* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          SO I DO THIS, 
          [00:00:01]
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US 
          [I. Call to Order]
FOR OUR NOVEMBER MEETING OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. 
          I'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. 
          TODAY IS MONDAY, NOVEMBER THE 22ND. 
          MY FATHER'S 88 BIRTHDAY. 
          SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD. 
          AND, UH, OUR TIME IS 1214. 
          [II. Public Comment (see note on registration below)]
UM, I THINK WE HAVE ONE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF MR. BRENT PAYNE. 
          WELCOME THE SMILING BRENT PAIN PRESIDENT. 
          ALL RIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, HEY, THANK YOU GUYS. 
          UH, WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY HOLIDAYS. 
          HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S SAFE. 
          IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU GUYS AGAIN, AND I'M NOT UP HERE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ANYTHING, UH, THAT WILL NOT BE AN ORDER TODAY, NOT IN ORDER AND AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO NOTHING BUT ROSE PEDALS, PLEASE. 
          COOL. 
          THAT'LL WORK. 
          UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO MAKE THE BOARD AWARE THAT ATU DID RATIFY OUR WAGES AND BENEFIT INCREASES THAT WOULD TAKE US THROUGH THE YEAR 225, UH, WITH THESE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          I WANT TO DEFINITELY THANK THE LEADERSHIP FROM CAPITOL METRO, UH, RANDY AND DOTTIE WHO RECOGNIZED, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND FIRST THING, IF Y'ALL DON'T KNOW THE MAJORITY OF OUR FRONTLINE AND PEOPLE THAT FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES THAT I REPRESENT ARE OF COLOR AND WHAT THIS DOES TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO BUILD UP THESE WAGES, TO HELP THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND I'M GLAD THAT CAPITOL METRO AS A WHOLE UNDERSTOOD AND RECOGNIZE THAT. 
          AND ATU DEFINITELY. 
          THANKS YOU MR. CLARK, PRESIDENT CLARK DOTTED BEHIND ME FOR UNDERSTANDING AND PUSHING THAT FUNDING THAT WE DID. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK MV FOR COMING TO US WITH A PROPER OFFER THAT MY MEMBERSHIP RATIFIED AT 99%. 
          NOW I'VE BEEN AN OFFICER FOR OVER 24 YEARS. 
          WE AIN'T NEVER HAD 99, ANYTHING. 
          SO, UH, I DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO IT. 
          NOW. 
          I HAVE TO SAY, DISCLAIMER, MY MTM EMPLOYEES. 
          I SAID, I'LL TALK TO MTM PROBABLY AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE THEY'RE, THEY ALSO A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND THEY BRING IN A LOT OF WORK AND THEY HELP OUT THE PARATRANSIT PART OF OUR DIVISION. 
          UH, BUT I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FOR LISTENING TO US. 
          WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO AGREE, BUT WE RESPECT YOUR POSITION. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL RESPECT MY POSITION AND WE JUST WANT A GOOD COMMUNITY. 
          WE WANT OPERATORS MECHANICS TO ALL STEP UP AND DO THEIR JOB. 
          SO THANK YOU FROM ATU AND FROM MYSELF AND YEAH, I'M IN A GOOD MOOD. 
          SO THANK YOU, UH, PRESIDENT PANE. 
          I KNOW I SPEAK FOR, UH, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD AND SAYING THAT WE HAVE GREAT APPRECIATION FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT YOUR MEMBERS DO IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR CAP METRO. 
          AND, UH, WE FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE IN THE POSITION TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD. 
          AND WE LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO A GOOD LONG-TERM, UH, RELATIONSHIP AND, UH, ARE GRATEFUL, UH, THAT WE'RE IN A POSTURE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND, UH, UH, FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT. 
          SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYBODY ON THE ATU SIDE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AND GETTING THERE. 
          AND IF I COULD EVER GET A 99%, I'M JUST CURIOUS WHO THE ONE PERCENTERS, WHERE I WANT TO TALK TO THEM. 
          WE ALL HAVE A FEW ONE-PERCENTERS AROUND, BUT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS. 
          UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, PROUD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AND GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE GOODWILL HAVE ACROSS THE BED AND MY DAY JOB, I'VE GOT MORE THAN A FEW, I'VE GOT MORE THAN 1%, 1% OR SO. 
          UH, BUT, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU. 
          UH, 
          [III. Advisory Committee Updates]
NEXT UP, UH, WE WILL HAVE OUR TWO BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS. 
          I THINK WE'RE JOINED REMOTELY BY MS. PARRA AND OUR ACCESS COMMITTEE CHAIR, MR. PRENTICE, EDNA, PERHAPS YOU WANT TO START US OFF? UH, YES. 
          UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN COOPER, VICE CHAIR TO CIVILIAN PRESIDENT CLARK MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          UH, MY NAME IS EDNA PARRA MANAGER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR CAPITAL METRO AND THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ACCESS AND C-SAT COMMITTEES. 
          UM, AND I'LL ALSO NOW THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, P SAC. 
          UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU THE NOVEMBER UPDATES, BUT BEFORE I GO INTO MY UPDATE, UM, I AM ALSO HERE WITH FORMER ACCESS COMMITTEE CHAIR, MR. CHRIS PRENTICE. 
          UM, AND AS YOU MIGHT RECALL FROM LAST MONTH, MR. PRENTICE 
          [00:05:01]
SURPRISED US WITH THE NEWS THAT HE'S ACCEPTED A JOB OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN. 
          UM, SO HE IS STEPPING DOWN FROM THE ACCESS COMMITTEE. 
          UM, HE SERVED ON THE ACCESS COMMITTEE FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AND OVER THE EIGHT YEARS SERVED IN MULTIPLE ROLES, INCLUDING THE CHAIR THIS PAST YEAR. 
          SO, UM, ON BEHALF OF CAPITOL METRO, WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MR. PRENTISS FOR HIS COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP, UM, TO THE ACCESS COMMITTEE, HE'S STEERED THE COMMITTEE TO DO TO A MORE COLLABORATIVE AND COOPERATIVE PLACE, UM, TO THE BENEFIT OF CAPITOL METRO WRITERS, UH, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          UM, NOT ONLY DID HE BRING HIS CONSIDERABLE SKILLS AS AN ATTORNEY, UM, AS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND HIS SERVICE WITH LOCAL NONPROFITS, BUT ALSO HIS FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER OF OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICES, UM, BOTH BUS AND RAIL TO, UM, TO THE TASK OF COMMITTEE CHAIR. 
          UM, SO RIGHT NOW I'M PRESENTING MR. CHRIS PRENTICE WITH A CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION. 
          EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, UM, THAT I WILL MAIL TO HIM IN LEVEL THEN TEXANS, TEXAS. 
          SO THANK YOU MR. PRENTICE FOR YOUR WORK TOWARDS OUR SHARED GOALS OF COMMUNITY AND SYSTEM ACCESSIBILITY. 
          UM, YOUR CONTRIBUTION OVER THE YEARS ON THE ACCESS COMMITTEE HAS HELPED US BECOME A BETTER AGENCY. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S BEEN SHORT WITH ME, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT WORKING WITH YOU. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AND I'M SURE, UH, CHAIRMAN COOPER AND THE MR. CLARK ARE GOING TO BE SENDING A CHECK ALONG WITH THAT. 
          UH, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY NOW. 
          I'VE, I'VE ENJOYED BEING ON THE, ON THE COMMITTEE. 
          AND I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S PROBABLY CLOSER TO 10 OR 11 YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THERE SEEMS LIKE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, BUT, UH, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND, AND I'M SURE THE COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS. 
          AND, UM, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UH, UH, ACCESS, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, ISSUES HERE IN THE LEVEL. 
          AND, BUT, UH, I AM USING THE PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT'S AVAILABLE ON A DAILY BASIS AND I CAN GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK IN ABOUT THREE MINUTES WITH NO TRAFFIC. 
          AND I'M SURE THAT MAKES IT AT LEAST CHAIRMAN COOPER, A LITTLE JEALOUS. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S WONDERFUL. 
          SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK WITH THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, RECOGNITION. 
          I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          YEAH. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. 
          I KNOW YOU'RE ALREADY AT YOUR NEW JOB, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. 
          EDNA, IF I COULD JUST JUMP IN FOR A SECOND. 
          I WANT TO JUST PERSONALLY THINK CHRIS FOR AS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE AND, AND, UM, I THINK THE ROLE OF THAT COMMITTEE IN HIS LEADERSHIP HAS REALLY, UH, TANGIBLY IMPROVE THE LIVES OF SO MANY AND, AND MADE OUR MISSION, UH, EVEN MORE VALUABLE BY, UH, IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY OF THE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER. 
          AND THAT I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IMPRESSED BY THE WILLINGNESS OF OUR ACCESS COMMUNITY TO STEP OUT AND, AND TRY, UH, WHAT CAN BE A VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THAT COMMITTEE AND CHRIS, YOUR DILIGENCE OVER THE MANY, MANY YEARS HAS IMPROVED THE LIVES, UH, FOR A LOT OF FOLKS HERE IN AUSTIN AND MADE US A BETTER AGENCY. 
          SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          AND I KNOW, UH, THAT I SPEAK FOR RANDY IN SAYING THE NEXT TIME EITHER OF US ARE IN LEVEL AND TEXAS, UH, WE'LL BE GLAD TO BUY ALL THE CHICKEN FRIED STEAK YOU CAN EAT. 
          SO DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE IS ON THE MENU, BUT I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT OF THAT ONE. 
          TH THERE, THERE IS PLENTY OF CHICKEN FRIED STEAK FOR SURE, IN THE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          AND, UH, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR NEXT VISIT TO THE HOCKLEY COUNTY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL, IT'D BE GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS THERE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD LUCK. 
          WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH LIKE YOU COMMITTEE AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, OKAY, SO NOW FOR A C-SAT AND ACCESS UPDATES, UM, THE COMMITTEES MET ON NOVEMBER 3RD AND 10TH RESPECTIVELY, AND WERE BRIEFED BY AGENCY STAFF ON, UM, CAB METRO'S BRAND REFRESH, AND THEY ALSO WORKED ON THE WORK PLAN FOR 2022, WHICH WILL BE FINALIZED AND INCLUDED IN DECEMBER'S COMMITTEE AGENDAS. 
          UM, ALSO THERE WAS A REMINDER FOR BOTH COMMITTEES THAT ELECTIONS WILL BE COMING UP IN DECEMBER, UM, FOR C-SAT MR. ALLEN WALKER, UM, BRIEF THEM ON THE CUSTOMER CARE REPORT AND CHAIR TAYLOR IS UNAVAILABLE OR WASN'T AVAILABLE TO MAKE IT TODAY, BUT HE DID PROVIDE ME SOME NOTES, UM, REGARDING BRAND REFRESH. 
          UM, IT WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMITTEE WITH THE FOLLOWING NOTES. 
          UH, SIGNAGE IS ATTRACTIVE AND SEEMS LIKE THE DISTINCTIVE, UM, BAT WING M WILL BE EASY TO SPOT MAKING IT BETTER. 
          UM, TRANSIT STATIONS AND SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE, UM, FOR MR. WALKER'S REPORT FOR CUSTOMER CARE REPORT, HE APPRECIATED, 
          [00:10:01]
OR THEY APPRECIATED GETTING THE REPORT FROM MR. WALKER. 
          UM, AND, UH, WE ARE ADDING IT TO OUR WORK PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR. 
          SO THAT WILL BE EITHER EVERY FOUR MONTHS. 
          I'M GETTING AN UPDATE FROM MR. WALKER ABOUT CUSTOMER CARE, UM, SERVICES AND, AND THE REPORTS THAT HE PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE ALSO DISCUSSED POSSIBLE IN-PERSON MEETINGS. 
          UM, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION. 
          THEY TABLED IT FOR NOW. 
          UM, BUT WE WILL BRING IT BACK UP, UM, EITHER I GUESS, EVERY TWO MONTHS TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE CAN DO. 
          UM, AS FAR AS MEETING LOCATION AND SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY, NOW THAT WE'RE RECORDING, UM, ACCESS UPDATE, UM, THE SAME, UH, BRAND REFRESH. 
          AND THEY JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT METRO ACCESS VEHICLES WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE BRAND REFRESH AND BRIAN CARTER LET THEM KNOW THAT, THAT THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED. 
          AND HE ALSO SHOWED A FEW, UM, EXAMPLE CONCEPTS. 
          UM, ALSO WE ARE WORKING WITH MEMBERS, UM, FROM THE ACCESS COMMITTEE TO FILL A CUSTOMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, SEE, AND ALSO THE DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND INCLUSION INCLUSION COMMITTEE SEATS. 
          SO, UM, THEY WILL BE DECIDING IN DECEMBER WHO WILL BE JOINING THOSE TWO COMMITTEES FROM THE ACCESS COMMITTEE, UM, AND REGARDING MEMBERS FROM BOTH COMMITTEES, UH, WITH MR. PRENTISS, HIS DEPARTURE, I WILL BE WORKING WITH BOARD MEMBER COOPER TO FILL HIS APPOINTMENT AND ALSO WORK WITH, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH BOARD MEMBER ROSS TO FILL THE C SAC APPOINTMENT. 
          AND FINALLY, UH, WE HAVE THE FIRST UPDATE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
          UM, WE BEGAN RECRUITING FOR P SAC AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH. 
          UM, WE'RE MAKING, UM, THIS APPLICATION IS WIDELY AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE. 
          WE HAVE SHARED IT WITH ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED UP TO THIS POINT WITH THIS PROJECT. 
          UM, PLUS A LONG LIST OF NEW COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND ORGANIZATIONS. 
          WE HAVE IT OUT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, AND WE'VE ALSO EMAILED A LARGE CITY OF BOSTON REGISTRY GROUP. 
          UM, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND OTHER GROUPS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED TOPICS. 
          IT'S CURRENTLY ON OUR WEBSITE. 
          UM, YOU CAN FIND THE DETAILS AND APPLICATIONS THERE, AND IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS, WE'RE ALSO DOING RADIO SPOTS, ADDITIONAL SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND MORE ONE-ON-ONE OUTREACH, UM, TO GET MORE APPLICATIONS WE DO NEED, UM, YOUR HELP PROMOTING THE APPLICATION AS WELL. 
          SO IF YOU, UM, CAN HELP US SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORKS, WE CAN SEND YOU, UM, THE MEDIA POSTS, EMAIL MESSAGES, OUR CUT SHEET, UM, AND KIND OF ALL THE INFORMATION NEEDED, UM, TO, TO SPREAD TO YOUR NETWORKS. 
          OR HAVE YOU HAVE ANYONE THAT YOU MIGHT BE CONSIDERING IF YOU WANT TO SEND THAT ALONG TO ME, I CAN ALSO REACH OUT TO THEM DIRECTLY. 
          UM, THE APPLICATION WILL BE OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 5TH AND THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THE, UM, UM, IS THE GOAL IS OF HAVING THE BOARD APPOINT MEMBERS IN DECEMBER FOR A JANUARY START DATE. 
          SO WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU WITH MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS AND, AND HOW TO HELP RECRUIT, UH, THAT HAS ALL THE DETAILS I HAVE. 
          UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS? NO QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, EDNA. 
          THANK YOU. 
          HAVE A GOOD DAY HOLIDAY YOUTUBE. 
          UH, NEXT STEP ARE 
          [IV. Board Committee Updates]
OUR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES. 
          OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE DIDN'T MEET THIS MONTH. 
          SO CHAIR MITCHELL, UH, PERHAPS YOU COULD KICK US OFF WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE UPDATE. 
          THE FINANCIAL AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, UH, MET ON NOVEMBER 10TH, UH, WEDNESDAY, AND, UH, OTHER THAN APPROVING THE MINUTES, UH, APPROVED A CONTRACT THAT IS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND THE AMOUNT OF $259,000 IN A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF TWO 50, ADDING TO AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH K M K P M G, THAT WILL TOTAL ABOUT $3 MILLION. 
          AND WE ALSO HAD A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF AUDIT. 
          WHO'S IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, CAMPO UPDATE, CHAIRMAN CAMPO ALSO MET IN NOVEMBER. 
          UH, THEY, UH, APPROVED, UH, FTA 53 10 FUNDING. 
          THAT'S COMING TO CAPITAL METRO ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IS FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND ANOTHER MILLION FOR OTHER ACTIVITIES, UH, APPROVED BY CAMPO AND DIRECTED TO US. 
          UH, THERE WAS ALSO ACTION ON, UH, SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANTS FOR DEFERRED CAPITAL. 
          METRO HAS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH WAS WORKING ON THE GRADE SEPARATED, UM, UH, INTERSECTION AT NORTH LAMAR 
          [00:15:01]
AND AIRPORT BOULEVARD. 
          UH, THAT TOTAL IS ABOUT 4.6 MILLION AND IN, UH, HIGHWAY PROGRAM DOLLARS THAT WILL BE FUNDED FOR THE PROJECT AND THAT WAS APPROVED AND I BELIEVE IT WAS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY FOR, FOR APPROVAL. 
          UH, WE ALSO, UH, CAMPO ALSO APPROVED, UH, AN ENGINEER FOR SOME REGIONAL CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENTS. 
          OKAY, GOOD. 
          THANK YOU, CHAIR MITCHELL. 
          UM, HOW ABOUT AN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE MEMBER STRATTON? YES. 
          THANK YOU, MEMBER. 
          UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, OF COURSE THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT UPDATE. 
          THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT. 
          THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THE ATP BOARD. 
          AND OF COURSE, ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS NOW WITH THAT FINAL APPROVAL, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT IS HEADED TO COMPLETION, JUST FINAL DETAILS, DOTTED I'S AND CROSS T'S BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I GUESS STAFF BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, ALL OF US, ALL THREE PARTIES HAVE COMPLETED A MAJOR, MAJOR MILESTONE AFTER JUST ONE YEAR. 
          SO WE VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. 
          THANKS TO EVERYBODY MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THOSE PRESENT HERE ON THIS BODY AND THEN THE OTHERS, UH, AS WELL. 
          AND THEN OF COURSE MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ATP WHO MADE THAT HAPPEN, UH, AS PART OF THAT, THE ATP BOARD SPECIFICALLY IN ITS, UH, ENABLING RESOLUTION ADDED LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFICALLY DIRECTED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF, OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE GENERAL COUNCIL TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION IN TANDEM TO DEVELOP A PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, TO IMPLEMENT OR START THINKING ABOUT, UM, A CERTAIN SECTION OF THE JPA RELATING TO THE, UH, THE STUDY ASSOCIATED WITH THE LEADERSHIP MODEL GOING FORWARD. 
          UH, THAT'S SECTION 4.2 0.2 OF THE JPA THAT MANY OF US ON THIS DIET SAID, HAD HEARD ABOUT. 
          AND MANY OF US HAD AT THE TRI-PARTY MEANING WE'D GOTTEN MANY FEET, MANY PEOPLE PROVIDED FEEDBACK FROM, UH, DURING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. 
          SO BASICALLY THIS, THIS JOINT OR THIS LANGUAGE WITHIN THE RESOLUTION STATES THAT THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND THE, UH, THE GENERAL COUNCIL ARE TO PUT TOGETHER SOME SORT OF A PLAN TO PROPOSE TO THE ATP BOARD FOR PRESENTATION AT THE DECEMBER MEETING THAT THE BOARD WILL RATIFY. 
          THAT WILL BASICALLY BE OUR BLUEPRINT FOR HOW TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THE JPAS REQUIREMENT IS BY THE END OF MARCH, SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THE LEADERSHIP PLAN IN PLACE. 
          AND THIS IS AGAIN, THE STUDY RELATING TO WHAT THE FUTURE OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S POSITION WOULD BE AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK, UH, GOING FORWARD. 
          SO I'M WANTING TO MAKE THIS BODY AWARE THAT THAT ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT THIS, THIS REALLY WAS JUST DESIGNED TO FIRM UP AND TO RATIFY THE COMMITMENT OF ATP, TO REALLY SHOW THAT, YES, WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS, AND WE'RE WORKING, GONNA WORK BEGINNING IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT AND THERE'S A VERY TIGHT WINDOW IN TIMEFRAME, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HOLIDAYS COMING UP HERE. 
          UH, SO THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING. 
          UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON MANY, MANY DIFFERENT, UH, ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES AND MEETINGS ABOUT THE ORANGE LINE AND THE BLUE LINE, UH, Y THE, UH, METRO RAPID CORRIDORS AS WELL. 
          UH, THE, UH, BRIEFINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING TALKING ABOUT THE LADY BIRD LAKE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, UH, COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS, NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, COMMUNITY DESIGN MEETINGS, AND WORKSHOP OF THE, UH, ETO DE KICKOFF MEETINGS AS WELL. 
          AND THEN UPCOMING IN DECEMBER, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING MCCALLA STATION, UH, VIRTUAL, UH, UPDATE MEETINGS, FOURTH STREET AND CREST VIEW COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS. 
          ADDITIONALLY, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT YET SCHEDULED, BUT COMING DOWN THE PIKE ARE GOING TO BE SIMILAR WORKSHOPS FOR THE COMMUNITY, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON FOR, UH, THE, THE DRAG FOR THE GUADALUPE AREA AS WELL. 
          SO LOTS OF THINGS THAT ARE MOVING ALONG, LOTS OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THE PROCESS DOWN THE LINE. 
          AND THEN, UH, IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, UH, CONTINUED REFINEMENTS OF THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND RIVERSIDE DESIGN OPTIONS, UH, COORDINATION WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH TXDOT AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN ON RIGHT OF WAY, AND FINALIZING UTILITY RULES OF PRACTICE AND AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY FOLLOWING APPROVAL OF THE JPA. 
          SO AGAIN, CONTINUING TO MOVE THINGS ALONG AND, UH, FOR THE METRO RAPIDS, THE RFPS HAVE NOW BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NEW BUS SHELTER DESIGNS, UH, CONTRACTS AWARDED TO THREE PARTNERS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW LINES. 
          AGAIN, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE CAP METRO SIDE, SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE ATP SIDE, I GUESS MY, MY MESSAGE TO 
          [00:20:01]
THIS BOARD IS THAT THE, THE PROGRAM AND THE, UH, PROJECTS WITHIN PROGRAM OF PROJECT CONNECT ARE, ARE MOVING ALONG AND, UH, THE STAFF AND THE TEAM AND OUR BOARDS, I THINK ARE VERY WELL ENGAGED IN MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING MOVES ACCORDING TO PLAN AND ON SCHEDULE AND ON BUDGET AS POSSIBLE. 
          SO, THANKFULLY THANK YOU, MEMBERS STRATTON, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE BOARD. 
          UH, NEXT, UH, MEMBERS, 
          [VI. Consent Items]
UH, WELTEC UP OUR CONSENT AGENDA. 
          THERE ARE THREE ITEMS. NUMBER ONE IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE OCTOBER 25TH, 2021 BOARD MEETING. 
          NUMBER TWO IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2022 BOARD MEETING CALENDAR. 
          AND NUMBER THREE IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO MODIFY THE KPMG, UH, CONTRACT NUMBER 2 0 0 6 1 1 FOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES INCREASING THE ORIGINAL BOARD AUTHORIZED AMOUNT BY $259,085, PLUS A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT OF $250,000 FOR THE ADDITION OF A BUSINESS ANALYST TO LEAD SYSTEMS INTEGRATIONS WITH THE ORACLE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM FOR A NEW, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 3 MILLION, $40,376. 
          I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. 
          UM, ONE SECOND, ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE ANY OF THOSE, UH, ITEMS OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM VICE-CHAIR TREVELYAN THE SECOND FROM MEMBER MITCHELL, ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING, AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO. 
          THANK YOU EVERYBODY. 
          UH, NEXT WE'LL TAKE UP OUR 
          [VII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with SHI Government Solutions to renew Capital Metro licensing of the Microsoft licensed software suite of products for a three (3) year period for an amount not to exceed $1,431,390, which includes a 20% contingency to account for future growth.]
ACTION ITEM AGENDA. 
          WE HAVE FIVE ITEMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS A CONTRACT TO RENEW THE CAPITAL METRO LICENSING FOR MICROSOFT SOFTWARE. 
          JANE. 
          SCHROEDER'S HERE TO PRESENT THAT TO US. 
          WELCOME JANE. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR COOPER, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CLARK, I'M JANE TROTTER'S CIO. 
          AND TODAY I'M ASKING FOR APPROVAL TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH SHI GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS TO RENEW THE LICENSING FOR OUR MICROSOFT SUITE OF PRODUCTS. 
          THIS IS FOR A THREE-YEAR PERIOD IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,431,390, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A 20% CONTINGENCY TO ACCOUNT FOR FUTURE GROWTH. 
          SO THE CURRENT THREE-YEAR AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE IS EXPIRING. 
          SO WE HAVE TO RENEW THAT OUR MICROSOFT SUITE OF PROJECT PRODUCTS ARE PROBABLY THINGS THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, LIKE, UH, OFFICE 365 EXCHANGE, SHAREPOINT DYNAMICS, AIX, AND CRM, AND VARIOUS DESKTOP PRODUCTS THAT I'M SURE YOU USE EVERY DAY. 
          UH, THESE SOLUTIONS HELP INCREASE OUR STAFF PRODUCTIVITY ENABLE BETTER COLLABORATION AND OFFER MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT WE'RE USING HEAVILY RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH OUR REMOTE WORK, UH, CAPABILITIES, UH, THE CONTINGENCY AMOUNT WILL BE USED TO COVER EXPECTED STAFF GROWTH, AS WELL AS NEW PRODUCTS THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO ACQUIRE. 
          UH, THE, THERE IS NO SBE PARTICIPATION REQUIRED, BUT THE SELECTED VENDOR IS A CERTIFIED SBE. 
          UH, WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS. 
          JANE, I HAVE ONE, WHICH IS A, IN MY DAY JOB, WE'RE SORT OF BEING PUSHED BY MICROSOFT TO PUT THOSE PRODUCTS IN THE CLOUD. 
          IS THAT, ARE THESE IN THE CLOUD? OR SO THE OFFICE 365 IS IN THE CLOUD FOR OUR EMAIL AND, UH, AS WELL FOR OUR SHAREPOINT, UH, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM DOWNLOADING THOSE INTO OUR, LIKE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK ON OUR DESKTOP. 
          SO WE USE BOTH. 
          GOT IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, CHAIR WOULD NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION QUESTION. 
          OH, I'M SORRY. 
          QUESTION. 
          AS LONG AS WE'RE ON THE TOPIC, I WAS JUST CURIOUS, HAVE WE EVER LOOKED INTO ANY OTHER, UH, ALTERNATE PRODUCTS IN ITS PLACE IN LIKE A G SUITE, BUT JUST CURIOUS, CAUSE I KNOW GOOGLE HAS MADE A BIG MOTION, HAS MADE NEGATIVE BIG PUSH TO GET INTO THIS ENTERPRISE, UH, SYSTEM AND TRY AND TRY IT LIKE MAJOR GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE CLIENTS TO DO THE SAME KIND OF THING. 
          YES, WE HAVE, WE DID RUN A PILOT PROBABLY ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO FOR GOOGLE DOCS AND, UH, WE REALLY FOUND THAT THE MICROSOFT SUITE OF PRODUCTS REALLY GAVE US A LOT EXTRA THAT THE GOOGLE DOCS DIDN'T DO IT. 
          UH, SO ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS IS THOSE, UH, ENTITIES THAT DO HAVE GOOGLE DOCS AS THEIR PRIMARY, UH, PRODUCTIVITY SUITE. 
          WE CAN SHARE DOCUMENTS EASILY WITH THEM. 
          I WAS CHAIR. 
          SO MY ONLY QUESTION IS AS WE TALK ABOUT NEW CLOUD APPLICATIONS, UH, IT SECURITY AND THEN DATA 
          [00:25:01]
OWNERSHIP, DOES THIS CHANGE OUR, OUR, UM, UH, DATA, DATA OWNERSHIP, UM, NOT IN ANY WAY. 
