[00:00:03]
[I. Call to Order]
ALL RIGHT, ONE MORE MEMBER.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THE MAY MEETING OF THE CAP METRO, UH, BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
WE ARE HERE IN THE NEW ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM AT CAP METRO FOR OUR FIRST FULL BOARD MEETING IN THIS NEW SPACE.
THE TIME IS NOW 1207 AS I CALL US TO ORDER.
[II. Recognition]
ITEM TODAY WILL BE TO INTRODUCE SOME OF OUR OUTSTANDING BUS OPERATORS AND MECHANICS, AND TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR RECENT PERFORMANCE AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL BUS RODEOS.I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR VP OF BUS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, MR. TURPIN, IS HERE TO KICK US OFF FOR THAT.
CAN YOU KICK US OFF, SIR? YES.
UH, CHAIRMAN TRAIAN, CEO WATKINS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, AND OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, TODAY IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY, AND WHAT A BETTER PLACE TO INAUGURATE, UM, OUR NEW, UH, UH, BOARDROOM.
SO IF I COULD TAKE A MINUTE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAME FROM AS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
UH, OR A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AGO.
AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS NATION WENT THROUGH, UH, A PANDEMIC OF EPIC PROPORTIONS.
AND AS ALL, UH, TRANSIT AGENCIES WENT THROUGH, NOT EVEN KNOW, UNDERSTANDING OR REALIZING, UH, WHERE WE WERE GOING TO BE, UM, DURING THAT TIME.
AND A LOT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AND THE FOLKS THAT I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE TO YOU HERE, UH, WERE INVOLVED WITH THAT, WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR, THEIR JOB, AND A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE UP IN THE AIR.
AND, UH, AND LIKE A PHOENIX THROUGH THE ASHES, UM, CMTA PULLED THROUGH.
WE HAD A GAME PLAN, UM, AND WE NEEDED A VENUE TO CELEBRATE THAT.
AND LIKE MANY OF TRANSLA AGENCIES ACROSS THE LAND, WHAT WE DO AND UTILIZE IS WHAT WE CALL A RODEO.
UM, AND THIS IS A TIME WHERE WE GOT TO RECONNECT, TO GIVE BACK TO OUR ROOTS AND TALK TO OUR, OUR, OUR FELLOW PEERS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND, UM, CELEBRATE, UH, OUR OPERATORS AND THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND WHAT THEY DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS IN DRIVING THESE LARGE VEHICLES THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WITH THAT, UM, WE CAME BACK AND WE HAD OUR, OUR, UM, RODEO THIS PAST MARCH.
AND IT WAS JUST A, A TREMENDOUS EVENT, UM, UM, WHERE WE GOT TO RECONNECT WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES AND COMPETE.
AND, AND I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU, UM, SOME EXTRAORDINARY FOLKS HERE THAT ARE WITH US TODAY, AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, UM, UH, TO BRING US BACK TO BEING THE TOP-NOTCH ORGANIZATION.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, IF WE COULD, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU SOME NAMES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT I'M PROUD TO BE WITH AND TO WORK WITH.
UM, AND THEY EXEMPLIFY WHAT CAP METRO IS ALL ABOUT, UH, IN THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR THE RODEO, UM, ON OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM.
UM, UM, WE HAVE WITH US AS JAVIER PEREZ, HE'S BEEN THERE OVER A YEAR.
AND, UH, UM, A TRULY EXEMPLARY AND A AND AN UP AND COMING SUPERSTAR FOR US ON THE MAINTENANCE SIDE.
UH, KEVIN MIRANDA, ALSO VERY YOUNG IN HIS CAREER AS WELL.
UM, AND THEY WERE A TOP PART OF THE MAINTENANCE TEAM FOR, UH, THE RODEO.
AND THEN THE, UH, CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD, CHICO KTU, WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR 34 YEARS, RIGHT? 34 YEARS OF SERVICE.
UM, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH OF THESE, THIS INDIVIDUAL.
UM, AND, AND THEY WORKED TOGETHER AS THE MAINTENANCE TEAM AS THEMSELVES TO BRING BACK, UH, FOR OUR RODEO.
AND REMEMBER FROM OUR LOCAL RODEO, WE WENT DOWN TO CORPUS FOR, FOR STATE.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S HIGHLY IMPORTANT.
AND THESE ARE THE GEN AND GENTLEMEN SITTING IN THE FRONT ROW WITH YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN ALSO ON THE BUS SIDE, UM, WE HAVE, UH, ARTURO MARIA, OR WE CALL HIM ARTHUR.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA TALK TO MORE ABOUT ARTURO IN A MINUTE.
AND THEN PEDIO, UH, RIVER RIVERA OR PETE, UM, HE'S ALSO HERE.
AND BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN, RIGHT? JUST TWO, LET ME UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE.
THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE A TOTAL YEARS COMBINED HERE AT CAP METRO OF 71 YEARS, LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN.
71 YEARS OF SERVICE, RIGHT? AND OF THAT 71 YEARS, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND THINGS, AND DRIVING THESE BUSES, AND THEY'RE 71 YEARS COMBINED, THEY'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 11 INCIDENTS WITH THEIR VEHICLES.
LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN, 11 INCIDENTS.
[00:05:02]
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT IN THIS TOTALITY, AND WHAT THESE GENTLEMEN UP HERE AND MY, MY BROTHERS IN THE BACK HAVE DONE TO BRING THEIR LIVES, THEIR FAMILY, AND THEIR REPUTATION TO WHAT CMTA IS TODAY, I AM SO PROUD, SO PROUD AND EXCITED, UM, TO HAVE THESE GENTLEMEN HERE TO REPRESENT US IN THE RODEO.AND THEY'RE EVERYTHING, WHICH MEANS THEY REPRESENT THIS WHOLE OPERATION.
SO IF YOU GUYS COULD COME UP, PLEASE, THE GENTLEMEN, AND WE, UH, WHY DON'T WE GO AROUND BOARD AND TAKE A FEW PICTURES, LOVE IT.
SO TO CLOSE OUT AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, UH, FOR EVERYONE, AND THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT IS, IS THESE INDIVIDUALS, WE WON THE STATE RODEO.
SO, UM, AGAIN, THEIR EFFORTS AND WHAT THEIR, THEY DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, UM, SYMBOLIZES, UM, OUR PROFESSIONALISM AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE AT CAP METRO, AND I, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, UM, FOR THESE FOLKS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR.
THIS WAS OUR FIRST TIME BACK, RIGHT? SO THEIR EFFORTS AND WHAT THEY HAVE DONE IS GONNA JUST PUSH TO THE, OUR NEW FOLKS AND OUR BUDDING STARS WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A RODEO.
AND, UM, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY AND WE HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION TO THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR NEXT ROOM.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU COME OUT AND REPRESENT WITH US AS WELL.
AND WE MIGHT COME AND VISIT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'D BE RODEOING THERE.
I THINK THAT IT, IT IS, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A NEW GENERATION REPRESENTING US, BUT THAT THEY ARE MENTORED AND TRAINED BECAUSE WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A SKILLS ASSESSMENT.
THEY DON'T JUST GIVE YOU AN AWARD.
YOU HAVE TO GO AND DO THINGS BETTER THAN OTHER FOLKS DO.
BUT IT IS ALSO, UM, AN HONOR TO, UH, TO WORK WITH STAFF THAT CARE ENOUGH ABOUT US TO STAY 30 PLUS YEARS.
UH, THAT SAYS A LOT, HOPEFULLY, ABOUT THE COMPANY ITSELF.
AND HOPEFULLY THAT IS A CULTURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BUILD, THAT WE ARE THE TYPE OF ORGANIZATION THAT FOLKS WANT TO SPEND 30 PLUS YEARS WITH.
UH, THAT'S A RARE THING IN, IN THIS GENERATION.
AND, AND IT'S A RARE THING, UM, IN THE, IN THE, UH, COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE THIS THE TYPE OF PLACE YOU WANT TO STAY.
ANYBODY ELSE? DID I, DID I MISS ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT.
LET'S, UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[III. Public Comment (Part 1 of 2) ]
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP WITH US IN ADVANCE.AND, UH, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU'RE WITH US, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF IF YOU'RE ONLINE OR COME TO THE PODIUM IF YOU'RE HERE WITH US IN THE ROOM.
UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE MS. SUSAN PANTEL.
SO NOW I HAVE TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT PLACE IN THE ROOM THERE.
UH, MS. PANTEL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? UM, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE PROCESS FOR SELECTING THE INITIAL PROJECT CONNECT SEGMENT.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ATP IS GOING TO RELEASE THEIR PROPOSAL TOMORROW, BUT THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY
[00:10:01]
THAT CAPITAL METRO OR CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC IS ON JUNE 6TH, WHICH IS THE SAME DAY THAT YOU'RE MAKING THE DECISION.SO, IF THE PUBLIC HAS A NUMBER OF CONCERNS, IF THERE'S CONTROVERSY, YOU WILL ONLY HAVE AN HOUR OR TWO
AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FROM READING THE, UH, CUSTOMER WITHOUT, UH, INPUT REPORT.
THERE ARE A COUPLE AREAS OF POTENTIAL CONTROVERSY.
ONE IS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THEY STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE INITIAL SEGMENT SHOULD GO TO THE AIRPORT.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALSO SAID THAT THEY STRONGLY FEEL THAT THE INITIAL SEGMENT SHOULD NOT GO TO THE AIRPORT BECAUSE THEY WANT HIGHER RIDERSHIP.
ANOTHER CONTROVERSY IS THAT MANY PEOPLE WANT THE, THE LINE TO GO FURTHER SOUTH, SOUTH OF
THERE ARE ALSO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT THE LINE TO NOT GO SOUTH AT ALL, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE RIDERSHIP IS LOWER.
IF YOU GO, UH, SOUTH OF THE R RIVER, THE HIGHER RIDERSHIP IS NORTH OF THE RIVER AND ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU WHAT HAPPENED IN 2014 WHERE THE, UH, CABINET BOARD UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE PROPOSAL.
CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE PROPOSAL, AND THE, AND THE CITIZENS VOTED IT DOWN, AND WE'VE LOST SIX YEARS, THEN WE REALLY, REALLY DON'T WANNA REPEAT THAT.
SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, FOR YOU TO, UH, THINK AHEAD OF TIME ABOUT THESE POTENTIAL CONTROVERSIES AND HOW YOU MIGHT WORK IT THROUGH SO THAT THE, THE COMMUNITY WILL SUPPORT WHATEVER YOU VOTE FOR.
FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THE SEGMENT THAT I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR FROM THE BEGINNING IS CRESTVIEW STATION TO YELLOW JACKET.
I THINK THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE FROM RIDERSHIP AND FOR THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY AND THE BUDGET ESTIMATES THAT THEY RECENTLY PUT OUT, SHOW THAT THAT WOULD FALL WITHIN THE BUDGET IN THE LOWER RANGE OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATE.
IT WOULD FALL OUTSIDE OF THE BUDGET AT THE HIGHER END OF THE, OF THE BUDGET ESTIMATE RANGE.
BUT IT'S SO CLOSE THAT I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT, BECAUSE THE, THERE'S A VERY HIGH RIDERSHIP AT THAT INTERSECTION WITH THE RED LINE AT CRESTVIEW STATION.
IF YOU DON'T EXTEND IT TO THE CRESTVIEW STATION, YOU'LL MISS THAT BIG CIRCLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIDERSHIP MAP, YOU'LL MISS THAT BIG POTENTIAL RIDERSHIP CONNECTION.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DECISION AND A VERY MUCH SUPPORT MOVING FORWARD WITH, WITH PROJECT CONNECT.
UM, DID YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THE PROCESS? YEAH.
UM, THIS IS DOTTIE WATKINS, PRESIDENT AND CEO E O FOR CAT METRO.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY ON THE PROCESS QUESTION THAT YOU STARTED WITH, UM, THE ATTP BOARD IS ACCEPTED, IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE AND DELIBERATE ON THE RECOMMENDATION AT THEIR MEETING THIS WEEK, ON THE 24TH.
UM, THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO RECEIVE THE SAME INFORMATION, UM, PUBLICLY AT THEIR WORK SESSION ON MAY 30TH.
UM, THE CAPITOL METRO BOARD WILL HOLD A WORK SESSION TO RECEIVE THE SAME INFORMATION ON FRIDAY, JUNE 2ND.
SO ALL THREE BODIES WILL HEAR AND DELIBERATE ON THE ISSUES BEFORE THE JUNE 6TH MEETING.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CALL THOSE TO THE ATTENTION, UM, OF EVERYONE LISTENING THAT THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO IF YOU GO TO EACH OF OUR RESPECTIVE WEBSITES, YOU'LL SEE THE POSTINGS FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, TO, TO SEE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, MS. MS WA, MS. WATKINS, WILL THERE BE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK AT EITHER THE CAP METRO WORK SESSION OR THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WON'T BE.
