Feb 26, 2024 Cap Metro

WAYPOINT, W-A-Y-P-O-I-N-T-B-L-O G.COM.

BOARD MEMBER FOR ASKING.

THE LINK IS WAYPOINT BLOG.COM.

WAYPOINT BLOG.COM.

EXCELLENT.

AND THE LINK WILL BE IN YOUR INBOXES MOMENTARILY AS WELL.

THAT'S AN EASY, THAT'S AN EASY ONE TO REMEMBER.

REALLY GOOD.

I DUNNO IF I COULD HAVE SP SPELLED IT STANDING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CHAIR.

WELL, WE HAD A HIGH BAR ON SATURDAY AND UM, AND IT WAS A GOOD FIRST OUT, I THINK FIRST TRY.

SO I LOOK FORWARD TO MARCH NINE AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT I EXPECT THAT WE ALL WILL SEE, UH, IN, UM, THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TRAINS AND GETTING OUR FOLKS WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

OUR NEXT ITEM

[IV. Public Comment]

IS PUBLIC COMMENT.

I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.

WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU ARE WITH US, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

AND UNLESS YOU'RE SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR REPRESENTING A GROUP WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM, IN WHICH CASE YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE MS. ZIA JOSEPH, WHO JOINS US TODAY REMOTELY.

MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? MS. EASTON, CAN YOU HELP ME ON THIS ONE? MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU WITH US? AND IF SHE IS NOT AVAILABLE, SHE MAY BE SHORTLY SO WE CAN MOVE TO FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE ROOM.

SO LET ME CALL THE NEXT FOUR NAMES SO YOU KNOW WHAT ORDER YOU'LL BE.

UH, YOU'LL BE UP AT THE PODIUM.

CYNTHIA VALEZ, THEN DEB MILLER, THEN BILL MCCALLEY.

AND OUR LAST SPEAKER, GINO FERNANDEZ.

AND WHEN MS. JOSEPH IS AVAILABLE, WE WERE, WE WILL SLOT HER IN AND I'M HAPPY TO TURN THE GAVEL OVER TO OUR CHAIR.

DO I NEED TO, DO I NEED TO CLAP? NOPE.

NO, SHE CLAP BEFORE YOU, YOU ACTUALLY CLERK.

I DID NOT .

MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU WITH US EVEN KNOW ? YES, MR. EASTON, WE'RE READY FOR YOU.

YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

THEY'VE BEEN UNILATERALLY ELIMINATED.

MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.

I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH.

MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN.

I UNDERSTAND YOU WILL BE UPDATING THE TITLE VI TRIENNIAL REVIEW IN APRIL OF 2024.

I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE MCCALL STATION OPENING.

SPECIFICALLY, I WOULD ASK THE CEO DOTIE WATKINS TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S DISCRIMINATORY NOT TO PROVIDE FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE EVENT.

SO ON MARCH 9TH, I HOPE YOU WILL INCLUDE THE TRANSIT DEPENDENT MINORITIES TOO.

SPECIFICALLY, I CALLED THE GO LINE WHEN THE BUS OPERATOR WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO RIDE FOR FREE.

SO I PUT SOME COINS IN THE FAIR BOX, BUT HE THEN WOULDN'T GIVE ME A PASS.

AND WHAT I WAS TOLD IS THAT THIS WAS AN AUSTIN FC EVENT.

AND WHAT I WANT THE BOARD AND YOUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE TITLE SIX LEGAL MANUAL UPDATED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPECIFIES WHAT IS FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE MAY INCLUDE THE USE OR RENTAL OF FEDERAL LAND OR PROPERTY AT BELOW MARKET VALUE FEDERAL TRAINING ALONE OF FEDERAL PERSONNEL SUBSIDIES AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE INTENTION OF PROVIDING ASSISTANCE.

I WANT YOUR STAFF TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY THAT THE AUSTIN FC SOCCER STADIUM SITS ON CITY OWNED LAND, AND THAT IT'S ONLY BEING LEASED FOR A DOLLAR FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, AND THEN THE SIXTH YEAR, THEY'LL PAY APPROXIMATELY $550,000.

IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY FROM THE RESOLUTION, THE PEOPLE ON THE GOAL LINE ARE NOT THE TITLE SIX EXPERTS, AND THEY NEED TO BE LIKE A COURT REPORTER AND SIMPLY TAKE DOWN THE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ACTION ITEM

[00:10:01]

TWO.

THAT IS THE $30 MILLION FOR YOUR RIDE SHARE.

THAT'S SPECIFICALLY THE VAN POOL.

I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT IS SPECIFIED IN YOUR POLICY STATES THAT PEOPLE ON THE FIXED ROUTE ARE NOT ELIGIBLE BECAUSE THE ROUTES RUN FREQUENTLY.

AND THAT IS IN FACT, A FALSEHOOD.

I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS IT RELATES TO THE SHELTERS, UH, CITY VIEW AT THE PARK HAS 70 ELDER UNITS, AND THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY SIX SHELTERS IN THAT AREA.

I'M GONNA ASK ONCE AGAIN FOR YOU TO PUT THE SHELTERS ON ROUTE 3 92 0 0.9 MILES FROM MCCALL STATION.

THERE'S JUST A SILVER BENCH AND IT'S INEQUITABLE BECAUSE WE SIT THERE IN THE RAIN.

AS IT RELATES TO TECHNOLOGY, YOU HAVE MANY CONTRACTS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.

I JUST WOULD ASK THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED OF OPERATIONS.

WHO, OUT OF THE GRANTEES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVING THESE CONTRACTS TO, ARE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY PUT THE WIFI AT THE 8 0 1 AND 8 0 3 STATIONS.

BUT ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I WILL SAY THAT AT THE MCCALL STATION, WHILE THE MISHAP WAS HAPPENING, I WAS CHARGING MY PHONE USING WIFI AND I WROTE TO MR. EASTON SITTING ON THE PLATFORM, I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS A BENEFIT THAT EVERYONE SHOULD ENJOY.

AND I WENT ALL THE WAY TO LEANDER TO SEE IF THEY HAD WIFI THERE AND THE PORT DIDN'T WORK.

LASTLY, I WILL JUST SAY THAT I'M ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THE COMPETITIVE CREATIONS LLC MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT.

THAT'S ITEM 12, BECAUSE IT IS PROPAGANDA AND WE DON'T NEED PROPAGANDA, WE NEED AN EQUITABLE BUS SYSTEM, AND WE CAN START WITH THE SHELTERS ON ROUTE 3 92 TO MAKE THE SYSTEM FAIR AND EQUITABLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SHELTERS ALL ALONG DUVAL FOR THE $550,000 TO $2 MILLION HOMES.

AND THAT'S NOT AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RESOURCES.

LASTLY, MR. CHAIR, I'LL JUST ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO PUT COMMENTS IN FOR THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL AND THE FEDERAL REGISTER.

THERE ARE SEVEN DAYS REMAINING, AND TERRENCE SCOTT PLASM@DOT.GOV IS THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION POINT OF CONTACT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING ME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.

UH, NUMBER TWO PERSON IN LINE IS CYNTHIA VALEZ.

I SHOULD KNOW THIS , UH, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE TODAY WITH MY DAUGHTER GLORIA.

UH, WE'RE STS USERS AND VERY HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE TO OFFER THAT SERVICE.

UH, I WAS FAMILIAR WITH STS SINCE, UH, ROY'S TAXI HAD THAT CONTRACT PRIOR TO COMING OVER HERE TO CAPITAL METRO.

I WAS GONNA CALL, I, I RATHER I, I SPOKE BRIEFLY WITH, UH, MR. EASTON, UH, AND WAS WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE THAT WE HAD AN INCIDENT ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, MY DAUGHTER AND I AND, UH, MY NEW GRAND BABY.

I HAD JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL FOR, UH, HEART PROBLEMS. I HAVE TO WEAR A DEFIBRILLATOR.

UH, BUT THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.

THE ISSUE IS THAT WE WAITED, UH, WE HAD A PICKUP TIME.

THE PICKUP TIME WAS CHANGED.

APPARENTLY, I WAS TOLD BY THREE DIFFERENT DISPATCHERS AND BY YOUR, UH, RESOLUTION OR YOUR CO GRIEVANCE, UH, PERSON, THAT THE COMPUTER HAD MADE CHANGES.

AND SO WE DID NOT GET PICKED UP UNTIL 2 45 IN THE AFTERNOON, THAT SUNDAY WARM, COOL, WINDY ONLY BLUSTERY DAY.

UH, SO FROM 10 40 UNTIL 2 45 IN THE AFTERNOON, WE WERE SITTING THERE AT THE LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE CELEBRATING ME BEING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND BEING WITH MY FAMILY.

UH, I, I AM NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THE DISPATCHERS, I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR STAFF.

BUT FOR SOMEONE TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS A COMPUTER ERROR OR IT WAS A COMPUTER THAT HAD ACCESS TO THE SYSTEM AND CHANGED THE ROUTES THREE TIMES, UH, AND WE JUST FELL THROUGH THE CRACKS, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

SO I ASKED FOR THE DOCUMENTATION REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION ON MY COMPLAINT.

I HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT OR A CALL FROM ANYONE.

THE ONLY E EMAILS I HAVE RECEIVED WAS, UH, AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S MEETING AND SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

HOWEVER, IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, UH, QUALITY CONTROL, I UNDERSTAND Y'ALL ARE NOW ON A NEW SYSTEM, UH, AND THAT PARTICULAR DAY THERE WERE ISSUES WITH YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM.

THEN WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE QUALITY CONTROL REPORTS ON HOW YOUR SYSTEM WORKS AND HOW, WHAT WAS THE STATUS OF THE REPORTS PRIOR TO THAT GOING ONLINE? I

[00:15:01]

THINK THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN REGULAR MEETINGS WITH YOUR STS USERS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO MEETINGS OR TO LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

SO I ASK THAT YOU ALL CONDUCT REGULAR MEETINGS WITH YOUR STS USERS, THAT THAT BECOME A PART OF YOUR PROCESS, YOUR PROTOCOL, AND HOW YOU DO BUSINESS, UH, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT YOU DO HAVE TO SERVE ALL, ALL OUR POPULATION AND THAT YOU RECEIVE FEDERAL AND STATE MONIES FOR THIS AND LOCAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUR TAX DOLLARS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND PLEASE, I STILL WOULD LIKE A RESPONSE ON WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY COMPLAINT.

THANK YOU FOR COMING, UM, COMING BY AND, AND, UH, MAKING US AWARE.

UH, WE WILL GET YOU TO THE APPROPRIATE STAFF AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL THE INFORMATION.

YES, MA'AM.

MS. VALDEZ.

WE'LL, UM, HAVE SARAH SANFORD, WHO'S OUR VICE PRESIDENT OVER THAT DEPARTMENT, MAKE SURE SHE TOUCHES BASE WITH YOU BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BUILDING TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS DEB MILLER.

MS. MILLER, DO YOU WANT MS. MILLER? WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE THE WIRELESS? NO, I'VE GOT THIS.

WE HOLD THIS TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE OF CYBER ATTACKS AND NATIONAL SECURITY.

I, I GOT A LEG TO STAND ON TODAY.

UM, I'M DEB MILLER.

I'M A PROVISIONAL WRITER OF THE METRO ACCESS SERVICES.

I ENVISION A WORLD WHERE PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE VALUED AS WHOLE, UM, THAT WE WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY METRO ACCESS AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO LEAD, UM, FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT LIVES.

AND IN DOING THAT, UM, I FEEL THAT THIS GUARANTEED RIDE PROGRAM HOME NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED MORE FULLY.

UM, WE USED TO HAVE A YELLOW CAB VOUCHERS THAT WERE USED.

NOW THERE'S A COMPANY CALLED LMT LONE STAR MEDICAL TRANSPORT WHO RESPONDS TO UBER.

THEY ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE DAYTIME RESERVATIONS THAT ARE NON-MEDICAL.