          AND, AND WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING, UH, OFFICE 365, WHICH IS CLOUD-BASED AND SHAREPOINT FOR PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR YEARS, MAYBE EVEN CLOSE TO FIVE. 
          AND WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UH, YOU KNOW, ACCOUNT BREACHES BY INDIVIDUALS, WE HAVEN'T HAD A BREACH OVERALL ON OFFICE 365 AND THE AVAILABILITY, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART HAS BEEN REALLY SOLID FROM MICROSOFT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS FAREWELL. 
          NOW CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM, NUMBER ONE, REMEMBER STRATTON WITH THE MOTIONS SECOND, UH, UH, BY MEMBER POOL, ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO. 
          THANK YOU, JANE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, NEXT, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER 
          [VII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Spare Labs Inc. for a Demand Response Transit System solution and implementation for a base period of twenty two (22) months with ten (10) one year option periods in an amount not to exceed $4,201,206.]
TWO IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH SPARE LABS, INC FOR A DEMAND RESPONSE TRANSIT SYSTEM SOLUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR A BASE PERIOD OF 22 MONTHS WITH 10 ONE-YEAR OPTION PERIODS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 4 MILLION, $201,206. 
          AND MR. BALLANTINE'S HERE TO ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          CHAIRMAN COOPER, PRESIDENT CLARK MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          MY NAME IS CHAD BALLANTINE. 
          I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF DEMAND RESPONSE AND INNOVATIVE MOBILITY HERE WITH ME AS JANE TO TALK ABOUT ANY TECHNICAL RESPOND TO ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE. 
          UM, BUT TODAY I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BRING THIS TO, UM, THIS, THIS GROUP, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. 
          AND IT'S VERY EXCITING TO ME AND PROBABLY I THINK TO JANE AS WELL. 
          UM, THIS IS A TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION FOR OUR DEMAND RESPONSE, UH, SERVICES. 
          UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO, UM, AWARD A CONTRACT WITH THE SPARE LABS, INC. 
          AND UM, SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS JUST QUICKLY TALK THROUGH, UM, WHAT IS METRO ACCESS? IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I'VE BEEN UP IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD AND AS WELL AS FOR THE PUBLIC WHO ARE MAYBE WATCHING THIS ONLINE TO, UM, JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT METRO ACCESS IS. 
          WE ARE THE ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICE THAT IS PROVIDED HERE AT CAPITAL METRO. 
          WE, UM, ARE A, ESSENTIALLY A SAFETY NET SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHO BECAUSE OF THAT DISABILITY ARE UNABLE TO RIDE ON OUR FIXED ROUTE TRANSIT SYSTEM, SO THAT THE BUS ESSENTIALLY, UM, AND IN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, I'LL GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH ABOUT THAT ELIGIBILITY PIECE OF IT. 
          BUT, UM, WE CERTIFY ALL OF OUR PASSENGERS THROUGH AN ELIGIBILITY PROCESS. 
          AND THEN, UM, ONCE YOU'RE ELIGIBLE, YOU'RE ABLE TO RESERVE TRIPS. 
          SO THE NIGHT BEFORE UP TO 5:00 PM THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU RESERVED TRIPS FOR THE NEXT DAY OR DAYS INTO THE FUTURE, UM, AND THEN WE PUT ALL THOSE TRIPS TOGETHER. 
          WE, WE SCHEDULE THEM AND THEN WE PUT THEM OUT IN A MANIFEST IS WHAT WE CALL THEM. 
          SO WHAT THE DRIVERS ARE SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE NEXT DAY AND PICK UPS AND DROP OFFS AND ALL THAT. 
          SO, UM, THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT, UH, THE METRO ACCESS SERVICES AND THAT'S KINDA HOW IT WORKS. 
          UM, AND SO WHAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT TODAY IS REALLY THIS OPERATION SOFTWARE. 
          THIS SOFTWARE IMPACTS LITERALLY EVERY ASPECT, EVERYONE WHO'S INVOLVED IN METRO ACCESS IT'S, UM, FROM THE CUSTOMERS TO OUR OPERATORS, TO OUR DISPATCHERS, TO OUR ADMIN, REALLY ANYONE AND EVERYONE. 
          THIS IS OUR OPERATION SOFTWARE THAT STARTS AT ELIGIBILITY AND ENDS WITH THE VEHICLE OPERATORS ON THE STREET. 
          SO THIS IS A NEW SYSTEM AND IT WILL IMPACT EVERY METRIC AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR THAT WE HAVE AT THE AGENCY. 
          SO THIS IS HOW WE KNOW WE'RE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING GREAT SERVICES, OUR KPIS. 
          SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH. 
          LIKE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE, THOSE THINGS THAT WE, WE PUT OUT THERE PUBLICLY, UM, ABANDONMENT RATES, WHICH IS, UM, HOW QUICKLY WE CAN ANSWER CALLS, HOLD TIMES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          AND THEN HUNDREDS OF OTHER SMALLER METRICS THAT WE MEASURE SUCH AS PRODUCTIVITY, UM, UH, ELIGIBILITY OUTCOMES, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          SO THIS REALLY, AGAIN, IF I HAVEN'T SAID IT ENOUGH, IT TOUCHES EVERY PIECE OF OUR OPERATION. 
          AND, UM, NOW I WANTED TO JUST TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, SOME BACKGROUND, JUST SO YOU KIND OF SEE WHERE WE'VE COME AND WHERE WE ARE HERE NOW. 
          SO THIS IS, UM, AGAIN, WHAT I AM CONTINUING TO MENTION IS THAT THIS DOES TOUCH EVERY FUNCTION IF EVERY PIECE OF OUR OPERATION IN ELIGIBILITY, I MEAN, IN METRO ACCESS, STARTING WITH ELIGIBILITY, OUR CURRENT SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IS A, THERE'S A SCREENSHOT OF IT ON THE RIGHT. 
          IT'S A PRETTY, UM, ANTIQUATED SYSTEM. 
          IT, IT, WE PUT IT IN, IN 2001. 
          SO AS FAR AS SOFTWARE GOES, THAT'S A LONG TIME TO HAVE SOME SOFTWARE 
          [00:30:01]
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE IT REFLECTS A SORT OF A 2001 SORTA FEELING. 
          UM, WE'VE BEEN UPGRADING IT REGULARLY. 
          YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY AND, AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUG FIXES AND THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF GREAT THINGS. 
          WHAT WE DID, UM, IN 2019 WAS OUR LAST SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT, UM, FRANKLY, DIDN'T GO VERY WELL. 
          UM, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER I CAME TO THIS BODY IN, UM, FEBRUARY OF 20, 20 AFTER WE HAD A LONG PERIOD OF TRYING TO GET THE SYSTEM WORKING. 
          WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH IT, A LOT OF ISSUES. 
          AND, UM, FEBRUARY OF 2020, I CAME TO THIS BOARD AND TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THOSE ISSUES. 
          AND THEN WE ALSO PROMISED TO YOU THAT WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH REPLACING THE SOFTWARE AND GETTING SOMETHING THAT'S WORKED WELL FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR COMMUNITY. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. 
          WE, UM, PROCEEDED FORWARD IN 2020 WITH THE PROCUREMENT THAT WE ENDED UP CANCELING. 
          UM, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF COVID, BUT BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE OUT THERE WASN'T QUITE DEVELOPED ENOUGH AND WE JUST, WE WEREN'T REALLY READY TO TAKE THAT STEP. 
          WE REINITIATED THE PROCESS OF PROCUREMENT IN 2000, I'M SORRY, 2021. 
          AND, UM, WE CAME WITH THE CONCLUSION FOR THE SPARE LABS, INC. 
          WE FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, OUR DECISION IF WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S NOW BEEN PROVEN WELL ENOUGH. 
          SO, UM, I GUESS ONE THING THAT I WANT TO REALLY JUST TALK THROUGH IS WHY WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE, WHY YOU'RE EXCITED, WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE EXCITED ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY GONNA BE AN IMPROVEMENT FOR EVERY STAKEHOLDER THAT WE HAVE. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WAS THE CLOUD-BASED SYSTEM. 
          SO WE'RE MOVING FROM A LOCALLY HOSTED TO A CLOUD BASED SYSTEM. 
          THAT ALONE IS GOING TO BE A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR US. 
          UM, THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ACCESSIBLE, UM, APPS FOR THE CUSTOMERS, UM, A WEB BASED SERVICE WHERE CUSTOMERS CAN GO IN AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT THEIR OWN, UM, INFORMATION AND THEIR OWN ACCOUNTS AND DO REAL-TIME TRIP BOOKING REAL-TIME CANCELLATIONS SIMILAR TO IF YOU'VE EVER USED A TNC TYPE OF APP. 
          IT'S NOW A LOT MORE, UM, REAL TIME FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T HAVE CURRENTLY, UM, THERE'LL BE ABLE TO MANAGE THEIR OWN ACCOUNTS ON THE BACK END, WHICH IS GREAT. 
          UM, THEY'LL HAVE NOTIFICATIONS. 
          SO WE HAVE VOICE TEXT AND EMAIL NOTIFICATIONS. 
          YOU CAN DO ALL THREE. 
          IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN DO A MIX OF THE THREE. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THEM, BUT THAT'S A REALLY GREAT THING FOR FOLKS. 
          UM, IT ALLOWS THEM TO GET UP TO THE VEHICLE ON TIME. 
          IT ALLOWS US TO GET PEOPLE ON TIME. 
          IT'S REALLY A GREAT, GREAT SYSTEM FOR THAT. 
          WE'VE HAD, WE'VE PLAYED WITH THAT IN THE PAST WITH OUR PREVIOUS SOFTWARE, BUT IT JUST DID NOT WORK VERY WELL. 
          THIS IS A REALLY GOOD NEW, MODERN TECHNOLOGY THAT IS GOING TO WORK INCREDIBLY WELL FOR THAT. 
          AND I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO RATE OUR RIDES. 
          UM, OUR CUSTOMERS ARE, IT'S SOMETHING WE DO IN PICKUP RIGHT NOW ON OUR PICKUP SERVICE. 
          IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, WHENEVER WE SEE AN ISSUE THAT DAY OR THE NEXT DAY, FOLLOW UP WITH THE CUSTOMER, FIND OUT WHAT WENT WRONG AND THEN FIX IT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR COMPLAINTS TO COME IN AND IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE A ACCOUNT-BASED FAIRER. 
          SO THAT'LL LINK IN WITH A BACKEND OF LIKE OUR BITE MARK SYSTEM. 
          UM, AND, AND FROM THE INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS SO EXCITING IS THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST SOFTWARE PACKAGES THAT WE ARE FOCUSING HEAVILY ON HAVING ACCESSIBLE FROM THE INSIDE. 
          SO FOR OUR STAFF, SO THAT WE CAN START HIRING MORE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          THAT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US. 
          WE WANT TO START REFLECTING THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SERVING, AND THIS IS A REALLY BIG PIECE OF IT. 
          UM, THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT, THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE FOR STAFF SIDE OF THINGS. 
          SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT PIECE OF IT. 
          AND THEN, UM, THIS SOFTWARE HAS MODERN ALGORITHMS, OUR CURRENT SOFTWARE, UH, DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE'S A TRAFFIC JAM ON 9 35. 
          SO WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY MANAGE THINGS AND IT'S PRETTY TOUGH. 
          UM, SO WE'LL HAVE MODERN ALGORITHMS WILL BE ABLE TO TELL IF THERE'S TRAFFIC JAMS, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, THINGS THAT YOU KIND OF EXPECT TRANSIT SOFTWARE TO DO, BUT NOW WE'RE FINALLY GETTING THAT. 
          AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REALLY JUST INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THE SYSTEM IS GOING TO START FIXING THINGS BEFORE WE EVEN KNOW IT'S BROKEN AND THEN AUTOMATION OF WORKFLOW, WHICH IS ALWAYS HELPFUL WHEN YOU CAN TAKE THE HUMAN ERROR OUT OF THINGS. 
          SO WE ARE INTEGRATING THESE IN WITH OUR OTHER SYSTEMS HERE AT CAP METRO, UM, WITH OUR PHONE SYSTEM, UH, FOR THE RIDE REMINDERS AND THE TEXT AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITH OUR NEW AVAYA PHONE SYSTEM, OUR ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE IN WITH THAT. 
          UM, WE'VE GOT OUR, UH, CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, WHICH WILL BE GREAT. 
          SO WE DON'T HAVE AN ISOLATED CUSTOMER DATABASE OVER HERE. 
          WE'LL NOW BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE IT SO THAT WE'LL HAVE REALLY GOOD, CONSISTENT INFORMATION ACROSS THE AGENCY. 
          AND THEN THE CUSTOMER APP, UM, THE PAYMENT SYSTEM THROUGH BITE MARK THAT YOU'LL HAVE AN ACCOUNT-BASED SERVICE, WHICH WILL BE REALLY NICE TOO. 
          THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S CURRENTLY INTEGRATED IN THIS CONTRACT. 
          WE HAVE BUILT IN SOME PENALTIES FOR NON-PERFORMANCE BECAUSE BASED ON OUR PAST, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T, YOU KNOW, ANYTIME WE HAVE FAILURES THAT WE GET 
          [00:35:01]
QUICK RESPONSES, THIS ALLOWS US TO HAVE A 24 7, 365 SUPPORT, WHICH IS GREAT BEING THAT IT'S CLOUD HOSTED. 
          UM, AND WE'VE GOT, UM, PENALTIES FOR, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES MORE THAN AN HOUR TO GET THE SYSTEM FIXED. 
          YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          WE REALLY STARTED THINKING THROUGH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HURT US IN THE PAST, AND WE APPLIED THOSE AND PUT THEM AS PENALTIES IN THIS CONTRACT. 
          SO, SO TODAY WE'RE, UM, WE'RE SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THE, UH, CONTRACT WHERE DESPAIR LABS INC THEY'RE PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANIES STARTED 2015. 
          SO IT'S REALLY THE LATEST, NEWEST TECHNOLOGY. 
          AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S DONE REALLY WELL. 
          IT'S HEADQUARTERED IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA. 
          UM, THEIR EXPERTISE IS ADA PARATRANSIT, AS WELL AS THE ON-DEMAND SERVICES. 
          FIRST, LAST MILE, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          AND THEY HAVE A CUSTOMER BASE OF OVER 85 CUSTOMERS ON FOUR CONTINENTS. 
          SO IT IS ACTUALLY A BIG COMPANY. 
          THEY'VE HAD REALLY GREAT SUCCESS, AND WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS FROM THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH ABOUT THAT. 
          SO THE, UM, AWARD IS GOING TO BE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A RECOMMENDATION, A RECOMMENDED AWARD, 4 MILLION, 200, $1,206. 
          THE SOFTWARE STARTUP TIMELINE IS GOING TO BE 12 MONTHS IS THE ANTICIPATED STOCK, UM, STARTUP TIME. 
          BUT AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF I'M VERY RISK AVERSE. 
          SO IF IT DOES TAKE A FEW MONTHS LONGER, I'M FINE WITH THAT. 
          AS LONG AS WE GET THE RIGHT ANSWER AND THE RIGHT SOLUTION, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT PUT ANYTHING OUT TOO EARLY. 
          SO, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT A 12 MONTH TIMELINE ON, IN GENERAL. 
          SO WE'VE GOT THE BASE PERIOD THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2023, AND THEN WE'VE GOT 10 ONE-YEAR OPTIONS. 
          UM, AND OUR NEXT STEPS ON THIS WILL BE TO BEGIN THE KICKOFF OF THE DESIGN ACTIVITIES IN THE BEGINNING OF 2022. 
          UM, SO ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, WE'LL START ALL OF THAT. 
          WE'RE GOING TO START THE, THAT WITH OUR INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BRING PEOPLE IN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENGAGEMENT AND BUY IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE EARLIEST STEPS THROUGHOUT 2022, WE'LL BE DOING THE SOFTWARE INTEGRATION, MORE ENGAGEMENT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE TESTING. 
          WE'RE GOING TO BE TRAINING OUR STAFF. 
          OUR STAFF INCLUDES OUR SCHEDULERS, OUR DISPATCHERS, OUR VEHICLE OPERATORS, OUR ROAD SUPERVISORS, OUR ELIGIBILITY TEAM. 
          IT'S A LOT OF FOLKS TO TRAIN. 
          SO WE'LL BE DOING A LOT OF TRAINING IN LATE 20, 22, AND THEN COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AS WELL AS TRAINING THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. 
          WE DO KNOW THAT TRAINING THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT. 
          WE LEARNED THAT DURING PICKUP TRAINING PEOPLE, HOW TO USE THE APP TRAINING PEOPLE, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, FUNCTIONALLY, UM, USE THE SERVICE IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT. 
          AND THEN WE'LL BE PILOTING AT THE END, UM, END OF 20, 22 AND HOPE TO LAUNCH IN 2023. 
          UM, AND WE, UM, ARE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS TIMELINE. 
          WE THINK IT'LL BE GREAT, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, PROGRESS ON THIS. 
          AND WE CAN TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THIS TIME. 
          THANK YOU, CHAD. 
          UM, QUESTIONS MEMBER STRATTON. 
          HEY CHAD, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU THAT THIS IS AMAZING. 
          THIS IS AWESOME. 
          VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT THIS IS FINALLY COMING TO FRUITION, ESPECIALLY AFTER SEEING WHAT BEING I WAS REMINDED OF THAT I SAW THAT SLIDE, THE PICTURE OF THE, UH, THE SOFTWARE AND I, I HAD A FLASHBACK TO WHEN Y'ALL CAME TO US LAST TIME ST. 
          STATING YOU WANTED TO, THAT IT WAS TIME TO READ, PROCURE, AND THAT Y'ALL HAD SOME PROBLEMS. I'M GLAD WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO THIS POINT. 
          IF YOU COULD REFRESH MY MEMORY THOUGH, UM, REMIND ME IF THIS WILL ALSO BE UTILIZED OR CONNECTED AT ALL TO OUR, UM, TO OUR PICKUP SERVICE FOR ON-DEMAND, BECAUSE THEN I KNOW THAT PICKUP CAN ALSO BE UTILIZED WITH OUR METRO ACCESS CUSTOMERS. 
          AND IN FACT, WE'RE WHERE WE'RE IN MANY WAYS, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE OUR METRO ACCESS CUSTOMERS TO USE PICKUP, BECAUSE IT CAN GO MORE PLACES, MORE FREQUENTLY, MORE QUICKLY BECAUSE THE DEMAND THAT DEMAND RESPONSE SYSTEM CAN ACTUALLY MEET THEIR NEEDS. 
          YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL IT SCAN. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE TO SCHEDULE THEIR TRIPS 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. 
          THEY CAN LITERALLY BOOK IT, BOOM, JOHNNY ON THE SPOT, LIKE WITH, YOU KNOW, 30 MINUTES NOTICE. 
          SO CAN YOU, CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH A LITTLE BIT THERE ABOUT HOW THIS SYSTEM IS GOING TO INTERACT WITH THE PICKUP, IF AT ALL? YEAH, SO THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE AN AUTOMATED RIGHT AWAY OUT THE GATE, AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE LINKING INTO OUR DISPATCHERS DO SIT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. 
          AND THEY, A LOT OF THIS IS EDUCATING OUR METRO ACCESS CUSTOMERS THAT THEY CAN USE PICKUP. 
          AND SO WE DO OFTEN TEACH OUR FOLKS WHO WE, WE, WE DON'T AUTOMATICALLY DO AN INTEGRATION. 
          WE DO TEACH FOLKS HOW TO ACCESS, PICK UP IF THEY NEED, WE DO TRAVEL TRAINING AS WELL, AND WE IDENTIFY ANYONE WHO'S ON METRO ACCESS, WHO HAS TAKEN A TRIP THAT BEGINS AND ENDS WITHIN A ZONE. 
          WE REACH OUT TO THEM AND TALK TO THEM AND WALK THEM THROUGH HOW TO USE IT. 
          UH, WE DON'T NECESSARILY JUST AUTOMATICALLY PORT THE TRIP OVER. 
          WE WANT TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A HEADS UP AND KIND OF TEACH THEM, CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, THAN METRO ACCESS, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW TO ENCOURAGE METRO 
          [00:40:01]
ACCESS USERS TO USE. 
          AND AS A FOLLOWUP THERE IS WITH THIS, BRINGING THIS NEW SOFTWARE ON BOARD, IS THE REQUIREMENTS STILL GOING TO BE BOOKING THEIR TRIPS 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE, OR WILL THIS GIVE THEM MORE FLEXIBILITY? AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THEM MORE QUICKLY. 
          THIS ALLOWS YOU TO BOOK YOUR TRIP UP TO 5:00 PM THE NIGHT BEFORE. 
          SO THIS WOULD BE, SO IF YOU TRAVEL AT FOUR 30 THE NEXT MORNING, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S STILL GOING TO BE THE DAY BEFORE, SO THAT THERE'S TIME TO SCHEDULE AND DO ALL THAT KIND OF THING, BECAUSE WE NEED TO STILL BUILD ALL OF THE MANIFESTS TOGETHER THE NIGHT BEFORE. 
          OKAY. 
          OKAY. 
          BUT IF THEY WERE, IF THEY WERE GOING TO TRAVEL WITHIN THE W HOW WE'RE HANDLING THIS IS IT. 
          IF THEY'RE, IF THEY HAPPEN TO LIVE WITHIN AND THEY'RE TRAVELING WITHIN A PICKUP ZONE, UM, I'LL JUST USE AN EXAMPLE CASE IN POINT, IF THEY LIVE IN LEANDER SAY, AND THEY'RE UTILIZING THE, YOU KNOW, METRO ACCESS, BUT THEY ARE IN, THEY'RE CALLING IT BY 5:00 PM. 
          THEY'RE HAVING TO SCHEDULE THEIR TRIP, YOU KNOW, A DAY IN ADVANCE BASICALLY, BUT THEY LIVE IN THAT PICKUP ZONE AREA. 
          AND THEY'RE TRAVELING WITHIN THAT PICKUP ZONE AREA. 
          WE'RE WORKING WITH THOSE PEOPLE TO, TO THOSE FOLKS AND SAY, HEY, GUESS WHAT, YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN USE THIS, THIS OTHER SERVICE WE HAVE, AND YOU CAN SCHEDULE IT UP TO 30 MINUTES AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE. 
          AND YOU CAN USE THAT, THAT. 
          AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM IN THAT REGARD. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WE DO A RE WE OUTREACH TO ANYONE WHO HAS A, THEIR ADDRESS WITHIN ANY OF OUR ZONES. 
          WE JUST LET, WE DO A LOT OF OUTREACH, JUST LETTING FOLKS KNOW THEY CAN DO SAME DAY, RIGHT? JUST IN TIME. 
          AS SOON AS YOU WANT TO TRAVEL, YOU CAN JUST PICK UP AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO'VE DONE THEIR TRIPS, THEIR ACTUAL ORIGIN AND DESTINATION WITHIN THOSE ZONES. 
          AND WE DO AN EXTRA LEVEL OF OUTREACH TO THAT AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND INCENTIVIZE THEM TO TAKE THOSE TRIPS TOO. 
          SO IT'S A VERY HANDS-ON PROCESS THAT WE DO, BUT IF, IF THEY ARE, IF THEY DON'T LIVE, IF THEY ARE TRAVELING, IF THEY LIVE IN THE PICKUP ZONE, BUT ARE TRAVELING OUTSIDE THE PICKUP ZONE, THEY'RE STILL UTILIZING ACCESS AT THAT POINT. 
          THEY'RE FREQUENTLY YES. 
          ACCESS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          THAT'S BUILT SO THAT THEY CAN USE METRO ACCESS WHEN IT MAKES SENSE, PICK UP WHEN IT MAKES SENSE, THE FIXED ROUTE BUS, WHEN IT MAKES SENSE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. 
          WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY, THERE'S A RESOURCE TO HELP DIRECT, TO HELP DIRECT AND PROVIDE AND SAY, HEY, YOU'VE GOT THESE ACCESS. 
          THESE ARE THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX FOR WHAT'S APPROPRIATE. 
          AND THIS IS GOING TO HELP MAKE THE ACCESS PIECE ITSELF THAT MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AT OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM. 
          THAT'S PART OF IT. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          RIGHT. 
          THANKS. 
          GREAT. 
          LEAD-IN THANK YOU. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          NONE AT CHAD. 
          I'VE GOT ONE, WHICH IS, ARE WE USING A VERSION WHICH IS ALREADY IN USE VERSUS THIS CUSTOMIZED AND PARTICULAR FOR KENT METRO, THE GENERAL BUILD OF THIS IS ALREADY IN USE, BUT WE WILL BE CUSTOMIZING IT AND ADDING A LOT OF OUR INTEGRATIONS AND OUR SPECIAL BITS AND PIECES TO IT, BUT IT IS ALREADY IN USE. 
          YEAH. 
          YOU MADE REFERENCE TO, BUT I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE, YOU SAID, I THINK THEY HAVE 85 CUSTOMERS. 
          I ASSUME A GOOD CHUNK OF WHICH ARE OF SIMILAR SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF OURS. 
          THERE ARE A FEW OF THEM, NOT AS MANY, THE, UM, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE NEAR OUR SIZE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WITH OUR COVID NUMBERS. 
          THERE ARE NOT MANY THAT ARE DOING THE NUMBER OF TRIPS WE'RE DOING. 
          JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT ON THE BLEEDING EDGE OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT THIS IS WELL-ESTABLISHED AND WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HELPING THEM BUILD THE SYSTEM. 
          YES, SIR. 
          GOOD OTHER QUESTIONS? VERY WELL. 
          UH, HEARING NONE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM, NUMBER TWO, REMEMBER STRATTON AT THE MOTIONS. 
          SECOND, SECOND, SECOND. 
          BY VICE CHAIR. 
          TREVELYAN ANY, UH, DISCUSSION HEARING NONE THEN, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I THINK YOU'RE STILL AT BAT. 
          THANKS JANE. 
          GREAT ACTION. 
          ITEM NUMBER 
          [VII.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with MTM, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $2,090,874 in order to provide functional assessment services for the MetroAccess Eligibility Department. This amount is for a base term of three (3) years with two (2) one year options for a total of up to five (5) years.]
THREE, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH MTM INC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,090,874 IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT SERVICES FOR THE METRO ACCESS ELIGIBILITY DEPARTMENT. 
          THIS AMOUNT IS FOR A BASE TERM OF THREE YEARS WITH TWO ONE-YEAR OPTIONS FOR A TOTAL OF UP TO FIVE YEARS. 
          CHAD FOR JURORS. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          UM, GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          AGAIN, MY NAME IS CHAD VALENTINE, VICE OF DEMAND RESPONSE AND INNOVATIVE MOBILITY. 
          I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE METRO ACCESS ELIGIBILITY AND FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT CONTRACT THAT WE ARE SEEKING TO HAVE APPROVAL WITH. 
          UM, FROM MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT MTM. 
          UM, WITH ME TODAY, I HAVE SARAH SANFORD, SHE'S OUR MANAGER OF, UH, ELIGIBILITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICES. 
          UM, SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BRING A FAMILIAR FACE IN HERE. 
          THIS IS AN AREA THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE AGENCY, BUT IT'S ONE THAT'S NOT REALLY WELL KNOWN. 
          AND SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT TIME TO TALK THROUGH SOME 
          [00:45:01]
OF THIS. 
          AND AGAIN, WANTED TO MENTION A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ADA PARATRANSIT. 
          I KNOW I DID LAST TIME, BUT THE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ADA PARATRANSIT? IT IS AGAIN A SAFETY NET FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE, UH, WITH A DISABILITY. 
