[00:00:01]
ALL RIGHT.IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE, UH, SIX BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE PHYSICALLY.
ONE BOARD MEMBER ON THE ON, UM, LIKE THAT'S HERE ELECTRONICALLY.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT ONE THAT WILL BE HERE WITHIN THE NEXT 15 MINUTES.
SO WHY DON'T WE OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AT 1217? AND, UM,
[Additional Item]
LET'S START WITH A SAFETY BRIEFING FROM GARDNER TABBAN.JUSTIN, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I SERVE AS CAPITAL METROS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER.
I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU A SAFETY BRIEFING.
SAFETY BRIEFING PERTAINS TO YOUR EMERGENCY EGRESS.
SO, CAUSE WE'RE HAVING SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION, YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN, UH, BY COMING IN IS A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON.
SO THAT CHANGES THE WAY THAT WE CAN EXIT IN AN EMERGENCY, UH, SITUATION SUCH AS A FIRE.
IF THERE IS A FIRE, PLEASE EXIT EITHER TO MY RIGHT IN THE HALLWAY AND GO DOWN THE STAIRS OR TO THE LEFT AND ALL THE WAY DOWN THE STAIRS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU MAY HAVE A CHALLENGE PHYSICALLY AND GETTING DOWNSTAIRS, NOT TO WORRY.
WE WILL HAVE SOMEONE, UH, COME TO YOU SHORTLY AFTER TO ASSIST YOU DOWN THE STAIRS ONCE YOU GET DOWNSTAIRS, PLEASE.
OUR ASSEMBLY AREA IS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET, ON THE CORNER, RIGHT NEAR THE SCHOOL.
WE NEED EVERYONE TO EXIT AND WALK ACROSS THE STREET JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EACH AND EVERYONE AND EVERYONE IS SAFE.
IS EVERYONE OKAY WITH THAT BRIEFING? WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION.
[II. Public Comment ]
OKAY, THE NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF PUBLIC COMMENT SIGN IN SHEETS, BUT WE WILL START WITH THE, UH, THE FOLKS THAT ARE ACTUALLY CALLING IN.UM, FIRST PERSON WHO'S ON THE LIST WILL BE, UH, ZNO JOSEPH, AND SHE WILL SPEAK FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE SHE IS SPEAKING ABOUT TWO AGENDA ITEMS. IS, UH, MS. JOSEPH, UH, WITH US, ED? OKAY, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU WITH US? YES.
MR. EASTON, PLEASE TAKE FIVE MINUTES.
UM, ZNO JOSEPH, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS AS IT RELATES TO THE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, JANUARY, 2023, SERVICE CHANGES SPECIFICALLY ON PAGE 2 0 9, THE RESOLUTION HAS FALSEHOOD FOOD.
SPECIFICALLY, IT STATES WHEREAS THE JANUARY, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES WILL CONTINUE TO REBUILD RIDERSHIP WHILE MINIMIZING IMPACTS ON CURRENT CUSTOMERS.
I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO APPROVE ARE IMPROVEMENTS FOR LOW DENSITY WHITE AREAS, SPECIFICALLY ROUTE 19 AND 30.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, BORDERS LAKE WEST WESTLAKE HILLS AND ROLLINGWOOD WESTLAKE HILLS MASTER PLAN ACTUALLY SPECIFIES A LIMITATION ON MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
AND SO YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GROW RIDERSHIP OR REBUILD RIDERSHIP IN THAT AREA BECAUSE IT ONLY SERVED ABOUT 5.6 WRITERS AN HOUR.
THERE WERE 27 EES ISD STUDENTS WHO LOBBY CAPITAL METRO IN 2016 HASHTAG SAVED THE 30.
THEY DO NOT PAY INTO THE SERVICE AREA IN ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 14TH OR 16TH.
AND ALSO NOVEMBER 5TH AND SEVENTH WHEN WE HAD WORK SESSIONS WITH A CONSULTANT, RUSH CHISHOLM, HE DID NOT RECOMMEND MAINTAINING RAW 30 WALSH TOLTON.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THOSE CHANGES THAT YOU'RE MAKING COME AT THE EXPENSE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO LIVE IN CRAIG WOOD ON ROUTE 3 39.
AND SO I OPPOSE THE TRAVIS COUNTY TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN, WHICH IS CONSENT ITEM NUMBER 12.
ROUTE 2 37 IS INTERLINE WITH 3 39 IS 60 MINUTES.
AND COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE, FORMALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS CANNOT EVEN GET DAY LABOR.
MY REQUEST IS FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY REANALYZE THE SYSTEM AND RECOGNIZE THAT YOU DO HAVE DISPARATE IMPACTS, EVEN THOUGH YOUR RESOLUTION SAYS THAT YOU DO NOT.
THESE CHANGES COME AT THE EXPENSE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE NORTH OF US, 180 3.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO RESTORE 3 92 TO THE ARBORETUM ONE SEED RIDE EAST WEST CONNECTIVITY ON ROUTE 3 25, WALMART NORWOOD TO WALMART, NORTH CROSS, AND TWO 40 TO ST.
I'VE GIVEN YOU OTHER EXAMPLES AND WAYS TO MITIGATE THESE DISPAR IMPACTS.
ROUTE TWO 40 ACTUALLY SERVE ST.
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RUNS TO THE DOMAIN AND IT'S LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM ST.SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY SERVE INDIVIDUALS THERE.
AS IT RELATES TO PICKUP, WORKING AHEAD ON PAGE 2 23 OF YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS, I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO CREATE A SAMSUNG TO APPLE EAST WEST PICK ZONE BECAUSE THE CURRENT ZONE DOES NOT CONNECT THE, THE INDIVIDUALS NORTH OF US.
180 3 TO TECH RIDGE PARKING LOT.
I KNOW FIRSTHAND BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET FROM WALMART, UM, THE IT'S BREAKER AND NORTH MAR, SO THERE'S A WALNUT CREEK PICKUP ZONE, BUT IT DOES NOT GO TO TECH RIDGE PARKING LOT.
3 92 IS IN BETWEEN THE NEXT ZONE, WHICH IS DESAW.
SO THERE'S NO PICKUP BY WALNUT CREEK ELEMENTARY.
AND THE DESAW ZONE ACTUALLY REQUIRES YOU TO PAY 1 25 TO BOARD PLUS THE DAY PASS.
PLUS, IF YOU NEED THE SERVICING, YOU DON'T HAVE A DAY PASS.
THAT'S ANOTHER DOLLAR 25 TO GO HOME.
SO IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE RELYING ON THE PICKUP ZONE.
AND YOU'LL LOOK IN YOUR BACKUP MATERIALS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE NORTHEAST ZONES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE USED THE MOST.
THOSE ARE THE TRANSIT DEPENDENT WRITERS.
I WOULD ALSO ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT THE 15 MINUTE INCREASES THAT YOU ARE HAVING ON THE AMENITIES CONSENT ITEMS FIVE AND SIX, WHICH IS YOUR POLL SIGNAGE AND THE BENCHES, THAT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO GET THE TRANSIT DEPENDENT WRITERS TO THEIR DESTINATION ANY FASTER.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CAPITAL BUDGET, OUT OF THE 902 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE ALLOCATED, HOW MUCH OF THOSE FUNDS WILL ACTUALLY IMPROVE SERVICE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE MINORITIES THAT ARE BEING DOUBLE AND TRIPLE COUNTED UNDER YOUR RIDERSHIP TO IMPROVE SERVICE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL FOR YOUR WHITE CHOICE WRITERS.
I WOULD LASTLY JUST SAY THAT I OPPOSE ANY TYPE OF STUDY THAT YOU HAVE, UM, MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO US AS IT RELATES TO CUSTOMER SERVICE.
DODY WAINS GOT A NEW TITLE FOR CUSTOMER, THE CHIEF CUSTOMER, UM, OFFICER BACK IN 2018, AND SHE HAS YET TO DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE.
LASTLY, I'LL JUST REMIND YOU, IT WAS 80 MINUTES HEADWAY ON AUGUST 31ST, 2022 FOR THE SOCCER GAME AS WHITE CHOICE WRITERS WAS BEING SHUTTLED EVERY 15 MINUTES.
AND SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW YOU SAID YOU VOTED AGAINST CAP REMAP, YOU DID NOVEMBER 15TH, 2017, BUT THESE CHANGES FOR JANUARY, 2023 ARE JUST AN EXTENSION OF CAP REMAP.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO VOTE AGAINST THEM AGAIN TODAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS MAY MATSON TAYLOR, WHO IS ALSO REMOTE.
AND THERE'S NO SOUND ON MY END.
I CAN'T HEAR YOU IF YOU'RE TALKING TO ME.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SPEAKER.
UM, I'M ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE JANUARY, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.
UM, I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED.
SO THE CHANGES DO NOT INCLUDE RESTORING FULL SERVICE ON THE 3 35 AND THE 18.
UM, THESE ROUTES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THE HIGH FREQUENCY NETWORK WITH SERVICE EVERY 15 MINUTES.
UM, BUT SERVICE WAS TEMPORARILY CUT TO EVERY 30 MINUTES IN SEPTEMBER, 2021.
AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS JUST LIKE A TEMPORARY THING DUE TO A DRIVER SHORTAGE.
UM, AND THE PROMISE WAS MADE THAT FREQUENCY WAS GONNA BE RESTORED NO LATER THAN AUGUST, 2022, WHICH DID NOT HAPPEN.
AND IT WAS A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT TO PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO RELY ON THESE ROUTES.
NOW WE'RE ON TO THE NEXT SERVICE CHANGE AND THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN NOW OR ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
UM, SO IN FACT, AS I LOOKED INTO THIS, UM, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU ALL QUIETLY UPDATED YOUR WEBSITE TO REMOVE THE 3 35 AND THE 18 FROM BEING LISTED ON THE HIGH FREQUENCY NETWORK, WHICH ON ONE HAND I GET IT CUZ YOU'RE NOT PROVIDING THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE RIGHT NOW.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, TO ME, THAT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE NOT COMMITTED TO ACTUALLY RESTORING, UM, 15 MINUTE FREQUENCIES ON THESE ROUTES AT ALL, BUT THAT YOU'RE JUST NOT GONNA ANNOUNCE THAT CHANGE.
SO I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING.
IF YOU'RE GONNA RESTORE SERVICE, WHEN ARE YOU GONNA DO THAT? BECAUSE IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, THEN WHY NOT? AND WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO SNEAK IT IN UNDER THE RADAR, UM, WITHOUT INCLUDING IT, UM, IN THE SERVICE CHANGES, IF YOU'RE PERMANENTLY PULLING THESE ROUTES OFF THE HIGH FREQUENCY NETWORK AND PERMANENTLY CUTTING FREQUENCY AND HALF, THAT IS A REALLY BIG CHANGE AND IT DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT
[00:10:01]
THESE ROUTES WERE A CORE PART OF CAPRI MAP.UM, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUNNING 15 MINUTE AND 30 MINUTE SERVICE MEANS A 100% INCREASE IN WAIT TIME FOR RIDERS.
UM, FOR ME, I LIVE AT ONE END INTO OF THE 3 35 AND I WORK AT THE OTHER END.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE BUS, UM, AND I DO WHEN I CAN.
I DID WHEN IT WAS 15 MINUTES, BUT AT 30 MINUTES IT'S COMPLETELY IMPRACTICAL BECAUSE I USUALLY DO NOT HAVE AN HOUR BETWEEN NEEDING TO BE AT TWO DIFFERENT PLACES.
I'M FORTUNATE BECAUSE I HAVE ANOTHER OPTION OF RIDING MY BIKE, WHICH GETS ME THERE A LOT FASTER THAN THE BUS DOES AT THE CURRENT SERVICE LEVEL, BUT I'D LIKE TO BE ON THE BUS.
UM, I ALSO WANNA QUICKLY MENTION THAT THERE ARE OTHER ROUTES THAT ARE AFFECTED THAT HAVEN'T GOTTEN THEIR SERVICE BACK THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE HIGH FREQUENCY NETWORK.
UM, SO THE 3 25, THE THREE 11, THE 3 33, AND THE 3 37 ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, 15 MINUTE SERVICE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
BUT EVER SINCE THAT SERVICE CUT IN SEPTEMBER, 2021, THEY'RE ONLY RUN EVERY 30 MINUTES ON THE WEEKENDS, WHICH AGAIN, LIKE HUGELY AFFECTS THE USABILITY OF THAT SERVICE.
AND I, AGAIN, I'D RIDE THE, UM, 3 25 IF IT WAS AT 15 MINUTES, BUT I CAN'T DO IT AT 30 MINUTES.
UM, SO MY ASK IS THAT, UM, YOU BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THAT YOU RESTORE 15 MINUTE FREQUENCIES TO ALL THESE ROUTES SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
AND THEN IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT, THAT YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT IT IN THE SERVICE CHANGES AND LET PEOPLE MAKE COMMENT ON IT.
RIGHT? THANK YOU, UH, MS. TAYLOR.
UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS, UH, SHERRY TAYLOR.
MONITOR, PRESS RIGHT BUTTON, MA'AM.
I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, AT THE END OF THE MONTH, UH, SESSIONS LAST FEW MONTHS AND LEARNED SOMETHING EACH TIME.
AND I SEE SOME IN FOLKS IN HERE WITH, UH, BUS, FREE BUS, UM, RIDERSHIP AND KIND OF, EXCUSE ME FROM TALKING ABOUT WHAT I CAME TO TALK ABOUT, BUT I, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT THE 3 35 IS WHERE I AM, 78, 7 23.
AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THEY PUT YET ANOTHER BUS STOP ON BEMAN WHERE WE DON'T HAVE RIDERSHIP.
AND MY FRIEND WAS TELLING ME THEY TOOK THEIR ST.
JOHN'S BUS OUT WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF RIDERSHIP.
SO I'M CONFUSED WHEN THERE'S, THERE'S DOCUMENTATION THAT IN MUELLER, WE'RE NOT USING THE ROUTE ON BERGMAN BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE A CAR AND THERE ARE OTHER AREAS DON'T HAVE A CAR.
THEY REALLY DEPEND ON THAT FOR WORK AND OTHER PLACES THEY HAVE TO GO.
UM, SO ANYWAY, I WANTED TO MENTION FOR THOSE WHO ARE TOWING THE SIGNS, I WOULD LIKE TO ENTERTAIN YOU GOING BACK TO SCHOOL TO PROGRAM CALL.
CAPITAL IDEA WOULD GIVE YOU A FOUR MONTH BUS PASS WHERE YOU'D GO TO SCHOOL.
THE BOOKS ARE FREE IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, THEY KEEP YOUR KIDS DURING YOUR SCHOOL HOURS FOR FREE.
BUT THE POINT IS, IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR A FREE BUS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A DESTINATION, THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
MAYBE THAT'S WHY CAPITAL IDEA IS NOT TRYING TO GIVE YOU A FREE BUS PASS.
BUT IF YOU CONSIDER, I HAVE A LIST, IF YOU COULD SIGN UP, I COULD MEET YOU AT SIX 10 EAST 45TH STREET, WHICH IS AUSTIN CLUBHOUSE, AND WE COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET YOU ENROLLED IN CAPITAL IDEA.
AND THEN ARE YOU DOING ALL THAT FREE BUS RIDING? YOU'LL GET A DEGREE OUT OF IT.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, YOU CAN GET ONE THROUGH GOODWILL, AND THAT'S ALSO A FREE BUS PASS OVER THERE.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU'RE JUST RIDING FREE GOING ANY PLACE FOUR YEARS LATER, YOU, YOU WILL JUST BE RIDING.
BUT THIS WAY CAPITAL IDEA, YOU'LL HAVE A DEGREE AND BE ABLE TO PAY FOR YOUR OWN BUS PASS.
SHERRY TAYLOR RUNNING FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, VAL ROKS IS THE NEXT PERSON.
IF, IF SHE'S NOT HERE, THEN, UH, IS IT DEBORAH MILLER? YES.
ALL RIGHT, PLEASE COME FORWARD.
UM, TWO MONTHS AGO I CAME TO THE BOARD AND ASKED TO, UM, GET
[00:15:01]
YOUR SUPPORT FOR A BLUE APPLE EXPRESS PROGRAM.I STARTED, SO I CAME TO GIVE YOU A REPORT ON WHAT HAPPENED.
UM, I CAME BEFORE WITH A LOGO.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THIS REALLY HARD.
UM, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I READ THE BUS IN 105 DEGREE TEMPERATURES FOR OVER EIGHT AND A HALF HOURS, AND DID NOT QUIT TILL I MEET MY DESTINATION BECAUSE I'M COMMITTED TO THIS PROGRAM.
UM, HERE'S A PICTURE OF ME RIDING THE BUS AND, UM, THIS IS MY FAVORITE BUS.
UM, THIS IS HOW I CATCH THE FLYOVER.
THE PROBLEM IS, EVERY TIME I GET ON THIS BUS, I SHUT THE LINE DOWN.
THEY ARE NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE.
YOU CAN'T GET MY WHEELCHAIR ON THERE.
YOU MIGHT GET ME UP, BUT YOU CAN'T GET ME DOWN.
NOW, ALWAYS HANGING IN THE SUN FOR 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR FOR THEM TO SEND TWO SUPERVISORS AND MECHANIC UP TO LAKE PLAIN WALL OR DOWN TO REPUBLIC SQUARE FOR THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NEW HAVE EVERY ONE OF THOSE BUSES THAT LOOKS THE SAME ON THE OUTSIDE OF EXPRESS HAS A DIFFERENT WAY THAT THEY NEED TO HAVE, UM, TO RELEASE THAT, UM, EXCUSE ME, TO RELEASE THE MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS THE LIFT TO GO UP AND DOWN INSIDE THE BLACK BOX ON SOME UNDERNEATH THERE IS A, UH, HANDLE AND THEY CAN BE CRANKED UP OR DOWN.
SOME OF THE BLACK BOSSES ARE LOCKED AND THERE'S NO HANDLE.
THE LAST TIME I WAS UP WAS UP FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF, UM, LEFT FLY MO.
SO I HAD BROUGHT FROZEN WATER TO SHARE WITH THE DRIVER, UM, BECAUSE ITS HAPPENING EVERY TIME.
BUT I KEEP DOING IT BECAUSE I KEEP SAYING, WE'RE GONNA WORK THE BUGS OUT EVERY TIME IT'S SOMETHING NEW.
SO I FIGURED EVENTUALLY WE'LL FIND EVERYTHING RIGHT UNTIL THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING I WENT TO THE BUS STATION.
I, I WENT EARLY BECAUSE I KNEW THIS IS REAL TOWARDS ME.
WHAT HAPPENED? I CAN'T FATHOM IT.
I WENT AND, AND TO THE DOOR WITH THE DINING FIVE DRIVER WAS LET HIM KNOW I WAS HERE, SO HE WOULD NOT MISS ME.
I GO BACK WHERE THE DR WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO LOAD ON THE SIDE OF THE BUS, RIGHT? HE COMES OUT, ASKS ME TO SHOW HIM THAT I HAVE FAIR, OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT NORMAL ANYWAY, SO I SHOW HIM MY METRO ACCESS PAD AND HE'S GLAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT SAYS I CAN RIDE THE COMMUTER TRAIN, RIGHT? SO HE CAN'T, HE CAN'T, I MEAN, SO I CAN'T WRITE THE FLOWER, SO HE CAN'T, HE CAN'T LEGALLY TELL ME I CAN'T DO IT.
INSTEAD OF SAYING, HEY, WILL YOU DO THIS A FAVOR? LET EVERYBODY GET TO WORK ON TIME.
WHAT HE DOES IS HE DO NOT, IS HE VIOLATES THE AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT.
HE REFUSES TO CLEAR THAT THE AREA THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE RESERVED FOR THE DISABLED AND SENIORS, HE WILL NOT GET ME ON THE BUS.
HE IS DIRECTED BY HIS SUPERVISOR TO COME TO ME AND TELL ME THAT I DON'T BELONG ON THAT BUS, THAT I NEED TO BE ON METRO ACCESS, WHICH WAS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS THING.
IN ADDITION, HE SAID, MAYBE I COULD CATCH AN NEXT PLUS.
NOW, I DIDN'T WANNA MAKE EVERYBODY LATE FOR WORK, YOU KNOW, SO I RAN MY BATTERY DOWN, I WENT OVER AND CAUGHT THE TRAIN DOWN.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT I LIKE TO KNOW WHERE TO GO FORWARD THIS.
I DON'T WANT PUT A BUNCH OF LAWSUITS AGAINST YOU IF THE DRIVERS ARE GONNA BEHAVE LIKE THIS WHEN THEY SEE A WHEELCHAIR.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT PERSON IS EMILY SEALS.
I'M EMILY SEALS SOCIAL WORKER WITH SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER.
I ALSO SERVE ON THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WORK GROUP.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU AGAIN TODAY.
MANY OF US HAVE RETURNED TO THE BOARD MEETING THIS MONTH FOR OUR THIRD TIME TO CONTINUE ASKING CAP METRO, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR VOICE SUPPORT FOR FREE TRANSPORTATION, BUT TO ALSO ASK FOR A CLEAR PROPOSAL WITH MEANINGFUL BENCHMARKS TO FULLY ROLL OUT.
ROLL OUT A PERMANENT FREE FAIRS PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY JANUARY OF 2023.
THE CURRENT FREE FAIRS POLICY, WHICH ENABLES PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS PROVIDE FOR FREE TO COOLING CENTERS ENDS IN JUST FOUR DAYS BETWEEN THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER AND THE ROLLOUT OF A POSSIBLE PERMANENT FREE FAIRS PROGRAM IN JANUARY.
WE ARE ALSO ASKING THAT SERVICE PROVIDERS, MUTUAL AID GROUPS AND FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS RECEIVE 31 DAY BUS PASSES FOR DISTRIBUTION AND SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED BY DATA COLLECTION RESTRICTIONS OR SUPPLY CAPS.
AS A LOCAL SERVICE PROVIDER, SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER WOULD NEED APPROXIMATELY 2031 DAY BUS PASSES TO DISTRIBUTE EACH MONTH.
THIS IS BASED ON DATA GATHERED IN AUGUST FROM OUR IN PERSON SERVICES OFFERED AT OUR SOUTH AUSTIN LOCATION, OUR MOBILE OUTREACH TEAM, WHERE SERVICES ARE OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AS WELL AS OUR HOTLINE TEAM.
WE ARE ALSO ASKING THAT FRONTLINE STAFF NOT BE LIMITED BY INTENSIVE DATA RESTRICTION CONNECTED WITH THESE BUS PASSES.
ANY NEW DATA GATHERING REQUIREMENTS
[00:20:01]
WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM OUR FOCUS ON COORDINATED HOUSING ASSESSMENTS, HOUSING REFERRALS, HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND ASSESSMENT AND NAVIGATION, AND OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HOLISTIC AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE TO EACH PERSON WE INTERACT WITH AT SUNRISE.UM, I'M ALSO HAPPY TO HELP, UM, CONNECT CAP METRO WITH OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, UM, WHO ALSO WOULD BE REQUESTING 31 DAY BUS PASSES.
AS I'VE MENTIONED HERE BEFORE, OUR CURRENT SYSTEM OF ASKING SERVICE PROVIDERS, CASE MANAGERS, INTERNS, AND VOLUNTEERS TO ACT AS GATEKEEPERS TO TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S MOST VULNERABLE IS UNFAIR TO EVERYONE INVOLVED AND CERTAINLY IS NOT TRAUMA INFORMED CARE.
BECAUSE OF OUR CONSTANT NEED TO RATION BUS PASSES, PEOPLE MISS HEALTHCARE APPOINTMENTS, MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE ABILITY TO MEET WITH CASE MANAGERS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
PEOPLE NEED TO CONNECT AND TRANSPORTATION IS INTEGRAL TO CONNECTING.
YESTERDAY MY DAUGHTER TURNED SEVEN ON HER WAY TO HER BIRTHDAY PARTY, SHE SAID TO ME FROM THE BACKSEAT, I'M THINKING OF WHAT I WANT TO WISH FOR FOR MY BIRTHDAY.
THEN SHE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SAID, OH, I KNOW FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
THE NEXT GENERATION IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE MORAL COMPASS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
IF A SEVEN YEAR OLD CAN WISH THIS, SURELY WE CAN COME TOGETHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND CAT METRO TO MAKE THIS WISH COME TRUE.
THANK YOU, MICHAEL HALLIBURTON.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL HALLIBURTON.
UM, WE, THE HOMELESS IS ASKING FOR A PERMANENT FREE BUS PASS.
UM, IT, I'M SURE IT'S GONNA HELP WITH NOT ONLY, UH, SAFETY, GETTING TO MY JOB, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, ET CETERA.
UM, THIS IS THIS, UH, SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S A PRESSURE BETWEEN THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE RIDING HOMELESS, RIGHT? SOME OF THE DRIVERS FEEL LIKE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE, BUT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE.
AND THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A PERMANENT SITUATION FOR THE HOMELESS BECAUSE I DO WOULD LIKE YOUR HELP IN, UM, PROMOTING A NEW BUSINESS PROJECT, RIGHT? SO THIS IS GONNA HELP US NOW, BUT WE ARE GONNA HELP CAPITAL METRO IN THE FUTURE, NOT ONLY INCREASING RIDERSHIP, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY INVEST IN CAPITAL METRO.
SO I'M ASKING FOR, UM, A PARTNERSHIP YOU COULD SEE.
YOU'RE GONNA, AND WE WILL HELP YOU IN THE FUTURE AND I CAN GIVE YOU FURTHER DETAILS ON THAT.
UM, LIKE I SAID, LOAD THE PRESSURE BETWEEN THE DRIVERS HELP US TO GET THROUGH OUR JOBS SO IT WON'T CUT INTO MY PAYCHECK.
$41 PLUS FOR A 30 DAY BUS PASS.
IT'S PRETTY EXPENSIVE AND IT, IT REALLY TAKES AWAY ALSO FROM ME TRYING TO GET SOME, A FREE BUS PASS CUZ I HAVE TO GO TO ALL THESE CHURCHES AND I HAVE A JOB TO GO TO, RIGHT? SO PLEASE HELP US A PERMANENT, UH, BUS PASS, WHICH WILL LOOK SIMILAR TO YOUR TEXAS ID AND, UH, UNTIL OUR SITUATION CHANGES.
I'M A DISABLED COMBAT VETERAN IN A FORMERLY UNHOUSED AUSTIN NIGHT.
UM, I'M DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED WITH CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S PERFORMATIVE ACTIONS OF THE PAST FEW MONTHS WHEN DEALING WITH A CRITICAL RESOURCE, UM, FOR A DISPROPORTIONATELY DISABLED, DISPROPORTIONATELY BLACK, DISPROPORTIONATELY VETERAN UNHOUSED POPULATION CAP METRO.
AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN KNEW THAT THE POLICY WAS INADEQUATE FAR BEFORE T HRA BEGAN THEIR CAMPAIGN.
AND THESE POLICIES RELEASED SINCE THEN FEEL PERFORMATIVE WHEN BUS DRIVERS ARE STILL DENYING ACCESS EVERY SINGLE DAY TO UN HOUSE PEOPLE AND THE LABOR TO SPREAD INFORMATION ABOUT THE POLICY AS WELL AS THE LOCATION OF THE COOLING CENTERS COLLECTION OF THE INCIDENTS OF POLICY INFRINGEMENTS HAVE ALL GONE TO ORGS WHO RECEIVE NO FUNDING TO DO SO.
LIKE T HRA IN STREET FORM CAP METRO IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S.
LACK OF FREE FAIRS PROGRAM IS UNNECESSARILY PITTING BUS DRIVERS AGAINST THE UNHOUSED POPULATION.
WE NEED A FREE FAIR PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY, SO WE'RE NOT PITTING THESE BUS DRIVERS AGAINST THE ON HOUSE POPULATION UNNECESSARILY.
IN THE MEANTIME, CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEED TO PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE T HRA, STREET FORUM SUNRISE AND
[00:25:01]
SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FREE 31 DAY BUS PASSES WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.HELLO, GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
UM, FOR WHEN WE STARTED THE HEAT POLICY CHANGE, UH, FOR WEEKS I WAS GETTING SEVERAL CALLS DAILY, WEEKLY FROM MEMBERS FROM, UM, PEOPLE THAT ARE A PART OF OUR ORGANIZING PROJECT ABOUT, UM, THE FAILED ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE BUS.
UM, BUS DRIVERS WERE SITING THAT IT WASN'T HOT ENOUGH OUTSIDE THAT THEIR ROUTE DIDN'T GO BY A COOLING CENTER, JUST LIKE A MYRIAD OF, UM, MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW HEAT POLICY.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT TRYING TO GET, UM, AN UPDATE OUT TO THE DRIVERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
BUT IN THIS PAST MONTH, WE'VE REALLY SEEN LIKE, UM, JUST A FAILURE OF EXPANDING THIS HEAT POLICY TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
PEOPLE THAT NEEDS TO GET TO THEIR DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, PEOPLE THAT NEED TO SEE THEIR CASE MANAGERS, AND EVERY DAY FROM OUR LAST BOARDING MEETING TO TODAY, ALL THOSE INSTANCES OF THIS FAILED HEAT POLICY, UH, MEANS EXACTLY THAT.
IT MEANS, UH, MISSED DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, LET'S ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES, MISSED PAROLE MEETINGS, AND ABILITY TO GET FOOD OR WATER LOST CONTACT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, AND SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
AND THIS IS HUNDREDS OF INSTANCES SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
UM, I THINK IT'S, WE WOULD ALSO, UM, BE REMISS TO NOT, UM, BEGIN IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE UPCOMING WINTER.
UM, WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT, ESPECIALLY BEFORE THIS NEW PERMANENT FREE FERRIS PROGRAM ROLL OUT WHERE THE TEMPERATURE IS GONNA DRASTICALLY CHANGE.
UM, AND WE KNOW THAT TEXAS DOESN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OR SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE HOMELESS POPULATION, ESPECIALLY IN AUSTIN WHEN IT COMES TO SHELTER, WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESSING FOOD, WATER, LIKE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE THROUGH WHAT IS BEN, SEEM TO BE A CRITICAL SYSTEMIC FAILURE TO PROVIDE, UM, RESOURCES FOR THE UNHOUSED IN, IN THE CULT.
UM, WITHOUT A FREE FERRIS PROGRAM OR ENOUGH OF THESE 31 DAY PASSES, PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO REACH THE PLACES THAT THEY NEED TO BE TO BE SAFE.
SO WE REALLY NEED CAP METRO TO LAY OUT A CLEAR PROPOSAL WITH MEANINGFUL BENCHMARKS TO FULLY ROLL OUT THE PERMANENT FREE FERRIS PROGRAM FOR UNHOUSED HOUSE.
IN THE MEANTIME, UM, IN THIS GAP THAT'S UPCOMING, WE'RE ASKING KAMETRA TO PROVIDE 31 DAY PASSES TO ALL IN HOUSE AUSTIN NIGHTS WHO NEED TRANSIT ACCESS UNTIL THAT PROGRAM IS ROLLED OUT SO THAT THERE ARE NO MORE MISSED APPOINTMENTS, NO MORE MISSED PAROLE APPOINTMENTS, ACCESS TO ALL THESE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT HOMELESS PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO SURVIVE IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS AND MUTUAL AID GROUPS CANNOT BE BURDENED BY DATA COLLECTION OR SUPPLY CAPS BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A HUGE TAKE ON, UM, AND SO THE LEAST BARRIERS POSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, TO GET PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED IS, IS REALLY CRUCIAL AND CRITICAL TO WHAT WE NEED AT THIS TIME.
I WAS WONDERING IF, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DID GET THIS MEMO FROM TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND, AND I WAS WONDERING IF WE SHOULDN'T, UH, ANNOUNCE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE INVITING, UH, ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS, THEY'RE GONNA NOW HAVE ENOUGH, UH, TRANSIT TICKETS FOR EVERYONE AND THEN THEY'RE INVITING, UH, THE BOARD'S INVITING, UH, ALL THE, UH, CURRENT PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION TO MEET WITH THEM AT ON OCTOBER 5TH FROM 10 30 ON A WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, FROM 10 TO 10 30.
SO THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A PRESENT AS SOON AS EVERYBODY GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON WORKING WHERE THEY ARE ALL GONNA HAVE MORE TICKETS, MORE, MORE PASSES AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WITH NO ADDITIONAL COST.
SO, I MEAN, IF, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL, Y'ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN INVITED.
CAN I TAKE SOMETHING THE UH, YES, BUT HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
UM, BECAUSE, UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE THE GROUP SPEAK OUT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE TEAM SPEAK AFTER EVERYBODY HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
SO, UH, WE SAID WE WOULD COME BACK TODAY WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND, UH, BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK FIRST.
BOARD MEMBER, UM, THANK YOU BOARD MEMOR FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
IS, IS THIS DOCUMENT AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC? YES, MA'AM.
THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE POSTED PACKET.
IT WAS IN THE UPDATED PACKET THAT GOT POSTED ON.
DO WE HAVE ANY COPIES HERE TODAY? I, YES.
SO WHAT, WHAT BOARD MEMBER IS TALKING ABOUT FOR YOU ALL IS THIS MEMO, AND THEN THERE'S A, THERE'S A LETTER FROM THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
[00:30:01]
IT TO THEM NOW SO THAT THEY HAVE IT? THANK YOU.UM, ALVIN SANDERSON, GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, I'M, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU SOME GOOD FACTS, SOME TRUE FACTS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT THERE IN OUR STREETS, IN, IN THE CITY.
I KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE GO THROUGH, UH, AND, AND WHAT I SEE IS THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO DO IN THEIR LIVES THAT WILL HELP THEM.
CAB METRO CAN GET 'EM THERE, AND THAT WOULD BE SO GREAT.
I'VE HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE I'VE GONE FOR DAYS WITHOUT FOOD BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A BUS PASS.
I WOULD, UH, IT DID SO BAD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO SILK PARK WHEN PEOPLE HAD PICNICS AND DIG IN THE TRASHCAN FOR FOOD.
IT WAS, IT WAS HORRIFYING THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH THAT.
I WENT THROUGH A LOT OF MISERY AND DESPAIR BEHIND IT, AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE DO TOO, ON A DAILY DAY BASIS.
WELL, I LIKE TO REALLY POINT OUT TO YOU WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO FOR PEOPLE.
IT'S GONNA CHANGE THEIR LIVES.
IT'S GONNA MAKE IT TO WHERE THEY CAN GET THE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, THEY CAN GET TO A SHOWER, THEY CAN GET FOOD, THEY CAN GET AND, AND MAYBE GO VISIT THEIR FAMILY AND, AND TRY TO REESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS TO WHERE THEY CAN GET OFF THE STREETS.
THIS WILL HELP PEOPLE GET OFF THE STREET.
IT'S MORE THAN JUST HOUSING NOW.
UM, IT'S GONNA GET 'EM OFF THE STREETS.
IT'S GONNA HELP THEM HELP THEMSELVES TO GET TO THESE DOCTORS' APPOINTMENTS, TO GET THE FOOD WHERE THE FOOD'S AT, TO GET ALL OTHER PLACES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, AND THAT WILL HELP THEM.
AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO, I IMPLORE YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER JUST THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO DO TO PEOPLE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA CHANGE THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WHAT THEY DO.
I'M A VOLUNTEER AT THE SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER.
NOW, UH, IN THE PAST LIFE I HAVE BEEN A CONSULTANT TO OVER 30 MAJOR EUROPEAN BUS OPERATORS.
SO I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT, UH, THE ISSUES AFFAIRS I WANT TO MAKE.
UH, THE POINT THAT, UH, DOTY WATKINS STATED AT THE OPERATION COMMITTEE MEETING THAT, UH, THERE WAS A LOT THAT HAD TO BE STUDIED BEFORE A PERMANENT SCHEME IS LAUNCHED.
AND I CAN SEE THAT POINT IS VALID, BUT, AND KITCHEN MADE A PROPOSAL THAT THE BEST WAY TO GATHER THE INFORMATION, NECESS FIRST STUDY IS SIMPLY TO LAUNCH A THREE MONTH PILOT EXPERIMENT OF JUST SIMPLY GIVING OUT 31 DAY PASSES THROUGH THE HOMELESS SERVICES AGENCIES, AND THEN SEEING WHAT HAPPENS.
YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MONITOR THE RIDERSHIP OF PARTICULAR BLOCK BLOCKS ARE PASSES.
YOU USE THAT FOR THEIR TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND PASSES, AND THEY PRODUCED MONTHLY REPORTS AND RIDERSHIP FOR THOSE PASSES.
THE HOMELESS SERVICE AGENCIES, WHILST THEY, WHILST THEY HAVE A TREMENDOUS CASELOAD AND LIMITED TIME TO GET THESE PASSES OUT, CAN COLLECT THE BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY KNOW HOW MANY, THEY KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT GIVING THE PASSES TO ARE HOMELESS.
THEY HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF THEM.
THEY CAN, CAN THEY ALSO KNOW HOW MANY, HOW MANY ARE, ARE HISPANIC OR BLACK.
AND SO FALL INTO THE TITLE SIX CATEGORIES.
UM, THEY KNOW, UH, HOW MANY ARE OVER 65, AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW MANY WOULD QUALIFY FOR YOUR DISABLED RIDERSHIP PROGRAM, UH, IF ONLY IF THEY COULD GET THEMSELVES TO APPLY FOR IT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE IT VERY LITTLE COSTS.
