[00:00:01]
UM, WELCOME TO THE FIRST MEETING OF OUR TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR 2023.
WE HAVE A PACKED AGENDA, SO WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED.
UM, MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLE COUNCIL MEMBER MCKAY RODRIGUEZ.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO, UH, SHUFFLE THINGS UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, UH, VIA HAS A, A BOARD MEETING TODAY.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UM, GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK FIRST.
IS IT ITEM FOUR AND FOUR? THREE AND FOUR.
I GUESS WE CAN DO THE MINUTES SINCE YOU ASKED.
I FORGOT THE, UH, THE MINUTES.
[Approval of Minutes ]
ONE, THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 29TH MEETING.I HEARD A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? UM, THE MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 29TH ARE APPROVED.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? WE HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS HERE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEMS THREE AND FOUR, PLEASE.GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR VIA.
I DO APPRECIATE ACCOMMODATING THE AGENDA VERY MUCH.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT, UM, FIRST, UH, AN UPDATE ON OUR VIA LINK SERVICES.
SO JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT VIA LINK, AND YOU CAN GET A LOT MORE INFORMATION ON VIA LINK, INCLUDING SOME VIDEOS, UM, ON OUR WEBSITE AND OUR KEEPS ESSAY MOVING.COM.
BUT SOME OF THE KEY ELEMENTS OF VIA LINK, I I JUST WANNA SAY THIS, THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN VERY, VERY EXCITING, UH, FOR VIA, BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES IN A WAY, UM, THAT IS MUCH MORE, UH, SUPPORTIVE TO AREAS, UH, WITHIN OUR SERVICE AREA THAT ARE NOT AS CONDUCIVE TO REGULAR FIXED ROUTE SERVICE.
AND, UM, SO WE LAUNCHED, UM, AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT EACH OF THE ZONES, BUT WE DID LAUNCH OUR, OUR FIRST SERVICE BACK IN MAY OF 2019, AND IT WAS LAUNCHED AS A PILOT.
I ALSO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MANGER KOKA, WHO IS ALSO HERE, WHO SPENT YEARS WORKING ON THIS VERY INVA INNOVATIVE TYPE OF SERVICE FOR, FOR VIA.
AND WE WERE, UH, IT'S A CLOSE RACE.
SOME PEOPLE SAY WE WERE THE FIRST, AND SOME PEOPLE SAY IT'S A TIE, BUT WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST OF OUR KIND OF THIS TYPE OF SERVICE ANYWHERE IN THE US SO IT'S SUPER EXCITING.
SO WHAT THIS IS, IS, UM, THE TYPE OF SERVICE THIS IS, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO LIKE AN UBER OR A LIFT POOL.
SO IT'S A SHARED RIDE SERVICE.
UM, AND IT DOES OPERATE AS YOU'LL, YOU'LL SHORTLY SEE ON SOME OF OUR, UH, MAPS IN AREAS WHERE THE FRICK DROUGHT, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT, UM, AS A PRODUCTIVE OF A SERVICE SOMETIMES.
AND MOSTLY IT'S DUE TO THE WAY THE STREETS ARE LAID OUT AND ALSO TO THE DENSITY OF THE LAND USE.
UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, UM, WE FIRST LOOKED AT AN AREA AND OTHER AREAS THAT HAD LOW PERFORMING ROUTES, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT AREAS WHERE THERE IS NO FIXED ROUTE.
WE'RE LEVERAGING, UM, THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY IN THIS AREA, AND IT'S REALLY BECOMING RAPIDLY USED TOOL IN MANY AREAS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE, WE HAVE GRANDFATHERED IN ALONG THOSE ROUTES.
UM, THE PARATRANSIT SERVICE THAT WAS EXISTING AND THE COST, WHICH IS ALSO SUPER EXCITING, IS THE SAME AS FIXED ROUTE SERVICE.
SO THAT'S, UH, THE REGULAR, UM, THE REGULAR, UM, COST OF A FAIR IS A DOLLAR 30.
AND THEN ALL OF THE DISCOUNTS THAT APPLY AS WELL.
SO THIS IS, UH, GENERALLY, UM, HOW IT WORKS.
EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE, UM, BY PHONE AND ALSO ON, UM, ON AN APP.
SO IT MAKES IT SUPER CONVENIENT.
YOU CAN JUST, LIKE WITH UBER OR LYFT OR ANY OTHER OF THOSE, UM, TYPES OF SERVICES YOU CAN TRACK, UM, YOU CAN, YOU CAN RATE, UM, THE, THE SERVICE AND, AND ALSO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS.
SO, AS I SAID, THEY'RE THE SAME LOW FARES, SAME DISCOUNTS, UM, AND APPLIED.
[00:05:01]
EXCITING, UM, AND SUPPORTED BY, UH, THE UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE USING U PASS.WE HAVE MUCH IMPROVED SERVICE FREQUENCY BECAUSE THE, THE ZONES IN WHICH THE VIA LINK OPERATES JUST GOES ANYWHERE TO ANYWHERE WITHIN THE ZONES AND ALSO LINKS INTO OUR NETWORK.
AND, UM, AND SO AS YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON THIS SLIDE, WE ARE SEEING ABOUT 15% OF THE TRIPS THAT ARE, UM, POTENTIALLY WE SAY POTENTIALLY 'CAUSE WE CAN SORT OF TRACK WHERE THEY'RE GOING.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT, UH, SO, SO THOSE ARE, UH, THOSE TRIPS CONNECTING INTO OUR SERVICE.
AND, UH, SO THIS IS, THIS IS ALSO VERY EXCITING.
UH, THE AVERAGE TRIP RATING IS 4.8 OUT OF FIVE, SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY EXCELLENT.
I MENTIONED THE REAL TIME TRACKING OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE FREQUENCY.
SO NOW LET'S GO INTO THE ZONE.
SO OUR FIRST ZONE WAS THE NORTHEAST ZONE, AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN SEE THAT.
UM, YEAH, AND, AND THE, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE GENERAL AREA THERE.
UM, BUT IT WAS LAUNCHED, UH, BACK IN 2019, MAY 4TH.
WE, UM, SUBSEQUENTLY EXPANDED THE B BOUNDARY JUST SLIGHTLY.
THAT'S ANOTHER VERY EXCITING THING ABOUT THE VIA LINK SERVICE, IS THAT THE ZONES CAN BE ADJUSTED AND THE STOPS ARE VIRTUAL.
SO THE STOPS CAN ALSO BE ADJUSTED WITHOUT TOO MUCH DIFFICULTY.
NOW, IN TERMS OF THE BOUNDARY, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE ADD TO THE BOUNDARY, AT SOME POINT YOU'D HAVE TO LOOK AT SPLITTING THE SERVICES JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE WAIT TIME, UM, AND THE OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SERVICE CAN BE MET.
BUT AGAIN, AS YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THE NORTHEAST STONE HAS BEEN, UH, HAS BEEN VERY, VERY POPULAR.
YOU CAN SEE OUR 12 MONTH RIDERSHIP, UH, THERE BETWEEN, UH, SEVEN AND, AND 8,000 ALMOST UP TO 9,000, UM, IN OCTOBER.
THE WAIT TIME IS AN AVERAGE OF EIGHT MINUTES.
UM, AND A VERY LARGE SERVICE AREA.
AGAIN, YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE TO ANYWHERE OR, UH, IN THIS CASE CONNECT TO NACO PASS TO TRANSFER INTO THE SYSTEM.
THE NEXT, WHOOPS, I THINK I SKIPPED THAT.
THE NEXT ZONE TO BE LAUNCHED WAS THE NORTHWEST ZONE, AND THAT WAS LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 2ND, UH, 2021.
AND THEN WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO SLIGHTLY EXPAND THE BOUNDARY, UM, A FEW MONTHS, UH, LATER, UH, FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT, UM, THAT IS AN EXCELLENT SERVICE, UM, TO, UH, TO THE UNIVERSITIES THERE, UM, ALSO INTO MAINLAND, UM, AND TO, AND IT HAS A SIMILAR RATING, UM, AS WELL AS IT'S, IT'S ALSO BEEN EXTREMELY POPULAR.
AND THEN THE MOST RECENT ZONE THAT WE OPENED WAS THE SOUTH ZONE.
AND THE SOUTH ZONE WAS ALSO THE FIRST ZONE.
SO THE SOUTH ZONE OPENED ON AUGUST 8TH, 2022.
AND THEN WE EXPANDED SERVICE INTO TOYOTA IN OCTOBER.
THAT'S ALSO THE FIRST, THE FIRST SERVICE THAT WE HAVE THAT WAS A PARTNERSHIP, UM, WITH A PRIVATE ENTITY.
SO WE WORKED WITH TOYOTA, UM, WHO PROVIDED GRANT FUNDS FOR, UH, VEHICLES AS WELL AS, UH, SOME SUPPORT, UM, IN TERMS OF, OF PASSES.
SO THAT'S ALSO BEEN A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL SERVICE.
AND, UM, ALSO GETTING A SIMILAR HIGH RATING.
THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS A COMPARISON ACROSS THOSE THREE ZONES THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SQUARE MILES AND THE, UH, VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS THE WAIT TIME AND THE RIDERSHIP.
SO A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SERVICE, FIVE PASSENGER MINIVANS.
UM, THEY'RE BRANDED, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE.
YOU CAN BOOK A TRIP UP TO SEVEN DAYS IN ADVANCE.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT CUSTOMERS CAN BRING MANY DIFFERENT THINGS ON, ON VIA LINK AND DO, DO USE IT FOR MANY, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, TYPES OF TRIPS.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO REQUEST A VAN WITH, WITH WHEELCHAIR, UM, ACCESS.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE, YOU CAN BOOK ADDITIONAL SEATS IF A CAR SEAT, UM, IS NEEDED.
UM, AND, AND THEY ALSO HAVE, UH, THEY ALSO HAVE BIKE RACKS, AND YOU CAN ALSO PUT THAT INTO A REQUEST.
SHOULD I PAUSE THERE BEFORE I GO INTO THE UPDATE ON THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT? I BELIEVE THAT'S A SEPARATE AGENDA ITEM.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO PROGRESS ON OUR INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE VIA ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT NORTH
[00:10:01]
SOUTH LINE.AND JUST A RECAP ON WHAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING, IT'S A COOPERATIVE PARTNERSHIP.
IT SERVES AS REALLY THAT UMBRELLA FIRST AGREEMENT FOR WHICH OTHER AGREEMENTS WE'LL BUILD OFF OF AND REALLY DEMONSTRATES TO OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER.
THERE'S A PARTNERSHIP FRAMEWORK, SO WE DID DEVELOP THE BUSINESS POINTS.
WE HAD WORKSHOPS BACK IN NOVEMBER.
WE'VE RECENTLY HAD SOME, SOME PHONE DISCUSSIONS, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, MEETING COMING UP, UM, IN A, IN JUST A, ABOUT A WEEK OR SO, UM, TO, TO DEVELOP, UH, THE I L A FURTHER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAPTURE ALL OF THE, UH, COMMENTS FROM OUR CITY PARTNERS.
AND SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS SCHEDULE SINCE YOU LAST SAW IT, IS THAT WE'VE ADDED A MONTH ONTO THE SCHEDULE.
SO INSTEAD OF THE WRAP UP BEING IN MARCH, WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT, UH, HOPEFULLY A WRAP UP OF THE, UH, AN EXECUTED AGREEMENT IN APRIL.
AND THE REST OF THE INFORMATION, I BELIEVE, IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WE SAW AT THE LAST MEETING.
SO WITH THAT, I, UH, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
KIMMY, UM, I WANNA START WITH VIA LINK.
I, UH, THE POPULATION THAT YOU MENTIONED WITH LOW PERFORMING ROUTES OR NO FIXED ROUTES, THAT'S, UH, A LARGE PORTION OF WEST, FAR WEST SAN ANTONIO, WHICH IS WHERE YOU HAVE ONE OF THE, UM, ONE OF THE ZONES, I THINK YOU THE ZONES, RIGHT? THE, THE NORTHWEST ZONE.
