Response to E. March 1st, 2012

Hello E,

It seems both Mr. Anders and I had a mis-communication last week. After we received the info that you requested, Mr. Anders thought I was responding to you, and I thought Mr. Anders was responding to you. And so, your answer is a week late. My apologies.

I’ve copied and pasted the exact email ( in red ) I received from our staff last week with the final costs, and what the consultant did for the city as you asked below. I’ve included the other aspects of the work Dillon did for you as well, even though you only specifically asked for the Transit Strategy component. It seems the exact price estimated for the Transit Strategy as quoted in this link I provided to you last week,  (http://guelph.ca/uploads/tenders/09-062/committe%20report_july%2016th.pdf ) ended up on budget. After this email, I have further comments for you. Here’s the email:

Feb 24th, 2012

Per your request, I am providing the following information:
Dillon Consulting was hired on a tender price of $296,768.00, which included two components: (1) Transit Strategy ($246,768.00) ; and (2) Input to Transit Terminal functional design ($50,000). Their assignment also included Review of Mobility Services on a separate budget of $71,815.00

The total payment to Dillon on Transit Strategy was $250,000 (including additional $4,000 for meetings and consultations). Transit route planning and design was the major part of work under the Transit Strategy assignment.

Dillon completed their work on Mobility Services on Budget.

In regard to Transit Terminal, the scope of work was extended considerably and their final payment was $100,000, most of which was covered under the Infrastructure Stimulus Funding (ISF) program.

TGS HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY ACTIVITIES
•           Study took 14 months to complete
•           Detailed assessment of existing conventional transit operations
•           Detailed assessment of existing mobility transit operations
•           Best practice review of comparators (conventional and mobility)
•           Review of relevant planning documents and legislation
•           Travel demand and traffic forecasting (5 year detailed forecast)
•           Extensive public consultation and engagement
•           Alternative service delivery models and service strategy

TGS HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY ACTIVITIES
•           Alternative route structures
•           Mobility family of services concept
•           Higher order transit planning and opportunities
•           Alternative organization models
•           Service standards and measures
•           Data collection program and performance measures
•           5 year operating and capital forecast

Furthermore E, while I acknowledge some are not satisfied with the new service, I believe the changes being made are addressing most issues. In fact, the city is receiving positive feedback from the community that suggests the changes made have been well received by most.

I, and city staff, have communicated with you a number of times previously regarding our genuine efforts to identify and address implementation issues.  It is imperative Guelph Transit be positioned to serve not only the needs of our riders today, but also of those of a growing community.  While the city acknowledges some of our riders have longer rides as a result of the revised routes, there are others who have shorter ones.  This is an obvious outcome to be expected when all routes get redesigned. I would emphasize though, the routes have been designed to perform better than the previous ones on a system-wide basis.  This inherently means that it may be necessary for an individual’s experience on transit to be negatively affected compared to what they may have been accustomed to in order to achieved a more positive experience for the majority.

Lastly, your ongoing comments to our staff are un-called for and show a complete disrespect for the excellent work they do for our community. Our organization is not corrupt E. In my personal opinion only, our organization is just being bogged down by individuals like you that consistently belittle and undermine our city. In the future, you can email me directly as I have no problem taking all types of comments from the public, but I respectfully request that you leave our staff out of your consistent barrage of putdowns and underhanded comments meant only to hurt others.

As always, and as I’ve told you on numerous occasions, I’m here to have meaningful and respectful conversations. I hope you’ll join me some day in that dialogue. I will soon be posting all this information on my website at www.ward4news.ca.

Cam Guthrie
Councillor – Ward 4 – Guelph
226-820-5080

Sent: March 1, 2012 7:57 AM
To: Mayors Office; Michael Anders
Subject: RE: 2 weeks and still no answer
So after 2 weeks you still can't tell me how much was paid to Dillon consulting and why they were chosen. I think my colleagues are right - you have no intention of answering and you're trying to hide how much taxpayers money was wasted on this!
I guess I'll have to go another route to get this information. I cannot help but think you are corrupt!
E.

Reply to E. Feb 23rd, 2012:

E,
Your question was forwarded a week ago to get the answer for you. The person finding that info has yet to give us the answer but that doesn't mean you or I will not be receiving it soon. Thank you for following up.
Cam

Response from E. Feb 23rd, 2012

It has now been almost a week since I asked how much the Consulting firm was paid and why you chose them and no one has answered me (except for being referred to a 4 year old document with only an estimated budget). All the people in my office think you never intend to answer and they tell me to give up but I won't... 
E.

Reply to E. Feb 16th, 2012

E,
I was trying to help you. As I've told you before I was not on council when these decisions were made. The final decision to implement the transit routes was in July of 2010. 5 months before I was sworn in as a councillor. Lastly, I'm always available to anyone who wishes to have a meaningful and respectful conversation about any issue. I have repeatedly answered your emails. I have sent your emails to the correct staff members for responses and I have asked for your phone number so that I could talk to you over the phone to understand your issues (yet you refused to give it to me). My email to you was in no way meant to sidestep giving you your answers. I'll look forward to Michael's response just as you will be E.
Cam Guthrie

Reply Email from E. Feb 16th, 2012:

Mr. Guthrie,
How exactly does this answer my questions?  The one link is a document from 2008 with an estimated budget.  The other is to the Consultant Group's own website!  I don't want to know what you thought you'd pay them 4 years ago and what the company thinks of itself!  I want to know what you actually payed them and why the Mayor and councillors chose them!
Also - I had already been to the Dillon cunsulting website where, to my dismay, they are actually boasting that they made a city's wishes come true and that the guy who did this is like Santa Claus! I don't think you read my email completely because your comment about Mr. Anders does not make sense or answer my concerns.  The point was I know he is the transit manager so why would he be told to answer the financial questions that I had asked instead of the Mayor and councillors!
E.

Response sent Feb 15th, 2012:

E,
Mr. Anders, whom you've already been in contact with about transit issues many times, is our manager of transit. Its amazing what info you can find on our city website E. You can search our website www.guelph.ca by entering keywords such as "Dillon" and come up with links that answer your questions immediately. Google also works well to tell you all about the consultant Dillon whom the city contracted to help with the new transit routes. I took about 45 seconds and found these links below which give you the info you want.
Thank you and take care.
Cam Guthrie

http://guelph.ca/uploads/tenders/09-062/committe%20report_july%2016th.pdf

http://www.dillon.ca/html/cor_loc_ott.html

Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 3:01 PM
To: Mayors Office; Cam Guthrie
Subject: RE: Dillon Consulting
I would like to know how much the city paid Dillon Consulting to come up with this new transit nightmare.  I would also like to know what experience this firm had with transit systems and on what recommendation/ reasoning they were chosen.

E.