Title
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CENTRAL OHIO TRANSIT AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE AND PURSUE A REORGANIZED BOARD STRUCTURE.
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slb/ils
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WHEREAS, over the 29 years since COTA's creation, population growth and development within the COTA service area have resulted in changed traffic patterns, traffic congestion, and consequently, significant changes in transportation needs and issues; and
WHEREAS, population growth throughout the central Ohio area beyond the COTA service area is substantial, projected to far exceed population growth within the COTA service area over the next 25 years and, consequently, has a major impact on transportation patterns and transit needs within the COTA service area; and
WHEREAS, the growth and changes in population balance among the cities creating COTA has virtually reached the thresholds set out in COTA's Charter requiring changes in the city groupings for representation on the Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, the members of the Board of Trustees desire COTA to be responsive to the changing transit needs of the residents in the COTA service area and believe the changes in the population and transportation needs in the community require a more representative Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, the members of COTA's Board Development Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee for Board Governance have engaged in discussion about the above referenced matters, surveyed the governance structure of several transit agencies in Ohio and throughout the United States, and have considered various solutions for revising the structure of COTA's Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, considering all of the above matters, the Council and Administration of the City of Gahanna believe it is in the best interest of COTA and the residents of the transit authority service area to modify the representation scheme of the Board of Trustees to provide direct representation to each municipality within the service area and consider non-voting representation for the six counties contiguous to Franklin.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GAHANNA, STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That the Council and Administration of the City of Gahanna do hereby authorize and direct the Central Ohio Transit Authority to work with all appropriate officials of the political subdivisions that created COTA to investigate and pursue reorganization of the Board makeup to provide direct representation to each municipality within the service area and opportunity for non-voting representation for the six counties contiguous to Franklin County.
Section 2. That the Central Ohio Transit Authority is hereby authorized to meet with and negotiate among all of the appropriate representatives of all necessary political subdivisions to effect agreement on a reorganized Board structure consistent with the above and to take such further action as, acting on the advice of counsel, shall be deemed necessary to carry out the intent of this Resolution.
Section 3. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect upon passage by this Council and on date of signature approval by the Mayor.