May 18, 2022 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

SO PLEASE TUNE INTO THAT BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY GREAT COMBINATION OF THE TWO FIRST IDEAS WITH PLEASANT VALLEY HAVE NOW COME UP WITH A THIRD OPTION, WHICH I THINK ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.

IT ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS FROM THE DESIGN TEAM OF WHAT WE HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD.

SO PLEASE TUNE IN AND GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK ON THOSE AND, AND FOR NEXT ITEMS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE DISCUSSION AT THE MAY 31ST MEETING.

AND ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMUNITY FEEDBACK IS WELCOME ON THOSE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, ACROSS LADY, BIRD LAKE, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO, THANK YOU.

SO I'LL PASS IT ON OVER TO YOU BOARD MEMBER ELKINS FOR THE FINANCE AND RISK.

ALRIGHT, GREAT.

WE STARTED OFF WITH RSM, OUR AUDITORS, WHO WENT THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 21 AUDIT FINANCIAL STATEMENT, WHICH WAS A CLEAN OPINION, NO DEFICIENCIES, UH, ONE AREA OF ATTENTION THAT WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON, NOT, NOT A NEGATIVE, BUT GRANT ACCOUNTING.

UM, WE MET, UH, THE FINANCE AND RISK COMMITTEE ON MAY 10TH.

I WAS A KIND OF PACKED AGENDA, WHICH WAS GOOD.

WE HAD ABOUT TWO HOURS WORTH OF, UH, AGENDA ITEMS.

[00:05:01]

SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THE PROGRAM AND THERE'S GRANTS COMING FROM, FROM THE FEDS, WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF RULES AROUND GRANTS ACCOUNTING.

SO WE, WE, WE NEED TO KIND OF PUT THAT ON OUR RADAR, BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, A VERY CLEAN AUDIT, UM, NO, NO MAJOR INTERNAL CONTROL PROBLEMS. UM, WE HAD DIANE SILLER REVIEW OUR FISCAL YEAR 22 FIRST QUARTER PERFORMANCE REPORT, UH, WALKED THROUGH ALL THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS. UM, NO MAJOR ISSUES HAD A COUPLE OF DISCUSSIONS ON SOME OF THE, THE, UH, THE ITEMS AND VARIANCES, BUT, UH, GENERALLY THE FAR COMMITTEE WAS FINE WITH THE FIRST QUARTER BUDGET, UH, NO MAJOR ISSUES.

UH, WE HAD, UM, OUR NEW INTERNAL AUDITOR, UH, KATIE HOUSTON, WHO I THINK WILL BE SPEAKING LATER ON TODAY IN THE MEETING, UM, KIND OF DO A PRESENTATION ON OUR DRAFT AUDIT, CHARTER CHARTER.

UH, SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE FDR COMMITTEE REVIEW THAT FIRST, BEFORE IT COMES HERE TO THE FULL BOARD.

SO IT WAS GOOD TO KIND OF CHAT WITH KATIE ABOUT HER, UM, VISION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, THE TYPES OF PROJECTS SHE'LL BE WORKING ON, HELPING US WITH THEM INTERNAL WITH INTERNAL CONTROLS.

SO THAT WAS GOOD.

WE HAD DAVE COUCH, UM, REVIEW COST ESTIMATES, THE COST ESTIMATE MEMO THAT WAS PROVIDED, I THINK ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS AGO TO THE COMMUNITY AT 15%, UH, JUST CHATTING WITH THE FAR COMMITTEE ABOUT, UM, COSTS AND WHY THEY WENT UP AND, AND THE REASONS FOR CAPITOL VIEW CORRIDOR, UM, TUNNELING AND, AND YOU KNOW, ESCALATION.

AND SO THAT WAS A GOOD, HEALTHY DISCUSSION.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE COMMITTEE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH IT.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PERHAPS PROVIDING MORE TRANSPARENCY AND MORE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, UH, TO GIVE THE COMMUNITY MORE INFORMATION ABOUT COSTS.

SO, UM, WE'LL WORK WITH STAFF ON THAT.

UH, THEN WE HAD CASEY, HOW GENERAL COUNSEL PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE FDR COMMITTEE ON THE LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS UPDATE AND ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST MEETING, UH, OUR, OUR VISION FOR INDEPENDENCE AND CHOOSING A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAD BRIAN, OUR TREASURER PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT ERNST AND YOUNG IS DOING WITH RESPECT TO PROCUREMENT ANALYSIS AND RISK THE SCOPE OF WORK, THE TWO TASK ORDERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING AND THEY'RE WORKING UNDER.

SO THAT WAS GOOD.

AND THEN I THINK LATER ON, MAYBE IN THE SUMMER EARLY FALL, WE'LL HAVE ERNST AND YOUNG DO A PRESENTATION TO THE FAR COMMITTEE.

AS WE DIVE MORE INTO PROCUREMENT AND RISKS.

A COUPLE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE ATP SHOULD BEGIN PLANNING FOR GRANT OVERSIGHT.

AS I MENTIONED, UH, HEAD OF FEDERAL FUNDING AWARD SO THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS PREPARED FOR, UH, EXPANDED AUDIT AND COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.

INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION SHOULD REVIEW FUTURE INFORMATION, TECHNOLOGY, RISKS, AND OPPORTUNITIES.

CURRENTLY IT SERVICES ARE BEING PERFORMED BY ANGEL LOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH CAP METRO.

SO WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND, UH, SHOULD THAT CONTINUE, OR SHOULD WE BE DOING THAT ON OUR OWN ATP NEEDS TO EXPAND COMMUNITY MESSAGING ABOUT PROJECT CONNECT, TUNNEL COSTS AND OTHER COSTS, ESCALATIONS AND COMPLICATIONS.

I ALLUDED TO THAT.

SO MORE TRANSPARENCY ON THAT, AND WE'LL BE WORKING AS I SAID WITH STAFF ON THAT.

UM, AND THEN, UM, LASTLY, THE REQUEST FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM RSM TO PROVIDE CAPITAL METRO SINGLE AUDIT REPORT DELIVERABLES FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

AND I THINK GOING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING THE CADENCE OF THE FDR MEETING FROM QUARTERLY TO EVERY TWO MONTHS RIGHT NOW, GIVEN THAT WE'RE GOING MORE INTO THE PROGRAM THAT IS MORE FOR US TO BE TALKING ABOUT.

AND I THINK WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE INDIVIDUALS WE HAVE ON THE FAR COMMITTEE WITH THE EXPERTISE THAT THEY HAVE.

AND I THINK THEY CAN SOME GOOD GUIDANCE FOR STAFF AND THE BOARD.

SO IT'S GOOD MEETING.

THANKS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR MEMBER ELKINS QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE AND, UM, ALLOWING ME TO BE PART OF YOUR MEETING.

THAT'S FINE.

I FORGOT.

WE HAD A DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND OUR CHAIR.

NO, NO, IT WAS FUN BECAUSE I WANTED TO, JUST IN CASE THERE WERE QUESTIONS WITH A COUPLE OF YOUR CORRIDORS SINCE THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN DRIVERS OF COST AT THIS POINT.

AND SINCE OUR TEAM HAD ALREADY HAD AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION, I OFFERED IF I COULD ATTEND HIS MEETING JUST IN CASE THERE WERE OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU.

AND I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.

TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT.

UM, SO NOW MOVING ON

[3. Executive Director Report]

SO MR. ALLIE, FIRST OFF, WELCOME TO BE JOINING US.

I'M PROUD TO BE SHARING THIS TABLE AND THIS NICE WITH YOU.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND GUIDING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS MOVING FORWARD.

BRING, UH, JUST FORWARD THE IDEA THAT WE WANTED TO CREATE MORE OF A DIALOGUE IN THIS MEETINGS TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GO AWAY FROM A PODIUM PERCENTER, BUT JUST ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE YOU GUYS ARE PUBLIC.

AND, UM, SO I ALSO WANT TO, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO YOU, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW,

[00:10:01]

WE WANTED IT TO BE ABLE TO, UH, JUST BE ABLE TO CONVERSE MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING FORWARD.

SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE WELCOME ANY OTHER IDEAS FROM THE BOARD ALSO ON HOW WE CAN DO THINGS BETTER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO I THINK GREAT, WELL BOARD CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT INTRODUCTION.

AND IT'S A PERFECT SEGUE INTO SOME OF THE TOPICS I WANT TO JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, AND REALLY TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE TRANSITION, UM, THAT IS UNDERWAY AND REALLY USE IT AS THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR DIALOGUE, NOT JUST TODAY, BUT ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

UM, WITH TRUSTED EXPERTISE.

AND, AND I REALLY DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS THOUGHT ABOUT HOW WE COULD JUST CONVENE TOGETHER.

CAUSE I THINK THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHO WE ARE, IS THE IDEA OF CONVENING WITH, UH, EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO, UM, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE TRANSITION WORK THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY AND IT STARTS WITH, UM, SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE OVERALL KIND OF PROGRAM AND RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

UM, WE STARTED FIRST AND FOREMOST WITH OUR JUST FANTASTIC TEAM THAT WE HAVE AT ATP, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD OVER THIS LAST YEAR AND REALLY GOING THROUGH AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS WITH THEM, KIND OF A PULSE CHECK, HOW THINGS ARE, HOW THINGS ARE GOING, BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM IS ROOTED IN THE SUCCESS OF OUR TEAM AND OUR STAFFS AND REALLY WHAT THAT ASSESSMENT IS BASED IN ISRAELI, THE VALUES OF WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU AS A BOARD OVER THESE, OVER THESE NOW 14, 15 MONTHS, WHICH IS THAT IDEA OF TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION.

THEY REALLY ARE ROOTED IN WHO WE ARE, WHO WE ARE.

UM, AND THAT COLLABORATION, I THINK WE SEE IT SITTING HERE ON THE DIAS.

WE HAVE THE CITY HERE, WE HAVE CAP METRO HERE, AND IT REALLY IS PART OF OUR EMERGING DNA OF WHO WE ARE.

UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THAT.

UM, AS A COMMUNITY CORPORATION, WE KNOW THAT IDEA OF TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION IS REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE TALK TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THEM ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

WE ALSO JUST HAD SOME TASKS TO DO IN THE HERE AND NOW THE THIRD WEEK AS I HAVE STEPPED IN TO THIS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROLE ON THE INTERIM FOR THIS INTERIM TERM, UM, I'VE ASKED DIANE SEILER, OUR BUDGET DIRECTOR TO STEP UP INTO THE INTERIM CFO ROLE.

WE AS A REALLY CRITICAL FUNCTION, SHE HAS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE AND ALL THINGS, FINANCE AND ETHIC, HER CALMNESS AND ABILITY TO WORK WITH MANY, MANY PEOPLE WILL BE VERY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION ON THE OTHER THING, AS WE LOOKED AT THE PROGRAM WORK, UM, WE HAVE LAUNCHED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AS YOU KNOW, AS TONY MENTIONED, UH, SORRY, AS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS MENTIONED, WE'VE HAD A, THE COST ESTIMATES ARE GOING ON TO 15%, WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS 30%.

YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, AS A BEST PRACTICE ENTER REQUIREMENT, ATP HAS ALSO LAUNCHED AN INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATE PROCESS THAT JEN PINE WILL BE LEADING FOR US.

AND THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT'LL BE CURRENT GOING CONCURRENTLY THROUGH THE 30% DESIGN PROCESS.

WE THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT EFFORT AND AGAIN, A REQUIREMENT AND A BEST PRACTICE AS WELL.

UM, ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'VE BEGUN FOCUSING ON IS THE NEED COMMUNICATIONS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

AGAIN, MENTIONED OUR WEBSITE.

WE'VE STARTED BRINGING ON SOME COMMUNICATION RESOURCES.

UM, SO WE CAN BEGIN THE DIALOGUE WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT ATP, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE ULTIMATELY, UM, LOOKING AT OUR WEBSITE AMONG OTHER WAYS OF COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC HERE, UM, OVER THE, OVER THE UPCOMING MONTHS.

BUT CERTAINLY IT'S AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR US.

AND WE KNOW WE'VE HEARD THAT FROM THE BOARD, UM, NOT ONLY OVER THE LAST, UM, BOARD MEETINGS AS WELL.

UH, AND THEN WHAT'S BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME, UM, TO DO IN THESE KIND OF EARLY DAYS IS FOR ME TO BE OUT LISTENING AS WELL.

UM, LISTENING TO NOT ONLY THE BOARD MEMBERS, BUT OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO GET THEIR PULSE CHECK ON THIS AS WELL ON WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION, WHERE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, JUST AGAIN, MORE COLLABORATION AND CONVENING.

SO I'VE STARTED THAT WORK.

IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE ONGOING WORK THAT I DO.

I VIEW THAT AS PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY ON YOUR BEHALF, UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL AND VALUABLE TO DO THAT, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY SO FAR.

UM, I THINK IN A LOOK AHEAD, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS I THINK WE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON THESE IN THE UPCOMING AGENDAS.

I THINK YOU COULD EXPECT IN JUNE TO HAVE MAYBE A DEEPER DIVE ABOUT SOME OF OUR PROCESS AND PROCEDURES WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, THINGS WE NEED TO DO AS A, AS A CORPORATION.

UM, AND THEN I THINK TALKING ABOUT THE IDEA, UM, CLEARLY WE HAVE A MISSION.

WE KNOW WHAT OUR MISSION IS, IS TO DELIVER FOR THE VOTERS.

UM, BUT WE WANT TO BEGIN THAT WORK ON A STRATEGIC PLAN, OUR KPIS, UM, AND ALSO UNDERSTANDING UNDERNEATH ALL OF THAT, OUR VALUES.

I MENTIONED OUR VALUES OF, OF COLLABORATION AND TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY, BUT WE KNOW THERE'S OTHERS THAT WE WANT TO WORK ON.

UM, THERE'S ACCOUNTABILITY REPRESENTING, UM, BEING OUT THERE, FULFILLING THE OBLIGATION TO THE VOTERS,

[00:15:01]

SO IT'S KIND OF A LIVING LIST OF VALUES THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WE DEVELOP THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ATP AND THESE UPCOMING MONTHS.

AND I THINK WE'LL HAVE MORE ABOUT THAT COMING FORWARD.

SO, UH, JUST SKIPPING IT, HEAD TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, BOARD CHAIRS, YOU MENTIONED THIS IDEA OF HOW WE MEET AND HOW YOU MEET AS A BOARD IS, IS REALLY CRITICAL.

AND AGAIN, I THINK WE SHOULD STOP AND EVEN HOW WE SET UP TODAY, SO WE CAN FOSTER DIALOGUE AMONGST YOURSELVES, OUR STAFFS FROM ALL THE AGENCIES, UM, AND OUR PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO WE'RE REALLY WHAT TODAY REALLY JUST KICKING OFF A CONVERSATION.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO FINISH IT, BUT START IT IS THAT IDEA OF THE INSIGHTS AROUND THAT FOR YOU.

UM, SO WE'VE JUST LAUNCHED SOME, JUST SOME KIND OF QUESTIONS OR THOUGHT BUBBLES AROUND THE IDEA OF STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS, UM, YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND YOUR PRIORITIES, UM, THE CADENCE AND FORMAT OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STAFF AND THE COMMUNITY AND STAFF AND THE BOARD, UM, AND JUST OTHER FEEDBACKS AND SUGGESTIONS.

SO REALLY JUST DIDN'T WANT TO OVER COOK THIS CONVERSATION, BUT LET IT, UM, SEE IF THERE'S ANY THOUGHTS AND INITIAL THOUGHTS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE ON, UH, AROUND THIS TOPIC.

SO YES, ANYONE WANTS TO JUMP IN AND I KNOW WE'RE ALSO WAITING FOR BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, WHO'S RUNNING A LITTLE LATE AND, UM, AND DR.

BURNETT, I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY BECAUSE SHE SUCKS ACCEPTING HER POSITION IN INDIANAPOLIS.

SO SHE ASKED TO SEND HER REGRETS FOR NOT BEING HERE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO OPEN IT UP.

YOU GUYS HAVE A ON BEGINNING START OF HOW I WANT TO SEE THIS MEETING SET UP TO BE MORE OF A CONVERSATION.

AND, UM, SO PLEASE SEND ME ANY OTHER IDEAS OF HOW YOU GUYS ENVISION OUR MEETINGS, OUR CADENCE, OR YOU SEND ME SOME GREAT IDEAS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS THAT I WANT TO, UM, I'VE GOT A FEW THOUGHTS AND I THINK I'M FAMILIAR WITH PRIVATE BOARDS, RIGHT? THE ENTITY THAT I WORKED FOR, WE HAVE A HUNDRED PRIVATE BOARDS, RIGHT? SO I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULD TAKE EVERYTHING WE DO IN A PRIVATE BOARD AND PUT IT IN A KIND OF QUASI PUBLIC, PRIVATE BOARD, BUT I THINK THERE'S BEST PRACTICES THAT COULD CARRY OVER.

SO I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS WE HAVE A LOT OF REPORTS AND IT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE VARIOUS REPORTS.

I GUESS WHAT I DO IS LET'S START OFF WITH A CLEAN PIECE OF PAPER.

WHAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT WE AS A BOARD AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE GETTING AND HOW FREQUENTLY SHOULD BE PROVIDING THAT.

AND THAT MIGHT DRIVE THE TYPES OF REPORTS THAT ARE BEING GENERATED, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF REDUNDANCY.

THERE'S MAYBE INFORMATION IN SOME OF THEIR REPORTS THAT SHOULD BE THERE, BUT ISN'T THERE.

UM, AND MAYBE THERE'S STUFF THAT'S DUPLICATED, THERE'S CERTAIN REPORTS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A WORLD, A WELL-WORTH EXERCISE.

AND I THINK THE OTHER THING WITH RESPECT TO THE MEETINGS IS WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD WE BE GETTING EVERY MONTH? WHAT SHOULD WE BE GETTING EVERY QUARTER? SO I, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALL HEARD ME SAY THIS A LOT, BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK A RISK REGISTER AS ELKINS, AGAIN, TALK ABOUT RISK REGISTER, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THE BOARD AT KEY, MAJOR RISKS, NOT EVERY RISK, RIGHT.

STAFF, STAFF SHOULD BE DOING THAT.

I THINK YOU AND I, EVERYTHING RESONATES REALLY WELL WITH ME WITH WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, BECAUSE I I'VE MENTIONED ALSO IN THE PAST THAT AS WE LOOK AT RISKS, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LIVING DOCUMENT.

SO STAFF SHOULD BE LOOKING AT 50 RISKS, RIGHT.

BUT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE TOP EIGHT OR NINE OR 10 RISKS, RIGHT? HOW ARE WE DOING AGAINST THOSE? WHAT ARE THE MITIGANTS, THOSE THINGS, UM, AND, AND OTHER THINGS AS WE GET FURTHER IN THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, HEALTH AND SAFETY, SUSTAINABILITY, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO BE SEEING ON A REGULAR BASIS REPORTS ON, AND AS WE HOPEFULLY MOVE TO MORE OF A DIALOGUE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ISSUES, CAUSE I SEE BOARDS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE BOARD TO WEIGH IN AND HELP STAFF NAVIGATE AND PROVIDE DIRECTION.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE, AND I MADE A COMMENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO IS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO BE PRESENTED SOMETHING THAT'S FULLY BAKED WITH A RIBBON ON IT.

WE SHOULD BE PRESENTED WITH SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE SOME BOOKENDS OF THE SUBSTANCE AND IT MAY BE 50% BAKED.

AND WE GO TO THE BOARD AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE AN ISSUE HERE.

WE'VE DONE SOME ANALYSIS.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT A RISK HERE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE NAVIGATE THAT VERSUS IT'S ALL BUTTONED UP.

AND THERE'S REALLY NO DECISION FOR THE BOARD TO TAKE BECAUSE EVERYTHING'S BEEN DECIDED.

SO AS WE MOVE TOWARDS THAT, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.

SO JUST THOUGHTS THAT COME TO MY MIND,

[00:20:01]

SO DOTTIE COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.

AND NOT JUST ON A FINANCE LEVEL, WE HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU LIKE THE OUTFIT.

UM, SO JUST TO CATCH YOU UP BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WE'RE ON SLIDE SEVEN, TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF OUR BOARD MEETINGS OR ANY ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES, UH, IDEAS.

THIS IS A DIALOGUE OF HOW WE WANT TO SEE THIS MOVING FORWARD.

UM, BUT REALLY WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF RISK IS SO THINKING ABOUT IT AS A LIVING DOCUMENT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RISKS THAT ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE BOBBING.

