[00:00:01]
WE'RE GONNA GET READY TO GET STARTED.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE WANNA START
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.
TODAY IS JULY 19TH, AND I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 2:04 PM AND THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED AT ATTP HEADQUARTERS, LOCATED AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AS A REMINDER, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES BOTH AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES, AND WE REQUEST 24 HOURS NOTICE FOR ASL AND OTHER INTERPRETER SERVICES.
IF YOU NEED TO DE TO HAVE ANY OF THESE SERVICES, PLEASE CONTACT ATP BOARD LIAISON CHLOE MAXWELL, AND HER CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN EACH AGENDA POSTING.
UH, BOARD MEMBER JEFF BILION AND DOTTIE WATKINS WILL NOT BE PRESENT TODAY.
SO, WELCOME EVERYBODY FROM A BRIEF BREAK THAT WE HAD, UM, OVER THIS HOT SUMMER.
AND, UM, THE ATP TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS ARE A SUMMARY OF EACH OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT OCCUR BETWEEN BOARD MEETINGS.
THE REPORTS ARE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE BOARD AGENDA BACK UP TODAY.
UM, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS REGARDING THOSE AGENDA ITEMS? NO.
WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
AND, UH, THIS PROMISES TO BE A VERY, VERY BRIEF MEETING.
[4.1 Action Item 1 3 Approval of minutes from the May 24, 2023 Board Meeting and the June 6, 2023 Special Called Joint Partnership Meeting]
SO, OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM TWO OF THE MEETINGS WE HAD BACK TO BACK IN JUNE.UM, WELL, FIRST THE MAY 24TH, 2023 BOARD MEETING AND THE JUNE 6TH, 2023 JOINT MEETING WITH THE AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL AND THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IF EVERYONE HAS HAD CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MEETING MINUTES, I WILL REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ACTION ITEM MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA SECOND BY MAYOR WATSON.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MEETING MINUTES? NO DISCUSSION.
UH, EVERYONE IN FLA IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE MEETING MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
[4.2 Action Item 2 7 Approval of a resolution authorizing the Austin Transit Partnership (“ATP”) Executive Director, or their designee, to enter into all necessary interlocal Cooperative Purchasing Agreements with Mid-Atlantic Purchasing Team (“MAPT”) and Houston-Galveston Area Council (“HGAC”), to allow ATP to join and participate in the Cooperative Purchasing Programs of each organization]
WE HAVE NOW OUR ACTION ITEM TWO, THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE TO ENTER INTO ALL NECESSARY INTERLOCAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENTS WITH MID-ATLANTIC PURCHASING TEAM M A P T AND HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL, H G A C, TO ALLOW A T P TO JOIN AND PARTICIPATE IN THE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAMS OF EACH ORGANIZATION.IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS, UH, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THE MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ACTION ITEM MOVED BY, UM, MAYOR WATSON, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM OR DISCUSSION? I BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
I WANNA APPLAUD THIS ACTION, UH, BY THE STAFF AT, I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF ANYTHING THAT, UH, MAKES US MORE BUSINESS-LIKE AND, UM, AND, UH, FRUGAL, BUT I DON'T WANNA FORGET OUR LOCAL VENDORS.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING WITH THIS PARTICULAR PURCHASING CONTRACTORS FOR RECRUITMENT SERVICES, IS THAT CORRECT? TO HELP WITH OUR RECRUITING EFFORTS BOARD CHAIR? YES, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
UM, IT IS A GOOD PRACTICE TO HAVE THESE COOPERATIVES FOR SOME OF OUR SMALLER BUSINESS-LIKE EFFORTS.
UM, BUT YES, THIS ONE IS TARGETED INITIALLY TO HELP US SOME OF THE ONBOARDING AS WE TALK ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS THAT I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IN OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR, UH, RESOURCES IN PLACE TO ACCURATELY AND KIND OF INTENTFULLY GROW THE ORGANIZATION.
AND THIS IS, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE TARGETED USES OF THAT, UH, AND BOARD MEMBER? YES, WE HEAR YOU.
