Oxford Township’s contribution to the North Oakland Transportation Authority for next year was increased to $80,000, much to the dismay of some officials.
‘As much as I’m not crazy about the $80,000, our alternative ? I don’t have one,? said Treasurer Joe Ferrari. ‘I don’t have an alternative to that. It’s not like we could do anything different.?
Township officials voted 4-3 last week to allocate $80,000 to NOTA next year instead of the previously budgeted $58,100.
When the $11,733 the township receives annually from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) is subtracted, Oxford’s contribution to NOTA in terms of local funds will increase by $21,900 ? from $46,367 to $68,267.
This did not set well with officials.
‘I’m not happy about the bill of goods sold by Mr. (Larry) Obrecht back in 2002 when we went from OATA (Oxford-Addison Transportation Authority) to NOTA,? said Supervisor Bill Dunn. ‘We were (paying) less than half what we are now and at that time (Obrecht) predicted we’d be paying maybe 2 or 3 percent a year additional. From 2002 to 2005, we’ve doubled our payment to NOTA.?
Former Oakland County Commissioner Larry Obrecht helped set up NOTA, which provides free transportation to senior citizens, mentally and physically disabled individuals, and welfare-to-work program recipients living in Oxford, Addison and Orion townships, including their respective villages.
Oxford’s increase comes after Addison Township’s Aug. 25 decision to cut funding to NOTA next year due to budgetary woes. According to Trustee Doleen Behnke, who also sits on the NOTA board, in light of Addison’s financial difficulties, it was suggested the current funding formula ? Orion 50 percent, Oxford 35 percent and Addison 15 percent ? be reviewed and adjusted.
Treasurer Ferrari proposed adjusting the formula to include ridership and population (and weight them equally) as opposed to just ridership. As a result, the new contributions worked out to Orion 47 percent ($85,600), Addison 9 percent ($18,000) and Oxford 44 percent ($80,000).
The total contribution of the three communities works out to $183,600, or one-third of NOTA’s total budget, according to township Trustee Pat Fitchena, who’s also employed as NOTA’s full-time executive director.
The rest of NOTA’s funding comes from grants and monies from Community Mental Heath. Fitchena noted Community Mental Health provided $178,000 in funding this year with a ‘promise? of another $22,000.
Ferrari pointed out that even at$80,000, NOTA is still cheaper than if Oxford had stayed a part of the SMART system. Being in SMART would have cost Oxford taxpayers $254,000 this year, according to the treasurer’s calculations.
Ferrari said Oxford’s ‘best solution? right now was to adopt the new $80,000 contribution and try to ‘work within the system? to change things.
‘The only alternative is to have us say ‘no,? back out, then we have no (transportation) system for 2006,? he said.
Trustee Sue Bellairs was not pleased with the new formula and voted against increasing Oxford’s contribution.
‘Addison, who has their own budget problems, had absolutely no trouble voting in (on the NOTA board) an extra $20,000 for Oxford and to less (their contribution),? she said.
Fitchena noted that ‘If you look at the records, Oxford Township (has been) paying less than it’s fair share for years.?
‘Addison Towsnhip has paid way more than their share for years. Orion Township (has been) paying way more than their ridership for years.?
So far this year, NOTA has given a total of 18,379 rides, with Addison accounting for 1,323; Orion 7,934 and Oxford 9,122.
Last year, NOTA gave 21,448 rides, of that total 1,906 were for Addison, 8,778 for Orion and 13,309 for Oxford. In 2003, NOTA gave 19,992 rides, of that 1,747 were from Addison, 7,814 from Orion and 10,431 from Oxford.
‘We wouldn’t have these numbers if there wasn’t a need,? Fitchena explained. ‘The need is so great that it’s unbelievable.?
In the last week-and-a-half, NOTA took on 10 new riders who use the service to get to their dialysis appointments.
Bellairs noted she was upset that this increase to Oxford comes one the heels of NOTA giving Fitchena a $6,000 ‘bonus.?
Fitchena denied what she was given was a ‘bonus.?
‘There are no bonuses that have been awarded,? she said. ‘There’s a salary adjustment because I have been underpaid for two years. (That) is why that $6,000 figure came up.?
Fitchena noted she even ‘worked for NOTA for three months for free.?
Bellairs said the term ‘bonus came right from the NOTA? paperwork.
‘It was right in their budget,? the trustee said. ‘It said bonuses. That’s where I got that from.?
‘No matter what you call it, it came at the end as a bonus,? Bellairs said. ‘To me, it was a bonus. It even said it in NOTA’s own language.?
In a phone interview following the meeting, NOTA Chair John Sutphin, who also serves as an Addison Township trustee, explained Fitchena’s salary situation and the $6,000 ‘bonus.?
He said when Fitchena took over as director in October 2003, NOTA was experiencing ‘troubled times,? so she worked for free until Jan. 15, 2004. At that time, NOTA decided to pay her $37,000 a year. Her pay was increased to $40,000 in September 2004, Sutphin said.
In July 2005, Fitchena’s salary was increased to $45,000.
During all that time, Sutphin said Fitchena was ‘instrumental? in turning NOTA around and increasing its operating/capital budget by $1 million.
‘The quality of service has shot way up since Pat took over,? he said. ‘She gets out there and really goes after (securing more funding).?
‘NOTA’s come a long way in two years due to Pat’s time and effort,? Sutphin added.
In October 2005, NOTA gave Fitchena what Sutphin called a ‘one-time equity adjustment? of $6,000.
He said $3,000 of it was to make up for the fact Fitchena spent three months working for free in 2003, while the rest was designed to increase her pay to what the ‘industry standard? is for other transportation authority directors.
Sutphin said the paperwork did call it a bonus, as Bellairs stated, but it ‘wasn’t meant to mislead.?
‘It’s a bonus based on the merit of her work,? he said. ‘We’re not giving money away by any means.?
In January 2006, Fitchena’s pay will increase to $48,000 per year, according to Sutphin, who wished it noted she does not receive any health or retirement benefits from NOTA.
NOTA rider and volunteer Charlie Bromirski, of Oxford, didn’t care about any arguments over money or bonuses. His concern was making sure NOTA’s vans and buses stay on the road.
‘I’ve got to have NOTA,? he said, noting he can’t legally drive due to his seizures. ‘Everybody here (at the meeting) has a car, but me.?
‘I gotta have a ride. Unless anybody wants me to call them and give me a ride when I need one or my mom when she needs her hair done.?
Bromirski attributed NOTA with saving his 90-year-old mother’s life last year because the service drove her to Crittenton Hospital in Rochester for 38 chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
‘Without NOTA, my mom wouldn’t be alive today,? he said. ‘I love her a lot.?
‘We have to have this service for us disabled people and for the seniors,? Bromirski said, noting NOTA gives dialysis patients rides to their appointments three times a week. ‘I’m asking you ? don’t cut our services. We need it bad.?
It should be noted that although Fitchena did cast the tie-breaking vote to increase Oxford’s contribution to NOTA, she tried to abstain, but a 4-2 board vote made that impossible.
In order to abstain, the rest of the board must vote unanimously to allow it. Trustees Bellairs and Charles Kniffen voted against allowing Fitchena’s abstention, requiring her to vote.
Supervisor Dunn assured Fitchena he checked with the township attorney who told him it’s ‘no problem? for her to vote.