Nov 17, 2021 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

JUST TO GET THE TOPIC STARTED.

UH, MADAM CHAIR, UH, TALK ABOUT THE FAR COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE, THE VERY STIMULATING FINANCIAL AND RISK COMMITTEE, WHERE WE TALK ABOUT REALLY EXCITING TOPICS.

WE HAD OUR SECOND MEETING ON NOVEMBER 9TH.

UM, WE WELCOMED OUR NEW MEMBER OF THE FAR WHO'S THE CAC REPRESENTATIVE FOR GRETCHEN FLATO.

I THINK I PRONOUNCED IT RIGHT.

HER NAME, RIGHT.

HOPEFULLY I DID.

SO IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE HER TO BUILD BRIDGES TO THE CAC.

UM, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ON RISKS, SO, UM, WE HAD, UH, JEN PINE WHO'S, I BELIEVE A NEW MEMBER OF ATP WHO'S JOINED US AND HAS MANY YEARS OF TRANSIT EXPERIENCE, UH, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RISK KIND OF RISK 1 0 1, HOW RISK SHOULD LOOK, HOW, UH, ATP IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT RISK, HOW ATP IS GOING TO BE COMING UP WITH RISK MITIGANTS.

UM, WE MADE THE POINT THAT EVERY RACE SHOULD HAVE ONE OWNER.

UM, AND, AND THE, THE MAIN REASON WE WENT ON UNDERSTAND RISK IS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE MITIGANTS ARE AND WE CAN MITIGATE THOSE RISKS AND WE CAN EITHER MITIGATE IT OR WE CAN TRANSFER IT, OR WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.

SO AFTER JEN GAVE HER PRESENTATION, UM, I THROW OUT SOME RISKS

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AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS WORKING WITH STAFF AND COMING UP WITH A TOP 10, UH, RISK MATRIX.

BUT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT ARE IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT RISKS ARE NOT JUST QUANTITATIVE.

THEY'RE ALSO QUALITATIVE.

SO THE FIRST ONE WE TALKED ABOUT WAS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY, NOT NECESSARILY A QUANTITATIVE RISK, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ON THE COMMITTEE AGREED THAT THAT IS A REAL RISK OF THE PROGRAM.

SO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PRICE ESCALATION.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RIGHT AWAY, ACQUISITION, REAL ESTATE PRICES.

WE ALL HERE IN AUSTIN KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOCIAL BREASTS, ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND EQUITY, YOU KNOW, DBE GOALS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

WE TALKED ABOUT UNKNOWN UTILITY, WHERE LOCATIONS WOULD CALL IT.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SCOPE CREEP, YOU KNOW, UM, EXTENDING TUNNELS, ADDING MORE BELLS AND WHISTLES.

YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT RISK, THE RISK OF FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT INTERFACE RISK.

I WON'T GO INTO DETAILS ON THAT, BUT THAT JUST HAS TO DO WITH ENGAGING MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS AND SUPPLIERS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE DISPUTES AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT DELAY IN DEFECT IS UNDERSTOOD.

WE TALKED ABOUT INTEREST RATES.

WE TALKED ABOUT LABOR AVAILABILITY, SO VERY KIND OF RISK 1 0 1.

UH, AND I THINK WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH STAFF OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR TOP 10 RISKS ARE, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY HAVE REGULAR REPORTING TO THE FDR, BUT ULTIMATELY REGULAR REPORTING TO THE FULL BOARD ON, ON RISKS AND HOW WE'RE MITIGATING THEM.

SO, UM, WE HAD A PRESENTATION FROM OUR NEW TREASURER, BRIAN RIVERA WHO'S I BELIEVE HERE.

SO WELCOME.

BRIAN, BRIAN TALKED ABOUT ATPS INVESTMENT POLICY, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THAT LATER IN OUR BOARD MEETING.

SO THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE OUR MONEY, THE TYPES OF PARAMETERS THAT THINGS WE CAN INVEST IN.

UH, NO, WE CAN NOT BUY CRYPTOCURRENCY, UNFORTUNATELY.

SO SAFE INVESTMENTS, UM, VICKY, UH, RED DRAKE GAVE US A PRESENTATION ON UPCOMING PROCUREMENTS, WHICH WAS HELPFUL.

SO WE KIND OF KNOW AROUND THE CORNER, WHAT TYPES OF PROCUREMENTS, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE COMING OUT WITH.

AND THEN WE HAD A DISCUSSION, UM, ON THE INTERNAL AUDITORS.

SO WE'RE IN THE MARKET SEARCHING FOR AN INTERNAL AUDITOR.

UH, IT'S A VERY TIGHT MARKET.

SO, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT GOING OUT TO A SEARCH FIRM TO GET AN INTERNAL AUDITOR THAT WOULD REPORT TO THE BOARD.

UM, AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATION.

SO THE COMMITTEE, UH, IS THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL WORK WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP A TOP 10 RISK REGISTER.

UM, THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING TO BE ONGOING AND EVOLVING.

THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENTS.

UM, STAFF IS WORKING ON A TRANSPARENCY PORTAL FOR THE NEW WEBSITE ON PROCUREMENTS.

UH, WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT FUTURE RISK MATRICES AND DEVELOPING A STANDARD, UH, OF TERMS SO THAT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT RISK, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO TALK ABOUT INTERFACE RISK OR INTEREST RATE RISK.

SO I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD SUGGESTION AND REQUEST MORE INFORMATION.

UM, THE COMMITTEE INQUIRED ABOUT THE STATUS OF UPDATES TO THE FINANCIAL MODEL, UH, THAT'LL HAPPEN SOMETIME AT 30% DESIGN IN THE SUMMER WHEN WE UPDATE THE ENTIRE MODEL FOR, UH, SCHEDULE AND COSTS, UH, COMMITTEE REQUESTED FUTURE PRESENTATIONS OR REPORTS BE PROVIDED TO MEMBERS A WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING SO THAT THEY HAVE TIME TO REVIEW IT AND MAKE ANY COMMENTS.

SO THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

UM, COMMITTEE MEMBER ASKED FOR A FUTURE FAR MEETINGS, UH, THAT WE COULD BE BRIEFED ON HOW THE 300 MILLION ANTI-DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS ARE TO BE INVESTED.

UH, SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THAT TO HAVE A PRESENTATION TO US.

UM, AND THEN, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBER, UH, REQUESTED TO UNDERSTAND IF ATP CAN APPLY FOR A FEDERAL, UH, REF LOANS.

UM, SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT AS WELL.

SO I WAS A GOOD MEETING, UM, AND IT WAS GREAT TO HAVE GRETCHEN FROM THE CAC THOUGH.

REMEMBER, ELKINS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT, MR. RANDY CLARK.

UH, MOVING ON TO

[3. Executive Director Report]

THANK YOU CHAIR.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND THANK YOU BOARD FOR, UH, BEING WITH US TODAY.

UH, WANT TO START OFF, UM, JUST WITH A QUICK RECOGNITION THAT, UH, SOMETHING REALLY BIG HAS HAPPENED IN THE UNITED STATES RECENTLY, AND THAT IS THE, UH, THE BIG INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, EIGHT, 10 YEARS.

UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD TO CREATE, UH, AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL OF THIS SIZE AND MAGNITUDE.

AND I'M GOING TO, AND JUST IN A MOMENT HAVE ERICA MOZZA, WHO IS THE VICE PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

UH, SHE'S OBVIOUSLY VICE PRESIDENT OF AFFAIRS AT CAP METRO, BUT KIND OF THE SHARED SERVICE WITH CAP METRO AND ATP BEING ALL THE FEDERAL, UH, FEDERAL INTERFACE PIECES.

UM, BUT BEFORE I GET TO THAT QUICK MOMENT, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, SOMETHING LOCALLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.

AND, UH, THIS IS THE SURFACE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT FUNDING THAT COMES OUT OF CAMPO.

CAMPO IS THE REGIONAL.

SO THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION THAT KIND OF

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STITCHES THE PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, NON TRANSIT FUNDING, I SHOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT DIFFERENCE THAT WE'RE DIRECT RECIPIENT, BUT OTHER TYPES OF FUNDING MO VERY, VERY, UH, HEAVILY WEIGHTED TO HIGHWAY FUNDING, BUT OTHER, SOME OTHER MULTIMODAL FUNDING AS WELL.

AND, UH, UH, CAMPO IN JUNE, THERE WAS A DECISION MADE BY THE CAMP OF BOARD TO MOVE A LOT OF FUNDING TO THE CAPITOL EXPRESS PROJECT.

AND TO DO THAT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS GOT DEFERRED.

AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT GOT DEFERRED FROM CAP METRO'S, UH, REQUEST LIST WAS, UH, THE, THE INTERSECTION AREA OF CRESTVIEW AND WHERE OUR RED AND RED LINE CURRENTLY IN OUR FREIGHT LINE CROSS THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION TODAY, UH, THAT IS A LONG-TERM SIGNIFICANT ISSUE FOR US AS A COMMUNITY AND AS A REGION, BOTH FROM A SAFETY POINT OF VIEW AND EFFICIENCY POINT OF VIEW, AND A MULTIMODAL POINT OF VIEW, LET ALONE THE URBAN HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT AROUND THAT.

AND, UH, THAT WAS ACTUALLY DEFERRED.

I'M HAPPY TO REPORT ON NOVEMBER 8TH.

OUR TEAM HAS WORKED REALLY COLLABORATIVELY CAMPO, AND I THINK THE CAMPO, UH, THE POLICY BOARD, THEY UNANIMOUSLY, UH, VOTED TO REFUND SEVEN PROJECTS, UH, FUNDING BECAME AVAILABLE.

AND ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WAS FOR $5.8 MILLION, AND THIS IS IT'S CAP METRO, BUT I WANTED TO UPDATE THE ATP BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE SO INTEGRATED THESE TYPES OF, UH, FUNDING, UH, ELEMENTS AND PROJECTS, BUT THIS WILL FUND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE, THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND THE DESIGN WORK TO WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO, UM, GRADE SEPARATE THE RED LINE AND THE FREIGHT LINE GOING THROUGH THAT AREA, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LONG-TERM CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ORANGE BLUE LINE AND RED LINE LET ALONE THE VEHICULAR AND OTHER MULTIMODAL ASPECTS.

AND SO RIGHT NOW THE ATP SIDE IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ORANGE LINE DESIGN WITH, WITH THE RED AND THE FREIGHT LINE AT, AT GREAT AS IT IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE NEPA PROCESS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

CAP.

METRO IS SECONDARILY USING THIS FUNDING TO LOOK THROUGH A DIFFERENT DESIGN OPTION AND THERE MAY BE OTHER, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THERE ARE NEW AVAILABLE, UH, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THIS INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT I THINK ERIC WOULD GET HIT ON.

THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE GREAT FUNDING SOURCES FOR THIS PARTICULAR REALLY COMPLEX AREA THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CIG PROGRAM, NEW SARS PROGRAM THAT WE MAY GO FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE ON, OR THEY WILL WORK TOGETHER.

LOTS OF STRATEGY WILL BE WORKED ON OVER THE NEXT YEAR TO TWO YEARS ON THAT, BUT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS BECAUSE IT'S, THE REGION IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS AND WE THANK THEM FOR THIS.

AND IT BRINGS THE TWO DIFFERENT PROJECT ELEMENTS TOGETHER BECAUSE LONG-TERM, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOTTLENECKS OF THE WHOLE REGION THAT WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY GET WORKED OUT.

SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING, UH, LAST WEEK, UH, WAS THE APTA, UH, MEETING IN ORLANDO AND IT WAS A DEFERRED MEETING FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.

SO IT WAS THE ANNUAL MEETING AND EXPO.

SO THERE'S ACTUALLY ALMOST 8,000 TRANSIT PROFESSIONALS AT THIS MEETING, WHICH IS AMAZING TO SEE THAT MANY HUMAN BEINGS TOGETHER AGAIN.

UH, SO IT FELT REALLY GREAT.

UH, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE A MEETING WITH FTA MINISTRY ADMINISTRATOR, NURIA FERNANDEZ.

WHO'S IN THIS PICTURE WITH US, UH, HER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MA MA WELLNESS AS WELL.

AND, UH, THE WOMAN IN THE, WITH THE ORANGE TOP IS ACTUALLY, UH, GAIL LISSY, WHO IS THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAPPENS TO BE SECONDED RIGHT NOW TO, TO DC ON A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT.

UH, BUT SHE'S BEEN THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR HERE.

SO, UH, THE CHAIR WAS ABLE TO JOIN US.

UH, THE CHAIR OF CAP METRO BOARD, UH, CAME IN FORWARD AND A FEW OF THE STAFF, AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE CAP METRO SIDE, ALL THE, ALL THE REGULAR TRANSIT ACTIVITY PIECE AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON THERE, THE REGULAR CAP, METRO GRANTS AND OTHER THINGS.

AND THEN WE WERE ABLE TO DIVE IN A LITTLE BIT ON THE PROJECT CONNECT COMPONENT AND JUST HOW WE WERE WORKING VERY COLLABORATIVE WITH THE REGION AND HEADQUARTERS PLANNING TEAM ADVANCING NOT ONLY THE ORANGE OF BLUE LINE, BUT SPECIFICALLY OUR METRO RAPID PROJECTS AND A LOT OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL.

SO IT WAS A GREAT MEETING.

IT WAS A GOOD CHANCE FOR THE TWO CHAIRS TO ACTUALLY MEET THE ADMINISTRATOR AND VICE VERSA.

AND THESE WILL BECOME VERY REGULAR BUSINESS FOR US AS, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

SO WANT TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MEETING.

SO NEXT UP AGAIN, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ERICA MAZA.

UH, AS I MENTIONED, OUR VICE-PRESIDENT GARMENT AFFAIRS, ERIC IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT.

AGAIN, I CAN'T OVEREMPHASIZE THE, JUST THE OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF TRANSIT DOLLARS THAT ARE NOW AT STAKE ON THE FEDERAL SIDE AND TRANSFORMATIVE WAY THIS BILL CAN MOVE, MOVE US FORWARD.

