The last Board of Directors meeting in 2011 for OATS, Inc. took place on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 in Columbia, Missouri. The progress made in 2011 will certainly lead to greater stability for OATS and continued transportation assistance for the passengers OATS serves. Among the year’s many highlights were OATS’ 40th Anniversary Celebration, the ribbon cutting ceremony at the new Northwest Regional facility in St. Joseph, the beginning of construction on a new Northeast Regional facility in Macon (anticipated completion date of June 2012) and the approval of $15,000 in state tax credits OATS received under the Neighborhood Assistance Program.
A review of the annual statistical and operating reports showed that during Fiscal Year 2011, OATS drivers provided over 1.6 million one-way trips to over 36,600 Missourians. Riders received transportation assistance to help meet their basic needs such as medical, grocery, business and employment. The OATS buses traveled nearly 15,500,00 miles to provide service in the 87 counties that OATS serves. In addition, OATS volunteers gave over 47,000 hours of their time with a value of $727,600.
Safety and staff longevity were other milestones noted. Three hundred and ninety-three (393) drivers received Safe Driver Awards during the year for a cumulative total of 2,738 years of safe driving. Dan Asewe of OATS’ East Region and Steve Bush of OATS’ Midwest Region passed the national Certified Community Transit Manager exam, bringing the total number of OATS CCTMs to fourteen. Linda Yaeger, Executive Director of OATS, was awarded the Missouri State Leadership Award by the Federal Transit Administration for her leadership at both the state and national level, bringing with her 33 years of front-line transit operations experience. A total of 14 employees celebrated 35-, 30-, 25-, 20- and 15-year anniversaries driving and working for OATS. Rebecca Coffman of Holliday, Missouri was welcomed and sworn into the Board, while this year marked Susanne Walden’s last meeting with OATS. Walden will be retiring from the Board when her term expires December 31, 2011. The Board presented her with a quilt – embroidered with her years of service – her picture attached. She has been on the Board since 2000.
Lynn Graves of Graves & Associates, CPAs, LLC, Jefferson City, presented the Audit Report for Fiscal Year 2011 (the year ending 6/30/11) and confirmed the organization is financially sound.
The following were elected to officer positions on the 2012 OATS Board of Directors: President Nolan McNeill of Cassville, Vice President Mel Sundermeyer of Holts Summit, Treasurer Betty Smith of Clark and Secretary Don Reed of Salisbury. The following were reelected to serve a 4-year term: John Griesheimber, Mel Sundermeyer, NoraBelle Bottom, Nolan McNeill and Dottie Littlejohn. Edna Foster of Trenton was elected to the board, and she will be sworn in at the January 24 meeting. All of these terms begin January 1, 2012 and run through December 31, 2015.
All board meetings are held at OATS’ Home Office in Columbia and are open to the public. The 2012 board meeting schedule is: January 24, March 27, May 29, July 24, September 25 and November 27.
Founded in 1971 for the purpose of providing transportation to those with transportation disadvantages, OATS has continued to be a leader in the transit community and has grown to be one of the largest systems of its kind throughout the nation. Check OATS’ website at www.oatstransit.org for additional information about OATS and the services it provides to rural Missouri.