Jan 24, 2024 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

THANK

[00:00:01]

WELCOME

[Call to Order]

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.

TODAY IS JANUARY 24TH, AND I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 2:03 PM THE MEETING IS BEING CONDUCTED AT A TP, LOCATED AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

AS A REMINDER, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP OFFERS SIGN LANGUAGE, UM, TRANSLATIONS AND INTERPRETER SERVICES.

SO PLEASE CONTACT CHLOE MAXWELL AND HER CONTACT INFORMATION IS IN EACH AGENDA POSTING OUR FIRST INDIVIDUAL

[1. Public Comment]

WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

DO WE HAVE KEVIN OR JI? UM, HERE? YES.

YES.

THANK YOU.

PLEASE ADDRESS THE BOARD.

WELCOME.

NEXT, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

I'M GONNA READ OFF MY NOTES.

HI, I'M KEVIN , A LOCAL HOMEOWNER IN AUSTIN, RESIDENT SINCE 2013.

MY WIFE WORKS DOWNTOWN AT BALLET AUSTIN, AND SHE REGULARLY USES THE BUS SYSTEM.

I WORK IN ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY, EXCUSE DRONES, FOR PEOPLE TO SIT IN AND FLY.

AND SO I THINK A LOT ABOUT HOW TO MOVE PEOPLE FROM POINT A TO POINT B WITH LESS FRICTION.

WE'RE BOTH HUGE FANS OF THE LIGHT RAIL.

A TP HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY WITH ONE KEY EXCEPTION THAT I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE LOCATION OF THE PARKING RIDE.

WE SUBMITTED OUR PETITION AT LAST, THE LAST MEETING.

I HAVE ANOTHER COPY FOR YOU WITH ADDITIONAL SIGNATURES, MEETING WITH NEIGHBORS, IT'S CLEAR THAT A TP MISSED ASKING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY BEFORE PICKING OUR RESIDENTIAL STREET AS LOCATION OF THE PARK AND RIDE.

MY WIFE AND I PLAN TO HAVE KIDS SOON, AND RIGHT NOW THE PARK AND RIDE WILL BE JUST TWO DOORS DOWN FROM OUR HOUSE.

MY MAIN CONCERN IS SAFETY.

TO BE CLEAR, A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND DA SOON, KIM, HIS KID BROTHER, WAS HIT BY A CAR ON THEIR STREET GROWING UP AND HE WAS TRAGICALLY KILLED.

I WONDER WITH HUNDREDS OF CARS OVER THOUSANDS OF DAYS, WHAT'S THE PROBABILITY THAT MYSELF, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS MIGHT GET HIT OR WORSE? ONE OF OUR KIDS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HOPE TO RAISE KIDS THERE ON OUR STREET FROM THE ROAD SAFETY SIDE, IT'S NOT THE RIGHT LOCATION.

THE PARK AND RIDE SIMPLY IS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MOST CARS.

WE ESTIMATE COMING IN FROM 71 EAST.

UH, THE PARK AND RIDES DESIGNATED SPOT RIGHT NOW IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE STREET.

I WORRY WHAT ADDED CONGESTION WILL MEAN FOR ROAD SAFETY AS CAR AFTER CARPOOL.

U-TURNS IN A CROWDED STREET.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.

THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER LOCATIONS THAT DO NOT IMPINGE ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS THAT ARE WITHIN 2000 FEET WALKING DISTANCE AS SHOWN IN OUR PETITION, WHICH I HAVE HERE.

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR NEIGHBORS ON AND NEAR YELLOW JACKET LANE FOR THE PAST YEAR, AND THEY'VE TOLD ME TWO THINGS.

ONE, THE LIGHT RAIL IS AWESOME.

WE ALL AGREE.

AND TWO, THEY'RE AFRAID OF WHAT THE PARK AND RIDE IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION COULD MEAN FOR THEIR SAFETY.

WE WANT PEOPLE TO USE THE LIGHT RAIL, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO COME IN TO SUPPORT OUR CITY.

AND THERE ARE OPTIONS, OPTIONS THAT DON'T HAVE TO JEOPARDIZE FAMILY, UH, SAFETY, UH, AND LOCAL AUSTINITES.

MY NEIGHBORS AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE LOCATION OF THE PARKING RIDE AND WE URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER.

AGAIN.

WE LOVE LIGHT RAIL AND WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO USE IT, BUT OF COURSE NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND MY FUTURE CHILDREN.

WE BELIEVE THESE TWO THINGS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

THANKS SO MUCH.

UM, OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS KAYLA PEAR.

KAYLA, WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

TELL US WHENEVER YOU'RE READY AND THE CLOCK WILL START TICKING.

DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES? YEAH.

THANK YOU.

HI EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS KAYLA PEAR.

I'M AN AUSTIN RESIDENT, A TEXAS NATIVE.

I'M ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO BE IN A SPACE WHERE I CAN SPEAK TO YOU ALL TODAY AND HOPEFULLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON THIS INCREDIBLE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT.

I GREW UP IN THE SUBURBS OF DALLAS, DALLAS, NEAR OUR PARK AND RIDE, AND OFTEN ROAD DALLAS LIGHT RAIL.

AS A CHILD WITH MY PARENTS, AS AN ADULT, I COMMUTED TO WORK USING THE DART, THE DALLAS LIGHT RAIL.

UM, AND THEN FROM THERE MOVED TO AUSTIN ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO.

UM, AS YOU MAY A GUEST, ME AND MY SCRUBS, I AM A NURSE.

UH, SPECIFICALLY I WORK IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT DOWNTOWN AND ACTUALLY GOT SOMEONE TO COVER MY SHIFT TODAY OR THE REMAINDER OF IT SO THAT I COULD COME IN HERE AND SPEAK WITH YOU ALL.

UM, SO AS YOU CAN MAYBE GUESS FROM MY BRIEF INTERRUPTION, I'M A HUGE ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, AND ALSO FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

ALTHOUGH I ADORE PUBLIC TRANSIT AND LOVE WHAT THIS LIGHT RAIL WILL DO FOR THE COMMUNITY, I AM ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF THE EFFECTS THAT THIS PARK AND RAID WILL HAVE ON ME AND MY FUTURE FAMILY.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT PARK AND RAIDS ARE A HOTBED FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

I LEARNED THIS AS A CHILD GETTING THE SAFETY TALKS

[00:05:01]

THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE HAS WRITTEN ARTICLES STATING THAT A MAJORITY OF FAIR METRO'S CRIMES HAPPEN AT THE PARK AND RIDE.

