[1. Call to order]
[00:00:02]
>> DIRECT MORAN. DIRECTOR NAGY.
>> THANK YOU. MARY MICHAEL. DIRECTOR PAREIRA HAS BEEN GUIDED US TO DO THE INVOCATION, AND AFTER THAT, I'LL LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. DIRECTOR PAREIRA.
>> CHECK, GOD BLESS. [LAUGHTER]
>> NOW BROADCASTING NATIONWIDE.
>> HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR LOVING US SO DEARLY AND SNUGGLING WITH US WHEN WE NEED YOU.
AS OF TODAY, WE ASKED FOR YOUR GUIDANCE DURING THIS MEETING THAT WE MIGHT MAKE GOOD DECISIONS THAT SERVE OUR CITIZENS WELL AND THAT OUR HEARTS ARE PURE AND OUR INTENTIONS ARE PURE.
I ASK THAT YOU BLESS EACH OF US AS WE LEAVE HERE AND GET US BACK TO WHERE WE CAME FROM GENTLY AND SAFELY IN JESUS NAME, I PRAY. AMEN.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR PAREIRA. IF EVERYBODY COULD PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AND FACE OUR FLAG.
[2. Approval of agenda]
>> ON TO ITEM 2 WHICH IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM OR IS THERE A MOTION? OR I MOVE TO APPROVE? DO YOU SECOND?
>> HEARING NONE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY TAKES US TO ITEM 3 PUBLIC COMMENT.
[3. Public comment]
IS THERE ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD BE WISHED TO BE HEARD AT THIS TIME? IF SO, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THIS ON ANY ITEM THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA CURRENTLY.CASING NONE, STACY, I BELIEVE YOU HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO ADDRESS?
>> I DO AND I DIDN'T EVEN GIVE THEM A WARNING.
I DID WANT TO INTRODUCE JAMES MOORE.
THIS IS HIS FIRST BOARD MEETING.
HE IS OUR NEW DIRECTOR FOR THE REGIONAL WASTE AUTHORITY.
JAMES, WOULD YOU MIND JUST INTRODUCING? YOU CAN DO IT BETTER THAN I CAN.
YOU CAN JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF, PLEASE.
>> CERTAINLY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TODAY'S DAY 19 ON THE JOB AND WAS HIT WITH A SURPRISE INSPECTION FROM CALRECYCLE AT THE LANDFILL THIS MORNING.
JUMPED IN WITH BOTH FEET FROM THE START.
I'VE GOT ABOUT 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN SOLID WASTE.
STARTED IN FRESNO COUNTY IN 1996.
PART OF THAT SERVE 10 YEARS ACTIVE DUTY IN THE AIR FORCE IN ENGINEERING.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE, BEEN IN THE VALLEY FOR A LONG TIME.
THE LAST 17 YEARS I SPENT AS A CONSULTANT IN SOLID WASTE, WORKING ALL OVER CALIFORNIA IN THE UNITED STATES.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE SETTLING IN HERE. THANK YOU.
>> WELCOME AND THANK YOU JAMES.
>> I AM ALSO VERY HAPPY THAT HE'S HERE.
>> GREAT, A LOT OF GOOD WORK AHEAD OF YOU FOR SURE.
[4. Recognition of former Director John Cale, City of Atwater]
ITEM 4 WHICH IS THE RECOGNITION OF FORMER DIRECTOR JOHN CALE, THE MAN IN THE BOWLER HAT SITTING THERE IN THE AUDIENCE FROM THE CITY OF ATWATER.JOHN, WE'D ASK YOU TO COME FORWARD AT THIS TIME AND IF ANYBODY WOULD HAVE ANYTHING AND IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING NICE TO SAY OR NOT NICE ABOUT JOHN? WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE THEM. I HAVE A PLATFORM. LLOYD GO AHEAD.
>> WELL, IT WAS JUST A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH YOU.
YOU BROUGHT I THINK, INTEGRITY AND A LEVEL HEAD AND ALL THOSE THINGS TO THIS BOARD, WHICH I APPRECIATE.
ANYWAY, IT'S JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU AGAIN SOMETIME.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN. I JUST WANT TO SAY, HEY, IT WAS GOOD.
POLICY COUNSEL, YOU AND I HAD A LOT OF BATTLES.
WE FOUGHT TOGETHER AND APPRECIATE IT YOU HAVE A MY BACK.
I GOT OUT THERE IN THE FRONT SOMETIMES AND FELT MAYBE I WAS BY MYSELF, BUT YOU WERE ALWAYS RIGHT THERE IN THE BATTLES WITH US SERVING THE COUNTY ON MY SIDE.
>> THANK YOU. JUST THE SAME THING I ENJOYED WORKING WIT MR. JOHN CALE AND I SAID HE'S STILL ON THE COUNCIL, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING AND HE'LL CONTINUE DOING A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU.
[00:05:03]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE UP HERE ON THE BOARD AND YOUR SERVICE CONTINUING THROUGH ATWATER.I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW YOU THROUGH OUR ONE VOICE TRIPS AND YOU'VE ALWAYS PROVIDED SOME LEVITY, BUT ALSO SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
>> THANK YOU. JOHN, I REITERATE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID.
IT'S BEEN VERY GOOD WORKING WITH YOU.
YOU ALWAYS HAVE A UNIQUE INSIGHT TO THINGS THAT'S A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE SOMETIMES, BUT IT'S VERY WELL-RESPECTED AND THOUGHT OUT.
SERVED WITH YOU ON [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AND I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. JOHN, THANK YOU.
I THINK HE CAME AT A TIME WHEN THIS BOARD WAS A LITTLE BIT CRAZY. THAT'S MY WORDS.
WE BROUGHT SOME CIVILITY BACK TO THE BOARD AND WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN HAVE HONEST DISCUSSIONS AND THEN HONESTLY FELT LIKE WHEN THE MEETING WAS OVER, WE COULD GO OUT AND ENJOY A COCKTAIL TOGETHER AFTERWARDS.
I APPRECIATE THAT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU JOHN IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
WE HAVE A PLAQUE FOR YOU AND JUST BEEN AN HONOR, YOU'RE AN IMPORTANT VOICE AND AN IMPORTANT PRESENCE IN LOCAL POLITICS.
I THINK YOU REALLY CONTRIBUTE A LOT AND YOU DO A LOT TO HELP, AS EVERYBODY SAID.
BRING STABILITY TO THIS BOARD, BRING INTELLIGENCE AND JUST IN ADULT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND I'LL COME UP. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THE SAME, JOHN, BUT THEY SAID IT ALL, SO DITTO. [LAUGHTER]
[5. Citizens Advisory Committee report]
THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT, IS MATTY BROWN OR SUBSTITUTE RENEE GUTIERREZ.RENEE, HOW YOU DOING, SIR?>> GOOD AFTERNOON? CHAIRS, TORONTO DIRECTORS AND STAFF.
I'M NOT MATTY BROWN, BUT I'M HER ALTERNATE FOR TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO PRESENT THE MCAT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I REALLY WERE SHE MET ON FEBRUARY 3RD AND HAVE FORUM STAFF PRESENTED THE MCAG AND TJPA ITEMS, ACTION ITEMS, INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION ITEMS. ALL ACTION ITEMS WERE APPROVED, THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED BY STAFF.
ITEMS GENERATE DISCUSSION AROUND UNMET TRENDS AND NEEDS, FUNDING SOURCES, AND OUTREACH STRATEGIES AND EFFORTS WHICH ARE THE REGIONAL HOUSING PLANNING UPDATE DISCUSSION WAS AROUND OPTIONS FOR SENIORS, DISABLED, AND LOW-INCOME FAMILIESAN LASTLY OF THE BROWN ACT MEETING REQUIREMENTS.
THERE WAS FURTHER DISCUSSION ON SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT THE CITIZEN COMMITTEE MEMBERS MAY NOT HAVE IN THE FUTURE, AND STAFF DIRECTLY THEN TO REACH OUT TO THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO RAISE CONCERNS OVER THE NEWLY ADOPTED ATTENDANCE THOSE ARE GOING TO BE SEEN.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HIGHLIGHTS.
>> THANK YOU MATTY. THANK YOU ALWAYS FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME OR ANY COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
YOU ARE DISMISSED, SIR. THANK YOU.
ITEM SIX, THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL UPDATE.
[6. High Speed Rail Update]
GARTH FERNANDEZ.>> DO YOU SEE THE MAYOR MICHAEL DID GET UP THERE. WE AND TORONTO.
THERE SHOULD BE THREE TOTAL.I SAY, ONE, TWO AND TONNY SHOULD BE THREE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, DIRECTORS. I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME.
>> LOUD AND CLEAR GUARD.THANK YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE ALONG WITH ME, I HAVE DENNIS, WHO IS A SENIOR CONTRACT MANAGER FOR THE WHITE EXTENSION.
PROBABLY UPDATE TO YOU LATER IN THE PRESENTATION ON OUR EFFORTS TAKING OUR PROJECT THROUGH MY SIDE AND THEN WE HAVE TONNY TELCO, WHO IS THE DEPUTY VALLEY REGIONAL DIRECTOR, WOULD BE OUT HERE IN THE VALLEY THAT WAS HELPING WITH THE PRESENTATION.
I'M THE CENTRAL VALLEY REGIONAL DIRECTOR,
[00:10:01]
AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGH-LEVEL UPDATES AND THE H IS OUR PROGRAM.WELL, WHAT I PROGRESS HAS BEEN ON THE 190 MILES IN CONSTRUCTION AND WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT WORK GOING ON ALONG THE 190 MILE CORRIDOR.NOT NECESSARILY EVERYTHING IS VISIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
LIKE I SAID, I GOT DEREK'S WHO'S GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE EXTENSION AND THEN TONNY IS GOING TO HELP WITH THE SLIDE DECK. TONNY CAN YOU GET TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? CONSISTENT WHAT I MENTIONED TO GET HIGH-SPEED RAIL HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE ARE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE ON THE PROGRAM ARE BASED ON GUIDED BY THE FOLLOWING THREE PRINCIPLES.
WE WANT TO GET HIGH-SPEED RAIL SERVICE IN CALIFORNIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.WITH TONNY GET THROUGH THE INITIAL OPERATING SYSTEM BETWEEN BAKERSFIELD, TOMAS SAID, WE ARE PERMITTED TO MAKE STRATEGIC AND CURRENT INVESTMENTS THAT'S BE LINKED OVER TIME.
WE HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS BOTH IN THE BARRIER AND LA, AND THEN WE WANT TO LASTLY POSITION OURSELVES TO CONSTRUCT A DISTAL SEGMENTS AS FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE.
WE'RE CONSISTENTLY APPLYING FOR GRANTS TO MOVE THE PROGRAM FORWARD.
WHAT YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT IS A MAP THAT SHOWS YOU OR 800 MILE COLORADO.
WE HAVE ABOUT 14 STATIONS ALONG THIS ALIGNMENT.
THE BLUE REPRESENTS PHASE ONE THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON CENTRAL LOS ANGELES AS PER 520 MILES GETTING ALL THE WAY TO ANAHEIM.PHASE II IS CONNECTING INTO SACRAMENTO AND SAN DIEGO IN YELLOW EXTENDS ANOTHER 300 MILES AFTER PHASE ONE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THIS IS HOT OFF THE PRESS.
THIS IS FOR MY PRESENTATION EARLIER TODAY.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE A PROJECT UPDATE REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON MARCH 1ST.
THIS WAS HIGHLIGHTS FROM WHAT WE SEE ARE UPDATED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY IN THAT MEDIUM BOARD MEETING.
WE ARE THE PROJECT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE AND WE HAVE 122 MILES CLEARED ENVIRONMENTALLY.
GOAL IS TO CLEAR FOR 165 MILES ONCE WE HAVE THE PALM DELTA ABOVE BURBANK EIS APPROVAL, BOARD APPROVAL AND WE PLAN TO TAKE FOR THE BORDER THE END OF 2023.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE 190 MILE OF CONSTRUCTION.WE'RE COMMITTED TO GETTING TO MY SET TO BAKERSFIELD.
WE'RE ADVANCING TO DESIGN INTO MY SET IN BAKERSFIELD.LIKE I SAID, DENNIS IS GOING TO TALK TO YOU WHAT EFFORTS TO GET INTO MY SIDE.
WITH THAT, WE'LL HAVE 171 MILES AND CONSTRUCTION ARE ADVANCED IN DESIGN.
WHEN WE SAY ADVANCED DESIGN, THAT MEANS ENGINEERING, RUNAWAY MAPPING, UTILITY RELOCATION, SO AND SO FORTH.
TAKE IT TO ABOUT 30% CONFIGURATION FOOTPRINT SOMETIME BY THE END OF 2023.
LASTLY, WE ARE WORKING ON THE STATIONS RATHER THAN PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DIRECTORS ALSO HEADING UP THE STATION EFFECT HAS BEEN REACHING OUT AND DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH FOR ALL THE STATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR VALID.
NEXT SLIDE. THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU ON THE PROGRESS THEY'RE MAKING ON 119.THIS SLIDE COMPARES TO WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
IN SPITE OF THE PANDEMIC, WE STILL MAKING PROGRESS.
WE HAVE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES AND KEEPING THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAVE COMPLETED DESIGN FOR THE 190 MILES, 73% OF THE GUIDE WAY AND STRUCTURES ARE COMPLETE.
WE HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF UTILITIES THAT WE ARE RELOCATING ESPECIALLY AS WE GO THROUGH DOWNTOWN FRESNO.
WE HAVE 75% OF THE UTILITIES IN PROGRESS OR COMPLETED RIGHT AWAY, AS ALWAYS BEEN CHALLENGE AND A STRUGGLE FOR ALL PROJECTS, AND WE'RE ALMOST THERE.
WE HAVE A 96 % COMPLETE, BUT ALL THE RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUIRED.
THIS TUESDAY, WE HAD A BIG MEDIA EVENT IN FRESNO.
WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE 10,000 LABOR JOBS AND WE REACH THAT MILESTONE THIS MONTH.
WE HAD GREAT PARTICIPATION FROM OUR PARTNERS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHO CAME DOWN TO CELEBRATE THAT MILESTONE WITH US.
THE OTHER BIG MILESTONES THAT WE'RE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE THE FIRST CONSTRUCTION PACKAGE IN CP FOUR.
THAT'S 22 MILES ALL THE WAY DOWN SOUTH FROM ONE MILE ADD UP TO TELERIK COUNTY LINE, ALL THE WAY TO THE PAST THE CITY OF VASCULAR TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE THIS PACKAGE IS, WE'RE GOING TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE WITH CPV OVER THE END OF QUARTER TWO, SUMMER OF 2023.
AND THEN CB1, WHICH GOES THROUGH DOWNTOWN FRESNO, AND THEN CP T3, WHICH IS ABOUT 60 MILES LONG WITH TARGETING COMPLETION SOMEWHERE IN 2026.
[00:15:04]
NEXT SLIDE. HERE ARE SOME OTHER PROGRAM GOALS.AGAIN, FOR MY PROJECT UPDATE REPORT THAT WAS PRESENTED EARLIER TODAY.
WE ARE TARGETING ARE TRACKING SYSTEMS, RFQ TO BE OUT IN 2023.
I BOUGHT JUST APPROVED US TO GO AND PUT OUT THAT PACKAGE TODAY ARE TRAITS OR PROCUREMENT.
WE PLAN TO START DOING THAT IN 2024.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GETTING DOUBLED TRACK, ELECTRIFIED TEST TRACK, RATHER 2028 TIMELINE.THEN WE APPLY TO HAVE PASSENGER SERVICE BETWEEN MYSELF AND BAKERSFIELD IN THE 2030-2033 RANGE DEPENDING ON EVALUATION OF ALL THE RISKS THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.THEN OVERALL FOR THE STATEWIDE PROGRESS, WE'RE LOOKING AT FULL ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE OF ALL 500 MILES SOMEWHERE IN THE 2025 PERIOD.THEN ADVANCING DESIGN IN ALL SEGMENTS ON SENTENCES GO ANAHEIM, ADVANCING 30% DESIGNED TO PREPARE FOR PRE-CONSTRUCTION.THIS IS AGAIN IS BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING.
NOW WE'RE BEING VERY CLEAR IN THIS UPDATE REPORT THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT THAT WE WILL NEED A PARTNER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FULLY FUND ALL OF THESE GOALS WE HAVE OUTLINED.
NEXT SLIDE. THE OTHER THING, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATIONS AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF OUTREACH.
WE'VE HAD MEETINGS AND MOSSAD TALK ABOUT THE INTERMODAL STATION OVER THERE.
WE ALSO MEETING WITH FRESNO KINGSTON TO LARRY AND BAKERSFIELD TO TALK ABOUT THE STATIONS AND HOW WE BRING DEVELOP A SIGNATURE SECTION FOR THE COMMUNITIES IN THOSE AREAS.
