[00:00:04]
[*This meeting was joined in progress* 1. Public Comment]
NAME IS JEREMY HENDRIX AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE ATP COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.AND I'M ALSO WITH THE LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA LINE IS THE FIFTH LARGEST CONSTRUCTION UNIT IN NORTH AMERICA.
AND A MORE JORDY OF OUR MEMBERS ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, UH, WORKING IN POVERTY, UH, BEFORE THEY COME TO US.
SO TEXAS IS DEFINITELY THE MOST DANGEROUS STATE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND HAS THE MOST WORKER MISCLASSIFICATION, THE MOST WAGE THEFT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE FIGHT EVERY DAY TO ENSURE WORKERS ARE PROTECTED AND ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES WITH DIGNITY.
I'M ALSO PROUD TO BE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS BUILDING TRADES AND AN ALLY OF THE WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT.
WHO'S ALSO HERE TODAY AND WE HAVE FOUGHT TO PASS PROJECT CONNECT AND TO ENSURE THIS PROJECT PROVIDES THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THE WORKERS BUILDING IT, WHICH INCLUDES LIVING WAGES ON TOP OF PREVAILING WAGES, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CONSTRUCTION TRAINING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND INDEPENDENT ONSITE MONITORING PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO JOIN MS. WOLF, TO ASK THE ATP BOARD, TO DELAY THE VOTE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION RESOLUTION UNTIL WE GET THE LANGUAGE FINALIZED AND CORRECT WITH THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, WE MUST GET THIS RIGHT UP FRONT TO ENSURE THE INTENTIONS OF THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS IS FOLLOWED AND TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE PROTECTED.
IT IS CRITICAL THAT COMMUNITY INPUT INPUT FROM GROUPS THAT FIGHT TO PROTECT WORKERS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GROUPS AMONG OTHERS ARE LISTENED TO AND RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE IS INCORPORATED IN THE PROJECT, UH, TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY, THE VOTERS, AND TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THIS MASSIVE, MASSIVE PROJECT.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL PLEASE, UH, DELAY THIS VOTE UNTIL WE GET THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS, UM, LANGUAGE, UH, CORRECTLY INTO THE NEW JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
UM, BEFORE WE CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. HENDRIX? NO.
UM, NOW THE SECOND SPEAKER IS MS. JESSICA WOLF, MS. WOLF.
UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
UH, BOARD CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF BETTER BUILDER AND POLICY AT WORKERS.
DEFENSE IS A MEMBERSHIP BASED ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS TEXAS AS LOW-INCOME CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND IMPROVING THEIR LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE DELAY VOTING ON THE CONSTRUCTION MITIGATION RESOLUTION.
WORKER'S DEFENSE, ALONG WITH OTHER COMMUNITY AND LABOR ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PROVIDED EDITS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO ATP STAFF ON LANGUAGE RELATED TO THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS AMONG OTHER ITEMS IN THE JPA.
WE STILL HAVE CONCERNS RELATED TO THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM, LIVING WAGE AND CONSTRUCTION CAREERS PROGRAM LANGUAGE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO VOTING ON THIS.
TEXAS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE TO BE A CONSTRUCTION WORKER.
AND THIS PROJECT WILL IMPACT THE LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS FOR OVER A DECADE.
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE GET THIS LANGUAGE, RIGHT, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY THAT IT ALIGNS WITH THE INTENT OF THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS RESOLUTION.
THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS STATES THAT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM OR SIMILAR PROGRAM.
THE INDEPENDENT ONSITE MONITORING IS MOST THE MOST CRITICAL PIECE OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS MEANS INDEPENDENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AND THE PROJECT ITSELF SO THAT THE WORKER CAN SAFELY REPORT ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES ON THE JOB WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS, AND WE HAVE EXPERIENCED ACCREDITING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MONITORING ENTITIES IN OUR EXPERIENCE IN OUR, IN OUR EXPERIENCE, REGARDLESS OF THE STANDARDS REQUIRED BY POLICY, IF THERE IS NOT INDEPENDENT, TRULY INDEPENDENT MONITORING FROM THE LIKE IT'S, IT'S VERY CRITICAL THAT THERE'S TRULY INDEPENDENT MONITORING FROM THE DEVELOPER, FROM INDUSTRY AND FROM THE OWNER STANDARDS REQUIRED ON PROJECTS ARE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE BEING FOLLOWED.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ARE RECEIVING THE LIVING CITY, BOSTON'S LIVING WAGE AND PREVAILING WAGE, WHICH IS WHICHEVER IS GREATER THAN THE TWO PREVAILING WAGES FOR SOME TRADES ARE FAR LOWER THAN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LIVING WAGE.
WE ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION CAREERS PROGRAM LANGUAGE.
WE ARE AGAIN, ASKING YOU TO DELAY THIS VOTE UNTIL THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT LANGUAGE IS FINALIZED AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE OURSELVES WHO HAVE MEMBERSHIPS, WHO WILL BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY YOUR DECISIONS.
UM, WE WANT TO THINK ATP STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE, AND ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH US ON THIS, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. WOLF, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM MS. POOL? ANYONE? UM, WHEN WE GO ON TO DISCUSS THAT, UM, ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, WOULD YOU BE STILL AROUND TO THERE'S ANY FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS? YES.
UM, OUR FIRST ITEM TODAY IS A TECHNICAL ADVISORY
[2. Technical Advisory Committee Reports]
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COMMITTEE REPORTS TO START US OFF.UM, I'M GOING TO BE GIVING THE REPORT ON MY COMMITTEE AND, UM, WE DISCUSSED FOUR ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT REVIEW, AND WE ALSO HAD IN ATTENDANCE, THE, UH, FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY ONLY MEET QUARTERLY.
SO THEY JOINED OUR MEETING AS WELL.
UM, WE DISCUSSED PLEASANT VALLEY, RIVERSIDE STATION, DESIGN OPTIONS AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK REVIEW, UH, THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE, COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP PREVIEW, AND THE METRO RAPID SHELTER DESIGN REVIEW.
UM, WE HAD THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE WERE FOUR, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE, THE JPA REGARDING THE JPA, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED INCLUDING TIMELINES, MILESTONES, AND DEADLINES FOR CRITICAL PATH ITEMS IN THE PROGRAM IN ORDER TO HOLD ALL PARTIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SCHEDULE AND EACH PARTY'S RESPONSIBILITIES IN MAINTAINING THE SCHEDULE.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE SCHEDULE IS ONE OF THE PROGRAM'S GREATEST RISKS.
SO THE JPA SHOULD HELP THE PARTNERSHIP MINIMIZE THAT RISK, UH, REGARDING THE PLEASANT VALLEY, THE COMMITTEE SUPPORTED THE EMPHASIS ON PLACE-MAKING AND FACILITATING MULTIMODAL TRANSIT USE AND CONNECTIONS.
AND ALL OF THIS IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUSTIN STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN.
IN PARTICULARLY THE COMMITTEE LIKED OPTION NUMBER TWO WITH LADY BIRD, LAKE BRIDGE WORKSHOP.
THE COMMUNITY IS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE SIGNATURE ELEMENT OF THE PROGRAM AND RECOMMENDS THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR ASPIRATIONAL APPROACH.
THERE WAS CREATING AN INSPIRING ARCHITECTURAL ICON THAT ADDRESSES MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY AND PLACEMAKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GET AN IN-DEPTH, UH, PRESENTATION TODAY FROM MR. MULLEN ON THAT REGARD METRO RAPID SHELTER, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED ADDING BIKE RACKS TREES, AND A PLACE FOR PUBLIC ART, AS WELL AS SUBMITTED A DETAILED LIST TO THE DESIGN TEAM ON THE ELEMENTS THAT STILL NEED TO BE REFINED ON FABRICATION INSTALLATION, LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE AND IDENTIFYING KEY AMENITIES FOR WRITERS PROVIDED AT THESE SHELTERS.
