Sep 21, 2022 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO, THANK YOU, SIR.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO, UM, TAKE UP ITEM THREE AND WE'LL HEAR FROM ATP'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MR. GREG CANAL.

APPRECIATE IT.

[3.a. Project Connect Status Report (ATP Board Brief)]

WELCOME.

TO EVOLVE, UM, OUR, OUR PROGRAM UPDATE.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON AUDIENCE HERE AT 2 0 3 AND ELSEWHERE.

WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE STAYING ENGAGED IN OUR EFFORT, UH, OF PROJECT CONNECT AND ADVANCING, UM, THIS VISION FOR OUR VOTERS, UH, TODAY PART OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE, UH, WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROGRAM STATUS VERY QUICKLY AND THEN FOCUS ON ORGANIZATION.

UH, WE'RE CONTINUING

[00:05:01]

YOU'RE GONNA HEAR RIGHT AFTER THIS, A MORE IN DEPTH PRESENTATION ON THE STATUS OF THE LIGHT RAIL UPDATED, UH, DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, BUT WE CONTINUE TO, UH, PUT OUT A PROGRAM WIDE ASSESSMENT, UH, AND STATUS THAT IS IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, AND AS I MENTIONED LAST TIME, WE WERE PIVOTING AWAY FROM MULTIPLE UPDATES TO A SINGULAR VERSION.

UM, AND SO WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES TO THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER TRAIAN.

I DO WANT TO NOTICE TO YOU YOUR, YOUR INPUT LAST WEEK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING ON A DASHBOARD THAT, UM, KIND OF A ONESTOP SHOP DASHBOARD, AND WE'RE WORKING AMONG ALL THE PARTNERS TO GET THAT OUT FOR THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, KIND OF A RED, YELLOW, GREEN ON STUFF.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND THAT'LL BE COMING TO YOU SOON.

SO I REALLY WANNA

[3.b. ATP Organizational Update]

ALSO FOCUS TODAY ON OUR ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE.

UM, IT'S IMPORTANT.

IT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE ON THE BUDGET, AND I THINK THE BEST PLACE TO START, HOWEVER, WAS, WAS WITH A, WITH A MOMENT OF, UM, OF BOTH CELEBRATION AND A MOMENT OF, UM, OF, OF, OF THANKFULNESS FOR, UH, MR. DAVE COUCH.

SO, DAVE, I THINK YOU'RE BACK THERE, UH, HIDING IN THE THIRD ROW, LIKE A GOOD, LIKE A GOOD ENGINEER, JUST HID IN SOME, HE'S GOT A SLIDE ROLL BACK THERE WORKING ON SOME STUFF.

PROBABLY I THOUGHT YOU THIS MOMENT OF SILENCE.

NO, NO, NO.

WELL, I'M GONNA REALLY PUT, I'M GONNA REALLY PUT HIM ON THIS SPOT.

I, I THINK IT'D BE GOOD IF WE COULD HAVE DAVE COME JOIN, IF YOU COULD JOIN US UP HERE REAL QUICKLY.

UM, UM, SO AS, UH, ONE OF MY FIRST FIRST INTERACTIONS I HAD WITH DAVE, I REMEMBER WALKING OVER TO, UH, THE CAP METRO STOREFRONT ON CONGRESS.

UM, HE WAS, HE WAS PROBABLY EYEING ME WORLY AS THIS, UH, FINANCE GUY COMING IN.

UH, BUT WE JUST HIT, HIT IT OFF PERFECTLY FROM THE BEGINNING.

THE LEARNING THAT I GOT, AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM FROM DAVE WAS FANTASTIC UNDERSTANDING HOW THESE BIG MEGA PROJECTS HAPPEN, WHERE THE PITFALLS ARE.

UM, HE IS THE PERSON IN THE ROOM THAT'S BEEN HERE REALLY SINCE THE BEGINNING, HELPING TO SHAPE WHERE WE ARE.

UM, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE FOLKS YOU SEE IN THE ROOM FROM AN ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE, UM, OWE A LOT TO DAVE AND, AND GETTING US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND BEING IN THIS SPOT WHERE WE GET TO CONTINUE ADVANCE, NOT ONLY THE LIGHT RAIL, BUT THE ENTIRE PROGRAM.

SO DAVE, JUST FROM ME TO YOU, THANK YOU FOR THIS LEARNING PROCESS THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS JOURNEY ON WITH YOU.

UM, I THINK THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS WORLD OF PUBLIC SERVICE THAT WE GET TO BE IN IS YOU GET TO GET TO MEET SOME PRETTY COOL PEOPLE.

YOU GET TO LEARN SOME NEW THINGS.

AND, UM, AND DAVE'S BEEN A GREAT TEACHER FOR ALL OF US AND A GREAT LEADER FOR CAP METRO AND, AND HELPING ATP GET STOOD UP AS WELL.

SO DAVE WILL BE MISSED.

I THINK HE'LL KEEP PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE DOING THOUGH.

I HAVE A SENSE, WE KNOW THIS IS IN HIS BLOODSTREAM.

UM, SO DAVE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, GREG.

UM, I CAME HERE WAS FIVE YEARS AGO WITH A COMMITMENT TO BE HERE, TO TRY TO GET EVERY REFERENDUM THROUGH.

UH, AND THAT'S REALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PLAY A SMALL ROLE IN, UH, IS GETTING THROUGH THAT PROCESS TO A SYSTEM PLAN, TO PASSING A REFERENDUM, UH, IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

SO IT'S ONE OF THE RARE PERSONAL PARTS, UH, AND HIGHLIGHTS OF MY CAREER IS BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.

UH, THIS IS MY FOURTH MEGA PROJECT AND THEY ARE DIFFERENT THAN REGULAR CONTRACTS BY EVERY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.

UH, BUT NOW IT'S BEEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS BOARD.

IT'S BEEN WITH THE SUPPORT OF CAP METRO'S BOARD.

IT'S BEEN THE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, THAT WE COLLECTIVELY HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.

AND I'M JUST GLAD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PLAY A, A VERY SMALL PART IN IT.

UH, IT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT IS RARE TO BE IN, IN, IN THAT PART OF A REFERENDUM IN MY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I REALLY APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO BE IN AND TO CONTRIBUTE TO WHERE WE ARE.

IT IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION POINT RIGHT NOW, UH, WITH WHERE THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD TO SET UP, WHAT'S GONNA BE, UH, THE SEQUENCE.

SO IT'S A GOOD TRANSITION POINT FOR OTHERS TO GO AHEAD, UH, AND BE IN THOSE POSITIONS.

AND, UH, I TOLD GREG THE OTHER DAY, I'M CHANGING ALL MY PHONE NUMBERS AND MY EMAIL ADDRESSES.

SO , I THINK I ALREADY GOT ONE.

YOU ALMOST NOT QUITE OUT OF OFFICE, BUT IT WAS LIKE COMING OUT OF OFFICE COMING SOON.

THAT'S WHAT IT WAS.

NO, BUT, BUT, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GREG, FOR THE KIND WORDS.

CAN I JUMP IN, SIR AND INTERRUPT YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT? THE FIRST TIME I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE COACHED BY YOU, MR. COUCH, AS A COACH, UM, I TOLD YOU THAT I WAS A GROUP B AND

[00:10:01]

I REMEMBER YOUR REACTION WAS SO ADORABLE, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I ADMIRE FROM YOU.

AND I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU AND YOUR TIRELESS LEADERSHIP TO SHEPHERD US THROUGH THIS REFERENDUM FOR MANY YEARS, THAT YOU SHEPHERD THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH IT'S CELEBRATED, RECOGNIZED, ADMIRED, AND I'M DEEPLY, DEEPLY GRATEFUL.

AND YOU'LL START SOON BUT IT RUNS WITH COUCH AND COACH, RIGHT? THANKS, DAVE.

UM, SIMILARLY WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT.

SO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD THEN? UM, WE TALKED LAST AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT, UM, THE TWO BIG TOPICS THAT THINK HAVE BEEN ON MY PLATE THAT YOU'VE ASKED ME TO PUT ON MY PLATE AND OUR TEAM'S PLATE WAS THE ASSESSMENT.

UM, THE FIRST ENFORCE WAS THE ASSESSMENT OF THE LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM, UM, AND HOW WE'RE GONNA RIGOROUSLY ADVANCE THAT IN, IN LIGHT OF THE COST CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

AND ON JULY 20TH, AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS, WE CAME BACK WITH THAT ASSESSMENT AND A PLAN, A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD AND A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD, UM, ON IMPLEMENTATION WITHOUT RAISING ANY NEW TAXES, UM, AND CONTINUE TO PROGRESS TOWARDS AN INVESTMENT, UM, FOR ALL OF AUSTIN.

UM, AND NOW AS PART OF THAT, EACH MONTH, WE'RE PROVIDING YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT.

AND AGAIN, YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE.

THE OTHER TOPIC THAT I, THAT, THAT I TALKED ABOUT AS WELL, REALLY SINCE MAY, WHEN I BEGAN THIS ROLE WAS ALSO ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATION AND THESE TWO THINGS OF THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAM AND THE ASSESSMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION REALLY ARE INTERTWINED, BUT LIKE WE DID ON THE, UH, ASSESSMENT OF LIGHT RAIL, WE'RE GONNA APPROACH IT IN THE SAME RIGOROUS, INTENTIONAL WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ORGANIZATION REFLECTS ULTIMATELY WHERE THE BOARD IS, UH, AS AN IDENTITY OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, BUT ALSO THAT IT'S DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROGRAM AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITH THE PROGRAM AND THAT WE, WE CAN BE READY, UM, TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE, UH, ONCE WE GET OUR FINAL DECISION ON INVESTMENT LATER, UH, IN, IN THE SPRING OF THE UPCOMING YEAR.

SO TO THAT, WE ARE, WE'RE APPLYING THE SAME APPROACH, UM, TO THAT THIS INTENTIONAL LOOK SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, JUST WANTED TO FRAME SOME OBJECTIVES AS WE START THIS EFFORT, AND THIS IS REALLY A STARTING POINT.

UM, AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IT FRAMED AS QUESTIONS AS OPPOSED TO ANSWERS.

UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT'S THE MOST OPTIMA OPTIMAL ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL, YOU KNOW, MIA AS AN ECONOMIST, I LIKE THE WORD OPTIMIZATION AND OPTIMIZING, AND I TRY TO AVOID THE WORD SUBOPTIMAL.

AND WE'RE AT THIS POINT WHERE WE, AS A NEW ORGANIZATION, GET TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.

UM, AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT WE CAN HAVE WITH THE BOARD.

WE TALKED ABOUT AN UPCOMING BOARD RETREAT AT A VERY MACRO LEVEL, BUT TO DELIVER ON THE VISION AGAIN, THEY'RE INTERTWINED THE ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL.

WE ALSO WANNA LOOK AT OUR EXISTING STRENGTHS OF WHICH THERE'S THERE'S MANY AND HOW CAN WE UTILIZE THEM TO MOVE THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD, TO ACHIEVE THE PROGRAM, AND THEN WHAT OTHER RESOURCES DO WE NEED AND HOW SHOULD THOSE RESOURCES BEEN BE, UM, UH, BROUGHT IN WHAT TYPE OF RESOURCES ARE THOSE SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER THE LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

SO THERE'S OUR OBJECTIVES OF HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE.

AND WE ARE BECOMING A B THEMED ORGANIZATION, THIS IDEA OF POLLINATORS, WE LIKE POLLINATING, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW IMPORTANT BEES ARE TO OUR ECOSYSTEM.

AND SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE, UH, BUCHANAN B MODEL THAT HE'S CAME UP WITH, BUT THE SAME APPROACH THAT WE'VE DONE ON THE LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WE'RE GONNA APPLY THAT SAME FABRIC TO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT.

UM, AND THAT WILL BE MULTI-FACTORED.

WHAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF IS WE STARTED WITH WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT.

AS I, AS I, IF YOU RECALL, IN JULY, WE TALKED ABOUT OUR 45 DAY ASSESSMENT OF THE WORK OF THE WORKFORCE, LISTENING TO THE WORKFORCE.

AND THE KEY THEME THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS THE IDEA OF CREATING ATP'S IDENTITY, UH, AS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION, MOVING FORWARD IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY, WITH CAPITAL METRO, BUT REALLY WITH OUR BROADER COMMUNITY AS A COMMUNITY CORPORATION.

I THINK WE NEED TO ADD TO THAT THOUGH.

AND I THINK ADDING TO THAT IS THE BOARD ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THAT WE DO HERE EVERY MONTH.

UM, WE DO DURING THE MONTH, AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS A FORMAL ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY ON A BOARD, UH, BOARD RETREAT TO TALK ABOUT THE VISION AND VALUES OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

UM, SO THAT THE BOARD CAN, CAN WORK ON THOSE AS A BOARD, UM, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE STAFF KEY TO THE, AS ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF WHO WE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE APPROACH IS HOW ARE WE GONNA DELIVER LIGHT RAIL? WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MULTIPLE DELIVERY METHODS OUT THERE AND A BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOUR EXPERTISE BRINGS US.

UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ASSESSING THOSE, NOT JUST

[00:15:01]

ON THEIR OWN, BUT HOW THEY CAN FEED OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ON A GO FORWARD PERSPECTIVE.

WE WANNA LOOK AT PEER REVIEW.

WE KNOW, UM, FROM THE REPORTS, FROM THE ENNO REPORT THAT WAS DONE IN, IN THE SUMMER OF 21, AS WELL AS THE REPORT THAT YOU HAD THEM DO, THAT THE IDEA OF A SPECIAL PURPOSE CORPORATION THAT CAN BE ENTIRELY FOCUSED ON THIS IS A, IS REALLY A GREAT EMERGING PRACTICE.

WE KNOW THERE'S OTHER SIMILAR, NOT EXACTLY SIMILAR, UH, ENTITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

WE WANNA LOOK AT THOSE BECAUSE WE GET TO DO THAT.

WE GET TO BE FOCUSED AND DEMONSTRATE, UH, THIS APPROACH TO GET IT RIGHT.

WE GOTTA GO THROUGH THE CLASSIC SWAT ANALYSIS ON STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND OPPORTUNITIES, NOT JUST INTERNALLY, BUT EXTERNALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THAT IS ALIGNED AND THEN AS WELL, ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW.

SO WE ARE, THIS IS JUST THE FRAMEWORK OF THE WORK, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO LAUNCH.

AND THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT WE'LL BE WORKING ON OVER THE UPCOMING MONTHS, RIGHT TO THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR, AND ALIGNING THAT HOPEFULLY WITH AN EARLY, UH, BOARD RETREAT AS WELL.

UM, SO WITH THAT THOUGH, I ALSO WANT TO, I WANT TO ASK, UM, MS. BURAK TO STEP IN AND PUTTING ON HER CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER ROLE TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.

WE THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD PRACTICE TO INTRODUCE FOR YOU FOR THIS BOARD AND FOR THE PUBLIC AS A NEW ENTITY TO GIVE A LOOK AHEAD ON HOW ARE WE BUILDING OUR ORGANIZATION? UM, WHAT DOES IT NEED TO LOOK LIKE? WE DO HAVE EXISTING NEEDS THAT WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD ON.

AND SO I THINK CASE IS GONNA WALK THROUGH, UM, WHAT IS A NEW, UM, A NEW PART OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT.

BUT I LIKE IT TO THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON GIVING THIS BOARD IN THE PUBLIC, A INSIGHT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS WE BUILD THIS ORGANIZATION.

THANK YOU, MR. CANAL.

SO, UM, YEAH, WE'VE AND AS PART OF THE WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT, MAYBE, UM, PRONG OF THE HIVE WE HAVE RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, LOOKED, WE'VE GONE TOGETHER AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM, GONE BACK AND TALKED TO THE EXPERTS THAT WE HAVE ON STAFF ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATE NEEDS, RIGHT? IN TERMS OF WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE PREPARED TO IMPLEMENT THE UPDATED LIGHT RAIL, UM, IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.

SO, AND FROM A THREE MONTH, LOOK AHEAD BASIS, WHAT WE HEARD BACK FROM THAT TEAM ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED AND, UM, AND WHAT, AND, AND WE HAD SOME CONSENSUS AROUND THE LEADERSHIP TABLE IS IN THESE AREAS.

AND YOU'LL SEE, PRIMARILY THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE TWO FTES THAT YOU GUYS WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, WHICH ARE THE CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AND THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION, WHICH ARE NOT ON THIS LIST, BUT WHAT YOU, BUT WHAT WE WANTED TO INTRODUCE TODAY WAS THESE NINE OTHER POSITIONS THAT WE THINK ARE JUST VERY CRITICAL TO HIRE IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, THERE WILL BE UPDATES AS MR. CANAL, UH, MENTIONED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON, ON WHAT, WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND ASSESS THEM REGULARLY AND, AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD.

SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE AREAS IN WHICH WE REALLY NEED IMMEDIATE, UM, HELP.

AND IT IN AND THE, THE BULK OF THEM ARE IN ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS BECAUSE THAT'S JUST REALLY WHERE WE KIND OF WE'RE LAGGING IN OUR HIRING.

AND, UM, AND SO WE PLAN TO BRING ON SOME, YOU KNOW, A LEGAL SERVICES COORDINATOR, SOME IT HELP BUSINESS PROCESS DEVELOPMENT.

THAT'S REALLY KIND OF, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MORE ABOUT THE ER P SYSTEM TODAY, BUT WEAVING TOGETHER THE HR IT, UM, FINANCIAL SYSTEM AND HELPING US GET STOOD UP IN THAT WAY.

