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[2. Technical Advisory Committee Reports]
WELCOME EVERYONE.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23RD.
AS A REMINDER, THE ALLSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES BOTH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES.
AND WE REQUEST 24 HOUR ADVANCED NOTICE, PLEASE, IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU NEED TO CONTACT OUR BOARD LIAISON, CHLOE MAXWELL, HER CONTACT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE IN EACH AGENDA POSTING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT TODAY WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
AND SO WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. OUR FIRST ITEM TODAY IS THE ATP TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT.
AND I'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS TODAY WITH ALL OF YOU.
WE HAD 25 PEOPLE ATTENDING THE MEETING AND OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
WE HAD KAREN BONDI, CATHERINE BROUGHT WATER FROM THE CAC LYNDON HENRY, FRANK KITTREDGE, DAVID BOGEYMAN, AND FRANK VELEZ, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, GINA FIE, AND DACA AND MYSELF.
THE PRIMARY AGENDA ITEMS. WE COVER THREE, WHICH WERE THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE, 30% DESIGN DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
THE 2022 SCHEDULE UPCOMING COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS.
A BRIEF RECAP ON THE TRI-PARTY WORK SESSION THAT TOOK PLACE ON MARCH THE SECOND.
UM, THE UPDATE ON THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE DESIGN DISCUSSIONS AND ADVANCEMENT, AND WE HAD OTHER UPDATES AS FOLLOWS THE METRO RAPID BUS SHELTER, DESIGN EVOLUTION, AND PROCUREMENT BLUELINE BRIDGE, A LADY BIRD LAKE, AND THE FOURTH STREET DESIGN.
OUR COMMITTEE DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS.
THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE PROCESS OF HOW WE GET TO THE FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT FROM THE FDA IN THE SUMMER OF 2024.
THIS REQUIRES THAT THE 30% DESIGN IS FINISHED BY THE FALL OF 2022.
THE EAC COMMITTEE WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARDS, THE CITY COUNCIL COMMISSIONS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE ON THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH OF THESE CHOICES WHILE REVIEWING THE PARTS OF THE ALIGNMENT THAT ARE UNDECIDED.
I NACY MEMBER ASKED WHY THE TUNNEL HAS LESS CHOICES.
AND THIS IS BECAUSE THERE ARE KEY DRIVING FACTORS THAT MAY BE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, SUCH AS THE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS WITH THE FLOOD AREAS OR THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR.
THESE ELEMENTS CONTINUE TO BE STUDIED FURTHER AND WILL IMPACT THE FINAL DESIGN, THE LENGTH, AND ULTIMATELY THE COST OF THE TUNNEL INVESTMENT.
THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE VEHICLES WE WANT TO PROCURE FOR OUR PROJECT.
THESE ARE SERVICE PROVEN, BUT NOT READILY READILY AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND WE NEED TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH BY AMERICA CRITERIA STIPULATED IN THE FEDERAL GRANTS.
IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLES CAN REACH SPEEDS OF 55 MILES PER HOUR, THERE WILL NOT BE GOING TO SPEEDS THIS PARTICULAR SPEED DOWNTOWN OR NOR REAL RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
IN REGARD TO THE METRO RAPID STATIONS, THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE IMPROVED DESIGN TO IMPROVE MORE, TO PROVIDE MORE COVER FROM THE ELEMENTS FROM THE RAIN, THE SUN AND THE WIND, AS WELL AS THE MODULARITY OPPORTUNITY OF THE SHELTERS TO BE SIZED.
ACCORDING TO THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT, THE SELECTED FROM BY CAPITAL METRO, THEY CHOSE A TEAM THAT HAD IN-HOUSE DESIGNERS THAT COULD REFINE THE DESIGN.
AND THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ON MATERIAL DURABILITY AND EASE OF MAINTENANCE, WHICH IS A GRAFFITI REMOVAL.
THE SHELTER ARCHITECTURE OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTALL PUBLIC ART IN SELECT LOCATIONS, THROUGH THE WIND SCREEN PANELS, THE REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION FOR THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS, THE COMMITTEE, AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE CURRENT THINKING FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY RIVERSIDE INTERSECTION, THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH OPTION WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE KEY AREAS PRESENTED THAT WERE PRESENTED AT THE MARCH 2ND TRI-PARTY MEETING AND A MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION ON THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR RAIL VEHICLES WAS REQUESTED.
OUR FUTURE MEETING TOPICS WILL BE THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE AND THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND RIVERSIDE INTERSECTIONS.
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SO NOW LIKE TO MOVE ON TO DR.THE, THIS IS A MEETING SUMMARY OF THE P SEC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY EQUITY AND DV COMMITTEE THAT MET ON MARCH 3RD, 2022.
THE TWO PRIMARY AGENDA ITEMS WERE A CONTINUING DISCUSSION ABOUT THE EQUITY GOALS, UPDATES ON THE EQUITY GOALS AND METRICS FOR PROJECT CONNECT AND A DISCUSSION ON THE UPCOMING LET'S TALK PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS THAT WILL BE OCCURRING ON MARCH 29TH.
AND THE 31ST, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON AN OVERVIEW OF EQUITY TOPICS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE PROJECT TO PROJECT CONNECT AND HOW THE PUBLIC VIEWS, THESE TOPICS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING THE PUBLIC.
UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF MEETING AND ENGAGING THE PUBLIC PSX SUGGESTED SHOWING THE TRADE-OFFS THROUGH PROGRAM EQUITY AND A MORE MEANINGFUL WAY.
FOR EXAMPLE, LOSING PARKING SPOTS IN ONE AREA, GAINING SIDEWALKS AND BUS LANES, LOOKING AT IT IN ITS TOTALITY.
THE COMMITTEE ASKED TO INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND ATP PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AS AN EQUITY TOPIC.
THE, UM, PIECE OF GOSS'S SUGGESTED THAT WE, AS AN ATP, CONTINUE TO FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC.
UM, AS WE APPROACH THE LET'S TALK PROJECT, CONNECT ME COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, ET CETERA, THEY SUGGESTED, FOR EXAMPLE, CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE AROUND NEPA.
AND SO THAT WE'RE VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THOSE THINGS MEAN.
THE MEMBERS EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN HELPING THE ATP STAFF DEVELOP METRICS FOR THE PROGRAM EQUITY.
THERE WERE REQUESTS FOR MORE INFORMATION, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO WE FIND THE GAPS BETWEEN APPRAISE PROPERTY VALUE AND WHAT THE BUSINESS WILL ACTUALLY NEED IN POTENTIAL RELOCATIONS? UM, WITH NEXT STEPS BEING THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEPA LANGUAGE IN ADVANCE OF THE LET'S TALK PROJECT CONNECT MEETINGS TO PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK.
AND THEN THE FINAL NEXT STEP THAT WAS, UM, CAPTURE WAS ATP CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP EQUITY GOALS AND STAFF WILL RETURN TOGETHER FEEDBACK FROM P SECOND AND ONGOING WAY.
SO OUR THIRD DISCUSSION ITEM, UM, THERE WE GO.
THE FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE MEETS QUARTERLY, BUT, UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE A REPORT? UH, WE HAVE NOT MET WE'RE MEETING I THINK ANOTHER MONTH.
BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY DISCUSSION IDEAS? I HAVE, UH, IF I COULD, MADAME CHAIR, I HAVE A COMMENT AND A REQUEST THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IF I COULD.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS UPDATED COST ESTIMATES FOR PROJECT CONNECT SINCE LAST SUMMER MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF ATPS FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE, AND OTHER CONSTITUENTS HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED ATP FOR UPDATED COST ESTIMATES TO BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.
THE MAYOR PUBLICLY STATED EARLIER THIS MONTH AT THE TRI-PARTY MEETING.
AND I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH HIM THAT WE NEED TO BE DISCUSSING THE COST OF THIS PROGRAM IN THE CONTEXT OF CHOICES.
HE STATED WE HAVE A VOID ON COST AND WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL AUGUST, 2022 TO DISCLOSE THE UPDATED COSTS.
I'LL READ A QUOTE FROM ONE OF THE EMAILS I'VE RECEIVED FROM A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF AUSTIN'S CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
ONE OF THE SELLING POINTS TO VOTERS OF PROJECT CONNECT WAS FULL TRANSPARENCY.
AND IF IN FACT DECISIONS WILL BE MADE ON DESIGN SERVICE, ET CETERA, I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC.
AND FOR THAT MATTER BOARD MEMBERS AND ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS, MAKING THE DECISIONS TO HAVE AMPLE TIME TO STUDY AND UNDERSTAND THE UPDATED COST ESTIMATES, ATPS FIRST GUIDING PRINCIPLE IS TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE FOR DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION.
LET'S TALK WHAT TRANSPARENCY MEANS AND WHERE I BELIEVE WE HAVE FUNDAMENTAL DISCONNECT.
TRANSPARENCY MEANS DISCLOSING TO THE BOARD.
AND IN THIS CASE, THE PUBLIC, WHEN STAFF IS FIRST AWARE OF A MATERIAL OF PROGRAM RISKS, SUCH AS PROGRAM COST, ESCALATION BUSES ON THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE THE TUNNEL ON SOUTH CONGRESS, HAVING TO BE EXTENDED DUE TO THE CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR RESTRICTIONS, ORANGE LINE TUNNEL ON TO LADY BIRD, LAKE CAPITAL METRO'S DECISION TO PURCHASE ELECTRIC BUSES THAT I BELIEVE WILL INCREASE ATM'S OWEN O AND M COST SIGNIFICANTLY.
THESE FIVE TOPICS AND OTHERS ARE ONES THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BOUGHT, BROUGHT TO THIS BOARD'S ATTENTION EARLY ON.
TRANSPARENCY MEANS NOT WAITING UNTIL MANY OF THE UNKNOWNS ARE KNOWN AND PRESENTING IT TO THE BOARD.
MANY MONTHS LATER, WHEN A DECISION IS NOW PREDETERMINED, IT IS REQUESTING THE BOARD TO WEIGH IN AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON HOW BEST TO NAVIGATE A PARTICULAR RISK.
TRANSPARENCY IS AN AREA THAT NEEDS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, NOT JUST
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FOR WHERE I SAID, BUT IN DIRECT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO IN THE FORTHCOMING EMAIL REPORT AS LISTED ON PAGE 35, IN THAT SPIRIT, I'M SUBMITTING THE FOLLOWING FORMAL REQUEST TO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK I TONY ELKINS, A MEMBER OF THE AUSTIN TRANS REPORT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS REQUEST ATP'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PRODUCE COST ESTIMATES BY MAJOR PROGRAM COMPONENT THAT WERE DELIVERED TO ATP STAFF FROM HDR ATPS PROGRAM MANAGER IN MID 2021 AT THE 15% DESIGN LEVEL FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES, COST SHALL BE PROVIDED BASED ON THE AUGUST, 2020 PRE VOTE ESTIMATES WITH EXPLANATIONS FOR SIGNIFICANT VARIANCES.IN ADDITION, I REQUEST CURRENT OSS, CURRENT COST ESTIMATES SHOWN BY OPTION TYPE BASE CASE AND ALTERNATIVE FOR EACH OF THE DESIGN TOPICS IN PROGRESS THAT WERE LISTED IN THE MARCH 2ND, 2022 TRI-PARTY PRESENTATION ON PAGE 18, THE ABOVE INFORMATION WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON OR BEFORE APRIL 13TH.
IF THIS REQUESTED IS NOT ACTED UPON, THEN I WILL PROPOSE A FORMAL BOARD RESOLUTION AT THE APRIL 20TH BOARD MEETING.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE FROM THE BOARD? YES, MAY RATHER.
I APPRECIATE, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, UH, UH, CONTINUED LEADERSHIP ON THE QUESTION OF TRANSPARENCY, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE CALL FOR THAT.
UM, MY SENSE IS IS THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT ALL THE BOARDS, ALL THREE BOARDS WORKING TOGETHER WANTED TO REALLY FOCUS ON.
UH, AND, UM, I KNOW THAT YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR THE MEETING WE HAD IN, IN THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO SEE IT AS IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE, TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, AND I, AND I WOULD URGE, UH, FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC, UH, UH, INFORMATION MEETINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE REAL POINTS, THE BIG POINTS OF THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO DECIDE, UH, AND THAT THOSE, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS ARE GOING TO BE LAID OUT OVER THE COURSE OF APRIL.
I DON'T HAVE MY PRESENTATION, I THINK IT'S APRIL AND MAYBE INTO, INTO MAY.
UH, AND, AND I THINK THAT THE APPROPRIATE NUMBERS TO LAY OUT AT THAT POINT WILL BE THE BEST NUMBERS WE HAVE AT THAT POINT.
UH, WE'RE SO CLOSE TO, I THINK HAVING, UH, AT LEAST SOME, UH, OTHER INDICATIONS OF NUMBERS, I, I, FOR ONE, I'M COMFORTABLE HAVING THOSE NUMBERS COME OUT, UH, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER P PIECES THAT I THINK ARE NECESSARY FOR TRANSPORTATION.
UH, FIRST TRANSPARENCY RATHER, UH, AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH IT COMING OUT AT THE, AT THOSE PUBLIC, UH, HEARINGS SO THAT WE CAN SEE IT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE IT.
UM, THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY DIFFICULT CHOICES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE.
AND A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UM, COST, UH, PHYSICAL ABILITY, UM, UM, HOW STATICS, UH, FUNCTIONALITY, UH, OPERATIONS, UH, AND, AND I THINK IT'S JUST REAL IMPORTANT WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS LOOKING AT THESE THINGS IN, IN APRIL AND MAY, UH, THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT, UH, FOR THEM, THE STAFFS TOGETHER, UH, ALL THE FACTORS THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THOSE AREAS AND I'M COMFORTABLE FOR COMING OUT THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT'S, FOR ME, THAT'S THE BEST CONTEXT FOR THAT.
UH, AND SINCE ALL THOSE THINGS IMPACT EACH OTHER, I WANT, I WANT TO SEE THEM ALL.
AND THEN PROBABLY AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT I CAN, CAN, CAN, CAN, CAN ASSESS THEM.
UM, UM, BUT, UH, I'D REALLY DO APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES PUSH FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FOR DISCLOSURES.
AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, ONE OF HIS LEADERSHIP, I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE PRECIPITATING CAUSES OF THE MEETING THAT WE HAD THE FIRST WEEK IN MARCH.
AND I LEFT THAT AS I THINK MANY PEOPLE DID REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE PROCESS WE HAVE GOING FORWARD.
MA'AM I JUST WANT TO SAY WE ACTUALLY DID NOT POST FOR THIS ITEM, SO TECHNICALLY WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT ON THE DYESS, BUT IF WE WANT TO POST IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING, I CAN DO SO.
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UM, I APPRECIATE IT.[3. Executive Director Report]
MOVING ON TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, MR. RANDY CLARK.UH, I'M GONNA MAKE MY COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, REALLY ABOUT OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, UH, IN, IN THIS BOARD MEETING.
SO TWO THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE WOULD BE, UM, TWO WEEKENDS AGO, WE WERE AT THE APTA LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE, AND THAT IS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF APTA WHERE, UH, REALLY TALK ABOUT LEGISLATIVE POLICY AND THINGS RELATED TO, UH, APPROPRIATIONS AND TRYING TO GET THE MOST, UH, FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR, UH, OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
AND SO IT WAS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION AT THE TOP.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ERICA MAZA, WHO IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AT CAPITAL METRO.
WHO'S WORKING THROUGH OUR FEDERAL STRATEGY.
SHE ACTUALLY IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE LEDGE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMITTEE IN THE, UH, APTA IN, IN, IN THE INDUSTRY.
AND SHE, UH, IS PROVIDING A LOT OF LEADERSHIP THERE.
SO WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HER, UM, IN THAT ROLE.
UM, SHE ALSO HELPED LEAD A BIG WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PANEL OR WITH A LOT OF INDUSTRY LEADERS.
AND WHAT THE HIGHLIGHT THAT AT THAT, AT THAT, UH, VISIT, UH, COVENTRY BOARD CHAIR, JEFF TOURBILLION, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH A FEW MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND OUR DELEGATION.
SO I WENT TO HIGHLIGHT, WE HAD A GREAT CHANCE TO MEET WITH SENATOR CORNYN, THANKED HIM FOR HIS RECENT SUPPORT OF THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
THAT'D BE TWO WEEKS AGO NOW, AND THAT APPROPRIATIONS BILL ALLOWED TO GET FULL FUNDING INTO THE IAA.
I, I J A, UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL TO ALLOW THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM TO GET THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FUNDING EVER, UH, THAT IS NOW A NEW BASE.
AND OUR BIG EFFORT NOW WILL BE AS AN INDUSTRY AND US LOCALLY TO EXECUTE AS BEST WE CAN PROGRAM WISE OVER THE NEXT COMING YEARS TO AVOID CLAWBACKS OR RES OR POSSIBLE RESCISSIONS TO THAT PROGRAM, TO KEEP THOSE NUMBERS AT THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE LEVEL.
UH, WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO MEET WITH SOME MEMBERS OF THE, UH, THE USD OT AND JUST WE CAN KEEP THEM UPDATED ON OUR PROGRAM AND TALK ABOUT POTENTIAL FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
MOST OF THOSE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE MULTI-YEAR IN THE MAKING.
AND SO PART OF THIS IS CONTINUALLY JUST TOUCHING BASE WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, TELLING THEM WHERE WE ARE, UH, JUST THAT TOUCH POINT TO REALLY LAY THE GROUNDWORK THROUGH THIS MULTI-YEAR PROCESS.
AND, UM, UH, JUST WANNA WANT IT TO HIGHLIGHT.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT MORE OF THIS, UH, WORK.
TH THIS IS KIND OF THE FEDERAL STUFF IS LIKE A MARATHON AND, UH, FOR OUR FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENTS TO HAPPEN IN 2024, UH, WE'RE DOING ALL THE LEG WORK NOW TO SUCCESSFULLY DO THAT.
THE NEXT SLIDE I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, WE WERE INCREDIBLY HONORED TO HAVE SECRETARY, UH, PEOPLE TO JUDGE VISIT.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND THANK THE MAYOR.
THE MAYOR, UH, REALLY, UH, DID AN AMAZING CREATING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND, UH, THE SECRETARY, I THINK HAD A FANTASTIC VISIT.
MANY OF YOU HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH, UH, THE SECRETARY.
HE, UH, CAME, RODE THE METRO RAIL, GOT A CHANCE TO MEET A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, POLICY MAKERS, BUT ALSO A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, BOTH ON THE TRANSPORTATION KINDA, UH, ADVOCACY SIDE, BUT ALSO A LOT OF OUR KEY PARTNERS, WHETHER IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CHAMBER, THE CHAMBERS IN THE AREA OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, HE REALLY GOT TO SEE A WHOLE, ALL THE BITS AND PIECES COMING TOGETHER.
UH, THE PART THAT I THOUGHT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, ON TOP OF THAT WAS HE GOT TO SEE HOW CLOSE WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
AND I KNOW MAYOR, WE WERE WITH HIM, HE COMMENTED SPECIFICALLY ON HOW GREAT IT IS TO SEE, AND I THINK GINO'S, WHAT'S THE SAME TIME AS WELL.
HOW CLOSELY THE CITY CAPITOL METRO ATP ARE ALL WORKING WELL TOGETHER.
