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[Capital Metro Board of Directors Public Hearing on March 28, 2022.]
MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE CAPITAL METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, UH, BULLETIN TODAY, IT IS MONDAY, MARCH 28TH, UH, 2022.AND, UH, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT.
AND WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR MEETING TODAY AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 700 LAVACA.
AND AS I MENTIONED, IT IS 1130.
UH, IT WAS 34, THEN IT'S 35 NOW.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HEARING ON A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO OUR FISCAL 20, 22 BUDGET.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, AND THEN WE WILL HAVE A, UH, A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
AND, UH, ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD AT THAT TIME, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO SO.
UH, I THINK DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER ONE WILL BE LED BY, UH, KEVIN CONDON.
CHEROKEE, CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT AND CEO CLARK AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAPITAL METRO.
AND THIS MORNING WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET.
AND I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTING THE TOPICS AND THE AMOUNTS OF OUR OPERATING CAPITAL AMENDMENT THIS MORNING.
SO AMENDING OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 OPERATING BUDGET WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $29,713,087 FOR SMALL MEMBERS THAT HE'S FUNDING, MV BUS CONTRACT, TRANSITION, AND PROJECT CONNECT SUPPORT AMENDING OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET WILL PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATION OF $11,494,000 FOR CAP FOR A NEW CAPITAL METRO FACILITIES RESERVE FUND THREE RED LINE PROJECTS AND THE MV BUS CONTRACT TRANSITION.
AND WE DO HAVE A SMALL GRANT OF JUST OVER $555,000 FOR ONE OF THE RED LINE PROJECTS FROM A TECH STOCK GRANT FUNDING FOR BOTH THE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2021 ENDING FUND BALANCE FAVORABLE SALES TAX RECEIPTS DURING THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR FISCAL YEAR 2022.
AND THAT SMALL GRANT THAT I SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER AS WELL, THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2022 OPERATING BUDGET AMENDMENT OF $29.7 MILLION CONSISTS OF $14.6 MILLION OF FUNDING FOR SMALL MEMBER CITIES AND INCLUDES THE $10 MILLION BOARD SUPPORTED TRANSIT SUPPORT, SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.
ALONG WITH AN ESTIMATE, AN ESTIMATED $4.6 MILLION FOR FISCAL YEAR 21 AND 22 SALES TAX VERSUS ESTIMATED SERVICE PROVIDED TO THE SMALL MEMBER CITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE 12 FOOT $12.5 MILLION ASSOCIATED ASSOCIATED TO THE MB BUS CONTRACT TRANSITION, WHICH IS MAINLY FOR THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE CBA WITH THE ATU FOR ADDITIONAL WAGES, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL PARTS, EXPENSE, AND NECESSARY HIRING OF ADDITIONAL BUS OPERATIONS PERSONNEL.
LASTLY, WE'RE INCLUDING $2.7 MILLION IN THE AMENDMENT FOR AN ENGAGEMENT TO PRODUCE A MUCH NEEDED TECHNOLOGY, ROADMAP AND STRATEGY FOR PROJECT CONNECT, AS WELL AS FOR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES, UM, TO ASSIST THE AGENCY OVER THE COMING YEARS, AS WE INTEGRATE ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM INTO THE CAP METRO SYSTEM, TURNING TO THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 22 CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT OF $11.5 BILLION.
THIS MAINLY CONSISTS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW $7 MILLION FACILITY MASTER PLAN RESERVE FUND, WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE LARGEST NEEDS IN THE AGENCY FOR FOUR FACILITIES.
WE ALSO HAVE $2.5 MILLION FOR THREE 30% ENGINEERING PRELIMINARY WORK ON THE RED LINE.
AND LASTLY, WE'VE PROGRAMMED $2 MILLION FOR PARTS INVENTORY PURCHASE FOR THE MV BUS CONTRACT.
AND THEN OUR LAST SLIDE DEPICTS ON THE LEFT, THE ORIGINAL FISCAL YEAR 2020 TO APPROVE BUDGET OF $649.9 MILLION WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES THAT MAKE UP THE BUDGET.
AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS THE AMENDED BUDGET OF $691.1 MILLION AFTER THE AMENDMENT OF BOTH THE CAPITAL AND THE OPERATING BUDGETS.
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IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE TURN OVER THE PUBLIC HEARING TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENTS OKAY.IS THIS AN INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET? IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE SALES DOLLARS COMING IN A LITTLE STRONGER? UM, WE HAVE INCLUDED, SO ALL OF THESE INITIATIVES HAVE COME UP.
