[00:00:03]
[I. Call to Order]
PRESENT, WE WILL CALL THE MEETING OF THE, UH, CAP METRO BOARD, UH, INTO, UH, INTO ACTION AT, AT, UH, 12 O'CLOCK ON, UH, MONDAY, JUNE 22ND, 2025, UH, IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM.[II. Safety Briefing]
IT LOOKS LIKE OUR FIRST ITEM OUT OF THE GATE IS GOING TO BE, UH, IS GONNA BE A SAFETY BRIEFING, AND WE, AND WE HAVE OUR CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER, UH, GARDNER HERE TO WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS.I SERVE AS CAPITAL METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER.
AS CHAIRMAN HAS SAID, I'M HERE WITH YOUR, UH, YOUR EMERGENCY BRIEFING.
SO YOU ARE LOCATED HERE AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
YOU IN ROSA PARKS, UH, BOARDROOM LOCATED ON THE MAIN LEVEL.
UM, IN THE EVENT OF AN UNLIKELY EMERGENCY, UH, EITHER I OR OTHER STAFF, I THINK WE'RE WELL PROTECTED THIS MORNING.
I DON'T KNOW, I, WE MIGHT BE, UH, SOMEBODY'S GONNA CALL 9 1 1.
UM, SHOULD WE NEED TO EVACUATE AT EITHER THE FRONT DOOR OR EVEN A SIDE DOOR, ASKING EVERYONE TO MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN THE SIDEWALK DOWN THERE, OR EITHER THE DRIVEWAY TO A SIGN THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT SAYS EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINT.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND YOU'RE ASKED TO EXIT OUT OF THAT DOOR, WE ASK THAT YOU KIND OF JUST HANG OUT ON THE, ON THE TOP STEP AND SOMEONE WILL ASSIST YOU DOWN AN EVENT.
UH, THERE IS ONE LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF OUR ELEVATOR, WHICH IS OUT THROUGH THE DOORS, AND, UM, RIGHT BY SECURITY DOWN THE HALL.
UM, FIRE EXTINGUISHER IS LOCATED OVER MY LEFT SHOULDER.
UH, CHIEF, CHIEF, IF YOU COULD PLEASE.
UM, UH, SO
WE, WE, WE, WE'VE GOTTA WORK ON THAT VAN CHIEF.
AND I WAS, I WAS TRYING, I WAS TRYING.
UH, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REMARKS.
[III. Transit Police Officer Swearing In]
WE'RE STARTING TODAY WITH, UH, SOME SPECIAL GUESTS AND THEY'RE OUR NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE, UH, CAB METRO TRANSIT POLICE DEPARTMENT.UH, SO WE'RE GONNA START TODAY BY SWEARING SOME OF THEM IN.
WE WANNA, WE WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
WE WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO BRINGING YOU INTO THE FAMILY.
AND, AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE ARE, UH, WORKING TOGETHER, UH, WE'RE SERVING THE PUBLIC AND MAKING SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT, THAT, UH, RIDE WITH US, UH, KNOW THAT YOU'RE RIDING WITH THEM.
UH, WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS, WE'RE GONNA PULL EVERYBODY TOGETHER, BUT DO WE WANNA START WITH YOUR COMMENTS? SURE.
AND THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST BEGAN CREATING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA TAKE SOME TIME BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE A SMALL BUT MIGHTY FORCE, AND WE NEEDED TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT.
UM, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD THE RIGHT PEOPLE DOING THE JOB.
AND TODAY, WITH YOUR SWEARING IN, WE CONTINUE SEEING THAT VISION BECOME A REALITY.
UM, I AM PLEASED TO, TO NOTE FOR THE PUBLIC IN THE ROOM THAT OUR TRANSIT POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW INCLUDES 22 TEAM MEMBERS, 19 OF WHOM, OF SWORN OFFICERS.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE CHIEF BOWIE FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO GROWING THIS DEPARTMENT.
HIS EFFORTS HAVE HELPED US MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO, TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN A TEAM THAT IS FOCUSED ON SAFETY SERVICE AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH ARE THE, THE REAL PRINCIPLES THAT WE'RE AFTER.
UM, AND TO OUR NEWEST OFFICERS, THANK YOU FOR CON FOR JOINING CAP METRO.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WORK.
UM, WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ON BOARD, UM, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE, UM, TO OUR GROWING PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM.
UM, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT MILESTONE AND THANK AND WELCOME TO THE CAT METRO FAMILY.
UM, SO NEXT, UH, CHIEF BOWIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME ON UP AND GET THE SHOW ON THE ROAD? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MA'AM.
THIS IS DEFINITELY, UH, ANOTHER GREAT DAY FOR, UH, FOR CAP METRO PD.
UH, WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE AND DIVERSE OFFICERS THAT WILL BE SWEARING IN TODAY, AND I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT IT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW ASSISTANT CHIEF.
CHIEF TRISH MARIBEL COMES TO OUR AGENCY WITH OVER 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, BOTH AT SU, BOTH AS A SUPERVISOR AND AT AT THE COMMAND LEVEL.
WE ALSO HAVE CAPTAIN ROBERT HAWKINS,
[00:05:01]
CAPTAIN ROBERT HAWKINS.COMES TO THE AGENCY WITH A REMARKABLE 40 YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE AT THE STATE AND AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO OFFICERS OFF OFFICER HAMPTON.
OFFICER HAMPTON IS BEGINNING HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER TODAY.
THIS IS JOB ONE FOR HIM, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE HIM.
AND THEN WE HAVE OFFICER GARCIA.
OFFICER GARCIA HAS TWO YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, AND HE'S HERE FROM THE DALLAS AREA.
SO WE ARE EXTREMELY EXCITED TO HAVE THEM HERE.
ALSO, UH, WE HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS HERE THAT WILL BE ASSISTING WITH THE PENDING CEREMONY.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO, UH, RECOGNIZE JUDY, UH, JUDY, UH, IS, UH, CAPTAIN HAWKINS'S SPOUSE.
AND MARK, MARK, THANK YOU FOR COMING, HELPING, UH, YOUR SPOUSE, OFFICER HAMPTON.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS I'D LIKE FOR THE OFFICERS TO PLEASE STAND AND FACE THE AUDIENCE.
STAND RIGHT UP THERE IN FRONT OF THE, THE DAIS.
I'M GONNA GIVE YOU STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS.
WE ALSO, UH, WILL HAVE, AND WE'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL THAT CEO WATKINS HAS GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED THE INVITATION TO STEP IN AND PIN THE BADGE.
ON, ON CHIEF MARIBEL AND CHAIRMAN ILION WILL ALSO BE ASSISTING GARCIA.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, MS. HAWKINS, WILL YOU PLEASE, UH, COME UP AS WELL.
AND MARK AS, WILL YOU COME UP AS WELL, PLEASE? I SHOULD ASK WHETHER MY LIABILITY INSURANCE YES.
I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE FOR OUR PHOTOGRAPHER.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER IS A SPECIAL CALLING.
AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE OFFICERS WHO HAVE CHOSEN THIS AGENCY.
AND ALSO, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR BADGE PENNERS FOR, UH, UH, ASSISTING WITH THIS PENDING CEREMONY IS TRULY A A, A SPECIAL EVENT AND WE'RE EXTREMELY HUMBLE AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WILL THE BADGE PINERS PLEASE FACE THE OFFICER AND PLACE THE BADGE ON THE OFFICER'S UNIFORM? IT'S KIND OF TRICKY.
THE OFFICERS MAY HAVE TO COACH 'EM THROUGH IT.
PLACING THE BADGE AND WEARING THE BADGE IS ALSO ASSEMBLE, BUT THERE'S ALSO ONE MORE STEP THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE WANNA RESPECT THE BADGE, WE WANNA RESPECT THE FAMILY MEMBERS.
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WILL A BADGE PRINTER PLEASE PLACE YOUR HAND OVER THE OFFICER'S BADGE AND HOLD IT THERE.
OFFICERS, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OFFICERS, YOU'RE ABOUT TO TAKE THE OATH.
PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME AND INSERT YOUR NAME.
I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR I THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES THAT I'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF POLICE OFFICER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE STATE OF TEXAS, CAP METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, CAP METRO TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS, THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF TEXAS, OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF TEXAS.
OFFICERS, PLEASE GIVE 'EM A HAND.
AT THIS TIME, UH, PENNERS, PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT.
CHAIRMAN AND CEO PLEASE RETURN TO THE DAAS OFFICER.
UH, UH, OUR, I, I APOLOGIZE, TWAN.
[00:10:01]
SHE SAID A GROUP PHOTO.MADAME, CEO, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND I DO OWN APOLOGY, UH, TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE BOARD MEMBERS.
WAIT TILL EVERYBODY GETS BACK.
MR. CHAIRMAN, AT THIS TIME, THAT CONCLUDES THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF OUR NEWEST CAP METRO TRANSIT POLICE OFFICERS AT THIS TIME, SIR, I, I WILL TURN THE DAIS BACK OVER TO YOU.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO SO AT YOUR DISCRETION, IF YOU WANTED ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES TO TAKE MORE PICTURES OR CONTINUE ON WITH THE MEETING, THAT'S YOUR DISCRETION IF THE BOARD MEMBERS WANT ANY OTHER PHOTOS.
BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, SIR.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, CHIEF, WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY.
UH, WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE BUILDING A STRONG TEAM TO REPRESENT, UH, CAP METRO AND, UH, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR HARD WORK.
UH,
[IV. Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]
OUR NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, EACH SPEAKER'S GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES UNLESS THEY'RE SPEAKING TO, UH, TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR MORE.
AND IN THAT CASE THEY'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE ON SIGN UP TODAY IN ADVANCE TO SPEAK.
UH, THE FIRST WOULD BE, UH, CYNTHIA WASHINGTON.
ALRIGHT, LET ME, UH, I'LL LET YOU PUT THAT FORWARD AND THEN WE'LL START, WE'LL START THE TIMER IN A MOMENT.