WE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AS YOU KNOW, WITH OUR BIG INDUSTRY DAY, UH, ARE ALL OF OUR LARGE, UH, CONTRACTS AROUND DELIVERING THE PROGRAM WILL BE SOLICITED EFFORTS WITH A VERY HIGH FOCUS ON NOT ONLY LOCAL, BUT OUR MBE AND WBE WORLD.
AND, UM, THAT WILL BE WHERE OUR FOCUS WILL BE.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND.
OH, YEAH, WE HAVE IT NOW FOR A VOTE, PLEASE.
[00:05:02]
UNANIMOUS, BUT MISSING BOARD MEMBER PAVILION, AND WE HAVE AN ABSENTEE, UM, NOT ABSENTEE, BUT A VACANCY ON OUR BOARD.[5.1 Briefing on Internal Audit public information request (PIR) process audit]
UM, SO NOW WE MOVE OVER TO THE, UM, ITEM FOR ETERNAL AUDIT.I WILL INVITE ATP'S DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL AUDIT, KATIE HOUSTON, TO JOIN US TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS OF A RECENT AUDIT, HER OFFICE PERFORM ON ATP'S PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST.
UH, SO I'M HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF OUR AUDIT ON THE, UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST PROCESS.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION.
UM, AND CURRENTLY IT'S ATP'S LEGAL SERVICES TEAM THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
UM, AS OF MAY, ATTP HAS RECEIVED 58, UH, PIR SINCE IT BEGAN OPERATIONS IN JANUARY, 2021.
SO, AT A HIGH LEVEL HERE ARE RESULTS.
WE FOUND THAT ATTP HAS TAKEN STEPS TO ESTABLISH AN EFFECTIVE AND TRANSPARENT PIR PROGRAM.
UH, THE ICONS HERE KIND OF DEPICT WHAT WE FOUND, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, WE HAVE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES THAT GUIDE THIS PROGRAM.
WE'RE FOLLOWING STATE LAW REGARDING HOW WE REQUEST ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION AND COORDINATING WITH OUR PARTNERS.
WE'RE NOTIFYING THE PUBLIC OF THEIR RIGHTS RELATED TO PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, BOTH AT OUR OFFICE HERE AND ONLINE.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE THERE, I'M, I'M PROBABLY MOST EXCITED ABOUT.
WE'VE, UH, RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED GOV QA.
IT'S KIND OF THE GOLD STANDARD FOR, UH, PUBLIC RECORDS MANAGEMENT.
SO I THINK THAT, UH, SYSTEM IS REALLY GONNA HELP US FURTHER IMPROVE THIS.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE, UH, SHOW HERE A COUPLE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT TO KIND OF CONTINUE ENHANCING THIS PROGRAM.
UH, AND THEY CAN KIND OF BE GROUPED INTO TWO AREAS.
THE FIRST TWO RELATE TO OUR INTERNAL OPERATIONS, AND THEN THE LAST TWO MORE TO OUR EXTERNAL OPERATIONS.
FIRST, ATTP HAS ONE STAFF MEMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS FUNCTION.
UM, AND SOME OF THE, THE TIMELINES IN STATE LAW ARE PRETTY STRINGENT.
YOU REALLY HAVE ABOUT 10 BUSINESS DAYS TO RESPOND.
SO IF THAT PERSON NEEDS TO BE OUT FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT PUT US AT RISK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LESS PREPARED TO PROMPTLY RESPOND.
UM, SECONDLY, ATP STAFF HAVE DEVELOPED A TRAINING, UH, RELATED TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
WE SEE THAT AS A REALLY GREAT CONTROL, NOT EVEN REQUIRED BY THE ACT, BUT, BUT DEFINITELY A BONUS THERE.
SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT ROLLED OUT ORGANIZATION WIDE.
AND THEN THE LAST TWO RELATING TO OUR EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS.
UH, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR, UH, REQUESTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO SIX TYPES OF INFORMATION THAT'S COVERED MORE COMPREHENSIVELY IN OUR FULL REPORT.
BUT, BUT THE MOST COMMON ONE IS REALLY A REQUEST FOR EMPLOYEE SALARY INFORMATION.
