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[Capital Metro Board of Directors Public Hearing on July 25, 2022]
I THINK THAT WE HAVE GOT A QUIRK THROUGH THE, UM, THE PUBLIC HEARING.UH, WE'RE GOING TO NOW START OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, TODAY IS MONDAY, JULY 25TH.
UH, WE ARE AT THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM AT 29, 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
THE TIME IS NOW, UH, 1211, UH, 1211 TODAY'S HEARING WILL BE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT.
THAT AS WELL AS THE CAP METRO, A FAIR STRUCTURE DISCUSSION.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL HAVE BRIEF PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF ON BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. AND THEN AT THE CONCLUSION OF THOSE PRESENTATIONS, WE WILL TAKE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO, UH, FIRST UP WILL BE OUR CAPITAL BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR MR. CONLON.
VILLIAN BOARD MEMBERS, INTERIM CEO WATKINS.
I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAP METRO, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO HOLD A BLESS YOU HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO OUR FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET.
I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTING OUR TOPICS AND THE AMOUNTS OF OUR CAPITAL IN PROVEMENT AMENDMENT AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL $8 MILLION.
THIS AMOUNT CONSISTS OF PROGRAM MANAGER, OWNER REPRESENTATIVE, OUR PMR ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE EXPENDITURES FUNDING FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT IS BEING PROVIDED THROUGH REIMBURSEMENT BY THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET AMENDMENT IS FOR $8 MILLION.
IT CONSISTS OF $6 MILLION FOR PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM MANAGER ON A REPRESENTATIVE, ANOTHER $1 MILLION FOR PROJECT CONNECT ORANGE LINE AND A MILLION DOLLARS FOR PROJECT CONNECT BLUE LINE.
AND AS I STATED BEFORE, THE $8 MILLION OF OFFSET OFFSETTING FUNDING IS AVAILABLE FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THE BUDGET AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL PROJECT CONNECT COSTS ABOVE THE ESTIMATED AMOUNTS FROM OUR ORIGINAL 2022, UM, CAPITAL BUDGET.
AND IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH PMR SUPPORT ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE ENGINEERING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL WORK TO CONTINUE THOSE PROJECTS.
THIS LAST SLIDE DEPICTS OUR AMENDED BUDGET FROM THE MARCH, 2022 AMENDMENT OF $691.1 MILLION.
AFTER THIS AMENDMENT OF $8 MILLION.
OUR TOTAL AGGREGATE BUDGET WILL BE $699.1 MILLION WITH THE ADDITIONAL $8 MILLION OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THIS IS GOING TO CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE OPEN IT TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT, COMMENT, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBER, KITCHEN, UH, COULD YOU JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE, UH, THE 6 MILLION ITEM? WHAT THAT'S FOR SURE.
THE $6 MILLION THAT'S ACTUALLY WELL OFF ALL THREE CONTRACTS, THE PMR CONTRACT IS AN HDR CONTRACT.
UM, THE ORANGE LINE IS THROUGH A COMM H AND TB OWNS THE BLUE LINE CONTRACT.
THOSE ARE ALL ACTUALLY CAP METRO CONTRACTS FROM BEFORE THE VOTE.
UM, ATP ACTUALLY ADMINISTERS THAT WORK FOR BLUE LINE ORANGE LINE AND PMR. SO FOR THE HDR PORTION OR THE, UM, PMR PORTION, THEY'VE ACTUALLY, UM, DID ADDITIONAL WORK OUTSIDE OF JUST THE PROJECT CONNECT OVERALL OWNER REPRESENTATIVE.
THEY'VE DONE ADDITIONAL WORK, BOTH FOR ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE, ESPECIALLY WITH RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, ALONG WITH OTHER ELEMENTS AND PROJECTS FROM PROJECT CONNECT.
SO THAT'S THE THAT'S NECESSITATING THE ADDITIONAL $6 MILLION IN CAPITAL AMENDMENT, OKAY.
IS FOR CON AND IT'S, UM, IT'S BASICALLY THE CONSULTING SERVICES THAT THOSE, UM, THAT THOSE FIRMS PROVIDE CORRECT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, HDR H AND TB AND A CALM.
UM, THE FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO GOT THIS SAME PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK THAT, I THINK AT THAT TIME, I ASKED THAT STAFF PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BACKUP INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC TO READ AS OPPOSED TO WAITING FOR ONE OF US TO ASK THAT QUESTION SO THAT YOU COULD EXPLICATE AND HAVING THAT INFORMATION AS PART OF THE BACKUP ON THE, UM, THE FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE.
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AND AGENCIES REVIEW WHAT THE MONIES ARE FOR AND UNDERSTAND IT BETTER BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HAVING THIS PUBLIC INFER THIS INFORMATION AND ITS DETAILS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL GOING FORWARD WITH OUR PLANS FOR TRANSIT IN THE FUTURE.SO, UM, THIS IS JUST A REMINDER TO STAFF, MR. CHAIR, THAT I HAVE MADE THIS REQUEST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALSO WHAT BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN WAS, UM, HOPING TO HEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING BACK AT THE FAA COMMITTEE, THERE IS A MEMO THAT, UM, EXECUTIVE STAFF IS PUTTING OUT TO THE BOARD THAT'S BEING WRAPPED UP, I BELIEVE TODAY OR TOMORROW.
SO THAT MEMO WILL GO OUT RELATING TO THE AMENDMENT AND THE INFORMATION WITHIN THE AMENDMENT.
WE ACTUALLY DID POST IN THE STATESMAN, UM, TWO TO THREE WEEKS AHEAD OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WE ALSO POSTED THE SITE WHERE ALL OF THE AMENDMENT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
ALSO, THAT'S ACTUALLY AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE, RIGHT.
AND THAT'S, WHAT'S REQUIRED UNDER STATE STATUTE.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL, I THINK, TO HAVE HAD THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS PART OF THIS PACKET SO THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE JUST ONE PLACE TO GO FOR THAT INFORMATION, RATHER THAN TRYING TO CHASE DOWN A MEMO LATER.
MAY I ASK MR. CHAIR TO HAVE THAT MEMO ATTACHED TO THE BACKUP GOING FORWARD? THANKS.
UM, AND, AND I GUESS, UH, YEAH, AS WE'VE, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, IN THE PAST, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE PREPARE WHEN SOMETHING MAJOR IS GOING ON? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT EVERYBODY IS INFORMED INSIDE OUT FROM THE, FROM THE BOARD TO THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN DISCUSS HOW, HOW WE, UH, PREPARE WORK PAPER STANDARDS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
AND JUST, JUST TO ASK THOUGH, YOU GET THE BOARD DID RECEIVE A MEMO FROM OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, I ASSUME ON THIS MEMO.
I THINK THE POINT THERE IS IT'S GREAT TO GET THE MEMO, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP ANYBODY.
WHO'S LOOKING AT THIS PACKET TO KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS WERE AND WHAT THE ADDITIONAL, YEAH.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PACKET AS WELL FOR PUBLIC POSTING.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? WELL, IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CONLIN.
UH, LET'S NOW MOVE TO THE CAPITAL METRO FARE STRUCTURE, A PRESENTATION FROM, FROM, UM, CATHERINE WALKER AND EDNA POWER.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN CIVILIAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO, MS. WATKINS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER AT CAPITAL METRO.
I AM JOINED BY EDNA PARRA WHO WILL PRESENT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE OF OUR FARE STRATEGY.
I'LL GIVE YOU A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR AGENDA THIS AFTERNOON.
FIRST OF ALL, TALK ABOUT AMP THE ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEM.
NEXT WE'LL TOUCH ON FARE CAPPING AND EQUITY.
NEXT, WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR TITLE SIX EQUITY ANALYSIS, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OUR COMMUNITY PILOT, THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE, AND THEN THE OVERVIEW OF THE BOARD'S ACTION ITEMS. SO FIRST WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT OUR FARE STRATEGY.
SO BEFORE WE MAKE ANY CHANGE TO OUR AFFAIRS, INCREASING, DECREASING, CREATING NO PROGRAM, ANY NEW PROGRAMS, THERE ARE SIX UNDERLYING TENANTS THAT WE ALWAYS VIEW, UM, WHEN MAKING A CHANGE.
AND SO THOSE START WITH EQUITY AT THE TOP EQUITY ADDRESSES TRANSIT AFFORDABILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE TALK ABOUT RIDERSHIP AND LOOK AT RIDERSHIP WAYS THAT WE CAN INCREASE OUR RIDERSHIP WHILE MAINTAINING A SUSTAINABLE REVENUE SYSTEM.
WE LOOK AT OUR DIFFERENT, AND THOSE INCLUDE THINGS SUCH AS PROGRAMS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, FOR MILITARY AND WITH OUR ILS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.
WE LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY AND THIS IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY.
WE WANT TO LEAN FORWARD INTO CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE BECOMING MORE PREVALENT IN OUR INDUSTRY.
WE LOOK AT REVENUE OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A SUSTAINABLE DIVERSIFIED REVENUE STREAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, WE LOOK AT ALTERNATIVE FARE STRUCTURES AND THAT'S WHAT OUR FARE CAPPING TURNED OUT TO BE.
SO I'LL TALK TODAY ABOUT THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE TWO PROPOSED CHANGES ARE UNDERLINED FIRST BY A SYSTEM CALLED AMP AMP.
WE'RE SO EXCITED BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN AN 18 MONTH JOURNEY FOR US TO GET TO THIS POINT WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM.
AND I JUST WANT TO CALL OUT THEIR HARD WORK AND EFFORT TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
OUR FARE CAPPING IS A PAY AS YOU GO SYSTEM TO REDUCE OR CAP CUSTOMER SPENDING ON FAIRS IN A DAY OR CAP SPENDING IN A MONTH AND AQUIFERS A NEW DISCOUNTED FARE CATEGORY FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS, BOTH OF THESE PROPOSED ITEMS, ALIGN AND SUPPORT CAP METRO'S GOAL OF MAKING
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OUR FAIRS MORE SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE.SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT AMP.
AMP IS OUR NEW ACCOUNT-BASED SYSTEM ACTUALLY CAME TODAY WITH PIC WITH THE ACTUAL AMP CARD.
THIS IS A SMART CHIP TECHNOLOGY CARD YOU SEE ON THE BACK, THIS IS OUR NEW BRANDING FOR AMP AND ON THE BACK, IT'S GOT SOME BASIC INFORMATION ON HOW TO REGISTER IN THE PHONE NUMBER FOR CAPITAL METRO.
