of transit service is any service reduction in excess of 10% of total system revenue miles; and
WHEREAS, Although JETS is not obligated to provide an opportunity for public comment on service reductions which are not major reductions of transit service, the City of Jonesboro, as a matter of practice, desires to provide an opportunity for public comment as to any reductions in services less than 10% of the total system revenue miles, if reasonable and practicable.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JONESBORO that the following policy be established:
1. Any fare increase or establishment of fares for new service.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Public comments will be accepted and considered.
2. Any increase in the base fare of 11 to 20 cents.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Opportunity for public hearing will be provided and public comments will be accepted and considered.
3. Any increase in the base fare in excess of 20 cents.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Public hearing will be held and public comments will be accepted and considered.
4. Any service reduction less than 10% of total system revenue miles.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Public comments will be accepted and considered.
5. Any service reduction of 10% to 20% of total system revenue miles.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Opportunity for public hearing will be provided and public comments will be accepted and considered.
6. Any service reduction exceeding 20% of total system revenue miles.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN: Public hearing will be held and public comments will be accepted and considered.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that when a proposed fare and/or service change falls under Proposed Changes 1 or 4, the public will have the opportunity to comment orally or in writing. The City of Jonesboro, JETS will accept all written comments submitted by the public through the date and time scheduled for the specified meeting at which the proposed changes will be considered. Persons desiring to make oral statements will be afforded the opportunity at the meeting and said statements will be considered by JETS prior to making the proposed changes.
When proposed fare and/or service change falls under Proposed Changes 2 or 5, JETS will afford the opportunity for a public hearing by publishing a legal notice in the local newspapers. The published notice will afford the public the opportunity for a public hearing in order to receive written or oral comments from the public with respect to the proposed fare and/or service change(s). Persons interested in having a hearing must inform JETS in writing within 15 days of the publication of the notice. The legal notice will specify a deadline by which any written request for a public hearing must be received. If JETS does not receive any such written request for a public hearing within this period, a second notice will be published stating that no hearing will be held because no requests were received. If JETS does receive a request for a public hearing within the 15 days period, a second notice will be published stating the date, time, and location of the public hearing no later than fifteen days before the date of the scheduled public hearing. Procedures for conducting the public hearing and rendering a final decision on the proposed change(s) would be the same as described below. This policy does not apply to charter rates, promotional fares, experimental service of 18 months or less duration, service for special events, emergency service, or normal adjustments in headways due to seasonal or construction variations.
When proposed fare and/or service changes fall under Proposed Changes 3 and 6, JETS shall give notice of the change(s) by publishing a legal notice in one or more local newspapers of general circulation. The published notice shall state the nature of the fare and/or service change(s) and the date, time and location of a public hearing to be held concerning the change(s). The notice will be printed at least 15 days in advance of the scheduled hearing. At the hearing, JETS will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to the proposed change(s). Interested persons may submit orally at the hearing or in writing, comments, evidence and recommendations with respect to proposed changes. JETS shall consider all comments, evidence, suggestions and recommendations received in the public hearing process. The City of Jonesboro, JETS shall render a final decision with respect to implementation of the fare and/or service change(s) within 60 days from the date of the hearing.
A temporary emergency fare increase in an amount not to exceed 25 cents may be implemented due to unexpected increases in fuel costs. Such temporary emergency increase may be implemented at the point in time that actual fuel prices exceed the budgeted fuel price for that particular month by 10 cents or more per gallon for a period of at least 5 consecutive days. Such temporary increase shall not remain in effect for more than 6 months without further approval by JETS.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 21st day of November, 2006.