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WELCOME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT'S 10 11.
I KNOW WE HAVE SOME HARD STOPS, SO, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER TODAY.
SO I'D ASKED MY COLLEAGUES, UH, ON THE, UH, THREE BOARDS TO GRAB THEIR CHAIRS AND UH, LET'S, UH, GET READY TO ROCK AND ROLL.
I THINK WE HAVE A QUORUM OF ALL THREE BOARDS.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, THREE QUORUMS. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US ON THIS, A HISTORIC JOINT MEETING OF THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON BEHALF OF THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
TODAY IS FRIDAY, OCTOBER THE 29TH, AND THE TIME IS 10 13, THE MAYOR.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CONVENE THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL PORTION OF THIS, A JOINT MEETING, UH, HERE ON, UH, OCTOBER 29TH, 2021.
UH, TIME IS 10 O'CLOCK, 10, 13.
WELCOME TO THE JOINT, UM, MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO WATER.
THE TIME IS 10 13 ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2021.
THANK YOU, CHAIR, MAYOR, ANY OPENING REMARKS BEFORE WE GET UNDERWAY? I JUST WANT TO, TO, TO JUAN, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS VERY FIRST MEETING WITH ALL THREE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS PRESENT, UH, AND, AND, AND REAL EXCITED TO BE, BE PART OF THAT.
THE VOTE FROM THE COMMUNITY WAS HISTORIC, UH, TO SET US ON THIS PATH, PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THING WE COULD DO AS A COMMUNITY, BOTH FOR MOBILITY FOR, FOR EQUITY OF ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY AT OUR CITY.
UH, IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION, THIS IS HUGE.
I ALSO WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE, UH, UH, THE STAFFS OF CAP METRO, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND OF ATP, UH, AND, UH, THE RESPECTIVE, UH, UH, DIRECTORS, UH, BECAUSE THIS HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UH, AND THE PROGRESS THUS FAR HAS BEEN, UH, UH, PRETTY EXCEPTIONAL, UH, IN MOVING THIS FORWARD, UH, RAPIDLY.
UH, AND IT'S EXCITING TO SEE IT MOVING FORWARD THAT QUICKLY, UH, AND AS SUCCESSFULLY AS IT HAS THUS FAR, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, WE HAVE THE THREE BODIES HERE TO GATHER AND, AND OBVIOUSLY, UH, UH, EACH HAS A, A ROLE IN THIS.
IT'S BEEN DECIDED, UH, THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE DONE BEFORE THE VOTE.
UH, BUT AS WE GET STARTED, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ALL FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE DOCUMENTS MEAN AND MAKE SURE WE MOVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEM.
UH, AND, UH, I LOOK FORWARD FOR US MOVING PAST THAT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, TO MAKE THE, THE GREAT PROGRESS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR CHAIR, ANY OPENING REMARKS, I THINK FOR SO MANY IN AUSTIN FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE REGION, THIS IS A VERY HISTORIC MOMENT, AND I'M PROUD AND HONORED TO BE IN, IN THIS POSITION TODAY, REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, IN TERMS OF MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF EFFORTS.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO'S HERE, WHO SHOWED UP, WHO HAS GIVEN A LOT OF THEIR TIME, ENERGY, LOVE, AND PASSION TO THIS EFFORT.
WE'VE SPOKEN MANY, MANY TIMES ABOUT THE VISION OF WHAT THIS PROGRAM ENTAILS AND OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SERVES
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THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.I THINK THE WORK, THE HEAVY LIFTING HAS BEEN DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT, BUT THE ENORMOUS EFFORT THAT IS TO BE DONE AND CONTINUES TO AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY IS STILL TO BE DONE.
SO WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT WE HEARD FROM SO MANY THROUGH LETTERS THAT WERE SENT IN REGARDING THE JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE POSSIBLE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND HOW WE WANT SAFE JOBS, HOW WE WANT THIS TO BE A WAY TO HEAL OUR COMMUNITY AND BE AN INTEGRAL PROCESS OF A BETTER AUSTIN.
SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE EFFORT THAT HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS PLACE TODAY AND FOR ALL OF THE BOARDS AND THE COMMISSIONS AND EVERYONE THAT HAS SUPPORTED THIS EFFORT SO FAR.
UH, I WANT TO JOIN MY TWO OTHER CHAIRS AND SAYING, THANK YOU, OUR STAFFS, OUR RESPECTIVE STAFFS HAVE BEEN WORKING LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE TO GET THIS PULLED TOGETHER AND DONE.
AND AT THE SAME TIME TO START BUILDING STUFF.
AND I'M PROUD TO SAY IT, THE CAP METRO MEETING EARLIER, WE APPROVED OVER THE ABILITY TO GENERATE OVER $50 MILLION WORTH OF CONTRACTS TO START BUILDING BRT LINES LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER THE VOTE, WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, AND I'M SUPER PROUD OF ALL THAT OUR STAFFS HAVE DONE, UH, TO THIS POINT, BUT WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.
UM, AND SO, UH, TODAY, UH, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO THE FINAL PLACE ON, UH, SENDING, UH, ATP OFF TO GET THE REST OF THIS PROJECT.
UH, BELT, A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO THE DRAFTS, A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, A LOT OF GIVE AND TAKE.
AND, UH, I, I COMMEND RANDY AND EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON THE DRAFT JPA THAT WE HAVE FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT'S GONE INTO IT.
AND A LOT OF TIME AND DISCUSSIONS.
AND I THINK A LOT OF GOOD, UM, HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THERE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING PROGRESS ON THAT TODAY.
OUR NEXT STEP, WE WILL THEN HAVE OUR PUBLIC
[I. Public Comment (see note on registration below)(Part 1 of 2) ]
COMMENTS.UH, THIS WILL INCLUDE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ALL POSTED ACTION ITEMS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CAP METRO BOARD, AND THE ATP BOARD.
THIS IS CITY COUNCIL ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE CAP, METRO ACTION ITEMS, ONE AND TWO, AND ATP ACTION ITEMS, ONE AND TWO FOR ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS.
THE PODIUM IS UP BY THE SCREEN.
AND AS IN ALL OF OUR PRIOR MEETINGS, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND I'LL ASK YOU TO, TO STICK STRICTLY TO THAT THREE MINUTE, UH, GUIDELINE AND SAM, OR SOMEBODY WILL GIVE US A SIGNAL UP THERE.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER, THE CHAIR CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBER, TOVO, BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS, COULD WE JUST GET VERY CLEAR ON WHICH DRAFTS WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING HERE TODAY? I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAVE DONE.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE HAVE A THIRD VERSION OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
WHEN WE GOT HERE THIS MORNING, THERE WERE TWO VERSIONS.
THERE WAS VERSION TWO OF THE ORDINANCE AND VERSION TWO OF THE RESOLUTION.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT AS WE'RE, AS WE'RE PREPARING TO DELIBERATE ON THOSE DOCUMENTS, THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING FROM THE SAME SET.
AND I THINK WHAT I NEED CLARIFYING, WHAT I NEED CLARIFICATION ON IS WHETHER THE YELLOW COPIES ARE A VERSION THREE OF THE RESOLUTION.
LET ME GET YOU A GOOD ANSWER ON THAT.
DID YOU HEAR THAT COUNCIL MEMBER? THE ANSWER IS YES.
THE YELLOW VERSION IS VERSION THREE.
SO WE'RE WORKING FROM VERSION THREE OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT VERSION THREE OF THE RESOLUTION VERSION TWO OF THE ORDINANCE.
IS THAT CORRECT? CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE HAVE TWO VERSIONS OF THE RESOLUTION IS ONE, A VERSION THREE IS ONE, A RED RED LINE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, I'LL JUST SAY TO OUR CURRENT CONTEMPLATION IS AFTER THE PRESENTATION, EACH OF THE BOARDS WOULD HAVE SOME EXECUTIVE, UH, MEETING TIME TO DISCUSS WHERE THIS IS AND SOME OF THE LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THIS.
SO THERE'LL BE SOME ABILITY TO GET WITH YOUR LAWYERS AND WALK THROUGH THIS IN MORE DETAIL.
SO OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. PATRICK ROSE, IS HE HERE? DIDN'T SEE HIM EARLIER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP IS MR. JEREMY HENDRIX.
MR. HENDRICKS, ARE YOU HERE? OH, OKAY.
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CAN YOU PLUG HIM IN PLEASE? CHAIR COUNCIL MEMBER.SO I THINK, UM, THE PODIUM THAT YOU'RE WANTING EVERYBODY TO JUST SPEAK FROM IS UP HERE, CORRECT? I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE IF YOU READ THE NAME OF MAYBE FIVE PEOPLE, THEN THEY COULD LINE UP AFTER MR. HENDRICKS WILL BE A WEISS AZHAR AND THEN FANG FANG, AND THEN BEN BRENNAMAN.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS THE PODIUM, GREAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
I BELIEVE THE WAY YOU PRONOUNCE HER NAME IS
I WILL MISPRONOUNCE SEVERAL AND I'LL APPRECIATE ANY HELP TODAY.
I BELIEVE MR. HENDRICKS IS ON THE PHONE AND RIGHT.
WELL, MR. HENDRIX, CAN YOU HEAR ME? ARE WE READY? CAN YOU HEAR, SHOULD WE, UH, CONTINUE AND COME BACK MR. HENDRIX CHAIR FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH? I AM.
I, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FROM A COUNCIL PERSPECTIVE TO TAKE THE IN-PERSON SPEAKERS FIRST, ANYWAY.
UM, BUT YEAH, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.
AND I I'M CERTAIN THAT AT LEAST HALF OF US IN THIS ROOM HAVE MR. HENDRICKS NUMBER AND SO WE CAN TEXT THEM AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UH, WHY CSR WILL BE OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND WE'LL COME BACK TO MR. HENDRICKS, IF WE CAN CONNECT HIM.
CHAIR COOPER, MAYOR ADLER CHAIR.
I APPRECIATE Y'ALL GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS
AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT I SPEAK HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE WHO ASKED ME TO SPEAK TO YOU? WE APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS ON OCTOBER 19TH AT A MEETING VOTED UNANIMOUSLY BY MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE TIME THROUGH A COMMITTEE THAT HAD WORKED ON THESE ITEMS, PRESENTING A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STAFF OF ALL THREE BODIES.
I'M GLAD TO SAY A NUMBER OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE ACCEPTED AND REALLY WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US ON THESE AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY MADE IT IN.
I WILL FOCUS ON TWO ITEMS THAT I THINK STILL NEED TO BE MANAGED IN A WAY THAT REALLY GETS TO THE INTENT OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
THE FOREST ONE IS RELATED TO THE EQUITY TOOL OF WHAT IS IN THE JPA TODAY LEADS TO ESSENTIALLY GOALS AND METRICS AROUND EQUITY FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AS A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT THERE IS MORE ROBUST WORK AROUND AN EQUITY TOOL, MATRIX, EVEN METRICS THAT ALLOW US TO ASSESS SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROJECT, TO THE LIFETIME OF THE PROJECT.
AND TO ENSURE THAT ALL EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS ARE TAKEN PLACE, INCLUDING INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY, TO ADVISE ON THE CREATION OF SUCH METRICS AND GOALS AND ASSESSING HOW THESE GOALS ARE GOING THROUGH DYING.
I REALLY HOPE THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL BE INVOLVED TO ALL OF THESE PROCESSES, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS WITHIN OUR SCOPE AS DEFINED BY THE FOLKS HERE Y'ALL HAVE GIVEN US THIS CHARGE TO LOOK AT EQUITY.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO FOCUS ON IS STILL A QUESTION AROUND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION.
THE PARTIES IDENTIFY, WE ASK THAT THE PARTIES IDENTIFY A CLEAR PROCESS TO APPOINT THE SUCCEEDING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ADP WHO REPLACED THE INITIAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE AUSTRIAN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AS IS DREW FROM THE BYLAWS OFF THE ADB BOARD AS IS DREW FROM INTERLOCALS DONE EARLIER.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THE THREE BODIES HAVE TO BE INDEPENDENT.
THIS INDEPENDENCE REQUIRES THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BE SEPARATE FROM THE, TO BE A SEPARATE INDEPENDENT PERSON FOR THE TWO BODIES.
THIS REALLY IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST THAT WE, A PROJECT THAT IS EQUITABLE IN THE WAY IT SERVES EXISTING SERVICE USERS, BECAUSE WE NEED A CAPITAL METRO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO WHO WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE EXISTING USERS WHO ARE LARGELY
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PEOPLE OF COLOR AND WORKING CLASS FOLKS.IT IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY ALL THREE BODIES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AS WELL, DO HOW WE LIVE UP TO THESE AND ENSURE THAT THE GOVERNANCE MAKES SENSE IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.
SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT THE COMMENTS OF THE COMMITTEE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AROUND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE EQUITY TOOL WILL BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WITH APOLOGIES, FONG, FONG, SORRY, STAFF, CAN YOU HELP ME NOT HERE, MR. CHAIRMAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, W WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, AFTER YOU ANNOUNCED THEM, IF THEY ARE NOT PRESENT, IS IT POSSIBLE? I BELIEVE THAT THEY SIGN UP IN ADVANCE.
COULD YOU AT LEAST ANNOUNCE WHAT THE, THEIR INTENT WAS FOR SPEAKING? I BELIEVE THAT WAS LISTED ON THE, UH, THEIR, THEIR PRE SIGN-UP SHEET.
IF, UH, FALLING FALLING IS NOT HERE.
LET ME GO TO THE NEXT IN-PERSON.
WE HAVE LOST OUR OUTSIDE PHONE CONNECTION.
OKAY, WELL, WE'LL WORK DOWN THE LIST AND GET THOSE THAT ARE PRESENT FOR GOOD MORNING.
THE NATION FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.
THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD TO WORK IN OUR CITY WHERE OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY VOTED TO IMPROVE THE WORKING CONDITIONS AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE WORKERS WHO BUILD IT.
AND I'M ALSO PROUD THAT MY UNION SUPPORTED THE TRANSPORTATION BOND AND, UH, VOTED TO INCREASE THE, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE PEOPLE AROUND EFFICIENTLY AND ALSO PROMISED TO CREATE GOOD PAYING, SAVE JOBS THAT WILL TRAIN THE WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE CITY GROWING.
IN MY ROLE, I SPEAK TO A LOT OF WORKERS THAT ABOUT THEIR, THEIR EXPERIENCES ON THE JOB.
AND SOME OF THEM COULD BE PRETTY HARROWING.
UH, I TALKED TO ONE GUY WHO WAS ON A SITE WHERE THEY, THE DEMOLITION CREW WITH NO ELECTRICAL TRAINING WAS TEARING OUT A HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM WITH JUST WIRE CUTTERS.
AND HACKSAWS BASICALLY, IT SAID, YOU COULD HEAR THE POP POP POP AS A CIRCUIT SHORTED OUT ALL AROUND THE BUILDING.
NOBODY WAS KILLED THAT ON THAT PROJECT.
IT WAS A PUBLIC PROJECT, A MORE COMMONLY.
WE HEAR FROM WORKERS WHO WERE MISCLASSIFIED AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND WERE FORCED TO WORK LONG HOURS WITH NO OVERTIME.
IN ADDITION, THEY LOSE THEIR HOURS THAT THEY NEED TO ATTAIN A STATE JOURNEYMEN LICENSE, WHICH IS, IS THE KEY TO A GOOD CAREER IN THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY.
SO NOT ONLY WERE THEIR WAGES STOLEN ON THE JOB, THEIR FUTURE EARNINGS WAS STOLEN AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, OUR WORKERS, THE THROUGH THE UNION DON'T FACE THESE PROBLEMS BECAUSE WE PROVIDE A DEGREE OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OVER THEIR WORK.
BUT WE BELIEVE THAT ALL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY ON THIS PROJECT DESERVE THAT SAME LEVEL OF PROTECTION.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WHATEVER ORGANIZATION IS SET TO MONITOR THE PROJECTS FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT, IT IS TRULY INDEPENDENT.
SO WE WOULD ASK, WE WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE, THE EVENTS THAT HAVE OF THE LAST 24 HOURS, A LANGUAGE THAT'S BEEN INSERTED.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT PIECE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A TRULY INDEPENDENT MONITORING AGENCY.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE BOB BATTLIN, WHO WAS NEUTRAL ON CITY OF AUSTIN.
NUMBER FIVE IS MR. BATTLIN HERE OR ON THE TELEPHONE.
NEXT WILL BE CARMEN LANEZ, PALITO EITHER OF THEM HERE.
SAM, CAN YOU HELP ME? OKAY, MR. BATTLIN NANCY CROWDER.
PATRICK, IF YOU'RE HERE, I'LL ASK YOU TO MOVE TO THE PODIUM AND THEN, UH, CARMEN LANEZ, PALITO, OR NANCY CROWDER, AND THEN DAVID KING, AFTER THAT, MR. ROSE IS IN FAVOR AND GENERALLY IN SUPPORT OF ADOPTION OF THE JPA AND THE GREAT PROGRESS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
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GOOD MORNING.I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AT 3:00 AM IN LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO, AND I WAS TRYING MY ABSOLUTE BEST TO GET HERE.
AND I'M SORRY TO MISS THE CALL EARLIER.
I APPRECIATE YOU WORKING ME IN, UH, MY NAME, MR. CHAIRMAN MAYOR IS PATRICK ROSE, AND I'M A VOLUNTEER IN BUSINESS OWNER HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UH, LIKE MANY OF YOU I'VE SPENT MUCH TIME OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WORKING TO SUPPORT THE VISION OF A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR REGION IN A MANNER THAT IS ROBUST, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL.
I WAS PERSONALLY INVOLVED AS A VOLUNTEER IN TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN AND WILL SERVE AS THE INAUGURAL BOARD CHAIR OF TRANSIT FORWARD.
THE SUCCESSOR TO TRANSIT FOR AUSTIN THAT JUST OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED TWO DAYS AGO AT THE DOWNTOWN RED LINE STATION.
WE AT TRANSIT FORWARD WILL BE A COMMUNITY-BASED DIVERSE COALITION, NONPROFIT INSTRUCTURE THAT SEEKS TO INFORM THE METRO AUSTIN COMMUNITY ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF AN ACCESSIBLE REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND TO ADVANCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES.
WE AT TRANSIT FORWARDER IN THE EARLY STAGES OF FORMATION, AND I'M PROUD TO BE JOINED TODAY BY FELLOW INAUGURAL BOARD MEMBERS IN PERSON AND BY PHONE, TINA BUOY, FOLLOWING FONG OF THE AUSTIN ASIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, JEFFREY CLEMENTS OF HOUSTON TILLOTSON, NANCY CROUTHER OF THE VERY WELL-RESPECTED ADAPT COALITION.
IN ADDITION TO THANKING EACH OF YOU EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
IT IS MY GOAL THIS MORNING TO UNDERLINE TRANSIT FORWARD, SINCERE AND DESERVED APPRECIATION FOR THE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS OF THIS PAST YEAR MADE POSSIBLE BY THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND LEADERSHIP OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, CAPITAL METRO AND CITY OF AUSTIN.
YOU ARE INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE COLLABORATION IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT SINCE THE PASSAGE OF PROP BAY LAST FALL, WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE PUT OUR TRUST IN YOUR AGENCIES AND YOU ARE DELIVERING YOU'VE ADVANCED TO NEW METRO RAPID LINES LAUNCHED MULTIPLE NEW PICKUP ZONES AND BROKEN GROUND ON RED LINE ENHANCEMENTS, ALL IN A QUICK AND FAST PACED, 12 MONTHS, WE AT TRANSIT FORWARD, APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO TIMELY EXECUTION OF VOTER APPROVED PROJECTS, AND WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE PACE OF EXECUTION.
THIS IS A GENERATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SAY A FEW WORDS THIS MORNING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE NANCY CROWDER.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF HE'S HERE DAVID KING, AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF SHE'S HERE AS AN OPIATE JOSEPH GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SPEAK, NOT ONLY ON BEHALF OF TRANSMIT FORWARD, ADAPTIVE TEXAS, BUT ALSO I RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND ONE WHO ORIGINALLY VOTED CAPITAL METRO TO COME IN.
I HAD THE FORTUNE GOOD FORTUNE TO WORK WITH CAPITAL METRO FOR 25 YEARS.
AND I'VE, I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH WE'VE DONE.
AND I'M SO PROUD OF WHAT NOT ONLY CAPITAL METRO DONE HAS DONE, BUT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS HAS OPENED THEIR ARMS TO.
IT WAS A FIGHT, A VERY BIG FIGHT IN THE EIGHTIES AND NINETIES TO EVEN GET PEOPLE ON BUSES.
NOW THEY VOTED AND THEY SAID, YES, WE SEE THE LIGHT PROJECT CONNECT.
IT'S NOW A REALITY, A REALITY THAT I VOTED FOR, THAT I WORKED FOR AND OUR COMMUNITY WORK FOR.
AS I SAID, I REPRESENT ONE OF THE LARGEST DISABILITY COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
OUR GRASSROOTS WORK HAS BEEN IN MAKING ALL SYSTEMS, ALL SERVICES
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ACCESSIBLE TO ALL PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES INCLUDED.AND ALSO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY TOO, ARE GETTING OLDER.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE SERVICES ARE EQUITABLE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THE CAPITOL METRO AND ALL HAVE DONE TO BRING FOR THE EQUITY TO OUR COMMUNITY, BY HAVING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INVOLVED IN THE CREATION OF, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE BUSES, TRAINING AWARENESS, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS SAFETY SAFETY IS SO IMPORTANT, BUT THE EQUITY.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW PROUD I AM TO, TO SEE THAT THIS PROGRAM.
I HAVE SEEN SO MANY TALENTED PEOPLE OUT THERE WITHOUT JOBS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SKILLS BRING FORTH THE SKILLS THAT NOT ALL OF OUR OTHER COMPANIES DO.
AND PLEASE KNOW THAT WE'RE VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THIS JOINT GROUP TO BRING FORTH THE REALITY OF THIS WONDERFUL TRANSIT PROJECT CONNECTION.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACCESS AND YOUR OPEN MIND MINDS TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE ALL ONE BIG COMMUNITY AND WE'RE HAPPY.
THANK YOU, MS. CROWDER, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, BEFORE YOU GO, I I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU A QUESTION IF YOU DON'T MIND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AS A DIFFERENTLY ABLED PERSON.
AND, AND AS THE DAUGHTER OF A DIFFERENTLY ABLED MOTHER, UM, WHO IS DESPITE HER BEST EFFORTS TO REMAIN 29 PERPETUALLY, UM, AGING, UM, I, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A POINT OF YOUR COMMENTARY.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT, UM, ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED, BUT AGING.
I'D LIKE VERY MUCH FOR YOU TO EXPAND UPON THAT.