UH, CUSTOMERS MAY CHOOSE TO USE THEIR AMP CARD OR A SMARTPHONE TO PAY FOR RIDES.
IT IS A PAY AS YOU GO SYSTEM AND CUSTOMERS CAN LOAD VALUE EITHER ON THE CARD OR ON THEIR APP ON THEIR SMARTPHONE.
FARE, CAPPING IS AVAILABLE FOR OUR ALL CUSTOMERS, UH, WHETHER OR NOT THEY REGISTER THEIR CARD IS ALWAYS INCLUDED IN THE CARDS TECHNOLOGY ITSELF.
AND IT PROVIDES ACCESS TO DISCOUNTED FARE PROGRAMS AND BENEFITS FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS.
ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FARE CAPPING FARE CAPPING ELIMINATES THE UPFRONT COST FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND BUYING A DAY PASS OR A MONTHLY PASS.
SO AS TODAY, IF A CUSTOMER WOULD LIKE TO GET THE, THE INCLUDED BENEFITS AND DISCOUNTED FARES FROM A MONTHLY PASS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO OUR TRANSIT STORE OR TO ANOTHER REAL RETAIL LOCATION AND BUY A MONTHLY PASS HERE.
WHAT WE ORDERED DAY PASS HERE, WHAT WE DO IS WE ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO PAY AS YOU GO.
SO THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AS A CUSTOMER IS RIDING, THEY PAY FOR A SINGLE RIDE.
SO YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THIS LOVELY GRAPH HERE, WE'VE GOT, UM, A GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS FOR A SINGLE RIDE.
A CUSTOMER WOULD PAY A DOLLAR 25.
AND THEN IF IN THE, A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE DAY, THEY WOULD BUY ANOTHER RIDE AND THAT'S ANOTHER DOLLAR 25.
AND SO THEY'VE EFFECTIVELY REACHED THEIR DAILY CAP OF $2 AND 50 CENTS.
IF CUSTOMER CONTINUES TO RIDE LATER THROUGHOUT THE DAY, WHETHER THEY THREE TIMES OR FOUR TIMES THE REMAINING RIDES ARE FREE, THEY'VE REACHED THEIR DAILY CAP OF THE PRICE OF A DAILY PASS, THIS SAME, UH, EXAMPLE EXTRAPOLATES OVER THE COURSE OF THE MONTH.
SO OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH AFTER A CUSTOMER PAYS FOR 33 LOCAL RIDES, THEY'VE MET THEIR MONTHLY CAP FOR THE COMMUTER SERVICE.
IF THEY'VE READ WRITTEN 28 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF THE MONTH, THEY'VE EFFECTIVELY PURCHASED THEIR MONTHLY PASS.
I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT ONCE A CUSTOMER PURCHASES A OR RECEIVES THEIR MONTHLY CAP ON COMMUTER RIDES, THIS ALSO INCLUDES A MONTHLY CAP ON LOCAL RIDES.
SO CUSTOMERS COULD RIDE THE COMMUTER AND LOCAL SYSTEM, BOTH UNDER A CAP.
NOW WE'LL TALK, I'LL TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT EQUITY FAIR, EQUAL FAIR IS A NEW DISCOUNTED FAIR CATEGORY FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS.
OUR CURRENT REDUCED FARE PROGRAM FOUR, WHICH IS FDA MANDATED FOR MEDICARE RECIPIENTS AND CUSTOMERS WITH DISABILITIES REMAINS IN EFFECT AS WELL AS OUR CHILDREN.
UM, OUR POLICY FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER 18, ALSO RIDE FOR FREE THAT'S UNCHANGED CUSTOMERS MAY APPLY ONLINE OR IN THE TRANSIT STORE FOR THE AQUIFER PROGRAM IN THIS GRAPH TO THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE WHAT THE ECO FAIR MEANS ON A, ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS OR OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH.
SO WHERE OUR STANDARD RATE, OUR STANDARD FARE IS A DOLLAR 25 FOR A SINGLE RIDE.
WE PROVIDE A 20% DISCOUNT FOR EQUAL FAIR, AND THE RIDE BECOMES A DOLLAR.
SIMILARLY OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH, A MONTH PAST IS $41 AND 25 CENTS FOR LOCAL.
THE NEW ECHO FAIR RATE WOULD BE A $33 FOR THE MONTHLY PASS.
WE BASED OUR ELIGIBILITY IT'S MODELED OFF OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN DISCOUNTED UTILITY PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT OTHER COMMUNITY, UM, ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AROUND THE CITY, INCLUDING CHIP SNAP, TAMP MAP PROGRAMS. UM, THEY ALSO HAVE AN INCOME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.
WHAT WE'VE, WHAT WE HAVE CHOSEN TO DO IS TO USE A 200% OF FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
SOME OF THESE OTHER PROGRAMS ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER THRESHOLD.
SO OUR, OUR NET IS ACTUALLY BROADER THAN THAT PROGRAM.
UM, AND CUSTOMERS MAY RECEIVE A DISCOUNTED FARE ONCE THEY REGISTERED THEIR AMP CARDS.
SO WE DO REQUIRE CUSTOMERS TO EITHER REGISTER THE AMP CARD OR REGISTER THEIR ACCOUNT AND USE A SMARTPHONE.
NEXT, WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TITLE SIX ANALYSIS TITLE SIX ANALYSIS REQUIRED FOR ALL PROPOSED FAIR CHANGES, WHETHER WE'RE INCREASING FAIRS OR DECREASING FAIRS, UH, IF A DISPARATE IMPACT IS IDENTIFIED, THEN CAP, METRO MUST DETERMINE
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WHETHER OR NOT IMPACT WAS A BURDEN.AND IF IT COULD BE MITIGATED THE COMPONENTS OF THE TITLE SIX EQUITY ANALYSIS WERE THREEFOLD ONE TO REVIEW THE PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE TODAY.
SECOND, TO DO AN AVERAGE FAIR ANALYSIS, AND THIRD TO LOOK AT OUR RETAIL CASH NETWORK.
SO THROUGH OUR TITLE SIX EQUITY ANALYSIS, WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS NO DESPAIRED IMPACT.
AND WE'RE QUITE PROUD ABOUT THAT.
UH, THE SYSTEM-WIDE CHANGE RESULTED IN LESS THAN 1% DISPARATE IMPACT IN OUR INTERNAL THRESHOLD AT CAP.
METRO WAS 2% OUR CASH RETAIL NETWORK ANALYSIS FINDINGS ALSO SHOWED THAT THERE WAS NO DISPARATE IMPACT AND NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NONMINORITY AND NON LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS.
UM, AS A QUICK REMINDER, OUR RETAIL CASH NETWORK IS 250 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THOSE INCLUDE RETAILERS SUCH AS FAMILY DOLLAR SEVEN, 11, WALGREENS, CVS, AND WALMART.
ALL RIGHT, I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO EDNA PARRA.
MM I'M SLIGHTLY LOSING MY VOICE.
I'M AT
UM, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, FOR THE FAIR PROJECT.
UM, AND THIS SLIDE YOU'LL SEE THREE PHASES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN PHASE ONE, WHICH WOULD BE ENDING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND IT STARTED IN ABOUT APRIL.
OUR GOAL FOR PHASE ONE WAS EDUCATION AND, UM, AN ENGAGEMENT.
SO WE WANTED TO INFORM AND EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, OUR WRITERS NON-WRITERS STAKEHOLDERS, AND OF COURSE OUR CAP METRO STAFF, UM, DURING THIS PHASE, WE COLLECTED FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS.
UM, AND ALSO ANOTHER GOAL WAS TO TRY TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS AND JUST BRAINSTORM COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTNER AT AGENCIES.
UM, AND WE'LL GO INTO THE SUMMARY OF PHASE ONE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.
UM, OUR PHASE TWO, WHAT STAR AFTER, UH, THIS BOARD MEETING AND IN AUGUST, UM, THAT WOULD BE THE PILOT.
SO WE WOULD BE DOING AN INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PILOT.
UM, WE'RE HOPING TO RECRUIT PILOT PARTICIPANTS THROUGH, UM, CAMPAIGNS MARKETING PLUS ALSO GROW THE EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS THAT WE HAVE DURING PHASE ONE, UM, AND EXPLORE EDUCATION TRAINING AND ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND ALSO WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE PILOT AND THE OTHER SIDES TOO.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DURING IMPLEMENTATION.
SO, UH, ONCE WE LAUNCHED THE PROGRAM, WE, UM, WE WANT TO DO CONTINUED FEEDBACK.
WE WANT TO SEE IF THE IMPLEMENTATION PRACTICES THAT WE ADOPTED, UM, WORKED WITH OUR COMMUNITY, GET FEEDBACK, AND CONTINUE TO GROW THOSE COLLABORATIONS TO, UH, EVEN DEEPER ENROLLMENT OR TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE SEE OR ARE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THIS IS THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY FOR PHASE ONE.
UM, SO WE DID IT IN ABOUT THREE ROUNDS.
SO EACH MONTH HAD A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UM, SO ABOUT EACH MONTH WE HAD ABOUT FOUR OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE SCHEDULED.
WE DID A LARGE CAMPAIGN TO, UH, RECRUIT ATTENDEES.
WE ALSO HAD IN-PERSON OUTREACH, UM, TABLING, AND THAT STOP OUTREACH AT DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE TRIED TO LEVERAGE, UM, OUR PARTNERS OR OTHER, UM, ATP OR CITY OF AUSTIN EVENTS THAT WERE HAPPENING.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE HAD PRESENTATIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
ALONG WITH THAT EACH MONTH WE HAD PARTNER AGENCY AND NONPROFIT MEETINGS THAT WERE ALSO SCHEDULED.
WE HAD, UM, A LOT OF OPEN COMMUNITY, UM, CONVERSATIONS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED THAT WE HAD TO DO A LOT MORE ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
UM, SO EITHER THROUGH THOSE MEETINGS, WE GOT CONNECTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS ON WHO TO REACH OUT TO.
UM, AND WE HAD ABOUT 17 ONE OR ACTUALLY NOW 20 ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.
UM, AND ABOUT TWO SCHEDULED PARTNER AND CVO AGENCY MEETINGS.
UM, ALSO ALL OF THE SCHEDULED ONES WERE STREAMED ONLINE.
WE HAD THEM, UM, IN OUR VARIOUS SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, PLATFORMS. AND ALSO WE DID, WE HAVE SIX, UH, CITY BOARD AND COMMISSION, UH, PRESENTATIONS DONE, AND WE HAVE A FEW MORE SCHEDULED AND OF COURSE, INTERNAL ENGAGEMENT.