UH, I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST TRYING TO GIVE EACH PERSON RECEIVES A PASS, A LITTLE SURVEY FOR QUESTIONNAIRE TO COMPLETE, UH, EXPLAINING HOW THEY USED THE PASS AND WHAT IT MEANT TO THEM.
AND WE CAN EVEN ASK THEM TO RETURN THAT SURVEY TO GET THEIR NEXT MONTH'S PASS.
[00:35:01]
BUT I'M ASSUME THERE SHOULD BE A THREE MONTH EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD.UH, SO I THINK BASICALLY, I REALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE UP AND KITCHEN'S PROPOSAL.
I'M WITH TH HRA ORGANIZING PROJECT.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING FOR ON A FREE, UH, FAIR PROGRAM FOR THE HOMELESS.
UH, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I KNOW IT, IT IMPACTS ME PERSONALLY AND HAS FOR MANY YEARS, AND IT IMPACTS THOUSANDS OF AUSTIN'S YOUR NEIGHBORS AS WELL.
UH, RIGHT NOW I'M ABLE TO PAY FOR MY OWN BA BUS PASS, BUT, UH, WHEN I FIRST BECAME HOMELESS, THAT WASN'T THE, IT WASN'T TRUE.
I HAD TO GO TO SUNRISE, I HAD TO GO TO TRINITY CENTER.
I HAD TO GO TO ALL SAINTS, EPISCOPAL, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER PLACES, AND IN ORDER TO GET BUS PASSES.
AND EVEN SO, IT ONLY, THAT ONLY COVERED ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE, THE, THE NEED THAT I HAD MY RIDING.
UH, IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY THAT $42 A MONTH EVERY MONTH, UH, THAT A LOT OF THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS, EXCUSE ME, A LOT OF THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS, UH, HOTELS THIS UPCOMING WINTER.
UH, MY CURRENT RECORD FOR LIVING OUTDOORS IS 190 DEGREES DOWN TO EIGHT DEGREES.
SO, UH, DURING THE FREEZE OF 2021, UH, I SLEPT OUT THE FIRST TWO NIGHTS.
UH, AFTER THAT I DID GET ONE RIDE FROM A, A NEIGHBOR TO A SHELTER.
BUT, UH, HOPEFULLY I WON'T BE BREAKING ANY RECORDS THIS WINTER.
UM, FOR THE PAST MONTH, I'VE BEEN, UH, USING, UH, CAP METRO'S, UH, POLICY OF TRANSPORT TO COOLING CENTERS.
UH, I HAVE TO SAY, THE RESULTS HAVE BEEN MIXED.
UM, NEVERTHELESS, ANY HELP IS MUCH BETTER THAN NO HELP AT ALL.
UM, RIGHT NOW, HOMELESS PEOPLE IN AUSTIN, UH, OF COURSE ARE LOSING THAT ACCESS.
AND SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO CLEAR PATH, UH, OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON THIS, UH, PERMANENT FREE FAIR PROGRAM FOR HOMELESS.
UH, A LOT OF MEMBERS HERE HAVE, UH, SUPPORTED THAT.
UM, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A COMMITMENT, A SOLID COMMITMENT FROM THIS BOARD THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO THIS THING AND SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.
LAST, LAST MEETING, IT CAME UP THAT, UH, THAT THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN AROUND FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS, BUT I GOTTA TELL YOU, WHEN I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 20 23, 20 2003, EXCUSE ME, IT WAS AN ISSUE THEN.
SO AT LEAST 20 YEARS, I THINK WE, WE SHOULD, IF YOU WOULD SUPPORT US, I THINK WE COULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM AND MOVE ON TO OTHER PROBLEMS. UH, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO SET A PERMANENT PROGRAM, UH, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE INTERIM BECAUSE WINTER IS COMING.
WE NEED A COMMITMENT TO ENOUGH, 31 DAY PASSES TO COVER THE NEED.
SO IN, IN, FINALLY, I JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT WE NEED YOUR COMMITMENT ON THIS PERMANENT PROGRAM.
WE NEED, UH, 31 DAY PASSES, AND WE NEED A PLAN OF HOW THE PERMANENT, UH, PROGRAM IS GONNA WORK AND A DATE FOR THAT PLAN WHEN THAT PLAN IS COMING OUT.
THIS LOOKS LIKE, UH, JOE PEREZ.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBER MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS JOE PETS AND I'M HOMELESS WORKING ON, ON A PLACE RIGHT NOW.
BUT, UH, I WAS GONNA SAY A LOT, LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT MOST EVERYBODY ALREADY SAID.
AND I WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S WORKING TO TRY TO GET US ALL, YOU KNOW, HELP.
AND, UH, THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT TO GIVE US BUS PASSES, BUT BILL SAID THAT Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND HOPEFULLY WHAT THAT, WHAT Y'ALL GONNA TELL US IN A LITTLE WHILE, IT WILL BE GOOD NEWS FOR EVERYBODY.
AND SO THEREFORE, I'M NOT GONNA SAY TOO MUCH, PLUS I'M NOT TOO MUCH OF A SPEAKER AS IT IS, BUT, UH, BUT I DID HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING TO SAY HERE, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK Y'ALL ARE GONNA
[00:40:01]
ANSWER THAT IN A LITTLE WHILE.SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT FROM THERE AND SEE WHAT Y'ALL COME OUT WITH.
THANK Y'ALL MUCH FOR LISTENING TO US.
I'M WITH THE T H R A OBSERVATION PROJECT, AND I'M CURRENTLY HOMELESS.
I HAVE USED THE HEAT POLICY AND SOMETIME IT WORKED, AND SOMETIME THE BUS DRIVER LOOK AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY.
BUT FOR MOST PART IT DID WORK.
AND I LIKE TO THANK, UH, I LIKE TO SAY, UH, NOW THAT IT'S ENDING, IT'S GOING TO BE EXACTLY LIKE IT WAS BEFORE.
PEOPLE WILL BE UNABLE TO GET TO THE DOCTOR APPOINTMENT, UNABLE TO FIND HOUSE AND FOOD, CLOTHES, SHOWERS, CETERA, CETERA.
SO MUCH THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE WINTER.
IF THE STORM LIKE WE HAD LAST TIME AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION, IT WOULD BE SO HARD ON US.
THE HOMELESS PEOPLE, THE COLD, THE RAIN PEOPLE NEED TO GET THE PLACES THAT ARE WARMER.
THEY NEED TO GET THE PLACE THAT ARE DRYER.
WITHOUT THAT, THAT LEADS TO MADNESS.
IF PEOPLE HAVE FREE BUS PASSES, THEY WOULD HAVE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE CONFLICT WITH THE BUS DRIVER RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN'T RIDE THE BUS BECAUSE THEY POOR.
AND IT JUST, IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT.
AS A LIFELONG, AS A LIFELONG AUSTIN NIGHT, I HAVE SEEN THIS CITY CHANGE.
PEOPLE HAVE LITTLE MONEY, LOW END JOBS AND CAN'T, AND CAN'T AFFORD BUS FAIR, OR THEY DON'T HAVE WORK AT ALL.
AND THEY CAN'T FIND WORK IF THEY CAN'T GET, GET, IF THEY CAN'T GET ANYWHERE, EXCUSE ME.
BUT BEING PORTION, THAT MEANS YOU CANNOT RIDE THE BUS TO GET THE MEANS YOU NEED LIVE YOUR LIFE.
WE NEED CAREFUL TO GIVE US FREE FAIRS TODAY, NOT TOMORROW, BUT TODAY.
I ALSO LIKE TO ADD ABOUT Y'ALL SAFENESS ON THAT BUS.
I AIN'T HAD INJURED MYSELF ON THAT BUS.
THE DRIVER HIT THE BRAKE SO HARD, Y'ALL GOT AIR BRACE AND I FLEW OUT THE SEAT.
THEY GOT, THEY GOT SEAT BELTS.
I TAKE, I TAKE UP TO 13 MEDICATIONS A DAY, AND I ACTUALLY DOZE OFF.
SO I WASN'T EVEN ABLE TO PROTECT MYSELF WHEN I HIT MY HEAD.
I JUST WANTED LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT Y'ALL NEED TO WORK ON THAT SAFETYNESS WITH THEM BREAKS AND SAFETYNESS OVER THE PEOPLE THAT RIDE THE BUS.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS PAULETTE UL.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
UM, I WAS ORIGINALLY GONNA JUST TALK ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING NEED, BUT I THINK EVERYONE THAT'S SPOKEN BEFORE ME HAS ALREADY DONE THAT MUCH BETTER THAN I COULD.
UM, I WISH WE WOULD'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS MEMO.
I THINK THAT THIS, BASED ON WHAT WE CAN SEE, IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD AND WE ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF, OF THE WORK TO ACTUALLY MEET THE NEED.
UM, WHAT I WOULD JUST DOUBLE DOWN ON IS WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID IS THAT WE CAN'T HAVE, WITH THE 31 DAY PASSES, THERE CANNOT BE A CAP ON THE SUPPLY NEED BECAUSE AS THIS MEMO SAYS, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY SOLUTION UNTIL SOMETHING PERMANENT IS THERE.
AND WE CAN'T BE COUNTING HOW MANY PASSES ARE GONNA GO TO WHICH SERVICE PROVIDERS OR WHICH MUTUAL AID GROUPS OR WHICH FAITH GROUPS NEED TO BE DISTRIBUTED IN THEM.
SO PLEASE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF WE NEED AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF THESE AS MUCH AS PEOPLE NEED THEM, AS MUCH AS THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ASK FOR THEM, NEED THEM, PLEASE MEET THE NEED.
AND ON THE REPORTING PIECE, AGAIN, WE NEEDED MINIMAL REPORTING.
UM, A SECOND PIECE OF THIS IS THAT WE, WE'VE BEEN COMING BACK WEEK AFTER WEEK IN, IN CLOSED DOORS, CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE STAFF ACCOUNT METRO AND AT BOARD MEETINGS ASKING FOR REAL CLARITY AROUND WHAT IS GONNA BE THE NEXT STEPS AROUND A PERMANENT PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS A PIECE THAT I FEEL WE REALLY NEED CAP METRO TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD AND GIVE US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THIS PERMANENT PROGRAM COULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
AND I'M HOPING THAT BY THE NEXT, I MEAN, WE BROUGHT THIS UP AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND WE ASKED FOR, FOR WHAT, WHAT THE PERMANENT PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE IMMEDIATE SOLUTION.
[00:45:01]
LIKE, WE'RE, WE'RE JUST ASKING TO DOUBLE DOWN ON THIS PIECE THAT WE NEED INFORMATION ABOUT, AND WE NEED TO BE IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE PERMANENT SOLUTION BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT 2023 TO ROLL AROUND TO BE STILL HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS, FILLING THIS ROOM WITH THE SAME VOICES AND, AND MORE VOICES AT THAT POINT OF UNHOUSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT NEED BUS FAR.AND LASTLY, UM, I WOULD ASK, AS BARRY POINTED OUT, WE, WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF, OF, OF THE HEAT POLICY AND SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.
SO I WOULD ASK CAP METRO IN THE INTERIM BETWEEN NOW AND OCTOBER 15TH, OR WHENEVER THE OPS MEETING IS, WHERE THIS TEF PROPOSAL IS GONNA BE DISCUSSED FOR THE CAP METRO HEAT POLICY POLICY TO BE EXTENDED SO THAT THERE IS NO GAP OR LESS ACCESS TO BUS ACCESS BECAUSE THAT POLICY HAS RUN OUT.
WE, WE NEED YOU TO EXTEND THE HEAT POLICY FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
IT'S STILL A HUNDRED DEGREES OUTSIDE.
THERE'S REAL NEED AND AN ABILITY BY CAT MAR TO DO THAT WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE 31 DAY PASSES.
I THINK THIS IS CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ.
HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? UM, SO MY NAME'S CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TRINITY CENTER.
UH, I, I WISH WE WOULD'VE GOTTEN THIS EARLIER.
I, I'M READING AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS, THIS IS A GOOD STEP FORWARD.
UM, SO TRINITY CENTER HAS BEEN A, A RECIPIENT OF THE TEF PASSES FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
UM, AND I'LL TELL YOU, UH, ON MY END, UM, I WAS THE PERSON AT TRINITY CENTER WHO USED TO WORK WITH THE BUS PASSES AND, YOU KNOW, DIS UH, OPERATE THE, THE DISTRIBUTION OF THEM.
AND SO EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCOUNTING FOR TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR HOW MANY WE NEEDED FOR EACH MONTH AND ALL, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE COULD MAKE IT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR WAS, WAS SOMETHING WE, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DID.
UH, THIS PAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE DONE WITH OUR, OUR ANNUAL PASSES.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE PASSES THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING THIS YEAR FOR NEXT YEAR.
UM, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IS, UH, IS THAT IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO PAY ABOUT $600 EXTRA JUST TO KEEP OUR DISTRIBUTION GOING THESE PAST COUPLE WEEKS.
UM, SOMETHING THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND WE CANNOT DO AGAIN, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, SO UNFORTUNATELY THIS WEEK, 50 50 ISH PEOPLE OR SO, UH, 70, IF YOU COUNT OUR CASE MANAGEMENT CLIENTS WILL NOT RECEIVE A BUS PASS THAT THEY USUALLY WOULD GET ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, WHEN, UH, PEOPLE ARE GONNA COME TO OUR DOORS AND ARE GONNA EXPECT, UH, THE BUS PASS AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.
AND SO TALKING ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE FREE FAIRS TALKING ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS ALREADY SPOKEN OF THIS, THIS INTERIM PERIOD AS STEPS ARE MOVING FORWARD, UM, IS SO IMPORTANT.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT ARE, ARE DEPENDING ON SUCH A, A PERMANENT SOLUTION, BUT ALSO EVEN THAT INTERIM PIECE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT, UM, AGAIN, THAT WE FEEL VERY HEARTBROKEN FOR BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE THAT, THAT NOTICE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PASSES TO GIVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND WE'RE USUALLY A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET A PASS.
AND SO, UM, I GUESS FOR US, THAT'S JUST MORE OF AN ORGANIZATIONAL PIECE THAT I WANTED TO, TO PROVIDE INPUT ON IS, YOU KNOW, WITH A, SOMEBODY WITH AN ORGANIZATION WHO RE WHO HAS RECEIVED, UH, THESE PASSES EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF US, YOU KNOW, A SMALL AGENCY HAVING TO SPEND 600 PLUS DOLLARS JUST TO KEEP THAT PROGRAM GOING.
AND, UM, AND SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE Y'ALL AWARE AND, UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THIS.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT MEETING, SO THANKS.
UH, AMELIA, NICO, AMELIA, NICO.
UM, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN BEFORE I DID AND HAVE SAID REALLY WONDERFUL THINGS HAVE OFFERED PLANS, UM, AND YOU GUYS JUST PASSED THIS OUT, RIGHT? UM, I KIND OF WANTED TO COME UP HERE AND ASK AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIRECT AND SAY, WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT GETTING ENOUGH 31 BUS, 31 DAY BUS PASSES TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAND THEM OUT TO UNHOUSED PEOPLE? WHAT IS SO DIFFICULT ABOUT THAT 4.5% OF YOUR OPERATIONS BUDGET COMES FROM FAIRS, ALL OF THE FAIRS, RIGHT? YOU GUYS ARE SELLING BUS PASSES AT A LOWER COST, ALBEIT TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT TRULY COULD BE USING THAT FUNDING FOR OTHER THINGS LIKE PAYING THEIR WORKERS, LIKE HIRING MORE PEOPLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ALL THE OTHER SERVICES THAT THESE PLACES PROVIDE.
UM, WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON THIS TINY, TINY PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BUDGET WHEN YOU COULD BE DISTRIBUTING THESE PASSES WIDELY
[00:50:01]
FOR FOLKS WHO IT WOULD LITERALLY SAVE LIVES? LIKE WE SAID, WINTER IS COMING, PEOPLE ARE ALREADY BEING HOSPITALIZED AND HAVE DIED FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.IT IS HOT AND IT'S ONLY GONNA GET HOTTER.
I I WANT TO SAY THAT I LIKE THIS, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST MORE HOOPS WE HAVE TO APPLY.
WE HAVE TO RECEIVE A LIMITED NUMBER.
YOU KNOW, ONLY MAYBE REGISTERED NONPROFITS CAN APPLY FOR THE, THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
I'M WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED STREET FORUM.
WE'RE NOT A REGISTERED NONPROFIT, AND YET WE SERVE OVER 200 UNHOUSED FOLKS EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY SINCE 2019.
WHY ARE WE NOT ELIGIBLE TO GET THESE BUS PASSES? EITHER? Y'ALL HAVE THE BUDGET, YOU HAVE THE MONEY, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DO IT IS GIVE OUT THESE 31 BUS PASSES.
AND IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T, THE RESULT IS PEOPLE DYING, BECOMING INJURED, ILL, YOU KNOW, THE, THE CONSEQUENCES ARE LIFE AND DEATH.
SO I DON'T, I THINK I NEED TO REALLY COMMUNICATE THE URGENCY OF THIS.
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING THIS.
LIKE, WE, THAT'S IRRELEVANT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT ANYWAY, THE POINT IS WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING NOW.
I DON'T, I I DON'T WANNA KEEP IN BEING INVITED TO MORE AND MORE MEETINGS, ALTHOUGH I AGREE THOSE ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THESE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED NOW TO SAVE LIVES.
I'M, I'M GOING DOWN THE LIST AND THEN IF, IF ANYBODY HASN'T SIGNED IN, THEN I'LL CALL HIM AFTERWARDS OR YOU CAN SIGN IN AT THIS POINT, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT, KEEP IT GOING SO EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE.
UH, IS JP HERE? I SAW HIM A FEW MINUTES AGO, BUT HE STEPPED, HE LEFT.
UM, TONY CARTER, GOOD AFTERNOON.
UM, CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I WAS HERE ON THE FIRST MEETING.
UM, SINCE THEN, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL HOMELESS.
I'VE BEEN HOMELESS FOR THREE YEARS NOW, BUT, UM, I DEPEND ON CAPTAIN METRO TO GET ME TO WHERE I NEED TO GO.
AND WHEN I DON'T HAVE THE FUN TO DO IT, THAT HURTS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I MISS OUT ON MY APPOINTMENTS TRYING TO GET A HOUSE.
THE MAIN THING IS, YOU KNOW, US UNHOUSED PEOPLE AND I SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S UNHOUSED AND MAYBE SOME OF THE HOUSE PEOPLE THAT USE CAPTAIN METRO.
AND WE KNOW, I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ALREADY GOT YOUR PLAN MADE OUT FOR THE 2023, UM, FULL DEAL.
BUT THE 31 DAY BUS PASSE WOULD REALLY HELP BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR DAYS LEFT FOR THIS, UM, COOLING CENTER.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AFTER THAT? YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMETHING THERE THAT WE CAN COUNT ON Y'ALL TO GIVE US, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH UNTIL Y'ALL DECIDE ON THE P DEAL.
AND GIVEN THE 31 DAY BUS PASSE TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED THEM WILL REALLY HELP.
AND BECAUSE US PEOPLE, WE DO GO TO THESE ORGANIZATIONS TO TRY TO GET HELP AND BUS FAIR FOR THEM.
I'M A THIRD YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT DELL MEDICAL SCHOOL.
UM, BEFORE I STARTED MEDICAL SCHOOL, I GOT MY MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM THE YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND I CONCENTRATED IN HEALTH POLICY.
UM, I HAVE A STRONG BELIEF THAT ALL POLICY IS HEALTH POLICY AND I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL TODAY.
UM, A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE BEFORE ME WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS WORK HAVE KIND OF ALREADY SET A LOT OF POINTS.
SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT I THOUGHT WAS A VERY SMART POINT WAS THE IDEA THAT IN ORDER TO KIND OF BEST CREATE A LONGITUDINAL CULTURE OF HEALTH AND EVEN REDUCE HEALTH COSTS IN AUSTIN AND TEXAS, WE NEED TO GIVE AGENCY BACK TO THE PEOPLE.
UM, NOT JUST ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED, BUT THE UNHOUSED PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
UM, I'M GONNA START WITH AN ANECDOTE.
WHILE I WAS ON MY SURGICAL, UH, MY SURGERY CLERKSHIP, I WORKED, UM, I BASICALLY, UM, ONE OF MY PATIENTS WAS A WOMAN WHO IS HOMELESS, WHO IS, UH, WHEELCHAIR BOUND.
SHE SPOKE TO ME ABOUT HOW, BECAUSE OF CO THINGS LIKE LACK OF ACCESS TO FOOD AND LACK OF ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION AND LACK OF ACCESS TO HOUSING, UH, A MERE SKIN INFECTION, JUST A SKIN INFECTION THAT IS VERY EASY TO TRADE, UH, TRANSFORMED INTO OSTEOMYELITIS.
[00:55:01]
BASICALLY A BONE INFECTION THAT REQUIRES MUCH MORE MEDICAL CARE REQUIRES IN HOSPITAL A PATIENT THAT COSTS TAX DOLLARS, THAT COST TRAVIS COUNTY MEMBERS DOLLARS.UM, IT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR EVERYONE.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE WOMEN THAT I WAS TREATING WHO NOW HAS TO, WHO HAD TO GET A BELOW THE KNEE AMPUTATION.
UM, BUT UH, ALSO TO EVERY MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S ONE ANECDOTE THAT REALLY, UM, KIND OF EMPHASIZES THE POINT THAT WE NEED CARE NOW.
WE NEED IT FOR PATIENTS WHO CAN EASILY GET ANTIBIOTICS THAT WON'T COST ANYTHING TO ANYBODY.
UM, IN A, IN A KIND OF, UM, UH, LIKE INORDINATE AMOUNT, THOSE INFECTIONS TRANSFORM INTO SOMETHING THAT, UM, COSTS EVERYBODY.
UM, I ALSO WANNA JUST SPEAK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE BASE VERY BRIEFLY.
EVERY YEAR AROUND 3.6 MILLION PEOPLE MISSED THEIR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.
ACCORDING TO A STUDY FROM 2006.
BECAUSE OF THIS, THEY OFTEN SHIFT THEIR CARE TO MORE COSTLY ACUTE CARE SETTINGS SUCH AS THE DELL ME EMERGENCY ROOM, OR I'M SORRY, THE DELL SEAT AND EMERGENCY ROOM.
UM, ACUTE CARE SETTINGS OUT OF PREFERENCE IN CONVENIENCE, WHAT'S MORE MISSED APPOINTMENTS HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON CLINICAL PRODUCTIVITY AND UNUSED CLINIC SPACE AND STAFF TIME EQUATE TO LOSS OF REVENUE.
UM, IT IS NO SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY HERE THAT THE US HEALTH SYSTEM, IF THE US HEALTH SYSTEM WERE TO BE A COUNTRY, IT WOULD BE THE FIFTH BIGGEST GDP IN THE WORLD.
WE HAVE A LOT, LOT OF HEALTH, UM, REVENUE, OR WE HAVE A LOT OF HEALTH COSTS THAT ARE, UH, IN EXCESS TO OUR HEALTH OUTCOMES.
UM, AND I THINK AUSTIN HAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO PAIR WITH AND GIVE AGENCY BACK TO ITS RESIDENTS, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, MAKE EVERYBODY IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, COME OUT BETTER FOR IT.
AT THIS POINT I HAVE CALLED EVERYBODY WHO HAS SIGNED IN, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AND IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, UM, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NEXT.
I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING, YOU KNOW HOW WE USED TO HAVE FOOD STANDS WAY BACK, ONE OF THE BOOK MM-HMM.
WELL, SINCE THERE'S 31 BUS DAY BUS PASS, I THINK Y'ALL SHOULD RE TO TO CREATE A ONE BUS PASS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, A WHOLE YEAR BUS PASS INSTEAD OF MAKING JUST 30 DAY ONE BEST PESTS.
READY? AND IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AFTERWARDS? RIGHT.
AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M WEARING THE UNIFORM.
SO CLEARLY I'M A DRIVER AND THERE'S A LOT OF WEIGHT THAT'S PUT ON ME BECAUSE OF THIS LOGO ON MY SHOULDER.
AND I HEAR THESE MULTIPLE PEOPLE MAKING THEIR POINTS CONCERNING GETTING FREE RIDES, EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY WE GIVE THEM RIDES, MAYBE SOME DRIVERS MIGHT NOT DO IT TO A CERTAIN DEGREE BECAUSE IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH, WE WERE TAUGHT AND TRAINED TO TAKE THAT FAIR AND OUR BUSES LITERALLY HAVE SIGNS SAYING PAY FAIR BEFORE TAKING A SEAT.
SO THIS WHOLE ONE PERSON DID SPEAK ON IT.
IT MAKES CONFLICT FOR THE DRIVERS AND THE PASSENGERS WHEN WE'RE HAVING DIFFERENT INFORMATION, WHICH THAT MIGHT PERTAIN TO TRAINING.
I'M NOT SURE AS FAR AS THE INFORMATION WE'RE BEING TOLD, CAUSE SOMETIMES THEY KNOW THE PUBLIC KNOWS THINGS BEFORE WE DO.
BUT ONE THING I WANT TO STRESS AS FAR AS THE FREE RIDES, WHICH TO ME CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY AS I'VE READ, UH, ONE OF, UH, SUNSHINE'S WEBSITES PERTAINING TO HOMELESSNESS AND THE, THE, BASICALLY THE CORREL CORRELATION BETWEEN DRUG ADDICTION AND ALCOHOLISM, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ON A DAILY BASIS, WHICH CAUSES AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE, PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS.
AND AS ONE GUY MENTIONED, HE DOZED OFF ON THE BUS ONE DAY AND ENDED HIMSELF.
APPARENTLY FROM MY, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AS DRIVERS, WE ARE TOLD NOT TO DISTURB PASSENGERS AS THEY'RE SLEEPING.
WE LITERALLY HAVE TO CALL A SUPERVISOR TO WAKE THIS PERSON UP.
AND TO ME THAT IS, UH, AN UNSAFE THING.
SO IF WE NOT ALLOWED TO WAKE THEM UP, IF THEY DOZE OFF, BUT YET IF A CAR DARTS IN FRONT OF US, SUDDENLY WE HAVE TO SMASH THE BRAKES.
HERE WE ARE WITH THE INJURED PASSENGER BECAUSE WE, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ACTUALLY GO WAKE THIS PERSON UP TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
SO IT'S LIKE A, A WIN OR LOSE THING.
EITHER WAY IT GO, YOU THERE'S NO WAY OF WINNING.
BUT I DID WANNA STRESS THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT SO BLACK AND WHITE WHEN IT COMES TO GIVING FREE RIDES.
EVEN THOUGH TECHNICALLY THEY STILL GET FREE RIDES, WE DON'T DENY THEM
[01:00:01]
RIDES.NOT EVERYONE MAYBE, BUT FOR MYSELF SPEAKING, IF THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE THE FAIR, I'M NOT GONNA GIVE THEM CONFLICT TO WANT TO HAVE TO GET UPSET WITH ME.
I JUST GO AHEAD AND COUNT, COUNT THE LITTLE SNEAKY ON MY LITTLE FAIR BOX AND LET 'EM GO AHEAD AND RIDE.
BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST COMING TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS.
TO ME IT'S, PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT US DEALING WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE IF THEY WERE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, CUZ CAPITAL METRO CAN'T SOLVE ALL SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON, AND I'M NOT GONNA EVEN MENTION, I'M GONNA MENTION THE BREAD FAR SITUATION WOULDN'T, WHEN, WHEN PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY TAKING MONEY THAT IT'S MEANT FOR THE POOR AND PUTTING IT IN THEIR OWN POCKETS.
THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS.
WE NEED TO FOCUS TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WAY ABOVE US AND WE NEED TO GET OUT AND VOTE AND GET RID OF THOSE THAT ARE NOT HERE FOR US.
NOW, AS A DRIVER, PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN HOMELESS.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU NOW, IT'S A LOT OF DRIVERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING.
THESE FOLKS HERE HAVE EXPERIENCED.
WE'RE ALL, NONE OF US ARE JUST NEW TO THIS LIFE.
MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT'S PROBABLY IN THIS ROOM HAVE BEEN HOMELESS THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN ADMIT TO IT, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I WAS ONE OF THEM.
BUT THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY TODAY.
AND HOPEFULLY Y'ALL KIND OF, I GUESS, FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM AND A BALANCE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S NO CONFLICT BETWEEN THE DRIVERS AND THE PASSENGERS.
NOW IS, IS THERE ANYONE WHO WANTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD WHO HAS NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO YET? I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GOT A CHANCE FIRST.
UM, SINCE NO ONE ELSE, UH, WANTS TO, UH, WANTS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, I'M GONNA CALL, UH, THE, UH, TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND BOARD CHAIR ANDREW LAVA OR LEVACK.
NOW YOU GOTTA TELL ME WHICH ONE.
I'M THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
AND, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO EVERYONE TODAY.
FIRST, MY APPRECIATION TO THE BOARD FOR ENGAGING IN THIS ISSUE, AND PARTICULARLY FOR THE ADVOCATES HERE IN THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR THE UNHOUSED AS SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND, JUST TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND, WE'RE A VOLUNTEER BOARD THAT OVERSEES RESOURCES THAT ARE DISTRIBUTED FROM CAP METRO TO US, AND WE USE THOSE FUNDS TO OBTAIN FREE AND DEEPLY DISCOUNTED PASSES AND DISTRIBUTE THEM TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND HELPING THEM ACCESS EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTHCARE, AND SOCIAL SERVICES.
AND THOSE PASSES OVER THE PAST DECADE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR OVER 7.7 MILLION FREE RIDES, UM, IN THE CAT METRO SERVICE AREA.
AND DESPITE THAT ACHIEVEMENT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF THE AUSTRALIAN PASSES CAN BE IMPROVED, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY.
AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'VE HEARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS IS THE NEED TO RETU REDUCE THE REPORTING BURDEN OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY MOVED TOWARDS THAT, UM, REDUCING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THAT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INCUR, INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FREE PASSES, UH, THAT LOW INCOME WRITERS, UM, CAN ACCESS, UM, AND, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NOT UNMET NEED FOR PASSES.
AND FINALLY, HELPING UNDERSTAND HOW CAP METRO'S ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY, UH, CAN IMPROVE, UM, WRITER EXPERIENCE, EITHER THROUGH AN ACCESS THROUGH AMP CARDS, EQUI FAR OR HOPEFULLY LINKING IT TO THE HM I S SYSTEM.
UM, AS YOU ALL SAW, IF YOU'VE SEEN THE LETTER, WE PROPOSE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BOTH IN THE SHORT TERM AND IN THE LONG TERM.
UH, FIRST, CONTINUE TO WORK WITH CAP METRO.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
WE HAVE MOVED FROM MONTHLY REPORTING TO QUARTERLY REPORTING, AND WHAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IS FOR US TO IDENTIFY IF WE CAN NO LONGER, UM, REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING, UH, OF INFORMATION FROM THOSE NONPROFITS, WE ARE HAPPY TO IMPLEMENT THAT IF THOSE POLICIES ARE RELIEVED.
UM, THE SECOND, AS YOU'VE HEARD, WE'VE INVITED, UM, ALL, UM, CURRENT AND PREVIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE, OR WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND PROGRAM TO ENGAGE WITH OUR BOARD IN A VIRTUAL FORUM NEXT WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH, FROM 10 TO 10 TO 1130 IN THE MORNING.
IF YOU RECEIVE, UH, IF PARTICIPATED IN THAT, UH, PROGRAM EVER, UM, WE'LL SEND YOU OUT A VIRTUAL LINK SO THAT YOU CAN PARTICIPATE.
WE WANT YOU TO SHARE YOUR CONCERNS, QUESTIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UH, WE ARE YOUR PARTNERS AND ALLIES IN THIS WORK.
[01:05:01]
WE WILL ISSUE AN EMERGENCY ABBREVIATED REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS FROM ORGANIZATIONS FROM NONPROFITS.WE RECOGNIZE THEIR LIMITATIONS TO THAT, BUT THAT WILL INVITE ALL CURRENT AND PREVIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM TO APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL PASSES AT NO CHARGE.
THOSE PASSES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO LOW INCOME WRITERS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, AND THEY'LL PROVIDE A WAY FOR NOT ONLY THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND, BUT CAP METRO TO UNDERSTAND THAT CURRENT UNMET NEED.
BUT THESE ARE ONLY SHORT TERM ISSUES IN THE LONG TERM.
UH, WE'RE COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH THE CAP METRO BOARD AND STAFF, FIRST OF ALL, TO REVISIT THE POLICY ON WHETHER NONPROFITS SHOULD SHARE ANY COST BURDEN FOR PASSES, AND IF SO, AT WHAT RATE.
SECOND OF ALL, TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND STAFF TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH MORE FUNDING WOULD NEED TO BE ALLOCATED THROUGH US CURRENTLY, UH, IF WE ELIMINATED THE REQUIREMENT THAT NONPROFITS CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST OF THOSE DEEPLY DISCOUNTED PASSES.
AND THEN PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY, MOVING FORWARD IS TO LOOK AT, UM, THE PLAN FOR INTEGRATION OF THE AMP CARD AND EQUIA SYSTEM, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS THE ROLE TO ACCESS, UH, FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING FINANCIAL CHALLENGES AND LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
AND FINALLY, VERY OPEN TO PILOTING THE HM I SYSTEM AND THAT INTEGRATION AND FIGURING OUT HOW THAT CAN INCREASE ACCESS FOR UNHOUSED CLIENTS AND, AND ACCESS FREE PASSES THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I THANK YOU.
UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY, SIR.
I'D LIKE I HAVE A QUESTION OR TWO.
AND I, I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU ALL.
I KNOW THAT, UM, UH, YOU PUT A, A LOT OF, OF PASSION AND TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS, AND I APPRECIATE HOW QUICKLY YOU AND THE REST OF THE, OF THE BOARD HAVE, HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, UH, TO HELP, TO HELP ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS NOW, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE HEARD FROM FOLKS IS THEY'RE WANTING TO UNDER, THEY'RE WANTING TO GET A LITTLE CLARITY IN TERMS OF, OF HOW MANY PASSES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
NOW, WHAT I HEARD YOU JUST SAY THAT MATTERS MOST IS THAT, UM, THAT THERE WILL BE PASSES GIVEN OUT IN RESPONSE FOR REQUEST YEAH.
AND THAT THEY WILL BE NO CHARGE.
AND THAT THEY WILL MEET THE NEED.
SO TO ME, THAT SAYS WE WILL HAND OUT WHATEVER NUMBER OF PASSES ARE NEEDED.
SO IF, AND SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING TO YOU IS IF YOU, IF, IF YOU ARE AWARE OF CONSTRAINTS RIGHT NOW, OR IF YOU BECOME AWARE OF CONSTRAINTS TO, TO LET US KNOW.
BECAUSE I THINK FOR, UM, I THINK FOR THIS TO WORK IN THE SHORT TERM, UH, WE NEED TO MEET THE NEED.
SO YEAH, I'LL TELL YOU WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT.
AND WHERE WE MIGHT NEED TO GO WITH THAT.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME UNUSED PASSES THAT CAN BE REALLOCATED TO, UH, TURN THEM INTO FREE PASSES, AND WE'LL WORK WITH THE CAT METRO STAFF ON THAT.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET THAT WE CAN CONVERT, UH, TO PASS, UH, PURCHASE, BUT NOT MUCH.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT PROGRAM THAT WORKS WITH HIGHLY VULNERABLE LOW INCOME FOLKS, UH, OLDER ADULTS, UM, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, UH, PARENTS, PEOPLE EX UH, LIVING IN LOW RESOURCE NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THOSE TRANSIT DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS HELP PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE INTERVENTIONS FOR THAT.
SO, SO THERE, THERE IS SOME MONEY IN OUR BUDGET THAT IS BEING USED FOR THAT, AND, AND WE WOULD HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT IF THERE IS A GAP IN THAT NEED.
SO WE WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FROM CAP METRO MM-HMM.
AND IS IS THE THINKING THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THAT AT THE POINT AFTER YOU TALK TO THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, LIKE ON OCTOBER 5TH AND AFTER THEY, THAT WOULD BE SEND YOU THEIR LETTER I ALREADY HEARD FROM SUNRISE.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME BACK OF THE ENVELOPE CALCULATIONS.
WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR US.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP ON OCTOBER 5TH TO GET A REALISTIC SENSE FROM THEM ABOUT WHAT THE UNMET NEED IS.
AND THEN WE CAN START TO DO THOSE CALCULATIONS.
AND AT THAT POINT, WE CAN LOOK AT OUR BUDGET OKAY.
AND RETURN, GO BACK TO THE CAP METRO STAFF AND LET THEM KNOW WHERE WE SIT.
SO, UM, UM, PRESIDENT WATKINS, I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A GAP, UM, AND I WOULD LIKE THAT IF THERE IS A GAP THAT THIS BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION ON, I WOULD LIKE AN ACTION ITEM ON OUR, I THINK WE HAVE A, UM, SPECIAL CALL MEETING ON OCTOBER 13TH.
IF WE KNOW BY THEN, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.
UM, AND SO, UM, SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE INTENT IS THE SAME YEP.
AND I WOULD WANT US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AT THAT TIME AND TAKE ACTION IF NEEDED.
WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHETHER OR NOT ANY BOARD ACTION IS REQUIRED ONCE WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THE UNMET NEED.
[01:10:01]
JUST NOTE THAT OCTOBER 13 IS ALSO A CITY COUNCIL MEETING DAY.OH, DID I GET THE WRONG DAY? IT'S ACTUALLY THE 12TH.
