FREEPORT – Organizational work remains to be done, but the Freeport Town Council has given its blessing – and possibly up to $90,000 – to a three-year trial of Portland Metro bus service to and from Portland, with stops in Yarmouth and Falmouth in between.

The tentative launch for the service is July or August of next year.

The Town Council chambers were nearly full on Sept. 16, many of the spectators wearing little round buttons with the words, “Yes on Metro bus Freeport.” The council went along with them, voting 6-0, with one abstention, for the trial run, which will cost the town between $80,000-$90,000 total for those first three years.

Abbe Yacoben, Freeport’s finance director, said Monday that the money would not be needed until after July 1, so it would not come out of this year’s municipal budget. She was not sure if the money would come from the general fund, special revenues or a combination of the two.

Portland Metro plans to provide 10 southbound and 10 northbound trips per day to and from Freeport, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday through Friday, with Saturdays a possibility. Destinations are downtowns in Freeport, Yarmouth, Falmouth and Portland.

Sebastian Meade, an artist who teaches at the Maine Arts Workshop in town, was one of several residents who urged the council to approve the trial bus run.

“It’s needed,” Meade said. “I’ve talked to many people in town, and only two have opposed it.

Businesses have talked about it. Freeport people are going to benefit from this, and businesses are going to benefit.”

Councilor Andy Wellen, who abstained, said last Wednesday that he did so because he wanted more information on the economic viability of the proposal. Wellen also wanted to know if Freeport businesses might be willing to contribute toward the cost, and suggested tabling the matter.

Greg Jordan, general manager of Portland Metro, said he estimated that six to eight people would board the bus per trip. The coaches will provide 20 or more seats, he said, and a flat fee of $3 is proposed.

Jordan said that Portland Metro wants to scheduled its trips to integrate, not duplicate, the Amtrak Downeaster, a passenger rail service that has a terminal in downtown Freeport. Portland Metro plans to provide a direct link to rail and interstate bus trips, beginning and ending at the Portland Transportation Center.

Portland Metro altered its plan, offering more stops to Yarmouth and Freeport, after the Cumberland Town Council voted against the bus service last month. The Yarmouth council in July had gone along with the three-year trial run, while Freeport councilors voted in early August to table the proposal. Freeport and Yarmouth will work with Portland Metro on scheduling, stops and other organizational matters early next spring.

Roy Driver, retired from a career with the Veterans Administration, also urged the council to support the Portland Metro offer. Driver said the accessibility to services is important to veterans, and that the bus service will help.

Karen Minott, owner of Casco Bay Fibers, at 15 Main St., just outside the main village shopping area, wrote a letter of support.

“I like the idea of the Metro because it will give so many other people the chance to visit Freeport, not just for my business, but for all of the businesses,” Minott wrote. “I feel that in this time many people are aware of their carbon footprint and choose to perhaps have one car and use public transportation as a means to get around.”

Sande Updegraph, executive director of the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce, said last Thursday that the chamber took no official on the Metro proposal.

“But I have spoken with several members who believe that the service (with the schedule complementing Amtrak) will greatly assist with current employee transportation and open the Portland area to new employee recruitment,” Updegraph said. “I personally feel that support of public transportation is vital to our future. So many people have concerns regarding transportation – don’t have cars, cars are too expensive, cannot drive – that is really critical for all of us to support a system that will work for the entire community. I feel, like Melanie Sachs (a town councilor and executive director of Freeport Community Services) that transportation issues have a very broad reach and can affect many more people for so many reasons. Because it is a pilot program with benchmarks, I support the program.”

Mike Doyle of Falmouth provided a voice of opposition to the council. Doyle, who took credit for persuading the Cumberland council to vote against the bus service, said it’s a waste of money. Most of the people who get on the bus do so in Portland, he said.

Doyle told the council he was on the Metro bus for 11?2 hours once, and saw one other customer.

“This is what the experience will be in Freeport if it’s anything like Falmouth,” Doyle said. “Few people get on in Falmouth.”

Doyle also predicted a rise in “shoplifting and crime” if Portland Metro comes to Freeport.

Councilors did question Jordan regarding the expected passenger rate, to ensure the Freeport will get the most out of its investment. Jordan said the projected annual cost following the trial period would be reduced from $80,000 to $50,000-$60,000.

Jordan said that Portland Metro will “recalibrate” should it not meet the goal of six to eight boardings per trip in the first year of service.

“We want to make sure that our productivity per trip is what it needs to be,” he said.

Portland Metro will begin seeking grant applications to help fund the bus runs. The organization will seek more public input this fall to finalize its plans, then begin purchasing the coaches in November.

The town will vote on becoming an official member of Metro following the third year.

Roy and Deb Driver showed up in support of Portland Metro bus service to Freeport during the Sept. 16 meeting of the Town Council at the Town Hall.  

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