AND THEN ALSO HOW WELL WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT TXDOT AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO I THINK THAT REALLY BROUGHT HOME TO HIM, HOW COORDINATED WE ALL ARE, HOW COLLEGIAL, HOW MUCH WE'RE ALL KIND OF ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
UH, WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT AUSTIN HAVING TO DO ALMOST $20 BILLION OF PUBLIC CAPITAL TRANSPORTATION WORK AND A LITTLE OVER A DECADE AND THE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES OF THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK WE REALLY LAID THE GROUNDWORK ON THAT AND ALSO THE IAA.
I, I, I, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THAT TODAY.
APOLOGIZE TO LAY A LITTLE BIT MORE LAYERS WITH THE SECRETARY ON AUSTIN'S UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL BE COMING UP.
AND WE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
SO, UH, JUST WANT TO THANK AGAIN, EVERYONE THAT WAS ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ALL THE STAFF EFFORT TO PUT A VISIT LIKE THAT TOGETHER.
THE VISIT GOES QUICK, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S A, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF WORK WHEN THE SECRETARY COMES TO TOWN.
SO THOSE ARE MY UPDATES, UH, FOR THIS MONTH.
UH, CHAIR, HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR CLARK, ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
I DO WANT TO THANK RANDY, YOUR STAFF, GINA, UH, YOUR STAFF.
UH, EVERYBODY DID AN INCREDIBLE JOB OF LAYING THAT OUT FOR THE, UH, FOR THE SECRETARY.
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AND HIS STAFF, WHETHER THEY GOT TIRED OF THESE AND WHETHER THEY ALL BEGAN TO LOOK THE SAME, UH, CAUSE I'VE SEEN HIM NOW IN SIDE NUMEROUS BUSES AND TRAIN CARS.AND I ASKED HIM WHETHER HE COULD ACTUALLY LOOK AT A PICTURE AND DISCERN WHAT CITY HE WAS IN, UH, FROM, FROM, FROM WHERE HE WAS.
AND HE PROBABLY SAYS THIS TO ALL OF THE MAYORS, UH, BUT HE SAID, NO, THIS ONE WAS SPECIAL.
UH, AND I KNOW FROM TALKING TO HIS ADVANCED TEAM, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY THE TRUE TEST THAT, THAT OUR STAFFS TOOK A CONSIDERABLE LOAD OFF OF THE SECRETARY STAFF AND SETTING IT UP.
YOU GUYS JUST DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF LAYING IT OUT.
THERE WERE LARGE PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT WERE THERE TO MEET WITH HIM.
UH, AND I KNOW THAT HE APPRECIATED EVERYBODY COMING OUT IN THEIR TIME.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I, IT WAS REALLY AN HONOR TO MEET SECRETARY FOOTAGES IN TOWN.
UM, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK FROM ALL THE STUFF AND HOW INSPIRING THIS VISIT WAS FOR TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FEDERAL OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS ARE LOOKING FOR AND HOW WE'RE BUILDING MORE EQUITABLE TRANSIT SYSTEMS AROUND THE UNITED STATES AND HOW WELL WE CAN ALL PARTICIPATE IN, IN THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL AND GENERATIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD TRANSFORM OUR CITIES.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS A LOVELY VISIT.
THANK YOU, MR. CLARK AND GINA FOR ORGANIZING AND ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING THAT TOOK PLACE AT THOSE DAYS.
AND ALSO, I LIKE TO STAY OUT OF A LITTLE BIT OUT OF SCRIPT, BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR.
I HEARD TODAY'S YOUR BIRTHDAY, SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
UM, SO MOVING ON MADAM CHAIR, SHOULD WE SING? I'M HAPPY TO SING IF Y'ALL ARE HAPPY TO HEAR IT IN SPANISH, I'M HAPPY TO JUST SING IN SPANISH.
ON THE COUNT OF THREE, ONE, TWO, THREE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR MAE, OR HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.
I WOULD RATHER BE ON MY BIRTHDAY WITH MY FRIENDS.
[4.1. Community Engagement and Involvement Update]
MOVING ON TO OUR MONTHLY PROGRAM UPDATES.UM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR COMMUNITY DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, JACKIE, NIERENBERG WELCOME.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WROTE VERY SPECIFIC.
WE ALSO HAD ROTC OUR ENGINEERING, OUR PLAN, THE SUSTAINABILITY
IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPH ON THE SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE A PERFORATED BOX IN PURPLE WHERE, UM, THE LITTLE BLUE DIAMONDS REPRESENT THOSE MEETINGS IN, IN, UH, ON THE CALENDAR.
UM, WE'RE HAVING 12 MEETINGS COMING UP AND I'LL GO THROUGH THOSE NOW.
SO FIRST BEFORE WE DO THAT, MARCH 29TH AND 31ST, WE HAVE OUR ORANGE LINE BLUE LINE DESIGN TOPICS MEETING
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ALSO CALLED LET'S TALK PROJECT CONNECT.UM, THOSE WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE EVENING ON THE 29TH AND MIDDAY ON THE 31ST.
UM, AND AS WE ALWAYS DO, WE, UH, DO A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE THAT STAYS LIVE FOR A MONTH SO THAT PEOPLE WHO CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN REAL TIME CAN DO SO ON THEIR OWN SCHEDULE AND VIEW THE SAME MATERIALS AND PROVIDE THEIR FEEDBACK.
SO THAT WILL BE LIVE THROUGH, UH, THROUGH APRIL.
UM, APRIL 2ND, WE'RE HAVING A, AN ALIGNMENT TOUR OF THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES FOR OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, BOTH THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND, UM, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AS WELL AS CAP METRO COMMITTEE MEMBERS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN REALLY SEE FOR THEMSELVES ON THE GROUND IN REAL TIME, WHAT THESE ALIGNMENTS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS WE TRAVEL ALONG THOSE, UH, THOSE CORRIDORS, UM, APRIL 6TH, WE'RE HAVING A SOUTH CONGRESS WORKING GROUP, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS SO CODE.
AND THEN ON APRIL 11TH, UH, WE'LL HAVE A CRESTVIEW STATION AREA WORKSHOP.
THAT'S BEING CO-HOSTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER, LESLIE POOL, AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER, JOSE CHEETO VELA.
AND THIS, THIS ONE WILL BE A REALLY INTERESTING MEETING BECAUSE CRESTVIEW IS A VERY COMPLEX AREA WITH A LOT OF PROJECTS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO WE'RE CONVENING, UM, NOT ONLY CAPITOL METRO AND THE ORANGE LINE FOLKS, BUT ALSO, UM, PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AND, UM, MEMBERS OF AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, ANYONE WHO HAS A BIG PROJECT HAPPENING AND INITIATIVE HAPPENING THERE, THERE ARE INTERDEPENDENCIES THERE.
AND, UH, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK CAN HELP GUIDE US IN MAKING SOME DESIGN DECISIONS THAT WILL WORK FOR EVERYBODY.
UM, SO THAT'S ON APRIL 11TH, APRIL 12TH, WE'LL HAVE A SOUTH LINE WORKING GROUP MEETING.
THAT'S THE PART THAT EXTENDS BEYOND STASSNEY, UH, THE DOTTED LINE AND THAT'S FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE RAIL.
SO THAT IS BEING CLEARED FOR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
UM, AND SO AS SUCH, WE WILL DO SOME OUTREACH THERE AND, AND HOLD A WORKING GROUP MEETING ON APRIL 12TH AND THEN APRIL 19TH, WE WILL HAVE THE NORTH GUADALUPE AND NORTH LAMAR WORKING GROUP MEETING.
AND THEN MOVING FORWARD, UM, APRIL 26TH, WE'LL HAVE A BLUE LINE BRIDGE MEETING AT THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE THAT SHOULD GET A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MAY 3RD NORTHLINE WORKING GROUP MEETING THAT IS THE EXTENSION OF THE ORANGE LINE TO THE NORTH BEYOND NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE A RAIL MAINTENANCE FACILITY, COMMUNITY MEETING, OR COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, MEETING, UM, IN MAY TENTATIVELY IT'S SCHEDULED.
WE STILL HAVEN'T CONFIRMED YET, BUT SHOULD HAVE A DATE FOR THAT SOON.
AND THEN MAY 18TH PLEASANT VALLEY AND EAST RIVERSIDE WORKING GROUP.
WE'RE GOING TO RECONVENE THAT WORKING GROUP.
WE HAD A REALLY ROBUST, UH, WORKING GROUP MEETING WITH, UH, COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP, UM, WITH THOSE FOLKS.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE REVISITING ANOTHER VERY COMPLICATED AREA.
UM, MAY 24TH, WE'LL HAVE A, AN ANOTHER DRAG WORKSHOP, UM, WORKING GROUP MEETING FOR THE ORANGE LINE.
AND THEN IN JUNE WE HAVE THREE MEETINGS THAT ARE YET TO BE SCHEDULED, BUT WILL BE SOON.
ONE WILL BE THE TUNNEL TECHNOLOGY AND SUBWAY COMMUNITY MEETING.
UH, THE OTHER WILL BE AUDITORIUM SHORES, REPUBLIC SQUARE, AND GOVERNMENT CENTER STATIONS, WORKING GROUP MEETING, AND FINALLY A VEHICLE AND SYSTEMS COMMUNITY MEETING.
UM, SO THAT ONE ALSO SHOULD BE REALLY EXCITING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
EVERYBODY LOVES VEHICLES AND I'M EXCITED MYSELF TO SEE, UH, WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO PREPARE TO OFFER, UH, AT THAT MEETING.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MS. NIERENBERG, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, JACKIE, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UM, THERE ARE JUST SO MANY COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KEEP THEM ALL STRAIGHT, BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING, UM, WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT MEETINGS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND HOW WE'RE GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON THESE MEETINGS? AND IF THERE WILL BE SORT OF A CENTRAL REPOSITORY FOR THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, CITY'S WEBSITE CAN POINTS TO THE ATP WEBSITE WITH LINKS ON HOW TO ACCESS THESE MEETINGS? YEAH, SO WE HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF CROSS-PROMOTION WITH OUR CITY PARTNERS, WHICH HAS BEEN FANTASTIC, UM, ALSO WITH COUNCIL MEMBER OFFICES AND, UM, A NUMBER OF ADVERTISING AND SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS AS WELL, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE ADDED RECENTLY AS WE'VE GOTTEN MORE COMFORTABLE BEING OUT AND ABOUT IN PERSON IS BLOCK WALKING IN THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE HAVING WORKING GROUP MEETINGS.
UM, WE DID THAT FOR THE METRO CENTER GROUP, FOR EXAMPLE, AND I THINK
[00:30:01]
THAT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.WE SAW FOLKS PARTICIPATING THERE THAT WE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE, AND IT'S REALLY A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE.
UM, AND SO WE'RE PLANNING TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO ALL OF OUR, UM, PROMOTION FOR ALL OF OUR MEETINGS.
SO, UM, THAT, THAT WILL, WILL BE PART OF THAT.
ALSO WE HAVE, UM, AT STOP OUTREACH PLANT, UM, WHERE APPROPRIATE.
ANY MORE, JUST A VICE-CHAIR BURNETT JACKIE GRAY WORK IS ALWAYS, HAVE YOU GIVEN ANY OTHER THOUGHT TO HAVING SOME CO-SPONSORS CO-HOSTS TO MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS? YES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THAT.
THAT IS A REALLY, YOU GAVE US THAT GREAT SUGGESTION.
UM, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE A WAY FOR US TO CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES WHERE WE NEED SOME TRUST BUILDING, RIGHT? AND SO WE NEED FOLKS WHO ARE ALREADY TRUSTED MEMBERS OF THOSE COMMUNITIES TO, TO SORT OF LIKE YOU MENTIONED, SPONSOR OR HOST US.
AND WE WILL BE, UM, EXPLORING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS WE MOVE TOWARD 30% AND DURING THIS CADENCE OF MEETINGS.
I KNOW YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP TO YES, THANK YOU.
UM, THE TASK IN FRONT OF YOU IS ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS.
UH, AND THAT WAS APPARENT TO ALL OF US WHEN WE WERE GATHERED THE FIRST WEEK AND IN MARCH.
SO A LOT OF THESE HEARINGS ARE THE REGULAR MEETINGS, BUT A LOT OF THESE HEARINGS THAT ARE COMING UP ARE REALLY TRYING TO WORK THROUGH WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE REALLY HARD ISSUES.
UH, IT'LL BE AUGUST, I THINK BY THE SCHEDULE AND THE STAFFS ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO THE THREE GROUPS TO SAY, THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE, FOR THE INITIAL DECISION OR, OR WORK THROUGH OF THESE 12 REALLY ARD ISSUES.
UM, SO THESE MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE IN APRIL AND MAY ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR US, BEING ABLE TO GET TO AUGUST BY HOPE, IS THAT WHEN WE'RE THERE IN AUGUST, NO, ONE'S HEARING ABOUT ANYTHING FOR THE FIRST TIME, UH, THAT EVERYTHING THAT THEY HEAR WILL BE MORE HOW THINGS WERE RESOLVED, BUT THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED, I'M HOPING TO GET DAYLIGHT IT IN THESE MEETINGS IN, IN APRIL AND MAY AND JUNE, SO THAT THERE ARE JUST NO SURPRISES.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE IF THERE ARE SURPRISES IS AT THAT POINT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REDO ALL OF THESE MEETINGS, THEN ARMED WITH THE NEW INFORMATION, THEN THAT WASN'T AVAILABLE BACK THEN.
UH, AND I THINK THAT INCLUDES THE DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE CHOICES.
SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO TELL US WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
AND THAT'S OUR CRITICAL COMPONENT.
SOMETIMES IT'S FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT THESE MEETINGS IN APRIL AND MAY ARE EQUAL PART BOTH.
THIS IS OUR TIME TO EDUCATE AND PEOPLE WILL WALK INTO THOSE MEETINGS, THINKING THEY KNOW WHAT THE RESOLUTION IS OR WHAT THEIR ISSUES ARE.
AND I'M HOPING THAT THEY WALK OUT OF IT WITH AS COMPLETE A PICTURE AS WE CAN GIVE THEM, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GOING TO INCLUDE COSTS AND WE KNOW COSTS HAVE GONE UP.
WE KNOW REAL ESTATE COSTS HAVE GONE UP.
WE KNOW MATERIAL COSTS HAVE GONE UP.
WE SEE THAT IN THE NEWSPAPER EVERY DAY.
AND WE HEAR IT WITH BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING BUILT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE IMMUNE FROM, FROM ANY OF THAT.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS BOARD AND THE COUNCIL AND THE CAP, METRO GONNA HAVE TO MAKE CHOICES, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THAT ELEMENT, WITH RESPECT TO PHYSICALITY, WITH RESPECT TO AESTHETICS, WITH RESPECT TO FUNCTIONALITY, WITH RESPECT TO OPERATION, WITH RESPECT TO ALL THOSE THINGS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CHOICES AND CHOICES IN ONE AREA GOING TO IMPACT CHOICES IN OTHER AREAS.
AND THE, THESE MEETINGS THAT YOU HAVE IN, IN APRIL AND MAY ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR THE COMMUNITY, HAVING TRUST, AS YOU INDICATED EARLIER IN, IN WHERE WE ARE IN AUGUST.
UH, AND, AND HOW WELL WE DO IN AUGUST IS GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON HOW WELL WE DO IN, IN APRIL AT BANK.
SO I URGE YOU IN KEEPING WITH MY COLLEAGUES, INITIAL STATEMENT ABOUT TRANSPARENT, LET'S GET EVERYTHING OUT, UH, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE IT HAS A HANDLE ON ALL THE DIFFERENT VARIABLES SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR IDENTIFY ISSUES FOR US TO DISCUSS.
UH, AND SO THAT WE AVOID ANY MEASURE OF SURPRISES IN AUGUST.
THANK YOU ANY MORE OR MEMBER ELKINS.
UM, JACKIE, THANKS ALL FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GET ALL THIS DONE SO MANY MEETINGS OR WHATEVER.
IT'S, IT'S EXTRAORDINARY, GREAT TEAM.
[00:35:02]
ABSOLUTELY.UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL HIS THUNDER, BUT THERE IS A QUOTE IN THEIR REPORT THAT I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT AND GET YOUR REACTION.
AND THEN I HAD A FOLLOW-UP, SO IT'S ON PAGE 34, AND IT SAYS HERE, BOTH STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE CONCERNED THAT MAJOR PROGRAM AND DESIGN DECISIONS ARE PREDETERMINED AND THAT PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS EITHER BEING DONE TOO LATE IN THE PROCESS OR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IS BEING DONE SIMPLY TO CHECK THE BOX.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE, BUT PERCEPTION IS 90%.
MY QUESTION IS, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF GETTING THIS OUT WHEN WE LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE MAKE DESIGN CHANGES BASED ON FEEDBACK, HOW DO WE MESSAGE THEM THAT, SO THAT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T FEEL THIS IS A CHECK THE BOX, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT, BUT, BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME FACTORIES AND HOW DO WE GET THAT WORD OUT? YES.
AND ADMITTEDLY, WE CAN ALWAYS DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING THAT.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN AS GOOD AS WE COULD BE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BETTER AT IT.
I, AND I THINK AT YOUR URGING AND THE URGING OF OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, UM, TO HELP US ENUNCIATE THAT FEEDBACK LOOP AND DEMONSTRATE TO PEOPLE HOW FEEDBACK IS BEING USED.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE, UH, WORKING ON THAT, NOT ONLY ON THE PROJECT WEBSITE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY, BUT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A MEETING, WE BRING UP WHAT WE HEARD.
AND THAT'S HOW WE LET PEOPLE KNOW.
WE HEARD YOU HERE IS HOW THAT HAS MOVED US FORWARD.
UM, AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE NARRATIVE WHEN WE, WHEN WE GOT TO MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, BUT WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER.
AND WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS ON HOW BETTER TO COMMUNICATE THAT IT IS A DIFFICULT THING TO GET OUT THERE AS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU PUT SOMETHING OUT OR MAKE IT AVAILABLE, THERE ARE STILL LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER SEE IT.
AND I CAN ATTEST TO THAT JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH IS REALLY AMAZING.
WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THAT EARLIER.
UM, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON MAKING THAT MORE PUBLIC AND MORE, UM, ACCESSIBLE.
SO PEOPLE REALLY SEE THAT IT IS NOT A CHECK THE BOX ACTIVITY.
WE REALLY DO LISTEN TO PEOPLE.
AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THERE, THERE'S SOME VERY TECHNICAL DESIGN CHALLENGES.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO BE AN EXPERT ON DESIGN? NO.
UH, WE HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW A LOT AND, UM, HAVE REALLY SPECIFIC IDEAS OF HOW WE CAN SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS. BUT FOR US, IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND THAT PEOPLE CAN TELL US WHAT THEIR ASPIRATIONS ARE FOR THESE AREAS.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEIR DAILY LIFE IN THESE AREAS.
AND FROM THAT, WE EXTRAPOLATE HOW TO MAKE THE DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING WILL HAPPEN, UM, IN THIS SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SPRING, BUT CONNECTING THE DOTS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR, YEAH, I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK.
IT'S A HARD JOB, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
IF THERE'S 100 COMMENTS IN THE COURSE OF A MONTH, AND THERE'S ONE COMMENT ON SOME ISOLATED LITTLE THING, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S TUNNEL THE WHOLE PROJECT.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE, BUT IF WE'RE GETTING A THEME, RIGHT, MULTIPLE PEOPLE ASKING FOR THE SAME THINGS, THEN I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT NECESSARILY GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT.
TALK TO OUR DESIGN FOLKS, TALK TO OUR PEOPLE, SIT DOWN WITH THEM, EXPLAIN WHY, WHAT THEY WANT IS NOT TECHNICALLY DOABLE OR IT'S TECHNICALLY DOABLE, BUT IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE.