I'M SORRY, I GOT THE WRONG DAY.
UM, CHAIRMAN LAAK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT AND, UM, FOR, FOR EVERYTHING THAT, THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE YEARS.
I KNOW IT'S A VOLUNTEER JOB, IT'S THANKLESS.
UM, SOME OF US UP HERE ARE VOLUNTEERS AS WELL.
SO WE, WE APPRECIATE AND UNDERSTAND, UH, WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM AS WELL FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE.
UM, CLEARLY, UH, WE, WE IDENTIFIED WHEN WE HAD OUR, OUR, UH, OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING, WE HAD A BRIEFING ABOUT THE, UH, KIND OF WHERE THINGS STOOD AND, AND WE IDENTIFIED, AND THERE WERE SOME VERY TOUGH QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED FROM THIS DI ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE PAST DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITH THIS WHOLE ARRANGEMENT AND OVER THE YEARS, HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN GOING.
WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE WAY THAT, THAT YOU AND THE TRANSIT AND EMPOWERMENT, UH, FUND BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND, AND, UH, SUPPORT STAFF HAVE KIND OF COME BACK AND ENGAGE WITH, WITH CAPITAL METRO ON THIS ISSUE.
AND HELPED US KIND OF RECOGNIZE THAT LOOK, THAT THIS THING'S BEEN IN, IN PLACE NOW FOR, FOR 10 PLUS YEARS.
YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WE'RE HEARING FROM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY MEMBER STAKEHOLDERS THAT, THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY FOR, UH, FOR OUR UNHOUSED INDIVIDUALS THAT, THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING.
I GUESS THE FIRST, HAVE YOU HEARD SIMILAR HA HAS, HAS THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR YOUR SUPPORT STAFF AT ALL HEARD SIMILAR FEEDBACK FROM OTHER ENTITIES OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT COMPLAINTS ABOUT, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THE, THE, THE PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS, THE, UH, THE, THE DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, THE, UM, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR, FOR EVEN SUBMITTING THE PAPERWORK TO, TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE, THE, THE TRANS AND EMPOWERMENT FUND PASSES IN THE FIRST PLACE? OTHERS, BESIDES THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE ELIGIBLE? THANK YOU.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE, AND IRONICALLY, THAT'S WHY WE HAD MOVED A QUARTERLY REPORTING BEFORE WE EVEN WERE AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY MADE A FEW EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THAT PARTICULAR PIECE IN THE FUTURE.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S A, IT'S A BURDEN FOR, FOR ORGANIZATIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO, YOU KNOW, UM, PART OF STEWARDSHIP TO ENSURE, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BALANCE THERE IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE TRACKING THOSE PASSES.
BUT CERTAINLY BY MOVING TO QUARTERLY, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.
BUT THAT IS THE SPIRIT OF THE FORUM ON THE FIFTH AS TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM FOLKS.
WE'VE JUST HEARD FROM A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE AGENCY TO TELL US THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT OTHER PEOPLE AREN'T EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES WITH THEIR REPORTING.
AND WE CERTAINLY HAD DELAYED AND, AND LATE REPORTS.
AND THAT'S USUALLY AN INDICATOR OF ADDITIONAL BURDEN THAT THEY WOULD RATHER NOT HAVE.
UM, AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME UNUSED PASSES.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, UM, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND FROM WHAT YOU AS A BOARD HAVE BEEN HEARING YEAH.
WHAT, WHAT DO YOU ALL FEEL IS CAUSING WHAT ONE, HOW, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE IDENTIFIED AND WHAT WOULD BE THE CAUSE YOU THINK OF UNUSED PASSES THAT ARE OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE? YEAH, THE PANDEMIC REALLY IMPACTED THAT FOLKS ORDERED MORE PASSES THAN THEY EXPERIENCED, UH, TO USE.
AND SO THEY OFTENTIMES JUST DID NOT EVEN PICK UP PASSES BECAUSE THEY HAD ORDERED MORE THAN THEY NEEDED.
AND SO THOSE HAVE SAT WITH US AND THAT THAT WAS BECAUSE DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE, WE, WE OPENED THE GATES, WE SAID, HEY, THE WHOLE SYSTEM'S FREE RIGHT NOW DURING THIS PARTICULAR PERIOD OF TIME.
SO A LOT OF THOSE ARE, ARE JUST LEFT OVER LESS LOWER, EVEN AS WE'VE SORT OF MOVED BACK INTO A NEW NORMAL, JUST A LOWER RIDERSHIP.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S RETURNING SO NOT SO MUCH AT, AT THIS POINT, NOT SO MUCH PER SE BURDEN.
SOME PAPERWORK COULDN'T MEET, COULDN'T MEET REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO THAT'S BEING HELD BACK CUZ ED, SORRY YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR PAPERWORK IN ON TIME OR WHATEVER, BUT MORE JUST A PRO PRODUCT OF CHANGING IN THE, THE, THE SITUATION AS WE'RE KIND OF NOW GETTING BACK TO FIGURING OUT WHERE WE ARE NOW.
IF YOU'LL THINK ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND SERVES, IT'S OVER 60 NONPROFITS.
AND SO THERE'S A RANGE OF WRITERS THERE.
THEY'RE ALL LOW INCOME, THEY'RE ALL, UH, BELOW 150% FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL.
BUT, UH, SOME OF THEM JUST HAVE DIFFERENT UNIQUE WRITER NEEDS.
A LOT OF THEM ARE FOR OLDER ADULTS.
OLDER ADULTS AREN'T OUT AS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH FOR FEAR OF COVID AS WELL.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A RANGE OF ISSUES FOR WHY THAT'S NOT THERE.
BUT WE CAN GET TO THAT IN MORE DETAIL WHEN WE HAVE THE FORM WITH, WITH, WITH THE, THE, THE FOLKS WHO WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR FREE PASSES.
BUT DO, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT, THAT THOSE PASSES AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT CAN BE RELEASED AND MOBILIZED FAIRLY QUICKLY TO, FOR EX TO ADDRESS THE DEMAND OF MANY OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN THEIR TIME TO COME HERE YET AGAIN AND EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT WE NEED? BECAUSE IT, FROM POINT, IT SOUNDS LIKE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE HERE IS THAT, UM, AS WE ARE RESETTING TO KIND OF A NEW NORMAL ON THIS SIDE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE, YOU KNOW, SERVICES ARE NOT FREE FOR EVERYBODY ANYMORE.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR NEW FOOTING IS AT THIS POINT.
AND COMMUNITY GROUPS, STAKEHOLDERS THAT SERVICE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY ARE COMING FORWARD
[01:15:01]
SAYING, HELP, WE CAN'T MEET THE NEED AT THIS POINT WITH ALL THE ECONOMIC CHANGES, DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES, EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.WE'VE GOT THIS HAPPENING OUT THERE, WE CAN'T MEET THIS NEED THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, BURDENSOME PAPERWORK, ALL THIS OTHER STUFF.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT YOU GUYS CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AFTER YOU'VE KIND OF YEAH.
ASSESSED THE SITUATION WITH THEM WANT DIRECTLY AND YOU CAN GET THAT OUT THERE, YOU THINK.
YOU KNOW, WE SERVE AT, AT THE PLEASURE OF CAP METRO, THE BOARD AND STAFF AND AT THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT YOU DICTATE TO US.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE POWER IS IN CAP METRO'S HANDS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY RESOURCES YOU DEDICATE TO FREE BUS PASSES, THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE UPON US, THE ME METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION.
AND IF WE AREN'T THE BEST BODY TO DISTRIBUTE, WE ARE HAPPY TO SEE THAT PIECE.
BUT I THINK AT LEAST IN THE INTERIM, WE PLAY THIS CRITICAL ROLE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE STILL NEED A NONPROFIT INFRASTRUCTURE TO DISTRIBUTE THOSE PASSES.
BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE INHERENT FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THAT AND A CERTAIN DIGNITY THAT IS LOST BY HAVING TO HAVE THAT INTERMEDIARY.
SO WE ARE OPEN, HOPEFULLY, PARTICULARLY TO TECHNOLOGY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.
AND THEN THAT, FOR THIS MEETING UPCOMING, THAT, THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THIS MEMO.
AND, AND YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW WILL, UH, ORGANIZATIONS BE, UH, NOTIFIED, ALERTED, DO, DO YOU HAVE A, A WEBSITE, YOU POST THIS UP? DO YOU SEND OUT EMAILS? HOW WILL THEY NOT BE NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS? YEAH, WE DO HAVE A WEBSITE AND WE CAN PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR NOTING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE QUICKLY HERE.
SO WE JUST SET THE MEETING ON FRIDAY.
UM, THE PLAN IS TO, WE HAVE A DATABASE OF ANYONE WHO'S EVER APPLIED THROUGH THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
SO WE'LL SEND OUT EMAILS THROUGH THAT, UH, THROUGH THAT MECHANISM AS WELL.
BUT IT'S TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.ORG IS WHERE PEOPLE CAN FIND THAT INFORMATION.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND FOR ANYONE WHO'S HERE, WHO WOULD LIKE TO DIRECTLY CONTACT US, YOU CAN, YOU CAN FIND OUR CONTACT INFORMATION THROUGH THAT.
UM, IF I MAY, UM, PERHAPS PRESIDENT WATKINS, IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO CROSS MARKET THAT AND PUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT MEETING AND ABOUT TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND ON OUR WEBSITE SO THAT THEY ALSO, I MEAN SINCE, SINCE WE WORK KIND OF SYNERGISTICALLY TOGETHER FOR THIS HELP MARKET THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING TO CAP METRO WEBSITE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ISSUE, SINCE CLEARLY WE'RE OUR, OUR OUR FS ARE RATHER LINKED HERE ON THIS ONE.
WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL TO YOU GUYS TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT WAY? SURE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, IT'S AN ONLINE FORM AND RIGHT, THE FIRST PLACE WE WANNA SPEAK TO IS OUR, IS OUR CURRENT GRANTEES AND PREVIOUS GRANTEES.
CUZ WE ACTUALLY WANT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS THAT THEY'VE BEEN UNDER, THE BURDEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN UNDER.
AND THEN THOSE ARE THE, THAT'S THE MECHANISM THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THESE PASSES OUT TO NOW.
UM, THERE MAY VERY WELL BE ANOTHER IN TIME FOR A BROADER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE TIME.
I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA UN, I DON'T WANNA OVERWHELM YOU GUYS, BUT, BUT I'M TRYING TO, TO STRIKE THIS BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE USED IT BEFORE.
BUT WE DID HEAR OTHERS, OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE AUDIENCE HERE WHO, WHO HAVE NOT SPECIFICALLY USED THE TEF BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE AT THIS TIME, BUT DO HAVE, I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THEY CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO HAVE A VOICE AND ARE, AND ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON THIS.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE SETTING UP, YOU KNOW, A SE A SEPARATE MEETING OR SOMETHING, BUT, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO, AND IF THAT'S NOT, IF THIS IS NOT THE, THE, THE CORRECT TIME OR, OR, OR PLACE FOR IT, BECAUSE YOU NEED TO TALK TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS, YOU KNOW, UTILIZERS OF IT AT THIS MOMENT TO LIKE, HEY, HOW DO WE FIX IT FOR YOU GUYS? AND THEN TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME WHATEVER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE BOTH ARE IMPORTANT, WE'RE HERE TO HELP, IS WHAT I'M GETTING AT, YOU KNOW.
NO, I THINK BOTH ARE IMPORTANT.
I THINK IN THE INTEREST OF US GETTING PASSES TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, LIKE WE REALLY WANT FOCUS ON THAT IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION, GETTING THAT REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS OUT, ADJUSTING THOSE BARRIERS.
BUT AS I SAID, THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUNDS WEBSITE IS THERE, MY CONTACT INFORMATION IS THERE.
UM, WILLARD NICHOLS WHO IMPLEMENTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK IS ON THERE.
AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK WITH ANYONE ABOUT THE LATTER PIECE BECAUSE I DID HEAR FROM AN ADVOCATE TALKING ABOUT THAT PIECE THAT IF YEAH, THEY ARE, THEY'RE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE AND THEY CAN'T GO THROUGH OUR MECHANISM, WELL WE WANNA WORK WITH THEM ON THAT TOO.
AND CHAIR, I ALSO WANT, IF YOU COULD ALSO LET DAVID CHIN CANYON, HE USED TO BE MY CHIEF OF STAFF.
UH, HE TRIED TO CALL ME FRIDAY AND WE'RE PLAYING TAGS, SO WE COULDN'T GET THAT INFORMATION FROM HIM.
BUT, UH, KNOWING DAVID, HE IS A VERY COMPASSIONATE PERSON THAT HAS TURNED DOWN HIGH PAYING JOBS JUST TO DO THE, AND HE'S ON THE MISSION.
SO, UH, TELL HIM THAT, UM, THAT HE DIDN'T CALL ME ANYTIME.
HE, HE WANTS TO, I WILL LET HIM KNOW.
YOU, AND, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN IS TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I STAND HERE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS COMMUNITY AND THIS, THESE GROUPS OF FOLKS WHO ARE ADVOCATING FOR, FOR THE RIGHTS OF, OF, OF AUSTINITE TO ACCESS TRANSPORTATION.
AND WE SHARE THAT, WE SHARE THAT VALUE.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU.
[01:20:01]
ALL RIGHT.THANK YOU EVERYBODY WHO CAME, UH, TO PRESENT TODAY.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER UNTIL WE BUILD SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM SOLUTION.
UM, JUST ONE THING I WANNA ADD, UM, UH, NOT WITH REGARD TO TEF, BUT JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, AND I SEE THAT THEY'RE HERE.
UH, WE HAVE MADE SOME COPIES OF WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE THAT HAS A, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DRAFT, SO PLEASE UNDERSTAND IT'S A DRAFT, BUT IT HAS A SORT OF A HIGH LEVEL TIMELINE FOR THE LONGER TERM SOLUTION.
SO TODAY WE WERE TALKING, FOCUSING ON THIS IMMEDIATE SOLUTION, BUT ONCE Y'ALL TO KNOW IF YOU, THIS WAS POSTED IN BACKUP FOR OPS COMMITTEE, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT A LOT AT OPS COMMITTEE, BUT I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THAT.
SO THEY'RE RIGHT THERE ON, UM, UH, CHEYENNE, IF YOU CAN POINT TO, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS ANY OF THAT, THOSE, UM, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO YOU TODAY.
AND MR. CHAIR, AND IT HAS A TIMELINE AND STEPS IN IT TO GET TO THE LONG TERM SOLUTION IN JANUARY.
AND, AND IF I CAN JUST COULD JUST ADD ONE MORE THING TO THIS AND, UM, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KIND OF HAVE BEEN SORT OF AS WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS AND IDENTIFYING, BASICALLY THERE ARE FOUR PIECE MAJOR PIECES TO THIS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, AGAIN, UM, UH, MR. LAVA, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY AND FOR TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH US TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES.
REALLY THE WAY I SEE IT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF FOUR KEY CRITICAL PIECES TO THIS.
THERE'S ADDRESSING THE SHORT TERM EMERGENCY THAT HAS CLEARLY BEEN IDENTIFIED AND DELINEATED BY, BY ALL OF THE, THE STAKEHOLDERS AND ADVOCATES, ALL YOU FOLKS THAT HAVE TAKEN TIME FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULES TO COME OUT HERE AND BE A PART OF THIS BOARD MEETING AND LET US KNOW THAT, UH, MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO THERE'S THE SHORT TERM ISSUE THAT, THAT I THINK THAT, THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS, TOWARDS MEETING THE IMMEDIATE NEED.
THERE'S THE, THE MORE INTERMEDIATE I I WOULD CALL IT, INTERMEDIATE SOLUTION, WHICH IS DEALING WITH THE CURRENT SYSTEM, WHICH IS AS LONG AS WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH PAPER PASSES AND HOW WE CAN KIND OF WORK THROUGH THAT.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE ALSO WORKING WITH, I, I THINK WITH THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND AND, AND THOSE FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN SO AMAZING AND, AND, AND TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF THE LONGER TERM PICTURE, WHICH IS WITH THE AMP CARD, THIS NEW CARD THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY PILOTING AND RUN AND WORKING OUT, WHICH IS MOVING TO AN ACCOUNT BASED FAIR SYSTEM WHERE THOSE LITTLE PIECES OF PAPER, THOSE LITTLE FAIR CARDS, THOSE, THOSE PAPER BASED FAIR CARDS ARE, ARE GONNA GO AWAY AND BE REPLACED WITH THESE, THESE LITTLE, THEY, THEY LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS THAT'LL HAVE INFORMATION LOADED ON IT.
THAT'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE AMOUNT LOADED ON IT SPECIFIC TO YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
AND, AND THAT'S BEING PILOTED AND TESTED RIGHT NOW.
AND ONCE, ONCE CAP METRO GETS THAT IN PLACE.
AND ALSO THERE'S THAT FOURTH LAYER ON TOP OF THAT AS I LOOK AT IT, WHICH IS GETTING THE H I M S DATA PIECE LAYERED ON TOP OF THAT, THAT, SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS THE OPS CHAIR THAT I'M, I'M CONTINUING TO TALK TO STAFF WITH ABOUT, IS, IS KIND OF THIS FOUR PRONGED APPROACH, THIS, THIS EMERGENCY KIND OF IMMEDIATE PIECE TO ADDRESS THE SHORT, THE, THE SHORT TERM NEED OF THE PASSES, BUT KIND OF MORE INTERMEDIATE PIECE OF, OKAY, HOW DO WE MAKE THE PROCESS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE BETTER FOR Y'ALL GOING FORWARD, AS WITH TEF AND THESE PAPER PASSES, KNOWING THAT COME FEBRUARY IS WHEN THE SYSTEM'S SUPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIMELINE'S SUPPOSED TO OPEN BACK UP AGAIN, THEN GETTING THE AMP CARD, RIGHT.
AND THEN LAYERING ON TOP OF THAT, THE IMS DATA PIECES FOR, FOR THAT PIECE.
SO, PLEASE KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE MEETINGS, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THIS.
UM, I, I, I, I, UH, JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM WHERE WE ARE SITTING AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH AT THE BOARD LEVEL AND AT THE STAFF LEVEL, UM, WE, WE ARE, UM, WE ARE LISTENING AND MOVING IT FORWARD.
I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF LIKE, TRY TO, TRY TO SUMMARIZE THAT A LITTLE BIT TO KIND OF, CUZ THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE JUST GETTING TODAY.
AND I WANTED TO KIND OF HELP SORT OF SUMMARIZE THAT AS KIND OF FROM MORE OUR PERSPECTIVE WHERE WE'RE APPROACHING THIS GOING FORWARD.
SO WE, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE GOT WHAT PRESENT CHAIR.
MAYBE WE COULD HAVE STAFF TALK TO FOLKS OUT IN THE HALL.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, WE, WE WILL, UM, WE WILL PUNCH OUR STAFF AND LET THEM TELL US WHAT IT IS THEY NEED TO DO.
I MEAN, WE, WE'VE STILL GET, WE'RE STILL ON ITEM NUMBER THREE,
AND, UH, AND, UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN, WE CAN DO ANOTHER HOUR OF MEETING, BUT WE'RE GONNA BE HERE TILL SEVEN IF WE DO SO AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STAFF, UH, TELLS US WHAT IT IS WE NEED TO DO.
AND, AND, UH, ONE THING WE'RE NOT GONNA DO IS SOLVE IT TODAY IN THIS MEETING.
[01:25:01]
UH, GO AHEAD.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD.
I'M CM ALEXANDER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT.
SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE TEF AFTER THEY HAVE THEIR MEETING NEXT WEEK, GET THOSE LEARNINGS FROM TEF TO BE ABLE TO FULLY RESPOND TO THE BOARD, SO INCLUDING IN WRITING AND ALSO AT THE OPS MEETING.
SO AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE THE INTERIM SOLUTION FULLY MAPPED OUT AND WE CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE WE'LL SHARE IT WITH OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS WORK GROUP THAT OUR TEAM IS PARTICIPATING IN.
THERE'S ALSO A MEETING TODAY, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THE MEMO THAT WE HANDED OUT HERE.
UM, AND WALK THROUGH THAT AND TALK THROUGH THE, THE FOUR PROG APPROACH.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A, A SHORT TERM STRATEGY AND A LONG TERM STRATEGY BECAUSE WHAT WE FIND IS EVERY TIME WE MEET, WE FIND OUT SOMETHING ELSE AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T FIX ONE THING AND BREAK FOUR OTHER THINGS.
THAT IF WE HAD LOOKED THROUGH THIS PROCESS COMPREHENSIVELY, WE COULD HAVE SOLVED THEM ALL.
SO THE, THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE CORE ISSUES.
UM, SO THAT'S GONNA BE OUR GOAL.
SO SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD, BOARD MEMBER JUST RE REEMPHASIZE THAT.
THE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US TODAY, FRONT AND CENTER AS, THE FIRST THING IS AS A BOARD MEMBER, STRATTON WAS SAYING IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PASSES FOR THE IMMEDIATE NEED.
AND SO WE'VE SET A PROCESS FOR THAT, WHICH IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TES GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND TALKING WITH FOLKS AND THAT WE, THIS BOARD WILL HAVE AN ACTION ITEM IF IT NEEDS ACTION FROM THIS BOARD TO FILL THE GAP.
SO THAT'S THE IMMEDIATE THING.
THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AS BOARD MEMBER STRATTON'S SAID, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, THAT IS CORRECT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TODAY AND, UH, WE WILL, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH STAFF OKAY.
[III. Advisory Committee Updates]
WE ARE MOVING INTO, UH, INTO, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.IS MS. PARRA HERE SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND IF EVERYBODY COULD BE QUIET AS THEY LEAVE THE ROOM, CUZ WE'RE CONDUCTING BUSINESS.
SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR CHAIL, VICE CHAIR KITCHEN, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, DOTTY WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH MANAGER FOR CAP METRO.
UM, I AM ALSO THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU THE, UM, UPDATES FOR THE SEPTEMBER, UH, CSAC AND ACCESS COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
UM, THE, THIS MONTH THE MEETINGS WERE ON SEPTEMBER 7TH AND ON THE 14TH, AND THEY WERE UPDATED FROM CAP METRO STAFF ON AN UPDATE ON THE PRESIDENT AND CEO JOB, PRO PROFILE DRAFT AND RECRUITMENT.
UM, THAT WAS BY DONNA SIMMONS.
THEY ALSO HAD AN UPDATE BY, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM, UM, MR. ERIC ROBBINS.
UM, AND THAT WAS ONLY FOR ACCESS AND CSAC WILL BE GETTING IT THIS NEXT MONTH.
UM, THEY ALSO GOT AN UPDATE BY KEN CARTWRIGHT FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UM, AND I GAVE THEM AN UPDATE ON THE FAIR PROGRAMS AND PILOT, UM, FOR CSAC.
THEY ALSO HAD QUESTIONS ON THE RED LINE INITIATIVE AND THEY WILL BE RECEIVING AN UPDATE NEXT MONTH FROM CAP METRO STAFF.
UM, AND BOTH ACCESS AND CSAC CHAIRS RECEIVED AN UPDATE FOR ABOUT SERVICE CHANGES AND PICKUP.
UM, AND I KNOW CHAIR TAYLOR FROM CSAC HAD UPDATES ON THAT OR WANTED TO, UM, MAKE SURE THE BOARD HAD A FEW COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
SO HE WILL BE EMAILING IN THIS COMING WEEK AND I'LL FORWARD THAT EMAIL.
UM, FOR PSAC, WE DIDN'T MEET THIS MONTH, BUT WE HAD A MEET AND GREET WITH, UM, MR. ERIC ROBBINS, UM, AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY STA STAFF AS WELL AS, UM, MS. WATKINS.
UM, WE HEARD FROM, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS AND ALSO THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS.
UM, AND SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT FOR CSAC ACCESS IN THE COMING MONTHS AS WELL.
UM, AND THEY WILL HAVE THEIR MEETING AT THE END OF OCTOBER FOR PSAC.
UM, THEY, THE CHAIRS WERE NOT ABLE TO JOIN TODAY, BUT LIKE I SAID, THEY'LL BE EMAILING ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THEY HAVE TO YOU.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
UM, DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? LET ME KNOW.
UH, WELL, UH, THANK YOU MS. POWER.
WE WENT THROUGH THAT PRETTY QUICKLY.
UH, LET'S SEE NOW, BOARD
[IV. Board Committee Updates]
UPDATES.OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY CHAIR STRATTON.
[01:30:01]
WHEW.WE COVERED A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT, UH, EARLIER, SO I'LL MAKE THIS QUICK.
THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 18TH, OR EXCUSE ME, 14TH.
UH, WE CONSIDERED 18 ACTION ITEMS. YES, 18, UH, ONE WAS OUR MINUTES.
UH, WE ALSO, UM, CONSIDERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE THE, UH, SERVICE PLAN CHANGES.
AND THEN YOU WILL FIND 13 ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TODAY, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, MANY, UH, ILAS WITH OUR REGIONAL, WITH OUR REGIONAL TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE WAY THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO SOME OF OUR REGIONAL TRANSIT PARTNERS.
UH, IN ADDITION, THERE WILL, THERE WILL BE, WE ALSO, UH, CONSIDERED IN PAST THREE ACTION ITEMS OR THREE ITEMS THAT WILL BE ON THE ACTION ITEM AGENDA TODAY.
UH, ONE RELATED TO, UH, THE MACALL, UH, PLAYS STATION, UH, CONSTRUCTION.
ONE RELATED TO, UH, TRASH AND RECYCLING RECEPTACLES ACROSS THE, UH, UH, THE, THE, UH, TRANSIT AGENCY, UH, SERVICE FOOTPRINT.
AND THEN FINALLY, ONE RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL, UH, ELECTRIC BUS, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, UH, GRANT OR, UM, UH, PARTNERSHIP, UH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANT PARTNER, UH, FOR THE LONO GRANT.
THAT'S, UH, ACTION ITEM FOUR, FIVE, AND SEVEN RESPECTIVELY ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
AND THEN, AS YOU HEARD, WE ALSO HAD A, UM, RATHER ROBUST, SHALL WE SAY, DISCUSSION ITEM ON THE, UH, UPDATE WITH THE, UH, UNHOUSED COMMUNITY, UM, UH, FAIR PROGRAM AND, UH, TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
AND I THINK WE'VE PRETTY WELL DISCUSSED THAT ONE, UH, EARLIER TODAY.
WE JUST ARE RECEIVING REPORTS TODAY.
SO, UH, FINANCE, AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, ACTING CHAIR, POOL.
I, UM, STEPPED INTO CHAIR THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, SEPTEMBER 14 IN OUR CHAIR'S ABSENCE.
UH, WE CONVENE AROUND 10 30 IN THE MORNING.
UM, I WAS THERE AND BOARD MEMBERS, ROSS AND HARRIS WERE ALSO THERE.
UH, WE ALSO APPROVED THE FISCAL YEAR 23 OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET AND FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
UM, THAT WAS, ALL OF THESE ITEMS WERE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
WE APPROVED A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN MOU WITH THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK AUTHORIZING ROUND ROCK TO BE A DIRECT RECIPIENT OF A PORTION OF CAP METRO'S FISCAL YEAR 23 AND FOUR, FEDERAL SECTION 53 0 7 PROGRAM FUNDS.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE ROUND ROCK IS NOT A MEMBER OF CAP METRO, BUT WE STILL RECEIVE THOSE MONIES AND NEED TO BE THE CONDUIT TO GET THE FUNDS TO ROUND ROCK.
THAT WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
OUR THIRD ONE, UH, RESOLUTION THAT WE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, WHICH IS ALSO ON OUR ACTION, UH, AGENDA FOR TODAY IS AUTHORIZING, UM, OUR INTERIM PRESIDENT OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH INTERNATIONAL SOLUTION SOURCES INC.
WHICH DOES BUSINESS AS INTER SOURCES, INC.
TO PROVIDE RECRUITING SERVICES FOR A BASE PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, UH, WITH FOUR OPTION PERIODS FOR 12 MONTHS EACH IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 5 MILLION $144,683.
AND THAT, OF COURSE, TIPS OVER INTO THE ABOVE 5 MILLION FIGURE, WHICH IS WHY, UM, THAT IS ON OUR ACTION ITEM AGENDA.
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS ACTION AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SIX.
THEN WE HAD TWO PRESENTATIONS, THE INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN STATUS AND THE AUDIT REPORT.
AND BOTH WERE, UH, GOOD REPORTS AND WELL RECEIVED.
AND THEN AT ABOUT 1117 WE ADJOURNED.
UM, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, WOULD YOU BRING US UP TO SPEED ON CAMPO? UH, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF BRIEF THINGS, UH, THAT WE TOOK ACTION ON, ON THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER THE 12TH, WHICH HAPPENED TO BE MY FIRST, UH, FIRST ACTUAL MEETING.
UH, ONE WAS THAT, UH, CAMPO AUTHORIZED, UH, FUNDS FOR THE PARTICIPATION IN THE AUSTIN AVENUE COURSE STUDY WITH THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, UH, FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN IN AUSTIN FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
THIS WAS E THIS WAS THE MAIN AVENUE GOING NORTH SOUTH THAT ACTUALLY WENT INTO GEORGETOWN AND DISTILL A MAJOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR, UH, FOR THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN AND HIS RESIDENCE.
UH, THIS IS CO-FUNDED WITH THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN ITSELF.
UH, THE SECOND ACTION ITEM HAD TO DO WITH A MORE OF A PROCEDURAL ELEMENT IN TERMS OF THE CAMPO WAS GOING TO ACT AS A REGIONAL PARTNER WITH, UH, THE VARIOUS, UH, UH, COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES THAT MAKE UP
[01:35:01]
CAMPO, UH, FOR A SAFETY ACTION PLAN GRANT, UH, UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENTS AND JOB TO ACT OF 2021.UH, THE FEELING WAS AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT THE, BY A COORDINATED EFFORT, UH, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, SORT OF COALESCE VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE BY VARIOUS CITIES IN ORDER TO, UH, CAPTURE SOME OF THESE FUNDS FOR ADDITIONAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE CAP METRO OR CAMP CAMPO AREA.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, UNLESS COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHENS WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THAT.
AND I WILL BRING THE, UH, THE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE.
UH, THE MEETING WAS HELD ON, UH, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 21ST.
UH, WE STARTED OFF WITH OUR MONTHLY REPORT FROM OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEN OUR INTERIM DIRECTOR, GREG CANAL.
AND, UH, THE TECHNICAL STAFF TALKED ABOUT THE SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND, UM, AND POTENTIAL DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT FINANCIAL VIABILITY, COMMUNITY SUPPORT, FTA SUPPORT AS WELL.
UH, WE THEN HAD AN UPDATE FROM JEN PINE AND, AND BRIAN BUCHANAN ON LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION AND A PLANNED REVIEW PROCESS.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES, UH, STAFF FROM ALL OF THE PARTNERSHIP AREAS ARE COLLABORATING, UM, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, UH, EVERYBODY IS MANAGING THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WELL, AND THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS A PRIORITY.
UH, THERE WERE FIVE ACTION ITEMS, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE, UH, ATP BUDGET AND THE, UH, DISCUSSION CENTERED AROUND THE NUMBER OF FTES THAT HAVE BEEN BUDGETED FOR, UM, AND ALSO CONSIDERED THE LIGHT RAILS PROGRAM STATUS.
SO ULTIMATELY, THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED, AND, UM, ATP STAFF WAS, UH, DIRECTED TO INFORM, UH, WELL, TO LAY OUT FOR US THE POSITIONS THAT WERE BEING ASKED FOR AND WHY.
SO, UH, WE ENDED UP WITH A DISCUSSION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION CONCERNING, UH, THE, UH, RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
SO, UH, I, I WANTED TO MAKE IT AS SHORT AS I COULD GET US BACK ON TRACK.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON IT, WORKING ON IT CHAIR.
SORRY IF I MAY, I HAVE TO STEP OUT INTO AN OFFICE HERE TO, TO TAKE A QUICK MEETING, BUT I'LL BE BACK.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW WHY I'M STEPPING AWAY.
UH, I'M SURE WE'LL BE HERE WHEN YOU GET BACK,
UM, WE ARE GOING TO WORK ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS NEXT THIS MONTH.
WE HAVE 17 ITEMS. WE HAD 18, BUT ONE HAS BEEN MOVED, UH, AS BUDGET ITEM EIGHT BECAUSE SOME CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE.
BUT I WILL READ, UH, THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA, AND IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANYTHING OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA AND MAKE IT AN ACTION ITEM, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'VE GOT ENOUGH WATER, I THINK, TO GET ME THROUGH THIS.
YOU SAY THIS, I SEE WHY ERIC LEFT THE HE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
ARE YOU GONNA GIVE US THE, UH, ERIC ALL FOR GOING THROUGH THOSE REALLY FAST? OOH, YEAH.
ERIC DID AN AMAZING JOB AS AN AUCTIONEER.
YOU WANT ME TO, YOU WANT, YOU WANT TO YIELD THE CHAIR TO SEE, SEE, I'M STILL PRAYING FOR YOU, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S SO
[V. Consent Items]
ITEM.OKAY, LET'S START, UH, WITH NUMBER ONE.
UH, NUMBER ONE IS APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 15TH, 2022 SPECIAL BOARD MEETING AND THE AUGUST 29TH, 2022 PUBLIC HEARING AND PUB AND BOARD MEETING.
OKAY, CONSENT ITEM NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING RYAN JOHNSON TO THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING ARLO BRAT TO THE COM, UH, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH IB.
I, UH, GROUP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES USA INC.
TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES TO FACILITATE THE PROCUREMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCH, AUTOMATIC VEHICLE, UH, LOCATION AND AUTOMATIC PASSENGER, UH, COUNTER INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, AND THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO A NEW SYSTEM IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $487,200.
[01:40:01]
NUMBER FIVE, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH FUTURE SYSTEMS INC.FOR FAB, FOR THE FABRICATION AND DELIVERY OF URBAN POLL SIGNAGE FOR A ONE YEAR BASED PERIOD AND FOR OPTION YEARS FOR $919,054 PLUS $229,764, REPRESENTING A 25% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF $1,148,818.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH LANDSCAPE FORMS, UH, FOR THE FABRICATION AND DELIVERY OF BUS STOP BENCHES FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED 566,000, UM, $254.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT, UH, THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK FOR OPERATION OF TRANSIT SERVICES FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,574,421.
UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE, UH, TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE CON, UH, CONTRACTED SERVICE SUPPLEMENT NUMBER TWO, WITH CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE OPERATION OF ROUTE 214 NORTHWEST FEEDER FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 702,000, UH, $771.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THE DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR TO CARTS, SUPPLEMENT NUMBER FOUR TO THE MASTER REGIONAL MOBILITY AGREEMENT WITH, UH, CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR THE PROVISION OF TRANSIT SERVICES TO THE MAINER AREA IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 400 OR $248,857.
ALL RIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 10, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AND INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN FOR OPERATION OF LIMITED PARATRANSIT AND SENIOR SERVICE, UH, FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 230,000, UH, $301 IN FTA FUNDS AND 300 340 5,452 UM, DOLLARS IN LOCAL FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN, SMALL DRINK OF WATER,
APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, UH, WITH CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSIT SYSTEM FOR THE PROVISION OF LIMITED PARATRANSIT AND SENIOR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, $548,336.
ALL RIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 12, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, FOR TRANSIT SERVICES IN URBANIZED AREAS, IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY, AND FOR CONTINUED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 311,564 UH, DOLLARS IN FTA SECTION 5 3 0 7 FUNDS AND $1,165,548 IN LOCAL FUNDS FROM TRAVIS COUNTY PER YEAR.
ITEM NUMBER 13, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE TO CARTS, UH, SUPPLEMENT NUMBER NUMBER EIGHT, NUMBER EIGHT, UH, TO THE MASTER REGIONAL MOBILITY AGREEMENT WITH CAPITAL AREA RURAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR, UH, THE PROVISION OF TRANSIT SERVICES TO THE MAINER AREA IN AN
[01:45:01]
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,808,924.ITEM NUMBER 14, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO.
THEY'RE FALL LIKE FLIES
AND NUMBER ITEM NUMBER 15, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF BUTTA FOR A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $102,920 IN FTA SECTION 5 3 0 7 FUNDS AND $25,730 IN LOCAL FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF BUTTA.
AND ITEM NUMBER 16, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK AUTHORIZING ROUND ROCK TO BE A DIRECT RECIPIENT OF A PORTION OF CAP METRO'S FY 2023 AND FY 2024, FEDERAL SECTION 5 37 PROGRAM FUNDS.
AND FINALLY, ITEM 17, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT MODIFICATION WITH STRUCK INK, UH, TO ADD ADDITIONAL CONTINGENCY TO RENOVATE LEVEL ONE OF THE CAP METRO, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE FACILITY AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET IN AN AMOUNT OF $150,000.
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PULL ANY OF THOSE 17 ITEMS OFF THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WANT TO PULL ALL 17 OFF JUST TO MAKE YOU READ 'EM AGAIN.
I AM NOT TAKING YOU TO ANY BASKETBALL GAMES.
UH, HEARING, HEARING NO ITEMS, UH, BEING TAKEN OFF, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
SO, OKAY, MR. CHAIR, AS ONE OF THREE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO SAT THROUGH THE ENTIRE READING OF THAT
AND I'M SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT THE READING OF CONSENT AGENDAS,
I WILL SECOND IT ON BEHALF OF THE OPS COMMITTEE.
