# MPTA Business Meeting - July 8, 2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQnooizQ074

[01:53] Woohoo!
[04:06] Hey, hey, hey.
[04:51] Heat. Heat.
[07:20] Hold it down.
[08:00] Hello.
[08:10] numbers were 100 people.
[08:14] Uh the 800 over 800.
[08:26] We got the memo next time.
[08:30] Send it to me.
[08:32] Would you join?
[08:33] Good evening everybody.
[08:36] Welcome.
[08:37] Seems like we see each other every two weeks.
[08:38] What you think?
[08:40] Um, nobody laughed.
[08:40] I guess everybody's tired.
[08:44] I am David Howard.
[08:44] I am the chair of the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority and welcome to our meeting for the month of July.
[08:51] Um, we're gonna start with introductions and Emily, why don't we start with you this time and work our way around to Charles.
[09:02] Good evening.
[09:02] Emily Kunzie, cat staff.
[09:06] Travis Reed, cat staff.
[09:09] Cameron Puit, trustee.
[09:10] Jocelyn Jones, Nollie, trustee.
[09:14] Matt Walt, trustee.
[09:15] Mike Bryan, trustee T. Anthony Lindseay, trustee.
[09:18] Julie Iselt, trustee Griffith, trustee.
[09:23] Katrina Young, trustee.
[09:25] Justin Harlo, trustee.
[09:28] Brad Thomas, Cats, general counsel.
[09:30] Brent Kaggel, interim CEO, Cats.
[09:34] Frank Emory, vice chair trustee.
[09:37] Ed Kern, trustee, treasurer.
[09:40] Christy Long, trustee and board secretary.
[09:44] Bob Benzel, trustee.
[09:46] Jeff Robbins, trustee.
[09:49] Dwayne Walker, trustee.
[09:53] Mr. Jenkee, trustee.
[09:54] Corin M, trustee.
[09:56] Wyatt Dixon, trustee.
[09:59] Alicia Steman, trustee.
[10:02] David Longo, trustee.
[10:04] Clayton Cely, trustee.
[10:06] Todd Collins, trustee.
[10:13] Charles Bowman, trustee.
[10:13] Oh, I'm sorry.
[10:15] Um.
[10:17] Housekeeping just to get us going for tonight's meeting.
[10:21] Members of the public may access and view the meeting on cat's YouTube channel.
[10:27] The agenda meeting materials for tonight's meeting are
[10:29] posted on our website ridemppta.com.
[10:33] I would like to remind the board of rules for meeting the quorum.
[10:37] Most importantly, please wait to be recognized by the chair before speaking.
[10:42] Please show courtesy and have respect for your fellow board members.
[10:46] This will ensure all trustees can be heard and that we get through our discussions efficiently.
[10:51] Um, please turn on your microphone at the table and speak into the microphone so you can be heard by everyone in the room and on the live stream.
[11:00] As we proceed so that we maintain accurate records, I would ask all trustees to please identify yourself by name before speaking or making motions.
[11:10] Uh for action items, please make motions and seconds before we begin discussions on the item.
[11:16] And to ensure every member has opportunity to speak, please limit your comments to three minutes.
[11:22] Uh thank you.
[11:25] All right, moving on.
[11:28] There are no recognitions.
[11:28] So we move on to ethics statement.
[11:32] I want to remind you that it is a duty of every board member to avoid both conflicts of interest and appearance of conflict.
[11:40] To comply with this statement, I ask whether any board member has a known conflict of interest or appearance of conflict with respect to any matter coming before this board today.
[11:56] All right, moving on.
[11:58] Uh, public comment.
[12:01] We actually do have public comment and I am looking for the form.
[12:03] It's right here.
[12:05] All right.
[12:05] So, we have our good friend Carson Con.
[12:08] Carson, if you want to come on to the microphone.
[12:09] Um, you have three minutes.
[12:14] Excuse me.
[12:18] Yeah.
[12:20] Thank you.
[12:22] And thank you.
[12:22] My name is Carson Con.
[12:25] Um, thank you Jocelyn Jones, uh, T. Anthony Lindsay, and Reverend Karen Mack for your votes against the fair
[12:34] modernization plan.
[12:37] Thank you to the 11 of you who voted against the Gold Line Fair.
[12:42] I agree with the sentiment amongst many Gold Line riders that the Gold Line Fair is another attack on the poor in this city.
[12:53] from someone who slept in his car and on the streets know that the ambiguous idea of distribution of a transit voucher to local nonprofits does nothing for someone who refuses charity due to perceived strings attached.
[13:12] When the temperature hits 100°.
[13:15] when lightning strikes and thunder roars.
[13:19] When hail falls so hard that a welt skin.
[13:24] When cold wind blows and chapped lips bleed.
[13:30] Who who voted for the fair will go outside for one week?
[13:33] A fraction of the
[13:36] time that the homeless spend out there.
[13:38] Show of hands.
[13:38] Who will do it?
[13:38] No one.
[13:42] Why not?
[13:42] Could it be that you're too busy enforcing a no strike clause on your bus drivers and detailers?
[13:53] I don't think so.
[13:55] I think it's because, like me, that you're afraid that spending too much time in the elements will eat away at your mind, your body, and your soul.
[14:11] You have a petition against the Gold Line Fair.
[14:15] I will firmly pursue a reverse vote, including at Johnson C. Smith and CPCC campuses this fall.
[14:24] This board's rainy day fund is projected to be $200 million.
[14:28] On June 10th, no one asked Brent Kaggel.
[14:31] No one asked Brent Kaggel the duration during which a $500,000 loss in possible revenue would occur without a Gold Line.
[14:38] Fair.
[14:41] Still with these numbers, David Longo, you're essentially saying that the MPTA has $200 in your wallet and you refuse to give 50 cents to the homeless out of fear that they'll be violent.
[14:54] I respect any volunteer work that this board does, but I get irritated after 5 minutes in the heat.
[15:03] By adding a gold line fair, you would essentially create an even greater burden on law enforcement.
[15:10] Because I asked this, do you think a person is more likely to be violent on an air conditioned street car or when they've been in 104 degree heat for six consecutive hours?
[15:23] Thank you.
[15:26] Thank you, Carson, for coming out tonight.
[15:28] All right, we're going to move through to item number six, which is Mr. Chair,
[15:38] We don't respond to public comments.
[15:40] I'm not responding to I have a different comment on public comments for the body.
[15:47] Okay.
[15:47] Wait till we do the things at the end because I don't we don't normally stop.
[15:52] Is that's okay?
[15:52] I mean because we have opportunities for everybody to share issues at the end.
[15:59] I just don't want to start debate about public comment because that would be something new.
[16:04] Okay.
[16:05] All right. Thank you.
[16:05] And I'll be happy to hear it at the end.
[16:08] I just want to make sure we do this in order.
[16:10] Oh, so number six.
[16:10] So we actually are doing something new.
[16:12] We're going to be doing a lot of things new for the first time.
[16:16] Um, if you remember at our last meeting we actually voted to um we voted on our first advisory body which is existing advisory body and the chair of uh the PT PT PTAC PTAC Mr. ODM is here with us tonight.
[16:32] So Mr. ODM I wanted to welcome you to your first of many meetings with us.
[16:36] Uh wanted to give you a few minutes if you wanted to just to kind of talk to the
[16:39] body about kind of this transition and any other thoughts.
[16:42] uh on a annual basis too.
[16:45] He actually has traditionally given a report to the um to the MTC um and I think we're going to work you through the operations and safety committee um so you can actually have time with them.
[17:00] But I just wanted to give you a few minutes and I wanted to share with the body how we plan to proceed with this um advisory committee.
[17:05] Thank you.
[17:06] So yes sir, please.
[17:16] All right.
[17:16] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[17:19] Good evening, MPTA trustees.
[17:23] I am pleased to be here before you this evening to introduce myself.
[17:25] Uh my name is Abdullio Odin.
[17:28] I am the current co-chair of the PATAC, the public transit advisory committee.
[17:31] Um, now the interim public transit advisory committee.
[17:33] Um, I wanted to uh make sure
[17:43] that uh you guys get to meet me um and hear a little bit about what what we're doing over at the PTAC.
[17:51] Um, I was appointed by the chairperson of the Mechmberg County Commissioners and our committee is committed to serving as a forum uh for the community to provide suggestions and feedback uh concerning repairs, routes, service and making recommendations to the MPTA board regarding these matters.
[18:08] Uh, PEC is also prepared to provide any other advisory functions as directed by the board.
[18:18] Uh in addition, the PTAC committee is excited to engage with the operations and safety committee and the board of trustees on the development of permanent advisory uh committees.
[18:30] I have provided a written report in for my June 11th meeting that we had which is in your packet and I am here to answer any questions or comments that you may have that may assist us in assisting you.
[18:45] I will entertain questions for him if anybody has anything or comments they want to make.
[18:48] If not, I will Yes, ma'am.
[18:51] Our chair of the operation safety committee.
[18:53] Thank you, sir, for your comments.
[18:55] Um, Julie Eel, chair of operations and safety.
[18:57] I just want to say that I'm excited about this opportunity to hear from you all directly.
[19:01] In the past, this committee reported to the city council and no disparaging the city council at all, but when they and the county commission have so many different issues and policy buckets that they take care of with 30 boards and commissions reporting to them.
[19:19] I didn't always feel as a council member that I got that the information that we needed.
[19:22] So now with this as a dedicated issue, I think we have the opportunity to work a lot better with our advis our citizen advisory committee uh and understand how how the public uses transit and what we can do better.
[19:35] So thank you.
[19:37] Thank you for taking up the role as well.
[19:39] I know that it can be a lot of work.
[19:41] Thank you.
[19:43] Thank you.
[19:43] And as we all know, um a big part of the
[19:46] Referendum conversation last year was about making sure riders voices were at the table.
[19:50] So, uh, I want you to go back and tell the committee, and I've said it to you guys, we're looking forward to working with you.
[19:55] And I'm ask this board to give him a round of applause so we can tell them we want to work with you.
[19:58] Thank you.
[20:02] Thank you for your work.
[20:03] Thank you, sir.
[20:04] Tell them we celebrated you and we're nice.
[20:06] All right.
[20:09] All right.
[20:09] So, that's the first of many more of those to come.
[20:11] All right.
[20:11] So, we'll go on to number seven, uh, where we are going to do committee reports real quick.
[20:18] So Ned, you're first.
[20:18] Julie next, and Alicia, you you're after.
[20:23] Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[20:23] First, I just want to thank all members of our committee.
[20:26] We've had tremendous attendance at each of our meetings, and it uh means a lot.
[20:28] Uh we had a number of transition updates.
[20:31] Uh I won't go through them in detail other than to say that everything is on track and we've got accounts in order to uh accept money and and invest it and and and do all the right things with it.
[20:39] Uh later on I've got a action
[20:47] item related to technology transition contracts.
[20:52] We are looking at the uh travel expense reimbursement policy for all of us as we may incur expenses associated with our service and we're looking at the city's model and we'll update that at a future meeting.
[21:02] Uh and finally we're having preliminary conversations about the next budget even though we just finally got through the last budget.
[21:07] So thank you sir.
[21:09] Hey Mr. Chair, I do want to correct something I said at your committee meeting.
[21:12] I came to the committee excited about an email that we got saying that we had had $30 transferred somewhere.
[21:19] Uh 30 million transferred somewhere.
[21:21] What?
[21:25] I thought it was into account.
[21:27] It was not.
[21:27] It was the reserve that the city had as part of the um of the payback.
[21:33] We still applauded it, Mr. Chair, because we fulfilled our obligations to the city of Charlotte.
[21:38] Moved on our behalf.
[21:40] It just was not into our account like I thought it was.
[21:41] So, just to correct that.
[21:43] Uh, but thank you.
[21:47] Um, Julie, thank you, Mr. Chair.
[21:47] The, uh,
[21:48] operations and safety committee has not met since June 24th, and we reviewed it that night.
[21:53] Got it. And, uh, Miss Deman, um, thank you, chair.
[21:57] I'm reporting for the planning capital.
[22:02] We held our meeting today at 3:00. All members present.
[22:06] So, thank you all for your continued commitment to um our committee work and advancing um votes and and ideas to the broader board.
[22:18] So, we had a couple of of action items um that were on the committee, particularly the the light the red line the links red line conversation and vote uh which included um voting on refinements to the existing LPA locally preferred alternative, a second vote around Camp North whether to add it and a third vote on Craig Head Station whether to add it.
[22:45] robust discussion um and we heard held
[22:48] our first public comment session as well.
[22:50] So we heard a lot from the community about that particular item the red line u links red line and also the other items on our agenda.
[22:58] So the vote for the red line locally preferred alternative to uh have refinements to that was a 70 vote with two rec recusals.
[23:08] Um and that was our first time doing that as well acknowledging that there may be a perception of conflict and so we had two members to recuse themselves from that vote.
[23:18] The next was the camp north end station which also had one recusal myself.
[23:23] Um and that vote was 8:1 7 to 1.
[23:28] Um 7:1 um and then the Craig Head Station, the vote was 4 to 5 um uh with the committee recommending no addition of the Craig Head station to this LPA.
[23:41] I will say there was a lot of conversation about um
[23:51] Why, why not now and what are some alternatives to still providing the need to the community?
[23:58] Um, of course, there was conversation about equity, um, access, um, the economic development component, the constraints around our ability to control land use.
[24:12] I think the biggest takeaway was we're a transit authority.
[24:17] The purview of land use decisions and zoning is with the city.
[24:23] But to have those things, um, connect moving forward, we will collaborate.
[24:29] I think that's what, um, we all walked away with understanding that.
[24:36] But I do think that we are very determined to get the right solution, um, for that area.
[24:39] If not a station today, something, something that we can do sooner to help the residents that may need access to jobs, um, land uses, and other essentials in that neighborhood.
[24:49] So that was the the part of the a
[24:51] summary of that discussion.
[24:54] The other item that was on our agenda that we did not we deferred until August was the better bus improvements.
[25:01] And that's really diving into our recommendation or request for staff to bring back um different typologies and what the cost analysis would be to have some minimum standards around a shelter and lighting.
[25:15] And so they will share that information at the August meeting.
[25:17] The other item we received a a quick update on was the silver silverline value engineering public engagement and the recommendations.
[25:27] That was simply for information.
[25:29] If you want to hear that presentation, please go online and look at it um in more detail.
[25:36] And that concludes my report.
[25:38] If some of the other members want to share their perspective, I'm open to that.
[25:42] I want to open it.
[25:42] Any questions for any of the committees?
[25:47] Um I got one here Justin Peter that it
[25:53] okay Justin.
[25:54] Um so my my first comment is just about
[25:57] all committees. Um I know that I think
[25:59] it was trustee Lindsay had asked some
[26:01] meetings ago uh about notifications
[26:03] about when meetings are occurring and
[26:05] there was some conversation amongst the
[26:07] board about receiving emails with the
[26:10] the teams invite and things like that if
[26:12] if non-committee members wanted to join
[26:14] virtually. Uh, and I think there was
[26:17] some responses of, "Oh, we don't want to
[26:18] clog our calendar invites with all of
[26:20] that." And so I tried to join the uh the
[26:23] meeting today thinking that just like
[26:25] our meeting right now is being live
[26:26] streamed um and learned that uh we don't
[26:29] live stream our committee meetings. And
[26:31] I um I I guess I'm a little uncertain of
[26:34] of why that is. I don't know if anybody
[26:36] else on this on this body knew that. Um,
[26:40] but I think we should be uh live
[26:43] streaming our committee meetings as a
[26:44] public meeting.
[26:46] That is one comment. Um, I don't know if
[26:48] the staff has any response to that, but
[26:50] I do have a direct question for the uh
[26:52] committee chair or andor committee
[26:54] members as well.
[26:56] Just so not I don't think the staff has
[26:59] a reason. We just didn't do it. They
[27:02] recorded and it's
[27:03] a resource issue.
[27:05] Yeah. Say it again. Okay. Could you
[27:08] explain that in in more detail, Emily?
[27:10] I mean, it it requires more staff and
[27:13] coordination with the government channel
[27:14] in order to live stream to YouTube to
[27:17] our channel. So, our workaround was to
[27:20] record the team's meeting and then post
[27:22] the video within 24 to 48 hours after
[27:25] that. Um because we just didn't we don't
[27:28] have the the staff to do that for the
[27:30] capacity, right, for all the especially
[27:32] when there was that slew of committee
[27:33] meetings. So
[27:35] in that case, um I don't know if this is
[27:37] needed in the form of a motion, but um I
[27:40] guess I'd like to revisit then being
[27:43] invited via email and calendar invite if
[27:46] if you know if there's a capacity issue
[27:48] to do it live, could we do that?
[27:50] So the way I remember that going is
[27:52] because of not clogging the calendar, I
[27:54] think I remember saying anybody who
[27:56] wanted to be added to any committee,
[27:58] just let the staff know.
[28:00] Okay. So individually do that.
[28:01] individually because I mean again we get
[28:03] a lot of emails and I was just that that
[28:06] was my ask of staff if you want to be
[28:08] added just let them know.
[28:10] Uh I mean I I can certainly do that.
[28:12] That's fine. Um
[28:15] I'll I'll do that for myself and and
[28:17] take a look at all the agendas in
[28:18] advance to
[28:19] join just a committee. I'm saying if you
[28:21] want to join a committee period, just
[28:23] say I want let the staff know I want to
[28:26] be added to all of the meetings for
[28:29] So that's where we
[28:33] just wants to observe.
[28:35] We would just like to be able to see
[28:36] sometimes I don't even want to
[28:37] participate. I just want to listen. I
[28:38] want to throw an earbud in and listen to
[28:40] the meeting. We we can try to find some
[28:42] solutions like set links for each
[28:44] meeting or something like that and and
[28:46] send those out and then if whenever you
[28:48] decide you could just click on it and it
[28:50] won't be part of your calendar. So we'll
[28:51] look at that and and getting that
[28:53] information out to you.
[28:54] I appreciate that. Thank you. Um and the
[28:56] second this is for for uh Chair Steedman
[28:59] or or any committee member I guess on
[29:00] the on the capital projects committee.
[29:03] Um specifically about the the west the
[29:06] uh the Craig head conversation.
[29:09] Um so
[29:12] could you could you give us a little
[29:13] more about the summary of and I know
[29:15] this is coming to the full board uh next
[29:18] month I assume uh to have a more robust
[29:20] conversation. I will not be here in
[29:22] August. I'll share some things in email
[29:23] but I guess since we're in the
[29:24] conversation right now uh what what is
[29:28] our what was the committee's rationale
[29:30] and I understand tight vote uh probably
[29:32] our first tight vote in this whole
[29:34] thing. So, uh, it's why I wanted to join
[29:36] it. But what, uh, I guess could you give
[29:39] us a little more insight and for you as
[29:41] a chair or anyone for that was on that
[29:43] committee of of where that conversation
[29:46] really went? I understand that some of
[29:47] the community members around around
[29:49] Craig Head that have joined us before
[29:51] were there and spoke at your public
[29:52] comment period. I know there were some
[29:54] conversations about stations being too
[29:56] close. Um, I'm just getting this third
[29:58] hand at dinner an hour, you know, 40
[30:00] minutes ago. Uh I guess I just I want to
[30:03] hear a little bit more about this
[30:04] committee conversation today.
[30:06] So So thank you for for the question and
[30:10] and I definitely want to make sure that
[30:12] everyone under um is invited. you can
[30:15] come to the meeting and if not you can
[30:17] definitely ride the re um look at the
[30:20] recording but I can share kind of the
[30:22] flavor of the vote um and and a little
[30:25] bit of why um a large part of the
[30:28] conversation
[30:30] um staff did a presentation and shared
[30:32] all the information and and responded to
[30:34] each comment provided by the
[30:36] neighborhood coalition. So it was here's
[30:39] a comment, here's a respond. There were
[30:41] seven issues cited around um station
[30:44] location, walk share, walk shed, um the
[30:48] land use vision, environmental justice,
[30:50] equity, and anti-displacement. Like
[30:52] those were some of the issues. And so
[30:55] where the committee landed the ones and
[30:57] I don't I'm not I don't want to misspe
[30:58] but what I'll say generally is that um
[31:01] the wrership and station station spacing
[31:04] methodology the vote v f v f v f v f v f
[31:05] v f v f v f v f v f v f v f v f v f v f
[31:05] v f v f v f v f v f votes that were in
[31:06] favor accepted cats's rationale to align
[31:10] with FTA standards. The second was that
[31:15] um those in favor talked about um the
[31:18] competitiveness of an application when
[31:20] you add a station that doesn't meet
[31:22] those criteria that are established by
[31:24] the FTA. The third thing we talked about
[31:27] is the land use purview.
[31:30] Who has the the the ability to influence
[31:34] the land use vision and in relation to
[31:36] the station location? Our purview is
[31:40] transit
[31:42] and the the the relationship to the land
[31:44] use is to accept the city's policy very
[31:47] recent April 2026 of what that policy
[31:50] for land use would be and should be in
[31:53] the future. If things change the plan
[31:55] department does a 5-year assessment they
[31:57] can change the land use policy and at
[31:59] that time there may be a rationale to
[32:01] revisit it. And I think I want to be
[32:03] clear that we understand there is an
[32:06] ability to revisit this discussion or
[32:08] this decision. The other thing that uh
[32:11] we talked about was um
[32:15] around we didn't really talk about the
[32:17] anti-displacement piece as much but
[32:20] definitely uh a map that was very
[32:23] compelling in the service that is
[32:25] currently there and plan to connect
[32:28] people within that area and outside of
[32:31] that area. So it was pretty clear um
[32:34] when you lay the the existing line, the
[32:36] proposed station
[32:38] um all the bus routes where the enhanced
[32:41] bus will go and where the microtransit
[32:43] is envisioned to happen and the coverage
[32:46] and the density or intensity of those
[32:49] services is is pretty telling as to what
[32:52] will happen within the next five years
[32:54] before transit or commuter rail even
[32:57] comes. I think the piece and and this is
[33:00] how I ended the conversation. The piece
[33:02] that is missing, the needs of the
[33:04] community are still there, but a transit
[33:07] station today may not answer that. What
[33:10] do we need to do in partnership with the
[33:13] city, the county, and other partners to
[33:15] create a strategy that is finally
[33:18] tailored for those for that community
[33:20] around economic development, around
[33:22] diversifying the land use, um the job
[33:26] diversity, uh adding more greener jobs,
[33:28] that's a a land use and business
[33:30] decision as well. and then how might we
[33:33] be more intentional when those new
[33:35] improvements come on that they're in
[33:37] state s sustainable solutions as well.
