[00:00:01]
AND WELCOME TO THE JUNE MEETING OF THE CAP.
I'LL APOLOGIZE FOR OUR LATE START.
WE NEED SOME BUS DRIVERS IN HERE TO COUNSEL US AT ON-TIME PERFORMANCE.
UH, OUR TIME IS 1218, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER
[I. Public Comment]
OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM.I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO, UH, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE ELECTED TO JOIN US VIA TELEPHONE.
SO, UM, ADD, UH, WILL, UH, HELP US HERE WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AS USUAL.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER, I THINK IS CHRISTOPH DREWNIAK IF I PRONOUNCED THAT CORRECTLY.
JUST HOLD ON BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PRETTY BIG, I GO, OKAY, LET ME, UH, I GUESS ISN'T GOING TO DO MY, THAT WOMEN AT ONE TIME STARTS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN AND THE BOARD I'M CALLING I'M CALLING BECAUSE I HAVE A SUGGESTION FOR HOW TO IMPROVE THE USABILITY AND THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE BUS SERVICE AND IT'S THAT WE USE THOSE LED PANELS THAT ARE AT THE FRONT OF THE BUS CABIN AND THE ONES THAT AT THIS POINT REALLY ONLY JUST SAY STOP REQUESTED WHEN SOMEONE PULLED THE CORD AND TO HAVE THOSE DISPLAY THE NAME OF THE NEXT STOP, INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING THERE AND NOT DISPLAYING ANYTHING SINCE, UH, ANNOUNCING DIFFERENT STOP POSES, LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTIES, AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY WORTH IT, BUT WE CAN AT LEAST HAVE THE PANELS OF THE FRONT OF THE BUS.
SO STOP NAMES ISN'T WILL BE HELPFUL.
BOTH FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NEW TO TOWN OR TRYING TO GET SOMEONE IN THERE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET OFF, ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN'T QUITE TELL FROM THE LANDMARKS, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEIR STOP IS AND ALSO CAN SERVE USEFUL ACCESSIBILITY PURPOSES.
CAUSE YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SO MUCH, WES, YOU STOP IT AFTER KIND OF RELY ON MAYBE ASKING THE BUS DRIVER TO STOP THERE OR LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE STOP ACTUALLY HE HAS.
AND FUNDAMENTALLY THAT'S JUST, MY SUGGESTION IS HAVE THE DISPLAYS OF THE FRONT OF THE BUS SHOW.
WHAT THE NEXT STOP IS WHENEVER THEY'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
AND I JUST FIGURED I'D SUGGEST THAT HERE, SINCE THIS IS THE BOARD AND THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TIME.
IF NOT, THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND ENERGY TO, UH, UH, BE IN TOUCH WITH US ON THAT AT OUR NEXT, UH, UH, THAT'S THAT'S ALL THE TIME I NEED.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. ZENOBIA JOSEPH ED.
THANK YOU MR. EASTON AND MEMBERS, UM, AS AN OPIATE JOSEPH, MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE ORANGE LINE EXTENSION NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER TO TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE, BUT PRIMARILY NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER HISTORY MATTERS.
AND I JUST WANT TO CALL IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THE APRIL 5TH, 2017, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION.
OH OUR 2 0 1 7 DASH 0 7 1 66 WITH SPECIFIED IN PART THE CAPITOL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
THE AUTHORITY RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER REDEVELOPMENT PLANS DURING A SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD, THAT DOCUMENTS MAINTAINED BY THREE NAMED INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO THE DISMANTLING OF THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AND RELOCATING OF EIGHT BUSES DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO SPECIFIED EXCEL UPDATE AND SPECIFIED DOCUMENTS CONTAINING THE DATE AND NAME OF STAFF WHO POSTED THE LOOP.
I JUST CALLED THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION SO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTUALLY REQUIRED COMPELLED CAPITOL METRO TO RELEASE THAT INFORMATION TO ME, EXCEPT FOR THE ATTORNEY OPINION, PART OF IT, IT SAYS YOU STATE, YOU WILL RELEASE SOME INFORMATION.
YOU CLAIM THE SUBMITTED INFORMATION IS ACCEPTED FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER SECTION 5, 5, 2 0.111.
HOWEVER THEY RULED AGAINST, UH, CARRIE BUTCHER AT THE TIME.
MY POINT IN TELLING YOU THAT MR. CHAIR IS BECAUSE THE DECEMBER 14TH, 2020
[00:05:02]
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLAN SPECIFIES ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND ON PAGE 38 OF YOUR BOARD PACKET, IT SPECIFIES THAT NORTH MAR IS THE BEGINNING AND END OF PROJECT CONNECT.I WANT YOU TO RECALL THAT ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2018, THE PROJECT CONNECT LONG RANGE PLAN ACTUALLY EXCLUDED NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
IT CUT THE WORDS OFF BECAUSE YOU DO NOT OWN THE RIGHT OF WAY NORTH OF US, 180 3 ON LOOP 2 75 NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD.
I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AS WELL AS YOU ARE AWARE, HOUSE BILL 3 8, 9, 3, DIED ON INTENT CALENDAR DURING THE 87TH LEGISLATURE.
AND I THINK THE REPUBLICAN SENATORS FOR UNDERSTANDING MY EXPLANATION OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, JUST AS YOU NEED IT, THE STATE'S APPROVAL TO BUILD THE TUNNEL DOWNTOWN.
YOU NEED THE STATE'S APPROVAL IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS WELL TO DO ANYTHING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY THERE, THEREFORE IT IS DISINGENUOUS AND IT GOES AGAINST YOUR CODE OF ETHICS AND THE OATH OF OFFICE THAT EACH OF YOU TOOK AS IT RELATES TO HONESTY AND INTEGRITY AND COMPLYING WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT THOSE SLIDES WERE PRESENTED APRIL 15TH, 2021 TO THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE, AND I'VE SUBSEQUENTLY TESTIFIED AGAINST THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PLAN AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
LASTLY, I'LL JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE SYSTEM IS AN EQUITABLE AND BACK ON NOVEMBER 16TH, 2016, WHEN LINDA ANTHONY, THE WESTLAKE HILLS MAYOR TESTIFIED, YOU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT QUOTE.
WE'D BE GLAD TO HAVE THE CITY OF WESTLAKE HILLS JOIN THE CAP METRO.
AND YOU MENTIONED THE TAXES WHEN THE MAYOR TESTIFIED.
SHE ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT, UH, WESTLAKE HILLS WITHDREW FROM CAPITAL METRO IN 1988.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE PROHIBITS CAPITAL METRO FROM PROVIDING SERVICE FOR FREE ON 30 WALSH TARLETON AS TEXAS, UH, TRANSPORTATION COATS, FOUR OR FIVE, 1.609, THE EFFECTIVE WITHDRAWAL.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT MARTHA MARA TRANSIT CENTER ACTUALLY USES MINORITY DATA TO JUSTIFY THE RAIL DOWNTOWN.
IT IS 24 TO 30 YEARS, ACCORDING TO YOUR MARCH 9TH, 2020 BOARD PACKET, PAGE 29.
AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST QUOTE RUBEN BROOKS, WHO SAID ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2018, PARAPHRASE THAT IF YOU DIDN'T INCLUDE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER UP TO THE, HE CALLED IT TECH LINE, HE WASN'T SURE IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PERSUADE THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO FUND THE REST OF THE SYSTEM.
AND THEREFORE I WILL TELL YOU IT IS DISINGENUOUS.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO MAKE THE SYSTEM EQUITABLE AS BLACK STEEL, WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS 10 TIMES LONGER THAN WHITES IN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN, INCLUDING THE SPRINGS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
AND WE'LL COMMENT ON YOUR TITLE SIX ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER FOUR LATER.
[II. Advisory Committee Updates]
UP OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.A LOT OF LIGHT BOARD AND CHAIRMAN COOPER, PRESIDENT CLARK BOARD MEMBERS, YANAS BANKS, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER FOR THE METRO RAPID AND THE GREEN LINE.
UH, WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR UPDATE FOR ACCESS TODAY.
THE ACCESS COMMITTEE TWO WEEKS AGO, UH, THEY HAD A PROJECT CONNECT UPDATE.
THEY WERE GIVEN THE UPDATE, KEVIN CARLIN ON THE BUDGET, OR I GUESS YOU COULD SAY A BUDGET PREVIEW OF WHAT WE'LL BE LOOKING TO DO.
UM, THEY HAD A BRANDING UPDATE, WHICH IS THE PRESENTATION YOU ALL RECEIVED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, AND THEN THEY HAD THEIR OWN WORKING SESSION.
AND WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT A FEW THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS FOR C-SAT, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME MEETING FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, I PUT UP THE WRONG AGENDA, UH, FOR SEASICK.
IT WAS THE MAIN, THE SIMILAR MEETING FOR THE MOST PART, THEY DID GET A VEHICLE UPDATE.
UH, WE ALSO GET THE PROJECT CONNECT, UPDATE A BUDGET UPDATE, AND ONCE AGAIN, A VEHICLE UPDATE STATUS FOR OUR ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET.
AND C-SAT, I AM OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAS ANY, ANY QUESTIONS, BE HONEST, REMEMBER KITCHEN? UM, I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION AND, AND, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHO THE RIGHT PERSON IS TO ASK.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF BOTH OF THOSE COMMITTEES, UM, ARE THERE ANY, ANY VACANCIES ON THEM NOW OR ARE THEY, ARE THEY FULL ACCESS? IS I BELIEVE
[00:10:01]
FULLY STAFF.THERE ARE FOUR CURRENT VACANCIES ON C-SAT WE'RE THREE APPLICATIONS, UM, BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE THOSE VACANCIES.
I KNOW, I BELIEVE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL IS ONE OF THEM.
UM, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER TWO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE HAVE, THANK YOU, SIR.
BOARD MEMBER, MITCHELL AND CHAIR COOPER ARE THE OTHER TWO THAT HAVE, UH, APPLICATIONS BEFORE THEM AND THEN WE'LL HAVE THEM.
I SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO HEAR THE BOARD.
WE'LL HAVE ONE PICKUP SPOT ON, UH, SACK AFTER THOSE THREE OF YOU.
I'LL HANG UP BECAUSE IF PEOPLE WERE RESPONDING TO MY COMMENTS, YOU DIDN'T HEAR THEM.
THANK YOU AT, ARE WE GOOD? GOT IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS FOR JOHN IS VERY GOOD.
[III. Board Committee Updates]
ON TO A BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.UH, MEMBER MITCHELL IS, UH, AS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO JOIN US.
SO WE'LL DEFER ON THE CAMPO UPDATE.
I'M HOPING THAT HE'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN US LATER IN THE MEETING.
UM, DO WE HAVE A OPERATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATE? NO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE UPDATE THAT MEET THIS MONTH? NO, WE DID NOT MEET.
AND REMEMBER STRATTON WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD UPDATE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAD THEIR JUNE MEETING ON THE 16TH OF THIS MONTH.
UH, JUST AS A QUICK REVIEW PROGRAM.
THE EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RAPID LINES HAVE NOW ENTERED THE FTA SMALL GRANT, SMALL STARTS GRANT PROCESS RECEIVING CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION APPROVAL.
AND IF NOW BEEN INCLUDED IN THE, UH, PRESIDENT'S FYI 22 BUDGET, WHICH IS A MAJOR MILESTONE, THE GOLD LINE MACHACA SOUTH LAMAR AND OAK HILL METRO RAPID LINES ARE NOW AT 30%, UH, DESIGN SCOPE, OR THAT IS NOW IN DEVELOPMENT.
AND THE BLUE AND ORANGE LINE LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS ARE AT 15% DRAFT DESIGN PACKAGES ARE NOW COMPLETED AND BOTH LINES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED INTO THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PHASE, UH, OF MTA NEW STARTS.
UH, ADDITIONALLY AT OUR, UM, LAST BOARD MEETING, WE APPROVED OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, MEMBERS FOR OUR ALL THREE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION, FINANCE ADVISORY, AND PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DBE.
UH, FINALLY WE HAVE, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING WE APPROVED THE, UM, THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE, UH, THE TA IT'S A TECHNICAL AGREEMENT THAT WILL, UH, THAT WILL DEFINE THE TRANSFER OF THE PROP, A PROPERTY TAX REVENUES, UH, FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO THE, UH, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR FUNDING MOVING FORWARD.
UH, LASTLY, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UPDATES, THERE'S BEEN CONTINUED ACTIVITY ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FRONT FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
UH, THEY CONTINUE TO DO, UH, A LOT OF ACTIVITIES WITH THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE, AS WELL AS, UH, LET'S TALK STATION ALIGNMENT, VIRTUAL MEETINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HELD, UH, BETWEEN APRIL 26TH AND MAY 21ST, UH, 1,235 DIFFERENT UNIQUE VISITORS PARTICIPATING IN THE SELF-GUIDED VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE ALONG WITH 293 DURING A LIVE MEETING IS, UH, DURING DIFFERENT LIFE MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO, UH, PROGRESS CONTINUES TO MOVE ALONG.
IT'S IT'S JUST TO PAUSE FOR A MINUTE.
IT'S PRETTY AMAZING TO THINK THAT IT WAS JUST ONE YEAR AGO THAT, UH, AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS SAT TOGETHER AND APPROVED THE PLAN FOR A PROJECT CONNECT MAP.
AND LOOK HOW FAR WE'VE COME NOW.
SO THAT IS MY REPORT AT THIS TIME, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I REMEMBER KITCHEN QUICK QUESTION.
I THINK, I THINK YOU SAID THIS, BUT JUST TO VERIFY ON THE, UM, UH, THE NEXT BRT THEM IN CHAKA, THE OAK HILL BRT, THEY'RE BEGINNING THE PROCESS, RIGHT? FOR THE 30% DESIGN.
DID I GET THAT RIGHT? UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE, UM, THE LAST I HEARD WAS THAT THE, UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, FOR THOSE LINES WAS SUPPOSED TO START LATER THIS SUMMER.
YES, IT'S IN DEVELOPMENT THEN DEVELOPMENT.
DO WE HAVE A DATE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO START THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THOSE LINES? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW, OR MAYBE THE UPDATE LATER.
MEMBER STRATTON, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'RE STILL LACKING A QUORUM, SO RATHER THAN TAKE UP ACTION ITEMS, WE'LL MOVE THROUGH OUR
[00:15:01]
DISCUSSION ITEMS. AND BECAUSE, UH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING A QUORUM IN, UH, AFTER TWO O'CLOCK, IF WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF OUR LENGTHY DISCUSSION ITEMS, I MIGHT INTERRUPT THAT TO GET TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. SO A FIRST[V.1. Initial Review and Discussion of FY2022 Budget]
STEP, OUR INITIAL REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE FISCAL YEAR, 2022 BUDGET, UH, MR. CONLIN, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN IN PERSON.IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK IN PERSON CHAIRMAN SO GOOD AFTERNOON.
CHAIR, COOPER, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CLARK.
I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AND TODAY I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET DEVELOPMENT UPDATES.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A HIGH-LEVEL INITIAL DISCUSSION OF THE BUDGET.
ACTUALLY OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022, JUST TO GIVE REFERENCE BEGINS IN OCTOBER OF 2021 IN SPANS THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR.
SO GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, WE STARTED THE PROCESS BACK ON FEBRUARY 4TH, UM, WITH OUR KICKOFF MEETING AND OUR DEPARTMENTS, WE RECEIVED ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTAL REQUESTS FOR CAPITAL AND OPERATING.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL, WE'VE GONE THROUGH EXTENSIVE REVIEW MEETINGS WITH SENIOR MANAGEMENT, CAME BACK TO THE BOARD COMMITTEES AND MADE TO GO OVER THE, THE BUDGET CALENDAR.
UM, WE'VE ACTUALLY THE FIRST AND SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, WE WENT TO SEE SACK AND ACCESS ADVISORY TO GIVE THIS INITIAL REVIEW OF THE BUDGET WITH THOSE COMMITTEES.
WE'RE GOING TO ENGAGE THEM AGAIN IN AUGUST.
UM, WE'RE OF COURSE, HERE TODAY TO GIVE THE INITIAL REVIEW, JULY IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT, UM, MEETING AS WELL.
IF WE DON'T HAVE COMMITTEE, WE'LL PRESENT THE FULL BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD ON JULY 19TH AND AUGUST, WE BEGAN OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND FEEDBACK PROCESS.
LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SACK AND ACCESS ADVISORY IN AUGUST TO GIVE THE BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THOSE TWO SUB COMMITTEES.
WE'RE MEETING WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM LATER ON NEXT WEEK TO DISCUSS IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT VIRTUALLY THROUGH ONLINE MEETINGS OR AT THE BUSY TRANSIT CENTERS AND RAIL STATIONS AS WELL, WE MAY ACTUALLY GO A HYBRID AND DO BOTH METHODS.
WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT ONLINE BY AUGUST 24TH.
WE'LL UPDATE COMMITTEES IN SEPTEMBER, IF NECESSARY ON ANY BUDGET CHANGES.
AND THEN ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE'LL HOLD OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
AND THEN SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING WILL BE IMPORTANT AS WELL AS THE BOARD WILL CONSIDER ADOPTION OF OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL, SIR, DISCUSSION OUTLINED TODAY, WE'LL GO THROUGH OUR KEY BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR OR MAJOR OPERATING REVENUE AND COST DRIVERS, SERVICE PRIORITIES, AND FUNDING.
JUST GIVE A BRIEF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATE, AND THEN JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD AS WELL.
WE DO USE A LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL, WHICH WE'LL PRESENT TO THE BOARD IN OCTOBER AS WELL.
IT'S USED TO BALANCE ALL OF OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET REQUESTS AGAINST OUR ESTIMATED AVAILABLE FUNDS, PRIMARILY OVER A FIVE-YEAR LOOK, BUT WE ALSO DO A 10 AND A 20 YEAR LOOK AS WELL FOR THE, AND SEE, THIS IS A GRAPH OF OUR SALES TAX GROWTH.
THE ENCOURAGING THING IS THAT THE LINE IS ACTUALLY STARTED TO MOVE UP WITH OUR MARCH AND APRIL SALES TAX RECEIPTS.
THIS IS A SIX MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE WE'LL PRESENT NEXT MONTH.
WHAT OUR PROJECTED SALES TAX WILL BE FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR AND THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR IN JULY.
OUR YEAR TO DATE SALES TAX IN APRIL HAVE ACTUALLY INCREASED 5% COMPARED TO THE LAST FISCAL PERIOD IN 2020.
IT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO THE SHARP DECLINE LAST YEAR IN MARCH AND APRIL.
