[00:00:04]
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING, JOINING US AT THE JUNE MEETING OF THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
TODAY IS MONDAY, JUNE 26TH, AND THE TIME IS 1212.
THE, THE, THE FORM OF THE CLOCK HAS CHANGED, SO IT'S MADE, MADE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS THERE FOR A SECOND.
SO, UH, WE, WE'LL CALL THE ORDER
[I. CALL TO ORDER]
AT 1212, AND, UH, THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM TODAY WILL BE PUBLIC COMMENT.[II. PUBLIC COMMENT]
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP WITH US IN ADVANCE, AND SOME ARE ACTUALLY ON LINE.SO WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME, UH, IF YOU'RE WITH US, PLEASE EITHER UN UNMUTE OR, UM, OR LET YOURSELF ONLINE.
AND, AND, AND IF YOU'RE HERE IN THE BUILDING, COME TO THE PODIUM AND, UH, WE WILL START THERE.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER'S GONNA BE THE CITY OF LEANDER MAYOR, UH, CHRISTINE DELIS, UH, I THINK SHE'S JOINING US REMOTELY.
GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON, I SHOULD SAY.
I'M CHRISTINE DELY, THE MAYOR OF LEANDER, AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR JUNETEENTH FESTIVAL.
UM, WE ALL ENJOYED THESE LITTLE POP-UP FANS THAT YOUR STAFF WAS OUT WITH.
UM, AND YOUR PEOPLE ARE JUST GREAT.
AND SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS NEXT MONDAY, CELEBRATING 4TH OF JULY ON THE THIRD.
AND, UH, I KNOW YOU ALL ARE ANNUAL SPONSORS OF THAT EVENT.
WE'LL SEE YOUR PEOPLE OUT THERE, AND THEY'RE SMILING FACES, AND WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE BOARD KNOWS YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO COME UP.
IF YOU'RE COMING UP, SEND ME AN EMAIL, LET ME KNOW, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ESCORT YOU AROUND AND INTRODUCE YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU SEE ALL THE FUN THINGS.
UM, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, AS ALWAYS, WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SERVICE EXPANSION, PLEASE THINK OF LEANDER
THANKS SO MUCH, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE HAVING A WONDERFUL SUMMER.
WELL, MAYOR, WE'LL JUST SAY WELCOME TO THE FAMILY.
OUR, OUR SECOND PUBLIC COMMENTER WILL BE ZENOBIA JOSEPH, AND SHE WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO ADDRESS TWO AGENDA ITEMS. ARE YOU WITH US, MS. JOSEPH? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, UMBI.
JOSEPH, MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO, UH, ITEMS TWO AND FIVE.
ITEM TWO IS THE $87 MILLION FOR YOUR EXPANSION, SIX 18 TILLERY STREET AND 3,100 EAST FIFTH STREET.
AND, UM, ITEM FIVE IS ACTUALLY YOUR SERVICE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU TABLE BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. I AM AGAINST THEM.
MY OPPOSITION SPECIFICALLY TO THE SERVICE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS IS THAT IT MAKES REFERENCE TO YOUR CSAC, THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE ACCESS COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AND NEITHER ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS HAVE THE AGENDA POSTED, AND THERE IS NO VIDEO.
SO THERE WAS NOTHING FOR THE PUBLIC TO REVIEW.
I WOULD ALSO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AT YOUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING WAS CANCELED, UH, JUNE 14TH, 2023.
AND IT WAS NOT DISCUSSED DURING YOUR FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO THERE'S NO OVERVIEW FROM THE STAFF FOR THE PUBLIC TO WEIGH IN ON OTHER THAN READING THROUGH THE DOCUMENT.
SO I'M, A SIMPLE QUESTION I HAVE IS, DID THE NUMBER OF RIDERS PER HOUR CHANGE, UH, DURING THE WEEKDAY AND THE WEEKEND? JUST A SIMPLE QUESTION.
THERE IS ACTUALLY AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF REFERENCE TO BUS STOP ENHANCEMENTS, AND SO I ASKED MR. UH, EASTON IN AN EMAIL TO PUT THAT SLIDE UP FOR YOU.
IT IS THE INFORMATION THAT I SHARED WITH THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION.
IT WAS MY TESTIMONY ON JUNE 6TH, 2023.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE JANUARY, 2023 CAPITAL INVESTMENTS GRANTS POLICY GUIDELINES FOR FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, THE EVALUATION CRITERIA ACTUALLY SPECIFIES THAT YOU WILL MAKE THE REQUEST FOR THE FUNDING FOR LIGHT RAIL WITHOUT REQUIRING A REDUCTION IN EXISTING SERVICES.
YOU REDUCED THE SERVICE IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, NORTH OF US, 180 3 BACK ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017.
THERE IS AN AUSTIN CHRONICLE ARTICLE THAT ACTUALLY MENTIONS LAWRENCE THEATER, AND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS BASICALLY A TRADE-OFF.
AND HE MENTIONED THE 60 MINUTE BUS ROUTE IN COLONY PARK ONCE AN HOUR.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS IT RELATES TO THESE AMENITIES IS THAT THERE IS NO BACKING.
IT'S BEEN REMOVED BY CAPITOL METRO ON THE 300 SOUTHBOUND STOP AT 51ST STREET.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL THAT FAIRFIELD STATION AND ALL OF THIS HEAT, THAT BUS STOP SHELTER HAS BEEN REMOVED AS WELL, AND PEOPLE TRY TO STAND UNDERNEATH THE SHADE OF THE TREE, BUT THE STOP HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR QUITE
[00:05:01]
SOME TIME.IT IS ALSO THAT WAY ON 3 24, WHICH IS THE OH 3 25 ROUTE THAT RAN EVERY 15 MINUTES.
AND I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT I ACTUALLY WAITED 50 MINUTES.
THAT BUS ROUTE NO LONGER OPERATES EVERY 15 MINUTES, AND THAT WAS THE SOLE FREQUENT BUS ROUTE.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE ONCE AGAIN, TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, THE 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, I WILL JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, DUVAL, WHERE THE WHITE PEOPLE, WHITE CHOICE RIDERS AND UT STUDENTS BOARD THE BUS 45TH STREET, 51ST STREET, AND ALL ALONG DUVAL, WHERE THE CONSULTANT, RUSH CHISHOLM TOLD YOU IN 2016, YOU WOULD NOT GROW RIDERSHIP.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING MR. CHAIR, RESPECTFULLY, IS FOR YOU TO MOVE THE BUS SHELTERS THAT ARE EMPTY.
UM, THERE'S ONE ON THE 2 43 ROUTE.
I MENTIONED THIS WHEN, WHEN I TESTIFIED BEFORE, JUST BEFORE THE BUS TURNS ON, HEATHER, WE, IT'S A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT THAT'S BEEN ABANDONED TO MOVE THAT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON 3 92.
THERE'S ONLY ONE SHELTER ON 3 92, AND THAT'S STOP ID FOUR 50 OVER AT THE WALNUT CREEK SCHOOL.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE SHELTERS THERE, AND YOU ALSO HAVE A SHELTER ON, UH, JUST BEFORE YOU GET TO 51ST STREET ON 300 NORTHBOUND.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE DAVID CHAPEL WILL EVENTUALLY GO AT SOME POINT, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S REALLY HOT AND THE NEED IS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION, AND I WOULD ASK CARRIE BUTCHER TO PLEASE EXPLAIN WHICH OF THE SPEAKERS SHE ACTUALLY DECIDES TO ANALYZE THEIR COMMENTS.
I'VE ASKED YOU REPEATEDLY TO MOVE THE MID-BLOCK STOP AT 8 0 1 SOUTHBOUND 5 8 57 CHINATOWN TO CVS PHARMACY, AND SHE DID NOT ADDRESS MY CONCERN.
SHE MENTIONED THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE BOARD PACKET, SARAH BLACK BROUGHT UP THE REMOVE.
I MEAN THAT NOT, AND THE BOARD, THE COMMENTS THAT YOU GET TO THAT ACTION ITEM, TRAVIS COUNTY COMMITTEE, AND IT'S NOT IN THE MINUTES AT ALL, IS THAT WE GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT FOR CSAC AND THE ACCESS MEETING, IT'S SCRIPTED AT VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE YOU'RE CHERRY PICKING WHICH COMMENTS TO PUT IN THE RECORD.
AND OF COURSE, IF I FILE ANOTHER COMPLAINT, WHICH I'M SURE I WILL DO, UH, THEN YOU WILL ONLY HAVE POSITIVE COMMENTS.
AND I WILL JUST TELL YOU THAT, UM, ON THE BACKSIDE, I DID ACTUALLY WALK FROM TILLERY AT CAESAR CHAVEZ TO TILLERY, UM, AND GO VALLEY TO SEE WHERE 7 0 1, UM, TILLERY IS.
THAT'S WHERE TRAVIS COUNTY OR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF TRAVIS COUNTY WANTS TO PUT A THOUSAND UNITS.
IT IS 0.7 TO ONE MILE WALK TO CAPITAL METRO.
UM, AND SO THE EQUITY JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS A $7 MILLION PROJECT WHEN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF, UH, BUSINESSES, DELL AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY REDUCING THEIR, UM, CON YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPACE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE WORKING REMOTELY.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT YOU HAVE THE NORTH OPS LOCATION, AND THAT COULD ACTUALLY SERVE AS A LOCATION FOR OUTREACH, UM, TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT'S ON THE 3 83, AND IT WOULD ONLY MEAN ONE OTHER TRANSFER FOR PEOPLE ON 3 92.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO BE SO EXTENSIVE.
AND TO, UH, LEANDER, I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU, IT'S $214 SUBSIDY FOR THE RAIL, LESS THAN $5 FOR PEOPLE ON THE BUS.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RESTORE THE SERVICE BACK TO THE ARBORETUM ON 3 92 AND NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY AS IT WAS BEFORE CAP REMAP BECAUSE WE PAY TAXES TOO.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MS. JOSEPH.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS SHERRY TAYLOR.
MS. TAYLOR, ARE YOU WITH US, MR. CHAIR? MS. TAYLOR SIGNED UP WITH US THIS MORNING, BUT I DON'T SEE HER IN THE ROOM.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WANTS TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE BOARD? ANYONE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT.
HEARING, HEARING NONE, UH, LET'S SEE.
WE'LL, WE'LL, UH, THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND WE'LL START WITH OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.
[III. ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES]
UH, LET'S SEE.IS MS. PERRO WITH US REMOTELY? HELLO? CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME? YES.
UH, SO, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR PAVILION, VICE CHAIR, POOL PRESIDENT, AND C E O WATKINS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
[00:10:01]
MY NAME IS EDNA, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AND STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES FOR CAP METRO.I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU JUNE'S COMMITTEE UPDATES.
UM, THIS MONTH, ACCESS AND CSAC MET ON JUNE 7TH AND 14TH, RESPECTIVELY.
BOTH COMMITTEES WERE UPDATED ON THE FOLLOWING, WHICH IS THE INITIAL, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET REVIEW WITH EMMANUEL TO 10, UH, SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES WITH EMMA MARTINEZ AND ROSE LISKA.
ALSO WITH THE PLANNING TEAM, UM, AUGUST, SERVICE CHANGES WITH EMMA MARTINEZ AND LAWRENCE DIETER.
UH, PETER BRENAN GAVE AN UPDATE TO ALL THREE COMMITTEES, UM, FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES, UM, AND SYSTEMS, AND I'LL GO INTO THAT IN A MINUTE.
AND ALSO, BRIAN ROBINSON WAS WITH US FROM THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT, UM, WITH AN UPDATE ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR METRO ACCESS.
THEY, UH, RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM CHAD BALLANTINE AND SARAH SANFORD ON, UH, METRO ACCESS STAFF SENSITIVITY TRAINING.
AND ALSO SARAH SANFORD GAVE A TRAVEL TRAINING PROGRAM UPDATE, UM, PSAC, THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISOR COMMITTEE MET LAST WEEK, AND THEY, UM, ELECTED NEW OFFICERS.
SO WE HAVE TWO NEW OFFICERS, UM, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY JOIN US TO THESE BOARD MEETINGS ONLINE STARTING IN AUGUST.
UM, STEVEN FOSTER IS OUR NEW COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND LAUREN TAYLOR WILL BE OUR NEW VICE CHAIR FOR, UM, THE, THE, THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
WE ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM HOLLY WGE FROM, UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT ON THE COMMUNITY INTERVENTION PROGRAM.
UM, CHIEF ERIC ROBS GAVE AN UPDATE FROM ABOUT THE TRANSIT POLICE, AND THEN AGAIN, WE DECIDED IF WE WERE GONNA MEET IN JULY.
AND ALL THREE COMMITTEES WILL BE TAKING A RECESS FROM THE COMMITTEES IN JULY.
UM, DURING THAT MONTH, UH, PETER, BRAD AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND I WILL BE LOOKING AT THE SYSTEMS, THE WORKFLOW, UM, THE WORK PLAN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, SO THE, THE AGENDA ITEMS, ANY MEETINGS THAT WE NEED TO MEET IN PERSON, UM, AND HOW PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, UM, EVEN LIKE ADJOURNING THE MEETINGS, SO MAKING IT A LOT MORE STRUCTURED.