OF COURSE, AFTER WE DID THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, ALMOST EIGHT MONTHS AGO, AND IMPROVE, APPROVE THAT IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THE FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FROM OUR STRONG SALES TAX DOLLARS, BOTH FROM LAST YEAR AND FROM THIS YEAR AS WELL.
THANK YOU THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR SHALL WE BRING IN, UH, THE, UH, SPEAKERS WHO WANT TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? OKAY.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE AND WILL BE JOINING US REMOTELY.
UM, MR. BAUTISTA, ARE YOU WITH US? YES, I'M HERE.
CAN YOU CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? YES.
UH, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OR TWO ON TO PRESENT YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR AUTONOMOUS SERVICE.
I AM A CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENT, UH, UT IN THE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM.
I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN AUSTIN FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, I MOVED HERE IN 2016, UM, AND I AM CURRENTLY SERVING A VOLUNTEER ROLE IN AUSTIN POLY STUDENT COMMISSION.
AND I WANTED JUST TO COME AND SHARE SOME EXCITING NEWS AS WELL AS SOME, UM, CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER A FIRST PIECE OF EXCITING NEWS IS I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IS THAT THE COLLEGE STUDENT COMMISSION, WHICH IS COMPRISED OF THREE STUDENTS FROM EACH UNIVERSITY AND THE CITY IS PARTNERING WITH THE TEXAS CIVIC IMPACT COUNCIL ON PROJECT 10 ON A PROJECT REGARDING PROJECT CONNECT SPECIFICALLY, UM, HELPING CHEMISTRY DO OUTREACH VIA COMMUNITY DATA AND DESIGN FELLOWS THAT WE'RE REALLY WANTING TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO BE A PART OF THIS TRANSFORMATIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY AND FOR CHEM METRO.
UM, AND SO WE WOULD LIKE YOUR SUPPORT IN THAT.
AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THAT, WE'D BE HAPPY TO, TO ANSWER THOSE AND, UH, CONCERNED I'D LIKE TO RING UP TO YOUR ATTENTION IS A CONCERN THAT WAS EXPRESSED TO THE COMMISSION A FEW WEEKS AGO.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICE QUALITY OF SERVICE THAT, UM, IT'D BEEN EXPERIENCED BY STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA, THE GROUP OF JUSTICE CAME TO OUR COMMISSION MEETING AND, UM, EXPRESSED A LOT OF CONCERN IN REGARDS TO THE LATE BUSES AND, UH, THE CUT, THE CUT BACK IN THE, IN THE BUS ROUTES.
AND SO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE GETTING TO CLASS ON TIME AND JUST SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WAITING FOR THE BUS.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION AND WOULD LIKE TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE THAT THE CAUSE FOR YOUR COMMISSION CAN OFFER IN REGARDS TO COMING UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR THIS.
BUT, UM, THIS IS HISTORICALLY A UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY, AND I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THE LACK OF BUS SHORTAGES AND TECHNICIANS IS A NATIONWIDE TREND, BUT, UM, WE REALLY WANT TO HELP DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP, UM, STUDENTS IN THIS AREA, UM, CONTINUE TO SUCCEED AS THEY'RE PURSUING THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION AND IDOLIZE CONSIDERATION.
I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST BEFORE THE BOARD IS TO CONSIDER, UM, THE, THEY CONSIDER THE BUDGET REALLOCATION TO M B UH, CURRENTLY MB BOTH ON THE WEBSITE OF THEY ARE THE LARGEST PRIVATELY OWNED PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION, CONTRACTING SERVICE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND, UM, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CONSIDERING THAT INVESTING IN THE CRITIC, INVESTING IN THE CRITICAL BUS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES IS CURRENTLY CONTRACTED OUT TO DM WOULD BE, UM, MORE BENEFICIAL, UH, IF IT WAS INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND NOW YOU'RE PRIVATE COMPANY THAT ONLY CARES ABOUT PROFITS.
THE TRUTH IS THAT EVEN THOUGH CAPRA METRO EMPLOYEES WEAR A UNIFORM FOR THAT SAYS THEY WORK FOR COUPLE OF METRO, THEY DO NOT, THEY WORK FOR MV AND THAT IS A BIG, UM, I BELIEVE MAYBE A REASON WHY THERE IS, UH, A LOT OF ISSUES WITH REGARDS TO, UH, GETTING, UM, STAFF UP-TO-DATE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, WE, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND WE'LL SUDDENLY TAKE THEM UNDER CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND PROBABLY ALSO REACH OUT TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF FAINT FOR ME.