[33:39] So that was the f that was the four and
[33:41] against I'll I'll defer to Katrina or
[33:44] Lucia to to to add more color to that
[33:47] because I don't want to speak for them.
[33:49] So I think what we were all clear is
[33:51] that we don't do land development. So we
[33:53] kind of put in our side that on the
[33:55] side. We were pro more preoccupied with
[33:57] transit and the needs of the community
[34:00] and seeing where that next station is
[34:02] going to go between the RIDA and north
[34:04] end there was a four miles distance
[34:07] between those two stations. If the
[34:09] people that live on that area beyond the
[34:11] circle that was presented to us which
[34:13] said there only two people lived close
[34:15] to the station. If you expanded that a
[34:17] little bit, there's a whole community
[34:19] between the blue line state line that is
[34:22] going on the other side and the
[34:24] projected red line. There's a pie of
[34:27] inhabitants that are asking and claiming
[34:29] for at station. Why? Because they feel
[34:31] that between the station on the blue
[34:33] line and a station on the red line, they
[34:35] could create the synergies for their
[34:37] community where they can use
[34:38] microtransit or bikes or scooters or
[34:41] whatever to get to the two stations to
[34:43] go to two different areas. And from the
[34:46] perspective of the red line, there are a
[34:48] lot of jobs on the north side of town,
[34:51] whether it's restaurants, hotels, the
[34:53] hospitals, they have a lot of
[34:55] unfulfilled
[34:56] uh spots that need employees, but they
[34:58] can't get them because they don't have
[34:59] how to get there. Well, according to
[35:01] some of the data that we were presented,
[35:03] there are over 4,700 people that live
[35:05] close to that projected station on Craig
[35:07] Head. So we're thinking are we're going
[35:09] to ask them to come to Graham then come
[35:11] down to North End and then pass the
[35:13] cricket location that is closer to them
[35:15] to go to work. The cost for us was
[35:18] important because the big perspective of
[35:21] our budget 5 to6 million which at first
[35:25] we were told four to five and now really
[35:26] is5 to$6 million cost. It sounded like
[35:29] such a small portion expense to satisfy
[35:32] the needs of a community that feels and
[35:35] in my perspective at least and some of
[35:37] us in the group that were for that
[35:39] station. They need to have something
[35:41] that helps them rent access the other
[35:44] areas of this town. Having that station
[35:47] allows you to be close to them. And the
[35:49] land development area we didn't even to
[35:51] be honest we didn't discuss it in detail
[35:53] because it's not our purview. Our
[35:54] purview was transit. If we can support
[35:57] that, that's that was our main issue to
[36:00] help the community that is there to have
[36:01] a way out rather than having to go to
[36:03] North End or just be limited to going to
[36:06] UNCC on the blue line. Um we have some
[36:08] of us have driven the area and seen that
[36:10] it's not the easiest walk, but it would
[36:14] be a lot harder to go to North End for
[36:16] all those people. And if we tell them,
[36:18] well, you can just take the bus and go
[36:19] down to come north end, then they have
[36:22] to take the train to go north for a job.
[36:24] So it will take them 30 40 minutes to do
[36:26] it will take them double their time if
[36:28] they have to calculate that way. So it
[36:30] was more responding to what we saw not
[36:32] just from the planning department which
[36:33] we totally respect but also
[36:35] understanding the plans can change and
[36:38] with the community they prepared a
[36:39] pretty good study and with data that we
[36:42] supported and said okay well what cannot
[36:44] we do is spend five six million dollars
[36:46] I mean a consulting contract would cost
[36:48] a lot close to that number sometimes and
[36:50] and this is a permanent service for the
[36:52] community. So that's at least my
[36:54] perspective. I know Katrina wants to say
[36:56] anymore.
[36:57] Dto dto.
[36:59] So I'm I'm a reminder because I do have
[37:01] three more people who want to talk.
[37:03] Can I just wrap up? I just I'm going to
[37:05] make a comment. Not to cut you off, but
[37:06] just Yes, sir.
[37:07] Sorry. Well, so thanks for providing
[37:10] both both sides. And I don't know if any
[37:11] of the neighbors are are here that
[37:13] presented to us multiple times. I really
[37:14] do admire that work um that you've done
[37:17] on a volunteer basis to kind of develop
[37:20] the maps, do the analysis. I mean, these
[37:22] are community members doing some heavy
[37:24] lifting for themselves um and advocating
[37:27] for for their neighborhoods. Um I I
[37:29] agree with Lucia that um that $6 million
[37:33] on the whole. Um some people want to
[37:35] make the ROI, you know, conversation
[37:38] when we're talking about all transit
[37:39] stations and whatnot. I think $6 million
[37:42] is easy to recoup. That will pay for
[37:44] itself in the long run easily. Uh I
[37:46] recognize that commuter rail is
[37:47] different than light rail. Um, we all
[37:50] know what south end looked like before
[37:52] the blue line was there and the
[37:54] industrial land use nature of it. Uh, so
[37:57] also when we talk about stations being
[37:59] too close, I think we can make an easy
[38:01] counterargument about the the Davidson
[38:04] Cornelius or the or the Hambrite and the
[38:06] Eastfield uh station being relatively
[38:08] close to each other as well. Um and and
[38:10] I saw in the in the in the presentation
[38:13] uh when I did get the slides that uh
[38:15] there's this conversation in comparison
[38:17] of Camp North has all these people in
[38:19] jobs and the Craig hair area has no
[38:21] people around it. Uh I just think it's
[38:23] very disrespectful and dismissive um of
[38:25] of people who live in these areas. Uh
[38:28] we've seen some of these people. They've
[38:29] come down here. Uh we we are not here to
[38:33] uh to to be negative about the value
[38:36] that some neighborhood has over another.
[38:38] Uh and so I I just I'll leave it at
[38:40] that. I know that this committee, this
[38:42] board is going to have more conversation
[38:45] uh next month as we as we meet that
[38:47] recommendation from the committee, but I
[38:49] would challenge us all uh to think about
[38:51] why we decided to serve on this board.
[38:53] This will be in my opinion our first
[38:55] critical decision. Uh so I I'll leave it
[38:57] at that for the time being. Uh but I I
[38:59] I'll speak more to this uh in emails and
[39:01] at a meeting later.
[39:03] Thank you.
[39:03] Let's see who's next. Trustee Peter and
[39:07] then Trusty Longo, you are in queue.
[39:09] Yes, Mr. Mr. Peps.
[39:11] Mr. Chairman, I'm assuming we're not
[39:12] taking any formal action on this
[39:14] tonight. Is that correct?
[39:15] We're not.
[39:16] We anticipate doing that
[39:18] August. Is that correct? Thank you.
[39:19] We don't trust Longo, Trusty Clayton,
[39:23] you're in Q. And then trusty N
[39:26] the um first regarding uh Justin's
[39:31] comment about the committee meetings. I
[39:33] guess what I'd like to understand is I
[39:35] understand we have a capacity issue now,
[39:37] but how do we get to where we can live
[39:41] stream those committee meetings? I
[39:43] didn't realize it until after I thought
[39:45] we were live streaming until a week or
[39:47] two ago. Um, so, so that would be the
[39:50] question I would ask because I think
[39:52] object I think our objective should be
[39:54] that these meetings are livereamed. So,
[39:57] it's it's going to make it easier. We're
[39:59] all busy. I'd love to come down here and
[40:01] visit y'all as much as possible. But, as
[40:04] Justin said, sometimes you can put your
[40:06] earbud in and you can listen and be
[40:07] doing some other things and pay
[40:09] attention and I think that would be
[40:10] really helpful. the just a a quick
[40:14] comment also or a question u the station
[40:18] that we're installing on the blue line
[40:21] um full disclosure it's next to a
[40:23] building I own um how much does that
[40:26] cost NAS to install
[40:30] 12
[40:31] yeah it it that is an apples to oranges
[40:33] comparison but the answer is
[40:36] I believe the total project cost is
[40:37] around 30 million but it includes a
[40:40] track work a crossover that's being
[40:42] installed as part of that project.
[40:44] Yeah. Okay. So,
[40:45] it's not a comp it's not a comparable
[40:47] project.
[40:48] Well, I I I guess what I know because of
[40:52] personal experience is that it's highly
[40:55] disruptive when you're trying to do that
[40:57] to the businesses in the area and I
[41:00] owned this property before the light
[41:02] rail. So when there was nothing there so
[41:05] it was blighted brownfield um and then
[41:08] it became what it became and then
[41:10] there's all the disruption of the single
[41:12] tracking that has to occur and all that
[41:14] kind of stuff. So, I would hope when
[41:17] we're looking at these things,
[41:19] I understand why there were decisions
[41:21] made on the blue line because there's
[41:23] endless opportunities and limited
[41:25] resources and you do have to make
[41:26] decisions. But we know that the
[41:28] shortening of the platforms from three
[41:31] cars to two cars will cost us a lot of
[41:33] money going forward. We know that how
[41:35] the gold line platforms were built are
[41:38] going to cost us dollars to repair. And
[41:40] we know that inserting stations while
[41:42] you're trying to operate is going to
[41:44] cost us to repair. And so I would just
[41:48] hope that we'll think about that and I
[41:50] it will make for a robust conversation
[41:52] when it comes back up.
[41:55] Trusty Clayton Sely and Trusty M.
[41:59] Uh this is actually more of a question
[42:02] or request for a future meeting. So just
[42:05] quick research uh only data I could find
[42:08] about reverse commuter commuters in the
[42:10] United States was New York City and
[42:12] Chicago. They averaged about 7 and a
[42:14] half% of the people using commuter
[42:16] service were reverse commuters and those
[42:18] are people re reverse commuting to much
[42:20] more urban loc than what our commuters
[42:24] would be going to. So, I would love to
[42:25] see any data we can find nationally of
[42:29] uh places like us, Nashville, Austin
[42:32] that have commuter rail that are a
[42:34] similar density and population size to
[42:37] see how many people are actually
[42:38] utilizing that. I think that would be
[42:40] very beneficial to inform our decisions.
[42:44] You're on the committee that makes that
[42:45] happen. So,
[42:48] Trusty Mack,
[42:51] thank you for that. Secretary uh Long.
[42:55] So I want to first start with thanking
[42:58] Justin for his comments. Ditto. But I
[43:00] want to remind everyone that
[43:04] the whole concept of creating this
[43:07] authority really really comes out of the
[43:09] fact that we know that we are creating
[43:11] something for the future. which means
[43:13] that anything that we envision should
[43:15] not be about what it looks like today,
[43:17] but what we can um assist in in looking
[43:21] at like 10, 20, 30 years from now. And
[43:25] um I'm someone who supports the correct
[43:27] head station. Let me put that out there.
[43:30] And the reason being is that I really
[43:31] believe that um the red line will cause
[43:35] great growth for both the community as
[43:38] well as businesses. I also believe that
[43:41] this is an opportunity for us to look at
[43:43] the um federal fund analysis which is
[43:47] something that um is futuristic. It's
[43:50] not simply about next week or even next
[43:52] year. Um I also believe that the people
[43:55] who live there who've taken the time to
[43:58] do the work to their own to do their own
[44:00] analysis and research did a phenomenal
[44:03] job in expressing very clearly what they
[44:05] need. and they're one of very few who
[44:08] took the time to come before us over and
[44:10] over again
[44:12] to discuss exactly what the community
[44:14] needs and our responsibility is to hear
[44:16] from the community and respond to the
[44:17] community. Now,
[44:19] um now may not be the time to do this.
[44:21] to know next month we'll we'll go
[44:23] further into the conversation but I want
[44:25] us all to remember this
[44:28] that 20 30 40 years from now none of us
[44:31] will be here but what we put in place
[44:33] will and how that aids and allowing
[44:37] people to have a better quality of life
[44:39] is very important to all of us. Thank
[44:42] you.
[44:46] Yeah. Uh just on this topic one just
[44:48] very brief request or comment. So as we
[44:51] prepare for the next uh you know full uh
[44:53] discussion with supporting u materials I
[44:56] think you know as I hear the blue line
[44:58] called out uh and the success of all the
[45:00] development that follow that I think
[45:01] it'd be helpful to see that as more of
[45:03] like a technical case study. So in terms
[45:05] of you know existing u you know zoning
[45:08] land use uh you know population to
[45:10] anything like that that um can help us
[45:12] kind of understand whether um it's you
[45:15] know to use Mr. Kegel's terms, you know,
[45:17] like apples to apples. Uh, I think
[45:18] that'd be that'd be great.
[45:22] Anybody else?
[45:24] I'll have a final word on this one so we
[45:26] can move on. Uh, the only thing I want
[45:28] to add to the conversation is that it is
[45:30] not lost on me that
[45:33] um what was alluded to as far as land
[45:35] use. Uh, it is our purview to do land
[45:37] use, economic development. Our job is to
[45:40] do transit. So whenever we make a
[45:43] decision that's not based on transit
[45:45] mainly and it's based on changing land
[45:47] use, I would hope that we do that in
[45:50] complete coordination with the groups
[45:51] that are responsible for that. Um, so
[45:54] just know that one of the things that
[45:55] I've asked and we just have not gotten
[45:57] to it, we're seven months old, is a
[46:00] conversation with the planning
[46:01] department, with C do DOT, with economic
[46:04] development, with the county to start
[46:06] talking of the housing and neighborhood
[46:08] division um, divisions because you have
[46:11] one now too, Mike, to start talking
[46:12] about how we coordinate together on
[46:15] things like this. Um, I have Deborah
[46:20] here, so I'm going to just look for a
[46:21] nod. Deborah, I won't put you completely
[46:22] on the spot. Uh, the blue line keeps
[46:25] coming up and if I remember right,
[46:27] because the most important thing to all
[46:29] of this is what is the land used to
[46:30] desire of the city that we're putting
[46:33] transit in. If I'm not mistaken, the
[46:36] centers, quarters, and wedges in the
[46:38] five quarters.
[46:40] Keep going, but don't bring it up. Go
[46:41] ahead.
[46:42] Say it out loud.
[46:44] I'm sorry. Was that loud?
[46:48] I'm sorry.
[46:51] We have current policy that's super
[46:53] Oh, I'm coming to that. I'm coming to
[46:54] that. I'm coming to that.
[46:55] I'm just saying.
[46:55] But the blue line came up and the
[46:58] history of how it came to be and what it
[46:59] was. I grew up here and what it used to
[47:01] be.
[47:02] But uh there was a concerted effort by
[47:04] the city to change these five corridors
[47:06] to be denser. So that happened before
[47:09] the before the light rail was even
[47:12] constructed. So I just want to be clear
[47:15] that these corridors, these five
[47:17] corridors were selected for growth.
[47:20] So there were land use policies in place
[47:22] prior to the street to the the the
[47:26] transit system even being put on the
[47:28] ground. So to me this is fundamentally
[47:30] about not using our power to in to
[47:34] supersede what cities have done. I don't
[47:37] care if we put it there but it should be
[47:39] in coordination with the people that
[47:41] decide land use. We shouldn't be
[47:43] deciding land use is what I'm saying. So
[47:45] I would hope that we figure out how to
[47:47] work with these bodies and part of what
[47:49] I've asked Deborah directly because she
[47:51] was a part of it is how do we pull these
[47:53] departments together so we can start
[47:55] talking about how we work together
[47:56] because there is no there's no template
[47:58] for this. This has never happened
[48:00] before. It was the city's purview to do
[48:01] this in the past. Now Alicia is right.
[48:04] The city has spoken recently about their
[48:06] land their area plans and what they'd
[48:08] like to see places. They just passed it
[48:10] three months ago. So they just said what
[48:13] they wanted for this area. I want us to
[48:15] be careful about getting out in front of
[48:17] working with our partners is my only
[48:19] thing. If working with our partners
[48:21] results in the fact that this makes
[48:22] sense for everybody that makes decisions
[48:24] about it, we should do it. But if not,
[48:26] we need to take our time and do that,
[48:28] right? That would be my only thing. And
[48:31] okay,
[48:32] yeah, just just two points. Um, in our
[48:36] work plan, it outlines how and when we
[48:40] start to collaborate with other
[48:41] departments. So as soon as next month
[48:45] we're talking about transit oriented
[48:47] communities the the overview which is
[48:50] the new way of talking about TOD and so
[48:53] and then talking about planning planning
[48:55] framework for center city. So there the
[48:58] planning department real estate and all
[49:00] these folks will be in the room to have
[49:03] start to begin to have those intentional
[49:05] conversations about the intersection of
[49:08] transit and land use planning. I also
[49:11] want to add too that um the land use
[49:15] planning that the planning department
[49:16] leads is not in a vacuum.
[49:20] They work with cats,
[49:22] transportation, ne economic development,
[49:25] neighborhood business services, the
[49:27] county parks rec
[49:30] departmental team. So no no decision
[49:33] about land use or investment is done in
[49:37] a vacuum. That's not new. Now how the
[49:39] NPTA decides to structure that moving
[49:43] forward is new.
[49:44] So I did want to say that one we we have
[49:46] the opportunity to start collaborating
[49:49] next month. Please join our meeting if
[49:51] you want want to and then there's a
[49:53] cadence of how we plan to do that over
[49:55] the next six months.
[49:56] I just wanted to say overall we have got
[49:58] to learn to work with the rest of the
[50:00] people making these decisions.
[50:01] No uh trustee Mack is next and then
[50:06] yes ma'am
[50:07] Mr. Mr. Chairman, I've been asking for
[50:08] this for months, and this is why I've
[50:10] been asking for it. Although we're not
[50:13] going to be operating in a vacuum,
[50:15] implicit bias plays a huge part in how
[50:17] we determine what's important and what
[50:19] is not important. And it's playing out
[50:21] in real time. We're not living in a
[50:24] bubble. There are a lot of things going
[50:25] on in this country, right here in this
[50:27] state, that's going to directly affect
[50:30] what we do in the NPTA.
[50:34] Please sir, let's take seriously that
[50:36] implicit bias and bias and worse
[50:40] directly affects how we determine what
[50:43] we do and do not do.
[50:46] Thank you, Rack. And then Peter, last
[50:48] words.
[50:48] Yes, sir. Mr. Chairman, I hope as we
[50:50] consider who's at that table, we also
[50:53] maybe make a seat for the private sector
[50:55] and those in the real estate industry. I
[50:58] think the public sector would find that
[51:01] there's a lot of knowledge that the real
[51:04] estate industry has that could be
[51:05] helpful from a market perspective in
[51:08] those decisions. So you might find that
[51:10] you have a lot of volunteers who would
[51:13] be willing to help provide some of that
[51:16] input that and information that could be
[51:18] helpful as you look at your long range
[51:20] plans.
[51:22] Yes, sir. Yeah. I think as we Yes. I'm
[51:26] not going to say anything else but just
[51:27] Yes. Yes, sir. All right. So, number
[51:29] eight, moving on. Consent items. Um, so
[51:33] we have two items for consent, and that
[51:36] is help me, Emily. I'm not seeing them.
[51:38] June 10th and June,
[51:40] the meeting summary of June 10th.
[51:41] Oh, the meeting minutes forune
[51:44] 10th and June 24th.
[51:45] Okay. I was looking for actually the
[51:47] motions. All right.
[51:48] Move approval.
[51:49] Move approval. I got a motion by by it
[51:52] by Ned. Seconded. All in favor of the
[51:55] two consent items, let it be known by
[51:56] saying Oh, did anybody want to pull
[51:57] anything? All
[51:58] right. All in favor, let it be known by
[52:00] saying I
[52:01] oppose the same sign. That motion
[52:02] carries. Uh, no presentations. What I
[52:05] will tell you though is that you have uh
[52:08] at least one report that I asked staff
[52:10] to include which is the impact report
[52:12] that the city had done uh related to
[52:15] mobility for small business and
[52:17] workforce. That is for information. uh
[52:20] we are trying to figure out a time where
[52:21] we can actually bring the folks from the
[52:23] city city manager's office that help put
[52:25] that together to do a presentation
[52:27] either uh to a committee or to the full
[52:30] body. So working on that. U moving on to
[52:33] number 10.
[52:35] So we have a few action items. So 10 A
[52:37] is actually the title six program update
[52:40] which is the requirement for FTA and
[52:43] that is um that's coming to us from the
[52:48] planning capital project delivery
[52:50] committee. So any comments from either
[52:52] you or staff on that?
[52:54] Um I'll just give a quick um review of
[52:56] what the item is and and and the path
[52:59] forward. The title six program update
[53:02] was received by both the operations
[53:04] safety committee and the planning and
[53:06] capital project delivery committee and
[53:08] was recommended for approval by the PCPD
[53:12] um committee on June 24th. The title six
[53:15] program details the process by which
[53:17] cats compiles complies with title six of
[53:21] the civil rights act of 1964 which
[53:24] prohibits discrimination in any program
[53:27] or activity receiving federal
[53:29] assistance. Action is requested to
[53:32] approve the title 6 program update which
[53:35] is required for the MPTA to be eligible
[53:38] to become an FTA grant recipient.
[53:43] Uh motion um a motion. So is that a
[53:45] motion from you to approve Miss Steman?
[53:49] Yes.
[53:49] Seconded by second by Julie. Any
[53:51] discussions on the motion?
[53:52] Yes, sir.
[53:53] Yes, Mr. Lindsay. Um two two items. Uh
[53:57] well, first of all, I I'm going to uh
[54:01] support the recommendation
[54:03] so that we can meet our obligation to uh
[54:07] becoming a grant recipient for um FTA
[54:11] grants. I'm also going to make a request
[54:14] that we
[54:16] uh have an ongoing tracking process for
[54:19] change requests
[54:22] from committees that occurred during the
[54:25] year uh with a goal to look at this
[54:29] policy again after a full year of MTPA
[54:32] governance process. Um we are kind of
[54:36] moving this thing forward right now uh
[54:39] with a number of other things right
[54:41] behind it. Um one of which we're going
[54:44] to talk about next. U but I I think that
[54:48] as we begin to go through the governor's
[54:52] process um there very well may be some
[54:54] things that we would like to see change
[54:57] that is part of this policy. And I would
[54:59] hope that after um one year of this body
[55:03] governing uh the the authority, we would
[55:08] have an opportunity to revisit this. Uh
[55:11] I know we have a requirement to do it
[55:13] every 3 years, but I don't believe that
[55:15] there's any prohibition against us
[55:18] updating it sooner. So my request is
[55:21] that we kind of keep track of changes
[55:24] that might come forward from any of the
[55:26] committees that impact title six
[55:28] throughout the year and that we take
[55:30] another look at this after 12 months of
[55:32] operation. So in July of 2028,
[55:35] I just asked Brent, he's more than happy
[55:37] if we say u for the staff to do to come
[55:40] back to us with a review in a year. He
[55:42] is noting that for me though because
[55:43] this is kind of unless the feds change
[55:45] it, it is what it is. Um but he's okay
[55:48] with uh staff coming back here in a
[55:51] year.
