Debate Over Transportation Contract Not Over as Council Debates Bottom Line Over Value

The decision about whether to award a transportation contract now held by a Petaluma nonprofit to an outside company drew heated discussion at Monday night’s City Council meeting as both sides spoke passionately about why they should be the ones providing transport to Petaluma’s elderly and disabled.

The Transportation Advisory Committee recently recommended that the contract to provide so-called paratransit services that has been held by Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC) for the past 29 years now be awarded to MV Transportation, a Fairfield company that already operates the city’s fleet of buses.  Read the background story on the proposal

According to TAC’s calculations, the switch could save the city as much as $200,000 a year or $1 million over the next five years, money that could be used to expand bus service, say transportation officials.

 But supporters of PPSC said they questioned whether the savings were as high as stated and urged the council to consider not just the bottom line, but also the value provided by the much-loved organization, which runs Meals on Wheels, offers counseling, housing assistance and other services.

“I have watched the care and the dignity with which the drivers pick up the passengers and deliver them where they need to go,” said Petaluma Chamber of Commerce President Onita Pellegrini, adding that the personal touch provided by PPSC drivers would be lost if the contract was awarded to an outside company.

Others spoke of a “quality and continuity of service” provided by PPSC, which provides as many as 22,000 rides a year.

“It’s the quality from that connection the driver would provide…noticing if the person was frail or needing medication that wasn’t being taken or unusually depressed, or their house was disheveled when it was always clean,” said J.T. Wick, a former board president of the agency. 

“That’s an extraordinary service to get for the price that’s being charged. …It’s not just about numbers.”

But Dwight Sayer, a consumer advocate to MV Transportation, said that the company provided outreach and sensitivity training to its drivers to make sure that all passengers felt comfortable.

“We serve our customers well and I am proud of the services that we provide,” Sayer said.

Several council members suggested that the dispute may be resolved by having the two parties hash out a compromise, considering MV Transportation already operates city buses in Petaluma. Councilmember Gabe Kearney, who is part of the transportation committee, appeared to be the only one ready to vote on the issue Monday  night.

“There was an RFP (request for proposal) process and we have to make a decision based on the bids we got,” Kearney said.

Meanwhile, Mayor David Glass said he was concerned about what the loss of the contract would mean for PPSC’s ability to obtain federal funds, on which it relies to run other programs. He said he understood there may be savings, but underscored the extent of the services provided by the agency.

“When I started doing this, someone told me ‘Understand that you are going to consider things that will force you to look at the costs of everything and the value of nothing,’" Glass said. "And Petaluma People Service provides tremendous value.”

The council will pick up discussion of the topic at the May 2 meeting.