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<br />116 <br /> <br />TUESDAY <br /> <br />AUGUST 28, 1984 <br /> <br />Under date of August 21, 1984, the Central Business District Commission recommended <br /> <br />that Council accept the offer from a "downtown" property owner to underwrite the <br /> <br />cost (estimated at $2,569.97 per month) of providing free shuttle-bus service in the <br /> <br />downtown business area for a trial five-month period, beginning September 1, 1984, <br /> <br />if the City will assume administrative functions therefor and will provide liability <br /> <br />insurance on a reimbusable basis, with the City to monitor the program and make <br /> <br />suggestions as to changes, if deemed advisable, involving the service area and the <br /> <br />scheduled bus stops. In response to certain questions raised, Mr. Conrad M. Knight, <br /> <br />Chairman of the CBD Commission, indicated that the proposed trial free shuttle-bus <br /> <br />service is not an experiment designed toward "putting the City back into public <br /> <br />transportation business", as it once was, but rather to attract shoppers to the <br /> <br />downtown business district, especially during the forthcoming Christmas shopping <br /> <br />season, through reliable fifteen-minute bus stop intervals and, thereby, alleviate <br /> <br />motor vehicle traffic congestion. Mr. Knight also explained that, bus-stop frequency <br /> <br />being of paramount importance to the success of the proposal, the present limitations <br /> <br />of the project do not permit service to other shopping areas within the City, even <br /> <br />though desirable. In connection therewith, Mr. Joseph W. Pritchett (of 1203 Maxine <br /> <br />Road), a member of the City's Planning Commission, informed Council that in the <br /> <br />development of the proposed updated Comprehensive Plan for the City (hereinbefore <br /> <br />referred to in these minutes) he had advocated the addressing therein the lack of <br /> <br />local public transportation service but, in the absence thereof, Council might revive <br /> <br />such service through a franchise issued to some private operator. From the City's <br /> <br />administrative standpoint on the proposal, City Manager Edmonds posed questions as to <br /> <br />(1) what will be the City's commitment after the five-month trial period is completed; <br /> <br />(2) what and who will determine the success of the program; and (3), if it is deemed <br /> <br />successful, who will be responsible for carrying the program forward? Citizens <br /> <br />speaking to this subject matter, including Mr. Bruce Dallas (of 211 Massey Street) and <br />