I UNDERSTAND, UH, NOT AT A WORK SESSION.
THE WORK SESSION IS NOT A PLACE WHERE THEY WILL RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE CITY ON JUNE 6TH.
UH, JUNE 6TH WILL BE THE TIME TO, UH, TO SPEAK TO, UH, CITY COUNCIL, OTHER REPRESENTATIVES, YES, IN THE TRI-PARTY MEETING.
SECOND PERSON THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS MAY, TAYLOR, MAY TAYLOR, AND I THINK SHE'LL BE REMOTE AS WELL.
UM, ARE YOU WITH US? YES, I AM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YOU, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
SO YEAH, MY NAME IS MAY TAYLOR.
UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE MUELLER OR MILLER NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON A LETTER THAT WAS RECENTLY APPROVED BY OUR GENERAL MEMBERSHIP, UM, THAT PERTAINS TO THE PROPOSED AUGUST, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.
[00:15:01]
REALLY PERTAINS TO THE LACK OF SUBSTANTIAL PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES, UM, AS WELL AS TO THE DELAY IN IMPLEMENTING THE METRO RAPID ROUTE THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.UM, I THINK YOU EITHER HAVE OR SOON WILL RECEIVE THIS LETTER BY EMAIL.
I'M NOT GONNA HAVE TIME TO SPEAK TO ALL OF IT TODAY.
I'M GONNA FOCUS ON THE PART THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE SERVICE CHANGES.
UM, AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE REST OF IT, UM, ABOUT OUR REQUESTS REGARDING STOP AMENITIES.
UM, SO SPECIFICALLY, UM, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT LOCAL ROUTE 3 35.
UM, THIS ROUTE RUNS CROSSTOWN FROM MUELLER TO EXPOSITION BOULEVARD.
AND BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, IT WAS PART OF A HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTE NETWORK WITH SERVICE EVERY 15 MINUTES, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
IT FIRST WAS INTRODUCED IN 2018, UM, BUT FOR MORE THAN YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF NOW, THE 3 35 HAS BEEN ON LIKE A TEMPORARY REDUCTION IN SERVICE.
WE'VE ONLY HAD 30 MINUTE FREQUENCIES INSTEAD OF 15 MINUTES.
AND WHEN THIS CHANGE WAS MADE IN SEPTEMBER, 2021, UM, YOU PROBABLY RECALL THAT MANY OTHER HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTES AROUND THE CITY WERE ALSO AFFECTED.
UM, IT WAS DESCRIBED AS JUST BEING A TEMPORARY THING, UM, DUE TO DRIVER AND MECHANIC SHORTAGES.
BUT BY NOW, FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW, ACTUALLY, ALL THE OTHER AFFECTED ROUTES HAVE HAD THEIR SERVICE RESTORED.
UM, BUT THE 3 35 STILL HASN'T.
UM, BUT THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY KIND OF A FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THIS IS GONNA BE A PERMANENT REDUCTION IN SERVICE.
IT'S NEVER BEEN INCLUDED IN AN ANNOUNCED SERVICE CHANGE.
UM, BUT IT'S BEEN, UM, PULLED OFF THE LIST OF HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTES, AND THE REDUCED SERVICE IS NO LONGER LISTED UNDER ACTIVE SERVICE ALERTS.
SO THIS REALLY RAISES THE QUESTION FOR US, UM, OF WHEN, IF EVER WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE THE PRIOR SERVICE LEVEL RESTORED ON THIS ROUTE.
UM, SO WE REALLY REQUESTED ON THIS NEXT SERVICE CHANGE THAT YOU RESTORE THE 3 35 TO 15 MINUTE FREQUENCIES.
UM, WE THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO ANYWAY, BUT ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE METRO RAPID ROUTES THAT RUN WILL RUN THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD BEING DELAYED UNTIL 2025, UM, PUT IN THE 3 35 BACK TO 15 MINUTE FREQUENCIES WOULD ALSO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF, UM, BUILDING AND SUSTAINING TRANSIT RIDERSHIP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BECAUSE IT FOLLOWS THE SAME PATH THROUGH MUELLER, THAT THE EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY METRO RAPID LINES WILL EVENTUALLY TRAVEL.
UM, IT'S REALLY USEFUL FOR US, UM, WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, BUT AT THE CURRENT 30 MINUTE FREQUENCIES, THE LONG WAIT TIMES REALLY DISCOURAGE ANYONE WHO HAS ANY OTHER OPTION FROM BUYING THE BUS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF US IN MUELLER ARE KIND OF IN THIS MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN, WE'RE NOT QUITE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY CHOICE RIDERS EITHER.
I WOULD THINK OF IT AS BEING TRANSIT RELIANT, WHERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US MIGHT HAVE, UM, MORE, UM, DRIVERS THAN CARS IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, OR WE FREQUENTLY USE BIKING AND WALKING.
UM, WE MIGHT NOT CHOOSE TRANSIT FOR EVERY TRIP, BUT WE REALLY NEED IT AS ONE OF OUR OPTIONS.
UM, AND THESE ARE RIDER WHO, LIKE, IF WE CAN'T RELY ON THE SERVICE, LIKE WE MIGHT STRETCHED TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE, UM, OR KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SWITCH AWAY FROM TRANSIT, UM, MORE THAN WE WOULD WANT TO.
AND WHEN YOU LOSE RIDERS IN THIS WAY, I THINK IT'S HARDER TO GET THEM BACK.
UM, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS 25%, UM, INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT REALLY BENEFITS FROM HAVING HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE.
UM, AND I JUST REALLY URGE YOU TO KEEP US IN MIND, UM, AS PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY, REALLY AFFECTED BY THIS REDUCED SERVICE AND THIS DELAY AND THE METRO RAPID ROUTES.
UM, AND PLEASE READ THE REST OF OUR LETTER TOO.
I, I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON THAT IS SCHEDULED IS ZNO JOSEPH.
MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU ONLINE? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.
MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AS A MATTER OF TRANSPARENCY, ARTICLE 13 TAX MATTERS DISSOLUTION.
IT SPECIFIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5 0 1
AND REGARDLESS OF ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THESE ARTICLES IN CORPORATION ARE THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
THE CORPORATION, QUOTE SHALL NOT DIRECT ANY OF ITS ACTIVITIES TO ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION BY PROPAGANDA OR OTHERWISE.
I SHARE THAT WITH YOU BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AND ASKED FOR THE REVOCATION OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP NONPROFIT STATUS.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, MAYOR KIRK WATSON AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AS WELL, GREG CANAL, HAVE LOBBIED AGAINST HOUSE BILL 38 99, WHICH WOULD PUT THE FOURTH VOTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER TO ISSUE DEBT FOR PROJECT CONNECT THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
AND SO IT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED WHETHER THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE WILL INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER.
BUT I HAVE TOLD COUNSEL AT LEAST
[00:20:01]
TWICE THAT I'VE WRITTEN TO THE I R S AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR AGENDA ITEMS. I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION ACTION ITEM ONE, WHICH IS THE AUGUST, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.AGAIN, I'VE ASKED DOT WATKINS SEVERAL TIMES TO MOVE THE 8 0 1 SOUTHBOUND CHINATOWN STOP, WHICH IS MID-BLOCK TO CVS PHARMACY.
I'M NOT SURE IF SHE PAID ATTENTION, BUT ON THE 18TH OF MAY, ERICA PROFFER FROM KVU DEFENDERS DID A FOLLOW-UP TO DANGEROUS BY DESIGN.
AND ONCE AGAIN, NORTH LAMAR IS NOTED IN THAT REPORT.
IT DOESN'T COST CAPITAL METRO ANY MONEY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED.
IT SHOWS THAT CEO DOTTY WATKINS EARN $357,555, AND WE'RE NOT GETTING A GOOD RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
AND SADLY, MARTIN CARI IN FY 21 EARN $112,000, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, WALKERS AND CANES CAN'T GET ACROSS MIDBLOCK CHINATOWN SAFELY.
AND HE'S DONE NOTHING IN ALL THESE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ASKING TO HAVE THAT STOP MOVE.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO MOVE THE STOP.
THERE'S A LANDING PAD THAT IS STILL AT KRAMER IN NOMAR, AND YOU CAN TURN THAT INTO THE NUMBER ONE STOP AND STILL SERVE US WELL AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO THE CONSENT ITEM, WHICH IS JUST THE MINUTES FROM APRIL 24TH, 2023.
I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR APPIN YOUR ATTENTION.
ONCE AGAIN, IT'S VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.
YOU PAY THE PEOPLE ON THE CSAC COMMITTEE WITH THESE BUS PASSES.
THEREFORE, THOSE OF US WHO SPEAK FOR FREE, NO BUS PASSES, NO COMMUTER, 31 DAY PASS, WE DON'T GET OUR VIEWS IN THE BOARD PACKET.
AND THERE'S BEEN A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY.
YOU'VE NOT SAID WHY YOU ACTUALLY SCRIPT WHAT THEY SAY IN THE CSUN MEETING AND ACCESS, BUT YET YOU ONLY PUT OUR NAMES, I THINK YOU'RE COOKING THE BOOKS.
YOU WANT THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING IS ALL WELL AND GOOD AT CAPITAL METRO, WHEN IN FACT, YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT YOU HAVE 20 MILLION FROM MACAL STATION, AND HERE WE ARE ONCE AGAIN ASKING FOR YOU TO RESTORE 3 92 BACK TO THE TARGET.
IT'S NOT GONNA COST 20 MILLION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'LL LASTLY JUST ASK YOU TO PLEASE MOVE THE BENCH.
THERE'S A SHELTER ON THE 2 43 SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH ACTUALLY IS BY, UH, AN ABANDONED, UM, HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT AND PUT IT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND I JUST LASTLY WILL TELL YOU, UH, RESPECTFULLY, MR. CHAIR, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE MEMOS IN THE FOUR PACKET, BUT ON PAGES 70 AND 71, UM, IS THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE SELLING THE BUS PASSES, ESPECIALLY AT REPUBLIC SQUARE.
SO I WOULD JUST URGE YOU TO MAKE THE SYSTEM FREE FOR EVERYBODY AS OPPOSED TO MAKING THOSE ELDERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING PAID BECAUSE THE 20 SOMETHING YEAR OLDS SAY THEIR STUDENTS AND THE DRIVERS CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND IT MAKES FOR AN UNFAIR SYSTEM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND APOLOGIZE FOR MY VOICE, BUT I GUESS IT'S ALLERGIES.
THANKS, CHAIR TRAIAN, I, I KNOW THE DIAS MUST BE A LITTLE CONFUSED OVER THE STATEMENT THAT THE MAYOR HAD, UM, LOBBIED AGAINST HOUSE BILL 38 99, AND I JUST WANTED TO ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID NOT LOBBY AGAINST HOUSE BILL 38 99.
UM, THE CITY DID SUPPORT SOME AMENDMENTS TO THAT BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ENSURED THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE ON PROJECT CONNECT THIS NOVEMBER.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL WERE, WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT.
THE NEXT PERSON WHO'S SCHEDULED TO SPEAK IS DAVID LEE IS REMOTE.
UM, MR. LEE, ARE YOU WITH US? YES.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT, PLEASE.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID LEE, UM, AND I'M A JUNIOR AT WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AND A RESIDENT OF CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX.
UM, I WANTED TO BRING IT TO ATTENTION.
UM, TODAY, THE MATTER OF YOUTH VOICE IS SOMETHING THAT I'M PRETTY PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN ON THIS MATTER AT THE PROJECT CONNECTS, UH, COMMUNITY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND I THINK THAT THIS MATTER IS PARTICULARLY TIED TO, UM, FUTURE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT CAP METRO MIGHT UNDERTAKE.
AND, UH, TODAY I KIND OF WANTED JUST TO EMPHASIZE THE IDEA OF YOUTH PERSPECTIVE AS PART OF THE COMMUNAL FEEDBACK PRO PROCESS, UM, FOR PROJECTS.
UM, BECAUSE GIVEN THAT MANY PROJECTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE, UM, COMPLETED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, UM, IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT MANY OF ITS PERSPECTIVE WRITERS ARE SITTING IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AROUND THE CITY.
[00:25:01]
UM, THESE ARE YOUTH RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE OR STILL IN COLLEGE.YOU NEED SOME WAY TO GET TO AND FROM WORK OR SCHOOL WITHOUT A CAR.
UM, THESE PEOPLE WILL BE TRANSIT DEPENDENT, UM, ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SUCH AS, UM, THE BUS OR THE TRAIN.
UH, AND THE FUTURISTIC NATURE OF MANY, UH, OF THESE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS SUCH AS THE LIGHT RAIL, FOR EXAMPLE, NECESSITATE, UM, THIS KIND OF PERSPECTIVE OF YOUTH WHO ARE THE FUTURE OF THE CITY.
