There are times when I feel ill-equipped to function in today’s world. The world is apparently spinning too rapidly for me to keep up. Twice now, I’ve written a column about Twin Transit and both times became aware that it was already out of date before I submitted it to The Chronicle. Let’s see if the following is still applicable by the time you read it. I’m sure by now you’re tired of my repeating the facts of Twin Transit’s beginnings.
The system had been in operation less than two years when I became Centralia’s member on the governing board. Our emphasis was simple: make the service as user friendly as our income would permit. My memories of that time include the dedication of the first bus shelter to be in operation, a structure, not purchased but built by Girl Scouts at the corner of South Tower and South Street, next to what were then called nursing homes. It was dismantled many years ago.
After an absence of a few years, I returned to the Transit Board. The emphasis hadn’t changed, but by then the equipment used was now up to the job of providing service within the stated boundaries of the operation. Yes, we did provide trial runs to places such as Toledo, Napavine, and — I seem to recall — Winlock but none of them proved to be workable without reducing operations to those who were already being served.
If I could provide a time when that emphasis on local operation changed, I’d have to place it when the position of manager was changed from a local resident to a hired “professional.” That seems to be when the delusion that “bigger is better” began. That philosophy was cemented into place in recent years when the county’s representatives on the board began to dominate and, certainly, when Twin Transit purchased the property on North Pearl Street with plans of building a transfer station and new business headquarters to rival those built in Olympia.
Here’s where I intended to urge the replacement of Lewis County’s representative on the board, only to read in Saturday’s Chronicle that he had already resigned. In that version, I went on to again question the wisdom of even having a Lewis County member on the board given changes that have occurred since the founding of the operation. There was a large bridge of county property between Chehalis and Centralia in the beginning, property which has since been taken over by the expansion of both cities.
I know it’ll be laughed off as another suggestion from that weirdo Moeller, but as I’ve written before, I no longer see a need for a county representative at all. The only small spot of county land remaining within the stated boundaries of Twin Transit is the parking lot across the street from the fairgrounds. There is no resident to be served by Twin Transit on that piece of property! So, why is a representative for non-existent people still on the board?
Who would replace that member? Is it too radical to suggest that, perhaps, an actual, regular user of the system might have some knowledge of what works and what’s wrong with present operating procedures? I’m sure Centralia and Chehalis could come to terms on who could sit on the board and for how long. I won’t name names, but I might be able to suggest some very capable candidates for starters.
I don’t have any original charter in front of me, but I assume there would need to be a vote by citizens within Twin Transit’s boundaries to achieve such a change. Given the publicity of recent activity within the board, I would predict an overwhelmingly positive result.
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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.