AND THEN HERE'S AN INTERESTING GRAPH.
IF WE TAKE THAT SAME SALES TAX GROWTH AND OVERLAY THE AUSTIN ROUNDROCK MSA FOR JOB GROWTH, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING HOW IT CORRELATES BETWEEN JOB GROWTH AND SALES TAX.
ANOTHER ENCOURAGING THING IS THAT AUSTIN BROWN ROCK MSA ANNUAL GROWTH RATE IN APRIL, WHICH WAS OUR LATEST, UM, DATA POINT, DID IMPROVE 11.8% GOING ON TO OPERATING REVENUE, UM, OR FARE REVENUE.
WE'LL BRING TO THE BOARD NEXT MONTH IN JULY WITH A PROPOSAL THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED WITH OUR UPDATED RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A FAIR INCREASE FOR NEXT YEAR ON THE FAIR SIDE, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS FOR FEDERAL GRANTS, WHERE WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $33.7 MILLION IN OUR FORMULA FUNDS FOR SECTION 53 0 7.
WE DID RECEIVE ACTUALLY BACK IN JANUARY, A CHRISSA FUNDING,
[00:20:01]
UM, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF $66.2 MILLION.THAT'S BEEN AWARDED BUT NOT DRAWN.
AND THEN IN MARCH OF 2021, WE'VE BEEN AWARDED $128.2 MILLION THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AS WELL.
UM, OUR FREIGHT RAILROAD REVENUE, WE'RE ON TARGET WITH OUR, UM, FYI 21 BUDGET.
AND THEN FOR NEXT YEAR, WE DO HAVE IN TAX CODE, OUR SECTION 45 G RAILROAD TAX MAINTENANCE CREDIT OF ABOUT $545,000 AS WELL.
MOVING ON TO OPERATING EXPENSES OR SERVICE LEVELS WILL BE BASED ON THE AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD LATER TODAY.
UM, ANOTHER GOOD, GOOD NEWS IS THAT FUEL PRICES FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET ARE GOING TO REMAIN STABLE OVER THE NEXT YEAR WITH OUR HEDGING PROGRAM IN PLACE.
WE'RE ESTIMATING A DOLLAR 90 PER GALLON, INCLUSIVE OF TAXES, NET OF HEDGING ACTIVITIES FOR THAT MARK.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A 3% AVERAGE ANNUALIZED PAY INCREASE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES TO, UM, NEW POSITION REQUESTS ARE BEING FINALIZED BY SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM JUST TO PREPARE THE BOARD.
UM, THERE WILL BE A LARGE INCREASE IN THE FTE COUNT FOR CAPITAL METRO WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE POSITIVE VOTE IN NOVEMBER, AND OF COURSE, NEW ACTIVITY FOR THE AGENCY AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE WE INCLUDE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WHEN WE CONSIDER OUR BUDGET PREP PREPARATION AS WELL.
SOME OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE UPCOMING FIVE YEARS, OF COURSE, OUR ELECTRIC BUS PURCHASES AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION WILL CONSUME A LARGE PART OF OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.
WE HAVE OUR BROADMORE RAIL DEVELOPMENT.
WE CONTINUE TO ENHANCE OUR BUS STOPS THROUGH SHADING, SOLAR, LIGHTING, SHADE, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE AMENITIES OUT THERE AS WELL.
UM, WHEREVER AT STATE OF GOOD REPAIR FOR BRIDGE TRACK SIGNALS, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ERP SYSTEM REPLACEMENT ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE AND THE AGENCY SIDE, OF COURSE WE HAVE MANY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS GOING ON AT THE MOMENT.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF DEMAND RESPONSE BAND REPLACEMENTS, AND A SMALL FLEET EXPANSION IN THAT AREA AS WELL, MOVING ONTO SOME OF THE PROJECT CONNECT HIGHLIGHTS.
OF COURSE, PROJECT CONNECT WILL BE BUDGETED, UM, ON THE ATP SIDE, BUT WE THOUGHT WE'D GO OVER SOME OF THE PROJECTS IN THE PROGRAM THAT CAPITAL METRO IS, UM, SUPPORTING AS WELL.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IN ALERT IN HER LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR STAFFING AND SUPPORT SERVICES, WHEREVER METRO RAPID LINES AS WELL WITH STATIONS, ELECTRIC CHARGING AND VEHICLES OR METRICS, PRESS PARKING RIDES, OUR NEW PICKUPS ON OPERATIONS, AND THEN OUR RED LINE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE BROADMORE STATION, MCCALLA, MLS, AND THEN THE SIDING BETWEEN LAKELINE AND LANDER, AND THEN THE BEGINNING OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL READINESS AS WELL TO GET PROJECT CONNECTED REVENUE SERVICE GEARING UP.
AND THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, BUT IT'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. CONLON NONE VERY WELL.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SEEING THE NEXT STEPS.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR
[IV.1. Approval of minutes from the April 26, 2021 board meeting and May 12, 2021 public hearing.]
ACTION ITEM AGENDA.UH, FIRST ITEM IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 26 21 BOARD MEETING IN THE MAY 12TH, 2021 PUBLIC HEARING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER POOLS OR A SECOND, SECOND, A SECOND FROM THE VICE CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS HEARING NONE, THEN I'LL ASK FOR A VOTE.
UM, ARE WE DOING THIS ROLL CALL? ARE WE BACK TO NORMAL? VERY WELL ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO ZERO.
[IV.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc for environmental review services pursuant to Section 139(j) of title 23, U.S. Code in an amount not to exceed $1,226,502.]
NEXT ACTION.ITEM NUMBER TWO IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SERVICES PURSUANT TO SECTION 1 39 J OF TITLE 23 OF THE U S CODE AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,226,500, $2 AND SHARMILA G WILL, UH, MAKE THE PRESENTATION WELCOME.
UH, PRESIDENT CLARK AND UM, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, TO THE SUBJECT OF THE RESOLUTION AS CHAIR COOPER MENTIONED, IT'S APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PRESIDENT AND CEO AND HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACT WITH KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW SERVICES PURSUANT TO 1 39 J OF A TOTAL VALUE OF $1,226,502
[00:25:01]
FISCAL IMPACT OF THAT IS INCLUDED IN OUR CAPITAL BUDGET.AND I WANT IF Y 2021 CAPITAL BUDGET AND A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE CONTRACT IS A 1 39 J CONSULTANT WILL BE PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.
AS KEVIN MENTIONED, IT'S A SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH CAPITAL METRO AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT PURSUANT OF THE SAME 1 39 J WHICH HAS SET FORTH UNNECESSARILY FRAMEWORK TO PERMIT FTA TO RECEIVE CONTRACTORS SUPPORT, TO EXPEDITE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM OF PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY ORANGE AND BLUE LINE, AND, UM, TAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COMPLIANCE AND DOCUMENTATION IN SUPPORT OF ORANGE AND BLUE LINE DIS N E I S.
BUSINESS CASE FOR THAT IS LISTED IN THE MEMO.
UM, WANTED TO MENTION A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT ON MAY 21ST, 2020, 2021 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL WAS SOLICITED.
WE RECEIVED ONE PROPOSAL KIMLEY-HORN AND ASSOCIATES WAS FOUND IN DEEMED MOST QUALIFIED, UM, BASED ON THE CRITERIA SET FORTH, UH, OFFERS EXPERIENCE ADVISING FT ON NEPA RELATED TRANSIT PLANNING PROJECTS FOR WHERE FTA IS A LEAD AGENCY IS SUFFICIENT AND, UM, EXHAUSTIVE OFFERS EXPERIENCE LEADING SIMILAR TRANSIT PLANNING PROJECT OF THIS MAGNITUDE WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE MORE THAN ADEQUATE AND, UM, OVERALL, UH, DEMONSTRATED FTE BY EXPERIENCE IN RE RAIL PROJECTS.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
IT'S ALSO IN YOUR MEMO MEMO BASED PERIOD YEAR ONE, IT'S 601,000 2 23 YEAR TO 6 25 TO 79 WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF 1000, UH, ONE SORRY, 1 MILLION TO $26,502.
AND, UH, IT, THE PERIOD OF, UH, PERFORMANCES TWO YEARS SINCE NOTICE TO PROCEED WITH THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE MAX AS LISTED WITH THAT, I REQUEST, UH, BRING IT BACK TO YOU FOR EXECUTION.
CHARMELLA QUESTIONS FOR SHARMILA.
IF YOU, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, I I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS BECAUSE I WENT, I, AS I WAS READING THROUGH IT, THIS IS SECTION 1 39 WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT BASICALLY WE HIRE SOMEBODY AND EMBED THEM IN FTA AND FTA BASICALLY SAYS, SURE, NO PROBLEM.
YOU GUYS CAN PICK UP THE TAB TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO HELP US DO OUR JOB.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE NUANCED THAN THAT.
UM, IT'S, UH, IT IS THE 1969 AS YOU KNOW, THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT THAT, UM, ACT REQUIRES LARGE PROJECTS, LARGE AND SMALL PROJECTS TO GO THROUGH DETAILED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS.
GET A GORGOL EXCLUSION EA ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN EIS ORANGE AND BLUE LINE ARE INCREDIBLY EXHAUST WOULD REQUIRE INCREDIBLY EXHAUSTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW OF THAT WOULD, UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE AN UNDER THIS HIGHLY EXPEDITED PROGRAM OF PROJECTS.
OTHER AGENCIES HAVE AN OTHER REGIONS OF FTA HAVE EMPLOYED SUCCESSFULLY IN THE PAST TO HAVE IT'S MORE THAN EMBEDDED, UH, STAFF.
I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S KIND OF EXTENSION OF TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN SUPPORT OF FTAS TECHNICAL TEAM TO HELP REVIEW AND REVIEW THE DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES.
THE DECISION MAKING AND DECISION ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION STILL REMAINS WITH FTA.
THIS IS IN SUPPORT OF ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL REVIEW IN THAT HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL TECHNICAL FIELDS.
AND THE STAFF THAT WE ARE BETTER ARE RECOMMENDED THROUGH KIMBERLY HORN CONTRACT MEET THAT I SAW THAT THEY WERE EXTREMELY QUALIFIED JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS.
ARE WE ELIGIBLE? IT IS, ARE THE FUNDS BEING EXPENDED IN THIS ULTIMATELY ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS PART OF THE, THE, THE FEDERAL FUNDS LATER DOWN THE ROAD? OR IS THIS, IS THIS GOING TO END UP, IS THIS GOING TO END UP BEING THE EXPENSE THAT COMES OUT OF A LOCAL, THE LOCAL SHARE IN THE LONG RUN? I WOULD TABLE THAT, BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT IT IS, I THINK IT'S A REIMBURSABLE EXPENSE UNDER 1 39 J BECAUSE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENTATION IN ITSELF IS AN ELIGIBLE EXPENSE IN ANY ACTIVITIES UNDERNEATH IT ALSO BECOMES ELIGIBLE.
SO I WOULD SAY WE CAN COME BACK AND GIVE YOU A CLARIFICATION ON THAT, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THIS IS REIMBURSABLE EXPENSE UNDER PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, BUT THE, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS IS GOING, THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THIS PROJECT ALONG EVEN FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN IF WE WEREN'T EXTENDING THESE FUNDS.
[00:30:01]
ABSOLUTELY.THIS IS CRITICAL TO, TO THE, TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BEBOP TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT FTA HAS REGION HAS ENOUGH TECHNICAL SUPPORT.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO VICE CHAIR TREVELYAN SO IF I UNDERSTAND THIS PROPERLY, IT IS AN INTERNAL VERIFICATION PROCESS.
WE ARE GUARANTEEING COMPLIANCE BEFORE WE SUBMIT IT SAYS SUPPLEMENTAL TECHNICAL COMPLIANCE IN A VERY RIGOROUS TECHNICAL SUBJECTS LIKE NOISE AND VIBRATION AIR QUALITY THAT REQUIRES VERY SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE.
AND FTA REGIONS HAVE ONLY SO MUCH CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER, UH, AND PUT DEDICATED RESOURCES.
THIS IS A VERY COMMON PRACTICE THAT OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES HAVE EMPLOYED LIKE SOUND TRANSIT, OTHER AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA FOR SIMILAR PROJECTS, AND HERE IT REALLY WOULD HELP US TO IT'S AN ALLOWABLE ACTIVITY AND IT WILL HELP US DELIVER THAT EXPEDITED PROGRAM OF PROJECTS.
IT, IT, IT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A, UH, WHAT WE USED TO CALL A CROSSWALK FUNCTION AT THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
UH, WE WOULD LAY OUT OUR DELIVERABLES ONE BY ONE AND THEN ASSESS WHETHER THE WORK ADDRESSED EVERY DELIVERABLE THAT WAS EXPECTED AND FULLY COMPLIED AND, AND MET OUR EXPECTATIONS UNDER THE FULL GUIDANCE OF MTA AND REVIEW OF T OTHER QUESTIONS REMEMBER POOL.
I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT THAT IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, UH, A SMART MOVE ON FTAS PART BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD STAFF UP TO UNDERSTAND AT THE REALLY INTIMATE LEVEL, ALL OF THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT MIGHT BE GOING ON ACROSS THE NATION.
SO IT MAKES SENSE TO ME TO HAVE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE FAMILIAR, NOT JUST WITH WHAT HAPPENS IN AUSTIN, BUT WHO, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE ALSO HAVE THE CONNECTIONS WITH CAP METRO AND PROJECT CONNECT TO, TO REALLY RAMP UP THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND THE PROFESSIONALISM AND WHAT A GREAT PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR WHOMEVER THOSE STAFFERS ARE, WHO W WITH KIMBERLY HORN, HE'LL BE GOING UP THERE AND DOING THAT WORK AND WORKING THAT CLOSELY WITH, UH, WITH THE FEDS.
IT SOUNDS IF I WAS IN THAT, IF I WAS IN THAT CAPACITY MYSELF, I WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THAT KIND OF AN ASSIGNMENT THAT IS ACCURATE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING NONE THEN, UH, CHERYL ENTERTAIN A MOTION MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM.
NUMBER TWO, THERE'S A MOTION BY THE VICE CHAIRS OR A SECOND SECOND BY MEMBER STRATTON.
ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE, THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO ZERO.
[IV.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Sirius Computer Solutions, Inc. to replace network infrastructure technology in an amount not to exceed $234,059.]
NUMBER THREE THEN IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH SIRIUS COMPUTER SOLUTIONS, INC, TO REPLACE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $234,059.CHAIRMAN COOPER COMMITTEE MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CLARK ON STEPHEN SALINAS, DIRECTOR OF THE NETWORK SERVICES.
UH, FOR THIS RESOLUTION, I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH SIRIUS COMPUTER SOLUTIONS TO REPLACE NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE TECHNOLOGY IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $234,059.
UM, THIS CONTRACT WILL REPLACE NETWORK EQUIPMENT AND INCLUDES IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES, MAINTENANCE, AND SUPPORT.
UH, THIS NETWORK EQUIPMENT PROVIDES SECURITY ACCESS FOR DEVICES ON OUR NETWORK SWITCHES THAT ENABLE COMMUNICATIONS WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS TO PROVIDE CONNECTIVITY FOR MOBILE USERS AT OUR FACILITIES.
UH, THE EQUIPMENT HAS EXCEEDED ITS USEFUL LIFE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND IT STIRS ENSURE STABILITY AND RELIABILITY ACROSS OUR NETWORK.
UH, THIS TYPE OF NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN SET UP WITH ROTATING LAST CYCLES SO THAT WE, THAT ONLY A PORTION OF OUR NETWORK EQUIPMENT IS REPLACED EACH YEAR, WHICH REDUCES THE RISK AND CREATES A MORE MANAGEABLE, UM, DEPLOYMENT.
UM, SBE PARTICIPATION WAS SET AT 8% AND SERIOUS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE 8.35%.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. SALINAS QUESTIONS, THE QUESTIONS VERY WELL.
UH, CHAIR, WE'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION THEN WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM, NUMBER THREE, MEMBER STRATTON WITH THE MOTION MOVED SECOND BY, UH, A MEMBER POOL IN THE DISCUSSION, SEEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO ZERO.
THIS WAS THIS YOUR FIRST MOTION BEFORE US.
I HAVEN'T DONE ONE FOR QUITE A WHILE, BUT I USED TO DO IN MO MORE FREQUENTLY, RIGHT.
[00:35:03]
ALL RIGHT.YOU SHOULD DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF IF HE DOESN'T THAT EFFICIENTLY.
[IV.4. Approval of a resolution adopting the Revised Title VI Policies and approving the Title VI Service Monitoring Results, and approval of submission of the Triennial Title VI Program Update to the Federal Transit Administration.]
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE REVISED TITLE SIX POLICIES AND APPROVING THE TITLE SIX SERVICE MONITORING RESULTS AND APPROVAL SUBMISSION OF THE TRIENNIAL TITLE SIX PROGRAM UPDATE TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.UM, THIS TIME I WILL NOT FORGET TO INTRODUCE MYSELF.
UM, I'M MUKHERJEE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CAP METRO.
AND THE TOPIC OF THE PRESENTATION IS OUR, UH, TRIENNIAL PROGRAM UPDATE ON TITLE SIX AND ED'S JUST PULLING UP THE PRESENTATION.
SO WE'LL START WITH THE CONTEXT AND THE OVERARCHING GUIDANCE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.
I'M SURE ALL OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT, UM, IT'S SPEAKS TO, UM, THE F THE OVERARCHING GUIDANCE IS THAT NO PERSON IN UNITED STATES SHALL ON THE GROUND OF RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN BE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION IN, BE DENIED OFF THE BENEFITS AND BE SUBJECTED TO DISCRIMINATION UNDER ANY PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY RECEIVING FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
AND UNDER THAT, UH, UNDER THAT OVERARCHING GUIDANCE TITLE, SIX APPLIES TO CAP METRO AND OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES IN VERY SPECIFIC WAYS.
YES, WE RECEIVED FEDERAL FUNDING AND EIGHT IS, UM, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF WHY WE USE TITLE SIX PROGRAM UPDATE, BUT THERE ARE SORT OF BASIC FUNDAMENTAL WAYS THAT WE APPLY IN OUR, IN HOUSE, IN OUR OPERATIONS, IN HOW WE DO PLANNING AND IN OUR SERVICE CHANGES.
I'LL GO OVER THAT IN, IN THIS PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM, UPDATE IS, UM, IT'S GUIDED BY THE FACT THAT OUR PROGRAM IS DUE ON AUGUST 1ST, 2021 AND EVERY THREE YEARS, ALL TRANSIT AGENCIES, UM, INCLUDING CAPITAL METRO PROVIDES UPDATE TO THEIR PROGRAM.