OR, OR MAYBE THERE'S A WAY WHERE THEY CAN GET PART OF WHAT THEY WANT.
SO THOSE, IF, IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
AND IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, REALLY FOR US TO SIT DOWN WITH EVERYBODY WHO SUBMITS A COMMENT OR A SUGGESTION.
BUT, UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, WE DO HAVE THEMES THAT COME UP AND ACTUALLY OUR MEETING ON THE 31ST, THE 29TH AND THE 31ST RATHER, UM, IS ABOUT THOSE THEMES THAT HAVE COME UP CONSISTENTLY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, UM, THAT WE FELT PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO DO A DEEPER DIVE ON THESE TOPICS.
AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A REALLY ROBUST DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT.
AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING SOME REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THAT TOO, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS AND COMMENTS THAT HAVE COME IN OVER TIME AND HOW THEY HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED OR NOT INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS.
I JUST WANT TO, UM, TIE SOMETHING TOGETHER TO THE TWO PAGES THAT, UM, MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS QUOTING 34 AND 35 INTERTWINED IN THAT IS STILL TRUST.
AND I REALLY WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT WE NEED TO BUILD, HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY TO LIFT THAT INTO EVEN THE MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW THAT ARE PLAYING YOU CAN, WE CAN STILL DO SOME INTENTIONAL ENGAGEMENT OF GRASSROOTS, UM, INITIATIVES.
I IT'S ABOUT TRUST AND IT'S ABOUT PERCEPTION BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS UNINTENTIONAL, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER.
DOES THE IMPACT RIGHT? IS THAT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH
[00:40:01]
THERE THERE'S NOT.UM, WHEN WE SAY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THESE WORDS ARE BIG WORDS AND IT'S STILL A TRUST FACTOR.
SO I REALLY WANT TO RE-EMPHASIZE THAT WE HAVE TO ENGAGE THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE SUPER INVOLVED TO CO-SPONSOR SO THAT WE CAN ALL LEARN TOGETHER.
BURNETT FOR YOUR GREAT FEEDBACK.
THIS IS A MARATHON AND I APPRECIATE IT.
[4.2. Administrative Update ]
NEXT WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE OUR MONTHLY UPDATES.WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE FROM KCB, IRAQ, OUR ATP GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.
AND SHE WILL GIVE US AN UPDATE REGARDING THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH OUR PARTNERS.
THESE HAVE UPCOMING THANK YOU, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THIS MORNING.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AS PART OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE, UM, THAT IF, IF YOU ALL RECALL THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WE ENTERED INTO WITH THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO LATE LAST YEAR CONTEMPLATED, AND I MEAN, IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT FEAT AND, UM, AN IMPRESSIVE DOCUMENT, BUT REALLY HAD KIND OF AT A HIGH LEVEL, THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS PROGRAM AND THE, UM, THREE PARTNERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IT.
AND SO, UM, IT ALSO CONTEMPLATED THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO ENTER INTO SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES.
UM, SOME OF THEM BEING TRI-PARTY, SOME OF THEM JUST BEING ATP AND CAPITAL METRO OR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO WE HAVE A SENSE NOW OF, OF THE SCHEDULE OF SOME OF THOSE AGREEMENTS, THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WILL BE ENTERING INTO.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE ONES THAT ARE COMING UP AND THE TIMING FOR THOSE.
UM, AND, AND ALSO KNOW AS STATED IN THE SLIDE THAT THERE'S AN EXHIBIT, THE JPA THAT INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE THESE IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS.
AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE JPA AND KEEP ALL THE PARTIES HAVE BREASTS.
IT CAN BE A LOT, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL STAY ORGANIZED AND EVERYONE INVOLVED.
UM, SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU COULD GO, THANK YOU.
UM, SO UPCOMING IN THE SPRING, WE WILL BE, UM, KIND OF UPDATING THE JANUARY, 2021, UM, ILA BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND ATP FOR CAPITAL METRO SUPPORT SERVICES.
UM, IF YOU RECALL, THAT WAS ADOPTED ON OUR FIRST, AT OUR FIRST BOARD MEETING MY SECOND DAY ON THE JOB.
AND, UM, WE'VE LEARNED A LOT SINCE THAT TIME, UM, AND A LOT ABOUT WHAT THESE AGREEMENTS NEED TO CONTAIN IN ORDER TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING ANY FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS OR REQUIREMENTS OF POTENTIAL FUTURE BOND HOLDERS, ET CETERA.
SO WE'LL ENTER INTO THAT AGREEMENT PROBABLY, UM, THIS SPRING, UM, FOR THE SERVICES THAT CAPITAL METRO PROVIDES.
AND, UM, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO BE ENTERING INTO ANOTHER, UM, SIMILAR KIND OF UPDATE TO THE FEBRUARY 20, 21 AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO HELP SUPPORT THE CITY'S PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, WHICH IN TURN SUPPORTS, UM, PROJECT CONNECT AND ATPS WORK.
UM, AND THEN, UM, IN, IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER, WE'LL HAVE SEPARATE ILS SPECIFIC TO THE METRO RAPID CAPITAL COSTS AND THE, AND THE FUNDING FROM ATP THAT'LL BE PROVIDED TO CAPITAL METRO TO FUND THOSE COSTS.
AND THEN ALSO SIMILARLY FOR THE RED LINE WORK, NEXT SLIDE.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, WE HAVE THE PROP, A FUNDING IS, UM, REALLY A UNIQUE FUNDING SOURCE FOR TRANSIT, AND THEN IT ALSO COVERS ONM COSTS FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAMS. AND SO THE PROGRAM ELEMENTS.
AND SO WE WILL ALSO THIS SUMMER BE ENTERING INTO ANOTHER ILA SPECIFIC TO THE ONM COSTS AROUND METRO RAPID WITH CAPITAL METRO, AS THEY IMPLEMENT THE METRO RAPID PROGRAM OR PROJECTS IN THE, IN THE PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO A SEPARATE ONE JUST RELATED TO THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION PROCESS, PRIMARILY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH ATP IS, UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT ACQUISITION PROCESS, ATP DOES NOT HAVE ITS OWN EMINENT DOMAIN AUTHORITY.
SO WE KIND OF HAVE TO WORK THROUGH WITH THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO AS APPROPRIATE HOW WE WILL PARTNER ON SOME OF THE ACQUISITION WORK AND THEN FINALLY, UTILITY UTILITY, BETTERMENTS AND COORDINATION IN THE FALL.
NEXT SLIDE, UM, KIND OF INTO 20, 23 AND BEYOND, UM, WE WILL START TO ENTER INTO INTER LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH CAPITAL METRO SPECIFIC TO THE LIGHT RAIL PORTIONS OF THE PROGRAM.
UM, ANY SORT OF CAPITAL COSTS, FUNDING, OR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
AND IN ADDITION, FINALLY, FOR THE FACILITIES ELEMENTS.
SO WE'RE NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THESE AGREEMENTS WILL INCLUDE, BUT WE WANT TO SEPARATE EACH OF THESE AREAS INTO, UM, DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PROVISIONS WILL CHANGE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MS. BARRACK
[00:45:02]
BOARD MEMBER, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, NO, AND I KNOW THESE CAN BE SOMEWHAT MUNDANE AND LEGALISTIC, BUT I HAVE A SENSE OF HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE.SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE DOING WITH COUNCIL AND WORKING ON THIS.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALSO THAT WE'RE GIVING THE COMMUNITY A LOOK AHEAD.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE VERY SPECIFICALLY REQUESTING OF US TO, TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE AN UPDATE OF WHAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP AND WHAT'S IN THE PIPELINE.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, WE WILL BE BRIEFING THE BOARD BEFORE WE ADOPT THE FOLLOWING MONTHS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE MORE BROADLY THE COMMUNITY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE ILS BEFORE THEY'RE ADOPTED.
[5.1. Approval of minutes from each of the January 19, 2022 and February 16, 2022 Meetings of the Board of Directors]
HAVE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. WE ONLY HAVE ONE TODAY AND THAT'S THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 19TH, 2022 AND THE FEBRUARY 16TH, 2022 AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETINGS.IF EVERYONE HAS HAD A TIME TO READ THE MINUTES, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THIS ACTION ITEM.
SO WE'LL HAVE A MOTION, A MOVEMENT OF CHAIR.
BURNETT SECOND BY MEMBER ELKINS.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
EVERYONE HAS I, UH, THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[6.1. Systemwide Accessibility Presentation]
GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR ONE DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT WHISPER SPAWN FROM OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.AND I REALLY LIKE TO THANK THE TEAM FOR BEING PATIENT AS THIS.
THEY WERE PREPARED LAST TIME TO GIVE US THIS UPDATE ON OUR SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY.
AND WE HAVE MARTIN
ATP'S CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RANDY CLARK.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR CAPITAL METRO.
UM, I'LL LET MY COLLEAGUE INTRODUCE HIMSELF BEFORE WE GET GOING.
I'M THE CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN FOR ATP.
THIS APP FOR HAVING US THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, BEFORE I GET GOING WITH THIS PRESENTATION, THAT'S TITLED SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY AND URBAN DESIGN.
I JUST WANT TO KIND OF LAY OUT, UM, HIGH LEVEL FOR THE BOARD THAT, UM, THIS, THIS, THE INTENT OF THIS PRESENTATION AND, UM, ARE HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS TODAY IS TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE THAT ACCESSIBILITY, UM, PLAYS IN THIS ENTIRE PROCESS AND THROUGHOUT ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PART OF THIS, UH, ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF THESE PROGRAMS. UM, ACCESSIBILITY IS REALLY A HIGH, UH, LEVEL PRINCIPLE.
THE FIRST PRINCIPLE THAT WE ARE BRINGING TO ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TOGETHER, UM, AS PARTNERS, BOTH ON THE CAPITAL METRO AND THE PROJECT CONNECT SIDE.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO RELATION WITH THAT, UM, WITH SAN, IF WE'LL MOVE TO THE SECOND SLIDE, PLEASE.
STARTING OFF JUST A LITTLE BIT, UM, ABOUT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, IT IS CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION PASSED IN THE 1990S THAT IT'S AN IT'S, IT'S AN EXTENSION OF PREVIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION, EXCEPT IN THIS CASE, IT, UH, UH, IT, IT, IT'S SPECIFIC TO NON-DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
IT GUARANTEES EQUAL ACCESS AND EQUAL RIGHTS TO TRANSPORTATION, TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND YOU'LL SEE UP HERE, THE THREE LETTERS PWD IS ON, YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE PRESENTATION, IT'S JUST A WAY TO ABBREVIATE.
UM, THAT PHRASE, IT CREATES A FRAMEWORK, UM, AND REGULATIONS TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSIT SERVICES AND THOSE FACILITIES SLIDE.
UM, SO WHAT IS ACCESSIBILITY WHEN WE USE THE WORD ACCESSIBILITY, WE MEAN THE DEGREE TO WHICH PROGRAMS, PRACTICES, SERVICES, TECHNOLOGIES, UM, ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THEM, UM, FOR SOMETHING TO BE ACCESSIBLE IN REGARDS TO A FACILITY, IT IS SOMETHING, UM, THAT IT'S, IT'S IN RELATION TO THE DEGREE TO WHICH A FACILITY IS READILY USABLE, UM, TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, UH, BE THAT, UM, FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS OR, UH, JUST GENERAL USE OF THE PUBLIC.
UM, IT'S AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS, A PROGRAM OR A PRACTICE.
UM, THE DEGREE TO WHICH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN PRACTICE IN FULL AND, UM, CAN HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS AND RIGHTS, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND TECHNOLOGY.
[00:50:01]
TO THE TECHNOLOGY, THE DEGREE TO WHICH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN USE THAT TECHNOLOGY WITH, OR WITHOUT THE USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WOULD BE HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE, UM, THAT PROVIDES, UH, A LEVEL OF ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A WAY OF LOOKING AT A HOLISTIC AND COORDINATED, COORDINATED APPROACH TO ACCESSIBILITY AND IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY, UH, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SO IT'S ALL THE PIECES, UM, TAKEN TOGETHER AS, AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND THAT CAN, AND THAT INCLUDES A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PIECES.
SO AMONG THOSE, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS OUR FACILITIES.
THAT WOULD BE OUR TRANSIT STOPS, UM, STATIONS, UH, AS WELL AS OUR VEHICLES BE THEY, OUR METRO BUS VEHICLES, OUR MENTAL RAPID, OR OUR FUTURE LIGHT RAILS, UM, VEHICLES, TECHNOLOGY, THAT WOULD BE OUR CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEMS, MOBILE APPS, AND ANY INTERNAL SYSTEMS THAT WE USE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME HERE AND TALK ABOUT, UH, FACILITIES.
CAUSE I THINK THIS IS A REALLY BIG, IMPORTANT PIECE HERE.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FACILITIES IN THIS REGARD, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND THAT'S WHERE THE PEDESTRIAN MEETS THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, TRANSIT ACCESS BEGINS AND ENDS WITH THE SIDEWALK AND ALL THE PIECES IN BETWEEN.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS INCORPORATING ACCESSIBILITY AT THE INITIAL STAGES AND NOT THE DESIGN CONCEPT.
SO WE'RE STARTING WITH ACCESSIBILITY AS A FOUNDATIONAL PIECE AS WE, AS WE BUILD, UM, AS WE BUILD OUT.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GO ALONG.
UM, THIS OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES PEDESTRIAN FEATURES SUCH AS SIDEWALKS, UM, WHICH ARE CERTAINLY IMPORTANT, MAKE SURE THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT, UM, SUFFICIENT WITS, ET CETERA, UM, SHARED USE PATHS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, PROVIDES FOR MULTIMODAL ACCESS FOR BOTH, UM, PEDESTRIANS, BE THEY INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES OR AMBULATORY PEDESTRIANS, AS WELL AS, UM, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING BIKES OR SCOOTERS.
UM, WE CAN ALL SHARE THAT SPACE AND THAT ALLOWS THESE, UH, FACILITIES TO BE MULTIMODAL AS WE ARE TRYING TO INCORPORATE ALL THE MODES, UM, TRAFFIC SIGNALS AND CROSSINGS, UM, ALSO AN IMPORTANT PIECE BECAUSE, UM, FOLKS HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET AND CAPITOL METRO OWNED, UM, FACILITIES, WHICH ARE OF COURSE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, UM, FOR MEETINGS AND APPOINTMENTS NEXT LINE, ALL RIGHT, FACILITIES, AS I SAID EARLIER, ACCESS TO TRANSIT BEGINS AND ENDS WITH THE SIDEWALK.
UM, CURB CUTS ARE IMPORTANT PIECE.
UH, THEY OF COURSE PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY MICROPHONE DRIFTED ON ME HAVE Y'ALL BEEN ABLE TO HEAR ME ALL THE TIME.
I JUST REALIZED THIS THING WAS AT MY CHEEK LEVEL.
UM, IT'S A NECESSARY PEDESTRIAN FEATURE PROVIDES ACCESSIBILITY, NOT JUST TO INDIVIDUALS USING WHEELED MOBILITY DEVICES, BUT OTHER PEDESTRIANS LIKE PARENTS, UM, PUSHING STROLLERS ACCESS, UH, ET CETERA, UM, DETECTABLE TRIPS.
THOSE ARE THE LITTLE BUMPS THAT YOU FEEL UNDERNEATH YOUR FEET WHEN YOU'RE AT A CORNER.
UM, THAT'S INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE WHO USE CANES, ET CETERA, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS, UH, THAT THEY'RE ENTERING INTO A DIFFERENT SPACE IN FRONT OF THEM.
AS I MENTIONED, SHARED USE PATHS THAT, UM, OF COURSE ARE MULTIMODAL AND, UM, ARE SHARED AMONGST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, PEDESTRIANS, PEOPLE USING, UM, BICYCLES, ET CETERA.
UM, AND OF COURSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF RIGHT AWAY, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SPACES ARE SAFE, UM, AND CAN MINIMIZE CONFLICTS BETWEEN ANY OF THOSE TYPES OF MODES, TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
ONCE AGAIN, UM, ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IN PARTICULAR, THERE ARE CERTAIN FEATURES THAT, UM, ARE, ARE IMPORTANT TO ACCESSIBILITY AMONGST THOSE ARE AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN, SIG SIGNALS.
UM, EITHER THE BEEPING ONES ARE THE ONES THAT TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, WALK.
UM, AND THIS IS A FORM OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE BLIND OR LOW VISION.
UM, BECAUSE IT, IT INFORMS ME, UM, ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AS IF THE LIGHT WERE TO TURN GREEN.
THEN, UM, MY COLLEAGUE HERE, PETER AND I WOULD BOTH KNOW, UM, THAT IT IS SAFER TO CROSS, UM, ANOTHER TYPE OF PEDESTRIAN, ANOTHER TYPE OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL THAT IS, UH, THAT'S OUT THERE THAT, UM, IT GETS INCORPORATED IS THE RECTANGULAR, RAPID FLASHING BEACON.
[00:55:01]
UH, SORT OF YIELD SIGN TO, UH, TO DRIVERS YIELD SIGNAL TO DRIVERS, UM, TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS.AND THEN WE HAVE OUR PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS OR PHBS, WHICH ARE, UM, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE PUSH BUTTON ACCESS, UM, REALLY TAILOR MADE TO SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.
UM, PERHAPS THOSE THAT, UH, ARE, ARE TRAVELED AND POPULATED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, UM, TO A HIGH DEGREE.
AND IT STOPS TRAFFIC IN ALL DIRECTIONS, UM, AND ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO CROSS SAFELY.
SO LOOKING AT OUR VEHICLES, UM, WITH OUR LIGHT RAIL OR OUR METRO RAPID, OR OUR METRO BUS, UH, VEHICLES, WE INCORPORATE OUR ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES.
UM, CAPITAL METRO WAS, UM, AMONGST ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO, UM, GO A HUNDRED PERCENT ACCESSIBLE, UM, ON OUR, ON OUR FIXED ROUTE FLEET.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE THE FIRST ONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO, UH, ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A PART OF WHAT WE DO FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
UM, AND WE INCORPORATE ALL THE NECESSARY FEATURES, UH, BE THEY RAMPS LIFTS OR AUDIBLE ENUNCIATOR SYSTEMS, UM, AS WELL AS SECUREMENT SYSTEMS AND LEVEL BOARDING PLATFORMS FOR OUR RAILS BRAILLE PLATFORMS. IT'S IMPORTANT HERE FOR US TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE DESIGN AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, OUR FUTURE VEHICLES.
AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH, UH, THE FOLKS IN THE VEHICLE SIDE, UM, ON, ON WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AND AS JACKIE MENTIONED, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO SEEK, UM, INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY AMONGST THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THAT WAY WE CAN TAKE THAT FEEDBACK IN AND DESIGN A RESPONSIVE SCOPE THAT IS, UM, THAT RECOGNIZES ALL THOSE FEATURES.
WE WANT TO SEE IN WHAT WE HEAR, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, TECHNOLOGY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.
UM, SOME THAT WE INCORPORATE NOW, I PROVIDES CUSTOMER INFORMATION TO HELP IMPROVE THE JOURNEY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND THAT CAN BE OUR MOBILE APPS, UM, OR OTHER OR OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THAT PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
LET YOU KNOW IF, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STREET CROSSINGS AND SIDEWALKS, THINGS THAT CAN, UM, GIVE INFORMATION TO THE PASSENGER BEFORE THEY EMBARK ON THEIR JOURNEY.
