Sep 15, 2021 Austin Transit Partnership Board Meeting

OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. OUR FIRST ITEM TODAY, WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH ALL OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP, AND SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE, MOVE AHEAD TO

[II. Technical Advisory Committee Reports]

AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ACT AS LIAISON FOR EACH OF THOSE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS.

WE'VE ALL MET.

WE'VE, WE'RE STARTING TO GET OUR CADENCE WITH THOSE, WITH EACH OF OUR GROUPS.

AND SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF FUNNY THAT I'M GONNA BE THE FIRST ONE TO, UH, TO START.

BUT , I WILL BECAUSE WE HAD OUR FIRST ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE FOR THIS.

THERE ARE NO PHOTOS.

I MEAN, WE MET, WE MET ON ZOOM.

WE ARE STARTING TO WORK TOGETHER AS A GOOD TEAM.

SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT, UH, OUR COMMITTEE BROUGHT UP.

SO THIS IS, UH, SPECIFICALLY I WANT TO INVITE MAYOR ADLER AND, UM, BOARD MEMBERS STRATTON TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE, THIS GROUP IS REPORTING TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL.

SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO ASK THAT WE BRING BACK TO THOSE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, OR ANY QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

SO WE WENT, OUR AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR FIRST MEETING WAS TO GO OVER THE 15% DESIGN QUESTIONS AND FEEDBACK.

AND THIS PARTICULAR PART WAS A REACTION OF A WORK GROUP THAT WE HAD WHERE ALL OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS MET, AND THE STAFF WENT THROUGH ALL OF THE CORRIDORS ON THE PROGRAM.

SO THEY HAD A CHANCE TO BASICALLY DO A DEEPER DIVE.

UM, AND THE SECOND PART OF OUR AGENDA WAS THE DESIGN SCHEDULE AND THE PROCESS OVERVIEW, UPCOMING COMMUNITY COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS AS WELL.

SO THESE ARE THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY GAVE US.

THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT WE SHARE MORE INFORMATION WITH THE PUBLIC, WITH THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES THAT ARE ANTICIPATED ON THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINES AS THIS MIGHT AFFECT DIFFERENT.

UM, THEY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FROM HEAVY COMMUTER RAIL VEHICLES LIKE WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR THE RED LINE VERSUS STREET CARS VERSUS OTHER LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES.

I THINK JUST AS A COMMUNITY, WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ALL SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE IN THE KINDS AND THE FEEL AND LOOK OF THE VEHICLE.

AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TODAY A PRESENTATION ON VEHICLES.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HELP CLARIFY SOME OF THIS.

AND IN PARTICULAR, UNDERSTANDING THE ELECTRIFICATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE VEHICLES AS THIS IMPACTS THE OPERATIONAL LOGISTICS, THE COST, THE SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS AND AESTHETICS OF THE STATION DESIGN.

UH, THEY REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ON THE FOLLOWING THAT AFTER DISCUSSING THE RATIONALE FOR THE ORANGE LINE TUNNEL UNDER LADY BIRD LAKE, THE MEMBERS REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION ON THE STUDIES REGARDING THE BRIDGE ALTERNATIVE AND THE TECHNICAL IMPEDIMENTS THAT LED TO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TUNNEL OPTION.

THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE 3D VIEWS OF THE UNDERGROUND STATION BETTER, OR, AND SPECIFICALLY UNDERSTAND THE SECTIONAL RELATIONSHIP OF THE TUNNEL TO THE STREET.

SO WE'VE REQUESTED FOR THE TECHNICAL TEAM TO GIVE US CROSS SECTIONS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS OF THOSE CONFLICTS VISUALLY AND, AND IN MORE DETAIL.

UM, THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO ALSO VIEW THE PROJECT RISK REGISTER, AND ONCE IT IS PREPARED AND PARTICIPATE IN THE RISK WORKSHOP, THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS FOR THE DRAG AND FOURTH STREET.

AND I KNOW THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT BOARD MEMBER ELKINS YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP BEFORE REGARDING TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS.

AND THE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE PLAN FOR WAY FINDING AND SIGNAGE DESIGN.

AND I KNOW THIS WAS ALSO PARTICULAR FOR YOU, DR. BURNETT, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT THE STATION NAMING AND HOW ARE WE

[00:05:01]

GONNA DO THE WAY FINDING AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THE, THE LOGISTICS OF NAMING THE SYSTEM STATIONS.

SO THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THAT DETAIL COMING FORWARD EARLIER.

AND OUR NEXT STEPS IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DOCUMENTS TO DOC TO COORDINATE THE EAC MEMBERS ATTENDING THE DESIGN WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED OVER THE NEXT WEEKS COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND DESIGN TEAMS TOWARDS THE 30% DESIGN.

AND OUR NEXT MEETING, WE'RE GONNA BE COVERING THE JPA REVIEW AND THE COMMUNITY WORKSHOP UPDATES.

AND THAT IS MY REPORT IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

NO QUESTIONS.

GREAT.

UM, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE TIME OF THE, OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING AGAINST THIS TOO.

I ALSO APPRECIATE BEING GIVEN NOTICE OF WHEN THOSE MEETINGS ARE, AND I'M GONNA SWING BY AS MANY AS I AS I CAN.

UH, BUT I, BUT I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR, THE THREE OF YOU TAKING POINT ON THOSE, UH, FOR THE REST OF US AND FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATING.

YEAH, WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE WHEN THOSE MEETINGS ARE MAYOR.

SO NEXT, UM, WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO NEXT ON THEIR, UH, UPDATE? DR. BURNETT OR TONY, GO NEXT ON THE ADDRESS.

YES, GO AHEAD.

UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UM, I THINK YOU COVERED MORE REAL ESTATE IN YOUR ADVISORY SESSION THAN WE DID, BUT WE, THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING, BUT, UH, UH, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ON TO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID.

YOU KNOW, UM, IT, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE LEADING THIS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, STAFF DOES A LOT OF THE WORK AND THEY REALLY SHOULD GET A LOT OF THE, UH, RECOGNITION BECAUSE BEHIND THE SCENES, THESE MEETINGS WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

UM, SO WE HAD OUR INITIAL KICKOFF, UH, UH, MEETING ON AUGUST 19TH THROUGH THE FINANCIAL AT RISK ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THERE'S SEVEN MEMBERS.

UM, WE SPENT THE FIRST 20 MINUTES KIND OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER.

TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CAN YOU MOVE YOUR MIC A LITTLE BIT BACK.

WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND, UH, WHAT OUR BACKGROUNDS WERE.

UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF THE FAR COMMITTEE, WHICH IS TO ADVISE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD ON FINANCIAL AND RISK AND MANAGEMENT MATTERS.

AND THEN WE SPENT ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO GOING THROUGH, UM, OUR CHARTER AND, AND AGREEING ON THE WORDING OF THE CHARTER.

AND, UM, I WILL READ IT.

IT'S VERY BRIEF, BUT I THINK IT, UH, SUMMARIZES WHAT OUR COMMITTEE'S GONNA BE DOING OVER THE, UH, NEXT, UH, COUPLE YEARS OR SO.

THE FAR SHALL PROVIDE ADVICE TO HELP INFORM DECISIONS AND ACTIONS TO THE A TP BOARD AND STAFF, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, RISK MANAGEMENT, BUDGETS, INSURANCE, TREASURY MANAGEMENT, INTERNAL AUDIT, PROCUREMENT, ADVISORY SERVICES, SELECTION, GRANTS MANAGEMENT, AND REAL ESTATE RELATED MATTERS.

SO THAT IS OUR, UH, CHARTER AND OUR SCOPE OF WORK.

UM, NEXT WE HAD A UPDATE BY DIANE SILLER ON, UH, THE BUDGET.

SO DIANE, UH, HAD A GOOD PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGETING PROCESS.

THERE WAS SOME GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.

UH, NEXT, UM, VICKI RODERICK HAD A DISCUSSION ON PROCUREMENT POLICY.

AND, UH, IT WAS SIMILAR IN MANY RESPECTS TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD ON THE LAST BOARD MEETING.

WALKED THROUGH HOW PROCUREMENT IS GONNA BE, UH, UH, HAPPENING, HOW WE'RE GONNA BE SETTING POLICY, UH, TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, DB GUIDELINES, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, HAD SOME GOOD DISCUSSION AROUND THAT.

AND, UM, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEXT STEPS.

SO THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE IN NOVEMBER.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY FIVE MEETINGS A YEAR.

AND IN THAT MEETING WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, ABOUT PROCUREMENT ADVISORY, UM, SERVICES AND THEN DEBT GRANTS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS.

I'M SORRY.

I APPRECIATE THE INTRO MUSIC.

MADAM , THANK YOU FOR COMING.

ATTENTION, HUMOR.

UM, LIKE TONY, UM, THE PSEC, WE HAD OUR SECOND MEETING.

OH, I'M SORRY.

NO, GO AHEAD.

WE HAD OUR SECOND MEETING, UM, FOR THE PSEC, WHICH IS THE PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY, EQUITY AND DBE COMMITTEE.

AND I ALSO WANNA GIVE KUDOS TO THE STAFF, EVEN JUST NOW.

I PRINTED MY MINUTES WITH SOME NOTES ON IT, BUT I LEFT IT ON MY PRINTER, AND OF COURSE, I WAS SITTING AT MY SPACE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT FOR LOOKING OUT FOR US.

UM, SO, UM, OUR PRIMARY AGENDA ITEMS WERE THE EQUITABLE, EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PRESENTATION, UM, A DBE OVERVIEW, UH, A PROGRAM UPDATE, AND SOME INCOMING FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES.

AND THEN ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING WITH THE FOUR AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE

[00:10:01]

HAD.

SO WE HAD A REALLY IN-DEPTH PRESENTATION FROM ANNA LAND.

UM, ANNA IS THE SENIOR PLANNER WITH CAP METRO, AND SHE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW, REALLY A, A VERY, IT WAS, IT WAS MORE THAN AN OVERVIEW, IT WAS REALLY IN DEPTH, UM, DESCRIPTION OF THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, ETOD, AND THE STUDY THAT CAP METRO IS CURRENTLY DOING TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIES TO LEVERAGE THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM AS, AS IT, UM, RELATES TO EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES ALONG THE PROJECT CORRIDOR.

SO IT WAS REALLY A ROBUST DISCUSSION.

A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION WAS SHARED THERE.

SO IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMITTEE.

UM, THE DBE OVERVIEW, COURTNEY CHAVEZ, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND DBE, UM, SHE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF AND WALKED US THROUGH IN GREAT DETAIL HOW IT WILL BE DEVELOPED AND HOW IT WILL EVOLVE AND, UM, WHEN IT, AS, AS IT RELATES TO OUR, RELATES TO OUR PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.

SO IT WAS A, ANOTHER VERY GOOD DISCUSSION AND INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION, UH, THERE, I THINK BOTH WAYS.

AND THEN WE HAD A PROGRAM UPDATE FROM JACKIE BERG, WHO WE ALL KNOW IS OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT.

JACKIE PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE PROGRAM ITSELF.

UH, WENT, WALKED US THROUGH RECENT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS AND UPCOMING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ANOTHER TWO-WAY DIALOGUE.

SOME PEOPLE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD SUGGESTIONS ON WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE COMMUNITY VOICE, UM, BE A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

AND THEN WE HAVE ASKED FOR A PRESENTATION ON THE EQUITY TOOL FROM THE CITY.

SO THAT'S OUR PRIMARY AGENDA ITEM FOR THE NEXT MEETING, SO THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE, NOT JUST THE TOOL ITSELF, BUT THE EVOLUTION TO HOW WE GOT TO WHAT THE TOOL WILL BE AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE AS WE ROLL OUT THAT, THAT TOOL.

THE, THERE WERE NO RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE, UM, FROM THE COMMITTEE TO THIS BODY.

AND, UH, WE HAD A QUESTION OF COURTNEY CHAVEZ, UH, FROM ONE OF OUR MEMBERS ABOUT WHETHER, UM, A TP WILL EVALUATE BIDS AGAINST EACH OTHER.

THIS WAS A PURCHASING QUESTION, UH, ABOUT WHETHER WE WILL BE EVALUATING BIDS AGAINST EACH OTHER OR LOOK AT HARD COSTS, MATERIAL SUPPLIES, ET CETERA, VERSUS SOFT COSTS, WHICH ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE BID TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARE.

THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GIVE MORE SMALL, MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

SO, UH, COURTNEY DID NOT HAVE A A, AN ANSWER, UNDERSTANDABLY SO, A COMPREHENSIVE ANSWER.

SO SHE WAS GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT AND COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE AND REPORT ON THAT AT A LATER DATE.

AND WE'LL REPORT OUT, OUT ON THAT AT THAT TIME.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

AND THE NEXT STEPS, UM, WE HAVE A CADENCE FOR OUR MEETINGS.

THEY'RE THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, MR. MAYOR .

UM, AND OUR NEXT MEETING IS ON OCTOBER THE SEVENTH.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UM, ALSO OUR MEETINGS.

I, I AM GLAD YOU POINTED OUT, UM, DR. BURNETT, BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS ARE ALSO THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH FOR THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES, UH, STARTING AT FIVE.

SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT OUR STAFF CAN COORDINATE SCHEDULES.

UM, YOUR, YOUR MEETINGS AGAIN, DR. BURNETT, YOU SAID OUR, WHEN? THE FIRST WEDNESDAY, I THINK AT SIX 30.

SO RIGHT AFTER OUR, SO NO, WE'RE DIVIDING THE TEAMS. YEAH, WE'RE HAVING, OH, EAC C IS ON WEDNESDAY.

HE SECOND ON THURSDAY.

CHANGE YOUR CALENDAR, .

THANK YOU SO MUCH, DR. BURNETT.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM, FROM THE REST OF THE BOARD REGARDING THESE UPDATES? I JUST REQUEST THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL NOT JUST TO US AS MEMBERS OF THE BOARD GOING FORWARD, UH, FOR EACH ONE OF US, BUT ALSO FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

IF WE COULD MOVING FORWARD, UM, HAVE THE WRITTEN REPORT PERHAPS PROVIDED AS PART OF THE BOARD PACKET.

I KNOW THAT CAPITAL METRO AS PART OF EACH BOARD PACKET EVERY MONTH, CAPITAL METRO HAS, UH, THE COMMUNITY SERVICE, EXCUSE ME, CUSTOMER SERVICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THOSE ARE THE TWO COMMITTEES THAT SUPPORT CAPITAL METRO.

UM, FOR EVERY BOARD PACKET, THERE IS A, UH, UH, THERE IS, UH, A REPORT OR MINUTES THAT GO ALONG WITH EACH OF THOSE COMMITTEES.

THAT'S PART OF THE ACTUAL CAPITAL METRO BOARD PACKET.

I THINK IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT WRITTEN SO THAT THAT WAY IT'S NOT JUST GIVEN TO, IT'S NOT JUST PRESENTED FROM THE DIOCESE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO US, BUT MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN ADVANCE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THAT AND READ IT OVER AND SEE WHAT WAS DISCUSSED FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE VARIOUS ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

AND I BELIEVE WE DID POST JUST THE, THE UPDATE ON THE ONLINE, UM, ON THE PACKET.

BUT ARE YOU ALSO REQUESTING THAT WE HAVE THE MINUTES OF OUR MEETING? THAT THAT IS, YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.

THAT QUITE THE, THE SHEET THAT YOU'RE READING FROM.

OUR BOARD MEETINGS OR TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE, OR MAYBE I CAN JUST, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION OF STAFF, I THINK I, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BOARD MEMBER, UH, YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE SUMMARY, NOT MEETING MINUTES.

THAT'S KIND, THAT'S THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING.

I THINK THAT MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL TO PUT IN OUR BOARD PACKET FOR THE, UM, OKAY.

FOR, FOR

[00:15:01]

'CAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY KEEP MEETING MINUTES.

YES, CORRECT.

I'M SORRY, I'M USING THE WORD TERMINOLOGY.

SOMETHING, SOMETHING EASY.

WE, WE'LL PUT THE SUMMARY IN IN THE PACKET.

SO, UM, HITS THE HIGH POINTS.

SO THAT, THAT WAY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS ALSO HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN ADVANCE, AND IT'S NOT JUST BEING HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME HERE.

YEAH, THAT SOUNDS GREAT.

GOOD.

AND I MIGHT JUST NOTE THAT, UM, SOMETIMES THE SCHEDULE OF THE MEETINGS MAKES IT REALLY, WE CAN'T QUITE POST IT AT THE POSTING, BUT WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST TO GET ALL THOSE UP BEFORE THE MEETING.

BUT I KNOW, VERONICA, YOU AND I TALKED, OR SORRY, CHAIR, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE DID UPLOAD, WE REVISED THE PACKET THAT WAS UPLOADED TO ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS THEY CAME ALONG BASED ON THAT.

SO, UM, IN ORDER TO YOUR POINT, COORDINATE, UM, I'M SORRY, CASEY, TO GIVE US A, UH, IT COULD BE SOMETIMES 24 HOURS BEFORE WE THIS GET UPLOADED BETWEEN THE SCHEDULE OF THE MEETINGS.

CORRECT.

JUST MAKING A GOOD FAITH EFFORT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

I, I REALIZE THAT, THAT THAT TIMING, TIMING IS THE SECRET OF THE UNIVERSE AND, AND MEETINGS AND WHETHER IT'S VIRTUAL OR IN PERSON, BUT IT TO, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, I THINK THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR, FOR, FOR ALL OF US AS WELL AS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

IF IT CAN'T, IF IT CAN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, UNDERSTANDABLE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S A 24 HOUR TURNAROUND TIME, LITERALLY FROM THE TIME OF THE MEETING, THE AC THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING UNTIL OUR MEETING.

BUT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, MAKE A, MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT, I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.

AND IN ANY EVENT, IF IT MISSES IT FOR THAT MEETING, IT WOULD BE IN THE NEXT ONE.

SO THERE WOULD STILL BE A PUBLIC RECORD OF IT.

UM, TO OUR UPDATES, WE HAVE JACKIE NURNBERG, OUR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT.

YEAH, GOOD POINT.

AND THAT WAS PART OF THE DISCUSSION OF MEETING ON THE FIRST WEEK OF THE MONTH, BECAUSE OUR MEETINGS ARE ON THE THIRD WEEK, SO WE WANTED TO GIVE OURSELVES THOSE TWO WEEKS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GETS DOCUMENTED.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND, UH, SO NEXT, MOVING ON,

[III.1. Community Engagement and Involvement Monthly Update]

WELCOME, JACKIE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.

I'M JACKIE NURNBERG, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU OUR MONTHLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT UPDATE.

