[00:00:01]
[I. Call to Order]
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THE FEBRUARY MEETING OF THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.TODAY IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH.
UH, THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR COMING OUT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR
[II. Safety Briefing]
AGENDA IS, UH, THE SAFETY BRIEFING.UH, MR. GARDNER TABBAN, COULD YOU, UH, LEAD US THROUGH, UH, THE SAFE DIRECTION OF THIS MEETING? ABSOLUTELY, CHAIR.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME WELL? GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
I SERVE AS CAPITAL METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER.
UM, TODAY, AS, UH, THE CHAIR HAS INDICATED, I'LL BE GIVING YOU YOUR SAFETY BRIEFING.
SO YOU ARE LOCATED AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
YOU ARE IN THE, UH, ROSA PARKS.
YOU ARE IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM.
UH, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, STAFF WILL, UH, NOTIFY, UM, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AS TO WHERE TO RESPOND.
UH, OUR RALLYING POINT, SHOULD WE NEED TO EXIT AS DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET BY THE SCHOOL, EVERYONE WILL MEET ON THE CORNER.
SO WHETHER YOU HAVE TO EXIT THROUGH THE EAST DOOR OR THROUGH THESE DOORS, PLEASE MEET ACROSS THE STREET.
IF YOU HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, UM, AND WE HAVE TO EXIT OUT THE EAST DOOR, PLEASE WAIT ON THE PLATFORM AND SOMEONE WILL HELP YOU, UH, DOWN THE STAIRS.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE NEED TO USE AN A ED, UH, GO RIGHT OUTSIDE.
UH, THESE DOORS MAKE A RIGHT TO THE ELEVATOR, AND THERE'S ONE LOCATED ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ELEVATOR, AND MY TRUSTEE ASSISTANT WILL SHOW YOU WHERE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS.
TO MY LEFT, SEE MY TRUSTEE ASSISTANT.
AND SO THAT CONCLUDES
THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR GIVING US OUR INSTRUCTIONS AND, UH, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK TOWARDS YOU IF ANYTHING HAPPENS.
[III. Oath of Office]
WE HAVE THE HONOR TODAY OF, OF, UH, BRINGING, BRINGING ON A NEW BOARD MEMBER, SO QUADRANT, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS GO TO THE PODIUM AND I WILL READ YOU, UH, THE OATH OF OFFICE AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL WORK TOGETHER TO GET THIS DONE.HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY I DON'T MESS IT UP.
ALRIGHT, WE READY? PUT MY HAND UP.
DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES, EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF, OF THE OFFICE OF CAP METRO, UH, CAP CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION.
CAP METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY.
AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WILL DO AND WILL DO, UH, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND.
THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF PRACTICE IN GIVING THE OATH, SO I'M WORKING ON THAT.
UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'VE COME TO THE POINT WHERE,
[IV. Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]
UH, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SEVERAL SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
SO WHEN WE CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU WOULD, IF YOU'RE WITH US, IF YOU'D PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES, UNLESS YOU'RE SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR REPRESENTING A GROUP WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM.
AND IN THAT CASE, THEY'LL BE GIVEN FIVE.
UH, OUR FIRST SPEAKER TODAY WILL BE MS. SHERRY TAYLOR.
NOT YET, BUT, UM, I IMAGINE SHE WILL MAKE IT IN AND, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN WORK HER IN, UH, DURING THE PROCESS.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT PERSON IS REMOTE.
IS SHE ONLINE? MS. BROWER, ARE YOU WITH US? SHE'S HERE.
MS. BROWER, IF YOU COULD UNMUTE YOURSELF, IT'S YOUR TURN TO SPEAK.
ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO HEAR ME? SORRY.
YEAH, MS. MS. WALTON, I BELIEVE, UH, YOUR
[00:05:01]
TURN IS NEXT.I WAS SPEAKING TO MS. BROWER WHO IS ALSO WITH US.
WE JUST HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HER YET.
OKAY, GO AHEAD MS. BROWER, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES.
UM, THE FIRST COMMENT BEING THAT THE WESTGATE TRANSIT CENTER NEEDS MORE SECURITY.
UM, IT IS NOT A SAFE AREA TO BE IN.
MY CAR HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM HERE.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, UM, LAST WEEK I SAW PEOPLE HUNTING PIGEONS.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO SEE WHEN THEY GO TAKE THE BUS.
SO I THINK INCREASED SECURITY, UM, BEING AS SIMPLE AS THE SECURITY GUARD WOULD HELP WITH THIS.
UM, THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS INCREASED RELIABILITY FOR THE BUS ROUTES.
UM, THE 8 0 3 AROUND 5:00 PM IS COMPLETELY UN UNRELIABLE.
UM, I'VE WAITED UP TO 30, 40 MINUTES FOR A BUS AND I THINK FOR A RAPID LINE THAT IS PRETTY UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY IF THE CITY WANTS TO INCLUDE NEW RAPID LINES.
FINALLY, IF THERE IS A SOLUTION TO RELIABILITY, I THINK THAT INCLUDING, UM, INCREASED SERVICE FOR THE ROUTE NUMBER THREE THAT GOES FROM ARBITRATOR TO SOUTH PARK MEADOWS WOULD HELP WITH THE DELAYS THAT THE 8 0 3 HAS.
UM, CONSIDERING THAT SOME OF THE ONLY TRANSPORT OPTIONS TO GO FROM NORTH AUSTIN THROUGH LAMAR ARE THE 8 0 3 OR THE THREE, UM, INCREASING THE SERVICE FOR THE THREE TO EVERY 15 MINUTES WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THIS.
THE THREE IS ALSO A VERY BUSY BUS, SO IT WOULD HELP WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE ON BOARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, ADDRESS THE BOARD.
UM, I, THE NEXT PERSON IS CHLOE WALTON.
I HAVE NOT SEEN MS. WALTON ON.
I WILL GIVE YOU A SIGN IF I SEE HER JOIN.
UH, LET'S SEE THEN, UH, THE NEXT IN THE QUEUE IS, UM, XENOBI JOSEPH AND I JUST, DID I JUST SEE HER IN THE ROOM? OKAY.
UH, SO, UH, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO TALK ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THAT I WAS HERE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE MY COMMENTS AS ALWAYS IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ABOUT THE AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT PUBLIC FUNDS ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR PROPAGANDA.
EACH TIME YOU ARE PROMOTING YOUR SYSTEM, YOU FIND A BLACK MAN.
THIS TIME YOU'VE INCLUDED A BLACK CHILD.
I WANNA REMIND YOU AS WELL THAT YOUR ADVERTISEMENT MENTIONS NORTH DECEMBER 17TH, 2018.
CAPITAL METRO APPROVED THE LONG RANGE PROJECT CONNECT PLAN.
AND RESPECTFULLY IT IS SOUTH OF US.
IT IS NOT GOING TO SERVE NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
SO, AS MR. EASTON IS GETTING THE SLIDES TOGETHER, I JUST WANT TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE LATER ON YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AND SPECIFICALLY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OVERSEES, UH, THE GENTLEMAN WHO DOES YOUR MR. TERRY WHO DOES YOUR AUDITS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PROBLEMATIC IS THAT HE IS SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT INTEGRITY AND CONSIDER THAT AS HE GOES THROUGH THESE PROCESSES.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN YOU ADVERTISE CAP REMAP, ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S A BLACK MALE IN THE PROPAGANDA.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE FOR YOURSELF THAT NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY WAS SEVERED.
THIS IS A NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017 ART ARTICLE FROM AUSTIN CHRONICLE AND IT SPECIFIES SUPPORTERS OF THE PLAN, INCLUDING CAP METRO ITSELF, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EVERY P POLICY HAS CERTAIN CASUALTIES YOU HEARD FROM A SPEAKER JUST A MINUTE AGO.
AS IT RELATES TO THE NORTH AUSTIN BUS ROUTES.
THE NORTHEAST CORNER HAS NO CONNECTIVITY.
I WOULD JUST REMIND YOU THAT YOUR PROJECT CONNECT LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE STUDY NORTH CORRIDOR IN 2014 MENTIONED THAT 58% OF THE JOBS WOULD BE IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR.
THAT'S PALMER LANE, EAST WEST, SAMSUNG TO APPLE.
AND I WOULD JUST REMIND YOUR BOARD MEMBER FROM LEANDER THAT THERE WAS A WHITE GENTLEMAN WHO IS BLIND WHO SAID THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME OPTIONS TOO.
AND YOU COULD CONNECT THE MINORITIES ALL
[00:10:01]
THE WAY TO THE WHITE CHOICE WRITERS IN LEANDER WITH SERVICE IN THAT CORRIDOR.I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER AS WELL, YOU'LL SEE ARTICLE 13 TAX MATTERS DISILLUSIONED FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
AND THE LANGUAGE IS PRETTY CLEAR AND IT SAYS, SHALL NOT DIRECT ANY OF ITS ACTIVITIES TO ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION BY PROPAGANDA OR OTHERWISE.
I JUST WILL REMIND YOU THAT CAPITAL METRO AS WELL AS A TP PAID LOBBYISTS TO INFLUENCE THE CURRENT LEGISLATION AND THE FORMER LEGISLATION AS WELL AS IT RELATES TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
I JUST WILL REMIND YOU THAT THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM WAS IN PLACE IN 2014 WHEN YOU PAID $466,000 TO RUSH CHISHOLM, THE CONSULTANT WHO TOLD YOU LOCAL BUSES ARE DIFFERENT FROM HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT.
YOU ALSO GOT A BRIEFING FROM JARED WALKER JULY 25TH, 2016.
IT IS UNDERGIRDED BY THE BUSES.
AND WHEN VOTERS APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020, YOU CONFLATED RIDERSHIP AND COVERAGE.
RIDERSHIP WAS THE HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT BRAILLE, METRO RAPID, NOT THE LOCAL BUSES, BUT THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WERE VOTING FOR.
SO AT THE TOP YOU WILL SEE CHAIR, TAVION, VELA AND CADRE AS IT RELATES TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH I'M AGAINST.
AND THE $14 MILLION FOR THE BIKE SHARE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT SPECIFICALLY, MR. CHAIR, RESPECTFULLY, YOU WILL REMEMBER ON OR ABOUT MARCH 28TH, 2022, AND AGAIN MARCH 27TH, 28TH, 2023, I ASKED YOU TO RESIGN BECAUSE THE BUSES RUN 45 MINUTES IN YOUR AREA.
THERE'S NO NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY.
IT WAS SEVERED AGAIN JULY 3RD.
AND THEN I WOULD JUST SAY AS IT RELATES TO THE BOARD MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR, TRANSPORTATION CODE 4 5 1 0.5021 SPECIFIES THAT THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL AND THE OTHER CAN BE A CITIZEN.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE HOWEVER, THAT MAYOR WATSON CONTINUES TO APPOINT THESE MEMBERS TO CAPITOL METRO'S BOARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
I WANT TO THANK MR. EASTON FOR GIVING ME A RESPONSE.
WHEN I TESTIFIED BEFORE THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, HE ACTUALLY DID MENTION THAT IT'S ABOUT THREE YEARS.
I'M NOT SURE WHY THE MAYOR THINKS HE CAN UNILATERALLY ACTUALLY APPOINT THESE MEMBERS.
THIS WAS CAMPOS BOARD MEETING THAT I TRIED TO GET TO AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SPEAK AGAINST CADRE.
AND LASTLY, I WILL JUST SHOW YOU, THIS IS THE NORTHEAST WEST ROUTES ACROSS FROM THE METRO PARK MIDBLOCK STOP, WHICH DOTIE WATKINS HAS REFUSED TO CLOSE AND PUT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON.
BUT DOWN BELOW ON 46TH STREET, YOU'LL SEE IT'S QUITE NICE AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS.
IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL SHOW YOU WHERE THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY SAID.
AND THEN FINALLY THE FINAL SLIDE.
MR. EASTON, THIS IS THEIR CORRIDOR PROGRAM AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE DEFERRED NORTH LAMAR BETWEEN BREAKER AND THE AREA THAT'S SOUTH OF PALMER LANE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
BUT THE INFORMATION MR. EASTON GOT FROM THE CITY IS THAT THEY ARE FUNDING THAT AREA AND WILL IMPROVE IT.
THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN MAY 7TH, 2024 TO THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION WITH THIS SLIDE SHOWS YOU THAT IT IS NOT FUNDED.
AND SO I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO MORE MEMBERS TO HELP US THERE BOARD MEMBERS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR PRESENTING TO THE BOARD.
UH, MR. EASTON, HAVE WE FOUND, UH, MS. BROWER YET? MS. BROWER SPOKE.