UM, INTERNAL TRAINING PROGRAMS, WHICH I KNOW, UM, BOARD MEMBER AT TRAVION MENTIONED LAST TIME, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE JUST KIND OF NEED MORE RESOURCES AROUND.

AND THAT RELATES ALSO TO OUR EQUITY FUNCTION, UM, ACCOUNTING HELP COMMUNICATIONS, HELP AND, AND AUDIT.

SO, UM, THOSE ARE JUST REALLY CRITICAL NEEDS THAT WE PLAN TO HIRE IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS OR AT LEAST POST IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, AN FTE IN THE PROGRAMMATIC FUNCTION THAT IS JUST REALLY CRITICAL TO HELPING US DEVELOP THE UPDATED LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

AND THAT IS IN THE, IN THE PLANNING AREA WHERE WE ARE JUST LACKING SOME EXPERTISE.

SO THAT'S MY UPDATE.

THANKS, CASEY.

SO HOW ARE WE GONNA GET THERE? UM, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL SEE NOW, EACH EACH BOARD MEETING IS THIS THREE MONTH, LOOK AHEAD.

UM, WE THINK THIS IS A PRETTY COOL THING TO DO.

THE BOARD CAN SEE, AND IT'S A DIALOGUE AS WELL AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.

UM, AND EACH MONTH WE MIGHT ADD SOME CLEARLY, I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE HIRING WORLD IS A CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE ASSESS, UH, THE BEST WAY TO BRING ON FOLKS, UM, TO HELP BUILD OUR TEAM, BUT BUILD OUR TEAM IN THE RIGHT WAY.

SO HOW ARE WE GONNA BUILD OUR TEAM IN THE RIGHT WAY? SO, UM, WE LAID OUT THE FRAMEWORK.

WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, UM, AS PART OF OUR ERNSTON YOUNG, UM, ADVISORY SERVICES CONTRACT TO HAVE ANOTHER GREAT EXPERT ON THAT TEAM AND MONICA TIBIT NUTS.

SO MONICA IS BACK THERE.

UM, SHE IS WITH, UH, HER COMPANY MACRO PLAN PART OF THE EY STRATEGY.

AND I CAN JUST SAY WE ARE BLESSED TO HAVE HER WITH US.

UM, HER EXPERIENCE WORKING IN MASSACHUSETTS FROM BOTH A BOARD OVERSIGHT PERSPECTIVE, HELPING TO ADVANCE TRANSIT

[00:20:01]

PROGRAMS, HELPING TO AVOID ISSUES IN TRANSIT PROGRAMS, UM, HER STEWARDSHIP OF THIS EVALUATION OF OUR ORGANIZATION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS.

UM, WE'RE INCREDIBLY LUCKY, UM, TO HAVE HER WORKING WITH KC AND OUR FULL TEAM, UM, O OVER THESE MONTHS.

AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE MORE OVER AS WE START DIVING INTO THE ACTUAL WORK OF THIS ASSESSMENT.

UM, BUT I JUST WANTED HER TO SAY HELLO FROM, FROM BACK THERE.

SO THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

UM, AND I THINK THIS REALLY LEANS AGAIN ON OUR FACT LIKE WE DID IN JULY.

WE WANT TO RELY ON THE EXPERTISE THAT WE HAVE BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY, UM, THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH TO ADVANCE, TO ADVANCE OUR PROGRAM.

SO WITH THAT, UM, BOARD CHAIR, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

UM, THANK YOU, MR. CANAL.

UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A ONE ON ONE WITH MS. DAVID.

SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THIS PROGRAM.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE SAT ON MY SEAT ON YOUR END, AS WELL AS DELIVERING THIS PROGRAM.

SO WELCOME, AND THANK YOU, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR GUIDANCE, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME TO, TO PREPARE US FOR A SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION.

SO WE'RE READILY, WILLING AND HAPPY TO HARVEST YOUR WISDOM.

UM, AND ALSO MISS, UH, BUREAU IRAQ.

I REALLY APPRECIATE ALSO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING THROUGH SOME, SOME CHANGES IN OUR, IN STANDING UP AN ORGANIZATION.

SO WE, DON'T SOME THINGS THAT WE DON'T KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO RELY ON EXPERTISE TO HELP GUIDE US IN THIS PROCESS.

SO HAVING JUST A SUMMARY OF THE POSITIONS THAT PERHAPS ARE GONNA BE WHAT YOU GUYS NEED, THE HELP IS, IS IMPORTANT.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR THE BOARD.

YOU'LL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

MR. BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

OH, THANK YOU, NEIL.

HEAR ME? UM, I HAD A QUESTION.

I WASN'T SURE IF I WAS GONNA ASK IT HERE OR THE LIGHT RAIL DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.

I ASK IT HERE BECAUSE IT COVERS THE ENTIRE PROGRAM, NOT JUST LIGHT RAIL.

AND I WANTED ASK THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE QUESTION AND IT HAS TO DO WITH STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

SO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, I'LL READ YOU A DEFINITION THAT I FOUND AN ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM IN WHICH ALL THE MEMBERS OR PARTICIPANTS ARE SEEN AS HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE SUCCESS.

WE'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE AFFECTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN MY 20 YEARS OF DOING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, I'VE NEVER SEEN STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD APPLAUD OURSELVES WITH THAT.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ALSO MEANS THE BOARD MEMBERS.

IT MEANS OTHER PEOPLE, BUT ONE CRITICAL GROUP.

AND YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS EVER SINCE I GOT ON THE BOARD BROKEN RECORD ELKINS AGAIN, WHERE ARE WE WITH REACHING OUT TO INDUSTRY? IT'S NOT HAPPENED.

I TALK TO INDUSTRY ALL THE TIME IN MY JOB, I'M TALKING CONTRACTORS.

AND THEY'RE SAYING, WHY IS AN ATP REACHING OUT TO US TO HELP SHAPE THIS PROGRAM? WE ARE RUNNING AT A CPI OF 8.5% CONSTRUCTION.

ESCALATION IS RUNNING AT 12.

SO WHAT I'M ASKING OF ATP STAFF IS WOULD YOU AGREE THAT THE CONSTRUCTION SEGMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY IS AN INTERESTED PARTY, SOMEBODY THAT WE SHOULD COMMUNICATING WITH? UM, AND IF SO, WHY HAVEN'T WE REACHED OUT TO THEM? WHEN ARE WE GONNA REACH OUT TO THEM? AND WHEN IS THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY GOING TO GET CONVEYED TO THIS BOARD TO HELP US TO MAKE DECISIONS TO MOVE THIS PROGRAM ALONG? SURE.

IT, BUT NEW WAYS TO DO THINGS AS WELL, UH, AS A CHALLENGE STATEMENT TO INDUSTRY, TO WORK WITH US, UH, TO ADVANCE THIS PROGRAM.

SO BOARD MEMBER MARKET IS A GREAT, IT'S A GREAT COMMENT.

AND I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT, UH, THE INDUSTRY IS PART OF OUR, PART OF OUR PARTNERSHIP.

UM, I THINK YOU WILL SEE WHEN, UH, BRIAN AND JEN GET UP TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE ADVANCING EACH OF THE, UH, THE DATA ANALYSIS AROUND THE, THE HONEYCOMB OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, THAT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WAS PART OF THAT.

AND WE'LL HAVE SOME UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.

AS WE MENTIONED, LAST BOARD MEETING, WE ARE LOOKING AT ADVANCING THE WORK WE DID BACK IN THE SPRING AND COLLABORATION WITH CAP METRO.

WE HAD AN INDUSTRY DAY WHERE WE HAD A FULL ROOM AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, TALKING TO INDUSTRY.

I PERSONALLY, UH, HAD A TOUGH TIME GETTING OUTTA THE ROOM ACTUALLY AT ONE POINT.

UM, AND, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT INFORMALLY.

AND THEN FORMALLY AS WELL, ERNST AND YOUNG IS, IS LEADING AN EFFORT FOR US TO DO SOME ENGAGEMENT ON THAT.

UH, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ENHANCE THOSE COMMUNICATIONS.

AND I THINK AGAIN, BRIAN WILL ADDRESS MORE OF THAT IN OUR UPCOMING WAY.

UM, IT IS, HAS BEEN FROM SINCE JULY 20TH, AN IMPORTANT FOCUS FOR US, UM, INDUSTRY.

WE WANNA RELY ON INDUSTRY, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HELP.

UM, WE WANT TO HELP INDUSTRY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN AUSTIN IS SPECIAL AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN COME WITH NOT ONLY HOW THEY'VE DONE

[00:25:01]

SO IT'S A GREAT COMMENT.

WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND I THINK IT'LL ALWAYS BE FUNDAMENTAL TO, UM, OUR EFFORT IN ADDITION TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, UH, FTA.

UM, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE CRITICAL, CRITICAL ELEMENTS OF, OF ADVANCING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.

NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

SO THERE'S A COUPLE WAYS TO DO IT.

ONE IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, WHICH I DO NOT ADVOCATE THE WAY I'VE SEEN IT WORK BEST IS CONFIDENTIAL.

1 0 1 MEETINGS THAT GO ON FOR 40 MINUTES, 45 MINUTES, YOU TAKE ALL THE INPUT FROM ALL THOSE VARIOUS TEAMS AND YOU PUT IT IN SOME SORT OF A DOCUMENT THAT POINTS A DIRECTION.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THAT PROCESS BEGIN AND I'D LIKE TO SEE A REPORT TO THE BOARD THAT SHOWS US WHERE THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION COMMUNITY THINK THIS PROJECT IS MOVING AND HOW BEST THEY THINK IT COULD BE EXECUTED.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD DATA.

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT.

AGAIN, I THINK YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT AND I'LL TIE IT BACK.

IF I CAN, TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT, WE KNOW THE DELIVERY MODEL THAT INDUSTRY WILL HELP US, UH, GIVE SOME THOUGHTS ON, IS GONNA BE MY VERY MUCH INTERTWINED FOR WHO WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION.

SO WHAT I ALWAYS SEE IS WHERE WE CAN FIND THIS CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN DIFFERENT EFFORTS, AS OPPOSED TO STANDALONE.

WE BOTH ORGANIZE LIKE THAT ON A WEEKLY BASIS AS WE ORGANIZE OUR TEAMS. AND SO EVERYONE'S INFUSED WITH THAT SAME THING.

SO IT'S A GREAT POINT.

AND, AND WE'LL DO THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU THAT FEEDBACK.

OKAY, GOOD.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

AT SOME POINT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HAVE A DATE AS TO WHEN THAT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.

SO WE DON'T NEED TO DECIDE NOW, BUT THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS FROM MAYOR MS. WATKINS? THANK YOU, SIR.

BEFORE WE JUMPED OFF, AND I'M GLAD YOU POINTED OUT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT, CAN STAFF REMIND ME THIS ONE LIVES ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE, THIS REPORT? IT DOES.

UM, BECAUSE ONE THING I LIKE TO CELEBRATE AND POINT OUT TO IS THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

I THINK I WAS SKIPPING AHEAD LAST, THE LAST BOARD MEETING WHEN I WAS LIKE JUMPING AHEAD TO WANTING TO CELEBRATE THIS PIECE, BUT I LIKE TO APPLAUD THE, THE, THE ATP TEAM AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN WHEN THEY RALLIED AROUND TO PASS THIS REFERENDUM, BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN JUST AWARDED THE AIP TO CONFERENCE AWARD AND THE EXACT NAME IS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.

I KNOW YOU ALL DEVELOPED A THREE MINUTE VIDEO THAT LIVES ON OUR WEBSITE THAT I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL JUMP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT VIDEO WHERE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW KEEL PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SHEPHERD THIS PROGRAM FORWARD TO WIN.

SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO REALLY CONGRATULATE YOU ALL.

UM, THANK YOU, SIR.

I MEAN, LONNIE, I SEE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE, SO CONGRATULATIONS, CUZ, AND ALSO IF I HOPE JACKIE BERG IS TUNING IN .

SO, BECAUSE I KNOW SHE HAD MILLIONS OF MEETINGS IN REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO, AND I WOULD SAY BURKIN IN THOSE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS, I'M SURE THERE WERE A LOT OF CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS AND TRADE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED.

SO NOT JUST AS AN ISOLATED GROUP, BUT I THINK THERE HAS BEEN A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, UH, RALLY AROUND IT FROM THE COMMUNITY.

SO IT'S RECOGNIZED AND IT CELEBRATED SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT AWARD.

AND SO, UM, SO WE'RE JOINED TODAY BY MR. BRIAN BUCHANAN, VICE PRESIDENT OF AT HDR AND JENNIFER PINE, CHIEF OF PLANNING AND RISK MANAGEMENT AT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND THE, AND THE LINK TO THE VIDEO IS ALSO ON THAT, ON OUR WEBSITE.

UM, AND BEFORE WE GO TO ACTION ITEMS, IF I MAY RECOMMEND, UM, THAT WE SWAP AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION ITEMS, WOULD THAT BE A GOOD TRANSITION? YES, THAT'S A GREAT, OKAY.

[5.a. Status of Work on Updated Light Rail Implementation Plan]

SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

TO FOCUS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF THESE HONEYCOMBS.

I THINK I'LL START IT OUT.

WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES ONGOING AS WE'RE CONTINUING OUR WORK, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, UH, WE DO HAVE TECHNICAL TEAMS THAT ARE PROGRESSING, UH, THE WORK TO CONSIDER, UH, FEASIBLE DESIGN OPTIONS THAT WILL HELP US MEET OUR OBJECTIVES FOR THE PROGRAM.

THERE'S ALSO CONTINUING COMMUNITY, UH, STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING TO COMMITTEES, UM, THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO ADVISE, UH, AND STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED REALLY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS TO DATE.

UH, WE'VE ALSO, UH, DONE SOME NOTIFICATIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE A DEFINED ROLE WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATORY PROCESS, UM, REGARDING THE NEPA PROCESS.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WITH IT'S REALLY TO ADVISE THEM OF THE CONTINUING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE NEED OUR NEPA TO CLEAR THE PROJECTS THAT WE INTEND TO PURSUE.

UM, AND WE'RE STILL DEFINING, UH, DEFINING THAT.

SO ON THE, THE NEXT SLIDE I WANTED

[00:30:01]

UH, BUT FIRST WITH THE PLANNING, UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON THAT ARE REALLY WITHIN THIS AREA, UM, AND DRIVEN ALL BY THE PRIMARY QUESTION OF WHAT, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW TO REALLY MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE, YOU KNOW, UH, LATER IN THE WORK PLAN PROCESS, UH, WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT, UH, EXCUSE ME, EVALUATION CRITERIA OR METRICS WILL HELP US TO GET THERE AND WHAT DATA IS AVAILABLE, UM, TO SUPPORT THOSE METRICS.

UH, SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, SOME OF OUR WORK TEAMS ARE THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE, THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, UH, HOW WE'RE GONNA MEASURE THAT, WHETHER IT'S IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAVEL TIME, CONNECTIVITY AMONG VARIOUS MODES, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL ITEMS THAT WE CAN BE PREPARED TO EVALUATE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WITH REGARD REGARDING THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

UM, WE'RE ALSO PREPARING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT NEW INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THE RAPID RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS HERE IN AUSTIN, WHETHER IT'S LAND USE OR DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE, UM, YOU KNOW, OFTEN WE'RE USING CENSUS DATA OR THE LIKE, AND THAT COMES OUT ONLY PERIODICALLY.

SO WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT REFLECT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE GROUND.

UH, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IS, UH, THE POST ACTUALLY, I GUESS I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF WE'RE TOTALLY POST COVID, BUT YOU, YOU, THE COVID INDUCED, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN WORK TRIP PATTERNS, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT? UH, HOW ARE WE RESPONDING? UM, SO WE'RE ENGAGED IN DATA COLLECTION EFFORTS, UH, ON TOPICS LIKE THAT, UH, DID WANNA ESPECIALLY NOTE COORDINATION WITH THE ET TODD, UM, GROUP, UM, THAT IS, THAT'S AN EFFORT BEING LED BY CAP METRO.

THAT'S DOING SOME REALLY INTERESTING WORK ON EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND HAS DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, TO BE CONSIDERED, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF OUR PROCESS.

UM, AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THIS WORK WILL BE INTEGRATED WITH OUR COMMUNITY DIALOGUE.

UM, THERE'S IMPORTANT PLACES FOR MEANINGFUL INPUT HERE ON, UM, HOW ARE WE EVALUATING, UH, THE SCENARIOS WHEN WE GET THERE, UM, WHAT DATA'S AVAILABLE FOR THAT, UM, AND PERHAPS RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT WE MIGHT BE CONSIDERING.

SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, JUST AS A, A BOTTOM LINE MESSAGE.

I MEAN, OVERALL, WE ARE PURSUING A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED SOLUTION HERE.

AND SO, UH, THIS TEAM IS REALLY THINKING A LOT ABOUT, UH, WHAT ARE THE ACTIVITIES, HOW ARE WE GOING TO APPROACH THIS OVER THE NEXT EIGHT, NINE MONTHS OR SHOW, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WE'RE OBTAINING MEANINGFUL AND TIMELY DATA AND INFORMATION TO SUPPORT THE DESIGN WORK, UH, TO SUPPORT THE EVALUATION OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE DESIGN WORK, UM, AND BE READY TO REALLY ENGAGE, UH, WITH THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SCENARIOS AND, AND PROJECT OPTIONS, UM, TO DISCUSS FURTHER.

UM, AND OF COURSE WE'RE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMITTEES, YOU KNOW, ALL THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES THAT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS.

I THINK I HAVE ONE MORE SLIDE, UH, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.