SIMILARLY, THEO DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STATES THAT PARK AND RIDE COMMUTER LOTS HAVE A PARTICULARLY HIGH CRIME RATE.

SIMPLY PUT, IT WOULD BE WILLFUL IGNORANCE FOR ME TO PRETEND LIKE THIS MASSIVE SAFETY CONCERN ISN'T BEING INTEGRATED SO CLOSE TO THE HOUSE, WHICH I WANT TO HAVE CHILDREN AND RAISE A FAMILY IN.

FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO KNOWINGLY INTRODUCE SUCH A HAZARD AT THE END OF MY RESIDENTIAL STREET, NOT A HUNDRED FEET FROM MY HOME IS BOTH APPALLING AND REALLY DISHEARTENING.

ASIDE FROM THE CRIME ASPECT THE PARK AND RIDE BRINGS TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE IS AN EQUALLY IF NOT GREATER, UH, CONCERN FOR SAFETY OF PEDESTRIANS.

AS MY NEIGHBOR KEVIN SAID, IF WE INTRODUCE HUNDREDS OF NEW CARS TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD EVERY DAY, WE ARE ALL BUT ASKING FOR TRAFFIC INJURIES AND FATALITIES.

THIS IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT MY NEIGHBORHOOD STREET IS NOT BUILT FOR SUCH TRAFFIC.

IT IS A NEIGHBOR TWO LANES AND HAS NO OUTLET.

THE CONCERNS I'VE PRESENTED TODAY BEGAN TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF WHAT MYSELF AND MY NEIGHBOR'S FEAR HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED BY THE CURRENT PROPOSED PARK AND RIDE LOCATION.

WHILE SAFETY IS OUR MAIN CONCERN, WE ALSO WORRY ABOUT LIGHT POLLUTION, AIR POLLUTION, AND THE TRAFFIC ITY THAT IS SURE TO RESULT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF PUTTING A MASSIVE PARKING STRUCTURE ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET.

THAT COMES TO A DEAD END LEANING ON THE BACKGROUND I HAVE AS A NURSE WHO REGULARLY ADVOCATES FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.

DID I HAVE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY.

SORRY, .

I FEEL COMPELLED TO SIT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY AND SPEAK AGAINST THIS PARK AND RAID PLACEMENT.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANT TO BE A MOTHER AND I WANNA HAVE MY CHILDREN HERE IN AUSTIN.

PART OF THAT MEANS STANDING UP FOR THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF, OF YELLOWJACKETS OVER THE CONVENIENCE OF THE CITY, TO ERECT A STRUCTURE THAT COULD EASILY BE MOVED TO A MORE COMMERCIAL AREA TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF THE NATIVE AUSTINITES.

AGAIN, I AM FOR THE A TP BOARD TO PLEASE HEAR THESE CONCERNS AND CONSIDER MAINTAINING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN CALLED HERE TO SERVE TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME TO THE BOARD.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

THE PETITION THAT YOU GUYS SIGNED, HAS IT BEEN, WHO WAS IT SENT TO? UH, WE EMAILED IT, UH, FOR THE LAST MEETING WE SENT AROUND I, ANOTHER COMMENT.

SO THAT'S THE, UM, PRINTED PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE DISTRIBUTED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.

BUT, UM, I CAN RESEND IT NOW THAT WE'VE HEARD THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT.

IT'LL FEEL MUCH MORE, UM, CONNECTED TO THEIR COMMENTS.

OKAY, PERFECT.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE IT.

AND, AND WE BROUGHT THAT TO WHERE SPECIFICALLY, SO A MAJORITY OF THE SIGNATURES ON THE FENCE ARE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON YELLOW JACKET, MOST OF THE HOMEOWNERS, AND THEN THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.

THERE'S A GATED COMMUNITY BEHIND US OR PART OF US THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THE STREET CONNECTS TO, BUT IT DOESN'T.

THERE'S A BLOCKADE.

UM, SO THAT'S WHAT A MAJORITY OF THE SIGNATURES ARE.

MUCH APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU.

UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY? I BELIEVE THERE'S NOBODY ELSE.

UH, MOVING ON, ON OUR MEETING, WE HAVE, UH, MR. CANAL

[2.1. Project Connect Status Update]

SO IT'S YOUR TURN.

MR. CANALI.

GREAT.

THANK YOU, BOARD CHAIR.

WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR FIRST MEETING OF 2024.

WE HAD A, A GREAT YEAR LAST YEAR ADVANCING, UH, LIGHT RAIL, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT THIS YEAR.

I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HEAR THAT, UH, THEMATICALLY HERE EACH MONTH AS WE CONTINUE TO, UH, KNOCK OFF THE MONTHS AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON IMPLEMENTING LIGHT RAIL HERE IN AUSTIN FOR AUSTIN RESIDENTS.

SO, UM, JUST REAL QUICKLY GOING THROUGH OUR, UH, OUR, OUR UPDATE, AS ALWAYS, WE ARE PROVIDING YOU AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN ALL OF PROJECT CONNECT.

REMEMBER, AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IS ONE OF THE MANY PROJECT CONNECT INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE DOING.

AND SO THIS, THIS REPORT ALLOWS ALL THE PARTNERS TO COME TOGETHER AND SHOW THIS THE, UH, HOW WE ARE ADVANCING ALL ELEMENTS OF THAT.

AND SO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT NOT ON YOUR BOARD PACKET, BUT, UH, ONLINE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY TO SEE.

UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF OUR, UH, AS WE'RE BUILDING OUR CAPACITY AND OUR ADMINISTRATION HERE.

UH, I WANNA START BY, UH, ANNOUNCING, I THINK WHAT A LOT OF YOU KNOW IS, UH, WE HAVE NAMED BRIAN RIVERA AS OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.

UM, BRIAN HAS SERVED, UH, REALLY SINCE EARLY DAYS HERE AS A TREASURER FOR A TP AND THEN FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS AS THE INTERIM CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, HE REALLY BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE REALM OF, OF DEBT ISSUANCE ACCOUNTING, AND EXACTLY THE SKILLSET THAT WE NEED, UH, LEADING THE FINANCE TEAM HERE.

SO, REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE HIM HERE ON PERMANENTLY.

NOW WE'VE CONTINUED TO ADD IN OUR COMMUNICATION SERVICES AND OUR IT SERVICES AS WE'RE BUILDING THAT INDEPENDENT CAPACITY, UH, IN THIS REALM.

REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, THESE ADDITIONAL STAFF CHANGES THAT WE'VE HAD.

UM, ON THAT NOTE

[00:10:01]

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, WE DID RECEIVE THE DISTINGUISHED BUDGET PRESENT, UH, PRESENTATION AWARD FROM GFOA.

AND CONGRATULATIONS TO BRIAN AND JAMIE AND ALL THE FINANCE TEAM AND REALLY EVERYONE THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION FOR GETTING THAT DISTINGUISHED AWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADHERING TO BEST PRACTICES, UH, AS WE PRESENT OUR FINANCIALS AND OUR BUDGETS, UH, TO YOU THE BOARD, BUT ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY.

UH, ANOTHER THING ABOUT THAT IDEA OF BEST PRACTICES, UH, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE BACK IN 2021 AND IN 2022, UM, THE ENO CENTER FOR TRANSPORTATION DID A SERIES OF STUDIES, ONE THEY DID ON GLOBALLY LOOKING AT, UH, BUILDING TRANSIT VETERAN IN THE UNITED STATES AND LOOKING AT, UH, BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXAMPLES, UH, WITH ONE OF THE MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS, LOOKING AT MAKING SURE THERE'S AN INDEPENDENT CORPORATION TO KIND OF ADVANCE SOME OF THESE MORE CHALLENGING TRANSIT PROJECTS.

AS YOU KNOW, THEY FOLLOWED UP AND DID A STUDY HERE SPECIFICALLY FOR US.

UM, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA AND TRANSIT FORWARD ARE GONNA PARTNER TO, UM, NOT WAIT FOR A PROJECT TO BE DONE, TO, TO LOOK BACK AND SEE WHAT WENT WELL AND WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL, BUT ACTUALLY DO A LIVE CASE STUDY AND WILL BE ONE OF THOSE THAT THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT.

I CAN TELL YOU, UH, BEING OUT AND AROUND, TALKING TO FOLKS IN INDUSTRY, UM, AND REALLY AROUND THE COUNTRY, THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN NOT ONLY OUR PROJECT AND HOW WE'RE ADVANCING A REALLY GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT HERE IN AUSTIN, BUT HOW WE DID IT AND HOW WE'RE SET UP.

SO THIS GIVES US ANOTHER VEHICLE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHO A TP IS AND THE IDENTITY THAT WE'RE FORMING TO, UH, HELP TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF TRANSIT HERE IN AUSTIN TOGETHER.

SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP.

I KNOW FROM, UH, TRANSIT FORWARD, I'M MARY ELLEN, AN ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA.

WE APPRECIATE, UH, THEIR SUPPORT AND KIND OF OVERALL NATIONALLY THINKING ABOUT, UH, TRANSIT FOR THIS COUNTRY.

UM, WE'VE BEEN OUT AND ALWAYS OUT AND AROUND.

I THINK YOU HERE, UM, WE HAD A CHANCE, I HAD A CHANCE TO JOIN SOME GREAT PANELISTS AT THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FORUM, BUT REALLY THE DISCUSSION WAS JUST A FANTASTIC AUSTIN DISCUSSION.

THIS KIND OF INTERSECTION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TRANSIT, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE HOUSING MARKET THERE, AND HOW THOSE ALL OF THAT ECOSYSTEM IS WORKING TOGETHER REALLY IS A FANTASTIC, PROBABLY OVER SIX, 700 PEOPLE WERE THERE.

SO GREAT DIALOGUE TO START THE NEW YEAR, REALLY FOCUSING ON TRANSIT AND WORKFORCE AND JOBS AND HOUSING.

AND THEN, UM, IN, IN DC UH, UH, DARREN WAS IN DC ON A COMMITTEE WITH THE AMERICAN PLANNING TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION, APTA, TALKING ABOUT, AGAIN, ADVANCING THE CIG PROGRAM FOR WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT.

WE KNOW SHARMILA FROM CAPTAIN METRO HAD A CHANCE TO JOIN THAT AS WELL.

SO ALWAYS OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN BE IN A LEARNING AND LISTENING MOMENT, BUT ALSO RELATING WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN AUSTIN.

NEXT SLIDE, CHLOE.

SO I THINK THAT LEADS US NOW TO, UM, TURN IT OVER TO

[3.1 Update on Implementation of Austin Light Rail]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

I'LL START.

UM, AND I'LL START WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR OVERALL WORK EFFORTS.

UH, SOME OF OUR MOST ACTIVE AREAS ARE, UH, ADVANCING, EXCUSE ME, ONE SECOND.

THERE WE GO.

ADVANCING THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

UM, THOSE THINGS REALLY STARTED LAST YEAR AND WILL BE A BIG FOCUS AREA FOR US CONTINUING, UH, INTO 2024.

SO NEPA OR THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT IS ONE OF THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'LL HAVE TO MEET IN ORDER TO USE THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

UM, AND SO WE ARE PURSUING NEW STARTS GRANT FUNDING FOR POTENTIALLY 50% OF THE CAPITAL COSTS.

AND SO THAT IS A MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-STEP PROCESS, UH, AND WE'LL BE VERY FOCUSED ON THE NEPA, UH, COMPONENT OF THAT, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.

SO ON FRIDAY, UH, THE FTA PUBLISHED A NOTICE OF INTENT TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UH, IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER.

SO THAT'S A, AN OFFICIAL PROCESS POINT THAT REALLY TRIGGERS THIS NEXT STAGE OF, OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

UH, AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT WITH A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THE FIRST ONE IS ON FEBRUARY 1ST AT UT, UH, AND THEY'LL BE THROUGHOUT THE CORRIDOR, UM, REALLY THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.

SO, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS YOU WANNA ACCOMPLISH AT THE THOSE MEETINGS, AND ONE IS REALLY TO COMMUNICATE OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT THE NEPA PROCESS IS, UH, AND HOW PEOPLE CAN PLUG INTO IT.

AND WE'LL ALSO BE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPOSED PROJECT THAT WE'RE EVALUATING IN NEPA.

SO AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT PROJECT, YOU'LL SEE KINDA OUR MAPS ARE LOOKING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED THAN WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT LAST JUNE, UH, AND THAT REFLECTS JUST THE CONTINUING WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.

BUT THE PROJECT ITSELF IS ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT LAST SPRING IN JAN, ABOUT 10 MILES OF A STREET RUNNING LIGHT RAIL, UH, FOR THE PRIORITY EXTENSIONS.

