OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meeting - May 22, 2023

Sacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings — Monday, May 22, 2023
BodySacramento County, California
SessionSacramento Regional Transit Board Meetings
DateMonday, May 22, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:52

This is why we need a new building.

0:58

Right.

1:02

All right.

1:03

Welcome to the May 22nd, 2023 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit Board of Directors.

1:08

This is a hybrid meeting, meaning members of the public can participate in the meeting either in person or virtually.

1:15

This meeting's being live streamed, and this and the slide on the screen shows the information on how to join the webinar via Zoom.

1:22

You can also call into the meeting at 25315782.

1:30

And the webinar access code is eight seven three nine three three eight eight one six two.

1:39

Would the clerk please call the roll?

1:42

Uh Director Sander.

1:45

Please note that for the record, Director Sander um would be serving as alternate for director budge.

1:49

They're both not in attendance.

1:52

Here.

2:03

Here.

2:04

Director Singh Allen?

2:05

Here.

2:12

With that, we have a quorum at seven votes.

2:15

Thank you very much.

2:16

And I suggest that we do something to Rancho Cordova tonight while we're here.

2:22

Would you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance?

2:33

And to the report for which it stands, one nation.

2:37

Under God, indivisible with liberty and jokes for all.

2:44

Thank you very much.

2:46

That takes us to our consent calendar where we have items two point one through two point seven.

2:51

Is there any member of the board that would like to pull anything from consent or ask questions, comments on a consent item matter?

2:59

Seeing none, is there any member of the public that would like to address the board on a member uh an uh item on the consent calendar?

3:07

Uh we do have multiple items, but I also like to note that uh David Sanders is joined virtually.

3:12

Oh, okay.

3:13

And also, um, if I could open the re uh read the opening statement.

3:16

Okay, yeah, you can do that and and and David, I didn't mean what I said about Rancho Cordet.

3:24

Thank you.

3:27

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.

3:37

This meeting is closed captain and webcast at Metro 14 Live dot Sat County dot gov.

3:46

And Saturday, May 27th at 1 PM on channel 14.

3:49

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

3:54

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 Susan.

4:02

If you're participating by phone, please push star nine to indicate a desire to comment.

4:06

If you're joining us through Zoom, please push the raise hand button.

4:09

Please be sure to unmute yourself when it is your turn to speak and voluntarily state your name for the record.

4:14

Thank you.

4:15

Thank you very much.

4:15

And as I said earlier, we have consent calendar items two point one through two point seven.

4:19

I did not hear any board members or the public uh chime in.

4:23

Is there a motion?

4:25

Second.

4:26

Okay, we have a motion by director Jennings and a second by I believe.

4:35

My apologies.

4:36

We do have Jeffrey and uh writership of the masses wish to speak on the site.

4:39

So I'm gonna do roll call votes because director Sanders is not here.

4:43

Very good.

4:44

Okay.

4:44

Thank you.

4:47

Uh Director Sanders.

4:56

Excuse me.

4:59

Singular.

5:02

Pardon me, I'm just promoting him to panelists.

5:28

I'll continue.

5:29

Director Daniels.

5:30

Aye.

5:31

Director Hume is marked as absent.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Transit█████████████████████████████████████████41%
Public Comment█████████████████████21%
Procedural█████████████████17%
General Manager Report████████8%
Historical Preservation█████5%
Personnel Matters████4%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Sacramento Regional Transit Board of Directors Meeting - May 22, 2023

The Sacramento Regional Transit Board of Directors met on May 22, 2023, in a hybrid format. A quorum was established with seven votes. The board addressed the consent calendar, heard public comments, received the General Manager's report, and voted on two resolutions, including an emergency declaration for a station repair.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 2.1 through 2.7 were approved by a roll call vote of 8 to 0. Director Sander participated virtually as alternate for Director Budge. No items were pulled, but a public comment from Ridership for the Masses expressed disagreement with item 2.7 regarding the use of CTSA funds for police vehicles, though the item was still approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Dan Allison (Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders) expressed support for the light rail modernization project, the inclusion of the General Manager's report on the agenda, and legislation (354 and 1052). He raised concerns about the steepness of ramps on new low-floor cars, potential ADA issues, canceled board meetings, light rail wraps with high opacity, and lack of up-to-date ridership data.
  • Jeffrey Tardiya noted concerns about accessibility testing for wheelchairs and scooters on new low-floor vehicles, electronic message system unreliability, bus cancellations, and elevator issues at I-80. He requested better monitoring and communication for shuttle services.
  • Barbara (Ridership for the Masses) reported that 20 trips were dropped on 7 bus routes one day and 32 trips on 4 routes another day, including routes on Greenback, Stockton, and Broadway. She requested real-time testing of low-floor vehicles with people from the disability community.
  • Michael Harris spoke about RT's 50th anniversary and Juneteenth, inviting board members to events at the State Capitol and Folsom Plaza.