WELL, AND THIS IS REALLY, UH, IN PARTICULAR, AN UPDATE ON THE FTA.

UM, AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FTA REGULARLY AND, AND LOOKING TO HAVE SUBSTANTIAL, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN OUR LIGHT RAIL PROJECTS.

UH, SO JUST LAST WEEK, UM, A MEETING WAS CONDUCTED HERE, UM, IN THIS ROOM, UH, WITH FTA AND ITS PMO C UH, A COUPLE OF DAYS OF PRETTY INTENSE BRIEFINGS AND GOING OUT IN THE FIELD, TAKING A LOOK AT THE VARIOUS CORRIDORS, UH, THE LIGHT RAIL CORRIDORS, BUT ALSO THE EXPO CENTER IN PLEASANT VALLEY, METRO RAPID CORRIDORS, UH, WHICH, UH, THEY'RE, UH, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO SMALL STARTS GRANTS.

THEY'RE EXPECTING THOSE IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

UH, JUST AS A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND, UH, THE PMO C UH, THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT FTA OPERATES TO, UH, SUPPORT AND, AND MONITOR, UH, THE MANAGEMENT OF FTA, YOU KNOW, OR PROJECTS WITH FTA PARTICIPATION, FUNDING PARTICIPATION IN THEM.

SO WE EXPECT TO BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PMO C FOR THE DURATION, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.

UH, SO LAST WEEK, A FEW OF OUR MAIN TOPICS, WE WE'RE REALLY JUST GETTING ORIENTED, GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, UH, TALKING ABOUT SOME SORT OF MAJOR THEMES THAT YOU SEE ON TRANSIT CAPITAL PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

UM, WHETHER IT'S WORKFORCE, UM, RISING COSTS, THESE ARE KIND OF COMMON EXPERIENCES ON OTHER CAPITAL PROGRAMS. UH, WE ALSO GAVE A PRETTY GOOD UPDATE ON METRO RAPID, AND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AS THERE'S CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES GOING ON ON A COUPLE OF THOSE ROUTES.

SO WE EXPECT TO BE HAVING QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH FTA, UH, GOING FORWARD, BUT, UH, THOSE WILL BE BIGGER PROGRAM REVIEWS, BUT WE CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH FTA ON A MONTHLY BASIS ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOPICS, AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTINUING TO SHARE INFORMATION SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, TURN, THANK YOU, JEN.

[00:35:01]

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

SO AS WE MOVE INTO OUR, OUR TECHNICAL REVIEW AREA HERE, JUST, UM, SOME REMINDERS OF THE, THE DIFFERENT LEVERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PULL AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, UM, WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT SCOPING AND DESIGN.

THAT'S A LOT OF THE WORK EFFORT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON TO DATE.

UM, WE'LL OBVIOUSLY HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT PHASING AND SEGMENTING, BUT ALSO SOURCES OF FUNDING RISK AND DELIVERY STRATEGY, CONTRACTING PLAN ITEMS LIKE THAT.

SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THE TECHNICAL TEAM HAS STARTED TO BEGIN TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WITH ALL THE PARTNERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO WE ARE FORMULATING OUR WORK AROUND THREE MAJOR LARGE, UM, AREAS OF WORK.

SO THAT IS, UM, AT GRADE.

UM, SO THOSE ARE AREAS WHERE, WHERE CAN WE BUILD THE SYSTEM AT GRADE? WHERE CAN WE OPTIMIZE THE SYSTEM AT GRADE? UM, WHERE ARE THERE CURRENTLY AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SIMPLIFY THE UNDERGROUND TUNNEL PORTION OF THE PROGRAM, UM, TO REDUCE COSTS AND ITEMS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN ALSO LOOKING AT ELEVATED.

SO HOW IT FITS INTO THE CROSS SECTION OF THE STREET, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE ON RIDEAWAY COSTS IF WE, UH, ELEVATE THE STRUCTURES, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO THOSE WERE HIGH LEVEL GROUPINGS, UM, THAT THE TECHNICAL TEAM, UM, IS LOOKING AT.

THERE ALSO ARE OTHER MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM THAT DRIVE COSTS.

THOSE INCLUDE THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE, THE LOCATION OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY.

ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS FOR A MAINTENANCE FACILITY? WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY THAT'S NEEDED? HOW MANY MAINTENANCE FACILITIES MIGHT WE MIGHT WE HAVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD? UM, SO THOSE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE, UM, AND IN VEHICLE AND SYSTEMS, UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE REACHED OUT, UM, TO THE, UM, CONTRACTING WORLD A LITTLE BIT TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT SOME OF OUR TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IN, IN THE, IN THE AUSTIN AREA, INCLUDING THE GRADE AT WHICH THE OUT VEHICLE CAN, CAN OPERATE AT.

UM, WE DO HAVE SOME GRADE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING TO THE CONTRACTORS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN FIT, WHICH WILL THEN HOPEFULLY DRIVE SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT AC GRADE UNDERGROUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME OUTREACH DONE, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND, UM, COMPONENTS FOR EACH OF THE GROUPINGS, OBVIOUSLY, AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS OVER NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'LL COMBINE THOSE INTO THE SCENARIOS MOVING FORWARD.

SO, UM, WE HAD MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME ABOUT WE WERE GONNA GET TOGETHER AS A, A LARGE TECHNICAL GROUP.

UM, MULTI-DISCIPLINE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL GROUP THAT DID OCCUR, UM, THE WEEK OF AUGUST 22ND.

UM, WE HAD THIS WHOLE ROOM FILLED, UM, FOR, FOR THE WEEK, UM, DISCUSSING WAYS TO OPTIMIZE THE PROGRAM.

UM, I THINK EVERYBODY CAME TO THE MEETINGS, UM, WITH A, UH, INTENTION TO SAY YES, TO TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AS WE MOVE THIS FORWARD.

SO I JUST WANT TO, UM, REITERATE BACK TO YOUR ORGANIZATIONS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THOSE MEETINGS.

AND I WOULD SAY JOB WELL DONE.

UM, WE DID HOLD SOME ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.

UM, YOU HEARD, UM, MR. MULLEN TALK ABOUT THE EAC.

UM, WE HAVE CONTINU TO ENGAGE THEM ON SOME OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION SIMILAR TO THAT TOMORROW NIGHT WITH THE SUBSET OF THE CAC.

UM, IN A, LIKE I MENTIONED, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE AND BRAINSTORMING AND WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS.

SO AS WE MOVED INTO THOSE MEETINGS, UM, THE WEEK OF AUGUST 22ND, WE, WE LAID OUT JUST SOME HIGH LEVEL STAFF GOALS, YOU KNOW, UM, WE WANNA PROVIDE A SYSTEM THAT'S SAFE, UM, EFFECTIVELY AND EQUITABLY MOVES PEOPLE AND IT'S COMPETITIVE FOR FEDERAL FUNDING.

SO THESE WERE KIND OF THE, THE HIGH, HIGH LEVEL ITEMS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.

WE OBVIOUSLY GAVE EVERYBODY AN, UM, AN OPEN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS COST SAVINGS AND PROJECT OPTIMIZATION, AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, AND THEY WILL HELP INFORM THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROCESS WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE TIMING OF HOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE THROUGH THE, THIS WORK PLAN.

SO THE TECHNICAL AND PLANNING REVIEW, THIS IS THE WORK THAT'S ONGOING RIGHT NOW.

THESE ARE THE ENGINEERS, THE PLANNERS, THE ARCHITECTS WORKING THROUGH THE AT GRADE SIMPLIFIED THING.

UM, WE WILL BE WORKING THROUGH THE REST OF THIS YEAR, A AROUND THOSE ELEMENTS OF WORK AND, AND WORKING THROUGH A SERIES OF DISCUSSION TOPICS, UM, WITH ALL THE PARTNERS, ALONG WITH THE POLICY BOARDS, UM, AND THEN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY CRITERIA.

THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK ON, ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.

AND HOW DO THEY SEE THIS, THIS PROGRAM MOVING FORWARD? UM, AND THEN WE WILL DEVELOP, UM, BASED ON THAT, UH, FUNDING PLAN AND IN THE SCENARIOS, UM, IN THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR AND BRING THOSE BACK BEFORE THE BOARD BACK THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, TO PUT THE UPDATED LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN THE FIRST IMPLEMENTABLE PROJECT IN

[00:40:01]

THE SPRING OF 2023.

SO THAT IS OUR TIMELINE.

THAT IS THE WORK THAT'S ONGOING THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT HONEYCOMBS AND HOW WE'RE CROSS POLLINATING EVERYTHING AND, AND TRYING TO, UH, GET TO THE SPRING OF 2023.

SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY, UM, ONCE AGAIN, UM, WE ARE WORKING IN THE FEDERAL PROCESS.

WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE CI PROGRAM.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO TAKE THE TIME TO, TO DEVELOP OUR PROGRAM.

WE HEARD THAT FROM THE FDA AND THE P O C, UM, THEY WERE DOWN HERE LAST WEEK.

UM, THEY FELT VERY GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING, HOW WE WERE APPROACHING IT AND, UH, WANTING TO HELP US MOVE FORWARD.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO ALSO CONTINUING TO ENGAGE THEM AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

LAST SLIDE.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, KEEPING 'EM WITH THE LOOK AHEAD, UM, THEME HERE.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY I'VE MENTIONED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE TECHNICAL, UM, ITEMS I MENTIONED.

UM, WE ARE GOING TO START TO GENERATE ACTUAL SCHEMATIC DESIGNS THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SCHEDULE THOSE MARKET SOUNDING DISCUSSIONS THAT THE BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, UM, SPOKE ABOUT.

UM, I, I, I HEAR YOU, AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS AN IMPORTANT, UM, METRIC THAT WE NEED TO GET A, GET A HOLD OF AND SEE HOW, UM, THEY FEEL ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND ANY INNOVATION OR ANY, UM, IDEAS THEY MAY HAVE.

UM, WE WILL ALSO START IN ON A CONTRACTING PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH.

SO WE'LL START TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DELIVERY METHOD AND, AND MOVING THAT FORWARD.

AND THEN, UH, WE'LL START BRIEFINGS ON, UM, PLAN ELEMENTS, INCLUDING SOURCES AND USES OF FUNDS.

SO JUST GETTING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO, TO BUILD ONE OF THESE, UM, PROGRAMS, AS FAR AS THE FINANCING GOES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND OBVIOUSLY TRICKLED THROUGH ALL THIS IS CONTINUED COMMUNITY UPDATE IN THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.

SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR JEN WOULD ALSO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. BUCHANAN, AND MS. FINE.

UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT UP FOR THE BOARD.

ANYBODY HAS QUESTIONS? DO YOU WANNA GO FIRST MAYOR? SURE.

I APPRECIATE THIS WORK.

I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE AREA PROBABLY THAT MOST OF THE COMMUNITY IS MOST FOCUSED ON BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE SO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS LEAD LEAD TO.

UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE FOLLOWING BACK UP WITH THE BOARD, UH, ANXIOUS TO START SEEING SUBSTANCE ON THOSE SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST REPORTS ON, ON PROCESS, BUT ON THE KIND OF THOUGHTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE ELEVATING IN THE LIKE, AND JUST TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICITY TO IT ON THE LISTS THAT YOU HAD UP ON THE PAGES.

AND I THINK IT WAS PAGE 37, YOU TALKED ABOUT PLANNING AND IT WAS THE DISCUSSION OF THE ADDITIONAL, UH, DATA AND OTHER INFORMATION THAT WAS NEEDED TO GROUPING IT BY AREAS.

AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR HERE IS GIVEN THE CHANGES IN CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, WHAT IS, HOW DO WE BEST DELIVER, UH, UH, MASS TRANSIT, PUBLIC TRANSIT TO THE COMMUNITY? YOU HAD SOME THAT TALKED ABOUT, UH, UH, CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS AND LAND USES AS FACTORS THAT HAD CHANGED THE POST COVID CHANGES IN TRIP PATTERN.

YOU DON'T SAY HERE IN PROBABLY MEANT IT TO BE INCLUDED IN OTHER PLACES.

I WOULD THINK TO BE THE CHANGES IN COST, THE, THE COST OF LAND, THE COST OF LABOR, THE COST OF, OF, OF REAL ESTATE, THE CHANGES IN SUPPLY CHAIN WORK, WHICH, UM, I DIDN'T SEE ON THE PAGE, UH, IF SOMEONE WAS NOT LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION AND JUST TRYING TO FOLLOW ALONG WHAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE ADDITIONAL DATA AND CHANGE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

MAYOR, UM, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING COSTS, THAT'S MAJOR PART OF THIS EXERCISE.

SO ANY OPPORTUNITY TO COLLECT THE GREATEST AND GREATEST DATA ON REAL ESTATE COSTS OR ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM COMMODITIES, WHAT HAPPENED WITH INTEREST RATES TODAY, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS.

UM, MOVING FORWARD ALL WILL BE FED IN AS WE DEVELOP THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD.

ARE AT MAYBE SOME DEFERRED STATIONS OR, OR ITEMS LIKE THAT.

AGAIN, YOU'RE IDENTIFYING THOSE FACTORS, UH, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE, THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON, ON COSTS AND ON, UH, FLEXIBILITY WITH THE PROGRAM AND THE LIKE, AND YOU LISTED, UH, YEAH, GREAT ISSUE.

THE SIMPLIFIED UNDERGROUND ISSUE, THE ELEVATED ISSUE.

I IMAGINE ALSO IN THERE'S THE NUMBER OF RIVER CROSSINGS, UH, THAT WE HAVE GOING SOUTH, AS FAR AS ANOTHER REALLY BIG KIND OF DESIGN ELEMENT THAT'S BEING TAKEN, TAKEN A LOOK AT ANY OTHER REALLY BIG DESIGN ELEMENT, BEING TAKEN A LOOK AT THAT OTHER THAN, THAN NUMBER OF CROSSINGS OF THE RIVER, THAT WOULD PLAY ON A LIST AT THIS LEVEL.

SO I THINK YOU'D NAILED THE ONE THAT'S NOT ON AIR, WHICH IS HOW MANY TIMES WE CROSS THE RIVER, UM, WHERE IT FITS INTO THE, UH, PROGRAM, UM, HOW MANY ENTRANCES, IF WE DO HAVE UNDERGROUND AND WHERE THOSE STATIONS

[00:45:01]

UM, BUT WHAT YOU SEE UP HERE ALONG WITH THE RIVER CROSSINGS ARE PROBABLY WHAT I WOULD CALL THE NEEDLE BOOMERS ON THE PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON AND THE STATIONS WITH THE STATION YOU'RE RIGHT.

STATIONS, WHERE THEY LOOK LIKE.

YEP.

AND THEN HOW MANY ARE THERE? EXACTLY.

THAT KIND OF THING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT TOO, JUST SO THAT WHEN YOU ACTUALLY START BRINGING US SCENARIOS, PEOPLE AREN'T SURPRISED THAT THAT THE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS WE'RE HAVING THEN JUST WANNA FORES OUT SOME OF THE OTHER BIG ELEMENTS.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I ADD, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE SCHEDULE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, AND BRINGING THINGS BACK WITH RESPECT TO SCENARIOS, WHEN YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THIS AND LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OKAY, WELL, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT, THAT THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOARD AND OUR PARTNERS SHOULD BE, UH, CONSIDERING, UH, SCENARIOS WILL START TO SURFACE AT SOME POINT, UH, IN THIS WORK.

UH, AND YOU'LL TAKE THOSE SCENARIOS TO THE COMMUNITY.

I ASSUME THAT THIS BOARD WILL SEE THOSE SCENARIOS BEFORE THEY START GETTING, OR AS THEY'RE BEING SHOPPED TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS THAT MAY BE COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT.

MAYOR.

I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY OF THROWING SOME PLANS UP ON THE, ON THE SCREEN TO SHOW YOU GUYS WE'RE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS THE INTENT.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT WAS MORE MY QUESTION.

WE'RE ALL ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT.

BUT JUST A TIMING ISSUE.

SO IT'LL, IT'LL BE POLICY THEN OUT TO THE PUBLIC.

BRING IT BACK HERE BEFORE WE BRING IT.

THAT'S OTHER PLACE IS A GOOD LAUNCH PLACE.

THAT'S THAT'S GREAT.

THOSE ARE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD.

THANK YOU, MAYOR MEMBER ELKINS.

UH, THANK YOU, BRIAN.

IF WE COULD GO TO PAGE 40, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

SO I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE LAST LEVER RISK AND DELIVERY STRATEGY.

SO AS YOU KNOW, BRIAN, THERE IS A BIG MOVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TOWARDS COLLABORATIVE CONTRACTING, PROGRESSIVE CONTRACTING, THE DAYS OF 30% HARD BIDS.

I DON'T WANNA SAY OVER, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MOVING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION BECAUSE A LOT OF CONTRACTORS HAVE GOTTEN BURNED ON THAT.

SO CALL IT WHAT YOU, WHAT PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD CMGC PRE-DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.

THAT'S WHERE THE MOVING.

YEP.

THE FIRM THAT I WORK FOR IS WORKING ON A 10 BILLION LIGHT RAIL PROJECT WITH LA METRO SEPULVEDA.

I AM LOOKING AT A 30 BILLION PROJECT IN CANADA, HIGH FREQUENCY RAIL.

THAT'S GONNA BE DELIVERED UNDER A COLLABORATIVE CONTRACTING, 30 BILLION.

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHERE ARE WE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT COLLABORATIVE CONTRACTING FOR, FOR THE REST OF THE FOLKS THAT'S BRINGING IN A CONTRACTOR TO CONSULT, FLIP TO A DELIVERY MODEL.