AND IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO SUCCINCTLY, UM, IF I CAN GET SOMEBODY FROM MY STAFF TO CATCH UP WITH YOU, UM, AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY BACK TO THE AUDIENCE, I REALLY LIKE VERY MUCH TO GET YOUR INSIGHT ON WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN DO TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF THAT POPULATION OF PEOPLE THAT I THINK ARE LEFT OUT OF CONVERSATIONS FREQUENTLY.
THANK YOU BY THE WAY, FOR PRESENTING FOR US AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY.
I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M THE, UH, UH, VICE-PRESIDENT OF ARP CHAPTER 24, 26 AND SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
IT'S A LARGEST ARP, UH, CHAPTER, AND WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO FORM, AND I KNOW, UM, MS. KITCHENS IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR ROLLING STROLL.
IT'S A GROUP EFFORT TO GO OUT ON PUBLIC TRANSIT TO SEE THE WORLD, AND THEY LOVE IT BECAUSE ONE THEY'RE GOING IN A SAFE GROUP, THEY FEEL SAFE.
THEY KNOW ABOUT THE, UH, HAZARDS OUT THERE AND WHERE ARE TEACHING THEM ABOUT TRANSIT AS WE DID FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, YOU GOT TO LEARN HOW TO USE IT.
YOU GOT TO WATCH FOR WHAT YOU GOT TO WATCH FOR, BUT NOW ALL THE, OUR BABY BOOMERS ARE GOING OKAY.
NOW WHAT DO I DO WITHOUT MY KEYS? AND THE WORLD IS THERE OPEN FOR THEM? AND IF IT'S NOT A BUS, THERE'S A CHARIOT, WHICH IS THE, UH, DOOR TO DOOR SYSTEM.
THERE'S PROJECT ACCESS, UM, METRO ACCESS.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET AROUND THAT.
WE JUST NEED TO EDUCATE, UM, AND KEEP THOSE SERVICES IN MIND BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ONE FORM.
THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.
SO I'M REAL PLEASED TO SAY I'M PART OF THE, UH, A RP IS GETTING AROUND AND WE ARE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, DAVID KING, IF HE'S HERE, YOU DON'T SEE HIM.
WE'LL COME BACK TO UNDERSTAND OUR PHONE LINES UP.
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AS ZENOBIA JOSEPH HERE OR ON THE PHONE, NOT HERE, MISHA AFKHAMI HERE.I NEED A LITTLE HELP ON, UH, GETTING OUR SPEAKERS UP HERE.
UH, THE NEXT SPEAKER I HAVE IS EMILY.
LAST NAME NOT PROVIDED AGAINST CITY OF AUSTIN, ITEM FIVE.
AND THEN, UH, AFTER EMILY WILL BE FIDEL GUZMAN AGAINST CITY OF AUSTIN ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE, AND THEN AFTER FIDELITY THE BUOY WELCOME.
GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ATP, BOARD MEMBERS, AND CAP METRO MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS EMILY, TIM MN, THE CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF WORKERS, DEFENSE WORKERS.
DEFENSE IS A MEMBERSHIP-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS TEXAS LOW INCOME CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN IMPROVING THEIR LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS.
WORKERS DEFENSE IS ALSO PART OF THE ATX MOBILITY COALITION.
I'M HERE TODAY TO COMMENT ON ITEM FIVE RELATED TO THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
AND I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO CHANGE MY, UM, MY POSITION TO NEUTRAL ON THE ITEM INSTEAD OF AGAINST TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AUSTIN TRANSIT, PARTNERSHIP, STAFF, AND CAP METRO STAFF FOR WORKING WITH US TO STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE PROTECTION AND LIVING WAGE LANGUAGE IN THE JPA.
OUR MEMBERS ENDORSED PROJECT CONNECT IN 2020 BECAUSE THE CONTRACT TO THE VOTERS PROVIDED A COMMITMENT TO WORKING FAMILIES AND TO OUR COMMUNITIES BY CREATING THOUSANDS OF GOOD, SAFE CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN THE DEADLIEST STATE TO BE A CONSTRUCTION WORKER, WE APPRECIATE THE RECENT CHANGES TO LANGUAGE, WHICH REQUIRES THE ONSITE MONITORS PRESENT DURING CONSTRUCTION TO BE ACCREDITED BY A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF WORKERS.
WE KNOW STANDARDS REQUIRED ON PROJECTS ARE MEANINGLESS WITHOUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING FOLLOWED.
THIS WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ENSURE THE ADDITIONAL WAGE AND SAFETY STANDARDS WILL BE UPHELD.
WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WITH YOUR VOTE, THIS INCLUSION OF THIS NEW LANGUAGE.
WE ALSO WANT TO EMPHASIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR THE INDEPENDENT MONITORING STANDARDS TO BE ON THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENT.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WILL BE MANY FUTURE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS TO FOLLOW THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT THESE PROCESSES FOR THESE AGREEMENTS ARE TRANSPARENT AND THE COMMUNITY RECEIVES SUFFICIENT TIME TO REVIEW AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
WE BELIEVE IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS.
WE ALSO WANT TO ENSURE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NOT JUST THE ONSITE MONITORING, BUT THE GOVERNANCE OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE AGREEMENT YOU ALL WILL VOTE ON TODAY.
THIS TOO WAS PROMISED TO COMMUNITY AND VOTERS.
IT'S CRUCIAL TO OUTLINE THE ROLE AND TIMELINES FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ATPS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
SO AS TO GUARANTEE THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE THREE BRANCHES OF THE AGREEMENT, THE PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT PLAN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THESE DETAILS MATTER, WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE SUPPORT THE NEW LANGUAGE RELATED TO ONSITE MONITORING, ENSURE INDEPENDENCE BETWEEN THE THREE BRANCHES VOTING ON THIS AGREEMENT AND ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY ON FUTURE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE FIDEL GUZMAN, AND I THINK WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER, SO THIS'LL GO SIX MINUTES.
MY NAME IS ANNA GONZALEZ AND I'LL BE INTERPRETING FOR FEE.
THEN I ALSO WANT TO CLARIFY THAT OUR POSITION, AND THIS IS NEUTRAL.
ONE OF THE
THE STANDARD IS LEVEL OF GOOD MORNING CITY COUNCIL, ATP, AND CAP METRO MEMBERS.
I AM A MEMBER OF WORKERS OFFENSE.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS.
I WORK IN PLUMBING AND COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.
I DO A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING TODAY.
[00:35:01]
WORKER TO TALK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE IN THIS INDUSTRY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF STRONG LABOR PROTECTIONS AND OVERSIGHT OF WORKER STANDARDS.THEY IN PLAYER
WE FACE LOW WAGES, MISCLASSIFICATION, NO WORKERS' COMPENSATION OR MEDICAL INSURANCE, NO PAID SICK DAYS, LACK OF SAFETY, AND EVEN LOSING OUR LIVES MORE THAN IN OTHER INDUSTRIES.
THE PROCESS OF SAYING DEPENDENT
WE APPRECIATE RECENT CHANGES TO MONITORING.
WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT IT'S TRULY INDEPENDENT AND ASK YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR COMMITMENT TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTING, CONSTRUCTING PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THEN AFTER TINA FRANCIS AKUNA AND AFTER THAT JADE LAVERA THIS IS A BIG ROOM, GOOD MORNING ESTEEM THAT CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBERS, ATP BOARD MEMBERS, CITY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS TINA BUOY, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TODAY.
I'M HERE TO REGISTER MY SUPPORT OF YOUR AGENDA ITEMS TO APPROVE THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
THE TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED IN PROJECT CONNECT ARE LONG OVERDUE, AND WE NEED ALL OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONS TO BE SEAMLESSLY WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE SUCCESS AS YOU KNOW, COORDINATION AMONGST CATALAN, METRO ATP, AND THE CITY IS CRITICAL FOR THIS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU, YOUR STAFFS AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE DONE TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH ALREADY.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK AND IT REFLECTS A WHOLE LOT OF COORDINATION.
I'M A FORMER CITY EMPLOYEE AND A FORMER CAPITAL METRO EMPLOYEE, AND IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF COLLABORATION THAT KEEPS GROWING EVERY DAY BETWEEN ALL OF YOUR ENTITIES.
I HOPE YOU'LL KEEP IT UP AND I HOPE YOU'LL KEEP ENCOURAGING YOUR STAFFS TO KEEP IT UP AND MAKE IT EVEN STRONGER.
I ALSO HOPE THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE TO VIGOROUSLY ADVANCE THE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES THAT WERE THE FOUNDATION FOR PROJECT CONNECT, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.
THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING AS YOU KNOW, FOR OUR COUNTRY, THE WORLD.
AND I THINK COVID CLIMATE CHANGE AND ALL THE SOCIAL INJUSTICES THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT HAVE REALLY STRESSED THAT WE CAN'T DO ENOUGH TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR EACH OTHER AND TO DO SO AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS WE CAN, PROJECT CONNECT IS GOING TO BE HELPING ON SO MANY FRONTS.
YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE NEED THE GOOD SAFE JOBS THAT WILL BE CREATED THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROGRAM, AS WELL AS THE LONG-TERM TRANSIT OPERATOR JOBS THAT WILL BE CREATED ONCE IT'S BUILT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO MOVE SO QUICKLY TO CREATE THOSE JOBS AND FOR ADDING NEW ELEMENTS LIKE THAT APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALREADY HAVING APPROVED STRONG WORKER PROTECTIONS IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, PLEASE MAKE SURE WE HONOR AND PROTECT THOSE WORKERS WHO ARE BUILDING
[00:40:01]
THIS CITY THAT WE ALL GET TO LOVE AND ENJOY.IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRESS THAT'S BEING MADE.
FINALLY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO ALL OF THE STAFF AND THE CONSULTANTS WHO CONTINUE TO WORK SO HARD TO COMMUNICATE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
I DO KNOW, AND THANKS TO THEM FOR SOLICITING THE FEEDBACK THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS THE BEST.
IT CAN BE SIMILARLY MANY THANKS TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CONTINUE TO GIVE SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY TO HELP MAKE THE PROGRAM EVEN BETTER AND BUILD THE SUPPORT THAT WE STILL NEED TO STILL NEED FOR TRANSIT.
ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHOLE LOT OF COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER.
I THINK ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED THUS FAR ONLY BECAUSE OF THAT COLLABORATION.
SO HERE'S TO ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER EVEN MORE AND EVEN BETTER.
AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO GET US HERE AT, AT THIS POINT.
I'M UH, CONCERNED THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY AT THE PODIUM FRANCIS KONYA HERE.
JEFFREY CLEMONS HERE, JENNIFER LORD HERE.
WELCOME MS. LAUREN'S NEUTRAL ON ITEM NUMBER ONE AFTER MS. LAWRENCE, STACY HUNLEY.
AND I'M GOING TO MISS, I'M GOING TO TEAR THIS ONE UP TERRIBLY YO AL PAULO CONLEY, AND THEN MONICA GOOSMANN, ROBERT CHAP THORNTON.
KEVIN RYAN IS AND TONY HAMILTON.
I'M ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WHEN WE HEARD THE BLUE LINE WAS COMING TO OUR DOOR, WE WERE SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE WE PRODUCE, OR WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF OUTREACH TO THE CITY.
AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED ROLLING, I DIDN'T APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THAT WAS UNTIL I ENDED UP ON THE BOARD AND OUR RATE LIMITING STEP ONE.
WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE IS TRANSPORTATION TO HOW CAN WE GET THOSE PEOPLE WITHOUT CARS TO OUR DOOR? AND WE'VE HEARD WE PROVIDE OUTREACH TO UNDERPRIVILEGED YOUTH THROUGH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
WE HAVE PARKED DEPARTMENT KIDS COME DOWN.
WE PROVIDE SERVICE TO CANCER SURVIVORS AND VETERANS AND DISABLED ROWERS.
AND THOSE WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND KIDS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY, WE PROVIDE IN-SCHOOL ROWING EXPERIENCE FOR MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS IN AREAS LIKE MERCHANTS IN SCHOOL, OR UT RESEARCHERS HAVE ACTUALLY SHOWN THAT IT NOT ONLY IMPROVES THEIR PHYSICAL OUTCOME, BUT ALSO THEY'RE GREAT AT THEIR GRADES AND THEIR CLASS ATTENDANCE.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT ROWING IS NOT FOR THE WEALTHY AND THE ELITE.
LIKE MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE AT AUSTIN ROWING.
WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THIS COMMUNITY IN EVERY DISTRICT, AND WE SERVE AS JUNIORS ON UP TO NINE YEAR OLDS.
AND WE ALSO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS.
SO THAT MONEY SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE ON WHETHER YOU CAN ROW OR NOT.
SO HERE WE ARE EXPECTING THE LINE TO COME TO OUR DOOR AND NOT THROUGH OUR DOOR.
AND SO I'M HERE TO ASK THAT CAP, METRO AND ATP AND CITY COUNCIL HELP FIND US A NEW HOME.
WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY FOR 40 YEARS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE FOR ANOTHER 40.
I WAS AN UNDERSERVED OR UNDERPRIVILEGED KID GROWING UP AND WITHOUT PEOPLE AND PLACES LIKE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, MS. LORD, WILL I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION? APPRECIATE YOUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
I HATE TO MISPRONOUNCE THIS AGAIN, BUT MR. CONLEY IS THAT YOU OVER THERE.
AND THEN, UH, MONICA GUZMAN AND ROBERT
UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US SPEAK IN THIS PUBLIC FORUM.
UM, I THANK YOU TO MAYOR ADLER, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ATP BOARD MEMBERS, METRO ACAP, METRO MEMBERS.
I AM LIZ HANLEY AND I AM ALSO SUPPORTING THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS.
I'M ALSO A LONG TIME AUSTINITE AND I'VE SEEN THE CITY GROW AND I APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS FOR GROWING OUR CITY.
THIS IS A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR CITY.
THE TRANSPORTATION, OUR CITY IS A TOUGH ISSUE.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT OUR CITY.
AS WE GROW, WE AT THE AUSTIN ROWING CLUB
[00:45:02]
WENT TO BE YOUR PARTNER.THIS DOES AFFECT US THE BLUE LINES COMING THROUGH WHAT WE ARE HOSTING OUR HOUSING RIGHT NOW.
AND WE WANT TO BE A PARTNER TO YOU.
NOT ONLY AS WE COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO KEEP WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN, AS WE GROW AUSTIN FOR OTHERS.
BUT WE ALSO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE REALLY YOUR COMMUNITY PARTNER.
WE WEREN'T ALWAYS THE COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT WE ARE NOW, BUT IN THE LAST 10 YEARS WE HAVE GROWN AND WE HAVE GROWN UP.
I WISH THAT OUR NAME WAS AUSTIN COMMUNITY ROWING, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE DO.
WE HAVE MEMBERS IN EVERY ONE OF YOUR DISTRICTS, WE'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT WE ALL COME TOGETHER TO PROMOTE HEALTH AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITY FOR JUNIORS, FOR MASTERS, FOR RACERS, FOR ADULTS, FOR MANY OF OUR DISABLED COMMUNITIES, FOR MANY OF OUR CHALLENGED COMMUNITIES, OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS TOUCH ALL FACETS OF AUSTIN.
SO WE, I'M HERE TO ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER US AS A PARTNER AND AS THIS AFFECTS THE BLUE LINE COMING THROUGH THE BOATHOUSE, WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS SO THAT WE CAN HELP THE CITY CONTINUE TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES HERE THAT BRING PEOPLE HERE.
THAT'S WHY EVERYONE WANTS TO BE IN AUSTIN.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL RIVER AND WE CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE ON THAT BEAUTIFUL RIVER AND HAVE GREAT INTERACTIONS WITH CITY SERVICES.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT PARTNERSHIP AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
AND I HOPE THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES WE DISRUPT, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, OR AS GRACEFUL ABOUT THE PROCESS, WE APPRECIATE YOU.
UM, MR. CONLEY, YOU'LL BE NEXT.
AND THEN AFTER MR. CONLEY, MR. THORNTON, GOOD MORNING.
ALL SOME OF US, UH, STAYED UP UNTIL PRETTY LATE LAST NIGHT, TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF THE CHANGES.
AND THEN WE WOKE UP REALLY EARLY THIS MORNING AS WELL TO SORT OF READ THE LAST DRAFT.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOTS OF FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO BE HERE, UM, SORT OF CONGRATULATING AND THANKING AND CELEBRATING WHAT'S TAKING PLACE TODAY.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T BE ONE OF THOSE FOLKS, ALTHOUGH I AM APPRECIATIVE OF THE TREMENDOUS WORK, UM, SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SOME OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF PUT IN TO MAKING THIS DRAFT AS GOOD AS IT COULD POSSIBLY BE.
AND I SEE AND RECOGNIZE THAT WORK.
BUT LAST YEAR IN THE LEAD UP TO THE ELECTION, SOME OF US WORKED VERY, VERY, VERY HARD TO CONVINCE OUR COMMUNITIES.
THAT PROJECT CONNECT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
AND THAT MEANS THAT WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS WHO WERE EXTREMELY SKEPTICAL ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT.
AND WE TOLD THEM THAT PROJECT CONNECT WAS GOING TO BE A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE IT WOULD CONTAIN STRONG COMMITMENTS TO EQUITY, TO COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT AND PARTICIPATION THAT IT WOULD HAVE A EMPOWERED COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, THAT IT WOULD HAVE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MEASURES AND MORE, UM, AND ALL OF THESE PIECES ARE, ARE, ARE CRUCIAL TO THE PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHY I CAN'T JOIN THE CHEERLEADER CLUB TODAY.
I HAVE TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE TO THE FOLKS WHO I WORKED SO HARD TO CONVINCE TO VOTE ON THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND SO SOME PIECES THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, AS YOU, UH, TAKE, GET READY TO VOTE ON THIS PROJECT, IS THAT THE PROCESS FOR FUTURE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS, THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ABOUT TO SIGN MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
AND THOSE QUESTIONS WILL HAVE TO BE ANSWERED IN FUTURE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS.
SO WE NEED REALLY CLEAR LANGUAGE THAT TELLS US WHO WILL BE AT THE TABLE WHEN THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED, HOW THE COMMUNITY WILL ENGAGE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE VOTING ON A DOCUMENT.
THE FINAL DRAFT WAS RELEASED THIS MORNING, YOU KNOW, SO THAT GIVES US EXACTLY ZERO OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTO THIS KIND OF PROCESS, RIGHT? SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO BETTER WITH OUR SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS MOVING FORWARD.
ANOTHER SERIOUS CONCERN IS THAT WE WERE PROMISED THREE INDEPENDENT BODIES AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY OWN DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENCE.
I THINK SOME FOLKS HERE HAVE A DIFFERENT DEFINITION OF INDEPENDENCE, MAYBE IT'S THE, A NEW METTA INDEPENDENCE.
UM, BUT MY IDEA OF INDEPENDENCE IS THAT EACH OF THOSE THREE BODIES HAVE INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SO THAT THERE IS A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES SO THAT WE AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
AND SO THAT OUR CURRENT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND CURRENT WRITERS HAVE THE FULL ATTENTION SUPPORT, PASSION, AND BRAIN POWER OF AN EXECUTIVE LEADER.
AND MEANWHILE, THE CONSTRUCTION EFFORTS IN THE NEW BUILDING EFFORTS HAVE THE FULL ATTENTION FOCUS AND SUPPORT OF AN EXECUTIVE LEADER AT JUST AS THE CITY HAS ITS OWN CITY MANAGER.
AND SO I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE NOT GOING TO DEFINE THAT TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
WHAT IS IT, TEMP? WHAT WOULD IS SUPPOSEDLY A TEMPORARY SITUATION? UM, BUT I THINK THE COMMUNITY DESERVES A CLEAR
[00:50:01]
TIMELINE ABOUT WHEN THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE, HOW THAT DECISION WILL BE MADE, WHO WILL BE CONSULTED IN THAT DECISION, WHO WILL BE AT THE TABLE WHEN THAT DECISION IS MADE.THE COMMUNITY DESERVES TO KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, THE MORNING BEFORE THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS WAS SIGNED TO THE WORD, INTERIM WAS SUBSTITUTED FOR SECEDING, RIGHT? AND NO ONE CAUGHT THAT AND IT WAS VOTED ON AND IT WAS APPROVED, RIGHT? SO LET'S HOPE THAT INTERIM SUCCEEDING POSITION THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME REAL CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR THE COMMUNITY AROUND WHEN THAT DECISION WILL TAKE PLACE AND HOW THE COMMUNITY WILL BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON THAT DECISION.
BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE MANY, MANY FOLKS WHO ARE NOT HERE TODAY, WHO ARE NOT HERE, I'M CONGRATULATING YOU ALL WHO HAVE THESE CONCERNS, AND I ANSWER TO THEM AND I'M ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN TO ME.
I HOPE YOU, I HOPE YOU VOTE WISELY TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. CONLIN, MR. CHAIR.
MAY I ASK A QUESTION OF THE SPEAKER? UH, MS. STRATTON, GO AHEAD.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME, SIR.
UH, MY NAME IS RON PAULO CONNOLLY.
I'M THE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR FOR THE AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION.
HA HAVE YOU, UH, HAVE YOU ATTENDED A CAP METRO BOARD MEMBER OR CA CAP METRO BOARD MEETING RECENTLY? I WATCHED THE BOARD MEETINGS.
UH, HAVE YOU COMMENTED AT, SIGNED UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT WITH CAP METRO BOARD MEMBER BOARD MEETINGS RECENTLY? NO, SIR.
I HAVE COMMENTED, I DID COMMENT AT A RECENT CAP METRO BOARD MEETING.
I APPRECIATE YOU SHOWING UP TODAY AND GIVING US YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, MR. CONLEY, UH, YOU WERE APPOINTED, UH, BY CAP METRO BOARD AND BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO THE CAC, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND YOU HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING, UH, WITH PROJECT CONNECT VERY ACTIVELY AS PART OF THE CAC, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THIS WITNESS? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, I'M SORRY, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME PICKING UP AND I HAVE A QUESTION.
I HAVE A COMMENT I'M MISS COUNTY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING SOMETHING TO THE FORE ABOUT HOW WE RUSHED THROUGH AND THEREFORE WE LOSE MANY VOICES.
SO I WANT TO APPRECIATE YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO THE FORE AND FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
MY NAME IS, UH, MY NAME'S CHAD THORNTON.
I'M THE BUSINESS MANAGER FOR THE PLUMBERS AND PIPE FITTERS LOCAL UNION HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'M, UH, UH, REPRESENT APPROXIMATELY 1600 MEMBERS THAT, THAT LIVE AND WORK AND TRY TO GET AROUND IN OUR, IN OUR AUSTIN AREA.
UM, I'M A PROUD GENERATION, THIRD GENERATION PLUMBER, AND A SECOND GENERATION AUSTIN, NOT I'M EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF AUSTIN AND PROJECT CONNECT, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S CONSTRUCTION.
