[Call to Order]
[00:00:03]
HOW ARE YOU ALL? THANK YOU BOARD FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING THE BOARD MEETING OF THE ALLSTATE TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AT 2:09 PM THE MEETING HAS BEEN HELD AT THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP OFFICES LOCATED AT 2 0 3 COLORADO STREET IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, FOR AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, TO CONTACT, UH, CHLOE MAXWELL AND POSTED IN EACH OF OUR AGENDA POSTINGS.
[1. Public Comment]
IN OUR AGENDA TODAY IS PUBLIC COMMENT FROM MR. LEON WHO REGISTERED TO SPEAK.AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
SOY CARLOS LEON, FIRST AND FOREMOST, S FOR LETTING ME UPDATE YOU.
WHY NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH CAT METRO.
FOLLOWING UP MY SEPTEMBER, NOVEMBER, AND JANUARY TESTIMONY TO YOU, I PROVIDE NEW INFORMATION TODAY TOWARD LAWFULLY HOLDING ACCOUNTABLE KAT METRO, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, DARYL JAMMAS, ALLEGED MISCONDUCT AND CRIMINALITY AGAINST ME.
YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED MY EMAIL PLUS TWO ATTACHMENTS.
I EMAILED MS. MAXWELL YESTERDAY TO FORWARD TO YOU.
MY 248 PAGE PDF WAS THE FULL REPORT WITH SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, INCLUDING CAT METRO'S OWN INCIDENT REPORTS MADE TO A PD SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT BECAUSE ELEMENT ONE OF AN 18 US CODE 2 42 VIOLATION IS DEPRIVING A RIGHT PROTECTED BY THE CONSTITUTION OR LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
JAMEL FALSELY CLAIMED WRITING CAT METRO IS A PRIVILEGE CAT METRO SUSPENSION POLICY DEFINES SUSPENSION AS THE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT REMOVAL OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S RIGHT TO USE CAT METRO TRANSIT SERVICES.
THOUGH CAT METRO SAYS SUSPENSIONS WILL BE ISSUED ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY.
JAMEL CONTINUES SAYING AND DOING THE OPPOSITE.
JAMEL CONVEYED IN WRITING THAT IF I DID NOT AGREE TO HIS OVERLY RESTRICTIVE, UNNECESSARY USE OF SERVICE AGREEMENT BY FEBRUARY 13TH, HIS FRAUDULENT UNWARRANTED SIX MONTHS SUSPENSION AGAINST ME WILL CONTINUE THOUGH IT ENDS MARCH 8TH.
SUCH ILLEGAL EXTORTION VIOLATES CAT METRO POLICY REQUIRING A CODE OF CONDUCT VIOLATION THAT'S A DIRECT THREAT TO HEALTH OR SAFETY FOR SUSPENSION.
BECAUSE DENYING OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MASS, TRANS AND CAT METRO MUST PASS THE STRICT SCRUTINY TEST.
THE HIGHEST CONSTITUTIONAL STANDARD, MEANING CAP METRO'S ACTIONS MUST BE LEAST RESTRICTIVE AND NARROWLY TAILORED TO SERVE A COMPELLING STATE INTEREST.
JAMAL'S USE OF SERVICE AGREEMENT ALSO TRIGGERS EQUAL PROTECTION AND DUE PROCESS VIOLATIONS BECAUSE NONE OF US HAVE TO SIGN THAT AGREEMENT.
WE JUST BOARD PAY AND RIDE BECAUSE IT'S OUR RIGHT.
THUS, CAB METRO, CEO AND PRESIDENT DOTIE WATKINS SITTING RIGHT THERE CONTINUES ALLOWING JAMAL TO GASLIGHT AND ABUSE HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY TO TRUMAN SHOW TARGET ME WITH HIS UPSIDE DOWN, ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL ANTI-REAL, INCLUDING THE WRONGLY ISSUED CTN AGAINST ME FOR CAT METRO POLICE TO USE TO FALSELY ARREST ME FOR RIGHTLY WRITING CAP METRO.
HE JESUS'S WARNING IN MATTHEW 25 40.
AND THE KING SHALL ANSWER AND SAY UNTO THEM, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, IN AS MUCH AS YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, MY BRETHREN YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.
KIT KAT METRO TO THE CURB, FIND A NEW LIGHT RAIL MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY PARTNER PRONTO WHO WILL FOLLOW THE LAW AND TREAT US HONESTLY, RESPECTFULLY AND TRUTHFULLY.
I BELIEVE THERE'S NOBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY.
[2. Executive Director Report]
OUR NEXT MO ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS YOUR REPORT.MR. CANALI, WE'RE READY FOR YOU.
WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.
UM, WANTED TO JUST START WITH A QUICK, UH, REPORT ON SOME OF SOME OF THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING, UM, OUT AND ABOUT TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL, TALKING ABOUT A TP.
WE KNOW IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR WORK IS TO BE OUT AND ABOUT AND MEETING PEOPLE AND MEETING OUR COMMUNITY WHERE THEY ARE.
UH, UH, LINDSAY HAD A CHANCE TO GO VISIT WITH A BOARD OF REALTORS TALKING ABOUT THE GROWTH SUMMIT AS, AS THINGS CONTINUE TO, UH, UH, RECOVER HERE IN AUSTIN, MOVE FORWARD IN THE HOUSING MARKET.