IT WAS MS. WALTON THAT WE WERE WAITING FOR AND I HAVE NOT SEEN HER JOIN.
UH, WHAT ABOUT MS. TAYLOR? MS. TAYLOR WAS GOING TO BE IN PERSON.
WE HAVE NOT SEEN HER COME IN YET EITHER.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT HAS NOT SIGNED UP CURRENTLY WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? ANYONE HERE? ANYONE HERE SEEING NO ONE? UH, THEN WE WILL, WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.
[V. Advisory Committee Updates]
UH, LET'S SEE.UH, I THINK MR. BRETON IS GOING TO GIVE US OUR UPDATES THIS MONTH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TIAN, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
AND SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE ARE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAVE MET ALSO WITH ME IS CHAIR HUNT FROM THE ACCESS COMMITTEE.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND GIVE MY UPDATE AND THEN PASS IT ON TO HIM FOR ANY ITEMS HE MAY WANT TO SPEAK ON.
THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECEIVED PRESENTATIONS FROM THE DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY, MARTIN CARI ON INITIATIVES AND UPDATES FROM HIS
[00:15:01]
DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS NEW WAYFINDING TECHNOLOGIES.THE COMMITTEE ALSO HEARD AN UPDATE FROM A TP STAFF ON THE PHASE ONE OF PROJECT CONNECT'S LIGHT RAIL.
THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALSO RECEIVED UPDATES FROM THE SAME GROUPS ON THE SAME PRESENTATIONS, AND ALSO RECEIVED AN UPDATE ABOUT OUR EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS FROM ANNA LAN RTOD MANAGER, AS WELL AS ANNA VIA AL FROM, UH, PRINCIPAL PLANNER FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MANY THANKS TO ALL OF OUR PRESENTERS FOR BRINGING THOSE UPDATES TO OUR COMMITTEES AND RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK.
THIS PAST THURSDAY, WE HAD A PROGRAM STRATEGIES AND POLICIES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED THE 11TH ROUND OF POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES.
ALL MATERIALS FOR OUR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON PUBLIC INPUT, UH, CAP METRO'S, PUBLIC INPUT@PUBLICINPUT.COM SLASH CAP, METRO PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL ONE WORD.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE PAGE WITH FEEDBACK AND MEETING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH.
AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, WE CAN PROCEED.
DID CHAIR HUNT HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANNA ADD? OH AND YES, CHAIR HUNT.
ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? I THINK HE CAN HEAR ME.
UH, CHAIR, CHAIR, HUNTER, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? UH, GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU WERE OUT AT, UH, AT ZERO DEGREES FAHRENHEIT ON FRIDAY, UH, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ANYTIME YOU WANT TO.
I THINK HE HAS HIS HEADPHONES OFF AT THE MOMENT.
I JUST REALIZED, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM ONTO ONE OF THE ACCESS BUSES SO HE'S SAFE AND SOUND ON FRIDAY.
I THOUGHT MY EARS WERE GOING TO FALL OFF
SO, UH, SO ALRIGHT, BUT ALRIGHT.
UM, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YES.
UM, CHAIR ILIAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD TO, TO, UM, PETER'S REPORT TO TODAY.
TODAY, UH, I WILL TELL YOU THE COUPLE THINGS THE COMMITTEE'S REALLY PLEASED WITH.
FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE ROLLOUT OF THE 8 37, THE DECKER LANE, UM, AND THE PLEASANT VALLEY RUNS ARE GONNA HELP OUR FOLKS A WHOLE LOT.
UM, UM, IT WAS VERY COLD WHEN WE WERE OUT THERE, UH, LAST WEEK, BUT BOY, IT WAS NICE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, DIFFERENT ACCESSIBILITY INITIATIVES FOR LOCATING, UM, LOCATION EFFORTS FOR, UM, THE, UH, BUS STOPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD PRESENTATIONS ABOUT, UH, FROM THIS, UH, GENTLEMAN IN LONDON, UM, ABOUT A NEW, UH, DIFFERENT WAY FINDING SOLUTION.
WE THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
UM, AND ALSO, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MODERNIZE THE, THE WAY THE FARES ARE ROLLING, THEY'RE GONNA BE ROLLING OUT.
UH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, UH, THERE'S A CRUSH TO GET THE FARES, UH, BOXES INSTALLED AND FIXED ROUTE BECAUSE THE BITE MARK CONTRACT ENDS ON MARCH 31ST.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PHASE TWO AND THAT COMES ALONG TO GET THE METRO, UM, THE, UH, UH, PICKUP AND THE METRO ACCESS, UM, SCANNERS ON BOARD.
GOT A CHANCE TO DRIVE THE SCANNER ON THE BUS LAST WEEK.
UM, EASY TO FIND, UH, EASY TO SCAN.
UM, THE OTHERS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO, YOU COULD FIND THEM, BUT THEY WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAMERA LINED UP.
SO, UH, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS COMING FORWARD.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU.
WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO LITTLE APPOINTMENTS ON A COMMITTEE THAT ARE COMING UP SO WE CAN HAVE A FULL COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
I'M GONNA TURN IT BACK TO YOU FOLKS, AND, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOU OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, THAT WILL WRAP UP OUR ADV, OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.
AND I SEE THAT THE SHERRY TAYLOR HAS MADE
[IV. Public Comment (Part 2 of 2)]
IT IN.SO IF I COULD TAKE A A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE SHE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND, AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY,
MY NAME IS, UH, SHERRY TAYLOR.
UM, I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
I HAVE, UH, FOUR THINGS I WANTED TO REALLY SAY.
[00:20:01]
AUDIENCE WILL JOIN ME IN APPLAUDING THE EXCELLENT JOB THAT THE CAP METRO DRIVERS DID DURING THE COLD WEATHER SHELTER ISSUE OF GETTING FOLKS WHERE THEY NEEDED TO BE AND BEING COMPASSIONATE AND PATIENT WHILE THE, WHILE THE PERSONS WHO NEEDED TO BE AT THE SHELTER GOT ON AND, AND GOT OFF.AND THEN YOU, Y'ALL SHOULD APPLAUD 'CAUSE THEY DID A GOOD JOB.
AND I, I HAVE BEEN BRINGING BEFORE THE BOARD ISSUE OF BUS 3 35, NOW ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, TRYING TO GET THE BUS THAT GOES DOWN BERKMAN, AND THEN SITS FOR 25 MINUTES AT HEB BEFORE IT GOES BACK WEST AUSTIN TO PLEASE BE DIVERTED OVER TO TILLY.
UM, IT GOES EAST ON MLK AND COMES DOWN BERKMAN.
BERKMAN'S NOT THE ONLY STREET IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT IT'S THE ONLY STREET THAT GETS BUS SERVICE.
SO WE WANTED TO PLEASE CONTINUE ON MAINOR, TURN LEFT ON TILLEY, GO DOWN TO FINO DOWN THERE BY THE NEW MARSHALL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND BY THE HEB IN PHILOMENA.
AND REASON TO KNOW THIS WORKS 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL DID DURING THE TIME THAT Y'ALL WANTED IT TO BE THAT WAY WHEN Y'ALL WERE PUTTING IN THE NEW EXPRESS BUS STOPS ON BERGMAN.
SO SINCE IT WORKED FOR YOU, LET IT WORK FOR US AND INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE ON TILLY.
KIDS TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL, PARENTS WHO DON'T HAVE CARS, TRYING TO GET TO THEIR PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION MEETINGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN IT SWINGS ON AROUND BY HEB FOR US ALSO.
SENIORS CAN GET ON THERE AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
AND LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS, UH, DOGS.
I PUT, DO YOU REPRESENT A PARTICULAR GROUP OR ORGANIZATION? I SAID NO.
BUT THEN I PUT THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE PASSENGERS AGAINST DOG ATTACKS ON, UH, VALENTINE'S DAY.
AS I WAS WAITING IN A LINE INSIDE SOMEONE WHOSE DOG WAS ON A LEASH.
I GUESS HE DIDN'T LIKE MY JOKE OR SOMETHING.
AND I'M GOING, I'M LOOKING DOWN AT MY LEG, MY LEG ATTACHED TO THE DOG.
WHAT'S GOING ON? SO, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THREE CATEGORIES OF DOG ATTACK.
YOU GOT YOUR PUNCTURE WITH A HOLE, YOU GOT YOUR LACERATION LIKE A BLADE, AND YOU GOT YOUR, YOU GOT YOUR, UM, WHATEVER.
THE LATER ONE IS THE A AND I GOT THE A, WHICH IS THE SCRATCH, BUT I HAVE HAD FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD RABIES SHOTS.
AND I HAVE TO HAVE MY FOURTH ONE ON FEBRUARY 28TH BECAUSE THE OWNER WON'T GIVE UP THE INFORMATION AND THE PROPERTY MANAGED TO, CAN'T MAKE THEM.
SO YOU HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO RIDE THE BUSES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE Y'ALL TO PLEASE ADD MUZZLES 'CAUSE THE DOG WAS ON A LEASH.
BUT IF YOU DON'T ADD M MUZZLES AND THE DOG GONNA LIKE YOUR JOKES, YOU'RE JUST GONNA GET BIT.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE? UH, JUST WANNA SAY SORRY THAT YOU WERE BITTEN AND WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OKAY.
I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING NIPPED ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
UM, YOU MADE ME A LITTLE NERVOUS THERE.
I, I GUESS THIS IS A FAMILY CHANNEL, RIGHT? A FAMILY CHANNEL.
UH, I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS AND I WASN'T PREPARED, BUT, BUT, BUT THANK YOU.
UH, AND, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY, UH, LOOK FURTHER AT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAPPY RESIDENTS DAY.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST CELEBRATE A DYNASTY.
PEOPLE WHO GOT ELECTED, WE WANNA CELEBRATE US.
UH, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UH, PLEASE FORGIVE MY RED FACE,
ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S MOVE INTO, UH, IN THE BOARD
[VI. Board Committee Updates]
UPDATES INTO OUR REGULAR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.UH, BOARD MEMBER, UH, CHAIR STRATTON, CAN YOU KICK US OFF FOR OPERATIONS AND PLANNING? I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THAT, BUT SURE.
THE, UM, OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MET FOR OUR, UM, FEBRUARY, UH, COMMITTEE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY THE 12TH AT 12:53 PM UH, IT WAS, UH, MR. UH, IT WAS COMMITTEE MEMBER VEIL OF VICE CHAIR, UH, PAIGE, JEALOUS AND MYSELF, UM, SORRY, WE MISSED YOU, MAN.
WASN'T AS MUCH FUN WITHOUT YOU AROUND MR. CHAIRMAN.
WELL, UH, I'LL WORK TO GET THERE NEXT TIME, BUT WE MAY DO, WE MAY DO, UH, THE COMMITTEE, UH, CONSIDERED, UH, EIGHT ACTION ITEMS. WE PASSED OUR MINUTES.
UH, TWO OF THOSE ITEMS YOU WILL FIND ON THE, THE, UH, FULL BOARD'S ACTION AGENDA TODAY.
AND FIVE CONSENT ITEMS MADE, MADE THE, UH, UH, BOARD'S CONSENT AGENDA.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HEARD, UH, AN UPDATE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND, UH, AN, UH, AN EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY UPDATE FOR THE MONTH.
[00:25:01]
AND, UH, THEN WE ADJOURNED OUR MEETING AT 1:48 PM SO IT WAS, UH, PRETTY QUICK.ANY QUESTIONS? YOU RECOVERED PRETTY WELL,
ANY, ANY ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL TURN TO OUR, UH, CHAIR OF FINANCE CHAIR, HARRIS.
UH, THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH AT 10:00 AM.
IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES, WE ALSO APPROVED RESOLUTION APPROVING CHANGES TO THE AUDIT CHARGER, AUDIT CHARTER, WHICH IS NOW ON OUR AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE HEARD AUDIT REPORTS ON THE CLS SYSTEM, WHICH MAINTAINS OUR RIGHT OF WAY PERMITS AND LICENSE REVENUES FOR OUR, UH, RAILWAY SYSTEM.
UH, AN UPDATE ON OUR QUADRENNIAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT TRACKER AND STATUS.
AND FOR THE, UH, FISCAL 25 INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN STATUS.
AND ALSO, UH, A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, MS. WALKER, UH, CONCERNING, UH, FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION.
UM, BOARD, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
UH, THEN, UH, IF YOU WOULD MOVE INTO OUR CAMPO UPDATE CHAIR.
THE, UH, CAMPO TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD MET ON FEBRUARY 10TH.
UH, IT WAS A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE AGENDA DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT MEET IN, IN JANUARY.