AND I HAPPENED TO REPRESENT FOLKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS, BUT BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO COMPLAIN OF TRYING TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AREA.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE TO THIS FROM THE BEGINNING.
I'VE SEEN THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF PRACTICES, UH, AND THE TREATMENT OF CONSTRUCTION LABOR, NOT ONLY THROUGH ALL MY YEARS, UH, IN THE PIPING TRADES, BUT I WAS ALSO A CITY PLUMBING INSPECTOR FOR NINE YEARS.
AND THAT THAT EXPERIENCE REALLY OPENED MY EYES BECAUSE I GREW UP, LIKE I SAID, I'M A THIRD GENERATION UNION PLUMBER AND A PROUD, PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF LABOR.
BUT THOSE NINE YEARS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO ALL OF CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES.
MY MEMBERSHIP, THE MEMBERSHIP I REPRESENT HAS PROTECTIONS BY WORKING UNDER A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT THAT A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DO NOT ENJOY, UH, ORGANIZED LABOR SUPPORTS THE INDEPENDENT MONITORING OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS BECAUSE WHILE THERE ARE RULES OUT THERE, THEY'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, ORGANIZED LABOR ALSO SUPPORTS EQUAL POWERS BETWEEN THE ENTITIES IN PROJECT CONNECT CITY, COUNCIL, CAPITAL METRO BOARD, AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD.
AND I DO WANT TO THANK CAPITAL METRO BOARD FOR THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN, MR. THORNTON, OR LAST TWO SPEAKERS ON THE LIST WHO MAY BE HERE ARE KEVIN WRYNESS AND TONY HAMILTON, EITHER OF THEM PRESENT.
IF WE CAN GET TO THE PHONE LINES.
[00:55:04]
GOOD MORNING.MY NAME IS KEVIN
WE ARE A 5 0 1 C3, NONPROFIT SERVING AUSTIN AND ITS MANY COMMUNITIES FOR 40 YEARS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THE BOATHOUSE.
THIS LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE CROSSED 2 MILLION IN REVENUE FOR THE FIRST TIME COMING IN AT 2.3 MILLION, WE WROTE, AND WE'RE PROUD TO WRITE THE LARGEST LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO THE CITY AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN AN AMOUNT OVER $172,000.
WE INVESTED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE BOATHOUSE JUST LAST YEAR ALONE.
AND WE SPENT $67,000 IN MAINTAINING AND REPAIRING THE BOATHOUSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY FUN FACT.
TOMORROW WE HOLD THE 37TH ANNUAL HEAD OF THE COLORADO REGATA OFF THE FESTIVAL BEACH, COME ON BY, AND YOU'LL SEE OVER 400 ENTRIES CLUBS FROM 26 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOUTHWEST WITH THE YOUTH COLLEGIATE AND MASTERS.
HOWEVER, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE BOATHOUSE AND ALL ITS AMENITIES AND PUBLIC BENEFIT WILL BE DESTROYED AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THE PUBLIC INPUT PROCESS WAS HELD ON OCTOBER 12TH TO DISCUSS THE BLUE LINE.
TRINITY BRIDGE CROSSING PUBLIC INPUT WAS SHUT DOWN REGARDING DESTRUCTION OF BOATHOUSE FACILITIES, AMENITIES, AND PUBLIC BENEFIT.
THERE WERE NEARLY 200 ATTENDEES IN THE PUBLIC INPUT FORM.
MY MICROPHONE WAS ACTUALLY SHUT OFF AFTER I PROVIDED INPUT.
AND MOST OF THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS WERE NOT PERMITTED TO SPEAK ABOUT.
THE BRIGGS IS IMPACT TO THE PUBLIC AMENITY.
MY VOICE WAS TURNED OFF ALONG WITH OTHERS AT A PUBLIC INPUT FORM SEEKING INPUT ABOUT THE PLAN BRIDGE, WHICH WILL DESTROY THE BOATHOUSE.
THE SERVICES AND AMENITIES CURRENTLY OFFERED CAN BE RESTORED IN THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS OF THE TRINITY STREET BRIDGE CROSSING.
THIS WOULD CREATE A WORLD-CLASS DESIGN AND SET OF AMENITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL IN AUSTIN.
I THINK A FULL AND CANDID PUBLIC FEEDBACK PROCESSES AND ESSENTIAL PART OF WORKING TOWARDS A FUTURE THAT WILL INCLUDE A NEW LOCATION FOR AN IMPORTANT AUSTIN COMMUNITY ASSET THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, PERHAPS WITH YOUR DIRECTION TODAY.
THE STAFF LEADERS AT CAP METRO AND THE CITY WOULD BE WILLING TO ENGAGE IN THESE IMPORTANT EFFORTS TO RELOCATE AUSTIN ROWING CLUBS, ACTIVITIES IN A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE BOATHOUSE.
I HAVE RECEIVED RECENT INVITATIONS FROM JOCELYN VOLKS AND JACKIE NIERENBERG AFTER THE OCTOBER 12TH CAP METRO MEETING TO DIALOGUE, WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE KIMBERLY MCNEALY FROM PART HAS ALSO REACHED OUT TO OPEN THE DIALOGUE.
AND I APPRECIATE THEM AS WELL.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT CAP METRO AND THE CITY WILL INITIATE A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE BUILT HOUSE AND RECOVERY OF THE AMENITIES, WHICH WILL BE DESTROYED AND THAT YOU WILL PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK I'VE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR 23 YEARS.
I THINK PROJECT CONNECT IS A FANTASTIC DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKER FOR HIS, UH, COMMENTS TODAY, AS WELL AS THE SPEAKERS BEFORE AND POTENTIALLY AFTER ABOUT THE BOATHOUSE.
I DO THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ASSET AND AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCE, AND I'M CERTAINLY PREPARED TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION TO OUR MANAGER, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR THAT, BUT IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SO WITHIN THIS GROUP, UM, I'M PREPARED TO, TO PROVIDE THAT DIRECTION AS WELL.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO PROBLEM SOLVE FOR, UH, ANOTHER APPROPRIATE LOCATION.
THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON HERE, CHAIR.
YES, I I'VE JUST COUNCIL MEMBER MCKINSEY KELLY HERE.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER TOVO DIRECTION THERE IN HER PLANS.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LEADING THAT.
AND THEN I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT PHONE PHONE IS ON THE PHONE.
SHE'S UNABLE TO MAKE IT IN PERSON, BUT STILL WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK VERY WELL.
WELL, WE'LL, UH, START ON THE PHONE LIST NOW.
I THINK MR. HENDRICKS, IS HE AVAILABLE OR IF YOU HAVE HIM IN A PARTICULAR ORDER, JUST LET ME KNOW.
[01:00:17]
ARE WE CLOSER? DO WE NEED FIVE MINUTES? I'M GOING TO SUGGEST WE TAKE A, A FIVE MINUTE RECESS WHILE WE GET THIS, UH, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.LET'S UH, RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES OR AS SOON AS WE GET THE PHONE BACK.
I THANK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAP, METRO BOARD MEMBERS AND ATP BOARD MEMBERS.
IF WE COULD COME BACK INTO SESSION, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, START UP WITH OUR PRESENTATIONS WHILE WE WORK ON THE, UH, CONNECTIVITY ISSUES.
YOU HAVE EVERYBODY TO OUR SPEAKERS.
IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, I DON'T KNOW IF CAN THEY HEAR TO BE, TO BE CLEAR UNTIL WE GET THE CONNECTIVITY ISSUES WORKED OUT WELL, START WORKING THROUGH OUR PRESENTATIONS, AND THEN WHEN WE HEAD UP AVAILABLE STOPPING POINT AND HAVE YOU CONNECTED, UH, WE'LL GET BACK TO OUR SPEAKERS NOW.
UH, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ATP CAP, METRO AND CITY STAFF ON THE FIRST PROJECT CONNECT ANNUAL REPORT, RANDY, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
IF WE CAN GET THE SLIDE DECK QUEUED UP, PLEASE RELATE TO THE MANAGEMENT REPORT CHAIR.
IF YOU COULD GIVE US A MOMENT, UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY ONE THING WITH THE SPEAKERS AND THEN WE WILL GO TO THE PRESENTATION PROBABLY.
WELL, I KNOW WE START LOSING PEOPLE AT ONE 30, SO WE ALL NEED TO PEDDLE FAST CHAIR.
ALSO, IF I MAY, UM, TAKE A MOMENT, I NEED TO STEP OUT INTO THE LOBBY AT NOON, UM, TO DO A 30 MINUTE, UH, THING.
AND SO I JUST PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
WHAT I HAVE TO GO DO THAT THING AT NOON.
[01:05:16]
UH, YOU ALREADY UP THERE ON THE IT SIDE.
[II.1. Staff briefing and discussion on the Project Connect Annual Management Report.]
UM, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.AND, UH, I REALLY JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE POLICYMAKERS THAT ARE HERE.
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE AGAIN, EXAMPLE OF, UH, AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP THAT STARTED WITH TWO ORGANIZATIONS AND NOW THREE, AND I'M REALLY PROUD AND HONORED TO DELIVER THE FIRST OF PROJECT CONNECT MANAGEMENT REPORT ON BEHALF OF THE OVERALL TEAM.
SO IF WE CAN JUST MOVE TO THE FIRST SLIDE HERE, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE USE TODAY TO REALIZE THE YEAR OF SUCCESS WE'VE HAD AS AN OVERALL TEAM.
AND, UH, IT HAS BEEN JUST LESS THAN A YEAR SINCE THE VOTERS HAVE GAVE THEIR STAMP OF APPROVAL THAT SAID THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS PROJECT CONNECT TO MOVE FORWARD, TO BE A MUCH HEALTHIER, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE CITY, UH, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE NOW AND THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE LIVING HERE IN THE FUTURE.
AND SO, UH, THOSE ARE SOME VARIETY OF MEDIA CLIPS AND, AND HOW THEIR HEADLINES THAT SHOWED THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
UH, AGAIN, ALL ON ALL HIGHLIGHTING THE WORD TEAM OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED AS A TEAM.
I WANT TO REALLY JUST TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS IN 2021.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONLY AGAIN, 51 WEEKS AGO THAT, UH, THE VOTE OCCURRED.
WE, UH, ALSO THEN HAD TO ESTABLISH AN ORGANIZATION, A BOARD, LOTS OF STAFF HAD TO BE HIRED AND THEN WORK ON THE ACTUAL SCALE SCHEDULE.
THAT'S IN THE SEQUENCE PLAN THAT WAS IN THE CONTRACT FOR THE VOTERS.
SO WE HAVE A SCHEDULE OF A VARIETY OF PROJECTS.
I CONSTANTLY USE THE TERM PROJECT CONNECT IS NOT A PROJECT IS A PROGRAM, IS A PROGRAM OF PROJECTS AND THEY ALL HAVE INDEPENDENT, UH, OF THEIR OWN FUNDING STREAM, THEIR OWN SCHEDULE AND, UH, LOTS OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUAL TEAMS WORKING TOGETHER, BUT IN A LARGER COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM.
SO IN SEPTEMBER, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO KICK OFF THE LAKELINE LEANDER, DOUBLE TRACKING COMPONENT ON THE RED LINE.
THIS IS A BIG, UM, KICKOFF FOR THIS PROGRAM AND ALLOWS US TO COMPLETE IT, TO RUN MUCH SAFER, MORE FREQUENT AND MORE RELIABLE TRAINS ON THE RED LINE.
AND THAT'LL SERVE THE ENTIRE RED LINE ALIGNMENT WHEN THAT, UH, IS DONE IN FALL 2022.
AND WE MET, WE MET ACTUALLY OUR SCHEDULE FOR THAT PICKUP.
WE'D LAUNCHED THREE PROJECT CONNECT, FUNDED PICKUP ZONES, AND WE DID THOSE ALL PER THE SCHEDULE THAT WE WERE COMMITTED TO DO, UH, NORTH OAK HILL, SOUTH MENCHACA AND DESA.
AND THEY ARE NOW PART OF OUR OVERALL 11 PICKUP ZONE OPERATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND A COUPLE OF THOSE WERE VERY SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO, UH, IF YOU WILL, ALMOST TRANSIT DESERTS OR AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT REALLY NEEDED SOME TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME, EITHER, UH, LOW-INCOME OR UNDERREPRESENTED PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, UH, THE TEAM DID THOSE ON SCHEDULE.
AND THEN IN SEPTEMBER, WE TOOK A COUPLE OTHER BIG STEPS.
UH, THE CAP METRO BOARD, WORKING UNDER THE ILA BETWEEN CAP, METRO AND ATP TO DELIVER THE METRO RAPID PROJECTS ON BEHALF OF THE PROGRAM, UH, DID A PROCUREMENT AND AWARDED ALMOST A 200, UH, VEHICLE ELECTRIC BUS FLEET IS ACTUALLY THE LARGEST ELECTRIC BUS PROCUREMENT SO FAR IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
AND INSIDE THAT PROCUREMENT, NOT ONLY IS IT STATE OF GOOD REPAIR FOR NORMAL CAP, METRO BUS REPLACEMENT, IT IS THE NEW BOSSES THAT WILL BE DELIVERED FOR BOTH THE EXPO RAPID LINE, THE PLEASANT VALLEY, RAPID LINE, UH, KALE MA AND MANCHESTER, UH, 8 0 3 EXTENSION AND THE GOLD LINE.
SO WE HAVE ALL THOSE OPTIONS AND THOSE ORDERS ARE NOW WHEN, AND WE'LL START PRODUCTION WITH THAT MANUFACTURER TO MEET THE SCHEDULES NEEDED TO, TO MEET OUR SCHEDULES FOR EXPO PLEASANT VALLEY, UH, AND THE OTHER, UM, LINES I MENTIONED.
SO REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM AND THEY WORK.
THE NEXT THING I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE WOULD BE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT.
AND I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO, UH, THE ATP BOARD.
UH, TWO INDIVIDUALS ARE REPRESENTED, UH, BOTH CAP METRO AND, UH, THE CITY, BUT THE OTHER THREE INDIVIDUALS ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO BE PART OF THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR NOT ONLY VOLUNTEERING, BUT THEIR COMMITMENT.
[01:10:01]
LOT OF LONG MEETINGS AND, UH, I THINK THEY REALIZING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MANY, MANY, MANY LONG DAYS AND LONG MEETINGS AHEAD.UM, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THEIR WILLINGNESS AND COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, AS I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO SOME OTHER STAFF TO GO THROUGH SOME PARTS OF THE PROGRAM, I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE STAFF PARTNERSHIP, UH, AND ESPECIALLY HIGHLIGHT, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY, UH, BOTH SPENCER AND GINA HERE TODAY, WHICH I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THEY AND THEIR ENTIRE STAFF ARE WORKING HAND IN GLOVE WITH ALL THE CAP METRO TEAM AND OBVIOUSLY THE NEW ATP TEAM TO DELIVER THIS PROGRAM AS THE VOTERS HAVE DICTATED FOR US TO DO THAT.
AND NONE OF THIS COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT THAT AMAZING PARTNERSHIP.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A GROUP OF STAFF MEMBERS GO THROUGH AT A RELATIVELY GOOD CADENCE HERE OF VARIOUS HIGHLIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE MANAGER REPORT, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT SOME OF OUR AMAZING DIVERSE, TALENTED, EXPERIENCED TEAM MEMBERS DON'T SHOW THIS COMMUNITY WHAT WE'RE DOING ON BEHALF.
SO I'M GOING TO START OFF WITH PETER MULLEN, WHO WAS THE CHIEF ARCHITECT, CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN FOR ATP.
I HATE TO INTERRUPT FOR A LITTLE BIT AND I'M SORRY, MR. MULLEN, BUT THIS IS THE SCREEN IS SO FAR AWAY.
DOES, DOES THE AUDIENCE HAVE A COPY OF THE SLIDE DECK CAN Y'ALL SEE, OR YEAH.
DO THEY HAVE COPIES? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THE SCREEN IS A LITTLE FAR, SO I WAS KIND OF TURNING AROUND TO SEE IF YOU GUYS HAD A SCREEN CLOSER AND I APPRECIATE THE STUFF I'M SHARING THE SLIDE DECK.
UH, ATB BOARD COUNCIL MEMBERS KEPT METRO BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I JUST WANT US TO SAY A FEW THINGS ABOUT HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THE PROGRAM, UM, UNDER, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK'S LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TOWARDS THE PROGRAM HOLISTIC AND HUMAN CENTERED.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT, UH, MOVING TRAINS.
IT'S ABOUT DELIVERING OUTCOMES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, AND THOSE OUTCOMES ARE REALLY GUIDED BY THREE CORE VALUES.
UM, THE FIRST IS OPPORTUNITY AND EQUITY AND WHAT WE ARE MOTIVATED BY AS A STAFF.
AND I THINK AS A TEAM, UM, AMONG ALL THE AGENCIES WORKING ON THIS IS ABOUT HOW DO WE CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE IMPORTANT PLACES AND SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
AND PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT OR MIGHT HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES WHO NEED THESE SERVICES THE MOST, BECAUSE THAT IS THE OPPORTUNITY THAT PROJECT CONNECT BRINGS.
UM, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S ABOUT THE OUTCOMES THAT WILL DELIVER JOBS, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, OTHER SERVICES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO.
UM, AND SO WE TRY TO SEE ALL OF OUR WORK THROUGH THAT LENS EVERY DAY AND TRY TO IMBUE OUR WORK WITH THAT, WITH THAT LENS.
UM, AND PARTICULARLY, I WANT TO POINT OUT THE ADDRESSING PART OF THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S WHY THE $300 MILLION ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUND IS SO CRITICAL PART OF THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND I THINK YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT FROM THE CITY IN A LITTLE BIT NEXT.
UH, ONE LAST THING I WANT TO JUST THANK NANCY CROWDER, HER COMMENTS EARLIER, SHE COULD'VE MADE MY PRESENTATION FOR ME.
UM, I MEAN, REALLY, SHE JUST HIGHLIGHTED ALL THE ISSUES THAT WE, WE, UM, CONSIDER.
AND I THINK THAT ACCESSIBILITY IS REALLY CRUCIAL.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ALL ABOUT PROVIDING ACCESS TO AS, AS BROAD DIVERSE GROUP OF OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND THAT APPLIES TO PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES AND AGES NEXT.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE BUILDING A TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR AUSTIN IS GOING TO BE POTENTIALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST, IF NOT THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WE CAN MAKE TO MITIGATING AND ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, GETTING PEOPLE OFF OF, UH, OUT OF THEIR CARS AND, UM, BEING ABLE TO USE AN ENERGY EFFICIENT, UM, IS GOING TO BE CRUCIAL TO THAT SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
UM, AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO LEAN INTO THAT ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM AGAIN, IN EVERY, EVERY PART OF THE PROGRAM POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT'S PARTLY ABOUT, UM, GOING TO AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET.
UM, AND RANDY TOUCHED UPON THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MANAGE WATER? UM, HOW DO WE REDUCE WASTE DURING CONSTRUCTION? UM, ALL THESE ASPECTS OF NOT JUST THE OPERATIONS, BUT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE TO LOOK THROUGH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY LENS AND IT'S, IT'S AGAIN, PART X, THE THIRD VALUE IS ABOUT INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY.
AND I THINK, UM, BRINGING INNOVATION TO SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES IS PART OF IT.
BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN TERMS OF VEHICLES, SYSTEMS, AND CONTROLS.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BENEFITS
[01:15:01]
THAT WE HAVE OF HAVING, UH, NOT HAVING A LEGACY, UH, RAIL SYSTEM IN PARTICULAR IS THAT WE REALLY CAN, UM, USE THE CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY.WE DON'T HAVE TO ADAPT TO SOME KIND OF LEGACY TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT THAT WOULD COMPROMISE OUR ABILITY TO BE AS EFFICIENT AND TECHNOLOGY FORWARD AS WE CAN WITH OUR SYSTEM.
WE'RE REALLY LEANING INTO THAT IN TERMS OF HOW THE VEHICLES ARE POWERED, UM, AND ALL OF THE CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE BUILDING INTO THE TECHNOLOGY, THAT'S THE BACKBONE OF THE SYSTEM.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION, HAVING AN INNOVATION MINDSET LENS, UM, WE BRING TO EVERY ASPECT OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT APPLIES TO EVERYTHING FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE FROM ENGINEERING, BUT ALSO URBAN DESIGN, UM, AND PLACEMAKING, BUT ALSO TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY IN JACKIE NURBURG, WELL, WE'LL COME UP NEXT.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO USE THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS WE CAN TO CONNECT WITH AS MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE NEXT.
UM, SO I THINK THE, THE RANDY TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH REALLY ALSO APPLIES TO HOW WE VIEW THE SYSTEM ITSELF, RIGHT? THE SYSTEM IS THE KEY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT ANY ONE PART OF IT.
YOU KNOW, THE LIGHT RAIL LINES GET A LOT OF ATTENTION.
UM, BUT THERE ARE JUST ONE PART, OBVIOUSLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS LARGER SYSTEM.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON, WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON EVERY DAY IS ABOUT HOW THESE PIECES INTERSECT WITH ONE ANOTHER, RIGHT? IT'S THOSE INTERSECTIONS THEN THAT, UM, THAT SYSTEM-WIDE NETWORK-WIDE EFFICACY IS REALLY WHAT IS GOING TO MAKE IT ALL WORK.
SO LIGHT RAIL, REGIONAL RAIL, THE DOWNTOWN TUNNEL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BUS SERVICE, THE PICKUP SERVICE THAT RANDY TALKED ABOUT, UM, THAT ALL THESE PIECES HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO APPLIES TO, TO THE, THE WHOLE NOTION OF THE TEAM THAT IS IMPLEMENTING THIS.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW ALL OF THESE ENTITIES WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO MAKE, TO MOVE THIS PROGRAM FORWARD.
AND I THINK THE, THE YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER HAS REALLY DAMAGED, HAS REALLY DEMONSTRATED OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT.
UM, NEXT, UM, AND LASTLY, JUST TO TALK ABOUT SCHEDULE, SO THIS IS THE SEQUENCE PLAN THAT WAS IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.
UM, AND I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF, OF KEY THEMES TO, TO HIGHLIGHT HERE.
ONE IS THAT WE'RE MOVING ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM FORWARD STARTING NOW, RIGHT? UM, UH, THE HEAD OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN, UH, CHAMBER, YES, TOLD THIS STORY A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO ABOUT THIS CHINESE PROVERB, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE BEST TIME TO BUILD A TREE IS 20 YEARS AGO.
THE NEXT BEST TIME TO BUILD A TREE IS NOW, UM, THE SAME IDEA APPLIES TOWARDS THIS PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO REALLY THE, THE, THE, THE FOCUS ON THE MOVING, ALL OF THESE ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM FORWARD NOW IS CRUCIAL.
