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TBTA resolves to not utilize 3rd party operator in new facility

ALPENA — The Thunder Bay Transportation Authority will operate transportation services for its three-county district without third party operator Prell’s Service beginning in August.

The action came after a resolution was passed Thursday by the authority to break a contract that was to extend into 2018 with the company. The service has been operating TBTA’s buses in different configurations and different agency names since the 1970s, according to Prell’s Service Manager Jeff Prell.

The authority voted 5-0 to pass the resolution after a motion was cast by Treasurer Dan Daoust and seconded by Trustee Lisa Bolen. Trustees Daryl Peterson and Jeff Kowalski were not present at the meeting.

Under the plan, which was outlined by TBTA President Greg Sundin, the authority will move operations into the new building currently be constructed north of Alpena. A construction end date is expected this summer.

An administration staff will be hired to assist TBTA Managing Director Theron Higgins with setting up the authority in the near future, Sundin said.

Prell’s Service employees will be given a chance at jobs with the new agency according to Sundin, who discussed the resolution during the meeting.

Sundin said since TBTA is getting a new building paid for with grant funding, officials had the choice to seek new bids for a third-party operator or decide to run the agency themselves.

He said that in personnel committee discussions over the past months with TBTA board members it was decided to run the agency in house.

Prell’s Service employees have been briefed on the circumstances by Higgins and Prell.

“Prell and Higgins met with the employees last night to inform them,” Sundin said. “The meeting, from our perspective, went well. Higgins gave them a rough timeline as far as the process.”

Sundin said key administrative personnel would be hired in March and April, and an application process would be created for Prell’s Service employees to apply to TBTA.

Prell said there are roughly 50 employees — bus drivers, dispatchers, administrators and mechanics — who work for the company. He said his father has been considering scaling back the business for some time.

Sundin said he hoped people would come from the service to work for TBTA, and pay would be the same as Prell’s Service so workers would not lose money.

“Whether they wish to come and work for Thunder Bay is up to them,” he said. “If they don’t want to that is their choice. We’ll also be taking applications from outside and filling out the appropriate amount of positions that we need, and do hiring down the road once we’re in operation.”

Higgins said he has been working with Prell through the personnel committee to generate job descriptions and health insurance for the new work force.

“Those will be finalized over the next month or two before we start interviewing anyone,” Higgins said.

Most of the work on the job descriptions has been done, according to personnel committee member and Trustee Tony Suszek.

“We don’t want to give people less than what they’re getting now,” he said.

Suszek said the job descriptions, which were approved during the meeting, would be reviewed every few years.

Higgins said he hoped employees could get hired sooner than later so both agencies could have a smooth transition.

Sundin said it was very important to him as well that there be a smooth transition and have the only noticeable chance be a new building and a different name on their paycheck.

There was little discussion on the resolution by the authority before the vote.

Sundin said there is much work ahead.

“I know you guys have done a lot,” Sundin said. “The personnel committee has been heavily involved, and we appreciate all your efforts and we still have quite a bit to do.”

Jason Ogden can be reached via email at jogden@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5693. Follow Jason on Twitter @jo_alpenanews. Read his blog, Sunny side up, with Jason at www.thealpenanew

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