This week’s Richland County council meeting featured several concerned citizens voicing their opinion about the proposed cuts in local bus service. Reggie McKnight, representing the Eau Claire Community Council, said he had been getting calls from “terrified residents” about possible service reductions. He asked the council to “find it in your hearts” to fund a complete bus service.

David Lewis asked the council if they were in favor of funding the recent council retreat. When informed that council members didn’t exchange dialogue with citizens during citizens input, he said he had made his point. He mentioned talking to lots of people who have no other means of transportation.

Becky Bailey told the council that everyone doesn’t understand how the bus service is the “train” that drives the local economy, and thousands of people would be unable to get to work without the transit service.

Several others also spoke, and the message was consistent: Richland County needs a viable transportation system to keep the economy flowing and people without personal transportation or are unable to drive must have a bus service to get to work, doctors, and grocery stores.

The council was almost as united in stating, to a member, that they were in favor of a comprehensive bus service. The problem comes in how to fund the service, or more accurately, who has to pay how much.

Several council members feel this is an emergency situation and a city as large as Columbia can’t allow the RTA to go away. Paul Livingston reminded the council that Columbia isn’t a separate entity but part of Richland County. Livingston said the two governing bodies should split the cost equally. Seth Rose agreed, saying the entire county benefits from a strong transportation core.

The other contingent is of the opinion that unincorporated Richland County shouldn’t have to pay as much as the city of Columbia, since most of the ridership and the majority of the routes are inside city limits. Norman Jackson pointed out that city residents pay higher taxes for the privilege of living there and should pay more for bus service since more of the routes are within city limits.

At times the comments disintegrated into accusations of how the city mishandled the original bus deal, which is true, and how Columbia hides money from the other entities to keep from paying as much.

In the end, a Damon Jeter compromise suggestion passed, in which Richland County will pay 31% of the $2.5 million needed to fund the bus service until next fall. Columbia will need to find the rest of the money to insure the service remains current, and both governments will need to do a better job of explaining how important bus service is to find a permanent solution next fall

During a public hearing to discuss the animal control ordinance, several citizens expressed concern about the new rules. Mary Williams told the council the new animal control ordinance will hurt her ability to rescue golden retrievers and reminded the council they couldn’t legislate responsibility.

Joan Marshall told the council she didn’t like the policy about neutering animals picked up by animal control officers. Marshall said she had always liked Chows and loved to experience the joy of having puppies. She said two different dogs had escaped and in each case she was forced to have the dog neutered. Mary Dunn thanked the council for working with the community and taking a long time piecing together a good ordinance for the county.

During the initial discussion concerning the animal control ordinance, there were attempts to add new amendments to the ordinance, but cooler heads prevailed. After such a rigorous process, the council decided to pass the ordinance as designed and take any problems that might arise as separate issues.

In other actions, James Best and Felicia Rhue Howard were added to the Richland Memorial Hospital Board, and Kem R. Smith was voted onto the Township Auditorium Board. Diamond Webster and Dante Roberts were named Richland County Code Enforcement Officers.

Chair Paul Livingston, Vice Chair Damon Jeter, Joyce Dickerson, Val Hutchinson, Norman Jackson, Gwen Kennedy, Bill Malinowski, Jim Manning, Greg Pearce, Seth Rose, and Kelvin Washington were present.

More detailed information as well as complete agendas and minutes from past meetings can be found at the Richland County website: richlandonline.com