UM, AND THIS IS EVEN MORE TRUE FOR YOUTH WHO ARE LIVING IN MARGINALIZED OR WHO ARE LIVING IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE LIVING IN, UH, BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
UH, IF WE'RE TRULY CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BY ENGAGING YOUTH EARLY ON IN, UH, THEIR JOURNEY AND IN PARTICULAR TARGETING, UM, MARGINALLY OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES.
AND I HOPE THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT I'VE SAID TODAY ARE THINGS THAT, UM, CAT METRIC CAN TAKE INTO FURTHER CONSIDERATION MOVING FORWARD.
UM, AND, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION, UM, THAT, AND I, SORRY, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT I'M HERE, UM, WITH ARNOLD TARI, A FRIEND OF MINE AND A FELLOW YOUTH WHO SHARED A SIMILAR PERSPECTIVE WITH ME ABOUT YOUTH ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THE BOTH OF US ARE JUST, I THINK, TEST GOOD TESTIMONIES AS TO, UM, THE POWER OF YOUTH VOICE AND, UM, THE CHANGE MAKING POTENTIAL THAT IT CAN HAVE.
UM, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT TODAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD.
UH, WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED IN, WHO'VE GOT THE MAYOR FOR, UH, FROM LEANER.
UM, I WANTED TO START OUT BY CONGRATULATING YOU ON THE NEW BOARDROOM.
AND WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO DO THE PEOPLE'S WORK.
I LOVE THE NEW ACCESS, AND IT JUST FEELS GOOD NOT GOING UPSTAIRS AND THROUGH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION IN THE BUILDING.
I WANTED TO THANK YOUR STAFF FOR OUR RECENT BUILD, CENTRAL TEXAS DISCUSSIONS.
WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR PARTNERSHIP, AND WE LOVE WHERE WE'RE AT AND HOW DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO SEND A BIG THANKS TO YOUR STAFF FOR HOW EVERYBODY MOBILIZED RECENTLY TRYING TO FIND ASSISTANCE FOR ONE OF OUR MOBILITY CHALLENGE RESIDENTS LIVING OUTSIDE OF THE SERVICE ZONE.
IT WAS REALLY HEARTWARMING AND BIG THANK YOU TO DOTTY AND EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN SO HELPFUL LATELY WITH ALL OF OUR, OUR MANY LEANDER ISSUES.
SO, UH, BUT USUALLY I'M UP HERE A LITTLE MORE FORMAL ASKING FOR EXPANSIONS, AND TODAY IT'S A LAID BACK DAY BECAUSE TODAY I'M NOT GOING TO ASK FOR ANYTHING.
I'M GOING TO INVITE Y'ALL OUT.
UM, SCHOOL'S GETTING OUT, THE SUN IS SHINING.
AND I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO A FEW EVENTS WE HAVE COMING UP.
SO ON SATURDAY, JUNE 17TH AT BLEDSO PARK, FROM FIVE TO 9:00 PM IS OUR JUNETEENTH BLOCK PARTY.
OUR THEME IS ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.
AND LIBERTY FEST, WHICH IS TYPICALLY OUR 4TH OF JULY SHOW, UH, THIS YEAR, HAS BEEN MOVED TO MONDAY, JULY 3RD.
SO HOPEFULLY Y'ALL DON'T HAVE PLANS, UH, AND YOU CAN COME JOIN US AT DIVINE LAKE PARK.
PARK OPENS AT SIX WITH FIREWORKS AT NINE 30.
I RECOGNIZE IT CAN BE HARD TO SEE ALL OF THE AREAS YOUR BOARD COVERS, BUT THESE ARE BOTH OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE THE TRAIN UP, HOP ON THE PICKUP SERVICE, AND COME OUT TO THE FESTIVALS AND VISIT THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU, UH, WORK SO HARD FOR ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU WANNA EMAIL ME IN ADVANCE THAT YOU'RE ATTENDING, MY EMAIL IS MAYOR@LEANDERTX.GOV.
IT'S SUPER DIFFICULT TO REMEMBER.
UM, I'LL BE HAPPY TO PERSONALLY ESCORT YOU AROUND AND INTRODUCE YOU TO RESIDENTS AND STAFF, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL AT OUR EVENTS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND PRESENTING TODAY.
ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT PERSON THAT SIGNED IN IS SARAH BLACK.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
MY NAME'S SARAH BLACK, AND I THINK MY COMMENTS ARE REGARDING ALSO ITEM 4.2, THE ACCESS ADVISORY BOARD, AND ALSO THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO TRAVEL.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW STOP 5 5 58 AT 6,200 LOYOLA HAS NO CORRESPONDING STOP ACROSS THE STREET.
UM, THE NEAREST STOPS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ARE ALMOST THE QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY EACH.
AND RESIDENTS HAVE ASKED ME, AND WE'VE CALLED CAPITAL METRO BEFORE, ASKING FOR A BUS STOP TO BE ACROSS THE STREET FROM STOP 5 58.
AND WE WERE TOLD THERE HAS TO BE A, A LIGHT AND A CROSSWALK ALSO, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE COORDINATED.
BUT, UM, THAT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT WE STARTED ASKING FOR THIS.
UH, MY FRIEND LIVES AT THAT ADDRESS AND HE'S
[00:30:01]
DISABLED, AND THIS, THAT'S THE ACCESS.AND SO HE HAS TO RIDE THE 3 37 ALL THE WAY AROUND TO THE END OF ROUTE, WHICH IS STOP, UM, AT, AT DECKER AND LOYOLA.
AND THEN HE COMES BACK THE OTHER DIRECTION SO THAT HE CAN HAVE A SHORTER WALK.
AND SO IT WAS SURPRISING TO SEE, FOR ME TO FIND OUT LAST WEEK THAT THE BENCHES, THE SEATING WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM THAT IN ROUTE STOP AT LOYOLA DECKER ON CAPITOL METRO THAT STOPPED 61 83 BOTH STOPS AT, UM, DECK AND LOYOLA THE ONE AT, AT, UM, 6 180 3, AND THE ONE ACROSS THE STREET, ALL THE SEATING WAS TAKEN AWAY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY WRONG BECAUSE I USED TO LIVE IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
AND PEOP YOU KNOW, THE BUS DRIVER TOLD ME, OH, IT'S CUZ PEOPLE SMOKE AND DRINK, WHATEVER.
BUT I LIVED IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN AND PEOPLE WERE SMOKING AND DRINKING AND THOSE STOPS WEREN'T TAKEN AWAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHY IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN ARE YOU TAKING AWAY STOPS? AND THE ONLY OTHER TIME I SAW STOPS TAKEN AWAY WAS WHEN I VISITED THE CARVER LIBRARY AND THERE'S A STOP NEAR CHICON, AND THAT'S THOSE THAT SEATING DISAPPEARED.
THAT'S JUST, I MEAN, WHY ARE THESE NEIGHBORHOODS BEING TARGETED? UM, SO I DON'T AGREE WITH ALL ANYWHERE SEATING BEING TAKEN AWAY BECAUSE MAYBE SOMEBODY SMOKED OR DRINKS AT THAT BUS STOP BECAUSE MY FRIEND'S NOT DRINKING AND SMOKING.
I'M NOT SMOKE, DRINKING AND SMOKING.
AND THAT AREA, THE, THE STOP, THE, THE BUS THAT GOES IN THAT AREA, THAT AVERAGE AGE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS 58 YEARS OLD.
SO THOSE PEOPLE NEED THEIR SEATING.
I WANT MY SEATING, MY FRIEND NEEDS A SEATING.
PLEASE RETURN THAT SEATING AND PLEASE PUT THAT BUS STOPS IN FOR HIS, ALSO HIS APARTMENT ACROSS FROM 6,200 LOYAL.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR COMING AND CHAIR PRESENTING.
UH, UM, LET ME GET, UM, UM, BOARD MEMBER VE AND THEN I'LL COME TO YOU NEXT.
WHAT, UH, WHAT WAS THE LINE AGAIN? WHAT BUS STOP LINE WAS THAT? IT COVERS? WELL, 61 83.
IT HAS A 3 37, THE 2 33, THE 2 37.
SO IT'S MULTIPLE, UH, STOPS AT THAT.
HEY, BOARD, UM, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
UM, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, IN LIGHT OF THE EXERCISE THAT WE WENT THROUGH, UH, REGARDING OUR, UH, SERVICE STANDARDS AND AMENITY STANDARDS FROM LAST WEEK, UM, MIGHT I, UH, SUGGEST YOUR DIRECT, UH, UH, PRESENT C E O WATKINS, UH, PERHAPS TO, TO, TO HAVE STAFF MAYBE, UM, UH, GET WITH THIS WOMAN AND MAYBE CIRCLE BACK AROUND IF NOTHING ELSE WITH THE OPS COMMITTEE.
I'M, I HAVE TO SAY IF I, I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED IF I'M HEARING THAT WE WERE REMOVING BENCHES FROM STOPS.
UM, BUT THERE, THERE'S, IT IS LIKE, WELL, THERE MAY BE THERE, THERE, THERE MAY BE SOMETHING, SOMETHING ELSE IN THE REST OF THE STORY AND THAT SOMETHING'S JUST NOT BEING COMMUNICATED EFFECTIVELY TO YOU AS THE RIDER AND TO OTHER RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO MAYBE IF, UH, DOTTIE, YOU AND STAFF COULD CIRCLE BACK WITH HER AND MAYBE WITH US AS THE BOARD AND, AND KIND OF LET US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND MAYBE TO THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND THAT STOP, THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP IS RUBEN BROOKS.
FIRST TIME SPEAKING IN THIS NEW CONFERENCE ROOM.
UM, SOME OF YOU WHO KNOW ME ALSO KNOW THAT I'M A DATA NERD.
I BELIEVE THAT DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PUBLIC DECISION MAKING.
AND SO I WAS VERY PLEASED WHEN THE DASHBOARD WITH DATA DASHBOARD WAS ADDED TO THE CAP METRO SITE, IT MEANT THAT I NO LONGER HAD TO RELY ON KINDLY HEARTED CAP METRO STAFF, OR ON PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS TO GET THE DATA I WANTED TO LOOK AT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE LATEST RELEASE OF THAT DASHBOARD SEEMS TO ME A BIG STEP BACKWARDS AMONGST OTHER THINGS.
IT NO LONGER SHOWS, ALLOWS YOU TO ACCESS THINGS ON A MONTHLY BASIS, BUT ONLY GIVES PER ROOT DATA ANNUALLY, WHICH IS KIND OF USELESS IN NOW WHEN THINGS ARE CHANGING SO RAPIDLY TO FIND
[00:35:01]
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.ALSO, DISTRESSING WAS THAT THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PROCESS FOLLOWED IN GAINING THE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY IN WHAT DATA SHOULD BE PROVIDED ON THOSE DATA SITES.
I KNOW OF ONLY ONE PUBLIC MEETING AT THE CSC THAT THEY DEVELOPMENT CREW ATTENDED, AND NO OTHERS.
UH, IF YOU'VE DONE THE SAME THING WITH A SERVICE CHANGE, THE LINE OF PEOPLE SPEAKING WOULD GO OUT AND AROUND THE BLOCK.
UM, I REALIZED THESE SITES APPEAL TO A SMALLER PROPORTION OF PEOPLE, BUT STILL BETTER PROCESS WOULD, WOULD HELP A GREAT DEAL IN THIS CASE IN MAKING A VALUABLE RESOURCE MORE VALUABLE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, I HAVE A DATA REQUEST.
UM, WE'VE HEARD DISCUSSION THIS MORNING ABOUT STOPS THIRD CAP MAT OVER 20, CLOSE TO 2,400 STOPS LOCATED ALL OVER THE CITY.
AND VERY LITTLE DATA IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY OF THEM.
LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE BOARDED EACH STOP OR HOW MANY PEOPLE EVEN BOARDED THE TOP 10 STOPS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DATA ADDED TO THE DASHBOARD.
THE DASHBOARD, I THINK, IS A SIGN OF CA NOT ONLY IS IT USEFUL TO PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN PUBLIC DECISION MAKING, BUT IT'S A BIG INDICATOR THAT CAP METRO IS TRYING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE TO BE AN OPEN ORGANIZATION AND TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC WHENEVER IT CAN.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN IT.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
UH, LET'S MAKE SURE HE GETS TO THE PROPER PERSON TO GET THE INFORMATION HE'S LOOKING FOR.
AND, UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS, IS IT SOPHIE? TAYLOR CHERYLN.
UH, WELL, IF SHE IS NOT HERE TO PRESENT, SHE HAS LEFT US A, A, UH, GOOD AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION SO THAT I, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE PASS THIS ON TO YOU.