AND WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS THAT WE DON'T WANT SURPRISES.

WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE ALONG TO COME WITH US ON THIS JOURNEY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING INFORMED AND KEPT UP TO DATE.

AND THAT WE HAVE THOSE MITIGANTS IN A WAY THAT REALLY RESONATE WITH OUR FINANCES, WITH OUR DELIVERY OF OUR VALUES, DELIVER OF THIS SYSTEM.

AND I ALSO REALLY LIKE THE, THE IDEA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REPORTS HAVE A DEPOSITORY, LIKE WHERE DID THESE DOCUMENTS ALWAYS LIVE AND ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE? SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DIG THROUGH LONG AGENDAS WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.

SO WE HAVE THEM EASILY AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

AND THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT OUR PARTNERS WITH THE CAC HAVE MENTIONED IN THE PAST THAT THEY LIKED VERY MUCH HOW THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT ARE RECORDED.

THERE'S A LIBRARY OF ALL THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS ARE LIVE AT THE PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE, BUT HOW DO WE KEEP PERHAPS ALL THOSE REPORTS WITHIN THAT SAME DEPOSITORY SO THEY CAN EASILY ACCESS THAT DATA QUICKLY.

SO WITH THIS PROJECT CONNECT WEBSITE CAN BE REALLY ROBUST, VERY PRACTICAL, VERY USEFUL, AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.

AND DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS FROM STAFF AS STUFF COMES FORWARD, FEEL FREE TO JOIN AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE IDEAS TOO.

UM, I WAS, UH, PUT ON THE BOARD BY JOE LONG, UM, WHEN THAT WAS A $135 MILLION PROJECT, UH, AT A TIME WHEN THEY WERE JUST COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE FACT THAT THERE WASN'T A $135 MILLION TO SPEND ON THE LUNG CENTER.

I'M SORRY, JUST TO ADD IN A LITTLE BIT, UM, I LIKE THE SEATING ARRANGEMENT THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE ONE ANOTHER.

I, UM, I APPRECIATE DOTTIE IS THE DEPUTY'S SITTING IN, SO WE HAVE ALL THREE STAFFS, YOU KNOW, HERE AT THE TABLE.

UH, I THINK THAT'S, UH, THE, THE DISCUSSIONS I THINK ARE IMPORTANT, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME MEASURE OF REPORTING THAT HAPPENS AT THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE A PUBLIC RECORD FOR THINGS.

AND SOME PEOPLE COME TO THESE MEETINGS IN ORDER TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE WRITTEN DOCUMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE AGENDA AND, UH, THE PUBLIC, IF THEY KNOW THAT IT'S THERE CAN, CAN REFER TO THEM.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE PRESENTATIONS JUST TO BRING INFORMATION BEFORE THE PUBLIC SO LONG AS WE'RE IDENTIFYING IT AND SHOWING WHERE IT CAN BE REAL READILY ACCESSIBLE.

UH, I LIKE, UH, UH, ASKING OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO TAKE A PEEK AT IT BEFORE THEY COME SO THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO BE NECESSARILY BRIEFED HERE, BUT THEY CAN COME WITH QUESTIONS.

UH, CAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT AND BEST USE OF EVERYONE'S TIME.

I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF, OF, OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE TOUGH QUESTIONS OR CHALLENGES AND ELEVATING THEM TO, TO THE BOARD, IF WE CAN HELP THINK THROUGH THEM OR TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE TOUGH QUESTIONS, BUT DOING IT IN AN HONEST WAY WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT SET UP WORK ASSIGNMENTS.

I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY LEGITIMATE CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH, WITH A LOT OF THOSE.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE TOOK A REAL GOOD STEP TOWARD THAT.

AND THE LAST TRI-PARTY MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT LET'S ELEVATE THE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE'RE NOT HEARING THE, THE, THE COST INCREASES, UH, WHICH BEST AS I CAN TELL FROM, FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE I KNOW IN THE DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY HAVE NOT ABATED SINCE THE LAST TIME WE GAVE COSTS NUMBERS.

SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CONTINUES TO, UH, CONTINUES TO INCREASE.

UH, BUT ALSO HAVING THOSE, YOU KNOW, 12 OR 14 TOUGH DESIGN ISSUES AS THOSE ARE GETTING ELEVATED.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD YET, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF, UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'M MOST PROUD OF IN THIS COMMUNITY IS THE LONG CENTER, WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT FACILITY AND IT SERVED THE COMMUNITY REALLY, REALLY WELL.

[00:25:02]

SO, UH, I THINK I WAS BROUGHT ON THE BOARD TO HELP IT BE PART OF A BOARD THAT WAS GOING THROUGH A VALUE ENGINEERING PROJECT.

HOW DO YOU STILL DELIVER THIS? BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE WERE TOLD, HAD NEEDED TO BE $65 MILLION, WHICH IS A HUGE CHANGE TO MAKE.

WE DIDN'T QUITE HIT 65, BUT I THINK HE CAME IN AT 75 AND IT'S A GREAT THING.

AND IT'S MET ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING CHOICES.

I HAVEN'T HEARD YET IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, IF THERE ARE PARALLEL, UH, VALUE ENGINEERING THINGS THAT, THAT WE SHOULD OR MIGHT BE CONSIDERING.

BUT I WOULD IMAGINING ON OUR TIMEFRAME THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER THOSE SIGNS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE WE DO 30% DRAWINGS.

SINCE 30% DRAWINGS ARE ANTICIPATED TO COME BACK IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER.

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING HONEST CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE TRI-PARTY LEVEL ABOUT DESIGN CHOICES, COST APPLICATIONS, AND VALUE ENGINEERING ELEMENTS LIKE IN AUGUST, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THREE MONTHS.

SO THE SOONER I'M SURE SOMEBODY IS THINKING ABOUT THAT KIND OF THING.

UM, THE SOONER WE START ELEVATING THOSE KINDS OF CONCEPTS AND SOCIALIZING THEM SO THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY CAN BE THINKING ABOUT THEM.

SO THEY'RE JUST NOT PRESENTED IN NEW, UH, IN AUGUST WOULD BE HELPFUL.

UH, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT AS, AS, UH, UH, TONY, I THINK WAS SAYING, IF THEY'RE NOT ALL HAMMERED OUT AT THAT POINT, JUST TO START INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF, OF VALUE ENGINEERING, I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD THING, BUT ON THE DESIGN SOLUTION TO THE COSTS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MEET, UH, A PRETTY QUICK TIME SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE A PHENOMENAL STAFF THAT I THINK IS UP TO, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT'S REALLY ENGAGED IN THIS, YOU KNOW, TO SET THIS UP SO THAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO TAKE BEST ADVANTAGE OF ALL OF THE COLLECTIVE BINDS.

UH, SO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE MAKE PERFECT SENSE TO ME.

SO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE WITH, YEAH, I THINK THE NEXT, UM, BEFORE YOU INTRODUCED THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS GOING INTO, I THINK THAT WAS THE LAST SLIDE WE HAD ONE JUST AS A BACKUP, BUT I THINK WE CAN GET NOW INTO THE NEXT SECTION, WHICH IS THE PROGRAM UPDATES.

[4.1. Community Engagement and Involvement Update]

UM, AND I KNOW YOU HAD AN INTRODUCTION, BUT I THINK THIS WAS EVEN A WAY ON THE PROGRAM UPDATES.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

I THINK MAYOR THAT PROBABLY HOPEFULLY RESONATES WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID, WHICH IS WE HAVE A, THERE'S A BUNCH OF INFORMATION, SOME SLIDES IN HERE, BUT LET'S JUST BRING STAFF UP AND HAVE A CHAT ABOUT IT VERSUS GOING OVER THE SLIDES.

ME, I THINK THERE'S ONE OR TWO HIGHLIGHTS THAT JACKIE NUREMBERG WANTS TO MAKE THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS.

AND THEN AGAIN, OPENED UP FOR CONVERSATION.

AND I'LL JUST SAY TO THE EXTENT YOU GUYS WANT CHLOE TO ADVANCE THE SLIDES TO SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEN JUST SAY SO, AND WE'LL, WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

TO, TO THE BLUE LINE FROM THE BRIDGE.

WE MIGHT AS WELL PUT THE, UH, EVENTS THAT WE'VE HAD THE LAST MONTH ON THE SCREEN.

THERE WE GO.

UH, SO GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

NICE TO SIT AT THE TABLE WITH YOU, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CONVERSATION.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY WONDERFUL AND WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

UM, AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE HOW MUCH INVOLVEMENT THERE IS ON OUR, ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND INTEREST IN MAKING SURE WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THE COMMUNITY.

UM, WE, UH, HAVE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS TO SHARE BASED ON SOME OF THE, UM, OUTREACH WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST MONTH, UM, REGARDING OUR BLUE LINE BRIDGE WORKING GROUP MEETING, WHICH TOOK PLACE ON APRIL 26, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, UH, OF THE RESPONSES WE HEARD, WE LOOKED AT TWO OPTIONS, UM, TWO DESIGN OPTIONS AND PETER JUMP IN.

IF I MISSPEAK ON ANY OF THIS, UM, OPTION A WAS, UH, WITHOUT BUSES ON THE BRIDGE AND OPTION B WAS WITH BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.

AND SO IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS POSITIVE THAT PEOPLE WERE GIVING US ON OPTION A, UM, THE USING LESS SPACE, UH, BIKE AND PAD FACILITIES THAT WERE SHOWN IN THAT OPTION, UM, LOWER COST, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING AND BRINGING UP TO THE PUBLIC THAT EACH OF THESE OPTIONS DO HAVE COST DIFFERENTIAL.

SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC.

THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

UM, CONNECTIONS TO THE TRAIL, UH, INCENTIVIZING THE USE OF THE LIGHT RAIL WAS ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP AS A POSITIVE FOR, FOR OPTION A FOR CONCERNS.

WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, UH, THE LACK OF BUS ACCESS AND MEETING THAT PARALLEL, THAT EQUITABLE ACCESS, UH, USING THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, THAT THE MAC STATION WAS TOO FAR FROM, UH, ACCESS TO THE FIRST POINT OF ACCESS

[00:30:01]

UM, THE POSSIBLE IMPACT ON, UH, TRAVEL TIMES FOR THE BUSES WAS SOMETHING THAT CAME UP AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CONFLICTS WITHIN THE SAME, USING THE SAME FACILITY, SOMETHING THAT CAME UP AND THAT COMES UP A LOT, UH, THIS, THIS IDEA OF CONFLICT BETWEEN BIKE AND PAD, AS MUCH AS IT COMES UP BETWEEN VEHICULAR TRAFFIC OR BUS TRAFFIC AND TRAIN TRAFFIC AND BIKING PAD, UM, FOR OPTION B, WHAT WE HEARD ON THE POSITIVE SIDE WAS THAT IT WAS MORE EQUITABLE, UM, MORE ACCESSIBLE, PROVIDED MORE CAPACITY FOR MOVING PEOPLE.

UM, AND IT WAS A MULTIMODAL OPTION.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY LIKED THAT.

UM, IN TERMS OF CONCERNS OR DOWNSIDES MORE EXPENSIVE, UH, THERE WERE SAFETY CONCERNS ADDING THE BUSES ADDS MORE CONFLICT, UH, POSSIBLE CONGESTION CAUSED BY THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER MODE ON THE BUS AND DUPLICATIVE SERVICE.

SO THOSE WERE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THAT MEETING.

AND THEN THE OTHER MEETING WE HAD, UM, ON MAY THE THIRD WAS FOR THE NORTH LINE.

THIS IS THE NORTHERN SECTION, UH, OF THE ORANGE LINE THAT IS, UH, NORTH OF THE INITIAL INVESTMENT.

UM, THAT IS THE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM MAP, THAT IS THE DOTTED LINE FROM THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER TO THE TECH BRIDGE, UH, TERMINUS.

UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS KIND OF A DIFFICULT MEETING TO PROMOTE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WAY IN THE FUTURE.

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE CLEARING THIS SECTION ENVIRONMENTALLY SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE CAN DEVELOP IT AS A LIGHT RAIL SERVICE.

UM, AND SO WE DID THE BEST WE COULD TO TRY TO DRUM UP PARTICIPATION BECAUSE WE NEED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN ORDER TO PUT THIS THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS.

UH, SO WE DID A LOT OF BLOCK WALKING.

WE DID A MAILER OF POSTCARDS EVERY DOOR IN THE AREA.

UM, AND IN THE END WE ACTUALLY GOT A PRETTY DECENT ATTENDANCE AT THAT 1 38.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A LOT, BUT WHEN WE DID THE SOUTH LINE, I THINK WE HAD 14 AND IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT TANGIBLE YET FOR THEM.

HOWEVER, WE DID GET A LOT OF REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK THAT THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE HEARD WAS WE WANT RAIL FASTER.

SO THEY, THEY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS COME TO THEIR AREA NATURALLY.

UM, AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE RAIL SERVICE THERE.

UM, WE DID GET SOME CONCERNS ABOUT BIKE AND SAFE, UH, BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AGAIN, AND CONFLICTS WITH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

UM, SOME CONCERN THAT THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER MIGHT NOT BE AS, AS CONVENIENT AS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT INTO THE ORANGE LINE AS SOME OTHER PLACES FURTHER NORTH.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS ALSO TIED IN WITH THEIR DESIRE TO HAVE THAT ACCESS TO THE SERVICE.

UM, THERE WAS SOME CON CONCERNS ABOUT REDUCING BUS SERVICE, IF WE DO DEVELOP THE RAIL SERVICE THERE.

UM, AND WE ACTUALLY HAD ROBERTO GONZALEZ FROM, UH, CAPITAL METRO THERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT BUS SERVICES AND REASSURED THEM THAT, UM, THE 8 0 1 AND THE ONE IN PARTICULAR FOR NOW ARE GOING TO REMAIN THE SAME.

AND ONCE THE RAIL LINE GETS GOING, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT SECTION OF THE ORANGE LINE THAT'S GOING TO BE DEVELOPED LATER WOULD GET ACTUALLY MORE FREQUENT SERVICE ON THE 8 0 1.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF, UM, POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.

UM, WE GOT CRUSHED QUESTIONS ABOUT RIGHT OF WAY IMPACTS, IMPACTS ON SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO THEY'RE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS WAY INTO THE FUTURE, WHICH WAS REALLY GOOD TO HEAR.

UM, AND THEN PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER WAS A BIG CONCERN, AGAIN, A SAFETY CONCERN.

SO, YOU KNOW, HOPING TO GET A, SOME KIND OF PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK WITH A BEACON THAT WOULD GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER BY FOOT.

AND SO THOSE WERE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NORTH LINE.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAD A MEETING ON THE 10TH OF MAY, UM, FOR THE COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

AGAIN, IT KIND OF A DIFFICULT MEETING TO PROMOTE BECAUSE WHAT IS A COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE AGAIN DID A LOT OF BLOCK WALKING, DID A LOT OF OUTREACH TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, UM, SENT OUT A POSTCARD AND WE HAD A WONDERFUL ATTENDANCE AT THAT MEETING.

UM, A LOT OF GREAT ENGAGEMENT, UH, MARKETO PRESENTED, UM, THE, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FACILITY AND SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR LOCATING THIS FACILITY.

WE WERE COMING OFF OF THE HEELS OF A, UH, KIND OF A CONTENTIOUS MEETING THAT THE AIRPORT HAD HAD ABOUT A FACILITY THEY WANT TO DEVELOP.

SO WE WERE VERY CONSCIOUS ABOUT COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT PLACING A FACILITY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

UM, AND WE'RE REALLY ANXIOUS TO HEAR WHAT THOSE CONCERNS WERE.

UM, MAJOR CONCERNS WERE NOISE LEVEL, AIR POLLUTION, POSSIBLE, LIGHT POLLUTION AT NIGHT.

UM, BUT THEN WE STARTED TO HEAR ABOUT ASPIRATIONS FOR WHAT THIS FACILITY COULD MEAN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH WAS SUPER EXCITING.

SO WE WERE HEARING, UM, COULD WE DO EDUCATIONAL

[00:35:01]

TOURS FOR OUR STUDENTS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES ONSITE? UM, WE TALKED ABOUT OFFERING COMMUNITY SPACE FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS, AND YOU COULD JUST SEE THAT THE CONVERSATION WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE, UH, POSITIVE AND ASPIRATIONAL.

SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE.

THIS WAS THE FIRST OF TWO MEETINGS ON THE COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, LOCATION SELECTION.

AND SO THE NEXT ONE MEETING TWO WILL BE ON JUNE 8TH.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAD OUR ADVISORY GROUPS.

UM, JUST ABSOLUTELY.

I KNOW LET'S, LET'S STOP RIGHT THERE.

AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS EACH ONE OF THESE OTHER ONES FIRST, IF ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL JUMP BACK TO THE ADVISORY GROUPS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS FOR, UM, JACKIE COMMENTS DIALOGUE? SO I WOULD JUST ADD ON THE, ON THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE MEETING, OBVIOUSLY REALLY STRONG ATTENDANCE, AS YOU CAN SEE.

AND I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF IT AS A WEEK, WE WENT INTO A MEETING WITH TWO OPTIONS, TWO LEGITIMATE OPTIONS, NO RECOMMENDATION SAY WE HAVE TWO LEGITIMATE OPTIONS.

I HAVE REALLY ROBUST DIALOGUE ABOUT THOSE OPTIONS.

AND WE GOT RIGHT THERE WERE, THERE WERE, THERE WAS FEEDBACK ON BOTH SIDES FOR BOTH.

AND SO I THINK IT WAS IN SOME WAYS IT WAS, IT WAS KIND OF A MODEL FOR HOW TO DO THIS.

AND THAT MEETING WAS REALLY IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK THAT WE HAD GOTTEN IN THE FALL, RIGHT? SO PEOPLE COULD START TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE CADENCE AND THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS DESIGN PROCESS.

LIKE YOU COME IN, YOU MAKE A PROPOSAL, YOU GET FEEDBACK, YOU COME BACK, YOU HAVE MORE DISCUSSION AND THAT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS GOING TO CONTINUE ON INTO THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK, UM, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE CONTENT, BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS AND HAVING THAT DIALOGUE, I THINK WAS, IT WAS A VERY POSITIVE ASPECT OF THAT MEETING.

I'M GLAD YOU JUMPED BACK TO THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE MEETING.

CAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE I WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT THAT.

SO WE'VE BEEN TRACKING OUR DEMOGRAPHIC PARTICIPATION, DATING BACK TO MARCH THE TRI-PARTY MEETING WHEN WE ESTABLISHED THE, THE SCHEDULE OF THESE 12 MEETINGS.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, AS ALWAYS, WE WISH WE COULD CONNECT MORE TO OUR PRIORITY COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES OF COLOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO CONNECT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE BUSY AND WE NEED TO GO TO THEM AND WE'RE STARTING TO DO MORE OF THAT, BUT THERE WAS A REALLY EXCITING THING THAT HAPPENED DURING THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE MEETING WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE IS A DOWNTOWN FEATURE.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BE THE CANDIDATE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WERE DOING, WE DO THESE MENTIMETER POLLS DURING THE MEETING TO KIND OF BREAK UP THE MONOTONY OF PEOPLE TALKING AT YOU, BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO GET PEOPLE'S FEEDBACK ON IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.

WE'VE ALSO CHANGED THE WAY WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS, WHICH I THINK HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE, UM, KIND OF MORE HIGH LEVELS SO THAT YOU CAN THEN JUST DISTILL FROM WHAT YOU HEAR IN TERMS OF PEOPLE'S VALUES, CONCERNS, ASPIRATIONS, AND APPLY THEM TO MORE SPECIFIC TECHNICAL, UM, DESIGN PROBLEMS. RIGHT.

UM, SO WE ALSO HAVE, WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE HAVE A FACEBOOK LIVE OPTION AND WE ADDED THAT FACEBOOK LIVE OPTION TO CAPTURE MORE PEOPLE WHO WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CONNECT WITH US ON ZOOM.

UM, AND FACEBOOK LIVE IS VERY POPULAR WITH THE SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY.

AS PART OF THAT, YOU ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MENTIMETER POLLING DURING THE MEETING LIVE.

AND WE DID ONE QUESTION THAT WAS OPEN-ENDED.

SO PEOPLE WERE TYPING IN ANSWERS IN THESE WORD, CLOUDS WERE POPPING UP WITH THEIR ANSWERS AND HERE COME THE SPANISH LANGUAGE ANSWERS.