UM, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR WAYFINDING AND NAVIGATION, AS WELL AS PROVIDING, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, A SENSE OF EASE AND CONFIDENCE IN USING THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, WHICH I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO IT SAFELY WITH CONFIDENCE AND WITH EASE.
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, BUT REGARDLESS OF ALL, THE REALLY IMPORTANT PIECES THAT GO INTO MAKING, UM, THE ENTIRE TRANSIT SYSTEM, UM, FULLY ACCESSIBLE, UM, AND DOING ALL THAT WORK, THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE, UH, W BECAUSE THEY HAVE DISABILITIES AND BASED ON THEIR FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES, THAT IS WHAT, HOW THEY FUNCTION WITH THOSE DISABILITIES ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE, UM, OR GOING TO BE HEAVILY CHALLENGED TO USING THOSE FIXED ROUTES SYSTEMS. AND SO METRO ACCESS WILL ALWAYS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
IT SERVES AS A SAFETY NET SERVICE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND IT WILL, UH, REMAIN AS A CRITICAL SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE OUR FIXED MODES, UM, TO HAVE THAT OPTION TO THEMSELVES FOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENTS ARE ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT PIECE.
UM, WHETHER IT'S OUR TECHNICAL PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN DEPARTMENTS, UM, INCLUDING THE TRANSPORTATION ATD, UM, OUR VISION ZERO FI PARTNERS, UM, ALL THE, THE OTHER PARTNERS WON'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH EACH ONE OF THEM THERE, BUT, UM, ALL OF OUR TECHNICAL PARTNERS HAVE, UH, REALLY BEEN HELPFUL TO HELPING US WITH THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEN OF COURSE OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, BEGINNING WITH OUR ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS OUR CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WE REALLY TAKE THINGS TO, AND THEY GIVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK, BUT WE ALSO MEET WITH, UH, GROUPS IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS ADAPT, UM, WHICH IS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION OF INDIVIDUALS, PRIMARILY WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS.
WE MEET QUARTERLY WITH THEM AND HAVE BEEN FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE GET A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THERE.
UM, THE CHRIS CALLS CENTER FOR THE BLIND, WHO WILL BE MEETING WITH, WITH ABOUT TWO WEEKS, UM, AND OTHERS SUCH AS A COALITION OF TEXANS WITH DISABILITIES, ALL IMPORTANT, UM, FOR US TO MAINTAIN A FEEDBACK LOOP SO THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING AND INCORPORATE FEEDBACK.
[01:00:01]
UM, THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, WHAT COULD ASSIST IN LINE, UM, ACCESSIBLE CHIN'S TRANSIT SYSTEM LOOK LIKE FULL ACCESSIBLE PATHS OF TRAVEL ACROSS THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, UM, WITH ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN FEATURES, VEHICLES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR ALL FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES OPERATING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, A DEGREE OF POSITION TECHNOLOGY, CUSTOMER INFORMATION, AND TECHNOLOGIES, UH, AND APPS THAT, UH, CAN PROVIDE UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY AT EACH STEP OF THE JOURNEY.UM, AT THAT POINT, AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, PETER HERE, AND HE'S GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH A COUPLE OTHER PIECES.
UM, AND BEFORE JUST LINGER ON THIS SLIDE FOR A SECOND, UM, BEFORE I GO FORWARD, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, IT'S SUCH A PRIVILEGE AND GIFT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH MARTIN DAY IN, DAY OUT, UM, AS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS.
I MEAN, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM AS A, AS A RESOURCE.
UM, AND, AND I THINK YOU JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHAT HE TALKED ABOUT AS ACCESSIBILITY AS A FIRST PRINCIPLE, RIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN ARCHITECTURE, OBVIOUSLY YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND IT'S A COMPONENT OF DESIGN HERE.
ACCESSIBILITY IS OUR JOB, RIGHT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A NICE TO HAVE IT IS THE JOB.
AND, UM, SO WE REALLY TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
AND I THINK, UM, IT'S BEEN, IT'S, IT GUIDES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE DESIGNED FOR EVERYBODY OR WE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WE DESIGNED FOR EVERYBODY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TALK ABOUT WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHEN WE GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT ANY DESIGN OPTIONS.
SO, UM, WE'LL LIKE, THIS IS A SLIDE THAT YOU SEE OR YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.
AND USUALLY WE USE IT TO TALK ABOUT, UM, THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TOWARDS DESIGNING THE PUBLIC REALM, RIGHT.
THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE TRAINS, IT'S ABOUT HOW THE TRAINS INTERACT WITH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND, UM, BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS AND STREET TREES, UM, NEW DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA.
BUT I THINK IT ALSO, IT, IT, IT, IN THIS CONTEXT, IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE DO HAS TO BE SEEN THROUGH THE LENS OF ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THAT INFORMS EVERYTHING WE DO.
UM, NEXT, JUST TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES ABOUT WE'RE, UM, HOW THIS GETS IMPLEMENTED AS WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT DESIGN OPTIONS IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, FIRST, UH, JUST, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE FROM THE NORTH OF OUR TRANSIT CENTER.
UM, THIS IS, UH, UH, AND THE, AND IN BOTH OF THESE EXAMPLES, THESE ARE, THESE ARE, UH, DESIGN ISSUES THAT WE'VE BROUGHT TO THE COMMUNITY IN OUR COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS.
UM, SO IN THE NORTH OF OUR TRANSIT CENTER, THE ORANGE LINE, UH, IS CURRENTLY ENVISIONED TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE, OF NORTH LAMAR, UM, AS IT IS THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE ALIGNMENT.
UM, AND YET WE KNOW THAT THE MULTIMODAL CONNECTION TO THE NORTH OF OUR TRANSIT CENTER IT'S PROPER, WHICH IS, UM, DIRECTLY TO THE, TO THE WEST OF THE ALIGNMENT.
YOU CAN SEE IT, IT'S KIND OF SLIGHTLY OFF OF THE IMAGE, BUT, UM, IS REALLY CRITICAL, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO CREATE MULTIMODAL CONDUCTIVITY, UM, BOTH TO THE PARK AND RIDE, BUT ALSO TO OTHER BUS SERVICES THAT TERMINATE THERE AND CONNECT TO THE KING WILL CONNECT TO THE LIGHT RAIL AND THE ORANGE LINE.
UM, AND SO THAT OF CONNECTION BETWEEN THOSE MODES IS CRITICAL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS A MAJOR ELEVATION CHANGE BETWEEN THE ORANGE LINE PLATFORM AND THE, UH, ADJACENT TRANSIT CENTER.
AND YOU HAVE TO GET OVER FRONT OF DROVES AND YOU HAVE TO GET OVER NORTH LAMAR.
SO HOW DO WE DO THAT? UM, AND HOW DO WE DO THAT IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT AS EASY AND SEAMLESS FOR ALL USERS OF THE SYSTEM? SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, AND LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE GRADE SEPARATED CONNECTIONS, AGAIN, AS SEAMLESS, AS EASY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, LOOKING AT, UM, OPTIONS WHERE WE USE RAMPS, UH, UH, OPTIONS WHERE WE USE ELEVATORS.
UM, THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO BOTH DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT.
AND SO D DEBATING THOSE AND GETTING FEEDBACK ON THOSE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS TRADE OFFS BETWEEN SPEED AND, AND, UH, THE, THE SLOPE OF YOUR PATH, ET CETERA.
SO, UM, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE THIS, THIS ISSUE OF ACCESSIBILITY IS THE DESIGN PROBLEM THAT WE ARE DESIGNING AROUND, UM, AND WILL INFORM EVERYTHING WE DO NEXT.
UM, THE SECOND OPTION, AND THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A ONE WHERE WE HAVE, UH, TWO DESIGN OPTIONS FOR A STATION AREA, UM, PLEASANT VALLEY, RIVERSIDE, UM, WHICH IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MULTIMODAL CONNECTION POINT ALSO, UH, BETWEEN THE BLUE LINE, WHICH RUNS ON RIVERSIDE AND THE PLEASANT VALLEY, UM, METRO RAPID, WHICH RUNS PERPENDICULAR TO THAT ON PLEASANT VALLEY, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF, OF LOCAL BUS ROUTES.
UM, AND THE TWO OPTIONS HAVE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TOWARDS ACCESSIBILITY.
AND SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE PUBLIC, UM, IN MAY, AND WE ARE DEBATING BETWEEN THESE TWO OPTIONS AND TRYING TO COME UP WITH A, UM, THE PREFERRED OPTION,
[01:05:01]
YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT, THAT CREATE A MORE SEAMLESS, UM, AND MORE ACCESSIBLE CONNECTION FOR MORE USERS, UM, THAT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE USE TO, TO EVALUATE THESE OPTIONS.UM, AND SO IT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THE, THIS ISSUE GETS WOVEN INTO ALL OF OUR DECISION MAKING AND THINKING AROUND DESIGN FOR THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IT NEXT? YEAH.
DO YOU THINK MARTIN AND I ARE BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE? THANK YOU, BOTH.
UM, VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION AND REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE HARDWARE, BECAUSE EVERYTHING RESONATES WITH US.
IT'S ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY AND CONNECTIVITY AND HOW DO WE MAKE OUR CITIES MORE NURTURING FOR EVERYONE? SO THANK YOU.
BURNETT? I FEEL, I SEE YOU GIVING THEM YOUR MICROPHONE.
THIS WAS JUST A REALLY EXCELLENT PRESENTATION TO MAKE THINGS REAL AND ENDED UP.
IT'S ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE OPTIONS ARE CONSIDERED, AND I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU TIED IT IN PETER TO DIS WILL GO BEFORE THE COMMUNITY FOR FURTHER FEEDBACK AND THE METRICS THAT WILL GO INTO MAKING A DECISION.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GET STUCK, PARTICULARLY ABOUT TRUST, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE AND TRANSPARENCY AND COMMUNICATIONS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
IT'S AN EXAMPLE, BUT IT'S AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF THAT.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THIS BECAUSE IT'S THINGS THAT I WOULDN'T NORMALLY THINK ABOUT.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S ACROSS THE BOARD WITH EVERY COMPONENT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
BURNETT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? REMEMBER ELKINS? YEAH.
UH, NOT A QUESTION, BUT A COMMENT, A GREAT PRESENTATION, MARTIN AND PETER.
I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE THOUGHTS THAT WENT IN THIS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY, THIS IS, THIS IS PART OF EQUITY, RIGHT? AND MAKING A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY IS EXACTLY WHAT SECRETARY GOOD ATTENTION WAS TALKING ABOUT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP US GET MORE MONEY FROM THE FEDS.
SO THE MORE WE CAN SHOW THAT WE'RE MAKING THIS EQUITABLE FOR EVERYBODY, UM, THAT'S TERRIFIC.
I LOVE THE THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
I'D LIKE TO MENTION ALSO, UM, THE THING THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME IN TERMS OF THE SIDEWALK, YOU KNOW, EVERY TRANSIT SYSTEM COULD BE JUDGED BY HOW WELL WE CAN GET TO IT AND I'LL HAVE TO RELY ON A CAR TO GET TO A PARK AND RIDE TO THEN GET ON A TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SO ELEVATING THAT THE BEAUTY AND THE POETICS OF A SIDEWALK, I CAN'T STATE THAT ENOUGH OF HOW MUCH I, I BELIEVE IN SIDEWALKS VERY WELL, VERY MUCH IN ONE THING THAT IT'S, UH, THAT I HAVE LEARNED IN MY STUDIES IS THAT WHEN WE PRIORITIZE THE MOST VULNERABLE PARALLEL TO OUR GUIDEWAYS PARALLEL TO OUR ACCESS, TO OUR TRANSIT STATIONS, IT ALSO MANIFEST RATHER THAN HAVING CURVED RAMPS.
HOW ABOUT LIFTING UP RIGHT? THE SIDEWALK AS WE CROSS EVERY STREET.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING THAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE TEAM TO LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THE BIKEWAYS AND SIDEWALKS.
UH, FOR, FOR THIS, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS AND THE, THE, THE THOUGHTFULNESS YOU ALL WERE PUTTING INTO THIS, UM, JUST AS A, A MATTER OF, UH, UH, UH, COLLABORATION WITH THIS, YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHTED ON, UH, THE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, I NOTE THAT, THAT WE, IT CAPITAL METRO, WE TALK AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THE, THAT LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY.
AND, AND TO ME, THIS, THIS REFLECTS THAT.
AND, AND AS, AS, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE BUILD, AND AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO REALLY BUILD OUT THE TH THE FUNCTIONAL, UH, SPACE, UM, AND IN DOING SO THAT DOESN'T JUST INVOLVE CAP METRO, THAT'S NOT JUST GOING TO INVOLVE ATP.
IT'S GOING TO ALSO INVOLVE OUR PARTNERS WITH THE CITY, TOO.
AND, UM, JUST WANTING TO, TO, TO, UM, JUST MAKE SURE THAT, UH, AND, AND GIVE A, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR, TO OUR PARTNERS WITH, UH, WITH THE CITY, TO, TO GINA'S TEAM AND ALL THEY'VE BEEN DOING ALSO INTERACTING AND WORKING WITH CAP METRO INITIALLY, EVEN BEFORE, UH, ATP HAD COME ALONG, WORKING WITH US AND YOUR, YOUR TEAM TO HELP BUILD OUT A, THAT KIND OF, THAT KIND OF LAST MILE FUNCTIONALITY AND THE DESIGN OF THE SIDEWALK AND THE FUNCTIONAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN NOW WORKING WITH, WITH THE TEAM AND ATP IS WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE, UM, IT, IT DOES TAKE THAT TEAM COLLABORATION.
AND, UM, I JUST WANNA, UH, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT AND THANK YOU AND OUR CITY PARTNERS FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING, BECAUSE, UH, UH, IT DOES TAKE
[01:10:01]
ALL THREE MEMBERS OF THIS TEAM, UH, THE CITY CAP, METRO, AND ATP, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THIS ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT IS GOING TO BE SEAMLESS AND WORK WELL FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY FOR TRUE EQUITY, INCLUDING OUR, OUR, UH, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT ARE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.FRIENDS AT THE CITY HAVE BEEN BEEN GREAT BURGERS.
IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL PRESENTATION, SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD PRESENTATION.
[6.2. Independent Analysis Presentation and Report Summary by the Eno Center for Transportation]
FINAL ITEM THIS MONTH, AND I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE IS PATIENT, BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME READ QUITE A BIT, BECAUSE I'M S I'M ALSO GOING TO GO THROUGH THEIR BIOS OF OUR TEAM AT ENO.SO OUR FINAL ITEM THIS MONTH IS A PRESENTATION FROM THE ENO CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION ON THEIR FINDINGS, FROM THE INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS THAT THEY HAVE CONDUCTED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
THEY HAVE JOINED US TODAY FROM WASHINGTON DC TO GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION.
AND BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE TEAM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL REMEMBER, WE GOT TO THIS POINT, INA WAS HIRED TO CONDUCT A LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 4.2 0.2 OF THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.
THIS BOARD MUST TAKE THEIR ANALYSIS INTO CONSIDERATION IN ESTABLISHING THE SYSTEMS, PRACTICES AND PROCESSES UNDER WHICH ATP WILL BE GOVERNED.
INDEPENDENCE IS A WORD YOU WILL BE HEARING A LOT TODAY BECAUSE IT IS A FUNDAMENTAL PIECE TO WHAT VOTERS WERE PROMISED.
BOTH WHEN PROJECT CONNECT WAS APPROVED.
AND WHEN ATP WAS CREATED, THE DECISIONS WE MAKE ABOUT GOVERNANCE WILL HELP DEFINE WHAT INDEPENDENCE MEANS.
THIS BOARD WILL NOT BE TAKING ANY ACTION TODAY, BUT INSTEAD WE WILL LISTEN TO ENO STAFF AND THEIR FINDINGS.
WE WILL ASK QUESTIONS AND IN OUR BOARD AND MEETING ON APRIL 20TH, WE WILL DECIDE NEXT STEPS.
WE INVITE THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW THE REPORT, WHICH HAS BEEN POSTED TO THE HTP WEBSITE.
NOW THAT UPLOADED AND ENO HAS UNDERTAKEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TO REACH THIS POINT.
AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR ALL THAT HEAVY LIFTING, THEIR WORK INCLUDED AN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, INCLUDING TWO VIRTUAL TOWN HALLS WITH A DCIS COMMUNICATIONS HELP, WHICH MORE THAN 250 PEOPLE ATTENDED AND INTERVIEWS WITH MORE THAN 45 INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS, INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND OUR THREE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
THEY ALSO TOOK EXTENSIVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND STUDIED OUR PEER AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHERE WE NEED TO GO, WHAT PITFALLS WE MAY ENCOUNTER AND HOW WE SHOULD FACE THEM ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
WE THANK YOU, YOUR WORK WE'LL LEAVE PROJECT CONNECT ATP AND ALL OF AUSTIN IN A MUCH STRONGER PLACE.
AND WITH US TODAY FROM WASHINGTON DC, I'M GOING TO READ THE BIOS FROM EACH OF YOU.
SO TRY NOT TO BLUSH FOR PAUL LEWIS, ROBERT
SO I'LL START WITH ROMANEK ROMACK OF S IS A POLICY ANALYST AT THE ENO CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION, WHERE HE CONDUCTS RESEARCH ON A VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION POLICIES.
HE'S CURRENTLY HELPING LEAD INOS TRANSIT COSTS AND PROJECT DELIVERY RESEARCH INITIATIVE, AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TO PUBLICATIONS ON DATA POLICY AND FARE INTEGRATION FOR MOBILITY ON DEMAND PILOTS PRIOR TO JOINING ENO, RAMI WORKED AS A RESEARCH INTERN AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION WHERE HE CONTRIBUTED TO RESEARCH ON THE WORKFORCE IMPLICATIONS OF AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND THE ROLE OF INFRASTRUCTURE POLICY IN GOVERNATORIAL ELECTIONS DURING HIS TIME AS AN UNDERGRADUATE RAW, ALSO WORK AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE IN AUSTIN, WHERE HE WAS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS STRATEGIC MOBILITY INITIATIVES, AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH DURING THE CITY'S LAND USE PLAN REVISIONS, RAMI EARNED HIS BACHELOR OF ARTS IN GOVERNMENT AND HUMANITIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN HOOKAH.
PAUL LEWIS IS A CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION IN THAT CAPACITY.
HE DIRECTS ENOS POLICY RESEARCH PROGRAM, INCLUDING PAPER DEVELOPMENT AND EVENT ORGANIZATION, LOUIS REGULARLY GIVE SPEECHES PRESENTATIONS AND PARTICIPATES IN EVENTS ON BEHALF OF THE
[01:15:01]
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCES AND HAS HELPED BUILD ENOS POLICY PROGRAM FROM THE GROUND UP CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO STRATEGICALLY SEEK OUR EMERGING AND CHALLENGING CHALLENGING ISSUES.LOUIS HAS LED POLICY PROJECTS RELATED TO FEDERAL POLICY, TRANSPORTATION, PLANNING, AND TRANSPORTATION GOVERNANCE.
LEWIS HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGIES, AUTOMATED VEHICLES, AVIATION FREIGHT, PUBLIC TRANSIT PRICING, AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
HE RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM A HIGHER ANOTHER UNIVERSITY, AND HIS MASTER'S IN SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY.
LOUIS HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD OF JUNK PROFESSIONALS AND TRANSPORTATION ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF CARNEGIE MELLON'S UNIVERSITY'S FUTURE OF WORK PROGRAM AND WAS NAMED MASS TRANSIT TOP 40, UNDER 40 IN 2016.
