Town funds trolley
MELISSA REID
Associate Publisher
mreid@lbknews.com
The Longboat Key trolley has received a second chance. It will remain in operation following a favorable Town Commission vote Monday at its regular meeting to fund the $41,000 shortfall.
Manatee County has already committed to contribute $200,000 and Sarasota County has committed $300,000 to maintain the route. According to Town Manager Bruce St. Denis, it was reported at the Nov. 30 Manatee County Board of Commissioners workshop that the cost to operate the trolley through the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key would actually be $241,441 instead of the $300,000 originally anticipated, reducing the shortfall to $41,440.
Aposporos
At the Dec. 6 Town Commission meeting, Longboat Key, Lido Key and St. Armands Key Chamber President Tom Aposporos gave a trolley presentation, what it means to the community and ways the chamber plans to increase ridership.
“We see the solution in being an increase in ridership, which we can achieve by marketing more successfully,” said Aposporos.
Aposporos highlighted the residents’ use of the trolley and the consequences should its operation be discontinued.
“[Losing the trolley] will impact the community by denying access to doctor’s appointments and food services and shopping, leaving people isolated,” he said.
Businesses are also supporting the trolley. The trolley is the only transportation to and from work for some folks employed on the island. Realtor Andrew Vac attended in support of the trolley.
“Thank you for supporting the bus route for our island and its people. I really appreciate it,” said Vac in a letter sent to town commissioners the next day.
Commissioner Phill Younger expressed concern that Longboat contributes $347,000 to Manatee County to the transportation fund and receives nothing in return for it. Younger also thought the trolley would remain in jeopardy if ridership does not increase.
“Right now it is averaging four riders per hour. That is one person per trip. I would express concern about Manatee continuing this unless ridership is up,” he said.
Commissioner Jim Brown supported the trolley expenditure.
“I think politically we might have made some mistakes. Public transportation rarely pays for itself, but our route is the worst in the system. The buses are not very user-friendly… If its $41,000, my vote is right here—this is one of the things government should do, and I support it.”
Commissioner David Brenner also supported the continuation of the trolley route, though he took issue with its current marketing.
“Is this an amenity that we really want to have? I think the answer is yes. This system is about as user-unfriendly as you can get. The marketing is virtually nonexistent.”
The LLSA Chamber and trolley supporters hope to change that and increase its ridership in the near future.
Oh well, it’s only $41,000 the CLOWNS are thowing away this time. The 41 million throw away is just around the corner when the CLOWNS start building sandcastles at the water’s edge without fixing the erosion problem.
I think the arrogance of the Town Commission is out of control. They can spend 85,000 on a vision plan consultant, they can spend 41,000 on a Trolley no one uses, yet they are doing whatever they can to stop this pension investigation in the name of fiscal responsibility. No, lets ignore the issues that got the town here! I think you all are taking too many lessons from Nancy Pelosi and Dingy Harry, the tax payers should be asking themselves, What are these out of control commissioners trying to hide from us? 41,000 give me a break, fiscal responsibility, how stupid do you think we are?