OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Iowa Department of Transportation has told the City of Ottumwa and the Ottumwa Transit Authority that if changes were not made to the department, the contract for the Ottumwa Transit Authority would not be renewed at the end of June. Such a move would end bus service in and around Ottumwa, a move that neither the city nor its residents want.
Last week, two leaders of the Ottumwa Transit Authority, Pam Ward and Tom Jones were fired from their positions. This move came after both were put on administrative leave due to a report from the Iowa State Auditor’s Office, suggesting that OTA had inflated passenger counts and altered timesheets.
The news did not sit well with city leaders. They knew change had to come and come quickly to both please state and federal officials.
“The city council is going to consider taking control of the Ottumwa Transit Authority directly. We would look at keeping the Ottumwa Transit Authority board in place, but have it as an advisory board to the council and they would make final decisions, that is a requirement according to the state if we want to keep bus service. Our goal here is to do everything in our power to make sure we have a continued bus service that meets federal and state requirements,” said City Administrator Joe Helfenberger
This move will partially please state transportation officials, being that state leaders want to see change if the transportation contract is going to be renewed.
Helfenberger told KTVO today what process the city will take if the council approves the measure.
“We are looking at doing a lot of additional training and follow through on that training. We want to make sure everybody knows what they have to do and verify that it is being done,” said Helfenberger.
On Sunday afternoon, Council Member Mitch Niner told KTVO that members on the council strongly support the city taking over the Ottumwa Transit Authority.
The Ottumwa City Council meets Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m.
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