Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - December 8, 2016

Note: The transcript references a January 2016 setting (e.g., "Happy New Year," Martin Luther King March), while the provided date is December 8, 2016. This discrepancy is noted; the date below follows the instruction to use the given date.

The board convened to discuss consent items, the general manager’s report, board officer elections, the 2016 meeting calendar, low‑productivity bus routes, and a policy on contractor responsibility. Public comment was heard on several agenda items, particularly the meeting calendar and the proposal to include human rights criteria in procurement. The board approved consent items, a resolution commending retiring staff, and a revised meeting calendar. It also directed staff to proceed with corrective actions for low‑productivity routes and to research best practices for incorporating social responsibility into contracting.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1–3 (consent calendar) — Approved unanimously after a speaker questioned the cost of a federal advocacy contract. Staff noted the contract was a new award following a competitive bid and represented a significant cost reduction (from ~$180,000/year to ~$100,000/year).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Meeting Calendar — Multiple speakers opposed moving to one meeting per month, citing longer agendas, reduced access for transit‑dependent riders, and potential for meeting times that make return travel difficult. Some supported the chair’s hybrid proposal of one monthly meeting plus three town halls (Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Elk Grove). One speaker (Mike Barnbaum of Ride Downtown 916) supported the hybrid approach, noting board members’ other commitments.
• Low‑Productivity Routes — Speakers raised concerns about specific routes: 75 (Mather area) needed extended hours; 74 (Rancho Cordova) should not be eliminated but reworked; Route 19 (Rio Linda) should have lower priority because it meets weekday standards but suffers from lateness on Sundays. Representatives from Mather Community Campus and Wellspring Women’s Center opposed cuts and urged improved connections instead.
• Contractor Responsibility / G4S Policy — A large number of speakers addressed the item. Most urged the board to adopt criteria that would exclude contractors with human rights violations, using G4S as an example. They cited G4S’s record in Israel/Palestine, U.S. prisons, and the UK, and argued the board has legal and moral authority to consider such factors. A few speakers (e.g., Ryan Pace of the Jewish Community Relations Council and Carol Villardi) cautioned that such a policy could be used for discriminatory boycotts (e.g., BDS) and would be legally problematic. Several also advocated for local hiring and union contracts.

Discussion Items

• General Manager’s Report — GM Mike Wiley announced the 35th annual Martin Luther King March (Monday, January 18, 2016), with grand marshal Mike Wiley. Staff updates included plans for system‑wide station improvements (lighting, security, cleanliness), a new mobile fare app generating $700 in its first week, and the anticipated sale of light‑rail carbon credits (estimated at $1.7 million annually).
• Commendation for Rosemary Covington — The board unanimously adopted a resolution commending retiring Deputy General Manager Rosemary Covington for her 8.5 years of service, including leadership on the Green Line project and customer advocacy.
• Board Officer Election — Director Shaneer was re‑elected Chair, and Director Andy Morin was elected Vice Chair, effective the next day. Unanimous vote.
• 2016 Board Meeting Calendar — Extensive debate on three options: A (two meetings/month), B (one meeting/month), and C (one meeting/month plus three town halls). After hearing public comment and board discussion, a motion by Director Cerna (seconded by Director Harris) passed: keep the current frequency (two meetings/month), permit cancellation when agendas are light, and replace three of those meetings with town‑hall style meetings in Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, and Elk Grove during 2016, with an evaluation at year’s end. The motion also included a review of earlier start times. Vote: majority aye, with some opposed.
• Low‑Productivity Routes (Item 8) — Staff presented a plan to analyze 13 bus routes and the Green Line, with a timeline leading to potential service changes in January 2017. The board passed a motion by Director Budge (seconded by Director Harris) to adopt the staff recommendation but with flexibility to modify routes (e.g., 74, 75) rather than simply eliminate them, and to bring back options for board action. Carried unanimously.
• Contractor Responsibility Criteria (Item 9) — Informational item. Staff and legal counsel outlined current procurement criteria (debarment, financial capacity, past performance, integrity) and legal constraints on adding human‑rights‑based criteria. Public comment was extensive. Board discussion reflected caution about legal liability, civil rights implications, and the risk of becoming a human‑rights tribunal. Chair Shaneer proposed forming an ad‑hoc subcommittee (including Directors Hume, Morin, and possibly Hansen) to research best practices among transit agencies and other public entities and report back. The board concurred without a formal vote.

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved.
• Commendation resolution adopted unanimously.
• Board officers re‑elected unanimously.
• Meeting calendar: passed (frequency unchanged, three town halls added, future evaluation of start times).
• Low‑productivity routes: staff directed to proceed with analysis and bring back options, with flexibility to modify rather than eliminate routes (vote: unanimous).
• Contractor responsibility policy: board agreed to form a subcommittee to explore best practices and report back; no formal action taken.