SO THE SUBURBAN AREAS OF THIS CITY, UM, WILL AND HAVE FOUND ALREADY A V LINK TO BE VERY HELPFUL.
IT'S BEEN, UH, A GAME CHANGER IN MY PARTS OF MY DISTRICT, ESPECIALLY FOR SENIORS.
UM, SO WE'RE REALLY, UM, THANKFUL FOR THAT.
ON THAT NOTE, DO WE KEEP, UH, STATISTICS OF, OF KIND OF WHO'S USING VIA LINK AND, UH, WHERE THEY'RE GOING? IS IT MAINLY, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR'S VISITS? IS IT GROCERY STORE? YES, WE, UH, SO I CAN ANSWER THE, THE SECOND QUESTION THAT WE DO HAVE INFORMATION ON THE, UM, SORT OF ORIGIN DESTINATION, UM, OF THE PASSENGERS, JUST BASED ON THAT DATA AS FAR AS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CUSTOMERS MM-HMM.
I'M CURIOUS, I KNOW IT, IT HA WOULD BE BASED ON SELF-REPORT, BUT I WONDER IF WE CAN CAPTURE THAT JUST TO KNOW WHO'S USING V LINK.
I MEAN, ANECDOTALLY, I'LL TELL YOU IN MY DISTRICT IT'S SENIORS, BUT IT MAY NOT BE THE BIGGEST POPULATION.
MAYBE IT'S COLLEGE STUDENTS OR, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I HEAR A LOT FROM SENIORS THAT, THAT LIKE IT, WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AND I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN, WELL, SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF CONDUCTING ORIGINAL DESTINATION SEPARATE SURVEY.
WE'LL GET BASIC DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION.
SO MAYBE THREE MONTHS FROM NOW WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION.
AND, AND I'M ALSO CURIOUS ON THE RATING.
I LOVE THAT YOU HAVE THE RATINGS AND I'M, I'M THANKFUL THAT, SEE IT'S VERY HIGH, 4.8.
IS IT LIKE, UM, ANOTHER KIND OF RIDESHARE PROGRAM WHERE YOU, YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU LIKED ABOUT IT OR, UM, SO WHAT, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE YOU GETTING IN THOSE COMMENTS? WELL, GENERALLY WE'VE HAD HAD VERY POSITIVE COMMENTS.
I AM GOING TO ASK IF ANYONE FROM PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE EXACT COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WANTS TO SPECIFY.
WE CAN DEFINITELY FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE, THE COMMENTS.
I DON'T WANNA TRY TO GROUP THEM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
BUT YOU CAN RATE THE DRIVER, RATE THE, YOU KNOW, RATE THE CHIP AND PROVIDE ANY OTHER COMMENTS.
WE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ON THAT.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION IN THE FUTURE JUST TO CATCH UP AND SEE HOW, UM, MAYBE MORE DATA ON THE SOUTH SIDE, ALTHOUGH THAT JUST FROM AUGUST TO NOVEMBER IS PRETTY SIGNIFICANT JUMP.
SO THAT'S VERY TELLING IN ITSELF.
UM, IT'S, UH, OH, SO PAYMENT, UH, HOW DOES PAYMENT WORK FOR RIDERS WHO DON'T HAVE A PHONE? SO YOU CAN, SO YOU CAN PAY IN CASH.
UM, OR YOU CAN, UM, PREPAY ON YOUR GO CARD, UM, AND THEN USE THAT GO CARD, UM, PREPAY IN CASH.
I WANNA MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING WRONG,
UM, SO YOU CAN MAKE ALL OF YOUR RESERVATIONS BY PHONE AND YOU CAN ALSO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PHONE.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE APP AND YOU WANNA PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON, ON YOUR RIDE, OKAY, YOU CAN ALSO CALL BACK AND DO THAT AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR MODESTY IN CLAIMING YOU WERE ONE OF THE FIRST, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CLAIM WE WERE THE FIRST.
BECAUSE WHY NOT? BUT, UM, BUT I DO APPLAUD VIA FURTHER INNOVATION, NOT ONLY WITH THE SERVICE, BUT UM, PARTNERING WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS.
I DIDN'T, I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH TOYOTA.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
AND ANY, AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR LOOKING FOR THOSE KINDS OF, UM, PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE AND EXPAND THE SERVICE.
I THINK IT'S BEEN REALLY USEFUL, UH, TO THE, THE FOLKS THAT I'VE TALKED TO THAT HAVE USED IT.
SO, UM, I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.
[00:15:01]
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND, UH, JUMP OVER TO I L A.UM, DID YOU MENTION BETTERMENTS? UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT A, A BETTERMENT THAT THE CITY MIGHT ASK FOR? UH, OH, I THOUGHT YOU DID THE I L A PRESENTATION.
IT WAS, SHE WENT THROUGH THE YEAH, GO AHEAD.
AND SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT A BETTERMENT IS, AND I, I DON'T, SO I'LL JUST SAY WHAT, WHAT THAT IS.
IT'S, IT'S ANYTHING THAT'S PART OF THE PROJECT THAT'S OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE AND THAT IS NOT REALLY NECESSARY TO DELIVER THE SERVICE.
SO WE COULDN'T SAY, UM, SOMETHING, UM, THAT WAS INTEGRAL TO LIKE THE, A, A BUS PLATFORM, UH, STATION PLATFORM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE A BETTERMENT BECAUSE YOU WOULD NEED THAT FOR THE OPERATION OF THE SERVICE.
BUT IF THERE WAS SOMETHING, UM, ANOTHER TYPE OF LIKE, UH, SIGNAL UPGRADE OR, YOU KNOW, EVEN SOMETHING LIKE A LANDSCAPING TREATMENT OR, OR, OR A PAVEMENT TREATMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, UM, THAT, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED, UM, AS BETTERMENTS.
AND AGAIN, THEY WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF WHAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED, UH, TO, TO OPERATE THE SERVICE IN THE WAY THAT, THAT VIA IS, IS SAYING IT WOULD BE OPERATED.
UM, WE, UH, WE'RE, I THINK A LOT OF US ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE A R T.
UM, SOME OF US IN THIS ROOM SPECIFICALLY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE SECOND PART OF IT 'CAUSE IT'S WEST EAST, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT MAYBE A LITTLE MORE EXCITED ABOUT THAT PART OF IT 'CAUSE IT AFFECTS OUR, UM, OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, BUT WE DO, I THINK THE BENEFIT OF BEING THE SECOND IS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THE WHAT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK WITH NORTH-SOUTH.
BUT CAN YOU TELL US KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE PLANNING FOR EAST WEST? SURE.
SO THE, THE, THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT EAST WEST IS ALSO NOW PART OF THE, THE, THE FEDERAL PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
IT SHOULD BE REPORTED ON OR SHOULD BE SHOWN IN THEIR, OR THEIR NEXT REPORT, UH, PROBABLY TO COME OUT IN A MONTH OR SO ISH.
UM, SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT NEWS.
THEY'RE AWARE OF IT, THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.
UM, IT OPENS UP A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO PROGRESS WITH THEM.
UM, SO WE ARE IN THE EARLY PLANNING STAGES.
EAST WEST STILL HAS A FUNDING GAP.
UM, SO WE, UM, ARE STILL LOOKING FOR, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO BASICALLY MAKE THAT WHOLE, UM, BUT OTHERWISE WE'RE, WE'RE IN EARLY PLANNING STAGES.
AND THAT IS ALSO GOOD NEWS BECAUSE, UH, WE WILL BE REALLY ENGAGING WITH OUR, THE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, WHAT IS SELECTED, UM, COMES OUT OF A PUBLIC PROCESS.
AND SO WE EXPECT TO BE VERY FULLY ENGAGED WITH THE COMMUNITIES SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER TO TOWARDS THE, THE, THE, THE LATER PART OF THE SUMMER.
UM, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE CAN USE, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF HOW THAT IS, IS, IS, THAT PROJECT IS LAID OUT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, TO HEARING MORE ABOUT IT, UM, AND WATCHING, UH, NORTH SOUTH PROGRESS AS WELL.
WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL COMMENT.
GOING BACK TO, UH, THE, UM, RIDESHARE, I'LL CALL IT.
UH, NOW I PRESUME THAT THAT IS ONLY FROM OR TO WITHIN THE ZONE THAT, THAT YOU'RE ADDRESSING.
IS THAT RIGHT? IT'S ANYWHERE TO ANYWHERE WITHIN THE ZONE WITH WITHIN THE ZONE.
I MENTIONED THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN BECAUSE THERE, YOU MIGHT SEE THIS IN SOME OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S REALLY A, A FROM A POINT TO THE SYSTEM AND NOT ANYWHERE WITHIN THE ZONE.
AND OURS WORKS AS, AS THE ANYWHERE TO ANYWHERE MODEL.
AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S IMPORTANT TOO.
'CAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SIMPLY DON'T, UH, KNOW HOW TO USE ALL OF THE BENEFITS THEY HAVE ON THEIR CELL PHONE AND IT'D BE HARD TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS SOMETIMES.
COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OR THE DOLLAR SAVINGS SO FAR THAT VIA HAS FOUND IN THESE THREE ROUTES? I'M GONNA ACTUALLY ASK, UH, MANGER TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE, THE COST BENEFIT.
SO WHEN WE COMPARE COST OF SERVICE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NORTH EAST ZONE, WE DID A COMPARISON OF, UM, THE ROUTES THAT WHERE THERE WERE 60 MINUTE ROUTE, THIS SERVICE IS ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
[00:20:01]
10 MINUTE ROUTE TO THE COST OF 10 MINUTE VIA LINK SERVICE.AND THE COST SAVING IS ABOUT 15 TO 20% COMPARED TO THE FIXED ROUTE SERVICE.
WHAT WE COULD HAVE PROVIDED WITH THAT KIND OF A SERVICE PARAMETER.
SO WE DO SAVE MONEY IN THE NEW MODEL AND THE MONEY THAT IS SAVED FOR VIA IS USED FOR IMPROVING OTHER SERVICES.
WELL, I GUESS THE NORTHEAST MODEL IS THE BEST ONE TO LOOK AT 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN AROUND THE LONGEST.
BUT I, I GET A LITTLE DUBIOUS WHEN I HEAR YOU SAY, WELL, IF WE CHANGE WHAT WE HAD TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THEN TRY TO COMPARE THE TWO, BUT WE REALLY CAN'T.
WHAT WE HAD IS WHAT WE HAD COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
WHAT KIND OF SAVINGS HAVE WE HAD WE CAN GET BACK.
UM, WE, WE CAN GET BACK WITH MORE DETAILS ON, ON THE, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICS.
BUT COUNCILMAN, YOU DO, YOU DO BRING UP, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL SAY THAT OTHER AGENCIES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE, ARE LOOKING AT TOO, IS HOW, HOW CAN YOU COMPARE THE COST BENEFIT WHEN IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S, IT IS A DIFFERENT SERVICE.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A 60 MINUTE FREQUENCY, YOU'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW, AN EIGHT MINUTE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WAIT AND MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN EXPANDING ALSO TO, TO INCLUDE MORE HOURS IN SUNDAY SERVICE.
SO, BUT WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICS.
I'M, I'M WONDERING TOO, UH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ROUTE THAT WE'VE CHANGED OVER TO THE, THE LINK PROGRAM, UH, DID THOSE BUSES ALSO GO THROUGH THAT AREA AND GO ON TO OTHER AREAS? UH, AND SO ARE WE, ARE WE SAYING ONLY WHILE THEY DROVE THROUGH THIS AREA, THIS IS THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS THEY PICKED UP AND THIS WAS OUR CO COST? BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THEM DROVE ALL THE WAY FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY TO DRIVE THROUGH THERE AND THEN WENT ON SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UH, SO I'M WONDERING ARE ARE, ARE THOSE EFFECTIVE MEASUREMENT TOOLS FOR US TO MAKE SURE WHEN YOU SAY YOU'VE GOT 9,000 RIDERS MM-HMM.
