[I. Call to Order]
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AND THE AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ON MONDAY, JULY 25TH.
AND, UH, LET'S SEE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS, ON THIS JULY MEETING.
AND, UH, WE'LL CALL THE ORDER OF THE
[II. Public Comment]
FIRST ITEM IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC COMMENT.SO WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS, UH, FIVE SPEAKERS SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
SO WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU'RE WITH US, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, THE FIRST PERSON IS DEB MILLER, DEB MILLER.
AND IF YOU PUSH THAT BUTTON TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MIC IS ON, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MY NAME IS DEBRA HARMONY MILLER.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME HERE TODAY.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE IS A BOOK THAT I'VE WRITTEN ABOUT THAT MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY, SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED MORE HERE AT CAPITAL METRO IN, WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WHEN I CAME HERE TO AUSTIN, I COULDN'T FEED MYSELF.
I COULDN'T WALK BECAUSE OF THE MEDICATIONS THAT I TOOK HAD ME.
SO DRUGGED UP, I HAD PARKINSON'S SYMPTOMS BECAUSE I, METRO ACCESS DRIVER DEIDRE HARRIS TOLD ME ABOUT THE SHACK WHERE THEY OFFER FREE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PEER SPECIALIST SERVICES.
WHEN I GOT BETTER, I, UM, LOOKED AROUND AND I SAW THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THERE WERE ALSO GETTING SO MUCH BETTER.
THEN I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS BOOK ABOUT OUR LIVES.
BUT WHEN I WROTE IT, IF YOU'LL TURN TO PAGE FIVE, I HAD TO DONATE.
I HAD TO DEDICATE IT TO Y'ALL BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN TO THE SHACK WITHOUT YOU.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOT OUR LIVES BACK.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.
UM, I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE BOOKS BECAUSE THEY'RE FOR FUN FUNDRAISER, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE Y'ALL LOOK AT IT.
IF YOU CAN SEE THREE PAGES PAST THE, UM, TITLE PAGE, WHERE IT SAYS THAT WE, THE MEMBERS OF AUSTIN AREA, MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS, INC AT THE SHACK HEREBY DEDICATE OUR BOOK.
WE ARE THE SHACK TO CAPITAL METRO, METRO ACCESS DRIVERS AND STAFF FOR THE WONDERFUL SERVICES THEY PROVIDE HERE AT AUSTIN, TEXAS, ESPECIALLY TO THE THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, KINDNESS, SUPERIOR SERVICE, AND JEDI'S PARKING SKILLS.
IF YOU'VE BEEN TO THE SHACK, YOU'LL KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
ON THOSE PAST DAYS, WE HAVE A BUS PASS PROGRAM WITH YOU ALL.
AND UM, BECAUSE I GOT BETTER, I DID THEIR JOB TRAINING SESSION, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT WHEN THE CITY OPENED BACK UP, I COULD NOT TAKE THE STRESS OF TRAVELING SIX HOURS A DAY ON THE BUS, SEVEN HOURS AT A JOB WITH MY DISABILITY.
AND, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BUT I HAD BEEN FOR THE PAST YEAR, A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THAT I HAD BEEN LEARNING TO RIDE, FIXED HER OUT BECAUSE I LOVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT AT DEMAND.
I DON'T HAVE TO CALL A DAY AHEAD BY FIVE AND MAKE ALL THESE PLANS.
I HAD THAT FLEXIBILITY AND IT'S WONDERFUL.
UM, IN WRITING THE, UM, I'M A TRENT, I'M A, UM, REAL YOU METRO ACCESS WRITERS GET THE USE OF THEIR LEGS BACK.
SO, AND IT'S TAKEN SIX BACK SURGERIES, PHYSICAL THERAPY, UM, OCTOBER 3RD, 2018, I WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN MY POWER CHAIR AND I WAS HIT BY A SPEEDING CAR AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
SO THESE CHAIRS ARE ALL DIFFERENT.
SOME OF THEM ARE NOT THREE OF MY NEIGHBORS IN MY SISTER.
LIVING GOT WHEELCHAIRS LAST WEEK, UH, THE LAST MONTH.
AND ONE OF THEM TOOK HER CHEER OUT, WENT DOWN THE SIDEWALK, FLIPPED IT.
AND SHE HAS BRAIN DAMAGE IN HIGH SCHOOL TO A MEMORY CENTER.
NOW THESE CHAIRS ARE DANGEROUS AND NO ONE TEACHES US TO DRIVE THEM.
WHEN I CALL THEM THE TRAIL ACCESS AND I SAY, HEY, DO YOU HAVE A TRADING PROGRAM? IT SHOWS HOW YOU, THEY SAY NOPE, BUT WE'LL EVALUATE YOU.
IF YOU COME IN, YOU JUST GOTTA GET HERE, RIGHT? YOU'LL COME PICK US UP, BUT NOBODY TEACHES YOU HOW TO DRIVE THE CHAIR.
WHAT I PROPOSE TODAY IS THAT WE WOULD START A PROGRAM THROUGH BRUCE APPLE'S MENTORING PROGRAM, WHICH I'M THE VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD.
AND WE WOULD WORK WITH THE FOUR OTHER PROVIDERS OF MENTAL HEALTH, PEER SERVICES THAT ARE FREE HERE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, THE COMMUNITIES FOR RECOVERY, THE AUSTIN CLUBHOUSE TO AUSTIN AREA, MENTAL HEALTH CONSUMERS, AND IMAGINE ART, WHICH ALSO WORKS WITH THE DISABLED WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE STARTED PROGRAMMING, I WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT THE BLUE APPLE EXPRESS, WHERE WE HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION FROM THE HANDICAP BUS INTO A LIFE THAT'S MORE FULL OF THE FIXED ROUTE.
THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO DO THIS.
THEY TELL ME I'M A PROVISIONAL RIDER.
I CAN LIE AND SAY, THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS ANY DAY BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALKS BY MY HOUSE, BUT I AM MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN THAT.
YOU KNOW, GETTING MY MENTAL HEALTH WILL ALLOW ME TO GO BACK TO WORK.
BUT IF I'M AFRAID TO GET ON THE BUS, UM, I'M SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO WORK
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TOGETHER AND CREATE A PROGRAM, THIS BLUE APPLE EXPRESS, WHEN WE GET FUNDING, COOPERATION WITH YOU TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE AND PROVIDE INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO GET INTO THE FIXED ROUTE WITH YOUR CHAIRS.WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT THE DRIVERS FOR THE FIXED ROUTE ARE JUST AS WELL-TRAINED AS THE ONES ON THE HANDICAP BUS, BUT WE AREN'T.
NOW I'VE HAD SEVEN YEARS OF RIDING METRO ACCESS TO THEY'VE TAUGHT ME WHERE MY STUFF IS AND HOW TO GET ON THERE.
THESE OTHER PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WHEN I RIDE THAT BUS, I SEE PEOPLE ARGUING WITH ME ON THE BUS IF THEY WANT ON WHEN THERE'S NO SPACE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING, 15 MINUTES LATER, THEY CAN GET ON ANOTHER BUS.
IT'S A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT COULD REALLY HELP OUR SERVICES IMPROVE.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE COST WOULD BE.
SHE WAS WITH LAWYERS AND EVERYTHING.
IF ONE PERSON GOT KILLED THE WEEK THAT I WAS HIT BY THE CAR IN, UH, UH, HERE IN AUSTIN, THREE MEMBERS OF THE SHATNER, WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE THERE.
THREE MEMBERS HAVE GOT HIT BY A CAR THAT SAME WEEK.
THE LADY SHE'S RECOVERING SLOWLY ALSO, BUT THIS IS A REAL ISSUE.
AND THERE'S SOMETHING POSITIVE WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS HOW TO DRAG YOUR WHEELCHAIR, HOW TO GET AROUND, HOW TO ASK FOR HELP WITH ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS THE SAME EXPERIENCES IS NOT THE SAME AS A CASEWORKER SAYING, DO THIS.