UH, I THINK IN AUSTIN, WE ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM AND, UH, I'LL LET, UH, ERICA DIVE INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

THANKS FOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, ATB BOARD MEMBERS, AND, UH, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CLARK, AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED, MY NAME IS ERIC , I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

AND SERIOUSLY, THE REASON WHY WE ALL HAD SMILES ON OUR FACES IN THE LAST PICTURE WAS ONE.

WE WERE SEEING EACH OTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS AND 24 HOURS PRIOR TO WE HAD JUST LEARNED THAT, UH, CONGRESS HAD PASSED THE OR THE BIB AS IT IS ALSO CALLED.

UM, BUT THE BEST PART IS, IS THAT

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AS A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CLARK MENTIONED, THIS HAS BEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING.

AND THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WANT TO STRESS IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MONUMENTAL IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND FUNDING.

UM, NOT ONLY FOR, YOU KNOW, THE GREATER TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT SPECIFICALLY FOR TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES AND MOBILITY OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS AND IN THE AUSTIN REGION.

SO WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING, UH, UNDER THE FAST ACT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT HAS BEEN OUR TRANSPORTATION SERVICE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT ACT, AND THAT ACT ACTUALLY EXPIRES INTO ON, OR WAS IT TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 3RD OF THIS PARTICULAR YEAR? SO TIME WAS CERTAINLY OF THE ESSENCE IN GETTING THIS PAST.

I AM NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE NITTY GRITTY IN THE BACKGROUND OF WHAT HAPPENED, UH, UP AT CAPITOL HILL.

UM, BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, YOU KNOW, UH, WORKING WITH OUR DELEGATION AND EXPLAINING TO OUR DELEGATION, THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TO THE WORKFORCE, TO OUR OVERALL OPPORTUNITIES, TO MOVE PEOPLE, MOVE GOODS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, AS I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED ON NOVEMBER 5TH WHEN THIS CAME FORWARD.

UM, AS IT WAS MENTIONED, IT IS MONUMENTAL AND IT'S MONUMENTAL BECAUSE IT IS A $1.2 TRILLION BILL, BUT IT ALSO IS $550 BILLION OVER PREVIOUS INVESTMENTS FOR TRANSIT FOR OVERALL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION.

SO BREAKING THAT DOWN, UH, THIS IS A SLIDE FROM A PARTNER, UH, ENO TRANSPORTATION GROUP OUT OF DC.

AND AS YOU'LL SEE MASS TRANSIT INCREASE, IT WAS A OVERALL 7.1%.

NOW THAT IS STILL SIGNIFICANT.

AND WE'LL BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL DOLLAR FIGURES AS IT GOES.

UM, BUT THAT IS A $274 BILLION INCREASE IN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ITSELF.

SO AGAIN, AS WE SAID, YOU KNOW, POSITIONED WELL TO RECEIVE AND WORK ON GRANTS AND WORK ON, UH, OUR OVERALL FORMULA, UH, FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FROM THERE.

AND THEN THIS IS JUST A GENERAL BREAKDOWN OF HOW THAT ADDITIONAL BASELINE $550 BILLION BASELINE WAS DISTRIBUTED AMONG ALL OF THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AREAS.

UH, SO YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF NUMBERS AND I WAS HOPING TO TRY TO TEASE OUT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU'VE SEEN TO TRY TO KEEP IT CLEAR, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE.

SO FROM OUR FRIENDS AT, AFTER THEY PUT THIS TOGETHER ON DAY ONE, SO THEY WERE BUSY WELL INTO THE NIGHT, ONCE THE SURFER, ONCE THE WAS PASSED.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, AS, AS IT IS, THIS IS THE, THE GOLD IS WHAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE FAST ACT.

SO THAT IS OUR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION, UM, TRANSIT FUNDING OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

AND THIS IS WHAT OUR FUNDING, UH, OPPORTUNITIES ARE GOING FORWARD UNDER THE , WHAT IS ALSO MONUMENTAL.

AND THIS IS WHERE OUR CRESTVIEW STATION AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES COME FORWARD IS THAT IT HASN'T BEEN ALL THAT LONG.

AND THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY HAD A RAIL DIVISION IN THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ACT.

SO TALK ABOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK HAND-IN-HAND WITH F R A AND FTA IN TERMS OF PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES AS WE DEVELOP OUR INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE WAS A, YOU KNOW, A NOD TO FRA AND THE RAIL DIVISION IN THE LAST SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL, YOU CAN SEE THE MONUMENTAL INCREASE THAT WE NOW HAVE GOING FORWARD IN THE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO AGAIN, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THROUGH THE COURSE OF OUR, OUR PROJECTS, DIVING A LITTLE DEEPER COMING BACK HOME A BIT, UM, YOU KNOW, REALLY, AS YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD, THE KEY OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT FASTER, MORE MODERN, MORE RELIABLE WHILE ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE, ADVANCING EQUITY AND PROVIDING COMMUNITIES LIKE AUSTIN, SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY CHOICES, THE EARLY CALCULATIONS, AS YOU SEE UP TOP, UM, ON THIS SCREEN, WE WILL SEE ABOUT A 25% INCREASE IN OUR BASE FORMULA FUNDS, AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IS AVAILABLE IN FUNDING THROUGH THE DISCRETIONARY OR OVERALL COMPETITIVE GRANTS.

AS WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, ONE OF THOSE IS THE CIG OR THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM, UH, WHERE WE DO HAVE ADVANCED APPROPRIATIONS OF $8 BILLION, $2 BILLION SHOULD BE COMING BEFORE US IN THE FYI 2022 APPROPRIATIONS.

SO AN ADDITIONAL $2 BILLION FOR THE CIG PROGRAM SHOULD BE COMING AVAILABLE, UM, TO PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE QUEUE, WHICH WE HAVE OUR PROGRAMS ARE IN THE QUEUE.

UM, AND YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THOSE A LITTLE BIT LATER ON AS WELL.

AND THEN ANOTHER INTERESTING PIECE IS THIS BUNDLING PROJECT BUNDLING, UM, AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK MENTIONED, WE DID SPEND TIME WITH OUR FTA ADMINISTRATOR, AND WE TALKED A BIT ABOUT THIS PROJECT BUNDLING AND HOW WE CAN ADVANCE NOT JUST ONE LINE AT A TIME, BUT MULTIPLE LINES AND REALLY OUR PROJECTS GOING FORWARD THROUGH THIS PROJECT BUNDLING PROGRAM,

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WHICH IS BRAND NEW AND THEIRS WAS REALLY WELL.

IT WAS WELL RECEIVED.

AND I THINK WE ARE WELL POSITIONED FOR THAT.

SO WHAT ARE OUR NEXT STEPS INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY? SO THIS BILL HAS AUTHORIZED SPENDING LIMITS.

IT'S KINDA LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOUR LIMIT ON YOUR CREDIT CARD.

AND WE ARE AWAITING KIND OF THE FORTHCOMING APPROPRIATIONS KIND OF THE AMOUNT THAT WE CAN SPEND, UM, YOU KNOW, IS WITH THOSE PAYMENTS.

AND THAT SHOULD COME AROUND MARCH OF NEXT YEAR.

THAT IS OUR OVERALL HOPE.

THERE ARE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE DO HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO, AND THAT'S THE DEBT CEILING THAT, YOU KNOW, VOTE WILL BE COMING BEFORE CONGRESS, PROBABLY AROUND DECEMBER.

WE WILL ALSO, WE ARE ALSO UNDER A CONTINUING RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO WE ARE STILL IN FY $21, AND THAT HAS BEEN, UH, THAT IS SLATED TO GO UP FOR A VOTE ON DECEMBER 3RD.

IT COULD GET KICKED OFF UNTIL DECEMBER 17TH OR MAYBE UNTIL IT RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WHILE WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES HERE, IT'S OUR TIME TO KIND OF GEAR UP AND REALLY DO DIVE IN AND DO THE ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO US BECAUSE THE MONEY WILL BE FORTHCOMING MOST LIKELY IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 20, 22 AS WELL.

SO THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHERE WE THINK WE'LL START HITTING WHERE THE MONEY WILL START HITTING THE STREETS.

PORTS WILL PROBABLY BE FIRST BECAUSE WE ALL WANT OUR CHRISTMAS AND HANUKKAH GIFTS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE ALONG THOSE LINES.

SO THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'LL SEE THE FIRST PART OF THE MONEY COME FORWARD IS, UM, TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE THE BOTTLENECKS IN OUR PORTS.

AND THEN FROM THERE, WE'LL BE DOLING OUT.

FTA WILL BE STARTING THEIR COMPETITIVE PROCESS AS WELL.

INTERNALLY, WE WILL BE WORKING ON CAPITALIZING ON THOSE ADVANCED APPROPRIATIONS.

AS I MENTIONED, LEVERAGING GROWTH IN THE OVERALL PROGRAM, UH, DOLLAR FIGURES, INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, AND ALL THE WHILE WE ARE INTERNALLY WORKING ON OUR GRANT AND OUR GRANT AND FEDERAL FUNDING STRATEGY, THAT IS A BIG PART OF THE PROGRAM, UM, UNDER GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS THAT WE ARE LEADING RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WELL-POSITIONED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DOLLARS AS SOON AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE THAT AS WELL.

A COUPLE OF YEARS, REALLY, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, UM, WE, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE HOPING FOR HIGHER THAN 45% SHARE ON THE METRO RAPID PROJECTS.

AND THAT'S THE REPORT? SO ANY QUESTIONS? YES.

WELL, YOU'LL COME BACK TO THE PODIO.

I FIGURED A CHAIR THAT EVERYONE WOULD WANT TO JUST ASK ERICA QUESTIONS.

SO, WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, FIRST OF ALL, I KNOW IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME AND IT WAS WONDERFUL TO WITNESS THE EUPHORIA OF AT THE CONFERENCE BASED ON, ON THE TIMING ON THIS, UH, THEY JUST STATION HAD BEEN APPROVED, HAD PASSED.

SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS EXCITING TO SEE, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT, UH, ADMINISTRATOR FERNANDEZ POINTED OUT EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH HER RECOGNIZED YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE TO LEAD THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE THAT HELPED ADVANCE THIS FORWARD.

SO THANK YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR, FOR SERVING AND FOR BEING SO KNOWLEDGEABLE IN, IN THIS ARENA.

SO DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR MS. MASA? YES, TONY.

THANK YOU, ERICA.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION.

LOVE YOUR ENERGY AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH.

YOU JUST HAD A QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO THE FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

I THINK WHEN WE INITIALLY HAD THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, WE HAD ABOUT A 45% FED REIMBURSEMENT.

IS THAT THE RIGHT NUMBER? I KNOW IT'S EARLY TO TELL, BUT WHAT DO WE THINK THE RISK OF NOT ACHIEVING THAT EITHER LOWER OR HIGHER RIGHT NOW? AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION IS OTHER OTHER POCKETS OF MONEY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT EITHER GRANTS OR LOANS OR THINGS LIKE THAT THAT COULD AUGMENT THE PROGRAM.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, I JUST FEEL BAD FOR ERICA.

JUST START IT.

SO, UH, UH, NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHY NOT? DON'T TO TAKE A CRACK AT THAT AND ERIC, I COULD JUMP IN.

SO I WANT TO RESET TO WITH 45%.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHY I USE PROGRAM VERY PURPOSELY AS A WORD, NOT PROJECT, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A PROJECT.

WE HAVE DOZENS OF PROJECTS AS PART OF PROJECT CONNECT AND EACH ONE OF THOSE HAVE THEIR OWN FUNDING SOURCE OR STRATEGY, AND EACH ONE COULD HAVE ITS OWN GRANT STREAM OR NON-FEDERAL GRANT STREAM ASSOCIATED.

SO WE, WE DID A COMPLETE, UH, INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL WHERE WE ASSUME 45% SHARE ON THINGS LIKE THE NEW STARTS, WHICH ARE THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.

AND THE SMALL STARTS, WHICH ARE THE METRO RAPIDS.

UH, WE DID NOT ASSUME IN THE MODEL MUCH IN THE WAY OF DISCRETIONARY GRANTS.

SO IN THIS BILL, THERE'S A PROJECT PROGRAMS CALLED RES AND THERE'S PROGRAMS CALLED BUILD.

AND SOME OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE DID NOT ASSUME THOSE IN THOSE MODELS.

UM, WE ALSO DIDN'T ASSUME CAP METRO, MAY I GET OTHER DISCRETIONARY THINGS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO BOSTON BUS FACILITIES OR OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT JUST REGULAR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR? UM, WE ALSO, UM, SORRY.

SO I WANTED TO SET THAT, UH, EACH PROJECT, WE WILL HAVE A GRANT STRATEGY RELATED TO THAT.

SO WE'RE NOT SURE YET IF THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE ARE GOING TO BE BUNDLED TOGETHER, THEY COULD BE SEPARATE WE'RE.

WE HAVE, WE STARTED CONVERSATIONS WITH FDA ON THAT.

WE'RE REALLY NOT SURE HOW THAT'S GOING TO EVOLVE, OR WE DON'T NEED THAT DECISION TODAY.

THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVER QUITE FRANKLY MONTHS AND ULTIMATELY

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UH, AT LEAST 50%, WE THINK THAT THIS NEW FUNDING SOURCE WILL ALLOW US TO BE IDEALLY EVEN MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN 45%.

WITH THAT SAID, I THINK ERIC HAD REALLY HIT A KEYNOTE THERE'S APPROPRIATE.

THERE'S, UH, THERE'S THIS MONEY WHICH HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED AND THEN THERE'S APPROPRIATIONS AND THEY ARE TWO DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND MAYBE ERICA, YOU YOU'RE A LITTLE BETTER SUCCINCT THAN THIS THAN I AM, BUT I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

EVERYONE REALIZES THAT THIS BILL IS LIKE ERICA SAID THE CREDIT CARD.

NOW WE NEED IN THE, SOME OF THESE ARE ADVANCED APPROPES, WHICH IS GOOD.

THEY'RE LOCKED IN, BUT OTHER PARTS OF THESE PROGRAMS, WE NEED THE CONGRESS OVER PERIODS OF YEARS TO HIT OFF A APPROPRIATION DOLLARS TO MAKE SURE THE CREDIT CARD ACTUALLY HAS THE MONEY TO PAY THE BILL.