IN THEORY, YOU COULD DO THAT ON THE BLUE LINE, YOU COULD DO A, UH, QUALIFICATIONS, RFQ, RFP, AND HAVE A CONTRACTOR ON BOARD IN SEVEN TO NINE MONTHS.

HAVE WE GIVEN THAT MODEL, WHICH IS WHAT OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES IN NORTH AMERICA ARE DOING? SANTA CLA SARANA, CLARA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW, THEY DID A PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILT CONTRACT FOR THEIR 235 MILLION LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.

WHY AREN'T WE LOOKING AT THAT MODEL? WE ARE LOOKING AT THOSE MODELS, EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED THERE IS IN THAT CONTRACTING AND, AND DELIVERY CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING, WE JUST HAVEN'T COMPLETELY REACHED OUT YET.

SO NOTHING IS YOU TALKED TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, WE, WE JUST START TRYING TO WORK THROUGH EXACTLY WHAT DO WE WANT THE BEST THING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE, AND THEN HELP WITH THE CONTRACTORS AND BRING THE CONTRACTORS IN TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOON.

UNDERSTOOD.

IF I COULD JUST ADD IN ON THAT BRIAN'S RIGHT.

WE'RE ENGAGING THAT, BUT ALSO RECALL THAT ONE OF OUR CONSULTANT TEAMS, ERNST AND YOUNG IS LEADING THIS EFFORT FOR US AS PART OF THEIR STRATEGIC INITIATIVE.

SO THEY ARE DOING ALL THAT RESEARCH.

IS THERE ENTIRELY EMBEDDED WITH THE EY TEAM GEN TEAM AND OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM ON THOSE THINGS.

AND, AND IT'S PART OF OUR LEVER.

AND AS WE COME FORWARD ON WHAT WE KNOW IS IMPACTED IN THE, THE, THE CRITERIA, THE DECISION TREE EMBEDDED IN ALL OF THAT IS OBVIOUSLY FINANCIAL AND RISK INCLUDING DELIVERY.

SO YOU'LL SEE THAT WHEN WE COME OUT WITH SCENARIOS, IT WILL BE BASED NOT ON THAT, BUT THE ALL UNDERLYING ARCHITECTURE THAT IS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.

SO THEY'RE ALL ONGOING EFFORTS.

NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT I'VE GIVEN YOU THREE EXAMPLES OF MAJOR TRANSIT PROJECTS IN NORTH AMERICA THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE DELIVERY MODEL, THAT THE INDUSTRY IS MOVING TOWARDS.

YOU KNOW, WE IN THIS CITY SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE RIGHT DELIVERY MODEL, BUT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IT.

THE SLIDE THAT WAS IN THIS, THIS IS THE MEETING THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH AND 14TH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO.

UM, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, I HAVE A COUP A QUESTION FOR YOU, MS. SPINE ON SLIDE NUMBER 39 WITH THE, UH, WHEN YOU GUYS HELD THE MEETING WITH THE, UM, THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT CONSULTANT, PMO C UM, I NOTICED THAT I IS THAT THE ROOM YOU GUYS MET IN THIS ROOM AND THAT OTHER PHOTO THAT WAS IN

[00:50:01]

THE OTHER SLIDE WAS THE INTERAGENCY GROUP.

WE, WE DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF THE, THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE.

WELL, MY, MY QUESTION IS, DO WE HAVE, WHAT WERE THEIR THOUGHT? WHAT, WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT MEETING FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE FROM THE FDA P M O C? WELL, YOU KNOW, A BIG PART OF THAT MEETING WAS REALLY TO GET FOLKS ORIENTED.

UH, THE, THE INDIVIDUALS FROM FTA ARE FROM REGION SIX AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT NEW TO AUSTIN OR FTA, BUT THEY ARE.

AND WE NEWLY ASSIGNED TO THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.

UH, AND THE PMO C IS, IS NEW TO THE PROGRAM AS WELL.

SO A LOT OF THE OBJECTIVE WAS REALLY TO GET, UM, GET, GET THEM ORIENTED TO OUR ORIGIN STORY.

WHAT'S PART OF THE PROGRAM, UH, AND WHERE WE ARE.

UH, THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF TIME SPENT ON THE LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM, WORK PLAN ACTIVITIES, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHY WE'RE DOING IT.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE DISCUSSION THERE WAS POSITIVE, UM, THEY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE A SITUATION THAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE RELATED TO THE COSTS.

WE NEED TO HAVE AN IMPLEMENTABLE INITIAL INVESTMENT.

AND IT NOW IS THE TIME TO BE DOING THAT WORK.

UH, WE'RE IN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE, WE'RE DEVELOPING THE PROJECT.

UM, SO THAT WAS ALL POSITIVE AND REALLY QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND.

UH, WE TOOK THEM AROUND TO, UH, SOME OF THE MORE COMPLICATED AREAS ALONG THE LIGHT RAIL CORRIDORS, JUST TO GET THEM ORIENTED TO WHAT IT'S LIKE, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS MUCH APPRECIATED TO BE ABLE TO PUT A VISUAL ON IT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY THE BEGINNING OF, OF MANY MEETINGS.

UM, SO WE'RE GETTING OUR RHYTHM FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER AND, AND DEFINING WHAT OUR OBJECTIVES ARE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, AT THIS PHASE OF THE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.

AND DO WE HAVE, THANK YOU.

AND DO WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PART OF THAT PMO C WELL, UM, THERE'S A CORE TEAM OF YOU TWO, BUT THEY HAVE A TEAM THAT'S SUPPORTING THEM.

UM, WITH VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, MORE SPECIFIC AREAS OF EXPERTISE, UM, RELATED TO SAY RISK WORKSHOPS THAT WE WILL EVENTUALLY BE CONDUCTING, UH, IN OTHER AREAS.

SO THEY'VE EXPERTISE TO DRAW UPON.

AND CAN YOU REMIND ME THIS, THIS BMO C WAS ASSIGNED TO US BY FDA.

IT WAS A FEW MONTHS AGO.

CAN YOU REMIND ME? IT WAS, YES, IT WAS IN APRIL, IN APRIL.

THAT WAS WHEN, UM, THEY WERE ORIGINALLY OKAY.

SELECTED.

UM, AND, UH, IT TOOK A FEW MONTHS FOR TASK ORDERS TO BE PUT IN PLACE.

WE HAVE MET WITH THEM ONCE OR TWICE, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST IN PERSON MEETING AND, YOU KNOW, IN TWO DAYS OR IN DEPTH, DEEP DIVE.

GOOD.

AND I HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH, WITH ME, UH, MR. BUCHANAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE JUST LEARNED, WE, WE PARTICIPATED WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON AN INTERCITY TRIP TO SALT LAKE CITY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS, THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME WITH THE SCENARIO PLANNING, ALIGNING IT WITH THE VALUES OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT SCENARIO PLANNING.

I LIKE SEEING IT REFLECTED HERE IN YOUR SLIDES, BECAUSE ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WITH WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THE PUBLIC WITH SCENARIOS BASED ON THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES, THEN YOU CAN START TO ALIGN AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY TO BRING THEM ALONG, BUT TO HAVE INTELLIGENT CONVERSATIONS BASED ON SPECIFIC SCENARIOS.

SO WERE YOU INSPIRED BY THAT, ON THIS, ON ? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE IT HERE.

SO I, UM, I'LL REMIND THE BOARD THAT UTAH IS KNOWN AS THE BEEHIVE STATE.

SO, UM, WE DID A, BUT YEAH, I, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE THE SUMMER OR THE WINTER OLYMPICS IN UTAH THAT GREATLY ALLOWED THEM TO, UM, BUILD A LOT OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND GET A LOT OF THINGS.

BUT THROUGH THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY SEE THAT THERE WAS A VERY COLLABORATIVE, UM, VERY THOUGHTFUL, VERY VISION, UM, GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HELPED PULL THAT ALL TOGETHER.

BASICALLY ALL THE UTAH, UTAH PEOPLE THERE.

UM, I, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW, I SAW A LOT OF IT IN WHAT WE, WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE.

SO IT MADE US, I THINK, FEEL GOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK TO HAVE A MAJOR IMPLEMENTABLE, LARGE PROGRAM OF, OF PROJECTS HERE.

AND, UH, EVERYBODY, UM, IF EVERYBODY ROSE TOGETHER, WE'LL GET THERE TOGETHER.

SO I THINK, UM, IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, EVEN THOUGH TRANSPORTATION.

WASN'T A MAJOR PART OF THE, PART OF THE PROCESS.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, UM, BEYONCE WOULD ACCEPT THAT UTAH'S THE FIRST OF ALL, BUT I THINK, UM, THANK YOU.

WE GO TO A CONFERENCE, IF WE PARTICIPATE IN, IN A MEETING, MAYBE WE SHOULD LAY OUT WHAT WE EXPECT TO OR WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HEAR, UH, WHEN OUR STAFF COMES BACK FROM THOSE MM-HMM , AND MAYBE WE COULD DEVELOP WORK PAPER STANDARDS AS WELL.

BUT I THINK THAT, UH, FROM THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE HEARD, UM, MAYBE WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS BRIEFING STANDARDS.

WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE.

IF, IF

[00:55:01]

IT, IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE SPECIFIC PLACES THAT WE WANT, UH, THAT WE WANT INVESTIGATION MM-HMM .

SO, UH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY FORMALIZE A PROCESS TO SAY, I'M INTERESTED IN YOU CHECKING A, B AND C AND THESE, UH, AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT I WANT YOU TO BRING BACK AND PRESENT IN THIS FORMAT, BECAUSE U UNLESS THE APPROACH THAT WE TAKE WITH OUR STAFF IS THAT, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE REAL CLEAR ON WHAT IT IS WE WANT 'EM TO, UH, TO STUDY FOR US TO, TO DEVELOP, UH, PROOF OF CONCEPT, TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE'RE AFTER.

SO THAT, SO THAT, SO THAT WE KNOW FROM THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE ALWAYS SAY, EVEN WHEN WE HIRE PEOPLE, I, I WANT TO KNOW, UH, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M BUYING.

UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT, UH, UH, DOES MY, UH, JOB DESCRIPTION LOOK RIGHT? DO I, AM I, UH, GOING TO PLACES WHERE I'M GONNA GET THE DIVERSITY THAT I NEED? UM, IF, IF WE ARE NEW IN THE PROCESS.

AND I THINK IF, IF WE, UM, IF, IF WE EXPECT CERTAIN TYPES OF INFORMATION, WE OUGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REAL CLEAR ABOUT THAT FROM THE BEGINNING, SO THAT WE GET BACK WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I MEAN, I THINK BECAUSE STAFF GOES TO, I MEAN, WE ALL KIND OF DISTRIBUTE TO GO TO DIFFERENT CONFERENCES AND, AND TO LEARN BEST PRACTICES, BUT HOW DO WE BRING BACK THAT INFORMATION AND HOW IT'S REFLECTED IN OUR WORK OR FOLLOW UP THROUGH? SO IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, UH, COMMISSIONER TRILLIAN IS THAT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SPECIFIC, I MEAN, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF KIND OF JUST THIS DONE WELL FOR A PROCESS OF WHAT WE EXPECT PEOPLE TO LOOK FOR WHEN THEY GO TRAVEL.

AND THAT'S A COUPLE, THAT'S A COUPLE OF THINGS.

IF I'M INTERESTED IN PARTICULAR, UH, PROJECTS, OKAY.

I'M INTERESTED IF I KNOW OF A BEST PRACTICE AND I WANT YOU TO INVESTIGATE, UH, A WAY TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MY EXPECTATION, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT YOU LOOK UP, UH, YOU LOOK AT PROJECTS THAT GREW UP AROUND THIS SERIES OF THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION.

WHEN YOU FIND OUT ABOUT 'EM, I WANT YOU TO, WE PUT TOGETHER AN ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARING HOUSE.

AND THE IDEA WAS IDENTIFY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS IN OTHER MARKETS THAT COULD BE TRANSFERRED HERE.

UNDERSTOOD.

IF WE'RE GONNA TRANSFER 'EM HERE, HOW ARE THEY FUNDED? WHAT ARE THEIR OBJECTIVES? WHETHER THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, HOW DO WE, UH, TRACK OUTCOMES SO THAT WE SO, SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS WE WANT 'EM TO GO LOOK AT AND THEN THEY BRING BACK THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN A FORMAT THAT WE WANTED IN.

YEAH, I UNDERSTAND.

THAT'S A GREAT COMMENT.

I THINK IT GOES BACK TO YOUR POINT, DOC, UM, MEMBER ELKINS.

I WAS GONNA CALL YOU DR.

ELKINS MEMBER.

THAT'S MY FATHER AND MY BROTHER.

NOT ME THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST MENTIONED SOME PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD DELIVERY MODELS.

AND SO IF WE CAN CONNECT THE DOTS OF LOOKING AT THOSE SPECIFIC MODELS TO STUDY, BRING IT BACK, HAVE A WORK PLAN AROUND IT.

SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

AND I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE COME TOGETHER, WE UNDERSTAND THE GOAL, BUT THEN PEOPLE CAN GO DO THEIR WORK.

MEMBER OF PIAN, DACA.

THANK YOU, BRIAN.

AND, AND JEN, I TOOK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ON SLIDE 44.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE WORK PLAN EFFORT, HOW ARE YOU PLANNING TO ADDRESS KIND OF LIKE THE OVERLAP IN THE, AT LEAST THE TOP THREE, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE OCCURRING AT THE SAME TIME AND HOW YOU'LL INCORPORATE MAYBE SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE GETTING SAY FOR THE TECHNICAL AND PLANNING REVIEW INTO THE FUNDING PLAN AND THE SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT.

YEAH, I THINK NOT TO GO BACK TO THE BEEHIVE, BUT IT ALL REVOLVES DOWN TO THE MIDDLE IN DATA.

SO ALL, ALL THESE FEED ON EACH OTHER, AND WE HAVE, UM, GROUPS THAT REPORT OUT TO THE, TO THE REST OF THE GROUPS TO, TO CROSS POLLINATE, UM, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING OUT OUT OF THOSE MEETINGS.

UM, I THINK IT IS, UM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR COLLABORATION AMONGST EVERYBODY, UM, TO, TO DO ALL THAT, BUT IT, IT WILL TAKE SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME DISCIPLINE TO, TO GET, UM, ALL THOSE PEOPLE TALKING AND MAKING SURE WE'RE ALL, WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE MARCHING TO.

AND, UH, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN MEETING TO DATE.

YOU KNOW, THEY'VE ALL GOTTEN TOGETHER.

WE'RE ALL HEARING IT AT THE SAME TIME AND HEARING EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND, AND PLANNING TOGETHER AND BRAINSTORMING TOGETHER.

SO I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST MOVING IT THROUGH THE ORGANIZATIONS AND THROUGH THE PROCESS WILL ACTUALLY ALLOW US TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH AMONGST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE WORK PLAN EFFORTS AND FEED EACH OTHER WITH THE DATA.

SO THAT'S, I MEAN, IT'S AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, RIGHT?

[01:00:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ADVANCE THE BALL EVERY WEEK, YOU KNOW, ON THIS SCHEDULE, DO THEIR WORK.

AND, BUT THEN COME BACK AND KIND OF CROSS, CROSS POLLINATE IN DIFFERENT GROUPS.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SORT OF THE MODEL, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW, UM, THE TECHNICAL TEAMS WORKING ON, ON THEIR PIECES, YOU HAVE OTHER GROUPS THINKING ABOUT THE EVALUATION CRITERIA AND THE METRICS, THEN THEY NEED TO COME TOGETHER KIND OF CONSIDER WHERE THEY ARE, DO WORK AND COME BACK.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISH WHAT THAT RHYTHM IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COORDINATION, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, IT'S INCLUSIVE.

SO I FINE.

I JUST TO ADD TO THAT, I MEAN, THIS IS WHY I GO, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE POLLINATOR WORLD, WE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF PUTTING THIS WORK PLAN TOGETHER.

SO HERE WE ARE, WE SAT HERE A LITTLE BIGGER TABLE WITH EXPERTS IN JULY 20TH AND LAID OUT THE FRAMEWORK OF WHERE WE WERE AND SAID, WE COME BACK IN TWO MONTHS WITH A WORK PLAN.

AND HERE WE ARE WITH THAT.

UM, THE OTHER WORK THAT'S GOING ON, JUST LIKE WE'VE BEEN RIGOROUS ABOUT PUTTING THIS WORK PLAN TOGETHER NOW PUTTING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK.

AND SO I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE FACT THAT THERE IS INTENTIONAL OVERLAP IN THESE, IN THESE EFFORTS.

WE DO HAVE A, WE COULD COME UP WITH ANOTHER COMPLEX HONEYCOMB INSIDE THE HONEYCOMB, MAYBE IT WOULD BE, UM, BUT THAT IS INTENTIONAL.

SO I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU, YOU HELPED KIND OF BRING THAT UP TO THE SURFACE.

SO WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH IT.

IT IS ITERATIVE.

AND PART OF THAT ITERATION, YOU CAN SEE COMMUNITY IS AT THE BEGINNING, IT'S IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S PART OF IT ALL THROUGHOUT ACTUALLY HELPING SHAPE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HELP DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET TO THIS POINT WHERE THE DATA AND PLANNING THAT JEN IS LEADING IS REALLY HIGHLY INTEGRATED WITH SOME OF THE CRITERIA AND VALUES DECISIONS AT A, AT A LEVEL WITH THE COMMUNITY.

SO THANKS FOR RAISING THAT.

SO IF I'M CORRECT, THEY UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY.