SO, UH, WE HAD A SERIES OF VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, UM, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CORRESPONDING ON DEMAND VERSION OF THAT MEETING ONLINE, WHICH CLOSED ON AUGUST 27TH.

AND WE NOW HAVE ALL OF THE DATA IN FROM THAT.

UM, AND WE HAD A TOTAL PARTICIPATION ON THE LIVE MEETINGS OF 568 PEOPLE.

I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT BEFORE WE WENT VIRTUAL, WE DID NOT HAVE ANYWHERE NEAR THAT LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION.

SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GOING TO DEFINITELY BE UTILIZING THE VIRTUAL, UH, OPTION IN ADDITION TO OTHER IN-PERSON OPTIONS WHEN THE TIME COMES.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE IN-PERSON STUFF AS WELL, SO WE COULD GO TO PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.

UM, THE TOTAL PARTICIPATION FOR THE SELF-GUIDED MEETING WAS ACTUALLY 413.

THIS HAS GONE UP BY THREE SINCE YESTERDAY.

UH, AND ALSO THE TOTAL PARTICIPATION IS NOW 981.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEETING SERIES, WE ALSO HAD OUR, UH, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE, THE CAC MET MET ON AUGUST 25TH.

WE HAD, UH, THE JOINT TAX AND CAC WALKTHROUGH OF THE TWO ALIGNMENTS, WHICH WAS REALLY HELPFUL FOR ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO REALLY SEE, UM, HOW THESE ALIGNMENTS ARE LAYING OUT AT 15% AND BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF OUR TECHNICAL TEAM.

UH, SO THAT WENT REALLY WELL.

AND THEN JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD TWO VIRTUAL COMMUNITY UPDATE MEETINGS.

ONE ON THE METRO RAIL IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH WAS ON SEPTEMBER 9TH.

WE HAD A TOTAL OF 109 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THAT ONE.

REALLY INTERESTING ALSO, BECAUSE THAT ONE WAS AT NOON.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE FINDING THAT DIFFERENT TIMES WORK FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

THAT'S ANOTHER BENEFIT OF HAVING GONE VIRTUAL.

IT, IT ALLOWS US TO SORT OF PLAY AROUND WITH THAT A LITTLE MORE.

AND THEN WE HAD OUR METRO RAPID VIRTUAL COMMUNITY UPDATE LATER THAT DAY.

UM, HAD 41 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

AM I DOING THIS OR ARE YOU ALL OKAY? ? UM, THEN WE HAD EMERGING.

AS ALWAYS, WE START TO SEE SOME EMERGING THEMES.

AND WHEN PEOPLE ASK US ABOUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE TAKE IN THEIR INPUT, WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? UM, AND IT'S A REALLY VALID QUESTION.

I MEAN, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, OH, IT JUST GOES INTO A BLACK HOLE AND WE'LL NEVER HEAR ABOUT IT AGAIN.

WELL, WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IS THAT WE START TO SEE THESE EMERGING PATTERNS OF THEMES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE.

FOR INSTANCE, BOTH ON THE ORANGE LINE AND BLUE LINE, AT THE 15% DESIGN MEETINGS, WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE, UM, ADVOCATING FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS, AND ALSO BEING ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT WHAT

[00:20:01]

THE PLAN SHOWED FOR, UM, INCREASED BIKE AND, AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO REALLY IMPROVE, NOT JUST WHERE WE'RE PUTTING IN THE ACTUAL VEHICLES AND TRACK, BUT THE AREAS AROUND THERE TOO.

AND WE'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN OUR VIRTUAL COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS THAT ARE COMING UP STARTING THIS WEEK.

UM, WE ALSO HEARD FEEDBACK ON CONNECTIVITY, HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS TO HAVE CONNECTIVITY, NOT JUST, UH, BETWEEN, UH, TRANSIT SERVICES, BUT ALSO BIKE AND PED.

UM, WE HAD, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, THE DESIGN OF THE PROJECT.

SO THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF SUBJECTS THAT ARE STARTING TO RISE TO THE TOP.

WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT ON OUR DASHBOARD.

AND I'M GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REVISED DASHBOARD NOW.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO IT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO USE.

UM, SO I HAVE THIS LITTLE NIFTY YES, THANK YOU .

THE LITTLE NIFTY, UH, ANIMATION THERE TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW TO SCROLL DOWN SO YOU CAN LOOK AT PREVIOUS, UH, MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD.

AND THEN EACH ONE IS LABELED IN A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY.

YOU CAN CLICK ON ANY ONE OF THOSE.

YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED.

YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE RAW COMMENTS, UM, AND ALSO THE THEMES.

SO THIS IS JUST A GREAT WAY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW ALONG AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE REALLY ARE LISTENING AND WE REALLY ARE DOCUMENTING WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN THESE CONVERSATIONS.

THERE WE GO.

OH, THAT'S THE SECOND PART.

ALRIGHT.

UM, SO BACK TO THE FEEDBACK ISSUE I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ASK US ALL THE TIME, SO I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA, UM, FOR YOU ALL AND ALSO FOR OUR PUBLIC WHO MAY BE TUNED IN TO, TO HEAR HOW WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK, THE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE GET IT, THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE SHARE IT.

UM, SO WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, OBVIOUSLY VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSES.

WE HAVE A FEEDBACK EMAIL.

WE HAVE ONE FOR PROJECT CONNECT IN GENERAL FEEDBACK@PROJECTCONNECT.COM.

WE HAVE ONE FOR THE ORANGE LINE.

WE HAVE ONE FOR THE BLUE LINE AS WELL.

SO WE TRY TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN EMAIL US.

ALSO, IF PEOPLE EMAIL THE FEEDBACK EMAIL AT CAP METRO, WE ALSO RECEIVE IT SO WE KNOW WHEN, WHEN WE'RE GETTING PROJECT CONNECT FEEDBACK.

UM, WE ALSO SHARE INFORMATION ON OUR HOTLINES OR TAKE INFORMATION RATHER ON OUR HOTLINES.

WE HAVE TWO HOTLINES, TWO PHONE NUMBERS PEOPLE CAN CALL FOR ORANGE AND BLUE LINE, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. WE, WE RECEIVE INFORMATION ALL THE TIME AND FEEDBACK AS WELL AS STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, ONE-ON-ONE SMALL GROUP MEETINGS ALL THE TIME.

SO, AND ANYTIME WE GIVE A PRESENTATION TO SAY A, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP OR SOME OTHER ORGANIZATION, WE TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND DOCUMENT IT.

AS WELL AS FOR SHARING THE FEEDBACK, I, WE JUST WENT THROUGH THE DASHBOARD, WHICH IS NOW CALLED THE ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY.

WE ALSO HAVE A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.

UM, WE ALSO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO YOU ALL AND ALSO TO OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO KEEP PEOPLE UPDATED ON WHAT WE'RE HEARING.

AND THEN WE HAVE A, A LOT OF ADVISORY GROUPS AND, UM, COMMUNITY GROUPS.

SO OUR PROJECT CONNECT AMBASSADOR NETWORK, WE HAVE OF COURSE THE, UH, INTERAGENCY TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE CAC, AND OF COURSE OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

UM, WE PROVIDE FEEDBACK AT THOSE NEXT SLIDE.

SO HOW DOES THAT FEEDBACK GET PROCESSED? SO WE RECEIVE IT IN ONE OF THOSE WAYS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

UM, AND THEN THE PROJECT CONNECT TECHNICAL TEAM AS WELL AS CITY AND COUNTY AND OTHER PARTNER AGENCIES.

UM, ANALYZE THAT FEEDBACK, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, SEE WHAT EMERGING EMERGING THEMES ARE COMING OUT.

UM, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN CHANGES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF PUBLIC FEEDBACK.

UM, AGAIN, THESE ARE ISSUES THAT RISE TO THE TOP.

WE LOOK FOR THEMES THAT, THAT COME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND, UM, AND THAT'S HOW THEY INFORM DECISIONS.

SO WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THERE IS A PROCESS FOR THIS.

THERE IS NOT A BLACK HOLE.

IT, IT ACTUALLY GETS DOCUMENTED INPUT AND USED TO MAKE DECISIONS.

AND I THINK THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE.

OH, NO, WE'VE GOT UPCOMING ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

SO WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ACTIVITY COMING UP.

UM, ACTUALLY THIS WEEK WE HAVE OUR FIRST COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOP.

AND THE COMMUNITY DESIGN WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED TO OUR, DESIGNED TO, UH, DISCUSS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT A VERY LOCALIZED LEVEL, AT A NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL.

UM, SOME DESIGN OPTIONS FOR PLACES THAT HAVE WIGGLE ROOM TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE EAST RIVERSIDE STATION ON THE BLUE LINE, WHICH IS THE PLEASANT VALLEY RIVERSIDE INTERSECTION.

SO WE ALSO HAVE THAT NEW

[00:25:01]

METRO RAPID, PLEASANT VALLEY SERVICE COMING THROUGH IN THE SAME AREA.

SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THERE.

UH, THERE'S, THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW YOU WANNA ACCESS THOSE SERVICES.

HOW DO YOU WANT THESE TO CONNECT? THERE'S ALSO A, AN ENORMOUS MEDIAN THERE ON RIVERSIDE BOULEVARD THAT HAS SOME OPPORTUNITIES.

SO WE WANNA HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHAT ARE THE NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE LIVING, WORKING, AND SPENDING TIME HERE THAT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER, RIGHT? WE WANNA KNOW.

AND BY HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE CAN START TO DESIGN SOMETHING THAT, UM, MAY BE BEAUTIFUL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT REFLECTS THE NEEDS OF THAT LOCAL COMMUNITY.

AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS THIS THURSDAY, WE'LL BE DOING ONE FOR SOUTH CONGRESS ON OCTOBER THE FIFTH.

UM, WE HAVE THE, THEN WE HAVE OUR EAC MEETING.

WE TALKED ABOUT THESE ALREADY, PSEC ON OCTOBER 7TH.

UM, WE'VE GOT ONE, UH, COMMUNITY DESIGN DESIGN WORKSHOP FOR THE NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER COMING UP.

THAT ONE WILL BE REALLY INTERESTING TOO, BECAUSE THERE'S A TON OF OPPORTUNITY.

UM, THAT'LL BE ON OCTOBER 19TH.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT A BUNCH MORE, AS YOU SEE, UM, THAT ARE TO BE DETERMINED.

I BELIEVE WE DID SCHEDULE OUR SOUTH CONGRESS ONE SINCE I TURNED IN THIS PRESENTATION.

AND THAT WILL BE OCTOBER 5TH.

SO THOSE ARE ACTIVITIES UPCOMING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TELLING YOU HOW THOSE WENT NEXT MONTH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. BERG.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER? YES.

BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

OH, THANK YOU.

UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, JACKIE.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING TO SEE ALL THIS FEEDBACK.

AND I LIKE THE PIE CHARTS.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW THE FEEDBACK KIND OF COMES INTO VARIOUS CATEGORIES.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF CERTAIN, NOT NECESSARILY THEMES, BUT ACTUAL IDEAS THAT PEOPLE HAVE COME UP IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE YOU'VE SEEN THIS COMING FORTH WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE? AND HOW DO THOSE IDEAS GET BROUGHT THROUGH AS ENHANCEMENTS OR POTENTIAL DESIGN CHANGES? AND THEN OF COURSE, I'M SURE THERE'S ALWAYS COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS WHEN FOLKS WANT X AND WE CAN'T AFFORD X, BUT I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT PROCESS.

SO WE DO, WE GET A LOT OF IDEAS.

WE, AT EVERY ONE OF OUR MEETINGS, WE GET PEOPLE WHO SAY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS? HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THAT? IN MOST CASES, THE TECHNICAL TEAM HAS EXPLORED THOSE ALTERNATIVES AND HAS FOUND SOME CONSTRAINT THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS ALONG THE RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR IN THE TRAVIS HEIGHTS AREA.

UM, DO WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ELEVATED PIECE OF THE TRACK THERE? YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA, AND, AND IT COMES DOWN TO THAT TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT.

SO FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE NOT YET HAD SOMETHING THAT, OH, WOW, YOU KNOW, WE COULD DO THIS.

BUT THERE ARE IDEAS COMING EVERY DAY.

UM, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, THERE HAS BEEN INPUT, FOR EXAMPLE, ON, UM, THE DRAG, NOT ON THE DRAG, EXCUSE ME, NORTH GUADALUPE, ABOUT POSSIBLY SHIFTING THE ALIGNMENT A LITTLE BIT TO THE, UH, EAST SIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME EMPTY BUILDINGS ON THAT SIDE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE WE HAVE OCCUPIED BUILDINGS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE, IT VERY WELL COULD INFORM THAT DECISION MOVING FORWARD TO 30%.

IT, IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THERE IS CERTAIN COMMON THEMES, UH, THAT, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR, AND IT'S EVALUATED THROUGH THE TECHNICAL TEAM AND FOR WHATEVER REASON IT'S DEEMED TOO EXPENSIVE OR NOT TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE, WHATEVER THAT, THAT SOMEHOW GETS REPORTED SO THAT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T FEEL, AS YOU SAID, IT GOES INTO THIS KIND OF BLACK HOLE.

SO TRUE.

AND CONVERSELY, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE COMING FROM PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE WE SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND IT'S AFFORDABLE, WE SHOULD KIND OF FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADVERTISE THAT, YOU KNOW? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

UM, I THINK THAT WE HAVE MAYBE BEEN REMISS IN THE PAST ABOUT NOT CONNECTING ALL THOSE DOTS AND SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT DID AND DIDN'T AND WHY.

AND WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING A CONCERTED EFFORT TO POST THAT IN OUR ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY SO PEOPLE CAN SEE HOW, HOW AND WHY A DECISION WAS TAKEN OR NOT TAKEN, UM, AND WHAT WE HEARD.

SO, UM, POINT WELL TAKEN.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON FOR SURE.

COULD THIS BE LIKE AN IDEA DEPOSITORY? IS THAT MAYBE LIKE ALL OF, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY COULD BE IF IT'S TOO CLOSE TO ME, LIKE THE LOCATION, FOR INSTANCE.

BUT IF I UNDERSTAND ALSO YOUR CONCERN OR, OR YOUR, YOUR COMMENT IS THAT, HOW, HOW DO WE KEEP A DEPOSITORY OF IDEAS, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT DESIGN, ABOUT A SPECIFIC WAY TO INTEGRATE ART, YOU KNOW, LIKE REALLY INVITING THE COMMUNITY.

I LOVE THAT IDEA.

TO OWN IT, TO REALLY OWN THE SYSTEM AND SAY WE, IT BELONGS TO US.

'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE THOUSANDS OF THEM, BUT I'M SAYING MORE REOCCURRING THEMES.

AND WE HAD, WE PARTICIPATED IN THAT VISIONING.

THAT IS A WONDERFUL IDEA.

MY, I AGREE WITH YOU, UM, MANAGER.

BUT I, MY 2 CENTS WOULD BE NOT FOR EVERY SINGLE IDEA

[00:30:01]

THEMES EXACTLY.

WHERE WE SEE IT SEVERAL TIMES AND IT, IT'S SOMETHING WORTHY OF ANALYSIS, BUT IT WOULD BE KIND OF NICE TO HAVE AN IDEA BOX YEAH.

IN THE ENGAGEMENT LIBRARY, RIGHT.

AND THEN PEOPLE CAN KIND OF LOOK AND SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SAID.

AND IT COULD BE A CROWDSOURCING, SORT OF LIKE CROWDSOURCING ACTIVITY, A CROWDSOURCING THING.

LIKE IF YOU TOOK A WONDERFUL TRIP SOMEWHERE AND YOU NOTICE HOW THIS VISUAL DISPLAY BOARDS ARE WORKING.

IT'S LIKE, COULD WE IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS? OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPED ME COMMUNICATE? RIGHT.

AND I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING COMMENT.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND ALSO, I WANNA SAY, UM, I MEAN, FIRST OFF, BEFORE I SAY WHAT I WANNA SAY, IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK OR QUESTIONS TO JACKIE? UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS DOES THIS TO ME A LOT.

I I WAS GONNA SAY THAT SAME THING.

UM, THE CHART WE SHOW CHANGES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF YOUR FEEDBACK.

AND I THINK PERIODICALLY WE COULD SHOW WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE.

IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO STAY ENGAGED.

ABSOLUTELY.

SO JUST THOSE GOOD NEWS STORIES, IT GOES TO TRANSPARENCY IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER STORIES THAT ARE RIGHT.

AND IT ALSO GOES TO TRANSPARENCY.

SO WE SHOULD ADD THAT IN AS A PART OF THE REPORT POINT.

WELL TAKEN BOARD MEMBER STRATTON, I I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THIS IS AMAZING.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE WAY THAT Y'ALL ARE UTILIZING IT, I AM JUST, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

ONE THAT WE'VE HAD THIS MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK.

UM, COVID POSED SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES.

I, I KNOW FOR, FOR ALL OF US.

BUT TO SEE THE WAY THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM PIVOTED AND ADAPTED ONLINE AND NOW THEN TO SEE THAT NOT ONLY DID YOU PIVOT AND ADAPT, BUT YOU'VE ALL, ALL MORE, MORE SO THAN THAT, YOU'VE THRIVED.

AND THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE MORE FEEDBACK THAN I THINK WE EVER WOULD HAVE IF WE HAD JUST STAYED TO, UH, BRICKS AND MORTAR IN TERMS OF BEING JUST BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND, AND TRYING TO, TO GO TO PEOPLE, UH, AT THEIR PLACES OF BUSINESS OR JUST ONLY DOING FEEDBACK AT CAPITAL METRO, UH, SERVICE STOPS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

UH, BUT THEN TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND BE ABLE TO SEE THAT, OH, LITERALLY ALL OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING, IT'S NOT JUST THAT SOME OF IT ENDS UP ON A SPREADSHEET, SOMEPLACE STUCK IN A FILE FOLDER SOMEWHERE THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN LITERALLY CLICK, CAN LOOK AT WHAT THE FEEDBACK WAS AND SEE THIS AND LOOK AT WHAT IT DOES.

AND YOU CAN SEE THESE CHARTS AND GRAPHS AND WHO, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF, OF, OF FEEDBACK WE'RE GETTING AND HOW THAT THEN INFORMS WHAT WE'RE DOING GOING FORWARD.

THAT IS, THAT IS MASSIVE.

THAT'S HUGE.

THAT IS INTEGRATIVE.

THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND I WOULD TAKE IT THEN A, A STEP FORWARD AND ABOVE THAT, WHICH IS, I'D SAY THAT THIS IS, THAT THIS WILL SHOW OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS JUST HOW ENGAGING WE ARE WITH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT, THAT, THAT BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS, THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE ARE SHOWING THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY EXHAUSTIVE AND EXTENSIVE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, TAKING THIS COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND PROCESSING IT AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I, THAT I HAD NOT, I NEVER WOULD'VE IMAGINED WE COULD HAVE DONE OTHERWISE TO, TO DO, TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.

AND THE NEXT LEVEL IS WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE RESPONSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND, AND DOING IT IN A WAY THAT, UM, HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO BE DONE BEFORE.

SO JACKIE, THANK YOU.

AND, AND YOUR TEAM.

THIS IS, THIS IS PHENOMENAL.

AND I, I THINK THIS IS AMAZING AND I, I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY SAY KUDOS TO EVERYTHING Y'ALL ARE DOING.

AND THEN, AND TO THE PUBLIC, KEEP IT UP.

JUST, JUST KEEP, AND THANK YOU TO THE, THE PUBLIC.

KEEP THE COMMENTS COMING, FOLKS.

THEY'VE BEEN VERY ENGAGED.

KEEP YOUR ENGAGEMENT COMING.

WE NEED IT.

WE WANT IT, IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND THIS IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

NO, VERY GOOD POINT.

AND I WANNA SAY THAT I PARTICIPATED IN BOTH OF THE MEETINGS, NOT BECAUSE I WAS INVITED, BUT BECAUSE I WAS, I HAPPENED TO BE, IT WAS MY LUNCHTIME.

I GOT ON FACEBOOK, I GOT TO SEE IT, AND I'M LIKE, OH, IT'S LIVE.

LET ME SEE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

SO IT WAS WONDERFUL.

BUT WHAT A LOT OF THE KUDOS THAT I WANNA MENTION IS THAT I REALLY ADMIRE THE WAY THAT THE STAFF FOR BOTH A TP SIDE AND CAB METRO SIDE, BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO SEE THE LIVE QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AND HOW YOU ALL JUST WERE TACKLING THEM LIVE AS IT WENT.

IT WAS LIKE, I HAVE TO GIVE, GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO OUR CAP METRO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF TOO, BECAUSE THEY PITCH IN EVERY TIME.

NOT BECAUSE WE ASK THEM BECAUSE THEY WANT TO, AND IT IS SUCH A HELP TO HAVE THEM MODERATING QUESTIONS AND, AND THROWING US THEM OUR WAY.

AND IT JUST MADE IT GO SO MUCH SMOOTHER.

SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO THAT TEAM.

YOU GUYS ARE REALLY GAINING REALLY VALUABLE EXPERIENCE.

BUT I ESPECIALLY LOVE THE WAY THAT IT WAS, THE QUESTIONS WERE HANDLED WITH SO MUCH RESPECT AND KINDNESS AND PATIENCE.

SO THAT REALLY RESONATED.

AND SO WE NOTICED AND WE WERE TUNING IN, SO THANK YOU.

[00:35:01]

MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT.

UM, KIND OF THE MATH TIE MULTIPLE BOARD MEMBER POINTS TOGETHER, WHICH IS, AND I THINK REALLY HIGHLIGHT BOARD MEMBER ELKINS AT THE START, WHICH IS WE GOTTA, I THINK, GROUND EVERYTHING BACK INTO THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS TO DATE.

AND SO TO GET TO THE LOCAL PREFERRED, PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE, AND EVERYONE MAYBE REMEMBERS THE LPA TERMINOLOGY, UH, THAT INVOLVED MULTIPLE YEARS OF AN ALTERNATIVE ANALYSIS.

SO SOME OF THESE IDEAS IN WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY HAVE ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH TONS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS, LIKE TONS, RIGHT? JACKIE AND DAVE OVER ALMOST A THREE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.

WELL, WHY IS THIS ELEVATED? WHY IS THIS NOT, COULD WE DO THIS STREET? WHAT ABOUT THIS INTERSECTION? THERE'S BEEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF THAT TO GET TO THE LPA.

THE NEXT PIECE IS THAT WE'RE AT 15% AND THEN WE'LL GET TO 30.

SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE AS WE GRADUATE FROM, UH, DESIGN STAGE THROUGH THE NEPA PROCESS, WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT HOW THOSE COMMENTS ARE DEALT WITH IN THE DESIGN PROCESS.

SO PART OF WHAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO IS THINK ABOUT HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT, AND THAT SHOWS THE TRANSPARENCY THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM FROM THE START TO LPA TO 15 TO 30 AND ON.

AND SO KIND OF STITCHING THAT TOGETHER, WHICH TIES OUT COMMENTS.

AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO JUST, UH, FOR THIS BOARD'S, UH, UNDER, UM, UH, AWARENESS HIGHLIGHT, UH, JACKIE.

SO JACKIE, FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT AWARE, ONE, THE WT WTS WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR BEING AN INCREDIBLE LEADER IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT FOR ALL OF HER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT LEADERSHIP FOR PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY.

AND SO SHE WON THIS, UH, REGIONAL RECOGNITION AWARD AND, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST LOVED IN THE COMMUNITY.

THAT IS GONNA BE A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW.

BUT YOU'RE GREATEST SAID YOU RECRUITED BY THE WNBA.

[III.2. Project Connect Monthly Technical Update]

MR. COUCH.

, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE.

I MEAN, THAT IS A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW, BUT THIS IS YOUR FLOOR.

THIS IS WHAT'S YOUR AWARD? HE'LL TELL ME LATER.

THAT, THAT GOOD AFTERNOON.

BOARD MEMBERS, UH, CEO CLARK, I'M GONNA BACK UP TO START.

AND WHAT I WANNA DO IS TO BACK UP TO THE LAST SLIDE THAT JACKIE JUST USED THAT I CAN'T SEEM TO MOVE.

UH, THIS GOES TO THAT NEXT LEVEL.

UH, WHAT MR. CLARK WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH FOR THREE YEARS TO GET TO THE POINT THAT WE HAD LPAS, THEN GOING TO THE 15%, NOW TRYING TO WORK TO 30.

AND WHAT'S HERE, I CAN GET BACK TO THE RIGHT SLIDE.

THESE ARE COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS FOR INDIVIDUAL AREAS ALONG THE CORRIDOR, PLACES THAT WILL BE THERE.

EVERYTHING FROM THE DRAG ALL THE WAY THROUGH CRESTVIEW, THEY'RE INDIVIDUAL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

IT IS GOING AHEAD AND SHOWING WHAT THE POTENTIALS ARE, GETTING THEIR INPUT ON HOW WE DO THINGS SO THAT WE'RE INCLUDING THAT AND INCORPORATING IT AS WE GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.

SO THAT TAKES US TO THAT NEXT LAYER, IF YOU WILL, AS WE GO AHEAD AND ADVANCE TOWARDS THE 30%.

SO IT'S SHOWING THAT CONTINUED INCLUSION AS WE MOVE TO HEAR WHAT THE CONCERNS ARE, WHAT THE ISSUES ARE, WHAT ARE THE POTENTIALS THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO FORWARD INSTEAD OF BACKING UP TO GO FORWARD.

AND ARE YOU CONTROLLING THIS IN? YEAH.

THAT'S, I CAN'T, NOW I KNOW WHY IT'S NOT WORKING.

UH, YEAH, GO TO THE SECOND, MY SECOND SLIDE.

PASS THE INTRODUCTORY PLEASE.

TIME OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS TRYING TO SORT OUT.

THIS TAKES US TO WHERE WE ARE WITH THE ENGINEERING SIDE OF THE WORLD AND THE FIELD WORK.

WE'RE HAVING ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TUNNEL.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH AN EVALUATION RIGHT NOW, UH, OF WHETHER IT'S SINGLE OR DOUBLE BORE.

WE'RE DUE TO HAVE A REPORT BACK IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

ALSO, LOOKING AT HOW THAT FITS INTO WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE AREAS THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN, AND THE PARTS THAT WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD WITH THE TUNNEL.

WE'RE STARTING TO DIG IN DEEPER.

UH, AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME THING AS THE STATIONS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT THE PARK AND RIDES, HOW THE THING GETS CONFIGURED, WHAT'S THERE IN EACH ONE OF THE AREAS, WHETHER IT'S AT STANE, WHETHER IT'S NORTH LAMAR TRANSIT CENTER, TAKING THAT NEXT STEP, LOOKING IN DETAIL AT THE TRAFFIC STUDIES, LOOKING IN DETAIL AT WHAT'S THERE AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS SIM THAT NEXT LEVEL, THAT NEXT DIG IN POINT.

ALL THIS IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY, UH, WITH, WITH THE GROUP THAT IS THERE AND THE REVIEWS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING.

WHAT THEY'VE PROVIDED WITH THE 15% COMMENTS, UH, INCORPORATES EVERYTHING THAT KEEPS US THERE AS A TEAM.

AND IT KEEPS US GOING AHEAD AND GOING FORWARD.

UH, AND JEAN, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT ANIQUE IS DOING AND HER TEAM.

UH, I THINK THAT WE HAVE GOT A SUPER WAY THAT WE'RE GOING FORWARD.

WE, WE HAD ONE THAT WAS A CHALLENGE, THAT WAS UTILITIES THAT WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF

[00:40:01]

WE HAD FOUR ISSUES THAT WE HAD TO SORT THROUGH.

TWO WERE WATERSHED, TWO WERE UTILITIES.

WE HAD A MEETING THE OTHER DAY.

THE TWO UTILITIES ARE SETTLED.

SO THAT GETS US TO A POINT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

WE'RE GETTING SET WITH WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING NEXT.

AND IT IS WITH THAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.

SO WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THINGS, WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND THAT'S OUR PATH.

THAT INCLUDES THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

IT INCLUDES THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CITY, IT INCLUDES THE INVOLVEMENT OF TXDOT, THAT, THAT WAS A MEETING THAT OCCURRED WHILE I'M HERE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING COORDINATED WITH THEM ON ALL OF THE AREAS.

UH, THE NEPA PROCESS.

UH, WE CONTINUE TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THAT.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING AS WE GO FORWARD WITH CONTINUED SUPPORT OF FTA.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, THE 1 39 J UH, THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL STAFFING THAT REPORT DIRECTLY TO FTA TO DO THE REVIEW OF SOME OF THE REPORTS AND DOCUMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING.

UH, THAT GIVES THEM THE SUPPLEMENTAL STAFF AND IT KEEPS US MOVING, UH, AS WE DO TWO OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESSES OF THIS SIZE TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT AND THAT HELP.

AND THAT'S WORKING VERY, VERY WELL.

AT THIS POINT.

I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TWO OF THE AREAS, AND ONE I'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON, ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, WHICH IS THE UTILITIES.

THE OTHER ONE IS BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ACQUISITIONS.

WE'VE STARTED TO REFINE THAT IT'LL GET FURTHER REFINED AS WE GO THROUGH THE 30%.

WE'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND GO FORWARD WITH, GET AN APPROVAL OF WHAT THEY CALL A RAMP, A REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION MANUAL.

UH, THAT, THAT THEN WILL BE THE BASIS FOR US STARTING TO DO SOME OF THOSE ACQUISITIONS.

AND WE LIKE TO START SOME OF THOSE RELATIVELY EARLY.

UH, THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE, THERE ARE NORMAL PARTS THAT GO INTO ANY ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE, WE'RE PROGRESSING WITH THE METRO RAPID.

UH, WE'RE AT THE 60% DESIGN.

HEWLETT SELLERS IS THE ONE WHO'S DOING THE DESIGN.

WE'RE DOING IT IN THREE DIFFERENT PIECES.

UH, THE FIRST GROUP OF THEM WILL BE ONES THAT COME OUT.

THAT'LL BE THE EARLY STARTS.

WE'VE GOT FOUR OF THEM THAT WILL HAVE THE DELIVERABLES IN OVER THE NEXT WEEK THAT WILL START THAT REVIEW ON THE FIRST FOUR OUT OF 80 WITH THE CITY TO GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE DONE SO THAT WE CAN GET AN EARLY START, UH, AND GET STARTED WITH THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

UH, FTA HAS COME FORWARD.

THEY'VE GIVEN US THE CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION AND THEY'VE STARTED TO GO AHEAD AND REVIEW ALL THE READINESS DOCUMENTS.

READINESS DOCUMENTS TAKE US BACK IN TIME TO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE OF THE TIMING TO GET TO A FUNDING AGREEMENT.

UH, IF YOU RECALL, IN AUGUST OF NOT THIS PA, AUGUST OF 80, UH, RIGHT AFTER WE GOT APPROVAL OF THE OVERALL SYSTEM PLAN AND THE LPAS, WE WENT FORWARD AND GOT ENTRY INTO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S A 24 MONTH CYCLE, SO WE'RE COMING UP ON THAT IN AUGUST.

AND THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAD THE OTHER DAY WITH FDA IS GETTING TO A FUNDING GRANT AGREEMENT IN THE MARCH OR APRIL TIMEFRAME.

SO THAT'S CRITICAL FOR US TO GET THERE BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT.

UH, SO THAT'S GONE VERY WELL.

THE COORDINATION WITH FTA IS ABSOLUTELY SUPER.

UH, IT'D BE GREAT IF SOME OF US COULD GET IN A CAR AND GO UP TO FORT WORTH AND ACTUALLY SIT AROUND A TABLE AND TALK ABOUT IT.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AND HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE AT THAT POINT SOON.

UH, GO LINE, EXCUSE ME, GO LINE IN SOUTH LAMAR, UH, WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH GETTING THAT KICKED OFF.

THOSE ARE THE OTHER TWO COMPANION PIECES THAT GO ALONG WITH THE METRO RAPID LINES.

COME INTO PLAY WITH WHAT, UM, THEY'RE DOING IN TERMS OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT? BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH THE, THE EXISTING CAPITAL METRO, UH, TRAIN TRACKS THAT ARE THERE AND IT'S, IT'S A KIND OF A DIFFERENT BALL OF WAX ON THAT ONE.

SPECIFICALLY WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT THE RED LINE, UH, THE FIRST PROJECT IS MCCULLOUGH.

UH, THAT IS PROGRESSING.

WE'VE GOT THE 30% THAT IS IN, THAT'S BEING REVIEWED CURRENTLY WITH THE CITY.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO GET COMMENTS FROM THAT AND INCORPORATE THOSE.

UH, WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO AHEAD AND ISSUE THE DESIGN BUILD SOLICITATION, WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROCESS THAT WILL INCORPORATE THE COMMENTS THAT WE GET SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.

MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA DO A CONTRACT THAT'S GONNA BE THERE SEPARATE TO GO AHEAD AND GET A JUMP ON EVERYTHING.

THAT'S GONNA BE THE DRAINAGE AND THE TRACK WORK.

UH, SO IT'S GONNA BE SEPARATED INTO TWO CONTRACTS SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PURSUE THE PROJECT QUICKER.

UH, BROADMOOR IS IN THE FINAL STAGES.

UH, IT'S GOING THROUGH THE LAST OF THE PERMITTING AND SHOULD BE STARTING VERY SOON.

UH, LAKE LANDER, UH, TO LAKELINE.

UH, THAT SECTION OF TRACK WAS APPROVED BY THE CAP METRO BOARD LAST MONTH.

UH, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO GO AHEAD AND THEY'RE PLANNING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED ON THE CONSTRUCTION ON THAT.

UH, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATOR THAT ROLLED OUT, UH, ON THE 24TH OF LAST MONTH, WHICH NOW BRINGS US TO A TOTAL OF 11 ZONES.

AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE, MADAM CHAIR, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, MR. COUCH.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MEMBER CHAPMAN? YES, MR. CO.

UH, MR. COUCH.

JUST WANTED TO DOUBLE CHECK A QUICK QUESTION HERE.

UM, WITH BROADMOOR STATION, I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE IN CONTINUED DISCUSSIONS ON PERMITTING.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO FIND OUT IF, UM, RELATED TO THE PERMITTING IT HAS OUR A TP, THE, THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE GOT NOW WITH THE PROJECT CONNECT OFFICE AND THE CITY STAFF.

DOES ANY OF THAT NOW

[00:45:01]

YEAH, BROADMORE IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T INCLUDED IN PROJECT CONNECT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SEPARATE THAT'S THERE WITH CAP METRO.

AND I'M SURE MR. CLARK WOULD ADDRESS WHERE THAT IS.

I'LL JUST ADD A QUICK COMMENT, WHICH IS, UH, I THINK WE GO, REMEMBER BROAD MOORE'S TWO PIECES.

SO THERE'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT BRANDYWINE IS DOING, AND THEN THERE'S THE STATION WITH THE TRACK COMPONENT THAT IT'S A P THREE BETWEEN CAP METRO AND BRANDYWINE.

SO THEY'LL OBVIOUSLY BE DOING PERMITTING RELATION TO THEIR BIG DEVELOPMENT AND THEY MIGHT HAVE PARCELS AND WHATNOT.

AND THAT'S THE REGULAR CITY PROCESS.

I WILL SAY THAT WHILE DAVE IS CORRECT, IT'S NOT PART OF THE PROJECT CONNECT PROGRAM.

UH, GINA AND NICK AND THE ENTIRE CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN, UH, REALLY COLLABORATIVE AND THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME TECHNICAL, UH, ELEMENTS RELATED TO PERMITTING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO GET RESOLVED, UH, SOON.

SO HAVING A NICK AND HAVING A TEAM INSIDE OF THE CITY FOCUSED ON PROJECT CONNECT IS REALLY A WAY TO SAY HOW DO WE ADVANCE THE TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM? AND SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF IT'S PROJECT CONNECT FROM A FUNDING SOURCE OR, OR REGULAR CAP METRO.

THE TEAMS ARE WORKING INCREDIBLY WELL TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, ANIQUE AND, UH, GINA'S, UH, LEADERSHIP ON THAT.

DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION FOR MEMBER STRATTON? THANK YOU.

AND MS. .

UM, DAVE, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, KIND RECOGNITION FOR ANIQUE AND, AND HER TEAM, THE PROJECTS CONNECT LIAISON OFFICE.

UM, SHE'S KEPT ME UPDATED IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU'VE HAD AROUND THE UTILITIES RULES OF PRACTICE.

I KNOW YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER BIG MEETING TOMORROW MM-HMM .

UH, BUT THE TEAMS HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT.

THESE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES AND THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT.

YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'M LOOKING, THE NEXT ONE THAT'S GOT TWO LEFT IS TOMORROW MORNING.

SO, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE SETTLED ALSO.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? YES.

BOARD MEMBER ELKIN.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UM, THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UH, DAVE, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON, UH, SLIDE 18 AND 19 WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE METRO RAPID AND THEN THE RED LINE.