AND MY COLLEAGUE JOCELYN VOLKS, AND I WERE JUST LIKE DOING A HAPPY DANCE.

WE WERE SO EXCITED.

IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING, BUT IT WAS A TURNING POINT.

IT REALLY WAS A TURNING POINT AND I GET GOOSEBUMPS JUST TALKING ABOUT IT.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, UH, REACHING THE FOLKS WHO REALLY WE NEED TO HEAR FROM THE MOST.

BUT I THINK WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRACK THOSE DEMOGRAPHIC, UH, DATA POINTS FOR YOU.

AND WHEN WE'RE FINISHED WITH THIS ENTIRE, UH, SERIES OF MEETINGS, WE'LL, WE'LL REPORT BACK ON WHAT WE'VE LEARNED.

AND, UM, WE'RE ALSO TAKING SOME STEPS TO ADDRESS HOW WE CAN BETTER CONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES.

UM, FACEBOOK LIVE IS ONE WHERE DISCUSSING A PARTNERSHIP WITH WINNIE VCR.

THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WORKING MORE WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE MORE TRUSTED WITH COMMUNITIES, SO THAT WE HAVE SOME CREDIBILITY WHEN WE GO TALK TO FOLKS AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY TRUST US, UM, WHICH IS A BIG BARRIER.

UM, AND WE'VE ALSO BROUGHT ON A NEW, UH, PART OF OUR TEAM, LAURA CORTEZ CONSULTING, DARK, DR.

CORTEZ IS RENOWNED FOR THE WORK SHE'S DONE IN COLONY PARK.

AND, UM, SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES FROM WHICH WE DON'T HEAR AS OFTEN AS WE'D LIKE, AND SHE'S GONNA HELP US WORK ON A STRATEGY.

WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE ETO D TEAM WHO ARE PILOTING A PROGRAM OF PAID COMMUNITY CONNECTORS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO

[00:40:02]

HELP US PASS ON THE MESSAGE, GET FEEDBACK FROM THEIR, FROM THEIR PEERS AND REALLY CREATE A FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK.

SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT IT WAS A WONDERFUL THING.

I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT MEETING BACK UP.

PETER GAVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU, JACKIE.

THANK YOU, PETER.

UH, I D I WASN'T TURNING THIS WAY, SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS FIRST, SECOND OR THIRD BOARD WAS STRAPPED IN, PLEASE.

MADAM CHAIR.

UH, JACKIE, I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS YOU'RE, WHEN Y'ALL WERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE, DID YOU ALL ALSO, AS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION, UH, LET FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY KNOW ABOUT WHAT THE OPTIONS WERE THAT CAP METRO WAS OFFERING IN TERMS OF, WITH THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY RELATED TO THE CHANGES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE COMING, AS IT RELATES TO THE, UH, BUS SERVICE ALONG THE, UM, RIGHT OUT HERE ALONG THE STROKE, THAT OUR STREET, THE FIRST STREET BRIDGE, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK DID Y'ALL RECEIVE AS IT RELATED SPECIFICALLY TO THAT? CAUSE I KNOW THAT, THAT, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, THAT WAS ONE OF THE POINTS IS THAT WE, IS IT MOST FOLKS WEREN'T AWARE THAT THOSE CHANGES WERE COMING BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, THEY AREN'T ON THE MAPS SINCE THE MAP REALLY FOCUSES MORE ON THE REALLY BIG TICKET ITEMS LIKE THE BLUE LINE.

I WOULD SAY THAT, I THINK THAT THE, UM, AGAIN, THINKING ABOUT BUS SERVICE PLANNING, GOING INTO THE FUTURE WHEN THE BLUE ENBRIDGE HAS AN OPERATION, RIGHT, IS WE'RE NOT THERE YET IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC ROUTES, ET CETERA.

I THINK THIS IS A CASE WHERE THE PUBLIC REALLY RECOGNIZES THERE'S THERE'S VALUE TO BOTH AND RIGHT.

THEY RECOGNIZE THEY ARE SUPPORTING, YOU KNOW, INCREASING OUR TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.

SO HAVING THIS CROSSING ON THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE IS A POSITIVE BECAUSE OF ROUTES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY TARGETED TO GO UP THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, IT OPENS UP A CORRIDOR, CONNECTING THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER TO THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND THOSE, THOSE, UH, CORRIDORS, UM, BUT ALSO SAY HAVING BETTER FLOW AND BETTER CAPACITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, WHERE WE CURRENTLY HAVE THAT VERY STRONG NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR ON LAVACA AND GUADALUPE IS ALSO POSITIVE.

IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR TO BOTH.

AND SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S OBVIOUSLY LOTS OF SUPPORT FOR JUST ENHANCING OUR CAPACITY OVERALL.

HAVE WE, UM, HAVE Y'ALL GOTTEN TO THE POINT YET OF, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT, ABOUT KIND OF TEASING OUT AND OFFERING PEOPLE, UM, WHAT THE COST ALTERNATIVES WOULD BE FROM ONE, ONE EXAMPLE TO ANOTHER, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN, WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE COSTS THERE, IT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE LIKE, OH YEAH, GREAT, SURE.

LET'S LET, LET'S, LET'S PUT A BUS ON THERE AND WHY NOT A GONDOLA, AS LONG AS WE'RE AT IT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY HAVE REAL LIFE CHOICES TO MAKE ABOUT WHAT COSTS ARE GOING TO BE, THEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

HOW ARE YOU ALL APPROACHING THAT NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF STARTED STEERING IT SORT OF IN THAT DIRECTION.

SO, SO IN EVERY TIME WHEN WE GO OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH THESE UPDATES AND YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR PACKET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THEM ALL, BUT WE BASICALLY HAVE THEM WEEKLY ON SPECIFIC SORT OF JUICY TOPICS.

SOME OF THEM COST IS A MATERIAL ISSUE.

SOME OF THEM IT'S NOT, BUT WITH THE BRIDGE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHENEVER IT IS A MATERIAL ISSUE, WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE REALLY CLEAR THAT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

AND WE NEED TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT IS.

SO FOR THE BRIDGE, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AGAIN, ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BRIDGE IN PARTICULAR, BUT WE THINK THAT THERE'S PROBABLY A $60 MILLION, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL COST IN 20, $22, UM, FOR, TO ADD THAT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR BUSES ON THE BRIDGE.

AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

AND WE GOT FEEDBACK ON THAT AND SOME FEEL LIKE, WOW, THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT.

AND SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE.

YOU KNOW, THAT YOU SAID $60 MILLION MIGHT BE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, ADDING THE COSTS THERE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WHOLE LOOK AT THOSE, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT INDIVIDUAL ITEM IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE, UM, BUT COMING UPCOMING MEETINGS, THAT'S, THAT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING IN LATE JUNE.

UM, AND THIS IS A LITTLE BIT RESPONSE TO WHAT THE MAYOR WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER IN LATE JUNE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING ABOUT THE SUBWAY, RIGHT.

AND UNDERSTAND A PART OF THAT IS LOOKING AT OPTIONS WHERE WE CAN TIGHTEN THAT UP UP AND POTENTIALLY MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE COST EFFICIENT.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR USERS AND OUR CUSTOMERS? RIGHT? SO THAT'S THAT IN A LOT OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS THAT IS A MATERIAL PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING.

WE NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE AND WE ARE, AND THEN ULTIMATELY YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THESE KIND OF MICRO, UH, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK MEETINGS AND KIND OF EXTRAPOLATE IT TO THE MACRO WHERE YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WITH THE BRIDGE FEEDBACK YOU LOOK AT, MAYBE,

[00:45:01]

BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TUNNEL, IT COULD BE A MAGNITUDE OF, YOU KNOW, 10 FOLD THE, OF THAT MUCH TO MAKE THE CHANGE, ANY KIND OF CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT BECAUSE OF THE TUNNEL YOU Y'ALL, AS STAFF ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THESE OPTIONS ARE.

AND THEN I'M ASSUMING THEN THAT, THAT, UH, AND, AND CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THEN, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THESE PIECES, PUT IT TOGETHER, AND THEN BRING BACK THE OPTIONS TO US AT THE NEXT TRI-PARTY MEETINGS, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, AND KIND OF, SORT OF FIGURING OUT NEXT STEPS TOWARDS THAT 30% DESIGN AND PUTTING A BOW ON THIS AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

I THINK YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHTED EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

I DON'T THINK WE KNOW YET HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

CAUSE WE HAVE TO DO IT IN A, I MEAN, WE HAVE TO DO IT, MAKE IT REALLY, IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION.

WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT CLEAR AND CONCISE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A REALLY ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT IT AND TALK ABOUT PRIORITIES AND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF THOSE PRIORITIES.

SO, UM, AGAIN, YES, BUT WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT'S GOING TO, HOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I THINK WHAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION WE'LL BE ABLE TO DISTILL IT DOWN.

I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT.

Y'ALL GOT US HERE THIS FAR.

UM, WE HAD TO MAKE SOME REALLY TOUGH CALLS, CAP METRO AND THE CITY TOGETHER, EVEN BEFORE THIS ORGANIZATION EXISTED TO DECIDE WHAT PROJECT CONNECT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND MAKING DECISIONS LIKE, DID WE WANT TO ADVANCE WITH BUS RAPID TRANSIT OR LIGHT RAIL IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD DIALOGUE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS ALL ACROSS THE, UH, THE CITY THAT GOT US TO THAT POINT OF DECIDING, YES, WE'RE MOVING THIS FORWARD.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE PROPOSITION AND YES, WE WANT IT TO BE LIGHT RAIL.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PUT THAT TOGETHER.

AND WE HAD TO MAKE SOME TOUGH CALLS.

UH, IT, IT, THAT IT, THOSE, YOU KNOW, BY PART, BY, BY PARTY MEETINGS BETWEEN CAP METRO AND THE CITY.

SO, UM, PERSONALLY I HAVE FAITH THAT Y'ALL TOGETHER WORKING WITH THAT ATP STAFF, WORKING WITH CAP, METRO AND CITY STAFF, WE'LL WORK THROUGH THESE THINGS THROUGH THAT INNOVATIVE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE TO BRING FORTH SOME REALLY GOOD PROPOSALS FOR ALL THREE OF US TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER AT A PUBLIC MEETING AND REALLY WORK THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE BEST DIRECTION FORWARD AFTER BRINGING TOGETHER ALL OF THAT PUBLIC FEEDBACK AND WEIGHING AGAINST WHAT THE COSTS ARE TO BRING FORWARD FOR US TO MAKE THOSE FINAL DECISIONS AS A TEAM.

I KNOW SO, UM, I ACTUALLY ATTENDED THAT MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, I REALLY HAVE TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON IT BECAUSE YOU REACHED SUCH A BROAD AUDIENCE THERE.

UM, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REACHING AN AUDIENCE, THAT WAS NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING, THAT WAS JUST ONE PART OF IT.

BUT YOU REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, WHEN YOU THINK YOU, YOU SURVEYED THEM AND SAY, WELL, HOW, HOW, UH, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ACTUALLY ON THE TRAIL OR, OR USE THE TRAIL? UM, SOME OF THEM IT'S IT'S ONCE A YEAR OR TWICE A YEAR, BUT THEY WERE SO KEENLY INTERESTED IN THIS COMPONENT OF PROJECT CONNECT.

SO IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THEIR FEEDBACK BECAUSE IT TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE SO INTERESTED IN WHAT PROJECT CONNECT MEANS TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT IT MEANS TO, TO THE CITY.

AND THIS, THIS PARTICULAR CONNECTION IS SO CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S SYMBOLIC, I THINK, OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER.

SO WHATEVER YOU DID TO REACH THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS MEETING, UH, KEEP IT UP BECAUSE IT'S WORKING.

UM, AND FOR THE OTHER MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU DID REACH A LOT OF PEOPLE EVEN WITH THE COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

AND IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT THEY ARE LISTENING.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS GREG TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FORMAT OF THESE MEETINGS, IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS USEFUL TO THE PUBLIC, THAT WE'RE NOT JUST PROVIDING THEM WITH INFORMATION, THAT IT'S ACTUALLY AN ENGAGEMENT, IT'S A DIALOGUE.

AND WE'RE HEARING BACK FROM THEM, WE'RE TAKING THAT INFORMATION.

AND WHEN WE GO BACK OUT FOR THE NEXT RULON BRIDGE MEETING IN JUNE, THEY'LL HEAR WHAT WE DID WITH THAT INFORMATION AND HOW WE PROCESSED IT AND HOW WE'RE REFLECTING IT BACK.

NOT ONLY THE PROCESS, BUT WHAT THE PROCESS IS, HOW DO WE GET TO THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OUT THERE LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, ADDING ON TO THE WORK THAT JACKIE AND HER TEAM ARE DOING.

OH YEAH.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK SOMETHING, PORT MEMBERS TRYING TO IT'S LIKE THE PERFECT COMMENT OF CONNECTING THESE KIND OF, WE WOULDN'T CALL THEM MICRO ISSUES.

RIGHT? CAUSE $60 MILLION IS NOT A MICRO ISSUE, BUT, UM, BUT, UH, BUT THESE, UH, AS AN ECONOMIST WOULD SAY MICRO VERSUS MACRO, BUT THIS, THESE PETER'S THESE JUICY TOPICS.

ONE OF THE, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ADD THE STAFFS ARE PROVIDING CONTEXT IN THE FRONT OF THIS TO SAY, WE ARE WORKING, THE OVERALL COSTS ARE CONSIDERED THE MEMOS OUT.

YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT NOW.

SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENING.

AND THEN COMING AWAY ON WHAT GINA JUST MENTIONED AS WE GO THROUGH THAT IN ESSENCE PRIORITY SETTING CONVERSATION, WHAT'S ALSO GOING TO BE REALLY MATTER IS

[00:50:01]

SO WE WANT TO BE VERY DELIBERATIVE AND FORMATIVE ABOUT THE PROCESS SO THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY WITH OUR BOARDS, BUT ALSO WITH THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK THAT'S THE WORK THAT PETER'S TALKING ABOUT.

WE'RE STILL, WE'RE STILL WORKING TO GET, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS, UM, THE RIGHT FEEL FOR, FOR AUSTIN.

SO IT'S THE, BUT I THINK IT WAS REALLY NECESSARY FOR YOU TO CONNECT THOSE TWO BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE WANTING TO DO THAT AS WELL.

AND WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP REMINDING PEOPLE THAT, SO MAYOR, I'VE HEARD REAL GOOD THINGS ABOUT THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE, JACKIE AS WELL.

UH, PETER, UM, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR US IF AT THE END OF THOSE MEETINGS, IT WAS JUST A ONE PAGE MEMO THAT CAME TO US THAT LET US KNOW WHAT THE MAIN ISSUES RAISED WERE OR WHAT THE SUMMARY WAS.

UM, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN 20 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY COMMUNITY, CAUSE THE ISSUE IS ELEVATED BY THE MEETING, BUT, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT TO RAISE THE CONCEPT OF ACTUALLY TEAMING WITH DEL VALLEY OR ACC TO HAVE A TRAINING PROGRAM THAT OPERATES, UH, IN THAT SITE, UH, WHICH I THINK IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA AND WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO INTERJECT THAT INTO THE CONVERSATIONS.

SO AT THE CONCLUSIONS OF THOSE MEANS IF WE JUST SEND SOMETHING OUT REALLY SHORT, REALLY QUICK, BUT KIND OF FOR BOARD MEMBERS, HEY, IF SOMEONE APPROACHES YOU ABOUT THIS MEETING, THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT HAPPENED AND THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO THAT.

WE HAD BUSES AND TRAINS, THAT THERE IS A LEVEL, SOME REDUNDANCY HELPS US.

GRAY DNS, OR NO, I REMEMBER US MAKING A COMMITMENT TO BOARD.

WELL IT'S BOARD MEMBER, KITCHEN AND COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN.

SHE SITS ON THE CAP METRO BOARD AS WELL, BUT THAT AT THE END OF THESE MEETINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS THE SALIENT POINT? WHAT WAS THE BOAT, THE EXCITEMENT FROM THE COMMUNITY OVER THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, SHE WANTED TO SEE THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH, RIGHT? SO THAT GOES TO YOUR MEMO.

THAT GOES TO WHAT SHE WAS ASKING FOR TO WRITE, TO DISCERN THAT INFORMATION.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CLOSE THOSE LOOPS.

WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MY HEART SKIPPED 10 BEATS WHEN I DID START SEEING THOSE WORDS IN SPANISH POP UP, THAT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL.

AND I NOTICED THAT BECAUSE ANOTHER THING THAT I NOTICED THAT WHAT YOU GUYS DID WAS THAT THE SPANISH TRANSLATION WAS NOT IN ANOTHER BACK ROOM, IN A WORK SESSION BEHIND THE SCENES, RIGHT? LIKE IN THE SPANISH CHANNEL, IT WAS HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WHICH I THINK IT WAS A REALLY, ALSO REALLY NICE WAY TO SHOW THE SIMULTANEOUS CONVERSATION THAT COULD HAPPEN IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.

SO I THINK THAT, THAT WAS ALSO VERY, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THAT STOOD OUT TO ME.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN I STARTED SEEING, POPPING UP IN THE MENTIMETER THE WORDS COME UP IN SPANISH.

SO, AND I EVEN TEXTED PETER I'M LIKE, I SEE, I SEE THE SPANISH, I SEE IT'S COMING UP.

SO THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

WONDERFUL TO SEE, BUT ULTIMATELY WHAT I, WHAT IT REALLY RESONATED TO ME IN THE FIRST, HOW QUICKLY YOU GUYS CAME WITH THAT STUDY THE FORMAT OF IT, YOU KNOW, YOU DO, THEY JUST DID IT IN A WAY THAT'S VERY TECHNICAL INFORMATION AND ALL THE LAYERS OF CONFLICT WITH THE TRAIL, THE BUSES, THE TRAIN, THE PORTAL COMING IN UNDERGROUND.

BUT WHAT REALLY RESONATED TO ME THAT WAS DONE REALLY WELL WAS THAT YOU PRESENTED IT IN THE HUMAN ASPECT THAT PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO, RIGHT.

EVEN TO THE LEVEL OF THE LANDSCAPE, THAT IT COULD HAVE A GREEN ROOF.

THAT IS NOT ONE OF THOSE VERY EXPENSIVE ITEMS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF A TRAIL, IN THE CONTEXT OF SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMUNITY APPRECIATES AND LOVES, WE HAD THIS GREEN ROOF AS PART OF THIS PORTAL, RIGHT.

AND ALL THOSE ELEMENTS TO ME REALLY RESONATE REALLY WELL, HOW YOU EVEN PRESENTING THIS INFORMATION TO THE VALUES OF AUSTIN AND THE OTHER PART THAT IT WAS A BIT CONFUSING, HOW I SAW THE, THE, IN ONE OF THE RENDERINGS, IT LOOKED LIKE THE MORE LIKE A BOARDWALK FOR THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS LOOK, IT GIVES RIGHT LEVEL WITH THE WATER AND PEOPLE WERE CONCERNED THAT YOU CAN CROSS UNDERNEATH IT, BUT IT WAS A RENDERING AGAIN, RIGHT.

PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO CROSS UNDERNEATH IT.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT PUBLICLY THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A RENDERING DOESN'T MEAN IT'S A FINAL DESIGN PRODUCT.

AND BECAUSE IT'S A RENDERING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ROOM FOR ELEVATION INTERPRETATION, BUT HAVING THAT FLOW TO CONNECT ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND UNDERNEATH IT IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THE TEAM BECAUSE I DID SEE A LEVEL OF STUDY, BUT TO DADDY'S POINT IN THAT PRESENTATION, THAT BACK TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, JACKIE, ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS IN REDUNDANCY, IF

[00:55:01]

AS YOU KNOW, IN CASE THERE'S A BREAKDOWN, RIGHT.

OF ONE OF THE OTHER CROSSING A BODY OF WATER, RIGHT.

IT BECOMES A, A PLUG ON THE FUNNEL THAT WE NEED TO BE ADDRESSING.

BUT THE WAY THAT I WAS SEEING THAT INTO YOUR ANSWER DOTTIE, WAS THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I HEARD AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

BUT THE WAY THAT CABINET WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE IS THE EAST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN WITH THIS LINE IN THE FUTURE.

IT JUST FUTUREPROOFS IT FOR WHAT YOU GUYS MAY NEED THAT I THOUGHT WAS NOT SO MUCH A REDUNDANCY OF THE SERVICE, BUT AN ABILITY TO GIVE YOU MORE OPENINGS, MORE, MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR YOU FOR YOUR OPERATIONS.

