- By Patty Poist
- Around Town
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Ithaca Superintendent of Public Works and City Engineer Bill Gray, who was instrumental in consolidating three transit agencies to make TCAT what it is today, has returned to his old stomping grounds to serve on the TCAT, Inc. Board of Directors.
The TCAT Board at its Aug. 25 meeting accepted the resignation of Ithaca Common Council Member Dan Cogan and unanimously voted to replace him with Gray, who was part of the pre TCAT Operations Committee in the early to mid 1990s. The committee worked toward consolidating three transit systems operated separately by the city, Tompkins County and Cornell University.
“Bill Gray has a long standing record of support for local transportation improvements and his experience in developing complex public projects will bring great strength to the TCAT board in the years ahead,” said TCAT Board Chairman Hank Dullea.
Gray was recommended by Ithaca City Mayor Carol Peterson to fill Cogan’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2012. He said he is very encouraged with all the progress related to alternative transportation that is taking place in Tompkins County.
“I am excited about the diversity that is developing in transportation that certainly includes the long standing TCAT system, but also the community’s work on pedestrian, bicycling, car sharing and ride sharing issues,” Gray said. “In my mind, they revolve around mass transit and all, in such a way, that the private car is outside the loop. I am looking forward to working on developing that system for the community where I work.”
In addition to welcoming Gray, TCAT board members also applauded Cogan, who has served on the board for nearly eight years, for his vision and hard work as chair of the TCAT City Center Project Committee. The project included the rehabilitation of TCAT’s Seneca Street Shelter in 2007 and the late 2009 opening of TCAT’s flagship café style Green Street Station, which is subleased by Ithaca based Gimme Coffee.
Cogan also served as TCAT board chairman in both 2006 and 2009 as well as chairman of its executive, budget and planning committees during his tenure on the board.
TCAT General Manager Joe Turcotte, left, and new TCAT Board Member Bill Gray check out a TCAT diesel bus, which features equipment adhering to higher emissions standards put into place by the federal government in 2010.“Dan Cogan provided extraordinary leadership throughout his eight years of service on the TCAT Board of Directors,” Dullea said. “His professional engineering expertise combined with his deep commitment to community service has been a significant factor in TCAT’s growth and quality.”
TCAT Board Member and Tompkins County Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera praised Cogan for his “clarity of thought” and for being a “heavy lifter” while serving on the TCAT board. She said that Cogan, whose chief mode of transportation is his bicycle, sets an example in the community in promoting the use of sustainable transportation alternatives.
Cogan, who is not seeking re election on the Common Council after this year, said he now plans to focus his energies on his demanding profession as a senior engineer for Ithaca based Taitem Engineering as well as on spending more time with his family. He said working with TCAT was a highlight of his many years in public service.
“I look back over the last eight years on what was accomplished and I am stunned,” Cogan told the TCAT board, noting that TCAT continues to break records in ridership and was named the 2011 Outstanding Public Transportation System of its size in North America by the American Public Transportation Association. “I will miss this group.”
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