JUST, UH, AT A HIGH LEVEL, COULD YOU JUST TALK ABOUT HOW THE PROCUREMENT MODELS WERE SELECTED FOR THOSE VARIOUS PROJECTS AND HOW THOSE PROJECTS WERE SEGMENTED? JUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL, YOU KNOW? OKAY.

UH, IF YOU TAKE THE METRO RAPID, UH, THE BASICALLY IS THE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT ARE SPLIT PROBABLY 50 50 COST-WISE.

UH, THERE IS A CONTRACT THAT GOES FORWARD TO THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD THIS MONTH.

UH, THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE AN OPTION IN IT FOR THE BUS BUY.

SO THAT WAS ADVERTISED SOMETIME LAST FALL, I BELIEVE.

SO IT'S AN ECONOMY OF SCALE, IF YOU WILL.

UH, THE BUSES ARE BUILT INTO THAT AS AN OPTION, WHICH WE NOW CAN EXERCISE.

SO INSTEAD OF BUYING A SMALL QUANTITY OF BUSES THAT WE WOULD NEED FOR EXPO IN PLEASANT VALLEY, WE'RE PART OF A LARGER BUY.

SO THAT'S A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE.

THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A SELECTION PROCESS.

UH, SO THAT DELIVERY WILL BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

THAT WAY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PUT OUT A WHOLE NEW CONTRACT.

IT'S PIGGYBACKED ON TOP OF THAT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S THERE ON THE DESIGN SIDE, UH, FOR THE METRO RAPID PORTION OF IT, UH, ON BASICALLY WHAT'S THERE FOR THE CIVIL, THERE IS AN ON-CALL SERVICE THAT IS THERE FOR THE GENERAL ENGINEERING CONSULTANT.

UH, THAT THERE WERE A SERIES OF FIRMS THAT WERE PUT INTO CONTRACT BY CAP METRO SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

UH, THAT'S THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS WAY BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET A JUMP, AS YOU KNOW, ON THE RUBBER TIRE PROJECTS.

SO WE USED ONE OF THOSE THROUGH A SELECTION PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO DO THE 30 AND NOW 60%, UH, DESIGN.

SO THAT'S THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS WAY TO DO IT BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS AND WORK THROUGH THE DESIGN AT THE SAME TIME.

WE'VE GOT AN INDEFINITE QUANTITIES CONTRACT THAT IS CURRENTLY ADVERTISED SO THAT WE'VE GOT THAT IN PLACE BY THE TIME WE GET THE DESIGN DONE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THINGS ON A CONTRACTUAL BASIS.

UH, AND, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THE SMALLER PROJECTS.

I DON'T WANNA DISCOUNT THEM, BUT THEY'RE THE SMALLER PROJECTS.

UH, AND IT'S DIFFERENT THAN THE RISK ANALYSIS THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING WHEN WE START TO LOOK AT THE BIG CONTRACTS THAT ARE THERE IN ORANGE AND BLUE.

GOTCHA.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UM, NO MORE QUESTIONS FOR MR. COUCH.

APPRECIATE IT.

I THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.

SO MOVING ON, UH, WE HAVE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATE, UM, AS WE'RE HIRING THE, OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR.

AND, UM, SO I JUST WANNA SEND A REMINDER FOR THE EMAIL THAT I SENT TO THE BOARD THAT WE BEGAN THE PROCESS.

UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS AND I HAVE WORKED ON THE, WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP THAT JOB DESCRIPTION AND IT'S ALREADY POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POSITION AS WE WILL BE, UM, HIRING THE PERSON THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD AND WE'LL BE OVERLOOKING ALL OF OUR

[00:50:01]

INTERNAL PROCESSES.

WE'LL BE OVERLOOKING HOW THE, THE BOARD IS PERFORMING, THE PROGRAM IS BEING DELIVERED.

SO, UM, SO WE'LL NOW HEAR, UM, JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE AND THAT WE'RE HOPING TO FILL THIS POSITION IN NOVEMBER.

SO I WILL ASK FOR EVERYONE'S COLLABORATION AND HELP US IN, IN, UM, AS WE GO THROUGH THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS, THE STAFF IS GOING TO BE HELPING US GO THROUGH THAT INTERVIEW PROCESS.

SO KEEP US POSTED IF YOU WANNA PARTICIPATE IN THOSE INTERVIEWS OR NOT.

DIRECTOR, UH, PROGRAM STRATEGY, MR. SAM, SERGEANT WITH AN UPDATE ON THE JOINT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT.

SO, AND NOW WE'LL HAVE OUR

[III.3. Administrative Program Monthly Update]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK.

MY NAME IS SAM SAR, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM STRATEGY FOR THE A TP, AND I'M GONNA PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

SO HERE'S A TIMELINE.

OH, ONE SLIDE BACK.

THAT MEANS BOTH THE TIME OF THE PUBLIC NOTICE, BUT IT ALSO MEANS THE SUFFICIENT ALLOCATION OF SPACE AND ROOM FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SEE THINGS AND ENGAGE.

HERE'S A TIMELINE THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN BEFORE AND IT HAS, UH, A SLIGHT MODIFICATION HERE.

SO I WANNA WALK THROUGH OUR, UH, OUR TIMELINE FOR THE NEXT PARTNERSHIP.

ILA, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE BEGIN THE CLOCK HERE, UH, AT NOVEMBER 3RD WHEN VOTERS APPROVED THE PROPOSITION, A PROJECT CONNECT INITIAL INVESTMENT.

UM, THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND THE FALL, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, AS WELL AS CAPITAL METRO TO, UH, DRAFT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

NOW, WHAT THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT IS IN A NUTSHELL, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST, BUT IT REALLY PROVIDES THE RULES OF THE ROAD FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP AS WE IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.

IT'S, IT'S HOW ARE WE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO WHAT THE PEOPLE HAS HAVE ASKED US TO DO? UM, AND THIS IS A REALLY CRITICAL DOCUMENT TO HAVE.

IT'S GONNA HELP NOT ONLY THE TEAMS NOW, BUT IT'S GONNA HELP US IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR FRIENDS AT THE CITY FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW CLOSELY WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING, BUT OF COURSE A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP HAS COME FROM ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, FCA AND ANIQUE BODE'S OFFICE, UH, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS AT CAPITAL METRO.

AND NOW WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS A VERY CRITICAL DATE.

SO OCTOBER 4TH, YOU CAN SEE HERE, IS A TRI-PARTY WORK SESSION SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

AND SO WE CAN WALK THROUGH WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THAT DOCUMENT AND SET OURSELVES UP FOR AN OCTOBER 29TH TRI-PARTY, UM, JOINT MEETING IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO DATES IN OCTOBER.

AND I'M WORKING, UH, WITH JACKIE NIERENBERG AND OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND OTHERS, WE ARE GOING TO SCHEDULE A VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING, UH, WITH THE CAC AND THE TAX INVITED SO THAT WE CAN TALK, UH, WITH THE PUBLIC VIRTUALLY AT LENGTH ABOUT SOME OF THE SAME TOPICS THAT WE'LL COVER HERE AS BOARD BOARDS AND COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 4TH.

AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD ON OCTOBER 29TH AND THAT THEY FEEL HEARD.

UM, SO THEN OCTOBER 29TH, OF COURSE, UH, A, A VOTING SESSION.

AND THEN NOVEMBER THROUGH JUNE OF 2022, WE WILL BE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE CITY AND CAPITAL METRO TO APPROVE OTHER ACTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR PROJECT CONNECT IMPLEMENTATION.

NOW, MANY OF THESE WOULD LIKELY BE TWO PARTY ACTIONS, UM, BUT WE WILL BE TAKING CARE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AT THAT TIME.

SO, NEXT SLIDE.

SO TAKING A LOOK HERE, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS, UH, SEE THE TEXT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BETTER, UH, IN YOUR PACKET.

AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, UM, VIRTUALLY YOU CAN SEE THIS, UH, IN THE BOARD PACKET AS WELL AS ON YOUR SCREEN.

BUT HERE ARE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS, UM, THAT ARE NEEDED, UH, THAT THE A TP NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF, UH, IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.

SO YOU CAN SEE HERE ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE CONTRACT WITH VOTERS AND OR ILAS OR OTHER RESOLUTIONS, AND SPECIFICALLY I'M THINKING HERE OF THAT FOUNDATIONAL ILA THAT WAS APPROVED BY CAPITAL METRO AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN LAST YEAR.

THAT SET THE A TP IN MOTION BEFORE, UH, BEFORE ELECTION DAY.

UM, AND THEN THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN TO ACCOMPLISH, UH, THOSE ASKS FROM THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.

SO YOU CAN SEE TRANSFERRING CITY TAX REVENUE OVER TO THE A TP.

UH, WE HAVE THE JUNE, 2021 BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL EXECUTED, UM, ILA, THE CAPITAL METRO TRANSFER OF CAPITAL EXPANSION EXPANSION FUND TO THE A TP.

UH, YOU CAN SEE JANUARY, 2021.

ONE OF THIS BOARD'S, UH, FIRST ACTIONS WAS, UH, THE ILA BETWEEN CAPITAL METRO AND THE A TP TO TRANSFER THE BALANCE OF THAT FUND.

CAPITAL METRO'S TRANSFER FEDERAL FUNDING OVER TO THE A TP CAPITAL METRO WAS APPROVED FOR FDA PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROJECT PHASES, UH, AND A P AND CAPITAL METRO WILL EXECUTE AN ILA TRANSFERRING THOSE FUNDS, UH, ONCE THERE IS FT A GRANT APPROVALS.

UM, AND THEN ATPS, UH, TRANSFER OF THE $300 MILLION IN ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUNDING TO THE CITY.

[00:55:01]

APRIL, 2021.

UH, THIS, THIS BODY AND CITY COUNCIL EXECUTED AN ILA.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IN THE BLUE, UM, THE BLUE BAR, YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT'S JUST A BUCKET OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN ASKED OF THE A TP AND HOW THEY'VE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF.

ANOTHER REALLY CRITICAL ONE IS OUR DBE AND FINANCIAL POLICY.

SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE DEVELOPING COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM THAT MEETS FEDERAL DBE LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

AND OVER HERE ON THE RIGHT, WE HAVE OUR ANTICIPATED ADOPTION OF THE INTERIM DBE GOALS AT TODAY'S MEETING, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE ESTABLISH CORPORATE FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, COST, FINANCIAL POLICIES, AND AGAIN, OVER ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

IN JULY, FOR INSTANCE, THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD APPROVED A RESOLUTION TO FUND A JOINT DISPARITY IN AVAILABILITY STUDY SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH OUR DBE PROGRAM FOR FUTURE PROGRAM CONTACTS, CONTRACTS, UM, AND THAT, AGAIN, ANTICIPATED ADOPTION, UH, TODAY OF AN 90 TP PROCUREMENT POLICY, AS WELL AS THE FY 22 BUDGET.

AND THIS IS JUST MEANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.

AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE, UH, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF ITEMS. AND ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE THESE A TP POLICY DIRECTIVE REQUIREMENTS.

THESE ARE PULLED VERBATIM FROM EITHER THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS OR THAT FOUNDATIONAL ILA AND ARE.

UH, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, AND HOPE TO BRING TO THE A TP BOARD ON OCTOBER 20TH, UM, A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD CONFIRM SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAPITAL METRO POLICY DIRECTION, UH, THAT CAME FROM THE FOUNDATIONAL ILA OR THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE LEFT, YOU HAVE A TP TO PARTICIPATE IN A BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM, OR SIMILAR WITH WORKER PROTECTIONS FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

SAME WITH THE REQUIREMENT THAT ALL CONTRACTS AWARDED BY THE A TP ENSURE A LIVING WAGE COMPLETION OF OSHA 10, TRAINING FOR ALL OF THE WORKERS, OSHA 30 FOR SUPERVISORS, WORKERS COMPENSATION, ONSITE MONITORING, ET CETERA.

AND THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE A TP TAKES STEPS TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF BUSINESSES DURING CONSTRUCTION THROUGH A BUSINESS IMPACT MITIGATION STRATEGY.

THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES, BUT SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES OF WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO BRING ON OCTOBER 20TH TO THIS BOARD SO THAT WE CAN, UM, ADOPT A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT THESE THINGS ARE BAKED INTO ALL OF THE CONTRACTS THAT GO FORWARD AFTER THAT POINT.

UM, AND THEN JUST AS CRITICAL, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, IN THAT NOVEMBER TO JUNE TIMEFRAME, UH, ON THE TIMELINE, UH, THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER JOINT REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER TWO PARTY, PERHAPS TRI-PARTY, BUT TWO PARTY AGREEMENTS THAT WILL COVER THINGS THAT ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO THIS PROGRAM, LIKE PERMITTING, DESIGN REVIEW, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES, AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED COLLABORATIVELY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION AND, UH, AND MOVE TOWARDS THE GOAL THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO ACHIEVE OF OPENING THE SYSTEM.

SO, I, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS QUITE A BIT OF TEXT, BUT I HOPE THAT THIS GIVES YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE DIRECTION, UM, THAT THE THREE, THE THREE ENTITIES AND OUR STAFF, UH, AND FOLKS IN LEADERSHIP WHERE WE'RE HEADED WITH THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT HEADING TOWARDS AN OCTOBER 4TH WORK SESSION, UH, OCTOBER TO BE DETERMINED.

BUT YOU'LL HAVE A DATE VERY SOON, VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING, AND THEN OCTOBER 29TH FOR A JOINT, UH, MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE A VOTING SESSION.

SO WITH THAT, UH, I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. SERGEANT.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR ADLER, THIS IS, UH, THIS IS HELPFUL, UH, BECAUSE I AM, HAVE ALWAYS BEEN UNCERTAIN AS TO ACTUALLY WHAT IS IN THE JPA AND WHAT IT IS THAT THE JPA IS CALLING FOR THE PARTIES TO, TO DO MM-HMM .

UH, AND I DON'T THINK I'M ALONE IN, IN NOT UNDERSTANDING REALLY CLEARLY, WHICH IS WHICH AND WHAT IS WHERE MM-HMM .

SO I THINK THIS IS REAL IMPORTANT TO GET THIS OUT.

I APPRECIATE YOU DOING IT NOW SUFFICIENTLY BEFORE THE JOINT MEETING OF EVERYBODY ON THE FOURTH.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THREE BOARDS ON THE FOURTH TO ADDRESS IT THEN PUBLICLY.

UM, I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING BEFORE ANY OF US ACT ON THIS, UH, SO THAT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY HAS THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO COME FORWARD, BUT FROM A CONCEPTUAL STANDPOINT MM-HMM .

UH, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH, UH, THE JPA SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A DBE POLICY.

WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A PROCUREMENT POLICY.

WE'VE DONE THAT NOW, OR WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT TODAY.

UM, IT'S REAL IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WHETHER IT'S DONE IN THE JPA OR WHETHER IT'S DONE HERE, THAT THERE'S REAL SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE.

[01:00:01]

UM, I'VE WATCHED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DBE POLICY AND THE PROCUREMENT ON OUR AGENDA THREE TIMES NOW, UH, INCLUDING TODAY WITH LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE, SEEN IT EVOLVE BASED ON COMMENTS COMING FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BOARD MEMBERS AND THE ADVISORY COUNCILS.

I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THAT'S HOW THE PROCESS SHOULD BE WORKING.

BUT IF IT'S NOT THAT WAY, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD AND SAY, NO, IT DIDN'T WORK WELL WITH THE DBA OR THE PROCUREMENT POLICY.

BUT TAKING THINGS AND, AND, AND TO KIND OF LIKE BITE-SIZE PIECES LIKE THAT, THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THEM AND FOCUS ON THEM MAKES SENSE TO ME.

SO LONG AS THE COMMUNITY HAS THE, THE TIME AND THE ABILITY, THE TRANSPARENCY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY MEANINGFULLY, UH, UH, WEIGH IN.

UM, AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE KINDA SQUARE THIS UP.

WHAT IS IN THE JPA, WHAT'S NOT IN THE JPA, WHAT IS THE JPA CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS TO THE JPA TO DO? AND WHAT THINGS ARE, ARE INCLUDED, I THINK IS THE PROCESS WE'RE ABOUT TO, TO TO GO THROUGH.

AND THE WAY YOU'RE APPROACHING IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MAYOR ADLER.

AND I SECOND VERBATIM PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

CAN I JUST DO THAT AND SAY THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR STATEMENT? BECAUSE I DO FEEL THAT, I MEAN, THE, THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT, AND EVEN AS RECENT AS OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WHERE WE HAD THE URBAN LEAGUE SAYING, SPECIFICALLY MENTIONING THE JPA SAYING, HOW MANY, HOW DO, HOW CAN WE ENGAGE? AND WAS THAT PROCESS FOR ENGAGING, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO HELP, HELP US HELP YOU, YOU KNOW, DELIVER THIS PROGRAM? I THINK WE HAVE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THIS RIGHT, AND NOT MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THIS WRONG.

MY MY TAKE ON THIS IS THAT IF WE CAN RESOLVE OR HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATION EARLY, THEN IT WILL SET THE STAGE FOR REMOVING BARRIERS LATER.

I HOPE, I HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT THE GET DOWN INTO SOME OF THE DIFFICULT WEEDS.

AND I'M THINKING MORE OR LESS IN, IN TERMS OF UTILITIES.

I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THAT COULD, I'M JUST USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE.

DON'T, NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE BEST EXAMPLE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT FROM A PERMITTING SET, SETPOINT FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT, THERE COULD BE SOME ASPECTS THAT THE DESIGN TEAM COULD BENEFIT IF THERE'S CLARITY AND THE PERMITTING STAFF AT THE CITY CAN ADVANCE IF THERE'S CLARITY ON WHO DOES WHAT.

SO I WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE US TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THOSE DIFFICULT THINGS TO DISCUSS AND WHAT DO WE WANNA COVER? SO I APPRECIATE THIS, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, TO GIVE A FORUM TO THE COMMUNITY ON OCTOBER 21ST.

BUT IS THIS ENOUGH? IS THAT ENOUGH SPACE? LET'S THINK ABOUT IT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

AND, UH, AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO AS A, AS A BOARD, AS A TEAM TO HELP EXPEDITE THE PROGRAM AND NOT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE MORE WE CAN ADDRESS EARLY, IT WOULD HELP US DELIVER IT BETTER LATER.

SO YES, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR EFFORTS.

DO WE HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR MEMBER STRATTON? UM, YEAH.

OF, UM, AMORPHOUSLY WITHOUT EVEN US REALLY LOOKING AT, OR REALLY NECESSARILY PER SE PLANNING TO.

THANK I KEEP FORGETTING.

