Island residents and UPTA riders urge county to review transit board practices and schedule

Laurie Miller and other island residents used the public‑comment period to urge the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners to review the practices and decisions of the Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority.

Miller said the UPTA director told the newspaper the authority provides “reasonable transportation,” while she argued the authority’s articles of incorporation require it to provide “essential transportation.” She said the difference matters for residents who rely on service for work, education and health care, and she asked the county to adopt an evaluation system for UPTA board appointments. “Essential transportation is something that's absolutely necessary, indispensable,” Miller said.

Phyllis (last name not specified on the record) and other commenters said public‑comment remarks at UPTA board meetings are sometimes recorded only as the speaker’s name without the content of the comment. Miller said that omission effectively silences constituents and urged the county to ask UPTA to record public comments in the minutes.

Commissioners acknowledged the complaints. One commissioner noted the board previously removed a UPTA member and said the commission appoints UPTA board members; another encouraged staff to consider a formal evaluation process. The board did not take formal action at the meeting but directed staff and the county administrator to follow up with the proponent and to circulate any draft proposals for review.

Separately, a commenter identified as Lewis Balance asked the board to consider a resolution supporting efforts to bring Amtrak service to the area; commissioners said they would discuss that request later in the meeting and suggested coordination with state legislators and MDOT.