UH, IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES, UH, WE ALSO, UH, APPOINTED, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER QUADRI TO THE, UH, CAP METRO BOARD.
UH, WE ALSO HAD AN UPDATE FROM STAFF CONCERNING THE, UH, TWENTY TWENTY SIX, TWENTY TWENTY NINE PROJECT CALL UPDATES.
AND WHETHER OR NOT CERTAIN, UH, CALLS WERE GONNA GO, CERTAIN PROJECTS MAY GO FORWARD OR NOT, DEPENDING ON THE IMPACT TO THE CARBON REDUCTION PROGRAM AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS ALLOWED TO BE MODIFIED, UH, BASED ON THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE ORDER.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE ALSO HAD A, UH, UPDATE ON THE 2050 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND, UH, THE PUBLIC OUTREACH ON SANE, UH, OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AND ALSO AT THE REGIONAL CHAIR SAFETY ACTION PLAN, UH, WHICH WILL ALSO INVOLVE MEETINGS IN ALL SIX COUNTIES THAT MAKE UP THE, UH, UH, CAMPO, UH, CAMPO AREA.
AND FINALLY, UH, WE ALSO RECEIVED UPDATES ON THE FEDERAL PERFORMANCE MEASURE TARGETS, UH, FOR OUR, OUR AREA.
AND ALSO WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM THE TEXAS SMART TRACK INITIATIVE.
FROM THAT, THAT'LL CONCLUDE IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, WE WILL GO TO THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE, UH, WHICH I WILL GIVE.
UH, THE, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP BOARD MET ON JANUARY 29TH.
THERE WERE THREE ACTION ITEMS. UH, ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A TP TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT.
UH, ANOTHER ITEM AUTHORIZING CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS RELATED CONTRACTS.
AND FINALLY, AN ITEM AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF A TP CONTRACT REVENUE, UM, BONDS, WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED AND REQUIRED TO BE REAUTHORIZED ANNUALLY.
UH, THE BOARD ALSO, UH, DREW STRAWS FOR TERM LIMITS FOR THE BOARD AND REAPPOINTED BOARD MEMBER, UH, CASTRO, UH, DE BARRERA AS THE CHAIR.
SO THE NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE ON WEDNESDAY, UH, MARCH 12TH.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE A TP MEETING? DID I MISS ANYTHING? ALL RIGHT.
UH, THEN, UH, WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH OUR COMMITTEE UPDATES AND, UH, AND WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TO, UH, GO NOW TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[VII. Consent Items]
AND WE'RE POSTED FOR SIX ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.UH, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU WISH TO REMOVE TO, UH, FROM CONSENT TO DISCUSSION THROUGH OUR ACTION AGENDA? ANYONE LIKE TO TAKE ANYTHING OFF? I'LL ASK THIRD TIME JUST TO BE SURE.
ANYONE LIKE TO TAKE ANYTHING OFF? UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THEN, UH, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE OUR POSTED CONSENT AGENDA.
UH, IT'S, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY, UH, BY BOARD MEMBER VILLA AND SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER ALICE.
I WILL LOOK QUICKER TO MY RIGHT NEXT TIME.
UH, SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED WITH SIX ITEMS. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER
[00:30:01]
DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE ALL, UH, ALL THAT ARE IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.HEARING NONE, UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
SO THE CONSENT, I, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WE'LL TAKE UP A, TODAY'S ACTION ITEMS AND, AND WE'RE
[Items VIII.1. & VIII.2.]
POSTED FOR ACTION ON SIX ITEMS TODAY, UH, STARTING WITH THE ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS, UH, FOR CHAIR, VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY FOR 2025.ANYONE MAKE THAT MOTION? YES, MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ELECT THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD AS FOLLOWS, REAPPOINT CHAIR ILION APPOINT BOARD MEMBER ELLIS AS VICE CHAIR, BOARD MEMBER ROSS AS SECRETARY, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS AS CHAIR OF THE FINANCE, AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AS CHAIR OF THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
SO THIS WILL BE MY, MY FIRST QUEUE.
UH, UH, CHAIR, UM, UH, ON THIS ITEM, I THINK IT'S JUST DEALING WITH THE OFFICERS FOR THE BOARD.
SO JUST THE OFFICERS AND NOT THE COMMITTEES.
YOU COULD COMBINE THEM IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
UM, I THINK THE NEXT ITEM IS FOR THE CHAIRS OF THE COMMITTEES AND THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEES.
UH, SHALL UH, SHALL WE, UH, WORK THEM TOGETHER SINCE THAT IS THE FORM OF THE MOTION? YES.
IS THAT, THAT'S OKAY FOR THE MOTION? AND WHO'S THE SECOND ON THIS ONE? UH, OKAY.
UH, ZOE, YOU SECOND, IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU AS WELL? OKAY.
UH, HAVE, HAVE, HAVE WE MET THE REQUIREMENTS? OKAY.
UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, I, I'D LIKE TO MODIFY THAT MOTION.
IF I CAN'T AMEND IT, I GUESS I CAN LET, OKAY.
I, I'D LIKE TO PULL MY NAME OFF AND PUT, UH, PUT CHEETO VELA IN AS CHAIRMAN OF OPS IN MY PLACE.
UH, DO, DO YOU, DO YOU ACCEPT THE
I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, A BOARD MEMBER THREATENS, UH, UH, LEADERSHIP.
IT, CAN YOU SPEAK FAST ENOUGH?
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THE AMBUSH, I MEAN, UH, RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN ACCEPTED.
SO I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM FIRST.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE MOTION MAKER.
AND IF THE MOTION MAKER AND THE SECOND ARE ACCEPTABLE YES.
I'LL, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO VOTE ON IT SEPARATELY.
YOU'RE JUST MODIFYING THE MOTION THOUGH.
ALRIGHT, SO I'M REMEMBERING MY OLD ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, IT HAS BEEN MOVED PROPERLY SECONDED AND ADEQUATELY MODIFIED
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY DESIRE FOR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER VALA TO RUN? UH, OKAY.
HEARING FROM THE BUILDING,
ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
OKAY, SO THAT GETS US ONE AND TWO.
AND WE ARE NOW MOVING FOR, OR I GUESS ONE MODIF, ONE MODIFIED.
THERE IS NO TWO AT THIS POINT.
MR. CHAIR, I BELIEVE YOU STILL HAVE TO ASSIGN THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OKAY? YES, CORRECT.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A, OKAY.
THAT WON'T BE A DIFFICULT ONE.
I, I THINK, UH, UNLESS THERE'S ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MOVE, WE WILL MAINTAIN THE POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE HAD THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
SO I WILL PRESENT THE PREVIOUS SLATE, UH, TO, UH, TO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEES.
AND I GUESS WE SHOULD HA WE SHOULD, YES.
I JUST WANNA CONFIRM CHAIR SINCE I WASN'T HERE IN LAST, LAST YEAR.
UH, SINCE MAYOR, UH, WELL, NOT MAYOR PRO TEMPLE COUNCIL MEMBER POOL POOLS NO LONGER HERE.
UH, WILL, WHAT WOULD I JUST ROLL ONTO? THE FINANCE, AUDIT AND ADMIN COMMITTEE? UM, I THINK UNLESS THERE IS ANY, UNLESS THERE'S ANY CHALLENGE TO THAT, I THINK, UM, WE WILL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TO BE ON FINANCE.
SO, UH, ATTORNEY, SO I, I THINK THE ONLY ORDER BUSINESS LEFT IS JUST A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR THE SLATE OF MEMBERSHIP FOR, FOR THIS YEAR FOR THE COMMITTEES.
YOU'VE ALREADY SELECTED THE CHAIRS OF JUST THE BOARD MEMBER.
[00:35:01]
YOU HAVE IT ALL WRITTEN DOWN ALREADY? NO, BUT DO YOU WANT ME TO SAY EVERYONE'S NAME? UH, OKAY.YOU CAN, SO THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD MAKE THE MOTION COME FROM BOARD MEMBER BENGAL.
DID I UNDERSTAND IT WOULD COME FROM, UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON SECOND AND I'LL THEN I'LL SECOND.
WE JUST NEED TO, SOMEBODY JUST NEEDS TO SAY THE NAMES, SO, SO TO YES.
SO THE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, THE REMAINING MEMBERS ARE VICE CHAIR BENGAL AND, UH, BOARD MEMBER QUADRY.
THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE ARE BOARD MEMBERS ELLIS AND BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AND CHAIR TRIUM.
AND IS THAT ADEQUATE OR DO WE NEED AND, AND ROSS AND BOARD MEMBER ROSS ON FINANCE.
YOU WANNA GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN? OKAY.
STATE, STATE IT ONE MORE TIME FOR THE RACKET, PLEASE.
UH, WE'LL START WITH THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER ROSS, REMAINING VICE CHAIR, BENGAL, AND BOARD, BOARD MEMBER QUADRY FOR THE PLANNING OPERATION, I MEAN FOR THE FINANCE, UH, FOR THE OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE.
THE REMAINING MEMBERS ARE CHAIR PAVILION, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AND BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE ARE ALL IN FAVOR.
PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
SO WE WILL MOVE TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE,
[VIII.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a second amended and restated Interlocal Agreement (ILA) between CapMetro and the City of Austin for the expansion and electrification of the Bikeshare Program for an initial three-year term with operations and maintenance and capital contributions from the City in amounts not to exceed $750,000 and $3,600,000 respectively, and other contributions outlined in the ILA, with options to extend the ILA through FY2034.]
UH, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED, UH, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE EXPANSION AND ELECTRIFICATION OF THE BIKE SHARE PROGRAM FOR AN INITIAL THREE YEAR TERM, UH, WITH OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AND CAPITAL, CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE CITY IN, IN AMOUNTS NOT TO EXCEED $750,000 AND $3,600,000 RESPECTIVELY.AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS OUTLINED IN THE ILA WITH OPERATIONS TO EXTEND THE ILA THROUGH FY 2034.
AND, UH, MS. BARRA RAMIREZ, IF YOU WILL, WALK US THROUGH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR BILION AND VICE CHAIR ELLIS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
MY NAME IS NADIA BARRERA RAMIREZ AND I MANAGE CROSS-AGENCY PROGRAMS FOR TRANSIT AND MOBILITY HERE AT CAP METRO.
AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CAP METRO AND THE CITY.
AND MAINLY IT DOES TWO THINGS.
IT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE CITY WAS AWARDED A TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVE SET ASIDE OR TOSS A GRANT.
AND IT DEFINES THE CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION GIVING THIS GRANT.
IT ALSO DEFINES THE CITY'S OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
I DON'T, OH, DO I HAVE TO TURN SOMETHING? OH WAIT, THERE'S A WEIRD BATTERY THING.
SO BACK IN 2023, CAT METRO, ALONG WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY UNDERWENT A BIKE SHARE VISION.
AND FIRST, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ELEMENT OF THAT IS THAT BIKE SHARE WOULD BE A, A EXPANDED OPTION FOR ALL FOR MOBILITY.
SECOND, IT HELPS US DELIVER ON OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY.
AND LAST, IT WILL BE FULLY INTEGRATED WITH CAT METRO SERVICES TO HELP WITH THOSE FIRST AND LAST MILE CONNECTIONS.
SO WITH THIS VISION IN MIND, THE AGREEMENT DEFINES THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EACH OF THE PARTNERS.
SO ON THE LEFT IS CAP METRO AND WE ARE ENSURING THAT THE TASSA GRANT FUNDED ACTIVITIES MEET THE TERMS OF THE ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY SIGNED WITH TXDOT.
WE ARE CONDUCTING BRANDING, MARKETING, ADVERTISING.
WE ARE MANAGING THE BIKE SHARE OF VENDOR CONTRACT, AND WE ALSO ARE IN CHARGE OF OPERATION MAINTENANCE, CONSTRUCTION AND PLANNING.
ON THE CITY SIDE, THEY REIMBURSE CAP METRO FOR ALL THE TASA GRANT RELATED EXPENSES.
THEY OWN THE PROGRAM EQUIPMENT AND THEY ASSIST CAP METRO WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.
SO INSTALLATION OF BIKE SHARE.
AND THEY ALSO MAKE SURE THAT BIKE SHARE IS ACCESSIBLE DURING SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE SOUTH BY.
UM, SO BOTH PARTIES WILL WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE MONTHLY AND ANNUAL REPORTS THAT WILL INFORM OUR FUTURE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY LOOKING AT DATA LIKE RIDERSHIP, ET CETERA.
THE AGREEMENT OUTLINES THE MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION BY THE CITY AND CAP METRO FOR THE NEXT THREE FISCAL YEARS.