AND WE THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF STREAMLINE THAT RESPONSE.
THE LAST ONE THERE IS ATP CHARGED A FEE FOR ONLY TWO OF THE 39 PIR WE REVIEWED.
UM, I THINK THAT FEE WAS APPROPRIATE AND, AND, UH, THAT THAT PROBABLY WAS THE APPROPRIATE WAY TO HANDLE THOSE, THOSE TWO ITEMS THERE.
BUT THE DOCUMENTATION IN THE FILE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A FULL JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY WE CHOSE TO ASSESS THE FEE IN THOSE CASES AND NOT THE OTHERS.
SO THAT KIND OF LEADS INTO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE, RELATING TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AGAIN, GROUPED THE FIRST RELATED TO INTERNAL OPERATIONS FOR THE BACKUP, FINALIZING THAT TRAINING AND THEN ENSURING WE'VE STREAMLINED THE REPORTING OF OUR SALARY INFORMATION.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE, OUR EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, UPDATING OUR TEMPLATE LANGUAGE, AND THEN CALCULATING OUR FEES AND ENSURING THAT'S APPLIED MORE CONSISTENTLY.
I THINK HERE, UH, MANAGEMENT AGREED WITH BOTH OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THEY'VE SUBMITTED, UH, AN ACTION PLAN ON WHAT THEY INTEND TO DO TO ADDRESS THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THAT'S ON PAGE NINE OF THE REPORT.
UH, AND THESE ACTIONS ARE INTENDED TO BE DONE BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
WE'LL FOLLOW UP, UH, PROBABLY MUCH LATER, UH, AND REPORT BACK TO Y'ALL ON, ON THOSE ACTIONS AND ANY PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN.
SO I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS TODAY.
UH, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU, MS. HOUSTON, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NO QUESTIONS.
I, IT'S A VERY CLEAR AND STRAIGHTFORWARD REPORT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR DILIGENCE.
WE HAVE TWO HOURS TO ANSWER ANY, UH, PIR RELATED QUESTIONS.
UM, I JUST WANT JUST A QUICK NOTE TO, UH, KATIE AND, AND, AND WORKING ON THIS.
I THINK IT REALLY DEMONSTRATES AS WE ARE, UM, CREATING ALL OF THE,
[00:10:01]
THE CONTEXT OF ATP AS WE MOVE FORWARD, HAVING IN SOME SENSE, THESE REAL TIME PIS VERSUS THE ONES THAT SOMETIMES WAIT FOR A FEW YEARS, UH, IT'S SO HELPFUL TO US AS AN ORGANIZATION, UM, TO HAVE, HAVE THIS EFFORT AND OTHER ONES THAT SHE'S WORKING ON.AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE, WE KNOW IT'S A REALLY CRITICAL PART OF US, UH, GROWING INTO THE ORGANIZATION AND GROWING OUR ROLE.
WELL, YOU CONTINUE WITH THE MIC.
[3. Executive Director Report 1. Project Connect Status Report / Board Brief]
FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT.AND JUST SO THE PUBLIC KNOWS, THERE'S ALSO A COPY THAT IS PUBLISHED ON THE ATP'S WEBSITE REGARDING THE, THE REPORT FOR MR. CAN.
AND, UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BRING US UP TO SPEED ON IT? CERTAINLY, THANK YOU BOARD AND COMMUNITY, AND IT IS GOOD TO BE BACK, UH, BACK HERE.
IT FEELS A LITTLE CALMER THAN THE LAST, UH, SIX MONTHS.
AND WE'VE HAD A, UH, UH, WE REALLY WANNA REFLECT ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, WHERE WE'RE GOING HERE NOW THAT WE HAVE AN AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST PART OF THE REPORT, WE WANNA REMIND EVERYONE, AS YOU MENTIONED, BOARD CHAIR, WE DO HAVE A, OUR CONTINUING MONTHLY REPORT ON ALL OF PROJECT CONNECT, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT ARE PART OF THE PROGRAM.