IS THAT WHAT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

THE, UM, THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE A KIND OF NORTH SOUTH CORRIDOR, AND PETER MENTIONED IT, UM, ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN TOWN, AS WELL AS THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN IS DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN EVERY CORNER, IN EVERY POCKET OF IT BEING ABLE TO HAVE A MORE EXTENSIVE TRANSIT NETWORK THROUGH THE CORE OF THE CITY IS, IS A HUGE BENEFIT.

AND I DO THINK IT'S NOT A MATTER OF, DO WE DO BLUE LINE BRIDGE OR DO WE DO SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE? RIGHT? LIKE THE, THE SERVICES THAT UTILIZE THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE NEED HELP NEED HELP.

TODAY.

WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WE'RE TO IMPLEMENT A SOLUTION ON THE SOUTH FIRST STREET BRIDGE TO GIVE BUSES SOME PRIORITY ACCESS THAT'S HAPPENING.

THIS IS A SEPARATE QUESTION.

AND I THINK REALLY HELPING THE COMMUNITY SEE THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING IT'S EITHER, OR YOU HAVE TO PAY IT.

WE'RE SAYING NO, NO, NO, IT'S A NETWORK.

AND HOW DO WE MAKE THE WHOLE NETWORK WORK BETTER? YOU REALLY DID A GOOD JOB IN EXPLAINING THAT DURING THAT MEETING, IN THAT THE SERVICE IN THE FUTURE, WHAT CAN HAPPEN HERE IS ALLOWING US THAT FLEXIBILITY.

SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE HAVING SOMETHING DOUBLE UP JUST FOR THE SENSE OF DOUBLING UP, RIGHT.

IT'S IT'S ALLOWING US MORE SERVICE.

SO JUST KUDOS TO THE GROUP.

I THINK ALSO JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO MAKE REALLY CLEAR IN THE MEETING, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION IS ABOUT THE SORT OF BUS VERSUS RAIL, RIGHT? LIKE IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A COMPETITION, RIGHT.

WHICH IS NOT HOW ANY OF US WHO WERE WORKING ON THE PROGRAM, SEE IT, RIGHT.

IT'S A NETWORK, ALL OF THESE COMPONENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE NETWORK AND THEY WORK TOGETHER.

AND SO I THINK FRAMING IT THAT WAY, I THINK HELPED TO KIND OF DIFFUSE SOME OF THAT, THAT ISSUE THAT WE HAD HEARD BEFORE.

AND SO, I MEAN, AGAIN, ALL THESE CONVERSATIONS HELP US SORT OF BUILD COMMON, SHARED UNDERSTANDING.

WELL, THANK YOU.

DO YOU REMEMBER THIS NOW? NO MORE QUESTIONS.

NO MORE.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

HAVE, AGAIN, SOME SLIDES IN HERE ON THE TECHNICAL UPDATE AND WHAT DON'T.

AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, WE

[4.2. Technical Program Update]

WE JUST WANT TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF GOING THROUGH ANY OF THE SLIDES AND OPPORTUNITY IF AS JAN AND JOHN COME UP, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM, AGAIN, IT KIND OF, AGAIN, MAYOR THICK IN THE SPIRIT OF YOU HAVE SLIDES, THERE'S BOTH TECHNICAL AND WE DID HAVE SOME, UH, SOME OF THE COSTS OR THE, THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM THE MEMO IS IN THERE AND THERE, JOHN AND JEN CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU AS YOU SEE FIT.

AND I KNOW, SORRY.

I WAS A LITTLE LATE ON MY COMEDY.

I WASN'T SURE WE FINISHED THE SLIDE I DID UPON COMMENT.

THIS WAS LOOKING AT PAGE THREE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LOOK AHEAD.

AND IT KIND OF GOT ME TO THINKING, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, GREG, FOR US TO HAVE A PROGRAM, LOOK AHEAD, UPDATE SIX MONTHS.

SO WHERE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT MAJOR PROCUREMENTS DO WE ENVISION FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? WHAT KEY DECISIONS? 30% COST ESTIMATES, UM, WHAT DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE BY THE THREE BODIES.

UM, AND THEN WE CAN SEE EVERY MONTH IF THOSE DATES CHANGE AND WE TALK ABOUT WHY THEY'VE CHANGED.

I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THIS, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE OVERALL PROGRAM.

SO I'M, I'M ACTUALLY, IN MY MIND, I'M THINKING OF FILING THE DRAFT EIS, WHAT DO WE NEED TO FILE THE DRAFT EIS? WE, WE GOTTA KNOW WHAT WE'RE KIND OF BUILDING, RIGHT? SO WE, WE, I KNOW A DRAFT EIS IS THE ULTIMATE, BUT WE NEED TO DECIDE ON WHAT WE CAN AFFORD BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO DO EVERYTHING RIGHT.

AND THOSE KEY DECISIONS, THOSE HARD DECISIONS AS THE MAYOR LIKES TO SAY, HAVE TO BE VETTED WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THEY HAVE TO BE VETTED BY THE THREE BOARDS.

SO WHEN DO WE ENVISION HAVING THAT AGREEMENT ON WHAT'S IN WHAT'S OUT OR WHAT'S OUT, THAT'S BEING PUSHED TO THE FUTURE, UM, AND HOW WE MESSAGE THAT TO IMMUNITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

CAUSE THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE WHEN WE FOLLOW THE DRAFT EIS.

SO HAVING ALL THOSE DATES EVERY MONTH, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.

I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT

[01:00:01]

FEEDBACK.

UM, AGAIN, SOME OF THAT ALSO TIES BACK TO THE REPORTS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY GETTING.

HOW DO WE BRING UP TO THE TOP AND DISTILL THOSE, WHETHER IT'S HERE OR A PROGRAM REPORT WE'RE PUTTING ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK AND WE NEED TO INCORPORATE THAT.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE IN THE PACKAGE MORE TO YOUR POINT, TONY, ABOUT THE, THE DRAFT EIS, WHICH I THINK IT'S ALSO WHAT WHAT'D YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO TOUCH ON.

SO YEAH.

I WOULD HIGHLIGHT THAT THE, UH, SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENT, UH, IS ANTICIPATED, UH, TO BE, UM, IN MAY OR JUNE AND THAT'S PER THE FTA.

SO NOW MOVING ON TO OUR TECHNICAL UPDATE.

SO WE HAVE, UH, MR. JOHN ROME AND JEN PINE.

SO SHE'S OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROJECT CONTROLS AND JOHN ROWAN IS OUR ATP DEPUTY PROGRAM OFFICER.

SO WELCOME, THANK YOU UP AND TO THE POINT THAT WAS MADE WHILE WE WILL WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN REGARD TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, THE TECHNICAL UPDATES AND HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING, UH, I GUIDE YOU TO, UH, WHAT WAS FIT TOGETHER FROM THE TRI-PARTY MEETING THAT WE ESTABLISHED THAT WALKS US THROUGH, UH, THIS SUMMER, THAT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON NOW THAT WERE TOUCHED ON THAT WERE THE MAY MAJOR DECISIONS, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS THAT LEAD TO, UH, COMPLETION OF THE 30% DESIGN, UH, FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES, THE, UM, SCENARIO PLANNING, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT WE BRING BACK TO YOU THIS SUMMER, UH, IT IS, IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND ON TRACK.

UH, IT WAS MENTIONED THE INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATES THAT ARE BEING PERFORMED.

THOSE ARE IN PROGRESS AND SO FORTH, THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINE, THE DRAFT 30% DESIGN COMMENTS ARE CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED, UH, AND DISPOSITION.

AND THE ORANGE LINE IS SCHEDULED, UH, FOR, UH, THIS WEEK TO BE COMPLETED.

THE BLUE LINE IS SCHEDULED TO BE SUBMITTED, UH, AS INDICATED IN THE REPORT IN MAY, ON, IN MAY, UH, MAY 27TH, UH, WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.

AND, AND SO WE'LL START TO, TO ACTUALLY WORK TOWARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, LINING EVERYTHING UP, UH, IN REGARD TO, UH, THE DIFFERENT, UH, COST, UH, DRIVERS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN MENTIONED.

UH, A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING THAT, UH, JACKIE AND PETER PRESENTED ON THE DESIGN TEAMS ARE WORKING ON AND PROGRESSING, AND WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE THAT TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT ENGINEERING AND PUT IT, UH, INTO A, A MAGICAL PLACE WHERE, UH, JACKIE AND THE TEAM CAN ACTUALLY PRESENT THAT TO THE COMMUNITY IN A WAY THAT IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE.

AND, AND, AND THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB, UH, ON, ON COMMUNICATING, UH, THAT TECHNICAL INFORMATION.

AND SO, UH, FOR, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT THEY TOUCHED ON THE LADY BIRD LAKE BRIDGE, UH, THE, THE CMF, THE COMBINED MAINTENANCE FACILITY, THOSE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD UTILITIES, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, A LOT OF PROGRESS.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE ON TARGET TO CONTINUE TO, UM, FINALIZE OUR 30%, UH, DESIGNED COMMENTS, DISPOSITION THOSE, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH RECEIVING THE INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATES FOR THAT DISCUSSION THIS SUMMER, UH, FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PIECE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT, UH, IS ON TARGET FOR BOTH THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINES.

AND AS INDICATED, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE'VE HAD VERY, VERY GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH THE FTA IN THAT REGARD.

UH, THEY HAVE REVIEWED, UH, THE ADI S AND PROVIDED US WITH THOSE COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH WITH THEM IN THAT PROCESS, AS WELL AS WITH OUR COOPERATING AGENCIES, UH, TO, TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, UH, BY THE END OF THIS SUMMER.

AND THEN, UH, BLUE LINE, UH, SAME, SAME PROCESS.

UH, THE, THE, UH, BLUE LINE CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS, RECEIVE, UH, FOR THE ADI S AND IT'S ON TRACK, UM, FOR THEIR LEGAL REVIEW, UH, THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR JULY THIS YEAR.

SO THE, UM, THE ORANGE AND THE BLUE LINES, UH, IT IT'S, IT'S A LOT GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

UH, BUT I W I WOULD TELL YOU WHILE THE UPDATE, UH, IS, IS BRIEF, UH, FROM THE TECHNICAL STANDPOINT, THE THINGS THAT YOU HEARD THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO THE COMMUNITY ARE WHAT THE LINE TEAMS ARE WORKING ON.

AND, UM, I REALLY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB.

THAT'S ALLOWED US TO, UH, I FEEL ADDRESSED CLOSING THE GAP WITH THE COMMUNICATION, THE TRANSPARENCY, AND WHAT'S NEEDED, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY.

UH, WE, WE, AS YOU ALL HAVE ATTENDED, WE'VE STARTED TO INCLUDE A ROUGH ORDER OF MAGNITUDE COSTS, UH, THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DISCUSSIONS.

UH, SO THAT, THAT INFORMATION IS THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO IN REGARD TO METRO RAPID UPDATES EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, UH, THE TEAMS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS.

UM, AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE, UH, HAS CONTINUED TO PROGRESS IN THAT EFFORT.

AND, UH, CURRENTLY THE, UM, THERE ARE SIX STATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THEY'RE BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION FOR FOUR STATIONS.

[01:05:01]

AND, AND THEN FOR THE GOLD AND THE SOUTH LAMAR LINE, UM, THAT THOSE PROJECTS CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, REVIEW, UH, BEING THROUGH THE, UH, THIS MONTH FOR BOTH GOLAN AND SOUTH LAMAR.

AND THAT I WOULD, UH, SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE SURVEY HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR BOTH THE GOLAN AND SOUTH LAMAR, AND THEN THEY CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS, UH, THE UTILITY GEO-TECH, UH, WORK, UM, FOR BOTH OF THOSE LINES.

NEXT LINE, THE CAP METRO TEAM CONTINUES TO PROGRESS THEIR, UH, DESIGN EFFORTS, UH, IN REGARD TO CRESTVIEW.

AND, UM, THE MCCOLLOUGH STATION, UH, IS ON TRACK TO BE ADVERTISED, UH, THIS MONTH AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, MAY 31ST.

AND I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE COVER CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WAS AWARDED BY CAP METRO, UH, BOARD, UH, IN APRIL, AND, UH, IS CURRENTLY IN PROCUREMENT.

THE, UM, IS INDICATED THE LAKELINE TO LEANDER, UH, TRACK WORK, UH, IS, IS ON TARGET AND BROUGHT MORE STATION SHARE WITH YOU THAT THEY ARE PREPARING FOR CONSTRUCTION.

THE PERMIT PHASE IS WHAT WE CURRENTLY ARE IN, AND THAT'S BEING REVIEWED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

CAN I INTERRUPT YOU AT THAT POINT, MR. BROWN REAL QUICK, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE ON SO THAT WE DON'T LOSE OUR SPACE, BUT FOR THE CRESPI STATION, WE HAVE RECEIVED AN EMAIL ABOUT LOOKING AT AN OPTION TO ACTUALLY GO UNDERGROUND THAT DEPRESSED THE CARS RATHER THAN DEPRESSED THE TRAINS.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION REGARDING THAT, HAS THAT BEEN STUDIED OR IS THAT'S IN PROGRESS? AND SO THE TEAM IS AT A 15% PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, UH, PHASE, UM, THAT WAS RECEIVED, UH, IN MARCH AND WE REVIEWED AND ANALYZED THAT INFORMATION.

AND THEN THE NEXT DELIVERABLE IS THE 30% THIS EXPECTED IN JUNE NEXT MONTH, JUNE 30 OH, SORRY.

COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? THIS IS DEEP WORK, RIGHT.

WE'RE WATCHING TEAMWORK IN ACTION HERE.

UM, SO NO, WE HAD RECEIVED A ONE, UH, UH, ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION.

SO THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT DEPRESSING THE, THE RED LINE, BECAUSE I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING, RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE TO SEPARATE FREIGHT FROM LIGHT RAIL AND THAT'S ROBUST AND COSTLY AND DIFFICULT, RIGHT.

BECAUSE THIS RAIL LINE, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IN THE RED LIGHT HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR FREIGHT AND THE FREIGHT HAS TO COVER THE PERHAPS DOUBLE STACK.

AND SO IN THOSE CLEARANCES AND HOW FAR WE HAVE TO TAKE THEM THAT CONNECTION, THERE WAS ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT I BELIEVE THE BOARD RECEIVED YET EMAIL FROM MR. WALD.

I THINK HE SENT IT TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, BUT HE, HE BROUGHT UP AN IDEA THAT WHEN WE TOOK THE ALIGNMENT TOUR TOGETHER, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE POTENTIAL OF WHAT IF THE LAMAR TRAFFIC FOR CARS WOULD BEAT THEN SUBMERGED UNDER THE RAIL RATHER THAN SUBMERGING THE RAIL.

DEPRESSING THE RAIL IS THAT, SO MY QUESTION IS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN ANSWER IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN STUDIED OR ENGINEERED AT ALL, BUT DID THAT GAIN ANY KIND OF MOMENTUM IS IT THOUGHT ABOUT IS, SO I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE TEAM, UH, HAD CONSIDERED THAT EARLY IN THE PROCESS, BUT THEY ARE, UH, LOOKING AT THAT INFORMATION TO, TO CONSIDER IT AS A SCENARIO, THE, UM, THE, THE TWO, UM, TH THE TWO CHALLENGES WITH THAT STILL REMAINS TO BE, UH, THE IMPACT THAT WOULD BE, UH, THEREFORE, UM, UH, THE DIFFERENT UTILITY WORK BASED ON HOW FAR BACK THE ROADWAY WORK WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, EXTENDED AND, AND IMPACTED TO, TO DO THAT.

SO, UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND, UH, THAT AREA'S BECOMING A DESTINATION PLACE.

SO WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE, UH, A, UM, A SCENARIO WHERE THE TRAFFIC IS, IS ABLE TO GET TO THOSE DESTINATION POINTS, UH, WHERE IF THE TRAFFIC IN THE ROADWAY IS ALL, UH, TRAVERSING UNDER, UH, THE TRACKS, THEN IT, IT PREVENTS, YOU KNOW, THOSE, THOSE OFF-RAMPS TO GET TO THE DESTINATION.

SO, BUT IT HAS BEEN BEING CONSIDERED AND HAS BEEN RECEIVED.

I THINK IT'S FINE FOR US TO, AND WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT, GETTING COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY ON THINGS WE SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT A COMMENT IS WE CAN'T LOOK AND DO ENGINEERING ON EVERY SINGLE COMMENT.

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER ELKINS? OH, JUST, JUST A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT.

UM,

[01:10:01]

I'M SURE JOHN'S NODDING OR ELSE WE BLOW OUR DESIGN BUDGET AND WE WOULD NEVER GET ANYTHING.

SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE FOR US TO LOOK AT WHERE THERE'S ALLOWED DRUM BEATS, SUCH AS BUSES ON THE BLUELINE BRIDGE, A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREEMENT.

BUT IF THERE'S A COMMENT FOR ONE INDIVIDUAL, ONE SMALL GROUP THAT SAYS WE SHOULD LOOK AT THAT STAFF SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SAY, IT MAKES SENSE, OR IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHERE IT WARRANTS FURTHER ENGINEERING, OR WE'RE GOING TO KILL IT RIGHT NOW.

BUT JUST, JUST TO COMMENT, I THINK WE'D ALL AGREE ON THAT.

I JUST WANT TO KIND OF BRING THAT UP, THAT WE CAN'T DO ENGINEERING AND EVERYTHING.

AND I, I, THAT, THAT WAS MY POINT IF IT HAD MERIT, IF IT HAD BASICALLY MERIT IN LOOKING AT THAT IDEA, BECAUSE I THINK BY THE TIME WE GET TO 30%, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY VALID CONCERN COME FROM THE COMMUNITY, EITHER NOT STUDIED OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE ALL, DON'T ALL HAVE ALL THE BEST IDEAS.

SO IT'S LIKE, IF SOMEBODY COMES UP WITH SOMETHING LIKE, DOES IT HAVE MERIT? RIGHT.

SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT IT OR NOT WITHOUT IT, BEFORE GETTING INTO MAJOR ENGINEERING.

SO THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH MY CONCERN.

SO YES.

AND I WOULD SAY THE TEAM IS IN LINE EXACTLY.

AS YOU PUT IT, UH, AS, AS DOING AN ANALYSIS TO SEE IF IT HAS.

OPTION, SET IT ASIDE SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OTHER OPTION.

GOOD, GOOD, GOOD.

I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER SHUT THAT ACTUALLY BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

I WAS THINKING IT WAS GOING TO SAY PRETTY MUCH EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT YOU DID.

SO I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

UM, MY, MY, I KIND OF RELATING THIS TO THE, TO THE BLUE LINE BRIDGE WHEN THE BLUE WINE BRIDGE, UH, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE STARTED MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT THAT AND THE THOUGHT OF BUSES ON IT, FIRST THING I HAD TO SAY ABOUT, OR WAS THINKING TO MYSELF ABOUT THAT WAS WELL DIDN'T WE ALREADY DECIDE THAT WHEN WE VOTED ON THE MAP, AND THEN IT OCCURRED TO ME, WE VOTED ON A MAP WITH A LINE ON IT, AND THE CONCEPT OF THAT, THAT LIGHT RAIL, BUT NO ONE HAD REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT OR BROUGHT FORWARD THIS CONCEPT OF BUSES.

SO AT THAT POINT, THAT TO ME WAS KIND OF A, OKAY, LET, LET'S, LET'S PUT, PUT PAUSE THERE AND BRING IN THIS EXTRA FEEDBACK AND KIND OF EXPLORE THIS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, BUT THERE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I, I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, STRUCTURALLY THAT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, KIND OF ECHOING WHAT BOARD MEMBER ELKINS SAYS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO BE A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS.

WE'RE GOING TO A LOT OF WONDERFUL COMMENTS, A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM A LOT OF INCREDIBLE PEOPLE THAT HAVE A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS, BUT AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO JUST SAY, THANK YOU, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE ON NOW BECAUSE WE COULD STUDY THIS THING INTO THE GROUND, WHERE AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A CALL AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE ON.

UM, AND ALONG THOSE LINES, I THINK WE NEED TO, TO THAT REGARD, GENERALLY SPEAKING, ALSO KIND OF BE PREPARED TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL THREE, UH, BODIES, THE CITY COUNCIL CAP, METRO BOARD, AND THIS BOARD THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY THAT NO MATTER WHAT DECISION COMES OUT OF HERE, WHEN WE GET THE PROPOSALS THAT COME TO US FROM STAFF, EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT STAFF BRING TO US.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE, MAKE THE CUT FROM CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS OR CERTAIN GROUPS.