WE DID PUT OUT A PROCUREMENT AND WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT AWARDED IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR FOR CENTRAL VALLEY DESIGN OF THE STATIONS, FOSTER PARTNERS AND ARAB JOINT VENTURE.
FIRST THING WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS TO COME AND START LOOKING AT THE DESIGN, IDENTIFY WHAT WE NEED FOR A RIGHT-OF-WAY PERSPECTIVE.
USUALLY DO LOCATIONS AND WORK WITH ALL THE COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT IS IN LINE WIDTH, WITH A HIGH-SPEED RAIL STATION.
WE WILL INTERACT WITH EVEN START COMING OUT AND DOING FURTHER OUTREACH AS WE GET FURTHER INTO DESIGN TO THE SITE.
LASTLY, THIS IS HOW WE ARE FUNDED.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE GOT 9.95 BILLION AND BOND MEASURE.
WE GOT AN ADDITIONAL 2.5 BILLION IN 2009.
THEN IN 2010 WE GOT 929 MILLION THAT WAS TAKEN BACK AND THEN WAS GIVEN BACK TO US THROUGH THE NEW ADMINISTRATION.
THEN ROUGHLY WE GET ABOUT 500,750 MILLION PER YEAR THROUGH CAP AND TRADE.
THAT GOES ALL THE WAY TO 2030.
THERE IS NO PERMANENT FUNDING PROGRAM FOR THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL NATIONALLY OR IN CALIFORNIA.
RIGHT NOW, FUNDING CURRENTLY DIRECTORY TO THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED SOMEWHERE AROUND THE 25 BILLION DOLLAR RANGE.
WHEN WE PUT OUT A BUSINESS PLAN IN 2022, WE INDICATED THAT ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS WILL BE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE MERCED TO BAKERSFIELD SEGMENT.
WE DID SET A TARGET, AND THEN I'VE GOT EIGHT BILLION DOLLARS THAT'LL BE AWARDED FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW.
NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE TARGETING.
WE DID HAVE AN OBLIGATION FOR THE MEGA GRANT THAT WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL ON, BUT THERE'S ADDITIONAL YEARS OF THE MEGA GRANT.
THEN WE ARE PLANNING TO DO UP THE STATE-FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH HAS ABOUT 12 BILLION DOLLARS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING TO TARGET FOR COMPETITIVE GRANTS.
IF WE GET THAT TARGET, YOU'D HAVE ABOUT 33 BILLION, WHICH WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE PROGRAM THAT WILL ALLOW US TO THEN COMPLETE THE MERCED TO BAKERSFIELD SECTION.
WE HAVE BEEN CONSULTING WITH FRA ON THIS IN THE LIGHT OF COST ESTIMATE THAT AUTHORITY IS PROPOSING TO CONSTRUCT MORE [INAUDIBLE] PHASES.
WE ARE PLANNING WHAT THOSE PHASES ARE AND HOW WE PROPOSE TO DO THAT IN OUR PROGRAM UPDATE REPORT THAT IS GOING TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE MARCH 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO DENIX SO THAT HE WALKS YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE'RE DOING IN MERCED, AND THEN I'D HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AFTER DENIX'S PRESENTATION.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AND DIRECTORS.
I'M THE SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE MERCED TO MADERA SEGMENT HERE AT THE AUTHORITY.
IN SHORT, WE CALL THIS SEGMENT MTM.
I WILL QUICKLY GO THROUGH SOME DETAILS OF THIS SEGMENT.
THIS SEGMENT, THE MTM SEGMENT, GOES FROM THE NORTH END OF CB1, WHICH IS AVENUE 19 IN MADERA,
[00:20:02]
TO GERARD AVENUE IN MERCED, ROUGHLY THAT'S ABOUT 33.9 MILES.IN A MINUTE, I'LL EXPLAIN WHY IT DIDN'T GO ALL THE WAY TO MERCED STATION.
BACK IN AUGUST OF LAST YEAR, OUR BOARD AUTHORIZED US TO AWARD THE DESIGN CONTRACT TO STANTEC CONSULTING SERVICES.
OUR CURRENT CONTRACT WITH STANTEC INCLUDES DESIGN UP TO FINALIZING THE PROJECT FOOTPRINT.
HERE AT THE AUTHORITY, WE CALL THIS STAGE THREE.
DURING THIS STAGE, WE NOT ONLY FINALIZE THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO COMPLETE 100 PERCENT DESIGN OF THE UTILITY RELOCATIONS.
AT THE COMPLETION OF STAGE THREE, WE CAN CONFIDENTLY START THE RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION PROCESS.
ALSO, ACTUALLY, THE UTILITY RELOCATION.
OUR CONTRACT WITH STANTEC HAS AN OPTION TO USE THEM FOR STAGE FOUR ALSO.
IF WE EXERCISE THAT OPTION, STANTEC WILL ALSO GO THROUGH THE FINAL DESIGN AND PREPARE THE CONSTRUCTION-READY PACKAGE FOR US.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HERE ARE SOME DETAILS OF THE SCOPE OF WORK IN STAGE THREE.
THE MAINLINE AND THE CIVIL WORKS WILL BE DESIGNED TO A MINIMUM OF 30 PERCENT.
STRUCTURES TYPE SELECTION WILL BE DONE, INITIATE THE DESIGN COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC AGENCIES.
WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH BOTH THE COUNTIES AND ALSO WITH THE CDF [INAUDIBLE].
WE ARE PLANNING TO MEET WITH CITY OF MERCED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
THIS PROJECT WILL IMPACT FACILITIES ABOUT 25 THIRD PARTIES, SUCH AS UTILITY COMPANIES, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, AND PUBLIC AGENCIES.
WE'VE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO THEM TO IDENTIFY THE EXISTING FACILITIES THAT WILL BE IMPACTING.
WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH SOME OF THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH PG&E, AT&T, AND CHURCHILL WATER DISTRICTS, AND SO ON.
AS WE DEVELOP THE UTILITY DESIGN, WE WILL COORDINATE WITH ALL THESE THIRD PARTIES AND REACH AGREEMENTS WITH THEM.
WE WILL REVIEW THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FOOTPRINT AND THE REQUIRED MITIGATIONS.
WE WILL ALSO PREPARE A RIGHT OF WAY MAPPING SO THAT WE CAN START ACQUISITION AT THE COMPLETION OF STAGE THREE.
WE EXPECT THE STAGE THREE TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2024. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
NOW LET ME EXPLAIN WHY THE CONTRACT DIDN'T COVER ALL THE WAY TO MERCED STATION.
BACK IN 2012, THE EIR, EIS WAS COMPLETED FOR THE MERCED TO FRESNO SECTION.
AT THE TIME, A STATION AT THE GROUND LEVEL WAS APPROVED AT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WAY.
SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CDF MERCED PROPOSED, THE STATION BE RELOCATED BETWEEN 0 STREET AND R STREETS TO BETTER ALIGN WITH THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION.
ALSO, SENATE BILL 198, ENACTED LAST YEAR, REQUIRED NEW COMBINED STATION IN DOWNTOWN MERCED AND CONNECTIONS TO AMTRAK SAN JOAQUIN AND THE ALTAMONT CORRIDOR EXPRESS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. CURRENTLY, THE AUTHORITY IS EVALUATING THE RELOCATION OF THE STATION FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR WAY TO R STREET.
WE HAD TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, ONE BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND ONE IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR.
THE NEW PROPOSED STATION WOULD HAVE THE SAME URBAN SETTING.
HOWEVER, THIS WILL BE AN ELEVATED STATION.
THAT WOULD CHANGE HOW WE BUILD AND OPERATE THE STATION.
THE AUTHORITY IS CURRENTLY STUDYING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE NEW PROPOSED STATION.
SOME BENEFITS OF THE NEW STATION, OR THE NEW PROPOSED STATION, IS IT WILL HAVE BETTER CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL BUSES.
IT WILL HAVE DIRECT CONNECTION TO ACE AND THE AMTRAK SAN JOAQUIN.
BECAUSE IT IS AN ELEVATED STATION, THERE'LL BE PARKING AVAILABLE UNDERNEATH THE STATION.
OUR CONTRACT WITH STANTEC HAS AN OPTION TO INCLUDE THIS SEGMENT IN THEIR CONTRACT, THAT IS FROM GERARD AVENUE TO THE NEW PROPOSED STATION LOCATION IN MERCED.
ONCE THE STUDY IS COMPLETE, THE AUTHORITY CAN EXERCISE THIS OPTION AND ASK STANTEC TO COMPLETE THAT STAGE THREE DESIGN FOR THIS SEGMENT ALSO.
THIS SEGMENT IS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILES LONG.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. WELL, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR DENIX AND GARTH?
[00:25:03]
>> ACTUALLY, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR GARTH.
WHEN YOU SAY THAT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THAT'S VERY OPEN-ENDED.
COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE REFINED OF AN ANSWER ON WHAT AT LEAST IN YOUR MIND, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IS?
>> COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION?
>> YOU MENTIONED THAT IT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
TO ME, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IS VERY OPEN-ENDED.
I'M ASKING YOU FOR YOUR OPINION ON, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HOLD YOU TO IT, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK? AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ME IS IN A YEAR OR TWO, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO YOU MIGHT BE 10 OR 15 YEARS.
>> I'M GUESSING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT INITIALLY WHEN I SAID OUR MISSION IS TO IS TO INITIATE HIGH-SPEED RAIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
>> IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THE WAY WE HAVE APPROACHED THIS, THIS IS THE LARGEST INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT WE'RE UNDERTAKING IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE BUILDING OF AN 800 MILE CORRIDOR.
WHEN WE SAY WE WANT TO INITIATE HIGH-SPEED RAIL SERVICE, TO ME, THAT INITIATION OF HIGH-SPEED SERVICE IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING RIGHT NOW OUR FIRST OPERATING SEGMENT BETWEEN MERCED TO BAKERSFIELD.
THE TIMELINE THAT I PROVIDED FOR THAT BASED ON PROJECT UPDATE REPORT WAS IN THE TIMELINE OF THE END OF THE DECADE 2030 TO 2033.
THAT WAS THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS RIGHT HERE, INCLUDING FUNDING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND HOW WE NEED TO HAVE A FEDERAL PARTNER TO ALLOW US TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS.
OVERALL, BASED ON THE PLANS THAT WE PUT FORWARD AND HOW WILL RECEIVE THE FUNDING AND WHAT GRANTS WE HAVE.
I THINK WE BELIEVE WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THIS INITIAL OPERATING SYSTEM ON THE GROUND, SOMEWHERE IN THAT TIMELINE BETWEEN 2030 AND 2033.
>> THANK YOU. THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS THAT YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE WILL EXPIRE? I KNOW AND OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO CEQA OR NEPA, THOSE THINGS, YOU DON'T JUST GET TO DO IT AND THEN IT'S GOOD FOREVER.
THOSE DEALS HAVE TO BE UPDATED OR HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO EXPIRE.
I THINK THE INITIAL BOND MEASURE REQUIRED THAT ALL 500 MILES HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE BY A CERTAIN POINT.
THAT STUFF THAT WAS DONE ON THE FRONT END, DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS THAT THAT ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE WILL EXPIRE?
>> THIS IS TYPICAL OF ALL MEGA-PROJECTS.
WE HAVE DONE THIS IN THE 119 MILES, WE DO HAVE A BASELINE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT, BUT AS WE GET FURTHER AND DO DESIGN, AS WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THE 119 MILES, THERE ARE SOME MODIFICATIONS THAT GET DONE, AND THEN WE DO A RE-EXAMINATION TO STUDY THE CHANGES, LI KE WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN MERCED WITH THE STATION, OUR CONCEPT WAS TO GO TO MARTIN LUTHER KING.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE IDENTIFY THE INTER-MODAL STATION FOR THE NORTH IS THE BEST APPROACH.
WE ARE NOW STUDYING THAT ENVIRONMENTAL TO ENSURE WE CAN CLEAR THAT.
THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW THESE PROJECTS ARE DONE.
YES, AS TIME PASSES, AS DECISIONS ARE MADE BASED ON COMMUNITY INPUT, SOME CHANGES DO HAPPEN AND WHEN THOSE HAPPEN, WE'LL ADDRESS THEM IN RE-EVALUATION, RE-EXAMINATION AS APPROPRIATE.
>> THANKS. [NOISE] I DIDN'T GET THE PART.
CAN YOU REMIND ME AGAIN WHAT ADVANCED DESIGN MEANS?
>> WELL, I'LL TAKE A STAB AT THIS.
WHEN WE WENT TO CONSTRUCTION ON THE INITIAL CPS, WE HAD ONLY A 15 PERCENT DESIGN.
WE WENT INTO CONSTRUCTION AND THERE'S A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL ABOUT ACCEPTING THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AND THE RESULTING LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM GOING IN EARLY.
THERE WERE ISSUES WITH UTILITY RELOCATIONS, THERE WERE ISSUES WITH RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION.
WHEN WE SAY ADVANCED DESIGN, WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE DESIGN TO A 30 PERCENT CONFIGURATION FOOTPRINT.
WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE UTILITIES THAT ARE INVOLVED, THE NEEDS FOR RIGHT AWAY SO WE CAN ESTABLISH ALL THE CONSTRAINTS SO THAT WE HAVE A PATH FORWARD TO CLEAR THAT BEFORE WE GET TO CONSTRUCTION.
OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP ALL OPTIONS OPEN AS WE GO TO OUR PROCUREMENT METHODOLOGY IN THE FUTURE.
BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS TRYING TO CREATE SMALLER PACKAGES THAT WE CAN GET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THERE'S A SEGMENT THAT WE CAN CLEAR THE UTILITIES BY THE RIGHT AWAY THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GO AND REPEAT SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THE 119,
[00:30:01]
WHERE WE GET INTO AN AREA WHERE WE ARE UNABLE TO MOVE THE UTILITIES IN THE TIME WE NEED AND THE CONTRACTOR THEN IS CONTINUED TO BE DELAYED.WE WANT TO GET CLARITY ON WHAT OUR CONSTRAINTS ARE AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
THAT ADVANCED DESIGN DOES GIVE AN ABILITY TO DO THAT.
>> I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE, BUT AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THING.
I MEAN, IF WE ALREADY KNOW THE PROBLEMS, IS IT JUST BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? THE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, LIKE WHAT DIRECTOR SILVEIRA SAID, IS THAT A YEAR, TWO YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS? THAT'S A DIFFERENT FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU HAVE THESE DATES ON THERE.
TORY, YOU WANT TO GET SOMETHING DONE, IS THERE THE PLAN IN PLACE NOW?
>> THE DATES THAT WE PROVIDED WITH THE TARGETS OF 2030 AND 2033, THAT'S THE OVERALL PROGRAM GOAL.
NOW, DENNIS IN HIS PRESENTATION TALKED ABOUT GETTING THE 30 PERCENT CONFIGURATION IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2024.
>> THE DESIGN PHASE THAT WE ARE IN, WE CALL IT STAGE 3, WHICH IS THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN, OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE THAT IN TWO YEARS, WHICH IS ROUGHLY THE END OF 2024.
THEN WE START THE FINAL DESIGN, WHICH WILL LAST PROBABLY ANOTHER TWO YEARS.
THOSE DATES ARE THERE AND WE ARE TRYING TO EVEN EXPEDITE IT EVEN SOONER THAN THAT.
BUT CONTRACTUALLY THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE, TWO MORE YEARS FOR THE STAGE 3 WHICH IS THE INITIAL DESIGN OR PRELIMINARY DESIGN, AND THEN ANOTHER TWO MORE YEARS FOR THE FINAL DESIGN.
JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN HOW CALTRANS DOES PROJECTS TODAY.
THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL A PDV WHERE YOU DO A PROJECT-REPORTED ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT PHASE.
THEN FROM THERE, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY A 30 PERCENT DESIGN, THEY'LL JUMP TO RIGHT AWAY ACQUISITION, UTILITY RELOCATIONS.
WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY USE A DESIGN-BID-BUILD MODEL A LOT, AND THEN THEY GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP ALL OPTIONS OPEN.
WE FIRST GET TO 30 PERCENT WE'LL UNDERSTAND THE UTILITIES, THE RUNAWAY CONSTRAINTS.
WHEN I SAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WE WANT TO ACTUALLY GET TO CONSTRUCTION AS SOON AS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE.
NOW, THAT MEANS THAT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN TRYING TO GET THAT ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF GETTING AN OPERATING SEGMENT IN 2030.
AS OPPOSED TO WAITING TILL WE GET SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, 20 MILES BEFORE WE GO INTO CONSTRUCTION, IF I CAN GET A 10-MILE SECTION CLEARED, THEN WE WANT TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION IN THAT 10-MILE SECTION.
THAT'S WHY WE SAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A SCHEDULE, IT'S JUST TRYING TO LEVERAGE THE AVAILABILITY.
