Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - April 10, 2023
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Sacramento Regional Transit District Board Meeting - April 10, 2023
The Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT) Board of Directors met on April 10, 2023, beginning at 5:29 PM PT. The meeting included a consent calendar, unfinished business on board representation, public comments, reports from the General Manager and staff, and a closed session. Key actions included votes to add a board seat for Elk Grove and a separate, non-unanimous vote to add a seat for Sacramento County.
Consent Calendar
- The board unanimously approved the consent calendar (items 2.1 through 2.8) with eight votes in favor, no opposition, and no abstentions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Robert Copeland expressed concerns about bus stop conditions, service hours, frequency, and public safety on light rail.
- Kristen Lopez (ACE Action) criticized the $100 monthly pass cost, bus route cuts, and late service, advocating for affordable and desirable public transit.
- Helen O’Connell highlighted pay and benefits disparities among bus operators driving different vehicle types (large buses, Smart Ride, RT Go), urging equal treatment.
- Case Fritz (District 4 resident) praised light rail but called for 24/7 service, reduced fares (noting fare revenue is only 5.7% of budget), and an end to fare enforcement harassment of disadvantaged riders.
- Jeffrey Tartagia (online) commented on bus cancellations (citing up to 57 daily), urged better operator and rider input, and suggested board members ride transit more often.
- Barbara Stanton (online) echoed concerns about trip cancellations and inconsistency, noting some days had 67 canceled trips, leaving riders stranded.
Discussion Items
- Unfinished Business – Board Representation: Chief of Staff Chris Flores reported that Assemblymember Newen prefers unanimous board support for legislative changes to add board seats. The board voted on two separate motions: (1) adding a seat for Elk Grove (passed unanimously, 8-0, with Directors Jennings and Lilowy absent); (2) adding a seat for Sacramento County (passed 7-1, with Director Maple voting no, Directors Jennings and Lilowy absent). Director Cerna criticized the process as undemocratic because one member could block the county seat without unanimity. Director Maple expressed frustration that the county did not already have a fourth vote, citing representation disparities (Sac City: ~1 vote per 125,000 people; Sac County: ~1 per 200,000).
- General Manager’s Report: Henry Li reported on SacRT’s 50th anniversary celebration, free ride days (Tuesdays in April, Earth Day), light rail modernization ($400 million secured, new low-floor trains), federal funding requests (Congressman Bera: $4M for station renovations; Congresswoman Matsui: $5.5M for Dos Rios station), and a trip to Southern California to advance zero-emission goals. He noted that SacRT is underfunded six times compared to major California transit agencies (1/6 cent sales tax vs. 1 cent).
- Strategic Plan Quarterly Scorecard: Sarah Kerber presented Q2 results: overall score 94.25/100. Key themes included impacts of a failed funding measure, supply chain issues, and progress on low-floor vehicle conversions.
- Light Rail Service Improvement Plan: Ron Forrest reported on operational KPIs: 99% trip completion, 98% on-time performance, 43.6% reduction in collisions over four years, and a five-fold increase in trespassing incidents (objects on tracks). He addressed concerns about excessive horn use in the 7th & 8th Street area, announcing a formal notice to operators, field monitoring (9 AM–5 PM), and compliance reviews. Directors thanked staff and offered office space for monitors.
- Director Reports: Chair Kennedy proposed using SacRT parking lots (e.g., Franklin or Watt/I-80 stations) for a mobile welding training program by Reignite Hope, serving homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals. He requested staff pursue the idea.
Key Outcomes
- Board Seat for Elk Grove: Approved unanimously (8-0). Assemblymember Newen will carry legislation this year.
- Board Seat for Sacramento County: Approved with 7 votes in favor, 1 opposed (Director Maple), 2 absent. Because the vote was not unanimous, Assemblymember Newen indicated willingness to carry legislation next year.
- Horn Use Mitigation: Immediate issuance of a light rail notice prohibiting excessive horn use, with field monitoring and compliance reviews beginning the week of April 10.
- Reignite Hope Program: Board consensus to explore allowing SacRT property for the welding training program; staff to follow up.
- The board adjourned to closed session for existing litigation (Jennifer Lackey vs. SacRT).
Meeting Transcript
Public can participate in the meeting either in person or virtually. This meeting is being live streamed, and the slide on the screen shows the information on how to join the webinar via Zoom. You can also call into the meeting at 253-215-8782. And the webinar access code is 8378, 8162. Would the clerk please call the roll? Director Budge. Director Jennings. Director Kozlowski. Here. Director Lilowy. Director Maple? Here. Director Cerna? Here. Director Sing Allen. Here. Director Valenzuela. Here. And Chair Kennedy. Here. With that, we have a quorum at eight 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 cable systems. This meeting is closed caption and webcast at Metro14 Live.sackCounty.gov. Today's meeting replays Wednesday, April 12th at 2 p.m. and Saturday, April 15th at 1 p.m. on channel 14. This meeting can also be viewed at YouTube.com forward slash Metro Cable 14. 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 myself or Adam. If you are participating by phone, please push star nine to indicate a desire to comment. If you are joining us through Zoom, please push the raise hand button. Be sure to unmute yourself when it is your turn to speak and voluntarily state your name for the record. Thank you very much. Would everybody please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands one day under God, indivisible with liberty. Thank you. That takes us to our first items of the evening, which is the consent calendar, item 2.1 through 2.8. Are there any members of the board that has any questions? Consent? Mr. Chair. If there are no questions by board members and no uh members of the public trying to speak on consent matters, I'd move consent calendar. Second. Thank you. And who was the second? Me, Bobby. Okay. Uh is there any member of the public that would like no? I don't see any hands up. Okay.
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