SO MS. MILLER, THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT YOU WITH THE RIGHT STAFF.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TALK MORE ABOUT AND, AND BUILD SOMETHING AROUND, UH, WHO WOULD BE THE RIGHT PERSON.
YEAH, SARAH SANFORD, UM, FROM OUR METRO ACCESS STAFF IS HERE AND PLEASE DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT MAKING SURE SHE KNOWS HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
W WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IS IT, WE, YOU ALREADY DIRECT OUR CLIENTS TO THE SHACK FOR THE HALF PASS, PASS, PASS BREAST PIPE PROGRAM.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS WHEN SOMEONE CALLS YOU AND THEY GET DIRECTED TO GET EDUCATION ON HOW TO RIDE THE BUS, HOW DO YOU USE YOUR WHEELCHAIR OR ASSISTED DEVICES? WE'VE GOT ROLLATORS AND ALL OTHER THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.
I THINK THAT THIS EDUCATION WOULD CUT COSTS FOR METRO ASSETS.
IT WOULD IMPROVE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, IMPROVED COOPERATION, AND IT WOULD LET US GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ENJOY AUSTIN.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR COMING AND SHARING.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE ROAD STAFF GETS TOGETHER WITH YOU.
UM, MS. GRAY QUICKLY, I WANT TO SAY THAT MAY BE THE BEST SUGGESTION I'VE HEARD IN, UH, EIGHT YEARS AT CAP METRO LISTENING TO PUBLIC INPUT BECAUSE IT COSTS $50 ON AVERAGE, A RIDE TO PUT SOMEBODY, A METRO ACCESS, A COST FOUR OR $5 A RIDE.
AND I'M ALWAYS, UH, IMPRESSED BY THE FOLKS IN THE WHEELCHAIRS WHO ARE ABLE TO NAVIGATE OUR BUS SYSTEM.
WE MINISTER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT THE APPROPRIATE TIME AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS BOARD MEMBERS HOUSE, UH, IN, IN ADDRESSING MS. MILLER'S NEEDS.
MA'AM DID YOU SAY YOU NEEDED THESE BOOKS BACK? IF YOU'D LIKE TO KEEP IT THERE'S A CARD IN THERE? SO I ACTUALLY, MS. MILLER, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR APPRECIATION FOR YOU DEDICATING THE BOOK TO OUR STAFF, AND WE WOULD BE HONORED TO PURCHASE THESE BOOKS FOR EACH OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A GOOD MESSAGE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR.
UM, OUR NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT WILL COME FROM RICK HALL.
THE BOOK'S AVAILABLE
UH, LAST TIME I SPOKE TO CAPITAL METRO BOARD WAS 20 YEARS AGO AND I WAS ADVOCATING FOR A BUS SYSTEM WHERE THE BUSES COME BY EVERY 10 MINUTES, THE DRIVER, IT DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC.
THERE'S AN ATTENDANT ON THE BUS.
THEY DEAL WITH TAKING TICKETS.
THE PEOPLE WHO COME ON DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
THEY ACT AS A TOUR GUIDE TO HELP THEM.
IT'S NOT THIS BIZARRE SYSTEM THAT IS SET UP NOW WHERE THEIR DRIVERS UNDER THE GUN TO BE SOMEWHERE ON TIME, SOMEONE SLOWING HIM DOWN, ASKING HIM QUESTIONS.
HE'S GOT TO PUSH IT THROUGH AND HE ACTS RUDE JUST TO GET RID OF THE PERSON, BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU.
IN 1983, I FINALLY GOT UP ENOUGH SENIORITY TO DRIVE MY SPECIAL ED WHEELCHAIR BUS IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, THE DRIVERS FIGHT OVER THOSE HOURS.
WE'RE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE WE ARE.
YOU SEE, I USED TO BE THE LEAD DRIVER AT THE TRAVIS STATE SCHOOL IN THE RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
AND IN MY JOB WAS THERE WERE 30 DORMS. EACH STORM HAD A HUNDRED MALE RESIDENTS ON IT.
EACH DORM BY FEDERAL LAW HAD TO HAVE A ONE HOUR BUS RIDE PER WEEK.
UH, SO I DID THREE RIDES IN THE MORNING, THREE IN THE AFTERNOON HOUR RISE, FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
AND, UH, I PUT IN SOMETHING LIKE 1600 MILES PER WEEK
[00:10:01]
WHEN I WASN'T DOING THAT, I WAS TRANSPORTING RESIDENTS TO OTHER CITIES IN A 88 PASSENGER BLUE BIRD WITH AN INTERNATIONAL CHASSIS AND DRIVE TRAIN.BUT THE THING WAS WHEN THEY HIRED ME, THEY SAID, WELL, IF YOU GO OUT IN THE SUMMER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER DOESN'T WORK, CANCEL THE BUS RIDE.
NOW I SAID, THE BUS HAS AN AIR CONDITIONER.
AND THEY SAID, YEAH, IT'S A VERY GOOD ONE.
AND I SAID, WHY IS THAT? AND THEY SAID, BECAUSE, WELL, IN 71, WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE US DO THESE RIDES TO DEINSTITUTIONALIZE THE RESIDENTS THAT MANY OF THEM NEVER, EVER GOT OFF OF THE TRAVIS STATE SCHOOL, UH, WE DID IT.
AND IN THE SUMMER WE CROAKED A COUPLE OF GUYS, ONE, ONE WEEK AND ONE, THE OTHER ONE WAS AN EPILEPTIC.
THE OTHER ONE HAD HEART PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE ALL THEIR MEDICAL RECORDS.
SO THE PARENTS SUED AND SAID, WE SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO PUT THEM ON THOSE BUS RIDES.
SO THE STATE OF TEXAS REALIZED IT WAS CHEAPER TO PUT AC ON THOSE BUSES REALLY GOOD AC BY THE WAY, UH, THAN IT WAS TO PAY A MILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS TO GRIEVING PARENTS.
SO IN 1983, WHEN I GOT ON THE SUMMER OUTSET AISD, WE WERE KILLING OFF LITTLE INFANTS AND KIDS IN THE HEAT.
WE HAD A STRETCH OF WEATHER IN 83, WHICH WAS 104, NEVER DROPPED BEFORE, BELOW 104 FOR TWO WEEKS.
AND WE HAD 108 AND 110 TENS ON THE BUS.
THE THERMOMETER I HAD ON THERE SAID IT WAS 115.
I'M HANDING OUT A LITTLE THREE-YEAR-OLD GIRL WITH HER EYES ROLLED UP IN HER HEAD.
AND SHE HAD REALLY PRETTY BLUE EYES, BUT SHE COULDN'T SEE HIM BECAUSE SHE WAS IN HEAT, PROSTRATION OR CLOTHES WERE SOAKED WITH SWEAT AND, UH, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I FINALLY DID IT THROUGH THE CLASSIFIED CONSULTATION COUNCIL.
I HAD TO GET A PETITION TO GET ON.
I WAS THE ONLY INDEPENDENT OF THE 17 MEMBER COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
AND I LEARNED TO SAY, CLASSIFY CONSULTATION, COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
ANYWAY, UH, IT COSTS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT $8.2 MILLION TO AC ALL 79 WHEELCHAIR BUSES AND MAINTENANCE THEM OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
AISD MANAGEMENT, UH, SCHOOL BOARD WAS NOT REAL HAPPY WITH ME.
HOWEVER, THE SPECIAL ED TEACHERS WHOSE CHILDREN STARTED CRYING EVERY TIME THE BUSES PULLED UP IN THE SUMMER, WHALING, A WHOLE SCHOOL OF 200 CHILDREN, ALL CRYING AT ONCE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD IT ANYWAY.
UH, I'M NOT A VERY GOOD PUBLIC SPEAKER, BUT I DO KNOW HOW TO WRITE A GOOD LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
AND I READ IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEY DID NOTHING.
AND I READ IT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THEY DID NOTHING.
IT WASN'T UNTIL THE CLASSIFIED CONSULTATION COUNCIL CAME UP ONE DAY, WE HAD A QUORUM OF NINE.