AND THAT'S THE STRATEGY THAT ERICA WE'RE WORKING HEAVILY ON TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THE HIGHEST SHARE? ARE THERE WAYS TO CUT THE PROJECTS OR THE WAY TO BUNDLE WHERE THE ORANGE LINE COULD GET CIG FUNDING PLUS A RAISE GRANT? UH, COULD WE GET GREAT CROSSING, UM, FOR CRESTVIEW AT A HIGHER RATE AND THEN THAT'S BUNDLED INSIDE OF A ORANGE LINE.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARTS AND PIECES, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, AT LEAST TO THE RESET FOR THE, HOW WE STARTED THE 40 VOTES, BECAUSE PORT ERICA WASN'T HERE.

AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO ADD IN ERICA, ANYTHING THAT I MAY HAVE MISSED.

NO, NO, THAT, THAT, THAT WAS PERFECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST, I THINK TO EMPHASIZE THAT EVEN THIS MORNING THERE WAS A WORKING GROUP, UM, THAT IS FOCUSING ON HOW DO WE WORK ON THE, THOSE ADVANCE APPORTIONMENTS OF SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CIG PROGRAM, BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF GETTING THESE PROJECTS OFF THE GROUND.

UM, AND SO, I MEAN, WE'RE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, BOOTS ON THE GROUND TALKING ABOUT IT, FIGURING OUT HOW WE CAN HELP FTA.

AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS A BIG MESSAGE THAT WE BROUGHT TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT WILL HELP US.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE PROGRAMS AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AND THAT BEING CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM.

AND I THINK TO THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION BOARD MEMBER, UH, WAS, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND I, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR REPORT YOU MENTIONED, UH, RIFF AND TIFIA, AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE LOAN PRODUCTS.

AND BOTH OF THOSE HAVE CERTAINLY A PLACE IN TERMS OF OUR OVERALL PROGRAM DELIVERY.

AND SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPLORE WHAT THOSE MIGHT LOOK LIKE SO THAT WE CAN ADVANCE CERTAIN PROJECTS, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT ADDITIONAL TOOL IN MIND AND SHOW US AS MORE, UH, IN THE WAY OF A PARTNERSHIP, NOT JUST ALWAYS LOOKING FOR GRANTS.

AND I THINK FTA REALLY APPRECIATES THAT PIECE AS WELL.

HAVE OUR MONTHLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT UPDATE FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT IS JACKIE NIERENBERG.

DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO.

THANK YOU, MS. MUFFIN.

SO NOW MOVING ON TO, AND THANK YOU, MR. CLARK, FOR YOUR REPORT.

UH, MOVING ON TO OUR UPDATES, WE

[4.1. Community Engagement and Involvement Update ]

UM, LIGHTING WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP A LOT CONNECTIONS TO THE BOARDWALK AND TRAILS, WATER AND AMENITIES.

HI EVERYBODY.

I'M JACKIE NIERENBERG DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

UM, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE TODAY ON OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

SO, AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, WE HAVE BEEN DOING COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR CHIEF ARCHITECT, PETER MULLEN.

UM, WE HAD ONE IN OCTOBER FOR THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AT HAD 191 PARTICIPANTS.

AND THEN WE JUST HAD ONE ON NOVEMBER 10TH FOR THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ATTENDANCE WAS NOT AS GOOD AS WE WANTED IT TO BE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME WORK ON THAT.

AND IN PARTICULAR, UM, JUST NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TYPES OF COMMUNITIES THAT INTERACT, UH, REGULARLY OR LIVE AROUND THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO GET SOME OF THOSE REPRESENTATIVE VOICES, AND WE ARE PLANNING WAYS TO GO TO THEM.

A POP-UP, UH, MEETING AT THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER WHERE WE CAN INTERACT WITH PEOPLE USING THE TRANSIT SERVICES AND REALLY, UM, GET A CONNECTION WITH THE FOLKS WHO REALLY NEED TO GIVE US THEIR INPUT ON THAT.

SO MORE ON THAT TO COME, UM, COMING, UH, ALSO WE HAD THE, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, CHAIR, UH, THE ENGINEERING ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION MEETING ON THE THIRD WAS FOLLOWED BY THE PLANNING SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DBE COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE FOURTH AND THE FAR COMMITTEE MEETING ON THE NINTH.

WE HAD OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE 18TH, UM, AND THE NEXT ONE WILL BE COMING UP ON THE 15TH OF DECEMBER A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE HEARD NOW THAT WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO ANALYZE THE COMMENTS THAT CAME IN AT THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE WORKSHOP.

UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE ROWING CLUB.

AND WE'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE.

WE HEARD THAT AT OUR TRI-PARTY MEETING AS WELL, AND WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARKS AND RECREATION, UM, TO MEET AND COLLABORATE WITH THOSE FOLKS AND FIND A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.

UM, PEOPLE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BRIDGE, REFLECTING LOCAL CHARACTER AND AESTHETIC, INCLUDING MUSIC AND ART.

[00:35:01]

UM, SOME FOLKS TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FRAMING, THE DOWNTOWN VIEWS AND HOW THAT BRIDGE CAN HELP DO DO THAT, UM, CONSIDERATION OF THE BRIDGE PEERS IN REGARDS TO ROWING LANES FOR THE ROWERS AND THE WATER AND VISUAL SIGHT LINES.

ACCESSIBILITY WAS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.

PEOPLE BROUGHT UP, UM, OTHER THINGS OVERLOOKS FOR THE BATS, THE SKYLINE, UM, ATTRACTIVE BARRIERS BETWEEN TRAIN AND PEDESTRIAN TRAIN AND BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS, AND ALSO SEPARATED SPACE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE HEARING A, FROM OUR COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY FROM BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS, THAT THEY WANT SEPARATE FACILITIES TO BE SAFE, UM, ADDRESSING POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF THE MULTIPLE MODES THAT WOULD BE TRAVELING ON THE BRIDGE, ADA ACCESSIBILITY, ALSO SOMETHING THAT ALWAYS OF COMES UP, UM, LIGHTING AGAIN, UH, INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE WAY FINDING.

SO YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE A VARIETY OF ISSUES, BUT THESE WERE THE ONES THAT REALLY ROSE TO THE TOP.

AND THEN OUR NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, UH, COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP, WHICH WAS HELD ON NOVEMBER 10TH.

WE DID A MAPPING EXERCISE TO ASK PEOPLE HOW, W WHAT IS THEIR ORIGIN AND WHAT IS THEIR DESTINATION WHEN USING THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER? THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP HERE WAS HOW DO WE ENSURE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ACCESS BETWEEN ALL THE MODES THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONVENING IN THAT AREA? UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A REALLY BUSY AREA, SO YOU'VE GOT US 180 3 AND YOU'VE GOT NORTH LAMAR, BOTH HAVE REALLY, UM, FAST SPEED OF TRAFFIC FLOW.

IT'S, IT'S LOUD.

IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SAFETY ISSUES THERE, THERE'S LOTS OF CONFLICT THERE.

AND SO WE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW FROM FOLKS, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM WHEN YOU USE THE TRANSIT CENTER AND WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO, AND THESE WERE, THESE WERE SOME OF THE ANSWERS WE RECEIVED.

AND THEN SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT CAME OUT OF THE DISCUSSION OR THE TRAVEL LENGTH AND TIME FOR TRANSFERRING BETWEEN SERVICES.

SO RIDERS WANTED TO KNOW HOW CAN WE MAKE IT AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE? AND THAT'S A NATURAL CONSIDERATION.

AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TEAM IS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION.

UM, THEY WERE CONCERNED THAT THE AREA WOULD STILL FEEL CAR FIRST OR CAR SPECIFIC AND NOT HUMAN IN SCALE.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WAS A BIG TAKEAWAY, UH, CROSSING NORTH LAMAR AT EITHER SIDE OF THE STATION.

THEY CONTEND, IT FEELS UNSAFE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDRESSED, UM, THE NEED FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE UPGRADES, UH, CONCERNS FOR AN IMBALANCE IN STATION SERVING THE NEIGHBORHOOD VERSUS SERVING TRANSFERRING WRITERS.

SO HOW DO WE BALANCE BOTH OF THOSE NEEDS A DESIRE FOR, AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA.

AND AGAIN, THIS KIND OF GOES TO THE DISPLACEMENT CONCERNS, UM, REGARDING AMENITIES ENVISIONED FOR THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, UM, ACUTE FOCUS ON MEETING AND EXCEEDING ADA REQUIREMENTS.

AGAIN, WE'RE HEARING THIS A LOT.

OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY HAS BEEN SO ENGAGED AND SO ACTIVE, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL THAT THEY HAVE A VOICE AT ALL OF THESE MEETINGS.

UM, BECAUSE IF WE SOLVE FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED THAT ACCESS, WE SOLVE FOR EVERYBODY.

SO, UH, PROTECTION FROM THE WEATHER, OF COURSE, THAT WAS A BIGGIE, UH, LIGHTING AT NIGHT.

UM, THE NEED TO MITIGATE NOISE FROM NORTH LAMAR AND 180 3 WAS SOMETHING THAT ALSO CAME UP, UH, WAYFINDING IN, IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND SIGNAGE AS WELL.

UM, WE KNOW THAT THAT HAS MULTIPLE LANGUAGES REPRESENTED IN THAT COMMUNITY.

SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

SEATING TABLES, PUBLIC RESTROOMS, WATER FOUNTAINS, UM, ART, ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPING, AND BEAUTIFICATION WAS ANOTHER, UH, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION PEOPLE BROUGHT UP ALSO THE DESIRE TO HAVE SOME SMALL SHOPS, RETAIL, FOOD, UH, FOOD TRUCKS, COFFEE OPTIONS, TO SORT OF MAKE THE AMENITIES MORE HOSPITABLE THERE.

UM, AND THEN FINALLY A CONCERN FOR THE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL TAKE PLACE TO MAKE THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER AREA, A DESTINATION, A GATHERING PLACE, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO MEET AND BE TOGETHER.

SO LOTS OF INTERESTING INPUT, UM, UPCOMING ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, OUR NEXT EAC MEETING IS ON DECEMBER 1ST, FOLLOWED BY THE PEACE P SEC, MEETING ON THE SECOND.

UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP COMING UP ON DECEMBER 8TH.

THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY EXCITING.

THIS IS THE DRAG, WHICH IS A HAIRY CHALLENGE.

NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO DO A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING LIKE WE'VE DONE WITH THE OTHERS, BUT ALSO DO A, AN IN-PERSON SPECIFIC TO UT STUDENTS, STAFF AND FACULTY, BECAUSE THEY ARE A BIG STAKEHOLDER IN THIS AREA.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HOST SOMETHING

[00:40:01]

RIGHT ON CAMPUS, UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET SOME INPUT FROM THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL.

UM, ALSO WE ARE DOING A MCCALLA STATION COMMUNITY UPDATE, UH, ON THE DESIGN OF MCKALLIS STATION ON DECEMBER THE NINTH, WE'LL HAVE OUR NEXT COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP ON THE FOURTH STREET AREA.

THAT'S DECEMBER 14TH.

OUR NEXT CAC MEETING IS DECEMBER 15TH.

UM, AND THEN TWO TO BE DETERMINED, STILL COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS FOR THE SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER AND QUEST VIEWS.

SO LOTS TO COME.

AND THAT IS MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. NIERENBERG.

ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

MOVING

[4.2. Project Connect Technical Update]

ON TO OUR TECHNICAL UPDATE, MR. DAVID COUCH.

WELCOME, SIR.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLOCK.

IT'S PLEASURE TO GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE MONTHLY UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE MOVING FORWARD, UH, WITH THE OVERALL PROGRAM.

UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE BLUE AND THE ORANGE LINE, UH, IN THE ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES.

AS JACKIE SAID, A FEW MINUTES AGO, UH, WE CONTINUE WITH THE CHARETTES.

UH, THIS IS ONE THAT IS PICTURED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, UH, THAT GIVES YOU THE POTENTIAL FOR WHAT COULD BE AT THE INTERSECTION OF PLEASANT VALLEY, UH, AND ALSO AT RIVERSIDE.

SO AS WE GO FORWARD, WE'RE, WE'RE CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THE UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE WITH THE CITY.

UH, WE'RE REFINING THE LAYOUT OF THE UNDERGROUND STATIONS.

WHAT GOES IN WHICH PORTION OF THE STATIONS, THE BACK ROOM, THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT SECTIONS AND THE ELECTRICAL.

SO THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS.

WE'RE GOING TO THE MOST DETAILED LEVEL FOR SUE FOR THE UNDERGROUND UTILITIES TO FIND EXACTLY WHERE THOSE LOCATIONS ARE.

UH, SO THAT, THAT GIVES A PATH FORWARD.

UH, SO THAT OVER THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, WE CAN START TO DO RELOCATION OF SOME OF THOSE UTILITIES.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS WITH THE NEPA PROCESS.

UH, THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, UH, IS ONE OF THE HISTORIC FACILITIES THAT IS OUT THERE.

IT'S A FIREHOUSE THAT, UH, IS UP ON GUADALUPE.

SO THOSE ARE ONES THAT WE'VE DONE, A SURVEY, UH, UP AND DOWN EACH ONE OF THE LINES, UH, SO THAT WE'VE GOT THOSE IDENTIFIED SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE ANY EFFECTS ON THOSE.

AND IF THERE ARE THEN WHAT THE PROCESS IS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND EITHER RETAIN THAT CHARACTER, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE.

I DID A FIREHOUSE IN DC THAT WE TOOK THE BACK.

UH, WE KEPT THE FACADE, WE TOOK THE BACK OF THE FIREHOUSE OUT AND THAT'S WHERE THE CHILLER PLANT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO MAINTAIN THAT CHARACTER AND MAINTAIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT AS WE, AS WE GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO DRAFT THE DIFFERENT CHAPTERS AND REPORTS THAT ARE REQUIRED, UH, FOR THE OVERALL NEPA DOC DOCUMENT FOR THE EIS.

