Office and district sought: RTD District J
Name: Bill Christopher
Party affiliation: Democrat
Website: www.rtd-district-j.blogspot.com
E-mail: Wchris44592aol.com
Age: 64
Last degree earned: Masters degree in public administration, University of Kansas
Occupation: 36-year career in city management. Now retired.
Hobbies: Watching professional baseball, time with grandchildren, camping and golf.
Family: Married 38 years to wife, Ann; two married daughters, Nicole Meadows (Scott); Heather Austin (Brian); three grandchildren, Ian and Derek Meadows and Sydney Austin.
How long have you lived in Colorado? Where did you live before? Lived in Westminster for 38 years. Prior to that, lived in Pittsburg, Kan.
Last book read: “Night Fall,” by Nelson Demille.
Civic Involvement: Westminster Rotary Club; Westminster Presbyterian Church; Adams County Housing Authority; Adams County Economic Development and Brothers Redevelopment, Inc.
Major endorsements: None to date.
Why are you running? I am seeking re-election to continue improvement of bus services, the policy guidance of FasTracks and accelerate rail service to the NW metro area.
What are the top three challenges facing Colorado or the institution you seek to represent:
1. Unexpected spiraling construction costs on the FasTracks plan, which must be mitigated to protect the integrity and implementation of the whole plan.
2. Funding the 14 percent per year average increase in demand for service of the Access-a-Ride program serving seniors and handicapped riders, which is a federally unfunded mandate, without cutting fixed bus route services.
3. Assuring bus riders that the service they receive from RTD will remain dependable and of high quality as more attention and resources are devoted to the remaining 10-year buildout of FasTracks.
What do you think your role will be in completing RTD’s $4.7 billion FasTracks transit expansion on time and within the budget? To make prudent, fiscally sound policy related decisions on implementation of each corridor without compromising the quality of the appearance, functionality or construction.
What other goals do you have for RTD?
1. I will pursue the concept of partial privatization of RTD rail service as more rail service is added to the system to reduce costs and avoid our ridership being compromised should a future strike take place.
2. Increased use of alternative fueled buses to address the huge cost of diesel fuel and to be a “clean air” partner.
3. Simplification of RTD’s fare structure, transfers and passes to make it easier for our ridership to understand and use.