THIS PROVIDES THE UPDATES FOR YOU AND THE COMMUNITY ON EACH OF THE, EACH OF THE ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, AND ALSO THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO CONTINUE TO, UM, UM, CONTINUE TO MATURE OUR ORGANIZATION.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE FIRMLY EXPECT THIS REPORT TO GROW IN STATURE AND LENGTH AND DETAIL AS ALL OF OUR PROJECTS OF THE PROGRAM ADVANCE, UH, ADVANCE ON IT.
EVEN THIS, THIS, THIS ONE, YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE WRITTEN ABOUT OUR EFFORTS ON AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
SO WE THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK TO, UH, ADVANCE IT FORWARD.
UM, WE'VE ALWAYS COMMITTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS WE'RE, UH, GROWING OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT, UH, THE READINESS, UH, OF, OF ALL OF US.
UH, AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL READINESS IS REALLY CRITICAL FOR US AS WE IDENTIFY OUR BUSINESS NEEDS, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT WE HAD UNDERWAY, UM, REALLY STARTING, UH, EARLY, UH, REALLY LAST FALL SO THAT WE COULD BE READY FOR THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT FROM NOT ONLY TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT, BUT FROM A FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT CAPACITY, BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL RESOURCES.
AND AS WE'VE SAID, AND YOU, WE'VE NOW HAD SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS BOTH ON OUR ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH AS WELL AS OUR DELIVERY APPROACH THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE INDUSTRY EXPO, UH, BACK IN MAY.
THESE ARE INHERENTLY LINKED TO EACH OTHER.
UM, IN SOME LEVELS WE HAVE, SOME OF THESE EFFORTS ARE STAFF AUGMENTATION AND OTHER LEVELS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY THE DELIVERY OF THE PROJECT.
SO WE SEE THESE TWO STEPS TOGETHER, UH, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT WE ARE OUT THERE, UH, WE ARE, UH, WE BROUGHT ON SOME FOLKS WITH, UH, DEBBIE GAS, OUR HR, TO HELP US DO SOME RECRUITMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FILL THOSE, FILL THOSE ROLES.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ON, FROM A PROJECT DELIVERY.
WE HAVE PROCUREMENT, UH, EFFORTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT STANDING UP OUR PROJECT, CONTINUING TO STAND UP THE PROJECT CONTROLS RISK MANAGEMENT.
THAT IS A REALLY CRITICAL PART OF OUR FTA, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT GRANT PROCESS, AS, AS IS QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTROL.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO LOOK AT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND ARE, ARE OUT THERE BEATING, BEATING THE DRUM TO, UH, GET EVERYONE, BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY TO COME, COME HERE TO AUSTIN, UH, IN THIS HOT SUMMER AND JOIN US.
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, FORMALIZING, UH, WE'VE KICKED OFF OUR SEARCH FOR, UH, PERMANENT CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, UH, ROLE THAT WILL BE DO THAT STARTED, UH, THIS PAST WEEK.
UH, I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT ONE OF THE KEY HIRES WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE, UH, SINCE WE LAST VISIT, IS FOR BRUCE HERMES.
AS YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, SINCE WE, UH, REALLY OVER THE LAST YEAR.
THIS RESOURCE IS, WAS REALLY NEEDED.
NOT ONLY FROM THE, THE, THE WAY THAT IT MANIFESTS ITSELF DAY IN DAY OUT, MAKING SURE THAT OUR, OUR SYSTEMS ARE WORKING, BUT IT'S REALLY A CRITICAL PART OF OUR OVERALL DELIVERY STRATEGY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INTEGRATING WITH ALL OF THE, UH, UH, THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ON OUR EFFORTS WITH, UH, OUR, OUR FINANCIAL READINESS AS WE GO TO MARKET ON SELLING BONDS, UM, BUT ALSO OUR STRUCTURES IN PLACE.
SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE BRUCE BRUCES IN THE BACK AND, UH, EXCITED TO HAVE HIS EXPERIENCE, UH, WORKING BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR OVER HIS CAREER, UM, AS HE LOOKS AT GROWING THAT IT FUNCTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE READY NOT ONLY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, BUT THE UPCOMING YEARS AS WE, UH, DELIVER THIS, UH, THIS, THIS GREAT PROJECT FOR AUSTIN.