SO DURING THIS TIME WE HAD ONGOING ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR MEETINGS.
WE HAD AN ALL STAFF MEETING, UM, TIME, POINT COMMUNICATION.
WE REACHED OUT TO SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO NEED FOR THE PILOT AND ALSO FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
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OUR FRONTLINE STAFF, UM, AND SUPERVISORS.UM, THIS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING TEAMS. SO EACH ROUND WE DID A PUSH THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, EMAIL BLASTS THROUGH LISTSERVS.
WE ALSO HAD A PUBLIC INPUT DIGITAL PLATFORM SITE.
UM, THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL WEBPAGE.
WE HAD ABOUT SIX QUESTIONS ON THERE.
UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN GO ASK QUESTIONS.
WE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS WE LEFT THEM ON THERE.
UM, AND IT'S NOW BECOME, UM, SORT OF A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PAGE.
UM, ALONG WITH THAT, WE HAVE BUS PLACARDS MEDIA COVERAGE, UM, PAID ADVERTISEMENTS, UM, AND ALSO, UM, OUR CAP METRO, AS WELL AS OUR PUBLIC INPUT PAGE.
UM, AND THIS WAS A HUGE PUSH FROM OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.
SO A BIG THANK YOU TO BOTH THOSE TEAMS. IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS, ALL HANDS-ON, UM, EVERYONE DOING AT STOP OR SOME SORT OF OUTREACH CONNECTING TO NETWORK.
SO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO COMMUNICATIONS, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THIS.
UM, I'LL GO NOW INTO THE PILOT SECTION.
UH, THAT WAS, SO THIS WOULD BE THE, KIND OF THE SECOND PHASE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WOULD LAUNCH, UM, FULLY IN AUGUST.
UM, OUR INTERNAL PILOT LAUNCHED IN JULY.
SO WE HAVE THE CORE FERS PROGRAM GROUP WHO'S ALREADY, UM, DOWNLOADED THE APP.
THEY GAVE FEEDBACK ON THE COMMUNICATIONS ON HOW, UM, WHAT THEY NEEDED TO SEE.
UM, AND THEN THE SECOND ROUND IS OUR BIGGER INTERNAL, UM, PILOT PIECE.
WE WANTED TO SEE WHAT COMMUNICATIONS WORKED BEST.
WE TOOK A LITTLE SMALL SURVEY AND FROM THAT, WE'LL KEEP GROWING OUR PILOT.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE EXTERNAL PILOT TO OUR CUSTOMERS AND DIFFERENT SEGMENTS, UM, WE'LL HAVE OUR BEST, UM, VERSION OF OUR PILOT AND OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ONGOING FEEDBACK, UH, DIFFERENT TOUCH POINTS.
UM, AND THEN OF COURSE THERE'S THE PILOT PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THROUGHOUT THIS, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH, UM, THE COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR AGENCIES, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UM, CONVERSATIONS WITH CENTRAL HEALTH ON POTENTIAL MAIL-OUTS, UM, DIRECT MAIL OUTS TO ALL OF THEIR MEMBERS, UM, KIND OF IN A PRE-APPROVED ENROLLMENT, UH, STRATEGY.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, A UL, WHICH IS, UM, THEY HAVE A SMALL GROUP, WHICH WE'RE HOPING TO USE AS A FOCUS GROUP, UM, SEE WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, THEY ALSO ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT A TRAIN, THE TRAINERS MODEL.
UM, SO WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD THAT AND SEE, AND SCHEDULE THAT AND SEE, DO WE NEED TO INVITE OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS? DO WE WANT TO KEEP IT SMALL? UM, AND THAT'S ONE STRATEGY FOR DOING, UM, THE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE, UM, KIND OF LIKE A POP-UP EVENT TOO, THAT TIES WITH IT.
AND OF COURSE WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING WITH ECHO, UM, AND SUNRISE NAVIGATION, UM, TO SEE WHAT COLLABORATION WE CAN.
I THINK WE FIRST HAD A STRATEGY AND IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING THE, UM, COLLABORATION, SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHO TO INCLUDE, UM, HOW TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THE SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
I THINK THAT'S BEEN A REALLY BIG FEEDBACK.
UM, SO WE'RE TAKING ON MORE OF THE BURDEN.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR THE IN-HOUSE COMMUNITY AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF THEY ARE ENROLLED? IS IT A LOWER FARE THAN OTHER, UM, WRITERS IS, IS THE BIG FEEDBACK AS WELL.
UM, AND, UH, OTHER THAN THAT POP-UP EVENTS, I THINK WE REALLY STARTED STRONG WITH POP-UP EVENTS OR MARKETING.
AND, UM, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IS REALLY TRYING TO PARTNER DO COLLABORATIONS, DO LIKE CREATIVE ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
SO, UM, IT'LL BE A BIG MIX AND THAT'LL BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE STANDARD EXTERNAL PILOT, UM, BECAUSE IT'LL, IT'LL BE IN PHASES, IT'LL BE SLOW.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO BE ONGOING EVEN BEYOND IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, I AM GOING TO GIVE IT BACK TO KATHERINE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE AND CLOSE IT OUT, BUT I WILL BE HERE FOR QUESTIONS.
SO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG HAUL FOR OUR AGENCY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT STARTED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO WHEN WE BEGAN TO LOOK AT OUR TECHNOLOGY AND OUR FARE SYSTEMS AND WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE THEM BOTH MORE EASIER TO USE AND MORE EFFECTIVE AND EASIER TO MANAGE.
UM, SO IN MARCH WE HAD A TOUCH POINT WITH OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND WE TALKED VERY EARLY ON ABOUT WHAT WE WERE PLANNING HERE TODAY.
I'M SO PLEASED THAT WE CAN COME TO YOU AND WE HAVE A REALLY TREMENDOUS PLAN.
THIS HAS BEEN A, AN INTRA AGENCY EFFORT, LIKE I HAVEN'T SEEN HERE.
SO IT'S INVOLVED BOTH THE FINANCE TEAM, OUR TECHNOLOGY TEAM, OUR MARKETING TEAM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
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AND AS YOU'LL SEE FROM TODAY'S POINT, WE WILL ASK OUR BOARD TO TAKE ACTION ON THESE TWO ITEMS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN FRONT OF US YET TO COMPLETE MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PARTNERSHIP, A LOT OF EDUCATION, GETTING OUR COMMUNITY ENROLLED IN THESE PROGRAMS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT IS WIDELY KNOWN FOR THOSE, UM, UH, ACROSS THE CITY.UH, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER TOUCH POINT WITH OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRIOR TO A SYSTEM WIDE LAUNCH, WHICH WE PLAN FOR EARLY 20, 23.
AND THEN LASTLY, ONCE THE PROGRAM PROGRAMS ARE LIVE, THEN WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER TOUCH POINT MADE HERE TO BRING YOU UP TO SPEED ON HOW IT'S GOING.
SO JUST IN SUMMARY, UH, WE'RE HERE RIGHT NOW IN OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND WE'RE PRESENTING, UM, SHORTLY AFTER WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND COMMENTS, UH, WHEN WE ENGAGE TO OUR FULL BOARD MEETING, WE'LL HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS, ONE WITH A RESOLUTION AMENDING OUR FARE POLICY TO ALLOW FOR FAIR CAPPING, INEQUITY FAIR, AND A SECOND BOARD ACTION, UH, FOR RESOLUTION AMENDING OUR FARE STRUCTURE TO ALLOW FOR EQUAL FAIR.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BOARD IN THE KITCHEN? UM, YES, I WANT TO, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU ALL ABOUT THIS.
AND SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS, UM, AND THE APPROACH THAT YOU'RE TAKING, UH, TO, TO PILOT AND SEEK MORE INPUT AND, UH, BEFORE LAUNCH.
SO, UH, I THINK AS PART OF OUR CONVERSATION, WE TALKED ABOUT THE UNBANKED AND, UM, CASH CUSTOMERS, AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD, UM, CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DURING THIS PILOT PHASE, PERHAPS WITH A FOCUS GROUP, PERHAPS OTHER MECHANISMS ALSO, UH, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT'S KEY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS APPROACH IS THE, IS THE, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY ADD TO THE CARD, ADD CASH TO A CARD, UM, WHICH, WHICH IS, IS BEING PRESENTED IN A, IN A USER-FRIENDLY WAY AND AN EASY WAY, BUT IT'S STILL A STEP.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS TO WHAT EXTENT THAT, THAT, UM, MAKES IT TO WHAT EXTENT THAT SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS CAN'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
SO THAT'LL BE AN INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT, UM, FEEDBACK, UM, AS YOU PURSUE THAT.
AND THE OTHER BOARD MEMBER, UM, GO AHEAD.
UM, JUST, UH, WHEN I, I THINK THIS IS MORE OF A PROCEDURAL QUESTION, PROBABLY I REMEMBER WHEN WE HAD, UM, THIS WAS NOT LONG AFTER I'D BEEN ON THE BOARD.
WE'D HAD TO, UM, WE HAD BEEN DOING THE FREE FARES PROGRAM FOR, UH, THOSE UNDER, FOR, UH, FOR YOUTH FOR THOSE UNDER 18.
AND IT HAD BEEN INITIALLY A PILOT PROGRAM AND THERE WAS SOMETHING WITH FTA THAT IF YOU'VE BEEN DOING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR LONGER THAN I THINK 90 DAYS OR 180 DAYS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THEN THE BOARD HAD TO TAKE ACTION.
IF WE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT, THEN WE HAD TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND ACTUALLY HAVE TO, TO TAKE THE BOAT AND DECIDE, ARE WE KEEPING IT OR NOT KEEPING IT BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER PILOT.
SO PROCEDURALLY SPEAKING BY Y'ALL COMING TO US LIKE THIS WITH THIS POLICY AND US MAKE HAVING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, TAKING A VOTE.
NOW I KNOW WE'RE WHAT WE SEE HERE IN FRONT OF US.
IT SAYS THAT WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH A PILOT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SEE STRUCTURALLY, DO WE, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ANOTHER VOTE IN SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS TO, UH, CHANGE THE FARE POLICY AGAIN? OR IS THIS IT THAT ONCE WE DO THIS, WE CAN PROCEED NOW GOING FORWARD.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE MET ALL OF OUR FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AT THIS POINT.
SO WE, THAT THERE'S NOT ANOTHER VOTE THAT IS REQUIRED.