AND NOW RUBIN ONTO MR. ROBERT PLANT THIS RUBBER POINT.
THIS IS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION, A NONPROFIT THINK TANK WITH A MISSION OF IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND LEADERSHIP PRIOR TO JOINING ENO, HE WAS A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION'S METROPOLITAN POLICY PROGRAM, WHERE HE DIRECTED THE PROGRAMS, METROPOLITAN INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE.
HE'S CURRENTLY A NON-RESIDENT SENIOR FELLOW WITH BROOKINGS BEFORE BROOKINGS.
ROBERT WAS A DIRECTOR OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS AT THE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA.
ROBERT HAS WORKED EXTENSIVELY ON A VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING AND FINANCE AND CD AND URBAN PLANNING.
HE'S A FREQUENT SPEAKER TO A VARIETY OF GROUPS, REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO IN NEWSPAPERS AND OTHER MEDIA, AND HAS TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.
HE CALLS A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, WHERE HE SERVED ON THE ALUMNI ADVISORY BOARD AND WAS AFFILIATED PROFESSOR WITH GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY'S PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE.
ROBERT SERVES ON A VARIETY OF BOARDS, INCLUDING THE SHARED USE MOBILITY CENTER, UCLA INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION STUDIES AND YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN TRANSPORTATION.
RECENT APPOINTMENTS INCLUDE THE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION EQUITY, NEW YORK, STATE'S 2100 INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE WEST COAST INFRASTRUCTURE EXCHANGE, THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, AUTHORITIES, TRANSPORTATION REINVENTION COMMISSION, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STREETCAR, FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE TASK FORCE, THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA PLANNING COMMISSION, WHERE HE LIVES WITH HIS WIFE AND THREE SONS.
SO WITH THIS, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR TRAVELING AND FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ADAM SHARE.
I NEED TO UPDATE MY BIO TWO OF THOSE KIDS THAT ACTUALLY MOVED OUT.
SO I KNOW WE NEED TO UPDATE WHEN I GET HOME.
UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE KIND INTRODUCTION.
THANK YOU TO THE, TO THE, UH, ATP BOARD HAD THE BIRTHDAY, MR. MAYOR, UM, AND TO THE STAFF AND, AND REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR TRUST IN US.
I VERY KIND WORDS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED, BUT IT'S THE, THE, THE ABILITY FOR US TO WORK ON IMPORTANT PROJECTS LIKE THIS, BUT DIRECT IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES IS WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT AT, AT ENO.
AND YOU ALL KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THIS WORK IS, NOT JUST THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT THE WORK THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS ENGAGED WITH.
AND, UM, IT IS IT'S, IT'S JUST SO SPECIAL TO US TO BE CONNECTED WITH SOMETHING THAT IS SO IMPACTFUL.
SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TRUST IN US.
AND WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION HERE TODAY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT, TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, YOU, YOU GAVE A GOOD BACKGROUND THERE, SO I'LL JUST TO BE VERY QUICK ABOUT WHO WE KNOW IS JUST FOR FOLKS IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT AN ACRONYM FOR ANYTHING IT'S ACTUALLY NAMED AFTER MR. WILLIAM PHELPS, ENO WHO ENDOWED, UM, OUR ORGANIZATION ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, UM, TO FOCUS ON ISSUES ON, ON TRANSPORTATION SAFETY MOSTLY, BUT AN AWFUL LOT OF WORK ON GOVERNANCE HAS BEEN VERY PERVASIVE THROUGHOUT THE, UM, THE HISTORY OF ENO.
UM, THAT IS NOT HIS MUGSHOT HAS ACTUALLY HIS, HIS, UM, HONORARY DRIVER'S LICENSE FROM A SMALL TOWN IN FRANCE.
HE ACTUALLY NEVER DROVE A CAR EITHER, BUT, UM, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE AS, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED IN, UH, ISSUES AROUND TRANSPORT TRANSIT, PROJECT DELIVERY, AND PARTICULARLY ISSUES AROUND GOVERNANCE.
IT'S NOT THE THING THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
THEY LOVE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, DIGGING HOLES AND BUILDING THINGS AND SHELVES IN THE GROUND AND ALL THAT, AND ALL THAT OBVIOUSLY VERY MUCH MATTERS, BUT WE KNOW THAT GOVERNANCE MATTERS TOO, AND IT ALWAYS GETS THE SHORT SHRIFT.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THAT WITH YOU HERE TODAY.
UM, WE ARE A COMPLETELY NON-PROFIT INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION.
WE WORK ACROSS ALL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
[01:20:01]
AS THE CHAIR SAID, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THIS WORK FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.SO THE, THE CHARGE FOR US WAS TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE AND INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF JOINT AND SEPARATE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND HOW THEY, AND HOW THESE OPTIONS AFFECT OTHER ASPECTS OF GOVERNANCE AND PROJECT DELIVERY.
AND THAT WAS A BIG SCOPE, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON WORKING ON HERE.
AND AS YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR OUR ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE GOVERNANCE OF PROJECTS, SOME OF THE GOVERNANCE OF PROJECT CONNECT IS UNSUSTAINABLE AS IT IS CURRENTLY STRUCTURED RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT SHOULD BE AT THIS POINT.
SO IT'S SO NEW ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATIONS, A LOT OF NEW ACTIVITY THAT'S HAPPENING HERE AND HAPPENING VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY QUICKLY AS OPPOSED TO A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT TAKE A LONG TIME.
SO THE SPEED, THE RAPIDITY OF ALL THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO US, BUT IT'S ALSO CLEAR THAT BOTH JOINT AND SEPARATE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP KEEN WORK, BUT THEY MUST BE, UH, COUPLED WITH COMMON UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SPECIFICALLY OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS ABOUT ATPS INDEPENDENCE HAVE TO BE, UH, HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED AND, UH, CLARIFY IMMEDIATELY.
UM, AND ESPECIALLY OUR AUTONOMOUS ATP IS, UM, WITH CAPITAL METRO.
I KNOW THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING HERE IN THE, IN THE CITY.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
UM, UM, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'VE EVEN STARTED THIS WORK.
SO, UM, WITHOUT, THAT IS REALLY GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR EITHER LEADERSHIP MODEL TO WORK.
AND THE TEAM HERE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE ANALYSIS, INCLUDING, UH, THE ALREADY ESTABLISHED ELEMENTS OF GOVERNANCE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, KIND OF THE BASELINE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THAT WE ALL AGREE ON.
REDUCE VERY QUICK EXAMPLES FROM, UH, FROM BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES TO TRY TO GIVE US A GOOD IDEA ABOUT WHAT'S ANALOGOUS, WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN? UM, WE, WE PUT A LOT OF STOCK IN THAT MOST OF THE TIME WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON THE THEMES AND THE OPTIONS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS SPECIFIC TO THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON HERE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST IN THE ORGANIZATION.
LET ME TURN IT OVER TO ROMACK EVA'S THANKS ROBIN.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE WARM INTRODUCTIONS, VERONICA.
SO I WANT TO BE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
UH, JUST BRIEFLY RECAP THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS PROCESS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE OCTOBER, 2021 JPA.
UM, WE HAD A MULTI-PART STEP TO GOING THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS.
WE BEGAN WITH A PRELIMINARY REPORT THAT WE DELIVERED TO THE ATP BOARD IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, AND THAT PRELIMINARY REPORT PROVIDED SOME HIGH LEVEL GOVERNANCE, EXAMPLES AND TAKEAWAYS FROM DIFFERENT REGIONS THAT HAVE USED SIMILAR, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE ATP FOR THE DELIVERY OF MAJOR TRANSIT PROJECTS.
AS VERONICA MENTIONED, WE TRAVELED TO AUSTIN FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SPOKE WITH, UH, DOZENS OF STAKEHOLDERS.
UH, ONE-ON-ONE UH, INTERVIEWED SEVERAL OF THE COMMITTEES AND HAD TWO PUBLIC TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT WERE ATTENDED BY OVER 200 RESIDENTS, UM, TO GET, UH, UH, A BROADER COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE ON ATP'S LEADERSHIP.
UH, AFTER WE WRAPPED UP THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE, WE CONDUCTED CASE STUDY INTERVIEWS WITH LEADERS AND OFFICIALS FROM SIX PEER REGIONS IN THE U S AND ABROAD, UH, AGAIN, USING SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS TO, UH, ATP TO DELIVER LARGE CAPITAL PROGRAMS. UM, AND SO THE INSIGHTS FROM THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND THOSE CASE STUDY INTERVIEWS CULMINATED IN THE FINAL REPORT THAT WE DELIVER TO YOU ALL THIS WEEK.
UM, AND PAUL LEWIS, MY COLLEAGUE WALTER WILL TALK THROUGH THE SPECIFIC OPTIONS AND TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT ANALYSIS.
UM, BUT THAT FINAL REPORT IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE, UH, BASIS AND, AND, UH, PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND, AND INFORM THE BOARD DECISION, UH, LATER IN THE SPRING.
SO AS PART OF OUR SCOPE WITH ATP, THE INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS CONSIDERS SEVERAL KEY FACTORS.
THESE INCLUDE SOME OF THE BROADER PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM GOALS, LIKE FILLING THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, DELIVERING THE PROJECT ON TIME AND ON BUDGET, BUT ALSO SOME SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THIS ANALYSIS.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE FINAL REPORT, UM, THEY WERE REALLY TRYING TO COUCH SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF PARTNERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND OPERATIONAL READINESS.
SO EACH OF THESE KEY FACTORS WERE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, THEY NOT ONLY GUIDED THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, BUT ALSO GUIDED THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED THE LEADERS, UM, IN SIX OF OUR PEER REGIONS.
SO I WANNA SPEND SOME TIME, UH, JUST BRIEFLY RECAPPING AGAIN.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, UM, WHEN WE WERE WRITING THIS REPORT TO HAVE A BASELINE FOR THE CURRENT GOVERNANCE ELEMENTS, UM, THAT EXIST FOR PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, THE FIRST IS THAT THERE ARE OF COURSE, THREE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE, AND WILL BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN DELIVERING PROJECT CONNECT.
AND THAT IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAPITAL METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UM, AS OUTLINED IN THE BALLOT MEASURE AND THE ILA AND THE JPA.
UM, THESE ARE THE THREE, THIS TRI-PARTY ARRANGEMENT IS GOING TO BE GUIDING PROJECT CONNECT FROM ITS INCEPTION TO, UH, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.
UH, THE SECOND TAKEAWAY IS THAT, OR ESTABLISHED ELEMENT IS THAT ATP MUST PRESERVE SOME LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE.
UM, AGAIN, AS THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS STATED, ATP WAS, WAS CREATED TO BE A CUSTODIAN
[01:25:01]
OF THE PROPERTY REVENUE, UM, AND DELIVER THE LIGHT RAIL COMPONENTS OF PROJECT CONNECT IN A MANNER INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO.WHAT THAT MANNER OF INDEPENDENCE MEANS IS, IS SUBJECT TO CONSIDERABLE, UH, DIFFERING INTERPRETATIONS AMONG THE COMMUNITY AND AMONG STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS OF THE ULTIMATE, UH, DEFINITION SETTLED ON HOW INDEPENDENCE, UH, IS MAINTAINED, UM, SOME LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE IS STIPULATED IN THE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS.
UH, THE THIRD AND FINAL, UH, ESTABLISHED ELEMENT OF GOVERNANCE IS THAT THE THREE PARTNER ENTITIES HAVE SOME ESTABLISHED RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AGAIN, THE OCTOBER, UH, 2021 JPS, AS CASEY MENTIONED, UM, SET OUT AT A HIGH LEVEL, UM, SOME OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN THE JPA ARE QUITE CLEAR.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OUTSTANDING ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT HAVE YET TO BE DEFINED.
UM, AND AGAIN, SOME OF THAT IS JUST DUE TO THE PROJECT, UH, BEING IN ITS EARLY STAGES.
BUT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE GOVERNANCE MODEL, UM, IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO REALLY, UH, GET THOSE, GET CLARITY ON THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SO, UH, PAUL, WE'LL TALK THROUGH THAT AS, AS OF THE TAKEAWAYS AND OPTIONS OF GOVERNANCE.
SO, UM, I WANT TO SWITCH TO THE, THE SIX CASE STUDIES THAT WE CONDUCTED.
UM, AGAIN, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH THESE CASE STUDIES, UM, IN THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, IS TO LOOK AT REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD THAT HAVE USED SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS.
SO ATP IS A, UM, WHAT WE CALL A SPECIAL PURPOSE DELIVERY VEHICLE THAT WAS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DELIVERING AND FINANCING, THE LIGHT RAIL COMPONENTS OF PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, AND THIS IS A MODEL THAT'S BEEN USED IN QUITE A FEW REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY AND PARTICULARLY COMMON IN EUROPE.
UM, SO WE CHOSE SIX EXAMPLES AGAIN, WHERE SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS WERE USED.
UM, WE ALSO SPOKE TO FOLKS OUTSIDE OF THESE SIX REGIONS.
UM, AND AS PART OF OUR EARLIER WORK, AS ROB MENTIONED, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, UH, IN CASE STUDIES OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE NOT PART OF THESE SIX, UM, THAT HAVE USED SIMILAR APPROACHES.
SO WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF INSIGHT, UM, THAT WE'VE GLEANED FROM THESE INTERVIEWS WITH SENIOR OFFICIALS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN EACH OF THESE REGIONS.
AND SO I WILL BRIEFLY COVER EACH OF THESE SIX MORE INFORMATION OF THESE IS INCLUDED IN, UH, SECTION, UH, THREE OF THE REPORT.
UM, BUT I'LL START NEXT SLIDE WITH SANDAG IN SAN DIEGO.
SO SANDAG IS THE MPO IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION.
UM, THEY HAVE DELIVERED TWO LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS SINCE 2005, MOST RECENTLY, THE MID-COAST TROLLEY SENSION.
IT SERVES AS THE MPO, THE REGION, BUT IT'S ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR FINANCING AND DELIVERING PUBLIC TRANSIT PROJECTS IN THE REGION, UH, BECAUSE SANDAG COLLECTS AND ADMINISTERS AND BONDS AGAINST THE SALES TAX REVENUE DEDICATED FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN THE REGION.
IT SERVES AS THE PROJECT SPONSOR AND LEAD GRANT RECIPIENT ON ALL OF ITS PROJECTS.
UM, A KEY THEME IN THIS CASE STUDY WAS THE STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STANDUP SANDAG AND THE OPERATORS IN THE REGION.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THE CAPITAL AND CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS OF PROJECT DELIVERY IN SAN DIEGO ARE SPLIT, UM, THE STAFF HAVE STRONG TRUST AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS, UM, AND GIVEN THAT SANDAG CANCELS PROJECT OVER TO THESE OPERATORS, UM, THAT WORKING TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS WERE CRITICAL TO SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERING THESE LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS.
A KEY DIFFERENCE OF COURSE, IS THAT UNLIKE ATP SANDAG HAS A MUCH BROADER REMIT.
UM, IT IS THE REGION'S MPO AND IT EXISTED AS AN NPO PRIOR TO TAKING ON PROJECT DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, WHEREAS ADP WAS CREATED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF DELIVERING THE LIGHT RAIL COMPONENTS.
THE SECOND DOMESTIC EXAMPLE WE LOOKED AT, UM, WAS THE CIVIL AND EXTENSION IN WASHINGTON, DC THAT IS CONNECTING NEW DESTINATIONS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA, INCLUDING DULLES AIRPORT.
UM, THERE'S SOME PARALLELS TO AUSTIN IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY IS A SEPARATE ORGANIZATION.
THAT WILL BE, THAT IS DELIVERING THE SILVER LINE AND HANDING IT OVER TO THE PRIMARY OPERATOR RAMADA, UM, TO RUN SERVICE.
UM, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF UNIQUE DIFFERENCES IN THAT, UH, THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITIES DAY-TO-DAY JOB IS RUNNING, UH, THE THREE DC AREA AIRPORTS, AND IT HAS TEMPORARILY ADOPTED A TRANSIT PROJECT.
UM, WHEREAS AGAIN, ATP WAS CREATED AS A SOLE PROJECT DELIVERY ENTITY.
UM, THE ONE TAKEAWAY WE FOUND THAT WAS APPLICABLE TO ATP IN THIS CASE STUDY WAS THE IMPORTANCE OF FLEXIBILITY.
SO PRIOR AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF THE SILVERLINE EXTENSION, UH, THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT RAIL AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WAS THE PRIMARY GRANT RECIPIENT AND PROJECT SPONSOR.
UM, BUT MIDWAY THROUGH THE PROJECT, THE AIRPORTS AUTHORITY WAS GIVEN OWNERSHIP OF THE DULLES TOLL ROAD.
AND THE REVENUES FROM THAT TOLL ROAD ARE THE PRIMARY REVENUE SOURCE FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, SO PROJECT SPONSOR STATUS SHIFTED TO MYC.
AND SO WHILE THAT IS NOT COMMON, IT INDICATES THAT HAVING SOME FLEXIBILITY TO CHANGE THESE ROLES, IF PROGRAM CIRCUMSTANCES, WARRANT, UM, IT'S CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY AND IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND.
NEXT SLIDE, THE THIRD AND FINAL DOMESTIC CASE STUDY, WE LOOKED AT WHERE THE EXPO AND GOLD LINE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITIES IN LOS ANGELES.
THESE ARE QUITE SIMILAR TO ATP IN THE SENSE THAT THEY WERE SINGLE-PURPOSE ENTITIES WITH THE SOLE FOCUS ON DELIVERING A LIGHT RAIL PROJECT THAT WAS HANDED OVER TO LA METRO TO OPERATE.
UM, A NOTABLE DIFFERENCE IS THAT, UM, UNLIKE ATP, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITIES WERE NOT THE CUSTODIANS OF THE FINANCING, UH, LA METRO COLLECTS AND BONDS AGAINST ITS DEDICATED SALES TAX REVENUE AND REIMBURSES THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY FOR THE WORK THAT IT DOES.
UM, ANOTHER KEY TAKEAWAY ON, YOU KNOW, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SIGNED SAN DIEGO, UM, WAS THE IMPORTANCE
[01:30:01]
OF REGULAR COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITIES AND THE OPERATOR.UM, THERE WAS A VERY DETAILED MOU THAT GOVERNED LA METRO'S PARTICIPATION IN THE DESIGN REVIEW AND THE INSPECT INSPECTION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AND THE OPERATIONAL HANDOVER TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY WAS BUILDING, UM, WAS READY TO BE OPERATED BY LA METRO.
SO, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, VERY CLEAR DIRECTION, UM, ON THE PART OF BOTH, UH, ENTITIES IN LOS ANGELES, UM, THAT WERE ULTIMATELY SUCCESSFUL, UM, AT DELIVERING THESE PROJECTS MOVING ON TO OUR INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDIES.
UM, WE LOOKED AT THE CROSSROAD MEGA PROJECT IN LONDON.
UM, THIS PROJECT WAS UNIQUE AT THE BEGINNING.
THERE WAS SOME TENSION OVER PROJECT CONTROL, OF COURSE, A MEGA PROJECT OF THIS SIZE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS A PRIMARILY NATIONAL PROJECT THAT HAPPENED TO BENEFIT LONDON OR WHERE THERE WAS A LONDON PROJECT THAT HAD A, UH, BENEFIT TO THE NATION.