WHEN YOU CAME IN JULY TO GIVE US THAT PRESENTATION, YOU PROMISED IN TWO MONTHS THAT YOU WOULD GIVE US A FRAMEWORK.

THIS IS THAT FRAMEWORK THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING US WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A TIMELINE SPECIFIC.

THIS IS THE FRAMEWORK AND A TIMELINE.

AND THE REPORT OUTS ARE THE EFFORTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD DOWN THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE TIMELINE AND, AND WORK THROUGH THE, BUT THESE ARE THE BUCKETS OF, OF DATA AND INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING THROUGH.

SO GREAT.

UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS, NO.

OH YES.

KINS.

OH, THANK YOU.

SO I, I ASKED THIS QUESTION, I THINK THE LAST BOARD MEETING BRIAN, THE ONE BEFORE, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH REPORTING, ARE WE GONNA WAIT TILL THE SPRING TO GET THE ENTIRE THING WITH A BOW ON IT? AND HERE'S WHAT I WAS THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE GETTING IS BOARD MEETINGS, SHOWING US COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF CERTAIN THINGS.

SO IN MY EXPERIENCE, WHEN YOU DO THESE, YOU FIRST GO THROUGH DESIGN, YOU SAY, OKAY, WHAT IF WE GO FROM BELOW GRADE TO GREAT, RIGHT? THEN YOU ITERATE IT WITH CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S CORRECT.

ITERATE IT WITH ON AND M ITERATE IT WITH FINANCE AND YOU HIT F NINE AND YOU SEE IF IT'S ACCRETIVE, RIGHT.

SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF PERIODIC REPORTING I'D LIKE TO SEE COMING FROM, FROM STAFF AND FROM H YEAH.

WE'RE JUST NOT QUITE THERE YET BOARD UNDERSTOOD, BUT THAT WOULD BE COMING THAT'S THAT'S THE PROCESS.

I THINK WE, OKAY.

I DON'T HONESTLY WANT TO GET TO SPRING OF 20, 23, AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME YOU GUYS SEIZED THIS STUFF.

SO I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.

OKAY, CHAIR, IF I MAY JUST ADD A REQUEST AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS, TO THE FUTURE, AND THIS IS GREAT WORK, AND WE'VE BEEN, UM, WE'VE VALUED THE, THE LEADERSHIP OF HCR AND, AND GETTING THE, THE TEAMS TO THIS POINT WHERE WE HAVE THIS, I THINK IT WILL BE IMPORTANT AS WE GET INTO SPECIFIC SCENARIOS TO, TO START TALKING ABOUT THE TIMELINE BEYOND SPRING OF 2023, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS OFTEN GOING TO BE WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT, WHICH IS OKAY, GREAT.

YOU'RE GONNA COME UP WITH IN 20, 23 AND THEN WHAT, RIGHT.

AND THEN, AND, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AND WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? AND SO I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT THAT WE START, UM, HELPING, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, HELPING SET EXPECTATIONS, BUT ALSO, UM, GET EVERYONE READY FOR THE, THE LIFT THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO.

BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, WE HAVE TO GET ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE ON THAT PLAN, AND THAT WILL REQUIRE AN ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT.

AND SO JUST HAVING EVERY, KEEPING EVERYONE ON THE PAGE OF ALL OF THE STEPS THAT IT TAKES TO GET FROM GREAT IDEA AND REFERENDUM TO RIDE AND TRAIN , THERE'S A LOT OF THEM.

THERE'S NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

LIKE TO MOVE ON NOW TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 24TH, 2022 AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I'D

[4.a. Approval of minutes from the August 24 Board Meeting]

I HOPE EVERYONE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE MINUTE MINUTES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ACTION ITEM,

[01:05:01]

MOVE APPROVAL, MOVED BY MEMBER TRILLIAN.

SECOND BY MEMBER ELKINS.

EVERYONE IN SUPPORT, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

MOVING ON TO OUR SECOND ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THE APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AWARD OF A CONTRACT WITH HILLTOP SECURITIES, ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC, FOR INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES FOR TWO YEARS, WITH AN OPTION OF TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR TERMS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED A PERCENTAGE OF INVESTMENT ASSETS MANAGED ESTIMATED TO BE $150,000 PER YEAR.

THE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN APP.

THE MEETING MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

UM, NOW

[4.b. Approval of a resolution authorizing award of a contract with Hilltop Securities Asset Management LLC for investment advisory services for 2 years with an option for two additional 1-year terms in an amount not to exceed a percentage of investment assets managed, estimated to be $150,000 per year]

SO, UM, EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO BE BRIEFED ON THIS ELEMENT.

UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO BY MOTION FOR THANK YOU.

MOVE BY MEMBER ELKINS.

DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY, UH, MEMBER TRABI ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM BEFORE WE APPROVE INVESTED MAXIMUM RETURN? THE TIMING.

PERFECT TIMING.

WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION.

I LIKE TO CALL A VOTE.

UM, EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I, I, ITEM NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN APPROVED.

WE GENERALLY DON'T LIKE HIGH INTEREST RATES, BUT FOR THIS ITEM WE DON'T MIND THEM.

SUCH A BUDGET ITEM.

TWO HAS BEEN APPROVED.

THANK YOU, UNANIMOUSLY.

UM, MOVING ON.

UM, I LIKE TO

[4.c. Approval of a resolution authorizing negotiation and execution of a cooperative contract with Applications Software Technology LLC for an Enterprise Resource Planning system and implementation services for 18 months from date of notice to proceed in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000]

HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR THIRD ACTION ITEM IS ONE OF, IS ONE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT ATP'S UNIQUE BUSINESS NEEDS AS A CORPORATION AND TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT ITS FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES SUPPORT SERVICES.

I'D LIKE TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT THESE ARE IMPORTANT ACTIONS AS WE ADVANCE THE POSITIONING OF ATP AS AN AUTONOMOUS ENTITY.

AND IT IS TIMELY THAT WE WILL INITIATE A NEW FISCAL YEAR WITH THIS WORK UNDERWAY.

SO I'D LIKE TO, UM, WITH THAT MOVE TO APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A COOPERATIVE CONTRACT WITH APPLICATION SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY, LLC, FOR AN ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM AND IMPLEMENTATION SERVICES FOR 18 MONTHS FROM DATE OF NOTICE TO PROCEED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 3 MILLION.

UM, SO I THINK I SEE YOU BOTH THAT CAME TO THE POINT, BUT THERE'S NO ITEM FOR DISCUSSION ON THIS YET.

BUT, OKAY.

SO IF THERE'S, UM, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ACTION ITEM, NUMBER THREE, MAYOR ADLER, YOU MOVE, OR YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU MOVE.

UM, SECOND, DO I HAVE A SECOND SECOND BY MEMBER ELKINS, ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS NOW THAT OUR STAFF HAS JOINED US ON OUR TABLE? NO QUESTIONS.

I LIKE TO DO POINT OUT THAT, UM, I LIKE TO READ IN THE BRIEFING THAT YOU GAVE US THAT THE WORK THAT YOU ALL ADVANCE WHILE WORKING WITH KME TO IMPLEMENT THIS ERC SYSTEM, THAT YOU ALL ARE LEVERAGING THAT WORK TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THIS FEE.

SO, UM, THE HEAVY LIFT THAT Y'ALL DID TO IMPLEMENT THAT PROGRAM WITH ORACLE AND SO ON, THIS IS RE YOU KNOW, REFLECTED HERE.

AND I HOPE THAT, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU ALL FOR THE HEAVY LIFT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAD TO DEAL WITH SOME COMPROMISES IN SETTING UP THAT SYSTEM.

SO, UM, IF I LIKE TO JUST HEAR A LITTLE BIT FROM YOU, LIKE WHAT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA GAIN FROM IT? UM, THE SYSTEM YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

SO WORKING TOGETHER HAS BEEN, UM, I THINK REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR BOTH ENTITIES.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY ATP STARTING UP, WE HAD VERY LIMITED STAFF.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, RELY HEAVILY ON CAP METRO TO HELP US, UM, DESIGN A SYSTEM.

AS WE STARTED BRINGING ON STAFF, THE MOVING FORWARD TO AN INDEPENDENT SYSTEM WILL ALLOW US TO NO LONGER HAVE SHARED TABLES.

SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, OUR VENDOR TABLE IS THE SAME.

SO WHEN WE REACH OUT TO A VENDOR, THEY'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT ENTITY THEY'RE THEY'RE HEARING FROM.

UM, THERE'S NO ABILITY IN THE SYSTEM TO ACTUALLY HAVE DIFFERENT LOGOS OR, UM, YOU KNOW, MARKETING SPECIFIC TO EACH ENTITY.

SO THAT'S ONE CONCERN.

ANOTHER, UM, ANOTHER ISSUE ABOUT IT IS THAT WE, ALL OF THE BEHIND THE SCENES, ALL OF THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION, UM, IS DONE BY

[01:10:01]

CAPITAL METRO.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO TWO ATPS FINANCIAL SYSTEM, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A RISK AND WOULD NOT BE LOOKED UPON FAVORABLY BY SOME OF OUR, UM, THE RATING AGENCIES AND INVESTORS, ET CETERA.

SO THOSE ARE JUST TWO EXAMPLES OF WHY WE WOULD WANT TO MOVE ONTO AN, UM, A SYSTEM, AN INDEPENDENT SYSTEM.

MM-HMM ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? NO.

WILL THAT FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO CALL A VOTE TO APPROVE ACTION.

ITEM, NUMBER THREE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MAY MAYOR MOVES TO APPROVE SECOND, SECOND MEMBER.

TRABI SECOND.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AS WELL.

ACTION.

I, NUMBER THREE HAS BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

NOW, MOVING ON TO ADOPTION OF THE ATP FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET.

[4.d. Adoption of the ATP Fiscal Year 2023 Budget]

AND, UM, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THE REASON WE CAME INTO EXISTENCE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE REFERENDUM BY THE VOTERS.

THAT WAS THE, YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS CREATED ATP.

AND SO I LIKE TO JUST REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR TASK IS TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND THE PUBLIC TRUST, THESE BUDGETS AS A STRONG FOUNDATION.

AND IT WILL BE A CRITICAL YEAR.

I BELIEVE THAT IT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR READINESS, INCREASE ALIGNMENT ACROSS OUR DEPARTMENTS AND FURTHER DEVELOP THE ORGANIZATION.

SO WE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS CRITICAL PROGRAM.

I BELIEVE THIS PROPOSED BUDGET REFLECTS THE FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY.

GRANTED THIS BOARD.

I HAVE MY ED ITEMS THAT I LIKE TO POINT OUT.

UM, I LIKE TO SEE THAT IT REDUCES OUR PERSONAL CAUSE FOR ABOUT 2 MILLION.

MR. CATAL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

CUZ I KNOW WE WENT THROUGH SOME DISCUSSIONS ON THIS FROM OUR PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR.

I LIKE THAT IT ALSO CREATES A FUNDS AND NEW OPERATING RESERVES.

IT ENHANCES THE BOARD'S AUDIT FUNCTION BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF IN-HOUSE AUDITORS.

AND IT ALSO HONORS THIS BOARD'S PRIORITY TO ACT WITH TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY RECOMMENDING THAT THE BOARD APPROVE A TOTAL STAFFING AUTHORIZATION, WHICH IS A BUDGET BEST PRACTICE.

IT POSITIONS THE BOARD TO DEVELOP THE UPDATED LI RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN LIGHT OF RISING COSTS, LABOR AND SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY CAME OUT FROM THIS EXERCISE THAT THIS BOARD HAS, UM, EMBARKED ON FOR THIS APPROVAL OF A BUDGET THIS YEAR.

I LIKE TO REALLY COMMEND THE STAFF FOR THE PROCESS THAT Y'ALL IMPLEMENTED TO HELP US SHEPHERD ANY QUESTIONS THAT CAME FROM THE BOARD AND HOW ANYBODY THAT BROUGHT THE QUESTIONS WERE THEN DISTRIBUTED ANSWERS TO THE REST OF THE BOARD TO KEEP US INFORMED OR THINGS THAT WE WERE CONFUSED THAT YOU GO, YOU ALL BROUGHT SO MUCH CLARITY TO.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE EFFORTS.

AND UM, I'LL ALSO LIKE TO, UM, SO JUST IN TERMS OF THE DATA POINTS THAT WE HAVE.

ANOTHER THING THAT TO ME REALLY RESONATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET IS THAT IN THE PAST UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSE OF MOVING PARTS, HAVING THE APPROVAL OF OUR WORKFORCE IS ALSO SOMETHING NEW THAT I SEE HERE THAT I ALSO COMMAND THE STAFF TO BRING FORWARD.

UM, AND THAT I TRUST THAT WITH URINALYSIS, UH, MS BURAK AND WITH THE EXPERT ADVICE THAT WE WILL GET THERE WITH WITH THIS EFFORT, UM, WHEN I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET, I JUST WANNA MAKE A MOTION TO PUT IT ON THE TABLE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE APPROVING THE BUDGET YET.

SO BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY AMENDMENTS ON THIS BUDGET THAT THIS, THAT Y'ALL WANNA MAKE FROM THE DIAS, I WANNA, YOU KNOW, PLEASE BRING IT FORWARD AND I'LL DO MY BEST TO SHEPHERD THROUGH AN AMENDMENT PROCESS IF THERE'S AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET.

UM, AND I WILL NEED PROBABLY THE STAFF TO HOLD MY HAND THROUGH THIS.

UM, BUT IF THERE'S, UM, I LIKE TO, TO BRANDON IS AN EXPERT IN THAT AND HE'S SITTING RIGHT THERE.

THANK YOU, BRANDON, MR. CAR.

SORRY.

AND SO I HAVE, UM, WITH THAT FIRST I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR THE BASE MOTION.

DO I HAVE AN APPROVAL TO, UH, A MOVE TO APPROVE MOVE BY MAYOR ADLER SECOND, ARE WE TAKING COMMENTS NOW OR JUST THE BASE? NO, AFTER WE HAVE THE BASE MOTION, DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND? AND SO WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION.

SECONDS.

SO ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE? THIS IS THE TIME.

UM, DO WE, WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? OH, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

PEACE AND QUIET GLASS OF WINE OR TWO IT'S, IT'S A NICE EXPERIENCE, BUT I, I JUST PUT SOME NUMBERS TOGETHER.

I'M I'D LIKE TO, UM, DISTRIBUTE, UM, A DOCUMENT THAT I DID LAST NIGHT WHEN YOU GET STUCK IN AN AIRPLANE FOR THREE AND A HALF HOURS, LIKE I WAS LAST NIGHT, YOU DON'T HAVE THE PHONE RINGING, YOU'VE

[01:15:01]

SO, UM, I WANT TO THANK STAFF, UH, DIANE AND JAMIE FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE AND THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY RESPOND TO.

IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD PROCESS.

UM, BUT I DO HAVE SOME CONCERNS.

UM, SO I WANNA WALK YOU THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS THAT I DID VERY QUICKLY.

I LOOK AT FTE DIFFERENTLY.

YOU COULD LOOK AT 87 FTES THAT WE HAVE AT ATP, BUT I ALSO LOOK AT ALL THE OTHER STAFF THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM.

SO MY QUESTION WAS HOW MANY STAFF ARE SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM? WE HAVE 87 AT FTE IN THE BUDGET.

WE'VE GOT CAP, METRO SECU STAFF, THE THREE AND A HALF.

WE HAVE SHARED SERVICES BY CAP METRO AND CITY OF AUSTIN.

THOSE SHARED SERVICES, OUR BODIES THEY'RE PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO THIS IS ABOUT 20 GIVE OR TAKE AT CAP METRO AND 20 GIVE OR TAKE AT THE CITY.

WE ALSO HAVE HDR, WHICH IS OUR PMO R OR YOU COULD PUT IT IN ANOTHER WAY, STAFF, A AUGMENTATION THAT'S 61 PEOPLE.

IN ADDITION, WE HAVE OTHER CONSULTANTS THAT ARE PERFORMING NECESSARY.

WORK IS ABOUT 50 THERE.

SO SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT 250 INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM, DEDICATED STAFF CAP, METRO ATP, UM, CITY OF AUSTIN AND CONSULTANTS.

UM, SO I JUST, I WANNA MAKE THAT NUMBER.

IT'S ABOUT $79 MILLION FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.

HDR IS PROVIDING 61.5 FTS FOR THIS PROGRAM COSTING THIS PROGRAM, 30 MILLION IT'S THREE AND A 3.3 TIMES WHAT A STAFF OF THE CITY OR CAP METRO COST.

AND THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S WHAT CONSULTANTS ARE.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT CONSULTANTS SHOULD BE THE SAME.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE RIGHT BALANCE OF STAFF AND THE RIGHT BALANCE OF CONSULTANTS.

THAT'S 19.3 PEOPLE DOING MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS.

I DON'T SEE A JUSTIFICATION FOR THE HDR BUDGET OF $30 MILLION.

I, I DON'T SUPPORT IT.

SO I QUESTION THAT I TOOK A LOOK AT JUST SO, SO THE QUESTION IS, OKAY, WELL WHAT WOULD THE RIGHT NUMBER BE? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT NUMBER BE WOULD BE, BUT I THINK IT SEEMS HIGH.

I TOOK A LOOK AT MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION.

WE HAVE 13 PEOPLE IN ATP'S BUDGET FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION.

WE HAVE ONE MARKETING SERVICES CONSULTANT.

WE HAVE 5.3 PEOPLE AT HDR THAT ARE DOING MARKETING AND CONSULTING AND COMMUNICATIONS.

THAT'S EXCESSIVE, THAT'S 4.7 MILLION.

SO 74% OF THIS 78 MILLION IS COMING FROM CONSULTANTS.