WE DO HAVE A NOTIFICATION PERIOD WITH CAMPO DURING OUR PILOT PHASE WHERE WE ALSO HAVE TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM WHAT WE INTEND TO DO HERE TODAY.
UM, THE PHASE FROM NOW UNTIL LAUNCH IS TO REALLY SPREAD THE WORD AROUND OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO LAUNCH AND MAKE THIS GO LIVE, THAT WE WILL HAVE AS MANY COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CUSTOMERS READY TO USE THE SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR PRIMARY INTENSIVE, THE EXTENDED, UM, GO LIFETIME.
SO, SO WE'RE, ONCE WE'RE DONE HERE, THEN THAT THIS IS THE PILOT IS MORE, IT'S MORE JUST A RAMPING UP AND JUST, IT'S MORE OF AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN AND A RAMPING UP PERIOD IN THAT REGARD, NOT, NOT IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE TESTING
[00:30:01]
OUT SOMETHING TO SEE IF WE WANT TO DO IT IN LIKE IT.AND IF PEOPLE WILL USE IT, IT'S, IT'S GO TIME AS IT WERE.
WE'RE JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT FOR FOLKS.
I'D LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS A SOFT LAUNCH, BECAUSE ONCE WE'VE GOT WRITERS USING THE SYSTEM AND USING THE AMP CARD AND USING THE TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE NOT PULLING IT BACK, THEY GET TO KEEP IT.
SO UNTIL THE POINT WHEN WE GO LIVE FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, THEY'LL STILL BE USING THE BENEFITS.
AND I WILL SAY I WANTED TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU THAT THIS HAS BEEN A VERY HEAVY LIFT.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN BEFORE US FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS.
IT, IT PREDATED YOU KATHERINE, BACK TO YOUR PREDECESSOR RAYNET AND THIS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING PROGRAM, A LONG TIME IN COMING.
AND I, FOR ONE, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT FOR OUR, UH, FOR OUR RIDERSHIP, FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, THAT THIS IS, THIS IS GOING TO BE, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT BENEFIT FOR THEM.
AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WHAT, WHAT WILL COME FROM THIS AND FOR THE, UH, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE GETTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, TO SEE IT AND TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE IT.
AND THANK YOU FOR EDNA, FOR CATHERINE, FOR EVERYBODY, THAT'S BEEN A PART OF MAKING THIS POSSIBLE AND GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
HE WAS GOING TO SAY, WE WERE AMPED UP.
YOU WANT ME TO SAY A BOARD MEMBER POOP JUST QUICKLY.
I WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUE, UH, CONGRATULATING, THE, THE WHOLE STAFF FOR GETTING THIS DONE.
THIS HAS BEEN OUR GANTT CHART FOR A LONG TIME.
IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A BIG LIFT.
IT'S, UH, IT'S GOING TO HAVE PROFOUND IMPACTS IN OUR ABILITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AND, UH, TO, UH, LET US BETTER, UH, MOVE PEOPLE AROUND TO OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE AS A, AS A, AS THEIR NEEDS, UH, EXIST.
UM, BUT, UH, AFTER EIGHT YEARS ON THE BOARD, I KNOW THAT EVEN VERY POSITIVE CHANGES CHANGE IN IS DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE.
SO REST ASSURED UH, UH, TO THE PUBLIC THAT THERE'LL BE BUMPS AND, UH, AND CHALLENGES, BUT THIS ORGANIZATION IS VERY GOOD AT RESPONDING AND WILL RESPOND AND PIVOT WHERE WE NEED TO PIVOT, BUT ON THE WHOLE, THIS IS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR US.
IT PLACES US IN THE FOREFRONT OF TRANSIT AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I REALLY APPLAUD OUR STAFF FOR, UH, EXECUTING THIS AS A PROMISE WE'VE BEEN MAKING FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THOSE CARDS GOING OUT.
ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANTING TO MAKE A COMMENT OR ASK A QUESTION? UM, I JUST ALSO WANT TO, UH, TO ECHO, UM, BOARD MEMBER COOPER, THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
UH, BUT THIS, UH, THIS TEAM HAS SHOWN DEXTERITY.
UH, THIS, UH, TEAM HAS SHOWN AN INTEREST IN FINDING OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND CRAFTING SOLUTIONS TO THOSE ISSUES.
THAT'S OUR EXPECTATION GOING FORWARD.
I THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO PROBLEM SOLVE.
AND, AND AS LONG AS WE'RE TALKING TO PEOPLE, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR PROBLEMS ARE, HOW THEY USE THESE TOOLS AND WHERE WE CAN MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
SO AT THIS PORTION, WE'LL NOW TAKE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO BE REMOTE, AND THERE ARE TWO MEMBERS THAT HAVE COME IN PERSON AT LEAST TWO.
SO IF, IF THERE ARE OTHERS WHO HAVE COME IN AND WANT TO SPEAK, IF YOU COULD PLEASE, UM, SIGN THE MATERIALS THAT ARE NECESSARY SO THAT WE CAN ANNOUNCE YOU PROPERLY, UH, UH, YOUR NAMES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU REPRESENT, I CERTAINLY WILL DO THAT.
UH, AND, AND, UH, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHEN WE GET TO THE END OF THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT WE KNOW, WE WILL ASK AGAIN, WHETHER THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
SO, UM, JUST WANT TO SAY WE, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, WE'LL START WITH MS. BEARD WHO'S ONLINE, WHO WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND, UM, AND WE'LL MOVE FROM THERE.
I'LL CALL THE, THE SECOND PERSON, UH, WHO WILL BE EMILY SEALS CALL, I THINK IS IN PERSON.
SO, UH, IS THAT RIGHT? ED? IS THAT AUDREY BEARD? WHO'S REMOTE.
UM, AS YOU SAID EARLIER, MY NAME IS ANDRE BEARD, AND I AM A RESIDENT OF AUSTIN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE OR FREE RIDES FOR ALL CAP METRO SERVICES FOR ALL UNHOUSED PEOPLE DURING THE MONTH
[00:35:01]
OF AUGUST, WHICH WILL LIKELY BE THE HOTTEST MONTH THAT AUSTIN HAS EVER SEEN.UH, SUCH A POLICY WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL REALIZATION OF CAP.
METRO'S DEDICATION TO RACIAL AND CLASS EQUALITY.
I AM PERSONALLY IN COMMUNITY WITH MANY UNHOUSED PEOPLE HERE IN AUSTIN, AND I COUNT MANY OF THEM, MY FRIENDS, UM, FOLKS WHO LIVE ON THE STREETS HERE.
AND I ALSO SPEND MUCH OF MY OWN TIME AND MONEY SUPPORTING UNHOUSED PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY PUSHED FURTHER OUTSIDE THE MARGINS HERE IN AUSTIN AND BROADLY IN THE COUNTRY.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE HUGELY DISADVANTAGED, EVEN FOR SOMETHING AS TRIVIAL AS SECURING A BUS PASS, WHETHER IT BE AN AMP CARD OR A CONVENTIONAL PASS.
UM, THIS CAN BE A CHALLENGE AND CHURCHES AND HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS, WHICH ARE, BY THE WAY, ALMOST UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTAFFED, FREQUENTLY RUN OUT OF SUPPLY OR ELSE ARE SO SORELY NEEDED THAT PEOPLE WILL WAIT IN LINE FOR HOURS OFTEN TO ONLY LEAVE EMPTY HANDED.
AND OF COURSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF UNHOUSED PEOPLE WHO AREN'T CONNECTED WITH THESE PROVIDERS IN THE FIRST PLACE, RIGHT? UM, AND WITHOUT SAFE AND RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF THEIR LIFE BECOMES MORE DANGEROUS AND MORE DIFFICULT, WHETHER THAT BE HEALTHCARE OR EMPLOYMENT OR EVEN HOUSING THING THAT WOULD SOLVE SO MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS. UH, THE WELFARE PROGRAM THAT I'VE HEARD TODAY IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL START, BUT, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, IT DOESN'T FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE ACCESSIBILITY FOR UNHOUSED PEOPLE WHO OFTEN DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A SMARTPHONE OR A COMPUTER OR ANY OF THESE OTHER SERVICES WE TAKE FOR GRANTED TAKING THE TIME TO LOCATE AND ACQUIRE AND DISTRIBUTE AND MAINTAIN AND REPORT ON THESE BUS PASSES TAKES VERY VALUABLE TIME AND ENERGY AWAY FROM UNHOUSED PEOPLE AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT THEM.
UM, ALL OF THIS MAKES BOTH PARTIES FAR LESS CAPABLE TO DO OTHER NECESSARY WORK, LIKE FIND FOOD OR HOUSING OR EMPLOYMENT.
UM, AGAIN, SAFE AND RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
PLEASE CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A 100% FAIR REDUCTION FOR UNHOUSED PEOPLE DURING WHAT WILL LIKELY BE THE HOTTEST MONTH AUSTIN HAS EVER SEEN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, RIGHT? UH, THE SECOND PERSON THAT IS LISTED AS EMILY SEALS, WOULD YOU PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AS WELL.
IF YOU CAN PUSH THE BUTTON TO MAKE THE LITTLE RED LIGHT COME ON.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS EMILY SEALS AND I'M A SOCIAL WORKER WITH SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER.
FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAD BEEN LEADING A GROUP OF SERVICE PROVIDERS IN AN EFFORT TO WORK TOWARD FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.
WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT TRANSPORTATION IS CRUCIAL, AND OUR CURRENT SYSTEM IS FULL OF BARRIERS.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS HAVE NO INCOME AT ALL AND ARE DEPENDENT ON BUSES FOR TRANSPORTATION WITHOUT INCOME, OR WITH EXTREMELY LIMITED INCOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, RELY ON ORGANIZATIONS.
MANY OF WHICH ARE SMALL NONPROFITS AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR LOCAL PASSES INDIVIDUALS WALK MILES AND EXTREME WEATHER IN THE EARLY MORNINGS, EARLY HOURS IN THE MORNING FOR THEIR CHANCE AT A BUS PASS DUE TO LIMITED BUDGETS.
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, WAIT IN LONG LINES, PARTICIPATE IN LOTTERY SYSTEMS, OR HAVE TO PROVE TO CASE MANAGERS THAT THEY ARE DESERVING OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND THIS CYCLE REPEATS DAILY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THE PROCESS CAN BE DEMORALIZING ENERGY AND TIME CONSUMING, AND MANY ARE TURNED AWAY EMPTY HANDED.