I SAID, WHERE ARE THE OTHER MID-MANAGEMENT GUYS WHO WOULD STOP ANYTHING? WE TRIED TO DO UNTOWARD.
AND SOMEBODY POPPED UP AND SAID, WELL, MANAGEMENT DECIDED THEY'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB.
THEY'RE GIVING THEM AN AWARDS DINNER, AND THEY'RE ALL OFF GETTING THEIR AWARDS.
I SAT THERE FOR SIX MONTHS WHILE ALL THE LI THE UNION GUYS MADE FUN OF ME.
I WAS THE ONLY INDEPENDENT MEMBER.
UH, THERE WERE, I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET ANYTHING PASSED BECAUSE, UH, I'M NOT A UNION MEMBER.
YOU SEE, UH, THERE WAS A QUORUM OF NINE.
I BROUGHT UP THE SUBJECT THAT WE WERE KILLING OFF THE KIDS, THE LUNCH LADIES AND THE SECRETARIES DID NOT BELIEVE ME.
THE HEAD OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID BECAUSE HE KNEW ME WENT FROM WHEN I USED TO DO NIGHT SURVEILLANCE, CRISWELL, UH NIGHTWATCHMAN TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY.
HE KNEW I WAS A SERIOUS PERSON.
UH, AND I LUCKED OUT THERE WAS A DRIVER FROM CRA, FROM BASE SEVEN ON THE EAST SIDE, WHO ALSO HAD THE PROBLEM OF THESE KIDS, KIDS DYING OFF.
AND HE BROUGHT IT TO HIS SUPERVISOR'S ATTENTION.
AND HIS SUPERVISOR DID THE SAME THING.
MINDED LAUGHED, AND CALLED HIM CRAZY.
I TOOK IT TO THE DRIVER, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT'S, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, PRESENTING GRIEVANCES.
THERE WERE S 19 MEMBERS OF THAT.
I GOT ELECTED BY MY PEERS TO DRIVERS TO REPRESENT CRISWELL BASED FIVE, WHICH UPSET THE UNION GUYS BECAUSE UNION PEOPLE VOTED ME IN THAT POSITION.
WHEN I BROUGHT THE SUBJECT UP TO THE CAFETERIA LADIES AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.
THE GUY FROM THE EAST SIDE, UH, HE WAS ALSO SPECIAL.
THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WROTE THE PROPOSAL, THEY WOULD RATIFY IT, SIGN OFF IN IT, ON IT.
ELLIS COULD NO LONGER REFUSE TO LOOK AT IT.
UH, THE DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT WAS, UH, TOLD TO FIX AND PUT AC ON ALL 79 BUSES.
ACS THAT ACTUALLY WORKED, WROTE IT.
AND, UH, IN THE FUTURE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND.
TEXAS BUYS ALL THE SCHOOL BUSES.
THEY GIVE THEM TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
[00:15:01]
TELL THEM WHAT THEY NEED, AND THEY EITHER AGREE OR DON'T.SO, ALL THAT REALLY HAD TO HAPPEN WAS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, EXCUSE ME, THOSE AC ON THEIR BUSES FROM THE FACTORY.
SO I, UM, WE ARE WE'RE PAST THE THREE MINUTE MARK.
MY BACK WAS BROKEN AT NIGHT PLACES.
I SPENT A YEAR IN THE HOSPITAL.
THERE WAS SIX MONTHS WALKING THERAPY.
I WAS OUT OF WORK FOR FOUR YEARS.
THE ONLY WORK I COULD FIND WAS AT CRISWELL BASED FIVE.
THEY HAD A 92% EMPLOYEE TURNOVER.
DURING THE NINE MONTH SCHOOL YEAR, NOBODY COULD STAND TO DRIVE THOSE KIDS AROUND.
IT TOOK SOMEBODY WHO HAD TO WORK THERE.
SOMEBODY WHO KNEW YOU SHOULDN'T TRANSPORT CHILDREN AROUND WITHOUT AN AC.
NOW, I HAVE APPLIED FOR METRO ACCESS.
IT'S NOT A CONDITION THAT GETS BETTER.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON NOW SINCE 1975, THE OPERATION WAS A EXPERIMENTAL OPERATION, WHICH THEY DID NOT TELL ME 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE IT TO DIED ON THE OPERATING TABLE.
AND OTHER PERCENTAGE DIED IN THE ICU AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN BED AND THE WALKING THERAPY.
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE AS MY BACK GOT WORSE, I NEED CAPITAL METRO ACCESS.
I HAVE APPLIED AND WORRY ABOUT EXPRESSING THE PERSONAL PHYSICAL RECORD IN PUBLIC.
THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET THEM TO STRAIGHTEN UP AND ACT RIGHT, IS TO TALK TO Y'ALL WE, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT OUR CEO, DR.
HE HAS A CLINIC RIGHT OVER HERE.
IF YOU'RE NOT THINKING I'M DISABLED, I CAN SHOW YOU THE SCAR ON MY BACK, OR YOU CAN, HE CAN SHOW YOU ALL THE PAPERWORK.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, YOU SAID WITH THE PROPER STAFF, I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU PERSONALLY.
THEY CONTACTED ME THIS MORNING AS I HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE AT 10 TO RIDE BUSES TO GET OVER HERE ON TIME.
AND I CALL THE NUMBER AND IT GAVE ME SOME SORT OF VOICEMAIL THING WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO WAIT 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL STAFF CAN'T GET TO ME TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS.
SO I DIDN'T REALLY TALK TO THEM.
I MET SOMEONE FROM ACCESS HERE WHILE I WAS WAITING AND THEY GAVE ME A CARD AND WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS THIS.
AND I'M SORRY TO TAKE UP SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
AND I WISH HE HADN'T PUT IN A BRT BUSES.
YOU DIDN'T THE OTHER BOARD PUT IN THE BRT BUSES SO THAT THEY WERE THE RICH PEOPLE'S BUS.
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A LIGHT RAIL SERVICE, AND YOU CAN SET THEM UP AS A LIGHT RAIL SERVICE.
SO WHY EVEN GET THEM? SO, OKAY.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU TALK TO THE RIGHT STAFF.
HOW MANY DOCTORS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB? DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH HEALTH INSURANCE LIGHT BULB HAS.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, SHERRY TAYLOR.
I ALSO GO BY THE NICKNAME OF SOPHIE, WHICH STANDS FOR SURPASSING OBSTACLES, PROPELS HOPES INTO ENDORPHINS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE BUS ROUTE 3 35, THAT I SPOKE IN THE OTHER MEETING AS WELL.
BUT WHILE I WAS SITTING THERE THINKING I ALSO CAME UP WITH AN ORGANIZATION AND LIKE TO LOOK FORWARD TO CREATING AS A NONPROFIT.
ONCE I FINISHED MY TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING DEGREE, AND I'M GOING TO CALL IT A C R E, WHICH WAS STANDS FOR AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY APPRECIATION FOR COMMUTERS, CITIZENS, CHILDREN, AND TOURISM, RESILIENCY, AND CREATION, RECREATION EXPERIENCES IN EDUCATION.
BECAUSE IF YOU GOT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE USING THE BUS TO GO SOMEPLACE TO LEARN SOMETHING, I THINK THAT IT WILL INCREASE THE APPRECIATION OF THE BUS DRIVERS THAT YOU'RE PICKING UP.
SOMEBODY WHO'S TRYING TO BE SOMEBODY NOT JUST TO BE SOMEWHERE.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MANY PROGRAMS LIKE CAPITAL IDEA THAT ARE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS IN FOOD SERVICE, UH, PUBLIC SPEAKING, BECOMING A LIBRARIAN AND COOKING CLASSES TO GET YOUR FOOD SERVICE THING.
IT JUST LEADS BACK TO AUSTIN HAVING BETTER QUALITY OF WORKERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S EDUCATED IN SOMETHING, NOT JUST STOPPING AT HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN THAT'S SUPPOSED TO LAST FOR THE NEXT 45 YEARS.