UH, AND SO TO HELP KIND OF ADJUDICATE SOME OF THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UM, CROSSWORD LIMITED WAS SET UP AS A INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION TO REMAIN AT AN ARM'S LENGTH FROM THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, UM, TO FACILITATE MORE, UH, EFFICIENT DECISION-MAKING THE STAFF AND THE LEADERSHIP.
THERE WERE GIVEN SIGNIFICANT AUTONOMY OVER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, DECISIONS FOR THE PROJECT.
UM, AND THE MODEL WAS CHOSEN TO HELP ATTRACT TOP TALENT.
THEY WERE GIVEN A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY, UM, THAN SOME OF THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AND SETTING SALARIES, UM, BUT TO INSULATE PROJECTS, UH, THE PROJECT FROM DISTRACTIONS AND, UH, THE POLITICS FROM THE CITY AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE CROSSVILLE CASE KIND OF, UH, IF THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF, OF SOME OF THE BENEFITS THAT ADP ALREADY REALIZES, UM, BY BEING A INDEPENDENT, UH, DELIVERY VEHICLE, UM, AND KIND OF HAVING THAT SOLE MISSION OF DELIVERING, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS OF THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS, THE SECOND, UH, INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLE WE LOOKED AT, AND ONE OF THE ONLY TRUE INSTANCES OF SHARED EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SIMILAR TO ATPS, UM, IS IN COPENHAGEN WHERE THERE'S THE METRO AND LIGHT RAIL COMPANIES.
UM, AND BY LAW, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COPENHAGEN METRO SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COPENHAGEN LIGHT RAIL COMPANY THAT WAS CREATED, I BELIEVE TWO YEARS AGO TO CREATE A NEW LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, UH, IN THE SUBURBAN PARTS OF COPENHAGEN.
UM, AND SO IT WAS VERY UNAMBIGUOUS WHAT THE STRUCTURE IS, IT'S CODIFIED IN LAW.
UM, AND THE INTENT BEHIND THIS WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, COPENHAGEN, METRO'S A 30 YEAR HISTORY OF BUILDING AND OPERATING RAIL TRANSIT.
UM, AND THERE WAS A DESIRE TO AVOID DUPLICATING, UH, STAFF AND UTILIZING THAT EXISTING EXPERTISE.
SO THAT DROVE OFFICIALS IN COPENHAGEN TO UTILIZE A SHARED AND, UH, SHARED LEADERSHIP AND STAFF MODEL.
A UNIQUE DIFFERENCE THOUGH, IS THAT IN COPENHAGEN, THE COPENHAGEN METRO BOARD HAS SOLE AUTHORITY OVER THE JOINT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUT THERE ARE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO RESPECT THE DIFFERENT OWNERSHIP OF BOTH COMPANIES, UM, AND ENSURE THAT THE METRO COMPANIES, UH, RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS OF THE LIGHT RAIL COMPANY, UM, AND WHILE NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, UH, BONUS SCHEME IN COPENHAGEN, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS TIED TO SPECIFIC BENCHMARKS TO, UH, HIS PERFORMANCE ON THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN, IN BOTH OF THESE INSTANCES, THE BOTH COMPANIES HAVE A INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT BOARD, UM, SIMILAR TO ATPS THE THIRD AND FINAL INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLE ALSO OF SHARED LEADERSHIP, UM, IS IN KARLSRUHE GERMANY.
UM, WE'RE AN INDEPENDENT CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY WAS CREATED TO DELIVER A PROJECT TO TUNNEL SOME OF THE EXISTING TRIM LINES IN THE CITY.
UM, SO THIS INDEPENDENT CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITY SHARES A EXECUTIVE LEADER WITH THE FOUR OTHER MAIN TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, COMPANIES, UM, AND INTERVIEWS IN THAT REGION, UH, REVEAL THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MODEL WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN KEEPING EACH OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS UNIFIED, UM, ON THIS MEGA PROJECT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE TWO KEY DIFFERENCES, UM, IN KARLSRUHE ONE IS THAT EACH OF THESE COMPANIES, UM, THE BOARD IS NOT QUITE SIMILAR TO ATP.
THEY FUNCTION MORE OF AN ADVISORY CAPACITY, UM, WHEREAS THE ADP BOARD AND, AND MANY BOARDS OF DIRECTORS IN THE UNITED STATES FUNCTION IN A MANAGEMENT CAPACITY.
UM, AND THE, THE SECOND DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN KARLSRUHE ACROSS ALL OF THESE FIVE COMPANIES REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR, WHO'S ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, UM, EIGHTIES, UH, EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.
SO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF EFFICIENCIES THAT WERE REALIZED WITH THE SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL IN CARL DREW, BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UM, THESE DIFFERENCES THAT THIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DOES NOT REPORT TO FIVE, UH, MANAGEMENT BOARDS.
UM, SO AGAIN, MORE DETAIL OF THESE CASE STUDIES IS INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.
UM, HOPE THIS WAS A HELPFUL OVERVIEW OF THE SIX THAT WE LOOKED AT.
UM, AND NOW WE'LL HAND IT OVER TO PAUL TO COVER THE OPTIONS AND THEMES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OUR GOVERNANCE ANALYSIS.
ALL RIGHT, THE DARKENING OF THE ROOM MAKES IT FEEL VERY OMINOUS.
UM, UH, THANKS AGAIN FOR THE INVITE HERE.
UM, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE, UM, KIND OF MEAT AND POTATOES OF OUR REPORT FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE IT.
THIS IS SECTION FOUR WHEN IT KIND OF WALKED THROUGH SOME OF OUR, UM, OUR BIG FINDINGS, THE KEY THEMES, THE OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT.
UM, WE DO NOT MAKE A SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION ON WHICH WAY FROM A LEADERSHIP, UH, STRUCTURE STANDPOINT, THAT ATP SHOULD GO.
BUT, UM, WE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS I'M GOING TO TALK THROUGH.
AND FIRST I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE
[01:35:01]
GOVERNANCE THEMES PORTION, AND THIS IS WHERE WE KIND OF CALL OUT FIVE GROUND SETTING, UH, THEMES THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.THESE CAME THROUGH A LOT OF THE INTERVIEWS THAT WE TALKED THROUGH AND A LOT OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT, THAT WE READ THROUGH.
UM, SO THE FIRST ONE IS THAT, UH, PROJECT CONNECTS STAFF AND LEADERSHIP HAVE MADE INCREDIBLE PROGRESS SINCE NOVEMBER, 2020.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CALL THIS OUT, GIVEN THE UNPRECEDENTED NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM, UM, WHEN WE SPOKE WITH STAKEHOLDERS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, THERE WAS UNIFIED, UM, PRAISE OF THE ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES, UM, AND EXPERTISE AMONG LEADERSHIP AND STAFF.
UM, SO, UH, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THE CITY CAPITAL METRO AND ATP.
SO, SO REALLY A KUDOS, UM, TO PUTTING TOGETHER AN INCREDIBLE TEAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THAT PIECE.
UM, NEXT SLIDE, UM, IS, UH, TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHERE PROJECT CONNECT IS NOW IN ITS SECOND YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION.
AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE REGION AND ATP TO AND REGION, UH, THE, THE THREE PARTNERS, UM, TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, GOVERNANCE, UM, AND LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES AND ESTABLISH ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL THREE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND, AND THE IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS THAT LARGE TRANSIT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS ARE INHERENTLY COMPLICATED.
THEY'RE POLITICALLY MESSY, AND THEY HAVE TO MOVE FAST.
UM, AND THE GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FACING PROJECT CONNECT ARE ACTUALLY REALLY, REALLY COMMON FOR PROJECTS OF THIS SIZE AND SCOPE.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE TAKEAWAY IS THAT, UM, THE REGION AND, AND FOLKS, FOLKS HERE, UH, NEED TO NOT TAKE THE, THE LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE DISPUTES PERSONALLY, UM, BUT RATHER, UM, FOCUS ON HOW THEY CAN, UM, EXCUSE ME, UM, HOW, I GUESS, SO WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO EXPERTS IN, IN, UH, OTHER REGIONS, THEY SAID THAT THE CHALLENGES FACING THIS PROJECT TODAY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE PRETTY SMALL, UM, COMPARED TO WHEN WE START TEARING UP STREETS AND ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING THIS THING.
SO, UM, THE CONFLICT AND DISAGREEMENTS WILL INEVITABLY, UH, INTENSIFY.
SO ESTABLISHING GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP ROLES NOW IS CRITICAL TO MOVING THE PROJECT FORWARD, UM, AND, AND, UH, ENABLE ENABLING THE REGION TO SURMOUNT THOSE FORTHCOMING CHALLENGES.
SO, UM, THERE ARE ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT DISAGREEMENTS OVER THE INTERPRETATION AND RATIONALE FOR ATPS INTENDED INDEPENDENCE, RIGHT? THIS WAS A MAJOR PART OF OUR QUESTIONING.
THERE'S A LOT OF THOUGHTS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, FOR SOME ATP WAS CREATED AS A WAY TO INSULATE PROJECT CONNECT AND ITS FINANCES FROM THE POLITICS OF CITY COUNCIL AND CREATE A WAY TO LEVERAGE PROPOSITION A FUNDS TO ISSUE DEBT FOR OTHERS.
ATP WAS CREATED AS AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY DUE TO LACK OF TRUST OF CAPITAL METRO AND ITS ABILITY TO DELIVER LARGE PROJECTS.
OTHERS SAW THE CREATION OF INDEPENDENT AS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION, AS AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY TO GET A PROPOSITION A PAST.
AND A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO DIDN'T SEE INDEPENDENCE AS A PRIMARY CONCERN AT ALL.
AND THEY WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT.
AND, UM, AND SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THESE VIEWS ARE CORRECT, UM, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE WAS A WIDE RECOLLECTION OF WHAT INDEPENDENCE, UH, UH, MEANS AND WHY ATP WAS ESTABLISHED.
SO OUR TAKEAWAY FROM THIS IS THAT THE LEADERSHIP IN, UH, OF ATP SHOULD NOT LET THE INTENT OF INDEPENDENCE BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNANCE DECISIONS NOW, AND THERE, THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE, TRANSPARENT, AND FINAL DECISION ON A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE THAT MAKES SENSE FOR PROJECT CONNECT IN THE LONG RUN.
UM, WE ALSO RELATED TO THIS IS, UM, UH, DISCARD DISCUSSIONS ON ATPS INDEPENDENCE IS RELATED TO, UH, ATPS INTENDED AUTONOMY.
THIS IS HOW ATP MIGHT RETAIN ITS OWN, UH, INTERNAL PROCESSES, UM, POLICIES AND IDENTITY, REGARDLESS OF LEADERSHIP MODEL.
UM, OF COURSE, SETTING UP ATP REQUIRED, SHARING A LOT OF SERVICES AND LEVERAGING RESOURCES, UM, OF ARE THERE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, PARTICULARLY CAPITAL METRO, UM, AND CURRENTLY ATP SHARE SERVICES LIKE IT, ACCOUNTING AND HUMAN RESOURCES WITH CAPITAL METRO.
UM, THAT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR MY COST AND EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT AND LOTS OF ORGANIZATIONS DO IT, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE, UH, COLLABORATING CLOSELY TOGETHER.
UM, SOME OF THE CONFUSION AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THIS, UH, AUTONOMY ISSUE IS, IS RELATED TO THE FACT THAT ATP IS STILL AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS IN ITS STARTUP PHASE.
UM, BUT SOME OF THIS UNCERTAINTY AND, UH, INSTABILITY OVER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN.
SO REGARDLESS OF WHICH LEADERSHIP MODEL IS CHOSEN, THERE NEEDS TO BE A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON DEFINITION OF ADP ATPS INDEPENDENCE,
[01:40:01]
AND A CLEAR DECISION ON HOW AUTONOMOUS ATP WILL BE FROM CAPITAL METRO.UM, THE FOURTH ONE IS THAT THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SERIOUS MISUNDERSTANDINGS RELATED TO ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CITY OF ATP AND CAPITAL METRO AND THEIR RESPECTIVE BOARDS.
UM, UH, THE FOLKS THAT WE TALKED TO HAD VERY DIFFERENT RESPONSES TO, UH, HOW ON HOW ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES SHOULD BE DIVIDED AMONGST ATP, CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY.
UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THIS IS DEFINED IN THE JPA.
THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE TICKED OFF IN THAT, THAT DOCUMENT.
AND A LOT OF THAT IS PRETTY WELL ESTABLISHED MEMORIALIZED.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE, AND SOME OF THE CONFUSION OF THE REMAINING ITEMS IS UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN WHERE THE PROJECT IS IN ITS FACE.
UM, BUT THE UNRESOLVED AND UNCLEAR NATURE OF THESE, UM, THESE ITEMS, UM, REMAINS A PROJECT RISK OR PROGRAM RISK.
UM, AND SO TH THE BASE BASED ON INFORMATION AND ADVICE FROM EXTERNAL EXPERTS, UM, WE, WE REALLY LOOKED INTO, UM, THE, THE KIND OF THREE AREAS WHERE WE THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE CLARIFICATION.
THE FIRST IS, UH, THE ROLE OF PLANNING, RIGHT? WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE OUR STATIONS LOCATED, UM, CAPITAL PROGRAMMING, HOW WE PRIORITIZE PROJECTS IN THE REGION AND THEN INTERACTIONS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHO'S GOING TO PARTICULARLY APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS AND LOANS, UM, BASED ON INFORMATION AND ADVICE.
UM, WE FEEL LIKE THAT ANY ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS COULD TECHNICALLY LEAD IT.
UM, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, THEY'RE LIKELY LOGICAL LEADS BASED ON RISK, ACCOUNTABILITY, COLLABORATION, AND EXPERIENCE, UM, THIS ANALYSIS, UM, DOESN'T DELVE INTO THOSE ISSUES SPECIFICALLY.
UM, CAUSE WE, IT WAS NOT PART OF OUR, UM, OUR MAIN TASK, BUT, UM, THEY WILL ALL INVOLVE CLOSE COLLABORATION BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THOSE DECISIONS AFFECTS THE OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, AND SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF CLARIFY THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT, AND THIS IS THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE AGREES ON THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT THEY ARE CLEAR TO AGENCY STAFF AND LEADERS AND TO THE PUBLIC IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN DEFINING THOSE ROLES THEMSELVES.
UM, AND SO IT'S, IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT THE BOARD PARTICIPATE IN, UH, A JOINT SESSION WHERE WE CLARIFY THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, EITHER THROUGH SOME KIND OF MOU OR OTHER, UH, PUBLIC DOCUMENT.
SO EVERYTHING IS FIRMED UP AND THE BOARDS ALSO NEED TO BE OPEN TO ALTERING SOME OF THOSE DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE FUTURE, IF, UH, IF THE PROGRAM WARRANTS A CHANGE.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY THERE, UH, ONCE THAT'S RESOLVED, THERE ARE SOME UNCLEAR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, THAT STAKEHOLDERS MENTIONED, UM, AND DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, AND SO WE SUGGEST THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING AND DIFFERENTIATING THESE ROLES AND FIRMING THEM UP, UM, TO SERVE THE PROJECT WELL IN THE FUTURE.
SO THIS IS OUR FIFTH AND LAST MAIN TAKEAWAY BEFORE WE GET INTO THE OPTIONS.
UM, SO, UH, SOME MEMBERS OF THE STAFF AND COMMUNITY ARE LOSING FAITH THAT, UH, THE VOICES ARE BEING HEARD AND KEY DECISIONS.
AND THIS WAS A CONVERSATION THAT CAME UP, UM, A LITTLE BIT AGO.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF AUSTIN, THEY WANT TO BE PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE, UM, A FEW THAT DON'T KNOW OR DON'T SEEM TO KNOW WHO IS IN CHARGE, WHO TO TALK TO, HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED.
UM, THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE TALKED TO REVOLVED AROUND ANTI-DISPLACEMENT IN PARTICULAR, THERE'S A LOT OF CURIOSITY ABOUT HOW THAT MONEY IS GOING TO BE SPENT AND A LOT OF, UM, UH, WANTING TO GET INVOLVED OR AT LEAST INFORMED, UM, ON, ON THAT ISSUE.
AND THEN THE SECOND IS, UH, ON THAT WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IS ON BUS SERVICE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN AMONGST THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS TAKING PRECEDENCE OVER THE EXISTING BUS NETWORK, AND IT WILL BE NEGLECTED AS A RESULT.
THOSE EXPRESSING THIS CONCERN DO NOT HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT A JOINT LEADERSHIP MODEL WHERE A SINGLE PERSON MANAGES BOTH THE EXISTING BUS NETWORK AND ALSO PROJECT CONNECT, UM, CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
WE DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THIS ASSESSMENT.
UM, WE HAVEN'T EVALUATED THE BUS NETWORK AND THERE ARE TONS OF EXAMPLES IN THIS COUNTRY OF A SINGLE LEADER AT A TRANSIT AGENCY MANAGING BOTH THE CAPITAL PROGRAM AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT, BUT WHETHER THIS IS A REAL OR PERCEIVED CONCERN, UM, IT IS A MAJOR ONE THAT THAT'S COME UP A LOT.
UM, AND SO THIS IS WHERE ATP CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY NEED TO INVEST MORE IN IN-HOUSE PUBLIC OUTREACH PROFESSIONALS AND PROGRAMS BUILDING ON A LOT OF THE GOOD STUFF THAT'S GOING ON ALREADY, UM, AND COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TOGETHER ON A COORDINATED AND UNIFIED OUTREACH APPROACH.
[01:45:01]
KNOWS, UM, UM, WHAT, WHAT THE PROJECT IS DOING AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT THEM AND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED THIS ALSO, AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.THIS NEEDS TO BE BALANCED WITH THE AGENCY'S ABILITY TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, RIGHT.
JUST BECAUSE WE LISTENED TO THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY SINGLE THING NEEDS TO BOIL UP TO A BOARD ACTION, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE BALANCED, UM, WHEN WE'RE TALKING WITH COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK.
SO WE EVALUATED THE LEADERSHIP MODELS USING, UH, SIX KEY FACTORS.
AND I'M GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS, UH, RELATIVELY QUICKLY.
UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE ON THIS IN THE PAPER, AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AND READ SECTION FOUR IN PARTICULAR, UM, TO GET A GOOD SENSE OF, OF HOW WE TALK THROUGH THESE.
UM, AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THROUGH, UH, LET'S START WITH THE COORDINATION.
UM, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING WITH, UM, LEADERS IN OTHER REGIONS THAT HAVE USED SPECIAL PURPOSE DELIVERY VEHICLES.
UM, MOST OF THEM HAD WISHED THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF JOINT LEADERSHIP, UM, TO HELP, UH, WITH THE COORDINATION.
UM, HAVING ONE LEADER NATURALLY HELPS COORDINATE OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION STAFF ALLOWS ONE PERSON TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, UM, AND PROVIDES A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UM, AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFITS IN THAT AREA.
AND SO IF THE ATP BOARD IS GOING TO DECIDE WITH, UH, WITH SEPARATE LEADERSHIP, THERE HAS TO BE A VERY INTENTIONAL AND STRONG COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND THEIR STAFFS CLEAR DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION MECHANISMS TO MAKE SURE THE PROJECT'S MOVING FORWARD, UM, IN, IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, UH, NUMBER TWO.
UM, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND OPERATIONAL READINESS.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S A BENEFIT HERE TO HAVING SHARED LEADERSHIP, TO ALIGN THE OPERATIONS TEAM WITH THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION TEAM, UM, UH, AND, AND BUILD ON THE NATURAL SYNERGY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND COORDINATION THAT'S NEEDED TO MAKE THIS, UH, THE PROGRAM DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DECISIONS, UM, WITH AN EYE TOWARDS OPERATIONAL READINESS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, IS IT THE SAME IF IT'S A SINGLE AGENCY, RIGHT.