UH, WE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE TO FTA UNDER A PROCESS CALLED 1 39 J UH, WHERE THEY HAVE SPECIFIC CONSULTANT SUPPORT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING, UH, TO BE ABLE TO DO THE REVIEW OF THE MAGNITUDE THAT WE'VE GOT WHEN WE'RE PURSUING TWO SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS PROJECTS LIKE THIS UNDER THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE, THE NEXT PORTION OF THE PROGRAM IS THE PROJECTS THAT ARE THERE FOR METRO RAPID, UH, AN EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

THERE IS A GROUNDBREAKING SCHEDULED FOR THE 15TH OF DECEMBER.

UH, THE DESIGN PROCESS CONTINUES THE COORDINATION, UH, AND OBTAINING PERMITS FROM THE CITY TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT WORK, UH, IS ONGOING.

WE'VE SELECTED THE CONTRACTOR WHO WILL BE THE, UH, IDW ACU CONTRACT THAT WILL DO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONCRETE PORTION.

UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE ADVERTISED THE CONTRACT, UH, FOR THE DESIGN AND SELECTION OF WHAT WILL BE THERE FOR THE SHELTERS THEMSELVES, UH, GETTING READY TO GO WITH BOTH THE GOLD LINE AND ALSO, UH, SOUTH LAMAR, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UH, THE EXTENSION THAT WILL GO DOWN, MAN, CHECK OUT AS THE FIRST PORTION, UH, AND THEN LOOKING TO OAK HILL AS THE SECOND PIECE.

UH, SO WE'VE GOT RFQ THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR THE DESIGN SERVICES AS WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH THOSE PROJECTS, THE RED LINE, UH, MCCOLLOUGH STATION, UH, JACKIE TALKED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, UH, ABOUT ANOTHER, UH, PUBLIC EVENT THAT WILL BE OUT THERE.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH FINALIZATION OF THE TRACK WORK AND THE DESIGN, A DESIGN BUILD SOLICITATION THAT'S OUT FOR THE STATION ITSELF.

UH, AND THEN LAKE LAND LEANDER, THERE HAS BEEN THE GROUNDBREAKING, UH, FOR THAT SECTION OF DOUBLE TRACKING, UH, AND BROADMORE STATION CONTINUES ONE OF THE PORTIONS THAT, OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM THAT WE'VE COMPLETED.

AND WE'LL START TO TRACK THESE THIS WAY, UH, IS WHAT'S THERE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS, THAT PORTION WHERE THERE WAS

[00:45:01]

THE CONTENT OF THREE DIFFERENT ADDITIONAL ROUTES HAVE NOW BEEN ROLLED OUT, AS WE'VE SAID BEFORE.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST PROJECT.

THAT'S WHEN THE OVERALL PROGRAM THAT HAS HIT THAT FINISH LINE.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. COLLEGE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

NO QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS.

NOPE.

SO NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM ATPS DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY, SAM SERGEANT, AND HE'S GOING TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

[4.3. Administrative Update]

WELCOME, SIR.

UH, I'M GONNA INVITE OUR BOARD TO JOIN US ON EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

UM, WE HAVE A VERY QUICK UPDATE TODAY ON THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, WHICH YOU WILL BE CONSIDERING TODAY, AND IT'S BEEN A LONG, BUT REALLY I THINK IMPORTANT ROAD FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP, NOT ONLY IS THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, BUT WITH CAPITAL METRO, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS TIMELINE BEFORE, BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY GREEN CIRCLES HERE.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE TOGETHER, AS WELL AS THIS BOARD AND YOUR FELLOW POLICYMAKERS WITH THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD AND CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WE MADE IT THROUGH OUR JOINT WORK SESSION, WHICH I THINK WAS VERY PRODUCTIVE AS WELL.

UM, AS OUR JOINT, UH, INITIALLY PLANNED FOR MEETING FOR ACTION BEFORE GETTING TO NOVEMBER WHERE ULTIMATELY WE WOUND UP DIVIDING UP THOSE ACTION ITEMS BETWEEN THE THREE ENTITIES.

AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY, AND YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW THIS, AND WE'D CERTAINLY HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THESE, BUT ON NOVEMBER 4TH, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, THE JPA WITH A FEW AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, UH, AND CAPITAL METRO BOARD, UH, APPROVED THAT VERSION OF THE JPA, WHICH WE'VE TURNED JPA FOR.

UH, IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKET.

AND IT'S ALSO BEEN POSTED PUBLICLY.

WE'VE ALSO SHARED THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, TAX AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

AND NOW, UH, WE BRING THAT DOCUMENT TO YOU TODAY FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

AND THIS IS THE LAST STEP, UH, IN THE APPROVAL PROCESSES FOR THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

AND, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DOCUMENT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM NOW, OR WE CAN ALSO WAIT, UH, UNTIL WE GET TO THAT ACTION ITEM, BUT NO CHANGES.

UH, I DON'T BELIEVE FROM THE DOCUMENT THAT, UH, CAPITAL METRO PASSED, WHICH ALSO MIRRORED, UH, WHAT CITY COUNCIL PASSED.

SO VERY EXCITING AND VERY GRATEFUL, UH, NOT ONLY TO OUR OWN STAFF ON THE ATP SIDE, BRANDON AND CASEY, WE HAVE REALLY TALENTED LEGAL COUNSEL THAT HELPED US, BUT ALSO OUR PARTNERS AT CITY LAW, KATE, UH, LEEANNE CONTI AT THE CITY, CHEYENNE CROUSEY AND ASHLEY GLOSSER AT CAPITAL METRO.

SO THANK YOU IN QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HEAVY LIFT, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH COURSER SERGEANT.

AND, UH, I THINK WITH THIS,

[5. Executive Session]

SO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOW ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 51 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH ATTORNEY REGARDING SECTION 4.2 0.2 OF THE DRAFT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

UM, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE COMPLETE THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.

OUR NEXT, UH, ACTION ITEM.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

UM, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS.

[6.1. Approval of minutes from the October 20, 2021 Board Meeting]

I SUPPOSE.

THE FIRST ACTION ITEM TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE, THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 20TH, 2021 AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.

IF EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES, I WOULD REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND AND ACTION ITEM ONE, MAYOR ADLER MOTIONS FOR MEMBER STRATTON.

SECOND, EVERYBODY IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

ANY NAYS? THANK YOU.

THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

[6.2. Authorize negotiation and execution of JPA with CMTA and the City of Austin]

NUMBER TWO IS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FINALIZATION AND EXECUTION OF JPA WITH CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND, UH, BEFORE I REQUEST THIS MOTION, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO MENTION THAT WE HAVE REACHED A VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE AS WE CONTINUE WITH THIS PROGRAM AND HOW PROUD I AM OF THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE

[00:50:01]

HAVE BUILT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WITH CAPITAL METRO.

UM, THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL BE MEMORIALIZED IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AND ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.

SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR.

THE CITY CAP, METRO, AND THE ATP, OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE PROJECT CONNECT TO SUCCESS.

IT'S MOVED BY, UH, DR.

BURNETT, DO I HAVE A SECOND MOTION? UM, I'D LIKE TO SECOND THE MOTION, MADAM CHAIR WITH A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION.

IF I COULD TO OUTLINE THE INITIAL STEPS THAT WE WILL TAKE AS A BOARD, UM, TO PROCEED, UH, WITH THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 4.2 0.2 OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT AHEAD OF OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING SPECIFICALLY, I'D LIKE TO ADD THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO THE END OF THE RESOLUTION, UH, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT PURSUANT TO SECTION 4.2 0.2 OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, HEREBY AUTHORIZES AND DIRECTS CHAIR CASTRO TO BEARER, TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE ATP GENERAL COUNCIL TO IDENTIFY THE PROPOSED PROCESS AND APPROACH FOR THE ATP BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO CONDUCT AN INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS, TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR ATP, THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS, THE ATP GENERAL COUNSEL SHALL SERVE AS THE ATP STAFF LIAISON TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REPORTING DIRECTLY AND CONFIDENTIALLY TO THE ATP BOARD WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTERS RELATED TO THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS, THE PROPOSED PROCESS AND APPROACH FOR PERFORMING THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS SHALL BE PRESENTED TO THE ATP BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR APPROVAL AT THE HCP DECEMBER 15TH BOARD MEETING SUCH PROPOSED PROCESS SHELL AT A MINIMUM ONE, IDENTIFY THE OBJECTIVES AND PRIORITIES OF THE ATP BOARD IN DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP MODEL TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH THE CAC, TECHNICALLY ADVANCED TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND OTHERS THREE IDENTIFY THE KEY PROGRAM DELIVERY FACTORS TO BE ANALYZED FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR PROVIDE FOR THE DELIVERY OF AN IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT REPORT BY A QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT SELECTED BY THE ATP BOARD TO EVALUATE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BOTH INDEPENDENT AND JOINT LEADERSHIP MODELS AND ANY VARIATIONS THEREOF, AND TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND FIVE ESTABLISH A TIMELINE FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS WITH KEY MILESTONES TO MEET, TO MEET THE MARCH 31ST, 2022 DEADLINE, THE ATP GENERAL COUNCIL SHALL TAKE THE STEPS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSED PROCESS AND APPROACH APPROVED BY THE ATP BOARD SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN AN IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT MANNER.

THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, UH, WITH THIS SECOND, AND PLEASE GUIDE ME CASE IN CASE I'M, I'M SKIPPING A STEP, BUT, UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IN ADDING THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT? DO WE APPROVE IT TO HAVE THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT ADDED MAY RADLER? OKAY.

UM, NO OBJECTION, THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, AND, UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION TO THAT FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR MOTION.

AND IN THE SECOND, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO APPRECIATE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CABINETRY BOARD FOR THE FORESIGHT IN CREATING, YOU KNOW, AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY THAT CAN HELP DELIVER THIS PROGRAM, UH, HOW WE DECIDE ON THIS LEADERSHIP MODEL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AS I INTENDED, I'M PREPARED TO LEAD THE ITP BOARD ON THIS EFFORT.

UH, SO THANK YOU.

AND IF THERE ARE ANY, NO MORE QUESTIONS OR OBJECTIONS RELATING TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION MAYOR, UH, SORRY, THIS IS A BIG THING.

SO I JUST WANT TO NOTE IT AND RECOGNIZE IT THAT WAY.

UH, THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY HAS REALLY ENTRUSTED ONTO US TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT, UH, AND TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT ON TIME ON BUDGET IN A MANNER THAT CENTERS EQUITY, AND THAT INVOLVES THE COMMUNITY AND TRANSFORMS THE CITY REALLY FOR GENERATIONS.

UH, TODAY'S MEETING PUTS US ONE STEP CLOSER TO FULFILLING THOSE COMMITMENTS THAT WE MADE IN THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS.

UH, IT REINFORCES ALL THREE BODIES,

[00:55:01]

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALL THREE APPROVING THIS AND IT'S A GOOD DAY.

IT IS YES.

BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

UH, THANK YOU.

I JUST HAD ONE COMMENT.

I MEAN, I'M CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE JPA IT'S, IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT THEN AGAIN, WHAT IS PERFECT.

I THINK IT WAS NEGOTIATED IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUE COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE THREE BODIES.

UM, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD DOCUMENT.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS AGREEMENT.

UM, I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT ATP STAFF AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK FOR THE WORK THEY DID, UH, IN PARTICULAR CALL AT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FOR ALL THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, AS WELL AS THE CAP METRO BOARD, SPECIFICALLY OUR CHAIR, UM, THE MADAME DE TO KISS THEIR BARRERA AND ATP BOARD MEMBERS.

AND I ESPECIALLY LIKED TO CALL IT TO THE COMMUNITY WHO ADVOCATED, UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY IS WE HEARD YOU THANK YOU FOR MY MO CANS.

UM, YES.

MS. VAN DACA.

UM, I JUST BRIEFLY WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE HARD WORK OF THE STAFF THAT GOT US TO THIS POINT.

UM, REALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UH, JUST A YEAR AGO, THIS VOTE WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS OF AUSTIN, UH, BROUGHT FORTH BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL.

UM, AND HERE WE ARE A YEAR LATER, UH, MADE TREMENDOUS PROGRESS, BUT REALLY IT'S A CREDIT TO THE STAFF.

IT'S A GREAT CREDIT TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING, UH, THE STAFF, SOME OF WHOM ARE ASSEMBLED HERE THAT ARE IN THE NEWLY FORMED PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, CAPITAL METRO, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND OF COURSE THE LEADERSHIP OF RANDY CLARK OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS THAT GOT US TO THIS POINT.

THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

I WILL JUST ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID AND, UM, UH, LIKE MAYOR ADLER, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING FOR THIS THING TWICE NOW.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY.

WHO'S BEEN A PART OF THIS.

THIS IS A GREAT MILESTONE MOVING FORWARD AND, UM, UH, WHERE, UM, LET'S, LET'S KEEP THE TRAINS RUNNING ON TIME.

LET'S, LET'S TAKE THE NEXT STEP.

LET'S GET THIS BUILT AND WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL TAKE A VERY, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A VERY DELIBERATIVE PROCESS AND STUDYING, UH, WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE FOR ENSURING THE, UH, THE SUCCESS OF BUILDING THIS THING ON-TIME AND ON-BUDGET AND DELIVERING WHAT WE PROMISED THE VOTERS AND WHAT ALL BODIES HAVE BEEN, UH, COLLECTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF, OF, UH, THE CITY AND OUR FUTURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

BUT REMEMBER STRATTON? YES.

I JUST WANTED TO REAFFIRM SOMETHING THAT, UH, UH, GINA SAID THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE IN THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY.

I WANT TO THANK THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO REALLY JUMP THIS REAL QUICKLY AND IT'S MOVING FORWARD AND IT'S GOING TO NEED TO DO THAT ONE TO THANK THE STAFF BECAUSE IT'S HAS REALLY MOVED SO FAR DOWN THE, DOWN THE TRACKS.

AND I DIDN'T MENTION THAT AND WISH THAT I HAD.