UM, PETER WILL BE DOING SOME TRAININGS AND HE'LL ALSO BE TRAINING, UM, MYSELF AND ALL THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS SO WE CAN KIND OF CONTINUE, UH, TO IMPROVE ON SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURES.
ALSO, UH, WE ARE DOING THE PUBLIC SAFETY RECRUITMENT.
UM, WE'RE FINALIZING THOSE APPLICATIONS.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH MR. ED EASTON TO GET THOSE TO YOU.
AND HOPEFULLY, UH, DEPENDING ON THIS RECESS, WE'LL WORK TO SEE WHAT WORKS BEST EITHER JULY OR AUGUST, UM, TO APPOINT THOSE, UH, NEW MEMBERS SELECTED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
UM, IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE.
I JUST WANTED TO, TO, UH, TOUCH BASE REAL QUICK AND SEE, UH, WAS, WERE THERE ANY, UH, SPECIFIC COMMENTS, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS THAT WERE RES UH, RAISED ABOUT THE SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES IN EITHER ONE OF THE COMMITTEES? UM, SO WE'VE, UH, HAD PRESENTATIONS NOW, I THINK TWO OR THREE TIMES, DEFINITELY THREE TIMES WITH THE WORKSHOP WE HAD.
UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY AT THE WORKSHOP, UM, ABOUT HOW THE PROCESS WORKS, WHAT WHAT COULD BE BEST.
UM, I KNOW THOSE ARE SOME IN THE NOTES.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ABOUT SPECIFICS.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANNA WAIT FOR THE PRESENTATION OR IF, UM, MS. ROSE LISKA OR EMMA MARTINEZ WANNA TALK ABOUT SPECIFICS HERE.
I'LL, I'LL WAIT TILL THE PRESENTATION.
JUST, JUST WANTED TO MA MAKE SURE THEY, THEY DID HAVE, UH, AMPLE TIME AND OPPORTUNITIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE, MULTIPLE MEETINGS IN WHICH THAT THEY, BOTH COMMITTEES HAD.
AND TO, TO BE ABLE TO WEIGH IN.
AND THE WORKSHOP WAS, UH, ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE THE PUBLIC INPUT SITE THAT HAS A LOT OF COMMENTS AND, UM, KIND OF RESPONSES TOO.
UM, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY LEAVE IT UP TO THE, THE EXPERTS WITH, UH, ROSE AND EMMA, WITH MS. MARTINEZ AND MS. LISKA.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? AND I THINK I FAILED TO MENTION THAT BOARD MEMBERS, ROSS AND POOL WILL BE REMOTE TODAY, SO YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, TO SEE THEM AS THEY PARTICIPATE, UH, THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE MEETING.
SO, JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU, UH, TO KNOW THAT THOUGH THEY AREN'T PRESENT ON, ON THE, UH,
[00:15:01]
DS, THEY ARE HERE WITH US ELECTRONICALLY.SO HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
NEXT WILL BE OUR, UH, BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.
UH, THERE WAS NO OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING THIS MONTH.
SO, UH, CHAIR HARRIS, UH, CAN YOU KICK US OFF WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT?
[IV.1 Finance, Audit and Administration Committee]
UH, YES, SIR.UH, THE FINANCE HO AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MADE ON WEDNESDAY, UH, JUNE THE 14TH.
UH, ONLY ACTION ITEM WAS THE ACTUAL APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, AND WE DID GET AN UPDATE FROM MR. COLLIN ABOUT THE 2024, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET AND SCHEDULED FOR THAT.
IN ADDITION, WE ALSO GOT A REPORT FROM INTERNAL AUDIT, UH, CONCERNING THE, UH, FISCAL 23 PLAN STATUS, AND ON THE, ON A REPORT ON JUST THE OPEN ITEMS, ON THE EXISTING, ON EXISTING AUDITS.
WELL, SINCE, SINCE YOU HAVE THE MIC, UH, WHY
[IV.2 CAMPO Update]
DON'T WE GO INTO CAMPO? UH, I APOLOGIZE.I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE AT THE CAMPO MEETING, AND I UNDERSTAND MAYOR PRO, TE ELLIS WASN'T EITHER, BUT I DID GET THE NOTES FROM, UM, OUR GENERAL COUNSEL.
REALLY, THERE WERE JUST THREE, THREE ITEMS THAT AFFECTED, UH, CAP METRO.
ONE WAS TO CONGRATULATE, UH, DIANE BANGLE ON HER APPOINTMENT FOR THE FULL TERM, UH, AS A CAP METRO REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, THE SECOND ONE WAS TO, UH, APPROVE, UH, THE USE OF TOLL DEVELOPMENT CREDITS, WHICH I ACTUALLY HAD TO GO ASK WHAT THOSE WERE, WHAT TDC STOOD FOR.
UH, BASICALLY TO ALLOW CARTS TO PURCHASE TWO VEHICLES AND EFFECT.
IT'S EFFECTIVELY GIVING THEM A HUNDRED PERCENT FEDERAL FUNDS FOR USING OF THE PURCHASE OF THOSE TWO VEHICLES.
AND THOSE WERE THE TWO MAJOR ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, SEEING NONE, LOOKS LIKE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP
[IV.3 Austin Transit Partnership Update]
UPDATE, UH, BELONGS TO ME.AND, UH, WE HAD A, UH, A TRIPARTITE MEETING, AND AT THE TRIPARTITE MEETING, WE, UH, RECEIVED THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ATP ABOUT THE LINE, UH, WHICH WOULD BE USED.
ALL OF THEM, UH, THAT INFORMATION WAS RECEIVED AND APPROVED, AND, AND, UH, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD ON, UH, PREPARING, UH, THE, UH, THE TRANSIT SYSTEM GOING FORWARD.
UH, SO THAT IS, UM, THAT IS, UH, THE, THE FULL REPORT OF THAT COMMITTEE.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? UH, HEARING NONE, I'LL SAY THANK YOU, AND I WILL NOW CONTINUE TO OUR ACTION ITEM AGENDA, UH, WHICH, AND WE ARE POSTED FOR FIVE, UH, ITEMS TODAY.
UH, AND LET'S SEE, OUR FIRST ITEM
[V.1 Approval of minutes from the May 22, 2023 board meeting.]
WILL BE THE APPROVAL OF OUR MAY BOARD MINUTES.UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, IN A SECOND ON THE BOARD MINUTES ITEM.
UH, THE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE IS APPRO, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MAY 25TH, 2023, UH, BOARD MEETING.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, THAT ITEM.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
AND LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, AT THE BOARD.
DO I SEE BOARD MEMBER POOL? AYE.
UH, ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY OPPOSITION? SAME SIGN? HEARING NONE, UH, THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[V.2 Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the purchase of a 5.846-acre tract of land located at 3100 East 5th Street and 618 Tillery Street, Austin, TX 78702, together with the 182,716-squarefoot office building and all other improvements thereon, and any easements and rights appurtenant thereto, from 618 Tillery St. (Austin) Owner, LLC, for new CapMetro administrative offices, in an amount not to exceed $87,250,000 plus closing costs, as well as the payment of a broker fee to CBRE, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $654,375.]
AND, AND I WILL READ IT OUT.UH, AS, UH, AS MR. KUBEK COMES FORWARD, IT IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND C E O OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A 5.846 ACRE TRACK OF LAND, LOCATED AT 3,100 EAST FIFTH STREET AND 6 1 8 TILLERY STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, 78,702, TOGETHER WITH, UH, 1,800, UH, 1000, UH, LET'S SEE, IT'S, UH, 182,000, EXCUSE ME, 716 SQUARE FOOT OFFICE BUILDING, AND ALL OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THEREIN, UH, AND ANY EASEMENTS AND RIGHTS ARE PERTINENT THERETO FROM, UH, SIX 18 TILLERY AUSTIN, OWNER LCC FOR THE NEW CAPITAL METRO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 87,250,000, UH, DOLLARS PLUS CLOSING COSTS, AS WELL AS THE PAYMENT OF A BROKER FEE TO C B R E INC.
IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $654,375.
[00:20:03]
COULD BE AFTERNOON BOARD AND AND CHAIR.UM, AGAIN, YOU, AS YOU REALLY KIND OF COVERED EVERYTHING IN THE GIST OF THE, UH, INTRO AND A LOT OF HARD WORK BY THE STAFF, A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS INSIDE OF CAP METRO, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT IN, PUT THEIR STAMP AND THEIR SUPPORT BEHIND THIS FROM FINANCE TO LEGAL, UH, TO OUR, UH, PROJECT OFFICE AND THE PLANNING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, WE PROVIDED, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, SOME, UH, THE REGULAR PACKAGE, UH, ABOUT THE INFORMATION.
AND THE THRUST OF THIS IS REALLY ABOUT CAP METRO, UTILIZING ITS EXISTING ASSETS GOING FORWARD, REALLY FOCUSED ON THAT VERY AGGRESSIVELY.
AND THIS PROPERTY HERE, BEING ADJACENT TO 29 10 IS JUST A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS GONNA SERVE US FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND PROBABLY DECADES TO COME.
UM, I WOULD SAY AS WE, AS WE'VE MET WITH VARIOUS PARTIES AND STUFF AROUND THIS, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE OVERALL BUILDING AND ITS FACILITIES, BUT IT'S ALSO THE LAND AND THE, THE REAL ESTATE SYSTEM'S AROUND THAT, FROM A PARKING PERSPECTIVE, DEVELOPMENTAL OP OPPORTUNITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING FORWARD.
AND ONCE THESE, IF THESE IS APPROVED AND WE GET THESE TWO PARTIES OR TWO PARCELS, UH, CONNECTED, BASICALLY, IT JUST PROVIDES US MORE OPTIONS.
AND, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A STRATEGIC MOVE ON CAP METRO'S PART TO MINIMIZE OUR LEASING.
IT'S NOT ONLY JUST THE LEASE ASPECT, BUT IT'S THE INVESTMENT TO NORMALIZE THE LEASE TO SUPPORT CAP METRO'S FUNCTIONS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU'RE HAVING TO MOVE OR THE MARKET'S ADJUSTING AND STUFF, THIS IS, GIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A CONSISTENT MODEL TO TO, TO FOLLOW.
SO I'M HERE TO ASK THERE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAD A REALLY THOROUGH DOCUMENT THAT WE COULD LOOK THROUGH.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE HELPING US OUT.
I COULDN'T SEE, I JUST WANTED, COULDN'T SEE EITHER.
I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF.
THIS IS A REALLY, UM, UH, CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION.
GREAT LOCATION, REALLY POSITIVE ALL AROUND FOR CAP METRO AS, AS, UM, MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION GOING FORWARD TO FOR DECADES TO COME.
AND I'M REALLY, REALLY VERY PLEASED.
UH, DO YOU NEED A MOTION? SHOULD I RECEIVE, SHOULD I RECEIVE THAT AS A MOTION TO APPROVE? I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION CHAIR.
BOARD MEMBER POOL MAKES A MOTION AND, AND BOARD MEMBER VEA MAKES THE SECOND IN CASE WE MOVED IN PROPERLY.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY, THERE IS FURTHER DISCUSSION.
BOARD MEMBERS, UH, BOARD MEMBER.
LET'S SEE, I DIDN'T SEE WHICH OF YOU WAS FIRST.
BOARD MEMBER BENGAL THAT TO ME.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT JUST THE FIRST SLIDE, UM, ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK IN THE CURRENT EASTON OWNED SPACE.
YOU, THERE'S A ASSERTION FOR MORE SPACE NEEDED.
WE HAVE, AND UNDERSTANDING THERE'S A PROJECTION OF, OF NEEDING 200,000 SQUARE, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD IN THE FUTURE.
SO JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS IN TERMS OF NUMBERS NOW.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I'M, UH, KEN CARTER, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HERE ON THE SLIDES HERE, BUT WE DO, UM, OUR ENTIRE WORKFORCE IS, UH, UH, OCCUPIED, UH, AMONGST THOSE VARIOUS FACILITIES THERE, UM, SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, IT IS IN OUR ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, WHICH I'M AT A LOSS TO THE CURRENT TOTAL HEADCOUNT FOR OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, NOT INCLUDING OUR, UH, OUR OPERATIONAL STAFF, BUT WE CURRENTLY OCCUPY 96,000 SQUARE FEET BETWEEN OUR OWN AND OUR LEASE FACI FACILITIES.
WE'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING AT A DEFICIT CURRENTLY.
UH, AND WITH MORE PEOPLE RETURNING TO, TO THE WORKPLACE AS ALONG WITH OUR EXPANDED SERVICE IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S WHY WE'RE FORECASTING A NEED FOR UP TO 200,000 SQUARE FEET OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS.
BOARD MEMBER STR, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO GO AHEAD AND FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC WHO MAY BE WATCHING ALONG OR WANT TO ACCESS THE VIDEO LATER, GO AHEAD AND RUN THROUGH THE PRESENTATION JUST, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS AND SEES WHAT'S, WHAT WE GOT GOING ON HERE.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE WE ALL, WE UNDERSTAND IT UP HERE CUZ WE'VE BEEN THOROUGHLY BRIEFED ON IT AND WE'VE HAD EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BEFORE THIS LEADING UP TO IT WITH, AS IS THE RULE FOR ANY AND LAW FOR ANY, UH, REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC, YOU AND BESIDES Y'ALL PUT SO MUCH TIME, ENERGY, AND EFFORT INTO THESE BEAUTIFUL SLIDES.
SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TAKING IT, WE WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.
[00:25:01]
ON THE FIRST SLIDE THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED HERE, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GRAPHICALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, ONE, JUST GIVE A LISTING OF WHERE ALL OF OUR PROPERTIES AT.THERE'S A COMBINATION OF LEASE SPACE AS WELL AS RENTED SPACE.
BUT THE OTHER THING OF IT IS, IS JUST TO KIND OF FOCUS WHERE, HOW CLOSE OUR FACILITIES AND FUNCTIONS ARE.
BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TRAVEL TIME, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT FOR US TO BE, YOU KNOW, UH, OF A VERY EFFICIENT ORGANIZATION.
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE OUR SERVICES PLACED WHERE THEY, WHERE WE CAN COMBINE THEM AT AND ALSO PROVIDES US THE MOST FLEXIBILITY.
SO WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT IN HERE IS KIND OF A HIGH LEVEL SHOT OF A COMBINATION OF WHAT WE OWN AND BASICALLY WHAT WE, WHAT WE LEASE.
AND REALISTICALLY, THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN ON THIS SLIDE HERE WOULD BE 6 24 NORTH PLEASANT VALLEY AND 29 10, UH, EAST FIFTH STREET.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS LEASED AND FITTED OUT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE FOR THIS RIGHT IN HERE, IT GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE, THE BLUE BOUNDARY, UH, IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE EXISTING 29 10, UH, PROPERTY.
UH, AND BASICALLY WHEN YOU'LL SEE THE, THE, THE RED OUTLINE, THIS IS TILLERY PRESENTS ITSELF.
WE BASICALLY, THE FACILITY AS IT'S NOTED, OVER 180,000 SQUARE FEET, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT 5.84 ACRES.
SO THAT GIVES US A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY, NOT ONLY JUST FOR PARKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT FOR DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
I MEAN, WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE OUR OWN NEIGHBOR AT SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
UH, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL OVERVIEW.
THESE ARE SOME SLIDES AND STUFF THAT WE'VE PICKED, YOU KNOW, OFF THE LINE CUZ THE PROPERTY'S BEEN OUT THERE AND MARKETING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY ACCESSIBLE, YOU KNOW, BY DIFFERENT FOLKS.
AND WHAT WE'RE JUST BASICALLY JUST, YOU KNOW, HERE IS JUST TRYING TO PROVIDE A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S PRETTY EXCITING ABOUT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING, THE BONES OF THE BUILDING PER SE, YOU KNOW, THE STRUCTURE AND STUFF IS WHERE ALL THE INVESTMENT STUFF'S AT.
THERE WILL BE SOME FIT OUT ON OUR PART AS WELL AS WE DO HAVE AN EXISTING, YOU KNOW, UH, TENANT THERE, WHICH WILL HONOR THE, THE LEASE AND STUFF AROUND THAT.
BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT'S PRETTY EXCITING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, RAINWATER HARVESTING, YOU KNOW, SOLAR COLLECTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS.
THE OTHER PROJECTS WE'RE LOOKING AT, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, AT NORTH OPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO IT REALLY KIND OF COMBINES NOT ONLY OUR OPERATIONAL EFFORTS, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING EVEN AT THE LEVEL OF OUR ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOCUS AS WELL.
UH, IT'S AN OPEN, YOU KNOW, CONCEPT.
SO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAVE THE BUILDING STUFF IN, UH, EXTERIOR.
AND SO INSIDE AS YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT A WELCOMING, UH, LOCATION FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE AT AND OR THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THIS BUILDING AND THESE FACILITIES WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.
SO I THINK IT'S, UH, VERY CONDUCIVE TO THE WORK ENVIRONMENT AND, AND A VERY GOOD IMAGE FOR THE PRO FOR, FOR US AS AN ORGANIZATION.
NEXT SLIDE, UH, KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE FIT OUT AND EVERYTHING ELSE OF WHERE IT'S AT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT, UH, YOU KNOW, INDUSTRIAL SETUP, WHICH I'M VERY BIASED FOR, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'LL DEFINITELY BE POLISHED UP WITH THE RIGHT FOLKS AND HANDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN OPEN CANVAS, UH, A FACILITY THAT'S BEEN INVESTED IN HAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, KEY AMENITIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND, AND HOW WE CAN RELATE TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS LITERALLY RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO US RIGHT HERE? YES, SIR.
SO IT IS, IT'S, IT'S STILL IN, IN ALL OF THE BUS LINES, ALL THE ACCESSIBILITY TO CURRENTLY GET TO THIS BOARDROOM RIGHT HERE FOR OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS SHOULD PRETTY MUCH BE EXACTLY THE SAME TO GET TO WHAT OUR FUTURE NEEDS WOULD BE IF WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING OUR BOARD MEETINGS AT THAT FACILITY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? BOARD MEMBERS? SEE HOW I'M, I'M LOOKING.
SO IT HAS BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY.
WE'VE HAD OUR DISCUSSION TIME.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM TWO, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
AND I DID NOTE, UH, THAT BOTH BOARD MEMBERS ROSS AND POOL, UH, SAY, UH, VOTED I FOR THE RECORD.
GAVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO VOTE IN, IN THE NEGATIVE.
IF THEY CHOOSE HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
THANK, AND YOU DID A REAL GOOD JOB.
THANK PLAYING KIN TODAY,
UH, NOW WE'LL CALL UP ACTION ITEM THREE,
[V.3 Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of Georgetown for a Transit Development Plan (TDP) in an amount not to exceed $160,000 in FY23 FTA Section 5307 Funds and $40,000 in local funds from the City of Georgetown.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT I L A, UH, WITH THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN FOR A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN, A T D P IN[00:30:01]
AN AMOUNT NOW TO EXCEED $160,000 IN FY 23 FTA, SECTION 53 0 7 FUNDS, AND $40,000 IN LOCAL FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN.UH, I THINK, UH, JILL'S, UH, MISSOURI IS GOING TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION TO US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ILION, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
I'M THE MANAGER OF REGIONAL COORDINATION PLANNING HERE AT CAP METRO.
I'M HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS WITH YOU THE GEORGETOWN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THEIR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AND PLEASE NOTE THAT THEY DID APPROVE THIS BY THE, UH, CITY COUNCIL EARLIER THIS MONTH.
UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I DO WANNA GIVE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE PROGRAM.
UM, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT REGIONAL PARTNERS, MEMBER CITIES, SO PLEASE NOTE THIS IS FOR OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS.
OUR TEAM WORKS WITH TRAVIS, TRAVIS COUNTY, GEORGETOWN, THE CITY OF BUTTA, PFLUGERVILLE, UM, AND OTHERS, UH, ROUND ROCK.
SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE REALLY WORK WITH DAY IN AND DAY OUT ON SERVICE, ON THESE AGREEMENTS, ON THEIR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLANS.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THAT INFORMATION PRIOR TO STARTING THIS PRESENTATION.
I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER.
SO, UH, JUST WANNA GET THAT IN, HOPEFULLY
UM, SO FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND FOR THE SERVICE EXPANSION PROGRAM AND POLICY, THE SERVICE EXPANSION POLICY, OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
SO FOR THE SERVICE EXPANSION POLICY AND THE PROGRAM, THIS REALLY DEFINES FIVE APPROACHES FOR SERVICE TO JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE IN THE URBANIZED AREA, BUT OUTSIDE OF THE CAP METRO SERVICE AREA.
THIS POLICY PROVIDES A PROCESS FOR DISTRIBUTING FEDERAL TRANSIT FUNDING IN THE REGION.
THIS IS THE 53 0 7 FUNDS, AND THIS IS USED FOR IMPLEMENTING TRANSIT SERVICES.
SO THESE FUNDS CAN BE USED IN THE URBANIZED AREA FOR TRANSIT CAPITAL, ALSO OPERATING ASSISTANCE AND TRANSIT RELATED PLANNING, SUCH AS A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
AGAIN, JURISDICTIONS WITHIN THE URBANIZED AREA, BUT OUTSIDE THE CAP METRO SERVICE AREA CAN PARTICIPATE.
SO A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
SO A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.
SO THE PLAN, THE PROGRAM REQUIRES THAT A JURISDICTION COMPLETES A TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
UM, THESE ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL NEW APPLICATIONS OF SERVICE.
THIS IS AN UPDATE FOR THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN.
A TDP COVERS THREE YEARS, AND THIS GUIDELINES PROVIDES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR DATA AND ANALYSIS FOR THEIR INITIAL TDP OR AN UPDATE.
UM, THIS ALSO, UM, ON OUR END, WE HELP PROVIDE THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH THEM.
AND JUST TO NOTE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE, UM, PROCESS OF UPDATING TRAVIS COUNTY'S TDP, THE CITIES OF BUTTA AND PFLUGERVILLE.
SO WE HAVE THREE TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLANS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND THIS WOULD BE OUR FOURTH, AND THESE ARE ALL UPDATES.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND FOR THE TRANSIT IN GEORGETOWN.
WE'VE BEEN OPERATING TRANSIT IN GEORGETOWN ALONGSIDE CART SINCE 2017 THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
UM, WE HAVE CURRENTLY, WE HAVE, UM, LIMITED PARATRANSIT SERVICE AS WELL AS WE HAVE SENIOR SERVICE THAT'S BEING OPERATED RIGHT NOW.
AGAIN, THEIR CURRENT T D P WAS ORIGINALLY, UM, ADOPTED IN 2016.
AND THIS, THE RESULTS OF THIS T D P UPDATE WILL HELP GUIDE GEORGETOWN'S TRANSIT MOBILITY DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
SO AGAIN, UH, TODAY WE ARE HERE FOR THE GEORGE CITY OF GEORGETOWN ILA FOR THEIR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FUNDS THREE YEARS, UH, A THREE YEAR UPDATE TO THE TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN WITH THE SUPPORTIVE CAP METRO GENERAL PLANNING CONSULTANT.
CAP METRO WILL PROVIDE 53, UH, EXCUSE ME, FY 23, SECTION 53 0 7 FUNDING FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 80% OF THE SERVICES, WHICH IS THE T D P.
UH, THE LOCAL FUNDING FROM GEORGETOWN IS UP TO 40,000.
THE F Y 23 SECTION 53 0 7 FUNDS IS 160, UH, 160,000.
AND THEN THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS UP TO 200,000.
AND WITH THAT, I WRAP UP MY PRESENTATION AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
SO AM I, IF I'M MY UNDERSTANDING THIS RIGHT, RIGHT.
KEVIN MCNARE IS BASICALLY A FLOW THROUGH FOR THESE FUNDS? THAT IS CORRECT.
TH THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR, UM, MEMBER CITIES, BUT I ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR MEMBER ARE SMALL CITIES ARE BEING PUT AHEAD OF ANY OTHER, UM, OR CONSIDERED FOR CHANGES ANY BEFORE ANY OTHER ILAS ARE EXPANDED OR CONSIDERED.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
[00:35:01]
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER ROSS.I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION QUESTION.
UH, THE CHAIR ENTERTAINED AND THE MOTION WAS MADE BY BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? THAT'S BOARD MEMBER.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
LOOKING AT THE, BOTH, AT BOTH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ON, ON THERE THAT ARE REMOTE AS WELL.
IS THERE ANYONE THAT OPPOSES THE ITEM? HEARING NONE, UH, THE BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
SO WE'LL MOVE TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE
[V.4 Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her Designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Jay Reese Contractors, Inc., for the construction and replacement of two (2) bridge spans at Milepost (MP) 52.44 in the East subdivision for a contract term of Three Hundred Sixty Five (365) calendar days from Notice to Proceed in the amount of $3,981,000, plus 20% contingency, for a grand total not to exceed amount of $4,777,200.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JAY REESE CONTRACTORS, INC.FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND REPLACEMENT OF TWO, UH, BRIDGE SPANS AT, UH, MILEPOST FIVE 2.44 IN THE EAST SUBDIVISION FOR A CONTRACT TERM OF 365 CALENDAR DAYS, UH, FROM NOTICE TO PROCEED IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,981,000 PLUS 20% CONTINGENCY FOR A GRAND TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $4,777,200.
AND I THINK KEN WRIGHT CARTWRIGHT WILL BE, UH, INTRODUCING THAT MATERIAL.
CHAIR ILION, BOARD MEMBERS, UH, PRESIDENT CEO WATKINS.
I'M KEN CARTRIGHT, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES.
THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING THIS ACTION ITEM.
UH, WE HAVE A FEW SLIDES TO SHARE WITH YOU HERE.
THIS IS A BRIDGE THAT IS, UH, WHAT WE CALL IN OUR EAST'S RAIL SUBDIVISION.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE MAP HERE ON THE LEFT, IT'S, UH, EAST OF US 180 3 AND SOUTH OF, UH, FARM TO MARKET ROAD 9 69.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE EXISTING BRIDGE WITH THE STEEL SPANS THAT, UH, BRIDGE OVER WALNUT CREEK IN THIS LOCATION.
AND THOSE STEEL SPANS ARE APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
AND, UH, AS PART OF OUR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND OUR BID BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROGRAM, WE INTEND TO REPLACE THESE, UH, HISTORIC STEEL SPANS.