UH, WHAT ABOUT EMILY SEALS? RIGHT.
PLEASE COME FORWARD THREE MINUTES, PLEASE.
I'M EMILY SEALS, A SOCIAL WORKER AT SUNRISE HOMELESS NAVIGATION CENTER.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'M ALSO HERE TODAY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO SOME OF THE NEW NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS, AND ALSO TO THANK, UM, YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE PERMANENT FREE FARS PROGRAM FOR OUR UNHOUSED AUSTINITES.
FOR OVER FOUR YEARS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADVOCATES AND PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF HOMELESSNESS HAVE WORKED TOWARD THE GOAL OF FREE TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
AFTER CAT METRO MADE A COMMITMENT LAST FALL TO BOTH THE T E F EMERGENCY ALLOTMENT PROGRAM AND A PERMANENT PROGRAM.
MYSELF, PAULETTE, AND OTHERS FROM T H R A AND CHRISTIAN RODRIGUEZ FROM TRINITY CENTER, AND HIS STAFF HAVE MET WEEKLY WITH CAT METRO STAFF AND THE TF CONSULTANTS.
AS ADVOCATES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE HAVE PROVIDED EXPERTISE IN COLLABORATION FOR BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS. WE HAVE CONNECTED MANY SERVICE PROVIDERS TO THE TF EMERGENCY ALLOTMENT PROGRAM, IDENTIFIED AGENCIES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT, FOSTERED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE HM I S TEAM AT ECHO AND INFORMED AND GUIDED PROCESSES, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO CENTER THE UNIQUE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN AUSTIN INTO EVERY CONVERSATION AND DECISION.
WE'RE HERE TO THANK YOU FOR THE EMERGENCY ALLOTMENT PROGRAM WITH T E F SUNRISE.
SUNRISE ALONE WAS GRANTED OVER 75,000, 31 DAY BUS PASSES TO DISTRIBUTE EACH DAY.
OUR FRONTLINE STAFF DISTRIBUTE BUS PASSES THROUGH OUR VARIOUS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING, INCLUDING OUR NAVIGATION CENTER IN SOUTH AUSTIN, OUR MOBILE OUTREACH TEAM THAT WORKS ALL OVER THE CITY WITH UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.
OUR RESEARCH STUDY TEAM, WHICH I'M A PART OF, OUR WELLNESS TEAM AND OUR HOUSING TEAMS, THE BUS PASSES WE PROVIDE OUR CLIENTS ARE A LIFELINE TO MEDICAL, MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS, JOB INTERVIEWS, SOCIAL SECURITY APPOINTMENTS, APARTMENT SEARCHES, HOUSING APPOINTMENTS, AND IT GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEIR SUPPORT SYSTEMS. IT PROVIDES PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO OBTAIN FOOD, CLOTHING, SHOWERS, INCLEMENT WEATHER, SHELTER, AND OTHER LIFE SUSTAINING RESOURCES.
BEFORE THE TF EMERGENCY ALLOTMENT PROGRAM, SUNRISE ONLY WAS ABLE TO GIVE OUT ONE DAY BUS PASSES.
UM, AND THE NEED FOR THAT TRANSPORTATION HAD TO BE CONFIRMED AND VERIFIED.
THE PROCESS WAS CUMBERSOME, TIMELY, AND DEGRADING TO BOTH STAFF AND CLIENTS.
AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO ASSURE THAT ANYONE NEEDING TRANSPORTATION CAN ATTAIN A 31 DAY BUS PASS.
ONE OF OUR STAFF AT SUNRISE EXPLAINED THE, DUE TO THE LONG WAITS FOR BOTH SHELTER AND HOUSING, BUS PASSES ARE SOMETIMES ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OUR, UM, CLIENTS.
[00:40:01]
AND IT ALSO REALLY STARTS THE PROCESS TOWARDS PEOPLE WORKING TOWARDS THEIR GOALS.UM, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND SEVERAL OF US DID ON, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS ON FRIDAY FROM CHEYENNE KRAUSE WITH CAT METRO.
WE WERE REALLY DELIGHTED ABOUT CAT METRO'S FIRM COMMITMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CAT METRO H M I S INTEGRATION PROGRAM, AND THAT THE PROGRAM WILL NOT INCLUDE A COST SHARING COMPONENT FOR THE SERVICE PROVIDERS.
WE'RE REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT THIS PROGRAM WILL BE FULLY FUNDED.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR WORK WITH CAP METRO STAFF AND TOWARD THE PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH LAUNCHES IN JUNE 8TH, AND THE PERMANENT PROGRAM.
I HOPE OUR COMMUNICATION CONTINUES TO BE TRANSPARENT AND THAT WE'RE ALWAYS CENTERING THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.
I'M THANKFUL THAT WE CAN START CELEBRATING MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS PARTNERSHIP AND THIS COLLABORATION AND CONTINUE, CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF AUSTINITES WHO MOST NEED AND BENEFIT FROM PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
MR. CARTER, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE.
I'M GLAD, GLAD TO BE IN THE NEW, THE NEW BOARDROOM
YOU KNOW, IT'S MY FIRST TIME BACK AND SINCE Y'ALL REMODELED, UM, FIRST OFF, MY NAME IS TONY CARTER.
I'M A TEAM MEMBER WITH T H R A WANTED ORGANIZER, AND I WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THANK Y'ALL FOR LISTENING TO WHAT WE HAD.
YOU KNOW, YOU HELPED US WITH THE, WITH THE BUS PASSES AND STUFF, AND THANK YOU FOR Y'ALL AGREEING ON THE PILOT PROGRAM AND THE PERMANENT PASSES.
YOU KNOW, THAT GONNA BE A BIG HELP TO A LOT OF US THAT IS NOT HOUSED.
I'VE BEEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR OVER FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW.
I'M STILL WAITING, BUT Y'ALL, WITH THOSE HELP ON THOSE PASSES HAVE HELPED ME TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WHERE I NEED TO GO, GET ME TO MY LITTLE JOB AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL AND ALL OF THAT.
AND I'M JUST ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL AND CONTINUE, AND I HOPE WE ALL CAN CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLES OUT THERE THAT REALLY NEEDS THE HELP.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD TODAY.
THE NEXT PERSON IS JJ RAMIREZ.
I'M AN ORGANIZER AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION.
I'M THE ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS AT THE TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
AND LIKE, LIKE TONY JUST SAID, WE SAY THANK Y'ALL FOR, UH, LISTENING TO US, LISTENING TO WHAT OUR FOLKS HAD TO SAY AND COMMITTING TO FUNDING THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE COST SHARING WOULD'VE BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
IT WOULD'VE PUT US BACK INTO, UH, SCARCITY SUPPLY MINDSET.
AND LIKE SOMEBODY HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, BLACK MARKET, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES FROM THE DEMAND AND NOT ENOUGH NEED, RIGHT? BUS PASS, UH, BUYING.
UM, SO HAVING THIS PROGRAM FULLY FUNDED, UM, REALLY ALLEVIATES THAT.
IT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
UM, YOU KNOW, FOOD, SHELTER, UM, EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED JUST TO SURVIVE, RIGHT? AND WE, AS WE SAW ON SOME OF THE DATA THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE, YOU HAD 40,000 RIDES FOR A TIME PERIOD, AND THAT INCREASED TO OVER 200,000 RIDES FOR A SAME, SIMILAR TIME PERIOD.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T AFFORD TO RIDE THE BUS, RIGHT? SO, UM, THIS IS, WE'RE JUST REALLY, REALLY THANKFUL AND LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT THIS PROGRAM REMAINS FULLY FUNDED AND TO MEET ALL THE NEEDS FOR OUR UNHOUSED, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD TODAY.
UH, NEXT PERSON IS BARRY JONES.
UH, HELLO, MY NAME IS BARRY JONES.
AND, UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY A QUICK SHOUT OUT OF GREAT THANKS TO ALL OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, BOTH THE, UH, RETURNING MEMBERS AND THE NEW MEMBERS, UM, UH, FOR THIS HOMELESS FREE RIDE CARD.
UH, MYSELF, I'VE SEEN IT MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE, JUST, JUST THAT I'VE MET.
UM, UM, IT'S GREAT THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BRING IT FORWARD WITHOUT A COST SHARING FEATURE BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THAT THIS, UH, ALLOWS OUR SERVICE, UH,
[00:45:01]
AGENCY LIKE, UH, TRINITY CENTER AND UH, UH, SUNRISE CENTER TO DEDICATE THOSE FUNDS TO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS.AND THEY HAVE MANY IMPORTANT THINGS TO DEDICATE THOSE FUNDS TOO.
BUT MOST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY THANKS FOR, UM, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR COMMUNITY LEADERS WHEN THEY CAME FORWARD WITH A, A PROBLEM, AND, UM, RESPOND TO THAT PROBLEM, UH, AND, AND REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES.
UH, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN ENOUGH.
AND ONCE, ONCE AGAIN, THANKS A MILLION.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD ON, UH, THE NEXT NAME IS, I THINK VERNON JARMAN.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE TIME OUT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE PILOT PROJECTS.
I'M ONE OF TO ASSIST STORIES CUZ I WAS HOMELESS AND I COULDN'T GET AROUND TOWN, COULDN'T GET TO MY DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS.
NOW I'M ABLE TO GET TO MY DOCTOR APPOINTMENT.
I'M TRYING TO GET MY HELP BACK BETTER AND I JUST LIKE TO JUST THANK Y'ALL.
CAUSE WITHOUT Y'ALL HELP, I COULDN'T DO NONE OF THIS.
I COULDN'T FIND NOTHING TO EAT, TAKE SHOWERS.
I WAS ALWAYS A HOUSE, WAS TRYING TO PAY FOR IT.
I SAID, THANK Y'ALL MEMBERS FOR Y'ALL HELP FOR THE POPE PEOPLE.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD TODAY.
LET'S SEE, THIS LAST ONE, UM, I THINK, IS IT SEAN? PERKIN? SEAN? OKAY.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO TRANSLATE THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UH, MY NAME IS SHAMAN PERKIN AND I, UH, AM, UH, UH, WITH T H R A ALSO.
AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED EFFORTS INTO MAKING THIS, UH, HAPPEN, UH, PRODUCTION OF THESE, UH, NEW TICKETS AND STUFF.
UH, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMAIN, UH, AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WITH EACH OTHER.
UH, AND THIS SHOULD BE A FIRST STEP INTO A LARGER, UH, RELATIONSHIP, SO IN THE FUTURE.
AND THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WHO HAS NOT SIGNED UP WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? ANYONE ELSE? PLEASE COME ON, COME FORWARD, YOU TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND YOU'LL, AND, AND, UH, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND IF YOU'LL SIGN THE SHEET JUST FOR OUR RECORDS, UH, BEFORE YOU LEAVE, THAT'D BE GREAT.
A, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY.
I'M AN ORGANIZER AT TEXAS HARM REDUCTION ALLIANCE.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES.
UM, AND WELCOME TO THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, UH, YOU'VE HEARD FROM SEVERAL OF OUR MEMBERS TODAY ABOUT THE, UM, IMMEDIATE MATERIAL BENEFITS, THE WAY THAT THIS PROGRAM HAS ALREADY BEGUN TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE'S LIVES AND BEING ABLE TO ACCESS MEDICAL CARE, HOUSING.
UM, I, ON THE FRONT LINES HAVE SEEN SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE IN, IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE PEOPLE THAT WE SEE DAILY, UM, AND HOW MUCH OF A BIG STEP THIS IS IN, IN REALLY ALLOWING PEOPLE TO START WORKING, UM, TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, PICKING UP THE PIECES THAT THEY NEED TO, TO LIKE MOVE FORWARD.
SO I, I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH.
I THINK JUST BRIEFLY, ONE REQUEST THAT WE HAD, UM, IS WE BELIEVE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, Y'ALL TO SEE THE, THE PROGRESS AND THE POWER BEHIND, UM, THIS, THIS PROGRAM.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, TF AND CAP METRO BEHIND THE SCENES.
YOU HEARD FROM EMILY TODAY, WHO'S A BIG PART OF THAT COALITION IN OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
UM, BUT IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE A ROOM ON YOUR AGENDA FOR THE NEXT MEETING AND SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS TO HEAR UPDATES ABOUT OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH T E F AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR Y'ALL TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM US AND THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THAT REQUEST.
UM, BUT THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THE TIME TODAY.
IF, IF YOU, UH, IF YOU WILL SIGN THE FORM AND THEN, UH, MAKE YOUR REQUEST IN WRITING, THEN WE, UM, THEN WE'LL GET IT TO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF.
IS THAT, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE CROWD OR ADDRESS THE BOARD BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THE TOPIC? I WANTED TO THANK THEM MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TO US TODAY, BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE DILIGENT WORK AND HANDWRINGING AND THINKING, AND RETHINKING AND RETHINKING OF THIS, THESE PROGRAMS FROM SOME OF OUR STAFF.
