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Health & Fitness

Back to the Bus Capacity & Transparency at City Hall

A while back I was complaining to my youngest son, about Novato Politics.  He asked--"Well Dad--Do you just read and get upset --or do you do something?"

So there I was and here I am "in front of the City Council--"Diogenes" if you will---asking an Honest Question and looking for an Honest answer!

This (6/17/14) is the 4th time I have asked the same 2 question's and I have to tell you this has not been the most pleasant experience thus far.

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I can better understand the  "apathy" noted in the latest election---If what you say or do has no results--why would you continue down that road?

So the questins are--1. Where is the TRANSPARENCY with regard to this proposed bus station and 2.Why do we need a 5 million gargantuan capacity bus station---instead of spending just 1 million to update safety-----is it related to housing and required density numbers mandated by the state via ABAG??

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The 1st answer was--"We don't need to go thru that process for quite some time"--the implication being---so don't worry about it!

The 2nd answer was--"The formula for housing density numbers is complicated"

The 3rd answer was "You are using scare tactic's and mis-information--careful who you listen too!"

I will be there tonight to refute that 3rd response, and I am open to an apology for that accusation.         

 At the 3/18/2014 Council meeting--at 1hour and 26 minutes in to the meeting,  the consultant that Novato hired, Paul Price of Mark Thomas & Company----clearly stated that the new station "was modeled at 60 buss's per hour and there was NO problem"----once he said this you can also clearly see Judy Arnolds jaw drop as though to say OMG--the cat's out of the bag!

So 60 times 50 passengers is 3000 passengers per hour and 24,000 passengers per 8 hour day--1/2 the population of Novato--in a single day--that is the capacity.

So now I see 2 issues related--one is--If the City know's the capacity and just don't want to tell us-----then that is a veracity problem and two if the City doesn't  know the capacity of this station---- then that is a competency problem-----neither problem being a good problem.

So the questions remain unanswered--One---Where is the Transparency?--Why have you not reached out to the Citizens of Novato and asked them "Do you want to spend 5 million dollars of your tax money on this bus station--expanding the capacity from 6 buss's per hour to 60 per hour?"  The only public comment was in 2010--a world ago-a recession ago--it is forgotten--and the response then was "keep it small town--not Urban"  Why do you not want our opinion?  Why do you think you can spend 5 million dollars of our tax money on something that is not needed and not ask us our opinion?

And Question 2---Why do you want a Grand Central Bus Station Capable of transporting half the population of Novato in a single day?  Is it because you want our housing density numbers to go up?  You want hi density? Do you want "Transit Oriented Density" in Novato?

Please do not answer that "we will never use that capacity"---as the RHNA numbers from the State--mandated to Novato via ABAG--are based on "Capacity"---not under use of capacity.

  After all A gallon container holds a gallon--even if you put only a quart in--the capacity is still a gallon--and a gallon of milk is much better for you than a gallon of Jack Daniels--so the "footprint" is irrelevant also.

It seems to me that revisiting the way we treat the public needs some attention.

Thank you.

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