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Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - March 28, 2022

Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings — Monday, March 28, 2022
BodySacramento County, California
SessionSacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings
DateMonday, March 28, 2022
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:00

Well, good evening and welcome to the March 28th, 2022 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors.

0:10

This is a virtual meeting and all speakers, the board and staff.

0:13

Welcome to the March 28th.

0:14

Please announce your name when you begin to speak.

0:18

This meeting is being live streamed, and the slide on the screen shows the information on how to join our webinar by via Zoom.

0:25

You can also call into the meeting at 253 215782.

0:31

And the webinar access code is 8247126203.

0:39

If you are participating by phone, please press star nine to indicate a desire to comment.

0:44

If you are joining us online through the Zoom, please push the raise hand button.

0:50

Be sure to unmute yourself when it's your turn to speak and voluntarily state your name for the record.

0:55

And with that, uh Tabitha, would you please call the roll?

0:59

Okay, Director Budge.

1:08

Director Harris.

1:11

Herector Howell?

1:14

Herector Hume is marked absent.

1:17

Director Jennings?

1:19

Here.

1:23

And Director Natoly.

1:34

Here.

1:37

Here.

1:38

Director Valenzuela?

1:40

Here.

1:44

And I'm gonna look for Director Bench one more time.

1:48

Okay, and Chair Miller.

1:50

Here.

1:52

With that, we have a quorum at nine votes.

1:56

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 Uverse.

2:07

Today's meeting will air on Friday, April 1st at 6 p.m.

2:10

and Sunday, April 3rd at 9 a.m.

2:12

on channel 14 and webcast at Metro14Live.sackCounty.net and is closed captioned.

2:18

This meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com forward slash Metro Cable 14.

2:31

All right, can you please call the roll?

2:33

Oh, we did that.

2:34

I'm sorry.

2:34

We're down to Pledge of Allegiance.

2:36

If you join me, please lost my place.

2:39

Please join me.

2:41

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

2:45

And to the Republic for which it stands.

2:48

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

2:56

Okay, let's hear our first item, please.

3:00

Okay, the first item is the consent calendar, items 2.1 to 2.7.

3:07

Any questions or items that uh wish to be wish to be pulled by the uh directors?

3:12

Uh chair, can we um pull two points extra for a separate vote, not for discussion?

3:18

Okay.

3:19

Thank you.

3:23

And any other items or questions.

3:25

If not, uh Tabitha, do we have public comment on any of the items?

3:32

So we don't have any written public comment, and it does look like we have a couple hands up.

3:40

Okay, let's see which items they'd like to talk, speak towards.

3:44

Okay, first we have Rick Hodgkins.

3:48

Rich, which item are you addressing?

3:53

Um I thought I was looking at the um, I thought I was looking at the um, I thought I was looking, the agenda did not look at the agenda did not.

4:05

I thought the agenda looked at um, I'm sorry.

4:10

The agenda just said items 2.1.

4:16

I think um if I'm not mistaken.

4:23

It talked about the release of space.

4:26

My question is, if I'm not mistaken, sorry, my video's not on because my bandwidth is low.

4:35

So if you can't see me, that's why.

4:38

Um, I think it's about the relate the RT releasing RT leasing of space.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Transit█████████████████████████████████████████████52%
Procedural████████████████18%
Public Comment█████████████15%
Employee Relations███4%
Technology and Innovation███3%
Homelessness███3%
Public Safety██2%
Pending Litigation██2%
Economic Development█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - March 28, 2022

The Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors met virtually on March 28, 2022, at 5:31 PM UTC. The board addressed the consent calendar, a resolution supporting AB 2015, public comments, and the general manager's report. Key actions included the continuation of a visual art policy item and approval of a sheriff deputy services agreement.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 2.2 (Visual Art Policy): Pulled from the consent calendar for separate vote. After public comment and board discussion, it was moved to continue to the next RT meeting for refinement. The motion passed unanimously (11-0).
  • Item 2.6 (Sheriff Deputy Services Agreement): Voted separately. Approved 9-1, with Director Valenzuela voting no.
  • Balance of Consent Calendar (Items 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7): Approved unanimously (11-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Rick Hodgkins: On item 2.4, questioned whether RT owns or rents office space and expressed concern that leasing reduces funds for service improvements.
  • Glenn Mandelcorn: On item 2.2, suggested that visual art wraps on buses/trains should not obstruct passengers' ability to see outside. Supported the art but raised accessibility concerns.
  • Jeffrey Tartaglia: Criticized the Zoom meeting format (chat disabled, raised hand process) and suggested using an alternative format for better public participation. Also referenced a rider left at the zoo and urged development of policies. On item 4.1, questioned the status of bill AB 2015.
  • Linda: On item 2.2, asked whether the art in public places program (1-2% of project expenditure) was included in the policy and requested its incorporation.
  • David Schwegel: Praised General Manager Henry Li for improving efficiency, urged replacement of light rail vehicles with Siemens models (built in Sacramento), and proposed a $54 billion regional transit measure for high-speed commuter rail.
  • Barbara Staten: On item 6 (public addresses), highlighted the negative impact of dropped bus trips, especially in North Sacramento and Del Paso Heights, and urged solutions. Also announced the 2022 Top Banana Award went to youth advocate Glenn Jackson Jr.
  • Rick Hodgkins (second comment): Asked for names of companies contracted for supplemental paratransit services (SACRT Go) and reiterated concern about outsourcing and leasing reducing available funds.

Discussion Items

  • Item 4.1 – Resolution Supporting AB 2015: Staff presented a bill to amend SACRT’s enabling act with “cleanup” language (clarifying board composition, repealing obsolete provisions, updating procurement thresholds, and authorizing board/employee service on retirement boards). Board members expressed support. Motion by Director Harris, second by Director Howell. Passed unanimously.
  • General Manager’s Report (Item 8.1): Henry Li reported on employee appreciation events, driver recruitment (hiring events with $2,000 signing bonuses, 30 attendees at last event), paratransit operator shortage (14 in training, new private partner Adaptive Transportation Network Company starting April 19 to provide up to 25% of service), apology for recent service delays due to medical emergencies, transit academy returning, WTS award for social service practitioner program, Earth Day free rides (April 22), and a commendation for operator Anthony Feature. Also noted state governor’s proposal for three months of free transit.
  • Public Addresses on Non-Agenda Items (Item 6): Multiple speakers as above.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 2.2 continued to next RT meeting for further refinement (unanimous).
  • Consent calendar (minus 2.2, 2.6) approved (unanimous).
  • Item 2.6 approved (9-1).
  • Resolution 2022-03-031 supporting AB 2015 approved (unanimous).
  • Directives: General Manager to take public input on visual art policy and to continue addressing driver/operator shortages and service reliability.

Meeting Transcript

Well, good evening and welcome to the March 28th, 2022 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit District Board of Directors. This is a virtual meeting and all speakers, the board and staff. Welcome to the March 28th. Please announce your name when you begin to speak. This meeting is being live streamed, and the slide on the screen shows the information on how to join our webinar by via Zoom. You can also call into the meeting at 253 215782. And the webinar access code is 8247126203. If you are participating by phone, please press star nine to indicate a desire to comment. If you are joining us online through the Zoom, please push the raise hand button. Be sure to unmute yourself when it's your turn to speak and voluntarily state your name for the record. And with that, uh Tabitha, would you please call the roll? Okay, Director Budge. Director Harris. Herector Howell? Herector Hume is marked absent. Director Jennings? Here. And Director Natoly. Here. Here. Director Valenzuela? Here. And I'm gonna look for Director Bench one more time. Okay, and Chair Miller. Here. With that, we have a quorum at nine 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 Uverse. Today's meeting will air on Friday, April 1st at 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 3rd at 9 a.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. All right, can you please call the roll? Oh, we did that. I'm sorry. We're down to Pledge of Allegiance. If you join me, please lost my place. Please join me. 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, let's hear our first item, please. Okay, the first item is the consent calendar, items 2.1 to 2.7. Any questions or items that uh wish to be wish to be pulled by the uh directors? Uh chair, can we um pull two points extra for a separate vote, not for discussion? Okay. Thank you. And any other items or questions. If not, uh Tabitha, do we have public comment on any of the items? So we don't have any written public comment, and it does look like we have a couple hands up. Okay, let's see which items they'd like to talk, speak towards.

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