SO I WANTED TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO, UM, SAM ALEXANDER AND CHEYENNE KRAK, WHO HELPED LEAD THE EFFORT.
EDNA PARRA FROM OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM WHO WORKED VERY HARD ON IT.
[00:50:01]
FROM OUR FINANCE TEAM, WHO HAS PUZZLED THROUGH MORE SPREADSHEETS THAN WE'D LIKE TO, UM, ADMIT.UM, AND I'M SURE I'M LEAVING OUT SOME FOLKS, BUT JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE, THE HARD WORK OF THE STAFF AND THANK THEM FOR, FOR PUTTING THE TIME IN AS WELL.
I THINK, UM, SOMETIMES WE COME UP AGAINST PROBLEMS THAT AREN'T EASY TO SOLVE, BUT I THINK WE HAVE FOUND A WAY TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH A DIFFICULT SITUATION.
AND, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT DATA AND REPORT THAT DATA BACK TO THE BOARD IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE COLLECTIVELY.
SO THANK YOU TO THE STAFF AND, AND, UH, WE ON THE BOARD WOULD, WOULD LIKE TO, UH, TO THANK, UH, OUR CEO AND STAFF AS WELL.
UH, WE HEAR, UH, HUNDREDS OF IDEAS ALL THE TIME, AND THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES, HOW DO WE OPERATIONALIZE THAT IDEA? HOW DO WE MAKE IT WORK, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND FOR THE STAFF WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN? AND, UH, LISTENING TO AND LOOKING AT THE PROFESSIONALISM THAT IS DEMONSTRATED, UH, BY STAFF, UH, IS, IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'M ALWAYS PROUD OF.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, UH, THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF CONTINUE TO DO.
[IV. Advisory Committee Updates]
ARE UP TO OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MS. ORTIZ IS HERE TO INTRODUCE THOSE.AND WE SHOULD START WITH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAIAN, VICE CHAIR, POOL PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT, AND I'M HERE TO PROVIDE THIS MONTH'S COMMITTEE UPDATES.
EDNA BUTTA IS OUT OF THE OFFICE AND COULDN'T BE HERE WITH US TODAY.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT WE HAVE OUR CHAIRS, CHAIR HUNT, CHAIR TAYLOR AND CHAIR FOSTER WITH US TODAY.
AND AFTER MY SUMMARY, I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO THEM.
CHAIRS THIS MONTH, ACCESS AND CSAC MEETINGS WERE ON MAY 3RD AND MAY 10TH.
BOTH COMMITTEES WERE UPDATED ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS PROGRAMED BY BRIAN ROBERTSON AND TRANSIT POLICE UPDATE BY JEREMY BENOIT.
ACCESS RECEIVED A DEMONSTRATION OF THE UPCOMING SPARE SOFTWARE FOR DEMAND RESPONSE WITH JOHN DRINKWATER, WHICH IS OUR SPARE LABS CONSULTANT.
CSAC RECEIVED A COMPLAINT STATISTICS UPDATE WITH BRIAN ALEJANDRO AND MARCELLA WOOD FOR P S A C.
THEY MET IN APRIL TO DISCUSS OUR INPUT PROCESS FOR TRANSIT POLICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH WE IMPLEMENTED THIS MONTH ON MAY 19TH WITH OUR FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INPUT MEETING, JEREMY BENOIT AND LELE PRESENTED MULTIPLE POLICIES AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE SUPPLEMENTAL MEETINGS EVERY OTHER MONTH.
ALSO, AF WE ARE WORKING ON RECRUITING NEW PSAC MEMBERS.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH MR. EASTON TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A FULL LIST OF YOUR APPOINTMENTS AS WELL AS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PSAC APPLICATION PROCESS THAT YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORKS AND ANYONE INTERESTED.
AND THANK YOU TO PETER BRITON FOR COORDINATING AND SUPPORTING PSAC PLUS, OF COURSE, THE OTHER COMMITTEES.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR CHAIRS FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR JOINING US TODAY.
AND I WILL PASS IT ON TO THEM FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
UH, WHICH CHAIR WILL, WILL GO FIRST? OR SHOULD WE JUST CALL ONE? SHOULD WE, UH, START WITH CSAC? LET'S START WITH CSAC.
MR. YOU, MR. TAYLOR MAY HAVE, I THINK MR. TAYLOR MAY HAVE DROPPED OFF.
UH, I GUESS, UH, ACCESS ADVISORY NEXT? YES.
I WAS, I NEVER CAN GET THE CAMERA TILTED JUST RIGHT.
ANYWAY, UM, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN TRAIAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, AND CEO OF WATKINS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, THE ACCESS COMMITTEE, BASICALLY, UM, WE DID RECEIVE REPORTS FROM, UM, THE CUSTOMER, THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS, AND ALSO, UM, THE, THE, UH, NEW POLICE DEPARTMENT AND, AND THE EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT DEMONSTRATION AND, AND TALK ABOUT SPARROW.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
I HAVE SEEN THE PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS OUT IN THE
[00:55:01]
STREETS.I, I SAW ONE OUT THERE, UH, LAST WEEK AT TECH RIDGE, AND I'M, I'VE SEEN OTHERS.
IT'S JUST, JUST AT STOPS AND IT'S REALLY, REALLY NICE TO SEE, UM, THE LEASE DEPARTMENT, IT'S COMING ALONG.
WE'RE, WE'RE JUST GETTING UPDATES ON THAT.
AND, UM, IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT ALL STANDS UP WHEN, WHEN ALL, WHEN THEY ACTUALLY GET CERTIFIED AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH THEY'RE WORKING ON.
UM, WHAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS THE SPIRO, UH, METRO ACCESS, UM, REPLACEMENT SYSTEM.
UM, IT WAS, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF IT.
UM, AND WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME PUBLIC COMMUNICATION THAT THAT RELATES TO IT BECAUSE, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF-BLIND OR NOT, THEY'RE NOT ORGAN, THEY'RE NOT IDENTIFY AS DEAF-BLIND PEOPLE, UH, TO THE DRIVERS, THE OPERATORS.
AND SO, UH, THAT CAUSES THEM TO BE MAYBE LEFT AT TIMES.
UM, MAYBE, UM, THEY DON'T CONNECT AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WE'RE, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT.
AND HOPEFULLY S SPIRIT WILL HELP US WITH THAT AT ALL AS WELL.
UM, OUR COMMITTEE LIKES TO TEST THINGS.
WE LIKE TO TEST, UM, DO IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THINGS.
SO, UM, SOME OF SEVERAL OFFICERS ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN TESTING THE SPAR PILOT.
AND I HAVE BEEN TESTING THE, UM, THE FAIR CAPPING APP THIS MONTH.
IT'S AMAZING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THE PILOT.
UH, I COMMEND YOU GOLFER AND HOW THE IDEA OF FAIR CAPPING, UM, BECAUSE IT MAKES, UM, IT, IT, UM, CAPS THE PHARISEE AND NOBODY PAYS MORE THAN A MONTHLY PASS OR A, A DAILY PASS.
UM, I'M GONNA DO A WHOLE LOT OF BUS RIDING, CUZ I, I WANT THAT $50 GIFT CERTIFICATE.
I WANNA MAKE THE CAP FOR THE MONTH.
SO I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RIDING, UM, AND I'VE BEEN USING A LOT OF FEATURES.
I'VE BEEN USING THE TECH RIDGE PARKING RIDE A LOT.
UH, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB.
UM, HAVE OF MARKING THE, UH, PARDON ME, GET MY PHONE.
SO, UH, YOU'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB AT THE ACCESS COMMITTEE'S REQUEST OF, OF MARKING, UM, THE CROSSWALKS TO TAKE US FROM, UH, UM, A ABC, UH, ABC, UM, DE UH, ACROSS THE PARKING LOTS.
SO TO GET THE OTHERS, UH, PLA UH, BASE, UH, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB LABELING, UH, MARKING THE CROSS, THE, UH, PLACE TO WAIT AT TECH RIDGE BAY E FOR PICKUPS.
AND YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
UM, AND THE, THE BAY SIGNS ARE ACTUALLY, UM, MARTIN IS WORKING ON GETTING THEM BRAILLE.
THEY'RE, I CAN READ THEM BECAUSE I ALSO CAN READ PRINT.
I KNOW WHAT PRINT BUTTERS LOOK LIKE, AND SO I CAN ACTUALLY READ THE BAY SIGNS, BUT SOME PEOPLE CANNOT.
SO MARTIN'S WORKING ON THAT, AND I HAVE TO COMMEND YOU GUYS ON NEXT DEPARTURE.
UM, NOT ONLY CAN I FIND OUT WHEN MY, WHERE MY STOP IS, UM, I FIND OUT WHEN THE NEXT BUS, UH, LEAVES MY STOP.
BUT THIS MORNING I WAS AT, UM, METRIC AND SCOFIELD AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHERE THE STOP WAS GOING NORTH.
AND SO I WAS, WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO IS I WAS ABLE TO LOOK UP IN THAT APP, FIND OUT WHERE THE STOP WAS, AND I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE STOP ON MY OWN.
IT'S BEEN A LOT OF FUN DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF.
UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF WORK SESSIONS WE THINK COMING UP, UH, ONE ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA HELP, UM, PEOPLE ARE DEAF BLIND, AND, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY, THE INFORMATION IDENTIFIES THEM IN THE APP AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND THAT'S GONNA ROLL OUT WITH SPPI.
AND MARTIN AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A WORK SESSION ON ANNOUNCE THE ANNUNCIATORS BECAUSE, UM, WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO US IS TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR TRANSFER POINTS ARE, WHICH WE ALWAYS ANNOUNCE.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO TELL WHERE THE BUS, WHEN THE BUS TURNS, BECAUSE IT HELPS US TO ORIENT OURSELVES WITH THE CITY.
BUT THIRDLY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW WHEN WE GET OFF A BUS STOP, IF IT'S A PEDESTRIAN SAFE CROSSING.
UH, AND FINALLY, UM, THE LADY FROM MUELLER ARE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE NINE, THE, UH, 3 35.
I TAKE THAT BUS, I GO TO CHURCH, UH, I TAKE A GO TO CHURCH AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
DO YOU PROMISE THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE 15 MINUTES AND IT'S 30.
AND I GOT WET YESTERDAY WAITING FOR THAT 30 MINUTES.
UH, BUS WENT BY AS I WAS CROSSING THE INTERSECTION.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A COMMITMENT THAT THE AGENCY MADE AS PART OF HR CONNECT,
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UH, OR, UM, METRO REMAP.AND NOW THAT COVID IS BEHIND US, IT'S TIME TO PUT THAT SERVICE BACK.
QUESTION? ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR.
VICE CHAIR POOL AND, AND C E O PRESIDENT, UH, WATKINS AND THE REST OF THE BOARD.
I'M VICE CHAIR OF PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CURRENTLY ACTING CHAIR UNTIL OUR UPCOMING ELECTIONS IN JUNE.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, I REALLY WANT TO THANK, UM, FORMER CHAIR ADAM POWELL FOR HIS CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND FOR HIS LEADERSHIP IN, UM, FORMING OUR COMMITTEE TO WHAT IT IS CURRENTLY.
UM, I JUST WANNA KEEP THIS SHORT AND SWEET, UM, PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE.
UM, WE ARE HAVING OUR COMMITTEE ELECTIONS IN, IN JUNE FOR CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE, UH, CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING FOR SEVERAL OPEN SPOTS ON OUR COMMITTEE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HA HAVING, UH, OUR FULL COMMITTEE SOON.
UM, FINALLY, JUST SOME COMMENTS ON OUR RECENT, UH, PUBLIC, UM, POLICY SUPPLEMENTARY MEETING LAST WEEK.
UH, I REALLY WANNA THANK CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR ADAM AT, UH, ROBINS AND CAPTAIN, UH, BENOIT FOR THEIR TIME IN EXPLAINING, UM, SOME CRUCIAL POLICIES.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, CONTINUING TO, UH, LOOK AT AND ADVISE ON THOSE POLICIES AS WE MOVE TOWARDS, UH, BUILDING OUR FUNCTIONING POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE ADVISING ON THESE POLICIES AND, UH, MEETING WITH OTHER, UM, COMMITTEES ON THEIR OPINIONS AND, UM, AND THEIR CONCERNS AS, AS WELL AS WE CONTINUE BUILDING THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. ORTIZ.
AND, UH, THAT WILL MOVE US TO OUR, UM, OUR BOARD
[V. Board Committee Updates]
COMMITTEE UPDATES, UM, OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.UM, SHALL SHALL YOU, ARE YOU, ARE YOU PRESENTING OR IS SOMEONE ELSE ON YOUR COMMITTEE PRESENTING? YES, I AM.
