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TBARTA honors Thrumston, adopts budget
Submitted by Special on Fri, 09/24/2010 - 4:14pm.
John Thrumston
TAMPA - The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority Board adopted its FY 2011 Budget at its meeting on Friday and bid farewell to founding board member Commissioner John Thrumston of Citrus County.
TBARTA Board Chairman Ronnie Duncan thanked Commissioner Thrumston for his dedicated service as a founding member of the TBARTA Board and his contributions to promoting regional transportation solutions. Commissioner Thrumston will be replaced by Citrus County Commissioner Joe Meek.
Also at the meeting, the TBARTA Board heard presentations from the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority (THEA) and the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) about continuing to work together to pursue regional transportation initiatives.
Joe Waggoner, Executive Director of THEA, explained the agency's new electronic tolling system on the Leroy Selmon Expressway, which he said will provide better service, increased safety and reduced emissions.
R.B. Johnson, Chairman of the PSTA Board, told the TBARTA Board that PSTA was interested in partnering with TBARTA on future initiatives. PSTA Executive Director Tim Garling recently announced that he will leave the agency in October to accept a job in Broward County. As the PSTA Board begins its search for a replacement, collaborating with TBARTA will be vital to continuing the momentum achieved during Garling's tenure, Johnson said.
The TBARTA Board agreed to schedule a meeting between its Executive Committee and the PSTA Executive Committee to discuss future partnership opportunities.
"We are always looking to further the conversation with our partners about collaborating on regional transportation solutions,'' said TBARTA Executive Director Bob Clifford. "The more we can work together, the more successful all of our efforts will be.''
Created by the Florida Legislature in 2007, TBARTA is charged with implementing a regional transportation system for Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties. The TBARTA Board adopted its legislatively mandated Regional Transportation Plan last year and has identified six priority projects that are currently in the planning stages.
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Goodbye and good riddance
Thrumston has been a self serving politician from the get-go. His participation in the scandal of the Ottawa road purchase for $2.9 million dollars will never be forgotten - along with Meek, Damato, and Webb. Bartell along with Thrumston got booted out. The three amigos, or should I say stooges Meek, Damato, and Webb are next. Sometimes, Mr. Thrumston, you have to go against the grain. Unfortunately, you did not have the intestinal fortitude to do so....