I THINK IT WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION.
I HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH THE AUSTIN CHAMBER INFRASTRUCTURE COUNCIL TO GIVE THEM A STATUS UPDATE ON THE
[00:05:01]
PROJECT.AND ALL OF THESE WERE POST OUR RECORD OF DECISION IN OUR FINAL A WE HAD A LOT OF GREAT NEWS TO UPDATE THE COMMUNITY ON, AND I KNOW JED PINE JOINED, UH, DOTIE WATKINS AT, UH, WHAT WAS A WONDERFUL MOBILITY EDUCATIONAL BREAKFAST.
I THINK A LOT OF FOLKS WERE THERE.
AND, UM, JUST TO CONTINUE A LOT OF EXCITEMENT.
FEW OF US ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH SOME FOLKS IN LOS ANGELES RECENTLY, JUST, UM, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE SAME MODEL THAT WE ARE IN TERMS OF DELIVERY.
WE HAD A REALLY QUICK VISIT WITH THEM, BUT REALLY GOOD LEARNING.
AND THEN I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UH, ON THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST SOME, UH, OUR CAPACITY BUILDING.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT OUR READINESS AS AN ORGANIZATION.
MAKING SURE WE'RE READY FOR THE MOMENT HERE IN 2026.
UH, REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'VE, UH, HIRED OUR FIRST, UH, AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIPS FIRST ART PROGRAM MANAGER, UH, JUST TAKING YOU BACK TO THE FALL.
UH, LISA STORR, UM, SVP OF ARCHITECTURE WALKED THROUGH JUST OUR, UM, OUR EFFORT TO BUILD AND GROW AN ARTS PROGRAM.
AND THAT STARTED WITH A HIRING PROCESS AND WE'RE REALLY GLAD THAT ALFONSO IS GONNA JOIN US FROM NEW ORLEANS.
UM, REALLY A NEAT PERSPECTIVE BRINGING THAT HERE TO AUSTIN AS WE BUILD THAT PROGRAM, UH, ALONG WITH, AS WE DESIGN OUT, UH, AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
AND THEN I THINK A FEW HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO MEET TRAVIS KRUGMAN, UH, OUR VP OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UH, AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AS WE CONTINUE OUR, UH, OUR WORK OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONNECTING WITH EVERYBODY.
SO REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THESE TWO NEW HIRES, UH, JOINING OUR TEAM HERE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE ACTION ITEMS. JUST TO SAY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE, UM, OVER THIS PAST YEAR, IT WAS KIND OF A WORD WE USED ALMOST EVERY MEETING AND PROBABLY 10 TIMES A MEETING WAS THE IDEA OF READINESS.
UM, AND I THINK TODAY, UH, IS GONNA DEMONSTRATE OUR READINESS, THE WORK THAT WE PUT IN OVER THESE LAST 12 TO 18 MONTHS, UH, BEING ABLE TO COME FORWARD TODAY WITH, UM, REALLY JUST A CLEAR ADVANCEMENT OF AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
REALLY PROUD OF OUR TEAM AT AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP, AND REALLY PROUD OF THE, UH, THE INDUSTRY FROM, FROM PARTNERING AND COMMUNICATING WITH US OVER THESE LAST FIVE MONTHS.
SO, WITH THAT BOARD CHAIR, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? I'M THE BOARD UPDATE DATE.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH OUR ACTION ITEMS. I KNOW TODAY'S A BIG DAY FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND FOR THE FUTURE OF LIGHT RAIL, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED.
[3.1. Approval of minutes from the January 21, 2026 ATP Board Meeting.]
TAKE UP THE NEXT FOUR ACTION ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA.THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, THE APPROVAL OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM OUR JANUARY 21ST BOARD MEETING.
ANY DISCUSSION? NO DISCUSSION.
EVERYBODY IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ACTION ITEM ONE, APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
[3.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the Executive Director, or their designee, to (i) negotiate and execute agreements with private utility companies for utility relocations that may be required for Austin Light Rail, and (ii) negotiate and execute work orders under such agreements which would authorize early design coordination work by such utility companies in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 in the aggregate.]
MOVING ON TO THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION RELATED TO AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE UTILITIES AND MS. LINDSAY WOOD, WE'LL PROVIDE A SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE ITEM.BOARD LINDSAY WOOD, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED TO BRING THIS ACTION ITEM TO YOU TODAY AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT PHASE OF WORK OF COMPLETING FINAL DESIGN AND ADVANCING TOWARD CONSTRUCTION.
ONE OF THOSE KEY PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES IS UTILITY COORDINATION, AND WE BRING TO YOU AN ACTION TO CONSIDER, UM, AN AGGREGATE OF NOT TO EXCEED A MILLION DOLLARS TO AUTHORIZE US TO COORDINATE WITH EACH OF THE PRIVATE FRANCHISE UTILITIES ALONG THE ALIGNMENT THAT MAY REQUIRE RELOCATION.
UM, YOU SEE THE ONES LISTED HERE THAT WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN.
THAT COORDINATION AND THIS ACTION WOULD ALLOW US TO EXECUTE AGREEMENTS WITH EACH OF THEM THAT ALLOW THEM TO PERFORM DESIGN REVIEWS, COORDINATE WITH US, HELP IDENTIFY WHERE THEIR FACILITIES ARE, AND, UH, APPROVE AND, UM, COORDINATE TO WHERE THEY MAY NEED TO BE RELOCATED TOO.