UM, WE WILL, UH, ACTUALLY TAKE THESE STEEL SPANS AND PUT THEM ON FOR PUBLIC DISPLAY.
UM, THAT WAS PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION AS PART OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, SINCE THEY ARE CONSIDERED HISTORIC.
SO, BUT WE WILL BE, UH, REPLACING THOSE STEEL SPANS.
SO I MENTIONED THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION.
WE DID, THE AGENCY DID RECEIVE A CONSOLIDATED RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENT GRANT, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS CHRISSY, AND THAT WAS IN THE AMOUNT OF 2.31 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THOSE FUNDS, AND WE DID PUT THIS PROJECT OUT TO BID ON OUR LOWEST, UH, RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER WAS J REESE CONTRACTORS INC.
UH, WHICH THE AGENCY HAS MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH THEM NOW.
THEY ARE PART OF THE, UM, GROUP THAT'S WORKING ON THE MACALL RAIL STATION AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UH, THE AMOUNT, YOU MENTIONED THE TOTALS TO INCLUDE A, UH, 20% CONTINGENCY.
THERE WAS A DBE GOAL ESTABLISHED OF 7.5%.
UM, JAY REESE IS ACTUALLY FALLING SHORT OF THAT GOAL, UH, BUT OUR DBE STAFF DID DETERMINE THAT THEY MADE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT, UH, THEIR BEST TO THEIR BEST ABILITY, GIVEN THE SPECIAL NATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UM, IF THE BOARD, UH, WILL TAKE ACTION TODAY AND AUTHORIZE THIS AGREEMENT, THEN WE WOULD EXPECT TO ISSUE NOTICE TO PROCEED IN JULY, AND THEN, UM, TAKE APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR TO ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT, UM, THIS, UH, BRIDGE REPLACEMENT.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES.
BOARD MEMBER MAY, WHERE WILL THE OLD BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE PRESERVED AND DISPLAYED? UH, WHERE EXACTLY IS THAT? I SEE IT ON THE MAP, BUT I CAN'T QUITE, UH, PLACE THAT LOCATION.
THE, THE TENTATIVE LOCATION THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THIS AT THIS POINT, ED BLUESTEIN IS 180 3, SO THAT IS RIGHT ALONG THE RAIL LINE AS IT CROSSES UNDER 180 3.
THAT'S A, A CURRENT LOCATION THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THERE, UH, CONSIDERATION FOR ALTERNATE LOCATIONS, WHICH MAY BE MORE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE.
WE DO KNOW, KNOW THIS AREA WILL BE REDEVELOPED, UH, FOR HOUSING IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S THE CURRENT LOCATION.
THAT'S, UH, HIGHWAY 180 3 THERE ON THE LEFT OF THAT LOWER AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? SEE, I'M LOOKING FOR MY BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE OFFSITE AND
[00:40:01]
I, LET'S SEE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T MISS YOU.UH, WELL, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE THE, UH, STRAT NVE PAIRING AGAIN, UH, RIGHT.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY.
SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING NONE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR HAS BEEN APPROVED.
[V.5 Approval of a resolution adopting an updated set of Capital Metro Service Standards and Guidelines.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN UPDATED SET OF CAP METRO SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES.AND I THINK WE HAVE TWO PRESENTERS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR BILION, UH, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS AND PRESIDENT AND CEO, DOTTIE WATKINS.
MY NAME IS ROSE LISKA AND I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER HERE WITH CAPITAL METRO.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT WITH EMMA MARTINEZ, A TRANSPORTATION PLANNER WITH CAB METRO.
AND THEN WE HAVE, UH, AMANDA WOLF HERE AS WELL FROM NELSON NYGARD, UM, TO HELP US ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE SEEKING BOARD ADOPTION OF THE SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, AND TWO APPENDICES, THE TRANSIT STOP AND STATION DESIGN GUIDELINES, AND THE AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT PROCESS.
TODAY WE WILL BE DISCUSSING WHY THE DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT, THE KEY CHANGES THAT WERE MADE, AND HOW OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COMMUNITY, OUR STAFF, AND THE BOARD HAS HELPED SHAPE, SHAPE THE CHANGES THAT WE MADE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH THE NELSON NYGARD CONSULTING TEAM ON THIS UPDATE FOR THE SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES TO DEVELOP A DOCUMENT THAT PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR SERVICE MONITORING AND ALL OF THE PLANNING PROCESSES RELATED TO BUS AND COMMUTER RAIL.
EVERY FIVE YEARS, WE MAKE UPDATES TO ENSURE WE ARE CURRENT AND ALIGNED WITH THE AGENCY'S STRATEGIC GOALS AND OUR SERVICE LEVELS.
THIS DOCUMENT WAS PREVIOUSLY UPDATED IN 2015, AND WE WANT TO NOTE BEFORE WE DIVE IN THAT THE SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES ARE NOT A TRANSIT PLAN, IT'S NOT A STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THIS IS NOT A NETWORK REDESIGN.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL REFERENCE FEATURE NEW MODES OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, SUCH AS THE LIGHT RAIL, WHICH CAT METRO WILL OPERATE IN THE FUTURE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT CONNECT.
HOWEVER, THIS DOCUMENT WILL NOT SET PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, UH, FOR THESE SERVICES YET.
CAT METRO WILL UPDATE ITS GUIDELINES TO INCLUDE STANDARDS FOR NEW SERVICE TYPES AS THEY'RE IMPLEMENTED SO THAT THE INITIAL PERFORMANCE DATA CAN BE USED TO SET REALISTIC THRESHOLDS.
THE GOAL WITH THIS UPDATE WAS TO REFRESH THE GUIDELINES, KEEPING IN MIND THE CHANGE IN NEEDS OF THE GROWING COMMUNITY AND AGENCY.
UM, AND WE ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS, UH, DOES NOT INCLUDE SOME OF OUR OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES WE OPERATE SUCH AS PICKUP, METRO BIKE, AND METRO ACCESS, RIDE SHARE, AND GUARANTEED RIDE RIDE HOME.
THESE UPDATES ARE IMPORTANT SO THAT WE REFLECT THE GROWTH AND CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN OUR REGION SINCE 2015.
BEFORE DEVELOPING THESE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES, WE RESEARCHED INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE SIMILAR AGENCIES, UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND IDENTIFY HOW WE COMPARE.
SO SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE MADE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, UM, WERE TO OUR SERVICE TYPES.
WE'VE STREAMLINED THE CATEGORIES FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.
WE'VE MOVED FROM 15 TO FIVE SERVICE TYPES TO MORE CLEARLY COMMUNICATE HOW WE ARE MEETING OUR STANDARDS.
WE'VE UPDATED SPECIFIC STANDARDS TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR OUR RIDERSHIP PER HOUR.
UM, THIS PREVIOUSLY WAS 15, UH, WEEKDAY AND 12 WEEKEND RIDERS PER HOUR.
UM, WE'VE STREAMLINED THIS TO ALIGN WITH SPECIFIC SERVICE TYPES SO THAT, FOR INSTANCE, FOR METRO RAPID, WE WOULD LOOK AT 20 RIDERS PER HOUR.
AND FOR A LOCAL, IT WOULD BE MORE LIKE 10 RIDERS PER HOUR.
UM, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS OUR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE STANDARD.
WE'VE WENT TO AN 85% THROUGHOUT THE FIXED ROUTE ALIGNMENT, WHEN PREVIOUSLY THE STANDARD WAS 90% AT THE END OF LINE AND 75% AT TIME POINTS.
ADDITIONALLY, DURING THIS UPDATE, WE CONDUCTED INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS, SURVEYS AT SUB OUTREACH AND
[00:45:01]
WORKSHOPS TO FORMALIZE OUR EVALUATION PROCESS FOR SERVICE STANDARDS.THIS WILL BE BENEFICIAL AS OUR TEAM CONTINUES TO GROW BECAUSE WE HAVE DOCUMENTED OUR PROCESSES SO THAT NOW WE CAN BE CONSISTENT AND TRANSPARENT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PROCESS, WE SPECIFIED OUR ANALYSIS OF DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS THAT ARE MOST LIKELY TO NEED TRANSIT.
WE HAVE SPECIFIED THE CENSUS DATA THAT WE'LL BE USING FOR BLACK INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR, LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING, OLDER ADULTS, YOUTH, ZERO CAR HOUSEHOLDS, AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND LOW INCOME POPULATIONS.
WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED TRANSIT PRIORITY MEASURES.
UM, AS OUR POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW AND CONGESTION WORSENS, WE KNOW THAT WE'LL NEED DEDICATED SPACE FOR TRANSIT.
SO WE HAVE INCLUDED INFORMATION ON DEDICATED BUS LANES, SIGNAL PRIORITY, AND CUE JUMPS.
DURING OUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, WE ASKED OUR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THEIR AMENITY NEEDS AND WHICH AMENITIES WOULD IMPROVE THEIR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THE MOST.
WE HEARD FROM OUR CUSTOMERS AND SOME METRO BOARD MEMBERS, THE DESIRE FOR MORE BENCHES AND SHELTERS.
WE HAVE UPDATED OUR AMENITIES BY, UH, BY, BY STOP TYPE TABLE TO REFLECT THOSE, UH, THAT INPUT.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A MORE ROBUST PROCESS FOR TACKLING CUSTOMER CALL REPORTS ABOUT OUR AMENITIES, AND WE HAVE INCORPORATED THAT INTO OUR AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT SCORING CRITERIA.
AND THEN FINALLY, WITHIN OUR STOP, OH, SORRY.
WITHIN OUR STOP AND STATION DESIGN GUIDELINES, WE HAVE INCLUDED UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR SPACING, PLACEMENT, AND CONFIGURATIONS THAT REFERENCE UPDATED CRITERIA WITH SPECIFICATIONS REQUIRED BY JURISDICTIONS THAT WE OPERATE IN.
WE HAVE ALSO CATEGORIZED STOPS BY TYPE AND IDENTIFIED THEIR AMENITY NEED.
AND LASTLY, WE HAVE, UH, DEVELOPED AN AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT PROCESS.
THIS WILL HELP US FORMALIZE OUR PROCESS FOR HOW WE EQUITABLY PRIORITIZE STOP AMENITIES.
SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED AMENITIES BY STOP TYPE.
WE HAVE STARTED TO SCORE STOPS BY LOOKING AT DATA FOR SOME KEY AREAS, IDENTIFYING PEOPLE WITH HIGH AMENITY NEED, UM, LOOKING AT THE USE OF THE TRANSIT STOP, LOOKING AT MULTIMODAL ACCESS.
AND IF WE ANY CUSTOMER CALL REPORTS FOR AMENITIES OVERALL, THESE UPDATES OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF OUR TRANSIT SERVICES STATIONS AND AMENITIES.
AND THESE UPDATES INCORPORATE RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICES AND PROCESSES THAT PRIORITIZE DATA ANALYSIS, EQUITY, AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
THE CHANGES WITHIN THESE THREE DOCUMENTS WERE VETTED BY THE PUBLIC, OUR STAFF, AND, AND WITH OUR BOARD.
AND NOW, EMMA WILL GO THROUGH SOME OF THE ENGAGEMENT CONDUCTED FOR THIS UPDATE.
UM, SINCE THIS DOCUMENT WILL HAVE DIRECT IMPACTS TO OUR CUSTOMERS, WE WANTED TO BE SURE TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
AND WE TALKED TO EIGHT PEOPLE OR EIGHT SMALL GROUPS, UM, AND PAID EACH PERSON FOR THEIR TIME.
WE CONDUCTED A SURVEY FOR EVERYONE TO ANSWER, AND WE RECEIVED MORE THAN A THOUSAND RESPONSES.
WE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WORK AT CAB METRO TO UNDERSTAND EVERYONE'S ROLE IN EVALUATING AND UPDATING OUR SERVICE.
AND WE HAD MORE THAN 20 MEETINGS AND TALKED TO PEOPLE IN ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
UM, EVERYBODY FROM PROJECT MANAGERS TO OPERATORS, TO PEOPLE WHO HELP CUSTOMERS ALL THE WAY TO CAT METRO LEADERSHIP.
WE ALSO DID A WORKSHOP WITH OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES WHERE THEY WERE ASKED TO PRETEND TO BE A PLANNER, AND THEY EXPERIENCED THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR THEMSELVES.
DURING THAT WORKSHOP WITH OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES, WE DISCUSSED THE SERVICE EVALUATION PROCESS AND THE AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT PROCESS.
EACH GROUP OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAD TO DEVELOP A SERVICE CHANGE PROPOSAL BASED ON THEIR GIVEN SCENARIO, EXCEPT FOR ONE GROUP WHO FOCUSED ON DISTRIBUTING AMENITIES.
AND THE GROUPS GAVE A FINAL PRESENTATION TO A MOCK BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT EVEN INCLUDED A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR THEIR PROPOSED CHANGES AND A TIME FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO GIVE FEEDBACK.
ULTIMATELY, THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS' FEEDBACK, UM, REALLY ECHOED MANY OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
AND PEOPLE GAVE US THEIR OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO THINK ABOUT WHEN WE DECIDE WHERE TRANSIT GOES.