WE ARE

[00:15:01]

UH, WE'RE ONLY INCLUDING THE FUNDED PART OF THE PROJECT.

UM, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, IF FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE TO ACCELERATE THOSE, WE WILL FOLD THEM INTO THE PROCESS IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BEST MAKES SENSE AT THAT TIME.

SO, SINCE JUNE, UM, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO ADVANCE THE DESIGN, ESPECIALLY TO SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.

AND I'M JUST GONNA PASS IT OVER TO LINDSAY TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU.

SO WE'VE BEEN ADVANCING THAT BASE DESIGN THAT JEN JUST MENTIONED TO IDENTIFY AND DEFINE THE PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND THE ASSOCIATED FOOTPRINT FOR THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

UH, SOME EXAMPLES OF AREAS WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON ARE THE STATIONS, THE NEEDS FOR UTILITIES, UH, AND, AND UTILITY RELOCATIONS THAT MAY BE REQUIRED, AS WELL AS THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEMS AND THE NEEDS TO POWER THAT SYSTEM FOR THIS ELECTRICALLY POWERED, UM, LIGHT RAIL AND IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT OF WAY NEEDS THAT ARE BALANCING ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, BUT ALSO THE NEEDS OF REALLY ALL MODES OF TRAVEL ALONG THE ALIGNMENT WHILE MINIMIZING OUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS.

SO PART OF OUR WORK IS, IS TO DEFINE ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, UNDERSTAND, UH, WHAT SPACE THEY WILL NEED, AND THEN CONTINUE TO ITERATE ON THAT WORK TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING ALL OF THE NEEDS AND REALLY MAKING THE PROJECT, UH, AS USABLE THE, THE SYSTEM AS USABLE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND OPTIMIZING THAT USER EXPERIENCE THROUGH THAT TECHNICAL ANALYSIS AS WELL AS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE HEARD TODAY, AND THROUGH PRIOR PLANNING, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A SET OF DESIGN OPTIONS THAT WE WILL FURTHER STUDY IN ADDITION TO THAT BASE DESIGN.

AND THOSE GENERALLY FALL INTO THESE CATEGORIES NOTED HERE, LOOKING AT STATION LOCATIONS AND LOOKING AT REALLY HOW THE TRAINS AND BUSES AND, UH, BIKES AND PEDESTRIANS ALL INTERACT AND WHAT THAT MULTIMODAL INTEGRATION, UH, CAN LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE CAN OPTIMIZE IT FOR EVERYONE ALONG THE ALIGNMENT.

WE ARE NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON ANY OF THESE DESIGN OPTIONS AT THIS TIME, SO I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOTING WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE STUDYING AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE EVALUATING AS WE ADVANCE THE DESIGN.

SO PETER AND I ARE GONNA WALK THROUGH EACH OF THOSE DESIGN OPTIONS.

UM, YEAH, SO WE'LL, WE'RE GONNA BREAK DOWN THE ALIGNMENT INTO, UM, A FEW SUB-SEGMENTS AND THESE, JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE STUDYING, UM, THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS AND ADVANCING IN THE DESIGN.

UM, AND, UH, THIS WILL ALSO BE WHAT WE ARE GOING OUT AND SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT ARE COMING IN.

SO STARTING FROM THE NORTH, UM, YOU CAN SEE AT 38TH STREET, WHICH IS THE PHASE ONE, UM, NORTHERN , YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT IS THIS IS, AGAIN, WE'RE BUILDING ON WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BUT THEN ALSO ADDRESSING SOME THINGS THAT ARE NEW, UM, AS PART OF THE PHASING PLAN.

SO, UM, AS THE NORTHERN TERM IS 38TH STREET, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE REALLY GOOD MULTIMODAL CONNECTIVITY TO LIGHT RAIL AT THAT LOCATION.

SO THERE'S A KIND OF A LITTLE MINI STUDY AREA AROUND THE END OF LINE TO UNDERSTAND HOW DO WE PROVIDE THE BEST AMENITIES AND CONNECTIVITY TO THE LIGHT RAIL IN THAT LOCATION.

UM, THE LIGHT RAIL COMES DOWN, GUADALUPE, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ARRIVES AT THE UNIVERSITY, UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE HIGHEST, UH, RIDERSHIP AREAS IN THE SYSTEM.

UM, IT'S ALL PROJECTED TO BE, UM, IT'S ALSO AN AREA OF INCREDIBLE HIGH VOLUMES OF PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY.

UM, I THINK, UH, BOTH ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO THE GROWING COMMUNITY WEST CAMPUS.

SO, UM, THE, IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT, AGAIN, BUILDING ON WHAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY STUDIED, UH, GUADALUPE WOULD BE BASICALLY A TRANSIT MALL IN THIS LOCATION.

AND SO, UH, LIGHT RAIL BUSES, UM, BICYCLES, PEDESTRIANS, AND, UM, UH, BUT NOT HAVING GENERAL PURPOSE VEHICLES, CARS.

SO THAT'S THE OPTION WE'RE GONNA BE STUDYING, UM, TO EVALUATE ALL OF THE, THE ASSOCIATED BENEFITS AND IMPACTS OF THAT.

UM, OKAY.

CONTINUING TO MOVE SOUTH INTO THE DOWNTOWN SECTION.

UM, SO WE CONTINUE DOWN GUADALUPE, UM, TO THIRD STREET, AND THEN ALIGNMENT TURNS ON THIRD STREET AND THEN TURNS AGAIN ON TRINITY TO GO SOUTH OF ACROSS THE RIVER IN THIS AREA.

WE ARE, UM, IN RESPONSE TO SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OPTIONS FOR STATION LOCATIONS.

SO, UM, IT WOULD BE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A STATION AT 15TH STREET.

UM, IT'S REALLY ONE DOWN AT NEAR CONGRESS ON THIRD, UM, ONE IS CESAR CHAVEZ, UM, ADJACENT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, UM, BUT IT'S BASICALLY ON TRINITY, BUT NEAR CAESAR CHAVEZ.

[00:20:01]

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAME OUT OF THE FEEDBACK LAST SPRING, SO WE'RE GONNA BE EVALUATING THAT OPTION.

UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL, UH, OPTION FOR A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT LOCATION FOR THE CAESAR CHAVEZ STATION, WHICH WOULD BE LOCATED ON A DIAGONAL, UM, AS PART OF A JOINT DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY, UM, WITH A LOCAL DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT BOTH OF THOSE OPTIONS AND EVALUATING THE, THE PROS AND CONS OF EACH OF THOSE.

