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Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit District Meeting - August 23, 2021

Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings — Monday, August 23, 2021
BodySacramento County, California
SessionSacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings
DateMonday, August 23, 2021
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District for August 23rd, 2021.

0:05

With that, Clerk, would you please call the roll?

0:09

I sure will.

0:10

Director Budge?

0:11

Peter.

0:13

Director Harris.

0:14

Here.

0:15

Director Howell?

0:17

Here.

0:19

Director Hume.

0:20

Here.

0:21

Director Jennings.

0:23

Here.

0:24

Director Kennedy.

0:26

Here.

0:28

Director Natoli.

0:30

Here.

0:31

Director Shaneer.

0:36

Director Cerna.

0:38

Here.

0:39

Director Valenzuela.

0:41

Here.

0:43

And I'm gonna go back to Director Shaneer.

0:50

He's absent.

0:51

And Chair Miller.

0:53

Here.

0:57

Okay.

1:04

And with that, we have a quorum at 93 votes.

1:08

And this meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be cable cast on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on Comcast, Consolidated Communications, and ATT Ugers.

1:21

Today's meeting will air on Wednesday, August 25th at 6 p.m.

1:25

And Thursday, August 26th at 6 p.m.

1:28

On Channel 14 and webcast at Metro14Live.sackCounty.net and is closed captioned.

1:35

This meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com forward slash metro cable 14.

1:41

Thank you.

1:43

Thank you.

1:44

With that, I'd like to ask everybody to turn their microphones on and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:52

I pledge allegiance.

1:58

And to the Republicans.

2:01

One nation undergoes indivisible with justice for.

2:10

We're getting better at that one.

2:12

Um next item, please.

2:14

Oh the next item is the consent calendar, item 2.1 to 2.12.

2:22

We do have one public comment for item 2.9 and a response from staff if you would like me to read that.

2:30

Uh please.

2:48

The comment is from Rick Hodgkins.

2:52

I don't know how we intend or propose to design or even redesign the Watt and 80 light rail station, but however we intend to or propose to redesign Watton I-80 light rail station.

3:04

The one comment I would suggest carrying over from my previous comment on items not on the agenda is when we will announce auditorily what trains are coming in and from what direction that if elevators are going to be out of order at that station that we announced that auditorily over station public address systems this way people will know that elevators will be out of order.

3:27

Perhaps taking the stairs out and installing a ramp instead would be a better way to go if the elevator is going to be out of order.

3:34

Not everyone can climb stairs fast enough, and that while there are ample places for criminals to hide and do their thing at the Watton I-80 Light Rail Station, maybe perhaps installing extra security cameras are definitely the way to go.

3:49

Staff Laura Hamm, Vice President of Planning and Engineering responded to Mr.

3:54

Hodgkins that both elevators are currently in service.

3:58

The east elevator has been completely replaced.

4:01

Construction will begin on the west elevator within the next month.

4:05

The public will be notified before it closes.

4:15

The current stairs will be replaced with an upgraded and open stairwell.

4:22

Thank you, Tabitha.

4:24

And with that, I'd entertain a motion for the consent calendar.

4:28

So move a motion by Director Jennings.

4:32

Second.

4:34

Second by I think Director uh Vice Chair Kennedy.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Transit█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Procedural█████████████████████████25%
Accessibility█████████9%
Facility Management█████████9%
Public Health████████8%
Environmental Mitigation████████8%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit District Meeting - August 23, 2021

The Sacramento Regional Transit District board met on August 23, 2021, with a full quorum (100 votes). The meeting covered consent calendar approvals, public comments on service issues and accessibility, and a report from the General Manager on COVID-19 impacts, service planning, and capital projects.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 2.1 through 2.12 were approved unanimously (100 votes). One public comment was read from Rick Hodgkins regarding the Watt/I-80 light rail station redesign, suggesting audible train announcements, elevator outage notifications, ramp installation, and additional security cameras. Staff responded that both elevators are in service, the east elevator has been replaced, construction on the west elevator will begin within a month, and stairs will be upgraded to an open stairwell.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Charlotte Bergheimer (written comment): Reported recurring difficulties transferring from Capitol Corridor Amtrak to Sac RT (bus route 30 or light rail) due to schedule misalignment, with trains pulling away before passengers can board. Requested better schedule coordination for easier transfers.
  • Rick Hodgkins (written comment): Regarding the low-floor light rail vehicles, recommended yellow painted plates with raised bumps for blind individuals. Also urged including braille maps, audible next-train announcements, and full accessibility for all disabilities in the long-range transit plan, especially the new bus terminal at Sacramento Valley Station and station redesigns.

General Manager's Report (Henry)

  • COVID-19 Updates: TSA extended mask requirements for public transportation to January 18, 2022. Sac RT continues free transit to/from vaccine sites. Reported the death of an unvaccinated employee from COVID; board observed a moment of silence.
  • Safe Parking Initiative: The city identified three Sac RT light rail stations (likely Leland Park, Roseville, and another) as potential safe parking sites for unhoused individuals. Sac RT is contacting the community, residents, and businesses; any property use will require board and regulatory approval.
  • Service Plan Review: Following the 2019 SACRT Forward bus network changes and COVID-19 impacts, Sac RT will analyze data and seek public comment on a draft service plan in the coming weeks.
  • Transit Academy: Applications open for the free four-class course starting October 5, including presentations, Q&A, and field trips to light rail vehicle manufacturing, transit-oriented development projects, and bus facilities.
  • Real Estate Ad Hoc Committee: Discussed outdated administrative facilities, potential property sales/purchases, and development of a comprehensive plan covering building upgrades, bus and light rail maintenance expansions, zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, and financial planning.
  • Bus Service Expansion: Restored airport express Route 142 between downtown Sacramento and the airport, using new zero-emission electric battery-powered buses, operating every 30 minutes, seven days a week.
  • Morrison Creek Light Rail Station: Opened after over a decade. An electric golf-style shuttle bus provides connection between the station and the adjacent development.

Key Outcomes

  • The consent calendar was approved unanimously (100 votes).
  • No other votes or formal decisions were taken; the meeting adjourned after the General Manager's report.

Meeting Transcript

Meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District for August 23rd, 2021. With that, Clerk, would you please call the roll? I sure will. Director Budge? Peter. Director Harris. Here. Director Howell? Here. Director Hume. Here. Director Jennings. Here. Director Kennedy. Here. Director Natoli. Here. Director Shaneer. Director Cerna. Here. Director Valenzuela. Here. And I'm gonna go back to Director Shaneer. He's absent. And Chair Miller. Here. Okay. And with that, we have a quorum at 93 votes. And this meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District will be cable cast on Metro Cable 14, the local government affairs channel on Comcast, Consolidated Communications, and ATT Ugers. Today's meeting will air on Wednesday, August 25th at 6 p.m. And Thursday, August 26th at 6 p.m. On Channel 14 and webcast at Metro14Live.sackCounty.net and is closed captioned. This meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com forward slash metro cable 14. Thank you. Thank you. With that, I'd like to ask everybody to turn their microphones on and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance. And to the Republicans. One nation undergoes indivisible with justice for. We're getting better at that one. Um next item, please. Oh the next item is the consent calendar, item 2.1 to 2.12. We do have one public comment for item 2.9 and a response from staff if you would like me to read that. Uh please. The comment is from Rick Hodgkins. I don't know how we intend or propose to design or even redesign the Watt and 80 light rail station, but however we intend to or propose to redesign Watton I-80 light rail station. The one comment I would suggest carrying over from my previous comment on items not on the agenda is when we will announce auditorily what trains are coming in and from what direction that if elevators are going to be out of order at that station that we announced that auditorily over station public address systems this way people will know that elevators will be out of order. Perhaps taking the stairs out and installing a ramp instead would be a better way to go if the elevator is going to be out of order. Not everyone can climb stairs fast enough, and that while there are ample places for criminals to hide and do their thing at the Watton I-80 Light Rail Station, maybe perhaps installing extra security cameras are definitely the way to go. Staff Laura Hamm, Vice President of Planning and Engineering responded to Mr.

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