SO THIS WORK IS ONLY COORDINATION THAT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANY RELOCATION ITSELF.
WE WILL COME BACK IN THE FUTURE FOR THE LATER STAGES OF THE WORK, BUT THIS IS FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ONLY.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A MOTION MOVED BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA.
EVERYONE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, ACTION ITEM TWO, APPROVE UNANIMOUSLY.
[Items 3.3 & 3.4.]
NOW I'D LIKE TO OFFER THE FINAL TWO ACTION ITEMS ON CONSENT.I'D LIKE TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON ITEMS THREE AND FOUR AT ONE TIME, FOLLOWING A STAFF PRESENTATION.
ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS FROM THE BOARD TO COMBINE THOSE TWO? NO.
I'LL INVITE THE SPEAKERS TO PRESENT ON THE ITEMS AND I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THE SPEAKERS TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
[00:10:10]
GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS.ALVIN LIVINGSTONE, CE OF VICE PRESIDENT DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.
SOFTSPOKEN BRAD, BRAD WON'T BE SOFT-SPOKEN.
I THINK BRAD'S GONNA TAKE US HOME HERE I AM BRAD CUMMINGS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF THE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTS MANAGEMENT.
SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY THERE.
UM, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TODAY TO ASK THE BOARD TO, UM, AUTHORIZE OUR CEO TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH STACY WEPEC AND SUN CONSTRUCTION, A JOINTLY VENTURE KNOWN AS AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT AUSTIN'S FIRST LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.
UM, WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE AN INITIAL 60 MILLION OF WHAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT, UM, BUT FOR THE EARLY, UM, DESIGN WORK AND, AND COORDINATION WITH A TP TO GET US THROUGH, UM, A A PHASE OF THE WORK THAT LINDSAY AND ALVIN WILL BE TALKING ABOUT HERE SHORTLY.
I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, UM, AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO DO IT.
THIS HAS BEEN, AS A PERSON NOTE, A HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER AND BEING ABLE TO DO PROCUREMENT IN THE WAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT HERE AT A TP.
UM, WHEN I FIRST MET WITH GREG AND CASEY TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PROJECT, UM, AND HOW IT NEEDS TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY AND HOW WE CAN DO MOMENTOUS THINGS HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, I, I BOUGHT IN A LINE AND SINKER, UM, AND I WANT TO THANK GREG AND CASEY, FIRST OF ALL FOR ELEVATING THE DISCUSSION OF HOW THINGS CAN GET DONE, UH, AND HOW THINGS CAN GET BUILT.
UM, AND WE DESIGNED THIS PROCUREMENT PROCESS, STARTING TALKING WITH THE INDUSTRY, UM, OUR PEER AGENCIES AND OUR BOARD, UM, A WHILE AGO ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO IT.
AND WE OUTLINED AND WE LAID A ROADMAP THAT'S VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT'S BEING SHOWN IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY, UM, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
UM, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SAY THAT THAT ROADMAP HAS BEEN HIT AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
UM, WE PUT OUT A DATE WHEN WE WERE GONNA ISSUE AN RFI, WE PUT OUT A DATE WHEN WE WERE GONNA ISSUE THE RFQ, THE RFP, AND WHEN WE WERE GONNA COME BACK TO OUR BOARD TO ASK FOR AUTHORIZATIONS TO ENTER THIS PART OF, OF THE PROCESS.
AND THROUGH THE WORK OF A LOT OF REALLY EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE, UM, AND A LOT OF THE ELBOW GREASE WE WE'RE HERE.
UM, AND I'M GONNA WALK YOU THROUGH HOW THAT PROCESS WORKED OUT.
UM, THE FIRST THING THAT WE DECIDED TO DO AND HOW TO DO PROCUREMENT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY IS BY MONTHS BEFORE WE ANTICIPATED ACTUALLY ISSUING THE SOLICITATION, IS WE ISSUED FINAL DRAFT VERSIONS THAT WE THOUGHT WERE READY TO GO ON THE STREET, READY TO GO DAY ONE TO THE INDUSTRY MONTHS BEFORE WE WERE GOING TO ACTUALLY ISSUE THEM.
UM, WE DID THAT FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
UM, ONE, WE WANTED INDUSTRY FEEDBACK AND INPUT ON HOW THIS WAS GOING TO BE DONE.
UM, NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO DO THIS BETTER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING IT AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND WE WANTED TO SOLICIT THEIR INFORMATION AND THEIR FEEDBACK SO WE CAN MAKE THIS PROJECT AS COMMERCIALLY VIABLE.
UM, AND, AND A PROJECT OF CHOICE FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE A PART OF.
WE WANTED TO CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PROPOSE THEIR BEST TALENT TO WORK IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, A LOT OF TIMES HOW PUBLIC PROCUREMENT WORKS IS THESE SOLICITATIONS ARE KIND OF BUILT IN A SILO AND THEN THROWN OUT ON THE STREET WITH NOT A LOT OF ADVANCED WARNING OR NOTICE.
AND THEN WE'RE ASKING THE INDUSTRY IN 60 OR 90 DAYS, IF THEY'RE LUCKY TO PUT TOGETHER THEIR BEST TALENT AND PUT TOGETHER THEIR BEST TEAMS AND PUT TOGETHER THEIR BEST APPROACHES AND PLANS AND DESIGNS.