THE CITY'S CAP CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION COMES FROM THREE MAIN SOURCES.
IT COMES FROM THE TASSA GRANTS, IT COMES FROM THEIR LOCAL FUNDS, AND IT COMES FROM THE SALE OF CITY ASSETS, WHICH WE DID.
SO WE SOLD THE LEGACY BIKE SHARE, EQUIP, UH, BIKE SHARE EQUIPMENT, THE BCYCLE EQUIPMENT.
[00:40:01]
AND THEN CAT METRO ALSO INVESTED $4 MILLION LAST YEAR TO RENEW THAT EQUIPMENT.SO WE HAVE 73 NEW STATIONS DOWN.
UM, THE AGREEMENT INCORPORATES AND LEVERAGES STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP.
AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO THANK OUR STATE PARTNERS AT TXDOT FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FIRST AND LAST MILE INVESTMENT.
THIS INVESTMENT FROM OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS MAKES BIKE SHARE SUSTAINABLE FOR CAT METRO AND FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
NEXT, I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE CONTRIBUTIONS.
SO ON THE LEFT HERE WE SEE THIS KIND OF BUCKET OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES.
IT INCLUDES STAFF TIME OVERSIGHT, ET CETERA.
AND THEN TO PAY FOR THAT, WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES.
THE BIKE SHARE FAIR REVENUE, WHICH WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS YEAR.
WE'LL BE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE BIKESHARE ADVERTISING REVENUE AND WE HOPE TO GET AN RFP OUT FOR THAT THIS YEAR, VERY SOON.
AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT'S LEFT IS THE CITY AND CAP METRO PARTNERING TOGETHER TO MAKE UP THAT DEFICIT.
SO THIS AGREEMENT HAS A $250,000 A YEAR CAP ON THAT INVESTMENT.
SO WE HOPE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM WE WILL BE TRACKING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE SERVICE.
ONE OF THE ITEMS WE HAVE IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD A BIKE SHARE STATION THAT PLUGS INTO A METER, AND SO THE BIKES CAN BE CHARGED WHERE THEY ARE.
AND SO WE'LL BE TRACKING THOSE PLUGIN STATIONS VERSUS THE OTHER KIND AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD DATA ON WHERE WE'RE SPENDING AND HOW WE'RE SPENDING.
SO THAT IN THE FUTURE WE CAN, THAT WILL INFORM FUTURE AGREEMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
BOARD MEMBER ALICE, A QUICK QUESTION.
I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION LUCKILY A COUPLE OF TIMES.
CAN YOU REMIND ME, UM, IF THE CITY'S TAKEN ACTION THROUGH OUR AGENDAS YET, OR IF THAT IS A LONGSTANDING AGREEMENT THAT WE WILL TAKE ACTION AS THE MOMENTS COME ALONG? SO THIS ILA WAS APPROVED BY YOUR BOARD.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN, UM, BY YOUR COUNCIL.
YOU'VE APPROVED IT ALREADY AND IT WAS A 10 YEAR AGREEMENT.
SO THIS IS, WE HAVE IT, WE'VE EDITED TO BE A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT WITH SEVEN POTENTIAL RENEWALS.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I COULD CHECK THAT OFF MY LIST.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE.
BOARD, UM, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
LET ME LOOK TO MY RIGHT BOARD MEMBER OF ANGLE.
'CAUSE I, I GET CAUGHT ON MY LEFT SIDE SOMETIMES.
SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND, AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
UH, WE WILL MOVE TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR,
[VIII.4. Approval of a resolution approving changes to the Internal Audit Charter.]
APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING CHANGES TO THE INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER.AND, UH, I THINK, UH, TERRY FULMER IS REMOTE TODAY.
BOARD CHAIR, ILIAN, PRESIDENT WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, I'M HERE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE CHANGES TO MY CHARTER.
UH, BOTH THE INCIDENT INTERNAL AUDITORS AND THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE REQUIRED REQUIREMENTS OF MY DEPARTMENT AND THE RECORD KEEPING THAT MY DEPARTMENT MUST KEEP.
UM, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A FEW HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEWS OF IT, AND THEN I HAVE LIKE A PREPARED STATEMENT THAT I'LL GO THROUGH.
BUT, UM, OUR, MY CHARTER BASICALLY HAS GONE FROM THREE PAGES.
UM, WE, WE HAVE THE TWO SETS OF STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW.
MY DEPARTMENT IS AUDITED EVERY THREE YEARS BASED UPON THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE, GAO STANDARDS THAT WE FOLLOW, UH, UNDER THE INCIDENT INTERNAL AUDITORS, THE AUDIT'S ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE EVERY FIVE YEARS, BUT, UM, SO EVERY THREE YEARS, AND ACTUALLY THE AUDIT WILL OCCUR AT THE END OF MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
SO MY DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVELY PREPARING FOR THAT AUDIT.
THE THREE KIND OF KEY CHANGES THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO, TO HIGHLIGHT.
AND FIRST, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR HELP, AS WE PUT, AS WE PUT THIS TOGETHER AND MADE ALL THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER.
BUT, UH, THE, THEY'VE MOVED FROM A, A FRAMEWORK BASED APPROACH FOR AUDIT STANDARDS TO MORE OF A PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS BASED APPROACH.
AND, UM, SO THE OTHER THING IS, UM, THE, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE OFFICIAL RATING SYSTEM GOING FORWARD FOR ALL THE FINDINGS.
SO IF I ISSUE A REPORT IN AN AREA AND THERE'S FIVE FINDINGS, EACH FINDING HAS TO HAVE A RATING ASSIGNED TO IT.
SO I'VE BEEN TALKING TO DOTTIE ABOUT ADOPTING THE SAME, UH, APPROACH THAT THE TEXAS STATE AUDITORS USE.
SO THE TEXAS STATE AUDITOR HAS, UH, THEIR OWN RATING, DEFINITIONS AND SYSTEM, AND THEN IT'S GOT LOW, MEDIUM HIGH.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER CATEGORY ABOVE THAT CALLED PRIORITY.
SO, UM, AT MY NEXT ONE-ON-ONE WITH DOTTIE, I'M GONNA SHARE WITH HER THE ACTUAL DEFINITIONS THAT, UH, THE STATE AUDITOR'S OFFICE USES.
IF DOTTIE'S SATISFIED WITH THAT, AND WE RUN THAT THROUGH
[00:45:01]
THE, THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE IS THAT WE JUST ADOPT THE SAME RATING SYSTEM THAT THE STATE AUDITORS USES TO KEEP THINGS KIND OF SIMPLE AND CONSISTENT.AND THEN THE, THE THIRD, UH, KIND OF BIG CHANGE TO THE, THE CHARTER IS THAT, UM, IT REQUIRES THAT THE MANDATE FOR MY POSITION IS ACTUALLY LISTED WITHIN THE CHARTER.
SO I WORK WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
WE FOUND, UH, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE 4 51 0.4 58.
AND, UH, JUST TO READ KIND OF THE, THE KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT, WHICH IS NOW INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER, IT SAYS THE BOARD SHALL APPOINT A QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL TO PERFORM INTERNAL AUDITING SERVICES FOR A TERM OF FIVE YEARS.
THE BOARD MAY REMOVE THE AUDITOR ONLY ON THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OF VOTE OF AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AND THEN THE LAST STATEMENT OF THAT, UH, SECTION OF THE TEXAS STATE, UH, TRANSPORTATION CODE, IT SAYS THE AUDITOR SHOULD REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD.
SO I FEEL THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
IT'S SPECIFICALLY NOW STATED IN THE CHARTER.
UH, BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY KIND OF PROVISIONS.
I JUST HAVE LIKE A PREPARED STATEMENT SINCE THE, MY CHARTER HAS GONE FROM THREE PAGES TO EIGHT PAGES.
UH, I'VE GOT ONE PAGE THAT I'M GONNA READ TO YOU THAT'S GONNA KIND OF SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE KEY CHANGES.
SO, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 9TH, 2025 INSTITUTE OF INTERNAL AUDIT HAS MOVED FROM THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE FRAMEWORK TO THE 2024 GLOBAL INTERNAL AUDIT STANDARDS THAT ARE PRINCIPLES BASED WITH 15 PRINCIPLES AND 53 STANDARDS THAT ROLL UP IN TWO AND SUPPORT THE PRINCIPLES, THE NEW GLOBAL INTERNAL AUDIT STANDARDS SET FORTH PRINCIPLES, REQUIREMENTS, CONSIDERATIONS, AND EXAMPLES FOR THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE OF INTERNAL AUDITING.
GLOBALLY, THE 53 STANDARDS ARE ORGANIZED INTO FIVE DOMAINS AS FOLLOWS, DOMAIN ONE, PURPOSE AND INTERNAL AUDITING, WHICH INCLUDES THE MANDATE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, SECTION DOMAIN TWO IS ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM.
DOMAIN THREE IS GOVERNING THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
NUMBER FOUR IS MANAGING THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
FIVE IS PERFORMING INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES.
THE 53 STANDARDS USED THE WORD MUST IN THE REQUIREMENT SECTIONS, AND THE WORD SHOULD AND MAY TO SPECIFY COMMON AND PREFERRED PRACTICES AND THE CONSIDERATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
EACH STANDARD ENDS WITH AT LEAST EXAMPLES OF EVIDENCE TO DEMONSTRATE CONFORMANCE.
SO THIS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT THE RECORD KEEPING THAT MY DEPARTMENT KEEPS, UH, TO SHOW THAT THE WORK THAT WE'VE PERFORMED HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS.
IT GOES ON TO DEFINE THE TWO TYPES OF SERVICES OR ENGAGEMENTS THAT MY DEPARTMENT CAN PERFORM.
THERE'S ASSURANCE SERVICES AND THERE'S ADVISORY SERVICES.
IT SAYS THE PURPOSE ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE CONFIDENCE ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE, RISK AND MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL PROCESS TO THE ORGANIZATION STAKEHOLDERS, ESPECIALLY THE BOARD SENIOR MANAGEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ACTIVITY UNDER REVIEW.
AND THEN FOR ADVISORY SERVICES, IT DEFINES THE PURPOSE AS INTENDED TO PROVIDE ADVICE TO AN ORGANIZATION, STAKEHOLDERS WITHOUT PROVIDING ASSURANCE OR TAKING ON MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.
WE'LL TAKE RELATED TO THOSE DECISIONS.
SO THE, UH, IT GOES ON TO SAY THAT THERE'S, UM, THREE KEY AREAS.
SO THE INCIDENT, INTERNAL AUDITORS AND GOALS OF THE UPDATES WAS TO ELEVATE THE QUALITY OF INTERNAL AUDITING AND ENHANCE THE FUNCTION'S ROLE AND ESSENTIAL BUSINESS PARTNER TO THE BOARD AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT.
THE THREE KEY AREAS OF CHANGE ARE AS FOLLOWS, AREA ONE, GOVERNANCE MANDATE, BOARD SENIOR MANAGEMENT, AND CAE AGREE ON THE INTERNAL AUDIT MANDATE, WHICH IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS CROSS REFERENCE TO THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE.
AND TWO, THAT, UH, PROJECTS THE CHIEF AUDITOR WORKS ON THE BOARD AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT TO EDUCATE ON ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS AND THE IMPACT THE CHIEF AUDITOR MUST COORDINATE WITH THE OTHER INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND CONSIDER RELIANCE ON THEIR WORK WHEN CONDUCTING THEIR OWN.
AND THEN LASTLY, THE, THE CHIEF AUDITOR SHOULD SEEK APPROVAL FROM THE, UH, FROM THE BOARD AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET ANNUALLY TO SUPPORT THE, THE, THE FUNCTION AREA TWO IS STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE AND OBJECTIVES ALIGNMENT.
THIS GOES TO SAYS THE CHIEF AUDITOR MUST IMPLEMENT AN AUDIT FUNCTION STRATEGY TO SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION'S STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
SO THE ALIGNMENT OF MY ANNUAL PLAN WITH THE THE STRATEGY OF THE ORGANIZATION IS IMPORTANT.
THE STRATEGY MUST INCLUDE A VISION, STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND SUPPORT INITIATIVES WITH AN EXPLICIT FOCUS ON LONG RANGE, UH, THREE TO FIVE YEAR IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN MUST DEVELOP OBJECTIVES TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATE METHODOLOGY, INCORPORATE INPUT FROM THE BOARD AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT.
AND THEN LASTLY, FOR THE STRATEGY AND PERFORMANCE, THE CHIEF AUDITOR MUST REGULARLY REPORT TO THE BOARD ON THE IMPROVEMENT ACTIONS IN ADDITION TO ANY NONCONFORMANCE.