SO NO RECOMMENDATIONS YET, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT.

SO CONTINUING JUST SOUTH OF LADY BIRD LAKE, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OPTIONS BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT A STATION AT HAP TRAVIS HEIGHTS, PARTICULARLY CONSIDERING THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS SURROUNDING THAT STATION, UH, BEING ENGULFED BY A PARK, A HISTORIC DISTRICT, AND ITS PROXIMITY TO THE PLANNED I 35 IMPROVEMENTS.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE WATERFRONT AREA, WHICH IS A JUNCTION OR INTERSECTION OF ALL THREE BRANCHES OF THE LIGHT RAIL CONNECTING FROM THE NORTH, THE SOUTH, AND THE EAST.

AND IN A UNIQUE AREA THAT IS SURROUNDED BY HILLS, WHERE WE HAVE HIGH POINTS OF LAND COMING OFF OF SOUTH CONGRESS, COMING OFF OF RIVERSIDE, AND FROM THE NEW BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE.

AND SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT WAYS OF ADDRESSING THAT, THAT JUNCTION AT THE WATERFRONT STATION, AND CONSIDERING HOW WE LAND THE, THE NEW LIGHT RAIL BRIDGE OVER LADY BIRD LAKE, UM, ONE BEING TO BRING IT DOWN TO STREET LEVEL OR GROUND LEVEL JUST TO THE NORTH, OR BEFORE REACHING THE WATERFRONT STATION THAT YOU CAN SEE THERE IN THE TOP, UH, OR CONSIDERING EXTENDING THAT BRIDGE OVER LADYBIRD LAKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, THE TOPOGRAPHY OR THE HILLS AND ACTUALLY TYING OR LANDING THAT BRIDGE, UM, NEAR THE HIGH POINTS OF THOSE HILLS.

AND THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THAT JUNCTION OF THE LIGHT REEL, AS WELL AS THE WATERFRONT STATION WOULD BE LOCATED ON THAT BRIDGE.

AND CONSIDERING ALL OF THE MODES OF BOTH THE LIGHT RAIL, BICYCLES, PEDESTRIAN VEHICLES, AND REALLY THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT OF THE AREA WHEN EVALUATING BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS AND MOVING EAST OF I 35, WE ARE LOOKING AT AN OPTION TO COMBINE THE METROPOLIS AND PHARAOH STATIONS INTO A SINGLE STATION AT GROVE, WHICH HAS EMERGED OUT OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, ASKING FOR, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO CREATE A MORE SEAMLESS CONNECTION TO A CC RIVERSIDE THERE TO THE NORTH OFF OF GROVE AND THE NORTH SOUTH ROUTES THAT HELP MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

AS WELL AS TO CONSIDER OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, REALLY HAVE A LIGHT RAIL STATION AT THE FRONT DOOR OF A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OF, OF NEARLY 20 ACRES THAT IS PLANNED RIGHT THERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF RIVERSIDE AND GROVE THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

UH, ALSO IN THIS AREA, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVE SITES FOR A PARK AND RIDE AT THE END OF LINE NEAR THE YELLOW JACKET STATION, BUT REALLY, UM, UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AND THE, THE VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS AND LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS OF WHERE THAT SITE COULD BE.

AND THEN, PETER, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THE, KIND OF, THE OPTION THAT COVERS THIS ENTIRE SEGMENT? YEAH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE RECOGNIZED IS THAT THIS SECTION OF THE ALIGNMENT ON EAST RIVERSIDE IS REALLY UNIQUE IN MANY WAYS.

THE RIGHT OF WAY IS MUCH WIDER.

UM, THERE ARE IN SOME WAYS THERE'S LESS EASTWEST CONNECTIVITY OTHER THAN ON EAST RIVERSIDE, SO THERE'S MORE PRESSURE ON EAST RIVERSIDE TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF MULTI-MOBILE CONNECTIVITY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO WAYS TO KIND OF DESIGN THE, THE CROSS SECTION AND HOW BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES WOULD INTERACT WITH THE LIGHT RAIL ITSELF.

UM, SO HERE YOU CAN SEE TWO, UM, SCHEMATIC CROSS SECTIONS.

ONE WHERE, UH, OPTION WHERE THE LIGHT RAILS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, UM, YOU HAVE THE ROADWAY ON EITHER SIDE OF IT, AND THEN BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES WOULD BE, UM, DEVELOPED ON THE PERIMETER AS TYPICAL.

UM, AND THEN THERE'S A SECOND OPTION THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHERE WE ACTUALLY CREATE A NEW PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE FACILITY IN THE CENTER OF THE ROADWAY ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT, THE LIGHT RAIL, UM, THAT WOULD PROVIDE CONTINUOUS, UH, BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY ALONG THIS THREE MILE STRETCH OF RIVERSIDE, UM, AND REALLY ENHANCE THAT CONNECTIVITY POTENTIALLY.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT BOTH THOSE OPTIONS.

UM, HERE ARE JUST SOME IMAGES OF THAT SECOND GREENWAY OPTION IN OTHER CITIES WHERE, UM,

[00:25:01]

SO WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT PROS AND CONS OF BOTH.

AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, MAKING SOME EVALUATION ONCE WE'VE STUDIED THEM, OF THE MATERIALS THAT WE'LL BE SHARING AT THE PUBLIC MEETINGS COMING UP IN FEBRUARY.

UH, I JUST WANNA SHARE A, A FEW MORE THAT WERE REALLY PROCESS ORIENTED AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE NEPA PROCESS.

SO WE WILL BE PREPARING AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UM, WHICH WILL ADDRESS A, A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF CONSIDERATIONS FROM NATURAL RESOURCE HUMAN, UH, AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS AS WELL.

UM, AND SO THAT WILL ALL BE PART OF THE DRAFT EIS THAT IS PREPARED.

TYPICALLY, AN EIS IS STRUCTURED.

SO YOU'RE EVALUATING PROPOSED PROJECT AGAINST A BASELINE CONDITION, YOU KNOW, AGAINST, UH, A SCENARIO UNDER WHICH THE PROJECT IS NOT BUILT JUST FOR PURPOSES OF REALLY SUSSING OUT WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL, UM, BENEFITS AND EFFECTS OF, OF BUILDING AND OPERATING THIS PROJECT.

SO, .

SO AS WE'RE GOING OUT FOR THESE, UH, PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE'RE SCOPING, UM, OUR, OUR HOPE IS REALLY TO GET FEEDBACK ON THE, THE RANGE OF STUDIES, UH, AND TOPICS THAT WE SHOULD INVESTIGATE THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD.