SO THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE GIVEN AFTER WE HAD THE COMMITTEE WITH THE MEMBERS AND WE JUST WORKED IN A SMALLER GROUP DIRECTLY WITH THE TEAM IN TERMS OF REQUESTS, FOR MORE INFORMATION, THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE THROUGHPUT FOR ALL MOBILITY MODES, INCLUDING OTTO'S RAIL BUS, PEDESTRIANS, AND BICYCLISTS, UM, FOR EACH OF THE TWO PLUS AND VALLEY RIVERSIDE DESIGN OPTIONS.
AND THEN THE SECOND REQUEST FOR INFORMATION THAT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE TEAM IS THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DESIGN REFINEMENT OF THE BUS SHELTERS AS THIS WILL ALSO BE THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN TERM OF ITS ARCHITECTURAL LANGUAGE AND RIDER AMENITIES.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT STEPS ON OUR REVIEW IS TO PROVIDE A RECAP OF THE LADYBIRD BRIDGE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP IN NOVEMBER.
UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING, WE WILL ALSO RECOMMEND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 3D MODELING OF THE TUNNELS, DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE TUNNEL COMPARED TO A BRIDGE DOWNTOWN.
AND THE CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED BY THE TECHNICAL TEAM IN REGARDS TO UTILITIES PROVIDE GRAPHICS, SHOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VEHICLES SO THAT WE CAN ALL SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE BETWEEN LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER, RAIL, AND STREETCAR, AND TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THE TRANSIT SYSTEM BETTER.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DEBRIEF FROM THE TECHNICAL TEAM ON THE PROCUREMENT OF THE METRO RAPID SHELTERS AND THE NEXT STEPS.
SO NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UH, JACKIE NIERENBERG GIVE THE REPORT FOR DR.
BURNETT WHO UNFORTUNATELY IS NOT FEELING WELL TODAY.
SO WE'RE SENDING HER HEALING WISHES.
SO THANK YOU, JACKIE, FOR BEING HERE, THE SUN, UH, PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DBE COMMITTEE KNOWN AS PEACE SAC.
WE MET ON OCTOBER THE SEVENTH, THE PRIMARY AGENDA ITEMS WERE THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES AND COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, DESIGN WORKSHOPS UPDATE.
UM, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ASKED FOR, UH, SOME CONNECTION POINTS WITH THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S NEWLY CREATED EQUITY PLAN.
SO THAT WAS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXPRESS THE VOLUME OF CONTENT BEING CREATED, UH, BEING PRESENTED WAS A BIT OVERWHELMING FOR THEM.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO PARE THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT FOR THEM.
SO IT'S MORE DIGESTIBLE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALL IN THIS AREA AND SO WE WERE BREATHING, LIVING IT, TALKING IT ALL THE TIME, AND WE FORGET SOMETIMES THAT WE NEED TO PUMP THE BRAKES AND LET PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, UM, GET A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING INTO ANOTHER DATE IN TIME FOR THE MEETING.
WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE MAKING THE MEETINGS, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING BACK TO THEM FOR, UM, INPUT ON WHEN, WHEN WOULD BE THE MOST CONVENIENT
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FOR THEM.SO THAT WAS IT, BASICALLY ALL.
UM, SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
[3. Executive Director Report]
MR. THANK YOU CHAIR.UH, I WANTED TO TAKE A COUPLE MOMENTS HERE, UM, AND KIND OF START FRAMING UP AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND WE ARE MAKING CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS ON, I'LL SAY THE, UM, I WANNA SAY, UH, LEAST COMPLICATED OR, UH, LEAST RISK ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH ARE PICKUP METRO RAPID RED LINE.
SO THINGS THAT ARE COMPLICATED IN THEIR OWN, RIGHT, BUT NOT OBVIOUSLY AS COMPLICATED AS THE RAIL, UH, PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GOING TO, UH, BE ENDEAVOR, YOU KNOW, MOVING, MOVING ON, UM, THE, THE FINANCIAL ASPECT OF THAT PLUS THE FTA PROCESS AND THE CONSTRUCTION ASPECT ARE JUST MUCH HIGHER LEVEL FROM A RISK POINT OF VIEW.
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS A GROUP, WE'VE TALKED THE WORD, THE WORD RISK A LOT, AND THAT WE START FOCUSING OVER AND OVER ON AT THE END OF THE DAY AS A TEAM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO IDENTIFY AND MANAGE AND MITIGATE OUR RISKS? UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE REALLY ARE DOING A PROGRAM.
I KEEP EMPHASIZING THE WORD PROGRAM.
WE'RE NOT DOING A PROJECT, WE'RE DOING A PROGRAM AND THEREFORE ALL THE PIECES HAVE TO PLAY OFF EACH OTHER.
SO IF WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AS WE WORK INTO THE RAIL, UM, UH, THE RAIL PARTS OF THIS PROGRAM, UH, THE KEY MILESTONES, AND WE'VE USED SOME SNAKE DIAGRAMS AND SOME OTHER DIAGRAMS, AND I'VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT SAID THAT, SAY, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS ON THERE.
CAN YOU JUST TELL YOU WHAT ARE THE TWO OR THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS? AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD REMINDER FOR US A LITTLE BIT, LIKE JACKIE JUST MENTIONED STUFF THAT THE TEAM LIVES OR STUFF FROM PEOPLE, THE INDUSTRY, WE, WE KINDA KNOW PROCESS.
THIS IS SO NEW FOR THE COMMUNITY.
HOW DO WE GROUND EVERYONE AROUND TWO OR THREE INCREDIBLY MILESTONES AND THEN MANAGE OUR ENTIRE PROGRAM AROUND THOSE MILESTONES? SO THE FIRST ONE TO HIGHLIGHT IS WHEN THE CAP METRO BOARD AND APPROVED, AND THE CITY COUNCIL AFFIRMED SUPPORT FOR W FOR REFERRED TO IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS AS LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES.
AND TO GO THROUGH THOSE, THERE WAS A WHOLE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS PROCESS.
SO KIND OF WORK IT THROUGH SHOULD BE STUFF ELEVATED OR AT GRADE OR UNDERGROUND, UH, WHAT STREET CORRIDOR THINGS SHOULD BE ON THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND THAT WAS A LONG PROCESS OVER ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF PROCESS FOR BOTH ORANGE AND BLUE.
IT WAS HOW WE GOT TO DECIDE WHERE WHICH CORRIDOR WAS HAPPENING IN WHICH MODE, THE DISCUSSION, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
AND, UH, THE MAYOR WOULD REMEMBER THIS THE MOST WOULD JUST ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CONVERSATION AROUND BRT VERSUS LATE RAIL GAWAD VERSUS RIVERSIDE OR RED RIVER, ET CETERA.
SO THAT LANDED THE COMMUNITY ON LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES.
AND THAT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THE FDA PROCESS.
FROM THERE, THE COMMUNITY PASSED SUPPORT FOR THE REFERENDUM FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN.
AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT NOT ONLY AFFIRMED COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVES, IT THEN DEDICATED THAT LOCAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR US TO BUILD OUR ENTIRE FINANCIAL MODEL ON AND TO GIVE DIRECTION, TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE FEDERAL PROCESS, TO DO, TO DO THE FULL FUNDING, UH, CIG PROCESS CAPITAL, UH, UH, INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM TO END UP WITH A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT FROM THE FTA.
SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE PAST TENSE, BUT THEY'RE IN PEDLEY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF EVERYTHING WE ARE DOING FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THE THREE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS THE ENTIRE BOARD, THE COMMUNITY, CAUSE THIS IS HOW THE STAFF HAS FOCUSED AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING BACK KIND OF ACTIONS AND INFORMATION GOING FORWARD TO THE BOARD THAT WE CAN CONTINUALLY GET EVERYONE FOCUSED AROUND THREE BIG MILESTONES.
AND THESE MILESTONES ARE WHERE ALL OF OUR RISKS ARE AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON HOW TO MANAGE THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS THE NEPA RECORD OF DECISION.
AND OUR GOAL IS TO GET THAT FINALIZED IN WINTER 23.