I RESIDE AT 88 0 2 TALLWOOD NUMBER ONE, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 9.
I'VE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY METRO ACCESS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES SINCE ACTUALLY JANUARY.
I HAVE REPORTED NUMEROUS COMP COMPLAINTS IN REFERENCE TO NOT BEING PICKED UP FOR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS FOR NECESSARY TO MY DAILY LIVING SKILLS.
I HAPPEN TO BE BLIND AND HEARING IMPAIRED.
AND I REPORT EVERYTHING IN FEBRUARY.
I WAS LEFT ONE NIGHT AT A BINGO HALL AND NO ONE PICKED ME UP AND I WAS IN DISTRESS AND INVESTIGATING HOME.
BUT TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN WORSE, I HAD TO MEET ART JACKSON IN A MEETING WITH THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND, THEIR FIR THE THIRD SATURDAY OF MARCH.
AND THAT'S WHEN MY PROBLEMS SEEMS TO LESSEN.
AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT A PERFECT SYSTEM AND I APPRECIATE ART AND JAMES, UH, FLAKE, WHO BEEN WORKING ME SINCE THAT TIME.
I'VE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE FINDING 88 0 2 TALLWOOD.
I'VE BEEN A WRITER OF THIS SERVICE FOR 17 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS WORSE THAN IT IS TODAY.
AND MY HEALTH HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS.
AND I EVEN WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL AND I DO PARTIALLY BLAME MENTAL ACCESS FOR MY HOSPITALIZATION BECAUSE THERE WERE APPOINTMENTS THAT WAS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME, OR IS MY HEART AND MY KIDNEYS AND THEN MY NURSING HOME STATE.
I NEED TO HAVE THE SERVICES TO WORK FOR ME.
AND CURRENTLY IT'S NOT WORKING FOR ME.
MONTH OF JANUARY IN FEBRUARY, HOW MANY UBERS AND LYFTS DO I HAVE? I WAS TOLD THAT YOU ALL DON'T REIMBURSE OR AS UBERS AND LYFTS.
WELL, GUESS WHAT? I HAD TO GET TO MY APPOINTMENT TO DO WHAT I HAD TO DO.
IN SPITE OF THAT, I STILL WENT INTO THE HOSPITAL.
I'M STILL EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. I JUST EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM LAST WEDNESDAY.
I GO TO THE, I'M ON THE DOOR TO DOOR.
THEY DON'T EVEN GET OFF THEIR SEAT TO COME AND SEE WHO I AM IN THE STORE.
AND I'VE TOLD ART AND JAMES THIS.
YES, IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT WHY DOES IT KEEP HAPPENING? WHY DOES IT KEEP HAPPENING THAT THEY CAN'T FIND 88 0 2
[00:15:01]
TALLWOOD NUMBER ONE? THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE WITH THIS SYSTEM, SIR.AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF IT, AND I HAVE BEEN PATIENT AND MY PATIENCE IS RUNNING THIN BECAUSE I'M THE ONE SUFFERING.
AND THEN OTHER PATRONS THAT ON THE SYSTEM, MISS CYNTHIA, IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE OR WHATEVER IT'S LIKE THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE TO CALL AND GIVE 'EM NOT ONLY COMPLAINTS, BUT COMPLIMENTS ALSO.
THERE'S SOME GOOD DRIVERS OUT HERE, BUT WE CERTAINLY NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES WITHIN THE SYSTEM SO IT WORKS FOR CONSUMERS SUCH AS MYSELF.
AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ART JACKSON'S IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THINGS THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO ME, BUT WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO CALL THE DIRECTOR EVERY TIME THERE'S A PROBLEM? ART JAMES BLAKE.
WHY WE CAN'T TRAIN OUR PEOPLE AND TALKING ABOUT TRAINING PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO INCLUDE IN OUR TRAINING PROCESS SERVICES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY LYING AND HEARING IMPAIRED BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO US.
UH, FIRST THANK YOU FOR CALLING.
UH, WE NEED TO KNOW WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES AND, AND, UH, I'M SITTING HERE WITH THE CEO AND, UH, WHAT WE WILL DO IS, IS, UH, WE WILL WORK WITH, WITH, UM, MR. JACKSON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FULLY ADDRESS WHAT'S GOING ON, AND NOT ONLY FOR YOURSELF, BUT FOR OTHER PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN YOUR SITUATION.
SO, UH, WE WILL, WE WILL, UH, REACH OUT TO YOU, UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, IMMEDIATELY.
AND, UH, AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON AND NOT, I WILL, UH, ASK AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE HAVE HELPED TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM IN WRITING SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND, UH, EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING.
I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I'VE, IN A LITTLE LATE, MY NAME IS, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT YOUR NAME IS? MY NAME IS JEFFREY TIAN AND I SERVE AS THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD.
AND, UH, AND I WILL WORK, UH, WITH, WITH OUR CEO DOTIE AND, AND OUR VPS TO, UH, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE SURE THIS, THIS, UM, IS RESOLVED.
ALRIGHT, LET'S SEE OUR, OKAY, OUR, LET'S SEE.
THE NEXT PERSON THAT IS SCHEDULED IS ZIA JOSEPH.
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOT SEEN MS. JOSEPH JOIN US EITHER ONLINE OR IN PERSON.
I WILL ALERT YOU IF I SEE THAT SHE DOES.
AND, UH, LET'S SEE IF, IF SHE'S NOT AVAILABLE.
IS IT BRENT? UM, IS IT MARLER OR MAILER? OKAY.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SWEAR YOU IN AS A DOCTOR TODAY.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.
I'M A REGULAR METRO RAIL RIDER AND TAXPAYER.
I AM HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS POLICY ENFORCEMENT ON METRO RAIL, SPECIFICALLY REGARDING OVERSIZED AND HEAVY E-BIKES, FAIR COMPLIANCE AND ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO CONDUCTORS.
I HAVE PROVIDED PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ILLUSTRATE EXAMPLES OF THE TYPES OF VEHICLES CURRENTLY BEING BROUGHT ONTO METRO RAIL.
THESE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE NOT INTENDED TO SINGLE OUT ANY RIDER.
THEY ARE INTENDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE TYPE OF VEHICLES AND SITUATIONS THAT ARISE.
QUESTIONS ABOUT POLICY ENFORCEMENT, ACCESSIBILITY, AND THE EFFECTIVE USE OF POLICY SPACE ON METRO RAIL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT CAPITAL, CAPITAL METRO'S PUBLISHED POLICY PERMITS STANDARD SIZED BICYCLE BICYCLES WHILE PROHIBITING, UH, CERTAIN LARGER BICYCLE TYPES.
LOOKING AT THE EXAMPLE EXAMPLES PROVIDED, I WOULD LIKE CLARIFICATION REGARDING WHAT OBJECTIVE STANDARDS ARE BEING USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER A BICYCLE OR E-BIKE COMPLIES WITH CURRENT POLICY.
THE TRAINS PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT INSTRUCTIONS RIDERS TO PLACE BICYCLES ON DESIGNATED BIKE RACKS OR REMAIN WITH THEIR BICYCLES.
HOWEVER, MANY OF THE E-BIKES I HAVE DESERVED APPEARED DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMMODATE USING THE RACK SYSTEM AS AS INTENDED.
IN SOME CASES, THE TIRES MAY BE TOO WIDE.
IN OTHER CASES, THE BICYCLES MAY BE SO HEAVY THAT RIDERS CANNOT SAFELY LIFT THEM ONTO THE RACKS.
I, AS A RESULT, THESE BICYCLES OFTEN REMAIN IN PASSENGER AREAS WHERE THEY CAN OCCUPY SEATING, UH, OBSTRUCT MOVEMENT, OBSTRUCT, OBSTRUCT MOVEMENT, OR CREATE ACCESSIBILITY CONCERNS FOR OTHER RUDDERS.
THIS RAISES AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
IF A BICYCLE CANNOT REASONABLY BE SECURED USING THE INFRASTRUCTURE
[00:20:01]
THAT CAPITAL METRO HAS PROVIDED FOR BICYCLES, WHAT CRITERIA DETERMINE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE PERMITTED ON BOARD? HAS CAPITAL METRO EVALUATED WHETHER THE WEIGHT OR AND SIZE MODERN E-BIKES EX EXCEED THE PRACTICAL DESIGN LIMITS OF METRO RAIL'S, BICYCLE ROCK SYSTEM? AND IF SO, WHAT ACCOMMODATIONS OR POLICY CHANGES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED? I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY OF POLICY ENFORCEMENT.I HAVE WITNESSED OVERSIZED E-BIKES OCCUPYING MULTIPLE SEATS WHILE OTHER RIDERS SEARCHING FOR SEAT SEATING.
I HAVE OBSERVED LUGGAGE BLOCKING AISLES AND RIDERS STANDING NEAR THE TRAIN DOORS DESPITE AVAILABLE SEATING ELSEWHERE IN THE ON THE TRAIN.
IN MANY INSTANCES, NO ACTION APPEARED TO BE TAKEN.
I HAVE ALSO SPOKEN WITH CONDUCTORS REGARDING THESE CONCERNS.
MULTIPLE CONDUCTORS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THEY LACK SUFFICIENT SUPPORT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ENFORCE POLICIES.
THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE BOARD, WHAT DISCRETION DO CONDUCTORS HAVE TO DENY BOARDING TO BICYCLES OR E-BIKES THAT APPEAR INCONSISTENT WITH CAPITAL METRO POLICY? AND WHAT SUPPORT DOES MANAGEMENT PROVIDE WHEN CONDUCTORS ATTEMPT TO ENFORCE THE RULES? MR. MULLET? UM, YES, SIR.
I, I KNOW, UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, UH, LAYING ON AN ISSUE THAT'S IMPORTANT AND WE WANT TO GIVE IT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.
UM, DODY, UH, WHO IS IT THAT WE SHOULD DIRECT THEM TO AND, AND, UH, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE GET YEAH, I WOULD ASK, ASK THAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE TODAY, YOU MAKE SURE YOU TOUCH BASE WITH GARDNER BAN, WHO'S OUR CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER.