AND THEN WHEN WE, AS THE TRI-PARTY ORGANIZATIONS GET TOGETHER AND MAKE THE FINAL VOTE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME DECISIONS WE MAKE THAT ARE GOING TO BE TOUGH CALLS AND WHATEVER WE DECIDE, IT'S GOING TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE HAPPY.

AND SOME PEOPLE NOT SO HAPPY.

WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THAT.

WE CAN'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION THAT WE CAN WITH THE BEST INFORMATION IN FRONT OF US, KNOWING THAT WE VETTED IT AND HAVE SHARED IT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GOTTEN AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS WE CAN, BUT ULTIMATELY HAVE TO DO WHAT WE FEEL IS RIGHT TO MOVE THIS THING FORWARD IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE KNOW HOW.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE PREPARED AND START ALSO BESIDES MANAGING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COSTS AND GETTING THAT OUT THERE, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND NEEDED TO BE DONE.

WE ALSO NEED TO START BEING PREPARED TO MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS OF NOT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT OUT OF THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST WITH WHAT WE CAN, THE BEST, THE BEST THING WE CAN WITH WHAT WE'VE GOT.

AND TO THAT END THERE, THERE'S GOING TO COME A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE GOT TO SAY, YEAH, THANKS.

BUT WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

IT'S IT'S CAUSE MY CONCERN IS I DON'T WANT THE STAFF TO BE LOOKING AT EVERY LITTLE THING THAT GETS THROWN AT THEM.

IF WE'RE TO A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING ON DOWN THE LINE, ESPECIALLY IF ANY SITUATION LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH CRESTVIEW, WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THAT, LIKE AT THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS OKAY, DO WE GO UP OR DO WE GO DOWN? AND THEY LOOKED IN AND SAID, WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S TOO MUCH GOING ON WITH THE UTILITY WORK THERE.

OR IT'S GOING TO BE MORE COST PROHIBITIVE AND YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS MORE TO DO THAT, TO GO UNDER.

THEN MAYBE WE THROW THAT OFF, THROW THAT

[01:15:01]

SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF ECHO WHAT BOARD MEMBER ELKINS SAID AND KIND OF BUILD ON THAT.

AND, AND JUST ALSO JUST REMIND EVERYONE, I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO MANAGE THE EXPECTATIONS AS A WHOLE, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.

UH, JUST TO, TO TOUCH BASE AGAIN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GOOD IDEAS COMING IN AND GOING AND BE ABLE TO DO THEM ALL LIKE THAT.

NO, THAT'S TRUE.

SOME OF THEM WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO DO THAT ARE, THAT ARE NEW AND, AND, AND, AND GO FURTHER THAN THEY'RE MORE WE MAY HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE COSTS NUMBERS THAT CONTINUE TO RISE AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

YOU ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT THE VALUE ENGINEERING THINGS TO THINGS THAT YES.

SO THE VALUE ENGINEERING, THE RISK ASSESSMENTS, THOSE THINGS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT WILL GUIDE US, UH, WITH THE COST, UH, WITH THE SCENARIOS AND THE, THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THAT REGARD.

SO WHEN WE HAVE THE TRI-PARTY MEETING IN AUGUST, I GUESS THAT WOULD BE IF THEY'RE NOT ELEVATED AS PART OF THE 12 MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW, AND IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM NOW I'D ELEVATE THEM NOW.

BUT TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY'RE STILL BEING DEVELOPED IN AUGUST IS WHEN WE BE HEARING OF ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMPARE PRIORITIES IN TERMS OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE GIVE.

IS THAT THE TIMING YOU'RE WORKING WITH? YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

AND, AND MARROW WOULD ADD, OOPS, SORRY.

NO MORE ELSE.

A MARROW WOULD ADD TO THAT, I THINK IS, AS PETER MENTIONED DURING THESE, SOME OF THESE BIGGER TOPICS, THEY'RE GETTING EMBEDDED INTO THAT AS WELL.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT OF THOSE CONVERSATION WHEN YOU'RE GETTING INTO CHOICES AND PRIORITIES.

SO IT'S, IT'S THAT, UM, THEY KIND OF ALL FIT TOGETHER AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO, BUT ALSO AGAIN, THE PROCESS, MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESS FEELS RIGHT.

UM, AND FROM A SPEED PERSPECTIVE.

SO I'M GOING TO STEAL YOUR THUNDER.

DID I SEE EVERYTHING THERE, BOARD MISSOURI? I JUST HAD A COMMENT PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.

I LIKE WHEN THE MAYOR TALKS ABOUT VALUE ENGINEERING, CAUSE THAT'S INNOVATION AND I LOVE TALKING ABOUT INNOVATION, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IF THERE'S REALLY INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT CAN SAVE THIS PROJECT MONEY, WE NEED TO GET IT IN BEFORE WE FILED THE DRAFT EIS, BECAUSE THEN YOU REOPEN NEPA IF YOU DO IT AFTER.

AND THAT JUST IS A WHOLE MESS.

SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING REALLY INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE, WE WANT TO GET IT IN.

NOW I WOULD ENCOURAGE STAFF TO DO MARKET SOUNDINGS, AS YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY WITH SOME OF THE CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY, UM, THESE FOLKS HAVE GOT BRILLIANT IDEAS AND THEY WANT THIS PROJECT TO SUCCEED.

SO THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO BID ON.

AND I THINK THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE SOME INTERESTING INPUT ON WAYS TO MAKE THIS MORE COST EFFECTIVE.

A BOARD MEMBER SAYS IT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND WE, WE HAD, UH, WE HAD A REALLY FABULOUS INDUSTRY DAY THAT WAS HOSTED BY CAT METRO, UM, AND, AND, UH, ATP DOTTIE.

AND I HAD A CHANCE TO GET UP ON THE STAGE AND, UM, DO A LITTLE MICROPHONE WORK.

AND, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, EXACTLY THE ABERDEEN OF, OF, UM, OF ENGAGING WITH, WITH THESE PARTNERS, OUR FUTURE PARTNERS AND THAT IDEA OF SOUNDINGS.

AND I KNOW, UH, VICKI AND ERNST AND YOUNG ARE WORKING ON THAT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT IN A VERY DILIGENT WAY.

SO WE KNOW THESE ALL WORK TOGETHER IN THE END, RIGHT? THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, THE WORK THAT JOHN AND JAN AND DAVE ARE DOING, UM, OUR DELIVERY PACKAGING, WE HAVE TO BRING ALL OF THESE WORK STREAMS TOGETHER.

UM, SO, UM, THIS IS, BUT THIS IS GREAT FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW WE CAN DO IT AND BRING IT BACK HERE.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT TOUCHES BACK ON OUR EARLIER CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THESE, UM, IT CANCER DIALOGUE THAT'S GOING ON EVEN TODAY.

I'LL SAY ONE LAST THING.

I KNOW WE HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANTED TO DO.

I DON'T KNOW WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO OVER THE SLIDES, BUT BECAUSE THE, THE MEMO ON COSTS, I THINK BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON CORRECTLY, BRINGING US BACK TO THAT.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, IT WAS AT THE FAR MEETING.

WE DO HAVE SOME SLIDES IN HERE JUST, UH, OPPORTUNITY, IF THERE'S ANY UP QUESTIONS IT'S BEEN OUT THERE NOW, UM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE, UM, TH TH THE FIR WAS, UH, WAS A SMALL MEETING AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST THE INFORMATION WAS OUT HERE IN ADDITION TO THE MEMO THAT WE COULD USE AND CIRCULATE AS WE DO THESE OTHER MEETINGS WITH.

WELL, JUST TO SAY THAT THAT'S IN THE PACKET HERE AS WELL FOR, FOR THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE.

SO, I MEAN, THAT'S BETWEEN SLIDES, 1920 AND 21 DO Y'ALL HAVE, HAVE, Y'ALL HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE AND HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE? NO.

UM, DOES THIS CONCLUDE YOUR TECHNICAL UPDATE? YES.

THANK YOU BOTH.

THANK YOU, MS. BIKE, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO SAY, JEN?

[01:20:03]

NO.

JOHN WAS DOING OUR TALKING TODAY, BUT I'M JUST HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IN PARTICULAR ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL FTA OR THE FUNDING OR PROJECT CONTROLS ASPECTS OF ALWAYS HERE TO, IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED.

OH, REMEMBER ELKINS, JUST, JUST A QUICK COMMENT AND THAT THIS IS NOT FOR TODAY, BUT MAYBE AT THE FUTURE MEETING OR THE NEXT YEAR.

WHAT I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL IS TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH, WITH UTILITY RELOCATIONS.

ARE WE ON TRACK? DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY, ANYTHING THAT'S SLOWING THE PROGRAM DOWN SECONDLY RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITIONS? UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A DISCUSSION ON SINCE THIS BOARD STARTED.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN MY LIST.

PRETTY IMPORTANT THAT WE START TALKING ABOUT RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITIONS.

WHERE ARE WE, HOW MANY PARCELS CAN WE START ACQUIRING RIGHT AWAY EARLIER? I'D LIKE THAT ON THE AGENDA.

AND THE LAST THING IS WHERE ARE WE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON POTENTIAL CODE REVISIONS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE COSTS OR HELP SAVE US COSTS? SO I THINK AN UPDATE ON THOSE THREE AT A LATER DATE WOULD BE HELPFUL.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, MY BARREL AGAINST, AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

TO OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM OF TODAY, THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 20TH, 2022 AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.

SO NOW MOVING ON

[5.1. Approval of minutes from the April 20 Board Meeting]

DO I HAVE A SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION BY MEMBER ELKINS SECOND BY MAYOR ADLER.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

WITH BOARD MEMBER COLETTE PIERCE BURNETTE ABSENT.

SO IT'S APPROVED.

THE MEETINGS ARE APPROVED FOR, WITH ONE ABSENCE.

[5.2. Approval of a resolution adopting Articles of Amendment to the Austin Transit Partnership Articles of Incorporation to reflect amendments approved by the Capital Metro Board of Directors on April 25, 2022 and by the Austin City Council on May 5, 2022]

OUR SECOND ACTION ITEM TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO REFLECT AMENDMENTS APPROVED BY THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON APRIL 15TH, 2022, 25TH.

I'M SORRY.

THANK YOU SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU, CASEY.

SO APPROVAL OF APPROVED BY THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON APRIL 25TH, 2022, AND BY THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 5TH, 2022.

AND JUST A REMINDER, THIS ITEM IS SOMETHING OF A HOUSEKEEPING MATTER.

OUR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION REQUIRE THAT WE TAKE A RATIFYING ACTION OF ANY AMENDMENTS APPROVED BY BOTH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, THOSE BODIES BOTH APPROVED THE TWO AMENDMENTS TO OUR ARTICLES, INCLUDING TO ALLOW THE CITY AND OR CAPITAL METRO TO WAIVE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS OF THE ADP BOARD APPOINTEES, AND TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL NANEX OFFICIO SEAT TO THE NON-VOTING EX OFFICIO SEAT, TO THE ATP BOARD FOR THE CAPITAL METRO CEO AND SUCH AMENDMENTS WILL GO INTO EFFECT.

AFTER WE TAKE UP THIS ACTION AND THE ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT ARE FILED AND ACCEPTED BY THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE.

SO WITH THAT, UM, IS THERE ANY, ANY DISCUSSION, ANY COMMENTS? NO.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, MOTION BY MAYOR ADLER.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? BOTH OF YOU AT THE SAME TIME, REMEMBER STRATTON? UM, THANK YOU.

SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A VOTE, EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE, AYE.

WITH, UH, SO IT'S UNANIMOUS FOR, WITH DR.

BURNETT ABSENT.

WE'LL GET JEOPARDY BUTTONS FOR THE SECOND INC FOR THE NEXT TIME, BUT THE TIMING THING, I LIKE IT, THE MOTION PASSES.

A BRIEFING ON THE PROPOSED ATP AUDIT CHARTER BY ATP'S DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL AUDIT, KATIE HOUSTON.

SO NOW MOVING ON TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS THIS MONTH, WE HAVE

[6.1. Briefing on ATP Audit Charter]

AND AS YOU KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE SHARED THAT THE BOARD WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING OUR OWN INTERNAL AUDITOR, IT POSITION THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE ATP BOARD.

AND IN FEBRUARY, WE ANNOUNCED THAT MS. HOUSTON WOULD BE JOINING OUR TEAM.

AND ALTHOUGH I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MS. HOUSTON NOW FOR A FEW MONTHS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS FOR FIRST OFFICIAL PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD AND WE'VE WORKED WITH HER, UM, JUST KINDA IN THE BACK BACKGROUND FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW.

AND I'M DELIGHTED TO INTRODUCE HER NOW TO THE PUBLIC AND, UH, BEFORE SHE PRESENTS TO THE BOARD.

AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT ATP IS GOING TO BE ISSUING A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT YOUR HIRE.

SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US,

[01:25:01]

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY.

AND WE'RE HAPPY TO LISTEN TO YOUR PRESENTATION.

IT'S REALLY ORGANIZATION WIDE.

UH, THE, A SONG I HAVE, I HAVE PRIOR MICROPHONE TRAUMA.

SO IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, UH, IT'S BEEN DISCLOSED.

UM, THANK YOU.

UH, WELCOME.

UH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEF Y'ALL I'M HERE.

UH, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT, UM, KIND OF WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING TO STAND UP THIS AUDIT FUNCTION, UH, KIND OF A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH AUDIT PLANNING, UH, TIS THE SEASON FOR AUDIT PLANNING, AND THEN I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS ARE.

UH, SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THANK YOU.

UH, SO, SO FIRST THINGS FIRST, UM, UH, I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER, UH, NOT A VERY ENTERTAINING NAME.

I KNOW THAT I THINK, UH, AUDITORS, WE NEED TO WORK ON OUR BRANDING A LITTLE BIT, UM, BUT IT REALLY IS A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.

IT, IT SORT OF PROVIDES THE FRAMEWORK FOR HOW THIS AUDIT FUNCTION, UH, WILL BE ADMINISTERED AND IT PROVIDES QUITE A BIT MORE DETAIL ON KIND OF WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHAT THE SERVICES OF THIS OFFICE WILL BE.

YOU HAVE A DRAFT OF THIS IN YOUR BACKUP TO THE MEETING.

UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE, UH, TODAY OR BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

I THINK THE INTENTION IS TODAY TO JUST KIND OF BRIEF ON IT, AND THEN IT'LL COME BACK TO Y'ALL FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING IN JUNE FOR APPROVAL.

UM, SO SINCE YOU ALREADY HAVE A COPY OF IT, I WON'T GO OVER EVERY DETAIL HERE, BUT I DID WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO SOME OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS, UM, KIND OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING BEING THAT, THAT FIRST SUB BULLET THERE.

UM, AND THAT IS THAT INTERNAL AUDIT IS ORGANIZATIONALLY INDEPENDENT OF, OF HOW ATP IS ADMINISTERED.

UM, I THINK YOU ALL HAVE SOME FAMILIARITY WITH WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ALREADY, UM, BUT THE CHARTER PROVIDES QUITE A BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT THAT MEANS IN A NUTSHELL, UH, REALLY CAN TAKE ON, UH, ANY DECISION-MAKING.

I CAN'T DECIDE ON WHAT INTERNAL CONTROLS WE IMPLEMENT, WHAT SYSTEMS WE BUY, WHO WE HIRE CONTRACTS, WE NEGOTIATE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

REALLY THOSE NEED TO BE DECISIONS MADE BY GREG AND HIS TEAM.

UM, AND THAT REALLY IS JUST TO PRESERVE MY OBJECTIVITY AND MY ABILITY TO SORT OF EVALUATE THOSE DECISIONS IN AN UNBIASED MANNER.

THAT THE NEXT CRITICAL ELEMENT IS THE SCOPE OF THIS FUNCTION.

UM, AND, AND I'LL NEED TO HAVE SORT OF UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO, TO REALLY EVERYTHING RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT, UH, RECORDS, YOU KNOW, UM, CONTRACTS, FACILITIES, PERSONNEL, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM THERE, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT, UH, MORE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, SO I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF THE YES, UH, THE, I CAN SPEAK OUT.

THEY'RE CURRENTLY MEETING QUARTERLY.

UH, THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY REALLY IS TO PREPARE THE AUDIT PLAN AND THEN CARRY OUT THE AUDIT PLAN.

UM, THE, THE LAST BULLET THERE, UH, TALKING ABOUT QUARTERLY UPDATES AND ADHERENCE TO STANDARDS, UH, RIGHT NOW I'VE INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER THAT I'LL BE UPDATING Y'ALL QUARTERLY.

THAT'S REALLY TO STAY IN LINE WITH THE FINANCE AND RISK ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

I'LL, I'LL PROBABLY BRIEF ITEMS THERE FIRST, THEN BRING THEM HERE TO THIS BODY.

SO THAT'S WHY IT'S OUTLINED THAT WAY.

UH, AS BOARD MEMBER ELKINS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE MAY BE CHANGING THE CADENCE OF THOSE MEETINGS.

SO IF WE NEED TO THEN ADJUST THE INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER TO SPEAK TO THAT, WE CERTAINLY CAN.

UH, SO IT'S FLEXIBLE.

UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, THIS FUNCTION WILL ADHERE TO AUDIT STANDARDS, UM, AND THAT'S JUST REALLY SO THAT WE HAVE A CREDIBLE FUNCTION AND YOU CAN KIND OF RELY ON THE RESULTS OF MY WORK.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, LIKE I SAID, I'M IN THE THICK OF, UH, AUDIT PLANNING RIGHT NOW USING A RISK-BASED APPROACH.

UH, AND REALLY I'M JUST SORT OF IN THE PHASE WHERE I'M SOLICITING INPUT FROM REALLY ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TALK TO ME ABOUT AUDIT PLANNING.

I SENT A SURVEY TO, UM, ALL ADP STAFF YESTERDAY.

SO I'M HOPING TO GET SOME GOOD FEEDBACK, UM, REALLY FROM STAFF ON WHAT THE MOST USEFUL PROJECTS WILL BE.

AND THEN I'LL BE SETTING UP INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH ALL OF YOU TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BEST FOR THIS FUNCTION TO EVALUATE.

UM, AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, KEEPING TABS ON OUR OTHER ASSURANCE, PROVIDERS, EOI, AND RSM AND, AND OTHER FOLKS.

AND REALLY THAT PROCESS IS TO HELP ME DETERMINE THE AUDIT UNIVERSE, KIND OF WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT CAN BE AUDITED.

AND THEN I'LL CREATE A COMBINED ASSURANCE MAP THAT, UH, IS FANCY AUDITOR SPEAK FOR WHO'S DOING WHAT.

SO IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, AN AREA WHERE MAYBE OUR EOI PARTNERS ARE COVERING CERTAIN RISKS, OR THEY'RE ALREADY MANAGED OR MITIGATED THROUGH ANOTHER FORMAT, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR ME TO SPEND MY LIMITED RESOURCES.

I MAYBE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO SPEND THEM ELSEWHERE.

SO ALL OF THAT EVENTUALLY WILL ROLL UP INTO, YOU KNOW, A FORMAL AUDIT PLAN THAT I'LL BRING BACK TO THIS BODY, UM, FOR APPROVAL PROBABLY

[01:30:01]

TOWARDS THE END OF THIS SUMMER.

UM, AND THAT'LL DETAIL KIND OF WHICH PROJECTS ARE BEST FOR AUDITS OR ADVISORY SERVICES, MORE LIKE CONSULTING TYPE PROJECTS OR OTHER ASSESSMENTS.

SO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT.

UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THE NEXT STEPS, UH, LIKE I SAID, THE FIRST ONE WILL BE TO BRING THIS ITEM, THE INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER BACK TO Y'ALL IN JUNE FOR APPROVAL, UH, SEPARATE FROM THAT I'M WORKING ON CREATING A REPORTING HOTLINE.

THIS IS A REALLY ESSENTIAL TOOL TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN ETHICAL, UH, ENVIRONMENT.

UM, AND IT REALLY WILL BE A MECHANISM FOR, UH, EMPLOYEES OR REALLY ANYONE BOARD MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CONTRACTORS, UM, TO REPORT SUSPECTED MISCONDUCT, UH, OR MAYBE FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, IT'S REALLY ESSENTIAL TO THE OPERATING ENVIRONMENT IN ATP.