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MOTIVATES US EVERY DAY, UM, TO, TO KEEP THIS THING GOING AND TO DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT THE PROGRAM WILL DELIVER, UM, TO OUR COMMUNITY AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE THEY'RE NEEDED AND THEY'RE NEEDED NOW.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, I THINK THE, THE, SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SAY, WE'RE REALLY MOTIVATED BY THE SCHEDULE AND, AND DELIVERING THE SERVICES.
AND SO I'M GONNA, UM, OBVIOUSLY PART OF THAT PROGRAM IS ABOUT ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY AND I WANT TO PASS IT TO CHECKING YOUR BURKE.
WHO'S OUR, UM, THE HTP DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN THIS PROCESS.
GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JACKIE NIERENBERG I'M DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM, AND ONE OF THE MOST VISIBLE AND TANGIBLE IS A NEW SPACE THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED AS A COLLABORATIVE SPACE BETWEEN OUR THREE PARTNERS, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAPITAL METRO, AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, SO THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE TOGETHER, BOTH SYMBOLICALLY AND PHYSICALLY, UM, AND THIS SPACE IS BEING PREPARED.
NOW WE'RE EXCITED FOR, UH, IT'S OPENING IN EARLY 2022.
WE'LL BE INVITING YOU IN THE PUBLIC TO JOIN US FOR AN OPEN HOUSE.
UM, THAT SPACE WILL ALSO HAVE SPACES FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
SO IT WILL TRULY BE A SPACE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE THIS PROGRAM.
SO OUR, OUR ROAD TO PROJECT CONNECT HAS BEEN A LONG, LONG JOURNEY WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I FIRST WANT TO SAY, I'M SO GRATEFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME, THEIR ENERGY, THEIR OPINIONS, THEIR FEEDBACK, TO HELP US GET TO THIS POINT TO DATE, THROUGH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE ENGAGED OVER 82,000 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEVER CAN DO ENOUGH COMMUNITY
[01:20:01]
ENGAGEMENT.AND I WILL ALWAYS STRESS THAT WHEN THE PANDEMIC KIT WE HAD TO LIKE EVERYBODY, UH, PIVOT TO VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT, WE FOUND THAT WE REACHED A LOT MORE PEOPLE, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT ENGAGE WITH US VIRTUALLY, OR CANNOT ENGAGE WITH US WITH US IN THAT WAY.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AGAIN, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PROGRAM FROM A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STANDPOINT IS THE, UM, THE FACT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO STAND UP A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY COMMITTEES TO HELP US ENGAGE MORE DEEPLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE ESTABLISHED THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE ALSO ESTABLISHED THREE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO OUR BOARD.
UM, THOSE COMMITTEES ARE THE PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DBE COMMITTEE FOR WHICH THE LIAISON IS DR.
UM, WE ESTABLISHED THE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE FOR WHICH THE LIAISON IS CHAIR, BUT AT OF THE CUSTOMER AND THE FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE FOR WHICH OUR CHAIR IS TONY ELKINS.
IN ADDITION TO THESE COMMITTEES, WE ALSO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE THE PROJECT CONNECT AMBASSADOR NETWORK THAT HAS BEEN MEETING FOR YEARS, AND THESE ARE JUST GROUPS OF VERY, UM, COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE ADVOCATES FOR TRANSIT AND HELP US BE A SOUNDING BOARD FOR PUBLIC FACING MATERIALS.
AND, UM, JUST HELP US SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT.
SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO THEM AND ALSO OUR, OUR, UM, INNER AGENCY, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP, COMPRISED OF STAFF MEMBERS OF OUR PARTNER AGENCIES.
AGAIN, A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR BEING INVOLVED EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
AND I'D LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO A NEAT BOW DAY.
UH, THE CITY'S MOBILITY OFFICER, UH, GOOD MORNING, I THINK IT'S STILL MORNING.
UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, BOARD MEMBERS, NICO DE MOBILITY OFFICER FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF, UM, LEADING A TEAM THAT, THAT REPRESENTS, UH, THE CITY'S ROLE IN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EACH OF THE AGENCIES, UM, IN THE DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.
SO THIS IS, UH, A PHOTO OF THE PROGRAM OFFICE THAT MS
UH, I HOPE MANY OF YOU WERE AT THE OPEN HOUSE THAT WAS A PHOTO OF THE OPEN HOUSE WE HAD IN THE PARKING LOT, UM, JUST ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND PROJECT CONNECT, UM, WE HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM, UH, THAT IS HOUSED WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND, UH, REPORTING TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GINA FAN DACA, WHO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HAD AN, UH, VERY IMPORTANT AND INSTRUMENTAL ROLE LEADING UP TO THE PASSING OF PROJECT CONNECT.
AND WE THANK HER FOR THAT, UH, THE CITY'S TEAM, THE CITY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE.
I SEE AS A CONTINUATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS, THAT WAS STARTED IN REALLY 20 16, 20 17, WHEN THE CITY EMBARKED ON UPDATING ITS OVERHAULING, ITS UH, OVERALL TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
AND WE KNEW THAT HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT HAD TO BE A COMPONENT OF THAT PLAN.
AND WE WENT THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS AND WHERE WE LANDED WAS THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN WAS PART OF THE CITY'S ORDINANCE AND THE CITY'S TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
SO THIS IMPLEMENTATION NOW THAT THE FUNDING HAS PASSED TO IMPLEMENT HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT PARTNERSHIP AND IT IS THE CITY'S VISION.
AND SO WE ARE PLEASED TO BE SIDE-BY-SIDE.
WHAT WE DO IN OUR OFFICE IS, IS REALLY TWO THINGS.
WE UNIFY CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WE COLLABORATE AMONGST OURSELVES WITHIN THE CITY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SPEAKING WITH ONE VOICE AND THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING THE NEEDS OF THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS AS WELL AS, UM, THE EQUITY ASPECTS OF, UH, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM PER, UM, THE VALUES THAT, UM, MR. MILAN SPOKE OF.
WE'RE ALSO, UH, HAVE A BIG PART IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND COORDINATING THE CITY, HAVING ONE VOICE AS TO, UH, THE VARIOUS, UM, INPUTS AND EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE RELATED TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THE, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT PROCESS, UM, FOR THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE.
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AND COLLABORATION HAPPENING.UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE AS MENTIONED, UM, THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM HAS 300 MILLION, UM, THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED ACROSS THE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE REALLY BEING LOOKED AT AS AN HELD UP AS A MODEL FOR WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, WITH, UH, WITH MANAGING ANTI-DISPLACEMENT, UH, THAT IS BEING MANAGED IN OUR HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE ARE COLLABORATING THE CITY PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE COLLABORATES, UM, WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING, UH, ON PROGRAMMING THAT FUNDING.
SO THEY ARE IN THE MIDST OF PUTTING THEIR GUIDELINES TOGETHER.
THEY SHOULD HAVE THEM DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE'S $23 MILLION THAT HAS BEEN, UM, ALREADY ALLOCATED, UH, FOR THAT.
UH, THE BIGGEST THING THAT THEY DID OVER THE LAST YEAR WAS CREATION OF THE EQUITY, UM, THE RACIAL EQUITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TOOL, AND BOY DID THEY WORK HARD ON THAT TOOL, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY CATALYST.
AND, UM, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THAT TOOL WILL BE READY, UM, TO BE AN ACTION COME JANUARY.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY EXCITING AS WE LOOK, UM, AS WE LOOK AT THIS AT THE YEAR IN REVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE REALLY ACCOMPLISHED, UM, BOTH ON THE, ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO ON THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT SIDE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MY LONGTIME COLLEAGUE, GREG CONNELLEY WHO'S NOW WITH ATP.
I'M THE CFO WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY TODAY.
SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE ON, UH, ATPS FUNDING AND BUDGET.
UM, A YEAR AGO, AS WE KNOW, THE, UH, SUCCESSFUL ELECTION, UM, RESULTED IN AN ANNUAL, UH, FUNDING FROM THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
UM, THOSE PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE NOW WITH THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT.
I REALLY WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ADVAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY AND HIS ENTIRE STAFF, WORKING WITH US, THEY ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO HAVE IN PLACE.
AS WE START HEADING DOWN THE ROAD OF FINANCING PROJECT CONNECT, UM, TO HAVE THOSE PROCESSES PROCEDURES AROUND THE PROPERTY TAX IN PLACE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
CAN METRO ALSO AS A FUNDING PARTNER COMING IN WITH THEIR ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION AS WELL.
SO THE OVERLAY, UH, OVER-HYPE, UH, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
THIS WAS THE FIRST ATP FULL YEAR BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE AT OVER $300 MILLION.
THE MAJORITY OF IT IS A CAPITAL BUDGET, WHICH IS A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET AS WE GO AND WORK ON ALL OF THESE AT DIFFERENT ELEMENTS PROJECTS OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
SO ABOUT $266 MILLION OF IT IS DEDICATED TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, A LOT OF THAT IS FOR THE ORANGE LINE BLUE LINES, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY THAT SHARMILA WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT CAP.
METRO IS ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING ON BEHALF OF ATP.
I THINK A KEY HIGHLIGHT, UH, NICK TALKED ABOUT THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.
UM, IT WAS JUST REALLY FANTASTIC THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THIS AS PART OF THE VOTE AND AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO INCREASE THE FUNDING UP TO $42 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR IT'S $23 MILLION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SEQUENCING PLAN.
THIS IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WORKING WITH HOUSING AND PLANNING, UH, TO GET THOSE FUNDS OVER TO THE CITY, AS THEY DO THE ACQUISITIONS.
IN ADDITION, WE HAVE THE FUNDING TO START FUNDING OPERATIONS, AS SOME OF THE METRO, THE PICKUPS ARE HAPPENING AS WELL AS A SHARED SERVICES.
ONE OF THE MODELS THAT WE HAVE IS THAT IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE, UM, EXPERIENCES AND SHARED SERVICES AT THE CITY AND NICK'S GROUP IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
AND AT CAP METRO, WE WANT TO FUND THOSE, UM, AND S INSTEAD OF ATP, HAVING TO BUILD ALL OF THAT FUNCTIONALITY, UH, FINALLY LIKE TO SAY, UM, OUR BUDGET IS UP ON OUR WEBSITE FROM A TRANSPARENCY PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AT ATP, TX.ORG.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE REALLY PROUD THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE AS PART OF OUR BUDGET ATP CREATED ITS FIRST, UH, SET OF INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL POLICIES, WHICH WILL BE REALLY CRITICAL TO US AS WE MOVE FORWARD OVER THESE MANY YEARS, UM, THAT ARE GOING TO HELP MANAGE FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE AROUND OUR BUDGET AND OUR DEBT.
UM, ON A GO-FORWARD PERSPECTIVE WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO THIS SHARMILA MUKHERJEE.
WHO'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH, UM, SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT KEPT METRO IS IMPLEMENTING ON BEHALF OF ATP.
GOOD MORNING TO THE CAPITAL CAPITAL METRO BOARD MEMBERS, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS WELL AS ATP BOARD MEMBERS.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN SUPPORT OF, UM, OVERALL PROJECT CONNECT.
UH, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THIS IS A GENERATIONAL OPPORTUNITY AND WE
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ARE TRYING TO CREATE HIGH-CAPACITY, UH, SYSTEM FOR TRANSIT BY 2030 WITH A VERY AMBITIOUS DELIVERY THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT.UM, OUR JOB, THE PROJECTS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THE SPEAKING TO OUR MITCHELL RAPID, UH, PROJECT, THE FOUR METRO RAPID BRT PROJECTS THAT ARE EARLY OUT OF PROJECT CONNECT.
IT'S BEEN AN EXERCISE IN INCREDIBLE COLLABORATION AND PARTICIPATION PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO IN DELIVERING THIS PROJECTS WANTED TO SHARE THE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE SLIDE, THE SCHEDULE, THE KEY MILESTONES FOR THAT CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION WAS APPROVED, WHICH IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY BRT LINES WERE APPROVED IN MAY, 2021.
THE ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN THE PROJECT WAS PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FYI 22 ANNUAL REPORT THAT ADDED BOTH EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY FOR FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS UNDER CIG IT'S A CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT FOR SMALL STARTS.
CIG IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE DISCRETIONARY GRANTS FORMULA UNDER FTA.
AND WE ARE VERY PROUD THAT THE PLANNING PROCESS THAT'S BEEN UNDERTAKEN UNDER PROJECT CONNECT THAT HELP US COME TO THIS POINT PMOC OR PROJECT MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT CONSULTANT WAS ASSIGNED BY FTA AS WE ARE ENTERING INTO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
AND AGAIN, OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO MENTIONED THAT OUR BUS PROCUREMENT FOR 200 ELECTRIC BUSES, UM, IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST PROCUREMENT, AND IT'S A KEY MILESTONE IN CAP METRO'S ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.
IT'S TIED TO THIS PROJECT, BOTH EXPO PV GOLD LINE, AND AMONG CHAKA OAK HILL LINES WOULD BE SUPPORTED THROUGH ELECTRIC BUSES UNDER THIS PROCUREMENT, THE GOLD LINE, AND MANCHACA AS WELL AS EXPLAIN PLEASANT VALLEY ARE ALL ON SCHEDULE.
WE ANALYZED OPTIONS FOR FEDERAL FUNDING AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASING.
WE COMPLETED THAT IN AUGUST OF 2021 ANTICIPATED START DATE FOR GOLD LINE IS JANUARY, 2020.
INSTRUCTION IS JANUARY, 2023, MEN CHAKA AND ANTICIPATED START OF CONSTRUCTION IS JUNE OF 2022.
THE PROJECTS ARE MOVING REALLY WELL AND THEY'RE ALL UNSCHEDULED.
METRO RAIL, AND PICK UP THE TWO OTHER KEY COMPONENTS OF EARLY OUT PROJECTS FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, YOU MAY ALL BE FAMILIAR WITH MCCULLOUGH STATION IT'S ON SCHEDULE, IT'S SUPPORTING Q2 STADIUM AND DEADLINES, GROWING POPULARITY IN PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE NEW NEW STADIUM IN AUSTIN.
30% DESIGN WAS COMPLETED IN AUGUST OF 2021 AND ANTICIPATED STATION OPENING IS FALL OF 2023.
AGAIN, I WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE, THESE ARE VERY AMBITIOUS AND AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE THAT WE ALL ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND FULFILLING TO, TO ITS COMPLETION.
LAKELINE LEANDER, DOUBLE TRACKING IS ONE OF OUR KEY OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PRIORITIES THAT WAS UNDER PROJECT CONNECT.
IT'S MOVES OUR RED LINE TO IMPROVE ITS OPERATIONAL FREQUENCY TO A POINT WHERE IT COULD SERVE AS REGIONAL RAIL.
SO WE ARE MAXIMIZING FREQUENCY ON REDLINE ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION IS FALL OF 2022 LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATOR THAT WAS ALSO MENTIONED IN THE EARLIER PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
WE'VE LAUNCHED THREE ZONES OF THE UNDER PROJECT CONNECT.
THE DAY SAUL WAS LAUNCHED IN JUNE OF 2021 SOUTH CHAKA WAS LAUNCHED NEXT MONTH, FOLLOWING MONTH IN JULY OF 2021.
AND MOST RECENTLY WE LAUNCHED NORTH OAK HILL AUGUST IN AUGUST OF 2021.
WE ARE ALSO CREATING A PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD FOR ALL OF OUR RIDERSHIP STATISTICS AND ANY UPDATES TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATOR, WHICH IS POPULARLY KNOWN AS PICKUP.
IT SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF DEMAND RESPONSE AND INNOVATIVE MOBILITY, AND IT'S FILLS IN THE GAP FOR OUR FIXED ROUTE AND OUR FUTURE RAIL.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL PASS IT ON TO JOHN ROAN, DEPUTY PROGRAM OFFICER FOR ATP.
AND TECHNICALLY IT'S STILL BEFORE NOON.
I'D LIKE TO UPDATE YOU ON THE DESIGN PROGRESS FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE ON PROJECTS.
THE CURRENT STATUS IS THAT THEY ARE ON SCHEDULE AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, ENGINEERING AND FIELD ACTIVITIES THAT
[01:35:01]
CONTINUE, UH, GOING FORWARD.SO TO WALK YOU THROUGH THOSE TESTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, AND THOSE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS FIRST, WE HAVE SURVEYS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMPLETED FOR GEO-TECH BORINGS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ALIGNMENT.
UH, THAT TIMING IS JANUARY OF 2021.
AND THEN WE HAVE HERITAGE TREE SURVEYS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE 15% DESIGN SUBMITTAL PACKAGE, UH, WAS, WAS PROVIDED FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT.
THOSE ARE, UH, COMMENTS HAVE BEEN DISPOSITIONED, UH, WITH THE TECHNICAL STAKEHOLDERS AND REVISIONS FOR THE FINAL SUBMITTAL IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY, UH, THAT WAS COMPLETED IN JUNE OF 2021 AS WELL.
WE COMPLETED THE SCHEDULE BORINGS FOR THE SUBWAY TUNNEL IN JULY OF 21, AND THE ARCHITECTURAL ARC ARCHAEOLOGICAL NOISE AND VIBRATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL FIELD INVESTIGATION IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY.
THE NEXT ITEMS ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AND WE WILL CONTINUE THE ACTIVITIES OF CONTINUING THE COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON THE GUIDEWAY, THE ROADWAY, THE BIKE PAD FACILITIES, AS WELL AS THE PLAN DEVELOPMENT AS PART OF THE PROJECTS, THE, UH, INITIATED NEXT ROUND OF SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING FOR THE 30% DESIGN IS CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS AS WELL, ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, HYDRAULIC ANALYSIS FOR THE FEMA CREEK CROSSINGS, AS WELL AS CONTINUED WATER QUALITY AND DRAINAGE IMPACT ANALYSIS.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE LOOK AHEAD OF SOME OF THE KEY MILESTONES AND IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE COMING IN THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR AND NEXT YEAR.
SO FIRST, THE GROUNDBREAKING, AS FOR MILLER TOUCHED ON AND INVOLVING THE METRO RAPID EXPO CONSTRUCTION WILL BE WINTER OF 20 21, 20 22.
AND THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR PLEASANT VALLEY CONSTRUCTION AS WELL WILL BE THAT SAME TIMEFRAME, WINTER 20 21, 20 22.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENTS FOR EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY.
THAT WILL BE THE SPRING OF 22.
THE GROUND BREAKING FOR MCCOLLOUGH STATION WILL BE SPRING OF 22.
AND THEN WE CONTINUE INTO THE SUMMER IN WHICH WE WILL HAVE ACTIVITIES FOR SUBMITTING OUR RATINGS PACKAGE FOR THE F TO THE FTA FOR THE NEW STARTS EVALUATION OF THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINES.
WE WILL CONTINUE THAT WITH THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS, UH, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW IN THE SUMMER OF 22 AS WELL.
WE WILL FINALIZE OUR 30% DESIGN PLANS FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES.
THE STEPS WILL BE THE NEPA RECORD OF DECISION THAT WE WILL RECEIVE IN THE WINTER OF 22.
THAT'S A KEY TAKEAWAY AND A MILESTONE I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO KEEPING YOUR POCKET AS WELL AS SUBMITTING TO THE FTA AND RECEIVING ENTRY INTO AN ENTRY INTO PROJECT ENGINEERING IN THE SUMMER OF 23.
AND OF COURSE, TO KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE IN THE FALL OF 2020 FOR RECEIPT OF OUR FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT.
AND SO IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
UH, THIS CONCLUDES OUR PROJECT CONNECT MANAGEMENT REPORT.
IT'S AN HONOR FOR THE COUNCIL, THE CHAIR, THE CHAIRS OF BOTH THE ATP AND CAP METRO BOARDS, EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK, UH, THE MILESTONES THAT WE SHOW AND WE SPEAK TO YOU TODAY ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PROGRAM AND THE TIMING IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE WE'VE IDENTIFY SOME ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN THAT ARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE WE CAME FROM AND WHERE WE ARE GOING AGAIN.
THE LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE WAS JUNE OF 2020.
AND I LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT REFERENDUM WAS NOVEMBER OF 2020, SO ALMOST EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO.
SO TAKE A STEP BACK, PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK, BUT DON'T BREAK YOUR ARM AND, AND APPRECIATE YOURSELF FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE HERE IS TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE THE NEPA RECORD OF DECISION WINNER OF 23 ENTRY INTO ENGINEERING SUMMER OF 23 FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT, 2024, LOTS OF CELEBRATION.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT CHAIR AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE, UH, TEAM THAT IS
[01:40:01]
WORKING ON THIS, THAT IS THE FIRST, UH, PROJECT CONNECT MANAGER REPORT.AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF THAT ARE HERE, THE PRESENT IT STAFF THAT DID, THAT ARE HERE, THAT DIDN'T PRESENT AND ALL THE STAFF THAT ARE DEALS YOU WORKING AWAY AT OFFICES OR WHEREVER THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAY BE.
I'M JUST UNBELIEVABLY GRATEFUL AND HUMBLED TO BE PART OF SUCH A GREAT TEAM AND THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WE'VE SELECTED TO MOVE THIS PROGRAM FORWARD.
AND, UH, I'VE GOT TO SAY, IT'S JUST AMAZING REALLY TO THINK ABOUT THIS TIME.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT ELECTION PASSING IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE YEARS FROM NOW, UH, BEEN IN A POSITION TO HAVE A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT ON THESE PROJECTS, UH, TOLD RANDY SEVERAL TIMES, UH, AND I HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT I TELL HIM FROM ALL GAS, NO BRAKES NOW, ALL BATTERY, NO BRAKES, UM, AND IS IT'S TREMENDOUS WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
AND, UH, OF THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, IT'S NOT JUST OUR TEAM, IT'S THE CITY TEAM AND THE GROWING ATP, UH, TEAM.
UH, BUT AS JOHN POINTED OUT TO US, AS MUCH AS WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, WE'VE GOT TO STAY VERY FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT WE WANT TO GET THAT FULL FUNDING AGREEMENT BEFORE THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGES.
THE ADMINISTRATION CHANGES, EVERYTHING CHANGES, UH, WE'RE DELAYED, UH, WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT.
SO AS, AS FAST AS WE'RE GOING, WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP GOING FAST, PETER.
SHARMILA JOHN, EVERYBODY ON BOTH STAFF, SPENCER AND GINA.
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, ALL BATTERY, NO BREAKS, UH, CHAIR.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL OPEN IT UP BEARING IN MIND THAT WE HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET OUR BUSINESS DONE HERE? UM, YES, THIS IS, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE AND THIS IS A MARATHON.
SO I FEEL LIKE I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF BATTERY FOR ALL OF THE STAFF.
SO I KNOW EVERYBODY'S BEEN PUSHING VERY HARD AND THE GRATITUDE EXTENDS AND WE KEEP SAYING ALL OUR KUDOS TO THE STAFF.