THERE, THERE'S, THERE, THERE HAS BEEN A TRANSITION TIME TO WHERE PEOPLE ARE MAKING THAT, THAT MIGHT HAVE RELIED ON, UH, THAT FIXED ROUTE SERVICE TO TRANSFERRING OVER TO THE VIA LINK.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT AND, AND IT, IT'S REALLY THE BEFORE TIME TOO WHEN WE'RE OUT TALKING TO, TO RIDERS.
UM, AND THEN, THEN ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE RIDERSHIP BEFORE WE PUT THE SERVICE IN.
WE DO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN BEFORE IN TERMS OF THE ORIGIN AND DESTINATION OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS I GET IN MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT NINE IS THERE, THERE AREN'T HARDLY ANY BUS ROUTES ANYWAY, SO THERE ISN'T, UH, AN ELIGIBILITY FOR THE VIA LINK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE BUS ROUTES OUT THERE.
WE'RE NOT CHANGING THOSE ROUTES.
UH, AND THAT AREA HAS GROWN SO MUCH AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT THERE AND IN ORDER FOR THEM TO SUPPORT VIA, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE GETTING MORE SERVICE OUT OF VIA MM-HMM.
AND SO I'M JUST LAYING MY CARDS ON THE TABLE.
THAT'S WHAT I HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MY COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S OTHER COMMUNITIES TOO, UH, THAT I DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET OUT TO THEM TO GIVE THEM THAT KIND OF SERVICE.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, I CONCEPTUALLY I LIKE WHERE WE'RE GOING.
I WANT TO SEE HOW IT CONTINUES TO DEVELOP.
AND IF ANYTHING, I WANNA SEE US BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE, NOT JUST WHERE THEY ARE, BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT JUST HAVEN'T HAD THE SERVICE THAT, THAT DESERVE IT.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT, UM, IS ABOUT THE I L A AND, UM, IN THAT I L A, ARE WE FINDING ANY KIND OF, UH, MAJOR POINTS THAT THE CITY AND VIA ARE HAVING A STUMBLING BLOCK ON? ARE THERE ANY THINGS THAT ARE BARRIERS TO THIS AGREEMENT MOVING FORWARD? I AM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
I AM NOT SEEING ANYTHING LIKE THAT NOW.
I WOULD SAY THAT BECAUSE THIS IS THE FIRST, UM, OF ITS KIND TYPE OF A SERVICE HERE, UM, THAT WE'RE JUST WORKING THROUGH HOW, HOW WE WILL MOVE FORWARD RATHER THAN HAVING ANY PARTICULAR AREAS WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE STUCK.
UM, AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SO SOME OF THE MORE, THE DETAILS WHERE THERE WILL BE PROBABLY A LOT MORE INTENSE DISCUSSION WILL COME AFTER
[00:25:01]
THIS INITIAL UMBRELLA I L A.BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M, I'M CERTAINLY NOT SEEING ANYTHING.
AND I, I WOULD DEFER TO, YOU KNOW, ANYONE FROM, FROM THE CITY TO, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'LL SHARE WHAT I, I THINK I'VE SHARED BEFORE WITH A FEW OTHERS.
AND THAT IS PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG 2 81, UH, AND SAN PEDRO ARE VERY CONCERNED WHAT THIS WILL DO TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND PARTICULARLY ONCE YOU GO, UH, JUST BARELY NORTH OF HILDEBRAND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, WHEN THE ROAD COMES TOGETHER AND THEN YOU KEEP GOING SOUTH ALL THE WAY DOWN ALMOST TO SACK, THOSE STREETS ARE VERY NARROW AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO PUT ANOTHER LANE IN THE MIDDLE FOR BUSES.
UH, IS THAT PART OF THE I L A DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE THAT? UH, SO COUNCILMAN, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY PART OF THE I L A, BUT IT IS PART OF OUR, UH, ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH THE CITY ON THE, WHAT WE HAVE NOW, WHICH IS THE 30% DESIGN.
UM, SO THE, THE CITY IS WORKING WITH US SPECIFICALLY ON THEIR COMMENTS TO BASICALLY HOW THE SERVICE WILL BE, BE LAID OUT.
UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE FIRST TO ROLL OUT, UM, THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, WITH VIA LINK.
UM, I THINK THAT'S EXCITING AND A BIG FEATHER IN THE CAP FOR THIS CITY.
AND DID YOU GET A LOT OF, UM, NATIONAL ATTENTION WHEN THAT HAPPENED? UH, I, I DON'T KNOW.
THE, THE NATIONAL ATTENTION IS SORT OF LIKE, I MEAN, AT LEAST AMONG THE TRANSIT CIRCLES, RIGHT? IT, IT SEEMS TO TRICKLE OUT BECAUSE I'LL GO TO DIFFERENT THINGS AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT IT.
UH, I, I, I, SO I WOULD SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME, WELL, IT'S ALL, MAYBE WE COULD GET MORE.
I, I'LL, I'LL JUMP STRAIGHT INTO THE I L A.
UM, SO I SEE THAT YOU WILL BE BACK, UH, NEXT MONTH, UH, TO THIS COMMITTEE, I'M ASSUMING FOR A BRIEFING.
UM, IS IT AT THAT POINT WHEN THE DOCUMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW? YES, WE SHOULD HAVE SOME, UM, LEVEL OF DOCUMENTATION, YOU KNOW, UH, READY, READY FOR REVIEW.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'LL SAY.
WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE COORDINATION, UM, WITH THE CITY OVER THE NEXT WEEK AND WEEK OR TWO, AND THEN WE COULD SAY FOR SURE.
UM, AND I, I SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE'S ALSO A, LIKE A, A LEGAL REVIEW COMPONENT OF THE THAT.
AND, UM, RON, WERE YOU GONNA, I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I, I AGREE WITH CAMMY.
WE HAVE A MEETING, I BELIEVE THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO WORK OUT SOME OF THE, THE SPECIFICS.
SO SOMETIME AFTER THAT WE MAY BE PASS SOMETHING WE CAN SHARE.
UM, SECONDLY, I DO WANNA GO BACK A LITTLE BIT TO THE, UM, TO THE EAST WEST, UH, DISCUSSION.
UM, AND I, I SAID THIS LAST TIME, AND I'LL, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
UM, I BELIEVE WHAT, WHAT JEFF TOLD ME IS THAT YES, IT'S IN THE, IT'S IN THE QUEUE, BUT BEFORE IT CAN ACTUALLY HAPPEN VIA WILL NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE THE OPERATING FUNDS TO RUN THAT SERVICE.
SO, UM, AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THERE IS NO DE YOU CANNOT DEMONSTRATE THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? OR YOU CAN CORRECT.
DO WE STILL HAVE A FUNDING GAP? OKAY.
AND ON THE ORDER OF WHAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, DO WE, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AT LEAST A, IT'S, IT'S AT LEAST A HUNDRED MILLION, UM, FOR CON FOR FOR CONSTRUCTION OR OPERATION? YEAH, FOR OUR CONSTRUCTION, YEAH.
SO IS THAT WHAT YOU NEED TO DEMONSTRATE OR IS IT THE OPERATIONAL FUNDING GAP THAT YOU NEED TO, SO, WE'LL, WE NEED TO, TO DEMONSTRATE PRETTY MUCH A WHOLE, A WHOLE FUNDING PLAN.
WE'LL NEED TO BE ABLE, UH, TO, UH, PRESENT THAT WE HAVE MONEY TO, YOU KNOW, TO, TO PLAN, TO CONSTRUCT AND TO OPERATE, UH, THE SERVICE IN ORDER TO GET THE FUNDING.
AND SO, AND WE CAN, WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON SPECIFICALLY, I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA PUT A NUMBER OUT THERE, UM, UH, RIGHT HERE.
BUT, BUT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
UM, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO POSE THE COMMITTEE AS TO THE COMMITTEE AS I HAVE DONE BEFORE, IS, SO RIGHT NOW THE CITY DOES RECEIVE, UM, MONEY ANNUALLY THROUGH THE SALES TAX, UH, THAT IS ON THE PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY BY STATE LAW.
UM, THE STATE LAW WAS CHANGED NOT TOO LONG AGO SO THAT THE CITY COULD GET SOME OF THAT MONEY, BUT IT'S BASICALLY COMING OUT OF THE VIA FULL CENT, RIGHT? THAT VIA IS NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO COLLECT IN THE, IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
UH, THAT MONEY HAS GONE TO OUR
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PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR SOME TIME NOW IN SUPPORTED SIDEWALK WORK.BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE CAN DEVELOP SOME PLAN LONG TERM, IF Y'ALL CAN DEVELOP SOME PLAN LONG TERM, UH, WHERE WE KIND OF PHASE THAT BACK TO VIA, BY THE TIME IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO RUN THE EAST WEST ROUTE SO THAT THEY CAN DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY HAVE CLOSED THE OPERATING FUNDING GAP.
I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT'S GONNA SERVE, YOU KNOW, WE BOTH SERVE THE SAME CONSTITUENCIES, SO I, I WOULD JUST LIKE FOR THAT TO BE CONSIDERED IN, IN THE FUTURE.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SANDOVAL.
I THINK, UM, IT'S PART OF WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM, AND THE SECOND PHASE OF IT IS, IS MAKING SURE THAT THAT STUFF IS TAKEN CARE OF THE, WITH THE NORTH SOUTH.
UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THAT, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, THANK YOU CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE FIRST TO, TO LEAD WITH VIA LINK.
IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE OWNING THAT.
UM, IT, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO SEE THAT THE AVERAGE WAIT TIME'S ABOUT EIGHT MINUTES.
RIGHT? THAT'S, UM, TYPICALLY WITH THE BUS IT'S A GOOD WAIT TO ABOUT 15 MINUTES, BUT EIGHT'S EVEN BETTER.
UM, HAVE WE BEEN TRACKING DATA TO SEE IF WE'VE SEEN A REDUCTION OF TRAFFIC IN AREAS THAT HAVE ACCESS TO VIA LINK? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT VIA OR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO HAS BEEN TRACKING? WE ACTUALLY HAVE NOT BEEN TRACKING THAT.
UM, IT'S, THAT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN, YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
I THINK IT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL TO LOOK INTO THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, WHAT I HEAR FROM MY CONSTITUENCY IS WANTING TO SEE LESS CARS ON THE STREETS, RIGHT? SO I, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE MORE VIA LINK AND, YOU KNOW, TO SEE MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION RIGHT OUT ON OUR STREETS.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLES WE USE FOR VIA LINK? IS IT, DO THEY RUN ON GAS? ARE THEY ELECTRIC? IS THERE AN APPETITE TO GO TOWARDS ELECTRIC IF WE'RE NOT CURRENTLY USING THOSE? YEAH.
SO RIGHT NOW THEY ARE, THEY'RE JUST REGULAR, UM, UM, UH, REGULAR GAS FIVE PASSENGER, UH, MINIVANS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY ELECTRIC? WE DON'T HAVE ANY ELECTRIC THERE.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE COULD BE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING, YOU KNOW, AT POTENTIAL, UH, TO, TO, TO CHANGE POTENTIALLY, UH, IN TWO, TWO ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, BUT THESE, UH, THESE ARE NOT, UM, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE FIVE PASSENGER MINIVANS.
UM, MOVING ON TO THE, TO THE I L A, UM, I, I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, UM, VIA AND THE SCOBY, RIGHT? AND VIA IS ON THE HOUSING COMMISSION.
AND GIVEN THAT VIA INTENDS TO MOVE INTO HOUSING, OUTSIDE OF TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE, THE, THE I L A, IS THERE OPPORTUNITY FOR VIA, TO COMMIT TO PRODUCING DEEP AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, WITHIN THE I L A? LIKE, IS THAT A COMMITMENT THAT YOU ALL CAN MAKE? SO, SO, UH, SO FIR, SO FIRST OF ALL, WE, WE, WE HAVE TO, UM, BASICALLY WORK WITHIN, UM, THE CONNECTION OF, OF TRANSIT TO ANY HOUSING.