UM, AND WE'RE ASKING 'EM TO WORK A LOT OF MIRACLES FOR FREE.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THEY, THEY FAIL TO MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE POSSIBLE, WE GRADE THEM POORLY.
UM, WE GET A LITTLE MAD AT THEM.
UM, WE MOVE SOME OF THEM FORWARD, MOVE SOME OF THEM BACK, AND WE HIGHLIGHT AND WE PICK A, A FIRM.
AND THEN WE SPEND MONTHS AND MONTHS NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT THAT NO ONE'S SUPER EXCITED ABOUT.
STARTING ON DAY ONE AND WE CAN'T DO THIS PROJECT IS WAY TOO IMPORTANT TO, TO FOLLOW WHAT HAS KIND OF BEEN THE STATUS QUO OF BUILDING AND PROCURING THESE MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
SO WE STARTED IT OUT WITH THIS RFI.
WE HELD A NUMBER OF ONE-ON-ONES WITH ANYONE WHO WANTED TO TALK TO US ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WE RELEASED.
WE HOSTED A CONNECT AND BUILD EVENT WHERE WE INVITED PRIME CONTRACTORS WHO WERE INTENDING TO BID ON THIS PROJECT, TO COME INTO OUR BUILDING AND TO MEET WITH LOCAL AND SMALL BUSINESSES WHO WANTED TO ALSO WORK ON THIS PROJECT.
WE HAD ALMOST 200 LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES COME TO THAT EVENT, UM, MANY OF WHICH HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE PROPOSERS THAT PROPOSED ON THE PROJECT.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE ON, ON THIS CONTRACT HERE THAT, UM,
[00:15:01]
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO AWARD TODAY.UM, BUT THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE REDEVELOPED, WE, WE MADE SOME CHANGES.
WE, WE LISTENED TO THE INDUSTRY TO, TO MAKE THIS PROJECT EVEN BETTER.
AND WE ISSUED THE RFQ, UM, IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THE REASON WHY WE DO AN RFQ IS TO ENSURE THAT THE FIRMS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK.
NOT ONLY THE FIRMS, BUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO BE ON THE PROJECT THEMSELVES.
AND WE'VE THOROUGHLY EVALUATED THEM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR, OUR FRIENDS OF THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO, UM, TO REVIEW THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE FIRMS, THE PROJECTS THAT THEY, THEY'VE WORKED ON BEFORE THAT ARE VERY SIMILAR TO OURS AND THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUNDS OF THE PERSONNEL THAT THEY WERE PROPOSING ON THE PROJECT.
AND WE QUALIFIED FIRMS TO MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS.
AND THAT PROCESS IS DESIGNED TO REVIEW THE APPROACHES AND PLANS AND INNOVATION IDEAS THAT THEY HAD ON THIS FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND YOU DO THAT TO ENSURE THAT NO BAD IDEAS MOVE FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, BAD QUALIFICATIONS AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE CAN HURT A PROJECT, BAD IDEAS CAN HURT A PROJECT.
AND WE DESIGNED THIS PROCUREMENT PROCESS TO MITIGATE AROUND THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PITFALLS IN THE SUCCESS OF A PROJECT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR THE MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED.
UM, AND WE REVIEWED THOSE QUALIFICATIONS AND THOSE PROPOSALS, UM, WHICH CONTAIN THEIR DESIGNS AND PLANS AND APPROACHES.
UM, AGAIN, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE CITY AND AT CAPITAL METRO.
UM, ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT WE DID A PART OF THIS PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT.
UM, BECAUSE QUALIFICATIONS CAN RUIN A PROJECT AND WE HELP SOLVE THAT ISSUE, BAD PLANS CAN RUIN A PROJECT AND WE HELP SOLVE THAT ISSUE.
BUT BAD PERSONALITIES CAN STALL A PROJECT JUST AS MUCH AS EXPERIENCE AND PLANS CAN.
AND WE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT THIS PROCESS WAS GOING TO HELP US DELIVER AND FIND THE BEST TEAM TO HELP THIS TEAM BUILD THIS PROJECT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO WE HAD ALL OF THE FIRMS WHO PROPOSED COME IN AND DO A TWO DAY WORKSHOP WITH PERSONNEL, UH, THAT THEIR KEY STAFF AND, AND, AND KEY PERSONNEL WORK WITH OUR KEY STAFF AND PERSONNEL IN REAL LIFE SITUATIONS THAT HAPPEN DURING THE COURSE OF DELIVERING A PROJECT IN A HYPOTHETICAL SENSE.
SO WE COULD EVALUATE HOW WELL WE COULD WORK AND COLLABORATE TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH BIG SOLUTIONS TO BIG PROBLEMS. UM, AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE IDENTIFIED THE TEAM THAT'S SITTING BEHIND YOU TO BEHIND US TODAY, UM, AUSTIN RAIL CONSTRUCTORS TO, TO HELP US DO EXACTLY THAT.
UM, AND, AND WE DID IT IN LESS THAN A YEAR, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
REALLY NINE MONTHS IF YOU TAKE OUT THE RFI, WHICH I WANT TO FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES.
UM, AND, AND WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE IDENTIFIED WHO WAS GOING TO BE IDENTIFIED, UH, AS THIS HIGHEST RANKED FIRM.