AS YOU KNOW, I'M THE FINANCE APPOINTED MEMBER OF THIS BOARD.

I'VE BEEN A BUDGET ANALYST.

I'VE BEEN A CFO FOR 30 YEARS.

I'VE BEEN DELIVERING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

UM, BILLION DOLLAR PROJECTS.

I FEEL THAT ATP'S FISCAL 23 BUDGET IS EXCESSIVE IN MY EXPERIENCE FOR WHERE THE PROGRAM IS AT THIS STAGE.

UM, SO THAT I WOULD JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.

BUT, BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, I DON'T SUPPORT IT, BUT I'M OPEN TO AMENDMENTS AND GET TO A POSITION WHERE I COULD FEEL COMFORTABLE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTION IN TERMS OF CLARITY FOR STAFF THAT THEY COULD HELP ANSWER TO AND ON MR. CANAL ANSWER? NO, I THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

IT'S JUST, I, I DON'T, I DON'T FEEL IT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE AT THIS STAGE OF THE PROGRAM.

I THINK MAYBE IN A YEAR OR TWO FROM NOW WHEN WE HAVE A DEDICATED PROJECT, UM, WE'RE GEARED UP AND RUNNING MAYBE 255 TYPE PEOPLE IS THE RIGHT NUMBER.

BUT, BUT AT THIS STAGE OF THE PROGRAM, I DON'T FEEL IT'S THE RIGHT NUMBER.

SO, BUT THAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO OPEN IT UP? SO I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO YOUR POINT AND THANK YOU FOR PUTTING TOGETHER THIS ANALYSIS BECAUSE THE QUESTIONS I HAD FOR STAFF WERE WITH THE 30, AND IF I CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I HEAR YOU HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE 30 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR THAT'S ONE.

UM, I ASKED, I ALSO HAD THAT QUESTION.

WHAT, WHAT I NEEDED CLARITY, UM, WAS IF THIS WAS AN APPROPRIATED AMOUNT FROM A PAST CONTRACT THAT HASN'T BEEN ENCUMBERED YET MM-HMM AND IS IT JUST STAFF AUGMENTATION OR IS IT FOR SPECIFIC TASK ORDERS THAT ARE GONNA BE ISSUED? SO LET ME STEP BACK, UH, UM, TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, THE FIRST THING THAT I WANNA SAY ABOUT THE $30 MILLION IS THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT IS SIMPLY A STAFF ESTIMATE.

THAT IN, IN THIS F Y 23 BUDGET, WE ARE NOT REQUESTING APPROPRIATIONS FOR ANY CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR WHY, SORRY, FOR ANY CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, INCLUDING THE HDR CONTRACT.

UM, AND WE ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH HDR ON WHAT THAT FINAL NUMBER WILL BE.

SO JUST A REMINDER THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER IN, IN JULY.

UM, THE SECOND ITEM TO NOTE IS

[01:20:02]

THOSE FUNDS WERE APPROPRIATED BY THE BOARD IN FY 21 AND FY 22.

SO WE CAME BACK AND WE SAID, WE ARE NOT GOING TO ASK FOR ANY ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR CAPITAL FUNDING, KNOWING WHERE WE ARE AND, AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE.

SO, SO THE ACTION THAT YOU TAKE TODAY DOES NOT, DOES NOT FUND THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY TAKEN ACTION THAT ALLOWS US TO FUND THAT, UM, RIGHT.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED.

SO, SO ANY AMENDMENT, IT WOULD HAVE TO UNAPPROPRIATE SOMETHING THAT THE SPORT HAS ALREADY DONE IN THE PAST.

IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A PARAMETER WITHIN WHICH YOU CAN WORK FLEXIBILITY.

MM-HMM .

AND AS FAR AS THE TASK ORDERS, UM, YES, WE WOULD, WE WOULD ISSUE TASK ORDERS.

UM, I THINK THE PLAN, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE DO AN HCR TASK ORDER.

ONCE THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE FINAL FOR SIX MONTHS TO COINCIDE WITH THE WORK PLAN THAT BRIAN JUST TALKED ABOUT.

AND THEN ONCE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE CAN APPROPRIATE THE, WE CAN HAVE A TASK ORDER FOR THE REMAINING SIX MONTHS.

DOES THAT, DOES THAT HELP YOU? YEAH, THAT, THAT DOES CLARIFY TO ME BECAUSE IT'S NOT NEW ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.

THIS IS WHAT HAS BEEN PREPARED IN OUR PREVIOUS BUDGET THAT HAS NOW BEEN ASSIGNED TO THIS BUDGET.

YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

SO THAT ANSWERED TO ME THAT QUESTION.

SO WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS WE WERE PROVIDING YOU WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN TRANSPARENCY, PROVIDING YOU WITH A SPENDING PLAN, KNOWING THAT THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY THERE, WE WOULD, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE PLAN SPENDING WAS.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, DO WE ENVISION SPENDING 30 MILLION FOR HDR, THIS COMING FISCAL YEAR? I, I JUST GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS APPROPRIATE OR NOT.

I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, DO WE PLAN ON SPENDING THAT WE'RE IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH HDR RIGHT NOW TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA BE? SO WHY ARE WE IMPROVING A BUDGET WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING? WE PUT AN ESTIMATE FOR THE SPENDING PLAN.

IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET.

THE BUDGET WAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED PRIOR.

AND SO WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL, ADDITIONAL BUDGET WHERE WE WERE SIMPLY INFORMING THE BOARD, THAT OF THE MONEY THAT EXISTS THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY APPROPRIATED.

WE PLAN, WE THINK AT THIS MOMENT, WE'LL SPEND ON THE CAPITAL SIDE, 50 MILLION TO IN TOTAL, BUT IT WASN'T, IT WASN'T A, AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET REQUEST.

I GUESS I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED.

I'M NOT THAT DON'T COME FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR, BUT I, ALL I KNOW IS IN MY WORLD, WE GO AND WE ASK FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY AUTHORIZATION.

WE ENVISION SPENDING X MILLION FOR THIS CURRENT 12 YEAR PERIOD, AND THAT GETS APPROVED OR NOT APPROVED.

SO I'M GETTING CONFUSED ON THE, THE WORDING OF PREAPPROVED OR WHATEVER.

I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE PLAN TO SPEND TO GET A SENSE.

IS IT REASONABLE? NO.

UNDERSTOOD.

AND I THINK THIS IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE STAFF HERE TO CLARIFY ANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN.

OH, MAYOR RADLER.

YEAH, NO.

UM, NO, BUT IT'S GOOD THAT YOU GUYS POINT ME TO EACH OTHER, CUZ I CAN ONLY LOOK AT ONE WAY AT THE TIME, BUT CUZ I HAD ALSO SEEN, UH, BOARD MEMBER WATKINS ALSO, UM, MAYOR ADLER, MON TONY'S RANDY, I KNOW A GOOD POINT.

THERE ARE THINGS IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE DON'T KNOW YET ARE GOING TO BE THE COST, THE EVENTUAL COST.

AND THEN THE ONE THAT TONY'S MENTIONED HERE TODAY IS THE HDR CONTRACT.

THE ONE THAT I'VE HEARD TONY MENTION IN THE PAST IS THE NUMBER OF FTES THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING AND, AND FUNDING.

UM, AND I WOULDN'T GET LOST IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET CUZ I'M NOT SURE THAT'S PARTICULARLY WRONG.

ANY BUDGET AMENDMENT IS A CHANGE TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN A BUDGET.

I MEAN IN THE VERY NATURE OF BUDGET ACTION WE'RE, WE'RE AUTHORIZING OR NOT AUTHORIZING.

I THINK THAT IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR US TO ADOPT A BUDGET THAT PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH YOU GUYS MANAGEMENT CAN OPERATE SO THAT YOU KNOW, THAT YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTRACT WITH HDR UP TO THAT 30 MILLION LIMIT.

WHAT YOU KNOW IS YOU DON'T HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT BEYOND THAT LIMIT.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR YOU SINCE WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT IT'S GOING BE IN PART BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SCOPE IS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR OUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS TO, TO COME BACK AND, AND GIVE NOTICE TO THE, TO THE BOARD SO THAT THE BOARD, IF IT WANTS TO TAKE ACTION IS ABLE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION.

[01:25:01]

I'VE HEARD OTHER ORGANIZATIONS DO IT BY CREATING A RESERVE FUND.

SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THAT MEASURE, FLEXIBILITY, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE GONNA LEAD WITH THE HDR ISSUE TODAY.

UH, CUZ WE, WE CAN'T TALK GIVEN THE OPEN MEETINGS STEEL, BUT I DID COME UP WITH WORDING WITH RESPECT TO THE FDS AND MAYBE THERE'S A PARALLEL WORDING WITH RESPECT TO HDR, BUT I WAS GOING TO MOVE.

IF THERE WAS INTERESTED WITH RESPECT TO THE FTE QUESTION, YOU'VE ANSWERED, WE HAVE 50 FTE, WE'RE APPROVING A LINE ITEM THAT IS A SALARY THAT PROVIDES CAPACITY FOR GOING UP TO THE 85 EMPLOYEES MORE OR LESS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE ULTIMATELY PAID, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS THAT IS THE NEED FOR PEOPLE AND WHERE IT IS THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD BE.

UM, BUT FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE, YOU HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO PLAN.

BUT RECOGNIZING WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT STAFFING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR US TO BE STAFFING FOR.

SO TONY, I WAS THINKING, UH, ABOUT PUTTING IN AN AMENDMENT THAT SAYS WITH RESPECT TO THE FTES IN THIS BUDGET, THE BOARD IS APPROVING A SALARY AMOUNT, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE FTE AND HAVE PRESENTLY THEN HAVE BEEN PRESENTLY DETERMINED TO FILL.

IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEEDS THE UPDATED LATE RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AN ONGOING STAFFING PLAN FOR ATP.

AND THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS NOT ANTICIPATED UNTIL THE SPRING OF 2023.

AS WE JUST SAW NONETHELESS, THE BOARD APPROVES, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REQUESTED SALARY AND ASSOCIATED FTE LEVEL IN THIS BUDGET WITH A FOLLOWING UNDERSTANDING AND DIRECTION AT SUCH POINTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DETERMINES IT'S APPROPRIATE TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, WHICH HAVE YET TO BE FILLED.

SO THIS IS NOT REPLACING PEOPLE.

AND THIS IS ALSO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE EIGHT POSITIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD TODAY THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE A CURRENT INTENT AND THEN NEED IDENTIFIED TO FILL THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL GIVE PRIOR NOTICE OF SUCH TO THE BOARD PROVIDING SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO RAISE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, IF ANY, AND FOR THE BOARD TO CONVENE, TO DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION OR MOVEMENT OF DIFFERENT DIRECTION, IF IT'S SO WITNESS THAT WAY, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY, YOU KNOW WHAT THE ENVELOPE IS STILL ENABLES US TO FULFILL OUR FIDUCIARY DUTY.

UM, IT DOESN'T HAVE YOU COMING BACK AND ASKING FOR PERMISSION, UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT HAS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO INTERVENE SHOULD THE BOARD AFFIRMATIVELY WISH TO DO THAT.

AND I WOULD PROPOSE THAT AS A, AS A WAY TO, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ISSUE.

SO I THINK YOUR POINT'S WELL TAKEN, BUT I'VE ALSO HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE NEED FOR AN ENVELOPE WITHIN WHICH TO WORK AS WELL.

SO SURE.

SO MAYOR, JUST TO RESPOND, I, I REALLY THINK THAT'S, UM, A REALLY GREAT PRACTICE THAT YOU'RE INTRODUCING, YOU KNOW, AS A NEW STARTUP ORGANIZATION, WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, UH, WITH THE VOTERS.

I THINK, UM, THE BOARD CHAIR MENTIONED THIS IN YOUR REMARKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF US BUILDING TRUST.

UM, SO YEAH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PRACTICE THAT WE WANNA PUT IN PLACE.

AND I THINK YOU SAW ELEMENTS OF THAT TODAY THAT CASEY WAS ABLE TO WALK THROUGH THIS KIND OF LOOK AHEAD.

UM, I THINK IT'S, IT'S A GREAT THING FOR US TO BE BRING TO AND HAVE THAT DIALOGUE AROUND, UH, AROUND THIS, THIS TOPIC, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT'S ABOUT BRINGING THESE TWO ELEMENTS TOGETHER, THE ORGANIZATION AND THE PROJECT, SO THAT WE'RE READY, UM, TO, TO BOARD MEMBER, UH, WALK KIDS SO THAT WE CAN BE READY TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE, ON THE MONTHS AHEAD.

SO, UM, I THINK THEY'RE GREAT WORDS THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU, TONY.

YEAH, NO, I, I THINK THAT'S HELPFUL.

I MEAN, I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED WHERE WE'VE GOT 87 FTES OF WHICH THERE'S 35 UNFILLED POSITIONS IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

UM, SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE STAFF HAVE HEAD ROOM TO WORK WITH, BUT THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF HEAD ROOM, 70 SOME ODD PERCENT INCREASE.

SO THERE'S TWO WAYS TO DO IT.

YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU DO THE BUDGET AT, UM, WHATEVER IT IS, 55 PEOPLE.

AND WHEN GREG WANTS TO GO OVER THAT, HE'S GOTTA GO TO THE BOARD OR YOU KEEP IT AT THE 87 AND HE'S GOTTA JUSTIFY WHERE HE WANTS TO, YOU KNOW, EXERCISE, JOB WRECKS.

UM, I CAN GET COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

I, I DO THINK AS A BACKGROUND, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR ATP AND PROJECT TO CONNECT, TO BE NIMBLE AND LEAN SO THAT WE CAN ADAPT QUICKLY.

AND I THINK PART OF THAT IS BEING LEAN AND EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, WITH OUR STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS SO THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT BOGGED DOWN IN, YOU KNOW, NEEDLESS BUREAUCRACY.

SO AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, I SEE ATP SINCE WE ARE A GOVERNMENT, UH, PUBLIC CORPORATION, I THINK IT'S WHATEVER THE RIGHT TERM IS.

I YOU'VE, YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS.

I THINK WE HAVE TO OPERATE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN WHERE THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE.

[01:30:01]

AND I'M NOT SAYING WE HAVE THAT.

UM, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT SAME RIGOR WITH THE CONSULTING CONTRACTS AS WELL, WHERE STAFF COMES BACK TO US WITH, OKAY, WE THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED X DOLLARS FOR A CERTAIN CONSULTING AND IT'S NOT THE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE IN THE BUDGET.

SOMETHING, NO, I AGREE.

AND YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

UH, BOARD MEMBERS, I THINK THAT'S, AGAIN, I, I THINK THIS, THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THIS BOARD EXISTS, WHY WE EXIST.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SHOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND DIANE FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THE BUDGET AND JAMIE IN INTRODUCING ALL OF THESE NEW ELEMENTS ABOUT AROUND BUDGET TRANSPARENCY, IT'S IN HER CORE.

I KNOW THAT FROM FROM MANY YEARS, SO I WANT TO COMMEND HER FOR THAT.

AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING SHE SAID, RIGHT AT THE END AROUND THESE TASK ORDERS, THE, THE IDEA OF ANY FUNDING FOR ANY CONTRACT TO BE FRANK, UM, ARE, IS A PLANNING DOCUMENT IN THE BUDGET.

WE THEN NEGOTIATE.

WE ALWAYS NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH.

AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT SHE INTRODUCED IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK THAT SP UH, SPEAKS TO WHAT YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR IS THIS REPORTING BACK PROCESS IN THE PAST TASK ORDERS WITH THESE THREE BIG ENGINEERING CONTRACTS WERE DONE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

DIANE IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE DO 'EM IN SIX MONTHS, INCREMENT ALIGNED WITH THAT.

AND I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT APPROACH THAT ALLOWS US TO COME BACK REPORT ON THOSE TASK ORDERS, WHICH EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE.

AND THEN AT THE SAME TIME, BE PLANNING AHEAD IN ACCORDANCE WITH, UH, THE WORK PLAN.

SO I THINK THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE FROM PAST PRACTICE THAT ALLOWS US BOTH TO MANAGE THE INTERNAL WORK.

UM, WE'VE CHANGED SOME PRACTICES AS WELL, INTERNALLY ON HOW WE'RE DOING MONTHLY WORK ON THOSE, BUT THEN ALSO PROVIDES THE NEED FOR US TO COME BACK AND REPORT ON THAT.

UM, SO I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, AND I THINK IT SPEAKS, UH, IT VERY MUCH, UM, SPEAKS TO THIS BUDGET THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU AND THAT IDEA OF TRANSPARENCY.

AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN KEY FROM YOU SINCE THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MET MM-HMM AND WE REALLY WANTED ALL THESE PROCESSES AND WE WANT BUILD THE TRANSPARENCY AND WE WANT TO BUILD THE COMPETENCY AROUND THIS AS AN ORGANIZATION.

UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO THIS.

THAT'S WHY WE SIT AND HAVE DIALOGUE BECAUSE IT GETS, IT GETS US TO A BETTER PLACE.

AND I THINK I CAUGHT YOU OFF MS. WATKINS, EARLIER BOARD MEMBER OF WATKINS.

WOULD YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA CHIME IN AND, AND TRY AND TRANSLATE THE PUBLIC BUDGETING PROCESS FOR BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, BUT I THINK WE'VE CLARIFIED THE ISSUES.

I DO HAVE ONE VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION.

OH, GO AHEAD.

SO CAN I OFFER THAT AMENDMENT TO BE MADE PART OF, OH YEAH.

SO NOT YET.