[55:52] There are some choices in this process.
[55:54] So again uh each committee has been
[55:56] working on work plans um through the
[55:58] through the committees through the full
[56:00] board. We would be happy to add um the
[56:04] policies that each committee and then
[56:06] the full board would desire to review
[56:09] after 12 months or after whatever the
[56:11] specified period is.
[56:12] Now he didn't say he didn't say all of
[56:13] them. He just said this one. So just
[56:15] this one.
[56:16] Yeah. I'm sorry. I wasn't meaning I mean
[56:18] the one all of the ones requested to be
[56:21] re-reed.
[56:22] So this one has been requested. So this
[56:24] one for sure.
[56:25] The point is that we're going to learn
[56:26] some stuff as we go along and we should
[56:28] be willing to make these adjustments as
[56:30] we
[56:31] progress through this
[56:34] and then we'll vote. Yes.
[56:35] In the future, do you think it would be
[56:38] appropriate to go through one committee
[56:40] and not both? Maybe it goes through
[56:42] operations.
[56:43] If we give it to staff, they'll bring it
[56:44] back through the right way. That's why I
[56:46] didn't I asked him could we make it part
[56:48] of the motion. He said just leave it to
[56:49] staff and tell us we need to do it and
[56:51] he'll do it
[56:51] and I'm fine with that.
[56:52] Okay.
[56:52] Okay.
[56:53] All right. All in favor of the motion
[56:54] let me be know by saying I
[56:56] oppose the same sign. That motion
[56:58] carries. Moving on to 10B. Approval of
[57:02] the Y FY27
[57:05] service equity analysis and service
[57:07] changes. Again a requirement for FTA if
[57:11] I'm not mistaken.
[57:13] Yes. It's it's necessary to comply with
[57:15] title six.
[57:17] Oh, got it. All right. So, um since we
[57:20] just talked about it, I don't know if
[57:21] there are any other comments. If not,
[57:23] seek a motion. So, I got a motion by
[57:25] Alicia, seconded by um
[57:28] Frank.
[57:28] Frank, any discussion on the issues?
[57:30] Yes, Mr. Lindsay.
[57:32] Several comments here.
[57:35] There are three areas. Service equity,
[57:38] better bus service changes, and service
[57:41] changes. um in general.
[57:44] So the first question has to do with or
[57:46] the first concern I have has to do with
[57:49] the um goal line equity analysis given
[57:52] that the fact introducing a fair on the
[57:54] goal line was not a service change that
[57:57] benefited the community. Um the uh the
[58:02] analysis for that change my question had
[58:05] to do with whether or not it would be
[58:06] viewed differently than the other
[58:09] service changes. That's the first
[58:11] question. And then um I also had concern
[58:14] about the fact that the analysis is
[58:17] conducted with the use of a survey uh I
[58:22] believe it was a writer survey or
[58:23] consumer survey that was done in 2022
[58:27] um to perform the analysis and I know
[58:29] that we are updating that survey process
[58:32] and I believe we are expecting it to be
[58:34] done sometime in October. So, I was told
[58:37] previously that we needed to submit this
[58:40] before October, which is why we can't
[58:42] wait till the new survey is complete to
[58:45] use that data. And we're still utilizing
[58:48] the data from 2022
[58:51] uh to perform the analysis.
[58:54] Uh so, so that's a concern for me. Uh
[58:57] and I'm just going to kind of run
[58:58] through mine so my minutes don't tick
[59:00] off on the better bus service changes.
[59:04] Um the microtransit zones are
[59:08] represented as part of the survey that
[59:10] was done to determine where the new
[59:14] microtransit zones are. And my question
[59:18] has to do with will there or is there
[59:21] anticipated that there will be any
[59:22] overlap between zones or connectivity
[59:25] between service zones microtransit
[59:27] zones. So, if I'm in the northern zone,
[59:30] when the Batties Ford Road zone comes
[59:32] online, will I be able to connect
[59:35] between the northern zone and Batty's
[59:36] Ford road zone? What what is the what's
[59:39] going to be the plan there? So, that's
[59:42] that's the issue with the micro zones.
[59:44] Uh and then on service changes in
[59:46] general, I needed to know more about um
[59:50] how the elimination of service routes
[59:53] like the Rock Hill service route
[59:56] elimination would be treated under our
[59:59] equity analysis if at all given that
[01:00:03] that was our highest performing
[01:00:05] writership growth on express routes um
[01:00:08] in our last report. And then lastly on
[01:00:11] service changes, the general comment is
[01:00:14] that we have a very low overall total
[01:00:17] response from
[01:00:20] um the survey results. We had 1373 total
[01:00:24] responses that are driving the service
[01:00:28] changes that are being recommended. Um
[01:00:31] we talked a lot about the the uh Craig
[01:00:35] Head station. I think their petition had
[01:00:37] more respondents than than our um our
[01:00:40] survey did. So, I'm concerned that we
[01:00:43] are allowing a very low number of
[01:00:46] respondents to drive the service change
[01:00:49] decisions that we're making when we're
[01:00:51] using a survey method like that.
[01:00:54] So, so I'll start and I'll turn it over
[01:00:56] to Kelly. Um there was a lot there. Um I
[01:00:58] I'll I'm going to start in reverse order
[01:01:02] um and clarify something. The Rock Hill
[01:01:04] service was not cancelled at the desire
[01:01:07] of cats.
[01:01:09] It was cancelled because Rock Hill no
[01:01:12] longer wished to enter into the
[01:01:15] agreement that we have with them to
[01:01:17] provide that. So, so again, Cats did not
[01:01:21] cancel that service. That service was
[01:01:24] cancelled by Rock Hill and Cats complied
[01:01:27] because they would not enter into the
[01:01:29] interlocal agreement uh necessary to do
[01:01:32] that. and that interlocal agreement
[01:01:34] required them to provide 50% funding for
[01:01:38] the service and and they would not do
[01:01:40] that. So, so again we can talk more
[01:01:42] about the service equity but it is a
[01:01:45] policy issue of this board of the MTC
[01:01:49] that when services are provided outside
[01:01:52] of the county and there are express
[01:01:53] routes that do that that the that the
[01:01:57] external entity beyond the county cost
[01:02:00] share on that service. Those are some of
[01:02:02] the longest express routes we have that
[01:02:04] go out of the county. Rock Hill chose
[01:02:07] not to renew that. It was a normal reup
[01:02:10] of their interlocal agreement and they
[01:02:13] chose not to do that. That was not the
[01:02:14] choice of cats. Um, on your microtransit
[01:02:18] zones question,
[01:02:19] I'm sorry, just so I'm clear, Brent,
[01:02:20] that means that that does not fall under
[01:02:23] the service equity analysis provision of
[01:02:28] the title six stuff. That's what I was
[01:02:30] trying to understand. Does it fall
[01:02:31] under?
[01:02:31] So again, I I'll have Kelly finish up on
[01:02:34] that. But okay, but but either way, it
[01:02:36] it was not our choice.
[01:02:38] Understood that.
[01:02:39] And to follow policy, it had to be
[01:02:42] discontinued because Rock Hill chose not
[01:02:45] to fund that per
[01:02:47] this body's policy. Um so on microransit
[01:02:54] for microtransit zones that are
[01:02:56] contiguous yes we will try to have
[01:02:59] overlapping areas. Now clearly that is
[01:03:02] not possible with every microtransit
[01:03:04] zone because they're not contiguous
[01:03:07] right the the zone one the north county
[01:03:11] will not is not contiguous to all of the
[01:03:14] zones and and therefore it can't
[01:03:15] overlap. However, to your question, how
[01:03:18] would you go from the northern zone one,
[01:03:22] the north county, the north mellmberberg
[01:03:25] zone to the Batty's Ford um zone, you
[01:03:31] would start your ride in the northern
[01:03:34] part of the county on microtransit.
[01:03:37] You would go to North Lake Mall, which
[01:03:39] is in zone one. you would get on fixed
[01:03:42] route bus service the Batty's Ford Road
[01:03:45] um the seven second busiest route that
[01:03:49] is going to a 15minute service and then
[01:03:52] you would proceed on to your destination
[01:03:54] or you would connect on to um another
[01:03:56] mode. Um but it it is not possible to
[01:04:00] have microtransit zones that are all
[01:04:02] contiguous. That that would result in
[01:04:05] one microtransit zone which would be the
[01:04:07] county and that is there are we
[01:04:11] specifically designed our zones to not
[01:04:14] do that.
[01:04:17] I'm with you.
[01:04:18] Um Kelly
[01:04:19] Kelly will talk about the service equity
[01:04:21] and the title six analysis.
[01:04:24] Um on the on the first question I think
[01:04:27] about the the fair analysis is yeah fair
[01:04:29] analysis is is required per title six.
[01:04:33] Um so the uh change to the gold line
[01:04:36] fair was covered in the fair equity
[01:04:38] analysis that was presented to the board
[01:04:41] um with the fair policy. Um so so
[01:04:46] I hope hopefully that answers that
[01:04:48] question. If not, let me know. Um on the
[01:04:52] um the survey data or the the data um
[01:04:55] that we use in the analysis that that is
[01:04:58] correct. Uh we are planning a new origin
[01:05:01] destination survey in in the fall. Uh
[01:05:04] and that will be uh used in uh the
[01:05:07] analysis going forward. Um
[01:05:11] and then uh finally on the uh public
[01:05:14] engagement survey uh results uh I just
[01:05:18] wanted to note that so the the survey
[01:05:21] that we we're speaking of is um we went
[01:05:24] out with the proposed changes um which
[01:05:28] are improvements to to these routes
[01:05:30] right increases in frequency etc. Um and
[01:05:34] uh we we had a virtual meeting, several
[01:05:38] uh in-person engagement opportunities at
[01:05:40] the the Charlotte Transit Center and
[01:05:43] other locations and um a large number of
[01:05:46] views of the the meeting. And so the the
[01:05:49] survey is in response to that engagement
[01:05:52] um and
[01:05:54] the engagement results are are presented
[01:05:56] there about what the what the um
[01:05:59] interest and concerns of uh for from the
[01:06:02] respondents are. So it is a you know a
[01:06:06] voluntary survey response from people
[01:06:08] that participate in the engagement
[01:06:11] efforts on the service changes.
[01:06:14] Thank you. All right, Cameron. Not Cam.
[01:06:18] Yeah, Cameron. Yeah.
[01:06:19] Uh, thank you. I, uh, this is exciting,
[01:06:22] right? I think, uh, in October, we see
[01:06:25] new microransit zone. We see increased
[01:06:27] bus routes. I I know that we'll probably
[01:06:29] do some things in social media and
[01:06:30] announce these things, too. I just want
[01:06:32] to make sure that we're also
[01:06:33] communicating to our appointing bodies
[01:06:34] and our partners of there's new
[01:06:36] microtransit zone out in West Boulevard
[01:06:38] and Airport. um had a conversation with
[01:06:40] some folks on some of our appointing
[01:06:41] bodies and they many of them seemed
[01:06:43] unaware that this microtransit zone was
[01:06:45] coming. I'm sure someone told them at
[01:06:46] some point, right, if staff was an email
[01:06:48] or a presentation, but I think
[01:06:50] celebrating, right, when these things
[01:06:51] happen and making sure that we're
[01:06:53] communicating to our appointing bodies
[01:06:54] and celebrating the growth. That's all I
[01:06:57] had. Thank you,
[01:07:01] Reette.
[01:07:07] beyond uh celebrating uh the growth due
[01:07:11] to Michael Michael France, I think it's
[01:07:13] important that we we find some
[01:07:16] connectivity. um as um Trustee Lindsay
[01:07:21] stated because it looks as if the
[01:07:24] communities who are the most
[01:07:26] economically challenged
[01:07:28] are going to have additional challenges
[01:07:31] if there is not connectivity regarding
[01:07:34] microtransit.
[01:07:37] Meaning earlier we talked about doing
[01:07:40] away with transfers. What happens when
[01:07:43] they have to go from point A to point Z
[01:07:46] but there is some
[01:07:49] some breakage between point A and point
[01:07:52] Z even within the micro transit system.
[01:07:55] What I'm asking is from north to to the
[01:07:59] west
[01:08:00] going directly into specific areas of
[01:08:02] the west we need to begin to look at how
[01:08:05] that can work out so the people are not
[01:08:06] paying an additional fair in any way.
[01:08:11] Yeah. So again, as we said with fair
[01:08:14] modernization, we have not done away
[01:08:16] with transfers.
[01:08:19] Transfers are still available. We do
[01:08:21] not, the new fair modernization program
[01:08:24] does not allow for cash transfers.
[01:08:27] Transfers are still available. So if you
[01:08:30] use your fair media and you start your
[01:08:32] ride in microtransit,
[01:08:35] you'll make a transfer at no cost to the
[01:08:38] next vehicle.
[01:08:39] And if you then get reach your
[01:08:41] destination, you're completed. Or if you
[01:08:43] make another transfer,
[01:08:46] again, transfers are covered under one
[01:08:50] fair unless they are cash transfers.
[01:08:54] There are no cash transfers
[01:08:56] or not within the zone.
[01:08:58] No. So if you if you're traveling
[01:09:02] outside of the zone, if you start your
[01:09:04] trip in a microtransit zone and you are
[01:09:06] traveling outside of the zone, you
[01:09:10] cannot book a trip outside of the zone.
[01:09:12] You can't book a trip if you're not
[01:09:13] starting in the zone and ending in the
[01:09:17] zone. And so when you But not every trip
[01:09:20] starts and ends in a zone. So if you
[01:09:23] start in a zone, but your destination is
[01:09:25] outside of the zone. I'm going to use an
[01:09:27] example. Um, you are starting in North
[01:09:32] Charlotte, but you live two miles from
[01:09:37] North Lake Mall and you need to go
[01:09:41] uptown
[01:09:42] for a job.
[01:09:45] You would book your trip and you have
[01:09:48] some options. You could start by going
[01:09:51] to the parking ride and catch an express
[01:09:54] bus up town. start on microransit, go to
[01:09:58] a parking ride, and ride an express bus
[01:10:01] up town. But let's say it's not in the
[01:10:03] morning and you still need to during
[01:10:05] express hours, you would start on
[01:10:07] microtransit,
[01:10:09] book your ride from your from your
[01:10:11] origination to North Lake Mall, and you
[01:10:14] would hop on the seven, which is Batty's
[01:10:18] Ford Road, which comes up town,
[01:10:20] terminates at the at the Charlotte
[01:10:22] Transit Center. And so again, when you
[01:10:25] make that transfer, the transfer does
[01:10:27] not cost. It is one ride, one ticket,
[01:10:32] $2.20 or discounted if you're eligible
[01:10:35] for a discounted fair.
[01:10:40] All right, I have a motion on the table.
[01:10:41] All in favor of the motion that be known
[01:10:43] by saying I.
[01:10:44] I the same sign. That action moves
[01:10:47] forward. All right, 10 C is the
[01:10:50] technology transition contracts. Uh,
[01:10:53] Ned.
[01:10:54] Yes, sir.
[01:10:54] That to you.
[01:10:55] Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, I'll give a
[01:10:57] little background and then I'll seek a
[01:10:58] motion uh authorizing the CE interim CEO
[01:11:02] uh related to numerous matters related
[01:11:04] to technology. I think uh since the
[01:11:06] beginning of our first meeting, we have
[01:11:08] talked about our reliance on the city's
[01:11:10] systems uh technology and everything
[01:11:13] associated with it, which we still rely
[01:11:15] on to this day. Uh we've all uh
[01:11:18] benefited from the presentation at the
[01:11:20] last board meeting from Rachel and her
[01:11:22] team and did an outstanding job
[01:11:23] describing to us uh the IT broad
[01:11:27] environment uh that we operate in and
[01:11:30] the uh significant number of elements
[01:11:32] that are necessary uh for us to acquire
[01:11:35] and have implemented um in order for us
[01:11:38] to stand on our own over the next uh
[01:11:42] year, year and a half or so. And so
[01:11:44] critical to that at this point is uh
[01:11:47] authorizing uh the interim chief
[01:11:49] executive officer uh uh along with uh
[01:11:52] collaboration with the transit
[01:11:54] co-directors to enter into and and
[01:11:57] execute those contracts that are
[01:11:59] necessary for the broad range of uh IT
[01:12:03] transition matters. Uh and all of these
[01:12:07] as as uh questions have come up numerous
[01:12:09] times all of these have been budgeted
[01:12:11] and are part of the budget uh that we
[01:12:13] have previously approved. Uh so with
[01:12:16] that as background uh chair I'll offer
[01:12:19] as a motion uh that we authorize the
[01:12:21] interim chief executive officer or his
[01:12:23] designate in consultation with the
[01:12:25] transition co-directors to take all
[01:12:26] actions necessary to negotiate and
[01:12:28] execute or amended agreements to
[01:12:30] implement the MPTA technology plan
[01:12:33] associated with the transition. uh from
[01:12:35] the city of Charlotte.
[01:12:36] Have a motion. Do I have a second?
[01:12:37] Second.
[01:12:38] I have a motion and a second. Any
[01:12:39] discussion on the motion,
[01:12:41] Mr. Chair?
[01:12:42] Yes, Lucia. And then U. Anthony.
[01:12:45] Only one question. We talk about having
[01:12:47] a portal so that we don't have to print
[01:12:49] a lot of documents for us. Would this be
[01:12:51] part of that exercise?
[01:12:54] Um
[01:12:57] can answer.
[01:12:57] No, we already have the Granicus
[01:12:59] product. We are um going to be rolling
[01:13:01] it out and we hope to go paperless
[01:13:04] beginning in September and um so we will
[01:13:07] be um probably coming to committee
[01:13:10] meetings with smaller groups of people
[01:13:11] to talk to you about the technology and
[01:13:13] how it works.
[01:13:14] All right. Thank you.
[01:13:15] And then Mr. Lindsay.
[01:13:17] So um couple of questions. Uh some of
[01:13:20] these contracts are um
[01:13:24] a little bit older. uh for example, the
[01:13:27] North Highland contract which was uh
[01:13:29] awarded in 2022.
[01:13:32] Um and I'm just curious about whether or
[01:13:34] not there are significant changes in uh
[01:13:37] our governor's process that would
[01:13:39] necessitate us or would at least um
[01:13:42] warrant us to re-evaluate scope of
[01:13:44] services under these agreements that
[01:13:46] have been in place for a longer period
[01:13:48] of time. Um and then lastly on um the
[01:13:54] workday
[01:13:56] uh contract it it appears that the that
[01:14:00] cats adopted workday uh sort of subject
[01:14:04] to the city adoption of that uh program
[01:14:08] that software system and I'm curious
[01:14:12] about whether or not the uh you know
[01:14:15] absent that need to be integrated with
[01:14:18] the city. Do the uh CAT's user
[01:14:20] requirements continue to support that
[01:14:22] solution as the best fit for the for the
[01:14:26] authority? Um, and what kind of
[01:14:30] operational alternatives
[01:14:33] could be implemented on an interim basis
[01:14:36] that would still allow us to achieve our
[01:14:38] January 1st, 2027
[01:14:41] employee transfer if the workday program
[01:14:46] were determined to not be the best fit.
[01:14:50] So, I just kind of want to deal with
[01:14:52] that piece. Um, and then I'm sorry, my
[01:14:54] last question on this section is are any
[01:14:57] of the vendors that are uh that were
[01:15:01] outlined in our background material, are
[01:15:03] any of those vendors um DBE or SBE?
[01:15:08] Uh,
[01:15:09] I'll I'll I'll def I'll I'll I'll defer
[01:15:11] the last question u to the interim CEO,
[01:15:15] but in general with with all due respect
[01:15:18] uh to my fellow board member, um there
[01:15:20] are numerous contracts here and I think
[01:15:24] all of us uh had the benefit of as I
[01:15:28] said at the beginning Rachel and her
[01:15:30] team and at some point as a board member
[01:15:33] I gained confidence through the
[01:15:35] interactions with the staff and don't
[01:15:38] view my role and I'll leave it up to the
[01:15:40] benefit of the rest of folks of getting
[01:15:42] into each of these contracts or getting
[01:15:44] into this is their recommendation to us
[01:15:48] and I to nuance each element of these
[01:15:50] contracts at the board meeting level
[01:15:53] even kindly at the committee level to me
[01:15:55] is we're missing the bigger picture of
[01:15:58] what we should be focused on. I'm I'm
[01:16:00] sorry to Anthony that's just how I feel
[01:16:02] but I'll let defer to you to answer the
[01:16:03] DBE question.
[01:16:06] Yeah. So, let me try to work my way
[01:16:09] backwards through.
[01:16:10] Yeah. The first one was old contracts.
[01:16:13] Yes. So, the these contracts generally
[01:16:15] speaking are coop being utilized off of
[01:16:19] what we call cooperative agreements.
[01:16:22] All of the cooperative agreements that
[01:16:24] we are utilizing. the work that we have
[01:16:26] specified is within scope of the uh
[01:16:30] cooperative agreement scopes that were
[01:16:32] specified right that that were specified
[01:16:35] in those cooperative agreement
[01:16:37] processes.
[01:16:39] Um so it is still inside scope. I is
[01:16:41] that I think that was the question.
[01:16:43] Well the the question was really more
[01:16:45] about whether or not the the change in
[01:16:48] the governance structure here
[01:16:51] necessitates any sort of change in
[01:16:53] scope. it is not whether or not is
[01:16:55] does not I no I do not believe so
[01:16:58] changing governance does not change the
[01:17:00] scope um so the the sec the next
[01:17:04] question I believe was is there an
[01:17:06] alternative to
[01:17:09] um workday
[01:17:11] um clearly for speed and because staff
[01:17:16] is already trained and and knowledgeable
[01:17:20] of workday for not just finance but HR
[01:17:23] systems as Well, both critical systems
[01:17:25] for for any organization to have. Um
[01:17:31] that that was the decision around
[01:17:33] workday. Um
[01:17:36] is there a solution that could be
[01:17:38] implemented before January 1st?
