MI: BATA executive director resigns

Kelly Dunham is resigning as executive director of the Bay Area Transportation Authority after 15 years of service. She will remain in place for the next 60 days to help during the transition to a new BATA leader.

Dunham made the announcement Oct. 31, in a hand-signed letter to members of the BATA board.

"My work at BATA over the last 15 years has been the most rewarding experience of my career but it's time for me to start a new journey and BATA is ready," she wrote.

"When I joined BATA it was in dire straits," said the 47-year-old. "Tasked with turning the ship around, we were hours from bankruptcy, had terrible staff morale, failed millages and more. Today, the team is strong from the frontline to the leadership."

On the financial front, Dunham said BATA is now "financially stable with healthy operating and cash reserves, ready to face whatever may come."

Dunham started her work with BATA in 2009 as human resources manager. She became director of HR and operations in 2012, and then executive director in January 2016.

Challenge and Achievement

Dunham faced many challenges during her long tenure at the bus authority.

Operating buses during the COVID-19 pandemic was one such challenge, as was the ongoing legal battle between BATA and the Grand Traverse County Commission regarding BATA board representation.

Despite those impediments, Dunham and her staff continued work on major initiatives, BATA board members said, including spearheading the construction of the new BATA headquarters at the corner of Hammond and LaFranier Roads, a project seven years in the making.

The new 87,000-square-foot facility, which formally opened on Oct. 3, is one of the largest public buildings in Grand Traverse County. In addition to offices and dispatch operations, the building has dedicated areas for vehicle repairs, overnight storage, staff training and vehicle cleaning.

Ajay Garg of the Federal Transit Administration called the project "a key showcase project that will serve this community for generations to come."

"Public transportation is the great equalizer, whether we're going to work, visiting family, going to a medical appointment," he said. "When that door to the bus is opened and we step on board, we're all equal."

Funding for the new headquarters came from a combination of federal and state transportation grants, plus $5.4 million in BATA capital funds and $2 million from the sale of the BATA facility on Cass Road.

Innovation and environment

Under Dunham's leadership, BATA expanded into new modes of transportation, including the on-demand LINK service and expanded routes in both Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, as well as the region's first fare-free, high-frequency route called the "Bayline."

On the environmental front, BATA embraced alternative energy technologies such as propane-powered buses and electric vehicles.

Last month, BATA received $796,000 grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission to install 650 solar panels atop its new headquarters building. Once completed, the solar system is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 260 tons and sulfur emissions by one ton, while also saving BATA about $63,000 per year in electricity costs.

In collaboration with community partners like the Traverse City Housing Commission, Dunham and her staff helped craft plans for new affordable housing units on LaFranier Road that will integrate public transportation and childcare support services.

In June, Dunham received the inaugural "Community Builder Award" from Cunningham-Limp, a construction management firm based in Novi, Michigan, with additional offices in Traverse City. She was selected from a list of 17 finalists.

"She has had a transformational impact on the Grand Traverse region," the award committee said in a press statement. "To help bring the vision to life, Dunham has secured state and federal grants totaling over $23 million and forged meaningful partnerships with community organizations to ensure transportation is accessible for all area residents."

Going Forward

Dunham said her resignation was not prompted by any single issue or challenge.

"Transitioning from BATA is the result of completing everything I set out to do for the organization, with the most recent effort being the completion of the new headquarters facility," she said on Tuesday afternoon.

"This new facility provides BATA the capacity to continue to support the growth of transit necessary to support the growth of our region," Dunham said. "The culmination of this project, coupled with all of the other successful efforts I've led at BATA over the years, provides a natural transition point for me and BATA alike."

In her resignation letter, she said, "I've enjoyed working alongside some really dedicated board members whom I've learned so much from. It is with immense gratitude and respect that I bid farewell."

BATA's board will discuss its search for a new executive director, as well as the overall transition process, at its next meeting, officials said. During the transition period, Dunham she plans to make recommendations for an interim director and executive search firm.

After leaving BATA in late December, Dunham will join the executive leadership team at 4Front Credit Union "where I'll be able to use many of the skills that I've applied to BATA's success over the years in my new capacity as their chief culture officer," she said.

Founded in 1986, BATA provided 367,000 customer rides in Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties last year, according to the agency's 2023 annual report. About 75% of those riders reside in Grand Traverse County. Services fall into three main categories: fixed bus routes in populated area, fixed bus routes to villages and the LINK on-demand service that operates similar to Uber or Lyft.

The next meeting of the BATA board of directors is scheduled for 1 p.m. Dec. 12 at BATA's Hall Street Transfer Station, 115 Hall St., in downtown Traverse City.

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