Commission approves amendment to Chatham Area Transit Authority membership after public comment from transit union president

Summary

The board approved an amendment to the county charter affecting Chatham Area Transit Authority membership. Dania Swinton, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union at Chatham Area Transit, spoke during public comment to thank commissioners for funding and to describe staffing challenges at the transit agency.

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners held a second reading and approved an amendment to the county charter (chapter 13, article 2) as it relates to Chatham Area Transit Authority membership under the authority referenced by the Georgia Constitution.

The manager opened public comment for the second reading. Dania Swinton identified herself as “president of the Amalgamated Transit Union at Chatham Area Transit Authority” and spoke in favor of the support the transit agency receives from the county. “We thank you for funding us,” Swinton said, and she expressed gratitude for long-serving commissioners who have supported transit funding. Swinton told the board the agency remains short of operators and described an outstanding debt: “we are still in debt of $8,000,000 that we still owe you that we have not paid,” and she thanked the commission for providing $16,000,000 in past assistance.

After public comment, a motion to approve the amendment was made, seconded and the board recorded the vote and approved the amendment.