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CCRPC executive director reports on legislative outreach, staff retreat, staff retirement, possible CATMA merger and transit service cuts
Summary
Executive Director Charlie Baker briefed the committee on the Legislative Breakfast (positive reception from legislators), a December staff retreat, Eleni Churchill’s planned retirement at the end of June, CATMA merger exploration, and GMT reductions to fixed routes and O&D transit that will trigger a special committee meeting.
Charlie Baker, CCRPC executive director, used his report Jan. 7 to summarize several organizational and regional items.
Baker and communications manager Emma Vaughn said feedback at the Legislative Breakfast was positive and that legislators appreciated the event; Baker noted one comment that Chittenden County was categorized as urban and had been excluded from a $195 million rural health grant. Baker also summarized a December staff retreat focused on team building.
Baker reminded the committee that Eleni Churchill, transportation program director, plans to retire at the end of June and said he will advertise the position in February.
On partnerships, Baker said CATMA (a local nonprofit transit/transportation organization) has expressed interest in exploring a merger and that he is meeting with an attorney to examine the legal considerations. He said CATMA has some local match funding but is a separate nonprofit with 3–4 staff, and that retaining nonprofit status is part of the dynamic under discussion; committee members said oversight and management would be important considerations.
Baker and staff also reported that GMT is reducing some fixed routes and cutting back Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities (O&D) transit services in some areas, prompting Colchester to request more time; CCRPC staffs the O&D Committee for Chittenden County and will hold a special meeting to discuss the changes. Emma Vaughn, CCRPC’s Title VI and ADA coordinator, said she receives inquiries from the public about these services and emphasized CCRPC’s coordination role rather than implementation responsibility.
Committee members discussed oversight and service‑eligibility questions and asked staff to continue coordinating with GMT and affected municipalities. Baker said staff would share highlights at the Board meeting.