[01:17:43] I don't believe so. Certainly not. Um
[01:17:47] but again part of that decision- making
[01:17:50] on workday was the speed element and and
[01:17:53] that plays into our knowledge and
[01:17:55] training already in workday familiar
[01:17:58] familiarity with that system. Um and
[01:18:02] then are there um DBE contractors being
[01:18:06] utilized? I think Chair Howard mentioned
[01:18:09] that Worldwide Tech at the last meeting
[01:18:11] and and agreed that Worldwide
[01:18:13] Technologies is, if not the largest, one
[01:18:17] of the largest um minorityowned
[01:18:20] businesses in the world, I believe, in
[01:18:23] that in operating in their space. Um and
[01:18:27] so I would need to go back and we could
[01:18:29] look at the other contractors to to tell
[01:18:33] you um on the rest. But yes, Worldwide
[01:18:37] Technologies is C. I do not know if they
[01:18:40] are a registered disadvantaged business
[01:18:43] enterprise with the United States
[01:18:45] federal government, but they are
[01:18:47] certainly one of the largest if not the
[01:18:49] largest um in their market u minority
[01:18:53] owned. Okay.
[01:18:55] So, just so I can close out my um my
[01:18:59] issue here, the it's the it's staff's
[01:19:03] position that that workday is the best
[01:19:06] fit for us given where we are. Workday
[01:19:09] is absolutely a great fit and workday as
[01:19:13] being configured for the MPTA
[01:19:17] will position the MPTA and the new cats
[01:19:21] very very well to meet the needs both
[01:19:24] from an HR and finance standpoint of a
[01:19:27] transit specific organization.
[01:19:30] We don't have somebody here and I'm
[01:19:32] going to keep going with comments, but I
[01:19:33] do want to make sure that I say on the
[01:19:35] record, I do want us to acknowledge that
[01:19:38] there was legislation that was just
[01:19:40] passed and I don't know how we should
[01:19:43] caution our conversations going forward.
[01:19:45] You know, I want to know about what you
[01:19:46] just talked about,
[01:19:47] but I want to I don't know and we don't
[01:19:49] have our state folk here tonight. So, I
[01:19:53] am going to ask them to give us some
[01:19:55] guidance on how we proceed.
[01:19:58] um just so that we're we're careful.
[01:20:02] So I just wanted to put that on the
[01:20:03] table. We will do that in the future.
[01:20:04] But I do want to say just so it's
[01:20:06] recorded if anybody watches this that
[01:20:08] the chair did mention that legislation.
[01:20:10] So we are going to get some more
[01:20:13] guidance on how we deal with that going
[01:20:15] forward.
[01:20:16] So any other conversation? Oh yes.
[01:20:19] Trusty Lucia you got.
[01:20:21] Thank thank you Mr. Chair. We've spent
[01:20:23] um hours and hours um discussing
[01:20:29] our vision for the MPTA.
[01:20:33] And so I uh with all due respect,
[01:20:37] I see the MPTA as something very
[01:20:39] different
[01:20:40] than I'm hearing right now. If every
[01:20:43] time we bring something to the table,
[01:20:45] we're talking about what the staff
[01:20:46] thinks, then this is not the MPTA. This
[01:20:49] is still cats, the old cats. We should
[01:20:51] be looking well beyond whatever that
[01:20:53] vision was a year ago. This is the MPTA.
[01:20:56] We have a great new opportunity with a
[01:21:00] blank slate to create a worldwide
[01:21:05] transit system. Beyond the scope of the
[01:21:09] conversations I'm hearing today, I want
[01:21:12] to remind everyone
[01:21:14] we were excited about our vision.
[01:21:18] So, it's not the vision of the staff. It
[01:21:21] was the vision of every board member in
[01:21:23] this room to then give it to the staff
[01:21:27] to create our vision.
[01:21:32] And then Lucia,
[01:21:33] I only want to point that this um
[01:21:37] um what do you call it? The annual
[01:21:38] expenses. I don't think the numbers add
[01:21:40] up.
[01:21:43] I think the annual expenses are more
[01:21:45] than 2.4 million. It says in here is
[01:21:48] only 1.6.
[01:21:52] And I just want to say I appreciate what
[01:21:54] um Reverend Mack just said.
[01:22:00] Does anybody want to respond to the
[01:22:02] numbers?
[01:22:04] Yeah.
[01:22:07] Rachel here.
[01:22:08] It's wrong.
[01:22:08] They don't got up. Should be two four
[01:22:11] something.
[01:22:15] Oh man. I wonder what other mistakes we
[01:22:17] have.
[01:22:17] Yes. Lucia, I want to ask you both.
[01:22:22] I'll wait.
[01:22:25] Yes, she's talking about that number.
[01:22:29] Is that all right? I don't think the
[01:22:30] last two items are added. It's only the
[01:22:32] first.
[01:22:36] Yeah, we're
[01:22:39] the the
[01:22:41] Lucia. We are approving the action, not
[01:22:43] necessarily the totals. They are
[01:22:44] budgeted.
[01:22:46] Oh, that's fine. I just want to for
[01:22:47] accuracy. If it's listed, it should be
[01:22:49] correct.
[01:22:49] All right. I got a motion.
[01:22:51] Million.
[01:22:51] I have a first I have a motion and a
[01:22:53] second. Any other discussion hearing?
[01:22:55] I'm I'm sorry. I didn't see if it's
[01:22:57] No, I'm sorry. I have unreadiness, too.
[01:22:59] I mean, I don't know what I'm voting on.
[01:23:00] You said it's budgeted. Is it it
[01:23:02] budgeted at the 1600 or at the two plus?
[01:23:08] Because those numbers
[01:23:10] are incorrect. So, are we getting ready
[01:23:13] to approve something that's going to be
[01:23:15] outside of the budgeted amount?
[01:23:17] I I if you look at the motion, we're
[01:23:19] actually leaving it to the executive
[01:23:21] director, I mean the executive the the
[01:23:24] interim chief executive officer to
[01:23:27] finish this. So, these numbers actually
[01:23:28] still could move around. Period.
[01:23:30] So, I'm just telling you, you see this
[01:23:32] to be determined all the way through
[01:23:33] here.
[01:23:34] Then why Okay. And not to be
[01:23:36] disrespectful, but if it doesn't matter,
[01:23:38] then why are they here? because it seems
[01:23:41] that they have some importance. That's
[01:23:43] why we've listed them.
[01:23:44] We we were we were trying to give you
[01:23:46] planning estimates. I apologize. It does
[01:23:49] appear that there is a totaling error on
[01:23:52] that column. It would be the total of
[01:23:55] those items. But to the chair's point,
[01:23:59] there are many of those items that are
[01:24:00] TBD that they will not be zero. Um they
[01:24:04] they will be some amount of dollars. And
[01:24:08] so it is not the 1.6. It would be the
[01:24:10] total of each of those costs in that
[01:24:14] column. But again, we have we have
[01:24:17] budgeted for the transition including
[01:24:21] these costs.
[01:24:23] Yeah, this has more to do with us trying
[01:24:25] to get ready for January the 1st. So
[01:24:27] we're actually giving them authorization
[01:24:29] to move forward. Can I
[01:24:31] make sure everybody's hearing what I'm
[01:24:33] saying?
[01:24:34] So, I mean, this is all about making
[01:24:36] sure I mean really the motion is not
[01:24:38] about the amounts. It's about the
[01:24:39] authority for them to keep moving this
[01:24:41] information because I actually asked
[01:24:42] some of the same questions when we did
[01:24:44] the review of this. This is about making
[01:24:46] sure that we know the items that are
[01:24:48] going to be in the vendors that we're
[01:24:49] using. But, I mean, these numbers are
[01:24:51] going to eb and flow just based on the
[01:24:53] size of these projects and what what we
[01:24:55] finally get back is
[01:24:58] the total numbers. Not comfortable
[01:25:00] necessarily for me. I wanted hard and
[01:25:03] fast numbers, but these things are
[01:25:04] moving quick. So, Peter,
[01:25:08] can we simp can the motion simply be
[01:25:10] amended to reflect the correct total?
[01:25:17] But that motion is not the total is not
[01:25:20] in the motion.
[01:25:22] Okay.
[01:25:22] Well, the the
[01:25:25] voting on stuff we don't even know.
[01:25:27] Let me everybody Peter has the floor.
[01:25:29] We have no idea.
[01:25:30] Peter has the floor. If I can get one
[01:25:31] conversation,
[01:25:32] you could you could move to correct that
[01:25:34] chart to have the right number.
[01:25:36] You want to just make sure that it's
[01:25:38] noted that it's corrected.
[01:25:40] If that's the right number, if Mr.
[01:25:42] Kaggel says that's the right number and
[01:25:44] it's simply a math error, just correct
[01:25:47] it.
[01:25:47] That chart should be corrected to read
[01:25:50] 2,45,350.
[01:25:54] Okay. Thank you.
[01:25:56] Thank you.
[01:25:57] That's not in the motion still though,
[01:25:58] just so we know. But the most the
[01:25:59] information has been provided.
[01:26:01] Well, don't include.
[01:26:02] All right. So, wait a minute. Wait,
[01:26:03] wait, wait. Who's next?
[01:26:04] Two people leave.
[01:26:05] Wait a minute everybody.
[01:26:07] One conversation, please. Please. Just I
[01:26:12] mean, let's just We need to all hear.
[01:26:14] So, who's next?
[01:26:15] I actually didn't see a hand raised. So,
[01:26:20] yes,
[01:26:22] Mr. Chair. Uh, we had a discussion and
[01:26:26] um created a bylaws
[01:26:29] Regarding responsibilities,
[01:26:32] I believe they had a particular amount
[01:26:36] that we were giving the interim as well
[01:26:39] as um any CEO
[01:26:43] um
[01:26:44] in terms of um their ability to spend
[01:26:49] and does this amount supersede that
[01:26:52] amount? What we're doing actually right
[01:26:54] now to your point Reverend Mack is
[01:26:56] saying to them because of the nature of
[01:26:58] trying to get ready for January 1, we
[01:27:00] are kind of doing a blanket to say on
[01:27:02] these on these issues, we're giving them
[01:27:05] kind of authorization and these with
[01:27:07] these vendors and these projects to move
[01:27:10] forward beyond those amounts when
[01:27:11] necessary. So, we are saying that
[01:27:14] because this is if we don't get some of
[01:27:16] these going, we're just not going to
[01:27:18] make January the first. Well, I just I
[01:27:21] want to go back to my earlier point.
[01:27:23] Yes, ma'am.
[01:27:24] Which is what we as a board envisioned
[01:27:27] and I'm not feeling as if that's what's
[01:27:30] happening now. Doesn't sound as if or
[01:27:32] feel as if the board is having the level
[01:27:35] of input that we thought we were going
[01:27:36] to have regarding how things were going
[01:27:38] to be um moving um forward. And I
[01:27:41] understand we have specific dates. We
[01:27:43] had July 1st, we met that, and now we
[01:27:46] have January. But I'm not moved to make
[01:27:49] this swift swift decisions because of a
[01:27:52] specific date. I would hope that we will
[01:27:55] put in place policies that would make
[01:27:58] everyone here comfortable
[01:28:01] um not next year but now in terms of how
[01:28:05] we operate and because I don't feel
[01:28:07] there's full transparency
[01:28:10] all the time. I do have some concerns.
[01:28:12] So I wanted to make sure that I put that
[01:28:13] out publicly.
[01:28:14] Yes, ma'am.
[01:28:16] Who else do we have? Yes, Julie. And am
[01:28:20] I hearing Frank?
[01:28:22] Okay, Julie.
[01:28:23] On uh the action wording for 10 C, I'm
[01:28:27] not sure it was stated correctly. Are
[01:28:30] you saying take all actions necessary to
[01:28:32] negotiate and execute all amended
[01:28:34] agreements or and execute and amend
[01:28:38] agreements?
[01:28:40] What was that meant to say?
[01:28:41] And ex
[01:28:43] or amend. or amend
[01:28:45] says or amended
[01:28:46] or amend agreement.
[01:28:54] I'm going to try to get amend
[01:28:56] is that
[01:28:57] No, it should be amended
[01:28:58] or amended.
[01:28:59] The word it should be amend amended.
[01:29:02] Thank you. I'm just asking so we
[01:29:04] understand if it means they can amend it
[01:29:06] themselves or we amend it and they can
[01:29:08] agree to it. Okay. Or if you want Ned to
[01:29:11] restate the motion, I can
[01:29:13] I'm gonna finish questions first. So, do
[01:29:15] I have anybody else with questions about
[01:29:17] any of this?
[01:29:21] Yes, sir.
[01:29:22] This is just clarification question.
[01:29:24] Obviously, as as we move through the
[01:29:28] Sorry about that. Thank you. Um, this is
[01:29:30] just a clarification question. However,
[01:29:33] going through this, there's some maximum
[01:29:35] amount that we think all these contracts
[01:29:37] might be. And uh from a private sector
[01:29:39] standpoint, we we've got to first of
[01:29:41] all, we've got to give our officers the
[01:29:44] ability latitude to be able to do their
[01:29:47] job. But to the extent that we had a
[01:29:50] approve up to a not to exceed number or
[01:29:52] something like that, that might give
[01:29:54] some of the other board members more
[01:29:56] comfort. But I don't I don't know what
[01:29:57] that might be. And so it just was a a a
[01:30:01] question if that might help the dialogue
[01:30:04] here.
[01:30:04] I I actually Reverend Mack and Dwy, the
[01:30:08] questions that you're asking, I asked
[01:30:09] the exact same questions. And what I got
[01:30:12] back was work day, for instance, is all
[01:30:14] about payroll. I mean, we got some
[01:30:16] really critical things to get done if
[01:30:17] we're going to get things done by
[01:30:18] January. So that's where I got I asked
[01:30:22] for the not exceeded number and I was
[01:30:24] reminded we just approved the budget.
[01:30:25] We're in a new budget. it's not going to
[01:30:27] exceed the amount in the budget line
[01:30:29] item.
[01:30:30] So, I mean, so it's not because I didn't
[01:30:32] like the idea of it being
[01:30:35] nebulous and I was reminded by the folks
[01:30:38] involved that we have a budget. It's not
[01:30:40] going to exceed the budget and we have a
[01:30:42] budget. This is not like we were in the
[01:30:44] first six months where we were kind of
[01:30:46] flying by our, you know, flying by our
[01:30:48] pants without, you know, enough money to
[01:30:50] do what we need to do. This is budgeted.
[01:30:52] So, the Nazi C number is the budgeted
[01:30:54] number. Trusty,
[01:30:56] which is $30 million, I believe it was.
[01:31:00] So,
[01:31:00] Trusty Longo is next.
[01:31:01] Yes, David.
[01:31:02] Um, do any of these contracts exceed the
[01:31:06] current interim CEO's
[01:31:08] Yes.
[01:31:09] authority? Yes.
[01:31:10] That's why we're voting on this.
[01:31:11] So, that's why you're
[01:31:11] That's what this motion is.
[01:31:12] Most if not all.
[01:31:14] So, in including the TBDs,
[01:31:18] well, we don't know what the TBDs are at
[01:31:20] this point. Two of these based on
[01:31:22] estimate. One, two, one, two of these
[01:31:26] would not in the bottom half of the
[01:31:28] column. Two of them would uh and all of
[01:31:32] them above do. We don't know what the
[01:31:35] TBDs are. And so, yes, this is for this
[01:31:39] purpose,
[01:31:41] for the limited purpose of technology
[01:31:44] transition contracts. Reverend Mack, you
[01:31:47] summed it up perfectly. This is a waiver
[01:31:51] of the MPTA's
[01:31:54] procurement policy authorizing the
[01:31:56] interim CEO
[01:31:57] for transition
[01:31:58] for this purpose and this purpose only
[01:32:01] to enter into agreements as necessary
[01:32:06] to execute technology transition above
[01:32:09] $500,000. and I asked him to make sure
[01:32:12] he's updating us on it monthly where
[01:32:15] we're going with the amounts and our
[01:32:16] financial reporting that we'll start
[01:32:18] next month separately.
[01:32:20] So, no, trust me, I had the exact same
[01:32:22] questions. I
[01:32:23] I would also note that the city
[01:32:26] So, thinking about this, there's two
[01:32:28] there's sort of two sides of this
[01:32:29] transition. There's the city of
[01:32:31] Charlotte and there's the MPTA.
[01:32:34] So, again, Mr. Jones as as he was
[01:32:38] authorized to conduct transition
[01:32:41] activities. This is a similar action to
[01:32:44] the city's CEO or city manager. Um, and
[01:32:49] it clearly is out of expediency
[01:32:52] because setting up a software system for
[01:32:55] HR and finance to make
[01:32:59] a January 1st, 2027 deadline
[01:33:05] is is aggressive.
[01:33:06] We're already behind.
[01:33:08] It is very very aggressive.
[01:33:12] I got a motion. So, I got a motion and I
[01:33:16] am going to try to see where we get with
[01:33:17] this. All in favor? And I got a second.
[01:33:19] Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What is the
[01:33:22] total technology budget?
[01:33:24] What was the total
[01:33:25] 30 for this for this item? These items
[01:33:28] is 30 million. You tell me
[01:33:30] the op the part of the budget at the
[01:33:32] bottom that would fall into your normal
[01:33:33] operating over 11 million for 27.
[01:33:37] Oh, it's 11. Okay. I'm sorry.
[01:33:39] That would be our operating budget,
[01:33:40] including payroll, but also including
[01:33:44] uh space for this.
[01:33:45] Got it.
[01:33:47] Did you get a number?
[01:33:48] I don't think I understand. Are you
[01:33:49] saying this the total all of these lines
[01:33:52] here uh the would be under the 11
[01:33:55] million?
[01:33:55] Yeah. No. Yeah. What I'm saying is the
[01:33:57] the regardless of what's on this page on
[01:34:00] the for the capital budget side, we had
[01:34:02] we have enough budgeted to cover the
[01:34:03] items at the top, which is where they
[01:34:05] would fall within our uh IT budget. And
[01:34:08] on the bottom of the it's 2.4 million.
[01:34:10] Yes. the final two items were were not
[01:34:12] included in the summation. Um we have
[01:34:16] $11 million budgeted on the operating
[01:34:18] side for our IT budget and so that would
[01:34:21] fall as more than enough to cover what
[01:34:23] what we have down here.
[01:34:25] And I'm just going to repeat just so I'm
[01:34:27] clear.
[01:34:27] Yes, ma'am. Um the bottom part we're in
[01:34:31] we're good because you have 11 million
[01:34:34] but this 31 million at the top
[01:34:39] what that's already covered as well
[01:34:43] that those are it is all budgeted. This
[01:34:45] chart is trying to portray to you to the
[01:34:48] extent we know the difference between a
[01:34:50] one-time expense and a recurring and
[01:34:54] some of these are recurring expenses
[01:34:57] i.e. E next year or this year as we're
[01:35:00] preparing next year's budget. This these
[01:35:03] expenses will recur in next year's
[01:35:07] budget. The top half does not. Those are
[01:35:10] one-time expenses and once they are
[01:35:12] made, they are made. The bottom half
[01:35:15] will recur. Maybe not in perpetuity, but
[01:35:19] they will recur to some degree in future
[01:35:23] years, not just this current fiscal
[01:35:26] year. Those are ongoing costs.
[01:35:28] So for this current fiscal year, what is
[01:35:32] the technology budget? It would have to
[01:35:34] be more than 11 because there's 31 for
[01:35:37] the onetime expense. the the operating
[01:35:41] budget, I apologize. The operating
[01:35:44] budget generally reflects the ongoing
[01:35:48] and the capital budget generally
[01:35:51] reflects the one-time expenses. And so,
[01:35:54] Mr. How was trying to answer your
[01:35:56] question
[01:35:57] about the one
[01:35:58] about recurring versus but he used the
[01:36:01] terminology capital versus operating.
[01:36:04] And so I apologize, but that is what he
[01:36:07] is trying to portray is that the $11
[01:36:10] million should cover those annual
[01:36:13] recurring expenses and the $11 million
[01:36:17] is in the operating budget for CAT
[01:36:20] technology
[01:36:21] and the capital amount for the capital
[01:36:23] amount
[01:36:25] the one-time expenses
[01:36:28] are in the budget as well. the total
[01:36:31] amount for the year
[01:36:33] for for capital I am
[01:36:37] when you look at all the different areas
[01:36:38] it may go across I'm and this is an
[01:36:40] estimate from putting it together it's
[01:36:42] probably about 35 million
[01:36:45] re
[01:36:47] Mr. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a
[01:36:49] motion to to chair this to table this
[01:36:52] discussion, remand it back to the
[01:36:54] finance committee for a recommendation
[01:36:56] to the board.
[01:36:58] I have a second
[01:37:01] hearing. No second. I'll go back to the
[01:37:02] original motion. So, we have a second
[01:37:05] and a we have a motion and a second on
[01:37:06] the original motion. All in favor of the
[01:37:08] original motion that be known by saying
[01:37:10] I
[01:37:12] do I have any opposed? If I have a
[01:37:14] oppose, we're going to do we're going to
[01:37:15] I oppose.
[01:37:16] Anybody else?
[01:37:17] Second.
[01:37:19] You are opposing it?
[01:37:20] Yes.
[01:37:21] Okay. So, that's two That's two opposed.
[01:37:25] All right.
[01:37:26] That was so much.
[01:37:28] Yes, sir.
[01:37:28] Uh on this subject of um
[01:37:32] review of contracts and the um the
[01:37:36] process that the committees go through
[01:37:39] to evaluate these things. Um I I would
[01:37:43] hope that whenever recommendations are
[01:37:46] being brought to the board that the
[01:37:50] necessary investigations are happening
[01:37:52] at the committee level to support those
[01:37:55] recommendations to us so that um we can
[01:37:59] have confidence that the recommendations
[01:38:03] are being brought to us um after
[01:38:06] committee work's been done. Um it it is
[01:38:09] it's concerning to me that we might have
[01:38:12] situations where we are simply rubber
[01:38:16] stamping things because we are on this
[01:38:18] timeline. Um and and that's kind of what
[01:38:21] it feels like. So, I get that we're not
[01:38:25] running operations on a day-to-day
[01:38:27] basis, but I think our oversight
[01:38:29] requires us to do some level of um
[01:38:33] inquiry as to the rationale and the
[01:38:38] fundamentals that are underpinning these
[01:38:40] recommendations that are coming to us.
