Dear CATC Members:
As you know from my earlier communication about Bruce Byron’s decision to leave CATC, the future of CATC was to be discussed at our regular monthly board meeting on June 18. The Board met Thursday, and after discussing the various options and possibilities, voted to dissolve the organization, effective June 30th.
We do this with pride in eleven years of solid accomplishments, which began with redeeming Austin in the eyes of the Texas Transportation Commission, the creation of the Central Texas Turnpike Project, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the subsequent completion of 125 miles of tollway. We conclude our successes with the recent approval by CAMPO of $1.4 million for the HERO emergency roadside assistance program on IH-35.
We do this with regret since there is still much to accomplish for Central Texas mobility. The move was prompted by two major factors. Much of the CATC role has been adopted by organizations that it has supported or helped to create: CTRMA and Take on Traffic. Additionally, the current recession has placed severe economic pressures on all of our members that make us look closely at funding yet another organization when the Chamber, RECA and HBA are also strong advocates of transportation.
Since we members pay dues at different times throughout the year, there may be some who feel that they aren’t getting a full year’s benefit. Please know that it was your dues, especially those paid in the last six months, which enabled CATC to survive long enough to accomplish the HERO funding. You can take pride in that fact. Regrettably, we are unable to offer any refund, as all funds have been exhausted. We want to especially acknowledge the sacrifice of our staff, Bruce and Loree Elton, who have worked for over a year at significantly reduced wages while attempting to continue CATC’s work and advocacy for better mobility. Bruce’s farewell letter to members is attached.
Lastly, there was wide-spread enthusiasm among Board members to see that CATC’s legacy of cost-effective mobility is perpetuated by other groups. To that end, we encourage your participation in those organizations that remain engaged on mobility issues. As we have something to share in that regard, we will pass it along – the CATC website and communications network will remain operational until the end of the year.
In closing, I would like to thank all of you for your support of what has been, and will be through the HERO program, a major contribution to our community’s well-being. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to relay them to me, Bruce Byron or any of our Board members. -
W. Edward Berger
2009 CATC Chair