SO I'M NOT, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOING TO BE JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, YOU KNOW, IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WE WANT TO LOCK IN RECORD OF DECISION FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.
AND WE ARE IN VERY DEEP CONVERSATIONS ALREADY WITH THE FTA, BOTH REGION AND HEADQUARTERS ON THAT PROCESS.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY DOING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THAT PROCESS.
JACKIE'S LEADING THAT EFFORT, UH, AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM THE PLEASANT VALLEY WORKSHOPS TO JUST OUR REGULAR COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND ON AND ON AND ON AND ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK GOING ON WITH OUR CITY PARTNER, UH, GINA'S TEAM HAS BEEN, UH, UH, JUST FANTASTIC WORKING THROUGH THAT PART OF THE NEPA PROCESS.
WE ARE DOING OUR WORK TO GET TO THE NEPA RECORD DECISION.
ONCE WE GET NEPA RECORD DECISION, IT CAN ALLOW US TO MOVE INTO AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT POINT WITH FTA.
AND THAT'S MOVING FROM PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WE WERE IN AND IN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WE HAVE 24 MONTHS TO GET OUT OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
THERE'S A CLOCK AND IT'S TICKING.
ONCE WE'RE IN WE'RE IN FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME,
[00:15:01]
THAT GETS US INTO PROJECT ENGINEERING.UM, W TH THE FCA WILL CALL PE BY SUMMER 23.
THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE GOT OUR NEPA PROCESS LOCKED IN, WE'RE INTO PROJECT ENGINEERING.
WE'RE REALLY GOING IN DEEP RISK ANALYSIS WITH, WITH THE FTA.
ALL OF THAT GETS US ON OUR CLOCK, AND WE GOT TO GET SUMMER 23 TO BE LISTED IN THE FTAS BOOK CAUSE THEY PUBLISH A BOOK AND A RATINGS IN AUGUST EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT AUGUST TIMETABLE DELIVERS WHAT THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WILL BE FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE BUDGET AND EVENTUALLY GET LISTED, YOU CAN'T HAVE FUNDING IN THE NEXT FISCAL CYCLE.
SO EVERYTHING IS ABOUT GETTING INTO PROJECT ENGINEERING TO GET OUR RATING FOR AUGUST.
SO WHEN WE'RE INTO THE NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL FISCAL BOOK AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THAT ALLOWS US TO WRAP UP OUR RISK, RISK WORKSHOP AND ALL OF THE RISKS ASPECTS WITH FTA FINALIZE OUR ACTUAL NUMBERS AND THEN GET INTO WHAT'S CALLED A SIGNING OF A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT.
WE WILL OBVIOUSLY START SOME CONSTRUCTION BEFORE WE EVER GET TO AN FDA OF ANYTHING.
THE FDA WILL WANT TO SEE A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN MOVING FORWARD BEFORE THE SIGNATURE AGREEMENT, BUT THAT IS FALL 2024.
AND THOSE THINGS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE FED THE FEDERAL SIDE, WE ARE ASSUMING A 45% SHARE FOR THE RAIL PROGRAM.
SO ANY DELAY IN THE FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT CHANGES OUR ENTIRE FISCAL MODEL.
AND SO IF OUR GOAL IS TO LOCK IN INCREDIBLE GREAT, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDS FOR A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT, AGAIN, WE BACK UP, WE GOT TO GET OUR PROJECT ENGINEERING AT A CERTAIN DATE, AND TO GET THAT WE HAVE TO GET A RECORD DECISION BY A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME SO THAT I JUST WANT TO GROUND THE BOARD.
AND AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THIS, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DATES, A LOT DIAGRAMS. WE WANT TO REALLY JUST GROUND EVERYONE IN THESE THREE DATES, UH, THREE MILESTONES.
AND THAT IS WHAT THE TEAM IS WORKING ON ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, HOW TO WORK THROUGH VERY SMOOTHLY PURPOSELY AND WITH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THOSE THREE, THREE MILESTONES.
SO TO GET THAT, WE HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO BUILD THE TEAM AND THE RESOURCES.
SO SINCE ATP, UH, STARTED, WHICH IS JANUARY 1ST, AND I BELIEVE CASEY WAS AN EMPLOYEE, UH, OF 0 0 1.
I THINK IT'S EMPLOYEE NUMBER, UH, THAT WAS MID JANUARY.
UH, PEOPLE HIRED AT ATP, WHICH IS JUST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT.
AND I JUST THINK, UH, THE, THE PEOPLE AND CULTURE TEAM AND EVERYONE WITH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS, IT'S BEEN JUST QUITE AN EFFORT.
AND WE HAVE, AS YOU'VE ALL SEEN PEOPLE FROM DALLAS AND PHOENIX AND, UH, NEW YORK AND, UH, A FEW PEOPLE FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN MAYOR HAVE COME TO JOIN THE TEAM AS WELL.
UM, JUST A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE JOINED ORGANIZATION AND REALLY COMMITTED TO THE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OVER 300 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE MOVING FORWARD ON THE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S INCREDIBLE BECAUSE IN THE FDA PROCESS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT IS WHAT IS YOUR LOCAL FUNDING COMMITMENT? WE THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST BOXES MAYBE EVER CHECKED FROM THE FDA PROCESS GOING FORWARD, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S TECHNICAL CAPACITY AND WE HAVE NOT DONE THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS HERE IN AUSTIN.
SO WE NEED TO BUILD A GREAT TEAM TO BUY DOWN THAT RISK FROM FTA THAT SAYS YOU HAVE SKILLED PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE THIS TYPE OF WORK IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR INDUSTRY.
AND WE HAVE REALLY BUILT A GOOD TEAM.
SO WE'LL HAVE HIRING WAS WE WERE STILL LOOKING FOR A FEW TEAM MEMBERS AND OVER THE COURSE OF A DECADE, I'M SURE WE'LL BE ADDING OTHER TEAM MEMBERS, BUT THEN WE NEED A LOT OF GOOD CONSULTANT OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AROUND US, SO LEGAL SERVICES, AND THAT ACTION WILL BE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
AND THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THING.
WE HAVE REAL ESTATE WORK TO DO FDA WORK TO DO.
WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, PROCUREMENT WORK TO DO REALLY DETAILED, COMPLICATED STUFF THAT WE NEED A LOT OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
CASEY AND BRENDA ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE NEED A LOT MORE THAN THEM FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM RISK ANALYSIS.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND BOARD MEMBER OUT, CAUSE HE'S BROUGHT THIS UP MULTIPLE TIMES, SO THAT PROCUREMENT HAS GONE OUT.
WE EXPECT TO BRING THIS BOARD, UH, UM, UH, AN ACTION ITEM IN JANUARY TO BRING SOMEONE ON BOARD TO HELP US REALLY BUILD OUR RISK PROCESS, OUR RISK REGISTER, HOW WE ARE GOING THROUGH, UH, CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE, METHODOLOGY, UH, SPLITTING OF CONTRACTS, ALL OF THAT TYPE OF THING.
THEY CAN LOOK AT IT FROM THAT DIFFERENT TENANT LENS.
AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE NEED A LOT OF REAL ESTATE SERVICES SUPPORT.
AND WE LOOK TO BRING THAT BACK PROBABLY IN THE FEBRUARY TIMEFRAME TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR IDEAL ACTION, THERE WILL BE OTHERS, BUT I WANT TO FLAG AND HIGHLIGHT THOSE THREE SPECIFIC ACTIONS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE FORESHADOWING THINGS WE WANT TO TAKE TO THE BOARD AND HOW WE ARE AGAIN, BUILDING THE TEAM.
AND I'VE USED THE TERM A LOT, CRAWL, WALK, RUN, FIRST THING IN THE BASEBALL GAME.
I PROBABLY NEED A BETTER ANALOGY AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROGRAM AND THOSE WILL GET OLD, BUT IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT TO AS MUCH AS WE'VE HAD AN AMAZING FIRST YEAR OF MOVING THE PROGRAM FORWARD, WE ARE REALLY STILL EARLY IN THE PROGRAM.
AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WHERE'S THIS WHERE'S,
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THIS WHERE'S THIS.WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO DO THE WORK, TO BRING PEOPLE GOOD INFORMATION, TO ULTIMATELY BRING TO THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THIS DIET TO MAKE REALLY COMPLICATED DECISIONS.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST AGAIN, HIGHLIGHT WHERE, WHERE THE STAFF IS WORKING EVERY DAY A LOT.
THE NEXT SLIDE IS A PREVIEW OF DECEMBER.
SO, UH, WE WILL LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE PROGRAMMATICALLY IN DECEMBER, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE.
SO PRETEND I'M AT THE 20,000 FOOT LEVEL TO MAKE IT EASY.
UH, DAVE, UH, MAYBE JOHN BRIAN BUCHANAN, UH, I BELIEVE FROM HDR'S, OUR PMO ARE A FEW PEOPLE LIKE THAT WILL BE COMING IN DECEMBER AND KIND OF NOW GOING FROM 20,000 FEET TO MAYBE LIKE 5,000 AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE, YOU KNOW, INTO 22, WE'LL BE GOING INTO THAT 1000 FOOT TO 500 FOOT LEVEL GETTING MORE GRANULAR BY TOPIC.
SO DAVE WE'LL WRAP, WRAP EVERYONE AROUND AGAIN, JUST QUICKLY THE RECAP OF HOW THE LPA PROCESS WORKED AND REMIND EVERYONE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE JUST DIDN'T START IN JANUARY.
WE STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND THIS IS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
AGAIN, LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEPA RECORD OF DECISION, HOW THAT ACTUALLY WORKS AND HOW THE WILL GO FROM A DRAFT EIS TO A FINAL EIS DOCUMENT AND HOW THAT WORKS, HOW THE FTA CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM FULLY WORKS IN THE DETAILS A LITTLE BIT AGAIN ON RISK AND HOW THEY DO THE RISK WORKSHOP.
AND I ANALYZE OUR FUNDING, HOW THEY'LL ANALYZE CAP METRO'S PERFORMANCE, TRI-ANNUAL REVIEW, STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN, THEN START BREAKING DOWN TOPICS ON RISK AND OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE REVENUE COSTS, UM, CONSTRUCTION, METHODOLOGIES, THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WILL THEN GET EXPLORED, YOU KNOW, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, THOSE TYPES OF TIMEFRAMES.
AS WE DRILL DOWN INTO THOSE TYPES OF TOPICS, YOU KNOW, TUNNELING SINGLE VERSUS DUAL BORE TUNNELING THINGS LIKE, UM, REAL ESTATE, YOU KNOW, JUST THOSE TYPES OF THEMES.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO BRING TO THIS BOARD IN A DEEPER DETAIL THAT WE WANT TO FLUSH OUT OPPORTUNITIES AND RISKS RELATED TO THOSE TOPICS.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, SO THAT'S, AGAIN, THE GROUNDING, JUST MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL KINDA THE SAME PAGE.
I WELCOME ANY CONVERSATION THAT YOU THINK THAT'S VALUABLE TO HAVE ON THAT.
AND THEN I WANNA HIGHLIGHT A REALLY GREAT EVENT THAT WE HAD, UH, ON OCTOBER 13TH, THIS WAS THE MEET THE TEAM EVENT.
SO WE HAD AN EVENT, UH, OUTSIDE OF OUR NEW OFFICE SPACE, UH, ON, UH, COLORADO.
AND WE HAD OVER 150 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND I WILL SAY, THIS WAS GREAT.
WE HAD EVERYTHING FROM A COUPLE OF, YOU KNOW, I HAD AN 11 YEAR OLD COMMON TALK ABOUT HOW HE CAN'T WAIT TO BE ON TRAINS TO EVERY VENDOR IN THE WORLD, COMING TO LOOK FOR CONTRACTS TO A BUNCH OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
AND, UH, THERE WAS A GROUP OF STUDENTS.
SO PEOPLE ARE INTO THE PROGRAM.
PEOPLE ARE HAPPY THAT WE'RE MOVING THIS PROGRAM ALONG AND EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR ALL THE WORK THEY DID TO PUT THAT EVENT TOGETHER.
AND WE PLAN ON DOING A LOT MORE OF THOSE AND ACTIVATING BOTH THERE AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO WITH THAT CHAIR, THAT IS MY ED REPORT.
AGAIN, TRYING TO SET THE FRAMEWORK OF HOW WE WANT TO MOVE ITEMS THROUGH, UH, TO, TO THE BOARD.
UH, BUT I WELCOME ANY THOUGHTS OR CONVERSATION OR THINGS THAT WE CAN HELP THE BOARD WITH AS WE MOVE THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. CLARK? YES.
FOR MY RAIL AGAINST, OH, JUST A COMMENT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR.
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY FOR US TO SIT HERE AND ASK FOR ALL THIS INFORMATION, BUT WE ALWAYS NEED TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE WHERE WE ARE.
WE'RE 10, 11 MONTHS INTO THIS PROGRAM AND WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE TODAY, ALL THE HIRES AND THE CONSULTANTS OFFICE SPACE, YOU NAME IT, IT'S, IT'S QUITE REMARKABLE.
SO IT IS HELPFUL THAT YOU GROUND US IN WHERE WE ARE AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME AND, AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE.
AND, AND I, UM, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL TO SEE YOU TALK ABOUT THE RISKS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES.
CAUSE I THINK LARGELY HOW WE AS A BOARD AND HOW STAFF MANAGES AND ALLOCATES RISK AND OPPORTUNITIES IS LARGELY GONNA DETERMINE HOW THIS PROGRAM'S ULTIMATE SUCCESS IS GOING TO BE.
I MEAN, THAT'S, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE MAYBE HAD SOME HICCUPS, IT'S BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MANAGE RISK WELL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT VERY EARLY, I THINK IS GOING TO BE A GOOD, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUR SUCCESS.
UM, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T SEE A PHOTO OF IT INCLUDED, BUT I KNOW YOU ALSO DID WITH CAPITAL METRO, THE DOUBLE TRACKING, YOU HAD AN EVENT THERE IN THE ANDREW.
THAT WAS THE FIRST, UM, I THINK DAVE, I MENTIONED THIS IN HIS PIECE, BUT I'LL, I'LL STEAL DAVE SLENDER SINCE, SINCE I'M UP HERE RIGHT NOW AND DAVE WILL BE HAPPY WITH THAT.
UH, UH, WE, WE DID OUR KICKOFF ON THE DOUBLE TRACKING PROJECT.
SO BOARD MEMBER STRATTON WAS UP THERE AND THAT WAS AGAIN, ONE OF THE PRO PROJECTS IN THE PROGRAM THAT WE WERE COMMITTED TO THE SEQUENCE PLAN FOR THE
[00:25:01]
CONTRACT, WITH THE VOTERS AND AGAIN, ON SCHEDULE.SO THAT IS OUR THREE PICKUP ZONES WE'VE HIT.
THE SCHEDULE IS WE SAID WE WERE COMMITTED TO DOING THE RED LINE, DOUBLE TRACKING WE'RE ON SCHEDULE, AS WE SAID, UH, THE CAP METRO BOARD, LAST BOARD MEETING, UH, PROCURE THE NEW ELECTRIC BUSES FOR THE TWO METRO RAPID THREE METRO RAPID LINES, AND THAT'S DONE ON SCHEDULE.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM, EVERY SINGLE ITEM THAT WE WERE COMMITTED ON THE SEQUENCE PLAN, WE ARE ACTUALLY ON SCHEDULE FOUR.
SO THANKS FOR RECOGNIZING THAT YOUR, YEAH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION, UM, THAT AGAIN, AS PART OF THE PROGRAM, THESE ARE ALL ELEMENTS THAT ARE CONNECTED AS PART OF THAT ECOSYSTEM.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. CLARK, I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO
[4.1. Community Engagement and Involvement Update]
OUR MONTHLY PROGRAM UPDATES.UM, TODAY WE HAVE MS. JACKIE NIERENBERG AGAIN, WELCOME.
