MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Leaders in the Charlotte area are demanding big changes over who manages public transportation in Mecklenburg County.
Several town mayors and elected leaders who sit on the Metropolitan Transit Commission (MTC) want more power over the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). The MTC is asking for an overhaul of the agreement between the board that oversees CATS and the city with the goal of gaining more oversight of the transit agency.
The MTC formed about 25 years ago when the towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville joined Charlotte. The towns also agreed that a countywide half-cent transit sales tax would go to Charlotte to operate CATS.
“Mint Hill sends probably, roughly a million and a half dollars to CATS in the form of our sales tax, and we want to make sure, I want to make sure citizens are getting a good return on their money,” Mint Hill Mayor Brad Simmons said.
Now, board members want more control.
Mayor Simmons said conversations around authority began after the MTC voted to ask Charlotte leaders to hire an independent third party to investigate problems within CATS. The city of Charlotte instead asked the federal government to do a review.
“It really called into question whether we had a vote at all," Leigh Altman, Mecklenburg County Commissioner, said. “As we grow so rapidly, we have to ensure that all our partners, that we can’t succeed without, feel they have real participation and their voice matters."
A letter sent to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, signed by MTC members, says it's time to change the system and give towns more authority over CATS in an effort to create transparency.
"Over the past year, it has become increasingly clear that the parties' original agreement did not provide the MTC sufficient authority to direct and oversee CATS' operations or to ensure its accountability to the taxpayers," the letter reads in part.
The letter details that they want clarity that the governance of CATS rests with the MTC. Also to make sure they will be included in picking a new CATS CEO, and helping set the budget.
“We appreciate and respect our neighbors in Mecklenburg County and are very anxious to work something out with them,” Ed Driggs, a Charlotte City Council member said.
Driggs did raise a concern about a transit system where the MTC would have full authority over CATS.
“We have a responsibility to the 900,000 people who pay sales tax in Charlotte not to relinquish our ability to represent them," Driggs said.
CATS has faced scrutiny over safety issues, staffing concerns, and train derailments in the past year. The demand for accountability is something Commissioner Leigh Altman discussed a few months ago.
"We have a transit system that is in crisis and has failed us over and over again," Altman said. "It's something that we cannot soft pedal, or overlook. We can only deal with it with a lot of sunshine and a lot of accountability."
“Now, all the major issues that were identified have been addressed or are being addressed," Driggs said.
Wednesday night, the MTC met for its monthly meeting. At the start of the meeting, Mayor Lyles said the group would hold off on discussions over authority of CATS until its October meeting to respect the set agenda for the night.
CATS interim CEO Brent Cagle provided an update to the MTC on efforts to make improvements inside the agency. The city has launched an internal risk analysis to find and address any other future issues the agency may face.
CATS is also replacing its entire vehicle fleet to improve its rider service.
Additionally, a CATS spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday that a new company has been selected to take over management of CATS buses. The existing contract with RATP Dev expires in February, and CATS leaders say they hope a new contract can be agreed to with National Express before then to ensure a smooth transition.
Huntersville Mayor Melinda Bales told WCNC Charlotte at the meeting she signed onto the MTC letter because she views the proposed updated agreement as, "a bridge for us as we look to transition to a regional transit authority."
In a statement, Lyles said, “We are reviewing the proposed amendments provided today by some members of the MTC regarding the future of public transit governance in our county. As I have previously stated publicly, there are two principles that we have broad agreement on. One is the need to update the interlocal agreement and the second is that a regional transit authority is in our future. I am in general agreement with many of the sentiments expressed in the letter that I received today from the town mayors and county MTC delegate. The proposed amendments to the interlocal agreement give us an opportunity to have open discussions and continued dialogue. We remain committed to addressing the concerns of our regional partners as we work toward our common goal of building a comprehensive transit system to enhance mobility and economic opportunity for all residents across our region. This spirit of cooperation to reach the best solutions is what is expected of us as public officials.”
It's unclear what will happen if the two parties can't come to an agreement. The current MTC agreement, which was written in 1998, expires in June 2024. Bales said the goal is to start negotiations now in order to come to a compromise before that deadline.
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