Trumbull transit administrator says votes might end system

NILES

The administrator for Trumbull County’s public transportation system said the four “abstain” votes cast this week by Trumbull Transit board members may be the decision that ends the system.

“That means come July 1, Terry Thomas’s contract is done. We’re done with transportation here,” Transit Administrator Mike Salamone said moments after the vote. Thomas is the president of Community Busing Services, the longtime ride provider for the system.

Salamone was expressing concern that there may not be time to follow the required process and get a ride provider in place when the current contract with Community Busing expires.

Salamone was trying to get the six board members to vote for rebidding the next contract for ride provider, but only two did, Carl Clemens and Marlene Rhodes. The four others — Bob Faulkner, John Fowler, Marlin Palich and Lee Seiple — abstained, meaning the motion failed.

The vote came after the Trumbull County commissioners, who created Trumbull Transit when they took it over from Niles several years ago, wrote a letter this week to the board, asking it to rebid the contract. Community Busing was the only on-time bidder out of 22 companies receiving a bid package.