THEY'RE ALLOWING THEIR EMPLOYEES TO MOONLIGHT AND USE THIS VALUABLE SERVICE.

I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO THAT TO MAYBE CONTRACT WITH THAT IN THE FUTURE.

UM, I ALSO, LONG TERM WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT US GOING INTO THREE SHIFTS, 24 HOURS, AND THAT YOU ELIMINATE THIS BREAK DURING THE DAYTIME FOR THE DRIVERS.

I FEEL THAT IT IS, UH, INHUMANE TO EXPECT A DRIVER TO DRIVE ALL DAY AND NOT KNOW WHEN THEY CAN TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK.

WHEN A DRIVER DOESN'T HAVE A 30 MINUTE BREAK FOR LUNCH AND TWO 15 MINUTE BREAKS, LIKE EVERY OTHER EMPLOYEE IN THE STATE, I FEEL LIKE IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE THAT THEY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THEIR OWN HUMAN NEEDS FOR DRINKING INPUT AND OUTPUT.

RIGHT.

UM, ALSO SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST IS COMING.

I ASK THAT YOU TAKE PROACTIVE, THAT YOU SEND US EMAILS ABOUT SERVICE DELAYS THAT YOU SEND PEOPLE THAT ARE METRO ACCESS CLIENTS WARNING SOUTH BYS COMING.

DON'T MAKE YOUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS ON FRIDAY.

AND DON'T COMPLAIN IF YOU HAVE TO SIT THERE FOR TWO HOURS IF YOU DO, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S RIDICULOUS TO TREAT THE BUS DRIVERS, DRIVER'S BAD BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO COMMUNITY EVENTS.

UM, CONCERN IN THE TRAVEL TRENDING DEPARTMENT.

I'VE SEEN PEOPLE WORKING, WALKING WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE.

I USE HAND SIGNALS BECAUSE I USE THE BIKE LANES.

I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, TEACHING PEOPLE TO TURN RIGHT THIS WAY, LEFT, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU WOULD FOR SAFETY TO LET THE CARS KNOW WE'RE GOING OTHER CITIES, THEY HAVE FLAGS THAT ARE REQUIRED ON THE BACK OF YOUR CHAIRS IN THE STREET.

I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT MAKING, UH, T UH, ONES THAT ARE TELESCOPIC THAT YOU PROVIDE, JUST LIKE YOU DO THIS TETHER STRAP SO THAT YOU COULD SEE US IN THE ROAD.

UM, I'VE BEEN HIT ONCE, I DON'T WANNA DO IT AGAIN.

UM, AND THEN I HAVE A REALLY GREAT CONCERN, UH, SEVERAL.

ONE IS THAT, UM, NONE OF THE, THE STRAPS THAT YOU PUT NEXT TO MY FACE ARE EVER CLEANED.

NINE YEARS I'VE BEEN RIDING THE BUS AND YOU NEVER CLEAN THE SEAT BELTS.

I MEAN, WE GOT, I MEAN, WHEN I TURN TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND I GOT A WET COUGH, I MEAN, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE EVERY WEEK HAVE THAT VULNERABILITY.

AND SO I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO LOOK AT THAT.

I CHECK THE, UH, WEBSITE AND, UH, THE ISLAND, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO CLEAN THIS IS NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

SO I'M CONCERNED THAT, THAT IT'S JUST BEEN NOT, NOT RECOGNIZED BEFORE.

UM, ALSO, UH, THAT I'M ALSO PART OF THE CHALLENGER, AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PREBUS PASSES THAT WERE PRINTED IN ARE NOT BEING ACCEPTED.

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS THAT THE HOMELESS ARE GETTING AGGRESSIVE, VIOLENT, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY AREN'T WORKING.

UM, I, I WOULD LIKE A FEW MORE MINUTES TO GO OVER SOME AGENDA ITEMS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.

WELL, SO WE CAN, WE CAN, UM, GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO STAFF.

BUT, UM, LET'S SEE.

WE ARE, WE'VE GOT A, A LONG AGENDA AND WE'VE GOT, OKAY, WELL, MY CONCERNS PARTICULARLY IS ABOUT CONSENT ITEM ONE.

MM-HMM, .

I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS PHYSICALLY, UH, INSIDE THE UNITED STATES WHERE

[00:20:01]

AND, UH, WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET TO APPROPRIATE STAFF.

MAKE YOUR OTHER POINTS.

UH, NEXT IN LINE IS BILL MCCALLEY.

AS CHAIR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, BILL MCCALLEY WITH TRANSIT FORWARD.

UH, I RISE BEFORE YOU TODAY FOR TWO REASONS.

FIRST, I WANNA CONGRATULATE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM ON AN AMAZING OPENING AT MCCALL STATION.

THE EXPERIENCE WAS ENERGETIC, POSITIVE, AND FULL OF HOPE THAT TRANSIT PROJECTS HERE IN AUSTIN CAN BE COMPLETED IN AN ON TIME ON BUDGET CAPACITY.

AND I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM IN THIS ENDEAVOR.

HOWEVER, FOR MANY AUSTINITES, INCLUDING MYSELF, THE GAME DAY EXPERIENCE WAS NOT AS POSITIVE.

I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH CAT METRO ADMINISTRATION SATURDAY EVENING ABOUT THE FULL DETAILS OF MANY OF THIS ISSUES.

SO I WON'T GO INTO THEM HERE.

BUT, AND WE DO SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE HEARTFELT APOLOGY FROM CAT METRO AS A WHOLE AND FROM DOTTIE.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THREE AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT FOR THIS SERVICE.

NUMBER ONE, DURING A DAY LIKE THIS, WHERE A LARGE CROWD IS ANTICIPATED, HOW CAN COMMUNICATION INTERNALLY HAPPEN BETTER SO THAT MITIGATION EFFORTS CAN BE IN PLACE FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY AS SOON AS CROWDING BECOMES AN ISSUE.

I KNOW BUSES WERE EMPLOYED TO HELP WITH THE CROWDS EVENTUALLY, BUT FOR MANY FOLKS, MYSELF INCLUDED, IT WAS TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE.

NUMBER TWO, HOW CAN COMMUNICATION BE IMPROVED WITH RIDERS? UM, AND WE CAN CITE TWO EXAMPLES OF THIS.

FIRST, THE VIDEO MONITORS AT THE STATIONS ONLY SHOW SCHEDULED TIMES RATHER THAN REAL TIME TRAIN DATA.

MANY TRANSIT AGENCIES AROUND THE THE NATION HAVE REAL TIME INFORMATION AT THEIR STATIONS.

AND THIS WOULD HELP RIDERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON DAYS LIKE THIS.

WHILE SCHEDULED INFORMATION WORKS FINE ON MOST DAYS, IT DOESN'T HELP AND ONLY CREATES MORE CONSTERNATIONS ON DAYS LIKE SATURDAY.

FURTHERMORE, WHILE BUS INFORMATION ON REAL TIME, UH, PLACEMENT OF BUSES WAS AVAILABLE ON THE CAT METRO APP, FOR SOME REASON THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE APP.

SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR FOLKS TO TELL WHERE THE TRAINS WERE.

NUMBER THREE, THERE WERE ISSUES LAST YEAR WITH THE FIRST DAY OF THE FFC SEASON WHILE THEY WERE FIXED FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER AND FALL.

I KNOW I WAS ON THE TRAIN FOR ALMOST ALL THOSE GAMES.

HOW CAN LESSONS LEARNED FROM BOTH THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR BE PUT INTO PLACE? SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

AS A REGULAR TRAINED USER, I AM EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE ALMOST CONSTANT NATURE OF THE RED LINE IN MY YEARS RIDING IT.

NOW, I HAVE ONLY EXPERIENCED THREE DELAYS.

HOWEVER, AS MORE WELL ATTENDED EVENTS OCCUR HERE IN AUSTIN FC GAMES, THE COBA MEDICA THIS SUMMER SOUTH BY WHICH STARTS IN A COUPLE WEEKS, IS IMPORTANT THAT RIDER FEEL COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTOOD ON THESE HEAVY RIDERSHIP DAYS AS WELL.

FOR EVERY PERSON THAT ENDED UP DRIVING, TAKING AN UBER OR MIKE MYSELF SIMPLY ENDED UP GOING HOME.

THIS IS A LOST OPPORTUNITY TO GET NEW PEOPLE FAMILIAR AND COMFORTABLE WITH TAKING TRANSIT.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT AS A COMMUTER RAIL LINE, THIS MODE OF TRANSIT NEEDS ADJUSTING FOR LARGE EVENTS.

AND WE KNOW THAT AUSTIN, A CITY EXPERIENCING EXPONENTIAL GROWTH WILL GO THROUGH SOME PAINS, BUT WE EXPECT ME CAP METRO TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND DO BETTER MOVING FORWARD.

WE ALSO EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, THE SERVICE WILL IMPROVE AND TRANSIT FORWARD STANDS READY AND WILLING TO ASSIST IN THESE EFFORTS AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD VALUE TO THE PROCESS.

WE WILL BE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT CAP METRO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE SERVICE.

AND LASTLY, UH, FOR ANYONE THAT WILL MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT THESE EVENTS ARE REASON TO STOP PROJECT CONNECT OR OTHER TRANSIT SYSTEMS THAT LITERALLY MAKES NO SENSE, AUSTINITES VOTED WITH THEIR FEET YESTERDAY ON SATURDAY.

AND WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM THIS STORY IS THAT WE NEED MUCH MORE TRANSIT AND REGULARITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

VERY, VERY APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT IN LINE, GALINO FERNANDEZ.

I THINK WE HAVE A PICTURE.

THERE YOU GO.

AND WE TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF VOTER TURNOUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITIES THAT VOTING IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PRACTICE THAT WE NEED TO EXERCISE WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS GINO FERNANDEZ AND I'M COORDINATOR WITH LIO C UH, COALITION OF MEXICAN AMERICAN LANDOWNER HERE IN EAST AUSTINSON.

AND ONCE AGAIN, UH, S TO RIO.

UH, BUENAVISTA.

UH, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE NONPARTISAN VOTER REGISTRATION ACTIVITIES THAT WE WILL BE, THAT WE ARE STARTING ON AND WILL BE, UH, LEADING UP INTO THE MARCH.

I MEAN, UNTIL THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS.

UH, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO LOOK AT THE OPPORTUNITIES OF DOING, UH, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASSING AND GETTING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE HARD TO REACH, IF YOU WILL, TO GET REGISTERED AND TO VOTE.

AND FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY WE'RE IN EARLY VOTE OF THE MARCH PRIMARIES WITH, UH, TUESDAY, MARCH THE FIFTH BEING THE ELECTION DAY.

SO ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE ENGAGE IN ARE NONPARTISAN,

[00:25:01]

AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT, AND IT'S BEEN IN A, A TRAVIS COUNTY ELECTION JUDGE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

WE HAVE SEEN, I HAVE SEEN MANY VOTERS COME UP THAT ARE LACKING CREDENTIALS OR LACKING, UH, INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF THAT.

AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR MISSIONS.

SO YOU'LL BE SEEING US AT, UH, CINCO DEDI STATES AT THE, AND ALL THOSE FESTIVITIES, UH, EXERCISING OUR, UH, OPPORTUNITIES TO VOTE.

AND WE WILL ALSO HOPEFULLY WELCOME THE, UH, ANOTHER SPONSORSHIP BY CAP METRO WITH OUR AD THAT GOES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, FOR TWO TO THREE MONTHS, AMPLIFYING AND EDUCATING OUR VOTERS OF THE DATES THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

AND WE'RE ALSO, UH, THE AUSTIN, UH, COORDINATORS FOR NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, WHICH IS GONNA BE ON SEPTEMBER 17TH THIS YEAR.

AND LIKE I MENTIONED, THAT'S A NATIONAL EVENT WHERE ALL NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ON THAT ONE DAY, UH, ENGAGED IN VOTER REGISTRATION.

AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION AT CONCILIO, UH, WE HAVE OVER, UH, 25 REGISTERED BDRS, UH, REGISTERED, UH, PREPARED TO GO OUT AND AND DO VOTER REGISTRATION.

AND WE HAVE MANY ALLIANCES IN THIS NON-PARTISAN EFFORT.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS COMMUNITY DIVISION OF ENGAGEMENT AND DIVERSITY, UH, LULAC DISTRICT 12, UM, EL CONCILIO, UH, SOUTHWEST KEYS, THE EAST AUSTIN LIONS CLUB.

SO WE ALL BRING ALL OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND WE'RE ALL VOLUNTEERS.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU CAP METRO FOR YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP, UH, WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DIVISION.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THE LECTURES WERE, I MEAN, VERY INFORMATIVE.

THANKS FOR COMING DOWN.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

UH, THE NEXT PERSON SIGNED UP IS LUIS ACOSTA.

RIGHT.

UM, THANK YOU.

UM, YES.

SO I'M HERE WITH, UH, THE COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM.

I'M HERE WITH GINO FERNANDEZ, WHO'S ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS.

UH, I'M LUIS ACOSTA.

I'M THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF THE CAP PROGRAM.

I AM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK YOU, UH, CAPITAL METRO FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM YOU GUYS, UH, TO SPONSOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAM LAST YEAR.

AND ALSO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON OUR PROGRAM, UM, AND HOW, HOW IT STARTED.

SO WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM BACK IN 2019 WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING STUDENTS GET TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE, UH, BUT ONLY, UH, IN COLLEGE OR GET TO COLLEGE, BUT BEYOND COLLEGE, RIGHT.

AND GIVE THEM THE EXPERIENCE AND THE MINDSET THAT THEY, UH, THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY BELONGED IN COLLEGE.

AND ALSO, UH, SO THAT THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL ONCE THEY WERE THERE.

UH, AND IT STARTED THIS PROGRAM WAS WITH THE IDEA OF DOING, UH, WELL, WE HAD TO ADAPT IT TO THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM GIVEN THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO WE DID A TWO WEEK PROGRAM THAT WAS FOCUSED ON FIVE CORE AREAS IN, IN OUR CURRICULUM, WHICH WAS A COLLEGE ENTRANCE ESSAY FOR THEM TO HAVE READY TO APPLY FOR ONCE THEY STARTED THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, COLLEGE LIFE.

SO THEY GET AN IDEA OF WHAT COLLEGE WOULD BE LIKE ONCE THEY STARTED THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE, UH, PROFESSIONALISM.

SO THEY GET, GOT AN EXPERIENCE OF WHAT TO EXPECT, UH, IN TERMS OF GETTING EXPERIENCE ONCE THEY WERE IN COLLEGE, UH, AND IDENTITY.

AS WELL AS, UH, THEY KNEW HOW THEIR IDENTITY AND RACE SHAPED THEIR PERSPECTIVE, UH, ONCE THEY WERE THERE IN LEARNING.

AND THEN ALSO FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE THAT HELPED THEM LEARN HOW TO GET SCHOLARSHIPS, HOW TO APPLY FOR THE, APPLY FOR THE FAFSA, AND ALSO, UH, HOW TO MANAGE THEIR BUDGET ONCE THEY WERE THERE.

UH, IN TERMS OF OUR SUCCESS RATE, YOU KNOW, 94% OF OUR ALUMNI ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN COLLEGE SINCE WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM.

AND 97% OF THEM USE THEIR COLLEGE ENTRANCE ESSAY THAT THEY WROTE DURING OUR SUMMER PROGRAM TO APPLY TO COLLEGE.

SINCE 2021, WE'VE HAD OVER 2500, 20 5,000, 22,500 APPLICATIONS FROM STUDENTS TO BE PART OF OUR PROGRAM FROM ACROSS BOTH THE AUSTIN AREA AND ALSO DIFFERENT PARTS AND CITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

UH, THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROGRAM, UH, 95% OF THEM ARE FROM THE EAST AUSTIN AREA.

AND SO I WANTED TO SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF A VIDEO OF WHAT THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS THOUGHT OF THE PROGRAM, UH, LAST YEAR THAT WE HOSTED AT ST.

EDWARDS.

UH, AND THAT YOU GUYS ALSO SUPPORTED, WE CAN, WE CAN PLAY THE VIDEO.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS IMMERSION, UH, SUMMER PROGRAM, UH, ALREADY FROM THE GET GO, JUST EMAILS, UM, HOW THE ORIENTATION AND EVERYTHING WAS DIRECTED TO THEM.

IT REALLY CREATED THAT SENSE OF THINGS ARE SEPARATING, YOU KNOW, HE'S BECOMING INDEPENDENT.

YEAH, IT, IT SURPASSED ALL OF MY, ANYTHING I IMAGINED IT WOULD BE LIKE, I REALLY ENJOYED IT.

IT IS VERY, VERY INFORMATIVE, VERY MEMORABLE.

UM, REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.

AND I'M REALLY GLAD

[00:30:01]

I MEAN, YOU TAKE THEM IN AND YOU LEARN HOW TO TAKE NOTES AND HOW YOU WOULD TAKE NOTES.

UM, LIKE LIFE IN COLLEGE.

I MEAN, GETTING TO STAY IN A DORM FOR THE WEEKEND, YOU UNDERSTAND AND YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO DO IT.

UH, I KNOW IT'S THE UNCERTAINTY UNKNOWN.

UM, YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? THIS WAY WE KNOW THEY'RE PREPARED AND WE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A, A, A COMMUNITY THAT'S GONNA WATCH OUT FOR THEM.

UH, SOMEBODY THEY COULD GO TO FOR QUESTIONS, MAYBE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T ANSWER, WE'RE GONNA CONNECT THEM.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE MAIN PART.

IF WE'RE NERVOUS OR SCARED, BUT CONNECTING THEM TO A NETWORK OF PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP THEM.

UM, AND I BELIEVE WE ALSO HAVE A FEW PICTURES THAT, THAT WE CAN SHOW WHILE I, UM, FINISH, UM, MY PRESENTATION.

UM, SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY THAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, SAW THE VALUE IN THIS PROGRAM.

AND WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE SUPPORT.

UH, WE HAVE OUR COMMITMENT DATE COMING UP, WHICH, UH, CAPITAL METRO WILL ALSO BE SUPPORTING, UH, WHERE WE ARE GONNA BE CELEBRATING THESE STUDENTS THAT ARE HERE IN THE PICTURE THAT PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAM LAST SUMMER, UH, CELEBRATING THEIR SUCCESS FIRST FOR GRADUATING FROM CO FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THEIR LIFE, WHICH IS COLLEGE.

UM, SO NEXT YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT, OR THIS SUMMER, ACTUALLY THIS SUMMER, THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE'RE LOOKING AT HAVING THE SUMMER EVENT AT TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY AND SERVE ANOTHER 50 STUDENTS, UH, FROM THE AUSTIN AREA SO THAT THEY HAVE THAT COLLEGE EXPERIENCE DURING THE SUMMER PRIOR TO THEIR SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

UH, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE ASKING FOR THAT SUPPORT OF CAPITAL METRO AND YOUR PARTNERSHIP AS WE CONTINUE GROWING, UH, THIS INITIATIVE.

AND ALSO HELPING STUDENTS, UH, IN THE AUSTIN AREA GET TO COLLEGE AND BEYOND.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.

ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND SPEAKING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUNG PEOPLE SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE, GETTING THEM TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING, SO THANK YOU.

UH, LET'S SEE.

NEXT IS, UH, DARRYL LLS.

BEAR WITH ME.

UH, THEY'RE GETTING AGGRESSIVE.

AM I ABLE TO SPEAK? CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY? COOL.

COOL.

GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE PRESENT IN THE BOARDROOM.

UM, CAP METRO BOARD, CEO MS. WATKINS, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TWO ISSUES HERE.

FIRST OFF, I BEGIN, I'M DARL LLS.

I'M A 22 YEAR VETERAN OPERATOR HERE, AND I'M ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR A TU LOCAL 10 91.

UM, ONE OF MY FIRST ISSUES THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS IT'S SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE, WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WITH, UH, BUS OPERATORS, UM, GETTING ASSAULTED, SUPERVISORS, GETTING ASSAULTED, UM, THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AROUND AT THE TRANSIT CENTER.

UM, I DO MY VERY BEST, I'M AN OPERATOR OUT HERE WHEN I'M NOT ENGAGED IN, UM, IN SERVING, IN CONCERTED, UH, PROTECTIVE ACTIVITY, UM, I SEE THINGS, I TRY TO SEND THINGS TO DOTIE, ANDY MILES, RALPH, ALSO BOARD MEMBER TRA TAVION TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WHEN I SEE THINGS OUT ON THE ROUTE.

UH, LAST SATURDAY, I I DRIVE A ROUTE THREE 10 AT, UH, SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER.

THERE, THERE WAS NO SUPERVISORS OUT THERE.

AND I'M NOT BLAMING ANYTHING ON THE SUPERVISORS.

THAT'S NOT THEIR FAULT WHY THEY WASN'T THERE.

I'M NOT BLAMING ON THE, THE, THE SAFETY AMBASSADORS.

I'M NOT BLAMING THE BUS INSPECTORS THAT YOU USE, UH, OR YOUR SECURITY, BUT WE NEED SUPPORT OUT HERE.

UH, WE HAVE, WE, WE KNOW THE HOMELESS CRISIS IS REAL IN AUSTIN, SO WE'RE NOT PRETENDING, NOT DENYING OF THAT, BUT WE NEEDING PROTECTION.

WE ARE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE RIDING, THEY'RE COMING FROM OTHER CITIES.

THEY'RE BOLD.

THEY'RE ABOUT 10 MILES AHEAD OF YOU GUYS ON YOUR TECHNOLOGY, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.

SO, UH, THEY'RE WELL ADVANCED.

UM, IT'S NOT FAIR TO SEE, UH, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TRY TO RIDE OUR BUS.

AND THEY, THEY AFRAID BECAUSE YOU GOT INDIVIDUALS AT THESE TRANSIT CENTERS.

THEY'RE DOING INAPPROPRIATE THINGS.

THEY'RE USING DRUGS.

I HAVE SEEN THEM SHOOTING UP, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WE JUST NEED SUPPORT OUT HERE.

UM, BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SEE A BUS OPERATOR LOSE THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY'LL GET OUTTA THEIR SEAT AND THEY WILL

[00:35:01]

FIGHT THE CUSTOMER BACK TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

AND ACCORDING TO THE RULES, THEY'LL BE TERMINATED.

BUT, UH, I JUST WANT SOME, SOMETHING PREVENTATIVE.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE.

WE UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE YOUR SECURITY TEAM THAT'S GONNA BE, UH, UM, SECURING THE BUS, THE BUS STOPS AROUND THE, UH, TRANSIT CENTERS AROUND AUSTIN.

BUT WE NEED SOMETHING IN PLACE NOW.

YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY FRIGHTENING WHEN I HEAR THAT THERE WAS NO SUPPORT IN THE AREA, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAD NO SUPPORT, NO COVERAGE FOR SUPERVISORS WHEN WE HAVE THESE THINGS GOING ON.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, A BUS OPERATOR WAS THREATENED AT, AT NORWOOD WALMART, ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO.

I SENT INFORMATION TO EVERYBODY, THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES, UM, SUPERVISOR, JUST GOT BIT BY A FEMALE CUSTOMER, UH, AND ONE OF YOUR BUS INSPECTORS THE OTHER NIGHT, THURSDAY NIGHT, I MET HIM AT WESTGATE TRANSIT CENTER, WAS ALSO THREATENED OR HARASSED OR SPIT ON BY ANOTHER FEMALE INDIVIDUAL, WHICH WAS WITH, SHE WAS ARRESTED.