[01:38:42] So,
[01:38:43] I just put that out there that I'm
[01:38:44] hoping that that at the committee level
[01:38:46] we're able to do that. Thank you,
[01:38:47] Lindsay. I agree with you 100% and I
[01:38:50] said so when we were talking about it so
[01:38:51] no so noted. All right, moving on. We
[01:38:54] are now to the point of actually getting
[01:38:56] the transit report. Uh so Mr. Kel, I'll
[01:38:59] turn it over to you.
[01:39:01] Yes, sir. Okay, starting off I will
[01:39:05] mention that at your seats in front of
[01:39:08] you, uh you should have a uh micro the
[01:39:12] 2026 cats micro first year of service
[01:39:15] report.
[01:39:17] Um secondly, um I did want to take an
[01:39:21] opportunity real quick to talk about the
[01:39:24] July 4th uh weekend. Um many of you may
[01:39:28] be aware uh that on Jul July 3rd, Friday
[01:39:33] uh evening, there was an incident with a
[01:39:37] um Gold Line vehicle. Uh that Gold Line
[01:39:41] vehicle was merging onto the Blue Line
[01:39:44] track. So, I know that may have seemed
[01:39:46] confusing. It was a gold line vehicle,
[01:39:47] but it affected the blue line. When Gold
[01:39:50] line comes in and out of service, they
[01:39:52] use the blue line tracks to get to their
[01:39:55] maintenance facility to the overnight
[01:39:57] facility. So, it was a gold line vehicle
[01:40:00] that became disabled. Um, but it
[01:40:02] affected the blue line. Mr. Lee is here.
[01:40:06] He is our uh chief operating officer,
[01:40:09] our acting chief operating officer. He's
[01:40:11] going to give you a brief description of
[01:40:14] the event and then I'll talk about next
[01:40:17] steps.
[01:40:21] Good evening. on uh Friday uh
[01:40:24] approximately at 5:21 p.m. the Gold Line
[01:40:28] street car transversing from track 2
[01:40:30] going southbound to track 1 uh had an
[01:40:33] incident where it with a panagramraph
[01:40:35] contacted the OCS which is the overhead
[01:40:37] catinary wire which powers the vehicle.
[01:40:40] At that time the panagramraph made
[01:40:43] contact with the hanger which caused uh
[01:40:46] the hanger to break which caused a chain
[01:40:50] reaction which caused the substations to
[01:40:53] uh go into failsafe mode which shut down
[01:40:56] power. At that time the the rail
[01:40:58] operations control center was contacted.
[01:41:01] Uh personnel responded within 30
[01:41:03] minutes. Uh 30 minutes after that we
[01:41:06] were able to uh get the equipment out to
[01:41:10] restore start restoring service.
[01:41:13] Uh we had service restored within two
[01:41:16] hours after the incident happened.
[01:41:19] Yeah. So secondarily to that um so again
[01:41:23] the panagramraph is basically the
[01:41:26] equipment on top of a train car that
[01:41:28] touches the overhead catinary system
[01:41:30] right is the thing that goes up and
[01:41:32] touches the wire. That's the
[01:41:33] panagramraph. So, secondarily to that,
[01:41:37] this was an event um that rail safety um
[01:41:41] is investigating to determine root
[01:41:44] causes and um all reporting to the state
[01:41:48] was made timely uh and and per
[01:41:51] regulations with uh NC DOT SSO uh state
[01:41:56] safety oversight office. Um and so as
[01:41:59] rail safety, Mr. Osnes's team proceeds
[01:42:03] um we will provide updates on root cause
[01:42:08] um and and the uh the other factors that
[01:42:11] were involved. I will say one of the
[01:42:13] things that we are looking at is we are
[01:42:17] evaluating the speed at which
[01:42:19] notifications went out to passengers. uh
[01:42:22] the blue line was disabled or not
[01:42:25] operable for a period before um while
[01:42:29] while uh the the rail team maintenance
[01:42:33] of way team uh made the repairs. So we
[01:42:36] are also looking at the timeliness of
[01:42:38] notifications that went out from the
[01:42:41] rock to the passengers through the
[01:42:43] automated messaging system. But as uh
[01:42:46] Mr.
[01:42:47] and his team conduct the investigation.
[01:42:50] We will provide more information as that
[01:42:52] comes in and we have better
[01:42:54] understanding of root cause and um areas
[01:42:57] where we can uh make improvements to
[01:43:00] process.
[01:43:01] Mr. Kegel, just real quick, just so the
[01:43:03] full body knows kind of some more about
[01:43:07] this one. Um the board, at least a few
[01:43:10] of us got involved with that whole
[01:43:12] situation because if you remember on
[01:43:14] Friday, the temperatures were in the
[01:43:16] high 90s. Um it was council woman Lana
[01:43:21] Mayfield that kind of started sending
[01:43:22] emails because she had a resident that
[01:43:24] was waiting on the train, an elderly
[01:43:27] person called complain to her about
[01:43:28] where was the trains. That's where
[01:43:30] you're getting this report from. um
[01:43:32] because that caused a change a chain
[01:43:34] reaction of what happened, why did it
[01:43:36] happen, what do we need to do different,
[01:43:38] how do we make sure residents know,
[01:43:40] especially during extreme weather
[01:43:43] situations. So, conversations have
[01:43:45] started with um has started. Uh I would
[01:43:49] think that Miss ISO's committee is going
[01:43:51] to take a little bit more to make sure
[01:43:53] that we're thinking about extreme
[01:43:55] weather and what happens with them. Uh
[01:43:57] because it's not just when it's cold,
[01:43:58] but it's when it's hot, too. So, just
[01:44:00] wanted you to know kind of the
[01:44:01] background on where this all came from.
[01:44:04] It started with kind of city council and
[01:44:07] it kind of it spiraled up and then it
[01:44:10] spiraled down. So,
[01:44:11] yeah, be beyond the actions of staff,
[01:44:13] right? What could we have done better?
[01:44:16] We are also so hot weather,
[01:44:19] extreme weather is hard on people, it's
[01:44:22] also hard on the equipment. Um, and so
[01:44:25] we are evaluating that as well to
[01:44:28] determine if there are items that we
[01:44:30] could um we're evaluating if there are
[01:44:35] um physical fixes or changes that could
[01:44:37] be made to help safeguard um the rail
[01:44:41] equipment in extreme weather,
[01:44:44] specifically in this case extreme heat
[01:44:46] uh as Charlotte becomes warmer in the
[01:44:49] summers than maybe it has been in the
[01:44:51] past. And uh the little research that um
[01:44:55] Miss Flowers actually did for me, these
[01:44:56] cantonary lines do sag when they get hot
[01:44:58] because they expand. Um just so they
[01:45:01] know. So there's a operational part to
[01:45:04] talk through. Um but for me, and I made
[01:45:06] it clear in the emails I sent, it's also
[01:45:09] very much the rider first. So you know,
[01:45:12] making sure that we're figuring out
[01:45:13] policy-wise how we're dealing with the
[01:45:16] riders being on platforms. Now to his
[01:45:18] credit, the bridge bus the bus bus
[01:45:21] bridges which is using buses to move
[01:45:23] people started fairly quickly. Um but
[01:45:26] all of that is part of something that
[01:45:27] will go through this committee's review
[01:45:29] as we kind of figure out where we sit in
[01:45:31] this space.
[01:45:32] Yeah, it's too early to determine root
[01:45:34] cause, but as Chairman Howard said, um
[01:45:37] the overhead cadenary system can quote
[01:45:40] unquote sag in very hot weather. Um, and
[01:45:44] that could could have been a
[01:45:46] contributing factor in this, but the
[01:45:47] root cause analysis will determine that.
[01:45:51] So, Reverend Mack and then we can you
[01:45:53] got more report?
[01:45:54] Yes.
[01:45:54] Okay. What? Okay. And Josh,
[01:45:56] you can wait till he's done because my
[01:45:58] question is for Brett.
[01:45:59] Um, I wanted to get um I wanted to get
[01:46:02] an idea of what the communications is
[01:46:04] like for um for our operators,
[01:46:08] especially in a situation um like this
[01:46:10] where there's an emergency or an
[01:46:11] incident. I also want to know if in fact
[01:46:14] there is a rapid response team in place
[01:46:17] um for incidents uh that could quickly
[01:46:21] determine uh alternative routes and
[01:46:24] safety conditions for the riders because
[01:46:28] primarily it's the people that's
[01:46:29] important. Right? Before we think about
[01:46:31] the equipment, let's think about the
[01:46:32] people. So, is there a response team put
[01:46:35] in place to ensure that any incidents
[01:46:38] where there's a 129 or any other
[01:46:40] incident that we can reroute those
[01:46:44] riders safely and quickly?
[01:46:48] Yes, the operations team via the rock um
[01:46:51] and other operations management
[01:46:53] including Mr. Lee uh we don't call it a
[01:46:56] rapid response team but they yes they
[01:46:59] are and as chairman Howard mentioned the
[01:47:01] bus bridge. So you can't really So the
[01:47:05] blue line went down. It this the safety
[01:47:09] features of the blue line deenergize the
[01:47:12] lines
[01:47:13] across uptown. So So no power. So that
[01:47:16] was the purpose of the bus bridge was to
[01:47:18] do exactly what you were mentioning is
[01:47:21] to reroute those passengers so that they
[01:47:23] were not just stranded, they had another
[01:47:26] alternative to the blue line. And a bus
[01:47:29] bridge is so that needs explaining. Um,
[01:47:32] a bus bridge is if the blue line goes
[01:47:35] down or is scheduled to be down, we will
[01:47:38] run buses that mirror the blue line
[01:47:41] route. And so, um, again, it provides
[01:47:44] that bus bridge for passengers along the
[01:47:48] blue line,
[01:47:50] right? But as an example, we have micro
[01:47:52] uh we have microtransit that we're
[01:47:54] putting in place. So, there's an
[01:47:55] opportunity to figure out something
[01:47:57] different for micro transit in that
[01:47:59] moment, right? that we would ensure that
[01:48:01] people would get rid from point A to
[01:48:03] point B, especially in 98 degree weather
[01:48:06] and and an incident. That's what I'm
[01:48:08] saying. Think outside the box, beyond
[01:48:10] the line, but we're looking at how do we
[01:48:14] create a rapid response team from one
[01:48:17] zone to the next zone to get the
[01:48:19] ridership to where they need to get. I
[01:48:22] think what what you're saying is that
[01:48:24] maybe on the app you can say if that
[01:48:26] line goes down it's down on the apps and
[01:48:29] it starts giving you other routes to get
[01:48:31] where you want to go.
[01:48:32] That's correct. It would be placed in
[01:48:33] the app today
[01:48:34] and there will be there will be ongoing
[01:48:36] messages so everyone is made aware
[01:48:37] what's going on.
[01:48:38] Yes.
[01:48:38] Yes.
[01:48:39] All right. Okay. Uh
[01:48:43] two more quick things. Um we uh uh three
[01:48:48] more quick things. South Boulevard. We
[01:48:50] we have a um um a drainage project along
[01:48:55] the blue line starting next Monday. Um
[01:48:59] there that will create slight delays
[01:49:02] along the blue line because it will
[01:49:04] result in single tracking through that
[01:49:06] area of track, i.e. we're using one
[01:49:08] track instead of tracks one and two. Um
[01:49:11] but it also will have traffic impacts on
[01:49:14] South Boulevard southbound
[01:49:17] um in the area of this construction. Um
[01:49:21] comms is working with S DOT uh Charlotte
[01:49:24] Department of Transportation to make
[01:49:26] notifications
[01:49:28] um to the community but as well to uh as
[01:49:31] well as to businesses and residents in
[01:49:33] that area of the construction. The
[01:49:35] construction area is generally in the
[01:49:38] area of Clanton and Pineville between
[01:49:41] Clanton Road and Pineville.
[01:49:43] Uh and it is the southbound side of
[01:49:46] South Boulevard.
[01:49:48] Uh we are expecting a busy weekend this
[01:49:51] weekend on Saturday night. There are two
[01:49:54] major uh events in Uptown. So Gary's
[01:49:58] team is already planning to have
[01:50:01] additional trains on the blue line
[01:50:05] prepared to go to handle the um expected
[01:50:10] large uh capacity, the large crowds that
[01:50:13] will be coming out of the two shows.
[01:50:14] There's a show at Spectrum on Saturday
[01:50:16] night. At the same time, there's a show
[01:50:18] at um Bank America. Both of them should
[01:50:21] be great shows and lots of people coming
[01:50:24] to both.
[01:50:24] That's going to be all right.
[01:50:26] That's why Gary's team has been working
[01:50:28] all week already to figure out how many
[01:50:31] extra vehicles we want.
[01:50:33] What's at Bank of America? Is it a big
[01:50:34] one?
[01:50:35] AC/DC is at Bank of America and J. Cole
[01:50:38] is at Spectrum.
[01:50:40] So, you decide which one you're going
[01:50:41] to, baby. Good luck.
[01:50:42] No, I'm not coming downtown.
[01:50:44] But it's going to be a big night on
[01:50:45] Saturday night. So,
[01:50:48] lots of stuff going on.
[01:50:51] Okay, y'all. I'm sorry. I started it.
[01:50:53] I'm sorry. I'm sorry. That's a lot.
[01:50:55] That's a lot.
[01:50:56] Well, now that I know it's AC/DC, I
[01:50:57] mean, I have questions.
[01:50:59] Are you done? Because Joslyn was
[01:51:00] waiting.
[01:51:01] You know, go ahead.
[01:51:02] I just have a question for Brent.
[01:51:03] Well, Josyn was Jo.
[01:51:04] Oh, I'm sorry, Jos.
[01:51:05] Wait a minute. But she wanted to wait.
[01:51:06] Are you
[01:51:07] Well, actually, because he did speak
[01:51:09] about events. My question was about
[01:51:11] events and I would like to see in in
[01:51:14] your monthly report things more things
[01:51:17] about the events and what we're doing.
[01:51:19] Um, I would be I don't know if we did
[01:51:23] anything for the Fourth of July, um, in
[01:51:25] terms of, you know, advertising to get
[01:51:27] people to the fireworks, maybe wrapping
[01:51:30] our trains and and things like that. So,
[01:51:33] I'm I'm happy to see uh the extra cars
[01:51:37] for the um for the events, but I I would
[01:51:41] just like to understand the plan for
[01:51:44] other things or, you know, other ideas
[01:51:46] that we could do to um advertise taking
[01:51:50] the train to XYZ. So, that's my comment.
[01:51:54] Thank you.
[01:51:55] And
[01:51:57] yes, go.
[01:51:58] I'll just tag on to what Josyn was
[01:52:00] saying. I want
[01:52:01] I'm sorry. I'm just going to tag on to
[01:52:02] what you're saying, Jocelyn, that do you
[01:52:04] guys put um you know because taking the
[01:52:07] train to those events are one thing
[01:52:09] because people do it at you know
[01:52:10] different times but everybody comes out
[01:52:12] at the same time from Bank of America or
[01:52:14] Spectrum. Did you add do you ever think
[01:52:17] about adding buses especially like Bank
[01:52:19] of America to follow the blue line but
[01:52:22] just to take the crowds because it
[01:52:24] it is a deterrent to take the light rail
[01:52:26] when you know you know 10,000
[01:52:29] 30,000 people are coming out at the same
[01:52:30] time. did that with love and life um one
[01:52:33] and two one and two um and we are
[01:52:37] currently part of a working group with
[01:52:39] um the Panthers with with the folks at
[01:52:41] Bank of America with TSC um to have
[01:52:45] discussions with that. One of the keys
[01:52:47] to uh the express buses is really having
[01:52:50] cooperation and coordination with other
[01:52:53] agencies
[01:52:55] um especially the event provider because
[01:52:58] if we just run the express but it gets
[01:53:00] stuck in traffic too. So you have to
[01:53:02] think about special lanes and staging
[01:53:04] areas to to make it um efficient and
[01:53:09] effective otherwise those buses will be
[01:53:12] stuck in the rest of the traffic with
[01:53:14] everybody else. And so we we have done
[01:53:16] that with love and life. We want to
[01:53:18] continue doing more of that and we are
[01:53:20] continuing to work with um ter sports
[01:53:24] entertainment to um to understand that.
[01:53:28] Actually, Miss Krummer is is working on
[01:53:30] that with them right now, you know, as
[01:53:32] we speak. Um because clearly it's in all
[01:53:35] of our interest to have folks use
[01:53:37] transit, reduce the traffic and
[01:53:40] congestion around these events. And
[01:53:42] Julie, just so you know, probably month
[01:53:44] three of us being in existence, the
[01:53:45] Panthers reached out to me to say, "Hey,
[01:53:48] what do you guys do you want to engage
[01:53:49] in what they're doing?" Because they
[01:53:51] they know that they're going to increase
[01:53:52] the number of events down there.
[01:53:54] Uh and I actually sent them straight to
[01:53:56] Brent. So, I mean, the folks running
[01:53:58] these venues, the the Hornets have
[01:54:01] started talking to talking, too. So,
[01:54:03] they know that they need to do something
[01:54:04] different around events.
[01:54:05] Yeah.
[01:54:06] I mean, I just don't think they thought
[01:54:07] it would both happen the same night. So,
[01:54:10] that's going to be interesting.
[01:54:11] stay away from downtown. Yeah. If you
[01:54:14] generally speaking, the big event
[01:54:15] providers, um I mean, the Hornets, the
[01:54:18] the Panthers, Love and Life, um we we
[01:54:21] work very we are always open and want to
[01:54:25] work with um the providers and and we
[01:54:28] actively reach out to say, how can we
[01:54:30] work together on this? um because we see
[01:54:33] it as an opportunity for people to use
[01:54:36] transit, but we also see it as an
[01:54:38] opportunity to help reduce uh congestion
[01:54:40] and speed people getting home.
[01:54:43] So, anything else? And we're going to go
[01:54:46] to
[01:54:46] Let's wrap up right there.
[01:54:48] And I actually had Mr. Lindsay. I'm
[01:54:50] sorry. I had Mr. Lindsay. And then we'll
[01:54:51] move on to transition. Yes, sir.
[01:54:54] So, um couple things. one uh on the
[01:54:57] safety reporting. Where does the
[01:55:00] microtransit results show up? Is it
[01:55:02] under bus SPS? Where where where are
[01:55:06] they?
[01:55:07] Safety results, where do they show up in
[01:55:09] our reporting?
[01:55:11] That is a good question. I will defer
[01:55:15] to Mr. Oes.
[01:55:20] We will be we will be beginning to uh
[01:55:24] include that metric with m microransit
[01:55:26] but um I can assure you at this point
[01:55:29] there's not much to report. So there
[01:55:32] should be a line item for microtransit.
[01:55:35] We will put it into the metric from a
[01:55:37] safety perspective. My communications
[01:55:39] with the uh with the uh microtransit
[01:55:42] team uh indicates that um the the level
[01:55:46] of injury associated with microtransit
[01:55:49] is right now at zero.
[01:55:52] So but do you imagine it's going to be
[01:55:54] under the bus or is it going to have its
[01:55:56] own
[01:55:56] should have its own category.
[01:55:58] Okay, great.
[01:55:59] That's the first question. Um then on
[01:56:02] the uh wrership highlights um you you
[01:56:07] point out the increase and decrease in
[01:56:09] writership around um rail and in
[01:56:13] particular I need to highlight the um
[01:56:15] the goal line is trending down by 15
[01:56:18] point almost 16% year-over-year
[01:56:21] and uh I'm highlighting this because my
[01:56:24] concern is that the uh the impact of a
[01:56:28] fair introduction
[01:56:30] without service improvements in my
[01:56:32] opinion is likely to result in further
[01:56:34] degradation of utilization of the
[01:56:36] service. So I just want us to kind of be
[01:56:38] mindful about that um that we need to be
[01:56:42] looking at service improvement
[01:56:43] opportunities for the goal line. The um
[01:56:46] and then my last item has to do with
[01:56:47] microtransit again. Uh and this is going
[01:56:50] to be a very unpopular thing for me to
[01:56:51] say given the favorable writership
[01:56:53] responses. Um it seems that the primary
[01:56:56] competitive advantage that microtransit
[01:57:00] offers seems to be the fair.
[01:57:03] Um and
[01:57:06] I want us to think about what are some
[01:57:10] alternative service delivery methods
[01:57:13] that might be available to us that could
[01:57:15] reduce the incremental cost of scaling.
[01:57:20] So in other words, each time we scale
[01:57:22] into a new zone, our cost don't continue
[01:57:26] to go up at the same incremental or
[01:57:28] higher amounts. Are there other ways for
[01:57:32] us to do the microtransit service
[01:57:36] um that could either reduce or avoid
[01:57:39] that incremental cost of scalability. So
[01:57:42] how do we look at that is is really my
[01:57:44] point. So on the let me start from where
[01:57:46] I think you were starting. The gold line
[01:57:49] uh Kelly's team is uh they they are
[01:57:52] already looking at efficiencies to the
[01:57:54] gold line. Fair modernization is one
[01:57:57] piece but they are also looking at how
[01:57:59] to implement as early as next month some
[01:58:02] of the operating efficiencies on the
[01:58:03] gold line which we think will speed
[01:58:06] service.
[01:58:07] Um one of those is uh call call to stop
[01:58:12] push to stop. Um, and what that really
[01:58:14] means is if you're on the vehicle, you
[01:58:17] push a button and request a stop.
[01:58:19] Instead of the vehicle stopping
[01:58:22] and nobody gets on or nobody gets off,
[01:58:24] but it dwells at the platform.
