Bullhead Area Transit Commission Meeting - February 5, 2024
Bullhead Area Transit Commission Meeting - February 5, 2024
The Bullhead Area Transit Commission held a regular meeting on February 5, 2024, at 12:30 PM. Three commissioners were present, one seat was vacant, and Vice Chair Toon Forest was absent, establishing a quorum. The meeting included public comment, approval of minutes, a bylaw amendment, staff reports on finances, ridership, grant transitions, and a transit facility project, and discussion of future agenda items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Scotty (member of the public) raised several concerns: the missing bus stop at Palma Road and Hancock, two unused bus stops on the east side of Clearwater (suggesting they be moved to a location near a three-foot easement where he often waits), and the difficulty sitting on wet grass at a stop. He also criticized commissioners for repeated absences, suggesting that missing two meetings without makeup should result in removal from the commission.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes – November 6, 2023: A motion was made and seconded. The minutes were approved unanimously by voice vote.
Discussion Items
- Amendment to Section 205 of Bylaws – Voting on Minutes: The commission discussed and voted to strike the sentence "A commission member shall not vote to approve minutes from a meeting at which the member was not in attendance." Staff had previously advised that a present commissioner may vote on any item before them. A motion to approve the amendment was made, seconded, and passed unanimously.
- Staff Reports:
- Financial Performance: Staff presented financial summaries for September 2023, including cost-per-hour metrics and reimbursement progress to ADOT. No questions were raised.
- Annual Ridership Statistics (2023 vs. 2022): Overall ridership increased by over 9% from ~119,000 to >130,000 rides. Staff noted a 32% increase on the green line, the most significant change. Historical context was provided: pre-COVID peak ~180,000 rides (2015-2016), a 30% drop during COVID, and a steady recovery since. A commissioner requested quarterly data; staff agreed to provide it and offered seasonal trends (fall highest, winter lowest).
- Grant Program Transition (5311 to 5307): Staff is finalizing the transition to the 5307 small urban grant. An authorizing resolution will go to city council on February 6, 2024. After council approval, one final step (certifications and assurances) remains before the commission can directly apply for 5307 funds.
- Transit Multimodal Facility Project Update: Staff is working with Selbergen Associates. A workshop is scheduled for February 6, 2024 (3:30 PM, council chambers) and a public open house on February 12, 2024 (5:00-6:00 PM, council chambers). Feedback will inform final plans, expected by April/May 2024, which will then go to council. Environmental clearances (NEPA) are the next major hurdle before construction funding.
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Stations: Staff reported there are currently no EV charging stations within Bullhead City limits. Statewide, there were 50,000-60,000 registered EVs in 2023 (about 3.5% of all registered vehicles), a number that has doubled since 2020. Feedback from the upcoming public meetings will help decide whether to include EV charging at the new facility.
- Future Agenda Items: A commissioner asked about renaming the transit service. Staff suggested deferring until the facility is closer to completion to avoid losing momentum. The commission agreed to hold off on that topic.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of November 6, 2023 Minutes: Approved unanimously.
- Approval of Bylaws Amendment (Section 205): Approved unanimously, allowing any present commissioner to vote on minutes regardless of attendance at the prior meeting.
- Next Steps: Staff will present the transit facility project at the February 6 council workshop and February 12 public open house. The 5307 grant resolution will be presented to council on February 6. Future ridership reports will include quarterly breakdowns.
- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.
Meeting Transcript
Call to order Bull Hutt Area Transit Commission February 5th, 2024. Madam Clerk, roll call. Three commissioners are present. We have one vacant seat, and Vice Chair Toon Forest is absent. There is a quorum. Thank you. Will you join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? Indivisible. Thank you. Do we have any presentations tonight? We do not. Thank you. Uh call to the public. Well, thank you guys for showing up and having a quorum at least. I don't know. We're gonna keep having a problem with having a quorum a couple months, uh, a couple meetings ago, you didn't have one, and they didn't make it up either. So maybe this needs to be brought up to the city council about you missed two, you're out. Um wondering what happened to the bus stop at Palma Road in Hancock. Would somebody run into it or why is it gone? Same answer I get every time. Whatever it's missing. I think there used to be one there. Uh there's still two extra bus stops on the east side of Clearwater in between Clearwater Marina. They're there for people that are running around the block. Nobody's ever used them. I've never seen one person sit there. They could be moved to it's on the east side of Clearwater in between marina. You'll see them at both ends. So nobody's using these. But they're brand new. You have a big easement through there. You watch where the telephone poles are there. You've even got on the east side a three-foot easement. Uh that far in. You could put a pad there on that. That's my route. My uh bus stop that I use sometimes. Um now's the time to go in there and do it. Well, they're running into the telephone poles anyway down there. They knocked out power to, but I'd like to see that one moved over there because where we have to sit on the grass at the water in the morning, so you can't sit down on the grass, and it's up like this anyway. You have to sit on the steps over there, and you're blocking the people trying to use their steps. So I'd like to see that moved while it's still dirt. And uh like I said, these people that aren't showing up. I appreciate you guys showing up because I seen you before here. But to be on a commission, I don't know why Larry's not here. He he's usually here even for city council meetings, so I'm not asking any personal you know things here, but thank you for showing up. Thanks, Scotty. Discussion of possible action to approve the minutes of the commission meeting held on November 6th, 2023. A motion to approve. I make a motion.
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