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EVERYBODY HEARD IT WELL, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, WE, UH, CATCH UP AND, AND, UM, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE ALL OF THE IDEAS, RIGHT? UH, NEXT PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, LEANDRA CITY MANAGER, RICHARD BEVERLY, AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.UH, WANTED TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE
UH, THE CITY OF LEANDER IS, HAS BEEN, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE, UH, BOARD MEMBER AND COUNCIL MEMBER TO BUILD THE CONNECTIVITY, UH, TO AN ACCESS TO BETWEEN THE BILL AREA ENTRY.
AS IT THOUGHT, I HEARD IT BACKGROUND, WE HAVE, UH, MORE THAN $10 MILLION WORTH OF, UH, SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WITH AN OLD TOWN AND CONNECTIVITY TO LEANDER STATION.
THAT INCLUDES, UH, 250,000 IDENTIFIED FOR AN OLD TOWN MASTER PLAN.
THAT WOULD BE FOCUSING ON STREETSCAPES, SUCH AS SIDEWALKS, ADA RAMPS, UH, PEDESTRIAN SCALE LIGHTING BACK OF CURB IMPROVEMENTS, LANDSCAPING.
WE ALSO HAVE OTHER OLD TOWN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO SUPPORT PUTTING MOST OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE GROUND.
THAT INCLUDES SOME DOWNTOWN FIRE FLOW IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE WE WOULD RATHER TEAR THINGS UP ONCE.
SO WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF THOSE.
WE ALSO HAVE BOTH SOUTH STREET AT ABOUT 1,000,005 THAT NEEDS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED AND EAST STREET AT ABOUT 5 MILLION.
SOME OF THE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE ABLE TO UNDERTAKE WITHIN THIS BUDGET AMOUNT THAT Y'ALL ARE LOOKING ABOUT LOOKING AT IN THIS AMENDMENT ALSO INCLUDE A POTENTIAL DECK TRANSIT INTERCEPT WITHIN ALL TOWN, AS WELL AS WAYFINDING SIGNAGE FOR THAT.
AND THEN A, I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S PROBABLY A LONG TIME COMING.
WE'VE BECOME A BIG CITY OVERNIGHT WITH OVER 87,000 PEOPLE, AND IT'S STILL ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND PART OF THAT SUCCESS FOR RAIL SERVICE AND FOR TRANSIT IN GENERAL IS GOING TO BE MAKING SURE THAT THAT PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT, EVEN ON 180 3 IS CONDUCIVE SO THAT CONNECTIVITY COULD INCLUDE BOTH BEAUTIFICATION, UM, RES MEDIANS, PAD LIGHTING, UH, BRICK PAVERS ON THOSE ISLANDS FOR PEDESTRIANS TO CROSS THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO GO AHEAD AND GO INTO DESIGN FOR THAT PROJECT AS WELL, TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
UH, THE LAST ONE, JUST A GENERAL MOBILITY AND IMPROVEMENT THAT WOULD HELP ALL VEHICLES, INCLUDING THE PICKUP SERVICE WOULD BE A RIGHT TURN LANE AT SAN GABRIEL PARKWAY AT ABOUT 600,000.
SO EVERYTHING I'VE RATTLED OFF, NOT EVEN INCLUDING A PARKING DECK, UM, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE THIS RELATIONSHIP.
WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY, EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE ALSO WITH THE INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, THE NEXT, I THINK WE'VE GOT A QUESTION.
IT'S NOT A QUESTION SO MUCH AS I JUST WANTED TO SAY WELCOME, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SPEAKING TO US, UM, BECAUSE WE DO CONSIDER YOU TO BE A NECESSARY AND PRIMARY PARTNER FOR US.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HEARING FROM YOU TODAY.
AND IF, IF BECKY WOULD ALLOW ME ANYTIME, Y'ALL NEED ME TO COME DOWN AND TALK ABOUT WHERE WE WOULD BE IN THE PROCESS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THERE'LL BE A JOSEPH MS. JOSEPH.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS AS ENOVIA JOSEPH, MY POSITION AS IT RELATES TO LEANDER IS SPECIFICALLY BACK TO 2019.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHEN CAPITAL METRO REQUESTED THE $4.2 MILLION SHORTFALL, IT WAS APPROXIMATELY $5.1 MILLION IN TAXES THAT LEANDER GAVE CAPITAL METRO, BUT THE OPERATION WAS OVER A MILLION, $9 MILLION.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT THEY CAN USE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
HOWEVER, IT COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THE SERVICE AREA, NORTH AND NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
AND SO RESPECTFULLY, MR. CHAIR, WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION SINCE 20 17, 3 WEEKS AFTER YOU TOOK YOUR OATH OF OFFICE.
