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Residents press county on UPTA transparency and ask commissioners to back Amtrak service study
Summary
Public commenters urged the board to ensure the Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority records public comments and to treat UPTA as an essential transportation provider; a caller asked the county to send a resolution supporting Amtrak service to Sault Ste. Marie and routes to Milwaukee.
Several public commenters used the meeting’s public-comment period to press the board on local transit transparency and to ask for county support for expanded rail service.
Lori Miller urged commissioners to review Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority (UPTA) board minutes and to require that public comments be recorded in those minutes. "Essential transportation is something that's absolutely necessary, indispensable," she said, distinguishing it from "reasonable transportation" and urging an evaluation system for UPTA board members.
Phyllis (a remote commenter) also asked the board to require that UPTA minutes include public-comment content so the public can see what was said.
Lewis Balance, calling from Sheboygan, asked the county to pass a resolution supporting efforts to bring Amtrak service to Sault Ste. Marie using existing CN rail lines and routing to Milwaukee via Escanaba; he asked for a county resolution to forward to MDOT and Amtrak planning staff. Commissioners said they would discuss the request after the meeting and noted that a formal route or funding decision would require MDOT and state participation and could take years.
The board did not take an immediate action to pass an Amtrak resolution during public comment but indicated the matter could be discussed later in the meeting or brought forward by staff.