SO, UM, AND, AND I WILL ALSO SAY THAT IF THERE IS EVER A DESIRE TO COME BACK AND JUST TALK ABOUT THAT TOPIC, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO AS FAR AS MAKING A COMMITMENT, UM, TO, UH, ANY TYPE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THIS I L A.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY, UH, ON U D C, UM, SOME U D C AMENDMENTS, UM, JUST LOOKING AT SOME, SOME LAND USE, BUT NOT SPECIFIC TO, TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
'CAUSE WHERE I SEE ESTABLISHING THE PARTY'S ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, I SEE THAT AS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, COORDINATE, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WITHIN THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, VIA IS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.
SO I DO SEE OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME COMMITMENT UNDER THAT BUCKET.
UM, BUT IT'S HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE, UH, OPEN TO CONTINUING TO HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
BUT, UH, AGAIN, I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO INTEGRATE SOME OF THAT WITHIN THE I L A.
COUNCILMAN, UH, MKI RODRIGUEZ, I'LL BE VERY BRIEF.
I THINK ONE OF THE JOYS OF BEING LAST IS I GOT TO HEAR ALL OF MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING THE FIRST.
LIKE WE SAID, WE'RE OWNING IT.
AND COUNCILMAN KURT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN FOR BEING BRIEF.
I HEAR A LOT OF CONCERNS FROM SENIORS EVEN IN DISTRICT NINE, WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, A LITTLE MORE, UH, MOBILITY, UH, FOR A LOT OF THE SENIORS.
AND, UH, AND, AND THE COST FACTOR ISN'T AS GREAT.
BUT STILL, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT AND I KNOW ALL OVER THE CITY WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO BE ABLE TO GET THE TRANSPORTATION
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THEY NEED WHEN THEY'RE IN THEIR SEVENTIES OR EIGHTIES OR OLDER.UH, AND I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A, A GREAT WAY OF PROVIDING THAT EXTRA SERVICE.
NOW, I KNOW IT COSTS MORE, SO IT'S, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A, A SERVICE SAVER, BUT, UM, OR A, A FINANCIAL SAVER.
BUT I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO REALLY BE LOOKED AT MORE, I THINK VIA OWES IT TO THE SENIOR COMMUNITY TO BE OFFERING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION LIKE THIS VIA LINK PROGRAM.
SO, JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
I'M SORRY, THAT KIND OF SPURRED A QUESTION FOR ME.
IS IT IS I THOUGHT IT WAS THE SAME PRICE AS A BUS FARE.
AM I WRONG? THE, THE FAIR IS THE SAME, SAME PRICE.
I, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN, YOU'RE, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT VIA LIKE ADDING MORE AREAS WITH, OH, IS THAT CORRECT? OR JUST ALMOST BEING LIKE A CALL ON DEMAND FOR SENIORS.
AND THE SENIOR, UM, I MEAN, THE SENIOR FAIR IS 25 CENTS IS 25 CENTS.
SO YEAH, IT'S NOT A MATTER OF THE COST.
IT'S A MATTER OF AVAILABILITY.
AVAILABILITY OF THE SERVICE, OR, OH, YES.
UM, SO THAT WAS A BRIEFING ITEM, SO WE, UM, RIGHT, IT'S NOT FOR ACTION.
SO WE, UH, WE'LL LET YOU GET TO YOUR BOARD MEETING.
AND WE'LL MOVE ON, UM, TO ITEM, WE'LL GO OVER TO ITEM, UH, TWO, I THINK.
VIA WAS JUST APOLOGIZING TO ME FOR TAKING MY SLOT.
UM, I'M GONNA TALK TODAY TO YOU ABOUT THE ALAMO R M A.
AND IT WAS KIND OF SURPRISING WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH THIS, I GUESS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AROUND SO LONG, I JUST SORT OF KNOW THE HISTORY.
AND, UH, UH, I APOLOGIZE, UH, AGAIN FOR, UH, PUTTING YOU OFF FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IS JUST THE PLANS SEEMED TO CONFLICT.
SO I'M GONNA GO OVER TODAY THE HISTORY OF THE R M A, KIND OF SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
AND ANYTIME YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO INTERRUPT ME.
I HAVE KIND OF A VERY LOOSE PRESENTATION STYLE.
SO, UM, THE ALAMO REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY WAS ACTUALLY CREATED ACROSS THE STATE TO BE A PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, UM, TO ADDRESS THE CONGESTION AND THE MOBILITY CONCERNS, AND STILL ALL UNDER THE GUISE OF LOCAL LEADERSHIP.
UM, THIS WAS HOPED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH INNOVATIONS AND FINANCING OF ALL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE THOSE PROJECTS, UM, INSTEAD OF WAITING YEARS FOR THEM TO BE FUNDED.
SO THAT'S SORT OF LIKE THE, WHAT'S YOUR MISSION? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR GOAL? AND SO THIS SORT OF THE MISSION STATEMENT OF ALL THE RMAS ACROSS THE STATE.
SO, UM, WE ARE CONSIDERED, THE ALAMO REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY IS CONSIDERED A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION.
THEY WERE CREATED, UM, BY ONE OR MORE COUNTIES, BY CERTAIN CITIES TO FINANCE, ACQUIRE, DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, MAINTAIN, EXPAND, OR EXTEND TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
AND THIS IS ALL WHAT'S CONTAINED IN THE TRANSPORTATION CODE, UH, THREE 70.
NOW, THESE PROJECTS MAY BE TOLD OR NONT TOLD, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS WHEN ALL THIS WAS GOING DOWN, THIS WAS REALLY CREATED FOR THE LOCAL AREAS THAT ARE NOT HARRIS COUNTY TOLL AUTHORITY OR NOT NORTH DALLAS TOLL AUTHORITY TO CREATE THEIR OWN TOLL AUTHORITIES.
THAT WAS REALLY SORT OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL, DESPITE WHAT, WHAT PRETTY WORDS THEY PUT ON THE LEGISLATION.
SO, UM, THE R M A WAS ACTUALLY INTRODUCED IN, UM, 2001 THROUGH SENATE BILL.
TH ALL THE STUFF I JUST TALKED ABOUT WAS PART OF SENATE BILL 3 42.
FAST FORWARD TO THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN 2003, THE RMAS WERE THEN GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE BONDS BACKED BY TOLL REVENUES, COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, AND A WIDE VARIETY OF, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO DEVELOP A WIDE VARIETY OF MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY WERE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY OF IMMINENT DOMAIN TO ACQUIRE RIGHT OF WAY WHEN NECESSARY.
FAST FORWARD TO NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2005.
THEY WERE ALSO GIVEN, UM, THE AUTHORITY TO USE TEXAS MOBILITY FUNDS.
NOW, YOU AND I KNOW THAT THOSE MOBILITY FUNDS HAD BEEN CAPPED SINCE 2015, BUT THAT SORT OF GOES TO SHOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF, OF POWERS GIVEN TO THE RMAS BACK IN THE EARLY 2000.
[00:40:01]
FURTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTION GRANTED, UM, PRIMACY FOR THE RMAS.SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE ALAMO REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY, IF THERE WAS EVER TO BE A TOLL PROJECT VIABLE IN THIS LOCAL AREA, AGAIN, IN BEXAR COUNTY, THE R M A WOULD HAVE PRIMACY TO DELIVER THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.
YOU KNOW, TOLLS ARE OFF THE TABLES FOR NOW, BUT IN 20, 25 YEARS, THAT COULD ESSENTIALLY CHANGE.
SO THE L M O R M A HAS PRIMACY FOR TOLL RELATED PROJECTS IF THEY EVER MATERIALIZE.
AGAIN, THERE IS NO, NO REASON FOR THAT.
FROM ABOUT 2003 UNTIL 2013, THE R M A WAS OPERATED AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
THEY HAD THEIR OWN STAFF, I'LL SHOW YOU THE BOARD CONSTRUCTION IN A MINUTE, BUT THEY WERE SEPARATE.
BEXAR COUNTY WAS THEIR FISCAL AGENT BECAUSE THE LEGISLATION REQUIRED THE COUNTY TO CREATE THEM.
BUT IN A SENSE, THEY WERE, THEY WERE THEIR OWN STAFF.
THEY OPERATED WITH GRANTS FROM, UM, TXDOT.
THEY WERE, THEIR, THEIR DELIVERABLES AT THAT TIME WERE A TOLL ROAD ON LOOP 1604 WEST TOLL ROAD ON 2 81 NORTH.
AND, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FOR THOSE TWO PROJECTS.
AND WITH, FOR THAT, THEY WERE GIVEN THREE GRANTS FROM TTO.
AND NOW I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT OFF KEY.
'CAUSE I WAS AROUND DURING THAT TIME, ABOUT 2013, WELL, ACTUALLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE THAT, TXDOT APPROACHED THE COUNTY AND SAID, HELP US, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T FEEL THAT THIS BEING DONE VERY EFFICIENTLY.
AND SO IN 2013, BEXAR COUNTY TOOK OVER STAFFING OF THE R M A SO THAT THE, THOSE STAFF MEMBERS LEFT AND BEXAR COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS, UM, WHICH I'M THE DIRECTOR OF, AND I'M ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS FOR THE R M A.
WE TOOK OVER STAFFING OF THE DELIVERABLES THAT WERE IN PLACE AT THAT TIME.
AND SO THE ACT DELIVERABLE DELIVERABLES THAT WERE GOING FORWARD WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR LOOP 1604 WEST.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS BEING PURSUED AS A TOLL PROJECT, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR 1604, EXCUSE ME, FOR 2 81 NORTH, AGAIN, BEING PURSUED AS A TOLL PROJECT.
AND THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2 81 LOOP 1604 INTERCHANGE.
SO WE TOOK OVER THAT WITH THE EXISTING BEXAR COUNTY STAFF.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT STAFF WORKED, THEN THESE RAW BEXAR COUNTY EMPLOYEES, BUT THEY WORKED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF A SEVEN MEMBER BOARD.
SIX OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UH, SEVEN, THE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
OKAY? AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, ALL THE STAFFING AND RESOURCES WERE SUPPLIED BY US.
SO IN 2013, IN ADDITION TO US TAKING OVER STAFFING, THERE WAS ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTION, HB 1198, WHICH AMENDED THE TRANSPORTATION CODE AND ALLOWED CERTAIN COUNTIES TO IMPOSE AN ADDITIONAL $10 VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE, WHAT WE CALL A VER FEE.
THO, THAT CODE REQUIRED THAT THE COUNTIES REMIT THAT FEE TO THE REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITIES TO FUND LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEFINITION IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.
SO IN AUGUST OF 2013, BEXAR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT IMPOSED A FEE COLLECTION STARTED IN JANUARY, 2014.
AND TO DATE THAT ANNUAL COLLECTION IS ABOUT $16 MILLION PER YEAR.
OKAY? SO IN 2015, AFTER ABOUT A YEAR OF COLLECTION, UH, THE R M A APPROACHED THEIR BOARD, THE STAFF APPROACHED THE R M A BOARD AND COMMISSIONER'S COURT, AND WE DEVELOPED A LIST OF 13 PROJECTS SPANNING 10 YEARS TO USE THAT VER FEE.
WE CALL IT THE VER FEE, BY THE WAY, UH, TO USE THAT FEE TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS.
AND THESE PROJECTS INCLUDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOTH BEXAR COUNTY, WHERE THEY WERE A FUNDING PARTNER, AND TXDOT, WHERE WE WERE A FUNDING PARTNER TO THEM.
SO HOW THE PROJECTS WERE SELECTED WAS WE LOOKED AT THE MOBILITY NEEDS OF AN AREA.
WE LOOKED AT THE CAPACITY NEEDS.
ALL OF THESE WERE, WERE CAPACITY AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THERE WEREN'T ANY, UH, SUBDIVISION STREET RECONSTRUCTIONS BECAUSE THOSE AREN'T CONSIDERED LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION.
WE LOOKED AT THE CONNECTIVITY, WE LOOKED AT THE ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION GROWTH.
AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW WE DID THAT IN A MINUTE.
AND WE LOOKED AT THE POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL GROWTH.
ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WERE SELECTED WERE OF REGIONAL IMPORTANCE, AND THEY SATISFIED THE TRANSPORTATION CODE RETIREMENT, THAT THEY BE LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION PROJECT.
[00:45:01]
ALL OF THESE WERE NON TOLD.YOU KNOW, I, I'M NOT CONFU, I MEAN, I'M NOT, IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ANYONE.
THERE ARE NO TOLL VIABLE PROJECTS IN OUR AREA RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS, IF YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, THIS IS A LIST OF THE, THE REGISTRATION FEE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE.
VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE, THE MAP TO THE RIGHT'S.
AND THIS WAS, WE HAVE NOT UPDATED THIS SINCE 2015, BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY RELEVANT.
SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU SEE IN BLUE IS A MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED THROUGH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE JOINT SUBDIVISION, UM, UM, REVIEW REQUIREMENTS.
SO THESE ARE WHERE ALL THE ROOFTOPS ARE BEING PROJECTED TO GO.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS IN 2015, AND AS YOU KNOW, IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL YEARS FOR THOSE MASTER DEVELOPMENT PLANS TO PLAY A HUNDRED PERCENT OUT.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN PURPLE IS WHAT WE CALL AN ACTIVITY CENTER MAJOR EMPLOYMENT HUB, UH, UH, MAJOR RETAIL SITE, THE MED CENTER.
SO THOSE ARE THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IS WHERE BLUE IS GOING TO PURPLE OR VICE VERSA.
AND THEN OF COURSE, GREEN ARE OUR MILITARY BASES.
WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, AND IT WAS TOO BUSY TO PUT ON THIS MAP THAT YOU SEE, WE HAVE LARGER VERSIONS.
IF YOU SEE ALL THE PROJECTS THAT THE COUNTY HAD, IT HAS HAD IN PLAY OVER THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, YOU CAN SEE HOW, WHERE ALL THESE RED LINES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, TIE IN WITH ALL OF THE PROJECTS THAT, THAT WE'VE PUT INTO SERVICE WHERE THESE ROOFTOPS ARE GOING.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE, UM, ON THE LEFT THE PROJECTS THAT, UM, THEIR NAME AND THEN THEIR LIMITS.
NOW THIS IS THE LAST PAGE OF THE PRESENTATION.
I'LL BE AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO, SO THESE ARE THE 13, EXCUSE ME, YES, 13 PROJECTS.
IF THEY SAY ON THE ID PART, IF THEY SAY BC, THOSE WERE ALL DELIVERED BY BEXAR COUNTY STAFF.
SO THERE IS A COST SAVINGS FOR US TO CONTINUE TO STAFF THE RM.
A YES, WE GET THAT ADDITIONAL VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE, BUT WE ALSO TAKE CARE.
AND WE ARE, IT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF THAT FEE SINCE WE USE EXISTING STAFF TO DO IT.
EVERYTHING THAT SAYS TECH STOP WAS DELIVERED BY TECH STOP.
WE WERE JUST A FUNDING PARTNER.
AND A LOT OF THOSE CASES, A LOT OF THAT FM ROAD, WERE ALL ARE ARTERIALS.
THE ONLY ARTERIALS FOR, UH, THE, THE AREA THAT THEY WERE COMPLETED IN.
ALL THE PROJECTS ON THE BEXAR COUNTY INN ARE COMPLETED, OR IN CONSTRUCTION.
WE ONLY HAVE THREE THAT ARE LEFT TO BE IN CONSTRUCTION.
AND FOSTER ROAD IS ACTUALLY GONNA COME OFF THAT LIST.
WE'RE JUST COMPLETING SOME OF THE FLAT WORK OUT THERE.
TDOT HAS EVERYTHING EITHER COMPLETED IN CONSTRUCTION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE FM.
UH, 1516 IS STILL IN DESIGN BECAUSE WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RIGHT OF WAY THERE.
BUT THIS SORT OF SHOWS YOU BOTTOM LINE IS WE ISSUED ABOUT $195 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT TO DELIVER $275 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS.
NOW THAT DEBT'S GOT A 20 YEAR LIFE ON IT.
SO WE FIRST DEBT WE ISSUED WAS IN MAY OF 2016.
SO WE SHOULD BE THROUGH WITH THIS IS THE MAJORITY OF THE CAPACITY THAT THAT $16 MILLION A YEAR REVENUE HAS.
AND BY 2036, WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF CAPACITY LEFT.
THAT'S A DISCUSSION FOR THE BOARD.
WHAT DO YOU WANNA DO WITH THAT CAPACITY AND HOW DO YOU WANT IT TO ADMINISTER IT? AND THEN IN THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX YEARS, WE'LL START PLANNING FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF CAPACITY.
AND REALLY, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THE, THE PRESENTATION I HAVE NOW.
I DO HAVE REG, OH, BY THE WAY, THIS IS REGGIE FOUNTAIN.
HE IS THE ONE, UM, BEXAR COUNTY EMPLOYEE THAT'S MOSTLY DEDICATED TO THE R M A.
HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE 10 PROJECT OR THE, THE NINE PROJECTS THAT BEXAR COUNTY WAS DELIVERING.
WHAT HE'S GOT FOR YOU IS TWO THINGS, AND IT'S ONLY IF YOU WANNA SEE THE SECOND THING IS HE GONNA HAND THAT OUT.
FIRST THING IS A BROCHURE, WHAT I CALL A REPORT CARD THAT WE HAD DONE ON OURSELVES THAT BASICALLY SHOWED THE AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC WE WERE SERVING, THE POPULATION WE WERE SERVING, AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO GO AHEAD AND HAND OUT THE REPORT CARD.
THE SECOND THING, AND I'M SURE PROBABLY EVERYBODY HAS A QUESTION, THE ELON MUSK TUNNEL BORING THING.
I CAN'T DISCUSS SPECIFIC TERMS, BUT THE SECOND THING REGGIE'S HANDING OUT IF YOU WANT IT, IS A PRESENTATION WE MADE LAST MAY THAT BASICALLY TO THE PUBLIC THAT SAYS, THIS IS WHAT THIS CONCEPT IS, AND THIS IS WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT.
WE WERE SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT OF MISINFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE, WHICH SURPRISINGLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN VERY TIGHT-LIPPED ABOUT IT, SO HAS, HAS, HAS THEM.
BUT, UH, IT'S A VERY INTERESTING CONCEPT.
[00:50:01]
WE ARE STILL IN NEGOTIATIONS.YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL, WE, WE'VE AGREED IN CONCEPTUALLY IN BUSINESS TERMS. NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FORMALIZE THAT INTO AN ACTUAL DOCUMENT, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IS VERY HARD.
AND SO ONCE WE GET TO THAT POINT, UM, UH, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
BUT I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UM, ON THE R M A ON THE TUNNEL THAT I CAN ANSWER.
AND, UH, ANYTHING ON THAT REPORT CARD.
RE RENEE, I'M SORRY I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME, SIR.
I'M JUST A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.
UM, RENEE, I HAVE, UH, WELL, I'LL START AT THE BEGINNING.
THE, UH, THE R A HAS BEEN SORT OF A MYSTERY TO ME HERE OVER ON THE CITY SIDE.
IT'S, IT'S MAINLY A COUNTY STATE, UM, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZATION.
AND, UM, I DO APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION TODAY.
THAT WAS REALLY MY, MY MAIN FOCUS WAS TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND BETTER THE BACKGROUND AND, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE R M A.
SO I, I THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT TODAY.
TRANSPORTATION IS ONE OF MY TOP PRIORITIES IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I KNOW, UM, ON THIS COMMITTEE, OF COURSE, IT'S, IT'S OUR TOP PRIORITY.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT AT TIMES TO, YOU KNOW, HERD ALL THE CATS, RIGHT? THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, ENTITIES, AUTHORITIES, POLITICAL JURISDICTIONS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND, AND ORGANIZING.
AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO KIND OF PUT THAT PUZZLE TOGETHER.
AND SO I, I FEEL A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENT NOW I'M UNDERSTANDING MORE OF WHAT THE R M A DOES.
SO I, I DO APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND TALKING TO, TO US TODAY.
WELL, UNOFFICIALLY, THE REASON WHY RMAS WERE REALLY CREATED IN THE STATE, GOING BACK TO THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, WAS NONE OF THE ELECTEDS WANTED TO TOUCH TOLLS BECAUSE THEY WERE SO POLARIZING.
WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO WAS HAVE A SEPARATE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, INDIE, HEY, IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, THE R M A MADE THIS DECISION TO CHARGE THIS AMOUNT.
SO IN REALITY, THAT WAS THE PROCESS BEHIND PUTTING THESE, THESE TOLL, THESE RMAS TOGETHER.
IT WAS REALLY TO DELIVER TOLL PROJECTS WITHOUT THE STENCH GETTING ON THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHAT, WHEN WAS THE R M A FORMED? SO THE, THE LEGISLATION TO CREATE RMAS EXISTED IN 2001.
THE BEXAR COUNTY OR THE ALAMO AREA REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY WAS CREATED IN 2003.
UM, SO, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THE COUNTY AND THE CITY WORKING MORE CLOSELY MM-HMM.
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF, UM, HOW WE CAN DO THAT MAYBE THROUGH THE R M A OR JUST ATTENDING R M A MEETINGS? UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS COMMITTEE, WE, WE WOULD LIKE TO GET, UM, WORK MORE, MORE CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY.
WELL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED, I WILL TELL YOU THAT RIGHT NOW, LIKE I SAID, OUR CAPACITY IS IS MORE OR LESS MAXED OUT.
WE DO HAVE SOME LIMITED CAPACITY, NOT NECESSARILY TO ISSUE MORE DEBT, TO DO MORE PROJECTS ON THE SCALE OF, OF, OF THE 13 THAT I JUST SHOWED YOU.
BUT WE MAY LOOK AT A PAY AS YOU GO.
YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL IDEAS THAT, THAT WE'VE THROWN OUT TO THE BOARD.
WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL MORE MONTHS, UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.
AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH YOU ON IF WE SORT OF DO A CALL FOR PROJECTS.
I MEAN, IF THERE'S SOMETHING WITHIN THE CITY THAT THEY WANT TO, UM, TO PUT FORWARD AS A POTENTIAL PROJECT, WE'RE VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN THAT.
UM, THERE ARE RESTRICTIONS TO HOW WE CAN USE THAT MONEY.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY CAREFUL.
WHEN WE TOOK OVER STAFFING, IT WAS PARTLY BECAUSE THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE R M A NO CAPITAL PROJECTS WAS, WAS CLOSE TO ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR SEVEN PEOPLE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR THAT WE TOOK OVER STAFFING.
AND WE'VE KEPT IT BETWEEN THAT 300 AND 600,000 SINCE WE TOOK OVER STAFFING THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND A LOT OF THAT'S BECAUSE WE PERFORMED DUAL ROLES.
SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO TAKE ON ANY MORE OVERHEAD.
BUT THAT'S SEVERAL MONTHS AWAY FROM US DETERMINING IT.
ALSO, I WILL SAY WE DO HAVE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS.
WE, THE COUNTY TO NOT ONLY USE THEIR PURCHASING POLICY, BUT THEIR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.
AND WE HAVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH BAYER COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT THAT AS LONG AS WE HAVE DEBT ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROJECTS THAT WE DO, THEY WON'T YANK THAT FEE OUT FROM UNDER US.
AND WE HAVE, AND I SAY WE LIKE, 'CAUSE I ALWAYS WEAR TWO HATS WHEN WE'RE, WHEN I'M REPRESENTING THE R M A, WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT EVERY YEAR AND SAY, HERE ARE THE PROJECTS WE WANT TO DO FOR THAT.
AND THE COURT HAS TO APPROVE IT.
SO WHATEVER THE R M A SAYS, AND THAT BOARD SAYS IT STILL HAS THAT OTHER LEVEL OF APPROVAL THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH SCORE.