UH, THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS FROM THE GET GO, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF, OF TIME, ENERGY AND EFFORT PUT IN, PUT INTO THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INITIAL RESOLUTIONS THAT, THAT, UH, BROUGHT THE CITY AND CAP METRO TOGETHER TO THEN EVEN CREATE THE, THE CONTRACT WITH THE VOTERS.

AND TO STIPULATE WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THE, UM, THE US THE, THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF POLICY DIRECTIONS THAT WENT INTO THAT.

NOW, IT IS TRUE, THERE WERE SEVERAL INSTANCES IN THERE WHERE WE, WE MADE ALLOWANCES AND STATED, AND TO A LOT OF BOTH IN THE DOCUMENT INTO STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO FLESH THE REST OF THAT OUT DOWN THE ROAD.

LET, LET'S, LET'S GET US TO ELECTION DAY.

LET'S GET THE THING, LET, LET'S, LET'S BIRTH THE BABY AND THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND RAISE IT UP.

AND, UM, I THINK THAT THEN THAT OFFERED OPPORTUNITY AFTER THE FACT FOR FURTHER, UH, COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH.

BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY ECHO, UM, WHAT MAYOR ADLER HAS, HAS STATED FROM THE DAIS HERE THAT WE'VE HAD AS WE'VE GONE ALONG.

IT, IT'S REALLY INTERESTING.

AS I'VE WATCHED THIS, IT'S BEEN VERY MUCH A, A, A VERY, UM, ENGAGING PROCESS, ALMOST KIND

[01:05:01]

SO MANY THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVE, AS I VIEW IT, INDIRECTLY DEALT WITH THE JPA, NOT NECESSARILY WITH US INTENDING TO BECAUSE, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT STAFF HAS DONE HERE.

I, AS I LOOK AT THIS, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PROGRAM FUNDING, WELL, MANY OF THOSE ASPECTS OF PROGRAM FUNDING, WE CLEARLY, WE'VE ALREADY ADDRESSED WITH PREVIOUSLY LAID OUT ILAS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO TRANSFER THE REVENUE FROM AND, AND DEAL WITH THE, THE, THE $300 MILLION FOR THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUNDS BACK TO THE CITY.

WELL, HOW DOES CAP, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES CAP METRO GET ITS MONEY TO, TO US? AND WHAT IS A TP GONNA DO FOR CAP METRO? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THE DBE PROGRAM AS, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, WE, WE'VE HAD VERY EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS.

WE, WE WORKED WITH, UH, UH, UH, DR. BURNETT AND, AND, AND THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SENT THAT BACK TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS.

AND WE'VE HAD, I THINK, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN, AS YOU SAID, THREE DIFFERENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT WITH, WITH, UH, PUBLICLY HERE AND WITH STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.

I GUESS I'M JUST SEEING MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT OVER THINGS THAT NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AS, AS, UH, AS MR. SERGEANT AND STAFFORD NOW PRESENTING IT TO US, IT APPEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN ADDRESSING THESE THINGS WITHOUT REALIZING WE WERE ADDRESSING THEM.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT MANY ASPECTS OF THE JPA IN SOME WAYS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF OSTENSIBLY OFFICIALLY, I GUESS AS IT WERE, CODIFYING AND JUST CREATING THIS NEW DOCUMENT THAT SAYS, PLEASE SEE REFERENCE TO THESE OTHER DOCUMENTS WE'VE ALREADY CREATED.

BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PUT THE LEGWORK IN.

WE'VE HAD THE, THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN.

NOW THERE ARE STILL SOME THINGS OUT THERE THAT CLEARLY WE NEED SOME FEEDBACK ON.

SURE.

AND, AND THAT'S WHAT I SEE HERE.

AS, AS I SEE WE'VE GOT THESE, AND, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LAYING THIS OUT.

WE'VE GOT THE BETTER BUILDER PROGRAM, UM, THE, UH, THE, UM, UH, LIVING WAGE AND, UH, POTENTIAL IMPACTS TO BUSINESSES THAT, THAT ALL NEED TO BE OFFICIALLY ADDRESSED.

WHAT, WHAT I LOOK AT THIS AS IS THAT, UM, THE, THE, THE CITY COUNCIL AND CAP METRO CAME TOGETHER AND SAID, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT A TP DOES, AND THIS IS THE WAY WE WANT THEM TO DO IT.

THESE ARE POLICY DECISIONS.

STAKEHOLDERS PROVIDED FEEDBACK ON THIS.

THE TWO BODIES MET AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT GOING FORWARD.

A TP THOU SHALT DO IT.

YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA DO IT.

AND THEN WHAT THIS IS, IS THAT IF, IF, IF YOU AND YOU GUYS AS THE STAFF ARE GONNA ASSUME, BRING FORTH SOME RESOLUTION THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ADDRESS THESE MATTERS.

BUT WE WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC FEEDBACK WRAPPED IN WITH SOME OF THIS OTHER PUBLIC FEEDBACK, WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER ASPECTS OF ILAS WE'VE ALREADY PASSED TO KIND OF ADDRESS THIS.

I THINK THIS IS SOUND.

SO THAT THEORETICALLY THEN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE GET THAT IS THE QUOTE UNQUOTE JPA SHOULD BASICALLY JUST BE A REFERENCE BACK TO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE ALREADY PASSED IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME.

AND SOMEBODY JUMP IN IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING HERE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT BY THE END OF THIS, THAT THIS PROCESS IS ALL OVER WITH.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE, THE JPA IS BASICALLY JUST GONNA BE, UH, AN AN ILA THAT HAS PRETTY MUCH CODIFIES ALL THESE AND MAKES REFERENCE TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS.

AND THAT WE, AS A BOARD SAYING, YES, WE ACKNOWLEDGE, WE HEAR THE COMMUNITY WE'RE GOING TO DO AND TAKE ACTION ON EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE TOLD TO DO BY YOU GUYS AND BY OUR PARENTS, AS IT WERE.

SURE.

THE CITY COUNCIL AND BY CAP METRO.

IF I, IF I, CAN I JUST JUMP IN ON COMMENT, WHICH I WOULD SAY THAT IS MORE OR LESS YES, CORRECT.

UH, WITH SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

AND I THINK THE BOTTOM OF THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS, SO LANGUAGE AROUND PERMITTING, DESIGN REVIEW, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, WHICH THE STAFF, AGAIN, TO, TO GINA'S POINT, I KNOW GINA AND I SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, AND SOMETIMES THE STAFF IS INCREDIBLY COLLABORATIVE.

SO I WANT EVERYONE TO, YOU KNOW, PUBLICLY AND THIS BOARD, THE STATE COUNCIL AND CABINET BOARD TO, TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYONE IS WORKING WELL TOGETHER.

IT IS, UH, A LITTLE BIT, I THINK DR. BURNETT HAS USED THIS ANALOGY OF A PLANE, BUT I USE A TRAIN .

WE ARE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, DRIVING A TRAIN WHILE WE'RE BUILDING A TRAIN.

AND WE ALL HAVE TO JUST REMEMBER WE'RE DOING SOMETHING IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS NEVER DONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

UM, SO THERE IS GOING TO BE EVOLUTION.

AND BY THE WAY, THAT EVOLUTION IS REALLY POSITIVE.

SO IT'S ACKNOWLEDGING, OH, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GO LEFT, LEFT, ACTUALLY DOESN'T GET US WHERE WE ALL WANT TO GO THROUGH A VARIETY OF TECHNICAL, LEGAL, FINANCIAL OR COMMUNITY INPUT, AND WE'RE GONNA TWEAK IT AND GO 10 DEGREES.

RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

UM, AND THAT'S A HEALTHY PROCESS.

UM, THE MAYOR MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS HELPFUL 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME COMMUNICATION, UH, I'LL TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF THAT.

I THINK WE PROBABLY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A VOID OF COMMUNICATION ON THIS TOPIC.

TOTALLY.

INADVERTENTLY.

STAFF IS WORKING, UH, INCREDIBLY HARD ACROSS ALL THE

[01:10:01]

DEPARTMENTS.

AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE GOT SOMETHING UP THAT CLEANED THIS UP A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR, FOR CLARITY.

UH, BUT WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.

UH, GINA AND I ARE WORKING ON A MEMO TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING OUT AGAIN TO ALL BODIES, TO, TO KIND OF JUST GET THIS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION OUT.

BUT I THINK OSTENSIBLY WHAT YOU SAID BOARD MEMBER IS YES, IT'S THE JPA IS A, A COLLECTION OF A BUNCH OF ILAS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE, PLUS SOME ADDITIONAL WORK THAT THE TEAMS ARE WORKING, UH, TIRELESSLY ON TO PUT TOGETHER.

MADAM CHAIR, I HAVE, THANK YOU.

YES, DR. BURNETT, THIS IS A VERY PRACTICAL QUESTION, SAM, AND YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER IT.

UM, SO TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 15TH.

SO IN PRACTICALITY, OCTOBER 4TH IS TOMORROW.

SO WE'RE HAVING A VIRTUAL MEETING FOR A COMMENT.

SO WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE RELEASING A DRAFT SO PEOPLE HAVE, SO PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO PREPARE? THAT'S A PRACTICAL, AND I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, USING THE ANALOGY OF THE ROAD, PROVIDING RULES OF THE ROAD, WE'RE GOING REALLY FAST.

AND WE NEED TO PUMP THE BRAKES A LITTLE BIT, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE HAVE TO STAY ON TASK.

I, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT WE START LOSING OUR AUDIENCES WHEN WE GO REALLY FAST.

SO IF TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 15TH, TOMORROW'S OCTOBER 4TH, WHEN DO YOU HAVE ANTICIPATION? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK ON, WORK ON, WORK, ON, WORK ON TO TRY AND RELEASE THE PERFECT DRAFT.

UM, AND IT BACKFIRES ON YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T GIVE PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY ABSORB IT.

AND A DOCUMENT OF THIS NATURE IS GOING TO BE, SHOULD NOT BE CASTING CONCRETE.

IT'S GONNA EVOLVE OVER TIME ANYWAY.

BY THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT'S GONNA CHANGE.

SO THAT'S A PRACTICAL QUESTION WHEN YOU ANTICIPATE, SO THE GOAL FOR THE OCTOBER 4TH WORK SESSION IS THAT WE WOULD POST THE MATERIALS THAT WILL BE SHOWN THERE, LIKE WE WOULD FOR A BOARD MEETING.

UM, SO THE TIMING, AND I DON'T HAVE THE THE DATE IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WOULD BE ENOUGH IN ADVANCE OF THAT, THAT WE GIVE FOLKS NOTICE THAT, THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON IN OCTOBER.

AND THEN THAT WAY IT WOULD ALSO BE POSTED ONLINE THROUGHOUT THAT MONTH.

AND THEN WE WOULD FIND DIFFERENT AVENUES, WHICH I'LL BE WORKING ON WITH, WITH JACKIE NIRENBERG, SO THAT WE NOT ONLY SCHEDULE THE ACTUAL PUBLIC MEETING, BUT THAT WE PROVIDE THESE OPEN-ENDED OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SHE'S BEEN DOING FOR, FOR THE LINE ENGAGEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY ACCESSIBLE.

UM, SO THAT WE CAN GET PEOPLE'S FEEDBACK, WHETHER IT'S BY PHONE, WHETHER THEY'RE EMAILING CAP METRO, WHETHER THE EMAILING A TP MM-HMM .

BUT THE, THE GOAL, AND I DON'T HAVE TO DATE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, WOULD BE TO HAVE IT POSTED LIKE WE WOULD A BOARD MEETING BEFORE OCTOBER 4TH, THEN IT WOULD BE OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC.

UM, AND THEN IT WOULD STAY LIVE ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL, OKAY, WELL STAY LIVE FOR GOOD, BUT IT WOULD STAY, STAY UP ON THE WEBSITE, UH, THROUGH THE JOINT MEETING.

AND I, I THINK WE SHOULD ALSO, AND BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT FOLLOWING THE SAME PROCESS THAT JACKIE SHOWED US THAT THAT CHART MM-HMM .

OF, UM, FINDING THE COMMON THEMES.

AND I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR THE BOARDS TO KNOW WHAT THOSE COMMON THEMES ARE AS WE GO, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS ACTUALLY SIGNING THE AGREEMENT.

THANK YOU DR. BURNETT.

YEAH, THOSE ARE GREAT POINTS.

I, MY FIRST UNDERSTANDING OF THIS, AND I'M, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLARITY AS WELL OF WHAT'S IN THE ORIGINAL BIRTH DOCUMENT AND HOW FAR WE'VE COME.

THAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE ASPECTS.

WHAT, WHAT I DON'T WANNA SEE US DO IS HAVE SO MANY ILAS THAT NOBODY CAN KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE ILAS BECAUSE IT'S COMPLEX AND THE PROGRAM AS IT IS, IS COMPLEX.

SO I THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO SIMPLIFY AND TO TRY TO TACKLE AS MANY THINGS AS POSSIBLE BETTER, I THINK IT'S GONNA HELP US ALL IN THE LONG HAUL OR THROUGH THE LIFE OF THIS PROGRAM.

BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THING, ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO REMIND OUR BOARD IS THAT WE WANNA SET UP THIS SYSTEM FOR SUCCESS.

WE WANT TO GIVE YOU ALL THE TOOLS, NOT JUST US AS THE INITIAL BOARD, BUT THE STAFF THAT WOULD IMPLEMENT IT PAST OUR LIFETIME, PAST OUR TIME TO HOW DO WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND ALSO, I KNOW WE CANNOT ANTICIPATE EVERY ASPECT.

THERE'S GONNA, EVERY PIECE OF THE PROGRAM IS UNIQUE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TWEAK IT, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL ILAS.

MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT THE MORE WE CAN HAVE EARLY AND WELL COVERED, HOPEFULLY IT WOULD HELP US EXPEDITE AND NOT HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF SO MANY ILAS.

UM, SO WITH THAT, I, I, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS YES.

MAYOR LIN, JUST REAL FAST.

UH, UM, PRESIDENT, I, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT, THAT YOU MADE.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND IT.

SO I THINK THAT WE WE'RE USED TO GETTING FOR WORK SESSIONS, THE MATERIALS A WEEK AHEAD OF TIME.

SAYS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GET DONE.

AT LEAST.

SO THE ANTICIPATION WOULD BE THAT THERE'LL BE A DRAFT OF THE, I GUESS THE JPA OR WHATEVER THE ILAS ARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THAT THE, THE JPA

[01:15:01]

I WOULD PUT THOSE IN THAT PACKET TOO, SO THAT PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC COULD KNOW NOT ONLY THAT MEAN WHERE IT IS THAT IT'S BEING HANDLED.

SO, SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET THE, THE, THE RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO DO, I WOULD PUT IN THERE OUR RESOLUTIONS ON THE, THE DBE PROGRAM.

MM-HMM.

I'D PUT INTO THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE APPROVING ON THE PROCUREMENT.

'CAUSE IT'S MENTIONED IN HERE AS THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BUT THE, THE JPA WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE SURE WE DID THEM.

SO I WOULD PUT THAT, AND I'D GIVE THE COMMUNITY MORE INFORMATION THAN NOT, BUT THAT'LL ALL BE TO THEM A WEEK BEFORE THE WORK SESSION.

THAT THE WORK SESSION, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION.

SO IT'S GONNA BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR EACH OF THE BOARDS TO ASK QUESTIONS.

THE PUBLIC, HAVING GOTTEN THE INFORMATION PRIOR TO THE WORK SESSION, CAN CERTAINLY FUNNEL QUESTIONS TO US THAT THEY WANT US TO ASK.

EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY WILL HEAR THAT DISCUSSION.

AFTER THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOUR OWN INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY, UH, DISCUSSION MM-HMM .

UH, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

AND AS WELL AS FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT WAS RAISED, WHAT THEMES WERE ADDRESSED, WHAT CONCERNS WERE PRESENTED IN THE LIKE.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN IT COMES BACK FOR ACTION AT THE END OF THE MONTH IN THOSE THREE BOARDS ALL MEETING TOGETHER.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF TIME FOR IT TO BE OUT IN THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW, CERTAINLY TO IDENTIFY ISSUES.

UM, MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, THAT EVERYBODY DID HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADOPT IT.

UH, AND, AND, AND WHAT WE'RE ALSO GONNA SEE IS IT'S GONNA GO FROM JUST A, A REALLY THEORETICAL CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S IN THE JPA.

SO I THINK EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED ABOUT THINGS BEING IN THE JPA, THAT, THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TIME TO BE ABLE TO REACT TO OR TO BE ABLE TO GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO.

SO EVERYBODY WILL KNOW A WEEK BEFORE THAT MEETING, KIND OF WHAT'S IN THE, THE JPA, RIGHT? WHAT'S BEING HANDLED BETWEEN OCTOBER AND JUNE? WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL BOARDS ARE EXPECTED TO DO, GIVEN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE JPA? AND THEN I THINK THIS CONVERSATION WILL BE A LOT EASIER TO HAVE.

'CAUSE WE'LL ACTUALLY BE TALKING ABOUT REAL THINGS, RIGHT.

AS OPPOSED TO JUST PROTECTING, UH, PROCESSES.

I THINK THAT'LL BE HELPFUL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND ONE LAST THING I DO, I WANNA THANK YOU, SAM.

'CAUSE THIS IS, THIS IS A LOT.

UM, AND YOU HAVE, ARE MANAGING US, MANAGING US THROUGH IT VERY WELL.

SO THANK YOU.

IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 18TH, 2020 FIRST AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING, IF EVERYONE HAS TIME TO APPROVE OR READ 'EM.

VICE CHAIR AND I, I WILL, I WILL AGAIN THANK BOTH THE, THE ATTORNEYS AT THE THREE PARTIES, UH, GINA'S STAFF, UM, CHEYENNE ROUSEY AT CAPITAL METRO.

BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, VICE CHAIR.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, SAM.

NO MORE QUESTIONS.

I'VE THANK YOU, SIR.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. UM, SHOULD WE TAKE A QUICK BREAK? IS EVERYONE OKAY? HOW DOES EVERYONE FEEL? GOOD.

LET'S MOVE ON.

SO OUR FIRST ACTION ITEM TODAY

[IV.1. Approval of minutes from the August 18, 2021 Board Meeting]

I'LL SECOND DR. BURNETT SECOND.

UH, MAY RATHER MOVES TO APPROVE.

ANY SECOND.

EVERYONE IN APPROVAL SAY AYE.

AYE.

UH, THE MINUTES HAVE BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

AND OUR SECOND,

[IV.2. Adoption of the ATP FY2022 Budget, including staff recommended changes to increase property tax revenue by $1,232,810 and increase community engagement expenditures by $600,000]

UH, ACTION ITEM TODAY, THE ADOPTION OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET, INCLUDING STAFF RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY $1,232,810 AND INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXPENDITURES BY $600,000.

