* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. OKAY. [00:00:02] EVERYBODY'S PHONE OFF. I HEAR EVERYBODY. HE'S NOT. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO AND [I. Call to Order] CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, UH, FOR THE NOVEMBER MEETING OF THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER TODAY ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH, AND THE TIME IS 12:00 PM ALL RIGHT. UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE [II. Safety Briefing] GONNA HAVE OUR SAFETY BRIEFING FOR OUR FIRST EVENT. UH, MR. TABBAN, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH? I CAN DO THAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, SIR. AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS GARDNER TABBAN. I SERVE AS CAPITAL METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SYSTEM-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU YOUR BRIEFING. AND SO, UH, AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, YOU'RE LOCATED AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET. THIS IS THE ROSA PARKS, UH, BOARDROOM. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, I WILL CALL 9 1 1 OR OUR STAFF, WE HAVE POLICE OFFICER IN THE LOBBY. ALSO HAVE, UH, SECURITY AS WELL A RALLYING POINT. SHOULD WE NEED TO EVACUATE THIS FACILITY FOR ANY REASON, PLEASE USE THE WALKWAY, FOLLOW IT ALL THE WAY DOWN, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT GREEN SIGN THAT'S IN THE SLIDE RIGHT THERE THAT SAYS EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINT. UH, IF YOU HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND WE ARE ASKED TO EXIT THAT DOOR RIGHT THERE, JUST PLEASE WAIT ON THE PLATFORM OR THE TOP STEP AND SOMEONE WILL ASSIST YOU DOWN. SHOULD WE HAVE A NEED FOR AN A ED? THERE IS ONE LOCATED RIGHT BY THE ELEVATOR ON THIS FLOOR, ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF IT. ALSO, THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING ON THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT'S LOCATED IN THIS ROOM, MY COLLEAGUE HAS JUST POINTED IT OUT, . AND THAT CONCLUDES THANK YOU COLLEAGUE. UH, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE BRIEFING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW EVERYBODY DID SEE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. ALL RIGHT. JUST, JUST, JUST MAKING SURE. ALL RIGHT. JUST MAKING SURE. ALRIGHT. UH, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE BRIEFING. UH, WE ARE GONNA HAVE, WE'RE [III. Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)] GONNA GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT AND EACH SPEAKER'S GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES, UNLESS THEY'RE SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR, UH, THEY HAVE A ANOTHER PERSON HERE OVER THE, WITH THE ORGANIZATION THAT THEY'RE REPRESENTING. SO, AND IF, AND IF THEY HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR SPEAKING AS A PART OF A GROUP WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM, THAT PERSON WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. SO, UH, TO KICK IT OFF, UH, WE'RE GONNA START WITH, UH, DEB MILLER. MS. MILLER, DO YOU WANT THE, UH, OKAY. THANK YOU. AND SHE'S GONNA HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS, SO, UH, SHE'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. GOOD MORNING. I'M DEB MILLER. I LOVE IT WHEN I GET A CHANCE TO SHOW, BUT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS SAYING THAT SOME OF US HAVE DIFFERENT ABILITIES. OKAY, SO, UM, I'M TALKING ON SOME DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS. UM, I WANNA JUMP TO CONSENT ITEMS FIRST. NUMBER TWO, UM, THE RESOLUTION OF, UH, THE FLEET MANAGEMENT TO LEASE THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE AN ALTERNATE OPTION FOR YOU ALL I KNOW IN HOUSTON, THEY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THIS. AND, UH, H TOWN, UH, ADVOCATED FOR A SOLUTION, BUT WE WOULD NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM HERE. THE UBER WAVES THAT RESPOND COME FROM MEDICAL, UH, COME FROM LONE STAR MEDICAL TRANSPORT. THEY ARE ALL TRAINED. THEY DO THIS AS A SIDE JOB AT NIGHT. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THIS TO HELP GET INCOME. THEY'RE ALSO NATIONWIDE. I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO LEASE IF YOU, IT'S LIKE LEASING THE VEHICLE AND THE LABOR. SO, UH, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT INSURANCE AND EVERYTHING WILL BE INCLUDED IN THAT. UM, THE SECOND ONE IS NUMBER OH, NUMBER THREE, UM, THE, UH, SOFTWARE. SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW IS ON OUR METRO ACCESS APP. IF THE WEATHER IS GOOD, IT NEEDS TO GIVE US PROVISIONAL RIDER, RIGHT? THEN, HEY, IT'S GONNA BE FOUR AND A HALF HOURS DOWNTOWN, BUT THE FIXED ROUTE'S TWO HOURS. AND I THINK MORE PEOPLE WOULD MAKE THAT CHOICE. RIGHT NOW, I SAY THIS 'CAUSE IT TOOK ME FOUR AND A HALF HOURS TO GET FROM THE SHACK TO MY HOUSE LAST WEEK, UM, WHICH IS ODD AND UNUSUAL, BUT IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE 'CAUSE WE'VE [00:05:01] INCREASED RIDERSHIP. AGAIN, I WANT YOU GUYS TO UNDERSTAND THAT COME NEXT YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE CRAZY WITH VOLUNTEER STUDY WORK AND WE HAVE NOT PREPARED FOR IT ENOUGH. UM, EACH ONE OF THOSE RIDERS IS, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IS $105,000 A YEAR PER PERSON FOR THE EXTRA TIME TO COVER US TO WORK. WE HAVE GOT TO INVEST IN TRAINING PEOPLE TO USE THEIR CHAIRS AND MOBILITY DEVICES AS THEIR TRANSPORTATION IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALSO TO RIDE THE FIX ROUTE RIGHT NOW. OKAY? I WENT TO ELIGIBILITY LAST WEEK AND I WAS SO UPSET. THE PERSON THAT WALKS US AROUND TO SEE IF WE'RE SAFE DOESN'T EVEN LOOK IN THE ALLEYS WHERE SHE WALKS ACROSS THEM. WE HAVE GOT TO TEACH, MOST OF US HAVE NEVER RIDDEN A BICYCLE. WE NEED BASIC TRAFFIC UNDERSTANDING IF WE'RE GONNA BE PROVISIONAL RIDERS, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE CARS ARE COMING FROM TO GET OUT IN THE STREET. WE GOTTA MAKE THAT CHANGE. UM, I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH, UM, THE NEW TRAINERS WHO WERE TRAINING TRAINEES. UH, WEEK COULD AGO FRIDAY. THE, THERE WERE TWO WOMEN TRAINERS THAT PICKED ME UP. NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT EXHIBIT KIND CUSTOMER SERVICE TO THE CLIENTS, BUT WHILE WE WERE DRIVING, THEY DECIDED TO SEXUALLY HARASS THAT DRIVER. THESE TWO WOMEN ASKED THE MAN HIS ZODIAC SIGN, THEY ASKED HIM ALL KINDS OF INAPPROPRIATE QUESTIONS FOR A SUPERVISOR WHILE THE MAN WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD NOT TELL HIM WHERE TO TURN. HE'S READY TO STOP AND BACK UP ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE THEY'RE MICROMANAGING HIM TO THE POINT THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO GO ANYWHERE. AND THEY'RE ASKING ALL THESE EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS. THIS HAS GOT TO STOP. THE NEW TRAINERS ARE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED TO TRAIN ANYONE, UM, RIGHT NOW AND MY POWER CHAIR, ALL RIGHT? THE, THESE TRAIN NEW TRAINEES THINK THEY'RE GONNA ROCK MY CHAIR FOR ME, IT WEIGHS 500 POUNDS. WHEN I DON'T TOUCH, TOUCH THE JOYSTICK. IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE UNLESS WE HIT A BUMP OR HIT IT. AND THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER QUESTION. I, THIS INFORMATION HAS NOT GONE FROM ME TO ELIGIBILITY. AND I GOT TO TALK TO ELIGIBILITY. I WAS THERE. WE HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT HAVE THESE SUITCASE PIECES OF CRAP THAT LOOK LIKE A LAWN CHAIR, THAT THE BACK GOES LIKE THIS. THE DRIVER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE GUILT OF SOMEONE DRIVING BECAUSE THEY HIT A BUMP. AND PEOPLE ARE IN UNSAFE DEVICES. WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE ELIGIBILITY. WE CAN'T SAY THEY CAN'T TAKE THEM, BUT WE CAN SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY BY YOURSELF TO TRANSFER WITHOUT THE DRIVER HELPING BECAUSE THAT IS REQUIRED. THE DRIVER'S NOT SUPPOSED TO CARRY YOU TO A SEAT. WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE THIS DISTINCTION RIGHT NOW WHILE WE CAN. IT'S GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. UM, LET'S SEE. THE OTHER THING IS THE PEDESTRIAN MAP. IF OUR CITY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH, WE NOW HAVE SIDEWALKS DOWN THE FREEWAY, RIGHT? I GOT PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE 'CAUSE THEY SAID YOU COULDN'T DO THAT. NOW WE GOT A LANE TO DO IT, BUT OUR MAPPING SYSTEM RIGHT NOW FOR PEDESTRIANS IS NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. IT WANTS ME TO GO ON THE SIDE OF A HILL. IT WANTS ME TO CLIMB OVER ROCKS THAT WHEELCHAIRS CAN'T DO. AND THIS COULD BE VERY SIMPLE. ALSO, WHEN I'M SUPPOSED TO GO TO A BUILDING, IT MAKES ME GO ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK WHEN I COULD JUST GO THROUGH THE PARKING LOT IN A WHEELCHAIR OR A PEDESTRIAN. SO IT NEEDS UPDATING IF WE WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO USE THAT SYSTEM. UM, LET'S SEE, WHAT ELSE DID I MISS REAL QUICK? UM, THE ONE OTHER THING IS, UH, I, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SERVICE. I WAS REALLY PLEASED ABOUT YOUR, UM, INCREASE. I WAS GONNA SAY, IF IT'S NOT AT LEAST $4 AND AN HOUR, LIKE ALL THE EMPLOYEES GOT, IT'S NOT ENOUGH. AND THEN I LEARNED THIS MORNING THAT YOU'RE GETTING READY TO CUT THEIR PAY $5 AN HOUR. THIS IS WHAT THE UNION'S FIGHTING OVER, WHICH IS $1 AN HOUR LESS THAN BEFORE THAT WE TRIED TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP. THIS CAN'T HAPPEN. I HAVE DRIVERS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE DRIVING OTHER JOBS IN THEIR HOURS. I HAVE ONE THAT PICKED ME UP THAT HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD OVER 24 HOURS AND THIS IS, IT'S NOT SAFE. AND IT'S AGAINST YOUR POLICY TOO. SO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO COME AND PRESENT TO THE BOARD. UM, LET'S SEE. THE NEXT PUB, NEXT PUBLIC COMMENTER IS JOSEPH. MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOT SEEN MS. JOSEPH OR OUR FOLLOWING SPEAKER. UH, MS. TAYLOR, NEITHER OF THEM HAVE SHOWN UP YET. I WILL GIVE YOU A SIGNAL IF I SEE EITHER. OKAY. UH, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? I BELIEVE WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER SIGNED UP WITH A SLIP. THAT'S RIGHT. ALRIGHT. THE ONE GOT BY ME. UH, LET'S SEE. UH, DARNELL. SO SORES. YEAH. DARL. YEAH. OKAY. THAT YOUR TWO S LOOK LIKE AN N MAN. , . [00:10:03] BUT I, BUT I SHOULD HAVE LOOKED UP AND SEEN YOU ANYWAY. GOOD TO SEE. ALRIGHT, GOOD TO SEE ALLALL, Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT, CEO, DOTIE WATKINS, EVERYBODY THAT'S ATTENDING THIS MEETING, THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING PUBLICLY. MY NAME IS DARRYL LLS. I'M A 23 YEAR VETERAN BUS OPERATOR. PROUD OUT. I'M ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR A TU LOCAL 10 91. AND I'M HERE TO ADDRESS A TOPIC THAT'S VERY DEAR AND SINCERE TO ME. WE WERE HERE LAST MAY, THIS MAY, THE PAST MAY, UH, WHERE I BROUGHT A GROUP OF OPERATORS TO TALK ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS ON YOUR BUSES, THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY'RE HAVING. AND WE'RE STILL HAVING THESE EXPERIENCES ON THESE BUSES. BUS OPERATORS ARE BEING ASSAULTED, THEY'RE BEING SPIT ON. WE HAVE A HIGH UPTICK, AND I'M CALLING UPON ALL THE LEADERSHIP HERE FOR YOUR HELP. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FILE A GRIEVANCE. AN ALL EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE, WHICH LATER ON GETS DENIED BECAUSE OF A TIMELINE ISSUE. BUT INSTEAD OF HELPING THE OPERATORS PER OUR CONTRACT, ARTICLE 14 D ANY EMPLOYEE WHO IS ROBBED OR PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED WHILE ON DUTY MAY WIN, MAY WIN, MAY UPON REQUEST, BE RELIEVED FROM DUTY AND PAID A MINIMUM OF THREE SCHEDULED WORK DAYS. MY QUESTION IS, IF ANY OF Y'ALL IN THIS ROOM IS SPIT ON, AND JUST YESTERDAY IN THE NFL, THERE'S A SPITTING INCIDENT THAT'S UGLY. WE HAVE OPERATORS GETTING WATER THROWN ON THEM, BEER THROWN IN THEM ON THEM, COFFEE THROWN ON THEM, THREATENED SEXUAL ARREST. AND I EMAILED MANAGEMENT. I, I EMAILED SAFETY MEMBERS ABOUT THESE ISSUES. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FILE A GRIEVANCE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BEG AND PLEAD WITH TEARS IN MY EYES TO HELP MY FELLOW MEMBERS WHO ARE REACHING OUT TO ME. JUST THE OTHER DAY, AN OPERATOR. AND I'M NOT MAKING ANY UNTOLD STORIES ABOUT THIS. I BELIEVE THE COMPANY IS GONNA, AND GOOD FAITH IS GONNA HELP THIS OPERATOR. BUT THIS OPERATOR BY WORD OF MOUTH, I'M THE GO-TO PERSON CONTACTED ME. THEY WERE SPIT ON SATURDAY ON THE NUMBER FIVE ROUTE. I SENT IT OVER TO MS. RASCO AND I, I LEAVE IT UP TO HER TO TAKE CARE OF. BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FILE DOTTIE A GRIEVANCE, ANDY S SCHABOWSKI, GARDNER TAVON, AND ANY OTHER PERSONS. WHEN I SEND EMAILS AND I ATTACH ALL Y'ALL ON THERE, I'M CALLING FOR SOS, I'M CALLING FOR HELP. THEY DENIED THESE PEOPLE AND WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THREATENED THAT I'M GONNA SPEAK ON. AND YES WE DID. WE'RE GONNA LET WE HIGHER AUTHORITIES HIRING A JURISDICTION, THEN YOU HELP US. BUT I'M LETTING YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO COME IN AND INTERVENE. THIS IS IN OUR CONTRACT. WE STOOD IN, WE SAT IN NEGOTIATION FOR MONTHS TO GET THIS IN THE LANGUAGE. 'CAUSE YOUR TRACTORS WILL NOT ACT BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE CONTRACT. SO I AM THE AUTHOR OF THIS. THANK Y'ALL FOR Y'ALL TIME AND OPPORTUNITY. IF ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS. JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME, UH, TO COME IN AND SHARE INFORMATION AND UH, WE WILL CERTAINLY MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE NEED HELP IN THE RIGHT HAND. THE POLICE, YOUR SECURITY, YOUR AMBASSADORS IS NOT ENOUGH. EVEN SUPERVISORS ARE BEING ASSAULTED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR COMING TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, MR. CHAIR. YES. UH, MR. JOSEPH HAS JOINED US ON THE TELEPHONE, I BELIEVE. ALRIGHT. UH, SHE'S SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS, SO SHE'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. MS. JOSEPH, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU WITH US? MS. JOSEPH? I'M SORRY. MS. JOSEPH, CAN YOU HEAR US? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW. ALRIGHT, PLEASE PROCEED. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS ANOVIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO DOTTIE WATKINS RAISE. [00:15:05] I JUST WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE THAT I JUST SENT A ONE PAGER TO TEXAS COMPTROLLERS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT CID@CPATEXAS.GOV AND REPORT DO FRAUD@CPATEXAS.GOV. AND SPECIFICALLY IT IS IN RELATION TO THE COMMENTS THAT ARE IN YOUR BOARD PACKET BY SHARMILA MUKERJEE. IF YOU LOOK IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, YOU'LL SEE WHERE SHE HAS MENTIONED ON PAGE 1 35, OPTIMIZING 22 BUS STOPS AROUND AUSTIN BY PLACING STOPS NEAR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, IMPROVING STOP SPACING AND UPGRADING SOME STOPS TO MULTIMODAL DESIGNS THAT SUPPORT TRANSIT ACCESS AND SAFETY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT SAYS SPECIFICALLY HALF OF THESE OPTIMIZED STOPS WERE ON RUNDBERG LANES, WHICH IS SERVED BY FOUR BUS ROUTES AND AVERAGES NEARLY 5,000 DAILY RIDERS. THAT IS SO PROBLEMATIC THAT I SENT A PICTURE TO MR. EASTON WITHIN THE LAST FIVE TO 10 MINUTES. THERE IS NO SAFE ACCESS, NO SAFE ROUTE FOR STUDENTS TO GET FROM THE BUS STOP TO DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL IF THEY ARE TRAVERSING THAT AREA FROM NORTH AND BERG. NO SAFE ROUTE FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY GET TO HARMONY SCIENCE ACADEMY. RUNDBERG, YOU HAVE $399 MILLION SALES TAX THAT YOU RECEIVED OUT OF $513.1 MILLION. AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT IT'S FOR FALSEHOOD SPECIFICALLY, I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT BLACK PEOPLE STILL WAIT 60 MINUTES FOR THE BUS. THE PEOPLE IN THE RUNDBERG AREA, NOW THAT THERE'S I 35 EXPANSION GOING ON, IT'S DOWN TO ONE LANE AND STUDENTS CAN'T GET TO TO SCHOOL ON TIME. FACULTY CAN'T GET TO THEIR WORKPLACES AND NO ONE ELSE CAN. YOU NEED TO ADJUST 3 25. SHE SAYS THAT THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 5,000 RIDERS. I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THAT THAT ROUTE 3 25 WAS SEVERED ALL THE ROUTES NORTH OF US, 180 3 WERE SEVERED. SO THE ONE SEED RISE NO LONGER EXISTS. YOU ARE INFLATING THE RIDERSHIP DEFRAUDING TAXPAYERS BECAUSE YOU ARE DOUBLE COUNTING AND TRIPLE COUNTING MINORITIES WHO HAVE TO TAKE MORE TRIPS. AND WHAT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS FAIR SYSTEM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO IMPLEMENT IS GOING TO CAUSE TRANSIT DEPENDENT MINORITIES, MORE MONEY, A SINGLE TRIP. THAT'S ALL YOU'RE ALLOWING ON THESE BUSES STARTING IN 2026. AND SPECIFICALLY, IF A PERSON HAS TO PAY 1 25 ON ONE BUS, THEN 1 25 ON ANOTHER, THEN 1 25 ON ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T GONE TO RELOAD THEIR CARD OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE UMO CARD, THEN THAT PERSON IS ESSENTIALLY GOING TO PAY MORE MONEY THAN SOMEONE WHO IS RIDING THE EXPRESS BUS, THE OVER THE ROAD COACH BUSES. IT IS DISCRIMINATORY AND IT VIOLATES TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. I DO WANNA SPEAK TO OTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I AM IN OPPOSITION TO THIS ON DEMAND NORTHEAST FACILITY BECAUSE YOU KEEP PUTTING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN EAST AUSTIN, EVEN THOUGH THE PEOPLE IN EAST AUSTIN, WHETHER IT'S SOUTHEAST OR NORTHEAST, WILL NOT BENEFIT. IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING FOR US AND YOU WANT A REGIONAL PLAN, THEN GO BY THE DATA FROM 2014 THAT TOLD YOU THAT 58% OF THE JOBS WOULD BE IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR. WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND TRAVIS COUNTY BY 2035 PUTS THE SERVICE ON PARMA LANE ALL THE WAY FROM MANOR TO LEANDER THAT WILL DO SOMETHING FOR TRANSIT DEPENDENT RIDER, APPLE, SAMSUNG APPLIED MATERIALS, AND THREE ATVS AND ALL THE TECH JOBS. RIGHT NOW YOU ARE JUST DEFRAUDING TAXPAYERS FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION AND YOU'RE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB OF IT. SO THIS COMPLAINT IS AGAINST DOTTIE WATKINS. I'M ASKING YOU TO TABLE THE ITEM WHERE YOU'RE GIVING HER A RAISE BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER IT WAS JULY 27TH WHEN MOSSAD WAS KILLED ON NORTH LAMAR AND SHE HAS REFUSED TO CLOSE ANY OF THE NORTHEAST MID-BLOCK STOP. AND SO I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS YOU'RE REWARDING HER FOR, BUT SHE HAS DONE NOTHING FOR BLACK PEOPLE AND NOTHING SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NORTHEAST OF US. 180 3. [00:20:02] SHE DOES NOT DESERVE A RAISE. ALRIGHT, PLEASE, UH, PLEASE WRAP YOUR COMMENTS UP MR. JOSEPH. THAT'S FIVE MINUTES. UH, AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME MR. CHAIR, BUT I AM ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO YOU GIVING DOTIE WATKINS ANY MORE MONEY. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS AND TO BE SO EXPENSIVE AND PLEASE PUT A MULTIPLE POLICY IN PLACE FOR THESE DOGS. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UM, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU. UH, DO YOU HAVE ANYONE ELSE, UH, HERE THIS AFTERNOON IN THE BOARDROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? ALRIGHT, HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL, UH, GO [IV. Advisory Committee Updates] NEXT TO OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES. UH, MR. BRADEN, GOOD AFTERNOON. CHAIR ILIAN, UH, SECRETARY ROSS, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS PETER BRETTON. I'M THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES. SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE ARE ACCESS, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEES ALL MET AT THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIMES. THE ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES HAD THEIR YEARLY IN PLAN WORK PLANNING MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE CONTENT COVERED THIS YEAR. MAP OUT AREAS OF INTEREST IN POTENTIAL DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE DIRECTION OF COMMITTEE WORK AT LARGE. THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM CHIEF OF POLICE RENEWAL BOWIE AND DARRYL JAMELL, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH. THANK YOU. AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT UP WE'RE GONNA HANDLE, [V. Board Committee Updates] UH, HANDLE OUR REGULAR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES. UH, CHAIR VELA. CAN I ASK YOU TO START WITH OPERATIONS? THANK YOU. CHAIR. WE MET ON, UH, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 5TH. UH, WE, UH, PASSED A HANDFUL OF ITEMS THAT YOU SEE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, INCLUDE THE ENTERPRISE FLEET MANAGEMENT, UM, AND THE UM, UH, AND THE, UH, UH, RIGHT OF WAY LICENSE AGREEMENT. THEN WE APPROVED THE MINUTES AND WE HEARD PRESENTATIONS FROM THE, UH, PLANNING AND SAFETY, UH, UPDATE AND, UH, THEN, EXCUSE ME, THE, UH, THE OPERATION PLANNING AND SAFETY UPDATE IN, IN TERMS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF, OF THE SYSTEM. AND THEN WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY INITIATIVES THAT, UH, OUR ONGOING WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, POLICE AMBASSADORS AND, AND THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM. UH, AND THAT WAS BASICALLY IT. ALRIGHT. UH, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL CALL UP CHAIR HARRIS WITH THE, UH, FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REPORT. THANK YOU CHAIR. UH, THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MET ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH AT UH, 10:00 AM IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES AND ALSO, UH, RECOMMENDING FOR APPROVAL A, UH, A HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE, UH, CONTRACT, UH, WITH CISCO SMART NETWORK, WHICH IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY. AND ALSO CONDUCTED A, WE ALSO CONDUCTED A PERFORMANCE REVIEW FOR TERRY FULLER, OUR CHIEF AUDIT EXECUTIVE, AND WE ALSO HEARD PRESENTATIONS ON THE LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN, UH, THE 2026 AUDIT PLAN STATUS AND, UH, INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT WITH RESPECT TO INVENTORY CONTROLS CONCERNING BUS PARTS. UH, AND FINALLY WE ALSO HEARD, UH, AN UPDATE ON KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, UH, FOR THE YEAR, UH, FOR THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR. AND THEN, UH, AN ADJOURNED AT 1128. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE THAT WENT SO WELL, WHY DON'T WE GET CAMPO AS WELL? OKAY. THANK YOU CHAIR. UH, UH, THIS IS A KIND OF A COMBINATION REPORT FOR BOTH OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. UH, IN BOTH CASES WE HIRED, UH, OUR TE OUR NORMAL REPORT, UH, FROM THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UH, AND THEN ALSO DID AMENDMENTS TO THE, UH, UNIFIED, UH, PLANNING AND WORK PROGRAM AND ALSO ENTERED INTO A, UH, UH, ENTERED INTO A CALL FOR PROJECTS, UH, FOR THE UPCOMING, UM, UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. UH, AND FINALLY WE ALSO HEARD, UH, PRESENTATIONS ON AND UPDATES ON THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN WITH RESPECT TO, UH, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT. HEARING NONE. UH, THE NEXT UH, COMMITTEE [00:25:01] UPDATE WILL COME FROM AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP. SO THAT'LL BE MINE. THIS WILL BE THE SHORTEST REPORT EVER. UH, WE'VE NOT MET SINCE OUR LAST REPORT, SO WE'LL BE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY AND, UH, WHEN WE, AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING, WE'LL UPDATE YOU AT THAT POINT. WE'RE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY THE 19TH. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. UH, [VI. Consent Items] WE'LL CONTINUE NOW WITH OUR CONSENT AGENDA. WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION ON FOUR ITEMS TODAY. UH, BOARD MEMBERS, YOU UH, SHOULD HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW ALL OF THE ITEMS AND ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT ANY EITHER OF YOU WANT TO REMOVE, ANY ITEMS TO REMOVE ANY ITEMS? UH, HEARING NONE, THEN THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE OUR POST-IT CONSENT AGENDA. OKAY. UM, BOARD MEMBER BANGLE, BOARD MEMBER OF A MAKING THE SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT THE ITEMS PRESENTED FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, BE APPROVED. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE. THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, WE'LL NOW [VII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a Rail Right of Way License to Use agreement with Travis County for the installation and maintenance of a multi-use trail beneath CapMetro rail right of way adjacent to Gilleland Creek between Milepost 43.3 and Mile Post 43.5 for an initial term of fifty (50) years which will automatically renew for additional terms of 50 years each, unless terminated, waiving any and all annual license fees for the term of the agreement.] TAKE UP TODAY'S, UH, REGULAR ACTION ITEMS. WE ARE POSTED FOR ACTION ON THREE ITEMS TODAY. HOWEVER, THE ACTION ON ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE WILL BE TAKEN UP AFTER WE RETURN, UH, FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. ACTION ITEM ONE WILL BE PRESENTED BY, BY MR. CARTRIGHT. PLEASE PROCEED. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ILIAN. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT CEO WATKINS. I'M KEN CARRA, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND FACILITIES. AND THIS FIRST ACTION, UM, ITEM IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A RAIL RIGHT OF WAY LICENSE TO USE AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY FOR THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF A MULTI-USE TRAIL BENEATH CAP METRO RAIL RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO THE GILLAND CREEK BETWEEN MILEPOST 43.3 AND MILEPOST 43.5 FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF 50 YEARS, WHICH WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY RENEW FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERMS OF 50 YEARS EACH UNLESS TERMINATED, WAIVING ANY AND ALL ANNUAL LICENSE FEES FOR THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT. AND I'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES OR ACTUALLY JUST ONE SLIDE TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON MOBILITY OPTIONS. WE'VE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY ON THIS PARTICULAR, UH, TRAIL PROJECT AND THIS IS THE, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY GILLAND CREEK GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECT. AND THIS NEW TRAIL PROJECT, WHICH THEY'RE JUST COMPLETING DESIGN FOR, UH, WILL CONNECT THE, UH, NORTHEAST METRO PARK IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE BENNY FISHER, UH, PARK, WHICH IS, UH, LOCATED IN MANOR AND OUR RAIL RIGHT OF WAY CAP METRO'S RAIL RIGHT OF WAY IS JUST NORTH OF THE BENNY FISHER PARK. AND THIS IS THE EASTERN SUBDIVISION OF OUR RAIL RIGHT OF WAY WHERE WE CURRENTLY RUN FREIGHT. BUT IN THE FUTURE WE WILL RUN, UM, GREEN LINE, UH, COMMUTER RAIL OPERATIONS. UM, THE COUNTY WORKING WITH US, UM, WILL BE PLACING THEIR, UH, 15 FOOT WIDE CONCRETES RAIL BELOW ARLAND CREEK BRIDGE. AND, UM, FOR THIS, UH, THEY ARE ASKING FOR THAT INITIAL 50 YEAR TERM WITH, UH, THEN 50 YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS. AND WE WILL BE WAIVING ANY AND ALL FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP THAT PROVIDES A CRITICAL, UH, MOBILITY OPTION. WE DID MEET WITH THE, UH, COUNTY, UH, DESIGN, UH, TEAM IN THE FIELD ON THIS AND, AND, UH, ASK THEM TO ENSURE SOME OF THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR THE TRAIL IN AND AROUND RAIL RIGHT OF WAY, WHICH THEY'VE INCORPORATED INTO THEIR DESIGN. SO AS SUCH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UM, THE EXECUTION OF THIS AGREEMENT, BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT. ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, UH, LET'S, WELL WAIT. I GUESS I SHOULD, UH, I SHOULD ASK WHETHER THE, UM, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S START BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, UH, BOARD MEMBER VELA MAKING THE SECOND CASE WE MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, THAT WE, THAT WE APPROVE. ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY UH, SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE. THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND UH, THAT'LL MOVE US TO ACTION ITEM NUMBER [VII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Joe Bland Construction LLC to allow CapMetro to construct Phase 1 of the new Demand Response North Base project for on-site and off-site development of the facility located at 10805 Cameron Road, Austin, Texas 78754, in the amount of $4,730,194 plus 25% contingency, for a total not to exceed amount of $5,912,742.] TWO AND MARCUS GUERRERO WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION, I'LL READ IT IN AS HE COMES UP, [00:30:01] APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JOE BLAND CONSTRUCTION LLC TO ALLOW CAP METRO CONSTRUCTION PHASE ONE OF THE NEW DEMAND RESPONSE NORTH BASE PROJECT FOR ONSITE AND OFFSITE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FAC OF THE FACILITY LOCATED AT 1 0 8 0 5 CAMERON ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 4 IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,730,194 PLUS 25% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $5,912,742. PLEASE PROCEED, MR. YES SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR BILION, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS. MY NAME IS MARCUS GUERRERO. MY ROLE IS DIRECTOR OF FACILITY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION HERE AT CAP METRO. I'LL BE PRESENTING THE RESOLUTION AND PRESENTATION ON THE NEW NORTH BASE DEMAND RESPONSE FACILITY, PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT. THE RESOLUTION AS MENTIONED IS APPROVAL, UM, AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH JOE BLAND CONSTRUCTION LLC TO ALLOW METRO TO CONSTRUCT PHASE ONE OF THE NEW DEMAND RESPONSE NORTH BASE PROJECT FOR ONSITE AND OFFSITE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACILITY LOCATED AT 1 0 8 0 5 CAMERON ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 4 IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,730,194 PLUS 25% CONTINGENCY FOR NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $5,912,742. FUNDING FOR THIS ACTION IS AVAILABLE IN THE 26, UH, CAPITAL PROJECTS OR FY 26 CAPITAL BUDGET, ALSO INCLUDED IN THE FIVE YEAR CIP AND THE PROJECT INCLUDES A $20 MILLION GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. I ALSO HAVE A, UH, SLIDESHOW HERE TO PRESENT THE PROJECT AS WELL. I, IF YOU RECALL, CAT METRO PURCHASED 25 ACRES OF UNDEVELOPED LAND IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN. THIS PROPERTY WOULD BE THE SITE FOR THE NEW DEMAND RESPONSE NORTH BASE FACILITY PROJECT FOR OPERATION OF THE MAINTENANCE OF VEHICLES NEXT IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WE GO. DEMAND RESPONSE, WHICH INCLUDES ACCESS AND PICKUP IS ONE OF OUR FASTEST GROWING TRANSIT SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND THIS FACILITY WILL BE KEY FOR THOSE TRANSIT SERVICES. THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE PROJECT LOCATION IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF CAMERON AND BLUE GOOSE ROAD. UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE UNDEVELOPED SITE CONDITIONS AND WE'VE SPLIT THE PROJECT INTO TWO PHASES. THIS WILL ALLOW CAP METRO TO BE BEGIN EARLY CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE ONE, WHICH IS THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU TODAY. GENERALLY PHASE ONE INCLUDES REMOVAL OF SOIL AND EXCAVATION ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, A NEW OFFSITE WATER MAIN, NEW OFFSITE WASTEWATER LINE CONNECTION AND INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS TO CAMERON AND BLUE GOOSE ROADS, TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AND DRAINAGE STRUCTURES. PHASE TWO IS NOT PART OF THE RESOLUTION TODAY. THAT'LL BE A FUTURE BOARD ACTION AT A FUTURE TIME. AND PHASE TWO WILL INCLUDE THE REMAINING CONSTRUCTION WORK, WHICH INCLUDES ONSITE GRADING BUILDINGS, FENCES, PARKING AREAS, LANDSCAPE