SO THERE ARE VERY MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF TITLE SIX PROGRAM, AS IT APPLIES TO TRANSIT AGENCIES.
AND THERE ARE VERY MANY OTHER TITLE, SIX IMPLICATIONS THAT ARE IN THE, UH, IN THAT AFFECTS US IN OTHER WAYS.
SO I WILL NOT BE GOING THROUGH EACH ONE OF THEM.
I'M HIGHLIGHTING THE ONES IN OUR PRESENTATION TODAY THAT WOULD EITHER REQUIRE BOARD ACTION OR APPROVAL OR AN ESSENTIAL BRIEFING.
UH, MOST OF YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH A TITLE SIX BRIEFING, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT EACH OF THESE ELEMENTS AND TODAY'S PROGRAM CENTERS ON THE HIGHLIGHTED ONES THAT ARE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PLAN, WHICH IS THE INITIAL BRIEFING ITEM, AND THEN REVISE TITLE SIX POLICY SUMMARY AND SERVICE MONITORING RESULTS, LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PLAN.
WHY WE DO SAFETY REQUIRES A LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PLAN TO GUIDE THE CAPITAL METRO, UM, ON HOW WE REACH OUT TO OUR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY POPULATIONS AND HOW, UH, LEP IS DEFINED AS IMPORTANT TO THAT LEP INDIVIDUALS ARE THOSE THAT RESPOND WITH, UM, LESS THAN VERY WELL ON US CENSUS ENGLISH LANGUAGE QUESTION.
IT'S A SELF IDENTIFICATION, COMMON THAT ORGANIZES LEP POPULATION, SAFE HARBOR PROVISION, AND ALSO IMPORTANT TO THIS.
AND IT'S IT STATES THAT IF ANY LANGUAGE GROUP CONSISTS OF 5% OR 1000 PERSONS, WHICHEVER IS LESS THAN THE TRANSLATION OF VITAL DOCUMENTS WOULD NEED TO BE IN THOSE LANGUAGES.
LAP UP DATA, AS I MENTIONED, IS ALSO CONDUCTED EVERY THREE YEARS WITH THE TITLE SIX OVERALL PROGRAM UPDATE.
AND THIS GUIDES HOW WE CON HOW WE DO OUR TARGETED OUTREACH TO NON ENGLISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES, FOUR FACTOR ANALYSIS IS REQUIRED BY FTA TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS PLAN IS DEVELOPED.
THE FIRST ONE IS ABOUT NUMBER AND PROPORTION OF LEP POPULATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WITH THE, AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH LEP INDIVIDUALS COME IN CONTACT WITH OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, THE NATURE AND IMPORTANT SIZE, THE QUALITY QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT THAT'S TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
AND THIS WORK WAS DONE BY OUR CONSULTANT AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO CM, CAPITAL METRO, AND THE COST OF TRANSLATION SERVICES AS WELL.
A REVIEW OF THAT IS ALSO TAKE UP, TAKES PLACE AS PART OF THE LAP AND LEP A PLAN.
[00:40:01]
UPDATE.WE FORMULATED THE PLAN BASED ON OUR OUTREACH AND ANALYSIS RESULTS AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF THIS FOUR-FACTOR ANALYSIS.
WE INCLUDED OUR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION, OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CAP, METRO MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION, STAFF, AND ANALYSIS OF THIS PRACTICES TELLS US HOW WE NEED TO ADDRESS ANY CHANGES DUE TO THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IN THE SERVICE AREA, CURRENT TRANSLATIONS ARE AUTOMATICALLY DONE IN SPANISH.
OTHER TRANSLATION THAT ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ARE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGES, THE 10, 10 LANGUAGES.
AND THESE ARE THE UPDATED LANGUAGES, VIETNAMESE MANDARIN, KOREAN ARABIC, TELEGU PUNJABI, BURMESE, FRENCH AND PASHTO HINDI FELL OFF.
AND AS DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES HAPPEN, NEW LANGUAGES COME INTO PLAY.
AND THEN WE UPDATE THAT EVERY THREE YEARS.
THESE ARE OUR EARLY ACTION ITEMS FOR LAP, THAT WE ARE GOING TO ADD ALL OF THESE LANGUAGES TO GOOGLE TRANSLATE.
WE WILL UPDATE OUR WEBSITE TO ENSURE ACCESS TO LOP POPULATIONS AND PROVIDE NOTICE OF FREE LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE IN THOSE SAFE HARBOR LANGUAGES THAT I MENTIONED AS WELL.
AND THEN WE TRANSLATE OUR COMPLAINTS ALSO IN THE SAME LANGUAGE.
SO THESE ARE KIND OF A LONGER LEAD ACTION ITEMS FOR LAB.
AND WE, IN ADDITION TO OUR WEBSITE AND MOBILE APP, WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSLATIONS INTO THIS, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WILL ALSO REFLECT OUR STOPS AND STATIONS.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT TRANSLATION OF THIS AUDIBLE OR OTHERWISE WOULD BE AVAILABLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LEP, UM, SUMMARIES, AND OUR SORT OF TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT WILL GUIDE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HOW WE DO OUR OUTREACH.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC.
THAT'S OUR SERVICE MONITORING PLAN.
SO P WAS, UH, WAS A TOPIC THAT I, WE JUST WANTED TO BRIEF YOU ON SERVICE MONITORING PLAN.
WE DO THAT AS PART OF EVERY THREE-YEAR TITLE SIX UPDATE.
WE ALSO, AS OUR INTERNAL GUT-CHECK, WE DO SERVICE MONITORING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SEEING CONSISTENT AND ON A PATH FORWARD FOR EVERY THREE YEARS.
SO WE DO INNER IMPLANT IS, UM, IT AS WELL IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, TITLE SIX PROGRAM UPDATE.
SO IT ANALYZES OUR PERFORMANCE OF MINORITY ROUTES AS IT COMPARED TO NONMINORITY ROUTES.
AND THESE ARE SOME OF THE FACTORS WE LOOK AT LOAD FREQUENCY AVAILABILITY.
THE TOP THREE ARE LOOKED AT, UM, ON A ROUTE LEVEL AND SERVICE AVAILABILITY, TRANSIT AMENITIES AND VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS ARE LOOKED AT AT A SYSTEM LEVEL.
MINORITY ROUTES ARE DEFINED IN A VERY SPECIFIC WAY BY FTA TITLE SIX.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? MINORITY ROUTES THAT HAVE AT LEAST ONE THIRD OF REVENUE MILES LOCATED IN MINORITY CENSUS TRACK THAT IS CENSUS BLOCK GROUPS, RATHER WHERE THE THRESHOLD FOR MINORITY BLOCK GROUPS HAVE TO BE 50% OR HIGHER.
SO BY THAT STANDARD, 48% OF ALL CAPITAL METRO ROUTES OR 70 ROUTES ARE DEFINED AS MINORITY 30 ROUTES.
SO WE LOOKED AT ALL SIX CATEGORIES, THREE AT ROUTE LEVEL, OTHER THE NEXT THREE AT SYSTEM LEVEL.
SO BOTH MINORITY AND NON-MINORITY ROUTES MET ALL SERVICE STANDARDS UNDER VEHICLE LOAD, SAME GOES FOR FREQUENCY, BOTH MINORITY AND NON-MINORITY ROUTES FAIL TO MEET OUR OTP STANDARD.
AND I WILL TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS.
IT IS ESSENTIALLY THE DATA THAT WE USED FOR SERVICE MONITORING PLAN WAS FROM FEBRUARY, 2020.
AND IF YOU RECALL, BEFORE COVID HIT, WE HAD 19 MONTHS OF CONSISTENT WRITERS TO GROWTH IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND WE HAD TRAFFIC CONGESTION THAT CONTRIBUTED TO TRAVEL TIME ISSUES THAT WE ROUTINELY MONITOR.
WE HAVE WEEKLY STAFF MEETINGS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AS, UM, ANY ISSUES ARE IDENTIFIED, SERVICE AVAILABILITY, TRANSIT AMENITIES, AND VEHICLE ASSIGNMENTS.
AGAIN ARE REVIEWED AT A SYSTEM LEVEL.
WELL, 82% OF ALL OF OUR AREA MED SERVICE, UH, THE GUIDELINE BOSS STOPS AT MINORITY BLOG GROUPS.
AND I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS, THAT MID, THAT MET THE GUIDELINES FOR SHELTERS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN IT IN NON MINORITY AREAS.
SO IT, IT SHOWS GIVEN BASED ON THE DEFINITION FOR FTA, UM, FOR MINORITY ROUTES, 48 OUT OF, OUT OF OUR 70 ROUTES ARE MINORITY ROUTES.
AND THOSE ROUTES ARE AWARE OF SHELTER AND AMENITIES, CONSIDERATION AND STANDARDS ARE MET MORE FREQUENTLY.
AGAIN, ANALYSIS USE FEBRUARY 20, 20 PRE COVID DATA SINCE THEN USING OUR, UM, COVID RIDERSHIP.
WE HAVE DONE EVEN MORE IMPROVEMENT TO OUR SHELTERS, AS YOU RECALL WITH, UH, PLEASANT VALLEY.
SUPERSTOP WHERE WE REALLY FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND MADE
[00:45:01]
SURE THAT OUR COVID RIDERSHIP ACTUALLY, WHERE WE ARE CATERING TO OUR, OUR CUSTOMERS THAT ARE MOST FREQUENTLY USING OUR SERVICE AND HAVE THE GREATEST NEED FOR THAT.SO OUR OPERATIONS AND PLANNING STAFF, THEY MEET WEEKLY TO MONITOR OUR OUTPERFORMANCE.
WE FOCUS ON PASSENGER LOADS AND ON-TIME PERFORMANCE.
WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME INTERMEDIATE SOLUTIONS, UM, TO, TO TEST BEFORE FEBRUARY, 2020, THAT THEN COVID HIT.
AND WE HAD TO PIVOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE A SERVICE TO ADJUST FOR COVID SERVICE LEVELS.
UM, WE WILL CONDUCT SERVICE MONITORING AGAIN WHEN OUR RIDERSHIP IS AT 80% OF PRE COVID LEVELS, AND THIS IS NOT REQUIRED BY FTA.
THIS IS STAFF RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE, ADOPT AND TAKE ANY EARLY ACTIONS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT UPDATE.
SO HERE'S OUR REVISED TITLE, SIX POLICIES THAT ARE SHARMILA.
LET'S JUST PAUSE FOR A SECOND.
ASK FOR QUESTIONS ON THAT LAST SECTION.
REMEMBER, REMEMBER KITCHEN, UM, JUST TO CONFIRM, I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT JUST TO CONFIRM, SO THE, THE THREE STANDARDS THAT ARE LOOKED AT ON A SYSTEM LEVEL, YOU'RE STILL GATHERING DATA BY ROUTE, RIGHT? OH, OF COURSE.
BUT, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY ANALYZING THEM ON SYSTEM LEVEL BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE THE DATA BY ROUTE.
SO I CAN, I CAN, UM, TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS FTA GUIDELINES, SO VERY SORT OF PRESCRIPTIVE TITLE SIX COMPLIANCE PROCESS, AND BASED ON FTA TITLE SIX GUIDELINES, THE TOP THREE, THE VEHICLE, UM, UH, LOAD FREQUENCY AND PERFORMANCE ARE ASSESSED ON ROUTE LEVEL AND THE OTHER THREE.
AND THAT IS IF TIER REQUIREMENT, WE COLLECT DATA BY ALL, ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES, BUT THEN WE AGGREGATE THEM AS NEEDED FOR THE FTA PRODUCT.
THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR FTA.
I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO, BUT YOU KNOW, FOR OUR OWN PURPOSES, WE HAVE THE DATA BY ROUTE AND IF WE CHOSE, IF WE CHOSE TO OR NEEDED TO, OR FOR WHATEVER REASON NEEDED TO COMPARE THE MINORITY ROUTES AND THE NON MINORITY ROUTES, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
JUST REMEMBER TREVELYAN ONE QUICK COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, HAVE WE GATHERED COMMENTS BY ROUTE OR COMPLAINTS BY ROUTE? I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WHERE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THE NUMBER 10 ROUTE, UH, ABOUT THE NUMBER 3 92 ROUTE.
UM, I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER WE HAVE A DOCUMENTED THE QUESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS AND B, UH, DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK TO DETERMINE, UH, THE VERACITY OF THOSE CLAIMS. ABSOLUTELY.
AND THAT IS WHERE, UM, OUR, OTHER THAN OUR, SO IT'S A TWO-STEP PROCESS.
THE WAY I WOULD VIEW IT THAT MORE ON AN OPERATIONAL BASIS, OUR PLANNING AND OPERATION STAFF, THEY MEET WEEKLY TO ASSESS ALL, ALL COMPLAINTS.
UM, WE ALSO GO ON, UM, SITE VISITS AND FOR, FOR AMENITIES AND ON, WE DO FIELD REVIEW AS WELL.
SO ONCE THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE RECEIVED, WE, THERE ARE FIELD CHECKS THAT ARE DONE AS WELL.
AND IN CASES WHERE WE INITIALLY HAVE TO DO SOME SIMULATION ON SWIFTLY OR REMIX, THE SOFTWARE WE USE TO SEE IF IT'S DUE TO BUNCHING BECAUSE OF THEIR MULTIPLE DRIVEWAY STACK TOGETHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE GO OUT THERE TO FIELD VERIFY OUR FINDINGS.
SO YES, THERE'S A PROCESS IN PLACE.
AS COMMENTS COME IN THROUGH OUR CUSTOMER CARE, WE ORGANIZE THEM.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A PROCESS OF REACHING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE, UM, SENDING THEIR TAKING TIME AND SENDING THEIR COMMENTS TO US.
UM, WE, I WANT, I'M VERY PROUD TO REPORT THAT WE ARE ABSOLUTELY ON TARGET.
WE HAD SOME BACKLOG, UH, PRE COVID, UH, BUT WE ARE NOW ABSOLUTELY BACK ON TARGET IN RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND WE GET FEW COMPLIMENTS TOO.
SO TO THOSE, I, I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A PARKING LOT OF, YOU KNOW, W WHEN QUESTIONS ARE ASKED, HOW THEY'VE BEEN RESOLVED, I KNOW THAT WE'VE MADE A NUMBER OF SYSTEMS CHANGES THAT HAVE HELPED DEAL OVERALL SYSTEM EFFICIENCY, AND SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE COMPLAINED THAT MIGHT'VE HELPED THE SYSTEM DIDN'T NECESSARILY HELP US WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING THOSE.
AND THERE ARE PARTICULAR AREAS LIKE, UH, THE, UH, THE, UM, 7 34 AREA PALMER, PARTICULARLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF DESKTOP, UH, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE SIDEWALKS AS WE IMPLEMENT A PICKUP.
DOES THAT IMPACT THOSE AREAS? UM, UH, I HAVE, WE ADDRESS THOSE AREAS OF, UH, IN, UM, OTHER PLACES WHERE ROUTES MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHANGED
[00:50:01]
JUST TO IDENTIFY, UH, PLACES WHERE WE KNOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED QUESTIONS, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DOUBLE BACK AND PROVIDE ANSWERS PARTICULARLY ON PUBLIC MEDIA AND MINORITY MEDIA AS WELL.NO, I, I TAKE THAT COMMENT REALLY WELL, THAT WE ARE MAKING, UM, MORE NUANCED CHANGES TO HOW WE REVIEW THEM.
I'VE DESCRIBED THE PROCESS TO YOU, BUT AS THE DESAL IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE.
AND AS WE INTRODUCE CHANGES TO OUR NETWORK, UH, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHICH MODE, WHETHER IT'S BUS OR, UH, PICKUP ZONE, ANY ASSOCIATED CHANGES AND HOW IT MAY IMPACT SPECIALLY OUR LOW INCOME AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES.
AND IN CASES, YOU BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD POINT ABOUT LACK OF SIDEWALKS AND SOMETIMES ACCESS TO THE TRANSIT STOP IS THAT ISSUE.
AND I THINK TAKING A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT'S CAUSING THOSE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES AND ACCESS ISSUES THAT ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL AND THE ONES THAT ARE NOT IN OUR CONTROL, HOW WE SYNTHESIZE THEM AND TAKE IT TO THE RIGHT LEVEL OF DISCUSSION WHERE THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED.
AND THEN SOMETIMES THAT REQUIRES PARTNERING WITH CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WE HAVE THAT IN OUR TRANSIT SPEED AND RELIABILITY PROGRAM.
IT'S GETTING EXPANDED WHERE WE WOULD WORK WITH PROP B PROJECTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD KIND OF HAVE THOSE ALIGNED A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
OTHER QUESTIONS, ALL RIGHT, SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
BUT I THOUGHT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO TAKE THESE SECTION BY SECTION.
AND I, UM, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME TO PAUSE, UM, CAUSE THIS IS EASIER TO ADDRESS IT BY SECTION.
SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO GO TO THAT.
I HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE NEXT STEP.
HERE WE ARE WITH THE REVISED TITLE SIX POLICIES.
SO OUR POLICY UPDATE APPROACH HAS IT'S IT'S, UM, IT'S AN ART OF MEETING ARTS AND SCIENCES TOGETHER, AND THE PROCESS IS VERY TECHNICAL, BUT THEN WE TAKE A LOT OF QUALITATIVE INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BLENDING THE TWO APPROACHES AS WELL.
SO IT, IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLIANT, BUT HAVE TA GUIDANCE.
WE HAVE CONDUCTED EXHAUSTIVE PEER REVIEW ON OTHER PERIODS AND SEE METRICS THRESHOLDS AND DEMOGRAPHICS PER PERSPECTIVE.
IF TIA REQUIRES US TO DO THAT.
SO WE ARE COMPLIANT COMPETITIVE AND TECHNICALLY SOUND.
AS WE APPROACH THOSE ANALYSIS, MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT'S MORE NEUTRAL AS WE ARE GROWING INTO, UM, A BIGGER AGENCY.
UH, WE HAVE PICKUP AND OTHER, OTHER, UM, GETTING READY FOR PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM OF PROJECTS THAT WE ARE MORE CLEAR AND CONSISTENT IN HOW WE PLAN OUR SERVICES.
AND THEN D I D B POLICY CONSIDERATIONS THAT DISPARATE IMPACT AND DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN ONE RELATES TO RACE.
THAT'S THE DISPARATE IMPACT AND DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN RELATES TO INCOME.
THAT'S THE LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, HOW THRESHOLDS AND POLICIES SPECIFICALLY WORK FOR ALL FEAR AND SERVICE CHANGES.