[00:55:01]
SAMCO I CHAIR COMMITTEE THAT IS, UM, DEDICATED TO FINDING TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT THE HIGH PROFILE ONES.SO I'M LOOKING AT YOUR SLIDE 11, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO ME FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
AND WHEN WE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY, NOT THE R M A MM-HMM.
JUST EMBARKED ON THAT $691 MILLION CAPITAL PROGRAM THAT INCLUDED A LOT OF THE RIVERS AND CREEKS AND STUFF.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HELPED SELL THE TRANSPORTATION ASPECT OF IT WAS WE SHOWED ALL THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY THAT HAVE BEEN DONE OR THAT ARE IN PROGRESS AND THE, AND THE CONNECTIVITY WITH ALL JUST THOSE SINGULAR RED LINES YOU SAW ON THE MAP THAT I SHOWED EARLIER.
AND THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO SEE HOW THEY ALL TIE IN TOGETHER.
UM, SO SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TUNNEL
UM, I, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT REALLY, I KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT THE R M A DOESN'T HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO, UM, CHECK WITH THE CITY OR, YOU KNOW, ANSWER TO US.
I WOULD LIKE US TO STAY CLOSER AND JUST, JUST TO KEEP US INFORMED WHAT'S HAPPENING.
BUT I'M, I'M CURIOUS, I DUNNO IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN ANSWER YET, BUT AT, AT ONE POINT, DOES THAT DO, DOES THE COUNTY OR THE R M A COME TO THE CITY TO TALK ABOUT, SO THE CITY HAS TO BE INVOLVED MM-HMM.
BUT YOU GUYS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR BOND.
AND I THINK THERE WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO LOOK INTO THIS RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY WENT AND VISITED WITH US AND THAT'S HOW WE SORT OF GOT INVOLVED IN IT.
SO IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO NOT BE, UH, I DON'T THINK THE BORING COMPANY WOULD HAVE ANY DESIRE TO MOVE FORWARD IF THE CITY WASN'T ON BOARD WITH IT.
SO THE PROBLEM WITH THE BORING COMPANY IS THEY'RE PRIVATE.
AND THEY REALLY JUST DON'T THINK THEY HAVE TO TELL OR EXPLAIN THEMSELVES TO ANYBODY.
AND I'M NOT BEING RUDE WHEN I SAY THAT.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A PUBLIC ENTITY, YOU'RE A PUBLIC ENTITY.
YOU'RE USED TO HAVING TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO THE PUBLIC.
THEY'RE LIKE, NAH, WE DON'T HAVE TO.
SO, I MEAN, WE'RE KIND OF GETTING USED TO THAT, THAT FEEDBACK AS WELL.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, AGAIN, FOR YOUR, FOR BEING HERE, RENEE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN? COURAGE.
DOES THE R M A HAVE EMINENT DOMAIN? YES.
SO THEORETICALLY, IF THE BORING COMPANY WANTED TO BUILD SOMETHING, YOU COULD EXERCISE EMINENT DOMAIN TO ENABLE THEM TO DO THAT.
I, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE, THE ANSWER IS YES.
THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO.
CHAIR AND THANK YOU, RENEE, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE DESIRE AS WELL TO, UM, COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY WHEN IT COMES TO THE R M A PROJECTS.
UM, BUT I, I KNOW THAT'S MONTHS AWAY, BUT, UH, JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UH, AND I ALSO WANTED TO INTRODUCE RICK DAVAN FROM OUR TEAM TO EVERYONE I KNOW, UH, WITH A M P O.
SO EVERYONE HERE, UH, I HOPE Y'ALL GET FAMILIAR WITH RICK, AND WE'RE GREAT FOR HAVING HIM ON THE TEAM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
YOU'RE, AND AS WELL WELCOME AS BEING, UH, OF GREAT, OF ASSISTANCE TO OUR OFFICE.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILWOMAN, SEND THE BOOK.
COUNCILWOMAN, BY THE WAY, I'M GONNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
I MEAN, I, IT'S, I KNOW IT WAS A HARD DECISION FOR YOU.
I READ ABOUT IT THIS MORNING, BUT, BUT CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEXT STEP IN YOUR CAREER.
UM, RENEE KNOWS ME FROM MY TIME WHEN I WAS ON THE STAFF SIDE, AND I'M STILL MORE COMFORTABLE THERE, SO I'M GLAD.
UM, YOU SAID IN FIVE TO SIX YEARS, UH, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THAT EXCESS CAPACITY.
SO THAT'S POSSIBLY A POINT BETWEEN NOW AND NOW, AND THEN WE CAN BEGIN TO WORK WITH YOUR STAFF.
RIGHT? OR WHOEVER'S LEFT HERE WILL BEGIN TO WORK WITH YOUR STAFF.
YEAH, THERE'S, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S A KEY POINT.
WHOEVER'S LEFT HERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A 20 TO 30 YEAR, UH, UH, WINDOW ON THAT DEBT.
AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE DEBT REALLY LIMIT IS WHAT DETERMINES THE CAPACITY.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 195, $200 MILLION IN DEBT TIED TO THESE PROJECTS.
ONCE THAT GETS PAID OFF OR PAID DOWN, THEN WE HAVE UNUSED CAPACITY THAT WE CAN GO OUT AND EITHER A ISSUE MORE DEBT OR B, LOOK AT PAY AS YOU GO PROJECTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE BOARD HASN'T DETERMINED YET.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT THERE BEING PROJECT
[01:00:01]
SELECTION CRITERIA.IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN, YOU CAN SHARE WITH US? I KNOW YOU SAID LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, BUT ARE THERE OTHER CRITERIA? SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER, COUNCILWOMAN IS NO, BECAUSE THE BOARD HASN'T MADE A DECISION WHICH DIRECTION THEY WANT TO GO.
AND SO WE DO ANSWER TO THAT SEVEN MEMBER BOARD AND ESSENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, THEY HA WE HAVE A, UNLIKE THE M P O, WHICH HAS A VERY SET SCORING CRITERIA, NONE OF THAT HAS REALLY BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THEM.
WE'VE TOLD THEM THAT THEY NEED TO START THINKING LONG TERM ABOUT HOW WE, AS WE COMPLETE THESE PROJECTS, HOW WE DELIVER MORE PROJECTS.
'CAUSE THAT EFFECTIVELY IS OUR GOAL IS TO, IS TO DELIVER MORE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T HAVE ANY CRITERIA FOR YOU.
AND AS SOON AS WE DO, I WILL MAKE A POINT TO SHARE THAT WITH THE CITY.
I LOVE THAT YOU DON'T, BECAUSE THE, IT'S OPEN THEN
UM, SO, UH, I GUESS WHO ARE YOUR BOARD MEMBERS? AND YOU SAID THEY'RE, THEY'RE APPOINTED BY, UH, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS? YES.
AND THIS MAY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO NEW COURT MEMBERS.
SO RIGHT NOW THE CHAIRMAN, WHICH IS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT, IS, UH, BY THE GOVERNOR, EXCUSE ME, IS MIKE LIN.
AND THEN WE AND I, AND I CAN GET YOU A LIST COUNCILWOMAN.
SO IF I LEAVE ONE OF THE OTHER SIX OFF, UH, WE HAVE BOBBY PEREZ, WE HAVE, UH, JOHN AGATHA, WE HAVE DAVID STARR, WE HAVE, UH, UM, UH, MILLER, LOU MILLER, LOU MILLER.
I'M NOT, WHO AM I MISSING? LISA? LISA VATA CHUY.
AND, AND THEN WALTER AND THEN WALTER SERNA.
NO, I, THEY'RE ALL LITERALLY, THEY'RE ALL IN HOLDOVER STATUS.
AND SO I IMAGINE WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF THEM WANNA STEP OFF AND SOME OF THEM WANNA BE REPLACED AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE REPLACED.
UM, SO YOU, YOUR DEPARTMENT STAFFS THE YES, THE R M A.
SO SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE DO HERE, AND, AND I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS HAVING BEEN IN YOUR ROLE SO LONG, IS THAT WHEN WE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE, UH, THIS LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN A ROAD PROJECT, ESPECIALLY A NEW ROAD PROJECT, THERE'S A, WE CAN'T PUT IT IN OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? SO IT GOES TO THE BONDS, UM, AND WE PUT TOGETHER CITIZEN COMMITTEE, THERE'S A WEIGHING PROCESS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
SO THERE'S, IT'S A LONG DRAWN OUT PROCESS.
AND I'M NOT GONNA SAY THE CITIZENS GET TO MAKE EVERY CHOICE, RIGHT? THAT HAPPENS.
BUT ULTIMATELY THEY, THEY, THEY BLESS IT RIGHT AT, AT THE POLLS AND THEY ARE INVOLVED IN A CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE.
DO YOU FORESEE ANYTHING? UM, I MEAN, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA SAY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE AN ELECTION, BUT, UH, JUST SOMETHING PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT MORE OPENING HAPPENING IN THE NEXT CYCLE OF PROJECT SELECTION, UH, WHERE CITIZENS MAY BE INVOLVED IN SOME WAY.
SO, SO THESE ARE REVENUE BONDS.
SO A, THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE.
BECAUSE THEY'RE REVENUE BACKED BONDS.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NO, TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO AN ELECTION EITHER.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, I DOUBT VERY SERIOUSLY WE WOULD EVER TAKE ANYTHING TO A VOTE.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO, WHY WOULD NO, I, I DON'T ASSUME YOU WILL.
WHAT, WHAT I MEAN IS LIKE A PUBLIC MEETING, INPUT MEETING.
WE COME AND GIVE US ANYTHING ALONG THOSE, THOSE LINES.
I MEAN, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, THIS ALL HAPPENED IN A YEAR.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GOT THE AUTHORITY TO CHARGE THE FEE, AND IT WAS, IT WAS, UH, IT WAS VOTED IN ON IN MAY OF 2013.
THE, THE COURT ASSESSED THE FEE AUGUST TO BE EFFECTIVE JANUARY, AND THEN WE HAD 12 MONTHS BOOM.
AND WE NEEDED TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF PROJECTS.
WELL, WE, BEAR COUNTY HAVE ALWAYS HAD, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LIST TODAY THAT FAR EXCEEDS WHAT WE CAN DO.
AND WE WENT TO TDOT AND WE WENT TO IN THAT, AND WE JUST PULLED OFF THAT LIST, BOOM.
AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT, WE MOVED FORWARD ON THIS GROUPING.
WILL WE DO THE SECOND TIER DIFFERENTLY? PROBABLY, YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INVOLVEMENT TO THAT EXTENT, BUT I'M, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HOW IT HAPPENED THAT FIRST TIME.
SO THAT'S A POSSIBILITY IN THE FUTURE.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MS. GREEN.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY TUNNEL QUESTIONS, YOU CAN, YOU'RE FREE TO CALL ME.
SO, WAIT, WHILE I WAS AT THAT, SO, UM, COUNCILMAN CUR ASKED THE QUESTION, YOU KNOW, IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES RIGHT TO, TO SEEK EMINENT DOMAIN FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHAT I WONDER ABOUT IS THE INTERACTION WITH CITY RIGHT OF WAY.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE CAN'T FORCE YOU.
UH, BUT IT IS A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
AND WE ARE A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, JUST LIKE YOU WOULD GIVE C P S OR, OR
[01:05:01]
SAWS THE, THE ABILITY TO BE WITHIN YOUR RIGHT OF WAY.NOW THERE'S CONDITIONS YOU COULD IMPOSE UPON THAT.
UM, REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY THAT'S BEEN REALLY TARGETED MORE IS THE, THE US 2 81.
BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE TUNNEL PROJECT, WHAT HE REALLY WANTS TO DO, HE BEING ELON MUSK, IS CONNECT AUSTIN TO SAN ANTONIO AND, AND, AND THE AIRPORT TO AIRPORT AND THEN AIRPORTS TO DOWNTOWN.
BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE TO SORT OF BUILD THE BOOKENDS FIRST TO MAKE THAT WORK.
SO UTILIZING EXISTING RIGHT OF WAY IS THE NEXT STEP.
THE TUNNEL DEPTH WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF 50 FEET.