          AND FOR THAT REASON, BECAUSE OF THE DISABILITY, THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO USE THE REGULAR CITY SERVICES OR THE READY REGULAR CAP, METRO TRANSIT SERVICES LIKE BUS AND RAIL. 
          UM, THIS IS THERE'S LANGUAGE HERE THAT TALKS, UH, THAT SHOWS THE REGULATIONS 49 CFR THAT WE FOLLOW. 
          SO EVERY AGENCY OF OUR SIZE OR LARGE AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY WHO PROVIDE ADA PARATRANSIT ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ELIGIBILITY PROCESS TO DETERMINE IT AS WELL AS TO STRICTLY LIMIT THE PARATRANSIT ELIGIBILITY TO INDIVIDUALS, UM, SPECIFIED IN THE REGULATIONS AND WHAT THAT IS IS ESSENTIALLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE SERVICE TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THE SERVICE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A, A SCREENING PROCESS THAT, UM, MAKE SURE THAT IT'S REALLY JUST KEPT FOR THEM. 
          IT IS A SAFETY NET AND THE IDEA IS WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LONG SERVE LONGTERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAM. 
          THIS IS A PRETTY EXPENSIVE PROGRAM. 
          SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY, UH, KEPT FOR THE FOLKS THAT REALLY NEED IT. 
          THE MOST, ANOTHER SIDE THING TO MENTION IS, UM, PARATRANSIT METRO ACCESS IS A NON NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION. 
          UM, IT'S ALSO, UM, PARATRANSIT. 
          UH, ALSO GREAT THING TO MENTION IS PARATRANSIT THE PARA AND PARATRANSIT. 
          IT MEANS THAT WE'RE PARALLEL. 
          SO WE'RE PARALLEL TO THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICES. 
          WE GO WHERE THE, SO IF A BUS GOES OUT TO THE ONE NEIGHBORHOOD TO A CERTAIN HOUR, THAT'S WHERE WE GO. 
          WHEN THE BUS STOPS RUNNING, WE STOP RUNNING. 
          SO IT'S A VERY PARALLEL SERVICE AND IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. 
          SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS. 
          THIS IS AN IN-PERSON ELIGIBILITY PROCESS THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2010. 
          WE ROLLED IT OUT IN 2011. 
          IT'S UM, I THINK A GREAT PROCESS AND IT'S ONE THAT HAS BEEN COPIED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY OTHER AGENCIES. 
          AND, UM, SARAH STILL PROBABLY FEELS LOTS OF CALLS ABOUT OUR ELIGIBILITY PROCESS, UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE REALLY HAVE, UH, REALLY APPRECIATED WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN AUSTIN. 
          SO THE FLOW OF IT IS IN GENERAL, YOU, WHEN YOU REQUEST A, UH, CONTRACT, I MEAN, SORRY, YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR CONTACT, YOU HAVE, YOU REQUEST YOUR APPLICATION AT THAT POINT. 
          WE TALK WITH YOU, WE EXPLAIN, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS PARATRANSIT, WHAT ISN'T, UM, AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE THAT QUICK CONVERSATION WITH YOU, WE SEND YOU YOUR APPLICATION. 
          WHEN YOU RETURN THE APPLICATION, WE SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT THAT TIME, WE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION AND MAKE SURE IT'S, IT'S ALL DONE. 
          IT'S A REALLY SHORT APPLICATION. 
          WE STARTED WITH A VERY LONG APPLICATION YEARS AGO. 
          WE'VE REALLY SHRUNK IT DOWN TO A VERY SHORT AND EASY FOR FOLKS TO FILL OUT KIND OF APPLICATION. 
          AND ONCE WE SCHEDULE FOLKS, EITHER, USUALLY WE CAN DO IT NEXT FEW DAYS. 
          SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO SCHEDULE IT OUT A FEW WEEKS, JUST DEPENDING ON WHEN A PERSON CAN GET IN. 
          WE, UM, WE'LL BRING SOMEBODY IN TO OUR FACILITY DOWN AT NINTH AND LAVACA. 
          IF THEY WANT A RIDE, WE WILL GIVE THEM A FREE RIDE TO, AND FROM THE APPOINTMENT WE DO THE IN-PERSON REVIEW WITH OUR STAFF AND THEN, UM, IF NEEDED A FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT WILL HAPPEN. 
          AND THAT'S WHERE THE MTM STAFF TAKE OVER. 
          THESE ARE, UM, THERAPISTS, OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPISTS THAT DO THESE ASSESSMENTS. 
          THIS IS REALLY AN ASSESSMENT BASED ON FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES. 
          AND IT'S, UM, IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS A TRANSPORTATION DECISION. 
          IT'S NOT A MEDICAL DECISION. 
          SO THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW THE DISABILITY AFFECTS YOUR ABILITY TO USE PUBLIC TRANSIT, LIKE READ TIMETABLES, UM, IDENTIFY THAT A BUS IS COMING, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS AND GET OVER, UH, BREAKS AND SIDEWALKS, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          SO ONCE THAT IS DONE, THE ASSESSMENT IS DONE. 
          WE DO THE FOLLOW-UP AND PROCESSING AND WE DETERMINE YOUR ELIGIBILITY. 
          AND WE LET YOU KNOW, FAIRLY QUICKLY, WE ARE AROUND A FOUR DAY TURNAROUND. 
          THE REQUIREMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS 21 DAYS IS FOR ANY TRANSIT AGENCY DOING ELIGIBILITY WE'RE AROUND FOUR DAYS OF, OF THE PROCESSING. 
          SO THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. 
          AND WE'RE REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, THERE IS AN APPEAL PROCESS IF THERE ARE FOLKS WHO DON'T AGREE WITH THEIR, UM, ELIGIBILITY, BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD ONE IN A LONG, LONG TIME, UH, OVER A YEAR FOR SURE. 
          UM, WE, WE RARELY HAVE THEM, UM, BECAUSE WE, BY THE TIME WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE DECISION IS AND WHY. 
          AND, UM, AND IN GENERAL, WE, WE DO A MONTHLY SATISFACTION SURVEY WITH ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS. 
          WHO'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          THAT'S ALSO PART OF THIS CONTRACT THAT WE'RE REQUESTING APPROVAL OF. 
          AND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE HAD AN 8.8 OUT OF 10 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NUMBER, WHICH IS GREAT FOR PROCESS LIKE ELIGIBILITY. 
          UM, THIS INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO ARE MAYBE DENIED SERVICE IT'S ACROSS THE BOARD, EVERYONE. 
          SO 8.8 OUT OF 10 IS A REALLY GOOD, UM, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NUMBER. 
          SO WITH ELIGIBILITY, UM, IT'S A LOT MORE THAN JUST ELIGIBILITY DETERMINING WHETHER YOU'RE ABLE TO GET ON THE SERVICE OR YOU'RE ABLE TO USE THE SERVICE OR NOT. 
          IT'S A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE DO THINGS. 
          SO 
          [00:50:01]
WE'RE LOOKING AT, WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO FOCUS ON INDEPENDENCE, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT. 
          UM, AND SO WE LOOK AT, WE REALLY ARE LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THE CUSTOMERS, UM, OR THEIR CONNECTION WITH THE CUSTOMERS. 
          YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, WE TEACH THEM ABOUT OUR, UH, CAP METRO SERVICES. 
          SO THIS IS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT THE PICKUP SERVICE. 
          AND WE TALK ABOUT THE BUS AND ALL THE OTHER SERVICES. 
          IF THEY'RE INTERESTED, WE TEACH THEM HOW TO DO IT. 
          WE TALK THEM THROUGH IT. 
          UM, WE REALLY TO GET THEM TO, WE WANT TO BE, HAVE THEM AS TRANSPORTATION CUSTOMERS, WHETHER IT'S ON METRO ACCESS, WHETHER IT'S ON BUS, WE DON'T REALLY, WE JUST WANT TO BE THE TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER. 
          UM, WE CONNECT THEM WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES. 
          SOMETIMES FOLKS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AS WE'RE TALKING TO THEM, THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A RAMP AT THEIR HOME. 
          SO WE CONNECT THEM WITH THE CITY TO THE RAMPS PROGRAM. 
          WE CONNECT THEM WITH ALL OF THESE OTHER SERVICES, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ELIGIBILITY THAT WE'RE DOING. 
          WE'RE REALLY GETTING A FULL PICTURE OF HOW THEY GET AROUND AND HOW THEY, UM, CAN YOU GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND HOW THEY CAN GET INDEPENDENCE? UM, CUSTOMER CONCERNS. 
          WE ADDRESS THOSE AS THEY COME UP, WE IDENTIFY SAFETY RISKS. 
          I COULD GO ON FOR A WHILE ON THESE, BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A KIND OF A BIGGER PICTURE OF WHAT IT IS THAT THEY'RE DOING DOWN THERE. 
          WE ALSO, UM, DO ONGOING CUSTOMER SUPPORT. 
          SO WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR ELIGIBILITY, WE'RE STILL KEEPING AN EYE ON YOU. 
          WE'RE STILL KEEPING AN EYE ON HOW YOU'RE DOING ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. 
          UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF A BUS DRIVER, UM, IDENTIFIES THAT A CUSTOMER'S JUST NOT DOING WELL, LIKE MR. GREEN HAS BEEN GREAT BECAUSE I SEE HIM DECLINING OR HIS HOUSE IS NOT MEETING HIS NEEDS ANYMORE. 
          THAT'S WHEN THEY, THAT COMPLAINT COMES BACK TO, UH, THE ELIGIBILITY DEPARTMENT AND THEY CALL THE CUSTOMER, THEY TALKED TO THEM, THEY FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WE NEED TO DO. 
          MAYBE THEY NEED TO MOVE FROM A WALKER TO A WHEELCHAIR. 
          THEY HELP TRY TO FACILITATE THESE CONVERSATIONS. 
          UM, WE DO MOBILITY AID SECUREMENT. 
          SO ANYONE WHO RIDES ON THE BUSES OR THE TRAINS, IF YOU HAVE A WHEELCHAIR, WE WILL PUT, UM, SECUREMENTS ON THOSE WHEELCHAIRS IN THESE YELLOW LOOPS, YOU MIGHT'VE SEEN THEM AROUND TOWN. 
          THAT'S WHAT WE DO SO THAT, UM, SO THAT OUR FIXED ROUTE BUS OPERATORS KNOW WHERE TO SECURE THE WHEELCHAIRS BECAUSE NO WHEELCHAIRS THE SAME, THERE'S NO REAL STANDARD FOR WHEELCHAIRS. 
          AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WE, THAT HELPS PROTECT THEIR ASSET AS WELL. 
          UM, AND SO IT'S REALLY A GOOD, GOOD, GOOD THING FOR EVERYONE. 
          AND IT ALSO HELPS SPEED UP THE FIXED ROUTE SIDE OF THINGS, TOO. 
          WE DO TRAVEL TRAINING. 
          WE WILL ACTUALLY GO OUT WITH SOMEBODY, WHETHER THEY WANT TO TRAVEL, TRAIN ON HOW TO USE PICKUP WITH THE BUS, THE TRAIN, THE ANYTHING WE'LL TRY. 
          WE'LL ACTUALLY GO OUT THERE WITH THEM AND TRY TO TRAIN THEM HOW TO USE THE SERVICES. 
          AND THEN IN GENERAL, JUST INDEPENDENCE. 
          WE REALLY WERE TRYING TO REALLY PROMOTE THAT BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S A REALLY, REALLY BIG DEAL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. 
          AND SO I'LL GET BACK TO THE TOPIC THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT. 
          THE WE'RE LOOKING, UM, TO RECOMMEND AN APPROVAL OF CONTRACT WITH MTM. 
          SO, UM, FOR THE FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENTS, THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF OUR FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT FACILITY, WHERE WE HAVE A FAKE BUS IN THERE THAT HAS BEEN BUILT, THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY TRY IT OUT SO PEOPLE CAN GET COMFORTABLE WITH BUSES. 
          IT'S A GREAT PLACE. 
          IF YOU EVER WANT A TRIP DOWN THERE, WE'LL GLADLY GIVE YOU A TOUR. 
          SO WITH THIS, A THIRD PARTY FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT CONTRACT AND SURVEYS, THIS INCLUDES, UM, THE SURVEYS THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THEY'RE KIND OF SMALL, BUT THESE ARE WHAT WE GET EVERY MONTH. 
          UM, AFTER WE SURVEY ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS, MTM HAS BEEN WITH US ALREADY. 
          THEY'RE THE INCUMBENT THEY'VE BEEN WITH US FOR FIVE YEARS. 
          THEY'VE DONE A REALLY INCREDIBLE JOB. 
          WE'RE REALLY PLEASED WITH HOW THEY PERFORMED. 
          UM, THESE THERAPISTS ARE HERE TO OBJECTIVELY ASSESS FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES. 
          AND SO THIS IS REALLY AN INDUSTRY STANDARD TO BE USING, UM, THIS THERAPIST, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, THAT KIND OF THING, REALLY EDUCATED FOLKS ON HOW THE, HOW THE BODY FUNCTIONS WITH DISABILITIES. 
          AGAIN, 8.8 OUT OF 10 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SCORE HAD TO PUT THAT IN A SECOND TIME BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY AWESOME. 
          I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THAT. 
          UM, AND THEN THIS IS REALLY GOOD TIME FOR US TO KEEP WITH THE INCUMBENT, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD, AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC, WE'VE PULLED BACK THE ELIGIBILITY PROCESS. 
          WE'VE MODIFIED IT, WE'VE ADJUSTED IT. 
          WE'VE, WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE SLOWLY BACK IN AND THEY'VE BEEN IN PART OF THAT WHOLE PROCESS TO HELP US SCALE IT UP AND DOWN AND THAT KIND OF THING. 
          SO IT'LL BE GREAT AS WE CONTINUE TO SCALE UP OPERATIONS IN THE FUTURE TO HAVE THEM WITH US ON BOARD. 
          AND SO THIS AGAIN IS A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH A THREE-YEAR BASE PERIOD AND TWO OPTION YEARS. 
          THESE ARE OUR CURRENT STAFF THAT ARE DOWN THERE AMONG THEM. 
          THEY'VE GOT 56 YEARS OF, UH, THERAPY EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS GREAT. 
          LINDA ENGLISH. 
          THE ONE ON THE FAR LEFT HAS BEEN THERE, I THINK SINCE ABOUT 10 YEARS SINCE WE STARTED THIS WHOLE PROCESS. 
          SO, UM, THERE'S BEEN REALLY JUST A GREAT TEAM. 
          UM, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW THEY'VE BEEN PERFORMING. 
          SO THAT IS OUR REQUEST TODAY IS FOR APPROVAL OF THIS CONTRACT. 
          AND I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. 
          THANK YOU, CHAD QUESTIONS MEMBERS, REMEMBER KITCHEN. 
          UM, THANK YOU, CHAD. 
          YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB WITH THIS AND I SUPPORT CONTINUING THIS CONTRACT. 
          SO I HAVE JUST A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. 
          SO, 
          [00:55:01]
UM, I, I THINK THE CONTRACT IS GOING TO BE KEPT THE SAME, RIGHT. 
          IN TERMS OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY DO FOR US NOW, IS THAT RIGHT? YES MA'AM. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          WELL THEN A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THEN, UM, I WANTED TO DRILL DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU JUST NEED TO SEND TO US OFFLINE THAT'S OKAY. 
          BUT, UM, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR RATE IS FOR DENIALS. 
          UM, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS AND THEN WHAT THE REASONS ARE. 
          AND IF THAT CORRELATES WITH THE, UM, 8.8 OUT OF 10, I AGREE THAT 8.8 OUT OF 10 IS GREAT. 
          OF COURSE, WE'D ALL LOVE TO HAVE 10. 
          SO, AND SO I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT JUST TO SEE IF, AND I'M SURE Y'ALL HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS, BUT TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT FROM A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PERSPECTIVE. 
          SO IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SAY ABOUT ANY OF THAT RIGHT NOW? OR DO YOU WANT TO JUST SEND ME INFORMATION OR I CAN SAY OVER THE PAST, UH, 18, HOWEVER LONG WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PANDEMIC, WE'VE NOT BEEN DENYING FOLKS. 
          WE'VE BEEN LETTING PEOPLE HAVE PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY IS WHAT WE CALL IT. 
          AND SO WE HAVE HAD EVERYONE ON, ON, ON THE SERVICE DURING COVID, DURING COVID, AS LONG AS THEY PRESENT JUST SOME MINIMAL INFORMATION. 
          UM, GENERALLY IT'S JUST PEOPLE, IF DENIALS, IT'S USUALLY FOLKS WHO JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT THE PROGRAM FOR, AND THAT KIND OF THING. 
          WE TRY TO RESOLVE THAT THROUGH HAVING CONVERSATIONS, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, BUT WE CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THOSE DENIALS AND THOSE REASONS WE DO DIG IN VERY DEEPLY ON THOSE YEAH, I KNOW YOU DO. 
          I JUST, UM, I JUST LIKE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA TOO, TO SEE IF WE'RE STEADY, IF WE'RE IMPROVING, IF IT'S THE SAME OR, OR JUST WHAT THAT KIND OF DATA CAN SHOW ME. 
          OKAY. 
          WE HAVE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT. 
          WE'VE GOT A VERY LOW DENIAL RATE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN, UM, LET ME JUST ASK YOU ABOUT, LET'S SEE, THEN THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS HAVE YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT, OR AS MTM TALKED ABOUT, UH, ANY VALUE TO, UM, YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED MY QUESTION, BUT ANY VALUE TO, UM, IN THE FIELD ASSESSMENTS, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DO GO IN, IN THE FIELD WITH FOLKS FROM A TRAINING PERSPECTIVE. 
          UM, HAVE YOU FOUND THAT IT WOULD MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ASSESS THEM IN THE FIELD AS OPPOSED TO IN THE OFFICE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. 
          AND, UM, WE DO ACTUALLY BRING FOLKS INTO THE FIELD. 
          SO THE, THE OFFICE, WE, WE, WE STARTED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS REALLY THE BIG TREND, ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO TO DO THIS GREAT INTERIOR, UH, OBSTACLE COURSE, IF YOU WILL, BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT REPLACES OUTSIDE. 
          GOOD. 
          JUST GOING OUTSIDE IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, THE HEAT, THE NOISE, THE TRAFFIC, ALL THAT STUFF. 
          AND SO THAT THOSE ARE ALMOST 100% ON OUTSIDE, UNLESS THERE'S JUST TERRIBLE WEATHER AND THAT'S, THAT'S USUALLY WHAT WE DO. 
          OH, OKAY. 
          SO YOU DO DO THE ASSESSMENTS OUTSIDE. 
          WE DO MOST OF THEM OUTSIDE. 
          UM, I SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT WHEN I SHOWED THE BUS THAT IT'S NOT, NOT REALLY MUCH FOR THE ASSESSMENT, THAT'S MORE FOR FOLKS TO JUST GET COMFORTABLE WITH A BUS. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS, MEMBERS STRATTON. 
          UH, YES. 
          CHAD, HOW OFTEN ONCE SOMEBODY ESTABLISHES THEIR ELIGIBILITY, HOW OFTEN DO THEY HAVE TO COME BACK OR DO THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND RE UP THERE DISABILITY? A GREAT QUESTION. 
          SO WE DO UP TO FOUR YEARS ELIGIBILITY PERIODS. 
          SO IT'S, UM, AND THAT'S FOR FOLKS THAT MAY HAVE LIKELY CHANGED THAT THEIR CONDITION CHANGES. 
          WE DO HAVE A CATEGORY FOR FOLKS THAT, UM, WE SAY NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE. 
          SO IF THE DISABILITY IS NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE OR IMPROVE, THEN WE DO HAVE THEM MARKED AS A, NOT LIKELY TO IMPROVE. 
          AND WE DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO COME BACK IN. 
          WE STILL REACH OUT EVERY FOUR YEARS BECAUSE WE WANT TO UPDATE PHONE AND ADDRESS INFORMATION AND EMERGENCY CONTACTS AND STUFF, BUT THAT'S GENERALLY HOW WE, HOW WE DO IT. 
          AND IF, SORRY, I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. 
          AND I WILL, I WILL JUST SAY, I, I, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, THAT THIS IS, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT PROCESS. 
          AND IF, IF YOU'RE AVERAGING JUST AROUND FOUR DAYS TIME WHEN THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENT IS 21 AND YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE, OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE RATING IS AT 8.8. 
          DANG. 
          I WISH WE COULD PUT THIS IN A BOTTLE AND SEND THIS OVER TO THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HHSC FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH MEDICAID, BECAUSE MAN, THAT IS, THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE RIGHT THERE. 
          SO I'M, I'M GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF THIS AS WELL. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL DO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          I'VE DEFINITELY, SHE'S, SHE'S, UH, PRETTY AMAZING. 
          SO I APPRECIATE IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ONE MORE. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SYSTEM OF AMBASSADORS AND FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING WITH US FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND INTERVENTION, AND WE CONTEMPLATED HOW THESE FUNCTIONS MIGHT WORK TOGETHER, WHETHER THEY SHOULD AND HOW THEY MIGHT. 
          WE DO A LOT OF, UM, COORDINATING WITH OTHER AGENCIES. 
          SO WE, WHEN WE DO LIKE FOR INSTANCE, TRAVEL TRAINING AND WE TEACHING PEOPLE, WE'RE TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO USE THE SERVICE. 
          WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH, UM, A LOT OF OTHER WORK WITH A LOT OF OTHER AGENCIES OUT THERE. 
          AND WE, WE HELP TEACH THE TRAVEL TRAINERS, THEIR TRAVEL TRAINERS, THEN THE MORE TRAVEL TRAINERS WE CAN GET IN THE COMMUNITY, THE BETTER, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO DO ALL THE TRAVEL TRAINING. 
          SO WE DO A LOT OF, 
          [01:00:01]
UM, SARAH SANFORD AND HER TEAM DOES A LOT OF OUTREACH TO WORK WITH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND THOSE OTHER TYPES OF THINGS, AND, UM, TRYING TO GET EVERYONE INTO THE FOLD. 
          SO WE HAVE SORT OF, WE'RE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SAME PEOPLE. 
          SO ONE LAST THING, UH, JUST AN IDEA. 
          UH, WHEN I WAS IN NINTH GRADE, I WENT THROUGH DRIVER'S ED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL. 
          WE CONTEMPLATED WRITERS' EDUCATION IN A PUBLIC PLATFORM, THE EDUCATION, HOW TO, HOW TO ACCESS, HOW TO USE EFFECTIVELY, WHAT SERVICES WE HAVE. 
          YEAH. 
          SO THE INTAKE, WHEN WE HAVE THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION, THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF THAT CONVERSATION IS, IS HOW TO USE ALL OF THE OTHER SERVICES. 
          WE DON'T DO IT OUTSIDE OF THIS PROCESS NECESSARILY. 
          IT'S NOT A, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN ALWAYS CONSIDER, BUT WE REALLY FOCUS IN ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND HOW TO ACCESS THOSE SERVICES. 
          THAT'S GREAT. 
          SORRY, CHAD. 
          UM, AND A NORMAL NON COVID YEAR. 
          HOW MANY ASSESSMENTS WOULD WE TYPICALLY DO? OH, THAT WOULD BE LIKE IN A YEAR. 
          YEAH, 1300, 1500 IN A YEAR. 
          AND IT CAN FLUCTUATE LIKE IF A MEDICAID, IF THERE'S A CHANGE IN HOW MEDICAID IS BEING ADMINISTERED AT THE STATE LEVEL, WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, FLUCTUATIONS ON THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT IN GENERAL, THAT'S AROUND WHAT WE SEE. 
          YEAH. 
          ARE THOSE TYPICALLY RENEWALS OR, UM, NEW CUSTOMERS? I'D SAY IT'S A MIX OF BOTH. 
          AND AGAIN, IT REALLY, IT CAN FLUCTUATE A LOT, BUT IT'S A MIX OF RENEWALS AND NEW CUSTOMERS. 
          SO IS, AND IT COSTS US FUNCTIONALLY A COUPLE OF GRAND ON APPRAISAL. 
          YEAH, IT IS. 
          YES, SIR. 
          IT DOES. 
          UM, SORT OF, BUT WHAT WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE SO THAT WE AVOID HAVING PEOPLE COME THROUGH THE PROCESS AS WELL. 
          SO THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS HOW ARE WE EDUCATING FOLKS EITHER TO GET THEM, TEACH THEM HOW TO JUST GO STRAIGHT TO THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM? BECAUSE OUR SYSTEM IS INCREDIBLY ACCESSIBLE, BUT I'D SAY ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE SYSTEMS. AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY TAUGHT A LOT OF FOLKS TO, YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO DO ON THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM AND YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO COME THROUGH OUR PROCESS. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, YOU KNOW, DO A PER ASSESSMENT KIND OF COSTS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE MORE, YOU KNOW, THE MORE WE GET FOLKS JUST INTEGRATED INTO OTHER SYSTEMS, IT MAKES OUR, OUR NUMBERS LOOK A LITTLE WONKY, BUT THE REALITY IS WE'RE REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH SERVICES. 
          RIGHT. 
          JUST CURIOUS, WHAT IF IT WAS FIVE PEOPLE THAT'D BE DIFFERENT THAN 1300 OF MEANINGFUL GROUP. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS? REMEMBER KITCHEN. 
          UH, SO JUST A QUICK FOLLOWUP. 
          SO, UM, SO HOW MANY DENIALS DOES THAT MEAN? DO WE END UP WITH JUST A NUMBER TYPICALLY, MAYBE YOU COULD INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. 
          I'M SARAH SANFORD. 
          I MANAGE OUR ELIGIBILITY. 
          UM, MY BACKGROUND, I'VE BEEN AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS. 
          UM, AND I'VE BEEN WITH CAP METRO SINCE 2011. 
          UM, WE SEE TYPICALLY WE GET ABOUT 3000 APPLICATIONS A YEAR BY THE TIME THAT FINISHES AND WHOEVER COMES THROUGH OUR PROCESSES AROUND THE 1500 MARK. 
          UM, TYPICALLY ON WHEN WE'RE RUNNING A NON COVID TIMES, WE PROBABLY HAVE TWO APPEALS A MONTH ON AVERAGE, OUT OF THOSE 1500 A YEAR. 
          SO WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 30 APPEALS A YEAR IS WHAT WE USUALLY TYPICALLY RUN. 
          UM, AND OUR DENIAL RATES AROUND 5% OR LESS. 
          I MEAN, IT WAXES AND WANES ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO SEVEN, UM, ON ANY GIVEN MONTH. 
          UM, AND THOSE ARE TRULY PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME IN AND DEMONSTRATED THEY HAVE THE FULL ABILITY TO RIDE OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE. 
          OKAY. 
          SO THREE TO SEVEN PEOPLE OR GIVE OR TAKE GENERALLY YEAH, A YEAR OR A MONTH. 
          SO WE HAVE ABOUT 30 APPEALS A YEAR. 
          OH, GOTCHA. 
          OKAY. 
          AND ABOUT OUT OF THAT 1500 THAT COME THROUGH OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS ABOUT ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO 7% ON A GIVEN YEAR ARE DENIED. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THEN THEY HAVE THAT 60 DAYS TO APPEAL THAT DECISION IF THEY WANT TO DO SO. 
          OKAY. 
          SO A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE DENIALS ACTUALLY COME THROUGH THE APPEAL PROCESS, IF THAT MAKES ANY SENSE. 
          YEAH, I, YEAH, I, I'M MORE INTERESTED IN THE NUMBER OF DENIALS THAN IN, IN, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. 