THE PROCESS IS ALSO TIME CONSUMING, FRUSTRATING AND LENDS TO SITUATIONS WHERE CASE MANAGERS ARE SEEN AS GATEKEEPERS GATEKEEPERS TO OFTEN LIFE-SAVING AND CRUCIAL RESOURCES.
IT IS A TRUE EXAMPLE OF SERVICE RATIONING, AND ONE THAT DOES NOT RESULT IN TRUST-BUILDING AND BRINGS WITH IT FURTHER TRAUMA AND TRUST BUILDING, AND IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY WHEN HELPING PEOPLE MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR GOALS RELATED TO HOUSING AND HEALTH CARE.
THE WORK GROUP THAT I HAVE LED HAS BEEN THOUGHTFUL IN OUR CONVERSATIONS.
IN OUR PLANNING, WE HAVE INCORPORATED THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE INTO OUR WORK BY CONDUCTING A QUALITATIVE SURVEY WITH THE AUSTIN HOMELESS ADVISORY COUNCIL.
WE'VE ALSO CONDUCTED A SURVEY WITH LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND RECEIVED RESPONSES FROM 30 LOCAL AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR OTHER BUS PASSES.
MANY OF HIM PARTICIPATE IN THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND,
[00:40:01]
ALL ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT OUR CURRENT SYSTEM NEEDS VAST IMPROVEMENT.IN RECENT MEETINGS, I'VE ATTENDED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FARE CAPPING AND ECHO FARE.
I HAVE VOICED MY APPRECIATION THAT THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT A BABY STEP AND NOT ENOUGH FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE, THE SAME BURDENS WILL CONTINUE.
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WILL NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO LOAD ON THE AMP CARDS AND UNDERSTAFFED OR VOLUNTEER LED GROUPS WHO ARE ALREADY OVERBURDENED WILL BE ASKED TO STEP UP AND CARRY MORE WEIGHT AGENCIES WILL BE FACED WITH THE DECISION TO CONTINUE AS IS OR TO ADJUST BUDGETS AND MODIFY SYSTEMS. ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE INCONSISTENT.
PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE DIFFICULTY GETTING TO APPOINTMENTS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOMS AND MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES.
ALL OF WHICH ARE MUCH MORE COSTLY TO OUR SOCIETY.
SIMILARLY, PEOPLE WILL HAVE BARRIERS TO FINDING AND KEEPING EMPLOYMENT ATTENDING SCHOOL OR JOB TRAINING AND ACCESSING FOOD PANTRIES AND BASIC NEEDS.
ALL RIGHT, IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN RECENT MEETINGS.
IT WENT FASTER AT HOME THAT KAT METRO NEEDS TO DIVERSIFY THEIR REVENUE STREAMS. WHILE I CAN ONLY BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLICATED FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS OF RUNNING CAP, METRO AS A SOCIAL WORKER AND ADVOCATE, I WANT TO CONVEY THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS AND DEPENDENT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT BE VIEWED AS A REVENUE STREAM NOR SHOULD NONPROFITS AND FAITH-BASED GROUPS BE ASKED TO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTAL REVENUE SOURCES.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CAP METRO BOARD, ALONG WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PEOPLE LIVED EXPERIENCE TO SEE HOW WE CAN BEST WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE FREE TRANSPORTATION ON A DREAM, BUT A REALITY.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STATEMENT WITH ED, THEN WE CAN GET YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION AND FIGURE OUT A TIME THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR, FOR US TO MEET OUR STAFF TO MEET AS WELL.
THE NEXT LISTED IS, UH, PALLETTE.
IS, IS SHE GOING TO BE ON A REMOTE? I AM.
CAN'T SEE YOU, BUT CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, UM, I'LL JUST GET STARTED, RIGHT? SO MY NAME IS, I THINK WE LOST YOU, UH, IF, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN HAVE YOU BEGIN AGAIN, YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FULL THREE MINUTES.
IS THIS ANY BETTER? BETTER, MUCH BETTER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE, AND WE ORGANIZE A, AN ORGANIZING PROJECT THAT BUILDS POWER WITH PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS, HOMELESSNESS, MASS INCARCERATION.
AND WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TRANSIT ACCESS AND HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE IN THIS ROOM.
AS WE DISCUSS THE AQUIFER AND CAP FERRING CAP CAPPING PROPOSAL.
UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T BELIEVE THESE TWO PROPOSALS GO FAR ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN.
WE BELIEVE THE SAME ISSUES OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY OR NOT, OR HAVING TO RELY ON OVERBURDENED SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ACCESS BUS FARE WILL CONTINUE MY COWORKERS AND OTHERS FROM THE IRA.
WE'LL DISCUSS OTHER REASONS WE'RE ASKING FOR FREE FARE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
BUT WHAT I WANTED TO REALLY EMPHASIZE TODAY IS THE NEED FOR CAP METRO, TO TAKE A FIRST STEP TOWARDS FREE FARE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY ACTUALLY MAKING IT HAPPEN IN AUGUST.
UM, AS, AS THE FIRST PUBLIC SPEAKER OR PERSON THAT TESTIFIED SAID, AUGUST IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE EXTREME IN TERMS OF TEMPERATURES THAN JULY WAS, UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR FREE FAIR PROGRAM IS GOING TO REQUIRE MORE CONVERSATIONS AND WORK.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO GET THERE, BUT THERE ARE STEPS THAT YOU CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW TO HELP PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, WE WORRY THAT LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS ARE ONLY GONNA GET WORSE IN AUGUST.
SO WE'RE CALLING ON YOU TO PROVIDE FREE FAIRS THROUGHOUT AUGUST TO ENSURE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN.
CURRENTLY CAP METRO IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE FREE FAIRS DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS.
THOSE DON'T EVEN KICK IN UNTIL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH 105 DEGREES OR HIGHER.
THEN PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN AWARE OF THIS POLICY AND OTHERS WHO ARE REGULARLY TURNED AWAY BY BUS DRIVERS.
WE MEET THAT THE BUS DRIVERS ARE REFUSING TO LET ON HOUSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON THE BUS TO GET TO COOLING CENTERS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AND I'VE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT THIS.
SOMETIMES DRIVERS REFUSE TO STOP AT ALL TO PICK UP WRITERS THAT THEY PERCEIVE AS HOMELESS AT BUS STOPS.
WE SIMPLY CAN'T RELY ON BUS DRIVERS TO FOLLOW
[00:45:01]
CAP METRO POLICY.WHEN WE'VE RAISED THESE ISSUES TO CAP METRO, WE'RE TOLD TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO A CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO MAKE COMPLAINTS WE'RE TOLD TO HAVE THE SPECIFIC DATE, TIME AND LOCATION OF WHEN PEOPLE WERE DENIED RIGHTS AT ADDRESS IT.
I REALLY HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THE MYRIAD OF REASONS WHY IT'S SO UNLIKELY.
THESE DETAILS WILL BE RECORDED BY SOMEONE WHO IS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
HAVING A PHONE NUMBER OR AN EMAIL IS SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH.
WE ARE SIX DAYS AWAY FROM AUGUST AND RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION IS KEY TO SURVIVING EXTREME TEMPERATURES, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE OR URGENTLY ASKING YOU TO WORK WITH US AND MANY OTHERS WHO ARE CALLING FOR FREE FARES TO ROLL OUT A FREE FAIR PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE A FIRST STEP TODAY AND COMMIT TO KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE BY PROVIDING FREE RIDES THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON NOW, I GUESS.
UM, AND THE NEXT ONE IS REMOTE AS WELL.
UH, THEN INFAMOUS REICHMAN HAS NOT JOINED.
I'LL, I'LL CALL THE THREE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN LISTED, UH, ELI CORTEZ THINK
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS ELI CORTEZ AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE ORGANIZING PROJECT.
UM, MY COLLEAGUE AND COWORKER PAULETTE JUST SPOKE AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO SHARE A LETTER THAT WE'VE WRITTEN TO SHARE WITH BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ASKING OR DELIVERING SOME INSIGHT THAT OUR MEMBERS ARE EXPERIENCING, THAT OUR HOUSE LISTS THAT ARE TRYING TO ACCESS TRANSPORTATION AND AREN'T ABLE TO DO SO.
UM, DEAR CAP, METRO BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE, ORGANIZING PROJECT.
WE ARE ORGANIZING TO BUILD THE POWER OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS, HOMELESSNESS, AND MASS INCARCERATION.
TODAY, WE ARE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND TO NOTIFY THE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE ORGANIZING TAXES, FREE FARES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ACROSS AUSTIN, WITHOUT CONSISTENT TRANSPORTATION, ACCESS, EVERYTHING ELSE SUFFERS MEETING DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, ACCESSING SOCIAL SERVICES, FINDING HOUSING, VISITING FOOD PANTRIES, AND SO MUCH MORE RELIABLE.
TRANSPORTATION IS KEY TO ESCAPING HOMELESSNESS.
AND IT'S ALSO KEY TO SURVIVING THESE EXTREME TEMPERATURES.
CURRENTLY OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY HAS LEFT US FIND SPARE CHANGE TO RIDE THE BUS OR DEPEND ON A HANDFUL OF SERVICE PROVIDERS TO GIVE OUT BUS FARE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZING PROJECT REPORT.
THE LENGTHS PEOPLE GO TO GET BUS FARE, AND THESE ARE QUOTES FROM OUR RECENT ORGANIZING MEETING.
IF YOU AREN'T WELL CONNECTED, YOU WON'T KNOW WHERE OR WHEN TO GET A BUS PASS.
PEOPLE STARTED FORM LINES AT THE CHURCHES AT 4:00 AM.
5:00 AM IN THE MORNING LINES BECOME REALLY TENSE.
PEOPLE FIGHT AND CUT LINES BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PASSES TO GO AROUND.
SOMETIMES YOU WALK AWAY EMPTY HANDED CAT METRO'S NEW ECHO FAIR AND FARE CAPPING PROPOSALS WILL NOT CHANGE THESE REALITIES.
THESE WILL BE ANOTHER PROGRAM WITH A NEW CAR TAX ITS BENEFITS, AND WILL ULTIMATELY CREATE MORE LAYERS TO ASSIST THEM THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
PEOPLE WILL FACE THE SAME BARRIERS.
THEY ALWAYS HAVE NO MONEY TO PAY FOR FARES IN A RELIANCE ON SERVICE PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE A LIMITED SUPPLY OF BUS FARE, INCONSISTENTLY.
THOSE WHO ARE NOT CONNECTED TO ANY SERVICES WILL NOT HAVE ANY ACCESS AT ALL.
