Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors Meeting - November 20, 2018
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Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors Meeting - November 20, 2018
The Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors held a meeting on November 20, 2018, at 9:41 AM (UTC). The meeting was called to order, a quorum of 96 votes was established, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by a veteran in the audience. The board approved the consent calendar, discussed the annexation of Citrus Heights, received a presentation on the SACRT Forward alternatives, and heard public comments on labor negotiations, service quality, and future transit plans.
Consent Calendar
- Item 1: Unanimously approved (96 votes). No other items.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Robert Copeland: Criticized bus service, noting infrequent Sunday service and once-per-hour headways; opposed the route optimization plan; and reported a driver with a bad attitude on election day.
- Helen O'Connell: Requested better publicity for the super senior discounted fare (ages 75+), as it is not included in promotional materials.
- Mike Barnbaum: Provided an update on upcoming meetings: Folsom City Council (Nov 13) on annexation, Capitol Corridor JPA (Nov 14), San Joaquin JPA (Nov 16), and a Citrus Heights council meeting (Dec 13) on annexation.
- Jeffrey Tartigia: Praised staff for adding indication maps at transit stops near the arena, but urged further improvements at other stops; criticized the lack of time spent on planning for Sacramento State and Los Rios connections.
- Crystal McGeally (ATU Local 256 Vice President): Announced formal contract opening in December, with negotiations starting in March. Expressed concerns about the tone of labor relations and the attendance program, and noted the union will bargain in good faith while preparing for potential disputes.
- Rick Hodgkins: Described two instances where he was nearly left behind or passed up by buses (routes 82 and 21); urged drivers to be more attentive to passengers with disabilities.
- Greg Geech (Transportation Supervisor at Light Rail, represented by ASME): Spoke at length about ongoing negotiations, stating that management proposes a 35% salary cut for supervisors. Described the three-headed job (radio controller, dispatcher, road supervisor) and the high stress involved, including responding to fatal accidents. Criticized the retirement plan changes that are pushing career employees to leave. He noted that if five people leave, light rail operations would grind to a halt. Asked the board to intervene.
- Sarah Kerber (Sacramento Transit Riders Union): Thanked and supported drivers and staff; expressed hope that the failure of Prop 6 would free up resources for better worker retention.
Discussion Items
- Item 3: Annexation of Citrus Heights – Laura Hamm presented the resolution and annexation agreement. Key benefits include better competitiveness for funding, continued service at 2017 levels, commitment to explore high-capacity bus corridors, and annual travel time reviews. The motion to conditionally approve (contingent on Citrus Heights council approval on Dec 13) was made by Director Miller and seconded by Director Budge. During discussion, Director Budge questioned the voting share formula, noting that Rancho Cordova would lose a vote while Citrus Heights gains 10 votes. Staff explained the formula based on TDA funds, population, and rounding. Public comments: Russell Rollins (support), Mike Barnbaum (support with question on vote allocation), Rick Hodgkins (support but urged expansion of Route 21 frequency). The motion passed unanimously (96 votes).
- Item 4: SACRT Forward Alternatives Report – Michelle Poirot of Jarrett Walker and Associates presented two alternative network designs (high coverage vs. high ridership) on a spectrum. The high coverage alternative is similar to the existing network; the high ridership alternative focuses on frequent (15-30 min) service on fewer routes, with longer routes and more transfers. Data showed that the high ridership alternative would increase job access by a median of 9% (14% for low-income residents). Public engagement included 40 in-person events and an online survey closing Nov 16. Board discussion: Director Budge criticized the plan for not serving Rancho Cordova adequately, noting that only one of 20 isochrones is in Rancho Cordova. Directors expressed need to consider air quality and VMT reduction. Public comments: Russell Rollins (urged caution on potential complications with transfers), Mike Barnbaum (sang "Another One Rides the Bus" parody, advocating for a local funding measure), Jeffrey Tartigia (supported coverage alternative, noted scheduling issues), Rick Hodgkins (urged high coverage and frequency for light rail feeders only), Glenda Marshall (350 Sacramento) praised engagement and asked for GHG evaluation, Coco Cocozzella (STAR) requested more time and iterative community process, Jaime Lemos (Sac Metro Air District) supported high ridership network for air quality benefits, Bruce Griesenbeck (SACOG) recommended starting from the ridership end. Sarah Kerber (SAC True) expressed concerns about confusing language and timeline. Director Henry requested that staff clarify the process timeline and language for the public.
- Item 5: General Manager's Report – Henry Li reported on: congratulating board members re-elected (Linda Budge, Pat Hill, Steven Miller) and noting the retirement of Andy Morin; the defeat of Prop 6 (protecting SB1 funding); SB1 provides $6.5 million annually plus competitive grants; Light Rail Modernization ($145M total) needs additional $50M matching funds; SACOG recommended $10M federal funds for the project; received $3M for zero-emission shuttle from UC Davis to Med Center and $2.25M for zero-emission buses for airport service; anticipating 50 zero-emission vehicles in 1-2 years. Public comment from Rick Hodgkins: thanked voters for rejecting Prop 6, urged double-tracking light rail and extending to airport.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar Item 1: Approved unanimously.
- Annexation of Citrus Heights (Item 3): Conditionally approved by a unanimous vote (96 votes), contingent on Citrus Heights City Council approval on December 13, 2018.
- SACRT Forward (Item 4): The board received the report and public input; staff will bring draft networks to the December 10, 2018 board meeting, with final adoption expected early 2019.
- **No votes taken on Items 4, 5, 6; they were informational.
- Closed Session: Announced for labor negotiations and GM performance evaluation, but Chair opted to skip closed session.
Meeting Transcript
We will call to order the November 12th, 2018 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District. Board of Directors, would the clerk please call the role to establish a quorum? Director Budge. Director Hansen is marked as being absent. Director Harris. Director Hume. Director Miller. Present. Director Morin. Director Natoli. Director Shanier. Director Cerna is marked as being late and Chair Kennedy. Here. With that, we have a quorum at 96 votes. Great. This meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be cable cast without interruption on Metro Cable 14, the local government government affairs channel. Tonight's meeting will air on November 14th at 6 p.m. and webcast at WWS Metro Cable.tv. It is also closed captioned. 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 the record. We would appreciate everyone turning off their cell phones. Thank you. Thank you. Can I see a show of hands of any veterans that are in the audience? Gentlemen right here. So would you please walk to the Would you lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Pledge of the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. Underground, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you all for your service. Next is the consent calendar, and we are pulling from the agenda item number two. So there is only one item under consent, and that is item number one. Move approval. Okay, we have uh motion from Director. We have a motion from Director Shanier and a second from Director Budge. Uh all those in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed. Abstain. Motion carries at 96 votes. Next would be public addresses of the board on matters not on the agenda. And we do have several cards. We will start with Robert Copeland. Copeland. They were told to. Two. Your bus system needs to be approved seriously. I mean, some buses don't run on Sundays or they run once an hour. You've got to give people a reason to uh ride RT.
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