THIS NATURAL TENSION BETWEEN AN OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT AND A CAPITAL PROGRAM REALLY EXISTS IN EVERY SINGLE TRANSIT PROGRAM.
UM, BUT UNDER EITHER LEADERSHIP ARRANGEMENT, ATP AND CAPITAL METRO NEED TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT THAT CLEARLY IN SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES, CAPITOL METRO'S INVOLVEMENT IN DESIGN REVIEW INSPECTION, UM, AND, AND PROVIDES A WAY TO, UH, CONDUCT OPERATIONAL HANDOVER.
NUMBER THREE IS ACCOUNTABILITY.
UM, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT LEADERSHIP STRUCTURES WITH OTHER EXPERTS AROUND THE WORLD, THEY ALL AGREED THAT A SINGLE EXECUTIVE LEADER CAN EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE DISPARATE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OPERATIONS AND OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.
UM, BUT WHEN WE TALKED TO THEM, HOW A SINGLE, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HERE IN AUSTIN WOULD REPORT TO TWO DIFFERENT BOARDS, UM, THERE WAS MORE HESITATION, UM, WITH A LOT OF THEM SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT AND TIME CONSUMING FOR A SINGLE EXECUTIVE TO REPORT TO TWO INDEPENDENT BODIES.
UM, THE ONLY INSTANCE THAT WE CAME ACROSS OF TRUE SHARED EXECUTIVE INDEPENDENT TRANSPORTATION COMPANIES WAS IN COPENHAGEN AS, AS ROBIN MENTIONED.
UM, BUT THEY'RE, THE METRO COMPANY IS BY LAW, UH, THE SAME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, THERE'S A, UM, THE, THE LIGHT RAIL DOES HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BOARD.
THAT'S MAKING POLICY DECISIONS ON, UM, UH, PROGRAMMING AND PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, BUT THAT BOARD DOES NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER ITS SHARED EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
AND SO IT'S VERY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY IN THAT REGION, HOW THINGS WORK.
UM, AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION HERE IS IF THE SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL IS KEPT, THERE'S GOING TO NEED TO BE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT ROLES AND, UH, JURISDICTIONS FOR BOTH BOARDS OVER PROGRAM DECISIONS.
AND BOTH BOARDS SHOULD ESTABLISH A JOINT PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS WITH CLEAR BENCHMARKS AND TARGETS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN THEIR CAPACITY, OVERSEEING BOTH ROLES IN PROJECT CONNECT, THE FOURTH AREA, UM, TALKING ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL PARTNERSHIP BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE THREE MAJOR PARTIES INVOLVED WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, THE QUESTION RAISED ABOUT BOARD ACCOUNTABILITY UNDER A SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL WERE INDICATIVE OF MUCH BROADER CONCERN ABOUT BALANCE OF POWER AND CONFLICTS BETWEEN A PARTICULAR ATP AND CAPITAL METRO.
AND SO SHARED LEADERSHIP IS KEPT.
UM, THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLEAR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, A CHAIN OF COMMAND AND MANAGERIAL SEPARATION BETWEEN THE AGENCIES, BUT ALSO STAKEHOLDERS NOTED THAT THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO HAS IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES, BUT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE WILL BE, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A NATURAL TENSION BETWEEN, UH, THE TWO GIVEN THE CITY'S ROLE OF BALANCING THE YOUTH, ALL USERS IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, AND STEM, SOME STAKEHOLDERS WERE CONCERNED THAT THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP MODEL EITHER IN APPEARANCE OR IN PRACTICE COULD EXACERBATE
[01:50:01]
THIS TENSION.AND SO, UM, THAT COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO IN PARTICULAR NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, NUMBER FIVE IS PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND TRUST.
UM, AS, AS WE DISCUSSED, THERE'S SIGNIFICANT, UH, DIFFERENCES IN HOW AUSTIN STAKEHOLDERS VIEW ADP'S INTENDED INDEPENDENCE.
UM, BUT WHEN WE ASKED ABOUT THE CURRENT PERCEPTION OF ATPS INDEPENDENCE, UM, WE GOT ALSO A BUNCH OF, UH, DIFFERENT RESPONSES.
UM, SOME FEELING THAT ATP WAS SUFFICIENTLY INDEPENDENT AS IT WAS, UM, GIVEN THE SEPARATE BOARD WHILE OTHERS VIEWED THAT ATP WAS OPERATING TOO MUCH AS IF IT WAS AN EXTENSION OF CAPITAL METRO.
SOME OF THIS CONFUSION IS OF COURSE UNDERSTANDABLE GIVEN THE NEWNESS OF THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, UH, AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY, UH, IT'S ALSO CLEAR, RIGHT, THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE UNCLEAR NATURES AND, UH, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH PARTY.
UM, A FEW BOARD, A FEW INTERVIEWEES, SORRY, A FEW INTERVIEWEES FELT VERY STRONGLY THAT SHARED LEADERSHIP WOULD RESULT IN THE ATP BOARD BEING VIEWED AS A RUBBER STAMP FOR CAPITAL METRO AND THAT UNDER A SHARED LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE, IT WOULD BE PERCEIVED AS A VIOLATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS, UM, AND, AND POTENTIALLY SOWING DOUBT ABOUT THE CREDIBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF ATP.
UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT, BUT, AND IT'S ALSO UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS RISK WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF IN ACTUAL PROGRAM DELAYS, BUT IT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CREW RECRUITMENT.
SO, UM, THE IMMEDIATE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF MOVING TOWARDS A SEPARATE LEADERSHIP MODEL WOULD BE THE NEED FOR ATP BOARD TO CONDUCT A SEARCH FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, EVERYONE THAT WE TALKED TO SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE, UH, THIS WOULD DEMAND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, UM, AND, UH, FOR THE BOARD AND FOR THE STAFF, UM, PARTICULARLY WHEN PROJECT CONNECT IS ON AN AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE TO SEEK FEDERAL FUNDING AND HIT OTHER KEY MILESTONES.
UM, A FEW STAKEHOLDERS ARGUED THAT THIS MOVE WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO PROGRAM SCHEDULE, AND THERE WAS ALSO SOME SKEPTICISM THAT ATP BOARD WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A SUITABLE CANDIDATE IN A TIMELY FASHION.
UM, AGAIN, WE DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THOSE, BUT THAT ARE, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HEARD.
AND SO THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, UM, THE BOARD NEEDS TO KEEP THOSE PROJECT RISKS IN MIND AND WORK PROACTIVELY TO MITIGATE THEM, UM, AND, AND, AND PLAN FOR THEM ACCORDINGLY.
AND SIMILARLY, THE ATP BOARD, IF IT DECIDES TO PURSUE SEPARATE LEADERSHIP, IT MUST WORK WITH THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, A SEPARATE LEADERSHIP MODEL ALSO RULE WILL REQUIRE THE BOARD AND STAFF TO DETERMINE THE QUALITIES THEY SEEK IN A NEW EXECUTIVE.
UM, AND THEY NEEDED TO DEVELOP A PROFILE FOR A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT ALIGNS WITH THE PROGRAM ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT IS SET IN THE REGION.
AND I GUESS IT'S SET AMONG THE THREE PARTNERS.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, IF A SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL HAS MAINTAINED, THE ATP BOARD NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITY OF A FUTURE VACANCY WHERE BOTH ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WOULD, WOULD BE NOT HAVING AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND DETERMINE WHETHER A FUTURE TRANSITION TO A SEPARATE LEADERSHIP MODEL IS DESIRABLE OR WHETHER THE SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL IS INTENDED TO BE MAINTAINED THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM.
SO WE ANALYZE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
UM, THE STUFF YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE IS, UM, A REPEAT OF A LOT OF WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WENT THROUGH OUR, TO OUR BROADER ANALYSIS.
AND SO THE POINT OF THESE IS THAT IN ORDER FOR THE MODEL TO WORK, AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER SIDE HERE, THE OPTION TO, UM, THE, THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS NEED TO HAPPEN.
SO IF ATP BOARD DECIDES TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT JOINT LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE, IT NEEDS TO DO THE FOLLOWING FOUR THINGS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MODEL CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, ESTABLISHING TRANSPARENT ROLES, UH, AND JURISDICTIONS ACROSS ALL BOARDS, UM, CREATING CLEAR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, CHAIN OF COMMAND, CREATING A JOINT PERFORMANCE REVIEW, UM, WITH CLEAR BENCHMARKS, UM, AND CONSIDERING THE POSSIBILITY OF FUTURE LEADERSHIP VACANCIES AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE ORGANIZATION.
THESE ARE GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE CLARITY AND A FOUNDATION FOR THIS MODEL TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
ALL RIGHT, THE OPTION TWO IS, UH, ESTABLISHING SEPARATE LEADERSHIP.
UM, IF THE ADP BOARD DECIDES TO GO IN THIS DIRECTION, WE HAVE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS ONE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, THE FIRST IS ESTABLISHING A STRONG COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATP AND CAPITAL METRO IN PARTICULAR, UM, WITH, UH, WITH PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MAKE, MAKE THOSE, UH, MAKE THAT COLLABORATION POSSIBLE.
UM, THEY HAVE TO MITIGATE AND PLAN FOR POTENTIAL DELAYS AND CHALLENGES OF RECRUITMENT, UM, WORK WITH THE CURRENT
[01:55:01]
EXECUTIVE TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION, DEVELOP A NEW PROFILE FOR THIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ENSURE THAT CAPITAL METRO IS CLOSELY AND COLLABORATIVELY INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.SO THE SERVICE CAN BE OPERATED WHEN IT'S READY, NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO AT THE END OF THE REPORT, WE ALSO HAVE NINE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS, RIGHT? THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT, NO MATTER WHAT LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE IS, UH, IS SELECTED SO THAT THE PROGRAM CAN THRIVE AND, AND MANAGE THE FUTURE CONFLICTS THAT ARE COMING.
ONCE WE START CONSTRUCTION, UM, THE FIRST IS PARTICIPATING IN A JOINT SESSION WITH ALL THREE BOARDS TO TALK THROUGH AND AGREE UPON FINAL DECISIONS FOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
SOME OF THOSE BIG HIGH-LEVEL ONES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT DOWN TO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS, UM, AND, AND ANY REMAINING UNCERTAINTIES, UM, UH, FOLLOWING THAT A TRAINING FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF TO ENSURE CLEAR DELINEATION BASED ON THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, BETWEEN STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS, UM, NUMBER THREE, ENSURING, UM, OR ESTABLISHING AN AGREEMENT THAT SPECIFICALLY OUTLINES THE INVOLVEMENT IN THINGS LIKE DESIGN REVIEW PROCESSES AND PROCESSES FOR RESOLVING DESIGN-RELATED DISPUTES.
AGAIN, BASED ON WHAT THOSE, THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
NUMBER FOUR, PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY ON HOW MAJOR PROGRAM DECISIONS ARE MADE TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS CONFIDENCE IN THE LEADERSHIP OF ATP.
NUMBER FIVE, MUTUALLY AGREEING ON ATPS, INDEPENDENCE AND AUTONOMY.
NEXT SLIDE, UM, UH, NUMBER SIX, ESTABLISHING FORMAL WRITTEN PROCESSES, INFORMATION SHARING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO, UM, AND THE CITY AND ATP.
THEY'RE WILLING TO SHARE THESE KEY DOCUMENTS AND INVITE FOLKS TO MEETINGS WHEN, UH, WHEN APPROPRIATE.
AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY MEANING THAT EVERYONE GETS TO MAKE THE DECISION BECAUSE WE'VE DEFINED THAT EARLIER IN STEP ONE HERE.
UM, BUT MAKING SURE THAT AT LEAST EVERYONE IS INFORMED WITH WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, NUMBER SEVEN CLEAR PROCESS FOR EVALUATING SCOPE ADDITIONS, AND EMPOWERING STAFF TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, UM, ABOUT WHEN TO REJECT OR ACCEPT THOSE, UH, ADDITIONS NUMBER EIGHT, INVESTING IN MORE IN-HOUSE PUBLIC OUTREACH, PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS BUILDING ON WHAT YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY CREATED, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY CAPITOL METRO TO COORDINATE UNIFIED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS, UM, AND BALANCING THAT WITH THE, THE ABILITY TO MAKE QUICK AND DECISIVE ACTION TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD, AND THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST REMAINING RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S REAL CONCERNS ABOUT DISPLACEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY OVER, UH, FUNDING ALLOCATIONS AND MAJOR PROGRAM DECISIONS.
UM, SO IN CONCLUSION, IF THERE'S ANY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO WALK AWAY WITH, WITH ANYTHING, THERE'S THE THREE POINTS ON THE SLIDE HERE, RIGHT? UM, WE DO STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT EITHER LEADERSHIP MODEL CAN WORK, BUT IT HAS TO BE INTENTIONAL AND SUPPORTED BY ACTIONS THAT WILL ENABLE IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, FOLLOWING THE LEADERSHIP DECISION BY THE HCP BOARD, THERE NEEDS TO BE A COLLABORATIVE, TRANSPARENT AND NEUTRAL AGREEMENT ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT.
UM, AND NOW IS THE TIME TO RESOLVE THESE OUTSTANDING GOVERNANCE ISSUES.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO, THAT SHOULD, SHOULD GO ON.
UM, IT IS, IT IS THE RIGHT TIME IN THE PROGRAM AND, AND WE SHOULD DO IT DECISIVELY.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE LAST SLIDE HERE, WHICH IS JUST OUR QUESTION SLIDE AND ROMACK, AND ROB AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REPORT, UM, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AND FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
SO I LIKE TO FIRST RECOGNIZE, AGAIN, THE AMOUNT OF QUICK RESEARCH THAT YOU GUYS PUT TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT ALSO INVOLVED TRAVEL INVOLVED, MEETING PEOPLE FACE-TO-FACE AND IN TOWN HALLS.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYONE.
UM, ESPECIALLY YOU ALL THREE FOR, FOR COMING.
SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN THIS FOR THE, FOR THE BOARD BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, TURN THIS ON HERE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PAUL ROMACK AND, UH, ROBERT, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT WORK YOU DID.
UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A VERY FAIR AND BALANCED REPORT, UM, AND I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AND THE CREDIBILITY YOU'RE BRINGING.
I THINK WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOUR EXPERTISE.
UM, ONE OF THE COMMENTS, NO PARTICULAR, I REALLY LIKE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
I, I THINK I HAVE BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN THIS, UM, PROGRAM THAT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AREN'T CLEAR AND IN ANY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT I'VE WORKED ON, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
IT'S YOU SET UP WITH THE DLT, YOUR RACI CHART AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND WHO'S ACCOUNTABLE WHO COLLABORATES, WHO IS FORUMS THAT'S SET UP UP FRONT.
SO THAT, UH, IS, IS A DEFICIENT AREA.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU RECOMMENDED A KIND OF TRI-PARTY WORKSHOP TO MAKE
[02:00:01]
THAT CLEAR.I THINK BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO DEFINE WHAT INDEPENDENCE MEANS BEFORE YOU KIND OF FIGURE OUT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND IF YOU ASK 10 PEOPLE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET 10 DIFFERENT DEFINITIONS OF WHAT INDEPENDENCE IS, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION ON THE LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE FOR ATP TO ENSURE THAT WE MEET EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF THIS PROJECT? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IN YOUR, IN YOUR MINDS? OKAY.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR FROM THE, UM, THE BOWEL LANGUAGE, THE ILA THAT THERE, THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE, BUT THERE'S ALSO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FLEXIBILITY, I THINK, IN HOW THAT IS DEFINED.
AND I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR THE THREE MAIN PARTNERS TO HAVE.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, THAT THEY KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND, RIGHT? THE INDEPENDENCE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE, IT'S NOT LIKE ATP IS GOING TO BE OFF ON THEIR OWN, RIGHT? THIS IS A, A THREE PARTY, UH, PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE CLOSE COLLABORATION.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE IN THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY, ALIGNING THAT UP AND UNDERSTANDING WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT I THINK IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT.
IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION CORRECTLY.
I MEAN, I TAKE A LOOK AT LIKE CROSSRAIL.
I LIKE CROSSRAIL IS IT'S AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE.
IT HAS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES TO ATP HOW IT WAS SET UP, WHAT THEY DID.
THEY CREATED A JOINT SPONSOR BOARD WHERE THEY CREATED TO A SPECIAL BOARD TO OVERSEE ANY DESIGN CHANGES.
THERE WERE TWO BOARD MEMBERS FROM EACH OF THE ENTITIES, UM, AND THAT WAS A WAY TO RESOLVE ANY DESIGN CHANGES AS MATERIAL DESIGN CHANGES.
AND OTHER THAN THAT, THAT DELIVERY ENTITY AND CROSWELL WAS, WAS CHARGED WITH DELIVERING THAT PROGRAM IN A COLLABORATIVE MANNER.
UH, W WHAT'S YOUR VIEW OF THE CROSSRAIL EXAMPLE AND, AND THE APPLICABILITY TO ATP? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S SOME CLEAR DIFFERENCES, RIGHT? IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT, RIGHT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU HAD THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN DELIVERING A PROJECT AND THEY JOINTLY OWNED AND, AND FILLED THE BOARD OF, OF THAT CROSSROAD LIMITED.
UM, AND SO THERE WAS, THERE'S CLEAR, YOU KNOW, UH, LINES OF COMMUNICATION TO THOSE TWO SPONSORING ENTITIES, UM, NOT TOO DISSIMILAR FROM ATP, BUT IT IS A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE.
UM, I THINK WHAT THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME, SOME INTERESTING THINGS ARE THAT THE JOINT DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT, BUT THAT'S AN INTERESTING MODEL THAT YOU ALL SHOULD CONSIDER.
I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE REGION.
AND SO IN, IN THAT JOINT MEETING, TALKING ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BRINGING UP THOSE IDEAS WILL BE A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT, UM, AND FINDING WHAT WORKS FOR, UH, PROJECT CONNECT.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
UH, GENTLEMEN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, YOUR, YOUR TIME AND ENERGY AND RESOURCES THAT YOU PUT FORTH IN THIS ON SUCH A VERY COMPACT TIME TABLE TO PULL THIS OFF.
UM, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE AS I WAS READING YOUR REPORT AND I HAVE READ COVER TO COVER, AND AGAIN, APPRECIATE ALL THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND THOROUGHNESS THAT YOU'VE PROVIDED US AND AN AWFUL LOT TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE ALSO THAT, THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US SOME, UH, THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE GIVEN US THE OPTIONS, BUT NOT JUST THAT YOU SAY THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT MODEL OF GOVERNANCE THAT THIS BOARD CHOOSES, UH, HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU BELIEVE AS EXPERTS IN THE INDUSTRY MUST HAPPEN EITHER WAY, THAT WHICHEVER MODEL WE CHOOSE, THESE ADDITIONAL THINGS MUST BE ADDRESSED.
AND EVEN BEYOND THAT, AS YOU SAY, IN YOUR CONCLUDING SECTION, HERE ARE THESE OTHER NINE POINTS THAT, THAT YOU FEEL MUST BE ADDRESSED ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.