BUT ANYWAY, GO BACK TO MY ORIGINAL REASON FOR BEING HERE.
I WANTED TO ADD AN EXTENSION TO BUS 3 35, CURRENTLY BUS 3 35, UH, IN MUELLER AREA TURNS RIGHT
[00:20:01]
AT MUELLER DRIVE AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND GOES NORTH TO 51ST STREET, COMES BACK TO BERKMAN AND SITS THERE FOR 35 MINUTES.I'M PROPOSING THAT, THAT SAME BUS GOING WEST ON BARBARA.
JORDAN COULD GO DOWN FOUR BLOCKS, TAKE A LEFT AT THE STOP LIGHT BEYOND LANCASTER AND GO THROUGH MUELLER'S BUSINESS HUB, WHICH IS BEST BUY MALL.
I DON'T THINK THAT MALL HAS A NAME.
CAUSE IT'S THE BIGGEST STORE STAPLES WENT OUT OF BUSINESS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT MAKING MONEY, BUT THEY'RE NOT MAKING MONEY IN THAT STORE.
THEY'RE MAKING MORE MONEY ONLINE.
SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO GO THERE.
UH, ANYWAY, THE BUS WOULD GO THROUGH BEST BUY MALL EXIT AT THE BACK OF IT.
THE MALL ON, ON FILOMENO TURN LEFT AND GO TO LANCASTER, WHICH IS PROTECTED BY LIKE LANCASTER BACK TO 51ST, WHICH IS PREPARED BY LIGHT.
TAKE A RIGHT AND GO BACK TO BERKMAN, BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE SITTING THERE 35 MINUTES CAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN USING THE TIME WHERE THE CUSTOMERS NEED IT.
THE SECOND TIME I SPEAK, I GO OVER.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT PERSON IS SALLY DECKER.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THREE TOPICS.
THE FIRST TOPIC IS TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PICKUP.
THIS SERVICE HAS TREMENDOUSLY HELPED US FOR THOSE SENIOR CITIZENS IN MY AREA, IN THE WALNUT CREEK ZONE, WE WERE KEPT ON ONE SIDE OF PALMER AND COULDN'T GET TO THE OTHER SIDE UNLESS WE HAD TO CROSS PALMER, WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT SERVICE AND WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
WE WOULD LIKE IT TO EXTEND TO OTHER SIDE OF 35 SO WE COULD HAVE MORE ACCESSIBILITY TO STORES, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THAT'D BE FEASIBLE.
THE SECOND TOPIC IS WITH, UM, DISPATCH AND SCHEDULING.
I STARTED A JOB PART-TIME BECAUSE I HAVE TO PAY MY TAXES AND INSURANCE.
SO MY HOME AND THE FIRST TIME I WENT, THEY DROPPED ME OFF AT THE LOCATION OF MY JOB, WHICH IS 50 EAST 15TH STREET.
WHEN I GOT THERE, I SAW THAT IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY DANGEROUS TO BE DROPPED OFF THERE.
SO I LOOKED AROUND AND FOUND THAT MAYBE ON THE TRINITY SIDE STREET, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO BE PICKED UP.
SO WHEN I MADE MY RESERVATIONS, I SPOKE TO THE RESERVATIONIST AND EXPLAINED TO HER THAT TO PLEASE NOT PICK ME UP ON 15TH STREET, BUT ON TRINITY SIDE, WE COULD BE SAFER FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL AS FOR ME.
AND SO I ASKED HER TO PLEASE PUT THAT IN THE NOTES.
SO THEN I WENT TO WORK, STARTED WORKING ON THE 13TH OF JUNE.
I WAS LEFT FOUR TIMES BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND A LOCATION ON 106, 107 AND 108 TEMPERATURES WAITING AN HOUR, AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM MY RIGHT NOW, I HAVE HAD HEAT EXPOSURE.
SO I AM SUSCEPTIBLE TO HEAT STROKE.
I WAS REAL CONCERNED ABOUT IT BECAUSE MANY TIMES I WOULD GO HOME.
I WAS SWEATING PROFUSELY ON ONE OF THE TRIPS.
THEY SEND A BUS, THE BUS HAD NO AIR CONDITION.
THERE WAS TWO WHEELCHAIRS ON THERE BESIDE ME, WHICH THAT'S FINE.
I'M GOING TO MIND TRAVELING, BUT IT WAS HOT.
AND THEN THEY HAD TO OPEN THE DOORS TO LET THE PEOPLE OFF WHERE THE WHEELCHAIRS THAT BROUGHT IN MORE HEAT.
SO BY THE TIME WE GET HOME, IT'S, WE'RE A TEMPERATURE IS PRETTY HIGH.
THE THIRD ONE IS ACCESSIBILITY TO PASSES.
AND A LOT OF OUR SENIOR CITIZENS DON'T HAVE INTERNET TO BE ABLE TO BUY IT ONLINE OR HAVE CELL PHONES WHERE YOU CAN BUY IT ONLINE.
SO I'M ASKING TO PLEASE MAKE THOSE BUS PASSES ACCESSIBLE TO US.
THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND PRESENTING TO THE BOARD TO HAVE HER TALK TO SOMEONE AS WELL.
[00:25:01]
STAFF AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO ADDRESS THEM.AND I THINK OUR FINAL, UH, AND I THINK OUR FINAL PRESENTER IS JOE PAUL CONN BACK AGAIN.
UM, SO I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A BUSY AGENDA.
I'LL TRY TO KEEP MY REMARKS SHORT.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 11 ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND WHAT I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT VERY SPECIFICALLY IS THE LACK OF CLEAR, TRANSPARENT AND COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS AROUND WAIVING THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE BYLAWS FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
WHEN THE PROJECT CONNECT PASSED, WE PRESENTED SOMETHING TO THE VOTERS.
AND THEN WHEN WE CREATED THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, IT WAS DRIVEN BY THE VALUES THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS AND TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WAIVING THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT, THE REQUIREMENT THAT TO LIVE IN AUSTIN OR WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA IN ORDER TO SERVE ON THE CAP, METRO, SORRY, LONG DAY IN ORDER TO SERVE ON THE ATP BOARD TO WAIVE A REQUIREMENT LIKE THAT WITHOUT A TRANSPARENT COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS AND BYPASSING THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT CONNECT IS, HAS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS EQUITY IMPLICATIONS.
SO THIS IS NOT REFERRING TO THE DECISION NECESSARILY TO BE MADE TODAY, BUT THE LACK OF CLEAR COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS AND LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AROUND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DECIDE TO MOVE FORWARD AND AMEND BY-LAWS AND MAKE THESE KINDS OF CHANGES WITHOUT INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH SHOULD ALWAYS BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN ON ALL OF THESE DECISIONS.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS DECISION TODAY IS TOO RUSHED.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU WHAT KIND OF ACTION TO TAKE.
I AM SUGGESTING THAT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A CLEAR, TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY, SO, UH, HEARING NONE, I WILL SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE, UH, WHO CAME UP AND WHO CAME TO PRESENT AND NEXT
[III. Advisory Committee Update]
WE'LL HAVE OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATE, UM, MS. POWER AND SHE'S HERE ALONG WITH OUR NEW PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.WOULD YOU KICK US OFF PLEASE? UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN TREVELYAN VICE-CHAIR KITCHEN, UM, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS EDNA PARRA MANAGER OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU THE UPDATE FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
UH, THIS LAST MONTH WE ONLY HAD ONE, UM, COMMITTEE MEET THAT WAS P SAC, UM, ACCESS AND C SAC DID NOT MEET IN JULY.
UM, WE HAD, UH, CHAIR POWELL AND FOSTER, UH, VICE CHAIR FOSTER WITH US, BUT THEY HAD TO DROP DUE TO WORK COMMITMENTS.
UM, SO THEY GAVE ME NOTES AND I'LL BE PASSING THEM ALONG TO YOU.
UM, I'LL START WITH C AND ACCESS UPDATES JUST FOR THE MEMBER, UM, APPOINTMENTS UPDATES FOR ACCESS.
WE SUBMITTED MR. TOLOS HORN AND HE WILL HAVE APPROVE TODAY, BE APPOINTED TO THE ACCESS COMMITTEE, UM, FOR C-SAT WE CREATED A RECRUITMENT PLAN.
SO WE ARE EMAILING OUR NETWORKS DOING A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, BUS PLACARDS, AND OTHER COMMUNICATION METHODS.
AND WE HOPE TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE THREE SEATS, UM, IN AUGUST AND ALSO FOR APPOINTMENT AND, UM, THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING, UM, FOR PEACE SAC.
WE HAD, UM, OUR MEETING ON JUNE 29TH.
WE HAD AN UPDATE FROM, UM, INTERIM CEO, DOTTIE WALK-INS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE MEETING SCHEDULE AND CADENCE.
UM, THE COMMITTEE AGREED TO MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
UM, AND THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HAVING ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE OFF MONTHS.
SO ENGAGING WITH OTHER CAPITAL METRO TOPICS, UM, STAFF, OR OTHER WAYS TO ENGAGE, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UH, WE ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM, UH, HOLLY WHINGE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND VENTURE INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS, UM, AND THEIR ONGOING PROJECTS.
AND ALSO FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS FROM BRIAN ROBINSON.
THEY SENT ME WERE REALLY EXCITED AND, UM, THEY THANK THE PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AND THE COMMUNITY AND VENTURE INTERVENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM.
UH, THEY WERE REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THE WORK THEY WERE DOING AND ALSO THE DATA TRACKING UP TO THIS POINT.
UM, AND THEY BELIEVED IT WAS A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT'S FUTURE WORK.
[00:30:01]
LET ME SEE WHAT ELSE THEY, THEY WERE EXCITED TO MEET THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR, SO WE WILL HAVE THEM, UM, AT OUR NEXT MEETING IN AUGUST.AND THEN HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET THEM IN A MEET AND GREET OR ANOTHER, UM, ENGAGEMENT IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT OTHER WAYS.
UM, THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR CAN CONNECT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND FINDING OPPORTUNITIES OR CREATING, MEET AND GREETS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL THEY GAVE ME AND THAT'S ALL FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, UPDATES, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS.
AND IT SEEMS THAT NOW WE'RE UP TO OUR REGULAR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.
UH, THERE WAS NO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MONTH,
[IV.1. Finance, Audit and Administration Committee]
SO WE'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, CHAIR COOPER FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT.THE FINANCE, UH, AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MET ON THE 13TH.
WE APPROVED TWO MEASURES, WHICH ARE ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
THE FIRST WAS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT TO EXTEND AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE PASSES FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR.
THE SECOND WAS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION POINTING OUT IOLA WILLIAMS, HIS INVESTMENT OFFICER ON THE CAP, METRO INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.
WE HEARD FIVE DIFFERENT REPORTS.
THE ONE I'LL JUST MENTION BRIEFLY IS, UH, WE GOT WORD THAT OUR FTA TRIENNIAL IN THIS CASE ACTUALLY QUADRENNIAL REVIEW CAME BACK WITHOUT COMMENT, WHICH IS FAIRLY UNPRECEDENTED.
AND I, AGAIN HERE PUBLICLY WANT TO EXTEND MY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO THE STAFF FOR THIS REALLY, UH, UH, VERY IMPRESSIVE ACHIEVEMENT THEY'RE HERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE UPON AND THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING.
AND THAT, UH, PUTS US IN VERY RARE COMPANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS ALSO A VERY GOOD PREDICATE, UH, WHEN WE WILL BE, AS WE ARE NOW FREQUENTLY, UH, IN THE, UH, POSTURE OF ASKING THE FTA FOR FUNDS TO HELP BUILD PROJECT CONNECT.
SO KUDOS TO OUR STAFF FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WHICH LED TO THAT CLEAN AUDIT.
THAT'S REALLY REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT.
[IV.2. Austin Transit Partnership Update]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE AUSTIN PARTNERSHIP UPDATE BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP HAD OUR JULY BOARD MEETING LAST WEDNESDAY, JULY THE 20TH AT THE ATP NEWLY OPENED HEADQUARTERS, 2 0 1, COLORADO.
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THIS UP.
THEY'RE STILL PUTTING FINAL TOUCHES ON IT AND STAFF STILL GET MOVED IN AND SETTLED, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE PRETTY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE AND CELEBRATE KUDOS BY THE WAY, TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF WHO HELPED MAKE POSSIBLE FINAL TOUCHES TO ENSURE THAT WE HAD THE AUDIO VISUAL CAPABILITY TO BROADCAST THE MEETING AT THAT FACILITY, UM, AT THE MEETING, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, SOME OF THE KEY ACTION ITEMS THAT WE TOOK UP INCLUDED A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR THE ATP, UH, FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET TRANSFERRING $9 MILLION FROM ONE FUND INTO ANOTHER, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE, UH, AN ORDER TO MAKE ALLOWANCES FOR, UH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN ITEM THAT IS COMING UP ON TODAY'S AGENDA WITH CAP METRO THAT INVOLVED THE, UM, UH, THAT INVOLVED WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR BUS RAPID TRANSIT SERVICES AND, UH, THE CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IN THE FTA TO ENSURE THAT THE FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THAT PURPOSE.
UH, AND SOME OF THE INNER LOCAL AND TIES INTO A SECOND ITEM THAT WE PASSED RELATED TO THE INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, CAPITAL METRO, UH, RELATED TO THE FUNDS AND THE CONTRACTING ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES FOR THE EXPO LINE AND THE, UH, THE, UH, PLEASANT, THE PLEASANT VALLEY LINE.
AND, UH, THOSE WILL BE ON OUR, OUR AGENDA FOR CAP METRO TODAY AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, EVEN, UH, I WOULD SUBMIT JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE ACTUAL ACTION ITEMS AND TRANSFERS OF FUNDS AND CONTINUING A PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAP METRO AND ATP WAS A RATHER LARGE AND ROBUST CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD WITH AS AN ATP BOARD WITH SOME OF OUR CONSULTING TEAM ABOUT JUST WHERE, UH, PROJECT CONNECT STANDS RIGHT NOW, WHERE THE FINANCING LOOKS LIKE, AND WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION NOTING THAT AS MANY OF US IN THE COMMUNITY ARE AWARE AT 15% DESIGN THAT THE PRICE TAG HAD HAD GONE UP TO CLOSE TO AROUND $10 BILLION.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THAT THAT PRICE
[00:35:01]
TAG IS GOING TO BE INCHING UP EVEN HIGHER.AND SO WE WERE KIND OF HAVING THE BEGINNINGS OF A CONVERSATION ABOUT REALLY WHAT'S NEXT AND SOME, SOME POSSIBLE, UH, SOME CHOICES THAT THAT MAY NEED TO BE MADE.
AND THE CONSULTANTS WERE BEING VERY REALISTIC WITH US ABOUT, HEY, WE, WE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO START LOOKING AT SOME, UH, SOME OTHER CHOICES NOW TAKING A NEXT STEP UP FROM GRANULATION, LOOKING UP AT THE NEXT LEVEL AND TRYING TO NOW FIGURE OUT GIVEN WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE PROMISE THE COMMUNITY TO DELIVER, UH, WHAT OUR NEXT CHOICES.
AND NEXT STEPS MAY BE AS WE LOOK AT THIS KIND OF FINITE, UH, THE FINITE POOL OF, UH, FINITE RESOURCES AND, UH, W FACTORS LIKE WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, INFLATIONARY FACTORS, AND ALL THESE THINGS, AND KIND OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, AND WHAT NEXT STEPS ARE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST STEP AND A MULTIPLE SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS AMONG THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, UH, WE MAY BE, I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION HERE NEXT WITH THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I THINK THAT WE, UM, UH, PER, UH, PRESIDENT CEO, DOTTIE WALK-INS, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING A CONVERSATION NEXT MONTH WITH THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, TO HAVE A SIMILAR PRESENTATION FROM OUR CONSULTANTS ABOUT THIS, AND THIS IS REALLY JUST KIND OF NEXT STEPS IN A LARGER PICTURE.
I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL, A MOBILITY COMMITTEE IS ALSO GOING TO BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS TOO, JUST TO REALLY KIND OF BEGIN SORT OF, KIND OF, UM, LIKE I SAID, JUST DIALOGUING ABOUT THE REALITIES OF WHERE WE ARE NOW WITH THE ECONOMY BEING, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT OUR INVESTMENTS ARE AND WHAT OUR PROJECTS, UH, REQUIREMENTS ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND WHERE WE WANT TO GO MOVING FORWARD.
UH, AS, AS IT COMES TIME, WHEN WE MAY NEED TO BE MAKING SOME DECISIONS, TRI-PARTY ALL THREE OF US TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT, UH, NEXT CHOICES AND NEXT DECISIONS MAY BE MAKING AS IT RELATES TO THIS AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER THINGS.
SO GOOD, REALLY GOOD, ROBUST CONVERSATION, GREAT QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS HAD BY ALL, UH, FOR WHAT, AND I WILL GET INTO, WE CAN GET INTO THIS FURTHER IT ACTION ITEM NUMBER 11.
UH, BUT THIS WAS MY FINAL BOARD MEETING WITH THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IS, UM, FOR A VARIETY OF FACTORS.
I WILL, UM, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE MY INVOLVEMENT WITH BOTH BOARDS.
SO, UM, I HAVE, UH, TENDERED MY RESIGNATION, UH, FOR THAT BODY.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO US TODAY TAKING ACTION TO SELECT, UH, MY, UH, SUCCESSOR, UH, IN THAT CAPACITY TOO.
SO BIG MEETING, LONG MEETING, WE STARTED EARLIER, WE HAD A LOT ON OUR PLATE, BUT, UH, CONTINUING TO DO THE, UH, THE WORK THAT, UH, THAT THE PEOPLE SET OUT FOR US COMMUNITY SET OUT FOR US.
AND THAT YOU GUYS HAD, UH, TASKED TO ME TO, TO GO OUT AND DO ON BEHALF OF CAP.
ANY FURTHER, MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST MAKE A QUICK COMMENT, UM, AFTER THE BRIEFING ON PROJECT CONNECT, I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE TIMING.
UH, WE HAVE 28 MONTHS, UH, UH, BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND WE HAVE BIG DECISIONS TO MAKE WE THE CITY AND ATP RELATIVE TO PROJECT CONNECT.
UH, MY CONCERN IS FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT THAT HAD CHANGED AT ADMINISTRATIONS COULD BE EXISTENTIAL PRESENT AN EXISTENTIAL ISSUE TO PROJECT CONNECT.
AND SO I THINK THE THREE BOARDS COLLECTIVELY NEED TO REALLY BEAR DOWN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
NEXT FEW MONTHS, I SHOULD SAY, TO MAKE A PLAN, BECAUSE IF WE AREN'T ABLE TO GET A FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT BY THE END OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, EVEN IF IT'S THE SAME PARTY, THERE'S LIKELY TO BE A DELAY AND DELAY, UH, COST MONEY AND COMPLICATES THINGS.
SO I JUST WANT TO REALLY ARTICULATE MY DEEP CONCERN ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT THIS MOMENT.
AND THERE ARE BIG DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE CHA THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
WE OWE TO THE PUBLIC, OUR BEST EFFORTS, UH, AND WE NEEDED TO DO IT PROPERLY AND QUICKLY.
UM, I HAD A SIMILAR REACTION AT MY BRIEFING AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT SINCE THEN.
I THINK YOU'RE, I SHARE THOSE CONCERNS AND I HAVE DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT THE TIMING.
SO I WANTED TO SUGGEST, AND I THINK THIS IS IN THE WORKS, UM, CAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAVING ANOTHER TRI-PARTY, UH, UH, MEETING WITH ALL THREE BOARDS.
UM, AND I REALLY THINK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
THAT GIVES ALL, ALL THREE BOARDS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TOGETHER
[00:40:01]
ABOUT THE KIND OF CONCERN YOU JUST RAISED AS WELL AS OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS.SO I HAVE REQUESTED AND I MEAN, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT I KNOW THIS IS IN THE WORKS, BUT ONE OF MY REQUESTS WAS THAT WE'D BE SURE AND SCHEDULE THAT TRI-PARTY MEETING HOPEFULLY IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH MS. WATKINS ABOUT THAT BEFORE, SO I WANTED TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW THAT, UM, I REALLY THINK THAT THAT'S CRITICAL AND, UM, AND, UH, I WOULD JUST ASK MS. WATKINS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
BUT AT THIS POINT, AT THIS POINT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S GOING TO BE SCHEDULED.
IS THAT RIGHT? I BELIEVE THERE IS A DISCUSSION LOOKING AT A DATE.
I WILL CONFIRM THIS WEEK THAT THAT IS IN FACT I'M GOING TO HAPPEN AND LET YOU KNOW IF IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS OKAY.
THEN THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS I DO WANT TO S I DO WANT TO THANK OUR COLLEAGUE AND BOARD MEMBER FOR THE TIME THAT HE SPENT ON THE ATP BOARD.
I KNOW IT'S, IT IT'S TAKEN A LOT OF EFFORT, PARTICULARLY AS IT, UM, AS IT STARTED UP.
AND I JUST WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW WE APPRECIATED HIS SERVICE.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON.
I WILL JUST ADD THAT, THAT GLOBALLY.
I RAISED A LOT OF THESE SAME CONCERNS AS WELL, SPECIFICALLY.
UM, NOTING MY CONCERN AS WELL, THAT IF WE PUSH THIS TOO FAR ALONG, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DO LOOKING AT AND DEALING WITH IN POTENTIAL DELAYS HERE? UM, NOW THE BIG, THE REALLY QUITE I TOOK AWAY FROM THE MEETING IS THAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD A SCHEDULE IN A TIMEFRAME.
AND I KNOW ORIGINALLY WE WERE ALL LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL PICTURE THAT WAS PAINTED WAS AUGUST.
WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A MEETING, I'LL TRY, PARTY'S KIND OF GET A BRIEFING, OKAY.
HERE'S WHERE WE ARE AND HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND THE NUMBERS WERE GOING TO BE RELEASED.
AND THEN BY DECEMBER, WE ARE GOING TO PASS THE 30% FINISHED THE PAPERWORK FOR, TO SUBMIT TO FTA FOR THE FULL FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT.
NOW, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CONSULTING TEAM IS THAT PART OF THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE NOW IS BECAUSE WE JUST, WE, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND KIND OF SCALE THINGS BACK AGAIN.
THE BEST, THE BEST ANALOGY THAT I HEARD IS THAT FUNDAMENTALLY YOU'VE GOT TO, UM, IS IT, WE WENT OUT THERE AND WE WANTED TO BUILD UP, YOU GET SOME ARCHITECTS TOGETHER AND THE ARCHITECTS GO OUT AND BRING YOU BACK A $4.5 MILLION HOUSE PLAN.
AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT TURNS OUT YOU ONLY HAVE A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO AT THIS POINT, DO YOU TELL THEM, OKAY, GREAT, CONTINUE TO GO AHEAD AND PROGRESS WITH THAT $4.5 MILLION HOUSE PLAN, OR DO YOU THEN REIGN IT BACK IN AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH THE MILLION DOLLARS? SO THE CONSULTING TEAMS NOW ARE GOING TO SIT DOWN AND I ASKED HIM, POINT BLANK, WHAT'S YOUR TIMEFRAME? WHAT DO YOU THINK WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT ALL THE DATA THAT WE NEED.
WE'VE HAD THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WE'VE SAT DOWN IN THE WEEDS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SAID, OKAY, WE'VE GONE AND LOOKED AT, HAD MEETINGS WITH FOLKS AT THE DRAG DOWN AT PLEASANT VALLEY FOLKS, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE TUNNEL OR AT SOUTH CONGRESS AND GOTTEN THESE DATA POINTS.
NOW WE NEED TO KICK IT UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND KIND OF TAKE ALL THAT DATA AND SAY, OKAY, HOW DO THESE PIECES FIT TOGETHER? AND HOW CAN WE NOW TAKE THE INFORMATION WE'VE GOTTEN AND NOW THEN FIT IT WITHIN WHAT THE CONFINES ARE OF THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS, BUT WHAT THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF INFLATION SUPPLY CHAIN, UH, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT'S GOING ON IS, AND THEN COME BACK WITH A REALISTIC PICTURE FOR THE PARTIES, THE POLICY MAKERS TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WHERE WE'RE GOING, GOING WITH THIS FORWARD.
THEY TOLD, THEY ASSURED US AT THE ATP BOARD THAT WHAT THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS AT THAT POINT WITHOUT GIVING US A GUARANTEE.
BUT THEY SAID THAT THEY FELT THAT THEY COULD GIVE US SOMETHING LONG ABOUT THAT, THAT WHAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY GOING TO DO IN DECEMBER LOOKS LIKE NOW WE COULD PROBABLY DO IN SPRING.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT PROBABLY JUST SHIFTING THAT DECEMBER DATE TO PROBABLY SOMETIME IN THE SPRING, BUT WE CAN BE IN THIS STAGE.
WE'VE, WE'VE GOT SOME WIGGLE ROOM ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL PROBABLY JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.
THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS WHAT I WAS TOLD.
UM, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT THE BEST THING THAT I CAN SAY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE IS NOW OUTGOING BOARD MEMBER TO WHOEVER MY, MY SUCCESSOR IS THAT THIS BOARD CHOOSES WOULD TO SAY TRUST AS RONALD REAGAN USED TO SAY TRUST, BUT VERIFY, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE VIGILANT.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE ASKING SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD CONSULTING TEAM.
AND I MIGHT KNOW THAT THAT IS A CONSULTING TEAM, THAT CAP METRO SELECTED AND THAT CAP METRO WAS PAYING FOR.
[00:45:01]
PUT A LOT OF LEGWORK IN TO GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE US WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO BE VIGILANT IN PUSHING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE DO.
WE PROMISE THE COMMUNITY AND THAT WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO GET IT IN GIVEN THE REALITIES OF WHAT A BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN AND WHAT BOARD MEMBER COOPER, BOTH OUTLINED, BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE RUN THE RISK OF NOT GETTING POTENTIALLY SOME OF THE FULL FUNDING GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE'D HAVE OTHERWISE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM DOWN THE LINE, BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO.
AND, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH LONGER IT WOULD TAKE IF WE DON'T HAVE FEDERAL FUNDING PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE WE MISSED A WINDOW AND DIDN'T GET THE PAPERWORK IN ON TIME.
SO WE GOT TO KIND OF, AND THEY WERE VERY, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT.
I FELT LIKE THAT THE, THAT, THAT THE CONSULTANTS UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THE ATP STAFF UNDERSTANDS THAT THAT ATP BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT TOO, THAT WE WE'VE, WE'VE STILL GOT THIS IMPETUS BEHIND US, BUT I WOULD SUBMIT AS CAP METRO, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT, AND AS THE CITY TO MOVING FORWARD, ALL OF US IN LOCK STEP AND SUBMIT, WE NEED TO BE VERY VIGILANT ON THIS AND ENSURE THAT ALL OF US ARE MOVING FORWARD IN LOCK STEP IS STILL AT THIS CADENCE TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THAT DONE WITHIN THE PROPER TIMELINES.
AND, AND, UH, WHAT WHAT'S, WHAT REMAINS OPEN AND CONCERNING TO ME IS WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE.
WE HAD A VERY SPECIFIC TIMELINE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, AND A PROCESS WITH A NUMBER OF STEPS WITH MONTHS IN A TIMELINE ATTACHED TO THOSE STEPS, UH, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE NERVOUS UNTIL I SEE THAT REVISED TIMELINE.
AND, UM, IT'S VERY CONCERNING TO ME THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT REVISED TIMELINE AT THE MOMENT.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL GET ONE BY SEPTEMBER.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I AM NERVOUSLY AWAITING A SEPTEMBER TRI-PARTY MEETING AND A SEPTEMBER TIMELINE FOR EACH OF THE STEPS THAT SHOWS ME HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT, YOU KNOW, APRIL MAY, WHATEVER TIMEFRAME IT IS.
AND, UM, AND REASSURANCES THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE TOO LATE.
BUT, UM, AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, JUST SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO THIS IN THE SPRING, DOES NOT GIVE ME REASSURANCE THAT WE'LL BE ON THE RIGHT TIMELINE.
COOPER JUST WANT TO OFFER UP A SUGGESTION, WHICH IS THAT THIS BOARD HAVE A WORK SESSION IN ADVANCE OF THE TRI PARTY MEETINGS SO THAT WE MIGHT BE BETTER EDUCATED AND PREPARED FOR A TRI-PARTY MEETING.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION BOARD MEMBERS STRESS.
YEAH, I WAS, I'VE BEEN, THIS HAS BEEN, I'VE BEEN NOODLING ON THIS FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW.
I KNOW THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT HAD BEEN AT LEAST FLOATED INITIALLY WAS TO BRIEF THE, THE, UM, MY COMMITTEE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY, BUT I'VE, I'VE BEEN WONDERING IF GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS GIVEN THE GIVEN WHERE WE ARE AND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.
I'VE WONDERED IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, NOT JUST FOR, NOT JUST FOR OPERATIONS, PLANNING AND SAFETY.
IF I MAY, OUR PLAN, UM, ON THE COMMITTEE DATE IS TO SCHEDULE THIS AS THE FIRST ITEM ON THE OPERATIONS PLANNING SAFETY COMMITTEE TO FACILITATE THE EASY HOLD OVER A FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION CAN MAYBE MEMBERS THAT WISH TO STAY, TO HEAR THAT ITEM AS WELL.
SO WE'LL KIND OF SQUEEZE IT SORT OF BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE ON THE SAME DAY, WOULD THAT BE CONSIDERED A WORK SESSION OR HOW WOULD WE, HOW WOULD THAT WORK AT OUR INTENT? ALTHOUGH WE COULD WORK AT HOW AT THE WILL OF THE BOARD WAS TO, UM, HAVE IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE OPS PLANNING COMMITTEE, BUT OBVIOUSLY ANY BOARD MEMBER IS WELCOME TO ATTEND ANYTHING.
I MEAN, I'LL JUST, I'LL JUST SAY, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I MEAN, WE SPENT WHAT DOTTIE LIKE TWO HOURS DISCUSSING THAT.
SO IT WAS A, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A PRETTY ROBUST BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE BROUGHT IN ALL, WE BROUGHT IN ALL THE CONSULTANTS THAT WERE ADVISING ON THE PROJECT ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, MAYBE AT THE END, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
I I'M, I'M HONORED TO BE CHAIRING THIS, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IT, THAT THIS TO ME SEEMS LIKE THAT IT'S KICKING IT UP A NOTCH, MR. TO BE A MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION.
IT SEEMS THAT WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME SIGNIFICANT DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE AND WE SHOULD THOROUGHLY GO THROUGH THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO CROWDED MR. CHAIR SANDWICH IN IT, BUT I DO THINK IT COULD BE JUST MOVED AS A WORK SESSION RATHER THAN THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK WE'D WANT TO GIVE IT THE PROPER AMOUNT OF, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS ALREADY A, UH, I THINK A POSTED
[00:50:01]
AGENDA ITEM.WASN'T THERE ALREADY SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING BETWEEN THE TWO TO HAVE A, A, AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SPECIAL BOARD MEETING BETWEEN THE TWO ALREADY.
I THINK THERE IS RIGHT IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN OH, YES.