LIGHTING, ET CETERA. UM, COUPLE OTHER NOTES ON THIS SLIDE. THE BOARD RECENTLY APPROVED A SOILS DISPOSAL AGREEMENT WITH THE ADJACENT WASTE MANAGEMENT LANDFILL TO RECEIVE SOILS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS ACTION WILL RECEIVE THE BENEFIT OR WILL REPRESENT THE BENEFIT OF THAT COST SAVINGS. AND ALSO NOTE THAT CAPTAIN MITCHELL WILL BE PROVIDING PUBLIC NOTICES TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION OF PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE LIMITS OF THE OFFSITE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS IN FRONT OF THE CAP METRO PROPERTY. NOTE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING A COST SHARING AGREEMENT WITH TRAVIS COUNTY STAFF FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF CERTAIN ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND TRAFFIC CONTROL IMPROVEMENTS. SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE IS THE WASTEWATER MAIN IN FRONT OF CAP METRO'S PROPERTY AND THE WASTEWATER, UH, MAIN WASTEWATER GRAVITY MAIN SHOWN IN RED. THE WASTEWATER MAIN TRAVELS DOWN THE ROAD FROM CAP METRO PROPERTY. UM, ALSO NOTE HERE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DISCUSSING A COST SHARING AGREEMENT WITH AUSTIN WATER UTILITY FOR WATERLINE UPSIZING. HERE'S A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF WHAT THE COMPLETED PROJECT WILL LOOK LIKE FROM [00:35:01] OUR DESIGN TEAM. UH, RIGHT IS TO THE NORTH AND I'LL KINDA WALK US THROUGH THIS SLIDE. CAMERON ROAD IS THE ROADWAY SHOWN ON THE RIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THE, THE FOUR LANES THERE REPRESENT THE ROADWAY WIDENING THAT CAP METRO IS DOING UNDER THIS PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. THE FIRST BUILDING ON THE RIGHT IS THE THREE STORY ADMINISTRATION ON OPERATIONS BUILDING THE BUILDING. NEXT TO THAT TO THE LEFT IS THE GARAGE MAINTENANCE BUILDING ABOVE THE IMAGE ON THAT IS THE BUS STORAGE YARD WITH A PARTIAL SHADE CANOPY. UP IN THE TOP LEFT AREA IS THE SERVICE AND FUELING ISLAND BUILDING. AND THEN THE UPPER TOP LEFT OF THIS IMAGE REPRESENTS THE NEW CENTRAL WAREHOUSE. THIS IS A ARCHITECTS RENDERING REPRESENTING THE NEW THREE STORY ADMINISTRATIONS BUILDING. THIS IS WHAT STAFF AND VISITORS WILL SEE UPON ARRIVING TO THE SITE. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO. OKAY, THIS IS UP. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, A SECOND. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER OF ANGLES. ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE. ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE. UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT. UH, THANK YOU UH, MR. GUERRERO. ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE. AS WE STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE UH, ONE MORE ACTION ITEM BUT IT WILL BE PULLED UP AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY. SO NOW, UH, WE WANT TO MOVE TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEM, OR LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE, PRE, UH, LET'S SEE, DO ARE DOING CAPITAL PROJECTS BEFORE WE GO? MM-HMM . GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY. UH, DAVE, WILL YOU [VIII.1. Update on CapMetro Capital Projects] BRING FORWARD THE DISCUSSION ITEM? OKAY. WORKING OFF TWO PAGES. NO PROBLEM. ALRIGHT. WE APPRECIATE THE MULTITASK. ALRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR. ILIAN CAPTAIN. BE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT. CEO WATKINS. MY NAME IS DAVE EK. I AM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OVER CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND DESIGN FOR CAP METRO. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO PRESENT BEFORE YOU. UH, DEFINITELY I'M GONNA BRING UP MR. KEN CARTWRIGHT, UH, TO HELP ASSIST ON THIS PRESENTATION. I JUST WANTED TO DO A FEW OPEN REMARKS, UH, ABOUT, UH, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE TO BE ABLE TO COME IN HERE AND KIND OF PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AROUND SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN MOTION AROUND HERE. Y'ALL GET, A LOT OF TIMES YOU GET FINANCIAL INFORMATION, YOU GET A LITTLE DIFFERENT REPORTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. UH, SO THIS RIGHT IN HERE IS JUST KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF COLLAGE OF SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS AND STUFF THEY HAVE WORKING THROUGH THE REGION. BY ALL MEANS, IS THIS NOT THE COMPREHENSIVE LIST, ? SO THE ONE THING I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO NOTE IS WE APPRECIATE THE, UH, Y'ALL'S, THE BOARD SUPPORT IS TREMENDOUS AS WELL AS THE REGION AREA. 'CAUSE FOR OUR SUCCESS, WE NEED EVERYBODY'S SUPPORT. AS THIS AREA CONTINUES TO GET MORE CONDENSED, MORE POPULATION, OUR PROJECTS SEEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT. AND THESE BUSINESS DECISIONS ARE, UH, VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO STAY OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT 'CAUSE THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE DOING OUR JOB. WE'RE JUST GETTING STUFF DONE AND PROVIDING, YOU KNOW, THOSE NECESSARY SERVICES TO CAP METRO, WHAT THEY NEED OR CLOSELY WORKING WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS. SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HERE TO SUPPORT KEN, BUT I'M GONNA PASS THIS OVER TO HIM. LOOKS LIKE KEN DOES A LITTLE HEAVY LIFTING FOR US ALL. I APPRECIATE YOU READING THAT ACTION INTO, INTO THE REC NEVER ALONE, NEVER ALONE. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN. UM, CHAIR TAVION, BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT CEO WATKINS. AGAIN, I'M KEN CARR, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES. AND AS DAVE MENTIONED, WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING TO YOU TODAY AN UPDATE ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING IN SOME RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECTS. AND I'D INVITE YOU TO INTERRUPT ME AT ANY POINT IN TIME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING ANY OF THESE PROJECTS. SO WE'LL START OFF WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR CAP METRO RAPID PROJECT, UH, WHICH IS, UH, CONTINUES TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A NUMBER OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. ONE OF THE, THOSE IS PICTURED HERE AT OUR NORTH OPS FACILITY. UM, A NUMBER OF RAIL PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDERWAY. A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY PARTNER PROJECTS THAT WE'RE, UH, PLEASED TO REPORT ON AS WELL. UM, SOME FACILITY PROJECTS FOR BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL FACILITIES. AND THEN FINALLY OUR, UH, BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS THAT WHICH ARE ALWAYS ONGOING. FIRST, UH, BEGIN WITH CAP METRO RAPID. AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE, UH, STARTED OUR INITIAL SERVICE BACK IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR. WHILE WE CONTINUE TO COMPLETE ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, REQUIRED IN ORDER TO SUPPORT [00:40:01] OUR FULL, UM, SERVICE LAUNCH IN JUNE OF, UH, OF, UH, 2026. UM, TO DATE, WE ARE NEARING COMPLETION OF THE MAJORITY OF THE CIVIL WORK ON OUR, UM, STATIONS, THOSE 77 STATIONS. AND CIVIL WORK, UH, MEANS THAT, UH, WE ARE COMPLETING THE CONCRETE PLATFORMS ESSENTIALLY FOR EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS. WE ONLY HAVE ONE LEFT TO BEGIN. UM, AND THEN THAT ONE WILL BEGIN, UH, UH, SHORTLY. UH, WE DO HAVE A 83% OF OUR SHELTERS INSTALLED AT ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS. AND, UH, 31 OF OUR LOCATIONS ARE ACTUALLY STANDALONE SOLAR STATIONS, UH, COMPLETELY POWERED BY SOLAR, AS YOU SEE ON THE, UH, TOP RIGHT, THIS IS OUR CAESAR CHAVEZ STATION WITH THE SOLAR PANELS ON THE ROOFTOP THERE. AND THE REMAINING 46 STATIONS THEN ARE CONNECTED TO, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY POWER. A COUPLE OF THESE, UH, PICTURES HERE, IF YOU'LL RECALL. UH, WE ENTIRELY REDEVELOPED THE INTERSECTION AT 51ST AND MAINOR. IT'S A NOW A VERY, UH, COMPLETE MULTI-MODAL INTERSECTION FOR PEDESTRIANS, BIKES, AUTOS, AND BUSES AS WELL. AND, UH, ALLOWS ALL TO, UH, CO, UH, COHABITATE IF YOU WILL, UM, VERY WELL TOGETHER. AND ANOTHER OF OUR LOCATIONS ARE PURPLE SAGE, UH, STATIONS THERE WITH THE CONCRETE WORK COMPLETED. THIS IS A, UH, SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF OUR FACILITY LOCATIONS THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION EACH MONTH. AND IT, UH, CONVEYS THE STATUS OF THOSE STATIONS. YOU CAN SEE THE, THE COLOR CODING, UH, CHART THERE FOR THE, THE STATUS OF EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUAL STATIONS. AND AGAIN, WE ARE MARCHING FORWARD WITH COMPLETING ALL OF THESE STATIONS IN EARLY SPRINGTIME SO THAT WE CAN, UH, BEGIN THE FULLY, UH, FULL TESTING, UH, END TO END OF THE STATIONS AND THEIR FUNCTION. NEVER THOUGHT OF OUR BUSES AS COHABITATING . UM, DO WE NEED NEW POLICIES FOR THIS? OKAY, THE, UH, NORTHERN END OF OUR EXPO, UH, RAPID LINE IS, UM, OUR PARK AND RIDE AT THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPOSITION CENTER. THIS IS THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE TRAVIS COUNTY EXPOSITION CENTER AT THE INTERSECTION OF, UH, DECKER AND COLONY LOOP. UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED, UH, THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE SIGNALED IMPROVEMENTS AT THIS LOCATION. SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE ACCESS INTO THE, UH, COLONY PARK NEIGHBORHOOD AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONNECTION TO THIS FACILITY. UM, YOU CAN SEE THE CONSTRUCTION THERE ON THE LEFT AERIAL PHOTO AND THEN THE ULTIMATE SITE PLAN HERE. SO WE HAVE AN EIGHT, UM, LOCATION, EIGHT BUS BAY, UM, UH, PARK AND RIDE WITH A CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE OVERHEAD, CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AT FOUR OF THOSE BAYS WITH THE CAPABILITY TO EXPAND TO FOUR MORE, UH, CHARGING BAYS AT THE OTHER FOUR LOCATIONS. HAVE 159, UM, PARKING SPACES FOR CUSTOMERS. AND OUR NORMAL, UM, UH, TRANSIT CENTER AMENITIES IS PART OF THAT. THEN ANCHORING OUR PLEASANT VALLEY LINE AT THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF THAT LINE. WE HAVE THE GOODNIGHT RANCH PARK AND RIDE A MUCH SMALLER SCALE PARK AND RIDE, UH, BASED ON THE FORECAST RIDERSHIP. SO WE HAVE FOUR BUS BAYS WITH OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CHARGING AT THIS LOCATION. 64 CUSTOMER PARKING SPACES AS WELL AS THE OTHER PARK AND RIDE AMENITIES. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE STATUS OF THE CONSTRUCTION JUST RECENTLY POURED, UM, THE BUS LOOP JUST THIS PAST FRIDAY. MOVING ON TO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. SO IN ORDER TO SUPPORT OUR BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS FLEET, WE HAVE, UH, COMPLETED ELECTRIC CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AT THIS FACILITY AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET, WHERE WE INSTALLED TWO CHARGERS WITH 48 INDIVIDUAL DISPENSERS SUPPORTED BY, UH, TWO SWITCHBOARDS AND TWO UH, TRANSFORMERS. AND THIS WILL BE PLUGIN CHARGING, UH, WHEREAS YOU'LL SEE ON THE NEXT FACILITY WE'LL HAVE OVERHEAD CHARGING. UH, BUT THIS WENT INTO SERVICE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING WELL EVER SINCE. UM, CHARGING OUR, UH, BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS FLEET. OUR NEXT FACILITY, UH, LET ME, UH, BACK UP ONE SECOND IN HERE. MENTION THAT THIS WAS SUPPORTED BY A FOUR, UH, $4 MILLION FEDERAL, UH, GRANT ALLOCATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. OUR NORTH OPS FACILITY, WE'RE ADDING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ELECTRIC, UH, BATTERY, ELECTRIC BUS CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE HERE. UM, 30 ELECTRIC CHARGERS TO 90 INDIVIDUAL PAN GRASS. THOSE ARE THE, UH, OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CHARGERS, UH, SIMILAR TO THE ONE YOU SEE IN THE TOP RIGHT PHOTO THERE. UM, ALL OF THAT, UH, UM, STRUCTURE IS COVERED BY 260 THOU $7,000 OF SOLAR ARRAY EQUIPMENT, UH, WHICH WILL GENERATE UP TO FOUR MEGAWATTS OF POWER. AND WE ARE WELL APPROACHING THE [00:45:01] COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION ON THIS. IT'LL BE COMPLETE EARLY INTO, UH, 2026 AND, UH, WHEN, AT WHICH TIME WE'LL BEGIN THE TESTING, COMMISSIONING OF ALL OF THAT ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE EQUIPMENT. AND WE'VE INITIATED PRELIMINARY DESIGN ON OUR, ON A MICRO GRID TO CAPTURE THAT, UH, SOLAR POWER AND, UH, OUR WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH AUSTIN ENERGY ON, UH, THE ENTIRE, UH, ELECTRICAL CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ARRANGEMENT FOR THIS FACILITY. MOVING ON TO RAIL PROJECTS. SO WE ARE EXPANDING OUR, UM, RAIL OPERATIONAL FACILITY AT OUR NORTH OPS, UM, LOCATION. UM, WE, UM, CURRENTLY OCCUPY SOME OF OUR BUS BAYS IN THE MAIN OPERATION FACILITY TO STORE RAIL EQUIPMENT. SO WE ARE EXPANDING OUR STORAGE CAPACITY AT THIS LOCATION TO MOVE, UH, THAT EQUIPMENT OUT AND FREE UP SOME OF THOSE BUS MAINTENANCE BAYS. AND WE'RE ADDING, UM, UH, ELECTRIC, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, EMERGENCY GENERATOR TO SUPPORT THIS FACILITY, THIS CONSTRUCTION AS WELL UNDERWAY, UH, FORECAST TO BE COMPLETE IN THE SPRING OF 26. UM, OUR RED LINE, UH, DOUBLE TRACK PROJECT. OUR, IT'S ALSO OUR SALTILLO REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, SALTILLO STATION REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT. SO THE UH, SINGLE TRACK STATION THAT'S THERE NOW WILL BE REPLACED BY A DOUBLE TRACK STATION WITH TWO DOUBLE LENGTH PLATFORMS AS WELL AS CROSSING IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING SOME PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS IN THE IMMEDIATE, UH, VICINITY HERE. AND YOU'LL NOTICE ON THE RIGHT SIDE THERE THAT, UH, THIS EXPANSION WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, MEANT THAT WE WOULD BE, UH, UM, CHANGING FIFTH STREET TO A SINGLE LANE, UH, ONE WAY IN THE WESTBOUND DIRECTION. AND SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY ON THAT AS WELL AS THE, UH, MOBILITY, UH, TRAIL MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AT THE SAME TIME. ALRIGHT, AND NOW SOME PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS. AS WE MENTIONED, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, PARTNERSHIP PROJECTS WITH, UH, VARIOUS, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. UM, ALRIGHT, WE'LL START OFF WITH THE, UM, INTERSTATE, UH, 35 CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL PROGRAM. SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN WORKING A NUMBER OF YEARS IN, UH, COORDINATION WITH, UH, TDOT ON THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THAT PROJECT, INCLUDING WHERE THE HIGHWAY INTERACTS WITH OUR TRANSIT AND RAIL SERVICES. AND, UM, AS THE BOARD PASSED TODAY ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WAS THE FIRST OF MANY AGREEMENTS THAT WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH, UH, BRAD AND THE LEGAL STAFF ARE WORKING THROUGH WITH TDOT. THAT FIRST ONE WAS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A DRAINAGE TUNNEL, WHICH IN, UH, SUPPORTS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THAT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, UH, NORTH TO SOUTH. AND THAT, UH, DRAINAGE TUNNEL IS ABOUT A, A 22 FOOT DIAMETER DRAINAGE TUNNEL, UH, 60 FEET BELOW THE SURFACE. AND IT, UH, TRAVELS UNDER, UH, OUR, BOTH OUR FOURTH STREET, UH, RAIL RIGHT OF WAY AS WELL AS OUR AIRPORT BOULEVARD RIGHT OF WAY. THAT DRAINAGE TUNNEL IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW. IT'LL TAKE ABOUT FOUR YEARS TO COMPLETE. UH, WE ALSO, UM, CROSS I 35 AT FOURTH STREET GOING INTO OUR DOWNTOWN COMMUTER RAIL STATION. AND SO WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TX, THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE BUILDING A BRIDGE OVER THE NEW, UH, REDEVELOPED HIGHWAY AT THAT LOCATION. AND WE ARE WORKING ON THE FINAL DETAILS OF DESIGN WITH THAT, WITH THEM ON THAT. UM, CONSTRUCTION'S EXPECTED TO START IN LATE 2027 AND TAKE ABOUT A TWO YEAR TIMEFRAME. THEN WE, UH, CROSSED, UH, AGAIN, I 35 AT AIRPORT BOULEVARD. WE ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES, OR THEY ARE, TDO IS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF DESIGN. ON THAT PARTICULAR CROSSING, THEY'LL, UH, BE FIRST CREATING A TEMPORARY SHOE FLY, WHICH IS A TEMPORARY RAIL REALIGNMENT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME DURING DEMOLITION AND CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN ONCE CONSTRUCTION OF THE I 35 LANES ARE COMPLETED, THEY'LL BE BRIDGING, UH, BUILDING A BRIDGE OVER THAT SPAN FOR US. AND THE SHOOFLY, UH, WILL BEGIN IN 2029. AND THEN THE, UH, ULTIMATE BRIDGE IN 2030. AND THEN THE FOURTH OF THESE PROJECTS, UH, A LITTLE FURTHER NORTH, UM, I 35 JUST SOUTH OF HOWARD LANE, IS OUR TECH RIDGE, UM, TRANSIT CENTER. AND TXDOT IS BUILDING AN OVERHEAD RAMP SO THAT OUR BUSES CAN ACCESS THE PARK AND RIDE DIRECTLY FROM THE HIGHWAY. SO THEY WILL GO FROM I 35 MAIN LANES OVER, OVER THE ACCESS ROAD AND THEN DOWN INTO OUR TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE JUST TO IMPROVE OUR, UH, CIRCULATION IN AND OUT OF THAT PARK AND RIDE. UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT. UM, AS YOU'RE AWARE, IT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO OUR DOWNTOWN RAIL STREET, UH, PROJECT. WE, UH, HOUSE OUR, UH, SIGNAL COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRIC, [00:50:01] UH, EQUIPMENT INSIDE ONE OF THE ALCOVES OF THE PREEXISTING CONVENTION CENTER. AND SO WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY TO ACTUALLY MOVE ALL OF THAT EQUIPMENT TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE PLAZA THERE ALONG FOURTH STREET. AND SO THEY HAVE, UH, DONE A LITTLE BIT OF THE PRELIMINARY WORK ON THAT. UH, WE'VE HAD SOME MINOR, UH, UH, SHUTDOWNS, RAIL SHUTDOWNS AS THE DE UH, DEMOLITION HAS, UH, BEEN ONGOING. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER, UM, UH, DISRUPTION OF RAIL SERVICE DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THEY ACTUALLY MOVE THAT EQUIPMENT AND MORE NEWS ON THAT TO COME, BUT WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, THE CITY ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT. SO LOTS, LOTS OF PROJECTS AND LOTS OF DEADLINES, UH, TIMEFRAMES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREAS. SO TO TRY TO COMPREHEND ALL OF THAT, WE CREATED THIS TIMELINE WHICH SHOWS ALL OF THESE PROJECTS OVERLAPPING IN THE TIME IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT'LL BE FAIRLY COMPLEX, UM, SCHEDULING THIS, BUT YOU SEE IN THE BLUE IS THE CONVENTION CENTER REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AND THE ORANGE IS THE FOURTH STREET TI 35 PROJECT. AND, UH, DARKER GREEN IS THE I 35 AIRPORT BOULEVARD CROSSING PROJECT. AND THEN LIGHTER GREEN IS OUR SALTILLO STATION REDEVELOPMENT. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHT YELLOW AREA THAT'S SHADED, WHICH SPANS ACROSS ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS. AND THAT IS WHAT ARE, WE ARE FORECASTING TO BE A, UH, SERVICE DISRUPTION TO THE DOWNTOWN STATION, UH, DURING WHICH WE WILL, UH, HAVE A BUS BRIDGE, UM, FROM EARLY 27 UNTIL EARLY 29 IS OUR CURRENT FORECAST FOR THE OVERLAP OF ALL OF THESE PROJECTS. UM, ANOTHER PARTNERSHIP PROJECT, UM, NORTH BURNETT UPTOWN A TX STATION, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BROADMOOR RAIL STATION. THIS IS A, UH, PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. THE BOARD ENTER INTO AGREEMENT WITH BRANDYWINE, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, ASSOCIATE AND THAT THIS CONSTRUCTION IS ACTUALLY UNDERWAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THIS IS A, UH, I GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE FOR YOU. SO, UH, TWO DOUBLE LENGTH PLATFORMS WITH THE, UM, COVERING OVERHEAD AS YOU SEE HERE ABOUT A, A LITTLE OVER A HALF A MILE OF DOUBLE TRACKING TO IMPROVE SERVICE IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA. UH, CONNECTIONS WITH BIKE AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL BUS ROUTES IN THE AREA. AND WE WILL HAVE, UH, 200, UH, PARKING SPACES IN, IN SUPPORT OF OUR, UH, TRANSIT OPERATIONS IN, IN INSIDE THIS DEVELOPMENT AS WELL. AGAIN, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION NOW. WE'RE, UH, THEY'RE CURRENTLY FORECASTING TO BE COMPLETE IN 2027 ON THIS PROJECT MOVING INTO OUR FACILITIES PROJECTS. SO, UH, JUST NEXT DOOR TO US HERE, THE FACILITY AT 3,100 EAST FIFTH STREET, OUR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. UM, YOU RECALL EARLIER IN THE YEAR, WE, UH, COMPLETED THE, UM, BUILD OUT OF THE THIRD FLOOR OF THAT FACILITY AND HAVE MOVED INTO THAT. WE'RE NOW WORKING ON THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS OF THAT FACILITY, WELL UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THIS POINT IN TIME. AND, UH, OUR NEW BOARDROOM AND COMMUNITY ROOM WILL BE LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THAT FACILITY AND WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE COMPLETE AND MOVED INTO THAT UH, BY DECEMBER OF 2026. UM, ACROSS THE STREET FROM US HERE ACROSS PLEASANT VALLEY, WE HAVE OUR ANNEX FACILITY AT 6 24 NORTH PLEASANT VALLEY. UM, WE ARE IN OUR EFFORTS TO MOVE OUT OF LEASED FACILITIES AND INTO OWNED FACILITIES. WE ARE REDEVELOPING, UH, THE FIRST FLOOR OF THIS FACILITY FOR OUR DEMAND RESPONSE ELIGIBILITY, UH, CENTER, UM, THAT CENTER'S CURRENTLY LOCATED AT NINTH AND LA VACA IN A LEASED FACILITY. SO WE ARE REMODELING THIS TO MOVE THEM OUT OF THE LEASE AND INTO THIS FACILITY. UH, BE BIDDING THAT OUT SOON AND COMPLETING THAT IN A LATE 2026 TIMEFRAME. AS, UH, MARCUS CARER PRESENTED TO YOU JUST NOW, WE ARE, UH, ABOUT TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION. UM, THANKS TO THE BOARD'S AWARD OF THAT PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT BEGINNING THAT WORK IN EARLY 26. UH, WE'LL BE BRINGING PHASE TWO TO THE BOARD IN THE NEXT, UH, FEW MONTHS AND THEN WE WILL INITIATE THAT CONSTRUCTION IN, UH, THE SUMMER OF 2026 AND, UH, TARGETING TO BRING THIS FACILITY ONLINE IN 2028. IN SUPPORT OF THAT AND IN, UH, EFFORT TO ALSO MOVE OUT OF ANOTHER LEASED FACILITY, WE ARE CONSOLIDATING OUR DEMAND RESPONSE ON AN INTERIM BASIS AT THE EIGHT 17 WEST HOWARD LANE FACILITY, UH, WHICH WE CURRENTLY OCCUPY. WE ARE MOVING ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS OUT OF OUR SEVENTH STREET LEASED FACILITY AND INTO THIS FACILITY. AND IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE THAT, WE'VE BUILT AND IMPROVED THREE PARKING LOTS THERE. WE'RE ADDING IMPROVEMENTS, UH, INTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR OPERATIONAL AND OUR ANNEX BUILDING AT THIS LOCATION IN SUPPORT OF THE EXPANDED OPERATIONS AS WELL AS OUR TRAINING OUT OF HERE. AND WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL STORAGE AND FUELING [00:55:01] CAPACITY AND UH, WE EXPECT TO BE, UH, FULLY, UH, RELOCATED TO THIS FACILITY IN JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN END OUR LEASE ON THE OTHER FACILITY BY THE END OF JANUARY. UM, RECENTLY COMPLETED, OR I SHOULD SAY EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE COMPLETED THE, UM, THE NEW TRANSIT STORE AT 1705 GUADALUPE, THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THE PURCHASE OF THE FIRST FLOOR OF THIS PARTICULAR BUILDING, WHICH ALLOWED US TO THEN REMODEL IT AND MOVE OUT OF OUR LEASED FACILITY, UM, AT UH, NINTH AND LAVACCA. SO WE'RE BEEN IN FULL OPERATIONS AT THIS FACILITY SINCE EARLY THIS YEAR AND IT'S SERVED BY A NUMBER OF, UH, BUS, UH, BUS ROUTES, WHICH IS VERY CONVENIENT. AND FINALLY OUR BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS. SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN BUSY ON BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME OF COMPLETED IMPROVEMENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 AT 80 84 LOCATIONS, WHICH INCLUDE THE INSTALLATION OF 87 NEW SHELTERS, 127 NEW BENCHES AND SOLAR LIGHTS TO PROVIDE, UH, UM, LIGHTING AT 86 LOCATIONS AS WELL. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR UPDATE. I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE IN GOING THROUGH ALL THOSE PROJECTS, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE SO MUCH WORK UNDERWAY AND NEARING COMPLETION IN MANY OF THE CASES. BUT BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE REGARDING ANY OF THESE PROJECTS, BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ABSOLUTELY. I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU. I REALLY, 'CAUSE WE DO SO MUCH OVER HERE OF APPROVING THESE PROJECTS AND SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO GET AN UPDATE FROM TIME TO TOM ON THE PROGRESS 'CAUSE IT'S KIND OF HARD TO KEEP UP WITH AND THERE'S SO MUCH SO APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE IT A LOT. THANK YOU AS WELL. ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I, I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN AS WELL. THANKS TO DAVE AND KEN FOR PULLING THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER. WE REPORT MOST OFTEN ON OUR CAPITAL PROGRAM FROM A BUDGETARY STANDPOINT AND ALL OF THE PROJECTS AND ALL OF THAT. UM, BUT SO MUCH AND, AND BY NO MEANS AS DAVE POINTED OUT, IS THIS OUR ENTIRE CAPITAL PORTFOLIO, BUT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION OF JUST HARD CONSTRUCTION THAT WE ARE EITHER UNDERTAKING OR WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS ON. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A USEFUL REMINDER AND, AND ALSO SHOWING OF PICTURES BECAUSE SOMETIMES HEARING THAT WE'RE DOING A THING VERSUS SEEING A PHOTO OF IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE PICTURE'S WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UM, TO DAVE AND KEN AND THE WHOLE TEAM, UM, FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK ON THAT. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE FOUNDATION THAT WE ARE LAYING FOR THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU BOARD MEMBER. THANK YOU CHAIR. UM, VERY GOOD PRESENTATION. GREAT TO SEE ALL OF THE, THE UPDATES. COUPLE OF, OF OF QUESTIONS. UM, WHEN WE GO TO THE BUS BRIDGE ON THE RED LINE, WHICH I'M SORRY, WHAT YEAR IS THAT? UH, PROJECTED TO HAPPEN? EARLY 27 TO EARLY 29 IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FORECASTING. ALRIGHT. AND AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHERE TDOT IS WITH THEIR CONSTRUCTION RIGHT, WE'RE KIND OF CONTINGENT ON THEIR TIMELINE. YES. UM, ANY SENSE OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR, UH, REDLINE RIDERSHIP FOR OUR, OUR COMMUTERS? I KNOW 'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG CHANGE. I WOULD SAY STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS ON THAT. WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS IN TERMS OF UM, WHETHER WE HAVE SPACE TO PUT A TEMPORARY STATION ANYWHERE CLOSER TO THE CENTRAL CITY, UM, OR HOW WE WOULD, UM, ENCOURAGE COMMUTERS TO UTILIZE THE, THE TRANSIT NETWORK IF WE AREN'T UNABLE TO GET ANY CLOSER IN, IN THE MLK STATION. SO, UM, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT YEAR WE'LL FIGURE OUT THE, THE RIGHT ANSWER ON THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE PLENTY OF WARNING BEFORE THAT THAT CLOSURE HAPPENS. GOT IT. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M SURE OUR RIDERS WILL, WILL, WILL APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. AND I GUESS OTHER THAN THE QUESTION IS CAN WE GET TO SEVENTH STREET STILL, YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, WOULD IS THAT, THAT'S A, IS THAT IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY WHERE WE WOULD BE KIND OF DROPPING PEOPLE OFF AT SEVENTHS AND THEN POTENTIALLY JUST KIND OF A SHORT HOP DOWNTOWN? THAT'S SOME OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHERE DO WE HAVE SPACE WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY TO SAFELY DISEMBARK CUSTOMERS FROM, FROM THE TRAINS? WE KNOW WE CAN GET A TRAIN THERE. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER WE CAN SAFELY GET PEOPLE ON AND OFF THE TRAIN ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND SO WE'RE STILL PUZZLING THROUGH THOSE PIECES. UM, WE ALSO HAVE A GREAT OPTION, UM, IN FACT IF, IF COMMUTERS ARE INTERESTED TODAY AND, AND GETTING REALLY TO THE OTHER SIDE OF DOWNTOWN, TRANSFERRING FROM THE RED LINE TO THE METRO RAPID AT CRESTVIEW STATION IS A GREAT OPTION, UM, FOR THAT CONNECTION. AND SO WE'LL LIKELY BE PROMOTING THAT AS WELL. UM, BUT AS WE GET CLOSER IN TIME, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THOSE OPTIONS ARE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, CAN HELP PEOPLE THINK THROUGH WHAT WOULD WORK BEST FOR THEIR OWN PERSONAL NEEDS. GOT IT. THANK YOU. UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO UPDATES ON THAT. AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS, UH, REALLY GREAT TO SEE, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS SHADE AND, AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A SHELTER FOR OUR RIDERS IS, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND JUST THE, THE QUALITY. UH, WHERE ARE WE, AND I KNOW WE'RE KIND OF STEADILY INCHING FORWARD ON IN TERMS OF GETTING, UH, SHELTERS AT ALL THE BUS STOPS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE SHELTERS ON. WHERE ARE WE IN THE, IN THE BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE, TAKING THESE NUMBERS INTO ACCOUNT, THESE 2025 [01:00:01] NUMBERS INTO ACCOUNT? I I GUESS WE COULD, UM, PROVIDE YOU WITH SOME, UH, FOLLOW UP INFORMATION REGARDING THAT. WE, WE, UM, BUDGET EACH YEAR TO CONTINUE THAT, UH, THOSE IMPROVEMENTS BASED ON OUR SERVICE GUIDELINES AND, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE LIKE ABOUT A FIVE YEAR, UH, TIMEFRAME FOR MAKING SIGNIFICANT HEADWAY ON THOSE BUS STOP IMPROVEMENTS TO TRY TO GET SHADE AND BENCHES AS MANY PLACES AS WE CAN. THAT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL. AGAIN, UH, VERY GLAD TO SEE THE, THE STEADY IMPROVEMENT IN, UH, THE, THE BUS SHELTER, UH, ADDITIONS. UH, BUT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO GET THE, THE KIND OF THE BIG PICTURE PERSPECTIVE ON THAT AS WELL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. AT ONE TIME WE HAD BEEN TALKING, UH, ABOUT A, A, UH, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE, THE, UM, THE WHOLE SYSTEM, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE WHOLE SHELTER SYSTEM. I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF UPGRADES THAT WERE HAPPENING AND I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THE GENERAL CONDITION OF, OF, UH, SEATING OPPORTUNITIES. SO, SO THANK YOU. CERTAINLY. ALRIGHT. UM, LET'S SEE. UM, WE HAVE ONE FINAL ACTION, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA COME UP UNTIL AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND I KNOW WE ARE GOING TO GET OUR MONTHLY REPORT, BUT I THINK I, I, UH, SAW MS. TAYLOR COME UP. WAS THAT MS. TAYLOR WITH THE BAPTIST FINGER THAT WALKED IN? YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UH, IF, UH, I TRYING, I TRIED TO DISRUPT THE SERVICE. ALRIGHT. [III. Public Comment (Part 2 of 2)] UM, YOU, YOU WERE LISTED, UH, AS A, A PERSON THAT WANTED PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO, UM, WE'VE GOT THREE MINUTES FOR YOU IF YOU'RE READY. OKAY. GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAN YOU PUSH BACK? OH, GOTTA PUSH A GREEN. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. GOOD. GOOD. AFTERNOON. AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR. I, I SERVE AT THE A CC BOARD OF TRUSTEES PLAY SEVEN. UH, BUT I'M JUST A REGULAR BUS DRIVER, RIDER AND SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE I'M A BUS DRIVER 'CAUSE I GOTTA TELL THE NEW GUYS WHERE TO GO. BUT ANYWAY, UH, UH, I I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU, UH, ON THE COMMENT ABOUT THE BUS, UH, SHELTERS, I WAS CURIOUS TO COMMENT ABOUT WHERE THE BUS SHELTERS, WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY'RE NOT. SEEMS TO ME IF YOU PUT A STICK THERE, IT'S ENOUGH RIDERSHIP THERE FOR THE STICK TO BE THERE. SO WHY IS IT THAT THOSE RIDERS DON'T GET A SHELTER AND A SEAT? IT'S IN FRONT OF MY CHURCH, ST. JAMES COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH. THERE IS A STICK. MY BACK IS STANDING THERE WAITING FOR THE BUS AND I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD GET A BUS SHELTER AND A CHAIR THERE AS IS A LUXURY SEAT OVER IN WEST AUSTIN. AND SOME PLACES PEOPLE DON'T EVEN USE THE BUS, BUT THEY GOT A NICE BUS SHUT STOP. SO I WAS WONDERING THEIR BUS 1319 STOP BUS. 1319 STOP HAS A THIN, UH, BUT SIGNIFICANT WALL, UH, SEMEN WALL. IT'S NOT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR SOMEBODY TO TAKE A NAP. SO THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IF WE PUT A BENCH THERE, SOMEBODY WHO'S LIVING OUTSIDE WILL SWEEP ON IT AND THEN THE RIDERS CAN'T RIDE IT. HOW ABOUT IF WE GO WITH, UH, RETAINING WALLS? IF YOU DO A, A, A CEMENT RETAINING WALL, PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING THERE TEMPORARY TO CATCH THE BUS, LIKE ME CAN SIT DOWN, BUT I CAN'T LAY ON IT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT, BUT WIDE ENOUGH FOR ME TO LAY ON IT. UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT. BUT ANYWAY, I, I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK Y'ALL FOR BEING HERE AND THANK Y'ALL FOR HAVING THIS FORUM. UM, UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THE LONGHORNS, OF COURSE, ARE GIVING CREDIT FOR INCREASING THE POPULATION AND ALL THE CONGREGATIONS 'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S PRAYING FOR 'EM. AND, UM, WE MIGHT HAVE TO PRAY HARDER. . AND, AND, AND I WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY TO RECOGNIZE THAT NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL CAREGIVERS MONTH. SO I MAKE ALL OF Y'ALL HONORARY LIFEGUARDS. YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY WHATEVER'S SIGNIFICANT FOR YOU TO DEDICATE YOURSELF TO START CARRYING, PULL TOPS IN YOUR CAR, PULL TOPS OR POP TOPS, CANNED GOODS, GREEN BEANS, UH, SPAM, WHATEVER YOU CAN GIVE 'EM OUT AT THE, AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. AND THOSE, YOU WORRIED ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND I DON'T WANNA GIVE 'EM ANY MONEY 'CAUSE DRUGS, DRUGS, DRUGS. WELL, THEY CAN POP TOP AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A A CAN OVER. SO, SO BECOME A LIFEGUARD. AND, UM, WHAT ELSE DID I HAVE? OH, UH, THIS WAS THE MONTH ALSO CELEBRATING VETERANS DAY AND HAPPENED THAT I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT, UH, DIS DISABLED VETERAN. AND, AND I GOT MARRIED ON THE 23RD OF OCTOBER. IT, IT WASN'T A MAN, IT WAS A MORTGAGE, , . I STILL HAD TO CHECK THE PLUMBING. BUT MY [01:05:01] POINT IS, WE GOT PLENTY OF VETERANS OUT HERE ON THE CORNER. THEY ARE DISABLED AND THEY'RE A, A, A JEWEL. IF WE COULD GET THE CHURCHES TO ADOPT A VETERAN, THE VETERAN WHO'S A HUNDRED PERCENT CAN GET A HOUSE. YOU CAN GET A HOUSE AND YOU CAN LIVE IN IT, BUT THE CHURCH WILL MANAGE IT FOR YOU. SO IT'S LIKE STARTING ALL OVER. LIKE, UH, THE ALAMO, YOU COULD LIKE A MISSION. I SPOKE ABOUT THIS IN APRIL OF 2022 AT THE CONGRESS DOWN THERE. IT'S CALLED A MISSION PROGRAM. ALL THE VETERANS WHO ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT, THEY GET A HOUSE TAX FREE INSTEAD OF PITI. YOU DON'T PAY TAXES, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE APPRAISING. AND THEN THIS WAY YOU CAN BE BENEFIT ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAW YOU GO OFF TO WAR AND YOU HAD TO BE FIT TO GO TO WAR. AND THEN YOU CAME BACK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT 'CAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOU. LIKE SOMETHING HAPPENED ME. BUT YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BENEFIT, UH, YOUR COUNTRY BY GETTING YOUR A HUNDRED PERCENT AND THEN GET YOUR HOUSE. AND MY, I'M JUST SO, UH, TO KEEP PINCHING MYSELF. I, I, I'M A, I'M A HOMEOWNER. I WAS A HOMEOWNER IN 2008 TOO. AND UNFORTUNATELY I GOT IN THAT MESS AND LOST BOTH HOUSES. THE SAME JOHN BROWN YEAR OVER THAT, UM, THING. THEN OTHER PEOPLE IN BANK OF AMERICA GAVE PROMOTIONS TO THE PEOPLE WHO, WHO TOOK PART IN THAT. BUT, BUT EVERYBODY ASKED WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THEIR HOUSES. BUT I GOT MY THIRD ONE. AND, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, AND LAST, UM, ALRIGHT, WE GOT, WANT EVERYBODY TO, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE EXECUTIVE SESSION, LIST SESSION EVERYBODY PLEASE COME ON THE 19TH, WHICH IS WEDNESDAY, UH, THEY'RE GIVING FREE STAKES OUT TO LEARN ABOUT CREMATION. NOW WE ALL GOING OUT HERE SOMEWHERE, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO CREMATION WAY. BUT THE POINT IS, UH, AT THE SOUTH, UH, GRASS STEAKHOUSE AT 1 0 6 1 4 RESEARCH, YOU CAN GO HAVE, UH, UM, A STEAK ON, UH, 1130 THIS WEDNESDAY. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND, AND, UH, AND ENCOURAGING THE BOARD AS YOU ALWAYS DO. ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE. [IX.1. President and CEO Monthly Update - November 2025] THE NEXT ITEM, UH, BEFORE WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE THE, UH, MONTHLY UPDATE FROM OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO. ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, BEFORE I DIVE INTO MY REGULAR UPDATE THIS MONTH, I DID WANNA BRIEFLY TOUCH ON A CRASH THAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK AT ONE OF OUR BUS STOPS, UM, ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE AT BURTON. UM, THAT SADLY TOOK THE LIFE OF A CAT METRO CUSTOMER WAITING FOR THE BUS. UM, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY SADDENED BY THIS STRATEGY, TRAGEDY AND, AND WANT TO, TO SEND OUR BEST REGARDS OUT TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF, UM, OUR RIDER WHO WAS LOST. I ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND EXPRESS MY DEEP APPRECIATION FOR HOW OUR TEAMS MOBILIZED IN RESPONSE TO THAT CRASH. UM, THAT INCIDENT HAPPENED AROUND 8:00 PM AND IT WAS AROUND 2:00 AM THE SAME NIGHT WHEN THE ROAD REOPENED. UM, OUR PUBLIC FACILITIES TEAM WAS ONSITE TO BEGIN CLEARING DEBRIS. THE SHELTER WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR OLDER STYLE STEEL SHELTERS, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY OBLITERATED MAKING FOR AN UNSAFE SITUATION, NOT JUST FOR THE WAITING PUBLIC, BUT FOR ANYONE TRYING TO UTILIZE THE SIDEWALK. UM, THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, IMMEDIATELY CLEAR THE DEBRIS AND BY 1:00 PM THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON HAD COMPLETELY REBUILT THE STOP, UM, FOR THE USE OF OUR MORE THAN 300 DAILY WRITERS THAT RELY ON US TO SERVICE FROM THAT LOCATION. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY SEND OUT A THANK YOU TO THE CREW OF FOLKS WHO MOSTLY DO THEIR WORK AT AROUND THREE OR FOUR IN THE MORNING, UM, WHO ARE OFTEN, UM, NOT SEEN BY OUR PUBLIC, UM, BUT A HUGE THANK YOU. THEY'RE LED BY JEFF HILL, WHO IS WITH US HERE TODAY, UM, AND DO AMAZING WORK. SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A THANK YOU TO MARIO VALENTINE, YALA, ADAM, ALVARO, JAYDEN, LEO, BARDO, CLIFTON, AND MATT. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY DO. WE APPRECIATE THEIR HUSTLE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE WEEK, UM, AND ABSOLUTELY APPRECIATE THEIR WILLINGNESS, UM, TO REALLY COME TOGETHER WHEN WE NEED THEM THE MOST. UM, OF COURSE OUR THOUGHTS WILL REMAIN WITH THE FAMILY OF THIS VICTIM AS THEY, AS THEY FACE THAT ONCE. ALL RIGHT, SO ONTO THE, UM, STANDARD REPORT. SO IN THE COMMUNITY, THE CAP METRO TEAM WAS OUT IN FORCE ON A CHILLY VETERAN'S DAY. MORNING. VETERAN'S DAY STILL FELT CHILLY. THE CHILL SEEMS TO HAVE LEFT US NOW. UM, BUT WE HAD A BEAUTIFUL PARADE, UM, EXPERIENCE WITH OUR BUS WRAP HONORING ALL OF THOSE WHO, UM, HAVE SERVED AND CONTINUE TO SERVE, UM, ONE OF THE MANY PARADES THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN EACH YEAR THAT GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO, TO RECOGNIZE AND REALLY SUPPORT THE VARIOUS FACETS OF OUR COMMUNITY. UM, SO WE WERE THRILLED, UM, TO BE OUT THERE. UM, JUST YESTERDAY [01:10:01] WE HELD, UM, CAT METRO FAMILY FUN DAY AND BUS RODEO. UM, SO WE DON'T HAVE PICTURES YET, BUT I THINK IF WE CLICK WILL IT, THERE WE GO. UH, OH, ED'S GOT THE VERSION OF THE PRESENTATION THAT STILL SAYS NAME, NAME, NAME. UM, WE WILL GET A LIST NEXT MONTH FOR YOU OF OUR BUS RODEO WINNERS. UM, WE WERE THRILLED YESTERDAY TO HOLD OUR ANNUAL BUS RODEO, WHICH IS OUR COMPETITION FOR ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE OPERATORS. UM, BOTH IN DEMAND RESPONSE AND IN OUR FIXED DROP BUS AS WELL AS MAINTENANCE TEAMS. UM, WE ARE, UM, VERY HAPPY. WE HAD A FABULOUS TURNOUT. UM, WE, ALONGSIDE THE BUS RODEO, UM, HELD OUR ANNUAL FAMILY FUN DAY, WHICH IS AN EVENT WHERE WE HAND OUT STAFF AWARDS. ALSO A FANTASTIC LIST OF STAFF. UM, AND, AND JUST THANK ALL OF OUR TEAMS FOR COMING OUT TOGETHER. SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT IN NEXT MONTH'S REPORT WE SHOW YOU SOME GREAT PHOTOS. 'CAUSE IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL EVENT, BUT IT LITERALLY JUST FINISHED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, SO WE DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT INTO THE REPORT TODAY THAT THAT ALMOST LOOKED LIKE A PUBLIC CIA BRIDGE . IT'S NOT A SECRET WHO WON, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM APPROPRIATELY WITH THEIR PRETTY FIX, WITH THEIR, WITH SOME PRETTY PICTURES. EXCUSE ME. NEXT UP, UM, JUST A QUICK CHECK-IN ON STRATEGIC PLAN 2030, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THESE FOUR PILLARS OF RELIABLE AND SECURE SERVICE. YEP, THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. RELIABLE AND SECURE SERVICE, INCREASED RES RIDERSHIP, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND REGIONAL, REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE ARE THE PILLARS OF OUR CRITICAL RESULTS FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLAN 2030. AND REALLY GUIDING WHAT WE DO. AND EACH MONTH AT THE BOARD MEETING, I'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING ONE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN ACTION ITEMS, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT. UM, SO THIS MONTH I'D LIKE TO, UM, RECOGNIZE AND, AND TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OUR ACTION ITEM. REDUCE SAFETY INCIDENTS THROUGH CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF THE SAFETY PROGRAM. UM, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY IN INTERCHANGEABLY, UM, BUT WHEN WE, UM, GET INTO IT WITH THE EXPERTS, THEY LIKE TO REMIND ME THAT SAFETY PROTECTS US AGAINST UNINTENTIONAL HAZARDS LIKE CRASHES, TRIPS AND FALLS, THAT SORT OF THING. WELL, SECURITY PROTECTS US AGAINST INTENTIONAL THREATS LIKE CRIME OR TERRORISM, UM, AND THAT SORT OF STUFF. AND WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY AND SECURITY A LOT, UM, IN ONE PLACE. IN FACT, WE HOUSE THEM WITHIN ONE, UM, TEAM UNDER GARDNER BAN. BUT REALLY TODAY, LOOKING AT OUR FOCUS ON REDUCING SAFETY INCIDENTS, UM, WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY MONITORING THE SAFETY AND LOOKING AT THE DATA, FIGURING OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE OUR TRAINING AND COMMUNICATIONS. UM, LOOKING AT THE, THE PROGRAMS AND LOOKING AT THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IS THE, IS WHAT WE'RE DOING WORKING, UM, YOU'LL SEE HERE ON THE NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR ON A WEEKLY, MONTHLY, AND QUARTERLY BASIS. AN ENTIRE STRUCTURE OF, UM, COMMITTEES THAT ARE JOINT COMMITTEES WITH OUR SERVICE PARTNERS. UM, WE HAVE A JOINT COMMITTEE WITH THE UNION. UM, WE HAVE EMPLOYEE LED, UM, EFFORTS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT SAFETY IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PUTTING UP ON THE SIGN, BUT IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY IS PUTTING FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND THIS STRUCTURE OF COMMITTEES AND DATA ANALYSIS AND REVIEW IS LARGELY THE FUNCTION AND, AND THE OUTPUT OF OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AGENCY SAFETY PLAN, WHICH I'LL REMIND THIS BOARD THAT YOU GET THE PRIVILEGE OF REAFFIRMING ANNUALLY. STAY TUNED FOR A BOARD MEETING NEAR YOU. UM, AS WE WILL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SAFETY PROGRAMS. AND IN LINE WITH THAT, WITH SAFETY BEING EVERYBODY'S RESPONSIBILITY, UM, WE'VE BEEN REALLY IMPROVING OUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW. WE'VE HAD AN EMPLOYEE REPORTING SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM ALLOWS TEAM, TEAM MEMBERS TO EITHER CALL US AND LEAVE A VOICEMAIL OR GO ONLINE AND OR ON A OLD SCHOOL PIECE OF PAPER AND REPORT A SAFETY CONCERN. THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS SYSTEM IS IT DOES ALLOW AN EMPLOYEE TO REPORT A, A CONCERN ANONYMOUSLY. IF SOMEBODY HAS A CONCERN BUT THEY'RE REALLY NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE ABOUT REPORTING IT FOR ANY REASON, THEN THEY CAN GO ONLINE AND REPORT THE CONCERN. IT WILL, UM, THEN GIVE THEM A WAY TO CHECK BACK IN ON WHAT WE SAY IN THAT ONLINE SYSTEM FOR THAT THAT CONCERN. UM, AND SO IT ALLOWS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE PEOPLE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, UM, TO REPORT THE CONCERNS. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING, IF WE DON'T HEAR ABOUT THE BITS AND PIECES, UM, THEN WE WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION. UM, WE ARE REALLY WORKING, UM, HARD WITH OUR IMPROVED INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S AS EASY AS POSSIBLE AND MAYBE EVEN EASIER THAN EVER FOR FOLKS TO SHARE WITH US THEIR CONCERNS AND REALLY CLOSE THAT FEEDBACK LOOP SO THAT THEY KNOW NOT ONLY THAT THEY'VE RAISED A CONCERN, BUT THAT WE ARE RESPONDING TO IT AS WELL. UM, SO ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN OUR SAFETY PROGRAM AND ONE OF THE 18 ACTION ITEMS THAT OUR STAFF ARE WORKING ON TO CONTINUE MOVING OUR [01:15:01] STRATEGIC PLAN FORWARD. SO I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT FOR Y'ALL TODAY. AND THEN LASTLY, UM, OUR CUSTOMER CARE TEAM CONTINUES TO SEE RECORD CALLS AND CONTINUES TO DO, UM, A PHENOMENAL JOB OF WHILE EVEN WHILE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL CONTACTS, UM, DOING SO WITH, UM, THE SAME LEVEL OF STAFFING AND MEETING ALL OF OUR PERFORMANCE METRICS. SO, UM, MANY KUDOS TO THEM. UM, AND THEN FINAL SLIDE, I THINK THERE IT IS, UM, SOME, SOME FUN PHOTOS. SO WE RECENTLY BROKE GROUND ON THE CAMERON ROAD CORRIDOR IMPROVEMENT. UM, I HAD THE HONOR OF BEING JOINED BY BOARD MEMBER VELA, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, THE AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR RICHARD MENDOZA. UM, THERE IS A CITY PROJECT TO IMPROVE A LOT OF THE ROADWAY AND ROADWAY KIND OF, UH, LANE CONFIGURATION AS WELL AS ADJACENT SIDEWALKS AND OTHER CONFIGURATIONS ALONG A LARGE PORTION OF CAMERON ROAD. AND IN SO DOING, THEY WILL BE REBUILDING, I THINK IT'S OVER 20 CAT METRO BUS STOPS TO BETTER INTEGRATE WITH THAT CORRIDOR PROJECT. AND SO, UM, WHEN WE SEE THESE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE THIS KIND OF MAJOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT IS HAPPENING, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS OF THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PUT IT BACK TOGETHER IN THE SHAPE OF A BUS STOP WHERE IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE BUS STOP TO BE. UM, AND SO MOVING, CONSOLIDATING SOME OF OUR BUS STOPS, MOVING THEM CLOSER TO, UM, CROSSWALKS. IN A PERFECT SITUATION, EVERY SINGLE BUS STOP WOULD BE JUST PAST THE TRAFFIC LIGHT RIGHT AT A CROSSWALK THAT IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO US. UM, BUT I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT PARTNERSHIP. I ALSO, UM, HAD THE PRIVILEGE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO OF ATTENDING, UM, THE AUSTIN AREA URBAN LEAGUE'S EQUAL OPPORTUNITY GALA, UM, WAS JOINED BY, UM, BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AND HIS LOVELY WIFE, AS WELL AS SOME OF OUR OTHER STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UM, THE URBAN LEAGUE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY PARTNER IN HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INTEGRATING THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THE WORK THAT WE DO WHEN WE ARE LOOKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, UM, KIND OF CUSTOMER'S VOICE IS BEING HEARD AND VARYING EFFORTS SUCH AS THE TRANSIT PLAN THAT WE JUST, UM, COMPLETED THE STANDUP OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE DID LAST SUMMER. THE URBAN LAKE HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER IN HELPING US MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONNECTED TO THAT COMMUNITY. SO WE WERE THRILLED TO JOIN THEM AT THEIR ANNUAL GALA. UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES, UH, MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU PRESIDENT WA WATKINS. UH, NOW WE'RE GONNA GO [X. Executive Session under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code] INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WHEN WE RETURN FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL RETURN, UH, TO TAKE UP ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE. SO, UH, THE BOARD WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH A QUORUM PRESENT UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 FOR CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY REGARDING LEGAL ISSUES INCLUDING PENDING LITIGATION, UH, RELATED TO PROJECT CONNECT AND SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 FOR PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO PRESIDENT AND CEO, UH, AND HER ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. THE TIME IS NOW ONE 17. ALL RIGHT. UH, JUST RETURNING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WITH A QUORUM INTACT, WE WILL CALL THE MEETING, UH, BACK INTO ORDER AT 2 52. ALL RIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE. WE ARE PUTTING [VII.3. Approval of a resolution awarding President & CEO Dottie Watkins adjustment to pay equal to _____% of her annual salary and a one-time performance achievement bonus equal to _____% of base pay based on her Fiscal Year 2025 annual performance review. The adjustment to pay will be awarded retroactively to October 1, 2025, in accordance with the Employment Agreement.] ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, UM, UP FOR DISCUSSION. WOULD YOU, UH, LET'S SEE. MAKE SURE I'M READING THE RIGHT ONE. OKAY. UM, LET'S SEE. UH, WE WILL VOTE ON ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AWARDING PRESIDENT AND CEO, UH, DOTTIE WATKINS ADJUSTMENT TO, UH, PAY EQUAL TO, UH, AND WE'LL, AND WE'LL, AND THE MOTION ITSELF, LET ME READ IT IN THEN THE MOTION ITSELF WILL COME BACK WITH NUMBERS X PERCENT OF HER ANNUAL SALARY AND A ONE-TIME PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT BONUS EQUAL TO X PERCENT OF BASE PAY, UH, BASE PAY BASED ON HER FISCAL YEAR 2025 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW. THE ADJUSTMENT TO PAY WILL BE AWARDED RETROACTIVELY TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? UH, GO AHEAD. UM, GO AHEAD. BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, UH, CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, AWARD, UH, UH, PRESIDENT WATKINS, A 4% ANNUAL SALARY INCREASE AND A ONE-TIME PERFORMANCE BONUS OF 8% OF HER BASE PAY FOR FISCAL 2025. UM, AND [01:20:01] I MAKE THIS MOTION WITH, I GUESS, WELL, LET'S, LET'S GET A SECOND AND THEN I'LL CALL YOU. RIGHT? YOU RIGHT. OKAY. THERE'S, THERE'S A SECOND ONE. BOARD MEMBER AVELA, UH, PLEASE PROCEED. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UH, I THINK THAT DOTTIE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB. AND IF THERE WAS, AND I REALIZE THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PERSONNEL EVALUATIONS WE WERE, WE HAD EXCEL'S CONSISTENT AND INCONSISTENT. HONESTLY, I WOULD'VE GIVEN HER EXEMPLARY IF THAT HAD BEEN THERE. UM, BUT IN LIGHT OF THE FISCAL SITUATION THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN, UH, NOT WITH, UH, FLAT, YOU KNOW, FLAT SALES TAX FOR THIS YEAR AND POSSIBLY FLAT TO EVEN DECLINING SALES TAX IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT, I THINK THAT MY, THAT WAS THE REASON THAT WAS THE PRIMARY REASON FOR MY MOTION. SO I'LL, AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THERE, BUT I DID WANT TO SAY DOTIE HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB IN MY, IN MY OPINION, UM, AND HAS REALLY LED THIS ORGANIZATION, UH, AS AND, AND I HOPE WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS. SO, SO LET ME FORMALLY SAY IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THAT WE APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, AS, AS PRESENTED BY, UM, BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION NOW? IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO CHIME IN, THIS IS THE PLACE TO DO IT. OKAY. AGAIN, JUST TO ECHO, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS'S COMMENTS, REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK. UH, DOTTIE, UH, THERE SO MANY THINGS GOING ON OVER THE LAST, THE, THE POLICE FORCE, THE AMBASSADORS, AND THE NEW HEADQUARTERS MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS, THE EXPANSION OF THE BIKE SHARE PROGRAM, UH, AND, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR AND, UH, APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK. OKAY? ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT? UH, I'LL ONLY SAY THAT, UH, I CERTAINLY A HUNDRED PERCENT CONFIDENCE IN YOUR WORK CERTAINLY HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF SIGNIFICANT WORK THIS YEAR. AND, AND, UM, AND I THINK, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE, THE, UH, IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK AND THE VOLUME OF THE WORK, BUT ALSO TO, UH, TO TAKE A LOOK AND, AND, UH, AND SEE, UH, WHAT THE PROSPECTS ARE FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND THE SALES TAX ISSUES ARE, ARE, ARE GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANT. BUT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WE GO FORWARD IN THIS PROCESS. ALRIGHT, UH, LET'S SEE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ACTION. ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY OTHER, IS THERE ANY OTHER ISSUE BEFORE US TODAY? ANY ANY OTHER ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS TODAY? ALRIGHT, UH, OUR ATTORNEYS ARE TELLING US NO. SO, UH, WE WILL ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 2 57. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.