SO THAT'S THE SOME ANNUAL FOLLOW UP THAT WE AL ALREADY DO, WHICH IS IN MAY AND NOVEMBER.
THE LAST AREA THAT IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, WAS WITH KEY CHANGES, AUDIT ENGAGEMENT, FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS.
THERE MUST BE A PRIORIT, PRIORITIZATIONS AND RATING SYSTEM FOR ALL FINDINGS
[00:50:01]
REQUIRED FOR ALL ENGAGEMENTS BASED UPON, UH, DEVELOPED METHODOLOGY AND CRITERIA.AND IT, IT GOES ON TO SAY, ENGAGEMENT LEVEL CONCLUSIONS MUST BE INCLUDED FOR BOTH INSURANCE AND ADVISORY PROJECTS THAT ARE CONDUCTED.
THEN LASTLY, IT SAYS, THE CHIEF AUDITOR MUST COMMUNICATE THEMES IDENTIFIED TO THE BOARD AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT, WHICH SHOULD BE INCLUSIVE OF BOTH INTERNAL EXTERNAL SERVICE PROVIDERS.
SO IF I SEE ANY PATTERNS OF WEAKNESSES OR OPPORTUNITIES BY THE WORK THAT MY TEAM CONDUCTS, OR EVEN THAT'S BEING CONDUCTED BY EXTERNAL PARTIES, THAT IT'S INCUMBENT UPON ME TO MAKE SURE I'M SHARING THAT WITH THE BOARD AS WELL AS MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT.
SO THOSE ARE KIND OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER.
I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF ANY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, UH, WITH THE MOTION, UH, BOARD MEMBER ROSS WITH THE SECOND.
ITS 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.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
APPRECIATE THE, UH, WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WE WILL MOVE TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
[VIII.5. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with GALLS, LLC for uniform services, with a base term of one (1) year and four (4) option years, in a total amount not to exceed $5,749,160 of which $522,651 is contingency.]
I'LL READ IT INTO THE RECORD, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING, UH, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH GALL'S LLC FOR UNIFORM SERVICES WITH A BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR AND FOUR OPTION YEARS IN, IN A TOTAL TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,749,160, OF WHICH $522,651 IS CONTINGENCY.UH, MR. TURPEN, WOULD YOU PLEASE, UH, WALK US THROUGH? GOOD AFTERNOON.
CHAIRMAN TIAN AS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS, VICE CHAIR ELLIS, BOARD MEMBERS.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO WELCOME ZOE QUADRI TO THIS BODY.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU.
UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU, UH, CHAIRMAN TRILLIAN IN BRINGING OUR, UH, OUR ATTENTION TO, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE WITH, UH, THE GALLS, UH, UNIFORM PIECE.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS BRINGS US BACK IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR OPERATORS AS FAR AS HOW THEY'RE LOOKING OUT ON THE STREET AND, AND WITH THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND UNIFORM STANDARDS THAT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND CAP METRO ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO.
UM, IT IS FALLING IN ALIGNMENT WITH, UM, A, A COST VALUE FOR THE AGENCY.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, UM, THE, THE GALLS, UH, LOCATION IS ACTUALLY WHAT OUR OPERATORS ARE USED TO.
UM, WE'VE, GS HAS BEEN A PREVIOUS VENDOR IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THE, THE, THE, UH, KEY POINT WITH IT, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT MANAGEMENT PIECE IS WE HAVE DE DEDICATED OPERATIONS MANAGERS, REPORTS TO DISTRICT OPERATIONS MANAGERS, REGIONAL SALES.
SO EVERYTHING IS REALLY WHAT WE NEED.
UH, FOR THE OPERATOR PIECE ALSO, UM, WHAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTED IS JUST ALTERATIONS ARE IN-HOUSE, UH, FOR, FOR ANY TYPE OF, OF FIT FOR OUR, FOR OUR TEAM.
UM, AND THEN INVENTORY, WHICH IS REALLY KEY WAS FOR THIS CHANGE WAS YOU HAVE 85 MILL ON HAND AND DYNAMIC REAL-TIME INVENTORY LEVELS AND THEN ALSO INFORMATION TIMELINE.
UM, WELL, WHEN WE MET WITH THEM, UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR, UH, WITH REGARD TO OUR OPERATOR CONTINGENT, UM, EVERYTHING'S PRETTY MUCH ON SITE, UM, FOR THEM.
AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, UM, THROUGH THE FIRST, FIRST MONTH, SECOND MONTH.
AND THEN THE KEY POINT THAT I WOULD BRING TO YOU IS TEST AND EDIT WEBSITE IMPLEMENTATION IS, IS A, IS A, A GOOD PIECE OF, UH, INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
AS YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR OPERATORS, UM, WE PRETTY MUCH ARE A 24 HOUR OPERATION.
AND FOR THEM TO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY TO GAZE IS, UH, VITALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, IN THE RED YOU'LL SEE WHERE WE, UH, GAINED SOME, UH, FUNDING PRINCIPLES HERE.
IT WAS A 10% REDUCTION AS FROM OUR CURRENT VENDOR.
SO THAT ALSO ADDED IN THIS DECISION WHERE WE GET SOME COST SAVINGS, UM, UH, WITH THE RED NUMBERS THERE AS OPPOSED TO ALL YOUR UNIFORM ITEMS, UM, DESCRIBED TO THE LEFT.
UM, AND SO WE WERE, WE WERE, UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT FROM CALLS AND, AND GETTING THEM BACK IN ALIGNMENT.
[00:55:01]
MAKES, UH, FOR OUR BUDGETARY PURPOSES, IT FALLS IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR OUR UNIFORM APPEARANCE.SO LASTLY THERE, UH, GOALS AND CAPTAIN METRO, AS YOU SEE, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE, THE, THE, THE KEY POINTS FOR YOU STAFF, TAYLORS, SEAMSTRESS, AND TAYLORS.
AND THE KEY THING I THINK IS MOST IMPORTANT IS OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES ARE HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF THE CLOTHING.
UM, AND I KNOW OF A, A FINE DRESSED OPERATORS, A HAPPY OPERATOR, AND, UM, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, UH, REESTABLISHING THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I, I, I THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS NOT GONNA MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YOU GOT A LOT OF GALL
UH, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AND SECOND BOARD MEMBER ELLIS.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
WE HAVE, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX.
[VIII.6. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Vertosoft LLC. for Transit traveler tools, with a base term of one (1) year and three (3) option years, in a total amount of $2,224,025 of which $370,671 is contingency.]
THE RECORD.APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH, UH, VER ALOFT LLC FOR TRANSIT, UH, FOR TRANSIT TRAVELER TOOLS WITH A BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR AND THREE OPTION YEARS IN A TOTAL AMOUNT, UM, OF 2,224,000, $25 OF WHICH $370,671 IS CONTINGENCY.
MR. TANZER WILL WALK US THROUGH.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR DIAN, PRESIDENT OF WAINS, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS OR BOARD MEMBERS? UH, MY NAME'S JONATHAN TANZER.
I'M THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT FOR CAT METRO INFORMATION INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THIS ITEM IS FOR, UM, WHAT WE HAVE FOR THE CUSTOMERS AS KNOWN AS THE TRANSIT APP.
UM, SO SINCE WE LAUNCHED A BIKE SHARE BACK IN JULY OF 2024, WE ALSO HAD THE, UH, TRANSIT APP AS AN OFFERING FOR OUR RIDERS TO SEE WHERE THE, UH, LIKE ALL OF OUR CAT METRO SERVICES ARE, INCLUDING BIKE SHARE AND THEN BE ABLE TO, UM, UM, FOR BIKE SHARE, BE ABLE TO SIGN UP AND CHECK OUT BIKES ALL THROUGH THE TRANSIT APP.
UM, AND THEN SINCE THAT LAUNCH IN JULY, WE'VE ADDED THE ABILITY TO ALSO SEE PICKUP RIDES SO THEY CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, PLAN TRIPS THAT COMBINE OTHER CAB METRO SERVICES OR JUST USE PICKUP WITHIN THE ZONE, UH, AND THEN PRESS A BUTTON AND BE TAKEN TO THE PICKUP APP TO BOOK THE RIDE.
AND THEN, UM, UH, THEN FOR OUR REGULAR BUS AND RAIL SERVICE, UH, WE'RE ADDING A LINK TO OUR U MOBILITY APP, UH, FOR TICKETING SO THEY CAN, UH, BUY AND PAY FOR OTHER, UM, BUS AND RAIL SERVICES.
UM, SO THIS CONTRACT IS A, UH, FOUR YEAR CONTRACT FOR US TO BE FULLY, UM, ON BOARD WITH THE TRANSIT APP, UH, WITH THEIR OFFERINGS.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING A WEBSITE TRIP PLANNER, UM, THAT MARKETING WILL BE LAUNCHING ONCE.
UM, THAT'S, UH, BEEN READY, UH, FURTHER ON IN THE YEAR OR SO.
AND THEN, UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES ABILITY TO, UM, DETECT, UH, ONE OF BUSES ON DETOUR AND KIND OF HELPS US, UM, GET THAT INFORMATION FROM CUSTOMERS USING THE APP.
UM, SO WE, YOU KNOW, KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICE.
UM, AND THEN JUST KIND OF ONE OTHER PART FOR THIS TRANSIT APP OFFERING, UM, THAT WE HAD IS, UM, THEY, ALL THE WRITERS, THEY GET, UH, TRANSIT ROYAL, UH, SERVICE.
SO THEY'RE GETTING THE, UM, KIND OF THE PREMIUM OR ALL FEATURE, YOU KNOW, ALL FEATURES UNLOCKED WITHIN THE TRANSIT APP.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE FOR ANYONE USING THE APP WITHIN AUSTIN.
AND THEN, UH, WE ALSO GET A LOT OF, UH, FEEDBACK FROM THAT WITH, UM, THOSE SURVEYS AND QUESTIONS THAT THEY GET ASKED WHILE THEY'RE USING THE APP.
UM, AND SO BACK IN, UH, FEBRUARY 13TH AND 14TH FOR VALENTINE'S DAY, THERE WAS, UM, ABOUT 300 CUSTOMERS WHO DID GIVE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF, UM, VALENTINE TYPE RECOGNITION FOR THEIR OPERATORS, SOME LOVE, UH, FOR THEIR OPERATORS AND, UM, THE RIDES THEY GOT.
AND THEN WE HAD ALMOST, UM, ABOUT 500,000 QUESTIONS OR INPUT FROM OUR CUSTOMERS TOO.
UM, SO THIS IS JUST VERY VALUABLE WITH MATCHING ALL OF OUR SERVICES WITH THAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND BE ABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MEMBERS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER STRATTON? OKAY.
SO, UM, IF YOU CAN JUST BRIEFLY DESCRIBE, SO WHAT, WHAT IS VERTI SOFT EXACTLY? IS VERTI SOFT THE
[01:00:01]
PARENT COMPANY OF, OF TRANS IT? IT'S NOT SO, UM, THIS IS BEING ACQUIRED THROUGH A CO-OP.AND SO ESOF IS THE RESELLER, UM, PART OF OUR, UH, TIPS CO-OP, UH, FOR, UH, PURCHASING.
SO THEY'RE JUST THE MECHANISM FOR US TO GET TRANSIT APP SERVICES.
UM, THEY'RE AN ENTITY THAT RESELLS SOFTWARE LICENSES TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
AND SO THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
THEY CAN, CAN PAT SELL TO YOU SOFTWARE LICENSES FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFTWARE.
AND THIS IS JUST THE, THE, THE, UM, BEST MECHANISM FOR US TO ACCESS THESE LICENSES.
SO, SO UP TO NOW, HOW HAVE WE BEEN WHEN WE STARTED TRANSIT MM-HMM
THE TRANSIT APP THAT WAS IN THE, THAT WAS LIKE, LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS BACK IN THE, THE JULY BACK SUMMER, RIGHT? WERE WE DOING THAT ON AN, LIKE AN INTERIM TEST BASIS OR DID WE HAVE YEAH, SO WE WE'RE DOING A LIKE, JUST KIND A SIX MONTH TRIAL AGREEMENT TRIAL.
UM, THAT UNLOCKED ALL THE FEATURES THAT WE ARE USING TODAY.
AND THEN THIS IS JUST SETS US INTO ANNUAL AGREEMENT.