BUT WE NEED SOME HELP AND SUPPORT.

IS THAT, ARE YOU CLOSE? THAT'S A WRAP.

THAT, THAT I, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA CLOSE ON THAT IF Y'ALL DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

SO WE CAN KEEP MOVING.

I'LL GO WITH MY SECOND, MY SECOND, UH, AGENDA THAT I HAVE, UH, HERE.

UM, I PASSED AROUND ALL TO, TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.

A GRIEVANCE THAT WE HAD.

IT WAS BASED ON ALL EMPLOYEES GRIEVANCE.

WE FILED, UH, ON YOUR CONTRACTOR, UM, KEY OLIS, UM, FOR PAYROLL ISSUES.

WE'VE BEEN HAVING PAYROLL SINCE JANUARY 12TH.

JANUARY 26TH.

FEBRUARY 12TH, AND NOW FEBRUARY 23RD.

UH, DON'T GET ME WRONG, DON'T GET THINGS, ANYTHING TWISTED.

WE A TU KAPPA METRO AND KOLAS COLLABORATIVELY.

WE MET A FEW TIMES TO TRY TO GET THINGS RECTIFIED, BUT THINGS ARE NOT GOING FAST ENOUGH.

YOU, YOU KNOW, BASED ON OUR CONTRACT, IF IT'S AN EXCESS OF $50, THE EMPLOYEES ARE SUPPOSED TO GET PAID THE NEXT DAY.

THE DOUBLE PAY, YOU JUST, IF IT'S AN EXCESS OF $50, YOU GET PAID THE NEXT PAY PERIOD.

HERE WE ARE COMING INTO THE NEXT FOUR PERIOD, FOURTH PAY PERIOD.

SO WE NEED, WE NEED SOME TYPE OF ACTION, YOU KNOW, UH, PEOPLE, SO MR. MR. SRES, UH, YES, GO AHEAD.

I APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME, THAT, THAT YOU CAME DOWN.

YOU BROUGHT SOME SERIOUS ISSUES.

AND WE, AND, AND THEY'LL, THEY'RE GONNA GET THE ATTENTION THAT THEY DESERVE.

WE'LL SIT DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT TO THE PROPER STAFF AND WE, AND WE GET IT ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

SO I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I APPRECIATE YOU COMING DOWN HERE.

WE, WE LOOK AT, AT OUR OPERATORS AS OUR EYES AND EARS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT YOUR INFORMATION.

IF YOU STICK AROUND A LITTLE WHILE, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET IT COMPLETELY FROM YOU SO YOU CAN, WE CAN GET IT ADDRESSED.

I JUST FEEL LIKE, UH, YOU'RE CUTTING ME OFF.

I, I DID HAVE A LITTLE THING WELL TO SAY HERE.

I, I AM THE, I AM BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE WE HAVE GONE OVER AND WE, AND WE HAVE OTHER FOLKS THAT HAVE TO TALK.

OKAY, WELL, I'VE SEEN THIS MEETING GO, GO ON A LITTLE FURTHER AND YOU KNOW, WE LET OTHER PEOPLE SPEAK LONGER AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR, YOU KNOW, BUT I'LL, I'LL BE, BE KIND TODAY.

I APPRECIATE, BE KIND EVERY RESPECT OF THE BOARD MEETING, I'LL BE KIND AND RESPECTFUL.

WELL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE GOTTA BE CONSISTENT WITH, WITH EVERYBODY.

E EQUITABLE FOR EVERYBODY.

WE, WE'LL SURE.

THAT WE WILL ADDRESS THE ISSUES FULLY AND THAT, AND THEY WILL LISTEN TO EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

UM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESS EVERYBODY, WE KIND TRY TO DO THE SAME THING.

I, I, I UNDERSTAND.

BUT I, LIKE I SAID, I SIT IN THIS MEETINGS BEFORE AND I'VE SEEN PEOPLE GO OVER AND BEYOND WHEN Y'ALL SAID IT.

ON THREE MINUTES WAITING.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.

IS IT, UH, IL ADAMS? NEXT PERSON UP? YES MA'AM.

MY NAME IS TENAL ADAMS. I'M A BUS OPERATOR.

I RELOCATED FROM KANSAS CITY.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH CAP METRO, HAVING BEEN AS PLEASANT OVER THE, UH, PAST LAST WEEK, I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE A BUS THAT HAD BEEN URINATED ON IN THE FRONT SEAT.

THAT FOLLOWING THURSDAY, I WAS FORCED TO WASH THE SAME MAN WHO URINATED ON THE BUS, URINATED AT THE BUS STOP WITH A SUPERVISOR STANDING THERE AND WOULDN'T SAY NOTHING.

ALSO FORCED TO DRIVE A BUS WITH LOW COOL.

AT THAT FRIDAY I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE A BUS WITH THE BACK DOOR WAS OPENING.

I DO SEVEN BLOCK EIGHT AND ON SEVEN BLOCK EIGHT IS PACKED ALL DAY.

I BARELY HAVE TIME TO RELIEVE MYSELF.

I HAD TO JUMP ON 35 WITH THAT BUS, WITH THE DOOR OPENING AND IT OPENED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES.

'CAUSE I SHUT MY LIGHTS OFF.

THIS IS WHAT RADIO DISPATCH IS DOING.

THIS GENTLEMAN, WHEN I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT MY PAYCHECK THAT WAS WRONG FROM THE SIXTH ALL THE WAY UP TO LAST WEEK, AND I STILL DON'T HAVE MY DOUBLE PAY.

HE SAID, I'M GONNA PAY YOU WHEN I PAY YOU.

WHEN I WORKED, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT WE GOING THROUGH.

I'VE SENT MESSAGES WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH WITH MV.

FOR ME, I WOULDN'T HAVE CAME IF I REALLY KNEW IT WAS THIRD PARTY BECAUSE I'M USED TO OF RETIREMENT.

[00:40:01]

I BELIEVE EVERY EMPLOYEE, WHETHER YOU THIRD PARTY A CAP, YOU DESERVE RETIREMENT.

ESPECIALLY THE DRIVERS BECAUSE WE COME OUT THERE AND FACE OUR LIFE EVERY DAY.

YESTERDAY I HAD AN EMPLOYEE, UH, A PASTOR TELL ME HE WANNA SEE MY PRIVATE PART AS HE EXIT THE BUS.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I HAD A PASTOR THREATEN TO TAKE MY LIFE ON THE BUS.

AND WHEN I HIT RADIO, THEY DON'T ANSWER LIKE THAT.

AND SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY, BUT I'VE CRIED OUT TO CAP METRO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

KEOLIS IS WORSE THAN MV AND THEY DON'T CARE NOTHING ABOUT US.

AND THEY'RE FORCING US TO DRIVE BUSES THAT DON'T NEED TO BE ON THE STREET.

BUT WE HAVE TO PRE-TRIP 'EM THREE AND FOUR TIMES A DAY AND THEY STILL MAKE US TAKE 'EM OUT.

AND THEY KNOW THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OUT ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE BLOCKS MISSING.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO A DRIVER EVERY DAY I GET OFF 30 MINUTES LATE FROM MY JOB AND I DON'T STOP BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THE PASSENGERS.

SO IF I'M LATE, WHEN I GET TO MY LAYOVER, I DON'T RELIEVE MYSELF TILL I HAVE TIME.

AND I EXPECT TO BE TREATED AS A HUMAN.

WE ALL DESERVE RETIREMENT BECAUSE WE ARE ARE ON THE FRONT LINE AND ALL WE GET IS 401K.

THANK Y'ALL.

THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL TIME.

THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND PRESENTING TO US.

MS. ADAMS, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO TALK TO MILES TURPEN BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE BUILDING TODAY SO HE CAN, WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALL OF THE DETAILS OF YOUR ISSUES, CORRECT? YES MA'AM.

NOT ACCEPTABLE, ABSOLUTELY NOT ACCEPTABLE.

UH, IS IT, UH, MIKE IKE? CLOSE ENOUGH, SIR.

UM, THANK YOU.

UM, BOARD CHAIR ILIAN, UH, CEO, DOTIE WATKINS, AND THE REST OF THE MEMBERS.

UM, I'M MICHAEL AKE.

I AM THE VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR YOUR PARTNER IN OPERATING YOUR FIXED BUS SER FIXED BUS SERVICE.

UM, UH, .

UM, AND I WANNA SHARE SOME STATS WITH YOU.

UH, LAST TIME YOU MET, UM, CEO WATKINS TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR PAYROLL IMPROVEMENT PROCESS.

AND I WANNA SHARE THE LATEST UPDATE IF YOU DON'T MIND, BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, UH, WE COULD PAY 1,399 EMPLOYEES CORRECTLY AND NOT PAY ONE CORRECTLY.

AND WE FAILED THAT ONE, ONE EMPLOYEE, RIGHT? UM, THE PAYROLL PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR US.

WE MADE, AS, AS CO WATKINS MENTIONED, WE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES AT THE REQUEST OF CAP METRO AND THE UNION, UH, TO TRY TO, TO EASE THE PAIN OF THE TRANSITION AS WE GO TO A NEW PAYROLL PROCESS.

SO, UM, A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK ONES.

WE CHANGED OUR PAYROLL DATE.

UH, WE CHANGED OUR BENEFITS SIGN UP AND WE USED, UH, TRAPEZE FOR TIME AND ATTENDANCE.

AND I KNOW IF YOU'RE NOT IN THE BENEFITS OR PAYROLL BUSINESS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN A WHOLE LOT TO YOU.

BUT THOSE ARE HUGE CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT.

UH, AND WE ONLY DO 'EM HERE AT CAP METRO AND THERE'S A REASON WE DO 'EM HERE, UH, TO TRY TO MAKE THIS A LITTLE EASIER ON EVERYBODY ELSE.

SO THE FIRST THREE PAY PERIODS, FRIDAY WAS OUR FOURTH PAY PERIOD.

THE FIRST THREE PAY PERIODS.

WE HAD SOME ISSUES.

UM, AND IT, IT'S, UM, MAKING TRAPEZE INFO FEED OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM SO WE CAN PAY OUR EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? THERE'S ABOUT 75 DIFFERENT PAY CODES THAT OUR EMPLOYEES GET PAID UNDER.

AND ONE MISTAKE ON ONE OF THOSE PAY CODES TIMES 10 DAYS IN A PAY PERIOD IS 10 DIFFERENT MISTAKES THAT HAVE TO BE CORRECTED.

SO, SOME REAL QUICK STATS FOR YOU.

THROUGH THE FIRST THREE PAY PERIODS, WE HAD 690 EMPLOYEES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY PAY DISCREPANCIES.

UM, ONE EMPLOYEE IN THREE PAY PERIODS IS THREE OF THAT 690.

UM, LAST PAY PERIOD ON FRIDAY, WE HAD 35 EMPLOYEES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY, UH, PAY DISCREPANCIES IS WHAT WE CALL 'EM.

THEY WERE MISSING SOME KIND OF PAY AND THEY HAD TO COME TO US TO CORRECT IT.

UM, ON TWO 16 WE MET WITH THE UNION TO TALK ABOUT THE DOUBLE PAY PENALTIES.

AND AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANNA DRAG ANYBODY INTO THE REEDS, BUT THE, THE CBA ALLOWS FOR THAT JUST, JUST AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION SAID, UH, IF WE MISS A TIME LIMIT, WE OWE 'EM DOUBLE PAY.

SO WE CONCENTRATED FIRST ON FIXING THE STRAIGHT PAY, THE REGULAR PAY, SO EVERYBODY GETS PAID REGULARLY ON TIME.

NOW WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT'S CALLED THE PENALTY PAY OR THE DOUBLE PAY.

MET WITH THE UNION ON TWO 16, WE IDENTIFIED 225 EMPLOYEES THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE AFFECTED OVER THE FIRST THREE PAY PERIODS.