WE'RE GOING TO BE BRIEF BY OUR INVESTMENT POLICY, MR. BRIAN RIVERA, HE'S RTP TREASURER, BRIAN JOINED ATP ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

MA'AM SO WITH THAT, UM, IF THERE NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS AND PROCEED WITH A VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION AS AMENDED BY BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

SO EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE, AYE.

AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUS WITH ZERO, UM, WITH NO, NO.

SO THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE HARD WORK.

AND UM, SO NOW WE MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM.

UM,

[7.1. Briefing on ATP Investment Policy]

SO WELCOME BRIAN TO THE TEAM.

THERE YOU GO.

MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS.

IT'S LIKE TO HAVE CLARK.

YEAH, IT'S BEEN A BUSY PAST MONTH.

SO MY FIRST DAY WAS OCTOBER 4TH, UM, AND JUST GOT ON BOARD AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AND TRYING TO HELP BRING THIS PROJECT FORWARD IN ANY WAY I CAN.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS TODAY IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TREASURY OFFICE IN GENERAL, KIND OF THE FUNCTIONS THAT WE'LL BE COMPLETING, UM, IN, IN THE TREASURY OFFICE.

AND THEN WE'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT THE INVESTMENT POLICY, UM, THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE TAKING UP IN DECEMBER FOR ACTION ITEM.

I DON'T THINK.

[01:00:05]

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE'S THREE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE TREASURY OFFICE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A CASH MANAGEMENT FUNCTION, A DEBT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION AND AN INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION.

AND WE'LL TOUCH BRIEFLY ON THEM.

UM, HERE, NEXT NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO CASH MANAGEMENT IS JUST MANAGING THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE ON HAND.

AS WE KNOW, UM, AS, AS THE PROJECT RAMPS UP, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME LARGE BILLS COMING DUE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR CASH FLOW MODEL, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE LARGER OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING DUE.

UM, ANOTHER FUNCTION WITHIN THE CASH MANAGEMENT, UM, PORTION OF THE TREASURY OFFICE IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COLLAB, WITH THE DEPOSITORY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AMPLE COLLATERAL ON HAND.

SO THIS IS MAKING SURE THAT THE FUNDS THAT WE HAVE HELD AT THE BANK ARE ADEQUATELY SECURED.

UM, AND THEN ALSO WE'LL BE MANAGING THAT DEPOSITORY CONTRACT AND WORKING WITH OUR BANKING CONTACT ON A DAILY BASIS.

NEXT SLIDE.

WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THE NEXT YEAR, AND THREE IS THE YIELD OBJECTIVE.

SO NEXT IS DEBT MANAGEMENT.

UM, THIS IS REALLY THE FOCAL POINT OF A LOT OF THE FINANCING THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE TO HELP MOVE PROJECT CONNECT AND THE VARIOUS ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE PROJECTS FORWARD.

UM, SO THE INITIAL STAGES WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR BOND COUNSEL, INTERNAL LEGAL COUNSEL, AND VARIOUS UNDERWRITING FIRMS TO HELP SECURE THE FINANCING THAT, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED TO KIND OF HELP MOVE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE FORWARD.

ONCE THIS INITIAL STEP IS COMPLETED AND THE DEBT IS ISSUED, THERE ARE VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS THAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON A ROUTINE BASIS.

UM, THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT ONES THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THERE IS MAKING SURE THAT THE DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS ARE MADE ON TIME, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT DEFAULTING ON ANY OF OUR OBLIGATIONS THAT WE ISSUE.

AND THEN NEXT IS THE COMPLIANCE PORTION.

SO WHEN WE DO ACCESS TO CAPITAL MARKETS, THERE'S GOING TO BE A SLEW OF DEBT COVENANTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ENTER INTO TO ENSURE THAT WE'LL BE PROVIDING THE BOND HOLDERS AND THE INVESTORS WITH ADEQUATE INFORMATION TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

UM, THE DEBT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION KIND OF HELPS MAINTAIN THAT, MAKE THAT MAKE SURE IS THAT ALL THE COMPLIANCE ITEMS THAT NEED TO GET COMPLETED ARE COMPLETED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR OVERSEEING THAT CONTRACT AS WELL AS THE UNDERWRITING, UM, CONTRACT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP BRING OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE CAPITAL MARKET AND SECURE THAT FINANCING.

NEXT SLIDE, NEXT IS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, AND THIS IS REALLY THE MAIN REASON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

UM, SO WITHIN THE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FUNCTION WITHIN THE TREASURY OFFICE, IT'S REALLY TO ENFORCE AND ADMINISTER THE INVESTMENT POLICY.

SO ENSURING THAT ANY INVESTMENTS THAT ARE ENTERED INTO WITH ATP FUNDS AT HERE, ONE STATE STATUTE AND TWO, THE INVESTMENT POLICY THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO APPROVE IN DECEMBER.

UM, THIS, THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION REALLY GOES HAND IN HAND WITH CASH MANAGEMENT.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE ENTERING INTO, UM, BASICALLY TIED TOGETHER WITH OUR CASHFLOW NEEDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING DUE IN THE NEXT MONTH, THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, AND NEXT YEAR, REALLY.

UM, AND ONE THING I DO WANT TO MENTION IS THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 2, 2, 5, 6 PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.

THAT'S REALLY THE FOCAL POINT OF HOW OUR INVESTMENT POLICY WAS DRAFTED.

SO THERE'S A SET, UM, SET CRITERIA OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE CAN ENTER INTO.

AND THESE ARE VERY SECURE INVESTMENTS TALKING US TREASURIES, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY MONEY MARKET ACCOUNTS FOR MUNICIPAL ENTITIES TO ENTER INTO.

SO REALLY SECURE INVESTMENTS AS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS MENTIONED BEFORE WE WILL NOT BE INVESTING IN CRYPTOCURRENCY, UNFORTUNATELY.

UH, AND LASTLY, UM, ONE THING I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT LAST PARTICULAR BULLET, WE MAY BE LOOKING FOR AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR OR INVESTMENT CONSULTANT TO KIND OF HELP STAND UP THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION OF THE TREASURY OFFICE.

AND THEY'LL REALLY BE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO IS GONNA GO HAND IN HAND WITH OUR CASHFLOW NEEDS OF THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND YEARS AND SUCH NEXT SLIDE.

SO HERE'S, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT THAT INVESTMENT POLICY.

AS I MENTIONED, UM, OUR INVESTMENT POLICY THAT'S GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BY YOU ALL IN DECEMBER, WAS STRUCTURED TO BE COMPLIANT WITH STATE STATUTE.

UM, THE MAIN OBJECTIVES SET OUT WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY ARE OBVIOUSLY NUMBER ONE IS GOING TO BE THE SAFETY OF OUR ASSETS THAT WE HAVE ON HAND.

UM, TWO IS MAINTAINING LIQUIDITY.

SO AGAIN, TYING BACK TO OUR CASHFLOW NEEDS

[01:05:01]

SO MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE EARNING AMPLE INTERESTS, UM, BY ACCESSING ROOFS SECURE INVESTMENTS WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY, THERE ARE GOING TO BE THREE INVESTMENT STRATEGIES THAT ARE OUTLINED.

ONE IS GOING TO BE FOR THE OPERATING PORTFOLIO, UM, WHICH IS REALLY MAINLY OUR OWN PORTFOLIO RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY PORTFOLIO WE HAVE AND THEN THE NEXT TO OUR DEBT SERVICE PORTFOLIO AND A DEBT SERVICE RESERVE PORTFOLIO.

UM, THESE ARE, I DID INCLUDE THEM IN THE INVESTMENT POLICY AS WE WILL BE ISSUING DEBT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, UM, WITHIN THE LIFE OF ATP.

SO TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE FROM THAT POINT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY, THERE IS A SECTION THAT, UM, DELEGATES AUTHORITY OF INVESTING THE FUNDS AND PER THE BYLAWS, THE CUSTODIAN OF THE FUNDS IS THE TREASURER OF THE BOARD, WHICH IS THE CFO CURRENTLY.

SO WE DID, I DID ALLOW FOR AN, IT IS CUSTOM CUSTOMARY TO ALLOW FOR THE DELEGATION OF THAT PARTICULAR AUTHORITY TO THE TREASURY OFFICE OR OTHER FINANCIAL AND FINANCIAL OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION TO KIND OF ENTER INTO VARIOUS INVESTMENTS ON BEHALF OF, UM, THE TREASURER OF THE BOARD WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY.

UM, THERE IS A SECTION THAT DOES OUTLINE AN AUDIT REQUIREMENT.

SO THIS IS GOING TO GO HAND IN HAND WITH OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL AUDIT THAT ATP UNDERTAKES, AND ESSENTIALLY THAT AUDIT IS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ADHERING TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY THAT YOU ALL APPROVE IN DECEMBER.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, HERE ON THIS SLIDE, I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE INVESTMENT POLICY IS STRUCTURED IN A MANNER TO ALLOW FOR AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR OR AN INVESTMENT CONSULTANT TO MANAGE OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.

SO AS WE DO KIND OF LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND WHAT THAT PARTICULAR SOLICITATION LOOKS LIKE, I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INVESTMENT POLICY ALLOWED FOR THOSE SERVICES TO BE PROCURED.

NEXT SLIDE.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S GREAT PRESENTATION.

SO, AND I THINK THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE THAT I HAVE ON THE TOPIC, BUT WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY, THERE IS AN INVESTMENT COMMITTEE THAT IS FORMED.

UM, THIS INVESTMENT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO BE, UH, THE CFO AS, AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, THE TREASURER, MYSELF AS THE VICE CHAIR, THE BUDGET DIRECTOR, UM, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR FINANCIAL ADVISING FIRM AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM LEGAL AND WHAT, WHAT WE WILL KIND OF MEET AND TALK ABOUT IS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.

UM, AND THEN LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF FUTURE, UM, INVESTMENT PROCEDURES AND HOW WE SHOULD STRUCTURE THOSE AND ENSURING THAT THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO IS THAT HEARING TO THE INVESTMENT POLICY.

UM, ALSO WITHIN THE INVESTMENT POLICY, IT IS OUTLINED THE, WE DO OUTLINE THE, OUR REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND THESE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE REQUIRED PER STATE STATUTE.

AND I HAVE THE SECTION LISTED THERE.

UM, WHAT, WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE ESSENTIALLY A QUARTERLY REPORT THAT IS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD.

THAT'S A SCENT, THAT'S GOING TO BREAK OUT OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.

IT'S GOING TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE ALL ARE INVESTED IN.

IT'S GOING TO SHOW YOU BEGINNING BALANCE, ENDING BALANCE WHAT WE ARE EARNING ON THE VARIOUS INVESTMENTS THAT WE DID SECURE.

UM, SO THAT, THAT WILL BE COMING OUT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.

AND THEN LASTLY, PER , THIS INVESTMENT POLICY DOES NEED TO BE APPROVED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

SO THIS WILL BE KIND OF A ROUTINE THING THAT YOU GUYS SEE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS BEFORE YOU, UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU ALL.

UM, ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. RIVERA.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES.

OH, THANK YOU.

UH, THANKS BRIAN, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD.

WELCOME MY GUESTS TRIAL BY FIRE THE HONEYMOON'S OVER, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE INVESTMENT, UM, UH, THAT YOUR POLICY IS GOING TO PRESENT TO US.

I MEAN, I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'D BE THE OBJECTIVE.

SOMETHING LIKE MAXIMIZE YIELD WITH, UH, ADEQUATE SAFETY AND ADEQUATE LIQUIDITY, SOMETHING.

BUT TO, TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WANT TO SEE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF OUR CASH SOMEWHAT LADDERED.

WE'RE NOT KEEPING IT ALL IN, YOU KNOW, OVERNIGHTS, RIGHT? SO CASH THAT WE DON'T NEED FOR SAY A YEAR FROM NOW, WE'VE MATCHED THAT UP TO MATURITY OF INVESTMENTS TO PICK UP YIELD.

THE OTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT IS THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO WANT TO WORK WITH HER ON UNDERWRITING, RIGHT? AND UNDERWRITING IS EXTREMELY PROFITABLE BUSINESS TO BANKS, RIGHT? SO TO THE EXTENT WHERE AGNOSTIC BETWEEN TWO UNDERWRITERS AND ONE UNDERWRITER MAY HAVE A CASH INVESTMENT PRODUCT AND THEY OFFER US A MORE FAVORABLE YIELD, UH, TO, TO CONSIDER A SELECTION CRITERIA FOR UNDERWRITER, FOR SURE THAT MAY OFFER US A BETTER YIELD TO KIND OF MAKE SOME LINKAGES ON THOSE TOO.

[01:10:02]

AWESOME.

PERFECT.

ONE THING I DID WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, IS IN DECEMBER WHEN WE DO BRING THIS BACK FOR, UH, FOR APPROVAL BY YOU ALL, UM, I DID MENTION THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS, WHICH ARE ESSENTIALLY A MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT, UM, FOR MUNICIPALITIES TO KIND OF PARK MONEY OVERNIGHT.

THOSE PARTICULAR, UM, INVESTMENT VEHICLES REQUIRE A BOARD RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING US TO PUT MONEY WITH THEM.

UM, SO WE WILL BE BRINGING THAT A BOARD RESOLUTION TO ALLOW FOR US TO KIND OF DEPLOY THE FUNDS INTO, UH, OVERNIGHT KIND OF SECURITY IN THE MEANTIME, UM, IN LIEU WITH THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

SO, UM, A GREAT PRESENTATION AND WELCOMING.

WAS THERE A HONEYMOON? DID YOU HAVE A HONEYMOON? DID YOU HAVE, OH YEAH, NO, IT WAS, THEY ALL LIKE 30 MINUTES.

UM, THE SECTION ABOUT PROHIBITED INVESTMENTS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THIS MAY BE A LEGAL QUESTION AS WELL.

HOW DO WE ASSURE THAT THE PORTFOLIO IS NOT INVESTED IN SOMETHING THAT'S NOT IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE MISSION AND ETHICS AND THE CORE VALUES OF ATP, UM, AS FAR AS CORE VALUES OF ATP, UM, IF THERE ARE CERTAIN ITEMS TO FIND ANYWHERE, BUT JUST THAT WE DON'T GET INTO A QUANDARY WHERE AN INVESTMENT IS MADE IN SOMETHING THAT'S ANTI HOOP, WHAT WE STAND IN.

