City Hall Update: The Power of Partnerships

Every March, the Rainier City Council holds a goal-setting meeting. This is done prior to the start of the yearly budgeting process so the City’s financial allocations can be aligned with Council priorities.

Some of those goals are long-term and will take several years to get done, but others are accomplished much easier and crossed off of the list to make room for other priorities that come up.

Among Council’s past goals was establishing regular bus service between Rainier and Longview. Because of Rainier’s proximity to Longview, many of its residents choose to run their errands in that neighboring city. Many of them, especially senior citizens, are limited in their mobility. They either can’t drive or don’t own a vehicle, which makes it more difficult to make those trips across the Columbia River.

Like most public agencies, the City of Rainier has limited financial resources. That means it sometimes takes partnerships and creative solutions to achieve some of its Council goals. Luckily, the City is a member of the Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG). That organization includes many government entities throughout the region and operates largely through cooperation and coordination between all of them.

Working with the City, the CWCOG was able to use previously unspent federal funds to help make a Rainier to Longview bus line feasible. The City sent out surveys to residents to determine the demand for the bus line, as well as the best times and locations for the routes. Survey results showed enough potential demand to justify moving forward with the bus line.

That new service will cost $10,000 in City of Rainier funds and $38,000 in Cowlitz Transit Authority funds to match the federal grant and is set to start in July. There will be two stops in Rainier, at its transit center and senior center. Those routes will run to the RiverCities Transit Center in Longview, connecting riders to other routes throughout the area.

Fares for the routes will be the same for other RiverCities routes. Adults ages 19-64 will pay $1 for a one-way trip or $2 for a day pass. Persons with disabilities and seniors ages 65 and older will pay 50 cents for a one-way trip or $1 for a day pass. Persons 18 years and under with proper identification ride for free, although anyone under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

As city administrator, one of my most important jobs is to help the council achieve its goals. In this case, we were able to leverage partnerships to add a service for residents at a time when many public agencies are making budget cuts.

However, the success of this partnership will largely depend on whether residents utilize the service. The ultimate hope is that it will help some of our most vulnerable citizens and make their lives a little bit easier, at a minimal cost to taxpayers.