Thursday, Jan. 06, 2011

Heated exchange spices meeting

Benjamin, Smith argue while city, county councils debate bus funding

Wednesday’s transit authority board meeting was dominated by a heated exchange between former County Councilwoman Kit Smith and Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.

Smith’s anger was prompted by a letter Benjamin sent to the authority’s executive director last month lamenting what Benjamin said was the authority’s “distressing lack of transparency and accountability.” Benjamin specifically noted that the transit authority had not disclosed financial details of its contract with Veolia, the company that handles the day-to-day operations of the bus system.

But Michael Ake, regional vice president for Veolia, said in a letter to the board that Veolia could not release that information because “our financial reports are an integral part of our business model and our valuable proprietary information (is) not subject to public disclosure laws.”

Smith used the letter to show that the transit authority cannot provide the information — because it doesn’t have access to it.

“To say there is a lack of transparency or we are trying to hide something is disingenuous at best and political rhetoric at worst,” she said.

Benjamin’s letter also ordered the transit authority staff to produce certain documents and make certain changes by Jan. 31 — orders Smith said were “not appropriate” because Benjamin is not a member of the board.

Benjamin fired back, saying, “With all due respect, most of your board doesn’t even have a copy of your budget. One of our (the city’s) appointees didn’t even know about this meeting today until I told him two days ago.”

City Council members are close to committing $3.6 million a year to the transit authority board through a 2 percent increase on city residents’ power bills in the form of a franchise fee increase. But Benjamin has been pushing for reforms at the transit authority before the city agrees to commit the money.

Benjamin’s stance has put him at odds with some County Council members, who feel the City Council has not taken an active role in the transit authority during the authority’s 10-year history.

“The city created this agency, and in my opinion has been AWOL for 10 years,” Smith said.

Benjamin, who was elected in April and took office in July, responded by saying, “I’m here now.”

County Council members have yet to say whether they will fund the transit authority. Council members plan to discuss it during their two-day retreat, which begins today.

City Council members still have to hold a public hearing and vote a second time before their $3.6 million commitment becomes official. But council members have not scheduled a date for the public hearing or the vote.

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