UH, WE'RE STILL AT THE BEGINNING STAGES OF DOING ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND STUDIES, SO IT'S TIMELY TO HEAR THOSE QUESTIONS AND TOPICS AND POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR DATA THAT WE MAY NOT ALREADY BE AWARE OF.

UH, SO THOSE MEETINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO.

WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, AFTER THAT THROUGH THE SPRING, UM, ALWAYS, UM, PROVIDING INFORMATION ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT.

BUT WE ALSO ARE GONNA BE HUNKERED DOWN IN WORK MODE AS WELL, AND COMING BACK, UH, IN THE FALL, UM, WITH A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.

SO WHEN THAT IS RELEASED, IT'LL BE RELEASED IN FULL SO THAT, UM, UH, ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC OR INTERESTED PARTY CAN REVIEW ALL OF THE ANALYSES THAT WERE CONDUCTED.

UM, AND THERE WILL BE A FORMAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND REVIEW PERIOD, UH, AFTER WHICH WE WILL RESPOND TO ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED ON THE DRAFT MATERIALS.

UH, FOLLOWING THAT, UM, REVISIONS, CHANGES, UH, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS WOULD BE COMPLETED AS PART OF THE FINAL, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UH, AND A RECORD OF DECISION THAT INCLUDES THE PROCESS.

AND SO , UH, IN 2025.

SO THAT, UH, CONCLUDES OUR SLIDE PRESENTATION, BUT WE DO HAVE A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS DOCUMENT UP ON THE WEBSITE THAT'S AVAILABLE THAT COVERS SOME OF WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, UH, AND AND MORE.

UM, AND OF COURSE, UH, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME TO THE PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE THERE'LL BE MORE INFORMATION AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPRESENTATION.

UM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT TO MY COLLEAGUES.

DO YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS ON THIS END.

YOU FINE.

GOOD.

UM, I DO HAVE ONE JUST, UH, QUICK QUESTION.

I, I NOTICED THAT THE PARKING RIGHTS ARE HERE, IS LOCATED FOR ANALYSIS, SO THERE HASN'T BEEN A DECISION MADE YET, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND WE ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ON HOW TO CITE THOSE FACILITIES AND, AND WHAT ALL SHOULD BE INCLUDED AT EACH OF THOSE END OF LINE POINTS.

AND, AND IN TERMS OF THE, HOW WE ADDRESS EACH COMMENT THAT WOULD BE COMING OUT OF THIS INVOLVEMENT, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS FOR TRANSPARENCY SAKE? LIKE, YOU GO TO A COMMITTEE MEETING, YOU HAVE A HUNDRED COMMENTS OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR ANSWERING AND, AND MITIGATING OR ADDRESSING THOSE COMMENTS CORRECTLY OR VERY TRANSPARENTLY? UH, WELL, I'LL MENTION A COUPLE THINGS.

SO, THE, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH RIGHT NOW, WE WILL PRODUCE A REPORT IN A COUPLE MONTHS, UH, THAT DOCUMENTS ALL THAT WE HEARD, UM, AND THAT WILL BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.

BUT THEN ON THE DRAFT, EIS THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE ON THAT, UM, WE WILL HAVE A SYSTEM IN PLACE TO, I RESPOND TO EVERYONE AND SHOW THE COMMENT, DISPOSITION, UM, AND WHAT OCCURRED, YOU KNOW, AND TO RESOLVE THE COMMENT.

SO THAT DOCUMENTATION, I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE IN THE FORM OF A, A VERY LONG TABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL ES.

OKAY.

UM, I PERSONALLY AM VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE ATTENTION GIVEN TO RIVERSIDE.

I THINK, UM, WHEN I WAS BEING BRIEFED ON THIS, UH, ANALYSIS OR ADVANCEMENT OF THE DESIGN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I BROUGHT UP WAS THE SERIOUSNESS IN WHICH YOU'RE TAKING GREENIFYING, I HAVE TO LOOK UP THE WORD, BUT GREENIFYING EAST AUSTIN, YOU

[00:30:01]

SOUNDS LIKE AN OXYMORON.

IT'S, THERE'S A GREEN DESERT, UH, IN EAST AUSTIN BECAUSE OF THE TREE CANOPY THAT IS LACKING IN THAT AREA.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE TO SEE A ROBUST INTENT TO CREATE AN INVESTMENT THAT CAN ADDRESS AN INEQUITY, BUT ALSO ADDRESS HOW WE CAN INVITE PEOPLE TO TAKE TRANSIT IN A COMFORTABLE AND BEAUTIFUL WAY.

SO I'M SUPER EXCITED TO SEE THAT, THAT APPROACH AND THAT, UH, SECTION BROUGHT IN.

SO, UM, THAT'S ALL REALLY I HAVE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK TO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND INVITE THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS.

SO THE SCHEDULE'S GONNA BE PUBLISHED ONLINE, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE ON OUR WEBSITE, SO PLEASE GO TO THOSE MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY INVITE YOUR NEIGHBORS AND SPREAD THE WORD AND SHARE IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND BE THERE.

OKAY.

UM, SO NOW WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO, UH, THE NEXT DISCUSSION ITEM IS A PRESENTATION

[3.2 Presentation of Governance Assessment]

THE TEAM HAS JOINED US TODAY, AND I WILL LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

SO WELCOME.

GREAT.

THANK YOU BOARD, UH, CHAIR AND BOARD.

UM, WE'VE ENJOYED THE COLLABORATION WE'VE HAD WITH YOU OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO, AS WELL AS WITH EXECUTIVE STAFF, UH, TOKI WITH FROM ERNS AND YOUNG ADVISOR TO A TP JOINED HERE BY MICHAEL BAKER, PART OF OUR TEAM AS WELL, WHO HELPED US, UH, PERFORM THIS ASSESSMENT ALONG WITH, UH, ALONG WITH HER TEAM.

UM, THE, THE, THIS ASSESSMENT BUILDS ON THE EO REPORT THAT GREG REFERENCED EARLIER, UH, FROM 2022, AS WELL AS A BOARD RESOLUTION FROM 2023.

UM, AND, UM, OH, SOMEONE RUNNING THE SLIDES.

GREAT.

LET'S HAVE A THERE.

OH, WHICH ONE? PERFECT.

THANKS.

AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT CONSIDERS THE DIFFERENT BOARD STRUCTURES AND GOVERNING DOCUMENTS OF A TP TO THIS DATE.