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT OUR MONTHLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UPDATE.
SO WE HAD OUR SPEAKING OF METRO RAIL.
WE HAD A METRO RAIL VIRTUAL COMMUNITY UPDATE ON SEPTEMBER THE 10TH WITH 109 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THAT, UM, WE HAD ON THE SAME DAY, A SIMILAR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY UPDATE FOR OUR METRO RAPID SERVICES, OUR NEW, UH, LINES.
AND WE HAD 41 PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
UM, AND THEN WE HAD A COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, BLUE LINE STATION HAD 92 PEOPLE, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THAT AND HAD SOME WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.
UH, PETER MULLIN, OUR CHIEF ARCHITECT IS GOING TO BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD AT THAT COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP.
WE ALSO HAD A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY UPDATE ON THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
UM, THAT TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER THE FIFTH.
WE HAD 29 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THAT.
UM, AND THEN MOST RECENTLY WE HAD A BLUE LINE BRIDGE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP, UM, WAS VERY POPULAR, HAD 191 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UH, WITH FIVE BREAKOUT SESSIONS.
SO PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY ENGAGED.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAVING IT VERY SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE CORRIDORS.
SO TO HAVE ALMOST 200 PEOPLE WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A VERY SPECIFIC ITEM ON THE BLUE LINE CORRIDOR WAS VERY EXCITING AND CLEARLY THE COMMUNITY IS ENGAGED IN AND LOOKING FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING MORE.
WE ALSO HAD A, AN INTER-AGENCY, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP MEETING ON THE 5TH OF OCTOBER.
WE HAD OUR ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE SIXTH, THE P SEC COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE SEVENTH.
WE HAD COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING ALSO ON THE SEVENTH, UM, UH, PROJECT CONNECT AMBASSADOR NETWORK MEETING ON THE 14TH.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE CAC MET AGAIN YESTERDAY, UM, TO DISCUSS THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AND THAT CULMINATED IN SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL BE SUBMITTING TO YOU THROUGH ME, UM, AS A MEMO, UM, WHICH YOU'LL BE RECEIVING VERY SOON.
LET'S SEE, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES, UH, 15% DESIGN FEEDBACK, UH, MEETINGS.
UM, WE HAVE PROCESSED THOSE, THOSE MEETINGS, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT, AND NOW WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF SOME OF THE THEMES THAT ARE RISING TO THE TOP.
UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PROCESS FEEDBACK, WE GET ALL KINDS OF RAW COMMENTS, BUT CERTAIN PATTERNS START TO EMERGE.
AND THAT'S HOW WE KNOW, UM, THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT.
SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ROSE ROSE TO THE TOP WAS, UM, ENTHUSIASM FOR INCREASED ACCESSIBILITY SUGGESTIONS FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OR INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY.
AND THESE WERE FROM, UM, FOLKS IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO FOLKS IN THE BIKE COMMUNITY AND PEDESTRIAN ADVOCATES AS WELL, ENTHUSIASM FOR THE FOURTH STREET UNDERGROUND CONCOURSE CONCERN FOR IMPACTS ON SMALL BUSINESSES IS SOMETHING WE HEARD A LOT, UM, REQUESTS FOR MORE PEDESTRIAN, SAFE CROSSINGS SAFETY CONCERNS OVER THE USE OF SHARED USE PATHS RATHER THAN SEPARATED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES CONCERNS OVER DISPLACEMENT ASSOCIATED IN PARTICULAR WITH THE BLUE LINE, WE HEARD A LOT OF CONCERN REGARDING THE RIVERWALK CONDOS.
UM, AND SINCE THEN, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT OUR BLUE LINE DIRECTOR, ALVIN LIVINGSTONE HAS WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY AND HAS COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVES.
WE HAD A MEETING WITH THAT GROUP, AND THAT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED AT THESE MEETINGS.
SO THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT LOOP WORKS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON BUS TRANSFERS AT THE INTERIM NORTH AND
[00:30:01]
SOUTH LINES.THESE ARE THE POINTS, UH, THAT ARE THE, THE EXTENSIONS, THE FUTURE EXTENSIONS OF THE ORANGE LINE TO TECH RIDGE IN THE NORTH, AND, UH, SLAUGHTER TO THE SOUTH.
UM, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DASHBOARD, WHICH HAS NOW BECOME MORE OF A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY.
WE HAVE SOME NEW ADDITIONS TO THAT BASED ON FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM YOU, SPEAKING OF FEEDBACK LOOPS.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE ADDED NOW IS THE SUMMARY OF THE INPUT FOR THE 15% DESIGN.
SO THAT THE PATTERNS THAT THEMES THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, YOU CAN SEE THOSE THERE, BUT YOU CAN ALSO SEE THEM IN RAW FORM, EVERY SINGLE COMMENT WE RECEIVED.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, PUT SOMETHING UP ABOUT THE FEEDBACK LOOP ITSELF.
HOW DO COMMENTS GET RECEIVED? WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM? HOW DO THEY GO INTO THE CONSIDERATIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING ON THE PROGRAM? AND SO WE REALIZED THAT PEOPLE REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR FEEDBACK WAS BEING USED, AND THAT WAS BAD ON US.
WE NEEDED TO REALLY BE SPECIFIC AND ARTICULATE HOW THAT WORKS.
AND SO THIS IS THE NEXT STEP IN THAT.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
WE'VE REFINED THIS PROCESS A BIT MORE TO MAKE IT MORE, UM, MORE UNDERSTANDABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
UM, BUT BASICALLY THE FIRST STEP IS THAT THE COMMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND THIS CAN BE AT A PUBLIC MEETING.
IT CAN BE AT A STAKEHOLDER MEETING, IT CAN BE VIA EMAIL OR EVEN PHONE.
UM, AND THEN THE PROJECT TEAM REVIEWS AND SUMMARIZES THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, OFTEN THOSE COMMENTS GET PUT IN BUCKETS OF THEMES.
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT TEND TO RISE TO THE TOP, UM, THE TECHNICAL TEAM AND CITY AND COUNTY AND OTHER PARTNERS REVIEW THE SUMMARIZED INPUT FROM THE TECHNICAL TEAM.
UM, AND THEN COMMENTS ARE INCLUDED WITH PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS ALONG WITH OTHER VARIABLES, INCLUDING TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS, CITY AND REGIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING, NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO JUST AN IDEA OF HOW THAT, HOW THAT INPUT GETS PUSHED ALONG THE PROCESS, AND THEN FINALLY CONSIDERED, UH, TO INFORM OUR DECISION-MAKING AND JUST, YOU KNOW, LAST TIME WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING PEOPLE, LIKE, WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW THIS FEEDBACK? AND I THINK THAT WAS A BOARD MEMBER ELKINS WHO BROUGHT THAT UP TO, TO PROVIDE SOME, SOME, UH, SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF HOW INPUT HAS ACTUALLY INFORMED PROJECT CONNECT.
WELL, THE FIRST EXAMPLE COMES BACK FROM THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS PROCESS WHERE LIGHT RAIL WAS SELECTED AS THE MODE OF CHOICE, UM, DEDICATED RIGHT OF WAY.
YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE REALLY FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO HAVE SOLUTIONS IN DEDICATED TRANSIT WAYS SO THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT TRAFFIC.
THAT WAS AN EARLY WIN FOR THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION OF A DOWNTOWN SUBWAY TUNNEL FOR FREE FRICTIONLESS PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE, SEPARATE BICYCLE, PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES, TREE FURNITURE, BUFFER ZONES THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, WORKING WITH THE AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL.
ANOTHER VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE, UM, TO AVOID IMPACTING BUSINESSES ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORTH GUADALUPE WAS A FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED.
UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FOURTH STREET TRANSIT MALL CONCEPT CAME OUT OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
THE RAINY MAX STATION BEING CLOSER TO THE RAINY RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD CAME FROM FEEDBACK.
