Transit-firm vote expected in council

8/21/2012

Perrysburg City Council is expected to vote tonight whether to begin contract negotiations with a Missouri-based transit company.

The city is considering hiring Ride Right, a transit operator from Lake St. Louis, to replace TARTA should voters approve a 1.45-mill, five-year levy on the Nov. 6 ballot

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at city chamber, 201 W. Indiana Ave.

Last week, a city committee recommended in a 2-1 vote to hire Ride Right because the firm was the lowest bidder out of four finalists. Ride Right bid $530,936 to operate Perrysburg's proposed transit system in the first year.

The proposed levy would generate $824,476 in the first year, which is enough to hire Ride Right and set up a rainy-day fund, officials say. The tax would cost the owner of a $100,000 house about $44 annually.

Perrysburg taxpayers had paid $1.5 million to be in Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority.