Jul 25, 2022 Cap Metro

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.

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.

ABOUT MY RECOVERY.

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

[00:05:01]

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.

YOU KNOW, IT'S COMMUNICATION.

IT'S A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT COULD REALLY HELP OUR SERVICES IMPROVE.

THAT JUST ONE ACCIDENT ALONE.

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.

ONE OF THE MEN DIED THERE.

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.

AND, UM, ALL RIGHT.

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.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

EXCELLENT.

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.

EXCELLENT.

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.

UM, OUR NEXT, UH, OUR NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT WILL COME FROM RICK HALL.

THE BOOK'S AVAILABLE HELLO BOARD MEMBERS.

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.

THINGS ARE CALM.

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.

MOST OF US AREN'T RICH.

WE'RE NOT DOING IT BECAUSE WE ARE.

AND, UM, I WAS SHOCKED.

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]

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.

AND THEY WON MILLIONS.

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.

IT TOOK THREE YEARS.

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.

WE HAD A QUORUM OF NINE.

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.

ED BACKED ME UP.

SUDDENLY THE MOOD CHANGED.

THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WROTE THE PROPOSAL, THEY WOULD RATIFY IT, SIGN OFF IN IT, ON IT.

AND, UH, DR.

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.

I WAS HIT BY A CAR.

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.

WORKING.

NOW, I HAVE APPLIED FOR METRO ACCESS.

MY BACK HAS GOTTEN WORSE.

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.

YOU LOST ANOTHER FEW PERCENT.

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.

SAM MOORE IS MY DOCTOR.

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.

I HAD TO GET OUT THE DOOR.

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.

AND THAT BOARD DIDN'T DO IT.

SO WHY EVEN GET THEM? SO, OKAY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND I'M SORRY, I WENT OVER.

WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU TALK TO THE RIGHT STAFF.

I'M NOT A SPEAKER.

I PRAY.

HOW MANY DOCTORS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB? DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH HEALTH INSURANCE LIGHT BULB HAS.

Y'ALL HAVE FUN.

AT MUELLER DRIVE AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER AND GOES NORTH TO 51ST STREET, COMES BACK TO BERKMAN AND SITS THERE FOR 35 MINUTES.

UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, SHERRY TAYLOR.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS 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]

AND I'M PROPOSING BLESS YOU.

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.

SO I CALL IT BEST BUY.

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.

SO I'LL BE BACK IN AUGUST.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, I THINK THE NEXT PERSON IS SALLY DECKER.

GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.

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.

SHE SAID, SHE COULDN'T DO IT.

I SAID, THAT'S FINE.

I'LL SEE WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

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 HAD HEADACHES, NAUSEA.

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.

IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME.

DOUBT.

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.

WE CANNOT GET TO DOWNTOWN.

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.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND PRESENTING TO THE BOARD TO HAVE HER TALK TO SOMEONE AS WELL.

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.

ALSO, WE'LL HAVE YOU SIT WITH

[00:25:01]

LET'S SEE.

AND I THINK OUR FINAL, UH, AND I THINK OUR FINAL PRESENTER IS JOE PAUL CONN BACK AGAIN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL 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.

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.

LET'S SEE.

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]

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.

UM, LET ME GET THE NOTES.

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.

UM,

[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.

THANK YOU, CHAIR.

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.

WE OUGHT TO CELEBRATE THAT.

THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE AUSTIN PARTNERSHIP UPDATE BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

THANK YOU, CHAIR COOPER.

UM, LET'S SEE.

[IV.2. Austin Transit Partnership Update]

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.

METRO, THANK YOU GUYS, RIGHT.

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.

THANKS.

WELL, NUMBER KITCHEN.

UM, YES.

ABOUT THE KIND OF CONCERN YOU JUST RAISED AS WELL AS OTHER ASPECTS OF THIS.

BOARD MEMBER COOPER.

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]

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.

PUT A LOT OF LEGWORK IN TO GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.

I WILL JUST ADD THAT, THAT GLOBALLY.

BIG PICTURE SPEAKING.

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.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME TIME.

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.

WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD TEAM.

THAT'S WORKING HARD AND HAS

[00:45:01]

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.

UH, YES.

AND, AND, UH, WHAT WHAT'S, WHAT REMAINS OPEN AND CONCERNING TO ME IS WE DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE.

WE HAVE SPRING, BUT WE DON'T.

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.

I REMEMBER KITCHEN.

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.

WELL, THAT'S GREAT.

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.

ALSO.

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]

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.

HEARING NONE.

HAVE MOVED TO THE POINT OF THE AGENDA WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT CONSENT ITEMS. SO I'M GONNA READ THROUGH EACH OF THEM.

[V. Consent Items]

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.

HEARING NONE.

LET'S MOVE FORWARD.

NOW.

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.

CHEYENNE.

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.

AND THE SECOND BY, UM, MY BOARD MEMBER POOL, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR.

SAME SIGN BUTCH AMEX AT UNANIMOUS.

IS ACTUALLY POSTED IT, WASN'T POSTED IN THE PUBLIC HEARING BACKUP, BUT IT IS POSTED IN THE FULL BOARD BACKUP ON PAGES 38 AND 39.

UM, NOW WE ARE MOVING INTO THE ACTION ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.

UM, LET'S SEE, WE ARE POSTED FOR 11 ACTION ITEMS TODAY.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO, I'M GOING TO TRY TO MOVE THE F THE VEHICLE A LITTLE FASTER, BUT, UH, LET'S, LET'S SEE WHERE WE CAN GO.

ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE.

UM, KEVIN CONLON WILL BE PRESENTING THAT AND IT'S THE APPROVAL OF AN AMENDMENT INCREASING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $8 MILLION.

MR. COTTON, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHARITY, CIVILIAN BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR MCO WATKINS.

MY NAME IS KEVIN KOTLIN.

I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAP METRO.

AND TODAY I'M SEEKING APPROVAL ON AN AMENDMENT INCREASING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 CAPITAL BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF $8 MILLION FUNDING FOR THIS AMENDMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM OFFSETTING FUNDING FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL COSTS TO COVER PROJECT CONNECT EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM MANAGER, OWNER REPRESENTATIVE, OR PMR SUPPORT, AN ADDITIONAL ORANGE LINE IN BLUE LINE ENGINEERING DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS TO BE INCURRED THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THIS FISCAL YEAR.

AND AS WE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE $8 MILLION IS $6 MILLION FOR THE PMR, 1 MILLION FOR ORANGE LINE SUPPORT AND 1 MILLION FOR BLUE LINE SUPPORT.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE BOARD IF ANYONE HAS ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.

AND JUST, I'LL JUST CLARIFY ALSO THE MEMO THAT WENT TO THE BOARD REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC ON THE BUDGET AMENDMENT.

[01:00:01]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS HEARING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR THE BOARD WILL, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, TO ACCEPT ITEM NUMBER ONE.

K UM, BY, UM, MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER POOL, SECONDED BY A BOARD MEMBER COOPER, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING.

ALL I LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE FOR APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT.

UM, OPPOSED, SAME SIGN HEARING.

NONE ON THE END, THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.

ALL RIGHT NOW, ITEM NUMBER TWO IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING REVISIONS TO THE CAPITOL METRO FARE POLICY.

UH, CATHERINE WALKER, AND ADD THE POWER WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS.

UM, PLEASE GO.

YES, UH, OR, UH, BOARD CHAIRMAN TREVELYAN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO, MS. WATKINS.

I'M CATHERINE WALKER, EVP, CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER AT CAPITAL METRO.

UM, WE WENT THROUGH A LENGTHY PRESENTATION JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

WE HAVE A FIRST ACTION ITEM FOR THE CHANGE TO THE FARE POLICY TO ALLOW FOR THE PROPOSED CHANGES.

AND THEN WE HAVE A SECOND ACTION ITEM, WHICH IS NUMBER THREE ON YOUR AGENDA FOR AN APPROVAL, UM, FOR THE FARE STRUCTURE, CHANGE OF EQUITY.

UM, LET'S SEE.

UM, BOARD WILL, UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE REVISIONS IN POLICY.

THAT, UH, AS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN, IT'S A SECOND.

BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES.

ONE TO RESERVE THIS COMMENT FROM OUR PRIOR DISCUSSION, BUT JUST A REMINDER AS THE OLD GUY ON THE BOARD, THERE WAS A TIME IN 2008 OR NINE, WHEN THIS ORGANIZATION ALMOST WENT BANKRUPT AND SENATOR WATSON PUT US THROUGH THE SUNSET REVIEW AND THIS PARTICULAR POLICY, I NOTED THAT WE STILL ASPIRE TO HAVE 20% OF OUR REVENUE FROM PASSENGER FARES.

WE HAVE NEVER IN MY TENURE ON THE BOARD, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER REACHED 10%, PROBABLY NOT 9%, MAYBE 8% AND A GOOD DAY.

PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF OUR GOOD FORTUNE WITH SALES TAX REVENUE INCREASES.

BUT I THINK AT SOME POINT IN TIME, AS WE THINK ABOUT FARES AND PARTICULARLY WITH THE CALL FROM THE PUBLIC TO DO MORE THINGS FOR FREE OR LESSER DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO BE BOTH REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.

AND AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE NOW PROBABLY IS NOT THE TIME AS WE ARE STILL HEADING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC MODE THAT WE'VE BEEN IN, BUT JUST A HISTORICAL DOUBT THAT WE'RE AMONG THE LOWEST WE IN THIS STATE, MAYBE IN THE COUNTRY HAVE AMONG THE LOWEST PERCENTAGES OF FAIR RECOVERY TO TOTAL REVENUE.

AND SO, UH, YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL FOR FREE WITHOUT GIVING SOMETHING UP.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DEMANDS ON OUR RESOURCES.

SO JUST, JUST THE GROUCHY COMMENT FROM THE, UH, OLD GUY IN THE SUIT THAT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF OUR FISCAL STEWARDSHIP HERE.

PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH NO MONEY AT ALL, AS OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS ARE AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT, UM, RISK OUR FINANCIAL VIABILITY.

WELL REMEMBER KITCHEN.

UM, YES.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN OLD GUY IN THE SUIT TO APPRECIATE TO APPRECIATE THAT WE NEED TO BE FINANCIALLY FISCAL FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE.

AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU REMINDING US OF THAT.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, SO I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF FULL AND OPEN DISCUSSION OF, UM, THE FOLKS THAT ARE THE MOST NEEDY AMONGST US AND WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM AND WHAT IT WOULD COST US AND WHAT THE TRADE-OFFS WOULD BE.

AND THEN WE JUST HAVE TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW, SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN US GOING BACK TO THE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS, UM, THERE WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, SERIOUS ISSUES AROUND FINANCIAL VIABILITY.

SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING US OF THAT AND JUST WANT US TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT, UM, HOW WE CAN SERVE PEOPLE THAT JUST DON'T HAVE ANY FUNDS AT ALL.

SO, AND I KNOW THAT, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT SAYING WE DON'T DO THAT.

SO, SO AGAIN, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO, UM, I THINK IT'S POSSIBLE TO, FOR US TO BE CREATIVE AND FIND WAYS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC,

[01:05:01]

AND I'LL JUST SAY FOR THE RECORD, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO MAKE THAT THERE REALLY IS A SYSTEM.

THAT SYSTEM REALLY IS SUSTAINABLE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES IT IS VERY HARD TO ACHIEVE OUR STATED GOAL.

AND WE HAVE TO HAVE A FORMULA THAT'S USUALLY NON-LINEAR TO DO THAT BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE GET LEFT OUT.

AND, AND SO EQUITY IS GOING EQUITY OCCURS IN, IN, IN, UH, IN MY EXPERIENCE THROUGH MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER STRUCTURE IN PLACE AND THAT WE PUT A PROPER SYSTEM IN PLACE.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DEFINE WHAT IT IS WE'RE AFTER AND FIND HOW IT IS WE GET THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DELIVER ON THOSE THINGS.

SO I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THESE ARE ALL OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.

JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ULTIMATELY CAN DEFINE WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO DO.

I, I DON'T KNOW ANY PROBLEM THAT YOU CAN SOLVE UNLESS YOU CAN DEFINE IT.

SO, UH, SO LET'S, LET'S WORK FOR MR. CHAIR JUST QUICKLY, A QUICK REJOINDER ON THAT, WHICH IS, UH, I'M NOT AT ALL TRYING TO SUGGEST.

SO WHAT WE'RE ABOUT EITHER TODAY OR WITH REFERENCE TO THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO, BUT I KNOWN IN OUR PACKET, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WE HAVE PICKUP ZONES THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING.

I NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A BUS ROUTES THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING.

AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THIS HOLISTICALLY IN MY VIEW AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE OUR DOLLARS BRING THE BEST ROI IN TERMS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION THEN.

SO THAT, THAT THAT'S, WE'RE COMPLETE, WE'RE COMPLETELY IN LINE THERE.

AND I ALWAYS START OUT WITH LET'S, LET'S DEFINE WHAT IT IS AND KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT BEFORE THE FACT NOT FIGURE OUT, UH, THAT WE, WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING GOOD, BUT WE THEN HAVE TO SCALE BACK BECAUSE WE COULDN'T AFFORD IT.

SO, ALL RIGHT.

UH, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RESOLUTION, UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.

THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS, UH, RIGHT.

ITEM NUMBER THREE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING CHANGES TO THE CAPITAL METRO FARE STRUCTURE.

UM, AND THIS IS WALKER.

AND THAT'S TO ALLOW FOR EQUITY FAIR.

I, YES, WHEN WE RESTRAINT.

UH, SO THE MOTION IS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

WELL REMEMBER COOPER FIRST.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION AND THE INFORMATION, WHAT WOULD THE CHART THERE'S THERE'S NO CHANGE TO METRO ACCESS.

UH, HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR.

SAME SIGN HEARING.

NONE ON THE WE'LL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

WILL ALLOW US TO REPLACE 47 OF THOSE VEHICLES, WHICH HAVE REACHED THE END OF THEIR LIFE, UH, ALONG WITH OPTIONS TO PURCHASE UP TO 97 ADDITIONAL REPLACEMENT AND EXPANSION VEHICLES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS, UH, THE VEHICLE IS BEING RETIRED, OR I ALREADY SAID THAT PART THEY'LL, THERE'LL BE AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE.

UH, CHAIR TREVELYAN IF I MAY APPROACH THE DICE, I'D LIKE TO GIVE ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS THEIR FIRST AMP CARD TO CELEBRATE.

SO, SO WE'LL ALL BE AMPED UP.

NUMBER FOUR, UH, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR OTHER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH ABC BUS INC, TO PURCHASE UP TO 144 PARATRANSIT VANS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 21 MILLION, $19,104.

UM, MR. MURPHY, WILL YOU PRESENT THAT TO US PLEASE? YEAH.

SCOTT, GOOD AFTERNOON.

CHAIRMAN TREVELYAN VICE-CHAIR KITCHEN IN TERM PRESIDENT AND CEO, DOTTY WATKINS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M ANDREW MURPHY, THE DIRECTOR OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FOR BUSTON PARA-TRANSIT AT CAPITAL METRO I'M HERE BEFORE YOU TODAY, LOOKING TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH ABC BUS INC, TO PURCHASE UP TO 144 PARATRANSIT VANS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 21 MILLION, $19,104, UH, TO MAINTAIN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

WE PUT ALL OF OUR VEHICLES ONTO A FLEET REPLACEMENT CYCLE.

THIS AGENDA ITEM

[01:10:01]

THE VEHICLES WE'RE PURCHASING ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO THE PARATRANSIT VANS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR FLEET.

AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBER, A BOARD MEMBER, MR. MURPHY, JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY BY CHANCE, ARE THESE VEHICLES ALSO GOING TO BE USED SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR PICKUP SERVICE? THEORETICALLY, THEY COULD BE USED FOR PICKUP SERVICE.

THERE, THE CONFIGURATION IS SIMILAR AND IT WOULD BE COMPATIBLE THAT'S OKAY.

DO WE, DO WE HAVE, DO YOU KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY PLANS TO DO SO? OR IS THAT, IS THAT OUTSIDE OF I'M LOOKING OVER AT DON? YEAH.

SO OUR METRO ACCESS VEHICLES ARE FROM TIME TO TIME FLEXED INTO THE PICKUP SERVICE TO MAINTAIN OUR SERVICE LEVEL COMMITMENTS ON THE PICKUP SERVICE.

BUT PRIMARILY WE TRY TO USE THE DIFFERENTLY BRANDED PICKUP VEHICLES FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, THOSE DIFFERENTLY BRANDED VEHICLES ALSO HAVE, UM, FAIR COLLECTION EQUIPMENT ON THEM, WHICH IS MORE SUPPORTIVE OF THE PICKUP SERVICE.

SINCE THE PICKUP SERVICE USES A DIFFERENT FAIR SET, THE PICKUP IS FIXED ROUTE FAIR VERSUS PARATRANSIT METRO ACCESS FAIR.

SO I, I GUESS PART OF MY QUESTION IS, IS GEARED TOWARDS, ARE WE LOOKING AT, OR WILL WE NEED, CAUSE I I'M ADDRESSING THE, UM, THE PARTIALLY ADDRESSING THE PICKUP MEMO, UM, THE, THE UPDATE ON PICKUP, THE PICKUP SERVICE AND THE MEMO, UM, PERFORMANCE AND, UM, CHANGE, UH, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL CHANGES AND SOME OF THE, UH, UH, STRESS POINTS, UH, RELATED TO THAT.

I, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, UM, AT SOME POINTS, WOULD WE BE, WILL STAFF BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD REQUESTS IN THE BUDGET OR LIKE THIS, OR THROUGH CONTRACTING TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL PICKUP VEHICLES OR BY HAVING A CONTRACT LIKE THIS, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE THESE EXISTING VEHICLES AND ROTATE THEM INTO SERVICE TO ADDRESS OUR FUTURE NEEDS AND PICKUP? HE LOOKS LIKE HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S JUMPING INTO BED.

I THINK WE HAVE MADE THAT DECISION POINT YET AGAIN, I'M ANDY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT.

WE HAVEN'T MADE THAT DECISION.

WE EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN USE THIS CONTRACT FOR THAT, FOR THE PICKUP TYPE VEHICLES, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO PUT ANOTHER SOLICITATION OUT.

SO THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T QUITE KNOW YET, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AND WE SHOULD HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOU.

SO, OKAY.

AND WITH THIS CONTRACT, ARE WE, IS THIS, IS THIS A CONTRACT WHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY, WE ARE DEFINITELY PURCHASING THESE VEHICLES NOW, OR IS THIS ONE OF THOSE WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE ENGAGING IN THE CONTRACT AND WE WILL POSSIBLE, I, I FORGET WHAT THE TERM IS, WHERE IT'S A BASE AWARD OF 47 OF THE VANS.

SO WITH, WITH THE PASSING OF THIS AGENDA ITEM, WE WILL AWARD A CONTRACT FOR 47.

THE OTHER 97 ARE OPTIONAL.

WE CAN TAKE THEM OR LEAVE THEM OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, BUT WE ARE DEFINITELY PURCHASING.

WE'RE GOING OUT AND PROCURING, WE'RE BUYING.

WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BUY 47 OF THEM WERE WE'RE RETIRING.

THEY'RE OUT OF, THEY THEY'VE RUN THEIR RUN.

THEY THEY'VE DONE THEY'RE EIGHT YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE YEAH, THEY'RE OVER THEIR MILEAGE AND WE NEED TO GET, WE NEED TO RETIRE THEM OUT OF THE FLEET.

SO WE'RE GETTING FOR CERTAIN 47 NEW ONES FROM ABC.

AND WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO, I REALIZE THIS IS THAT THIS WHOLE PICKUP THING IS STILL, WE'RE STILL EVALUATING AND IT'S STILL NEW.

WE HAD COVID TO DEAL WITH IT.

THAT WAS JUST KIND OF IN MY HEAD, SORT OF A, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE TWO KIND OF GO TOGETHER IN SOME WAYS, CAUSE THE SAME VEHICLE CAN BE UTILIZED FOR BOTH PURPOSES.

THE SPECIFIC THINGS REQUIRED ON A, ON A PICKUP BUS THAT WE PICK A VEHICLE WE NEED TO STORE IT.

Y'ALL APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION FOR A SECOND.

I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NBA CONTRACTS OR MEMORABLE, AND I WAS GOING TO ASK HOW OLD ON AVERAGE THE BUSES ARE THAT YOU'RE RETIRING, BUT I THINK YOU JUST ANSWERED IT AT EIGHT YEARS.

THE, THE, UH, FDA REQUIRES, WE KEEP THEM FOR FIVE.

WE FOUND THAT THEY EASILY LAST SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS.

THESE VEHICLES WILL BE OVER EIGHT BY THE TIME WE REPLACE THEM.

YEP.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS HEARING NONE.

CHERYL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

BOARD MEMBER COOPER.

UH, W WHAT ABOUT A SECOND? ALRIGHT.

REMEMBER STRATTON.

ALL IN FAVOR.

SAME SIGN HEARING NONE.

UH, THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

TO REPLACE THE BUS ONBOARD EVENT, DATA RECORDERS FOR THE CAP, METRO FIXED ROUTE FLEET, AND THEN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $516,297.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ITEM NUMBER FIVE NOW.

AND ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH CIRCUIT LINK LLC,

[01:15:01]

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, CHAIR OF CIVILIAN VICE CHAIR, KITCHEN, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO, DANNY WATKINS AND BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, AGAIN, I'M ANDREW MURPHY, DIRECTOR OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE FOR A BUS AND PARATRANSIT AT CAPITAL METRO.

UH, THIS AGENDA ITEM IS, UH, TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH CIRCUIT LINK LLC, TO UPGRADE AND REPLACE OUR EVENT DATA RECORDERS ON OUR FLEET OF, UH, UH, BIG BUSES OF THE FIXED ROUTE BUSES.

UM, SINCE 2009, ALL NEW BUSES THAT WE PURCHASED HAVE COME WITH AN EVENT, DATA RECORDER, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS A BLACK BOX.

IT CONTINUOUSLY RECORDS A NUMBER OF VARIABLES ON THE VEHICLES SUCH AS BRAKE PEDAL POSITION, ACCELERATOR POSITION.

AND THAT DATA IS USED TO REPRODUCE THE CONDITIONS OF THE BUS AFTER AN INCIDENT.

UM, SO, UH, THIS PROJECT WILL UPGRADE THE MODELS ON 102 BUSES AND UPGRADE THE FIRMWARE ON ALL OF OUR FLEET.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, JERELL ENTERTAIN THEM.

UM, BOARD MEMBER POOL, UH, MAY THE MOTION, IS THERE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.

BOARD MEMBER ROSS MAKES A SECOND.

UM, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING NONE, UH, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE, UH, THE AMENDMENT, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED.

SAME SIGN HEARING, NONE BOARD CHAIR WE'LL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

ITEM NUMBER SIX, UH, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS WITH HEWITT ZOLLARS INC BOWMAN ENGINEERS, H N T B BRIDGE FARMER ASSOCIATES, KIMBERLY HORN, INC WSP, INC.

AND A E-COMM FOR GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES FOR A THREE YEAR BASE PERIOD AND FIVE OPTION USE ON A TASK ORDER BASIS AND AN AGGREGATE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150 MILLION.

UM, THIS CORRECT.

CHERISH PAVILION.

UH, VICE-CHAIR KITCHEN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT CEO WATKINS.

I'M KEN VICE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES.

AND THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING THAT ACTION ITEM.

UH, BY WAY OF BACKGROUND CAPITAL, METRO MAINTAINS, UH, CONTRACTS WITH MULTIPLE ENGINEERING FIRMS ON AN ONGOING BASIS, UH, IN ORDER TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

OUR CURRENT CONTRACTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROJECTS LIKE THE METRO RAPID THAT'S CURRENTLY IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS THE MCCALLA RAIL STATION.

JUST TO NAME A COUPLE OF THOSE.

SO WE HAVE REACHED, UH, THE BOARD APPROVED A AMOUNT FOR THE, THOSE PREVIOUS CONTRACTS.

AND AS A RESULT, WE PRE RE PROCURED THESE CONTRACTS AND RECEIVED PROPOSALS FROM THESE FIRMS, JUDGED THEM TO BE QUALIFIED, TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

AND IT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD CONTRACTS TO THESE FIRMS. I WILL MENTION THAT THERE WAS A 12% DBE GOAL ESTABLISHED FOR THESE CONTRACTS ON EACH OF THESE FIRMS WILL EXCEED THAT AMOUNT.

I WILL ALSO MENTION THAT THE FUNDS FOR THESE CONTRACTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE CAPITAL PROJECT BUDGETS FOR EACH PROJECT.

AND SO THE BOARD APPROVES THOSE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IN OUR BUDGET, AS WELL AS IN OUR FIVE-YEAR CIP.

AND I DO WANT TO MENTION THE $150 MILLION THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND UP TO THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BOARD AUTHORIZED AMOUNT WE'RE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO SPEND IN, UH, ANYWHERE NEAR THAT AMOUNT.

SO WE SPEND WHAT WE ACTUALLY NEED FOR THESE PROJECTS.

AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE CONTRACTS, BOARD MEMBER COOPER, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE $150 MILLION CAP IS FOR THE EIGHT YEAR PERIOD.

THAT'S CORRECT FOR THE EIGHT YEAR PERIOD.

AND THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS HEARING NONE, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

BOARD MEMBER COOPER MAKES THE MOTION, UM, BOARD MEMBER ROSS MAKES THE SECOND.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING, NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ALL PLEASE.

UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

UH, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.

UH, OPPOSED, SAME SIGN HEARING.

L S A U S A LLC THAT IS ALPHABET SOUP, I THINK, UH, FOR THE FABRICATION AND DELIVERY OF BUS STOP SOLAR LIGHTING FOR A ONE-YEAR BASED PERIOD AND FOR OPTION USE FOR A $1,144,263 PLUS $286,066 IN CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $1,430,329.

THE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS, RIGHT? UH, ITEM NUMBER SEVEN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE, UH, TO FINALIZE AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH S

[01:20:01]

UM, MR. CARTWRIGHT, THANK YOU AGAIN, CHAIR.

UM, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS PART OF OUR BUS STOP AMENITIES PROGRAM, AND THIS IS FOR OUR FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS, NOT FOR OUR METRO RAPID STOPS.

UM, I WILL MENTION THAT ALL OF OUR METRO RAPID STOPS DO INCLUDE, UH, LIGHTING.

UM, BUT THIS IS FOR OUR FIXED ROUTE STOPS.

WE STARTED ADDING LIGHTING TO OUR FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS JUST A HANDFUL OF YEARS AGO, BASED ON, UH, QUESTIONS, UH, AND INTEREST FROM THE PUBLIC, UM, AND AREAS WHERE, UH, WE WANTED TO HELP IMPROVE, UH, SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR PEOPLE UTILIZING OUR BUS STOPS, PARTICULARLY BEFORE DAWN AND AFTER DARK.

SO WE STARTED THE PROGRAM OF ADDING SOLAR LIGHTING TO A NUMBER OF OUR, UH, BUS STOPS.

SO THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT PROGRAM.

UM, WE DID SOLICIT, UH, PROPOSALS, AND THIS WAS THE FIRM THAT WAS, UH, DEEMED TO BE A RESPONSIBLE, UH, RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

WE DID.

UH, I, I WILL MENTION THAT, UM, THIS CONTRACT, UM, IS, UH, IS, UH, WE'LL PROVIDE SOLAR LIGHTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 750 BUS STOPS.

UM, AND, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, LIGHTING AT ABOUT 165 OF OUR, UM, OF OUR EXISTING, UM, BUS STOPS THAT AGAIN, THOSE ARE FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS.

SO THE FUNDING FOR THESE, UM, SOLAR LIGHTS ARE INCLUDED ON OUR, UM, OUR, UM, CAPITAL BUDGET, AS WELL AS OUR FIVE-YEAR CIP PROGRAM.

WE DID ESTABLISH AN 11 PER PERCENT SBE GOAL FOR THIS.

AND THE, UH, FROM SEL S IS SURPASSING THAT WITH A 12.6% DBE GOAL FOR THAT.

UH, THE REASON THAT THE 25% CONTINGENCY MAY SEEM A LITTLE LARGE, BUT WE HAVE STARTED ADDING A CLAUSE INTO OUR CONTRACTS FOR A, UM, A, UH, UH, AN ECONOMIC PRICE ADJUSTMENT, UH, RELATED TO MATERIALS.

SO IF OVER THE COURSE OF THIS CONTRACT, THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ESCALATION IN MATERIAL PRICES.

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THOSE ESCALATED PRICES TO OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT FOR REVIEW AND EVALUATION, TO SEE IF AN A PRICE ADJUSTMENT IS WARRANTED FOR THAT, BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE REGARDING THE PROPOSED CONTRACT AND THE QUESTIONS WERE MEMBERS STRESS.

I JUST, THANK YOU, KEN.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, DID YOU SAY THE CURRENTLY WE HAVE 150 BUS STOPS AGAIN, NOT METRO RAPID, BUT 150 FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS THAT HAVE SOLAR LINING.

AND THIS WILL ALLOW US TO NOW EXPAND THAT TO AN ADDITIONAL 750 OF OUR STOPS.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT 900 STOPS, 900 FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS AND CAP METRO SERVICE AREA.

THAT WILL BE THAT WE'LL NOW HAVE LIGHTING THANKS TO SOLAR LIGHTING.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THIS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD OVER THE LIFE OF THIS CONTRACT, STILL OVER FIVE-YEAR HITS.

THAT IS PHENOMENAL.

AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF.

UM, ONE BECAUSE OF THE FEEDBACK YOU GOT FROM THE PUBLIC AND TO THE FEEDBACK YOU GOT FROM THE BOARD, JUST HOW AMAZING THAT, THAT THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS A HUGE VICTORY, A HUGE WIN.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HOW RESPONSIVE YOU'VE BEEN TO, UH, TO US AS A BOARD AND ALSO TO COMMUNITY, UM, THE COMMUNITY REQUEST ON THIS.

THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS A BIG ONE, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I WILL CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION, UM, BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON WITH, WITH THE MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? UM, I'LL GET BOARD MEMBER POOL.

I WAS GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS AND IT WAS OKAY.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR.

SAME SIGN HEARING.

AN EXECUTED CONTRACT WITH TOLER MANUFACTURING, INC FOR THE FABRICATION AND DELIVERY OF BUS STOP SHELTERS FOR A ONE-YEAR BASE PERIOD AND FOUR OPTION YEARS FOR A TOTAL OF 8,365,350 PLUS 2,091,337 IN CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 10 MILLION, $456,687.

THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU, MR. CARTWRIGHT.

UH, I GUESS YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE MORE ANYWAY, RIGHT? UH, UM, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE

[01:25:01]

MR. CARVER, THANK YOU.

UM, THIS, UH, AGENDA ITEM IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE LAST ONE, UH, IN THIS CASE, IT'S FOR THE BUS STOP SHELTERS AGAIN FOR FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS ONLY.

AND WE HAVE A CURRENT CONTRACT ALSO WITH TODDLER MANUFACTURING, BUT WE RE SOLICITED.

WE REACHED THE END OF THAT CONTRACT WHERE YOU RE SOLICITED AND TOLD HER WAS, UH, DETERMINED TO BE THE RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER FOR THIS.

UH, SIMILAR TO THE LAST ITEM.

I WILL NOTE THAT WE HAVE JUST OVER 800 SHELTERS THAT ARE A FIXED ROUTE BUS STOPS AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THIS CONTRACT IS, UH, WILL GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL, EXCUSE MY, I I'LL SAY IT'LL PURCHASE ABOUT 550 SHELTERS, BUT I DO WANT TO MENTION, IN THIS CASE, WE ARE REPLACING THE MAJORITY OF OUR GREEN SHELTERS, WHICH ARE ORIGINAL SHELTERS TO CAPITAL METRO, WHICH HAVE REACHED THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.

SO MANY OF THESE WILL GO TOWARD REPLACING GREEN SHELTERS.

SO IT'S NOT A NET INCREASE, BUT THERE ARE ABOUT 150 OF THESE THAT WILL BE A NET INCREASE FOR NEW BUS STOPS AS WE ADD STOPS OR, UM, FURTHER INCREASED THE NUMBER OF SHELTERS THAT ALREADY EXISTING STOPS.

UM, THE GOAL ESTABLISHED FOR THIS, UH, PROJECT, UH, WAS AN 11% SBE GOAL.

UH, THIS FIRM IS AS, UH, SURPASSING THAT GOAL.

THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS INCLUDED ALSO IN OUR, UM, ANNUAL BUDGET, AS WELL AS OUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND WE HAVE AN ANSWER, ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, UH, RECOUP.

ONE QUESTION, UH, DOES FABRICATION AND DELIVERY INCLUDE OR NOT INCLUDE INSTALLATION? UM, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE INSTALLATION.

IT'S TYPICALLY OUR BUS STOP CONTRACTORS WHO ACTUALLY INSTALL THESE SHELTERS.

WE ALSO HAVE IN-HOUSE CAPABILITY FOR INSTALLING THESE SHELTERS.

SO WHEN WE HAVE A LARGE CAMPAIGN WHERE WE'RE REPLACING SHELTERS, WE, UH, WE MIGHT, UH, UTILIZE A CONTRACTOR WHEN, WHEN WE HAVE A SMALLER NUMBER THAT WE'RE IMPLEMENTING, WE'LL USE OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES FOR THAT SOMETIMES.

AND IN THOSE CASES WHERE WE'RE PLACING EXISTING SHELTERS, DO WE HAVE TO TEAR OUT THE PAD AND START OVER? TYPICALLY WE DO.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, FURTHER QUESTIONS HEARING NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION IN THE KITCHEN.

THE SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR.

LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED.

SAME SIGN HEARING.

THE BOY ON BOARD CHAIR WE'LL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

UH, ITEM NUMBER NINE.

UH, I THINK MR. CARR WRITES STAY RIGHT THERE FOR US, UH, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTER-LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN CAPITAL COSTS FOR THE EXPO CENTER AND PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RABBIT, RAPID BUS TRANSIT MINDS, UH, AS PART OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.

SO A CHAIR, THIS IS THE ITEM THAT I HAVE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A LEGAL DISCUSSION RELATED TO, I DON'T KNOW.

UM, IF YOU WANT TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN HAVE US INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION OR IN SOME OTHER ORDER, BUT I HAVE SOME LEGAL QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS THAT I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ANY EXECUTIVES, RIGHT.

SO DO WE WANT TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION AND THEN SUSPENDED FOR WE'RE GOING TO SUSPENDED FIRST? OKAY.

LET'S MAKE THE PRESENTATION THEN.

AND THEN ONCE IT'S SUSPENDED, WE NEED TO.

GOTCHA.

AGREEMENTS MAY NEED TO OCCUR AND BE EXECUTED, UH, FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS OR PARTS OF PROJECTS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.

I JUST HAVE ONE SLIDE TO SHARE WITH YOU.

UH, AND THIS WILL HELP PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME CONTEXT WHEN YOU DO HAVE YOUR LEGAL DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS.

UH, THIS IS THE, AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE ALLSTON TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FOR THE EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RAPID LINES.

AND AS THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR, OBVIOUSLY, UM, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAPITAL METRO AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ENTERED INTO A JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT RELATED TO THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL THINGS REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.

AS PART OF THAT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT, UM, MANY OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL

[01:30:01]

SO THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE'LL BE ENTERING INTO.

SO THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, UNDER THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT CAPITAL METRO WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE FOUR METRO RAPID LINES AND RELATED PARK AND RIDE PROJECTS, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR RED LINE COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE.

AND SO THIS INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, MATURE RAPID LINES.

AND THROUGH THIS AGREEMENT, IT ALLOWS ATP TO REIMBURSE CAPITAL METRO FOR THE CAPITAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING THESE TWO PROJECTS AND THE TABLE YOU SEE THERE REPRESENTS THE DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECTS.

THE COLUMN ON THE LEFT ARE THE TOTAL BUDGETS FOR EACH OF THEM EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY PROJECTS TOTALLING UP TO $101.2 MILLION.

THEN IN THE CENTRAL CENTER COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WE ARE REQUESTING FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE SMA SMALL STARTS GRANT PROGRAM, SSGA STANDS FOR SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENT.

AND SO THOSE PERCENTAGES ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FOR EACH PROJECT, APPROXIMATELY 64% FOR THE EXPO, UM, GRANT FUNDING AND APPROXIMATELY 66% FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY GRANT FUNDING.

AND THEN THE BALANCE OF THE FUNDING OR THE LOCAL MATCH WOULD THEN COME FROM THE FUNDS, UM, FROM, UH, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

SO THIS AGREEMENT LAYS OUT THE FUNDING, UH, RESPONSIBILITIES, UM, AND IT ALSO, UM, UM, DISCUSSES HOW THOSE FUNDS ARE TRANSFERRED.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT CAPITAL METRO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PROJECTS.

AND SO CAPITAL METRO PAYS, UH, THOSE INVOICES HAVE RELATED TO THOSE CONTRACTS AND THEN, UM, BILLS THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THEIR SHARE OF THE PROJECT WITH THE, THE REMAINING FUNDING TO COME FROM THE, UM, FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION.

IN ADDITION TO FUNDING, THOUGH, THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF THE AGREEMENT THAT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT.

UH, THERE ARE RESPONSIBILITIES LAID OUT.

ONE OF WHICH IS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, CAPITOL METRO MUST, UH, ADMINISTER THESE PROJECTS AND COMPLIANCE WITH A SMALL START GRANT AGREEMENT.

UM, IT ALSO OUTLINES THAT WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING THESE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM THAT MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH.

AND THAT IS THAT, UH, WE, UH, PAY, UH, THAT OUR CONTRACTORS PAY A LIVING WAGE FOR THOSE WORKING ON OUR PROJECTS, THAT THEY RECEIVE SAFETY TRAINING AND ARE GIVEN SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

AND THAT THEY'RE PROTECTED BY WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE, JUST TO NAME A FEW.

SO THE THAT'S ALSO STIPULATED IN THE AGREEMENT, AND IT DOES STATE THAT THE, UH, AGREEMENT GOES INTO EFFECT WHEN IT'S EXECUTED AND THAT IT WILL TERMINATE ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024 WITH ONE OPTION, A PERIOD FOR 12 MONTHS IF NEEDED.

AND THE REASON THAT IT WOULD GO BEYOND THE ACTUAL REVENUE SERVICE DATE OF THE PROJECT IS BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE THINGS THAT TAKE MONTHS TO CLOSE OUT WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION ON THE BACKSIDE.

SO ALL THE BUILDING, UH, EXCUSE ME, BILLING AND CLOSE OUT PROCESS ON THE BACK END OF THE AGREEMENT.

UM, AND AS, UM, DIRECTOR STRATTON MENTIONED EARLIER, THE ATB, UH, BOARD DID TAKE ACTION LAST WEEK TO ALSO APPROVE THIS AGREEMENT, AS WELL AS, UH, ALLOCATING THE FUNDING, COMMITTING THE FUNDING TO IT, WHICH WAS THE, A MAJOR STEP IN THE FINAL DELIVERABLE THAT WE HAD TO SUBMIT TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO ADVANCE OUR GRANT APPLICATION TO THE FINAL STEP IN THE PROCESS, UH, TO GET US THAT SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENT.

AND I'LL PAUSE THERE AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU CONTEMPLATE THIS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BOOM KITCHENS AS A GESTURE, MY QUESTIONS ARE LEGAL QUESTIONS.

THEN I GUESS WE SHOULD MOVE TO A TABLE, THIS ONE AT THIS POINT.

AND THEN, UH, WE WILL, UM, I GUESS AT SOME POINT WE WILL, I GUESS WE CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION RIGHT NOW IF, UM, IF WE, IF WE, UH, I'LL MOVE TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER NINE, UH, SO WE MOVE, UH, THE LANGUAGE IS NECESSARY TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

UM, LET'S DO THAT.

AND THEN IN THE MEANTIME, IT SEEMS THAT WE HAVE A, A BUS DRIVER WHO HAS BEEN AT WORK, BUT WOULD LIKE, BUT HE'S REPRESENTING THE EAST AUSTIN COALITION.

AND IF WE COULD HEAR HIM, UH, GIVE HIM THREE MINUTES TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, THE BOARD

[01:35:01]

MR. WALKER, OKAY.

LET'S SAY GREETING TO YOU AND YOUR CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS AND TURNS CEO.

LET ME FIRST YEAR TO, FOR A MINIMUM WAGE COOPER, AS A CHAIR OF THE BOARD, UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOU DEMONSTRATED GREAT, STRONG, POWERFUL, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP.

WHAT YOU DEMONSTRATED IS THAT YOU WAS AN ALPHA MALE.

I FML IS A STRONG, POWERFUL MALE LEADER.

I THINK WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO DO AND STILL PUBLIC TRUST AND HELPING TO PUSH, TO GET PROJECT CONNECT PASS UNDER YOUR GUIDANCE.

I REALLY SALUTE YOU AND GET YOUR HATS OFF TO THEM.

AND THE BOARD AS A WHOLE DID A GREAT JOB TOO.

YEAH, BUT IT'S STILL A LOT OF WORK HAS TO BE DONE NOW THAT WE DIDN'T GOT PROJECT CONNECT PAST.

NOW WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DELIVER ON OUR PROMISE AND THERE'S NO EXCEPTION.

LET ME FIRST SAY THAT, UH, TO THE INTERIM CEO, I THINK THAT IN MY OPINION, THE BOARD SHOULD MAKE HER PERMANENT.

THIS IS MY OPINION.

ONE BECAUSE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS AUSTIN SOMEONE'S WHO KNOW THE CITY, SOMEONE WHO'S KNOWN THE COMPANY KNOWS EMPLOYER KNOW WHERE WE'VE BEEN, KNOW WHERE WE AT AND KNOW WHERE WE TRYING TO GO.

AND I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO WASTE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME IN DOING A WHOLE LOT OF SEARCH AND WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WORKING TOGETHER SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE NEXT CENTURY.

AND I REALLY APPLAUD HER BECAUSE SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED GREAT LEADERSHIP.

LET ME TELL YOU MY OPINION, WHAT LEADERSHIP MEANS.

IT IS SOMEONE WHO HAS THE ARTS AND SKILLS TO INFLUENCE AND DIRECT MEN'S AND WOMEN'S AND SEARCH, SEARCHING MOUNTAINS AND OBTAINING THE WELL OBEDIENCE, CONFIDENCE, RESPECT LORD, THE COOPERATION AND GETTING THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

AND WHAT SHE HAS DEMONSTRATED HERSELF IS THAT SHE'S AN ALPHA FEMALE, WHICH IS A STRONG, POWERFUL FEMALE LEADER.

NOW LET ME TURN THE ATTENTION TO THE OPERATORS HERE, COUSIN.

I'VE BEEN HERE 31 YEARS.

I DON'T WANT TO SUGAR COAT, NOTHING.

I DON'T WANT TO WATER DOWN.

I JUST WANT TO SHOOT IT STRAIGHT TO NOW, IF YOU REALLY WANT OPERATORS TO STAY HERE, YOU GOT TO GET THEM A BEACH AND THE VISION.

I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T HAVE A PINCH.

AND IF OPERATORS STAY HERE 20, 30, 40 YEARS, THEY CAN'T RETIRE.

SO WHY WOULD THEY WANT TO STAY HERE AND KNOWING THERE'S NOTHING AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THEM, WE GOT TO FIND SOME COMMON GROUNDS WHERE WE'RE GIVING THEM A VISION TO STAY HERE.

SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING, IF YOU STAY HERE FOR 30, 40 YEARS, IT'S A CHANCE.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE OUT FIXED INCOME, YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY AFTER YOU'D INVEST A WHOLE, ALMOST ALL YOUR LIFE INTO AN AGENCY, AND YOU CAN DO YOUR STUDY, WHICH I RAN I'VE DONE.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAY FAST, GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.

FIRST, THOSE WHO LIVE OFF, THE MANY PEOPLE WHO WORK ON THE 401K MANY YEARS, UH, ONCE THEY RECEIVE THAT 401K TWO OR THREE YEARS, MINIMUM HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK BECAUSE THE MONEY'S GONE, BUT A PITCHER WILL GET YOU CHECK THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

SO I'VE SAID, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO STOP THE TURNOVER, YOU REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME HERE.

YOU WANT TO GET GOOD QUALITY PEOPLE TO COME HERE.

YOU GOT TO GET THEM A VISION.

SO THEY'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP THE EYES ON THE PRIZE.

SO THAT'D BE TO RETIRE ONE DAY.

IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO FIND GOOD, QUIET THE BEATLES.

AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

FIND SOME COMMON GROUNDS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ME.

I'M TALKING ABOUT THOSE ARE COMING AFTER ME.

SO WE GOT TO FIND COMMON GROUND SO WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND FIND SOME TYPE OF WAY TO GET THESE PEOPLE'S PITCHING SO THEY CAN STAY HERE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

NOW I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IF Y'ALL CAN DO THIS, I PROMISE YOU YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A DIFFERENCE.

NOW I RAISED MY RIGHT HAND AND TAKE THE OATH, THE TRUTH.

THAT'S THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH.

NUMBER TWO.

SO HE HELPED ME GO AND MAY GOD BLESS THE SOUTH.

THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AFTER WORK.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

SO, UH, WE'RE GOING TO THEN MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

DO I NEED TO SAY ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR? YEAH.

WELL, TWO THINGS A, YOU MADE A MOTION TO TABLE THE METRO RAPID ILA.

SO WE PROBABLY SHOULD JUST FOR TECHNICAL PURPOSES, GET A SECOND AND JUST KIND OF MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S A NINA SIMONE THAT, OKAY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY.

UM, BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN WILL SECOND THAT, UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, HEARING THAT HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.

UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS MOTION.

NOW, DO WE NEED TO GO IN UNDER ANY PARTICULAR? UM, ACTUALLY, YES.

IF I CAN FIND YOU DO.

BOARD MEMBER COOPER, UH, CHAIR.

SEE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

I MAY GO INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, GOV, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY FOR ANY LEGAL ISSUES.

SO WE WILL BE DISCUSSING ITEM SEVEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, RIGHT? AND THE TIME IS 3 23 20.

UH, WE WILL RECONVENE AT 3 25

[01:40:17]

I MOVE THAT WE DO TWO THINGS FIRST APPROVE THE, UH, UH, MOTION.

AND SECONDLY, THAT WE DIRECT STAFF TO ENTER INTO DISCUSSIONS WITH ATP REGARDING A FINANCING ILA.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UH, OR MY REASONS ARE NUMBER ONE.

I THINK WE NEED TO GET THIS AGREEMENT IN PLACE SO WE CAN TIMELY FILE THE APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION WITH, I THINK WE NEED A SECOND BEFORE YOU CAN DISCUSS YOUR MOTION.

I'LL SECOND YOUR HEAD.

UH, WHAT I SAID, UH, BY THE POINT THAT I WANT TO MAKE IS, UH, I THINK WE NEED TO APPROVE THIS MOTION TIMELY AND APPRECIATE ATP, UH, TIMELY, UH, RESPONDED IN A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THIS IN FRONT OF THE FTA IN A FASHION THAT WE CAN GET TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, OF, UH, THE APPROPRIATION OR THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.

BUT SECONDLY, UH, BECAUSE IN PARTICULAR, THE SUBORDINATION QUESTIONS, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS THAT ATP IS MAKING WITH RESPECT TO FUTURE, UH, BORROWING ON THEIR PART AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ON REPAYMENT OF THESE DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE OWED TO US AND FUTURE DOLLARS.

AND SO I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR US COLLECTIVELY TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE FINANCING IS GOING TO WORK ON THIS AND FUTURE PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY WITH REPAYMENT OBLIGATIONS, UH, FLOWING FROM ATP BACK TO CAP METRO.

SO MY MOTION IS TWO THINGS APPROVE THIS, AND SECONDLY, DIRECT STAFF TO ENTER INTO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT A FINANCING ILA, ALRIGHT, APPROVING THIS COMPREHENSIVE FINANCING.

ILET, WHAT'S AN APPROVING THIS AS A DISCREET TRANSACTION, BUT THEN CREATING AND A, UH, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ILA AS FORWARD.

I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS AGREEMENT IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM SERVES AS A BOILER PLATE FOR FUTURE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN CAP METRO AND ATP GOVERNING PROJECT CONNECT.

SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE RESUME THAT WE APPROVE THE MODIFIED RESOLUTION.

IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UM, DID YOU HAVE STATEMENT, UM, BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON? YEAH.

SINCE THE OUTGOING, UH, YOUR OUTGOING REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ATP BOARD? I DO.

I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION.

THERE, THERE ARE STILL, UM, A LOT OF, A LOT OF DETAILS.

I THINK THAT NEED TO BE WORKED OUT.

WE'RE STILL FINDING OUR WAY IN MANY WAYS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE, UM, MAIN CLEAR HERE IS, UM, THAT, THAT THIS IS THAT THIS PARTICULAR, THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS OF THIS THAT, THAT, THAT ARE UNIQUE TO, YES, THE, WHAT I GUESS WE CALL THE RUBBER TIRES ASPECT OF THIS PARTICULAR OPERATION MOVING FORWARD, WHICH IS THE, THE, THE SSGA THE SMALL START, SMALL STARTS GRANT AGREEMENT THAT, THAT WE NEEDED TO BE DONE NEEDED TO HAVE DONE.

UM, BUT WE DEFINITELY DO ON THE CAP METRO SIDE NEED TO HAVE SOME, SOME GREATER ASSURANCES AND, AND STUDY THIS A LITTLE BIT GREATER.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE BOARD MEMBER COOPER BRINGING THIS IDEA FORWARD ABOUT HAVING A, SOME SORT OF MAYBE A SPECIAL, DIFFERENT INNER LOCAL AGREED LOCAL AGREEMENT, GOVERNING FINANCING, BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THE ATP BOARD.

AS MUCH AS I'VE HEARD FROM YOU FROM Y'ALL HERE AT CAP.

METRO IS THERE'S JUST SO MANY MOVING PARTS WITH DOLLARS GOING IN AND GOING OUT BETWEEN THE BODIES THAT I THINK WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT US TO HAVE THE SPECIFICS OF THE FINANCING REALLY PINNED DOWN BETWEEN OUR TWO BODIES AND STAFF WORK THIS OUT, AND THAT THOSE PRINCIPLES, THEREFORE THEN GOVERNED FUTURE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE POP MORE, THE POLICY AGREEMENTS GOING FORWARD ON THINGS.

WHEN WE GET TO THE BIG TICKET ITEMS, LIKE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE BLUE LINE AND THE ORANGE LINE TUNNEL AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO IT LIKE THIS MOVING FORWARD.

SO THAT, UM, TO THAT END, I, I AGREE.

I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, THAT WHAT WE HAVE IN HERE NECESSARILY, WE, WE TALKED FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT, WELL, WE NEED TO HAVE A BOILER PLATE.

WE NEED TO CREATE SOME KIND OF A NEW SORT OF BOILER PLATE GOING FORWARD, NOT HERE, BUT ATP HAD TALKED A LOT ABOUT THAT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS THE OUTGOING BOARD MEMBER FOR ATP FROM CAP METRO,

[01:45:01]

I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR AND I APPRECIATE AND APPLAUD WHAT BOARD MEMBER COOPER HERE IS SAYING.

AND, UM, HOPE STAFF IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WELL WITH ATP STAFF, AND THAT Y'ALL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT CAN GOVERN MORE BOILER PLATE LANGUAGE GOING FORWARD, FINANCE WISE.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT I CAN HAVE WITH MY NEW COLLEAGUE.

WHO'S GOING TO BE OUR ATP REPRESENTATIVE AND ANY OTHER WAYS THAT I CAN HELP AS A CONTINUED CAP METRO BOARD MEMBER IN THAT REGARD, FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, HEARING, NONE ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED, SAME SIGN.

THE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

ITEM NUMBER 10 IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESIDENT RESOLUTION DESIGNATING A BOARD MEMBER AS CAP METRO APPOINTEE TO THE CAP, METRO, UH, CAPITOL AREA, METROPOLITAN PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD, UH, BOARD MEMBER COOPER.

UH, MR. CHERA, I WANT, UM, TO, UH, NOMINATE, UH, OUR CHAIR TO FILL THAT SLOT.

I THINK WE'RE AT A UNIQUE TIME IN THE JUNCTURE OF THE, I'M SORRY YOU CALL THEM IN FOR THE WRONG MOTION, BUT I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION.

UH, MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO NAME OUR NEWEST MEMBER.

UM, MATT HARRIS, UH, SAW YOUR RED LIGHT ON, SORRY, WE GOT CONFUSED.

WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR TOO LONG.

I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE, UH, OUR NEWEST MEMBER, UH, BOARD MEMBER, MATT HARRIS TO THE CAMPO POSITION.

IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE, UH, THAT WE DESIGNATE BOARD MEMBER, MATT HARRIS, AS THE, UH, CAP METRO APPOINTEE TO THE CAPITOL AREA, METROPOLITAN PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, TRANSIT POLICY BOARD.

THAT'S A MOUTHFUL.

UH, AGAIN, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ANY BOARD MEMBER? I, I ASSUME HE'S BEEN, HE'S BEEN CONSULTED OR IS HE BEING VOLUNTOLD? SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE NOT AT THE MEETINGS? ALL RIGHT.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION HEARING? NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE OPPOSED, SAME SIGN, UM, MOST, UH, WELL, AND THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS MOTION CARRIAGE.

UM, ITEM NUMBER 11, UH, COUPE WITH APOLOGIES, MR. CHAIR FOR, UH, NOT READING THE AGENDA AND I'LL BLAME IT ON THE LACK OF COOKIES THAT A SUGAR DEFICIT, BUT I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE OUR CHAIR, UH, TO FILL THE, UH, POSITION THAT WE HAVE TO APPOINT ON THE ATP BOARD.

I THINK AS I WAS SAYING OUT OF ORDER, UH, THAT WHERE THEY, UH, I THINK A VERY IMPORTANT JUNCTURE IN THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, TO THIS PROJECT.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ATP AND THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT THIS HAS IMMEDIATE SECOND.

HMM.

UH, IT'S A FALSE EMOTION.

I, UH, I WANT TO, UH, JUST SAY FOR THE THIRD TIME, HOPEFULLY IN PROPER ORDER THIS TIME, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SEND A MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO, UH, ALL THE OTHER CONSTITUENCIES THAT THIS HAS OUR FULL ATTENTION AND THAT WE, AS A BOARD ARE ALIGNED AROUND THE MISSION OF, UH, COMPLETING THIS PROJECT, UM, IN THE FASHION THAT THE VOTERS APPROVED, UH, TO THE BEST EXTENT POSSIBLE.

AND I THINK SENDING OUR CHAIR, WILSON, THAT MESSAGE AS WELL, BOARD MEMBER.

THAT THAT WE'RE, THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS VOTE WITH THAT IN MIND.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TESTIMONY THAT WAS RAISED EARLIER ABOUT CONCERNS RELATED TO OUR PROCESS FOR WAIVER.

SO I JUST WANT US TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO NEED TO DO A WAIVER OF RESIDENCY FOR, TO SEND OUR CHAIR.

SO I THINK WE JUST ALL NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE

[01:50:01]

UM, AND THAT TO MY MIND, UM, A WAIVER WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THIS CASE BECAUSE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SENDING OUR CHAIR TO THE ATP, UM, BOARD.

AND BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A RATIONALE ON THE RECORD FOR WHY WE'RE, UH, WAVING, UM, WHY WE'RE, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING WE VOTE THIS WAY, WHY WE WOULD BE VOTING TO WAIVE RESIDENCY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS IT WAS RAISED EARLIER, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ESTABLISH FOR THE PUBLIC.

I THINK, I THINK I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS THAT WERE RAISED BY FOLKS THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD WANT TO DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, UM, IS HAVE OUR MEMBER ON THE ATP BOARD, UH, BE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT IN THE, UM, SERVICE AREA, BUT IN THIS CASE FOR THE REASONS THAT BOARD MEMBER, UM, COOPER MENTIONED, AND ALSO FOR THE FACT THAT, UM, THAT CHAIR TREVELYAN CAN BRING CONTINUITY AND ALSO BRING LEADERSHIP, UH, TO THAT BOARD, I, I DO THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AND THAT WOULD BE MY RATIONALE, UM, FOR, UH, FOR VOTING IN THIS CASE, UH, FOR OUR, OUR CHAIR TO BE THE ATP REPRESENTATIVE.

AND IT'D BE MY RATIONALE FOR, UH, FOR WAIVING RESIDENCY.

AND I WOULD WANT, I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE ON RECORD THAT WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT WAIVING RESIDENCY AS PART OF, AS PART OF THIS, UM, AS PART OF THIS, UH, CONSIDERATION W WELL, AND TO THAT END, I JUST THINK TO MAKE IT CLEANER.

I DON'T KNOW IF BOARD MEMBER COOPER WOULD LIKE TO BASICALLY ADD TO HIS NOMINATION THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE ALSO MOVING TO WAIVE THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS, THE BYLAWS, AND, AND MAKE IT AND MAKE IT EFFECTIVE AUGUST THE FIRST, YOU HAVE BEEN THE DIFFICULTY THAT I'VE HAD ARTICULATING THIS MOTION.

I WOULD BE PLEASED TO ACCEPT ANY, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS IN THAT REGARD.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT, UM, UH, WITH THE RATIONALE, IN OTHER WORDS, THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE NEED TO WORD IT, BUT THAT WE ARE MOVING TO THAT.

WE'RE MOVING TO WAIVE THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IN THIS INSTANCE, UH, BECAUSE OF OUR, UH, INTEREST IN, UM, UH, APPOINTING A MEMBER WHO, UH, IS OUR CHAIR, UM, IN A LEADER WAS IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION IN THIS CASE, OUR CHAIR, AND, UH, AND BRINGS THAT CONTINUITY TO THE ATP BOARD.

AND IF I MAY, FOR CLARITY, JUST TO IDENTIFY THAT THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IS THAT WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE ATPASE ADP ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF SNAP CAP, METRO, AND, UH, ALSO TO BOARD MEMBER STRATTON'S POINT THAT IT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1ST, IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING AUGUST 1ST, 2022.

SO, UH, THE MAKER OF THE MOTION, YOU FIND THAT THAT'S FRIENDLY, THAT'S ALL ACCEPTABLE.

AND, UH, I'LL JUST MENTION THAT, UM, OUR CHAIR, UH, I SUSPECT SLEEPS AND SOMETIMES EATS OUTSIDE THE SERVICE AREA, BUT I SUSPECT HIS DAY JOB KEEPS HIM IN THE SERVICE AREA.

MOST OF HIS WAKING HOURS.

AND THE SECOND, UH, I THINK YOU HAD A SECOND, I JUST HAD IT.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE SECOND.

IT WAS THE SAME BACK.

IT WAS THE SECOND NEWS YOU SAID.

SO I'VE GOT A QUESTION.

MAY EVEN WANT TO DESIGNATE, AND IT'S JUST A STRAW MAN CONVERSATION, BUT THE CHAIR WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE APPOINTMENT TO THE PARTNERSHIP UNLESS THE CHAIR WANTS TO PUT SOMEBODY ELSE IN IT.

UM, DO WE NEED TO HAVE A LOOK AT THE BYLAWS TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS? ALL RIGHT.

SO WITH REGARD TO CAP METRO'S BYLAWS, OR IT'S, IT'S THE TWO RESIDENCY, THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT RELATES TO ATP BECAUSE OF THEIR TRENDS THERE, I THINK IT'S SEX ACTS CHAPTER 4 31 IN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE.

IT DEFAULTS OR NOT DEFAULTS, BUT IT POINTS TO FOR BOARD MEMBER RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS AND FOR ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO CHAPTER, I THINK IT'S 3 94, THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT IS GOVERNING THE RESIDENCY ISSUE AND THE ATPS BOARD ADOPTED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION THAT HAD THAT RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IN THEM.

SO THE WAIVER THAT, THAT HAS, IT HAS TO COME FROM THE CAP METRO BOARD, ACCORDING TO, UM, THEIR ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION.

I'M FINE WITH THAT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR BYLAWS, THE CAP, METRO BYLAWS, BECAUSE WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THEM IN ORDER TO REVIEW THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS WAIVER PROCESS SPECIFICALLY IN THERE.

[01:55:01]

SO I WANT TO HAVE THIS LIVE QUESTION REVIEWED GOING FORWARD.

UM, MAINLY BECAUSE THE WAIVER IS DEFINITELY APPROPRIATE IN THIS INSTANCE, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT 50 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU KNOW, OR EVEN 15 YEARS FROM NOW, WE MIGHT BE IN A, UH, A LESS SPECIFIC AND LESS COMFORTABLE SITUATION.

SO WE NEED TO BE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER CHANGES TO OUR RULES WE MAKE CAN WITHSTAND THE TEST OF TIME, UH, WELTY.

SO, SO THAT WOULD BE JUST A BIT OF DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT THE BYLAWS AND COME BACK WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, OR IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THIS DIOCESE, UM, WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE BYLAWS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW CAP METRO DOES THOSE REVIEWS, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, HOWEVER THAT IS, UM, I WOULDN'T WANT TO, WE ACTUALLY SHARE, OKAY.

W WELL, LET'S RECOGNIZE BOARD MEMBER, KITCHEN AND DANIEL.

UH, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN ABOUT TO SAY WE DID RECENTLY GO OVER OUR BYLAWS, BUT I THINK THAT, UM, WHAT BOARD MEMBER POOL IS TALKING ABOUT THAT I WOULD AGREE WITH IS JUST DIRECTION TO STAFF TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR BYLAWS SO THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE IN THEM A PROCESS RELATED TO, UM, TO WAIVERS, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE ATP APPOINTMENT, SO THAT THAT CAN ALIGN OUR BYLAW WITH THE ADP BYLAWS.

SO THAT WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN, AND IF WE WERE GOING TO CONSIDER A WAIVER, WE'VE GOT A PROCESS FOR DOING SO IN OUR BYLAWS.

IS THAT WHAT YOU INTENDED? OKAY.

UM, BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON, JUST, OKAY.

I W I WAS JUST THINKING THAT THROUGH, BECAUSE THE, YEAH, CAUSE WE, WE PASSED THE, THE TWO BODIES PASSED AN ARTICLE PAST CHANGES TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TWO MONTHS AGO.

THAT INCLUDED WHEN, WHEN WE MADE THE CHANGES TO THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, MOVING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CAP, METRO TO BE AN EX-OFFICIO MEMBER.

WE ALSO INCLUDED THAT LANGUAGE IN THERE AT THE SAME TIME THAT WOULD ALLOW CAP METRO TO, TO, TO DO THAT.

SO YOU'RE JUST, SO YOU'RE JUST THINKING THAT, OKAY, WE SHOULD, IF NECESSARY, MAYBE PUT SOMETHING IN THERE TO MAKE.

I GOTCHA.

SO THAT ON OUR END, WE'VE GOT A PROCESS.

AND I KNOW THAT WHEN WE JUST RECENTLY WENT THROUGH THE BYLAWS, WE SPECIFICALLY DID DEFINE A PROCESS, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.

IT DIDN'T ADDRESS WHAT IF WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING RELATED TO THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT? CAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINING NEW GROUND HERE AND THAT'S THAT'S OKAY.

BUT I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BOARD MEMBER POOL YOU'RE, YOU'RE JUST, LET'S NOT LET THIS BE PRECEDENT.

LET'S JUST LET, LET'S SEE IF LET'S LET THEM STUDY IT, COME BACK AND SAY, HEY, OKAY.

WE MIGHT, MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER, BUT JUST IN CASE.

THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE.

I ALSO THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IN LIGHT OF THE REQUEST THAT WAS MADE TO US FROM THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE WE WEREN'T, I MEAN, WE'VE NEVER HAD THIS CONVERSATION, LIKE HE SAID, AND SO NOBODY SAID ANYTHING TO THE CAC OR THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC IS THIS IS HOW WE'LL GO ABOUT CONSIDERING IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WAIVER.

SO FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, I THINK IT'S USEFUL TO, YOU KNOW, DECIDE HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT TODAY, CAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH OUR APPOINTMENT.

BUT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, I THINK IT WOULD BE PUT USEFUL TO PUT SOME KIND OF STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT THAT PROCESS IS INTO OUR BYLAWS, RIGHT.

BOARD MEMBER COOPER.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION, HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF ITEM 11, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

SAME SIGN AND BOARD CHAIR WOULD MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

PROCEED WITH OUR TWO DISCUSSION ITEMS, UH, AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR FII 2023 BUDGET PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU EVERYONE.

WE WILL NOW

[VII.1. FY2023 Budget Proposal]

MR. CONLIN.

WELCOME BACK.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

AGAIN, CHEROKEE CIVILIAN BOARD MEMBERS, INTERIM CEO WATKINS.

MY NAME IS KEVIN CONLON.

I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAP METRO.

AND TODAY I'LL BE DISCUSSING OUR FYI 23 BUDGET PROPOSAL.

AND JUST FOR CONTEXT OR FYI, 23 STARTS IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR AND ENDS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023.

SO TODAY WE'LL BE GOING OVER A BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET, OUR OPERATING BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, AND I'LL COVER OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN UPDATES AS WELL AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROJECTS FOR NEXT YEAR'S FIVE-YEAR CIP.

SO TO GO THROUGH THE CALENDAR, WE STARTED THE PROCESS BACK IN FEBRUARY WITH OUR

[02:00:01]

KICKOFF, WE RECEIVED ALL OF THE OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET REQUESTS FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS IN APRIL.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH NUMEROUS REVIEWS WITH EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT.

I WAS HERE AT THE BOARDS, UM, BOTH IN MAY AND JUNE TO COVER THE BUDGET CALENDAR AND JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET.

WE DID ALSO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO SEE AND ACCESS ADVISORY IN JUNE.

UM, WE DID DO THIS SAME PRESENTATION TO THE FAA COMMITTEE AND WITH OPS BEING CANCELED IN JULY, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE DETAILED PROPOSAL TODAY AS WELL.

SO STARTING NEXT MONTH IN AUGUST, WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR OUR BUDGET.

UM, WE'LL HAVE THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL TO OUR EXCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND C SAC WILL UPDATE THE BOARD COMMITTEES IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER WITH ANY NECESSARY UPDATES TO OUR BUDGET.

AND THEN WE'LL ALSO DO BUDGET OUTREACH AND A VIRTUAL WEBINARS AT SOME OF OUR BUSIEST TRANSIT CENTERS DURING THE LAST WEEK OF AUGUST AND HAVE OUR BUDGET ONLINE BY AUGUST 24TH AND SEPTEMBER WE'LL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON OUR BUDGET AND THEN COME BACK WITH THE SEPTEMBER FULL BOARD AND ASK FOR ADOPTION OF OUR BUDGET PROPOSAL AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO JUST TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET OVERVIEW FOR NEXT YEAR, OUR BUDGET IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND BALANCED.

WE DO HAVE ONGOING REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO FUND OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE AGENCY.

WE MEET ALL OF OUR OPERATING RESERVE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS GREAT.

WE HAVE OF COURSE, A STATUTORY OPERATING RESERVE AND BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE THAT ARE FULLY FUNDED.

WE HAVE, UM, IN THE MARCH BUDGET AMENDMENT OPENED UP A FACILITY MASTER PLAN RESERVE FUND OF $7 MILLION.

THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AREAS FOR OUR AGENCY AS FAR AS FACILITIES AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE FOR FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY WITH PROJECT CONNECT, UM, ENHANCEMENTS COMING ONLINE OR PROJECTED SALES TAX GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR IS 3.5%.

THAT'S ACTUALLY IT'S INLINE WITH THE CITY.

THE CITY IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER, 5.6, BUT OUR FORECAST FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AS WELL.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY IN LINE BOTH IN 22 AND 23 WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEIR, THEIR, UM, ASSUMPTIONS AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE, RIGHT NOW WITH THE CURRENT NEGATIVE ECONOMIC INDICATORS, WE ARE GUARDED IN OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION FOR NEXT YEAR.

UM, OUR SERVICE FUNDING IS BASED ON OUR AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES, WHICH THE BOARD WAS BRIEFED ON IN JUNE.

AND WE OF COURSE CONSIDER CUSTOMER FOCUSED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS WHILE WE DEVELOP OUR BUDGET AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO THIS IS A DEPICTION OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY.

ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE PIE CHART FOR OUR OPERATING REVENUE THAT COMES IN JUST OVER $535 MILLION.

AS I SAID, WE'RE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON SALES TAX.

THE LARGE BLUE PORTION OF THE PIE IS OUR SALES TAX.

NEXT YEAR OF 69% OF OUR OPERATING REVENUE.

NEXT IS GRANTS AT 25%.

AND THAT ACTUALLY INCLUDES SOME REMAINING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDING ALONG WITH TWO YEARS OF OUR 53 0 7 FORMULA FUNDING AS WELL.

AND THAT'S FOLLOWED UP BY FAIR REVENUE AT 3%, AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALL FREIGHT AND OTHER, UM, PARTS OF THE PIE AS FAR AS OUR OPERATING REVENUE AS WELL ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, OUR OPERATING EXPENSES THAT ARE PROJECTED FOR NEXT YEAR, JUST OVER $380 MILLION, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MAJORITY OF OUR BUDGET PAYS FOR CONTRACTED TRANSIT SERVICES OR THE LARGE PART OF THE BLUE PIE AT 48%.

AND THEN WE, OF COURSE WE HAVE PERSONNEL SERVICES OTHER, AND THEN FEEL, WE DO HAVE A LARGER INCREASE IN COST PER GALLON FOR OUR DIESEL CONTRACTS, WHICH I'LL COVER IN JUST A LITTLE BIT OF 26% COMPARED TO THIS YEAR.

SO MOVING ON TO OPERATING COSTS FOR OUR NEXT BUDGET YEAR OR SEVERAL SERVICE LEVELS, AS I STATED, IT IS BASED ON THE AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES OUR FIELD PRICES DO REMAIN STABLE FOR NEXT YEAR.

THAT'S WITH OUR HEDGING PROGRAM IN PLACE, WE'RE PROJECTING A DIESEL PRICE OF $2 AND 40 CENTS PER GALLON, NET OF HEDGING ACTIVITIES.

THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF TAX RIGHT NOW DURING THIS YEAR, EVEN THOUGH FUEL HAS GONE CRAZY DIESEL AT THE PUMP IS $5.

PLUS WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT A DOLLAR 90 PER GALLON IN THE FUEL THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THIS YEAR.

AND THAT'S MOSTLY DUE TO THE CONTRACTS THAT WE PURCHASED BACK IN MARCH, APRIL AND THE FALL OF 2021 COVID HIT AND FUEL PRICES BOTTOMED OUT.

SO NEXT YEAR WE'RE JUST OVER 60%, 62% OF OUR PROJECTED FUEL USAGE FOR DIESEL IN OUR HEDGING PROGRAM THAT WE DO HAVE HEDGED AND THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO THE $2 AND 40 CENTS PER GALLON COSTS.

[02:05:01]

DO HAVE CONTINUE IT CONTINUATION AND EXPANSION OF OUR PICKUP, INNOVATIVE MOBILITY ZONES.

WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE-BASED ANNUALIZED INCREASE FOR OUR ADMIN EMPLOYEES, AND THEN WE ARE PROPOSING 41 NEW POSITIONS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET.

MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE LANDING IN OPERATIONS IN OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND THEN OUR FACILITIES MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE WE CONSIDER OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WHILE WE DO OUR BUDGET PREPARATION.

CHERYL, I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT SLIDE JUST REALLY QUICK, UM, ON YOUR DIESEL ESTIMATE, TWO 40 IN GALLON, UM, WE'VE SEEN REGULAR, UH, GAS GO DOWN BY ABOUT 20% GIVE OR TAKE, ARE YOU SEEING THE DIESEL COSTS DROP AS WELL? UM, DIESEL COSTS ARE DROPPING AND THEY HAVE DROPPED LET'S SAY FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS OR SO.

SO IT IS RECENT.

UM, AND THAT WILL, WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE THE $2 AND 40 CENTS.

SO IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY THE 62.7% OF OUR HEDGE POSITION WITH THOSE PRICES LOCKED IN AND THEN THE REMAINING ESTIMATE WOULD BE AT MARKET.

SO REALLY WHEN WE DEVELOPED THIS, IT WAS JUST SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN WHAT MARKET IS AT THE MOMENT.

SO OF COURSE THE PRICES HAVE GONE UP AND THEY'VE KIND OF CURVED BACK DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE DO HAVE, WE WILL PUT POSITIONS IN IF THE MARKET DOES GO DOWN FURTHER TO TRY TO UP THAT 62.7% AS WELL.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.

I KNOW WHEN YOU GUYS TOLD THE FAA COMMITTEE ABOUT PUTTING THAT HEDGE IN THERE, WE ALL THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GREAT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US REALLY CALCULATED THAT THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION WOULD TAKE SUCH QUICK STEPS IN ORDER TO BEND THAT CURVE BACK DOWN.

AND SO THE TWO 40 IS ACTUALLY KIND OF OUTSIDE NOW AND KIND OF A RED ZONE FOR ME WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL COST IS, IS LESS THAN THAT.

AND ACTUALLY SPOT PRICING FOR DIESEL RIGHT NOW IS STILL UP AROUND $3 AND 70 CENTS PER GALLON.

IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT.

SO I LOOKED THIS MORNING, IT'S ABOUT THREE 70.

SO TWO 40, I WOULD TAKE ALL DAY LONG.

UH, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT, BUT YOU'RE SAYING NOW THAT THE COST IS ACTUALLY BELOW THE TWO 40 OR IS IT THE THREESOME? IT'S NOT BELOW TWO 40 BECAUSE WHEN WE DEVELOP THE ESTIMATE OF TWO 40, THAT WAS A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO.

SO THAT WAS ON THE UPTICK FOR THAT.

SO WE'RE STAYING PUT AT TWO 40 RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT COULD KEEP ON GOING DOWN, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE 62.7% HEDGED, THAT'S MAINLY A CONTRACTS IN A DOLLAR 40 TO A DOLLAR 50 RANGE WITH THE REMAINING VOLUME THEN BEING AT MARKET.

BUT LIKE I SAID, IF WE SEE THAT 40 IS, IS AN AVERAGE, RIGHT, THAT'S AVERAGE, INCLUDING ALL OF OUR HEDGE POSITION.

IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL READINESS.

WELCOME.

SO THIS IS A TABLE DEPICTING OUR OPERATING EXPENSE COMPARISON, UM, AND GOING THROUGH IT ON THE LEFT MOST COLUMN IS OUR ACTUAL FISCAL YEAR 2021 RESULTS.

NEXT TO THAT WOULD BE OUR FORECASTED CURRENT YEAR FOR 2022 LINED UP WITH OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND THEN OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

AND THEN THE FINAL CALL ON WOULD BE AN INCREASE OR DECREASE COMPARING THE 23 BUDGET TO THE 22 BUDGET.

SO FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS, THAT LINE ITEM IS GOING UP.

IT'S MAINLY DUE TO THE MD TRANSITION THAT WE DID BACK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR TO GAIN MORE OPERATIONAL CONTROL OVER BUS OPS.

ALONG WITH THE 41 NEW POSITIONS THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, OR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INCLUDE VEHICLE CONFIGURATION CHANGES, OF COURSE, MV TRANSITION IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE DIFFERENCE AND SOFTWARE, ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE EXPENSE AS WELL.

AND THEN FOR MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO THE SHIFT THAT WE HAD IN OUR MV CONTRACT WITH THE PARTS PURCHASING FOR BUS COMING ONTO CAPITAL METRO AND SHOWING UP IN THAT LINE ITEM.

AS YOU CAN SEE PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION WITH ALL THIS MOVEMENT HAS GONE DOWN YEAR OVER YEAR.

SO THIS IS OUR SERVICE LEVELS IN MILLIONS OF VEHICLE HOURS.

SO IN THIS DEPICTS ACTUAL FISCAL YEARS FOR 2019, 20 AND 21 WITH THE LAST TWO COLUMNS BEING OUR 22 BUDGET AND OUR 23 BUDGET.

SO IN JUNE OF 2018, WHEN CAP REMAP PASS, WE ACTUALLY PUT ABOUT 10% MORE SERVICE OUT ON THE STREET IN FISCAL YEAR OF 2019, OF COURSE, IN MARCH OF 2020, COVID HIT, WE CAME BACK DOWN OFF OF THAT 10% BACK TO ABOUT 2 MILLION HOURS.

AND THEN WE FLATTENED OUT AGAIN IN 21 WITH CONTINUATION OF COVID.

WE ACTUALLY BUDGETED THIS YEAR WITH A FULL APPROPRIATION TO GET BACK TO PRE COVID LEVELS.

WE PROBABLY WON'T HIT THOSE HOURS MAINLY DUE TO SERVICE DELIVERY AND LABOR PROBLEMS. SO WE'LL PROBABLY COME IN CLOSER TO THE $2 MILLION, 2 MILLION HOUR MARK.

AND THEN FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE DID GO BACK TO PRE COVID SERVICE LEVEL.

SO WE'D HAVE THE APPROPRIATION OF RUN FULL SERVICE

[02:10:01]

FOR NEXT YEAR.

MOVING ON TO BUDGET REVENUES ARE FAIR.

REVENUE IS BASED ON A CONTINUING GRADUAL RETURN OF RIDERSHIP FOR NEXT YEAR.

OUR FEDERAL GRANTS, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $44.2 MILLION IN HER SECTION, 53 0 7 FUNDS.

AND WE DO HAVE A CARRY OVER OF THIS YEAR'S 53 0 7 FUNDS INTO NEXT YEAR BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY DRAWING STIMULUS FUNDS FROM CHRISSA AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

IN FISCAL 22, WE HAVE AN ESTIMATED $27.3 MILLION REMAINING FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN TO DRAW NEXT YEAR.

AND THAT WILL COMPLETE OUT OUR THREE STIMULUS PACKAGES THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT.

AND THEN MORE GOOD NEWS IS FREIGHT RAILROAD REVENUE OR MAINLINE REVENUE IS ON TRACK FOR THE 22 BUDGET.

AND THEN WE DO HAVE CONTINUING HALF MILLION DOLLARS OR SO 45 G RAILROAD TAX MAINTENANCE CREDIT FOR NEXT YEAR.

THIS IS THE SAME TYPE OF TABLE FOR REVENUE WITH OUR 21 ACTUALS OR CURRENT YEAR FORECAST AND BUDGET LAID ASIDE OUR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND THEN INCREASE OR DECREASE AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'RE PROJECTING 3.5% INCREASE IN SALES TAX IN THE 23 BUDGET OVER THE FISCAL YEAR 22 FORECAST.

WE'VE ACTUALLY NOW I'LL ACTUALLY SHOW WHAT SALES TAX HAS DONE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS IN A SLIDE AHEAD, BUT WE'RE PROJECTING AN ADDITIONAL $73.7 MILLION FROM LAST, FROM THIS CURRENT YEAR BUDGET.

BUT OF COURSE, CITY OF AUSTIN HAS PERFORMED MUCH BETTER IN THE SALES TAX AREA THAN WE PROJECTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

AND THEN JUST MOVING THROUGH OPERATING GRANTS THIS YEAR, AS I SAID, INCLUDES CHRISSA AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

NEXT YEAR INCLUDES THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN IN TWO YEARS OF 53 0 7 FUNDS.

AND THEN, AND FOR CAPITAL GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTION NEXT YEAR WE HAVE IN, THERE ARE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE ELECTRIC VEHICLE GRANTS, UH, CHRISSY BRIDGE GRANT AND OUR 53 53 39 A AND 53 37 FORMULA GRANTS AS WELL.

SO THIS IS OUR PERFORMANCE OF OUR SALES TAX REVENUE.

AND WE START WITH OUR ACTUAL SALES TAX RECEIPTS BACK IN FISCAL YEAR 18, 19 20 AND 21, AS YOU CAN SEE IN FISCAL YEAR 20 THAT'S WHEN COVID HIT.

SO WE HAD A FLATTENING OF SALES TAX, WHICH REALLY BROKE OUR MOMENTUM FOR THE AUSTIN AREA, AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON CAPITAL METRO.

AND WE, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING THAT COMPOUNDING DURING THAT TIME PERIOD DOES COST THE AGENCY MANY, MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

SO, BUT WE HAVE REBOUNDED QUITE NICELY THIS YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING ALMOST 19% GROWTH UP TO 358.5 MILLION AND THEN THREE AND A HALF PERCENT MORE GROWTH NEXT YEAR TO GET TO 371 MILLION, AS I SAID, FOUR, AND I'LL OUTLINE IT IN LATER SLIDES, WE NEED TO BE VERY RE REACTIVE IF SALES TAX DOESN'T DEVELOP, IF WE HAVE DECLINE IN SALES TAX AS WELL.

SO MOVING ONTO A CAPITAL BUDGET, JUST SOME OF OUR FANTASTIC PROJECTS THAT WERE, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR FIVE-YEAR PLAN WOULD BE THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE FLEET AND ALL OF THE ELECTRIC BUS PURCHASES AND INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRUCTION RELATED TO THAT, A RECONFIGURATION OF THIS FACILITY AT 29, 10 EAST FIFTH STREET, OUR DEMAND RESPONSE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY PURCHASED LAND FOR, FOR UP NORTH REDLINE, OPT-IN OPTIMIZATION PROJECTS, METRO BIKES, STATION EXPANSION AND REPLACEMENTS, WHICH THE BOARD HAS BEEN BRIEFED ON ALREADY.

AND OF COURSE, BUS STOP ENHANCEMENTS, WHICH MR. CARTWRIGHT TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WITH THE SOLAR LIGHTING, SOME OF OUR PROJECT CONNECT HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR PLAN THAT ARE FUNDED BY AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP OR THE METRO RAPID LINES.

IT'S THE VEHICLES, THE STATIONS, THE ELECTRIC CHARGING THAT GOES ALONG WITH THOSE ARE METRICS, PRESS PARKING RIGHTS ARE CONTINUED AND NEW PICKUPS ZONES, MASTER FACILITY PLAN EXPANSION, WHICH I TOUCHED UPON.

WHEN THESE LINES START ACTUALLY DOING REVENUE SERVICE AND CONTINUED IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS FOR STAFFING AND SUPPORT SERVICES AND COSTS, WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO.

SO THIS IS OUR FIVE-YEAR PROPOSED CAPITAL PLAN WITH FISCAL YEAR 23, BEING IN THE FIRST COLUMN FOR NUMBERS CARRYING ALL THE WAY THROUGH FISCAL 27.

OUR TOTAL FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN IS 1.34, $2 BILLION, WHICH IS MUCH HIGHER THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN BEFORE.

IT'S MAINLY DUE TO TWO REASONS.

IT'S ALL THE PROJECT CONNECTS SPENDING FROM CAPITAL METRO HEALTH CON CONTRACTS, WHICH IS ATP FUNDING.

AND THEN OF COURSE FACILITIES, WHICH WE'VE TOUCHED UPON AS WELL.

AND IF YOU CONTINUE DOWN THE TABLE, WE HAVE FUNDING SPLIT OUT EITHER BY LOCAL FUNDING

[02:15:01]

OR THROUGH GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.

AND THEN THE BOTTOM FEW LINES WOULD BE BROKEN DOWN INTO EITHER ENHANCEMENT OR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

SO NORMALLY WE'VE RUN ABOUT 55% STATE OF GOOD REPAIRS.

AS FAR AS THE PROJECT PORTFOLIO.

THIS YEAR, WE'RE RUNNING 26% MAINLY DUE TO THE UPWARD SPENDING FOR PROJECT CONNECT PLUS ALL THE FACILITY ENHANCEMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED IN THE FIVE YEARS.

SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE THE PROPOSAL, THIS ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE, OUR PROJECTED ACTIVITY FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING TO BEGIN THE YEAR AT $423.5 MILLION WITH ALL OF THE ACTIVITY OF ADDING REVENUE, TAKING AWAY OPERATING EXPENSES, CAPITAL PROJECTS, OUR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS PROJECT CONNECT AND OUR IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENTS, WHICH IS MAINLY CITY OF AUSTIN, QUARTER CENT AND OUR NEW SMALL CITIES INFRASTRUCTURE FUND.

WE PROJECTED IN THE YEAR AT $325.8 MILLION.

NOW THIS IS MOSTLY SPOKEN FOR IN THE DONUT CHART ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WALKS THROUGH THE ENDING BALANCE OF JUST OVER 300 AND TWENTY-FIVE MILLION DOLLARS.

IT'S THE TWO MONTHS OF STATUTORY OPERATING RESERVE AT $63.5 MILLION.

THE BOARD MANDATED BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE AT JUST OVER $31 MILLION.

AND THEN FOR THE FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, WE HAVE $7 MILLION SET ASIDE RIGHT NOW, THE GOAL IS TO GET TO $30 MILLION BY THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN CONTRIBUTE ANOTHER $30 MILLION NEXT YEAR TO GET TO $60 MILLION.

WE HAVE OUR SMALL CITIES INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, OUR CITY OF AUSTIN MOBILITY PROGRAM, WHICH IS QUARTER CENT, A SELF-INSURANCE RESERVE, WHICH IS 25% OF PRIOR YEAR HEALTH CLAIMS, A SMALL GREEN LINE MAINER PHASE TWO RESERVE, AND THEN THE REMAINING BALANCE OF $143 MILLION, WHICH WILL DEFINITELY BE NEEDED FOR OUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND THIS IS A GRAPH OF OUR LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL AS IT SITS TODAY.

SO THE BLUE STACK BAR WOULD BE OUR EXPENSES ON TOP OF THAT WOULD BE THE ORANGE BARS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS, NET OF GRANT REVENUES.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THE YELLOW STACK OF CONTRIBUTIONS FOR PROJECT CONNECT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THEN WE HAVE ON THE GREEN BAR, OUR REVENUES, WHICH ARE EXCLUDING CAPITAL GRANTS.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'LL ACTUALLY GET OVERTAKEN IN 23 WITH SOME OF THAT SPENDING THE WAY THE MODEL PROJECTS TODAY, WE DO HAVE ONGOING REVENUE SUFFICIENT TO FUND OUR OPERATIONS AND OUR CAPITAL NEEDS THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 26.

AND THAT'S BARELY.

SO IF WE HAVE ANY CHANGES TO OUR SALES TAX ASSUMPTION, WHICH IS OUR LARGEST REVENUE SOURCE, UM, WE'LL HAVE TO PLAN FOR THAT.

WE DO, WE'VE ALREADY STARTED PLANNING IN CASE THE AGENCY NEEDS TO TAKE ON DEBT IN FUTURE YEARS.

SO WE'LL BE POSITIONED FOR THAT AS WELL.

OUR NEXT STEP IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'LL REVIEW THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL WITH THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND SEE SAC WILL PUBLISH THAT DRAFT BUDGET DOCUMENT ONLINE BY THE 24TH OF AUGUST.

WE'LL HOLD PUBLIC OUTREACH IN AUGUST ACROSS THE AREA AND PROVIDE VIRTUAL OPTION AS WELL.

AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR PUP PUBLIC HEARING IN SEPTEMBER.

WE'LL GIVE UPDATES TO THE BOARD IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER AS NEEDED, AND THEN ASK FOR FINAL BOARD APPROVAL ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.

AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, RIGHT AFTER THAT, TO DISCUSS OUR LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN WITH THE BOARD.

AND THAT'LL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, BUT IT'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

I SHOULD KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT WHAT IS THE LIMITATION ON OUR BORROWING ABILITY? I KNOW IN THE PAST, WE'VE, I THINK BORROWED AGAINST THE RAIL CARS OR AT LEAST THE RAIL CARS, WE'RE, WE'RE HIGHLY CONSTRAINED AS FAR AS OUR BOAR BARRING AND IT MAINLY HAS, AND HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN AGAINST ROLLING STOCK, AS YOU SAID, BOARD MEMBER COOPER.

SO IT WOULD BE MORE THAN LIKELY AGAINST FUTURE BEST PURCHASES AND THOSE ELECTRIC BUSES THAT WE HAVE PLANNED IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, BUT WE CAN'T BORROW GENERALLY WE CAN'T BORROW TO FUND OPERATIONS, CORRECT? NO, WE CAN'T FOR A MEMBER STRATTON.

UH, YEAH.

KEVIN, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, GENERALLY, UM, WHEN LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS OR I GUESS FISCAL YEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN 20 AND FISCAL YEAR 21, ONCE COVID THE FULL RAMIFICATIONS OF COVID HIT, UM, WHAT, WHAT DID THE ACTUAL SALES TAX REVENUE PERCENTAGE END UP BEING VERSUS WHAT THE PROJECTIONS HAD BEEN FOR 20 AND 21? YES .

SO IT WAS $261.5 MILLION.

SO IN THE CHART, UM, OUR FYE 19 WAS UNAFFECTED,

[02:20:01]

I BELIEVE OUR PROJECTION OVER AND ABOVE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER 4% OR SO.

SO MAYBE ANOTHER $10 MILLION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE PROJECTING PROBABLY DID GET UP TO TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY 5 MILLION, BUT WE FLATTENED OUT AND THIS IS MAINLY, UM, WE HAD REALLY DECENT SALES TAX FROM OCTOBER THROUGH FEBRUARY, YOU KNOW, STARTING IN 19, GOING INTO FEBRUARY OF 20 THAT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE, WE WERE GOING GANGBUSTERS.

LIKE WE HAD, LIKE EVERYTHING HAD BEEN THAT IT WAS TWO DIFFERENT STORIES WITHIN THAT ONE FISCAL YEAR.

AND THEN WHEN, YOU KNOW, THEN WE HIT THE WALL AND THEN WE STARTED TO REALLY DECLINE WHERE WE, I THINK ONE MONTH WAS ALMOST A 20% DECLINE YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE TIME WHEN WE, WHEN WE COMPARE, WE DO YEAR OVER YEAR AS FAR AS CURRENT MONTH OR CURRENT YEAR.

SO THE, THE REASON I'M ASKING IS, IS LOOKING AT WHAT WE'VE GOT COMING, YOU KNOW, COMING DOWN THE PIKE HERE WITH, UM, THE PROJECTIONS.

I KNOW THAT THE THERE'S ALREADY TALK THAT THE FED IN THEIR WEDNESDAY MEETING IS GOING TO, UH, IS GOING TO HIT US WITH ANOTHER INTEREST RATE HIKE.

UM, THEY'RE TRYING TO COOL THE ECONOMY INFLATION'S AT RECORD HIGHS, UM, WHILE THAT DOESN'T DIRECTLY IMPACT, UH, DIRECTLY IMPACT SALES TAX, IT DOES HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON WHAT PEOPLE ARE SPENDING OUT THERE.

AND SO THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT THE SALES TAX FIGURES ARE.

AND, AND MY, MY QUESTION IS, IS, UM, AND YOU'VE GOT BOTH THAT ON, ON THE, THE, UH, REVENUE SIDE OF THE EQUATION, BUT THEN ALSO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION, ON THE SPENDING SIDE INFLATION ALSO OF COURSE, FACTORS INTO WHAT OUR OPERATING COSTS ARE.

I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW DO YOU, HOW DOES YOUR TEAM, HOW DO YOU AND YOUR TEAM WE'RE KIND OF IN THIS SORT OF KNOWN UNKNOWNS PERIOD, YOU'RE TRYING TO PROJECT A BUDGET AT A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, SQUIRRELY, I GUESS, HOW, HOW DO YOU FACTOR THAT IN? AND I GUESS I'M WONDERING IS 3.5%, A LITTLE TOO MUCH TO EXPECT FOR GROWTH FOR THE NEXT YEAR, AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

AND THEN HOW DOES THAT FACTOR OUT THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE, WITH OUR POTENTIAL, FOR, FOR OPERATING EXPENSES TO, WITH, WITH LOOKING AT INFLATIONARY COSTS, I'LL ADDRESS THE OPERATING FIRST.

SO I THINK THE INFLATIONARY FACTOR HAS BEEN FACTORED INTO EACH DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET THAT THEY PRESENTED FOR IT, AND THAT WE PUSHED AN AGGREGATE FOR THE AGENCY.

SO I THINK WE'RE FINE ON THAT SIDE, AS FAR AS SALES TAX, I MEAN, WE GET, WE GET MONTHLY REMITTANCES FROM THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER.

SO IF WE COULD WATCH IT DAILY OR HOURLY, WE PROBABLY WOULD, BUT WE GET MONTHLY REMITTANCES THOUGH.

SO THE GOOD THING THAT THE AGENCY HAD, AND THAT'S REALLY BEEN PROVEN THROUGH THE WHOLE COVID DISASTER, IS THERE A LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL WE'VE PROBABLY DONE, I MEAN, UPWARDS OF A HUNDRED DIFFERENT ITERATIONS THIS YEAR IN THAT MODEL, UM, WE KEEP IT CONSTANTLY UP TO DATE THAT NAVIGATED THE AGENCY THROUGH COVID AS FAR AS, UM, SPENDING, ET CETERA, WHEN COVID HIT MID MARCH IN 2020, WE HAD NOT NEW, BUT WE HAD CONSTRAINED OPERATING BUDGETS AND CAPITAL PLANS IN PLACE WITHIN I THINK, THREE WEEKS.

SO I THINK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS EXTREMELY NIMBLE AND ABLE TO REACT TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

NOT THAT ONE MONTH BAD SALES TAX REMITTANCE WOULD CREATE, YOU KNOW, AN EMERGENCY, BUT IF WE START TO SEE A TREND, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

WE'LL CONSTRAIN BOTH OPERATING AND CAPITAL AS FAR AS SPENDING AND POSSIBLE DELAYS.

WE DID HIRING FREEZE, UM, BACK THEN, BUT WE DID, I MEAN, WE DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS AND THAT WAS THE AMAZING THING DURING COVID, YOU KNOW, WE CONSTRAINED, WE REACTED EXTREMELY QUICKLY, BUT WE STILL DID A TON OF GOOD THINGS FOR THE CITY AND THE AGENTS.

UH, I'LL JUST SAY Y'ALL DID STAFF WAS, WAS FREAKING AMAZING WITH WHAT YOU ALL DID AND WORKED WITH WHEN WE WERE HIT WITH SOMETHING UNPRECEDENTED.

MY CONCERN IS A BOARD MEMBER UP HERE IS JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE HERE AND WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT ONE SLIDE WHERE YOU HAD THE STACK, YOU HAD THE STACKED REVENUE MODEL PROJECT, THE STACK, UH, OPERATING EXPENSES UP AGAINST THE REVENUE THAT THE, THE GREEN LINE OF WHAT THE REVENUE LOOKED LIKE.

I, IF YOU CAN PUT THAT BACK UP THERE, I THINK IT WAS SLIDE MAYBE 2221.

FOR THE, FOR GROWTH FOR SALES TAX GROWTH? HI, I WOULD SAY I'M COMFORTABLE WITH 3.5%.

THIS ONE RIGHT HERE.

AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT WE HAVE KIND OF A THIN MARGIN LOOKING AT 4 23, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS THERE THAT, THAT, THAT WE HAVE VERY LITTLE REVENUE TO, OR MARGIN TO WORK WITH THERE.

I GUESS WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, IS, IS, IS 3.5%, IS THAT, UH, ONE OF THE LOWEST NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE USED BEFORE IN TERMS OF PROJECTIONS FOR,

[02:25:01]

LIKE I SAID, THE CITY IS USING A 5.6% ASSUMPTION YEAR OVER YEAR IS THAT OUR FORECAST IS HIGHER THOUGH IN THIS FISCAL YEAR 22.

SO IT KIND OF ALL EVENS OUT.

SO I THINK 3.5% IS CONSERVATIVE.

BUT AS I WAS SAYING BEFORE, IF WE START TO SEE NEGATIVE TREND, WE'RE READY TO POUNCE AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, CONSTRAINING OR DELAYING, ET CETERA, SO THAT WE DON'T GET IN A SITUATION THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN.

AND OF COURSE, WHATEVER DEVELOPS THROUGH SALES TAX OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS, IT WILL HAVE A EXTREMELY HEAVY IMPACT ON NEXT YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR 24 BUDGET PROCESS AS WELL.

I JUST KNOW IT'S, IT'S FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, SHARE COOPER HERE FOR THE FAA CHAIR, JUMP INTO IT.

TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S, IT'S EASIER TO HOPE FOR THE BEST AND PLAN FOR THE WORST RATHER THAN WE GET OUT THERE.

AND WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE STARTING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT CUTTING BACK THINGS HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTIONS WERE WRONG OR BECAUSE SOMETHING'S HAPPENING AND WE'RE IN A BIGGER RECESSIVE STATE THAN WE THOUGHT WE WERE.

THAT, THAT THAT'S MY ONLY THING.

BUT IF 3.5% IS ONE OF THE LOWER GROWTH NUMBERS WE'VE SEEN, AND WE THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH THAN, THAN, OKAY.

I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT WE SHOULD BRING THAT.

JUST BRING THAT TO THE PANIC.

IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

AND, UH, I THINK IT'S ONE WAY KEVIN AND CATHERINE, AND BEFORE THAT RYNETTE, AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS, BUT THE GOOD THING IS NOW WE, OVER THE YEARS HAVE FULLY FUNDED THREE MONTHS WORTH OF RESERVES SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT INSURANCE.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER 60 MILLION IN FACILITIES OR HOPE TO GET TO THAT.

SO WE'RE BUILDING ANOTHER 20 THAT'S ANOTHER MONTH AND MAYBE BY THE END OF THIS NEXT YEAR, TWO MONTHS.

SO, AND THEN WE HAVE THE CAPITAL FUNDS THAT ARE THERE TOO, THAT GIVE US TIME IF WE NEED TO PIVOT.

AND SO I'M VERY COMFORTABLE.

A GOOD STEWARDSHIP HAS GIVEN US A RAINY DAY FUND IF WE NEED IT.

AND THANKFULLY WE DIDN'T NEED IT.

WE NEEDED IT.

WE DID NOT NEED TO DIP INTO OUR FUNDS, OUR RESERVES DURING COVID PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE NIMBLENESS OF STAFF, PARTLY BECAUSE THE LARGEST OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE COME OUT OF IT WITH THREE MONTHS FULLY FUNDED.

PLUS THOSE ADDITIONAL RESERVES WOULD BE AVAILABLE IF WE REALLY, UM, THE COST OF, UH, OF BEING EVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE AS WE DON'T PUT SERVICES OUT ON THE STREET THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT OUT IN THE STREETS.

THERE'S ALWAYS A BALANCE.

I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT RIGHT NOW.

ONLY THE ONLY OTHER POSITIVE COMMENT I'LL ADD IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT REACTING IT IS, BUT IT'S ALSO THE ENTIRE AGENCY.

WE HAVE SUCH A CULTURE OF PEOPLE PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR FISCAL HEALTH WITHIN THE AGENCY, DOWN TO EVERY DEPARTMENT.

IT'S JUST THE, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO EVERY DEPARTMENT FOR THE BUY-IN IN THIS AREA.

I APPRECIATE IT, KEVIN AND I DEFER TO, TO BOARD MEMBER COOPER ON THIS ONE, IF YOU FEEL YOU'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR AWHILE AND YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN CHAIR AND CHAIR.

SO IF YOU, YOU, I TRUST YOU ON THAT WHEN THEN I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH BRINGING TO THE ATTENTION, GIVEN THE ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN, UH, GARDNER T-BONE PROMISE TO KEEP IT UNDER 90 MINUTES, PLEASE, PLEASE.

NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.

WE'VE GOT ONE MORE PRESENTATION OR ACTUALLY TWO.

UM, THANK YOU, MR. CONLIN, UH,

[VII.2. Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP) Update]

FOR QUESTIONS.

ANYWAY.

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN CIVILIAN BOARD MEMBERS AND INTERIM CEO, PRESIDENT AND CEO, DONNY WATKINS.

IT IS INDEED A PLEASURE TO BE BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IN LIGHT OF THE TIME, I WILL NOT TAKE THE ENTIRE 90 MINUTES I WAS ALLOTTED.

UH, BUT, UH, I DO HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT, UH, MESSAGE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR NEW OBLIGATIONS.

SO, WELL KIND OF DO, SINCE I BELIEVE EACH OF YOU HAS BEEN PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN IS.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO FULFILL THEM, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK.

OTHERWISE, I'M KIND OF JUST GOING TO GIVE A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW, GET TO THE FINAL SLIDE.

I HAVE ONE HERE.

SO TO WHOM DOES THIS THING APPLY, UH, RECIPIENTS OF, UH, UH, THAT ARE RECEIVING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER 49 USC, UH, SECTION 53 0 7.

AND, UH, WE'LL GO OVER WHAT THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW REQUIRES OF BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLKS LIKE MYSELF.

[02:30:02]

SO BASICALLY THAT'S US.

WE ARE AN AGENCY, AT LEAST AT THE TIME, UH, THAT THIS WENT INTO EFFECT.

WE HAD AT LEAST A HUNDRED BUSES, UM, IN REVENUE SERVICE DURING RUSH HOUR.

AND SO WE QUALIFIED, SO IT BECAME EFFECTIVE, UH, JULY, 2019.

HOWEVER, THE IMPLEMENTATION WAS REQUIRED BY JULY, 2020 WHILE WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED FEBRUARY, MARCH OF 2020, THE PANDEMIC HIT.

AND SO, UH, THE FTA WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SAY, WE'LL PUSH OUT THE DATES FOR YOU.

UH, SO THAT WAY, GIVEN ALL THAT, THE ATTENTION THAT YOU'RE PAYING TO THE PANDEMIC AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND HEALTHY AND NOT EXACTLY KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON WITH A RIDERSHIP, WE'LL PUSH THESE DATES OUT, BUT WHAT DID WE DO? WE WENT AND GOT IT DONE ANYWAY.

SO BECAUSE THAT'S WHO WE ARE.

AND, UH, AND I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY THE ALPHA MALE, UM, FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR GOING WITH US IN THIS JOURNEY, IT WAS PRETTY GOOD.

SO THE GENERAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, AT A MINIMUM APPROVED BY ACCOUNTABLE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A DESIGNATION OF A CHIEF SAFE SAFETY OFFICER, MYSELF ESTABLISHMENT, AND DOCUMENTED PROCESSES OF THE SMS. AND WE'LL GO OVER WHAT SMS IS IN A MOMENT, UH, EMPLOYEE SAFETY REPORTING SYSTEM, UH, SAFETY RELATED PERFORMANCE TARGETS BASED ON MEASUREMENTS ESTABLISHED IN THE FTAS, UH, NATIONAL, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SAFETY PLAN, PROCESS, AND TIMELINE FOR CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE PLAN.

SO WHAT IS SMS? SMS IS A FORMAL TOP-DOWN ORGANIZATION WIDE APPROACH TO SAFETY RISKS, AND ASSURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SAFETY, RISK MEDICATIONS.

AND SO, UH, IT ENSURES THAT SENIOR MANAGEMENT HAS ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO, UH, ADDRESS THOSE RISKS AND PRIORITIZE, UH, LINES OF SAFETY.

DECISION-MAKING ACCOUNTABILITY ARE ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, AS IT IS HERE AND CAPITAL METRO ADDRESS ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS THAT MAY LEAD TO SAFETY BREAKDOWN.

AND SO THE PRINCIPLES THERE ARE FOR SAFETY MANAGEMENT, POLICY SAFETY, RISK MANAGEMENT, SAFETY ASSURANCE, AND SAFETY PROMOTION.

WE'LL GO OVER WHAT EACH MEAN IN A MOMENT.

SO THERE ARE SIX, UM, CRITICAL OR CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF A SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT SIGNED BY BOARD BOARD, BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND HIGHEST EXECUTIVE A CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT THE PROVISION OF RESOURCES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SAFETY NECESSARY FOR DELIVERY OF SERVICE, UM, SAFETY REPORTING PROCEDURES, CON CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH, UH, EXEMPTIONS FROM DISCIPLINARY ACTION WOULD BE APPLICABLE, UNACCEPTABLE, OPERATIONAL BEHAVIORS, COMMUNICATION WITH VISIBLE ENDORSEMENT THROUGH OUT THE, UH, TRANSIT AGENCY, WHICH WE DO QUITE A BIT OF.

AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE JUST JUMP RIGHT ON IN SAFETY RISK MANAGEMENT.

SO THIS IS WHERE WE IDENTIFY HAZARDS.

WE ASSESS THE HAZARDS AND ASSOCIATED RISKS, UH, MITIGATE HAZARDS TO REDUCE THE RISK SAFETY ASSURANCE, WHERE WE MONITOR AND MEASURE.

AND WE USE, WE USE THESE TOOLS CALLED HAZARD, UM, HAZARD LOGS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION MONITORING LOGS TO DO SO.

AND MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE IS WHERE WE, UH, WHEN WE INTRODUCE SOMETHING THAT HAS A LINK TO SAFETY OR POSSIBLE LINK TO SAFETY, INTRODUCE IT INTO A SYSTEM WHERE STAKEHOLDERS, STAKEHOLDERS HAVE AN OP UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE ITEM THAT, UM, UH, IS WISHED TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND THEY CAN ADD THEIR, UM, THEIR FEEDBACK TO THAT ITEM.

AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, ALWAYS SEEKING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH, UH, SAFETY, RISK MANAGEMENT AND SAFETY ASSURANCE EFFORTS, SAFETY PROMOTION, WHERE WE HAVE A VERY COMPREHENSIVE SAFETY PROGRAM.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS IN PLACE, UH, THAT HELPED TO, UM, REACH OUR GOALS.

WE AUDIT THOSE PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY

[02:35:01]

GETTING THE VERY BEST OUT OF THEM AND PRODUCING WHAT IT IS.

WE INTEND SAFETY COMMUNICATION INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO SAFETY BULLETIN, OPERATIONAL BULLETINS, AND MORE SO THE STAR TO SHOW WHAT IS NEW, UH, WE'VE ALL HEARD OF THE BI-PARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW AND HOW IT BENEFITS GREATLY, UM, PUBLIC AGENCIES LIKE OURS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE SOMETHING ADDED TO IT.

AND SO, UH, BY BEFORE JULY 31ST, 2022, UH, WE ARE TO ESTABLISH A SAFETY COMMITTEE THAT CONSISTS OF AN EQUAL NUMBER OF FRONTLINE EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATIVES AND MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES, AND BE CONVENED USING A JOINT LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCESS.

SPEAK TO THAT FOR A MOMENT.

UH, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH, UH, LOCAL ATU AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL, UH, ATU REPRESENTATIVES TO DEVELOP A CHARTER THAT WOULD HELP TO GUIDE OUR EFFORTS, UM, WITH THIS JOINT LABOR, UH, SAFETY COMMITTEE.

SO THOSE, UH, DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING WELL, WE'RE ON OUR SECOND VERSION NOW OF THE FINAL.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING SOME GREAT HEADWAY.

I THINK WE'RE ON THE LAST VERSION OF THE FINAL, UH, WE'LL KNOW, IN ABOUT 10 HOURS, IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE DOING WELL IN THAT, UH, SAFETY COMMITTEE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING RECOMMENDING AND ANALYZING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RISK BASED MITIGATION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE CONSEQUENCES IDENTIFIED IN THE AGENCY'S SAFETY RISK ASSESSMENT.

THOSE ASSESSMENTS ARE PRIMARILY CONDUCTED BY OUR JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE BUS AND DEMAND RESPONSE DOES NOT APPLY TO OUR RAIL COMMITTEE BECAUSE RAIL IS UNDER THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION AND NOT UNDER THIS PARTICULAR LAW.

SO WE HAVE THE SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE THE JOINT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, ARE YOU OKAY, MEMBER STRATTON? UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE NOW EFFECTIVE THIS MONTH, A SECURITY COMMITTEE.

SO WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UH, DEVELOP AND ADD TO THE P UH, THE P TEST A RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM FOR, UH, TRANSIT OPERATIONS TO IMPROVE SAFETY BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF RATES, UM, AND ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, AND ASSAULTS ON TRANSIT WORKERS.

SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE WORK ON AS A COLLECTIVE, AS A GROUP, AS A COMMITTEE, UH, TO GET THROUGH.

SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PART, UH, SET RISK REDUCTION, UH, PERFORMANCE TARGETS USING A THREE-YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE OF THE DATA SUBMITTED TO NTD REQUIRE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO MEET THE EXISTING SAFETY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS AND SAFETY OPERATIONS, AND MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO COMPLETE DEESCALATION TRAINING.

SO WE ARE, UH, ACTUALLY DEVELOPING THAT NOW BY NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 31ST, 2022, THE SAFETY COMMITTEE MUST APPROVE THE AGENCY'S SAFETY PLAN THAT IS COMPLIANT WITH THE NEW LAW.

AND, UH, THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THE SAFETY COMMITTEE TO APPROVE THE P TAZ AND ANY UPDATES TO THE P TASK BEFORE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES IT.

SO NOW IT COMES TO THE BOARD PRIOR TO THE BOARD, THE COMMITTEE WILL APPROVE IT.

OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT IT GETS TO YOU FOR REVIEW BY OR BEFORE, UH, OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE ESTABLISHING, UH, THE COMMITTEE JULY 31ST.

UH, VERY FIRST MEETING WILL BE IN SEPTEMBER, UH, PRIOR TO IT, WE'LL HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS AND WE'LL SET UP SOME TRAINING FOR THOSE WHO DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THE TRAINING ON SMS AND OTHER ELEMENTS OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

UM, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT TO YOU IN PLENTY OF TIME FOR YOUR REVIEW.

AND IF YOU DESIRE TO REACH OUT TO ME OR THE CO-CHAIR WITH ANY QUESTIONS, YOU MAY HAVE, YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION ABOUT A THING THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED.

THAT'S BEEN DELETED, PROBABLY NOT DELETED, UM, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.

WE'LL SET UP A MEETING, BE GLAD TO GO OVER IT WITH YOU.

OBLIGATIONS WILL BE BOARD OBLIGATIONS WILL BE? I, I JUST, MY, MY LOOK WAS JUST GARNER.

ZIO WORK FOR THE SECRET SERVICE TO FIND TELLED YOU, IT WOULDN'T BE A SECRET.

UM, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AS THIS, UH, TO THIS POINT, WHAT THE, UH, WHAT OUR

[02:40:01]

HOW DO YOU KEEP D THANK HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH IT? BECAUSE CLEARLY, SERIOUSLY, SEPARATE STANDARDS FOR THE RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION AND FOR OUR LOW, FOR OUR LOCAL RED LINE, THEN FOR THE ENTIRE REST OF THE SYSTEM, YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, BUT THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST WHAT I DO GOVERNMENT WORK.

SO THANK YOU FOR KEEPING UP WITH IT.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL RIGHT, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.

AND THAT WAS THE LAST BULLET, WHICH ALREADY EXPLAINED.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR ATTENTION.

THANK YOU, GARDNER.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AS USUAL, AND IT LOOKS LIKE

[VIII.1. President & CEO Monthly Update]

OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM FOR THE DAY.

IT'S GOING TO BE A MONTHLY REPORT FROM OUR INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO.

GO ROUND, AND I COULDN'T DO IT EVERY DAY WITHOUT THE GREAT FOLKS WHO GOD BLESS THEM ARE STILL MANY OF THEM STILL IN THE ROOM HERE TODAY.

AND I RECOGNIZE THAT I STAND BEFORE Y'ALL AND BEING DONE FOR THE DAY.

SO, UM, I W I JUST HAVE A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION.

UM, SO FIRST OFF, UM, ACTUALLY LATE IN THE MONTH, IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, UM, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO JOIN THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

UM, OUR COLLEAGUE MOLLY KING, WHO WAS OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROJECT CONNECT INTEGRATION, JOINED ME ON THEIR, UM, FEDERAL ADVOCACY TRIP.

IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE HAD WONDERFUL MEETINGS WITH OUR FEDERAL AGENCIES.

WE MET WITH THE FTA, THE FRA, UM, THE USDA.

WE ALSO HEARD FROM REPRESENTED DOGGIT AND MANY OTHER, UM, LOCAL LEADERS.

AND ALSO I THINK HAD AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS WITHIN OUR REGION.

UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, SITTING DOWN AND BREAKING BREAD WITH SOMEBODY OFTEN, UM, IS IMPORTANT.

SO IT WAS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY.

UM, AND WE WERE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO, UM, KIND OF SNEAK IN ON THAT SOMEWHAT AT THE LAST MINUTE.

UM, BUT GIVEN THE LEADERSHIP CHANGES IN OUR ORGANIZATION, WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE MADE SURE THAT WE STAYED CONNECTED WITH THAT IMPORTANT LOCAL STAKEHOLDER GROUP.

UM, NEXT UP, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR INTERNAL STUFF.

WE HAD OUR EMPLOYEE TOWN HALL THIS MONTH.

UM, IT WAS A STAR SET EVENT.

UM, I, I NOTED DURING THE EVENT LED BY OUR AMAZING GROUP OF WOMEN LEADERS.

IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS THIS MONTH REPRESENTED THE WOMEN THAT, UM, HELPED LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION, UM, UH, MYSELF INCLUDED, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS FUN TO SEE.

UM, BUT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR FARE PROGRAM, OUR INNERCISE ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PRO, UM, PROGRAM W P WHAT'S THE P PROJECT.

THEY ARE PAID, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO SPEND MONEY AND, AND DEAL WITH HR STUFF, ALL OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT, AS WELL AS AN EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT SURVEY, WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO LAUNCH, UM, NOT JUST TO THAT CAP, METRO STAFF, BUT TO THE ENTIRE CAP METRO FAMILY.

SO IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WE'LL BE ASKING EVERYBODY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ON WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK HERE, UM, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS, THE KIND OF PLACE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO NOT JUST, UM, MAKE A JOB, BUT A CAREER.

UM, NEXT STEP, I KNOW, UM, A COUPLE OF YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN US, BUT WE HAD THE MOST EXCELLENT ALBEIT A LITTLE WARM EVENT AT, UM, THE Q2 STADIUM.

UM, LAST WEEK WITH THE MCCALLA STATION GROUNDBREAKING, WE, DAYLIGHTED A LOVELY CAT METRO AUSTIN FC, SUMMER WEIGHT SCARF.

AND I HAVE EXTRAS HERE FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ONLY HAVE THE WINTER WEIGHT SCARF CAUSE STRESS TO ME, 99% OF THE YEAR IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, YOU NEED THE SUMMER WEIGHT SCARF.

IT'S NOT QUITE WARM COLD ENOUGH HERE.

UM, BUT WE HAD A GREAT EVENT.

IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED.

UM, AND WE WERE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE SHOW UP AND CELEBRATE WHAT WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE, UH, MAYBE THE MOST POPULAR STATION WE'VE GOT.

UM, WE WERE JOINED BY, UM, THE AUSTIN FC BAND, UM, WHICH AS A FORMER MARCHING BAND MEMBER, MYSELF WAS JUST A JOY AND A PRIVILEGE TO GET, TO SEE THEM HAVING FUN.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE, YES, THEY ARE.

THEY ARE PERHAPS THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIFE OF THE PARTY WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUPPORTER GROUP.

SO THAT, THAT WAS VERY FUN.

UM, SO THANKS TO THE MANY OF FOLKS THAT JOINED US ON THAT.

UM, AND THEN I THINK, UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, WE HAVE LAUNCHED OUR, UM, ANNUAL SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE.

SO I'M PARTNERING WITH HEB IN A BACK TO SCHOOL STUFF, THE BUS, UM, OPPORTUNITY.

WE WERE OUT THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, AT LAKELINE HEB AND RIVERSIDE HGB.

AND WE'LL BE OUT THIS COMING WEEKEND AT THE, UM, SOUTH CONGRESS AND SLAUGHTER, UM, HUB, AS WELL AS THE HANCOCK CENTER HEB, UM, COLLECTING DONATIONS.

YOU CAN ALSO DONATE ONLINE OR AT ANY PARTICIPATING HEB WITH A LITTLE TEAR OFF, HEY, THIS IS WHAT THE, THE EXTRA FUNDS ARE GOING TO.

UM, YOU CAN GIVE MONEY, YOU CAN BUY SUPPLIES AND PUT THEM IN THE BUS YOURSELF.

UM, BUT WE'RE JUST HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HELP SUPPORT, UM, SUCH AN IMPORTANT EFFORT AND, UM, TO PARTNER WITH SUCH A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION AS HEB.

UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINOR MOMENT OF EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT HOW THE STAFF MAKE THIS PLACE

[02:45:01]

UM, BUT I WOULD BE QUITE REMISS IF I DID NOT RECOGNIZE, UM, ONE OF OUR FAVORITE STAFF WHO WAS ATTENDING HIS FINAL BOARD MEETING TODAY.

UM, SO YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT DAVID DECK, WHO IS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF RAIL OPERATIONS, UM, DAVE IS LEADING LEAVING US FOR THE SOUTH FLORIDA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.

I'M KNOWN TO MOSES AS TRI RAIL.

UM, HE'LL BE LEAVING AT THE END OF THE MONTH TO BECOME THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND WE CAN'T BE MORE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT DAVE HAS DONE HERE.

UM, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SEE HIM, UM, GO HELP, SHOW THEM HOW, UM, PASSENGER RAIL REALLY SHOULD BE DONE.

AND SO THANK YOU, DAVE, FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE, I'M NOT SURE WHO IS GOING TO HELP US CUT UP.

UM, DAVE HAS AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF HUMOR, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO'S GOING TO SEND ME THOSE MIDDLE THEN I, UM, FUNNY PICTURES THAT RELATE TO OUR WORK, BUT I'M SURE SOMEONE WILL STEP IN AND FILL THE GAP.

UM, WITH THAT, I JUST, UH, WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE STAFF BEING HERE AND FOR STICKING WITH US, AS WELL AS THANKING YOU FOR STICKING WITH US THROUGH A LONG MEETING TODAY.

BUT I THINK WE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT.