Special Event Celebrates Partnership Between Johnson County And KCATA
Teaming Up After 30 Years
(Kansas City, Mo. – Dec. 16, 2014) For the first time in more than 30 years, Johnson County will contract with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) to provide administrative and management services for The JO transit service. The 2‐year agreement was approved by the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners Dec. 11, and is expected to be approved by the KCATA Board of Commissioners at a special ceremony on Dec. 17.
A media event will take place at noon on Wednesday at the beginning of the KCATA’s regular Board meeting at KCATA offices, 1200 E. 18th St., Kansas City, Mo. The event will include Johnson County officials. The Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for Transit Management and Administration will authorize KCATA to provide transit administrative and management services for Johnson County.
“Municipal and county boundaries do not have to be a barrier to providing service to our region,” said Robbie Makinen, KCATA Board Chair. “If Missouri and Kansas can come together to improve transit, there is no reason other community issues can’t be addressed. We hope this progress can serve as an example of regional cooperation for the benefit of the whole community.”
The management consolidation will result in an approximate savings of $455,000 for Johnson County. The major component of the savings are personnel costs, which result directly from KCATA utilizing existing staff, in addition to several new staffing functions. A joint staff study group prepared a final report indicating a number of significant, positive outcomes in support of management consolidation.
"We are excited about this opportunity to build a better regional transit system," said Johnson County Deputy County Manager Penny Postoak Ferguson. "There will be increased efficiencies and service effectiveness that will make transit funding go further in the metro area." The KCATA regular Board of Commissioners monthly business meeting takes place immediately following the signing ceremony. Doors to the signing event will open to the public at 11:50 a.m.