ON BEHALF OF OPS COMMITTEE, SAY YOU'RE WELCOME,
WELL, I, I, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I, I I'M STILL TICKLED BY THE BIG SMILE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE AT THESE MEETINGS,
ALL RIGHT, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANY FURTHER CONS, DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING, I POSE SAME SIGN AND THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
UH, NEED BECKY TO FOLKS? I SAW HER HAND.
UM, WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT ON THAT, ED? WELL, THE REQUIREMENT THERE ARE MULTIPLE PARTICIPANTS.
I DON'T BELIEVE WITH ONE BOARD MEMBER REMOTE, WHERE IT WOULD NOT CHANGE THE VOTE THAT IT MAKES A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFERENCE.
IT MAY BE WHAT, MAYBE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THE RECORD IS HAVE HER TELL US VERBALLY THAT, THAT SHE WOULD SUPPORT.
SO I, I THINK THAT WE HAVE MET ALL REQUIREMENTS.
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I WILL NOW CONTINUE TO OUR ACTION ITEMS
[01:50:01]
AND, UH, WE'RE POSTED FOR SEVEN ITEMS TODAY.[VI 1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Interim President & CEO, or their designee, to implement the January 2023 Service Changes]
AGENDA ITEM IS, UM, GOING TO BE, UH, THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THE DESIGNEE TO IMPLEMENT THE JANUARY, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.UH, MR. GONZALEZ, WILL YOU PRESENT? GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, CHAIR TRAIAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
I'M WITH CAPITAL METRO'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I HAD BEFORE YOU, UH, THE SLIDES THAT WE PRESENTED AT THE, UH, THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING IF YOU'D LIKE, UH, FOR ME TO GO OVER THEM.
YOU ALSO HAVE THEM IN YOUR PACKET.
UH, WE SPENT A PRETTY GOOD, UH, AMOUNT OF TIME GOING OVER TO SERVICE CHANGES, AND ONE THING WE TALKED ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN BEFORE YOU IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS TO KIND OF GO OVER THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
SO WE ARE, UH, ONLY PROPOSING TO MAKE VERY, VERY MINOR CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM.
WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY MAJOR CHANGES AT THIS MOMENT.
UH, WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON FROM SOME RESIDENTS THAT WANTED TO SEE WHEN ARE WE GOING TO RESTORE THE FULL COMPLEMENT SERVICES THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE HAVE PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT FROM.
WE ARE NOT AT THAT POINT, UM, AT, AT, AT THE MOMENT.
WE STILL HAVE SOME, UH, HIRING REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR OUR STAFFING LEVELS, BOTH ON THE OPERATIONS SIDE AND ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE.
WE'RE STILL WORKING ON OUR VEHICLES AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN RELIABLY, UH, DELIVER THEM ONTO THE STREET.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, AND EVEN OF COURSE, OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, BUT JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE WERE NOT IN THAT, IN THAT STAGE.
SO WHILE WE ARE PROGRESSING POSITIVELY RIGHT NOW, WE ARE NOT AT THE POINT WHERE I'M READY TO, TO PROPOSE ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN JUST STAYING THE COURSE OF, OF WHAT WE DO RIGHT NOW.
SO, AS A RECAP, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE SERVICES, UH, THAT ARE PART OF THE HIGH FREQUENCY NETWORK THAT ARE PARTIALLY, UM, UM, SUSPENDED IN TERMS OF FREQUENCY.
THERE ARE ROUTES THAT OPERATE AT 30 MINUTES ON WEEKENDS, AND YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT HERE.
THERE ARE A FEW ROUTES THAT OPERATE, UH, 30 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS.
THOSE ARE ROUTES THAT WE, THAT WE PRESENTED, UM, LAST SEPTEMBER AS ROUTES THAT THAT COULD HANDLE THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF FREQUENCY WHEN WE WERE SHORT ON STAFFING LEVELS.
UH, IT MAY BE THAT WE FIND THAT MIGHT BE THE NEW NORM GOING FORWARD, BUT WE'RE NOT HERE TO PRESENT THAT AT THIS POINT.
WHAT I AM HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ROUTES THAT END IN DOWNTOWN, SIX OF THEM, UH, IN, IN FACT, AND THEY, UH, THEY'RE PART OF THE REGULAR SYSTEM AND, AND THE PREVIOUS SYSTEM, UH, WHERE ROUTES WOULD TRAVEL TO DOWNTOWN, TERMINATE AND THEN RETURN BACK.
WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS STREAMLINE THOSE ROUTES, HAVE ROUTES PAIR UP WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
IT ENABLES US TO HAVE, UH, RESIDENTS TO HAVE A ONE SEAT RIDE TO MANY MORE DESTINATIONS, UH, INCLUDING GROCERY STORES, UH, SHOPPING ACTIVITIES, ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES, WORK AND SCHOOL.
IT SETS US UP FOR IN THE FUTURE SO THAT SOME OF THESE ROUTES THAT DON'T HAVE AN ANCHOR POINT TO A TRANSIT CENTER WOULD NOW HAVE AN ANCHOR POINT TO A TRANSIT CENTER.
ONE, OUR OPERATORS HAVE A FACILITY IN WHICH TO, TO GO TO SHOULD THEY NEED TO, UH, AT THE END OF THE LINE.
AND THAT HELPS WITH IMPROVING THE ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND KEEPING OUR SERVICES GOING.
BUT SECONDLY, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS THE TRANSITION FROM DIESEL VEHICLES TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WE WILL, WE WILL THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE CAN BUILD AT THOSE TRANS CENTERS.
AND IT, IT GIVES US IN THAT, TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION.
TWO OF THE, UH, LET ME GO OVER A FEW OF THOSE ROUTES IF YOU'D LIKE, AND WE CAN GO OVER THROUGH THE PRESENTATION IN HERE.
SO AS JUST AN OVERALL VIEW, WE MAKE CHANGES THREE TIMES A YEAR EVERY JANUARY, SUMMER AND AUGUST.
UH, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING INTO WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE LEVELS.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE CURRENT LEVELS THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BALANCE THE RELIABILITY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DELIVER, DELIVER AND MATCHING THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.
WE ARE, THE, THE, THE PERCENTAGE OF, OF RIDERSHIP THAT WE ARE AT THIS POINT IS ABOUT 70% OF WHERE WE WERE TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO PRIOR TO THE, THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND WE'RE JUST STARTING TO, TO, TO LOOK AT HOW THINGS ARE CHANGING RIGHT NOW AS PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO RESET THEIR SCHEDULES.
IN FACT, THE FALL PERIOD IS TYPICALLY THE PERIOD WHERE WE START TO SEE EVERYONE START TO COME BACK TOWARDS A REGULAR WORK SCHEDULE, SCHOOL SCHEDULE.
AND WE'RE JUST GETTING INTO THAT POINT RIGHT NOW.
TYPICALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT A SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS, WE GO THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF, OF, OF, OF ITEMS. WE LOOK AT, UM, FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'VE HEARD EITHER THROUGH THE PUBLIC, THROUGH OUR OPERATORS, UH, THROUGH OUR CUSTOMER CALL LINE.
WE MATCH THAT AGAINST DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED.
UH, WE COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL.
WE WILL REVIEW THAT PROPOSAL AGAINST, UH, ANALYSIS, LIKE A TITLE SIX ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DISENFRANCHISING PORTIONS OF OUR POPULATION.
WE GO THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, INCLUDING MEETINGS, PUBLIC HEARING, UH, DIRECT OUTREACH TO, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN WE INCORPORATE WHATEVER WE'VE HEARD INTO A FINAL PROPOSAL SO THAT WE CAN COME AND SEEK YOUR APPROVAL.
AFTER WE GET FINAL APPROVAL, WE THEN
[01:55:01]
EMBARK ON THE NEXT STEPS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, DELIVER UPON THAT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE LATER DATE.UH, WE HAVE DONE SEVERAL OF THESE, UH, ITEMS AROUND HERE.
THIS IS NOT A MAJOR CHANGE AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WE WERE CARRYING THROUGH OUR CURRENT SERVICE LEVELS AND MAKING JUST A FEW CHANGES THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT RIGHT NOW.
SO, AS A RECAP, UH, WE JUST STARTED OUR FALL SERVICE LEVELS.
WE REINSTATED, UH, SUMMER, THE, THE SERVICES THAT WERE SUSPENDED OVER THE SUMMER.
THAT'S WHEN WE PULLED BACK A, A FEW TRIPS FROM REGULAR ROUTES THAT HELP OUT WITH OVERCROWDING ON SOME SCHOOL AREAS THAT WE SERVE.
THE UNIVERSITY, UH, BASED ROUTES COME BACK TO A FALL SERVICE LEVELS.
UH, PREVIOUSLY THEY WERE AT A SUMMER SERVICE LEVEL.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE, THE FOLLOWING ROUTES, METRO RAIL IS OPERATING AT A REGULAR SERVICE LEVELS.
WE'VE NOT CHANGED THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.
METRO RAPID IS ALSO AT REGULAR SERVICE LEVELS THAT HAVE BEEN IN STATE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT WE ARE NOT BACK TO LATE NIGHT SERVICE.
UM, PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE STARTING TO OPERATE SERVICE LATE INTO THE EVENINGS FROM, UH, MIDNIGHT TILL 3:00 AM ON THURSDAY, FRIDAYS AND SATURDAY.
WE ARE NOT AT THE POINT RIGHT NOW WHERE WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, PROMISE THAT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE LAST TWO ITEMS. WHEN IT COMES TO OUR COMMUTER ROUTES, WITH OUR EXPRESS SERVICES AND FLYERS, WE CONTINUE TO OPERATE AT A REDUCED SERVICE LEVELS.
WE, WE CONTINUE TO WATCH, UH, THE SITUATION, UH, OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE TRY TAKE A LOOK TO SEE WHERE WE MAY NEED TO TO SUPPLEMENT SERVICE.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THAT SERVICE, UH, LEVEL, UM, CONTINGENT RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN LASTLY, WITH THE EBUS, THAT IS A, UM, IT'S CALLED ENTERTAINMENT BUS.
IT IS A SAFETY NET SERVICE THAT OPERATES FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO AND FROM DOWNTOWN WHERE STUDENTS ARE HA UH, RESIDE TO DOWNTOWN.
UH, WE ARE ON SUSPENSION OF THAT SERVICE RIGHT NOW, AND WE DON'T HAVE PLANS AT THE MOMENT TO REINSTATE THAT.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE LATE NIGHT SERVICE ON OUR NIGHT OWLS, UH, AND OTHER ROUTES IN AND AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
SO I SPOKE TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY I'M NOT HERE BEFORE YOU, TO TO SPEAK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REINSTATEMENT OF, OF A FULL COMPLIMENT OF OUR SERVICES.
WE'RE STILL MANAGING OUR OPERATOR CONSTRAINTS.
UH, WE'RE SLOWLY ADDING TO THE, THE SURPLUS OF OPERATORS THAT WE HAVE HERE ARE MARKET CONDITIONS AROUND HERE ARE IMPACTING US.
EVERYONE IS TRYING TO HIRE FROM THE SAME GENERAL POOL OF, OF EMPLOYEES IN AND AROUND OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, AND WE'RE PROACTIVELY WORKING AT, AT AT THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND NOT ONLY DOES THAT AFFECT OUR, OUR, OUR STAFFING LEVELS FROM THE OPERATOR SIDE, BUT IT AFFECTS US ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE SUPPLY CHAIN, UM, UH, ISSUES, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO ORDERING PARTS, WHEN IT COMES TO, TO GETTING OUR VEHICLES AND WORK ORDER.
UH, OTHERS AROUND THE NATION AND AROUND OUR INDUSTRY ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES, UH, AND AROUND THE AREA.
WE WORK EVERY DAY TO IMPROVE, UH, THE DELIVERY OF OUR SERVICES.
I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS WHERE WE ARE PROBABLY, UH, THE BEST WE'VE BEEN IN A LONG TIME, UH, IN BEING ABLE TO DELIVER OUR SERVICE ONTO THE STREET AS WE PROMISE TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH THAT TREND BEFORE I COME BACK TO YOU AND, AND ASK YOU TO LOOK AT AND ASK THE COMMUNITY TO LOOK AT REINSTATING IN ANY SERVICES.
WE WANNA BE SURE THAT WE STAY WITH THAT LEVEL AND THAT WE CAN RELY RELIABLY DELIVER UPON WHAT WE PROMISE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET.
WE'RE JUST STARTING TO SEE, UH, GOOD POSITIVE SIGNS THERE.
IT SO WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR DAILY NEEDS AND STRATEGICALLY ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.
IF WE SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME NEEDS OUT IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY IN OUR SYSTEM, WE WILL LOOK TO ADDRESS THOSE.
AND THAT, THAT BECOMES A MATTER OF DO WE HAVE THE AVAILABLE STAFFING AND VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THAT? AND WE, WE DO THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE, FOLLOW THAT PATH.
SO THESE ARE THE SERVICE CHANGES.
WE'LL MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO, TO SCHEDULES TO ADJUST FOR RUNNING TIMES.
AS WE START TO SEE, UH, PATTERNS EMERGE FOR ADDITIONAL RIDERSHIP AND, AND TRAFFIC PATTERNS.
WE'LL MAKE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, IMPROVE OUR, AND MAINTAIN OUR ON TIME PERFORMANCE.
UH, WE'LL STREAMLINE A FEW ROUTES OF THOSE LITTLE SIX ROUTES THAT I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, UH, IN JUST A MOMENT.
WE DO HAVE, AND WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT AN ILA RIGHT NOW FOR THE COMMUNITY OF MAYNOR.
THERE'S BEEN AN ONGOING DISCUSSION WITH THEM FOR THE LAST YEAR, AND I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT DISCUSSION HAS HAS BEEN AND WHAT IT WOULD ENTAIL.
AND THEN, AS I'VE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE ARE MAINTAINING SERVICE LEVELS WHEN IT BECOMES, UH, RELATED TO RAIL METRO RAPID EXPRESS FLYERS AND THE EBUS.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THERE.
I KNOW WE HEARD A COMMENT BEFORE ABOUT, UM, THAT WE WERE HERE TO, TO SNEAK A LEVEL OF SERVICE CHANGES.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO, TO PROPOSE ANY, UM, THING OUT OF, OUT OF THE SORT LIKE THAT.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT AND JUST MAKE A FEW MINOR ADJUSTMENTS.
SO I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN ENDING ROUTES.
THERE'S SIX ROUTES THAT END DOWNTOWN.
UH, WE'LL LOOK TO IMPROVE SYSTEM COVERAGE, UH, IMPROVE THE, THE, THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO REACH DIFFERENT AREAS ON A ONE SEAT RIDE.
WE DO HAVE CONSTRUCTION IN DOWNTOWN AREA AND SOME DETOURS.
THIS WILL HELP US ALLEVIATE, UH, OR ADDRESS THAT SITUATION.
IT SUPPORTS OUR, OUR LONGER TERM INVESTMENTS WITH END THE LINE CHARGING, WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO ANCHOR TO FACILITIES AND IMPROVES OUR RELIABILITY
[02:00:01]
BECAUSE OUR OPERATORS HAVE ACCESS TO A TRANSIT CENTER WHERE THEY HAVE FACILITIES IN WHICH TO USE.THESE TWO ROUTES ARE HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTES.
ONE IS A ROUTE TWO ROSEWOOD THAT TRAVELS IN THE OAK SPRINGS, UH, UM, ROAD AREA, AND THEN TRAVELS, UM, ON ROUTE 17 EAST CAESAR CHAVEZ.
WE WOULD JUST LINK THOSE TWO ROUTES TOGETHER IN A DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO WHERE THEY DUPLICATE ONE ANOTHER, WE WOULD JUST OVERLAP ONE ANOTHER.
WE WOULD JUST COMBINE THE RESOURCES AND OPERATE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE DO TODAY.
SO A CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT SEE ANY CHANGES TO THEIR TRAVEL PATTERNS OR USE OF THAT SERVICE BECAUSE WE ARE JUST LINKING THE TWO TOGETHER.
THE NEXT ONE IS ROUTE FIVE, WOODROW LINKING WITH ROUTE SIX, EAST 12 AND ROUTE FIVE.
WOODROW TRAVELS STARTS FROM THE NORTH CROSS MALL AREA IN NORTH CENTRAL, UH, AUSTIN TRAVELS DOWN WOODROW AVENUE.
LAMAR BOULEVARD HAS ACCESS TO SEVERAL, UH, GROCERY STORES, UH, MEDICAL CENTER AT SETON, UH, THERE ON 38TH STREET AS IT COMES TO DOWNTOWN.
THIS WILL LINK UP WITH ROUTE SIX EAST 12TH THAT TRAVELS OUT EAST ON ON 12TH STREET.
ONE THING ABOUT THIS ROUTE IS IT ADDRESSES SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN TRYING TO, UH, PROMOTE, UH, ACCESS TO AREAS THAT ARE RIGHT NOW EXPERIENCING THE FOOD DESERT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, TO GROCERY STORES IN AND AROUND THAT AREA.
THIS WOULD ENABLE AT LEAST ONE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT VIA ONE SEAT RIDE.
AND LASTLY, WE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF THIS COMMENT.
THIS IS ROUTE 19, BULL CREEK, WHICH IS UP IN THE NORTHWEST AREA LINKING WITH A SOUTHWEST ROUTE CALLED ROUTE 30 BARTON CREEK.
UM, THEY OVERLAP ONE ANOTHER IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THEY OPERATE AT ABOUT A 35 TO 60 MINUTE SERVICE.
UH, JUST NOT, NOT THE KIND OF FREQUENCY WE'D LIKE TO SEE WITH THAT SERVICE, BUT BY COMBINING THE, THE TWO ROUTES AND RE AND USING THOSE RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY, WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET TO BETWEEN ABOUT 40 MINUTE SERVICE IN THAT AREA.
INCIDENTALLY, WE HEARD A COMMENT ABOUT, UH, ONE OF THOSE ROUTES OPERATING IN THE CORRIDOR CALLED WALSH CHARLTON AREA THAT IS IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AUSTIN.
SO WE DO SERVE, UM, THE CITY LIMITS AND, AND OF AUSTIN.
THERE IS A PORTION THAT TRAVELS ALONG ROLLING WOOD, UH, AREA, AND THAT FOR MANY YEARS, UH, WE'VE OPERATED IN ORDER TO GET TO PORTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
WE DON'T STOP IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST, UH, WITH THAT COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY SHOULD THEY WISH TO PAY FOR THAT.
UH, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT SERVICE IS, ENABLES FOLKS TO GET OUT TOWARDS, UH, SHOPPING AND EMPLOYMENT THERE AT WAL CHARLTON AND BKS ROAD PEOPLE TO ALSO TO GET TO BARTON CREEK MALL AND ULTIMATELY GET DOWN TOWARDS, UH, WESTGATE TRANSIT CENTER.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL OPEN UP A LOT MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS TO GET TO DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT AREN'T ABLE TO GET THERE UNLESS THEY'RE ABLE, UNLESS THEY MUST, UH, MAKE A TRANSFER.
SO THAT HELPS US WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN THAT AREA.
THE LAST TWO SLIDES, UH, ARE WITH RESPECT TO THE FOLLOWING, ONE IS MAINER PICKUP.
UM, YOU'VE HEARD A IN THE PAST, UM, AND WE WERE BEFORE YOU ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHERE, UM, UM, OUR DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE WAS HERE TO, TO SEEK A RESOLUTION TO, UH, PROVE THE PURCHASE OF 26 ADDITIONAL VEHICLES.
SO WE ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND IN THE FUTURE.
THOSE VEHICLES COME LATER ON NEXT YEAR, AND WE'LL BE BACK TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT MAY MEAN IN TERMS OF OUR CURRENT ZONES AND NEW ZONES.
THIS IS AN EXISTING ZONE THAT IS INSIDE THE, THE COMMUNITY DOMAINER.
IT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE OFFER RIGHT NOW BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO FOR MANY RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA, THEY DON'T SEE THE BOUNDARIES THAT WE SEE IN THIS AREA.
SO YOU'LL SEE DIFFERENT COLOR PATTERNS IN THIS AREA, BUT CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN, IN THIS, IN THIS AREA JUST SEE THEIR NEIGHBORS.
AND SO THROUGH THAT PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE ABLE TO PULL THE MONEY FROM TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, AND PULL THE MONEY FROM, FROM CAPITAL METRO IN ORDER TO DELIVER THE SERVICE.
YOU SEE TODAY, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS SHOWN THERE IN GREEN AND IN IN FUCHSIA, UM, THAT NEED SOME SERVICE.
THOSE ARE EMERGING, OR THOSE ARE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED, UH, SINCE THE, THE APPROVAL OF THAT ZONE, UH, WORKING FOR THE LAST YEAR WITH STAFF FROM MAYNOR.
UH, BOTH THE STAFF FROM MAYNOR AND CAPITAL METRO STAFF HAVE AGREED THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO INCORPORATE THOSE INTO THAT AREA.
SO, UM, THAT IS THE, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMUNITY OF MAINOR IS TO LOOK AT, AT THAT EXPANSION OF THAT ZONE.
THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING TO, UH, IMPROVE THE SPAN OF SERVICE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CHURCH OF BUILDING HAS, HAS TALKED ABOUT.
UH, THIS IS ONE ZONE THAT WILL GET THAT, THAT FIRST START, UH, ON THE EVENINGS, UH, TO NINE O'CLOCK.
AND INCIDENTALLY, AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THIS IS ONE ZONE, UH, THAT DOESN'T HAVE SATURDAY SERVICE.
THERE ARE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE ZONES THAT DO HAVE SATURDAY SERVICE.
THIS ONE WILL NOW LOOK TO, TO RECEIVE SATURDAY SERVICE.
AND THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ALL THE SERVICE THEY HAVE THERE.
SOME OF THE ZONES THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA HAVE PICK UP PLUS FIXED ROUTE SERVICE, AND THEY'RE PART OF THE, THE URBAN CORE.
THIS IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY HAVE, UH, TO GO BY IN THIS ZONE.
SO THIS IS A GOOD PARTNERSHIP.
THIS IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE OTHER THINGS IN THE WORKS.
UH, THIS NEXT MONTH WE'RE GONNA BE MEETING WITH, UH, STAFF FROM THE COMMUNITY OF LEANDER TO LOOK AT SOME OF THEIR NEEDS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO FOR THEM AS WE LOOK FORWARD.
BUT THIS IS THE ONLY, UH, CHANGE RIGHT NOW AT THE MOMENT FOR PICKUP UNTIL WE COME BACK AT A LATER DATE.
[02:05:01]
UM, THESE ARE NOT MAJOR CHANGES UNDER OUR, OUR POLICIES.THEY DON'T MEET, UH, THUS THEY DON'T REQUIRE US TO DO A TITLE SIX ANALYSIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE MAJOR CHANGES TO OUR SYSTEM.
WE'RE LINKING UP, UH, EXISTING ROUTES TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
UH, THE PICKUP ZONE IS A VERY, VERY MINOR CHANGE TO THE BOUNDARY.
SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T TRIGGER ANY KIND OF ISSUES, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE SEE AT, AT THE MOMENT.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PUBLIC OUTREACH EFFORTS THERE.
THERE WASN'T A FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE DID, UH, OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PUBLIC TO ENGAGE WITH US.
SIGNS REPLACED THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE BUS STOPS ON THOSE SIX ROUTES THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU, JUST TO LET, UM, RIDER KNOW EXACTLY HOW THESE SERVICES WERE GOING TO OPERATE.
AND THE FACT THAT SERVICE IS GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO SERVE THE SAME STOP IS JUST GONNA BE A SINGLE NUMBER INSTEAD OF TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
THAT ROUTE, THE BUS STOP WILL STILL BE IN THIS AREA.
FREQUENCIES AND SPANS WILL STILL BE THE SAME.
SO LET ME INTERJECT SOMETHING HERE.
IT, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE EXPANDING SERVICE, UH, YOU'RE EXPANDING THE AREAS THAT YOU'RE TOUCHING, YOU'RE OPPORTUNITIES.
EXPANDING THE TIMES THAT YOU ARE, UH, THAT YOU ARE REACHING THEM, UH, IT, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A COMMUNITY OUTREACH MEETING.
JUST BE, JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE EXPANDING SERVICES, THEY'RE NOT CONTRACTING, AND IT GIVES EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU, UH, YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE FOR ME, OR THIS IS HOW IT HELPS ME, OR, UH, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
IT SEEMS IT, I MEAN, ANY, ANYTIME WE'RE EXPANDING, I, MY EXPECTATION IS THAT THE FEEDBACK WILL BE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE.
RIGHT? UH, FOR THESE PARTICULAR SIX, UH, ROUTES, WE'RE COMBINING THE ROUTES.
SO, UH, THEIR SPANS DON'T CHANGE.
WE'RE JUST LINKING 'EM TOGETHER.
THEIR FREQUENCIES PRETTY MUCH DON'T CHANGE.
OH, SPEAKING TO MAINER PRIMARILY.
FOR MAYER, WE WILL BE DOING SOME OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH, IN, IN COORDINATION WITH THE STAFF ON WHAT THOSE OPTIONS OR OPPORTUNITIES ARE, BECAUSE THEY'VE NOT HAD SATURDAY SERVICE, THEY WON'T BE, HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO A LITTLE BIT LATER INTO THE EVENING.
BUT THAT SETS US UP, YOUR COMMENT SETS US UP TO WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT I'M HERE BEFORE YOU IS TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR THESE PARTICULAR CHANGES.
AT A LATER DATE, WE WANT TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT HAVE OUR TRENDS BEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THIS FALL.
WE'VE JUST GOTTEN INTO THE FALL PERIOD.
IDEALLY, WE'D LIKE TO COME IN THE SPRING AND SAY, SHARE WITH YOU.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF THE, THE PATTERNS THAT WE SEE TODAY.
THIS IS WHAT'S WORKING VERY, VERY WELL.
THIS IS WHAT PROBABLY IS NOT WORKING AS WELL.
AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE SOME THINGS CHANGE IN THAT AREA.
SOME OF THESE CHANGES COULD INCLUDE, UH, EXPANSIONS OF PICKUP, UH, OPERATING HOURS AND DAYS.
WE WILL BE LOOKING, UH, TO BRING BEFORE YOU SOMETIME TOWARDS MIDDLE OR, OR END OF 2023, UH, TWO NEW METRO RAPID ROUTES.
AND I'VE SPOKEN BEFORE, UH, BEFORE ABOUT THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THOSE RAPID ROUTES, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TYING IN SERVICES IN THOSE PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO THOSE RAPID ROUTES.
SO EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE HEARD ABOUT SOME SPECIFIC ROUTES THAT OPERATE EVERY 60 MINUTES IN PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THOSE ARE ROUTES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO ADDRESS AS PART OF THOSE CHANGES.
UH, THOSE WILL COME AT THAT, AT THAT LATER DATE.
ONE REASON WE WANNA LOOK AT 'EM AT THAT, AT THAT PERIOD IS BECAUSE WE WANNA LOOK AT HOLISTICALLY HOW THAT, HOW THAT COMES ABOUT TO BE.
AND WE WANNA BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AT THAT TIME AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? WE HAVE A FACILITY COMING.
WE HAVE NEW FREQUENCY, UH, MORE DIRECT SERVICE.
DOES THIS MAKE SENSE IN TERMS OF TYING IN TO THAT AREA? DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO TIE IT IN WITH A FIXED ROUTE? OR AS WE PROBABLY WILL SEE SOME SEMBLANCE OF A PICKUP, UH, ZONE SOMEWHERE IN AND AROUND THOSE AREAS.
SO A COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS WOULD LIKELY BE COMING, UH, THIS NEXT YEAR WHEN WE COME BEFORE WE WOULD WITH A MORE MAJOR LIST OF SERVICE CHANGES TODAY.
THESE ARE KIND OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICE CHANGES WE ARE AT TODAY, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL TRYING TO MANAGE OUR RESOURCES, UM, THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.
SO THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, PRESIDENT WALKINS, IF YOU WANTED TO JUST SUMMARIZE SOMETHING ABOUT LOOKING AHEAD OR IF YOU WANTED ME TO GO OVER THESE NEXT SLIDES, BUT YEAH, I'LL PROVIDE JUST A BRIEF SUMMARY.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT A BIT MORE IN DEPTH AT THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, BUT ONE OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING NOW AND TO THE POINT OF ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS EARLIER, UM, WE ARE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, HIDE THE FACT THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME SERVICES SUSPENDED BECAUSE, UM, OF THE, OUR ABILITY TO MEET OUR RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS, UM, THIS BOARD HAS AUTHORIZED A HANDFUL OF ACTIONS, UM, THAT, UH, TO SET UP OUR ORIGIN AND DESTINATION SURVEYS THAT WILL BE COMING IN THE SPRING.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING THROUGH OUR SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES UPDATE THAT WILL BE COMING TO THIS BOARD, UM, FOR APPROVAL OF THAT UPDATE IN THE SPRING.
AND AS WE GET THOSE FOUNDATIONS REBUILT, WE WANT TO RE-BASELINE THE SYSTEM AND REALLY LOOK FORWARD IN TERMS OF WHAT IS OUR EXISTING RIDERSHIP AND DEMAND INSTEAD OF LOOKING BACKWARD.
UM, THERE ARE SOME ROUTES THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL PICK ON THE COMMUTER BUS FOR A MINUTE, THAT IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A REAL LONG TIME BEFORE THEY GO BACK TO WHAT THEY WERE IN 2019, BECAUSE THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR SERVICE PLANNING GO GOING FORWARD IS BASED ON THE NEW WORLD ORDER AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD ONES.
[02:10:01]
UM, COUPLE OF SERVICE CHANGES, WE WILL BE ASKING THIS BOARD TO TAKE ACTION TO FORMALIZE SOME OF THESE REDUCTIONS AS PERMANENT CHANGES SO THAT AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WE CAN BUILD FROM WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE OUR RIDERSHIP AND TRANSIT DEMAND IS TODAY.WELL, TO THAT END, UH, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UH, ONE, UH, I THINK, UH, WE'RE SEEING THE FORMATION OF THE NEW NORMAL IS MY DAY JOB IS WE'VE GOT A COUPLE HUNDRED, NOT QUITE A COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN COMMUTING IN.
AND WE AS AN EMPLOYER, VERY INTERESTED IN TRYING TO, UH, CREATE A NEW NORMAL THAT IS CLOSE TO THE OLD NORMAL IN TERMS OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THE OFFICE AS WE CAN.
NOT EVERYBODY'S ALIGNED THE SAME WAY, BUT CLEARLY YOU CAN TELL THERE'S MORE TRAFFIC.
AND I, I'VE NERDED OUT FOR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS ON TOM, TOM TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.
AND WHAT'S REALLY SORT OF FASCINATING IS YOU CAN SEE, WHEREAS IN 2021, TRAFFIC WAS AT ABOUT A 40% CONGESTION LEVEL.
UM, I'M SORRY, YEAH, 40% CONGESTION LEVEL ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY, UH, UH, RUSH HOURS, THAT'S NOW GONE UP TO 50%, UH, AND CURRENTLY IN THE LAST SEVEN DAYS.
SO WE'RE 50% CONGESTED IN RUSH HOURS, AT LEAST IN THE EVENING, UH, WHICH IS 50% LONGER TIME THAN IT WOULD TAKE IF THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD.
THAT'S NOT AS BAD AS IT WAS IN 2019 WHEN IT WAS UP TO 70%.
BUT I SUSPECT WE'RE SEEING PRETTY MUCH A NEW NORMAL, WHICH IS CONCENTRATED IN THOSE DAYS, WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN 2019 ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND I THINK TO THE POINT THAT'S BEING MADE HERE, A COUPLE THINGS.
PEOPLE ARE FINDING THEIR WAY BACK.
UH, I WAS SORT OF STRUCK BY THE ONE LADY WHO WE ALL, I THINK HAVE COMMENTED UPON, WHICH IS, IT'S HARD TO PLAN YOUR DAY IF YOU DON'T IN YOUR COMMUTE.
AND I WORRY ABOUT US FORE CLOSING THE COMMUTERS.
THERE'S A CHICKEN AND AN EGG PROBLEM IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA RIDE IT, IF IT'S NOT THERE.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BEATING FOR HAVING EMPTY BUSES COMING DOWN MOPAC IF WE DO PUT 'EM.
BUT I, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK MORE STRATEGICALLY ABOUT, AS A BOARD, WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE'S GOING TO BE.
BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE BURBS IS, NOW, I SAY EVERYBODY, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, DO I COME IN? DO I NOT COME IN? FIRMS LIKE OURS AFFORD FLEXIBILITY.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE AT THIS HISTORICALLY STRANGE PERIOD OF RISING TRAFFIC, RISING, UH, FLEXIBILITY ON THE PART OF EMPLOYERS.
UH, WE'RE GIVING OUR EMPLOYEES ONE REMOTE DAY A WEEK, UH, SUSPECT OTHERS ARE DOING THAT, IF NOT MORE.
BUT I, I JUST WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US A NOT PROVIDING PREDICTABILITY EVEN AS TO WE'RE GONNA MAKE A HARD DECISION IN TWO MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, ABOUT WHAT ROUTES WE'RE RESTORING, WHAT WE'RE NOT RESTORING.
I I THINK THE POINT THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THIS HOLISTICALLY IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT, UH, I FEEL LIKE WE MIGHT BE IN THE GRIPS OF, UH, INCREMENTALISM WHEN WE REALLY OUGHT TO BE SAYING, THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
OR, OR PICK A TIME PERIOD THREE MONTHS FROM NOW, SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO HARD WITH WHATEVER DATA WE HAVE, BUT I THINK WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF NEW NORMAL, UH, I THINK IT'S DIFFERENT, PARTICULARLY RUSH HOURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AS OPPOSED TO MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS.
UM, AND I JUST WORRY THAT IF WE CURTAIL SERVICE TOO MUCH, WE'LL PERMANENTLY, PERMANENTLY LOSE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE AVAILABLE.
SO THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF THAT MAYBE WE NEED A WORKSHOP ON AS YOU'RE HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON A A ON THIS FALL, BECAUSE I, I DON'T SEE THE WORLD CHANGING A WHOLE LOT, MAYBE ON OUR END IF WE HAVE ISSUES RELATIVE TO RESOURCES.
BUT I DON'T, I THINK, I THINK CORPORATE AMERICA'S KIND OF BACK TO WHERE IT'S GONNA BE.
I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A FAIR POINT.
I WOULD, I WOULD SAY THAT WE WERE HERE, WELL, LAST SPRING, ONE YEAR BEFORE THAT WE BELIEVED THAT, UH, WE WERE GOING TO BE BACK TO NORMAL.
AND SO WE ANTICIPATED THAT AND WE PUSHED OUT AS MUCH SERVICE AS WE COULD IN THE FALL ANTICIPATING THAT.
AND THEN ONE OF THE VARIANTS, UH, HIT US PRETTY HARD.
AND WE HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL BACK.
AND SO WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT TO DO IS PROMISE SOMETHING UPON WHICH WE CAN'T DELIVER, AND WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AT THE MOMENT.
WE HAVE JUST GOTTEN PAST THE LABOR DAY, UH, HOLIDAY, WHICH IS WHEN TRADITIONALLY YOU START TO SEE PEOPLE STARTING TO SET THEIR ROUTINES IN THAT AREA.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, UH, WHAT DOTTY MENTIONED.
[02:15:01]
CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE DATA IN THAT AREA.WE'VE GOT SOME, SOME INFORMATION THAT CONTINUES COME ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY, WE'LL DO THAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT TO COME UP WITH A MORE COMPREHENSIVE THINGS OF LET'S RESTORE ALL OF SATURDAY SERVICE, OR LET'S RESTORE ALL OF THE WEEKDAY, UH, SERVICE LEVELS, AND LET'S BRING BACK ALL THE EXPRESSES, THAT IS A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO GET INTO TWO NEW METRO RAPID SERVICES IN, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE NEXT YEAR.
AND SO WE WANT TO BE SURE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO, TO DO AND MAKE SURE WE'RE PREPARED FOR IT, UM, HOLISTICALLY.
BUT WE AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THERE SOONER, UH, RATHER THAN WAITING.
AND SO, DOTTY MENTIONED THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK BACK TO THE PAST.
WE WE'RE JUST GONNA LOOK TO WHAT HAS BEEN THE NEW NORM AND WHAT'S THE RESET, AND THEN LET'S PROGRESS FORWARD.
AND I'LL JUST SAY, AS AN EMPLOYER WHO'S TRYING TO GET PEOPLE BACK INTO THE OFFICE, UH, IT'S NOT HELPFUL FOR THEM NOT TO KNOW WHEN THEY CAN OR WHAT THEIR MODE'S GOING TO BE.
AND SO INSOFAR AS WE CAN PROVIDE CLARITY, THEN THE MEAN BOSSES WHO WANT THEIR PEOPLE IN THE OFFICE CAN SAY, I KNOW YOU CAN RIDE THE BUS, OR I KNOW YOU CAN DO X, Y, AND Z.
AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE'RE RIGHT FROM, FROM MY STANDPOINT, THAT'S MORE CLARITY SOONER THE BETTER OFF WE ARE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT GREAT NEWS, BUT FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO PLAN.
WELL, WE ARE, WE ARE STILL AT NORMAL SURFACE LEVELS FROM RAIL.
SO THAT'S STILL, PEOPLE CAN RELY ON THAT.