WE RECEIVED FROM A RAINY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING AND ENHANCING TRAIL COLLECT CONNECTIONS AT THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE CROSSINGS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES.
YOU CAN SEE A LOT MORE OF THOSE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THESE EXAMPLES.
THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT STEP FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY TO START SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT FEEDBACK THEMES ACTUALLY INFORM THE PROJECT TO COMPLETE THE PICTURE AND COMING UP.
UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING.
THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH, UH, ON OCTOBER 27TH, UH, 27TH.
UM, OUR NEXT, UH, ENGINEERING ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION MEETING WILL BE NOVEMBER 3RD.
THE NEXT PIECE THAT MEETING WILL BE NOVEMBER 4TH, AND THEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP ON THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, NOT THE TRANSIT CENTER ITSELF, AS MUCH AS HOW DO WE CONNECT, UM, THE ORANGE LINE SERVICE TO PEOPLE USING OUR BUS SERVICE, BOTH METRO BUS AND, UH, RAPID BUS.
AND HOW DO WE MAKE THAT ALL SEAMLESS AND, AND SAFE AND, UM, EASY TO USE.
SO THAT WILL BE COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 10TH.
AND THEN WE HAVE A FEW MORE THAT ARE IN THE WORKS.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE DATES FOR THEM, BUT YOU CAN SEE THEM LISTED HERE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING YOU DETAILS ABOUT THOSE NEXT TIME.
WHO HAS QUESTIONS, MR. ELKINS? NOT A QUESTION, BUT A COMMENT.
UM, THIS IS REALLY GREAT STUFF.
[00:35:01]
HATS OFF TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.YOU KNOW, I WROTE A COMMENT HERE IN MY LITTLE CHEAT SHEET THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HELP TO SHAPE THE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
I'VE SEEN OTHER PROGRAMS AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY GO THROUGH PUBLIC COMP AND AS MORE OF A KIND OF FOR SHOW TYPE OF THING.
AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS REALLY ACTIVELY SOLICITING THE PUBLIC'S INPUT TO HELP SHAPE THIS PROGRAM.
THE OTHER WORD THAT I HAVE IN MY MIND IS AVOID THAT RANDY USES A LOT, WHICH IS TRADE OFFS.
YOU KNOW, THESE COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR STAFF AND FOR THE BOARD, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'LL BE TRADE OFFS HERE.
AS WE ALL KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ADDING SCOPE HAS PRICE AND SCHEDULE IMPLICATIONS, BUT WE CAN'T MAKE THOSE DECISIONS UNLESS WE HAVE THIS TYPE OF INPUT.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN.
YOU, YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE BEEN AMAZING AND SO FLEXIBLE AND ON THE FLY I'VE, I'VE JUST NOTICED OVER THE YEARS, EVEN PREDATING ATP, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, JUST HOW MUCH YOU ALL HAVE GROWN AND HOW MUCH YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PIVOT AND ADJUST LEARNING ALONG THE WAY.
I THINK I'VE SAID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WITH WHAT YOU ALL HAD TO DO WITH COVID AND MAKING THE ADJUSTMENTS WITH VIRTUAL.
AND THEN NOW, THEN AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF COVID AND GETTING MORE IN-PERSON MEETINGS, BEING ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THAT SWEET SPOT OF GETTING BOTH THE IN GOING TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN PERSON, BUT ALSO WITH THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A REALLY YOU'VE KOREA HELPED CREATE A VERY ROBUST PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS FOR THE COMMUNICATION AND REALLY REACHING PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE BOTH IN-PERSON AND ONLINE, AND TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT A BOARD MEMBER ELKINS HAS SAID.
I REALIZED THAT WE'VE GOT A PRESENTATION LATER TODAY WHERE WE'RE IN OUR BOARD AGENDA HALL, WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE BLUE LINE AND THAT REALLY KEY CRITICAL INTERSECTION AT RIVERSIDE AND PLEASANT VALLEY.
AND AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THAT, WE'VE GOT SOME DESIGN, UH, DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS THERE, AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO US.
AND I THINK WHAT'S GOING TO BE KEY IS GETTING THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY BEEN GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE THERE AS A RESULT OF WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE BRINGING US, AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP TAKE US TO THE NEXT POINT AT THE 30%.
AND I JUST, JUST WANT TO GIVE AGAIN, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND TAKING THE FEEDBACK FROM US.
AND, AND WHAT I WOULD THINK MIGHT BE IN SOME CASES, UM, DIFFICULT, IF NOT INSURMOUNTABLE REQUESTS ABOUT HOW TO PACKAGE AND REPACKAGE THIS TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, MORE TO MAKE IT POTENTIALLY IN A DIFFERENT FORMAT OR MORE USER-FRIENDLY.
AND TO SEE THAT YOU'RE LIKE, YEP, NO PROBLEM.
AND THEN WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, HEY, GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE BACK HERE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, GUESS WHAT? WE'RE HERE TO ANNOUNCE WE'VE DONE EXACTLY WHAT YOU REQUESTED AND WE'VE REPACKAGED THIS INFORMATION AND THE WEBSITE'S BEEN CHANGED.
AND NOW THEN WE'VE GOT A NEW WAY THAT PEOPLE CAN ENGAGE EVEN MORE GOING BACK AND LOOKING OVER THIS INFORMATION.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE DOING.
AND, UM, TO, TO, AGAIN, ECHO BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS I, I, I LIKE THAT PHRASE, UH, TONY AND I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND IF, IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COPYRIGHT IT, I MAY COME BACK AND REVISIT IT TOO.
I THINK IT WOULD DO US ALL, SOME GOOD TO, TO KIND OF LOCK THAT AWAY AND KEEP SAYING IT IS PUBLIC HELP TO SHAPE THE PROGRAM AND, AND APPRECIATE THAT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE.
I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, JACKIE.
UM, AND THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
I THINK IT WAS ME RATHER WHO REQUESTED THE, THE SPREADSHEET OF ALL THE COMMENTS.
IT'S LIKE THE RAW FORM, BUT I'D REALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU'RE ANALYZING IT AND GIVING US THE SEGREGATED DATA, YOU KNOW, THROUGH GENDER AND ETHNICITY AND HOW THE WHO'S SHOWING UP TO SPEAK, WHO IS THE AUDIENCE AND WHOSE VOICES ARE WE, ARE WE, UM, SEEING REFLECTED IN THE PROGRAM? SO I HAD AN INTERESTING MEETING WITH, UM, COURTNEY CHAVEZ, OUR DIRECTOR OF, UM, EQUITY.
AND, UM, AND SO SHE IS ALSO LOOKING THROUGH THAT DATA AND THEN PUTTING IT THROUGH THAT BUCKET, THROUGH THAT LENS, WHAT ARE THE SALIENT ISSUES REGARDING EQUITY THROUGH THAT? SO I APPRECIATE WHAT THE TEAM IS DOING AND HOW YOU ALL ARE BEING VERY RESPONSIVE TO OUR NEEDS.
AND WHAT WE'VE ASKED FOR HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE RESPONSIVENESS AND THE IDEAS THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD, MAYOR ADLER WITH GIVING US THAT KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES, DUMB, YOU KNOW, DUMP OF INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S SPREADSHEET TO SIT.
PART OF THAT ANALYSIS IS THERE'S SOME WORD THAT PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE DID RECEIVE IT FOR BOTH THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE, THEY'RE BOTH ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE, IN THE LIBRARY.
SO IF PEOPLE CLICK ON THOSE MEETINGS, THEY CAN SEE ALL OF THAT DESEGREGATED DATA.
THAT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED TO CONFIRM.
UM, AND YES, KEEP UP THE GOOD PAYS BECAUSE I, ONE THING THAT DOES CONCERN ME IS THAT
[00:40:01]
WE DO RELY A LOT ON COMMUNITY INPUT, BUT I DON'T WANT US TO REACH, UH, INPUT FATIGUE.SO AS NOW IT'S A NEW THING AND EVERYBODY'S REALLY EXCITED AND MOTIVATED TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
HOW DO WE KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING WITHOUT, UM, ABUSING ABUSING IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD, BUT, YOU KNOW, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SHOW UP.
