By STEPHANIE FARLEY

sfarley@gctelegram.com

Garden City Commissioners Tuesday will consider requests from the public to expand the hours of the City Link public transit system to help more riders get to and from work and school using the service.

According to Public Works Director Sam Curran, the expansion would change the bus service's current operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The transit system currently is funded through a grant that provides 50 percent federal and 20 percent state funding, and requires a 30 percent local match from the city.

The commission will look at two options, including not changing the current system and maintaining funding of the four bus, four route system, taking the 2008 budget for City Link from a city share of $80,100 to $143,100 and requesting $161,650 in the 2009 budget. This year's increase covers taking the system from three to four buses and increased fuel and staff costs. The 2009 budget request covers operating costs and the replacement for a used bus purchased from Reno County to allow for four routes operating each hour.

The second option is to expand the hours, taking the 2008 budget up to $176,550, and then requesting $223,000 -- which also includes a bus replacement -- in the 2009 budget.

Tuesday's planned discussion comes after Finney County Transit Director Bonnie Burgardt submitted a request to the Kansas Department of Transportation, which acts as a funnel for the transit service's funding, to support expanding the operating hours and funding. KDOT agreed, which leaves commissioners to consider whether to increase the city's share.

When the service went to four buses and four routes operating every hour, Burgardt said the blue route -- which ran every other hour when the service had three buses -- has grown to have the most ridership. It's proven it needed to run every hour, she said, "but at a cost. It's all at a cost."

City staff, Burgardt and the drivers have had requests from the public to extend the hours. Burgardt said the community's expressed its want, it's now up to the commission to decide whether to increase funding to meet that want.

Burgardt said most public transportation systems, if not all, are heavily subsidized because they're not money-makers. But some of the trade-off is in less wear and tear and congestion on city streets, she said.

Since the city service started in September 2007, it's grown from 382 riders to 1,662 for the month of April.

In other business, the commission will:

n consider a request by Thomas Boyd with Comfort Inn for the city to reimburse the hotel for improvements made to its sewage system. According to Interim City Manager Matt Allen, the request follows a year of discussion regarding issues experienced as a result of what their insurance provider characterized as "poor workmanship."

Allen states in a report the hotel owners came to the city after finding no relief from their contractor and minimal relief from the insurance provider.

Allen said staff doesn't feel the city's exposed to liability based on the responsibilities and actions of the building code inspectors, but "we do recognize this business' importance to the community and expressed a willingness to try and help them where possible."

n is set to meet in executive session to discuss negotiations with Allen, who received a conditional offer from the city for the position of city manager on May 6.