WITH OUR FREQUENT ROUTE NETWORK, THE MAJORITY OF OUR, AND OUR STRONGEST ROUTES ARE OPERATING AT 15 MINUTES, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
OUR METRO RAPIDS ARE AT EVERY 10 MINUTES, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE.
SO THE STRONGEST ROUTES ARE STILL AT, AT THE STRONGEST LEVELS OF SERVICE, STILL DELIVERING FOLKS TO DOWNTOWN.
AND I RIDE ON OCCASION, UH, ROUTE 10 AND ROUTE 8 0 1.
SO I, I DO SEE ACTIVITY IN THAT AREA, NOT TO THE POINT OF WHERE WE WERE YEAH.
BEFORE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME CHANGES IN THAT AREA.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THE PATTERNS BY DAY OF THE WEEK ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THEY USED TO BE BEFORE, AND WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
BUT WE HAD SOME REPRESENTATIONS EARLIER, UH, FROM, UH, PEOPLE WHO MADE PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT SPECIFIC ROUTES.
UH, I'VE ASKED THAT WE PULL ALL, PULL ALL OF THAT INFORMATION AND THEN, UH, RESPOND TO, UM, UH, INDIVIDUALLY AND, AND AT LEAST GET A GOOD IDEA OF, OF, UM, WHERE WE THINK WE ARE WITH THAT BOARD MEMBER.
OH, I, I WAS JUST GONNA ECHO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING AND WHAT BOARD MEMBER COOPER SAID, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S A HARD THING TO BALANCE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S NOT THERE, WE'LL LOSE 'EM FOREVER BECAUSE THEY, THEY WON'T COME BACK AND THEY HAVE TO, IT HAS TO BE RELIABLE FOR THEM MM-HMM.
SO THEY'LL MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS, AND ONCE THEY MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS, THAT'S THAT.
SO I, I, I DO THINK I'D RATHER AIR, AIR ON THE SIDE OF BEING AVAILABLE.
CAN I JUST MAKE ONE QUICK COMMENT ON THE 30, WE, WE GOT SOME FEEDBACK ON THE 30 ROUTE.
THAT'S ONE I'M SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR WITH.
WHEN WE HAD CAP WEAP, WE TRIED TO SHUT THAT DOWN TO SOME DEGREE.
THERE WAS A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO RIDE THAT GENERALLY, THAT'S ONE I OCCASIONALLY RIDE, ARE EITHER GOING TO THE MALL OR, UH, THAT SERVES THE APARTMENTS OVER ON THE EAST SIDE OF MOPAC, OR IT'S ONE, THIS IS BIG NUMBERS, BUT THE RANDALLS OVER THERE ON ROLLINGWOOD DRIVE, ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THEY DO IS HIRE A NUMBER OF DISABLED FOLKS TO BE, UH, UH, UM, EMPLOYEES IN THE FRONT OF THAT STORE.
AND THAT'S THE ROUTE THAT A LOT OF THEM TAKE AS WELL.
SO THAT, THAT IS NOT A WEST LAKE ROLLINGWOOD NO, UH, SERVING ROUTE THAT'S SERVING, UH, THE MALL AND THE APARTMENTS ON THE EAST SIDE AND, AND THE, A HANDFUL OF EMPLOYEES AT THAT ROLLINGWOOD RANDALL STORE.
UM, ON ONE HAND, I, I DO WANNA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ECHO WHAT, UH, BOARD MEMBER COOPER AND AND KITCHEN HAS SAID, AND, UM, APPRECIATE THE, THE DATA POINTS THERE THAT, THAT'S FASCINATING TO SEE THAT, UH, OUR NUMBERS ARE UP, THAT, THAT ANECDOTALLY, THAT MATCHES WHAT I'VE HEARD THAT A LOT OF EMPLOYERS ARE DOING THAT TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY.
THEY'RE GIVEN THE FLEXIBILITY TO THEIR WORKERS TO HAVE ONE TO TWO DAYS OFF.
AND A LOT OF 'EM ARE LIKE, SHOOT, THEN I'LL TAKE THE THREE DAY WEEKEND.
UM, BUT THE ONE THING THAT THEORETICALLY THAT'S A WORK REMOTE DAY,
BUT, UM, THE ONE THING I THINK WE NEED TO, THAT, THAT, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE TO TEMPER THIS WITH, AND I REALIZE THAT IT IS STILL KIND OF A CHICKEN AND EGG SORT OF THING, IS WE WERE, IS WE, WE ALSO, I RECOGNIZE WE ALSO GOT HIT HARD OURSELVES
[02:20:01]
BY THE PANDEMIC, AND WE LOST AN AWFUL LOT OF OPERATORS AND MECHANICS, AND I DON'T WANT US TO MAKE, TO MAKE IT.IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT, OH, IT'S THERE.
AND THEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT, OH, YOU GOT ALL THESE EMPTY BUSES.
MY CONCERN AND FEAR IS THAT WE MAKE PROMISES WE CAN'T KEEP BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OPERATORS OR MECHANICS TO KEEP MEETING THE DEMAND.
EVEN THE BASIC DEMAND THAT WE SAY WE'RE PROMISING THE COMMUNITY, WE WILL MEET.
SO I RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE COMMENTS UP HERE ABOUT BEING CONCERNED ABOUT INCREMENTALISM, AND I GET THAT.
BUT I, I, I WOULD RATHER, AT LEAST FOR NOW, STILL ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, KNOWING THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT WE CAN BRING IN THE LABOR FORCE.
WE NEED TO MEET THE DEMAND IN THE COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE OPERATORS, AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE MECHANICS TO SUPPORT THE BUSES OUT THERE IN THE FIELD, THEN IT'S A MOOT POINT.
HOW MANY HOURS AND HOW MANY, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO, TO PROVIDE SERVICE, OR HOW FREQUENT WE SAY THE ROUTES ARE GONNA BE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF TO DO IT.
SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD MEASURED APPROACH.
AND, AND I LIKE THE APPROACH THAT Y'ALL, THE STAFF ARE SAYING THAT, HEY, WE, THERE'S NOT MUCH WE CAN WORK WITH BEHIND US BECAUSE WE'RE IN A NEW NORM.
LET, LET'S KIND OF WORK FORWARD AND, AND GET A FEW MORE MONTHS OF DATA TO SEE WHERE WE ARE NOW AND, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, YOU KNOW, KEEP, KEEP IT UP, KEEP KEEP DOING THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING.
I KNOW THERE WAS A, I CAN'T REMEMBER RECENTLY, I THINK IT WAS, WE PASSED A, A APPROVED A CONTRACT FOR THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE TO, UM, TEXAS A AND M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE.
I BELIEVE I WAS CORRECTED ON THAT ONE EARLIER, THOUGH.
BUT THEY ARE, THAT THEY'RE HELPING US TO IDENTIFY SOME OF THE, UM, SOME WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE OUR, UH, PRACTICES FOR, UH, FOR, FOR HIRING AND FOR, UM, PUTTING OUT THERE AND FOR PUTTING OUT THERE.
UH, UM, CUZ WE HAVE A LOT TO COMPETE AGAINST.
I KNOW THAT THAT SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS ARE A SHORT SUPPLY AND THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO ACROSS THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY OF TRANSIT AS A WHOLE.
BUT FIGURING OUT WAYS WE CAN GET THOSE NUMBERS UP ON THE, UM, THE LABOR SIDE SO THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY MEET THAT DEMAND.
SO I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT I THINK WE GOT BOTH THAT ARE KIND OF, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, TO THREAD THE NEEDLE THERE EFFECTIVELY, BECAUSE SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC WAS A FREQUENT RIDER OF THE 9 85, FOR EXAMPLE, YET YOU'D HAVE BUSES SO PACKED THAT WE'D HAVE TO CALL IN BACKUP
AND YOU'D END UP WITH SOME UPSET CUSTOMERS.
WE, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOTTA DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, BOTH OF THOSE POTENTIAL ISSUES.
BUT, UM, I'D RATHER US BE ABLE TO MEET THE PROMISES THAT WE PUT OUT THERE RATHER THAN BE, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING TO, TO PLAY CATCH UP BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF BEHIND IT.
WELL, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE, UM, IMPORTANT TO, TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER, UH, THE CITY GOING TO A, UH, $20 AN HOUR FLOOR AND THE COUNTY GOING TO A $20 AN HOUR FLOOR HAVE, HAVE HAD ANY IMPACT OR WILL HAVE ANY IMPACT ON OUR WORKFORCE.
AND, UM, IS, IS THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH, UM, USING SOME OF THE, UH, SCHOLARSHIPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE LOCAL WORKFORCE COMMISSION ABOUT, UH, CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CDLS? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE DONE THAT TYPE OF ASSESSMENT OR WHETHER WE'VE FELT ANY IMPACT BECAUSE THOSE ARE RECENT OCCURRENCES.
JUST SPECIFICALLY TO THE MINIMUM WAGE, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT IN JANUARY, UM, WE IMPLEMENTED A WAGE INCREASE FOR OUR BUS OPERATORS AND LAST MONTH, MONTH, I BELIEVE, IF NOT THE MONTH BEFORE, THIS BOARD APPROVED A MODIFICATION TO OUR, UM, DEMAND RESPONSE CONTRACTS TO HELP FUND A WAGE INCREASE FOR THEM.
UM, REALLY JUST READING THE MARKET AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT WAS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
UM, TIME WILL TELL HOW THAT INCREASED WAGE AT THE CITY AND COUNTY LEVELS KIND OF IMPACTS WAGE PRESSURES OVERALL.
AND WE OBVIOUSLY WORK CLOSELY WITH THAT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH THE WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOLKS, UM, TO BRING AN AGREEMENT BACK TO THIS BOARD TO, UM, LIST THEIR PARTNERSHIP AND HELPING US CONTINUE TO BE, UM, DIRECTIVE AND PRESCRIPTIVE IN HOW WE DEVELOP OUR WORKFORCE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ONGOING PIPELINE OF FOLKS.
SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT STUFF COMING YOUR WAY ON THAT.
AND, AND CHAIR I ALSO WANT TO SAY IS
[02:25:01]
THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, SATURDAY, WHEN I WENT ON SUNDAY, I MEAN, WHEN WE WENT INTO THE, THE, TO THE EMPLOYEES, UH, PICNIC THERE IN FRONT OF THE PALM EVENT CENTER, UM, THE LONG CENTER, I SHOULD SAY THAT I HAVE DID NOT HEAR ONE EMPLOYEES SAY THAT THEY'RE UPSET ABOUT THE CONDITIONS AND THE PAY.YOU KNOW, NORMALLY I ALWAYS HEAR ONE OR TWO OR THREE GUYS COMING AND SAYING THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING PAID ENOUGH.
IN FACT, THEY ALL SEEMED REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THINGS, HOW IT'S TURNING OUT.
SO, UH, I, I THINK WE WERE ON THE RIGHT PATH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY'S LEVEL, AUSTIN ENERGY WITH THEIR NEW BUILDING, AND IT WAS OPEN FOR A YEAR AND I WENT DOWN THERE AND ASKED FOR A TOUR AND IT FOUR FLOOR BUILDING, HUGE.
AND THE TOP TWO FLOOR WAS EMPTY.
AND I SAID, WHERE IN THE HECK IS EVERYBODY AT? AND THEY SAID, UH, WELL, THEY ALL WORKING FOR A HOME AND THEY HAVEN'T LOST ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, THEY STILL BEING PRODUCTIVE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BACK OF MY MIND, I SAID, WELL, THIS IS PRETTY SMART.
YOU KNOW, YOU GOT PEOPLE WORKING OUT OF THEIR HOME AND IT'S NOT COSTING US THAT WE'VE GOT AN EMPTY BUILDING.
WHY NOT PUT IT TO USE AND FILL IT UP WITH SOME OF THESE UNIT PLACES THAT WE'RE RENTING? AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
THEY'RE RENT, UH, YOU KNOW, LEASING OUT THERE THEIR UPPER FLOORS TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO IT, IT IS GONNA BE FULL, IT'S JUST NOT ALL GONNA BE AUSTIN ENERGY.
SO THERE'S STILL COMING IN AND THERE'LL STILL BE A LOCATION OUT THERE WHERE EMPLOYEES ARE GONNA BE GOING.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE, UH, I BELIEVE THE EMPLOYERS ARE, ARE GETTING A LITTLE BIT SMARTER ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, IF PEOPLE WANTS TO WORK FROM HOME AND THEY'RE JUST AS PRODUCTIVE, THEN IT'S A WIN FOR EVERYONE.
SO, UH, IT IS GONNA BE IN THE FUTURE.
I, I'VE SEEN THEM IN THE PAST.
IBM STARTED DURING THAT IN THE EIGHTIES, NINETIES, REALLY.
AND, UH, IT WORKED VERY WELL, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA BE GOING IN THERE AND I'VE SEEN TRANSIT WHEN ON THE TOURS THAT I'VE GONE UP NORTH AND I TELL YOU WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE ALWAYS FOR.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE ONCE WE GET OUR RAIL UP AND GOING AND DO WE START BUILDING THE, THE HOUSING NEXT TO IT, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY PRODUCTIVE AND ROBUST SYSTEM THAT'S REALLY GONNA HELP OUT AUSTIN BECAUSE WE ARE ALL GONNA NEED IT.
AUSTIN IS GONNA GROW, AND, UH, IT'S NOT GONNA STOP GROWING.
ALL RIGHT, ONE QUICK COMMENT THAT I'LL WANNA MOVE OR MAKE THE MOTION, WHICH ISRO THAT I CAN SPEAK OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF MY MOUTH.
IF WE'RE AT 70% RIDERSHIP FROM WHAT WE WERE, IT SORT OF IMPLIES IF WE HAVEN'T CUT COSTS THAT ARE COST ARE 50% HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY WERE BEFORE TO, TO MOVE A PERSON FROM A TO B.
ALL THIS IS TO SAY THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE GOING ON BOTH IN TERMS OF THE SIZE OF OUR OPERATION AND WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, MORE CHANGE THAN WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH WITH CAP REMAP.
SO IN MY MIND, WE'RE SORT OF AT THE PLACE WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF ANALYSIS WE HAD WITH CAP REMAP ONCE WE FEEL LIKE WE GOT OUR FEET ON THE BOTTOM, BOTH FROM A RIDERSHIP AND FROM A RESOURCE STANDPOINT, AND REALLY BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR DOLLARS.
AS I SAID, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR KEEPING SERVICE GOING UNLESS IT'S JUST STUPID, RIGHT? TO GET THE RIDERSHIP, BUT 50% HIGHER COSTS, YOU OUGHT BE, WE'RE STEWARDS OF EACH OF THOSE DOLLARS.
WE OUGHT BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS CAN GET BACK TO US WITH A PRETTY ROBUST ANALYSIS OF WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT OUR PLAN OUGHT TO BE.
AND MAYBE WE OUGHT TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION A FEW MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD TO JUST ABSORB THIS DATA, BOTH THE COST AND THE RIDERSHIP AND YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHERE WE CAN BE IN THREE MONTHS, SIX MONTHS, A YEAR, TWO YEARS TO REALLY COME BACK TO AN ANALYSIS OF WHERE WE WANNA SPEND OUR DOLLARS FOR THE PUBLIC.
CUZ I THINK THAT'S, I THINK WE'RE AT A NEW NORMAL CAP.
REAP IS HOW MANY YEARS OLD NOW? IS THAT FOUR? 18? SO FOUR? YEAH, THIS IS, WE JUST PASSED OUR FOURTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
SEEMS LIKE THAT SEEMS LIKE A DECADE AGO.
AND IT WAS GOING, AND THOSE ARE REALLY FUN MEETINGS WE HAD, BY THE WAY.
BUT WITH THAT, UH, I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE SERVICE CHANGES.
IT'S BEEN, UM, MOTION HAS BEEN MADE TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER ONE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[02:30:01]
UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I AND SUPPORT OF I HOLD SAME SIGN.DON'T FORGET, DON'T FORGET ABOUT BECKY.
OH, UM, BECKY, COULD YOU, BECKY BACK ON I, OKAY.
SO BECKY HAS GIVEN US AN EYE AS WELL.
UH, MR. GONZALEZ, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE, UH, WE ARE GOING TO FOR APPROVAL OF
[VI 2. Approval of the Fiscal Year 2023 Operating and Capital Budget and Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan]
THE FISCAL 2023 OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AND FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHURCHVILLE BOARD MEMBERS, INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS.
I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAP METRO, AND THIS IS A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 OPERATING IN CAPITAL BUDGETS AND FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
THE TOTAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 IS $902,766,752 FOR OPERATING IN CAPITAL EXPENSES.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD, SENIOR LEADERSHIP, CAP METRO STAFF, AND OUR OUTSTANDING BUDGET TEAM FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DIRECTION AND PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
THIS RESOLUTION CAPTURES THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2023 BUDGET THAT THE BOARD AND COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN.
COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, AND IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU AS A BOARD IS SET FOR THE AGENCY AND MAKES INVESTMENTS BASED ON YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE BUDGET IS STRUCTURALLY SOUND.
I BALANCE, AND I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE PROJECTING TO MEET ALL OF OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE IN GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION, BUT WE REMAIN GUARDED FOR NEXT YEAR WITH HIGH INFLATION, HIGH PETROLEUM PRICING, SUPPLY CHAIN AND LABOR ISSUES, AND OF COURSE, OUR NECESSARY FUNDING FOR FLEET ELECTRIFICATION FACILITIES AND OTHER PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON.
WE'VE COMPLETED OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH FOR THE BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDED IN-PERSON ENGAGEMENT AT LAKELINE STATION, IN PARK AND RIDE NORWOOD TRANSIT CENTER AND REPUBLIC SQUARE.
IN ADDITION, WE POSTED A VIRTUAL WEBINAR ON YOUTUBE AND OFFERED THIS BOTH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH AND POSTED ON ALL ALL OF OUR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AS WELL.
A COPY OF THE CAP METRO BUDGET IS PLACED ONLINE ON THE CAP METRO WEBSITE IN MORE DETAIL, AND THE BOARD WAS PROVIDED A LINK TO THIS ALSO.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BUDGET OVER THE LAST FIVE MONTHS, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE THIS ACTION FOR APPROVAL.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION, AND I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE FAA MEETING.
UM, AND THAT'S THE HEDGE ON THE PRICE OF THE GASOLINE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE INCREASES IN THE PRICE OF, UM, FUEL, BUT THERE'S A HEDGE OUT THERE TOO, IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN THAT.
SO I'LL ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE HAVE SEEN GASOLINE PRICE, ESPECIALLY AT THE PUMP, COME DOWN THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS.
DIESEL IS NOT FOLLOWING THAT SAME TREND.
DIESEL IS STILL STAYING HIGHER THAN, YOU KNOW, NORMAL GASOLINE HAS.
WE DO HAVE A HEDGING PROGRAM IN PLACE WHERE WE ACTUALLY BUY FUTURE POSITIONS OF DIESEL, WHICH IS A POSITION IS 42,000 GALLONS.
UM, WE ACTUALLY DID QUITE A BIT OF HEDGE BUYING BOTH IN MARCH AND APRIL OF 2020, AND THEN IN THE FALL OF 2020 AS WELL.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN BUY, WE DO IT, WE DO IT PRIMARILY FOR BUDGET STABILITY, SO WE KNOW WHAT OUR BUDGETED PRICE FOR DIESEL WILL BE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
SO FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE WERE ABOUT 90 TO 95% HEDGED FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE'RE ALREADY ABOUT 65 TO 70% HEDGED IN THE POSITIONS THAT WE BOUGHT, MAINLY IN 2020.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD COST AVOIDANCE, I CALCULATED THE OTHER DAY OF ALMOST 11 MILLION.
SO WITH THE, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNE BUYING THAT WE HAD IN 2020, WE'VE AVOIDED ABOUT $11 MILLION A COST, BOTH IN FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND FISCAL YEAR 2023.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, UM, WITH OUR, THEIR HEDGING AND, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNE BUYING DURING ESPECIALLY THE INITIAL, UM, OUTBREAK OF COVID.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FISCAL YEAR 23 OPERATING IN CAPITAL BUDGET AND FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
UM, THAT SAYS, I'LL STRATON FIRST, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAD A THIRD AND A FOURTH AS WELL.
HOWEVER, UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MR. GO AHEAD.
I, I JUST WANT, I JUST WANTED TO, TO THANK YOU, MR. CONLAN AND, AND THE STAFF AND ALL YOUR ALL'S HARD, HARD WORK
[02:35:01]
ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH PROCESS, EVERYTHING YOU ALL HAVE DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT.AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE BUDGET AND THE FINANCES, IT'S REALLY INGRAINED AS A CULTURAL EVENT WITHIN THE AGENCY AND EVERYBODY PARTICIPATES.
EVERYBODY'S EXTREMELY ACTIVE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING AS WELL AS WE ARE BOARD MEMBER THE KITCHEN.
ANY OTHER, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE LET BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
OKAY, ALL, SO THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VI 3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Interim President & CEO, or their designee, to finalize and execute contracts for General Planning and Consulting Services for a combined eight-year total contract period with a total estimated not to exceed cumulative amount of $100,000,000.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, MS. JI.UM, CHAIR TRILLIAN, INTERIM, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO, WALKINS, VICE CHAIR, UM, BOARD MEMBER, KITCHEN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M HERE, UH, TO PRESENT THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INTER INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO, UH, OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS FOR THE GENERAL, UH, PLANNING AND CONSULTING SERVICES, UH, WITH ACOM TECHNICAL SERVICES, CAMBRIDGE SYSTEMATICS, HALF ASSOCIATES, H AND TB CORPORATION, NELSON IARD, CONSULTING ASSOCIATES, W S B U, AND TO WSB USA.
I'M, UM, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, UM, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SCH JI.
UM, THANK YOU FOR READING THROUGH THAT.
I WAS ENJOYING A COOKIE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL ON JULY, UH, BOARD MEETING, UH, YOU APPROVED, UH, BOARD, BOARD APPROVED, UM, GC, UM, CONSULTING SERVICES CONTRACT.
THIS IS THE COMPANION PIECE, UH, THE GENERAL PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES CONTRACT.
IT FOLLOWS VERY SIMILAR PROTOCOL AND, UM, OFFERINGS.
UH, FISCAL IMPACT FOR THIS, UH, IS VERY, IS ALSO LISTED IN YOUR, UH, PACKAGE.
FUNDING FOR THIS ACTION IS AVAILABLE IN FY 2023, UM, OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET AND IN THE AGENCY'S LONG RANGE.
UM, UH, CAPITAL PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENTS ARE FAIRLY, UM, OUTLINED.
UH, I THINK IT'S ALSO IN THE PACKAGE, IT'S FOCUSES ON CUSTOMER AND COMMUNITY.
AND SOME OF OUR STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO PROVIDE SAFE AND RELIABLE SERVICES, SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL GROWTH, UM, BECOME A CAR NEUTRAL AGENCIES.
THIS CONTRACT HAD, UM, OUR EV TRANSITION PLAN, UM, IN THE, IN, IN ITS, UH, PREVIOUS FORM, DIVERSITY OF STAFF AND MANY OTHER STRATEGIC, UH, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
IN YOUR AGENDA PACKAGE, YOU'LL ALSO SEE A DESCRIPTION OF THE, UH, TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT WOULD BE COVERED, UH, UNDER THIS FOR, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CONTEXT ON THE PROJECTS WE HAVE ALREADY COVERED UNDER THE PREVIOUS GPC ARE, UM, EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AS OUR INTER PRE CEO WALKIN.
UH, SPOKE ABOUT ORIGIN DESTINATION SURVEY, UH, AND THEN, UH, BERGSTROM SPAR, A PLANNING VISIBILITY STUDY AND OTHER VERY IMPORTANT STRATEGIC, UH, AND PLANNING SERVICES.
UH, IN THE PACKAGE, YOU WOULD SEE THE DBE GOAL AND EACH FIRM'S, UM, RESPONSE TO THAT, THEY RANGE BETWEEN 15 TO 32%.
AND THIS IS AN INCREASE FROM OUR PREVIOUS GPC, WHICH, UH, THE GOAL WAS 10% AND NOW IT HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 15%.
WITH THAT, I WOULD PRE, UH, PRESENT THE RESOLUTION, UM, FOR ACTION.
BUT BEFORE I GO THERE, I WANTED TO TOUCH UPON THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOWED, UM, A SOLICITATION ANTICIPATED MULTIPLE CONTRACT WE BID IN, UM, MAY OF, UH, OF THIS YEAR.
AND THROUGH A VERY SYSTEMATIC SELECTION PROCESS WHERE WE INCLUDED RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE, PROJECT MANAGER QUALIFICATION, PROJECT TEAM MEMBER, COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE, UM, AND DEMONSTRATED TECHNICAL PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE FOR THIS TYPE OF, UM, ACTIVITIES.
WITH THAT, UM, I WOULD JUST CLOSE IT OUT FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AND FOR YOUR ACTION.
UM, BOARD MEMBER, ER, AND THEN START.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SIX
[02:40:01]
CONSULTANTS THAT'S, YEAH.I HAVE A TEAM THAT YOU ALREADY APPROVED OR WE HAVE PROVED THAT NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS, WE, WE APPROVE A TEAM OF MAYBE 10 CONSULTANTS AND THEN AS THEY COME ALONG WE'LL GIVE ONE TO THE BEST QUALIFYING ONE.
DO WE, ARE WE DOING THAT ALSO HERE OR? YEAH, THIS IS, UM, IND, UM, I D I Q CONTRACT.
AND WE SELECTED SIX FIRMS OUT OF EIGHT, UM, THAT WE FOUND MOST RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE CONTRACT.
SO, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION AT THESE EVENT, SO WE GONNA GET TO SEE WHEN THEY'RE AWARDED THE MINORITY CONTRACTS AND ALL THAT, THAT THE DBE PERCENTAGES AND THE PROPOSED DBE CONSULTANTS FOR EACH FIRM IS IN THE AGENDA PACKET.
AND AS EACH TASK ORDER IS IDENTIFIED AND WE SOLICIT RESPONSE FROM THIS BENCH SPECIFIC SUB CONSULTANTS DBE AND OTHERWISE WOULD BE ADDED AND PROPOSED FOR EACH SEPARATE TASK ORDER.
SO, SO BASICALLY THIS IS PRETTY MUCH LIKE WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE THAT WE'VE GOT, WE'RE WE'RE BASICALLY JUST, JUST GOING OUT AND BIDDING OUT A BENCH THAT WE'LL HAVE JUST A BENCH OF CONTRACTORS IN THIS CASE FOR, UH, GENERAL, UM, UH, GENERAL PLANNING, GPS GENERAL PLANNING SERVICES THAT, AND CUZ INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS MAY LOOK AT THIS AND GET A SHELL SHOCK WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE STICKER PRICE ON THAT.
BUT, BUT REALLY THIS IS, THAT'S, THESE ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE VARIOUS PROJECTS ALREADY.
THE VARIOUS INDIVIDUAL CO THE VARIOUS INDIVIDUAL CAPITAL PROJECTS, OPERATIONS, CONTRACTS, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED, UH, PLANNING SERVICES FOR.
THEN THAT WAY, INSTEAD OF YOU ALL HAVING TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD EVERY SINGLE TIME FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE AND GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS EVERY SINGLE DIFFERENT TIME FOR THIS, WE'VE GOT A SLATE OF CONTRACTORS IN WHICH EVERYONE MEETS OUR NEEDS.
YOU GRAB THAT ONE AND YOU PUT OUT A TASK ORDER FOR THAT PARTICULAR ONE, FOR THAT PARTICULAR TIME, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE, UM, IMPORTANT, UM, I, THE ITEM THAT I NEEDED TO MENTION HERE IS THAT IT'S FOR ONE YEAR BASE PERIOD AND, UM, SEVEN 12 MONTH OPTION PERIOD FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT.
UM, SO THAT CLARIFIES YOUR QUESTION.
AND SO WE WE'RE NOT, AND THIS IS UP TO, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND THAT MUCH, IT'S, BUT THIS ALLOWS YOU THE FLEXIBILITY AS STAFF IS WORKING THROUGH THE PROJECTS IF NEEDED.
YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO AND GRAB THESE CONTRACTORS TO HELP OUT WITH THE PLANNING SERVICES AS NEEDED AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THE RESOURCES AND THE EXPERTISE AND THE EXPERTISE.
SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT.
YOU'VE SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SKILL SETS MM-HMM.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS A, THIS IS A MATTER OF IMPROVED EFFICIENCIES ALONG THE WAY.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF ITEM NUMBER THREE IS PRESENTED.
PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING, I, I, I'M LISTENING.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T THINK WE GOT A MOTION IN A SECOND ON.
SO I GUESS I AM LOOKING AT MY LAST MOTION.
YEAH, I HAD YOU WRITTEN DOWN IN NUMBER TWO AND I WAS GOING ON.
SO, UM, NOW ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, NOT TWO.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I IN SUPPORT OF THE ITEM.
UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THE BOARD CHAIR MAKES IT UNANIMOUS.
[VI 4. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Interim President & CEO, or their designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Jay Reese Contractors, Incorporated for the construction of the McKalla Station Double Track and Drainage Improvements Project for a total not to exceed amount of $29,388,374 which includes a 20% contingency.]
NUMBER FOUR, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH J RES CONTRACTORS, INCORPORATED, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MACALA, UH, STATION DOUBLE TRACK AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $29,388,374, WHICH INCLUDES A 20% CONTINGENCY.CHAIR TRAVION, UH, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
I'M KEN CARRA, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES,
[02:45:01]
AND I HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO SHARE WITH YOU.THIS IS THE THIRD OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE PRESENTED TO YOU.
THE THIRD AND FINAL CONTRACT, I SHOULD SAY, THAT WE'VE, UH, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD REGARDING THE MACALA RAIL STATION PROJECT.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT IS FOR THE DOUBLE TRACK AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT INCLUDES A, A MILE AND A QUARTER OF DOUBLE TRACKING, UM, ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PROPOSED RAIL STATION.
IT ALSO HAS A DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FROM BREAKER LANE TO OUR NORTH OPERATING FACILITY AND, UH, ASSOCIATED TRAIN SIGNAL, UH, AND CONTROL SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING OUR POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD BE MO UH, MODIFIED AS PART OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND, UH, WE ARE MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO THE, UH, RUNDBERG, RUTLAND AND BREAKER LANE INTERSECTIONS AS WE ADD DOUBLE TRACKS ACROSS THOSE INTERSECTIONS AND ALSO CONVERT THOSE INTERSECTIONS TO QUIET ZONES.
AND FINALLY, UH, WE ARE INCLUDING A SHARED USE PATH FROM BREAKER LANE TO THIS RAIL STATION FOR PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLES.
PREVIOUSLY, UM, IN, UH, MAY, THE BOARD HAD AWARDED AN ADVANCED CULVERT CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE, AND THAT WORK IS, UH, WELL UNDERWAY AND NEAR IN COMPLETION AT THAT, THIS POINT IN TIME.
THOSE ARE THE CULVERTS THAT NEEDED TO BE IN PLACE UNDERNEATH THE STATION BEFORE WE STARTED THAT CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN PRIOR TO THAT, IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, YOU AWARDED THE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT FOR THE ACTUAL STATION ITSELF, THE PLATFORM AND RELATED AMENITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO THIS, UH, AGAIN, IS THE THIRD AND FINAL, UH, CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT THERE.
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDES, YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE, AS YOU ARE AWARE, GOING THROUGH A LAND ACQUISITION PROCESS FOR A, A SMALL, UH, TRACT LAND THAT'S ADJACENT TO THE RAIL PLATFORM THAT IS NECESSARY AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF CROSS SECTIONS TO SHOW YOU THROUGH THE, THE RAIL STATION PLATFORM SHOWING THE DRAINAGE WORK BENEATH THE PLATFORM AREA.
AND THEN THE LOWER ONE IS SHOWING THE CROSS SECTION ACTUALLY THROUGH THE, THE STATION PLATFORM ITSELF HERE.
A COUPLE OF RECENT PHOTOS, UM, IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE DRIVEN BY THE SITE OR GONE TO A, A SOCCER GAME RECENTLY, UH, A LOT OF CULVERT WORK, UH, TOOK PLACE, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO REPLACE A WOODEN BRIDGE WITH A NEW CONCRETE CULVERT BRIDGE.
YOU CAN SEE LOTS OF LARGE CULVERTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT AND JUST THE, UH, RENDERING OF THE STATION, UH, WHEN IT'S COMPLETE.
I DO WANNA MENTION, UM, THAT WE DID REQUEST PROPOSALS FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT, AND JAY RECE WAS, UH, DETERMINED TO BE THE BEST VALUE FOR THE AGENCY FOR THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
UM, YOU MAY HAVE RECALLED THAT JAY RE WAS THE CONTRACTOR ON THE DOWNTOWN STATION PROJECT, SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEIR WORK.
THERE WAS A DBE GOAL ESTABLISHED OF 17% FOR THIS PROJECT.
JAY RE FELL JUST SHY OF THAT GOAL, UH, ABOUT 1.07% BELOW THAT GOAL.
BUT OUR DBE STAFF IN EVALUATING, UM, UH, DETERMINED THAT THEY, UH, THEY MADE THEIR BEST EFFORT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL.
AND THEY'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, THE GOAL THAT J B J RE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, MATCH IN, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, DBE UM, COMPLIANCE ON THIS PROJECT.
AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS.
I, I DID, EXCUSE ME, I HAVE FAILED TO MENTION THAT THIS, UH, IS INCLUDED IN OUR ANNUAL BUDGET AS WELL AS OUR FIVE YEAR CIP P UH, BUDGET.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE HAVE REGARDING THIS.
WELL, MEMBER COOPER, NOT A QUESTION, JUST A COMMENT.
PLEASED TO SEE JAY RE GET THIS.
THEY DID GOOD WORK FOR US ON THE DOWNTOWN STATION, COMPLETING THAT STATION ON TIME, UNDER BUDGET, AND JUST BEFORE THE ELECTION, SO THAT, THAT WAS, UH, HIGH PRESSURE WORK AND, UH, SO GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, USE 'EM AGAIN.
ALL RIGHT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
I'M GIDDY THINKING THAT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR THAT'S GONNA BE READY UP AND READY TO GO.
UM, QUESTION, REMIND ME, IS IT THIS STATION OR THE, UM, WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DESIGNATING? THE ONE JUST NORTH OF IT? THE, UH, BROADMORE.
IS THAT WHAT WE'RE GONNA CALL IT? IS IT GONNA BE BROADMORE OR IS THE NAME OFFICIALLY YET TO BE DETERMINED? WE DON'T HAVE IT.
AN OFFICIAL, THE DEVELOPMENT IS NOW CALLED UPTOWN ATX.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO NAME THE STATION WE HAVE.
WE, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT, SO GOTTA WORK WITH IT.
ON WHICH ONE OF THESE, UM, IS, IS AT, IS MORE ATP OR, OR PROJECT CONNECT OFFICIALLY ATP FUNDED? IS IT THAT ONE? THEY, THEY BOTH HAVE, WELL, EXCUSE ME.
UM, THIS PROJECT HAS ATP FUNDING IN IT, SO 25 MILLION, UH, THAT WAS DEDICATED TO RED LINE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, FROM AT ATP.
SO THAT WILL FUND THIS, UH, RAIL STATION PROJECT.
[02:50:01]
CONTRIBUTION TO THE BROADMORE STATION PROJECT.UM, SO THERE WAS CAPITAL METRO FUNDING, UM, AS PART OF THAT PROJECT.
WELL THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.
LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS, UH, ON TRACK.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER QUESTIONS? UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN THE MOTIONS.
BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, WHO WANTS TO SEE IT FINISHED BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR? UM, ALRIGHT.
UM, BOARD MEMBER COOPER, THAT'S A SECOND.
K, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, I'LL LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I FOR THE APPROVAL OF ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
AND DID WE, DID WE HEAR, UM, BOARD AYE.
UM, THEN, UM, BOARD, THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS AND ITEM FOUR IS APPROVED.
UH, I, UH, WITH A, WITH A BOARD MEMBER POOL BEING AWAY FROM THE, FROM THE, UH, CHAIR.
WE, WE'LL RECOGNIZE THAT AS WELL.
SO WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
[VI 5. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Interim President & CEO, or their designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Tournesol Siteworks for the fabrication and delivery of trash receptacles and recycling containers for a one (1) year base order and four (4) year option order for $4,159,398, plus $1,039,850, representing a 25% contingency for a total amount not to exceed $5,199,248.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO, OTHER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, TURN SO SITEWORKS, UH, FOR THE FABRICATION AND DELIVERY OF TRASH RECEPTACLES AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS FOR A ONE YEAR BASE ORDER.AND FOUR, UM, FOUR YEAR OPTION ORDERS FOR, UH, $4,159,398 PLUS $1,000,039, 1,000,039, UH, $39,850, UH, WHICH WILL REPRESENT A 25% CONTINGENCY FOR THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,199,248.
UM, THIS, UH, ITEM, AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE, UH, HAVE, UH, UH, ONGOING CONTRACTS, UH, FOR OUR BUS STOP AMENITIES.
AND WE, AS YOU'RE AWARE, CONTINUALLY, UH, WORK TO IMPROVE OUR, OUR BUS STOPS.
AND, UH, THE AMENITIES ARE CONSIDERED THE, UH, THE BENCHES, THE LITTER CONTAINERS TO SHELTERS, ET CETERA.
SO THIS IS, UH, REUPPING OUR, UM, OUR, UM, OUR CONTRACT FOR OUR TRASH CAN.