SO I THINK AS LONG AS WE KEEP THE FLEXIBILITY TO HELP SHAKE, CONTINUE TO SHAPE THE PROGRAM, WE'LL BE RESPECTFUL OF THEIR TIME.
WELL, YEAH, AND THAT IS WHY WE OFFER A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE INPUT LIKE THE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS OR ON A VERY SPECIFIC LEVEL.
SO PEOPLE CAN SORT OF PICK AND CHOOSE, UM, AND HOPEFULLY AVOID THAT FATIGUE.
THAT THAT'S A REALLY IS AN ISSUE, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE GOING OUT FOR PUBLIC INPUT IN THIS COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
UM, SO YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN.
UM, SO NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR CHIEF
[4.2. Project Connect Technical Update ]
PROGRAM OFFICER DAVE COUCH WITH A MONTHLY TECHNICAL UPDATE.GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COURT.
MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE, UH, TODAY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
UH, I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE BLUE AND THE ORANGE LINE, UH, AND HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING RIGHT NOW WITH THE ENGINEERING PROCESS.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS TOUCHED ON BEFORE, UH, IS PLEASANT VALLEY.
AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD THAT THREE OR FOUR TIMES ALREADY, AND PETER WILL BE OUT TO GIVE A DETAILED PRESENTATION LATER, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, NOT ONLY WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO WITH THE CITY, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TOTALLY INVOLVED AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE THERE AT PLEASANT VALLEY, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY LISTENING TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING, BUT ALSO INCLUDING WHAT IT IS IT'S NEEDED AND THE PART OF THE CITY.
SO GINA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM, UH, IN HELPING AND WORKING THROUGH IT SO THAT WE CAN COME TO A GOOD SOLUTION, UH, THAT WILL BE THERE FOR ALL OF TRANSPORTATION.
UH, THE SECOND THING THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH IS THE UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE.
THIS REALLY GIVES US SOMETHING THAT IS A GOOD, CLEAR PATHWAY GOING FORWARD.
WE KNOW THERE'S A SERIES OF UTILITIES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE RELOCATED, UH, THAT EITHER GO PERPENDICULAR OR PARALLEL TO THE GUIDEWAY.
SO WE'RE COMING UP WITH WHAT THOSE RULES WILL BE, HOW THEY WILL BE RELOCATED THOSE TYPES OF THINGS NOW, UH, FOR TYPICAL LOCATIONS ALONG THE 18 MILES, UH, THAT WILL GIVE US A GOOD WAY TO GO AHEAD AND NOT HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE THOSE TYPICALS AS WE GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO START TO GO FORWARD WITH THE UTILITY RELOCATION.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO STARTING THAT SOMETIME NEXT SPRING.
UH, THE GEO-TECHNICAL ONGOING ABOUT TO FINISH UP A DESIGN CRITERIA MANUAL WAS BEING UPDATED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES ARE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT THE POTENTIALS ARE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STATION UNDER THE ENTRANCES TO THE UNDERGROUND STATIONS.
UH, THERE WAS A MENTION A FEW MINUTES AGO, UH, OF MOVING, UH, THE MAC RAINY STATION FURTHER TO THE SOUTH, UH, THAT GIVES US SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTRANCES AT THAT LOCATION, UH, AND LOOKING FOR AN ENTRANCE WAY THAT WILL BABY BASICALLY BE ABLE TO COME IN AND FROM THE GREEN AND RED LINE DIRECTLY ONTO A CONCOURSE THAT WILL CONNECT TO THE STATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON IN, IN THAT DIRECTION, ALONG WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT ARE THERE, UH, AT TEXTILE, UH, UT, UH, AS WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD AND THROUGH THE ENGINEERING AND INTO THE, INTO THE FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS SPECIFICALLY, UH, ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS NEPA, UH, WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE GREAT SUPPORT, UH, WITH FTA.
WE'VE GOT THE 1 39 J WHICH IS BASICALLY SUPPORT TO HELP THEM DO THEIR REVIEW IN PLACE.
UH, THAT'S UM, HELPING IMMENSELY, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING FORWARD WITH BOTH OF THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE AT THE SAME TIME.
AND THAT'S A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WORK AND REVIEW THAT'S REQUIRED, UH, BY FTA THE, THE NEXT LISTING, THERE IS DRAFT TECHNICAL REPORTS.
UH, THERE'S 15 OF THEM THERE, UH, AND THERE'S MORE THAT NEED TO BE DEVELOPED.
WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THOSE THROUGH, UH, FTA AND TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A FLAVOR OF THAT.
UH, SO THAT'S THE REASON THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THAT SUPPORT AND REALLY ENCOURAGEMENT BY FTA.
UH, THE REGION IS GREAT, UH, AND THEY CONTINUE TO HELP AND SUPPORT US AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROGRAM.
IF I GO ON TO, UH, BASICALLY METRO RAPID, UH, THOSE PLANS ARE BEING FINALIZED.
WE'RE AT THE 90% FOR BASICALLY WHAT THE CIVIL WILL BE FOR THE LOCATIONS, UH, AND FOR ALL
[00:45:01]
OF, UH, THE STATION CONCRETE TYPES OF THINGS.UH, WE'RE AT THE POINT THAT NEXT WEEK, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ISSUE THE RFP, UH, TO START TO GET PROPOSALS ON WHAT THE SHELTERS COULD LOOK LIKE.
UH, SO THAT'LL BE A PROCESS THAT WE WILL GO THROUGH.
THERE WILL BE AN EVALUATION TEAM.
UH, WE'LL LOOK AT WHAT THOSE COULD BE SHOULD BE AND WHERE THEY COULD BE LOCATED IN DIFFERENT SIZES AND DIFFERENT TYPES, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT BENEFIT, GET THE INPUT, AND BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD, BASICALLY WITH THE SHELTER PART OF THE PROGRAM, LOOKING FOR THE DECEMBER, UH, TO HAVE THE FIRST GROUNDBREAKING, UH, ON THE, ON THESE LINES TO GO AHEAD AND GET THAT ONE KICKED OFF, JUST LIKE WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THE OTHER PROJECTS, UM, GO LINE AND SOUTH LAMAR, UH, WE'RE STARTING TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH ONE OF THE TWO LEGS.
THAT'S THERE AT THE SOUTHERN END OF 8 0 3 SOUTH LAMAR THAT WE'LL GET DOWN TO MANCHESTER.
UH, AND WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED IN SELECTION PROCESS TO START ON THE GOAL LINE, WHICH WILL BE THE INITIAL BRT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WHICH LATER COULD BE CONVERTED OVER TO ALSO THE PORTION THAT WOULD BE THE LIGHT RAIL.
SO THOSE ARE THE PROCESS, AND THOSE ARE THE STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH WHEN IT COMES TO METRO RAPID.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, I THINK MR. CLARK STOLE THIS AND ALREADY TALKED TO THIS AS I WENT THROUGH, UH, IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT YES, AND ANOTHER SUCCESS STORY, UH, AS WE GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, UH, WITH THE RED LINE, UH, AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE GROUNDBREAKING THERE WITH THE SUCCESSFUL ROLLOUT OF THE THREE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM, IT'S THAT CONTINUED ADVANCEMENT, UH, THAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR, UH, TO HOLD THE SCHEDULE THAT IS THERE, WHERE THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, UH, AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INCREASED ADDITIONAL SERVICE, UH, FOR TRANSIT, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. COUCH, IF WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE, THE BOARD, NO QUESTIONS.
[4.3. Administrative Update]
FROM ATPS GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER CASEY BURROCK WITH AN UPDATE ON HIRING AND RECRUITMENT FOR THE MONTHLY ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE.I AM CHANGING CHIEF ADMIN HAT.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY OUR DIRECTOR OF HR, JULIANA HARRIS, WHO GAVE THIS PRESENTATION BACK IN JUNE, WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT.