THEY DID NOT ALL AGREE ON ONE THING, BUT SOME SAID IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE EASY ACCESS TO PLACES LIKE STORES, SCHOOLS, AND JOBS.
THEY ALSO WANT BUSES TO GO TO MORE PLACES, NOT JUST PLACES WHERE PEOPLE WORK DURING THE DAY.
WE ALSO ASK PEOPLE FOR THEIR OPINIONS ON HOW CAT METRO PRIORITIZES BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS.
MANY PEOPLE SAID THAT ALL BUS STOPS SHOULD HAVE SEATS AND SHELTERS, AND THAT STOPS WITH MORE RIDERSHIP SHOULD HAVE BETTER AMENITIES.
THEY ALSO SAID CAT METRO SHOULD PRIORITIZE IMPROVING BUS STOPS THAT ARE USED BY PEOPLE WHO NEED THE MOST LIKE BUS STOPS CLOSE TO SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR SENIORS.
WE ARE NOW IN THE END OF PHASE TWO OF COMMUNITY INTERNAL AND BOARD ENGAGEMENT.
WE CONDUCTED A WORKSHOP WITH SOME BOARD MEMBERS.
WE'VE COORDINATED WITH THE CITY OF MAINOR AND THE CITY OF LEANDER TO ENSURE
[00:50:01]
REGIONAL COORDINATION.AND WE PUBLISHED DRAFT DOCUMENTS ONLINE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UPON RECEIVING THAT PUBLIC FEEDBACK, WE'VE INCORPORATED PUBLIC COMMENT INTO THE MOST RECENT DRAFT THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR BOARD PACKET TODAY.
IN TERMS OF BOARD ENGAGEMENT IN OUR CAP METRO BOARD WORK WORKSHOP, WE WALKED THROUGH THE SERVICE EVALUATION PROCESS AND THE AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT PROCESS.
SIMILAR TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S WORKSHOP, WE'VE ALSO INCORPORATED FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, INCLUDING LOWERING THE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED FOR TRANSIT STOPS TO QUALIFY FOR TRANSIT SHELTERS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR HOW TO IMPLEMENT THESE STANDARDS, INCLUDING HOW IT TIES INTO OUR CONSTRAINED FIVE YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR BUDGETS.
WE WILL REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD ON THE STATUS OF THAT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE FUTURE.
NOW, I'LL TO TOSS IT BACK TO ROSE LISKA TO DISCUSS NEXT STEPS.
SO ONCE THESE DOCUMENTS ARE ADOPTED, UM, THEY WILL BE USED AS AN UPDATED REFERENCE FOR THE PRINCIPLES WE USE TO DO OUR WORK.
UM, SO WE'VE UPDATED THE STANDARDS TO MATCH OUR SERVICE TYPES, UH, THAT WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM TODAY.
WE'VE ALIGNED OUR UPDATE WITH THE LATEST INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES.
WE'VE DEVELOPED THESE DOCUMENTS TO BE HIGHLY VISUAL AND VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND, AND WE FORMALIZE OUR INTERNAL PROCESSES TO ENSURE OUR PROCESS IS CONSISTENT AND ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITY TO CONFIRM IT ALIGNS WITH COMMUNITY NEEDS AND VALUES.
WE'VE DETAILED THE PROCESS FOR SERVICE CHANGE AND AMENITIES ENHANCEMENT AND HOW WE HANDLE THESE REQUESTS, AND WE'VE INCORPORATED EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS THROUGHOUT BOTH OF OUR PROCESSES.
AFTER ADOPTED, WE WILL PUBLISH THESE MATERIALS ONLINE AND OUR STAFF AND PUBLIC FOR REFERENCE.
UH, THANK YOU AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
AND THEN I'LL, UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN.
UH, JUST WANTED TO CIRCLE BACK REAL QUICK TO, UM, THE, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
FIRST OF ALL, THE JUST SAY THIS LOOKS, UH, AMAZING AND VERY THOROUGH AND VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND, AND, UH, INVOLVEMENT YOU WENT TO AND HAVING PARTICIPATED IN THAT BOARD WORKSHOP, UH, THAT WAS VERY, UH, VERY HELPFUL TO, TO BE A PART OF AND, UH, TO SEE WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
UM, ESPECIALLY AS THE, AS THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE CHAIR, THAT WAS E EXTREMELY HELPFUL TO SEE REALLY KIND OF HOW THIS ALL WORKS AND WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL AS STAFF GET INTO AND TRYING TO PLAN THESE THINGS.
THE ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON, IF YOU COULD MAYBE JUST, UH, GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT IS, UM, HOW YOU, UM, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVED FROM OUR, UM, SMALL CITIES AND, UH, THE, THE COMMU THE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE BESIDES JUST, UH, AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
UM, SO FROM, UH, FROM MAINOR, WE DID HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UM, THE EXPRESS SERVICE AS WELL AS PICKUP SERVICE IN THE AREA.
UM, IT WAS MAINLY FOCUSED ON, UH, LOOKING TOWARDS OUR NEXT TRANSIT PLAN.
UM, SO THEY'RE VERY EAGER TO PARTICIPATE, UM, IN THAT EFFORT.
THERE WEREN'T ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR, UH, COMMENTS THAT WE INCORPORATED INTO THE STANDARDS.
AND WHAT ABOUT, UH, LEANDER FOR LEANDER? UM, WE, IT WAS A VERY SIMILAR CONVERSATION ABOUT FUTURE SERVICES, UM, IN LEANDER.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT NECESSARY, UM, TO HAVE IN LEANDER WHEN WE START OUR NEXT TRANSIT PLAN.
UM, AND REALLY TRYING TO FORMULATE THAT RELATIONSHIP TO START OUR ENGAGEMENT EARLY FOR THE TRANSIT PLAN.
APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU HAVE DEFINITELY PUT INTO MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
UH, I APPRECIATE YOU AND STAFF'S TIME BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH ME RECENTLY.
UM, AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ARE REFLECTED IN HERE.
THINGS LIKE SHELTERS, UM, BIKE RACKS, AND ESPECIALLY FOR BUS ROUTES LIKE WE SEE OFTENTIMES IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN WHERE THERE ARE 35 MINUTES OR LONGER WAIT IN BETWEEN BUSES.
AND SO I'M APPRECIATIVE THAT, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION AND SEE SOME OF THOSE REFLECTIONS IN THIS DOCUMENT.
ONE THING I WILL HIGHLIGHT, I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE METRICS OF SIDEWALK RELIABILITY AND SO I'M NOT SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF READS IN THE DOCUMENT RIGHT NOW, LIKE IF THE NETWORK IS MORE RELIABLE FOR SIDEWALKS, IT SCORES BETTER FOR MULTIMODAL.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE THE OTHER WAY AROUND WHERE YOU WANT MORE AMENITIES, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN UNDER INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND IF THERE'S ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO THIS DOCUMENT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, SO, UH, AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA TEST OUT THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED AND KIND OF, UM, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE SCORES SHAKE OUT FOR THAT SPECIFIC, UM, CRITERIA.
UM, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD,
[00:55:01]
UM, ONCE WE'VE DONE THAT AND DONE.AND, AND JUST TO ADD ON TO THAT A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, OUR PRIOR STANDARD WAS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY BASED ON THE NUMBER OF, UH, BOARDINGS PER DAY AT A LOCATION AND THEN HAD A LIST OF, AND OTHER THINGS WE'LL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, BUT NO REAL FRAMEWORK FOR TAKING THOSE OTHER THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND SO THE STAFF HAS DONE, UM, AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF WORK TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THIS PRIORITIZATION FRAMEWORK, UM, THAT IT INCLUDES DATA THAT WE KNOW WE CAN PULL FROM CENSUS DATA, BUT WE KIND OF JUST CAME UP WITH IT.
I MEAN, NOT THAT IT HASN'T BEEN VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT, BUT WE'VE NOT WORKED IT YET.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE DOING OVER THE NEXT, UM, SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR IS AS WE WORK THE NEW PROCESS AND PRIORITIZE STOPS AND GET AN OUTPUT, KIND OF GUT TESTING THAT FOR OURSELVES, AND THEN REPORTING BACK TO OUR OPS PLANNING COMMITTEE HOW THE PROCESS IS WORKING SO THAT IF WE FIND SOME OF THE METRICS THAT WE'RE USING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SIDEWALK RE RELIABILITY METRIC, WE'VE BEEN USING THAT PRIMARILY AS A PLACEHOLDER METRIC FOR UNDER INVESTED COMMUNITIES BECAUSE TYPICALLY WHERE WE HAVEN'T INVESTED IN SIDEWALKS, WE HAVEN'T INVESTED IN OTHER MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND WE WANT TO TRY AND HELP RIGHT THAT WRONG, BUT THAT MAY OR MAY NOT TURN OUT TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE THE RESULTS WE WERE HOPING FOR.
AND SO ON ALL OF THESE METRICS, WE'LL, WE'LL BE WORKING THE PROCESS AND THEN SEEING HOW IT WORKS.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL, UM, REPORT BACK AND IF WE NEED TO MAKE A PIVOT, WE ABSOLUTELY WILL.
CAUSE I SEE BENEFITS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE CONVERSATION.
ONE IS WHERE THERE'S HISTORIC UNDERINVESTMENT, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED THOSE AMENITIES.
AND THE OTHER IS IF WE REALLY WANNA FULFILL THAT FIRST MILE LAST MILE CONNECTIVITY FOR FOLKS THAT MAYBE DON'T LIVE CLOSE TO THE BUS STOP BUT COULD GET THERE BY BICYCLE, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION USE AS WELL.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW, UH, THIS PLAYS OUT OVER THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
YEAH, THE CITY HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET ME TO RIDE THE BIKE FOR 20 YEARS NOW.
SO WE'RE GONNA INVITE, INVITE YOU ON OUR E-BIKE TOUR NEXT TIME THE MOBILITY COMMITTEE DOES OUR E-BIKE RIDE.
WE'LL INVITE, YOU STILL MAKE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS
AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO I GET MY STUDENTS FROM CAMPUSES TO WORK SITES? SO I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL BE INTERESTED IN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT, UH, WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING, WHO THEY'RE PARTNERING WITH, AND HOW WE MIGHT WORK TOGETHER TO, TO, UH, TO GET THOSE TRANSPORTATION, UM, METHODS TAKEN CARE OF.
SO, UM, GLAD TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
VERY GLAD WE TALKED TO MORE THAN EIGHT PEOPLE,
UM, LET'S SEE NOW, ANYONE ELSE, LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I'M, UH, LOOKING AT MY BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE OFF SITE.
UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, ONE MORE FROM BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.
JUST TO KIND OF DOVETAIL ON, ON WHAT BOARD MEMBER ELLIS HAD HAD ASKED.
UM, SO YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT, THAT THIS IS REALLY JUST FOR OUR F FOR FIXED ROUTE OR FIXED ROUTE SERVICES.
SO, UM, BUT YOU GUYS AS A TEAM, WE, EARLIER WE'D BEEN, WE HAD DEVELOPED, UH, THE SAME KIND OF SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR OUR, UM, UH, FOR OUR, UH, OUR ACCESS.
I'VE LOST A NAME FOR IT FOR OUR PICKUP.
I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT FOR OUR PICKUP SERVICES.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT FIRST MILE, LAST MILE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT KIND OF EFFICIENCIES AND TRYING TO DETERMINE AS WE'RE FIGURING OUT WHEN IT, WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE TO EXTEND A ROUTE OR PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, LAUNCH NEW PICKUP OR EXTEND PICKUP, THEN THIS, THESE TWO, BASICALLY THESE TWO DOCUMENTS ARE GONNA KIND OF OVERLAP.
AND THE TWO, THE STAFFS ARE GONNA KIND OF WORK TOGETHER AND SYNERGISTICALLY TO KIND OF COME INTO PLAY AND FIGURE OUT HOW THESE PIECES WILL FIT TO DETERMINE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR WHATEVER THE, THE, TO OPTIMIZE THE RESOURCES OF CAP METRO AND THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AT THAT POINT, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND OUR NEXT PLANNING EFFORT WILL BE DIVING DEEP INTO THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN THAT'S GONNA, SO BASICALLY WE'VE, WE'VE BUILT THE SYSTEM, WE'VE BUILT THE TOOLS NOW MM-HMM.
WE JUST NOW IF ONCE WE APPROVE THIS TODAY, IS IT NOW, THEN IT'S, LET'S TEST IT AND, AND, AND SEE HOW IT WORKS AND MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THESE PIECES ALL FIT TOGETHER PROPERLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT THEN, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
BOARD MEMBER BANGO HAS MADE THE MOTION AND I THOUGHT I SAW BOARD MEMBER HARRIS MAKE THE SECOND.
SO IT'S BEEN MOVED IMPROPERLY.
SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY
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FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
AND I HAVE CHECKED WITH BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE REMOTE.
UH, OPPOSED SAME SIGN HEARING NONE.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
UH, WE HAVE ONE DISCUSSION ITEM, BUT BEFORE WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ITEM, I SEE THAT, UH, MS. SHERRY TAYLOR HAS MADE IT, UH, INTO THE AUDIENCE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HER AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD FOR THREE MINUTES, IF THAT, IF, UH, THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
WELL, WE GONNA TURN THAT MIC ON FOR YOU.
UM, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT.