I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TIME IN SPANISH, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT CANNOT BE OVERSTATED THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL AND, UM,
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IT'S THE FRUIT OF ALL THE EFFORTS FROM SO MANY PEOPLE SO FAR TO HAVE BROUGHT US TO THIS PLACE.
UM, SO, UM, THIS IS A REMARKABLE BEGINNING FIRST YEAR.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? A MEMBER KITCHEN.
SO, UM, ARE YOU READY FOR THAT PART OF THE YES.
AND I DO ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE AND IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLE EFFORT, UH, BY EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED AND, UH, AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE, UH, WITH THIS PROCESS.
AND AS WE'VE HEARD FROM THEM EARLIER TODAY, AND IN OTHER SETTINGS, OF COURSE, THEY WANT TO BE AT THE TABLE.
THEY WANT THIS TO BE A JOINT EFFORT.
SO I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS.
I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF EVERYBODY ON THE BOARDS AND ALSO FROM, UM, ALL THE STAFF.
UM, AND, UM, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH THOSE.
I THINK THAT, UM, HAVING THE, UH, PROJECT MANAGEMENT REPORT, UM, IS AN EXCELLENT WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DOING, BEEN HAPPENING AND WHAT'S NEXT.
SO MY QUESTIONS ARE JUST, UM, DESIGNED TO, TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE SOME THINGS ARE, ARE CLEAR.
SO THE FIRST THING I WANT TO ASK ABOUT IS THE SLAUGHTER PARK AND RIDE IN THE S THE SLAUGHTER BRT.
NOW WE ALL KNOW, AND IT'S BEEN CLEAR THAT THE EXTENSION OF THE LIGHT RAIL FURTHER SOUTH ON SLAUGHTER IS, IS NOT IN THE INITIAL INVESTMENT PLAN.
IT'S A LATER ACTIVITY, BUT WHAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS HOW THE SLAUGHTER BRT, UH, WHICH, WHICH GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SLAUGHTER.
IT GOES DOWN SOUTH CONGRESS ALL THE WAY TO SLAUGHTER WILL BE, UM,
[01:45:01]
INTEGRATED INTO THE ORANGE LINE AS FAR AS THE ORANGE LINE GOES.AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, PLANS FOR A PARKING RIDE, UM, AT, AT, AT, AT THE SOUTHERN END THERE AT SLAUGHTER.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE THE STAFF TO EXPLAIN, UM, WHERE THAT'S AT AND WHAT'S EXPECTED IN TERMS OF THE INTEGRATION OF THAT, UM, SLAUGHTER BRT WITH THE ORANGE LINE.
I HAVE FOLKS, UM, I SHARE A PART OF THAT AREA WITH COUNCIL MEMBER QUINTAS.
UM, AND, UM, I HAVE FOLKS THAT LIVE ALONG SLAUGHTER ARE THAT ARE CURIOUS AND JUST WANTING TO, TO UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT IN THE FUTURE, UM, WITH THE WAY THAT THAT BRT MIGHT BE INTEGRATED INTO THE ORANGE LINE.
AND ALSO THE, UM, THE, THE EXPECTATIONS AROUND THE SLAUGHTER PARK AND RIDE.
THE OTHER KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT I'M GETTING IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT I, 35, UH, IN THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE QUESTION IS HOW DOES THAT WORK, UH, WITH THE SLAUGHTER PARK AND RIDE? SO I, I JUST, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, LET MY CONSTITUENTS KNOW THAT I'D ASKED THAT SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT, UM, IN A PUBLIC WAY THAT THEY CAN HEAR.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO THE RIGHT PERSON IS TO SPEAK TO THAT, BUT IF SOMEONE'S, YEAH, FOR THE SAKE OF TIME, UNLESS THERE'S A QUESTION I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO, OR THAT THE STAFF TELLS ME, I ANSWERED INCORRECTLY, I WILL TAKE, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS Y'ALL HAVE.
SO RELATED TO THE ORANGE LINE, UH, WHILE THE INITIAL INVESTMENT GOES IN, THIS SCENARIO ARE IN THE MAP TO STASSNEY.
WE ARE DOING THE NEPA CLEARANCE FOR THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT.
THAT WAS WHAT WE COMMITTED TO.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE FTA ON THAT.
AS PART OF THAT PROCESS, WE'LL BE LOOKING OBVIOUSLY AT THE LONG-TERM PARKING RIDE SOLUTION IN THAT AREA, THERE IS A PARK AND RIDE IN THAT AREA NOW, BUT SO DILIGENCE WILL BE GOING ON THROUGH THAT NEPA PROCESS TO SEE HOW IT, UH, SOUTHERN TERMINUS WOULD WORK, UH, RELATED TO THAT.
UH, SECOND, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BRT, UH, FROM STASSNEY TO SLAUGHTER, UH, WHAT WE COMMITTED TO IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS AND THE ENTIRE SEQUENCE PLAN WAS THAT THE 8 0 1 WOULD GET AN INCREASED FREQUENCY.
AND THAT 8 0 1 FREQUENCY WOULD KICK IN WHEN THE ORANGE LINE, UH, GOES INTO REVENUE SERVICE.
SO IF THE REVENUE SERVICE IS 2030 AND THE 8 0 1 FREQUENCY WOULD HIT THAT, THAT INCREASED FREQUENCY.
AND SO THEN PEOPLE COULD CONNECT FROM THIS TRANSIT CENTER PARK AND RIDE, WHATEVER WE COME TOGETHER WITH THROUGH THE WHOLE DESIGN PROCESS AT SLAUGHTER AREA UP TO THE STASSNEY AREA WITH HIGH-FREQUENCY 8 0 1 SERVICE.
HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION FOR THEM.
DO YOU HAVE A, UM, JUST COULD JUST THAT THAT'S GREAT.
I THINK THAT IS CLEAR FOR FOLKS.
CAN YOU JUST REMIND THEM OF THE TIMELINE AGAIN, THE TIMELINE FOR A NEW IT'S A NEW PARKING LOT AT SLAUGHTER AND INCREASED FREQUENCY? YES.
THAT WILL GO, THAT WILL GO IN CONNECTION WITH WHENEVER REVENUE SERVICE STARTS ON THE ORANGE LINE.
SO ON THE SEQUENCE PLAN WE HAVE THAT SCHEDULED, UH, IT SAYS NINE YEARS AFTER, UH, START AND START IS BASED ON, UH, FEDERAL APPROVAL.
SO APPROXIMATELY PROBABLY THE 20, 29, 20, 30 TIMELINE, DEPENDING ON THE FEDERAL PROCESS THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT HOW RESPONSIVE STAFF HAS BEEN, AND, AND I'LL BE TALKING TO KENT METRO STAFF, UM, JUST ABOUT THE BUS SERVICE ALONG SLAUGHTER AND, AND, UM, AND HOW FOLKS IN THAT PART OF LIVING IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD CAN LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING TO THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND, UH, WHAT THEY CAN BE DOING IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, UM, CONNECTING TO THE BUS AND GETTING, GETTING NORTH.
SO, UM, TARA, I HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN LET OTHERS GO FIRST IF THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS, OTHER QUESTIONS.
OH, WAIT, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I THINK WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
I DO HAVE SOME THAT I CAN TRY.
I DON'T MIND IF COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN GOES FIRST AND THEN I'LL JUMP IN.
THEN, UM, MY OTHER QUESTION IS, UM, JUST WANTING TO UNDERSTAND IN THE, IN THE, UM, IN THE, UM, PROJECT MANAGEMENT REPORT, UM, ON PAGE 26, THAT SPEAKS TO THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INITIATIVES FUND.
UM, I THINK I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS, BUT I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR, PLUS I THINK THE PUBLIC MIGHT WANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND THAT'S HOW THE FUNDS FLOW.
OH, FIRST I'LL LET ME JUST SAY THAT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS OF THE ATP BOARD
[01:50:01]
TO, UM, TO, IN LOOKING AT THE ALLOCATION SCHEDULE TO ACTUALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS OR NOT ADDITIONAL, BUT TO LOOK AT THE ALLOCATION SO THAT, UM, THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS COULD BE, COULD BE USED QUICKER, YOU KNOW? UM, SO I WANT TO USE THE WORD UPFRONT FROM THAT HUNDRED TRAUNCH, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE, I THINK THE 42 MILLION THERE, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE CHART AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 26.SO, UM, SO CAN I READ THIS AS THE 23 MILLION WAS THE INITIAL AMOUNT AND THEN IT'S 42 MILLION AND THEN 65, OR AM I NOT READING THAT, THAT CORRECTLY BOARD MEMBER? ARE YOU REFERRING TO SLIDE 23? I KNOW I'M LOOKING AT THE REPORT ITSELF.
I'M LOOKING AT THE REPORT ITSELF ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 26.
I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS, UH, WHAT THE CHART IS, IS TELLING US IN TERMS OF THE FUNDS FLOW FOR THE, FOR THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS.
SO IN
UM, UNLESS CORRECT ME, GREG, IF I'M THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THERE'S 65 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY TO DRAW THAT UPON THE WAY THE ILA BETWEEN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, WAS DONE WAS THAT THE CITY WOULD, UH, GO FORTH AND DO THOSE, UM, ACQUISITIONS, WHETHER IT'S REAL ESTATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU NAME IT AS LONG AS IT'S KIND OF ALL CONSISTENT WITH THE CONTRACT TO VOTERS THAT WOULD THEN GET INVOICED OVER TO AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AS ENTRENCHED PARTNERSHIP WITH TRANSFER THE MONEY, PAY FOR IT.
AND THAT'S SO ALL THAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY TO USE FOR THAT, FOR THAT PROGRAM.
I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS TELLING ME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE AND WANTED TO REMIND THE PUBLIC THAT, THAT MEANS FOR THIS SECOND YEAR OF THE PROGRAM, IT'S 42 MILLION THAT'S BECOME AVAILABLE.
SO RIGHT NOW, ANYWAY, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE AT THE 65 MILLION AND, AND REMIND ME, UM, RANDY, IT'S A, IT'S A DRAW DOWN, RIGHT? SO THE IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT, IT'S A GREEN PURSE.
IT'S A GRANT REIMBURSEMENT GRANT REIMBURSEMENT.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THE CITY, THE CITY, UH, CITY PAYS, IS THAT RIGHT? A SPENCER THAT THE CITY PAYS FOR THE PROGRAM AND THEN GETS REIMBURSED.
IT'S I WOULD ACT, I WOULD TRY TO SAY IT THIS WAY.
THE PROP, THE PROP, A MONEY IS DESIGNATED TOSS AND TRADE AS A PARTNERSHIP.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP SIGN, AN ILA WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SEE IF AUSTIN DOES THOSE ACTIVITIES, BILLS, AUSTIN TRANS PARTNERSHIP, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP THEN PROVIDES THAT FUNDING TO THE CITY.
THAT'S VERY, VERY MUCH THE WAY WE DID IT FOR QUARTER CENT, I THINK, BUT, OKAY.
UM, I HAVE SOME MORE QUESTIONS I'M GETTING TO THEM, RIGHT.
THEN ON PAGE 24, UH, OF THE REPORT ITSELF, THE, THE BUDGET DETAILS, IF YOU ALL COULD JUST, UM, HELP ME UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, THE OPERATING, UM, IT'S THAT CHART AT THE TOP OF PAGE 24 ON THE, UH, REPORT IN THE REPORT ITSELF, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN CAPITAL OPERATING AND THE ANTI-DISPLACEMENT THE OPERATING IN THIS SCENARIO WOULD REFER TO, UH, MOST OF IT I'LL PICK UP OPERATIONS AND GREG, GREG, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GRAB A MIC AND MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE ON 24, THANK YOU.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS IN TERMS OF THE, THIS IS A COMPARISON CHART BETWEEN WHAT WAS THE INITIAL BUDGET FROM 21 AND 22? THE BIG, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IN 22 IS THERE'S A FIRST EVER CAPITAL BUDGET.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR OPERATING BUDGET, I THINK ON THE SLIDE THAT I HAVE A SLIDE THAT HAD UP EARLIER, UM, WAS ABOUT $30 MILLION OF OPERATIONS, OF SOME OF THAT IS GOING FOR HELPING TO ACTUALLY CUT METRO, START THE OPERATIONS, AND THEN THOSE, FOR THOSE SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO WE CAN GET THOSE BREAKDOWNS TO YOU MORE SPECIFICALLY IF YOU NEED THEM, UH, BETWEEN OUR SLIDE IN THIS REPORT.
BUT GENERALLY THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF THAT CAPITAL MULTI-YEAR VERSUS THE OPERATIONS.
OUR OPERATIONS BUDGETS ARE PAYING FOR THINGS THAT ARE NOT, UM, CAN'T BE PUT IN A CAPITAL BUDGET.
UM, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, SOME OF OUR LEASE COSTS ARE JUST SITTING IN AN OPERATING, WHICH IS, WOULD BE A NORMAL EXPENSE.
UM, AND SOME OF THE OTHER OVERHEAD RATES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO BE, UM, OUT COST ALLOCATED TO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS
[01:55:01]
AND THEY, AND A LOT OF THAT ALSO IS HELPING TO FUND THE CITY IN THEIR, IN THEIR SUPPORT, UH, NICK'S OFFICE, AS WELL AS THE CAP METRO SIDE.SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND IT.
AND YOU DID MENTION, I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, GREG, YOU DID MENTION THAT THE, UM, THERE'S A, THERE'S A WEBSITE.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY CAN GET ONE.
SO, UH, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UH, CAN BE FOUNDED DUB ATP, TX.ORG.
AND WE HAVE OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT OUT THERE THAT HAS THE ENTIRE BUDGET DOCUMENT, INCLUDING THE DETAILED FUND SUMMARY, UM, THE FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT I MENTIONED, AND THEN, UM, KIND OF A NARRATIVE EXPLANATION OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET, THE OPERATING BUDGET, AND ALSO THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR SHORT INITIAL BUDGET OF NINE MONTHS, AND NOW OUR FIRST FULL YEAR BUDGET FOR 22.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT TRANSPARENCY.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATING BUDGET ITSELF, IF, IF, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT IS IN THE OPERATING BUDGET, THEN THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE.
IS THAT WHERE I WOULD LOOK OR YES, WE HAVE OUR BOAT, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET, THIS, THIS REPORT IS A HIGHLIGHT OF THAT BUDGET DOCUMENT, BUT YES, OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT HAS ALL THAT LAID OUT THE CAPITAL OF WHAT THE CAPITAL AND OPERATING BUDGET BY CATEGORY.
SO I COULD LOOK AND SEE, BUT BY LINE ITEM, UH, WHAT, WHAT WAS BEING PAID FOR OUT OF OPERATING? CORRECT.
UM, AND THEN I TH THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR YOU ALSO, GREG, SO UNLESS RANDY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE IT, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS REPORT AND PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION IS VERY HELPFUL AS THE KIND OF THING I WANTED TO SEE IN A MANAGEMENT REPORT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT THOUGH ON PAGE 25 OF THE REPORT, IS THAT IT? YES.
ON PAGE 25 OF THE REPORT ITSELF, THERE'S A, UM, UH, A GRAY BUCKET HERE.
IT TALKS ABOUT RESERVED FROM FISCAL YEAR TWENTY ONE, A HUNDRED THIRTY FOUR 0.6 MILLION.
IS THAT DOLLARS THAT THAT CAME IN, BUT WEREN'T SPENT YET.
SO WE NOW HAVE THEM AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT YEAR JUST TO EXPLAIN THAT.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ACTUALLY.
SO, UH, AS WE KNOW THAT THE, THE ELECTION A YEAR AGO WAS FOR THE, UH, FYI 21, 22 BUDGET CADRE OR THE TAX YEAR.
UM, SO THOSE REVENUES WERE ACTUALLY BEING COLLECTED.
ATP HAD ITS FIRST BUDGET APPROVED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 21.
UH, I BELIEVE WE DID IT IN JANUARY, MAYBE FEBRUARY, SO A SHORT BUDGET, UM, BY PLAN AND BY DESIGN, IN FACT, ON THE INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL, THE FIRST YEAR, WE KNEW THAT THERE'D BE A LITTLE MORE REVENUE OF CASH COMING IN.
AS WE PLAN OUT THE OVERALL KIND OF 12 TO 15 YEARS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF CASHFLOW.
SO WE, THOSE DEDICATED, THEY WERE PURPOSELY RESERVED AS AN ENDING BALANCE AND ARE USED TO HELP FUND THIS CURRENT YEAR BUDGET.
AND THEN IN FUTURE YEARS BUDGET, AS WE USE OUR RESERVES TO SMOOTH OUR CASHFLOW, AS WE ISSUE DEBT OVER THE COURSE OF THE, OKAY, DO YOU HAVE TO MAIN MAINTAIN THOSE RESERVES AT A CERTAIN LEVEL? SO THESE, THIS FIRST YEAR RESERVES AGAIN, WAS REALLY THE NET OF OUR, OF THE REVENUE THAT WAS DEDICATED THROUGH THE VOTE, AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL METRO REVENUE THAT WAS DEDICATED FROM THEIR RESOLUTION THAT THEY ADOPTED AT THE SAME TIME.
I THINK BACK IN AUGUST OF 20, UH, THEN WE, UH, IN OUR EXPENDITURES, AGAIN, A SHORT-TERM EXPENDITURES OF NINE MONTHS, WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH A PROCESS.
UM, WE DID THIS YEAR, PUT A, A RESERVE IN PLACE FOR OUR FIRST YEAR, BUT FIRST YEAR BUDGET, ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES WE'LL BE WORKING ON OVER THE UPCOMING YEAR, AS WE BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT IS THE, UH, WHAT OUR DEBT RESERVE AND OUR DEBT RESERVE POLICIES WILL BE.
THAT WILL BE A VERY INTRICATE DISCUSSION THAT WE ARE STILL, UH, STILL BE STILL NEEDS TO OCCUR WITH, UH, BOND ATTORNEYS AND UNDERWRITERS AND ALL OF THAT OVER THE UPCOMING, REALLY 12 TO 24 MONTHS, BUT THERE WILL BE A RESERVE POLICY.
AND IN FACT, IN OUR FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT I MENTIONED, THERE IS A DEBT RESERVE.
THERE ARE DEBT POLICIES IN THERE.
WE EXPECT OVER TIME THAT WE WILL BRING TO OUR ATP BOARD, UM, AN ENHANCEMENT OF THOSE, UH, POLICIES SPECIFICALLY AROUND DEBT AND OUR DEBT RESERVES.
AND THEN ONE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU, THE, THE, UM, SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP OR IF THE, IF THERE IS EVEN A RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW, WE, THERE WAS A PERFORMER THAT WAS DONE BY PFM.
I BELIEVE THAT PROJECTED THE COST AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE.
WE ALL USED, UM, AS PART OF THE DETERMINATION ABOUT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT TO PUT ON THE BALLOT.
SO HOW IS THAT PERFORMER USED OR IS IT USED AS WE GO FORWARD? SO WHAT ELSE EXACTLY WE DID, UH, THE CITY
[02:00:01]
AT THE TIME, PUT AN INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL TO TAKE THE COST ESTIMATES AND INTO SIZE THE TAX RATE, UH, THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BUILD OUT THE PROGRAM.UM, THAT MODEL IS IN ESSENCE HELPS OUR ORIGINAL CASHFLOW MODELING.
AS WE, WE USE THAT AS A, AS A CHECK, AS, AS KIND OF A GUIDEPOST, AS WE DO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS.
AGAIN, THAT INTEGRATED MODEL, THERE WAS A CHART ON THAT AND WE CAN GET THAT RECIRCULATED TO EVERYONE THAT IS ACTUALLY ON THE CITY.
SO THE CITY WEBSITE WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET A LINK TO IT ON OURS AS WELL.
UM, THAT, UH, INDICATED THAT THE CASHFLOW NEEDS FROM AN EXPENSE SIZE, AS WELL AS THE REVENUE.
AND WE SMOOTHED THAT WITH IT OVER TO THE DEBT ISSUANCES.
SO WE ARE USING THAT AS A CHECK, AS WE GO THROUGH OUR ANNUAL BUDGET EXERCISE.
AND IN FACT, THE FIRST TWO YEARS, WE'VE MORE OR LESS ADHERED TO WHAT THAT MODEL SAID FROM A CASH PERSPECTIVE, FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE AND AN EXPENSE PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SO IT IS THERE AS A, UM, ULTIMATELY WE HAVE TO ADHERE TO WHAT THE REVENUES WE'RE BRINGING INTO, HOW WE ISSUE DEBT AND HOW WE KIND OF CASHFLOW THE PROJECT.
I THINK AS JOHN WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, AND AS THE WORK, ESPECIALLY ON THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES, GETTING TOWARDS 30%, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ALL THAT NEW INFORMATION, THAT INFORMATION, AND CONTINUE TO USE THAT MODEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN, UH, AS WE, AS WE SIZE OUR BONDS AND SIZE, OUR CASH FLOWS OVER TIME.
IT'S NOT AN ACTIVE MODEL THAT WE ARE USING DAY IN, DAY OUT BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE A BUDGET, OUR BUDGET, IT'S OUR ANNUAL POLICY AND FISCAL STATEMENT THAT WE USE TO MANAGE THE RESOURCES FOR ATP.
IS THE MODEL AVAILABLE, UM, ON, I THINK THAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE ROLE THAT THE MODEL RESTART.
AGAIN, IT'S OUT ON A CITY, IT'S OUT ON THE CITY, A WEBSITE, BUT WE'LL GET A KIT RECONNECTED SO EVERYONE CAN SEE IT.
AND YOU'LL PUT IT ON THE, THE CA THE ADP WEBSITE.
SO WE'LL GET A LINK TO IT OUT THERE.
I HAVE ONE LAST, I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, NOT, NOT ON THE FINANCIAL PART, BUT, UM, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST, UH, THE COMMENT, UM, ON PAGE 18, UM, THE REFERENCE TO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, FIRST OFF, LET ME JUST, JUST SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, UM, THE COMMITMENT THAT ALL THREE PARTIES HAVE MADE IN THE STRUCTURE THAT'S BEING SET UP TO, UH, COMMIT TO EQUITY, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND COMMIT TO THE FACT THAT EQUITY IS INTEGRAL TO PROJECT CONNECT.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE SOME LANGUAGE HERE IN THE, UM, REPORT THAT I THINK YOU MIGHT ALL CONSIDER SOME ADJUSTMENTS SO THAT IT FULLY REFLECTS THE ILA AND THE OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO CAC, BECAUSE IT SPEAKS, AND I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY INTENTION HERE IN THIS PARTICULAR LANGUAGE TO MEAN ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S JUST THAT, UM, FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE, IF, IF YOU JUST READ THIS LANGUAGE, IT, THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONCERN THAT SOMETHING DIFFERENT IS INTENDED BECAUSE IT TALKS ABOUT FOCUSING ON THE 300 MILLION, WHICH OF COURSE IS IMPORTANT.