[01:58:28] Um, it stops if someone's at the
[01:58:30] platform. It stops when someone wants to
[01:58:32] get off, but that allows the uh gold
[01:58:34] line to flow more efficiently and speed
[01:58:38] speed the process because we are looking
[01:58:39] for ways to increase the um frequency of
[01:58:44] the gold line vehicles. um and agreed um
[01:58:49] implementing a fair generally speaking
[01:58:52] fair increases and this is a fair
[01:58:55] increase do have um at least temporarily
[01:58:59] a negative impact on passengers right
[01:59:02] that usually rebounds but it it
[01:59:04] certainly um is possible on microtransit
[01:59:07] economy economies of scale are very
[01:59:10] important
[01:59:11] um right now because we have one zone we
[01:59:15] do not have any economies of scale. And
[01:59:17] what I mean by that is there is one zone
[01:59:21] with one call center. As an example, as
[01:59:25] we have 19 zones, we do not need 19
[01:59:28] different call centers. And so some of
[01:59:31] that overhead cost that you have to have
[01:59:34] whether or not you have one zones or 19
[01:59:36] zones. We can start to get economy of
[01:59:39] scale on that and we are already looking
[01:59:41] at strategies for how to do that. We are
[01:59:44] also looking at how those zones align
[01:59:47] because we do think that it will be
[01:59:49] beneficial and and more efficient
[01:59:53] if those zones
[01:59:55] um are packaged
[01:59:58] to be contiguous, right? one provider
[02:00:01] instead of just providing one zone may
[02:00:03] provide three contiguous zones whereas
[02:00:07] another provider you know rather than
[02:00:10] one provider does one in the north and
[02:00:12] one in the far south we're thinking
[02:00:15] about how that can create efficiencies
[02:00:16] of scale too so more to come on that but
[02:00:19] agreed one zone does not produce
[02:00:21] economies of scale and we are looking
[02:00:23] for that with the rest of the zones
[02:00:26] great thank you
[02:00:28] all right moving on to the transition
[02:00:29] report. You're good.
[02:00:30] I'm sorry.
[02:00:31] I'm sorry.
[02:00:32] Oh, yes. Yes, ma'am.
[02:00:34] No, just a question in reference to
[02:00:38] You call them zones. I call them command
[02:00:40] centers.
[02:00:41] Why don't we have one major command
[02:00:44] center with satellite offices that
[02:00:47] communicate on a daily basis to one
[02:00:49] another
[02:00:51] to resolve any any any problems. And and
[02:00:54] that command center could have both
[02:00:56] rail, micro, well, excuse me, all three.
[02:00:58] Rail, micro, and bus within the command
[02:01:01] center.
[02:01:02] So, we currently have a rail operations
[02:01:04] control center or command center, a bus
[02:01:07] operations control center or or command
[02:01:09] center, and then the contractor provides
[02:01:12] operational control and oversight of
[02:01:17] microtransit.
[02:01:19] Um we do believe um as we go through
[02:01:22] some of the work plans in the committees
[02:01:24] that it would that cats
[02:01:27] should be evaluating a central uh
[02:01:31] control center that contains all modes.
[02:01:34] That is something that we believe as we
[02:01:36] work with the MPTA going forward. We
[02:01:39] would certainly recommend that it it is
[02:01:42] not
[02:01:44] cats the way the systems were
[02:01:46] constructed and established originally
[02:01:49] they were separated
[02:01:51] um and so we do believe that that would
[02:01:53] be um beneficial. It it could create
[02:01:57] economies of scale, but what it will
[02:01:58] certainly do is create better
[02:02:00] coordination amongst the modes and we
[02:02:04] believe assist with operations and
[02:02:08] safety for the operators for the
[02:02:10] passengers. And so that is something
[02:02:12] that we that we haven't discussed yet,
[02:02:14] but clearly we want to discuss moving
[02:02:17] forward with the MPTA as a future
[02:02:20] improvement
[02:02:21] um to our safety oversight and and all
[02:02:25] modes.
[02:02:26] Reverend, we're working on a concept of
[02:02:28] operations to obtain that very
[02:02:30] capability
[02:02:32] so that we're integrating and
[02:02:34] communicating real time at the same
[02:02:36] time.
[02:02:36] Yes.
[02:02:36] Thank you.
[02:02:37] All right. Moving on the transition
[02:02:39] report. I'm not moving on. I'm sorry,
[02:02:42] Mr. Papis. I can't see you.
[02:02:44] Quick questions for Mr. Kaggel. Do does
[02:02:46] it concern you that we're below budget
[02:02:50] on our revenue forecast? And second part
[02:02:54] of that question is, do we have a
[02:02:55] contingency built into our annual
[02:02:58] budget? Because I it's I'm assuming it's
[02:03:00] very challenging to pinpoint that
[02:03:03] revenue number based on sales tax and
[02:03:06] Yeah.
[02:03:06] Yeah. I'm just curious. Do we carry
[02:03:08] contingency to offset that?
[02:03:11] Yes and yes. And so so um let me try to
[02:03:16] be concise. Am I concerned this month?
[02:03:19] No. Um but we'll keep talking as more
[02:03:24] months come in. Um and then uh Mr. How
[02:03:27] also yes is is already thinking the the
[02:03:30] budget has allowances for contingency
[02:03:33] for variances and so we're not concerned
[02:03:36] today but as we continue right that then
[02:03:41] we we may have to have different
[02:03:42] discussions
[02:03:43] just the current report shows March off
[02:03:45] about eight or nine%. Yes.
[02:03:47] Pretty big number.
[02:03:48] Yes.
[02:03:50] Um the last thing I'll say and and you
[02:03:52] did not ask this but it did remind me
[02:03:55] today and always in the past we provide
[02:03:57] the revenue report for article 43
[02:04:00] revenues. Um this is the end of the era
[02:04:03] if you will. Um there will start to be
[02:04:06] new look reporting on article 43 article
[02:04:10] 34 and you drive it revenues because
[02:04:13] there will be additional streams. This
[02:04:16] is for article 43 because it's the only
[02:04:18] stream today. But
[02:04:19] 43 is a half cents tax. 34 is a new
[02:04:22] portion of the penny.
[02:04:23] 610 and you drive it is is another
[02:04:27] separate tax. All three of those
[02:04:30] revenues represent sort of the tax
[02:04:32] revenues associated with the MPTA and
[02:04:34] dedicated to transit.
[02:04:36] Yeah. Staff talks about it that way all
[02:04:38] the time. So get used to remembering
[02:04:39] what those are.
[02:04:40] Sorry. 4334 and you drive it.
[02:04:44] Yes, Mr. Laser.
[02:04:46] One last thing. Um, we talked about this
[02:04:48] in operations and and this is on the
[02:04:50] reports. Um, we had talked about
[02:04:52] introducing a separate line item for uh
[02:04:55] pedestrian fatalities. When do you
[02:04:57] expect us to
[02:04:59] Yeah, let me um Mr. Ozes, any update on
[02:05:03] updating these reporting structures or
[02:05:06] formatting?
[02:05:08] Yeah, we're we're going uh we're
[02:05:10] including not only that, Trustee
[02:05:13] Lindsay, but also the um OSHA data,
[02:05:18] Department of Labor statistics because
[02:05:21] you had asked for separate line items
[02:05:24] for employee
[02:05:26] uh injuries, employee uh reportable
[02:05:29] events. We're we're working through
[02:05:31] that. That that data is really collected
[02:05:33] by our risk management at the city
[02:05:35] level. So, we're going to look to
[02:05:37] incorporate those statistics here very
[02:05:40] shortly.
[02:05:40] Thank you,
[02:05:42] Christie. Am I moving on now?
[02:05:44] Thank you.
[02:05:46] Thank you, man. All right. Uh,
[02:05:48] transition code directors, you guys
[02:05:50] ready? Come on up. Thank you, Brent.
[02:06:03] It's a big old screen.
[02:06:07] Thank you, uh, Chairman Howard, and, uh,
[02:06:09] good evening, uh, trustees, staff, and,
[02:06:13] um, guests.
[02:06:16] In our last transition report last
[02:06:19] month, uh, in June, we talked about the
[02:06:23] payback and
[02:06:25] we celebrated actually our ability to
[02:06:28] achieve the 12 items that were
[02:06:31] recommended in the required in the PAVE
[02:06:34] act for you all to meet. Um,
[02:06:39] a huge milestone for you. Um tonight
[02:06:42] though we are here to provide you with
[02:06:46] an update on now where do we go from
[02:06:49] here and how do we begin to prepare
[02:06:52] truly prepare this organization from a
[02:06:55] staffing perspective
[02:06:58] u the ability to become an independent
[02:07:02] um transit authority. And so we have
[02:07:05] been thinking about in terms of this
[02:07:07] strategy and been coordinating uh
[02:07:09] obviously with staff. We've also
[02:07:12] coordinated with a um consulting firm
[02:07:15] EDSI who did an assessment and analysis
[02:07:20] of positions
[02:07:22] um that would be needed uh for this
[02:07:25] endeavor. broadly
[02:07:27] um
[02:07:29] and uh we want to provide you with kind
[02:07:32] of an update and a status report on on
[02:07:34] where we are. Uh as that first bullet
[02:07:38] said, we we have been working with um
[02:07:40] CAT staff and EDSI. Uh we think that um
[02:07:46] this first round of of hiring
[02:07:50] um should really be focused on
[02:07:53] um how do we stand this organization up
[02:07:56] and what are the business as usual kinds
[02:08:00] of positions that that are needed um to
[02:08:04] continue to I hope provide exemplary
[02:08:08] customer service um to those that are
[02:08:11] using transit. And so what we think this
[02:08:14] does is strengthen um the finance
[02:08:18] development, procurement, capital
[02:08:20] delivery, safety and support uh that is
[02:08:23] needed in terms of this new organization
[02:08:27] that is being formed. Uh we think that
[02:08:31] the investments in these positions are
[02:08:34] very much uh needed from a priority
[02:08:37] perspective regarding what is needed
[02:08:41] first. Uh and that's kind of the
[02:08:44] assessment um and the process that we
[02:08:47] went through in order to recommend that
[02:08:50] there be uh some immediate uh hirings of
[02:08:54] about 35 or more uh positions in the
[02:08:58] near term. And these positions have
[02:09:01] already been approved in your budget uh
[02:09:04] to address as I said earlier the
[02:09:06] business as usual requirements and some
[02:09:09] of the critical staffing gaps
[02:09:11] particularly again standing up this
[02:09:13] organization independent of the city. So
[02:09:17] a lot of the services that the city
[02:09:20] particularly related to IT and HR um
[02:09:24] will no longer be provided by the city.
[02:09:27] So it is something that you all will
[02:09:28] have to assume independently and then to
[02:09:31] meet all of the Federal Transit
[02:09:33] Administration requirements related to
[02:09:36] Treasury and auditing and management of
[02:09:40] your resources uh as well as uh 12
[02:09:44] paratransit drivers. So uh just shortly
[02:09:48] I'm going have Carolyn come up. She's
[02:09:50] going to provide you with a little bit
[02:09:52] more detail in terms of this kind of
[02:09:54] broad overview that I gave in terms of a
[02:09:57] hiring plan and provide some of the
[02:09:59] rationale for why some of these
[02:10:01] positions um are needed. And um then
[02:10:06] we'll have um someone come up from CAT
[02:10:09] staff and I'm not sure if it's Brent or
[02:10:12] if it's going to be you Elizabeth that
[02:10:15] are going to come up and talk about some
[02:10:16] of the services that will uh be
[02:10:19] potentially contracted out and may not
[02:10:22] need a a permanent person to provide
[02:10:25] those services. Following uh that we
[02:10:28] will have uh Greg Moser who is here from
[02:10:31] KN&A that will talk about the um
[02:10:35] recruitment for um a very important
[02:10:38] position uh for your um CEO. And so with
[02:10:44] that, I'll turn it over to Carolyn.
[02:10:51] So, thank you and um good evening.
[02:10:55] Um okay, we move to the hiring.
[02:10:58] You got the
[02:10:59] Yeah, I got it right. Which way?
[02:11:02] I'll get it.
[02:11:03] Okay, thank you. Okay, hiring plan
[02:11:06] outcomes. So, as Deborah um indicated,
[02:11:10] we've engaged with the CAT staff, EDSI,
[02:11:14] and EY to prioritize the first trunch of
[02:11:18] hireers that are needed to build this
[02:11:21] staff for the foundation for operational
[02:11:24] readiness and long-term objectives of
[02:11:27] the MPTA.
[02:11:29] So we have the purpose of this HR plan
[02:11:34] is to ensure that the agency is prepared
[02:11:38] uh that we continue to provide service
[02:11:41] delivery and that we establish the
[02:11:43] resources that are necessary to stand up
[02:11:46] an independent agency uh that has all of
[02:11:50] the functions needed to provide these
[02:11:52] services. And we also have to
[02:11:55] demonstrate to the Federal Transit
[02:11:57] Administration who we want to uh ensure
[02:12:01] that we're an eligible recipient for
[02:12:04] future grants that we have the technical
[02:12:07] capacity uh to be an eligible grantee.
[02:12:11] Specifically we need to uh focus on the
[02:12:15] areas of financial management, awards
[02:12:18] management, procurement, IT and we also
[02:12:23] need to ensure that we build a uh
[02:12:26] framework for program and project
[02:12:29] management for our future TSP support.
[02:12:32] So as we look at this long term, we want
[02:12:38] to ensure that we have the framework to
[02:12:42] make sure that we fill all of the
[02:12:44] organizational gaps, that we have the
[02:12:46] functionality. And so we're basically
[02:12:49] moving into the implementation phase. We
[02:12:52] did a lot of planning through um the 12
[02:12:56] objectives to meet the uh payback. But
[02:13:00] now we have to implement we have to
[02:13:02] stand up an organization.
[02:13:06] So at this point um I'm going to have
[02:13:09] Elizabeth come up and she's going to
[02:13:11] talk to you about this augmentation and
[02:13:14] supplemental uh support that we need
[02:13:17] through managed services as well as
[02:13:19] through this hiring process.
[02:13:29] physical chairs. Good evening, trustees.
[02:13:32] um as we think about executing on the
[02:13:34] MPTA's vision of um standing up the
[02:13:39] standalone organization by January 1st
[02:13:42] um there as um Deborah and Carolyn
[02:13:44] alluded to there are several functions
[02:13:46] within the organization that um need
[02:13:49] additional support and we are looking
[02:13:52] excuse me to use managed services to
[02:13:54] support those um specifically in the
[02:13:57] technology human resources and finance
[02:13:59] area. So from a technology standpoint,
[02:14:02] we'd be looking to have um managed
[02:14:05] services to support technology
[02:14:06] infrastructure and services particularly
[02:14:09] that cloud infrastructure management
[02:14:10] which I know WWT talked about um as part
[02:14:14] of the technology plan at um your last
[02:14:16] meeting.
[02:14:18] We also would be looking to stand up a
[02:14:20] service desk and IT service management.
[02:14:22] So basically that health desk support
[02:14:24] and deskside support um those are common
[02:14:27] um contracted services um in local
[02:14:30] government and and in the private sector
[02:14:32] and then also support from a cyber
[02:14:35] security standpoint as as none of those
[02:14:37] things are um none of those services are
[02:14:40] things that we do currently today within
[02:14:42] the cat's organization. From a human
[02:14:44] resources standpoint, we'd be looking to
[02:14:47] do um managed services to assist with
[02:14:50] payroll administration, benefits
[02:14:52] administration, as well as open
[02:14:54] enrollment support. And then from a
[02:14:56] finance standpoint, um we'd be looking
[02:14:58] to um have managed services from an
[02:15:01] accounts payable um standpoint. These
[02:15:04] are all services that were represented
[02:15:06] in the um technology contracts item that
[02:15:08] you was approved earlier um as part of
[02:15:11] those annual u managed services
[02:15:14] supports.
[02:15:24] There we go. Um we also are um looking
[02:15:27] to or we are also working to augment um
[02:15:30] staff in the short term um given the um
[02:15:33] level of effort to u meet the January 1
[02:15:36] deadline. Um technology is doing some
[02:15:39] staff augmentation as it relates to our
[02:15:42] portfolio management of our operations
[02:15:45] technology projects. Um this was
[02:15:47] reviewed with the operations and safety
[02:15:49] committee at their last meeting. um as
[02:15:52] well as um looking to do staff aog with
[02:15:55] deskside support um for the technology
[02:15:58] implementation ramp up and from a human
[02:16:00] resources standpoint because um we do
[02:16:03] have a a pretty small team and they are
[02:16:05] focused on the implementation of workday
[02:16:07] we are doing some staff augmentation to
[02:16:10] support some of the day-to-day functions
[02:16:12] um so that we are not missing a beat
[02:16:14] with our team and then um we are also um
[02:16:18] because there is a a city HR does many
[02:16:22] of the things many um HR functions to
[02:16:25] support our HR staff. Um and then you
[02:16:29] know CAT's HR will be assuming those. We
[02:16:32] are looking to do um some business
[02:16:35] processes support to ensure that we have
[02:16:37] continuous processes and we understand
[02:16:40] how we're filling the gap so we are not
[02:16:42] missing a beat because we do know that
[02:16:44] one of the um key objectives of the MPTA
[02:16:47] board is to make sure that payroll and
[02:16:49] all the things go without a hitch on
[02:16:51] January 1st. And so we want to make sure
[02:16:53] that we're capturing everything and we
[02:16:55] we know um who's on first for all of the
[02:16:58] various processes. So
[02:17:02] that is all I have.
[02:17:04] I thought you would click on me.
[02:17:08] Okay. Thanks.
[02:17:12] So, the next steps and important to this
[02:17:16] next step, there's not a there's not a
[02:17:19] bullet on here, but the next step is to
[02:17:21] keep you apprised of this process and to
[02:17:24] make sure that we um engage with the
[02:17:27] board uh as we go through this. But um
[02:17:31] we need to start the hiring and we want
[02:17:35] to make sure that we have all of the
[02:17:37] critical roles um covered and we want to
[02:17:40] initiate the managed services uh to
[02:17:43] augment and supplement the key
[02:17:46] functional areas and also we need to
[02:17:49] ensure that we also include the support
[02:17:52] that the board needs. Um and we haven't
[02:17:56] we didn't highlight that in the um uh
[02:18:00] the previous slides but also part of
[02:18:03] part of the hiring process is to look at
[02:18:06] what does the board need to uh support
[02:18:09] it support its uh actions and functions.
[02:18:16] Yes sir. Do I get a gold star?
[02:18:20] So, um, also the next thing that we need
[02:18:23] to come back to the board to discuss is
[02:18:26] finalizing the pay philosophy. And we've
[02:18:29] heard the board, you know, express that
[02:18:31] they want to retain and attract the best
[02:18:34] talent and that you want this agency to
[02:18:37] be world class. And so, and you also
[02:18:41] want this agency to be an employer of
[02:18:43] choice. And so uh you passed an employee
[02:18:47] retention policy at the last meeting,
[02:18:50] but pay is a factor in this whole
[02:18:53] process. And so we want to ensure that
[02:18:55] we come back to you with some uh
[02:18:58] discussion on how to retain and attract
[02:19:02] the best and the brightest. And so, you
[02:19:05] know, Katz has been following the city's
[02:19:08] pay philosophy, but we want to make sure
[02:19:10] that we return to you to discuss what
[02:19:13] MPTA would uh like to do and what
[02:19:17] direction that you would like to take
[02:19:19] for pay and to make sure that we affirm
[02:19:22] that with you and look at this in the
[02:19:25] context of the market and the compet uh
[02:19:28] competition so that we can attract and
[02:19:31] retain the best talent. We also um are
[02:19:35] looking at you know the recommendations
[02:19:37] here today. This was not the full amount
[02:19:41] of budgeted positions. Um we want to
[02:19:44] recommend a phased approach and uh the
[02:19:47] budget does include additional
[02:19:49] positions. We want to continue to review
[02:19:51] those with you and we will be returning
[02:19:54] to you uh throughout this process to
[02:19:57] ensure that we um have assessed the
[02:20:00] positions that need to be filled. So, at
[02:20:04] that point, I'd like to turn it over to
[02:20:06] Frank Emory, who will introduce uh the
[02:20:09] CEO
[02:20:11] uh
[02:20:12] uh recruitment process and give you a
[02:20:15] status update.
[02:20:18] Mr. chair before we move to
[02:20:19] Sure.
[02:20:20] next point.
[02:20:21] Yes. So questions on the trend about
[02:20:23] this.
[02:20:24] I have Mr. Lindsy.
[02:20:26] Um at our uh at one of our recent
[02:20:29] operation safety committees where we had
[02:20:31] a review of the technology plan. Um, we
[02:20:35] talked about this uh, managed services
[02:20:38] provider and um, I was told then that we
[02:20:42] were working up an estimate of cost for
[02:20:46] who that might be uh, and the process
[02:20:49] for identifying that person and so
[02:20:51] forth. Can you all give me an update on
[02:20:53] where we are with that?
[02:20:55] I would get that to Brent.
[02:20:57] Fine.
[02:20:58] Yeah, that coordinates in. So we we are
[02:21:01] working with the transition co-directors
[02:21:03] and EY as well as internally and
[02:21:06] externally. Um and again
[02:21:10] go ahead Elizabeth and one virtual as
[02:21:15] part is outlined as part of the
[02:21:16] technology contracts.
[02:21:19] It's outlined as part of the technology
[02:21:20] contracts that was approved in the
[02:21:22] earlier item.
[02:21:25] it wasn't highlighted is that that was
[02:21:26] who we were using for the MSP.
[02:21:32] So that that decision's already been
[02:21:34] made.
[02:21:37] Yes.
[02:21:39] Yes.
[02:21:43] Anything else,
[02:21:49] Mr. Lindsay? Anything else?
[02:21:51] No.
[02:21:52] Okay. No, you had the floor. So, I just
[02:21:53] didn't want to keep going. Peter,
[02:21:55] um,
[02:21:56] just a question. Is there has there
[02:21:58] previously been presented to the board
[02:22:02] more detail on these positions and the
[02:22:05] salaries associated with the positions?
[02:22:08] So, I'll I'll try that one. Caroline,
[02:22:10] you come back up. When she was Caroline
[02:22:12] was just talking about the pay
[02:22:13] philosophy. Um, there is a comp study
[02:22:17] that's been done. They are working
[02:22:19] through that right now. And I think
[02:22:21] Caroline is saying they need some they
[02:22:24] need some direction from us on a pay
[02:22:26] philosophy uh which they're going to
[02:22:29] bring back to us here soon. So those
[02:22:31] positions that we just talked about will
[02:22:33] be under the current cities or that's
[02:22:37] what he's really asking or is it going
[02:22:38] to be under the new one we adopt?