WELL, THE GOOD THING IS, IS THAT THE ONLY ITEMS THAT WE CAN INVEST IN, THERE'S A SECTION THAT SAYS ELIGIBLE INVESTMENTS, AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF, IT'S US TREASURIES, IT'S, UM, MUNICIPAL BONDS OR MUNICIPAL SECURITIES THAT ARE OFFERED IN THE MARKET.

IT'S VERY SECURE INVESTMENT INVESTMENT, EXCUSE ME.

SO WE, WE WON'T BE GOING OUT AND INVESTING IN EQUITIES OR TESLA OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY SECURE INVESTMENTS THAT ARE OFFERED BY FOR INSTANCE, STATE OR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO IT'S SO UNDER PROHIBITED INVESTMENTS, THAT'S JUST IT'S INFERRED.

SO THERE, THERE ARE TWO ITEMS, I THINK, COLLATERALIZED MORTGAGE OBLIGATIONS OFFER.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO JUST TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS POLICY THAT'S GOING TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR DECEMBER WOULD BE AS AN ACTION ITEM FOR APPROVAL, CORRECT.

AND THIS COMPLIES WITH OUR REQUIREMENTS PER, PER STATE STATUTE.

FIRST STATUTE.

A BRIEFING ON THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER APPOINTMENT BY DEPUTY COUNSEL, BRANDON CARR.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I MEAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS I DON'T, BUT I DO APPRECIATE, UH, THAT, UH, WE'RE GETTING IT A MONTH IN ADVANCE, UH, FOR US AND FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT, THEN CERTAINLY IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, OR WE'LL GET THEM TO YOU FOR SURE, AS WE GET INTO DECEMBER, BUT JUST FOR THE, FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, WE'RE NOT REALLY IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS NOW, BUT RECEIVING IT NOW AND GETTING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON IS REAL IMPORTANT.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

[7.2. Briefing on Records Management Policy and Records Management Officer Appointment]

WELCOME TO THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK.

UM, I, ONCE AGAIN, I'M BRANDON CARR, I'M THE DEPUTY COUNSEL FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

THIS MONTH, WE'RE BRINGING YOU A BRIEFING ON THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY THAT WILL BE COMING TO YOU FOR APPROVAL IN DECEMBER, AND ALSO THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER APPOINTMENT.

UM, FIRST, UM, AS ATP IS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.

WE MUST COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT RECORDS ACT, WHICH IS CHAPTER 2 0 1 THROUGH 2 0 5 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AS A PART OF THAT ACT.

UH, ATP MUST, UH, THE ATP BOARD ACTUALLY MUST ADOPT A RECORDS AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT POLICY.

WHAT THAT POLICY DOES IS IT CREATES A WAY FOR US TO EFFICIENTLY, ECONOMICALLY, UM, HAVE EFFECTIVE CONTROLS OVER THE CREATION DISTRIBUTION ORGANIZATION, MAINTENANCE USE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, DISPOSITION OF ALL RECORDS FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

UM, AS A PART OF THAT, WE'LL HAVE A RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE THAT IS PUT OUT BY THE STATE.

UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WILL BE A TIMELINE FOR WHEN WE CAN DISPOSE OF CONTRACTS VERSUS PERSONNEL FILES VERSUS A DESIGN DOCUMENT.

UM, AND ALL THAT SET OUT IN, IN, IN THE RECORDS RETENTION SCHEDULE SET OUT BY THE STATE.

UM, THE REASON THIS IS COMING NOW, AND IT SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY ADOPTED IN DECEMBER IS BECAUSE THE RIM POLICY, ACCORDING TO STATE STATUTE MUST BE ADOPTED WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ATPS INCORPORATION SINCE WE WERE INCORPORATED IN DECEMBER.

UH, WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO YOU, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THAT DEADLINE.

UM, THE SECOND PART OF THIS, UM,

[01:15:01]

IN ADDITION TO THE RECORDS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT POLICY, UH, ATP MUST ALSO DESIGNATE AN INDIVIDUAL OR POSITION TO BE THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

UM, STAFF IS PROPOSING TO DESIGNATE OUR LEGAL SERVICES OR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT'S LEGAL SERVICES COORDINATOR, WHICH IS CURRENTLY STAFFED BY LYNN TRUMBULL.

UH, SHE REPORTS TO ME, UM, SO WE'RE ASKING THAT SHE BE APPOINTED AS OUR RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT LAND, AND SHE WILL BE HERE HOPEFULLY NEXT MEETING FOR YOU TO SEE HER AND MEET HER IF YOU NEED TO.

UM, SHE SERVED AS A SENIOR ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY FOR THE CITY OF HADOW FOR TWO YEARS, AND SHE'S PURSUING A STATE CERTIFICATION IN RECORDS MANAGEMENT.

SO BOTH OF US ARE GETTING TRAINED UP AND RAMPED UP ON RECORDS MANAGEMENT, AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED.

UM, AGAIN, RECORDS MANAGEMENT IS NOT JUST A ONE-PERSON JOB.

IT'S NOT A ONE PERSON SHOP IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE SHARED AMONG THE ORGANIZATION.

UM, SO WE'RE COORDINATING WITH THE PROJECT TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR DOCUMENT CONTROLS MATCH UP WITH THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT POLICY AFTER THIS APPROVAL IN DECEMBER OF THE RIM POLICY AND THE RMO DESIGNATION, THEN WE WILL GO AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK WITH THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES COMMISSION, WHICH GOVERNS BOTH THE RIM POLICY AND THE RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER, UH, PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAD ANY QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS FROM MR. CARR.

UM, BRANDON, THANKS VERY MUCH.

THAT WAS A, YOU KNOW, I'M ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAN APPRECIATE RECORDS MANAGEMENT BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IN PRIOR LIVES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE DOCUMENTATION AND IT PUTS US IN A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION WITH RESPECT TO, UM, UH, LITIGATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I THINK WITH RESPECT TO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN ONE KEY AREA AND THAT'S CHANGE ORDERS, CHANGE MANAGEMENT.

UM, AND I, AND I'VE SEEN THIS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE ALL DISCUSSIONS WITH CONTRACTORS DOCUMENTED A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE AN INFORMAL DISCUSSION BY THE WATER COOLER WITH A CONSULTANT I'D LIKE YOU TO DO SO AT SUCH AND SUCH.

AND THEY DO IT, THEY VIEW IT AS A CHANGE, BUT IT ISN'T REALLY A CHANGE.

BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE MINUTES OF MEETINGS, WHEN WE HAVE THAT, THAT THERE'S MINUTES PRODUCED, THAT GETS SOMEHOW LINKED INTO THIS RECORD MANAGEMENT THING, UH, EMAILS, INFORMAL COMMUNICATIONS.

WE, WE MADE A CONSULTANT IN THE CORRIDOR, HEY, I'D LIKE YOU TO DO SOME EXTRA ENGINEERING WORK, RIGHT.

THEN WE SEND AN EMAIL, UM, JOHN DOE, HEY, HAD THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, DOING EXTRA ENGINEERING WORK.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF STUFF I THINK THAT WILL SERVE US IN GOOD STEAD DOWN THE ROAD WITH RESPECT TO CHANGE ORDERS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY CHANGE ORDERS ARE JUST PART OF LIFE, BUT IF WE'VE GOT DOCUMENTATION THAT JUST HELPS.

YES.

WILL BE AN UPDATE ON THE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS BY OUR ATPG FOR, FOR ARCHITECTURE OF THE SIGN, MR. MULLEN WELCOMES.

UM, AND AS A PART OF THIS RMO POSITION, WE WILL ALSO PUT OUT SOME TRAINING SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT KIND OF DOCUMENTS, UM, NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED AND ARE AWARE OF THIS RETENTION SCHEDULE.

I MEAN, IT, IT DOES HELP US, AS YOU MENTIONED, BOARD OVER ELKINS WITH LITIGATION OR PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS OR AUDITS.

UM, AND SO WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.

GREAT.

ANY OTHER FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MR. CARR? NO, THANK YOU, SIR.

OUR FINAL BRIEFING

[7.3. Community Design Workshop Update]

THANK YOU, CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS.

IT GIVES DIRECTOR A CLERK.

UM, SO THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WE'VE HAD TWO COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS, UM, AND THEY'RE BOTH, UH, TWO VERY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND AREAS OF THE PROGRAM.

UM, AND I WANT TO JUST TO TAKE YOU THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT, BECAUSE THAT WILL BE INCREDIBLY HELPFUL TO US IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING THE DESIGN FOR EACH OF THESE.

UM, I KNOW IT'S, IT'S GETTING ON IN THIS, SO I'LL TRY TO MOVE RAPIDLY.

UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

UM, AND TO ORIENT YOU, UM, THIS IS THE BRIDGE BASICALLY CONNECTS, UH, THE WATERFRONT STATION, WHICH IS AN AD GRADE STATION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, UH, WITH THE, UH, RAINY MAX STATION, WHICH IS A UNDERGROUND STATION ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE.

UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE TWO STATIONS ON THE MAP, UM, AND SOME OF THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE W THE, CURRENTLY WE ARE THE WAY WE'RE THE VISION FOR THE BRIDGE IS THAT IT IS BOTH A, A BRIDGE FOR THE BLUE LINE AND THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES THAT WILL TRAVEL ON THE BLUE LINE, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, BRIDGE FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.

AND, AND I'LL TALK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, CONSTRAINTS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO NAVIGATE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE, THE CONTEXT OF THE, OF LADY BIRD LAKE ITSELF AND THE BUTLER TRAIL, UM, WATERLOO GREENWAY TRAIL, UM, ALSO THE WATERLOO, THE WALNUT CREEK, UM, TUNNEL, UH, ALCOHOL, WHICH IS DIRECTLY

[01:20:01]

ADJACENT TO IT AND THE WALNUT CREEK BOATHOUSE, WHICH WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE BRIDGE.

UM, THIS IS JUST A MAP SHOWING SOME OF THE CONNECTIONS THAT CAN BE MADE, UM, NOT JUST FOR THE BLUE LINE, BUT ALSO FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS, UM, INCLUDING A POTENTIAL FEATURE OR EXTENSION OF THE LAND STORM FRONT BIKEWAY, WHICH COMES DOWN ESSENTIALLY FROM CURRENTLY COMES CROSS FOURTH, TURN SOUTH ON TRINITY, AND THEN CONTINUES WEST ON THIRD.

AND ATD IS CONSIDERING AN EXTENSION OF THE LANCE ARMSTRONG BIKEWAY DOWN TRINITY.

SO THAT COULD CONNECT TO THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AS WELL.

UM, AND THEY CONNECT TO SOUTH AUSTIN IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT.

UM, THE, THIS IS A SENSITIVE LANDSCAPE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITHIN.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WAS BORN OUT IN THE, IN THE WORKSHOP.

UM, I'VE SAID THE LAKE IS, IS, UH, A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS AT THE CENTER OF OUR CITY.

UM, AND, BUT IT, THE, THE LANDSCAPE IS A SENSITIVE ONE.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO GUIDE A LOT OF OUR DEVELOPMENT OF THE DESIGN AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, WALNUT CREEK DESIGN PLAN INCLUDED A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AT THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF THAT PROJECT.

THAT WAS PART OF THE COUNCIL APPROVED DESIGN PLAN FOR, UH, WATERLOO GREENWAY.

UM, WE ARE ESSENTIALLY PROPOSING TO INCORPORATE THAT ASPECT OF THAT PLAN INTO THE BRIDGE.

AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR US THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MEETING THE, THE INTENT BEHIND, UM, THAT PROGRAM, UM, AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BRIDGE DESIGN FOR THE BLUE LINE, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LOVE TO, TO JUST, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ASPIRATIONAL, RIGHT.

UM, THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO USE ARCHITECTURE IN A WAY, UM, AS WELL AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF MOBILITY, UH, TO, TO STITCH OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, CULTURALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, BRIDGES ARE, ARE INCREDIBLE METAPHORS, AND WE THINK WE REALLY SHOULD TRY TO USE THIS BRIDGE, UH, TO REALLY LEVERAGE THAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY WITHIN OUR CITY TO CREATE A PLACE THAT SERVES OUR COMMUNITY BROADLY.

UM, THE, AS I SAID, THE, THE LAKE IS, YOU KNOW, SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, UM, AND IT HAS THIS REALLY FASCINATING HISTORY FROM A PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, REGULARLY FLOODED TO A PLACE WHERE FLOODING WAS CONTROLLED, BUT IT WAS LARGELY INDUSTRIAL, UM, TO A PLACE THAT NOW IS THIS VERY ROBUST ENVIRONMENT.

AND THE, THE SENSITIVE ECOLOGY AND ROBUST, UM, ECOLOGY OF THE LAKE IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WE HAVE TO PROTECT, PRESERVE AND ENHANCE.

UM, AND, BUT IT'S ALSO A PLACE WHICH IS, HAS ROBUST HUMAN ACTIVITY.

AND SO WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THAT AS WELL.

UM, AND INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THE, THE BATS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A VERY, UH, SIGNIFICANT, BAD HABITAT UNDER THE CONGRESS AVENUE BRIDGE, UM, THAT SORT OF SYMBOLIZES THE, THE HARMONIOUS COEXISTENCE OF THE NATURAL AND THE REALMS. UM, AND SO IN SOME WAYS OUR BRIDGE HAS TO ACHIEVE THAT SAME BALANCE.

UM, WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT PRECEDENTS FOR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES IN PARTICULAR.

WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, NOT SO MUCH RAIL BRIDGES, BUT, UH, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES IN, IN AUSTIN OVER THE LAKE.

UM, THE FLUOR BRIDGE, UH, NEAR, UH, LAMAR, UM, IS JUST, IS SUCH A, UH, REALLY JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.

AND YOU CAN SEE, ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENINGS, UM, HOW PEOPLE GATHER THERE TO ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE AT THE LAKE.

