A recommendation to launch a $150,000 study into the feasibility of converting the transit system to "non-petroleum power sources" has raised the ire of Coun. Harold Piercy.

"We're doing this ass-backwards," Coun. Piercy (Ind.—Henderson) said Tuesday. "We have to go foreward with electrification. This city has a propensity for studying things to death and getting little work done."

The board of commissioners has recommended the city ask the provincial and federal government, to pay two-thirds of the six-month study under the Manitoba-Canada agreement.

An administration report says the study would identify the city's future transportation requirements and assess the role of public transit in meeting the demand.

The comprehensive study also would look at options such as trolley buses and exclusive bus corridors. The outside consultants would be asked to identify possible routes which could be switched to electrification.

The administration report says the transit system uses about 3.4 million gallons of diesel fuel per year and it would be a good time to review the department's "total dependence on petroleum products to power the system."

But the commissioner's recommendation is a far cry from the motion passed by the works committee back in late April.

Coun. Piercy's motion called on the administrators to prepare plans for the construction of a light rail transit (LRT) network and conversion of at least part of the city's bus fleet to electricity.

Coun. Piercy admitted the proposal would cost "tens of millions of dollars" but warned the city could not afford to wait.

The executive policy committee sent the multi-million dollar scheme to the administration for further study — a move that Coun. Piercy said should never have happened.

"This is a political decision and should not have been left in the hands of the administration. I've got a concern that occassionally administrator seem to transcend or usurp the power of elected officials."

The administration report rejects the notion of setting up and action plan for an LRT-based system because it "assumes there is an immediate warrant for the conversion of Winnipeg Transit to hydro electric power.

The report also says LRT hardware is more expensive than other alternatives.

The recommendations will be discussed at the executive policy committee meeting Thursday morning and Coun. Piercy said he is planning to urge the commitee to make a firm committment.