UM, IN PARTICULAR THE ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND AND CAP METRO, UH, THE CURRENT BOARD STRUCTURE, UM, WHO IS ON THE BOARD IN THAT REGARD, AND, UH, WHERE THEY COME FROM, AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, RIGHT? AND HOW THAT'S ALL CONSTRUCTED RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN THE BOARD GOV, UH, THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS UNDERLYING THAT.

UM, AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE CONSIDERED ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, UM, UH, FREE INFORMATION, ALL THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE ON THE A TP WEBSITE AND AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC.

AND ULTIMATELY, THE ASSESSMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

IN ADDITION TO COLLABORATION WITH THE BOARD, AS WELL AS WITH EXECUTIVE STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE OPERATIONS OF THE BOARD AND HOW THEY ALIGN WITH THE GOALS OF A TP.

UH, THE TEAM TOOK A LOOK AT THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS OF A NUMBER OF TRANSIT AGENCIES, BOTH HERE IN THE US AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY, AS WELL AS PERFORMED INTERVIEWS WITH KEY BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE STAFF MEMBERS AT A NUMBER OF THESE AGENCIES AS WELL IS TO UNDERSTAND, UM, TO UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BEST PRACTICES ARE AROUND BOARD GOVERNANCE AND THE OPERATIONS OF A, OF A BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, OF THIS TYPE.

UM, ONE OF THE MAIN TAKEAWAYS IN FACT, IS THAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WHILE THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERESTING LEARNINGS IN THAT RESPECT, IT'S ALSO BIG TAKEAWAYS THAT A TP IS VERY UNIQUE, RIGHT? THIS IS, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS, UH, UNDER SINGLE JURISDICTION WITH A VERY FOCUSED, UH, MISSION, WHICH IS TO BUILD A SINGLE MODE LIGHT RAIL, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO YOUR TYPICAL TRANSIT AGENCY, IT MIGHT BE MORE MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL, UM, FOCUSED ON OPERATIONS AND THE LIKE, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO, UH, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BOARD GOVERNANCE, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KEEPING THAT IN MIND AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE IS ALIGNS WELL WITH THE ULTIMATE MISSION, WHICH IS VERY MUCH MORE FOCUSED HERE IN A TP AS OPPOSED TO OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES, LET'S SAY, AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL.

THANKS, TODD.

JUST WANNA PUT THE PHONE IN.

SURE.

UH, SO I JUST WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE, UH, CONDUCTED

[00:35:01]

AND THE FIRST STEP REALLY BEFORE IDENTIFYING ANY OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WAS TO ESTABLISH GOALS FOR THE ASSESSMENT.

AND SO, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAD WITH THE BOARD, AS WELL AS WITH ATP'S EXECUTIVE STAFF, UH, WE REALLY, UH, COALESCED AROUND THESE FOUR KEY GOALS FOR THE ASSESSMENT.

ONE WAS JUST TO CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS FOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR BOTH BOARD MEMBERS AND EXECUTIVE STAFF.

THE SECOND WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE BOARD HAS THE RIGHT COMPOSITION AND SKILLS NEEDED TO, UH, SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC POLICY DECISIONS THAT WILL COME BEFORE IT.

THE THIRD IS ENSURING THAT YOU ALL HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT IS REQUIRED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

AND THEN THE FOURTH IS, UH, TACTICALLY AROUND EVALUATING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES AND ADVISORY BOARDS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU ALL.

AND SO YOU'LL SEE HERE THAT, UH, ULTIMATELY THE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'LL FIND IN THE FULL REPORT CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO THESE FOUR BUCKETS.

UH, THE FIRST IS ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY FORMALIZATION.

AND THIS IS REALLY RATHER STRAIGHTFORWARD.

IT CONSIDERS JUST CONSOLIDATING AND FORMALIZING AND DEFINING SOME OF THE, UH, ALREADY EXISTING, UH, PROCEDURES THAT YOU ALL FOLLOW INTO YOUR, UH, GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS THE BYLAWS AND THE BOARD PROCEDURES POLICY.

THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, VERY CLASSIC FOR ANY ORGANIZATION THAT GROWS A CONSTANT, UH, VIGILANCE TOWARDS UPDATING AND ENSURING THAT YOUR DOCUMENTS GROW WITH YOU.

THE SECOND IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING CYCLICAL OPERATIONAL EVALUATIONS.

UM, AND THAT'S REALLY ABOUT ENHANCING THE FUNCTION AND AGILITY OF OPERATIONS.

SO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, REVIEWING CERTAIN, UH, FUNCTIONS THAT MIGHT NEED, AGAIN, TO GROW WITH THE ORGANIZATION AS IT EVOLVES.

SO THESE ARE THINGS SUCH AS A TP, PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS, FINANCIAL APPROVAL THRESHOLDS, AND THE BOARD COMPETENCY, UH, SIZE AND COMMITTEES, RIGHT? SO, AGAIN, AS TOM MENTIONED, WE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT NEEDED A, UH, DRASTIC OVERHAUL IN BOARD GOVERNANCE AS IT STANDS NOW, BUT AS ANY ORGANIZATION SHOULD, UH, A TP SHOULD CONSIDER EVALUATING THEIR GOVERNANCE PROCEDURES AS IT GROWS.

UH, THE THIRD IS ONBOARDING, TRAINING, AND CONTINUING EDUCATION.

AND THIS IS REALLY FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

WE, WE FIND THAT, UH, THE ROBUST ONBOARDING AND TRAINING PROGRAMS CAN REALLY HELP CURRENT AND POTENTIAL FUTURE BOARD MEMBERS IN ENSURING THAT ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TOPICS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THEM THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT LIFECYCLE.

AND THEN FINALLY, LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, UM, SOME REP SOME OPPORTUNITIES AROUND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES CAN BE, UH, STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT BEST, UH, SUITS THE NEEDS OF THE BOARDS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT REALLY HELPS THE ORGANIZATION, UM, RECEIVED THE ADVICE THAT IT NEEDS PRIOR TO MAKING DECISIONS HERE.

UM, SO IT WAS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH, UH, THE A TP EXECUTIVE STAFF AND WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, THIS IS A RELATIVE, UH, RARITY AMONGST, UH, TRANSIT AGENCIES TO TAKE THIS DEEP DIVE INTO THEIR OWN, UH, GOVERNANCE POLICIES AND EVALUATE THEMSELVES AND, AND HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE.