DID I GET IT RIGHT? I'M GETTING, OKAY.
WELL, I, I, I ANSWERED TO A LOT OF THINGS.
I'M, I'M HERE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS, UH, JUNE, WHICH IT CELEBRATES, UH, JUNETEENTH.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE CITY FOR ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, THAT ISSUE.
UM, I'M ALSO SPEAKING FOR FOLKS WHO TRAVEL IN WHEELCHAIRS OR THEIR DISABILITY REQUIRES THEM TO HAVE AC LIKE THE VANS, THE METRO ACCESS VANS.
UM, LAST YEAR THERE WAS A WONDERFUL OUTPOURING OF ACCESS TO FREE BUS TICKETS FOR PEOPLE WHO DISABLED AND A LOTS OF PICKET SIGNS AND ALL THAT.
AND PARTICULAR PEOPLE WHO UNEMPLOYED ARE UNSHELTERED.
UH, BUT THEY GOT FREE BUS TICKETS.
BUT THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE VAN DID NOT GET FREE VAN TICKETS.
AND THAT RESTRICTS THEIR MOBILITY OF PAYING 75 CENTS OR WHATEVER THEY PAY FOR ONE WAY AND THEN TO COME BACK.
UH, IT, IT ACTUALLY, UH, JUST KEEPS SOME PEOPLE IN.
UM, SO I, I, THIS ORGANIZATION CALLED E I E I O TRY TO MONETIZE OLD MCDONALD
WE TRYING TO ELIMINATE ISOLATION, ENHANCES INDIVIDUALIZED OUTCOMES, AND WE GOTTA MAKE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY'RE A PART OF A TEAM IF THEY CAN GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, BUT THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO IF THEY HAVE TO RIDE THE METRO ACCESS.
I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 15 DAYS LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT'S HEAT I THOUGHT I COULD MANAGE, AND THE LAST TIME I CAME, I GOT PASSED BY TWO DIFFERENT BUSES COMING HERE.
SO IF, IF THAT COULD HAPPEN TO A PERSON'S DRESSED LIKE THIS, I MEAN, JUST IMAGINE.
AND YOU FALL OUT IN THAT HEAT, YOU KNOW? BUT, BUT I TOLD Y'ALL LAST TIME WHEN THEY DIAGNOSED ME WITH W I G, THEY, THEY SAID IF YOU TAKE THAT HOT WIG OFF, MAYBE YOU STOP FALLING OUT IN PUBLIC.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, THERE'S SOME OTHER, UH, OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP TOMORROW.
WE'RE HAVING A CORN, WHICH STANDS FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESILIENCY NETWORK AT WILDFLOWER TERRACE.
WE ARE A INDEPENDENT LIVING, UM, WILDFLOWER TERRACE, UH, APARTMENT COMPLEX.
BUT WE JUST HAVE SO MANY AGENCIES IN AUSTIN, TEXAS THAT ARE TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE 65 AND OVER, OR 60 AND OVER.
SO IF YOU SAY, WELL, I'M NOT 60 AND OVER, YOU KEEP LIVING, YOU'LL GET THERE.
SO YOU WANNA COME TO THIS EVENT AT 38 0 1 BERKMAN DRIVE, WE'LL SET UP AT 10.
THEY HAVE A SOPHIE SINGALONG AND THE SARAN RAPPERS WILL PERFORM, AND YOU JUST DON'T WANNA MISS IT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF FUN, BUT MOST, MOST IMPORTANT, WE'RE TRYING TO GET FOLKS TO REALIZE THAT AUSTIN, AUSTIN IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WE NEED YOU TO COME AND GET THESE RESOURCES THAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE 60.
AND, AND SO IT SAYS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, WE'RE TRYING TO HELP EACH OTHER FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE ELIGIBLE FOR SO YOU WON'T KEEP RUNNING OUTTA MONEY BEFORE YOU RUN OUTTA MONK.
AND THAT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AND ADDRESSING THE BOARD.
IT'S ALWAYS LOVELY TO SEE YOU.
AND, UH, I, I, I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA COME AND SING THOUGH.
YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE COME BACK.
I WAS GONNA, I HAD, I HAD THE SONG, BUT, YOU KNOW, THREE MINUTES IS THREE MINUTES.
BUT, BUT I'M TRYING TO PROMOTE SERIOUSLY, UH, BLUE APPLE EXPRESS STILL, WHICH IS A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS, TO HAVE A PAL TO RIDE WITH THEM AND WALK WITH THEM ON THESE STREETS WHERE THE PEOPLE KEEP LEAVING THE SCOOTERS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALK.
BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE JUST ONE DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, THAT'S BEFORE US THIS AFTERNOON.
IT'LL BE AN UPDATE ON OUR SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM
[VI.1 Sustainability Program Update]
[01:05:01]
FROM, UH, ROB ROSKI.ALL RIGHT, ROB, HOW ARE YOU? VERY GOOD, THANK YOU.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR PAVILION, VICE CHAIR POOL PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M THE SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER FOR CAP METRO.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLAN FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.
THIS WILL ALSO GA BE A PRIMER FOR, FOR THE PLAN.
UM, SO I'M GONNA DOT THREE THINGS TODAY.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PLAN AND A KIND OF QUICK PRIMER, UM, OVERVIEW.
SOME OF THE, AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE INDICATORS THAT WE'VE BEEN TRACKING AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE KEY PROJECTS THAT WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SINCE LAST YEAR IN 2023.
SO, AND GETTING THIS, THE, THE BEST LAID PLANS I OF MICE AND MEN OFF COAST.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED IN THE COMMUNITY AND NATIONALLY FOR OUR EFFORTS.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, SUSTAINABILITY IS EMBEDDED IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE ULTIMATE END GOAL, UM, OF INCORPORATING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY INTO EVERY ASPECT OF, OF OUR OPERATIONS.
UM, WE BECAME A CHARTER MEMBER OF APTAS AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSIT ASSOCIATIONS.
ED, UM, SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM, COMMITMENT PROGRAM IN 2012.
AND WE'RE ONE OF 25 AGENCIES THAT HAVE RE AT ATTAINED EITHER THE GOLD OR PLATINUM LEVEL.
SO WE'RE AT GOLD RIGHT NOW, AND WE HAVE, HAVE DESIGNS.
WE HAVE PLANS TO GET TO THE PLATINUM LEVEL.
WE'RE ALSO, UM, MEMBERS OF THE AUSTIN GREEN GREEN BUSINESS LEADERS AND THE CLIMATE LEADERS PROGRAM AND LIKE VICE CHAIR POOL, WE'VE BEEN SUPPORTING OUR CLIMATE CITIES CLIMATE GOALS AND CLIMATE EQUITY PROGRAMS. UM, FOR A WHILE.
TRANSPORTATION IS A KEY STRATEGY IN REACHING OUR, OUR SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE GOALS.
IN MARCH, 2022, LAST YEAR, UH, CAP METRO LAUNCHED OUR NEXT PHASE OF, OF SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLAN.
AND THE BOARD AT THE MARCH MEETING APPROVED THE POLICY, WHICH ESSENTIALLY, UM, COMMITTED TO THESE, THE THINGS THAT ARE ON THE SLIDE HERE.
AND THAT POLICY AND THE PLAN, UM, ADOPTED A VISION.
AND THAT VISION, AS YOU SEE HERE, IS TO BUILD AND OPERATE SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT KEEPS COMMUNITIES CONNECTED, PROTECTS AND RESTORES OUR NATURAL SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT, AND HELPS GROW A VIBRANT COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY.
UM, THE PLAN ALSO IDENTIFIED, UH, THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES, EQUITY, CLIMATE, RESILIENCE, AND SUSTAINABILITY VALUATION WHERE WE CONSIDER THE COST AND THE TOTAL COST BENEFIT OF OUR SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS THROUGHOUT OUR PROGRAMS. LONG-TERM GOALS, UM, ARE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER CITY OF AUSTIN AND REGIONAL, UM, SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS LIKE THE CARBON, UM, AND THE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS ALONG THE, THE, THE THAT ARE LISTED HERE INCLUDE, UM, REACHING CARBON NEUTRALITY OR ZERO NET CARBON BY 2040, UH, OBTAINING, UH, AND REDUCING OUR, OUR WASTE GOING INTO THE LANDFILL BY 90%, BY 2040.
ACHIEVING GOALS AROUND WATER AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE BUILDING GUIDELINES AND SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE GOALS AND GUIDELINES, AND, UM, ACHIEVING EQUITY AND LIVABLE COMMUNITY GOALS.
WE'LL BE DOING THAT THROUGH THE SEVEN ACTION AREAS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE, THIS, ON THE SLIDE HERE ALSO.
AND DEVELOPING SUSTAINABILITY PLANS FOR EACH OF THESE SPECIFIC PLANS FOR EACH OF THESE ACTION AREAS.
AND THOSE ACTION AREAS ARE ENERGY AND CONSERV, ENERGY CONSERVATION, EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLES.
UM, OBTAINING SUSTAINABLE AND ZERO EMISSION FLEETS.
UH, ESTABLISHING AN ACTION PLAN FOR A WATER AND NATURAL WORLD.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS A WAY TO IMPROVE BOTH OUR NA NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND OUR WATER, OUR ZERO WASTE AND NATURAL,
[01:10:01]
UH, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT GOALS, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND, AND BUILDING STRATEGIES, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT.SO HOW WE APPROACH OUR OPERATIONS.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO MEASURE OR, OR DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE MEASURE PROGRESS AND WHERE WE'RE EXCELLING AND WHERE WE NEED TO, WHERE WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.
EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY, UM, MEANINGFUL METRICS AND TRACK AND REPORT THAT DATA.
UM, IDENTIFYING KEY INDICATORS HELPS US TO PRIORITIZE AND MEASURE OUR, OUR, UM, OUR EFFORTS WITH APPROPRIATE FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE AND TRANSPARENCY AND BEST PRACTICES.
THE APP, THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT WAS KIND OF OUR FRAMEWORK FOR STARTING THAT PROGRESS.
UH, RECENTLY WE'VE, WE'VE ALIGNED OURSELVES OR, UM, ARE ADOPTING A CLIMATE PROTOCOL, CLIMATE MEASUREMENT PROTOCOL THROUGH THE CLIMATE REGISTRY, WHICH IS A THIRD PARTY, UH, PROGRAM THAT CITY OF AUSTIN USED IN MANY OF, OF OUR PEERS USE TO MEASURE HERE.
ON THIS SLIDE, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF OUR KEY RESULTS, UM, MEASURED IN 2022, WE MEASURE ON THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THESE WERE, UM, THINGS THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED IN 2022.
UH, AS YOU CAN SEE SINCE IN THE BASELINE FOR THESE IS 2016, SO GOING BACK TO 2016, COMPARING OUR DATA TO THAT YEAR.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED IN 2022.
WE USE LESS OVERALL ENERGY AND LESS FUEL FUEL THAN WE DID IN 20 20 16.
UH, WE PRODUCE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS, UH, LESS AIR POLLUTION BECAUSE OF OUR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR BUS, BUS, OUR BUS, UM, PROCESS, AND OUR BUS FLEET.
UM, WE RECYCLE AND COMPOST SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WASTE, UM, FROM OUR FACILITIES HERE, FROM OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES, WHICH HAS BEEN OUR PRIMARY FOCUS, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT LATER.
UM, MOST OF OUR ELECTRICITY THAT WE PURCHASE IS ZERO EMISSION RENEWABLE ENERGY, GREEN CHOICE ENERGY, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE THAT AND, AND GO BEYOND THAT.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES.
I WANT TO KIND OF FOCUS ON SOME OF THE KEY INDICATORS THAT WE LOOK AT.
UM, IN 20 20 22, UM, WE'VE REDUCED OUR, OVER OUR 2016 EMISSIONS, WE'VE REDUCED OUR CARBON EMISSIONS, OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 14%, OVER 10,000 METRIC TONS.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR LARGEST G H G EMISSION IS OUR FIXED ROUTE BUSES, FOLLOWED BY RAIL.
KEY STRATEGIES TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INCLUDE, UH, BUILDING GREEN AND RENEWABLE ENERGY, UM, AND CONVERTING TO ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES WHEN WE CAN FUEL USE OR, OR OUR ENERGY USE.
UM, THIS IS A, A SLIDE THAT SHOWS WHERE OUR ENERGY COMES FROM WITH THE YELLOW BEING OUR NATURAL GAS RESOURCES AND THE GRAY TURNING TO GREEN.
UH, WE PURCHASED, UM, OVER 8 MILLION, UM, KILOWATTS OF GREEN CHOICE ENERGY.
UH, STARTING EARLY ON IN 2016.
WE STARTED PURCHASING SOME, BUT CONVERTED MOSTLY TO GREEN ENERGY IN 20, UH, AT THE END OF 2020.
UM, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OUR ENERGY HAS REMAINED FAIRLY FLAT SINCE 2016, YET WE'VE GROWN A TREMENDOUSLY SINCE THEN.
SO WHILE WE'VE BECOME MORE EFFICIENT IN OUR PROCESSES, WE'RE GROWING AS AN AGENCY AND TO REDUCE OUR, OUR ENERGY USE BY ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION IN OUR CURRENT BUILDINGS WILL HELP TAKE THAT DOWN EVEN MORE.