SO, UH, THE NEXT THING I, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND JUST, JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OPENING UP A DIALOGUE JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES, UH, ABOUT, UH, OUR PATH AHEAD.
[00:15:01]
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT INTERNALLY.UH, WE, WE WOKE UP ON JUNE 7TH IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A HAPPY MODE, UH, AFTER, UH, THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
BUT WE GOT RIGHT BACK TO WORK, I THINK ON JUNE 7TH.
WE HAD A BUNCH OF, UH, INTERVIEWS AND, AND PROCESSES WITH INDUSTRY AS PART OF OUR INDUSTRY OUTREACH.
WE BEGAN WORKING, UH, CONTINUING TO WORK ON OUR, UH, THE 2024 BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE PRETENDED TO YOU AT THE AUGUST BOARD MEETING, UH, LOOKING AT OUR FINANCIAL READINESS.
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WORK IN PROGRESS.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT I WANTED TO QUICKLY DO IS LOOK BACK AT, ON OUR PATH TO SUCCESS OVER THIS PAST YEAR, AND HOW IT'S GONNA SET UP OUR PATH FORWARD.
SO, IF YOU REMEMBER, THIS IS NOW KIND OF LIKE AN OLD SCHOOL, UH, HONEYCOMB DIAGRAM OF HOW WE BROKE UP OUR WORK.
UM, AND IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL AND DIRECT AND THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE EVEN WORKED TOGETHER.
SO, AGAIN, FOR SOME OF YOU, WE, YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING AND OUR, OUR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS.
AND WE WERE, WE WERE REALLY FOCUSED ON DATA.
WE WERE FOCUSED ON, UM, THE IDEA OF EXPERTISE AND HIGHLY FOCUSED ON OUR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC OUTREACH.
SO SOMEHOW WE DISTILLED ALL OF THAT WORK IN NINE MONTHS TO TWO SL TO ONE SLIDE.
AND WE KNOW THERE WAS A LOT MORE TO THAT.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT NEXUS OF THAT WORK AND THINKING ABOUT AT WORK WAS REALLY THE FOUNDATION FOR HOW WE GOT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WE DID HERE INTERNALLY.
SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE APPLY THAT APPROACH, THAT VERY INTENTIONAL APPROACH THAT WE SAT DOWN IN SEPTEMBER IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND WE SAID WE WERE GONNA GO SPEND NINE MONTHS WORKING THE ISSUES, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND GETTING TO A RESULT.
WE WANNA APPLY THAT SAME APPROACH TO WHAT IT IT LAYS IN FRONT OF US WITH THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF TIME AS WE GO THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROCESS.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, CHLOE IS THINKING ABOUT THAT SAME EFFORT, HAVING AN INTENTIONAL APPROACH.
AND I JUST WANT TO REALLY GIVE YOU A VERY HIGH LEVEL, UH, UH, A TASTE OF WHAT WE WILL COME BACK EARLY IN THE FALL.
WE'RE TALKING IN SEPTEMBER, COMING BACK IN SEPTEMBER, AND REALLY LAYING OUT A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK AND APPROACH TO THESE UPCOMING YEARS IN TERMS OF MILESTONES AND OUR WORKFLOWS AND OUR WORK EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE, LIKE THEY WERE LAST YEAR, THEY'RE THOUGHT OUT, THEY'RE INTEGRATED, AND YOU AS A BOARD KNOW WHERE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND SO DOES SO, SO AS, AS THE COMMUNITY DOES AS WELL.
UM, UH, WE HAVE WORKED ON THIS, UH, UH, AS A TEAM.
WE HAD A GREAT, UH, ALL ATTP, UH, TEAM HUDDLE, UH, WITH THE PEACOCKS OVER AT MAYFIELD PARK.
UH, IT WAS A GREAT, THEY WERE IN THEIR, THEY WERE IN THEIR PRIME.