SOMETIMES, ONE PARCEL COULD IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE CLARITY ON THE CONSTRAINTS.
ONCE WE ARE IN CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S A BENEFIT FOR ALL THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE NOT IN CONSTRUCTION FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME AND WE CAN GO AND COMPLETE IT AND MOVE OUT.
THE TEMPORARY DISRUPTION TO CONSTRUCTION IS MINIMIZED.
>> ANYONE ELSE, ANY QUESTION? DR. BRIER.
>> HELLO. COULD YOU JUST UPDATE US ON THE TRACK THAT THERE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THE PACHECO PASS? IS THAT DESIGN JET OR IS THERE A PLAN? PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.
>> RIGHT NOW, OUR FOCUS AND THE FOCUS OF THE LEGISLATURE IS MORE SET TO MAKE THE SCALE.
WE HAVE THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO DO THE 119 AND WE'LL REQUIRE FEDERAL SUPPORT TO GET US FROM BAKERSFIELD TO MASER.
NOW, WHILE WE IN THE PAST HAD ADVANCED PACKAGES LIKE WE DID IN ELECTRIFICATION IN THE BAY AREA AND LOS ANGELES UNION STATION THAT WERE GOING TO USE INTO LA, WE ARE NOW SOLELY FOCUSED ON BAKERSFIELD TO MASER.
AS AND WHEN MONEY COMES AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS, WE WILL THEN START THINKING ABOUT GOING AND MOVING DESIGN.
THERE IS A PLAN. ONCE WE PUT UP A PROJECT UPDATE REPORT, I AM HAPPY TO SHARE THAT ENTIRE PLAN WITH YOU ONCE THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE ON HOW WE ARE PLANNING AND WHAT ACTIVITIES WE ARE PLANNING TO DO, AND WHEN TO ENABLE US TO GET TO THAT 2033 AND BEYOND, I WOULD SAY.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. HOW MANY DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SPENT SO FAR AND THEN HOW MANY ARE CURRENTLY ENCUMBERED?
[00:35:02]
>> WELL, I THINK OVERALL, WE HAVE ABOUT $25 BILLION IN THE PROGRAM.
NOW I CAN HAVE THOSE NUMBERS SENT TO YOU, IT'S PART OF OUR REPORTING TO FNA EVERY MONTH.
ON THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY PULL THOSE NUMBERS UP AND SEND IT TO YOU.
>> FOR THE 119 MILES WHAT PERCENT COMPLETE DO YOU CONSIDER IT TO BE?
>> THE 119 MILES IN CONSTRUCTION IS FOR THE CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE PIECE.
ALL OF THE GUIDEWAY WOULD BE COMPLETE, ALL OF THE GREAT SEPARATIONS WILL BE COMPLETED.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR NEIGHBORING COUNTY IN MADEIRA WE HAVE DONE THE EAST-WEST GRID SEPARATIONS, WE ARE DONE WITH NINE GRADE SEPARATIONS.
WE HAVE JUST TWO LEFT IN MADEIRA.
IN MADEIRA, ALL THOSE WEIGHTS OPERATIONS WILL BE DONE.
ONCE ALL THOSE GREAT SEPARATIONS ARE DONE, AND A GUIDEWAY IS DONE WITH THE FINAL LIFT-OFF OF THE SUB-BALLAST, THAT'S WHAT WE CALL COMPLETION.
OUR NEXT TRACKING SYSTEM CONTRACTOR, WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY WILL COMPLETE THE BALLAST AND PUT THE TRACK AND DO THE ELECTRIFICATION AND DO THE OCS POLES AND ALL OF THAT.
THAT CONTRACT IS STILL OUTSTANDING.
>> THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? GIRTH TRIONES?
>> YEAH, GIRTH. I HAVE A QUESTION.
IT'S MORE OF AN OPERATIONAL QUESTION PROBABLY THAN A DESIGN PHASE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH IT. I'M NEW TO THIS BOARD.
QUESTION REGARDING THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT BUILD THESE LARGE PARKING STRUCTURES, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, OR IS THAT A CHP PLANNING TO EXPAND OR BUILD AN AGENCY, WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR THAT?
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SOME SIMILAR QUESTIONS FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS TOO.
AS WE BUILD IT, WE ARE UTILIZING CHP TO DO A LOT OF THE SUPPORT WE NEED.
BUT AS WE GET INTO OPERATIONS, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME AGREEMENTS WITH ALL THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO SEE WHAT SUPPORT IN TERMS OF EITHER FIRE.
THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY HELP SEE HOW DO WE UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE LOCALLY TO HELP SUPPORT THE PROGRAM.
THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE AS WE GET CLOSER TO OPERATIONS AND WE'LL START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? GIRTH, DENNIS, TRIONES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND BEING GOOD PARTNERS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS VERY CHALLENGING PROJECT.
SEE YOU GUYS SOON. WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD PARTNERSHIP AND GOOD WORK.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
>> HAVE A GOOD DAY. HIGH-SPEED RAIL UPDATE TO CALTRAN'S REPORT. DENNIS.
[7. Caltrans report]
IS IT ON? OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR SERRATTO.I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND IT'S NICE TO MEET SOME OF THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.
I'M HERE AS YOU KNOW, AND I DIDN'T BRING MY SECOND PARTNER HERE, MARLIN, I NEEDED TO GIVE HIM A BREAK.
HE SAID, DENNIS YOU NEED TO GO AND SHOW YOUR FACE [LAUGHTER] IN FRONT OF THE MCAG, IT'S BEEN AWHILE.
I'M HERE NOW. OH, THERE YOU ARE, MARLIN.
HE SENT ME DOWN THIS TIME [LAUGHTER] AND HE CAN JOIN VIRTUAL.
ANYWAYS, I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU IN A COUPLE OF ITEMS, AND OF COURSE, IF WE HAVE TIME, WE'LL PASS IT ON TO MARLIN SINCE HE'S JOINED US AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WANT TO MENTION IS I HOPE THAT MERCED COUNTY AND THE CITIES THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, I HOPE YOU GUYS ARE RECOVERING.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE MERCED AREA IS IN THE NEWS AND WE'VE SEEN THAT AND SOME OF OUR ROADWAYS HERE WERE FLOODED.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE WITH US AND ESPECIALLY IN THE CLOSURES THAT WE'VE HAD ON OUR STATE ROUTES, BUT WE DID WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THESE OPENED UP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE FOR THE TRAVELING PUBLIC.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR SECRETARY TOKS OMISHAKIN COME DOWN TO OUR DISTRICT IN SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, ALONG WITH DIRECTOR TAVARES TO COME AND VISIT ONE OF OUR SITES AND TALK ABOUT CALTRANS' RESPONSE TO THE STORMS. THERE'S A VIDEO THAT JUST WAS RELEASED LAST WEEK.
I WILL SHARE THAT THROUGH STACY, SO YOU CAN SHARE TO THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS OF OUR EFFORTS OF THIS LAST STORM.
I KNOW THAT EVEN UP IN THE SNOW AREA,
[00:40:02]
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE AMOUNT OF SNOW THAT WE'VE RECEIVED.WE RECEIVE TO DATE OVER 25 FEET OF SNOW IN SOME AREAS AND HALF OF THAT IS REMAINING, WHICH IS GOOD.
WE NEED TO KEEP THAT COLD WEATHER, WE NEED TO KEEP THAT SNOW UP THERE TO HELP WITH OUR DROUGHT.
AGAIN, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE AND THE COMMUNICATION WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH ALL OF YOU.
SPEAKING OF WHICH I KNOW THAT A LOT OF DIRECTORS KNOW HOW TO GET A HOLD OF ME, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
OF COURSE, IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING AND IF YOU CAN'T GET A HOLD OF ME, STACY, WILL GET A HOLD OF ME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE STACY AND OUR PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION WE'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS.
I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP AND WE CONTINUE TO MEET, AND I WANT TO GET TO SEE HER TOMORROW AGAIN IN OUR EAC STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING.
I ALSO WANT TO JUST UPDATE YOU ALL IN THE CLEAN CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY DAYS, YOU PROBABLY HEARD THIS FROM MARLIN IN THE PAST.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHEN THIS ALL GOING TO HAPPEN.
THIS IS A STATEWIDE EFFORT AND IT'S NOT JUST WITH CALTRANS AND THIS IS MY PLEA TO ALL OF YOU IN ALL THE COMMUNITIES AND THE CITIES AND THE COUNTIES TO HELP PARTICIPATE.
NOT JUST TO PICK UP LITTER, BUT ALSO TO GET THE AWARENESS OUT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT THE PRIDE OF KEEPING CALIFORNIA CLEAN.
IT'S NOT JUST OUR STATE RIGHT AWAY, WE'LL BE PARTNERING, I HOPE WITH ALL OF YOU WITH ENCOURAGING THE COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS TO SIGN UP FROM THE DAYS BETWEEN MARCH 17TH THROUGH THE 27TH.
WE NOW HAVE A PORTAL THAT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WHERE YOU CAN SIGN UP OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PARTICIPATE, AND IF YOU NEED A TOOL SUCH AS BAGS AND OTHER LITTER CLEANUP KITS, WE'RE WILLING TO HELP PROVIDE THAT TO THE COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT PARTNERSHIP.
I DO HAVE A ONE PAGE FLYER THAT HAS A LINK TO THIS SITE.
AGAIN, I WILL SEND IT TO STACY OR WHOEVER THE APPROPRIATE PERSON I NEED TO SEND IT OUT TO GET IT OUT TO ALL OF YOU.
I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO THIS GREAT EVENT AND MARCH 25TH STATEWIDE, AGAIN, THERE WILL BE SOME BIG EVENTS HAPPENING IN EACH OF THE DISTRICTS AND I KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO TRY TO GET OUT TO ATTEND AS MUCH ADVANCED AS HE CAN ACROSS THE STATE.
YOU NEVER KNOW, HE MAY BE LUCKY TO COME BACK DOWN TO MERCED AND CELEBRATE ONE OF THE ORGANIZED EVENTS THAT YOU GUYS MAY HAVE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PARTICIPATION, NOT JUST FOR LITTER PICKUPS, TREE PLANTINGS, DISPOSAL, DUMP EVENTS, ADOPT THE HIGHWAY CLEAN-UPS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY BEAUTIFICATION EVENTS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
PLEASE, AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU, WE'LL SEND THIS OUT TO ALL OF YOU SO YOU CAN PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD OUT TO YOUR COMMUNITIES.
THE OTHER UPDATE ON CLEAN CALIFORNIA, I KNOW WE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE.
THE $100 MILLION SECOND LOCAL BEAUTIFICATION GRANT APPLICATION IS OUT.
THE REQUEST FOR APPLICATION JUST CAME OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO IN FEBRUARY 14TH, VALENTINE'S DAY, AND ALL OUR LOCAL PARTNERS HAVE UNTIL APRIL 28TH OF THIS YEAR TO SUBMIT ALL YOUR APPLICATIONS.
I OFFER MY STAFF, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER NEW APPLICATIONS YOU WANT TO PROVIDE THROUGH THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S WITHIN OUR STATE ROUTES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO HELP IMPROVE, MY STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO HELP US STRENGTHEN AND MAKE THESE APPLICATIONS COMPETITIVE FOR THE $100 MILLION.
JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND MY STAFF FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU MAY NEED.
THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION AND AGAIN, THIS IS MAYBE FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, I HOPE THAT YOU RECEIVE MY QUARTERLY LETTER WITH ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE DOING IN NEW YORK COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S TRAFFIC OPERATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS, CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS AS WELL, AND EVEN OUR MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY.
YOU SHOULD BE GETTING LETTERS THROUGH MY OFFICE WITH A LOT OF THE INFORMATION AND STATUS OF SOME OUTSTANDING PROJECTS THAT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS TO THAT, YOU HAVE MARLIN, MYSELF, TO FOLLOW UP ANY QUESTIONS, AND OF COURSE THROUGH STACY, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST PROBABLY MAKE ONE MORE, NOT ASK, BUT AN OFFER TO MCAG.
THIS IS FOR ANY STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING GRANT APPLICATIONS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN THE DIRECTOR CAME TO VISIT ME LAST WEEK, HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATIONS FOR STATE FUNDING GRANTS,
[00:45:01]
PLEASE WORK WITH ME AND MY TEAM TO HELP, AGAIN, MAKING SURE IT'S ALIGNED WITH THE STATE PRIORITIES, FEDERAL PRIORITIES, AND MAKE THAT PROJECT AS COMPETITIVE AS POSSIBLE.WITH ALL THESE COMPETITIVE GRANTS, AND AGAIN, I'M THROWING THIS OUT THERE, I KNOW THAT STACY IS EVEN MAKING A TRIP TO MY DISTRICT ON NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY.
THANK YOU, STACY AND ELIZABETH FOR BEING WILLING TO COME UP HERE AND MARLIN'S GOING TO BE THERE AND MY TEAM TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF THAT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME.
I WILL ASK MARLIN IF I COULD MR. CHAIR, TO SEE IF HE HAS ANY QUICK UPDATES.
>> THANK YOU, DENNIS, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS.
DENNIS COVERED A LOT, SO I WON'T TALK TOO MUCH [LAUGHTER].
BUT BRIEFLY, I DO HAVE SOME ACTION ITEMS FROM DIRECTOR ESPINOSA.
I KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TO YOU REGARDING GERARD AVENUE 59.
WE HAVE BEGUN PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR THAT PROJECT AT THIS PAST WINTER AND WE ARE STILL ON TRACK FOR CONSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S ESTIMATED IN SPRING OF 2025.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE ANY PARTICULAR PROJECT UPDATES YOU NEED IN THE MEANTIME.
THEN ON HENRY MILLER, I DO NEED TO GET THE PLANS TO YOU AS YOU REQUESTED, SO I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR.
>> THAT CONCLUDES MY UPDATES. THANK YOU.
DENNIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
MARLIN, YOU COULD HAVE MADE THE TRIP.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON 99, THE MAINTENANCE CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.
OUR CONSTITUENTS, THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR A LOT OF THROUGH ATWATER AND MERCED.
I JUST WANT TO BE IN ON THE FINISH 99 GROUP AS WELL.
IS THERE ANY CHANCE AND I KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER, ARE WE ABLE TO GO TO SIX LANES ON ANY PORTION OF THIS CONSTRUCTION WE'RE DOING? I KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO LOOK INTO IT BECAUSE I THINK TELERIK COUNTY ACTUALLY ADDED THAT THIRD LANE BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE HAD TO REROUTE SOME OF THE TRAFFIC AND WE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE SOME OF THAT IN THERE.
HOPING THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> YEAH, THANKS FOR THAT FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, DIRECTOR MCDANIEL.
I DID LOOK AT THAT WITH MY TEAM INTERNALLY TO SEE WHAT WE'VE DESIGNED OUT THERE AND WHAT WE'RE CONSTRUCTING OUT THERE.
I LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DID FULLY PUT SIX LANES OF STRUCTURAL SEGMENT OUT THERE.
WE DO IN SOME SECTIONS, BUT NOT COMPLETELY.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE IT FULL SIX LANES.
BUT WE WILL BE STRIPING BACK TO FOUR LANES WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH BOTH THE ATWATER AND THE MERCED REHAB PROJECT.
THERE'S GOOD NEWS IN THAT SENSE THAT SOME OF THAT WAS FULLY CONSTRUCTED, WHICH WILL BE LESS CONSTRUCTION IN DOLLARS THAT WOULD BE NEEDED.
THEN THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY LAST STATE FUNDING, IF MONEY SO HAPPENED TO FALL DOWN THE SKY, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? WE DID GO THROUGH THAT EFFORT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE MONEY DIDN'T FALL OUT OF THE SKY AND WE WERE HOPING FOR THAT.
BUT WE WERE READY IF IT DID, AND WE'D BE MORE WILLING IF ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY COMES AROUND TO HELP EXPEDITE THAT AND GET THE FULL SIX LANES THROUGH.
>> BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE THE PINCH POINTS ARE ON THE BRIDGES FOR SURE THROUGH THE MERCED AREA.
BUT I COULD SEE WHERE WE COULD EXTEND IT THROUGH ATWATER AT LEAST UP UNTIL APPROACHING INTO MERCED.
JUST KEEP THAT STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE I SAW THAT MAYBE THE STRIPING OPPORTUNITY WOULD GIVE US THAT CHANCE.
>> THANK YOU. I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE AND DIRECTOR SILVEIRA ASKED ME, HEY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO BRING YOUR DIRECTOR DOWN TO MCAG? I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN THAT, AS A MATTER OF FACT, WHEN I DID SEE DIRECTOR TAVARES LAST WEEK, I DID GIVE HIM A HEADS UP.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS THROUGH STACY, IF YOU CAN GET A LETTER OUT TO HIM REQUESTING FOR HIS PRESENCE FOR A DAY, DO A FIELD TOUR.
