PORT ANGELES — The Clallam Transit board has renewed a three-year contract with second-year General Manager Wendy Clark-Getzin.
Clark-Getzin was hired in May 2013 to replace retired Clallam Transit General Manager Terry Weed.
She earned $98,000 in her first year and will make $100,450 after receiving a 2.5 percent cost-of-living raise that all Clallam Transit employees drew this year.
The new contract was approved unanimously by eight Clallam Transit board members Monday.
“For the public, especially, we’re very fortunate to have Wendy Clark-Getzin as the general manager of Clallam Transit,” said Mike Chapman, a transit board member and Clallam County commissioner.
“She’s done a fantastic job.”
Clark-Getzin, 49, last worked as capital development director for Kitsap Transit in Bremerton.
Changes to service
Chapman said she has brought some “nice changes” to the Clallam Transit public bus system since becoming its general manager July 1, 2013, particularly on the fiscal side of the organization.
“Though the county has an extra three-tenths of 1 percent sales tax available for Transit, because of the work of Wendy, not only have we not asked, there’s still no discussion of asking for a new sales tax,” Chapman said in Tuesday’s county commissioners meeting.
The Clallam Transit board also agreed Monday to restore bus service on the day after Thanksgiving. That service was cut in 2010 because of the recession.
“There were a couple years there when we were dipping into our reserves,” Chapman said.
Under Clark-Getzin’s leadership, the agency is about $235,000 in the black this year.
“And that’s not through new revenue,” Chapman said.
“That’s through cost-cutting measures. So she’s really found some efficiencies.”
Clallam Transit has seen a 3.9 percent spike in sales tax returns this year and increased its ridership in Sequim by rerouting the No. 40 Sequim Shuttle.
“We are doing really well kind of keeping our heads down low and working hard to provide reliable service,” Clark-Getzin said in a Wednesday interview.
Clallam Transit will continue to look for efficiencies to improve ridership, Clark-Getzin said, particularly with West End fixed routes and countywide paratransit service.
The agency has reduced its overhead with an all-time-low accident count and reduced workers’ compensation claims, she added.
“I feel like I’ve gotten to know all the employees, and of course the staff that supports the administration,” Clark-Getzin said.
Pilot program
Last month, Clallam Transit began a pilot program to sell monthly bus passes and day tickets at The Gateway transit center in downtown Port Angeles on the last three weekdays of the month and first three weekdays of the month.
The program will resume Aug. 27 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Clallam Transit has about 90 employees, a $10.8 million total spending authority and $7.8 million in projected revenue for 2014.
Its governing board is composed of Clallam County commissioners; Port Angeles, Sequim and Forks city council members; and a non-voting representative from Amalgamated Transit Union Local 587.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