AND, UM, NOW WE ARE ADDING RECYCLING CONTAINERS, WHICH WE HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY DONE.
SO YOU SAW IN THE CONSENT AGENDA WE HAD OTHER BUS AMENITIES.
THIS IS FOR THE TRASH RECEPTACLES AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS.
WE ARE STARTING A PROGRAM OF ADDING RECYCLING CONTAINERS TO OUR PARK AND RIDE FACILITIES.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT THIS CONTRACT WITH TOIL SITEWORKS, UM, THEY ARE A 100% DBE FIRM.
AND, UH, THE, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS TO AWARD THIS CONTRACT, UH, TO THEM.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, MOTION A BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN WITH A MOTION.
BOARD MEMBER HARRIS WITH THE SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I TO APPROVE.
I, I HEARD BOARD MEMBER ROSS, UH, AND, UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VI 6. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Interim President & CEO, or their designee, to finalize and execute a contract with International Solution Sources, Inc. (d/b/a InterSources, Inc.) for the provision of recruiting services for a base period of two (2) years with four (4) option periods for twelve (12) months each in an amount not to exceed $5,144,683.]
SIX.UH, APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THE DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH INTERNATIONAL SOLUTIONS SOURCES, INC.
DOING BUSINESS AS INTER SOURCES INC.
FOR THE PROVISION OF RECRUITING SERVICES FOR A BASE PERIOD OF TWO YEARS WITH FOUR OPTION PERIODS FOR 12 MONTHS EACH IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,144,683.
UH, CHURCH AVE, BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENTS, CEO WATKINS.
I'M DONNA SIMMONS, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER.
THIS CONTRACT IS PROPOSED TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES TO OUR TALENT ACQUISITION TEAM AS WE SEEK TO FILL POSITIONS, BOTH IN KEPT METRO ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, AS WELL AS THE OPERATIONS POSITIONS THAT WE HIRE FOR MV TRANSPORTATION.
UM, AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALREADY TODAY, WE'RE
[02:55:01]
IN A VERY, VERY COMPETITIVE JOB MARKET AND, UM, WE ARE SEEKING EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE CAN, UM, CAN, CAN FIND TO SUPPLEMENT OUR HIRING NEEDS, UM, OVER THE COMING YEARS, UM, PARTICULARLY IN THE NEXT YEAR, WE ARE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 30 CAPITAL METRO POSITIONS POSTED.WE HAVE ABOUT 40 ADDITIONAL POSITIONS IN THE FY 23 BUDGET THAT THE BOARD JUST APPROVED.
UM, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY HIRING BUS OPERATORS AND MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES, UM, TO FILL THE NEED THAT WE HAVE NOW, AS WELL AS THE EXPANDED NEED THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AS WE BRING ONLINE ADDITIONAL SERVICES, UH, FOR METRO RAPID NEXT YEAR.
UM, SO, UM, THIS CONTRACTOR, UM, WAS SELECTED THROUGH OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
THEY ARE A 100%, UM, SPE FIRM.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO, UM, OBTAINED FROM THEM A GUARANTEE SO THAT IF THEY FILL A POSITION AND THE PERSON LEAVES WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THEY WILL REDO THAT HIRING FOR US ON OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES.
AND THEN FOR THE OPERATIONS ROLES, IF A, IF A, AN EMPLOYEE LEAVES THAT THEY BRING TO US BEFORE THEY COMPLETE TRAINING, THEN THEY WILL REDO THAT HIRING, UM, AND RECRUITING FOR US AS WELL.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD MEMBER COOPER.
ONE IS, UH, IS THE 5.1 MILLION THAT'S POTENTIALLY SIX YEARS, THAT'S POTENTIALLY SIX YEARS? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND DO THEY CHARGE US A PERCENTAGE OF THE SALARY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT WE GET OR HAVE? YES.
THEY CHARGE CHARGES A PERCENTAGE OF THE SALARY OF THE FIRST YEAR SALARY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY BRING TO US.
SO THAT'S A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT THAT WE WILL ONLY PAY, UH, WHEN THEY BRING US CANDIDATES THAT WE END UP HIRING.
SO IF, IF THEY HAD A PARTICULARLY GOOD YEAR, WE'D HAVE TO MAYBE GO BACK AND APPROVE THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT FOR THE, WE WOULD LOVE THAT IF THEY HAD THAT GREAT OF A YEAR.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ITEM SIX.
BOARD MEMBER COOPER IS THE MOTION, UH, IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.
BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN IS THE SECOND.
IT'S BEEN, UH, MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER SIX.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT ITEM SIX? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT ITEM SIX? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
OKAY, I, I HEARD YOUR BOARD MEMBER ROSS, UH, AND, UH, UM, BY, IF ANYONE OPPOSES SAME SIGN, HEARING NONE, UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS IN SUPPORT OF ITEM NUMBER SIX.
[Additional Item.]
NUMBER SEVEN IS APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT CTE FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT OF ELECTRIC BUS IMPLEMENTATION AT CAPITAL METRO AND THE FTA NUM, UH, NO AND LOW EMISSION BUS GRANT AWARDED TO CAP METRO IN 2020 AND 2021 FOR A TERM ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2023 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $209,000.CHAIRMAN TRAIAN, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT WATKINS, UM, CTE IS A TECHNICAL AND IMPLEMENTATION PARTNER FOR OUR LOW AND NO GRANT, LOW, NO EMISSIONS BUS GRANT.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN OUR PARTNER FOR THE 20 19, 20 20 AND 2021 GRANT, AND HAVE PROVIDED SERVICES FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS UNDER THOSE GRANTS.
THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
SO THERE'S STILL FUNDING AVAILABLE IN THE 2020 AND 2021 YEAR.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SCOPE IS, IS FOR, UM, AN EXTENSION OF THAT UNDER THIS PHASE, PHASE THREE OF THE SCOPE OF WORK.
UM, THE TASKS WILL INCLUDE SUCH THINGS AS A ZERO MISSION BUS, UH, WORKFORCE ROADMAP, UM, A CHARGE MANAGEMENT PILOT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT CHARGE MAN MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES, ONGOING KPI, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR OUR BUS PERFORMANCE AND, AND, AND TECHNICAL, UM, PERFORMANCE OF THE BUSES, ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND, AND RESEARCH FOR
[03:00:01]
NEW TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS HYDROGEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR ZERO MISSION AND LIGHT DUTY, UH, TRUCK INVENTORY.SO I SHOULD HAVE ANNOUNCED YOU, MR. BARKI, AND I WANNA MAKE, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DID THAT.
I SAID WE, ROB BARKI KNOW HE ARE.
ROB BESKI, THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE FOR CAT METRO.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PRESENTATION QUESTIONS? TEAM? UH, HEARING, HEARING? NO QUESTION.
QUICKLY, JUST, UH, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A SUMMER.
HOW ARE, GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR BUSES DOING, CATCHING YOU CAR ON THAT, BUT, UM, WELL, WE HAVE 12 BUSES AND THEY RAIN IN THE PERFORMANCE WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY'RE OPERATING.
AND AS THEY'RE OPERATING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OPERATING WELL UNDER THE HOT CONDITIONS.
THEY SEEMS TO BE EXCEEDING OUR PERFORMANCE.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT 150 MILE RANGE, AND THEY SEEMS TO BE AVERAGING MORE THAN THAT, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO AS WE GET THE NEW BUSES COMING IN.
AND DOES THIS CONTRACT MEAN THAT WE MIGHT SEE SOME KPIS SPECIFICALLY ON THE BUSES AND HOW THEY'RE DOING? IS THAT, CURIOUS ABOUT THAT AS WE YEAH, WE'VE COMMITTED, BUT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SLEEP A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT WE'VE COMMITTED WITH SOMETHING THAT'S PERFORMING WELL.
THAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND WE'LL BE HAVING THOSE, THOSE PERFORMANCE UPDATES COMING TO THE BOARD AS WE'RE, AS WE GET ALL THE, THE DATA FROM THE BUSES AND SUCH, WHAT, IS THAT SOMETHING WE SEE IN A MONTH OR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, OR WHAT'S A TIMELINE FOR, JUST WANNA HAVE AN ACCOUNT COMPREHENSIVE.
I'LL TO, WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU WITH WHEN THAT IS AVAILABLE AS WE WE'RE MOVING THROUGH THOSE KPIS RIGHT NOW, GETTING THEM APPROVED THROUGH OUR, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM.
AND, UM, AS SOON AS WE HAVE THOSE, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD IF WE HAD 'EM ABOUT A YEAR, A LITTLE MORE 18 MONTHS.
WE HAD, YEAH, WE GOT THE FIRST ONE JUST LIKE LITERALLY TWO DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS IN 2020.
WELL, WE GOT A GOOD AMOUNT OF DATA.
IT'D BE INTERESTING FOR THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.
WE TESTED HIM PRETTY WELL THIS YEAR, SO YOU, YOU CAN GIVE HIM THE INFO IN A YEAR.
IT'LL KEEP HIM AROUND FOR A WHILE.
SO, UH, ALL ALL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? RIGHT, UH, HEARING NO QUESTIONS, THE, UH, BOARD WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UH, TO APPROVE ITEM SEVEN.
UH, BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN AND THE SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, I THOUGHT I SAW YOU DOWN THERE.
UM, LET'S JUST BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, I'LL LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I, I, OKAY.
HEARING NONE ON THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
AND, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE GOT THREE
[VII. 1. DBE Availability Study and SBE Disparity Study]
DISCUSSION ITEMS, THREE DISCUSSION ITEMS. THE FIRST ITEM BEING, UH, DEEP, THE DBE AVAILABILITY STUDY AND THE SBE DISPARITY STUDY.JACQUELINE EVANS, UH, WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION AND INTRODUCE US TO COLETTE HOLT.
CHAIR TRA PAVILION, UH, VICE CHAIR AND KITCHEN PRESIDENT AND CEO D WATSON.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION FOR CAP METRO.
UM, TODAY WITH ME, I HAVE COLETTE HOLT FROM COLETTE HOLTEN ASSOCIATES.
SHE IS ACTUALLY JOINING US, UM, VIA INTERNET.
UH, SHE'S GONNA BE GOING TO BE PRESENTING OUR DBE DISPARITY STUDY AND OUR AVAILABILITY STUDY FOR OUR SBE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
UM, SHE'S BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING WITH US FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND LOOKING AT OUR PAST DBE, UM, DISPARITIES AND LOOKING TO SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROGRAM.
UM, AND I AM GOING TO LET HER INTRODUCE HERSELF AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE STUDY.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING SOME TIME TO, UH, LET US DO THIS, UH, BRIEF PROMISE TO BE BRIEF, UH, POWERPOINT PRESENTATION FOR YOU OF THE RESULTS OF THE TWO STUDIES THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED FOR CAPITAL METRO,
[03:05:01]
UM, THE FTA AVAILABILITY STUDY, AND THEN THE SPE PROGRAM, UH, DISPARITY STUDY.UM, MY, I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS SOMEONE THERE IS GONNA WORK THE SLIDES.
UM, I GUESS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US AND OUR FIRM.
UM, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH ISSUES RELATED TO MINORITY WOMEN DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UH, WHEN I STARTED OUT AS AN ASSISTANT CORPORATION COUNCIL FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO.
UM, AND WHEN I STARTED MY OWN, UH, LAW FIRM IN 1994, THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS MY VERY FIRST CLIENT, UM, AND SHARED TRAIAN.
AND I GO BACK A VERY LONG WAY FROM BACK WHEN HE RAN, UH, THE MWB PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I'VE ALSO DONE SOME WORK FOR CAPITAL METRO OFF AND ON FOR, OH, I GUESS MAYBE NOT THE LA LAST 17 YEARS OR SO.
UM, AND SO WE WERE DELIGHTED TO BE CHOSEN, UH, TO PERFORM THIS, THIS PROJECT.
SO, UM, I BELIEVE SOMEONE THERE IS GONNA THROW UP THE SLIDES FOR ME.
SO, UM, AS I SAY THIS, THIS PRESENTATION IS PRETTY BRIEF AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS, UM, AT THE END.
UM, IF ONLY BECAUSE THAT WAY YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS THAT GET ANSWERED ALONG THE WAY.
SO, JUST A QUICK SHORT PRIMER ON, UH, CAPITAL METROS CONTRACTING EQUITY PROGRAMS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOME OF YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE BOARD, AND SO ALL OF THESE, UM, ACRONYMS, UH, THIS AREA OF THE LAW REALLY IS ALPHABET SOUP, UM, MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR, SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL USING THE TERMS AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEY MEAN.
UH, THE SBE OR THE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM, UH, IS CAP METRO'S, UM, CONTRACTING EQUITY PROGRAM FOR ITS NON FEDERALLY ASSISTED PROJECT.
UM, AND IT IS GOVERNED BY CAPITAL METRO ZONE POLICIES.
AND THE FEDERAL COURTS DO REQUIRE, UH, THAT AN AGENCY CONDUCT WHAT'S CALLED A DISPARITY STUDY, UH, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS A SUFFICIENT EVIDENTIARY BASIS, UH, ON WHICH TO, UH, USE, UH, RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS, UH, CONTRACT GOALS.
SO YOUR SBE PROGRAM IS FULLY RACE AND GENDER NEUTRAL.
UM, IT, IT, ANYONE WHO IS AN SBE CAN APPLY FOR IT.
UM, AND THAT'S IN CONTRAST TO THE DBE PROGRAM, THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM THAT APPLIES TO YOUR FTA, UH, FUNDED CONTRACTS.
HAVING A DBE PROGRAM IS A CONDITION OF RECEIPT OF FEDERAL MONEY.
UM, AND SO CAP METRO, OF COURSE, HAS ONE AND HAS HAD ONE, UM, FOR MANY YEARS.
UH, THE DBE PROGRAM IS GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS, UM, AT 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 26.
THEY'RE QUITE EXTENSIVE, UM, AND GUIDE IN AGENCIES, UH, DETERMINATION OF GOALS, WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, UM, HOW, UM, UTILIZATION WILL BE COUNTED, HOW WE REPORTED IN ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THERE IS NO NEED, HOWEVER, FOR ANY KIND OF FULL DRESS DISPARITY STUDY IF YOU ARE AN AGENCY THAT'S OUTSIDE.
UM, AND THERE MAY BE SOME LAWYERS HERE, UH, THE NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES.
SO IN TEXAS, THIS BEING A FIFTH CIRCUIT STATE, UH, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO A FULL DRESS DISPARITY STUDY BECAUSE THE US CONGRESS HAS ALREADY DETERMINED THAT THERE IS A SUFFICIENT EVIDENTIARY BASIS TO USE RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS DECISION MAKING, UM, IN ADMINISTRATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
UM, YOU DO HAVE TO, HOWEVER, SUBMIT A GOAL EVERY THREE YEARS, UH, TO FTA FOR WHAT YOU EXPECT YOUR DBE PARTICIPATION TO BE OVER THE UPCOMING THREE YEARS.
SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO PROGRAMS. SO FUNDAMENTALLY, THE SPE IS FOR NON FTA FUNDED CONTRACTS, FULLY RACE AND GENDER NEUTRAL.
DBE IS FOR FTA FUNDED CONTRACTS, AND IT IS, UH, FOR SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED UH, FIRMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO FIRST I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE SBE DISPARITY STUDY, AND THEN WE'LL WIND UP WITH, WITH SOME, UM, LAST FEW SLIDES ABOUT THE FTA AVAILABILITY STUDY.
UM, THE, THE SBE, UH, STUDY REALLY DID HAVE FOUR, UM, OBJECTIVES.
UH, AND THE FIRST ONE IS TO PROVIDE YOU A LEGAL DEFENSE IF YOU WERE TO DECIDE TO ADAPT A NEW RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS PROGRAM.
AND I'LL GET TO THE RESULTS OF THAT IN A MINUTE.
UM, YOUR STUDY'S ALSO DESIGNED TO MEET ALL THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, WE ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS A TOOL TO GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON YOUR, ON YOUR CURRENT PROGRAM AND, AND POLICIES, UM, AND GET RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, FROM BUSINESS OWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
[03:10:01]
TRY TO WRITE THE STUDY IN, IN SOMEWHAT PLAIN ENGLISH, UM, SO THAT IT IS A TOOL TO, UH, BUILD CONSENSUS, UM, ABOUT, UM, UH, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION ISSUES.SO, HERE'S WHAT WE FOUND IN THE SBA UH, DISPARITY STUDY.
UM, WE ANALYZE YOUR LOCALLY FUNDED CONTRACTS THAT WERE $50,000 OR GREATER.
UM, AND YOU SEE THERE, THE STUDY PERIOD, THAT'S A GOOD LONG TIME TO GIVE US A, A BROAD BASE OF, OF CONTRACTS.
CAUSE YOU WANNA BE SURE THAT YOU SMOOTH OUT ANY LUMPS OR BUMPS, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON A VERY LEANER OR YEAR IN WHICH YOU SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON SOMETHING SPECIFIC.
SO YOU SEE THEIR FINAL CONTRACT DATA FILE HAD 138 PRIME CONTRACTS WITH 56 ASSOCIATED SUBCONTRACTS, ABOUT 75 MILLION IN VALUE.
BUT NOTE, WE EXCLUDED BUS PURCHASES BECAUSE, UM, THERE ARE SEPARATE SECTIONS OF THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT DEAL WITH TRANSIT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS.
AND SO, UM, GIVEN THAT THERE, THERE OBVIOUSLY ARE NO MINORITY OR WOMAN OWN TRANSIT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS, WE THOUGHT IT PROVIDED A, A CLEARER PICTURE OF YOUR ACTUAL SPENDING, NOT INCLUDE BUS PURCHASES.
THE FEDERAL COURTS TELL US THAT A LOCAL AGENCY LIKE CAP METRO CANNOT HAVE A PROGRAM THAT EXTENDS BEYOND ITS OWN GEOGRAPHIC AND PRODUCT MARKETS.
UM, AND SO WE FOUND THAT A LITTLE OVER 70% OF YOUR SPENDING, UH, WAS IN TRAVIS WILLIAMSON AND, AND HAYES COUNTIES.
AND, UM, SO WE USED THAT AS OUR MARKET AREA.
UH, IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS 68, UH, SEPARATE DISTINCT, UH, INDUSTRY CODES, UH, THAT YOU USED.
UM, THOSE ARE NAS CODES, NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM CODES.
UM, IT'S A TAXONOMY FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU, UH, TO DIVIDE, UM, UH, INDUSTRIES IN THE ECONOMY.
SO YOU HAD, UH, 68 SEPARATE CODES THAT MADE UP YOUR FINAL CONTRACT DATA FILE.
SO HERE'S WHAT YOUR UTILIZATION OF, OF, UM, THE DISADVANTAGED MINORITY WOMEN SMALL FIRMS TURNED OUT TO BE.
UM, ONE THING ABSOLUTELY, UH, I I WANNA MAKE CLEAR IS THAT WE FOUND THAT YOUR SPE PROGRAM IS SPECTACULARLY SUCCESSFUL.
UM, CAP METRO HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OF BRINGING IN SMALL MINORITY WOMEN FIRMS, UM, INTO ITS CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS LOCALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, UM, TO HAVE UTILIZATION THAT, THAT IT'S ALMOST AT 50%, UM, REALLY MIGHT BE THE MOST I'VE EVER SEEN, UM, FROM AN SBE PROGRAM.
SO YOU ABSOLUTELY ARE TO BE, UM, COMMENDED HONORED.
UM, SHOUT FROM THE ROOF GROUP TOPS ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU SEE THERE HOW, UM, THAT ALL BROKE OUT.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS, NOTE THAT IF YOU ADD IT ALL UP, THE NUMBERS MAY NOT BE EXACT.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE ROUND THEM FOR THIS PURPOSE.
WE HAVE SOFTWARE THAT'LL TAKE IT OUT TO NINE DECIMAL POINTS, BUT, BUT THAT DIDN'T SEEM TERRIBLY USEFUL.
SO, UM, JUST KNOW THAT THESE ARE ROUNDED NUMBERS.
UM, ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE UTILIZATION FOR BLACK OWNED FIRMS WAS TO LARGE EXTENT DRIVEN BY A LARGE JANITORIAL CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN AWARDED TO A BLACK OWNED FIRM.
UM, BUT IN, CERTAINLY IN GENERAL, UM, YOUR UTILIZATION IS, IS TRULY SOMETHING TO BE PRAISED AND COMMENDED.
WHEN I WANT STERN, WHO WAS AVAILABLE, UM, IN YOUR MARKETPLACE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TWO CORNERSTONES OF ANY DISPARITY STUDY, ARE THE AGENCY'S UTILIZATION OF WOMEN TO MINORITY OWNED FIRMS COMPARED TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THOSE FIRMS THAT ARE READY, WILLING, ENABLED TO PERFORM IN YOUR MARKETPLACE.
AND SEE THERE, YOU SAW, YOU SEE THAT OVERALL THE AVAILABILITY IS ABOUT 15 AND A HALF PERCENT.
SO CERTAINLY COMPARED TO HOW WELL YOU'VE DONE, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MARKER.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, WHAT THE OVERALL AVAILABILITY IS, UM, FOR EACH GROUP.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO BACK THIS LINE BEFORE AND, AND COMPARE.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE, UM, IN THE, IN THE STUDY AND, AND RATHER EXHAUSTIVE PROBLEM, EXHAUSTING TABLES.
SO NOW WE TURN TO DISPARITY TESTING.
UM, AND WHILE WE CAN WRITE THIS OUT, YOU KNOW, WITH SIGMA SIGNS, IT, IT'S REALLY A VERY SIMPLE CONCEPT.
IT'S HOW CLOSE IS THE FIT BETWEEN WHO IS UTILIZED BY AN AGENCY AND WHO WAS AVAILABLE TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS A DISPARITY OR A LARGE NEGATIVE GAP THERE.
UM, THE COURTS HAVE, UH, LOOKED AT THAT AS PROMA FAIA EVIDENCE OF DISCRIMINATION OPERATING IN YOUR MARKET AREA.
SO HENCE THE NAME DISPARITY STUDIES.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, AND YOU COULD PROBABLY HAVE QUICK EYEBALLED THIS, YOUR SUBS, UM, HOW YOU GET TO A DISPARITY RATIO OVERALL OF 307%.
UM, SO THAT MEANS THAT YOU UTILIZE
[03:15:01]
MINORITIES AND WOMEN ABOUT THREE TIMES THEIR ACTUAL AVAILABILITY OUT IN THE MARKETPLACE, IN YOUR RACE AND GENDER NEUTRAL PROGRAM.UM, THAT'S WHY I SAY IT'S REALLY EXTRAORDINARY, UM, HOW WELL PEOPLE, PEOPLE DID WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NATIVE AMERICANS.
UM, THIS IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM OUTSIDE AT LEAST OF THE WEST COAST WHERE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO RESERVATIONS IN TEXAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRAIL OF TEARS NATIVE AMERICANS WERE DRIVEN OUT OF, OF THESE TERRITORIES.
AND SO THE, THE AVAILABILITY IS VERY, VERY, VERY LOW.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T REALLY EVEN MANIPULATE IT MUCH.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, THAT, THAT CERTAINLY IS, IS, IS, IS A BIG FAT ZERO.
BUT THE OTHER GROUPS, UM, ESPECIALLY ASIAN AMERICANS HAVE DONE, UM, EXTREMELY WELL.
SO THAT'S YOUR OWN CONTRACT DATA IN YOUR, IN YOUR, UH, LOCALLY FUNDED CONTRACT ACTIVITIES.
UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT, UM, THE WIDER, UM, AUSTIN AREA AND TEXAS ECONOMY, UM, TO SEE HOW WELL MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED FIRMS WERE FARING THERE.
UM, THIS CAN BE, UM, PARTICULARLY USEFUL TO EVALUATE HOW EFFECTIVE RACE NEUTRAL MEASURES ARE.
UM, BUT WE, WE ALSO START THIS PIECE OF THE RESEARCH BEFORE WE HAVE ALL THE OTHER PIECES DONE.
SO AS IT TURNED OUT, YOU'VE DONE VERY WELL USING RACE NEUTRAL MEASURES, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT IN THE OVERALL ECONOMY, UM, MINORITY AND WOMEN OWN FIRMS ARE NOT FARING NEARLY AS WELL.
SO WE LOOKED AT TWO CENSUS BUREAU DATA SOURCES FOR THIS.
UH, THE FIRST IS THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY, UH, WHICH LOOKS AT INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEURS.
AND THERE WE FOUND THAT MWBE'S FORMED FEWER BUSINESSES AND EARNED LESS IN THE BUSINESSES THEY DO FORM THAN COMPARABLE WHITE MALES.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE ANNUAL BUSINESS SURVEY, WHICH IS A SURVEY OF BUSINESSES AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE.
UM, AND IT IS CONDUCTED LESS FREQUENTLY.
I MEAN, THE ACS IS ON A 24 MONTH, UM, ROTATION.
UM, BUT THE ANNUAL BUSINESS SURVEY, UM, LOOKS AT THE RECEIPTS OF SIMILARLY, UM, SIMILARLY SITUATED, SIMILARLY, UM, CONSTITUTED FIRMS. AND THERE WE FOUND, AGAIN, VERY LARGE DISPARITIES, UM, AND THE RECEIPTS BETWEEN MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED FIRMS AND THEIR WHITE MALE COUNTERPARTS.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE WHAT IS BECOMING QUITE EXTENSIVE LITERATURE ON DISCRIMINATION AND ACCESS TO BUSINESS CREDIT AS, AND THIS IS NOT HOME MORTGAGES, THIS IS NOT THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT.
UM, THIS IS ACTUAL BUSINESS LOANS.
UM, AND THERE, UM, MANY OF THE RECENT STUDIES HAVE FOUND, UM, THAT THERE STILL ARE DISCRIMINATORY BARRIERS, PARTICULARLY ON THE BASIS OF RACE, UM, TO, UH, FULL AND FAIR ACCESS, UH, TO FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN LASTLY, HUMAN CAPITAL CONSTRAINTS CONTINUE TO IMPEDE SUCCESS.
THESE ARE THINGS LIKE, UM, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, ACCESS TO NETWORKS, UH, TO THE KIND OF SOFT SKILLS, UM, THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN BUSINESS.
SO THAT IS ALL OF OUR QUANTITATIVE OR STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, BUT WE ALSO INCLUDED A QUALITATIVE OR ANECDOTAL COMPONENT WHERE WE TALKED TO REAL LIVE PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES, UM, IN THE MARKETPLACE, AS WELL AS GET THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR WHAT ANYTHING CAP METRO COULD DO TO IMPROVE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE.
UH, WE IN INTERVIEWED 65 INDIVIDUALS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A VERY GOOD INTERVIEW CREW.
UM, NOT SURPRISINGLY FROM MINORITIES AND WOMEN, WE HEARD THE SAME THING.
SAD TO SAY THAT WE HEAR EVERYWHERE, UM, THAT, UH, THEY'VE CONTINUED TO SUFFER FROM BIASES AND NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THEIR COMPETENCY AND CAPABILITY.
UM, WOMEN IN PARTICULAR, UM, STILL ENCOUNTER, UM, A LOT OF SEXIST, UH, ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO.
UM, MANY MWBES FOUND THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO ACCESS THE NETWORKS THAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
BUSINESS NETWORKS, PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS.
UM, MANY BELIEVE THAT CONTRACT GOALS ARE NECESSARY, UM, TO ENSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES ON PROJECTS, UM, THAT OFTEN, UM, LARGE VENDORS MAKE ONLY CURSORY ATTEMPTS, UM, AND INCLUSION IF THERE ARE NO ACTUAL GOALS.
UM, HOWEVER, ONE THING THAT WAS GOOD WAS SOME M WBS WERE ABLE TO USE THE PROGRAM AND PROGRAMS LIKE CAP METROS.
THIS, THESE ARE NOT SPECIFIC TO CAP METRO IN PARTICULAR.
UM, BUT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE PROGRAMS TO, UM, DEVELOP, UH, RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE LED TO SUCCESS ON OTHER PROJECTS.
UM, IN THE STUDY, WE ALSO INCLUDED, UM, AN APPENDIX OF, UH, THE ANECDOTAL RESULTS FROM THE TEXAS DISPARITY STUDIES THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED RECENTLY.
UM, AND THAT INCLUDES HARRIS COUNTY, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND, AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
[03:20:03]
SO HERE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.UM, REALLY THEY ARE TO JUST ENHANCE THE PROGRAM.
UH, THE TRUTH IN THE MATTER IS WITH OVER 300% UTILIZATION, I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD REALLY HAVE A SOLID LEGAL BASIS TO, UH, RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT YOU START TO USE RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS GOALS SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE IN THE DME PROGRAM, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING HAS BEEN WORKING SO WELL.
UM, THERE ARE SOME TWEAKS THAT COULD PROBABLY, UM, TAKE THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
UM, AND THESE INCLUDE, UM, CONDUCTING SOME TARGETED OUTREACH AND TRAINING, UM, PARTICULARLY ON THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SIDE.
UM, SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE INTERVIEWED FELT THAT IT WAS JUST KIND OF HARD TO NAVIGATE WHAT WAS GOING ON AT CAP METRO, AND THEY WOULD APPRECIATE, UM, SPECIFIC OUTREACH EVENTS FOR LARGE IMPORTANT CONTRACTS.
UM, ENHANCING YOUR CONTRACT DATA COLLECTION, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DOWN IN THE WEEDS, BUT, UM, YOU DO HAVE THE B2 G NOW SYSTEM THAT'S THE GOLD STANDARD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WE WORK WITH THEM ALL THE TIME.
UM, AND, UM, WE THINK THAT THERE'S SOME WAYS YOU COULD BE USING THE SYSTEM, UM, BETTER.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SIT DOWN WITH, WITH, WITH YOU, UM, AND BE B2, G AND, AND TALK THAT THROUGH TO GIVE YOU AT LEAST WHAT WE SAW.
UM, THAT INCLUDES INCREASING CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MONITORING TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT, THAT, UH, VENDORS ARE LIVING UP TO THEIR CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS.
UM, YOU'VE DONE A REMARKABLE JOB WITH A PRETTY SMALL STAFF.
UM, AND SO, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU'RE MAYBE GETTING SOME MORE PEOPLE, SO THAT'S ALL GREAT.
UM, AND, UH, THEY COULD BE DEPLOYED, UH, PERHAPS TO, UH, WORK ON CONTRACT MONITORING.
WE'RE SUGGESTING USING THIS STUDY TO SET YOUR OVERALL A ANNUAL SBE GOAL.
UM, AND THAT WOULD BE BASED ON THE AVAILABILITY.
UM, WE'RE ALSO SUGGESTING UPDATING SOME OF YOUR CERTIFICATION CRITERIA SO THAT THEY ARE MORE UNIFORM, UM, AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU ARE, UM, WHILE NOT NARROWING NARROWLY TAILORING THE, YOUR PROGRAM ON THE BASIS OF BRACE, BUT YOU ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE FIRMS THAT ARE BEING COUNTED FOR SB CREDIT REALLY ARE SMALL.
UM, AND, UM, IN, IN NEED OF THAT, THAT EXTRA LEG UP.
ONE OTHER LAST SUGGESTION WAS TO, UM, ADOPT A MINUTE PROTEGE PROGRAM.
UM, YOU DO DO SOME SPECIALIZED WORK, AND I THINK THERE ARE SOME FIRMS THAT WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO GET SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING, UM, IN HOW TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEN THE LAST TWO SUGGESTIONS ARE, UM, DEVELOP SOME PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR WHAT YOU THINK SUCCESS MEANS.
I MEAN, SORT OF, OBVIOUSLY MEETING THE GOALS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO THINK OF SUCCESS.
AND, AND IF YOU DO THAT, I THINK IN A, IN A FOCUSED, THOUGHTFUL WAY, I THINK IT CAN REALLY HELP YOUR PROGRAM.
AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, IS IT GETTING MORE SBE INTO THE PROGRAM? IS IT GETTING SBE TO PARTICIPATE IN A WIDER VARIETY OF SUB INDUSTRIES? UM, YOU'LL SEE IN THE DATA, THEY DO TEND TO BE FAIRLY CLUSTERED IN, IN, IN CERTAIN, UM, CODES.
UM, IS IT GETTING SBE MORE WORKERS PRIME CONSULTANTS OR, OR CONTRACTORS? DIFFERENT WAYS TO THINK ABOUT IT, BUT WE THINK THAT SOME ATTENTION TO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE, BE USEFUL.
AND THEN FINALLY, DO RE, YOU KNOW, REVIEW YOUR PROGRAM ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
YOU DON'T HAVE A RACE AND GENDER CONSCIOUS PROGRAM, SO YOU'RE NOT SUBJECT TO THE STRICTURES THAT SAID THAT YOU MUST RENEW YOUR PROGRAM EVERY FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OR SO.
UM, BUT IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO DO IT ANYWAY, JUST TO REFRESH, MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ON TARGET FOR YOUR OBJECTIVES AND GET SOME, SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOUR CUSTOMERS.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO NOW TURNING TO THE FTA AVAILABILITY STUDY, UM, WE HAD SIMILAR OBJECTIVES AS TO THE SBE, UM, DISPARITY STUDY.
BUT, BUT SPECIFICALLY ALSO, UM, WE WANTED TO DEVELOP A, UH, DATABASE, UH, TO HELP YOU SET YOUR, UH, TRIENNIAL GOALS THAT YOU HAD TO SUBMIT TO FTA.
UM, WE WANTED TO HELP YOU DEVELOP, UM, DATA THAT YOU COULD USE AS YOUR BASELINE ESTIMATE FOR SETTING YOUR CONTRACT GOALS.
UM, SOLICITING PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, FROM BUSINESS OWNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, UM, WAS IMPORTANT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, AGAIN, PROVIDE YOU WITH THE LEGAL DEFENSE IF YOUR DBE PROGRAM IS CHALLENGED.
SO HERE WAS THE PROCESS THAT, THAT WE USED, UM, FOR, UH, THE DBE GOAL SETTING PROCESS.
THE, THE CONTRACT DATA COLLECTION UTILIZATION AVAILABILITY, UM, WERE THE SAME AS, AS IN THE SBE, UH, STUDY, SAME, SAME PROCESS, UM, AND SAME METHODOLOGY.
SO, SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT JUST IN THE INTEREST OF TIME RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT WE DID, UM, ASSIST YOU WITH, UH, SETTING YOUR FTA TRIENNIAL GOAL, UM, WHICH IS TO REFLECT THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION YOU WOULD EXPECT, UM, IN THE ABSENCE OF DISCRIMINATION IN YOUR OVERALL MARKET AREA.
UH, THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS DO PROVIDE FOR A TWO STEP PROCESS YOU MUST FOLLOW.
UH, THE FIRST STEP IS TO, UH, SET A BASELINE ESTIMATE OF WHO IS AVAILABLE, WHAT DBES ARE AVAILABLE, UM, IN YOUR MARKET AREA.
UM, YOU NEXT HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF, UM, THE
[03:25:01]
EFFECTS OF THE DBE PROGRAM, UM, ON THAT NUMBER AND THEN ESTIMATE THE PARTICIPATION, UM, THAT YOU EXPECT TO GET THROUGH WHAT ARE CALLED RACE NEUTRAL MEASURES.AND THAT'S BASICALLY ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DBE CONTRACT GOAL.
SO RACE NEUTRAL PARTICIPATION IS DBE PARTICIPATION FROM, UM, FIRM AS A PRIME VENDOR.
UM, IT'S PARTICIPATION ON CONTRACTS WHERE THERE WERE NO GOALS, IT'S PARTICIPATION OVER WHAT THE CONTRACT GOAL WAS.
SO, UM, THERE'S A SOMEWHAT COMPLICATED WAY TO TO DO THAT, AND THAT'S ALL LAID OUT IN YOUR GOAL SETTING DOCUMENTS SLIDE PLEASE.
HERE'S YOUR STEP ONE BASE FIGURE.
AGAIN, SAME, SAME, UH, CONTRACT PERIOD AS YOUR SBE STUDY.
SAME, UH, UH, CONTRACT CUT OFF OF $50,000 OR GREATER.
YOU SEE THERE, THIS, OVER THIS TIME PERIOD, YOU ONLY HAD 30 PRIME CONTRACTS THAT WERE FUNDED BY FTA AND, AND A MUCH SMALLER NUMBER OF SUBCONTRACTS.
UM, AGAIN, UM, THE, THE, UH, GEOGRAPHIC MARKET WAS, UH, THE AUSTIN AREA OF TRAVIS HAYES AND WILLIAMSON'S COUNTIES.
AND HERE YOU ONLY HAD 32, UM, PRODUCT UH, CODES.
SO TAKING THE STEP TWO ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU HAVE, WE HAVE TO DO, UM, WE HAD, WE CAME UP WITH THE STEP ONE BASE FIGURE OF 27.5%.
UM, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO ADD THAT TO YOUR MEDIAN PASS DBE PARTICIPATION, AND IT GETS A LITTLE COMPLICATED HERE, UM, BUT THEN YOU JUST ADD AVERAGE IT.
AND SO THAT CAME OUT TO 22.5%.
AND SO THAT'S THE OVERALL PROPOSED DBE GOAL FOR FY UH, 23 FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 23 THROUGH 25.
SO, THE, UH, REGULATIONS DO REQUIRE, UM, EXTENSIVE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION OR AT LEAST PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND I APOLOGIZE THAT THE CARPENTERS ARE IN, ARE IN HERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY WE DON'T HAVE LIGHTS.