HOWEVER ELSE YOU WANT HIM TO SEE, HE'S A CODER, HE'S MORE THAN WILLING TO DO IT, YOU NEED TO JUST DO IT IN ADVANCE.
HE'S WILLING, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW.
I'VE BEEN PLUGGING HIS EAR, I SAID WE NEED YOU DOWN HERE AND HE'S READY.
WE NEED TO GET IT IN HIS CALENDAR IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF YOU WANT TO GET HIM SOONER.
>> THEN WE CAN EVEN GIVE HIM THE TOUR OF THE ONLY INLAND PORT HERE IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY.
>> I DID MENTION THAT TO HIM AND HE'S VERY INTERESTED TO SEE THAT ACTUALLY.
AS MUCH AS I LIKE TO BRING MY KIVA, WHO'S OUR CHIEF DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHO SAT IN THE SUMMIT, HE WAS VERY INTERESTED TO SEE IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO TAG TEAM, YOU ALL CAN'T BE TOGETHER WHEN ONES OUT THERE.
BUT IF WE CAN GET OUR DIRECTOR DOWN HERE AND SEE THE INLAND PORT, PLEASE,
[00:50:01]
PLEASE DO SO AND YOU HAVE MY FULL SUPPORT TO HELP PUSH TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND GETTING IN HIS CALENDAR.>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MARLIN, I HAD FOLLOWED UP WITH YOU AND I THINK MAYBE OUR WIRES GOT CROSSED, THIS WAS ON HIGHWAY 59 IN THE CITY LIMITS OF MERCED, FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE CITY ON THE SOUTH SIDE TO HIGHWAY 99.
THE ROAD IS IN REALLY BAD SHAPE AND I KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK IN YOUR THOUGHT MAYBE THERE WAS A MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MERCED ON THAT SECTION, I DON'T KNOW.
I DRIVE IT EVERY DAY, IT'S BAD AND GETTING WORSE.
WE CAN GET SOME FOLLOW UP ON THAT, I KNOW YOU THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS DEBRIS.
IT WASN'T A DEBRIS ISSUE, IT WAS A LITERALLY THE ROADS FALLEN APART ISSUE.
THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I HAVE FOR YOU GUYS ON THE RECONSTRUCTION WORK ON 99, I JUST KNOW THIS HAPPENED.
WE HAD A MEETING ON MONDAY AND WHEN FOLKS ARE COMING IN ON EITHER SIDE ON 99, WHETHER THEY'RE HEADING NORTH OR SOUTH, WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW IS IF THERE'S SOME SIGNAGE THAT TELLS THEM IF YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO GET OFF IN MERCED, YOU NEED TO STAY IN THE SLOW LANE, STAY IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE.
THIS PARTICULAR PERSON DIDN'T KNOW THAT AND ENDED UP HAVING TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY THROUGH MERCED, GET TO A POINT WHERE HE COULD TURN AROUND AND COME BACK TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A MEETING.
I'M GUESSING THAT THAT HAPPENED TO HIM, THAT PROBABLY HAPPENS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN BE DONE WITH THAT I KNOW YOU GUYS GOT A LOT OF SIGNAGE OUT THERE, BUT IF YOU COULD SOMEHOW ON ON THAT SIGNAGE, JUST REMIND FOLKS THAT IF YOU DO NEED TO GET OFF AT ONE OF THOSE EXITS, YOU NEED TO STAY IN THE RIGHT-HAND LANE.
THE LEFT-HAND LANE IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO GET OFF AND NOT FOR A LONG TIME.
THEN MAYBE THAT MONEY FALLING OUT OF THE SKY THING, WE OUGHT TO TALK TO THE HIGH-SPEED RAIL GUYS.
THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AND DO SOME MASSIVE PROJECTS AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.
WE'VE GOT TO TRY TO TAP INTO SOME OF THEIR MONEY TO HELP WITH THOSE WIDENING OF THE BRIDGES ON 99, JUST A THOUGHT.
>> IF I COULD RESPOND TO SOME OF THESE COMMENTS, WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT THE STATE ROUTE 59 THEN THOSE SECTIONS.
IF THEY'RE BAD, WE DEFINITELY EITHER GET OUR MAINTENANCE FOLKS TO DO A QUICK FIX AND THEN FOLLOW WITH A REHAB PROJECT.
BUT THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION.
IT'S NOT JUST DEBRIS, IT'S PAVEMENT FAILING.
THE STORM REALLY HIT HARD ON OUR ROADWAYS.
ON THE 99 CONSTRUCTION THAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE TO SIGNAGE.
>> TO TELL YOU AS A MONDAY, I HAD A MEETING AND IT WASN'T.
>> MAYBE THAT SIGN WASN'T PUT IN THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THEM TO SEE IT.
I'LL DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE TRAVELING PUBLIC'S CONCERNS, BUT WE DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP AGAIN.
>> IF I COULD, MR. CHAIR. IT WASN'T EARLY ISSUE, AND SO SOMETHING MUST HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE IT HADN'T BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, SO ON MONDAY, THE SAME MEETING THAT I WAS WITH DIRECTOR SILVEIRA WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE INITIAL ISSUE THAT I HAD HEARD IT AGAIN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IN THE SHIFTING OF THE WHERE THE WORK WAS BEING DONE, IF ASSIGNED, GOT MOVED OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
I ALSO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED TOO MUCH AT THIS BOARD, BUT I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH MARLIN AND MAYBE WE CAN TOUCH BASE TOMORROW IN OUR MEETING OR NEXT WEEK WHEN I'M IN THE OFFICE IS LOOKING AT HIGHWAY 59 SOUTH OF 99 ALL THE WAY TO 152.
MAYBE NOT ALL THE WAY TO 152, BUT REALLY LOOK AT THE FULL CORRIDOR OF SOUTH 59, BOTH FOR THE MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT ALSO MAYBE SOME ADAPTATION PLAN.
SOMETHING TO HAPPEN AROUND THE BRIDGE, I KNOW THAT THERE'S THE PROJECT AT THE MARIPOSA CREEK, BUT ALSO EVEN MAYBE LOOKING AT THOSE SAFETY ISSUES, THAT'S A PRETTY DANGEROUS CORRIDOR FOR FOLKS TO TRAVEL, AND SO THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION YEARS AGO ABOUT PASSING LANES OR ANY OTHER SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE MADE THERE.
JUST HAVING A HOLISTIC CONVERSATION AROUND THAT 59 SOUTH FROM 99 TO 152.
>> DEFINITELY WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
>> A PLEASURE MEETING YOU TODAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR UPDATE.
I'VE ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO PUT THAT AT LEAST CHERRY PICK OUT THE ATWATER RELATED ITEMS AND GET THEM ON THE CITY WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA SORE, RESIDENTS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE USUALLY THEY'RE CLUELESS ABOUT IT, SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR ESPINOSA.
>> THANK YOU MARLIN AND YOURSELF AS WELL, TO TRY AND ADDRESS ALL THE OTHER ISSUES.
I KNOW THAT MARLIN, YOU SEND ME THE EMAIL ON THE 33 IN THE HARRY MILLER SIGNAL.
I KNOW THAT ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE SHOULD BE DONE
[00:55:01]
BY SPRING AND HOPEFULLY CONSTRUCTION WILL START ON THE FALL. THANK YOU.ALSO, I HEARD A COMPLAINT ABOUT A SIGN THAT WAS PROBABLY RAN OVER THE NORTHBOUND 99 PLANADA SIGN.
POINTING TO PLANADA I THINK SOMEBODY RAN IT OVER AND IT TOOK US TWO YEARS TO GET THOSE SIGNS, SO HOPEFULLY THAT CAN BE REPLACED.
THANK YOU FOR SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA FOR BRINGING UP THE HIGHWAY 59 TO MERCED DRIVING LIKE YOU SAID.
ALSO THE PLANADA AS WELL WESTBOUND AS YOU COME INTO PLANADA, I'VE HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SPEEDING.
I KNOW THERE'S A SPEEDING SIGN GOING OUT.
BUT AS YOU COME IN, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE LOWERED TO 35 MILES PER HOUR.
BECAUSE THERE'S LOT OF CROSS TRAFFIC THERE WERE SEEKING THAT SATURDAY ON HIGHWAY 140 CROSSING THE SYSTEM THERE, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN PUT A SIGN THERE AS WELL.
ALSO LIVINGSTON, AT THE SOUTHBOUND OFF RAMP, I WENT TO PARKWAY TO THE PACIFIER THERE AND THEN THERE'S STILL A LOT OF THE BRUSH THERE OFF THE EXIT, AND SO IT'S BEEN ABOUT 5-6 MONTHS THAT WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> WELL, I THINK DENNIS BEFORE THE MEETING THERE WERE SOME ISSUES OUT ON NORTH 59 AND CALTRANS RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY AND I APPRECIATED THAT.
I JUST GOT TO TACTICS ACTUALLY, I THINK IN SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA DISTRICT, BUT ONE OF THE COMPANIES I DO BUSINESS WITH, FELLOWS DRIVE IN FROM LOS BANOS TO STEVENSON.
BETWEEN LOS BANOS AND THE 165,140 INTERSECTION, HE SAID THERE'S 16 POTHOLES THAT ARE GROWING.
THEY WERE SMALL AND YOU COULD MISS THEM EASY, HE SAID, BUT THEY'RE GROWING AND NOBODY HAS BEEN OUT THERE.
THEN I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEAM REALLY DID WELL THROUGH THE STORM AND REALLY DID GOOD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR PEREIRA AND THEN ALSO DR. ESPINOSA.
DEFINITELY BETWEEN ME AND MARLIN, WE HAVE THESE WRITTEN DOWN.
WE DEFINITELY WILL FOLLOW UP ON IT, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT LIKE WE'VE SEEN POTHOLES.
IF THAT'S GROWING, WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY TO GET THOSE FIXED.
WE'LL DEFINITELY START ADDRESSING THAT WHEN I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE.
>> ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE. THANK YOU BOTH.
AS ALWAYS, RUKEV I'LL REACH OUT TO YOU OFFLINE, ABOUT POTENTIAL TRAFFIC LAW ISSUES ON 13TH STREET IN THE CITY OF MERCED YOU CAN TAKE IT OFFLINE.
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS AS ALWAYS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU DIRECTORS.
>> IT TAKES US TO INFORMATIONAL ITEMS, ITEM 8.
ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON THE INFORMATIONAL ITEM LISTED ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION OR CONSIDERATION? SEEING NONE, NO ACTION NECESSARY ON THE INFORMATIONAL ITEM, INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY TAKES US TO THE ITEM 9,
[9. Consent calendar]
WHICH IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.ANY DISCUSSION HERE, ANY ITEMS TO PULL FROM SEPARATE CONSIDERATION OR MOTION? MOTION FROM VICE CHAIR PEDROZO.
>> SECOND FROM DIRECTOR LLANEZ.
I THINK WITH DIRECTOR MARLIN NOW JOINING US ONLINE WE'LL NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE?
>> THANK YOU, MARY MICHAEL. ITEM 10 COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS ACTION ITEMS 10A.
[10. Action items]
MR. TORRES, WELCOME.THIS IS THE RESOLUTION REGARDING THE 2023, '24 FINDINGS OF FACT REGARDING THE UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. TORIES ASSOCIATE PLANNER WITH MECG FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT PRESENTATION.
>> THERE'S A BUTTON TO YOUR RIGHT RIGHT THERE SO THAT YOU CAN PUT THAT DOWN IF YOU WANT.
>> [NOISE] PERFECT. THANK YOU. [LAUGHTER]
[01:00:11]
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING? [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU GOT ANY PLANS FOR NEXT WEEKEND?
>> WE DON'T NEED THIS SLIDESHOW, I CAN COVER IT WITHOUT IT.
BASICALLY, THE TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT ACT PROVIDES TWO MAJOR SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION FUND, LTF, AS YOU MAY KNOW IT, AND THE STATE TRANSIT ASSISTANCE FUND, STA.
[NOISE] THESE FUNDS ARE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, THAT EXIST IN CALIFORNIA AND ARE ALLOCATED TO EACH COUNTY BASED ON POPULATION, TAXABLE SALES TAX, AND TRANSIT PERFORMANCE.
SOME COUNTIES HAVE A PROVISION TO USE THESE FUNDS FOR NON TRANSIT USES IF CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE MET.
BEFORE USING THOSE FUNDS FOR ANYTHING NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, MCAG NEEDS TO ANNUALLY CONSULT WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COUNCIL, THE SSTAC, TO IDENTIFY THE TRANSIT NEEDS OF THE JURISDICTION, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS AND THOSE THAT ARE REASONABLE TO MEET.
THE WAY THE UNMET TRENDS AND NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED AS THROUGH CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PROCESS WHERE THE SSTAC RECEIVES PUBLIC COMMENT FROM THOSE WHO ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT.
BY LAW, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HOLD AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENT.
MCAG HAS ALWAYS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO RECEIVE COMMENTS.
WE TRY TO DO MORE THAN THE MINIMUM.
THIS YEAR WE HELD FIVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, TWO IN MERCED, TWO IN DOS PALOS, AND ONE VIRTUAL ONE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'LL TAKE COMMENTS BY EMAIL, PHONE, MAIL, EVEN ONLINE.
WE HAVE AN ONLINE SERVICE, A DEDICATED WEBPAGE.
WE ALSO MONITOR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT COULD BE RELATED TO THE UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS.
THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED 36 COMMENTS.
OUT OF THOSE 36 COMMENTS, EIGHT OF THEM WERE POTENTIAL UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS THAT WERE ANALYZED BY THE SSTAC.
THE OTHERS WERE DETERMINED TO BE OPERATIONAL ISSUES THAT WERE SENT OVER TO THE BUS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE TRANSIT AGENCY.
THE OFFICIAL MCAG ADOPTED DEFINITION OF AN UNMET TRANSIT NEED, IS AN INADEQUACY IN THE EXISTING PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE FOR PERSONS RECOGNIZED AS TRANSIT DEPENDENT IN MERCED COUNTY.
[NOISE] INADEQUACY IN THE PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE COULD COVER BROAD THINGS.
HOWEVER, THE SSTAC FOCUSES ON COMMENTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED LOCATIONS IN THE COUNTY THAT DO NOT HAVE TRANSIT SERVICE AT ALL, OR IT'S UNAVAILABLE AT TIMES WHEN IT'S NEEDED FOR ESSENTIAL LIFE WORK AND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
REASONABLE TO ME, IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 79, THESE DEFINITIONS ARE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL.
WHAT ARE THOSE REQUIREMENTS? THE SSTAC, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY ANALYZED 36 COMMENTS, EIGHT WERE CONSIDERED BY THIS SSTAC TO BE POTENTIAL UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS.
THEY'VE PUT THOSE AGAINST OUR DEFINITIONS ADOPTED BY THIS BOARD.
[NOISE] THE SSTAC'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THERE IS AN UNMET NEED TO PROVIDE EARLIER SERVICE TO PLANADA ON THE WEEKDAYS.
CURRENTLY, THE PLANADA BUS DEAD HEADS TO PLANADA AND START SERVICE IN PLANADA.
WE NOW REALIZE THERE ARE FOLKS IN MERCED THAT WANT TO GET TO PLANADA FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
THE SSTAC CONSIDERED THE COST OF EXTENDING THE SERVICE, AND THE COST IS WITHIN THE FUNDING REQUIREMENTS.
IT WOULD NOT CAUSE THE FARE BOX RACIAL TO GO BELOW THE MINIMUM 15 PERCENT BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY PAYING FOR THAT BUS SERVICE, JUST FOR THE BUS TO HEAD TO PLANADA.
THE OTHER THREE THAT WERE UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS BUT NOT REASONABLE TO ME WERE SERVICE ON HOLIDAYS, THAT THE BUS CURRENTLY DOES NOT OPERATE.
THE SSTAC ANALYZED THAT AGAINST OTHER AGENCIES OF SIMILAR SIZE.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE EITHER PROVIDE EQUAL OR TWO MORE SERVICE THAN OTHERS.
BUT EVEN ON THOSE DAYS THAT WE DO PROVIDE SERVICE, THE RIDERSHIP IS LOW.
THE SSTAC ALSO LOOKED AT SERVICE TO SNARLING.
THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS NOT REASONABLE TO MEET.
[01:05:03]
ANYTIME WE START NEW SERVICE, IF THE DEMAND IS NOT THERE, THEN IT DOESN'T JUSTIFY THE COST AND THAT COULD AFFECT THE FARE BOX RATIO.WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED IS THAT WE DO MORE COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN SNARLING TO DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE ADEQUATE SERVICE FOR SNARLING, INSTEAD OF JUST GOING IN THERE AND SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE TRANSIT SERVICE FROM 8:00-5:00 WHEN NOBODY NEEDS IT.