UM, UH, CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
UH, THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, MAY THE 17TH.
WE COVERED SIX ITEMS. UH, UH, FIRST WAS APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES.
THE SECOND WAS THE ELECTION OF OUR OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFICIALLY WELCOME AND ANNOUNCE THE BOARD THAT, UH, AND THAT PAGE, ELLIS IS OUR NEW VICE CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS, UH, BOARD MEMBER AND NOW VICE CHAIRMAN, UH, PAGE ELLIS.
AND THEN, UM, WE ALSO, IT'S A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR HER.
AND THEN, UM, WE'RE, WE HAVE, WE'RE CLAPPING HERE.
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S WHY I'M DOING, I'M DOING A ROUND RIGHT HERE.
UM, WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER FOUR ITEMS THAT WE CONSIDERED.
UM, ONE WE OFFICIALLY, UH, RECOMMENDED TO THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UH, APPROVAL OF THE, UM, THE, UH, CHANGES OF THE AUGUST, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES, APPROVAL OF SERVER CHANGES.
AND THAT WILL BE ON THE MAIN AGENDA FOR TODAY.
ALSO, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION, UH, TO E EXTEND THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT AT MACALL STATION FOR, UH, STACY WHIT, JUST ADDING A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, OF, OF FUNDING ONTO THAT AND EXTRA $750,000 TO THE RD, EXISTING 20 PLUS MILLION ON THAT CONTRACT, UM, THAT WE APPROVED.
AND THEN THE OTHER, UM, ITEMS, THE OTHER, UH, TWO ITEMS ON THERE ARE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
WELL, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, SORRY, THAT WAS OUR ACTION ITEMS, OUR PRESENTATIONS.
WE, UH, GOT AN UPDATE ON THE BUDGET CALENDAR AND THEN HAD OUR REGULAR MONTHLY BUS OPERATIONS UPDATE, WHICH I AM PLEASED TO STAY.
WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I JUST, JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE AND BRAG ON OPERATIONS STAFF AND JUST SAY TO DOTTY THAT, THAT, UH, ANDY AND NILES ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB.
AND IT, IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE'RE, WE ARE MOVING ON THE RIGHT TRACK IN TERMS OF HIRING NEW, UM, UH, OPERATORS AND MECHANICS, AND ALSO IN TERMS OF OUR PARTS, UM, I, I FEEL LIKE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING TO WHERE WE'D LIKE TO BE AS WE'VE BEEN, UH, AS WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE, UH, THE, THE, THE PANDEMIC KIND OF, UH, SLUMP THAT WE WERE IN.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING ON BACKTRACK BACK ON TRACK.
AND, UM, THAT WAS THE OPERATIONS PLANNING SAFETY COMMITTEE.
[01:05:02]
THANK YOU.THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN STRATTON, APPRECIATE YOU AND, AND ALSO YOUR VICE CHAIR WHO WAS, UH, PREPARED TO GO FORTH IF NECESSARY.
UM, I WAS, BUT BOARD MEMBER STRATTON DOES A GREAT JOB.
UH, NEXT COMMITTEE, FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION.
UH, THE, UH, FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 17TH OR AT, UH, 10:00 AM.
UH, WE HAD THREE ACTION ITEMS ON THE BOARD OR ON THE, UH, AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 8TH MEETING, UH, THE ELECTION.
AND, UH, THIS FOLLOWS UP WITH, UH, CHAIR STRATTON.
WE, IN TURN, ALSO ELECTED VICE CHAIR AND WANTED TO CON CONGRATULATE, UH, DIANE BANGLE TOOK ON THAT ROLE.
UH, AND THEN WE ALSO APPROVED FOR CONSENT, A AND A MINUTE, A, UM, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT THAT, THAT'S ON THE AGENDA CONSENT AGENDA TODAY.
IN ADDITION, WE HAD, UH, QUARTERLY FINANCIAL UPDATES, UH, FOR, UH, UH, CAP METRO OVERALL, AND ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE 20, UH, 2324 BUDGET CALENDAR.
UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIR, AND, AND, UH, AND MADAME VICE CHAIR WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOU WORKING WITH HIM,
I THINK YOU'RE ALSO UP FOR, UH, THE CAMPO UPDATE.
UH, THE CAMPO TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD MET ON MAY THE EIGHTH.
UH, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL ACTION ITEMS, AND I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT I THINK I'LL JUST HIT THE THREE CRITICAL ONES.
UH, FIRST WAS, UH, WE, UH, AMENDED THE 2045 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED THE APPROVAL IN THE ADDITION OF ALL OF THE IH 35 IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE CONTEMPLATED OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, UH, TO EXPAND AND, UH, WIDEN I 35.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE ALSO APPOINTED, UH, BOARD MEMBER BENGAL, UH, PERMANENT TO A PERMANENT POSITION AS, UH, TO FILL, TO FILL OUT NOW THAT SHE'S FINISHED FILLING OUT THE REMAINING TERM, UH, OF A PRIOR BOARD MEMBER.
AND THEN THE THIRD PRINCIPLE ITEM IS WE ALSO, UH, TOOK ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE CARBON REDUCTION PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD EMPHASIZE TO THE BOARD AND TO THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE LISTING, THIS IS A CRITICAL ELEMENT OF, OF, IN TERMS OF US REMAINING A NON-ATTAINMENT STATUS, UH, FOR, UH, IN THIS AREA, UM, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, UH, PROCEED WITH SOME OF OUR ROAD AND OTHER PROJECTS.
JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT DISCUSSION AS, AS WE TALK, AS WE TALK ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS, PARTICULARLY ON I 35 DOWNTOWN.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UM, WE ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH TECHO AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT SEQUENCE THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN HOW IT'S GONNA IMPACT OUR POTENTIAL ROUTES, AND HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS EASIER AND BETTER ALIGNED.
SO, UH, IF WE CAN, UM, IF WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THOSE THINGS, I THINK WE CAN GET, UM, GOOD WORK DONE.
UH, IT LOOKS LIKE I AM GIVING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP A UPDATE.
UH, A WORK SESSION WAS HELD ON MAY THE EIGHTH, AND WE DISCUSSED THE FIVE, UH, LIGHT RAIL ALIGNMENT ALTERNATIVES.
IT WAS A WORK SESSION ONLY, SO THERE WAS NO PUBLIC COMMENT, UH, AND THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN AS WELL.
UH, DURING THE SESSION, UH, THE BOARD HEARD FROM STAFF AT A T P CAP METRO AND THE CITY REGARDING THE VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES, UH, LOOKED AT THE CHALLENGES AND THEN THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ALIGNMENT.
UH, THE NEXT STEP IS FOR A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING ALTERNATIVES, THAT THAT WILL BE MADE DURING THE NEXT ATP, UH, ATP BOARD MEETING ON MAY 24TH, UH, BEFORE BEING CONSIDERED BY CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO BOARDS IN JUNE.
SO, ATP HAS ALSO PROVIDED NEW DOCUMENTS THAT INCLUDE A COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REPORT.
UH, THEY'RE DETAILING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS CONCERNING, UH, THE ALTERNATIVES THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD.
AND THOSE REPORTS ARE CURRENTLY IN ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS IN BOXES FROM ED EAST EASTON.
AND, UH, THEY'RE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON ATP'S WEBSITE.
AND THAT'LL COMPLETE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP REPORT.
WE WILL NOW CONTINUE ON TO OUR CONSENT
[VI. Consent Items]
UHUH ITEM AGENDA.WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION ON FOUR ITEMS TODAY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SOME CHANGES IN THE TERMS OF CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SO IT, IT'S, UH, IT'S BEEN PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WILL BECOME ITEM NUMBER THREE ON THE ACTION AGENDA.
IT ADDRESSES A PFLUGERVILLE CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT, AND, UH, AND LIKE I SAID, IT, IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO
[01:10:01]
AN ACTION ITEM TODAY.UH, SO I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE CONSENT ITEMS, BUT WHAT I'LL DO IS READ THEM INTO THE RECORD, AND THEN, UH, AFTER I READ THEM INTO THE RECORD, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, UM, TO ACCEPT THE ITEMS AS, AS READ INTO THE RECORD.
ITEM NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 24TH, 2023 BOARD MEETING, UH, CONSENT ITEM NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH RAIL COM LLC, UH, TO PROVIDE RAIL DISPATCH AND MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, HOSTING MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FOR ONE BASE YEAR WITH TWO OPTION YEARS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $771,644.
ITEM NUMBER THREE IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH E A R TELECOMMUNICATIONS LLC FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF DECKER LANE AND COLONY LOOP IN THE AMOUNT OF $423,491 PLUS 15 CENT, UH, 15% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $487,015.
A CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT ITEMS. UH, SO MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER POOL.
UH, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER BANGAL, UH, LET'S, HAS BEEN MOVED PROPERLY.
SECONDED THAT WE ACCEPT THE THREE ITEMS, UH, FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, IS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, LET YOUR APPROVAL BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
AND IF YOU DO NOT APPROVE, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE SAME SIGN HEARING, UH, HEARING ALL APPROVAL.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
SO WE WILL, UH, WE WILL MOVE TO OUR ACTION ITEM AGENDA, WHERE WE HAVE THREE ACTION ITEMS, UH, FOR, UH, TODAY.
UH, THE FIRST ONE WILL BE FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PROPOSED AUGUST, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.
I THINK MR. DEDA WILL BRING IT, BUT LET ME READ IT INTO THE RECORD.
[VII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to implement the August 2023 Service Changes.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OR HER DESIGNEE TO IMPLEMENT THE AUGUST 20, 23, UH, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAIAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND PRESIDENT, C E O WATKINS.
I AM LAWRENCE DIETER, MANAGER OF SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT.
TODAY, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED FALSE SERVICE.
UM, AND ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
JUST A, UH, QUICK REMINDER OF THE, UM, OR MAYBE FOR SOME OF OUR NEWER BOARD MEMBERS.
AN INTRODUCTION TO OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS IS WE WORK AT IDENTIFYING WAYS, UH, TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICE.
WE DEVELOP SERVICE, CHANGE, UH, PROPOSALS.
WE ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, AND WE END THE PROCESS BY DOING WHAT WE WE'RE HERE TO DO TODAY, ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE SERVICE CHANGES.
OUR SERVICE CHANGES OCCUR EVERY WINTER, SPRING, AND FALL.
THIS COINCIDES WITH LOCAL ACADEMIC CALENDARS.
THIS GRAPHIC GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR SERVICE EVALUATION PROCESS WHERE WE WORK TO IDENTIFY ISSUES, UH, REVIEWING, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, EVALUATING, UH, CHANGES, UH, TO DEVELOPMENT OR, UH, KEY DESTINATIONS OR MAYBE OUR STREET NETWORK.
WE LOOK AT BUS CA, UH, PERFORMANCE METRICS ALSO.
WE THEN, THROUGH THAT, DEVELOP, UH, PROPOSALS.
UM, WE EVALUATE THOSE PROPOSALS USING OUR, UM, DATA THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US, SUCH AS ORIGIN AND DESTINATION.
UM, WE LIKE TO, WE WE'RE WORKING ON CONNECTING A NEW, UH, TARGET TRANSIT USER WRITER, UH, EQUITY ANALYSIS.
UH, WE LOOK AT THE COST INVOLVED.
WE ALSO, UH, LOOK IF IT'S A, UH, MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE, AND THEN DO THE COMPLIANCE PORTION REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THINGS SUCH AS THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, UH, THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ALSO YOU, THE BOARD.
UM, IF WE BELIEVE THE PROPOSAL IS SOUND, WE THEN MOVE IT FORWARD TO ASK FOR, FOR APPROVAL.
IF WE BELIEVE IT NEEDS CHANGES, WE KIND OF GO BACK AND, AND RESTART THE PROCESS.
AND THEN THE FINAL PROCESS, PART OF THE, UH, SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS IS TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THE CHANGE, WHICH MEANS
[01:15:01]
UPDATING A LOT OF OUR MARKETING AND OUTREACH MATERIALS, DOING AS STOP OUTREACH TO LET THE, UH, CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGES.UH, BEFORE I GET INTO THE AUGUST, UH, PROPOSED CHANGES, JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYONE OF THE JUNE, UH, SERVICE CHANGES THAT WILL TAKE EFFECT ON JUNE 4TH, UH, COMING UP VERY QUICKLY, UH, THESE MINOR CHANGES ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE THE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE AND, UH, TRANSITION OUR UT ROUTES THROUGH THEIR SUMMER SERVICE LEVELS.
UM, WE ARE PROPOSING TO MAINTAIN OUR, OUR, YOU HAVE VERY APPROVED TO MAINTAIN OUR EXI, OUR EXISTING SERVICE LEVELS.
I WILL JUST COMMENT THAT THESE ARE THE MOST, UH, MINOR OR ROUTINE SERVICE CHANGES IN MY, UH, 10 YEARS AT CAPITAL METRO.
