[00:00:03]
UH, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 2 0 9, NO 2:10 PM.
AS A REMINDER, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES BOTH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES.
SO PLEASE, WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US 24 HOUR NOTICE AND CONTACT CHLOE MAXWELL AT THE ADDRESS THAT'S ON THE POSTING FOR OUR MEETING AGENDA.
UH, THIS MONTH WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC ITEM.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. OUR FIRST
[2. Technical Advisory Committee Reports]
ITEM TODAY IS A TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO SHARE ON BEHALF OF THE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.BURNETT FOR ALLOWING ME TO SIT ON YOUR P SEC.
UH, SO I'LL BE GIVING BOTH OF THOSE REPORTS.
SO, UM, FOR THE ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, WE MET ON NOVEMBER 3RD, THE AGENDA ITEMS WERE, UH, NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO WE WELCOME OUR DELEGATE FROM THE CAC MS. KATHERINE BROADWATER, WE WERE ABLE TO DISCUSS, AND PART OF THE AGENDA WAS AS THE ORANGE LINE TUNNEL UNDER LADY BIRD LAKE, AS A TECHNICAL RECAP, THE ROLLING STOCK AND A VEHICLE TYPE OVERVIEW OF LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS AND OTHERS, OUR COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS, UH, FOR ROLLING STOCK ON THE AGENDA ITEM, NUMBER THREE, A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED VIEWING AUSTIN'S FIRE, REVIEWING AUSTIN'S FIRE DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR SANDBOX FROM EXISTING OVERHEAD ELECTRIC WIRES AND ANY POTENTIAL CATENARY INFRASTRUCTURE.
ALSO IN REFERENCE TO THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, STAFF HAS BEEN DISCUSSING REINFORCEMENT OF BIKE LANES ADJACENT TO ANY OF THE TRACK WORK TO ALLOW FIRE TRUCKS, TO DEPLOY THEIR OUTRIGGERS.
IF NECESSARY DESIGN TEAM DESCRIBED TO THE COMMITTEE, THE ROBUST UTILITY CONFLICTS ON SECOND STREET AND IN PROXIMITY TO THE ALIGNMENT, THEY ALSO DESCRIBED HOW THEY EXPLORED MOVING THE DOWNTOWN STATION FURTHER NORTH TO CLEAR SOME OF THOSE CONFLICTS UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERLINING BOTH THE BLUE AND ORANGE LINES FOR MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY, FREQUENCY, AND CAPACITY.
THIS CRITERIA IS CURRENTLY INFORMING THE TUNNEL UNDER LADY BIRD, LAKE COMMITTEE MEMBERS INQUIRED ALSO ABOUT ACCESS TO THE UNDERGROUND STATION IN RELATION TO THE FLOOD PLAIN, THE DESIGN TEAM CONFIRMED THAT ACCESS POINTS SUCH AS PORTALS AND ESCALATOR SHALL BE ABOVE THE FLOOD.
PLAIN, OUR CAC LIAISON, UH, EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF FULL ADA COMPLIANCE IN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
WE MUST COMPLY WITH FEDERAL AND STATE ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES.
FOR INSTANCE, THE DESIGN TEAM DESCRIBED THE DIFFERENCE IN THE VERTICAL CIRCULATION ELEMENTS, SUCH AS ELEVATORS AND THE LEVEL BOARDING OF THE VEHICLES FROM THE PLATFORM INTO THE, INTO THE, THE VEHICLE.
SO THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR OUR NEXT MEETING REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEM.
NUMBER THREE, FOR THE ROLLING STOCK, THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED TO SEE A VISUAL IS VISUALIZATION SHOWING THE VEHICLES AND THE GUIDEWAY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE STREETSCAPE FOR THE ROLLING STOCK POWER PROVISION AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, THE COMMITTEE REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ON OUR STRATEGY REGARDING POWER SOURCE FOR THE VEHICLES IN REGARDS TO OVERHEAD WIRE VERSUS BATTERY BATTERY VERSUS HYBRID VEHICLE SELECTION SHOULD INFORM THE 30% DESIGN PACKAGE ALONG WITH THE BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS OF WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY VERSUS WIRE TECHNOLOGY FOR AUSTIN'S TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
THE COMMITTEE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FLOOD PROTECTION FOR THE TUNNEL SYSTEM AND THE STAFF DISCUSSED THE CURRENT FLOOD PROTECTION STRATEGY.
AND WE'LL PRESENT FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS TOPIC.
AS A DESIGN FOR FLOOD PROTECTION IS DEVELOPED FURTHER.
OUR NEXT STEPS ARE THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, THE SIGN COMPETITION, THE RFQ AND RFP PROCESS THAT IS EXPECTED TO COME OUT IN DECEMBER AND THE METRO RAPID SHELTER UPDATE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD YOU'LL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THAT WAS A LITTLE LONG AND THE DO NO, BUT I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE REPORT AND, AND, AND, AND THE DETAIL AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE TASK FORCE ORIENTED.
UM, MOVING ON TO THE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DBE COMMITTEE MEETING, THAT MEETING TOOK PLACE ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2021.
[00:05:01]
UM, AND WE WELCOME.WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A CAC DELEGATE THAT DID NOT MAKE THE MEETING, BUT WE WERE PREPARED TO WELCOME THEM.
AND WE HAD PART OF OUR AGENDA ENGAGING WITH PRIORITY PRIORITY.
COMMUNITIES LED BY JACKIE NIERENBERG, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BLUE LINE BRIDGE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP UPDATE.
PETER MULLEN, OUR CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE AT ATP, AND WE FOLLOWED ONE OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF A DIALOGUE AND INNER INTERACTION THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHICH I THINK WAS VERY HELPFUL.