THE THIRD ONE WAS LATER SERVICE PAST 8:55.
THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT COST-EFFECTIVE AT THE TIME WITH EVERYBODY JUST COMING BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC AND RIDERSHIP INCREASING.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THE RIDERSHIP IS NOT THERE, BUT MAYBE AT A LATER TIME IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE THERE.
THE OTHERS THAT WERE UNMET, THEY WERE CONSIDERED AND WERE FOUND TO BE NOT UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS WERE SERVICES WEST OF WINTON WAY NEAR CYPRUS AVENUE IN WINTON.
MOST OF THE AREA IS WITHIN 3/4 OF A MILE OF AN EXISTING BUS STOP.
IF PEOPLE CANNOT WALK THOSE 3/4 OF A MILE, THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR A PAIR OF TRANSIT SERVICE AND THEREFORE WOULD GET CURB TO CURB SERVICE.
THE OTHER THINGS CONSIDERED WERE PROVIDING FULL-SERVICE ON THE SIX HOLIDAYS THAT WE CURRENTLY OPERATE ON A REDUCED SERVICE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE LOW RIDERSHIP ALREADY.
EARLIER SERVICE BEFORE 6:30 RIDERSHIP, AGAIN, NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE ARE RIDING.
THEN THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT SERVICE BETWEEN 12:00 AM AND 03:00 AM.
PREVIOUS UNMET NEEDS THAT WERE ADDRESSED IN 2022 WAS EXTENDED SERVICE TO NORTH MERCED AS OF AUGUST '22.
THE TRANSIT AGENCY HAS MADE CHANGES TO THEIR M4 ROUTE TO PROVIDE SERVICE NORTH OF MERCED COLLEGE TO BELLEVUE ROAD.
THEN ONCE THE NORTH MERCED TRANSIT HUB IS COMPLETED, THAT WILL BE THE OFFICIAL STOP.
THE OTHER UNMET TRANSIT NEED WAS ADDITIONAL SERVICE TO PLANADA.
PRIOR TO THIS BEING IMPLEMENTED BETWEEN 7:30 AND 1:30, THERE WAS NO TRIPS AVAILABLE BETWEEN MERCED AND PLANADA BETWEEN 7:30 AND 1:30.
THREE TRIPS WERE ADDED TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO PLANADA IN A TIMELY MANNER.
TODAY WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 20232-1601 WITH THE FINDING OF FACT THAT THERE ARE UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS, INCLUDING NEEDS THAT ARE REASONABLE TO MEET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, '24 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE SSTAC AND APPROVE THE UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS FISCAL YEAR 2023 ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION REPORT.
IF APPROVED BY THE MCAG BOARD, THEN WE WILL WORK WITH THE TRANSIT AGENCY TO GET THAT SERVICE STARTED.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MORISSIO. WOULD YOU LIKE A PEPPERMINT BARK, GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATE?
>> I'M TRYING TO WATCH WHAT I EAT. [LAUGHTER]
>> QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. ANYONE? HE CAUGHT US AT THE RIGHT TIME WHEN EVERYBODY IS ENJOYING SOME GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATES.
I APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, ESPECIALLY UNDER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, NOT HAVING THE POWERPOINT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE PART OF THE BOARD OR MOTION?
I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAD AN UNMET TRANSIT NEED AND IT WAS ONE PERSON THAT WE DEVELOPED A ROUTE FOR THESE FEW YEARS AGO, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT THIS TIME, ARE WE?
>> THE ONLY CHANGE IS MORE EARLY BUS SERVICE FROM MERCED TO PLANADA.
>> ALTHOUGH PERCEIVED UNMET NEEDS ARE DEEMED UNREASONABLE TO ME.
>> THE ONE THAT WAS MADE REASONABLE WAS WE'RE ALREADY GOING THERE, SO THE BUS SERVICES WILL START EMERSON INSTEAD OF DEAD HEADING EARLY IN THE MORNING.
DEAD HEADING MEANING NOBODY RIDES THE BUS, IT'S OUT OF SERVICE.
>> ANYONE ELSE, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DISCUSSION OR A MOTION? [NOISE] RODRI.
>> MOTION FROM DIRECTOR HOGUE.
>> SECOND FROM VICE CHAIR PEDROZO. MICHAEL.
>> JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE DON'T HAVE ANY HANDS RAISED ONLINE.
[01:10:01]
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> THANK YOU, MORISSIO. TAL YOUR TURN IS TO TAKES US TO ITEM 10B, WHICH IS THE 2023 FTIP AMENDMENT NUMBER 2.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN, DIRECTORS.
BACK IN OCTOBER, WITH THREE MILLION DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO PROGRAM TO LIKE CMAC ELIGIBLE PROJECTS, THIS BOARD AUTHORIZED STAFF TO RELEASE THE CALL FOR PROJECTS.
THERE WERE EIGHT APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED BY THE MEMBER JURISDICTIONS.
WITH THOSE APPLICATIONS STAFF CONVENED A CMAG COMMITTEE MADE UP OF A MEMBER FROM EACH JURISDICTION, A MEMBER FROM CALTRANS, AND AN MCAG PERSON TO EVALUATE, SCORE AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD.
THE COMMITTEE DID RECOMMEND FULLY PROGRAMMING THE TOP FOUR RANKED APPLICATIONS FOR FULL PROGRAMMING.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. THAT'S THE CITY OF ATWATER FOR SIGNAL SYNCHRONIZATION COUNTY FOR AN EV CHARGING STATION, AND THE ATWATER LIVINGSTON, BOTH FOR PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. WITH THE CITY OF ATWATER, THEY WERE JUST ONLY REQUESTING CONSTRUCTION ONLY, SO NO DESIGN.
THEY ALREADY STARTED DESIGN OF THAT.
>> QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ABOUT AMENDMENT FOR THE FOUR CMAC PROJECTS.
>> I GOT A COMMENT OR A QUESTION.
>> I NOTICED ATWATER HAS TWO PROJECTS FUNDED.
AUGUSTINE HAD TWO ON THERE, BUT THEY DIDN'T GET ANY OTHER PROJECTS FUNDED.
WAS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION INTO SPREADING THE WEALTH LIKE COUNTYWIDE, OR IS IT STRICTLY BY SCORING TOTALS?
>> IT'S STRICTLY BY SCORING TOTALS.
THERE WERE SEVERAL SCORING CATEGORIES THAT WERE BASICALLY DEFINED BY THE FEDS AND THE STATE, WITH THE USAGE OF CMAC FUNDING.
ONE OF THEM IS COST-EFFECTIVENESS, CMAC IS SUPPOSED TO FUND HIGHLY COST-EFFECTIVE PROJECTS.
THIS BOARD HAS ACTUALLY COMMITTED TO USING 20% OF OUR FUNDING TOWARDS HIGHLY COST-EFFECTIVE PROJECTS.
THE FIRST TWO ARE CONSIDERED HIGHLY COST-EFFECTIVE PROJECTS.
THE SIGNALS SYNCHRONIZATION AND THE EV CHARGING STATIONS.
THEN THERE WERE OTHER CATEGORIES THAT WERE EVALUATED AS WELL, AND BASICALLY THE TOP FOUR RANKED ONES WERE SELECTED BASED UPON THEIR SCORES.
>> IT WORKS OUT TO 2.866 MILLION.
WHAT HAPPEN TO THE ADDITIONAL MONEY? WOULD IT GO BACK IN FOR THE NEXT YEARS?
>> YES. IT'S NOT NEXT YEAR'S, SO IT'LL GO INTO THE POT THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON.
WE'LL DO ANOTHER CALL FOR PROJECTS.
I'M EXPECTING THAT TO BE THE SUMMER, BECAUSE THIS REGION ALSO RECEIVED A NEW FUNDING OR REVENUE SOURCE.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE INCLUDED WITH THE CMAC REMAINING BALANCE WHEN WE REQUEST THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE ANOTHER CALL FOR PROJECTS.
>> WILL THE PROJECTS THAT WERE SUBMITTED IN THIS ROUND, WILL THEY GET FEW EXTRA POINTS SINCE THEY ARE ALREADY IN THE QUEUE, OR IS IT START FROM ZERO?
>> IT WOULD START FROM ZERO. THEY CAN REAPPLY.
ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION OR A MOTION? [BACKGROUND] MOTION DIRECTOR MCDANIEL, SECOND FROM DIRECTOR ESPINOSA.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THERE ARE NO HANDS RAISED ONLINE.
>> THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS THE CITY OF ATWATER IN PARTICULAR, THE PROJECT.
WE ALL GOT TO DO BETTER NEXT YEAR THEN IT COULD BE.
TAKES US TO 10C, WHICH IS APPOINTING A DIRECTOR TO THE 2023 ANNA MARIA FUENTES SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE.
>> SECOND THAT MOTION [LAUGHTER].
>> WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND PENDING, THE PRESENTATION.
[01:15:04]
>> DO YOU WANT THE PRESENTATION? [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER]. JUST CHECKING.
I DON'T HAVE TO IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO.
THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS AN ACTION ITEM TO APPOINT A MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BOARD TO SERVE ON THE ANNA MARIA FUENTES SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION COMMITTEE.
THE SCHOLARSHIP IS GIVEN TO A MERCED COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR ANNUALLY, IN MEMORY OF A FORMER EMPLOYEE, MS FUENTES WHO PASSED AWAY 15 YEARS AGO.
THERE'S A BIO ABOUT HER IN YOUR PACKET IF YOU ARE SO INTERESTED.
THE SCHOLARSHIP IS FUNDED EXCLUSIVELY BY DONATIONS MADE FROM STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IS AWARDED TO A RECIPIENT FOR UP TO FOUR YEARS, PENDING THEIR ONGOING ELIGIBILITY.
THE MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BOARD WOULD JOIN MEMBERS OF STAFF AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF THE FUENTES FAMILY TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS.
TIME COMMITMENT IS APPROXIMATELY A COUPLE HOURS TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS ON YOUR OWN, AND THEN AN HOUR OF DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMITTEE, AND THAT CAN BE DONE VIRTUALLY FROM WHEREVER YOU HAPPEN TO BE AT.
THAT NOMINATION WOULD GO TO THE GOVERNING BOARD FOR OFFICIAL SELECTION AT YOUR APRIL MEETING, AND THEN THE STUDENT WOULD BE SELECTED AND WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY MAY 1ST.
WE WOULD ASK A VOLUNTEER WHETHER IT'S THE CHAIR OR A MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE TO PRESENT THAT SCHOLARSHIP AT WHATEVER HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THEY ALL DO THEIR SCHOLARSHIP NIGHTS.
IF YOU WERE THERE AND WOULD WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN A PHOTO UP TO PRESENT THE CHECK, WE OF COURSE, WOULD WELCOME THAT.
THAT'S MY PRESENTATION. IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
>> AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PHOTO UP DOESN'T GET THE ATTENTION OF BOARD OF [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT'S WHY I SAY I MADE THE NOMINATION, NOT TONGUE AND CHEEK.
JOSH IS A FORMER TEACHER, AND I THINK THE LAST TIME YOU DID THIS, HE WAS VERY IN-DEPTH ON IT AND APPRECIATE IT.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO NOMINATE HIM FOR IT.
>> AS NOTED IN THE STAFF REPORT, DIRECTOR MCDANIEL HAS ACTUALLY DONE THIS IN THE PAST IN 2015, DIRECTOR HOGUE IN 2020 AND DIRECTOR PEDROZO MOST RECENTLY IN 2021.
JOSH, ANY COMMENTS ON YOUR NOMINATION?
I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR MORAN IS FROM LIVINGSTON AND MS. FUENTES WAS FROM LIVINGSTON.
I KNOW THAT WE NOMINATED JOSH, BUT I JUST WAS WANTING TO SEE IF DIRECTOR MORAN HAD INTEREST IN IT.
>> DIRECTOR MORAN, ARE YOU INTERESTED OR IS ANYBODY ELSE INTERESTED?
>> I WAS BUT, I CAN WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR.
>> HE'S BUSY, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM DOING THAT AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. DIRECTOR ESPINOSA, YOU'VE EXPRESSED INTEREST AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I CAN WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR, THERE'S NO PROBLEM.
EITHER JOSH, OR JOSE MORAN IT'S UP TO THEM.
IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS. I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE MCAG.
I KNOW FUENTES, I KNEW HER PARENTS, HER MOM USED TO TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL.
SHE USED TO WORK AT ONE OF THE SCHOOLS THERE.
I KNOW HIS STRENGTH AND ABILITY.
I KNOW EVERYBODY IN OUR STAFF REALLY ENJOYED AND LIKED HER WHEN SHE WAS WORKING AND SHE DID A GREAT JOB.
I JUST WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC FOR DONATING FUNDS WHICH GOES TO A GOOD CAUSE, AND HOPEFULLY WE CONTRIBUTE MORE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS IN EDUCATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S IT.
>> WITH MY MOTION ON THE FLOOR OF JOSH. IT'S UP TO YOU.
>> IF I COULD, MR. CHAIR, THERE'S NOTHING PRECLUDING HAVING MORE THAN ONE BOARD MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE.
>> WE JUST ASKED FOR ONE AND WE LOVE HAVING THE FACT THAT THERE'S A CHOICE.
THERE'S SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM, SO WE DON'T WANT ANYONE LEFT OUT, THAT FEELS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'D WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO MCDANIEL'S MOTION AND ADD TO JOSE OR MR. MORAN AND MR. ESPINOSA TO THE COMMITTEE.
>> THE MOTION FROM DIRECTOR PEREZ AMENDMENT IS NOW DIRECTOR MORAN, AND DIRECTOR ESPINOSA AS THE TWO [OVERLAPPING] ALL THREE? AND DIRECTOR ESPINOSA. YOU'LL SECOND TO THAT?
>> I DIDN'T MIND WAITING UNTIL NEXT YEAR,
[01:20:02]
BUT I'LL BE GLAD TO DO IT TO GET ALONG WITH THEM. THANK YOU.>> YOU SHOULD BE CALLING FOR THE VOTE.
>> DIRECTOR MORAN? I BELIEVE WE LOST HIM.
>> I'M PRETTY SURE HE'S GOING TO SAY AYE.
>> WE'RE PROMOTING HIM TO PANELISTS RIGHT NOW. DIRECTOR NAGY?
>> I'M SORRY, I LOST MY CONNECTION, BUT YES.
>> MAYBE [LAUGHTER] JOSE, IT'S YOU, JOSH AND RODRIGO.
THE THREE OF YOU WILL ALL BE REPRESENTATIVES ON THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.
>> YOU STILL WANT TO VOTE YES?
>> THAT APPROVES THE AMENDMENT.
>> THAT APPROVES THE AMENDMENT, BUT DIRECTOR MCDANIEL'S MOTION NOW REQUIRES A VOTE.
>> NO. BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS MOTION WAS TO AMEND YOUR MOTION, AND THAT WAS WHAT WAS APPROVED.
>> WE APPROVE THE AMENDMENT NOW WE HAVE TO. WE'LL GO AROUND AGAIN.
THE AMENDMENT NOW BEING APPROVED NOW, COFFERED QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU. DIRECTOR ESPINOSA.
IT'S AMENDING YOUR MOTION, SO YOUR MOTION IS THE MOTION WHICH IS VOTING OUT.
[LAUGHTER] THE PREVIOUS VOTE AMENDED THE MOTION, SO THE CURRENT MOTION IS TO APPOINT DIRECTORS ESPINOSA, MORAN, AND PEDROZO TO THE SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE.
>> MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU THREE.
THANK YOU FOR VOLUNTEERING FOR THIS.
[11. Discussion items]
WHICH IS OUR FIRST DISCUSSION ITEM, FISCAL YEAR 2023/24 BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEMBER AGENCY. STACY.THIS IS JUST AN ITEM TO CALL ATTENTION TO A MEMO THAT I SENT OUT TO THE JURISDICTIONS EARLIER, I THINK THIS MONTH.
TO SUMMARIZE THREE DECISIONS THIS BODY MADE AT SOME POINT IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT WILL AFFECT LOCAL OR MEMBER AGENCY BUDGETS.
SO THIS NONE OF THIS IS NEW INFORMATION.
JUST A REMINDER, THE MEMO IS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET ON PAGE 221.
I REVIEWED IT WITH THE TRB YESTERDAY AND ALSO AS I MENTIONED, SENT THE LETTER OUT BY EMAIL SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
SO JUST IN SUMMARY, THE THREE ITEMS THAT WE WANTED TO REMIND JURISDICTIONS TO PLAN FOR WHEN THEY'RE DEVELOPING THEIR LOCAL BUDGETS FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, ARE THE MEMBERS DUES INCREASE.
YOU SEE THAT THE TABLE THAT'S THERE AND THAT WAS DUE TO OUR NEWLY PROCURED FEDERAL CONTRACT AND ALSO THE ADDITION OF THE STATE SERVICES FOR LTF.
THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE EARLIER THIS YEAR BY THIS BODY WAS THAT THIS LAST ROUND THAT WE HAD AVAILABLE AT THE TRBS RECOMMENDATION THE BOARD DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND DISTRIBUTE THOSE FUNDS TO THE JURISDICTIONS FOR LOCAL STREETS AND ROADS, BUT FOR FUTURE YEARS TO GIVE THE JURISDICTIONS ONE YEAR TO PLAN AHEAD, TO NOT BE PREPARING TO RECEIVE THE STREETS AND ROAD MONEY, BUT TO DEVELOP POLICIES TO PULL THOSE DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO JURISDICTIONS AND HAVE ESSENTIALLY SOMETHING SIMILAR TO A CMAC PROGRAM WHERE THERE'S GOING TO BE PROJECT NOMINATIONS AND FUNDING ALLOCATION MADE AVAILABLE TO THE JURISDICTIONS FOR THEIR PROJECTS.
SO THAT PROGRAM IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED, THIS NOTE IS JUST A REMINDER TO NOT BUDGET AN ASSUMPTION OF DIRECT ALLOCATIONS, FORMULA ALLOCATIONS OF LDF FUNDING IN '23/'24.
AND THEN THE THIRD IS THE MULTI JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENTS AS YOU MAY RECALL, I'M SURE YOU DO BECAUSE WE JUST AWARDED THE CONTRACT.
BUT MCAG STEPPED INTO A NEW ROLE WITH THE CONTRACT THAT THE BOARD EXECUTED OR AUTHORIZED ME TO EXECUTE TO CONDUCT
[01:25:02]
THE MULTI JURISDICTIONAL HOUSING ELEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE JURISDICTIONS, AND THEY, MEANING THE JURISDICTION STAFF HELPED DEVELOP AND THIS BOARD APPROVED COST-SHARING AGREEMENT.MCAG IS NOT FUNDED, IT HAS ANY FUNDING SOURCE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO CONTRIBUTE TO A TASK LIKE THIS.
SO IT IS COMPLETELY FUNDED BY REVENUE RECEIVED THROUGH THE REGIONAL EARLY ACTION PLANNING OR THE REAP PROGRAM.
ABOUT 50% OR SO, THE REMAINING BALANCE BEING COVERED BY THE JURISDICTIONS.
WE WANTED TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE JURISDICTIONS WERE PLANNING FOR THEIR REMAINING BALANCE.
I WILL SAY FOR SOME OF YOU, SOME JURISDICTIONS HAVE REQUESTED TO GET THEIR BALANCED INVOICE TO THEM THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH WE'RE HAPPY TO DO.
THIS WAS REALLY JUST TO COMMUNICATE, NOT TO FORGET THAT THAT BALANCE NEEDED TO BE PAID IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE ANY REMINDERS OF ANY OF THE CONTEXTS THAT WENT BEHIND THESE DECISIONS.
QUESTIONS FOR STACY? [BACKGROUND]
>> AND I GOT YOU GUYS FROM CARDY BRACO AND NO BRUNO ANYWHERE.
I'LL HOPE YOU FIND YOUR WALLET.
[NOISE] IN THE ACTION OR ELSE'S INFORMATION ON THIS?
>> ELEVEN B. BRUNO MICHAEL, SO UPDATE ON OUR BROWN ACT, MEETING REQUIREMENTS. TELECOM.
>> FIRST OF ALL, APOLOGIES TO DIRECTOR MCDANIEL AND SILVEIRA.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK THEY'VE HEARD THIS SAME PRESENTATION.
THEY HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HEARING ME SPEAK ABOUT THIS AT THEIR YARDS GOVERNING BOARD MEETING EARLIER THIS WEEK.
SO HERE TODAY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE UPDATED LEGISLATION, AB2449 MARISSA, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AS A REMINDER, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THE AB361 REQUIREMENTS AS IT PERTAINS TO HOLDING TELECONFERENCING MEETINGS DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE COVID STATE OF EMERGENCY.
BUT AS THAT EXPIRES AT THE END OF THIS MONTH PER THE GOVERNOR, WE WILL BE MOVING ON TO UTILIZE THE ALLOWANCES UNDER AB2449.
NEXT SLIDE. THIS LEGISLATION WENT INTO EFFECT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.
IT OUTLINES ONGOING OPTIONS FOR TELECONFERENCING FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS FROM PRIVATE LOCATIONS.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN THE ABILITY TO TELECONFERENCE AND THOSE PARAMETERS STILL EXIST WHERE YOU COULD BE TELECONFERENCING FROM OTHER PUBLICLY NOTICED, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE PHYSICAL LOCATIONS.
BUT THIS NEW LEGISLATION ALLOWS FOR ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY.
SO IF A BOARD MEMBER WANTED TO SEEK TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY FROM A PRIVATE TELECONFERENCE LOCATION.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, HAVE AT LEAST A QUORUM OF THE BODY PARTICIPATE IN A SINGULAR PHYSICAL LOCATION.
I'M NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THIS BODY, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THESE GENERAL SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
MOST OF YOU ARE HERE IN THE ROOM TODAY, AND MOVING FORWARD, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR EXAMPLE, DIRECTOR MORON TO CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY LIKE HE'S DOING TODAY.
HOWEVER, IF WE DO THIS, THE PUBLIC MUST ALSO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE VIA A TWO-WAY TELECONFERENCE OPTIONS.
SO AGAIN, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A ZOOM LINK ON THE FRONT OF OUR AGENDAS LIKE WE'VE BEEN DOING.
THIS MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL, BUT YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PUBLIC AGENCIES THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT FLIPPING OUT ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO HYBRID MEETINGS.
BUT THIS BODY HAS FIGURED THAT OUT FOR SOME TIME, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO KEEP ON DOING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATION DOES PROVIDE THAT WE KEEP SOME OF THE SAME PERIMETERS OUTLINED IN 361, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CONNECTION IN THE TELECONFERENCE IS LOST AT ANYTIME, THE MEETING HAS TO BE STOPPED UNTIL THAT CONNECTION IS RESTORED.
AND WE CANNOT REQUIRE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT BE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO, BUT IT CANNOT BE A REQUIREMENT. NEXT SLIDE.
IF A BOARD MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY STARTING NEXT MONTH, THEY MUST NOTIFY THIS BODY AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY WISH TO DO SO.
BUT THEY HAVE TO SPECIFY WHETHER THEY ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, EITHER FOR NUMBER 1, JUST CAUSE, OR DUE TO EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES.
AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THOSE MEANS IN JUST A MOMENT.
IN ANY CASE, THE MEMBER MUST DISCLOSE PUBLICLY WHAT ADULTS ARE IN THE ROOM WITH THEM,
[01:30:01]
IF ANY, AND THE GENERAL NATURE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PERSON, IF IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER OR A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE, ETC.THE MEMBER MUST ALSO PARTICIPATE THROUGH BOTH AUDIO AND VISUAL MEANS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE GOT TO HAVE THEIR CAMERA ON AT ALL TIMES, THEY CAN'T JUST CALL IN FROM A TELEPHONE.
THE MEMBER MAY NOT PARTICIPATE REMOTELY FOR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE MORE THAN THREE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS OF THE CALENDAR YEAR OR MORE THAN 20% OF THE REGULAR MEETINGS IN A CALENDAR YEAR, AND FOR WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MCAG, SINCE THIS IS A MONTHLY MEETING, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS MORE THAN TWO TIMES A YEAR SO YOU REALLY HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT THIS AS ONLY PARTICIPATING REMOTELY UNDER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT JUST CAUSE MEANS.
THE LEGISLATION DEFINES THIS AND FOR VERY SPECIFIC CATEGORIES.
THE FIRST IS A CARE-GIVING NEEDS OF A CHILD, PARENT, GRANDPARENT, GRANDCHILD, SIBLING, OR PARTNER, A CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS.
A NEED THAT YOU MAY HAVE RELATED TO A PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITY WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM PARTICIPATING IN PERSON AND TRAVEL WHILE ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS OF THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OR ANOTHER STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY.
WE KNOW ALL OF YOU CONSTANTLY TRAVEL BECAUSE YOU'RE ON BUSINESS OF THE CITY OR THE COUNTY.
AND THAT WOULD CERTAINLY QUALIFY FOR PARTICIPATING REMOTELY FOR JUST CAUSE.
AGAIN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE, ONE OF THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES, CAN'T DO THIS FOR MORE THAN TWO MEETINGS IN A CALENDAR YEAR.
AND YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO NOTIFY US AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
NEXT SLIDE. EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE DEFINITION OF THIS AS OUTLINED AS ANY PHYSICAL OR MEDICAL EMERGENCY THAT PREVENTS YOUR IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT EMERGENCY IS, ALTHOUGH IN THAT DESCRIPTION, YOU DO NOT NEED TO DISCLOSE ANY DIAGNOSIS OR PERSONAL MEDICAL INFORMATION.
YOU MUST PROVIDE, FOR A SEPARATE REQUEST IN EACH INSTANCE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND JUST CAUSE, JUST CAUSE IS JUST A NOTIFICATION.
THIS REQUIRES AN ACTION OF THE BODY.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO POST THIS ON THE AGENDA.
IF YOU KNEW ABOUT THE EMERGENCY WITH ENOUGH NOTICE THAT WE COULD GET IT ON THE AGENDA HOWEVER, THE LEGISLATION DOES SPELL OUT THAT YOU CAN TAKE ACTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING IF THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TIME TO PLACE IT ON THE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE SO HAPPY TO TAKE AND THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM, THIS IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
I THINK THE GENERAL TAKEAWAY IS WE'RE GOING TO DO BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR THIS BODY.
WE ASK FOR, AS MUCH NOTICE AS YOU COULD GIVE US IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY, THAT YOU SPECIFY WHAT CATEGORY YOU'RE GOING TO PARTICIPATE UNDER, AND THAT YOU'LL START TO SEE NEXT MONTH IN YOUR PACKET.
AN ATTENDANCE TRACKER WHERE WE CAN TRACK WHO'S PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY AND UNDER WHAT PURVIEW OF THE LEGISLATION.
SO THAT JUST FOR FULL PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY, PEOPLE CAN SEE HOW MANY TIMES A YEAR PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING VIRTUALLY.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? [LAUGHTER]
>> I KNOW WE DISCUSSED IT AT OUR LAST, HOW MANY DAYS WOULD STAFF PREFER? I KNOW IT SAYS REASONABLY POSSIBLE.
I THINK WE COULD GO FURTHER THAN THAT AS A BOARD IS IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOR JUST CAUSE, YOU WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THAT NOTICE X AMOUNT OF DAYS IN ADVANCE AND NOT THE MORNING OF THE MEETING.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PREFERENCE?
>> OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MIGHT THINK OTHERWISE.
WE USUALLY TRY TO GET OUT THE BOARD PACKET THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE MEETING.
I WOULD SAY 10 DAYS, TWO WEEKS IS GREAT.
TEN DAYS WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO ADJUST TO WHATEVER WE NEED TO.
IN THE EVENT SOMETHING HAS TO BE CHANGED ABOUT THE AGENDA.
IT WOULD REQUIRE WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SO THAT THAT WOULDN'T BE THE CASE IF WE HAVE A ZOOM OPTION, BUT JUST TO BE SAFE, IF IT BLEW SOMETHING UP ON THE AGENDA THAT WE HAD TO CHANGE, 10 DAYS WOULD GIVE US THAT ABILITY.
>> THEN SECONDLY, COULD YOU REMIND ME, COUNSEL, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A QUORUM? I KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION IS, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE NEED TO HAVE TO HAVE A QUORUM?
>> ITS SIX. OKAY. I KNOW THERE'S ONE IN PARTICULAR AND WE'RE BEST DESCRIBED NOT TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS AROUND WHEN WE'RE AT THE CSAC ANNUAL MEETING BECAUSE TYPICALLY ALL FIVE OF US GO, AND IF ALL FIVE OF US WERE TO DO THAT OPTION WHERE WE ZOOMED INTO THE MEETING THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO BE HERE.
IF NOT, WE COULDN'T HAVE IT ANYWAY.
I JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND I THINK STACY, YOU COULD CHECK WITH DALIA, AND SHE'D BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATES.
>> ANYONE ELSE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS, INFORMATION ONLY?
[01:35:01]
>> ALL RIGHT. TAKES US TO ITEM 13A,
[13. Discussion items]
WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE BUS FLEET PURCHASES. STACY?>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I AM GOING TO DO MY BEST TO MAKE THIS MAKES SENSE.
BEAR WITH ME BECAUSE IT'S A LOT.
I KNOW BUT IT'S A LOT. IT'S IMPORTANT.
I WANT YOU ALL TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AFTER OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT DEGENERATE CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION LAST MONTH.
WE HAD REQUESTED BOARD AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE EIGHT FULL-SIZE BUSES AS PART OF TJPAS FLEET REPLACEMENT PLAN, AND WE HAD SEVERAL BOARD MEMBERS THAT EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER OUR RIDERSHIP SUPPORTED THE NEED FOR THE LARGER BUSES.
ULTIMATELY AND SOMETHING I GREATLY APPRECIATED WAS GETTING THE COMPETENCE AND THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD TO AFTER SOME ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS THAT WE DISCUSSED, THAT WE WOULD DO THAT THE BOARD DIRECTION WAS THAT I HAD THE AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THE APPROPRIATE VEHICLE SIZE AFTER THIS ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION.
I WANT TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE SUMMARY OF THAT ANALYSIS, WHICH IS I DON'T THINK I CAN FIT A SINGLE DETAIL MORE ON THIS SLIDE.
BUT WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT THAT DATA LOOKED LIKE, WHAT KINDS OF CONSIDERATIONS WERE MADE, AND I DO JUST WANT TO JUMP OUT FRONT WITH THE CONCLUSION AND THEN WALK THROUGH HOW WE GOT THERE.
THE ORIGINAL REQUEST LAST MONTH WAS A $5.3 MILLION DOLLAR AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE FOUR 35 FOOT WHAT YOU SEE HERE AS LOW FLOOR DIESEL, REFER TO THEM AS THE DIESEL BUSES.
FOUR 35 FOOT AND FOUR 29 FOOT DIESEL BUSES.
AFTER WE WENT THROUGH THIS, REALLY WENT THROUGH THIS ANALYSIS AT A LEVEL THAT WE HADN'T BEFORE CONSULTED OUR COLLEAGUES OUR CONTRACTORS WITH FIRST TRANSIT WHO ARE HERE AS WELL.
THE DECISION WAS TO MOVE ALL EIGHT OF THOSE PURCHASES TO THE 29 FOOT DIESEL BUSES, WHICH IS THE SMALLEST OF THE DIESEL BUS FLEET OPTIONS THAT WE HAD.
THAT DID MOVE THE PO PRICE FROM A 5.3 MILLION TO 5.2 MILLION.
WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
I THINK JUST IN SUMMARY, KICKING IT OFF TO SET THE FRAMEWORK IS OUR FLEET IS COMPRISED OF TWO BUS TYPES, AND THEN AS YOU CAN ALREADY SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIATIONS AMONG THOSE TYPES.
THE DARKER THE TOP HALF, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DARKER OF A GREEN.
THOSE ARE THE BUSES YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE 24 THAT WE HAVE IN OUR FLEET, WHAT I THINK YOU WOULD CONSIDER A FULL-SIZE BUS.
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ALWAYS OBVIOUS WHEN YOU SEE THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE A 40 FOOT DIESEL BUS AND WE CAN HAVE A 29 FOOT DIESEL BUS.
THEN THE SECOND TYPE ARE WHAT WE OFTEN CALL CUTAWAYS.
THEY'RE CUTAWAY VANS, SHUTTLE BUSES, PARA TRANSIT, MICRO TRANSIT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
THAT'S THE BUS ON THE RIGHT OR THAT'S ONE TYPE OF ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT TYPE OF A BUS, AND WE HAVE 42 OF THOSE IN OUR FLEET IN VARIETY OF SIZES AND CONFIGURATIONS, AND THEN AS I MENTIONED, WE HAVE 24 OF THE DIESEL BUSES, THOSE 42 BUSES THAT ARE THE MICRO TRANSIT, PARA TRANSIT CUTAWAY BUSES ARE GASOLINE.
THEY'RE DIFFERENT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THE TABLE IS DIVIDED THAT WAY YOU SEE THOSE DARKER GREEN OPTIONS FOR THE DIESEL BUSES AND THE LIGHTER GREEN OPTIONS FOR THE CUTAWAY GASOLINE BUSES THAT ARE PRIMARILY ON OUR MICRO TRANSIT AND FIXED TRANSIT ROUTES.
I MENTIONED THE NUMBERS 36 ARE LOW FLOORED, THE DIESEL BUSES COMPRISE OF 30, ROUGHLY 36 PERCENT OF OUR FLEET.