SO I'M, I'M, UH, MIDSTREAM ON GETTING THAT IMPLEMENTED.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'M SORT OF GETTING AN UNDERSTANDING REALLY OF EVERYTHING HAD ATB BEST I CAN, BUT, BUT PARTICULAR THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE ALREADY NEGOTIATED, UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK AND WHAT THE AUDIT RIGHTS ARE THERE, UM, SEPARATE FROM THAT I'M DEVELOPING AN AUDIT MANUAL TO COMPLY WITH AUDIT STANDARDS.

REALLY.

UH, YOU GUYS PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THIS AUDITORS ARE OFTEN SAYING WE NEED CONTROLS.

WE NEED MORE POLICIES.

WE NEED MORE PROCEDURES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

I FIGURE IT'S PROBABLY BEST FOR ME TO, UH, DEVELOP THOSE IN-HOUSE FOR MY FUNCTION ALSO, UH, BEFORE WE GO DOWN THAT PATH AND THEN SEPARATE FROM ALL OF THAT, I'LL BE IDENTIFYING SORT OF THE STAFFING NEEDS FOR THIS FUNCTION AND ALL OF THAT.

AGAIN, I'LL BRING BACK TO YOU ALL FOR, FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL AND FUTURE DISCUSSION.

SO I THINK THAT'S IT FOR MY SLIDES.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL HAVE, UM, EITHER IN THIS FORMAT OR BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

THANK YOU, MS. HOUSTON QUESTIONS FROM OUR MEMBER ADVOCATES.

THANKS AS A FORMER AUDITOR, I COULDN'T NOT TALK RIGHT.

I STARTED MY CAREER AS AUDITOR AND, UM, IT WAS LIKE, WHENEVER YOU WERE AN AUDITOR STAFF WOULD LIKE RUNNING HIGH BECAUSE THESE ARE THE GUYS THAT ARE GONNA PUT YOUR JOB IN JEOPARDY.

BUT I THINK, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK, SAY THAT THIS FUNCTION IS NOT A GOTCHA FUNCTION.

WE DON'T HAVE INTERNAL AUDIT TO FIND OUT THAT SO-AND-SO AND STAFF IS DOING SOMETHING BAD.

NOW, IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING ILLEGAL AND PROPER, YET WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

BUT I SEE INTERNAL AUDIT FIRST AND FOREMOST IS A VALUE ADD FUNCTION FOR KATIE AND HER TEAM.

AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO PROVIDE VALUE, ADD TO LOOK AT WHERE OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS CAN BE IMPROVED, PROCESS IMPROVEMENT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE ROLE, NOT JUST THE AUDITS THEMSELVES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING, KATIE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT AND ADVISORY PROJECTS, AND I KIND OF REALLY LIKED THAT.

SO MAYBE YOU COULD JUST SPEND A MINUTE OR TWO TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT IS AND WHERE YOU ENVISION HELPING OUT ON THAT.

YEAH, TOTALLY.

UM, SO I APPRECIATE THOSE REMARKS.

UM, ON A PRIOR SLIDE, I, I THINK I GLAZED OVER THIS POINT HERE, BUT ONE OF THE BULLETS I INCLUDED IS THAT THIS FUNCTION WILL PURSUE A NOSE PRIZES APPROACH.

ESSENTIALLY.

YOU KNOW, IF IN THE COURSE OF MY WORK, I DISCOVER, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS OR THINGS THAT WE NEED TO IMPROVE.

THE FIRST THAT THAT WILL COME ABOUT WILL DEFINITELY NOT BE IN THIS MEETING.

THERE'LL BE DISCUSSIONS WITH GREG AND HIS TEAM.

AND, AND WE'LL KIND OF HAMMER THAT OUT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE IT'S DAYLIGHTED HERE.

UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE ADVISORY SERVICE PROJECTS, I LIKE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT REALLY WAS A MAJOR CONSIDERATION IN, UH, SELECTING THE AUDIT STANDARDS THAT THIS FUNCTION WILL FOLLOW.

THAT'S DETAILED IN THE CHARTER AS WELL.

UM, BUT, BUT ESSENTIALLY I'VE SELECTED THE, THE RED BOOK.

UH, THAT'S A THERE'S YELLOW BOOK, THERE'S RED BOOK.

IT'S NOT A JOKE.

UM, THAT THAT IS WHAT IT'S CALLED, BUT, UH, THAT PARTICULAR SET OF PROFESSIONAL AUDITING STANDARDS ALLOWS FOR ADVISORY SERVICE CONSULTING ENGAGEMENTS.

AND IT PROVIDES A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL ON HOW YOU GO ABOUT DOING THAT.

UM, THOSE COULD BE PROJECTS THAT ARE MORE LIKE RESEARCHING BEST PRACTICE OR REACHING OUT TO OTHER TRANSIT ORGANIZATIONS, KIND OF SEEING HOW OTHER FOLKS ARE, ARE DOING THINGS AND MAYBE WHAT'S BEST FOR ATP.

UM, AND I PARTICULARLY THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE USEFUL, YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE SHORT RUN BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF OUR MATURITY AS AN ORGANIZATION.

UM, I WAS JUST HAVING A DISCUSSION EARLIER TODAY, UH, WITH SOMEONE ABOUT KPIS, WHICH I LOVE ALL AUDITORS LOVE THEM.

UM, BUT IF I WERE TO DO AN AUDIT OF THAT RIGHT NOW TODAY, UH, I THINK WE WOULD, WE WOULD REALIZE THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ALL OF THOSE ESTABLISHED YET.

AND I THINK WE ALL ALREADY KNOW THAT.

SO, UM, MAYBE WHAT WOULD BE MORE USEFUL THAN AN AUDIT SAYING, HEY, YOU DON'T HAVE KBA.

KPI'S GO DO THAT WOULD BE AN ADVISORY SERVICE PROJECT

[01:35:01]

WHERE I COULD MEET WITH MANAGEMENT AND SORT OF CONSULT ON HOW WE CAN GO ABOUT CREATING THOSE AND, AND DOING THAT IN A MANNER THAT'S BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

UH, SO MAYBE A LITTLE LESS FORMAL, A LITTLE LESS PUNITIVE THAN, THAN MAYBE YOU MIGHT THINK OF A TYPICAL AUDIT BEING, BUT STILL JUST AS VALUABLE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

UM, UH, MS. HOUSTON, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN, LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, TO ACTUALLY PASSING THIS POLICY AND GIVING YOU SOMETHING YOU CAN GET TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH.

YOU APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.

UH, IF YOU COULD JUST MAYBE FOR, FOR THE PUBLIC SAKE AND, UH, JUST KIND OF CLARIFY FOR US THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOUR FUNCTION WILL BE REPORTING DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD AND WHAT YOU DO VERSUS SAY WHAT WE DO ANNUALLY.

WHEN WE GET BACK THE QUOTE UNQUOTE, UM, ANNUALLY AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

CAUSE WE HEAR THAT WORD AUDIT A LOT AND WE, YOU KNOW, THROW THAT TERM AROUND A LOT.

MAYBE IF YOU COULD JUST SORT OF FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.

CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE ENGAGED THE SERVICES OF A FINANCIAL SERVICE AGENCY THAT DOES AUDITING FOR US.

AND THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE, UM, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE JPA, IT'S IN SOME OF OUR GOVERNING DOCUMENTS SOMEPLACE THAT REQUIRES THAT ARE, UH, THAT ARE, UH, BOOKS BE AUDIT TED.

WHAT'S REALLY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT ROLE AND FUNCTION AND THE FUNCTION THAT YOU PERFORM.

GREAT QUESTION.

UM, SO YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THERE AT THE END.

UH, CERTAINLY A FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT IS REQUIRED.

UM, AND, AND THE WAY THAT THAT WILL WORK AT ATP IS THE CFO WILL, WILL SELECT AN AUDITING FIRM AND THAT THAT ENTITY WILL COME IN AND REVIEW OUR BOOKS AND, AND GIVE US A SEAL OF APPROVAL OR TELL US HOW WE NEED TO BE BETTER.

UM, THIS FUNCTION, INTERNAL AUDIT, UM, DIFFERS IN THAT IT REALLY IS MORE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT FOCUSED.

UM, IT, IT REALLY WILL BE FOCUSING MORE ON WHAT WE CALL PERFORMANCE AUDITING.

SO GENERALLY LOOKING AT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ORGANIZATION, ARE WE EFFECTIVE? ARE WE EFFICIENT? ARE WE SERVING THE PUBLIC? ARE WE GOOD STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS? WHAT TYPES OF CONTROLS OR PROCESSES DO WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN IN THAT ARENA? UM, AND IT IT'S VERY BROAD.

IT COULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HEARD ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EARLIER, WE COULD DO AN AUDIT OR A PROJECT IN THAT ARENA TO, TO TRY TO SEE KIND OF WHAT'S GOING WELL SO FAR AND WHAT ELSE WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE THOSE PROCESSES.

ALL OF THAT KIND OF GOES WAY BEYOND, UM, THE MORE COMPLIANCE ELEMENTS THAT I THINK YOU SEE IN A TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT AUDIT.

UH, SO HOPEFULLY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION AND DEFINITELY THE CHARTER PROVIDES, I THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON THAT AS WELL.

GREAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

APPRECIATE THIS AND ALL YOUR WORK.

THANK YOU MS. HOUSTON, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? SO WELCOME TO THE TEAM AGAIN.

SO, AND, UH, WE'LL BE VOTING ON THIS AT THE NEXT MEETING.

SO IF ANYONE THAT'S DOING DAN AND THE PUBLIC, PLEASE READ IT AS WELL.

SO THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AND SEND US YOUR COMMENTS.

FINAL ITEM THIS MONTH IS A DISCUSSION OF OUR UPCOMING INTER LOCAL GRANT AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAPITAL METRO TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT CONNECT, UH, WITH CASEY BURAK OUR ATP GENERAL COUNSEL AND BRANDON CARR ATPS, DEPUTY COUNCIL.

THANKS.

UH, ONE COMMENT MADAM CHAIR THAT YOU KNOW, MYSELF AND OUR TEAM ARE JUST FULLY AVAILABLE FOR KATIE AND HER ROLE.

WE JUST RECOGNIZE HOW CRITICAL IT IS TO THE FOUNDATION OF WHO ATP IS.

WE KNOW IT WAS REALLY AT THE CORE OF IT AND, UH, AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS AT THIS, UH, INTERESTING KIND OF STARTUP PHASE, UH, ALL OF OUR EXPERTISE IN LOOKING AT HOW THESE THINGS CAN BE BETTER IN BEST PRACTICES.

SO, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT'S PART OF HER, HER WORK IS THIS KIND OF UNRESTRICTED ACCESS AND, AND WE COULDN'T AGREE ANYMORE.

[6.2. Discussion of upcoming interlocal grant agreements with the City of Austin and CapMetro to implement Project Connect]

SO, AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MR. KELLY, YOU HAD A FEW INTRODUCTORY REMARKS TO MAKE FIRST.

SURE, I DID.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR CLUE.

IF YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE NOW.

SORRY, THAT ONE.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS BEFORE BRANDON ACTUALLY CASEY, AND THEN BRANDON KIND OF GO THROUGH THESE REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING BACK TO YOU STARTING NEXT MONTH, ALTHOUGH THEY WILL GO ON BEYOND THAT IS TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE, HOW ATB GOT HERE AND HOW THESE RELATE TO THE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BRIEFING ON, UM, ATP.

UH, AND THE IDEA OF AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY IS REALLY ROOTED IN THE HISTORY.

NOW, THE HISTORY OF PROJECT CONNECT AND REALLY IN THE BALLOT.

UM, AND IT, AS YOU CAN SEE THOUGH, THE, THE BALLOT THAT STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 20 LED TO OUR JOINT POWERS

[01:40:01]

AGREEMENT BETWEEN ALL THREE ENTITIES AND THEN ARE GOING TO LEAD TO THESE ILS.

AND SO IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE SOMETIMES WHERE WE'VE BEEN TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS STARTUP.

UM, I REAL QUICKLY ON THE NEXT SLIDE, CHLOE, AND WE CAN COME BACK TO IT, BUT JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE IN THE BALLOT, REALLY A REQUIREMENT IN THE BALLOT WAS THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT ADDED ENTITY TO RECEIVE THE TAX DOLLARS, TO OVERSEE AND IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT.

AND WE'VE, WE'VE MOVED ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, SOMETIMES IT FOR SOME OF US, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS TWO DAYS AGO OR FOUR YEARS AGO, DEPENDING ON THE DAY OF THE WEEK.

BUT JUST TO RECALL THAT THIS WAS A CRITICAL REQUIREMENT, UH, ELEMENT OF, OF THE BALLOT AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

SO CHLOE, IF YOU CAN GO BACK, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

SO, UM, THE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ATP BOARD IS ACTUALLY ROOTED IN THESE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS CASE.

HE IS GOING TO GO OVER THOSE IN SOME MORE DETAIL.

UM, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FANTASTIC WORK THAT, THAT HAVE GONE ALL THE PARTIES HAVE GONE THROUGH TO GET US TO THIS JOINT POWER POWERS AGREEMENT, UM, WHAT THAT JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT DOES ALREADY IN A GREAT WAY BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE IS GIVE CLARITY TO THE BROAD ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE PARTNERS.

UM, AND, AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET THAT CAUSE A LOT OF EFFORT AND WORK WENT INTO THAT.

AND, AND I THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHAT IT DOES AS WELL, IS IT FIRMLY ESTABLISHED AS YOU, THE BOARD IN THAT POSITION OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND ALL OF THIS WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AROUND IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS IS TO SUPPORT YOU AND SUPPORT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF YOU IN THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.

AND WE THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THESE INNER LOCAL AGREEMENTS IS REALLY THE DOCUMENTATION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO CARRY OUT THOSE, UM, WITH OUR PARTNERS, CARRY OUT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOU.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT OUR CULTURE OF HOW WE WORK IS GOING TO BE ROOTED BACK IN THOSE VALUES THAT WE, THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE VALUES OF TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST, AND THEN DEEPLY COLLABORATION.

WE WERE FORMED AS A COLLABORATIVE CONCEPT AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION TO CARRY OUT COLLABORATION.

AND AGAIN, WE SEE THAT SITTING HERE TODAY, RIGHT? I MEAN, IN, IN, IN FRONT OF THE, IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE THAT COLLABORATION AND IT IS CORE TO WHO WE ARE AND THAT FOR ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, THE COMMUNITY, OUR COLLABORATE, THE COLLABORATION THAT WE HAVE FOR THAT THESE VALUES ARE FOUNDATIONAL AND ARE IMPORTANT TO HOW WE CAN CARRY THROUGH THAT WORK.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT TOGETHER.

WE CAN ONLY ACTUALLY DO IT TOGETHER.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

UM, JAY, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT ALSO QUARTERLY AND SPECIFICALLY LAYS OUT YOUR ROLE AS IMPLEMENTING AND OVERSEEING THAT AND MY ROLE AND REALLY OUR ROLE AS A TEAM AS WE'RE, THIS IS KIND OF COOL.

THIS IS, UH, OUR ROLE AS A TEAM IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WILL FACILITATE AND COLLABORATE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, CULTIVATE THAT IDEA OF COLLABORATION AND TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY THROUGHOUT.

SO BEFORE WE GO INTO THOSE DETAILS, I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO COME BACK BECAUSE TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, IT'S REALLY OUR RESPONSIBILITY, COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO THE VOTERS AND TO THE PUBLIC, TO CARRY OUT PROJECT CONNECT THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITH THOSE VALUES AND WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER.

AND IT'S ROOTED IN ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS, BOTH THE LEGAL ELEMENTS, BUT ALSO OUR VALUE ELEMENTS AS WELL.

SO I THINK WHAT CASEY IS GOING TO DO NOW IS KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH, REMIND US SOME OF THOSE HIGH LEVEL ELEMENTS IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT BEFORE BRANDON OR LAYOUT KIND OF WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE IN NEXT STEPS.

UH, COULD I ASK REAL QUICK, JUST REMIND ME WHERE, WHERE DO WE FIND THE JPA ON THE WEBSITE, BY THE WAY, IT'S ACTUALLY ON OUR, ON OUR ACTUAL, ON OUR, ALSO IN OUR ATP ATP.

YEAH, RIGHT NOW, UM, THE EASIEST PLACE TO FIND IT.

WELL, IT'S NOT AS EASY.

THERE WAS A WEBSITE CHANGE WHILE I WAS ON VACATION, BUT, UM, IT'S IN THE LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS PAGE, BUT THAT'S ON OUR TO-DO LIST TO BRING THAT TO LIKE A BETTER SPOT UNLESS CHLOE HAS A CORRECTION.

SO THE GO TO THE LEADERSHIP TAB AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE LIKE POP-UP THAT SAYS LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S AN EASIER PLAY.

IT REALLY SHOULD BE PROBABLY AT THE LANDING PAGE AND ALSO ON THE PROJECT, NOT OKAY.

MAYBE I'M DAFT OR SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MY EYE.

I'M NOT FINE WITH MY PHONE BROWSER.

I'M NOT FINDING IT EVEN COMING UP RIGHT NOW.

SO GO TO ATP.

SO THERE USED TO BE IN THE RIBBON, A LEADERSHIP ANALYSIS, IF YOU CLICK ON THAT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS A COMMS GLITCH AND IT GOT MOVED.

SO NOW WHEN YOU GO TO THE LEADERSHIP PAGE, WHICH WE'RE CORRECTING, UM, A POP-UP USUALLY COMES UP IN THE RIGHT-HAND CORNER THAT SAYS LEADERSHIP, SOMETHING ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP.

SEND HIM THE LINK WHERE IT OKAY.

AND THAT'S NOT COMING UP ON MOBILE, SO YOU CAN KILL IT.

WE CAN JUST

[01:45:01]

WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WE'RE GOING TO WE'LL GET THAT OUT TO EVERYONE.

AND THEN THIS WEBSITE COMMENT IS WE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK BOARD MEMBER THAT WE HAVE FROM A COMMUNICATIONS PERSPECTIVE IS, UH, WORKING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, GET OUR WEBSITE, UM, FIND SOME OPTIMALITY AROUND THAT OVER THE NEXT MONTH.

I, I, I BELIEVE I ACTUALLY HAD SENT AN EMAIL RECOMMENDING THAT, THAT BE PUT IN THE SAME PLACE WITH THE OTHER GOVERNING DOCUMENTS.

CAUSE THE JPA IS SO AND SO, UM, EQUIVOCAL, SO, UM, INSTRUMENTAL, I SHOULD SAY WITH THE REST OF THE DOCUMENTS AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT.

SO IT WOULD BE, I THINK, WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO, AS THEY'RE LOOKING RIGHT THERE, THEY SEE THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION BYLAWS THAT SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE JPA AS WELL.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SEE THAT TOO.

SO, YEAH, I AGREE.

I MEAN, WE ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS IS LIKE THE ORIGINAL WEBSITE HAD THAT, A LINK TO THAT AND WE'VE JUST BEEN KIND OF MAKING CHANGES.

BUT THEN UNFORTUNATELY I THINK PART OF THIS COMS EFFORT IS TO IMPROVE THE SPEED WITH WHICH WE CAN, UM, REVAMP OUR, UM, OUR WEBSITE TO MAKE EVERYTHING A LOT MORE ACCESSIBLE.

AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SMALL SHOP AND WORKS.

WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON IT.

HOWEVER, UM, JUST, UM, IF CHLOE, COULD YOU ADVANCE IT TO SLIDES FOR ME PLEASE? SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO IN THE SPIRIT OF NOT READING MY SLIDES AND, UM, HAVING A DIALOGUE WITH YOU GUYS, I DO, I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AS GENERAL COUNSEL AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE, KIND OF THE ROOT OF THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS BOARD THAT IS SET FORTH IN A BINDING AGREEMENT WITH OUR TWO PARTNERS, UM, THAT, THAT WE REMIND OURSELVES THAT THIS IS IT'S, IT'S A FRAMEWORK.

UM, AND, AND THE ILS, WHICH I'M THE DEPUTY COUNSEL, BRANDON WE'LL GET INTO OUR KIND OF REFER FURTHER REFINING THAT FRAMEWORK.

BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, UM, RESTATES TO TWO CRITICAL THINGS, ONE THE BALLOT STATEMENT THAT, THAT, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CANALY HAD REFERRED TO, WHICH SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT AN INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENT BOARD WOULD OVERSEE AND FINANCE THE ACQUISITION CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTING EQUIPMENT EQUIPPING AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.

THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER SECTION THAT DISCUSSES CAPITAL METRO BEING THE OPERATIONS AND MAIN MAINTENANCE FUNCTION FOR THE SYSTEM IN THAT BALLOT LANGUAGE.

SO THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS WENT TO THE BALLOT BOX UNDERSTANDING THEY WERE VOTING FOR AND ALSO RESTATES, UM, WHAT WAS IN THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS AND IN THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, THAT ATP WOULD ACT AS THE PRINCIPAL ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING PROJECT CONNECT.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT BECAUSE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE, YOU KNOW, REPORT AND WHAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR IS THAT THERE IS POTENTIALLY SOME CONFUSION ABOUT ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND THEN WE HAVE THIS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT THAT WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE CAP METRO STAFF AND THE CITY STAFF FOR MOST OF LAST YEAR PUTTING TOGETHER.

SO, UM, WE WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO FIND IT SO THAT YOU CAN READ IT.

UM, UM, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE SOME HIGH-LEVEL RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ARE LAID OUT FOR THE ATP BOARD IN, IN THE, UM, JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, WHICH I'VE DESCRIBED A CUP OR THEN HERE AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

BUT I THINK IMPORTANTLY, WE ARE, UM, WE SERVE THE ROLE AS LEAD CONVENER AND IT WILL BE ATP'S RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING THE THREE PARTIES TOGETHER.

UM, WHEN THOSE, WHEN ALL THREE PARTIES NEED TO MAKE A DECISION AS A PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE THE PROGRAM FORWARD, ONE, ONE THAT'S SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT AS WHEN WE DO UPDATE THE FINANCIAL MODEL AT 30% DESIGN, IF THAT AFFECTS AT ALL THE IMPLEMENTATION SEQUENCE PLAN, OR AS IT SAYS, THE DISTRIBUTION OF ANTI-DISPLACEMENT FUNDING, UM, WHICH WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT ATP WOULD, WOULD CONVENE THE PARTIES TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.

UM, NEXT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THEN IT'S JUST MORE DETAILS OF WHAT'S ALREADY IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO, UM, PUT IT IN THE PACKET AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ILS THAT ARE COMING DOWN THE LINE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING ILS FOR YEARS TO COME, BUT REALLY CRITICAL ONES IN THE, IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

AND, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY JUST MENTIONING, YOU KNOW, THAT THE ATP WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REIMBURSING THE CITY FOR THE 300 MILLION IN ANTI-DISPLACEMENT WORK UTILITY RELOCATION EFFORTS, UM, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY IN KENT, METRO ON DESIGN REVIEW AND PERMITTING STANDARDS AND, AND THEN IMPLEMENTING SPECIFIC WORKFORCE INEQUITY POLICIES, INCLUDING REALLY CRITICALLY DEVELOPING OUR CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE AND OF COURSE, BUSINESS IMPACT MEDICATION DBE, UM, AND WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS.

NEXT SLIDE.

UM, BEFORE I HAND IT OFF TO BRANDON TO GET TO THE HEART OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION ITEM, WHICH ARE THE

[01:50:01]

UPCOMING ILS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WHILE THE JPA IS THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE TRI-PARTY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THE ILS ARE REALLY CRITICAL AND THAT THEY FURTHER REFINE THE RESPONSIBILITIES IN ORDER TO DELIVER SPECIFIC PROJECTS.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO, THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT THE KIND OF THE DETAILS OF HOW THE, HOW THE PARTIES WILL RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER.

AND THAT'LL BE, IT'S VERY CRITICAL.

WE KNOW THIS, THAT EACH PARTY KNOWS THEIR DEFINED ROLE AND THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY POINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY SO THAT WHEN THINGS DO GO WRONG, WE KNOW HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM.

SO WAS REALLY CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS.

SURE.

I JUST WANT IT TO PAUSE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY QUESTIONS ALL DAY PARTS FROM GREG AND CASEY.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? IF NOT, I CAN GO AHEAD.

TECHNICALLY IN EFFECT, BUT WE WANT TO CLARIFY THAT ONE BECAUSE, UH, THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WEREN'T AS CLEAR WHEN THAT ONE WAS EXECUTED.

THANK YOU, MS. BURROW.

SURE.

UM, SO AS CASEY AND GREG HAVE MENTIONED, UM, WE POINT BACK TO THE JPA MULTIPLE TIMES, UM, GOING FORWARD, UM, TO SEE WHAT OUR ROLES OR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.

UM, SECTION 2.7 OF THE JPA.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL THIS, BUT INITIALLY WE WANTED TO PUT EVERYTHING IN THE JPA, YOU KNOW, UTILITY, RELOCATIONS, PROPERTY ACQUISITION, THE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. WE WANTED EVERYTHING IN ONE DOCUMENT AND IT JUST DID NOT COME TOGETHER.

UM, SO WHAT WE DECIDED WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE SUPPLEMENTED, WE'LL STILL BE MEETING IF THEY WERE WORKING ON THAT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE THE LONGEST MEETING, RIGHT? I JOINED ATP IN JUNE AND MY WHOLE FIRST SIX MONTHS WAS JPA.

SO, UM, WE GOT TO WHERE WE COULD, AND NOW WE HAVE SOME AGREEMENTS COMING BEFORE YOU SOON.

UH, THESE AGREEMENTS ARE OUR TWO CAPITAL METRO AGREEMENTS, UH, FOR THE EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RAPIDS, ONE FOR CAPITAL COSTS AND ONE FOR OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE.

WE HAVE A CITY SUPPORT SERVICES AGREEMENT, UH, THAT WE HOPE TO BRING BACK TO YOU SOON.

ALSO, UM, WE HAVE A CAPITAL METRO SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WE'D LIKE TO UPDATE THAT AGREEMENT.

AND THEN AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, THE MCCALLA STATION IS MOVING FORWARD.

SO WE WANT TO GET THAT CAPITAL COST ILA TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UM, IF YOU LOOKED AT GREG'S SLIDES, UM, THE PROPOSITION, THEY ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT HOW ATP WOULD USE GRANT AGREEMENTS.

AND SO WE'RE USING THAT TERM GRANT AGREEMENTS.

UM, IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANTAR LOCAL AGREEMENTS, IT'S BASICALLY JUST AGREEMENTS BETWEEN TWO GOVERNMENT BODIES WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BID FOR CONTRACTS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

THE TWO BODIES CAN WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO ENTER AN AGREEMENT.

SO THAT'S WHY WE USE THE TERM GRANT AGREEMENTS AND INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS, UH, PRETTY INTERCHANGEABLY.

UM, AND THE GRANT AGREEMENTS REALLY FALL INTO THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, IMPLEMENTATION OR SUPPORT SERVICES, UH, THAT WOULD BE FOR CAPITAL METRO AND FOR THE CITY, WE HAVE THE CAPITAL AGREEMENTS AND THEN THE OPERATIONS AGREEMENTS.

I WON'T READ ALL OF THOSE THINGS TO YOU, BUT, UM, IF YOU'RE CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE THE HR FUNCTIONS AND THE IT FUNCTIONS AND THE WEBSITE FUNCTIONS.

WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WHERE THOSE FALL IN THOSE FALL UNDER THE SUPPORT SERVICES TAB.

AND RIGHT NOW, THOSE ARE ALL BEING SUPPORTED BY A CAPITAL METRO.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

UM, SO EVEN THOUGH THIS IS LABELED ATP CAP, METRO ILA KEY GOALS, REALLY THESE KEY GOALS ARE GOING TO BE FOUND THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT.

SO WE'LL REALLY STAY ON THIS SLIDE FOR THE REST OF MOST OF THE REST OF THIS PRESENTATION.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO WITH THESE AGREEMENTS ARE REFLECT ATPS VALUES AND CAP METRO'S VALUES AND THE CITY'S VALUES.

WE WANT TO REFINE OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE EMAIL REPORT WAS THAT WE NEEDED TO REFINE THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND HOW WE THINK WE SHOULD DO THIS IS THROUGH INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENTS.

IT'S GOING TO BE THE EASIEST WAY TO TAKE IT PIECE BY PIECE.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT.

UM, NUMBER THREE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WE WANT TO MAKE THESE AGREEMENTS SUBJECT OR SUBORDINATE TO ANY FUTURE DEBT.

SO WHEN WE GO OUT FOR TIFIA LOANS, WHEN WE GO OUT FOR CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, OR EVEN IF WE GO OUT FOR PRIVATE LOANS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE, UM, THOSE CREDITORS, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THOSE AGREEMENTS ARE, UM, HIGHER TECHNICALLY IN THE PRIORITY AND THE LIEN PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO PAYING THEM BACK AND THAT'S GOING TO GET US THE BEST RATE AND IT'S GOING TO GET US THE BEST MARKETABILITY FOR OUR, UM, OUR DEBT, UM, ESTABLISHED NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNTS.

WE WANT TO MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR IN EACH OF THESE AGREEMENTS.

UM, AS WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THESE, UM, AGREEMENTS LIKE THE METRO RAPIDS, WE HAVE HIGH LEVEL NUMBERS, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE THOSE CLEAR WHAT THOSE SPECIFICALLY ARE.

UH, WE ALSO WANT TO HAVE TIMELINES FOR INVOICING AND PAYMENT, MAKE SURE WE HAVE AUDITING RIGHTS AND WE WANTED TO FIND METRICS AND RESPONSIVE AND OUTCOMES BECAUSE WE REALLY HAVEN'T.

UM, WE REALLY HAVEN'T DONE THAT AT A DETAILED LEVEL.

UM, SO THE CITY AGREEMENT EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER, 2021.

SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY TO GET THAT BACK GOING, UM, FOR THE, FOR THE CITY'S PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE, UH, THE CAPITAL METRO AGREEMENT IS STILL

[01:55:01]

UM, SO WE HAD OUR LEADERSHIP MEET, UH, BACK IN FEBRUARY AND THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT TO GO FORWARD ON ALL OF THESE INNER LOCALS.

SO WE'RE, UM, WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND HAVING THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WHILE WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS, WE WANT IT TO COME TO YOU AND SEE IF THERE ARE ANY KEY GOALS THAT YOU THINK ARE MISSING FROM THIS LIST, UM, OR ANY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES YOU REALLY WANT US TO DEFINE.

AND SO I'LL PAUSE HERE TO SEE KIND OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.

I DO HAVE A COMMENT AND I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING, UH, WHEN YOU'VE MENTIONED THE REFLECT, THE VALUES THAT YOU MENTIONED, BOTH ALL THREE ENTITIES, RIGHT? THE CABINETRY VALUES, THE TP VALUES, THE CITY OF BOSTON VALLEYS, BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY THAT WE ALL SEE THIS PROGRAM BEING SUCCESSFUL IS IF WE'RE ALL IN ALIGNMENT AND ELEVATING THOSE VALUES IS REALLY KEY.

AND I APPRECIATE IT.

SO, AND I REALLY LIKE HOW YOU'VE ALSO FRAMED IT AS ALMOST BOOKENDS THE, REFLECT THE VALUES AND DEFINE THE METRICS AND OUTCOMES BECAUSE HOW DO WE GRADE OURSELVES WITH, HOW DO WE DEFINE THAT SUCCESS, RIGHT? AND HOW THAT CLARITY LEADS TO THE EFFICIENCIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT A BOTTLENECK OR OUR OWN WORST ENEMIES, BECAUSE WE CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT QUICKLY.

AND SO IF TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE BRING THE COMMUNITY ALONG, I REALLY APPRECIATE HOW YOU'VE PRESENTED THOSE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO GRADE OURSELVES.

AND YOU'LL FIND THAT SOME, MOST OF THOSE METRICS AND OUTCOMES ARE GOING TO BE, UM, FEDERALLY MANDATED, LIKE, AND YOUR SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENT, LIKE MEETING THOSE REQUIREMENTS IS GOING TO BE A PART OF THOSE METRICS AND OUTCOMES.

MY BROWN KIDS, I HAVE A COMMENT IT'S NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ILA IS, BUT IT'S DIRECTLY RELATED TO VALUES.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT ON PAGE 33, THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, AND THE FIRST THING IT SAYS IS INDEPENDENT BOARD, INDEPENDENT BOARD IS IMPORTANT, BUT ALSO, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, THAT HAS TO BE EQUALLY WEIGHTED WITH COLLABORATION, RIGHT? SO THE WORD COLLABORATION, I THINK, IS A REALLY IMPORTANT VALUE.

AND WE TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT WOULD IT BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND NOT SO MUCH NOW, BUT AT A FUTURE MEETING, HOW WE COLLABORATE NOW WITH THE THREE MAIN SPONSORS, THE THREE ENTITIES ATP CITY OF AUSTIN CAMP METRO, AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE COLLABORATION? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IN LARGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO THIS RIGHT NOW, THE CREATION OF WORKING GROUPS.

SO THERE WOULD BE IN MY MIND A RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION WORKING GROUP COMPRISED OF THREE ENTITIES AND CONSULTANTS, SAME THING WITH UTILITIES, SAME THING WITH CAPITAL COST IN O AND M WHY I MENTIONED CAPITAL COSTS IN O AND M I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST WHOLE OF LIFE ANALYSIS.

WE CAN'T OCCUPY, WE CAN'T WORK IN A VACUUM DURING THE CAPITAL COST OF THE PROGRAM, UNLESS WE WORKED DIRECTLY WITH CAP METRO, THAT'S DOING THE O AND M.

SO WE ITERATE AND FIND THE BEST SOLUTION.

SO HOW DO WE COLLABORATE? HOW DO WE DO THOSE WORK IN GROUPS? WHAT ARE CONSULTANTS BROUGHT INTO THAT? SO IT'D BE GOOD AT A FUTURE MEETING TO KNOW HOW WE SET WORKING GROUPS UP, WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE WORKING GROUPS SO THAT WE FOSTER MORE AND MORE COLLABORATION.

THANKS.

AS A BOARD AS JUST THAT IS FOR CAP METRO BOARD AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO SEE THAT AS WELL.

I'LL JUST SAY TO PLUG ON COURTNEY CHAVEZ, SHE'S ACTUALLY WORKING ON A FRAMEWORK SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING.

THAT'S COME OUT OF THE COMMENTS THAT CAME FROM, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR PARTNERS ON THE DESIGN.

SO WE COULD REALLY FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE MAJOR THEMES, WHAT ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON? SO IS THERE ACTUALLY GOOD DATA EXERCISE? SO I'M HOPING WE CAN COME BACK AND KIND OF PRESENT THAT TO YOU ALL IN THE COMING MONTHS, BUT WE ARE ALSO WORKING TOGETHER NONSTOP.

SO JUST FROM MORE OF A FRAMEWORK, YES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND DOTTIE MIGHT WANT IT.

I THINK REALLY AT A VERY CORE FOUNDATIONAL LEVEL, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IT EVEN LOOKING OVER AT OUR TABLES HERE.

OUR TEAMS ARE, YOU KNOW, A NICA IS SITTING THERE WITH, WITH ED EASTON AND DESERET.

I MEAN, WE HAVE IN MALI SITTING RIGHT THERE.

SO WE HAVE, I THINK IT JUST COMES TO CORE OF HOW WE STARTED, UM, SURE.

WE WANT TO BUILD ON AND ENHANCE IT AS THE PROJECT PROGRESSES AND THE PROGRAM PROGRESSES AND THE COMPLEXITIES PROGRESS.

UM, BUT WE'RE VERY, KIND OF VERY FORWARD FOCUSED ON THAT BECAUSE WE FEEL REALLY STRONG ABOUT WHERE THE DINOVITE HAD ALREADY HAD A CHANCE TO KIND OF VISIT ABOUT THIS.

AND I THINK, UM, OBVIOUSLY A BOARD MEMBER AUCKLAND'S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE THAT AND MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT.

NO DOUBT.

IN FACT, THAT'S LIKE THAT ONGOING CONTINUAL EFFORT.

UM, SO I THINK IT'S A REALLY, BUT THOSE REMARKS ARE STRONG AND WE TAKE THEM IN AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE

[02:00:01]

SO WE, WE KIND OF WANT TO LIVE IT EVERY DAY.

AND I LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT TO YOU BOARD MEMBER STRATTON NEXT, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY MEETINGS WITH MS. HOUSTON, OUR INTERNAL AUDIT DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE, WE HAD THIS IDEA TO, AS FAR AS THE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP FOR CHANGE ORDERS, FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT AS WELL.

SO THAT, BECAUSE THE CHANGE ORDER THAT MAY BE PROMPTED FROM WORK OR SPECIFICITY THAT CAPITAL METRO REQUIRE FOR PATIENTS AND MAINTENANCE MAY AFFECT DIFFERENTLY ATP.

SO THAT WORKING GROUP FOR CHANGE ORDERS CAN ALSO BE THOUGHT ABOUT MORE HOLISTICALLY AND NOT JUST BROUGHT UP TO THE BOARD IN A VACUUM IN A WAY THAT, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT FROM, FROM RIGHT-OF-WAY CHANGE ORDERS, UH, MITIGATION.

UM, AND MEMBER STRATTON.

UM, JUST WANNA APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS, UH, BRANDON, AS YOU POINTED OUT AND, UM, UH, UH, GREG, AS YOU POINTED OUT, THIS HAS BEEN A HEAVY LIFT.

THE REASON THE JPA ENDED UP WHERE IT WAS IS BECAUSE THERE WERE STILL SO MANY DETAILS THAT NEEDED TO BE IRONED OUT.

AND, UH, I SEEM TO RECALL THAT THAT EVEN WITH EACH ONE OF THESE, THERE'S A PROVISION WITHIN THE JPA THAT REQUIRES THAT EACH ONE OF THESE ILS AT LEAST BE, UH, AT LEAST BE SHARED WITH, UH, I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE.

I THINK WITHIN THE JPA THAT, THAT THESE ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, ANY ILS BE, BE SHARED WITH THE PUBLIC IN SOME FORM FASHION OR ANOTHER, I THINK IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS PASSED, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THAT ONE.

WE LOOKING AT CASEY FOR THAT, I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ELEMENT FOR US TO CONNECT WITH CAC.

AND PART OF THAT IS COMING HERE TO BRIEF ON THAT ALLOWS US THAT TIME.

UM, BUT YES, IT WAS CERTAINLY CONTEMPLATE.

I THINK IT WAS BRANDON MENTIONED IS THAT W WE KNEW, I THINK AT ONE POINT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MOONSHOT OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AT ALL.

WE'LL HAVE ONE BIG DOCUMENT, RIGHT? REALLY THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING DOCUMENT BECAUSE IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW WE'LL UNCOVER SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN THINK WAS AN ISSUE YET ALONE NEEDED CLARIFICATION AROUND AN AGREEMENT, BUT THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF BALLOT TO JPA, TO INNER LOCALS.

WE'RE NOT RESTRICTING OURSELVES TO THESE FIVE-YEAR TODAY.

WE, IN FACT, WE CONTEMPLATE MANY MORE.

UM, BUT NOW WE HAVE A NICE STRUCTURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN SEE.

AND AS LONG AS THE PROCESS IS GREAT, THAT WE CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT, UM, THAT MOVING FORWARD.

BUT WE'LL CHECK THAT IF THERE IS A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT ON THOSE.

UM, BUT WE DO TAKE A LOT TO THE CAC AND IF IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TAKE TO THEM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WHY THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.

LINES AND, AND, AND DOING THE DUE DILIGENCE IT NEEDS FOR BUILDING OUT THE, IN THE CONTRACTS AND STUFF FOR THE RED LINE ITSELF.

AND, UH, MY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS IS THAT, UM, I APPRECIATE WHAT I SEE HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT IS WE'RE GOING, MOVING INTO THE, TO THE REALM NOW WHERE WE WE'VE GOT THIS SEPARATE AND INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP MODEL, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING IN.

WE'VE, WE'VE GOT IN MANY WAYS, THIS WAS VERY, THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE IT PROVIDED CLARITY WHERE THERE HASN'T BEEN SOME FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW, STAFF Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD, REALLY TRYING TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THE BALL FORWARD AND KEEP DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DOING.

IT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, BUT THERE'S THIS BEEN KIND OF QUESTION MARK HANGING OVER OUR HEADS.