          I CAN, I CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE'S FOLKS THAT REALLY MAYBE ASSESSED THAT THEY COULD RIDE THE BUS SYSTEM AND, AND, AND MAYBE FEEL LIKE THEY CAN'T OR, OR WHATEVER, BUT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, HAVE WE, HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING OR HAVE WE ADJUSTED OUR PROCESSES ANY BASED ON THOSE IN THE PAST? UM, SO I TRY TO KEEP A GOOD KIND OF FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON A LOT OF TIME THAT'S EDUCATION OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BECAUSE THERE'LL BE A CASE MANAGER IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          AND STEP THREE OF HER INTAKE IS TO GIVE EVERYBODY 
          [01:05:01]
A METRO ACCESS APPLICATION, NO MATTER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE DO. 
          I'M GOING TO GET YOU TICKETS TO HERE. 
          I'M GOING TO GET TRANSPORTATION HERE. 
          I'M GOING TO GET YOU THIS. 
          SO REACHING BACK OUT TO THAT CASE MANAGER AND SAYING, HEY, REMEMBER WHAT OUR REGULATIONS ARE BASED ON AND THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          SO WE DO A LOT OF, UM, AGAIN, DURING NON COVID TIMES, I'M ON THE STREET, YOU KNOW, THREE TO FOUR TIMES A MONTH VISITING ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M KEEPING THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE. 
          WHAT MAKES PEOPLE ELIGIBLE AND WHAT OUR CRITERIA ARE. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF THE LIMITATIONS. 
          IS IT JUST A STANDARD PART OF A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS PROCESS? WELL, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE TIME NOW. 
          I'D LOVE TO TALK WITH YOU SOME MORE ABOUT IT. 
          I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT HOW MANY FOLKS MIGHT SORT OF FALL OUT AND NOT HAVE AN OPTION. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, THEY DON'T MEET OUR CRITERIA, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFICULTIES, WHICH MEANS IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET TRANSPORTATION. 
          SO THAT'S A LONGER CONVERSATION MAYBE I'D LIKE TO SEE. 
          AND WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. 
          LIKE, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFICULT DENIALS THAT THEY NEED SOME SOCIAL SUPPORT IN THEIR LIFE. 
          IT'S JUST NOT, THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OUR PARATRANSIT SERVICE, BUT WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS CONNECT THEM WITH THOSE OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES WITH 2, 1, 1 WITH OUR TRAVEL TRAINERS TO WALK HAND IN HAND, TO TEACH THEM HOW TO RIDE OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICES AND HOW TO BUY DISCOUNT PASSES. 
          SO WE TRY TO HAVE OTHER SUPPORTS IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, BEYOND OUR SCOPE OF ELIGIBILITY TO ALLOW ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS. 
          AND MAYBE WITH THERE ARE OTHER RIDE SERVICES IN THE CITY, LIKE SENIOR RIDES, OR I FORGET THAT THERE IS, YEAH, WE HAVE OUR OFFICE OF MOBILITY MANAGEMENT HERE. 
          SO TINA PORTER, UM, WE'LL REFER EVERYONE TO HER AS WELL. 
          AND SHE HELPS TO SEE IF THERE'S OTHER RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS. 
          SO WE TRY TO NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT STOPS IT OUT. 
          WELL, I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW Y'ALL BUT I'M I'M UM, I KNOW YOU, DON'T, I'M JUST THINKING AND I'M AWARE OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PEOPLE JUST FALL BETWEEN PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, SO. 
          AND WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN? I'M SARAH SANFORD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS SARAH. 
          THANKS CHAD. 
          UH, IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS, CHAIR, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION RELATIVE TO ACTION. 
          ITEM NUMBER THREE, A MOVE APPROVAL OF THE MTM, UH, CONTRACT. 
          THERE WAS A MOTION. 
          DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, ANY DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR OF THEN OF THE HEARING? NO DISCUSSION ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES EIGHT ZERO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UH, NEXT 
          [VII.4. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute a contract with CFJ Manufacturing for uniform services for a period of one year with an option for two additional years, in an amount not to exceed $1,835,118.]
STEP, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH CFJ MANUFACTURING FOR UNIFORM SERVICES FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR WITH AN OPTION FOR TWO ADDITIONAL YEARS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,835,118. 
          DOTTIE WELCOME FLOOR IS YOURS. 
          UM, JEREMY COOPER OR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT CEO CLARK. 
          MY NAME IS DADDY WATKINS. 
          I'M THE DEPUTY CEO FOR CAPITAL METRO, AND I'M EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT UNIFORMS, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY COOL WHAT WE'RE DOING. 
          UM, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A BORING CONTRACT ITEM, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE CHANGE THAT WE HAVE GOING FORWARD. 
          UM, FOR THE LAST, ALMOST A DECADE, OUR UNIFORM PROGRAM HAS BEEN ALL RIGHT. 
          AND, UM, THE, THE WAY IT IS STRUCTURED TODAY, ALL OF OUR CONTRACTED SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE THE ONES THAT GO FIND THE UNIFORM VENDORS AND THEN WORK OUT, OKAY, THEN THIS IS THE BRAND SHIRT THAT WE'LL GET. 
          AND WE SET THE STANDARD FOR THIS NEEDS TO BE WHITE, AND THIS NEEDS TO BE MIDNIGHT BLUE AND THIS NEEDS TO BE BLACK OR, AND HERE'S OUR LOGO, BUT THAT'S IT. 
          AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE GET A BIT OF A HODGEPODGE FROM PROVIDER TO PROVIDER. 
          UM, EVERYBODY'S MIDNIGHT NAVY. 
          ISN'T QUITE EXACTLY THE SAME MIDNIGHT NAVY IS TECHNICALLY THE COLOR OF THE PANTS OR SHORTS THAT YOU SEE OUR BUS OPERATORS ARE WEARING. 
          THEY AREN'T OFFICIALLY BLACK. 
          THAT IS ALSO A PROBLEM BECAUSE MIDNIGHT NAVY LOOKS REALLY CLOSE TO BLACK. 
          AND SO SOMETIMES YOU GET UNIFORM PROVIDERS THAT DON'T QUITE GET THAT. 
          RIGHT. 
          UM, AND WE ALSO HAVE A RELATIVELY, UM, BORING, I'LL JUST USE THE WORD BORING UNIFORM. 
          UM, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, WHITE AND MIDNIGHT NAVY SHIRTS AND PANTS. 
          AND SO AS WE ARE LOOKING TO REFRESH THE CAPITOL METRO BRAND AND, UM, MY COLLEAGUE BRIAN CARTER, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD LAST MONTH, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW WE'RE LOOKING TO UPDATE OUR WORDMARK AND REALLY KIND OF, UM, MODERNIZE THE LOOK AND FEEL OF HOW WE TALK ABOUT OURSELVES. 
          UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO UPDATE OUR UNIFORMS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A NEW LOOK FOR OUR UNIFORMS INSTEAD OF WHITE SHIRTS AND MIDNIGHT NAVY PLANT PANTS. 
          WE'LL BE DOING A FRENCH BLUE SHIRT WITH A NAVY PANT. 
          UM, WE'RE GOING TO RE OUTFIT THE WORKFORCE IN, UM, NEW UNIFORMS AND WE'RE GOING TO CENTRALIZE THE PURCHASING AND FITTING OF UNIFORMS. AND WE THINK BY DOING THIS CENTRALIZATION, WE WILL BE ABLE TO BOTH, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, TO SECURE A BETTER CONTROL OVER BOTH THE QUALITY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED FOR OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES, AS WELL AS THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE THAT 
          [01:10:01]
THEY ARE BEING PROVIDED. 
          ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE SEEN EVOLVE OVER THE YEARS IS THAT CURRENTLY MOST, IF I BELIEVE ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDER EMPLOYEES DO ALL OF THEIR UNIFORM ORDERING ONLINE, WHICH IS GREAT. 
          IF YOU ALREADY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT SIZE YOU WEAR IN THAT BRAND, RIGHT? WE CAN ALL GO BUY THE SAME PAIR OF TENNIS SHOES. 
          THE SECOND TIME ONLINE. 
          THAT'S NO BIG DEAL, BUT IT'S PROBLEMATIC IF YOU'RE NEW OR YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO WEAR. 
          UM, AND SO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED ON THIS CONTRACT IS THE REQUIREMENT FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE A LOCAL PRESENCE, SO THAT FOLKS HAVE A PLACE. 
          THEY CAN GO, THEY NEED TO BE MEASURED BY SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING, MEASURING YOU. 
          THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET LOW ALTERATIONS DONE LOCALLY. 
          THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO WALK IN AND TRY ON ITEMS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FRONTLINE STAFF AND HOW THEY ORDER UNIFORMS, UM, AS WELL AS GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THE QUALITY OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE. 
          UM, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS CONTRACT. 
          UM, IT IS A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH, UM, TWO OPTION YEARS. 
          YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE BOARD ITEM THAT THE BASE YEAR IS THE LION'S SHARE OF THE FUNDING AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE CHANGING WHAT EVERYBODY WEARS. 
          SO EVERYONE WILL GET AN INITIAL NEW SET OF UNIFORMS. AND THEN THE, UM, OUT THE SET OPTION YEARS ARE KIND OF THE REFRESH OF THOSE UNIFORMS. EACH OF OUR EMPLOYEES GETS AN ALLOWANCE EVERY YEAR TO GET AN EXTRA SHIRT OR MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WHAT I RIPPED THAT PAIR OF PANTS. 
          SO LET ME GO GET AN EXTRA PAIR OF PANTS SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF KEEP THEIR UNIFORMS SET. 
          I'M LOOKING GREAT. 
          THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, UM, DID NOT HAVE A DBE GOAL SET BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. 
          UM, BUT I AM EXCITED TO REPORT THAT, UM, C F J MANUFACTURING IS A CERTIFIED SBE, UM, AND WILL BE THE PRIME CONTRACTOR ON THIS. 
          UM, WOULD THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          YOU MAY HAVE QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS. 
          WELL, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT COLOR FRENCH LEW IS. 
          YOU DON'T KNOW REALLY CLOSE TO THEIR CAP, METRO BLUE, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST SAY REAGAN HIGH SCHOOL, PERHAPS YOU'RE DATING YOURSELF THERE. 
          ISN'T NO MORE THAT'S THAT PERHAPS WE CAN GET YONIS TO COME BACK OVER FROM ATP AND HELP US  TH THAT, THAT WAS BASICALLY MY QUESTION IS WHY AREN'T YOU MODELING IT FOR, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE CONTRACT YET, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET YOU GUYS SOME MODELS ONCE WE HAVE, SO WE SHOULD ALL YOU'LL HAVE IT. 
          SO WE COULD ALL BE WEARING IT UP HERE AT OUR DECEMBER BOARD MEETING. 
          RIGHT. 
          OKAY. 
          DOES IT COME WITH A LITTLE HAT? HOW'S THAT CAR, IF YOU WANT TO BRING US BACK TO, UH, I WILL, I WILL, WE WILL BE SOME PIECES FOR THE BOARD COMING UP FOR SURE. 
          WE, UH, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT YOU ALLUDE TO THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT I SEE, YOU KNOW, BRENT PAIN IN THE, IN THE AUDIENCE. 
          I THINK IT, UH, THIS POINT SHOULD BE MADE AS WE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM OUR FRONTLINE STAFF. 
          AND WE'VE DONE A LOT OF ACTUAL WORK GROUPS. 
          WE FORMED A COMMITTEE WITH ACTUAL FRONTLINE STAFF AND UNION MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN UNIFORM EVERY DAY AND WE WANT THEM TO BE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND LOOK GOOD AND DO THEIR JOBS PROFESSIONALLY. 
          SO WE WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR FRONTLINE STAFF TO DO THIS. 
          SO NOT ONLY IS IT JUST LIKE BRANDING, WHICH I THINK BRIAN DID A GREAT JOB OF EXPLAINING THE KIND OF MONITORIZATION GOT METRO'S BRAND, THE QUALITY OF MATERIAL FOR SOMEONE SAY DRIVING A BUS ALL DAY LONG IS IMPORTANT AS WELL. 
          AND WE WANT IT TO REALLY WORK WITH THE FRONTLINE STAFF. 
          SO I'M REALLY JUST PROUD OF A CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM THAT DID THIS. 
          AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD. 
          I THINK THIS WITH, AS MR. PAYNE MENTIONED KIND OF A NEW COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO KIND OF TAKING THAT NEXT STEP AND 22, A LITTLE MORE PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE ORGANIZATION. 
          I THINK THAT WE'LL THINK THAT HELPS WITH RECRUITING RETENTION LA PRIDE AND, AND, UH, ABOUT THE WORKPLACE IS WE DO AN AMAZING PUBLIC SERVICE AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR PEOPLE ARE SEEN THAT WAY IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          REMEMBER STRATTON ON A MORE SERIOUS NOTE, UM, WILL THIS, WILL THIS THEN APPLY? NOT, NOT JUST TO THE FRONTLINE STAFF THAT THAT WORKED FOR MV, BUT ALSO TO MTM AND TO, UH, TO, TO, TO HARDTALK AS WELL. 
          I KNOW THAT THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH THE TRAIN, BUT, BUT HOW WILL, WHAT WILL THIS VENDOR ALSO BE, BE PROVIDING THOSE UNIFORMS AS WELL? YEAH, SO THIS WILL ACTUALLY BE ONE PROVIDER FOR ALL OF THE CAPITAL METRO FAMILY. 
          SO THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOLKS AS THEY NEED TO GET, YOU KNOW, SHIRTS SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND DO THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          UM, ALL OF THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS ONE SINGLE PROVIDER THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT, THAT WE CAN ENSURE WE'LL GET THE RIGHT QUALITY OF ITEMS AND THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, T-SHIRT PROCUREMENT PROCESS. 
          EVERY TIME WE WANT TO GET NEW SHIRTS FOR, UM, A NEW GROUP OF PEOPLE. 
          AND YOU DID SAY IT'S A, IT'S A LOCAL, IT'S A LOCAL VENDOR, OR THEY HAVE A, 
          [01:15:01]
UH, A LOCATION OR PARTNER. 
          THEY WILL BE OPENING A LOCAL OFFICE. 
          THEY ARE CURRENTLY BASED IN FORT WORTH. 
          UM, AND WE'LL BE OPENING A LOCAL AUSTIN OFFICE. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          YEAH, SO THAT MEANS THE VICE CHAIR CAN GET A FRENCH BLUE SHIRT TO A SURE. 
          WELL, EVENTUALLY WE'LL LAY OUR HANDS ON SOME, THE STAR BOARD COULD USE SOME PROFESSIONALISM TO VERY WELL. 
          UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, CHAIR. 
          THEN WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH RESPECT TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, MR. VICE CHAIR. 
          YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION FOR THE FRENCH BLUE MOVE APPROVAL OF THE, IS THERE A SECOND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DICE SECOND BY MEMBER RENTERIA, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OF A HELPFUL NATURE, RIGHT. 
          HEARING NONE. 
          ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ALL OPPOSED. 
          MOTION CARRIES. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          NEXT WE HAVE ACTION 
          [VII.5. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or his designee, to finalize and execute an Advance Funding Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for up to $4,697,745 in Federal financial assistance for preliminary engineering, final design, and environmental clearance of the Capital Metro North Lamar Boulevard / Airport Boulevard MetroRail Grade Separation project.]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HIS DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AND ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH, UH, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR UP TO $4,697,745 IN FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, FINAL DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE OF THE CAP. 
          METRO NORTH LAMAR BOULEVARD, AIRPORT BOULEVARD, METRO RAIL GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT SHARMILA. 
          THE FLOOR IS NURSE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR COOPER, PRESTON CLARK, AND OUR BOARD MEMBERS. 
          I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE RESOLUTION, UH, SEEKING APPROVAL FOR, UM, UH, ON THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR ITS DESIGNATED TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE THIS ADVANCED AGREEMENT WITH TEXTILE. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON, UM, ON THIS, UH, GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED ON JUNE 8TH, 2020, UM, CAMPO TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD MEETING THE FUNDING FOR A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WERE DEFERRED, UM, IN SUPPORTIVE FUNDING FOR THE CENTRAL PORTION OF I 35, UH, CAPITOL EXPRESS PROJECT. 
          AND AMONG THOSE DIFFERENT PROJECTS WAS THIS, UH, RED LINE GRID SEPARATION AT NORTH LAVAR AND AIRPORT BOULEVARD. 
          AND SINCE THIS JUNE, 2020 MEETING 15 MILLION IN NEW SIR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BLOCK GRANT IS DBG FUNDING WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO CAMPO, UM, ON NOVEMBER 8TH, UM, CAMPO TPB, UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED, UM, AN AWARD OF 400, UH, SORRY, UH, 4,000,600 AND, UM, 97,745, UH, IN FEDERAL AID HIGHWAY PROGRAM FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE ALSO ON TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, UM, W UH, POLICY, UH, BOARD AT CAMPO FOR SUPPORTING THE REFUNDING OF THIS PROJECT. 
          IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT HAS MULTIPLE INTERFACES, BUT INDEPENDENT UTILITY TO IMPROVE RED LINE OPERATIONS, UH, IN NEAR FUTURE. 
          AND IT CONNECTS TO A FUTURE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE AT CRESTVIEW STATION, UM, IN, UH, JUST IN TERMS OF ALIGNMENT TO OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES. 
          I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IT OFFERS CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE AND, UM, STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OF, YOU KNOW, MODEL FUNCTIONING AS WELL AS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ARE ALSO, UM, ACHIEVED THROUGH THIS GRANT. 
          THIS IS A VERY CRITICAL PROJECT FOR US. 
          IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, COORDINATED WITH ORANGE AND ORANGE LINE DESIGN, UM, AND INPUT INTO THE NEPA PROCESS. 
          AS FAR AS FISCAL IMPACT GOES, IT'S THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE IN OUR FYI 2022, UH, CAPITAL CONTINGENCY. 
          I THINK THAT COVERS IT. 
          I'M HERE TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL. 
          REMEMBER, STRATTON, UH, SHARMILA, JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JUST WANTING TO CLARIFY THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT THIS IS, UH, AN ADVANCE, THIS IS ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT. 
          SO HOW MUCH ARE WE PUTTING IN VERSUS HOW MUCH ARE THEY GOING TO GET A KICK BACK TO US THAT CAMPO THROUGH THE THROUGH TXDOT OR TECHSTOP THROUGH CAMPO? I GUESS I GOT THAT BACKWARDS. 
          SO THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT IS, UM, UM, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, FINAL DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE THAT ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR THAT IS ABOUT 6.9 MILLION CAMPO. 
          UM, THIS TXDOT ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT 
          [01:20:01]
IS GIVING US A 4,697,000 7 45. 
          AND OUR LOCAL FUNDING CAP. 
          METRO IS A 1000001.4 MILLION, 9,320, I THINK. 
          SO OUR LOCAL FUNDING IS 1.4 PLUS AND CAMPOS PROVIDING US THROUGH TEX DOT FAA, UM, 4.697 MILLION. 
          SO 4.6. 
          OKAY. 
          SO WE'RE, WE'RE 1.4 AND THEREFORE POINT JUST BASICALLY SHY OF ONE, 4.7. 
          OKAY. 
          SO ARE WE AGREEING TO, WE'RE AGREEING, AGREEING TO ENTER INTO IT? SO, BECAUSE THE WAY I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THE, THE, THE LANGUAGE IS WRITTEN IN THE, THE, FOR THE ACTION ITEM, IT'S THE FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH TECHSTOP FOR UP TO 4.6, 4.697 MILLION IN FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FINAL DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE. 
          UM, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT IT'S, THAT IT'S CLEAR HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH WE'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING INTO THAT. 
          CAUSE THAT TH THE WAY THAT THAT LOOKS AND, AND, AND FORGIVE ME IF I'M JUST NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING THIS, CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT, THAT WE HAD A UPRIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE AT LEAST HAD A PRELIMINARY PRESENTATION AT THE ATP BOARD ABOUT THIS, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THIS IS AMAZING. 
          THIS IS AWESOME. 
          THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE OVERALL OF AREA THERE INTO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. 
          I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT WE, AS A BOARD ARE UNDERSTANDING WHAT PERCENTAGE AND THAT THE LANGUAGE OF THE RESOLUTION IS RIGHT. 
          THAT WE KNOW WHAT OUR SHARE IS AND HOW IT'S MATCHING UP PROPERLY AS TO WHAT WE ARE. 
          WE AS CAP METRO ARE ALLOCATING TO THIS VERSUS WHAT THE WHOLE PROJECT IS AND WHAT THE MATCH IS GOING TO BE, IF THAT'S MAKING SENSE. 
          YEAH, IT DOES. 
          UH, SO THE ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE, UM, CAPITAL METRO SHARE IS $1.4 MILLION PLUS, AND OUR, UH, THE UP TO FOUR, FOUR, 4,000,697 AND 7 45 IN HIS DVG THROUGH TXDOT FAA. 
          AND THE PROJECT HAS STRONG INTER-MODAL BENEFITS. 
          IT'S GOING TO RELIEVE CONGESTION ON NORTH AMERICA, AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW THE CORRIDOR, UM, HAS MAJOR TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ISSUES. 
          AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO IMPROVE RED LINE OPERATIONS BY PROVIDING BETTER RELIABILITY OF SERVICE. 
          I JUST, I JUST ANSWERED MY UNDERGRAD. 
          I WENT AND RE-READ THE, THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE IT'S BASICALLY WE ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT. 
          WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT FUNDING, THAT THE LANGUAGE ITSELF DOESN'T STIPULATE, HOW MUCH WE ARE, THAT THE RESOLUTION ITSELF DOES NOT STIPULATE HOW MUCH WE ARE PUTTING FORWARD, BUT IT DOES SAY THAT WE WILL GET UP TO THE $4.7 MILLION. 
          AND SO YOU'RE STATING THAT WE WILL HAVE, WE ARE GOING TO END UP PUTTING FORTH THAT 1.4 MILLION. 
          AND SO I GUESS MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS, IS THAT GOING TO BE WITHIN THIS, UH, THIS FISCAL YEAR? ALL AT ONE TIME. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THAT'S ALREADY IN, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET. 
          PERFECT. 
          OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR WALKING ME THROUGH THAT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT PROPERLY AS WE GOT THIS ALL SET UP AND THE RESOLUTION IS FOCUSED ON THAT, ON THE FAA. 
          EXACTLY, EXACTLY. 
          AND LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR. 
          I THINK THIS IS AMAZING. 
          THIS IS AWESOME. 
          THAT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST, MOST COMPLEX AREAS IN ALL OF PROJECT CONNECT FOR US TO GET, RIGHT. 
          PROBABLY SECOND, ONLY ON TWO. 
          UM, WELL, I'M THE ONLY, THE ONLY ONE THAT'S GOING TO BE SECOND TO THAT IS GOING TO BE THE, THE PLEASANT VALLEY BLUE LINE, UH, RIVERSIDE AREA DOWN THERE. 
          AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO CONNECT AN EXISTING, UH, FREIGHT RAIL RED LINE WITH NOW THE LIGHT RAIL PLUS THE, THE VEHICLE TRANSPORTATION, THE CARS IN THAT AREA. 
          SO THIS IS GREAT THAT IN THANK YOU TO OUR CAMPO BOARD MEMBERS WHO HELPED TO GET THIS GOING AND BRING THIS BACK ONTO THE, THE AGENDA AND GET THE FUNDING BACK ON THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO BE HUGE. 
          THAT IS GOING TO BE MASSIVELY COMPLEX. 
          AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE JUST HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS THAT WE, UH, HAVE THIS STUDY DONE AND GET IT RIGHT, AND GETTING ANY FUNDING SOURCE WE CAN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. 
          SO THANK EVERYBODY THAT'S MADE THIS POSSIBLE. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          AND I'M, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE REFUNDING RECOMMENDATION WOULD THAT, I THANK YOU. 
          OTHER OTHER OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS I'LL MAKE A MOTION BY MEMBER STRATTON TO APPROVE ANY, UH, IS THERE A SECOND REMEMBER INTO RIO WITH THE SECOND, ANY DISCUSSION? UH, I'LL JUST NOTE THAT I AGREE WITH THE MEMBER STRATTON'S COMMENTS IS AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX INTERSECTION THAT HAS A LOT OF CONSEQUENCES FOR THE RED LINE, THE OPERATION OF THE RED LINE, THE FREIGHT, AS WELL AS THE ORANGE LINE, AND THEN VEHICULAR TRAFFIC THROUGH THAT AREA. 
          SO WE'LL END UP BEING MAYBE 
          [01:25:01]
THE MOST IMPORTANT INTERSECTION IN THE CITY. 
          THAT'S NOT AN INTERSTATE. 
          SO, UH, IT'S A FABULOUS THAT OUR DELEGATES TO CAMPO, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO GET THIS, GET THESE DOLLARS BACK TO US. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. 
          UM, VERY WELL. 
          WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE INDICATE BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. 
          ANY OPPOSED? NAY MOTION CARRIES EIGHT TO ZERO. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SHERMILLA THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU TO OUR DELEGATES, TO CAMPO AS WELL. 
          THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MEMBERS, OUR ACTION ITEM AGENDA. 
          WE HAVE FOUR DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, BUT I WANT TO BE PARTICULARLY MINDFUL OF OUR TIMEFRAME SO THAT WE CAN, UH, HOPEFULLY ALL OF US, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          I HAVE A HARD STOP AT ABOUT THREE 40. 
          DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A HARD STOP THAT MIGHT IMPACT US IF WE CARRY, UH, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION TO THE END MEMBER KITCHEN? YES, I, I, I WASN'T THINKING THAT WE WERE GOING TO FOUR TO ALMOST FOUR. 
          I WAS THINKING THAT WE WERE GOING TO THREE TODAY. 
          SO IS IT THINKING WE HAVE ABOUT AN HOUR AND 40, UH, THAT WILL GIVE US AN HOUR AND IF YOU HAVE A HARD STOP AT THREE, WELL, I DON'T HAVE A HARD STOP. 
          IT'S JUST, THAT'S WHAT I HAD PLANNED FOR THE DAY. 
          SO I COULD DO IT A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN THAT. 
          IF NECESSARY. 
          WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE ABOUT 45 MINUTES AT THREE O'CLOCK IS PLENTY OF TIME TO TAKE CARE OF IT. 
          I THINK WE CAN GET THROUGH THESE REPORTS IN 45 OR SO MINUTES, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THE FIRST COUPLE AND IF YOU THINK THAT'S PERFECT. 
          YEAH. 
          IT'S THAT PRESIDENT'S REPORT AT THE END. 
          I'M MOSTLY WORRIED ABOUT VERY WELL THEN, UH, WE'LL, UH, PROCEED AT PACE AND IF WE NEED TO DIVERT WE'LL DIVERT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          UM, UH, SO 
          [VIII.1. Fare Policy Overview and Customer Payment Systems Update]
OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM WILL BE A FAIR POLICY EVER REVIEW AND CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM UPDATE BY OUR CFO, CATHERINE WALKER, WITH AN ASSIST FROM JANE. 
          AGAIN, AGAIN, I AM THE TECHNICAL QUESTION. 
          YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE MBA AWARD FOR ASSISTS ON OUR MEETING TODAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WE WILL BE SUCCINCT AND, UH, WE'LL SAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE END. 
          HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONCLUDE EARLY GOOD AFTERNOON. 
          CHAIRMAN COOPER, PRESIDENT CLARK AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          MY NAME IS CATHERINE WALKER. 
          I AM YOUR CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER FOR CAPITAL METRO. 
          UM, THIS IS JAMES SCHROEDER, OUR CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER. 
          AND TODAY WE'D LIKE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE FOR OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM PROJECTS AND A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR EQUITABLE FAIR STRATEGY C. 
          HERE WE GO. 
          UM, BEFORE YOU IS A QUICK SUMMARY OF OUR EQUITABLE FAIR POLICY OVERVIEW, OUR DESIRE IS TO MAKE FAIRS MORE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR, WE ARE REVISITING OUR CURRENT FARE POLICY, WHICH WAS DRAFTED OVER A DECADE AGO. 