SO IT'D BE BELOW ANY UTILITIES, BELOW ANY, ANY OTHER, OTHER THINGS.
IT'S ALL DESIGNED, IF YOU READ THAT DEAL, THEY'RE DESIGNED TO ULTIMATELY BE MANNED BY AUTONOMOUS ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, RIGHT NOW YOU WOULD HAVE DRIVERS, UM, THE STATIONS COULD BE ADDED AT THE EXPENSE OF WHOEVER WANTS TO ADD THEM.
KIND OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN LAS VEGAS IS THEY HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT.
AND IF I'M GOING ON TOO MUCH, Y'ALL JUST CUT ME OFF.
THEY HAVE A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY IN LAS VEGAS, AND THEY'RE BUILDING, AND IN THAT FRANCHISE AGREEMENT ALLOWS THEM TO USE THE RIGHT OF WAY, UM, UNDERNEATH FOR A PERCENTAGE.
I'M NOT TELLING YOU THAT'S HOW THE DEAL HERE IS GONNA LOOK.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT IT IS IN LAS VEGAS.
SO THE LINE, THE TUNNEL WILL EXIST FROM THE AIRPORT THROUGH THE, UM, BASICALLY THE STRIP.
AND WE'LL CONNECT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE THERE IS A PRIVATE LINE THAT THE BORING COMPANY HAS ALREADY BUILT FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO THE VARIOUS, UM, CASINOS CAN CHOOSE TO BUILD THEIR OWN CONNECTION.
AND UNLIKE, UH, UH, AN ELEVATED RAILWAY, OR UNLIKE, IT'S, IT'S NOT LIKE IF YOU'RE ON THE AIRPORT AND YOU WANNA GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER, THAT'S A STRAIGHT SHOT.
YOU DO NOT PULL OFF AT THE BELLAGIO.
AND PEOPLE GET ON AND PEOPLE GET OFF.
SO IF YOU, THERE'S GROUPS OF CARS AT THE BELLAGIO AND AT THE, I DON'T, AND I'M NOT A VEGAS PERSON, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANOTHER CASINO IS, BUT ESSENTIALLY THEY CAN GET ON AND OFF OR YOU COULD GO STRAIGHT TO THE CONVENTION CENTER WHERE THE END OF THE LINE IS.
AND SO THAT IS THE, THE, THE VISION OF THIS YOU IN.
AND IT WOULD BE STATIONS WOULD BE ADDED AT THE BELLAGIO, AT THE COST OF THE BELLAGIO, YET YOU WOULD CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE REVENUE FROM THAT.
AND OF COURSE, THIS WHOLE THING REALLY STARTED, JUST NOT TO BORE YOU GUYS TO TEARS, WAS WE STARTED LOOKING FOR OTHER REVENUE GENERATING POSSIBILITIES SO THAT WE COULD TURN THAT REVENUE INTO TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
AND, UM, THE BORING COMPANY, WE'VE, WE HAD SEVERAL RESPONSES.
SEVERAL PEOPLE WANT US TO PARTNER WITH THEM TO BUILD PARKING GARAGES.
BUT YOU AS THE CITY KNOW, PARKING GARAGES DON'T MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT IS INCLUDED AND THE COST OF THE LAND IS INCLUDED.
WE'VE HAD PARKING GARAGES, WE HAD AN UBER TYPE THING.
WE HAD, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THE OTHER WAS.
SO THESE WERE ALL UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.
WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED AN OPEN REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON OUR WEB STILL OPEN.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN HERE COMES A BORING COMPANY AND THIS LOOKS LEGIT LIKE IT COULD WORK.
SO WE TOOK THAT R F I AND WE TURNED IT INTO WHAT WE CALL AN R F P Q.
GIVE US A PROPOSAL WITH YOUR QUALIFICATIONS TO BUILD A SYSTEM FROM THE AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS WHAT WAS THE BASIC CONCEPT ON THE, UM, BORING COMPANY.
WE GOT FIVE RESPONSES OF THOSE.
ONE WAS REALLY NON-RESPONSIVE.
UM, AND REALLY THE BORING COMPANIES WAS THE BEST ONE.
EVEN THE, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL IDEA CAME FROM THEM.
SO THAT'S SORT OF HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT WITH THEM.
UM, BUT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT R F I OPEN, UM, IF YOU'VE GOT A REVENUE GENERATING OPPORTUNITY, WE'RE INTERESTED SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT ON TRANSPORTATION.
AN I DO REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY.
AND THANKS FOR BEING SO CANDID AND UM, AND TRANSPARENT WITH US.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, WHICH IS, WHO'S THAT? IS THAT RAZZIE? ALRIGHT, THANKS ZY.
[01:10:01]
RENEE.MINE IS NOT GOING TO TAKE AS LONG AS RENEE STUCK.
I KNEW YOU WOULD DIG THAT IN THERE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBER.
I AM REZI SINI, DIRECTOR OF CITY ENGINEER FOR PUBLIC SPORT DEPARTMENT.
TODAY I WILL BE PROVIDING YOU UPDATE ON A C BOX OR CITY BOND OVERSIGHT COMMISSION, OR COMMONLY KNOWN C BOX.
IN 2007, WHEN WE PASSED OUR LARGEST BOND EVER AT THE TIME, OVER 50 500 MILLION, CITI DECIDED TO CREATE REALLY C BOX TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT TO MAKE SURE OUR PROJECT ESPECIALLY WAS VERY LARGE.
BOND PROJECT IS DONE ON TIME AND WE DIDN'T BUDGET WITH HIGH QUALITY CITY BOND OVERSIGHT.
COMMISSIONER CONSISTS OF THE 50 MEMBER, WHICH APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS A FIRST TIME CREATED IN 2017.
BOND WAS, UH, IS 17 MEMBER, THE CITY BOND OVERSIGHT COMMISSIONER PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF A COMPLETION OF OUR 2017 BOUND PROGRAM, WHICH IS 803 PROJECT, WHICH CONSISTS OF SIDEWALKS, STREETS, BRIDGES, DRAINAGE, PARKS, FACILITY PROJECTS, METS ON QUARTERLY BASIS AND PROVIDE ANNUAL REPORT TO FULL CITY COUNCIL EVERY YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE COVID FOR LAST TWO YEARS, THIS DID NOT HAPPEN.
NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE PROVIDES OVERSIGHT OF A $20 MILLION 2017 BOND PROGRAM.
MET ON THE AD HOC BASE WHEN PRESENTED THE SELECTION OF THE PROPOSED NEIGHBORHOOD BOND SITE FOR NECESSARY FEEDBACKS.
BUT WE ARE PROPOSING TODAY CONTINUATION OF A BOND DASHBOARD, ANNUAL BRIEFING TO FALL CITY COUNCIL, LEVERAGE THE EXISTING AND ESTABLISHED TWO NEW BOARD TO OVER TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE BOND PROPOSITION AS FOLLOW STREET, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALK.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO BE NEW PROPOSITION BY NEW OVERSIGHT BY ITSELF.
PROPOSITION B, DRAINAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL WILL BE ANOTHER NEW OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL OVERSEE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY BOARD PARK AND RECREATION, WHICH IS PROPOSITION C TO REPORT TO PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, LINEAR PARK ADVISORY BOARD AND PROPOSITION D LIBRARY FACILITY TO REPORT SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD AND PROPOSITION AND OTHER D CULTURAL FACILITY TO REPORT FOR HISTORIC AND DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSIONER PROPOSITION E, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC SAFETY TO REPORT FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
AND LAST ONE, WHICH IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO REPORT FOR SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSIONER.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS, TO ENSURE COMPLETION OF 2022 STREET PROPOSITION, ADVISE CITY STAFF ON HOW TO IMPROVE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, LEAD THE COMMUNITY PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE PROJECT FOR FUTURE BOND.
THIS WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT PROPOSITION COUNCILWOMAN BECAUSE OF WHEN WE ARE PREPARING ANOTHER BOND, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE LIST OF THE PROJECT GATHERED WITH THIS COMMITTEE FOR OUR PROPOSED BOND PROGRAM.
STREETS, BRIDGES AND ADVISORY.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO BE 11 MEMBER TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT WITH NO TERM LIMIT, CO-TERM RISK WITH TO GO WITH THE COUNCIL AND MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY MADE TO APPOINT THE CHAIR, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER TO APPOINT FOR EACH OF THEIR COUNCIL DISTRICT STAFF RECOMMEND TO CONSIDERING A APPOINTING THE MEMBER YOU HAD APPOINTED PREVIOUSLY FOR BOND COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE BENEFIT OF THIS, THEY KNOW MOST OF THOSE PROJECT AND ALSO THEY PROVIDE CON CONTINUITY OF THOSE SERVICES.
NEXT AVAILABLE DAY, MORE LIKELY SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY, SUNSETTING THE CITY BOARD OVERSIGHT COMMISSION AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY BOARD LEVERAGE EXISTING AND ESTABLISHED TWO NEW BOARDS TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE CURRENT AND FUTURE BOND PROGRAM.
STREET BRIDGES AND SIDEWALK WILL BE ONE OF THEM.
THE OTHER ONE AND MEMBER WILL BE APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER, I'M SORRY, SPRING OF 2023.
UH, THIS WILL COME TO COUNCIL JANUARY 26TH.
[01:15:04]
OKAY, I'LL, I'LL, UM, SAVE MY CLIENTS FOR THE END.IS, UH, COUNCILMAN COURAGE? YES.
UM, ARE, AM I RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE ARE CURRENTLY 11 MEMBERS OF THE SEA B C 15, 15? CORRECT.
UH, AND YOU'RE PROPOSING TO DISSOLVE THAT AND THEN TO PROPOSE TWO NEW COUNCIL COMMITTEE, TWO NEW COMMITTEES.
WE ARE PROPOSING FOR STREETS AND BRIDGES AND SIDEWALK TO BE 11 PEOPLE ONLY.
STORMWATER WILL BE MORE THAN THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ROLE WOULD BE OF AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I, I SEE THE NOTES YOU HAVE HERE AND I GUESS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THEY WOULD BE A GOOD COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THESE PROJECTS.
LEAD THE COMMUNITY PROCESS, ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, UM, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY WITH, UH, WHAT WAS THE PREFERENCE OF JOBS GETTING DONE OR REORDER THEM OR MAKE CHANGES TO THEM? RIGHT.
FIRST OF ALL, IN THE PAST DEPEND ON HOW ACTIVE THESE MEMBER ARE.
THEY USED TO ATTEND WITH US, SOME OF THEM FOR CERTAIN PROJECT GROUNDBREAKING, SOMETIME FOR RIBBON CUTTING.
WE TOOK THEM TO FILTER IT, SHOW THEM PROJECT COMPLETED UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WE GOT SOME SUGGESTION OR RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM FOR THIS TIME.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR 2022 BOND PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OVER 10 MILLION STREET FOR PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY.
EACH COUNCIL HAS 1 MILLION AND FEW COUNCIL MEMBER HAS MORE THAN 1 MILLION O OVERALL A LITTLE OVER 10 MILLION.
OUR INTENTION IS FOR THESE COMMITTEE TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GET INPUT WHERE WE SHOULD BUILD THOSE PROJECTS.
'CAUSE THEIR PROJECT'S NOT IDENTIFIED ONLY WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE DOLLAR TO GO.
THE SECOND THING, WE HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED PART OF THE BOND.
WE HAVE ANOTHER 10 MILLION FOR A BIKE PROGRAM, CITYWIDE BIKE PROGRAM.
OF COURSE WE ARE GO DOING THE BIKE MASTER PLAN, BUT MASTER PLAN IS GOING TO IDENTIFY A LOT ROADWAY, PROBABLY IT'S BIKE LANE.
BUT OUR INTENTION IS TO THIS COMMITTEE TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHICH ONE SHOULD WE BUILD FIRST.
WELL I, MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT WHEN YOU'RE, YOUR EXPLANATION IS, IS HELPING A LITTLE BIT IS JUST WHY NOT KEEP THE SEA B AND JUST LIMIT WHAT THEY OVERSEE TO STREETS AND, AND BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS AND DRAINAGE BECAUSE NOW WE'RE CREATING TWO COMMITTEES AND HAVE MORE PEOPLE.