AND IT SAYS, PROVIDE INPUT ON PROGRAM EQUITY WITH EA WITH THESE OTHER COMMITTEES.
THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT, BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THE, UM, ILA LANGUAGE AND THE OTHER LANGUAGE THAT RELATES TO CIC, UM, GIVES THEM AS THE CAC A ROLE FOR ADVISING ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY MATTERS RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT.
SO I WOULDN'T WANT THE PUBLIC AND READING THIS LANGUAGE ON PAGE 18 TO THINK THAT, UM, THAT THE INTENTION OF THIS LANGUAGE WAS THAT THE CAC CAN ONLY COMMENT ON, UH, EQUITY MATTERS BY PROVIDING, UM, INPUT TO THE OTHER COMMITTEES.
SO, SO ANYWAY, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE LANGUAGE, BUT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE, THE LANGUAGE HERE DOESN'T TRACK THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CAC AND THE ILA, AND, AND I THINK JUST FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, UM, AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY CAN CONTINUE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, THAT, THAT, UH, THE INTENT IS TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE MADE TO THE VOTERS.
SO I THINK IT'S, AND I WOULD SAY BOARD MEMBER, THE WAY YOU WORDED IS CORRECT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, I THINK IT JUST SAYS PROVIDE THE INPUT, THE OTHER, UH, THE, UH, THE TAX IS JUST A SECONDARY PIECE, BUT WE'LL GO BACK INTO, LOOK AT THIS LANGUAGE.
WE WANT TO BE AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S JUST TRYING TO REFLECT THAT, UH, THE CAC HAS A, UH, AN ABILITY TO TOUCH ALL THE TAX AS WELL, PLUS ALL OF THE OTHER, UH, WORK THEY'RE DOING.
SO WE'LL REVIEW THAT LANGUAGE.
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE BETTER WITH IT, WE WILL DO THAT.
LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY INTENT HERE TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN, THAN THE, THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING, WHICH IS THAT THE CAC HAS THE, UM, PART OF THEIR ROLE IS TO ADVISE ON ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY MATTERS IN AND OF THEMSELVES AS A CAC.
AND THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO ONLY DO THAT INPUT THROUGH THESE OTHER COMMITTEES.
[02:05:02]
OKAY.UM, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO TRY AGAIN.
I JUST NEED TO CLARIFY OUR PROCESS.
I DO HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS.
UM, AND I ALSO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE FROM HERE IN TERMS OF LISTENING TO THE, THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY COMMENTS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT INDIVIDUALS ARE STILL ON THE LINE WAITING TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
YES, MA'AM WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO IS I THINK THEY HAVE TO DO IT WHILE WE'RE LISTENING.
AND THEN, UH, IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, SAM'S PREPARED TO READ IN THE COMMENTS THAT THOSE FOLKS MAILED IN, BUT UNTIL WE TRY IT, WE WON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK.
SO AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE WITH QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION, WE'LL TRY THE PUBLIC COMMENT CAUSE THEY'VE BEEN HOLDING FOR A LONG TIME.
I HAVE QUESTIONS, UM, ON THE ORDINANCE, JPA AND RESOLUTION, SO I CAN HOLD THOSE UNTIL WE'RE UNTIL THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION? VERY WELL.
CAN WE TRY? I KEPT SOME REPORT THIS, UM, MY QUESTION IS ON THE EQUITY TOOL, YOU SHARED THAT THE EQUITY TILL WE READY FOR, TO BE UTILIZED BEGINNING IN JANUARY.
UM, I THINK ACCOUNTS REMEMBER KITCHEN FOR YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, THAT YOU WERE, THAT YOU HAD AROUND THE EQUITY, UM, INVESTMENTS OF THE 62 MILLION THAT'S CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN THE ATP FOR LAND ACQUISITION.
OTHER TYPES OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT INVESTMENTS.
I KNOW CITY COUNCIL HAS HAD ITEMS COME BEFORE US THAT HAVE AUTHORIZED THE NEGOTIATION, UM, FOR CERTAIN LAND ACQUISITION, UM, PARCELS.
BUT TO THIS MOMENT WE HAVE NOT ATP HAS NOT BEEN BILLED FOR ANY, UM, FOR ANY TRANSACTIONS TO DATE, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT COUNCIL MEMBER.
SO THE AMOUNT THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE ATP FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT UTILIZING BOTH LAST FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET AND THIS FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, THE 66,000,065 MILLION, UM, THAT WILL, ARE, Y'ALL GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE EQUITY TOUR IS COMPLETELY FINALIZED BEFORE THE, I WOULD DEFER TO OUR CITY PARTNER ON THAT.
SO WHETHER IT'S, UH, GINA OR A NIQUE, UM, ON, ON HOW IT CAN BE JUST HAS THE MONEY AVAILABLE THAT IT, BY THE WAY WE SET UP THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT IS THAT'S THE CITY'S PART OF THE PROGRAM AND ATP IS NOT INVOLVED IN THE TRANSACTIONS EXCEPT HAVING THE FUNDING AVAILABLE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE A NEAT, MAYBE COMING UP TO GIVE YOU A RESPONSE TO THAT.
AND ANY GUYS YOU WALK UP, THE OTHER SECONDARY QUESTION I HAD IS, IS IT, IT WILL BE EQUITY TO BE USED FOR THE LAND ACQUISITION STRATEGY, OR IS IT, OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT PROCESS? I THINK AT ONE POINT I HAD HEARD THERE WOULD BE A DIFFERENT MECHANISM OR ASSESSMENT ON CERTAIN TYPES OF INVESTORS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION COUNCIL MEMBER
UH, YES, WE WERE THE HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS WAITING FOR THE EQUITY TOOL TO BE, UM, COMPLETELY VETTED AND FUNCTIONAL BEFORE EXPENDITURES OF, UM, THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED FROM ATP, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK ON THAT, ON THAT TOOL.
UM, AND THEN CAN YOU REPEAT THE SECOND QUESTION? OH.
WHETHER THE TOOL, UM, WILL BE USED ON, UM, LAND ACQUISITION PRIORITIZATION? UM, YES, IT CAN BE, UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE, BUT IT CAN BE.
AND I KNOW THAT THE FIRST TRAUNCH OF EXPENDITURES IN JANUARY THAT THEY EXPECT TO USE THE TOOL FOR WILL BE, UM, FOR SMALL, UM, GRANTS TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CORPORATIONS, AND OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR EITHER LAND, ACQUISITION OR PROGRAMMING.
I'VE GOT JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
I DO REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
IT WAS EXTREMELY COMPREHENSIVE.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS FOR A NIQUE, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU STAYING AROUND.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY OF THE SEQUENCING PLAN TIMELINES, HAS THERE BEEN ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO ANY OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE IN THAT, THAT THE VOTERS HAD SEEN BEFORE? UH, LAST NOVEMBER'S ELECTION, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THAT COUNCIL MEMBER AT THIS TIME.
I THINK AS GREG KELLY WAS INDICATING, UH, ONCE WE GET AROUND 30% DESIGN ON THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE, UH, AND UNDERSTAND WHERE IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS NOW THAT'S ALLOWS US TO RUN THE INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL AGAIN, AND TO SEE WHERE WE ARE.
I THINK LIKE WE'VE BEEN SAYING AT THE ATP BOARD PRETTY OPENLY TRANSPARENTLY, AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THE CITY ARE PRETTY AWARE COVID HAS CERTAINLY IMPACTED THINGS LIKE CONSTRUCTION COSTS OR,
[02:10:01]
UH, UH, LABOR AVAILABILITY, UH, COMMODITY COSTS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE REAL ESTATE IN THE CITY HAS, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY HAS EXPLODED IN COSTS IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS.SO WE'RE FACTORING ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN, AND WE THINK BY NEXT SUMMER, UH, THAT INFORMATION WILL BE AVAILABLE SO WE CAN DETERMINE IF THERE COULD BE IMPACTS.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE WILL BE OR NOT YET, BUT IF THERE ARE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO THEN OBVIOUSLY BE BROUGHT FORWARD, UH, TO, TO BOTH, UH, CAP METRO AND ATP OR SORRY, ATP WOULD HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK TO CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL FOR A CHANGE IN THE SEQUENCE PLAN.
AND I WAS THINKING A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE METRO RAPIDS.
I KNOW, ESPECIALLY THE OAK HILL EXTENSION IN MY, IN MY DISTRICT, UM, OBVIOUSLY HAS TO DO SOME COLLABORATION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT HAPPENING THERE THAT WILL HAVE IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITY.
SO I WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE IT WAS STILL GOING TO BE INCLUDED AND AT LEAST THE SERVICE COULD CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED AND ENHANCED FOR THE NEIGHBORS, EVEN IF SOME OF THE OTHER CONSTRUCTION RELATED MEASURES MAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AT LATER.
THANKS COUNCIL MEMBER, THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, WE OBVIOUSLY WE'LL WE'LL COME IN AND HAVE A LITTLE DEEPER DISCUSSION WITH YOU.
WE'RE STILL DOING A LOT OF ANALYSIS BECAUSE TEXTILE OBVIOUSLY HAS A LARGE PROJECT WHERE WE WOULD BE RUNNING THOSE BUSES.
SO THEIR PROJECT WILL PROBABLY DETERMINE WHEN WE CAN GET THOSE BUSES RUNNING, BUT ALL THE ACTIVITIES WE CAN CONTROL, WE WERE TRYING TO KEEP IT ON THAT TIMELINE.
BUT AS THAT ANALYSIS COMES FORWARD, THAT MIGHT BE AN EXAMPLE WHERE PART OF THAT ALIGNMENT CAN COME ON BOARD, EVEN THOUGH WE COULD ATP OR CAP, METRO COULD BE READY.
IT'S JUST A ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE MAY NOT BE WITH TEXTILE.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AND WE'LL BE GIVING YOU IN THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND UPDATE AS WE GET MORE OF THOSE DETAILS IRONED OUT.
AND I KNOW MY LINE OF THINKING AROUND THESE BIG CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE CORRELATED TOGETHER AND SCHEDULE AND TIMELINE IS THAT SOMETIMES CONSTRUCTION AND THE DELAYS CAUSED BY CONSTRUCTION CAN ACTUALLY BE THE IMPETUS FOR PEOPLE TO TRY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR AT SET TIMES IN THEIR, IN THEIR COMMUTE.
SO I THINK IT COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET PEOPLE, MORE PEOPLE TO TRY, UM, PUBLIC TRANSIT IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN AND TO REALLY, UM, TRY TO REMOVE THE GRIDLOCK THAT'S THAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING AND IS EXPECTED THROUGH SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, AND WE WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THE SAME AS PROBABLY POSSIBLE FOR
IF, IF SAY EXAMPLE IS THE, IF THE ORANGE LINE COULD BE UP AND RUNNING OR PARTS OF THE ORANGE LINE COULD BE UP AND RUNNING BEFORE THE CENTRAL SECTION OF 35 WAS ADVANCED, THAT COULD PROVIDE A REALLY GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO PEOPLE BEING ON 35 MUTTS SCHAEFER, ALLOW TXDOT TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO GET THAT PROJECT DONE AND GET MORE PEOPLE ON TRANSIT.
SO COULDN'T BE MORE WE'RE AND WE'RE WORKING VERY COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL OF OUR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS.
WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING METRO RAPID THROUGH SOUTHWEST AUSTIN, REMEMBER KITCHEN.
AND, AND, UM, AND, UH, THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS FOR THOSE QUESTIONS AND, AND, UM, UH, FOR, FOR THE RESPONSE IT'S, UH, FOR SOUTH AUSTIN, I THINK IT'S PRETTY EXCITING FOR THE, UH, SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
UH, THE MANCHAC ALON AND THE OAK HILL LINE ARE VERY EXCITING.
SO IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, UM, IT'S THE, OKAY.
ONE IS ON SCHEDULE JUST AS THE MEN CHAKA ONE IS ON SCHEDULE.
UM, AND IF THERE IS SOME DIFFICULTIES THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING YOU, YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING, THINKING BACK, I THINK WHAT THE LANGUAGE THAT WE PROMISED THE VOTERS WAS THAT IF THERE WAS ANY CHANGE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE PLAN OR TIMELINE THAT THAT HAD TO COME BACK TO BOTH.
SO IF YOU DO END UP IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCES, I THINK I'M HEARING YOU SAY THAT, UM, THAT YOU WILL BRING THAT BACK TO BOTH BODIES SO THAT WE CAN, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE TO, TO MAKE THAT SERVICE AVAILABLE ON TIME.
I, I WOULD, I WOULD SUGGEST THE, THE WORDS ARE THIS WAY, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT WAS WRITTEN WAS IF THERE'S A CHANGE IN THE SEQUENCE, THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO.
IF THERE'S A REQUEST TO CHANGE IN SEQUENCE, THAT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN A CHANGE IN TIMELINE.
SO TIMELINE IS DRIVEN BY AGAIN, THE GRANT PROCESS AND CONSTRUCTION THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE SEQUENCE SEQUENCE, MEANING THE IDEA OF MOVING ONE THING OVER ANOTHER, OR BECAUSE SOMETHING COULDN'T HAPPEN AND DOING SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE WORD SEQUENCE.
UM, CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION WILL HAPPEN THROUGH AS THE FEDERAL PROCESS EVOLVES FOR, FOR, FOR THESE PROJECTS.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT HERE ON THE SEQUENCE PLAN THAT GOT APPROVED, IT SAYS NINE YEARS FOR ORANGE LINE.
IF THE FEDERAL PROCESS FROM TIME TO TIME, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS SHUTDOWNS AS AN, I USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY, IF THAT SHUT DOWN FOR TWO WEEKS AND THAT DELAYED THINGS BY THREE MONTHS ON A FEDERAL GRANT PROCESS, THEN THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD JUST TAKE THREE MONTHS LATE TO TIMELINE.
THE QUESTION IS IF WE WOULD CHANGE A SEQUENCE, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY COME BACK TO THE, THE COUNCIL AND TO THE CAP METRO BOARD TO SAY, WE NEED AN ALTERATION OF THE SEQUENCE PLAN.
[02:15:02]
UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS IS WRITTEN.UM, IT'S WE CAN HAVE, UH, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AT A LATER TIME, BUT THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS IS NOT PARSED THAT WAY.
THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS SAYS SAYS, IF THERE IS A CHANGE TO THE DOCUMENT THAT'S ATTACHED, THAT'S CALLED THE SEQUENCING PLAN.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF ME.
IT DOES NOT MAKE THE DISTINCTION IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS LANGUAGE THAT YOU JUST STATED.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WE CAN DO THAT.
THE INTENT IS NOT TO SAY THAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T CHANGE THE TIMELINE.
THE INTENT IS TRANSPARENCY AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE OPTIONS ARE, UH, BY ALL THE PARTNERS.
SO, UH, SO WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, I DISAGREE WITH THAT INTERPRETATION.
AND I DO NOT THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTER SAYS.
SO WE'LL JUST PUT THAT, UH, WELL, WE'LL JUST PUT THAT ASIDE AND WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH IT.
IT'S NOT GERMANE TILL TODAY FOR TODAY.
UH, BUT WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE PRESENTATION HEARING NONE THEN CAN WE, UH, GO BACK TO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS? DO WE HAVE THEM ONLINE AND CAN THEY HEAR ME GOOD? WE COULD USE A VOLUME ADJUSTMENT, BUT I COULD HEAR THE SPEAKER THAT DIDN'T SOUND LIKE JEREMY HENDRICKS THOUGH.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A GO HERE IN JUST A SECOND.
THIRD ADJUSTING THE VOLUME UM, JEREMY HENDRIX, UH, HAS EMAILED IN THAT DISPATCHER IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REACH HIM, BUT HE'S GIVEN US HIS STATEMENT, UH, IN CASE YOU CAN'T, WE CAN PROBABLY JUST READ THAT STATEMENT.
SAM HAS SOME OTHER COMMENTS THAT WERE EMAILED IN.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN TURN THIS
[I. Public Comment (see note on registration below)(Part 2 of 2) ]
THANK YOU.WOULD YOU, UH, IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, PLEASE.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF A QUAINTER AUSTIN, ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, UM, ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ITEM.
AND I'M SORRY THAT I CAN'T BE THERE IN PERSON TODAY BECAUSE I STRAINED MY NECK LAST NIGHT, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY THAT I'M PERSISTENT ENOUGH TO STAY ONLINE BECAUSE I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT TO PROJECT CONNECT AND THE COLLABORATION OF ALL PARTIES, THIS PROJECT.
UM, I HAVE SPENT MANY YEARS IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I KNOW A GOOD TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE REGION.
IT WAS NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT ALL MAJOR CITIES THAT FLOURISHED THE ANY WORLD CIVILIZATION STARTED AT THE HUB OF THE TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION GENERATES OPPORTUNITIES, THE NUMBERS, THE NUMBER OF THE JOBS FOR ALL SOCIAL ECONOMIC CLASSES, THAT PROJECT CONNECT WILL CREATE IS EXTRAORDINARY.
[02:20:01]
IT IS CRITICAL TOOL TO LESSEN OUR PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL DIVIDE.THIS PROJECT WILL BENEFIT GENERATIONS TO COME.
ONE PROGRAM THAT I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE APPRENTICESHIP.
THAT PROJECT YOU CONNECT WILL CREATE.
THIS WILL PREPARE OUR YOUNG GENERATION WITH THE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE THROUGH A REAL LIFE PROJECT AND SET THEM UP FOR CAREER SUCCESS.
I ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO MY, WHERE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY TO BRING THEM INTO THIS EXCITING PROJECT AS WELL OFTEN IS THE FOLD-UP OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IF WE DON'T, IF WE WANTED TO COMPETE WITH OTHER LARGE AND DIVERSE CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, WE MUST RECEIVE THIS MOMENT TO CREATE A PLACE WHERE A BETTER TRANSIT SYSTEM IS REALITY.
UM, I USED THIS PROPER BEFORE, AND THERE'S A POPULAR CHINESE PROVERB THAT SAYS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW THE SAME VISIONARY MINDSET APPLIES TO A PROJECT CONNECT BEST TIME TO BUILD A BETTER TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND OUR REGION WITH 20 YEARS AGO, THE SECOND BEST TIME IS NOW.
SO WE APPLAUD THE COORDINATION AMONG, AMONG THE THREE ENTITIES.
SO, UH, SO FAR IT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE THAT GOING TO BE CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT'S A NEW AND IT'S UP, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PROJECT OF SCALE.
WE BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER.
THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND APOLOGIES FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME EARLIER.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
UM, I VOTED FOR PROJECT CONNECT LARGELY DUE TO THE COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT I EARNED CAPITAL METRO, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ATP TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ATX MOBILITY COALITION AND AUSTIN JUSTICE COALITION ATP SHOULD OPERATE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FROM CAPITOL.
METRO ATP SHOULD PRIORITIZE EQUITABLE TRANSIT SERVICES FOR TRANSIT DEPENDENT WRITERS WHO TEND TO HAVE LOWER INCOMES AND ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE PEOPLE OF COLOR.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON NEW SEXY TRANSIT SERVICES FOR CHOICE RIDERS WHO HAVE HIGHER INCOMES AND READY ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE TRANSIT SERVICES, PLEASE ENSURE THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY MONITORING OF CONSTRUCTION SITES, INDEPENDENT EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR ALL PARTIES, INVOLVED, STRONG WORKER PROTECTIONS AND SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ALL WORKERS INVOLVED IN BUILDING THE PROJECT.
THIS MEANS THAT THE COMMITMENT TO THE BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM MUST PROVIDE CLARITY AND SPECIFICITY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE INTENT AND THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, A CLEAR PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY REVIEW AND FEEDBACK FOR ALL FUTURE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES, INCLUDING REVIEW BY THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND EQUITY ANALYSIS MATRIX MATRIX CO-CREATED WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING AN EQUITABLE TRANSIT SYSTEM TO BENEFIT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING EQUITY AND CONSIDERATIONS OF DESIGN ACCESSIBILITY, IMPLEMENTATION OPERATIONS, STATION, LOCATION, AND PROJECT TIMELINES.
PROJECT CONNECT IS PROMOTED, PROMOTED AS AN EQUITABLE TRANSIT INVESTMENT THAT WILL BENEFIT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, FAMILIES OF COLOR AND SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT QUARTERS.
MANY OF THESE FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES ARE AT IMMINENT RISK OF INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT AND NEED HELP.
NOW, IF THESE FAMILIES ARE DISPLACED BY PROJECT CONNECT, CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS AND EMINENT DOMAIN, THEY WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM PROJECT CONNECT.
PLEASE DEDICATE ALL $300 MILLION IN ESAT DISPLACEMENT FUNDS TO DIRECT TESTS.
THEY MISSED THE LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES LOCATED ON OR ADJACENT TO PROJECT CONNECT TRANSIT QUARTERS.
PLEASE PROHIBIT THE USE OF PROJECT CONNECT ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDS FOR MARKET RATE MIXED USE DENSITY BONUS DEVELOPMENTS, MARKET RATE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENTS FACILITATE INVOLUNTARY DISPLACEMENT OF EXISTING LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND SMALL COMMUNITY-BASED BUSINESSES.
WHILE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS PRODUCE RELATIVELY FEW INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL ANTI-DISPLACEMENT PROGRAMS FUNDED BY PROJECT CONNECT, UTILIZE AREA MEDIAN INCOME REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE EQUITABLE TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR
[02:25:01]
INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING PROGRAMS SHOULD BE BASED ON AREA MEDIAN INCOMES AT WELL BELOW 40% IN ORDER TO EQUITABLY SERVE AND BENEFIT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES OF COLOR.THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING MY COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE COCAINE.
NEXT CALLER, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND CALL HER YES, FRANCIS.
I'M A LONG-TIME RESIDENT OF DESPERATE AND I'M CALLING FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CRITICAL JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH EFFECTIVE SOLUTION HAS BEEN NOT HAVING EVERYONE AT THE TABLE.
I AM ONE OF THE RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY IGNORED AND DISMISSED WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSIT ISSUES IN MY COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT CB IS MOVING TOWARDS DOING EQUITABLE WORK.
AND I APPLAUD THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN COMMUNITIES AND THE SEEDY DEPARTMENTS WORK TOGETHER, YOU CAN SEE PROJECTS MOVING PRODUCTIVELY.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE CD CAPITAL METRO METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ARE DOING THE SAME FOR OUR COMMUNITIES IN A TRANSPARENT, EQUITABLE PROFIT.
FOR THAT REASON, I ASKED THAT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT HAS LANGUAGE THAT INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE REVIEW AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS BEFORE IT, BEFORE IT MOVES TO APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNING BODIES.