AND THEN WE REVIEWED, IF THE THRESHOLD WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS THAT APPROPRIATE FOR THE AGENCY THAT WE ARE IN THE CHANGING CONDITIONS AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW WE USE THEM.
UM, AND THEN WE CONDUCTED OUTREACH AND HERE WE ARE TODAY, UH, WITH, WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE POLICY, IT'S A THRESHOLD FOR WHEN MAJOR SERVICE CHANGES REQUIRED.
IF A ROUTE CHANGES BY MORE THAN 25%, EITHER IN ANNUAL MILES OR HOURS, THEN IT TRIGGERS AND ANALYSIS FOR MINORITY AND LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS.
AND IN CASE OF FEAR, CHANGE, ALL FEAR CHANGE, IRRESPECTIVE OF, UM, ANY VARIATION OR PERCENTAGE.
IT REQUIRES A TITLE, SIX ANALYSIS, DISPARATE IMPACT POLICY MINORITY.
THAT'S THE THAT'S THE RACE COMPONENT AND DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN IS THE LOW INCOME WE HAVE CURRENT THRESHOLD.
UM, FOR THAT, I'M GOING TO COME TO THAT NEXT IS THAT THRESHOLD WAS TO, UH, UNDERSTAND IF A GIVEN SERVICE OR FAIR CHANGE WOULD HAVE FAIR DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT, UH, EFFECTS ON MINORITY OR LOW INCOME POPULATIONS, AND THEN EVALUATE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE IMPACT.
SO IT'S NOT THE IMPACT ITSELF.
IT'S THE DISTRIBUTION OF IMPACT BETWEEN MINORITY AND LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS.
AND IF A THRESHOLD IS EXCEEDED AND THINK OF THAT THRESHOLD AS A TRIGGER, AND THEN IT REQUIRES FURTHER ANALYSIS OF ROUTES THAT CAPITAL METRO IS THEN OBLIGATED TO AVOID MINIMIZE AND MITIGATE HERE'S OUR DEVICE, TITLE SIX POLICIES.
WE ARE MAKING THE THREE SEPARATE DISPARATE POLICIES ARE CONSTANTLY DATED INTO ONE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS MORE OF A NARRATIVE DISCUSSION THAN OF SUBSTANCE
[00:55:01]
MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE POLICY.WE ARE REMOVING SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO MODES TO MAKE THIS POLICY UNIVERSAL.
AND YOU HAVE THAT IN THE BACKUP.
WE ARE ADDING EXCEPTIONS FOR ITEMS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF CAPITOL METRO'S CONTROL, UM, LIKE PROMOTIONAL EVENTS, GAMES, AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE ARE REALLY NOT RELATED TO, UH, A CONSISTENT SERVICE CHANGE STATE, ALL FAIR CHANGES THAT RESULT IN AN EQUITY ANALYSIS.
SO THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ANY, AND ALL FEAR CHANGES WILL RESULT IN AN EQUITY ANALYSIS AND TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF ALL ANNUAL REVENUE MILES AND HOURS.
THAT'S OUR CURRENT POLICY IT'S REMAINING IN EFFECT THE DIDP POLICY TWO TO 2% THRESHOLD IS OUR CURRENT POLICY.
UH, AND POVERTY THRESHOLD IS 25% HIGHER THAN FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
SO THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE A DIVISION TODAY FROM WHAT YOU HEARD IN THE PAST IS THE DISPARATE IMPACT AND DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN.
OUR CURRENT POLICY IS 2% BASED ON THE PEER REVIEW AND AGENCIES OF SIMILAR SIZE AND HOW THEY APPROACH SYSTEM EXPANSION AND CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS.
AS FAST AS AUSTIN IS EXPERIENCING, WE ARE TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS AND OUR AGENCY INITIALLY CONSIDERED A 10% THRESHOLD.
OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION FOR THAT IS ALSO OFF NO CHANGE.
WE ARE RETAINING AT 2% AND HERE WE ARE GOING TO COME BACK IN THREE YEARS AND REVIEW OUR THRESHOLDS TO SEE IF THEY'RE CORRECT AT THE MOMENT.
IF THEY REQUIRED ANY CHANGES OR DISCUSSION, THEN WE WILL BRING THAT IN THREE YEARS.
WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT, AS WE ARE COMING OUT OF COVID AND UNDERSTANDING OUR RIDERSHIP, THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE ONE TO MAKE.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO CONCLUDE THE PRESENTATION.
THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT ARE EITHER, HAVE YOU HAVE BEEN UPDATED ON AS PART OF OUR BRIEFING, OR IT REQUIRES BOARD APPROVAL AND THE TRIENNIAL TITLE SIX PROGRAM UPDATE.
YOU HAVE EXHAUSTIVE A 300 SOME PAGE DOCUMENT IN YOUR PACKET.
SO, UM, YOU MAY HAVE ENJOYED READING IT.
AND ALL OF IT IS ALSO REQUIRES BOARD APPROVAL.
AND ALONG WITH THIS SPECIFIC REVISED TITLE, SIX POLICY HIGHLIGHTS THAT I SHARED TODAY WITH THAT, UH, PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR CHARMELLA VICE CHAIR.
UM, WHAT TYPE OF RESPONSE HAVE WE GOTTEN FROM THE PUBLIC AS A HAVE, UH, ARE, HAVE THEY HAD A CHANCE TO, UH, GO THROUGH THIS IN ANY PUBLIC FORUMS TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK, PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS FOR TITLE SIX REMAINS CONSISTENT WITH OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS FOR ALL OTHER PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE TAKEN DURING COVID.
UM, AND IT WAS A NUMBER OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE HELD.
UM, INITIALLY WE ALSO HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, UM, BUT WE, AND WE'D RECEIVED QUITE THE LOAD.
THERE WERE A LOT OF INTEREST ON THE DISPARATE IMPACT AND DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN POLICY SPECIFICALLY.
AND WE HAD, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT RAISING THE THRESHOLD TO 10%.
AND I THINK THAT IS TO A GREAT EXTENT, A FUNCTION OF, UM, DISCONNECT BETWEEN HOW THE THRESHOLDS ARE USED IN OUR SERVICE CHANGE AND IN OUR ROUTE ANALYSIS, BUT GIVEN WHERE WE ARE AND GIVEN WHERE OUR RIDERSHIP STANDS RIGHT NOW, AND AS WE ARE SHOWING STRONG SIGNS OF RECOVERY, WE FELT AT THIS TIME AS WE ARE GIVING THIS, UM, AND WE'LL UPDATE TRIENNIAL UPDATE TO, UH, FTA THAT 2% THRESHOLD IS FINE TO RETAIN AT THE MOMENT.
AND WE CAN REVIEW THAT AT A LATER TIME.
SO, UM, AND, AND, AND I DON'T WANT TO BELIEVE THE LABOR IT'S CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, COVID HAS MADE EVERYTHING CHANGE.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD, UH, AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH, UM, AMONG, AMONG OUR WRITERS.
THIS HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE.
AND, UM, SO, UM, I, I GUESS I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OUTBURSTS EVERY MAY, WHAT NUMBER OF OUTREACHES HAVE WE MADE AND WHAT KIND OF, I'M REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, D DID WE REACH OUT TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT WE WORK THROUGH THE MEDIA? WHAT WAS OUR METHOD? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE, WE HAVE, UH, WE DID A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE PROCESS FOR EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CHANGES IN SERVICE AND, AND THE, AND THE CHANGES THAT WE WANT TO SEE OCCUR OVER THE NEXT DECADE,
[01:00:01]
TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD AN EFFORT THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THAT, BECAUSE, BECAUSE IF WE DIDN'T, THE COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE TO LET US KNOW THAT NO, I UNDERSTAND.I THINK WE HAD ALTOGETHER, UM, WE'D REACHED OUT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, THERE WAS A WHOLE LIST OF, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ALSO SHARED WITH US AS PART OF YOUR, UM, INDIVIDUAL BRIEFINGS.
SO WE HAVE, UM, HAD CONTACTED THEM.
WE HAD RECEIVED RESPONSES FROM SOME OF THEM.
UM, WE HAD SIX VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS ALTOGETHER THAT EITHER ADDRESS TITLE SIX SPECIFICALLY, OR ADDRESS TITLE SIX UP PROGRAM UPDATE AS PART OF OTHER AGENDA ITEMS. UM, AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, THREE YEARS AGO, BUT WE BELIEVE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASON WE, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION STAND WHERE THEY ARE IS THAT THERE MAY BE GREATER NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS, UH, AROUND THOSE AND MOSTLY AROUND COMMUNICATING HOW THIS THRESHOLDS ARE USED AND HOW THIS POLICY ACTUALLY RELATE TO THE SERVICE WE PUT OUT THERE.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASON WE FELT THAT, UM, IT, IF WE ARE RECOMMENDING ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, THEY SHOULD REALLY COME AT A TIME WOULD THEIR IN-PERSON MEETINGS ARE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSION.
UM, AND EXPLAIN HOW THESE THRESHOLDS ARE YOU ALL RIGHT.
SO SHARMILA, AS I UNDERSTAND THIS, THEN ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, WE, AS A BOARD HAVE TO TAKE ACTION PRETTY MUCH AT THIS MEETING IN ORDER FOR STAFF TO FINISH UP.
THE LAST PIECE IS YOU NEED IN ORDER TO SUBMIT THIS BY THE DEADLINE SO THAT WE CAN BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH TITLE SIX AND FEDERAL POLICIES.
THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF IT, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, THE SECOND PART OF IT, IT, AND, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG HERE, BUT BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, IT SOUNDS LIKE FOR THE MOST PART, SINCE THE STAFF Y'ALL HAVE NOW BROUGHT BACK TO US, NO CHANGES IN THE DB AND D I, THAT DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT IS, DID BE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN.
SINCE YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT CHANGING THAT AT ALL.
NOW, DESPITE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE PEER REVIEW AND FROM OUR EXTERNAL CONSULTANTS, UM, IF WE LEAVE THAT AT 2%, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE RIGHT NOW IS ESSENTIALLY, UH, NON-SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF CLEANING THIS UP, TIGHTENING THE POLICY, MAKING IT MORE USER-FRIENDLY AND EASIER TO READ AND HOPEFULLY UNDERSTAND, BUT IN AM I, AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT SO FAR RIGHT NOW, IS THAT PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE US? THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
THAT'S AN ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT WE, WHAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE.
AND THEN, AND THEN AS YOUR INTENTION FROM THE CONVERSATION, I JUST HEARD BETWEEN YOU AND VICE CHAIRMAN PAVILION, THAT THAT STAFF WANTS TO SPEND THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BECAUSE IT IS A THREE-YEAR CYCLE THAT WE CAN DO.
WE HAVE TO DO THIS IN THREE YEAR INTERVALS WITH, WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, THE INTENTION HERE WOULD BE TO TAKE THE NEXT THREE YEARS AS WE CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, GET BACK TO, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE IN PERSON MEETINGS, MORE.
I HATE TO USE THIS WORD, BUT MORE NORMAL, UH, BEHAVIORS AND, AND GATHERINGS THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT TIME TO KIND OF TRACK THIS AND THEN EDUCATE PEOPLE, AND THEN HEAR MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND GREATER PLACES THAT MAYBE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO, TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH AS MANY FOLKS AS WE USED TO BECAUSE OF COVID THAT IS ALSO ACCURATE.
I THINK IN-PERSON MEETINGS WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE A GREAT MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSIONS ON HOW MEANINGFULLY THIS THRESHOLDS COULD BE USED, AS OPPOSED TO THE PERCEPTION AROUND HOW THEY ARE USED OR WHAT, WHAT MAY BE THE IMPLICATION FOR THAT.
AND I THINK THAT REQUIRES MORE MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION, BUT AS OF NOW AT THIS MOMENT, WHAT YOU BROUGHT BEFORE US, WHERE WE'RE NOT MAKING, YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDING MAKING ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES AT THIS TIME.
I WANT TO THANK THE, UM, SHARMILA YOU AND THE REST OF THE STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK Y'ALL DID ON THIS.
I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE.
I DO AGREE THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE THIS TIME NOT TO CHANGE THOSE THRESHOLDS.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT, UH, WE'RE KEEPING THOSE AT THE 2%.
I THINK THAT, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY JUST
[01:05:01]
A SIMPLE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT IS IT KEEPS THE THRESHOLDS TIGHTER, UM, FOR PURPOSES OF LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN, UM, THE IMPACT ON MINORITY AND NON-MINORITY.SO I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME IN OUR COMMUNITY, NOT TO, NOT TO THAT, UH, DIFFERENCE TO KEEP IT AT 2%.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I DIDN'T SAY THAT EXACTLY CORRECTLY.
I KNOW, BUT BASICALLY THE, BASICALLY, LET ME TRY IT AGAIN.
I'M TRYING TO, UH, TO DESCRIBE FOR THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, 2%, IS THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NON MINORITY AND MINORITY THAT TRIGGERS A FURTHER ANALYSIS, GOING TO A GREATER DIFFERENCE FOR A TRIGGER OF AN ANALYSIS JUST WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME.
I APPRECIATE US KEEPING IT THE SAME AND I APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUE.
YOU'RE CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO REVIEW.
SO, UM, I DID, I HAD A DIFFERENT QUESTION.
I WAS THINKING THAT, UH, I MAY NOT BE REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, BUT, UH, WE DO ALSO LOOK AT THE, THE, UM, THE COMPOSITION OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT A COMPONENT OF THIS TITLE SIX POLICY? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, ANY, UH, LOCAL ADVISORY GROUPS, HE SAC ACCESS, UM, GROUPS THAT WE HAVE, UM, THAT ARE THERE TO GIVE US COMMENTS ON OUR, ON OUR SERVICES AND SPECIFICALLY OUR TRANSIT SERVICES.
SO IT'S NOT INTERNALLY FOCUSED.
UM, IN, IN THE BRIEFING, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS IN, WE HAVE DONE A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER MEASURES THAT TOUCHES THE COMMUNITY AND TALKS ABOUT EQUITY AND WHAT WE ARE DOING ON THAT AND DIVERSITY AND EQUITY INCLUSION, UM, THAT THE COUNCIL THAT'S COMING OUT.
THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE, BUT THAT IS NOT AGAIN, FTA.
UH, TITLE SIX IS A VERY SORT OF PRESCRIPTIVE, UH, PROCESS IN THE PROGRAM THAT THE COMMITTEE COMMITTEES THAT COULD BE INCLUDED, INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM UPDATE.
AND I THINK IT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET ARE THOSE TWO COMMITTEES THAT SPECIFICALLY ORGANIZE TO GIVE COMMENTS ON OUR SERVICE, OUR SERVICE THAT WE PUT ON THE ROAD, UM, AS OPPOSED TO OTHER INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL, UM, EQUITY-BASED COMMITTEES THAT, UM, WE GET, WE ARE ENGAGED IN.
AND FOR THOSE TWO COMMITTEES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WE PERHAPS HAVE SOME WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET GREATER REPRESENTATION.
UM, I WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, A BRIEFING IN THE FUTURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE NEXT COUPLE OF BOARD MEETINGS, UH, TO GIVE US A STATUS, UM, OF, OF THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES ON SOME OF THOSE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT REPRESENTATIVE FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC PERSPECTIVE ON, I THINK BOTH OF THEM, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, IS THAT RIGHT? UM, THERE ARE, I MEAN, YOU CAN NOMINATE YOUR, UM, I, I THINK BOARD MEMBERS ARE, UH, YOU HAVE ONE NOMINATION, UM, IN PEN, I THINK THERE ARE THREE VACANCIES THAT I, IF I RECALL, AND I DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT, I HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVIEW THE EXACT NUMBER OF VACANCIES.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE ON THAT.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US AS A, AS A BOARD TO, TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE REPRESENTATION ON OUR TWO ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT I REVIEWED RECENTLY WAS THAT THEY'RE NOT AS REPRESENTATIVE AS WE MIGHT WANT THEM TO BE.
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE US LOOK AT AGAIN IN THE, YOU KNOW, COUPLE OF MONTHS JUST TO SEE IF WE'VE MADE ANY IMPROVEMENTS.
OTHER QUESTIONS, VICE CHAIR, JUST AS A STATEMENT, IF I COULD, UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE DO GO FORWARD AND AS WE LOOK AT AT BOARD AS, AND, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, TO MAKE CLEAR, UH, THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH, UH, TITLE SIX POLICIES, THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THE HUB PROGRAMS, OFTENTIMES THEY'RE COUNTERINTUITIVE.
AND WHEN YOU SAY 25% OF HIS, OR 2% OF THAT, WE, WE ALMOST NEED TO MAKE MORE PLAIN TO REGULAR FOLKS WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE, HOW IT IS.
THEY CAN COMMUNICATE WITH US AND, AND, UM, AND MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM TO GIVE RECOMMENDATION TO US WHEN APPROPRIATE.
SO I WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE, UH, WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND HOPEFULLY, UH, INFORM THEM ABOUT THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
[01:10:01]
NO, THANK YOU.UH, WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT, MS. JOSEPH'S WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS US AGAIN AND ADD, UH, IF SHE'S STILL ON THE LINE.
ARE YOU READY FOR ME TO SPEAK? YES.
I'LL JUST REMIND YOU OUR TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES AND ASK YOU TO RESPECT THAT IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO HEAR THE BUZZER ON THE PHONE LINE, BUT IF, UH, UH, YOU WILL JUST LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU HAVE THOSE.
UH, MR. CHAIR, DID YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK NOW? YES, MA'AM.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS I'M AS AN OB JOSEPH, MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEM FOUR.
UM, I MADE A COMMENT BEFORE, WHICH SAID, YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO CIRCUMVENT TITLE SIX, SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER DOCUMENT.
WHAT IS SAID TO FOOL THE FEDS, AND THEN YOU GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
HOWEVER, I DO WANT THANK COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN FOR FOLLOWING UP AND ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT FM 7 3, 4 PARMA LANE, BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO THE SERVICE EQUITY ANALYSIS AND ANY OTHER ANALYSIS, YOU HAVE NOT ACTUALLY LOOKED AT THE AREAS WHERE YOU DO NOT HAVE SERVICE.
SO IF YOU KEEP TWEAKING EXISTING SERVICE, THAT MEANS YOU KEEP ELIMINATING THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE NORTHEAST AUSTIN AND FROM SAMSUNG TO APPLE.
AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RESTORE THAT SERVICE.
IT WAS $4.7 MILLION FOR THE BUS ROUTE, THE METRO RAPID, AND AS YOU'RE RELATING TO, UH, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, THERE NEEDS TO BE TRANSPARENCY.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO ADVOCATE TO PUT THE C SEC AND ACCESS AUDIO ONLINE BECAUSE THOSE MEETINGS ARE LIKE A PRIVATE CLUB AND ONLY CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY GET THE CODE.