AND IT'S, IT'S BOTH A PLACE OF GATHERING, BUT ALSO A PLACE OF SERENITY, UM, WHICH IS THAT IT GIVES AN AMAZING BALANCE.

UM, BUT ALSO THE, THE FUTURE LONGHORN DAM, UH, PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE TO THE EAST.

AND, UM, THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.

UM, SO I THINK WE HAVE SOME GOOD LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM THESE PRECEDENTS.

UM, I WANT TO JUST TAKE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID IN THE WORKSHOP, UM, WAS TO BRIEF THE PUBLIC ON THE LANDINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LAKE, BECAUSE IT'S, THEY ARE BOTH SENSITIVE IN, IN THEIR OWN WAYS.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, ON THE SOUTH SIDE, UM, THE BRIDGE WILL LAND ON THE, ESSENTIALLY AT THE LOCATION OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UH, WHICH IS IN DEVELOPMENT RIGHT NOW.

UM, AND SO WE CERTAINLY WANT TO, THERE'S A LITTLE SECTION DIAGRAM OF SHOWING HOW THAT THE BRIDGE WILL COME ACROSS ABOVE THE LAKE AND THEN BASICALLY LAND AT THE TOP OF THE BANK, UM, SO THAT IT CAN BASICALLY BOTH BRING THE TRAINS TO THE ACCURATE STATION TO THE SOUTH AT THE WATERFRONT STATION, BUT ALSO PROVIDE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CONNECTION BOTH TO THE TRAIL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, AS WELL AS TO THE NEW SOUTH CENTRAL WATERFRONT, UM, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAKE, A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE, THE BLUE LINE.

UM, THIS IS WHERE THE BLUE LINE TRANSITIONS FROM, UM, UH, THE BRIDGE ITSELF DIRECTLY INTO THE DOWNTOWN SUBWAY.

UM, AND SO WE'VE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO FIGURE HOW TO DO THAT IN THE MOST

[01:25:01]

EFFICIENT WAY, AND ALSO THE WAY THAT IS LEAST DISRUPTIVE TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE TRAIL ITSELF.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND HOW TO BASICALLY MANAGE THOSE THAT OVERLAP OF DIFFERENT MODAL, UH, MOVEMENTS.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THE, ESSENTIALLY BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE GOAL IS BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE TRAIL, UM, THAT THE TRAIN IS ALREADY UNDERGROUND SO THAT THE TRAIL CAN BE INTERRUPTED, UM, AS IT MOVES ALONG THE LAKE SHORE.

UM, ALSO, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO CONSIDER IS THAT WE DO HAVE TO MAINTAIN, UM, VEHICULAR ACCESS TO THE WALNUT CREEK, UH, OUTFALL, UM, FOR MAINTENANCE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER SORT OF, UH, ELEMENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO NAVIGATE.

UM, SO THIS IS A SECTION DIAGRAM SHOWING HOW THAT WOULD WORK ESSENTIALLY AS THE, UM, THE BRIDGE COMES ACROSS THE LAKE.

UH, THE TRAINS WOULD BASICALLY GO DOWN INTO THE SIDE OF THE BANK OF THE LAKE, UM, AND THEN THE PEDS AND THE BIKES WOULD STAY UP HIGH AND THEN TRANSITION TO THE TOP OF THE BANK WHERE THEY WOULD INTERSECT WITH THE, THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL.

UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING AN ENTRANCE INTO THE RAINY MAX STATION, UM, IN SOME PROXIMITY TO THE LAKE ITSELF.

IT'S MAYBE EASIER TO SEE HERE IT'S THAT BLUE SQUARE, UH, WHICH I THINK COULD BE A REALLY EXTRAORDINARY WAY TO MERGE THE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LAKE ITSELF AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO THAT AMENITY FROM ALL OVER THE CITY.

UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S AN ENTRANCE, AND THEN THERE'S A PEDESTRIAN RAMP THAT COMES DOWN, UH, ON TOP OF THE, THE RAIL TUNNEL, UM, TO CONNECT TO THE STATION TO THE NORTH.

SO THIS IS, I WILL SAY, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST GEOMETRICALLY CONSTRAINED AND COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS IN THE ENTIRE ALIGNMENT, AND WE HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO, UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S VERY GOING TO BE VERY TIGHTLY DESIGNED.

UM, THIS IS A, A KIND OF A MORE RENDERED LANDSCAPE VIEW OF HOW ALL THOSE ELEMENTS INTERSECT, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE, THE RAIL BASICALLY GOING UNDERGROUND.

UM, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO LANDSCAPE EASILY ON TOP OF THAT PORTAL.

UM, SO KIND OF, UH, BASICALLY MITIGATE THE IMPACTS ON THE LAKE.

UM, AND ACTUALLY I THINK BRINGING BACK A NEW LANDSCAPE TO ENHANCE THE ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION OF THE, THE LAKE SHORE, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE TRAIL COMING ACROSS AND THEN CONNECTING TO THE, BOTH THE EXTENSION OF THE HIKING, THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL TO THE EAST AND WATERLOO GREENWAY GOING NORTH.

UM, AND THEN THE POTENTIAL FOR, I THINK DEVELOPING THIS AS A REALLY EXTREME PLACE FOR PEOPLE, A DESTINATION WITH THE ENTRANCE INTO THE, UM, THE STATION.

SO, UH, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO DETAIL ON THIS BECAUSE, UH, JACKIE DID A GOOD JOB EARLIER.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK OF GOING THROUGH THESE CONSIDERATIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS THAT WE WILL BE EXECUTING THE DESIGN OF THE BRIDGE THROUGH A INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION.

AND SO ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP WAS TO GET FEEDBACK THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THE BRIEF FOR THE COMPETITION, SO THAT COMPETITORS UNDERSTAND, UM, THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES.

AND SO THEY CAN INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THE DESIGN CON DESIGN SUBMISSIONS.

UH, SECOND, I WANT TO JUST, MAYBE I'LL TAKE DOOR, TAKE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BRIDGE BEFORE I MOVE INTO THE SECOND PART, MIGHT BE BETTER, MIGHT BE MORE EFFICIENT.

THAT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PER MEMBER.

UH, YES.

GIVEN ALL THE FEED, THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD AT OUR, UH, TRI-PARTY MEETING.

I AM JUST CURIOUS, LOOKING ALL THESE PLANS AND RENDERINGS, BY THE WAY, PETER, THIS IS PHENOMENAL AND FABULOUS.

I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE PUTTING INTO THIS CAUSE, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVING US A LOT OF, OF, UM, BOTH IDEAS FROM WHAT'S AROUND AUSTIN, BUT THEN KIND OF INCORPORATING IT INTO WHAT IT MIGHT BE AND WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE TIME YOU'RE DOING AND THE FEEDBACK YOU'VE BEEN TAKING.

BUT ONE THING I AM CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, WHERE ON ANY OF THESE RENDERINGS IS THE BOAT HOUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM AS IT WERE THAT WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT.

SO, UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE ROWING COMMUNITY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS ABOUT THE BOATHOUSE LOCATION.

AND, UM, SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE, WITH PART, UM, ON A PROCESS FOR REALLY THIS IS A PART ASSET.

WE WILL BE SUPPORTING PART IN THEIR PROCESS TO FIND ALTERNATIVE LOCATION, TO PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE THE ROWING CLUB CAN OPERATE ITS FACILITIES ON THE LAKE.

UM, AND SO THAT IS IN PROCESS AND PART HAS MET WITH, UM, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ROAMING CENTER, UM, TO TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS.

WE ARE GOING TO BE, CO-HOSTING A MEETING WITH THE ROWING CLUB, UM, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO, UH, TO BASICALLY TALK ABOUT THOSE, UH, ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS.

UM, AGAIN, I THINK WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT ALTERNATIVES, BUT IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ROWING CENTER IN PART TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, FIGURE OUT, UM, UH, WHERE THE OPTIMAL, OPTIMAL LOCATION FOR THAT WOULD BE.

UM, I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME DESIRE

[01:30:01]

TO TRY TO INCORPORATE THOSE FACILITIES INTO THE BRIDGE ITSELF, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT MY INSTINCT IS THAT THAT IS A, THAT IS A VERY LIKE A HEAVY GEOMETRICAL LIFT TO ADD TO AN ALREADY HEAVY GEOMETRICAL PACKAGE.

SO, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE CAN, WE CAN WORK THROUGH THOSE QUESTIONS IF THEY COME.

SO, SO BASICALLY, AND THIS IS JUST FOR MY UNDERSTANDING, SO THAT I HAVE THIS BETTER IS BASICALLY ACCORDING TO THE GEOMETRY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AND, AND THE MECHANICS OF THIS IS THE BOATHOUSE GOING.

I MEAN, IT'S LITERALLY THE, THE BRIDGE, THE TRACK, EVERYTHING IT'S GOING TO, THAT, THAT THEY ARE JUST, IT'S AN IMMOVABLE FOOT.

WHAT'S THE OLD SAYING IT'S A MOVABLE FORCE AND AN, UH, A, UH, AN IRRESISTIBLE FORCE MEETS AN IMMOVABLE OBJECT BASICALLY.

UM, YEAH, YEAH, NO, IT, I THINK, AND, AND WE KIND OF GOT DOWN THE PIKE.

I MEAN, BEFORE WE GOT TO THIS ALIGNMENT, RIGHT.

DURING EVEN THE ALTERNATIVES PHASE, WE WERE LOOKING AT, HOW DO WE GET IT? I'VE BEEN STEPPING WAY BACK.

HOW DO WE GET THE BLUE LINE ACROSS THE LAKE? RIGHT.

AND THEN WE LOOKED AT, I THINK THE TEAM, THIS IS EVEN FOR MY TIME, THE TEAM LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES THAT WOULDN'T HAVE IMPACTED THE BADASS.

THE REALITY IS, IS BASED ON THE CONSTRAINTS DOWNTOWN AND WHERE WE NEED TO END UP, THIS IS REALLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.

RIGHT? SO, UM, THERE AREN'T REALLY ALTERNATIVES TO THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WHEN WE MEET WITH THE BOATHOUSE, WE NEED TO WALK THROUGH THAT WITH THEM SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WE NOT AREN'T BEING ARBITRARY AND PICKING THIS ALIGNMENT.

GOTCHA.

AND SO BASICALLY IT IS THE WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM TO TALK ABOUT THIS PARKS AND ON THE AUSTIN SIDE PARKS AND RECREATIONS TALKING WITH THEM AND THE, THEIR NEEDS.

WE'LL, WE'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY THAT WE CAN STILL MEET THE NEEDS OF, OF THE, UH, OF THE BOAT HOUSE, OF THE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN UTILIZING THESE SERVICES FOR YEARS.

I SAY THAT I REMEMBER THAT, THAT, THAT I USED TO ROW WHEN I WAS IN, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN I WOKE UP ONE DAY AND MISS MY PARTNER, WHO WAS A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN THAT I USED TO ROW WITH JUST FEEDING OFF OF WHAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS WERE THAT WE GOT AT THE TRI-PARTY MEETING.

AND IT WAS THAT POINT.

I REALIZED MAYBE I SHOULDN'T TRY TO DO THIS AND BAND AT THE SAME TIME, BUT, UM, I, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE FACILITY AND FAMILIAR WITH ROWING, AND I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO, UH, TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TO FOLKS THAT ARE DOWN THERE.

AND, UM, JUST, I, I, I WOULD SUBMIT THAT, I THINK THAT THIS ALSO IS KIND OF A MICROCOSM FOR THE BIGGER PICTURE, BECAUSE THIS JUST HAPPENED TO BE THE, THE, THE BIGGEST ONE THAT, AND I THINK THE FIRST ONE THAT WE'VE COME UP AGAINST, BUT I WOULD SUBMIT THAT, UM, I, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT I'M SEEING IN TERMS OF THE WAY YOU AND YOUR TEAM ARE HANDLING THIS GINA, THE WAY YOU AND YOUR FOLKS AND THE WAY THAT THE CITY IS HANDLING AS MAYOR.

I BELIEVE YOU ALL MADE SOME, SOME COMMENTS, UH, AND HAVE DIRECTED, UH, CITY STAFF AS WELL ABOUT THIS.

I THINK THIS JUST POINTS TO THE, UH, THE, THE WAY THAT WE, AS, UH, AS, UM, OUR, OUR TRI-PARTY, THE PARTNERSHIP IS WORKING, LISTENING TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING BEFORE US SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, CAN, CAN YOU PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UH, THAT, THAT YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO WHAT OUR CONCERNS ARE WITH THIS.

AND THEN WE ARE ALL BEING RESPONSIVE AS WE'RE TRYING TO DO, BUILD THIS PROJECT AND DO RIGHT BY THE WHOLE CITY, BUT ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING PEOPLE BEHIND.

SO THANKS TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED.

I JUST WANT TO SAY ANY PEOPLE, SO AS MUCH EFFORT AS WE'RE GIVEN TO THE BOATHOUSE, I THINK WE SHOULD DO THAT ACROSS THE BOARD, BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE ONLY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

AND IT'S REALLY NOT.

IT MAY BE THE LOUDEST ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, BUT IT'S NOT THE ONLY ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.

SO KNOWING YOU, LIKE, I KNOW YOU, I'M SURE THAT'S THE CASE.

YOU, PETER, I'M SURE THAT'S THE CASE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S VERY CLEAR.

THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE FIRST LOUD ELEPHANTS, BUT NOT THE LAST THANK YOU.

AND YEAH, I, I HAD A COMMENT, BUT ACTUALLY WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BOATHOUSE, IT REMINDED ME OF ANOTHER THING.

AND I ECHO WHAT DR.

BURNETT SAID THAT THEY, THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WILL BE DISPLACED.

THEY MAY BE THE FIRST, THEY MAY BE LOUD, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE THEM THE MOST IMPORTANT, RIGHT? SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT TRADE-OFFS, IT'S ALL ABOUT EQUITY, BUT THERE ARE GOING TO BE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE FORTUNATELY DISPLACED, AND WE MAKE SURE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE LISTENED TO THOSE FOLKS.

AND WE TREAT THEM WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF RESPECT AND THE SAME AMOUNT OF, UH, CONSIDERATION ON THIS BOARD AS WE DO WITH ALL OF THEM.