AND WE'LL PURSUE ADDITIONAL, UH, GREEN ENERGY SOURCES.
THAT GRAY THAT REMAINS, REMAINS, UH, ONE OF OUR METERS AND AUSTIN ENERGY, WE STILL HAVE TO CONVERT.
AND SOME OF OUR POWER, WE, WE PURCHASE FROM TEXAS NATURAL GAS AND SOME OF OUR CO-OPS.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO, TO APPROACH THAT.
OUR FUEL USE HAS ACTUALLY REDUCED A LITTLE BIT SINCE 2016, EVEN THOUGH OUR SERVICES HAVE INCREASED.
THE DROP THAT YOU HAVE SEEN HERE IS MOSTLY DUE TO THE ELECTRIC BUSES THAT WE'VE, WE'VE ADDED TO IT.
AND YOU'LL SEE HOW MUCH ENERGY THAT WE HAVE AT THAT POINT.
NEXT SLIDE IS THE, ONE OF THE SLIDES THAT I CONSIDER, UH, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST SUCCESSES, UH,
[01:15:01]
BECAUSE IT CONTRIBUTES DIRECTLY AND IMMEDIATELY TO CLEAN AIR IN OUR COMMUNITIES.THESE ARE CRI CRITERIA, AIR POLLUTANTS, AND ONE REACHES NOW THIS TYPE OF WEATHER A HUNDRED DEGREES, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF OZONE ACTION DAYS.
THIS IS THE INDICATOR THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN OR WE'RE IMPROVING THAT.
OUR BUSES, UH, BECAUSE WE'VE IMPROVED THOSE ENGINES OVER THES PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE NOW GENERATE ABOUT AS MUCH, UM, AIR POLLUTANTS CRITERIA, AIR POLLUTANTS FROM OUR ENTIRE BUS FLEET AS WE DO, UM, AT OUR RED LINE RAIL.
SO THAT'S DUE TO OUR IMPROVED, UM, ENGINES.
AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE OUR ELECTRIFICATION OF THOSE FLEETS.
NEXT WATER USE, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT HERE.
UM, WE'VE REDUCED OUR WATER CONSUMPTION BY ABOUT 25% OR 5.7 MILLION GALLONS SINCE 2016.
AND, UM, YOU CAN SEE IT FLUCTUATES, BUT THE, THE WAYS TO REDUCE THIS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE OUR FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE, UM, SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPING BEST PRACTICES AND OUR BUS LOSS PRACTICES.
SO AS WE IMPROVE THAT, WE'LL SEE THIS DRIVE DOWN EVEN MORE.
ZERO WASTE, AS I SAID EARLIER, AS WE DO A GOOD JOB OF REDUCING OUR WASTE AT OUR FACILITIES, AT OUR, AT OUR ADMINISTRATIVE AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES.
BUT ON AN AWFUL LOT OF OUR WASTE COMES BACK TO US FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM OUR SITES, OUR, OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, OUR BUS STOPS, AND OUR STATIONS.
AND SO WE'LL BE LAUNCHING A PROGRAM THIS YEAR TO PILOT RECYCLING AT SEVERAL OF THOSE SITES AT FOUR OF OUR SITES.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DESIGNING THAT RIGHT NOW TO SEE HOW WE CAN REDUCE, UM, OUR, THE WASTE THAT WE GENERATE AND WE COLLECT BACK FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE DID, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE DID A STUDY OF OUR SOLID WASTE AND AT OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, AND WE SAW THAT AT LEAST 60% OF THAT IS RECYCLABLE IF WE SIMPLY RECYCLABLE.
SO WE COULD GO A LONG WAY TO REDUCING THAT.
AND THIS DOESN'T EVEN CAPTURE SOME OF THE THINGS AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN PLACE, LIKE RECYCLING OF OUR UNIFORMS, SETTING UP POLICIES TO RECYCLE OUR, OUR CONSTRUCTION WASTE AND OTHER OPERATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN PLACE.
SO NEXT, BEFORE I GO ON, I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INDICATORS WE'VE HAD BEFORE I GO INTO THE, THE FINAL PART OF THIS PRESENTATION.
UM, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, SLIDE ON SLIDE SEVEN, YOU MADE NOTE THAT, UH, IN 2023 WE'RE PURSUING RENEWABLE SOURCES FROM BLUE BONNET AND PER ELECTRIC CO-OPS.
UM, HOW, I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT'S POSSIBLE BECAUSE I THOUGHT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES WERE IN AUSTIN ENERGY TERRITORY, ALL EXCEPT FOR A FEW OF OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES, A FEW OF OUR, UM, BUS STOPS.
SO EACH OF OUR BUS STOPS HAS A SINGLE METER TO IT AND OR RAIL STATIONS.
AND A COUPLE OF THOSE HAVE, ARE OUTSIDE THE ERRITORY.
YOU'RE REFERRING NOT TO, I YOU WEREN'T JUST REFERRING TO THE CORRECT.
OUR PHYSICAL CORRECT FACIL, LIKE OUR HEAD HEADQUARTERS FACILITIES WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL STOPS AND THE, THE, THE PARKING AND RIDES THAT HAVE THE, THAT HAVE THE OVERHEAD LIGHTING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
THOSE, ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES.
UM, SECONDARY QUESTION THEN, UM, LOOKING AT THE CRITERIA, AIR POLLUTANTS, I AM CURIOUS, CUZ I KNOW THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A, THINGS WERE STARTING TO DROP OFF ALREADY FROM 16 TO 17 AND LITERALLY FROM 16 DOWN TO 19 BEYOND.
BUT, UM, IN 2020 THERE WAS THAT MASSIVE DROP OFF.
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THINGS, YOU KNOW, CUT FROM ALMOST ONE 50 ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 50, AND THEN THERE WAS A KIND OF A SPIKE BACK UP.
UM, DID, DOES THAT FACTOR INTO AT ALL, UM, THE, UH, UH, COVID AND, AND THE FACT THAT, THAT NOBODY WAS GOING ANYWHERE AT THAT POINT? CORRECT.
YET OUR RAILS RAIL WAS MAINTAINING SERVICE PRETTY MUCH DURING THAT TIME OR, OR TRACKING ALONG THAT.
SO WE SAW, YOU'RE RIGHT, WE SAW A GREAT REDUCTION DOWN TO 2020.
UH, THAT WAS BECAUSE OF OUR, OUR BUS ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
WE STARTED TO GET OUR FIRST ELECTRIC, UH, ELECTRIC BUSES AT THAT TIME DIDN'T REALLY AFFECT IT, BUT REALLY A REPLACEMENT AND, UH, UH, MAINTENANCE PROGRAM TO REPLACE OUR DIESEL ENGINES WITH MORE BETTER PERFORMING DIESEL ENGINES.
SO, SO BY THE TIME WE GET TO 21 AND 22, THAT THOSE NUMBERS THERE REFLECTING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE PULLING OUT OF CIRCULATION.
MORE OF THOSE, OF THE DIESEL BUSES AND PUTTING IN THE ELECTRIC.
SO WE'VE GOT THE OFFSET THERE, BUT IT'S ALSO SHOWING THE FACT THAT BOTH THERE IS MORE USAGE BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO PULL BACK OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AND GET MORE, MORE, MORE USAGE AGAIN.
BUT GETTING BACK TO WHERE WE, WE WERE CORRECT, TRYING TO CLAW OUR WAY BACK UP TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE.
[01:20:01]
ABSOLUTELY.AND THAT'S ALSO THE REPLACEMENT OF DIESEL BUSES.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE REPLACING DIESEL BUSES WITH BETTER DIESEL BUSES, CLEANER DIESEL BUSES.
I, I'LL JUST SAY I, I DO FIND THIS FASCINATING AND ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE SAYING NOW? UM, UH, PRESIDENT WATKINS, WERE SAYING THAT, THAT IT'S OUR NUMBERS NOW WERE AT, WHAT, ABOUT 75 TO 80% 80, SOMEWHERE AROUND 80% RIDERSHIP TO WHERE WE WERE PRE PANDEMIC ON AVERAGE.
WE FLUCTUATE, WE'RE PROBABLY AVERAGING OUT AT ABOUT 75%.
WE HAVE SOME DAYS THAT ARE BETTER AND SOME DAYS THAT ARE WORSE, WEEKENDS HAVE ACTUALLY COME BACK STRONGER THAN WEEKDAYS.
SO GIVEN THAT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE AT ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, 22, THERE, THERE, THERE WAS, IT'S THINGS STAYED FLAT FROM 21 TO 22.
BUT COMPARE THAT TO WHERE WE WERE IN 19, OUR OVERALL, UM, YOU KNOW, CRITERIA, AIR POLLUTANTS MASSIVELY DOWN THAT WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE BECOMING INCREDIBLY MORE EFFICIENT COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE BEFOREHAND IN TERMS OF OUR REACHING, IN TERMS OF OUR, UH, ADVANCING OUR GREENHOUSE, GREENHOUSE GA GAS REDUCTIONS IN GOALS AND BEING A, A, A TRUE GREEN PARTNER WITHIN THE REGION.
NOW REMEMBER, WE, ALTHOUGH CRITERIA AIR POLLUTANTS, TRACK GREENHOUSE GOALS, AND IT'S THE SAME REASON AS WE GET CLEANER BUSES AND MORE ZERO EMISSION BUSES, WE'LL SEE REDUCTIONS IN BOTH OF THOSE.
BUT THIS IS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT EMISSIONS.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE ADDITIONAL CRITERIA.
AIR POLLUTANTS, THE OZONE EMISSIONS, THE KNOCKS THAT CREATES A, UNLESS WE GO TO ZERO EMISSIONS, TO ZERO EMISSION BUSES.
WHICH IS HYDROGEN OR ELECTRIC OR WHATEVER, NEW TECHNOLOGY.
SO AS WE CONTINUE TO BURN FOSSIL FUELS, THIS IS PROBABLY WHERE WE WILL BE.
THAT'S STILL PRETTY, PRETTY IMPRESSIVE COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE.
GREAT JOB FOR EVERYONE ON THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
NOW THESE LAST THREE SLIDES ARE JUST SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE.
AGAIN SINCE LAST YEAR SINCE I CAME TO YOU A YEAR, A YEAR AGO.
UM, SOME OF 'EM ARE IN PROCESS, BUT THEY'RE AT LEAST IN PROCESS AND MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE FIRST SLIDE IS ABOUT SOME OF OUR KIND OF IN-HOUSE EFFICIENCY OR OPERATIONS EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS YOU SEE HERE.
UM, OUR SOLAR ARRAY AT NORTH OPS WILL BE, AT THIS TIME IT'S THE LARGEST SOLAR ARRAY THAT'S DESIGNED IN CENTRAL TEXAS 4.2 MEGAWATTS.
I'VE HEARD THAT THERE'S SOME LARGER ONES COMING DOWN THE PIKE, BUT AT THIS TIME, THIS IS THE LARGEST PUBLISHED ONE.
WE HAVE 30 SOLAR BUS STOPS COMING UP, AND THOSE BUS STOPS WILL BOTH BE GRID TIED, SOME OF THEM CONNECTED, WHERE WE'LL BE SELLING BACK OR GIVING BACK POWER AND BEING PAID FOR THE POWER THAT WE GENERATE.
AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE OFF THE GRID, SO THEY'LL BE COMPLETELY RUN BY SOLAR.
SO WE'VE GONE THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF THAT, UM, HAS KIND OF COOL, INNOVATIVE KIND OF THIN TECHNOLOGY, THIN FILM TECHNOLOGY THAT IT'S EMBEDDED TO THE ROOF OF THE, UH, THE, THE STOP HERE, WHICH IS BOTH GREAT IN THAT PEOPLE WON'T SEE IT AND WON'T, IT WON'T BE A, AN ATTRACTOR FOR SOMEONE TO KIND OF GO AFTER IT.
BUT IT ALSO DOESN'T SHOUT OUT THAT THIS IS A SOLAR BUS STOP.
SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT THROUGH SIGNAGE AND OTHER THINGS.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONVERTING RAPIDLY TO SOME OF OUR ELECTRIFICATION PLANS, BOTH IN ROUTE AND AT HERE AT 29 10 AND AT NORTH OPS TO, TO CHARGE THOSE BUSES THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN THE LINE.
NEXT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND THE COMMUNITY PROJECTS.
AS I SAID EARLIER, WE HAVE A PROGRAM FOR FOUR PILOT PROGRAMS AT OUR PARKING AND RIDES THAT WILL BE LAUNCHING SOON IN THE NEXT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, UM, RIGHT NOW OF WHEN WE'LL ACTUALLY LAUNCH THAT, BUT WE'RE GETTING ALL OUR BINS AND EVERYTHING READY AND WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'LL EXPAND THAT THROUGH, UM, OUR EXPANSION OF THE B R T LINES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, GREEN CHOICE, UM, BIG PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY OF AUSTIN TO CONTINUE THAT.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY WE'RE, WE'VE REDUCED OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SO MUCH, UM, EVEN WITH, UH, TEXAS NATURAL GAS, WE'RE EXPLORING RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS FOR THAT AS A, AS A WAY TO REDUCE OUR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
UM, GREEN BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WERE, WERE, UM, GUIDING OUR MACKELLAR BUS STATE, OUR, OUR MACALL STATION WITHIN VISION, OUR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE GUIDELINES.