HE'S ACTUALLY STANDING UP BEHIND YOU NOW TO MAKE SURE HE CAN INTERCEPT YOU ON THE WAY OUT SO THAT WE HAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION.
THIS ISSUE, THE, THE BIKES ISSUE IS ONE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ACTIVELY WORKING ON FIGURING OUT SOME OF THE ANSWERS TO MM-HMM
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING, UM, YOUR INSIGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY FLAG THAT AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN E-BIKES AND THE MOTORBIKES.
AND SO I'LL MAKE SURE THAT CAP METRO'S IN TOUCH WITH OUR CONTACTS, UM, AT THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STREAMLINING WHAT THOSE GUARDRAILS ARE.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW OR HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE UTILIZING THESE AND WHERE, WHERE THEY SHOULD BE.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM, IN LEANDER ALSO.
SO I THINK PROBABLY CONTACT WITH ALL OF THE FORCES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONSISTENT.
UH, THE, I DIDN'T GET THE PHOTOS IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I, OR IF CAPITAL METRO HAS THEM.
I'LL, UH, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM BACK.
I COULD ONLY PRINT, I COULD ONLY PRINT UP SO MANY SETS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN COLOR.
I GOT THEM THOUGH, AND I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM.
AND WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD THIS ISSUE DISCUSSED FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM, SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SITTING DOWN AND, UH, AND, UH, MAKING POLICY THAT WE CAN ALL LIVE WITH.
SO, OF COURSE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT TO OUR ATTENTION AND THANKS FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE ACTUALLY SWORN IN THIS MORNING TO, OR THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL.
UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
UH, HAS MS. JOSEPH MADE IT? I'M NOT SITTING HER MR. CHAIR.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE, IN THE BUILDING THAT WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ADDRESS THE BOARD? ANYONE ELSE? ANYONE ELSE? HEARING NONE, THEN WE WILL MOVE FROM PUBLIC
[V. Advisory Committee Updates]
COMMENT AND MOVE, MOVE TO OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.WE'LL BRING UP, UH, MR. BRADEN.
I GUESS YOU'LL HANDLE ALL THREE COMMITTEE UPDATES FOR US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TREVIAN, VICE CHAIR ELLIS PRESIDENT, AND CEO WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS PETER BRETON AND I'M THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE, OUR ACCESS, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEES ALL MET AT THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIMES.
THE MAIN TOPIC AT BOTH THE ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT'S, PARTNERSHIPS AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PRESENTED BY MYSELF AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
LIB THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR MARCH AND APRIL, 2026.
BOWIE CHIEF OF POLICE, DARRELL JAMELL, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND ESTHER JOHNSON, AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SPECIALIST.
ADDITIONALLY, ALL THREE COMMITTEES RECEIVE STAFF UPDATES RELATED TO THE ONGOING FAIR FAIRBOX REPLACEMENT AND ASSOCIATED
[00:25:01]
RETIREMENT OF THE DAY PASS WITH ACCESS, RECEIVING A BIT MORE INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO USING THE ACCESS MONTHLY PASS ON OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICES.THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH.
AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS LAST TIME? LOOK IN THE, IN THE BACK, I SEE BOARD MEMBER BENGAL HAS, UM, HAS JOINED US ON, UH, THE, THE, UH, REMOTE SITE.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE.
[VI. Board Committee Updates]
MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES AND WE WILL START WITH OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY BOARD MEMBER VELA.UH, WE MET ON JUNE 10TH AND HEARD SOME PUBLIC COMMENT APPROVED, UH, ALL THE ACTION ITEMS, WHICH, UH, WILL BE HEARING AT, UH, TODAY'S, UH, MEETING.
UH, THEN THERE WERE A, A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, OPERATIONS, UH, ON, UH, UH, COMMUNICATIONS AND, AND SERVICE PERFORMANCE AND, UH, OPERATIONS AND, UH, THEN ADJOURNED OF A, A RELATIVELY SHORT AND STRAIGHTFORWARD MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GO TO OUR NEXT, UH, BOARD COMMITTEE, UPDATE, FINANCE, AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION.
UH, WE MET ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE THE 10TH AT 10:00 AM IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES, WE ALSO APPROVED A, UH, A GIVING, UH, THE PRESIDENT, CEOA, UH, THE AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH DLT SOLUTIONS, UH, FOR ORACLE FUSION'S FINANCIAL HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS ITEM NUMBER ONE ON OUR ACTION ITEMS TONIGHT OR TODAY.
IN ADDITION, WE HEARD SEVERAL REPORTS FROM MR. FILLMORE REGARDING THE INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN STATUS AND SEMI-ANNUAL FOLLOW UP OF OPEN AUDIT, UH, OPEN AUDIT ITEMS. OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
UH, SINCE YOU DID SO WELL LAST TIME, LET'S JUST KEEP ON WITH CAMPO.
UH, UH, THE, UH, CAMPO PO TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD MET ON JUNE 8TH.
UH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY FULL MEETING.
UH, UH, THE FIRST ACTION ITEM WAS TO APPROVE MR. RYAN COLLINS AS INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR CAMPO, UH, FOLLOWING THE RESIGNATION OF ASHBY JOHNSON AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, IN ADDITION, TO BE FAIR TO, AS HE SAID, RETIREMENT, RETIRE IT RETIREMENT, YOU'RE RIGHT, CORRECT ME.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE, UH, ALSO, UH, UH, HAVE THE BOARD APPROVED THE ABILITY TO RETAIN AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM, UH, FOR THE PERMANENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAMPO.
UH, WE APPROVED, UH, MS. BANK DIANE BENGAL AS A REAPPOINTMENT TO THE CAP METRO BOARD.
UH, AND, AND FINALLY, UH, WE ALSO TOOK ACTION AND APPROVED THE 28 TO 2031 CALL FOR PROJECTS.
UH, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UH, THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND I GUESS I WILL PROCEED WITH THE, UH, TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, BOARD MET ON JUNE 17TH.
UH, WE HAD STANDARD ITEMS, BUT WE TOOK ACTION TO APPROVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND A TP TO, UH, SUPPORT LIGHT RAIL, UH, OR AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL DESIGN.
THE ILA DEFINES THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES AND, AND AUTHORIZES, UH, INITIAL FUNDING OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION MEASURES THAT ARE RELATED TO THE CITY PARKLAND AND TO TRANSPORTATION, UH, FACILITIES AMONG OTHER ITEMS. UM, ALSO THE BOARD HAD TWO EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS RELATED TO THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATED IN A DISCUSSION AND UPDATE ON THE DETAILED DESIGN, UH, DESIGN WORK AND FEDERAL PROCESSES, UH, THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING TO DELIVER AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL GO ON TO
[VII. Consent Items]
OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, WHICH IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA, AND WE'RE POSTED FOR FOUR ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.UH, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, READ THROUGH THOSE ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? ANY ITEMS? ANY ITEMS? UH, HEARING NONE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS, AS PRESENTED.
UM, BOARD MEMBER
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE, UH, THE CONSENT AGENDA AS, AS PRESENTED.
[00:30:01]
THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
SO, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE, UH, ALL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE VOTED.
AYE AND I WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
SO, UH, WE WILL APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
[VIII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with DLT Solutions for Oracle Fusion Financials and Human Capital Management (HCM) Oracle Customer Success Services (CSS) renewal, with a base term of one (1) year and three (3) option years, for $4,575,206, plus a $500,000 contingency, for a total amount not to exceed $5,075,206.]
NOW WE'RE UP TO TODAY'S REGULAR ACTION ITEMS, BUT, UM, JUST WANTED TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOWED THAT THERE'S A REVISED PACKET THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST WEEK.SO IF ANYONE IS REFERRING TO AN EARLIER VERSION, UH, LOOK FOR THE BACKUP PACKET.
THAT'S, THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE.
UH, SO THAT, UM, AND I THINK THE ONLY CHANGE WAS WE POSTPONED AND ORIGINAL ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'VE GOT FOUR ACTION ITEMS TODAY, AND THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE A CONTRACT FOR ORACLE RENEWALS.
AND MR. TANZER, I THINK WE'LL MAKE THAT PRESENTATION FOR US.
UH, CHAIR PAVILION, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CO WATKINS.
I'M THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT PRODUCT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
UH, FOR THIS, UH, ITEM TODAY, IT'S, UH, APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CO OR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH DLT SOLUTIONS FOR ORACLE FUSION FINANCIALS AND HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, ORACLE CUSTOMER SUCCESS SERVICES RENEWAL WITH THE BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR AND THREE OPTION YEARS FOR $4,575,206 PLUS 500,000 IN CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,075,206.
UM, SO THIS, UH, WAS PRESENTED WITH TO THE, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, BACK IN JUNE 10TH.
AND, UM, THE, WHAT, UM, PROVIDES FOR, FOR CAP METRO IS THE ORACLE BAND SERVICES, UH, WHICH ARE HANDLING OUR, UM, ERP ENVIRONMENT FOR BOTH THE FINANCIALS AND HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT HR SIDES OF THE SYSTEM.
UH, WE ORIGINALLY STARTED THIS, WE HAD A CONTRACT, A ONE YEAR CONTRACT LAST YEAR, UH, THAT WE WENT TO THE BOARD TO, TO, UM, START THE SERVICES.
AND THIS IS A NEW CONTRACT TO CONTINUE THE SERVICES WITH ORACLE, UH, FOR THE BASE TERM AND THE, THE THREE AUCTIONEERS HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, DID, DID YOU, UH, DID YOU NEED, UH, DID YOU NEED ME TO READ THIS ONE IN OR ARE WE FINE? I THINK EITHER YOU OR JONATHAN NEEDS TO, UH, READ THAT.
SO I KNOW HE DE DESCRIBED I I'LL READ IT REALLY QUICKLY.
