The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority and Kansas City, Missouri, are wrapped up in intense negotiations over a new contract. If a new agreement isn't reached in the next few days, cuts to the local bus service could be on the table.
During a wide-ranging conversation on KCUR's Up To Date on Monday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told KCUR he believed the two sides were "days, not weeks" from an agreement.
Bridgette Williams, who represents Wyandotte County, Kansas, on the KCATA Board of Commissioners, is hopeful that a deal can be reached soon.
But she believes that Kansas City has not valued the KCATA's input during these negotiations, and says the city's demands are not realistic.
"(The commissioners) voted to not (initially) approve the contract for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, you don't sign a contract when you know there are things in the contract that you can't achieve," she said.
"I don't want to get into the meat of the contract," Williams continued, "but I would say something as minor as what size buses should be used on what route — why? Why do they care as long as the riders get picked up?"
Williams also said she is tired of "political grandstanding" from Kansas City, and wants to focus on what is best for KCATA riders.
"(They're) talking about, you know, they have a right to tell us what the other regions (of the metro) should be doing. These conversations have been going on since July of last year, and so for there to not be an ordinance and subsequent contract signed is inexcusable."
- Bridgette Williams, KCATA Board of Commissioners