UH, THE UNION IDENTIFIED ANOTHER HUNDRED AND WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THOSE THIS WEEK AND WE INTEND TO PAY OUR PAYROLL PENALTIES OR DOUBLE TIME AS THE EMPLOYEES LIKE TO CALL IT THIS FRIDAY.

AND I'LL STOP THERE.

I KNOW MY TIME'S ABOUT OUT IN CASE ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.

BOARD MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AS WELL.

[00:45:01]

INTO OUR ADV, UH, OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.

UM, I THINK NEXT IS, UM, SHERRY.

SOPHIE TAYLOR.

WANT TO MAKE SURE I GOT ALL OF THEM IN THERE? GAVE MY MUSCLES TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY WANT STAND.

I'M SORRY.

I'M STILL MOURNING THE 49 ERS SEVEN SECONDS.

I BET EVERY ONE OF THEIR MOTHERS CALLED THEM SEVEN SECONDS.

ME.

WELL, YOU, YOU'RE FEELING BETTER THAN COWBOYS FANS OF SOME.

WELL, WE COWBOYS.

I ALWAYS BE ON AMERICA'S TEAM ANYWAY.

UH, MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR AND, AND YOU WON'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M ANGRY.

THIS IS THE HOLD.

NO, SERIOUSLY.

UH, MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR.

UM, I CAME TO SPEAK TODAY ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT MOBILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE, UH, TRAVELING IN WHEELCHAIRS.

I EVEN WROTE A SONG ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, Y'ALL LIKE TO HEAR ME SING.

UH, THIS IS TO THE TUNE OF IMAGINE.

AND, UH, WHAT CONCERNED ME WAS THAT THE TWO YEAR BUS PASSES THAT THEY GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE RIDING THE FIXED ROUTES.

BUT THERE WAS NO, UM, EFFORT KNOWN TO ME.

THERE WERE TWO YEARS WORTH OF BUS TICKETS GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO RIDE THE METRO VAN CURB TO CURB.

AND THAT SEEMED TO BE SOMEHOW DISCRIMINATORY FOR THEIR DISABILITY.

THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR TICKETS AND SOME DON'T GO OUT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BUDGET THAT LOSS.

SO ANYWAY, HERE'S MY, HERE'S MY STORY AND I'M GONNA STICK IT TO IT.

IMAGINE Y'ALL KNOW THE BEATLES.

IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE NOW TRAVELING IN WHEELCHAIR COULD STAND ELECTRIC, ELECTRONIC LIMOUSINE STYLES OR CHEAP ONES.

BRANDS MAKE US NO MORE GREATER MEN, WOMAN, OR TRANS.

IMAGINE ALL THE STEEPS RENDERING, EQUALITY, THE GIFTS OF LIFE OF EASE.

YOU WHO PEOPLE SAY THAT WE ARE SCREAMERS BECAUSE AS PRAISERS, WE'RE HOT, NOT COLD, NOT WARM.

WE'LL JUST COPE UNTIL THE DAY THAT WE'RE JOINED UP AND TOGETHER, WE'LL BREATHE AS ONE.

IMAGINE ALL THE PROFESSIONS IN EVERY WAY THAT YOU CAN FOR CREATURES WHO HAVE EARS, EYES, LEGS, AND ARMS EXPECTED THEM TO COME IN PAIRS.

BUT THE ENTERTAINMENT IS NOT IN THIS CLAN.

IMAGINE ALL THE STEEP BALLS RENDERING EQUALITY, THE GIFTS OF LIFE OF EASE.

YOU HOO PEOPLE SAY THAT WE'RE SCREAMERS, BUT AS PRAISERS, WE'RE HOT, NOT COLD, NOT WARM.

WE JUST WANT TO STOP HAVING TO COPE EVERY DAY.

AND WE WANNA BE JOINED TOGETHER AND BREATHE AS ONE.

AS THE LAST VERSE.

LET'S ALL SIT CALMLY AND TALK ABOUT IT.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT WITH WHATEVER IS OUR FAVORITE STYLE OF CUISINE.

AS FOR ME, I'M KICKED BACK.

SOPPING UP SUCCESSES IN AWESOME TEXAS BECAUSE THAT'S THE, WHERE THE STREETS AND THE MUSIC IS A GREAT SCENE.

BUT WE, THE, WE WANNA JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL IN WHEELCHAIRS HAVE THE SAME TWO YEAR PASS ACCESS THAT PEOPLE WHO RIDE FIXED BUS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.

THANK YOU FOR COMING AND PRESENTING TODAY.

UH, LET'S SEE, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO SIGN UP? WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? IS ANYONE ELSE IN THE CROWD THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? OKAY.

UH, HEARING NONE.

UH, THEN WE WILL GO

[V. Advisory Committees Updates]

UH, MS. PARRA, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? I GUESS, SHALL WE START WITH CUSTOMER SATISFACTION? UH, YES.

UM, AND ALSO CHAIR HUNIN IS HERE, SO I'LL CUE HIM IN.

BUT, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR IAN, VICE CHAIR POOL, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS EDNA PARRA AND I AM THE COMMUNITY ENGA ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AND ALSO THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

I'M HERE FOR FEBRUARY'S COMMITTEE UPDATES.

AND, UH, CHAIR HUNT IS ALSO JOINING US.

SO I'LL GO THROUGH THE OVERVIEW AND THEN I'LL PASS IT TO CHAIR HUNT, UM, FOR FEBRUARY, UM, AXIS AND CSAC MEANT ON THE SEVENTH AND 14TH RESPECTIVELY.

UM, AND ACCESS SPECIFIC UPDATES INCLUDED, UH, SPARE PROGRESS OVERVIEW BY SARAH SANFORD.

UM, SOUTH BASED DEMAND RESPONSE FACILITY BY PENELOPE LING.

UM, ACCESSIBLE WAYFINDING TECHNOLOGY BY MARTIN HY.

UM, CSAC SPECIFIC WAS UPDATED ON THE TRANSIT PASS FOR OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY BY KELSEY LAME, UM, SUMMER SERVICE CHANGE BY ROBERTO GONZALEZ.

UM, AND BOTH COMMITTEES WERE UPDATED, UM,

[00:50:01]

ON A TP LIGHT RAIL, UH, BY JANNIS BANKS, UM, AND OTHER A TP STAFF MEMBERS.

UM, AND BEFORE I PASS IT ON TO CHAIR HUNT, UM, AND I'LL GET WITH MS. TAYLOR, UH, JUST THE METRO ACCESS IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE TWO YEAR HMIS PASS.

UM, BUT IT IS A GOOD POINT THAT WE DO MAYBE NEED TO COMMUNICATE AND STREAMLINE THAT A LITTLE.

BUT THAT WAS JUST A POINT.

UM, AND I'LL CONNECT, OH, SHE'S GONE, BUT WITH MS. TAYLOR AFTERWARDS.

UM, OH, I DIDN'T SEE HER.

I'LL CONNECT WITH YOU MS. TAYLOR ON MISS ME.

LIKE I DIDN'T SEE HER .

IT, IT, IT'S THAT YOU'RE MOVING SO WELL, YOU'RE MOVING SO WELL THAT LOOKING FOR YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY.

UM, OKAY.

I'LL PASS IT TO CHAIR HUNT FOR ANY ACCESS COMMITTEE UPDATES.

SURE.

UM, MY NAME IS PAUL HUNT.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE ACCESS COMMITTEE.

AND AS, UM, MS. PRIOR SAID, WE, UM, WE HAD OUR UPDATES.

UM, THE SPEAR, UM, PROCESS IS GOING VERY WELL.

UH, I USE IT ALL THE TIME.

UM, MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH SPARE IS I'M THE ONE THAT MAKES MISTAKES ON MY OWN TRIPS AND BOOKS THEM THE WRONG WAY SOMETIMES, BUT THAT'S ON ME.

BUT, UH, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE APP.

IT'S THE, IT'S THE OPERATOR THAT'S, AND JARED'S HAVING A PROBLEM SOMETIMES, BUT IN ANY CASE, THAT'S WORKING WELL, UM, APPRECIATED THE, UH, A TP, UH, LIGHT RAIL UPDATE.

AND, UM, THE WAY FINDING IS EXCITING.

UM, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, SOME DIFFERENT WAY FINDING, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN USE WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF THE FIXED ROUTE.

UM, TAKING BUSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, SOMETIMES HARD TO FIND THOSE BUS STOPS.

SO IT'S GONNA BE, GONNA BE, THAT'S GONNA, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

UM, AND THE SOUTH BASE, I WASN'T AWARE THERE WAS, THEY WERE MOVING RIGHTLY SO WE GOT A NICE UPDATE ON THAT AND THAT WAS GOOD AS WELL.

UM, ONE THING, I, WE HAD NO IDEA, AND I'VE BEEN AROUND ACCESS.

I WAS CHAIR OF THE METRO, UH, THE, UH, THE MISAC COMMITTEE BACK IN THE NINETIES AND IN ON ALSO, UH, BEEN IN THE, UH, ON THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S BEEN CHAIR FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND ABOUT ON THE ACCESS COMMITTEE NOW FOR, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, I HEARD NOTHING ABOUT A TWO YEAR PASS PROGRAM.

WE NEED AN UPDATE, FOLKS.

UM, SO COMMUNITY RELATIONS, I'LL, I'LL GET WITH THEM AND WE'LL GET SOMEBODY, UH, THAT WILL PUT, GIVE US AN UPDATE.

'CAUSE IF I HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT, UM, I, WE NEED TO, OUR COMMITTEE HASN'T HEARD OF IT AND WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

UM, AND, UM, TRYING TO THINK OF, YEAH, AND THAT, THAT'S THE THING I, I DO, I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT THING.

UM, I'M, WE'RE STILL CONCERNED ABOUT NOT HAVING SCANNERS ON THE METRO ACCESS VEHICLES AND ON THE PICKUP, UH, THE PICKUP VEHICLES.

UM, IT'S TRUE THAT THE METRO ACCESS FOLKS CAN USE SPARE.

THEY USE SPARE PAY AND THEY GET PARTIAL FAIR CAPPING ON SPARE PAY, WHICH MEANS THAT ONCE THEY'VE PAID, UH, $46 AND 50 CENTS A MONTH IN, IN FAIRES, THEN THEY DON'T PAY ANYMORE.

SO THAT'S, UH, THAT'S A MONTHLY FAIR CAP.

THERE'S NO DAILY FAIR CAP ON SPARE.

UM, BUT WHAT YOU REALLY HAVE, UM, THE MISSING SCANNERS ON PICKUP AND ON ACCESS CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR PEOPLE WHO, UM, RIDE MULTI LIKE ME.

LIKE I'LL RIDE, UH, UH, METRO ACCESS SOMETIMES, UM, SOMETIMES I'LL RIDE PICKUP, SOMETIMES I'LL RIDE, UM, FIXED ROUTE.

AND OF COURSE, WHEN, WHEN YOU RIDE A FIXED ROUTE OR A PICKUP, YOU, YOU USE THE $1 AND 75%, $1 AND 75 SET TICKET.

SO BECAUSE THE, THE OPERATORS ON PICKUP AND METRO ACCESS DON'T HAVE SCANNERS, WHAT HAPPENS IS SOMEBODY COULD POTENTIALLY USE 'EM ONE WAY PASS OR ONE WAY TICKET, UM, FOR AN ENDLESS AMOUNT OF TIME BECAUSE THE ONE WAY TICKET WILL NEVER DISAPPEAR FROM THE APP THAT REALLY FOLKS NEEDS TO BE FIXED.

UM, I'M WORKING, WE'RE WORKING ON WITH THE COMMITTEE LEVELS.

UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE A CSAC AND ACCESS A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION COMMITTEE AND ACCESS WORK TOGETHER WITH THE STAFF AND THE BOARD TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR STATISTICS AREN'T RIGHT.

UH, YOUR, UM, YOUR FAIR COLLECTION ISN'T RIGHT UNTIL YOU COMPLETE THIS PROJECT.