CAN I STILL BE ON ON THE DISCUSSION BECAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

UM, THAT MAY BE PART OF YOUR FTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE TASK ORDERS HAVE NOT BEEN WRITTEN YET.

MM-HMM THIS IS JUST THE BUDGET ALLOCATION, CORRECT.

BUT CAN YOU HELP GUIDE ME IN THE PAST, IN TERMS OF THE STAFF AUGMENTATION THAT HAS OCCURRED HAS HELPED LAUNCH US, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS TO BE A BIRTH AND A BEGINNING OF THIS PROGRAM, MM-HMM, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN STAFF.

AND WE USE THE, THE RESOURCES OF THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY.

MM-HMM THAT WE HAVE THIS CONTRACTUAL MECHANISMS TO HELP US HAVE THE STAFF WITH THE EXPERTISE THAT'S MY PREAMBLE TO, OR TO PREFACE THAT THE HDR AUGMENTATION FOR STAFF HAPPENS ON THE CAB METRO SIDE.

AND IT ALSO HAPPENS ON THE ATP SIDE, OR IT HAS HAPPENED.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE YEAR 2022 FISCAL YEAR 22.

AND SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, UM, MS. SILER WAS WHEN WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION AND CONTROLS THE F THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS PROGRAM IN DESIGN ENGINEERING, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, THE EFFORTS THAT THEY'RE AUGMENTING ARE CURRENT STAFFING MM-HMM , THEY SUBMIT TIME SHEETS.

THERE'S A VERY CLEAR DELINEATION, CORRECT? OH, WHERE THE MONEY GOES AND YOU SHOULD BUILD THE WHAT YEAH.

YOU SHOULD SEE THE INVOICES THERE, A HUNDRED PLUS PAGES, AND IT IS VERY DETAILED ON EXACTLY WHO AND HOW MANY HOURS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND IT'S TIED TO THE SPECIFIC TASKS.

SO YES, YES, WE DO.

WE DO TRACK IT THAT, THAT DETAILED, THAT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD.

SO THAT REQUIRES SOME NIMBLE AND FLEXIBILITY FOR WHAT YOU NEED IN TERMS OF STAFFING.

SO , YEAH.

SO FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO DO.

MM-HMM WHEN I WAS WORKING ON, ON THOSE, AND THERE'S VERY DETAILED, UM, ACCOUNTING OF WHERE THAT MONEY IS SPENT IN TERMS OF HOURS, BECAUSE SINCE WE ARE A NEW ORGANIZATION AND, AND WHAT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN THIS BUDGET IS THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR THREE VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THIS YEAR IS THAT SET UP THE SYSTEMS FOR THE AUTONOMY, RIGHT?

[01:35:01]

THE OTHER THING IS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROGRAM, FROM A COST PERSPECTIVE, AND THE THIRD IS CONTINUE TO BUILD ON ATPS, YOU KNOW, BUILD.

SO TO ME, THOSE ARE THREE DIFFERENT AND YET UNIFIED ELEMENTS THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT YOU AND SUPPORT THE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

SO THAT'S WHERE I FEEL FULLY COMFORTABLE IN APPROVING THIS BUDGET, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I CAPTURE YOUR AMENDMENTS IF YOU, IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS THAT BOTH OF YOU COULD, UH, LIKE TO INTRODUCE, I LIKE TO WALK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

SO, UM, IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE APPROVE AN CAUSE, WE HAVE TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT BEFORE WE APPROVE THE BUDGET.

UHHUH, JUST ONE DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, I, I CAN GET COMFORTABLE WITH THIS BUDGET, WITH THE LEVEL OF COMFORT, KNOWING THAT THAT 35 POSITIONS THAT ARE UNFILLED, THAT YOU WOULD BE COMING BACK TO THIS BOARD FOR AUTHORIZATION, OR AT LEAST NOTIFICATION, I CAN GET COMFORTABLE APPROVING THESE CONSULTANTS, KNOWING THAT THERE'S TASK ORDERS AND OVER A CERTAIN LIMIT, YOU HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL AT A CERTAIN LIMIT.

BUT I DO SAY THE COMMENT THAT I MADE EARLIER STANDS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE LINE ITEMS ARE TIGHT.

BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND THERE'S ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS, THERE'S FINANCE, THERE'S HUMAN RESOURCES, THERE'S LEGAL, WHATEVER.

AND I LOOK AT JUST ONE COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING.

THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY CAN TELL ME, WE NEED 19.3 PEOPLE TO DO COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING.

SO I DON'T WANNA HONE IN ON THAT.

I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WHEN WE COME BACK TO THIS BOARD FOR APPROVAL, FOR CERTAIN CONSULTANTS AND FTES, I'M GONNA GO IN A CERTAIN FUNCTION.

I'M GONNA SAY, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE IN THAT FUNCTION NOW, WHY DO WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES? UM, SO I WILL, UH, ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AT THAT POINT.

SO, SO IF I COULD, YES, PLEASE.

AND THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES, UM, ARE, ARE MY INTERNAL PEOPLE COMPLIANCE PEOPLE THAT MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE BEING FOLLOWED, YOU KNOW, WHO'S OUT IN THE FIELD VERSUS WHO'S MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE DONE EXACTLY AS WE EXPECT THEM TO BE DONE, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WE'LL USE FEMA STANDARDS SO THAT IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE RE REIMBURSED, THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THAT DONE AS LONG AS THINGS ARE DONE PROPERLY AND IN ORDER AND THAT, UH, AND THAT WE ARE BEING COMMUNICATED WITH AND TOLD EXACTLY WHERE, UH, EVERYTHING IS.

AS IT RELATES TO COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, UM, UNFORTUNATELY HISTORICALLY, UM, MANY PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ONLY TALKED TO ONE GROUP DOWNTOWN AND WHAT WE DID IN CAPITAL METRO, UH, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WAS TO WORK IN COMMUNITIES.

AND RATHER THAN HAVE THEM COME TO OUR MEETINGS WHEN, WHEN WE ARE DOWNTOWN MEETING, UH, TO GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, TO GO TO, UM, PTA MEETINGS, TO GO TO CHURCHES AND TALK ABOUT PEOPLE.

I, I THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY NOT BEEN COMMUNICATED WELL WITH AND RESENTED IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE GOTTA COMMUNICATE A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT WAY AND PUT THE RESOURCES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO DO THAT.

NOW DOES THAT EQUAL 19? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IF WE'VE GOT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO REACH A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, AND NOT JUST ONCE, BUT CONSISTENTLY I COULD SEE WHERE, UH, WHERE THERE MIGHT BE AN INTEREST IN HAVING A LARGER NUMBER THAN WE'RE USED TO.

UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, WHAT, UH, WHAT WE DID AT THE COUNTY, UH, WAS, UH, WE, WE SET UP A SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN DESIGNED.

WE ALLOWED THE PUBLIC TO PICK THE ONES THAT WERE PRIORITIES TO THEM.

UH, WE PROVIDED A, AN UP TO AMOUNT, BUT WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU GO OUT, YOU CAN DESIGN A PROJECT AND, AND HAVE REALLY GOOD INTENTIONS.

BUT UNTIL YOU GET OUT IN THE FIELD, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA BE THREE FEET BELOW THE GROUND, OR SOMETIMES YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE OTHER UNDERGROUND UTILITIES ARE BECAUSE THE MAPS AREN'T UP TO DATE.

SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT WE EXPECT TO BE DONE, BUT THAT'S GUIDANCE.

AND WHAT WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO DO IS TO COME BACK TO US AND TELL US, THIS IS WHAT WE SAW, UH, VALUE ENGINEERING.

WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE X AMOUNT HERE, OR WE NEED TO USE OUR CONTINGENCY FUND ON THIS ONE, BECAUSE THERE WERE FIVE THINGS OUT THERE THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT, UH, FLEXIBILITY AND UP TO AMOUNT, BUT THAT WE, UH, WE GIVE THE GUIDANCE THAT WE NEED TO BE BROUGHT ALONG AS THOSE, AS THOSE, UH, AS THOSE OUTLAYS ARE BEING MADE, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE PUT OUR DOLLARS IN RESERVE, UH, SO THAT IT'S NORMALLY A TWO OR THREE STEP PROCESS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE DOLLARS IN RESERVE AND IT, AND IT'S MUCH CLEANER, UH, IF YOU DO HAVE A RESERVE

[01:40:01]

UH, I THINK IT, IT MAKES FOR A SYSTEM THAT CAN BE EFFECTIVE AND, AND A LITTLE MORE EFFICIENT.

I'D LIKE TO ALSO POINT OUT SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THANK YOU FOR THOSE REMARKS, UH, MEMBER TRAUM, BECAUSE TWO THINGS THAT REALLY RESONATE WELL THAT I THINK LED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PASSING OF THE REFERENDUM IS THAT THERE WAS A BROAD COALITION IN MANY LANGUAGES TOO, THAT WERE INFORMED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TOWARDS GETTING TO THIS VOTE.

SO THAT DOES REQUIRE A LOT OF RESOURCES IN MANY LANGUAGES.

SO A LOT OF THIS COMMUNICATION PIECE THAT WE MAY NOT SEE BE SEEING HERE, OR, OR APPRECIATE OR ADMIRE IS THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY IN AUSTIN.

AND THAT WAS SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL THAT I THINK THE TEAM DID IN MANY, IN MANY LANGUAGES, UM, AS WELL AS WE HAD AS SILVER LINING IN THAT HAVING TO REACH PEER PRO VIRTUALLY BECAUSE WE WERE COOPED UP BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC ALLOWED THE STAFF TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE NIMBLE.

SO WE LEARNED NEW THINGS THAT MADE US VERY EFFICIENT DURING THE PASSING OF, OF, OR THE UTILIZATION OF STAFF TO REACH A BROADER AUDIENCE WITH THE ADVENT OF A LOT OF THE SO MEETINGS.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME EFFICIENCIES THERE THAT I THINK THE STAFF IS NOW INSPIRED TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT THOSE TOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT JUST GONNA BE USED FOR THE PANDEMIC.

SO I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING SAY IS LIKE, LET'S FIND WAYS TO BE, UH, NIMBLE, PRODUCTIVE, AND YET GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT TO ALL OF THE, OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT THAT RESOURCE LOOKS LIKE.

YOU'RE PLANNING THAT, RIGHT? YOU'RE MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD PLAN ON STAFFING THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THESE PIECES COME TOGETHER.

UM, AND YOU'LL SEE.

AND, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT STAFFING EACH MONTH, THIS LOOK AHEAD TO SHOW HOW THAT ALL IS INTEGRATED TOGETHER.

IT'S EXACTLY.

SO WE'RE NOT SURPRISED WITH OFFICE ON, YOU'RE NOT COMING BACK WITH 35 MORE PEOPLE, RIGHT.

THAT'S EXACTLY.

AND, AND THAT KIND OF LEADS ME BACK TO THE BRIEFING AND THE WORK PAPER STANDARDS, IF WE KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, AND WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION THAT SUPPORTS THAT, UH, MAKES IT EASIER AS WE GO FORWARD.

THAT'S RIGHT.

WHEN PRESIDENT NEGOTIATIONS ARE CONCLUDED.

AND THAT I'D LIKE TO, IF WE HAVE AN, AN AMENDMENT TO INTRODUCE WOULD, WHO WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE MAYOR BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, AND CUZ WE NEED TO GET THE WORDING ON THE AMENDMENT, THE MAYOR, MAYOR, I JUST EMAILED THE DRAFT AMENDMENT TO COUNSEL, UM, SO THAT YOU HAVE YOUR INBOX.

BUT WHAT IT'S SAID IS IN THIS BUDGET, THE BOARD IS APPROVING A SALARY MAP, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR MORE FTES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTLY DETERMINED TO FILL IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEEDS THE UPDATED LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IN ORDER TO DEVELOP AN ONGOING STAFFING PLAN FOR ATP.

AND THAT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS NOT JUST ANTICIPATED UNTIL SPRING OF 2023.

NONETHELESS, THE BOARD APPROVES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REQUESTED SALARY AT ASSOCIATED FTE LEVEL IN THIS BUDGET WITH FOLLOWING UNDERSTANDING AND DIRECTION AS SUCH POINTS THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DETERMINES ITS APPROPRIATE TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, WHICH HAVE YET TO BE FILLED PARENTHESES ABOVE AND BEYOND THE EIGHT POSITIONS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD TODAY CLOSED PARENTHESES.

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL GIVE PRIOR NOTICE OF SUCH TO THE BOARD PROVIDING SUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO APPROPRIATELY RAISE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS IF ANY, AND FOR THE BOARD TO CONVENE, TO DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION OR MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, IF IT'S SO WISHES.

AND THEN I ADDED A PARAGRAPH THAT SAID SIMILAR NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY FRACTION WILL BE GIVEN BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO THE BOARD WITH RESPECT TO THE FINAL MAJOR CONSULTANT CONTRACTS.

I CAN SAY THAT YOU CAN SECOND THAT JUST A CLARIFICATION QUESTION WAS THAT ABOVE AND BEYOND THOUGH, HOW MANY POSITIONS? THE EIGHT, THERE WERE EIGHT THAT WE SAW IN HIS, OH, THE EIGHT, THOSE EIGHT, THERE WERE ACTUALLY NINE.

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF ONE OKAY, THEN, THEN CHANGE IT TO NINE.

DON'T FORGET.

JEN'S POSITION SHE NEEDS.

SHE GAVE ME A LOOK SO I WANT, BUT I, I WOULD MOVE TO AMEND THE BASE MOTION TO INCLUDE THAT DIRECTION.

SO WITH THAT, I CONSIDER THAT FRIENDLY.

YOU CONSIDER THAT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, BUT FIRST WE'RE APPROVING THE AMENDMENT.

AND IF YOU RIGHT, MAKE A MOTION, YOU SECOND THE MOTION.

[01:45:01]

SO CAN WE PLEASE VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT FIRST? THAT'S AM I DOING THIS RIGHT? MR. CARR? THAT'S CORRECT.

I WILL JUST CONSIDER THIS DIRECTION.

THAT'S NOT AN ACTUAL AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET.

JUST THE DIRECTION AS A PART OF APPROVING THE BUDGET.

IT'S PART OF THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE BUDGET.

SO THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S DIRECTION FROM THE BOARD TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS PART OF THE APPROVAL RESOLUTION AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, IT'S NOTED IN THE MINUTES.

RIGHT? THAT'S HOW WE'LL, WE'LL NOTE IT AS A DIRECTION, AS DIRECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUDGET.

CORRECT.

I MEAN, IF THE ATTORNEYS ARE SO NOW YOU CAN VOTE.

SO, SO I'M NOT A, SO I UNDERSTAND.

PERFECT.

SO, UM, SO THE MOTION BASED DIRECTION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET IT'S NOW TO APPROVE THE BUDGET WITH THE ACCOMPANY DIRECTION.

SO NOW THE MOTION IS TO APPROVE THE BUDGET WITH THE, UM, WITH THE RECOMMENDATION THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SHARE WITH THE DIRECTION CHAIR? I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO THE, THE, UH, DIRECTION SEPARATELY AND THEN MAKE SURE IN CASE THERE'S ANOTHER AMENDMENT.

OH, THAT'S RIGHT.

PERFECT.

AND THEN WE'LL DO IT ALL TOGETHER AS AMENDED.

SO RIGHT NOW YOU'D BE JUST VOTING ON THIS DIRECTION.

YOU HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND, SO YOU CAN VOTE ON IT.

SO LET'S CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT OR THIS DIRECTION GIVEN TO STAFF.

UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION BY MAYOR SECOND BY MR. TRAIAN? EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AND MAY I MAY JUST MENTION THANK THE MAYOR FOR PREPARING THAT AND, UM, IT'S WELL DONE.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER AMENDMENTS OR THAT ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE BREAK FORWARD? MADAM CHAIR, JUST ONE QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE INTERNAL AUDIT.

I KNOW WE HAD TALKED IN THE PAST, SO IT'S LISTED AT THREE.

I KNOW WE HAD DISCUSSIONS AT TWO.

HOW DO YOU WANT TO HANDLE THAT? DO WE WANT TO HAVE IT ADJUSTED TO TWO? OR DO WE WANNA SAY IT'S AT TWO, IF WE GO TO THREE THAT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD.

I THINK WITH THE, WHERE I FEEL NOW BASED ON HAVING THIS ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATION GIVEN TO STAFF I'M, I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE GIVING THE THREE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT THAT THIS BOARD IS ASKING WITH OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR'S FINE.

GOT IT.

SO WE HAVE, I THINK, YEAH, DIET SAYS WE'VE GOT ONE AUDIT IN THE A WHICH ONE AUDIT FUNCTION IS INCLUDED WITHIN THE A RIGHT, BUT IT'S TRUE THAT IN THE BA IN THE PRIMARY BUDGET, THERE ARE TWO, TWO ADDITIONAL TWO ADDITIONAL THREE TOTAL.

SO THE QUESTION TO THE BOARD IS WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE AN AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THAT NOW, OR IF YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THE DIRECTION THAT WAS IN THE MAYOR'S, UM, I, I'M FINE EITHER WAY.

I'M FINE WITH KEEPING IT THE WAY IT IS.

AND IF THERE'S A NEED TO GO TO THREE, THEN THAT HAS TO COME BACK TO THIS BODY, RIGHT.

THE WAY THE DIRECTION'S DRAFTED IS IT'S MORE OF A NOTICE THAN AN APPROVAL FUNCTION.