SO NOW FOR THE PROPOSED, UH, AUGUST SERVICE CHANGES, UM, THEY'RE ALMOST THE SAME.
I CHANGED THE PICTURE ON THE SIDE SO THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THESE.
I DIDN'T JUST DUPLICATE THE SLIDE.
UM, BUT THESE ARE THE PROPOSED AUGUST SERVICE CHANGES, AND IT'S BASICALLY JUST THE REVERSE.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION OUR UT ROUTES.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO TRANSITION OUR UT ROUTES, UH, BACK TO THEIR FALL SERVICE LEVELS, UH, CONTINUUM, MINOR SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING TO MAINTAIN THOSE SERVICE LEVELS.
UH, BECAUSE THESE, UH, CHANGES ARE ROUTINE.
WE DID NOT, UH, DO THE FULL, UM, EVALUATION PROCESS THAT WE MENTIONED HERE AT THE BEGINNING, OR MAYBE SOME OF YOU HEARD DURING OUR WORKSHOP.
WE JUST, WE, WE KINDA LOOKED AT SOME MINOR THINGS AS WE DID THIS PROCESS.
UM, SO IF THE BOARD APPROVES THESE CHANGES TODAY, UH, THE, THEY WILL BE IMPLEMENTED ON SUNDAY, JUNE 20TH.
I WOULD NEXT LIKE TO JUST GIVE A QUICK, UH, REGIONAL UPDATE.
UM, OUR REGIONAL PLANNING TEAM WORKS WITH JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE URBANIZED AREA, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL METRO SERVICE AREA.
AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN BUSY UPDATING, UH, TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR BUTTA, UM, PFLUGERVILLE AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE, UM, THERE ALSO, UH, HAVE SOME ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS WITH OTHER REGIONAL PARTNERS THAT, UH, PROVIDE TRANSIT SERVICES.
AND THEN OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UH, IS MEETING WITH ALL MEMBER CITIES TO DISCUSS NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM, UH, TRANS.
I THINK YOU HEARD ABOUT ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS, UH, EARLIER DURING THE BOARD MEETING.
JUST A QUICK, UH, SNEAK PEEK OF LOOKING FORWARD, UM, FOR WINTER, UH, SERVICE CHANGES, WHICH ARE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY, WE ARE PROPOSING TO CONTINUE WITH MINOR SERVICE CHANGES.
WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME PICKUP, UM, UH, PICKUP ROUTE PERFORMANCES, AND WE DO PLAN TO HAVE SOME CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, THE BOARD IN PUBLIC ABOUT THOSE.
OUR NEXT MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE IS PLANNED FOR 2025.
THAT IS WHEN WE START THE NEW, UH, PV AND EXPO METROL RAPID LINES AND MAKE SOME, UM, MAKE SOME COMPLIMENTARY, UH, SERVICE CHANGES THROUGH, UH, CONNECTING ROUTES TO THOSE, UH, SERVICES.
UH, WITH THAT, I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
UM, LOOKING AHEAD TO THE WINTER 2024, WHEN WILL WE EXPECT TO HEAR BACK SOME OF THE ANALYSIS ON THE PICKUP PROGRAM? I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHICH BOARD MEETING THAT'S SCHEDULED.
WHAT FOR, SO WE, WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT ACTION.
ITEM NUMBER ONE, BOARD MEMBER POOL MAKES THE MOVE.
MOTION MOVE, UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON MAKES THE SECOND.
IT'S REMOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UM, SO YOU'RE REGISTERING AS OPPOSED TO THIS ITEM BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, OR IN SUPPORT OF NO.
IT WAS DELAYED A LITTLE BIT AND I WAS JUST MAKING SURE.
SO, UH, WITH BOARD MEMBER STRATTON VOTING, AYE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS, UH, TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE.
[VII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to add $750,000 in funding to an existing contract with Stacy and Witbeck, Inc. for an in‑progress Design‑Build project for the McKalla Rail Station for a total contract amount not to exceed $20,883,945 and to grant to the City of Austin any easements reasonably necessary to operate and maintain the facilities constructed pursuant to this contract amendment.]
MOVE TO ACTION.ITEM NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO ADD $750,000 IN FUNDING TO AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH STACY AND WHITBECK INC.
[01:20:01]
AN IN-PROGRESS DESIGN BILL PROJECT FOR THE MCCULLOUGH RAIL STATION FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $20,883,945.AND TO GRANT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ANY EASEMENTS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE FACILITIES CONSTRUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS CONTRACT AMENDMENT.
UH, MR. CARTWRIGHT, PLEASE PRESENT.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT CEO O WATKINS.
I'M KEN CARRA, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES.
THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING THIS ACTION ITEM.
UM, STACEY AND WHITBECK IS THE DESIGN BUILD CONTRACTOR FOR OUR MACAL STATION PROJECT.
AND DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION, WE IDENTIFIED THAT OUR NORTHBOUND PLATFORM WOULD PARTIALLY OVERLAP A PREEXISTING, UH, 42 INCH STORM WATER LINE, UM, UM, THAT BELONGS TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND WORKING WITH THE CITY, WE DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST, UH, FOR THE LONG TERM, UH, LIFE OF THAT STORM STORMWATER LINE TO RELOCATE IT FURTHER TO THE EAST AND PUT IT OUT ALONG THE DELTA DRIVE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND SO WE WORKED WITH STACY AND WHITBECK TO THEN DESIGN THAT REROUTING OF THE WATERLINE AND, UH, ESTIMATE THE COST OF THAT.
AND SO THIS, UH, BOARD ACTION ITEM IS REQUESTING THE, UH, $750,000 IN FUNDING TO BE ADDED TO THE STACY AND WHITBECK CONTRACT FOR THAT PURPOSE, AND CONCURRENTLY TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO GRANT THE NECESSARY EASEMENTS TO RELOCATE THAT WATER LINE, UH, TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I I WILL NOTE THAT THIS IS ONLY A REQUEST TO INCREASE THE FUNDING AMOUNT FOR STACY AND WHITBECK.
THIS IS NOT A, UH, INCREASE IN THE PROJECT COST OVERALL.
THIS IS WITHIN THE OVERALL PROJECT BUDGET, SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
BUT I DO, UH, I I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE REGARDING THIS ITEM BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE CHAIR WILL, UH, RECEIVE ANY MOTIONS TO APPROVE ITEM ACTION ITEM ONE.
AND BOARD MEMBER ROSS AS A SECOND.
SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT, THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
IF YOU APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO.
SEE, I WAITED A MINUTE TO MAKE SURE I GOT IT.
UH, ANY, ANY, UM, ANY, IF YOU DON'T APPROVE OF THE ITEM, LET IT BE KNOWN BY THE SAME SIDE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE DRAWN THE SHORT STRAW FOR
[VI.4. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to convey a Temporary Construction Easement to the City of Pflugerville across 1.316 acre of the 20.544 acres of land owned by CapMetro, in the J. C. Tannehill Survey 29, Abstract 22, located at the intersection of Loyola Road and Johnny Morris Road, Austin, Travis County, Texas, in exchange for compensation in the amount of $214,988 to CapMetro.]
ACTION ITEM THREE, BUT LET ME READ IT INTO THE RECORD.THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY CONSENT ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AND IT, AND IT IS NOW ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH READS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO CONVEY A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT TO THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE ACROSS 1.316 ACRES OF THE 20.544 ACRES OF LAND OWNED BY CAP METRO IN THE JCT HILL SURVEY 29, ABSTRACT 22, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF LOYOLA ROAD AND JOHNNY MORRIS ROAD, UH, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS IN EXCHANGE FOR COMPENSATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $214,988 TO CAP METRO.
PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY, MR. CARTER.
AND I, I WILL, UH, MENTION AS YOU DID THAT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, DID REVIEW THIS ITEM, RECOMMENDED IT FOR CONSENT, BUT STAFF REQUESTED IN TERMS OF TRANSPARENCY TO PULL IT TO P ON, UH, TO PRESENT IT TO THE FULL BOARD.
UM, THE REASON BEING IS THAT THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE HAD AN INCORRECT DATE, A TERMINATION DATE IN THE, UH, TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT THAT ACCOMPANIED THE BOARD PACKET.
SO WE WANTED TO, UH, PRESENT THIS TO THE BOARD AND PROVIDE YOU WITH THAT CORRECT DATE.
UM, SO, UH, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THIS AGAIN, IS A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT GRANTING TO THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE.
UH, PFLUGERVILLE IS, UH, IN IMPLEMENTING A NEW RAW WATER LINE FROM THE COLORADO RIVER ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CITY OF LUTHERVILLE.
AND IT HAPPENS TO CROSS, UH, IN AN EXISTING EASEMENT ALONGSIDE THE, UH, PROPERTY HERE AT, UH, LOYOLA ROAD IN JOHNNY MORRIS THAT'S OWNED BY, UH, CAP METRO.
AND SO FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES, THEY'VE ASKED FOR THIS TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
IT'S APPROXIMATELY 61 FEET WIDE ACROSS THAT PROPERTY, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT, UH, CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT IN PLACE, UM, UNTIL JUNE OF 2026 IS THE CORRECT TIMEFRAME FOR THE TERMINATION OF THIS AGREEMENT.
AND IN RE, UH, EXCHANGE FOR THAT, UH, THEY WILL GRANT US THE FUNDING THAT, UH, CHAIR YOU READ
[01:25:01]
IN THE, UH, RESOLUTION.UH, THEY DID PROVIDE AN A, A, UM, AN APPRAISAL TO, UH, VERIFY THAT, UH, INFORMATION, THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
AND OUR REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT HAS REVIEWED THAT AND AGREES WITH THAT VALUATION.
AND OUR LEGAL STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT, AND THEY ARE, UM, IN FAVOR OF MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF PFLUGERVILLE.
BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BO BOARDS MEMBERS MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, BOARD MEMBER VILLE, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS WITHIN THE AUSTIN CITY LIMITS.
IT'S JUST THE EASEMENT GOES TO PFLUGERVILLE BECAUSE IT'S OUR WATER LINE.
AND THE WATER LINE WILL BE IN A PREEXISTING EASEMENT, BUT THIS IS JUST TEMPORARY, UH, 60 FEET OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, EXISTING EASEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION PURPOSES.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, CHERYL WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.
UM, AND, UH, LET'S SEE, UH, I GUESS WE WILL GO THIS TIME WITH, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS, SINCE YOU HAD ONE ALREADY, RIGHT?
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
IF YOU APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE.
IF YOU DO NOT APPROVE ACTION ITEM THREE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
WE ARE ABOUT TO GO TO OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, MS.
[III. Public Comment (Part 2 of 2) ]
SHERRY TAYLOR HAS MADE IT INTO THE ROOM.SHE WAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND WAS NOT HERE AT THE TIME, AND WANT TO GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
LOVE THAT HAT BY THE WAY, THAT, THAT SHOWS SOME ATTITUDE RIGHT THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME TO STAGE.
CAN YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON? I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT.
PUSH THE, PUSH YOUR BUTTON RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU THERE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME THAT, UM, BEING OLDER IS A LOT OF
ANYWAY, MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR.
AND I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT THE WHEELCHAIR SAFETY PROGRAM KNOWN TO YOU AS BLUE APPLE EXPRESS.
UH, THE PERSON THAT, UH, ENGAGED ME INTO THAT, I GUESS HAS ALSO SPOKEN TO Y'ALL AND FUNDING WAS COMING FROM YOUR ENTITY STATE, UM, COUNTY AND EVEN FEDERAL BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL PROGRAM TO REDUCE INJURIES OF WHEELCHAIR TRAVELERS IN THEIR NOVICE TIME WHEN THEY, UH, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO OPERATE IT.
UH, THE PROGRAM PROMISED $1,600 A MONTH TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD SIGN UP FOR THE TRAINING TO BECOME, UM, TRAINED ONLINE.
AND, UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE SITUATION ABOUT TRAVEL ON YOUR METRO ACCESS BUSES.
UM, LAST YEAR THERE WERE LOTS OF FOLKS SITTING IN THE SEATS WITH PICKET SIGNS AND EVERYTHING TRYING TO GET FREE 31 DAY BUS PASSES FOR UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.
AND THAT HAPPENED, AND I'M JUST SO GLAD.
AND IT WAS LISTED IN THE CHALLENGER STREET NEWSPAPER, UH, AGENCIES THAT YOU COULD GO TO AND GET A FREE BUS PASS.
BUT THAT DID NOT INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL IN A WHEELCHAIR FOR METRO ACCESS.
THEY STILL HAVE TO BUY THOSE BOX OF TICKETS, DOLLAR 75 UP EACH WAY.
I HAPPEN TO AFFILIATE WITH FOLKS WHO NEED THAT SERVICE.