SO, UM, OTHERWISE THAT'S IT.

UM, OTHERWISE THINGS ARE GOING WELL.

UH, AND LAST THING IS, UH, MY WIFE AND I HAD A CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EMERGENCY, UM, DRILL AT THE MCAL STATION.

THAT WAS EXCITING.

UH, IT WAS HELPFUL FOR US, FIRST OF ALL, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO LEARN THE MCAL STATION, UNDERSTAND HOW IT WORKS.

IT WAS JUST A LOT OF FUN AND I REALLY CONGRATULATE METRO ON THAT.

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT.

UM, THANK YOU CHAIR HUNT.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE TWO YEAR PASS IS FORMALLY CALLED THE UNHOUSED PASS.

[00:55:01]

SORRY, THE TRANSIT PASS, UH, TO SUPPORT OUR UNHOUSED COMMUNITY.

UM, BUT FOLKS CALL IT TWO YEAR PASS AS WELL.

I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.

OH, OKAY.

SO, SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S RELATIVELY NEW.

IT'S, AND WE HAVE HEARD OF SOMETHING ABOUT THAT WE JUST HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FINAL IMPLEMENTATION.

UM, AND SO WE HAVE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND I'LL WORK WITH YOU TO BRING THAT IN MARCH OR APRIL WITH, UH, KELSEY LAMI.

OUR, UH, OUR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

UM, THE LAST PIECE IS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

UM, THEY MET ON FEBRUARY 2ND TO COVER OUR FINAL DRAFT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE STRUCTURE, UH, THE FEEDBACK LOOP AND TO FINALIZE THE COMMITTEE MEMBER LEADS FOR EACH SUBCOMMITTEE.

UM, RIGHT NOW THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE FIRST, UH, ROUND OF MATERIALS UP AND POSTED, UM, NEXT WEEK.

AND THEN OUR FIRST SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING BY THE WEEK OF MARCH 18TH.

UM, AND WE WILL ALSO CONTINUE WORKING WITH MR. EASTON ON, UM, PSAC APPLICATIONS TO FILL THE FINAL, UM, APPOINTMENT FOR BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.

UM, THAT'S ALL FOR ME IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND, UH, WE WILL MOVE INTO

[VI. Board Committee Updates]

UH, LET'S SEE.

I THINK FIRST IN LINE IS OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY CHAIR STRATTON.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MET ON, UH, VALENTINE'S DAY, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AT 1:00 PM UH, PRESENT MEMBERS, WE ACTUALLY MET ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

WE ACTUALLY MET ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

I HAD TO COME ON, DAN.

WE WERE PRAYING FOR HIM RIGHT NOW.

UH, AND, AND IT WAS QUITE AN EVENTFUL MEETING.

WE HAD A LOT ON OUR PLATE.

BESIDES APPROVING OUR MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 17TH MEETING, WE HAD, LET ME SEE, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, UH, DIFFERENT ACTION ITEMS THAT WE CONSIDERED.

AND WITH, LET'S SEE, HOW MANY, I THINK ALL OF THOSE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, IS IT TWO ITEMS? I THINK ALL OF THEM ENDED UP ON THE CONSENT AGENDA EXCEPT FOR THE, UM, UH, BOARD ITEM ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, THE, UM, CONTRACT WITH EA AND HOLDINGS, WHICH WILL BE BEFORE THE FULL BOARD, UH, THAT WE'LL SEE HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.

AND, UM, THERE'S A, I THINK THAT WAS, I THINK THAT WAS IT.

I THINK THE OTHER, IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK THE REST OF THEM ARE ALL ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

AND THEN WE HAD A, UH, A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION FROM OUR PARTNERS AT A TP ON THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL UPDATE.

WE WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THAT, UH, BRIEFING FROM THEM.

AND THEN, UH, A, A VERY ABBREVIATED AT THAT POINT, MONTHLY OPERATIONS UPDATE FROM, UH, ANDY SKALSKI AND HIS TEAM.

AND THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 2:45 PM WHICH WE ALSO LOVED.

WELL, WE LOVED YOUR PRESENTATION TOO.

ANY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, I GUESS WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU CHAIR.

CHAIR HARRIS.

UH, UH, WE ALSO MET ON VALENTINE'S DAY AT 11.

UM, .

UH, BESIDES APPROVING THE MINUTES, WE ALSO, UH, RECOMMENDED TO THE FULL BOARD TO, UH, FILL A VACANCY ON THE, UH, CAP METRO INVESTMENT COMMITTEE WITH MR. MUHAMMAD ABDULLAH.

AND THEN ALSO, UH, APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED TO THE BOARD A, UH, EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH, UH, THREE DIFFERENT, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, UH, GROUPS WITH RESPECT TO TEMPORARY STAFFING SERVICES, UH, WHICH WOULD BE BEFORE THE BOARD THERE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HEARD A PRESENTATION, UH, ON, FROM, UH, THE, UH, MS. WALKER, UH, REGARDING THE DECEMBER 23 FINANCIAL RESULTS, UH, FOR THE FIRST QUARTER AND OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

AND THEN, UH, INTERNAL AUDIT AND ADVISORY UPDATE FROM, UH, MR. FULMER.

AND THAT WILL BE CONCLUDING THAT.

PROJECTS THAT WERE DEFERRED AS A RESULT OF THE, UH, DEFERRING FUNDS INTO THE I 35, UH, OR I 35 EXPANSION THAT'S ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE.

UM, LET'S SEE.

THE CAMPO UPDATE IS NEXT.

DID YOU GUYS MEET ON VALENTINE'S DAY TOO? YES.

YEAH, WE DID.

NO, WE DIDN'T MEET ON VALENTINE'S DAY.

WE HAD, WE JUMPED, UH, WE MET ON FEBRUARY 12TH AT, AT TWO.

UH, BESIDES APPROVING THE MINUTES, UH, THE TWO SIGNIFICANT ACTION ITEMS, OR THREE SIGNIFICANT ACTION ITEMS. ONE WAS AN UPDATE TO THE UNIFIED WORK PLAN PROGRAM, WHICH IS, UH, CONSIDERED SOME AMENDMENTS, UH, TO THAT, UH, TO THAT, UH, UH, PLAN.

UH, WE ALSO, UH, TOOK ACTION AND, AND APPROPRIATE ACTION AS FAR AS APPROVING AND, UH, SEVERAL

[01:00:01]

AND THEN, SO WE'RE NOW REAUTHORIZING THOSE PROJECTS AND TAKING THEM, TAKING BACK UP PURSUANT TO WHAT WE, THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY AGREED TO.

UH, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURE TARGETS REGARDING, UH, FATALITIES AND SUGGESTIONS ABOUT BOTH INCORPORATING THOSE, UH, THOSE AND ALSO THE VISION ZERO, UH, GUIDELINES INTO THE SAME, SAME, UH, SAME STA SAME STANDARDS.

UM, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE CAMPO UPDATE? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.

WE WILL GO INTO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE, WHICH, UH, WHICH I'LL DO.

UH, THE BOARD MET ON FEBRUARY THE 16TH, 2024.

UH, WE HAD REGULAR ITEMS SUCH AS PUBLIC COMMENT, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, BUT WE ALSO, UH, TOOK ACTION TO CLARIFY ATPS AND PROJECT CONNECTS GOVERNANCE.

UH, MOST OF THE ITEMS HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE CAP METRO BOARD, ALSO BY, BY, UH, CITY COUNCIL.

WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL IN AGREEMENT AS WE MOVED FORWARD.

UH, SO, UH, STAFF CLARIFIED THOSE ITEMS, UM, MADE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE, UH, THE, UH, TIME SENSITIVITY OF CERTAIN ITEMS AND THAT WE KEPT EVERYTHING IN THE APPROPRIATE SEQUENCE AND, UH, AND THAT WE, UH, CLEAR ALL GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

WE ALSO APPROVED A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATION CONTRACT FOR REVENUE BONDS.

THAT WAS A MOUTHFUL, UH, AND INITIATED A BOND VALIDATION LAWSUIT AS WELL.

AND WE THINK THAT BOTH OF THOSE STEPS ARE NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE, UH, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE PROJECT CONNECT LIGHT RAIL PROGRAM.

UM, WE ALSO HAD A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FIRM COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT, UH, SUPPORTING THE SALE OF BONDS WHEN THE FIRST SALE OF THE BONDS WOULD, WOULD OCCUR, AND THEN, UH, ALSO CLARIFIED THE FUTURE BOND SALES AND HOW THEY WILL BE HANDLED AS WE GO FORWARD.

UH, THE NEXT MEETING OF THE A TP BOARD WILL HAPPEN ON MARCH 20TH, 2024.

ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.

UH, HEARING NO QUESTIONS AND WE WILL MOVE INTO

[VII. Consent Items]

OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE, WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION ON 12 ITEMS TODAY.

UM, I TRUST THAT EVERYONE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE ITEMS. UM, DO, IS THERE ANY BOARD MEMBER THAT WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE ANY OF THOSE ITEMS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? I'LL ASK A SECOND TIME.

ANYONE LIKE TO REMOVE ITEMS? THIRD TIME? ANY, ANYBODY WANNA REMOVE ITEMS? HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS POSTED.

I'LL MOVE BY BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

UH, SECOND.

SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.

UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UM, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT PROPOSITION.

PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

GO DOWN THE AGENDA, WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SEE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, FOUR ACTION ITEMS AND I WILL TAKE UP THOSE REGULAR ACTION ITEMS AS, AS LISTED.

HEARING NONE.

THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

RIGHT.

ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE.

SO AS WE, UH,

[VIII.1. Approval of revisions to CapMetro’s Reserves and Budgetary Contingencies Policy. ]

I WILL READ ITEM ONE, UH, IN, AND LET'S SEE, IT'S APPROVAL AND REVISIONS TO CAP, METRO'S RESERVE AND BUDGETARY CONTINGENCIES POLICY.

AND, AND CATHERINE WALKER WILL MAKE THAT PRESENTATION TO US.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TIAN AND MEMBERS OF OUR BOARD, UH, PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.

MY NAME IS CATHERINE WALKER AND I SERVE AS CAP METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF FINANCIAL AND RISK OFFICER.

I DON'T HAVE A PRESENTATION.

WE'RE JUST GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR RESERVES POLICY .

UM, SO I ACTUALLY PRESENTED THIS AT JANUARY'S FAA COMMITTEE MEETING AND WE TALKED ABOUT AT THAT TIME, UM, REALLY THE REVISIONS TO THE POLICY ARE VERY MINOR.

IT SAYS USING OUR GOING FROM CAPITAL METRO TO CAP METRO.

BUT SINCE THIS POLICY HAS TO BE APPROVED EVERY FIVE YEARS, I THOUGHT I'D JUST REVIEW WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR, UM, RESERVE POLICY TO KEEP YOU ALL INFORMED SINCE YOU'RE GONNA BE VOTING ON THIS.

SO CAT METRO DOES HAVE

[01:05:01]

A RESERVE POLICY.

UM, YOU MAY REMEMBER WHEN I PRESENTED OUR, UM, ANNUAL BUDGET THAT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT EACH ONE OF THOSE POLICIES.

SO WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH THOSE AGAIN AND RE REMIND YOU HOW MUCH MONEY IS SITTING IN EACH OF THOSE FOR THIS YEAR.

SO AS PART OF TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE 4 51, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUDGETARY CONTINGENCY POLICY.

UM, OUR STATUTORY OPERATING RESERVE IS WHAT IS REQUIRED AND THAT IS TWO MONTHS OF OPERATING EXPENSES FOR THE AGENCY.

SO FROM A DOLLARS PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S $48 MILLION.

UM, WE HAVE A CAPITAL PROJECT RESERVE, WHICH IS EQUIVALENT TO 10% OF OUR FIVE YEAR ANNUAL CAPITAL BUDGET.

AND SO THAT'S $13 MILLION.