THEN GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE TO, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UH, ACTION ITEM ONE READS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH DLT SOLUTIONS, UH, FOR, OR ORACLE FUSION FINANCIALS AND HUMAN, UH, HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT.
AND LET'S SEE, ORACLE CONSUMER, UH, SUCCESS SERVICES RENEWAL WITH A BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR AND THREE OPTION YEARS FOR $4,575,206 PLUS A $500,000 CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,075,206.
ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE.
BOARD MEMBER HARRIS MAKES THE MOTION, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS MAKES A SECOND.
UH, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UM, IF OPPOSED SAME SIGN, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VIII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract modification with Genfare, LLC for cash farebox and vaulting system hardware replacement and installation services in the amount of $567,372, plus a 3.7 percent contingency, for a total contract modification amount of $817,372, and a new contract total not to exceed amount of $7,134,243.]
IN, UH, ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT MODIFICATION WITH GENFARE LLC, UH, FOR CASH, FAREBOX AND VAULTING, UH, SYSTEM HARDWARE, UH, REPLACEMENT AND INSTALLATION, UH, SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $567,372 PLUS A 3.7% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT MODIFICATION AMOUNT OF $817,372.
[00:35:01]
TO, UH, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $7,134,243.MR. TAYLOR, UH, FOR THIS, UH, SECOND ITEM PRESENTING ON, UH, THE, THIS GEN FAIR CONTRACT WAS AWARD AWARDED BY THE BOARD BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2024.
UH, THE IDEA WAS TO REPLACE OUR CASH FAIR BOXES WITH A, UM, WITH THE LATEST, UH, FAIR BOX, BUT JUST FOR ACCEPTING CASH ONLY AND SINGLE RIDES, UH, THROUGH THE, OUR DESIGN PROCESS.
AND, UM, ALSO ALIGNING WITH OUR, UM, CAD A VL SYSTEM FOR VTIS, WHICH IS WHAT OPERATORS USE TO COMMUNICATE WITH DISPATCH.
UH, WE DETERMINED, UM, THERE'S JUST SOME CHANGES WITH THE PLACEMENT OF THE HARDWARE.
UM, ACTUALLY WE'LL ELIMINATE A DEVICE THAT THE OPERATOR OR EVENTUALLY WE'LL ELIMINATE A DEVICE THE OPERATOR INTERACTS WITH.
UM, IT'LL BE, UM, KINDA OUT OF THEIR WAY.
UH, SO THIS IS JUST SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND WE ARE DOING A CONTRACT MODIFICATION WITH GENFARE TO IMPLEMENT THAT, WHICH IS JUST SOME ADDITIONAL INSTALLATION LABOR AND, AND MATERIALS TO INSTALL THIS ACROSS OUR BUS FLEET.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE TOO? OKAY.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO.
BOARD MEMBER ELLIS FOR THE SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, THAT WE APPROVE.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? UH, HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VIII.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Adolfson & Peterson Construction to construct Phase 2 of the new Demand Response North Base facility, for $76,695,558, plus a 25 percent contingency, for a total not to exceed amount of $95,869,448.]
ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL OF A, A RE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH A DAWSON AND PETERSON CONSTRUCTION TO CONSTRUCT PHASE TWO OF THE NEW DEMAND RESPONSE NORTH BASE FACILITY FOR, UH, $76,695,558 PLUS A 25% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $95,869,448.YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE MR. CARD, RIGHT? NO, SIR.
THOUGHT YOU GUYS WERE THROWING ME A CURVE BALL.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITY DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR CAP METRO.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THIS RESOLUTION ITEM IF YOU ALLOW ME TO.
I HAVE A PRESENTATION WHICH GI WHICH GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
IF YOU RECALL, THE BOARD APPROVED A RESOLUTION BACK AT THE END OF 2025 FOR PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION FOR WITH JOE BLAND CONSTRUCTION FOR SITE UTILITIES, SITE EXCAVATION AND SITE WORK.
I WAS WONDERING WHY I WAS NOT ADVANCING
THIS IS A 25 ACRE SITE LOCATED, UM, NORTHEAST AUSTIN, NEAR CAMERON ROAD AND BLUE GOOSE ROAD.
THE YELLOW OUTLINE IS THE CAP METRO PROPERTY LINES.
YOU CAN SEE PHASE ONE CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS.
WE'RE QUITE EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS THE FIRST GROUND UP FACILITY THAT CAP METRO HAS BUILT IN NEARLY 20 YEARS, AND, UH, IT'S PRETTY EXCITING FOR THE CAP METRO STAFF.
YOU SEE THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT USE IN THE PHOTOGRAPH IN THE, IN THE RIGHT SIDE.
THE PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT'S PART OF THIS RESOLUTION INCLUDES THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS SOIL'S, IMPORT AND GRADING SITE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL PARKING LOTS, LANDSCAPING, LIGHTING, FENCING.
THERE'S FOUR SEPARATE BUILDINGS BEING CONSTRUCTED AS PART OF THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.
THREE STORY ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS BUILDING.
UH, 16 BAY MAINTENANCE, GARAGE FUELING AND CLEANING SERVICE BUILDING AND A WAREHOUSE BUILDING.
UM, CONSTRUCTING THESE BUILDINGS WILL ALLOW CAP METRO TO FOREGO AND ELIMINATE TWO SEPARATE LEASES THAT WE CURRENTLY HOLD.
UM, IT ALSO INCLUDES BUS STORAGE YARD WITH SOME CANOPIES SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES AND A COMMUNITY ROOM THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.
AND WHAT'S EXCITING IS THIS PART, THIS PROJECT IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY AN FTA GRANT FOR $20 MILLION.
SEE THE ARCHITECT'S RENDERING OF THE PROJECT, THE FOUR BUILDINGS ARE LABELED, PLUS THE BUS STORAGE YARD AND THE CANOPY IN THE CENTER OF THE PHOTOGRAPH AND STAFF PARKING AND VISITOR PARKING NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE RENDERING.
CAMERON ROAD IS THE ROADWAY TO THE RIGHT, WHICH WE'RE
[00:40:01]
ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND UTILITY UPGRADES.ANOTHER RENDERING OF THE PROJECT AS YOU APPROACH BUILDING THREE, THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE FACILITY, ADDITIONAL RENDERINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY ROOM, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE.
AND THEN THE ENTRY LOBBY IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
AND BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A LARGE AND EXCITING PROJECT FOR CAP METRO STAFF, I'D LIKE TO ALSO JUST TAKE THIS MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK A FEW FOLKS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE AND TEAM EFFORT AMONG MOST OF THE CAP METRO DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE AGENCY.
UM, HERE WE ALSO HAVE THE CAP METRO PROJECT MANAGER, SCOTT TAYLOR IN THE BACK.
HE'S MANAGING THIS PROJECT DAY TO DAY, DAY IN AND DAY OUT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO GET IT TO THIS POINT.
WE ALSO HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS FROM A DEL PETERSON CONSTRUCTION TEAM HERE, IF Y'ALL DON'T MIND RAISING YOUR HAND.
UH, JOINED BY THEIR PROJECT EXECUTIVES, THEIR, UM, COMPANY EXECUTIVES HERE.
THEY'RE COMMITTED TO THE PROJECT TO SEE THIS PROJECT BE SUCCESSFUL AT CAP METRO IN THE REGION, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WITH THAT, I'M GONNA READ THE RESOLUTION.
ALSO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THIS RESOLUTION IS AUTHORIZED IN THE PRESIDENT'S CEO HER OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH A DOSEN AND PETERSON CONSTRUCTION TO CONSTRUCT PHASE TWO OF THE NEW DEMAND RESPONSE NORTH FACILITY FOR $76,695,558 PLUS A 25% CONTINGENCY FOR A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $95,869,448.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? LET'S SEE.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE, UH, I DON'T SEE MS. BANGLE ANYMORE IS, UH, JUST, JUST OKAY.
BUT I CAN HEAR HER IF SHE HAS QUESTIONS.
UH, HEARING NO QUESTIONS THEN THE CHAIR WILL, UH, ACCEPT THE MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE.
BOARD MEMBER ALICE MAKES THE MOTION.
UM, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS MAKES THE SECOND.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM THREE, UH, FOR, UM, WELL, UH, LET'S SEE TODAY.
SO IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR? LET, UH, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UH, SEEING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VIII.4. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Big Star Transit, LLC for Demand Response Overflow Services, with a base term of three (3) years and two (2) option years, for $11,906,074, plus a 10 percent contingency, for a total not to exceed amount of $13,096,681.]
ACTION.ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, READS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH BIG STAR TRANSIT LLC FOR DEMAND RESPONSE OVERFLOW SERVICES WITH A BASE TERM OF THREE YEARS AND TWO OPTIONAL YEARS, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF $11,906,074 PLUS A 10% CONTINGENCY FOR A TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF 13,000,096 UH, THOUSAND $681.
UH, MR. SLAUGHTER, PLEASE PROCEED.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
CHAIR TAVIAN, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS.
UH, I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT TO YOU THE DEMAND RESPONSE OVERFLOW SERVICES.
THIS, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A FUN ONE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
WHY THIS PROCUREMENT? WHY NOW WE ARE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT RIDERSHIP INCREASES ACROSS BOTH OUR ACCESS AND OUR PICKUP SERVICES AND FY 24 TO FY 25.
WE EXPERIENCE ABOUT 8% ON ACCESS AND 12% RIDERSHIP GROWTH ON PICKUP AND FY 25 THROUGH FY 26 YEAR TO DATE, WE ARE EXPERIENCING ABOUT 6% GROWTH ON ACCESS, 3% GROWTH ON PICKUP.
WE BELIEVE THAT THIS RFP, THIS CONTRACT IF AWARDED, WILL ALLOW US TO SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND CONTINUE TO PROMOTE IMPROVED SERVICE RELIABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
THIS IS A NEW COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE MODEL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO REDUCE THE RIDERSHIP ON THE MTM DEDICATED CONTRACT.