SO NOW THE TRIAL PERIOD'S UP TIME TO BUY THE PRODUCT FOR FULL.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, RIGHT? SO, UM, ONCE WE, ONCE WE DO THIS, THEN GOING FORWARD, UM, FROM WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING THEN, THINGS LIKE, UH, BUS, YOU KNOW, IF INEVITABLY DOES HAPPEN, IF THERE IS A DELAY, IF THERE IS A CHANGE, FOR EXAMPLE, SERVICE CHANGES LIKE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST OR, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WILL SHOW UP, BE ABLE TO SHOW UP PRETTY CLOSE.
I, I REALIZE REAL TIME CAN BE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT BUT PRETTY CLOSE TO REAL TIME RIDERS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE, OH, MY, MY BUS IS DELAYED, OR, OH, THERE IS THIS DETOUR GOING ON NOW BECAUSE OF, OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OR SOMETHING GOING ON, OR, OH, I, THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
BUS BREAKS DOWN OR THERE'S SOMETHING, SOMETHING UP WITH, WITH, UH, ON THE TRAIN TRACKS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENED.
THERE'S A, THERE, THERE WAS A, A, A VEHICLE STALLED ON THE TRAIN TRACKS OR SOMETHING.
THAT STUFF WILL, WILL COME THROUGH THAT.
THEY CAN, LIKE IF THEY, IF THEY'RE, IF THEY'RE GETTING OUR TEXT, OUR TEXT NOTIFICATIONS, WE CAN DIRECT THEM BACK TO TRANSIT THE WAY WE DO NOW WITH THE CAP METRO APP.
AND THEY'D BE ABLE TO JUST TO, YEAH, THAT'S IDEA.
SO YOU'LL START SEEING IT REFERENCE, YEAH.
THE CAP METRO APP OR TRANSIT APP REFERENCE TRANSIT APP INSTEAD OF CAP METRO APP.
AND THEN TRANSIT OST ALLOWS SUBSCRIBED TO ROUTES LIKE, UM, THE METRO ALERTS AND IT CAN ALSO, UM, AUTOMATE OR, YOU KNOW, GIVE THOSE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS TOO.
RIGHT NOW METRO ALERTS IS VERY PEOPLE DRIVEN TO SEND THOSE NOTIFICATIONS AND THIS HELPS AUTOMATE, UM, SOME OF THOSE NOTIFICATIONS GOING OUT.
AND FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS NOW FOR ONE APP, ONE APP TO RULE THEM ALL AFTER THAT.
BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR BIKE SHARE, FOR PICKUP, FOR BUS, FOR TRAIN, FOR EVERYTHING, ALL THROUGH THE ONE TRANSIT APP.
SO ALL THOSE, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY IN OUR ROADMAP, WE DO WANT, YOU KNOW, A WAY TO RECOGNIZE PARATRANSIT ACCESS.
METRO ACCESS THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S INFORMATION OR JUST LET 'EM KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN WITHIN THE ZONE AND THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME INFORMATION HOW TO USE THOSE SERVICES IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
UM, SO YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL CAB METRO SERVICES WITHIN THAT TRANSIT APP.
HAVING BEEN TO OTHERS CITIES TRAVELED THIS, THIS, UH, PAST FALL TO, TO ST.
LOUIS AND IT, I JUST, IT JUST SAID PULL UP, PULL UP TRANSIT, AND I PULLED UP THE TRANSIT APP AND IT WAS, IT WAS SEAMLESS.
IT WAS EASY TO FIND THE ROUTES, UM, AND, AND FIGURE OUT WHERE I, YOU KNOW, WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AND WHERE I NEEDED TO GO.
AND IT WAS, IT, IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL BOTH FOR TRAINS AND BUSES.
AND SO, YEAH, THI THIS IS, KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM, ALL OF Y'ALL.
AND, AND I THINK THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE GONNA BE REALLY IMPRESSED AND REALLY EXCITED WITH THIS, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY, THIS, THIS SOLVES THE ISSUE OF BEING ABLE TO GO TO USE THE, ALL OF OUR SERVICES WITH ONE APP NOW.
SO I'M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
IT DOES THAT AND THEN I, YEAH, THE IDEA IS IT GETS BETTER FROM HERE.
SO WE, YEAH, WE HAVE ALL THESE SERVICES AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE'RE, EVENTUALLY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE UMO WILL BE ABLE, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE WITH OUR BILLING SERVICES EVENT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS WITH THE BILLING SERVICES, THE UMO WILL, WILL BE DEFINITELY MORE FULLY INTEGRATED.
YOU ALMOST GOT YOURSELF ANOTHER QUESTION,
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION.
I THOUGHT THE QUESTIONER SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UH, IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
[01:05:01]
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
ALRIGHT, NOW THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S ACTION ITEMS, BUT WE DO HAVE A DISCUSSION ITEM AND
[IX.1. Austin Transit Partnership Update on Austin Light Rail Draft Environmental Impact Statement]
WE DO HAVE AN UPDATE FROM OUR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT TEAM.SO, UH, SHELL, WE START OFF WITH OUR DISCUSSION ITEM FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, UH, FROM JEN PI AND LINDSEY WOOD.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TIAN, VICE CHAIR ELLIS, UH, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS, ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, THANKS FOR HAVING US THIS AFTERNOON.
LINDSEY AND I ARE GOING TO TAG TEAM THE PRESENTATION.
WE ALSO HAVE YONDA SPAN FROM OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM IN THE ROOM.
UH, SO SINCE THE NEW YEAR STARTED, WE'VE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT TALKING ABOUT LIGHT RAIL, PROVIDING AN UPDATE, UH, BECAUSE A LOT OF WORK IS UNDERWAY, UM, ON THIS NEW TRANSPORTATION OPTION, UH, FOR AUSTIN.
UH, ONE THING WE ARE TALKING ABOUT QUITE A BIT IS THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE MOBILITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY, CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH JOBS AND DESTINATIONS, PROVIDING CONGESTION RELIEF.
UM, WITH THIS ELECTRICALLY POWERED NEW LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, UM, THIS SYSTEM WILL BE IN STREET.
SO IT WILL ALLOW US TO IMPROVE PEOPLE THROUGHPUT THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AS IT CONTINUES TO GROW WITHIN THE EXISTING PUBLIC SPACE THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UH, PROVIDE, UH, AN EXPANDED PART OF THE OVERALL TRANSIT NETWORK.
SO AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT ITSELF.
UH, PHASE ONE, STILL ABOUT 10 MILES.
UM, WE RECENTLY COMPLETED A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT, UH, THAT, UH, WAS UPLOADED ON OUR WEBSITE ON JANUARY 10TH.
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF A PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD ON THAT DRAFT, EIS AND THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
SO YOU MAY RECALL THAT IN FEBRUARY OF 2024, WE HOSTED A SET OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, UM, AND, UH, SPOKE TO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GROUPS DURING SCOPING, WHICH KICKED OFF, UH, THE PROCESS, UM, FOR DEVELOPING OUR DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, HEARD THEIR FEEDBACK AND THOUGHTS ON THE DESIGN.
UM, WE ALSO AT THAT TIME INTRODUCED A SET OF DESIGN OPTIONS, UH, PROPOSING TO STUDY THEM.
UM, SO NOW WE'RE COMING BACK AROUND WITH A DRAFT EIS WITH, UM, A FULL ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THOSE DESIGN OPTIONS.
UH, SO JUST SO YOU RECALL, UH, THERE WERE SIX OF THEM, FOUR RELATED TO STATIONS, PRETTY MUCH ADDING A DOWNTOWN AREA STATION IN THE VICINITY OF BALDRIDGE SQUARE.
UH, WE AFFIRMED, UH, A STATION LOCATION NEAR THE CONVENTION CENTER IN CESAR CHAVEZ.
UH, WE ALSO ARE PROPOSING TO OMIT THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS STATION.
UH, THAT WAS IN SOME PREVIOUS PROPOSALS.
AND WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATIONS ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.
UH, AND OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATION IS SHOWN HERE, INCLUDING STATIONS LOCATED AT GROVE AND MONTOPOLIS.
UM, IN ADDITION, UH, THERE WAS A DESIGN OPTION CONSIDERING, UM, AN EXTENDED BRIDGE WHERE WE HAVE A NEW BRIDGE THAT WOULD BE CROSSING LADY BIRD LAKE, UH, THAT WOULD RESULT IN AN ELEVATED STATION AT WATERFRONT.
UH, AND ALSO WE ARE PROPOSING TO ADVANCE A GREENWAY CONCEPT ALONG EAST RIVERSIDE.
UH, AND I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO LINDSAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECT ELEMENTS.
AND I'LL USE A, A SERIES OF ARTIST RENDERINGS THAT WERE CREATED TO ILLUSTRATE CONCEPTS FOR THE PROJECT.
AND THIS ONE HERE SHOWS THAT, UH, CENTER BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FACILITY THAT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY NEXT TO THE LIGHT RAIL ALIGNMENT, RATHER THAN BEING ALONG THE CURB.
AND EACH OF THESE RENDERINGS WAS INFORMED BY RESEARCH INTO SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS THAT TRANSIT USERS, UH, FELT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR EXPERIENCE IN USING THE SYSTEM.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN WAS SHADE, UH, AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, JUST MORE, UH, SAFER AND MORE COMFORTABLE PATHWAYS TO ACCESS THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AND THE STATIONS IN PARTICULAR.
AND SO THIS DESIGN OPTION HERE KIND OF COMBINES THOSE TWO CONCEPTS OF A SHADED PATHWAY AND ONE THAT IS LESS INTERRUPTED BY THE MANY DRIVEWAYS THAT ARE ALONGSIDE THE OUTER EDGES OF THE CORRIDOR.
UH, AND MOVING FURTHER ALONG THE ALIGNMENT HERE IS SHOWING AT PLEASANT VALLEY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN THERE, AND WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE HOW LIGHT RAIL REALLY IS JUST ONE ELEMENT OF THE OVERALL TRANSIT SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH, UH, MULTIPLE BUS ROUTES, INCLUDING THE METRO RAPID ROUTES HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE START OF THAT CONNECTION THERE AT THE PLEASANT VALLEY STATION.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO SEE THOSE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN
[01:10:01]
FACILITIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CORRIDOR, UH, APPROACHING TOWARD DOWNTOWN.AND HERE IS THE UT STATION AND THE SOUTH END OF LINE FOR PHASE ONE AT OLTORF ILLUSTRATING THE MANY KINDS OF ICONIC DESTINATIONS, INCLUDING OUR BELOVED GROCERY STORES THAT WILL BE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO.
AND I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT IN TIME.
IN THE PROCESS OF THE PROJECT, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL PROCESS TO PURSUE FUNDING PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE IN A PHASE CALLED PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, INCLUDING THIS PROCESS HERE OF SEEKING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ON THOSE EARLY DESIGNS AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
THE NEXT PHASE IS CALLED ENGINEERING FOLLOWED BY CONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT CAN'T BEGIN UNTIL WE'VE COMPLETED THIS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
AND SO WE WILL BE SPENDING, UH, THIS YEAR BEGINNING TO PROCURE THE PARTNERS WE WILL NEED OF OUR FINAL DESIGNER AND CONTRACTORS TO BE ABLE TO SEAMLESSLY MOVE INTO THAT NEXT PHASE SO THAT AS SOON AS WE'RE DONE WITH ENVIRONMENTAL, WE'RE MOVING STRAIGHT INTO FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION AND HAVE THOSE NEW PARTNERS ON BOARD.
UH, SO YOU MAY HEAR OF SOME UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES OF CONTRACTS AND THOSE SOLICITATIONS BEING STARTED HERE.
AND THAT'LL BRING US BACK TO THE PRESENT AND JEN CAN TALK THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS.
SO OUR DRAFT, UM, EIS IS AVAILABLE.
UM, OUR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CONCLUDES ON MARCH 11TH.
UM, AND SO THIS GRAPHIC IS INTENDED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE FULL SCOPE OF TOPICS THAT'S ADDRESSED IN THE DRAFT EIS.
IT INCLUDES THE NATURAL RESOURCES, LOOKING AT THE IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES, FOR EXAMPLE, OR OUR PARKS, UM, THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF LIGHT RAIL TO AUSTIN, BUT ALSO LOOKS AT NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, AND HISTORIC RESOURCES AND REALLY THE FULL SCOPE OF, OF CONSIDERATION.
SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO PROVIDE THEIR COMMENTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS TO DO IT.
UM, IF YOU MISSED AN OPEN HOUSE, UM, ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AND THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS YOU CAN SUBMIT COMMENTS.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, I MEAN, SO FAR IN ABOUT THE FIRST MONTH OF OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD, WE ACTUALLY HAD PERSONAL INTERACTIONS WITH OVER 2,500 PEOPLE.