[02:22:41] So those are those are effectively so so
[02:22:45] to answer your question I'm going to do
[02:22:47] it two ways. The cost of the positions
[02:22:50] and the positions were presented to you
[02:22:52] in the budget. That is not
[02:22:55] representative of the individual salary
[02:22:58] of a person who would fill a position
[02:23:01] that was represented to you. The
[02:23:03] position type, you know, the position
[02:23:06] name, title plus the cost. The
[02:23:10] individual salaries are determined by
[02:23:13] the pay philosophy which then gets
[02:23:15] expressed as salary ranges usually
[02:23:19] expressed as a minimum a maximum and
[02:23:23] then what we call a market rate or the
[02:23:25] middle point of those salaries. The
[02:23:28] city's current philosophy and has been
[02:23:30] the city's philosophy for well at least
[02:23:33] 15 years, as long as I've been with the
[02:23:35] city, is to be a competitive to to be
[02:23:39] competitive in the market, which really
[02:23:42] means to um set the market rate or the
[02:23:45] middle at the 50th percentile based on
[02:23:49] um the salary um survey, right? And so
[02:23:53] the city will conduct salary surveys for
[02:23:56] positions and the market is generally
[02:24:00] speaking set at the 50th percentile and
[02:24:03] that is the city's pay philosophy.
[02:24:06] Um but different organizations can
[02:24:09] choose different philosophies right to
[02:24:12] be competitive or to lead or etc. There
[02:24:17] are many ways and so that's it. It was
[02:24:20] in the budget, but it's expressed as
[02:24:22] cost and then the pay plan and those
[02:24:26] salary ranges follows the philosophy
[02:24:28] that the board provides to us.
[02:24:31] So, Peter, if we were doing this and if
[02:24:33] we had more time, we would have done all
[02:24:35] of this before we even talked about the
[02:24:36] positions and the budget. We didn't have
[02:24:40] the the ability to do that in that
[02:24:43] order. So, the budget came. We have
[02:24:46] pieces that we're trying to put together
[02:24:48] because there is a study that talks
[02:24:50] about the fact that if we're coming
[02:24:52] from, help me with this, Brent. If we're
[02:24:53] coming from under the city who has a
[02:24:55] different structure of kind of their top
[02:24:57] tier, middle tiers, you know, who these
[02:25:00] directors and all these positions and
[02:25:01] these levels are, that's going to be
[02:25:03] different under transit authority. So,
[02:25:05] we're doing that at the same time. So,
[02:25:07] all of these things are happening at one
[02:25:09] time. So there will be another time when
[02:25:12] we really talking about this comp plan
[02:25:14] that talks about the levels that this
[02:25:15] new authority will have that may be
[02:25:17] different from the city uh career ladder
[02:25:21] and then we'll have this whole thing
[02:25:23] about talking about the money coming up
[02:25:24] too. So all of that is happening at one
[02:25:26] time.
[02:25:27] Yeah. I think my question was really
[02:25:29] more related to a bit more detail when
[02:25:32] you're presenting the budget item.
[02:25:35] There's not a lot of context there in
[02:25:37] terms of how many positions at what
[02:25:40] level the salaries you know it's just a
[02:25:44] overall number
[02:25:47] which is a bit of a
[02:25:50] you know sounds a bit like a swag.
[02:25:54] It it is not a swag.
[02:25:55] Okay. Well then then how many positions
[02:25:58] at what levels at what pay? There there
[02:26:01] was a schedule in the budget documents
[02:26:03] that
[02:26:04] that specified the exact number of
[02:26:06] positions and the cost of those
[02:26:09] positions. M Mr. How may
[02:26:11] So then my first question was it was in
[02:26:12] the budget broken out. That was my first
[02:26:14] question. Was there that detail?
[02:26:16] Yes.
[02:26:17] Yeah. Well, that's what that's the
[02:26:18] question I asked. Sorry. Yes, sir.
[02:26:19] Okay. Thank you.
[02:26:20] Sorry about that.
[02:26:21] Well, that's all that's all I wanted to
[02:26:23] know because the reference is always
[02:26:25] it's been approved in the budget. I I
[02:26:27] didn't recall seeing that break out.
[02:26:29] Excuse me. But if it's been broken out
[02:26:32] and presented, great. That was my
[02:26:34] question. Not about the pay philosophy,
[02:26:37] which I agree with the presentation. If
[02:26:40] we're going to
[02:26:42] really excel in having the best
[02:26:44] organization, we have to think about how
[02:26:46] we compensate and and incentivize our
[02:26:49] team members, which is a whole different
[02:26:52] question, but I'm for that. I just
[02:26:54] missed the detail earlier. Thank you.
[02:26:56] Yep. That was me trying to make sure you
[02:26:58] guys knew there was a lot more to go on.
[02:27:00] I think we got the fact we've got to
[02:27:01] move quickly. Just looking for
[02:27:04] Yeah, I sure we had some detail before
[02:27:06] we moved.
[02:27:07] Trustee Papus, I believe what we need to
[02:27:09] ensure that we do is establish those
[02:27:12] parameters so that as we enter the next
[02:27:15] budget cycle, which they're starting to
[02:27:17] plan for right now, that we have those
[02:27:19] assumptions in place.
[02:27:24] I actually have uh Ned and then we're
[02:27:26] gonna Bob.
[02:27:27] Oh, Bob. I'm sorry. Bob and Ned who?
[02:27:31] Oh, okay.
[02:27:32] Bob Mensel. Um
[02:27:35] you guys have been wonderful.
[02:27:39] Uh we have expressed a lot of concerns
[02:27:41] tonight, but your ability to take a very
[02:27:44] complex process and put it in front of
[02:27:47] us month after month in a way that is
[02:27:50] really understandable. Uh, I can tell
[02:27:52] you speaking for myself, it's been
[02:27:53] extraordinarily helpful and I wanted to
[02:27:56] just publicly thank you for your work to
[02:27:58] this point. It's been so helpful. My
[02:28:00] request is um twofold. Um, one is kind
[02:28:03] of more current and then the other one
[02:28:05] is a little further down the road. Uh,
[02:28:08] it sounds and and by by the nature of a
[02:28:11] transition, there's going to need to be
[02:28:13] some redundancies as we make the
[02:28:15] transition. Not tonight, but if a future
[02:28:18] meeting if you can kind of come back and
[02:28:19] tell us what the 2027 2028 budget what
[02:28:23] the impact of getting through the
[02:28:26] transition and those redundancies, how
[02:28:28] that will impact the budget. I think
[02:28:30] that'd be helpful for us to know. And
[02:28:32] then secondly, as we look forward to
[02:28:35] doing pay philosophy and compensation,
[02:28:38] um please be sure you give us an
[02:28:40] analysis of pay compression. that will
[02:28:43] be part of that and it will be
[02:28:46] extraordinarily significant that we
[02:28:48] understand that. But again, thank you.
[02:28:50] Thank you,
[02:28:51] Mr. Um,
[02:28:56] it's you.
[02:28:57] Thank you. I'm just trying to get
[02:28:59] clarification. Maybe I'm the only one
[02:29:01] confused, but is staff authorized now to
[02:29:05] begin to fill positions? Okay. So, we're
[02:29:08] not waiting on some of these policies or
[02:29:09] directives that we're talking about.
[02:29:11] We'll evolve those over time,
[02:29:13] but but we are filling positions as we
[02:29:15] can. Okay. Thank you.
[02:29:16] We started with the most critical ones
[02:29:18] that EDSI kind of mapped out that are
[02:29:20] hard to to fill. Yeah.
[02:29:21] And the ones we need to have people in
[02:29:23] immediately to stand up these systems
[02:29:24] that we're talking about.
[02:29:25] Great. Thank you.
[02:29:26] We have we have ranges, you know, that
[02:29:29] we can work within for those salaries as
[02:29:32] we post these positions.
[02:29:37] Yeah. Flying as we uh flying as we
[02:29:39] building. All right. We'll go on to the
[02:29:41] um K&A report.
[02:29:47] Oh,
[02:29:51] the hour is late. This is uh our our
[02:29:54] chief outside um uh searcher uh Greg. Um
[02:29:58] and so we thank you, sir, for being
[02:30:00] here. Um and you've met him before, so
[02:30:03] I'm going to turn him loose now to give
[02:30:04] us status, and then I have a couple of
[02:30:06] comments at the end. Thank you, sir.
[02:30:08] Thank you, Vice Chair Emry. And uh I
[02:30:10] just want to start off by saying not
[02:30:12] only good evening, but thank you for the
[02:30:13] executive committee because over the
[02:30:15] last couple of weeks, they've put in a
[02:30:16] significant amount of effort and work.
[02:30:18] And even through the holidays, over the
[02:30:19] past weekend, they were working uh with
[02:30:22] me on job descriptions and reviews and
[02:30:24] edits and a lot of other details around
[02:30:27] launching this recruitment. So, I really
[02:30:29] want to thank them for their time and
[02:30:30] effort over the last several days and
[02:30:32] and significant contributions. I I
[02:30:35] wanted to bring this slide back up. It's
[02:30:36] a little bit different than I shared
[02:30:38] last time. Nothing has sign nothing has
[02:30:40] changed on the slides. I've just relayed
[02:30:42] it out. Um, and just to show you that
[02:30:44] the process is still on time and that
[02:30:46] we're still tracking as we planned when
[02:30:47] I met with you last month. And just to
[02:30:49] quickly go through this and show you
[02:30:50] where we're at, um, my plan is we have a
[02:30:53] job description that the executive
[02:30:55] committee has approved that we're ready
[02:30:56] to take to the market, um, which you
[02:30:58] will be receiving later, I think this
[02:31:00] evening or tomorrow morning, um, from
[02:31:02] staff. and that position description we
[02:31:05] will then advertise and I'll be using
[02:31:07] that to go out and reach out to
[02:31:08] potential candidates to be able to say
[02:31:10] we've got this opportunity. Are you
[02:31:12] interested? So, um the plan was to be
[02:31:15] come to this meeting with that prepared
[02:31:16] and ready to go and to launch the
[02:31:18] recruitment which I plan to lead and and
[02:31:20] conduct through the rest of the summer.
[02:31:22] So, um, going forward and and and how I
[02:31:25] foresee this being, uh, led in terms of
[02:31:28] the engagement from the board and
[02:31:29] whatnot is that in September, I plan to
[02:31:32] bring a long list, a shorter long list
[02:31:35] of applicants that I have vetted and
[02:31:36] qualified based on the what we've said
[02:31:38] as the criteria in the job description
[02:31:40] is qualified applicants for the
[02:31:41] executive committee to review. So, I
[02:31:43] will sit down with them. We'll go
[02:31:45] through those resumes and we'll identify
[02:31:47] from that group a shorter list that we
[02:31:49] want to interview. Um, I foresee the
[02:31:51] executive committee conducting those
[02:31:54] first level of interviews, going through
[02:31:56] that process, going through the levels
[02:31:57] of diligence to go and qualify that
[02:31:59] final group of candidates to then bring
[02:32:01] to the board of directors. And I
[02:32:03] envision us bringing a group of two or
[02:32:05] three finalists to the full board for
[02:32:08] interviews and a process that we're
[02:32:09] working on developing right now um
[02:32:12] sometime in early to mid-occtober. My
[02:32:14] plan is that if all goes well and we
[02:32:16] have when we make it through those,
[02:32:18] we'll be in a place to be able to make
[02:32:19] an offer to a candidate, be able to
[02:32:22] negotiate a compensation package with
[02:32:23] them, be able to put that into a
[02:32:25] contract for you to then take and and
[02:32:27] vote on sometime. I'll have to look at
[02:32:29] board meeting dates and things like
[02:32:30] that, but late October, early November,
[02:32:32] whether we have a special meeting or we
[02:32:33] do it at one of the scheduled board
[02:32:35] meetings. So, um, I think that that gets
[02:32:37] us to a place where the CEO can start
[02:32:40] before the the end of the year, sometime
[02:32:42] between November and and the end of
[02:32:44] December. So, that's what I envision as
[02:32:46] the timeline for the process going
[02:32:48] forward.
[02:32:49] Thank you. Thank you, Greg. Just just to
[02:32:51] add um one of one of the important
[02:32:54] features, just want to thank this group.
[02:32:56] Remember, everyone had a one-on-one
[02:32:58] interview with Greg about the person and
[02:33:01] the um qualifications and the
[02:33:04] characteristics. And so that's the first
[02:33:06] time I've actually seen that in in a in
[02:33:08] a recruiting. And so everybody here had
[02:33:10] direct hands-on uh impact on what the
[02:33:14] spec was for that piece. So thank you
[02:33:16] all for that. Um the other thing I'll
[02:33:19] I'll mention is that um the chairman has
[02:33:21] a will send out a a written
[02:33:25] summary uh that includes this
[02:33:27] information and others after this
[02:33:28] meeting tonight. So you'll have that in
[02:33:30] your inbox for that as well. but wanted
[02:33:32] to make sure we had a chance to have
[02:33:34] these questions. So, thank you for that.
[02:33:36] Questions for Greg.
[02:33:38] Mac first.
[02:33:39] Mac
[02:33:39] and then
[02:33:43] Thank you, Greg. Uh, I only have one
[02:33:46] question. What's the term of the
[02:33:48] contract, the potential contract for the
[02:33:50] CEO? Is it a two-year contract,
[02:33:52] five-year contract? Has that been
[02:33:53] established by the board as
[02:33:55] No, I think that that goes into the full
[02:33:57] discussion of compensation and benefits
[02:33:59] and everything. term of contract, length
[02:34:01] of contract, options for renewals,
[02:34:03] severance, all of those components are
[02:34:05] all elements that we can negotiate and I
[02:34:07] think we would sit down, the executive
[02:34:09] committee and I will work through that
[02:34:10] to come up with some parameters that we
[02:34:12] think are appropriate to to bring to the
[02:34:14] board.
[02:34:14] Okay, I appreciate that. Thank you.
[02:34:18] Thank you. Thank you for your report,
[02:34:19] Greg. Uh you'll recall that we provided
[02:34:22] you a list of names for various
[02:34:25] community stakeholders.
[02:34:26] Yes. that I believe you intend to speak
[02:34:29] with prior to the recruitment phase. At
[02:34:33] what point will that occur uh based on
[02:34:37] this timeline? And then also I was under
[02:34:39] impression that we would see the list of
[02:34:41] names
[02:34:42] because we were limited to five I
[02:34:44] believe and just to make sure that it's
[02:34:46] an all-incclusive list. Uh is that still
[02:34:49] the intent to share that list with the
[02:34:51] board?
[02:34:53] Yes.
[02:34:53] Yeah. Yes, it is indeed.
[02:34:55] Okay.
[02:34:55] Yes. And so those have I had a note put
[02:34:58] for him but we can do that now. So those
[02:35:00] um the the stakeholder
[02:35:03] um outreach uh has gone on and it
[02:35:06] continues actually because just in the
[02:35:08] course of doing that there's some emails
[02:35:10] frankly that bounce back and some things
[02:35:11] like that that we got. So folks are
[02:35:13] continuing to push push that along. Um
[02:35:15] so yes you will see those and see the
[02:35:18] the the the summary of all the names.
[02:35:21] Okay. It'd be good to see the names.
[02:35:23] Yes. Oh absolutely. Okay. You can
[02:35:26] Yeah. All right.
[02:35:27] And I'll talk about that a little bit.
[02:35:28] So, the stakeholder engagement we're
[02:35:29] doing and the outreach is as as Trusty
[02:35:32] Emory pointed out, we're we we've
[02:35:34] started that outreach right now. It's
[02:35:35] continuing. We've added to it. We've
[02:35:37] adjusted it. Um we'll share the names
[02:35:39] and if there are any ones that we need
[02:35:40] to include that haven't been on that
[02:35:41] list, we can certainly do that as well.
[02:35:43] um that stakeholder feedback is going to
[02:35:45] be critically important as we go through
[02:35:47] this this process of recruiting a
[02:35:48] candidate because it's going to help me
[02:35:50] in terms of being able to qualify and
[02:35:52] understand exactly not only what the
[02:35:54] trustees in each one of you told me when
[02:35:55] I met with you one-on-one but also what
[02:35:57] your community is looking for and what
[02:35:59] those stakeholders that we've asked for.
[02:36:00] I think the other thing is it's going to
[02:36:02] empower the executive committee and you
[02:36:04] as board members to be able to evaluate
[02:36:06] the candidates and then also frame
[02:36:08] questions that you want to ask of the
[02:36:09] candidates in terms of qualifications,
[02:36:11] skills, experience and whatnot. So, um,
[02:36:13] I think that that feedback is going to
[02:36:15] be really important as we go forward in
[02:36:17] terms of evaluating and narrowing the
[02:36:18] group of candidates down.
[02:36:19] Yeah, I I agree. Hence why I want to
[02:36:21] know how that falls in line with the
[02:36:23] conversations that are already occurring
[02:36:26] in comparison to when you're starting to
[02:36:28] recruit as well. So, just a little more
[02:36:30] context will be helpful for them.
[02:36:33] Sorry.
[02:36:44] Okay.
[02:36:46] Um
[02:36:47] so one of the things that we talked
[02:36:49] about um I think earlier
[02:36:52] that was
[02:36:55] a consideration in framing the search
[02:36:59] process was uh what role compensation
[02:37:02] might play in this. Uh so
[02:37:07] tell me where we are now in that
[02:37:09] discussion around how that is being
[02:37:13] incorporated into the search process. Um
[02:37:17] I'm not asking for a number.
[02:37:19] Yeah,
[02:37:19] I want to understand I
[02:37:22] I appreciate that.
[02:37:25] I I just want to understand where we are
[02:37:27] in terms of that discussion and how
[02:37:30] that's being incorporated into the
[02:37:32] search process. Thus far,
[02:37:34] believe it or not, the pay philosophy is
[02:37:36] part of that because I mean some of this
[02:37:38] is I've heard to Carolyn's point, we
[02:37:41] want the best of the best and it doesn't
[02:37:43] matter where. I mean, there's a lot of
[02:37:44] things that we need to kind of give them
[02:37:46] some feedback on even with that. It's
[02:37:48] just not the comp study. Uh because
[02:37:51] again, you've heard all ranges of best
[02:37:53] in the world, best in the country, only
[02:37:55] train. I mean, there's a lot of things
[02:37:57] we've heard about that that we need to
[02:37:58] give a little bit more direction on
[02:38:00] going forward. Um, we have talked about
[02:38:03] ranges. No two ways about it, but
[02:38:06] we need a little bit more from this
[02:38:08] body. That's a little bit.
[02:38:12] I'm concerned
[02:38:14] that we need to get there quickly
[02:38:16] because you're telling me that your
[02:38:18] outreach and recruitment starts between
[02:38:21] July and September where we're in July.
[02:38:23] So, this is not something that we can
[02:38:26] kick down the road here. We we need to
[02:38:29] get this solidified fairly quickly.
[02:38:32] So tell me what that process looks like
[02:38:34] for us to be able to give the necessary
[02:38:37] guidance
[02:38:39] and how quickly can we get that done?
[02:38:43] I think Go ahead, please.
[02:38:45] No, go on, please. No, I I so the
[02:38:48] executive committee, we've had some
[02:38:49] discussions around this and I think that
[02:38:51] they've leaned on myself and Carolyn and
[02:38:53] Deborah to provide some guidance to them
[02:38:55] and part of that is market diligence of
[02:38:58] what other transportation transit CEOs
[02:39:01] are making for similar sized
[02:39:03] organizations around the country and
[02:39:04] there's a lot of different factors,
[02:39:05] right? There are very large transit
[02:39:07] systems that actually pay less than
[02:39:09] smaller transit systems. So there's a
[02:39:11] lot of no rhyme and reason as to why one
[02:39:13] CEO in the industry makes more than
[02:39:15] another CEO or less than another CEO. So
[02:39:17] I think we need to take a lot of factors
[02:39:19] into account. I think at this moment in
[02:39:21] time we're going to quickly move through
[02:39:23] a conversation about what sort of
[02:39:25] parameters we're probably comfortable
[02:39:27] with um by also looking at market data
[02:39:30] around the region and around the state
[02:39:31] as well and taking all of that in
[02:39:32] consideration. But, uh, to the chair's
[02:39:34] point about going out and looking for
[02:39:36] the best and the brightest and the
[02:39:38] strongest leaders possible, I think
[02:39:40] we've got to be mindful that, um, we've
[02:39:42] got a little bit of flexibility. We need
[02:39:44] to have a little bit of flexibility. And
[02:39:45] I think when I go out to market the
[02:39:46] position, I have to have reasonable
[02:39:47] flexibility knowing that this is a quasi
[02:39:49] governmental organization and that
[02:39:51] you've got to be able to defend and
[02:39:52] support that that that salary and
[02:39:55] compensation you offered and also ensure
[02:39:57] that there's not compression with other
[02:39:58] salaries for their executives and
[02:39:59] whatnot. because if we set it too low
[02:40:02] and then you need to recruit someone and
[02:40:03] you don't have the flexibility to
[02:40:04] recruit at the proper range, you've
[02:40:06] you've jammed yourself up. So, I think
[02:40:08] that they're going to lean on Lee a
[02:40:10] little bit and I'm going to when I talk
[02:40:11] to candidates, I'm going to say, look,
[02:40:12] we're working through this and I think
[02:40:14] that we'll be within some range of X and
[02:40:16] Y and we're working through that right
[02:40:18] now and that, you know, again, I'm not
[02:40:20] setting us to a point where we're set an
[02:40:22] absolute parameter of too low or too
[02:40:23] high, but within flexibility and and and
[02:40:25] reasonleness.
[02:40:28] My last comment on this is the concern
[02:40:31] that was expressed and that I share is
[02:40:34] that um in the early stages we don't
[02:40:37] eliminate candidates based on
[02:40:39] compensation.
[02:40:41] Um and the process for how we make that
[02:40:45] choice is something that I think the
[02:40:48] board needs to weigh in on. So, again, I
[02:40:53] just want to make sure that we're not
[02:40:55] cutting our nose off to spite our face
[02:40:57] on this. So, um, and and I do believe
[02:41:01] that the board needs to be engaged in
[02:41:04] that process. So,
[02:41:06] I'll work with the attorneys to see if
[02:41:07] there's a way to do close session for
[02:41:09] that. I just don't think there is, and
[02:41:11] that's not something I want us to talk
[02:41:13] about.
[02:41:15] So, that's the real issue. I hear what
[02:41:17] you're saying. I just don't know how to
[02:41:18] have it.
[02:41:19] But I don't think and I'm looking at
[02:41:20] James and Adam. I don't Brad that's not
[02:41:22] something we can talk about in close
[02:41:24] session. I don't think
[02:41:25] so. That's that's the concern. But I
[02:41:27] hear you, Anthony. Trust me. I I'd like
[02:41:30] to do everything.
[02:41:30] You mean to say that out loud?
[02:41:32] But anyway,
[02:41:33] so noted. So noted. It it's it may be
[02:41:36] uncomfortable, but it needs to happen.
[02:41:39] I'm talking the issue is the
[02:41:41] confidentiality.
