[00:00:03] ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. [I. Call to Order] AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US AT THE CAP METRO MEETING TODAY. YES, MA'AM. YES, SIR. OH, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. I THOUGHT I WAS IN TROUBLE FOR A MINUTE THERE, BUT ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE JULY MONTHLY MEETING OF THE METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. TODAY IS MONDAY, JULY 27TH. AND WE'RE HERE AT THE METRO BOARDROOM. THE TIME IS 1210, SO I'LL CALL US IN ORDER. ALL RIGHT. FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA TODAY WILL BE OUR MONTHLY SAFETY BRIEFING. [II. Safety Briefing] MR. TOBON, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT PROCESS? YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, I CAN. THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME, EVERYONE. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. WE ARE IN A BIT OF A OVERCROWDING SITUATION, BUT I'LL BEGIN WITH THE NORMAL STUFF. YOU ARE LOCATED AT 2910 EAST FIFTH STREET. YOU'RE IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY STAFF OR MYSELF WILL CALL 911. WE ALSO HAVE OFFICERS ON THE PREMISES TO ASSIST IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. IF WE DO, FOR SOME REASON, NEED TO EVACUATE THIS ROOM, YOU CAN GO OUT EITHER DOOR. BUT IF YOU HAVE MOBILITY CHALLENGES, PLEASE WAIT ON THE PLATFORM RIGHT THERE AND SOMEONE WILL ASSIST YOU DOWN. IF WE GO OUT THIS WAY WE'RE STILL GOING TO REQUIRE EVERYONE TO MEET RIGHT AT THE END OF THE WALKWAY THERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT EVACUATION ASSEMBLY POINT. SIGN DOWN THERE. ALSO, IN THE EVENT THAT WE MIGHT NEED AN AED, THERE'S AN AED TO THE LEFT OF OUR ELEVATOR, RIGHT ON THIS FLOOR. ALSO, THERE IS A FIRE EXTINGUISHER LOCATED RIGHT OVER HERE. IN CASE THERE IS A NEED. NOW I NEED TO ADDRESS THE OVERCROWDED SITUATION. IF YOU ARE NOT PRESSED AND YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ITEM RIGHT AWAY, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU ALL LEAVE ONLY TO GO RIGHT HERE AGAINST THE WALL BECAUSE THE DOORWAYS ARE CURRENTLY BEING BLOCKED AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT FOR AN EFFECTIVE EVACUATION. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ITEM. FIRST COUPLE OF ITEMS JUST NEED YOU. IF YOU'RE STANDING AGAINST THE WALL TO PLEASE JUST WAIT RIGHT HERE UNTIL WE BRING YOU BACK IN. I'M NOT SEEING FOLKS MOVE. SO I NEED FOLKS RIGHT THERE TO COME THIS WAY JUST FOR A MOMENT, AND WE'LL GET YOU BACK IN AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. BUT SINCE THERE ARE NO CHAIRS LEFT AND WE'RE LOOKING AT VERY LIMITED SPACE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE, ESPECIALLY IN THE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY. WE DON'T NEED ANYONE GETTING HURT. WE NEED EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO EVACUATE IN A VERY TIMELY FASHION. SO COME ON OVER HERE. COME ON, COME ON. HOW MUCH PRESS WE GOT IN HERE? NEED TO FIND A WAY FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I LET YOU GET IT ALL OUT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NOW, NORMALLY WE WOULD GO RIGHT INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT WE'VE GOT A SPECIAL PRESENTATION THAT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE TODAY. [IV. Recognition] ERIC STRATTON ON HAS BEEN A BOARD MEMBER HERE FOR JUST ABOUT EIGHT YEARS, AND I THINK HE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ASKED IN ONE MEETING. BUT BUT YOU KNOW, WHILE HE, WHILE HE HAS BEEN HERE HE HAS BEEN SERVING ON BEHALF OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY. HE HAS BEEN A, HE HAS BEEN A, A WONDERFUL COLLEAGUE TO WORK WITH. HE HAS ALWAYS SPENT TIME ON TASK CARES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AND HAS GONE THE EXTRA MILE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THIS POINT OF VIEW, THAT WE KNOW WHAT HIS CONSTITUENTS NEED AND, [00:05:01] AND THAT HE'S WILLING TO, TO SERVE IN ANY CAPACITY AND FOLLOW THROUGH CONSISTENTLY. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. AND HE'S GOT A NAME THAT MATCHES A ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, ANIMAL HOUSE. YOU KNOW, SO, SO ON YOUR TIME ON THE BOARD YOU KNOW, YOU'VE, YOU'VE GIVEN US NOT ONLY YOUR DEEP EXPERTISE, BUT A GENUINE HUMILITY GENUINE CARING, WHETHER WE'RE WORKING ON A POLICY QUESTION THAT IS COMPLEX OR A PRACTICAL QUESTION THAT ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY YOU APPROACH IT THE SAME WAY ALL THE TIME. WE, WE WANT TO HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE. WE WANT TO BUILD A PLAN TO GET THERE. WE WANT TO MONITOR THE THE STEPS IN THAT PROCESS, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT PERSON IS ALWAYS IN THE ROOM. AND YOU'VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET THAT DONE. YOUR WORK ON OUR OPERATIONS, PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEES REFLECT THE TYPE OF RIGOROUS WORK THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE WE ARE APPRECIATIVE FOR YOU. WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SERVICE ON THIS BOARD. WE WANT TO ALSO LET'S SEE IF WE COULD HAVE HIS WIFE STAND JUST FOR A SECOND YOU KNOW. YOU KNOW YOU CANNOT TAKE A JOB IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND WORK THE EXTRA FREE HOURS THAT WE DO UNLESS THERE'S A STRONG, STABLE HOME AND A STRONG, STABLE PARTNER TO DO THAT WITH. SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE AS WELL. ALSO ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK YOU, ERIC, FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING WILLIAMSON COUNTY WITH INTEGRITY. THANK YOU FOR, FOR MAKING THIS BOARD A BETTER BOARD BECAUSE OF YOUR SERVICE. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE'RE PROUD FOR, FOR, FOR YOUR SERVICE. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'LL ALWAYS SAVE A PLACE FOR YOU. SO IF YOU, IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO CONTRIBUTE MORE WE GOT A CHAIR FOR YOU. SO, SO LET ME, LET ME SAY THAT I AM BAPTIST. I COULD PROBABLY TALK FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT TODAY. I'M GOING TO TURN THAT OFF, TURN THIS OVER TO OUR CEO SO THAT WE CAN RECOGNIZE HIM PROPERLY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I WILL START WITH A COUPLE OF FUN FACTS. AND ONE IS THAT ERIC AND I ACTUALLY WENT TO JUNIOR HIGH TOGETHER BACK WHEN WE STILL CALLED IT JUNIOR HIGH. THAT'S HOW OLD WE ARE. AND EVADE SO MUCH BETTER THAN LONG, LONG BEFORE EITHER OF US EVER KNEW THAT WE WOULD ONE DAY SERVE CENTRAL TEXAS AND TRANSIT TOGETHER IN THIS WAY. SO THIS ONE'S A LITTLE PERSONAL FOR ME. ERIC BRINGS A GENUINELY UNCOMMON COMBINATION TO THIS WORK. ERIC IS A REGISTERED NURSE AND A NURSE EDUCATOR. HE'S A POLICY VETERAN. HE LOVES NOTHING MORE THAN PUBLIC POLICY AND A REALLY, REALLY NERDY BUT LOVELY WAY. HE'S A STRATEGIC PLANNER. HE'S SOMEONE WHO CAN NAVIGATE THE HALLS OF THE CAPITOL AS WELL AS THE BEDSIDE OF A PEDIATRIC PATIENT BOTH WITH CARE AND WITH EASE AND WITH GRACE. THAT APPROACH HAS REALLY BROUGHT BEEN BROUGHT TO HIS SERVICE ON THIS BOARD, HIS BACKGROUND IN HEALTH CARE POLICY HIS ADVOCACY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE REALLY MEANT THAT ERIC NEVER LOST SIGHT OF ULTIMATELY WHO WE ARE HERE TO SERVE AND WHAT IT IS WE ARE HERE TODAY. AND THAT PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN VERY VALUABLE ON THIS BOARD AND HAS BEEN A VERY MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE DELIBERATIONS OF THIS BOARD OVER HIS YEARS OF SERVICE. HE SERVED PRIMARILY ON THE OPERATIONS, PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, ASKED A LOT OF VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS. WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT WE HAD GOTTEN HIS ATTENTION WHEN HE SAID, WELL, LET ME JUST CLARIFY THIS FOR A MINUTE. AND THEN YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE ABOUT 20 QUESTIONS, BUT HE ALWAYS DID. SO FROM A PLACE OF WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY HE UNDERSTOOD IT, BUT THAT HE FELT CONFIDENT THAT HIS FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THAT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD WHAT ACTION IT WAS THAT THE BOARD WAS TAKING. SO ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CAPMETRO TEAM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, FOR YOUR DEDICATION FOR DOING THIS WORK FOR ABSOLUTELY FOR FREE WITH VERY LITTLE THANKS AND ACCOLADES. BUT WE ARE GRATEFUL, GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE. AND TO JEN AND YOUR LOVELY CHILDREN, MADDIE AND JACK. THANK YOU FOR GIVING HIM TO US FOR AS LONG AS WE HAD HIM. WE WERE ACTUALLY JUST CHATTING TODAY AND REALIZING THAT THEIR YOUNGEST, JACK, WAS IN THE FIFTH GRADE WHEN ERIC STARTED HIS SERVICE ON THIS BOARD. AND IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, THEY WILL DRIVE HIM TO COLLEGE. SO I, WE ARE THRILLED TO HAVE BEEN PART OF YOUR FAMILY'S STORY OVER TIME. [00:10:05] AND I KNOW YOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN ARE AS PROUD OF YOU AS WE ARE. AS EVIDENCED BY A SPECIAL THING I'D LIKE TO READ OUT THAT WE GOT TODAY FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE RECEIVED A PROCLAMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND SO I'D LIKE TO READ THAT FOR THE RECORD. IT SAYS TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME. GREETINGS. KNOW YE THAT THIS OFFICIAL RECOGNITION IS PRESENTED TO ERIC STRATTON OF CAPMETRO. AS GOVERNOR, I OFFER EARNEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY AS THE VERY HEART OF THE TEXAS SPIRIT LIES A DESIRE TO SERVE OUR FELLOW MAN. AND YOU HAVE EMBODIED THIS ATTITUDE PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, WITH COMPETENCE AND COMMITMENT IN EQUAL MEASURE. YOU HAVE FAITHFULLY SERVED YOUR COMMUNITY WITH KEEN ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP, AND YOUR EXPERTISE HAS BEEN OF TREMENDOUS USE TO CAPMETRO AS THE BOARD MEMBER REPRESENTING WILLIAMSON COUNTY THROUGHOUT YOUR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS OF SERVICE. TIME AND AGAIN, YOU PROVED YOURSELF WORTHY OF THE CONSIDERABLE TRUST THAT THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTY PLACE IN YOU. YOUR YEARS IN SERVICE HAVE PRESENTED MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND I AM PROUD TO CALL YOU A FELLOW TEXAN. AS YOUR TIME ON THE CAPMETRO BOARD DRAWS TO A CLOSE, I HOPE YOU FEEL DEEP SATISFACTION IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THEY WILL ECHO THROUGHOUT THE AGES LONG. FIRST LADY CECILIA ABBOTT JOINS ME IN EXTENDING OUR BEST WISHES FOR A FUTURE FOR A FRUITFUL FUTURE. AND IT IS SIGNED BY GREG ABBOTT, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS. SO WE ARE HONORED TO PRESENT THAT TO YOU. OKAY. AND AND TRAVIS COUNTY HAS ONE FOR YOU. BUT SINCE YOU'RE FROM WILLIAMSON COUNTY, WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU OVER A BEER. SO. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO DO? WELL, IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS THAT WANT TO HAVE COMMENTS, AND WE DO HAVE A GIFT TO PRESENT HIM AS WELL. LET'S START AT THE FAR END. SO. I'M ON, I'M ON. WELL, AS THE I BELIEVE I'M THE NEWEST MEMBER TO THE CAPMETRO BOARD. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN, I'VE ALWAYS FELT ILL PREPARED DURING THESE MEETINGS BECAUSE OF ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED. BUT, BUT HONESTLY, WHEN IT COMES TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUING TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD THAT, THAT STANDARD I THINK YOU'VE SET. SO YOU WILL BE MISSED. I'M CURIOUS ON WHO COMES THROUGH THOSE DOORS NEXT. BUT THEY HAVE BIG SHOES TO FILL, SO THANK YOU. ERIC. IT HAS BEEN GREAT GETTING TO KNOW YOU OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS. I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT OUR MUTUAL FRIEND INTRODUCED US ALL THAT LONG AGO. I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU PUT INTO PROJECT CONNECT. I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU'VE SPENT WITH ME TEACHING ME THE HISTORY AND ALL THE, THE INNER WORKINGS SO THAT WE CAN ALL MAKE BETTER DECISIONS. YOU'VE BEEN A GREAT ASSET TO THE BOARD AND YOU WILL BE GREATLY MISSED. AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO GET TO WORK WITH YOU ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN PROJECT CONNECT WAS BEING ENVISIONED. AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE DURING THOSE PIVOTAL MOMENTS. AND HOWEVER MANY TIMES WE GOT TO SERVE ON THE ATP NOMINATING COMMITTEE TOGETHER. THERE'S A LOT OF RESUMES TO GO THROUGH AND A LOT OF GOOD DIALOG THAT GOES INTO THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE GREAT REPRESENTATION THROUGH OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. AND IT'S JUST BEEN INVALUABLE TO HAVE YOUR PERSPECTIVE IN THOSE YEARS. YEAH. OKAY. AND I'M STILL GOING TO CALL YOU IF I HAVE QUESTIONS. WELL, EIGHT YEARS IS CERTAINLY IMPRESSIVE. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID. THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD EXAMPLE. AS A BOARD MEMBER, WHENEVER ANYTHING NEW CAME BEFORE THIS BOARD, YOU ALWAYS WAS YOUR PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC KNEW ABOUT IT. THE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT. AND WE'VE WATCHED AND WE'VE MODELED AND REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE. SO IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING NEXT TO YOU. WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOUR VOICE, BUT I PROMISE TO KEEP IT GOING. ON THE PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING WITH ERIC ON THE BOARD, BUT ALSO ON THE OPERATIONS AND PLANNING COMMITTEE, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHERE I THINK WE TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT, AGAIN, THE DETAILS AND THE OPERATIONS ALWAYS APPRECIATED YOUR QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, AND SOMETIMES WE WE'RE DOING WORK KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES TO UNDERSTAND AND PREPARE AND ALL THAT. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE WHEN YOU ASK THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER TO. BUT JUST TO EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WE'RE THINKING, WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. I ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOU SLOWING DOWN TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT'S OUT THERE. AND AGAIN, LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT DRINK IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY SOONER THAN LATER NOW. ALL RIGHT. THEN YOU'RE TAKING AN UBER IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NOW, NOW, IF IF IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, YOU SHOULD HAVE A GIFT UNDER WRITING YOUR OH, [00:15:05] THERE IT GOES. OKAY. SO WE WANT TO TAKE WE WANT TO REACH. WE JUST WANT TO PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND TAKE A PICTURE AND THEN COME BACK AND THEN BEGIN THE, THE CITIZENS COMMENT. SO IF, IF WE CAN GATHER AROUND THE FRONT, TAKE A QUICK PICTURE AND DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO LET YOU TALK TO. SO, ERIC, MAYBE WE OUGHT TO GIVE YOU A MOMENT TO SAY GOODBYE. WELL, YOU'RE STILL STUCK WITH ME FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING. I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL YOU FOLKS FOR SHOWING UP HERE FOR MY GOODBYE PARTY. WOW, I WAS REALLY. NO, I KNOW WHY EVERYONE'S HERE. SO YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN ENOUGH TIME FOR ME. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF MY LIFE. SERVING CAPMETRO, SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TOGETHER. WHO WOULD HAVE THUNK? WE'D GO THROUGH A PANDEMIC, A GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE THE WAY WE DID AND COME OUT ON THE BACK END THE WAY THAT WE DID. THE AMAZING THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN SO MANY WAYS THERE'S STILL WORK TO BE DONE. THERE'S STILL POTHOLES OUT THERE, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. AS WE LEARNED JUST RECENTLY, THERE IS SUCH A THING CALLED A SUN KINK IN THE RAIL. AND I SAY THAT ALSO, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE OURSELVES BETTER. I JUST REMIND YOU OF TWO KEY THINGS GOING FORWARD. AND ONE IS MY MANTRA, WHICH IS NO MATTER WHAT, FOLKS HAVE FUN AND DO GOOD THINGS, NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO AND WHAT YOU DO, AND THE WORLD WILL BE A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE. AND TWO, AS I. MY WIFE WAS FOND OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, SHE'S SHE'S I GUESS SHE SAID, NO, SHE'S RECORDING THIS WONDERFUL WHICH IS SHE'S A COMMUNICATIONS PROFESSIONAL, BUT I PICKED THIS UP FROM HER 99% OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS. AND I'VE MADE THIS MY, MY, MY MANTRA TO 99% OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH GOOD COMMUNICATION AND CLEAR EXPECTATIONS. BOARD MEMBERS CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT YOUR BEACON IN EVERYTHING YOU DO FROM THIS DAIS, AS YOU WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF CAPMETRO, AS YOU WORK WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF ATU, AS YOU WORK WITH THE. THE AMAZING FOLKS AT CAPMETRO, THE OPERATORS AND MECHANICS, THE FOLKS THAT MAKE THIS PLACE GO. AND THEN IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE FOLKS THAT WE SERVE, DON'T EVER FORGET THAT. AND PLEASE KNOW MY WIFE AND I, WE'LL STILL SEE YOU OUT THERE ON THE ROAD. AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, WE'RE ONLY A PHONE CALL AWAY. THANK YOU GUYS. APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, TALENT AND SERVICE. ALL RIGHT. SPEAKING OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING INTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. [III. Public Comment] WE HAVE 17 SPEAKERS THAT SIGNED UP EARLY IN ADVANCE. 12 MORE SPEAKERS THAT I HAVE SIGN IN SHEETS FOR. IF THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE NOT SIGNED UP THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, NOW IS THE TIME TO, TO SIGN UP IN THE BACK. LET'S SEE. WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM. IF YOU'RE JOINING US REMOTELY, THEN UNMUTE YOURSELF. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES UNLESS UNLESS YOU'RE SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR REPRESENTING A GROUP WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM, IN WHICH CASE THEY'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS GOING TO BE MISS CYNTHIA WASHINGTON. ARE YOU WITH US, MISS WASHINGTON? MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOT SEEN MISS WASHINGTON JOIN US TODAY. OKAY. SO I WILL GO TO PERSON NUMBER TWO. SULLY. SNOOK. OKAY. I WILL GO TO PERSON NUMBER THREE. LUIS ACOSTA. HI. YES. I'M HERE. AND I ALSO HAVE A COLLEAGUE OF MINE REPRESENTING THE OUR ORGANIZATION. SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO FIVE MINUTES OR IF SHE CAN YIELD HER TIME. [00:20:04] OKAY. SO RULING ON THAT FIVE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. PLEASE PROCEED. FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN. AND I ALSO HAD SENT A POWERPOINT WITH THE INFORMATION THAT I WANTED TO PRESENT, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN BE SHOWN AT THIS TIME, MR. ACOSTA. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND I CAN START SPEAKING NOW. SO FIRST, I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE MONETARY SUPPORT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. WE'RE THE COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM. THE CAP PROGRAM. IT'S A NONPROFIT GEARED TO HELP HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE. WE HELP THEM WITH THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATION AND ALSO THROUGH SUMMER PROGRAMS THAT WE DO IN THE SUMMER AT A COLLEGE CAMPUS FOR THEM TO GET AN EXPERIENCE OF WHAT COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE LIKE. AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M NOT SURE IF THE DEPARTMENT'S ALREADY BEING PROJECTED, BUT IF ONCE IT'S PROJECTED, YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THE PICTURES OF THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE HELD SINCE 2020. MR. ACOSTA, ARE YOU WITH US? MR. ACOSTA? YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. MY APOLOGIES. I'M GOING TO PROJECT THE PRESENTATION. BUT YOU WILL NOT SEE IT IN TEAMS. OH, OKAY, I SEE. YEAH, BECAUSE I WENT MUTE WHEN WHEN THAT WAS PROJECTED. YEAH THAT'S FINE. SO JUST I CAN CONTINUE. RIGHT. PLEASE PROCEED. FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. SO I WAS SHARING THAT OUR PROGRAM IS BASED OR GEARED FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS. WE HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS AND ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. I WANTED TO THANK THE BOARD FOR THE MONETARY SUPPORT THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, AND ALSO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED A REQUEST FOR SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND THIS SUMMER EVENT THAT'S HAPPENING IN AUGUST. THIS THIS TIME AROUND, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH UT AUSTIN TO TO HOST THAT THEIR STUDENTS. WE'RE GOING TO HOST 30 STUDENTS FROM AUSTIN FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES AROUND AUSTIN TO GIVE THEM THAT COLLEGE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE LIKE. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE CLASSES WITH COLLEGE PROFESSORS. AND I WAS ALSO SHARING THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMING THAT WE HAVE, WHICH CONSISTS OF FIVE DIFFERENT CURRICULUM. ONE OF THEM IS ESSAY WRITING. SO THEY LEAVE THE PROGRAM WITH A FINAL ESSAY THAT THEY CAN SUBMIT TO ANY COLLEGE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPLY TO DURING THEIR SENIOR YEAR. THE OTHER ONE IS COLLEGE LIFE. WE PROVIDE THEM WITH STUDENT PANELS AND JUST EXPERIENCE BY LIVING IN A COLLEGE DORM, EATING AT THE COLLEGE CAMPUS, AND JUST DOING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR THEM TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT COLLEGE IS GOING TO BE LIKE. IT'S ALSO WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM SO THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO APPLY FOR INTERNSHIPS ONCE THEY'RE IN COLLEGE. THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING AS WELL. AND WE ALSO HELP THEM WITH THEIR RESUMES AND THE PRACTICE JOB INTERVIEWS AND LEARN HOW TO STRATEGICALLY LOOK FOR AND APPLY FOR INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS WHILE DURING COLLEGE AND AFTER AS WELL. AND THEN THE LAST TWO ITEMS THAT WE COVERED DURING OUR PROGRAM IS IDENTITY AND FINANCIAL AID FOR IDENTITY. WE HELP STUDENTS EXPLORE DIFFERENT QUALITIES AND THE BELIEFS, PERSONALITY AND LOOKS AND EXPRESSIONS THAT THAT MAKE A PERSON, AND THAT THEY WILL ALSO EXPLORE THEIR OWN SELF-IMAGE AND HOW THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR LEARNING BEFORE HEADING TO THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES. AND THEN FINANCIAL AID. WE ALSO HELP THEM LEARN ABOUT FINANCES, HOW TO BUDGET FOR WHEN THEY'RE IN COLLEGE, AND ALSO HOW TO APPLY FOR THE FAFSA AS WELL, SINCE WE KNOW A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS DEPEND ON THAT TO GO TO COLLEGE. AND AS I MENTIONED, WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM BACK IN 2021. WE'VE SERVED ALMOST MORE THAN 2500 STUDENTS, BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON. IN 2021, WE DID OUR FIRST SUMMER PROGRAM. I BELIEVE YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THE IMAGES FROM OUR DIFFERENT EVENTS. IT WAS IN 2021. WE DID IT AT SAINT EDWARD'S 2022, I BELIEVE WE DID IT AT TEXAS STATE 2023. WE WENT BACK TO SAINT EDWARD'S. AND THEN LAST YEAR, IN THE YEAR BEFORE OR LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE WE DID IT AT UT AND AT TEXAS STATE. WE DID A HYBRID PROGRAM. AND THIS SUMMER WE ARE DOING A WE'RE DOING IT AT UT AUSTIN. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH UT AUSTIN AND STAYING AT A COLLEGE DORM THERE. SO THEY GET THAT EXPERIENCE AND, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THREE DAYS [00:25:01] FOR STUDENTS. AND SO WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD FOR THE MONETARY SUPPORT TO HELP FUND THIS PROGRAM AND HELP BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING, THE PICTURES THAT YOU'RE SEEING IS WHAT THAT MONETARY SUPPORT HELPS TO PAY FOR THEIR MEALS WHILE THEY'RE ON CAMPUS WITH US AND ALSO THEIR DORM. SO THEY STAY WITH US AND GET THAT COLLEGE EXPERIENCE WITH US FROM THERE'S A VIDEO AS WELL, IF YOU CAN SHOW THAT IT AS WELL. AND THEN I CAN CLOSE OUT. MR. ACOSTA I DON'T THINK I RECEIVED A VIDEO. OH, IT WAS TOWARDS THE END OF THE SLIDES, BUT IF NOT, THAT'S FINE. IT'S I THINK IT'S THE LAST SLIDE. WELCOME. WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. THIS IS THE MOMENT. TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT. WE'LL FIGHT TIL IT'S OVER. WE GOT OUR HANDS UP LIKE THE CEILING CAN'T HOLD US LIKE THIS AGAIN. WHO IS THIS GOD? OKAY, I THINK THE VIDEO CONCLUDED. BUT YEAH, SO JUST JUST AS A SUMMARY OF WHAT THAT SUPPORT LOOKS LIKE IN ACTION FROM THE PAST OVER THE YEARS AND YOUR SUPPORT. SO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THAT SUPPORT AND, AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE HAVE SUBMITTED THAT SPONSORSHIP REQUEST AS WELL FOR THIS YEAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH CAPITAL METRO. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF I HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE AND I THINK IS IN PERSON IS LEYBA KHAN. ALL RIGHT. THREE MINUTES. OKAY. MY NAME IS THE. IF YOU PUSH THE LITTLE. YEAH. THERE YOU GO. THERE WE GO. HI, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS KHAN, AND I AM AN AUSTIN RESIDENT. I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I'M HEARING ABOUT THE KEOLIS NEGOTIATIONS AND THEIR ROLE WITH CAPMETRO, AS WELL AS A PROPOSED FARE INCREASE. I'M REALLY CONCERNED BECAUSE KEOLIS JUST A QUICK SEARCH INTO THEIR HISTORY SHOWS THAT THEY'RE AT THE HEAD OF MANY NEGOTIATIONS, NEGOTIATIONS BREAKING DOWN WITH WORKERS. THEY ARE BEHIND MANY. THEY ARE THE REASON WHY MANY WORKERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN PUSHED INTO A STRIKE. AND I'M REALLY CONCERNED THAT CAPMETRO IS WORKING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION THAT IS ON RECORD EMPLOYING A LOT OF UNION BUSTING TACTICS. MY QUESTION IS, WHY WAS THE PROPER RESEARCH NOT DONE? BECAUSE I COULD FIND THIS WITH A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH. WAS THE PROPER RESEARCH NOT DONE? OR ARE WE NOT CARING ABOUT CAPMETRO WORKERS? YOU KNOW, AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHY IS AN INTERNATIONAL COMPANY IN CHARGE, A PRIVATE COMPANY IN CHARGE OF OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS? IT'S THE WORKERS WHO ARE ON OUR ROUTES EVERY DAY. THEY RECOGNIZE OUR FACES. THEY HELP US OUT WHEN WE'RE SCARED AND NEW TO THE CITY AND GO GET ON THE WRONG ROUTE, WHICH HAS HAPPENED TO ME. AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO ARE HELPING US OUT. WHY ARE THEY NOT IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN NEGOTIATIONS? WHY ARE WE LISTENING TO KEOLIS HERE AND ON THE POINT OF FARE INCREASE? I HAVE JUST ONE BULLET POINT ON MY PAPER AND IT'S JUST WHY WHEN GROCERIES AND GAS PRICES ARE INCREASING, WHY ARE WE RAISING FARE PRICES? WHEN MY MOM CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, SHE DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYONE. SHE GOT ON HER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SHE MET PEOPLE AND IT GAVE HER AGENCY. WHY ARE WE TAKING THAT AWAY FROM PEOPLE? AND THAT'S THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT PERSON ON THAT'S LISTED IS SOPHIA HAYDEN. REMOTE EDIT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SOFIA. ARE YOU WITH US? [00:30:13] SHE IS ONLINE, MR. CHAIR. MAYBE WE CAN CIRCLE BACK TO HER. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT. LET'S SEE. ARSHIA. POTPOURRI. I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT. LET'S SEE. SHE SHOULD BE REMOTE. DO YOU SEE HER? I DO NOT SEE HER, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. WHAT ABOUT ERIC? ERIC. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. WHAT ABOUT REECE ARMSTRONG? REECE, ARE YOU HERE? YEAH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. ALL RIGHT. YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHAIR. HELLO, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS REECE ARMSTRONG. I'M CALLING IN HERE TODAY BECAUSE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, YOU SOLD OUT CAPMETRO TO KEOLIS. WE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR PREVIOUS SUBCONTRACTOR, AC TRANSIT. I MEAN, VERY HAPPY. IT'S A BIT OF AN OVERSTATEMENT, BUT TWO YEARS AGO, YOU SOLD US OUT TO US AND YOU WERE WARNED. AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PAY. YOU NEED TO STEP IN AND FIGHT FOR THESE WORKERS. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP OUR CITY MOVING. AND Y'ALL ARE DOING ANYTHING. THERE'S A CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT THAT SAYS THAT KILLS US TO BARGAIN FAIRLY. YOU SHOULD BE SUING KEOLIS FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT. THIS IS ISN'T RAGING. I'VE WATCHED FIVE PAYMENT SYSTEMS OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACTOR SWITCH, AND KYLE IS DOING A TERRIBLE JOB. I'VE WATCHED SERVICE DEGRADE. I'VE WATCHED, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE GO FROM COMING ON TIME EVERY TIME TO BEING LATE OR BEING INFREQUENT OR MISSING ME ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS. AND IT'S DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING. AND FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, I'M ANNOYED THAT WE'RE EVEN DOING A SUBCONTRACTOR WHEN WE SHOULD BE DEALING WITH THE DRIVERS OURSELVES BECAUSE LEADING INTO PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS JUST DEGRADES QUALITY OF SERVICE AND COSTS MORE IN THE LONG RUN. BUT REALLY THE MAIN THING WE NEED TO BE FOCUSING ON IS WHY IS KEOLIS NOT PROPERLY PAYING THESE WORKERS AND BARGAINING THESE WORKERS FAIRLY? AND HOW CAN CAPMETRO STEP IN TO DO SOMETHING? BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE GOING TO SIT UP THERE AND TALK ABOUT HOW YOUR PRO-UNION AND THEN DO NOTHING WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT, AND I'M JUST SO EXHAUSTED BY IT. I'VE WATCHED THE SAME RHETORIC FROM THE SAME PEOPLE PLAY OUT YEAR OVER, YEAR OVER YEAR AND NOTHING EVER CHANGES. LASTLY, I WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST THE FARE INCREASE BECAUSE LIKE, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DEGRADING SERVICE, YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO INCREASE FARE. LIKE THERE'S JUST WHEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE FIRST WAS SAYING, WHEN THERE'S A COST OF LIVING CRISIS, WE SHOULD NOT BE INCREASING FARES. WE SHOULD BE DISTRIBUTING THAT AMONGST THE TAX BASE. FARES ARE A FEE ON THE POOR. THEY ARE REGRESSIVE. WE SHOULD NOT BE INCREASING THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. THE NEXT PERSON LISTED IS ALEX FRIEDENBERG. HI. I'M HERE. I AM SPEAKING ON TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS I WOULD REQUEST. I DON'T NEED THE FULL FIVE MINUTES, BUT IF IT GOES KIND OF THREE, 310 320. I ASK TO BE ALLOWED TO NOT BE CUT OFF. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. YEAH, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, IT'S VERY FITTING THAT Y'ALL ARE KIND OF HOPING THIS MEETING WITH A PRAISE FROM SOMEONE AS DESPICABLE AS GREG ABBOTT, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN TERMS OF LIKE, WHO LIKES Y'ALL? BUT YEAH, I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND GET INTO IT. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO AUSTIN, I WAS DEPENDENT ON CAPMETRO FOR MY SURVIVAL. I USED IT TO GET TO UT FROM MY RIVERSIDE APARTMENT WHEN I WAS A STUDENT WORKER. AND THEN WHEN I WORKED IN EDUCATION, I NEEDED CAPMETRO TO BRING ME TO SCHOOLS ACROSS THE CITY IN ORDER TO IN ORDER TO WORK. PUBLIC TRANSIT KEPT A ROOF OVER MY HEAD IN MY KIND OF MOST IMPOVERISHED MOMENT. NOW, THE STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT NOW, THESE AREN'T JUST AN ATTACK ON WORKERS. THEY'RE AN ATTACK ON WRITERS. INSTEAD OF PROVIDING WHAT THE WORKERS NEED TO KEEP BUSSES RUNNING, KEOLIS IS FIGHTING OUR DRIVERS AND MECHANICS TOOTH AND NAIL. AND OF COURSE, THE UNION WARNED YOU ABOUT KEOLIS. THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY A UNION BUSTING, CORNER CUTTING CORPORATE WRECKER. THEY HAVE A LONG AND PUBLIC HISTORY OF DESTROYING PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS BY DESTROYING THE WORKER PROTECTIONS THAT KEEP THOSE TRANSIT SYSTEMS RUNNING SMOOTH. BUT YOU SIGN THIS CONTRACT ANYWAY, KNOWING THAT. [00:35:02] AND NOW HERE WE ARE, EXACTLY WHERE THE ATU PREDICTED. WORKERS TODAY ARE ASKING FOR THE SAME BASIC ASSURANCES THAT I DEMAND FROM MY EMPLOYERS. THEY WANT THE RIGHT TO A FAIR WAGE. THEY WANT THE RIGHT TO USE THE BENEFITS THAT ARE OWED TO THEM. THEY WANT THE RIGHT TO A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO LIVE AND THRIVE IN THE CITY THAT THEY LOVE. AND KEOLIS HAS STONEWALLED THEM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU'RE DEMANDING THAT WE AS RESIDENTS PAY MORE TO EVEN USE THESE SERVICES, OUR SERVICES, PUBLIC SERVICES. HOW DARE YOU? HOW DARE YOU? AND EVEN AS KEOLIS NICKELS AND DIMES ARE OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID, TRANSIT STAFF CAPMETRO NICKELS AND DIMES, THE POOREST RESIDENTS OF OUR CITY. WE ARE ALL LOSING SO KEOLIS CAN LINE THEIR POCKETS. NOW, IF THE TRANSIT WORKERS OF AUSTIN GO ON STRIKE. I'M SURE KEOLIS WILL BLAME THE WORKERS FOR THE DISRUPTION. BUT I'M A WORKER AND I WON'T BE TURNED AGAINST MY FELLOW WORKERS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR SURVIVAL BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR US, TOO, FOR SAFER AND MORE RELIABLE BUSSES FOR WELL RESTED BUS DRIVERS. IF KEOLIS CAN'T MEET THOSE BASIC DEMANDS, THEN THEY ARE TO BLAME FOR THE DISRUPTION THAT FOLLOWS AND YOU WILL SHARE THAT BLAME TO YOUR ROTTEN AND CORRUPT PUBLIC. PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP DOES NOT ABSOLVE YOU OF YOUR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THE BEST POSSIBLE TRANSIT SERVICES TO THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. I'M A PROUD SOCIALIST. I BELIEVE IN EXPANDING PUBLIC SERVICES, NOT SELLING THEM TO BIG CORPORATE INTERESTS. BUT FOR TODAY, HERE'S MY SIMPLE DEMAND BRING KEOLIS TO HEEL. THEY SIGNED A CONTRACT TO SERVE US. SO MAKE THEM SERVE US BY MEETING THE DEMANDS OF OUR TRANSIT WORKERS. I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ATU 1091 IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST KEOLIS. I AM RIDE OR DIE FOR OUR TRANSIT WORKERS. AND IF YOU DON'T BRING KEOLIS INTO LYON, THEN I WILL SEE YOU ON THE PICKET LINE. THANK YOU. SO I, I UNDERSTAND THAT ERIC APODACA HAS MADE IT IN. PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOT THREE MINUTES. HOWDY. MY NAME IS ERIC APODACA, AND I RIDE ROUTE 392 BREAKER. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ATU 1091 AND MY LOCAL DRIVERS, MECHANICS AND OPERATIONS STAFF, WHOM THEY WHOM THEY REPRESENT. UNION WORKERS REACHED OUT TO WARN YOU THAT KEOLIS WOULD BE DISRUPTIVE AND HOSTILE TOWARDS WORKERS. YOU VOTED TO ACCEPT THEIR CONTRACT ANYWAY. SO NOW OUR BUS SERVICE IS AT RISK. A STRIKE WOULD DISRUPT MY DAILY LIFE, BUT I KNOW WHERE TO LAY THE BLAME. KEOLIS FAILED TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH AND THIS BOARD HAS ENABLED THEM AT THE SAME TIME. OUR TRANSIT WORKERS ARE FIGHTING FOR FAIR WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS. THIS BOARD. THIS BOARD IS CONSIDERING RAISING FARES FOR BUS SERVICE. PEOPLE OF BOSTON ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN IN ONE OF THE MOST UNAFFORDABLE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY. AND THIS BOARD FEELS IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SCRAPE OUR WALLETS FOR MORE WHILE THEIR CONTRACTOR SHORTCHANGES THEIR WORKERS. AUSTINITES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND A SINGLE CENT MORE TO RIDE THE BUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY KNOW THEIR TRANSIT WORKERS ARE OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID, AND KEOLIS IS PUTTING EXTRA MONEY IN THEIR EXTRA POCKETING THE EXTRA MONEY. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS BOARD'S WISHING THEY'RE WASHING THEIR HANDS OF THE BARGAINING AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS. KEOLIS HAS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO THE BOARD TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH AND IN A TIMELY MANNER. AND I'M CALLING TO THIS BOARD TO APPLY PRESSURE AND URGE KEOLIS TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE BOARD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THEIR TRANSIT WORKERS. TRANSIT WORKERS WHO SERVE IT EVERY DAY. I STAND WITH CAPMETRO AND THEIR UNION. I AM BEHIND OUR BUS DRIVERS ALL THE WAY. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. NEXT UP IS GAVINO FERNANDEZ. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD. MY NAME IS GABINO FERNANDEZ, AND I COME BEFORE YOU AS A MEMBER OF EL CONCILIO, MEXICAN AMERICAN LAND OWNERS OF EAST AUSTIN AND EAST AUSTIN LIONS CLUB. AND BASICALLY, WHAT I WANT TO SHOW IS THE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH CAPMETRO IN REGARDS TO NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY ACTIVITIES. THIS YEAR WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH, WHERE WE JOIN OVER 40,000 NON-PROFITS [00:40:03] THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY BY HOSTING A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE. OUR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE IS UP AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE NONPARTISAN. AND OUR GOAL AND OBJECTIVE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY REGISTERED, EVERY ELIGIBLE REGISTERED VOTER IN OUR COMMUNITY CORNER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGISTER TO VOTE. AND ALSO, WHEN THEY RIDE THE BUS, THEY CAN SEE ON THE AD THE IMPORTANT DATES OF UPCOMING ELECTIONS. THAT'S A REMINDER FOR THEM TO ENGAGE THROUGH OUR EDUCATION, OUR VOTER EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WHAT WE DO OFFER IS WE OFFER OUR LULAC NATIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THE ELECTIONS WITH DIANA LEMON MERCADO AS WE WORK WITH THEM HAND IN HAND. AND ALSO AS YOU'RE SHOWING HERE SANTA RITA CALLED AND ASKED US THAT THEY WANTED VOTING MACHINES TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THEM BECAUSE MANY OF THEIR RESIDENTS WANTED TO VOTE, BUT WERE FEARED THE MACHINES. SO IN WORKING WITH DIANA LEMON THAT WE, THEY SENT A STAFF OUT THERE TO SANTA RITA, AND WE HELD A WORKSHOP. THE OTHER ONE IS THAT WE ALSO EDUCATE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK THE ELECTIONS. EVERY TIME THERE'S AN ELECTION, THERE'S TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTE, WHICH MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME AND OTHERS THAT, YOU KNOW, COLLEAGUES THAT I WORKED WITH FOR OVER 18 YEARS ON A DAY TO DAY AS AN ELECTION JUDGE, WOULD SAY, WHY ARE YOU WORKING? OH, THIS IS MY BINGO MONEY. OKAY. SO THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. AND SO, BUT MANY PEOPLE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY AREN'T AWARE OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE DO IN REACHING OUT AND TOUCHING BASES WITH PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. ANOTHER ROLE IS THAT WE RECRUIT PEOPLE TO BECOME VOTER REGISTRATION REGISTRARS IN TEXAS. IN ORDER TO REGISTER PEOPLE, YOU MUST HAVE A CERTIFICATION. AND WE WORK WITH CELIA ISRAEL, WHO IS OUR TRAVIS COUNTY VOTER REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT. WE ALSO WORK WITH AKINS. IF YOU SEE AKINS THERE, THAT'S OUR ROTC. THEY'RE PARTICIPATING IN OUR VETERANS AND MEMORIAL DAY FLAG RAISING CEREMONY AND ALSO EDUCATE THEM ON THE VOTER REGISTRATION EMPOWERMENT THAT THEY HAVE. WE ALSO WORK WITH MANY CHURCHES, MANY NON-PROFITS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. OUR CULMINATING EVENT WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH. AND IT'S ALWAYS WITH A NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY BREAKFAST. WHERE AGAIN, WHERE WE REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR ELECTORAL PROCESS. AND HAVING WORKED FOR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I KNOW HOW THAT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT AND CRITICAL. AND AGAIN, WE THANK THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. AS YOU SAY, WE ARE ALWAYS OUT THERE REGISTERING PEOPLE AT FESTIVALS, AT CAR SHOWS AND ANYTIME, ANYWHERE THEY ALLOW US. AND WE DID START OFF THIS YEAR AT THE PAN AM HILL SITE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE. AND THANK YOU AND THANK YOU DADDY FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND WE SUPPORT AS A FORMER UNION MEMBER, I SUPPORT THE THE THE WORKERS AND THEIR AND THEIR QUEST FOR A FAIR CONTRACT. THANK YOU. I KNEW THAT ALREADY. SHERRY TAYLOR. THANK YOU. THAT'S MY TIP. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S NOT GOING TO STAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. GLAD TO SEE YOU ALL. STILL ON THE BOARD. AND GLAD TO SEE I MADE IT THROUGH ALL THAT HEAT TO GET HERE. MY NAME IS SHERRY TAYLOR. I GO BY SOPHIE. I HEARD ABOUT THIS MEETING, AND I WAS CONCERNED THAT I APPRECIATE HAVING ACCESS TO A BUS. I'M FROM AUSTIN. I'VE BEEN RIDING BUS SINCE 1971. OF COURSE, IT WAS A HECK OF A COMMUTE WHEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY IN VIRGINIA FOR 19.5 YEARS. BUT MY POINT IS, PEOPLE NEED THE. BUS SYSTEM AND THOSE WHO SERVE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT NEED A COST OF LIVING. RAISE THAT THAT ACCOMMODATES THEM BEING OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY SERVE. YOU CAN'T YOU KNOW, YOU KEEP SMILING AT PEOPLE THAT DOGS BITING AT YOU. PEOPLE SAY COMMENTS AND ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THIS BUS, I TELL YOU, THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PUT ON THEIR PSYCHOLOGIST ON THE APPLICATION BECAUSE [00:45:04] YOU STILL GOT A SMILE, NO MATTER HOW PEOPLE MIGHT SAY SOMETHING, BUT I JUST I APPRECIATE THAT Y'ALL ARE HEARING THE PEOPLE COME BEFORE YOU AND, AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT AUSTIN'S ONLY GETTING BIGGER. AND IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING TO CHOKE EVERYBODY RIDING THEIR OWN CAR IN TRAFFIC, THEN IT'S JUST GOING TO BE CRAZY. SO WE WANT TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO HELP THE BUS DRIVERS STAY, BUS DRIVERS AND HAPPY BUS DRIVERS, AND THE PEOPLE LIKE ME CAN GET ON THE BUS. SO SPEAKING OF WHICH DOGS. DOGS ON THE BUS. I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE DOGS ON THE BUS SHOULD HAVE A MUZZLE OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE IF YOU GET A SECOND DOG ON THE BUS AND THAT DOG DOESN'T LIKE DOGS, THEN IT'S A DISRUPTION OF THE SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME BUSSES ON THE BUSSES BETWEEN THE DOG AND THE DOG OWNERS, AND SOMEBODY COULD GET INJURED. BUT THAT'S JUST A FEW THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO BE WORKING ON, AS I AM GOING TO BE A CANDIDATE RIGHT IN FOR THE TEXAS SENATE COMING UP IN NOVEMBER. SO THAT'LL BE DISTRICT 14, WHERE SARAH ECKHARDT IS DECIDING TO BE COMPTROLLER. AND I'M GOING TO BE THE SENATOR THAT LISTENS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I DO. I TALK A LOT TOO. BUT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE GAS BEING CRAZY, YOU KNOW, I WENT FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS THE OTHER DAY. I SAW TWO DEER WITH A GALLON OF GAS, EACH OF THEM TIED UP UNDER. AND I SAID, BOY, THAT IS HISTORY TO SEE GAS UNDER TWO BUCKS AND. JUST. SEE THIS? THIS IS WHY I PRAY FOR YOU. WELL, YOU KNOW MUSIC. MUSIC IS. MUSIC IS A PART OF ME. AND I GO TO CHURCH AND HEAR MUSIC. BUT AUSTIN IS NOTED FOR CONCERTS, AND WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE BUS DRIVERS, HOW THE PEOPLE GOING TO GET TO THE CONCERT. SO I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO APPRECIATE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A COST OF LIVING INCREASE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. YOU HAD ME AT TWO BUCKS. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOFIA HADER HAS HAS MADE IT TO SHE'S REMOTE, RIGHT? YEAH. MISS HADER, ARE YOU ABLE TO JOIN US? READY? AND WE'RE STILL NOT HEARING YOU. MISS ADER, WHAT HAPPENED? OH, IT'S ANOTHER. MR. CHAIR, SHE WAS HAVING A MICROPHONE. ISSUES THAT WE THOUGHT WERE SORTED OUT, BUT APPARENTLY NOT. OKAY, SO WE WILL SEE WHETHER WE CAN CONNECT. IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL GO TO PAYTON ROWLANDS. I THINK. GOOD AFTERNOON. OKAY, YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES. I WAS HOPING TO SPEAK ON TWO TOPICS, ACTUALLY ON THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND THE FAIR RACE. SO THEN YOU'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS PEYTON ROLLINS. I'M A BUS OPERATOR. A FIVE AND A HALF YEARS WORKING OUT OF THE SOUTH YARD, DRIVING THE 271 AND THE 800 THESE DAYS ON A SPLIT SHIFT. I'M CALLING BECAUSE IN LATE 2023, WHILE YOU GUYS WERE CONSIDERING WHICH CONTRACT TO TAKE ON FOR OUR BUS SERVICE, YOU WERE WARNED IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS BY MY UNION'S PRESIDENT, THAT KEOLIS HAS A LONG HISTORY AND EXTENSIVE AND EXPANSIVE HISTORY OF ANTI-UNION ACTIVITIES. AS A PREVIOUS SPEAKER POINTED OUT, IF YOU JUST DO A GOOGLE SEARCH, YOU'LL FIND THAT BASICALLY EVERY CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE, EVERY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION THEY HAVE WITH THE UNION, THEY DRIVE TO A STRIKE. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THIS CONTRACT NEGOTIATION WERE EMINENTLY PREDICTABLE. LITERALLY EVERYONE PREDICTED IT, BUT YOU UNLESS THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN, WHICH I REALLY HOPE IS NOT THE CASE NOW, THE PEOPLE, THE BUS DRIVERS AND THE MECHANICS AND ALL THE OTHER FOLKS THAT MAKE THIS TRANSIT SYSTEM WORK. WE'VE BEEN SERVING THIS CITY FAITHFULLY FOR YEARS AND DECADES. IN THE PAST 30 YEARS, WE'VE NOT COME TO WORK AND GONE ON STRIKE. A GRAND TOTAL OF FOUR DAYS. FOUR DAYS IN THE LAST THREE DECADES. SO YOU GOT, ON THE ONE HAND, OPERATORS AND MECHANICS AND OTHER TRANSIT WORKERS THAT HAVE SERVED THE CITY FAITHFULLY. AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU HAVE THESE INTERNATIONAL CARPETBAGGERS, THIS FRENCH MULTINATIONAL THAT YOU DECIDED TO BRING IN AND GIVE THIS BUS SERVICE TO AGAINST OUR WARNING. AND WHEN THE MEDIA ASKS YOU FOR COMMENTS ON OUR STRIKE AUTHORIZATION, WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY? YOU SAY, OH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE HAVE CONTINGENCIES. [00:50:02] IF THE WORKER GOES ON STRIKE. SO WHERE WAS YOUR CONTINGENCY FOR KEOLIS? WHERE WAS YOUR CONTINGENCY WHEN THEY INEVITABLY REFUSED TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH, DRAGGED IT OUT, STONEWALLED US, OFFERED US A DEAL THAT THEY KNEW WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY ACCEPT. ALMOST LIKE THEY WANT US TO GO ON STRIKE. WHAT'S YOUR CONTINGENCY FOR THAT? DO THEY NOT HAVE A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO THIS BOARD TO BARGAIN WITH US IN GOOD FAITH? DO THEY NOT HAVE A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO US TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH? BUT YOU'RE THEIR EMPLOYERS. THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU. SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE, THE DRIVERS AND THE WORKERS, WE KNOW WHO TO BLAME ULTIMATELY, BECAUSE CONTRACTORS COME AND GO. THIS BOARD REMAINS AND WE WILL NOT FORGET. IF YOU LEAVE US OUT IN THE COLD LIKE THIS, WE WILL NOT FORGET WHO DID THIS TO US AND THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, AS I HOPE YOU CAN SEE BY HOW PACKED THIS BOARD ROOM SEEMS TO BE OVER THE LIVE STREAM ARE NOT GOING TO FORGET IT EITHER. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH SHUFFLING OUT CONTRACTORS AND JUST ACTING LIKE, OH, THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED THERE. AND THEN BRINGING IN ANOTHER ONE. THEY KNOW WHO DID THIS. IF PEOPLE CAN'T GET TO THEIR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, THEY KNOW WHO DID THIS. IF FOLKS THAT A CAR CAN'T GET THEIR GROCERIES, THEY KNOW WHO DID THIS. EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE WAY. WITH THAT SAID, THIS BEAR INCREASE IS ALSO RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, YOU FOLKS LITERALLY RIGHT NOW, YOU HAVE PROGRESSIVELY MINDED PUBLIC SERVANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY WORKING TO GET RID OF BUS FARE ALTOGETHER, WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POOREST AND MOST VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED MEMBERS OF SOCIETY GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO WITHOUT CHOKING UP THE STREETS OF ANOTHER CAR. SO WHILE OTHER CARS ARE MOVING FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS WAY, Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO MOVE BACKWARDS. YOU'RE HIKING THE FARES ON OUR RIDERS, THE PEOPLE WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD AFFORD IT. AND ONE OF THE ALREADY THE TOP MOST UNAFFORDABLE CITIES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, ONE OF THE TOP TEN, YOU'RE HIKING THEIR FARES AND AT THE SAME TIME GIVING MASSIVE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS TO COMPANIES THAT HONESTLY HAVE NO BUSINESS EVEN BEING IN THIS COUNTRY, MUCH LESS IN OUR CITY. YOU NEED TO DO BETTER. YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND YOU NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT WE'RE ALL THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND WE'RE WATCHING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND THIS CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IS UNACCEPTABLE. SO IF YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD HIDE UP IN THIS BOARDROOM WHERE NOBODY EVER COMES. WELL GUESS WHAT? WE'RE HERE NOW. WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE NEXT MONTH, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE UNTIL YOU GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I YIELD THE REST. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON IS COREY ERB. I APOLOGIZE IF I'M A LITTLE BIT OF A MESS. I'M PROUD OF YOU, PEYTON. PEYTON AND I ARE DEAR COLLEAGUES, AND I HEAR THAT FIRE IN HIS VOICE. AND I JUST SO APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE UNION MEMBERS WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEAK UP LIKE THAT. I'M SORRY. I SHOULD INTRODUCE MYSELF. I'M COREY ERB I'M A RESIDENT OF THE MONTOPOLIS AREA FOR A LONG TIME. AND I AM A CITY WORKER, A PROUD UNION MEMBER. IF THE BUTTON DIDN'T SPEAK FOR ME, ALTHOUGH I'M SPEAKING ONLY FOR MYSELF AS A RESIDENT HERE, I THINK. I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT EMOTIONAL APPROACH TO PEYTON, IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME FOR THAT. I WALK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ALL THE TIME. I LOVE WALKING YOU KNOW, IF I COULD PUT MY MOTORCYCLE ON THE FRONT OF THE BUS AND TAKE IT OFF WHEN I GOT THERE AND RIDE THE LAST MILE THAT WAY. I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU TO LOOK INTO THAT. THAT'S FOR FUTURE, BUT I WOULD LOVE THAT. BUT I WALK AND I SEE THE MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY SITTING AND WAITING FOR THE BUS. I SEE THE BUS DRIVERS COME UP AND TALK TO THEM. I SEE THE RECOGNITION IN THEIR EYES, THAT FRIENDLY LOOK, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR NEIGHBORS, JUST MAYBE THEY SAY HI. MAYBE THEY HAVE A CONVERSATION. MAYBE THEY JUST MAKE EYE CONTACT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW EACH OTHER. AND YOU KNOW, I READ THE 2020 ROUTE UP AND DOWN RIVERSIDE SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ENOUGH. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SHARE. ON FRIDAY I WAS OUT FOR MY MORNING WALK, CLEARING MY MIND. COUNCIL MEMBER ALISON COWDREY MIGHT REMEMBER THAT DOG'S HEAD IS CONSUMING US RIGHT NOW. AND ORDINARILY THIS TYPE OF THING. THE UNION. OH I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER BELLOWS WELL I'M NERVOUS. SORRY. THIS TYPE OF THING IS WHERE I WOULD RATHER BE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH OTHER UNIONS IN THIS TOWN, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT I SEE IN THOSE CONNECTIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. I WONDER IF WE'RE CONSIDERING THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE JUST ABSOLUTE INTEGRAL NATURE OF IT. IT'S NOT JUST GETTING PEOPLE WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. THAT'S IMPORTANT. I TALKED WITH THE DRIVER ON FRIDAY AND I WON'T SHARE HIS DETAILS BECAUSE I ASKED IF I COULD SHARE IT WITH MY UNION, BUT NOT HERE. AND I ASKED HIM, HEY, HOW ARE YOU FEELING WITH ALL THIS CONTRACT STUFF? I SAID, DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE? YOU KNOW, THEY HANG OUT OVER THERE AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO WASTE HIS TIME. [00:55:04] BUT HE SAID, YEAH, YOU KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I CARE ABOUT OUR WRITERS. AND I SAID, YEAH, YEAH, I GET THAT. I MEAN, I FEEL IT, YOU KNOW. AS A MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE, I THINK A LOT OF US GET UP EVERY DAY THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, JUST MOTIVATED TO DO A GOOD JOB AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? AND WHAT CAN I DO BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT I'M WORKING FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY? AND YOU KNOW, I SAID, HEY, YOU DON'T MIND IF I PUSH A LITTLE BIT? HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS? AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PAID ENOUGH. OUR PAY HASN'T KEPT UP, YOU KNOW WE DON'T GET ENOUGH TRAINING. AND I SAID, YEAH, I HEAR THAT. AND SO I SAID, YOU KNOW, WITH FORGIVENESS, I WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A SELFIE WITH YOU. I SHARED IT WITH MY UNION. AND THEN I SAID, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US IN OTHER UNIONS ARE BEHIND YOU. AND IF ANYONE SAYS THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE RIDERS, I'M GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY THEY DO. PLEASE LISTEN TO THEIR DEMANDS. THANK YOU. AND THE NEXT PERSON IS VALERIE BENSON, WHO WROTE. MISS VINCENT, ARE YOU WITH US? OH, SORRY, I COULDN'T HEAR YOU THE FIRST TIME. YES. I'M HERE. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES. OKAY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME TODAY. MY NAME IS VALERIE VINCENT. I'M A SECOND GRADE TEACHER AT BUS COMMUTER, AND I'VE BEEN PROUD TO CALL ALSO MY HOME SINCE I WAS NINE YEARS OLD WHEN I FIRST STARTED RIDING THE BUS IN 2011. EVERY DAY TO GET TO SCHOOL, THE FARE WAS $1. NOW I'M HEARING THAT IT'S PROPOSED TO BE RAISED TO $2 BY 2029, WHICH IS AN ASTRONOMICAL INCREASE. RAISING THAT FARE IS ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WORKING CLASS AND POOR PEOPLE ARE BEING EXPLOITED AND THE EXTRA COSTS AREN'T GOING TO DRIVERS OR OTHER WORKERS, BUT RATHER TO THE PROFIT OF THOSE PRIVATE COMPANY THAT YOU'VE CONTRACTED WITH KEOLIS. MEANWHILE, YOU KNOW MANY OF US THAT ARE COMMUTERS AND CAPMETRO WORKERS ALIKE, WE'RE STRUGGLING TO AFFORD TO BUY OUR GROCERIES OR PAY RENT. I'M NOT SURE. I LEFT THE GROCERY STORE WITHOUT WANTING TO CRY IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF MAKING A SALARY. NOW, I GENUINELY DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE IF I WAS STILL MAKING $15 AN HOUR, LIKE MANY OTHER AUSTINITES. AND, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN IS ALREADY SUCH A HARD PLACE TO AFFORD TO LIVE WHEN YOU CAN'T AFFORD A CAR. AND THIS CHANGE WILL ONLY BENEFIT KEOLIS AND ONLY HARM COMMUTERS. POOR AND WORKING CLASS PEOPLE ARE BEING PUSHED OUT OF OUR CITY AND CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE HERE. AND DOUBLING THE FARE CONTRIBUTES TO THAT. AND AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER WHO OPPOSES THE CHARTER IZATION AND PRIVATIZATION, PRIVATIZATION OF SCHOOLS, I ALSO SEE HOW CONTRACTING WITH A COMPANY LIKE KEOLIS CONTINUES THE DESTRUCTIVE TRADITION OF PRIVATIZATION IN TEXAS. AND BECAUSE THERE'S THIS HUGE CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHEN CORPORATIONS ARE INCENTIVIZED TO MAKE PROFIT OFF OF US AND TO MISTREAT AND EXPLOIT THEIR WORKERS AND TO NOT PROVIDE A PUBLIC SERVICE, WHICH IS WHAT THE BUS SYSTEM AND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM SHOULD BOTH BE. BUT TO PICK KEOLIS, WHO HAS HAD SUCH A HISTORY OF BEING OPENLY HOSTILE TO WORKERS, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY JUST GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND THE BOARD NEEDS TO PRESSURE THEM TO COME TO THE TABLE AND BARGAIN WITH THE WORKERS IN THEIR UNION. THEY'RE WELL KNOWN FOR FORCING WORKERS ELSEWHERE TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO BARGAIN AND THEY'RE CONTRACTUALLY OBLIGATED TO DO SO. IN THIS CASE, CAPMETRO WORKERS TRIED TO WARN US OF THIS. SO NOW IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD TO PRESSURE KEOLIS INTO BARGAINING. KEOLIS NEEDS TO BE PRESSURED TO NEGOTIATE WITH WORKERS TO PREVENT A STRIKE. A STRIKE WOULD BE VERY DISRUPTIVE TO THE DAILY LIVES OF AUSTINITES. BUT IF IT DOES COME TO A STRIKE BECAUSE KEOLIS REFUSES TO BARGAIN, I AND MANY OTHERS ARE FULLY BEHIND THE WORKERS AND THEIR UNION STRIKING BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T JUST BE FIGHTING FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEIR OWN CONDITIONS, WHICH THEY VERY MUCH DESERVE, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL. SO I HAVE SOLIDARITY WITH CAP METRO TRANSIT WORKERS AND AYE TOO. WE, THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, STAND WITH Y'ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PERSON IS ZENOBIA. JOSEPH. MR. CHAIR, I'VE BEEN TOLD SHE IS HERE, BUT IS STILL PREPARING HER REMARKS AND WOULD LIKE TO GO AT THE END. OKAY. THEN WE WILL HAVE TAJUANA. ANDREW. [01:00:03] GOOD AFTERNOON, DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS, MADAM WATKINS. I AM A BUS OPERATOR HERE, FORMERLY TRAIN OPERATOR. AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME. BUT MY FAMILY IS VERY PROMINENT. WHAT HAS BEEN VERY PIVOTAL IN THIS AREA. JUST RECENTLY, CAPMETRO WORKED WITH MY FAMILY AND WE GOT THE IVORY BUS STOP TOGETHER. THAT WAS MY AUNT, SCOTTIE IVORY. THEY NAMED THE BUILDING AFTER HER. SHE FOUGHT FOR THAT UNCLE, FIRST BLACK FIRE CHIEF IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WILLIE RAY DAVIS. RON DAVIS, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, CITY COUNCILMAN. SO I SAID, ALL THAT TO SAY IS I COULDN'T SIT DOWN AND DO MY FAMILY NOR MY COWORKERS A DISSERVICE BY JUST BEING QUIET? IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. WE NEED MORE MONEY. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU NOBODY UP THERE WANTING THEIR CHILDREN TO BE AN OPERATOR. YOU CAN'T MAKE IT. WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE? THE LITTLE SMALL HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET. PRETTY RUN DOWN. THEY PUT A FOR RENT SIGN OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. NONE OF US COULD AFFORD IT. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. IT'S NOT RIGHT. WHAT'S THAT? I WAS TIRED THIS MORNING BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET ON MY BUS. BUT WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS IN THE ROSA PARKS BUILDING, I SAID, LET ME GET UP BECAUSE SHE WAS TIRED, TOO. BUT SHE STOOD UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. WHAT BUILDING ARE THEY GOING TO NAME AFTER YOU GUYS? WHO'S GOING TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY? BEING RIGHT IS NOT POPULAR. PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO LIKE YOU. SO IF YOU'RE LIKED AND EVERYBODY, ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES LOVE YOU, YOU MOST LIKELY DOING SOMETHING WRONG. IT IS PLAIN AND SIMPLE. WE NEED MORE MONEY. WE ARE BEATEN, JUMPED ON, SPIT ON. BUT WE'RE CALLED ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND THOSE SAME PEOPLE CAN RIDE THE NEXT DAY, SPIT ON A POLICE OFFICER, SEE WHAT HAPPENED, SPIT ON AMBULANCE DRIVER. SEE WHAT HAPPENED. YOU CAN KEEP THE ESSENTIAL WORKER DEAL. I WOULD RATHER HAVE THE MONEY BECAUSE YOU DON'T TREAT US LIKE IT WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY. YOU SAY SAFETY FIRST. WE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE. I WOULD LOVE FOR Y'ALL TO MAKE SURE IT'S TRUE, BUT IT'S NOT. WHEN SNOW, IT'S SO MUCH SNOW. YOU CAN'T HARDLY GET HERE. CAPMETRO IS NOT CLOSED. YOU GOTTA CALL IN AND FIGHT WITH DISPATCH. WELL, YOU GOTTA USE ONE OF YOUR YOUR DAYS. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO USE THE DAY? IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE ANYBODY THAT I ANSWER THE PHONE. IT'S UNSAFE. I PROPOSE THAT YOU GUYS COME UP WITH AN INDEPENDENT OMBUDSMAN OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE THESE CONTRACTORS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE CAPMETRO VISION, BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE NOT. THEY GIVE THESE THESE PEOPLE ALL THIS MONEY, TEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SIGN UP TO DRIVE. WHO CARES? IT'S TAXPAYERS MONEY. AND THEY'RE NOT HERE UNTIL FIVE MONTHS. THEY'RE GONE. BECAUSE WHEN AS SOON AS THEY GET, THEY REALIZE, OH, THIS IS NOT THE PLACE. BUT LET ME GET THIS 10,000 AND I'M OUT OF HERE. BUT WHO CARES? IT'S TAXPAYERS MONEY. MISS ANDREW, COULD YOU. WELL, I'M GOING TO END IT THERE, BUT I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW. IT'S SIMPLE. YOU SEE IT, Y'ALL KNOW IT. DO THE RIGHT THING. THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE HERE COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR JOBS. MAKE THEM UNCOMFORTABLE. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU IT'LL GET DONE AND I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT IS YOYO. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS YOYO, AND I HAVE BEEN A WRITER OF CAPMETRO SINCE 2017. WHEN I FIRST CAME TO UT FOR COLLEGE. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I GOT ON THE BUS AND I GOT LOST, ENDING UP IN RIVERSIDE INSTEAD OF NORTH OF CAMPUS WHERE I WHERE I LIVED AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY, AS SOON AS I REALIZED THAT I WAS LOST, I WAS REACHED OUT BY A VERY KIND DRIVER AND HE LET ME KNOW THAT I NEEDED TO GET OFF ACROSS THE STREET AND GET ON THE SIDE THAT WENT ON THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN SUPPORT OF ATU 1091 AND MY LOCAL DRIVERS, MECHANICS AND OPERATIONS OPERATION STAFF WHOM THEY REPRESENT IN 2024. UNION WORKERS TRIED TO WARN YOU THAT CHIODOS HAS A HISTORY OF UNION BUSTING AND MISTREATING THEIR WORKERS. JUST TWO YEARS LATER, WE'RE SEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECISION YOU MADE. I CAME HERE KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT A STRIKE WOULD DISRUPT MY DAILY LIFE AND THE [01:05:04] LIFE OF MY NEIGHBORS. I KNOW THAT THE WORKERS OF ATU HAVE NOT COME TO THAT DECISION LIGHTLY, WHICH GOES TO SHOW JUST HOW BAD KEOLIS IS. THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN KNOW THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT DISRUPTION FALLS SOLELY ON KEOLIS. WERE NOT BARGAINING WITH THE WORKERS IN GOOD FAITH. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT KEOLIS HAS A CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO THIS BOARD TO BARGAIN IN GOOD FAITH, IN A TIMELY MANNER. WE'RE LIVING THROUGH A COST OF LIVING CRISIS. THE WORKERS OF CAPMETRO ARE FIGHTING FOR BETTER CONDITIONS. BUSSES AREN'T RUNNING ON TIME BECAUSE OF POLICY CHOICES. AND ON TOP OF THIS, YOU WANT TO INCREASE FARES. SO NOT ONLY IS OUR BUS SYSTEM NOT A PUBLIC GOOD THAT SERVES THE PEOPLE OF AUSTIN, BUT THE MONEY MADE GOES TO SOME FRENCH MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION. I'M CALLING ON THIS BOARD TO APPLY PRESSURE AND URGE OTHERS TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATIONS TO THE BOARD AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE TRANSIT WORKERS WHO SERVE IT EVERY DAY, AND THE BROADER POPULATION OF AUSTIN. WHEN THE DRIVERS GET WHAT THEY NEED, WE ALL WIN. I URGE YOU TO LEARN FROM MY LESSONS HERE. YOU HAVE A ROOM FULL OF KIND DRIVERS THAT ARE WILLING TO TELL YOU TO GET OFF, CROSS THE STREET AND GET ON THE RIGHT. THAT GOES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I STAND WITH METRO WORKERS. I KNOW THE REST OF AUSTIN DOES TOO. SO WILL YOU GET ON THE RIDE TO SUPPORT THESE WORKERS, OR WILL YOU BE LEFT IN THE DUST? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HAVE WE RECOVERED ANYONE ELSE? I STILL SEE SOPHIA ON THE LINE, BUT I'M NOT SURE SHE'S ABLE TO SPEAK WITH US. OKAY. AND. OH, HELLO. OH, YEAH. HERE WE GO, MR. CHAIR. ALL RIGHT. SORRY ABOUT THAT FROM BEFORE. I'M SPEAKING ON TWO TOPICS TO YOU. 1091 AND THE FARE INCREASES. I'VE LIVED IN AUSTIN MY WHOLE LIFE, AND LIKE MANY OTHERS HERE, I'VE RELIED ON THE CAPMETRO BUS SYSTEM EVERY DAY TO COMMUTE TO COLLEGE AND WORK. I'M CALLING IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE UNION AND THE WORKERS ON STRIKE AND AGAINST THE FARE INCREASE. BY SIGNING THE CONTRACT WITH THE INFAMOUS KEOLIS, US CAPMETRO BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SHOVED DRIVERS AND RIDERS UNDER THE BUS. KEOLIS HAS A WELL DOCUMENTED DIRTY HISTORY OF UNION BUSTING ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND HAS EVEN BEEN CONVICTED OF BREACHING FEDERAL LABOR LAWS. AND NOW, WITH THE CONTRACT, CAPMETRO HAS BROUGHT THOSE SAME UNION BUSTING TACTICS AND REFUSALS TO BARGAIN HERE TO AUSTIN. YOU CAN'T WASH YOUR HANDS. UNION WORKERS HAVE OPPOSED THIS CONTRACT BEFOREHAND AND YOU IGNORE THEIR WARNINGS. AND NOW WE'RE SEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE ACTIONS. A STRIKE DISRUPTS THE ROUTINES OF THOUSANDS OF AUSTINITES, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT'S THE FAULT OF CAPMETRO AND KEOLIS. THIS STRIKE IS SHOWING US THAT WE CAN'T GO ONE DAY WITHOUT THE TRANSIT WORKERS WHO ARE BEING SEVERELY UNDERPAID AND OVERWORKED. EXPANDING PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS INTEGRAL TO MAKING OUR CITY INTO A LIVABLE AND LIVELY PLACE. AND THE WORKERS BEHIND IT DESERVE THE PAY INCREASES, BENEFITS, AND SANE SCHEDULING PRACTICES THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. KEOLIS CAN RUN AWAY. SCARED OF THE BARGAINING TABLE ALL THEY WANT, BUT ULTIMATELY, TRANSIT WORKERS HAVE THE POWER TO WITHHOLD THEIR LABOR AND DEMAND RESPECT THAT THEY DESERVE. I CALL ON THE METRO BOARD TO LISTEN TO THE DEMANDS OF THEIR WORKERS AND PRESSURE KEOLIS TO BARGAIN FAIRLY WITH THE UNION, FOLLOWING THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS TO THE BOARD. AS A PROVIDER OF ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE, CAPMETRO SHOULD BE SERVING THE NEEDS OF RESIDENTS, NOT THE INTERESTS OF PRIVATE CORPORATIONS. WHICH LEADS TO THE SECOND DEMAND CAPMETRO SHOULD NOT RAISE FEARS. WHILE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH GROCERIES AND RENT, THIS FEAR INCREASE WOULD MAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORT EVEN LESS ACCESSIBLE. IT'S ABSURD THAT THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED WITHOUT RAISING THE WAGES OF THE WORKERS. ALL SOLIDARITY AND POWER TO THE METRO WORKERS WHO ARE LITERALLY KEEPING AUSTIN MOVING. AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND LISTENING. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? ED, I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL OF OUR REMOTE SPEAKERS, [01:10:01] SO YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE SLIPS. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I THINK SHE'S IN THE PILE OF SLIPS YOU GOT. OKAY. I THINK YOU'RE IN. YOU'RE IN THE SLIPS. SO I'LL CALL YOU AND I'LL CALL YOU IN A MOMENT. OKAY. THE FIRST IS. AND LET'S SEE. LET ME TRY TO READ THIS. RIGHT, JACOB. GOOD MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS JACOB ARONOWITZ. I REPRESENT UNITED PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS, THE UNION REPRESENTING CAMPAIGN STAFF AND NONPROFIT WORKERS, AND I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF THE YOUNG, ACTIVE LABOR LEADERS, THE YOUTH CAUCUS OF THE TEXAS AFL-CIO. LIKE MANY OF THE FACES I SEE ON THIS BOARD, I'M A UNION MEMBER, AND SO ARE YOU. AND I FIND THE DECISION, THE MORE THAT I LEARN ABOUT KEOLIS ASTOUNDING, THAT THEY WERE SELECTED AS THE SUBCONTRACTOR IN THE FIRST PLACE, GIVEN THEIR LONG DOCUMENTED AND EGREGIOUS HISTORY OF UNION BUSTING ACTIVITY. EVEN NOW, THE AUSTIN THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION HAS OPEN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE CHARGES AGAINST KEOLIS RELATED TO THEIR UNWILLINGNESS AND THEIR BAD FAITH IN THIS BARGAINING PROCESS. THIS IS A SERIOUS LEGAL MATTER, AND AS MANY OTHERS HAVE NOTED, YOU CAPMETRO THIS BOARD HAS BINDING CONTRACTS WITH KEOLIS, THE SUBCONTRACTOR. YOU NEED TO APPLY EVERY MEASURE OF PRESSURE THAT IS LEGAL AND APPROPRIATE TO BRING KEOLIS TO THE BARGAINING TABLE AND TO COMPEL THEM TO MEET THE WELL THOUGHT OUT AND THE REASONABLE DEMANDS OF THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION. THE EYES OF THIS COMMUNITY, THE EYES OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE STATE ARE WATCHING THIS PROCESS VERY CAREFULLY, AND WE EXPECT YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WE EXPECT YOU TO DO THE GOOD THING. AS BOARD MEMBER ERIC STRATTON INSTRUCTED, DO THE GOOD THING AND WE CAN ALL HAVE FUN, BUT IT WILL NOT BE FUN IF THESE WORKERS HAVE TO GO ON STRIKE, AND THEY WILL HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT OF THIS LABOR MOVEMENT, AND WE AND EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE VERY AWARE. WE WILL KEEP THEM FULLY AWARE OF WHAT BROUGHT US TO THAT DANGEROUS PRECIPICE. THANK YOU. NEXT IS BRANT PAYNE. GOOD EVENING CHAIR. I WANT TO FIRST THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR LISTENING TO SOME OF THIS STUFF. NOW, SOME OF THE STUFF I THINK IS A LITTLE CONFUSING. ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW IS I AM A KEOLIS EMPLOYEE. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF ATU LOCAL 1091. I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN Y'ALL HIRED KILLERS ON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET CORRECTED IN THE FUTURE IS YOU GAVE THEM THE CEILING FIRST THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS. THEY CAN'T GIVE US NO MORE MONEY BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T AUTHORIZED THEM TO GIVE US ANY MORE MONEY. THE REASON WHY I COME TO THIS BOARD IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD IS BECAUSE SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE. WE'RE NOT THE SAME AUSTIN THAT WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO, THREE YEARS AGO. AND MY PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER. WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO NEGOTIATIONS, BUT WE HAVE NO MORE DATES. WE DID VOTE ON THEIR LAST, BEST AND FINAL. MY MEMBERSHIP OVERWHELMINGLY DECIDED NOT TO ACCEPT THAT. I DO NOT WANT TO CALL FOR A STRIKE. THAT IS NOT A TO USE GOAL OR PURPOSE TO HURT THE RIDING PUBLIC. IN MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, WE ARE THE RIDING PUBLIC. WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WE'RE CLOSE. WE HAVE 1111 OPEN ARTICLES LEFT. I WOULD SAY 95% OF THOSE ARTICLES ARE ECONOMIC. WE WANT MORE TRAINING. AS I EXPLAINED EARLIER AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WHEN I STARTED IN 1987, MY TRAINING WAS EIGHT WEEKS IN AUSTIN IN 1987. NOW IN AUSTIN, 2026 THE TRAINING TIME ON THE ROUTES, LEARNING THE ROUTES, THREE WEEKS MAKE THAT MAKE SENSE. AUSTIN IS A HARD PLACE TO DRIVE IN MORE CONSTRUCTION THAN YOU CAN SHAKE A STICK AT. AND IT'S CONFUSING OUT THERE. AND SOME OF MY NEWER OPERATORS ARE RUNNING OVER TIME. UP EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH. IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT, BUT THEN THEY GET FIRED. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD HOPE THIS BOARD WOULD UNDERSTAND IS IF YOU CREATE MORE WAYS TO KEEP ME HIRED THAN TO GET ME FIRED, WE WOULDN'T HAVE A SHORTAGE OF OPERATORS. MY TECHNICIANS, ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS COME AND GIVE A SAFE BUS FOR MY OPERATORS TO OPERATE AND THE PUBLIC TO RIDE IN. [01:15:02] THEY NEED TRAINING TOO. WE SHOULDN'T BE FIGHTING IN NEGOTIATIONS OVER TRAINING. YOU SHOULD WANT THE BEST PEOPLE WORKING ON THE BUSSES AND THE BEST PEOPLE DRIVING THOSE BUSSES. I CAN'T SAY IT ANY OTHER KIND OF WAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR AT POSITION IS NOT TO HURT THE RIDING PUBLIC. DON'T FORCE MY HAND. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THE NEXT IS LORRAINE MONTEMAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS LORRAINE MONTEMAYOR, AND I HAVE THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING MORE THAN 250,000 UNION MEMBERS HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AS THEIR SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE TEXAS AFL-CIO. WE FIGHT FOR UNION MEMBERS AND ALL TEXAS WORKERS, INCLUDING OUR TRANSIT WORKERS WITH ATU LOCAL 1091. I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE CAB BOARD, METRO TRUSTEES TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND GIVE THESE WORKERS THE FAIR CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE EARNED. EVERY DAY THESE WORKERS SHOW UP FOR AUSTIN. THEY GET PEOPLE TO WORK, TO SCHOOL AND HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES. THEY DO THE WORK THAT KEEPS THIS CITY MOVING, AND THEY DESERVE A CONTRACT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO MORE THAN JUST GET BY. THEY'RE ASKING FOR FAIR WAGES, BETTER TRAINING, AND ENOUGH TIME OFF SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND CONTINUE DOING THEIR JOB SAFELY AND WELL. AND I WANT TO MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY CLEAR. THE AUSTIN, TEXAS, LABOR MOVEMENT STANDS IN FULL SOLIDARITY WITH OUR ATU MEMBERS AND THEIR FIGHT FOR A FAIR CONTRACT. THIS BOARD HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE POWER TO ACT. YOU SET THE PRIORITIES. SO STAND BY YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE WORKING PEOPLE OF AUSTIN AND STAND WITH THESE WORKERS. A ONE TIME STIPEND IS NOT A WAGE INCREASE. IT WON'T PAY NEXT MONTH'S RENT. WORKERS DESERVE LASTING INVESTMENTS IN THEIR FUTURES, NOT TEMPORARY FIXES. DO THE RIGHT THING. GIVE THESE WORKERS A FAIR CONTRACT WITH BETTER WAGES, BETTER TRAINING AND ENOUGH TIME OFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS CEDRIC EDISON. HEY. GOOD AFTERNOON. BOARD. I ACTUALLY GOT TWO THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP, SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET THE FIVE. FIVE MINUTES. YES. COOL. I JUST WANTED TO GO AROUND AND LOOK EVERYBODY IN THEIR EYES FIRST ON THE BOARD. THANK YOU GUYS FOR CALLING THIS MEETING. I'VE BEEN AN OPERATOR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, AND WHAT MADE ME COME TO DRIVE THE BUS WAS A VERY, VERY SIMPLE MISSION. I WANTED TO MAKE SOMEBODY SMILE. THAT WAS IT. AND WHAT A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT EVERY DAY. ALL DAY LONG. JUST. HEY, HOW YOU DOING? WELCOME TO THE BUS. WE SEEN WHEELS GO ROUND ON MY BUS. WE PLAY, WE HAVE FUN. BUT ALSO. MOST DAYS, I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GONNA MAKE IT HOME. BECAUSE THERE'S RAMPANT AND IT'S NOT YOU GUYS FAULT. THERE'S MENTAL ILLNESS THERE. UNHOUSED. WE DEAL WITH A LOT. NOT TO MENTION. DRIVING HOURS ON END. JUST INDULGE ME A LITTLE BIT, BOYD, IF YOU WILL. JUST RAISE YOUR HAND. IF YOU HAVE LONGER THAN FIVE MINUTES TO EAT YOUR MEAL. YOU HAVE. RAISE YOUR HAND. LET'S MAKE IT INTERACTIVE. GUYS. YOU HAVE MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AND WE HERE, MAN, WE'RE HERE FOR THE FOR THE DRIVER. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THEM SAFE. BUT MY SAFETY COMES IN PHYSICAL FORM, TOO. WE'RE NOT EATING RIGHT WAYS BECAUSE IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE FAST FOOD. SOMETIMES IT'S NOT AT ALL. I GOT A FAKE. LIKE I GO INTO THE BATHROOM AND HAD A BOWEL MOVEMENT JUST TO EAT. BUT THEN YOU WANT ME TO STILL SAY HI AND BE NICE TO EVERYBODY WHILE NOT KNOWING IF I'M GONNA MAKE IT HOME? BUT HERE'S THE CRAZY PART. [01:20:01] I CAN'T LIVE IN AUSTIN. MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES CAN'T LIVE IN AUSTIN. PEOPLE SAY, MAN, DRIVING A BUS IS A GOOD JOB, BUT I'M PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. YOU GUYS GET TO GO HOME EVERY DAY? MORTGAGE, PROBABLY. I CAN'T EVEN AFFORD RENT. PAYDAY LOANS. THEN WE'RE TALKING FARE INCREASE. AND I THINK THAT WAS MASTERFULLY DONE ON THE TIMING. LET'S PIT THE PUBLIC AGAINST THE OPERATORS. OH, THEY'LL THINK, OH, WELL, THE REASON THEY'RE DOING THIS, THE THE FARE INCREASES SO THEY CAN PAY THE DRIVERS MORE. MASTERFULLY DONE. MASTERFULLY DONE. I'M JUST ASKING YOU GUYS, MAN, LOOK, I, I GET IT. YOU YOU'RE THE BOARD. YOU HAVE THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO. IT'S IT'S A IT'S A BIG COMPANY TO RUN. I GET IT. HEARING ABOUT MR. STRATTON BEING, YOU KNOW AN R N YOU HAVE TO CARE ABOUT SOMEBODY TO DO THAT. BE A HUMAN IN THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE. STEP AWAY FROM THE CORPORATE TABLE AND ASK YOURSELVES, ARE WE AS THE BOARD, DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN? THERE'S ALWAYS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT WE CAN ASK. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE UNION MEMBERS MAKE THE CITY MOVE. BECAUSE WHEN WE GO BACK IN THE BREAK ROOM AND YOU GUYS GET TO GO TO CHIPOTLE OR CARVER OR WHEREVER YOU GO FOR YOUR LUNCH. IF WE STOP, THOSE WORKERS WON'T BE THERE TO GET YOUR SALADS. IF WE'RE NOT DRIVING, THE BUSSES WON'T BREAK. THEY WON'T HAVE PEOPLE TO CLEAN IT. SO MAN, JUST PLEASE LET THIS BE A GOOD JOB. YOU HOLD THAT TRUMP CARD. LET THIS BE A GOOD JOB. NOT FOR ME. I'M SPEAKING FOR THE PERSON THAT COMES AFTER ME. SO THEY WON'T HAVE TO DO A PAY DAY LOAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THE NEXT PERSON UP IS DEB MILLER. WELL, IT'S KIND OF WEIRD TO ME SINCE I SIGNED UP 28 DAYS AND THREE HOURS AGO. HOW Y'ALL BEAT ME ON THE LIST, BUT HERE WE GO. FIRST OF ALL, I GOTTA TELL YOU, MR. STRATTON, YOU DON'T HAVE MY PERMISSION TO LEAVE UNLESS YOU FILE FOR GOVERNOR. AND THEN I WILL LOAN YOU A CHAIR AND TAKE YOU THERE, I PROMISE. WE NEED YOUR COMMON SENSE AND YOUR CRITICAL THINKING IN GOVERNMENT, WHICH HAS SO BEEN HELPFUL HERE ON THIS BOARD. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR SEEING US AND FOR CARING ABOUT US AND FOR LISTENING TO ME. I KNOW I TALK A LOT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR OVERTHINKING TOO. THANK YOU. SO FIRST OF ALL, Y'ALL ARE HERE COMPLAINING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU SAW ONE BOARD MEETING AGENDA. I URGE YOU TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS SPORT. I CAME HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2022. I CAME AND I BROUGHT A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION SHOWING HOW TO CUT COSTS AND URGE FOR A $4 ACROSS THE BOARD RAISE FOR EVERY DRIVER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY ALL GOT IT. Y'ALL SEEM TO FORGOT THAT WE DOUBLE OUR RIDERSHIP BY ALLOWING PEOPLE. AND THIS IS. YESTERDAY WAS THE ANNIVERSARY RIGHT FOR THE ADA, RIGHT. THIS BOARD ALLOWED PEOPLE WITH NO ADDRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO RIDE PARATRANSIT. YOU LOOK AT THAT VETERAN IN THAT TREE WITH ONE LEG IN A MANUAL CHAIR, DRAGGING HIS DOG AROUND LIKE I DID. AND YOU'LL SEE THE VALUE THAT THIS BOARD WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THEM. OKAY. YOU THINK THEY KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS UNION, RIGHT? AYE TWO YEARS AGO. OKAY. I WENT, OKAY, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I WENT TO DALLAS. I TAKE THE AMTRAK UP THERE IN MY POWER CHAIR, AND I TEST OTHER SERVICES. I'VE TESTED THE PARATRANSIT THERE. THIS BOARD ALREADY KNEW HOW BAD THEY WERE. I TOLD THEM AND THEY ALL LAUGHED. THEIR BUSSES DON'T FIT A WHEELCHAIR. THEY HAVE DRIVERS THAT THEIR. THEIR TABLETS ARE IN SANSKRIT AND THE ONLY WORD THEY KNOW [01:25:01] IS SEAT. AND I'M ALREADY IN A CHAIR. THEIR THEIR THEIR BUSSES THAT THEY HAD THERE COULD NOT PUT A STANDARD SIDE POWER WHEELCHAIR IN THERE AND SHUT THE DOOR. AND YET Y'ALL THINK THEY AREN'T SUPPORTING THE UNION? WHY DID THEY JUST VOTE TO BRING THESE PEOPLE IN HERE? LOOKS LIKE WE JUST DOUBLED THE POWER OF THE UNION IN THE CITY. JUST SAYIN. THE PROBLEM WITH THE LACK OF BUDGET, Y'ALL DON'T PROBABLY DON'T REALIZE ALSO, BUT TRUMP JUST FIGURED OUT BIDEN'S NAME WAS ON THE ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY, SO IT JUST DISAPPEARED. SO NOW WE HAVE GOT TWICE AS MANY RIDERS, NO BUDGET TO HELP THEM AND EVERYBODY MAD BECAUSE THEY'RE ON THE BUS LONGER. WELL, IF YOU WANT TO BLAME SOMEBODY, THAT'S MY FAULT. I STAYED AND COMPLAIN. AFTER ALL, THE PEOPLE FROM THE HOMELESS COMPLAINED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET ON THE BUS FOR FREE AND SAID, LET'S GIVE THE REST OF US THE SAME OPPORTUNITY. I URGE YOU TODAY TO READ MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS BOARD DOES BEFORE YOU ATTACK THEM, TO SUPPORT THEM, AS I SUPPORT THEM, AS I DO KNOW THEY SUPPORT OUR DRIVERS ALWAYS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THE NEXT LISTED IS I THINK IT'S GARY SIMPLES. I THINK THAT'S AN E. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOUSEKEEPING TO CEO WATKINS, CHAIRMAN TREVENA AND ANYONE ELSE PRESIDENT PAYNE. I AM A 25 YEAR PROFESSIONAL BUS OPERATOR AND AN 80 1091 MEMBER SINCE DAY ONE. I COME TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF. I GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE FIRST THING IS HAS A BUS OPERATOR. THE BUS OPERATORS ARE THE LOWEST PAID ON THE CAPITAL METRO PAY SCALE. I SEE MANY PEOPLE IN OFFICES, CLERKS AND EVERYBODY ELSE MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THE BUS OPERATOR. YOU GUYS DEEMED US AS ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES. ME AND MY COWORKERS WHO DRIVE THESE BUSSES. WE DROVE COVID. WE DROVE TWO ICE STORMS. WE'VE DRIVEN FLOODS. AND EVERY DAY WE TAKE ON THIS PUBLIC MENTAL. MANY OF THEM ARE MENTAL AND NEED ASSISTANCE. WE RISK OUR LIFE EVERY DAY, BUT WE ARE STEADY. WE'RE NOT GREEDY. WE ARE HUMBLE. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE. WE DON'T COME BEGGING. WE COME ASKING FOR US. FOR RIGHTFULLY DUE TO US. I'M GONNA SHARE THIS WITH YOU. THEN I'M GONNA TAKE MY SEAT. HAS A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS ESSENTIAL SERVICE AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SAFELY TRANSPORT OUR COMMUNITY EACH DAY ARE ESSENTIAL EMPLOYEES. IF YOU GUYS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE BUS OPERATORS ARE CENTRAL TO THE MISSION, THEN IT'S REASONABLE TO ASK WHETHER OUR COMPENSATION PRACTICES REFLECTS THE SAME VALUE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT CREATING CONFLICT OR POINTING THE FINGER AT ANYONE. IT'S ABOUT SEEKING ALIGNMENT BETWEEN WHAT WE SAY AND WHAT WE DO. A HEALTHY ORGANIZATION STRIVES FOR CONSISTENCY. I'VE BEEN HERE 25 YEARS. SOME BEEN HERE 30 AND 40. SO, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE WHAT WE DO. WHEN POLICIES RECOGNIZE. EMPLOYEE HAS A IS CENTRAL COMPENSATION SHOULD BE EVALUATED TO ENSURE AND REFLECT THE IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY AND DEMAND OF THE ROLE. MY GOAL IS NOT TO CAUSE DRAMA. MY GOAL IS TO CAUSE DIALOG. MY DESIRE IS NOT TO CAUSE DIVISION. MY DESIRE IS LOOKING FOR A RESOLUTION HAS A MAN OF FAITH. I BELIEVE IN TRUTH, FAIRNESS AND RESPECT AND CAN BE PURSUED WITHOUT HOSTILITY. WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS, SEEK UNDERSTANDING, AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A SOLUTION THAT STRENGTHENS BOTH THE WORKFORCE AND THE ORGANIZATION. WE GOT TO COME TOGETHER. THERE'S TOO MUCH DIVISION GOING ON. WE GOT TO COME TOGETHER. THERE'S NO YOU WITHOUT US. WE DRIVE THIS CITY EVERY DAY. [01:30:01] WE'RE NOT BEING GREEDY. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE IN HERE BEGGING FOR A FAIR CONTRACT. GIVE US WHAT WE DESERVE. MY SECOND THING. YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING A FAIR RATE. WE, AS OPERATOR HAVE ENOUGH TROUBLE TRYING TO COLLECT $1.25. I SEE SO MUCH MONEY WASTED THROUGH CAPITAL METRO COYOTES. IT'S SO MUCH MONEY BEING WASTED. MAYBE IF YOU GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION, MAYBE YOU CAN SAVE YOURSELF SOME MONEY TO GIVE US SOME MONEY AGAIN. WE'RE NOT GREEDY. WE'RE NOT BEGGING. WE JUST ONLY ASKING WHAT WE RIGHTFULLY DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS JOE COOPER. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOE COOPER. AS MANY OF YOU, I WEAR MANY HATS. MY DAYTIME JOB IS. I'M THE TRAINING DIRECTOR FOR THE PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS HERE IN TOWN. I ALSO GET TO THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL. WE REPRESENT ABOUT 29,000 WORKERS HERE IN AUSTIN. SO I WAS BORN IN SAINT DAVID'S HOSPITAL. I MIGHT HAVE WROTE A FEW OF THESE BUSSES. OKAY. SO WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THIS TIME IS AUSTIN'S GOTTEN BIGGER. IT'S ALSO GOTTEN WAY MORE EXPENSIVE. SO WE WOULD WE'RE GOING TO ASK THAT YOU TAKE ACTION TO STAND WITH THE WORKERS. OKAY. GIVE THEM A FAIR CONTRACT. THESE ARE OUR MEMBERS. THEY NEED IT. THEY ARE. A ONE TIME STIPEND DOES NOT EQUAL A RAISE. IT JUST DOESN'T. THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO GO ON. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT AUSTIN CENTRAL LIBRARY COUNCIL. I WANT PRESIDENT PAIN TO KNOW WE STAND WITH YOU. SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO BE A RESOURCE, WE'RE GOING TO BE. I ALSO, I WAS SITTING BACK THERE WHILE I WAS DOING THIS, I WAS COUNTING, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME, I, I THINK I'M ON 4 OR 5 BOARDS. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND THAT TRULY, TRULY, IT IS A, IT'S A GREAT PAYING JOB, ISN'T IT? YEAH. WE ALL WEAR THESE FREE JOBS. I'M HERE FOR THE WORKERS. YOU SHOULD BE HERE FOR THE WORKERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS MICHELLE RAMOS. HEY, MY NAME IS MICHELLE RAMOS AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE WORKERS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO ALL THE WORKERS THAT DRIVE, FIX AND OPERATE OUR PUBLIC BUSSES. YOU ARE THE ONES THAT MAKE OUR CITY RUN AND YOU DESERVE BETTER WAGES AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT YOU'RE CURRENTLY FIGHTING FOR. WE'RE AT A TIME WHEN OUR CITY STILL REMAINS UNAFFORDABLE FOR MANY. YET THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT OPERATE OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO GET AUSTINITES MOVING ALL PARTS OF TOWN. BUT ON THEIR CURRENT WAGES, SOME FOLKS HAVE TO DRIVE IN AS FAR AS KILLEEN JUST TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR CITY. OUR BUSSES PROVIDE ABOUT 60,000 RIDES A DAY AND THAT'S A TON. WHAT WE DON'T HAVE NUMBERS ON, THOUGH, ARE THE OTHER SERVICES OUR WORKERS PROVIDE, LIKE SHELTER FOR OUR UNHOUSED ON EXTREMELY HOT AND COLD DAYS. INFORMATION TO RESOURCES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AND OVERALL DIGNITY. WHEN WE HOP ON A BUS AND RECEIVE A GREETING, A GREETING THAT PROVIDES PEOPLE THE DIGNITY OF FEELING SEEN AND REMINDS US THAT WE ARE ALL PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER, A COMMUNITY. SO AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHICH INCLUDES OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT WORKERS. WE DEMAND THAT CAPMETRO BRING, KILL, KILL LICE TO KILL LICE TO THE TABLE AND CONTINUE NEGOTIATIONS WITH WORKERS AND THAT OUR WORKERS BE PROVIDED THE PAY RAISE THEY DESERVE. THE ADDITIONAL TRAINING THEY'RE REQUESTING AND THE SUPPORT TO HELP THEM CONTINUE PROVIDING THE SERVICES THAT OUR CITY NEEDS BECAUSE THEY MAKE OUR CITY RUN AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DARRYL SORRELLS. SPEAKER ON. OKAY. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL. EVERYBODY THAT'S PRESENT HERE. [01:35:01] CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD DOTTIE WATKINS. ALL THE CITY COUNCILMAN COUNTY COMMISSIONER EVERYBODY. THIS PRESIDENT. MY NAME IS DARRELL SORRELS. I'M A 24 YEAR VETERAN BUS OPERATOR. I JUST WANT TO SAY, 24 YEARS AGO WHEN I STARTED HERE, I WAS CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPT. I WAS CHAPTER 13 BANKRUPT DURING MY TRAINING HERE. I FOR A LONG TIME I ATE SALAMI, MUSTARD AND CHEESE CHIPS AND A COLA. I STARTED OUT AT LOW PAYING WAGES. I WORKED MY BUTT OFF EACH AND EVERY DAY, JUST LIKE THE CURRENT BUS OPERATORS ARE DOING THE YEAR ONE THROUGH YEAR FIVE THROUGH 50 YEARS. I'M A PART OF THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE. THIS IS MY 11TH YEAR BEING ON THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE. THIS IS MY FOURTH CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR, AND I SEE HOW THEY MANEUVER 1%, 1%, 10%. THE YEARS THAT WE WORKED HERE ALWAYS HAVE BEEN 1%, 1.52%, 3%. AND TO SEE, ONE YEAR AGO TODAY. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH KEOLIS, THEY DIDN'T BRING INCREASES. SO I WANT EVERYBODY IN THE PUBLIC TO KNOW. THEY SAY 12 AND 14. THE DIFFERENCE OUR UNION BROUGHT 8% TO THE TABLE FOR THE FIRST YEAR. WE BROUGHT 4% FOR THE SECOND YEAR FOR OUR MEMBERS, WE BROUGHT ANOTHER 4% FOR OUR MEMBERS THE THIRD YEAR. KEOLIS ONLY WANTED TO GIVE US THREE, WHICH WE ARE CURRENTLY MAKING. IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING GREEDY, IT'S ABOUT GETTING WHAT YOU'RE WORTH AT THE END OF THE DAY. A UNION IS FOR WHAT? WAGES, BENEFITS, WORKING CONDITIONS AND BEING FAIR. ALL WE ASK FOR AT THE END OF THE DAY IS A FAIR AND EQUITABLE CONTRACT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WORKING CONDITIONS, WE HAVE CRAPPY RUNS RIGHT UP THERE RIGHT NOW IN THAT IN THAT ROOM ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND OUT NORTH. P M WE'RE GETTING READY TO MARK UP IN TWO DAYS FROM NOW. P M RUNS. THEY HAVE THREE DAYS WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND WORK NIGHT, BUT THEN TWO OTHER DAYS THEY COME IN AT 630 AND NINE AND 11 IN THE MORNING. AND WE NEGOTIATED THAT. WE NEGOTIATED TO REDUCE THE SPLITS. THEY TURNED IT DOWN BECAUSE OF WHO RUN THE SHOW. WHO HANDS A CLEAN CAPITAL METRO. WE REDUCED IT. THEY EVEN SAID IT WAS UNSAFE. THEY TOLD US IT WAS UNSAFE. WE MEET WITH THEM EVERY MONTH IN LABOR, LABOR RELATIONS MEETINGS, AND THEY SAY DRIVERS ARE FALLING ASLEEP WHEN I GO IN THAT BREAK ROOM RIGHT NOW. DARYL, WE NEED TO REDUCE THE SPLITS. WHEN WE STARTED THIS OUT COLLECTIVELY AS A WHOLE, OUR MEMBERSHIP BROUGHT TO THE TABLE CONTRACT SUGGESTION, REVISED FORMS. WE PROPOSE THAT. AND THEY TURNED IT DOWN TO REDUCE THE SPLITS. THEY DON'T GET PAID. THEY SAY A PREMIUM. WE DON'T EVEN SEE THE PREMIUM PAY ON OUR PAYCHECKS. WHERE IS IT AT? JUST REGULAR PAY. SHOW ME THE PREMIUM PAY THAT SPLITS. YOU GET PAID FOR. YOU CALL IT SPREAD PREMIUM. WHERE IS IT AT? SHOW IT TO ME ON MY PAYCHECK. IT'S BEEN HERE 24 YEARS AND STILL HAVEN'T SEEN IT. BUT YET WE ARE BEING GREEDY. NO, WE'RE ASKING FOR WHAT WE ARE WORTH. I EVEN PUT LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT FOR LOST AND DAMAGED THINGS. PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR CELL PHONES STOLEN. GIVE HIM TWO MORE MINUTES. GIVE HIM TWO MORE MINUTES. PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR CELL PHONES STOLEN. THE BICYCLE GOT STOLEN RIGHT OUT HERE. THEY SAID A WHITE WOMAN TOOK A BUS OPERATORS BICYCLE RIGHT HERE ON PREMISES. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SAFETY. WE PUT THAT LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT AND THEY DENIED IT. SIMPLE STUFF LIKE THAT. BUT PEOPLE SAYING WE ARE GREEDY. WE PUT PROTECTIONS IN THE CONTRACT TO PROTECT OUR MEMBERSHIP. THAT'S ALL WE ASK AT THE END OF THE DAY. WE HAVE PUT STUFF BACK ON THE SHELF, AND I FEEL LIKE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP WITH IN THE STORE WITH MY MAMA AND SHE SAID, WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THAT BACK. THAT'S WHAT OUR UNION IS DOING TO HELP Y'ALL SAVE MONEY. THAT IS WRONG. THAT IS WRONG. WE HAVE FOUR POLITICAL PEOPLE ON HERE. YOUR POLITICAL FUTURE RELIES ON WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC FIGURES IN YOUR DISTRICTS SEE HOW YOU INTERACT WITH THE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. [01:40:03] OKAY, SO NOW I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A NAME OR A COMPANY. SILVER WHITE MOUNTAIN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AFTERNOON. SILVER WHITE MOUNTAIN IS MY NAME. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. I USUALLY DON'T RIDE THE BUS, BUT MY DODGE CHARGER OUT OF SERVICE POLICE CAR THAT I USE TO DO MY JOB GOT THE WINDOWS BROKEN OUT, SO I HAD TO GET. SO I HAD TO GET AN UBER. RIDE THE BUS SOMETIMES AS I CANNOT LET ANY DETERRENT DELAY ME FROM DOING MY FEDERAL JOB. I HAVE TO KEEP GOING. I HAVE TO PUSH THROUGH. SO I NOW HAVE TO HAVE TWO CARS. WHILE RIDING THE BUS, I ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM. I DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE GOING TO BE SPEAKING ON THIS. I'M HERE BY ACCIDENT AND I NEED Y'ALL TO SOLVE IT. I THINK IT IS A FAIRLY EASY FIX, BUT IT COULD BE TIME CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE. BUT LIFE HAS NO PRICE. YOU SEE, THE BENCHES FOR PASSENGERS ARE WAITING TO BOARD THE BUS, OR ONLY FIVE FEET OR LESS FROM THE STREET. HARDLY ANYONE SITS ON THEM BECAUSE OF THE SUN, RAIN SPLASHED ON THEM, AND THE DANGER FACTOR OF BEING SO CLOSE TO THE CURB. I FEEL YOU NEED TO UTILIZE THE SPACE OF THE EASEMENT BECAUSE PRESENTLY IT IS BEING WASTED. I'VE SEEN ALMOST 50FT OF EASEMENT IN SOME AREAS BEING WASTED WHILE THERE IS SHADE THERE. I HAVE PICTURES, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO PRINT THEM. AS I'M PRESENTLY WORKING UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, I HAD TO TAKE THE AFTERNOON OFF. MY JOB IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT THIS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT PROTECTING LIFE AND LIMB. SO IF THIS IS RESOLVED, I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO NAME IT SILVER SILVIA'S LAW ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. I WAS PREVIOUSLY ONE OF MY IDEAS WAS STOLEN, THE $200 FINE IN A SCHOOL ZONE FOR TALKING AND TEXTING ON A CELL PHONE. THAT WAS MY IDEA. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OH, I ALSO DON'T EAT ALL DAY SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DOING MY JOB. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND THE NEXT PERSON IS BEAU DELP. HELLO. HELLO, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS BEAU DELP. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF TEXAS CLIMATE JOBS PROJECT. WE'RE A NONPROFIT STATEWIDE WITH A STAFF HERE IN AUSTIN. WE ARE LED BY AN ADVISORY BOARD OF LABOR UNIONS. OUR PURPOSE IS TO ADVANCE A PRO-WORKER AND PRO CLIMATE AGENDA IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND FIRST, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO CAPMETRO FOR THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT IT'S DONE AROUND ELECTRIFYING ITS FLEET. WE VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE ELECTRIC BUSSES. WE THINK THAT'S REALLY GREAT. SO YOU'VE GOT THE THE CLIMATE PIECE, THE CLEAN ENERGY PIECE THAT Y'ALL ARE ADVANCING. THAT'S REALLY GREAT. BUT A BIG PART OF OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THIS CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION, WORKERS ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND. SO YOU GOT THE, THE CLIMATE PIECE, THE WORKER PIECE, NOT SO MUCH. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE UNION MEMBERS AND THEIR REQUEST FOR A FAIR CONTRACT. NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NEWS, YOU KNOW, WE SEE WHAT CAPMETRO SAYS PUBLICLY. THEY SAY THEY'RE NOT WORRIED. THIS IS NOT A CRISIS. AND THERE ARE CONTINGENCY PLANS IN PLACE, WHICH I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE HIRING SCABS TO ME, BUT EVEN SO, WE WANTED TO GET THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY. SO WE HAVE BEEN SPEAKING TO CAPMETRO RIDERS AT BUS STATIONS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS. I CAN TELL YOU THIS WITHOUT REVEALING TOO MUCH OF OUR DATA, BECAUSE WE WILL BE RELEASING THE REPORT SHORTLY. CAP METRO RIDERS ARE NOT BUYING WHAT CAP METRO IS SELLING. HERE'S OUR PRELIMINARY DATA. WHAT WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT PEOPLE ARE HEAVILY RELIANT IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR CAP METRO, FOR THINGS LIKE FOOD, TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORE, TO PICK THEIR KIDS UP, FOR THEIR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO GET HOME, TO BE ABLE TO GO TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK. I'M NOT TELLING YOU ANYTHING YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW. BUT WHAT I CAN ALSO TELL YOU IS THAT THESE RIDERS ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS STRIKE AND THE STORIES WE'RE HEARING PEOPLE LOOKING OUR ORGANIZERS IN THE EYE. AM I GOING TO BE OKAY? I WANT YOU ALL TO IMAGINE FOR JUST A MOMENT, THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU GO BUY GROCERIES, THE NEXT TIME YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR. JUST PAUSE. AND IMAGINE THAT YOU CAN'T GET THERE. THAT'S THE PRECIPICE THAT WE ARE ON. SO I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS A LOOMING CRISIS, AND WE'RE ASKING YOU ALL TO HELP US AVOID THIS CRISIS. EVERY INDICATION IS THAT RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING TO AFFORD BASIC NECESSITIES IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT TODAY, AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THE POLITICAL AND THE FINANCIAL, ECONOMIC DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES IF THIS BOARD IS UNABLE TO NAVIGATE CAPMETRO OUT OF THIS LOOMING STRIKE. WHEN THE BUSSES STOP RUNNING, [01:45:04] OUR AUSTIN RESIDENTS ARE GOING TO BLAME ATU MEMBERS. OR ARE THEY GOING TO BLAME THE FRENCH COMPANY WHOSE PARENT COMPANY REPORTED $42 BILLION? EXCUSE ME, EUROS IN REVENUE IN 2025. I KNOW WHERE CAPMETRO RIDERS ARE. THEY OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THESE WORKERS AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US. AND SO THE QUESTION AND IT'S A SIMPLE ONE THAT I'M ASKING YOU TODAY AND THAT YOU'VE HEARD WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON? THANK YOU. AND NEXT IS BEN SOTHEBY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BEN SOTHEBY. I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF AFSCME 1624 AND A TRUSTEE ON THE AUSTIN CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL. BUT I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AS A WRITER OF CAPMETRO. I HAVE THE LUXURY OF CHOOSING BY, BY CHOICE IN OUR HOUSEHOLD TO REDUCE OUR CAR OWNERSHIP TO ONE HYBRID. AND I TAKE THE BUS. IT ALLOWS ME THE FLEXIBILITY TO GET AROUND TO THE MEETINGS THAT I SEE ALL AT ALL THE TIME. I, YOU KNOW, TOOK THE 300 AND TOOK THE 801 TO WORK TODAY AND TOOK THE FORT TO GET HERE LAST WEDNESDAY. YOU KNOW, I HAVE THE CHOICE TO TAKE THE TRAIN FROM FROM WHERE I LIVE UP TO THE TO THE STADIUM AND WATCH AUSTIN FC BEAT SEATTLE 3 TO 1. YOU KNOW, I HAVE THAT LUXURY. I'M NOT A TYPICAL BUS RIDER. I KNOW MY NEIGHBORS WHO RIDE THE BUS WITH ME DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE OR JUST CALL A RIDE ON THEIR PHONE OR CHOOSE TO TELEWORK THAT DAY. AND I WORRY ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RISK THAT WE FACE AS A COMMUNITY SHOULD. THE ATU MEMBERS WHO I FULLY SUPPORT AND HEAR WHAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING, SHOULD THEY BE FORCED TO WITHHOLD THEIR LABOR? I WORRY ABOUT THE ECONOMIC RISK OF OTHER UNION MEMBERS IN TOWN AND OTHER WORKERS NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOW UP TO THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THE TRANSPORTATION THEY RELY ON ISN'T THERE, AND THE CARRY ON EFFECTS OF THAT HAS. I KNOW THAT BUDGETS ARE REALLY TIGHT IN ALL PUBLIC ENTITIES RIGHT NOW. AND, YOU KNOW, I REALIZE THAT WORKERS NOT ARRIVING TO THEIR JOBS, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE AN ECONOMIC EFFECT ON OUR SALES TAX, ON ALL THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF REVENUE WE HAVE. PUBLIC ENTITIES WILL HAVE TO DIP INTO RESERVES. THAT MEANS THE FOLLOWING YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO REFILL THOSE RESERVES. THAT'S GOING TO HIT HOMEOWNERS AND THEIR PROPERTY TAXES THERE ARE CARRYING ON EFFECTS HERE. SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO DO IS WORK WITH ALL THE VERY GOOD PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT YOU HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY TO APPROPRIATE THE FUNDS SO THAT THEIR DEMANDS CAN BE MET, BECAUSE THEY ARE ASKING FOR REASONABLE THINGS. I'VE HEARD FROM DRIVERS ABOUT THESE SPLIT SHIFTS THAT THEY HAVE IN THE RESTAURANT WORLD. WE CALLED THOSE WHERE YOU CLOSE AND OPEN, AND THAT IS NOT A DIGNIFIED WAY TO HAVE PEOPLE LIVE AND RUN THEIR THEIR HOUSEHOLDS. NO TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING YOU TO DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER TO FIND THE MONEY, TO MEET THE ECONOMIC DEMANDS, AND PROVIDE THAT SO THAT YOUR CONTRACTOR UPHOLDS THEIR CONTRACT TO OPERATE OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM. IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S ECONOMIC LIFE, FOR THE WORKERS, FOR US MEETING OUR CLIMATE GOALS, TXDOT IS TEARING UP I-35 FOR THE NEXT FORESEEABLE DECADE. WE NEED MORE PEOPLE RIDING TRANSIT TO REDUCE THE TRAFFIC AND HAVE FEWER CARS IN FRONT OF THOSE WHO COMMUTE FROM BEDROOM COMMUNITIES WHO ARE NEVER GOING TO RIDE THE TRANSIT. MAYBE, BUT THEY BENEFIT TOO. WHEN I DON'T DRIVE AND I TAKE THE BUS. SO PLEASE DO THAT WORK. IT IS SO ESSENTIAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS CHAZ MOORE. OH WHAT'S UP Y'ALL? I'LL BE QUICK. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS. BUT I DO KNOW IT'S JUST SIMPLE MATH TO ME. IF, IF, IF YOU HAVE HAPPY WORKERS ESPECIALLY IN A, IN AN INDUSTRY LIKE THIS, WHERE THE PEOPLE UTILIZING THE SERVICE DEPEND ON HAPPY WORKERS YOU GET HAPPY RIDERSHIP AND ALL THESE THINGS. AND I, IT'S JUST, IT'S ALWAYS AMAZING TO ME THAT THE, THE WORKING CLASS FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY MAKE THIS CITY GREAT, RIGHT? CAP, CAP METRO GETS TO SAY WE'RE A GREAT COMPANY, A GREAT ORGANIZATION. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN. BUT YOU'RE ONLY GREAT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THE BUSSES, RIGHT? YOU'RE ONLY [01:50:04] GREAT BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS THING WORK. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT, MR. PAYNE BRANT ALL MY A TAT YOU FOLKS, MAYBE YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PROFESSION BECAUSE I KNOW ANOTHER PROFESSION WHERE THEY CAN KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE. THEY CAN RAPE INNOCENT PEOPLE AND THEY GET THEY GET PAY INCREASES YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT. BUT THE PEOPLE THAT GET WORKING CLASS PEOPLE TO AND FROM WORK TO, AND FROM SCHOOL TO, AND FROM CITY HALL TO ENGAGE IN ALL THESE PROCESSES THAT MAKE OUR CITY GREAT. THEY'RE BEGGING FOR SCRAPS. AND THAT, THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. I, I JUST DON'T GET IT, BUT I ALSO SEE THE PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, I CITY COUNCIL FOLKS, YOU KNOW, SHOUT OUT FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO ON CITY COUNCIL. BUT THERE'S TOO MANY POLITICIANS ON THIS BOARD. AND, YOU KNOW, CEO DOTTIE WATKINS, IF, IF I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT I KNOW YOU USED TO BE ONE OF THESE PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE, THE, THE TRENCHES THAT THEY'RE IN. BUT RIGHT NOW WE NEED, I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE BOARD TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY CURRENTLY DRIVE BUSSES ON THE BOARD BECAUSE THEY CAN REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DRIVE BUSSES. IT MIGHT ALSO, I'M JUST GIVING OUT FREE IDEAS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T AFFORD MY CONSULTING FEE. IT MIGHT ALSO, IT MIGHT, IT MIGHT ALSO BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE PEOPLE THAT USE THE BUSSES ON THE BOARD. RIGHT. SO WE, THESE DYNAMICS IN WHICH WE HAVE PEOPLE BEGGING PEOPLE THAT ARE. AND THIS IS NO, YOU KNOW, THIS TO YOU, I DON'T NOT NOT ON PURPOSE. WE'RE BEGGING PEOPLE THAT DO NOT UTILIZE THE SERVICES THAT DON'T TENDER THE SERVICES ABOUT MAKING THE SITUATIONS BETTER. THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. SO AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE BEGGING THE NON WORKING CLASS PEOPLE TO MAKE THE SITUATION BETTER FOR US. RIGHT. I DON'T WANT CAPMETRO TO BECOME THE CITY OF AUSTIN. I DON'T WANT CAPMETRO TO BECOME THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT. I DON'T WANT IT TO BECOME A ISD KEEP BEING WHAT YOU'VE BEEN AND KEEP DOING THE THINGS THAT MAKE AUSTIN PROUD, WEIRD AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF. BY SUPPORTING WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, BY SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE CAPMETRO GREAT. AND DON'T JUST JUST BE BETTER THAN THE ALL THE OTHER THINGS IN AUSTIN RIGHT NOW BY GIVING THESE PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, WHICH IS A FAIR AND DECENT WAGE. THESE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE THESE BUSSES ARE BARELY AFFORDING TO, TO, TO LIVE HERE. AND YOU CAN DO YOUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THE CITY GREAT. IT'S THE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE CITY GREAT. THAT'S IT. THAT'S ALL I GOT. Y'ALL ENJOY YOUR DAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT IN ON THE LIST IS ZENOBIA JOSEPH. MISS JOSEPH, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR AND MEMBERS, I'M ZENOBIA JOSEPH. MY COMMENTS, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN. LET ME JUST PREFACE BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT ON PAGES 106 TO 116, THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE THE NEGOTIATION DOCUMENTS. AND I WOULD JUST SAY, AS IT RELATES TO THE DRIVERS OPERATORS, YOU TREAT THEM LIKE MODERN DAY PULLMAN PORTERS, AND THEY WOULD DO THE BOARD WELL TO ACTUALLY GO AND SEE ADOLPH RANDOLPH. HIS HISTORY IN. YOU CAN FIND IT ONLINE. AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR OPERATORS ARE BLACK. AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR AGENDA ITEMS. AND RESPECTFULLY, DOTTIE WATKINS, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU RESIGN IN THE BOARD PACKET. IT SPECIFIES THAT YOU LISTEN AS YOU SEE ON THAT SCREEN. AND I'VE TOLD YOU MANY TIMES YOU DO NOT LISTEN. MAY 19TH, 2025. I SPECIFIED THAT SAFETY IS NOT YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND I STUMBLED A MINUTE AGO. IT'S A PHILIP RANDOLPH. I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE SPECIFICALLY YOUR OWN BOARD HAS ETHICS STANDARDS. NOVEMBER 14TH, 2018. IS WHEN YOU ADOPTED THE POLICY. AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE THE $47.8 MILLION CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT, YET YOU SAY IT'S ABOUT EQUITY AND IT IS NOT. NEXT SLIDE. AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO NORTH LAMAR. I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, THE BUTTON IS STILL IN THE DITCH. CHITO VELA. RESPECTFULLY, KADRI. RESPECTFULLY. IT WAS AUGUST 5TH, 2025, WHEN I WALKED WITH YOUR ASSISTANT CITY [01:55:04] MANAGER, MIKE ROGERS. THE ORANGE PAINT WAS STILL ON THE PAVEMENT AT YEAGER AND NORTH LAMAR. ONE TWO, 300 IS THE BLOCK WHERE THE IMAM ISLAM WAS KILLED. SAME BLOCK. YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY IT BEFORE. JANUARY 30TH, 2016 IS WHERE DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED. BUT LOOK AT THE TOP WHITE SAFETY ON AIRPORT BOULEVARD. NOBODY'S GETTING KILLED ON AIRPORT. BUT YET TERRACOTTA SIDEWALKS INCREASED THE PROJECT BY APPROXIMATELY 10%. WHICH MEANS IF YOU DON'T PUT IT IN THE NORTHEAST AREA, THAT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE THAT MONEY TO THEN BEAUTIFY THE SPACE FOR THE RAIL AND WHITE CHOICE RIDERS. NEXT SLIDE. I WANT TO REMIND YOU, AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO ITEM TWO, WHICH TALKS ABOUT UTILITY REALLOCATION OR RELOCATION, RUNDBERG LANE IS SPECIFICALLY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR I-35. YET AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S RUNDBERG UP AT THE TOP. THERE IS NO SHARED USE PATH. THERE IS NOTHING NEW YET. YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN IT'S IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING. BUT OVER ON THE RIGHT, WE KNOW THAT FOURTH AND SABINE IS GOING TO BE DESTROYED THROUGH THE I-35 PROJECT. BUT YET YOU PUT THE TERRACOTTA SIDEWALKS AND MADE IT SAFE FOR THOSE WHITE PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING OVER THERE. NEXT SLIDE. I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS IS THE FINISHED PROJECT. BUT YET COUNCIL APPROVED $37.5 MILLION INDEFINITE DELIVERY, INDEFINITE QUANTITY FROM UNIONS TO CONTINUE. THIS WORK IS SHAMEFUL. THIS IS YOUR AREA, MIDDLE FISKVILLE. UP THERE AT THE TOP YOU'LL SEE THERE WAS A TRASH CAN. MARCH 11TH, 2026. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S ANDY SCHABOWSKI OR IF IT'S YOU, DOTTIE WATKINS, BUT THOSE TRASH CANS HAVE SINCE BEEN REMOVED AND USED FURNITURE GETS PUT AT MIDDLE FISKVILLE AND ROSENBERG ON THE RIGHT. YOU CAN SEE THERE'S NO TRASH CAN THERE ANYMORE. NEXT SLIDE. AS IT RELATES SPECIFICALLY TO NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, YOU USE THE MINORITIES TO GET THE FEDERAL FUNDING, EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. BUT I WILL REMIND YOU THAT ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2018, THE RAIL PROJECT CONNECT LONG RANGE PLAN ACTUALLY WENT SOUTH OF US. 183 BUT THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE DARK. THE CITY HAS MONEY FOR LIGHTS, BUT IT'S DARK IN NORTH LAMAR. NEXT SLIDE. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS ON A SOCCER GAME. THIS IS NORTH LAMAR TOO. BUT LOOK AT THE OVER THE ROAD COACH BUSSES. YOU'RE NOT CHARGING THE WHITE CHARGED RIDERS ANYMORE. SO THE MEMO FROM CHEYENNE ABOUT THE INCREASE IN THE FARE. ON PAGE 91 IN THE PACKET. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU ARE ACTUALLY MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK TO PAY THEIR FAIR TO RIDE THE BUS. NEXT SLIDE. PROJECT CONNECT, AND I WILL JUST CLOSE BY TELLING YOU IT WAS 37,500 VEHICLES PER DAY THAT TRAVERSED NORTH LAMAR. AND YOU'VE DONE NOTHING. DOTTIE WATKINS TO MAKE IT SAFE. AND YOU HAVE REFUSED TO CLOSE THE MID-BLOCK STOPS. THESE RED SIDEWALKS EQUATE TO REDLINING, AND IT IS SHAMEFUL. BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME. ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO GO LAST. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. SO BEFORE WE MOVE ON, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD THAT HAS NOT SIGNED UP? ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD? WHO'S NOT SIGNED UP YET? ALL RIGHT. TOOK ME UP ON MY THIRD TIME. YEAH. NORMALLY HOW IT HAPPENS IN A QUORUM LIKE THAT. HELLO. MY NAME IS PATRICK HANCOCK. I AM A EIGHT YEAR EMPLOYEE FOR CAPMETRO. BEEN HERE FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CONTRACTORS. I'M NOT FIXING TO GET ON MY HIGH HORSE AND HARP, BUT I AM THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR THE AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION. MY CAREER HERE. FIRST OF ALL, I'M AN AUSTINITE. I JUST TURNED 41ST JULY THIRD, AND ONE OF MY PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS WHEN I TOLD MY GRANDMOTHER I GOT THIS JOB. SHE WOULD SAY, WELL, BABY, I'M GONNA COME AND SEE YOU ON YOUR BUS. AND FORGIVE ME FOR SOUNDING NERVOUS BECAUSE I SOUND LIKE THAT WHEN I TALK ABOUT HER ALL THE TIME. SHE STAYS DOWN HERE IN THE ASSISTED LIVING, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE LIKE, OKAY, GRANDMA, I'M LOOKING FOR YOU. MY CAREER TOOK OFF REALLY FAST. I WAS AN OPERATOR FOR THREE YEARS, WENT TO BE A SUPERVISOR FOR THREE MORE YEARS, AND I SPENT THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN SAFETY AND NOW I'M THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY. I'VE SEEN MORE OF MY COWORKERS IN THE LAST PAST SIX MONTHS COME TO ME AND ASK ME, PATRICK, HOW DO I TAKE OUT A LOAN ON MY 401 K? AND I THINK THAT SUCKS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PRIDE YOU USED TO HAVE TO HAVE TO WANT TO [02:00:02] WORK AT CAPMETRO. I REMEMBER BEING A KID AND DRIVING PAST THIS BUILDING AND WAS LIKE, MAN, ONE DAY THAT WOULD BE NICE. I WANTED TO BE A BUS DRIVER. NOT REALLY, BUT JUST SAYING IT. I WANT TO BE A BUS DRIVER. NOW I'M A BUS DRIVER, AND I NEVER THOUGHT IN THE 8 TO 9 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE THAT I WOULD BE LOOKING AT STANDING OUTSIDE OF THE FENCE, OUTSIDE THIS FENCE, DENYING THE PUBLIC THE VERY SERVICE THAT BACK IN THE 90S, IN THE 80S YOU WERE PROUD TO DO. I'M NOT POINTING MY FINGER AT NOBODY THAT SITS ON THIS BOARD OR NOBODY THAT'S NEGOTIATING THIS CONTRACT. BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT WE ALL WANT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND BUY THE EXTRA. WE ALL WANT TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND GET THE ICE CREAM SO WE CAN HAVE DESSERT AFTER DINNER. BEING A BUS DRIVER, I DON'T GET THAT. MY DAUGHTER HAS BEEN ASKING ME FOR CALIFORNIA ROLLS FOR THE LAST WEEK, AND I HAVE TO TELL HER. WELL, BABE, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S EITHER DAD'S GOING TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR BY YOUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES, OR WE GOING TO WATCH YOU EAT THESE CALIFORNIA ROLLS. NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO BEG FOR ANYTHING. NOT IN A COUNTRY AS RICH AS WE ARE. NOT IN A STATE AS RICH AS TEXAS IS. WE'RE WE'RE ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE STATES IN THE GDP AS FAR AS GROWTH GOES WHEN IT COMES TO INCOME AND INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE COUNTRY. PEOPLE LOOK TO TEXAS FOR CHANGE. AND FOR US TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT WE'RE ARGUING ABOUT WHAT'S NECESSARILY RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO DO AND BE ABLE TO SURVIVE IN A STATE AND IN A CITY THAT'S SO RICH LIKE THIS IS KIND OF ASININE, IN MY OPINION. I RESPECT CAPMETRO BECAUSE I'VE RAISED TWO BEAUTIFUL KIDS AND I'VE KIND OF LINED THE POCKETS OF AN EX-WIFE RIGHT NOW. SO I'M KIND OF HAPPY FOR THAT. AND I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, AND I'M, I'M, I'M GOING TO WALK AWAY. I THINK THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAS TO BE DONE. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT, I HOPE THAT YOU DO LIKE MR. ERIC DOES. ASK YOURSELF THAT EXTRA QUESTION. ASK YOURSELF THE EXTRA THING THAT MAY NOT BE ASKED OR MAY NOT BE TALKED ABOUT AT THAT NEGOTIATION, OR WHEN YOU HAVE TO FORCE SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING. WE'RE ALL PEOPLE. WE ALL LOVE DOING WHAT WE DO. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO SAY ON. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO SAY. WOULD YOU. NO, NO, NO. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO ANSWER MY QUESTION. NO, NO NO. I WAS, I WAS FIRST OF ALL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE COME TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A RAPPORT. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO THANK YOU FOR NOT ONLY FOR COMING TODAY, BUT FOR SHOWING UP EVERY DAY. WE, WE, WE TALK REGULARLY. KEN HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH BRANT AND A NUMBER OF THE MEMBERS. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT SUPPORT OUR WORKFORCE. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD WITH OUR INTERNAL TEAM AND AS A BOARD TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO. LIKE, LIKE YOU'VE MENTIONED, WHEN, YOU KNOW, ONE REASON THAT THAT THAT WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IS THAT SHE GREW UP HERE AND THAT AND THAT SHE IS, SHE IS A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH THIS COMMUNITY. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CENTRAL HEALTH, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT HOW DO WE GET TO THOSE PLACES. AND FOR MANY OF US, THE BUS IS THE MEANS TO GET TO THOSE PLACES. SO WE DO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND CONTINUE TO TALK AND HOPEFULLY GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE A MEETING OF THE MINDS AND WORK TOGETHER. IT IS A PRIORITY AND IT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR US TO SUPPORT OUR WORKFORCE, TO INVEST IN OUR WORKFORCE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A REAL DIFFICULT TIME NOW. WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I FILLED UP AT 472 A GALLON, 472 A GALLON USED TO BE ABLE TO FILL MY CAR UP FOR 40 BUCKS OUT OF REACH. WE UNDERSTAND. WE SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND US. WE'LL DO THE THINGS THAT WE CAN AND WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL WORK AND WE WILL. AND WE WILL TRY TO DO THE THINGS THAT ARE HELPFUL. NOW DO I KNOW WHAT THE FINAL RESULT WILL BE? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE'LL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO BE HELPFUL TO A WORKFORCE THAT HAS SERVED THIS COMMUNITY WELL. AND AND, AND I'M BAPTIST, I CAN TALK A LONG TIME. THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TALK. SO I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TO MAKE A STATEMENT AS WELL. THANK YOU. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW FEW MOMENTS JUST TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK FOLKS WHO WERE HERE EARLIER DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO THANK THE WORKERS WHO KEEP OUR CITY [02:05:05] RUNNING. I REALLY CAN'T THANK THE CAPMETRO. FOLKS, I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE OUT OF THE ROOM NOW FOR, FOR DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN. AND I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A BOARD TO PUSH IN EVERY WAY WE CAN TO, TO DO RIGHT BY OUR NEIGHBORS. AND THEN I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BUDGET CYCLE, NOT ONLY AS A CITY, BUT AS A CAPMETRO BOARD TO KEEP AN EYE ON WORKER QUALITY OF LIFE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER? I DO, I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS, WHETHER THEY'RE STILL IN THE ROOM OR NOT. I KNOW THAT ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WE TAKE A LOT OF CARE AND DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY WORKERS ARE WELL REPRESENTED AND THAT THEY CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT COUNCIL HAS WORKED ON AND HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE THROUGH OUR WORK ON THE BOARD OF CAPMETRO, TO MAKE SURE THE FOLKS THAT THAT DO KEEP THIS, THIS COMMUNITY RUNNING AND MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN GET WHERE THEY NEED TO BE, ARE ARE ABLE TO BUILD A LIFE HERE AND GROW A LIFE HERE IN AUSTIN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. BOARD MEMBER VELA. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT TO COMMENT TODAY, ESPECIALLY ALL OF THE OPERATORS AND MECHANICS. I WOULD JUST ADD ONE THING. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DIRECTLY NEGOTIATE WITH A T U. I'M NOT A FAN OF THE KIND OF SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, IN THE CITY, WE DIRECTLY NEGOTIATE WITH THE DIFFERENT UNIONS THAT REPRESENT THE EMPLOYEES, THE ONES THAT HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING WITH A T U. THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW. AND I COMPLICATED KIND OF SITUATION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD SYSTEM AND I'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU ALL A PENSION INSTEAD OF A 401 K. THERE'S JUST A LOT OF BENEFITS OUT THERE WHERE IF THERE WAS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP, I THINK THAT WOULD KIND OF CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN AND JUST GIVE US KIND OF A BETTER RELATIONSHIP. AGAIN, THAT'S A LONG, COMPLICATED QUESTION. JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT MY $0.02 OUT THERE ON, ON THAT ON THAT RELATIONSHIP. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GO AHEAD. I KNOW I GOT ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR, BUT I THINK I NEED TO SAY A COUPLE THINGS TO REAL QUICK HERE. AS I SAID EARLIER IN MY COMMENTS 99% OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND WITH GOOD COMMUNICATION AND GOOD EXPECTATIONS. AND I'VE BEEN READING THE MEMOS AND I, I REALLY I'M VERY THANKFUL TO, TO, TO DOTTIE AND THE TEAM FOR SENDING US FOR ENSURING THAT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS, IS BROUGHT IN THE LOOP AS TO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, AS WE ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. LIKE LIKE MY COLLEAGUE COUNCIL COUNCIL MEMBER VELLA, I SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME, SOME FRUSTRATIONS HERE. FOR EIGHT YEARS, I'VE KIND OF WONDERED THE SAME THING. IT'S, IT'S A FRUSTRATING SITUATION WHEN WE'RE NOT DIRECTLY IN CHARGE OF THIS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE LAW WHERE WE ARE PLACED, WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS THIRD PARTY NEGOTIATED SYSTEM. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS ENSURING THAT KEOLIS IS DOING EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER, THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER LEGALLY UNDER THE CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT KEOLIS IS, AS WE'VE HEARD HERE, MAKING THAT GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO COMMUNICATE AND SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS WITH THE UNION AND THE MEMBERSHIP, WITH OUR WITH OUR OPERATORS, WITH THE LIFEBLOOD THAT MAKE THIS ORGANIZATION RUN AND TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, THAT THE UNION IS CLEARLY COMMUNICATING THEIR EXPECTATIONS TO KEOLIS. AND THE OLD WORDS OF COOL HAND LUKE. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE AND THAT CONCERNS ME. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD HERE CONCERN ME, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD, I AM A NURSE. AND WHEN AS A NURSE, WE DO NOT EVER. VERY RARELY. AND WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, PEOPLE CAN LOSE THEIR LICENSES BECAUSE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. WHEN ACCIDENTS HAPPEN ON THE FLOORS AND NURSE PEOPLE CAN GET INJURED OR DIE. THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE NURSES DO NIGHT SHIFT AND DAY SHIFT BACK TO BACK. I TEACH PATIENT QUALITY AND SAFETY CLASSES. I HAVE SEEN AND TELL MY STUDENTS ABOUT INSTANCES WHERE NURSES HAVE, IN THE YEARS PAST WORKED TOO MANY CONSECUTIVE SHIFTS, PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER AND THEN PUT PATIENTS IN DANGER, AND BAD THINGS HAVE HAPPENED. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING, THAT THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING ON ON THE FRONT LINES, AT THE AT THE ACTUAL, AT THE ACTUAL, THE FRONT LINES WITH THE, THE DISPATCH. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE KEOLIS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. [02:10:02] AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAPMETRO STAFF CAN DO TO ENSURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT IS BEING THAT IS BEING RUNNING THAT IS RUNNING A NIGHT SHIFT, GETTING A SHORT BREAK, AND THEN COMING BACK AND RUNNING TWO DOUBLES ON THE DAY SHIFT. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THAT IS, IN MY MIND AS A AS A NURSE, SOMEBODY IN PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT'S DANGEROUS WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING AN OPERATING HEAVY MACHINERY, THAT THAT IS THAT IS JUST DANGEROUS. AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE FRONTLINE PEOPLE THAT WE THAT, THAT WE, THAT WE SUPPORT AND ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE. AND WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO, AS BOARD MEMBERS KNOW ALL THE DETAILS WE GIVE THEM AS AS BRANT PAYNE SAID, WE GIVE WE GIVE OUR CONTRACTOR A NUMBER AND SAY, GO. AND THEN THE CONTRACTOR SITS DOWN WITH THE UNION AND Y'ALL ARE SUPPOSED TO NEGOTIATE. BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE, AS I COME BACK TO MY MAJOR POINT THERE, CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND GOOD, GOOD COMMUNICATION, CLEAR EXPECTATIONS THAT PLEASE THAT THAT WHATEVER Y'ALL CAN DO. I KNOW SINCE I'M WALKING OUT HERE, I DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT, BUT THAT THAT CAP METRO STAFF CAN LEVERAGE OUR ROLE PER WHATEVER THE CONTRACT REQUIRES TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT THINGS HAPPEN WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THAT CONTRACT, TO ENSURE THAT KEOLIS IS MEETING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES CONTRACTUALLY FOR THE GOOD OF THE TAXPAYERS AND CAP METRO AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE AND THE EMPLOYEES AND THE OPERATORS AND THE MECHANICS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE UNION JUST AS MUCH AS THE UNION MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO COME TO THE TABLE AND MAKE REASONABLE REQUESTS SO THAT WE CAN ALL WALK OUT OF THIS TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. THANK YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE, BEFORE WE BEFORE WE WALK INTO OUR THE NEXT PART OF THE MEETING, I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE ROLE AS A BOARD AND WE UNDERSTAND THE ROLE AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE PLAY IN PUBLIC TRANSIT IN THIS COMMUNITY. WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY, AND WE WILL WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE WE PUT ALL THINGS ON THE TABLE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN TRULY WHAT WE CAN TRULY DO AS AN ORGANIZATION TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. SO THAT IS OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU. WE, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE WILL BE WORKING AND WE. AND WE WILL DO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT MAKES SENSE AND THAT WE CAN DO. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE NEXT PORTION OF THE MEETING IS GOING TO [V. Advisory Committee Updates] BE OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES. AND I THINK PETER BRERETON IS GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE FOR US. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TREVELYAN, VICE CHAIR, ELLIS, PRESIDENT AND CEO, WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS PETER BRENNAN. I AM THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES. SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE, OUR ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES MET AT THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIMES. THE MAIN TOPIC AT BOTH THE ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES WAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE ACCESSIBILITY TRAININGS FOR OPERATORS PRESENTED BY LAUREL BEDNAR. DEMAND RESPONSE OPERATIONS INSTRUCTOR DANNY ROCK, BUS OPERATIONS TRAINING MANAGER LUIS FRIEDLANDER, ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SPECIALIST, AND OLIVIA JONES, DIRECTOR OF THE OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER AND TRAINING. ADDITIONALLY, WE REACHED OUT TO ALL COMMITTEE MEMBERS AS A PART OF OUR PROPOSED 2027 AND 2029 FARE INCREASE ENGAGEMENT, AND THE PHONE CALLS HAVE GONE WELL. WE CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE THEIR FEEDBACK AND PARTICIPATION AND RESPOND TO ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS THEY MAY HAVE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH. THANK YOU AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LOOKS LIKE NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA WILL BE OUR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES. [VI. Board Committee Updates] AND IT LOOKS LIKE LAST MONTH OPERATIONS, OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY DID NOT MEET. FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION DID NOT MEET. CAMPO DID NOT MEET. AND IT LOOKS LIKE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP DID MEET AND I WILL GIVE THAT UPDATE. THE PARTNERSHIP BOARD MET ON JULY 15TH. WE HAD STANDARD ITEMS THAT INCLUDED APPROVING A CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES. WE, WE HAD A BUDGET LAYOUT FOR THOSE ITEMS CREATED A LOT OF DISCUSSION. STAFF HAS BUILT IN THE APPROPRIATE OFF RAMPS TO MITIGATE LONG TERM RISK WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN EACH SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE CAN PROCEED AND [02:15:04] KEEP THE PROGRAM MOVING. FINALLY, THE ATP BOARD HEARD AN UPDATE FROM THE AUDIT TEAM ON THE NEXT BOARD MEETING HAS NOT BEEN SCHEDULED YET. SO THAT IS THAT IS THE THE BOARD UPDATE FOR THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP. WE NOW ARE TAKING UP REGULAR ACTION ITEMS WERE POSTED FOR ACTION ON TEN ITEMS TODAY. [VII.1. Approval of minutes from the June 22, 2026 board meeting.] FIRST OF WHICH WILL BE APPROVAL OF OUR MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 22ND BOARD MEETING. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE BOARD MEETING ON THE 22ND. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER ELLIS AND OKAY. BOARD MEMBER STRATTON. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 22ND. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. LET ME READ ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO. [VII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish the relationship and responsibilities between the parties for the I-35 Capital Express Central project and to waive all rail right of way application and annual license fees for currently unlicensed utility providers who are required to relocate their utilities as part of the project.] AND IN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT, CEO, OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. TXDOT TO ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN THE PARTIES FOR THE I-35 CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL PROJECT AND TO WAIVE ALL WELL, ALL RAIL RIGHT OF WAY APPLICATION AND ANNUAL LICENSURE FEES FOR CURRENTLY UNLICENSED UTILITY PROVIDERS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO RELOCATE THEIR UTILITIES AS A PART OF THE PROJECT. AND I THINK KEN CARTWRIGHT WILL PRESENT THAT FOR US. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAVILLION BOARD MEMBERS. PRESIDENT CEO WATKINS. I'M KEN CARTWRIGHT, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES. AND AS YOU INTRODUCE THIS ITEM, I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS NOW WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FOR THE I-35 CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL PROJECT. IT'S BEEN A LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THEM FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT. AND ULTIMATELY, WE'RE ALL WORKING TOWARD MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE CENTRAL TEXAS REGION AS PART OF THIS. AND THIS NOW IS CULMINATING IN THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES TO ADVANCE THAT PROJECT. AND I'LL SHARE THE BACKGROUND WITH YOU HERE. SO INCLUDED IN THIS AGREEMENT ARE TXDOT RESPONSIBILITIES AS WELL AS CAPMETRO RESPONSIBILITIES. UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL CROSS THE RAIL RIGHT OF WAY AT TWO LOCATIONS. ONE IS AT FOURTH STREET LEADING TO THE DOWNTOWN STATION, AND THE OTHER IS AT I-35 AND AIRPORT BOULEVARD. AND SO AT EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS, TXDOT WILL BE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS. AT THE FOURTH STREET LOCATION. THEY WILL BE CONSTRUCTING A NEW RAIL BRIDGE INTO THE DOWNTOWN STATION. AND AT I-35 AND AIRPORT BOULEVARD, THEY WILL IMPROVE THE EXISTING RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE THERE, THEY'RE ADDING A SECOND TRACK, AND IN THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, THEY WILL CREATE A TEMPORARY TRACK SO THAT THAT PROJECT WILL NOT DISRUPT TRAIL. EXCUSE ME, RAIL TRAFFIC FOR THE DURATION OF THAT PROJECT. THE THIRD PROJECT THEN IS AT I-35 AND THE CAPMETRO TECH RIDGE PARK AND RIDE. AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, THEY WILL BE PROVIDING A CONSTRUCTING AN OVERHEAD RAMP FROM I-35 INTO THAT PARK AND RIDE TO MAKE INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR OUR BUSSES MUCH FASTER AND MUCH SAFER. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS AGREEMENT IS FOR THE DURATION OF THE FOURTH STREET PROJECT, WHERE WE WILL BE CLOSING COMMUTER RAIL TRAFFIC INTO THE DOWNTOWN STATION. TEX-DOT WILL BE REIMBURSING THE AGENCY FOR WHAT WE CALL A BUS BRIDGE, WHICH IS PROVIDING BUS TRANSPORTATION TO RAIL RIDERS FOR THE POINT AT WHICH WE STOP SERVICE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. WE WILL THEN TRANSPORT PASSENGERS INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA FOR THE DURATION OF THAT PROJECT. AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, THEN TXDOT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING ALL OF THESE NEW, IMPROVED IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. AND THERE'S A SIMILAR AGREEMENT FOR OUTSIDE OF THE RIGHT OF WAY. SO IN TOTAL, ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WILL BE MOVING TO TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE EQUATES TO ROUGHLY $171 MILLION IN, AGAIN, TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. ONE OTHER NOTE HERE THAT TXDOT WILL ALSO BE PROVIDING A NEW RAIL BRIDGE AT I-35 AND RIVERSIDE FOR THE UPCOMING LIGHT RAIL PROJECT. [02:20:01] AS FAR AS THE CAPMETRO RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS AGREEMENT, WE WILL BE WAIVING ALL LICENSE AGREEMENT FEES DIRECTLY TO TXDOT. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE ARE MULTIPLE UTILITIES THAT NEED TO BE RELOCATED WITHIN RAIL RIGHT OF WAY. WE WILL BE WAIVING ALL APPLICATION AND ANNUAL FEES FOR NEW LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF OUR RAIL RIGHT OF WAY, AND WE'VE RUN SOME CALCULATIONS ON THAT BY WAIVING THOSE FEES FOR AN 100 YEAR PERIOD. THAT WOULD EQUATE TO ABOUT $28 MILLION. ALSO AS PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, IT'S CLEAR CLEARLY ESTABLISHED THAT CAPMETRO WILL MAINTAIN THESE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF TXDOT RIGHT OF WAY. SO TXDOT WILL MAINTAIN THEM WITHIN THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. WE WILL MAINTAIN ALL THE NEW IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE OF THE TXDOT RIGHT OF WAY. HERE'S JUST AN OVERALL GENERAL SCHEDULE THAT TXDOT HAS PUBLISHED FOR THE I-35 CAPITAL EXPRESS CENTRAL PROJECT. YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP. IN THE MIDDLE IS THE AREA THAT'S COVERED BY THE FOURTH STREET PROJECT CALLED THE DOWNTOWN SECTOR. AND THEN IN THE LOWER RIGHT IS THE UNIVERSITY SEGMENT THAT WOULD COVER THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD CROSSING AS WELL. AND THESE ARE THE GENERAL TIME FRAMES FOR THOSE PHASES OF THE PROJECT. HERE IS JUST A FEW PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. THIS IS OUR RAIL CORRIDOR ENTERING THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THIS IS IN THE SALTILLO DEVELOPMENT AREA STANDING EAST LOOKING WEST. HOW WE CURRENTLY TRAVEL UNDERNEATH THE I-35 MAIN LANES TO GET TO THE DOWNTOWN STATION. AND THEN HERE IS A RENDERING OF WHAT THAT SIMILAR VIEW WOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE, WHERE WE ACTUALLY ARE BRIDGING OVER THE THE LOWERED MAIN LANES OF I-35 TO ACCESS THAT DOWNTOWN STATION. AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT WITH TXDOT. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER. JUST TO CLARIFY, I KNOW RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOUBLE TRACKED ON THE FOURTH STREET I-35 CROSSING. WE ARE NOT DOUBLE TRACKED CURRENTLY ON THE 51ST STREET. KIND OF THE AIRPORT BOULEVARD CROSSING. YOU'RE CORRECT. SO AS PART OF THIS, WE WILL BE DOUBLE TRACKED ON THAT AIRPORT BOULEVARD I-35 CROSSING. THAT IS CORRECT, YES. JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE PUBLIC. THAT'S AN IMPORTANT LITTLE PINCH POINT AND AN IMPORTANT PIECE JUST FOR THE FUTURE OF THE OF THE RED LINE AND FOR, YOU KNOW, BETTER USE OF THE RED LINE. GOOD POINT, GOOD POINT. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. BOARD MEMBER VELA IS THE MOTION. BOARD MEMBER. ELLIS IS A SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I ALL OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. LET ME READ THIS IN. [VII.3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a lease amendment with 1303 Properties Ltd., d/b/a Travis Properties for approximately 7,052 rentable square feet of office space on the first floor of the Travis Building located at 209 West 9th Street, Austin, TX 78701, extending the current month-to-month lease through May 31, 2027, for an additional not to exceed amount of $264,450.] LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO PRESENT IT TO US AS WELL. KEN. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A LEASE AMENDMENT WITH 1303 PROPERTIES LIMITED DBA. TRAVIS. PROPERTIES. TRAVIS. PROPERTIES FOR APPROXIMATELY 7052 RENTABLE SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE TRAVIS BUILDING, LOCATED AT 209 WEST NINTH STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78702. EXTENDING THE CURRENT MONTH TO MONTH LEASE THROUGH MAY 31ST, 2027 FOR AN ADDITIONAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $264,450. THANK YOU, CHAIR TRAVILLION. AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS A LEASE EXTENSION FOR A FACILITY THAT THE AGENCY CURRENTLY LEASES. THIS PARTICULAR FACILITY, THIS LEASED AREA, HOUSES OUR DEMAND RESPONSE ELIGIBILITY CENTER. AND IF YOU RECALL, THE BOARD RECENTLY AWARDED A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO REMODEL OUR BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET AT 624 NORTH PLEASANT VALLEY TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEW ELIGIBLE ELIGIBILITY CENTER. AND BY VIRTUE OF DOING THAT, THEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO TERMINATE THE LEASE THAT WE HAVE DOWNTOWN AND MOVE INTO FULLY OWNED CAPMETRO SPACE AT THAT POINT IN TIME? THERE WILL BE A PERIOD BETWEEN WHEN THE CURRENT LEASE ENDS AND WHEN WE COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION, ROUGHLY IN THAT MAY 2027 TIME FRAME THAT WE WILL NEED TO CONTINUE THIS LEASE. SO WE ARE ASKING THE BOARD'S AUTHORIZATION TO CONTINUE LEASE UNTIL THAT POINT IN TIME, AT WHICH TIME WE'LL BE VACATING AND TERMINATING THE LEASE. [02:25:05] AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER ELLIS WITH THE MOTION. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER BANGLES WITH THE WITH THE SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER THREE. LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED SAME SIGN. ALL RIGHT, CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. I WAS ABOUT TO DISCUSS IT SOME MORE, SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. CALLING UP ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR. [VII.4. Approval of a resolution ratifying a contract modification to CapMetro's freight operations contract with Watco Companies, LLC (Watco) to reimburse Watco in amount not to exceed $3,208,721 for infrastructure repairs made as a result of flooding in July 2025.] I'LL READ IT. I'LL READ IT IN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION RATIFYING A CONTRACT MODIFICATION TO CAP METRO'S FREIGHT OPERATIONS CONTRACT WITH WATCO COMPANIES, LLC TO REIMBURSE WATCO AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,208,721 FOR INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS MADE AS A RESULT OF FLOODING IN JULY OF 2025. ANDY CYBULSKI IS GOING TO MAKE THAT PRESENTATION. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. CEO WATKINS. MY NAME IS ANDY SCHABOWSKI. I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HERE AT CAPMETRO. THIS ITEM IS AS YOU ARE, AS YOU REMEMBER BACK IN JULY 4TH OF 2025. THERE WAS SOME FLOODING THAT OCCURRED THAT CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGES TO THE WEST SUB OF OUR FREIGHT RAILROAD, AWESOME WESTERN RAILROAD. WACO CAME IN AT THAT TIME AND MADE ALL THOSE REPAIRS AND GOT THE, THE FREIGHT RAILROAD BACK UP AND RUNNING IN IN DUE COURSE IN SHORT TIME PERIOD. FOR THAT THEY'VE INVOICED THIS AMOUNT OF 3.208721 FOR TO PAY FOR THOSE REPAIRS. A PORTION OF THAT WE ARE REIMBURSING AND GETTING REIMBURSED FROM FEMA IN AYE IN ABOUT $2.2 MILLION. WE'RE GETTING FEMA REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REMAINDER THAT WILL BE COMING OUT OF CONTINGENCY FUNDS. AND THIS DOES REQUIRE WHAT'S CALLED A RATIFICATION, A CONTRACT. SINCE WE EXCEEDED THE AMOUNT WITHIN A CONTRACT, I HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND ASK FOR APPROVAL IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE THIS PAYMENT. SO WITH THAT, I HAVE ANY OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER ANY SENSE OF THE TIMETABLE ON THE FEMA REIMBURSEMENT? I THINK YOU PAY THE INVOICE AND THEN WE GET THE REIMBURSEMENT. SO YEAH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN ORDER. BUT FOR THIS FINAL DOCUMENTATION THAT WILL, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE AFTER THIS BOARD ACTION TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT. GOT IT. SO WE GOT TO SHOW THEM AN INVOICE IS PAID. GOT IT. SO ONCE THIS IS DONE THEN WE SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THEN WE WAIT FOR FEMA'S RESPONSE. AND THAT'S A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT. WE'RE STILL IN SOME CONVERSATIONS. WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN A BIT. GOT IT. THANK YOU. BUT WE KNOW WE DO KNOW FEMA DOES NOT WORK FAST. AND WE DO KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME WORK STOPPAGES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU FILE YOUR PAPERWORK COMPLETE AND CORRECT, IT'S STILL A MATTER OF TIME. I THINK ON THE CITY SIDE, WE'RE WAITING. WE'RE HOPING FOR I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO THAT'S GOING TO DO IS GET IN LINE. WE'RE IN LINE. THAT'S RIGHT. GOT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR. ICIC BOARD MEMBER. STRATTON. LET'S SEE, BOARD MEMBER BENGEL WITH A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION, ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU ANDY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET ME READ IN ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE, [VII.5. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with RailComm LLC (D/b/a Tracsis US) for software licensing, warranty, maintenance and hosting, with a base term of one (1) year and two (2) option years, in a total amount not to exceed $932,825.] APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH RAIL COMM LLC, DBA TRACE'S TRAXXAS USA FOR SOFTWARE LICENSING, WARRANTY, MAINTENANCE AND HOSTING. WITH A BASE TERM OF ONE YEAR AND TWO OPTION YEARS IN A TOTAL AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $932,825. AND THAT WILL BE PRESENTED BY JONATHAN TANZER. YEP. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TREVILLYAN VICE CHAIR ELLIS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT CEO WATKINS. MY NAME IS JONATHAN TANZER. I'M THE CAPMETRO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT SYSTEM, TRANSIT PRODUCT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT. AND THIS ITEM TODAY IT'S TO CONTINUE A SERVICE WE USE TO OPERATE OUR RAIL LINE CAPMETRO. IT SUPPORTS THE. [02:30:01] THIS SYSTEM AND SINCE FOR THE RAIL LINE AND CONTROLS ALL THE SIGNALS. ALLOWS DISPATCHERS TO MANAGE THE TRAINS ALONG THE RAIL LINE. AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING TO CONTINUE WITH THE BASE YEAR AND TWO OPTION YEARS. SO FOR ANOTHER FEW YEARS AND CONTINUE MAINTAINING IT. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS. HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM. BOARD MEMBER ELLIS AND BOARD. OKAY. BOARD MEMBERS. STRATTON WITH THE SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I AYE. OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX. [VII.6. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with The eConsortium Group for the replacement of the CapMetro telephone system, with a base term of three (3) years and two (2) option years, in a total amount not to exceed $1,559,441.] LET ME READ IT IN. LOOKS LIKE YOU'LL BE PRESENTING THIS ONE TO JONATHAN. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE E CONSORTIUM GROUP FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CAPMETRO TELEPHONE SYSTEM WITH A BASE TERM OF THREE YEARS AND TWO OPTION YEARS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,559,441. YEP. THANK YOU CHAIR. FOR THIS ITEM, IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS TELEPHONY MODERNIZATION. WE ARE MOVING FROM HAVING, YOU KNOW, THE OLD STYLE PHONES AT PEOPLE'S DESKS, A PHONE SYSTEM IN THE BUILDING. WE'RE ACTUALLY GETTING TAKING THAT OUT. JUST SAY OLD STYLE. OH, YEAH. I GO BACK TO YOUR ROTARY PHONES. OKAY, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. BUT JUST. YEAH. SO JUST GETTING THAT OUT OF THE BUILDING IS GOING TO BE THIS IS A SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE. IT CONNECTS TO BOTH, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE YOUR PHONE, YOUR WORKSTATION. AND THE MAIN DRIVER OF THIS TOO IS WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT CALL CENTERS. TWO ARE FOR THE CUSTOMER CARE AND DEMAND RESPONSE TEAMS THAT OPERATE METRO ACCESS, CAMERA ACCESS AND ALSO PICKUP. AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE AN INTERNAL SERVICE DESK FOR THE IT SIDE THAT SUPPORTS ALL THE OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO MOVE TO A CISCO PROVIDED SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE PHONE SYSTEM. SO IT HAS THOSE MORE MODERN CAPABILITIES OF HOW YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS CAN REACH THE CALL CENTERS, YOU KNOW, THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS, WHETHER IT'S OVER THE PHONE OR THROUGH CHAT OR THROUGH OTHER SERVICES. MANAGING A CALL CENTER ALSO INCLUDES ALL THE WORKFORCE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF HOW CALL GETS ROUTED TO THAT INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD ANSWER IT. SO IT INCLUDES THOSE TOOLS. THIS INTEGRATES WITH MICROSOFT TEAMS. SO THAT GETS RID OF THAT PHONE PIECE AND JUST ACCESSIBLE THROUGH TEAMS WHICH WE USE TO PRIMARILY COMMUNICATE ACROSS THE AGENCY. AND THEN FOR THE AGENCY VALUE IS JUST, YOU KNOW, SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE. IT'S OFF PREMISE. MORE ONLINE OR MORE ONLINE DOESN'T GET AFFECTED BY OTHER NETWORK ISSUES THAT COULD AFFECT OUR BUILDING OR WHATNOT. AND THEN JUST FOR THE CONTRACT ITSELF. SO YOU GAVE THE VALUE. IT'S JUST UNDER A $1.6 MILLION. THE BASE TERM OF THREE YEARS, IT'S FOR THREE YEARS OF SERVICE PLUS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT. AND THAT COMES TO ABOUT 1.1 MILLION. AND THEN THE OPTION YEARS, EACH ONE IS AROUND 223,000. AND THEN FOR THIS, THE CONTRACT PROCESS WAS WE DID MARKET RESEARCH. WE ACTUALLY TESTED THIS SOLUTION OUT WENT THROUGH TEXAS DA AND GOT THREE PROPOSALS AND CHOSE THIS ONE WITH AQUEOUS SODIUM GROUP. SO HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. LET'S SEE BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS OLD SCHOOL SYSTEM? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER BENGEL WITH THE MOTION. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER ROSS WITH THE SECOND. OKAY. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALL RIGHT. ONE MORE TIME FOR YOU. IS THIS AN OLD SCHOOL SYSTEM, TOO? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. NUMBER SEVEN. APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER [VII.7. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR), to renew Salesforce Marketing and Data Cloud Licensing for a term of one (1) year, in a total amount not to exceed $321,750.] [02:35:06] DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES. DIR TO RENEW SALES FORCE MARKETING AND DATA CLOUD LICENSING FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR IN IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $321,750. PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU CHAIR, FOR READ THE ITEM. SO FOR THIS ONE WE HAVE SALESFORCE TO FOR CUSTOMER CARE. THE MAIN PART IS FOR CUSTOMER CARE TO PUT THE CUSTOMER REPORTS IN. THAT WAS A BOARD ACTION A FEW MONTHS AGO. THIS SECOND BOARD ACTION FOR SALESFORCE. IT'S PARTICULAR TO THE MARKETING AND DATA CLOUD, WHICH ARE USED TO BOTH HAVE OR BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO CUSTOMERS THROUGH MARKETING AND ALSO HAVE THE DATA SO WE KNOW WHICH CUSTOMERS TO REACH OUT TO, WHICH YOU KNOW, KIND OF SEGMENTS WE CAN HAVE FOR MARKETING EFFORTS. AND SO THIS IS BEEN AROUND SINCE 2024. THIS IS THE KIND OF SECOND RENEWAL OF THIS LICENSING. AND WE JUST DO IT ONE YEAR AT A TIME, BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS. ANY QUESTIONS. HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. BOARD MEMBER VELEZ, THE MOTION IS THERE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER STRATTON IS A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE. LET ME READ IN ACTION ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. [VII.8. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with EXOS Works, Inc for Wellness Program Services, with a base term of 2 years and 3 option years, in a total amount not to exceed $1,991,858.] AND IT IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH EXOS WORKS, INC. FOR WELLNESS PROGRAM SERVICES, WITH A BASE TERM OF TWO YEARS AND A THREE AND THREE OPTION YEARS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $1,991,857. AND IT WILL BE PRESENTED BY J.P.. I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAVILLION BOARD. MEMBERS. SEE YOU IN PRESIDENT WATKINS. BUTTON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MICROPHONE. ALL RIGHT, I'LL TRY AGAIN. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAVILLION BOARD MEMBERS, CEO AND PRESIDENT WATKINS. MY NAME IS JP PARKER. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE WITH CAPMETRO. I'VE BEEN WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOR 30 DAYS, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF BRINGING FORWARD THE CONTRACT TO RENEW OUR WELLNESS PROGRAM SERVICES. SO FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT YET AWARE, CAPMETRO HAS BEEN INVESTING IN THE WELLNESS OF ITS EMPLOYEES AND SERVICE PARTNERS FOR OVER 23 YEARS. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE REPUTATION AND THE WELLNESS PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN BUILT TO DATE. AND SO THE EXTENSION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING IS TO CONTINUE THE CONTRACT WITH EXOS, WHO HAS BEEN OUR SERVICE PROVIDER FOR QUITE SOME TIME. FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY, AGAIN, WE LAUNCHED IN 2003. WE RECEIVED CITY WIDE RECOGNITION THROUGHOUT THE 20 TENS AND 2020S. WE HAVE FOUR GYMS CURRENTLY IN PLACE AND A FIFTH COMING ONCE WE HAVE OUR NORTH BASE SET UP IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO WHAT DOES EXOS PROVIDE TO US IS A HOLISTIC WELLNESS PROGRAM SERVICE WHICH INCLUDES PHYSICAL WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AND HOLISTIC SUPPORT, AS WELL AS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND COMPLIANCE THINGS GOING FROM ERGONOMICS TO MENTAL HEALTH TO ON SITE COACHING AND PERSONAL TRAINING BIKE LOAN. AND THEY ALSO FACILITATE OUR ANNUAL WELLNESS FAIR, WHICH HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE CURRENTLY TO HELP CREATE GOALS FOR THEM TO IMPROVE UPON THEIR WELLNESS. SO THE WELLNESS PROGRAM OFFERED BY EXOS, AGAIN FOR DEDICATED COACHES THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, OUR GYMS ARE OPEN 24 OVER SEVEN. THEY COORDINATE TEAM FITNESS ACTIVITIES. THEY LEAD CLASSES. THEY DO PERSONAL TRAINING. THEY OFFER SUGGESTIONS FOR NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS. AND IT IS NOT AN OLD SCHOOL PROGRAM. THEY DO OFFER IN APP BENEFITS, INCLUDING DIRECT DIALOG WITH YOUR FITNESS COACHES, YOUR PLANNING REMINDERS IN TERMS OF YOUR NUTRITIONAL GOALS AND EVEN STREAMING CAPABILITIES WITH WORKOUT VIDEOS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO DO WORK REMOTELY. SO A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS IN TERMS OF OUR OVERALL PROGRAM ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE SEEN 2,020% MEMBERSHIP GROWTH SINCE 2023. THE BREAKDOWN OF USERS IS ACTUALLY ABOUT 80%, OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS 20%. OUR EMPLOYEES OF CAPMETRO IN OUR GYMS SEE ABOUT 50 REGISTERED VISITS PER DAY IN OUR [02:40:03] FACILITIES. SOME OF THE TESTIMONIALS THAT WE'VE SEEN A THIS SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIP HAS MADE MY LONG TERM HEALTH JOURNEY MUCH MORE EASIER TO MANAGE. CONSISTENCY AND EXERCISE IS REALLY SOMETHING THE WELLNESS COACHES HAVE HELPED ME ACHIEVE, AND ONE PERSON EVEN COMMENTED, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOSE OVER 40 POUNDS AND HAVE ALL OF MY HEALTH MARKERS AT OPTIMAL LEVELS. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO CAPMETRO AS WELL IS THAT WE ARE A SELF-FUNDED BENEFITS PLAN. SO ALL OF OUR INVESTMENTS IN EMPLOYEE WELLNESS ACTUALLY BENEFITS THE PLAN BY SEEING LESS PEOPLE GOING TO THE DOCTOR. SO THE RESOLUTION THAT WAS READ WAS TO CONTINUE THE CONTRACT THAT WE'VE HAD WITH XOS WITH QUITE SOME TIME. IT WAS A COMPETITIVE REVIEW PROCESS WITH FOUR OTHER PEOPLE SUBMITTING MATERIALS TO US. BUT WE'VE MADE THE DECISION TO STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH XOS. THAT CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THAT ALMOST SOUNDED LIKE FOUR PEOPLE WORKING OUT FOR ME. ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD, BOARD MEMBER ROSS. I LOVE THIS FOR EMPLOYEES. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHO BUT WHO ARE THE SERVICE IS THAT FOLKS? OKAY. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE. AND THEN THE ONLY THING I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN WITH THE PRESENTATION, BUT DIDN'T SEE IT AS WE'RE WHERE THE METRICS. EXACTLY WHAT ARE I MEAN, THE FEEL GOOD OBVIOUSLY IS GREAT, BUT WHERE, WHERE ARE THE METRICS ON EXACTLY WHERE WE SEE IN HEALTH CARE COSTS THAT COME DOWN ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. DO YOU HAVE THAT? YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION. IT'S A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGING TO GET DIRECT METRICS ON HOW WELLNESS PROGRAMS BENEFIT CAP METRICS, SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HAVE VISIBILITY TO A LOT OF THE HEALTH RELATED THINGS OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ON OUR BENEFITS PLAN. SO WE CAN'T GO TO THE BENEFITS PLAN AND SAY, WHO ARE OUR BIGGEST CLAIMANTS? WHAT DO THEY HAVE? DO THEY HAVE DIABETES? DO THEY HAVE CANCER? DO THEY HAVE WHATEVER? I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF PROTECTED HEALTH INFORMATION. THAT SAID, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A RECENT STUDY BY HARVARD UNIVERSITY, AND I MADE A NOTE OF IT THAT SAID FOR EVERY $3, EXCUSE ME, FOR EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND ON EMPLOYEE WELLNESS, YOU SAVE $3.27 IN HEALTH CARE COSTS. AND ALSO FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON WELLNESS, YOU SAVE $2.73 IN ABSENTEE COSTS. SO THAT'S JUST GENERAL MARKET INFORMATION IN TERMS OF HOW WELLNESS PROGRAMS BENEFIT AN ORGANIZATION. SO MAYBE WE CAN'T GET OUTCOMES BECAUSE OF HONDA DATA. BUT CAN WE GET SOMETHING THAT TELLS US X NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS USED IT. AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF HOURS MAYBE IT WAS USED. SURE. JUST SOMETHING THAT GIVES US SOME INDICATOR THAT IT IS BEING USED CONSISTENTLY AND IT SEEMS TO BE POPULAR. SURE THING. HAPPY TO DIG INTO ADDITIONAL DATA. I DO, I CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE ABOUT 50 GYM VISITS PER DAY. OKAY. AND THAT'S GREAT. AND AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUSH BACK, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S $2 MILLION AND, AND I WOULD LOVE TO INVEST IN THIS PROGRAM, BUT WITH THE DATA PROVIDED, I REALLY STRUGGLE WITH IT BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T SEE ANY REAL NUMBERS. AND IT SORT OF BRINGS ME A LOT BACK TO THE DAYCARE SITUATION WE HAD, WHICH 30 DAYS AGO YOU OBVIOUSLY, BUT IT'S LIKE WE'RE BENEFITING SO FEW EMPLOYEES THAT DOES SOMETHING NEED TO BE REIMAGINED AND RETHOUGHT BECAUSE I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN PROACTIVE HEALTH CARE AND NOT THE REACTIVE THAT WE DEAL WITH A LOT OF TIMES. SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY STRUGGLE WITH BEING AS. I DON'T THINK I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT, BUT THANK YOU. YEAH, HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT. AND WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW BACK UP WITH THE BOARD TO CHAIR TREVELYAN'S POINT, WE HAVE A LOT OF USAGE METRICS. WE FIND THESE PROGRAMS, THIS PROGRAM, PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES WHO BY LAW HAVE TO PASS A PHYSICAL EXAM. AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROGRAM THAT IS A, HEY, COME GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE LIKELY TO TRIP YOU UP IN GETTING YOUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PHYSICAL. AND LET'S HELP YOU GET READY TO GO THROUGH THAT. SO WE WILL ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW UP WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO THE BOARD. AND THE OTHER THING THAT THAT WHEN I WAS A MANAGER AT THE CITY, SOMETIMES THERE WOULD BE SERVICES THAT WERE AVAILABLE THAT PEOPLE NEEDED, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THEIR NAME ON THE LIST AND THEY WOULDN'T USE THEM BECAUSE OF THAT. SO THE QUESTION BECOMES, HOW DO WE GET HOW ARE WE ABLE TO COUNT BUT HAVE THE ANONYMITY THAT'S NECESSARY SO THAT A PERSON IS COMFORTABLE USING THE SERVICE. SO IT'S A IT'S A BALANCE. IT'S DEFINITELY A BALANCING ACT. AND I UNDERSTAND HIPAA AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS. I'M NOT ASKING FOR SOMEBODY TO TELL ME WHAT THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE IS, BUT I DO THINK THERE'S A WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TRACK SOME METRICS. AND TO YOUR POINT, WITH THE HARVARD STUDY, HOW IS THAT APPLICABLE? I MEAN, THAT'S GREAT. I LOVE IT, BUT HOW HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO CAPMETRO AND THE MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING? IT JUST I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? FURTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER. STRATTON. [02:45:03] BOARD AND ZO. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM EIGHT AS PRESENTED. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I WILL NOTE THAT BOARD MEMBER ROSS WAS NO. AND CHAIR TRAVILLION WILL BE A YES. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET ME LET ME READ ITEM NUMBER NINE N AND THAT IS APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING [VII.9. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with W.W. Grainger for bus and building parts and small tools and equipment for a base term of fifteen (15) months with two (2) option years, in a total amount not to exceed $3,040,870.] THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH W.W. GRAINGER FOR BUS AND BUILDING PARTS AND SMALL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR BASE TERM OF 15 MONTHS WITH TWO OPTION YEARS IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,040,870. AND IT WILL BE PRESENTED BY MICHELLE. STEINDLER. YES. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAVILLION BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS. MICHELLE STYLER, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FOR CAPMETRO. I'M HERE TO BRING FORWARD THE CONTRACT FOR SUPPLY OF CAT METRO'S BUS AND BUILDING PARTS, AS WELL AS SMALL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT. I SEEK APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH W.W. GRAINGER, INC.. THIS IS A BUDGETED ITEM WITH A BASE TERM OF 15 MONTHS. THE EXECUTION DATE WILL BE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, WITH TWO OPTION YEARS AND A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,040,869. NEARLY EVERY DEPARTMENT WITHIN CAPMETRO HAS CONSUMABLES, TOOLS, AND PARTS THAT ARE PROCURED THROUGH GRANGER. THE AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT CATEGORY DISCOUNTS OF CATALOG PRICING RANGING FROM 5% TO 32%. THIS VENDOR MAINTAINS LOCAL INVENTORY, WHICH REDUCES OUR NEED TO MAINTAIN STOCK AND INVENTORY. THIS AGREEMENT WILL ALSO HELP MAINTAIN OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND ENSURE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER NINE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER. BENGAL. BOARD MEMBER. SHANNON. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER NINE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING NONE, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS. ALRIGHT. AND THE LAST ACTION ITEM FOR TODAY IS ACTION ITEM TEN. [VII.10. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Tryggr Roofing & Construction LLC for roof replacement at the Administration, Fleet Maintenance, and Fuel & Wash Buildings located at 2910 E. 5th Street, Austin, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $676,691.] I'LL READ IT IN APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH A TRIGGER, TRIGGER ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT AT THE ADMINISTRATION, FLEET MAINTENANCE AND FUEL AND WATCH BUILDINGS LOCATED AT 2910 EAST FIFTH STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $676,691. JEFF HILL WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION FOR US. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. CHAIRMAN TRAVILLION BOARD CEO, PRESIDENT WATKINS. WELL, I'M BACK AT IT AGAIN TRYING TO GET THIS ROOF REPLACED AS REACHED THE END OF ITS LIFE CYCLE. IT'S AN OLD STYLE ROOF. AND WE NEED TO REPLACE. AND AGAIN IT'S A ROOF THAT DEFINITELY COVERS THE BUILDING WHERE THE HEALTH CENTER IS, WHERE I'VE LOST 28 POUNDS. SO IT DEFINITELY WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THAT. BUT AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS APPROVED SO WE CAN GET THIS PROJECT STARTED. OKAY. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS. ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING? NONE. LET'S SEE. CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER TEN. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER VELLA WANTS THE OLD SCHOOL ROOF GONE. OKAY. BOARD MEMBER ELLIS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED THAT WE APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER TEN. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING I OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. HEARING LOSS, A HEARING NONE. [02:50:02] THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS, AND I HOPE THAT YOU CAN GET 28 MORE POUNDS OUT OF THE NEW ROOF. THANK YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO BE MUCH LEFT. 28 POUNDS. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR SPENDING THIS AMOUNT OF TIME WITH US. WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE ON TO TODAY'S DISCUSSION ITEMS. [VIII.1. FY2027 Budget Proposal] AND WE HAVE TWO, FIRST OF WHICH IS GOING TO BE OUR FY 2027 BUDGET. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET AND, AND KEVIN CONLON'S GOING TO MAKE THAT PRESENTATION FOR US. PLEASE PROCEED. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TRAVILLION BOARD MEMBERS, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS. MY NAME IS KEVIN CONLON AND I SERVE AS CAP METRO'S CFO. TODAY, I'LL BE HERE THIS AFTERNOON TO GO THROUGH OUR FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET PROPOSAL. JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD, THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 STARTS IN OCTOBER OF THIS CURRENT YEAR AND ENDS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2027. SO TODAY WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET, HAVE OUR OPERATING BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, AND THEN GIVE A QUICK UPDATE ON OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. JUST TO START WITH THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR, WE STARTED OUR BUDGET PROCESS IN FEBRUARY WITH OUR KICKOFF MEETING WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS IN APRIL. WE RECEIVED IN ALL OF OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL REQUESTS FROM THE AGENCY. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH NUMEROUS REVIEWS AND MEETINGS TO GET TO THE BUDGET TODAY TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I WAS HERE IN JUNE JUST TO GIVE AN INITIAL REVIEW OF THE BUDGET AND OVERVIEW FOR THE BOARD IN JULY AND AUGUST. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE'LL GO TO ACCESS ADVISORY WITH THE BUDGET PROPOSAL, OUR CSAC AND CSAC COMMITTEES AS WELL. AND WE'LL ALSO GO TO THE PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND PRESENT TO THEM AS WELL. WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET DOCUMENT POSTED ONLINE BY AUGUST 21ST. GIVE UPDATES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OR COMMITTEES IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER IF NEED BE. WE'LL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET FOR ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, AND THEN ASK THE BOARD TO AMEND AND ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THE SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING. SO JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET. WE DO HAVE A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT'S STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND BALANCE. WE HAVE ONGOING REVENUE THAT'S SUFFICIENT TO FUND OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE AGENCY. WE'RE MEETING ALL OF OUR RESERVE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AGENCY AS WELL. THAT INCLUDES OUR STATUTORY OPERATING BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVES. THOSE ARE FULLY FUNDED, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THAT DETAIL IN AN UPCOMING SLIDE. WE'RE PROJECTING SALES TAX GROWTH NEXT YEAR OF 2% OVER OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026 FORECAST. AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE DID HAVE DECLINING GROWTH IN BOTH FISCAL YEARS 2024 AND 2025. FORTUNATELY, WE DO HAVE UPWARD TREND FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. OUR SERVICE FUNDING FOR OUR DIFFERENT MODES OF TRANSPORT. IT'S BASED ON OUR AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES, WHICH THE BOARD WAS BRIEFED ON AND VOTED ON AT THE APRIL BOARD. AND OF COURSE, WE DO INVEST IN CUSTOMER FOCUSED TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. SO MOVING ON, THIS IS A JUST A DEPICTION OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY. ON THE LEFT IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET REVENUE. WE'RE ESTIMATING OPERATING REVENUE AT $508.9 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PIE CHART ON THE LEFT, WE'RE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON SALES TAX. IT'S 82% OF THAT PROJECTED OPERATING REVENUE. NEXT IS GRANTS. WE HAVE 5307 FORMULA GRANTS. A SMALL PORTION FOR THE CLIMATE POLLUTION REDUCTION GRANT AND OUR GRANT FUNDING AS WELL, ALONG WITH OUR FAIR REVENUE BEING 3% OF THE PIE. OUR FREIGHT REVENUE. AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE AS WELL. ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WE'RE PROJECTING OPERATING EXPENSES AT JUST OVER $485 MILLION. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE BIG BLUE PORTION OF THE PIE, HALF OF THE BUDGET PAYS FOR OUR CONTRACTED TRANSIT SERVICES. NOW, WE DO HAVE SOME CHANGES COMING UP FOR NEXT BUDGET, WHICH IS WHICH ARE DRIVING COSTS UP. WE'RE INCLUDING, OF COURSE, THE INCREASED FREQUENCY FOR OUR TWO NEW CAP METRO RAPID LINES. THAT'S GOING TO BE A FULL YEAR OF INCREASED FREQUENCY. THIS CURRENT YEAR, WE ONLY HAD FOUR MONTHS OF THE YEAR WITH THE INCREASED FREQUENCY AND ADDITIONAL COSTS. AND THEN AS YOU'RE AWARE ALSO, WE DID ELECT TO TAKE OUR RAIL MAINTENANCE FOR OUR VEHICLES AS WELL AS THE DISPATCH AND OPERATIONS IN-HOUSE. THAT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 2027, WHICH ALSO IS DRIVING UP COSTS AS WELL, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS IF WE WOULD HAVE GONE WITH [02:55:04] A PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT AS WELL. SO MOVING ON TO OUR OPERATING COSTS, AS I SAID, OUR SERVICE LEVELS ARE BASED ON THE AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES. WE HAVE THAT FULL YEAR OF INCREASED FREQUENCY FOR PLEASANT VALLEY AND EXPO CENTER RAPID ROUTES. OUR CHANGE IN OUR RAIL STRUCTURE BEGINNING IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR. OUR FIELD PRICING ITS REMAINING HIGHER FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. WE'RE ACTUALLY ESTIMATING AT $2.90. DIESEL IS SITTING MUCH, MUCH HIGHER TODAY. THAT MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED IF IT NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, WE'LL BRING THAT CHANGE TO EITHER THE AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER COMMITTEES. CURRENTLY THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR TEN YEARS. WE HAVE NO FUEL HEDGES IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR AT ALL. WE'RE NOT OUT ON THE MARKET TO BUY AT A $4 MARK FOR NEXT YEAR. CURRENTLY, WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL FOR THE PROGRAM OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. WE'VE ACTUALLY REALIZED GAINS OF MORE THAN $15 MILLION. SO WE'VE DONE REALLY WELL IN THAT PART. WE DO HAVE A PERFORMANCE BASED AVERAGE ANNUALIZED PAY INCREASE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES. AND OF COURSE, WE DO TAKE THE STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES IN TO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET PREPARATION. SO THIS IS A DEPICTION OF OUR OPERATING EXPENSES IN THE FIRST COLUMN. WE HAVE OUR 2025 LAST YEAR ACTUALS, FOLLOWED BY THIS CURRENT YEAR 26 BUDGET, FOLLOWED BY OUR 27 PROJECTED BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT EXPENSE CATEGORIES ARE ALONG THE ROWS. NOTABLY, SALARIES AND BENEFITS ARE GOING UP DUE TO MERIT PENSION BENEFIT INCREASES, BUT PRIMARILY BRINGING THOSE 88 RAIL EMPLOYEES IN HOUSE IS WHAT'S DRIVING THAT LINE ITEM. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IS ALSO GETTING A PORTION OF THE EXPENSE FROM RAIL FOR BOTH STADLER AND OUR MAINTENANCE OF WAY CONTRACT. THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT ONE IS PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION. AND OF COURSE, I MENTIONED THAT WITH THE INCREASED FREQUENCY ON BOTH EXPOCENTRE AND PLEASANT VALLEY ROUTES AS WELL. AND THEN FOR OTHER EXPENSES, THAT'S MAINLY DRIVEN BY ABOUT AN ESTIMATED $7 MILLION OF RAIL INSURANCE, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE TO PULL OUR OWN INSURANCE NOW WITH HERZOG NOT PROVIDING THAT AS THEY CURRENTLY DO SERVICE LEVELS. SO THIS IS SHOWING THAT WE'VE PROJECTED JUST ABOUT FLAT SERVICE LEVEL BETWEEN THE 26 AND 27 BUDGET. WE'VE ALSO PUT ON THE GRAPH THE 23, 24 AND 25 ACTUAL SERVICE HOURS IN MILLIONS OF HOURS. THE NOTABLE INCREASE IS ON THE CAP METRO RAPID LINE ITEM. AND THAT'S GOING UP ABOUT 52,000 HOURS FOR RAPID WITH THAT INCREASED FREQUENCY. MOVING ON TO REVENUE OR FARE REVENUE IS BASED ON OUR RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS AND OUR. AND WE'VE PROPOSED THAT FOR WHAT WE DO HAVE A PROPOSED JANUARY 2027 FARE INCREASE AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD IN SEPTEMBER. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $40 MILLION IN SECTION 53 FUND, 5307 FUNDS ON THE OPERATING SIDE, AND THEN ON THE FREIGHT RAILROAD REVENUE SIDE. WE ARE ON TRACK WITH OUR $5.4 MILLION BUDGET AND A SIMILAR BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR. SO THIS IS A REVENUE COMPARISON IN A SIMILAR FORMAT AS OUR OPERATING EXPENSE. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE DO HAVE AN UPTICK IN OUR FORECAST FOR SALES TAX. YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE ACTUALLY UP TICKING ABOUT $10.4 MILLION, WHICH IS GOOD. WE PROJECTED A MUCH LOWER PROJECTION. WE HAVE EIGHT MONTHS RECEDED THROUGH THE CURRENT YEAR. SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE MAJOR NEWS AND THE REVENUE COMPARISON, BUT IT'S GOOD NEWS. IT'S STARTING TO FILL THE TROUGH THAT WAS CREATED IN 24 AND 25 HASN'T FILLED IT ALL THE WAY. IT'S A TROUGH. IT'S NOT A WHOLE OPERATING CONTRIBUTIONS AND GRANTS ARE DOWN. WE HAVE AN ACCOUNTING TREATMENT CHANGE FOR OUR EIGHT FOR OUR PROJECT CONNECT SPENDING. SO BASICALLY WE'RE FUNDING OUR OWN PROJECT CONNECT SPENDING FOR OUR SIDE OF THE HOUSE FOR PICKUP, OUR TWO METRO RAPID LINES. AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH A SEMIANNUAL CONTRIBUTION THAT WE SET ASIDE TO FUND THOSE ACTIVITIES. CAPITAL GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING UP YEAR OVER YEAR, MAINLY DUE TO HYBRID BUS PURCHASES NEXT YEAR. AND A LARGE SECTION OF 53, 39 AYE AND 5307 GRANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE HYBRID BUS PURCHASES NEXT YEAR. SO HERE'S A GRAPH OF OUR SALES TAX REVENUE. YOU CAN SEE THE FLATTENING IN 23, 24 AND 25. THE UPTICK IN 26. AND THEN WE HAVE THAT 2% INCREASE BUDGETED FOR 2027 FOR A CAPITAL [03:00:08] BUDGET. I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE ONGOING FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. OUR NORTH BASE DEMAND RESPONSE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, WHICH IS DEPICTED IN THE PICTURE HERE, OUR NORTH BURNETT UPTOWN RAIL STATION WHICH IS BEING WORKED ON THIS YEAR AND NEXT FISCAL YEAR. AS I SAID, WE HAVE MANY HYBRID BUS PURCHASES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, AND WE DO HAVE A LARGE BUS STOP ENHANCEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT CAPITAL BUDGET AS WELL FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND HERE'S OUR PROPOSED FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN LAID OUT WITH ALL THE CATEGORIES ON THE ROSE IN THE TOP, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A PLAN THAT'S ALMOST $649 MILLION, NEXT YEAR IS $202 MILLION, WITH A $10 MILLION CONTINGENCY IN. AND THEN RIGHT BELOW THAT, WE BREAK OUT WHAT THE LOCAL FUNDING VERSUS THE GRANTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE. WE HAVE A HEALTHY AMOUNT FOR OUR TOTAL GRANT AND CONTRIBUTION LINE OF ALMOST $235 MILLION. AND THEN WE ALSO BREAK OUT OUR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AND ENHANCEMENTS BY PROJECT. ALSO FOR THE TOTAL OF $647 MILLION. AND JUST TO SUMMARIZE IT, WE'RE LETTING THE BOARD KNOW WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE AND RESERVE MAKEUP IS PROJECTED TO BE. WE'RE PROJECTING TO BEGIN THE YEAR AT $445 MILLION, ADDING IN OUR REVENUE, TAKING AWAY OUR OPERATING EXPENSES AND CAPITAL PROJECTS SPEND ALONG WITH OUR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS. WE'RE PROJECTING TO DROP DOWN TO $328.8 MILLION ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN. THAT $328.8 MILLION IS MADE UP PRIMARILY OF RESERVES. AS I SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE OUR STATUTORY OPERATING BUDGET STABILIZATION RESERVES, WHICH REPRESENT IN TOTAL THREE MONTHS OF OPERATING SPEND FULLY RESERVED ALONG WITH OUR OTHER RESERVES. AND THEN WE HAVE $148.7 MILLION LEFT OVER FOR OUR FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN. THIS IS JUST A DEPICTION OF OUR LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL, STACKING OUR OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENSES WITH THE BLUE AND ORANGE BARS, FOLLOWED BY A GREEN LINE FOR REVENUE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY OUR PROJECTED EXPENSES ARE HIGHER THAN OUR REVENUE. WE DO HAVE THAT ONE TIME ACCUMULATED FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR OUR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS. WE HAVE ONGOING REVENUE ASSUMPTION THAT'S SUFFICIENT TO MEET ALL OF OUR OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS THROUGH 2030. WE REALLY STRIVE TO TAKE A STRATEGIC LOOK IN OUR FINANCES AT CAPMETRO AND ENSURE THAT WE'RE MANAGED FOR THE NEXT 4 OR 5 YEARS. THEN, OF COURSE, IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TACKLE THE 2018 BUDGET AS WELL. WE DO HAVE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET RISK IF SALES TAX GROWTH DOESN'T DEVELOP AS WE PROJECT. THAT'S OUR MAIN RISK. AND THEN OUR NEXT STEPS, AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE PROPOSAL WITH OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES, PUBLISH OUR DRAFT ONLINE BUDGET BY AUGUST 21ST, DO BUDGET OUTREACH AND WEBINARS GIVE UPDATES TO THE BOARD AND COMMITTEES IF NECESSARY IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. OLDER PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 16TH OF SEPTEMBER. AND THEN ASKED THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL ON SEPTEMBER 28TH AND THEN BE BACK IN THE FALL TO GIVE THE BOARD AN UPDATE ON OUR LONG RANGE FINANCIAL PLAN AS WELL. AND THAT'S GOING TO CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. BOARD MEMBERS ANY QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD. I'M HAPPY TO KICK IT OFF. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON ALL OF THESE TIMELINES. I HAD A QUESTION ON SLIDE 13. IT TALKS ABOUT FOR THE PROJECT CONNECT CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS. IT WAS ESTIMATED OR FORECASTED FOR 2026 TO BE 37.2. I'M ASSUMING ASSUMING THAT'S A MILLION. RIGHT. BUT THE ACTUAL WAS 17.1. CAN YOU TELL ME. WHY THE ACTUALS DIDN'T COME IN THE SAME WAY? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE ON. YEAH. THAT 37.2. FY 2026 FORECAST. AND THEN THE ACTUAL BUDGET ONLY SAID 17.1. THAT'S IT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY BRINGING EVERYTHING TO FRUITION IN THIS YEAR AND STARTING THE INCREASED FREQUENCY. A LOT OF THAT ALSO HAD TO DO WITH THE PARK AND RIDES, THE TWO PARK AND RIDES AND THE ELECTRIFICATION AND GETTING ALL OF THAT DONE THIS YEAR TO MEET THE INCREASED FREQUENCY REQUIREMENT FROM THE GRANT. WE DID PUSH SOME BUILDING PROJECTS OUT IN THE FUTURE, TOO, WITH THE ILA THAT WE'VE SIGNED IN WITH ATP. [03:05:03] SO LIKE THE SOUTH BASED DEMAND RESPONSE CENTER HAS BEEN PUSHED OUT AS WELL ON THAT, BUT IT'S, IT'S MAINLY TO DO WITH THE PARK AND RIDES AND THE SPENDING AND THE COMPLETION ON THOSE TWO PROJECTS. OKAY. GOTCHA. IT JUST LOOKS LIKE LESS MONEY WAS SPENT ON THOSE PROJECTS THAN WAS ORIGINALLY FORECASTED. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS CAUSING DELAYS ON THAT ONE. THE BUDGET WAS DONE FIRST AT 17.1 AND THEN THE FORECAST WAS DONE SECOND AT 37.2. OKAY. SO WE ACTUALLY MOVED A LOT OF THAT PARK AND RIDE FOR, YOU KNOW, PROJECTED 27 FORECASTS BACK INTO 26 AS WELL. OKAY. OKAY. THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD. BOARD MEMBER. STRATTON. YEAH. KEVIN'S LAUGHING AT ME, SO JUST GO IF YOU CAN GO TO SLIDE. FAST FORWARD TO SLIDE 20 REAL QUICK. SO BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING HERE, THAT GREEN LINE REPRESENTS OUR OUR PROJECTED REVENUES OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT TEN YEARS, BASICALLY. RIGHT. CORRECT. AND AGAIN, WE, WE'RE PROJECTING THIS OUT. WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF, THIS IS A CRYSTAL BALL, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO END UP HAPPENING WITH WITH SALES TAX, WHICH IS, AS WE SAW, WHAT, ALMOST 50% OF OUR 82, 80, EXCUSE ME, 82% OF OUR REVENUE. OKAY. THAT IS DRIVING THE LARGEST FACTOR IN FORCE BEHIND WHAT WE DO AROUND HERE. RIGHT. IN THE CALCULATIONS RIGHT NOW. FIRST LET ME BACK UP. HOW LONG HAS OUR FAIR BEEN? WHAT IT HAS BEEN? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I REMEMBER IN THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST, THAT WE HAD EVER TAKEN A VOTE ON A FARE INCREASE WITH CAPMETRO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THE ONLY REALLY FARE CHANGE HAS BEEN TO REMOVE THE PREMIUM FARE, WHICH USED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH RAPID. THE DOLLAR AND A QUARTER CAME ONLINE IN 2015, SO 11 YEARS AGO. SO IT'S BEEN 11 YEARS SINCE WE'VE HAD ANY CHANGE TO, TO, TO WHAT THE AVERAGE CONSUMER OUT THERE RIDING THE BUS WITH, WITH A DAY PASS HAS, HAS, HAS SEEN. OKAY. SO THE PROPOSAL RIGHT NOW IS TO RAISE THE PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT OUT THERE, AND WE'RE STARTING TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC IS TO TO RAISE IT BY HOW MUCH? $0.25. BY WHAT DATE FOR LOCAL. $0.25 FOR LOCAL. ON. IN JANUARY. BY JANUARY. AT THE JANUARY SERVICE CHANGE. OKAY. AND THEN AND THEN ARE WE GOING TO. DID I SAY WE'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING POSSIBLY TO DO ANOTHER ROUND A LITTLE BIT LATER WE WILL BE PROPOSING WITH THE JANUARY SERVICE CHANGE IN 2029, TO TAKE THE $1.50 TO $2, CORRECT FOR LOCAL SERVICES. SO THAT'S THAT'S ONE THAT THAT'S A QUARTER IN JANUARY OF 27. AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER RAISING IT BY AN EXTRA, YOU SAID $0.50 $0.50. CORRECT. OKAY. BUT WE HAVEN'T RAISED ANYTHING IN 11 BASICALLY 11 YEARS. CORRECT. BUT THAT IS, IS THAT FACTORED IN TO THAT, TO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN THAT GREEN LINE? IT IS. OKAY. SO IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, ARE YOU IF WE DON'T FACTOR THAT IN, ARE WE LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT WE COULD BE SEEING SOME OPERATING OPERATING IN THE RED? THEN IF WE DON'T GET SOME KIND OF EXTRA REVENUE COMING IN HERE, POTENTIALLY WITH OUR CURRENT LONG RANGE PROJECTIONS, WE'RE PROJECTING THAT IN 2031, WE'LL BE IN THE RED. NOW REMEMBER, CAPMETRO IS DEBT FREE AT THE MOMENT. WHEN I CAME ON TEN YEARS AGO, WE HAD TWO INSTRUMENTS OF DEBT, WHICH WERE WE RETIRED. WE HAD A BUS, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BUS, YOU KNOW, A PIECE OF INSTRUMENT FOR THE BUS PURCHASES AND THEN FOR RAIL CARS AS WELL. SO WE'RE DEBT FREE. WE'RE REALLY TRYING OUR HARDEST TO STAY THAT WAY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FISCAL HEALTH IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, FINANCES ARE A TEAM SPORT FOR CAPMETRO. YEAH. FOR SURE. OKAY, I APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS THIS IS VERY, VERY EYE OPENING WHEN YOU LOOK AT JUST HOW TIGHT OUR MARGINS ARE AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND IF I MAY ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION, DOES THIS FACTOR IN ANYTHING ONCE PROJECT CONNECT COMES ONLINE AND WE INHERIT WHAT ATP HAS PUT TOGETHER WITH THE WITH THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM. WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO BE, 2033 ISH? DOES THAT. DOES DOES THAT FACTOR IN? ARE WE FACTORING IN OPERATING COSTS OR REVENUE GENERATED AROUND THAT TIME IN YOUR MODELS AT THIS AT THIS POINT YET. WE HAVEN'T YET. OKAY. NOW WE'VE STARTED, YOU KNOW, ON BACK SPREADSHEETS, BUT NOT IN OUR CURRENT LONG RANGE PLAN. WE HAVEN'T FACTOR IN THOSE COSTS. OF COURSE, THE SCALE ON THE LEFT IS GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE QUITE A BIT. [03:10:02] EXACTLY. BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT IS THAT WE, WE THIS IS A VERY, VERY, VERY TIGHT OPERATING MARGIN THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT WE HAD BEFORE COVID WHEN BACK PRE 2020, WHEN WHEN WELL, THE ECONOMY WAS BOOMING. AND BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT WE WERE SEEING SOMETHING LIKE 4 OR 5, 6%, YOU KNOW, SALES TAX REVENUE INCREASES EVERY SINGLE YEAR OVER YEAR. I MEAN, ALL, ALL, ALL INSTRUMENTS OF GOVERNMENT WERE, WERE DEALING WITH THAT. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT THERE ANYMORE, ARE WE? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. IT'S A VERY GOOD STATEMENT. WE'VE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TIGHT ALL TEN YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE. AND I THINK IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS. WE'RE ON A VERY SET AND VERY LIMITED REVENUE STREAM. IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, CREATE A NEW MARKET LINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND PUSH OUT MORE SALES. IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF BUSINESS WE ARE, BUT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY TIGHT, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO REMARKABLE THINGS THOUGH, TOO. ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE PURCHASED AND, YOU KNOW, REBUILT THE HEADQUARTERS NEXT DOOR, WHICH WILL BE MULTI-GENERATIONAL. WE'RE BUILDING, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD TWO NEW DEMAND RESPONSE FACILITIES. WE BUILT NEW RAIL STATIONS AND WE'RE STILL DEBT FREE. SO IT'S THROUGH IT'S NOT THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, IT'S THE ENTIRE AGENCY PARTICIPATING IN THE FINANCES OF CAPMETRO. AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, REALLY, I THINK EVERYBODY, I THINK IT'S A TRUE STATEMENT. EVERYBODY CARES ABOUT THE FINANCES OF CAPMETRO. THANK YOU KEVIN, I APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING THIS UPDATE AND SHOWING US WHAT'S AT STAKE GOING FORWARD AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES GOING FORWARD. I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION, BUT I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT IN FORMING THE CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE BALANCE OF ABOUT WHAT WE DO FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE, HOW WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, TO RIDE THIS LINE AND KEEP IT FINE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP KEEP CAPMETRO DOING THE RIGHT THINGS AND KEEP US IN, KEEP US OPERATING IN THE GREEN AND FIND THAT FINE BALANCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I MEAN, AGAIN, IT'S BEEN 11 YEARS SINCE WE'VE COME TO THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR OR ASKING FOR A, FOR A FARE INCREASE AND TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THAT THEY'VE COME TO EXPECT. AND THEN HOPEFULLY MORE, SOME MORE. SO THANK YOU. I AGREE AND GREAT COMMENTS AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE BOARD AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT ALSO AND JUST THEIR GUIDANCE. RIGHT. BOARD MEMBER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR, FOR THE RECOGNITION. AND THANK YOU, ERIC, AND MISS YOU. AND YOUR, YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS AND KIND OF SUSSING OUT SOME OF THE IMPORTANT KIND OF FACTS AND TRENDS BACK THERE THAT WHAT'S OUR CURRENT SALES TAX GROWTH RATE FOR 26 SO FAR? WHERE ARE WE AT? WE'RE AT 7.2% YEAR OVER YEAR. AND, AND MY SENSE WOULD BE THAT THAT'S SO HIGH BECAUSE LAST YEAR WAS SO BAD. IT IS THAT A FAIR, THAT THAT'S PART OF IT. BOARD MEMBER VILA. SO YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO GET A JUMP IN YOUR PERCENTAGE INCREASE COMING OUT OF A BAD YEAR. AND THAT'S DEFINITELY PART OF IT. WE'VE STILL HAD A FEW BAD MONTHS AS FAR AS SALES TAX RECEIPTS. BUT OVERALL, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, IT'S PICKED UP. IT'S STARTING TO FILL IN. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CALL IT A SALES TAX HOLE. IT WASN'T A HOLE. IT'S A TROUGH BECAUSE IT WENT OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. IT'S FILLED PART OF IT, BUT NOT ALL OF ALL OF IT, OF COURSE. AND WHAT WAS OUR SALES TAX GROWTH LAST YEAR? OUR SALES TAX GROWTH LAST YEAR. IN 2025, I BELIEVE IT WAS 1.24%, 1.24%. CORRECT. OKAY. AND SO GOOD THAT IT WAS GROWTH AND NOT DECLINE, BUT REALLY IT WAS MOSTLY BELOW OUR BUDGETED PROJECTIONS. YEAH. AND FROM I THINK THE CITY WAS EVEN LOWER THAN THAT. JUST A HAIR LOWER THAN THAT. AND WHAT HISTORICALLY, WHAT DO WE LOOK AT? AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU'RE PROJECTING A 2% GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? WE'RE BEING CONSERVATIVE. I BELIEVE THE CITY IS PROJECTING 2% NEXT YEAR AS WELL, 2.5% IN 28, AND THEN 3% AFTER WE'RE PROJECTING 2% NEXT YEAR AND THEN 3% THEREAFTER. AND HISTORICALLY, IF YOU TAKE A, YOU KNOW, A TEN YEAR, 20 YEAR KIND OF TIMELINE, WHAT HAS OUR SALES TAX GROWTH KIND OF AVERAGED OVER THAT TIME FRAME? IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST 10 TO 12 YEARS, IT'S RUN JUST UNDER 7% GROWTH JUST UNDER AT THE LAST TEN YEARS. 10 TO 12 YEARS. OKAY. NOW THERE'S SOME BUMPS. 2008 WAS A BUMP WITH GOOD RECOVERY. COVID WAS A BIG BUMP WITH AMAZING RECOVERY BECAUSE ALL THE STIMULUS WAS OUT IN THE ECONOMY AND PEOPLE WERE SPENDING MONEY. SO THAT HELPED. AND THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, OUR OUR DOWNTURN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OF A BACKLASH, KIND OF FAR AWAY FROM COVID, BUT A LITTLE BIT. [03:15:04] AND THEN WOULD YOUR LONG TERM PROJECTIONS FOR SALES TAX GROWTH, AGAIN, I'M PULLING FROM CITY, BUT WE WERE LOOKING WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THREE AND A HALF, 4% OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO. WHERE WOULD CAPITAL METRO KIND OF BE ON THAT? WE'RE IN LINE WITH THE CITY AT 3% AT THE MOMENT. OKAY. IT'S JUST HARD COMING OFF OF A VERY ROBUST YEAR ON A REBOUND TO SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE AT 7% AND BANK ON ALL OF OUR SPENDING AND ALL OF OUR ACTIVITIES WITH THAT. YEAH. NO, AND ABSOLUTELY AGREE. WE HAVE TO BE CONSERVATIVE ON THE PROJECTIONS. AND AND IF IT COMES IN OVER, THAT'S GREAT. BUT WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR, FOR A VERY KIND OF AVERAGE AND NORMAL TYPE AND NOT DEPENDENT ON, YOU KNOW, BUMPER YEARS FOR SALES TAX GROWTH. WE'RE, WE'RE DOWN FARES ARE NOW GENERATING ABOUT 3% OF THE REVENUES. WHAT HAS THAT TRADITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE HAS, HAS FARES TRADITIONALLY GENERATED IN TERMS OF CAPITAL METRO REVENUES. I MEAN, I CAN TALK TO THE LAST TEN YEARS. SO FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, IT WAS RIGHT UP AROUND 7% WOULD BE OUR FARE RECOVERY RATIO, WE HAVE DROPPED BACK DOWN. YOU KNOW, IN TOTAL TO 3%, WE'RE DOING FAIR RECOVERY AT ABOUT 3 TO 4% RIGHT NOW. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, THERE'S A BOARD TARGET OUT THERE OF 20%. BUT WE'RE TRYING AND REALLY AT 3% AND A DOLLAR AND A QUARTER FOR A LOCAL RIDE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT ABG DATA ON MULTIPLE TRANSIT AUTHORITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR SIZED TO US, WE'RE VERY MUCH AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST AS FAR AS THE FARE THAT WE CHARGE AND THE RECOVERY THAT WE GAIN ALSO THROUGH FARES. HAVE WE EVER BEEN AT, AS FAR AS YOU'RE AWARE, 20% OF FARE RECOVERY. NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF. I WOULD JUST THAT WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. I DON'T I MEAN, IT'S WITH 3% FARES RIGHT NOW, THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN UNREALISTIC POLICY GOAL. SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF THROW THAT OUT THERE. AND, AND I WOULD SAY AGAIN, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GETTING THAT SALES TAX YOU KNOW, REVENUE. AND IT'S CRITICAL. THANKFULLY, WE HAVE A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY THAT GENERATES THAT KIND OF SALES TAX REVENUE. I, I FEAR THAT THAT LEVEL OF DEPENDANCE THAT WE HAVE ON THAT BECAUSE SALES TAX TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN VERY VOLATILE. AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET TO THAT ONE YEAR WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, CUT SERVICE OR DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE OF A, OF A BIG GAP AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING HAPPENS COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY OR INTERNATIONALLY, TOTALLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL. ALL OF A SUDDEN SALES TAXES ARE DOWN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE REALLY HAVING A PROBLEM. SO THAT'S WHERE I LOOK AT THAT FAIRS WHERE AGAIN, I WANT TO KEEP THEM AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. BUT I MEAN, THE FAIRS GO TO, TO, TO PAY OUR TRANSIT EMPLOYEES TO BUILD THE SHELTERS AND TO, YOU KNOW, TO CONTINUE THE OPERATIONS OF THE ENTITY. SO, WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FARES ARE PROVIDING ENOUGH OF A OF A NUMBER IN A, IN A CUSHION TO, TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION IN, IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR. AND I LIKE THAT PHRASE THERE. THOSE ARE YEAH, THOSE ARE OUTSTANDING COMMENTS. AND YOU SOUND LIKE YOU'RE IN MY MIND AT LIKE THREE, 3 A.M. IN THE MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP, YOU KNOW? WELL, AND, AND JUST TO END, CONGRATS ON THE FUEL HEDGING. I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN A VERY AND I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF RUNNING POINT ON THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. NOW WE'RE WE'RE WIDE OPEN THOUGH. YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUYING FUEL ON THE OPEN MARKET AND EVERYBODY CAN SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE. IT'S ON THE ON THE NEWS AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH FUEL PRICES. AND AGAIN, IN THAT CONTEXT, THAT'S ANOTHER CONCERN FOR AGAIN, HOW LONG IS THAT GOING TO LAST AT THAT KIND OF CLOSE TO $4 A GALLON GAS? COULD IT GO HIGHER AGAIN? I KNOW THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT KEEP OUR FOLKS UP AT NIGHT. FINALLY, WHAT ARE WE PROJECTING IN TERMS OF RAISES FOR OUR CAPITAL METRO STAFF? NOT, NOT FOR OUR, OUR OPERATORS, FOLKS THAT ARE UNDER THE CONTRACT, BUT FOR THE IN-HOUSE STAFF. WE'RE PROJECTING. WELL, I MEAN, WE HAVE SET RIGHT NOW A 3% INCREASE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES. OKAY. 3% INCREASE FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES. AND THEN IS THERE IS ARE THERE INDIVIDUALIZED DECISIONS MADE ON EMPLOYEES THAT ALSO PLAY INTO THAT? OR IS IT JUST A ONE COST OF LIVING INCREASE? IT'S MERIT BASED. OKAY. SO THERE IS MERIT IN PERFORMANCE BASED. SO THERE WILL BE A RANGE, YOU KNOW, WITH A WITH AN AVERAGE OF 3% FOR EMPLOYEES. GOT IT. SO THAT 3% IS ALREADY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE FACT THAT SOME MAY [03:20:01] GET FOR SOME MAY GET TWO DEPENDING ON THEIR EVALUATIONS AND WHATNOT. CORRECT. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. BOARD MEMBERS. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. THERE'S NO QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. CONNOR. WE APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT. NOW, WE ARE AT OUR UPDATE ON RESTORATION OF CAB METRO BIKE SHARE SERVICE. [VIII.2. Update on restoration of CapMetro Bikeshare service.] MR. SCHABOWSKI. YOU SHUT IT OFF. GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. CEO TONY WATKINS. MY NAME IS ANDY SCHABOWSKI. I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HERE AT CAPMETRO. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON THE BIKE SHARE SERVICE RESTORATION. AND I'VE GOT CONTROL HERE. BACK IN MAY OR MAY 23RD, THE CAP METRO BIKE SHARE OPERATION, WE SAW A FACILITY FIRE THAT IMPACTED OUR OPERATIONS. WE DID GET SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OF UP TO ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR BATTERIES. MOST OF THE CHARGERS, TOOLS AND REPAIR EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS OFFICE AND WORKSPACE. THAT MADE THE CONTINUITY OF SERVICE CONTINUITY AND IMPOSSIBLE AT THAT POINT, WE JUST COULDN'T KEEP GOING. WE IMMEDIATELY COMMISSION INVESTIGATION AND IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT CAUSES AND ALSO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SAFELY OPERATE IT AND BRING IT BACK. AND WITH A FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN SAFELY RESTORE SERVICE AND WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ASSET OWNERS, AND WE COLLABORATED WITH OUR WITH THE INVESTIGATOR, WITH OUR INSURANCE, WITH THE AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, WITH OUR BIKE SHARE PROVIDER AND PBSC. SO IT WAS A GOOD GROUP EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO RESTORE THE SERVICE. SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE'VE DETERMINED THAT WE NEED TO SAFELY RESTORE SERVICE. FIRST OFF, THE PRIORITY IS RESTORING SERVICES SAFELY AND QUICKLY AS WE CAN. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO REQUIRE REPLACEMENT BATTERIES AND CHARGERS AND PARTS. WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO RESTORE THE WORKSPACE THAT WE HAVE FOR BIKE SHARE OPERATIONS. WE NEED PLACES TO FIX THE BIKES WHEN THEY BREAK. AND WE'RE ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES OR ADDING TO EXISTING PROCEDURES AND STRUCTURES TO MITIGATE ANY FUTURE RISK AND ADDRESS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GETTING IN FRONT OF REPORT. AN EXAMPLE DON'T STORE CHARGES AND BATTERIES. MAKE SURE YOU STORE THEM IN SEPARATE PLACES. DON'T PUT THEM IN THE SAME SPOT. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG ONES. BECAUSE SOMETIMES IF SOMETHING DOES OCCUR, YOUR. YOUR IMPACT IS MUCH LESS YOU JUST. YOUR IMPACT IS TO. THE BATTERY IS NOT NECESSARILY TO ALL YOUR EQUIPMENT AND YOUR WORKSPACE. WE HAVE ACTIVITIES GOING ON RIGHT NOW OVER AT THE BIKE SHARE FACILITY. WE'RE DOING CLEANUP. WE'RE CLEANING OUT THE FACILITY, WE'RE ACQUIRING A TEMPORARY WORK TRAILER, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT TEMPORARY WORK TRAILER FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TEAM TO, TO ALLOW US TO, TO REPAIR THE BIKES AS, AS NEEDED. WE DO HAVE A SERVICE RESTORATION PLAN. WE ARE ABOUT TO IMPLEMENT PHASE ONE, WHICH HAS SERVICE RESTARTING BETWEEN AUGUST 11TH AND AUGUST 18TH. THE SERVICE WILL FOCUS ON OUR HIGHEST RIDERSHIP. THAT'S THE UT 60% OF OUR RIDERS ARE UT STUDENTS. SO A GOOD CHUNK OF OUR RIDERSHIP IS WITHIN THE UT CAMPUS. WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING OUT ABOUT A QUARTER OF OUR FLEET ABOUT 150 BIKES AND A LOT FEWER STATIONS WITH THE CORE FOCUS BEING ON UT CAMPUS AND THE RIDES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THAT CAMPUS. NORMALLY WE REBALANCE BIKES, MEANING WE MOVE BIKES AROUND AND MAKE SURE THERE'S SO MANY ON EVERY, ON EVERY STATION. OUR FOCUS NOW SWITCHES A LITTLE BIT TO WE'RE GOING TO BE REBALANCING BATTERIES. WE'RE GOING TO USE THE CHARGERS IN THE STATIONS TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE A BIKE TO THE CHARGER, WHICH HAPPENS TO BE IN THE STATION. AND THEN THAT'LL ALLOW US TO GET THROUGH THE DAY AND GET AND KEEP THE BATTERIES IN THE BATTERIES, BATTERIES AND BIKES CHARGED ENOUGH TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY. AND SO OUR TEAM, INSTEAD OF MOVING BIKES AROUND, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING BIKES. INSTEAD OF MOVING BATTERIES AROUND, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING BIKES WITH BATTERIES TO STATIONS TO GET THEM CHARGED UP AS WE GET ADDITIONAL CHARGES AND AS WE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, GET OUR INFRASTRUCTURE ACQUIRED AND INSTALLED, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AND AND DEPLOY MORE AND MORE BIKES. SO WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON UT AS WE GET THE EQUIPMENT WE NEED TO SUPPORT A BIGGER OPERATION. WE'LL PUSH IT OUT TO DIFFERENT STATIONS IN DIFFERENT AREAS AND OR MORE BIKES. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT FULL SERVICE RESTORATION BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR. OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO BEAT THAT. BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT FULL SERVICE RESTORATION BY THE END OF THIS CALENDAR YEAR. OF COURSE, WE'LL PROVIDE REGULAR UPDATES TO THE BOARD AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS. AND THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS. IT'S BEEN QUESTIONS. ERIC'S GOT TO GET ME RIGHT. I GOT TO GET YOU BEFORE I LEAVE. THANKS, ANDY. JUST CURIOUS. WHEN IS THE INVESTIGATION REPORT GOING TO COME BACK? AND HOW WILL THAT BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE IT. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A DRAFT PRESENTATION TO BE COMPLETED. [03:25:02] I'M GOING TO LET BRAD, WHO'S KIND OF BEEN WORKING THROUGH THAT, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION MORE DIRECTLY. THE SHORT ANSWER IS VERY SHORTLY, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH RIMKUS, THEIR INVESTIGATOR AND THEIR ENGINEER THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. BUT THE FINAL REPORT IS NOT NOT QUITE READY YET, BUT WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THAT. WE BELIEVE WE HAVE GLEANED ENOUGH INFORMATION FROM THEM AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS, AS WELL AS AUSTIN FIRE AND PBSC, THE MANUFACTURER, TO START SERVICE RESTORATION. WE HAVE A COMFORT LEVEL THAT WE CAN SAFELY DO THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. AND SO AS PART OF THE REPORT, IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET COVERAGE UNDER OUR INSURANCE TO TO GET SOME OF THE LOST, THE THE LOST BATTERIES AND BIKES, THE MATERIAL WITHIN THE BUILDING, THE CONTENTS OF THE BUILDING IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE, IS NOT IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. THE BUILDING, THE STRUCTURE IS COVERED BY INSURANCE. THE CONTENTS OF THE BUILDING WERE NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE. SO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? WHAT. WHAT ARE GOING TO BE THE NEXT STEPS WITH THAT? WHAT CAN THE BOARD EXPECT FOR THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BE REPLACING THE WE'RE GOING TO BE PURCHASING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE CITY. WE'LL BE PURCHASING THE BATTERIES REQUIRED FOR THE BIKES. AND THEN AS FAR AS STUFF THAT WE DID LOSE, LIKE THE OFFICE SPACE OR THE TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT WE'RE GOING TO BE BUYING, BUYING THAT OVER TIME AS WE NEED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND BRING THE SERVICES BACK UP. SO IT IS AN EXPENSE AND IT ISN'T BUDGETED FOR NEXT YEAR. OKAY. IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING GOING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE THAT I MEAN, I GUESS JUST LOOKING AT NOT JUST WITH THAT, BUT BUT YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, ACTS OF GOD OR WHATEVER IT IS, THAT KIND OF THING THAT WHAT IF, WHAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAD HAPPENED AT ONE OF OUR OTHER FACILITIES? NOT IN NOT IN MY WHEELHOUSE. BUT I WILL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER IN WHICH WE EVALUATE OUR INSURANCE POLICIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. AND THIS WILL BE A CONSIDERATION, A CONSIDERATION. SO LIKE WE IN OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN, YOU DO. IT'S A CONSIDERATION POINT AS YOU MOVE TO YOUR NEXT POLICY. CONSIDER. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S DADGUMMIT. I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT THAT INSURANCE ON MY PHONE, BUT NOW WE CAN'T DO IT NOW. I HAVE MY FIRST IPHONE FOR A WEEK BEFORE SOMEBODY STOLE IT. I AGREE. THERE YOU GO. BUT BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO, TO, TO, TO FIXING GOING FORWARD. UNLESS OF COURSE, SOMETHING COMES. IF SOMETHING WERE TO COME OUT IN THE REPORT THAT IT WAS NEGLIGENCE, THAT WOULD BE A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION DOWN THE ROAD. UNDERSTOOD. RIGHT. CORRECT. THAT WOULD BE IF THAT WERE THE CASE. YEAH. AND WE WE MIGHT NEED TO IN THAT EVENT, WE MIGHT NEED TO, TO BRIEF THE BOARD IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION. CORRECT. OR SOMETHING OF THAT, OF THAT NATURE. YEAH. BUT WE'LL WE'LL WE'LL UPDATE THE BOARD. YEAH. OUR FOCUS SO FAR IN EVERYTHING WE'VE GOTTEN FROM OUR DEALINGS WITH THEM IS TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SAFELY BRING THE SERVICES BACK UP AND WHAT WE CAN DO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT TO IF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, WE LIMIT OR REDUCE THE THE IMPACT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THANK YOU THAT THAT YOU ARE WORKING. I NOTICED YOUR TIMELINE. HOOK EM HORNS. THAT'S GREAT. YOU'RE LOOKING TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING BEFORE THE START OF SCHOOL. THEY ARE 60% OF OUR CUSTOMERS. SO GOOD JOB. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AND THAT BUY AN AGGIE. GO AHEAD. SO ALL RIGHT. WELL, I REALLY CARE ABOUT THESE BIKES, BOTH AS A DISTRICT NINE RESIDENT, AS A LONGHORN, SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THE UNIVERSITY. SO I JUST HAD A QUESTION AROUND. I'M SO GLAD THAT SERVICE WILL RESTART, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN AUGUST 11TH AND 18TH, THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE SHOULD HAVE FULL SERVICE. SO, SO IF I'M IF I'M GETTING THIS CORRECTLY, THERE'S GOING TO BE ABOUT 150 BIKES OUT BETWEEN AUGUST 11TH AND AUGUST 18TH. WE'RE GOING TO START PUTTING THEM OUT ON AUGUST 11TH. WE CAN'T JUST PUT THEM OUT AND LARGELY AROUND THE UNIVERSITY OR WE'LL FOCUS ON ON STATIONS IN AND AROUND THE UNIVERSITY. BUT IF I HAD A CAPMETRO BIKE AND I RODE IT TO DOWNTOWN OR ELSEWHERE, I COULD SELL DOCKET THERE. YOU CAN STILL DOCK IT THERE, BUT WE'LL. AND THEN WE'LL UNDERSTAND AND MAKE MOVEMENTS. I HAD TO ASK THE QUESTION, ARE WE OPEN UP ALL THE STATIONS NOW? YES. YES. ALL THE STATIONS. I GOT THEY WON'T HEAR YOU, ART. SO YEAH. WE'LL OPEN UP. I WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SLIGHTLY DOING IT DIFFERENT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP ALL THE STATIONS AND WE'LL MOVE AROUND. I FORGOT MY GLASSES IN THE CAR, BUT IT'S SAYING 150 BUCKS IS ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE FLEET. YES, SIR. OKAY, GREAT. I THINK THAT'S IT. AND WE'LL LEAN IN IF WE CAN DO MORE THAN 150, WE'RE GOING ON, BUT WE START WITH 150 AND WE'LL SEE HOW WE DO AND HOW WE'RE MANAGING IT. AND WE'LL LEAN IN AS BEST WE CAN. GREAT. OKAY. YEAH. I KNOW OUR OFFICE IS GOING TO WANT TO WORK WITH CAPMETRO ON PUSHING THIS OUT TO THE STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY FOLKS. AND I ASSUME OUTSIDE OF THAT RIGHT NOW, I THINK ON SOME CAPMETRO STATIONS, THERE'S LIKE A NOTICE OF LIKE, HEY, THESE ARE, I ASSUME THAT'S GOING TO BE UPDATED SOON SAYING, HEY, THERE'S A WHOLE MARKETING PLAN AND INFORMATION PLAN ASSOCIATED WITH ROLLING THIS OUT. AND WE'VE KEPT OUR PARTNERS AT UT AND ADMINISTRATIVELY ON BOARD. THEY KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT IS GOING TO TAKE US TO OUR FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA BEFORE WE GO INTO [IX.1. President and CEO Monthly Update - July 2026] [03:30:02] EXECUTIVE SESSION, WHICH IS THE MONTHLY UPDATE FROM OUR CEO. EXCELLENT. SO WE HAVE A FEW QUICK ITEMS TO, TO HIGHLIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, WITH CAPMETRO IN THE COMMUNITY. IN FACT, IMMEDIATELY BEFORE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING. SO THE PICTURES DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT INTO THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT. WE HAD THE JUNETEENTH PARADE. DO THE JUNETEENTH PARADE IS ONE OF A HANDFUL OF PARADES THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN EVERY YEAR WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO REALLY GO OUT AND JUST CELEBRATE ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN AUSTIN. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE MANY OF YOU OUT THERE WITH US ON THAT WARM AND HUMID DAY. IF I RECALL, IT WAS SO HUMID, IT WAS LIKE YOU COULD SWIM THROUGH THE HUMIDITY. IT WAS SO HUMID. IT RAINED BY THE END OF IT, BUT IT WAS, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. AND THE JUNETEENTH PARADE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY GET OUT AND CELEBRATE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO WHO JOINED US INTO THE MANY STAFF WHO WERE OUT THERE WITH US. IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER CARE A FEW NOTES ABOUT WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS WERE CONTACTING US ABOUT IN THE MONTH OF JUNE. WE CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG CALL GROWTH IN THE MONTH OF JUNE. WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL PASSES, AS YOU'LL RECALL ON JUNE 1ST. WE STOPPED TAKING THE PAPER PASSES ON OUR SYSTEM. WE ALSO ENDED THE REAR DOOR BOARDING PRACTICE. AND SO THOSE SORTS OF CHANGES IN HOW PEOPLE PAID WERE A BIG PART OF THE QUESTIONS WE GOT. WE ALSO ON JUNE 7TH IMPLEMENTED THE JUNE SERVICE CHANGE. EVERY SERVICE CHANGE CAUSES A LOT OF CALLS TO OUR CONTACT CENTER. BUT THIS ONE INCLUDED THE LAUNCH OF THE 808.37 RAPID ROUTES. AND SO THAT WAS ALSO DRIVING A LOT OF OF, OF INFORMATION AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND HOW IT ALL WORKED TOGETHER. WE ALSO SAW A BRIEF RAIL OUTAGE ON JUNE 3RD THAT GENERATED A LOT OF QUESTIONS. AND THEN JUNE IS A GREAT MONTH FOR EVENTS INCLUDING THE JUNETEENTH PARADE. THE DEW TOUR IS REQUIRED FOR THAT AS WELL AS OTHER AUSTIN EVENTS. SO NEXT UP, LOOKING AT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS. THERE'S THE SAME. THERE WE GO. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF CEO PRIVILEGE AND RECOGNIZE RAPHAEL VILLARREAL. SO LAST MONTH, IN THE MONTH OF JUNE, RAPHAEL VILLARREAL RETIRED FROM CAPMETRO AND HE HAD BEEN AT CAPMETRO AS LONG AS CAPMETRO HAD CAPMETRO ANYBODY HE STARTED WITH CAPMETRO IN 1985 AS A BUS OPERATOR AND WE KNEW HIM LOVINGLY AS RALPH. ANYONE WHO EVER WORKED WITH RALPH LOVED RALPH. I ALWAYS USED TO SAY THAT IF YOU COULDN'T WORK WELL WITH RALPH, THAT WAS A YOU PROBLEM. AND HE HAS ACTUALLY EASED INTO HIS RETIREMENT AND TOLD ME HE WAS TOO BUSY PLAYING GOLF. ACTUALLY, I THINK RIGHT NOW THIS WEEK HE IS DOWN IN THE VALLEY VISITING FAMILY AND WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US IN PERSON FOR RECOGNITION. BUT HE MADE A REMARKABLE MARK ON THIS ORGANIZATION WAS A FANTASTIC TRANSIT PROFESSIONAL AND FRANKLY, A GOOD FRIEND. AND I COULDN'T LET THE OPPORTUNITY OF HIS RETIREMENT PASS WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING IN MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT. JUST HOPE HE HAD A 6:00 TEE TIME. NO KIDDING. NO KIDDING. IT IS SUMMER. A FEW OTHER CAP METRO EMPLOYEE RECOGNITIONS. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR CFO, KEVIN CONLON, ON BEING RECOGNIZED BY THE AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL AND HIS NOMINATION IN THE BEST CFO AWARDS. I KNOW, WE ALL KNOW KEVIN IS THE BEST CFO WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE, BUT IT WAS GREAT TO JOIN HIM AT THAT CELEBRATION. ALSO, THE PHOTO THERE ON THE RIGHT. CONGRATULATIONS TO LILIANA CORTEZ. LILIANA SERVES AS OUR LET'S SEE, WHAT'S IT CALLED? PROGRAM MANAGER FOR PROGRAMING AND SPONSORSHIPS. AND SHE RECENTLY WAS THE WINNER OF THE GREATER AUSTIN HISPANIC CHAMBER'S LATINA LEGACY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AWARD. SHE LEADS ALL OF OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS, INCLUDING OUR ART AND OUR ART PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE ART ON THE BUS PROJECT. SHE WORKED ON THE IVORY PROJECT, WHICH IS AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ZERO CAR COMPLEX WITH A SIGNIFICANT ART INSTALLATION AT THE BUS STOP. AND WORKS WITH US THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGING MEANINGFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY WITH OUR PARTNERS. AND WE ARE VERY THRILLED FOR THIS VERY WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION. FOR LILIANA. ADDITIONALLY, I'M EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WE'VE RECENTLY BEEN AWARDED $1 MILLION THROUGH THE BUILD AMERICA BUREAU'S INNOVATIVE FINANCE AND ASSET PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS IFAC. IT'S A PROGRAM FROM THE BUILD AMERICA BUREAU TO HELP PUBLIC ENTITIES SCAN THEIR EXISTING ASSETS AND UNLOCK THEIR VALUE BY EXPLORING INNOVATIVE FINANCING, ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY, AND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. THIS IS ACTUALLY CAP METRO'S SECOND AWARD OF IFAC FUNDING FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. WE'VE BEEN USING THIS TO HELP PROMOTE AND PROGRESS OUR TRANSIT ORIENTED [03:35:04] DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. IN THIS ROUND OF FUNDING, ONLY THREE AWARDEES WERE SECOND TIME AWARDEES. CAP METRO IS ONE OF ONLY THREE GROUPS TO GET THIS GRANT FOR A SECOND TIME, AND WE'RE THE ONLY TRANSIT AGENCY TO DO SO. SO WE'RE QUITE PROUD OF OUR TOD TEAM AND THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, AND GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND HELPING US FUND THAT ONGOING WORK. NEXT UP, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SLIGHTLY BELATED INTRODUCTION TO ONE OF OUR NEWEST TEAM MEMBERS JP PECORA. WE LIKE TO HAZE OUR NEW VICE PRESIDENTS AND MAKE THEM PRESENT BOARD ITEMS ON THEIR VERY FIRST BOARD MEETING. WE LET. JP HAS JOINED US AS OUR VICE PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE AND CULTURE. HE'S HELD VARIOUS HR LEADERSHIP ROLES OVER HIS 20 YEAR CAREER LEADING TEAMS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE AND ASIA WITH DIRECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN HEALTHCARE, SOFTWARE, RETAIL, NONPROFIT, HIGH TECH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. HE'S A PROUD GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, HOOK EM HORNS AS WELL AS SAINT EDWARD'S UNIVERSITY. AND WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE HIM SERVING ON OUR, ON OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM. AND THEN LASTLY, A BRIEF, WHERE HAVE I BEEN OUT AND ABOUT? I HAD THE PRIVILEGE THIS MONTH OF SHARING WITH THE AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF COMMERCE THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE. AS A GUEST SPEAKER, GIVING AN UPDATE ON COMMITTEES, GENERAL PRIORITIES, LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND TRANSIT PLANS THIS BOARD HAVE APPROVED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. AND REALLY ENGAGING WITH THEM ON ALL OF THE GREAT THINGS WE HAVE GOING ON. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THERE'S A TON OF INFRASTRUCTURE WORK HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW, AND WHETHER IT'S THE WORK WE'RE DRIVING OR THE WORK OF OUR PARTNERS, BE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER OR THE INTERSTATE OR THE AIRPORT. WE'RE VERY CLOSELY ENGAGED WITH ALL OF THEM. SO WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE AUSTIN CHAMBER FOR INVITING US TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TO THESE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY LEADERS. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL FLAG FOR Y'ALL. ANOTHER FUN FACT. I GOT TO PARTICIPATE THIS MONTH IN A PODCAST CALLED STOP REQUESTED WHERE I TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT HERE AT CAPMETRO EVERY DAY, WHICH IS HOW YOU KEEP A TRANSIT SYSTEM RUNNING FOR TODAY WHILE BUILDING FOR THE REGION FOR THE FUTURE. SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO SEND YOU GUYS OUT A LINK BECAUSE I KNOW IF YOU'RE LIKE ME, YOU LOVE A GOOD PODCAST AND I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS ONE. AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT FOR JULY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND FOLLOWING THE SESSION. [X. Executive Session under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code] WE ARE NOT POSTED FOR ANY ACTION ACCEPT ADJOURNMENT. SO THE BOARD WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER CHAPTER FIVE FIVE, ONE OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. LET'S SEE. 551.072 AND THE THE DELIBERATION WILL REGARD REAL PROPERTY TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LEASE AND OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY, SPECIFICALLY OFFICE SPACE AND CAP METRO OWNED FACILITIES. SO WE WILL RECESS FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 348. LET'S SEE. NO. WELL WE SHALL OKAY. DO YOU HAVE IT? LET'S SEE. ALL RIGHT. THE EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER FIVE. FIVE. 1.072. DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LEASE AND OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY. PROPERTY. SPECIFICALLY OFFICE SPACE IN CAP METRO OWNED FACILITIES. HAS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND THE BOARD HAS NOW CONCLUDED OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION. TIME IS 416. WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE US TODAY, WE WILL STAND ADJOURNED AT 417. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.