TODAY WE HAVE, UH, DIANE SEILER, BUDGET DIRECTOR, AND SHE WILL NOW GIVE US A PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET.

WELCOME MS. SEILER.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

UM, TODAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.

IT'S A VERY EXCITING DAY IN BUDGET WORLD.

UM, IT MARKS THE CULMINATION OF GENERALLY ABOUT SIX MONTHS WORTH OF WORK.

SO VERY EXCITED.

UM, AND JUST TO REORIENT US ALL TO WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO APPROVE, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A SUBSET OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE, UH, PROVIDED YOU LAST MONTH.

OF THAT, UH, THE FUNDING SOURCES, 50% IS COMING FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES FROM, UM, PROPOSITION A, UH, THE CAPITAL METROS CONTRIBUTING THE OTHER, UH, ANOTHER 8%.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THESE SLIDES HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO INCORPORATE THE STAFF CHANGES THAT YOU HAD, UM, JUST DISCUSSED WE'RE, UH, REQUESTING A BUDGET OF 312, $12.8 MILLION

[01:20:02]

AND THEN THE FINAL, UM, COMPONENT IS COMING FROM THE RESERVES FROM FY 21.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES, UM, PREDOMINANTLY THROUGH THE CAPITAL SIDE OF THE, UM, OF THE HOUSE AND THEN, UM, TO CAPITAL METRO FOR, TO REIMBURSE THEM FOR THE EXPENSES THAT THEY'RE INCURRING ON.

ON BEHALF OF PROJECT CONNECT, WE HAVE THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUNDING FOR $42 MILLION.

THAT WILL BE, UM, ADDED TO THE $23 MILLION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET ASIDE.

SO THERE'LL BE $65 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY FOR THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT.

AND THE REST OF THE, UH, FUNDING HERE IS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE LEASE SALARY.

UM, AND OUR, OUR, UM, SHARED SERVICES WITH CAP METRO AND WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON'S LIAISON OFFICE.

SO SEEN IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

THIS IS, IT'S THE SAME SLIDE THAT WE SAW LAST TIME.

UM, AND IT'S, UH, IT IS SIMPLY THE, UM, 86% OF OUR FUNDING IS GOING TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

UM, AND THE OTHER 13% GOING TO THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT WITH 1% GOING FOR, UM, A COMBINATION OF THE, UM, OPERATIONS FOR CAPITAL METRO.

RIGHT NOW IT'S SIMPLY FOR THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD CIRCULATORS, BUT LATER ON IT'LL GROW.

WE HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR CONTINGENCY, AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALL COMPONENT THAT IS FOR NON-ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.

THIS IS A RESTATEMENT OF THE, UM, OF THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT FUND.

SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? VERY QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE, OF THE BUDGET.

THANK YOU, MS. HEILER.

DO ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR MEMBER ELKINS? I GOTTA ASK A QUESTION.

I'M THE FINANCE GUY, RIGHT? .

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

UM, JUST, UH, I I'M ASSUMING THAT QUARTERLY THIS BOARD WOULD BE GETTING BUDGET TO ACTUAL REPORTS AND JUST HOW WE'RE DOING ON OUR BUDGET, RIGHT? GOING FORWARD.

SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE PART OF WHAT YOU'RE ADOPTING TODAY IS NOT JUST, UM, THE NUMBERS, IT'S NOT JUST THE FUNDING SOURCES, BUT YOU'RE ALSO ADOPTING THE FINANCIAL POLICIES.

THERE'S A SET OF 20 FINANCIAL POLICIES IN THE DOCUMENT IN THE, UM, APPENDIX SECTION.

AND ONE OF THOSE FINANCIAL POLICIES IS THE REPORTING THAT ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE WILL REPORT BACK TO YOU, UM, BUDGET TO ACTUAL EXPENDITURES.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND THEN JUST IF YOU COULD JUST COMMENT, 'CAUSE I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S WORTHY MENTIONING THE 600,000 INCREASE IN, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

WHICH I THINK IS A GREAT THING TO DO, GIVEN THAT WE'VE GOT THE EXTRA MONEY.

BUT, UH, I, IT WAS LIKE THIS, THIS REALLY COOL VEHICLE THAT I SAW THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING AND DRIVING AROUND.

I, I, I THINK IT'S WORTH JUST MENTIONING WHAT THAT IS.

'CAUSE I, I THINK IT'S A REALLY NEAT FEATURE.

WE'RE DOING IT.

IT'S VERY INTERESTING.

UHHUH .

SO IT'S CALLED A MOBILE EXPERIENCE CENTER.

AND, UM, THINK OF IT AS A MUSEUM ON WHEELS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE TECHNOLOGY THAT GOES BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND ALSO THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO GET, UM, A LIGHT RAIL BUILT.

AND REALLY FOR ANY, ANY MORE DETAIL BEHIND THAT.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO DEFER IT TO, UM, PETER MULLEN TO RESPOND.

WELL, I, I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD.

I SAW THE PHOTO OF IT.

MAYBE IN ANOTHER MEETING WE COULD GET A LITTLE MORE DESCRIPTION.

UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I HAD IS, AT SOME POINT, I WOULD IMAGINE AS WE'RE, WE'RE MOVING FROM 15 TO 30, WHEN WILL THIS BOARD GET KIND OF AN UPDATE ON THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, THEIR BUDGET, HOW THEY'RE DOING? RIGHT.

BECAUSE AS WE ALL SAW, THERE WAS A SLIDE WHEN PROJECT CONNECT WAS PUT TOGETHER, THE 7.1 BILLION BILLION AND HOW IT BROKE DOWN BY THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS.

ORANGE ON BLUE LINE.

UM, WHEN DO WE ENVISION THAT UPDATE HAPPENING? FOR THAT QUESTION, I'M GONNA DEFER TO, UH, DAVE COUCH BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO OVERSEE THE ENTIRE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION AS WE GO AHEAD IN ADVANCE THROUGH THE 30% AND GET TO THAT POINT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A LOT BETTER, MORE ACCURATE ESTIMATES THAT ARE GONNA BE THERE.

OUR EXPECTATION IS TO GET TO THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE 30% VERY EARLY IN

[01:25:01]

THE NEXT QUARTER.

SO IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER, UH, BEFORE WE GET TO THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH NUMBERS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THOSE ON A PROJECT BASIS.

UH, BOTTOM LINE, IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IT GETS REFINED MORE AS WE GO FORWARD.

YEAH, NO, THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO, SO NEXT SUMMER YOU THINK YOU, YOU WILL ENVISION COMING BACK TO THE BOARD WITH AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECT BUDGETS AS WELL AS PERHAPS TIMELINE AS WELL, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

APPRECIATE THAT.

IN FACT, I CAN JUST ADD ONE COMMENT TO THAT 'CAUSE GREG, GREG COMMENT, UH, BOARD MEMBER.

SO A LITTLE BIT ON TOP OF WHAT DAVE SAID THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY HAVE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD, UM, BOTH CAP METRO BOARD AND THIS BOARD, THE 30% COST ESTIMATES FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY AT 30%.

SO IT'S THE RED LINE AND THE RAPID PROJECTS, AND THEY'RE TRAILING REALLY WELL TO BUDGET.

AND THE TEAMS, THE TEAM'S MOVING THOSE FORWARD TO THE LIGHT RAIL, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG, THE BIG ELEPHANT IF YOU WILL, THE LARGEST COST DRIVER.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE EXPECT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY LATE SPRING TO SUMMER, 30% DESIGN THAT ALSO IS GONNA CORRESPOND REALLY WELL, UH, IN PARALLEL AN AN ENTIRE FINANCIAL RISK ANALYSIS PROCESS.

SO ONCE THIS PROCUREMENT, UM, ASSUMING THE BOARD TAKES ACTION TODAY IN A PROCUREMENT POLICY, WE HAVE AN, UH, AN, UH, A PROCUREMENT GOING OUT ON THE STREET TO HIRE A FINANCIAL RISK ADVISOR THAT CAN COME IN AND HELP BOTH ANALYZE OVERALL PROGRAM RISK AND RELATION TO FINANCIALS AND THINK THROUGH CONTRACTING DELIVERY METHODOLOGY AND HOW YOU BREAK CONTRACTS UP.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE ORANGE LINE MAY END UP BEING FIVE CONTRACTS.

IT COULD BE ONE CONTRACT.

WE WE'RE NOT QUITE SURE HOW THAT'LL WORK.

UH, THE ONE THING I ALSO JUST WANTED TO ADD IN THERE IS, UH, I WILL SAY, WE'LL PROBABLY NOT REFERENCE 7.1 BILLION THAT OFTEN, ONLY BECAUSE THAT, THAT SLIDE WAS REALLY THE CAPITAL COST.

AND IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT THE FINANCING, IT DOESN'T TALK ABOUT O AND M OR STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

AND WHAT WAS SO VALUABLE ABOUT THIS REFERENDUM WAS THAT IT IS A LONG TERM FUNDING SOURCE.

SO WE COULD BALANCE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF COSTS.

SO THAT WILL FLUCTUATE BASED ON FEDERAL SHARE, UM, OTHER INPUTS.

AND SO WHAT WE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE A LOT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IS, UH, COST PER PROJECT IN A CAPITAL WISE, BUT WE'RE GONNA END UP REALLY PULLING IT BACK OUT TO TOTAL COST OF PROJECT AT SOME POINT.

BECAUSE THEN PEOPLE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THE ORANGE LINE IS X AMOUNT OF BILLION, BUT THEN YOU TAKE THE FINANCING, IT'S X AMOUNT OF BILLION MORE, BUT THEN, THEN WE HAVE TO CORRESPOND TO REVENUE SOURCES AGAINST THAT.

SO THINGS YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW, BUT, BUT, UM, NOW THAT YOU ANSWERED OR BROUGHT THAT QUESTION UP, I THINK IT'S, WE'LL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EXPLAIN THAT OVERALL TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS USED TO DOING BOND PROJECTS, NOT LONG TERM, UM, CAPITAL FINANCE O AND M STYLE PROJECTS.

SO WE'LL ONLY OWN THIS ON THAT EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, ESPECIALLY KIND OF MID TO, UH, SECOND HALF OF NEXT YEAR.

BOARD MEMBER, UM, STRATTON, UH, YES, MS. SER, I JUST HAVE A, I QUESTION TO CLARIFY HERE.

'CAUSE THE, UH, MEMO THAT YOU SENT THAT WAS, THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE BOARD PACKET ON PAGE, UM, UH, WHAT WAS THAT? I GUESS IT'S PAGE 32 OF THE BOARD PACKET.

IT'S JUST BEFORE YOUR PRESENTATION WHERE WE WERE, UM, HAVING THE ADJUSTMENT WHERE YOU, YOU TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE, THE CHANGES THERE, THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, THE TAX REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, REFER TO THE, THE, THE REVENUE TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE AS 321.9 MILLION MM-HMM .

AND SO AT THE END OF THE CHART THERE, IT TALKS ABOUT THE 321.9 MILLION AND THEN THEREFORE THE, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE 312.7, LEAVING US A RESERVE FOR FUTURE PROJECT COMMITMENTS OR A RESERVE BALANCE OF NOW 9.16 MILLION.

AND SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THAT ACTUALLY EXPRESSED IN THE PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE PRESENTATION THAT, UM, THE SOURCES OF REVENUE PANNED OUT AT EXACTLY 312 MILLION, WHICH WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE EXPENSES WERE.

SO, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IF YOU GO TO, LET'S SEE, HOW ABOUT SLIDE TWO OF THE PRESENTATION? YEAH.

IS THAT THE ONE WITH THE, OKAY.

SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE FIRST BULLET THERE, I JUST MENTIONED THAT IT LEAVES $9.2 MILLION FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.

OH, OKAY.

THERE, IT'S, WHILE I DIDN'T PUT IT IN A TABLE, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HAVE IT AS A TALKING POINT.

SO THAT, SO, SO WHEREAS, SO WE'RE BASICALLY WE'RE GONNA, THAT WE'RE SETTING THAT ASIDE IN OUR CAPITAL.

THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE OF.

IS THAT, IS THAT THE PUBLIC'S AWARE WE ARE STILL SETTING ASIDE, WE WE'RE, OH YES, WE'RE, WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD, WE, WE HAD TO TAKE MONEY FROM YEAR ONE AND ROLL IT OVER TO YEAR TWO MM-HMM .

BUT WE ARE STILL, SETTING ASIDE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO, TO PUT THAT MONEY IN THE SAVINGS ACCOUNT AS IT WERE, TO CONTINUE TO BANK UP AND BUILD THAT, BUILD THAT ACCOUNT ON THE SIDE FOR FUTURE NEEDS AND FUTURE ENDEAVORS AS WE, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE GETTING DOWN THE LINE AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE NEEDS FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECTS COME FURTHER ALONG THE LINE.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS CLEAR.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? YES, MAYOR

[01:30:01]

ADLER.

JUST A, A QUESTION ABOUT THAT INCREASE IN REVENUE MM-HMM .

SO WE HAVE AN INCREASE.

IT'S NOT MUCH, IT'S LESS THAN 1%.

BUT IT IS AN INCREASE IN REVENUE.

UH, AND I THINK YOU'RE, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THE COUNCIL ALL, IT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN PROPOSED, UH, A 3.5% INCREASE, THE COUNCIL DID A 4.7%.

THAT'S CORRECT.

INCREASE.

YEP.

DOES THAT MEAN THAT IF A COUNCIL HAD DONE A 2.2% INCREASE THAT THERE WOULD'VE BEEN LESS MONEY COMING TO THAT IS EXACTLY THE DYNAMIC? YES.

AND JUST PROBABLY TO EMPHASIZE THAT, MAYOR, I THINK, UH, YOU KNOW, GREG AND GREG CANAL, THE CFO COULD PROBABLY EXPLAIN THIS BETTER THAN ME, BUT I'LL TRY.

UM, THE LONG-TERM INTEGRATED FINANCIAL MODEL ASSUMED THREE AND A HALF AS THE BASELINE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS DONE AND THE STATE LAW PIECE.

SO, UH, GREG, UNLESS I HAVE THAT WRONG, THAT WAS PLUGGED.

PLUGGED AND PLAYED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE MODEL.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND WE ALSO BUILT IN A SMALL COMPONENT FOR, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL GROWTH.

UM, ITEMS. OUR THIRD ACTION ITEM.

UM, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, YOU HAD ANOTHER QUESTION? NO, NO MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM.

ARE WE READY TO ADOPT THE, THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT YEAR? SO IF I COULD PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.

MOTION.

MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER ELKINS, SECOND MAYOR ADLER.

SECOND.

EVERYBODY, EVERYONE IN APPROVAL PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

ARE THERE ANY NAYS? NO NAYS.

SO THE BUDGET HAS BEEN APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU MS. SEILER.

NEXT WE'RE MOVING ON TO,

[IV.3. Adoption of the ATP Procurement Policy and Guidelines]

WE'RE GONNA HAVE, UM, THE ADOPTION OF OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND WITH US, WE HAVE VICKY RODERICK, WHO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT, WHO WILL NOT PRESENT OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY.

WELCOME MS. RODERICK.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

LOW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND, UH, DIRECTOR CLARK.

SO THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE THE PRESENTATION I'M SURE, UH, MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN OVER AND OVER.

UH, BUT THIS IS JUST TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND GUIDELINES AND TALK ABOUT HOW IT WAS, UH, TAILORED AROUND BEST PRACTICES AND COMPLIANCE WITHIN THE INDUSTRY.

AND SOME OF THE MAIN THINGS TO FOCUS ON IS THAT, ONE, IT PROTECTS THE INTEGRITY OF OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

IT ALLOWS CONSISTENCY IN SOURCING AND IS COMPLIANT WITH THE FTA GUIDE FOR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM REVIEWS, WHICH IS THE SYSTEM THAT THE FTA WILL USE WHEN THEY COME IN.

AND THEY DO, UH, AUDITS ON OUR PROCUREMENTS.

UH, OH, YOU CAN TALK NEXT SLIDE.

, SORRY.

SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COMPLIANCE PIECE OF IT, IT IS COMPLIANT BOTH, UH, LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

AND IT JUST LISTS SOME OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODES THERE, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, UH, OF OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY BEING COMPLIANT.

AND TODAY, WHAT, UH, THE ASK OF THE BOARD IS TO IS TO ADOPT OUR POLICY AND OUR GUIDELINES.

SO THE FIRST SECTION IS THE POLICIES, WHICH REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES, TALKS ABOUT OUR PROCUREMENT METHODS, TALKS ABOUT REMEDIES, TALKS ABOUT PROTESTS, TALKS ABOUT HOW PEOPLE REALLY DO BUSINESS WITH, UH, A TP.

AND IT TALKS ABOUT ETHICS AND IT TALKS ABOUT CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

SO THAT WILL COVER CHAPTERS ONE THROUGH FOUR OF THE POLICY, AND IN CHAPTERS ONE THROUGH FOUR, IF WE HAVE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THOSE, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO BRING THOSE BACK TO THE BOARD TO TALK TO THE BOARD AND GET APPROVAL BEFORE WE MAKE ANY CHANGES.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE CHAPTERS FIVE THROUGH NINE, WHICH ARE CONSIDERED GUIDELINES.

THOSE ARE MORE LIKE YOUR CONTRACT SPECIFICATION, CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION TYPE THINGS, TALKS ABOUT CAUSE PRINCIPLES, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE DO BEHIND THE SCENES TO SUPPORT THE POLICIES.

AS A, UH, TO GO WITH THAT, WE ALSO HAVE WHAT WE CALL OUR PROCUREMENT ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL.

THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE BOARD, BUT WHAT THAT DOES IS IT IS KIND OF THE PROCESSES, THE PROCEDURES, THE HOW TO FOR THE PROCUREMENT TEAM.

SO WHEN WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS COME IN WHO ARE PERFORMING PROCUREMENTS, THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE POLICIES AND THE GUIDELINES AS WE DO OUR SOLICITATIONS.

AND SO WE WILL BE ASKING YOU TODAY TO ADOPT BOTH THE POLICIES AND THE GUIDELINES, NOT THE ADMINISTRATION PIECE.

THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND SOME OF THE, UH, ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAVE HAD, IS THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS.

AND SO, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE HEARD, UH, AS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS OVER

[01:35:01]

ONE IS THAT THE POLICY ENCOURAGES INNOVATION, IT ALLOWS SOURCING FLEXIBILITY, IT ALLOWS FOR BOTH COST AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES.