IT WAS A GREAT DAY JUST TO KIND OF SIT AND TALK AND REFLECT ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN, BUT ALSO WHERE WE WANT TO GO, UH, AS WE SET THIS UP.
SO, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR DIFFERENT WORK STREAMS, WE WANNA ADVANCE, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
WE WANNA ADVANCE THROUGH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE, ALSO A FEDERAL PROCESS.
BUT KEY TO THAT IS NOT JUST THE ENGINEERING WORK AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL WORK AND THE ARCHITECTURAL WORK, BUT THE ELEMENTS OF THAT.
SO CLEARLY WE ARE GONNA ADVANCE OUR FUNDING, OUR PROJECT FUNDING, UH, THROUGH OUR, THROUGH THE FTA DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, OUR DESIGN WORK, BOTH ADVANCING THE ARCHITECTURAL AND THE ENGINEERING WORK THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR, NECESSARY FOR THE FTA PROCESSES.
BUT THAT WORK IS ALSO NECESSARY TO ADVANCE OUR PROGRAM DELIVERY AND OUR CONTRACTING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER A LITTLE BIT, OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR STAFFING APPROACH AS IT ME, AS IT, AS IT, UH, WORKS WITH IN CONCERT WITH OUR DELIVERY STRATEGY.
UH, HAD A GREAT, UH, UH, HAD A GREAT MEETING TODAY WITH DARRYL PIERCE, WITH, WITH SNAP TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR, OUR EFFORTS ON HOW WE ONBOARD STAFF AND OUR ORIENTATION AND HOW WE BRING PEOPLE ON.
WE'RE BUILDING THAT CULTURE OF ATP AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND MAKING SURE THAT IS ALWAYS WELL THOUGHT OUT WITH THE OVERALL APPROACH.
AND THEN, AND THEN AS IMPORTANT AS THE IDEA OF COORDINATION, UH, THE INTERAGENCY COORDINATION THAT I THINK YOU SAW REFLECTED IN THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE TALK ABOUT THOSE HUNDRED MEETINGS THAT WE HAD.
WE'RE LOOKING AT HUNDREDS OF MORES MEETINGS, UM, OVER THE UPCOMING YEARS.
BUT THAT'S THE WORK THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE EVEN SET THAT WORK UP VERY WELL.
AND SO WE'VE STARTED DIALOGUE ABOUT HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
UM, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT THE CITY AS WE GO THROUGH, START THAT PRE EFFORT AROUND PERMITTING AND PLANNING.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN LASTLY, WITH OUR COMMUNITY, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE SUSTAIN, UH, THAT TRUST THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THESE LAST MONTHS.
[00:20:01]
WE TAKE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUR PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT STRATEGIES.LET'S BE HONEST, THEY'RE REQUIRED AS PART OF OUR NEPA EFFORT, BUT WE WILL DO MORE THAN IS JUST REQUIRED.
UM, WE BELIEVE THE CONVERSATION IS, ESPECIALLY OVER THIS LAST, THIS NEXT YEAR, AS WE THINK ABOUT REALLY, UM, THE DESIGN ELEMENTS OF OUR SYSTEM, UH, AS BOARD MEMBER GARZA TALKS, HOW THE, HOW THE BEAUTY OF THE SYSTEM WILL BE.
WE THINK THERE'S A, UH, SUCH A ROBUST CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE WITH OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT, UM, THIS AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM THAT IS THEIRS.
SO WE WANNA DESIGN ALL OF THESE WORKFLOWS TOGETHER, UM, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY COORDINATED AND THAT THE APPROACH IS WELL THOUGHT OUT.
AND OUR WORK OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO IS TO COME BACK AND LAY THIS ALL OUT IN FULLER DETAIL FOR YOU.
UM, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE GONNA APPROACH THIS WORK, GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND, UH, DIALOGUE ABOUT THIS AS WELL.
UM, IT IS BEEN ONE OF THE WORDS IN ADDITION TO THE, THE LAST YEAR OF ADVANCING THE ACTUAL WORK TO GET TO THE PLAN.
THAT WORD READINESS KIND OF RESONATED IN THIS ROOM WEEK IN MONTH IN MONTH OUT.