UM, WE ARE FINALIZING SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN GUIDELINES.
WE'RE WORKING WITH ATTP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK ACROSS THE BOARD ON OUR SUSTAINABILITY GUIDELINES.
AND WE'RE DEVELOPING A PROCESS AND A PROGRAM TO INCREASE OUR TRAINING HERE AND WITH A T P A WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM TO IMPROVE
[01:25:01]
OUR KNOWLEDGE OF ENVISION FOR IN, UM, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND FOR THE LEAD TRAINING PROGRAMS. AND FINALLY, GOVERNANCE AND, UM, OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS.THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I SAID, WE'RE REGISTERED WITH THE CLIMATE REGISTRY AND WE'LL BE IMPROVING OUR CLIMATE FOOTPRINT REPORTING USING A STANDARD PROTOCOL, UM, THAT'S ACCEPTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ACROSS THE WORLD, AND KIND OF ALIGNING OURSELVES WITH BEST PRACTICES AROUND THAT.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PEERS, CITY OF AUSTIN, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, TRAVIS COUNTY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED ALONG THAT.
OUR METRO BUG EXPANSION, AS YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT EARLIER, IS A BIG COMPONENT OF REACHING OUR ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION GOALS.
AND WE HAVE SOME KEYS PARTNERSHIPS.
ONE OF THE KEY PARTNERSHIPS ON THIS SLIDE IS, UH, THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT EQUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY WORKING GROUP.
UM, THAT'S MEANT TO BE, UM, UM, DESIGNED FOR CITY OF AUSTIN STAFF, ALL THE SUSTAINABILITY FOLKS WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT WE'RE PARTNERS WITH THAT ALSO BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S A STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP CAPITAL METRO CITY OF AUSTIN TO LOOK AT SUSTAINABILITY BEST PRACTICES ACROSS, ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE HAVE LINED WITH OUR PEERS IN THAT AND AGAIN, COMING BACK TO OUR VISION PLAN.
WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I AM NEW TO THIS TERM, ENVISION FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE.
IS THAT A NATIONAL STANDARD OR ONE THAT CAP METRO DESIGNED? UM, IT'S A NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL STANDARD.
IT'S A THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATION THAT WAS KIND OF LAUNCHED FROM AN OR TWO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS A SUSTAINABILITY GROUP OUT OF HARVARD, AND ONE WAS A GROUP OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPERS.
A LOT OF OUR CONTRACTORS THAT WE WORK WITH ARE MEMBERS OF THIS, AND IT'S THE INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIVALENT TO LEAD FOR BUILDINGS.
SO IF WE LOOKED AT OUR, OUR BUILDING STRUCTURES, UH, ANYTHING THAT'S OCCUPIED OR A HORIZONTAL BUILDING COULD BE, UM, COULD BE GUIDED BY LEAD OR AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN BUILDING, BUT ANYTHING THAT'S HORIZONTAL OR INFRASTRUCTURE COULD BE GUIDED BY THIS.
BOARD MEMBER VAN IS THE, UH, THE SOLAR ARRAY AT THE NORTH OPS? IS THAT OPERATIONAL? IT IS NOT OPERATIONAL.
IT'S, UM, WE'RE IN THE, I WANNA SAY 30% DESIGN AT THIS POINT OF IT, AND WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THAT, BUT THIS IS THE, THIS WAS APPROVED IN DECEMBER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
SO, UH, WE'LL PROBABLY BREAK GROUND OF THAT AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, I THINK, OR EARLY NEXT YEAR.
I JUST, I, I HAD SAW I THINK YESTERDAY THAT STATEWIDE, I THINK WE GENERATED ABOUT LIKE 12 MEGAWATTS OF, UH, SOLAR POWER ON, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY SUNNY HOT SUMMER DAY, WHICH WAS, I THINK A STATE RECORD.
UH, SO I MEAN, A FOUR MEGAWATT, A SOLAR FACILITY SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, SOLAR FACILITY IN THE, I MEAN, GRAND SCHEME OF THE TEXAS ELECTRIC GRID.
SO YEAH, I THINK, YEAH, IT, IT IS BIG FOR US, CERTAINLY AND BIG FOR CENTRAL TEXAS.
I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT ON, UM, SOLAR GENERATED STATEWIDE, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT YEAH, WE'RE GETTING, IT'S GETTING TO BE AN OPERATIONAL AND, UM, FISCALLY IT'S A GOOD UP, GOOD MOVE.
SHOULD HAVE DOUBLED THE LAST WEEK OR TWO, HUH?
I JUST WANTED TO ADD, I'LL BET YOU'RE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, ACTION ITEM WE JUST TOOK.
WE, WE JUST DID ON THE, UH, PURCHASING THE NEW BUILDING THEN, AREN'T YOU, GIVEN WHAT, WHAT IT'S SET UP WITH OVER THERE WITH, UH, RE REUSING RAINWATER AND SOLAR CELLS AND THINGS.
IT'S AN EASY WAY TO, TO GET INTO SUSTAINABILITY, THAT'S FOR SURE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
SO WILL THE NEW PROPERTY HAVE PURPLE PIPE OR ARE WE CONSIDERING? OH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, IT'D BE HARD TO RETROFIT IT IF IT'S NOT, BUT I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT DOESN'T HAVE IT, UM, EMBEDDED IN THERE.
BOARD MEMBER VAN, JUST WANTED TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
12,000 MEGAWATTS SOLAR POWER STATEWIDE, I THINK YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE, WHICH WAS, UH, THE RECORD MM-HMM.
UH, BUT STILL GOOD TO SEE A LARGE SOLAR ARRAY GOING UP, UH, HERE LOCALLY TO HELP PUSH THAT NUMBER UP.
ANYONE ELSE? UM, BOARD MEMBERS OFF SITE.
WELL, WE ARE ONLY RECEIVING THE REPORT.
[01:30:01]
WE ARE NOT VOTING ON IT, SO, UH, SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENT.LOOKS LIKE WE'RE DOWN TO THE FINAL AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT'LL BE THE MONTH OF REPORT FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND
[VII.1 President & CEO Monthly Update]
CEO.MS. WATKINS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, DESPITE THE HEAT, UM, AND MAYBE AMIDST IT, WE'VE HAD, UM, QUITE A LOT OF FUN THINGS GOING ON IN THE MONTH OF JUNE.
UM, STARTING OUT WITH A COUPLE OF TEAM HIGHLIGHTS, UM, OUR CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR FOR TRANSIT POLICE, ERIC ROBBINS, SPOKE AT THE 2023 SECURITY AND A MAN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ROUND TABLE THAT WAS HELD IN PITTSBURGH, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH ON CREATING A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM.
UM, ABOUT 75 TRANSIT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF OFFICIALS WERE PRESENT AT THAT ROUND TABLE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF TRANSIT AGENCIES NATIONWIDE, UM, AND HOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH, UM, CURRENT EVENTS.
UM, ALSO THERE, THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, ALEX ABU NABI, OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM MANAGER, WAS ON A PANEL AT THE TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE IN FORT WORTH.
HE DISCUSSED HOW WE USE THEORY AND PRACTICES FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS TO ENHANCE COMMUNICATIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR BOTH PROGRAMS. UM, THE PANEL CONSISTED OF OTHER, UH, REPRESENTATIVES AND EXPERTS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS, UM, OFFICE OF RISK MANAGEMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UM, ALEX IS A LIFELONG EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY THRILLED TO HAVE HIM.
UM, SO THANKS TO BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB REPRESENTING US BOTH IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN THE INDUSTRY.
UM, NEXT UP, UM, WE ARE STARTING, UH, THE, TO RECEIVE THE LATEST ORDERS OF OUR BUS STOP SHELTERS.
YOU CAN SEE ONE PICTURED HERE.
UM, THESE ARE OUR UPDATED SHELTERS.
YOU'LL NOTE THEY HAVE THE UPDATED WORDMARK ON THEM, UM, AND INCLUDE BOTH AN ALUMINUM ROOF AND PERFORATED PANELS TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS AVOID THE SUN AND GIVE THEM MUCH NEEDED SHADE AND RELIABLE COMFORT, ESPECIALLY IN THE HEAT.
UM, THE COOL THING ABOUT THESE IS THAT ALL OF THEM ARE NOW COMING WITH, UM, INSTALLED SOLAR LIGHTS.
SO YOU SEE THERE ON THE, ON THE RIGHT, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, WITH LOW ENERGY L E D LIGHTING, UM, AND A SMALL SOLAR, UM, COLLECTOR, WE'RE ABLE TO, UM, HAVE ENOUGH LIGHT TO LIGHT SHELTERS WITHOUT CONNECTING THEM TO THE POWER GRID, WHICH IS A, A VERY, UM, EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION TO PUT A BUS STOP ON THE POWER GRID.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER THIS.
WE HAVE 149 MORE SHELTERS SCHEDULED TO BE, UM, DELIVERED AND INSTALLED IN OUR SERVICE AREA.
A COUPLE OF FUN EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UM, CAT METRO IS A MEMBER OF THE WTS HEART OF TEXAS CHAPTER, UM, DEDICATED TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN IN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY WITHIN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, AND WE CELEBRATED SOME OF THE GREAT WOMEN, UM, BOTH CURRENT AND FUTURE IN THE TRANSPORTATION ARENA AT THE ANNUAL, UM, SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS GALA, THEIR BOOTS AND BLING GALA EARLIER THIS MONTH.
UM, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO CONVENE WITH THE INDUSTRY, BUT TO, UM, CELEBRATE SOME FANTASTIC YOUNG WOMEN WHO, UH, RECEIVED THEIR SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS.
LAST WEEK I WAS IN WASHINGTON, DC WITH A, UM, GROUP FROM THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON THE, UM, THEIR ANNUAL FEDERAL ADVOCACY TRIP.
UM, WE WERE FOCUSING ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND, AND AUSTIN AREA BUSINESSES, AND HOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND MANAGE THAT GROWTH AS A REGION.
UM, WE MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL, UM, DELEGATION.
UM, YOU'LL SEE ME THERE PICTURED WITH CONGRESSMAN DOGGETT.
WE HEARD FROM HIS, HIM AS WELL AS SENATORS CRUZ AND CORNIN, UM, AND REPRESENTATIVES, UM, MICHAEL MCCALL AND GREG CASAR.
WE ALSO, UM, WERE ABLE TO MEET, UM, LAST THURSDAY MORNING WITH A, A LARGE GROUP OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, BOTH THE U S D O T, AS WELL AS THE FTA, UH, F H W W A, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAYS FOLKS, THE BUILD AMERICA BUREAU.
UM, MET WITH A, A GROUP OF US TO TALK ABOUT THE VARIETY OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS GOING ON IN THIS REGION.
UM, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT BOTH PROJECT CONNECT AS WELL AS THE I 35, UM, EXPANSION PROGRAM AND THE EFFORTS TO PROVIDE CAPS OVER THE HIGHWAY.
SO IT WAS OVERALL, UM, A GREAT TRIP AND AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO SHOW OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS THAT AS A REGION WE ARE UNITED AND TRYING TO IMPROVE, UH, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, IT IS JUNE, AND SO WE CELEBRATED JUNETEENTH BOTH IN AUSTIN AND IN LEANDER, UM, AT A LOVELY, WELL RUN, EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID JUNETEENTH PARADE.
UM, WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR JUNETEENTH BUS, UM, WITH ART
[01:35:01]
PROVIDED BY LOCAL ARTIST CHAKA.HE ALSO ALLOWED US TO PRINT, UH, LIKE WATER BOTTLE STICKERS OF HIS ART.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATER BOTTLE STICKER CREATORS OR WANT THEM FOR YOUR LAPTOPS, LET US KNOW.
WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT, UM, STICKERS OF HIS ART, UM, THAT WERE A LOT OF FUN.
SO, UM, AS ALWAYS, JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND ENJOYED PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
ALTHOUGH I DID COMMENT AT ONE POINT THAT, BOY, I WISH JUNETEENTH WAS IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS SO HOT.
UM, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
UM, AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH, WE DID A, TOOK ANOTHER ROUND OF OUR STAFF, UM, ON THE BLACK AUSTIN TOUR.
UM, THIS IS A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT FOCUSES ON SHARING, UM, TEXAS'S AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.
UH, THE GUIDED TOUR TAKES YOU FROM THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF AUSTIN'S BLACK COMMUNITY THROUGH THE PRESENT.
UM, AND THE TOUR TOOK OUR TEAM THROUGH HISTORICAL MARKERS IN THE CITY THAT ARE SELDOM NOTICED.
UM, AND SO, UM, IT'S A GREAT EVENT.
I KNOW SEVERAL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE, UM, PARTICIPATED IN IN PAST TOURS.
AND SO WE WERE GREAT TO BE ABLE, WE WERE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH ANOTHER SEGMENT OF OUR STAFF, UM, IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE JUNE PRESIDENT'S REPORT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT WAS OUR LAST AGENDA ITEM.
LET'S SEE, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING, UH, THAT WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR? I, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING, BUT I JUST WANT TO CHECK WITH, WITH, UM, BOARD ATTORNEY TO SEE IF WE'RE GOOD.
SO NOTHING FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION THEN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US TODAY.
WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 1 49.