Wisconsin State Journal :: LOCAL :: B1
Thursday, August 24, 2006
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Charles Kamp, who's run the Appleton area's transit system for 15 years, will be Madison Metro's next general manager. Mayor Dave Cieslewicz selected Kamp over another finalist, Mark Fuhrmann, deputy transit manager for Metro Transit of the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thirteen candidates sought the position in a national search. "Chuck comes to Madison with a great deal of experience and has a vision for building on Metro's growth," Cieslewicz said in a statement. "As our community continues to grow, we need a robust, affordable, innovative transit system. Chuck will help us build that system." Kamp, general manager of the Valley Transit System in the Appleton and Fox Cities region since 1991, previously held various management positions in the Washington Metro Transit Authority in the nation's capitol. Leading Metro Transit, which has a ridership about 10 times Valley Transit's and a budget of $44 million, about six times the size of the system he's leaving, is attractive for many reasons, Kamp said. Metro has a strong reputation, compares favorably with peers and has opportunities for regional growth, he said. And the city is exploring streetcars and commuter rail transit. "I find it enticing to jump into that and be part of that," he said. Meanwhile, it's a good time for a change for his family -- he has a wife and three children, including a daughter attending UW-Madison, he said. Cieslewicz said he hopes Kamp's experience in building a regional system in the Fox Cities will help guide Madison's push toward a regional system. If the City Council approves, Kamp will succeed Metro General Manager Catherine Debo, who will leave her post next month. Debo, who took leadership of the bus system in 2001, had a five-year contract that expired in April. Cieslewicz didn't give her a standard six-month notice that it would be renewed, so she and the mayor agreed to extend the contract through September. Debo has said she is stepping down by her own initiative, and the mayor's office has not disagreed. "The mayor appreciates what she's done to grow Metro," Cieslewicz spokesman George Twigg said. Under Debo, Metro ridership increased every year to 11.5 million fixed route riders in 2005. Ridership also increased 6.9 percent for the first six months of 2006, compared to the same period last year. The system had also extended to neighboring communities, such as Verona. But Metro was also plagued with financial challenges, much of it driven by the rising cost of fuel, and has had to increase fares and trim some service. Cost increases have hit most transit systems in the United States, Kamp said, noting that Valley Transit had increased fares up to 33 percent in the last two years. Kamp, who will be paid $100,000 annually, said he intends to learn more about Metro and listen to the community before making recommendations on how to guide the system into the future. He's expected to begin work on Oct. 16. "I am humbled to be offered the job," he said. Back to Articles |