AND I WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IT WOULD BE THE BEST THING FOR YOU TO RESIGN BECAUSE RESPECTFULLY YOU HAVE NOT IMPROVED THE TRANSIT SERVICE FOR THE CONSTITUENTS
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IN NORTHEAST AND NORTH AUSTIN.AND SO WHILE I CERTAINLY RESPECT THAT YOU ARE RELYING ON THE GOODMAN REPORT FROM 2021 DECEMBER 16TH, SPECIFICALLY, I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT WHEN THE 2019 PICKUP SERVICE WAS PLACED IN LEANDER, APPROXIMATELY $460,000 CAPITAL METRO DID NOT ASK THEM FOR THAT FUNDING.
AND SO WHILE YOU ARE EXPANDING THE BUDGET TO CATER, TO LEANDER TO THROUGH ART, THE MAY 7TH, 2022 ELECTION, I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO ACTUALLY GO BACK RETROACTIVELY AND TO ASK THEM FOR THE FUNDING THAT THEY OWE CAPITAL METRO.
I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS 60 MINUTES FOR BLACK PEOPLE STILL YET THE FYI 2022 BUDGET STILL DEFINES CAPILLARY MAP AS MORE FREQUENT, MORE RELIABLE AND BETTER CONNECTED.
WHEN IN FACT IT IS INFREQUENT UNRELIABLE AND DISCONNECTED NORTH OF US, 180 3.
AND SO I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT COUNCIL MEMORY KITCHEN SAID THAT LEANDER IS A NECESSARY PARTNER AND INDEED THEY ARE.
BUT THE PEOPLE IN LEANDER, WHEN I TESTIFY JANUARY 25TH, 2022, WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET TO AND FROM AUSTIN, NOT JUST ONE WAY.
AND SO YOU HAD DEADHEAD ON THE EXPRESS BUS.
WHEN IN FACT YOU COULD ACTUALLY RUN THAT BUS DOWN PALMER LANE AND SERVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO MORE THAN CONTINUE BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND TO DO MORE FOR LEANDER AND IN SO DOING, YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HELP YOUR CONSTITUENTS IF YOU ROUTE THE BUS SO THAT IT ACTUALLY CAME TO AUSTIN, INSTEAD OF DEADHEADING GOING BACK EMPTY.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM, BUT IT IS A DISSERVICE TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE CONSISTENTLY ASKED FOR IMPROVED SERVICE.
AND IN FACT, YOU'VE NOT DONE SO, AND TO RANDY CLARK, YOU ARE MORE THAN A MARKETING MAN AND RESPECTFULLY I HAVE CALLED STANDARD OR CORNYN'S OFFICE AND ASK THEM HOW HE WOULD GO AHEAD AND ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE TITLE SIX COMPLAINT THAT I FILED SEEING AS THOUGH CAPITAL METRO REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WHO RESPECTFULLY MUKHERJEE MUKERJI THE PARKER IS HIS FIRST NAME.
INSTEAD, HE GAVE ME THE INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FILE IT AGAIN.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THE METHODIST TIME AND WOULD ASK YOU TO CONSIDER RESIGNING.
THANK YOU, THE BOARD, HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THE NEXT PERSON WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS ISAIAH SMITH.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I CAN HEAR YOU NOW.
WELL, ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD N UH, COULD TURN UP YOUR AUDIO A LITTLE BIT? IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR ONE MOMENT.
IS THAT BETTER? I THINK IT IS.
ANYWAY, THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TODAY, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW ABOUT THAT TECHNICAL ISSUE.
ANYWAY, I HAD A FELLOW COMMISSIONER.
I ALSO AM A COMMISSIONER, BUT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I SERVE ON THE COLLEGE STUDENT COMMISSION.
UM, I HAD ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, TALK TO YOU GUYS TODAY ABOUT, UM, NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT SOME STUDENTS IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA WERE FACING.
UM, WE HAD AT OUR CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, ONE OF OUR MEETINGS WE'VE HAD SOME STUDENTS COME FORWARD AND I DO REMEMBER WE HAD ONE STUDENT THAT SPECIFICALLY STATED, UM, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF OTHER STUDENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO GET UP REAL EARLY.