THE INITIAL SERVICE TARGETS FOR THIS CONTRACT ARE GONNA BE ABOUT 96% OF THE RIDERSHIP FOR MTM AND ABOUT 4% OF THE RIDERSHIP FOR THE OVERFLOW SERVICE.
FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON THE PEAKS.
UH, THIS IS GONNA BE A COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE AND AGAIN, IT'S GONNA PROMOTE OUR ENHANCED SERVICE RELIABILITY AS WE ADDRESS THIS GROWTH IN A
[00:45:01]
FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER.WHAT CAN OUR ACCESS AND PICK UP CUSTOMERS EXPECT? THEY CAN EXPECT GREATER SERVICE AVAILABILITY DURING THE PEAKS ON TIME SERVICE.
THEY CAN EXPECT TO BE GREETED BY A DRIVER THAT ANNOUNCES THEMSELVES UPON ARRIVAL, IS TRAINED IN PASSENGER ASSISTANCE TECHNIQUES, ASSIST THE PASSENGER WITH BOARDING AND A LIGHTING, AND PROVIDES EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
OUR CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT SERVICE THAT IS A STEP ABOVE YOUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY SERVICE.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IS GONNA BE THE VEHICLE TYPE IN THE BRANDING, SERVICE READINESS AND SAFEGUARDS.
WE ARE NOT COMPROMISING CUSTOMER SAFETY.
WE ARE DOING THAT BY REQUIRING A COMPARABLE LEVEL OF INSURANCE.
AS WITH THE DEDICATED MTM CONTRACT, WE ARE REQUIRING A FULLY COMPLIANT DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM.
THERE ARE HIGH STANDARDS FOR NEW HIRE TRAINING, REFRESHER AND REMEDIAL TRAINING.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS.
THERE ARE GONNA BE IN VEHICLE CAMERAS.
WE ARE ALSO GONNA HAVE APPEARANCE AND A CLOTHING STANDARDS FOR OUR DRIVERS.
AND THERE WILL BE REGULAR DRIVER PERFORMANCE REVIEWS AND EVALUATIONS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN OUR HIGH STANDARDS FOR CUSTOMER COMMENT, RESPONSE RESOLUTION.
WHAT IS THIS? IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO FOCUS ON AMBULATORY TRIPS, WHICH WILL FREE UP CAPACITY ON MTMS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES.
AGAIN, DURING THE PEAKS, THE BASE SERVICE LEVEL IS CURVE TO CURVE BY DEFAULT.
AND THIS IS GONNA BE A FULLY COMPLIANT A DA PAIR TRANSIT SERVICE.
GREAT NEWS IS THAT OUR RIDERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE SPARE FOR SCHEDULING, RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS.
AND SOME OF THE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON WHEN WE'RE OVERSEEING THIS CONTRACT ARE GONNA BE TRIP ACCEPTANCE, TRIP RELIABILITY, MISSED TRIPS ON TIME, PERFORMANCE, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, AND ACCIDENT RATES.
ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT THAT I WANT TO ADD IS THAT THIS $13 MILLION WE'RE ASKING FOR TODAY IS NOT NEW FUNDING.
THESE ARE EXISTING RIDERS ON OUR PARATRANSIT SERVICE WITH MTM.
THE GOAL IS AS WE CONTINUE TO TACKLE THIS SIGNIFICANT RIDERSHIP GROWTH, WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO ADDRESS THE RIDERSHIP GROWTH AND ADDRESS OUR PEAKS IN WAYS THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE PURCHASING NEW VEHICLES OR SPENDING SIGNIFICANT, SIGNIFICANT OTHER RESOURCES.
AND THAT'S IT FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL TAKE, UH, QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME, BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? AH, GOT ONE, UH, BOARD MEMBER REVIEW.
THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW WE, WE DISCUSSED THIS PRETTY EXTENSIVELY IN THE, UH, UH, OPERATIONS, UH, COMMITTEE.
UH, BUT AGAIN, JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED WAS THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT BOTH THAT MORNING PEAK OF, UH, RIDE REQUESTS AND THEN THE AFTERNOON PEAK OF RIDE REQUESTS THAT IS EXCEEDING THE ABILITY OF OUR, UH, OF THOSE, UH, VEHICLES, OF OUR KIND OF EXISTING INVENTORY.
AND THAT THIS WOULD BE JUST TO, TO SUPPLEMENT, BASICALLY TO MEET THOSE MORNING AND AFTERNOON, UH, UH, PEAKS.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE COVERED A LOT OF THIS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
UH, AND, AND YES, WE HAD FANTASTIC, UH, DISCUSSIONS, VERY INSIGHTFUL QUESTIONS IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING.
UH, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT, UH, REFERRING TO THAT, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.
THE, THE PRIMARY GOAL HERE IS TO ADDRESS RIDERSHIP AT THE PEAKS.
THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER NEEDS HERE AND THERE, BUT THAT IS THE PRIMARY GOAL.
HOW CAN WE BETTER COVER OUR SERVICE AT THE PEAKS WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE MM-HMM
THAT WILL RUN IN THE PEAKS AND THEN BE IDLE FOR MOST OF THE DAY.
AND, UH, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THIS APPROACH.
UH, WE WANT OUR, OUR CORE KIND OF VEHICLE FLEET TO PROVIDE OUR, UH, ALL DAY SERVICE.
BUT THE, YOU KNOW, UH, CONTRACTING OUT THE PEAKS MAY BE FINANCIALLY THE BEST MOVE FOR THE AGENCY.
AND AGAIN, THAT, UH, WE, WE NEED TO BE VERY, UH, EFFICIENT WITH OUR SERVICE AND, AND VERY SMART WITH OUR SALES TAX MONEY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.
AGAIN, APPRECIATE THE APPROACH AND, AND THANK YOU TO STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE CHAIR.
UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANT THING FOR ME WOULD BE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ON THE CUSTOMER END FROM CALLING THE VEHICLE AND WHAT WILL BE DIFFERENT AND WHAT WILL REMAIN THE SAME THROUGH THE PROCESS? UH, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO GENERALLY THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FOR SCHEDULING A, UH, I'LL USE PARA TRAINS EXAMPLE
[00:50:01]
HERE FOR SCHEDULING A PARATRANSIT TRIP WILL REMAIN THE SAME.UH, THEY'LL STILL GO THROUGH THE PROPER COMMUNICATION CHANNELS, USE THE SPARE APP CALL IN, UH, AND THE OTHER METHODS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCE HERE IS WHEN THE CUSTOMER RECEIVES A NOTIFICATION THAT THEIR RIDE IS APPROACHING, THEY WILL RECEIVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT INFORMATION.
WE ARE WORKING WITH SPARE AND WITH, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT IT AND IN MARCOM TO DEVELOP OUR STRATEGIES ON EXACTLY WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WE'RE GONNA PROVIDE.
'CAUSE WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AND FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN THIS SERVICE.
SO WE'RE NOT EXPECTING A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
UH, REALLY PRIMARILY THE DIFFERENCE IS GONNA BE THE VEHICLES.
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UH, HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM FOUR.
UH, BOARD MEMBER S MAKES THE MOTION BOARD MEMBER ROSS SECOND, THE MOTION.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION, UH, HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR ACTION
[IX.1. Initial Review and Discussion of the FY2027 Proposed Budget]
ITEMS. SO NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR, UH, DISCUSSION ITEM, UH, WHICH WILL BE OUR INITIAL REVIEW OF THE FY UH, 2027, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET FROM OUR CFO, MR. CONLIN.CHAIR PAVILION, BOARD MEMBERS PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS.
I SERVE AS CAP METRO CFO AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO GIVE THE BOARD A BRIEF, UM, UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET.
THIS WILL BE A VERY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION OF OUR BUDGET.
UM, AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD, OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027 STARTS IN OCTOBER OF 26 AND SPANS THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR AND 27.
SO JUST TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, WE BEGAN OUR PROCESS IN FEBRUARY WITH OUR BUDGET KICKOFF IN APRIL.
WE RECEIVED IN ALL OF OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL REQUESTS FROM OUR DEPARTMENTS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH NUMEROUS REVIEWS AND DISCUSSIONS ON OUR BUDGET, BOTH ON THE CAPITAL PROJECTS AND OUR OPERATING EXPENSES.
UM, I'M HERE TODAY OF COURSE, TO GIVE THE INITIAL REVIEW.
JULY IS A VERY IMPORTANT DATE IN OUR BUDGET.
WE'LL GIVE A DETAILED BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD ON JULY 27TH, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THAT BUDGET PROPOSAL TO THE ACCESS ADVISORY PSAC AND CSAC COMMITTEES AS WELL.
WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR OUR BUDGET WITH HAVING THE BUDGET DOCUMENT PUBLISHED ONLINE NO LATER THAN AUGUST 21ST.
WE'LL GIVE UPDATES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN AUGUST IF NECESSARY, AND THEN TO THE COMMITTEES IN SEPTEMBER IF NECESSARY AS WELL.
ON THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER, WE'LL HOLD OUR PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND THEN ASK THE BOARD AT THE BOARD MEETING IN SEPTEMBER TO ADOPT AND APPROVE OUR BUDGET FOR THE AGENCY.
SO TODAY'S DISCUSSION OUTLINE WILL BRIEFLY COVER OUR BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
OUR MAJOR OPERATING REVENUE AND COST DRIVERS SERVICE PRIORITIES AND FUNDING.
GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE ON JUST SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS GOING ON IN OUR FUNDING FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE DO UTILIZE A LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL TO BALANCE BOTH THEIR OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET REQUESTS AGAINST OUR ESTIMATED REVENUES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS PRIMARILY.
BUT WE ALSO TAKE A LONG-TERM LOOK OVER 10 AND 20 YEARS AS WELL.
SO TO MOVE ON TO SALES TAX GROWTH, OUR SALES TAX OF COURSE IS THE AGENCY'S LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE.