          OUR LOWEST INCOME CUSTOMERS ARE OFTEN THOSE WHO BUY INDIVIDUAL RIDES VERSUS DAILY OR MONTHLY PASSES. 
          AND OUR LOWEST-INCOME CUSTOMERS ARE OFTEN, THOSE WHO ALSO DEPEND ON OUR SERVICES VERSUS OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. 
          THE GOAL OF A NEW FARE POLICY IS TO PROVIDE PROGRESSIVE FAIR CAPPING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, SUPPORTING AN EQUITABLE MEANS BASED FAIR FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE SLIDES THAT WE ARE TRACKING AGAINST FIVE KEY TENANTS. 
          THOSE ARE EQUITY, RIDERSHIP PROGRAMS, TECHNOLOGY, AND REVENUE, AND WE BELIEVE THESE FIVE WILL BE THE FOUNDATION FOR REVISED POLICY GOING FORWARD TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOAL. 
          WE WILL BE LAUNCHING NEW FARE PROGRAMS AND IMPLEMENTING NEW SMART TECHNOLOGIES THAT AUTOMATE PROCESSES. 
          WE EXPECT TO BRING A NEW FARE STRUCTURE TO THE BOARD LATER IN 2022 AS CALLED FOR BY PROJECT CONNECT INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL. 
          NEXT I'D LIKE TO WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM ROADMAP, UPDATES THAT I MENTIONED AND SOME IMPORTANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. 
          SO THIS IS OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM ROADMAP, WHICH MAY LOOK FAMILIAR TO YOU. 
          I'LL REVIEW SOME OF THESE PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS GOING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. 
          OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM PROJECTS ARE MADE UP OF A SERIES OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE DESIGNED TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS WITH BETTER SYSTEMS AND USER EXPERIENCE AND BE TO BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR ENHANCED FAIR PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS ON THE LEFT SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE FALL OF 2019, WE RELATE, WE RELEASED OUR LATEST APP, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN UPDATING CONTINUOUSLY SINCE 2019 WITH NEW RELEASES AND FUNCTIONALITY IN THE SUMMER OF 2019, WE IMPLEMENTED TICKET VENDING MACHINES AND CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT NEW ONES TO SUPPORT OUR GROWTH AND EXPANSION. 
          THIS SUMMER, WE COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION OF ONBOARD VALIDATORS. 
          FLEET-WIDE ALSO THIS SUMMER, WE COMPLETED A PROJECT TO SUPPORT THE INTEGRATION OF B CYCLE AND THE PICKUP APP. 
          [01:30:02]
EARLIER THIS SPRING, WE REMBRANDT, WE REBRANDED OUR CUSTOMER WEB PORTAL. 
          AND LATER THIS WINTER, WE WILL LAUNCH MOBILE POINT OF SALE, UH, NOW FOR ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEMS, UH, WHICH IS AS WE PROGRESS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, UH, WE WILL BEGIN TESTING ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEMS THIS SPRING, AND I WILL HAVE A DEEPER REVIEW FOR YOU IN THE SUBSEQUENT SLEDS. 
          THIS SPRING, WE WILL ALSO CONDUCT A CUSTOMER PILOT OF THE AMP SMART CARDS, WHICH WILL BE TIED TO A NEW CUSTOMER BASED ACCOUNTS. 
          UM, THIS FUNCTIONALITY WILL PROVIDE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FARE CAPPING CURRENTLY IN DEVELOP DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE HAVE OPEN PAYMENT FUNCTIONALITY, WHICH WILL BE LAUNCHED SOMETIME LATER IN 22, POTENTIALLY 23 TO MINIMIZE CUSTOMER DISRUPTION. 
          AND THEN LASTLY, PART OF OUR ROADMAP INCLUDES INTEGRATION WITH OUR OTHER SYSTEMS BEHIND THE SCENES AND THE SUBSEQUENT SLIDES. 
          I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON A FEW OF THESE PROJECTS. 
          SO OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM, UM, PHASE TWO, MOST OF THESE PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED EARLIER IN THE YEAR SINCE OUR INITIAL INSTALLATION OF TICKET VENDING MACHINES IN 2019, WE'VE EXPANDED TO MORE LOCATIONS THAT SERVE HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTES. 
          WE RECENTLY COMPLETED THE INSTALLATION OF ONBOARD VALIDATORS FLEET-WIDE AT EVERY DOOR. 
          AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL DECIDE TO IMPLEMENT ALL DOOR BOARDING, WHICH WILL ALLOW ALL CUSTOMERS WHO ALREADY HAVE A PASS ON THEIR PHONES OR TAP PASS, TAP, PASS TO BOARD, THE REAR DOOR OF THE BUS. 
          ALL THE WARDING CAN IMPROVE BOARDING SPEEDS AND SUPPORT THE SAFETY OF OUR CUSTOMERS AND STAFF BY LIMITING CONTACT WITH HIGH TOUCH SURFACES, THE MOBILE POINT OF SALE, OUR HANDHELD DEVICES, YOU USE TO VALIDATE FAIRS, BUT ARE ALSO USED TO SELL FAIRS ALL FROM ONE AT ALL FROM ONE DEVICE. 
          CURRENTLY CONDUCTORS AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SPECIALIST MUST USE TWO SEPARATE DEVICES. 
          SO WE SEE OBVIOUS EFFICIENCY FROM THIS TECHNOLOGY. 
          NOW WE ARE PROGRESSING INTO PHASE THREE OF OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT SYSTEM ROADMAP. 
          IN THIS PHASE, WE ARE ESTABLISHING FULL ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEM AND A BRANDED AMP CARD. 
          UH, IF YOU'VE TRAVELED TO BOSTON, YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH CHARLEY CARDS, OR IF YOU'VE BEEN TO SEATTLE, UH, RECENTLY YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE USE OF ORCA CARDS. 
          THE NEW SMART CARDS WILL BE TIED TO A CUSTOMER ACCOUNT ID AND ONCE TAP TO AN ONBOARD VALIDATOR, THE SYSTEM ACCESS IS THE CUSTOMER ACCOUNT. 
          DID DUCKS. 
          THE FAIR CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO USE THEIR PHONES WITH A VIRTUAL SMART CARD WITH ONBOARD VALIDATOR. 
          LASTLY, THE TAP AND PAY WITH A SMART CARD OR CELL PHONE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE CUSTOMER DWELL TIME FOR BOARDING, WHICH CAN IMPROVE OUR ON-TIME DEPARTURES AS PROMISED WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THE SLIDES. 
          IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS AT THE END, HAPPY TO ANSWER. 
          UM, THE LAST PHASE YOU'LL SEE HERE IS CUSTOMERS, UH, FOR OUR CUSTOMER PAYMENT ROADMAP IS PHASE FOUR AND FIVE. 
          UH, FUTURE UPGRADES WILL ALLOW US TO ACCEPT PAYMENT FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES, INCLUDING CREDIT CARDS THAT HAVE AN EMBEDDED CHIP. 
          NOW, WHILE SOME OF THIS FUNCTIONALITY MAY BE AVAILABLE AS EARLY AS THE SUMMER OF 22, WE WILL BE THOUGHTFUL ON OUR ROLLOUT WITH CUSTOMERS SO THAT WE CAN MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND ASSURE GOOD ADOPTION FOR SYSTEM INTEGRATION. 
          WE'VE ALREADY STARTED SOME OF THOSE PROCESSES, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, WITH OUR ERP SYSTEM, WHICH IS FULLY UNDERWAY. 
          UM, AND THEN OTHER FUTURE UPDATES INCLUDE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP, SOFTWARE INTEGRATION, AS WELL AS WITH FUTURE DATA WAREHOUSE AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE FUNCTIONALITY. 
          THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION. 
          JANE AND I ARE BOTH HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE, UM, PAYMENT PROCESS THAT FUNCTIONS THAT USES CREDIT CARDS, SMARTPHONES, ET CETERA. 
          AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE THOSE THINGS. 
          I AM CONCERNED, UH, THAT, THAT SOME OF OUR MOST NEEDY RIDERS MIGHT NOT. 
          SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE, UH, THAT, THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, TO RIDE COMFORTABLY QUICKLY EFFICIENTLY IF THEN IF THEY, IF I CAN'T TAP MY SMARTWATCH OR I DON'T HAVE A CREDIT CARD, UM, UM, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEIR RIDERSHIP ACCESS? YES, SURE. 
          SO, UM, THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          THE AMP CARD IS A PHYSICAL SMART CARD THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PASSENGERS. 
          THEY CAN USE THAT, OR THEY COULD USE A VIRTUAL SPARK CARD ON THEIR PHONE. 
          UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR WAS THE ABILITY BECAUSE WE WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR CUSTOMER BASE AND MOST CUSTOMERS HAVE MOBILE PHONES. 
          UH, WHAT THEY DON'T HAVE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE UNBANKED. 
          AND SO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR WAS WE 
          [01:35:01]
ARE, UH, WE JOINED A NETWORK CALLED INCOME WHERE, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE UNBANKED OR ANYBODY CAN, INSTEAD OF TYING THEIR CREDIT CARD TO THEIR MOBILE PHONE, THEY CAN GO TO A RETAIL OUTLET AND, OR THE RETAIL OUTLETS THAT WE HAVE ARE ALL OVER. 
          THERE'S SEVEN 11, UH, DOLLAR GENERAL, UH, WALGREENS, A WHOLE MESS, UH, AND ATB TO COME. 
          PRETTY SOON, THOSE CUSTOMERS COULD GO TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER THERE, TAKE CASH AND ASK THAT PERSON TO ADD IT TO THEIR MOBILE WALLET. 
          YEAH. 
          BUT JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SERVE THAT. 
          WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE INTEGRATE THOSE SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. 
          NEVER STRATTON. 
          SO HOW WILL THIS INTEGRATE WITH, UH, AND I BELIEVE I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, BUT AS WE'RE MOVING FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD NOW, HOW IS THIS GOING TO INTEGRATE WITH, UM, FOLKS WHO, UH, HAVE CERTAIN, UM, UH, EXEMPTIONS I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SENIOR CITIZENS CUSTOMERS THAT ARE OVER THE AGE OF 65. 
          I THOUGHT I REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING AND FORGIVE ME, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS OF CHAT EARLIER, BUT THERE, THERE WERE SOME CHANGES COMING TO THE WAY THAT WE WERE PROGRESSING WITH THE, UM, THE APPROVAL OF, UM, THOSE THAT ARE OVER THAT ARE OVER 65, HOW THEY GET THE, THEIR, THEIR REDUCTION IN FARES, UH, APPROVED, AND THEN HOW THAT GOES FORWARD. 
          HOW IS THAT GOING TO INTEGRATE WITH THIS, WITH OUR NEW SYSTEM HERE? SO, SO IT ALREADY DOES. 
          SO RIGHT NOW, UH, I MEAN, ANY REDO OUR REDUCED FARE PROGRAM INTEGRATES WITH OUR CURRENT, UH, MOBILE APP SYSTEM. 
          AND THIS CUSTOMER ACCOUNT BASED SYSTEM IS AN UPGRADE TO THAT SYSTEM. 
          SO ALL OF THOSE RULES THAT ARE STILL IN PLACE THAT ARE PLACE NOW WILL STILL BE IN PLACE WITH THIS NEW SYSTEM. 
          FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UH, IF SOMEONE QUALIFIES FOR A REDUCED FARE, WHETHER WHATEVER THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE, WHETHER IT'S SPECTRUM ACCESS OR WHETHER IT'S, UM, A REDUCED FARE SENIOR CITIZEN, WHEN THEY CERTIFY THROUGH THE TRANSIT STORE, THEY ARE ADDED TO AN ELIGIBLE LIST. 
          SO THAT WHEN, WHEN YOU LOOK ON YOUR MOBILE PHONE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR YOU'RE AT THE ONBOARD VALIDATOR, UM, IT KNOWS THAT YOU ARE REDUCED TO OUR CUSTOMER AND IT IS LOOKING FOR REDUCED FAIR AMOUNT, NOT A FULL FAIR AMOUNT, WHEREAS A REGULAR CUSTOMER WHEN THEY PRESENT THEIR, UH, WHEN THEY GO TO BUY A TICKET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT ONLY PRESENTS THOSE TICKETS THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO, TO BUY. 
          AND SO A REGULAR CUSTOMER LIKE YOU, OR I WOULD NOT SEE THOSE REDUCED FARE IN OUR MOBILE APP. 
          SO WHEN THEY GO TO PURCHASE A 30 DAY PASS OR ON THE WEBSITE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THEY'VE QUALIFIED AS, UM, AS A REDUCED FOR OUR CUSTOMER, AGAIN, SENIOR CITIZEN, METRO ACCESS, UH, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THEN THAT THAT'S LOCKED IN, THEY'RE TIED TO IT NOW BECAUSE OUR TECHNOLOGY HAS, HAS ADVANCED TO THAT POINT NOW THAT, THAT IT IS TIED TO THEM AND THEY COULD EITHER GET IT LOADED ONTO THAT AMP CARD AS THAT REDUCED FARE, UH, OR THEY COULD, LIKE YOU SAID, PUT IT ON THEIR SMARTPHONE OR, OR WHATEVER AT THAT POINT. 
          OKAY, GREAT. 
          OKAY. 
          THAT'S AN EXCELLENT CORRECTION. 
          IT WILL CONNECT TO THEM CARD BECAUSE THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN CORRECT. 
          YEAH. 
          WELL, ONCE THAT, ONCE THAT'S STAGE GOES LIVE. 
          OKAY. 
          WONDERFUL. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MA'AM I WAS JUST CURIOUS, I KNOW, AT LEAST IN THE PAST THAT SOMETIMES THERE WERE CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH, UM, PROVIDING THE BENEFIT OF LIKE HEB OR TARGET OR WHOMEVER, A BANK CARD TO PROVIDE, LIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE UNBANKED, THEY CHARGE A FEE TO THE PERSON WHO IS MAKING, TAKING YOU. 
          SO THAT SERVICE DID YOU LOOK AT THAT IS THAT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO FEE TO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER AT ALL, FOR THEM TO HAVE THOSE ACCOUNTS AND HAVE THE CARD FOR YOU MEAN RIGHT NOW, TOO, WHEN THEY HAVE A CARD, THERE'S NO FEE, WHAT WOULD THEY HAVE A CAR OR USE THEIR MOBILE APP. 
          THERE'S NO FEE FOR THEM TO ADD CASH TO THAT. 
          OKAY. 
          AND THOSE DIFFERENT, THOSE, UM, INDEPENDENT VENDORS ARE NOT CHARGING FOR THE USE OF THEIR COMPANY TO FORWARD THE MONEY BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTING AS A BANK. 
          WELL, THE, WE ARE THROUGH OUR PROVIDER BITE MARK, WHO IS OUR, UH, OUR MOBILE APP AND ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEM PROVIDER. 
          THOSE ARE ALL CHARGES THAT ARE LUMPED INTO THEIR COMMISSION TO TELL ME ABOUT THEIR COMMISSION IS A 10% COMMISSION FOR ALL TICKET SALES, WHICH IS VERY COMMON ACROSS THE INDUSTRY. 
          THAT'S GREAT. 
          AND THEN CAP METRO FOOTS THE BILL FOR THE 10% COMMISSION. 
          OKAY. 
          SO IDEALLY THE PERSON 
          [01:40:01]
WHO IS NOT ABLE TO HAVE A BANK ACCOUNT DOESN'T BANG OUT IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM. 
          WOULDN'T BE CHARGED A FEE, A FEE DOES EXIST, BUT IT'S KEPT METRO THAT IS PAYING THE FEE. 
          YEAH. 
          SO IN THAT 10% COMMISSION COVERS ALL OF THE HOSTING COSTS, UM, ALL OF THE FEES, UH, EVERYTHING, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT IN CASE PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL PARTIES. 
          AND I APPRECIATE KAT METRO PUTTING THE PROGRAM IN PLACE AND BEING WILLING TO BEAR THE COMMISSION COSTS BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE THAT, UM, THE CARD SYSTEM WORK FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT HAVE, AND WE WILL REALIZE A LOT OF BENEFITS IN MINIMIZING CASH HANDLING ON OUR SIDE FOR, UM, MOVING TO THIS COMMISSION MODEL. 
          UH, I THINK IT'S A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH CAPITAL METRO AND THE, YEAH, I DON'T DISAGREE AT ALL. 
          I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WASN'T A FREE RIDE, UM, ENTIRELY MAKES SENSE. 
          THANKS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UM, THANK YOU LADIES. 
          UH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE LITTLE FOLLOWUP IN THE SENSE OF, UH, AS CATHERINE SHOWED, THERE'S A GRAPH AND IT SHOWS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE TECHNOLOGY ROLLOUT. 
          WE'LL ALSO BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD THROUGH CALENDAR YEAR 22, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS. 
          CATHERINE MENTIONED FARE CAPPING. 
          WE HAVE TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD IN 22, A POLICY DOCUMENT FOR THE BOARD APPROVAL. 
          THAT WILL LINE UP WITH THE TECHNOLOGY. 
          AND BECAUSE AS CATHERINE MENTIONED IN THE LONG RANGE OR THE INTEGRATED FINANCIAL PLAN FOR PROJECT CONNECTED DID SHOW A CERTAIN FARE INCREASES IF YOU WILL, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. 
          HOWEVER, AS SHE ALSO MENTIONED, OUR NUMBER ONE LENS THROUGH THIS IS THROUGH EQUITY. 
          SO WHILE SOME MAY IN THEORY GET AN INCREASE, OTHERS MAY ACTUALLY STAY THE SAME OR REDUCTION. 
          AND SO THE IDEA IS HOW DO WE FORMULATE AN ENTIRE POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT WE CAN BRING BACK TO THE BOARD AND HAVE A REALLY GOOD COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AND BY FEDERAL LAW, THERE'S LOT OF COMMUNITY PROCESS AROUND FAIRS ANYWAY, UM, AND THAT, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT IN 22, WE PLAN ON DOING THAT. 
          SO BOTH WE CAN MIRROR UP POLICY FOR THE BOARD APPROVAL BOARD FOR POLICY AND THE TECHNOLOGY. 
          SO WE GET THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVING THE BEST EQUITABLE FAIR SYSTEM, UH, FOR EVERYONE. 
          SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT LITTLE MARKER, UH, W WE, THE TEAM WILL BE BACK IN A COUNTY OR 22 TO DISCUSS THAT. 
          UH, AND W I TH I WOULD ASSUME MULTIPLE TIMES WE'LL BE BACK. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, REMEMBER, STRAIGHTEN YOUR LIGHTS ON, SORRY. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. 
          THAT'S GOOD STUFF. 
          UH, NEXT, 
          [VIII.2. Workforce Planning Update]
UH, DISCUSSION ITEM, NUMBER TWO, WORKFORCE PLANNING UPDATE ON SIMMONS. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN COOPER AND BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT CLARK, I'M DONNA SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION, AND ALSO DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER. 
          AND I'M JOINED BY NATALIE BUTLER. 
          WHO'S WITH THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP. 
          WE'VE BEEN ALSO KNOWN AS BCG. 
          WE CALL THEM FOR SHORT TIME. 
          THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW ON OUR WORKFORCE PLANNING PROJECT. 
          AND SO NATALIE HAS BEEN THE LEAD ON THAT PROJECT, AND SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT PART OF THIS PRESENTATION FOR US TODAY, AND WE'LL ALSO THEN BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. 
          I THINK THAT PROBABLY WE'LL HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES ACROSS THE NATION RIGHT NOW, AND WORKFORCE SHORTAGES. 
          WE HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN EXPERIENCING THAT HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, AND REALIZED THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS LIKE IMMEDIATELY, AS WELL AS INTO THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE EXPANDING SERVICE, UM, THROUGH THE PROGRAM OF PROJECTS, UH, UNDER PROJECT CONNECT. 
          SO WE WERE, WE'RE BEGINNING WITH ADDRESSING THE OPERATOR HIRING AND RETENTION ISSUE, AND I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THERE. 
          UM, BCG IN PARTICULAR HELPED US WITH DEVELOPING OUR STRATEGIC WORKFORCE ANALYSIS AND PLAN LOOKING AT WHAT WE BELIEVE OUR OPERATIONS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE OVER THE NEXT DECADE AND THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE AND, AND IN TYPES OF POSITIONS, WE'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING THEM, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF NEW POSITIONS AND NEW EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AS OUR ATTRITION TRENDS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. 
          UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO PUT TOGETHER A HOLISTIC STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN, UM, THAT WILL PREPARE US TO, UM, TO OPERATE THE EXPANDED SERVICES THAT WE, UM, ARE PROMISED THE COMMUNITY UNDER PROJECT NET, CURRENT LABOR SHORTAGE. 
          UM, NONE OF THIS IS PROBABLY NEW TO ANYONE. 
          UM, IT'S BEING EXPERIENCED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
          UM, RECENTLY A SURVEY DONE BY THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN RESOURCES. 
          MANAGEMENT SHOWED THAT 90% OF EMPLOYERS SAID THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO FILL POSITIONS. 
          UM, 73% SAID, THEY'RE SEEING A DECREASE IN APPLICATIONS FOR HARD TO FILL POSITIONS. 
          AND 50% SAID, THEY'RE EVEN SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS WHO ARE FAILING 
          [01:45:01]
TO EVER SHOW UP FOR AN INTERVIEW. 
          ONCE THEY'VE APPLIED FOR A JOB AND SHOWED SOME INITIAL INTEREST. 
          UM, HERE IN AUSTIN, I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD THIS FROM US A NUMBER OF TIMES WHERE YOU'RE NEEDING TO HIRE 100 PLUS BUS OPERATORS TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER, UM, OUR FULL SERVICE SCHEDULE. 
          AND SO WE, I'M GOING TO TALK FIRST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THAT REGARD. 
          WE ARE STARTING BY GATHERING DATA. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BCG HAS HELPED US WITH IS TO DEVELOP A SURVEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DEPLOY TO, UM, ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES. 
          UM, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A SHORT TIME, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME TO REALLY GET A HANDLE ON FOR THOSE WHO WE HAVE RETAINED, WHAT HAS KEPT THEM HERE. 
          SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON THAT WHEN WE'RE DOING RECRUITING. 
          UM, ALSO WE'LL MAKE SOME EFFORTS TO OUTREACH TO PEOPLE WHO CAME ON BOARD. 
          MAYBE IT DIDN'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TRAINING, OR IT MADE IT THROUGH TRAINING, AND THEN ONLY STAYED A SHORT WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS THAT CAUSED THEM NOT TO STAY WITH US. 
          UH, WE THINK THAT DATA'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO US AS WE BEGIN TO DEVELOP OUR RECRUITING CAMPAIGNS. 
          UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DADDY'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT A LITTLE MORE IN HER PRESENTATION ON THE OPERATIONS CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING OUR PEOPLE IN CULTURE TEAM IS GOING TO BE TAKING OVER AND LEADING THE RE RECRUITING AND ONBOARDING FUNCTION, UM, FOR, UM, THE EMPLOYEES WHO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR BUS OPERATIONS. 
          SO THE, THE BUS OPERATORS AND MECHANICS IN THOSE ROLES, UM, THE ULTIMATE HIRE WILL BE MADE BY ENVY. 
          UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO WITH OUR PEOPLE IN CULTURE TEAM REALLY FOCUSED ON THIS, UM, IS TO SHORTEN THE HIRING PROCESS SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TAKE APPLICATIONS, DO INTERVIEWS, MAKE JOB OFFERS ON THE VERY SAME DAY SO THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING APPLICANTS TO OTHER EMPLOYERS, LARGE EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA LIKE, UM, SAMSUNG COMING TO TAYLOR AND LIKE TESLA, WHO'S GOING TO BE OPENING IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF COMPETITION OUT THERE FOR THE, FOR THE SAME EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE WANTING TO HIRE. 
          SO WE'LL BE EMPLOYING TALENT SEARCH TEAMS THAT WILL INCLUDE OUR MEMBERS OF OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE TEAM, AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES FROM OUR OPERATIONS TEAMS TO BE OUT TO WHERE, UM, WE CAN MAKE DIRECT CONTACT WITH APPLICANTS, PLACES LIKE MALLS AND FLEA MARKETS AND FARMER'S MARKETS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. 
          I'M NOT WAITING FOR APPLICANTS TO COME TO US, BUT TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TO FIND FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN A TRANSIT CAREER, WE'RE ALSO WORKING REALLY CLOSELY WITH OUR MARKETING TEAM AND THEY HAVE BEGUN TO DEVELOP A CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE CALLING. 
          IT'S A THING AROUND HERE TO HA TO HIGHLIGHT OUR EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION. 
          SO THINGS LIKE TRANSIT IS A GREAT CAREER, WHETHER YOU REMAIN AS A BUS OPERATOR OR A MECHANIC, OR YOU DECIDE THAT IT'S A, THAT YOU WANT TO MOVE TO DIFFERENT LEVELS AND DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOBS WITHIN CAPITAL METRO. 
          UM, I'VE SEEN SOME OF THE VIDEOS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED WITH SOME OF OUR BUS OPERATORS AND MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES. 
          UM, AND THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY WELL DONE. 
          EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE MADE TRANSIT A CAREER WHO, UM, ARE ABLE TO TELL THEIR STORY AND PERHAPS CONVINCE OTHERS THAT TRANSIT IS A CAREER THAT THEY SHOULD INVEST IN AS WELL. 
          WE WILL BE WORKING ON DEVELOPING THE CAPITAL METRO TRAINING ACADEMY, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS. 
          UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT DOTTIE AND HER TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON. 
          SO, UM, THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UM, MORE SUCCESSFULLY TRAIN FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES, AND THEN ALSO TRAIN THEM TO MOVE INTO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF JOBS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN OVER TIME, IMPROVING THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT. 
          YOU PROBABLY SAW SOME OF THAT GOING ON WHEN YOU CAME IN. 
          SO IN THIS BUILDING, WE'RE DOING A LOT OF REFURBISHING TO IMPROVE THE AREAS, UM, THAT WE MAKE AVAILABLE TO OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES IN THIS BUILDING. 
          AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S THAT WE'VE BEEN NEEDING TO DO FOR SOME TIME, BUT NOT JUST THE FACILITIES ASPECT, BUT ALSO THE CULTURE ASPECT. 
          SO, UM, I EXPECT AUDIENCES TO TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO DO, AND WE HAVE AS A GOAL, AND SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE, UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING TO THE MV CONTRACT IS TO HAVE MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES, UM, AND, UM, AND TO CREATE A CULTURE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO WORK HERE AND UNDERSTAND THEIR VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          UH, NOT ONE OF THE LEAST THINGS THAT BRENT TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IS THE PAY INCREASE FOR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES. 
          SO, UM, ALL EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED BY THE ATU GOING TO C BE RECEIVING A PAY INCREASE AS OF JANUARY 1ST, UM, INCREASING OUR F OUR STARTING WAGE FOR BUS OPERATORS FROM 1750 TO $22 AN HOUR. 
          AND WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO REALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THAT EFFORT. 
          UM, AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WAGE INCREASES TO HELP US WITH RETENTION AS WELL. 
          UM, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO IN THAT CONTRACT, THAT WE HADN'T DONE BEFORE WAS TO HAVE, UM, A RE SORT OF A RETENTION INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES WHO REMAIN 10 YEARS OR LONGER. 
          SOME OF OUR MAJOR OBJECTIVES AS WE'RE DEVELOPING THIS PROGRAM 
          [01:50:01]
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. 
          UM, THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR ME SAY THIS A LOT, DEVELOP TALENT PIPELINES EARLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW IF WE DON'T START NOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE NEED TO FIRST CONSTRUCT ALL OF THE PROJECTS WITHIN THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM. 
          UM, BUT ALSO THEN TO BE READY TO OPERATE IT WHEN IT, WHEN THE EXPANSION COMES ON BOARD. 