SO, UM, I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO JUST AS GOOD OF A JOB, BUT WE ESSENTIALLY JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL KIND OF UPDATED, UM, INFORMATION ABOUT THE, AND I KNOW RANDY ALREADY ALLUDED TO THIS OR MR. CLARK, UM, THAT WE HAVE, WE'VE DONE AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF HIRING AND INCLUDING AN ADDITIONAL 190 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.
EXCUSE ME, SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE UP HERE IN JUNE.
SO, UM, WE HAVEN'T CHANGED THE MAP MUCH, BUT WE HAVE HIRED SOME MORE FOLKS FROM THE NEW YORK AREA, FROM THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY THERE.
UM, WE'VE GOT FOLKS IN THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, LEGAL, REAL ESTATE FINANCE.
AND LIKE I SAID, ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, SO WE'VE UPDATED OUR MAP AND WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU ALL.
THERE'S THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS QUICK, BUT I KNOW THAT BEHIND THE SCENES HAD TO BE ARDUOUS HIRING AN AUSTIN IS SO EASY, RIGHT? NO COMPETITION AT ALL, NOT TO MENTION ONBOARDING, RIGHT.
SO I KNOW IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY INCREDIBLE TEAM AND, UM, I FEEL VERY LUCKY TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF THEM.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
SO NOW MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS, UM, OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM TODAY
[5.1. Approval of minutes from the September 15, 2021 Board Meeting]
IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2020 FIRST AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.IF EVERYONE HAS HAD A TIME THAT HAS HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE MINUTE, THE MINUTES WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE.
BOARD MEMBERS STRAPPED MOVES TO APPROVE SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.
EVERYONE IN AGREEMENT SAYS, AYE.
THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[5.2. Approval of Resolution Awarding On-call Legal Services Contracts to the following law firms for a base period of three years in an amount not to exceed $13,217,000 with two, twelve-month option periods for a total of five years in an amount not to exceed $23,000,000: Ashurst; Dubois, Bryant & Campbell; Greenberg Traurig; Hogan Lovells and Hunton Andrews Kurth; Husch Blackwell; Hyatte O. Simmons; Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell; Mayer Brown, LLP; McCall Parkhurst & Horton; Nossaman LLP; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe; and Winstead PC]
ON TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING ON-CALL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT TO MULTIPLE LAW FIRMS FOR A BASE PERIOD OF THREE YEARS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 13 MILLION, $217,000 WITH TWO 12 MONTH OPTION PERIODS FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE YEARS IN[00:50:01]
AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $23 MILLION WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE VICKY REDERICK, THE DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT WHO WILL NOW GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON THE AWARD OF THIS ON-CALL LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACTS, MIKE.HI, GET UP THE NEW CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS AND, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK.
UH, SO I'M SUPER EXCITED BE HERE AND PRESENT APPROVAL OR FOR OUR FIRST, UH, PROCUREMENT ON THEIR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE ON CALL LEGAL SERVICES.
UH, WE, IT LOOKS LIKE I'M MISSING A SLOT.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE ON-CALL LEGAL SERVICES IS TO PROVIDE, UH, LEGAL SERVICES AND ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT, UH, SCOPE AREAS TO ASSIST CASEY AND BRENDAN AND SUPPORTIVE PROJECT CONNECT THAT THOSE SERVICES RANGE ANYWHERE FROM GENERAL COUNSEL SERVICES, LITIGATION, EMPLOYMENT, LAW, PUBLIC PROCUREMENT, AND ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY, REAL ESTATE AND EMINENT DOMAIN, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, LAW, FINANCE, AND TAX LAW, AND THEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
SO AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, UH, AS EVERYONE KNOWS LEGAL SERVICES, DO NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS BECAUSE THIS WAS OUR FIRST PROCUREMENT.
UH, CASEY, THE TEAM FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY AND TO TAKE THIS THROUGH THE PROCESS SO THAT WE COULD SHOW WHAT WE WERE DOING AS AN AGENCY.
SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE ISSUED THE SOLICITATION ON JULY THE 15TH.
WE HAD A PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE ON JULY, THE 27TH.
WE ACTUALLY HAD PROPOSALS COME IN ON AUGUST THE 18TH.
UH, WE HAD A SOURCE EVALUATION TEAM THAT CONSISTED OF THREE MEMBERS, UH, WHICH, UH, WHO LOOKED AT THE PROPOSALS AND EVALUATE AWAITED THOSE BASED ON THE SELECTION CRITERIA AND OUR SOLICITATION FROM AUGUST 24TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER THE 17TH, THE TEAM CAME TO A CONSENSUS ON SEPTEMBER THE 29TH, WHICH, WHICH FIRMS WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITHIN EACH OF THE SCOPE AREAS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THEN TODAY, OF COURSE, WE'RE HERE FOR THE BOARD ACTION.
WE'VE ALREADY GONE OVER TO SCOPES.
SO AS PART OF THE SOLICITATION, WE SENT THAT OUT TO 29 UNIQUE FIRMS, 19 OF THOSE FIRMS RESPONDED TO OUR SOLICITATION, WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD FOR A FIRST SOLICITATION.
UH, I EVALUATION CRITERIA BASED ON, UH, FOCUSED ON PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS, THE FIRM CAPABILITIES, THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCOPE AND THE PRACTICE AREA AND HOW THAT WOULD BENEFIT PROJECT CONNECT.
WE LOOKED AT THEIR APPROACH TO DELIVERING, UH, THOSE SCOPES AND THEN BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE EVERYTHING SET UP AND THIS WAS MY FIRST SOLICITATION AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A DB EGO, WHAT WE LOOKED AT AND GRADED ON.
AND THIS WAS HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED ATTORNEYS, WHICH, UH, FROM WHAT CASEY HAS EXPLAINED TO US IS THAT THAT'S A GOAL THAT A LOT OF THE LAW FIRMS USE TO, UH, BRING IN DIVERSITY.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE CONTRACT WITH A BASE TERM OF THREE YEARS WITH TWO ONE-YEAR OPTIONS.
SO TODAY WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT 12 OF THOSE FIRMS ACROSS EIGHT DIFFERENT SCOPES OF WORK THAT WE BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE NEGOTIATING AND AWARDING, UH, THOSE 12 FIRMS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
REMEMBER, UM, ELKINS, THANK YOU, VICKI.
I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF, UM, SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I SOMEHOW THINK I SHOULD HAVE, UH, CHANGED MY PROFESSION WAY BACK IN THE DAY AND BECOME A LAWYER, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE HOURLY RATES OF THESE PARTNERS.
THEY'RE, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STAGGERING, BUT, BUT THEY ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, MY QUESTION IS 23, MILLION'S A LOT OF MONEY IT'S NECESSARY.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, I THINK, UH, TO SEE A BREAKDOWN OF HOW WE ENVISION SPENDING THE 23 MILLION BY CATEGORY ON PAGE 27 AT PERHAPS A LATER MEETING.
AND I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN BUDGETS AS MR. CONNELLEY KNOWS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT BY CATEGORY.
NOT THAT WE HOLD PEOPLE TO THAT, BUT IT'S JUST THAT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE HELPFUL TO SEE HOW WE'RE SPENDING AGAINST BUDGET, BECAUSE IF WE JUST HAVE A $23 MILLION NUMBER THAT CAN GO REALLY QUICKLY, IF WE DON'T HAVE BUDGETS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME YOU PICK UP THE PHONE AND YOU SPEAK WITH A LAWYER, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HELPFUL PROCESS TO MANAGING THE SPEND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING ON TRACK.
AND UNDERSTANDABLY, WE MAY SAY THAT A 20% GOES TO LITIGATION, BUT WE FIND OUT IT MAY BE 30% GO
[00:55:01]
INTO LITIGATION, BUT IF WE'RE TRACKING IT, THEN WE CAN KIND OF MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT.WE'LL GET TOGETHER WITH CASEY AND WITH DIANE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REPORTING THAT INFORMATION AND GET THAT INFORMATION BACK.
NO, AND, UH, THIS IS A BIG MILESTONE.