GOOD NEWS THROUGH HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR IN MARCH, OUR SALES TAX HAS INCREASED 7.7% VERSUS THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
WE DID RECEIPT APRIL, UM, IN THE LAST WEEK.
WE WERE ANTICIPATING A SLOWDOWN WITH HIGHER ENERGY COSTS, REALLY HITTING THE MARKETS IN APRIL.
SO THROUGH APRIL, WE'RE 7% UP YEAR OVER YEAR.
THAT'S HELPFUL IN TRYING TO FILL IN THE TROUGH OF SALES TAX THAT WE HAD FOR A FLATTENING OF ALMOST 30 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS PERIOD.
UM, JUST TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, WE'VE ALSO GRAPHED JOB GROWTH FOR THE PAST, UM, NUMBER OF YEARS AS WELL.
THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA EMPLOYMENT HAS INCREASED FIVE YEARS CONSECUTIVELY THROUGH MARCH OF 2026.
IT HAS STARTED TO SLOW DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE ARE STILL POSITIVE FOR THE MSA THOUGH.
[00:55:01]
MOVING ON TO OPERATING REVENUE OR FAIR REVENUE IS BEING DEVELOPED WITH OUR UPDATED RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS.WE ARE ANTICIPATING APPRO APPROXIMATELY $50 MILLION IN SECTION 53 0 7 FUNDS, WHICH IS A PRIMARY, UM, FEDERAL SOURCE OF REVENUE.
WE'RE ON TRACK FOR OUR FREIGHT, FREIGHT RAILROAD REVENUE, UM, IN THAT, THAT ASPECT AND OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.
AND PROJECTING THE SAME FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
MOVING ON TO OPERATING EXPENSES, WE'RE ALIGNING OUR SERVICE LEVELS WITH THE AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES.
OUR FUEL PRICING DOES REMAIN HIGHER FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WE PARTICIPATE IN A FUEL HEDGING PROGRAM WITH THE HIGH FUEL PRICES.
WE HAVE NOT PURCHASED ANY FUTURES POSITIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA LET THE MARKET, UM, SETTLE BACK DOWN HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE HAVE DONE WELL OF COURSE, HISTORICALLY IN THE FUEL HEDGING PROGRAM AND WE DID DO WELL IN FISCAL YEAR 2026.
ALSO, WE HAVE AN AVERAGE ANNUALIZED PAY INCREASE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS PERFORMANCE BASED.
AND OF COURSE WE USE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES AND OUR BUDGET PREPARATION AS WELL.
SOME OF THOSE CAPITAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT I'D LIKE TO GIVE THE BOARD.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE DEMAND RESPONSE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH YOU JUST APPROVED THE CONTRACT FOR PHASE TWO FOUR.
WE HAVE OUR NORTH BURNETT UPTOWN RAIL STATION STARTING IN FISCAL YEAR 2027.
WE HAVE HYBRID BUS PURCHASES, WHICH IS EXCITING.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE BUS STOP ENHANCEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
SO THAT'LL CONCLUDE MY BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE 2027 BUDGET, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO OPEN IT FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, OKAY, HEARING NO QUESTIONS.
NOW NORMALLY WE'D GO NEXT TO OUR, UM, OUR CEO'S REPORT, BUT I SEE A, UH, ONE OF OUR, UM, ONE OF THE FOLKS THAT
[IV. Public Comment (Part 2 of 2)]
SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, MS. JOSEPH, UH, HAS COME IN AND, UH, HAS ASKED FOR FIVE MINUTES.SO WE WILL INSERT HER INTO THIS SPOT AND THEN GO INTO OUR PRESIDES.
MS. JOSEPH, YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
MR. EASTON'S PULLING UP THE SLIDES.
IF YOU COULD PUT IT ON FULL SCREEN.
THANK YOU MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ZIA JOSEPH AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING ME OUTTA ORDER.
I KNOW MY COMMENTS ARE NOT GONNA CHANGE YOUR VOTE, BUT I JUST WILL SHARE WITH YOU ONCE AGAIN, I'LL START WITH SAFETY AND REMIND YOU THAT BACK ON MAY 19TH, 2025, I MENTIONED THAT SAFETY IS NOT YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN DID PUT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON TO THE MUSLIM CHURCH.
BUT THE AREA WHERE THE LADY IS, THAT'S YEAGER AND NORTH LAMAR, AND THIS IS NOT IN TX DOTS PLANS, IT'S NOT IN CAMPO, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S STILL NOT BEING ADDRESSED.
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS IS WHERE THE BUTTON IS ACTUALLY IN THE DITCH IN THAT MIDBLOCK STOP DO.
WATKINS HAS HEARD ME SPEAK OF THIS MANY TIMES.
THAT'S THE WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK AND ACROSS THE STREET IS THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND SO THESE ARE THE ITEMS THAT I MENTIONED THAT I WAS AGAINST THE FAIR BOX, SPECIFICALLY NORTH BASE BECAUSE YOU'VE NOT ADDRESSED THE, THE MAN THAT'S IN THAT AREA AND THE DENSITY.
AND AS FOR THE DEMAND RESPONSE, I DID SPEAK TO THE STAFF AFTERWARDS, BUT IT'S THE TRANSPARENCY THAT I'M AGAINST BECAUSE THERE WAS A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE BOARD BA UH, MATERIALS LAST TIME.
AND RESPECTFULLY, YOU TREAT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE NORTHEAST, UH, BOARD THE BUS NORTH OF US, 180 3 LIKE TRASH.
THERE'S GARBAGE ALL OVER THE GROUND, BUT MY SCREEN WAS ONLY SO BIG.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.
AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE AREA ALL UP AND DOWN THE METRO RAPID ROUTES.
I JUST WANNA ASK CHEETO VILLA, THIS IS HIS AREA.
I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT AS IT RELATES TO THE FAIR REVENUE, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING DELAYED, BUT I GUESS I HAD TO SEE THE FAMILY WITH THE BABY IN THE STROLLER.
AND A LITTLE BOY WHO'S ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD GET TURNED AWAY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE FAIR.
BUT I JUST WANNA ASK, UH, SPECIFICALLY AS I UNDERSTAND, THE GOAL LINE STAYS OPEN AFTER THE SOCCER GAMES AND WHEN IT'S CROWDED ON THE BUSES, PEOPLE IN THE SOCCER, UH, FOR THE SOCCER GAMES CANNOT EVEN PAY THE FAIR.
SO YOU USE THE MINORITY POPULATION ON THESE UNLINKED TRIPS TO GET THE RIDERSHIP UP.
AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE FOOD, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION, YOU'RE ASKING THESE PEOPLE TO PINCH PENNIES.
[01:00:01]
AND IT'S NOT EQUITABLE, IT'S NOT FAIR, IT'S DISCRIMINATORY.I JUST WANNA SHOW YOU, THERE IS ONE NOTICE OVER AT NORWOOD AND IT'S OVER ON THE 3 39 ROUTE WHERE 3 39 USED TO PARK.
BUT WHERE THE MAN IS WITH THE ORANGE HAT, IT STILL SAYS 3 23.
AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THERE WAS A MAN IN HIS WHEELCHAIR WHO WAITED AN HOUR UNTIL I SAID, SIR, ARE YOU WAITING FOR THE 3 23? IT NO LONGER RUNS.
BUT OVER JUST DOWN THE STREET AT SEVENTH AND PLEASANT VALLEY, THERE ARE THESE HARD PLASTIC SIGNS SAYING, EXCUSE OUR INCONVENIENCE.
IT'S OVER AT THE WATERLOO STOPS AS WELL.
THERE'S REAL TIME INFORMATION.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW, SINCE I'VE SHOWN YOU THE PRESENTATION FROM THE LAST MEETING, THEY'VE TAKEN DOWN THE EMPTY BOX.
SO NOW YOU HAVE AT NORTHMORE TRANSIT CENTER AT NORWOOD IS A POLL.
THERE'S NO REAL TIME INFORMATION.
BUT YET IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE ACTUALLY BEING IMPROVED CONSISTENTLY.
FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION.
AND YOU'RE MISREPRESENTING TO THE PUBLIC THAT PROJECT CONNECT IS WELL ON ITS WAY AND DOING WELL WHILE YOU ARE MISTREATING AND DISINVESTING IN THE NORTHEAST AREA.
AND I DID TAKE THIS PICTURE YESTERDAY.
UM, YOU'LL SEE RIGHT BEHIND IS WHERE THE STORE IS.
THIS IS LOYOLA AND DECKER DOWN BELOW THAT CIRCLE, THAT OVAL.
UH, THERE'S NO BENCH BECAUSE WHAT CAPITAL METRO HAS STARTED TO DO IS EITHER REMOVE THE TRASH, CAN REMOVE THE BENCH, AS OPPOSED TO ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING ISSUE.
THE ISSUE IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE PLACES TO GO.
AND WHEN YOU PEEL BACK THE LAYERS, YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE OVER SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN THEIR WHITE COUNTERPARTS TO BE HOMELESS.
AND AS FOR OUR MEMBER OVER HERE, UH, ZOE CADRE ACTUALLY WENT TO THE BLACK EVENT YESTERDAY.
BUT IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING FOR BLACK PEOPLE, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE INEQUITIES AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND NOT JUST SHOW UP WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE THERE.
SO RESPECTFULLY, THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND PHOTO OPS ARE NOT THE WAY TO MAKE THE SYSTEM EQUITABLE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
BUT WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU GET MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS FTA AND I DON'T THINK THAT WAS IN THE PRESENTATION.
SO THERE'S $6 MILLION THAT YOU GOT NOVEMBER 13TH, 2025.
ALRIGHT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, NO QUESTIONS.
AND THANKS TO MR. EASTON TOO 'CAUSE HE FIGURES OUT HOW TO GET THE SLIDES IN THERE.
[X.1. President and CEO Monthly Update - June 2026]
SEE.NEXT ON OUR ITEM IS GOING TO BE OUR, UH, OUR EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT AND, UH, CEO'S MONTHLY UPDATE.