UM, ANYWAY, UM, WE, UH, WE DID CONDUCT TWO VIRTUAL PUBLIC, UH, CONSULTATION MEETINGS IN JULY.
UM, INVITATIONS WERE SENT ALMOST SIX, UM, THOUSAND INVITATIONS WENT OUT.
UM, WE, WE, UH, WE SENT THEM OUT EVERY WEEK FOR ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN WEEKS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAD PLENTY OF TIME AND NOTICED ABOUT HOW TO PARTICIPATE.
WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY MATERIAL COMMENTS, UM, THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE GOAL.
PEOPLE ASK MORE OF THINGS LIKE, HOW DO I GET WORK, HOW DO I GET REGISTERED? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
BUT, UM, IT WAS STILL A USEFUL, UM, COUPLE SESSIONS TO DO.
SO THAT GOAL HAS BEEN SUBMITTED, UM, TO FTA.
THE DEADLINE WAS AUGUST 1ST AND CAPITAL METRO, UM, WAS AHEAD OF THAT, UM, WAITING FOR FTA TO APPROVE IT.
THEY'RE NOT THE FASTEST ABOUT THIS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT.
UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN START USING YOUR NEW GOAL EFFECTIVE, UM, OCTOBER 1ST, 2022.
AND I THINK THAT IS MY LAST LINE.
SO WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY I HAVEN'T TAKEN TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME AND, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD MEMBER KITCHEN, UM, I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ON THE FTA AVAILABILITY STUDY.
UM, SEEMS PRETTY LOW, 26 OUT OF 5,950 ORGANIZATIONS.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE ON THAT.
DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GOT A PRETTY GOOD, UM, OVERVIEW OF FROM THOSE, UM, 26 FOLKS, OR, OH, I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE FEDERAL REG SINCE THE BEGINNING, SINCE THE, THE NEW REGULATIONS WERE ADOPTED IN 1999.
AND, AND THE, THE, THE BLUNT TRUTH IN THE MATTER IS THAT THAT'S MORE THAN YOU USUALLY GET.
UM, EVEN WHEN WE DID THEM FOR TAX DOT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH BIGGER A MARKET AREA THAT IS, AND THEN WE'VE GOT LIKE 13 PEOPLE TO COME TO ONE AND 10 PEOPLE TO COME TO ANOTHER.
PEOPLE DON'T COME TO THESE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET U S D O T FOR YEARS TO TO, TO AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, CUT US DOWN ON THIS SOMEWHAT.
AND I THINK THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE THE TRIENNIAL GOAL DOESN'T REALLY MEAN ANYTHING TO ANYBODY EXCEPT FTA.
IT'S NOT A GOAL IN A SPECIFIC CONTRACT.
IT'S NOT TIED TO A SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY.
AND BUS BUSY BUSINESS PEOPLE, SMALL BUSINESS PEOPLE, I MEAN, I AM ONE MYSELF MM-HMM.
UM, AND, AND THESE DON'T, SO SOMETIMES YOU'LL GET THE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, BUT EVEN THERE, MY EXPERIENCE WITH TRENDS AND AGENCIES IS THAT THE PARTICIPATION IS VERY LOW.
SO WE DID THE CHICAGO TRANSIT AUTHORITY A FEW YEARS AGO, WHAT THE SECOND LARGEST TRANSIT, UM, ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY AND THERE, AND THEN WE GOT LIKE 16 PEOPLE TO COME.
SO I JUST THINK PEOPLE DON'T CARE TO, TO BE HONEST.
[03:30:01]
IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM IN TERMS OF WHAT HELPS THEIR BUSINESS.NOW, WHEN JACQUELINE CONDUCTS AN OUTREACH EVENT ABOUT A SPECIFIC PROJECT COMING UP, THEN I THINK YOU REALLY ARE GOING TO, UM, SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED AND WHO SHOW UP BECAUSE IT MEANS SOMETHING TO THEM AND THEIR BUSINESS.
BUT I REALLY DO THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON.
I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE UNDERSTAND HOW WELL OUR PROGRAM IS OPERATING IF WE'RE NOT GETTING FEEDBACK.
SO MAYBE OTHER, OTHER MECHANISMS OR OTHER MES.
AND THE, THE TRIENNIAL GOAL ISN'T DESIGNED TO GET IN, UH, THE FEED IN, UH, FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW YOUR PROGRAM IS OPERATING.
IT'S ONLY, THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
IT'S ONLY DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT ON THE GOAL METHODOLOGY.
AND UNLESS THEY SOMEHOW THINK WE DID, YOU KNOW, LIKE SOME OF THE REGRESSIONS WRONG OR SOMETHING, REALLY WHAT'S THERE TO SAY? IT WAS THE 65 PEOPLE WE INTERVIEWED FOR THE STUDY THAT I THINK IS WHERE WE IS, IS MAYBE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING OF WHERE WE ACTUALLY GOT PEOPLE TO COME IN AND TELL US ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
ORS, WHAT DOESN'T, AND THERE WE TALK TO 65 PEOPLE.
SO THAT'S ACTUALLY QUITE A GOOD GROUP OF PEOPLE TO COME AND TALK TO YOU.
ALTHOUGH THE GOAL, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S HIGHER, HIGHER GOAL, THERE'S MORE IMPETUS FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE AGENCY TO, TO REACH OUT.
AND THERE WAS MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, FOR BUSINESS.
BUT I, I, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO AS, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, FROM THE FOLKS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, DID YOU FEEL LIKE OUR GOALS WERE APPROPRIATE? YES.
THAT'S THE THING YOU, YOU'RE DOING.
WE RUN REALLY GOOD PROGRAMS HERE.
UM, WE DO HAVE COMMENTS IN THIS STUDY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT WOULD HELP, LIKE MORE OUTREACH, MORE TARGETED OUTREACH, UM, MORE MONITORING.
BUT OVERALL THEY WERE, THEY WERE QUITE COMPLIMENTARY, UM, ABOUT CAP METRO AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAD GOTTEN WORK FROM YOU, LIKE WORKING FOR YOU.
UM, AND THEN, THEN YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S AS GOOD AS, UH, A RECOMMENDATION AS YOU CAN GET IS THAT YOU, YOU'VE DONE VERY WELL IN TERMS OF YOUR PARTICIPATION AND THE PEOPLE WHO DO WORK FOR YOU, SAY YOU'RE A GOOD CLIENT AND THAT YOU PAY ON TIME.
UM, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SAY HOW OFTEN, UM, WE HEAR ABOUT AGENCIES THAT DO NOT PAY ON TIME.
BUT EVERYBODY SAID CAT METRO PAID ON TIME.
AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, WE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE GETTING PAID BY CAT METRO EITHER,
UM, SO THIS, THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM.
IF YOU CAN'T GET PEOPLE PAID FOR 180 DAYS, WHO CARES, RIGHT? I MEAN, ALL YOU'VE DONE NOW IS, IS, IS BROUGHT THEM IN AND, AND, AND, AND TRIED TO BANKRUPT THEM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR ADMINISTRATION PEOPLE SAID EVERYBODY WAS REALLY NICE AND, AND THEY ARE.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE A NICE BUNCH OF PEOPLE,
UM, SO A LOT LAST PROBLEMS TO YOU.
AND, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE ABOUT EVERY CLIENT I HAVE.
IF YOU READ SOME OF OUR OTHER STUDIES ONLINE, YOU, YOU MAY HEAR DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT DIFFERENT AGENCIES, EVEN HERE IN THE STATE OF TAXES.
I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES I'VE HEARD SMALL BUSINESSES WITH OTHER AGENCIES AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE BIG PUBLIC AGENCIES THAT ARE GOING TO PAY EVENTUALLY, BUT TO EVENTUALLY, BUT TO TAKE A LONG TIME IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO GET PAID ON TIME.
UM, I, UM, I WANT TO COMMEND THE STAFF, UH, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
WE ASKED, UH, THAT THERE BE, BE A DISPARITY STUDY, UH, AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO A, UH, A PERIOD OF TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN OUR, UH, IN OUR, UH, BUILDING PROGRAMS. UH, AND THAT, THAT THEY SELECTED, UH, THE PERSON WHO IS THE FOREMOST, UH, CONSULTANT ON THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
UH, SHE'S WORKED IN THIS, UH, IN, IN THIS MARKET SINCE 94.
UH, SHE HAS WORKED FOR, FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
SHE HAS WORKED FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, SHE'S WORKED FOR, UH, MOST OF THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES HERE, WHICH MEANS THAT SHE KNOWS A LOT ABOUT THIS MARKET.
AND, UH, AND, AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT MARKET.
WE CALL IT THE CONF, WE CALL, WE CALL IT THE CONFEDERATE, UH, UH, AREA.
THE, THE FIFTH CIRCUIT IS THE CONFEDERATE CIRCUIT.
AND YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND IT'LL TELL YOU WHY.
AND, UH, AND SHE MENTIONED THE NINTH CIRCUIT WHERE, UH, WHERE THE, UH, THE LAST SYSTEM WAS CHALLENGED AND THERE WAS A WIN WHEN, WHEN THERE WAS A WIN.
AND THE NINTH CIRCUIT, IT WAS BECAUSE COLETTE WAS ON THE TEAM.
UH, SO, UH, SHE, SHE'S KNOWN AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, THE WORK AND THE TIME.
AND AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE GO FORWARD AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, UH, THAT WILL, THAT WILL HELP OUR FIRMS, WHAT WE ARE DOING WITH IC SQUARED, UH, HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY PROVIDE, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF CON OF, OF, UM,
[03:35:01]
NOT ONLY TRAINING, BUT UH, BUT ACTUALLY BUILDING CONSULTING TEAMS AROUND THE FIRMS THAT ARE WORKING IN THE AREA.UH, THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I THINK WILL BE BEST PRACTICES.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, BUT IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU BRING THE BEST PEOPLE IN TO WORK IN YOUR AREA.
SO, UM, SO WELL, THAT'S VERY NICE TO SHARE.
AND I WOULD, I WANNA YOU ECHO SOMETHING YOU SAID, NOT ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL I AM, ALTHOUGH I CERTAINLY ENJOY HEARING THAT IT, BUT, UM, IT ABOUT BUILDING CAPACITY, UM, AND WORKING WITH THIS OTHER PROGRAM, AND THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE.
I KNOW TRAVIS COUNTY HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THIS, THAT IC SQUARED, I THINK IS THE NAME.
UM, AND, AND WHEN WE DID THEIR STUDY RECENTLY, AND, AND I, I JUST CAN'T STRESS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS TO PUT SOME RESOURCES TOWARDS THIS BECAUSE THE FEDERAL COURTS ARE TAGGING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EVERY DAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY SAW THE MOST RECENT CASE, WHICH WAS FILED BY A, A WHITE PROFESSOR AT TEXAS A AND M, UM, NOT EXACTLY KNOWN AS A BASTION OF DIVERSITY, UM, BUT, UH, CHALLENGING A, A, A SMALL GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP BRING UNDER, UH, PROFESSORS DOCTORAL, UH, STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, YOU KNOW, TO CAMPUS, UM, TO SEE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GETTING ON TENURE TRACK FACULTY.
UM, I GOT THE COMPLAINT THIS MORNING, SO IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, JUST, JUST LET ME KNOW.
I'M HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.
UM, HE IS A REPRESENTED BY A GROUP CALLED AMERICA FIRST LEGAL, WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY STEVEN MILLER.
THOSE OF YOU REMEMBER HIM FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
HE OF THE CHILDREN IN THE CAGES POLICY.
UM, AND MARK MEADOWS TRUMP'S FORMER, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF.
SO THESE ATTACKS ARE OUT THERE.
AND SO IF WE, IF WE, IF WE START NOW TO REALLY HELP THESE FIRMS TO GROW AND BE ABLE TO, UM, BRANCH OUT, I THINK THEY CAN SURVIVE WHATEVER IS COMING.
BUT WHAT'S COMING IS, IS NOT GOOD.
UM, AND SO I REALLY, REALLY WOULD URGE CAT METRO TO, TO THE EXTENT YOU CAN FUND, UM, THIS OTHER VENTURE AND, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WILL HELP FIRMS, YOU KNOW, KEEP TALKING TO YOUR CUSTOMERS.
CAUSE THEY CAN TELL YOU BETTER THAN I CAN, WHAT THEY NEED.
UM, I WOULD REALLY URGE YOU TO DO THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTION? YEAH.
UM, JUST, UH, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST NOTED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX PIECE OF THE, OF THE LAW THAT, UM, DOES GET CONFUSING.
AND, AND I, I KNOW THIS FIRSTHAND BECAUSE MY, MY OWN WIFE HAD A, UM, HAS HAD A BUSINESS, UH, AN LLC AND SHE'S THE 80% MAJORITY OWNER OF IT.
I, I CAME ALONGSIDE AND SHE WAS BUILDING THIS.
WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WE GOT BEFORE A LAWYER AND SHE SAID, WELL, WHAT DO YOU THINK? CUZ I WAS THERE HELPING HER WITH IT.
I'M LIKE, HONEY, THIS IS, YOU'RE DOING, YOU DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH THIS.
I'M GONNA BACK YOU ANY WAY YOU WANT TO WITH IT, BUT THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS YOUR DREAM.
BUT YEAH, IT'S, IT'S THAT LIKE, PICK A NUMBER, FINE, 80% WORKS FOR ME.
SO, BUT THEN WE STARTED GETTING INTO THIS, TO THIS REALM AND REALIZING THERE THAT THERE ARE GROUPS OUT THERE LIKE THE, I JUST, ONE I CAN THINK OF OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, WOMEN'S BUSINESS COUNCIL SOUTHWEST, WHICH HELPS TO DO, HELP WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES GO ABOUT THROUGH THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS.
SOMETHING THAT, THAT MY WIFE AND I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT.
AND YEAH, SHE, SHE STILL HASN'T PURSUED THAT YET CUZ THIS, THIS HAS BEEN KIND OF A FLEDGLING THING WITH HER.
BUT, UM, THAT, JUST KNOWING THAT AND SEPARATING OUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SBE AND, AND DBE.
SO THANK, THANK YOU JACQUELINE, FOR PURSUING THIS, FOR BRINGING THIS TO US SO THAT WE AS A BOARD CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALSO HAVING WORKED FOR THE STATE, THERE'S HUB, WHICH IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT, I MEAN, IT'S SIMILAR RELATED, BUT, BUT THAT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF LANGUAGE.
ALL OF THIS IS INTERRELATED, BUT EACH ONE ARE, IT'S, IT'S, THEY'RE NUANCED, THEY'RE DIFFERENT FACETS OF FACETS OF THE DIAMOND ALL TRYING TO COME ABOUT DOING THE SAME THING.
BUT I LIKE HOW YOU, YOU, YOU HIGHLIGHT IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT, THAT, AND I THINK THIS IS THE CRUX OF THE MATTER HERE, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID, THEY'RE JUST INTERVIEWING THOSE 65 INDIVIDUALS.
NOT ONLY DO DO MANY MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESS ENTITIES BELIEVE THAT THEY SUFFER FROM BIASED PERCEPTIONS AND NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES.
BUT AS I LOOK DOWN THERE, THEY ALSO NOTE THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY, UM, UH, CONTRACT, UH, GOALS REMAIN NECESSARY TO ENSURE OPPORTUNITIES ON PROJECTS.
AND THAT, UM, THEY USE THE RELATIONSHIPS CREATED BY THE PROGRAM TO DEVELOP OTHER WORK.
I THINK IT'S REALLY KEY AND CRITICAL THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATIONS HELP WOMEN OUT THERE AND MINORITIES OUT THERE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PROGRAMS EXIST THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH.
YOU CAN'T JUST SHOW UP ONE DAY AND SAY, HI, I'M A WOMEN OR MINORITY OWN BUSINESS, AND I I HAVE 80% OR
[03:40:01]
90%, OR I'M, I'M, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT OWNED BY, YOU'VE GOTTA GO THROUGH A PROCESS TO BECOME CERTIFIED SO THAT THE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY, AND IT'S NOT JUST THAT THERE ARE PRIVATE CORPORATIONS THAT ARE NOW PUTTING JUST AS MUCH VALUE INTO THAT CERTIFICATION.THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY LOOK FOR TOO.
BUT UNLESS YOU'VE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS, YOU DON'T GET IT.
SO IT, THANK YOU FOR HELPING US AS A BOARD BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS IS COMPLEX, BUT BUT ALSO THAT CAP METRO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE KNOCKING IT OUTTA THE PARK.
YOU ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE MEETING AND EXCEEDING.
WE'RE MORE THAN EXCEEDING THE GOALS HERE.
AND THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND THE TEAM AND Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING TO, TO HELP US GET THERE AND FOR BOARD LEADERSHIP THAT GOES LONG BEFORE I GOT HERE TO, TO HELP GET US TO THIS POINT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANNA TELL US? NO, JUST THANK YOU ALL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CONTINUED SUPPORT.
ALL SEE Y'ALL SOON IN AUSTIN, HOPEFULLY, OR COME DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO
[VII 2. President & CEO Search Process and Job Profile]
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.VEIAN BOARD MEMBERS, UM, PRESIDENT, CEO, DOTTY WATKINS, DONNA SIMMONS, UM, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION.
UM, MOST YOU ALL OF YOU HAVE REALLY SEEN THE INFORMATION THAT I'M GOING TO PRESENT, SO, BUT I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH IT.
UM, FOR THE BENEFIT OF FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING, JUST, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE THE BOARD IS ON THE PRESIDENT CEO SEARCH AND SOME OF THE, UM, ATTRIBUTES THAT THE BOARD, UM, HAS ALREADY PUT IN THE JOB PROFILE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED THE, THE INPUT PROCESS THAT THE BOARD ASKED US TO DO TO REACH OUT TO EACH OF OUR COMMITTEES, UM, AS WELL AS TO OUR STAFF.
UM, OUR EXECUTIVE RECRUITER HAS TAKEN THAT FEEDBACK AND HAS INCORPORATED THE MAJORITY OF THAT INTO, UM, THE EXISTING DRAFT JOB PROFILE, UH, WHICH WAS PROVIDED IN YOUR PACKET.
UM, BUT I'LL JUST QUICKLY GO THROUGH, UH, WHERE WE ARE, UH, AT THIS POINT, UM, AND WHAT OUR TIMELINE IS.
SO, UH, WE ARE ANTICIPATING POSTING THE, THE JOB DESCRIPTION AND THE POSITION, UH, NEXT MONTH, UH, JUST IN A FEW DAYS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, OUR EXECUTIVE RECRUITER WILL, UM, EARNESTLY BEGIN THE, THE CANDIDATE SEARCH, EXPECT TO COMPLETE THAT IN EARLY DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, THAT THE BOARD WILL THEN BEGIN TO DO AND COMPLETE INTERVIEWS IN JANUARY OF 23 WITH A PROJECTED START DATE FOR THE CEO SOMETIME IN MARCH.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS ON THE SCREEN, SO I'M NOT GONNA GO
UM, I MADE IT PRETTY DETAILED.
THIS IS THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT I DID TO EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, UM, TO GIVE THEM AN, AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS, UM, THAT ARE, THAT WERE INCLUDED IN WHAT THE BOARD IS SEARCHING FOR IN A CEO.
UM, CERTAINLY TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BOARD AND STAKEHOLDERS AND BE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO SERVE AS AN ENGAGING, CAPABLE AND ENERGETIC AND SUPPORTIVE MANAGER OF THE CAP METRO STAFF.
UM, TO HAVE THE ABILITY AND PRESENCE TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AT ALL LEVELS, TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY, UM, TO IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THEIR UNIQUE MOBILITY NEEDS.
UM, AND TO LEAD, LEAD WITH A SAFETY FIRST MINDSET.
SOME OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT'S REQUIRED, 10 YEARS OF EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE WITH A MAJOR TRANSIT AGENCY OR OTHER ENTITY OF A COMPARABLE NATURE BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ONE OF THE FIELDS LISTED THERE.
TRANSPORTATION, ENGINEERING BUSINESS OR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, UM, OR ANY EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF THE EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION.
SO IF SOMEONE HAS, FOR EXAMPLE, 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN TRANSIT AND AS A DEMONSTRATE AND HAS DEMONSTRATED, UM, LEADERSHIP TO BE IN THAT ROLE, WOULDN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE A DEGREE, UM, PREFER EXPERIENCE LEADING AT AN EXECUTIVE LEVEL, UM, WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY AND ALSO PREFER EXPERIENCE PLANNING, CONSTRUCTION, CONSTRUCTING AN OPERATING LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER BUS, BUS, RAPID TRANSIT AND DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICES THAT ARE SAFE, RELIABLE, AND EFFICIENT.
SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE KEY ATTRIBUTES, UM, TO BE A VISIONARY WHO IS FORWARD THINKING, TO BE EXPERIENCED, ENSURING EFFECTIVE COST CONTROL MEASURES, CERTAINLY TO BE VERY CUSTOMER FOCUSED WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS RELY ON CAPITAL METRO TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT,
[03:45:01]
RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE SERVICES BECAUSE IT'S THEIR ONLY TRANSPORTATION OPTION.ALSO, AN UNDERSTANDING OF DISPLACEMENT RISK FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES DUE TO TRANSIT EXPANSION PLANS ON THE INTERNAL RELATIONS SIDE, TO BE AN, A PROACTIVE LEADER WHO ENCOURAGES MENTORS AND MOTIVATES EMPLOYEES, UM, ALSO RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES AND HAS DEMONSTRATED A HISTORY OF POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LABOR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE EXTERNAL RELATIONS SIDE, ABLE TO ESTABLISH, BUILD AND MAINTAIN STRONG POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH A NUMBER OF ENTITIES THAT WE HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UM, FOR BOARD INTERACTION TO DEVELOP A STRONG WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR EIGHT MEMBER BOARD, UM, INCLUDING EFFECTIVE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY ON ALL ISSUES.
SOME OF THE PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES.
HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL, MATURE, HONEST AND FAIR, WILLING AND CAPABLE TO LISTEN, UNDERSTAND AND COLLABORATE ACCESSIBLE, CHARISMATIC, CALM, AND COLLECTED AND APPROACHABLE.
HAVE A ONE PERSON THAT'S ALL IN ONE PERSON.
UM, AND THEY HAD DEMONSTRATED ABILITY TO UNIFY BOARDS, TEAMS AND COMMUNITIES OF PEOPLE TO HELP ADDRESS COMPLEX ISSUES.
SO, UM, I KNOW THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS INFORMATION ALREADY, BUT AGAIN, THAT WAS, UM, PARTLY FOR YOUR BENEFIT, BUT ALSO THE BENEFIT FOR ANYBODY WHO, UH, WHO MAY BE WATCHING THE MEETING TODAY, TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE PROCESS AND, UM, THE MAJOR ATTRIBUTES THAT WE'RE, THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR IN A CEO AND HELP BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, BOARD MEMBER IN THE KITCHEN, UH, DID, DID YOU MENTION, OR MAYBE I JUST MISSED IT, THE CUSTOMER FOCUS? YES, IT IS DEFINITELY THERE, BUT I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SOME LANGUAGE THAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO, TO MENTION THAT YOU HAVE ONE HERE.
IT MAY BE IN THE DETAILED JOB PROFILE, BUT I MAY NOT HAVE HIGHLIGHTED IT ON IN THE PRESENT.
YEAH, JUST LET ME READ IT OUT JUST TO, TO TO, AND THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT BACKUP MATERIAL FOR PEOPLE.
I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, BESIDES ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, AND THAT'S JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CUSTOMER FOCUS AND THE KEEN UNDERSTANDING THAT MANY OF CAP METRO'S CUSTOMERS RELY ON THE AGENCY, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT, RELIABLE, ACCESSIBLE, AND AFFORDABLE SERVICE.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT THE UNDERSTANDING OF DISPLACEMENT RISK FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES DUE TO TRANSIT EXPANSION PLANS.
AND THAT'S THAT CONNECTION WITH PROJECT CONNECT, I THINK, RIGHT? SO I, I THINK THOSE, THERE'S A LOT OF VERY GOOD IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF, OF WHAT WE'VE LAID OUT THERE.
I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, THAT ASPECT OF IT.
SO IN THIS, SO THIS, CAN YOU REMIND US THE NEXT STEP FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT IF THEY WANNA COMMENT ON ANY OF THESE? SO WE, WE SENT THE DRAFT, UM, PROFILE THAT THE BOARD HAD WORKED WITH OUR EXECUTIVE RECRUITER ON TO EACH OF OUR COMMITTEES.
UM, GAVE THEM, UM, I MADE PRESENTATIONS TO ALL OF THEM EXCEPT, UM, I DON'T THINK I, I DIDN'T GET TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO CAC.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING THIS MONTH, BUT WE PROVIDED THE JOB DESCRIPTION TO THEM AND GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
THOSE, THAT FEEDBACK WAS ALL SENT DIRECTLY TO GREG MOSIER, OUR EXECUTIVE RECRUITER.
AND THEN HE HAS INCORPORATED MOST OF THAT, UM, INTO THE MOST RECENT DRAFT JOB DESCRIPTION THAT THE BOARD HAS.
UM, THERE WERE A FEW ITEMS THAT WERE, UH, VERY, VERY DETAILED, UM, THAT, UM, HE WANTED THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT MUCH DETAIL IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION OR NOT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, HE HAS ALREADY INCORPORATED THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
WHAT'S OUR PROCESS FOR CONSIDERING THOSE ITEMS? SO, UM, WE WERE GOING TO MEET AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY TO HAVE YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, IF YOU LIKE.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THE, UM, THE TIME TO DO THAT TODAY, UM, THEN, UM, YOU CAN STILL, YOU STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH, WITH THE EXECUTIVE RECRUITER BEFORE WE MAKE THE JOB DESCRIPTION FINAL.
WELL, I DON'T WANNA, I JUST DON'T WANNA, IF PEOPLE HAVE MADE SOME SUGGESTIONS, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE 'EM HANGING IF IT'S WAITING ON THE BOARD TO COMMENT ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH TO INCLUDE 'EM, THAT'S WHAT I'M, IF, IF, IF THAT'S WHAT, IF THAT'S THE STEP THAT'S BEING LOOKED FOR, I DON'T WANNA JUST DROP THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
YEAH, WE SHOULD TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND, AND HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IF, IF ONLY TO SET UP FUTURE MEETINGS.
YEAH, THAT, THAT, THAT'S FINE.
I JUST DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE THAT THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE DUPLICATIVE OR ALREADY
[03:50:01]
IN THERE OR WHATEVER, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA JUST DROP SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS RECOMMENDED OR ASKED FOR.AND THAT GREG HAS GREG PROVIDED, AND I, I SENT IT OUT TO THE BOARD EARLIER TODAY, THE LIST OF ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HE GOT, AND THERE WERE AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THAT, THERE WERE REALLY A VERY FEW, UM, THAT HAD NOT ALREADY BEEN INCORPORATED THAT WE FELT MIGHT, MIGHT JUST BOARD DISCUSSION.
THAT, UH, THANK YOU DONNA, THAT'S IN THE EMAIL THAT YOU PROVIDED, UH, THIS MORNING.
YEAH, I I, I, I WOULD, I WOULD CONCUR.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD TAKE US LONG IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION TO, TO KNOCK THAT OUT REAL QUICK, BUT IF I'M AFRAID WE'D BE MISSING OUT ON, ON THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOSE TIME OTHERWISE, IF WE DIDN'T YEAH, WE, WE CAN, WE COULD GO QUICKLY.
MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER, YEAH, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT THAT, UM, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, UM, THE BOARD WILL NOT BE INTERVIEWING THE CANDIDATES UNTIL JANUARY.
AND, UH, THE REASON I WAS MAKING THAT COMMENT IS THAT I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE
AND, UH, THE NEW PERSON THAT'S GONNA REPLACE ME SHOULD BE IN INTERVIEWING THE PERSON.
MY GRANDMOTHER WOULD SAY, YOU OUGHT TO BE SHAME
WE COULD ALSO ALWAYS HAVE EX OFFICIO INTERVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS IF YOU LIKE
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PERSON IS SITTING THERE THAT'S GONNA WORK WITH THAT PERSON IN THE FUTURE.
UH, WELL, AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW CANDIDATES.
WELL, BOARD MEMBER, YOU HAVE ALREADY LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THIS BOARD, SO IT'S ALRIGHT,
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT, ABOUT THIS ITEM? IF NOT, WE'LL TAKE IT UP QUICKLY, BRIEFLY, AND QUICKLY IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN, IN A FEW MINUTES.
[VII 3. Manor and Lago Vista Election Service Impacts Update]
UPDATE ON THE MAIN EN LAGO VISTA, UH, ELECTION SERVICE IMPACTS, UH, MS. KRAUSE.UH, BOARD CHAIR, TRAIAN BOARD MEMBERS AND INTERIM PRESIDENT CEO DOTTY WATKINS.
I AM THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR CAP METRO.
UM, TODAY I JUST WANTED TO DO, TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES OF YOUR TIME.
I KNOW WE'RE TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY TO UPDATE YOU ALL ON POTENTIAL SERVICE IMPACTS.
SHOULD MAIN AND LOG VISTA EITHER OR DECIDE TO VOTE OUT, UM, OF THE SERVICE AREA IN NOVEMBER.
YOU ALL ASKED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE RESPONSIVE TO THAT END.
UM, FOR BACKGROUND, UM, MAINER AND LAGO VISTA ARE BOTH PART OF CAP METRO SERVICE AREA.
THEY BOTH CONTRIBUTE 1% OF THEIR SALES TAX RECEIPTS TO CAP METRO FOR SERVICE.
THEY ARE BOTH ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE BUILD CENTRAL TEXAS FUNDS, INCLUDING THE EXPANDED FUNDS THAT WERE PART OF THE FY 22 PROCESS.
AND BOTH ARE PART OF THE URBANIZED AREA, BOTH MAINER AND LAGO VISTA.
THE, UM, THERE ARE CITY COUNCILS HAVE CALLED ELECTIONS ON THE TOPIC OF WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE, UH, CAP METRO PARTICIPATION.
UM, BOTH OF THEM ARE PROPOSITIONS A IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CITIES.
AND THE QUESTION ON THE BALLOT IS SHELL THE CAT METRO OR CAPITAL METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BE CONTINUED IN THE CITY OF MAYNOR AND LAGO VISTA? YES.
NO, I ALWAYS GET TRIPPED UP WHEN I HAVE TO SAY OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION'S NAME INSTEAD OF JUST FREEZING IT THROUGH WITH CAT METRO.
IF EITHER OF COMMUNITY, IF THE THESE COMMUNITIES VOTES TO WITHDRAW FROM THE SERVICE AREA, UM, THERE ARE SERVICE IMPACTS THAT WOULD BEGIN WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ELECTION CANVASING.
ELECTION CANVASING IS, UM, KIND OF A WEIRD TIMELINE.
IT CAN'T OCCUR MORE THAN THREE DAYS AFTER THE ELEC OR BEFORE, THREE DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION, AND CANNOT OCCUR LONGER THAN 11 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION.
SO IN OUR BRAINS, WE BELIEVE IT'S BETWEEN THE, I THINK THE 12TH AND THE 20TH APPROXIMATELY OF NOVEMBER.
BUT IT'S UP TO THE CITIES TO ACTUALLY DETERMINE WHEN THEY CA UM, CANVAS THE ELECTION.
UH, FIRST UP, THE NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION UPON WITHDRAWING FROM THE CAP METRO SERVICE AREA, UM, CAP METRO WILL CONTINUE TO COLLECT SALES TAX REVENUE UNTIL THEIR NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION IS REPAID.
UM, THE NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION WILL STOP ACCRUING ONCE, UM, WE REACH THE EFFECTIVE DATE, WHICH IS THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION RESULTS ARE CANVASED.
UM, SO IT'S NOT THE DAY OF THE ELECTION, IT'S THE DAY AFTER THE CAN RESULTS ARE CANVASED.
UM, THE LAST TIME WE CALCULATED THIS WAS IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
SO THESE NUMBERS HA WILL CHANGE.
UM, AND WE DON'T CALCULATE IT VERY OFTEN, BUT THE LAST NUMBERS THAT WE HAD FOR MAYER WAS APPROXIMATELY 9.8 MILLION.
[03:55:01]
UM, AND BASED ON THEIR SALES TAX RECEIPTS FROM THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR LEADING UP TO MARCH, WE BELIEVE IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS FOR THEM TO REPAY THAT FINANCIAL OBLIGATION FOR LOG LOG VISTA.UM, THEIR NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION IN MARCH WAS SIX POINT, UH, 4 MILLION, WHICH WOULD TAKE ABOUT 6.5 YEARS, UM, BASED ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR SALES TAX RECEIPTS, UH, THE NET FINANCIAL, LIKE I SAID, THE NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION BECOMES FINAL THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION IS CANVASED.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD RECALCULATE THAT NUMBER AND KNOW THAT TRUE, UM, OBLIGATION OF REPAYMENT.
OF COURSE, ONLY CAP METRO MEMBER CITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BUILD CENTRAL TEXAS PROGRAM FUNDS.
UM, AND THE EXPANDED FUNDS FROM FISCAL YEAR 22, MAINER AND LAGO VISTA WOULD RECEIVE THE FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO THEM TO DATE, BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS OF COURSE FUTURE YEARS, UH, FUNDING ONCE THEY'RE NOT A MEMBER CITY.
UM, AND THE FIGURES HERE, UM, WERE PRESENTED TO YOU BY CHIEF OF STAFF, CARRIE BUTCHER, UM, WHEN SHE UPDATED YOU ALL ON THIS PROGRAM LAST MONTH, I BELIEVE.
UM, FOR MAYNOR IT'S ABOUT 1 MILLION IN, FOR LOG VISTA, IT'S A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED, UM, OR CLOSE TO 130,000 IN TERMS OF CURRENT SERVICE, UM, BOTH LOG VISTA AND MAYNOR DO RECEIVE, UM, SEVERAL SERVICES FROM US, STARTING WITH MAYER.
NINE 90, UH, MAINER ELGAN EXPRESS.
THIS SERVICE IS OPERATED BY CARTS.
CAP METRO PAYS FOR A PORTION OF THE ROUTE BE, UH, FOR THE PORTION OF THE ROUTE THAT RUNS BETWEEN MAYNER AND AUSTIN.
SO CARTS PAYS FROM ELGAN TO MAYER.
UM, CAP METRO PAYS FROM, UH, MAYNOR TO AUSTIN.
UH, MAINER PICKUP, UM, IS A COMPLICATED ONE.
IT'S FUNDED BY CAP METRO AND TRAVIS COUNTY AT A 75 25 SPLIT AND THEN OPERATED BY CARTS YOU ALL JUST APPROVED AS PART OF YOUR AGENDA.
UM, SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THIS TO EXPAND THAT MAINER PICKUP AREA ON THE LOG VISTAS SIDE.
LOG VISTA HAS 12 STOPS WITHIN THE CITY.
OF LAGO VISTA THAT ARE PART OF THE TWO 14 NORTHWEST FEEDER.
THIS IS OPERATED BY CARTS UNDER A CONTRACT WITH CAT METRO.
UM, LOG VISTA PICKUP IS FUNDED IN AND OPERATED IN FULL BY CAT METRO.
AND THEN, UM, THERE IS IS ALSO METRO ACCESS SERVICE IN, UM, LAGO VISTA.
HERE ARE THE IMPACTS, AND AGAIN, I WANNA STRESS THAT THIS IS THE IMPACTS THAT WOULD OCCUR IF THE EITHER PARTY, UM, IF THE RESIDENTS CHOOSE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CAT METRO SERVICE AREA ON MAINER, UM, ESSENTIALLY BUS, THAT BUS STOP WOULD STOP OPERATING WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ELECTION CANVASING.
UM, THE ROUTE CARTS COULD OFFER OR COULD CONTINUE TO OFF OPERATE THE ROUTE BETWEEN ELGAN AND AUSTIN WITHOUT STOPPING IN MAYNOR.
THAT IS A CART'S DECISION AND WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
THEY DO HAVE SOME INTEREST IN THAT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO, UM, STOP IN WITHIN MAINOR.
UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY WOULD STILL NEED TO OF COURSE, EVALUATE THAT FULLY.
AND THEN THE EASTERN MOST TERMINUS OF THE FUTURE METRO RAIL GREEN LINE, WE WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT ALONGSIDE THE BOARD IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THAT SERVICE, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN FREIGHT SERVICE, OF COURSE, WOULD NOT BE IMPACTED.
UM, WE DO HAVE FREIGHT SERVICE THAT RUNS ALONG THE GREEN LINE.
UH, CURRENT GREEN LINE OP, UM, ROUTE ON LOG IN LOGA VISTA.
UH, THE 12 BUS STOPS THAT ARE PART OF THE TWO 14 FEEDER WOULD GO AWAY AND THE WESTERN MOST STOP WOULD BE IN JONESTOWN.
UM, AS PART OF THE, FOR BOTH OF THE COMMUNITIES AS PART OF THE URBANIZED AREA, THEY CANNOT, UM, RECEIVE 53 0 7 FUNDS, UM, FROM CAP METRO UNTIL WE HAVE A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IN PLACE AS PART OF OUR SERVICE EXPANSION POLICY.