Discussion Items

  • General Manager's Report: GM Li announced that a Valley Mission poll will show 76% of respondents believe public transit has improved or stayed the same over five years. Station modifications for new low-floor vehicles have been completed at 10 stations; the next station closure will run from Tuesday, May 23 through Sunday, June 4, with limited bus bridge service. The CCAC approved $11.5 million for station conversion and low-floor vehicles, and $5.2 million for a BRT route on Stockton Boulevard. Free rides in April totaled 258,000, with a 9% ridership increase above baseline. Microtransit ridership hit its highest level since 2018 with over 15,000 rides in April and a 4-point rating. STA funding for Smart Ride has been reduced, but no zones will be cut. Two hiring events are scheduled for June 6 and June 15.
  • Resolution 2023-05-5057 (Temporary Appointment of Rachel Johnson): Approved by roll call vote of 8 to 0.
  • Resolution 2023-05-059 (Emergency Declaration for Sacramento Valley Light Rail Station Mini-High Ramp): Staff explained the deterioration of the inbound ramp's wooden fascia, which is out of service. A bus bridge is operating, but formal bidding would delay repairs. The board approved the resolution with 9 votes, meeting the four-fifths requirement.

Key Outcomes

  • Consent calendar approved (8 votes).
  • Resolution 2023-05-5057 approved (8 votes).
  • Resolution 2023-05-059 approved (9 votes).
  • The board directed staff to provide a written report on efforts to align vehicle purchases with ADA requirements and to explore inviting disability community members to test new low-floor vehicles.
  • Staff will respond to public comments regarding elevator issues and bus service reliability.

Meeting Transcript

This is why we need a new building. Right. All right. Welcome to the May 22nd, 2023 meeting of the Sacramento Regional Transit Board of Directors. This is a hybrid meeting, meaning members of the public can participate in the meeting either in person or virtually. This meeting's being live streamed, and this 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 25315782. And the webinar access code is eight seven three nine three three eight eight one six two. Would the clerk please call the roll? Uh Director Sander. Please note that for the record, Director Sander um would be serving as alternate for director budge. They're both not in attendance. Here. Here. Director Singh Allen? Here. With that, we have a quorum at seven votes. Thank you very much. And I suggest that we do something to Rancho Cordova tonight while we're here. Would you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? And to the report for which it stands, one nation. Under God, indivisible with liberty and jokes for all. Thank you very much. That takes us to our consent calendar where we have items two point one through two point seven. Is there any member of the board that would like to pull anything from consent or ask questions, comments on a consent item matter? Seeing none, is there any member of the public that would like to address the board on a member uh an uh item on the consent calendar? Uh we do have multiple items, but I also like to note that uh David Sanders is joined virtually. Oh, okay. And also, um, if I could open the re uh read the opening statement. Okay, yeah, you can do that and and and David, I didn't mean what I said about Rancho Cordet. Thank you. 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 captain and webcast at Metro 14 Live dot Sat County dot gov. And Saturday, May 27th at 1 PM 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 Susan. If you're participating by phone, please push star nine to indicate a desire to comment. If you're joining us through Zoom, please push the raise hand button. Please be sure to unmute yourself when it is your turn to speak and voluntarily state your name for the record. Thank you. Thank you very much. And as I said earlier, we have consent calendar items two point one through two point seven. I did not hear any board members or the public uh chime in. Is there a motion? Second. Okay, we have a motion by director Jennings and a second by I believe. My apologies. We do have Jeffrey and uh writership of the masses wish to speak on the site. So I'm gonna do roll call votes because director Sanders is not here. Very good.

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