SO THAT MEANS THEY CAME TO ONE OF OUR PUBLIC MEETINGS OR THEY CAME TO ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING OR OTHER ORGANIZATION MEETING WHERE WE, UH, GAVE A PRESENTATION SIMILAR TO THIS.
UH, WE ALSO DID, UM, UH, OUTREACH AT BUS STOPS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS PROCESS IS GOING ON AND HOW THEY COULD LEARN MORE.
SO ALL TOGETHER IT'S OVER 2,500 PEOPLE.
UH, SO THE COMMENTS ARE STILL ROLLING IN.
WE HAVE PROBABLY OVER 600 SUBMITTALS OF, OF COMMENTS AT THIS POINT, AND WE EXPECT TO RECEIVE MORE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
UM, SO THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, BUT OF COURSE, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I SEE ONE QUESTION BOARD MEMBER QUADRANT.
UM, ALSO JUST WANNA KIND OF HIGHLIGHT, I, I ENJOYED COMING TO UT THE OTHER DAY AND SEEING THEIR PRESENTATION AND, AND I KNOW THE STUDENTS WERE REALLY INTO IT, AND I TRIED THE, THE VR GLOSSES AND I WALKED INTO THE, THE TRAIN STATION, SO THAT PROBABLY WASN'T GREAT
UM, BUT MY, MY QUESTION WAS, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, UH, THE REDESIGN, UH, AS, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE LIGHT RAILS SITUATION GOING ON, UH, HOW WILL THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT WILL THE BUS NETWORK REDESIGN LOOK LIKE? LIKE HOW WILL THAT AFFECT BUS ROUTES AND ALL THAT? EITHER WAY?
AND WE ARE COORDINATING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THOSE BUS CONNECTIONS CAN OCCUR.
AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ITERATE WITH THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ON SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TIMELINES.
SO SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ADVANCE DESIGN A LITTLE BIT AND, AND THEN HAVE THE BUS PLANNING REACH ITS NEXT MILESTONE AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO BACK AND FORTH.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE, UH, FROM STAFF MIGHT WANT TO, AND SHARMILA, IF YOU WANNA MAYBE GIVE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL.
YEAH, I WAS, I WAS NUDGED TO DO SO.
HI, UM, I'M SHARMILA SHARMILA MU GM EVP PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AT CAP METRO.
UM, AND AS LINDSAY MENTIONED, WE ARE WORKING ON, UM, THERE TWO PIECE PROCESS FOR THIS.
THE TASK, ONE OF THE 2035 TRANSIT PLAN IS FOCUSING ON THE UNDERLYING BUS NETWORK, SPECIFICALLY HOW IT'S GOING TO REACT TO AND ADDRESS THE NEEDS FOR THE FE AS A FEEDER NETWORK TO THE LIGHT TRAIL.
AND ALSO AS PART OF THE 2035 TRANSIT PLAN, WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE BROADER MARKET ANALYSIS FACTORS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TRANSIT PLAN AS A STANDALONE LONG RANGE VISION, AND
[01:15:01]
THEN TRY TO BRING THOSE TWO TOGETHER.AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES DURING THE LIGHT TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS WHERE THE UNDERLYING BUS NETWORK WILL COME IN AS AN INPUT INTO THE NETWORK.
AND THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO FINE TUNE AND COME UP WITH A MORE SETTLED VERSION FOR THE FUTURE.
BOARD MEMBER VILLA, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, AND CHAR I DON'T, YOU MAY BE PART OF THIS ANSWER AS WELL.
UH, THE, AND, AND I WANT TO, THAT'S A CHALLENGE,
I THINK THEY'RE ALL GOOD, UH, CHANGES.
UH, THE EAST RIVERSIDE, UH, BIKING PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR IS, UH, EXCELLENT.
THE TRAFFIC HEIGHTS STATION, I THINK IT MAKES A, A LOT OF SENSE TO, TO, TO ELIMINATE THAT.
AND THEN ADDING THE ADDITIONAL STATION ON EAST RIVERSIDE WHERE THERE'S, AGAIN, HIGHER POPULATION AND, AND THE CITY OWNS A LOT OF PROPERTY THERE THAT WE WANT TO PUT EVEN MORE, UH, FOLKS ON.
UM, SO ALL THE CHANGES, UH, UH, ARE, ARE POSITIVE.
UM, THE ONE ISSUE THEN, AGAIN, SIMILAR QUESTION TO MOBILITY THAT KIND OF POPS UP AND THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC IS AROUND THE, UH, END OF LINE, UH, PARK AND RIDE, UH, STATIONS.
UM, AGAIN, THE GOAL WOULD BE WE DON'T WANT THESE TO BE THE END OF THE LINE.
YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO EXTEND IT, YOU KNOW, FARTHER EAST TO, TO THE AIRPORT AND FARTHER NORTH AND FARTHER SOUTH.
UH, AND I, I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT THE PARK AND RIDE.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S GONNA BE EXPENSIVE TO ACQUIRE LAND AND TO BUILD A, A A, A STRUCTURED PARKING IF, IF THAT'S A THE WAY WE NEED TO GO.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GET Y'ALL'S THOUGHTS, UH, ABOUT THE ISSUE AROUND THE PARK AND RIDE AND ANY SENSE OF, OF WHAT THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK HAS BEEN.
ALSO, UH, AND AGAIN, JUST TO, TO NOT MAKE IT ANY LONGER OF A QUESTION, BUT THE, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY, AS HE MAKES THE QUESTION, I KNOW RIGHT?
AND I, I JUST, MY, MY GUT REACTION WOULD BE THAT THEY MAY NOT BE HEAVILY USED.
AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, I DON'T WANNA SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON, ON, UH, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S NOT GONNA BE HEAVILY USED.
YOU ACTUALLY TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUTTA MY MOUTH.
'CAUSE I'M SITTING HERE GOING 38TH AND GUADALUPE FOR A PARKING RIDE.
THAT SEEMS A LITTLE, THAT, I MEAN, AND THAT LAND, THAT, THAT SEEMS A LITTLE ODD TO ME.
I, I MEAN, I CAN UNDERSTAND IF WE'RE UP AT, YOU KNOW, CRESTVIEW MAYBE, BUT 38TH IN GUADALUPE.
SO, UH, SO THAT WE DON'T PUT OUR STAFF, UH, OUT OVER THEIR SKIS IN PLACES WHERE POLICY HASN'T BEEN CONFIRMED YET.
UH, IT IS CLEAR, UH, THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE MANY MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WE SEE THE IMPACT, UH, BEING ON ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AS WE TALK ABOUT GUADALUPE AND AS WE TALK ABOUT LAVACCA, AS WE TALK ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE TO CHANGE ALONG THE WAY, UH, AS WE TALK ABOUT 38 AND A HALF, I MEAN, THE, THE QUESTION'S GOING GOING TO HAVE TO BE HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER? UH, WHAT DOES THE CITY OF AUSTIN OWN CLOSER? AND THAT COULD BE, UH, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, UH, BETWEEN NOW AND, AND SHOVELS IN THE GROUND, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND MAKE, AND, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONNECTED.
I HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIONS AND SOME ARE QUITE TROUBLING, AND I'VE SEEN OTHERS AND THEY'RE BRILLIANT.
SO IT'S GONNA BE IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE SIT DOWN PARTICULARLY AS POLICY BODIES AND MAKE SURE THAT WE LAY DOWN WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, THAT WE LAY DOWN WHAT OUR ASSETS ARE AND, AND, UH, AND WHAT PHASE WE THINK WE OUGHT TO BE OPERATING IN.
WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T PUT STAFF OVER WALKING THAT BOARD RIGHT NOW MM-HMM
BUT, UH, IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU WANT TO, HE'S GIVING YOU THE OUT THERE
I WAS SAY NOW'S THE TIME FOR FEEDBACK.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE PUT OUT THE DRAFT EIS AND THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO YOU KNOW, WHAT THE EIS REFLECTS IS OUR ANALYSIS TO DATE, RIGHT? BASED ON THE MODELING AND WHAT THE, UM, 'CAUSE FTA HAS PRESCRIBES THE MODELING THAT WE NEED TO USE.
THAT INCLUDES CONTEMPLATION OF PARKING.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OPEN TO THAT CONVERSATION OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE BUILDING FITS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CORRECTLY, BUT ALSO PROVIDES ALL THE MOBILITY NEEDS AND WHERE ALL THE DIFFERENT MODES COME TOGETHER.
OH, I REMEMBER THIS QUESTION HOPEFULLY IS MUCH
[01:20:01]
SHORTER.UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE NEXT PHASES.
LIKE CAN THE AIRPORT BE ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLY FOR FEDERAL GRANTS TO BE ABLE TO EXTEND THAT.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DYNAMIC BETWEEN THIS CURRENT PHASES FOOTPRINT AND THIS DEIS AND WHERE THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE? LIKE IF IT, IF IT CAN GO NORTH OF CRESTVIEW OR TO THE AIRPORT OR SOUTH PAST, UH, RF.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT LIKE WHEN AND WHERE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WOULD HAPPEN? UM, YES.
SO I KNOW AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PRIORITY EXTENSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED UP TO CRESTVIEW AND ALSO OUT TO THE AIRPORT.
UH, AND I WILL SAY THAT, UH, AS THE COMMENTS ARE ROLLING IN, PROBABLY THE HOTTEST TOPIC, MAYBE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS GETTING TO THE AIRPORT.
UM, SO WE, WE SEE THAT AND, UM, SO THE, THE, THE QUESTION THERE IS AVAILABILITY OF LOCAL FUNDING TO ACCELERATE IT.
AND WE'RE VERY ACTIVELY IN DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY AND OTHERS ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND TO BE IN THE BEST POSITION THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY BE TO, YOU KNOW, MOVE FORWARD, UM, AS SOON AS WE CAN DO SO.
UM, SO WE, I WOULD SAY THOSE CONVERSATIONS, YOU KNOW, ARE HAPPENING NOW.
IT'S NOT PART OF THIS DRAFT EIS UM, IT ONLY CONTEMPLATES THE 10 MILE FIRST PHASE.
UM, SO IF OTHER EXTENSIONS WERE TO ADVANCE, THERE WOULD BE A NEPA COMPONENT.
AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THAT COULD BE.
SO, AND I CAN ADD ON THE AIRPORT EXTENSION BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE NATURE OF, OF THE OPPORTUNITY THAT PRESENTS ITSELF TODAY WITH THE AIRPORT EXPANSION AND TXDOT MOVING TWO PROJECTS FORWARD, THAT, THAT TOUCH THAT PORTION OF THE EXTENSION ALONG 71 AS WELL AS 180 3.
UM, WE'RE ALSO ADVANCING THE EARLY PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FOR THAT PIECE SO THAT, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO QUICKLY PIVOT AND, AND ACCELERATE THAT WORK, BUT EVEN MORE SO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVISIONING FOR ALL THE NEEDS OF THAT PORTION AND THAT THOSE PROJECTS DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT US BEING CONSIDERED.
AT ONE POINT IN TIME, BACK WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT THE, THE, THE RE THE RETOOLING OF THIS, UM, DOWN THERE AT PLEASANT VALLEY, WE NOTED THAT THAT THAT IS A VERY BIG TRAN TRANSPORTATION HUB.
UM, BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THE, THE, THE NOW THE PLEASANT VALLEY VRT WE JUST LAUNCHED, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT ON THE CAP METRO SIDE, UM, CROSSING THE, THE LIGHT RAIL THERE, UM, COMING ACROSS ON, ON RIVERSIDE.
AND I REMEMBER LOOKING AT SOME RENDERINGS THEN AND POSSIBILITIES OF, OF WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE COULD BEST ENSURE THROUGHPUT OF THE, THE, UH, OF THE TRAIN WHILE NOT INTERRUPTING THE, THE THROUGHPUT ALSO OF, OF THE BRT OF THE BUS LINE AND THEN THE POSSIBLE TRAFFIC AROUND IT.
UM, AS I'M LOOKING AT THIS RENDERING, UH, UM, THAT Y'ALL PROVIDED, FIRST OF ALL, I, I WILL JUST SAY, UH, I'M VERY EXCITED WITH WHAT Y'ALL ARE, ARE CONSIDERING HERE AND LOOKING AT WITH THE, UM, UH, THE, THE PEDESTRIAN AND, AND BIKE PATH AND STILL BEING ABLE TO INCORPORATE THE, UH, THE, THE CAR TRAFFIC, VEHICLE TRAFFIC AS WELL ON RIVERSIDE.
