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EVERYBODY WE'RE GONNA GET READY TO GET STARTED.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
UM, I WILL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER TODAY'S WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST.
THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES BOTH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES.
AND WE REQUEST PLEASE TO GIVE US 24 HOUR NOTICE AND TO PLEASE CONTACT US IN THE FUTURE.
THROUGH CHLOE MAXWELL, WHO'S CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN EACH AGENDA POSTING.
I BELIEVE TODAY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS MEETING.
[2.a. Engineering, Architecture & Construction Committee]
SO I'D LIKE TO JUMP STRAIGHT AHEAD TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT.AND THIS TIME I'LL HAVE MR. MULLEN, OUR DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING ARCHITECTURE, AND, UM, LI LIAISON WHO ATTENDED HE'S OUR CHIEF OF ARCHITECTURE.
THANK YOU, MR. MULLAN FOR COVERING THE MEETING FOR ME AND FOR TELLING US WHAT HAPPENED.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, CHAIR, AND, UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, YEAH, SO THE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION, UH, COMMITTEE MET ON, UH, SEPTEMBER 7TH AND WE HAD A REALLY STRONG TURNOUT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHICH IS GREAT.
AND, UM, THE, THE AGENDA FOR THE MEETING WAS REALLY TO LOOK AT, UM, THE TECHNICAL REVIEW.
THAT'S PART OF THE, THE CURRENT ONGOING WORK PLAN, UM, THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN THIS PART OF THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
AND SO WE, WE HAD A BIT OF A BRAINSTORMING SESSION, UM, LOOKING AT WHAT WE, UH, THINK THEIR OPPORTUNITIES ARE FOR DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES ARE, UM, TO OPTIMIZE THE PROGRAM, UM, SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, FIT IT IN WITHIN OUR, UM, OUR, OUR FINANCIAL, UH, CONSIDERATIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT, IT WAS A GREAT MEETING, VERY INTERACTIVE, UM, LOTS OF BACK AND FORTH, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT, UH, I WOULD ADD ABOUT IT AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A WHOLE SERIES OF IDEAS, NO, NO DECISION MAKING, UM, BUT JUST LOOKING AT WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND, UM, SHARING WITH THE COMMITTEE, WHAT WE'VE COME UP WITH TO DATE, WE'VE HAD SOME, SOME GREAT INTERAGENCY STAFF MEETINGS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS, UM, AND TO LOOK AT, AND, AND, UH, WE GOT SOME MORE FROM THE COMMITTEE AND I THINK SOME GOOD FEEDBACK.
UM, THE, THE ONE, THE COUPLE THINGS I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE IS THAT I THINK THE COMMITTEE IS VERY FOCUSED ON OUTCOMES, RIGHT? WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT, WHERE WE ARE, UM, AROUND OUR, OUR PRIORITIES, WHICH IS HOW DO WE COME UP WITH A PROGRAM THAT IS, UH, FINANCIALLY VIABLE, HAS COMMUNITY SUPPORT, UH, IS INVESTIBLE BY THE FTA, UM, DELIVERS THE MOBILITY EFFECTIVENESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UM, AND DELIVERS ON OUR EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
SO I THINK THERE'S GOOD ALIGNMENT THERE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO WORK ON, UM, WITH THE COMMITTEE ON REFINING OUR OPTIONS, UM, BASED ON THOSE, UM, THE OTHER THING I'D LIKE, JUST TO HIGHLIGHT ONE THING THAT THE, UM, THE KITTY COMMITTEE RECOGNIZED WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE, WE ARE GONNA BE ONE OF A FEW MEGA PROJECTS IN THE REGION, UM, THAT IS GONNA AFFECT OUR, UH, CONSTRUCTION AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THEY HIGHLIGHT IS HOW DO WE LOOK FOR WAYS TO, TO OPTIMIZE THAT AS OPPOSED TO JUST BE THE RECIPIENT OF THE, OF THE, I THINK THE, THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE, ARE THERE, AND AGAIN, THE ANSWER MAY BE THERE AREN'T ANY, BUT WE NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER PROCUREMENT, UM, AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE, WHERE WE CAN COORDINATE WITH OUR PARTNERS, UM, WHO ARE WORKING ON THOSE OTHER MEGA PROJECTS, UM, YOU KNOW, AROUND MATERIALITY, ET CETERA, AND, AND ALSO TO ACHIEVE, ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.
SO, UM, ALL IN ALL REALLY PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
AND I THINK WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS, THIS PROCESS.
AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO, THANK YOU, SIR.
[3.a. Project Connect Status Report (ATP Board Brief)]
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.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.
[00:05:01]
TO EVOLVE, UM, OUR, OUR PROGRAM UPDATE.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.
[3.b. ATP Organizational Update]
ALSO FOCUS TODAY ON OUR ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE.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.
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.
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, 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
YOU ALMOST NOT QUITE OUT OF OFFICE, BUT IT WAS LIKE COMING OUT OF OFFICE COMING SOON.
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
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.
UM, SIMILARLY WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT.
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 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.
SO, UM, YEAH, WE'VE AND AS PART OF THE WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT, MAYBE, UM, PRONG OF THE HIVE
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 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.
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
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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, 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.
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.
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.
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]
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.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.
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.
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.
AND, AND WE'LL DO THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU THAT FEEDBACK.
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.
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 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]
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.SO THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.
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]
TO FOCUS, I THINK WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON A COUPLE OF THESE HONEYCOMBS.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.
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.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 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.
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 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.
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.
AND THEN SIMILARLY ON PAGE 41, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TECHNICAL REVIEW.
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]
ARE AT MAYBE SOME DEFERRED STATIONS OR, OR ITEMS LIKE THAT.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.
AND THEN HOW MANY ARE THERE? EXACTLY.
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.
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.
AND THAT WAS MORE MY QUESTION.
WE'RE ALL ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT.
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.
THOSE ARE ONLY QUESTIONS I HAD.
THANK YOU, MAYOR MEMBER ELKINS.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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THE SLIDE THAT WAS IN THIS, THIS IS THE MEETING THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 13TH AND 14TH.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, 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.
CAN YOU REMIND ME? IT WAS, YES, IT WAS IN APRIL, IN APRIL.
THAT WAS WHEN, UM, THEY WERE ORIGINALLY OKAY.
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.
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'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