THEY CAN'T GET TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET UNDER THAT UMBRELLA OF FREE METRO ACCESS VAN CURVED CURB.
I WAS HOSPITALIZED LAST YEAR FOR 15 DAYS FROM THE 19TH OF MAY THROUGH THE JUNE 3RD, TRYING TO RIDE THE REGULAR FIXED BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME I DON'T LOOK DISABLED, BUT I CAN'T DO HEAT.
AND SO, CUZ I COULDN'T DO HEAT, I WAS STANDING OUT THERE AND THE BUS PASSED ME RIGHT UP AFTER I WAITED FOR 23 MINUTES OVER THERE BY SOCIAL SECURITY.
AND THEN WHEN THE 38 MINUTES PASSED FOR THE NEXT ONE, CUZ THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY I WAS GONNA GET THE NEXT BUS, WAS BE STANDING OUT THERE.
UM, I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT, BUT THEY FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS THEY DIAGNOSED ME WITH W I G THEY SAID IF YOU TAKE THAT HOT WIG OFF, MAYBE YOU STOP FALLING OUT IN PUBLIC.
BUT, UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE DO NEED SOME UMBRELLA THAT GIVES EQUAL
[01:30:01]
ACCESS TO FREE RIDE ON THE METRO ACCESS FOR WHEELCHAIR RIDER BECAUSE IT'S NOT FAIR FOR THEM TO BE STUCK AT HOME CUZ THEY DON'T HAVE IT IN THEIR BUDGET TO CATCH THE FREE BAND VAN, THE CURB TO CURB THAT THE UNSHELTERED PERSONS GOT THE 31 DAY BUS PASSING.SO, UH, I I DIDN'T CHECK YES AS TO WHETHER OR NOT I WAS REPRESENTING A GROUP BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET A AUTHORITIES FROM ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WHEELCHAIR RIDERS.
AND I DIDN'T GET AUTHORITY FROM BLUE APPLE EXPRESS TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I REALLY AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS A NECESSITY AND IT IS ALMOST DISCRIMINATORY AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE DISABLED IF THEY RIDE THE VAN CUZ THEY DIDN'T GET THE 31 DAY BUS PASSES LIKE THE UNSHELTERED PEOPLE.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR COMING DOWN AND PRESENTING TO THE BOARD TODAY.
AND I'VE, I'VE GOT YOUR COMMENTS AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET TO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM FOR TODAY IS BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, IS GONNA BE THE MONTHLY
[VIII.1. President & CEO Monthly Update]
REPORT FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO.MS. WATKINS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN STUFF GOING ON THIS MONTH AND I'M THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE IT WITH YOU.
UM, FIRST UP, UM, TOWARD THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH IT WAS ANNOUNCED OUR AGREEMENT WITH HOLT RENEWABLES WHO'S GONNA BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR NORTH OPS BUS YARD.
UM, YOU MAY RECALL THAT THIS IS THE YARD WHERE, UM, WE HAVE TO DATE INSTALLED ALL OF OUR, UM, ELECTRIC CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH A LARGER NUMBER OF BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH OVERHEAD CHARGING SO THAT WE'LL HAVE, UH, ROOF RAILS ON THE TOP OF THE BUS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CHARGE THE VEHICLES, UM, AND NOT HAVE TO PLUG IN EVERY SINGLE VEHICLE BY HAND.
UM, AS WE MOVE TO THAT, IF YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO HANG OVER THE BUSES, WE THOUGHT, BOY, IT WOULD BE ASHAMED AND NOT PUT A ROOF ON THAT STRUCTURE AND PUT THE BUSES IN THE SHADE.
BUT ONCE WE REALIZED WE WANTED TO PUT A ROOF ON THE STRUCTURE, WE THOUGHT, BOY, THAT ROOF SHOULD REALLY BE SOLAR PANELS.
AND SO, UM, WAS BORN THE PROJECT THAT WILL HELP US, UM, THROUGH A DESIGN BUILD EFFORT, CONSTRUCT THE, UM, THE SUPER STRUCTURE THAT WILL HOLD BOTH THE CHARGERS AND, UM, AN ARRAY OF SOLAR, UM, CHARGING SO THAT WE CAN, UM, BOTH GENERATE MORE ELECTRICITY WITH OUR ABUNDANT SUNSHINE, AS WELL AS, UM, HAVE ALL OF THE, THE READYMADE LOCATIONS TO HANG THAT CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AS THE PROJECT MOVES FORWARD.
UM, NEXT UP, I AM THRILLED TO NOTE THAT CAPITAL METRO HAS RECEIVED, UM, APTAS GOLD AWARD FOR OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM.
UM, THIS AWARD WAS SPECIFICALLY, UM, AWARDED AS IN TERMS OF, UH, HOW WE RESPONDED TO THE 2021 FREEZE, UM, AND ICE STORMS, UM, THAT WE EXPERIENCED.
WE WERE, UM, HONORED TO HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER, GARDNER TABBAN AND OUR DIRECTOR OF SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DARYL JAMEL, UM, ATTENDED APTA MOBILITY CONFERENCE TO ACCEPT THE AWARD ON OUR BEHALF, UM, THE MINI KUDOS TO THAT TEAM, UM, FOR, UH, HELPING US TAKE GOOD CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY IN EMERGENCIES.
UM, NEXT UP, CAPITAL METROS SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM WAS HIGHLIGHTED RECENTLY AT A JOINT MEETING OF THE CLEAN AIR FORCE OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.
I'M ROD BOROWSKI, OUR LONGTIME SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, PREVENT PRESENTED ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM AS A WHOLE, AS WELL AS OUR ELECTRIC BUS INITIATIVE.
SO WE WERE HAPPY TO SHARE, UM, WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND COLLEAGUES, ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO DO OUR PART TO REDUCE EMISSIONS.
AS WAS MENTIONED BY, UM, MR. BROOKS DURING HIS PUBLIC COMMENT, UM, CAPITAL METRO RECENTLY ROLLED OUT NEW AND IMPROVED PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDS.
UM, THESE, THE, THE NEWNESS AND IMPROVED DEADNESS IS LARGELY BEHIND THE SCENES AS WE HAVE NOW CONNECTED OUR DASHBOARDS TO AN ENTERPRISE DATA ANALYTICS PLATFORM THAT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, MORE DYNAMICALLY PUSH INFORMATION TO THE DASHBOARDS GOING FORWARD.
UM, DULY NOTING THAT THEY ARE NOT YET FINISHED.
AND IF WE DO OUR JOBS RIGHT, WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER BE FINISHED.
SO WE, UM, APPRECIATE ALL COMMENTS ON HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR DATA MORE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE IN TRANSPARENCY.
UM, OUR, OUR GOAL HERE REALLY IS TO, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DIGITAL DATA IS AS, UM, AVAILABLE AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO EXCITED BECAUSE IT ALLOWS, UM, THIS, THE OPERATING STATISTICS AND RELIABILITY AND SAFETY
[01:35:01]
STATISTICS THAT WE REPORT ON A REGULAR BASIS, UM, TO OUR BOARD, UM, BE ACCESSED ON DEMAND BY THE PUBLIC, UM, EFFICIENTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY.SO, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE UPON THEM AND WELCOME ALL SUGGESTIONS.
UM, WE'VE RECENTLY CELEBRATED ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH, UM, WITH A BUS WRAP BY LOCAL ARTIST DUO MAVA GOOSE.
UM, THIS ARTIST TEAM PICTURED HERE, UM, CREATED A PORCELAIN BUST BASED OFF THE ICONIC BLUE AND WHITE GREEN RICE POTTERY FROM THAT CULTURE.
UM, WE CELEBRATED THIS BUS IN AN UNWRAPPING EVENT, UM, THAT INCLUDED FREE MEDITATION, TAI CHI, A DHARMA SERVICE, UM, LUNCH AND A TOUR OF THE INTERNATIONAL BU BUDDHA INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST PROGRESS SOCIETY TEMPLE.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO, UM, JUST PUTTING THAT GORGEOUS BUS OUT THERE, WE WERE HAPPY TO CELEBRATE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, YESTERDAY, CAPITAL METRO HELD ITS ANNUAL FAMILY FUND DAY, AND WE MOVED IT INTO MAY THIS YEAR IN THE HOPES THAT IT WOULDN'T BE BLISTERING HOT.
THIS MAYBE A LITTLE DRIZZLY FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT I'LL TAKE THAT OVER.
UM, MINI KUDOS TO THE, TO THE, UM, MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS ENGAGEMENT AND OTHER STAFF, UM, WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PUT THE EVENT ON.
IT WAS A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GATHER AS THE CAT METRO FAMILY AND BRING OUT OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, UM, AND ALSO, UM, PLAY CARNIVAL GAMES.
THE THEME OF OUR EVENT THIS YEAR WAS CARNIVAL.
UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT I GOT TO PLAY THE DARTS A LOT BECAUSE I WAS BETTER AT THAT THAN MY DAUGHTER AND SHE WAS COLLECTING TICKETS FOR A STUFFED ANIMAL.
SO WE DID NOT LEAVE THE CARNIVAL GAMES UNTIL WE HAD COLLECTED ENOUGH TICKETS.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOVE TO DO ANNUALLY AT OUR FAMILY FUND DAY IS TO RECOGNIZE SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS.
UM, SO WE RECOGNIZE AWARDEES, UM, FOR FOLKS WHO ALIGN WITH CAPITAL METRO'S, UM, CORE VALUES FROM EACH OF OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS.
I BELIEVE THAT PICTURE THERE IT IS AS OF THE, UM, MV FOLKS WITH US.
UM, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE SOME CAT METRO STAFF AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN WE WERE THRILLED TO RECOGNIZE OUR, UM, 2023 HALL OF FAME AWARD WINNERS, UM, INCLUDING FORMER B BOARD CHAIR WADE COOPER, UM, A FORMER, UH, PARATRANSIT BUS OPERATOR, SKIER ALEXANDER, UM, AND NANCY CROWDER, WHO'S A DISABILITY SERVICES ADVOCATE THAT WORKED AT CAP METRO FOR A VERY LONG TIME, BUT CONTINUES TO WORK WITH US TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, EACH YEAR WE RECOGNIZE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT HAVE MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR OUR ORGANIZATION IN THE MOST RECENT YEAR.
UM, AND THIS YEAR WE WERE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
AS YOU HEARD FROM SOME OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENTERS EARLIER, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH US THIS YEAR TO LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY PROVIDE AND HELP US MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE KIND OF PUT THE RIGHT PROGRAMS IN THE RIGHT BUCKET.
UM, THAT IS A GROUP OF LOCAL FOLKS THAT HAVE FULL-TIME JOBS, UM, SUPPORTING SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES, BUT GIVE THEIR TIME VOLUNTARILY TO US, UM, TO HELP MANAGE THE TRANSIT EMPOWERMENT FUND.
UM, SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED, UM, TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
UM, AND ALSO TOTOTO, WHICH HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH US FOR A LONG TIME, DOES A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE LAST YEAR, PAST YEAR EX SPECIFICALLY, THEY HAVE REALLY HELPED US TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR OUTREACH FOR THINGS LIKE E T O D FOR ALL OF THE PROJECT CONNECT OUTREACH HAS INCLUDED AND, AND BEEN ABLE TO INCLUDE THE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THEY DO, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT EDUCATION IS AVAILABLE TO ALL, UM, THEY HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER AND ACTIVE PARTNER WITH US THIS PAST YEAR, SO WE WERE THRILLED TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
UM, AND THAT TAKES US UP TO YESTERDAY.
SO CONCLUDES MY, UH, PRESIDENT'S REPORT AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HEARD THIS, BUT THAT KINDA SOUNDED LIKE A DARK CHALLENGE.
I MEAN, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I CAN SAY.
I WAS, I WAS ABOUT TO STAND UP FOR MY DART CHALLENGE, BUT, BUT, UH, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT? UH, HEARING NONE.
THAT IS GOING TO CONCLUDE THE OPEN PORTION OF OUR MEETING TODAY.
[IX. Executive Session of Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code]
ABOUT TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, UH, FOR TWO ITEMS AND UNDER SECTION 5 51 0.072, UH, FOR DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL ESTATE MATTERS RELATED TO THE POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES.[01:40:02]
FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO, TO THE PRESIDENT AND CEO'S PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND GOALS.WHEN WE RETURN FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, IT WILL ONLY BE TO ADJOURN AND THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN TODAY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT JUST, UH, ONE QUICK, UH, CLARIFICATION.
IT WAS THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE STATUTORY CITATIONS ARE FROM THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
ALL RIGHT, WE WILL RECESS TEXAS CLOSE CAPTIONING.
UH, THE BOARD HAS NOW, UH, NOW CONCLUDED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, THE TIME IS 2 38 WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US TODAY, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 2 49.