WELL, NOW WE'VE GOT IT WITH, UH, WITH THIS DECISION MADE AND WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, GREG NOW SERVING AS OUR INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT TO KIND OF, SORT OF START TEASING OUT THESE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AND FIGURING OUT WHO'S GOING TO BE DOING WHAT, AND WHERE DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR CAP METRO AND, AND ATP TO CONTINUE SHARING AND GETTING THE BEST ECONOMIES OF SCALE AND OTHER PLACES WHERE IT MAY MAKE SENSE FOR ATP TO KIND OF GO ITS OWN ROUTE AND KIND OF FORGE ITS OWN ITS OWN PATH AND CARPETS OWN AS IT WERE ITS OWN LANE.

AS WE CONTINUE MOVING DOWN THE ROAD ON THIS ONE.

UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THE WORK THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO THAT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, AND AS I SEEING SOME OF THESE THINGS, I MEANS WE'RE LOOKING AT DEFINING METRICS AND OUTCOMES, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THESE PROJECTS SUCH AS THE, UM, UH, THE, THE RED LINE AND THEN THE, UH, THE BRT LINES THAT, UH, LIKE, LIKE THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND THE EXPO LINE AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, THAT WE DON'T RECREATE THE WHEEL AS IT WERE OVER ON OUR END.

UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MORE TRANSIT SPECIFIC AND TRANSIT RELATED.

I THINK I HEARD YOU TOUCH IT ON THIS BRANDON, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE AND MAKE THAT, THAT WE'RE CLEAR ON THIS, THAT, UM, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SINCE CAPITAL METRO IS THE DESIGNATED, UH, FTA RECOGNIZED AND RE AND, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, STATE OF TEXAS RECOGNIZED REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY, THAT CAP METRO HAS ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AND, AND HAS ITS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND ITS ROLE TO PLAY IN TERMS OF DETERMINING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE, REALLY, WHAT THE METRICS WOULD BE IN THAT REGARD FOR, YOU KNOW, HOW TO DETERMINE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE FOR BUILDING THE BRT

[02:05:01]

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A CAP METRO ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY VERSUS ATP.

THAT, THAT, AGAIN, IT WOULD SEEM LIKE THAT WE'D BE REINVENTING THE WHEEL IF WE'RE TRYING TO SET A METRIC AND A CONTRACT ON OUR SIDE OF THINGS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE TRANSIT AGENCY, AND THAT WOULD BE MORE OF A, OF A TRANSIT FUNCTION, BUT IT KIND OF IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WOULD SAY THE, SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT ANY CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE CITY IN THAT REGARD, IF WE ARE GOING TO KIND OF BE DELVING INTO SOME THINGS THAT WERE SPECIFIC TO, UH, THAT WERE HYSTERICAL, HISTORICALLY FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT OF WAY, SIDING AND DEALING WITH THOSE KINDS OF FUNCTIONS TOO.

SO JUST, JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE COGNIZANT OF, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE CONCEPT, GETTING BACK TO THE EMAIL REPORT OF THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAT I LIKE, THIS, THAT WE CAN NOW HELP US FIGURE OUT AT THE STAFF LEVEL NOW ELEVATED UP TO THE BOARD LEVEL KIND OF WHAT THOSE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, BUT JUST KIND OF MAKING SURE WE'RE COGNIZANT OF, UM, YOU KNOW, WHO'S WHO HISTORICALLY WOULD, HAS BEEN AND WOULD BE THE BEST PARTY GOING FORWARD FOR WHATEVER THAT RESPONSIBILITY IS AND WHAT DOCUMENT AND CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION WOULD BE BEST MOVING FORWARD FOR THAT, AGAIN, I, A HUNDRED PERCENT, I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THESE ARE FOR, RIGHT? WHERE, UH, UH, I THINK DOTTIE AND HER TEAM ARE QUICKLY GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE METRICS AROUND THESE, THIS DOCUMENT SERVES AS THAT ACCOUNTABILITY LANG LINK BETWEEN WHAT THE VOTERS VOTED FOR AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT.

SO WE HAVE A PLACE TO DOCUMENT THAT.

SO I THINK THAT'S JUST INHERENT TO THAT EXACTLY RIGHT, WHERE WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO RECREATE THE WHEEL.

THERE IS PLENTY OF METRICS AND OUTCOMES THAT, UM, KEPT METRO ALREADY HAS AND WILL BE MOVING TOWARDS.

AND WE'RE JUST, WE JUST PUT THOSE TOGETHER WITH THE MONEY SIDE OF IT AND OPEN YOUR GIFT, YOUR TURN.

MA'AM AND I'LL BE QUICK.

I JUST, UH, MITCH GO TO MOVING THIS WAY.

HE KNOWS THAT WE NEEDED IT TO GET THIS.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAD ME, YOU KNOW, IN THE COMMUNITY MORE GENERALLY OVER THIS LAST SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS, LIKE THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF STUFF, UH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS SPELLED OUT.

UH, I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT THAT IT BE REALLY TRANSPARENT AND SHARED.

AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE TO THAT.

I THINK THERE IS A PROVISION THAT SAYS WE STAKE STUFF TO THE CAC, IF IT HAS AN IMPACT ON EQUITY, UH, I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYTHING WE WOULD BE VOTING ON THAT DEALS WITH RESPONSIBILITIES ORGANIZATIONS THAT DOESN'T.

UH, SO I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROBABLY ALL GONNA QUALIFY, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF BASE OPERATIONAL FOUNDATIONAL DOCUMENTS, WHERE WE'RE ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE, THAT THE CAP METRO STAFF IS ALSO IN THE LOOP WHILE YOU'RE NEGOTIATING THE ILA WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, SO THE CAP METRO CAN ADVISE ITS REPRESENTATIVE ON THIS BOARD, UH, AND BECAUSE IT'S ALL GETS TIED TOGETHER.

THEY'RE ALL GOING TO INTERRELATE TO EACH OTHER ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

AND, UH, JUST REAL CRITICAL THAT THE STAFFS DO ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER.

ARE READY TO COME BACK TO YOU.

DO, DOES THAT CONCLUDE YOUR PRESENTATION? JUST ONE LAST THING.

UM, MY LAST SLIDE ON PAGE SLIDE 43, UM, NEXT STEPS.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE DRAFTED A CAPITOL, UH, WE'VE DRAFTED THE METRO RAPIDS CAPITAL AGREEMENT AND WE'VE SENT IT TO CAPITAL METRO.

SO, UH, WE'RE STARTING NEGOTIATIONS ON THAT ONE.

UM, AS FAR AS THE OTHER ONES, WE HOPE TO GET THOSE TO YOU THIS SUMMER.

UH, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THE INITIAL DRAFTS, BUT ATP IS TRYING TO TAKE THE LEAD ON DRAFTING THOSE, UM, FIRST, UH, BUT THE CITY HAS SENT US ALSO A DRAFT OF THE NEW CITY SUPPORT SERVICES ONE.

AND SO WE'RE JUST MAKING RED LINES.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT MATCH UP WITH THE CAPITAL METRO ONE.

SO WE'RE ALL KIND OF OPERATING IN THE SAME IN THE SAME SPHERE.

SO, UM, WE'VE JUST TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WE WANTED TO, BUT, UH, WE DO HAVE A MEETING BETWEEN ALL THREE PARTIES THIS FRIDAY, AND WE DO HAVE, UM, CONSISTENT MEETINGS TO KIND OF WORK THROUGH THESE ISSUES.

AND I'LL JUST SAY, UM, BRANDON'S BEEN REALLY DILIGENT ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET DRAFTS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO THE CAC, TO THE REVIEW AND AHEAD OF THOSE MEETINGS BEFORE WE DO ANY SORT OF APPROVING IN THIS BODY.

SO, UM, SO YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN REALLY CONSCIOUS ABOUT LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT? AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CAC AGENDA, THERE'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SPOT NOW FOR ATP CAP, METRO AND CITY UPDATES.

AND SO COURTNEY CHAVEZ HAS BEEN DOING UPDATES FOR WHAT ATP HAS BEEN WORKING ON.

SO WE ARE KEEPING THEM IN THE LOOP.

UM, UNFORTUNATELY THERE WASN'T A QUORUM THIS MONTH, SO HOPEFULLY WE GET A QUORUM NEXT MONTH, SO WE CAN SHOW WHAT AGREEMENTS

[02:10:01]

AND ONE QUESTION I HAVE THAT GOES BACK TO YOUR POINT WHERE MEMBERS STRAPPED AND ABOUT WHERE THE JPA LIVES.

BUT ONE THING THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME IS THAT THE JPA CONTAINS FOUR ATTACHMENTS, ATTACHMENT ABC, AND D I BELIEVE IF THOSE COULD ALSO BE COMBINED OR LIVE TOGETHER.

AND I KNOW THAT ATTACHMENT B HAS ALL THE LISTS OF ILETS THAT IS GOING TO BE EVOLVING.

BUT IF THAT CAN ALSO BE LIKE, I HAD TO GO ON A RABBIT CHASE OF, KIND OF PUT IT TOGETHER, SOME OF THOSE.

SO IF THEY CAN ALL LIVE TOGETHER AS WELL, YOU KNOW, THE ATTACHMENTS THAT'D BE BEAUTIFUL.

I THINK THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING WE'LL HAVE TO WORK OUT IS THAT IF YOU ADD THEM ALL TOGETHER, IT'S LIKE 30 MEGS, 30 MEGABYTES, SO LONG, IT'S A BIG DOWNLOAD.

SO MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BREAK THOSE, OR AT LEAST PERHAPS HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE HYPERLINK AND HAVE THE HYPERLINKS ON THE SAME PAGE.

SO THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD PROPOSED IN AN EMAIL TO STAFF WAS INSTEAD OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, A FOUNDING DOG, I THINK WHAT IT'S CALLED RIGHT NOW IS LIKE FOUNDING DOCUMENTS IS LIKE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, JUST CHANGE WHAT THE TITLE OF IT'S CALLED.

AND THEN THAT WAY YOU CAN PUT EVERYTHING ON, YOU CAN PUT JPA, AND THEN YOU COULD PUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS THERE AND THEN YOU COULD EVEN PUT IN PARENTHESES, YOU KNOW, JPA, APPENDIX, A APPENDIX B APPENDIX C OR WHATEVER, SO THAT PEOPLE COULD EITHER FIND IT DIRECTLY WHAT THEY WANT IT TO BE CALLED, OR THEY COULD NOTE, OH, OKAY.

THAT'S THE, IN THE JPA IS KNOWN AS APPENDIX C OR WHATEVER IT IS.

AND I THINK FOR EXHIBIT B, WHICH WILL BE UPDATED, WE COULD SAY AS OF JUNE 1ST, 20, 22 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WE UPDATED.

THAT'D BE GREAT.

AND WE'RE MEMBERS, UM, FIEND, BECCA, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A LOT OF WORK AND I THINK THAT YOU'VE JUST HIGHLIGHTED HOW MUCH COLLABORATION GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

AND WE DON'T ALWAYS SEE THAT WHEN, WHEN WE GO THROUGH OUR TECHNICAL UPDATES, BUT, UM, AND BRINGING SOME, SOME CLARITY TO THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND HOW THE THREE BODIES ARE WORKING TOGETHER, UH, YOU KNOW, AS WE WORK THROUGH AND I CAN TELL FROM, FROM OUR OWN CITY EXPERIENCE, WHEN WE WORK THROUGH DEFINING WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF OUR PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE FOR US TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT, THAT COLLABORATION IS, IS CRITICAL.

AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY STAFF TO SIT WITH CAPITAL METRO STAFF, AS THEY DEFINE WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, JUST BRINGS A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY AND COLLABORATION AND DEFINING THE SKILL SETS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO REALLY BRING THESE PROJECTS FORWARD.

I THINK THIS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THIS.

UM, AND YOU'VE JUST LAID IT OUT IN A NICE, REALLY CLEAR WAY.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, SHE WANTS TO EXTEND HER GRATITUDE TO THE ALLSTATE COMMUNITY FOR ALLOWING HER TO SERVE AND TO CONTINUE SUCH A UNIQUE AND TRANSFORMATIONAL PROJECT FOR OUR CITY.

ANY MORE THOUGHTS FOR OUR COUNCIL LEGAL COUNCIL FEEL FREE TO ALSO JOIN DOTS.

GREAT.

UM, WE DO NEED, THANK YOU, MR. CARR.

SO BEFORE WE CONCLUDE OUR MAY BOARD MEETING, YOU KNOW, I DO HAVE A VERY BITTERSWEET ANNOUNCEMENT BECAUSE OUR BELOVED IN AGRO COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER, DR.

PIERCE BURNETT, WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY WITH US, SHE HAS DECIDED TO STEP DOWN FROM HER POSITION AS ATP BOARD MEMBER.

UM, SHE DID SEND US, UH, CASEY AND I A LETTER SAYING THAT EFFECTIVE JUNE 30TH, WHICH ALMOST GAVE YOU A HEART ATTACK.

AND I WAS KIND OF SAD.

AND I SAID, CAN I JUST IGNORE THAT I GOT THAT EMAIL AND PRETEND NEVER HAPPENED.

SO I PROCEEDED TO HAVE BREAKFAST WITH HER, TRIED TO CONVINCE HER ABOUT THE, JUST THE TIMELINE, THE DECISION THAT IT'S ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE HERE IN OUR, IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS AND OUR FIDUCIARY DUTIES AND KEEPING THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH THE PROGRAM.

SO I BEGGED HER, YOU KNOW, HOW NEGOTIABLE THAT DATE OF JUNE 30TH WAS.

SO, YOU KNOW, SHE SAYS, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE.

SHE, SHE WANTS TO HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION WITH A GROUP AND HELP US HAND OVER THE REINS.

BUT ALSO SINCE THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO WILL BE LOOKING FOR HER REPLACEMENT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE THEM ENOUGH TIME TO, FOR THEM TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE IN FINDING HER REPLACEMENT.

SO SHE'S DEFINITELY GONNA HELP US IN COLLABORATE AND LOOKING WHO COULD SIT ON THIS BOARD ON HER BEHALF AND OUTREACH, JUST A QUICK MESSAGE THAT SHE SENT ON THAT EMAIL THAT SHE SAID SERVING ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR ME.

SHE MEANS HER.

I VALUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WORKED UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP TOGETHER WITH SUCH A STRONG AND DEDICATED TEAM ON SUCH AN EXCEPTIONALLY IMPORTANT PROGRAM.

I AM VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE FAR AND EVEN MORE EXCITED TO SEE THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRESS.

I DO NOT DOUBT THAT THE BOARD WILL HAVE A CONTINUED SUCCESS.

[02:15:01]

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SHE LOOKS FORWARD TO BEING A WRITER ON OUR NEW METRO LINE, METRO RAIL LINES.

SO LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR HER IN HONOR OF HER SERVICE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I ASKED HER PERMISSION IF I COULD ANNOUNCE WHERE SHE'S HEADED, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, BACK IN DECEMBER, WE, WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT FROM HOUSTON TILLOTSON UNIVERSITY, OH, WE'RE LIKE, SHE'S RETIRING.

SO WE'RE ALL CELEBRATING HER RETIREMENT RIGHT BACK IN DECEMBER, BUT SHE GOT SNATCHED IN INDIANAPOLIS.

AND SO I ASKED HER PERMISSION IF I COULD ANNOUNCE FOR HER THAT SHE'S GOING TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW FIELDS, UH, MUSEUM OF ART AND BOTANICAL GARDENS.

AND SO IT'S, THERE'S AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT CAME OUT IN THE NEW YORK TIMES YESTERDAY ON HER BEHALF.

SO WE CELEBRATE HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

WE KNOW THAT SHE'S LOVED AND ADMIRED BY SO MANY OF US, AND WE'RE SO DEEPLY GRATEFUL HER FOR HER SERVICE.

SO SHE'S GOING TO JOIN US IN OUR JUNE MEETING.

SO I WOULD LIKE FOR ALL OF YOU TO CALL BACK YOUR COMMENTS AND CONGRATULATIONS AND LOVE.

SO YOU CAN TELL HER IN PERSON WHEN SHE JOINS US IN JUNE.

AND, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE REASON WHY SHE COULDN'T JOIN US HERE TODAY, BECAUSE TODAY THEY'RE MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN INDIANAPOLIS ON, ON HER APPOINTMENT.

AND IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO HAVE WORKED WITH HER AND HOW SHE'S SHEPHERD US RIGHT INTO MAKING THIS, THIS PROGRAM PROGRESS.

AND I JUST, DON'T LIKE TO END ON SUCH A KIND OF SAD NOTE, BUT, UM, IT'S JUST CELEBRATE THAT.

INDIANAPOLIS GETS A PHENOMENAL LEADER FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE LOVE ADORE AND ADMIRE.

AND, UM, WITH THAT, THAT'S THE END OF OUR MEETING MAYOR JUST REAL FAST, JUST TO GIVE CONTEXT AND I'LL HOLD OFF ALL THE KIND COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, UH, COLETTE UNTIL THAT TIME COMES.

UH, BUT I WOULD, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DO APPRECIATE, I MEAN, SHE'S LEAVING TOWN AT THE END OF JUNE, HER, UH, LEAVING HT AT THE END OF JUNE.

UH, AND I, AND I THINK WAS, WAS PREPARED TO, TO STEP OFF OUR BOARD ON THAT SAME TIMING.

UH, AND IT WAS BECAUSE, UH, SEVERAL OF US WENT TO HER AND SAID, PLEASE DON'T DO THAT ON THAT TIMING.

YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AUGUST MEETING THE TRI-PARTY MEETING WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

SHE'S BEEN IN THIS SADDLE FOR A LOT OF ACCOUNTANTS PREDATIONS LEADING UP TO THAT.

UM, SO I THINK SHE WAS, WAS WILLING TO STAY ON IF SHE WAS DRAFTED TO, UH, TO, TO, TO DO THAT.

AND CERTAINLY HER EXPERTISE AND, AND, AND CALMING INFLUENCE AND, AND CONTINUITY, UH, ALL WILL BE JUST INVALUABLE TO US AND TO THIS PROJECT.

SO I JUST APPRECIATE HER BEING WILLING TO, TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE, THE UNANIMOUS REQUESTS OF HER THAT HAVE COME IN FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

WELL, WITH THAT, THIS CONCLUDES, OH, YES.

REMEMBER SHOTGUN.

I, I THINK THOUGH THERE'S ONE OTHER PERSON THAT WE SHOULD, WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO WHO IS NOT ON THIS DIOCESE, UM, WHO WE WOULD NOT BE HERE IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIS HARD WORK, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH EXECUTIVE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CANALY AND, UH, THE CITY'S REPRESENTATIVE, GINA FIN DACA, UM, RANDY CLARK, THE INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK AND LEADERSHIP AND BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS THAT HE PUT IN TO MAKE ATP POSSIBLE AND TO ADVANCE PROJECT CONNECT.

I THINK WE SHOULD ALL GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG THANK YOU AND BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

UH, I'M SORRY THAT HE WAS, UH, NOT ABLE TO BE ON DICE TODAY WITH US.

AND, UM, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SENDING HIM OUT IN A BIG WAY AT HIS FINAL CAP METRO BOARD MEETING.

UH, BUT WE'VE NEXT WEEK.

SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS FINAL, UH, ATP MEETING, UM, BEFORE HE HEADS OFF TO, UH, TO WASHINGTON DC.

UM, SO, UH, THANK YOU TO RANDY AND TO ALL OF HIS GOOD SERVICES AND EVERYTHING HE HAS DONE FOR THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY TO HELP BRING US TO THIS POINT.

AND I WANTED TO PERSONALLY AND PUBLICLY THANK HIM AND WISH HIM ALL THE BEST AS HE MOVES ON.

AND, UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, FOR, WITH EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE FOR US, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT AMAZING THINGS THAT WASHINGTON HAS IN STORE FOR THEM, UH, AND, UH, HAVE FUN AND DO GOOD THINGS.

AND THANK YOU.

IF WE CAN'T, UM, WE HAVE TO APPLAUD AND RECOGNIZE HOW WE OUT HERE AND I SECOND YOUR, YOUR GRATITUDE TO MR.

[02:20:01]

CLARK AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

SO I KNOW WE SENT HIM A GOODBYE LAST TIME WHEN WE MET.

SO, UH, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, KEVIN AND TREADING THE CONTINUATION OF MAKING SURE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL.

SO WITH THAT, UM, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS FROM ANYONE, NO, THERE NO ANDREW ONE.

SO THIS CONCLUDES OUR BOARD MEETING TODAY, AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STAFF AND THE LIBRARY FOR HOSTING US AND THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO HAVE WATCHED AND PARTICIPATED TODAY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPORTANT WORK AHEAD.

SO THE TIME IS 4:38 PM MEETING ADJOURN.