IT ALLOWS EVALUATION FLEXIBILITY.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, WITH THE PROJECT SUCH AS PROJECT CONNECT, WE WON'T JUST HAVE ONE SET OF CRITERIA THAT WE USE WHEN WE, UH, LOOK AT EVALUATION.

AND WHEN WE SCORE, UH, SOLICITATIONS, IT'LL BE BASED ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT, UH, FOR THAT PARTICULAR SOLICITATION OF THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT.

UH, AND THERE MAY BE SITUATIONS WHEN WE HAVE SOLE SOURCING AND WE MAY EVEN HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANT TO SUBMIT UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.

SO THE POLICY AND THE GUIDELINES ALLOW ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND THEN, UH, A BIG THING IS IT ALIGNS WITH OUR, UH, DEI POLICY WITH WHAT COURTNEY AND HER TEAM ARE DOING.

AND SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE OBJECTIVES BEHIND THE POLICY AND THE GUIDELINES IS ONE, WE WANNA PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.

LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

WE ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR BEST INTEREST.

WE WANT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE WILL DO THINGS THAT ARE FAIR AND EQUITABLE ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN ANYONE WHO'S DOING BUSINESS, UH, WITH, UH, A TP.

AND IT FOSTERS FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION, WHICH IS A BIG, BIG THING WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH FEDERAL DOLLARS, IS THAT WE HAVE FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION AND THAT WE GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO EVERYONE.

AND THE BIG THING IS THAT CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND, UH, TRANSPARENCY ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH DEI, UH, WE START AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

FROM THE MINUTE THAT WE RECEIVE A, A REQUISITION FOR A PROCUREMENT, WE GET OUR DEI IN PART DEPARTMENT INVOLVED.

WE START THE GOAL SETTING AND PROCESS.

WE START LOOKING AT HOW WE REACH OUT AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT INFORMATION.

AND IT CONTINUES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE POST-AWARD PHASE.

WHEN WE'RE, UH, GETTING INVOICES IN EVERY MONTH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW, UH, THEY'VE PAID THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS.

WE'RE TRACKING THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE BOARD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LIFE CYCLE OF THE CONTRACT.

THE PROCUREMENT AND DEI DEPARTMENT ARE A PARTNERSHIP.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE.

I AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICY TODAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, MS. RODERICK.

UH, WHO WANTS TO, I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE QUESTIONS.

, , NO QUESTIONS.

I KNOW YOU REALLY LIKE PROCUREMENT .

I LOVE, I LOVE PROCUREMENT.

I DREAM ABOUT IT AT NIGHT, YOU KNOW.

NO, NO.

ANYWAYS, GREAT WORK, VICKI.

THIS IS REALLY GREAT.

UH, HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROCUREMENT POLICY IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR, UM, THE MARKET.

YOU KNOW, THE, NOT JUST THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT TO THE CONTRACTORS AND PEOPLE THAT WILL BE BIDDING ON OUR PROJECTS.

TWO WORDS THAT JUMP OUT THAT REALLY I LOVE TO SEE IS INNOVATION AND FLEXIBILITY.

AND FLEXIBILITY IS KEY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE NEED TO BESPOKE THE PROCUREMENT TO THE ACTUAL PROJECT THAT WE'RE DELIVERING.

AND, AND THAT HAS TO BE BASED ON INPUT FROM THE MARKET, MARKET SOUNDINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO THAT WE'RE NOT BEING RIGID LIKE THAT.

SO, UM, UM, I, I THINK IT'S GREAT AND, UM, KUDOS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I KNOW YOU IN ANOTHER UPDATE THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THIS WAS REVIEWED BY OUR REGION SIX FTA.

UM, ALSO MY QUESTION IS, DO WE ANY IN, IN THEIR REVIEW, DID THEY BRING, I KNOW THEY PROBABLY CAME UP WITH SAYING, THIS IS EVERYTHING IN COMPLIANCE, YOU LOOK GOOD, THIS WILL PASS THE F FDA'S GUIDELINES AS WELL.

SO ANY OTHER SALIENT THINGS THAT CAME FROM THAT REVIEW FROM THEM? NO, WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY LOOKED AT IT AND THEY LOOK AT THEIR PROCUREMENT SYSTEM REVIEW FOR WHICH THERE WERE LIKE 63 ELEMENTS IN THERE THAT GOES THROUGH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LOOK AT MM-HMM .

AND SO LOOKING AT OUR POLICY, THEY FELT THAT IT COVERED ALL 63 ELEMENTS OF THAT PROCUREMENT SYSTEM REVIEW.

AND WHILE THEY DIDN'T SAY, YEAH, IT MEETS, THEY SAY, YES, IT APPEARS TO MEET ALL OF THE GUIDELINES.

GREAT.

UM, I THINK THAT THERE'S A HOPE AND AN EXPECTATION IN THE COMMUNITY, AND IT WAS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN THAT THE PROCUREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SIZE PROJECT WOULD REALLY HELP FURTHER OUR, OUR EQUITY GOALS IN THE CITY, UH, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES.

UM, ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MAYOR ADLER? JUST TO, TO STATE IT PARENTHETICALLY, GREAT POLICY, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

UH, REAL IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY, AND ONE OF OUR FUNCTIONS IS ASSIGNED TO US, I THINK BY THE ILA, UH, THAT WE CONVERSATION WE JUST HAD.

[01:40:01]

SO TO HAVE A JOB PROGRAM LIKE THIS, TO HAVE A PROCUREMENT PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS A REALLY VALUABLE TOOL OF BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THAT IF THERE'S A REALLY DELIBERATE FOCUS ON IT.

AND FROM EVERYTHING, THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE, I KNOW THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD IN APPRENTICESHIPS, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE PEOPLE EXTRA CREDIT AND PROCUREMENT PROCESSES FOR, FOR HELPING USE THIS AS A TOOL TO, TO BRING GREATER ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE COMMUNITY IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I'LL BE LOOKING FOR AS YOU BRING US CONTRACTS.

UH, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, UH, REAL ATTENTION ON THAT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THIS WAS DEFINITELY A TEAM EFFORT, UH, FROM EVERYBODY FROM OUR LEGAL, UH, TEAM, FROM OUR PROCUREMENT STAFF FROM DEI, I MEAN, DIANE, GREG.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS AND EVERYBODY HAD FEEDBACK.

AND SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A TEAM EFFORT, UH, THAT WE ALL WORKED ON AND THAT WE'RE ALL PRETTY PROUD OF AND, UH, HOPING TO GET IT ADOPTED AND START THE ACTUAL WORK OF PROCUREMENTS.

I ALSO KNOW ANOTHER PIECE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT US HAVING OUR OWN PROCUREMENT POLICY ALLOWS US NOW TO START LETTING GO OF SOME OF THOSE PROCUREMENT EFFORTS THAT CAP METRO HAS LED US AND HAS LED THE WAY IN, IN GETTING US, GIVING US A HEAD START.

SO NOW IT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE OUR OWN CONTRACTS THAT, SO THINGS ARE GETTING REAL, AND THIS IS ONE BIG STEP OF GETTING THINGS REAL.

SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE HARD WORK.

AND, UH, AND WITH THAT, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO INVITE SOMEONE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

SO MOVE MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU DR. BURNETT.

MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND MAYOR ADLER.

SECOND, EVERYONE, UH, PLEASE SAY AYE IF APPROVAL.

AND UH, IT'S PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

WE'RE EXCITED.

SO NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR

[IV.4. Adoption of interim Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal]

ACTION ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

AND WITH US WE HAVE THE ADOPTION OF AN INTERIM DISADVANTAGE BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OUR DBE GOAL.

SO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM OUR DIRECTOR ON EQUITY AND DBE MS. COURTNEY CHAVEZ.

MS. CHAVEZ.

HI.

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHLOE.

UH, SO THIS IS TO REORIENT US BACK INTO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RELATED TO DBE GOALS.

AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT MORE REAL WITH THE DBE PROGRAM AS WELL.

IN OUR FIRST STEP THAT WE NEED TO TAKE.

THE DBE PROGRAM ITSELF IS BASED IN CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS 49 CFR PART 26.

AND SO TECHNICALLY ALL OF OUR REQUIREMENTS AND HOW WE BUILD OUT THE DBE PROGRAM ARE LAID OUT IN THAT CFR AS OUR COMPLIANCE NEEDS.

WHEN WE'RE TALKING IN THE DBE PROGRAM, WE ARE REFERRING TO THINGS AS RACE CONSCIOUS AND RACE NEUTRAL.

AND SO WHEN WE SAY RACE CONSCIOUS, WE ARE SPEAKING TO WHAT WE DO FOR CERTIFIED DVS DIRECTLY, AND THAT'S GENERALLY IN HOW WE SET CONTRACT GOALS ON INDIVIDUAL, INDIVIDUAL PROCUREMENTS.

AND SO WHEN VICKI IS TALKING ABOUT THE PRECI SOLICITATION STAGE, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE, WE ARE DOING THE EVALUATION TO SEE WHETHER WE CAN SET A RACE CONSCIOUS GOAL ON THAT PROJECT.

RACE NEUTRAL IS THE LARGER SCOPE OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH IS LOOKING AT ALL SMALL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING DBES.

WHEN WE'RE SETTING THE GOAL, IT DOES NEED TO REFLECT ACTUAL AVAILABILITY AND PARTICIPATION.

IT NEEDS TO BE DEFENSIBLE WITH EVIDENCE OF WHAT DBES EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THE OVERALL GOAL IS, UH, CALCULATION OF RACE CONSCIOUS AND RACE NEUTRAL TOGETHER.

UM, STEP TWO, WE'RE STARTING THE DISPARITY AND AVAILABILITY STUDIES AND WE SHOULD HAVE OUR A TP SPECI SPECIFIC GOAL FOR YOU BACK IN OUR IN SUMMER 2022.

SO THE RESOLUTION DAY IS ASKING YOU ALL TO ADOPT AS AN INTERIM MEASURE.

THE CAT METRO'S 19% GOAL, WHICH IS 9% RACE CONSCIOUS AND 10% RACE NEUTRAL.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ALLOW US AS AN AGENCY TO SET RACE CONSCIOUS GOALS ON OUR PROCUREMENTS.

IT IS OUR STARTING POINT.

THE NEXT STEPS AFTER THIS ARE TO EVALUATE OUR OWN CONTRACTS, OUR OWN DIRECTION, WHERE WE'RE HEADING WITH THE PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN CREATE OUR OWN A TP SPECIFIC GOAL.

AND SO WE HAVE THE TIMELINE OF THAT PLAN UP FOR YOU ALL TODAY, THAT THIS IS STEP ONE, AND HOPEFULLY TODAY WE DO APPROVE IT.

[01:45:01]

EXCUSE ME.

IN YOUR PACKETS, YOU HAD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON HOW CAT METRO SET THEIR GOAL TO GET TO THE 19%.

TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION, THEIR STEP ONE WAS TO IDENTIFY THE BASE FIGURE, WHICH IS HOW THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF NEXT OR N-A-I-C-S CODES, LOOKING AT AVAILABILITY, LOOKING AT OVERALL FIRMS, AND THEN, UH, MULTIPLYING BY THE WEIGHT OF THE PROJECT ITSELF.

AND THEN THEY ADJUSTED THAT BASE FIGURE WITH THE RACE NEUTRAL PORTION TO REACH THE FULL 19% EVALUATION.

I BELIEVE THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE.

AND SO I KNOW THAT WAS A QUICK REVIEW OF GOALS AND GOAL SETTING.

ARE THERE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MS. CHAVEZ.

QUESTIONS.

DR. BURNETT? UM, YES.

ASKING YOU, COULD YOU JUST EXPAND UPON WHAT WE MEAN BY INTERIM? YES.

AND SO INTERIM MEANS AS A NEW ORGANIZATION MM-HMM .

WE DON'T HAVE PAST HISTORY TO RELY ON IN ORDER TO SHOW WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE TO TO CREATE A GOAL.

SO THE FIRST STEP THAT WE TAKE IS TO LOOK AT SIMILARLY SITUATED OTHER, UH, TRANSIT AGENCIES NEAR US AND IN OUR REGION THAT WE CAN THEN UTILIZE THAT GOAL AS OUR STARTING POINT, RIGHT? ALL THAT DOES IS REALLY GIVE ME THE AUTHORITY TO SET RACE CONSCIOUS GOALS ON OUR OWN PROCUREMENTS.

THEN FROM THERE WE CAN DO OUR OWN EVALUATION.

AND SO THAT MEANS THAT AS WE ARE PROCURING OVER THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE DEVELOPING OUR HISTORY, WE'RE GONNA BE SEEING WHERE WE'RE GONNA GO, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE CREATING OUR SCHEDULE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BRING IN THE N-A-N-A-I-C-S CODE SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR PROJECTS IN ORDER TO SHIFT THE GOAL INTO WHAT WE NEED IT TO BE.

GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THE BOARD WAS CLEAR ON WHAT WE MEAN BY INTERIM AND THAT WE WILL COME BACK WITH MORE DEFINITIVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD SO THAT IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE, WE'RE STICKING TO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN HISTORY MM-HMM .

SO WE WANNA BUILD OUR OWN HISTORY.

AND, AND I'VE EMPHASIZED, I WANNA CONTINUE TO EMPHASIZE WE WANNA BE, UM, WE WANNA BE ABOVE AND BEYOND, NOT SETTLE WITH JUST WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, I SHOULDN'T SAY SETTLE, BUT JUST SETTLE WITH WHERE THE, THE BENCHMARK IS.

OUR BENCHMARK SHOULD BE ABOVE THAT.

AND TO GIVE YOU, UM, ADDITIONAL STEPS.

SO EVERY, WE'RE REQUIRED TO REPORT OUT SEMI-ANNUALLY.

SO EVERY SIX MONTHS WE REPORT OUT OUR OUTCOMES WITH RACE CONSCIOUS, RACE NEUTRAL.

AND SO THAT WILL BE AN ONGOING PROCESS.

AND REALLY BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT ITSELF, WE'LL BE REEVALUATING WHETHER WE'RE RIGHT ON OUR GOAL, PROBABLY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, IS WHAT I'M EXPECTING.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION DR. BURNETT AND THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, DR.

UM, OR MAYBE STRATTON AND I'LL JUST KEEP DOING THAT .

AND, AND I'LL JUST CLARIFY NOW THAT WE HAVE JUST PASSED OUR OWN A TP PROCUREMENT POLICIES AND GUIDELINES THAT THEN CAN INFORM US, BECAUSE NOW THEN AT THIS POINT WE CAN START PROCURING THINGS.

WE CAN START, UH, WE CAN START ISSUING OUR OWN PROCUREMENTS.

WE CAN START HAVING OUR OWN CONTRACTS.

MEANING THAT NOW YOU, MS. CHAVEZ HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK OFF OF, WHICH IS WHY COME NEXT SUMMER YOU WILL HAVE A HISTORY FROM WHICH TO BASE THIS OFF OF AND REEVALUATE THAT NUMBER.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, ANYONE? WELL, WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO, UM, ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE OUR ACTION ITEM TO APPROVE THE INTERIM DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE.

UH, CAN I HAVE PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? SO, UM, , DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ? I THINK WE WANNA APPROVE .

WE WANNA APPROVE? YEAH.

DO WE HAVE A MO? NO, NO, NO, NO.

CAN I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED.

IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO BE IN PERSON.

AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? YES, WE HAVE TWO SECONDS.

THREE SECONDS.

I THINK WE'RE EXCITED TO GET STARTED.

AND SO WITH THAT, PLEASE SAY, AYE EVERYONE IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

AND UM, AGAINST THIS POLICY, NO ONE.

SO THERE'S NO NAYS AND THE, UH, IT PASSES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

TAKE YOUR PICK CASEY.

ALL OF A SECOND.

IT DID.

SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.

, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. COURTNEY.

OKAY, MS. CHAVEZ.

I SAID COURTNEY LINE RIGHT UP THERE, .

I KNOW

[01:50:02]

I HAVE TO SAY JUST BETWEEN GOING FROM ZOOM TO IN PERSON TO ZOOM TO IN PERSON.

JUST THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR THE HARD WORK.

UM, SO NOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON

[V.1. Info Session: Systems and Vehicles]

TO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND WE HAVE AN INFORMATION SESSION THAT WE POSTPONED FROM LAST TIME REGARDING OUR, UH, VEHICLES AND SYSTEMS. MR. DAVE ACHE.

SO WELCOME.

AND I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE MR. COUCH AGAIN.

UH, WHAT I WANTED TO DO IS UHHUH TO KIND OF DO A LEAD IN FOR DAVE.

UH, HE, HE WAS BEFORE THIS GROUP, UH, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS AGO, UHHUH, AND TALK ABOUT VEHICLES.

UH, TODAY HE'S GONNA GET INTO WHAT SOME OF US CALL GEEKING OUT IN TRANSIT.

'CAUSE HE'S GONNA START TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE ON TRACTION POWER, WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE ON SIGNALS AND ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED WHEN YOU START TO GET INTO THE THINGS THAT ARE A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM.

UH, SO WITH THAT AS A REINTRODUCTION, WE'RE FORTUNATE.

DAVE COMES TO US BY WAY OF INITIALLY DART LA WASHINGTON, DC HOUSTON, AND OF LATE WE STOLE HIM FROM NEW YORK.

SO HE'S GOT A TREMENDOUS BACKGROUND AND HE IS A BIG ADD TO OUR TEAM.

SO WITH THAT, DAVE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELCOME.

OUR PART, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START GETTING INTO CANARY FREE.

GET THIS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND A TP BOARD MEMBERS.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS DAVE ACHE.

I'M THE SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR SYSTEMS AND VEHICLES FOR A TP.

IF WE COULD GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE.

UM, WHILE A LOT OF THE FOCUS HAS BEEN AROUND NATURALLY THE CIVIL ELEMENTS AND WE'VE PATIENTLY BEEN WAITING OFF TO THE SIDE TO WATCH THEM, UH, ADDRESS ALIGNMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, POSITIONING OF STATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF TOUCH BASE ON A FEW ITEMS OF WHAT WE'RE WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES.

THERE IS A HUGE UNDERCURRENT ON THE SYSTEM'S FOCUS ON WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP TO PULL OFF AND SUPPORT NOT ONLY ITS LRT, BUT ALSO AS WE LOOK AT THE OTHER INTERFACE ELEMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE REQUIRED.

THAT, THAT WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER INTO THE SLIDE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I'D ALSO SAY COMING IN HERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, OUR THEMES ARE ABOUT BEING SAFE.

YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A REGIONAL PRESENCE THAT'S EXPANDING.

THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE.

THEY'VE GOTTA BE VERY RELIABLE, UH, IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THAT'S GONNA BE VERY KEY WITH THE STAFF, THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY THAT'S GONNA TAKE ITS PLACE, ESPECIALLY AS THE REGION GROWS AND WE HAVE TO BE RESILIENT.