BUT I AM CURIOUS, UH, 'CAUSE AS I'M LOOKING THERE IN THE BOTTOM, KIND OF THE, THE BOTTOM SIDE SECTION OF THE SLIDE THERE THAT I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT LOOKS LIKE DOWN THERE, THAT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, I REALIZE THIS IS AN ARTIST, ARTIST RENDERING, BUT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, UM, PLEASANT VALLEY INTERSECTING WITH THE LINE AT RIVERSIDE, CORRECT? YES.
SO ARE WE STILL KIND OF STILL LOOKING AT SORT OF POSSIBILITIES OF, OF WHAT THOSE INTERSECTIONS WE'RE NOT REALLY THERE YET AS TO WHAT THOSE INTER INTERSECTIONS LIKE THIS MM-HMM
ARE GONNA REALLY LOOK LIKE YET? BECAUSE LOOKING AT THIS, IT, IT, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S STILL PRETTY, I, I HATE, I MEAN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, IT'S PLAIN, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S REALLY KIND OF BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH YET AS TO FROM THIS RENDERING, HOW, HOW WE'RE GONNA MAXIMIZE THE, THE, THE TRAIN THROUGHPUT WITH THE, WITH THE BUS THROUGHPUT COMING ACROSS AT THAT BUSY, BUSY INTERSECTION.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HOW TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE, UM, UH, THE, UH, MAKING IT A, I, BECAUSE I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT KIND OF ENVISIONING IT AS A TRANSFER STATION, UH, THAT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD SOMEONE TELL US THE RENDERINGS OR PLANE.
I USUALLY GET THE OPPOSITE
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, YES, THERE ARE, UM, DESIGN DETAILS IN TERMS OF HOW YOU MAKE THE CONNECTIONS FOR THE, THE BUS TO RAIL CONNECTION, INCLUDING WHERE BUS BAYS, UM, MAY BE LOCATED TO ALLOW THE STAGING OF MULTIPLE BUS ROUTES MM-HMM
AND THOSE WILL BE ADV ADVANCE ACTUALLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING ADVANCED AS WE SPEAK.
AS WE PROGRESS THE DESIGN FROM HERE, THIS IS BASED ON, UH, SO BASICALLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS REQUIRES US TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT IN TIME OF DESIGN AND DO ALL OF THE ANALYSIS BASED ON THAT SNAPSHOT IN TIME.
BUT REALLY WE'RE ALWAYS MOVING IT FORWARD AND THAT IS ONE OF MANY TOPICS THAT WE'RE PROGRESSING, UM, RIGHT NOW.
[01:25:01]
WELL, I, I JUST WANNA SAY I DO DO THANK YOU FOR THE ANSWER AND I DO APPRECIATE BECAUSE I, WE'VE COME A LONG WAY JUST SINCE 2020 OR PRE 2020 WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT RENDERINGS AND THOUGHT THE, THE, I'LL JUST SAY THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE WAY THAT THESE THINGS LOOK NOW, IT REALLY PUTS YOU RIGHT, RIGHT THERE AS TO WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE.AND, UM, VERY IMPRESSED WITH, WITH HOW FAR Y'ALL HAVE COME AND HOW RESPONSIVE A TP HAS BEEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND CAP METRO'S CONCERNS FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS A CAP METRO BOARD MEMBER AS WE'RE LOOKING INTO THIS AND TRYING TO PIVOT WITH THE DYNAMICS OF THE REALITY OF OUR SITUATION, BUT STILL WANTING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF WHAT TWO OVER TWO THIRDS OF OUR COMMUNITY SAID THAT THEY WANTED AND, AND MAKING THIS REALITY.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR GETTING US THERE AND THEN FOR COMING TODAY AND, AND GIVING US THIS UPDATE.
ALRIGHT, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS, ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE, UH, THE INFORMATION YOU'VE PROVIDED.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE JUST ONE ITEM LEFT,
[X.1. President and CEO Monthly Update - February 2025]
WHICH IS THE MONTHLY REPORT FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO.ALRIGHT, SO, UM, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO.
UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE ARE VERY, VERY EXCITED TODAY TO BE OPERATING IN REAL LIFE SERVICE.
UM, IN FACT, WE STARTED YESTERDAY OUR TWO BRAND NEW RAPID ROUTES, 800 PLEASANT VALLEY AND 8 37 EXPO CENTER.
UM, ON A VERY, VERY CHILLY MORNING LAST WEEK, UM, WE GATHERED TO, UM, JUST CELEBRATE THIS LAUNCH AND REALLY THE, UM, THE MEANING AND THE BENEFIT OF THIS INVESTMENT THAT, UM, PROJECT CONNECT HAS HELPED US ALL MAKE IN, UM, THE EAST AUSTIN COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO VERY MANY THANK YOUS TO, UM, CHAIR ILIAN WHO'S BEEN, UM, NOT ONLY A LIFELONG FIGHTER FOR ALL THINGS, UM, NEEDED FOR THE EASTERN CRESCENT, BUT HUGE SUPPORTER OF OURS IN HELPING US MOVE THIS FORWARD AND FOR COMING OUT WHEN IT WAS WAY COLDER THAN ANY HUMAN BEING SHOULD BE OUTDOORS.
I'M, I'M A TEXAS GIRL, SO, UM, THAT 25 DEGREES AND SUNNY WAS STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME.
UM, BUT WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS INITIAL SERVICE LAUNCHING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO MORE AND MORE OF THAT.
SO THANKS, UM, TO OUR MANY STAKEHOLDERS, UM, INCLUDING, UM, BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF FROM THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UM, WHO CAME OUT TO HELP US, UM, CELEBRATE THIS INITIAL SERVICE LAST WEEK.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, UM, PERHAPS OUR MOST IMPORTANT CONSTITUENCY RECENTLY COMPLETED AROUND A FRONTLINE TOWN HALLS.
UM, EVERY QUARTER WE GO TO ALL OF OUR OPERATING FACILITIES AND JUST DO AN OPEN HOUSE STYLE TOWN HALL.
UM, HERE ARE PHOTOS FROM OUR NORTH OPS TOWN HALL LAST WEEK, BUT WE, UM, DID THIS SAME ROAD SHOW AT ALL FOUR OF OUR FRONTLINE OPERATING LOCATIONS.
UM, SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UM, WITH OUR BUS FOLKS, LETTING THEM PLAY WITH THE, UM, I CALL IT THE HICKEY.
I ALWAYS HAVE TO STOP AND THINK WHAT IT'S CALLED WITH THE ONBOARD VALIDATOR FOR OUR NEW FAIR COLLECTION SYSTEM.
WE HAVE THOSE NOW SET UP IN BOTH OF THE BREAK ROOMS SO THAT THEY COULD FIDDLE WITH IT THEMSELVES AND SAY, WELL, HERE'S A GOOD PASS, HERE'S A BAD PASS.
HOW DOES IT LOOK? HOW DOES IT SOUND, UM, IN ALL OF THAT.
SO ALL IN ALL, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US JUST TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HELP US PUT SERVICE ON THE STREET EVERY DAY.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST MONTH, WE HAVE, UM, SEEN A LOT OF MEDIA INTEREST AROUND OUR NEW FAIR TECHNOLOGY, UM, AND ALSO AROUND THE INITIAL LAUNCH OF OUR NEW RAPID LINES.
UM, MUCH OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR NEW RAPID LINES AS WE'VE TALKED AT THIS BOARD BEFORE, IS AROUND THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT THE FULL SERVICE THAT WE INTEND TO PUT OUT.
THAT AS WE GET THE ADDITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE BUILT TO SUPPORT OUR BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS FLEET AT THE END OF THE LINE, WE WILL GO FROM 20 MINUTE FREQUENCIES TO 10 MINUTE FREQUENCIES.
BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK ALL OF OUR COVERAGE HAS DONE IS REALLY EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS, UM, TO US AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE GET GOOD SERVICE OUT THERE, EVEN IF IT'S NOT PERFECT SERVICE.
AND SO RECOGNIZING THAT 10 MINUTE SERVICE IS OUR GOAL, UM, GETTING SERVICE OUT THAT OPERATES EVERY 20 MINUTES IS STILL GOOD BUS SERVICE AND IT STILL IS GONNA HELP PEOPLE GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME FANTASTIC QUOTES OUT TALKING ABOUT OUR NEW FAIR PAYMENT SYSTEMS. UM, THEY ARE, UM, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM OUR OWN ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIR, THEY'RE MUCH MORE INTUITIVE AND EASIER TO USE SYSTEMS. UM, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE THIS CHANGE.
CHANGE IS NOT EASY FOR HUMAN BEINGS.
AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE ASKING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY BEHAVE, BUT THE SYSTEMS WE'RE ASKING THEM TO USE, WE'RE PROVIDING MUCH BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
AND SO, UM, AS PAINFUL AS CHANGE IS AND AS SHEPHERDING, UM, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DISPARATE HUMANS
[01:30:01]
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CHANGE HAS BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE FOR OUR STAFF, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, OUR ABILITY TO IMPACT THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THERE.SPEAKING OF OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, JUST A FEW STATS FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF JANUARY PARTICULARLY, WE DID HAVE CALL VOLUME UP ABOUT 11%.
UM, WE SAW A LOT OF CALLS ABOUT THE COLD WEATHER OBVIOUSLY.
AND THEN AS YOU'LL RECALL, UM, WE HAD A DELAYED START DURING, UM, JANUARY WHEN, UM, THE ROADS WERE ICY IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
UM, AND WE, UH, SCHOOLS WERE CANCELED AND ALONG WITH MANY OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS, WE DELAYED OUR OPENINGS.
AND SO, UM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS BRING MORE CALLS TO OUR CUSTOMER CALL CENTER, BUT, UM, NOT SURPRISINGLY SO.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF PLACES I HAVE BEEN, UM, LATE LAST MONTH.
IN FACT, AT THE VERY END OF JANUARY, UM, THE PICTURE THERE ON THE LEFT AND AT THE TOP, I WAS THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO JOIN OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN CELEBRATING THE BERGSTROM SPUR PROJECT.
UM, SO THE BERGSTROM SPUR IS AN OLD ABANDONED RAILROAD SPUR THAT CONNECTS WHAT'S CURRENTLY THE UP LINE.
THE LINE THAT GOES THROUGH SOUTH AUSTIN, UM, USED TO CONNECT IT OUT TO THE BERKSHIRE AIR FORCE BASE BACK WHEN THAT WAS AN AIR FORCE BASE, AND IT WAS HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO GET SUPPLIES TO THE AIR FORCE BASE VIA RAIL, UM, THAT HAS BEEN EXEMPT AND UNUTILIZED TRACK.
IT'S NOT EVEN TRACK IN ALL THE PLACES FOR QUITE A, A LONG TIME.
UM, AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON, ON BEING ABLE TO TURN THAT INTO A BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN PATH.
AND SO, UM, THE INITIAL PARTS OF THAT PROJECT HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONSTRUCTED.
THIS NEW CENTRAL SEGMENT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW, AND I KNOW THE CITY IS LOOKING TO, IS PURSUING ADDITIONAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES TO GET IT ALL THE WAY EVENTUALLY OUT TO JUST SHY OF THE AIRPORT.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE ARE VERY THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT THERE AND CELEBRATE THESE TRAIL PROJECTS.
UM, RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMBINING ALL OF OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK TOGETHER.
UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE ROADS AND THAT WE HAVE SIDEWALKS AND THAT WE HAVE BIKE TRAILS AND THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THE PIECES THAT MAKE A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK WORK WELL TOGETHER.
UM, AND SO WE WERE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN THERE ALSO ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT, UM, EARLIER THIS MONTH I SPOKE AT THE MOVEABILITY BREAKFAST.
UM, MANY THANKS TO, UH, BOARD CHAIR, ILION AND BOARD MEMBER VELA FOR JOINING US AT THAT EVENT.
UM, IT MOVABILITY IS THE TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION FOR OUR REGION.
AND THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB OF HELPING PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN BEST MOVE AROUND OUR COMMUNITY AND NOT NECESSARILY ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT IN A SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLE.
UM, THEY, UM, PROVIDED A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY RALLY TOGETHER AND REMEMBER ALL OF THE, THE GREAT WORK THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, NOT JUST HERE AT CAT METRO, BUT THROUGHOUT THE REGION, UM, TO HELP MAKE MOVING AROUND EASIER FOR FOLKS.
SO MANY THANKS TO LONNIE STERN AND THE FOLKS AT MOVEABILITY FOR, UM, INVITING US OUT.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
ALRIGHT, WELL I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEM THAT WE HAVE MISSED OR THAT WE NEED TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS BEFORE WE GET OUTTA HERE? ALRIGHT, WELL, UM, UM, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS AND WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 1 37.