RTD Public Hearing in Boulder
By Tim Wheat
Crowd at the public hearing
(Monday, October 3, 2011) I visited the RTD Public Hearing tonight just to listen to what my fellow Boulder residents had to say about the proposed service changes coming for next year. I listened to everyone and I heard some good ideas and some passionate appeals for RTD not to cut services
While I was listening to all that was said, I had the uneasy impression that RTD was not listening. The facilitator started the meeting by reinforcing a three-minute limit on speakers; however she went further to say that “we all want to save some of the evening.” That struck me as being cold. I believed that participants only wanted RTD to listen to them but the facilitator obviously did not want to be there or listen.
The only impact the hearing would have according to the hand-outs was that comments would be compiled for the RTD board meeting on Oct. 25. The facilitator did not explain the process and only said that she would “try to take good notes.” The local board representative was not there and although about five RTD administration staff were standing around, only the facilitator took any notes.
When asked about a Spanish interpreter, the facilitator did not answer. She explained to the crowd how there was supposed to be materials printed in Spanish, but it was not done and “marketing” had failed.
I didn’t say anything. But many people did. Some people were nervous and some were very personal. Two older citizens told how they did not have a history of bus ridership, but the DD bus rout had made them “lifelong” bus riders. One woman told about problems people with disabilities had with the Access-a-Ride system.
I can’t help but feel that RTD was there but they just did not listen.