AND SO IF YOU WANT THE COMMUNITY TO BE INVOLVED, I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.
I WOULD ALSO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT ON JUNE 18TH, 2018 PLANNER, ROBERTO GONZALEZ TOLD ME I DIDN'T NEED TO KEEP COMING TO THE MEETINGS ANYWAY.
SO HE DIDN'T MEET WITH ME IN THE BREAKER BURNET AREA TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THIS SHORT LINING OF THE 3 92 WOULD DO.
AND I JUST WANT COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN TO KNOW WHAT RESPONSE I GOT FROM DIETER.
UH, THAT'S THE SENIOR PLANNER WHO ACTUALLY WAS THE PLANNING, UH, THE DIRECTOR FOR, UH, CONNECTIONS, 2025 ON MAY 19TH, 2021.
THERE WAS A VIRTUAL TITLE, SIX MEETING, AND I ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT DISPARATE IMPACTS AND WHEN CAPITAL METRO PLAN TO REANALYZE AND IMPLEMENT THE LEAST DISCRIMINATORY ALTERNATIVE.
AND HE SAID, QUOTE, WE DO NOT PLAN TO RECONDUCT THAT ANALYSIS AT ANY TIME.
AND HE RELIED ON THE LETTER THAT CAME FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO THE UNRIPE COMPLAINT THAT I'VE FILED 2 0 1 7 DASH 0 3 2 6, WHICH WAS IN THE APRIL 23RD, 2018 BOARD PACKET WHEN THEY DID THE TRIENNIAL REVIEW.
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AT THAT TIME, HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL CARRIE BUTCHER TOLD THE BOARD THAT IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TRIENNIAL REVIEW, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ON PAGE ONE 14 OF THE DOCUMENT, I'LL CALL YOUR ATTENTION AS WELL TO JANUARY 28TH, 2019.
WHEN I ACTUALLY TESTIFIED ABOUT HOW THE LANGUAGE IN FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCLE OF 4, 7 0 2 0.1 D, WHICH, UH, CHARMELLA MACUSA, HE JUST ACTUALLY REFERRED TO WAS CHANGED.
THE WORD SEVERE DOES NOT APPEAR IN THAT, UH, IN THE GUIDELINES.
AND SO THAT WAS THE SAME MEETING WHERE CHAIRMAN COOPER ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DISPARATE IMPACTS AND THEN THE, THEY JUST MOVED ALONG BUSINESS AS USUAL.
AND SO COMMISSIONER TREVELYAN, I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THE QUESTION, BUT JUST LAST NIGHT THERE WAS THE SOCCER GAME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ASKED MANY TIMES FOR 8 0 1, UH, CHINATOWN TO BE MOVED TO A SAFER LOCATION BY THE CVS PHARMACY AND LO AND BEHOLD, WITH NOBODY ASKING A CEO, RANDY CLARK, AND THE STAFF MOVED A MID-BLOCK STOP, THE NEW 8 0 3 STOP ON A BREAKER AND BURN IT SO THAT THE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE FAR TO WALK.
AND SO THE SYSTEM IS AN EQUITABLE BLACK PEOPLE STILL WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS, AUGUST 7TH, 2020, THE RESOLUTION MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AS IT IS.
AND SO IT IS DISINGENUOUS FOR THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY SIT THERE AND PRETEND THAT ALL IS WELL AND GOOD.
AND I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION LASTLY, ON PAGE 30, WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT THE FARE CHANGES WILL RESULT IN AN EQUITY ANALYSIS, I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT THE FAIR IS FREE UNTIL JULY 4TH, BUT THAT AG ONLY PLAYS ON KUT.
AND LASTLY, I'LL JUST SAY, WHEN THEY WANT IT TO REACH US FOR PROJECT CONNECT, THE AD PLAYED ABOUT EQUITY, WHICH WAS PROPAGANDA OVER 5,550 TIMES, BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE FREE, FAIR, AND OTHER THINGS THAT BENEFIT PEOPLE OF COLOR, THEY DIDN'T GET
[01:15:01]
ON THE AIR AND SAY ANYTHING.AND SO PLEASE STOP WITH JUST TALKING ABOUT EQUITY AND USING IT AD NAUSEUM, JUST SAYING THE WORD DOESN'T MAKE THE SYSTEM EQUITABLE.
AND I WOULD JUST URGE THE BOARD TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND TO RECOGNIZE WAY BACK ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2018 CODE OF ETHICS PLAN.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO BE HONEST, AND TO USE THE INTEGRITY IN THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE.
AND LASTLY TO MS. COURTNEY, I JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, UH, BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD FROM SHARMILA AND OUR PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, UH, ANY WELL CHAIR NOW WE'LL I GUESS, ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING REVISED TITLE SIX POLICIES.
IS THERE A MOTION MOTION BY A MEMBER POOL A SECOND, SECOND BY MEMBER STRATTON DISCUSSION VICE CHAIR.
YEAH, I, I THINK THIS IS A, IT'S A, IT'S A DIFFICULT AREA.
AND, AND I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE'VE GOT DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDINGS OF, OF HOW IT OUGHT TO WORK.
AND I, AND I REALLY THINK THAT IT WOULD HELP US INTERNALLY TO DO A ONE-ON-ONE JUST, JUST FOR OURSELVES, BECAUSE AS WE'VE WALKED THROUGH THE PROCESS, WE'VE TALKED AND, AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL SINGING, SINGING AND UNDERSTANDING THE, THE SAME MATERIALS AND, AND THAT, UH, AND THAT WE, WHAT WE UNDERSTAND THEN BECOMES WHAT WE EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY WITH AS WELL.
WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT TITLE SIX, UM, THERE'S NOT AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW OUR, HOW OUR, WHAT OUR POLICIES DEFINE AND, AND EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED AND I KNOW THAT, UH, IT TAKES MORE TIME, BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT OVER TIME AS OUR SERVICE CHANGES THAT PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT AND HOW COMMUNITY IS EMPOWERED TO, UH, TO COMMENT AND CREATE CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT WE HAVE A LAW, WE HAVE A POLICY, AND THEN WE HAVE THE APPLICATION OF THE POLICY AND HOW MEANINGFULLY WE APPLY THEM.
THAT IS THE BASIS OF THIS DISCUSSION AS ICU AND THE GREATER TRANSPARENCY WE HAVE AROUND THAT.
SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO CARRY ON ANY DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU THINK ANY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD BE TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT'S RECEIVING THAT.
AND AS WE'RE APPLYING THAT POLICY, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT.
I THINK IT MIGHT BE A GOOD FOR US TO HAVE A WORKSHOP WORK SESSION ONE DAY WHEN WE CAN JUST SPEND A LITTLE TIME KICKING THIS AROUND, BECAUSE TITLE SIX FROM A FEDERAL POLICY STANDPOINT IS SOMEWHAT ARCANE.
AND, UH, DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS TO FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND THE TECHNICALITIES OF IT AS A LAWYER, EVEN, UH, I FIND THAT DIFFICULT.
UM, BUT I THINK AS A BOARD WERE, UH, PROBABLY PRETTY UNITED ON THE IDEA THAT WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING IN TERMS OF THE APPLICATION.
UM, AND SO UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S REQUIRED AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT IN FACT WE HAVE DONE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE TIME WELL SPENT.
IT SEEMS TO ME, UM, MS. JOSEPH SAID THAT I ACKNOWLEDGED, UH, DISPARATE IMPACT, UH, BACK WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT CAP REMAP, THAT'S NOT THE CASE, WHAT I SAID THEN HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE WERE CERTAINLY TAKING AWAY ROUTES MOVING ROUTES, UH, AND THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE WHOSE ROUTES GOT MOVED, UH, IN THAT THEY HAD TO FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE TO GO, BUT IN THE TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES, I FELT THEN AS I FEEL NOW THAT WE DID OUR BEST TO INCREASE OVERALL THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF SERVICE DURING THAT TIME PERIOD.
BUT THOSE ARE, UH, THINGS THAT WE, UH, HAVE TO BE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE IMPACT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT BEHOOVE US AS A BOARD, UH, PARTICULARLY AS WE GET NEW MEMBERS, UH, TO SPEND SOME TIME, UH, JUST, UH, COMMITTING OURSELVES TO UNDERSTAND BETTER, UH, WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT AND WHAT THE RULES ARE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE FOR A FUTURE FUTURE WORK SESSION WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY JUST SPEND SOME TIME ASKING QUESTIONS AND GET INTO A DEEPER LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING, NOT,
[01:20:01]
NOT JUST ON ROUTES, BUT ALL THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT IMPACTS THE MINORITY AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, UM, UH, REGION.SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND COMMENT.
UM, THE, THE CONVERSATION ALSO AROUND THE, UH, THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST, I FIND IT INTERESTING AS THE, THE, THE CAP METRO BOARD MEMBER FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE NEW SPLASHY THING THAT'S, THAT'S IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW, BUT, UM, WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT APPLIED FOR SERVING ON BOTH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND THEN THE, THE, UH, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS WELL.
UM, CITY OF AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, I, I CAN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER POLIN COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS 60 PLUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT EACH HAVE TO HAVE A MEMBER APPOINTED BY A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT 11 PER BOARD AND COMMISSION.
UM, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN DECEMBER OF 2018, I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE THAT THERE WERE AN AX, THERE WAS AN ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE OR COMMUNITY, UH, A COMMUNITY OR A COMMUNITY SERVICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I THINK PART OF THE ISSUE IS THAT IT'S, WE, WE NEED TO, I THINK, FIGURE OUT CAP METRO NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO A BETTER JOB AT ADVERTISING MARKETING THESE COMMITTEES AS A WAY OF BEING INVOLVED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I I'VE HEARD IT MENTIONED FROM THIS DICE BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
COVID I THINK DID KICK US A LITTLE BIT ON THIS ONE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THOSE MEETINGS ONLINE, OR AT LEAST AN ARCHIVE OF THOSE MEETINGS.
I THINK THAT WOULD GO A LONG WAY FOR PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT, WHAT AM I GETTING MYSELF INTO, OR WHAT DO THESE MEET AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS TALK ABOUT.
AND THEN I THINK, I THINK IT WOULD BE A WAY TO GET SOME MORE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION AROUND SOME OF THESE ISSUES, BECAUSE I THINK WHEN YOU HAVE THE CONVERSATION GETTING BEYOND THIS DYESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, IT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE SEE WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER PLACES THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT.
AND THERE'S VERY MUCH A GREAT TECHNICAL LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND VERY MUCH IN THE WEEDS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, TITLE SIX IS, IS WHAT CHAIRMAN COOPER WAS SAYING.
AND, BUT, BUT THERE'S THAT OTHER ASPECT OF IT THAT I AGREE WITH WITH VICE CHAIRMAN FOR BILLION ON.
AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS, IS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER LAYER OUT THERE THAT'S WILLING TO BOTH UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THEN ALSO TALK ABOUT AND ENGAGE IN THESE ISSUES.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE OUR COMMITTEES MORE EFFECTIVELY IF WE HAVE THOSE THAT, THAT INVOLVEMENT.
AND IF THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE THAT IT'S OUT THERE AND THOSE COMMITTEES ARE A PLACE THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE CAP, METRO MEMBER KITCHEN.
I AGREE WHY I RAISED THE ISSUE OF THESE, OF THESE COMMITTEES.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY BE AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH LIVE OR A, UM, A RECORDING.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO WORK TOWARDS THAT.
UM, PRESIDENT CLARK, WHATEVER THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO THAT IS IF YOU ALL CAN WORK TOWARDS THAT.
UM, I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO, YOU KNOW, EACH OF US BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS AND, AND I'LL DO MY PART, UH, TO, TO LOOK AT THE COMPOSITION OF THOSE, UH, COMMITTEES TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE MORE REPRESENTATIVE.
AND FINALLY, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO AT LEAST INVITE THE CHAIRS OF THOSE COMMITTEES TO MAKE THEIR REPORTS TO US.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE REPORTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THAT WE'RE GETTING GOOD, GOOD SOLID REPORTS, BUT, BUT HAVING THE CHAIR OF THOSE COMMITTEES BE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, IF THEY, IF THEY WERE WANTING TO, OR WERE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY SPEAK TO DIRECTLY TO US.
AND I KNOW OVER THE YEARS, JUST FROM TIME TO TIME THAT'S OCCURRED, BUT IT'S NOT, IT DOESN'T OCCUR ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD ALSO MAKE THE CONNECTION AND ALSO DEMONSTRATE TO THE PUBLIC, THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE COMMITTEES AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE HEARD.
SO, AND I WAS ALREADY SPOKEN ONCE.
SO I WOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER COUNCIL MEMBER POOLS, BECAUSE I'M SORRY.
I WANTED TO, UM, ECHO THE COMMENTS AND, UH, ESPECIALLY THANK BOARD MEMBER, UH, STRATTON FOR BRINGING UP THE, UH, POINTS ABOUT THE COMMITTEES, FOR SURE.
UM, I DO THINK I SEE OUR COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS AS AMBASSADORS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY HELP WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND US AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON AND ALSO BRINGING
[01:25:01]
CONCERNS TO US AND THEN FILTERING THE INFORMATION BACK.SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT, UM, REALLY GREAT LAYER OF ASSISTANCE, UM, BOTH INCOMING AND OUTGOING.
SO I'M LOOKING AT THE APPOINTMENTS, UM, OUT OF, UH, THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR, I THINK THERE TWO AND, UM, MY TEAM AND I JUST DISCOVERED THAT WE HAD THOSE APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE, SO I WAS REALLY GLAD TO FIND THAT OUT.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WHO IS BEING RECOMMENDED AND ALSO LOOKING AT, UH, THE, UH, KIND OF THE, THE DIVERSITY OF EXPERIENCE AND AGE AND RACIAL ETHNICITY AND JUST THE WHOLE KIND OF PACKAGE TO HELP BUILD A, A REALLY GOOD CROSS SECTION OF FOLKS WHO ARE PART OF OUR, UH, UH, UH, CITIZEN ADVISORY THAT GOES AT CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISORY.
AND THEN THE OTHER, TELL ME THE NAME OF THE, OF THE ACCESS, ESPECIALLY A DISABILITY ACCESS, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO I, I COMPLETELY ENDORSED THE, UH, SENTIMENTS THAT EVERYBODY'S OFFERING HERE AND THINK WE CAN MAYBE EVEN TAKE CAP METRO PROJECT CONNECT TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BY THE FOLKS THAT WE SELECT AND APPOINT ONTO THESE COMMITTEES, AND THEN, UH, OUR RELIANCE ON THEM AND HAVE THEM BE, UM, MAYBE, UH, SOME KIND OF ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE BOARD MEETINGS.
STAFF HAS BEEN EXPLORING WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABOUT RECORDING THE MEETINGS AND POSTING THEM ONLINE AT THIS POINT.
THAT'S NOT THEIR WISH THEIR WISHES TO POST THE MINUTES ONLINE.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM, BUT THEY ARE, UM, POSTING THEM AND IT'S ONLINE, BUT I CHOOSE NOT TO REPORT THEM.
I DON'T UNDER, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ON LAKE CITY CHAIR.
WELL, I, I THINK THAT, AND I THINK THAT THAT WALKS RIGHT INTO WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
UH, WE REALLY, AS A BOARD, HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THIS MOMENT, AND THAT IS, UM, THAT WE ARE A DEEP SOUTHERN CITY AND, AND WE HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN AS OPEN AS WE COULD HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS AROUND FOR THE 99 VOTE WHEN, WHEN WE LOST LIGHT RAIL BY ONE 10TH OF 1%.
AND WE LOST THAT ONE 10TH OF 1% BECAUSE WE CHOSE NOT TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, WHICH WE CHOSE NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN PLACES THAT WE WEREN'T NORMALLY INVOLVED IN.
UM, I HAVE, I HAVE TALKED TO RANDY, I'VE TALKED TO THE CHAIR ABOUT THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND, AND, AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, AND I HAVE TALKED DIRECTLY ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND WE'VE CHALLENGED EACH OTHER AND, AND WE'VE CHALLENGED, UH, RANDY, AND A LOT OF WAYS TO HELP US ADDRESS THE NEEDS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I CAN SAY THAT, UH, RANDY HAS SHOWN A PROFESSIONALISM AND HE HAS SHOWN AN INTEREST IN WORKING ON AREAS, WORKING IN AREAS THAT HISTORICALLY WE HAVEN'T WORKED IN, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS GOT TO BE DEMONSTRATED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, BECAUSE HISTORICALLY A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THEIR INTERESTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED AS WE BUILT A SYSTEM OF PUBLIC TRANSIT.
AND IT NOW FALLS UPON US TO, TO, UH, TAKE THE GREAT WEIGHT OF HISTORY AND, UH, AND APPLY THE LESSONS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE LEARNED TO HOW WE MOVE FORWARD SO THAT WE WILL SIT DOWN AS A TEAM INTERNALLY AND, AND PARSED THROUGH OUR UNDERSTANDING OF TITLE SIX.
AND WE WILL EXPRESS THAT UNDERSTANDING TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, THAT WE WILL, THAT, THAT WE WILL TAKE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REACH OUT TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WELL, ATP IS A NEW, BRIGHT, SHINY THING.
UH, THE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO TOGETHER IS, IS SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S FUNDAMENTAL, AND WE'VE GOT TO TIE THE TWO TOGETHER.
SO, SO THAT THE BRIGHT, SHINY THING PULLS THE REST OF IT WITH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS REALLY IS A MOMENT WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE.
IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT THEY WEREN'T DONE, BUT IT IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO FIX THEM, SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
UH, SO I AM PLEASED WITH THE PROFESSIONALISM OF STAFF WITH THE STAFF THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN, UH, WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHAT TRANSPORTATION IS AND CAN BE.
UH, BUT IT DOES TAKE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AS EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY.
[01:30:01]
WHO USE THE BUS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD A CAR.AND, AND, AND I, I CAN SAY PUBLICLY THAT I TRUST MY COLLEAGUES AND I TRUST OUR TEAM TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND I WILL JUST, UH, I JUST ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO PROVE ME, RIGHT.
WELL SAID, VICE CHAIR, REMEMBER KITCHEN.
AND THEN I JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LOSE QUORUM AT TWO O'CLOCK.
UH, WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A DECISION, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR, FOR FURTHER FOLLOW-UP.
I THINK THAT, UM, OUR COMMITTEES HAVE TO BE PUBLIC.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS A CHOICE OR WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE PUBLIC.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE WE MAY NEED SOME MORE CONVERSATION WITH THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEES, UH, JUST TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS.
AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE APPROPRIATE PERSON AFTERWARDS AND HAPPY TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THOSE COMMITTEES, BUT THEIR, THEIR ROLE IS VERY IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL, AND THAT ROLE INCLUDES BEING A VOICE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES TRANSPARENCY.
SO, UM, UM, I WILL, I'LL JUST PUT A PIN IN THAT RIGHT THERE AND FOLLOW UP, UH, WITH YOU, UH, ON THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO PROCEED WITH THAT OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE SECOND ON ACTION ITEM, NUMBER FOUR.
SO ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE A HEARING NONE, THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, OR ADOPTING THE REVISED TITLE SIX POLICIES AND APPROVING TITLE SIX SERVICE MONITORING RESULTS AND APPROVAL OF SUBMISSION OF THE TRIENNIAL TITLE SIX PROGRAM UPDATE TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, PLEASE INDICATE SAYING, AYE, AYE, ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO ZERO.
[IV.5. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract for benefits, compensation and retirement consulting services with Gallagher Benefits Services, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $953,400.]
ACTION ITEM IS A NUMBER FIVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AND, UM, OR HIS DESIGNATE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT FOR BENEFITS, COMPENSATION, AND RETIREMENT, UH, CONSULTING SERVICES WITH GALLAGHER BENEFITS INC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $953,400.UH, DONNA WILL DO THAT, BUT LET ME, UH, SAY THANK YOU TO CHARMELLA FOR ALL THE WORK AND THE PRESENTATION OF THE, OF THE LAST ITEM.
UM, LAUREN'S DIETER WAS THE PROJECT MANAGER AND OUR EXCELLENT TEAM.
AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO SETTING UP A WORK SESSION SOMETIME IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE TO SPEND SOME TIME CHATTING ABOUT THESE ISSUES IN GREATER DETAIL.
ALL RIGHT, DOWN ON THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN COOPER, BOARD MEMBERS, UM, PRESIDENT CLARK, I'M DONNA SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER.
UM, THE ITEM THAT IS BEFORE YOU IS TO APPROVE A CONTRACT, TO BE AWARDED TO GALLAGHER BENEFITS SERVICES AND THE AMOUNT OF $953,400 THAT IS TO COVER TO BASE YOUR BASE PERIOD OF TWO YEARS.
AND FOR ONE YEAR OPTIONS, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE FOR QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, UNDER THIS CONTRACT, WE RECEIVE CONSULTING SERVICES, UH, RELATED TO OUR BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS. SO THAT INCLUDES ASSISTING US EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO DO A COMPENSATION STUDY, TO ENSURE THAT OUR COMPENSATION IS REMAINING COMPETITIVE WITH THE MARKET.
THEY ALSO ASSIST US WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR BENEFIT PROGRAMS ATTEND OUR RETIREMENT COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UH, PROVIDE THE MINUTES FROM THOSE MEETINGS, PROVIDE CONSULTATION AT THEM WHEN THERE ARE QUESTIONS FROM STAFF, UH, THEY ASSIST US WITH ENSURING THAT THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE USE FOR THOSE BENEFITS SUCH AS, UM, OUR ADMINISTRATION OF OUR RETIREMENT PLAN ADMINISTRATION OF OUR HEALTH PLAN, UM, ARE ABIDING BY THOSE CONTRACTS.
THEY PROVIDE ACTUARIAL SERVICES TO US RELATED TO THOSE CONTRACTS.
UM, WE ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THESE SERVICES, UM, TO, BECAUSE THE CONTRACT WITH GALLAGHER SERVICES COMES TO AN END IN AUGUST AS A RESULT OF THAT RFP PROCESS, WE ARE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION TO, AGAIN, AWARD THAT CONTRACT TO GALLAGHER BENEFIT SERVICES, UM, LESS AS I SAID, FOR THE TWO YEAR BASE AND FOR ONE YEAR OPTION PERIODS, UM, THERE WAS NOT AN SBE GOAL SET FOR THIS CONTRACT BECAUSE, UM, THERE'S VERY LIMITED SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES.
HOWEVER, WE DO SOME TIMES, UM, ASKED GALLAGHER TO PERFORM SOME SPECIAL SERVICES FOR US RELATED TO OUR COMPETENT BENEFIT PROGRAMS. AND, UM, IN TALKING WITH THEM, THEY HAVE A GRADE WHEN THOSE OPPORTUNITIES COME UP, THAT WE WILL LOOK FOR POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT, UM, THAT SMALL BUSINESSES OR MINORITY BUSINESSES OR FIRMS, UM, MAY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND I'LL HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FOR MS. SIMMONS?
[01:35:02]
NONE VERY WELL.CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM FIVE.
SO MOVE MOTION FROM MEMBER STRATTON SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES FIVE TO ZERO.
[IV.6. Approval of a resolution appointing Catherine Walker, Chief Financial & Risk Officer, to the Capital Metro Investment Committee as an investment officer, with the authorization to withdraw, invest, reinvest, and accept payment with interest, consistent with the investment policy.]
FINAL ACTION ITEM IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING CATHERINE WALKER, UH, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER TO THE CAP METRO INVESTMENT COMMITTEE AS AN INVESTMENT OFFICER WITH THE AUTHORIZATION TO WITHDRAW, INVEST REINVEST IN ACCEPT PAYMENT WITH INTEREST CONSISTENT WITH THE INVESTMENT POLICY.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COOPER, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CLARK, I'M SUSAN RENSHAW CONTROLLER OF CAP METRO I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION APPOINTING CATHERINE WALKER, OUR NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER TO THE CAP METRO INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, AS AN INVESTMENT OFFICER WITH THE AUTHORIZATION TO WITHDRAW, INVEST RE-INVEST AND ACCEPT PAYMENT WITH INTEREST CONSISTENT WITH A CAP METRO INVESTMENT POLICY.
MOST OF YOU ARE AWARE OF OUR INVESTMENT POLICY, AS WE APPEAR BEFORE YOU ANNUALLY TO ASK FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE POLICY.
OUR POLICY IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT AND PER THE POLICY.
THE BOARD NEEDS TO DESIGNATE IN WRITING THE CAPITAL METRO PERSONNEL THAT SERVE AS INVESTMENT OFFICERS WITH THE AUTHORIZATION TO INVEST ON BEHALF OF CAP METRO DECISIONS ON HOW TO INVEST CAPITAL METRO FUNDS ARE MADE WITH THE ADVICE OF OUR INVESTMENT ADVISORY FIRM.
WHO'S CURRENTLY PFM ASSET MANAGEMENT AND WITH THE CONCURRENCE OF THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, OUR FORMER CFO RECENTLY RETIRED AND SHE WAS AN INVESTMENT COMMITTEE OFFICER.
AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT OUR NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER CATHERINE WALKER.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RESOLUTION QUESTIONS? REMEMBER NOT ABOUT THIS SPECIFICALLY, BUT ABOUT THE, UM, RETIREMENT SYSTEM GENERALLY.
UM, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW HOW THE COMMITTEE WORKS AND THE INVESTMENTS AND WHAT THE EXPERIENCE RATING IS.
I'M ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES, RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
SO I'M THAT TRUSTEE OF THAT BOARD.
AND I KNOW HOW COMPLICATED, UM, THOSE, UH, UH, DECISIONS CAN BE HAVING MADE THEM ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN EMPLOYEES.
SO I HAVE JUST KIND OF A, A PROFESSIONAL INTEREST IN THAT TOPIC AND WOULD BE HAPPY TO, WE'D LIKE TO GET KIND OF A BRIEFING CAN JUST BE, YEAH, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S WISE TO PUT SOMEBODY WITH FINANCIAL BACKING, A CFR SOUNDED LIKE A REALLY GOOD, UM, SKILL SET TO PUT ON TO, UH, ONTO THIS BOARD.
YOU HAPPY? I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE THE MOTION.
IF YOU NEED ONE, UH, HAVE A MOTION THEN BY A MEMBER POOL.
SECOND, SECOND BY MEMBER STRATTON, ANY DISCUSSION OR A RELUCTANT SECOND, I KEPT HOPING WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRING RYNETTE BACK OUT OF RETIREMENT EVERY TIME WE HAD TO HAVE THIS MEETING, BUT I GUESS, I GUESS WE'LL PUT KATHERINE IN.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, UH, ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
DISCUSSION WAS CALLED MOTION CARRIES AS SUSAN.
WOULD YOU MIND, UH, MAYBE, UH, NOW INTRODUCING US TO KATHERINE FORMALLY AS SHE HAS NOT BEEN BEFORE.
SO CATHERINE, MAYBE SHE HAS A, OKAY, WELL THIS IS CATHERINE WALKER.
I DIDN'T, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAY AT? ARE THEY CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER? IF YOU WANT TO COME GIVE SOME BACKGROUND? YEAH.
W SHE HAS A VERY IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND AND I THINK EVEN MEMBER STRATTON WILL BE PLEASED TO HAVE CATHERINE CHAIRMAN, UH, PRESIDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M OUR NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER.
UM, SO IN THE PAST DECADE AFTER I COMPLETED MY MBA AT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY IN THE FINANCE INDUSTRY AND IN FINANCIAL ROLES, UH, MOST RECENTLY I WAS WITH ZEALOUS HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS A PRIVATE EQUITY BACKED HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY.
SO OF COURSE THE INDUSTRY IS A BIT DIFFERENT FOR ME, BUT MONEY NUMBERS THAT CARRIES FORWARD FROM INDUSTRY TO INDUSTRY.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO JOIN THE TEAM.
I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBER STRATTON.
SHE, SHE CAME FROM HEALTH CARE.
SHE'LL PASS TAKING CARE OF PEOPLES, TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND IF MEMBER STRATTON GIVES YOU ANY TROUBLE AT ALL, LET ME KNOW.
[01:40:01]
OKAY.AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON THEN, UH, TO OUR NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH IS THE SUSTAINABILITY CLIMATE PLAN.
I I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON HOLD.
[V.2. August 2021 Service Changes]
WE HAVEN'T GOT ENOUGH OF A SHARMILA YET.SO WE'RE GOING TO INVITE HER BACK TO TALK ABOUT THE AUGUST, 2021 SERVICE CHANGES.
I PROMISE THIS IS MY LAST PRESENTATION FOR THE DAY, BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE AS MANY AS YOU LIKE.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, AUGUST, 2021 SERVICE CHANGES AGAIN, I'M SURE.
MYELOMA CRAIG, EVP PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CAP METRO AND THE WORK WE ARE PRESENTING TODAY.
IT IS AGAIN A RESULT OF A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL EVALUATION DURING COVID AND OUR LESSONS LEARNED.
AND THESE ARE OUR TEMPORARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND I SAY TEMPORARY WITH THE CAVEAT THAT WE'RE STILL IN COVID SERVICE GUIDELINES AS DESCRIBED BY FTA AS, AS A COMMUNITY, AS WE ARE COMING BACK OUT OF COVID AS VACCINATIONS, UM, NUMBERS ARE GOING UP, UM, WE FEEL MORE OPTIMISTIC.
SO THIS SLIDE KIND OF TALKS ABOUT OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS THAT ARE INFLUENCING OUR SERVICE, A GROWING POSITIVE OUTLOOK IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE MORE VACCINATED, UH, CUSTOMERS, UM, IN OUR SERVICE, WE ALSO HAVE ONE OF THE AREA'S LARGEST EMPLOYERS WHO KNEW VIRTUE IN UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AISD.
THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH DETAILS FOR FALL.
WE ARE, UM, TAKING CLOSE ACCOUNT OF THAT AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT, UH, ALL OF THOSE UPDATES ARE INCORPORATED IN HOW WE WORK THROUGH OUR FALL SERVICE PLAN.
WE HAVE DONE THAT AND RESOURCES AND WORKFORCE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, OUR SERVICES ARE CURRENTLY OPERATING AT READJUSTED AUGUST 20, 20 COVID LEVELS.
AND FUTURE CHANGES ARE DESIGNED TO KIND OF MEET THE DEMANDS AND FALL, BUT ALSO TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS IS STILL, THESE ARE STILL TRANSITIONAL TIMES, AND WE ARE TAKING THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM COVID DURING THIS TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING THE RIGHT CHANGES AS WE COME BACK FOR, UH, OUR SPRING SERVICE CHANGE IN 2020.
SO THE, THE IDEA, SORRY, THE IDEA HERE IS TO TAKE EVERYTHING WE LEARNED THROUGH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FALL AND COMING BACK TO OUR FORMAL SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS, UH, FOR SPRING OF 2020.
SO IN JANUARY, 2020, WE'LL BE BACK USING OUR FORMAL SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS.
BUT ONE THING OUR CEO HAS REMINDED US OFTEN, AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS IS WE LEARNED A LOT THROUGH COVID OUR OPERATIONS, OUR PLANNING FOLKS LEARN HOW TO BE EVEN MORE AGILE AND FLEXIBLE, AND WE WILL TRY TO MAINTAIN THAT OUTLOOK AS WE GO THROUGH.
SO SYSTEM RIDERSHIP S WE EXPERIENCED SLIGHT GROWTH SINCE MID-MARCH EVERY WEEK.
AND NOW WE ARE STARTING TO SEE STEADY UPTICK FROM EARLY JUNE.
THAT IS STARTING TO LOOK MORE SIGNIFICANT.
OUR COMMUTER RAIL RIDERSHIP HAS GONE UP, WEEKDAYS ARE GROWING, BUT SATURDAY IS DEFINITELY UP.
OUR EXPRESS AND FLYERS AT THE COMMUTER ROUTES ARE STILL DOWN HIGH-FREQUENCY AND LOCAL NETWORK.
WE'RE AT, AT ABOUT 55% OF OUR PRE COVID LEVELS, BUT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING STEADY GROWTH UT ROUTES.
WE EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES AND FALL.
UM, AND WE IT'S DOWN 75%, BUT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OF WHAT'S TO COME WITH VACCINATED.
STUDENT BASE, COMING BACK TO CAMPUS ARE LATE LINES, LATE NIGHT SERVICE ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR CARNE RIDERSHIP AND HOW WE ARE TAKING THAT INTO OUR FAULT SERVICE CHANGE.
SO OUR COVID LESSONS LEARNED ARE STILL FOCUSED AROUND OUR ESSENTIAL TRIPS AND HIGHEST AND CONSISTENT ACTIVITY AND DESTINATION, UM, GENERATORS, UH, TRIP GENERATORS, AND, UM, UH, THE MAJOR DESTINATIONS AND HOW OUR CORE NETWORK IS SERVING TO THOSE AND OUR SELECT FREQUENT NETWORK, UM, SELECT ROUTES IN OUR FREQUENT NETWORK THAT WERE ENHANCED IN AUGUST, 2020 TO SUPPORT SOCIAL DISTANCING.
WE ARE MAINTAINING THEM AT CURRENT LEVELS, AND YOU WILL SEE, UH, SOME ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE FREQUENCIES ON SOME OF THOSE, AS WE ARE TRIGGERING AND HELPING GIVING RECOVERY A HAND AS OUR CUSTOMERS COME BACK TO OUR OUR SYSTEM.
SO THESE ARE THE RECOMMENDED AUGUST SERVICE LEVELS.
OUR MOST FREQUENT HIGH-FREQUENCY NETWORK, AS WE CALL IT IN METRO RAPID, WE WOULD
[01:45:01]
BE A CARBON REC, UH, IS YOU WOULD SEE THE MIDDLE COLUMN WITH OUR CURRENT SERVICE.AND IN AUGUST, WE ARE RE KEEPING THAT AND RECOMMENDING SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, CHANGES ON THAT.
AND ALL OF THEM ARE, WE'RE NOT, THERE ARE NO DEDUCTIONS, WE'RE ADDING FREQUENCIES ON CERTAIN ROUTES.
SO OUR MOST FREQUENT THE HIGH-FREQUENCY NETWORK AND METRO RAPID WOULD, UH, CURRENT ARE OPERATING AT PRE COVID LEVELS PLUS ENHANCED ROUTE 3 37.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT IN AUGUST, WHICH IS CURRENTLY WEEKDAY PEAK.
UM, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE DAILY.
SO IT'S, WE WILL HAVE CONSISTENT SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
OUR MITCHELL RAPID, WE WILL RESUME LATE NIGHT SERVICE AND IMPROVE WEEKDAY EVENINGS, EIGHT TO 10:00 PM.
WE'RE ADJUSTING SERVICE SPAN THERE TO 15 MINUTES, OUR REGULAR LOCAL SERVICE, UH, CURRENTLY A PRE COVID LEVELS, BUT WE ARE IN AUGUST.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ADDING ROUTE 3 92.
UM, THAT IMPROVES TO CURRENTLY IT OPERATES AT 45 MINUTES, 3 92 WILL IMPROVE TO 30 TO 35 MINUTES.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, UH, THESE ARE TEMPORARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS AS PART OF AUGUST SERVICE CHANGE THAT WE BELIEVE WILL GIVE A HAND AND SUPPORT OUR CORE RIDERSHIP AND BRING NEW WRITERS, NEW CUSTOMERS BACK INTO OUR SYSTEM, OUR COMMUTER ROUTES, UH, IT'S, IT'S REMAINING FAIRLY SIMILAR TO OUR, OUR, OUR CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS, A PARTIAL ROUTE NINE 80.
WE HAVE WE'RE ADDING TRIPS THERE, NO CHANGE ON FLIERS, ONLY SELECT TRIPS AND OUR SPECIALS.
UM, UNIVERSITY PICKUP, AND NIGHT OWL.
YOU WOULD SEE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
OUR UNIVERSITY ROUTES ARE ADJUSTED FOR FALL SEMESTER, WHICH WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY DONE.
WE ARE RESUMING SATURDAY, UM, SERVICE ON OUR NORTHEAST ATX AND
I WILL TALK ABOUT DESAI SEPARATELY.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE A NEWS, UH, PICKUP ZONE IN DAY SAW WITH SATURDAY SERVICE AS WELL.
UH, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THIS VERY EXCITING CHANGES THAT ARE COMING, AND THESE ARE TO SUPPORT OUR CORE RIDERSHIP AND TO GIVE A HAND AS OUR CUSTOMERS ARE COMING BACK, UM, ART HAS COMING BACK TO OUR SYSTEM.
SO MITRA RAPID 8 0 1 AND 803 PRE COVID 10 MINUTES, AND WE'LL REMAIN, WE'RE CALLING IT POST COVID, WHICH IS AUGUST SERVICE LEVELS.
IT'S TRIO, STILL TRANSITIONAL.
AS WE ARE MAKING THIS CHANGES, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE AND ADOPT AND REVIEW.
