Dear Jim and Vern.
You have my vote. I trust that your motivation to be on this board aligns with my wishes for the district. To be clear I want to see improvements in service, management, and operations. I want to see smart solutions. I want you to consider the environment. I want to see transparency and accountability. I want to see care and consideration for the individuals that rely on Dial-A-Ride and The Wave. Each one of them needs to be taken care of.
The candidates that speak on the idea that the district is doing great cannot make a difference. This is why my votes will go to you. You are aware. Making changes is impossible when one is unwilling to acknowledge that problems exist. Major problems exist and the voices to oppose them are small or have been intentionally limited. You will be in a position to speak for them. This is desperately needed.
I, personally, do not use the services provided by the district, but I care deeply for others that do. I have heard their stories of being left at the doctor’s office, or a ride that they waited six weeks on getting canceled on the day of their appointment, or them waiting at a bus stop for a bus that just doesn’t arrive. I have also heard the unhappy stories of staff and ex-staff. When people quit their jobs because they just can’t take it anymore, the problem is not the employees.
This letter is to ask you, once you’re elected, to please stand up and make a difference. Just going to board meetings and following the lead of management is not the job here. Representing the taxpayers that fund this critical service is the job. Please make it your personal mission to take care of our riders, the employees, and the environment. Please be courageous, vocal, and wise stewards for the county. Please make a difference.