          SO WE HAVE ALREADY MADE SIMPLE LUMINARY CONTRACTS WITH CONTEXT, RATHER WITH, UH, PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, CAPITAL AREA, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AUSTIN, COMMUNITY COLLEGE, UM, LOCAL ORGANIZED LABOR TRADE SCHOOLS, UM, AND APPRENTICE PROGRAM. 
          SO THOSE ARE ALL AREAS THAT WE BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BECOME HEAVILY ENGAGED WITH IN ORDER TO BE READY FOR IT LIKE A SET FOR BOTH CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION, ENGAGING INDUSTRY EXPERTS. 
          SO BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT. 
          AND YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT THEY HAD DONE. 
          UH, WE HAVE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH H AND TB OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS ON OPERATIONS, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT THEY, THAT THEY IDENTIFIED THAT WE NEED TO BE MAKING, UH, PARTICULARLY IN THE MAINTENANCE AREA. 
          WE WILL ALSO BE HIRING A DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE PLANNING. 
          THAT POSITION IS POSTED RIGHT NOW. 
          UM, OUR EXECUTIVE RECRUITER IS ASSISTING US WITH IDENTIFYING CANDIDATES FOR THAT. 
          UM, COUPLE OF MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES OF THAT ROLE WILL BE TO ENGAGE THOSE PARTNERS THAT I MENTIONED AND BE WORKING WITH THEM ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. 
          UM, AND THEN TO ALSO CONTINUE TO REALLY UPDATE OUR TALENT ACQUISITION NEEDS AND PLANS. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BCG DID FOR US WAS DEVELOP A MODEL THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE, AND WE CAN TWEAK THE VARIABLES IN THERE, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY VEHICLES WE PLAN TO OPERATE, HOW MANY MILES AND THE TYPES OF MODES. 
          AND WE CAN MAKE THOSE KINDS OF CHANGES ON THE FLY, UM, TO HELP US UPDATE WHAT OUR WORKFORCE NEEDS ARE. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, UM, TO CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UM, CONTINUING OUR COMMITMENT TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND ALL OF THAT GROWTH, UM, AND THEN ENGAGING OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION PARTNERS AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUPS. 
          AS WE DEVELOP THIS PLAN THAT I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO NATALIE FOR JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES AND LET HER TALK ABOUT GREAT, UM, WONDERFUL TO MEET YOU ALL IN PERSON. 
          I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN TO MANY OF YOU BEFORE. 
          UM, LIKE DONNA SAID, MY NAME IS NATALIE. 
          I'M A PROJECT LEADER WITH BCG, THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP HERE IN OUR OFFICE IN AUSTIN. 
          UM, IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO WORK WITH THE CAP METRO TEAM FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR NOW ON A NUMBER OF TOPICS, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS WORKFORCE PLANNING EFFORT. 
          UM, AND SO AS PART OF THE STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING, WE LOOKED AT BOTH THE SIZE OF THE POTENTIAL FUTURE FRONTLINE WORKFORCE AND THE HIRING NEEDS OF THAT FUTURE WORKFORCE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. 
          BUT WE ALSO TRIED TO LOOK AT THE SKILL AND CAPABILITY CHANGES REQUIRED TIME AS WE PLAN AHEAD FOR THE NEXT DECADE. 
          OBVIOUSLY THE WORKFORCE SIZE IS CRITICAL, BUT IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO PLAN FOR FUTURE SKILLS. 
          A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF THIS ONE IS THAT AS THE BUS FLEET OVER THE NEXT DECADE, SHIFTS FROM A DIESEL FLEET OVER TO AN ELECTRIC FLEET, DOES THAT REQUIRE A SKILL CHANGE IN YOUR MECHANIC WORKFORCE? DOES IT REQUIRE YOU TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WITH A DIFFERENT SKILLSET TO MANAGE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ET CETERA? THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CONSIDERED WHEN WE LOOKED AT FUTURE SKILLS ROLE BY ROLE ACROSS THE FRONTLINE WORKFORCE AT CAP. 
          METRO, I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT NOW MORE ABOUT THE ACTUAL WORKFORCE SIZE PROJECTIONS THAT WE CAME UP WITH. 
          LIKE DONNA SAID, WE HELPED BUILD A DYNAMIC MODEL WORKING WITH A LOT OF FOLKS ACROSS CAP METRO TO A COMPONENT BY COMPONENT AS A PART OF THE SYSTEM EXPANSION ASSOCIATED WITH PROJECT CONNECT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE HIRING NEEDS OVER THE NEXT DECADE. 
          UM, WE, YOU KNOW, WE ESTIMATED THE STAFFING NEEDS BASED ON EACH COMPONENT AND THE TIMING OF THE FUTURE JOB GROWTH OVER THE NEXT DECADE IS BASED ON WHEN WE EXPECT THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO ENTER REVENUE SERVICE, AS WELL AS SOME ASSUMPTIONS FOR HOW LONG YOU'LL NEED TO TEST, TRAIN AND COMMISSION DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM. 
          YOU NEED TO START HIRING IN ADVANCE OF THAT. 
          UM, ALL IN, WE EXPECT CAP METRO TO ADD ABOUT A THOUSAND FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES IN THE COMING 10 TO 15 YEARS, MOSTLY DRIVEN AS YOU'LL SEE BY THESE NUMBERS, BY THE NEW LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AND ALL OF THE HIRING ASSOCIATED WITH BRINGING THAT ONLINE. 
          AND THE OTHER LARGE CHUNK OF HIRING HERE IS IN METRO BUS. 
          MOST OF THAT BEING OPERATORS, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY. 
          UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THESE ARE THE NEW POSITIONS, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ANNUAL HIRING NEED ACROSS CAP, METRO IN THESE FRONTLINE POSITIONS, BACKFILLING FOR ATTRITION IS ALSO A MAJOR THING, MAJOR THING THAT CAP METRO NEEDS TO CONSIDER HERE. 
          THERE'S PRETTY HIGH ATTRITION. 
          AND A NUMBER OF THESE POSITIONS THAT I KNOW IS VERY MUCH ON DONNA AND THE REST OF THE TEAM'S MIND. 
          BUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE ANNUAL HIRING BURDEN THAT THE TEAM'S GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH GOING FORWARD, MANAGING THESE NEW POSITIONS IS ONLY A SMALL COMPONENT FILLING THE EXISTING POSITIONS WILL ALSO BE CRITICAL. 
          SO I'LL PASS IT BACK OVER TO DONNA, BUT HELP, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL HAVE WHEN WE'RE DONE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANKS NATALIE. 
          SO THE WORK THAT BCG HAS DONE HAS REALLY POSITIONED US, I THINK, TO BE IN A GOOD PLACE, TO BEGIN TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION. 
          SO A FEW OF THOSE ARE HIGHLIGHTED 
          [01:55:01]
HERE, AND I MENTIONED THIS BEFORE INCREASING OUR FOCUS ON THE ENTIRE EMPLOYEE LIFECYCLE FROM RECRUITING TO RETIREMENT. 
          UM, SO INCLUDING, UM, THE TRAINING THAT WE KNOW WE'LL BE NEEDING THIS AS NEW TECHNOLOGY COMES ON BOARD, UM, DEVELOPING CAREER PATHS FOR OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES AND FOCUSING VERY HEAVILY ON RETENTION, ESTABLISHING A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND LEARNING. 
          AGAIN, TO ADDRESS WHAT WE KNOW ARE SOME, UM, ATTRITION ISSUES, AS WELL AS ABSENTEEISM ISSUES, UM, AND APPROACH IMPROVING PERFORMANCE ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION SAID, I WAS GOING TO MENTION THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, I'LL MENTION IT AGAIN, LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS, UM, TO BUILD TALENT PIPELINES FOR ALL OF THE, UM, AREAS, PARTICULARLY THE HIGH NEED AREAS THAT WE ANTICIPATE RELATED TO LIGHT RAIL, SUCH AS SIGNALS, POWER, TRACK ENGINEERS, MECHANICS, UM, AND OTHER SKILLED TECHNICIANS, UM, IS AN AREA THAT WE KNOW THAT NATALIE MENTIONED NOTHING BUT 500 ANTICIPATED LIGHT RAIL EMPLOYEES NEEDED. 
          SO, UM, THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT SKILL DOESN'T PROBABLY EXIST IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW. 
          WE KNOW WE'VE GOT TO BUILD THAT. 
          UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE CONSIDERING FUTURE CROSS STAFFING OR EMERGING FUNCTIONS ACROSS MODES THAT MAY, UM, THAT MAY INCREASE EFFICIENCY. 
          SO FOR EXAMPLE, NOW WE HAD, UH, FACILITIES GROUPS THAT ARE, UH, FOCUSED ON EACH MODE, ONE FOR DEMAND RESPONSE, ONE FOR FIXED ROUTE ONE FOR, UM, RAIL. 
          UM, THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE MAY BE ABLE TO OVER TIME, UM, COMBINE FACILITY MANAGEMENT INTO ONE FUNCTION THAT THAT IS SYSTEM WIDE AND CERTAINLY CONTINUING OUR FOCUS ON, UM, ON THE CUSTOMER AND OUR CUSTOMER CENTRICITY. 
          UM, MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT WE ARE B WE'LL BE ABLE TO BOTH HIRE AND RETAIN PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT LETS EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND, HAS EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR DIRECT IMPACT ON OUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IS? SO IN SUMMARY, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MEET A TIMELINE HERE, BUT AGAIN, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON CONSTRUCTION READINESS AS IT, AS IT RELATES TO BUILDING PROJECT CONNECT. 
          UM, AND AS PART OF THAT, ALSO BUILDING, UM, CAREER PROGRESSION FOR FOLKS WHO MAY BE, MAY WORK IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES THAT MAY AT SOME POINT, BUT THEN BE READY TO MOVE OVER INTO JOBS THAT ARE OPERATIONS JOBS. 
          FOR EXAMPLE, ELECTRICIANS WHO ARE WORKING ON LIGHT RAIL MIGHT ULTIMATELY MOVE INTO AN ELECTRICIAN POSITIONS IN OPERA AND OPERATING LIGHT RAIL. 
          UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS ON HIRING AND RETAINING BUS OPERATORS. 
          UM, WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE TRANSITIONING SOME KEY OPERATIONS POSITIONS INTO CAPITAL METRO, AND I KNOW DONNY'S GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING OTHER KEY OPERATING POSITIONS THAT WILL BE NEEDED, UM, BOTH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. 
          AND LONG-TERM AS WE, UH, GET PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT LIGHT RAIL. 
          AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIFTH TIME I'VE SAID IT NOW, MULTIPLE PIPELINES, UH, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, SO THAT, UM, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO BEGIN TO BUILD THE WORKFORCE THAT WE NEED TODAY. 
          AND TOMORROW WITH THAT, I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU BY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS MADLY, REMEMBER KITCHEN, THANK YOU. 
          THIS IS EXCITING, UM, TO BE WELL, IT'S EXCITING TO JUST THAT THESE JOBS ARE BEING CREATED, BUT ALSO GETTING IN POSITION LIKE YOU ALL ARE DOING TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT IT. 
          THAT'S THAT'S EXCELLENT. 
          UM, SO I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU OR TWO QUESTIONS AND YOU MAY NOT BE AT THIS STAGE YET, BUT HAVE YOU SET GOALS FROM AN EQUITY STANDPOINT IN TERMS OF THE, UM, THE POSITIONS AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE HIRED? NOT, I WOULDN'T SAY SPECIFIC GOALS, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE WORKFORCE ALREADY AND, UM, THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT OF OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO FALLS UNDER ME, UH, WE, WE WILL BE, UM, DEVELOPING THE DETAILS OF THAT PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. 
          AND WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD IN JANUARY. 
          WELL, MAYBE THE BETTER QUESTION WOULD HAVE BEEN, IS THIS, DO YOU SET GOALS, IN OTHER WORDS, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU MEASURE WHETHER YOU'VE MET THE, THE EQUITY GOALS? YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, UM, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO NOW, WE COMPARE IT TO WHAT, THE AVAILABILITY IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE. 
          UM, AND I THINK OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR OUR STAFF TO, UM, BE SIMILAR, DIVERSE COMPOSITION AS THE, UM, AS THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SERVE. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          ACROSS ALL POSITIONS THEN. 
          AND SO YOU, YOU SET THOSE GOALS AS YOU START THE PROCESS FOR, I MEAN, SOME OF THESE POSITIONS ARE NOT READY TO BE FILLED, JUST TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF, OF HOW THE MEASUREMENTS DONE. 
          SO YEAH, I'M FEELING, I DON'T REALLY THINK WE KNOW YET. 
          I MEAN, CAUSE IF 
          [02:00:01]
WE LOOK AT, SO IF WE LOOK AT THE AVAILABILITY OF SOME OF THE LIGHT RAIL TYPES OF POSITIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING THOUGH, WE CAN'T REALLY COMPARE THAT TO COMMUNITY AVAILABILITY NOW, BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD IT AND WE HAVE TO START. 
          THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO START NOW IN ORDER TO BUILD, UM, THE, THE PIPELINE. 
          SO THERE'S SO MANY TIMES NOW OR THE BILL THAT, AND, AND OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO BUILD THAT IN A WAY THAT IS NOT BRINGING IN FOLKS FROM, FROM OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, BUT BUILDING IT WITHIN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. 
          OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. 
          THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS, ARE, ARE YOU, UM, I THINK I SAW YOU SAY THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, VARIOUS COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUPS RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT, I GUESS, IS THAT, WHAT DO YOU REMAIN? WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT DIRECTLY YET, BUT WE WILL BE THE, THE DIRECTOR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HIRING. 
          WE'LL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT TEAM. 
          UM, AND THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE, UM, FOCUSING THEIR EFFORTS, UM, ON THE STAFFING NEEDS FOR CONSTRUCTION POSITIONS AS WELL. 
          OKAY. 
          AND SO WILL YOU ALL BE, UM, HA WILL THAT PERSON BE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT CONNECT? THE POSITION THAT WE'RE HIRING WITHIN CAPITAL METRO WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUPS AND WITH OUR DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION, UM, COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, UM, PROJECT CONNECT. 
          I BELIEVE THE HTP TEAM, UM, WILL LIKELY HAVE THEIR OWN, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT POSITION THAT WILL WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH THEIR, WELL, THE REASON I ASK IS THAT THE CAP METRO IS CARRYING OUT SOMETHING OUT SOME OF THE OBLIGATIONS AND ALSO KEPT METRO WILL IMPLEMENT ON PROJECT CONNECT. 
          SO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS SET UP TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN EQUITY RELATED TYPES OF, UM, ISSUES ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT. 
          SO AS IT CAN, SINCE CAP METRO IS DOING CERTAIN THINGS, PARTICULARLY ALL THE BRT LINES IS ONE THING, BUT THEN ALSO WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THE, UM, THE OTHER PROJECTS OVER TIME AS THEY'RE DEVELOPED. 
          SO THAT'S WHY I ASK IT WASN'T I MIGHT, I JUMPED IN A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU DONNA. 
          SO MAYBE THAT'S SOME CLARITY TO THAT A BOARD MEMBER, BECAUSE I THINK THE WAY YOU'RE ASKING IS CORRECT. 
          SO AGAIN, I THINK GROUNDING EVERYONE AND W WE, WE, WE KEEP AS A GROUP, UM, CAUSE WE CREATED NOW ANOTHER BOARD, A LOT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS, UH, WERE USING TERMS INTERCHANGEABLY, PROJECT CONNECT ATP, WHICH ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT THINGS. 
          PROJECT CONNECT IS OUR PRO EXPANSION PROGRAM. 
          ATP IS AN ORGANIZATION TO IMPLEMENT THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, AS YOU MENTIONED FOR CAP METRO TO OPERATE SO TO AID FUND TO THE GRANT FUNDING, BUT ALL THE OPERATIONAL READINESS PIECES. 
          SO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON ON THE ATP SIDE, THERE'LL BE A POSITION THAT IS GOING TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH, UH, TRADE TRADE UNIONS, UM, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO TRY TO BUILD A CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE, SOME OF WHICH LONGTERM WOULD NATURALLY PROBABLY FLOW INTO CAP METRO STAFFING ON THINGS LIKE TRACK AND SIGNAL, KIND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE COMPONENTS OF THAT SECONDARILY CAP. 
          METRO NEEDS TO HAVE A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR THAT GROWS NOT ONLY THE DIFFERENT AVAILABILITY OUTCOMES INSIDE OF OUR ORGANIZATION AND DIFFERENT SUCCESSION PLANNING AND WAYS PEOPLE CAN MOVE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. 
          BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT THOSE ATP STAFF THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COME INTO CAP METRO STAFF AND CREATE AN ENGINEERING AND MAINTENANCE DIVISION FROM THE RE YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE, IF, UH, THE RAIL VEHICLE SIDE IS AN EXAMPLE NOW. 
          SO YES, THE CAC WILL BE A PART OF THAT PROCESS, JUST LIKE OUR OTHER ADVISORY GROUPS AND ALL OF THE OTHER PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, THE CITY, THE COUNTY, UH, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, I I'VE SAID A LOT MORE IN THE FIRST ENDING OF THE BASEBALL GAME ON THIS ONE. 
          WE HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED THE FIRST DAY. 
          AND SO WE, WE THERE TODAY WAS JUST ABOUT GROUNDING EVERYONE ON THE ENORMITY OF THE CHALLENGE AHEAD OF US. 
          AND I REALLY WANT TO PUT A FINE POINT ON THIS. 
          THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGER, IF NOT LARGEST RISK OF THE ENTIRE PROGRAM. 
          IT IS ABOUT STAFFING STAFFING TO HAVE THE WORKFORCE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO BUILD THIS PROGRAM. 
          THIS WILL BE THE LARGEST WORKFORCE, UH, WORK PROGRAM JOBS PROGRAM IN THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL TEXAS BY FAR. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE TO OPERATE THIS THING FOREVER WITH VERY SKILLED PEOPLE. 
          AND SO SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL NATURALLY FLOW AND OTHER PEOPLE WE HAVE TO DEVELOP, AND WHETHER IT'S A SIGNAL PERSON OR A TRACK PERSON THAT IS SOMETHING THAT REQUIRES YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY WORK IN THE SYSTEM, NOT A COUPLE OF WEEKS, NOT A COUPLE OF MONTHS, YEARS. 
          AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GROUND EVERYONE IS TODAY IS WE ARE GOING TO PUT A LOT OF URGENCY ON THIS IN 22 TO HIRE THOSE GROUP, UH, THOSE DIRECTORS, AND THEN START FRAMING THIS OUT WITH OUR PARTNERS, GETTING THE COMMUNITY GROUPS INVOLVED, THINKING THROUGH HOW WE BUILD ULTIMATELY THAT PIPELINE OF TALENT THAT COULD HELP BUILD THE PROGRAM AND THEN RUN THE PROGRAM. 
          SO HOPEFULLY THAT BRINGS IT A LITTLE BIT TOGETHER. 
          YES. 
          AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I WAS GETTING AT. 
          I WASN'T ASKING IT VERY WELL, BUT THAT'S 
          [02:05:01]
WHAT I WAS GETTING AT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SILOING OUR, WHO WE'RE TALKING TO IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS CHARGED AND THEY CAN BE, IT CAN BE HELPFUL. 
          THAT'S THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THEM IS BEING HELPFUL. 
          AND SO BUILDING WORKFORCE, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT THE CAC, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, LOTS OF D COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ENGAGE. 
          AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, THAT WE'RE NOT, NOT INVOLVING THEM BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK THEY'RE INVOLVED ON THE CAP METRO SIDE, BUT THEY WOULD BE INVOLVED ABSOLUTELY ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR THE NEXT DECADE AND ALL ASSISTANCE. 
          I WOULD JUST ASK EVERYONE TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S A PROCESS. 
          SO WE WON'T BE NEXT MONTH OR FIVE MONTHS. 
          BUT AS WE GET INTO 22 INTO 23, WE NEED TO HAVE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED BY THEN TO REALLY THEN INTERNET'S BUILT STUFF. 
          UH, YOU KNOW, CAUSE WE'RE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS PROBABLY GIVE OR TAKE BEFORE THE HEAVY CONSTRUCTION ON THE LIGHT RAIL. 
          SO YES, YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          EVERYONE'S GOING TO BE INVOLVED. 
          IT IS GOING TO BE A DECADE LONG PROCESS AND IT QUITE FRIENDLY, THE MORE INVOLVEMENT WE GET FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE BETTER, THIS WHOLE THING WILL WORK. 
          SO HOPEFULLY THAT IF I CAN APPROACH THIS FROM AN EQUITY PRISON, THERE ARE TWO RAILS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND, AND ONE IS GOING TO BE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AND CONSTRUCTION AND THE, AND THE OTHER IS GOING TO BE THE M WHAT THE EMPLOYMENT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE INTERNALLY, HOW WE BUILD IT, HOW WE GROW IT OUT AND WE FIND IT. 
          SO I THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON. 
          UH, YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN ONE STEP WITH A DISPARITY STUDY TO IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THIS AREA ALREADY HAVE BUSINESSES WANT TO WORK WITH US, UH, NEED TO BUILD CAPACITY. 
          THINK THE DISPARITY STUDY AND WORKING WITH COLA AND HOPE WILL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE WITH IC SQUARED AT UT, WHERE THEY TAKE A COMPANY THAT'S DOING BUSINESS AT X LEVEL AND PUTS A CONSULTING TEAM AROUND THEM TO GET THEM TO X SQUARED LEVEL. 
          SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE BUILD AN ASSET MAP THAT IDENTIFIES ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE MARKET NOW THROUGH THE, THROUGH OUR DISPARITY STUDIES, YOU YOU'LL SEE BETWEEN A FIVE AND 10 YEAR PERIOD. 
          YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS DOING THIS, THE COUNTY IS DOING THIS CAP. 
          METRO IS DOING THIS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED AND ALL THE BUSINESSES THAT WE IDENTIFY, UH, THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE A ROLE FOR THEM IN THESE TYPES OF OPERATIONS? AND IF THERE IS, HOW DO WE MAKE THEM AWARE OF IT, WHERE THEY FIND THIS INFORMATION OUT, HOW DO THEY PARTICIPATE? AND THEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN EQUITY PERSPECTIVE, WHAT WE LEARNED WHEN WE LOOKED AT HEALTH SERVICES? WELL, WE LEARNED WHEN WE LOOKED AT SOCIAL SERVICES WHERE WE LEARNED, WHEN WE LOOKED AT JOB TRAINING SERVICES IS THEY EXIST IN ONE PART OF TOWN. 
          AND THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF TOWN THAT THEY DON'T EXIST IN. 
          SO THE QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE AN ASSET MAP OF EVERYTHING THAT IS A JOB TRAINING PROGRAM OR A WORKFORCE PROGRAM, ZIP CODE AREA BY ZIP CODE AREA, WHICH PROGRAMS ARE WORKING EFFECTIVELY, WHEREAS CAPITAL IDEA, WHAT ZIP CODE AREAS ARE THEY WORKING IN? WHAT HIGH SCHOOLS ARE THEY WORKING IN? UH, IF THERE'S AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, UH, WHERE ARE, WHERE ARE THE, UH, UNION REPRESENTATIVES? WHERE, WHERE DO THEY TRAIN THEIR FOLKS? WHAT RESOURCES DO THEY USE? WHAT IS ACC ALREADY PROVIDING FOR? SO WE'RE, DON'T HAVE TO DO BRICKS AND MORTAR THAT WE COORDINATE RATHER THAN HAVE TO BUILD OUT EVERYTHING. 
          WHERE IS IT? HOW DOES IT OPERATE? AND, AND THE BEST GUIDE THAT I HAVE SEEN, UH, TO, UH, TO CONNECTING ALL THESE DOTS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS. 
          THEY HAVE A, UH, EMPLOYER'S GUIDE TO HIRING A SAFETY PROFESSIONAL, BUT WHAT IT LAYS OUT IS AT EVERY LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT, WHETHER THAT IS ENTRY-LEVEL, WHETHER IT IS MANAGERS, LEVEL, DIRECTOR, EXECUTIVE, THE EDUCATION THAT YOU NEED, THE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU NEED, THE CERTIFICATION THAT YOU NEED TO BUILD A TRUE CAREER PROGRESSION PROCESS. 
          IF, IF WE, IF WE DON'T KNOW OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS UP FRONT AND BUILD AN EVALUATION PROCESS ON THE BACKSIDE, IF YOU DON'T MEASURE IT, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. 
          OR, YOU KNOW, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE SAY, WELL, IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, ANY PATH WILL GET YOU THERE. 
          SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. 
          AND WHEN WE SAY ALL HANDS ON BOARD, MAKING SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY CAN BE INVOLVED WITH US BECAUSE THE LOCAL WORKFORCE BOARD CAN PROVIDE ACCESS. 
          LIKE CHILDCARE CAN PROVIDE ACCESS, LIKE SOME TRANSIT 
          [02:10:01]
RESOURCES. 
          WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT AN ASSET MAP OF EVERYTHING THAT MAKES TRAINING VIABLE, POSSIBLE AND EXPERIENCES ALONG THE WAY. 
          SO WHEN WE BUILD THAT, WHEN WE BUILD THAT MATRIX OUT, WHAT IS, WHERE, HOW DO YOU GET TO IT, WHICH SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY INVESTED, UH, DEL VALLEY HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN BUILDING A TECHNOLOGY, UM, EX ACCESS LAB PFLUGERVILLE HAS DONE THE SAME TYPE OF THING, JUST KNOWING WHERE THINGS ARE, BUT ALSO KNOWING, UH, WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS AN INVESTED AS MUCH AS IT SHOULD HAVE. 
          AND THAT WE DO TRULY LOOK AND THAT AS WITH AN EQUITY LENS, BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE STARTED PROVIDING VACCINATIONS WAS THERE WERE 75 APPROVED PLACES TO GET THEM. 
          65 WERE WEST OF EITHER 35. 
          IF WE DO, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR ASSETS ARE AND WE DON'T BUILD ON THE BRICKS AND MORTAR THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE GROUND, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL STRUGGLE. 
          AND WE'LL SPIN OUR WHEELS AND GETTING TO THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY WANT THESE JOBS AND CAN BE TRAINED TO DO YOUR POINT'S WELL TAKEN. 
          THAT'S THE EFFORT OF 22 AND BUILDING THAT ENTIRE FRAMEWORK AND KNOWING VERY WELL THAT THIS IS NOT OUR EXPERTISE. 
          SO A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK, TRY TO BE THE EXPERTS ON EVERYTHING. 
          WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BRING THE, THE, THE BEST PARTNERS TO PLAY THAT ACTUALLY DO THIS SPACE ALREADY. 
          AND FOR THEM TO THEN AMPLIFY WHAT THEY DO WELL WITH US. 
          UM, AND THEN THE BIG PART IS OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO TOO, ON THE ATP SIDE, FIGURING OUT HOW THESE CONTRACTS EVEN WILL GET SPLIT KNOWING THEN HOW, YOU KNOW, THE ORANGE LINE COULD BE SEVEN CONTRACTS AND THEY COULD SEQUENCE OVER SIX, SEVEN YEARS. 
          AND THEN WHAT IS THAT WORKFORCE NEEDS? SO THERE'S A BOTTOMS UP APPROACH HAPPENING OVER THERE THAT WE'LL KIND OF TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE NEED FROM A CONSTRUCTION POINT OF VIEW OVER. 
          AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SAME, WHICH WILL BE WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY AND BUILDING THE PIPELINE AND THEN THEY'LL COME TOGETHER. 
          SO AGAIN, TODAY WAS REALLY ABOUT GROUNDING. 
          I THINK THAT QUITE FRANKLY, I PUT A LITTLE GRAVITAS BEHIND THE VOLUME OF NUMBERS. 