UH, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR, HEAR THAT LAST YEAR WAS REALLY ABOUT RESETTING, RESETTING THE PROJECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE, ALL OF US, AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY SHOULD FEEL PROUD ABOUT WHERE WE HAD TO, BUT WE KNOW THERE'S WORK AHEAD AND WE, THIS, THIS NEXT PHASE IS ALWAYS ABOUT US.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, BEING READY TO IMPLEMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THAT WELL.
THE IDEA OF BEING SLOW AND STEADY SO THAT WHEN WE GET TO THE HARD PART, WE ARE READY.
AND THE, AND THE, AND THE, IT'S BEEN THOUGHTFUL.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED.
WE'RE BUSY AT WORK, UH, HERE IN THE SUMMER.
ANYWAY, UM, SO WE'RE GONNA BE CONTINUING THAT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DIALOGUE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, STARTING NEXT MONTH WITH OUR BUDGET.
THAT'S GONNA LAY OUT THE FRAMEWORK FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA APPROACH NOT ONLY THE YEAR, BUT ALSO OUR CAPITAL BUDGET OVER THE UPCOMING YEARS FROM A FINANCING PERSPECTIVE, AS WELL AS OUR DELIVERY APPROACH.
SO I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO COMMEND THE TEAM AGAIN FOR ALL THE HEAVY LIFT THAT HAPPENED THAT BROUGHT US TO THIS POINT.
AND I'M GLAD YOU RECAPPED THAT, THAT SUCCESS AND HOW INTENTIONALLY, WELL, YEAH, YOU CAPTURE NINE MONTHS OF HEAVY, HEAVY LIFT IN ONE SLIDE, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S LOST ON ANY OF US.
THAT THAT WAS AN ENORMOUS, UH, ENDEAVOR THAT I THINK SHOWS THE INTENTIONALITY OF DOING THINGS IN BRINGING THE COMMUNITY ALONG ON THAT JOURNEY.
SO THANK YOU AND, AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEAM THAT REALLY, THAT DID THIS INCREDIBLE HEAVY LIFT.
AND THE, AS WE PREPARE THE NEXT ITERATION, THE, THE PROGRAMMING FOR THE NEXT STEPS, ONE THING I'D LIKE TO SEE IS THE, THE REAL ESTATE STRATEGY.
WHAT IS THAT GOING TO ENTAIL? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE A PROPOSED ALIGNMENT, ALL OF THE REAL ESTATE AROUND IT WILL BE IN SOME FORM OR FASHION IMPACTED.
AND HOW DOES THAT, HOW ARE WE BEING METHODICAL ABOUT THAT REAL ESTATE STRATEGY? AND, UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE, AS WE'RE SETTING UP ALL THE SYSTEMS WITH NOT ONLY THE STAFFING, THE LOCATIONS, THE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE NEXT STEPS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS MASSIVE ENDEAVOR THAT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS.
I REALLY LIKE TO, FOR US TO SEE A, A A ORG CHART OF REALLY WHERE WE WOULD BE IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS, FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS AS AN, AS A SNAPSHOT OF, UM, OF, YOU KNOW, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I REALLY LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN, IN GETTING US HERE.
SO, ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? NO.
I THINK EVERYBODY'S STILL IN SUMMER MODE.
IF THERE'S NO OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHARE THIS UPDATE AND, AND REALLY CREATING AN INTENTIONAL FRAMEWORK.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE.
AND FOR ALL OF YOU WHO CAME IN PERSON TO JOIN THIS VERY BRIEF MEETING OF THE ATTP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO THIS CONCLUDES THE JULY 19TH ATTP BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING.
AND NOW I THINK THIS IS A RECORD, IT'S A 28 MINUTE MEETING.
IS THIS A RECORD? I FEEL LIKE YOU SHALL, YOU'RE CHALLENGING YOU FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW.
[00:25:01]
I AM NO PRESSURE MAYOR
AND WE STARTED FOUR MINUTES LATE.
SO THE TIME IS, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AND THE TIME IS TWO 28TH.