UM, AS I WAS READING THE REPORT, I COULDN'T HELP, BUT THINK BACK TO OUR, OUR, OUR MARCH 2ND MEETING AND, AND THE WORK THAT, UH, UM, THAT IN PARTICULAR MAYOR ADLER PUT IN AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING PRIOR TO THAT, WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THE BUCKETS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AND, AND, AND THE WAY THAT WE COULD KIND OF LOOK AT RESOLVING OUR, OUR, UH, PROJECT, UH, DIFFERENCES AND SOME OF THE, UM, THE AREAS WHERE WE WERE STILL TRYING TO, TO WORK THROUGH, UH, CONCERNS AND OUTSTANDING ISSUES.
AND WE BROUGHT ALL THREE OF OUR BODIES TOGETHER, THE, THE, THE GOVERNING BODIES, THE CITY COUNCIL CAB, METRO, AND ATP BOARD TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH THIS.
AND, UM, HAD TO SAY THAT AS I WAS READING THAT, I FELT VERY ENCOURAGED
[02:05:01]
THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT FELT LIKE THAT MANY OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL ADDRESSED, I FEEL LIKE THAT WHERE WE USED TO BEGINNING TO WORK TOWARDS, UM, I REALIZED THAT YOU WERE WRITING YOUR REPORT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, AND WE'RE PROBABLY RUNNING AROUND THE WORLD, INTERACTING WITH, UH, THE, THE OTHER TRANSIT AND TRANSIT AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD.BUT I WAS JUST WONDERING, DID YOU ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT ALL? AND, AND MAYBE YOU DIDN'T TO, TO SEE OUR, OUR MEANING FROM THE SECOND, OR GET FEEDBACK ABOUT THAT.
AND, AND IF YOU THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS SOME OF THE, THE, UM, CONCEPTS THAT WERE RAISED THERE, THESE BUCKETS, THESE IN THE INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF THAT HAS BEGUN TO OCCUR, AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE STARTING TO APPROACH THINGS HELPS KIND OF START TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY RAISED IN YOUR REPORT TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THE LARGER PICTURE ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH PROGRAM RISK ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
I THINK THAT THE, THE MARCH 2ND MEETING WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT REALLY DOES TALK TO, UM, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED HERE IN THE REPORT, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF CONVERSATION THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE IN THE REGION AT THIS TIME.
AND I KNOW IT SOUNDS SIMPLISTIC.
I KNOW IT SOUNDS VERY OBVIOUS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY, AS WE DO ALL THE TIME, EVERY PLACE IS VERY DIFFERENT, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT ONE IDENTICAL MODEL IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO FOR YOU TO WALK THROUGH THOSE THINGS FOR THE MAYOR TO KIND OF LAY OUT WHAT, HERE ARE THE BIG DECISION POINTS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.
AND HERE IS A PROCESS WHERE AT LEAST KIND OF LAY OUT A PROCESS FOR DEALING WITH THOSE IT'S EXACTLY THE RIGHT CONVERSATION.
IT WAS VERY ENCOURAGING FOR US TO SEE FOR SURE.
I ALSO THINK THIS WAS A REALLY GOOD REPORT.
UH, I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY COMPLETE, AND I THOUGHT THAT, UH, IT REALLY LAID OUT THE PROS AND CONS OF THE TWO, UH, DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS WERE ASKED TO DO.
I WANT TO THANK AGAIN YOU CHAIR.
UH, CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT YOU SPENT, UH, WORKING WITH CASEY.
UH, I WASN'T SURE YOU WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET US TO THIS PLACE BY THE END OF MARCH.
UH, WHEN WE SET THIS OUT AS THE GOAL TO LAST NOVEMBER THERE IN A LOT OF WAYS, IT DIDN'T SEEM ENOUGH TIME TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE, TO, TO, TO HERE.
AND HE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF DOING THAT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR GETTING US TO THIS PLACE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A DIFFICULT QUESTION WHEN WE WERE ALL LAYING IT OUT AND DISCUSSING IT LAST NOVEMBER.
UH, AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A COMMON LANGUAGE TO USE OR, UH, OR A WAY TO REALLY PUT THE QUESTION INTO A BROADER PERSPECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME THING OR CONSIDERING THE SAME THING.
UM, IT'S PRETTY EVIDENT FROM YOUR REPORT THAT THERE WAS A REASON WHY THERE WAS NO REAL OBVIOUS CHOICE BACK IN NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THERE IS NO REAL OBVIOUS CHOICE.
UH, SO HAVING GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS TO DETERMINE THAT I THINK IS, IS REALLY HELPFUL.
UH, I THINK THAT THE REAL, ONE OF THE REAL BENEFITS OF THIS IS WHERE YOU LAID OUT, REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU GO, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US, UM, MOVING FORWARD, UH, AND IN SOME RESPECTS, I THINK THERE'S SOME, SOME PEACE IN KNOWING THAT EITHER ONE OF THESE OPTIONS CAN WORK.
UH, WE JUST HAVE TO BE, UH, MINDFUL, UH, WHEN WE, WHEN WE, WHEN WE PICK ONE, UH, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, I WOULD SAY, THANK YOU FOR THE, FOR THE EMAIL THAT YOU SENT OUT TO ALL OF US A MONTH OR SO AGO, WHERE YOU BASICALLY SAID THAT, UH, YOUR LOVE WAS FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH I APPRECIATE IT IS FOR ALL OF US AND THAT HOWEVER WE GO, YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT WORK TO, UH, AND I APPRECIATE, UH, I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, AND REALLY CENTERING THE PROJECT I'LL CONCLUDE WITH, IN CASE ANYBODY'S WATCHING THIS FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD URGE EVERYBODY TO READ PAGE 31, PAGE 31 IS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE WORD INDEPENDENCE.
IT'S THE QUESTION THAT TONY WENT TO, UH, CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT.
EVERYBODY KNOWS INDEPENDENCE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IT APPEARED IN THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.
UH, BUT I THINK THAT ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE KIND OF WRESTLING WITH WHAT WE DO NOW IS THAT AS YOU FOUND OUT THAT THERE, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE
[02:10:01]
IN HOW INDEPENDENT ATP WAS INTENDED TO BE.AND EVEN WHAT PEOPLE MEANT BY INDEPENDENCE, THAT THERE'S NO AGREEMENT ON WHO IT IS.
WE WANT ATP TO BE INDEPENDENT FROM, UH, AT A REALLY BASE LEVEL.
AND, AND, AND IN SOME RESPECTS IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT INDEPENDENT FROM, FROM, FROM, FROM EVERYBODY.
SO I THINK THAT DISCUSSION IS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT POINTS OUT THAT THIS IS NOT A SIMPLE ISSUE.
AND THEN, THEN NO ONE PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE IS NECESSARILY RIGHT, BECAUSE OUR DOCUMENTS DON'T, DON'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERY ONE OF US READING IT, AND IN FACT, EVERY ONE OF THE VOTERS READING IT AND THEN VOTING MAY HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA OF WHO THEY WANTED ATP TO BE INDEPENDENT FROM.
AND FOR, FOR WHAT REASONS, UH, YET I THINK WE HAVE TO DO OUR BEST TO DISCERN THAT AND GIVE MEANING TO THAT, UH, IN A WAY THAT IS DELIBERATE.
AND THEN I THOUGHT THE CONVERSATION YOU HAD ON PAGE 31 ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WORD INDEPENDENCE AND THE WORD AUTONOMY, AND THEN MANY PEOPLE WERE USING THOSE TWO WORDS INTERCHANGEABLY.
AND I REMEMBER THAT LAST NOVEMBER AS WELL, SOMETIMES GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THAT.
AND, UH, I DIDN'T REALIZE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THAT WAS THE SENSE OF CONFUSION AS I WAS EXPERIENCING IT UNTIL I READ THE REPORT, BUT I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, AND THAT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY, UH, THE SAME WORDS AND THAT THEY CAN MEAN TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF, OF BOTH.
SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE WORK THAT WAS DONE IN THIS.
AND I THINK THIS GIVES US KIND OF A COMMON GROUND AND A COMMON BASIS TO, TO MOVE FORWARD YOUR FINAL ADMONITION, WHICH IS, HEY, WHICHEVER WAY YOU GO PICK ONE, DO WHAT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE IT WORK AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECT CONNECT OVER THE NEXT 10, 15, 20 YEARS, UH, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PERFECT ANSWER AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
THERE'S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN INDICATED RIGHT ANSWER.
UH, BUT IN ORDER FOR A PROJECT LIKE THIS, TO BE ABLE TO GET DONE AND TO MOVE FORWARD, THERE'S GREAT TO HAVE TO BE DECISION-MAKING THAT IS MADE WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION OR DECISION MADE AND THEN MOVE ON, UH, OR ELSE, UH, THE PROJECT, UH, BOND EXPERIENCE DOESN'T WORK COSTS WAY OVER BUDGET DOESN'T MEAN JUST AS IT DOESN'T MANAGE WELL.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE REPORT AND I THINK NOW WE HAVE TO DO OUR JOB, WHICH IS TO, YOU KNOW, TALK THROUGH IT AND PICK AND MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OH, YES.
UM, I TOO WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID ABOUT, UH, OUR CHAIR IN CASEY AND THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DID BEHIND THE SCENES.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY NOT APPARENT TO A LOT OF YOU, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK THAT BOTH CASEY AND VERONICA DID, UM, TO MAKE TODAY POSSIBLE AND NEXT, UH, MEETING POSSIBLE.
UM, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ON PAGE 33, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH DESIGNATED FEDERAL GRANT RECIPIENT.
IT SAYS YOUR CAPITAL METRO IS AN, THE KEYWORD I THINK IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED AS A DESIGNATED FEDERAL GRANT RECIPIENT.
AND I'M FOCUSING ON ALREADY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S A FIXED WORD.
I THINK WE ARE OPEN AND I'M SPEAKING FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD HERE ON WHAT IS THE RIGHT ENTITY TO BE THE FEDERAL GRANT RECIPIENT.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS GIVEN WHAT YOU KNOW OF THIS PROGRAM AND ALL OF THAT, AND YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE FTA, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE RIGHT ENTITY SHOULD BE FOR THE FEDERAL GRANT RECIPIENT? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, WE PUT THE WORD ALREADY IN, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE CURRENT YES, YES.
AND THAT WAS LINE OUTLINED IN THE JPA AND EVERYTHING, UH, AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, WHEN WE LOOKED AT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER ENTITIES, WE TALKED TO OTHER FOLKS, UM, THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO INDICATE WHETHER IT WAS DEFINITIVELY ONE OR THE OTHER.
UM, AND I THINK WHAT MATTERS MORE IS THE CLARITY TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, THE, UM, THE KIND OF THE ESTABLISHED INSTITUTION, RIGHT.
I THINK IN, IN, AT THIS POINT, IT MAKES SENSE FOR CAPITAL METRO TO BE IN THAT ROLE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AND ATP IS IN STARTUP MODE, IF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, UH, IT MAKES SENSE FOR PROJECT CONNECT TO, TO SWITCH THAT ROLES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD SHOULD BE OPEN TO AND THE PARTNER SHOULD BE OPEN TO, WE, WE SAY THAT IN THE REPORT.
UM, WE SAW THAT IN, UH, WITH THE SILVER
[02:15:01]
LINE EXTENSION IN VIRGINIA, UM, THEY'RE EXTENDING THE SILVER LINE AND HALFWAY THROUGH THE PROJECT, THE FEDERAL, UH, CIG PROJECT SPONSOR DID CHANGE.UM, AND, AND THAT'S BECAUSE IT MADE SENSE FOR THE PROGRAM AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME.
UM, COULD YOU ADDRESS THE QUESTION ALSO FROM THE SENSE OF ISSUING DEBT AND FROM A BOND HOLDERS PERSPECTIVE? RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE THE DEDICATED TAX REVENUE HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING A TIFIA DEBT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING REVENUE, BONDS.
UM, SO FROM A DEBT HOLDERS PERSPECTIVE AND A FINANCING PERSPECTIVE, WOULD IT BE BETTER ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BECAUSE IF THE MONEY IS GOING TO CAP METRO, THEN PRESUMABLY THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT TO TRANSFER THAT BACK TO ATP.
HOW WOULD BOND HOLDERS IN FINANCERS WILL GET THAT? YEAH, SO WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT SPECIFICALLY AS PART OF THIS REPORT.
UM, IT'S CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION.
UM, WE ALSO THINK THAT IF, UM, IF IT'S CLEAR HOW THAT MONEY IS TRANSFERRED AND HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S CLEAR TO VERY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY, THEN THAT RISK IS, CAN BE MINIMIZED.
UM, BUT WE DIDN'T LOOK INTO THAT IN DETAIL.
BUT BOTH, BOTH WALL STREET AND THE FTA HATE AMBIGUITY, RIGHT? SO EVERY TIME EVERYBODY WE TALKED TO AND A LOT OF THE RESEARCH WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN MINIMIZE THAT, THAT THE AMBIGUITY IT'S OBVIOUSLY BENEFICIAL.
WHAT ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS I'M TRYING TO LEAVE THE FLOOR FOR YOU ALSO, SINCE I'VE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH, YOU KNOW, TO PUT THIS, TO BRING ALL THIS INFORMATION FORWARD? I THINK I HAD, UH, A FIRST ROW SEAT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT COMING INTO THIS MEETING, BUT I REALLY LIKE TO BRING A COUPLE OF POINTS FORWARD.
AND YOU MENTIONED THAT IN YOUR PRESS, IN YOUR REPORT, BUT COULD YOU CLARIFY IF IN THE UNITED STATES, DID YOU SEE EXAMPLES OF SPVS FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE DELIVERY DELIVERY, VEHICLE ENTITIES THAT HAVE SHARED LEADERSHIP? CAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE ONE IN EUROPE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE UNITED STATES? YEAH.
UM, SO WE, WE LOOKED AT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
THE UNITED STATES THAT DOESN'T USE A LOT OF SPECIAL PURPOSE DELIVERY VEHICLES TO DELIVER PRODUCTS.
SO WE'RE STARTING WITH A VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, UM, AND AMONG THE ONES THAT WE LOOKED AT AND, AND OTHERS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT THROUGH OTHER RESEARCH, UM, WE DID NOT FIND ANY EXAMPLES OF, OF SHARED LEADERSHIP, UM, EXCEPT FOR THE, THE TWO THAT WE LOOKED AT ABROAD.
WELL, IN THE SECOND PART OF THAT QUESTION AND I, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, THAT'S OKAY.
BUT I WAS THINKING, IS IT, COULD THERE BE A RELATIONSHIP OF THEIR ABILITY TO OBTAIN FEDERAL GRANTS AND, AND HAVING, UH, THE CLARITY OF ROLE AND DEFINITION, THE, THE CLARITY THAT IT REQUIRES FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HAVE, UM, THE LEADERSHIP OF AN ORGANIZATION, WHETHER THEY'RE MORE QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE FEDERAL GRANTS, IF THOSE DELINEATIONS ARE ESTABLISHED CLEARLY.
I MEAN THE, TO ROB'S POINT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WANTS CLARITY AND DOES NOT LIKE AMBIGUITY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THE RECOMMENDATIONS, WHETHER, WHETHER WE GO WITH A SHARED LEADERSHIP MODEL OR A SEPARATE LEADERSHIP MODEL, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO DO TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND IF THOSE ARE IN PLACE, THEN I THINK THAT THAT EITHER ONE COULD WORK.
UM, WELL, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG DAY AND I'M SURE YOU WANT TO PROBABLY BLOW SOME CANDLES MAYER WITH THEIR CAKE, BUT, UM, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, UM, I THINK WE'LL FOR SURE.
I WOULD HAVE ONE, UM, IN RELATION TO THE QUESTION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECRUITMENT, UM, IF, IF THE BOARD WERE TO MOVE IN DIRECTION OF GOING THAT, THAT SECOND OPTION, UM, AND I, I SAW IN THERE AND, AND APPRECIATED AGAIN, THE WAY THAT YOU, YOU, YOU KIND OF LAID OUT FOR THE BOARD, SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP ON IN TERMS OF LIKE DELINEATING DEFINING WHAT QUALITIES WOULD NEED TO BE IN AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UM, DEFINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KIND OF A TRANSITION PERIOD, AS IT WERE FIGURING THAT OUT, UM, IN YOUR CONCRETE, I GUESS, IN YOUR RESEARCH LITERATURE CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER EXECUTIVES, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE TO GO ABOUT PRODUCING A, GETTING TO THAT TRUE TRANSITION POINT WHEREBY YOU KNOW, FROM THE POINT IN TIME THAT IF THE BOARD WERE TO VOTE, YOU KNOW, OKAY.
WE WANTED TO DO THAT TO GOING THROUGH A DETERMINATION OF HERE ARE THE CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS DOING A COMMUNITY PROCESS, DOING A RECRUITMENT PROCESS AND, YOU KNOW, DO, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE WOULD BE A, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY
[02:20:01]
KIND OF A, I GUESS, I GUESS THAT'D BE THE FIRST PART OF MY QUESTION IS WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE TIMEFRAME BE NORMALLY FOR, UM, AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT FOR A SPECIAL PURPOSE DELIVERY VEHICLE SUCH AS THIS.UM, AND I GUESS THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO IN YOUR, IN YOUR RESEARCH WHEN THESE OTHER SPVS WERE SET UP, UM, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR THEM TO REALLY GET UP OFF THE GROUND AND GET THEIR SENIOR LEADERSHIP, GET AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UP AND GOING.
SO I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF, THOSE TWO ARE SORT OF RELATED QUESTIONS.
SO IT'S A THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
UM, WE DIDN'T SPECIFICALLY ASK HOW LONG IT TOOK.
UM, AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE EACH ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED IN DIFFERENT WAYS, RIGHT? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXAMPLE OF, UH, SANDAG, RIGHT, THAT WAS AN EXISTING INSTITUTION THAT THEY HANDED OVER CAPITAL PROGRAM DECISIONS TO, UM, THAT ALREADY EXISTED, RIGHT? SO SOME, A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE STARTUP COSTS.
UM, THERE WERE, UM, SOME, SOME STARTUP COSTS AND TIME ASSOCIATED WITH THE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION AUTHORITIES IN LOS ANGELES.
UM, I DON'T RECALL EXACTLY HOW LONG THAT TOOK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN ATP BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME, UM, FINANCING ROLES, RIGHT.
THAT'S WHERE, UH, LA METRO WAS REIMBURSING THEM FOR PROJECT EXPENSES RATHER THAN, UM, DOING THE FINANCING BY THEMSELVES.
SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT COULD VARY.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT TRANSITION TIME, AGAIN, OUR RECOMMENDATIONS REALLY POINT TO WORKING WITH THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO MAKE SURE IT'S A SMOOTH ONE, UM, TO WORK IN QUICKLY TO DEFINE THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THEN BUILDING A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PROFILE BASED ON THAT.
UM, AND THEN, AND THEN MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, UM, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO MITIGATE ANY POTENTIAL IMPACTS THAT WOULD HAVE ON PROJECT DELAYS.
I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERED SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BACK TO YOUR POINT, A BOARD MEMBER STRAPPED, AND IN TERMS OF
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU POINTED OUT.
UM, SO JUST FOR, FOR CONTEXT, UM, AND, UM, SO IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, I LIKE TO CALL THIS, I'M GOING TO THE BOARD
[7. Executive Session]
IS GOING TO THEN GO ON TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.UM, SO NOW THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOT ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTIONS 5 5, 1 0.071 AND 5 5 1 0.074 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
AND WE'LL SEE YOU IN A LITTLE BIT SO THIS CONCLUDES THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
WE ARE NOW OUT OF A FIXED SOCRATIVE SESSION, AND THE TIME IS 7 43 AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT TUNED IN.