AND SO IT'S BEEN, UH, QUITE REFRESHING AND, AND, UM, A LOVELY EXPERIENCE TO, UH, ASSIST THE ORGANIZATION IN, IN LOOKING INTO HOW TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS.

THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR, UM, PROFESSIONALISM IN, IN HOLDING OUR HAND THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND YOUR PATIENCE.

I KNOW IT'S SCHEDULING ALL OF US TO COLLABORATE IN THIS, UH, REPORT.

TOOK A LOT OF TIME AND I REALLY THANK ALSO BOARD MEMBER GARZA FOR BRINGING FORWARD THAT RESOLUTION TO HAVE US TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, UM, OUR OWN PROCEDURES AND HOW WE'RE OPERATING.

UM, I KNOW WE'RE A SMALL BOARD, BUT, BUT COMMITTED AND CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO DELIVER FOR THE CITIZENS OF, OF OUR COMMUNITY.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF YOU, ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES? THE QUESTION, YOU'RE NOT A CURIOUS BUNCH, ARE YOU? I WOULDN'T SAY THAT TALKED INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THE PROCESS AND HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH IT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL PREPARED.

OH, SORRY.

ALRIGHT.

SEE, I, I NEVER GET ACCUSED OF TALKING TOO LOW , UH, BUT NO, WE GOT A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE TEAM AND, AND, AND, UM, WORK THROUGH ISSUES AND ITEMS UNDERSTAND, UH, THE DIRECTION THAT THEY WERE GOING.

UH, THEY WERE QUITE THOROUGH

[00:40:01]

SO I WAS, I WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH, UH, THE MATERIAL PUT TOGETHER.

YES.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT'S INTERESTING.

IT CONTROLS US.

UM, MY CASEY CHAIR, UM, EVPA BUSINESS AND, UM, LEGAL AFFAIRS AND I HELPED KIND OF STEWARD SOME OF THIS WORK.

I'LL JUST SAY THAT OUR PLAN IS TO, UH, PROVIDE ON THE WEBSITE THE FULL REPORT, UM, AFTER THIS MEETING.

AND, UM, I THINK THE NEXT STEPS ARE GONNA BE FOR THE BOARD TO COME BACK, DIRECTING STAFF TO COME WITH, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC CHANGES POTENTIALLY TO THE DOCUMENTS, UM, OR TO THEIR STRUCTURE, TO THE, TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, ET CETERA, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE FINDINGS.

UM, AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM.

SO YEAH, I THINK THE KEY IS GONNA BE IMPLEMENTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO WE WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS WORK DONE AND IT DOESN'T BECOME JUST A REPORT THAT GETS FILED.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YES, , I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. OUR FIRST

[4.1 Approval of minutes from the December 13, 2023 Board Meeting]

I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, THE MAYOR FOR CHAIRING THE MEETING ON MY BEHALF, UM, AS I WAS ABSENT FOR THAT MEETING.

SO THEREFORE, UM, I'M GONNA ABSTAIN FROM VOTING SINCE I WAS NOT PRESENT.

BUT, UH, DO I HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER ILIAN AND SECOND BY MAYOR WATSON.

ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.

EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE VOTE.

MAYOR.

AYE.

APPROVED.

SO THREE MEMBERS APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES WITH MYSELF.

ABSTAINING, I MEAN, YES.

THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO OUR ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO,

[4.2 Approval of a resolution authorizing the Executive Director, or their designee, to negotiate and execute a contract with Pinyon Environmental, Inc. for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Review Support 139(j) Consultant services for a term of two years, with one 12-month extension option, in an amount not to exceed $900,000; and authorizing the negotiation and execution of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration to receive Consultant support]

FOR NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT FOR THE NEPA REVIEW SUPPORT OF 1 39 J CONSULTANT SERVICES FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS WITH ONE 12 MONTH EXTENSION OPTION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $900,000 AND AUTHORIZING THE NEGOTIATION AND EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO RECEIVE CONSULTANT SUPPORT.

WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UH, BRETT CUMMINGS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND PROCUREMENT, AND HE WILL SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR SOLICITATION.

WELCOME, MR. CUMMINGS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US TODAY.

UM, AND WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING, UM, THIS TO YOU TODAY FOR APPROVAL AS WELL AS PROVIDE A PROCUREMENT UPDATE, UM, ON SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.

UM, SO WE'RE GONNA START WITH THAT.

THIS IS A FAMILIAR SLIDE THAT THE BOARD HAS SEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE, BUT UPDATED TO SHOW THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE SINCE, UM, OCTOBER.

UM, IN LAST BOARD MEETING, UM, THE BOARD APPROVED, UM, EXERCISING OPTIONS FOR THE TRANSITIONAL CONTRACTS THAT THE AGENCY HAS FOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN SERVICES AS WELL AS LAST MONTH.

UM, THE BOARD APPROVED THREE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS CONTRACTS TO HELP FURTHER, UM, THE BRANDING AND COMMUNICATION EFFORTS OF THE AGENCY.

TODAY WE'RE HERE TO, UM, BRING FOR THE BOARD APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT FOR, UM, FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES CONTRACT.

AND I'M ALSO VERY EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE AS OF TWO HOURS AGO OUR ON-CALL ENGINEERING AND PLANNING SERVICES SOLICITATION ARE OUT AND OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC TO DOWNLOAD AND START REVIEWING AND RESPONDING TO.

UM, SO WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AND HITTING ALL THE TARGET DEADLINES THAT, UM, WE HAVE PRESENTED FOR THE BOARD AND FOR THE PUBLIC, UM, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

UM, WE ALSO WANTED TO OUTLINE, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMITMENT TO ENGAGING THE INDUSTRY AT ALL STAGES OF THE PROCESS.

AS A REMINDER, LAST SPRING, WE, UM, ISSUED A REQUEST FOR, UM, INFORMATION AND FEEDBACK, UM, ON PROJECT DELIVERY SYSTEMS, UM, HOW TO BEST INVOLVE DDE AND SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES, UH, TO, TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK.

AS WE BEGAN DESIGNING OUR CONTRACTING AND FRAMEWORK PROCESS, THERE WAS ALSO AN INDUSTRY EVENT HELD THAT WAS VERY WIDELY ATTENDED WITH MORE THAN 400 ATTENDEES WHO, UM, PARTICIPATED IN THAT EVENT.

AS WELL AS HAVING A DBE EVENT THAT, UM, ALLOWED DBES TO BE PRIDE CONTRACTORS.