SERVICE PROVIDERS WILL BE BURDENED WITH ROLLING OUT THESE NEW PROGRAMS. IT WILL COST ORGANIZATIONS, RESOURCES AND TIME THAT COULD BE DEDICATED TO HELPING CLIENTS, UM, TO HELPING CLIENTS, FINDING HOUSING, PROVIDING LIFE SAVING HARM REDUCTION TOOLS, HOPING SOMEONE HELPING SOMEONE ACCESS MEDICAL SUPPLIES, SERVICES, AND MORE EQUAL, FAIR, AND FAIR CAPPING DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH.
INSTEAD CAP METRO MUST PROVIDE PRE FARE FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
MY COWORKER PALETTES SPOKE A LITTLE BIT TO, UM, PLEASE ASKING YOU ALL TO MEET US WITH ONE STEP AND MAKING FARE ACCESSIBLE IN AUGUST FOR EVERYONE.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A MEMBER THAT IS JOINED TO STAY THAT WILL SPEAK SHORTLY AFTER ME, THAT WILL SPEAK TO HIS EXPERIENCES DIRECTLY ON THE STREETS AS SOMEONE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN ACCESSING BUS FARE AND GETTING AROUND THE CITY AND THE OBSTACLES THAT THAT ALSO POSES.
BUT I THINK YOU'LL FOR YOUR TIME AND, UM, AND TO HEARING FROM US TODAY.
UM, AND LET'S SEE IF, AND YOU'VE PASSED EVERYTHING OUT ALREADY TO ADD SOME ART.
THE NEXT PERSON THAT IS SCHEDULED IS, UM, EL PEREZ.
[00:50:06]
YEAH.MY NAME IS JOE PETTUS AND, UH, I'M REALLY NOT MUCH OF A SPEAKER AND STUFF, BUT I'M HOMELESS.
AND I RIDE THE BUS ALL THE TIME.
AND MY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION IS THE BUS.
WHAT I DO IS, AND HARM, UH, TASTE IS HARM, REDUCTIONS, SURPRISES, BUS FARES, AND STUFF.
AND WITH THIS HEAT AND EVERYTHING, IT JUST ROUGH.
BUT, UH, LIKE I SAID, I REMEMBER WHAT YOU HAVE A SPEAKER, BUT I'M TRYING TO SPEAK I'M HOMELESS, LIKE I SAID, AND, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO ASK FOR HELP AND STUFF LIKE THAT ON THAT.
SO I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THEM AND EVERYTHING.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING ME SPEAK, WHICH, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T SPEAK TOO MUCH, BUT GOD BLESS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
UH, I THINK THE NEXT LISTED IS JOE PAULA.
MR. CONLEY, WOULD YOU COME IN THREE MINUTES? HELLO.
UH, I'M HERE TO ADD MY, ACTUALLY HAVE COMMENTS ON TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, BUT I'M GOING TO FOCUS JUST ON THE FARE POLICY FOR NOW.
AND I'M HERE TO ADD MY VOICE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE FOLKS HERE WHO ARE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING THE WAYS IN WHICH OUR CURRENT BUS FARE POLICIES AND EVEN THE NEW PROPOSED POLICIES DO NOT SUPPORT OR ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM AND SERVICE PROVIDERS.
BUT I FIRST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR CONSIDERING THE AQUIFER, THE FARE CAPPING IT'S A, AS EMILY NOTED, IT'S A STEP.
UM, AND I ESPECIALLY WANT TO THANK YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND AETNA FOR BEING SO GRACIOUS AND PATIENT WITH US AND MAKING TIME AND REALLY GOING OUT OF HER WAY TO, TO LISTEN TO US AND COLLECT OUR FEEDBACK.
I THINK THE NEXT STEP FROM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE IS FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION AND THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU COLLECT IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A CONSISTENT PATTERN WHEN ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE THAT WORK IN OUR HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, UM, OF THEM NOTING THAT THE CURRENT TRENDS AND EMPOWERMENT FUND AND THE CURRENT FREE FAIR PASS SYSTEM THAT EXISTS SIMPLY DOES NOT WORK.
I WON'T HAVE, I WON'T REPEAT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SAID, IMPOSES THIS VERY HEAVY ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ON OUR HOMELESS SERVICE PROVIDERS WHO ARE ALREADY OPERATING WAY BEYOND THEIR CAPACITY.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM FAIR THAT WE SHOULD IMPOSE THIS ON THEM AND THEN ASK THEM TO HELP SUBSIDIZE OUR BUS SYSTEM OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER AS A REVENUE STREAM.
PEOPLE WHO ARE STARVING AND UNHOUSED SHOULD PROBABLY NOT BE PART OF OUR FINANCIAL MODEL FOR SUSTAINING THIS ORGANIZATION.
LONG-TERM AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT PROFIT OFF OF OUR LOWEST INCOME MEMBERS.
I DON'T THINK CAP METRO WOULD WANT ITS NAME GROUPED WITH THOSE OTHER BUSINESSES.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE TO SAY THAT WHILE THIS STEP IS IMPORTANT, I THINK IT DOES SAY SOMETHING ABOUT OUR AGENCY THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH SO MUCH EFFORT AND TAKING SO MUCH TIME TO CONSIDER SOMETHING THAT IS IN MANY WAYS, SORT OF OUTDATED POLICY THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED BY TRANSIT AUTHORITIES ALL AROUND THE WORLD A LONG, LONG TIME AGO, WHICH IS FAIR CAPPING.
I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING IT NOW, BUT THE FACT IS MOST TRANSIT AGENCIES ARE PRETTY FAR AHEAD OF US WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ARE CITIES LIKE BOSTON THAT HAVE VERY SUCCESSFULLY SHOWN THAT FREE, FAIR POLICIES CAN DRAMATICALLY INCREASE RIDERSHIP.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE MOVING TOWARDS A SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T IMPOSE THE BURDEN OF, OF PAY THE BURDEN OF PAYING FOR IN SUSTAINING THE SYSTEM ON THE LOWEST INCOME MEMBERS OF THAT SYSTEM.
THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT THE APP CARD SYSTEM AS WAS NOTED, RELIES ON A NUMBER OF OTHER SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT AND ALL OF THOSE SYSTEMS HAVE MASSIVE HOLES, FAILURES, AND GAPS IN THEM, SO THAT THE FOLKS WHO MOST NEED THESE PA THESE PASSES, WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE BENEFITS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE, UH, ONE ADDITIONAL SPEAKER, SHERRY TAYLOR.
IF THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE THAT WE NEED TO GOOD AFTERNOON, LORD, THOSE GATHERED HERE TODAY.
MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR, ALSO VARIETY YVONNE, TO KNOW WHICH IS, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW? AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE
[00:55:01]
PERSONS WHO DRIVE YOUR BUSES? UH, THE OBJECTIVE IS FINDING OUT WHAT THE ISSUES ARE AND WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHEN IT IS AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION.I SPOKE LAST MONTH AND THE 27TH OF JUNE ABOUT EXTENDING BUS ROUTE 3 35 IN PARTICULAR TO INCLUDE PASSENGERS AS IT WAS, I WAS A PASSENGER WHO WAS PASSED UP ON BUS 3 30, 7, 38 MINUTES LATER.
ANOTHER BUS CAME, BUT I WAS ALREADY HEAT EXHAUSTED AND SPENT 15 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO I'M HERE TO SAY THAT PASSENGERS NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BUS SYSTEM.
IF YOU HAVE A COMMUTE THAT ARE 15 MINUTES APART, 30 MINUTES APART, THAT MEANS BETTER SERVICE.
THAT MEANS FEWER PEOPLE HAVING HEAT PROBLEMS AND, UM, A HAPPIER CITY.
SO I DON'T GO OVER MY THREE MINUTES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT 3 35 BUS CURRENT PATH WEST ON BARBARA JORDAN DRIVE TURNS RIGHT AT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN FOUR BLOCKS AWAY FROM MUELLER'S BEST BUSINESS HUB.
ONE OF ONE MORE FORM BLOCKS, EXCUSE ME, FOUR MORE BLOCKS.
AND WE COULD HAVE MUELLER HAVE BETTER BUSINESS.
I'M REQUESTING THE ROUTE, CONTINUE WEST FROM THE PERFORMING ARTS TRAFFIC LIGHT TO LANCASTER, AND THEN TURN LEFT INTO BEST BUY SHOPPING MALL.
JUST LIKE THEY HAVE A CAPITAL PLAZA, HANCOCK CENTER AND NORWOOD WALMART WHERE PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC IS, UH, IN A DESIGNATED PLACE DEPART SOUTH ON FILOMENO LEFT ON THE LANCASTER THROUGH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON THE GREEN OF COURSE, AND NORTH TO 51ST STREET, RIGHT TURN, WHICH ALSO PROTECTS THE BUST FROM THE TRAFFIC PEAKS IN THE DAYTIME, AS WELL AS, UH, HOLIDAYS.
ANYWAY, THIS EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN ON THE 27TH OF JUNE AS I READ YOU MY POETRY, BUT I DIDN'T COME WITH THE PORTRAIT TODAY.
UM, THE OTHER SUGGESTION ON THE OTHER END IS THAT THAT BUS LEAVES FROM FIESTA.
THEY ARE WOOD AND GOES ACROSS 38 AND HALF STREET AND STOPS AGAIN AT RED RIVER.
NOBODY CAN GET ON AND OFF BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY FOR YOU TO HAVE A BUS STOP THERE.
SO I WAS SUGGESTING THAT BUS 3 35 WOULD TURN WEST BOUND FROM WHERE IT'S 3 35 OR TURN SOUTHBOUND FROM FIESTA AND GO LEFT UP ROBINSON TRAVELING SOUTH TO EDGEWOOD, THEN EAST TO DANCY, AND FINALLY RIGHT TO DEAN KEATON AND DELIVER WOMEN TO 29 0 9, AGE 35, WHICH IS A WOMEN'S HEALTH CENTER RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO WALK THREE BLOCKS TO GET FROM THE BUS 20 TO THAT PLACE.
AND THESE ARE PREGNANT WOMEN THEN LEFT ACROSS 32ND STREET BRIDGE TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO ST.
THEN TAKE A RIGHT ON HARMON AND THE BUS COULD COME BACK TO LUTHER STREET AND RED RIVER AND SERVICE A LOT MORE PEOPLE AND GET A LOT MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE PRESENTLY DRIVING.
