State-Journal.com - City won't give away surplus buses despite requests

Kentucky State University and the Franklin County Council on Aging have asked the city to donate surplus Transit System buses to them.

But after a discussion at Monday's City Commission work session, KSU and the senior citizens agency will have to bid on the buses at a spring surplus auction.

South Frankfort resident Anne Gibbs said the city is struggling financially and she was "strenuously opposed" to buses being donated. Instead of giving them away, the city should try to get whatever it can for the buses, she said.

Otherwise it's unfair to the taxpayers, Gibbs said.

Commissioner Rodney Williams said Gibbs "has a valid point," and he suggested taking bids on the buses to satisfy public concern.

The city used to have a surplus auction each spring, but city Finance Director Steve Dawson said it's held semiannually now with a second auction in the fall.

Public Works Director Jeff Hackbart said the auctions are advertised in The State Journal with all major items listed.

When Transit System buses are obtained through federal grants, the city can reapply after five years or when buses in the fleet reach 100,000 miles, Hackbart said.

Buses at past surplus auctions have typically brought less than $2,000, Hackbart said Tuesday. The city this year has four surplus buses.

City Solicitor Robert Moore recommended selling the buses at auction. Cities can't just give away their properties, he said.

Dr. Harold Benson, director of KSU's Land Grant Program, requested two 16-passenger buses for "educational outreach."

KSU has a 300-acre Environmental Education Center in Henry County, and the buses would be used to transport elementary, middle and high school students there year-round, Benson said in a Feb. 25 letter to City Manager Tony Massey.

Benson said KSU also has five residential summer youth programs and the buses "are perfectly sized" for transporting small groups of students to various educational events across the state.

He said the buses would help as well in KSU's "floating laboratory conceptcurrently in the design stage" as a part of Frankfort's riverfront development efforts.

Cindy McKee, executive director of the Franklin County Council on Aging, requested one bus in a Feb. 13 letter to Massey.

"One of our buses we use to transport our seniors to and from the Senior Activity Center has to have an engine replaced," McKee's letter said. "After two estimates of $6,000 for the repair, we thought we should investigate other means of securing a bus."

A bus with a chair lift for disabled persons is needed, McKee said.

Seniors and about 12 Franklin County Regional Jail inmates who work at the Senior Activity Center are transported by van or the one other operational bus, she said.

Two of the city's surplus buses carry eight and 14 passengers.

"The larger of the two would be better for us, but we will take either one," McKee said.

The surplus auction date has not been set.

In a brief special meeting held before the work session, the City Commission gave the first reading of an ordinance increasing the pay grade of the human resources director position from 90 to 97.

A new human resources director - Randy Donahue, 51, of Versailles - was unanimously hired at the Feb. 23 City Commission meeting.

Donahue starts March 23 at $68,000 a year. He is replacing John Morrow who was making $57,000 when he retired in September 2008.

Commissioner Sellus Wilder said he felt uncomfortable with such a big increase considering the raises other city employees might receive this year.

Massey said Donahue's years of experience and education credentials were stronger than Morrow's. He said the $68,000 starting salary for the position is within the market of cities comparable in size to Frankfort.

"For what it's worth," Massey said, it's still less than what an entry-level department head makes.

Donahue has a bachelor's in business administration from the University of Kentucky with an emphasis in personnel management and industrial relations.

He has worked almost 30 years in state government. When he retired in 2006, he was director of the human resources management division for the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet.

Donahue returned to state government as a consultant and was working as policy adviser in the state Transportation Cabinet's office of personnel management when he was hired by the city.

The second reading and vote will be at the March 23 regular meeting starting at 5:30 p.m.

At the end of Monday's work session, the commission went into closed session to discuss buying and selling property.