Chatham commission pulls paratransit funds; denies CAT expansion in Port Wentworth

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The Chatham County Commission approved its budget Friday without important funding for Chatham Area Transit (CAT) after 39 years of service.

WTOC has covered disputes between the county and CAT for months.

The decision finalized a cut that commission board chairman Chester Ellis signaled in a letter sent in November.

The commission meeting drew a full room and lasted hours. CAT board chairman Detric Leggett attended, along with Port Wentworth officials. They were denied from joining the CAT tax district Friday.

Port Wentworth Mayor Tracy Saunders and city manager Steve Davis said the denial was due to ongoing legal disputes between the county and CAT.

“It’s disappointing,” Davis said. “I’ve said it before in previous interviews, but we’re collateral damage in an argument between the Chatham County Commission and the CAT Board.”

During the meeting, Ellis and the board said the denied entry was because Port Wentworth residents never voted on a tax increase for additional transit service. Ellis said his position is based on the law.

“I want to make sure that this commission does not step out of the constitution, does not step out of the law, that’s why I have the lawyers advising me,” Ellis said.

County leaders have also said they want a new transit board in place before expanding CAT’s tax district.

At Friday’s meeting, Commissioner Dean Kicklighter said there’s another hoop for them to jump through: a vote by residents.

“It sucks for you, but we’re not gonna pass a tax on your citizens without them deciding,” Kicklighter said. “If they let their citizens vote on it and their citizens approve it, it’ll be approved by this county commission.”

Commissioner Tanya Milton was the only commissioner who voted for the expansion.

“People gotta get to work but unfortunately that’s where those warehouses and all that are now and a lot of people who live in the city have to transfer to that, and that’s through public transportation,” Milton said. “So I want that to happen, we all want it to happen, it’s just the process. The process was what was in the way.”

Savannah Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan posted on Facebook agreeing with Milton and Port Wentworth city officials that residents need extended transit services because of the area’s rapid growth.

Saunders said one Port Wentworth mother sends her children to Savannah using public transit, and said residents would “1000% support” transit expansion.

Chatham commissioners said the issue cannot be brought back before the board until November. Saunders said that timeline could leave Port Wentworth without any CAT services for a period of time, because the city’s contract with CAT ends in December.

“I’ve spoken with several people in port Wentworth who will lose their jobs if there’s no bus service,” Saunders said.

WTOC reached out to CAT to ask for their thoughts on the county’s final decision to pull their funding, but we have not heard back yet.