UM, AND SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO CONTRACT WITH CARTS OR WITH CAP METRO TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES UNTIL THAT TDP WAS IN PLACE FOR PICKUP SERVICE IN THE MAINER ZONE, WHICH IS THE MORE COMPLICATED OF THE TWO PICKUP SERVICE WITHIN THE MAINER CITY LIMITS WOULD STOP, UM, WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE ELECTION CANVASING TRAVIS COUNTY COULD OPERATE IN SERVICE AREA IN, IN, COULD OPERATE THE SERVICE IN AREAS OUTSIDE OF MAINER, BUT COULD NOT GO WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT, UM, UM, OF A NUANCE THERE ON THE LOG OF VISTA'S ZONE SERVICE WOULD STOP OPERATING WITHIN 24 HOURS.
THAT ONE'S MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD CUZ WE OPERATE IT.
AND AGAIN, AS PART OF THE URBANIZED AREA PRIOR TO CONTRACTING, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE PICKUP ZONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US THROUGH CONTRACTED SERVICES OR SOMETHING ELSE, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TDP IN PLACE.
FIRST ON THE METRO ACCESS SIDE, UM, CAP METRO IS REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE METRO ACCESS SERVICE TO CERTAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS WHO ARE RECEIVING METRO ACCESS SERVICE AT THE TIME OF WITHDRAW.
[04:00:01]
IN LOGA VISTA, WE HAVE ONE CURRENT METRO ACCESS SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER WHO MEETS THIS DEFINITION OF SOMEONE WE WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR.THAT CUSTOMER IS RECEIVING TRIPS THREE DAYS PER WEEK AND CAP IT COSTS CAP METRO APPROXIMATELY $20,000 A YEAR TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
IF IN THE EVENT THAT LOG VISTA RESIDENTS DECIDE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE CAT METRO SERVICE AREA, LOG VISTA WOULD BE REQUIRED TO, UM, PAY THE COST OF CONTINUED SERVICE MINUS FARES COLLECTED, UM, SO THAT THAT SERVICE WOULD CONTINUE.
AGAIN, THIS IS A SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER.
UM, AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT BETWEEN OF COURSE NOW AND NOVEMBER WHEN THIS DECISION IS MADE BY VOTERS, THAT WE COULD, THAT THAT PERSON MAY STOP SUBSCRIBING TO SERVICES OR THAT MORE CUSTOMERS WOULD MEET THE DEFINITION OF A SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER WHO WE WOULD PRO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR.
UM, ON THE FACILITY SIDE, AS YOU ALL CAN IMAGINE, VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, 24 HOURS AFTER ELECTION CANVASING OUR FACILITIES WOULD CLOSE IN MAYNOR, UM, THE PARK AND RIGHT IS OWNED BY CAPITAL METRO.
SO WE WOULD CLOSE IT WITH TEMPORARY, UH, CLOSURE SIGNAGE AND BARRICADES.
UM, AND BOTH LOG VISTA AND MAYNOR, ALL BUS STOP SIGNAGE WOULD BE REMOVED AS WELL AS AMENITIES AND NON-ESSENTIAL SUPPORT SERVICES SUCH AS CLEANING MAINTENANCE.
IT, UM, WOULD STOP AT BOTH FACILITIES.
AND THEN LONGER TERM WE WOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE BOARD AND WITH STAFF TO DECIDE WHAT IS THE BEST USE OF ANY CAT METRO OWN FACILITIES.
REALLY, IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN OR PARK AND RIDE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD CONTINUE, UM, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I WILL NOTE ACTUALLY AS WELL ON THE MAINER SIDE, WE ARE AWARE THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CAP METRO CUSTOMERS WHO USE THIS TO, UH, PARK AND ACCESS NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THIS WOULD IMPACT THEM AS WELL.
IT WOULD BE CLOSE TO EVERYBODY IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATIONS, UM, WE ARE IN CLOSE COORDINATION AND, UM, CONVERSATION WITH THE TWO CITIES AS WELL AS CARTS IN TRAVIS COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS INFORMED.
LAST WEEK WE SENT THEM, UM, A COMMUNICATION THAT DETAILED ALL OF THE THINGS I JUST PRESENTED TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD THE RELEVANT INFORMATION AND UP TO DATE AS UP TO DATE AS POSSIBLE.
WE ARE ALSO DEPLOYING, AS WE DID WITH LEANDER SIGNAGE AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS, AS WELL AS MAKING SURE THAT OUR OPERATORS, UM, AT THE CAP METRO GO LINE HAVE RELEVANT INFORMATION SHOULD THEY GET ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF THE ELECTIONS.
IF VOTERS IN EITHER COMMUNITY OF COURSE VOTE OUT, WE WOULD MAKE SURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE IMPACTS AND, UM, SERVICE CHANGES WHEN THEY WOULD TAKE EFFECT TO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND FINALLY, WE WOULD PRESENT AN AMENDMENT TO YOU ALL TO OUR JANUARY 23 SERVICE CHANGE, WHICH YOU JUST APPROVED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SERVICE REFLECT, THE SERVICE CHANGE REFLECTS THE SERVICE THAT VOTERS HAVE VOTED IN OR OUT OF.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AS VERY CLEAR, BUT, UM, UH, LET'S SEE.
SAW THIS ONE FIRST, UM, KITCHEN AND THEN, UH, RENT.
AND THEN SO WHEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WE'VE LET THEM LET THEM KNOW, UM, CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS IN TERMS OF WHO HAVE WE LET KNOW AND IN WHAT FORM? SO, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I MIGHT ALSO ASK, UM, MY BOSS AND CHIEF OF STAFF, UH, CARRIE BUTCHER TO CHIME IN AS WELL BECAUSE I KNOW SHE'S IN, IN ADDITION TO BEING OUR INTERIM COUNCIL, IS ALSO IN AN INTERIM LEADERSHIP OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ROLE.
UM, BUT LAST WEEK WE DID INFORM AT LEAST THE TWO MAYORS OF, AS WELL AS THE CITY STAFF THAT WE REGULARLY COORDINATE WITH TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WERE AWARE.
BUT DOES, IS THAT A LETTER OR IS IT, IS IT, ARE WE INFORMING THEM IN SOME WAY THAT'S PUBLIC? I MEAN, BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE, THE FACT THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO REPAY A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PUBLIC.
SO I KNOW THAT AS IT RELATES TO MAINER, I'M GONNA GO AND ADDRESS THE, UM, THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL.
AND, UH, JUST TO, AND TO GIVE THEM THIS INFORMATION.
AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT AND THAT WE CAN, AND THAT THEY CAN AN ASK QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWER.
SO YOU'LL BE DOING THAT IN A PUBLIC FORUM? YEAH.
AT AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WHEN ARE YOU DOING THAT? UM, AS SOON AS MY OFFICE TELLS ME I AM
AND THEN, UH, REMEMBER KITCHEN VICE TO YOUR KITCHEN LOG VISTA IS HAVING A TOWN HALL, A FORUM, AND WE HAVE BEEN INVITED TO BE PRESENT SO THAT IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK OF US, WE WILL, WE WILL BE THERE TO ANSWER THEM.
WE'VE NOT BEEN INVITED TO PRESENT, BUT WE WILL BE THERE, UM, TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU DO SOMETHING MORE PRO PROACTIVE THAN THAT? IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS? I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE COULD MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[04:05:01]
THINK WE SHOULD.I THINK IT'S, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION SO THAT THEY'RE FULLY INFORMED AND UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GET INFORMATION IF THEY DON'T KNOW.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD, IF I DIDN'T KNOW, I WOULD NEVER ASSUME THAT IF I STOPPED SERVICE, I WOULD HAVE TO KEEP PAYING KEPT METRO.
HOW WOULD THEY POSSIBLY KNOW THAT? SO I THINK, UM, I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN YOU GO TO THAT FORUM THAT YOU MAKE THAT COMMENT PUBLICLY.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD THAT THIS IS, OF COURSE, I MENTIONED IN ADDITION TO THE SIGNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE POSTED, UM, AT ALL OF THE, UM, STOPS AND STATIONS ARE AT KEY STOPS AND STATIONS INFORMING THE CUSTOMERS THAT THERE IS A QUESTION AND THAT THERE ARE POTENTIAL I IMPACTS OF HOW THEY DECIDE THAT QUESTION.
UM, AND THEN I WOULD BE REMISS WITH IF I DIDN'T, UM, SAY AS WELL, OF COURSE AS STAFF, WE ARE LIMITED IN THAT IT IS AN ELECTION, UM, AND WE WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
BUT, UH, I, I, I GET THAT, BUT PROVIDING OBJECTIVE INFORMATION IS NOT, IS NOT, UH, CAMPAIGNING AND PARTICULARLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD NEVER EXPECT THE PUBLIC TO, TO KNOW, TO ASK.
AND, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
WELL, AND AND BOARD MEMBER, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S A PROCESS.
UH, MOST OF THE PEOPLE, MANOR IN PARTICULAR IS, IS NOT SPEAKING TO THE QUALITY OF WHAT IS GOING ON.
IN TERMS OF SERVICE, UH, THEY'RE SPEAKING TO A NEED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS AND NOT KNOWING WHERE ELSE TO GO.
UH, SO I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WE, THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED, THESE ARE THE OTHER DOLLARS THAT, THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
BUT IF, IF IN FACT THIS, UH, THIS IS APPROVED, UH, THEN, THEN THESE RESOURCES WILL GO AWAY.
AND I'M NOT EVEN AS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, CUZ THAT'S KIND OF OBVIOUS TO PEOPLE THAT THEIR SERVICES ARE GONNA STOP.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS FROM AN ECONOMIC, AND I UNDERSTAND THEIR PRESSURES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S FOR THEM TO DECIDE, BUT FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT HAVING TO PAY BACK CAP METRO IMPACTS THEIR ABILITY TO PUT DOLLARS INTO, INTO THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEY JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT, THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED.
IT'S NOT AS CLEAR TO ALL AS ONE MIGHT THINK IT IS.
UH, SO JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, I I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION.
AND WITH THAT, I WAS CURIOUS WHEN AND HOW ARE WE PLANNING TO PUT INFORMATION OUT AT THE STOPS OR HAVING THE, THE DRIVERS? ARE WE, ARE WE PRODUCING SOME KIND OF PAMPHLETS? ARE WE PUTTING UP SIGNAGE? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS, THIS IS NOT, THIS IS NOT ADVOCACY.
THIS IS, HERE'S THE STATEMENT OF FACT.
THERE IS AN ELECTION UPCOMING CAP METRO IN SERVICES YOU RECEIVE ARE ON THE BALLOT.
AND IF, AND, AND IF, IF A VOTE, IF A NO VOTE RECEIVES A MAJORITY, THESE SERVICES WILL BE CUT OFF THE NEXT DAY AND YOUR COMMUNITY WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY MAINER, FOR EXAMPLE, 9.8 MILLION OVER THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS BEFORE YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT, TO THOSE FUNDS LOCALLY.
BOARD MEMBER AND RIGHT ON QUEUE.
UM, MY, MY SHADOW HAS STEPPED UP TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
HI SAM ALEXANDER AGAIN, EVP OF EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, SO IN ADDITION TO THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED, WE ALSO DO HAVE A FULL SPREAD COMMUNICATIONS PLAN TO ENSURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE QUESTION IS AT HAND.
SO THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM A MEDIA FAQ.
UM, WE DO GET QUESTIONS FROM MEDIA OUTLETS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS EITHER OR.
SO WE'LL HAVE THAT, WE'LL HAVE IT POSTED ONLINE.
WE'RE ALSO GONNA RUN SOME SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, CONTENT THAT LETS PEOPLE KNOW, YES, THIS QUESTION IS COMING.
HERE'S WHERE YOU CAN FIND FACTUAL, NON-BIASED INFORMATION ABOUT THE QUESTION.
IN ADDITION TO THE AT STOP SIGNAGE.
IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION ABOUT TIMING, THOSE ELEMENTS ARE SCHEDULED TO START ROLLING OUT AT THE VERY, ACTUALLY EITHER PROBABLY IN ABOUT A WEEK, WEEK AND A HALF.
SO THE IDEA WAS TO HAVE IT IN THE MARKETPLACE FOR ABOUT A MONTH.
UM, LET ME KNOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE THIS CONCEPT OF PEOPLE WOULD COME LOOKING FOR INFORMATION, BUT THE WAY THAT SOCIETY WORKS NOW IS YOU REALLY NEED TO PUSH INFORMATION AND PUSH EDUCATION TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UM, AND WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'LL BE DOING FOR THIS ISSUE AS WELL.
I I APPRECIATE THAT CUZ I MEAN, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE, WE HAVE I THINK GOOD, GOOD FACTUAL DATA THAT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWS IS ONE OF THEM.
A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO READ THAT THING COVER TO COVER AND THEY DO A HUGE ELECTION EDITION THAT PUTS FORTH ALL INFORMATION ABOUT THE CANDIDATES, BUT ALSO THE ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO,
[04:10:01]
TO GET OUT INFORMATION.BUT ANY, ANY AND ALL PLACES WE CAN GET, AGAIN, NOT ADVOCACY.
WE ARE, WE ARE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM DOING THE ADVOCACY, BUT THE EDUCATION ESPECIALLY, THIS IS A VERY NUANCED ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.
IT'S, IT'S, AND AGAIN, AND, AND LETTING, AND WE'LL SAY IT HERE FROM THE DIAS, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL.
THIS IS SET WITHIN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE WHEN THE CITY OF LAGO VISTA AND THE CITY OF MAYNOR, WHEN THEIR CITY COUNCILS VOTED TO PUT THIS TO THE PEOPLE THAT'S SET TRIGGERS IN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, THAT STATE LAW.
AND IF YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION THAT'S NOT CAP METRO SAYING, OH, WELL YOU OWE US MONEY BACK.
THAT IS THE STATE OF TEXAS UNDER THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE SAYING IF, IF YOUR VOTERS SAY YOU WANT TO SEVER THIS RELATIONSHIP, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO SO, BUT YOU WILL OWE MONEY BACK TO THE TRANSIT AGENCY IN THE PROCESS.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING CAP METRO SAYS, YOU OWE US MONEY.
THAT'S THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE STATE LAW SAYING HERE'S A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION AND THE MONEY UNDER A VERY COMPLICATED FORMULA THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY BACK.
AND IN MAINER'S CASE, 4.41 YEARS AND 9.8 MILLION, AND IN LOGO'S CASE 6.42 MILLION IN SIX AND A HALF YEARS BEFORE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET TO A POINT THAT YOU CAN TRULY KEEP AND RECOUP THAT 1 CENT SALES TAX THAT IS CURRENTLY IN THAT, THAT IS CURRENTLY COMING TO CAP METRO THAT YOU WOULD GET TO KEEP.
AND WE NEED TO, THAT IT'S EXTREMELY COMPLICATED, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THE PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE ALL THE FACTS BASED ON THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE LAW SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE RAMIFICATIONS ARE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
WILL THEY GET THEIR, THEIR SALES TAX MONEY BACK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR WHATEVER.
BUT THESE ARE THE FACTS AND WHAT IS AT STAKE IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S STRAIGHT UP FACTS AND EDUCATION.
LET, LET ME, LET ME GET, LET ME GET THIS TO THE, THE BOARD, LET ME GIVE THIS TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, I NEED 12 PACKETS IF I NEED 12, 12 PACKETS.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS THAT WE, I JUST HAVE ONE BRIEF ONE.
DO YOU KNOW IF EITHER OF THE CITIES HAVE STARTED THE TTV PROCESS TO NO, I DON'T BELIEVE EITHER OF THOSE CITIES HAVE STARTED THE TDP PROCESS TO DATE.
UM, I'M GONNA LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER AT CARRIE AND THEN AT JULIE, AND THEY'RE BOTH SHAKING THEIR HEADS NO.
SO THE TDP PROCESS IS ONLY FOR NONMEMBER OF THE SERVICE AREA.
SO NO, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE CONTEMPLATED TO DATE.
I, I GUESS THE CONCERN I'VE GOT, AND MAYBE THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF, UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON'S QUESTION.
I MEAN, I GET THE, THE CONCERN ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE TRYING TO SELL THE FINANCIAL PIECE OF THIS BACK TO THEM.
THE OTHER PIECE OF IT, AND MY RECOLLECTION IS WE HAVE ABOUT 3,500, UH, PEOPLE OUT THERE USING THE PICKUP AND RIDE SERVICE OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN A CITY OF, IN A CITY OF MAIN, OR AT LEAST I CAN'T SPEAK TO LAGO VISTA, BUT THE CITY OF MAYNOR THAT COULD, A 10TH OF THAT WAS SWING AN ELECTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND I GUESS I'M LOOKING AT IT FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA BE WITHOUT THIS SERVICE FOR POTENTIALLY, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO DO A TDP BUT, YOU KNOW, MONTH, TWO, MONTH, THREE MONTH.
AND OBVIOUSLY IF WE HAVE THAT MANY PEOPLE USING IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT, THAT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT OF THOSE PEOPLE.
WELL, IT, THE, THE, UH, SERVICE ITSELF IS A RESULT OF A, OF A TDP WITH THE COUNTY.
AND IT TOOK US 18 MONTHS TO PUT IT TOGETHER AND, AND WRITE IT.
SO, UM, IT IT IS, IT IS GOING TO BE DRAMATIC.
IF, IF, UM, AND IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THEN IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE UNFORTUNATE FOR THE AREA.
BUT, UH, YEAH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'LL JUST, WE'LL MAKE EVERYTHING AVAILABLE TO FOLKS AND, UM, AND THEY GET TO MAKE THEIR DECISIONS.
WHEN BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, I DID LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER, UM, AS WELL AT JULIE MAJOR WHO RUNS OUR TDP PROCESS, UM, FROM THE STAFF SIDE, AND SHE SAYS ABOUT NINE MONTHS.
AND SO TO, YOU KNOW, THERE IS THE, THE REASON TO SAY THAT HERE IS THAT THERE IS A SERVICE IMPACT THAT OCCURS WITHIN THREE TO 11 DAYS.
UM, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE IMMEDIATELY RESOLVED THROUGH A CON CONTRACTED SERVICE IF THE CITIES EVEN WANT TO PAY FOR THAT CONTRACTED SERVICE IN ADDITION TO REPAYING THEIR NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION.
SO THERE IS AN IMPLICATION THERE.
WE HAVE HEARD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY COULD CONTRACTED SERVICE COME BACK AND IT, IT IS NOT AN OVERNIGHT THING.
DON'T, AGAIN, ONE LAST YEAH, I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT BECKY SINCE SHE WAS ON THE LINE.
SORRY, I'M SORT OF HANGING OUT, WAVING MY HAND.
UM, I WAS GONNA ASK YOU IF YOU'D HEARD ANYTHING.
YES, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ALL THE WORDS.
[04:15:01]
A COUPLE THINGS.I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE ON REPEAT FROM THE SAME CONVERSATIONS WE HAD AROUND LANDR A FEW MONTHS BACK.
UM, SO AS FAR AS COMMUNICATIONS, I WOULD THINK YOU'RE REALLY JUST CHANGING THINGS OUT FOR THE CITY, BUT THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT I, I, I GUESS I WANNA REITERATE, AND, AND THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY LONG MEETING, SO I DON'T WANNA BEAT A DEAD HORSE HERE, BUT I DON'T, BUT THESE ELECTIONS ARE NOT NECESSARILY A DING AGAINST CAP METRO, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO TAKE THIS STANCE THAT WAY.
THESE CITIES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE PLAYING A NET FINANCIAL OBLIGATION THAT WILL TAKE YEARS, BUT THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE BEING HAD AT THESE SMALL CITIES ARE, HEY, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO PAY THIS NET FINANCIAL UNLESS THEY DECIDE TO LITIGATE IT MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR SALES TAX IS FIXING TO GO THROUGH THE ROOF AND THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THE POSITION THAT LEANDER WAS IN.
AND SO IF THEY CAN ONLY PAY, ONLY PAY 9 MILLION NOW, THEY'D RATHER DO THAT THAN HAVE TO PAY OFF THE 40 OR $50 MILLION IN A FEW YEARS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF, IT'S A, IT'S A BROKEN SYSTEM, IT'S BROKEN ON THE STATE LEVEL.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT KEPT METRO CONVICT, BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT THERE BE FOR THE LONG TERM GROWTH OF THIS ORGANIZATION AND SOME OF THE OTHERS TO HAVE A LONGER TERM AND A BIGGER CONVERSATION AROUND IT.
UM, THERE IS, UM, AND YOU KNOW, AND FROM SPECIFICALLY FROM THE CAP METRO SIDE, WHICH WE ARE DOING BETTER ON THE LEANER SIDE.
AND I THINK IF, IF THESE TWO CITIES ALSO OPT TO STAY IN, THEN THE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT HOW CAN WE, AND IF IN A FINANCIALLY SOUND WAY, ADD VALUE TO THESE CITIES AND ALL THE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT ARE A PART OF, AND HOW CAN WE MAKE OTHER CITIES WANT TO BE A PART OF CAP METRO? AND IT'S ABOUT A VALUE ADD SITUATION AND CONVERSATION, NOT ABOUT A HOARDING.
LET'S KEEP EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
SO MY 2 CENTS, MR. CHAIR, COULD I ASK QUESTION? I'M SORRY, WHAT? YOU AND THEN YOU, I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY ADD THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT POINT.
UM, HAVE WE, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT THAT VALUE ADD COULD BE FOR MAYAR AND LAGO VISTA AND CHAIR.
WHEN YOU GO AND TALK TO MAYER, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT ANY VALUE ADD? I MEAN, WE HAD SOME EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH LEANDER THAT WAY AND IT WAS HELPFUL.
WELL, I MEAN THE, I MEAN, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN POINT OUT.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRAVIS COUNTY TDP COVERED WEBER BILL MM-HMM.
SO, UH, THAT WAS THE 18 MONTH PART.
THEN WE MOVED IT OVER, UH, TO, UH, MAYNOR, WHICH HAS GOTTEN A, A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE MM-HMM.
I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS, IT IS ONLY MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE FULLY AWARE OF THE RESOURCES, UH, THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SOME THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF, OF OTHERS THEY HAVEN'T.
JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY KNOW THE OPTIONS.
I'M JUST THINKING THAT WITH LEANDER, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT COULD WE ADD IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND WE DID, WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO, UH, TO, UM, TO LEANDER.
WELL, THERE, THAT'S A DIFFERENCE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WOULD ACT, HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAME POOL OF DOLLARS, UH, THAT, THAT, UM, LEANDER HAS ACCESS TO.
NOW, IF WE INCREASE THAT POOL OF DOLLARS FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THAT MIGHT BE ATTRACTIVE.
I JUST WANNA, I JUST THINK WE OUGHT TO DO THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT I WELL, I MEAN GO AHEAD.
PART OF THE BUILD CENTRAL TEXAS, AND NOW WE ARE, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE AGREEMENT.
I MEAN, MY, MY PERSONAL OPINION IS AT THIS POINT THE SHIP SAILED, IT'S ON THE BALLOT, SO OH, THAT'S TRUE.
SEE HOW IT ALL SHAKES IN NOVEMBER AND THEN DECIDE HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, UM, FROM THERE.
OTHERWISE, I THINK WE'RE TALKING IN CIRCLES BECAUSE IT'S ON THE BALLOT, SO THERE'S, IT JUST, IT IS, IT IS AT THIS POINT.
JUST KIND OF ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION, MR. CHAIR, PLEASE.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ROSS, UH, HEY, IT, IT'S BOARD MEMBER STRATTON
[04:20:01]
AS, AS THE SMALL CITIES REP.I KNOW LAST MONTH WHEN WE, WE FIRST TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU INDICATED FROM THE DIAS THAT, UM, YOU, YOU HADN'T HAD, UH, BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY CONVERSATIONS OR YOU, YOU'D REACHED OUT BUT HADN'T RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK FROM ANYBODY IN THE CITY OF MAYNOR.
UM, HAS ANYTHING ON YOUR END CHANGED IN O UH, UH, COMMISSIONER TRA CHAIR, TRA BELLION, COMMISSIONER TRAIAN IS GONNA BE GOING OUT THERE FOR, FOR A, UH, CITY COUNCIL MEETING, BUT HAVE YOU, AS THE SMALL CITIES REP HAD ANY CONVERSATION? YEAH, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SMALL CITY'S MEETING.
I'M WAITING ON CONFIRMATION FROM THE CITY SECRETARIES, BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A DATE ON THAT YET.
UM, AND ACTUALLY I JUST SENT, UH, CARRIE YET NOTE
I APPRECIATE ALL YOU'RE DOING ON THAT FRONT.
I, I WILL SAY, I I, THAT EVERYTHING THAT I THINK THAT HAPPENED WITH LEANDER, AGAIN, THE VOTE ITSELF IS BEHIND US.
YOU KNOW, LOVE IT OR HATE IT FOLKS IN LEANDER, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE STILL GONNA BE UPSET THAT, THAT IT PASSED AND THAT WE'RE STILL GONNA BE AROUND.
BUT I, I HAVE TO SAY WHAT I TRULY APPRECIATED WAS THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ROSS, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR WORK THERE.
JUST, JUST THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT BOTH BY STAFF BEHIND THE SCENES AND BOARD LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVELY FROM THIS DIAS, JUST, JUST TO KIND OF HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND MOVE THE BALL FORWARD.
WHAT, WHAT I GUESS IS, IS A LITTLE CONCERNING TO ME IS THAT THERE, I I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OUT OF THE, THE MAINOR COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THEN I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A, UH, A A WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A TOWN HALL OUTTA LAGO WHERE WE'VE AT LEAST BEEN INVITED TO, TO DO SOME Q AND A.
IT'S JUST, I, I'M, I'M FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THAT THERE'S BEEN THIS, THIS KIND OF THAT, THAT THIS KIND OF, IN SOME WAYS IT'S FELT LIKE IT KIND OF CAME OUTTA LEFT FIELD AND THERE'S BEEN THIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
CUZ WE, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE TRIED THIS BOARD.
I MEAN, MAYBE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PAST ILLS, BUT THERE'S, WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE OURSELVES AVAILABLE AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE, BOOM, THIS IS GOING TO THE BALLOT.
AND IT TOOK ALL OF US BY, UH, KIND OF, UH, YOU KNOW, BY STORM AND, AND, UH, YOU WEREN'T, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
BUT THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, BEYOND, BEYOND.
SO, AND I THINK CONVERSATIONS ARE BEING HAD ON THE, THE, ON THE, FROM THE MAYORS OF THE CITY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER, I JUST THINK FROM BEING THE SMALL CITIES REP, UM, THAT RELATIONSHIP HASN'T BEEN SOLIDIFIED IN YEARS.
AND SO, AND THEN WITH MAYORS CHANGING OUT AND EVERYTHING, AND HONESTLY, I, I HAVE A GOOD JOB THAT ACTUALLY PAYS ME
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, OF AN EFFORT.
AND I THINK, UM, WHERE I THOUGHT RELATIONSHIPS WOULD COME TOGETHER REALLY EASILY, I NEED TO INVEST MORE TIME IN THEM BECAUSE, UM, THEY'VE BEEN, IT'S FROM THE CAP METRO BOARD SEAT TO THE SMALL CITIES.
IT'S JUST, IT'S BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME AND IT'S JUST GONNA TAKE MORE TIME AND A LOT MORE EFFORT, FRANKLY, ON MY END TO CREATE THOSE AND MAKE 'EM BETTER.
I, I THANK, UM, THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR, UH, ADDING TO THE CONVERSATION.
WE'LL, UH, WE'LL HAVE A FURTHER, WE'LL HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS, I'M SURE.
JUST WANT TO GET US TO, IT'S ALL, IT'S 20 TO FIVE.
WILL THERE BE AN UPDATE AT THE, AT THE FAA OR OPS MEETING? BY THE WAY, I KNOW THAT CUZ NEXT MONTH WE'RE GONNA BE, IF WE WAIT TILL THE NEXT CAP METRO FULL BOARD MEETING, WE'RE GONNA BE IN THE MIDDLE OF EARLY VOTING.
UM, I WILL, I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WENT THERE.
AND, AND WE ON THE STAFF SIDE CAN COM COMMIT TO MAKING SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT SAMANTHA AT LEAST, AT LEAST MEMOS BRIEF, AT LEAST SOME KIND OF RE NOT NOT AT, MAYBE NOT AT OPS PUB, YOU KNOW, LIKE A WHOLE PUBLIC HEARING AND PRESENTATION LIKE THIS, BUT AT LEAST KEEP US POSTED BEHIND THE SCENES SO THAT, AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP OFFLINE, WE'LL INCLUDE IN, IN OUR NEXT FOLLOW UP, UM, MEMO THAT WE SEND TO YOU ALL, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL HAVE THOSE MATERIALS AND WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY ARE PUBLICLY.
LOOKS LIKE WE ARE, WE ARE DOWN TO THE
[VIII 1. President & CEO Monthly Update]
PRESIDENT AND CEO MONTHLY UPDATE.UM, WE'VE GOT JUST A FEW THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT OVER OF, UH, GREAT FUN THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST MONTH.
UM, SO AS YOU LIKELY RECALL, WE STARTED THE MONTH WITH A LABOR DAY WEEKEND RAIL
[04:25:01]
CLOSURE, UM, IN ORDER TO INSTALL CULVERTS UNDER SOME OLD, OLD OLD SMALL WOODEN BRIDGES.UM, SO WE'RE REPLACING THESE OLD, SMALL WOODEN BRIDGES, WHICH REQUIRE A LOT OF CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND REPLACING THEM WITH THE CONCRETE CULVERTS.
UM, THIS IS ALL IN THE AREA IN, UM, AT AND AROUND THE MACALA STATION.
UM, THIS WAS ADVANCED, UM, CULVERT CONSTRUCTION WORK TO GET US PREPARED TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE, UM, SEAMLESSLY THROUGH THAT.
SO, UM, WE KNOW IT WAS A TOUGH WEEKEND TO GO WITHOUT SERVICE, BUT WE VERY MANY THANK YOUS TO OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, AND TO OUR OPERATIONS TEAM FOR SUPPORTING US THROUGH THAT REAL CLOSURE.
UM, LOTS OF GREAT WORK GOT DONE, THE TEAM WORKED LITERALLY THROUGH THE NIGHT, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THESE PHOTOS, UM, TO GET THE WORK DONE.
THEY HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED ME FOR 10 DAYS AND I SAID, NO, WE CAN'T DO 10 DAYS.
SO THEY PICKED A LONG WEEKEND AND MADE IT COUNT.
SO, UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THAT WENT WELL.
UM, NEXT UP WE JUST, UM, ARE IN THE MIDST OF WEEK, UM, CELEBRATING ACTUALLY THE LAST WEEK WE CELEBRATED RAILS SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK.
UM, WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT, UM, PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS, INCLUDING SPENDING, UM, A FULL DAY AT OUR, UM, DOWNTOWN STATION ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND PROMOTING RAIL SAFETY AWARENESS, UM, AND CONTINUING TO, UM, PROMOTE RAIL SAFETY AMONGST STUDENTS.
OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST, JOAN ORTIZ, UM, TALKING TO A GROUP OF STUDENTS.
WE USE THE OPERATOR OPERATIONS LIFESAVER CURRICULUM TO TALK TO STUDENTS ABOUT, UM, RAIL SAFETY AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THEY SEE TRACKS THAT THEY STOP AND LOOK AND LISTEN FOR TRAINS.
UM, ARE, UM, RAIL CARS IN PARTICULAR ARE MUCH QUIETER THAN PEOPLE EXPECT TO SEE ON FREIGHT RAIL TRACKS.
UM, SO WE'RE, UM, EXCITED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET A FEW OF THEM EARLY IN THEIR LIVES.
UM, BUT, UM, ALSO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE, THE GREAT SAFETY RECORD THAT WE HAVE ON OUR METRO RAIL SERVICE.
UM, WE ALSO WERE QUITE HONORED, UM, LAST WEEK TO RECEIVE FOUR DIFFERENT AWARDS AT THE MAYOR'S HEALTH AND FITNESS COUNCIL.
UM, CAPITAL METRO HAS LONG HAD A VERY ACTIVE, UM, WELLNESS PROGRAM AND WE LONG AGO RECOGNIZED, UM, THAT HEALTHY EMPLOYEES ARE SAFE EMPLOYEES, UM, AND THAT INVESTING IN THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES IS, UM, GOOD FOR STAFF AND GOOD FOR BUSINESS.
SO WE WERE THRILLED TO RECEIVE THE HEALTHIEST WORKPLACE FOR A LARGE AGENCY.
UM, THE MOTIVATING THE NEEDLE AWARD ON OUR TOBACCO FREE LIVING PROGRAMS, UM, AS WELL AS OUR HEALTHY OPTIONS COUPON AND FRESH FOOD BOXES TO GO PROGRAM THAT WE RUN THROUGH THE ONSITE CAFETERIA HERE.
UM, AND WE RECEIVE THE GOLD LEVEL CERTIFICATION FROM THE MAYOR'S HEALTH AND FITNESS COUNCIL.
SO, UM, VERY THRILLED THAT OUR WELLNESS PROGRAMS NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO THRIVE, BUT BE RECOGNIZED AS WELL, UM, AS LEADING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, UM, OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, CARRIE BUTCHER, AND I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF JOINING ABOUT A HUNDRED OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND, UH, LOCAL LEADERS WITH THE OS AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE'S PEER CITY EXCHANGE.
UM, WE WENT TO SALT LAKE CITY AND TALKED ABOUT ALL SORTS OF INTERESTING REGIONAL ISSUES, UM, AS A METROPOLITAN AREA.
THEY HAVE A, THEY ARE SIMILAR IN SIZE, UM, TO AUSTIN, ALTHOUGH THEIR STATE'S A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
BUT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING HOW MUCH WE HAD IN COMMON, UM, AND TO LEARN A LOT FROM THEM.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I NOTICED AND APPRECIATED WAS THAT IN EVERY SINGLE SESSION WE TALKED IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND IT'S IMPORTANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT WAS TIP ON ENTIRELY EVERY TIME SOMETHING THAT WAS BEING BROUGHT UP BY OTHER LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO NOT ONLY WERE WE EDUCATING AND BEING EDUCATED ABOUT THE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, BUT THOSE WERE BEING HIGHLIGHTED BY OTHER LOCAL LEADERS, WHICH WAS REALLY GREAT TO SEE.
SO WE HAD A, A, A VERY VALUABLE VISIT, AND I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS CAME BACK HOME REINVIGORATED AND READY TO TAKE WHAT WE LEARNED AND PUT IT TO USE HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, YESTERDAY WE HAD A FANTASTIC CAP METRO FAMILY FUND DAY.
UH, MANY THANKS TO, UM, BOARD MEMBERS WRITTEN TO R IN STRATTON WHO WERE, UM, ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT AND JOIN US.
IT WAS A BIT WARMER THAN WE HAD BEEN HOPING FOR ON THE LAST SUNDAY IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENT.
WE HELD IT AT THE LONG CENTER, UM, AND WE RECOGNIZED NEW INDUCTEES TO OUR HALL OF FAME.
UM, UH, A COUPLE OF FORMER EMPLOYEES, JACKIE NYBERG, UM, WHO WAS OUR, UH, DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, AND CASSANDRA LEE, WHO WAS A 37 YEAR BUS OPERATOR THAT RETIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
UM, BOTH OF THEM FANTASTIC EMPLOYEES AND, UM, MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS
[04:30:01]
TO CAPITAL METRO OVER THE YEARS.WE WERE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
AND THEN WE ALSO RECOGNIZED TWO COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OVER THE YEARS.
UM, CREATIVE ACTION, UM, FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO HELP US BRING CHILDREN'S ART TO OUR ELECTRIC BUS FLEET AND WITH OUR MOST RECENT PURCHASE OF BUSES, UM, AT A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE FOR A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES THAT THEY'VE SUPPORTED US ON, BUT MOST NOTABLY THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR APARTMENT AND HELPING, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY'S VOICE IN THAT EFFORT.
UM, WE ALSO, THIS YEAR BEGAN, UM, AWARDS OF, UH, INTERNAL PEER TO PEER RECOGNITION AWARDS.
SO THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, WE ASKED, UM, OUR PEERS TO, UH, NOMINATE FOLKS THAT THEY BELIEVE SHOWED OUTSTANDING, UM, DEMONSTRATION OF OUR CORE VALUES OF EQUITY, SAFETY, INNOVATION, TRANSPARENCY, AND SUSTAINABILITY.
UM, AND SO 28 INDIVIDUALS WERE RECOGNIZED YESTERDAY BASED ON THE NOMINATIONS OF THEIR PEERS AND THE SELECTION OF AN INTERNAL GROUP, UM, FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK IN HELPING US UPHOLD THOSE CORE VALUES.
SO ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
MINI KUDOS TO SAM ALEXANDER, UM, AND HER WHOLE TEAM FOR PULLING TOGETHER A FANTASTIC EVENT.
WE COULD NOT DO IT WITHOUT THEM.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
HEARING NONE, I WILL QUICKLY, UH, SAY THAT THAT'S THE, THAT IS THE END OF OUR, OF OUR PUBLIC ISSUES FOR TODAY, AND WE'RE GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE
[IX. Executive Session of Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code]
SESSION WITH NO EXPECTED ACTION WHEN WE, UH, RETURN EXCEPT TO ADJOURN.AND WE'RE GOING INTO EX EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 5 51 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, SECTION 5 51 0.074 FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE PRESIDENT AND CEO SEARCH PROCESS.
OH, AND IT IS, UH, WE'LL CLOSE THIS MEETING OUT AT FOUR, UH, F OKAY.
EXECUTIVE SESSION ENDED AT FIVE 17.
THAT IS, UH, ALL, UH, THE BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE, UH, TO CONDUCT TODAY.