SO, AND, AND I WOULD MAYBE STATE THAT IT'S A DIRECTION TO THE INTERN, TO THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT RATHER THAN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

UM, SO IF YOU WANTED TO, I THINK THE FEELING THAT WE HAD WHEN WE TALKED INTERNALLY WAS THE POSITION SHOULD HAVE TWO FUNCTIONS AND THEN WE WERE ALSO USING EXTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES.

SO WE KIND OF THOUGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE RIGHT SIZE.

SO THEN IN THAT RESPECT, I PROBABLY WOULD MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO REDUCE THAT DOWN FROM THREE TO TWO.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES.

SO WITH THAT AMENDMENT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, MAYBE MS. SILER COULD KIND OF STRUCTURE THAT SO THAT I IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A BUDGETARY AMENDMENT BEFORE WE AGREE THAT, SO I KNOW THE LANGUAGE TO PUT INTO THE MINUTES, RIGHT? YEAH.

AND IT, THIS, ONE'S A VERY, THANK YOU VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD AMENDMENT.

UM, REDUCE THE BUDGET BY ONE SENIOR AUDITOR IN RELATED EXPENDITURES AND THAT'S IT.

THE TWO, YOU KNOW, ONE ADDITIONAL RESOURCE.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT AMENDMENT IN A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND? OKAY.

WITH THIS, SORRY.

UM, LET ME JUST, THIS IS, THIS WOULD BE FOR THE AUDITOR TO WEIGH IN ON, THIS IS AN AUDIT POSITION, AND AGAIN, YOU WOULD BE REDUCING THE AUDIT FUNCTIONS FROM THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT'S WHAT YOUR ACTION ITEM IS RIGHT NOW.

SO WE HAD JUST FOR DISCUSSION, WE HAD A MEETING WITH OUR AUDITOR, OUR DIRECTOR OF AUDIT, WHERE BOARD MEMBER ELKINS IS CORRECT THAT WE HAD, SHE NEEDS STAFFING AUGMENTATION RIGHT AWAY AND THE AGREEMENT, AND SHE'S GONNA USE OUTSIDE RESOURCES IF SHE COMES TO HAVE.

AND WE'RE GONNA PROVE THE, THE PROJECTS FOR AUDIT THAT THIS BOARD OR, YOU KNOW, SHE PRESENTED HER PROJECT AUDITS, HER AUDIT PROJECT, HER AUDIT PROJECTS TO US, ONE THING SHE, WE COMMITTED TO THAT.

IF SHE NEEDS STAFF AUGMENTATION, SHE CAN COME BACK TO THE BOARD.

AND ALSO ONE OTHER THING THAT SHE POINTED OUT IS THAT SHE WAS OKAY WITH

[01:50:01]

SO WE'VE, I VETTED THAT WITH HER.

AND, UM, AND SO YEAH, SHE PUT FORWARD THAT RECOMMENDATION AS WELL, BUT THIS IS MORE OF, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES.

AND CHERYL, JUST, JUST TO, TO JUST MAKE SURE THERE'S CLARITY HERE, THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED TWO ADDITIONAL AUDIT POSITIONS THAT MS. SOLER WALKED THROUGH, AS YOU HAVE SEEN THAT I THINK IS NOW CONSISTENT WITH, UM, YOUR PROPOSED LANGUAGE ON DIRECTION, ON A NOTIFICATION PROCESS ABOUT HIRING.

SO WE'VE ALREADY, FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY, ONE OF THE NOTIFICATIONS OF THE NINE POSITIONS WAS AN AUDIT FUNCTION THAT WOULD CONTINUE THE AUDIT FUNCTION.

UH, MS. HOUSTON WOULD COME BACK AS PART OF HER UPDATE INDICATE HER PLAN.

AND SO THERE WOULD BE A MOMENT UNDER THE, UNDER THE MAYOR'S, UH, PROPOSED LANGUAGE.

IF YOU KEEP THE AUDIT POSITIONS IN THAT MS. HOUSTON WOULD COME BACK AND NOTIFY YOU AND HAVE A CHANCE FOR THAT DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION AND ANY ATTENTION, ANY ACTION AT THAT POINT.

SO I, WE, I THINK THE POSITIONS WOULD BE HANDLED SIMILARLY THAT WE HAVE FOR THE STAFF POSITIONS AS FOR THE AUDIT POSITIONS, JUST LIKE YOU SAW TODAY ON THE LOOK AHEAD THAT, UH, CASEY WALK YOU THROUGH, WELL, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT.

AND THE AMENDMENT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE LANGUAGE THAT I HAD CUZ THE AMENDMENT MAKES THAT DECISION NOW.

AND TONY, MY QUESTION WOULD BE BECAUSE YOU TWO WERE TALKING WITH HER MM-HMM , IF THERE'S ONE ELEMENT OF THIS RIGHT NOW THAT I'M FEELING IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S THE AUDIT FUNCTION, AS WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE AND HOW EVERYBODY'S POSITIONING WELL.

SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR AUDITOR HAS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS TO ABLE TO DO A FUNCTION.

SO I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE SAYING THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY ON PUTTING THE AUDIT IN.

IF SHE WANTS TO SPEND THAT ON AND CAN SPEND THAT ON PERMANENT STAFFING, THAT'D BE FINE IF SHE WANTS TO SPEND LESS OF IT ON PERMANENT STAFFING AND SHE WANTS TO SPEND IT MM-HMM ON BRINGING IN SOMEONE TO HELP CUZ THE, THE STARTUP WOULD BE FASTER ON THAT.

I'M FINE WITH THAT.

I'M FINE WITH LEAVING THAT DISCRETION, BUT HER, SO YOU GUYS WERE THERE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE SAYING WHATEVER THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT IS, THIS CAN GO TO AUDIT AND YOU CAN DEPLOY THAT AUDITOR IN PERMANENT POSITIONS OR WITH OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY ASSISTANCE.

IF THERE'S ONE AREA, WE MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT COMING UP SHORT ON RIGHT NOW.

IT'S IT'S IT'S THAT? SO YOU TOO, HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH HER BEST TO GIVE THE REST OF US GUIDANCE.

I MEAN, I'M FINE.

KEEPING IT AT THE THREE.

I THINK THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THAT, THAT THE AUDITS THAT WERE IN KATIE'S AUDIT PLAN COULD BE DONE WITH THE TWO AUDIT STAFF AND OUTSIDE STACK STAFF AUGMENTATION.

I'M FINE.

KEEPING IT THE THREE WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE INTERNAL AUDITOR FEELS SHE NEEDS THAT THIRD BODY, THEN SHE WOULD COME TO VERONICA AND MYSELF AS KIND OF THE AUDIT SUBCOMMITTEE FOR, UH, APPROVAL FOR THAT AND KNOWING OUR INTERNAL AUDIT.

I'M SURE THAT THAT WOULD BE FINE.

SO, SO THEN I WOULD PROPOSE INSTEAD OF THAT AMENDMENT, AN AMENDMENT, WHICH SAYS TRACK THE LANGUAGE SIMILAR TO WHAT WE, THE DIRECTION WE GAVE TO THE OTHER FTS, DO THE SAME THING WITH RESPECT TO THE AUDITOR.

UH, BUT COMING BACK TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, I, I TEND TO AGREE.

NO, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE CAPACITY AND THE INTERNAL AUDITOR TELL US WHEN SHE NEEDS THAT CAPACITY.

IT IT'S, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE IT IN RESERVE AND BE ABLE TO CALL UP UPON IT THAN HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN, CALLED SPECIAL MEETING TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT BACK IF, IF I WOULD PREFER, UH, TO HAVE IT IN RESERVE AND THEN GET A JUSTIFICATION FOR NEEDING IT WHEN IT'S NEEDED.

I'M, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT FORM.

SO THEN IN THAT CASE, THERE IS NO AMENDMENT.

WE KEEP IT AS HIS CORRECT.

IT WOULD BE DIRECTION TO THE DIRECTOR OF AUDIT.

AND LIKE YOU SAY, YEAH, IF, IF SHE FEELS A NEED TO GO BEYOND TWO PERMANENT FTE POSITIONS BEYOND THE TWO, GIVE NOTICE TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE WITH TIME FOR THEM TO RAISE THE ISSUE WITH THE BOARD, IF THEY FEEL THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO THAT.

SO YOU CAPTURE THAT WELL.

YOU STAFF ASSETS.

SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS, UH, CLARITY AND DIRECTION TO STAFF? I'LL MOTION FOR THAT.

MOTION AND SECOND BY MAYOR ADLER.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

OTHER AMENDMENTS OR DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP WITHOUT FURTHER DISCUSSION? I'D LIKE TO NOW CALL A VOTE ON THE BASE MOTION ON THE BASE MOTION FOR APPROVING THE BUDGET.

I GREAT.

IS THERE ANY, UM,

[01:55:01]

CAN WE, CAN WE MAKE A MOTION THAT INCORPORATES BOTH? SO ANYBODY GOING BACK AND READING THE MINUTES WOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY DIRECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE BUDGET.

SO I WOULD MOVE THE, AND IF EVERYBODY'S VOTING, I, I THINK IT WORKS.

IF WE COULD MOVE PASSAGE OR ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET AND THE, THE TWO DIRECTIONS ELEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.

THAT'S THE PLAN, THE BUDGET AS, AS AMENDED WITH DIRECTION.

SO I'D LIKE TO CALL A VOTE TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AS AMENDMENT WITH THE DIRECTION TO STAFF.

COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE PLEASE MOVE BY THE MAYOR SECOND BY, UH, MEMBER TRAVION EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY I, I, I, THE BUDGET IN ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR HAS BEEN APPROVED.

THANK YOU EVERYONE.

AND THANK YOU, MISS SILER FOR THE AMAZING WORK FOR AND JAMIE TO THANK YOU BOTH.

UM, TO SAY REAL QUICK.

I JUST WANNA COMMEND DIANE AND JAMIE AND REALLY ALL THE STAFF WERE WORKING ON THE BUDGET.

AND, AND JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE THE POINT, I THINK WE MADE EARLIER THIS BUDGET, WE ENTERED THIS BUDGET PROCESS WITH A DIFFERENT LENS.

WE KNEW WE WERE ADDRESSING THE PROJECT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND WE WANTED TO ADDRESS THE BUDGET IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BY ADDING THESE ELEMENTS OF TRANSPARENCY AROUND BUDGET QUESTIONS AND ALL OF THAT.

AND WE THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOST ON THE DIALOGUE THAT YOU GUYS JUST HAD ABOUT THE BUDGET AS WELL, WHERE THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.

UM, ONE OF THE BEST COMMENTS I'VE HAD FROM AN INDUSTRY PERSON THAT I'VE TALKED TO WAS THAT WE AS A NEW ORGANIZATION, UM, DON'T HAVE ANY BAD HABITS AND WE HAVE SOME OF OUR OWN, I MEAN, GOD KNOWS I HAVE MY OWN AND MY, MY, MY FAMILY WOULD AGREE TO A THOUSAND OF THEM.

BUT, UM, WE GET TO AS THIS NEW ENTITY, WE GET TO CREATE THESE NEW PRACTICES.

UM, AND WHAT YOU GUYS JUST DID HERE TODAY WITH THAT DIALOGUE AROUND HOW WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT OUR BUDGET AND HOW WE'RE GONNA REPORT ON GOING THROUGH IT, I THINK IS, IS REALLY SPEAKS TO, UH, WHAT ATP WAS INTENDED TO BE.

UM, SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND, I THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF DIALOGUE I KNOW, CHAIR YOU WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR US TO HAVE.

AND, UM, SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THAT INPUT AND FEEDBACK.

I THINK IT HELPS ENHANCE WHO ATP IS AND HELPS REALLY START, UM, DETERMINING WHAT OUR IDENTITY IS.

THE ACTION ON THE BUDGET, WE WILL NOW TAKE UP THE REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION DECLARING ATPS OFFICIAL INTENT TO REIMBURSE ITSELF FROM PROCEEDS OF TAX EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS TO BE ISSUED FOR LIGHT RAIL LINES AND ASSOCIATED SUPPORT FACILITIES EXPENDITURES IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF 50 MILLION.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE TO STAFF, BECAUSE I THINK THIS REALLY MANIFESTED, UM, YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CANALI.

UM, FOLLOWING

[4.e. Approval of a resolution declaring ATP’s official intent to reimburse itself from proceeds of tax-exempt obligations to be issued for Light Rail lines and associated support facilities expenditures in the total amount of $50,000,000]

UM, I THINK EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY SAW IT IN THEIR PACKAGE.

ARE THERE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE PLEASE? MOTION TO APPROVE MAYOR ADLER SECOND MEMBER TRAVION.

UM, ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? YES, SIR.

I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR BUYING, JUST TO GIVE A ONE MINUTE OVERVIEW ABOUT WHAT WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, WHAT WE ARE APPROVING.

I THINK IT'D BE GOOD.

SURE.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.

SO THIS ITEM IS JUST THE BOARD EXPRESSING THEIR INTENT TO ISSUE TAX EXEMPT OBLIGATIONS IN THE FUTURE.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS AS I, I DESCRIBED IN THE BRIEFING, IT'S MORE OF A REQUIREMENT ON THE IRS SIDE TO PRESERVE THE TAX EXEMPT, UM, STATUS ON THOSE OBLIGATIONS THAT ARE ISSUED.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DOES NOT BIND THE BOARD TO ISSUE THOSE OBLIGATIONS.

OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GONNA BE A SLEW OF ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE THE BOARD, BEFORE WE START ISSUING BONDS IN THE PUBLIC MARKET.

AGAIN, IT'S JUST THE, THE MECHANISM THAT WE NEED TO EXECUTE TODAY TO AGAIN, PRESERVE THAT TAX EXEMPT STATUS ON THOSE BONDS.

ONCE WE DO ENTER THE MARKET, UH, THANK YOU.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

SO WE'RE JUST APPROVING RESOLUTION TO, UH, HAVE AN INTENT, BUT NOT AN ACTION.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND IF THERE WAS AN ACTION THAT WOULD COME BACK TO THIS CORRECTION, THAT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT GOES HAND IN HAND WITH WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE SPENDING AND THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.

THAT'S HELPFUL.

MM-HMM THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GREAT.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MOTION BY

[02:00:01]

MAYOR ADLER.

SECOND MEMBER ELKIN.

SECOND.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

THE MOTION ACTION.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.

TO OUR INTERNAL AUDIT ACTION ITEM.

MOVING ON

[6.a. Approval of ATP’s Fiscal Year 2023 Audit Plan]

SO FROM THE DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL AUDIT, WE HAVE ONE ACTION ITEM THIS MONTH, ALTHOUGH MS. HOUSTON IS NOT HERE WITH US TODAY.

WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO HEAR FROM HER ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 AUDIT PLAN AND OUR GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER KC BURAK IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

AND I BELIEVE THIS ITEM IS READY FOR ACTION.

SO IN YOUR PACKAGE IS SO WHAT THAT WORK PLAN LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT PROJECTS ARE MANIFESTING THAT THIS BOARD HAS ALREADY SEEN IN PREVIOUS MONTHS.

SO, UM, DO WE HAVE, UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOVE APPROVAL? THANK YOU.

MOVE BY MEMBER PAVILION.

SECOND, SECOND BY MEMBER.

UM, ELKINS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. BURAK ON THE AUDIT PLAN? NO QUESTIONS.

NO.

JU JUST TO COMMENT, I MEAN, UM, KATIE'S DONE GREAT WORK PUTTING THIS PLAN TOGETHER.

I'M EXCITED TO SEE HER HAVE RESOURCES AND, UH, TO PUT AGAINST THIS.

AND I THINK THIS IS WHAT A WELL RUN ORGANIZATION DOES HAS AN INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION THAT, THAT FOCUSES ON STRONG, UH, IMPORTANT, UH, ISSUES FOR US TO LOOK AT.

SO, UH, I'M EXCITED TO GET HER, UH, STAFFED UP AND LOOK FORWARD TO HER REPORTS IN THESE AUDITS.

UM, ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND YOUR, YOUR REMARKS, MR. KINSON ON THE GREAT WORK THAT KATIE HOUSTON HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE BOARD IN PRESENTING THIS PROJECTS, AS WELL AS GIVING HER THE RESOURCES THAT SHE NEEDS.

UM, WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENTS, NO COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, SO THAT I'D LIKE TO, UM, CALL FOR A VOTE.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE, AYE.

AND THIS ACTION ITEM FOR AUDIT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

AND UM, SO NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALMOST AT THE END OF OUR MEETING, BUT, UM, SO NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

THANK YOU, MISS KIRA.

LIKE YOU JUST CHANGED CHAIRS AND CAME BACK.

SO NOW THE TIME IS FOUR 15 AND THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL NOW ENTER EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 51 0.07.

UM,

[7. Executive Session]

ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND 5 51 0.074 FOR PERSONNEL MATTER DISCUSSING FOR TO DISCUSS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH PROCESS.

AND, UH, FOR THOSE PHYSICALLY HERE TODAY IN THE ROOM WITH US, UH, WE WILL CONVENE THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EXPECT TO TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL ACTION ITEMS. SO, UH, FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO YOU'RE FREE TO, TO MOVE ON IF YOU WANT TO.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND, AND JOINING US IN THIS MEETING TODAY.

SO THANK YOU AND, UM, HAVE A BLESSED DAY, EVERYONE.

UM, THE BOARD IS NOW OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THIS CONCLUDES OUR SEPTEMBER ATP BOARD MEETING.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE BOARD AND THE STAFF FOR ALL THE INPUT AND WONDERFUL CONVERSATION WE HAD TODAY AND FOR THE PUBLIC WHO HAS TUNED IN AND WATCHED TODAY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE IMPORTANT WORK AHEAD AND THE, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURN AT 5 32.