Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - February 4, 2019

The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) Board of Directors held a regular meeting on February 4, 2019, at 1:56 PM. The meeting included approval of the consent calendar, recognition of retiring board member Andrew J. Morin, employee service awards, appointments to various boards and committees, an extensive update on the SacRT Forward bus network redesign, a discussion on a potential temporary homeless shelter at the Florin Road Light Rail Station, and the General Manager's report. Public comments were heard on multiple topics.

Consent Calendar

• Items 1 through 5 were approved unanimously by a motion from Director Howell, seconded by Vice Chair Hanson. The motion carried with 90 votes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Barnbaum congratulated Vito Chiesa, Patrick Hume, and Scott Haggerty on their election as officers of the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA) and reported that the SJJPA board authorized negotiations for a major schedule change eliminating the morning express service due to low ridership (around 50 riders) and introduced a pulse schedule. He also noted a concept for express skip-stop service to be studied.
• Rick Hodgkins raised concerns about the removal of the Connect Card tap point at the Watt/I-80 Light Rail Station and changes to paratransit service after 10 PM. He also expressed support for the new 15-minute weekend gold line service and urged similar improvements on the blue line.
• Jeffrey Tardiya commented on incidents during Martin Luther King Day, suggested improvements for electronic bulletin boards and training, and criticized the STA board's closed-door process. He urged outreach to rural areas for the proposed transit changes.
• David Schwegel advocated for a half-cent sales tax for mass transit, praised new light rail vehicles, and discussed transit-oriented development, airport service, and connections to Elk Grove, Davis, Roseville, and ACE.
• Joanne Fuller (co-chair of 350 Sacramento's transportation team) thanked RT for outreach on bus route redesign, supported increased frequency and later service, but raised equity concerns for low-income communities and urged not diverting funds for student fare-free programs.
• Several speakers (including Carol Nelson, Tony Parisett, Maddie Nunez, Michelle Paraset, Barbara Stanton, Dominic Tonel, Richard Brown, Marcia Johnston, Christina Espergan, Sarah Kerber) spoke in support of retaining Route 38, with many expressing gratitude for the revised proposal to increase frequency to every 30 minutes. Some expressed concerns about the elimination of other routes and the replacement of fixed-route service with microtransit (SAC Transit Riders Union).
• Gloria Lapp and Tiffany Fink spoke on the potential homeless shelter at Florin Road. Lapp opposed the shelter, citing litter and safety concerns. Fink (CEO of Paratransit and Secretary-Treasurer of the Florin PBID) offered to collaborate on solutions.
• Fatima Martinez supported the shelter as an innovative response to homelessness.
• Rick Hodgkins and Jeffrey Tardiya also made brief comments during the General Manager's report.

Discussion Items

Commendation for Andrew J. Morin (Item 6)

• Chair Kennedy presented a resolution commending Director Morin for 12 years of service on the board, noting his role in the Folsom annexation, light rail extension, and securing $150 million in grants. Director Morin expressed gratitude and humorously promoted the retirement board vacancy. The resolution was approved unanimously.

Employee Recognition (Item 7)

• Henry Lee presented awards for long and dedicated service for the last quarter of 2018. Eight award recipients were recognized, with two present: Kenneth and Motto Dinatori (25 years of service).

Appointments to Various Boards and Committees (Item 8)

• The board approved appointments to several boards/committees:
  • Retirement Board: Appointed Mr. Lee and Chair Kennedy as members, with Director Jennings as alternate.
  • Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority: Reappointed Director Miller and appointed Director Howell, with Directors Hanson and Kennedy as alternates.
  • Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor JPA: Reappointed Director Budge, with Director Natoli as alternate.
  • Paratransit Board of Directors: Reappointed Directors Hume and Hanson.
  • Downtown Riverfront Streetcar Policy Steering Committee: Reappointed Director Harris, with Director Budge as alternate.
  • San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority: Reappointed Director Hume, with Director Natoli as alternate.
• All appointments carried unanimously.

SacRT Forward Update (Item 9)

• James Boyle, Director of Planning, presented an information update on the bus network redesign. Key points:
  • Staff conducted extensive outreach: 4 open houses, 10 community meetings, 21 presentations, 72 bus rides, 5 stakeholder meetings, and received nearly 400 comments.
  • Route 38: Originally proposed for elimination, but after public feedback, staff revised to combine with Route 30, providing 30-minute service seven days a week and 15-minute service between downtown and midtown.
  • Route 26: Retained the loop to McClellan Park to serve the VA clinic and commissary after reevaluation.
  • Route 33: Retained due to ties to funding for the Dos Rios light rail station; will be re-evaluated after station opens.
  • Routes 2, 6, 5, 34: Proposed to operate only during peak hours as commuter routes, with strong AM/PM ridership but low midday use. Director Harris raised concerns about Route 34’s low overall ridership and suggested reallocating resources.
  • Route 13: Extended to connect to two high schools, a library, and a junior college, with improved frequency and added weekend service.
  • Route 19: Modified to continue north to connect with routes 84 and 26 in North Highlands.
  • Route 22: Proposed for elimination, with Route 68 extended to provide 30-minute service.
  • Route 24: Proposed for elimination, with microtransit covering the area.
  • Route 28: Proposed for elimination, with alternatives on Route 21, gold line, and new Route 74.
  • Routes 47, 54, 65, 80, 95: Proposed for elimination or modification, with microtransit zones proposed for some areas.
  • Route 62: Revised to continue south on Freeport and preserve service to Alice Burney Elementary School; a potential smart ride zone proposed for the Pocket/Greenhaven area.
  • Routes 74/75: Combined in Rancho Cordova with microtransit zone.
  • Staff emphasized that microtransit (smart ride) will play a key role in filling gaps, and a final recommendation will be presented at the February 25 board meeting.
• Board members raised questions about equity, connectivity, and the need for data on route ridership. Director Cerna noted the lack of outreach in Natomas and requested focus there. Director Budge raised concerns about school access and ridership data.

Potential Temporary Use of Florin Road Light Rail Station (Item 10)

• Brent Berger introduced the item as informational; Director Shanier requested the discussion. Emily Halkin, Homeless Services Coordinator for the City of Sacramento, presented the city's approach to low-barrier shelters, modeled after the Railroad Triage Shelter. Key features: no walk-up access (only through outreach), acceptance of pets/partners/possessions, no drug screening, deep services not required for stay, and focus on serving the most vulnerable. The Florin site (21 acres) has underutilized parking lots; the proposal is for a temporary shelter (likely a sprung structure) in a back lot away from the station, with a potential two-year lease.
• Public comments were mixed: some opposed (Gloria Lapp, citing neighborhood concerns), some supported (Fatima Martinez, Rick Hodgkins as a step toward affordable housing).
• Board discussion: Chair Kennedy raised concerns about proximity to housing and Burbank High School, equity, and the impact on RT's reputation for clean/safe/convenient service. Director Jennings emphasized the need for solutions in the South area. Director Natoli questioned containment of encampments. Director Miller asked about design and mitigation measures. Director Shanier proposed direction for staff to work with the city on lease terms, costs, security, transit passes for shelter residents, and community engagement, with a target to have a shelter operational by the next winter. The board agreed to have staff explore feasibility and report back.

General Manager's Report (Item 11)

• Brent Berger presented financial and ridership highlights:
  • December 2018 surplus of approximately $400,000; year-to-date surplus of $3 million.
  • Deferred revenue (prepaid media) continues to climb.
  • Farebox recovery ratio remains above 23% with Measure A support.
  • Ridership in December was 5.7% above goal, and year-to-date 4.3% above goal. Compared to the prior year, first quarter was down 5%, but second quarter showed a sharp turnaround. Excluding the major fire, ridership increased 2.4%.
  • Anticipated improvements from Los Rios student access, cash fare reinstatement, and fare reduction are expected to continue positive trends.
• Chair Kennedy noted the need to set aside funds for upcoming debt service payments (approximately $3.5 million next fiscal year, $2.4 million in the first year).

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
• Commendation for Andrew J. Morin: Approved unanimously.
• Appointments to Boards and Committees: All appointments approved unanimously.
• SacRT Forward Update: Staff directed to bring a final recommendation to the board on February 25, 2019, for potential action. Public comment period remains open.
• Florin Road Shelter Exploration: Board directed staff to work with the City of Sacramento to evaluate feasibility, including lease terms, costs, security, community mitigation, and transit integration, and to report back as soon as possible with a goal of opening a shelter by next winter.
• General Manager's Report: Received as information; no formal action taken.