AND SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE A POINT OF REFERENCE FOR THIS, IT ALL WAS NEW TO ME.
AND SO I THINK IT WAS JUST A GOOD DIALOGUE THAT WE ALL HAD TOGETHER.
SO IT WAS, UH, A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, ENGAGING WITH PRIORITY COMMUNITIES, THE BOARD, THE COMMITTEE VOICE, THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL PRIORITY CONSTITUENCY SUGGESTED COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDED TO INCLUDE MORE STUDENTS AND KIDS USING TRANSIT TO REACH OUT TO SINGLE PARENTS, WHICH HAVE MORE DIFFICULT TIME BALANCING WORK LIFE TO REACH OUT TO CAREGIVERS, PERSONS, EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
OTHER IDEAS OFFERED BY THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS INCLUDED WORKING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND NONPROFITS, AND PERHAPS OFFER A MONETARY COMPENSATION AND IN TURN THAT CAN OFFER GIFT CARDS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO IT WAS VERY JUST EVERYBODY'S THINKING JUST OUTSIDE THE BOX TO HAVE MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT.
SOMEONE SUGGESTED HAVING VIDEO ESSAYS OR VIDEO CONTENT AS PART OF STORYTELLING WORKSHOPS.
AI IS THE ENGAGING THE PARENTS SUPPORT SPECIALIST AS THEY ARE READY, WORKING CLOSELY WITH FAMILIES, CITY OF AUSTIN'S COMMUNITY CLIMATE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM COULD BE A GREAT REFERENCE MODEL FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT ADVENTURES, PEERS TEACHING ONE ANOTHER, HOW TO NAVIGATE TRANSIT FOR FOLKS THAT HAVE DIFFICULTY PARTICIPATING, PERHAPS OFFERING COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION AND FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO DON'T NEED THE STIPEND ESTABLISH A FUND THAT THEY CAN DONATE THE MONEY TO HELP OTHER PARTICIPANTS OR ANOTHER ORGANIZATION OF THEIR CHOICE, BRINGING DIVERSE GROUPS TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
ISKEY WAS THE OVERARCHING CONVERSATION REGARDING THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE COMMITTEE DESIGN WORKSHOP UPDATE MR. MULLEN, OUR CHIEF ARCHITECTURE PRESENTED WHAT HE HAD GIVEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN THE DESIGN COMPETITION RFQ AND HOW THE PLAN IS TO ISSUE SOMETHING IN DECEMBER.
THERE WAS GREAT DIALOGUE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF DOING THESE FOCUS WORK SESSIONS IN WHICH THE PUBLIC CAN FOCUS ON A UNIQUE CHALLENGE.
AND THIS LED TO AN IDEA ABOUT ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN FOCUS GROUPS TOGETHER IN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN, BEYOND THEIR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO LIKE, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE TO NOT JUST PARTICIPATE WITHIN YOUR BACKYARD, BUT IN OTHER SOMEBODY ELSE'S BACKYARD AS A FORM OF EMPATHY, THAT WAS KIND OF THE ESSENCE OF THAT COMMENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PROVIDING INPUT AHEAD OF THE RFQ PUBLICATION FOR THE DESIGN COMPETITION.
THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 2ND, 2021, AND THE COMMITTEE INQUIRED WHEN THE CAC MEETS SO THAT THEY CAN ALSO TUNE INTO THEIR MEETINGS AND JACKIE WILL SEND A LINK TO THE CAC SCHEDULED MEETINGS.
SO THAT CONCLUDES THAT SECOND REPORT.
ANY QUESTIONS NOW PASSING ON TO BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.
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.
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
[00:10:01]
JUST TO GET THE TOPIC STARTED.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[3. Executive Director Report]
OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT, MR. RANDY CLARK.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.
SO THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION THAT KIND OF
[00:15:01]
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
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.
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.
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, 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.
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
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
UM, BUT THE BEST PART IS, IS THAT
[00:20:01]
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
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
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
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
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
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,
[00:25:01]
WHICH IS BRAND NEW AND THEIRS WAS REALLY WELL.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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
WELL, I JUST FEEL BAD FOR ERICA.
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
[00:30:01]
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.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.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? NO.
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 ]
HAVE OUR MONTHLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT UPDATE FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT IS JACKIE NIERENBERG.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.
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, LIGHTING WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP A LOT CONNECTIONS TO THE BOARDWALK AND TRAILS, WATER AND AMENITIES.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, 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.
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, PEOPLE SUGGESTED EVEN A PLAYGROUND, PICNIC TABLES AND AMENITIES FOR CHILDREN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING WITH THEIR CHILDREN WHEN THEY USE OUR SERVICES.
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.
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.
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.
AND THAT IS MY REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. NIERENBERG.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
[4.2. Project Connect Technical Update]
ON TO OUR TECHNICAL UPDATE, MR. DAVID COUCH.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.
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.
AND I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[4.3. Administrative Update]
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.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.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A HEAVY LIFT, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH COURSER SERGEANT.
[5. Executive Session]
UH, I'M GONNA INVITE OUR BOARD TO JOIN US ON EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.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.
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.
THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[6.2. Authorize negotiation and execution of JPA with CMTA and the City of Austin]
OUR NEXT, UH, ACTION ITEM.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
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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.
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.
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,
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THE CITY CAP, METRO, AND THE ATP, OUR MUTUAL COMMITMENT TO MAKE PROJECT CONNECT TO SUCCESS.THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALL THREE APPROVING THIS AND IT'S A GOOD DAY.
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, 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.
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.