          SO PEOPLE IN BOTH THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY LEVEL COULD START SEEING, WOW, THIS IS, THIS IS BIG. 
          AND WE GOT TO GET THIS RIGHT. 
          AND TODAY WAS DEFINITELY NOT TO SUGGEST WE HAVE A REALLY THE PATH SET YET. 
          IT'S THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GET THIS PATH, WE'RE HIRING A RESOURCE AND WE ARE GOING TO BRING ALL THOSE PARTNERS TOGETHER TO LAY A GREAT, UH, KIND OF A FRAMEWORK FOR, FOR ALL OF US MOVING FORWARD. 
          REMEMBER STRATTON JUST REMINDER EVERYBODY WE'RE ON SKYPE. 
          NO, I JUST WANTED TO ADD REAL QUICKLY TO THAT, THAT, THAT I THINK PART OF THIS TOO, IS GOING TO BE, UM, ALSO HELPING, UM, THE ATP BOARD AND THE CAP METRO BOARD, RECOGNIZING WHAT THEIR, THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE GOING TO BE TO THAT END, SO THAT WE DON'T END UP STEPPING ON EACH OTHER'S FEET OR TRIPPING, TRIPPING BEFORE WE EVEN LEAVE THE STARTING BLOCKS. 
          UH, AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE COMING WITH, UH, THE STRONG LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP. 
          AND JUST, UM, FROM, FROM THE STAFFING PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS AN AMAZING PRESENTATION. 
          AND I THINK THANK YOU FOR THE WORK DONNA, THAT, THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM, NATALIE, THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO, TO LAY OUT THE GROUNDWORK FOR WHAT, FOR WHAT THE, AS RANDY SAID, THE GRAVITAS BEHIND THIS AND WHAT WE'VE GOT COMING, AND THE CHALLENGES THAT FACE LARGELY WHAT YOU'VE IDENTIFIED IS THE OPERATIONS SIDE OF THIS, YOU KNOW, ATPS CHA CHARGED WITH BUILDING THE SYSTEM AND THEN HANDING IT OFF TO A CAPITAL METRO TO OPERATE. 
          BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, TO, TO RANDY'S POINT WE'VE, WE'VE GOT TO BUILD THE SYSTEM. 
          AND SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE CONSTRUCTION JOBS, YOU GUYS, THAT, THAT REALLY HASN'T BEEN A CAP METRO THING, BECAUSE THAT IS THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE OF THINGS LARGELY. 
          AND THAT'S GOING TO BE KIND OF OVER ON THAT SIDE OF THE SHOP. 
          AND I WOULD, I WOULD JUST, JUST EITHER PUT A BUG IN THE EAR OF, OF, UH, OF, OF RANDY WHEN YOU PUT ON YOUR OTHER HAT OR, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, UH, I COULD, I MIGHT SAY SOMETHING TO, TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ATP BOARD THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY BE THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WE ON THAT END AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT THIS, WE DON'T WANT TO END UP ACCIDENTALLY STEPPING ON EACH OTHER'S TOES AND TRIP AT THE FINISH LINE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO TRY TO, YOU KNOW, EACH TRY DOING THE SAME THING WHEN, UM, WE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO RANDY'S POINT THAT THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO THIS MORE EFFECTIVELY, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, AS WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS, EACH ONE OF US HAS VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE KEY AND CRITICAL TO GET TO THE FINISH LINE AT THE END. 
          YEAH. 
          I JUST TO WRAP THAT POINT MORE MEMORY, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THIS BOARD REALIZES THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A HAND IN GLOVE SITUATION. 
          UH, THE, THERE IS NO SUCCESS ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER. 
          SO A GRANULAR EXAMPLE TO MAYBE PUT A FINE POINT ON THIS. 
          AND WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT SOMETIME IN 22, WE'LL HAVE TO DO SOME TYPE OF JOINT WORK SESSION BETWEEN THE TWO BODIES, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY BOTH OWN RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTATION, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT BUILDING FIXED INFRASTRUCTURE, WE'RE 
          [02:15:01]
BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT OPERATES. 
          AND SO A GOOD, A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE, IS SAY, WE GET OUR FIRST PILOT RAIL VEHICLES. 
          WELL, THOSE PILOT RAIL VEHICLES NEED TO BE OPERATED TO TEST THEM. 
          THEY NEED TO BE TESTED THEN BY CAB METRO STAFF, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE IN A CONTROL CENTER BY CAP METRO STAFF AND ON AND ON AND ON. 
          THEY HAVE TO ALL BE A WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR ATU LABOR AGREEMENT, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD NOW, UH, THE TOLL 13 C ELEMENT OF WHAT OUR LABOR AGREEMENT IS, UM, AND TO GET FEDERAL FUNDING. 
          SO ALL OF THE, THE LAYERS OF THIS COMPLEX ONION HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY IN 22 TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER BUILT OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE SO MUCH AS A COMMUNITY. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE TO EXPLAIN HOW THE, HOW, HOW EVERYTHING GLUES TOGETHER. 
          SO, UM, WE, WE WILL ENDEAVOR TO DO THAT IN 22. 
          AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO PUT THE POINT DOWN THAT THIS IS A BIG, BIG ITEM, AND WE HAVE A TEAM THAT IS FOCUSED ON THAT. 
          REMEMBER, I HAVE MY, MY QUESTION IS, UH, YOU KNOW, YEAH, YEAH. 
          I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THE TRAINING IN-HOUSE, BUT I KNOW THAT SOME OF THESE JOBS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERTISE AND THEN HOW YOU ARE GOING TO BE, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT KIND OF TRAINING IN HOUSE. 
          AND I HAVE JUST READ, AND I GOT INVITED TO THE, UH, OPEN HOUSE THERE AT ACC ON TESLA'S LAB THAT THEY BUILT FOR THEIR STUDENTS TO, TO GET TRAINING THERE AT ACC. 
          SO ARE YOU ALSO LOOKING INTO PARTNERSHIPS IS OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE? ABSOLUTELY. 
          AND THE TRAINING ACADEMY THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT REALLY IS THE TRAINING ACADEMY FOR OUR DIRECT OPERATING STAFF, LIKE BEGINNING WITH BUS OPERATORS, TRAINING, DISPATCHERS, TRAINING SUPERVISORS, UH, THOSE KINDS OF ROLES THAT ARE ALL, AND THAT'S THE TRADES CAUSE THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD, IF THEY GO TO THE CLASS AND COMPLETED MOST LIKELY THEY WOULDN'T START THEIR CAREER IN THAT KIND OF FIELD. 
          SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, A GREAT WAY OF DOING IT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          THANK YOU, DONNA. 
          THANK YOU, NATALIE. 
          THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CLARK AT, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE CONCERNS OF MY COLLEAGUES IN MY 40 YEARS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. 
          I'VE NEVER SEEN IT SO DIFFICULT TO PUT PEOPLE IN JOBS. 
          AND, UH, AS PRESIDENT CLARK SAID, IT'S MISSION CRITICAL THAT WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING PEOPLE, UH, BECAUSE THERE ARE RESTAURANTS OPERATING TODAY AT HALF CAPACITY CAUSE THEY CAN'T FIND SERVERS. 
          UH, I KNOW IT AT THE LAW FIRM, WE'RE HAVING PEOPLE TURN DOWN RECEPTIONIST JOBS. 
          IT'S VERY DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW TO GET PEOPLE. 
          UH, AND SO, UH, KUDOS FOR BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL AND THINKING AHEAD, BECAUSE THAT, THAT REALLY WILL BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO OUR ABILITY TO SUCCEED BOTH ON THE CAP METRO SIDE AND ON THE ATP SIDE, IF WE'RE NOT SUPER FOCUSED ON THIS. 
          SO THANK YOU. 
          WELL, LOOKING BACKWARDS 
          [VIII.3. Winter Storm Uri After Action Report]
NOW A LITTLE BIT, OUR WINTER STORM, YOUR AFTER ACTION REPORT GARDNER WELCOME TROY, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN BOARD, UH, CHAIRMAN CLUB, PRESIDENT CLARK. 
          UH, WE'LL GO BACK OVER THE, UH, OUR WINTER WEATHER PREPAREDNESS FOR THOSE OF US WHO WEREN'T FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE IN FIJI AND I, OUR WINTER HOMES. 
          UH, YOU REMEMBER AROUND FEBRUARY, WE HAD OUR, UH, OUR ICE STORM, THE AFTERMATH IN OUR, UH, AFTER ACTION REPORT, UH, CAT METRO HIRED IEM TO DO AN AFTER ACTION ASSESSMENT ON HOW WE PERFORM DURING THE STORM AND HOW WE COULD PERFORM BETTER IN THE FUTURE AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, CONTRACTED WITH HEC HAGGERTY CONSULTING TO ALSO DO AN AFTER ACTION REPORT. 
          THEIR REPORT WAS MAINLY FOCUSED ON THE CITY PERFORMANCE, BUT IT DID TOUCH ON SOME OF THEM GOT METRO, UH, CONTRIBUTION, UH, TO THE STORM RESPONSE. 
          OOPS. 
          IF YOU WOULD ADD PLEASE. 
          SO TO, UH, TOUCH ON THE, UH, THE FINDINGS FROM I AM, UH, THEY INTERVIEWED 44 PEOPLE, UH, PARTICIPANTS IN 14 INTERVIEW SECTIONS AND FOUND THAT WE HIRED A, WE HIRED A THIRD PARTY CONSULTANT. 
          SO WE COULD TRULY GET AN UNBIASED ASSESSMENT OF HOW WE PERFORMED WITHOUT, UH, UH, WITHOUT THE INTERNAL BIASES FOR IT. 
          SO, UH, CAP METRO PERFORMED SPECTACULARLY WELL IN SOME OF THE, UH, AREAS THAT YOU, UH, THAT YOU'LL SEE, COULD YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE? THAT 
          [02:20:02]
THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT STAFF ADAPTABILITY AND IN OUR, UH, OPERATIONAL COORDINATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT PORTION, WE DELIVERED A WATER TO, UH, THOSE WHO NEEDED WATER IN THE FIRST, UH, EIGHT HOURS AFTER RECEIVING OUR FIRST, UH, WATER SHIPMENT, CAT, METRO DELIVERED 300 CASES OF WATER. 
          AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE, UH, SEVEN DAY SEVEN, EIGHT DAY PERIOD, UH, ALMOST 29 PALLETS, UH, WE SHIPPED OUT TO VARIOUS, UH, STAKEHOLDERS. 
          WE WERE COMMITTED BY BOTH HAGGERTY AND I AM FOR NOT TAKING PEOPLE TO RESOURCES, BUT ACTUALLY TAKING THE RESOURCES TO THE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET OUT AND, AND, AND, UH, REACHED THOSE SERVICES. 
          UH, WE ALSO, OUR STAFF SHOWED SOME AMAZING ADAPTABILITY WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY FOCUS FOR PROVIDING A TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, TO PROVIDING A COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICE, TO HELP OUR CITY SERVICES AND HELP OUR CITIZENS IN TIMES THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO BE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS. 
          UH, WE TOOK PATIENTS TO THEIR, UH, DIALYSIS APPOINTMENTS. 
          UH, WE TOOK PATRIOTS PATIENTS TO THEIR CHEMO APPOINTMENTS. 
          AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE THE ONLY SERVICE THAT WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, THESE TYPES OF SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS, WHICH WAS OUTSIDE OUR NORMAL, UH, FOCUS, UH, AS ANY EVENT OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD SHOW, UH, IT SHOWED SOME, ALSO SOME NEGATIVES CAP METRO, AS WELL AS PLENTY OF THE OTHER SERVICES WERE IDENTIFIED AS NOT BEING PREPARED TO SUSTAIN A, AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF SUCH AN EMERGENCY CONDITION. 
          UH, FOR INSTANCE, UM, WHEN IT STRETCHED OUT TO OUR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS WHERE YOU COULDN'T GET EMPLOYEES TO WORK, IT WAS SHOWN THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE IN PLACE FOOD FOR OUR STAFF WATER, FOR OUR STAFF LODGING, THAT TYPE OF THING. 
          SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, IDENTIFY SEVERAL OF THOSE TYPES OF ACTIONS AND OUR IMPROVEMENT ON THOSE. 
          AND I'LL GO OVER THOSE IN THE LAST SLIDE ON WHERE OUR NEXT STEPS ARE AND WHERE WE ARE. 
          UH, IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THAT A LOT OF THE PLANS, WE NEED A LOT OF THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE NEEDED TO BE FORMALIZED AND REALLY DRILLED DOWN TO THE GRANULAR LEVEL, UH, AS EACH EMERGENCY SHOWS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE WORKING ON IT, WHEN SOME OF THESE EMERGENCIES DO EXIST, THAT IS THE TRUE TIME TO REALIZE THAT AT THE LOWEST LEVEL OF REPAIRS, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TO FIX SO THAT IF IT DOES HAPPEN AGAIN, HOW CAN YOU PROFILE? HOW CAN YOU RESPOND BETTER? EVEN IF YOU RESPOND ABOVE AND BEYOND ANY TYPE OF EXPECTATION, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. 
          AND BOTH OF THESE ASSESSMENTS SHOWED THAT ALTHOUGH WE PERFORMED SPECTACULARLY, IT DID GIVE US A, UH, A ROADMAP TO MOVE, MOVE IT FORWARD. 
          UH, THE CITY, UH, HAGGERTY, UH, ASSESSMENT MAINLY FOCUSED ON CITY RESOURCES AND THEY TOUCH SOMEWHAT ON THE, UH, ON CAP METRO. 
          AGAIN, WE WERE COMMENDED BY FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. 
          UM, WE ACTIVATED OUR EOC ON THE 11TH, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY BEFORE THE WORST OF THE STORM HIT. 
          UH, WE PROVIDED METRO WATER ACCESS DELIVERY TO CUSTOMERS. 
          OUR MCI COACHES PROVIDED, UH, SERVED AS DISTRIBUTION POINTS. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSPORT THOSE WHO WERE MOST VULNERABLE, WHETHER THEY WERE SOME OF OUR, UH, UH, CITIZENS EXPERIENCE AT HOMELESSNESS TO A LOT OF THE HOTELS AND APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT HAD THEIR WATER SYSTEMS COLLAPSED. 
          WE PROVIDE TEMPORARY SHELTER ON OUR BUSES, AS WELL AS TRANSPORTING THE, THE, UH, THOSE WHO WERE PUT OUT OF THEIR PLACES TO LONG-TERM TO THE LONGER TERM, UH, UH, HABITATIONS, UH, DO DO DO, EXCUSE ME. 
          WE ALSO RECEIVED A COUPLE OF, UH, UH, SUGGESTIONS IN THAT WE NEEDED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MAKING METRO REQUESTS GO THROUGH THE WEB EOC PROCESS. 
          UH, AS MANY PEOPLE DO WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, THEY MAKE THE SHORTCUT PHONE CALL TO A PERSON THEY KNOW WHO PROVIDES A SERVICE, OR HAS A RESOURCE AND CIRCUMVENTS OUR INNER, OUR, UH, ICS INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM PROCESS, WHERE YOU GO THROUGH WEB SEAL EOC, YOU GO THROUGH THE CITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER TO ACTUALLY MAKE REQUESTS. 
          SO THERE'S NO DUPLICATION OF, OF, UH, SERVICES. 
          THERE'S NO DUPLICATION OF, OF, UH, OF A REQUEST. 
          SO WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE A BETTER SYSTEM. 
          SO THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF AN INCIDENT CAP, METRO HAS STAFF IN THE METRO EOC, 
          [02:25:02]
AS WELL AS IN THE CITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER THAT ARE PROCESSED NOTES PROCESSING THOSE REQUESTS. 
          AND EVERYBODY HAS BEEN TRAINED IN THE WAY THE SYSTEM OPERA OPERATES NEXT, PLEASE. 
          AND MY FINAL SLIDE, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE ON OUR NEXT STEP, UH, CURRENTLY IN ORDER TO FIX THOSE, UH, AREAS THAT WE IDENTIFIED AS WELL AS THE, UH, AFTER ACTION COMPANIES IDENTIFIED, WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PLAN TO LAUNCH THE AGENCY EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROJECT, INCLUDING THE BASE PAN AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ANNEXES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2022. 
          AND FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLANNING, THESE ARE HUGE DOCUMENTS THAT COVER A LOT OF DETAIL. 
          AND I'LL GIVE YOU FOR INSTANCE, AS IF EACH ONE OF YOU WERE A METRO DEPARTMENT, EV THERE HAS TO BE A MASTER DOCUMENT SENT OUT. 
          EACH OF YOU WOULD FILL OUT WHAT IS SPECIFIC FOR YOUR PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT WAS OPERATIONS, WHETHER IT WAS, UH, FINANCE, WHETHER IT WAS THE MECHANICS, AND THEN IT WOULD COME UP AND GO BE REVIEWED SEVERAL TIMES. 
          AND THEN EACH ONE OF THOSE DOCUMENTS HAS TO BE COORDINATED TOGETHER SO THAT IT ALL MAKES SENSE IN THE MASTER DOCUMENT. 
          SO, UH, SOME OF THESE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'RE CREATING AND GETTING DOWN TO THE LEVELS ON WILL TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS, IF NOT A YEAR OR TWO, TO ACTUALLY COMPLETE OUR WINTER WEATHER PLAN IS CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE MET LAST WEEK TO FINALIZE SOMETHING THAT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING AND PROCURING EQUIPMENT, UH, WHETHER IT BE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TRUCKS, UH, COTS, BLANKETS, UH, CONTRACTORS FOR LODGING, UH, W ONE OF THE THINGS WE DISCOVERED IS THAT WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO GET EMPLOYEES TO WORK, THEY COULDN'T GET HOME. 
          SO WE HAD TO FIND A PLACE TO LODGE THEM. 
          UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING INTO, IN OUR, IN CONTRACTS WITH HOTELS AND THAT TYPE OF THING. 
          SO THEN IN THE FUTURE FOR A PROLONGED PROTRACTED TYPE, AN INCIDENT WE'RE PREPARED, AND OUR STAFF IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF. 
          AND WE'RE ALSO DOING, UH, IN THE NEXT, THE LAST ITEM UP THERE, YOU SEE A RED, A RESPONDER KIT. 
          WE'RE TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE CREATING A KIT, A PLAYBOOK, IF YOU WILL, FOR EACH EMPLOYEE IN ORDER FOR AN EMPLOYEE TO COME TO WORK AND DO THEIR BEST JOB, THEY NEED TO KNOW THEIR HOME IS TAKEN CARE OF. 
          SO WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER KITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO LINE UP STUFF FOR THEIR HOUSE. 
          SO THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT AT METRO WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING AT HOME. 
          THEY'LL KNOW THAT THEY'VE BEEN PREPARED AND WE'VE GIVEN THEM THE TOOLS TO TAKE CARE OF HOME SO THEY CAN COME TO WORK AND TAKE CARE OF OTHERS. 
          THAT INCLUDES MONT CONCLUDES MY, UH, THE QUESTIONS FOR TROY, ANY CHOICE. 
          I JUST HAVE ONE, UM, AS WE MOVE TO A MORE IN THIS MAY BE MORE FOR PRESIDENT CLARK MEMORIAL ELECTRIFIED FLEET. 
          AND I SAW A NOTE IN THE PAPER TODAY ABOUT INCREASING FRAILTY OF OUR GENERATION CAPACITY STATEWIDE. 
          DO WE HAVE, UH, IDEAS OR PLANS, OR ARE WE WORKING ON PLANS IN PLACE TO PROVIDE REDUNDANCY FOR OUR FLEET IN THE EVENT OF ANOTHER POWER OUTAGE? YEAH. 
          GREAT QUESTION, SHARON. 
          WELL, FIRST, FIRST I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT, UH, WE ARE IN A 10 PLUS YEAR VEHICLE TRANSITION. 
          AND SO WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE DIESEL BUSES AROUND HERE FOR, UH, PLENTY, PLENTY OF YEARS. 
          UH, I WON'T COMMENT ON THE, ON THE STATE HOLISTICALLY. 
          I, I'M NOT, UH, UP TO SPEED ENOUGH OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE FAST-GROWING STATE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE RELIABLE, UH, POWER AS A STATE. 
          UH, ONE, THE THING THAT I THINK WE'RE MOST FOCUSED ON IS HOW DO WE DO SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR CAPITAL PLAN? AND SO WE ARE DOING THAT BOTH ON THE ATP SIDE. 
          SO ANY NEW FACILITIES WILL BE BUILT. 
          WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO BUILD IN AS MUCH RESILIENCY INTO THOSE FACILITIES, BUT ALSO, UH, WE, WE ACTUALLY HAD A, UH, RAISE GRANT IN AT THE USDA. 
          UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T WIN THAT. 
          UH, THE ANNOUNCEMENTS CAME UP FRIDAY TO ELECTRIFY, UH, THE NORTH OPS, UH, UH, YARD WITH AN ENTIRE SOLAR ARRAY AND BATTERIES. 
          UH, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE LARGE BATTERY MAKERS. 
          SO THE IDEA IS HOW DO WE TURN OUR FACILITIES INTO WHETHER IT'S FACILITY, BATTERY STORAGE, SOLAR RAYS, HOW DO WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH RESILIENCY, BOTH ON ELECTRICAL AND WATER THAT WE ARE SELF-CONTAINED AND THEN HOW WE WORK IN AS CLOSE AS WE CAN WITH OUR PARTNER AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, THAT WILL BECOME EVEN MORE CRUCIAL, OBVIOUSLY, AS WE GO TO A RAIL RAIL SYSTEM. 
          UM, AND THAT'S PART OF THE ANALYSIS ABOUT THE VEHICLE TYPE AND STORAGE AND ALL OF THAT TYPE OF THING AS WELL. 
          UH, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, THE HARDINESS 
          [02:30:01]
OF AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, BUT I DO KNOW ON A STATEWIDE BASIS, UH, IT'S PRETTY COMPLICATED REGULATORY SCHEME. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN ASSUME THAT THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF GENERATION IN AT LEAST THE NEAR TERM OR THE MEDIUM TERM, PERHAPS OVER THE LONGER TERM, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I WORRY ABOUT. 
          WELL, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD WORRY ABOUT. 
          HOWEVER, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND PROBABLY SAVED THE ENTIRE TEXAS GRID, UH, IN, IN THE LAST STORM. 
          AND I, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE TABLE BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO TAKE A REGIONAL APPROACH AND LOOK AT, UH, THE EXISTING EMERGENCY OPERATIONS. 
          I KNOW THAT WHEN I WORKED AT THE CITY, WE BUILT CONTINUITY PLANS, AT LEAST IN AUSTIN, ENERGY PUBLIC WORKS AND THE WATER UTILITY THERE, YOU KNOW, THEIR SEATS AT THE TABLE AT THE EMERGENCY PLANNING CENTER. 
          UH, THE COUNTY USES ITS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND ITS TNR TEAM, UH, TRANSPORTATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES TEAM AS WELL. 
          SO THERE'S ALREADY A PLAYBOOK AND I MEAN, IT REALLY BEGINS WITH IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL PERSONNEL, CENTRAL OPERATING MATERIALS, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, MAKING SURE THAT YOU CAN SUSTAIN YOURSELF UNTIL THE CAVALRY GETS THERE. 
          AND THEN WHEN THE CAVALRY COMES AGAINST, YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, THE THINGS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN FUNCTION FOR, FOR A REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME. 
          UH, BUT, UM, AS, AS WE LOOK FORWARD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THEIR CONTINGENCY PLANS BECAUSE THEY PRETTY MUCH DEAL WITH WHAT HAPPENS ON ROADS, WHO SHOULD BE THERE. 
          UH, HOW DO WE GET THEM THERE? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY CAN STAY AS LONG AS THEY NEED TO BE? SO A LOT OF THESE PLANS HAVE TO BE MODIFIED TO OUR SPECIFIC OPERATIONS, UM, BUT, UH, THE, THE, UH, THE ALIGNMENT AS IN PLACE, AND WE CAN, AND WE CAN IDENTIFY THE ASSETS THAT ARE IN PLACE TO MAKE, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED. 
          YEAH. 
          I APPRECIATE THE BOARD MEMBER. 
          I GIVE KUDOS TO THE STAFF. 
          THEY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME. 
          I WILL SAY, AS SOMEONE THAT, UH, WAS PRETTY INVOLVED IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MASSACHUSETTS, FOR MANY YEARS, I LED TRANSPORTATION, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN THE STATE. 
          UH, WE DO HAVE A LARGER CHALLENGE HERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT, AND IT'S A REGIONAL COLLABORATION AND STATE AND REGIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION IS JUST NOT DONE THE WAY YOU WOULD SEE IN SOME OTHER PLACES. 
          AND SO, AS WE DECIDE TO CONTINUE TO GROW, TO BE A MASSIVE URBAN RE REGION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET OUT OF OUR SILOS? UM, TRANSPORTATION USUALLY IS OKAY WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE CROSS JURISDICTIONAL BY NATURE. 
          UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S THAT, THAT'S THE GROWING PAINS OF BECOMING A BIG METRO AREA IS FIGURING OUT NOT JUST WINTER EMERGENCY SPECIAL EVENT MANAGEMENT, UM, THAT EVERYTHING IMPACTS EACH OTHER. 
          UM, SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT AS A REGION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON, BUT YEAH, SO ANYWAY, I THOUGHT WE JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS, THAT WE WERE VERY PROACTIVE IN OUR AFTER ACTION REVIEW. 
          UH, THE TEAM IS, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVE AS A CULTURE AND THE, AND THE TEAM DID A GREAT JOB AND WE'RE, UH, KNOCK ON WOOD. 
          WE WILL NOT HAVE A WINTER LIKE LAST YEAR, BUT WE'RE CLEARLY GOING TO BE, UH, UH, MUCH BETTER PREPARED IF WE DO. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          OUR, UH, 
          [VIII.4. Operations Update]
LAST DISCUSSION ITEM AND OPERATIONS UPDATE BY DOTTIE. 
          WELCOME BACK. 
          THANK YOU. 
          CHAIRMAN COOPER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT CEO CLERK. 
          AGAIN, MY NAME IS DADDY WATKINS. 
          I'M THE DEPUTY CEO FOR CAPITAL METRO. 
          UM, AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE A FEW OPERATIONS UPDATES FOR YOU TODAY. 
          UM, WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING, UM, UPDATES FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, BUT WE'VE REACHED RESOLUTION ON A NUMBER OF ITEMS AND THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHWHILE FOR THE FULL BOARD TO HEAR, UM, TODAY'S UPDATE. 
          UM, SO FIRST AND FOREMOST TO BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH PERSON WHO'S MENTIONED THIS TODAY, UM, THE ATU HAS RATIFIED CHANGES TO THE LABOR AGREEMENT. 
          UM, THESE PAY INCREASES ARE TH THESE, THESE CHANGES INCLUDE A PAY INCREASE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE BARGAINING UNIT. 
          UM, AND THE MOST NOTABLE CHANGE. 
          I THINK THE ONE THAT WE HOPE WILL BE MOST POWERFUL IN HELPING US RECRUIT IS OUR FIRST OUR BUS OPERATORS STARTING WAGE TODAY IS $17 AND 50 CENTS AN HOUR. 
          AND WE'RE MOVING THAT TO $22 AN HOUR ON JANUARY 1ST, WHICH WE THINK WILL PUT US WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN TERMS OF MARKET RATES. 
          UM, WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED WITHIN, UM, THIS, UM, FRAMEWORK IS NOW INCLUDED A MUCH STRONGER LEAN TOWARD PAY FOR PERFORMANCE. 
          UM, AND SO THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE GOALS THAT CAPITAL METRO, UM, COMMUNICATED CLEARLY TO MV WHEN THEY WERE NEGOTIATING THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE WANTED THEM TO HELP US STRESS, WHICH IS, IT IS GREAT THAT FOLKS COME TO WORK. 