IT'S BEEN A FEW MONTHS SINCE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A PRESIDENT'S REPORT, SO WE'VE GOT SOME SLIGHTLY OLDER ITEMS, BUT THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UM, WE'RE INCLUDED.
UM, BUT I'LL START WITH MAYBE MY FAVORITE EVENT OF THE YEAR, UM, AS WE TALK ABOUT CAT METRO IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT WAS THE UNVEILING OF OUR METRO RAPID SERVICES, UM, WHICH WE HELD.
UM, WE HELD THE EVENT ON JUNE 12TH.
UM, IT WAS A FANTASTIC EVENT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO A BOARD MEMBER BENGAL FOR COMING OUT TO CHAIR PAVILION AND A CAZILLION OTHER PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE COMMUNITY.
THE THING THAT WAS SO HEARTWARMING TO ME WAS TO SEE SUCH A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF NOT JUST ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, BUT OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
FOLKS FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ALL OF WHOM, UM, WERE A NECESSITY TO GETTING THIS DONE.
ALL OF OUR, UM, CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS WHO HELPED US GET IT THERE, IT REALLY WAS A GREAT CROSS SECTION OF FOLKS THAT IT TOOK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO GET THE METRO RAPIDS IN SERVICE THAT WE WERE CELEBRATING.
UM, IT WAS ALSO LOVELY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN EVENT WHERE LITERALLY THE BACKDROP TO OUR SPEAKER WAS AN IN SERVICE BUS COMING IN, PULLING IN, GETTING CHARGED, AND GOING ON ITS WAY WITH ITS CUSTOMERS.
UM, A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE NEXT ONE WOULD COME IN AND DO THE, THE SAME THING.
AND IT WAS, UM, IT MADE MY TRANSIT HEART VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT, UM, HAPPEN AND TO, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, UM, WITH THE GREAT BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS TECHNOLOGY, UM, THAT THESE PARKING RIDES, UM, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO FINALLY HAVE THE FULL 10 MINUTE FREQUENCY, UM, ON THESE TWO ROUTES, UM, AND SEE, UH, WHAT PROVIDING THAT FREQUENCY, UM, TO THESE AREAS OF TOWN WILL DO OVER TIME WITH OUR RIDERSHIP.
UM, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT CAME OUT AND CELEBRATED WITH US.
UM, NEXT UP, I DON'T THINK WE'VE YET BEEN ABLE TO SHARE PICTURES FROM THIS YEAR'S.
ART ON THE BUS HAS BECOME OUR ANNUAL EARTH DAY EVENT.
UM, THIS YEAR'S STUDENTS, UM, WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE ACTUALLY HAD MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
IN THE PAST, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, UM, BUT THROUGH A
[01:05:01]
PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, CREATIVE ACTION, UM, WE WORK WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS IN ALL OF THE DISTRICTS WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA.UM, THIS YEAR WE, UM, HAD MARTIN MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM AUSTIN, ISD MAINOR RISE ACADEMY FROM MAINOR ISD, UM, DELL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL FROM DELL VALLEY, ISD AND DANIELSON MIDDLE SCHOOL FROM LEANDER ISD.
AND EACH OF THOSE, UM, SCHOOLS HAD, UM, ARTISTS HAD THE CREATIVE ACTION FOLKS CAME INTO THE ART PROGRAM TO WORK WITH STUDENTS, UM, TO TALK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND PUBLIC TRANSIT AND CREATE, UM, ORIGINAL ART PIECES.
UM, A HANDFUL OF THE, OF WHICH WERE SELECTED FROM EACH SCHOOL TO GO ON THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLES.
UM, AND SO WE NOW HAVE ON TWO PICKUP VEHICLES, UM, BOTH THE MAINOR SERVICE AND THE LEANDER SERVICE, THE PICKUP, UM, C PICKUP VEHICLES, UM, WITH THEIR ART ON IT.
UM, AND THEN THE DELL VALLEY AND AUSTIN, UM, WE'LL GET, WE'LL SEE THE, THE FULL-SIZE TRANSIT BUS WITH THEIR ART ON IT.
UM, AND GRATEFUL TO REPRESENTATIVES FROM ALL FOUR DISTRICTS WHO JOINED US AT THAT EVENT.
UM, NEXT UP BIKE TO WORK DAY HAPPENED, UM, AT THE END OF MAY, WE, UM, TABLED AT CITY HALL FOR BIKE TO WORK DAY.
UM, AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE KNOW THAT BIKES AND PUBLIC TRANSIT ARE A NATURAL PARTNERSHIP.
UM, WE, I'VE HAD BIKE RACKS ON OUR BUS, UM, SINCE AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.
UM, AND REALLY BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT FIRST MILE AND LAST MILE CONNECTION FOR OUR, UM, CUSTOMERS.
UM, THANK YOU TO BOARD MEMBER ELLIS FOR HER CONTINUED SUPPORT HERE AND FOR ALL THE PARTNERS WHO MADE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS.
AND THEN NEXT UP A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR CAT METRO CARES PROGRAM.
CAT METRO CARES IS A, A PROGRAM WHERE WE PARTNER WITH, UM, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY WHOSE MISSIONS ALIGN WITH HOURS, UM, AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO THEM SPACE ON OUR BUSES, UM, TO, UM, PUT A BUS WRAP TO PROMOTE THEIR PROGRAMS. UM, HERE WE'LL SEE, UM, ON THE LEFT, THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY AND ITS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
UM, AS PART OF THE ANNUAL SUMMER READ READING PROGRAM, WE JOINED THEIR KIDS BLOCK PARTY FESTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE A REAL, INCLUDED, A REALTIME STORY, TIME ON THE BUS.
UM, A READING OF GUS HARTS THE BUS, WHICH IS A LOCAL CHILDREN'S BOOK, UM, BY AUTHOR LINDSAY LESLIE.
UM, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO READ, HAVE STORY TIME READING OF THAT BOOK THAN ON, ON A BUS ITSELF, MUCH LESS A BUS DECORATED TO CELEBRATE THE A HUNDRED YEARS OF THE LIBRARY.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY THERE ON THE RIGHT, WE, UM, UNVEILED THE NEW, UM, WRAP CELEBRATING THE SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY, AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS SPENT OVER A DECADE RESTORING SHOAL CREEK, UM, PULLING INVASIVE SPECIES, REBUILDING THE NATIVE HEAD OF HABITAT AND REMOVING TONS OF TRASH AND WORKING TO MAKE THE CREEK AND TRAIL ACCESSIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THROUGH THE CAT METRO CARES PROGRAM, THEIR MISSION IS NOW ROLLING THROUGH THE CITY ON THE STREET CORNERS EVERY DAY.
UM, NEXT UP IS OUR, UM, MONTHLY, UM, CHECK-IN ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, YOU'LL RECALL WITHIN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, WE HAVE FOUR CRITICAL RESULTS, RELIABLE AND SECURE SERVICE, INCREASED RIDERSHIP, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AS WELL AS REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
AND THIS MONTH WE'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING A COUPLE OF ACTION ITEMS, UM, THAT FALL MORE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, BUCKETS OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
THE FIRST IS OUR PEOPLE AND CULTURE STRATEGY PRIORITY, UM, TO ENHANCE THE EVO EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION OR EVP, UM, AS WELL AS TO CONDUCT AN ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT.
UM, THESE TWO, UM, COLLECTIVELY ARE DESIGNED TO HELP US MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BOTH TO OUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS TO PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, WHAT THE OVERALL VALUE PROPOSITION OF WORKING FOR CAP METRO IS.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, PEOPLE, PEOPLE GET HERE AND, AND SEEM PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, UM, BY, UM, WHAT A GREAT COLLEGIAL WORK ENVIRONMENT WE HAVE.
WE ARE A MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION, AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, PURPOSE-DRIVEN WORK.
AND SO REALLY HELPING US DEFINE THAT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY REINFORCE THAT AMONGST OUR EXISTING TEAMS, UM, BUT ALSO USE THAT VALUE PROPOSITION TO HELP US RECRUIT, UM, LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT, THAT MIGHT FIND A GOOD HOME HERE.
UM, WE ARE ALSO EMBARKING ON AN ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S REALLY ABOUT, UM, HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE ALL OF THE NEEDS OF OUR ORGANIZATION FROM A STAFFING STANDPOINT.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN BUDGETARILY AND TIGHT, UM, TIGHT TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO HEAD COUNT, UM, LIKE MANY OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNTERPARTS.
BUT WHAT BETTER TIME TO STOP AND REASSESS AND FIGURE OUT EXACTLY, UM, WHAT WE NEED FROM A SKILLS AND CAPABILITY STANDPOINT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR TEAMS, BOTH IN THE, THE POSITIONS THAT WE APPROVE, BUT ALSO THE PROGRAMS WE HAVE TO UPSKILL OUR EXISTING EMPLOYEES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THEN NEXT UP THE OTHER ITEM IS OUR STRATEGIC, UM, ACTION 2.1, WHICH IS ABOUT HELPING US TO IMPROVE, UM, OUR, UM, OUR THINKING AND, AND, AND IMPROVE REGIONAL THINKING ABOUT, UH, TRANSIT
[01:10:01]
AND FUNDING SOURCES.UM, THIS IS THE, THE GOAL REALLY IS TO PROACTIVELY OFFER MOBILITY, SO SOLUTIONS AND PLANNING ASSISTANCE FOR THE REGION AS PART OF A FIVE YEAR EFFORT TO HELP EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, THE TEAM HAS SPENT MOST OF THIS YEAR REALLY IN LISTENING MODE.
I KNOW, UM, EACH OF YOU HAVE TALKED THROUGH WITH OUR TEAM, WHICH YOU THINK ABOUT REGIONALISM, WE'VE TALKED TO, UM, OTHER, UM, COMMUNITY LEADERS, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM THROUGHOUT, UM, THE, THE REGION TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, UM, KIND OF HOW WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE, UM, TO ENGAGE NOT JUST WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA, UM, BUT TO HELP THE WHOLE REGION UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF TRANSIT, UM, IN HOPES OF BEING ABLE TO, TO FIND EVEN MORE ADVOCATES FOR WHAT WE DO, UM, AS WELL AS EVENTUALLY EVEN MORE FUNDING TO HELP DO MORE OF WHAT WE DO.