OUR BUDGETARY OPERATING CONTINGENCY RESERVE IS EQUIVALENT 2% OF THE PRIOR YEAR, SO THAT IS $7 MILLION.

WE HAVE A SELF-INSURANCE RESERVE, THAT'S BECAUSE CAP METRO IS SELF-INSURED AND SO THAT'S 1.6 MILLION.

AND THEN WE HAVE A BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVE, WHICH WE CALL OUR RAINY DAY FUND, AND THAT'S 24 MILLION EQUIVALENT TO ONE MONTH OF OPERATING.

UM, WE ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESERVES THAT OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO CAN AUTHORIZE AT ANY TIME.

AND SO THOSE ARE NOT LISTED IN THE POLICY, BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY ARE.

WE HAVE A STATUTORY CAPITAL, I'M SORRY, A SUSTAINABILITY CAPITAL FUND FOR SUSTAINABILITY, GREEN EFFORTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THAT RESERVE IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT $10 MILLION AS WE HAVE EXPENSES THAT FALL.

WE WOULD APPLY THE FUNDS FROM THAT RESERVE INTO, UH, TOWARDS THOSE SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS.

AND THEN WE HAVE OUR SMALL CITIES TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FUND AND THAT IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT WITH A BALANCE OF $6 MILLION.

SO THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU THE LAY OF THE LAND ON WHERE WE ARE WITH OUR CAPITAL AND OPERATING RESERVES BOARD MEMBERS.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, OKAY, IF WE DON'T, ANY QUESTIONS THIRD TIME? ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

UH, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, THE CHAIR WILL, UH, ACCEPT A MOTION.

UH, BOARD MEMBER POOL AND SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.

ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.

ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

UM, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE PROPOSITION, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

HEARING NONE.

THE UH, BOARD CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

JUST A QUICK CLARIFICATION.

YOU READ THAT AS ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO? IT WAS ACTUALLY ACTION ITEM ITEM NUMBER ONE.

JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE BOARD AGREES THAT IN FACT THAT'S WHAT THEY JUST VOTED ON.

UH, YES, THAT WAS ACTION ITEM ONE.

IT'S GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF.

I WAS TRYING, TRYING TO HUSTLE THROUGH HERE NOW.

APPRECIATE THAT .

SO LET ME GO TO ACTION

[VIII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with EAN Holdings, LLC dba Commute with Enterprise for vanpool services for a thirty-one (31) month base period with two one-year option periods for a total amount not to exceed $30,870,315, which includes a 5% contingency.]

ITEM NUMBER TWO NOW.

AND I'LL READ IT IN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH EAN HOLDINGS LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS A COMMUTE WITH ENTERPRISE FOR VANPOOL SERVICES FOR A 31 MONTH BASE PERIOD WITH TWO ONE YEAR OPTION PERIODS FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,870,315, WHICH INCLUDES A 5% CONTINGENCY AND THE PRESENTATION WILL NOT BE MADE BY TAMMY QUINN .

OKAY, ANDY, UH, TAKE US THROUGH THIS PLEASE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRIVIAN CAP METRO BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS.

MY NAME IS ANDY S KOWSKI.

I'M THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HERE AT CAP METRO.

WE'RE HERE TO TODAY TO PRE PRESENT THE CONTRACT FOR RIDESHARE SERVICES.

AND THE SERVICE IS PRIMARILY USED BY COMMUTERS.

A PROGRAM IS PARTIALLY, UM, SUBSIDIZED BY CAP METRO.

AND CAP METRO HAS AGREEMENTS WITH EMPLOYEES WHO WILL ALSO SUBSIDIZE THE SERVICE, UM, AND AT VARYING LEVELS, UM, FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATION IN RIDESHARE.

WE ALSO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT RIDESHARE TRIPS.

THAT INFORMATION IS LOCATED ON PAGE 96 OF YOUR PACKAGE.

UM, DURING THE ACTUAL COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, WE DID GO THROUGH A WHOLE EXPLANATION OF THE, OF WHAT RIDESHARE IS AND WHAT WHAT VAN POOL IS.

THE ITEM WAS RECOMMENDED BY OPS COMMITTEE IN THE FINAL DOLLAR AMOUNT HAS BEEN REVISED DOWNWARDS TO 30 MILLION 873 15.

AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE ONE.

BOARD MEMBERS.

I LIKE THE REVISED DOWNWARD PART.

UM, LET'S SEE IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, UH, THEN CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEM.

BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.

MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.

SECOND BOARD MEMBER BANGO.

ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN

[01:10:01]

ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, ALL IF YOU ARE IN, IF YOU WANT TO APPROVE THIS ITEM, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH INFO GENIE, UH, INC.

HEARING NONE.

THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, UM, ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE,

[VIII.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Infojini Inc., Neos Consulting Group, LLC., and Software Professional, Inc. for technical temporary staffing services for a two-year base period and two (2) option periods of 12-months each for a total of four (4) years for a cumulative amount not to exceed $6,200,000 for all three (3) contracts.]

UH, NEOS CONSULTING GROUP, LLC AND SOFTWARE PROFESSIONAL INC.

FOR TECHNICAL TEMPORARY STAFFING SERVICES FOR A TWO YEAR BASE PERIOD AND TWO OPTION PERIODS OF 12 MONTHS EACH FOR A TOTAL OF FOUR YEARS FOR A CUMULATIVE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,200,000 FOR ALL THREE CONTRACTS.

AND, UH, JONATHAN TANZER WILL BE MAKING THIS PRESENTATION.

YEP.

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON.

CHAIRED PAVILION BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.

CEO WATKINS.

I'M JONATHAN TANSER.

I'M, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT WITH THE CAP METRO INFORMATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.

UH, THIS ITEM WAS PRESENTED EARLIER THIS MONTH, UM, AT THE, UH, FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, UH, FOR APPROVAL.

AND WHAT IT IS, IT'S UM, THE IDEA IS TO ADD THREE ADDITIONAL FIRMS TO OUR TEMP STAFFING FIRMS. UH, WE HAVE, UH, 22ND CENTURY THAT WAS AWARDED, UM, MAY OF 2022.

AND THE IDEA IS TO ADD THESE THREE FIRMS FOR TECHNICAL STAFFING, UH, FOR KIND OF SPECIALIZED IN, UM, SOFTWARE SYSTEM SPECIFIC, UH, STAFFING THAT WE MAY NEED FOR, UM, IT AND FOR THE AGENCY AS A WHOLE.

UM, THIS CONTRACT WOULD BE FOR A BASE YEAR OF TWO YEARS, AND THEN A TWO ONE YEAR OPTIONS, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 6.2 MILLION.

AND HAPPY ANSWER.

ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

UH, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE BOARD MEMBER, UH, VELA AND OKAY.

BOARD MEMBER BENGALS.

UM, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.

ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE.

UH, IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE? UH, IF WE, UH, IF, IF YOU ARE IN APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION, WOULD YOU BE, WOULD YOU LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE? AYE.

UM, OPPOSED? SAME SIGN.

HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

MUST HAVE BEEN THE PRESENTATION.

UM, ACTION ITEM NUMBER

[VIII.4. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute contracts with Muniz Concrete & Contracting, Inc. and Unity Contractor Services, Inc. for IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity) Construction Services for MetroRapid, bus transit infrastructure, ADA accessibility and transit center improvement projects for a base period of one (1) year, plus three (3) one-year options in a total amount not to exceed $41,000,000.]

FOUR.

UH, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE CONTRACTS WITH MUNI, UH, CONCRETE AND CONTRACTING INC.

AND, UH, AND UNITY CONTRACTOR SERVICES, INC.

FOR IDIQ, INDEFINITE DELIVERY, INDEFINITE QUALITY CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR METRO RAPID, UH, FOR METRO RAPID BUS SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE, A DA ACCE ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSIT CENTER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR A BASE PERIOD OF ONE YEAR PLUS THREE ONE YEAR OPTIONS IN A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $41 MILLION.

AND KEN CARTWRIGHT WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UH, CHAIR ILION.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT.

CEO WATKINS.

I'M KEN CARTWRIGHT, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES AND AS YOU ACCURATELY DESCRIBED, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION FOR UP TO $41 MILLION, UH, IN ORDER TO AWARD, UH, TWO CONTRACTS TO THESE TWO FIRMS, MUNIS CONCRETE AND CONTRACTING AND UNITY CONTRACTOR SERVICES, UH, UNDER OUR INDEFINITE DELIVERY, UH, INDEFINITE QUANTITY TYPE CONTRACTS.

THESE ARE THE TYPE OF CONTRACTS THAT WE UTILIZE FOR, UH, BUS STOP, UH, PROJECTS FOR RAPID STATIONS, FOR TRANSIT CENTER IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALL THE RELATED TO ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS AS PART OF THAT.

UM, THE, THE ACTUAL FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPROVED ANNUAL BUDGETS.

SO, UH, YOU AUTHORIZE THE FUNDING THROUGH THE APPROVAL OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET.

UM, WE ARE NOT COMMITTED TO SPENDING THE FULL $41 MILLION.

WE, UH, ARE JUST REQUESTING AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND UP TO THAT AMOUNT.

WE AWARD MULTIPLE, AS WE CALL 'EM, TASK ORDER CONTRACTS FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THESE TWO CONTRACTORS.

UM, OUR AGENCY HAS, UH, QUITE A BIT OF EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH OF THESE CONTRACTORS.

THERE WAS A 15% DBE GOAL ESTABLISHED MUNI WILL BE, UH, EXCEEDING THAT WITH A 33.4% DBE COMPLIANCE, UH, RATIO AND UNITY, UH, WITH A 97% DBE GOAL, UH, COMPLIANCE.

AND WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THESE CONTRACTS

[01:15:01]

BOARD MEMBERS.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

UH, BOARD MEMBER POOL WITH THE MOTION BOARD MEMBER ALICE WITH THE SECOND HAS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.

HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.

THANK YOU MR. CARRE.

APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT CAME OUT TO, UH, TO, UH, THE MEETING TODAY.

THIS CONCLUDES OUR ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE ONE FINAL ITEM

[IX.1. President & CEO Monthly Update]

THOUGH, AND THAT IS, UH, OUR MONTHLY, UH, REPORT FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO WHO I MIGHT ADD WE'RE VERY PROUD OF WITH ALL THE WORK THAT, THAT THE TEAM HAS DONE AND HAS, UM, MOVED US FORWARD IN A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE WAY.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, IT HAS BEEN QUITE A MONTH, UM, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT STUFF TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR BOARD AND COMMUNITY ARE AWARE OF.

SO WE'LL START WITH, UM, THE MACAL STATION, UM, FULL SCALE EXERCISE, UM, CHAIR HUNT OF THE, UM, ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MENTIONED THIS ONE IN HIS REMARKS AS WELL.

OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED THIS MANDATORY FULL SCALE EXERCISE.

UM, WE HAD A TURNOUT OF OVER 150 VOLUNTEERS, WHICH INCLUDED BOTH ACTORS AND OBSERVERS.

UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TEST ALL OF THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE STATION, INCLUDING HOW PEOPLE WOULD NATURALLY FLOW ONTO AND OFF OF PLATFORMS, UM, AS WELL AS THE, UM, PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES.

UM, WE ALSO EXECUTED A SCENARIO SIM SIMULATING AN ACCIDENT, AND WE HAD BOTH FIRE AND EMS PROMPT RESPONSE, UM, DURING THE EXERCISE.

UM, WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS WHO CAME OUT, UM, TO PLAY TRAIN, CUSTOMER FORCE, AND OBVIOUSLY, UM, FOR OUR, UM, POLICE, FIRE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL PARTNERS.

UM, SO THAT WE ARE ALL HOPEFULLY PREPARED FOR WHAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

UM, BUT IT IS, THESE EXERCISES HELP US, UM, SOLIDIFY THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EVERYONE WHO MIGHT BE RESPONDING TO AN INCIDENT AT THIS STATION IS AWARE OF WHAT IT IS BEFORE IT GOES INTO SERVICE.