AND THEN WE SPENT THE MONTH OF JANUARY NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT THAT WE'RE TAKING TOHU TODAY, WHICH AGAIN, UM, I, I'VE DONE THIS THIS BEFORE ON MULTIPLE LIGHT RAIL EXTENSIONS AND A COMMUTER RAIL PROJECT AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
AND NORMALLY THIS PROCESS FROM BEGINNING TO END, IF YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT PROCUREMENT TAKES OVER A YEAR TO 18 MONTHS AND THEN YOU ADD ON ANOTHER THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT.
BUT AGAIN, THROUGH THE COMMITMENT OF REALLY DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS BOTH ON OUR SIDE AND THE TEAM WE'VE SELECTED, WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE BIG PROBLEMS REALLY QUICKLY AND GET TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO SOLVE ANY SCOPE RELATED ISSUES AND, AND MONEY RELATED ISSUES AND CONTRACT AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND, AND GET THROUGH ALL OF THAT REALLY QUICKLY IN A COLLABORATIVE MANNER THAT IS ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY TO ASK THE BOARD TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT.
UM, IT'S, IT IT'S PRETTY MOMENTOUS.
UM, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THANK ON THAT.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T, ESPECIALLY FOR EVERYONE WHO'S ON THIS TABLE, GREG AND CASEY, UM, LINDSAY AND ALVIN'S TEAM WHO SPENT EVERY HOUR IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY WORKING, UM, TO AGAIN, DO BIG THINGS.
MY PROCUREMENT TEAM MAY BE SUPER REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE DONE.
UM, OUR PARTNERS WITH OUR DELIVERY PARTNER, AECOM, OUR COMMERCIAL AND FINANCE PARTNERS AT EY, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AT ASHURST, AND A HOST OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD A HUGE HAND IN MAKING SURE WE COULD REACH THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
UM, AND WITH THAT, THE NEXT SLIDE WE'LL INTRODUCE THE, THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE, WE'VE SELECTED.
AND FEEL FREE ANYONE TO INTERRUPT ME AND ADD ON TO ANYTHING.
UM, BUT LIKE I MENTIONED, OUR, OUR, THE LEAD CONTRACTOR, THE JOINT VENTURE IS A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN STACEY ICK AND SON.
THEY'VE IDENTIFIED, UM, MON MCDONALD AND STANTEC IS THEIR LEAD DESIGNER WHO'S ALSO A JOINT VENTURE.
UM, MRS IS THE SYSTEMS, UH, LEAD SYSTEMS CONTRACTOR, UM, WITH A HOST OF OTHERS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED TO HELP, UM, BUILD THIS PROJECT.
AND IF WE CAN GO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT THE INDUSTRY'S LISTEN TO YOU BOARD ON ENSURING THAT TEXAS IS HELPING BUILD THIS TEXAS SIZED PROJECT.
AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE LOCAL, UM, AUSTIN FIRMS AND ALSO THE REGIONAL FIRMS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO, UM, THIS CONTRACT RIGHT NOW.
UM, THEY'VE ALSO PROPOSED A REALLY ROBUST, ROBUST WAY AS WE CAN MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE FINAL DESIGN AND START
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CONSTRUCTING, UM, THE PROJECT THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO FIND LOCAL BASED, UM, SMALL BUSINESSES TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT AS THEY, THEY BID OUT A LOT OF THE CONSTRUCTION PACKAGES IN THE FUTURE.UM, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED BY, BY THIS TEAM'S COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT AUSTIN IS READY TO HELP BUILD AUSTIN.
AND WITH THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY PROCUREMENT QUESTIONS OR I'LL TURN THE TIME OVER TO LINDSAY NOW THEN TO WALK US THROUGH, UM, THE, THE NEXT PHASES OF THE PROJECT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ON THE PROCUREMENT JOURNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
I THINK YOU THANKED EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP GETTING US TO THIS POINT, UH, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO GET GOING AND, UM, WITH OUR BOARD'S CONSIDERATION, WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT HOW WE ARE, UH, EMBEDDING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY INTO THE BOARD ACTIONS RELATED TO WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BE A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT.
BUT TODAY, COMING TO, TO ONLY AUTHORIZE THIS FIRST FINAL STAGE OF PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES THAT WE CALL PHASE ONE A, UH, WE WANT TO BUILD IN THESE KEY TOUCH POINTS, UH, MAJOR DECISION POINTS AS WE MOVE FROM ONE PHASE TO THE NEXT IN THE PROJECT.
SO WE WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS, UM, COMPLETE CONTINUITY BETWEEN THOSE PHASES.
AND WE IMAGINE COMING BACK LATER THIS SUMMER AS WE ARE TOWARD THE END, BUT NOT QUITE COMPLETE OF WRAPPING UP THOSE EARLY PRE-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES.
UM, IN ORDER TO FINISH THE REMAINDER OF THE FINAL DESIGN.
AND WE'LL ASK YOU FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR THE PHASE ONE B SERVICES AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AGAIN IN 2027 FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WORK PACKAGES.
SO THIS IS NOT THE LAST TIME YOU'LL HEAR FROM US.
WE'LL BE GIVING REGULAR UPDATES AND BUILDING IN YOUR INPUT ALONG THE WAY.
WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED THAT THIS PROCESS THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT HAS SET US UP TO BE, UM, READY WITH OUR NEW PARTNERS TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
AND ALVIN'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR YEAR AHEAD.
AGAIN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UM, BOARD CHAIR, ALVIN LIVINGSTONE, THE, THIS IS ACTUALLY PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS CAN TELL I'M, I'M PRETTY, I'M PRETTY EXCITED, UH, IN, IN FACT I'M PROBABLY GONNA TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN AND MAYBE EVEN SPEAK FASTER BECAUSE I WANT THESE GUYS TO ACTUALLY GET BACK TO WORK OR ACTUALLY GET TO WORK
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHAT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO EARLY THAT LEADS TO THE EARLY WORKS PACKAGING, UM, AND TELLING US HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY STRUCTURE THINGS.
THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE WANNA DO TOO, AS WELL AS ADVANCE THE DESIGN SO THAT WE WANT 'EM TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE DESIGN WHERE THEY CAN, BY THE END, WE, BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE END OF DESIGN MILESTONE NUMBER ONE, WE COULD BE INTO THE PERMITTING PHASE AND ACTUALLY START THE PERMITTING PHASE EARLY.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE LAST THINGS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS REALLY JUST GETTING INTO THE FIELD AND INVESTIGATION AND DOING THE SEW WORK OUT THERE, WHICH IS THE SUBS, SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING AND POTHOLING, IDENTIFYING ALL THE UTILITIES AND SOME OF THE SURVEYING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO OUT THERE IN GEOTECH.
WANT TO KIND OF GET 'EM OUT THERE EARLIER IF WE CAN.
SO, SO PRETTY SOON, UM, HOPEFULLY HERE BY THIS SPRING, YOU SHOULD BE SEEING OUR HARD HATS OUT THERE IN THE STREET AND THESE GUYS ACTUALLY WORKING.
SO YOU'LL KNOW THAT THINGS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING DONE.
AND I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT ALVIN IS OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR FOR THIS LIGHT RAIL, UM, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HAVE HIS LEADERSHIP.
ONE OF ALVIN'S MANY STRENGTHS IS BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND HE HAS ALREADY, UM, BEGUN I THINK WHAT WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CONTRACTOR PARTNERS.
AND WE ARE ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME GOAL.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY HERE AFTERNOON.
SO COUPLED WITH THIS ITEM, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO APPROPRIATE SOME ADDITIONAL DOLLARS TO THE LIGHT RAIL CAPITAL FUND.
UM, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY TRANSFERRING DOLLARS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE OPERATING FUND OVER TO THE LIGHT RAIL CAPITAL FUND TO ALIGN THE SPEND PLAN WITH THE WORK PACKAGE THAT LINDSAY AND ALVIN JUST WORK, JUST TALKED THROUGH FOR THE PHASE ONE A, UM, ARC CONTRACT.
SO ANY QUESTIONS, I OPEN IT TO THE BOARD.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR THIS WONDERFUL INFORMATION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY TO GET US TO THIS POINT.
I CAN SEE YOUR ENTHUSIASM, BUT YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTAIN YOURSELVES.
LIKE YOU, I CAN, IT SOME RESTRAINT.
[00:25:01]
SO I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.I'LL MOVE APPROVAL, MOVE BY BOARD MEMBER ILION SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? WELL, UM, IF, IF, IF I COULD IT, IT IS REALLY MORE THAN DISCUSSION.
IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE THINGS PLAIN? HOW DO WE MAKE THINGS TRANSPARENT? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE PROCESSES THAT WE GO THROUGH? UH, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT FROM THE BEGINNING, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE PASSED, WE, WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC AND TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT WE WANTED, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY DID WE BUILD USEFUL THINGS AND, AND HELP PUBLIC TRANSIT, BUT ALSO THAT WE INCLUDED LOCAL BUSINESSES IN HELPING TO BUILD THIS, THAT, THAT THAT LOCAL BOND DOLLARS SHOULD CREATE SOME LOCAL JOBS AS WELL.
UH, SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL TOOK THAT SERIOUSLY.
AS I LOOK THROUGH AND I SEE A LEGEND AND AS I, AS I LOOK THROUGH AND I, AND I SEE THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THINGS SO THAT WE LAY OUT ALL OF OUR DELIVER DELIVERABLES AND IDENTIFY WHEN THEY'RE COMPLETED, UH, I THINK THAT YOU ALL HAVE SET THE GROUNDWORK IN A VERY, IN A, IN A, UH, VERY EFFECTIVE WAY.
AND, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING AND, AND WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, UH, TO BRING THIS FORWARD.
CAN'T LET A MOMENT LIKE THIS GO WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING.
UM, FOR THE COURSE OF MY LIFE, I HAVE COME TO BELIEVE THAT THAT GOVERNMENT EXISTS FOR A COUPLE OF BASIC REASONS.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS TO CREATE JOBS TO KEEP US BUSY.
AND THIS ACTION IS GOING TO CREATE OR SUSTAIN A BUNCH OF JOBS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S GOING TO SUSTAIN A BUNCH OF BUSINESSES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SOLVE THE LIST.
UM, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT MATTER THAT'S IS BEING WATER ON THAT.
I, I JUST COULDN'T HELP MYSELF.