UM, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ON PAGE 48, PETER, FIRST OF ALL, IT WAS A VERY GOOD PRESENTATION THAT I CERTAINLY LOVE.

UM, THE, UM, SCHEMATICS HERE.

MY QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH THE APPROVED WALLER CREEK DESIGN PLAN.

I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.

AND I GUESS THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY.

SO MY QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE LINKING THE WALLER CREEK DESIGN PLAN WITH ATP? YEAH, IT DID JUST, EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE OF IT.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHEREVER WE'RE WORKING, RIGHT.

WE'RE TRYING NOT TO OPERATE IN A VACUUM.

[01:35:01]

RIGHT, RIGHT.

WE ARE PART OF A BROADER COMMUNITY-WIDE SET OF INFRASTRUCTURE ELEMENTS.

AND WE TRY TO TAKE A HOLISTIC VIEW TOWARDS THOSE, WHEREVER WE GO.

UM, IN THIS CASE, THE WALNUT CREEK DESIGN PLAN.

IMPROVED BACK IN 2013, RIGHT.

INCLUDES A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IN THIS LOCATION.

DURING THE ALTERNATIVES PHASE, I THINK THAT THERE WAS RECOGNIZING THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BRIDGE DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO IT THAT THE CONSIDERATION WAS WOULDN'T IT MAKE MORE SENSE TO ACTUALLY HAVE ONE SET OF INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AS OPPOSED TO TWO DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER.

SO I THINK DURING THE ALTERNATIVES PHASE, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND, AND RANDY, IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS, YOU CAN, BUT ABOUT THAT, THAT, THAT IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HOLD.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, I I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

MY QUESTION, OBVIOUSLY BEING THE FINANCE GUY GETS THE COST.

SO MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS A KIND OF TRADE OFF A NICETY TO DO, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE GREAT IF WE'VE GOT THE MONEY TO DO IT.

AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT INCREASE THE OVERALL BUDGET BY PUTTING THIS IN HERE? OR IS THIS SOMETHING WE THINK OF THE TRADE-OFFS THE SECOND PART OF MY QUESTION KIND OF RELATES TO THIS, WHICH THIS INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION, WHICH FOR ME IS A LITTLE SCARY BECAUSE IT CONJURES UP WORDS OF SIGNATURE AND ICONIC OR TWO WORDS THAT ARE SCARY CAUSE THEY'RE EXPENSIVE.

SO MY QUESTION, MY QUESTION IS WHEN WE DO THIS INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION, HOW WILL COST BE A FACTOR IN WHAT WE ULTIMATELY SELECT? BECAUSE WE COULD BUILD THE MOST GREATEST BRAIDS 100%.

SO, UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT ASPECTS OF THE COMPETITION RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? AND WE ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE SOME KIND OF OPEN COMPONENT WHERE WE, BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS, THAT WE SELECT A SHORT LIST OF TEAMS TO COMPETE.

AND THEN THE KEY TEAMS THAT ARE COMPETING, WE'LL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE BOTH THE DESIGN CONCEPT.

UM, AND THEN THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE MANAGE THE COST AS PART OF THAT DESIGN CONCEPT PROPOSAL SO THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE CAN'T AFFORD WHAT, WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED? AND SO WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IN THOSE KINDS OF CONTROLS.

WE DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT YET, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE, HAVE TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS.

SO THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS TOO, BECAUSE I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE WATERLOO GREENWAY, THE PONTOON BRIDGE CONCEPT.

AND ONE THING THAT WAS VERY EXCITING AS THE WALLER CREEK DEVELOP THEIR IDEAS AND EVEN THEIR COMPETITION, IT WAS.

AND I WORK ON THAT GO WAY BACK IN TIME, BUT IT WAS ONE OF THOSE ELEMENTS WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER TO GUIDE WHAT THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO BE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CROWDSOURCE, OR JUST TO GIVE A BIT MORE HISTORY THAT COULD BECOME VALUABLE IN THIS EFFORT THAT YOU WERE EXCELLENTLY LEADING.

AND THIS IS THAT WHEN YOU MENTIONED NARROWING DOWN THE FIRMS THAT COULD COMPETE FOR THIS BRIDGE, THEY WOULD HAVE A CLEAR PROGRAM, RIGHT? LIKE, SO THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME BASIS, CORRECT? THE SAME RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, RIGHT.

FOR COMPETING IN ESTABLISHING THAT PROGRAM, THAT PROGRAM WAS VERY MUCH A REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES AND IN HOW WE ADDRESS THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES AND WHAT RISES TO THE TOP IN COMBINING MULTIMODAL, WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT MULTIMODAL, BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS IS THAT WHEN WE THINK OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT THAT IS THIS ROBUST OVER A BODY OF WATER, THERE'S ALREADY MINIMUM INVESTMENT ALREADY JUST TO MAKE IT STAND.

DOES IT ADD THAT MUCH MORE TO MAKE A PEDESTRIAN? DOES IT ADD THAT MUCH MORE TO MAKE IT HABITABLE BEAUTIFUL? DOES IT MAKE IT THAT MUCH MORE SO LIKE WITHOUT MAKING A SCOPE CREEP, WHAT IS THAT VISION MAKE IT RIGHT.

SO I WANT US TO REALLY INCLUDE VOICES ABOUT WHAT THIS VISION IS.

AND I SEE THAT VERY WELL NARRATED HERE ABOUT PLACE-MAKING AND A PLACE FOR MUSIC AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO CO-EXIST IN COMPETITION, BUT THEY CAN REALLY DRESS, UH, UM, AUGMENT EACH OTHER IN, IN HOW WE THINK OF THIS MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.

BUT THINKING ABOUT MOBILITY AND THINKING ABOUT CROSSING THESE BODIES OF WATER THAT YOU AND I HAVE DEBATED OR SO FOR LONG TIMES THAT WE HAVE NAPKIN SKETCHES TO PROVE OVER IT, THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT CROSSING THIS BARRIERS AND STITCHING OUR CITY TOGETHER, THE MORE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO STITCH THE BETTER WE'RE SOLVING CONGESTION OVERALL.

A SAY LIKE, OKAY, WHAT ARE WE, WHY ARE WE ASKING THE TEAMS TO PROPOSE? SO LET'S PRESENT THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT AND, UM, AND LET'S GET THIS RIGHT.

SO THAT'S NOT, LET'S REALLY THINK ABOUT THOSE VALUES AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE PRIORITIZING THE PROGRAM THAT WILL THEN GO TO THE COMPETITION.

AND AS WE HEARD WITH OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS, THEY WANT TO SEE WHAT THAT PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.

THEY WANT TO HAVE

[01:40:01]

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK AND, AND ENERGY PUTTING INTO THIS.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? I CAN JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT CHECK, CAUSE I APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOURS AND BOARD MEMBER, ELKINS COMMENTS AND TO PETER PETER ACTUALLY WASN'T, UH, INVOLVED IN PROJECT CONNECT WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

AND JUST TO CONTEXT, WE WERE, THERE WAS A LARGE, LONG ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS PROCESS FOR THE LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.

UH, WE DID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UH, ON PROJECT CONNECT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, LEADING UP TO, UH, THE CAP METRO BOARD AND COUNCIL, UH, CREATING A PARTNERSHIP, TAKING IT TO THE VOTERS.

AND WE WERE VERY OPEN WITH THE PUBLIC AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THIS BEING AN ICONIC BRIDGE, BEING A COMPETITION, BEING, UH, THE, UH, PLACE BEING A PEDESTRIAN CYCLING AND A RAIL TOGETHER AND CONNECTING WITH THE TRAILS AND MAKING A, THAT SEAMLESS INTERFACE.

AND SO WHETHER IT WAS PARTNERS WHERE PETER HAPPENED TO BE AT WATERLOO GREENWAY, UH, THE TRAIL FOUNDATION OR OTHERS, UH, AND IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, THAT WAS THE INTENT ALL ALONG.

UH, AND THERE'S LOTS OF PUBLIC PROCESS AROUND THAT.

SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT I GROUND THE BOARD IN THAT.

UH, AND WE STILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT DANCE A LITTLE BIT WITH THIS BOARD, WHICH IS THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING.

NOW WE'RE AT THE NEXT POINT WITH THIS BOARD, TICKING IS THE NEXT PART.

SO IF WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO BETTER TO PROVIDE HISTORIC CONTEXT OF HOW IT EVEN LED TO THIS POINT, UH, STAFF WE'LL TAKE, UH, WE'LL TAKE A BETTER FRESHER LOOK AT THAT TO SEE HOW WE CAN KINDA TURN BACK TIME A LITTLE BIT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE CAN REALLY PULL UP WHAT ALREADY HAS HAPPENED IN THE PUBLIC PROCESS AND THE TECHNICAL PROCESS TO GET TO THESE, UH, WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SURE.

YES.

IF I COULD, I JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE WORK HERE, PETER, IT'S A FANTASTIC, I'VE SAT IN ON SOME OF THE MEETINGS AND, UH, SOMETHING THAT YOU HIT ON CHAIR THAT AS MUCH AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE STRUCTURE STITCHES THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, THIS PROCESS IS STITCHING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY IN HOW THIS, WHAT THIS BRIDGE IS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO THEM.

THEY'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED THAT WITH THEIR SUPPORT FOR PROJECT CONNECT, BUT THE PROCESS ITSELF IS STITCHING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

AND I ALSO THINK YOU REMEMBER, UM, IF YOU HAD DACA, I THINK I W I DO WANT TO ALSO MAKE REFERENCE WITH THE BOATHOUSE AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND NOT JUST IN RELATION TO THEM, BUT WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT TEMPORARY DISPLACEMENT, RIGHT? LIKE WHILE THERE'S CONSTRUCTION DEMOBILIZATION OF THE CURRENT OPERATIONS, LIKE WHAT'S A TEMPORARY SITUATION.

AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? RIGHT.

BECAUSE I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOT THE ONLY BOAT HOUSE IN TOWN.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY LAUNCHING PAD.

THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL THROUGHOUT, SO WE CAN START CREATING PARTNERSHIPS FOR INTERIM LOCATIONS WHERE THEY CAN OPERATE AS WELL.

SO I THINK LET'S KEEP THAT IN MIND THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL LOCATIONS ALONG OUR LONG WATERFRONT AS WELL.

AND, UH, ANOTHER QUESTION I DO HAVE IS FOR FURTHER EVOLUTION DOWN THE ROAD, BUT SOMETHING TO START THINKING ABOUT MANY TIMES WHEN THERE'S INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITIONS FIRMS ARE ASKED TO DO A LOT OF WORK THAT THEY DO PRO BONO, BASICALLY JUST TO GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOT A LOT OF FIRMS HAVE THE, THE MONETARY EX, UM, THE EXPENDITURE AVAILABLE TO BE ABLE TO COMPETE AT PAR WITH WORLDWIDE FIRMS. RIGHT? SO AS SOME FIRMS ADVANCED TO WHETHER THEY'RE ARE A FINALIST FIRM, JUST STUMPS TO THINK ABOUT, THERE'S USUALLY A STIPEND GIVEN AND PRE-ASSIGNED TO THOSE FINALISTS.

SO I WANT SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT AS THEY DEVELOP THE DESIGNS FURTHER, BECAUSE THE BETTER THE DESIGN IS DEVELOPED.

THEREFORE IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO GET BETTER AT COST.

IF WE DEFINE THAT PROGRAM, SO DOES BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD THAT STIPEND LOOK LIKE TO REFINE A DESIGN? OKAY.

THAT'S CERTAINLY OUR INTENT.

GREAT.

JUST WANT TO COMMENT.

I AGREE WITH YOU ON THE STIPEND.

UM, I THINK STIPENDS, UH, SERVE TO GET MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED, BUT THEY ALSO SERVE TO GET THE IP, RIGHT.

SO IF WE DON'T, IF THERE'S TWO FIRMS, WE DIDN'T PICK, WE KEEP THEIR DESIGN.

SO ANYTHING THAT COMES OUT OF THERE THERE'S VALUE THERE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

YEP.

PUT THE, OH YEAH.

WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER WORD I WAS SAY.

AND I HAD ANTICIPATED THIS MEETING GOING THAT LONG.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S NO ACTION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, SO I DON'T, I WANT TO BE, WE CAN, WE CAN PUSH THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING IF YOU PREFER, IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU IN TIME.

CAUSE I KNOW I'M NOT THIS ISN'T THE LAST ON THE AGENDA, JUST BY WAY OF TIMING.

WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE SESSION ALSO.

UH,

[01:45:01]

I HAVE TO HAVE A COMMITMENT ON THE BACK END THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO.

SO I'M GOING TO NEED TO LEAVE HERE PROBABLY ABOUT NO LATER THAN LIKE FIVE 50.

THAT, UH, THE ALSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOW ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5, 5, 1 0.074 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR PERSONAL MATTERS RELATED TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS FISCAL YEAR 2021 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO DO THE NEXT ITEM WITHOUT ME IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, OR YOU WANT TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION WHILE YOU STILL HAVE ME AND DO THIS LATER, OR IF YOU WANT TO PUSH THIS.

YEAH, LET'S SAY I WOULD PREFER IF WE COULD POSTPONE THIS FOR OUR NEXT DISCUSSION.

UM, I DON'T LIKE US LATE LOSING PEOPLE FOR THIS BIG EXECUTIVES.

SO LET'S THANK YOU, PETER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, SO WITH

[8. Executive Session]

SO THANKS AGAIN, EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE AS WE COMPLETE THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

WE ARE BACK ON ONLINE.

SO NOW WE'RE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 6:01 PM.

AND UM, I LIKE TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.

SO THIS CONCLUDES THE NOVEMBER ATP BOARD MEETING AGENDA.

I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD AND THE STAFF FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND TO ALL THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE TUNED IN TO THIS MEETING AND HAVE PARTICIPATED TODAY.

SO AGAIN, LET'S ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES AND KEEP WORKING ON THE WORK AHEAD.

SO THANK YOU.

AND THE TIME IS 6 0 2 6.