WE OPERATE ABOUT 1.7 MILES ON OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE A YEAR, 1.7 MILLION MILES.
I DON'T KNOW IF I JUST SAID 1.7 MILES, LITTLE MORE THAN THAT.
1.7 MILLION MILES A YEAR WITH OUR FIXED ROUTE SERVICES.
WITH THESE DIESEL BUSES, 64 PERCENT OF OUR FLEET ARE THE CUTAWAY VANS THAT WE USE FOR, AS I MENTIONED, THE PARA TRANSIT AND MICRO TRANSIT SERVICES, WHICH IS ABOUT 33,000 MILES A YEAR.
LET'S WALK THROUGH WHAT THIS TABLE LOOKS LIKE.
STARTING WITH THE FAR LEFT, YOU SEE THE VEHICLE TYPE.
I'VE ALREADY WALKED THROUGH HOW THOSE ARE THE DIESEL LARGER BUSES AND THE CUTAWAY SMALLER BUSES.
MOVING OUT TO THE RIGHT FROM THERE, INDICATES WHAT THEY'RE DESIGNED FOR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DIESEL BUSES ARE DESIGNED FOR THE FIXED ROUTE.
THE LONGER, MORE SUSTAINED SERVICE STOP-AND-GO SERVICE
[01:40:01]
AND THE SMALLER CUTAWAY GAS VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED FOR DESTINATION TRIPS AND THEN STOP AND WAIT AND RUN A PARA TRANSIT ROUTE AND THERE'S DOWNTIME IN-BETWEEN.IT'S FOR THE ON-DEMAND OR DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICES.
THE NUMBER THAT'S REPRESENTED IS THE NUMBER OF SEAT OPTIONS.
IT DEPENDS ON THE CONFIGURATION, BUT THE SEAT OPTIONS THERE FOR EACH OF THE VEHICLE TYPES.
THEY ALSO HAVE CAPACITIES FOR STANDING PASSENGERS.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE PARENTHETICALLY NOTED AND THEN ALSO THE WHEELCHAIR POSITIONS THAT GO ARE IN THE COLUMN NEXT TO THAT.
OF COURSE, THOSE NUMBERS CAN BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE THOSE ARE DIFFERENT CONFIGURATION CHOICES, BUT IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA, AND THEN OF COURSE, NOTING THAT FOR THE PARA TRANSIT, MICRO TRANSIT VEHICLES, BECAUSE THOSE ARE TYPICALLY ON A PARA TRANSIT TYPE ROUTE, THERE IS A HIGHER CONSIDERATION FOR ADDITIONAL WHEELCHAIR POSITIONS, BUT ALL OF OUR BUSES ARE ADA COMPLIANT.
THEN MOVING OUT TO THE RIGHT, THEN IT STARTS TALKING ABOUT THE USEFUL LIFE.
IT'S THE LENGTH OF TIME OR THE MILEAGE WHERE A BUS IS CONSIDERED.
THAT'S WHAT THE EXPECTED USEFUL LIFE OF THAT VEHICLE IS.
FOR ALL OF THOSE BUSES ON THE DIESEL YOU'RE LOOKING AT 12 YEARS, 500,000 MILES, AND THEN FOR THE GASOLINE CUTAWAYS THAT'S SEVEN YEARS, 200,000 MILES AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE SMALL VAN, YOU GET AN EXTRA YEAR OUT OF IT.
THEN MOVING OUT FROM THERE IS A PURCHASE PRICE.
I DID NOTE FOR THE LOW FLOOR DIESEL TO 40 FOOTER THAT RIGHT NOW WHEN WE ARE HAVING TO START PLANNING FOR AND STARTING TO PURCHASE AND PROCURE A LOW BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES.
THOSE ARE ONLY AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME IN THE 40 FOOT VEHICLE SIZE AND THEY ARE $1.2 MILLION A PIECE.
I NOTED THAT IN THERE, BUT FOR THE CALCULATIONS THAT I DID, I INCLUDED THE DIESEL BUS.
FROM THE RIGHT THERE IS THE PRICE PER MILE. THAT'S AN AVERAGE.
WE DID CALCULATE THIS FOR EVERY SINGLE BUS PRICE AND IT WAS JUST PENNIES OF A DIFFERENCE.
WE JUST TOOK AN AVERAGE THERE THAT'S BASICALLY TAKING THE BUS PRICE OVER THE USEFUL MILES NUMBER, AND THEN THE COSTS FOR MAINTENANCE PER MILE IS ALSO AN AVERAGE.
AGAIN, THOSE FIGURES WERE NOT VERY DIFFERENT, SO IT JUST MADE SENSE TO TAKE THAT AVERAGE, AND THEN IF YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER, YOU'RE GETTING A TOTAL COST FOR THAT VEHICLE PER MILE.
AGAIN, BASED ON THE USEFUL LIFE AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, ALMOST TO THE FAR RIGHT, IS HOW MANY WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN OUR FLEET.
THEN A COUPLE OF KEY DIFFERENCES THAT I'LL WALK THROUGH.
JUST WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH HOW TO READ THIS.
I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH, YOU CAN READ THE NUMBERS, YOU CAN SEE.
I THINK I WOULD REALLY FOCUS ON WHERE THE ANALYSIS LED US.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PURCHASE PRICE OVER THE USEFUL LIFE MILES, THE AVERAGE PRICE PER MILE FOR MAINTENANCE, ALL OF THAT COMBINED FOR THOSE DIESEL VEHICLES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COST OF A DOLLAR 68 A MILE OVER THE LIFE OF THAT VEHICLE.
IF YOU DO THE SAME CONSIDERATION FOR THE CUTAWAY VANS ON THE LOWER END YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT BEING TWO DOLLARS AND $0.16 PER MILE OVER THE LIFE OF THAT VEHICLE.
THAT IS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
SOME OF THOSE ARE IN THE KEY DIFFERENT SECTION, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THEM AND I HAVE ACTUAL EXPERTS IN THE ROOM THAT CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THEY CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS A LOT BETTER THAN I CAN.
IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP ON THE STICKER PRICE OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE VEHICLE.
BUT WHAT IS NOTABLE IS THAT THOSE LARGER BUSES ARE CHEAPER TO MAINTAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE BUILT FOR THOSE FIXED ROUTE SERVICES.
THEY'RE BUILT FOR LONG OPERATING HOURS, STOP AND GO.
THAT IS REQUIRED FOR A FIXED ROUTE.
THERE SUSPENSIONS OR TRANSMISSION, THE FRAME, ALL OF THAT IS MADE FOR THAT HIGHER WEAR AND TEAR TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WILL BE INCURRED IN A FIXED ROUTE.
THE SMALLER CUTAWAY OF VEHICLES, GASOLINE VEHICLES AREN'T DESIGNED IN THE SAME WAY.
THEY AREN'T DESIGNED FOR THAT STOP AND GO.
THEY'RE DESIGNED, LIKE I SAID, FOR THAT DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICE, THE SHORT TRIPS WITH DOWNTIME.
THE CABS, SUSPENSION, THE CHASSIS, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLES WITH A BUS FRAME, BUS SHELL PUT ON TOP OF THAT.
THEY'RE PRONE TO NEEDING MORE SERVICE.
[01:45:02]
THEY'RE HARDER TO MAINTAIN.THEY OFTEN WILL NEED ENGINE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENTS BEFORE THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
THEY ARE PRONE TO HAVING CRACK FRAMES BECAUSE OF JUST THE ONGOING WEAR AND TEAR ON OUR ROADS.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME THAT HAVE BEEN WELDED BACK TO KEEP THEM IN SERVICE.
THEY'RE JUST A LITTLE MORE DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN AND MORE PRONE TO NEEDING THE MAINTENANCE.
ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACT, AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR, IS THAT DIESEL BUSES ARE SAFER IN ACCIDENTS.
THAT'S DUE TO THEIR STEEL CHASSIS AND BUILT-IN CRASH BARRIER.
THEY'RE ALSO FOR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE, IT'S IMPORTANT, THEY ALLOW FOR QUICKER PASSENGER.
I KNOW THESE AREN'T THE TECHNICAL INDUSTRY TERMS AND I FEEL LIKE OUR TEAM CRINGES WHEN I SAY THIS ONBOARDING AND OFF BOARDING.
BUT FOR FIXED DROUGHT, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
YOU'RE MOVING THROUGH A SCHEDULE.
THE DIESEL BUSES HAVE RAMPS INSTEAD OF LIFTS, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE SMALLER BUSES THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR MORE WHEELCHAIR PASSENGERS, THERE'S AN ELECTRIC LIFTS SYSTEM, A HYDRAULIC LIFT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY IT IS.
IT'S A LIFT TO LIFT THE WHEELCHAIRS.
THEN ALSO, AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A REASON TO PURCHASE A LARGER DIESEL BUS.
BUT IT CERTAINLY IS HELPFUL, AS WE JUST RECENTLY SAW, THAT THEY CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE FOR EMERGENCY USES, AND THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON WHEN COMMUNITIES, AND WE SEE IT ACROSS OUR TRANSIT PARTNERS WHEN THERE ARE COMMUNITY EMERGENCIES THAT TRANSIT VEHICLES ARE OFTEN BROUGHT IN FOR RESPONSES AND WHATNOT.
LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION ABOUT MAINTENANCE COSTS AND USEFUL LIFE.
THE OTHER THING ABOUT THE DIESEL BUSES THAT ISN'T BUILT INTO THIS CALCULATION, BUT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IS THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR IT'S CALLED A MIDLIFE REHAB, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN ESSENTIALLY FOR 80,000 TO $100,000 BE REPLACING AN ENGINE OR A TRANSMISSION WHEN THEY GET TO THAT HALF OF LIFE MARK.
THAT WILL EXTEND THEIR USEFUL LIFE UP TO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL 12 YEARS ROUGHLY. THEY'LL CORRECT.
YOU GUYS CAN COME UP AND CORRECT ME.
BUT IT GET MORE OF THE USEFUL LIFE FROM THAT VEHICLE.
IT ALSO THEN RESETS THAT WARRANTY AS WELL.
THAT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THE SMALLER VEHICLES.
I KNOW I'M TURNING MY BACK TO ALL MY BOARD MEMBERS OVER HERE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST BREAK DOWN ALL OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN LOOKING AT WHAT IS THE RIGHT VEHICLE TYPE FOR THE SERVICE THAT WE OPERATE.
I WILL SAY THAT I APPRECIATED THE DISCUSSION LAST MONTH BECAUSE THIS EXERCISE WAS VERY HELPFUL FOR ME.
I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OUR TEAM AT FIRST TRANSIT, AND NAV, AND OUR TRANSIT STAFF THAT WE DON'T FORESEE A NEED WITH OUR RIDERSHIP TO BE IN THAT 40 FOOT, OR EVEN THE 35, OR EVEN THE 32 FOOT DIESEL BUS.
THE 29 IS A ONE-FOOT BIGGER THAN THE SMALLEST OR THE LARGEST CUTAWAY VAN.
WHILE IT IS STILL CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE, THE MAINTENANCE SAFETY, OR ONCE YOU CALCULATE IT OUT IT, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT, BUT THE PURCHASE PRICES IS CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPENSIVE.
BUT THE PERFORMANCE ISSUES, THE SAFETY ISSUES, THE LONGER LIFE, THE MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATIONS MAKE IT A BETTER FIT FOR OUR FIXED DROUGHT SERVICES.
NOT FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES, JUST FOR FIXED DROUGHTS.
IT'S MY INTENTION AFTER THIS ANALYSIS THAT AS WE LOOK AT OUR FLEET REPLACEMENT, ANYTIME THERE IS A JUSTIFICATION IN A NEED TO REPLACE ONE OF OUR DIESEL VEHICLES TO KEEP IT IN THAT 29 FOOT BUS SIZE.
THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO PRESENT, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR TEAM FROM FIRST TRANSIT.
YOU ALL HAVE MET SERENITY ANDERSON.
THE WHOLE TEAM HAS JUST BEEN FANTASTIC.
SCOTT HANSON, WHO IS FIRST TRANSITS REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR MAINTENANCE FOR THE WEST REGION, AND RON FRANCIS, THE MAINTENANCE MANAGER HERE.
THEY ARE A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, AND I THOUGHT ASIDE FROM THE FINANCIAL ASPECT, ANY OF THE CONVERSATION, OR THE QUESTIONS AROUND THE ACTUAL VEHICLES OR MAINTENANCE, THESE ARE YOUR FOLKS.
>> THANK YOU SUSAN. DIRECTOR ESPINOSA.
>> WELL, I HAD A QUESTION REGARDING ON THE ELECTRIC.
BY WHEN DO WE HAVE TO BE CHANGING OVER COMPLETELY, OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE FLEET NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OVER BY THE YEARS?
>> I'M GOING TO LOOK AT JOSE AND NAV, AND I KNOW THAT IT IS A PERCENTAGE A QUARTER OF OUR PROCUREMENTS HAVE TO BE READ FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES BY 24.
[01:50:03]
I WASN'T SAY FIVE. I STARTED WITH THAT, LEAD ME IN 24.A QUARTER OF THE NEW BUSES THAT WE PROCURE STARTING IN 2024 HAVE TO BE BATTERY ELECTRIC.
THAT INCREASES, AND A FULL ELECTRIFICATION HAS TO BE 2040.
DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? GOOD. THAT'S THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO IS QUITE FRANKLY GET AS MANY DIESEL VEHICLE REPLACEMENTS AS WE CAN BEFORE THOSE TRIGGERS.
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THAT THE COST OF THOSE BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES IS CONSIDERABLY HIGHER.
>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO RECOMMEND.
BECAUSE THEY'RE A LOT CHEAPER.
IF WE CAN BUY MORE AND THEN ACTUALLY THE FIRST ELECTRIC ONES ARE GOING TO HAVE THE HASH OUT ALL THE ISSUES THAT THE FIRST ONE IS COMES.
>> HOPEFULLY PEOPLE BUY THOSE.
>> WE WILL BE RECEIVING OUR FIRST ELECTRIC BUSES IN 2023.
BUT IT IS THE TEST CASE FOR US. WE'LL HAVE A FEW.
WE'RE STILL GOING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS ON HOW MANY AND WHAT TYPE ON WHAT SERVICES.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO TRY A COUPLE.
WE WILL SECURE GRANTS FOR THOSE PURCHASES.
ONE OF IN FACT WAS WHEN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF MERCED FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT FOR UBS STREET PROJECT.
WE'RE TIPPING OUR TOE IN THE WATER, BUT WE AREN'T JUMPING IN ALL THE WAY.
>> THAT WAS ALL FOR ME. THANK YOU.
>> ANYBODY ELSE GOT [BACKGROUND] ANY MORE QUESTIONS?
>> IF I'M DOING YOUR MATH RIGHT, WITH THESE NUMBERS ON THE CUTAWAYS, YOU'RE TELLING ME WE'RE SPENDING 35,000 A YEAR PER VEHICLE AND MAINTENANCE COST? IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
>> YES. [NOISE] I WILL INVITE OUR FIRST TRANSIT FOLKS OR NAV TO COME, ANYONE ELSE?
>> YES. I TOOK THE 200,000, DIVIDED IT BY SEVEN.
THAT COMES OUT TO 28,500 MILES A YEAR THAT THEY'LL DRIVE.
TIMES $1.19 A MILE IS 34,000 A VEHICLE.
>> CORRECT. THAT'S PREVENTED TO ME AS LIKE ALL CHANGE BRAKE PADS, TIRES, SUSPENSION, AND ALL THAT.
THAT'S PART OF THE COST PER BUS.
OUR BUDGET ITEM FOR MAINTENANCE IS AROUND $1.3 MILLION A YEAR.
>> THAT'S FOR THE ENTIRE FLEET FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT OR ANY OF THE BIG ITEMS.
>> IF YOU TAKE JUST THE 1.19 TIMES A 28,500, THAT'S 1.4 MILLION.
HOW COULD YOU SPEND 1.4 MILLION ON 42 BUSES, AND THE REST WERE MAINTENANCE FREE?
>> DIRECT REPAIR, SO THE 28 BUSES ARE NOT OPERATING THAT 1.7 MILLION MILES.
ONE OF THE CORRECTIONS, SORRY TO THIS.
>> THOSE PAIR TRANSIT BUSES IS ABOUT 308,000 MILES A YEAR.
GO AHEAD BUT FIRST, WE SPEND ABOUT $1.3 MILLION BUT THAT'S A YEAR, BUT THAT'S INCLUDING ALL CHANGES.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR ENGINES AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOUR 200K INTERVAL ON HERE.
YOUR VEHICLES WILL HIT THAT REALLY QUICK.