AND THAT WORK IS ALIGNED WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, TITLE SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
I DON'T WANT BIG TRANS TRANSIT PROJECTS TO CREATE THIS PLACEMENT FOR COMMUNITIES THAT MOVED INTO THEIR HOMES WITH A HOPE OF GROWING OLD, DYING, AND PASSING THEIR HOMES TO THEIR KIDS.
I LIVE IN A TRANSIT AREA AND I AM GREATLY EFFECTED BY ANY DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE.
SO I URGE YOU THAT IN ORDER TO PREVENT THIS PLACEMENT, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IS INCLUDED.
SO NO MORE THAN 2% WILL BE DISPLACED.
I AM MONICA
SPEAKING ON ITEM FIVE APPROVAL OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
LAST OCTOBER, NEIGHBORS FROM AUTHORIZATION CRESCENTS ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE AND POLICY STATEMENT ABOUT PROP EIGHT, PROJECT CONNECT, UPDATED IT IN DECEMBER.
AND SEVERAL OF THEM ALSO SPOKE TO THE DECEMBER, 2020 JOINT MEETING COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO BOARD.
EACH TIME THEIR STATEMENTS INCLUDED AN EXPECTATION OF A TRUE GOVERNANCE THAT ENSURES A PROCESS CO-CREATED BY DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE WHO ARE OR HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE AS LOW INCOME AND TRANSIT AND OR PUBLIC HOUSING DEPENDENT RESIDENTS.
THEY COME BEFORE YOU TODAY, MAKING IT CLEAR.
WE'RE SEEKING YOU TO APPROVE AN EQUITABLE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AS GOVERNANCE AGREEMENT COMMITTING TO DELIVER A FAIR AND JUST EQUITABLE LAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS CENTERING DIRECTLY IMPACTED RESIDENTS WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OR DISPLACEMENT GABA URGES, CITY COUNCIL, CAPITAL METRO, AND ATP BOARDS AND DIRECTORS TO ENSURE THE FOLLOWING TODAY.
THAT FORMALLY INCLUDES THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN THE REVIEW AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR KEY POLICIES BEFORE IT MOVES TO THE GOVERNING BODIES FOR APPROVAL, ENSURING OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS TO ADDRESS AND BE HEARD BY THE CAC, THE 7 BILLION CONNECTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING RAIL LINE STOPS SHELTERS, ET CETERA, MUST BE SUBJECTED TO THE SAME EQUITY PRINCIPLES AS A 300 MILLION ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING.
OTHER CITIES EXPERIENCES WITH TRANSIT AND USE DISPLACEMENT DEMONSTRATES THAT THE BUILDING OF THE TRANSIT TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURE HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON DISPLACEMENT.
THE JPA NEEDS HIS OWN EQUITY TOOL AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR BUDGETING DECISIONS.
THREE, THE JPA MUST INCLUDE COMMITMENT.
THAT PROJECT CONNECT WORKS IN ALIGNMENT WITH A CIVIL RIGHTS X PROTECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY TILES SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT FOR RECOMMEND LANGUAGE TO HONOR THE COMMITMENT
[02:30:01]
TO THE 2% DISPARATE IMPACT THRESHOLD AS A WAY TO ENSURE EQUITY WITHOUT SUCH COMMITMENT ALSO WILL CONTINUE.DO WE HAVE ANOTHER COLOR? DO YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK NUMBERS TO CHAIR? UH, YES.
IF YOU'LL JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES PLEASE.
I JUST WANT TO PREFACE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE TO FIND FRAUD AS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER TOVA FOR POINTING OUT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT VERSION THREE.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RESPECTFULLY PERMIT THE PUBLIC TO CALL IN THE MORNING OF THE MEETING SO THAT THEY'RE NOT DISENFRANCHISED.
AND ALSO THANK MR. EASTMAN FOR SIGNING ME UP.
ALTHOUGH I DID REGISTER MY OWN POSITION AGAINST ALL FIVE ITEMS SPECIFICALLY, I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION RIDERSHIP AND COVERAGE, AS YOU ARE AWARE, RIDERSHIP IS WHEN YOU'RE THINKING LIKE A BUSINESS, CAN YOU CHOOSE THE TARGET AUDIENCE, JARED WALKER? SO CAPITAL METRO BOARD ON JULY 25TH, 2016, THAT YOU'RE CONFUSING.
TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IS WHEN YOU PROVIDE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, LIFELINE ACCESS.
AND SO MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS CALLING IN TODAY ARE CONFUSED ABOUT THE EQUITY.
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT ONLY 0.02% OF $7.1 BILLION, WHICH IS 1.5 MILLION IS ACTUALLY ALLOCATED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS CIRCULATORS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION AS RELATES TO THE LANGUAGE I WOULD ASK YOU USE THE MINORITY PERSON OR MINORITY POPULATION LANGUAGE THAT APPEARS IN FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, CIRCULAR FOOD SEVEN 2.1 B.
I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THIS INVOLVE LANGUAGE BIPAP, UH, BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR, BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS COVERED UNDER THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.
SO IT ASKS YOU TO CONSIDER JUST MOVING ALL THAT GENDER INFORMATION, UH, AS AN AGENDA CAN STRICTLY JUST STICK TO WHAT IS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL LAW, HOW IT ALSO ASKS YOU TO RECOGNIZE SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO 4.3 COMMITMENT OF ATP, IT SAYS EQUITY IS A CORE VALUE, YOU KNOW, AND I DO AS WELL THAT BLACK PEOPLE WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
THAT'S ABOUT 10 TIMES LONGER THAN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AUSTIN AND THE HISPANICS IN DOVE SPRINGS.
SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO INCLUDE ADVERSE THERE'S LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY THAT TALKS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE BEING THE MOST IMPACTED.
WHEN YOU LOOK ON PAGE NINE OF 30 THAT'S 3.22 UNDER YOUR PRIORITY POPULATIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WOULD JUST MENTION, AS IT RELATED TO ITEMS TO THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, JACKIE NUREMBERG MENTIONED AN OVERVIEW OF THE INFORMATION THAT SHE RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC FOR TRANSPARENCY.
I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO ACTUALLY PUT THE DIRECT COMMENTS AND THE RESPONSE FROM THE STAFF, JUST LIKE CAMPO DOES, UH, CAPITAL AREA, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION IN THEIR BOARD PACKETS.
THOSE ARE MY PRIMARY CONCERNS.
UM, I JUST WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT TITLE SIX IS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
AND AS YOU ARE AWARE, THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT YOU MUST COMPLY WITH IN ORDER TO GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE UNAWARE THAT TITLE 6.5 IS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AND SO TO CALL FROM MEMBER KITCHEN, I WOULD LASTLY JUST SAY SAYING EQUITY IS NOT THE SAME AS PROVIDING EQUITABLE SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE, SPECIFICALLY MINORITIES FROM THE NORTH OF US, 180 3 AND THE ORANGE LINE EXTENSION IS 24 TO 30 YEARS.
THEN I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE SINCERE AND TO STOP SAYING THAT IT SAYS THAT NORTH OF MY TRANSIT CENTER, MARCH 9TH, 2020, PAGE 29, IT DOES NOT SPECIFY THAT IN THE TIMELINE.
UM, AND THE LAST THING I MENTIONED WAS THE CHAIRMAN.
THE MAYOR HAD A QUESTION WHEN YOU MET ON OCTOBER FOUR, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE STAFF SALARY.
THERE APPEARS TO BE A CONFLICT.
[02:35:01]
MANY OF THE STAFF THAT WENT FROM CAPITOL METRO TO ATP GOT $28,000 BONUS OF A JACK IN NUREMBERG.I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, ONE FROM 90,000 TO 250,000, UH, WENT FROM 49,000 TO 96,000.
SO I WAS ASKING THEM, LOOK AT THAT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'VE ONLY BEEN AT THIS TIME.
YES, THIS IS CARMEN YANNIS PULIDO WITH, UH, GO AUSTIN VAMOS AUSTIN, AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY.
UM, AND WANT TO, UH, BE BRIEF I'LL REITERATE, UM, I'LL JUST UNDERSCORE SOME OF WHAT MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AND OTHERS HAVE SAID ON THE CALL ABOUT ENSURING EQUITY WITH SPECIFIC METRICS, UM, AND APPLICATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT IN YOUR LANGUAGE.
UM, I WANT TO REALLY STRESS THAT THE EQUITY SCORECARD THAT WAS CRAFTED CO CRAFTED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED, ONLY ADVISED THAT 300 MILLION FOR ANTI-DISPLACEMENT EFFORTS.
AND WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME JUST BAND-AID THAT YOU ALL ONLY HAVE $300 MILLION OVER MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS TO APPLY.
CAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT THAT MUCH MONEY.
THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE POWERFUL FOR THERE TO BE INTENTIONAL LANGUAGE IN YOUR GOVERNING DOCUMENT THAT MANDATE THOSE PRINCIPLES OF RACIAL EQUITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE $7 BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND DESIGN, ET CETERA, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE EQUITY SCORECARD IS DESIGNED, UH, FOR PROJECTS TO SCORE PROJECTS AND ANALYZE POLICY.
AND YOU WOULD NEED TOOLS GEARED MORE TOWARD ENGINEERING AND DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
BUT THOSE, WE TRULY DO BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN AND SHOULD USE THE SAME VALUES, HISTORY AND CONTEXTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE PROCESS FOR THAT EQUITY SCORE CARD.
IT COULD BE APPLIED AS IS WITH AMENDMENTS, ET CETERA.
AND, UM, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.
WE HAVE ALSO SUBMITTED AN UPDATED STATEMENT FOR YOU ALL, UM, WITH GALVEZ RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE BASED ON THOSE ORIGINAL CONVERSATIONS AND ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE IN THE EASTERN CRESCENT, UM, THAT STRONGLY URGE YOU, UM, TO, TO STICK WITH A MAXIMUM OF 2% DISPARATE IMPACT, UM, AS WELL AS CONTINUING YOUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL IN WHATEVER WAY THAT YOU CAN, EVEN IF THAT'S CREATING AN ADDITIONAL BODY, BUT PLEASE FEEL FREE TO VISIT THAT ONE PAGER FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.
MA'AM YOU HAVE ANOTHER THAT'S IT.
THANK YOU, SAM, DID YOU HAVE THE COMMENTS FROM THE OTHERS WHO SIGNED UP, WHO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CONNECT WITH? YES, I DO TEAR.
I HAVE, UH, FOUR COMMENTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP EARLIER AND I WILL, UH, I'LL READ THEM INTO THE RECORD BRIEFLY.
THE FIRST COMMENT COMES FROM, UH, JEREMY HENDRIX.
UM, AND I'LL READ THIS VERBATIM.
MY NAME IS JEREMY HENDRICKS, A MEMBER OF THE ATP COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL, AND A PROUD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LABORS INTERNATIONAL NORTH AMERICA, REPRESENTING CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE WORKERS.
I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE TRI-PARTY COMMITTEE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RANDY CLARK, AND, AND STAFF FROM ATP AND CAP METRO FOR WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF LABOR AND THE WORKER RIGHTS COMMUNITIES TO REDRAFT JPA LANGUAGE THAT ENSURES WORKERS ARE PROTECTED AND GOOD, SAFE CHAPTER CREATED.
WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS IS FOLLOWED TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN HAVE FAITH IN ALL OF YOU IN THIS MASSIVE UNDERTAKING, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ITS SUCCESS.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE WORK HARD, UH, TO GUARANTEE WORKER PROTECTIONS IN TEXAS, BECAUSE THIS IS THE MOST DANGEROUS IN AMERICA TO BE A CONSTRUCTION WORKER.
THAT'S WHY THE WORKERS ALSO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THESE ISSUES SERIOUSLY AND SUPPORTING THE LATEST JPA WORKER PROTECTION LANGUAGE TODAY.
PROJECT CONNECT WILL TRULY BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY WE MUST GUARANTEE THESE PROJECTS PROVIDE THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THE WORKERS, BUILDING IT, INCLUDING LIVING WAGES, PREVAILING WAGES, SAFETY TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIP, AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, AND TRULY INDEPENDENT ONSITE MONITORING.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE LANGUAGE AROUND THE EQUITY TOOL COMPONENT IS STRONG ENOUGH TO CLEARLY OUTLINE THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUITY ISSUES IN EVERY ASPECT OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THE CAC IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNED WITH THIS LACK OF CLARITY.
WE ARE ALSO DISAPPOINTED IN THE GOVERNANCE PIECE BECAUSE THE VOTERS WERE PROMISED THREE INDEPENDENT BODIES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND INDEPENDENCE OF THESE THREE BRANCHES.
WE RESPECT MR. CLARK'S EXPERTISE, BUT WE MUST MOVE MORE QUICKLY TO FIND A NEW EXECUTIVE FOR ATP TO ENSURE THE TRANSPARENCY, INDEPENDENCE, AND CHECKS AND BALANCES PROMISE TO THE PEOPLE OF
[02:40:01]
AUSTIN.WE WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM ANOTHER EXPERT TRANSIT MIND AT THE TABLE TO HELP GUIDE PROJECT CONNECT SUCCESSFULLY.
WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THESE ITEMS WILL BE ADDRESSED IN TODAY'S MEETING.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE CHAIR.
I'LL MOVE ON TO BOB BATTLIN COMMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME TO SPEAK.
I HAVE A LONG TIME ADVOCATE FOR LIVING WAGES AND CONSTRUCTION WORKER PROTECTIONS.
I'VE HELPED FORMULATE A SET OF STANDARDS NOW REFERRED TO AS BETTER BUILDER INCLUDED IN THESE STANDARDS OR REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFETY TRAINING WORKER, COMPENSATION, INSURANCE, AND WAGES THAT ARE HIGHER THAN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S LIVING WAGE OR THE PREVAILING WAGE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE STANDARDS ARE LARGELY INCLUDED IN THE AGREEMENT UNDER CONSIDERATION TODAY.
IT IS GRATIFYING THAT THESE PRINCIPLES ARE RECOGNIZED THAT ISN'T ALWAYS SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
HOWEVER WORDS IN THE AGREEMENT MUST BE ENFORCED FOR ENFORCEMENT TO BE EFFECTIVE, TRAINED, INDEPENDENT MONITORS ARE NEEDED.
THEY ARE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THERE IS STILL A LOOPHOLE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED THAT COULD SINK YOUR ATTEMPT TO ASSURE MONITORS ARE INDEPENDENT.
PLEASE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT DEVELOPERS AND THEIR AGENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THE MONITORS.
THE SELF-MONITORING IS UNACCEPTABLE AND WOULD NEGATE YOUR ELOQUENTLY STATED COMMITMENT TO THE WORKERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE HELP PROTECT THE WORKERS FROM PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL RISKS BY MAKING SURE THAT THE MONITORS ARE INDEPENDENT OF CONTRACTORS, DEVELOPERS, OR THEIR AGENTS.
THIS WILL HELP ASSURE THAT YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WORKERS WE RELY ON SO HEAVILY IS HONORED.
I HAVE COMMENTS, UM, FROM JADE, UH, LAVERA HELLO AND GOOD MORNING, AUSTIN.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARDS TO TRUE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TO ENSURE THAT WHILE THE CITY IS OUTGROWING ITS TRANSIT SYSTEM, IT IS NOT REMOVING THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN THE HEART OF THE CITY FOR DECADES AND GENERATIONS.
PAST PROJECT CONNECT IS A TREMENDOUS UNDERTAKING THAT WILL CHANGE AUSTIN FOREVER.
WE MUST BE MINDFUL OF THE PAST AND PRESENT TO ENSURE THE RESULTING FUTURE OF AUSTIN IS REACHED BY WAY OF RESPECT TO INCLUSION AND COMPASSION AS A BORN AND RAISED AUSTIN RESIDENT CURRENTLY IN FEAR OF DISPLACEMENT AND GENTRIFICATION OF MY FAMILY AND NEIGHBORHOOD ENSURING A CAP ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE DISPLACED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS LONG-TERM PROJECT IS CRUCIAL WITH THIS BEING SAID, I ASKED THAT IT SPECIFICALLY BE SPECIFICALLY WRITTEN AND FOLLOWED THAT THERE IS A MAXIMUM OF 2% DISPLACEMENT IMPACT TO CURRENT RESIDENTS ALONG THE PATHWAYS OF PROJECT CONNECT.
DURING MY REVIEW OF THIS PROJECT, I FOUND THAT THE POWER BODIES APPEARED TO HAVE SEVERAL, SEVERAL OVERLAPPING BOARD MEMBERS.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE REASONING BEHIND THIS.
NO OVERALL IT FEELS LIKE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND A REDUCED PRESENCE OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND OPINION IN THE POWER OF BODIES.
THIS ALSO GREATLY MINIMIZES DIVERSITY AND PREVENTS CHECKS AND BALANCES IN THE PROCESS.
PERHAPS THIS IS COMMON PRACTICE.
HOWEVER, THIS GLARES OUT TO ME IMMEDIATELY AS A SYSTEMATIC BIAS AND INJUSTICE THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED AND CHANGED.
I ALSO FIND IT TROUBLING THAT THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY QUOTE AVERAGE UNQUOTE CITIZEN MEMBERS.
AND THIS COMMITTEE IS ALSO NOT OFFICIALLY CONCERNED AS A VOTING BODY ON DECISIONS.
IF THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TO ACT AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE GREATER COMMUNITY AND THE BODIES OF POWER, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST A VOTING SAY, ADDING AVERAGE CITIZENS, LOW INCOME, MEDIAN, INCOME, TRANSIT, DEPENDENT, AND CITIZENS WHO RESIDE IN THE PLAN AREA.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE LANGUAGE AND SYSTEMS IN PLACE WITH PROJECT CONNECT TO SPECIFICALLY SOLICIT THE AVERAGE CITIZENS THOUGHT AND INPUT, NOT JUST INFORMATION GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY AFTER DECISIONS ARE MADE, BUT TRUE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HEARD AND CONSIDERED BEFORE DECISIONS ARE MADE REGULAR AND LARGE SCALE SURVEYS WOULD BE A NICE EFFORT AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CARE IN ENHANCING OUR CITY.
AND THEN CHAIR, I HAVE ONE MORE TO READ.
ACTUALLY I STAND CORRECTED CHAIR.
THOSE ARE ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE EVEN EMAILED IN, UH, BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO GET ON THE PHONE JUST NOW.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS TODAY, UH, FOR THEIR PATIENTS AND, UH, TAKING THE TIME TO CONNECT WITH US, REMEMBER KITCHEN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, IF IT'S FOR SAM OR NOT, BUT DID SO DID WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT HAD SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND DIDN'T SPEAK BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO REACH THEM BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM.
WERE THERE ANY, WAS THERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THAT CATEGORY? NO BOARD MEMBER.
IT WAS, THAT WAS A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
UM, STAFF WAS ABLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE FOLKS WHO DID SIGN UP.
AND THAT WAS WHEN WE BEGAN RECEIVING SOME OF THESE EMAIL COMMENTS.
FORTUNATELY, SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO EMAILED, DID WIND UP BEING ABLE TO MAKE IT ON THE PHONE.
[02:45:01]
LIKE THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE SIGNED UP WERE NOT ON THE PHONE AND DID NOT EMAIL COMMENT.BUT, UH, SO THEY WERE NOT PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THROUGH BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T END UP WITH ANYONE THAT WASN'T ABLE TO TESTIFY BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING.
SO THERE'S NOBODY IN THAT CATEGORY.
I DON'T BELIEVE SO COUNCIL MEMBER, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT A NUMBER OF FOLKS BY EMAIL.
[II.2. Staff briefing and discussion on public feedback received on the Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Austin, Capital Metro and the Austin Transit Partnership and on other action items for consideration.]
AND COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THREE CHAIRS HAVE DECIDED COLLECTIVELY THAT WE OUGHT TO GO TO RESPECTIVELY TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.AND SO THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOW GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTION 5 51.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE REST OF US WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROCESS IS GOING FORWARD.
YOU HAD SAID EARLIER THAT WE HAVE A ONE 30 HARD STOP.
SO ARE YOU JUST, BEFORE YOU GO TAKE ANYBODY IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHAT ARE, WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE AND WHAT'S THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD? WELL, I'M NOT SURE, UH, WHAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET ACCOMPLISHED, BUT THE GOAL WAS FOR EACH OF OUR RESPECTIVE GROUPS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE REMAINING ITEMS ON THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AND TO HAVE COUNSEL FROM OUR LEGAL STAFF RESPECTIVE LEGAL STAFFS.
NOW OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE OVERLAPPING BOARD.
SO HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IS THESE CONSECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS OR, OR WHAT'S THE THINKING? I THINK WE WILL, UH, DO THEM CONSECUTIVELY, BUT ASK EVERYBODY TO GO AHEAD AND GET TO THEIR DIFFERENT GROUPS.
UM, BUT WE'LL WAIT TO CONCLUDE UNTIL EVERYBODY'S CASCADED THROUGH.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO WAIT TO BEGIN UNTIL EVERYBODY IS PART OF THEM.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THAT TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE THERE FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF IT.
I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT.
I JUST, THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'RE ALL DOING AND WE NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT.
AND WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN IS.
IF WE HAVE, IF IT'S TRUE THAT WE HAVE A HARD STOP AT ONE 30 IT'S IT'S ONE 10 RIGHT NOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THREE BODIES CAN HAVE EXECUTIVE CON CONSECUTIVE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS IN 20 MINUTES AND COME BACK AND DELIBERATE AND VOTE ON ALL THESE DOCUMENTS IN FRONT OF US.
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO BE REALISTIC.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE THINK WE WANT TO DO? COUNCIL MEMBER ALTAR? UM, I HAVE A HARD STOP AS WELL BECAUSE I NEED TO GO TO A RIBBON CUTTING FOR 20 TO 22, UM, WITH TXDOT.
UM, BUT I AM WONDERING IF IT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ITEMS THREE AND FOUR, WHICH I KNOW THAT I HAD MY CONCERNS ADDRESSED ON THAT.
UM, ONLY THING I HAVE TO DO IS CHANGE IT THEN TO HAVE THAT ON THREE AND FOUR, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THOSE PIECES TO GO FORWARD AND ALLOW OUR STAFF TO KEEP WORKING ON THAT.
AND THEN MAYBE WE DO THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS IN OUR, IN OUR SEPARATE BODIES, UM, AND CONVENE AGAIN, TO DO THE JPA UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE ISSUES WORKED OUT.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE REMAINING ISSUES ARE MYSELF.
UM, SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I CAN PARTICIPATE IN THOSE.
UM, BUT I DO THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY QUICK, I THINK TO GET THREE AND FOUR DONE.
UM, SO THAT WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS MOVING, MOVING FORWARD, UM, TO ILLUSTRATE IT.