UH, BUT, UH, AND ALSO KUDOS TO THE STAFF.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN CONTRACT OF THIS SIZE IN MY CAREER AND THEY'RE NOT EASY.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO THIS POINT.
I, UM, I ALSO HAVE TO MAKE A COMMENT AND THAT IS JUST THAT IT WAS, UM, I JUST APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR THE CREATIVITY HAVING COME TO, YOU KNOW, UH, WITNESSING SOME OF THE CONNECT AND FIELD EVENTS AND REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS, YOUR TRANSPARENCY, BUT THE CREATIVITY, UM, AND NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF BEING CREATIVE.
I JUST THINK THAT THAT HAS BROUGHT, UM, SO MUCH TO THE PROCESS AND I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
AND I JUST WANNA FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
DOING IT DIFFERENTLY HAS BEEN IMPORTANT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ON THIS, AND YOU GUYS HAVE HAVE DONE THAT.
SO THAT LEADS TO THE SECOND PART, WHICH IS JUST THANKS AND THANKS TO ALL THE STAFF, UH, PROFESSIONAL STAFF MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE.
AND, AND YOU GUYS HAVE HANDLED THIS AS REAL PROS.
I'D LIKE TO ECHO EVERYTHING THAT THE BOARD HAS SAID ALSO TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT IS COMING FORTH IS COMING FROM THE THREE ENTITIES.
IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S A COLLABORATION FROM THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
WE HAVE OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, JOHN FOR, AND DOTIE WATKINS STAFF, EVERYBODY PARTICIPATED IN THIS EVALUATION.
SO THIS IS A VERY COHESIVE RECOMMENDATION FROM OUR TEAM AND OUR PARTNERS.
AND THAT REALLY, I THINK EMPHASIZES THE TRUST AND THE, WHAT WE HAVE FORGED TOGETHER AS THE THREE ENTITIES.
AND WE ARE THE DELIVERY PARTNER TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, BUT WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT THEM, RIGHT? SO LET'S REALLY RECOGNIZE THE PARTNERSHIP HERE.
AND I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT READINESS BECAUSE JUST RECENTLY WE RECEIVED THE RECORD OF DECISION.
SO TO ME IT'S REALLY SOMETHING TO COMMAND THAT FROM RECORD OF DECISION TO THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
I THINK YOU GUYS JUST BROKE A RECORD PERHAPS.
SO IT JUST REALLY TELLS A STORY OF HOW WE'VE DONE A LOT OF PLANNING.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES WORK THAT WE'VE INVOLVED THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO GET US TO THIS POINT WHERE WE CAN TRULY OWN THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
AND WHEN I MOVED TO AUSTIN IN 1998, IT WAS WITH THIS MOMENT WITH THE IDEA THAT I WANTED TO WORK IN TRANSIT.
SO TO ME, THIS IS A MILESTONE THAT I HONOR AND THAT I'M GRATEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY FOR TRUSTING ME TO SHEPHERD THIS BOARD AND TO SHEPHERD US TO THIS MOMENT IN TIME.
SO IT'S A BIT OF A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME,
SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL, REALLY,
[00:30:01]
REALLY GRATEFUL.AND, UM, WITHOUT HEARD THE DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR A VOTE FROM MY MEMBERS.
SO EVERYONE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
BOTH ACTION ITEMS FOR THREE AND FOUR PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
SO NOW MR. CANALI, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO HAVE A FEW WORDS.
WELL, THANK YOU BOARD CHAIR, UH, AND BOARD.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A A DEEP DIALOGUE ABOUT THIS AND, AND OUR APPROACH TO THIS FOR GOING ON TWO YEARS NOW AND TO GET TO THIS MOMENT IS GREAT.
IT'S NICE TO CELEBRATE, IT'S NICE TO HAVE A CLAP FOR IT AS WELL.
UH, BUT JUST TO ECHO WHAT ALVIN SAID, WE ARE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING, UM, BASICALLY TOMORROW.
THE WORK THAT YOU ALLOWED US TO DO AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING TO UM, MAKE SURE WE CAN FIT A FEW MORE BODIES IN HERE.
WE FEEL THAT THE COMMUNITY'S EXCITED, YOU KNOW, WE WERE OUT, WE CONTINUE TO BE OUT.
SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A WONDERFUL MOMENT.
BUT I WOULD LIKE IF IT'S, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO INVITE, UH, ARMANDO ANO UP HERE, WHO IS OUR FELLOW, UH, OUR NOW OUR PARTNER, UH, WHO REPRESENTS, UH, THE JOINT VENTURE TEAM WITH STACEY WHITBECK, UH, AND A FELLOW AUSTINITE AS WELL.
JUST GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS AND, AND ONE OF MANY FOLKS THAT I THINK FROM THE TEAM YOU'RE GONNA SEE HERE IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS AND YEARS AS WE BUILD THIS AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL TOGETHER.
SO, MADAM CHAIR, UH, AS TEAM, BOARD MEMBERS, I'M SUPER EXCITED.
I DUNNO IF YOU CAN TELL IT IN MY VOICE, BUT I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BEING HERE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
CHASING, UM, CHASING THE PROGRAM SINCE 2000.
WE'VE BEEN CHASING THIS PROGRAM AND WATCHING AUSTIN, UM, AS WE CHASE OTHER PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
SO, UH, WE'RE EXCITED THAT IT'S HAPPENING.