UH, BUT IT ALSO MEANS MORE STAFF TIME TO BREAK UP AND TO WORK WITH THESE.
IF WE HAD ONE COMMITTEE OVERSEEING TWO BONDS FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, 10 YEARS CREATING TWO TO SEE ONLY PART OF THE BONDS, UH, THIS YEAR, I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO BE THAT GREAT OF AN IMPROVEMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHY NOT JUST KEEP THE C B O C AND, AND LIMIT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO THOSE COUPLE OF ISSUES.
LET THE OTHER COMMITTEES HANDLE THOSE OTHER THINGS.
SINCE THAT'S YOUR RECOMMENDATION, COUNCILMAN? WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY BOND PROCESS, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM DRAINAGE COMMITTEE WAS FOR US TO CREATE A COMMITTEE TO IN ADD FOR MANY YEARS TO WORK AND IDENTIFY THIS PROJECT NEEDS TO BE DONE WHEN WE HAVE 2017.
BOND IS COMING FROM REALLY COMMUNITY THAN, RATHER THAN COMING FROM STAFF, THE PROJECT LIST.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE CBO C MEMBERS FELT LIKE THERE SHOULD BE GREATER INVOLVEMENT AND THERE SHOULD BE OTHER COMMITTEES TO LOOK AT THESE SEPARATELY? CORRECT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK I WELCOME.
MY TEAM WELCOMES THE ADDITION OF A NEW COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THE STREETS, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS.
AND I THINK IT'S COMMON SENSE, UH, OR A COMMON SENSE STEP TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATIVE WITH, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THEIR OWN LIVED AND EXPERIENCE.
AND I'M SURE MANY GREAT IDEAS WILL COME FROM THE COMMISSION.
UM, WHAT I DO WONDER IS HOW MANY 2017 PROJECTS ARE STILL NOT COMPLETED? I'M NOT SURE THAT I JUST HEARD THAT.
WE HAVE, UH, 97%, 94% EITHER DONE OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE VERY FEW NOT COMPLETED BECAUSE OF, WE HAD FUNDING AGREEMENT, LIKE LONESTAR IS ONE OF THEM.
WE HAD PROBAND IS COUNCIL DISTRICT FIVE.
WE HAD TO, WE GOT ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH THE 2020 2 22 BOND.
[01:20:01]
THAT'S THE ONE.AS WE ARE WORKING WITH
WE HAVE VERY FEW PROJECT IS, HASN'T GONE UNDER CONSTRUCTION THERE.
BUT ALSO I MENTIONED THE REST IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
DO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF, HOW MANY ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW? UH, I I THINK A LITTLE OVER 50 UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
I DON'T HAVE EXACT 5, 0 50, 5 0, PROBABLY 5 56 OR SO.
UM, I GUESS I'M WONDERING, GOING BACK TO SHIFTING BACK TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A STIPEND FOR CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION, PARKING, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE? I KNOW THAT'S BEEN OF INTEREST FOR IN THE PAST COMMITTEES.
WE MET, WE MET IN A CENTRAL LIBRARY.
WE PROVIDE THEM FREE PARKING, BUT NOT THE CHILD, NOT THE CHILDCARE.
WE DO HAVE A CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH WITH DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, IF THEY'RE AT THE LIBRARY, THEY CAN HAVE FREE PARKING.
IF THEY HAVE, UH, THE MEETINGS HERE, FREE PARKING IS AVAILABLE, UM, THROUGH THE CITY TOWER.
THERE GOES MY SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU OZZIE FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, MY ONLY QUESTION IS WITH THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES, UH, I SEE THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY WILL, UH, CONDUCT OVERSIGHT AND THEN HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW, SO ON AND SO FORTH, RIGHT.
BUT, UH, WITH EACH OF THOSE, UH, COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS, CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS SOMEONE TO REPRESENT, UH, THEIR DISTRICT AS AN EXTENSION OF THEIR OFFICE.
HOWEVER, FOR PROPOSITION F, UM, THE OVERSIGHT WILL BE CONDUCTED BY THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION, UH, WHICH IS NOT APPOINTED BY COUNCIL.
CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY NOT PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, AND WHY SAN ANTONIO HOUSING COMMISSION WILL CONDUCT THAT OVERSIGHT OR ROD? YEAH, I'LL HAVE TO CHECK WITH LORI HOUSTON, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WAS A DIRECTION THAT CAME FROM, FROM THIS COUNCIL WAS THAT THAT COMMISSION WOULD HAVE THE OVERSIGHT FOR THAT.
BUT I'LL, I'LL VERIFY WITH HER AND LET YOU KNOW.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE AGAIN, RIGHT, JUST REITERATING THAT THAT'S THE ONLY OVERSIGHT BOARD THAT, UH, DOESN'T HAVE REPRESENTATION APPOINTED BY EACH COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, AND FOR THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY AS WELL, I'D RECOMMEND PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THOSE ARE ALL MY COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, THANK YOU RAZZY FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND UM, JOHN, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS IN TERMS OF MORE STAFF WORK.
UM, BUT I, I WILL TELL YOU, I DID PUSH, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHY YOU DID IT, BUT I DID PUSH FOR HAVING A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT STRUCTURE THIS TIME BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ONLY HAVING ONE COMMITTEE TO DO OVERSIGHT OF SO MANY DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, UM, I I JUST DIDN'T SEE HOW THEY COULD DO A GOOD JOB WITH THAT.
AND HONESTLY, SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES ALREADY EXIST, SO I THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO TAKE THIS ON INSTEAD OF SORT OF SPLITTING THAT MM-HMM.
SO IT, IT KIND OF TAKES AWAY FROM THEM TO SEND THAT TO C BOX.
SO I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE PARKS BOARD, THE, UH, LINEAR CREEKWAY BOARD.
I THINK THAT MAKES TOTAL SENSE.
UM, LIBRARY BOARD OF COURSE, UM, IN TERMS OF, AND THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ADVISORY BOARD, THAT'S, UM, WHEN WE SUBMITTED THAT C C R, OUR PROPOSAL WAS TERRY AND I'S PROPOSAL WAS NOT THAT IT JUST BE AN OVERSIGHT.
IN FACT, I'M NOT SURE WE EVEN INCLUDED THAT PART, BUT IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THE MASTER PLANNING FOR THE MANY DIFFERENT DRAINAGE PROJECTS.
BECAUSE WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS BOND COMMITTEE WAS THAT THEY CAN'T DO IT ALL IN 10 WEEKS, THAT THEY WANNA HAVE AN ONGOING COMMITTEE.
UM, SO, UH, I, I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON SOME OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
UM, NUMBER ONE FOR, UH, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UM, I, I CONCUR WITH THE COMMENT ABOUT THAT IS NOT A COMMITTEE THAT WE ALL GET TO APPOINT SOMEBODY TO.
AND, UH, SO I I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT RECOMMENDATION.
UM, IN TERMS OF CULTURAL FACILITIES, I'M, I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD GO TO HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW COMMISSION OVER OUR ARTS COMMISSION AND THE HISTORIC DESIGN REVIEW IS REALLY FOCUSED, IS MY UNDERSTANDING, IS VERY FOCUSED ON THOSE FEW HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS AND THE GUIDELINES THAT GO WITH THOSE.
AND I THINK THESE CULTURAL FACILITIES REALLY REPRESENT A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
SOME SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT.
SO, UM, I WOULD, I GUESS I'D LIKE TO, TO SEE WHAT ELSE WAS CONSIDERED BEFORE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION.
AND, UM, LASTLY ON STREETS, BRIDGES AND SIDEWALKS, UM, I I REALLY,
[01:25:01]
CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THAT MIGHT GO BY DAY TO DAY? BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS SINCE THE LAST BOND IS, UM, IS I WORK VERY CLOSELY OR YOU, YOU WORK VERY CLOSELY, WHICH EACH COUNCIL OFFICE ABOUT EVERY SINGLE SIDEWALK PROJECT OR BRIDGE PROJECT.AND THAT IS REALLY NOT SOMETHING THAT MY APPOINTEE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH, SHE WORKED MORE ON THE PARK STUFF.
SO I'M, I'M WONDERING HOW THEY'RE GOING TO WORK ON THE OVERSIGHT.
UM, SO I, BUT I ALSO DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT ADVISES ON PEDESTRIAN SAFETY OR TRAFFIC SAFETY.
IN FACT, ART WAS ART WHO WAS RIGHT THERE, WAS WORKING ON SOME ON THAT RECOMMENDATION, AND WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO, TO FINISH IT.
UM, SO IT'S SORT OF GOT LEFT IN LIMBO SOMEWHERE.
SO I, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WOULD ALSO BE A GOOD, UM, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR THAT COM COMMITTEE.
I THINK COUNCILMAN THE IDEA IS, UH, HAVE GIVE THEM SOME MORE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY THAN THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY TO HELP US ON FINDING IF WE HAVE ANY TOTAL BOND, SAVING THEM TO PROVIDE SOME PROJECT LIST FOR CONSULT TO BE FUND THOSE PROJECT.
OH, SO THAT'S A DIFFERENT PROCEDURE IS WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THAT'S, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHEN THERE'S PROJECT SAVINGS SOMETIMES.
BUT AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROJECT, BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THEY WILL LAST THROUGH THAT FIVE YEARS OF THE BOND PROGRAM, BY THAT TIME THEY SHOULD KNOW WE HAVE SOME SAVING OR NOT AND ALSO REALLY CREATE PROJECT LIST FOR POSSIBLE FUTURE BOND 2017 AND, AND OH, OKAY.
SO ALMOST LIKE AN ONGOING RIGHT, UH, COMMITTEE.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT.
AND UM, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, SOME MORE BACKUP ON CULTURAL FACILITIES AND UH, AND A DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
ANY OTHER FOLLOW UPS? ANY FOLLOW UP COUNCILMAN? K? YEAH.
COULD YOU REFRESH OUR, OUR MEMORY, UH, WHAT WAS IN PROPOSITION D? WHAT WERE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WERE APPROVED ON PROPOSITION D? WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THE LIBRARY.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIBRARY OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CULTURAL FACILITY.
WELL UNDER CULTURAL FACILITIES, WHAT WERE, WHAT WAS INCLUDED THERE? UM, WE HAD MAGIC THEATER, WHICH IS IN DOWNTOWN.
WE HAVE WORLD HERITAGE, WHICH IS IN COUNCIL DISTRICT THREE.
WE HAVE ELLA AUSTIN IN COUNCIL DISTRICT TWO, AND WE HAVE TOWER OF AMERICA, WHICH WE'RE RENOVATING PART OF BOND.
I JUST HAVE A, A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, RAZZI.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, IF THERE'S ANY LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY IN THE, IN THE LAST BOND, UM, THAT WE CAN APPLY TO THIS CURRENT BOND.
THE LESSON LEARNED, I THINK WE ARE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, LAST BOND WE HAD $48 MILLION ON A PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY.
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, IF THESE COMMITTEE HELP US WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES, SELECTING THOSE PROJECT, IT HELPS OUR DEPARTMENT, MY DEPARTMENT TO EXPEDITE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THOSE AND ALSO PUBLIC WILL BE HAPPY.
THEM GETTING INPUT ON SELECTION, THOSE PROJECT RATHER THAN STAFF SELECTING PROJECT FOR THEM.
AND THIS TIME WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE 48 MILLION, WE HAVE A OVER 10 MILLION ALSO WE HAVE AN ADDITION LAST THIS TIME WE HAVE A BIKE PROGRAM CITYWIDE 10 MILLION.
IF THEY PARTICIPATE ON SELECTION, THOSE PROJECT, IT'LL GO REALLY LONG, LONG WAY THAN JUST CITY STAFF RECOMMENDING THIS PROJECT.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS OUR LAST ITEM.
SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR THE HARD WORK YOU'RE DOING HERE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR MEETING NEXT MONTH.