Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meeting - January 25, 2017
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Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meeting - January 25, 2017
The Sacramento Regional Transit District (RT) board convened on January 25, 2017 (transcript references January 23, 2017) to address routine approvals, a resolution commending outgoing Chair Jay Shaneer, election of a vice chair, several board appointments, a bond prepayment resolution, and design services for the Downtown Riverfront Streetcar project. The meeting was open to the public and aired on Metro Cable 14.
Consent Calendar
- Items 1–7 were approved unanimously by the board. Item 7 modified the February 27, 2017 regular meeting start time from 5:30 PM to 9:00 AM to accommodate a three-hour strategic workshop. Public speakers including Russell Rawlings and Mike Barnball expressed concern that the morning time would hinder public participation; staff noted the time was selected after polling board members for availability.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-agenda items: Jeffrey Tardian raised concerns about missing route signage at Iron Point/Folsom, elimination of the bus book, and fare box malfunctions. Mike Barnball informed the board of upcoming regional transportation meetings, including the Capitol Corridor business plan workshop and San Joaquin JPA's morning express service survey. Coco Coca Zella, a new RT rider who recently sold her car, suggested 24-hour service and at least half-hour frequencies.
- Consent item 7: Russell Rawlings and Mike Barnball objected to the 9 AM meeting time, suggesting alternative engagement formats; Mike proposed a joint meeting with the San Joaquin JPA.
- Streetcar item (agenda item 13): Russell Rawlings expressed concern that streetcar investment could come at the expense of bus service and asked for system re-envisioning first. James Kathart of STAR (Sacramento Taxpayers, Advocates, and Riders) opposed the expenditure, demanding a formal governance structure, Title VI analysis of light rail relocation, identified revenue sources for Sacramento's share, and waiting for federal funding clarity. Kirk Trost (SACOG interim CEO) supported the project as a regional priority with innovative private/public partnership. Felix Huerta urged that operation and maintenance be performed by public-sector RT employees, not private contractors.
Discussion Items
- General Manager's Report: GM Henry Li announced that RT's holiday bus collected $1,728.08 for Shriner's Hospitals, rounded to $2,000 with a personal donation from staff. He also disclosed successful efforts to secure approximately $50 million in state TCRP funds to prepay revenue bond principal, reducing annual debt payments from $5.5 million to $3.6 million starting in fiscal year 2019-20. Mark Lonergan reported on special events: RT transported over 5,000 people from the MLK March and provided 10,000 complimentary tickets; at the Women's March (20,000 attendees), RT carried over 12% of participants. Deborah Senis described the Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink partnership, with 405 people redeeming the $2-off RT ticket discount. Brent Berniker presented financial results: December revenues exceeded expenses by $840,000; year-to-date surplus exceeded $2 million; fare revenues increased 19% in December and 15% year-to-date; fare recovery was 22.2%. Ridership was slightly down, prompting plans for data analysis and route optimization.
- Resolution commending Jay Shaneer: The board passed a resolution praising Jay Shaneer's two years as chair, citing accomplishments including the Blue Line extension to Cosumnes River College ahead of schedule and under budget, Golden 1 Center service expansion, and mobile fare payment pilot. One opposed vote was recorded.
- Election of Vice Chair: Patrick Kennedy was nominated and elected as vice chair, with one opposed vote (Director Harris).
- Appointments: Chair Morin continued as RT's representative to the retirement board, with Director Jennings as alternate. The board approved appointments to the Capitol Corridor JPA (Directors Harris and Miller as principals; Directors Hanson and Jennings as alternates), Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Quarter JPA (Directors Budge and Natoli unchanged), Paratransit Inc. (Directors Hansen and Hume), Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Policy Steering Committee (Directors Harris and Budge unchanged), and San Joaquin JPA (Directors Hume and Natoli unchanged). All were approved unanimously.
- Bond Prepayment Resolution: Staff requested authorization to use TCRP funds to prepay part of the 2012 Fair Box Revenue Bonds. The resolution was approved, enabling RT to eliminate $11 million in debt service over the next two years and reduce annual payments from $5.5 million to $3.6 million for the remaining 23 years. Director Jay Shaneer praised the move as sound fiscal management.
- Streetcar Design Services: The board considered two resolutions: (1) approving an amendment to the HDR Inc. design contract for optional tasks 2, 3, and 4, totaling approximately $5.4 million; and (2) delegating authority to the GM to sign an interagency agreement with Sacramento and West Sacramento for funding. The cities have already approved the funding. Public comments included concerns about governance, equity, and staffing. Board discussion highlighted that the project is city-owned and RT's costs are reimbursed. The resolutions passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar (items 1–7) approved unanimously.
- Resolution commending Jay Shaneer approved with one opposed vote.
- Patrick Kennedy elected vice chair with one opposed vote.
- Bond prepayment resolution adopted.
- Streetcar design contract amendment and interagency agreement approved.
- Closed session was cancelled with no report.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good evening everyone. We'll go ahead and call the call to order this uh Sacramento Regional Transit uh board meeting for Monday, January 23rd, 2017 with the clerk. Please call the roll. Director Budge? Here. Director Hansen. Director Harris? Director Hume. Director Jennings will be a little late. Director Kennedy? Here. Director Miller. Here. Director Natoli. Director Shanier? Here. Director Cerna? Here. Chair Morin. Here. With that, we have a quorum at 100 votes. This meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be cable cast without interruption on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel, and will be streamed live on RT's website. Tonight's meeting will air on Wednesday, January 25th at 6 p.m. and replayed on Thursday, January 26th at 9 a.m. on Channel 14 and webcast at WWSAC Metro Cable.tv. It is also closed caption. Members of the audience wishing to address the board should fill out a speaker card located at the rear of the room and provide it to me or Adam. Please speak into the microphone and state your name for re for the record. We would appreciate everyone turning off their cell phones. Thank you. Thank you, Cindy. With that, would everyone please rise and join me in the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, with that, uh first item, please. Public addresses the board on matters not on the agenda. Okay, um, we do have a few requests to speak on this, so we'll start with Jeffrey Tardian. Jeffrey, and then after Jeffrey is Mike Barnball. Um Andy, board members. I thank you for the three minutes. You have been the quiet one of the board, so I'm hoping that you are going to be the most effective member on this board of making changes and correcting things for the writers. Right now you have a situation down there at Iron Point for Folsom. I'm hoping that better input and maybe since you have a Harrison as a other revenue center, that something in the future might be considered. 9914 doesn't work. You've removed all of the indication of anything for giving anybody a route indication or times on there. You just pulled them all out. And that is another one of our entry points that needs to be addressed. Likewise, there is still that continual problem with the elevators and that issue and what needs to happen through that situation. You have now decided to, I will say someone has decided to eliminate the bus book. And that on your bus book that you propose suspending because of the cost and re-examining because another unintentional consequence will be without people having a bus book.
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