I WAS THINKING THAT'S SUCH A GOOD DETAIL.
MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE US SOMETHING IN WRITING SO THAT WE COULD, UM, HAVE THAT TO LOOK AT MORE CLOSELY.
YES, I'LL HAVE IT TYPED UP THIS AFTERNOON, BUT MY POINT IS, IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO USE THE BUS, MAKE IT SO THAT THE COMMUTERS WON'T KEEP DRIVING DOWNTOWN FINDING A PARK AND THEY CAN'T FIND A PARK.
SO YOU HAVE THIS BUS GOING UP INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
CHERRYWOOD HAS NOT BEEN, UH, BEEN USED.
CHERRYWOOD HAS BUS 20 ON MAINER AND 3 35 ON 38TH STREET.
NO BUS GOES INSIDE CHERRYWOOD TO GIVE THOSE FOLKS ARRIVED AND NO BUS GOES INSIDE CONCORDIA NEIGHBORHOOD TO GIVE THOSE FOLKS ARRIVED.
IF YOU'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH ED, UH, THEM, THEN WE'LL, UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE LOOK INTO IT ALL RIGHT.
GOING TO BE A FUTURE, UH, TRANSPORTATION ENGINEER.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UM, UM, THE COMMENT ABOUT 3 35 AND THE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE BUSINESS HUB OVER THERE IS, IS SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE, YOU'VE, UH, BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BEFORE.
AND AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, I KNOW THAT MS. WATKINS WAS GOING TO HAVE HER STAFF CHECK INTO THAT.
SO CAN YOU TELL US THE STATUS OF THAT AT THIS POINT? OR DO YOU KNOW? YEAH, SO WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT IT IS A FEASIBLE ROUTE, AND WE'RE LOOKING NOW TO COORDINATE OPERATIONALLY WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED ADDITIONAL SCHEDULED TIME WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE IT AS A DETOUR.
UM, I'M TOLD WE SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THAT WORKED OUT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
[01:00:01]
OKAY.SO THAT MEANS IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY THAT THE REQUEST THAT SHE HAS MADE, REALIZED IN THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF IT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK, RIGHT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
THE EXTENDING IT DOWN TO THE SHOPPING AREA WHERE THE BEST BUY AND ALL THAT IS, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON.
UM, I'LL HAVE TO ADMIT, I GOT A LITTLE LOST IN MY, IN MY MENTAL MAP ON HER SECOND SUGGESTION.
SO IF WE COULD GET THAT IN WRITING, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOLLOWING UP AFTER OUR LAST MEETING, TO LOOK AT THAT EXTENSION.
AND I JUST SAID ONE MORE THING.
THE EMPHASIS HERE IS IT THE 45 MINUTE? WAIT, EXCUSE ME.
THERE IS A 35 MINUTE HOLD OVER FOR BUS 3 35 WHEN IT GETS TO THE HEB, JUST SITTING THERE, JUST SITTING THERE, JUST IN THERE FOR 35 MINUTES.
AND SO IF YOU ADD THIS, IT WON'T BE SITTING.
IT WILL BE SERVICING MAKE SENSE? YES MA'AM.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD, UM, THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? ANYBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM WITH NO ONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THEN AT, UH, ONE.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY ELSE IN THE ROOM AND IT'S BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SPOKE, UM, AND HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT AND THE DIFFICULTIES WITH REGARD TO OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK MS. WATSON TO FOLLOW UP IN TWO WAYS.
UM, AND THIS MAY BE THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE WORKS.
SO, CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE BEEN DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS, ON THESE FAIRS, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND, UM, IN, IN THE LONGER TERM, WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UM, FIGURE OUT AN APPROACH THAT WORKS BETTER FOR OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS, UM, WHICH UNDERSTANDING THAT, THAT MAY TAKE SOME CONVERSATION AND TAKE SOME TIME.
UM, AND I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOU TO, TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
YOU TYPICALLY DO, UH, THOSE THAT HAVE SPOKEN TO US, UM, THIS MORNING, AS WELL AS OTHERS, AND THEN GET BACK TO US AND LET US KNOW WHAT SOME OPTIONS, SOME OPTIONS ARE.
UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT MIGHT TAKE.
AND, UH, CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA NOW OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU JUST NEED TO CHECK INTO? I DON'T WANT TO LOOK INTO IT AND FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW MANY FOLKS WE THINK WE MIGHT BE WORKING WITH AS MS. PARRA MENTIONED WE HAVE ENGAGED A BUNCH OF FOLKS AS OUR OUTREACH.
AND THEN, UM, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND, WE HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH A LOT OF SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT, UM, GET FREE AND REDUCED PASS, UM, AND AS PART OF OUR DISCOUNT PASS PROGRAM.
SO IF YOU CAN GIVE US A MINUTE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL ADVISE YOU, BUT, UM, WE ABSOLUTELY HEAR THE CONCERNS AND WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE ABLE TO GET THE TRANSPORTATION THEY NEED.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A CONCERTED EFFORT WITH A, WITH AN ACTUAL BRINGING TOGETHER A GROUP OF THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CURRENT SYSTEM.
THAT'S USED TO MAKE TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO OUR UNHOUSED FOLKS THAT WE NEED.
UH, WE NEED THAT KIND OF SPECIFIC STEP.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? IT'S SOMETHING TO ADD MS. MARA.
YEAH, YOU GOT TO GO TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND UM, SO MISS SEALS DID INVITE ME TO THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL STARTING AUGUST 3RD, UM, AND THE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, BUT THIS IS THE FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WORK GROUP, WHICH FALLS UNDER LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND ALSO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO MEET ALSO TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT THE MEETINGS LOOK LIKE, WHO TO INCLUDE, UM, LIKE MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE TODAY WERE IN MEETINGS LAST WEEK.
SO, UM, THEN WE'LL START A STRATEGY AND WE CAN UPDATE YOU ON THAT.
AND THEN I GUESS WE CAN CREATE MILESTONES OR A PLAN FROM THERE.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, TO PUT A SCULPT TOGETHER, TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UH, SOME FOLKS THAT CAME FORWARD HAD SPECIFIC IDEAS ABOUT SPECIFIC ROUTES ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE ROUTES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT? WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE GOING TO BE NECESSARY TO DO THAT THINK IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO LAY THOSE THINGS OUT SO THAT WE, IF, IF, UH, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE AN INCREMENTAL STRATEGY, AS WE MOVE FURTHER OUT, UH, THAT, THAT WE UNDERSTAND, UH, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REACHING, ARE THERE AREAS THAT, THAT, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND IT EASY TO REACH BASED ON ROUTES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE? ARE THERE OTHER AREAS, UH, WHERE WE, WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE A PRESENCE WHERE WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ROUTES, THOSE THINGS WILL BE A NECESSARY AND IMPORTANT, I THINK, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[01:05:01]
AND THAT MAY BE PART OF THIS.I'M FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON THE, THE SYSTEM WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR UNHOUSED FOLKS, FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS TO GET A BUS PASS, TO GET ON A BUS.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE OUR SYSTEM RIGHT NOW IS, IS WE KNOW THOSE FOLKS CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY.
SO WE'VE SET UP A SYSTEM WHERE WE GIVE THEM FREE BUS PASSES THROUGH OUR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, BUT THERE'S, THAT'S, UM, THAT CAN BE A COMPLEX PROCESS.
IT ALSO MAY NOT BE THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF EVERYBODY'S TIME AND RESOURCES.
UM, SINCE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT, I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT, THEY DON'T HAVE A REVENUE SOURCE TO PAY FOR IT.
SO ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS.
I JUST THINK IT'S WORTH, UM, IT'S WORTH, UM, HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT, UH, BEST WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS HAVE ACCESS TO BUS.
AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT MORE COMPLEXITY IN OUR SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A FAIRLY COMPLEX SYSTEM THAT SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT A MECHANISM TO, TO, TO FUND FREE BUS PASSES AND, BUT THEN THEY HAVE TO GET A BUS PASS AND THEN YOU HAVE TO RENEW IT.
AND IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST REALLY NEEDS EXAMINING FOR MORE EFFICIENCIES, WHICH COULD HELP ALL OF US.
UM, IT WILL HELP THE AGENCY AS WELL AS OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN TO LOOK AT THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND OR DISCOUNT PASS PROGRAMS, SEE WHAT THEIR SYSTEMS ARE, UM, AND JUST EVEN WITHOUT THE AMP CARD, UM, IF WE CAN ADDRESS ANY OF THOSE TO SIMPLIFY THEM, BUT ALSO AS WE WORK THROUGH AMP AND DIFFERENT PILOTS TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD SEAMLESSLY TRANSITION OR WORK OR POSSIBLY NOT WORK.
BUT YEAH, I WOULD ALSO JUST SUGGEST THIS IS A LONGER CONVERSATION.
MAYBE WE CAN HELP OUT WITH, THROUGH THE OPS COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST FIND A WAY THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST HAND EVERYBODY A BUS PASS.
THEY CAN USE FOREVER IF THEY'RE UNHOUSED AND PAY CAP METRO, IF WE NEED TO, FROM OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO CREATE A SYSTEM WHERE AN UNHOUSED PERSON HAS TO GET ANOTHER CARD, WHICH IS ANOTHER THING THEY HAVE TO DO TO ACCESS SOCIAL SERVICES, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT, SOMETIMES WE BUILD IN AND I'M NOT CRITICIZING WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE.
BUT SOMETIMES OUR SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEMS ARE SO COMPLEX THAT WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN THE CREATING THESE SYSTEMS, THAT IT JUST CREATES MORE WORK, TIME, COST, MONEY FOR PEOPLE TO TRY TO GET HELP.
AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY AS A FORMER SOCIAL WORK, SOCIAL WORKER, MYSELF.
THAT'S WHAT I'M REACTING TO, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE, I KNOW YOU ARE TUNED TO THAT, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS SO FAR.
AND WE'LL UPDATE YOU AS WE MAKE PROGRESS COOPER.
DID I SEE YOUR LIGHT ON, UH, I'LL SAY MY COMMENTS FOR THE BOARD MEETING THIS WEEK, ACTUALLY TAKE THIS UP.
I WILL JUST, I JUST WANTED TO, TO ECHO WHAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN SAID WHILE THE FOLKS WERE STILL IN THE ROOM.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE.
THESE FOLKS ARE GOING TO STICK, STICK AROUND OR NEED TO GO ON TO, TO OTHER OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR DAY SINCE THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON.