SO WE WERE QUITE PLEASED WITH HOW THAT WENT.

UM, NEXT UP I'VE, AS YOU WELL KNOW, FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH AND TO KICKOFF BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

AND ON THE OCCASION OF ROSA PARK'S BIRTHDAY, UM, KAT METRO HOSTED A GUIDED BUS TOUR CONDUCTED BY BLACK AUSTIN TOURS.

UM, THE TOUR DEBUTED OUR BLACK HISTORY MONTH BUS WRAP, AND YOU SEE PICTURES OF THAT BUS WRAP HERE, UM, WHICH HONORS LOCAL BLACK COMMUNITY LEADERS.

UM, VERY MANY THANKS TO, UH, CAT METRO BOARD MEMBERS, VELA BENGAL, AND THE CAT METRO STAFF WHO JOINED US ON THAT BLACK AUSTIN TOUR.

UM, IT IS AN AM AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE CITY'S HISTORY AND THE ROLE, UM, IT HAS PLAYED IN THE LARGER STAGE, UM, OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

UM, AS I MENTIONED, WE DID ALSO UNVEILED THIS, UH, BEAUTIFUL BUS, UM, CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN COLLABORATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT MOSQUE TOUR.

UM, WE HELD AN EVENT ATTENDED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WELL AS ARTISTS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, AND ARE VERY THRILLED TO HAVE THIS WRAP, UM, ON OUR SYSTEM.

THE BUS WAS DESIGNED, UM, BY THE TALENTED ARTISTS, SADE LAWSON.

WE DID HAVE A HANDFUL OF FOLKS TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON DC THIS MONTH.

UM, THE FIRST COUPLE, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH.

UM, YOU'LL SEE PICTURES OF ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT HERE.

UM, MURIEL FRIDAY, WHO'S OUR VP OF RAIL OPERATIONS AND LEROY ALLWAY, OUR VP OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UM, WE'RE IN DC FOR, UM, A RAIL RELATED CONFERENCE AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS.

UM, THEY ALSO MET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OFFICE OF JOHN CORNY.

UM, THEY WERE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR DELEGATION IS A, IS INFORMED, UM, AND FULLY UNDERSTAND, UM, THE CAPACITY OF THE 162 MILES OF FREIGHT AND COMMUTER RAIL OWNED BY CAPITAL METRO.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS, NOT ONLY FOR OUR ABILITY TO MOVE PEOPLE ON THE COMMUTER RAIL, BUT FOR THE REGIONAL, UM, STATEWIDE ECONOMY WITH THE FREIGHT RAIL.

UM, AND THOSE WERE GREAT CONVERSATIONS.

UM, I ALSO ATTENDED DC THE PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE, IF YOU SQUINT REAL HARD, YOU CAN SEE ME IN THE BACK IN THE MIDDLE.

UM, IT'S A THING ABOUT BEING TALL, YOU ALWAYS END UP IN THE BACK OF ALL THE PICTURES.

UM, I WAS IN DC ATTENDING A ROUND TABLE HOSTED BY WHITE HOUSE STAFF, UM, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION APTA.

UM, OUR DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON CLEAN BUS MANUFACTURING, THE CAPACITY OF OUR INDUSTRY TO, UM, CURRENTLY MANAGE LOW EMISSION VEHICLE PRODUCTION AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO COLLECTIVELY

[01:20:01]

AS TRANSIT SYSTEMS, OUR FEDERAL FUNDING PARTNERS, UM, AND OUR SUPPLIERS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MEET OUR CLIMATE AND EQUITY GOALS, UM, WITHOUT, UH, DISRUPTING TRANSIT SERVICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

SO IT WAS A LOT OF FUN, UM, AND A GREAT CONVERSATION.

NEXT UP, UM, TRANSIT UNPLUGGED HAS RELEASED THEIR AUSTIN EPISODE.

UM, TRANSIT UNPLUGGED TV IS, UM, A GREAT INDUSTRY, UM, PODCAST AND WHATEVER THE VIDEO VERSION OF A PODCAST IS, I DON'T KNOW, UM, , BUT IT, THIS, IT FEATURES THE CAT METRO TEAM HIGHLIGHTS THE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, INCLUDING THE GREAT BARBECUE.

THIS IS A FIRST IN THE SERIES THAT TRANSIT UNPLUGGED IS DOING, UM, PITTING BARBECUE CITIES AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

SO THEY'VE ALSO VISITED MEMPHIS AND KANSAS CITY.

I TELL 'EM THAT THE, THE COMPETITION WAS OVER AS SOON AS IT STARTED.

SO, UM, THIS, YOU CAN CHECK THIS OUT TODAY ON YOUTUBE.

JUST SEARCH TRANSIT UNPLUGGED ON YOUTUBE AND IT WILL POP UP.

AND OBVIOUSLY IF ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE A LINK, WE'RE HAPPY TO SEND IT OUT TO YOU.

UM, IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO PUT THIS TOGETHER AND IT'S A GREAT SHOWCASE OF OUR, OUR GREAT CITY AND TRANSIT SYSTEM.

SPEAKING OF SHOWCASING OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM, UM, ANDY KOWSKI, OUR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, UM, HELD A COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS WITH, UM, KXA IN THIS MONTH.

UH, THE FIRST WAS AN ON-AIR LIVE INTERVIEW TALKING ABOUT AN UPDATE ON OUR VEHICLE, UH, ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE PROGRAM.

UM, AND THE SECOND WAS TALKING ABOUT, UM, OUR, THE OPENING OF OUR MACAL STATION AND ALL OF THE GREAT FUN WE WERE PLANNING FOR THAT.

AND KIND OF THE CHALLENGES OF OPENING THE FIRST NEW STATION ON A RAIL LINE THAT'S BEEN IN OPERATION FOR A GOOD BIT.

SO MANY KUDOS TO ANDY FOR CONTINUING TO REPRESENT US WELL, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.

UM, NEXT UP I, I SHARED MOST OF MY REMARKS ABOUT THE MACAL STATION OPENING AT THE TOP OF THE MEETING, BUT I DO WANT TO ADD A HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF MEMBERS WHO JOINED US OUT THERE ON SATURDAY, AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM ALL OVER THE REGION.

IT WAS FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, AS LONG AS I HAVE, IT WAS SO HEARTENING TO SEE THE BROAD BASE OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT COMING OUT TO CELEBRATE PUBLIC TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE.

UM, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STATION AT A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION.

IT IS, UM, URBAN PLANNING DONE RIGHT, THAT WHOLE AREA.

AND SO I AM JUST GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF OUR PARTNERS FOR COMING OUT.

UM, AND THE COMMITMENT OF THIS BOARD FOR COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING, UM, ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO.

UM, WE LUCKED OUT ON THE WEATHER, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SCHEDULE A FEBRUARY EVENT, NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET.

UM, BUT IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

WE DIDN'T LUCK OUT ON IT.

THE MAYOR CLAIMED CREDIT FOR IT.

OH, HE SAID IT WAS HIS WEATHER.

THAT'S TRUE.

HE SAID IT WAS HIS.

THAT'S TRUE.

MAYOR WATSON ARRANGED FOR GREAT WEATHER.

THAT'S, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT LITTLE PIECE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL, HE SAID YOU BLAME HIM FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.

YOU MIGHT AS WELL TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS .

I THINK, I THINK THAT'S VERY FAIR.

UM, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOU WHO CAME OUT AND JOINED US AS WELL AS FOR OUR MANY PARTNERS IN SUPPORTING, UM, THAT IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT.

UM, AND THEN LASTLY, AS AS WE'VE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, AS WE LOOK AHEAD THE MONTH OF MARCH, UH, MEANS ONE THING AT CAT METRO AND THAT IS SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

UM, SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST HISTORICALLY IS THE HIGHEST RIDERSHIP WEEK OF OUR YEAR.

UM, AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DESCEND UPON OUR GREAT CENTRAL CITY TO ENJOY THE FESTIVAL.

SO WE HAVE EXTENDED RAIL SERVICE FOR THE WEEK OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

UM, IT WE'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL PLATFORM SUPPORT.

UM, I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT FIRST SATURDAY OR SATURDAY.

YES, THE FIRST SATURDAY OF SOUTH BY MARCH 9TH IS ALSO AN AUSTIN FC MATCH.

SO WE WILL HAVE LOTS OF SERVICE OUT ALL DAY HELPING TO SUPPORT THAT.

UM, WE'RE ALSO, UM, LOOKING TO SUPPORT OUR NIGHT EL SERVICE DURING THE LATTER PART OF SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST.

SO AS, AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THE FIRST PIECE OF SOUTH BY IS THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST INTERACTIVE, WHICH IS A, UH, KIND OF TECH AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP.

UM, AND THEN IT TRANSITIONS IN MIDWEEK TO THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST MUSIC FESTIVAL.

THE MUSIC FESTIVAL FOLKS TEND TO BE A LATE NIGHT CROWD.

UM, AND SO WE WILL BE PUTTING EXTRA BUSES OUT ON OUR NIGHT OWL ROUTES, WHICH ARE THE ROUTES THAT COME OUT, UM, AROUND MIDNIGHT TO HELP SUPPORT THE SYSTEM AFTER MANY OF OUR NORMAL SERVICES STOP OPERATING.

UM, WE ARE ALSO, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM WILL BE SUPPORTING, UM, TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE SOUTH BY CENTRAL COMMAND TO HELP MAKE SURE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS AND THERE'S ANY EMERGENCY COORDINATION NECESSARY THAT WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT.

SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT SOUTH BY COMING.

IT'S ALWAYS A LOT OF FUN.

UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEING DONE .

IT'S ONE OF THOSE GREAT EVENTS WHERE WE CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO COME AND WE KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A TON OF WORK AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO CELEBRATE HOW GREAT IT WAS WHEN IT'S OVER.

KINDA SOUNDS LIKE MARDI GRAS A LITTLE TO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT.

ALRIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT.

[01:25:01]

AND, AND, UH, JUST WANT TO REMIND FOLKS AS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, BLACK HISTORY MONTH, IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTTS, PBS HAS AN EYES ON THE PRIZE, UM, SERIES AND AWAKENINGS IS IS THE ONE THAT'S DEDICATED TO THE BUS, UH, TO THE BUS BOYCOTT.

SO, UH, IT TELLS YOU A LOT MORE THAN, THAN IS GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE, UH, THE BOYCOTT ITSELF, HOW LONG IT LASTED, WHY IT, WHY IT ENDED.

SO, UH, SO THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, ALL THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO.

UM, LET'S SEE.

ARE THERE ANY, UH, DO WE WANNA, I, I, UM, IDENTIFY ANY ITEMS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION? ANYTHING ELSE? WE'LL GET IT NEXT MONTH, RIGHT? OKAY.

HEY, HEY DODI, I I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, WHILE Y'ALL ARE DOING YOUR DO OVER FOR MARCH THE, THE MARCH 9TH, CAN YOU MAYBE GET WITH THE COACH TOO? I THINK HE NEEDS A DO OVER AS WELL.

JUST SAYING.

SEE, NOW, NOW, NOW NORMALLY NOR NORMALLY NOW IF, IF HE SAID IT HIMSELF, HE SAID, I'M JUST SAYING HE SAID IT HIMSELF, THE TEAM NOW, YOU KNOW, NOW IF, IF PELE SAID THAT OR IF OR IF OR IF, UH, OR IF THE NEW, I'M JUST GONNA LAY KNOW WHERE IT IS, WE OUGHT TO PUT HIM OUT THERE AND SEE HOW WELL HE KICKS THE BALL.

HUH? END UP KICKING MYSELF.

THAT'S WHY I DO HIM DOING ALRIGHT, WELL IF THAT'S ALL, GIMME A GOLF CLUB.

WE'LL TALK.

IF THAT'S ALL WE'RE GONNA DO TODAY, WE WILL ADJOURN AT 1 28.

ONE MORE.