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Springdale residents crowded the town hall during the city council meeting Tuesday night after Ozark Regional Transit created “Save My Seat” to publicize the importance of this month’s Springdale City Council meeting.


The meeting covered matters of employment, the care of public property and the recent changes made to the regional bus route.


Police Chief Kathy O'Kelly asked the council to authorize a new police employee, which the council approved despite Alderman Jeff Watson's suggestion that in the future, these employment matters go through the financial report.


Among the issues addressed Tuesday was the restoration of Spring Creek. Springdale resident, Ron Minen has monitored the process of cleaning up the debris surrounding the creek and found the end result unsatisfactory. "When that money [from the city budget] becomes available, we could use it on Spring Creek," Minen suggested.


Fire Chief Duane Atha proposed the reinstatement of a former fireman, which the city council readily approved. The position will save money for the city by not requiring the training fees and re-certification that an entirely new employee would necessitate.


Ozark Regional Transit has cut route 43 upon a claim to lack the sufficient funds, despite the UA Survey Research Center revealing a 21 percent increase in bus ridership.


Northwest Arkansas transit users have seen a rotation of placed blame while trying to contact those in charge of cutting route 43, their only source of transportation. The 16 mile route 43 stops at various apartment complexes, the Springdale Wal-Mart, Springdale High School, Parson Hills Elementary, the First National Bank, Springdale Library, Harp’s Grocery, and the Richardson (rehabilitation center).


ORT’s Web site announced the way to "Save Your [bus] Seat": “How much money the elected officials decide to contribute to ORT is based upon how important they think it is to their citizens. How do they determine that? From calls and letters that they receive from people like you.”


Residents responded positively to this call to action. They sent many letters to the Springdale City Council and attended the monthly council meeting to explain why the transit is so vital to their lives. A translator assisted the Hispanic families so that the language barrier would not restrict their message, that they would be unable to buy groceries or go to work without route 43. A few disabled workers, who cannot drive, were also present to tell the council the end of the route will be the end of their jobs.


Another Springdale resident, Alice Hannah, became emotional when she explained the route cut would separate her from her family for long periods of time. Hannah said the closing of route 43 will cut her off from two very important things in her life. “I will lose a job if we lose this route. I won’t be able to visit my one family, my one granddaughter,” Hannah said. Tuesday night, she walked in arm braces from her home to the Town Hall to voice her concern on behalf of her neighbors, her family, the Hispanic communities of Springdale, and herself. “I’m not here for my own pain. When I see other people suffering, that is when I speak up,” she said.


Despite the large turnout of residents to respond to the funding, Alderman Bobby Stout insisted that the financial problem lies within Ozark Regional Transit and not the city of Springdale. The city supplied the same monetary fund this year for public transportation purposes as they did the previous year. Stout said he did not understand why ORT’s executive director, Phil Pumphrey requested so much more funding, since “We kept the funding at $160,000…but no costs went up.” Pumphrey appealed for $247,000 in funds this year, which Stout interpreted as valuing route 43 at $87,000.


Ozark Regional Transit’s funding comes from a variety of sources, including charitable contributions, federal, state and local governments and through a small fare, $1.25 per adult, according to ORT’s Web site. Its only claim to additional revenue is the sale of advertising space.


The only proposition for compromise came from Alderman Kathy Jaycox, when she suggested that the city council’s finance meeting be set aside to address the issue and invited those residents to also attend it. The Springdale financial meeting was set to be joined with the personnel meeting, but Jaycox wanted the council to have 30 days to research alternative transportation or funding for those who use Route 43.


Jaycox said she identifies with the concerns of Springdale residents on route 43. “My sister is handicapped and I know how long it took her to find a job,” she said. At first, her sister took a Fayetteville transit to her workplace. Eventually, the route was discontinued, which initiated Jaycox paying $377 per month to get her sister to work. “I know that the independence [of riding the transit] meant a lot to her,” she said. There seems to be no other way for her sister to keep the job without Jaycox providing transportation.


After the council meeting adjourned, Jaycox explained she had made attempts to understand the people of Springdale even more fully than simply relating to her sister. Jaycox spent time in a wheelchair to see how difficult it would be to get around. She also spent a day without her keys, to learn who she would rely on or what she would do in the event that her transportation was suddenly unavailable; as her sister and Springdale residents must do.


“We are always looking to make Springdale more accessible,” Jaycox said. At the moment, she said handicap accessible sidewalks are on Springdale’s agenda. She added, "If I had $80,000 extra in my bank account, I'd be glad to give it to these people."

For now, one location has been taken off of route 43 and has been reduced to making less than half of the daily rounds as it did before the city council meeting.