SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The city of South Lake Tahoe is taking its first step towards addressing transit issues after the council gave staff feedback on contracting with a consultant during their Tuesday meeting.

The city will be soliciting bids for a consultant with expertise in operational transit and mobility planning, long-range planning, and evolving mobility technologies. The consultant will be assessing Tahoe Transportation District’s current service and service gaps, identify a scope of service to meet the city’s transportation needs and assess the feasibility of the city assuming an in-house transit service.

Along with assessments, the consultant will also be conducting focus groups with local stakeholders and workshops with the council.

Councilmember Cody Bass, who is on the TTD board, was excited about a localized plan.

Since TTD represents the whole basin and the board members represent a wide-range of constituents, the needs of South Lake Tahoe aren’t always addressed within TTD plans.

Both Mayor Pro Tem Devin Middlebrook and Councilmember John Fredrich asked for the consultant to pursue a 0% emissions transit fleet which would align with the city’s 100% renewable goals.

The city will begin soliciting bids in October and will review submissions in November and December. The project will likely begin in January to February. The fiscal year 2021-22 budget contains $50,000 in appropriations from the non-departmental account for the transit analysis.

During the Tuesday night meeting, council also approved an urgency ordinance to temporary waive penalties and interests for late transient occupancy tax payments and business and professions Tax payments. This is to give businesses relief after many had to temporarily close because of the Caldor Fire. The ordinance will be in place until Oct. 15 or whenever the local state of emergency has ended, whichever comes later.

City staff will now have Juneteenth as a paid holiday, after council approved a resolution.

The city will also be going out to bid again on the Viking Way to South Y bicycle trail, after rejecting Sierra Nevada Construction’s bid for coming in significantly over budget.

The selection of the winter program concessionaire was postponed until the next meeting.

During the public comment period, many members of the program urged for more climate based decisions and a more comprehensive climate action plan.

City Manager Joe Irvin announced that the city will be hiring a Sustainability Manager who will help with climate goals.

The next meeting will be held at 9 a.m on Tuesday, Oct. 19.