AND THEN, UM, IN FALL, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND REVIEW OUR, THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT, OUR OVERALL SERVICE CHANGES, AND THEN WE'LL MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED THROUGH A FORMAL SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS FOR JANUARY.
SO MITRA ROUTE ONE, OUR PRE COVID FREQUENCY IS 30 MINUTES POST COVID IN AUGUST.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING WE IMPROVING THAT ALMOST BY 10 MINUTES.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE 20 TO 30 MINUTES.
METRO BUS, ROUTE SEVEN, THAT IS 15 MINUTES.
IT'S GOING TO BE 10 OR 12 MINUTES, 10 TO 12 MINUTES.
SAME GOES FOR, UH, ACTUALLY EVEN MORE IMPROVED FOR ROUTE 10, WHICH BECOMES 12 TO 12 TO 15, ROUTE 20 IT'S CURRENTLY 15 MINUTE ROUTE.
IT'S CURRENTLY 15 MINUTES WILL BE 10 TO 15.
SO 1 7, 10, 20, AND 300 ARE OUR HIGHEST RIDERSHIP ROUTES IN THE RETAIN THEIR RIDERSHIP THROUGH COVID.
WE ARE, AS OUR COMMUNITY'S COMING BACK IN FALL, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SUPPORT CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, UH, THIS ROUTE, THESE ROUTES WITH ADDITIONAL FREQUENCIES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE CORE FREQUENCY ON OUR METRO RAPID.
SO THESE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF FUTURE SERVICE CHANGES.
WE REVIEW AND EVALUATE OUR RIDERSHIP AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AUGUST.
WHEN UT COMES BACK FULL IN SESSION, WE RESERVE FOR RUI RESUME FORMAL SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS.
THIS FALL WITH COVID LESSONS LEARNED.
AND AS I MENTIONED, ONE OF THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED IS THAT WE CAN BE VERY FLEXIBLE AND AGILE AND BE ABLE TO TWEAK OUR SERVICE AS NEEDED BASED ON CHANGED CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND.
AND THEN, UH, WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE OUR SYSTEM AND CONSIDERATIONS ARE IN PREP IN FOR NEXT YEAR, INTRODUCTION OF NEW EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY AND, UH, IN 2023.
SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEW DESAL PICKUP ZONE.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THE NEW PICKUP ZONE.
[01:50:01]
PROJECT CONNECT SERVICE EXPANSION, UM, FOR AN IN DEMAND RESPONSE AND, UH, INNOVATIVE MOBILITY.UM, THANK YOU TO MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR GIVING US COMMENTS AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR SERVICE GUIDELINES FOR PICKUP.
UH, WE TOOK THAT, WE USE THOSE GUIDELINES VERY THOUGHTFULLY AND, UM, REVIEWED THEM AT THIS EARLY PLANNING PROCESS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THEM THROUGH FALL.
AND, UM, HERE'S A GRAPHIC OF OUR CEO AND OUR VICE CHAIR TREVELYAN UM, ON THE, ON, ON SCREEN WITH THAT.
AND MY CHIEF OF STAFF
SO ANYWAY, WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOUR REPRESENTATION AT, UH, AT OUR INAUGURATION DAY, IT WAS ON JUNE 14TH AND SERVICE, UH, BEGAN ON JUNE 15TH.
AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THE ZONE WITH SATURDAY SERVICE, UM, THAT I BELIEVE CONCLUDES.
WHY DID THAT SAY JANUARY 20, 22 IMPLEMENTATION? SO THAT IS, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY LOOKING AHEAD.
IT'S REALLY, UH, PROBABLY WE DID NOT NEED TO, SO I'LL GO BACK AND EXPLAIN THAT IN GA.
SO IN JANUARY 22ND, 2022 IS WHEN, SO THESE NEW DESAL PICKUP ZONE, IF YOU REFER BACK TO THE PICKUP GUIDELINES THAT WE TAKE SIX MONTHS, WE REVIEW THEM AND WE FINE TUNE.
SO ANY SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU SEE NOW, UM, THAT WOULD BE REVIEWED, UM, THROUGH OUR RIDERSHIP COMMENTS THAT COME THROUGH THE APP, WE REVIEW THEM, WE REVIEW THE DESTINATIONS AND THEN WE TAKE SOME OF THOSE CHARACTERISTICS AND VARIABLES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE GUIDELINES, AND WE APPLY THEM TO SEE THEY'RE STILL HOLD TRUE.
SO I, I THINK THIS TITLE COULD HAVE NOT BEEN THERE, BUT I THINK IT'S EFFECTIVE IN REMINDING THAT WE ARE CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO TREAT THEM AS, UM, INITIAL RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND WE GO ABOUT TWEAKING THEM AND UPDATING THEM IN JANUARY.
OTHER QUESTION, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
NO, THAT IS IT VICE CHAIR? UM, WELL, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
WE HAVE TALKED, UH, TALKED THROUGH, VISITED, TALK TO PEOPLE, WORK THROUGH, AND I THINK THAT, UH, THAT THAT BUDGET HAVE PUT TOGETHER IS, UM, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF, OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S ASKING FOR.
UM, AND, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO OBSERVE IT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY WELL USED.
AND, AND I, I HEAR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND THEN, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UH, WE CAN SEE WHAT THE RIGHT SIZE OF IT IS OVER TIME.
SO I THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UH, I KNOW THAT IT HAS BEEN A PAINSTAKING PROCESS, AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ASKED ANSWERED 5,423 QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT, UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
THANKS GOES TO OUR, BUT CHAD BALLANTINE AND HIS TEAM, THEY HAVE DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB IN KIND OF ORGANIZING THIS AND COVID GETTING THE RIGHT LEVEL OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT ZONE.
SO THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELP ON THAT AS WELL.
REMEMBER, STRATTON GIVING ME A PROMOTION THERE WHEN YOU'RE DOING, UH, THAT JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, IF YOU COULD BACK UP REAL QUICK, I WANTED TO LOOK AT, UH, CAMPING OUT ON, ON THE, UH, THE COMMUTER.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE, I THINK THE SLIDE THAT HAD THE, THE ONE MORE.
SO, UM, REMIND ME, FIRST OF ALL, CAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER IF I CAN PULL IT UP, WHICH, WHICH ROUTE IS THE NINE 80 FOR THE METRO EXPRESS.
I'M GOING TO, THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO HAVE LAUREN SPEAK TO THAT.
HE WOULD GIVE YOU EXACT SEGMENT OF NINE 80.
UM, I AM THE ONLY STATE OR PRINCIPAL PLANNER, UH, SHORT RANGE PLANNING.
THE NINE 80 IS A ROUTE THAT OPERATES FROM ROUND ROCK STOPS AT OUR HOWARD AND, UM, NEW PARKING RIGHTS AND THEN, UH, GOES INTO THAT MOPAC EXPRESS LINES.
UM, THE ONE QUESTION THAT I'VE GOT, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL, IF WE HAVE AN ANSWER TO THIS, UM, CLEARLY WE WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH AISD AND WITH, AND WITH UT OR PARTNERS, THERE'S, WE'RE KIND OF WORKING OUT OUR, OUR SERVICE PLANS AND WHAT OUR PROJECTIONS ARE GOING FORWARD.
UM, THERE HAS DEFINITELY BEEN A CHANGE IN COMMUTER
[01:55:01]
PATTERNS BECAUSE OF COVID, THERE'S BEEN A LOT MORE WORKING FROM HOME.UM, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT THAT SOME COMPANIES ARE JUST LIKE THE STATE AND JUST LIKE UT ARE COMING OUT OF THAT AND ARE GOING TO BE RENEWING, UM, IN PERSON, AT LEAST TO SOME IN SOME CAPACITY.
UM, I'D BE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE, WITH, WITH THE METRO EXPRESS COMMUTER LINES AND KNOW WE'VE GOT COMING OUT OF MY NECK OF THE WOODS, OUT OF THE LAKELINE AREA AND OUT OF, OUT OF LEANDER WHERE BY HAVING THE EXPANSION OF THE, THE METRO RAIL, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE PLUS BACK PRE COVID METRO RAIL AND THE METRO EXPRESS LINES WERE BOTH PACKED ALL THE TIME.
SO, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT PART OF DOWNTOWN YOU WERE COMMUTING FROM, YOU MIGHT CHOOSE THE METRO RAIL OR YOU CHOOSE THE METRO EXPRESS IT, DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME YOU NEEDED TO LEAVE DOWNTOWN TO GO HOME.
YOU MIGHT GO IN ON METRO RAIL, BUT COME HOME ON METRO EXPRESS.
I'D BE VERY CURIOUS TO DETERMINE, AND I I'M, I'M WONDERING, IT MAY BE A KIND OF CHICKEN AND EGG THING IS IF WE MAKE THE SERVICE AVAILABLE, WILL MORE PEOPLE RETURN TO IT THAT RIGHT NOW THEY ARE COMMUTING AGAIN, BUT THEY ARE LOOKING AROUND GOING, WELL, I CAN'T USE CAP METRO ANYMORE.
IT'S IT'S, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT AN OPTION AT THIS POINT, VERSUS THOSE PEOPLE WHOSE EMPLOYERS HAVE SAID NO, NO, NO.
AND I'M THINKING LIKE, SAY A FACEBOOK THAT SAYING, NO, WE, WE AREN'T OR GOOGLE, I THINK IT'S GOOGLE THAT SAID FLAT OUT, NO, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, TO, TO RESUME IN PERSON, UH, DOWNTOWN FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
I THINK IT IS, I THINK WHAT I SEE MAYBE JUNE OR SOMETHING OF NEXT YEAR, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT DO YOU HAVE A, UH, A PULSE ON ANY OF THAT AS TO WHAT IMPACT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE ON THOSE COMMUTER LINES, WHETHER IT'S THE NINE 80 COMING OUT AROUND ROCK OR THE, UM, THE NINE 80, THE 9 87, THE 9 85, THOSE ROUTES THAT WERE COMING OUT OF, UH, OR, OR THE, THE, THE, UH, THE O'CONNELL THOSE ROUTES THAT ARE COMING OFF OF 180 3, KIND OF WHAT, WHAT Y'ALL WERE SAYING ABOUT THAT I I'M GONNA START OFF AND IN MY ANSWER WOULD HAVE AN OPTIMISTIC BEND TO THIS, UM, JUST SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH METRO RAIL.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD COMPARISON TO SOME EXTENT WITH, UH, COMMUTER ROUTES.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT THE WEEKEND RIDERSHIP, THE RIDERSHIP PATTERNS AND TRENDS SHIFTED THROUGH COVID, AND THAT'S THE ENTIRE IDEA OF THIS, THIS CURRENT TRANSITIONAL TIME AND AUGUST SERVICE CHANGE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRIGGERS.
AND I THINK WE ARE STARTING TO SEE METRO RAIL RIDERSHIP GOING UP, AND WE BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO HAVE TRICKLE EFFECT, UH, TO COMMUTER ROUTES.
BUT, BUT THEN AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CLEAR ANSWERS.
IT, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT FACTORS INVOLVED.
I THINK DIFFERENT SECTORS ARE GOING TO RESPOND TO, UH, WORKING FROM HOME DIFFERENTLY, UM, TECH VERSUS FINANCE VERSUS TRADITIONAL SECTORS.
SO I, OUR CEO HAS A LOT OF THOUGHTS ON THAT, AND WE ARE OFTEN REMINDED OF OVER-SERVING, UM, AS A TRIGGER TO BRING OUR SERVICES BACK.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POINT OF WHERE I THINK HE COULD CHIME IN AND KIND OF GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT.
SHAMILA WE'RE ABOUT SERVING PLEASE.
I THINK SHE MEANT IN RELATION TO OVER-SERVING ONE CUSTOMER BASE VERSUS ANOTHER, I THINK IS WHAT SHE MEANT BY THOSE LANGUAGES.
I WANT TO DO JUST TAKE A SECOND TO THE BOARD AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT IT HAS BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF OF COMPLETE UNCERTAINTY.
AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB IS PLANNING TEAM LAWRENCE, ROBERTO, AND OTHERS, UH, AND DOTTIE, AND THE OPERATIONS TEAM OF BEING NIMBLE, BEING FLEXIBLE AND REALLY SAYING, HOW DO WE BE RESPONSIVE, ESPECIALLY 100% SINCE DAY ONE, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THE MOST TRANSIT DEPENDENT TRENDS RELIANT IN OUR SYSTEM.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE ACTUALLY, IN SOME OF THESE SERVICE CHANGES, SHERMILLA WENT THROUGH RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
WE'VE HAD A FAIR AMOUNT OF, UH, AND WE STILL GOT THREE MORE PRESENTATIONS AFTER THIS.
SO WE MAY NOT HAVE GOT THE FULL HIGHLIGHT THAT I'LL JUST TAKE A SECOND TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE SPOTLIGHT HERE.
IT'S BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THIS LITTLE PERIOD OF TIME WITH COMMUTER BOSS, PROBABLY GONNA TAKE THE LONGEST TO GET BACK TO QUOTE UNQUOTE NORMAL.
I THINK THAT'S, UH, THAT, THAT IS A GIVEN.
UH, BUT WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE AN UNBELIEVABLY GOING REGION.
SO WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT RIDERSHIP HOLISTICALLY IS GOING TO COME BACK THERE.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US QUESTION THAT DIFFERENT TYPES WILL GROW BACK AT DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, PACES A WEEKEND SERVICE FOR INSTANCE, HAS ALREADY GROWN BACK PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, FASTER THAN I THINK SOME OF US WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
[02:00:01]
RAIL RIDERSHIP, UH, IS COMING BACK.RAIL RIDERSHIP OF SPECIAL EVENTS IS VERY COMING VERY, VERY MUCH COMING BACK TO, UH, TO A POINT OF, WE ARE REALLY MAXING OUT EVERY PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, UH, ON SPECIAL EVENT DAYS.
UH, BUT WITH THAT SAID, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IN THAT SLIDE UP THERE.
UH, ACTUALLY SHERMILLA, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT RIGHT THERE? UH, ACTUALLY GO BACK ONE, THEN I'LL GO TO THAT.
SO, UH, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS BOARD RELATED TO, UM, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT LONG ENOUGH SERVICE.
AND ONE OF THEM IS THE 3 92 THAT SRINI I TWO CURRENTLY RUNS AT A 40, UH, 45 MINUTE 45 MINUTE HEADWAY, UH, FREQUENCY, WHICH IS, WHICH IS HONESTLY NOT, NOT, NOT A GREAT FREQUENCY.
AND THE TEAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT DOWN TO THE 30.
A FEW OF THE RUNS WILL RUN AT A 35 MINUTE, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THAT.
THAT IS, THAT IS DEFINITELY A CORRIDOR THAT WE FEEL WILL HAVE SOME LARGER POTENTIAL AS SOME LARGER EMPLOYERS GROW IN THAT AREA.
IT'S A CHALLENGE LIKE ALL ROUTES, BECAUSE SOME PARTS OF ROUTES ARE BUSY AND OTHER PARTS ARE NOT.
AND HOW TO USE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF BUSES AND X AMOUNT OF STAFF AND TRYING TO MATCH THOSE UP RIGHT NOW.
WE PUBLICLY HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, THE TEAM IS HIRING.
WE'VE NEVER STOPPED HIRING DURING, DURING THE ENTIRE COVID PANDEMIC OF ANYTHING.
WE WERE AGGRESSIVE TRYING TO RECRUIT AND HIRE WITH THAT SAID, IT IS JUST A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW FROM A HIRING POINT OF VIEW, OVERTIME POINT OF VIEW.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE DROPPING SERVICE A DAILY BASIS FROM HERE AND THEIR TRIPS, BUT WE ARE MANAGING THAT AS BEST WE CAN.
AND THE TEAM IS WORKING TO HAVE FULL COMPLIMENTING STAFF, ESPECIALLY TO GET READY AS MORE SERVICES COME ONLINE, UM, OUTSIDE OF 302, IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS PART SHARMILA CAPTURE, BUT I THINK THIS NEEDS A LITTLE MORE EMPHASIS HERE.
THIS, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT, UH, BENEFIT OF SERVICE, UH, THAT MAYBE IS LOST ON THE AVERAGE PERSON AND, YOU KNOW, TO GO FROM A LONGER 8 0 1 A DAY, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, THAT IS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, BUS LINE WE HAVE, IT MOVES THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
AND THE ONE WE WILL SEE AS IMPROVED FOR EXAMPLE, IS THE ORANGE LINE, THE 20, WHICH IS NOW GETTING FROM A 15 TO A 10 TO 12 IS A BIG CHUNK OF THAT IS THE BLUE LINE.
THAT'S 300 IS A ROUTE THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST TRANSIT DEPENDENT, UH, AND, AND PROBABLY THE ROUTE THAT'S SHOWED THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RIDERSHIP, UH, REDUCTION DURING COVID.
AND THE STAFF ACTUALLY GOT THE, GOT THAT LINE UP TO A 10 MINUTE FREQUENCY FOR MOST OF THE DAY AND WE'RE STICKING WITH THOSE CHANGES.
SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, SO, UH, WE'VE TALKED EARLIER THROUGH THE WHOLE EQUITY ASPECT OF, OF, UH, OF OUR, OF OUR PROGRAM.
ALL OF THESE ROUTES ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT, UH, BENEFITS TO THOSE THAT ARE VERY BUS DEPENDENT, UH, LOWER INCOME POPULATIONS, MINORITY POPULATIONS TO GET A HIGHER SERVICE LEVEL.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT A LITTLE FINE POINT ON THAT.
THESE ARE THE ROUTES THAT FOR THE MOST PART ARE GOING TO BE THE GOLD LINE, THE BLUE LINE, THE ORANGE LINE, IT'S WHERE WE NEED THAT, THAT SERVICE.
AND THERE'S JUST SEEING THAT MAP.
MOST OF THEM ARE ORIENTED ACTUALLY TOWARDS THE EAST AUSTIN, UH, AND CERTAINLY THE EAST PART OF, UH, OF, OF THE, OF THE NORTH, NORTH SOUTH ALIGNMENT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT A LITTLE, A FINE POINT ON, ON KUDOS TO THE TEAM.
UM, THEY ARE SQUEEZING EVERY SINGLE OUNCE OF EVERY SINGLE BOSS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO DELIVER THIS SERVICE.
UH, IF WE HAD MORE BOSSES, OBVIOUSLY WE COULD DELIVER EVEN MORE SERVICE.
SO AS WE COME BACK FROM COVID, WE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY CAREFUL TO SAY, HOW DO WE GO FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY TO NINE YEARS WHEN THE ORANGE LINES ONLINE, THAT IS A BIG GAP BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO USE OUR FLEET AND POTENTIALLY GROW OUR FLEET A LITTLE BIT TO MANAGE THROUGH THAT.
