Residents and board members raised concerns at the Aug. 4 Rutland Board of Aldermen meeting about an abrupt move of Marble Valley Regional Transit operations from the downtown transit center, citing accessibility and public-safety impacts.
In a written mayoral update read at the meeting, the mayor reported that “the bus has moved its operations out of the transit center for the time being” and that city staff would meet with Marble Valley Regional Transit (MVRT) and other responsible parties to address the situation. The mayor’s update said the group “has reached out and requested additional assistance from our local delegation.”
During the floor discussion, Alderman Gillum and others urged their MVRT representative to attend the forthcoming meeting; Alderman Gillum acknowledged he had not received notice prior to the mayor’s announcement. Ald. Oliverwoman Savage relayed a constituent concern that a visually impaired rider “has been soaked twice while waiting to transition from 1 bus to another” at the interim stop near the Amtrak station and asked the city to consider a temporary shelter or alternative transition location.
City staff and board members agreed to address the issue further in the Community and Economic Development Committee; the committee’s chair said lease and transit-center issues would be discussed at a scheduled committee meeting on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Several board members said the transit center lease and any contractual obligations should be reviewed to ensure responsibilities are being met.
Discussion vs. decision: The board did not take formal action to change the transit center lease or operations. The mayor’s office and staff will meet with transit officials and the state delegation; the public-works/committee forum was identified as the venue for further review.
Why it matters: The move affects riders who rely on transit shelters and coordinated connections, including people with disabilities, and might implicate contract obligations between the city and transit providers. The board flagged the issue for prompt committee review and contact with MVRT and the city’s state delegation.
Ending: The mayor said he would provide a more detailed update after this week’s meetings; aldermen scheduled committee review and asked staff to keep representatives informed.