BUT AGAIN, I'M NOT PRIVY TO EXACTLY WHICH PIECE OF THE JOINT POWERS IS THAT, IS THAT QUESTION AT THIS POINT, COUNCIL MEMBERS I'M OKAY IF IT'S NOT MY CALL, BUT I'M OKAY.
CERTAINLY WITH THE COUNCIL AND CAP, METRO, NOT MY INDIVIDUAL CALL TAKEN UP THOSE OTHER RESOLUTIONS AND KNOCKING THOSE OUT TODAY.
AND THEN THAT MAY BE ALL WE GET ACCOMPLISHED TODAY, BUT SO I'M SORRY.
AH, YES, CHAIR, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US HAVE TO LEAVE HERE AND IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE, UH, HAVING DISCUSSION EXECUTIVE SESSIONS TO DISCUSS ANY ITEMS, I BELIEVE WE WOULD NEED TO JUST RESCHEDULE THIS WHOLE, UM, MEETING HERE FOR ANOTHER DAY BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANG AROUND HERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE QUORUM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, UH, MAKE A DECISION NOW AND, UH,
[02:50:01]
THE WAY THE CONVERSATION IS GOING, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE'RE GONNA DECIDE ON ANYTHING ANYTIME SOON.I AGREE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE NOW GOING TO GET TO THE JPA ITSELF, BUT MAYBE THE ANCILLARY RESOLUTIONS WE CAN GET TO MARRIAGE TO BE IN THAT MEMBER KITCHEN.
IF, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BODY TO DO THREE AND FOUR.
DO YOU WANT TO, THAT'D BE FINE.
DO YOU WANT TO PROCEED WITH CITY COUNCIL? SO IN THAT CASE THEN, UH, UH, COLLEAGUES, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE CONVENED THREE MEETINGS CONCURRENTLY TO HAVE THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, BEFORE US ARE THE, UH, UH, THE PORTRAITS
[III. Action Items]
AND THE RESOLUTIONS.UH, WE HAVE BOTH FREE COPIES AND RED LINE COPIES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN, UH, TO US.
UM, I, I UNDERSTANDING HE IS, IS THAT, UH, UH, AFTER THESE WERE POSTED AND CIRCULATED, UH, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED TO LEGAL AND TRY TO GET THEIR CONCERNS ADDRESSED.
DOES ANYBODY WHERE TO MOVE PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE OF THE RESOLUTIONS? HOWEVER, ALTER MAKES THAT MOTION.
I WANTED TO MOVE FOR THE RESOLUTION.
OH, THAT'S, LET'S PULL THEM UP AND THEN WE'LL TAKE AMENDMENTS AND STUFF.
REMEMBER HALTER BU'S PASSENGER, THE RESOLUTION, THE ARE SECOND TO THAT MAYOR PRO TEM SECOND TIME.
OKAY, YOU'RE DOING A MAYOR, SORRY TO INTERRUPT, INTERRUPT, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE DOING THE RESOLUTION VERSION.
WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION AND ONE ORDINANCE, CORRECT.
THAT WE'RE TAKING UP RIGHT NOW.
UH, I SEE, I HAVE YELLOW COPIES THAT ARE IN FRONT OF ME AND THERE'S A RED LINE AND A CLEAN VERSION IN FRONT OF US, OF THE RESOLUTION.
AND THEN THEY, UM, UH, ORDINANCE IS I THINK THE V2 ORDINANCE.
I JUST, I JUST WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE ONE RESOLUTION ONE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO THE RESOLUTION IS VERSION THREE AND THAT'S, WHAT'S ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW WITH EMOTION.
I'M NOT SEEING A VERSION THREE, THEY DIDN'T WRITE VERSION THREE ON IT, BUT IT'S THE YELLOW, THE YELLOW COPY OF IT.
AND VERSION TWO IS THE ORDINANCE AND WE HAVE A RED LINE AND THE CLEAN COPY OF EACH OF THOSE IT'S BEEN HANDED OUT TO US.
LET'S HAVE DISCUSSION COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER.
I WANNA, UM, THANK OUR STAFF FOR WORKING WITH ME TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD.
UM, JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT IT SHOULD BE, UM, ONLINE 58.
IT SHOULD BE THAT IDENTIFY THE RANGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED RATHER THAN DAN CAN BE ACHIEVED.
UM, AND I WANT TO JUST, UM, CLARIFY THE GIST OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT I ASKED FOR.
UM, SOME OF THIS WAS MORE OF A GRAMMAR THING, UM, THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UM, BUT WE WANT, UM, THE NEW REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES, UM, TO BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS THAT ARE IN VARIOUS ADOPTED PLANS.
BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO HAVE PLANS RIGHTLY SO, OR WE WOULDN'T BE HERE DOING THIS PROJECT THAT, UM, RECOGNIZE THAT ACHIEVING A REDUCED SINGLE OCCUPANCY MOTOR VEHICLE TRIPS IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO LIMIT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS IN QUESTION TO ONLY THOSE PLANS THAT STATE THAT.
UM, AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE LANDED IN TERMS OF GRAMMAR, BUT THE, THE DIRECTION IS TO CITY STAFF IS TO, UH, BE CONSISTENT WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS DURING THIS, THIS PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, SIMILARLY, UM, THE FURTHER BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED IS BY IMPLICATION THAT THOSE ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, WEIGHING EVERYTHING APPROPRIATELY, UM, THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE OF STAFF AND GETTING THAT RIGHT.
IS THERE AN OBJECTION TO MAKE THE TYPO FIXED GOING FROM, AND TO THAT HEARING, NONE OF THAT CHANGE HAS MADE ANY OTHER CHANGES, THE RESOLUTION OF THE ORDINANCE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, LET'S TAKE A VOTE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE RESOLUTION OR THE ORDERS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO I COUNT ME AT THE VERY PRO TAB IS JUST CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ONE IS, IS V THE BAYER PRO TAB OR COUNCIL MEMBER ALTIMA, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN, UH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, TOVO COUNCIL MEMBER, ALICE, UH, COUNSELOR POOL COUNTS, BARBARA FRET, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER AT 30.
YEAH, I THINK I COUNTED EVERYBODY THAT
[02:55:01]
HAD TO GET IS TWO PEOPLE.MISS EIGHT COUNTS RIVER CASAREZ OUT HERE.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER KELLY AND COUNSELOR KELLY.
UH, WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THE CITY'S ACTION.
LIKE YOU COUNT, UH, CHAIR IS ATP.
WANT TO TAKE ANY ACTION AT THIS TIME? MAYOR, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE UP FOR ALL RIGHT.
THAT WAS THE RESOLUTION AND THE ORDINANCE WHEN WE HAD COMBINED IN ONE, WE TOOK THEM BOTH UP TOGETHER.
ATP WILL POSTPONE THEIR ACTION ITEMS FOR, FOR THEIR, I THINK IT'S THE SENSE AS WELL OF THE CAP METRO, UH, LEADERSHIP, ANYWAY, THAT WE OUGHT TO NOT, NOT TRY TO CRAM THIS ONE IN, IN THE LAST FIVE OR 10 MINUTES AND POSTPONE.
AND I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT WE NEED TO GET A NEW ILA IN PLACE OR THE JPA BY END OF THE YEAR.
SO EACH OF OUR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND I KNOW AT LEAST THE CHAIRS AND STAFF WILL COLLABORATE TO TRY TO GET TO THE FINAL RESTING PLACE ON THE JPA ITSELF.
SO UNLESS WE JUST RUN OUT OF TIME, I MEAN, I ASSUMED THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO RECONVENE YOUR BOARDS AND PASS YOUR RESOLUTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT WE JUST DID.
AND I THINK AS A COUNCIL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE COULD EITHER TALK ABOUT WHETHER WE DO THIS JOINTLY OR WHETHER WE DO THIS SEPARATELY, BUT MY HOPE IS WE GET BACK TO THE, BEING ABLE TO DECIDE A JPA QUESTION JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ALL OF US.
IF WE HAD A REALLY CLEARLY DEFINED TIMELINE.
I THINK A LOT OF US REALLY WANT TO GET THIS DONE WELL, BUT GET IT DONE.
AND SO A CLEARLY DEFINED TIMELINE WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
LIKE IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO EXPECT, WHEN WE WALK OUT OF THIS ROOM TODAY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH.
I THINK WE WERE READY TO DISCUSS IT.
WE HAVE SOME MEETINGS THAT ARE SET TO THE DEGREE.
WE COULD GET THIS RV AGENDA FOR THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO US.
WE WERE, WE'VE HEARD COMMENTS.
I THINK SO THIS THE QUICKEST TO JV AGAIN, I'M SORRY.
I WAS SAYING THE QUICKEST AGENDA YOU COULD GET US ON.
I THINK PLEASE GET AS RB AGENDA AND I WOULD SUGGEST THE OTHER BODIES DO THE SAME THING.
WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING IN IT NO LATER THAN THREE WEEKS.
SO THIS, SO I WALK AWAY WITH CODE RUSSIA.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO ALL INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS OR TRY TO GET THE GROUP BACK FOR A TRIBE MEETING THAT NOT THAT I'M SAYING THERE'S A PREFERENCE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING CLEAR DIRECTION FROM THE, I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE STAFF, THE QUICKEST WAY WE CAN GET THIS DONE.
SO IF IT'S DOING INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS, LET'S TRY TO GET THAT DONE.
AND IF I MAY, MAY, OR YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS, I'M SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU DOWN HERE, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST WE HAVE THIS POSTED FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION OF COUNCIL ON OUR COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK, IF POSSIBLE, AT THE VERY LEAST.
I MEAN, IF WE GET TO HAVE, EXCEPT FOR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS WITH POSSIBLE ACTION, THAT WOULD BE BEST.
UH, WE HAVE AN AGENDA THAT'S GOING OUT WITH AN ADDENDUM OR PROBABLY NOT FOR ANOTHER COUPLE HOURS, SO WE COULD PROBABLY GET IT ON THERE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, ALICE, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT DOING SEPARATE MEETINGS MAY BE MORE EXPEDIENT, BUT I'M JUST CONCERNED IF WE ALL END UP WITH A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT, WE MAY NOT BE AS PRODUCTIVE IF COUNCIL HAS AMENDMENTS AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT SENT TO THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
I'VE SEEN THIS WITH OTHER INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS WHERE THEY SAY 19 OTHER PEOPLE ALREADY SIGNED IT.
YOU CAN'T MAKE CHANGES NOW, UNLESS YOU'D SEND IT BACK TO ALL OTHER 19 ENTITIES, LET'S SEE HOW CLOSE WE ARE.
I MEAN, MAYBE THE, THE, UH, WE CAN GET A SENSE OF THAT, WHETHER THERE'S AN AGREE BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT.
HE GOES TO EACH OF US ALL AGREE TO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO LET'S FIGURE THAT WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT.
WE'RE NOT, WE CAN'T DECIDE THAT AS WE SIT HERE, I WOULD POST IT SO THAT WE HAVE THAT OPTION IN CASE THERE IS A DEGREE DOCUMENT, BUT IF NOT, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE SOME OTHER WAY CATS OVER KITCHEN.
UH, MY REQUEST WAS JUST, UM, UH, TO ACTUALLY TO, TO THE CAP MENTOR CHAIR, UM, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE FOR THE CITY.
I THINK CAP METRO SHOULD HAVE A EXECUTIVE SESSION ALSO AT WHATEVER THE MEANING.
GOOD QUESTION FOR BOTH MR. CHAIRMAN AND MADAM CHAIRMAN CHAIRWOMAN.
THE, UM, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IS THAT, THAT ONE OF OUR ACTION ITEMS WAS BASICALLY BASICALLY BY BOTH CAP, METRO AND ATP WAS TO MIRROR WHAT THE CITY JUST DID.
ARE WE SAYING WE'RE POSTPONING THAT WOULDN'T IT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO JUST FOLLOW RIGHT ALONG AND GO AHEAD AND DISPENSE WITH THAT BUSINESS SO THAT WE ARE ALL AT LEAST IN ALIGNMENT RIGHT
[03:00:01]
NOW ON THREE ON THAT SAME THING, THERE'S A TIME URGENCY ON IT.AND IT FELT LIKE WE WERE COMPRESSING OUR TIME PERIOD, A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO HAVE TO LEAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT TIME FOR THE CAP METRO BOARD TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE AND THE RESOLUTION, JUST LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL DID JUST NOW, BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
I'D LIKE TO SECOND IT JUST PASS THE RESOLUTIONS.
I THINK WE'RE READY TO VOTE ON EVERYBODY WATCHING CHECKING SOLUTION.
AND THEN PROBABLY THE PARTNERSHIP WOULD, WE'D LIKE TO DO THE TWO OR 2, 1, 2, 3, 3.
DO I NEED TO READ THIS INTO THE RECORD? OKAY.
DO I NEED TO READ THE RESOLUTION? ALL RIGHT, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO CAPITAL METRO ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, REMEMBER POOL WITH A MOTION SECOND BY MEMBER KITCHEN.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE.
DID I MISS ANYBODY? SIX TO ZERO MOTION CARRIES.
UH, TURN THE CHAIR OVER TO CHAIR CASTRO.
I MISS REMEMBER MITCHELL DOWN THERE AT THE VERY FAR END IN OKLAHOMA.
WHAT WAS YOUR, SO THE ADP BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITHOUT TAKE UP AN ACTION ITEM RELATED TO THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO SECTIONS ITEM NUMBER ONE, THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION, DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO CONTINUE COORDINATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGULATIONS AND PROCEDURES THAT ENSURE THE ON-TIME DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.
UM, THIS WOULD BE RESOLUTION ATP 2021 DASH 0 29.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED OR MEMBERS STRAPPED AND APPROVE.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY NAYS? NO IT'S PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
DO YOU WANT ANYTHING IN CONCLUSION OR JUST REAL FAST? CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE WERE HURTING BECAUSE WE HAD PEOPLE THAT SAID THEY HAD TO BE OUT 10 MINUTES AGO.
UH, SO I'LL JUST CONCLUDE WITH, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY.
THERE'S GREAT PROGRESS THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE NEED TO KEEP THIS THING MOVING DOWN TO THE TRACKS AND, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING MORE NATIONALLY WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THIS THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS WHAT THE WORK WE WERE DOING WITH THE DISPLACEMENT INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF A COMMUNITY THAT DID THAT, BUT WE NEED TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S WORK TODAY, WORKING THROUGH LUNCH TODAY TO GET THIS PART DONE.
LET'S GET THE NEXT PART THAT QUICKLY TO MIRROR.
ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I WAS READY TO, I CAME PREPARED TO VOTE TODAY AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD A LOT OF TECHNICAL PROBLEMS THAT DELAYED OUR MEETINGS SO LONG THAT, UH, I, I JUST WANT TO JUST STATE THAT, UH, WE, UH, UM, ME AND, AND, AND PART OF THE AUSTIN WANT, I APOLOGIZE TO THE PUBLIC THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, WE'RE HERE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER AND, AND IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET ALL THE TECHNICAL GLITCH, FIGURE IT OUT.
AND, UH, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE COMMITTED TO, TO PASS THE JOINT, UH, THE JOINT POWER AGREEMENT.
AND, AND, UH, SO I, I JUST WANT TO REASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS, BUT, UH, UNFORTUNATELY WE JUST RAN OUT OF TIME.
THANK YOU, CATS WERE OVER AT THE RATE, BUT YOU DO POINT OUT THE, THE, THE HUMONGOUS CHANNEL CHALLENGE ASSOCIATED WITH BRINGING THREE BODIES TOGETHER LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE DOING A PRETTY INCREDIBLE JOB TO GIVE US A TABLE THAT LOOKS EVEN MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE ONE FOR THE PARIS PEACE ACCORDS, UH, AND, AND, AND THE FAKE STAFF LIKE AMERICA.
[03:05:01]
GOING TO BE VERY BRIEF.I KNOW WE'RE SHORT ON TIME HERE, TONY ELKINS MEMBER OF THE ATP BOARD.
JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO THE VOTERS THAT INCLUDES OUR ABILITY TO OBTAIN MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN THE DELIVERY OF PROJECT CONNECT WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON EQUITY AND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT MATTERS.
WE ALSO MADE A COMMITMENT TO DELIVER THIS PROGRAM ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.
SO TO DO THIS, WE NEED TO OPERATE IN A RELATIVELY TIGHT PROCESS.
I THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE BOTH OBJECTIVES.
UM, IF WE STRIKE THE RALLY RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE OBJECTIVES.
SO TO DO THIS, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN EFFICIENT PROCESS.
I THINK WHAT'S CLEAR TO ME OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, MY INBOX HAS BEEN FLOODED WITH EMAILS FROM, FROM, FROM THE PUBLIC, WHICH I APPRECIATE IS THAT OUR PROCESS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT AND ENGAGEMENT IS AN AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT AT ATP.
UH, BY THAT WHAT I NEED THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY IS NOT PERCOLATING UP TO THE FULL ATP BOARD.
UH, SO TO FIX THIS, I PROPOSE, AND WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS INTERNALLY, THAT WE HAVE STAFF OF ATP AND A MEMBER OF THE CAC WORK WITH VARIOUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ATX BOOM MOBILITY, UH, COALITION, CAC CITY, COUNCIL CHAMBER, OTHER GROUPS THAT WE DEVELOP A DASHBOARD SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TOP TOPICS OF THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS ARE.
AND THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE COMMENTS ARE.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY YES TO ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS, BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEEDS TO BE PERCOLATED UP TO THE BOARD.
AND I WAS PROPOSED THAT EACH MONTH WE HAVE IN OUR BOARD AGENDA A ALLOCATION OF TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE TOP COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING ON THOSE AND THAT DASHBOARD WOULD BE PUT ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO, UH, HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE MORE DISCUSSION ON THAT, BUT I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO GET MORE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY PERCOLATED UP TO THE BOARD.
REMEMBER ALCON'S OTHER COMMENTS SHARE ANY FINAL COMMENTS THAT I MISS? ANYBODY? I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.
I THINK THAT I AM I SECOND YEAR RECOMMENDATIONS.
REMEMBER ELKINS, THANK YOU FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
AND I ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE COMMUNITY FOR FLOODING OUR INBOX.
I MEAN, I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DID HEAR A VERY STRONG MESSAGE OF WHAT THIS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT MEANS, AND IT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THE STAFF AND EVERYONE WORKED HARD TO ADDRESS MORE THAN 60% OF MY UNDERSTANDING.
I MEAN, I THINK, BUT TODAY WE GOT TO 80%, 85% OF THE COMMENTS ADDRESSED.
AND I THINK THAT THIS SHOWS A WILLINGNESS FROM EVERYONE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION.
THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE NOT HAPPENING TO THE LEVEL THAT I WISH FOR SOMEONE LIKE ME, WHO IS NEW IN THIS ARENA OF OPEN MEETING SOC AND UNDERSTANDING THE LOGISTICS AND MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS TO, TO US.
I THINK THAT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.
AND I DO HAVE, UM, I WANT US TO CONTINUE TO TALK WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THIS JPA, BUT IT FOR THE EXECUTION OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.
I DO THINK THAT WHEN WE DEFINE INDEPENDENCE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT ALL OF US WILL WORK TOGETHER FOR THE DURATION OF THIS EXECUTION FOR THE LIFE OF THIS PROGRAM.
WE WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER CAPITAL METRO, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ARE EIGHT COHESIVE TEAM WITH THE COMMUNITY ALONG.
WE'RE NOT INDEPENDENT IN THAT ARENA.
WHAT WE WANT IS CLARITY ON WHICH PERSON IS GOING TO DO WHAT, WHICH ENTITY IS GOING TO DO.
WHAT, AND I WANT US ALL TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A VERY LONG PROCESS OF BUILDING TRUST AND BUILDING A COMMITMENT THAT REALLY ENSURES THAT WE ARE MEANINGFUL IN WHAT, HOW WE'RE GOING TO AFFECT THE FUTURE OF THIS, OF THIS REGION.
UM, AND I, I THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER RENTERIA FOR SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE READY TO VOTE TODAY.
I PERSONALLY HAD A LOT OF HESITATION.
I FELT THINGS WERE DEFINITELY RUSHED AND THINGS WERE NOT CLEAR TO ME PERSONALLY, THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FURTHER.
UM, AND I ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO PLEASE CONTINUE THIS DIALOGUE AND TO HELP STAFF HELP US HELP THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE PULLED A BIG MARATHON TODAY.
AND I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE EFFORTS.
UH, FINALLY, I'LL JUST SAY THIS, UH, I, AGAIN, WANT TO RE REITERATE MY GRATITUDE TO OUR RESPECTIVE STAFFS.
WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS MIRACULOUS IN MY VIEW, AND THEY'RE PREPARED TO CONTINUE MOVING AT AN
[03:10:01]
UNBELIEVABLE PACE.AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS, IS CLEAR.
WE NEED A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT BY THE FALL OF 2024.
THE VALUE OF THAT IS IMPRESSIVE.
I GEEKED OUT THE OTHER DAY WITH MY CALCULATOR AND WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT'S THE VALUE TO THE PUBLIC.
I THINK ABOUT PROFIT, BUT HERE IT'S SOCIAL PROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE VALUE OF A TRANSIT SYSTEM, IT'S A MINIMUM OF $10,000 PER PERSON WHO CAN USE IT.
THAT'S THE PRICE OF A CAR, THE COST OF A CAR, SOMEWHERE AROUND 10,000, THE COST OF A BUS PASS FOR A YEAR IS $500.
SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT A BENEFIT OF $9,500, AND OUR PRESIDENT SAID MAYBE 300,000 PEOPLE, UH, WOULD HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THAT.
ONCE WE GET THE SYSTEM BUILT, THAT'S $3 BILLION A YEAR, ALMOST IN PUBLIC BENEFIT, $3 BILLION A YEAR OF VALUE PROVIDED TO OUR TRANSIT RIDERS.
THAT'S THE REASON WE NEED TO HURRY IS EVERY TIME WE DELAY EVERY EXTRA $5 WE SPEND, I THINK ABOUT THAT'S A BUS PASS FOR SOME THAT'S THE BEST RIDE FOR SOMEBODY.
AND SO, UH, I, I THINK I MESSAGES TO OUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS IS LET'S BE THE BOARD'S WORTHY OF THE COMMITMENT OF OUR STAFF TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE AND MOVE FORWARD.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE COLLABORATION IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, UH, AS THE CHAIR SAID, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SPEED FROM STAFF AND COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD TRYING TO GET THIS THING PULLED TOGETHER.
UH, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO, AND I THINK, UH, WE'LL ALL BE BETTER OFF SPENDING SOME TIME ON IT, BUT I THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TODAY.
AND UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER BUSINESS, THE CAP METRO BOARD WILL STAND ADJOURNED.
OUR TIME IS 1 34, SORRY, CITY COUNCIL BDC, JARED.
AND WHAT 34, THE ATP, THE ATP BOARD OF DIRECTORS, STAN ADJOURN.