UM, MY NAME IS ARMANDO CARNO AND I AM THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR AUSTIN ROAD, UH, BROKE INSTRUCTORS, UM, AS MENTIONED A JOINT VENTURE OF STACEY WHITBECK AND SUN, BUT EXTREMELY HONORED AND PROUD THAT THE TEAM IS NOT JUST US.
IT'S IT, AS YOU SAW THE SLIDE, IT IS MANY, MANY TEAM MEMBERS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE, WE DID THAT ON PURPOSE 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO BUILD AUSTIN FOR AUSTIN BY AUSTIN.
AND WE WERE DELIBERATE IN THAT.
AND, AND, AND I'M, I'M GLAD IT'S APPRECIATED AND, AND WE'RE EXCITED.
IT'S, IT'S NICE TO BUILD SOMETHING IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD 'CAUSE YOU TAKE MORE PRIDE IN THAT THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IT'S, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT, THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A TEAM OF, OF MANY THAT ARE, ARE MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN FOR US.
AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE COMMENTS BRAD MADE.
I MEAN, BRAD, YOU DID AN AMAZING JOB GOING THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS OF HOW THIS THING WENT OUT.
BUT I WANT TO ECHO, UM, THE, THE FACT THAT THE, THAT THAT BRAD AND THE TEAM GREG AND THE TEAM KEPT US ON SCHEDULE IS AMAZING.
WE NEVER SEE THAT IN THIS INDUSTRY TO STAY ON SCHEDULE WITH SUCH A LARGE PROJECT, THREE MAJOR PROCUREMENTS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME.
AND YOU GUYS STAYED ON SCHEDULE THAT MAKES THIS PROJECT ATTRACTIVE FOR MANY REASONS.
WE KNOW THIS AGENCY HAS IT TOGETHER.
SO IT WASN'T HARD TO CONVINCE OUR RESPECTIVE BOARDS AND OUR EXP UH, RESPECTIVE, UH, EXECUTIVE TEAMS TO CHASE THIS JOB.
AND THEN I'LL FINISH WITH THIS.
THE, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, BRAD MENTIONED THAT INDUSTRY INPUT WAS SOUGHT.
WE GAVE IT AND IT WAS LISTENED TO.
I MEAN, CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE CONTRACT THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, HELPED THE SMALLER SUBCONTRACTING, UM, COMMUNITY GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
IT WASN'T JUST ANOTHER BIG JOB THAT'S GONNA PUT US OUTTA BUSINESS.
SO IT, IT, IT, IT HELPED US, UM, BUILD OUR TEAM.
AND THEN THE PDB, YOU KNOW, THE PROG PROGRESSIVE DESIGN BUILD ASPECT OF IT.
YOU GUYS LISTEN, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE BETTER WAYS TO, TO DELIVER A PROJECT.
BUT THEN THROWING IN THE COLLABORATIVE BEHAVIOR ASSESSMENT, MIND BLOWING, LIKE WE'VE NEVER, I WAS A LITTLE SCARED.
I'M LIKE, WAIT, SOMEONE'S GONNA BE ANALYZING ME ABOUT HOW
BUT IT WAS AN AMAZING JOURNEY 'CAUSE OUR TEAM GREW AS A TEAM.
AND THEN WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER FOR THOSE, UH, TWO DAY WORKSHOPS, IT, UM, IT MADE US BETTER, RIGHT? AND I WILL SAY KEEPING ON SCHEDULE AND THE PDB, IT ATTRACTED NOT JUST OUR TEAM TO CHASE IT, OUR OUR, OUR COMPETITORS, OUR, OUR COMPETITION.
THIS ATTRACTED SOME REALLY GOOD FIRMS. SO JUST WANNA APPLAUD THAT AND SAY THANK YOU.
WE'RE EXCITED, EXCITED TO GET GOING AND YEAH, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET TO SIGNING.
I JUST WANNA SAY I'M PLEASED THAT THEY DON'T ASK THE BOARD TO PASS A PERSONALITY TEST.
[00:35:08]
THANK YOU.IT'S SO GREAT TO GET TO KNOW YOU ALL AND, AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU WANT TO DO THIS WORK WITH US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS IS WHEN THINGS GET REALLY REAL.
RIGHT? AND SO WE'RE GONNA, PEOPLE ASK US ALL THE TIME, LIKE WHERE WE'RE GONNA START TO SEE TRENCHING AND DUST FLYING.
SO THIS IS THE CONTINUATION OF ENGINEERING.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THERE'S MORE STUDY TO BE DONE.
WE'RE NOT HAVING SHOVELS IN THE GROUND EXCEPT FOR GEOTECHNICAL AND ADDITIONAL SUE EXPLORATION.
BUT IT'S, IT'S A REALLY EXCITING TIME AND WE DO NEED TO TAKE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN.
BUT FOR THE VOTERS OF AUSTIN WHO TRUSTED US WITH THIS PROGRAM, I ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE A GENTLEMAN FROM WHO'S HERE, FROM THE PUBLIC WHO'S, YOU KNOW, WE JUST RECENTLY
SO WE'RE DOING THIS, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY OF AUSTIN.
SO I JUST REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, FOR ATTENDING THE BOARD MEETINGS.
AND I'M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
SO I THINK THIS CONCLUDES OUR MEETING TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND THE TIME IS 2:45 PM THE A TP BOARD STANDS ADJOURN.