Editor,

Can this shame get any worse? Scott Dudley was railroaded out of the Island Transit board. The only person allowed to ask questions was ousted from an organization that needs to be questioned. Heads in the sand do not have clear vision as to how to fix the problem which is Island Transit.

It is time to disband Island Transit in its entirety and turn it over to another transit company, such as Skagit Transit or Community Transit.

Island Transit continues to run in the red, taking grant money given for specific purposes and spending the funds on whatever they feel is appropriate, deferring payments and claiming they are “in the black.” Yet employees still have benefits stripped and denied while the administrative staff suffers no cutbacks.

Island Transit does what it wants regardless of the law, including the payout of $100,000 to a former director who was revealed to have inaccurately reported sick and vacation time.

The paratransit services are operating out of bounds for a select few only. Route 5 has been canceled, yet para-buses continue to serve a select few on this defunct route under the guise of a “grandfather clause” which does not exist.

ADA rules are very specific as to what area is covered. Only a corridor along existing routes during route hours will be covered by para-services.

No differing in what the ride is for as long as the rider is pre-approved to use para-service.

There is no reason for a para-bus to be driving on East Harbor Road; this is an out-of-bounds area. Yet Island Transit para-service was granted for select riders in this area.

A young para-rider who is enrolled in a para-art class must walk three miles along this road, which has no shoulder, because she has lost para-service. But the para-buses pass her by taking another para-rider home in this area.

Once again, Island Transit is in clear violation of the federal law, which provides the public funding for this service, and the board has put its head in the sand.

The criminal investigation into Island Transit must reach further than the theft of hours by the former director and stop the current administration from continued crimes against the taxpaying public.

Bob Clay, I have asked to publish your recovery plan to no avail. It is past time for Island Transit to continue in this fashion. It must be dissolved or taken over by a reputable organization.

CLIFF BALDWIN

Freeland