SO, SO SORRY, CHARLIE, THAT WAS PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LONGER, BUT I WANTED TO, I WANT TO REALLY PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON THE WORK THAT TEAM DID AND THE BENEFITS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE COMING RIGHT OUT OF COVID.
AND, AND I JUST, JUST WANTED TO ASK ONE, ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
UM, GOING AGAIN, GOING BACK A COUPLE THERE, UM, WITH, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE PICKUP ZONES, UM, WHICH ONE WAS IT? UH, RESUMING SATURDAY, UH, OR NEW.
SO AS I'M READING THAT WITH THE PICKUP ZONES, THERE'S GOING TO BE NEW SATURDAY SERVICE FOR THE PICKUP ZONES IN WALNUT CREEK DECILE, AND THEN ALSO LEANDER WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING BEGINNING IN AUGUST SATURDAY SURFACE.
AND SO THAT WILL BE A, UM, THEIR PLANS IN THE WORKS TO BE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY OF LEANDER, FOR MARKETING AND GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT THROUGH THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND OTHER THINGS SO THAT THE FOLKS UP THERE KNOW AS WELL.
AND IT'S IN THE SAME VEIN OF PROVIDING ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, KIND OF EXPAND THE, EXPANDING OUR SERVICE SPAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET MORE RIGHTO MOTOR WRITERS.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT'S, WHAT'S BEEN SET UP HERE.
YOU, YOU, YOU ALL HAVE DONE AMAZING YEOMAN'S
[02:05:01]
WORK THROUGH INCREDIBLE CHALLENGES JUST WITH EVERYTHING BETWEEN THIS.AND I MEAN, DOTTIE TRYING TO, TO STAFF IT AND KEEP THE BUSES RUNNING ON TIME THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING CHALLENGE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE, WE CAN SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE PROVERBIAL TUNNEL THAT WE'RE LITERALLY DIGGING AS IT WERE, BUT, UM, YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND, AND, AND PRESIDENT CLARK TO U2 AND, AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE TO WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, AND THEN HIGHLIGHTING THAT AND PUTTING THAT, I THINK THAT PUTS IT ALL INTO GREAT PERSPECTIVE THAT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE, WE ARE COMING OUT OF THIS WITH EVEN BETTER QUALITY AND FREQUENCY OF SERVICE THAN BEFORE WE ENTERED IT AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE BUILDING OUT, EVEN MORE SERVICE WITH, UH, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND PROJECT CONNECT.
[V.3. Sustainability Climate Plan]
NEXT UP? UH, WE'LL HAVE DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE SUSTAINABILITY CLIMATE PLAN, SORRY FOR THE PUMP.CHAIRMAN KEVLAR, PRESIDENT CLARK BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ROB BAROFSKY SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
UH, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TO GIVE YOU A PREVIEW OF THE SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLANNING EFFORT THAT WILL BE GOING ON OVER THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, JUST TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A FORMALIZATION, AN ATTEMPT TO KIND OF FORMALIZE OUR PLANNING EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR SOME YEARS NOW.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF INFORMAL ACTIVITIES.
THIS WILL BE A FORMAL OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE US TO, UM, KIND OF CONNECT THE PRAGUE PROGRAMS THAT ARE GOING AROUND ALONG WITH CAPITAL METRO AND PROJECT CONNECT AND TAKE US TOWARDS ZERO MISSION, UH, TRANSIT AGENCY ALSO TO LEAD US TOWARDS FROM BEING APTA AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSIT ASSOCIATION, SUSTAINABILITY LEVEL GOLD TO PLATINUM.
SO THOSE ARE THE, KIND OF THE GOALS OF THIS, THIS PROGRAM, UH, C UH, WHY NOW? UM, BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING FORWARD, AS ALL OF YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED, OUR FLEET PLANS ARE MOVING FORWARD, FULL STEAM OR FACILITY PLANS ARE MOVING FULL STEAM AND NOW'S THE TIME TO REALLY MAKE SURE SUSTAINABILITY IS INTEGRATED AT THE LEVELS OF, OF PLANNING THAT WE, WE ARE, ARE GOING FORWARD WITH.
UM, ALSO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ASSOCIATE OR ADMINISTRATION, UH, JUST RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A NEW PROGRAM CALLED THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT FOR HEALTHY PLANET PROGRAM.
AND THEY CHALLENGED ALL THE TRANSIT AGENCIES TO PUT FORTH A CLIMATE PLAN BY NEXT EARTH DAY, APRIL, 2022.
UH, AGAIN, WE'RE ALREADY WELL ALONG ON THE WAY TOWARDS THAT, SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE A STRETCH FOR US.
HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THIS TIMELINE STARTING NOW, A BOARD BRIEFING TODAY.
THE NEXT TIME I'LL COME TO YOU FORMALLY WILL BE PROBABLY IN FEBRUARY WITH A FORMAL, FORMAL, UH, PLAN FOR YOU FOR Y'ALL TO ADOPT, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE'LL BE ONBOARDING A CONSULTANT TO HELP HELP WITH IDENTIFYING BEST PRACTICES.
UM, COMPARE US TO OTHER PEERS AROUND THE AGENCY AROUND THE COUNTRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON TRACK FOR MEETING THOSE GOALS.
UM, WE'LL BE IDENTIFYING WORK GROUPS BOTH INTERNALLY WITH STAFF, FROM THE APPROPRIATE STAFF FROM CAPITOL METRO AND FROM ATP TO, TO PUT THIS FORWARD AS WELL AS AN EXTERNAL TEAM, UM, WITH HEATHER CITY OF CITY CITY, UM, STAFF FROM THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WATERSHED, AUSTIN ENERGY, ET CETERA, UM, WE'LL BE CREATING A VISION PLAN THAT WILL BE THE HIGH LEVEL PLAN THAT WILL BE ADOPTED BY KIND OF LED BY LED BY THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM ADOPTED BY THE BOARD.
BUT AT THE DIVISION LEVEL, WE'LL BE HAVING ACTION PLANS.
AND THOSE ACTION PLANS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ACTIONABLE, MEASURABLE ACTIVITIES THAT EACH OF OUR DIVISIONS WILL BE PUTTING FORWARD ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN HIGH LEVEL PLAN THAT THE SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLAN AND CLIMATE LEADERSHIP POLICY ADOPTED AGAIN, SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM WILL GUIDE THAT ADOPTED BY THE BOARD.
WE'LL HAVE INTERNAL ACTION TEAMS, AND THESE ARE WHERE WE HAVE STRATEGIES METRICS, UH, UH, WE'LL HAVE, UH, UH, WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL ACTUALLY OWN WE'LL HAVE OWNERS FOR EACH OF THESE STRATEGIES.
UM, AND WE'LL IDENTIFY THE GOALS FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES.
[02:10:01]
WE'LL HAVE AN ANNUAL REPORT THAT WILL COME BACK TO YOU, UH, GUIDING THESE OUR SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.UH, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS IN A VACUUM, BUT WE'LL BE GUIDED BY OUR OWN STRATEGIC PLAN AND OUR STRATEGIC VISION BY THE APTA SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT, WHICH WE WERE A CHARTER MEMBER OF IN 2014 AND HAVE CONTINUED TO GROW IN OUR COMMITMENT THROUGH THAT THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLAN AND THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WHICH IN THIS WE'VE ALREADY HAVE SEVERAL STRATEGIES THAT ARE, ARE IN THESE COMMUNITY CLIMATE PLANS THAT WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED, LIKE THE METRO BIKE PROGRAM, ELECTRIC BUSES IN PROJECT CONNECT, ENVISIONED SUSTAINABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE FRAMEWORK, WHICH GUIDES OUR NON BUILT ENVIRONMENT OR KIND OF PUBLIC WORKS ENVIRONMENT, LINEAR PROJECTS LIKE PARKS AND WATER PROGRAMS AND TRANSIT IN THE SAME WAY THAT LEAD IN THE AUSTIN GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM GUIDE THE BUILDINGS.
AND AGAIN, THE GREEN BUILDING PROGRAM THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAS PUT FORTH WILL BE PART OF THAT KIND OF HELPING GUIDE US THROUGH THAT.
SO THE STRUCTURE OF THIS AS WE'LL HAVE A VISION PLAN AND SEVERAL ACTION PLANS, THESE ACTION PLANS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THOSE FRAMEWORKS LIKE ENVISION, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN ENERGY, GREEN BUILDING AND APTA SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT, AND THEY ARE ENERGY AND CLIMATE.
SO WE'LL HAVE A OWNER THAT WILL KIND OF LEAD THOSE STRATEGIES, TRANSPORTATION AND FUEL, ZERO WASTE, WATER, NATURAL WORLD, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND FINANCING AND PROCUREMENT.
NOW WE'VE ALREADY DONE, STARTED TO IMPLEMENT SEVERAL STRATEGIES.
THAT'LL HELP MEET THESE GOALS, BUT AGAIN, THIS WILL HELP FORMALIZE THAT PROCESS.
YES, THE PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND SUPPORT OF THAT PLAN.
UM, I'M GOING TO START AT THE TOP AT THE TOP LEVEL, UH, THE, THE BOARD AND THE DIRECTORS WILL ADOPT THE SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLAN.
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM IS GOING TO BE TAKING THOSE GOALS, IDENTIFYING THE GOALS THAT WORK BEST FOR CAPITAL METRO, PUTTING THOSE FORTH SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE, INTERNAL TO CAPITAL METRO AND ATP WILL BE GUIDING THOSE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES.
AND WE'LL HAVE AN EXTERNAL SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP THAT WILL HELP.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP MEASURE AGAINST WILL HELP BRING THE B REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS.
OUR PEERS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT'LL HELP IDENTIFY THE BEST PRACTICES.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE AT THE, AT THE, AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL, THE OFFICE LEVEL, EACH OF THE, OUR BUILDINGS AND OFFICES WILL HAVE GREEN TEAMS AND SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATION THAT WILL HELP TAKE, TAKE US AND DELIVER THE ACTUAL STRATEGIES.
AGAIN, EACH OF THESE FOCUS AREAS ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE NEW TO US OR THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON.
AND IN NEXT TWO SLIDES, JUST TO REMIND YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE APPROVED, THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH AND IN THE PROGRAMS AND ENERGY AND CLIMATE, WE ARE PURCHASING 100% OF OUR, OUR ELECTRIC ENERGY FROM AUSTIN ENERGY'S, UM, GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT HAVE ADOPTED LEAD AND AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, UM, REVIEW, AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT OUR TRANSPORTATION FLEET AS WELL ON THE WAY TO BEING COMING ZERO EMISSION.
IN FACT, WE'VE REDUCED OUR, UM, CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS BY OVER 60% OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN OUR ELECTRIC EMISSION OR ELECTRIC BUSES WILL GO DOWN TO ZERO MISSION, UH, BECAUSE WE PURCHASED GREEN CHOICE, ENERGY, ZERO WASTE, THINGS LIKE RECYCLING OR BUSES THAT ARE TAKEN OFFLINE.
THOSE ALL BEING DISMANTLED AND RECYCLED IS LEADING ALONG THE WAY TOWARDS THAT.
OUR WATER NET FOR WAR A NATURAL WORLD THROUGH THE ENVISION SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM AND OUR TRAINING FOR THAT.
WE'RE, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY FOCUSING ON THAT OUR USE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND REGENERATIVE LANDSCAPING TO REDUCE WATER AT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES, UH, METRO BIKE, CONNECTED, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY FINANCING, AND PROCUREMENT.
WE HAVE, UM, STARTED IMPLEMENTING GUIDANCE THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT POLICIES TO GET TO MORE SUSTAINABLE, SUSTAINABLE WAYS.
ONE, ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN OUR LANDSCAPING AND BUILDING MAINTENANCE, WE'VE LOOKED AT HOW TO INCLUDE LEAD STRATEGIES IN, IN THE S THE STAFF THAT'S DOING THAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO IN BOARD THE CONSULTANT THAT WILL HELP WITH GUIDE THIS PLAN AND HELP GUIDE THE PLAN AND HELP FORMALIZE IT, UH, CREATE OUR STAKEHOLDER
[02:15:02]
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO, TO GUIDE IT.AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU IN 2022 WITH THE VISION THAT WE'RE READY TO ADOPT.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS EXCITED TO SEE THAT QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS? NONE.
WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT STEPS ON THAT.
GOOD TO SEE HOW IT COLLEAGUES, UNLESS THERE'S ANY OBJECTION.
I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE DEFER THE LAST TWO DISCUSSION ITEMS UNTIL OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING
[VI. Reports]
AND END UP WITH THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.UM, A COUPLE, A COUPLE ITEMS TO WRAP UP, UH, TODAY'S MEETING.
UH, THANK THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
BOARD MEMBERS, UH, NUMBER ONE WOULD BE, UH, ON JUNE 11TH, WE HELD A MEMORIAL DEDICATION CEREMONIES, UH, AT BOTH THIS FACILITY AND AT OUR NORTH OPERATIONS FACILITY.
AND THE PURPOSE OF, UH, THESE CEREMONIES WAS TO TAKE A MOMENT REFLECT AND PUT A MEMORIAL TOGETHER FOR ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK AT CAP METRO THAT WE LOST WHILE THEY WERE IN SERVICE AT CAP METRO AND SERVING THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE OBVIOUSLY HAD A FEW INDIVIDUALS STORING THE LAST YEAR DURING COVID.
UH, WE ACTUALLY HAD A COUPLE OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE NOT COVID RELATED, AND IT'S A 52 STAFF OVER THE YEARS THAT WERE IN ACTIVE SERVICE.
AND WE WANT TO REALLY JUST SHOW RESPECT TO HOW MUCH THEY'VE PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY OVER THERE.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAD TWO REALLY NICE CEREMONIES CHAIR COOPER, UH, BY CHURCH, CIVILIAN AND BOARD MEMBER, UH, KITCHEN WERE IN ATTENDANCE AND APPRECIATE YOUR TENANTS TO THAT.
AND IT WAS NICE TO HAVE SOME FAMILY MEMBERS SHOW UP AND, UH, JUST RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THEIR LOVED ONES TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, THE NEXT PIECE, UH, THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WAS, AND THIS IS JUST A REALLY POSITIVE PIECE WAS, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, RIGHT, RIGHT AT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, WE REALIZED WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE TRANSPORTING AS MANY PEOPLE WITH OUR METRO ACCESS VEHICLES, BUT A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS STILL NEEDED, UM, FOOD.
AND, UH, WE WERE THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO SWITCH TO USING, UH, OUR ACCESSIBILITY VEHICLES TO FOOD DELIVERY.
AND WE DID THAT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HEB, THE FOOD BANK, AND THEN THE PARTNERS JUST KEPT ROLLING AFTER THAT TOO.
WE HAD A WHOLE GROUP OF A GROUP OF PARTNERS AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE KEPT THAT GOING UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO WHERE WE HIT OUR 1000000TH MEAL DELIVERED.
AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE, TWO REASONS, ONE THE NEED OUT THERE THAT WE DELIVERED A MILLION MEALS, BUT JUST THE PARTNERSHIPS COMING TOGETHER TO DO THAT.
I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY LAST WELL YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN MARCH HAPPENED, NONE OF US KNEW WHAT THE, UH, HOW THE SEVERITY WOULD BE IN THE DURATION AND IT SHOWED YOU HOW QUICKLY OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER.
SO I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF OUR, OUR METRO ACCESS TEAM SPECIFICALLY FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
IT'S A LIFELINE TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION.
UH IT'S UH, IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION BACK LAST YEAR OBVIOUSLY WAS A VIRTUAL PIECE, UH, FLYING THE FLAG OUTSIDE OF CAP, METRO, UH, HEADQUARTERS.
THE OTHER DAY ON, YOU CAN SEE ONE OF THOSE PICTURES, UH, VICE-CHAIR TREVELYAN, UH, WAS THERE WITH US, UH, AND ALSO, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CHAIR, VERONICA CASTRO, DEBRA, UH, WAS IN, IS IN THE PICTURE AS WELL, AND REPRESENTING ATP BEING PART OF, UH, GETTING ATP AS PART OF THIS TRADITION OF CAP METRO INSIDE THE JUNETEENTH PARADE.
UH, BUT A GREAT, A GREAT CELEBRATION AS ALWAYS.
NO, IT'S A LOT OF CANDY THAT FOR ME, THAT'S FOR SURE.
UH, THE, UH, PICKUP WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, THAT, THAT OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, IN GROW AND GROWING THAT SERVICE.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON FRIDAY CAT AND METRO, UH, GOT WORD FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, AND WE RECEIVED A $2.9 MILLION LOW AND NO EMISSIONS GRANT, UH, TO THE HELP OF PURCHASE OF ELECTRIC BUSES AND CHARGING EQUIPMENT.
SO THEY, UH, DID 49 PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WE WERE SELECTED THAT'S ACTUALLY THREE YEARS STRAIGHT THAT WE WERE SELECTED FOR THE LOW, THE LOW NOTE PROGRAM.
SO KUDOS TO ROB, ROB, WHO WAS JUST UP, UH, HAD A BIG ROLE IN THAT OUR GRANTS, TEAM SHARMILA AND OUR PLANNING TEAM AND OUR, UH, AND OUR BOSS MAINTENANCE TEAM.
SO ANOTHER GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE TEAM WORKING HARD TO WE'RE GOING TO GO AFTER EVERY SINGLE FEDERAL OPPORTUNITY WE CAN GET TO BRING FEDERAL MONEY BACK HERE TO CENTRAL TEXAS TO, UH, UH, PROPEL OUR, UH, GREAT TRANSIT PROGRAM FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT CHAIR, I JUST WANT AGAIN, THANK THE STAFF THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN FANTASTIC.
UH, I HAVE, I HAVE A CERTAIN MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT TELLS ME ALL THE TIME, ALL GAS, NO BRAKES, AND, UH, THEY ARE GETTING PUSHED AND, AND DOING A GREAT JOB.
[02:20:01]
FOR ANY OF THEM LISTENING THAT IF THEY GET A CHANCE TO HAVE A VACATION IN THE SUMMER, THEY HAVE A GREAT, ENJOYABLE, THANK YOU CHAIR.UH, THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THE STAFF, UH, FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE HERE FOR ALL OF OUR DRIVERS OF FRONTLINE PEOPLE FOR DELIVERING THE SERVICES EVERY DAY, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU AND, UH, APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY NEW BUSINESS, UH, WE WILL STAND ADJOURN TO 2 38.