What Mayor (Dave) Enslow did not tell you in his Herald stories Wednesday, is the back story of how he dissolved the Pierce Transit bus and Shuttle service to Sumner :

Mayor Enslow, appointed to represent the city at PTIC (Pierce County Public Transportation Improvement Conference) was not in a decision making position but an information gathering position to bring to Council for consideration.

Mayor Enslow did not state that at PTIC’s December meeting, he said he “wanted to bring this back to council for discussion as he did not know how Council felt about it” yet he cancelled all council meetings and study sessions for the remainder of the year leaving zero opportunity to share information with Council.

Mayor Enslow did not state that at January’s study session he told council that to opt in/out was non-binding until May 8, 2012 and that $2 mil in sales tax revenue supports the service but Sumner receives $500,000 in service.

90 percent of Sumner’s sales tax base comes from a handful of Sumner’s high ticket item businesses supported by those outside of our city limits.  Sumner’s resident contributions are about 10 cents on the dollar or about $200,000 plus or minus of the $500,000 in received services.

Mayor Enslow did not state that at the Jan. 23 PTIC Meeting he indicated “that for now Sumner would like to stay in to see where this process takes the City”.

Roll call moments later : “Mayor Dave Enslow – withdraw from the PTBA”.

Mayor Enslow did not notify citizens or council that he single handedly removed Sumner from receiving critical services.

Mayor Enslow did not notify citizens nor council of a public hearing March 8th.

Mayor Enslow removed public transportation and the shuttle (aiding our elderly and those with physical and/or mental challenges) without council vote or resolution like surrounding jurisdictions. Council discussion/vote requested by Council member Hynek at a council meeting was shut it down by Mayor Enslow.

Upon researching PTIC minutes to aid me in bringing forth a motion to save the service by the supposed  May 8th deadline, I discovered the above and brought it to Mayor Enslow’s attention.  He told me he was close to striking a deal for commuters.  I asked what about our citizens who need the shuttle to maintain doctor visits and getting to the grocery store, our residents that are at their weakest who need our help?  Mayor Enslow responded that he was concerned with getting commuters to the train.

Sumner is now exempt from receiving these critical services from Pierce Transit for two years.

Mayor Enslow, board member of Sound Transit, struck a backdoor deal on his own for commuters only with Sound Transit and left our elderly, physically and/or mentally challenged citizens without shuttle resources nor those that used our two bus routes to get to their jobs.

Information is substantiated by and extrapolated from PTIC Minutes and Sumner City Council minutes and agenda.  Full time-line with deeper explanation available.  Contact Nancy Dumas, Sumner City council member, ndumas@ci.sumner.wa.us, 253-299-5794

Nancy Dumas