BUT, UH, I, I DID WANT TO SAY IS, UM, UH, AND SOME FOLKS IN THE ROOM WILL PROBABLY, ESPECIALLY SO-CALLED SOCIAL WORKERS WOULD PROBABLY UNDERSTAND THIS, UH, HAVING THE FACT THAT I'M A NURSE HAVING WORKED FOR TEXAS MEDICAID BEFORE.
UM, I DO UNDERSTAND COMPLEXITIES OF, UM, A LOT OF THESE SYSTEMS. I, IN FACT ONLY RECENTLY WAS ABLE TO GET MY, MY, UH, MY DAUGHTER WITH A SPECIAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS RE UM, UH, RE-UPPED FOR HER MEDICAID, BECAUSE WE MANAGED TO SUBMIT 599 PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION.
SO I AM VERY MUCH SENSITIVE TO SYSTEMS AND ENSURING THAT SYSTEMS ARE BUILT IN PLACE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND ENSURE THAT THERE ARE EFFICIENCIES IN THAT SYSTEM.
AS A NURSE, WHO'S ACTUALLY BEEN OUT THERE AND LED GROUPS OF STUDENTS TO WORK WITH HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND POPULATIONS BEFORE I'M VERY SENSITIVE IN THIS.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, TO THE UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS AND IF THE SYSTEM'S NOT WORKING PROPERLY.
AND WE'RE GETTING THAT FEEDBACK TO ME, THAT IS PART OF A LARGER CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
AND I DO THINK MAYBE TO ECHO, UM, BOARD MEMBER KITCHENS THAT, UH, THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT MEANT THAT WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THIS.
UM, I, I AM VERY EXCITED, AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FAIR, THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING TODAY, THE AMP CARD AND FARE CAPPING AND ECHO FAIR.
[01:10:01]
BUT I DO THINK THAT EVERYTHING RAISED HERE TODAY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.I THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR TIME THAT HAS BROUGHT THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, UM, UNTIL YOU SPEAK UP, WE MAY NOT HEAR ABOUT IT AND NOT KNOW FOR CERTAIN UNTIL IT IS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I DO DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE US, AND IT ALSO AS THE CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR CAP METRO, I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS AND STUDY THIS FURTHER AND LIKE STAFF TO PURSUE THIS.
AND I'M GLAD I KNOW THAT YOU WERE, YOU'VE BEEN MS. POTTER.
I'VE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN FURTHER WORK GROUPS AND, AND ENGAGE WITH THE POPULATION, THE SOCIAL SERVICE NETWORK, AND THOSE WHO ARE SERVING THE, THESE, UH, THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY OUT THERE.
BECAUSE IF THEY ARE EXPRESSING THAT THIS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT AND THAT THEY AREN'T, THAT THE SYSTEM'S NOT WORKING FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES TO THE VERY POPULATION FOR WHICH THEY ARE MEANT TO SERVE, THEN WE'VE GOT UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT ARE EVEN LARGER RELATING TO OUR FARE STRUCTURE.
CAUSE I REALIZED THAT I KNOW THAT IN OUR FARE POLICY, THERE IS A LINE THAT TALKS ABOUT THE, UM, THE UNDERLYING, UH, EQUIS SHARE OR NO, NOT, UM, EXCUSE ME, THE, THE FREE FARES PROGRAM AND DISCOUNT DISCOUNTS.
THE T TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM.
WE, WE NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT, SO THAT THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I'D LIKE TO LIKE TO ECHO BOARD MEMBER KITCHENS, UH, COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO SEE US DELVE FURTHER INTO THIS AND GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT GOING FURTHER AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO MAKE THIS SYSTEM WORK BETTER FOR, UM, FOR THE SERVICE AGENCIES AND ALSO FOR THE UNDERLYING UNHOUSED PEOPLE THAT WE CAN HELP GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO THAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET, TO GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO, TO BETTER THEMSELVES AS WELL.
SO, UH, REMEMBER KITCHEN, UM, THE S THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT WAS THE, UM, THE, THE, THE, UH, SECOND REQUEST THAT WAS, OR WAS MADE TO US, WHICH RELATES TO, TO HEAT IN OUR POLICY ON, UM, UH, ON, UH, WHERE THE REQUEST SPECIFIC REQUESTS WAS FOR FREE FAIRS IN AUGUST FOR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS.
UM, AND THE, THE POINT THAT WAS MADE IS THAT WE HAVE AN EXISTING POLICY RELATED TO WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHES A CERTAIN LEVEL.
SO I'M NOT SURE CHAIR, WHEN IS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THAT? I KNOW THAT NOT SPECIFICALLY ON OUR AGENDA, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH REGARD TO FREE FARES DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT THE SPEAKER'S POINT IS WELL TAKEN.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE LIMITED IT TO AUGUST.
I HOPE MAYBE SHE'S MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN I AM, BUT IN ANY CASE, I THINK WE NEED TO ENTERTAIN THAT AND REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT SUGGESTION THAT WAS MADE.
SO PERHAPS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN ASK MS. WATKINS TO LET US KNOW WHAT, WHAT OUR OPTIONS MIGHT BE AND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS MIGHT BE.
UM, JUST TO SPEAK TO THE, UM, THE PROGRAM THAT WAS MENTIONED.
SO AS PART OF OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN AND OUR COORDINATED WORK WITH THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER FOR THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY AREA, UM, WHEN THERE IS AN EXTREME HEAT ADVISORY, UM, SIMILARLY WHEN IT GETS REALLY, REALLY COLD, I FORGET WHAT THOSE ARE CALLED, BUT THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY COLD AND REALLY, REALLY HATS.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, A PRACTICE OF, UM, WE WILL NOT DENY TRANSPORTATION ON THE BASIS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY THE FARE IF FOLKS ARE TRYING TO GET TO A WARMING CENTER IN THE FREEZING MONTHS WHERE A COOLING CENTER IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
SO WHEN THE COOLING CENTERS ARE OPEN, WE'VE ACTUALLY DETOURED ONE OF OUR ROUTES TO GET TO THE DITMAR, UM, RECREATION CENTER.
CAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THAT WAS THE ONLY COOLING CENTER LOCATION THAT WASN'T ALREADY, UM, DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE A BUS STOP, UM, RIGHT.
UM, AND SO WE MAKE OUR, OUR FAIRS AVAILABLE TO THE COMMENT THAT OUR BUS OPERATORS AREN'T ALWAYS COMPLIANT WITH THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY, UM, GOOD FEEDBACK.
AND WE WILL TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND CONTINUE TO REINFORCE, UM, WITH OUR STAFF, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT'S SO HOT OUT, THAT WE ARE TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED MANY OF OUR BUSES THESE DAYS SAY, COME IN AND GET COOL, UM, OR COME IN AND COOL DOWN.
I FORGET WHICH ONE IT IS, UM, BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE GOT A COOL VEHICLE AND IT'S EXTREMELY HOT.
UM, AND SO IF SOMEBODY NEEDS TO GET SOMEPLACE SOMETIMES WALKING OR EVEN RIDING A BIKE, ISN'T AN OPTION IN THE HEAT.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT THAT FOLKS HAVE THE OPTION FOR TRANSPLANT.
SO THAT POLICY DOESN'T IS NOT LIMITED TO TAKING A PERSON TO A COOLING CENTER.
IT'S A POLICY THAT RELATES TO EXCESSIVE HEAT WHEREVER THEY MAY BE GOING.
AND WE JUST PRESUME IF THEY NEED TRANSPORTATION, IT'S BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GET TO SOMEPLACE.
THAT'S A BETTER PLACE FOR THEM TO BE IT'S, THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC SUBSET OF ROUTES OR LOCATIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE COOLING CENTERS OFFERED BY THE CITY.
THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED BY
[01:15:01]
THEIR SOCIAL SERVICE ENTITIES, AND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHICH ONES WERE, WHICH SO WE JUST SAY IT'S REALLY HOT, DON'T DENY TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE OF NO FAIR.AND THAT'S BASED OFF THE, UM, EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS, IS THAT A THING, THE EXCESSIVE HEAT ADVISORIES, I'M LOOKING AT SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE AND THEY'RE ALL LOOKING AT ME LIKE, I THINK IT'S ADVISORIES IT'S YES.
I THINK IT'S THE EXACT EXCESSIVE HEAT ADVISORY, UM, THAT TRIGGERS THAT PROGRAM.
AND MY DOES MY DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SCOPE THINGS AND UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHICH POLICY IS IN PLACE, WHO IT SERVES, WHERE IT SERVES THEM.
AND USUALLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE BACK OF THE LINE, ALWAYS THAT ALWAYS LEFT OUT OFTEN CANYON FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND PUT TOGETHER A SYSTEM RATHER THAN A COUPLE OF TRANSACTIONS.
IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE BUILD A SYSTEM OVER TIME.
AND, AND NOT JUST, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NEED AND WE NEED TO IDENTIFY AND WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY, UH, THAT I SUSTAINABLE WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SERVED.
SO MY QUESTION REALLY IS, UM, WHEN WE HAVING THE CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR HEAT ADVISORY POLICY, WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE SETTING TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS, UH, FOR ME, UH, WHEN, UH, WHEN, WHEN SHOULD WE, WHEN CAN WE PUT THE SCOPE TOGETHER AND THEN BASED ON THE SCOPE, DECIDE WHEN IT IS WE'RE GOING TO MEET HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET THAT.
SO IN TERMS OF HEAT ADVISORY POLICY, THAT IS AN OPERATIONAL POLICY THAT IS ALREADY IN EFFECT.
UM, AND DIDN'T DOES NOT REQUIRE BOARD APPROVAL.
IT'S JUST ONE OF THE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURAL THINGS THAT WE DO, UM, TO RUN THE SYSTEM.
I THINK, UM, WE WILL GIVE HIM THIS ROBUST CONVERSATION TODAY.
WE WILL DEFINITELY HAVE ON OUR OPS PLANNING AGENDA FOR THE COMING MONTH, UM, THIS TOPIC SO THAT WE CAN, UM, KIND OF HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT STEPS TO TAKE AND FURTHER THAT PLANNING AND CONVERSATION WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
IF, IF NOT, THEN WE WILL CLOSE TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING AND STAND ADJOURNED AT 1 28, 1 28.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF RECESS, UH, BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING, UH, DO WE NEED 10 MINUTES? IS THAT GOING TO BE ADEQUATE? OKAY.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL START BACK AT ABOUT, UH, 22 TO 20 UNTIL TWO.