          IT'S GREAT THAT THEY WORK HERE FOR 10 OR 20 YEARS, BUT WE WANT TO, 
          [02:35:01]
UM, INCENTIVIZE EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE. 
          SO THAT, UM, INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM ATTENDANCE TO SAFETY RECORDS, TO, UM, OTHER DISCIPLINARY ISSUES. 
          AND SO, UM, THIS, UH, LABOR AGREEMENT ACTUALLY INTRODUCES PAPER PERFORMANCE AS A SPECIFIC CONCEPT THAT WE THINK WILL HELP US BUILD A CULTURE OF PERFORMANCE AS WE MOVE FORWARD. 
          UM, AND THEN ALSO THE LONGEVITY PAY AS, UM, THIS BOARD MAY RECALL BEFORE COVID, WHEN WE WERE STILL KIND OF IN THE NORMAL SWING OF THINGS WE WERE BRINGING THROUGH OUR EMPLOYEES THAT HAD BEEN HERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, HER RECOGNITION TO THE BOARD, WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE IN EXCESS OF 10, 20, 30 YEARS. 
          AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FOLKS, UM, ARE PROPERLY COMPENSATED BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MUCH EXPERIENCE OUT THERE ON THE STREETS, UM, YOUR ABILITY TO HANDLE ISSUES AND OPERATE SERVICES IS REALLY JUST TOP NOTCH. 
          SO, UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OUGHT TO SEE THAT OFFERED AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP US RETAIN FOLKS, UM, EVEN LONGER THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST. 
          IN ADDITION TO THE CHANGES IN, UM, WAGES, CAPITAL METRO IS ALSO MAKING CHANGES TO THE STRUCTURE OF HOW WE MANAGE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, OUR BUS OPERATIONS. 
          UM, AND SO, UM, REALLY THE PANDEMIC HAS IT'S BEEN A THING, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT HAS, IT HAS, IT HAS REALLY TAXED ALL OF US. 
          UM, AND IT HAS SHOWN US SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE WE WERE WEAK AND IN AREAS WHERE WE HAD BEEN GETTING BY, AND WE THOUGHT WE WERE JUST FINE HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED. 
          UM, SOME OF THOSE AREAS ARE IN TERMS OF RECRUITING AND ONBOARDING OF NEW EMPLOYEES. 
          DONNA JUST SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT OUR NEED TO INVEST IN A MUCH LONGER TERM HORIZON FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
          UM, THAT TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT PIECE, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT THE SERVICE QUALITY AND FOCUSING ON HOW WE ARE DELIVERING THE SERVICE, THE ENERGY WITH WHICH WE DELIVER THE SERVICE, UM, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENGAGE ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE TEAM. 
          AND SO LOOKING AT ALL OF THESE PIECES COMBINED, UM, CAPITAL METRO IS IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH MV TO MODIFY THEIR CURRENT CONTRACT. 
          UM, SO IN V WHO IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER OPERATES, ALL OF OUR BUS SERVICES FOR US, UM, HAS A CONTRACT WITH US AND WE ARE MODIFYING THAT CONTRACT TO, UM, HAVE MV PROVIDE THE ADMINISTRATION OF ALL OF OUR BUS TRANSIT SERVICES. 
          AND SO THAT WILL INCLUDE, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EMPLOY ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES. 
          THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PERFORM ALL OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESPONSIBILITIES. 
          THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MANAGE LABOR RELATIONS, ATTENDANCE, DISCIPLINE, UM, PROVIDE PAY AND BENEFITS ALL OF THOSE THINGS FOR THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES. 
          BUT WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGING THE SERVICE ITSELF, UM, CAPITAL METRO STAFF WILL ESTABLISH THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT SERVICE ON A DAILY BASIS. 
          SO A LOT OF THOSE KIND OF MID-MANAGEMENT TO HIGHER LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, JOBS ARE GOING TO BECOME CAPITAL METRO RESPONSIBILITIES. 
          UM, SO THIS WILL INCLUDE THINGS LIKE, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT OVER OUR BUILDING MAINTENANCE PROGRAM WILL BECOME A CAPITAL METRO EMPLOYEE, UH, MAKING DECISIONS IN VEHICLE MAINTENANCE ABOUT WHICH REPAIRS HAVE TO GET DONE TODAY, OR WHICH ONES CAN WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION. 
          DOES THIS ENGINE NEED TO BE REBUILT NOW? OR CAN WE DO, BASED ON ITS OIL ANALYSIS, CAN IT GO ANOTHER 10,000 MILES, THOSE SORTS OF DECISIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR SERVICE AND, OR OUR ASSETS WILL BE MADE ON A DAILY BASIS BY CAPITAL METRO STAFF. 
          AND WE THINK THAT WILL HELP US, UM, RAISE THE STANDARD AND KEEP THE STANDARD HIGH FOR HOW ALL OF OUR SERVICES ARE PERFORMED. 
          UM, WE WILL ALSO BE TAKING OVER THE RECRUITING. 
          AS DONNA MENTIONED, WE, WE SEE A REAL NEED TO RECRUIT, NOT JUST FOR TODAY'S VACANCIES, BUT FOR WHAT WE SEE TO BE A DECADES LONG, UM, GROWTH SPURT THAT, THAT THAT'S COMING AT US. 
          AND SO WE WILL BE, UM, DOING THAT RECRUITING AND ONBOARDING OF FOLKS AS WELL AS TRAINING ALL OF THE FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES. 
          I'M VERY EXCITED TO LAUNCH THE CAPITAL METRO TRAINING ACADEMY. 
          WE ARE GOING TO RAISE THE BAR ON WHAT WE DO FOR TRAINING, NOT JUST FOR NEW EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO FOR EXISTING EMPLOYEES. 
          I PERSONALLY HAVE BENEFITED BY THE TRANSIT INDUSTRIES INVESTMENT IN THEIR STAFF, IN PROMOTING FROM WITHIN. 
          AND I'D LIKE TO SEE EVEN MORE PEOPLE, UM, BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT PATH AND SEE FOLKS BE ABLE TO REALLY FIND A LONGTERM, UM, CAREER WITH THIS ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT IS, IT IS A RARE FIND THESE DAYS TO FIND AN ORGANIZATION THAT YOU CAN START YOUR CAREER WITH AND CONTINUE TO GET DEVELOPED AND CONTINUE TO, TO, TO MOVE UP OR OVER INTO DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROLES. 
          AND SO, UM, BEING ABLE TO BE ONE OF THOSE EMPLOYERS, I THINK WILL REALLY SET US APART. 
          UM, AND THEN ANOTHER BIG CATEGORY THAT CAPITAL METRO WILL BE ASSUMING RESPONSIBILITY ON, UM, IS THE PURCHASING AND MANAGEMENT OF OUR PARTS INVENTORY. 
          UM, SO TODAY ALL OF THE PARTS USE TO MAINTAIN OUR FACILITIES AND OUR, UM, VEHICLES ARE OWNED BY 
          [02:40:01]
THE SERVICE PROVIDER. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THAT RESPONSIBILITY OVER THAT WILL HELP US, UM, IMPROVE THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE OF THE PARTS THAT ARE NEEDED, ARE AVAILABLE WHEN THEY'RE NEEDED. 
          AND ALSO GIVES US A MUCH MORE OF A SENSE OF SECURITY IN THAT WE ARE NO WILL NO LONGER BE BEHOLDEN TO ANY FIRM, UM, BECAUSE THEY OWN ALL OF THE PARTS THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THE BUSES TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY AND THE NEXT DAY. 
          UM, SO THIS IS A PROCESS THAT WE ARE, UM, LOOKING TO TAKE OVER TO REALLY HELP US SUBMIT OUR ABILITY TO MANAGE, UM, THE OPERATIONS, UM, ON A GO-FORWARD BASIS. 
          UM, SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE WITH OPERATIONS CHANGES, JUST, UH, A COUPLE OF MINOR THINGS LIKE A BIG MAJOR PAY INCREASE IN A COMPLETE FRUIT BASKET TURNOVER, THE STAFFING. 
          UM, BUT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THESE CHANGES MEAN FOR US POSSIBLY IN THE FUTURE, AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO KIND OF TAKE A DEEP BREATH, PRAY THAT COVID IS BEHIND US AND MOVE FORWARD IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL WAY. 
          AND WITH EXCELLENT SERVICE, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. 
          YOU MAY HAVE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, JUST ONE, UH, AS, AS WE, UH, AS WE TAKE OVER THE OPERATIONS FOR PARTS, WILL THAT IMPACT, WILL THAT ADVERSELY IMPACT OUR MINORITY PARTICIPATION? ARE THERE BIG FIRMS THAT WERE WOMEN LED OR MINORITY LED THAT WERE PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM? OR WE CURRENTLY ARE NOT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF DBE FIRMS PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM. 
          UM, BUT IT WILL GIVE US DIRECT CONTROL OVER THE FIRMS THAT WE USE IN, AND REALLY, UM, CAPITOL METRO'S ABILITY TO CONTRACT WITH, UM, MINORITY OWNED OR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, UM, WILL BE AVAILABLE CURRENTLY UNDER MBS CONTRACT. 
          THEY DON'T HAVE MUCH IN THE WAY OF PARTS SUPPLIERS THAT ARE, UM, DBES, BUT WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO ACTUALLY TRANSITION A COUPLE OF THEIR DBE CONTRACTS TO BECOME CAPITAL METRO CONTRACTS SO THAT WE CAN OVERSEE THOSE FUNCTIONS AND CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE DB VENDORS. 
          THANK YOU, KIND OF ALONG THOSE LINES OF FOLLOW-UP WITH THE CONTRACTING, THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS HERE I REALIZED, BUT AS WE ARE TAKING MORE STUFF IN HOUSE, WE'RE ALSO RAISING THE PAY. 
          UM, DO YOU FORESEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO COME THAT Y'ALL AS A STAFF, WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO BRING BACK TO THE BOARD ANY CHANGES WITHIN THE BUDGET ITSELF BECAUSE OF THIS KIND OF, UH, I GUESS WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE JUST SORT OF MOVING THINGS AROUND AND SHIFTING SHELLS A LITTLE BIT, BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE AN INCREASED COST OR FOR THAT MATTER SAVINGS INVOLVED AS A RESULT OF THIS, THIS NET CHANGE WITH THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING? YEAH. 
          WE'RE GOING TO SAVE ON ONE SIDE AND SPEND ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND WE'RE STILL ANALYZING EXACTLY WHERE THAT'S GOING TO SHAKE OUT. 
          UM, WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER A BUDGET AMENDMENT WILL BE NECESSARY. 
          WE KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR IN DANGER OF OUTSPENDING. 
          UM, THE BOARD AUTHORIZED, UM, FUNDING FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. 
          SO WE'LL CONTINUE WATCHING IT CLOSELY. 
          UM, I IMAGINE IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE MONTHS, WE'LL HAVE A MUCH MORE SOLID UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY HOW THAT'S ALL GONNA FLESH OUT. 
          I'LL SAY, THANK YOU. 
          AND THANK YOU AND THE STAFF AGAIN, RANDY DOTTIE, EVERYBODY, THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK. 
          AND ALSO, UH, I REALIZE HE, HE IS, UH, LEFT THE ROOM, BUT, BUT TO, TO BRANT INTO THE ATU, EVERYBODY THAT THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE HEAVY LIFT, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MOVING PARTS AND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON, BUT, BUT THIS IS THAT THIS IS VERY BIG AND HUGE FOR THE, FOR BOTH THE NOW AND THE FUTURE OF OUR ORGANIZATION. 
          AND I'M GLAD YOU GUYS WERE ABLE TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE AND MAKE THIS CHANGE. 
          I THINK GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS AND DYNAMICS WITH FEDERAL LAW AND STATE LAW, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE WE CAN LAND TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY AND FUTURE OF THIS ORGANIZATION. 
          AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE FRONTLINE STAFF THAT WE SERVE AND THAT MAKE THIS WHAT IT IS. 
          ABSOLUTELY. 
          WE DEFINITELY STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT IT'S WORK. 
          I'M EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO GET DONE ANY OTHER COMMENTS, WELL TO A PARAPHRASE, A FORMER VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN. 
          THIS IS A BIG DEAL, AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT GOT US TO THIS POINT. 
          AND AT A TIME PERIOD, WHEN WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF GRACE BECAUSE OF REDUCED EXPECTATIONS AROUND COVID AND REDUCED DEMAND ON OUR SYSTEM, HARD TO IMAGINE IF WE WERE DEALING WITH ALL THESE CHALLENGES, PRE COVID AS OUR RIDERSHIP WAS GROWING AND STRETCHING US EVERY MONTH. 
          SO I APPLAUD OUR TEAM FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND PIVOTING AT A TIME, UH, EARLY ENOUGH THAT WE CAN GET OUR DUCKS IN A ROW BEFORE THE DEMAND IS GOTTEN BACK. 
          THIS IS, UH, SETS THE STAGE FOR, I THINK, A BETTER SERVICE INTO THE FUTURE. 
          I LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TERMS OF WHAT WE HAVE TAKEN IN HOUSE. 
          AND, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SHAME THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS, UH, WITH JUST A FEW MINUTES AT 
          [02:45:01]
THE BACK END OF A MEETING, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IN MANY RESPECTS, A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, UH, THAT, UH, AS SIGNIFICANT A CHANGE AS ANYTHING WE HAVE DONE SINCE CHANGING THE WHOLE LABOR STRUCTURE AND, UH, PREPARES US, I THINK, WELL, TO PICK UP THE PACE AND TO DELIVER, UH, UH, DO A BETTER JOB OF DELIVERING TO THE PUBLIC THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE CONTRACT AND, AND, AND RESOURCES THAT WE HAD. 
          SO I THINK THIS IS A BIG DAY FOR US, AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK, UH, WISH I COULD SAY THAT WITH BRENT BEING HERE AS WELL, AND, UH, APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR GETTING THIS DONE, UH, WITH ALL THE OTHER BALLS THAT WE HAD UP IN THE AIR. 
          SO KUDOS TO YOU FOR THAT. 
          APPRECIATE THAT. 
          UH, JEREMY COOPER, SPEAKING OF SPEAKING OF FOLKS AT SERVICE WELL, AND YOU ALWAYS SERVICE, UH, EXTREMELY WELL IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, I JUST WANT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LET THE DAY GO BY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THAT ED EASTERN HAS MADE ANOTHER REVOLUTION AROUND THE SUN AND IS WORKING ON HIS BIRTHDAY. 
          AND I MUST SAY, I, I FEEL FOR EVERY ENGAGEMENT I HAVE WITH CAP METRO, I FEEL EXTREMELY WELL-PREPARED ACCESS TO ALL THE INFORMATION THAT I NEED, A REMARKABLE TEAM AND A REMARKABLE COMMITMENT. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE HIM ON HIS BIRTHDAY HERE, HERE, EVEN IF HE IS WEARING AN AGGIE COLORED MASK. 
          AND IF PRESIDENT CLARK DOESN'T, UH, UH, TAKE TOO LONG ON HIS REPORT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, ACCESS THE CAKE AND, AND INDIVIDUALLY TELL ED, THANK YOU. 
          [IX. Report]
WELL, THAT'S THE REPORT CHAIR. 
          UH, THANK YOU CHAIR. 
          THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS FOR ALL YOUR TIME TODAY, I WILL GO RELATIVELY QUICKLY. 
          UH, I ACTUALLY REFERRED TO IT AS THE SUN, SO HE DIDN'T ROTATE IT AROUND THE WORLD, ROTATES AROUND IT. 
          HE DID, AND HE JUST DID A MARATHON LAST WEEKEND, TOO. 
          SO, WOW. 
          WE ARE ALL FORTUNATE TO HAVE ED HE, UH, STEPS IN AND, UH, THERE'S NEVER, NEVER A MOMENT WHERE IT DOESN'T, UH, UH, TO JUST JUMP IN AND HELP ALL OF HIS COLLEAGUES. 
          SO, UM, KUDOS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY ED. 
          SO A COUPLE OF QUICK THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT TODAY. 
          UH, I DO WANT TO START OFF WITH THAT. 
          JUST THE OPERATIONS PIECE, UH, DOTTIE WAS UP HERE AT THE MIC, BUT I WANT TO REALLY EMPHASIZE TO THE BOARD AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS YOU MADE. 
          THIS HAS REALLY BEEN AN ORGANIZATION WIDE EFFORT. 
          AND SO WHILE DOTTIE WAS UP THERE, AND IT SEEMS THAT IT'S TRANSPORTATION FOCUSED PEOPLE IN PROCUREMENT AND FINANCE AND PEOPLE AND CULTURE, YOU NAME, IT HAD BEEN INVOLVED ACROSS THE BOARD ON THIS THING. 
          UH, THE HOUR SPENT HAVE BEEN ENORMOUS AND, UH, I REALLY FEEL GOOD. 
          I WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT AS THE CEO, I DO NOT THINK THE SERVICE IS GOOD ENOUGH TODAY. 
          AND THE STEPS WE ARE TAKING TO BE REAL PURPOSEFUL. 
          WE KNOW WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AT IN 22. 
          UH, NOT ONLY DID WE GAIN THE RIDERSHIP AND THEN TO GROW IN THE FUTURE. 
          SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THEIR PATIENCE. 
          IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. 
          I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS COVID AND THE WORKER SHORTAGE AROUND THE COUNTRY, BUT WE CAN'T HOLD OUR EXCUSE ON THAT FOREVER. 
          UH, WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUR ORGANIZATION BACK INTO SUFFER, SERVING THE COMMUNITY TO THE LEVEL THEY DESERVE INTERNALLY. 
          UH, ONE OF THE GREATEST CAP METRO TRADITIONS WE HAVE IS THANKSGIVING, AND WE SERVE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, UM, AND ALL, ALL THE STAFF MEMBERS, I THANKSGIVING MEAL, AND IT'S SERVED FROM THE SENIOR STAFF TO THEM AND RECOGNITION OF WHAT THEY DO EVERY YEAR. 
          AND SO, UH, WE HAD SEVEN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, 14 DIFFERENT SERVINGS, WHETHER IT'S THIRD SHIFT, SECOND SHIFT, FIRST SHIFT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. 
          AND I WANT TO JUST, AGAIN, WISH ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES A HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND THANK THEM AGAIN. 
          UH, I AM JUST BEYOND THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO EVERY DAY. 
          IT'S I HAVE THE EASIEST JOB IN THE WORLD. 
          I JUST COME UP HERE AND TALK AND DO SOME OF THAT KIND OF STUFF. 
          AND WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY IS JUST AMAZING FOR THIS COMMUNITY. 
          UH, SECOND TRADITION THAT WE HAVE EVERY NOVEMBER IS OUR VETERAN'S DAY RECOGNITION. 
          AND WE STARTED THAT A FEW YEARS AGO, AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED FOR OUR, FOR OUR COUNTRY. 
          AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE FAMILIES OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SERVED, WHO HAVE MADE ENORMOUS SACRIFICES AS WELL. 
          UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE OVER 250 VETERANS AT, AT CAP METRO, UH, TALKING ABOUT HIRING AND THE EQUITY ASPECT OF HIRING. 
          WE WANT TO HIRE MORE VETERANS AND WE'LL, WE'LL SAY THAT LOUDLY AND PROUDLY. 
          SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE, THAT'D BE PART OF OUR WORK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT AS WELL. 
          HOW DO WE TIE INTO, TO VETERAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE TANGIBLE SKILLS THAT WANT TO COME AND CONTINUE TO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITY? UH, APPRECIATE THE AUSTIN POLICE, UH, HONOR GUARD CAME IN AND DID THE, THE FLAG AND THE, UH, UH, COMPONENT OF OUR CEREMONY FOR US. 
          AND THAT'S JUST A PICTURE OF SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAD, UH, RECOGNIZING I WOULD, UH, OUT IN THE, UH, BUS YARD FOR THE CEREMONY. 
          SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE MEMBERS OF THE CAP, METRO FAMILY. 
          UH, NEXT ONE IS THE APTA EXPO ADD WHEEL AWARD. 
          SO AT THE, AT THE APTA CONFERENCE TO, I GUESS IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO ALREADY, 
          [02:50:01]
UH, CAP METRO GOT RECOGNIZED WITH TWO AWARDS. 
          ONE WAS FIRST PLACE AWARD FOR BEST ELECTRONIC MEDIA TO SPORT RIDERSHIP. 
          AND THAT WAS THE PICKUP SERVICE VIDEO. 
          MANY OF YOU SEEN TO TALK ABOUT THAT INNOVATIVE SERVICE THAT WE'RE DOING, AND THEN APTA HAS A CATEGORY. 
          SO THERE'S ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT GET FIRST PLACE AWARDS, YOU KNOW, X AMOUNT OF THOSE. 
          AND THEN THEY GET THE GRAND AWARD. 
          AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WON THE GRAND AWARD FOR BEST COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT TRANSIT NEED AND FUNDING. 
          AND THAT WAS OUR PROJECT CONNECT CAMPAIGN, UH, VIDEO. 
          AND I JUST WANT TO REALLY GIVE A LOT OF, UH, KUDOS TO, UH, BRIAN CARTER THE ENTIRE MARCOMM AND CREATIVE TEAMS. UH, WE GOT RECOGNIZED BY THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY SAYING THAT OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH ABOUT TRANSIT FUNDING AND THE VALUE OF TRANSIT WAS THE BEST IN THE INDUSTRY. 
          UH, SO KUDOS TO OUR TEAM, UM, FOR, FOR ALL YOU DID. 
          AND THAT'S JUST THE NICE LITTLE TROPHY, UH, THAT WE'LL HAVE HERE AT CAP METRO. 
          THE NEXT THING I HAVE A QUICK ONE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK SAM TO DO A REALLY MODIFIED A PIECE ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE BILL CHAIR. 
          UNLESS IF YOU WANT TO SKIP THAT, WE COULD SEND IT OUT AND THEN COME BACK. 
          BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT DOTTIE FOR ONE QUICK SECOND. 
          DADDY WAS UP HERE AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. 
          NO, UH, NO, WENT OUT, UH, SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, DOTTIE HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN PROMOTED TO OUR DEPUTY CEO. 
          I'M REALLY PROUD OF, UH, DOTTIE. 
          SHE HAS STEPPED UP IN SO MANY WAYS AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE HER FLOURISH IN THIS ROLE. 
          I THINK SHE HAS THE OUTMOST RESPECT FROM THE STAFF, UH, HIGHLIGHTING THIS, THAT DOTTIE STARTED AS A PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR AND SHE'S BEEN WITH US FOR 28 YEARS. 
          SO SHE STARTED WHEN SHE WAS TWO. 
          UM, BUT I THINK IT HIGHLIGHTS WITH DOTTIE SAID SHE STARTED AS A PART-TIME BUS OPERATOR. 
          SHE'S THE DEPUTY CEO. 
          WE WANT TO BE AN ORGANIZATION WHERE PEOPLE, THESE AREN'T JOBS. 
          WE WANT PEOPLE HERE FOR THEIR CAREERS AND WE WANT TO HELP THEM DEVELOP THEIR CAREER A SKILLSET. 
          AND THIS IS A HOME FOR YOU. 
          SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A DOTTIE. 
          HER SPECIFIC FOCUS IS DAY TO DAY RUNNING THIS ORGANIZATION. 
          AND SO NOW SHE HAS PEOPLE IN CULTURE AND PROCUREMENT, UH, AND YOU KNOW, SERVICE PLANNING, ALL AND, AND, AND, AND THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMPONENT, ALL EMBEDDED. 
          SHE IS NOT OPERATIONS. 
          AND WE ARE GOING TO WORK REALLY DILIGENTLY AROUND THE, UH, THE, THE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE EVERYONE REALIZE THAT IT'S NOT HER JODY, OREGON, UH, OPERATIONS, WHERE BE HIRING A REPLACEMENT, A CHIEF TRANSPORTATION OFFICER COO TO RUN, YOU KNOW, DAY-TO-DAY TRANSPORTATION. 
          BUT HER JOB IS TO EFFECTIVELY COORDINATE ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND MAKE SURE CAP METRO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IS TAKEN CARE OF US AS AN ORGANIZATION. 
          THAT'S GONNA ALLOW ME TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH YOU ALL AS A BOARD WITH THE ATP BOARD, REALLY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH I SPENT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MY, MY TIME LEADING UP TO PROJECT CONNECT IN THE COMMUNITY. 
          COVID HAS ACTUALLY HURT THAT A LITTLE BIT. 
          PLUS I WOULD SAY A FAIR AMOUNT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON. 
          I NEED TO GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH A LOT OF COMPONENTS TO HELP FRAME UP AND HELP AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE OR OTHERS DEVELOP THE NEXT 10 YEARS OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS AND REALLY CONCENTRATE ON THE FEDERAL SIDE AS WELL. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THE ELECTION WAS IMPORTANT. 
          WE HAVE TO GO NOW, GO GET THE OTHER 50% OF THE FUNDING. 
          AND SOME OF THAT IS PROGRAMMATIC. 
          SOME OF IT IS DISCRETIONARY. 
          WE ARE GOING TO NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. 
          WE ARE GONNA NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK FOR FEDERAL, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE, WE WILL NEED OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO KNOW MORE ABOUT TRANSIT AND CARE MORE ABOUT TRANSIT. 
          WE'RE GOING TO NEED OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO KNOW MORE AND CARE MORE ABOUT TRANSIT. 
          SO WE WILL HAVE TO RALLY ALL OF THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER OVER YEARS TO MAKE SURE WE GET OUR FAIR SHARE OF MONEY OUT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BACK HERE TO CENTRAL TEXAS. 
          AND WE'RE CONVINCED THAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT TO GET THAT. 
          SO A CHAIR, I DO HAVE SAM QUEUED UP TO DO A LITTLE REVIEW OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, BUT BASED ON TIME, WHAT WE COULD DO IS WHY DON'T WE SEND THAT DECK OUT TO EVERYONE, AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH EVERYONE AND DO JUST QUICK, QUICK IF ANYONE HAS INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS, BUT IT'S JUST A QUICK SUMMARY, UH, WITH A FEW SLIDES OF WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNED, UH, LAST WEEK AND HIGHLIGHTING THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. BUT I THINK SOME OF YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE'VE DONE A COUPLE UPDATES ON THAT AND WHY DON'T WE JUST SEND THE DECK OF THAT WORKS FOR YOU CHAIR. 
          THAT'D BE GREAT. 
          SAM APOLOGIES. 
          THEY ALSO SERVE WHO STAND AND WAIT AND GET THE, UM, AND WITH THAT CHAIR, THAT'S, THAT'S MY REPORT. 
          AND, UH, I WISH YOU ALL ON THE BOARD AND THE STAFF HAVING THANKSGIVING AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. 
          THANKS. 
          THANK YOU, PRESIDENT CLARK. 
          AND THANK YOU STAFF ONCE AGAIN, ANOTHER EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT AND PROACTIVITY AND, AND REALLY, UH, UH, SENDING A VERY HIGH BAR. 
          WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOU EVERY DAY. 
          AND THAT'LL BE A PART OF MY THANKSGIVING NOW, THINKING ABOUT ALL THAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST YEAR. 
          AND, 
          [X. Executive Session]
UH, NOW, UH, COLLEAGUES WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTION 5 51 0.074 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF PRESIDENT, UH, PRESIDENT CLARK, OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO CLARK. 
          OUR TIME NOW IS 3 0 8 AND WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. 
          [02:55:01]
YOU READY? OKAY, GO AHEAD. 
          OKAY. 
          UM, THE EXECUTIVE SESSION HAS JUST ENDED AT 4 0 5. 
          UH, THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN BY THE BOARD TODAY. 
          UM, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 4 0 5.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.