TO ESTABLISH YOUR PLAN FOR, SEE, I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU'VE ALREADY GOT FAA PRESIDENT AND CEO SEARCH, AND THEN WE'RE COMING INTO, I MEAN, WE, WE COULD DO IT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE A BIG LONG DAY, BUT I MEAN, I DEFER TO SURE.
I MEAN, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD, I KNOW OUR, UM, PARTNERS WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP WERE ALREADY PLANNING TO ATTEND THAT DAY TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION.
AND SO IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE IT TO BE POSTED AS A WORK SESSION AND US TO JIGGLE THE SCHEDULES ACCORDINGLY, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT BOARD MEMBER POOL.
SO THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN THE TRI-PARTY MEETING THAT WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT.
SO, UM, I SENT A TEXT OVER TO OUR ABLE STAFF TOO, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT MY CALENDAR IN SEPTEMBER AND THAT'S THE LABOR DAY, WEEKEND AND WEEK IN ADVANCED, BUT FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH ONWARD, MAYBE IF WE CAN GET THE TRI-PARTY MEETING SET, THEN WE CAN BACKFILL AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO HAVE THE WORK SESSION WITH ALL OF US AND HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP COME AND PRESENT TO US.
BUT I THINK IT'D BE REALLY GOOD TO GET THAT SEPTEMBER DATE ONTO OUR CALENDARS.
AND I JUST STARTED OUT OFF WITH THE WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS, SEPTEMBER 14 AND 16, AND THEN THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH AND THE SIX, FIVE OR SIX STATES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR AFTERNOON MEETINGS, IT WAS JUST WORKS IN MY CALENDAR, BUT I WANTED TO SOMEHOW GET THAT CONVERSATION STARTED MAINLY I DON'T WANT IT TO BE SET WHEN I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN BECAUSE I WANT TO BE HERE.
UH, YES, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION BOARD MEMBER TOOL TO UNDERSTAND THE TRI-PARTY DATE, WORK BACK FROM THAT AND HAVE A, UM, A WORK SESSION FOR THE WHOLE GROUP.
I THINK WE NEED AT LEAST AN HOUR AND PROBABLY LONGER, MORE LIKE TWO HOURS FOR, FOR OUR BOARD TO HAVE A WORK SESSION BEFORE THAT THREE-PARTY MEETING.
SO, UM, AND CAN I ASK WHO IS LEAD ON, UM, SETTING THE DATE FOR THE TRI-PARTY MEETING? SO I'M SETTING THE TRI-PARTY MEETINGS IS A TRI-PARTY EFFORT.
SO, AND EASTON WORKS ON SCHEDULES ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD'S CALENDARS, AND THEN HE COLLABORATES WITH, UM, HIS COUNTERPARTS WITH BOTH THE CITY AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERS.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO LET'S GET THAT SET ASAP.
AND IF YOU ENCOUNTER ANY DELAYS ON OUR COLLEAGUES PART OR THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE, LET US KNOW, AND WE'LL BE PUSHING TO GET THAT LAID DOWN.
AND THEN ONE MORE THING, JUST SO EVERYBODY KNOWS AT THE CITY ON THE CITY SIDE, THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE IS GOING TO GET INPUT ON, UH, UH, TRANSIT ISSUES ON PROJECT CONNECT.
AND I'M WORKING WITH THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR OF AUDIT AND FINANCE.
SO WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE GETTING INPUT ON THE FINANCING, UH, SIDE OF, OF PROJECTS NEXT, SO THAT THE INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE SOCIALIZED EVEN MORE BROADLY.
AND THAT'S ALSO MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO LISTEN IN BECAUSE THERE'LL BE OPEN MEETINGS.
REMEMBER THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WILL BE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, RIGHT.
THERE WERE THE SEPTEMBER TIMEFRAME.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO COORDINATE ON ALL LEVELS.
SO TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE WILL USUALLY IT'S THE SECOND WEEK OF SEPTEMBER THAT WE TRY TO LOCK EVERYTHING DOWN.
WELL, WE'RE DONE IN, IN AUGUST 17, 17 OR 18, WE ARE, WE'RE ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THEN I SHOULD ADD THAT THE MEETINGS WITH THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE AND THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE AT THE CITY WILL BE A REGULAR CADENCE.
IT'S NOT JUST A ONE-OFF, IT'LL MAYBE BE EVERY OTHER MONTH ALTERNATING.
WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT THAT SCHEDULE WILL BE, BUT IT'LL BE A REGULAR UPDATE.
SO JUST, JUST TO CIRCLE BACK THEN, DO WE THINK WE DO WANT TO YOU SAYING, WE WANT TO WAIT THE SCHEDULE TO DO THE BRIEFING AND NOT DO IT AT, AT THE AUGUST 15TH OPS MEETING, JUST WAIT AND SET UP A SEPARATE SET UP SOME SORT OF A SEPARATE BRIEFING.
UM, I MIGHT RECOMMEND THAT WE DO BOTH, HONESTLY, THAT WE ALLOW FOR THE BRIEFING AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING AS WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, BUT ALSO, UM, PLAN FOR A MORE LENGTHY WORK SESSION WITH THIS BOARD IN ADVANCE OF THE TRI-PARTY MEETING.
AND THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO GET THE LENGTHY WORK SESSION MATERIALS PULLED TOGETHER, TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS THE GAPS.
WE KNOW WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW AND WE PLAN TO, TO, UH, DETERMINE WHAT IT IS.
[00:55:01]
OKAY.SO WE'LL WORK TO GET ALL OF THAT SCHEDULED, CAUSE I KNOW SCHEDULING YOUR TIME IS A SIMPLE JOB AND ITS FAVORITE THING TODAY.
AND SO FOR SOME OF US IT'S MARKETING, IT CAN BE MORE COMPLICATED.
ANY, ANY, UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE, UH, THE ATP UPDATE? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY.
[V. Consent Items]
HAVE MOVED TO THE POINT OF THE AGENDA WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSENT ITEMS. SO I'M GONNA READ THROUGH EACH OF THEM.AND IF ANY BOARD MEMBER WISHES TO, UH, TO PULL ANYTHING FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SAY SO, AND WE'LL MOVE IT OVER TO THE FULL ACTION ITEMS. CAISO UH, CONSENT ITEM.
NUMBER ONE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 27TH, 2002 BOARD MEETING.
ANYBODY HAVING ANY ISSUES WITH, WITH THAT WANT TO PULL IT OKAY.
IDA CONSENT ITEM NUMBER TWO IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING TALUS HORN TO THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ANYBODY WITH CONCERNS, THEIR HEARING, NONE.
I MOVED TO ITEM THREE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO EXTEND AN INNER LOCAL ILA WITH ASA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE TRANSIT PASSES FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FOR, FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 TO AUGUST 30TH, 2023.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT ITEM? QUICK QUESTION.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO CHECK WITH STAFF IF THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THE HISTORIC UTILIZATION OF THE TRANSIT PASSES BY STUDENTS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM TO CURRENT THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBER POOL, YOU'LL FIND IN THE PACKET, THERE'S A MEMO TO THE BOARD THAT IS PUBLIC AND IS POSTED AS PART OF THE FULL BOARD PACKET.
THAT INCLUDES FOLLOW-UPS TO SEVERAL ITEMS, INCLUDING THE ACC HISTORICAL USAGE OF THE PASSES AND THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM THAT.
SO THAT'S PUBLIC IN THE PACKET.
THANK YOU SO MUCH JUST FOR PUBLIC RECORD.
COULD YOU JUST TELL US WHO YOU ARE? SORRY.
CROUSEY DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF WORK AT METRO.
OF COURSE WE KNOW YOU WELL AND YOU'RE NOT FORGETTABLE, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE PUBLIC DID.
IS, IS, UH, DID THAT FULLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? ALL RIGHT.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM NUMBER FOUR ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WOULD BE, AND THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING IOLA, UH, WILLIAMS AS AN INVESTMENT OFFICER ON THE CAPITAL METRO INVESTMENT COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA CASE REMOVED BY BOARD MEMBER COOPER IS OH, OKAY.