UM, SO THIS IS EFFORT THAT IS BEING LED BY OUR GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM, UM, AND, AND AS WELL ON THE WAY TO HAVING ESTABLISHED THE ROADMAP TO GETTING US, UM, FURTHER DOWN THIS ROAD.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MONTHS WORTH OF CUSTOMER CARE DATA TO SHARE.
UM, IN BOTH APRIL AND MAY, WE SAW INCREASED CALL VOLUMES.
UM, IN APRIL, OUR CALL VOLUME INCREASE WAS DRIVEN LARGELY BY AN EXTENDED AT AND T OUTAGE.
UM, THAT AFFECTED A LOT OF OUR, SOME OF OUR SYSTEMS AND A LOT OF, UM, OTHER, UM, AGENCIES AND BUSINESSES.
UM, AND IN MAY WE SAW, UM, A LOT OF THE, UM, INFORMATION WE WERE PUTTING OUT ABOUT OUR FAIR CHANGES.
SO YOU MAY RECALL THAT IT WAS ACTUALLY DURING THE MONTH OF MAY, WE WERE COMMUNICATING HEAVILY ABOUT THE RETIREMENT OF OUR DAY PASS AND, AND, UM, THE NEED FOR PEOPLE TO USE ALL OF THEIR PAPER PASSES, UM, BY JUNE 1ST.
AND SO WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT WORKS.
MAY IS ALSO A VERY BUSY MONTH FROM AN EVENT STANDPOINT WITH, UM, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAVING THEIR GRADUATIONS, UM, AS WELL AS THE UIL STATE TRACK MEET.
UM, AND WE HAD TWO AUSTIN FC GAMES.
SO, UM, THOSE EVENTS KEPT US VERY BUSY AND INCREASED THE CALL VOLUME MONTH OVER MONTH
UM, AND THEN NEXT UP I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, SOME KEY A AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS.
UM, I'M PROUD TO SHARE THAT CAP METRO HAS RECEIVED THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION 2026 BUS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GOLD AWARD.
UM, THIS IS THE HIGHEST AWARD, UM, IN THE, IN THIS, UM, CATEGORY, UM, AND RECOGNIZES OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS TEAM.
YOU SEE THEM THERE IN THE TOP LEFT PICTURE, UM, WITH THEIR AWARD.
UM, THEY WERE AWARDED FOR OUR PROGRAMS TO ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY DURING, UM, EMERGENCY, UM, OPERATION CENTER ACTIVATION.
SO, UM, BEHIND THE SCENES DURING THINGS LIKE AN ICE STORM, UM, WHEN THERE'S THE NEED TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE ABOUT, UM, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE RIDES, UM, OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS, UM, TEAM ACTUALLY UTILIZES THE SAME DISPATCHING SOFTWARE THAT WE USE TO DISPATCH OUR PARA TRANSIT SYSTEM, UM, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE IN REQUESTS FOR RIDES AND DISPATCH BOTH CAP METRO RESOURCES AS WELL AS CITY VEHICLE RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYBODY THAT CALLS DURING CALLS IN, UM, DURING AN ICE EVENT AND NEEDS TRANSPORTATION TO A SAFE, WARM PLACE IS ABLE TO GET THAT SERVICE.
UM, AND SO WE WERE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR THAT PROGRAM.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE IOLA WILLIAMS, OUR DEPUTY COUNCIL WHO REPRESENTED CAP METRO, UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE 2026 APTA EMERGING LEADERS CLASS.
UM, A CRITICAL, UM, UH, PROGRAM WITHIN OUR INDUSTRY TO HELP DEVELOP THE TRANSIT LEADERS OF TOMORROW.
UM, AND A PROUD, UM, A A VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR OUR AGENCY.
UM, IOLA DID A FANTASTIC JOB REPRESENTING US, UM, TO THE INDUSTRY.
AND THEN LASTLY, YOU'LL SEE THERE ON THE RIGHT, THE NEW, UM, COTO, THE CONFERENCE OF, UM, MINORITY TRAIN TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS, UM, RECENTLY ELECTED THEIR AUSTIN EXECUTIVE BOARD COMMITTEE.
AND WE'D LIKE TO, UM, CONGRATULATE THEM ALL, BUT PARTICULARLY OUR OWN LAIA POWELL AND AANA LEWIS, WHO ARE STEPPING INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THAT ORGANIZATION TO STRENGTHEN BOTH OUR, UM, OUR INDUSTRY AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE ARE GRATEFUL, UM, TO ALL OF THE FOLKS, UM, AT COTO, UM, FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT OF CAP METRO AND AS AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING THIS OPPORTUNITY, UM, FOR, UH, LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEAM.
AND THEN LASTLY, A FEW THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN UP TO IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
IN FACT, PART OF WHY WE HAVEN'T HAD A PRESIDENT'S REPORT IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, UM, I ATTENDED THE APTA MOBILITY CONFERENCE IN SALT LAKE CITY AND SPOKE ON A COUPLE OF PANELS.
ONE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SCALING AV, UM, IN TRANSIT.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT CAT METRO'S YARD AUTOMATION PROJECT, WHICH WE, UM, WAS A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, UM, FUNDED BY THE FTA INNOVATION GRANT THAT WE, UM, DEPLOYED ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UM, IT WAS A, A GREAT FRANK CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, HOW THAT ALL WORKED.
WE, I WAS ALSO ON A PANEL TALKING ABOUT OUR
[01:15:01]
PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM AND HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK THAT OUR COMMUNITY INTERVENTION SPECIALISTS DO, UM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE INDUSTRY, BUT WE REALLY ARE LEADERS IN THE INDUSTRY.AND, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT ENGAGING AT THE, AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF ANY PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY.
AND SO IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THAT.
UM, I ALSO ATTENDED, UM, JUST BEFORE THAT THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION, THE TEXAS TRANSIT ASSOCIATION UP IN LUBBOCK, UM, WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, WHAT IT TAKES, UM, WHAT WHAT TRENDS ARE SHAPING TRANSIT IN TEXAS.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURE THERE IN THE MIDDLE.
I RECENTLY, UM, WAS JOINED BY OUR, UM, VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, ZANE BARNES.
UM, AND WE ATTENDED THE AUSTIN CHAMBER FEDERAL ADVOCACY TRIP.
UM, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS WAS THERE AS WELL.
WE HAD A, A, A GREAT TIME ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF THE NEEDS OF OUR REGION.
UM, BUT THIS PICTURE SPECIFICALLY WAS THE, THE PHOTO WE TOOK BEFORE OUR, UM, MEETING WITH THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION THAT'S OUTSIDE U-S-D-O-T HEADQUARTERS IN DC, UM, MAKING THE CASE FOR FEDERAL INVESTMENT IN ALL OF THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, UM, FOR OUR REGION, BE IT THAT TRANSIT OR ROADWAYS OR AIRPORTS.
UM, AND I'M THINKING THAT THEY WERE HEARING US, 'CAUSE I KNOW AUSTIN AIRPORT JUST GOT A RECORD BREAKING GRANT AWARD.
SO HOPEFULLY, UM, WE WILL CONTINUE THE STREAK OF GOOD LUCK, UM, WITH AND GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U-S-C-O-T.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, THE PICTURE THERE ON THE LEFT, I APPRECIATED THE, UM, INVITATION AND OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO JOIN BOARD MEMBER BENGAL, UM, AT THE REAL ESTATE COUNCIL OF AUSTIN LUNCHEON.
UM, WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY, UM, LEANDER MAYOR THOMPSON.
UM, AS WE HEARD ABOUT, UM, KEY DEVELOPMENTS HAPPENING, UM, WITHIN THE REGION OF THE THREE PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE SHARED, TWO OF THEM WERE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENTS, WHICH WAS GREAT TO SEE, UM, THAT REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY REALLY THINKING ABOUT AND HEARING ABOUT.
UM, THEY HEARD ABOUT THE UPTOWN A TX PROJECT, UM, WHERE, UM, WE HAVE A STATION BEING BUILT AS PART OF A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND THEN ALSO THE NORTHLINE DEVELOPMENT IN LEANDER, UM, WHICH IS A TOD, UM, RIGHT NEAR OUR STATION AND, AND IS ACTUALLY MAKING AMAZING PROGRESS AS WELL.
UM, SO, UM, THAT WAS A, A LOT OF FUN, UH, TO HEAR ABOUT.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT FOR THIS MONTH.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? LOOKING IN THE BACK? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO HEARING NONE, UM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS
[XI. Executive Session under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code]
WE WILL RECESS THIS MEETING AT, UH, ONE 18 'CAUSE WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.UH, WE'RE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION EXCEPT FOR ADJOURNING OF THE, OF THIS MEETING.
THE BOARD WILL NOW GO IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH A QUORUM PRESENT UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071, CONSULTATION WITH AN ATTORNEY TO CONSULT CAP METRO LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING LEGAL ISSUES INCLUDING POTENTIAL OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION, LEGAL RISK EXPOSURE AND SUBROGATION ISSUES, AND RECOVERY OF OPERATIONS RELATED TO THE MAY 23RD FIRE IMPACTING A, A CAP METRO FACILITY.
SO THE TIME IS NOW, UH, ONE 19.
UH, WE WILL RECESS AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UH, THE BOARD HAS CONCLUDED, WELL, I GUESS I'LL CALL US BACK INTO OUR, UH, REC INTO THE CAPTAIN METRO REGULAR SESSION, UH, ON, UH, ON, UH, WHAT IS IT, JUNE, ON JUNE 22ND, 2026 AT, UM, 1 58.
AND, UH, THE BOARD HAS NOW CONCLUDED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE TIME IS 1 59, UH, WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US TODAY, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 1 59.