YES, IT'S A SEVEN YEAR, 200,000 MILES, BUT PER YEAR, DIFFERENTIALS, TRANSMISSIONS, ENGINE OVERHAULS, HEATING AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS. WE ALL KNOW THE HEAT COMES OUT HERE AND THOSE SYSTEMS ON THOSE VEHICLES ARE NOT SET UP AND DESIGNED AS THE HEAVY FIXTURE OUR VEHICLES ARE AND THEY CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT, AND THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE.
SOME OF THE OLDER CUTAWAYS HERE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE ARE, I THINK IT'S [BACKGROUND] 26.
REALLY, THE OLDER CHEVYS ARE NO LONGER AROUND.
YOU CAN'T GET PARTS FROM, THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO GET PARTS FROM, AND WHEN YOU DO GET PARTS, THEY ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE.
I FORTUNATELY, AS A COMPANY, FIRST TRANSIT, WE HAVE A PARKS COMMISSION CENTER WHICH WE UTILIZE TO KEEP THESE BUSES ON THE ROAD.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, IS THE EXPENSE OF THE PARKS.
>> THAT ON-SITE LABOR AS WELL, MAINTAIN THE ON-SITE LABOR.
>> WE HAVE A WELDER ACTUALLY ON-CALL.
WITH THESE BUSES, I KNOW RON LOSES SUSPENSIONS OUT OF THE TRANSIT CENTERS.
WE DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER WITH PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, BUT THERE ARE SOME UNFORESEEN THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T PREDICT.
[01:55:03]
I GET THAT. ONE QUESTION WOULD BE AS WHY GAS AND NOT DIESEL ON THE CUTAWAYS.BUT BEYOND THAT, THE MATH JUST DOESN'T ADD UP.
YOU'RE TELLING ME WE'RE SPENDING $1.3 MILLION A YEAR ON VEHICLE MAINTENANCE.
WELL, IF WE HAVE 200,000 MILES A YEAR DIVIDED BY SEVEN YEARS, THAT'S 28,500 MILES A YEAR, TIMES $1.19 A MILE TIMES 42 BUSES COMES OUT TO 1.4 MILLION.
IT'S WHICHEVER COMES FIRST AND WE'RE REACHING 200,000 BEFORE THE SEVEN YEAR MARK.
THE FTA GUIDELINE IS 200,000 MILES OR SEVEN YEARS.
BUT WE'RE REACHING 200,000 MILES BEFORE THE SEVEN YEARS.
YOU CAN'T TAKE THE MILEAGE EQUALLY ACROSS THE SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T LASTING THE SEVEN YEARS.
>> THE MILEAGE PER YEAR IS HIGHER SO THEN THE 1.4 MILLION IS EVEN HIGHER.
WHICH TELLS ME THAT YOU CAN'T SPEND MORE ON 42 BUSES THAN YOU'RE SPENDING ON ALL 66 BUSES.
ANYWAYS, I'M NOT GOING TO GO ON ANYMORE, BUT THE MATH JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
MAYBE THE MATH IS I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING IT.
HE SAYS THAT [OVERLAPPING] THEY DON'T KNOW.
>> I GOT [OVERLAPPING] ON MATH.
IF YOU SAY 1.3 MILLION IS WHAT YOU'RE SPENDING ON MAINTENANCE ACROSS ALL THE BUSES, AND YOU GOT 66 BUSES, THAT WORKS OUT TO 19,696.
DOES THAT SEEM ABOUT RIGHT TO YOU?
>> I APOLOGIZE FOR YOU'RE CORRECT.
WE ALSO PAY A MAINTENANCE COST TO FIRST TRANSIT TO MAINTAIN THOSE BUSES.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION OF THE CONTRACT.
I DON'T WANT TO MISSPEAK, BUT THERE'S A PART OF THE CONTRACT THAT THERE IS OPERATIONAL CHARGES AND THERE'S MAINTENANCE COSTS THAT WE CAN PAY FIRST TRANSIT FOR.
THAT $1.3 MILLION IS FOR PARTS ONLY, AND I DO APOLOGIZE.
>> I'M NOT AS FRUSTRATED AS I WAS. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'LL FIX YOUR BUSES OTHER YOU GET, THE MATH. [LAUGHTER]
>> HE WORKS SO HARD ON THIS, [INAUDIBLE] HOW DID WE GET THAT WRONG.
>> I'LL SEND YOU AN EMAIL TO BREAK DOWN THE COST WHERE WE PAY FIRST TRANSIT TO DO THEIR SERVICES AND THEN THAT 1.3 IS JUST PARTS. I DO APOLOGIZE.
>> IF I MAY, WITH A FIX OUR PARTS, SHE'S RIGHT.
WHEN YOU COME TO THE MIDLIVES, YOU'RE GOING TO MIDLIFE THOSE AT ABOUT 250 K. YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THE MILEAGE BEFORE YOU HIT THE YEARS.
YOU'RE GOING TO THROW YOUR BUS AWAY AT 200,000 MILES, WHICH IS YOUR SMALLER CUTAWAY BUSES.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MIDLIFE THESE AND EXTEND THEM ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS.
>> RUN THAT. WHEN YOU GET TO 250,000.
>> ON YOUR HEAVY FIXED OUT VEHICLES THEN YOU WOULD MIDLIFE THEM.
>> THIS IS SAYING IN THEORY, THAT'S AT SIX YEARS?
>> YEAH. IN THEORY BUT NINE TIMES OUT OF 10, AND I'M TELLING YOU FROM EXPERIENCE, YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THE MILEAGE BEFORE YOU HIT THE YEARS.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE AREA YOU OPERATE IN HERE, YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THE MILES.
>> AT LEAST FOR ME, AND JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER ONE OF THE CUTAWAY BUSES AGAIN AND I WOULD ONLY BUY THE 29 INCH DIESEL BUS. I KNOW IT'S BIGGER. [OVERLAPPING]
>> AND FROM MY MAINTENANCE POINT AS A DIRECTOR, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
>> WELL, IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND THE MAINTENANCE COST, DIVIDE THAT OUT AND IT'S 650,000, IF IT WAS ME, I'D PROBABLY BUY THE 32 FOOT ONE JUST BECAUSE IT ONLY COST 10,000 TO GET THREE EXTRA FEET.
BUT ANYHOW [LAUGHTER] AND I KNOW WE DON'T WANT BUSES RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD THAT ARE FULL.
>> BUT THE CUTAWAY BUSES JUST SEEM LIKE THEY'RE LOSING PROPOSITION.
>> THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS DUTY CYCLE THEY'RE RUNNING IN.
THEY'RE DEMAND SERVICE VEHICLE.
YOU CALL UP, I NEED A RIDE TO GO TO THE MED CENTER.
YOU GET PICKED UP, YOU GO THERE.
THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS ARE NOT, WITH ALL THE MOBILITY VICES OUT TODAY, THAT A LOT OF THEM EXCEED THE WEIGHT LIMITS ON THOSE PARTICULAR VEHICLES AND THE ONES THAT DON'T, THEY'RE RIGHT ON THE EDGE.
IT TEARS THE SUSPENSION UP ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE.
>> TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND ON THE ROAD.
>> I DID, JUST I DON'T KNOW IF WE CLICKED THROUGH THEM.
BUT IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE ME ONE CLICK THROUGH, JUST ONE.
THE BUSES NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE EIGHT, THAT NOW WILL BE 29 FOOT ARE GOING TO REPLACE, SO WE HAVE 21 OF THE CUTAWAY BUSES, THE 28 FOOT, EIGHT OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED NOW WITH 829 FOOT DIESELS.
FOOT, BIGGER, LITTLE MORE SPACE, A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE ON THE UPFRONT,
[02:00:02]
BUT THE BENEFITS ON PERFORMANCE AND LONG LIFE AND EVERYTHING ARE MAXIMIZED.I REALLY SEE THAT BEING OUR TREND MOVING FORWARD.
>> I JUST APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, THANK YOU.
>> I LEARNED A LOT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'LL BE STEPPING OUT. I GOT ANOTHER IMPORTANT MEETING [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU.
>> HOW DO THE WHEELS ON A BUS MOVE?
>> ACTUALLY LIKE THIS. [LAUGHTER]
>> MOVING UP. ANYTHING ELSE? NO DIRECTION?
>> INFORMATION ONLY. THANK YOU ALL. THANKS FOR A GOOD DISCUSSION.
[15. Discussion items]
15A, MORE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS FOR MEMORY AGENCIES THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE RWA.>> I PROMISE THIS ITEM IS NOT LIKE THE LAST ONE IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH I HAVE, THIS IS ONLY ONE SLIDE.
SIMILAR TO THE MCAG ITEM, THIS IS AGAIN A SLIDE IN A MEMO THAT I PUT TOGETHER AND SENT OUT TO THE JURISDICTIONS.
AGAIN, JUST BRINGING ATTENTION TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE KEPT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN BUDGETS ARE BEING DEVELOPED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KEEPING THESE THREE THINGS SEPARATE IN OUR MINDS AND IN THE WAY WE'RE DISCUSSING THEM.
THE FIRST IS THE EXISTING RECYCLABLES CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE A RECYCLABLES TRANSPORTATION AND PROCESSING CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE WITH CARTS.
THAT IS IN THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE, WHICH ACTUALLY THE INCREASE WAS DEFERRED TO THIS YEAR, BUT IN THAT CONTRACT LANGUAGE, THERE IS A SCHEDULED INCREASE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE TO BE GOING INTO EFFECT JULY 1, FROM $64.95 A TON TO $68.72 A TON.
THOSE EFFECT THE HAULERS FOR THE CITY OF MERCED THEN MERCED COUNTY ON THE EAST SIDE, AND THE CITY OF ATWATER.
THEN THE SECOND IS THE ORGANICS DBO, THE DESIGN BUILD OPERATE CONTRACT.
THAT'S THE RESPONSE THE FACILITY OR THE RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH WITH THE JURISDICTIONS TO HAVE ORGANICS TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE YOUR ORGANICS AT THE HIGHWAY 59 LANDFILL.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION AT THIS BOARD WITH THE TRB.
STAFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED ACROSS THE JURISDICTIONS IN SELECTING THIS VENDOR.
THE CONTRACT FOR THIS DESIGN BUILD OPERATE CONTRACT WITH AGREEMENT WILL COME BEFORE YOU NEXT MONTH IN MARCH, AND THAT'S WITH AN ESTIMATED OR AN ASSUMED RATE BASED ON THAT PROPOSAL FOR YOUR ORGANIC WASTE OF $56 A TON.
THIS RIGHT NOW, YOUR GREEN WASTE PER TON IS $10.50 CENTS AND YOUR BRUSH AND WOOD IS $21 A TON.
THIS IS THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THAT WE ALL HAVE BEEN EXPECTING WITH 1383.
THIS WILL AFFECT ANYONE WHO'S BRINGING THEIR ORGANIC MATERIAL TO THE LANDFILL.
WE BASED ON THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD OR THE NEW CONTRACTS THAT YOU'VE PROCURED WITH YOUR HAULERS? BASED ON THOSE THAT WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF MERCED AND THE COUNTY ON THE EAST SIDE, AND I MIGHT HAVE MISSPOKEN IF THE WEST-SIDE RECYCLABLES ARE ALSO COMING TO US UNDER THAT CONTRACT SO, JUST EAST SIDE.
ON THE ORGANICS ALSO THE EAST SIDE OF THE COUNTY, AND THIS WILL ALSO AFFECT PRIVATE HAULERS.
IT'S ANYONE WHO'S BRINGING ORGANIC MATERIAL.
IF YOU HAVE A LANDSCAPE COMPANY AND YOU'RE BRINGING YOUR ORGANIC WASTE OUT, THIS IS THE RATE THAT WILL BE AT THE LANDFILL.
THEN THE THIRD IS ALWAYS BEEN A HALF-STEP BEHIND THE ORGANIC.
AS MANY OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A FEW YEARS KNOW THERE WAS A REQUEST TO DO A TIPPING FEE STEADY AND THE TIP FEE IS THE GATE FEE.
IT'S THE PROTON CHARGE THAT YOU GET CHARGED WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LANDFILL.
THIS IS FOR THAT MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE ONLY.
IT'S CURRENTLY $31-$43 A TON DEPENDING ON YOUR GEOGRAPHY.
YOU'LL RECALL THE EXISTING STRUCTURE TAKES INTO ACCOUNT YOUR JURISDICTIONS, GEOGRAPHY OR DISTANCE FROM THE LANDFILL.
CITIES LIKE DUST PALACE PAY A LOWER RATE WHILE LAS VENUS AND MERCED PAY A HIGHER RATE BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSER TO THE LANDFILLS.
IT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOU WERE PAYING ON YOUR HAULING COSTS.
THE BOARD ASKED US TO LOOK AT THAT STRUCTURE AND ALSO JUST DOING AN ASSESSMENT OF IS THE TIP FEE GENERATING THE REVENUE WE NEED TO OPERATE THE LANDFILL.
WE HAVE NOT HAD A TIP FEE INCREASE IN 10 OR 12 YEARS.
THAT IS LARGELY DUE TO THE IMPORTATION REVENUE THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THOSE RATES LOW.
[02:05:01]
BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE STUDY, THE NEED FOR AT LEAST A 10 PERCENT INCREASE TO REVENUE THROUGH THE TIP FEE.WE JUST AS A REMINDER, WE WILL HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THIS, THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 22 AT 5:00 O'CLOCK AT THE SAM PIPES ROOM.
WE REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE THERE.
IT IS GOING TO BE, WE'LL PREVENT HAVING TO HAVE A MONSTER ITEM HERE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO DIG IN.
THAT WILL GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU AND YOUR STAFF, CITY MANAGERS, PUBLIC WORK DIRECTORS, WHOEVER WOULD BENEFIT TO BE THERE AND MEET WITH OUR TEAM AND THE CONSULTANT AND THAT NEW TIP FEE WHATEVER THAT ADJUSTMENT ENDS UP BEING, WILL AFFECT ALL CUSTOMERS AT BOTH FACILITIES.
BILLY WRIGHT AND LYNN AND HIGHWAY 59. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, STACY. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STACY? COMMENTS? DR. NAGY?
>> I HAVE JUST A COMMENT BASICALLY, BUT ON THE GREEN WASTE THAT'S GOING UP 500 PERCENT AND THE BRUSH AND WOOD THAT'S GOING UP 250 PERCENT, IS THERE ANY ANTICIPATION OF FURTHER DROPS OUT IN THE COUNTY? IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO GET HIM TO BRING THIS STUFF TO THE LANDFILL AS IT IS, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A 500 PERCENT INCREASE.
MY WORRY IS THAT THIS STUFF'S GOING TO END UP OUT ON HIGHWAY 59 OR SOMEWHERE ELSE?
>> THAT'S WHAT SCARES ME ABOUT THIS.
KNOW THE REASONING WHY WE HAVE TO DO IT.
>> RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT IS, AND THAT WILL BE POTENTIALLY A SECONDARY PROBLEM THAT WILL ARISE.
JAMES, DID I MISS ANYTHING UP, EVERYTHING ELSE DONE? [BACKGROUND]
>> ANYBODY ELSE? SEEING NONE TAKES US BACK AGAIN TO THE STACY TO ITEM 16,
[16. Executive Director’s report]
WHICH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT. GETTING WARMED UP?>> I AM. NOW THE REAL REPORT STARTS.
>> ACTUALLY JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS I'M FAMOUS WORDS.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO DIRECTOR LLANEZ, MORON AND NELSON FOR ATTENDING OUR ORIENTATION FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS LAST WEEK, THEY WERE VERY PATIENT, HAD GOOD QUESTIONS.
AS WELL FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAD OUR CAC CHAIRMAN ATTEND THAT MEETING AS WELL, RENEE GUTIERREZ.
ALSO, JUST AS A REMINDER, IF YOU ARE NOT AWARE, WE HAVE AN HHW EVENT THIS SATURDAY AT THE HIGHWAY 59 LANDFILL.
WE HAVE ON MARCH 4TH, THE COMMUNITY CLEANUP THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN LAS VENUS AT THE FAIRGROUNDS.
I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU ABOUT YOUR ATTENDANCE AT THE WORKSHOP ON THE 22ND.
IF YOU HAVE NOT, PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD FOR EVERYBODY IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL DIETARY RESTRICTIONS, THAT'S ALSO HELPFUL TOO.
WITH THAT, I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, STACY. DIRECTORS REPORTS STARTING ON MY LEFT, DARREN ANYTHING?
[17. Directors’ reports]
>> MIKE, ANY DIRECTOR'S REPORT?
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING EITHER.
>> NOTHING FROM ME. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> I ALMOST SKIPPED, RIGHT? [LAUGHTER] I COULDN'T SEE YOU.
>> JOSE, I APOLOGIZE. ANYTHING FROM YOU? THIS IS ITEM 17, DIRECTORS REPORTS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. TAKES US TO ADJOURNMENT.
IT IS NOW 5:12, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.