THAT THEY HAVE TO GET UP, UM, EXTREMELY EARLY IN ORDER TO CATCH THE BUS.
THEY HAVE TO WAIT HOURS FOR THE BUS TO COME OR EVEN LUCKY FOR THE BUS TO SHOW UP.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THE BUSES DO NOT SHOW UP.
AND WHEN THE BUSES DO NOT SHOW UP, A LOT OF TIMES, THE PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND AUSTIN, AND AT OTHER COLLEGE CAMPUSES WILL PENALIZE STUDENTS AND WE'LL GET STUDENTS IN TROUBLE FOR NOT GOING TO CLASS.
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AND I KNOW I'M CURRENTLY, UM, I'M CURRENTLY THE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AT AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.AND I CAN TELL YOU, AS FAR AS MY COLLEGE IS CONCERNED, UM, IF YOU MISS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CLASSES AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE THOSE CLASSES IN PERSON, YOU CAN BE DROPPED FROM THAT CLASS.
AND IF IT'S NOT WITHIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THE MONEY THAT A PERSON PAID FOR THOSE CLASSES MAY NOT BE RETURNED TO THEM IN FULL OR AT ALL.
SO I'M REALLY HOPING THAT WE CAN FIX THESE BUS SERVICE ISSUES BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS I HAVE SPOKE AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS, UM, I DO AGAIN, AND I WILL SAY THIS OVER AND AGAIN, A BIG ISSUE WITH CAP METRO.
IT'S THE PRIVATE CONTRACTOR CALLED M B TRANSPORTATION.
I USED TO DRIVE FOR TWO YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WORKING WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT I HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEY KEPT ON MESSING UP ON MY PAYCHECKS.
AND I ABSOLUTELY HATED HOW MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT TREATED ME AND TREATED MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE LEFT AND, UM, UH, RECENTLY, UH, MV TRANSPORTATION MESSED UP ON THE PAYCHECKS OF PRACTICALLY OF A LOT OF EMPLOYEES.
AND THERE WAS A MARCH 9TH, 2022 PAYROLL ADVISORY MEMO, WHERE EVEN THE COMPANY SPECIFICALLY APOLOGIZED FOR THE LATE NOTICE AND THE PAYROLL ISSUES THAT IS THOROUGH, NOT SINGULAR.
AND, UM, THEY STATED IN THE EMAIL, IN THAT LETTER, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES THAT THEY ARE GOING TO, UM, FIX, UH, WORK ON FIXING THE ISSUE WITHIN THE CPA.
AND I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR OUR SPEAKERS AND I SEE HIS THOMAS LET'S WRAP UP SO THAT, AND WE WILL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AFTERWARDS.
AND I'M NOT SURE IF I COULD SEE MY TIME.
UM, BUT JUST WRAPPING UP, JUST STAYING THAT, UM, I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN CHANGE CONTRACTORS FROM MP TRANSPORTATION TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO THE QUESTION THAT I HAD FOR OUR SPEAKER, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING IN AND TALKING TO US TODAY ABOUT THE ISSUES, UM, THAT CIRCLE AROUND STUDENTS WHO WAIT FOR A BUS, THE BUS DOESN'T COME UNTIL THEY'RE LATE TO CLASS, AND THEN THEY GET DINGED FOR BEING TARDY OR NOT APPEARING AT ALL THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE STUDENT.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT THE ACC ADMINISTRATION WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT.
AND SO WITH THE PROFESSORS, SO I WOULD ASK, UM, IF YOU ALL THROUGH THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TO TRY TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, THEY ARE LATE, SO THEY SHOULD NOT BE PENALIZED THE STUDENTS.
JUST WANTED TO TOSS THAT OUT THERE TO YOU, UM, FOR CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING TODAY.
AND, UH, LET'S SEE, UNLESS THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE, ED, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE'S SIGNED UP MR. CHAIR? YES.
AND IF I, AND IF I MAY FOR, UH, FOR, FOR OUR SPEAKER, MR. SMITH, UM, UH, MR. CLARK, D DIDN'T.
I SEE THAT WE JUST GRADUATED A BRAND NEW CLASS OF OPERATORS JUST RECENTLY HERE.
I THINK THAT CLASS WAS AROUND 30.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE HIGHEST MOMENT OF TRAINING CADETS WE'VE EVER HAD.
I THINK WE'RE AT 82 OR 83 CURRENTLY.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I WANT TO MAKE REALLY CLEAR AND I KNOW DADDY'S GOING TO MENTION SOME STUFF LATER AS WELL.
