Normal council amends agreement language to allow Connect Transit board to expand service area, with no municipal cost

The Normal Town Council voted unanimously Monday to amend its agreement language with Connect Transit to permit the Connect Transit board to expand the transit system’s service area beyond Normal and Bloomington’s corporate limits if the board decides to do so.

Council action does not itself change services or commit municipal funds. The amendment modifies the intergovernmental agreement to allow the Connect Transit board to consider an expanded service area; the ordinance as recorded requires that any change produce no financial impact to the municipalities.

Council member Miss Smith said she had been in touch with David Braun and had received letters from residents who live just outside the current service area and are frustrated by the lack of service. "There are many individuals in our neighboring communities that would welcome the opportunity to have this kind of service," Smith said. "So I've got my fingers crossed that the analysis is positive."

The ordinance was presented without extended debate. A roll-call vote recorded Miss Harris, Mister Byers, Miss Smith, Mister Preston, Mister McCarthy, Missus Lorenz and Mayor Coos as "aye;" the item was approved.

The council and meeting materials made clear that the action changes only the agreement language and that the Connect Transit board would make any decision to alter service coverage. No changes to municipal budgets or route schedules were made at the meeting, and no fiscal figures were presented on the record.