[02:41:42] I understand that.
[02:41:43] Okay. Well, then that's a different
[02:41:44] issue. But the board's participation in
[02:41:47] that decision is what I'm saying.
[02:41:48] We're not suggesting the Well, I'm
[02:41:50] suggesting about the board. We're
[02:41:51] talking about how we do it generally.
[02:41:53] Not who, but how.
[02:41:54] We would love to do it. And and the
[02:41:56] attorney is wanted to chime in. Yes,
[02:41:58] Adam.
[02:42:00] I was just going to say that the board
[02:42:01] could convene in closed session if we're
[02:42:03] discussing specific terms for the
[02:42:06] employment contract. any in general
[02:42:08] including compensation
[02:42:09] for a particular
[02:42:11] for a particular
[02:42:12] well you can consider the qualifications
[02:42:14] of a particular candidate or a
[02:42:17] particular employee
[02:42:19] in close session and you can and then
[02:42:21] there's a separate exception for
[02:42:24] establishing the board's position or
[02:42:26] instructing its negotiation negotiating
[02:42:29] agents um on the board's position
[02:42:32] regarding compensation and other
[02:42:34] material terms I'll we'll work with them
[02:42:36] to figure that out.
[02:42:37] Yeah.
[02:42:38] And and one thing one thing we can
[02:42:40] hearing loud and clear and I think we
[02:42:41] all agree is that certainly in the first
[02:42:43] instance we won't be excluding a
[02:42:45] candidate because of compensation.
[02:42:46] That's right.
[02:42:47] Okay.
[02:42:49] Trusty.
[02:42:50] Oh, I'm sorry. Who's next?
[02:42:52] Mel. Yes. Bob.
[02:42:54] Uh Bob Mensel. Just a quick question.
[02:42:56] When we talked, you weren't sure.
[02:42:58] Bob, real quick, because he's leaving. I
[02:43:01] Austin, former city council members was
[02:43:02] with us the entire meeting. I didn't
[02:43:04] recognize you at the beginning of the
[02:43:05] meeting. He's leaving. So, I just wanted
[02:43:07] to say thank you for
[02:43:13] leaving.
[02:43:14] Did you have fun?
[02:43:16] I know him enough to know that he is not
[02:43:18] coming back. Yes, Bob.
[02:43:20] Just same question we had when we met.
[02:43:22] Um,
[02:43:25] is the CEO going to be hired as an
[02:43:29] employee of the MPTA?
[02:43:32] Absolutely.
[02:43:33] Yes.
[02:43:33] Even if it's in November? Absolutely.
[02:43:35] Okay. Thank you. Yeah.
[02:43:43] Okay. Thank you, Mr. J. And that is the
[02:43:47] reason I bring that up because you're
[02:43:50] then we're we're talking about a
[02:43:51] contract contract with the city and then
[02:43:54] there will have to be a supplemental
[02:43:56] contract with the MPTA.
[02:43:58] Okay.
[02:44:00] Employment starts January.
[02:44:03] I'm T.
[02:44:05] Uh, Trusty Lindsay uh has asked my
[02:44:08] question for me. So, thank you.
[02:44:11] Yes. Is that it?
[02:44:12] I didn't see any.
[02:44:13] Okay. What else you got?
[02:44:15] I wanted to quickly take you through. I
[02:44:16] I just want to talk about what you're
[02:44:18] going to see in the job description at a
[02:44:20] very high level. So, I summarized and I
[02:44:22] recognized when I met with all 27 of you
[02:44:24] over I don't know how many hours it was
[02:44:26] and and got all the input, I probably
[02:44:28] had 40 pages of notes. And so this is a
[02:44:32] very high level summary of a very high
[02:44:34] level piece and part of my
[02:44:36] responsibility was not only to develop a
[02:44:38] job description reflected what you
[02:44:39] talked to me about but also being able
[02:44:41] to convey that to candidates when I
[02:44:42] reach out to them and speak to them
[02:44:44] directly. So I just wanted to say that I
[02:44:46] highlighted key areas that I heard from
[02:44:48] you about in the transition and how
[02:44:51] important this is to stand up this new
[02:44:53] authority that's independent work with
[02:44:55] you as board of trustees and establish
[02:44:57] the identity culture the governance the
[02:45:00] credibility of the MPTA and and its
[02:45:02] separation and all that goes along with
[02:45:04] it that you've talked about tonight in
[02:45:05] terms of all of the different functions
[02:45:06] that don't currently exist at Katz
[02:45:09] because it's part of a city structure
[02:45:10] but will be independent. Um, we spent a
[02:45:13] lot of time talking about leadership and
[02:45:15] the ability to lead an organization with
[02:45:17] um, with employees that are really
[02:45:19] dedicated and passionate about the work
[02:45:21] they do and, you know, put their lives
[02:45:24] out there every day to be able to
[02:45:25] provide the services to your customers.
[02:45:27] And we talked about the values, right?
[02:45:28] The values of the organization and the
[02:45:30] values that you want to see the MPTA
[02:45:32] provide to the community in terms of
[02:45:34] accessibility, in terms of
[02:45:36] affordability, in terms of access, to to
[02:45:38] services, to jobs, to education, to all
[02:45:40] those sorts of things. um and the
[02:45:42] customer service you expect from the
[02:45:43] MPTA and all the employees and the
[02:45:45] leaders and whatnot. Um we talked about
[02:45:47] the investment and how you have the the
[02:45:49] PAVE Act and the and the taxes that you
[02:45:51] talked about earlier and the significant
[02:45:53] contributions and what that's going to
[02:45:54] do for transportation in this region and
[02:45:56] that you do want to be world class and
[02:45:57] you want to be that place where
[02:45:59] everybody else comes to look at transit
[02:46:00] and whatnot and um and then obviously
[02:46:02] that you want the CEO and their team to
[02:46:05] be the chief ambassadors of the
[02:46:06] organization, right? that they're at the
[02:46:08] table whether it's about conversations
[02:46:09] about land use development or transit
[02:46:12] oriented development or housing or or or
[02:46:15] jobs or or or careers and things like
[02:46:17] that. You want the MPTA to be front and
[02:46:19] center on those sorts of things. So, um
[02:46:21] when you see the job description, I
[02:46:23] broke the job description in a couple
[02:46:25] key functional areas. Um I wanted I
[02:46:27] thought it was really important
[02:46:28] especially because we're doing a
[02:46:29] national and to some extent even
[02:46:31] international recruitment if there are
[02:46:32] people working overseas that want to
[02:46:34] come here to Charlotte and we can employ
[02:46:36] them. um you know as as as through this
[02:46:39] process um I wanted to provide some
[02:46:42] context of what the MPTAA is and how it
[02:46:44] was created. So I spent some time and
[02:46:47] you're going to see in there a little
[02:46:48] bit of history about transportation and
[02:46:50] transit in Charlotte and then the and
[02:46:52] how it was part of CATS and then it
[02:46:54] became the MPTA and um it talks about
[02:46:56] the board of yourselves and and where
[02:46:58] your backgrounds come from your
[02:46:59] professional backgrounds and where you
[02:47:01] sit in your positions on the board. It
[02:47:03] doesn't identify each of you
[02:47:04] individually but collectively as a body.
[02:47:06] So, um, I wanted to give that context so
[02:47:08] that anybody who's not familiar with
[02:47:10] Charlotte Catz, the region, um, and the
[02:47:13] MPTA has that level of information at
[02:47:15] least to get them started on doing some
[02:47:16] diligence. Um, I included the MPTA
[02:47:19] transition mission statement. I thought
[02:47:21] that was really important. That's
[02:47:22] something you all set and I thought it
[02:47:23] was something that really sets the
[02:47:24] values of what you're looking to provide
[02:47:26] in terms of your roles as as trustees
[02:47:29] and then also the organization. And then
[02:47:31] I talked a little bit about the region
[02:47:32] and I thought that again was important
[02:47:34] for people who are not from here to
[02:47:35] understand all of the great things the
[02:47:37] region offers. And again, it's a very
[02:47:39] high level. I the job description could
[02:47:41] easily be 40 pages if I wanted to
[02:47:42] provide it. But it's it's enough to sort
[02:47:44] of get someone to say, "Wow, this is a
[02:47:46] really great place to come work, live,
[02:47:48] raise a family, um do all the sorts of
[02:47:52] things you could do extracurricular
[02:47:53] outside of the office and and and the
[02:47:55] opportunities in terms of education and
[02:47:57] whatnot as well." Um, and then in the
[02:47:59] job description, I did a high-level
[02:48:01] summary of the position. So, it's a
[02:48:03] couple of paragraphs talking about what
[02:48:05] you're looking for in the CEO as a very
[02:48:07] strategic position. Um, and the
[02:48:09] representative of the MPTA. So, you're
[02:48:11] going to see a lot of discussion around
[02:48:13] um what it is that you're ultimately
[02:48:16] looking for in terms of of of of that
[02:48:19] CEO position. It goes into specific
[02:48:21] scope and responsibilities. Um, this is
[02:48:24] more of like a bulleted long list of
[02:48:25] items that talks about um, what you're
[02:48:28] looking for. What are the
[02:48:29] responsibilities of the CEO? What are
[02:48:30] they supposed to do as in terms of
[02:48:32] leading their teams, in terms of
[02:48:34] providing that leadership to the
[02:48:36] community, in terms of making sure that
[02:48:38] you have safe, reliable, affordable
[02:48:40] services. Um, and then I go into
[02:48:43] characteristics. These are um, the areas
[02:48:45] of of the ideal candidate. So these are
[02:48:47] things like being a visionary, being
[02:48:49] collaborative, being innovative, problem
[02:48:51] solver, um and those sorts of
[02:48:53] capabilities. And then some of the
[02:48:55] executive capabilities in terms of being
[02:48:56] able to lead people, being able to
[02:48:58] provide smooth transition from cats to
[02:49:00] the MPTA, um being able to oversee a
[02:49:03] large complex operating environment with
[02:49:05] a lot of infrastructure and assets. Um
[02:49:07] being able to manage a budget, being
[02:49:09] able to work and interface with the
[02:49:10] public, whether it's elected officials,
[02:49:12] government officials at the local,
[02:49:14] state, and federal level. Um and it
[02:49:16] talks about leading, building,
[02:49:17] empowering and mentoring a team of
[02:49:19] employees as well at at the new
[02:49:21] organization. Um and then we put minimum
[02:49:23] requirements and I set you'll see in
[02:49:26] here we set certain minimum requirements
[02:49:28] s such as 10 years of executive
[02:49:30] leadership. But we also wanted to have a
[02:49:32] little bit of flexibility and malability
[02:49:34] because I think it's important we are
[02:49:36] able to cast the net really wide and
[02:49:37] then be able to look at what does the
[02:49:38] world look like. And I think this goes
[02:49:40] to what trustee Lindsay was talking
[02:49:42] about in terms of compensation. We don't
[02:49:43] want to exclude someone by the criteria
[02:49:45] in the job description. We want to
[02:49:47] provide it as open and as inclusive as
[02:49:49] possible, allow us to see what the world
[02:49:51] looks like and then start to decide and
[02:49:53] funnel down what is really the best
[02:49:55] person to lead the MPTA forward. And so
[02:49:57] I think that you'll see a caveat
[02:50:00] throughout the document, especially in
[02:50:01] the minimum requirements that doesn't
[02:50:03] create a situation where someone's
[02:50:05] excluded because they don't have a
[02:50:06] degree or they don't have exactly 10
[02:50:08] years of experience. I think we can have
[02:50:09] some flexibility. These are these are
[02:50:11] our desires, but then we have the
[02:50:12] ability to be be flexible as well.
[02:50:18] Thank you. Other questions for him.
[02:50:21] All right.
[02:50:23] Thank you, Greg.
[02:50:23] Thank you all.
[02:50:24] All right. Appreciate your work.
[02:50:26] Anything else? Caroline and Deborah.
[02:50:28] Okay.
[02:50:28] All right.
[02:50:29] Move on.
[02:50:30] Anything else, Frank? You want to wrap
[02:50:31] up?
[02:50:31] No, sir. I'm done. Thank you.
[02:50:33] So, moving on to item number 12 and 13.
[02:50:36] 13A is me. Uh just to let you know that
[02:50:40] uh again you have the impact report on
[02:50:43] mobility and small business and
[02:50:44] workforce a report done by the city of
[02:50:46] Charlotte. Uh I am going to ask them to
[02:50:48] come at some point to tell us about it.
[02:50:50] Uh you're also going to hear about a
[02:50:53] summer retreat. Um I'm laughing because
[02:50:56] I know nobody wants to meet but we got a
[02:50:58] lot of things if you really think about
[02:50:59] it over the last seven months. Uh if you
[02:51:02] think about the growth first we were a
[02:51:03] startup. We went through a merger and
[02:51:06] and merger and acquisitions phase and
[02:51:09] now we're moving into governing phase
[02:51:11] and it'll take it'll take a different
[02:51:13] mindset but we need to get some input
[02:51:14] from this body on those things going
[02:51:16] forward and I'm kind of talking about
[02:51:18] everything beyond gate one beyond gate 2
[02:51:20] and beyond gate three um some big
[02:51:23] picture things um so just looks for that
[02:51:26] to come uh we're going to try to do it
[02:51:28] uh in the downtown area so um that'll be
[02:51:31] helpful in fact if we have it where I
[02:51:32] want to have it which is the collabs in
[02:51:34] UNC Charlotte, that means we can get on
[02:51:35] the train some, too, and actually kind
[02:51:37] of go see some stuff because it's right
[02:51:39] on at Ninth Street. Um, but just keep a
[02:51:42] lookout for that. All right. So, uh,
[02:51:44] with that, we'll move on to trustee
[02:51:47] topics and I'll start over here,
[02:51:49] Cameron, with you and work our way
[02:51:50] around the table. Anything can't topics.
[02:51:54] Um, I did just want to echo comments
[02:51:56] earlier on the West Craig Head stop. Um,
[02:51:59] I'm going to find it difficult to vote
[02:52:00] for an LPA that adds camp north and not
[02:52:03] West Craighead. The community's been
[02:52:04] working on that pro plan for over two
[02:52:06] years. I know it's new to us and it's
[02:52:08] the first time we're receiving this
[02:52:09] information, but I really feel like the
[02:52:11] neighborhood coalition has been doing
[02:52:12] their due diligence and meeting with
[02:52:13] partners and if we need to push back a
[02:52:16] vote for a month or two to talk more
[02:52:17] with city staff to talk with some of
[02:52:19] these um coordinated um folks. If that
[02:52:22] messes up our FTA timeline, I understand
[02:52:23] and we shouldn't push it back, but if
[02:52:25] pushing it back a month means we get to
[02:52:27] talk to more partners, uh I'd be really
[02:52:29] open to that and would be interested in
[02:52:31] seeing that as an option. Um, and I
[02:52:33] would also like to note that we're
[02:52:35] talking about another summer retreat and
[02:52:36] we are meeting quite frequently and
[02:52:38] quite a bit. Um, and so I would just
[02:52:40] float the idea for discussion of a PDM
[02:52:43] for trustees. Uh, as we continue to
[02:52:45] invest quite a bit of time in these
[02:52:46] meetings. Thank you.
[02:52:48] So noted going around the table.
[02:52:53] Thank you. I do not have anything at
[02:52:55] this time. If you don't have anything,
[02:52:57] just nod at me. We'll keep going. I love
[02:53:00] it.
[02:53:02] Um, man.
[02:53:04] All right, coming around. Anthony, you
[02:53:05] said something earlier when we first
[02:53:07] started.
[02:53:07] Yes, I did. Um, so I'll start with that.
[02:53:10] Get the clock in. I'm just
[02:53:14] ignore that clock like you did the last
[02:53:15] time. So, um, anyway, um,
[02:53:18] crazy. The first thing is uh I I'm
[02:53:22] requesting that um the email and the
[02:53:27] attendant letter that we received from
[02:53:29] um Manifa Drayton on 7626
[02:53:33] be added to the record for public
[02:53:36] comment for this meeting. We all
[02:53:38] received that email and that letter. So
[02:53:41] I'm requesting that that be added to the
[02:53:43] record for uh public comment.
[02:53:47] Um and then the um
[02:53:50] my other three items are first um um I'd
[02:53:54] like for us to establish a system for
[02:53:56] tracking and reporting on board
[02:53:58] follow-up items um with due dates,
[02:54:02] responsibilities, and outcomes. We've
[02:54:04] had a number of things that we've talked
[02:54:06] about we were going to do and we and we
[02:54:09] we need to start tracking that from a
[02:54:12] follow-up perspective um and reporting
[02:54:14] back to the board on where we are. And
[02:54:17] um then next uh I believe we need to
[02:54:19] establish a process for how we direct
[02:54:21] the actions of the um MPTA
[02:54:24] representative on the uh CRTPO
[02:54:28] and a protocol for reporting back to the
[02:54:30] board. um that's underway now. It's
[02:54:34] July. He's already on that board. Um so
[02:54:37] we need to be and I I suspect there
[02:54:39] might be some critical votes coming up.
[02:54:42] So we need to have a process by which we
[02:54:44] are going to direct um how we would like
[02:54:47] our vote to be cast. And then lastly, um
[02:54:51] you know, everybody's been working
[02:54:52] really hard and I really respect and
[02:54:54] appreciate the amount of effort that has
[02:54:56] taken to get us prepared for all these
[02:54:57] board meetings and producing these um
[02:55:01] significant books and uh and all of
[02:55:04] that. And I realize we're moving toward
[02:55:06] having an electronic version at some
[02:55:08] point. Excuse me. But I I really need to
[02:55:12] insist on receiving all of the meeting
[02:55:16] materials at least two days before the
[02:55:18] meeting. Um uh coming to a meeting
[02:55:21] getting meeting materials that I need to
[02:55:24] consider and look at uh whether they're
[02:55:26] reports or not um is uh is uncomfortable
[02:55:30] for me. So, I'm going to request that we
[02:55:33] get all of our meeting materials at
[02:55:34] least the two days before the meeting as
[02:55:37] we had um prescribed we would do in our
[02:55:40] bylaws.
[02:55:41] Thank you.
[02:55:42] Coming around the table around the table
[02:55:45] at the end.
[02:55:46] I think I'm good here.
[02:55:48] Okay.
[02:55:49] Real briefly. Thank you. Um Justin Harlo
[02:55:52] Meckberg County. I I know there was some
[02:55:54] conversation earlier back to the Craig
[02:55:56] Craig head uh debate. I appreciate the
[02:55:59] discourse we were having. I know we'll
[02:56:00] have more u but specifically around the
[02:56:02] FTA uh grant process and uh I guess just
[02:56:08] what that looks like. I think it if if I
[02:56:10] could ask our transition coordinators uh
[02:56:13] at some point uh next meeting I I
[02:56:15] suppose to send or to speak to us about
[02:56:18] kind of just what that process looks
[02:56:19] like. Um you know is it per line? Is it
[02:56:23] per station? Uh just giving us a little
[02:56:25] more detail. I think that can help
[02:56:26] inform this board um as we eventually
[02:56:29] make a decision about the LPA.
[02:56:31] Thank you.
[02:56:32] Thank Jeff.
[02:56:37] Couple of things. I think from the last
[02:56:39] board meeting I asked procedurally for
[02:56:42] alternates to be sworn in. Just wanted
[02:56:44] to get a followup on that process. I
[02:56:46] think the second thing um I'd like to
[02:56:49] recognize staff in our PCPD committee
[02:56:53] meeting. Uh I did make the point about
[02:56:56] the inclusion
[02:56:58] of community feedback. I think that
[02:57:01] process uh from the standpoint of the
[02:57:04] city overall but more importantly for
[02:57:06] cats that we uh create a higher degree
[02:57:10] of intentionality to include community
[02:57:13] so that we hear their feedback, we
[02:57:15] receive it whether we can't hear them in
[02:57:18] committee that they be allowed to make
[02:57:20] written comments. I think that's
[02:57:22] something that we should publicly
[02:57:23] encourage so that we do get their
[02:57:24] feedback a little bit more ardently.
[02:57:28] Thank you.
[02:57:28] Hey, on the alternates, I set up a
[02:57:30] meeting with the managers of the four
[02:57:32] towns that gave us alternate so we can
[02:57:33] talk through what how we handle that.
[02:57:36] It's kind of not even cuz when you're
[02:57:39] not here and somebody sits in for you,
[02:57:41] does it count for your attendance or not
[02:57:43] attendance as opposed to everybody else
[02:57:45] around who who doesn't? So, I mean, it's
[02:57:47] just we got to figure out how to handle
[02:57:49] that. So, I have a meeting set up now.
[02:57:51] I'm pretty sure right in it's set up
[02:57:53] with the four of them so that we can
[02:57:54] talk through what we do with that
[02:57:56] because I I I don't know what to do with
[02:57:59] that. So, going around the table
[02:58:03] here. Yes, ma'am. Um I I wanted to offer
[02:58:06] um a a big part of our discussion and I
[02:58:09] think um at the PC DC committee was um
[02:58:14] the Craig head station a lot of our
[02:58:16] members we did a tour together um and so
[02:58:20] Dana and I and I have committed to
[02:58:22] taking any of you that would like to go.
[02:58:25] We can't have so many of us at at once.
[02:58:28] Um, but we welcome the invit welcome
[02:58:31] anyone that would like to go see the
[02:58:33] tour. Uh, see the area because seeing it
[02:58:36] on a map and some pictures is one thing,
[02:58:39] but when you're actually there and you
[02:58:41] get to see the distances and the land
[02:58:44] uses and the people um, and and where
[02:58:47] they are today, it makes a world of
[02:58:50] difference on your perspective. So, I
[02:58:51] encourage each one of you to take
[02:58:54] advantage of that opportunity and Dana
[02:58:56] and I will be happy to do that over the
[02:58:58] next month or so or when we are taking a
[02:59:01] vote.
[02:59:02] And finish in the table, any of you
[02:59:04] guys?
[02:59:05] And to add on to that, if you want to
[02:59:06] ride the 22 or the 13 bus with me uh to
[02:59:09] see that same area to see uh the
[02:59:12] realities for transit riders in that
[02:59:14] area, I'm more than happy to uh be a
[02:59:17] chaperon
[02:59:19] and Todd and Charles.
[02:59:22] I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. So
[02:59:24] move.
[02:59:26] Any opposed?
[02:59:27] Second. No.
[02:59:28] All right. See y'all later. Bye.
[02:59:30] Nice to see you.