SERVICE IS NOT AS GOOD AS WE ALL WANT, SO THERE'S NO FINANCIAL REASON.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY, RIGHT? THIS HAS NOTHING ACTUALLY TO DO WITH MV.
METRO, IT'S A, IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE.
UH, THERE IS NOT ONE AGENCY IN THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW THAT IS RUNNING, UH, THE SERVICE THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO RUN.
WE ARE HAVE SIGNIFICANT STAFFING ISSUES.
I KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE COUNTY BUILDING THE COUNTY, THE CITY IS DEALING WITH THE SAME THING, WHETHER IT'S PARAMEDICS TO, UH, TRASH, UH, COLLECTORS TO PARK, UH, EMPLOYEES AND YOU NAME IT.
SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
UH, THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT ACTUALLY IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT REFLECTS THE NEW CBA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT THAT PAYS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER WAGES TO FRONTLINE STAFF.
AND THAT IS WHY WE WERE RECRUITING SO MANY MORE PEOPLE TO REBUILD OUR RANKS.
AND THEN THE SECOND ISSUE IS OBVIOUSLY MAJOR RELATION THINGS TO LIKE SUPPLY CHAIN ON PARTS.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE FEEL LIKE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL.
SO WE'VE KIND OF SAID THAT BY AUGUST, WE EXPECT TO BE BACK INTO FULL SERVICE EACH MONTH BETWEEN NOW AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE SLOWLY BUT SURELY GETTING BETTER, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO APOLOGIZE AGAIN, SERVICE IS NOT WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE.
MOST ALL THE STAFF YOU SEE IN THE ROOM PROBABLY RUN THE SERVICE TODAY.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE EXPERIENCING THAT SAME SERVICE.
AND WE ARE, WE, THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE FOCUSES CAP.
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THE SERVICE BACK TO THE FULL EXPECTATION OF THE COMMUNITY.SO WHAT I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO MR. SMITH AND TO YOUR COLLEAGUE AS WELL, THAT THAT SPOKE EARLIER IS, UH, UM, WE HEAR YOU AND HELP IS ON THE WAY WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING ON THAT.
AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND PRESIDENT CLARK AND THE WORK THAT HAN AND DOTTIE AND THE TEAM ARE WORKING TO, TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THEM.
IT IS, IT IS SYSTEMIC, AS HE MENTIONED ACROSS THE INDUSTRY, AND WE'RE ALL WORKING TO REBOUND FROM COVID.
AND WE UNDERSTAND HOW PERSONAL, DEEPLY PERSONAL IT IS TO IMPACT INDIVIDUALS EDUCATION IN PARTICULAR, BUT EVERYBODY ACROSS THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE ARE WORKING TO GET THEIR HELP IS ON THE WAY WE'RE WORKING TO GET THERE.
ANY OTHER BOARD QUESTIONS? YEAH.
I JUST HAVE A COMMENT THAT, UH, UH, I HAVE SOME CITY EMPLOYEES CONTACT ME ABOUT BEING LATE BECAUSE OF THE BUS.
AND, UH, I WENT AND SAT DOWN WITH, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND INFORMED THEM THAT, UH, SOME OF OUR, OUR EMPLOYEES WERE GETTING DEAN FOR BEING LATE.
AND, UH, AND HE WENT OUT THERE AND TALKED TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO NOT TO DO THAT UNTIL WE GET OUR, OUR DRIVER SHIP UP AT METRO SO THAT WE CAN BE ON BACK TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE THAT WE USED TO PROVIDE, UH, IF IT VERY DIFFICULT.
AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT SITUATION WHERE YOU CAN JUST TALK TO YOUR, YOUR DEAN OR YOUR PROFESSORS, BUT I, I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW UNDERSTANDING MY MANAGER WAS OUR MANAGER THAT, UH, HE WENT INTO INFORMED HIM NOT TO DO THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE DANCE? IF NOT, THEN WE WILL CLOSE TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING AND STAND ADJOURNED AT 1201.
UH, WE WILL RECONNECT AS A FULL BOARD AT 1230 AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE IN RECESS UNTIL 12 THERE.
NO, SARAH, WE WILL BE BACK MOMENTARILY, NOT AT 1230.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GO NEXT DOOR AND, UM, THAT WOULD BE AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
AND DO YOU NEED A MINUTE? HOW ABOUT 12 0 5 15? YEAH.
WE'LL UH, REAL RECONVENE AT 1215.