EVENTS HAPPEN.

THEY HAPPEN OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, A LOT OF OTHERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT'S THE CONSCIOUS EFFORT GOING INTO THAT, TO MAKING SURE THAT THESE SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING AND PUTTING TOGETHER AND INTEGRATING WORK TOGETHER AS A UNIT, ALSO POSITIONING OUR STAFF TO GIVING THEM THE BEST RESOURCES POSSIBLE TO BASICALLY, TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE DAY IN AND DAY OUT IS, IS GONNA BE VERY CRITICAL ON OUR PART.

SO JUST SOME THEMES OF WHAT WE'RE, OF OUR BUSINESS, OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEHIND THE SCENES.

UH, AND IT'S NOT ONLY JUST, YOU KNOW, WITH MY TEAM, BUT OTHER FOLKS THAT WE INTERFACE WITH, ALSO WITH OUR CONTRACTORS, VENDORS, CONSULTANT SERVICE.

ANYTHING ELSE? THESE ARE MESSAGES THAT WE'RE SENDING OUT THAT THIS IS THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE, WE'RE UNDERTAKING FOR OUR PROJECT.

UM, SOME SYSTEM ELEMENTS THAT WE'VE GOT NOTED HERE, THERE'S A LOT MORE, BY THE WAY, , BUT WE JUST PICKED OUT SOME HIGH LEVEL ONES.

UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS ONE, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SLIDE WHEN WE GET TO IT.

WE'LL KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE JUST TO A VERY HIGH LEVEL COMMUNICATIONS BASED TRAIN CONTROL.

WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ONE A LITTLE BIT.

THIS IS HOW WE MOVE OUR TRAINS PRETTY MUCH.

BUT IT'S APPLICATION IS ABOUT NOT ONLY JUST THE MAIN LINE, BUT HOW WE UNDER OPERATE UNDERGROUND, AERIAL, HOW WE OPERATE IN A SHOP, HOW WE OPERATE IN OUR YARD.

IT'S A UNIFORM PLATFORM THAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH ACROSS THE BOARD.

ALSO, ITS SELECTION AND ITS AGE AND, AND, AND ITS TECHNOLOGY LIFECYCLE AS, AS TRAIN CONTROL ADVANCES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT'S THE RIGHT APPLICATION.

WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FOR US, MAKING THAT COMMITMENT.

AND IT'S GONNA GIVE US A LOT OF FEATURES THAT A TRADITIONAL TRAIN CONTROL CIRCUIT WON'T, OUR TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEM WON'T BE ABLE TO PROVIDE.

FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ROADWAY WORKER PROTECTION.

A LOT OF OTHER THINGS FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR WORKERS AND STUFF OUT THERE.

WHENEVER, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE REVENUE ACT, UH, ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SYSTEM.

UH, WE'LL TALK ABOUT POWER A LITTLE BIT.

WE BREAK IT DOWN INTO TWO BUCKETS.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE ATTRACTIVE EFFORT OR TRACTION POWER.

THAT'S REALLY THE POWER THAT MAKES THE TRAINS GO, WHETHER WE'RE RECHARGING THEM OR WHETHER WE'RE WORKING ONLINE.

UH, WITH THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GO MOVE FORWARD WITH ALSO IS UTILITY POWER.

THAT'S LIKE POWER TO YOUR STATIONS, TO YOUR FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

AS WE WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS AROUND DESIGN AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THESE SYSTEMS HAVE TO BE VERY RESILIENT, VERY ROBUST.

AND GRID MANAGEMENT WILL, ANOTHER THING WILL BE, UH, VERY IMPORTANT ON

[01:55:01]

WE START EXPLORING THAT AREA, SEEING WHAT THE INDUSTRY CAN SUPPORT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAKING A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT OVER A LONGER DURATION.

WHEN IT FINALLY ARRIVES TO ITS DESTINATION, IT'S GONNA NEED POWER AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS ON THAT AS WELL.

TUNNELS AND STATIONS AND SYSTEMS, VERY COMPLEX.

WE'VE GOT ANOTHER SLIDE, KIND OF A, KIND OF A CROSS CUT TO KIND OF GIVE IT AN IDEA.

SO JUST SOME VISUALIZATION ELEMENTS OF THE THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.

IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME WHETHER IT'S HAPPENING ABOVE GROUND.

IT'S JUST THAT WHENEVER WE'RE IN THIS TUNNEL, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COZY, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE CONFINED, AND IT HAS TO BE VERY ACCURATE BECAUSE TUNNELS, EVERYTHING ELSE ADDS SOMETHING.

AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT STUFF THAT'S SERVICE PROVEN TECHNOLOGY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, IS USED GLOBALLY HERE IN THE STATES, MEETS ALL OUR CODES AND REGULATIONS AND STUFF.

WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

UH, MAINTENANCE FACILITY SYSTEMS. THE REASON WHY WE BRING THAT UP IS 'CAUSE OUR MAINTENANCE YARDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE A CONDENSED VERSION OF THE OVERALL SYSTEMS. AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE WE RECOVER THINGS, THAT'S WHERE WE SUSTAIN IT.

THAT'S WHERE WE DEPLOY OUR STAFF AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF SYSTEM ELEMENTS, AND A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE HOUSING A LOT OF YOUR KEY TECHNOLOGY AS WELL.

SO THERE'S LIKE AN EXTRA HARDENING EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.

THAT WAY YOU'RE KEEPING YOUR CORE SERVICES OUT IN THE FIELD GOING AS WELL.

UH, CONTROL CENTERS, UH, I WILL SAY THIS WILL BE A VERY EXCITING PROJECT BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUITY OF WHAT THE REGION HERE BRINGS, THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE DELIVERING, AND THE BASICALLY THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AND PUSHING OUR VENDORS, PUSHING OURSELVES ON TO SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, THAT IS VERY ROBUST AND GIVES US REAL TIME INFORMATION, NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE SYSTEM, BUT ON THE BUSINESS SIDE.

HOW DO YOU CAPTURE ASSETS? WHAT'S THE CONDITION OF THAT ASSET? WHAT'S THE PERFORMANCE OF THAT TO REALLY FEED THE OVERALL BUSINESS MODEL PROCESS.

UM, UH, OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF DEVELOPED SOME MODELS.

WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN SOME CIVIL DRAWINGS, UH, THAT'S BEEN GENERATED BY THE LINE TEAMS. WE'RE STARTING LOOKING AT GRADIENTS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, ELEVATION.

WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT FOR US? IF WE NEED CATENARY FREE, THOSE CARS HAVE GOTTA GO UP THE HILL.

THEY GOTTA GO DOWN THE HILL, THEY GOTTA GO INTO THE TUNNEL.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT MODELING.

WE ARE ALREADY UNDERTAKING THAT EFFORT.

RIGHT NOW.

IT'S ABOUT TRACK WORK.

TEMPERATURE IS ALSO AN INTEREST ON OUR PART.

HEAT, AIR CONDITIONING LOADS, UH, THOSE TYPE OF ELEMENTS RIGHT THERE.

SO JUST FROM A SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE, WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO GRAVITATE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THE 15% INFORMATION.

AND AS WE GET OTHER INFORMATION FROM THE CIVIL SIDE, WE'RE FEEDING IT INTO OUR STUFF AND WE'RE WORKING ACCORDINGLY.

AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, OUR, JUST OUR CONTINUED DISCUSSION WITH TECHNOLOGY LEADERS, NOT ONLY HERE, JUST STATE SIDE, BUT ABROAD, THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF GOOD TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ABROAD AND, AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHAT THESE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO INVEST IN HERE STATESIDE.

AND USING THIS PROJECT POTENTIALLY AS A LEVERAGE POINT, YOU KNOW, TO BASICALLY START BRINGING THIS STUFF IN.

I'D ALSO KIND OF NOTE AS WE LOOK THROUGH THIS, SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT UP, IT'S ABOUT THE RISK ASSESSMENT.

AS WE LOOK AT THIS, WE'RE THINKING OF RISK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE THINKING OF VITALITY.

WE'RE THINKING OF ALSO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KIND OF POTENTIALLY BUNDLE THESE THINGS TOGETHER TO, TO DO A PROCUREMENT STUFF.

WE GOT ANOTHER, UH, SOME ANOTHER POINT THAT WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT, BUT JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE SYSTEM AS WELL.

IT'S ABOUT THAT DELIVERY ELEMENT.

THESE SYSTEMS HAVE INVESTMENTS.

SO WE JUST TALK ABOUT COMMUNICATIONS IN OUR WORLD.

THIS IS WHAT THIS MEANS.

IT'S REALLY HAS THREE MAIN THEMES.

IT'S VOICE, IT'S DATA, IT'S VIDEO.

NOW, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S ALREADY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE HERE ALREADY IN THE AUSTIN REGION.

OKAY? THESE SYSTEMS ARE VITAL.

THESE SYSTEMS ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW.

THE A TP PROJECT IS COMING IN AND ADDING MORE TECHNOLOGY, A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEXITY, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY RESILIENT AND WE INTEGRATE VERY, VERY WELL WITH THIS.

A COUPLE OF POINTS I WOULD BRING UP IS LIKE THE TECHNOLOGY DEVICES, KIND OF LIKE CLOCKWISE, MAYBE ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK OR SO.

YOU KNOW, WHAT CONNECTIVITY DO WE HAVE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO MANAGE AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AND HOW DO THESE SYSTEMS INTERFACE? BECAUSE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMMUTER RAIL, THERE'S BUS, IT'S A MATTER OF ALL OF THESE THINGS.

BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, YOU KNOW, AT, AT THE FINGERTIPS.

THE OTHER SIDE OF IT WOULD BE, UH, THE EXPERIENCE ON OUR CUSTOMERS.

MAKING SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE A LOT OF THESE, UH, INFORMATION STUFF AT THEIR FINGERTIPS THROUGHOUT.

UH, AND THE REST OF 'EM ARE FAIRLY, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST SELF-EXPLANATORY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST WANTED TO JUST KIND OF GIVE YOU A FRAMEWORK THAT AS WE'RE HAVING THIS, NOT ONLY WE FOCUS JUST ON OUR PROJECT PROPER, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THE OTHER REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL.

IT HAS TO MOVE IN UNISON.

THAT'S GONNA BE THE KEY OF OUR OVERALL SYSTEMS INTEGRATION.

UH, AND WE DID NOTE, FOR EXAMPLE,

[02:00:01]

THE AIRPORT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE OPERATE OUT THERE, THERE'S ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE, THERE'S TRAIN CONTROL THINGS, THERE'S, UH, PRECISION STOPPING.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AND PROVISION THROUGHOUT.

AND WORKING AT THIS LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY, WE THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT NOW BECAUSE IT'LL GIVE US A BETTER PRODUCT, YOU KNOW, IN CASE WE DO MISS SOMETHING.

AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING, WE'RE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND LOOK AT THIS.

SO, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN OVERALL VIEW OF WHAT COMMUNICATION MEANS IN OUR REALM IN OUR WORLD.

UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, 30% DESIGNED SOME AREAS OF FOCUS WHERE WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GONNA START DIGGING IN E EVEN MORE.

SO, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ONE IS, AGAIN, WITH THIS COMMUNICATION BASED TRAIN CONTROL, IT HAS TO INTERFACE AND WORK WITH THE CITY SIGNALS.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ANOTHER LEVEL THAT WE HAVE TO WORK IN.

SO IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT US MANAGING OUR TRAIN MOVEMENT, BUT MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE A GOOD PARTNER.

WORKING WITH THE CITY INTERFACE, YOU KNOW, AROUND THAT, AT THE, AT GRADE OPERATIONS, THE CBTC IS GONNA HAVE CERTAIN OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

WHEN WE OPERATE BELOW GROUND, IT'S GONNA BE BASICALLY AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND IS BASICALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF AUTOMATION, A LOT OF PRECISION STOPPING, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HITTING DOORS, UH, THE RIGHT WAY.

WHEN I SAY HITTING DOORS, I MEAN THE SPOT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT.

NOT RUNNING INTO THEM , BUT TO, TO CLARIFY THAT.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS THERE'S CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'VE GOT BETWEEN CAR BARRIERS, SO LIKE AT, AT ALL STATIONS AND STUFF.

SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A PLATFORM SCREEN DOOR, PARTICULARLY IF IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, MOVES, THEN WE STILL HAVE TO STOP THE TRAINING AT A CERTAIN AREA.

SO THAT WAY WE REQUIRE WITH OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND STUFF, REQUIREMENTS AND STUFF.

SO THAT'S SOME OF THE LAYERS OF INTERACTION THAT WE'RE TALKING BEHIND THE SCENES.

WHEN WE HAVE THESE HIGH LEVEL BOXES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A WHOLE NOTHER UNDERCURRENT OF FLOW OF THEMES AND STUFF THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER THOSE SCENARIOS.

UM, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND PROVISIONS, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCING, YOU KNOW, OF A POLICE FORCE FOR CAP METRO PROPER, BUT THEN IT'S ALL THE OTHER POLICE FORCES, FIRE DEPARTMENT, EMS, EVERYTHING ELSE.

HOW DO THOSE, HOW DO THOSE PROCESSES WORK? NOT ONLY ABOVE GROUND, BUT BELOW GROUND.

IT'S GONNA HAVE A SIZABLE NETWORK UNDERGROUND HERE.

IT'S VERY EXCITING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S STUFF THAT IS DONE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WE'VE JUST GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVISION IT RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, TO PERFECTION, YOU KNOW, IT, IT HAS TO BE FLAWLESS EVERY TIME.

AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF ANALYZING, YOU KNOW, WHERE OUR SIGNAL STRENGTHS ARE AT PORTALS, BUILDINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING IS WE LOOK AT THIS COMMUNICATIONS BASED TRAIN CONTROL.

WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ALIGNMENT TO SAY WHAT HAPPENS FIVE YEARS FROM NOW.

IF SOMEBODY BUILDS A 20 OR 30 40, UH, STORY BUILDING, THAT IS A HUGE OBSTACLE IN YOUR COMMUNICATION.

SO WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO TRY TO PROVISION WHAT THE SYSTEM IS RIGHT NOW, BUT AS, AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN EXPANDS AND GROWS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE ADAPTABILITY OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE'RE INTEGRATING HAS ABILITY TO BASICALLY BE UPGRADED.

OKAY? SO THAT A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF OUR SPECTRUM, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE DON'T BUILD BUILDINGS, BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE, WE DO HAVE TO COMMUNICATE AROUND THEM.

AND YOU GENERALLY CAN'T COMMUNICATE THROUGH 'EM TOO VERY WELL.

UH, UNLESS IT GETS A LOT, UH, AGAIN, TRACTION, POWER AND UTILITY NEEDS TO SUSTAIN SERVICES.

I THINK IT'S HOW WE MANAGE OUR GRID WITHIN OUR SERVICES PROPER, BUT ALSO HOW WE PARTNER WITH THE REGION AS WELL, UH, IS GONNA BE VERY, VERY CRITICAL.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS, AGAIN, IT'S GONNA BE A 24 7 ENVIRONMENT, EVEN THOUGH THIS, THE SERVICE HOURS, THE WINDOW MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER OR A LITTLE BIT SHORTER.

THERE'S GONNA BE ACTIVITY AROUND THIS THING, AROUND THE CLOCK.

YOU KNOW, THE UTILITIES HAS GOT SWITCHING TIME, THEY'VE GOT THEIR MAINTENANCE NEEDS.

WHEN DO YOU TAKE POWER OFF SO THAT A WAY THEY CAN WORK ON THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOTTA BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR STUFF.

HOW DO WE ISOLATE THAT STUFF OUT? YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT.

THAT'S PART OF THESE DISCUSSIONS AS WE LOOK AT, LOOK AT THIS AS WELL.

AND AGAIN, THE METHODOLOGY, YOU KNOW, I I KIND OF BUCKET IN TWO AREAS.

WHAT IS VITAL AND WHAT IS NON-VITAL? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN SYSTEMS THAT ARE VITAL THAT WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT CONTRACTORS THAT ARE BASICALLY, YOU WANT THEM TO OWN THAT POTENTIAL LIABILITY.

IT'S THEIR TECHNOLOGY.

THEY'RE GONNA COME IN AND SAY, WE WILL CERTIFY YOUR SYSTEM, BUT IT HAS TO MEET THE FOLLOWING CHECKLIST, YOU KNOW, AND YOU PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO THIS, UH, AREA AND STUFF, THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS THE BUILDING.

WHERE ARE THEY AT IN THEIR DELIVERY MODEL? YOU KNOW, THEY'RE WITH COVID HAS BEEN VERY DISRUPTIVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, A YEAR, TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS GOES BY LIKE THAT.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, ON OUR PART, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THEIR TECHNOLOGY, WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THEIR WORKLOAD.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE WE GETTING FROM THEM? AND THAT'S SOME OF THE PRELIMINARY THINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING BEFORE WE GET INTO A LOT OF THESE FORMAL RFP PROCESSES AS WELL.

IT'S TWIN BORE OR, UH, SINGLE BORE.

THIS WAS A, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF A, A, A CROSS SECTION OF A TUNNEL, WHETHER

[02:05:01]

WE'RE REALLY KIND OF INDIFFERENT, .

WE JUST KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT FIT SOME STUFF IN THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THE FOCUS IS NATURALLY IS ON THE TRACK WORK AND THE RAIL CAR AND STUFF GOING THROUGH THERE, BUT WE'VE GOT ELEMENTS.

AND THEN I'M GONNA START UP AT KIND OF LIKE ONE O'CLOCK OR TWO O'CLOCK AND WORK AROUND.

BUT WE'VE GOT VENTILATION.

UH, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT FI NATURALLY A LOT OF, UH, FIRE PROVISION AROUND THERE.

WE'VE GOT FIBER RINGS, CONNECTIVITY ON HOW WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE COMMUNICATING THROUGH OUR NETWORK AND OTHER SERVICES AND STUFF.

WE'VE GOT DEFINITELY TRAIN CONTROL, VITAL TRAIN CONTROL WITH REDUNDANCIES THAT'S THERE, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY WALKWAYS, YOU KNOW, IF AN EVENT DOES HAPPEN, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE CLEARANCES FOR YOU TO EVACUATE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, PROPERLY AND SAFELY.

AND THERE'S REGULATIONS AND STUFF THAT WE'VE GOTTA FOLLOW WITH THAT.

UH, THEN YOU'VE GOT PUBLIC SAFETY, A LOT OF COMMUNICATIONS.

CCTV IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT, UM, IN CASE IT IS ASKED, I MIGHT BE AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR US, CELL PHONE SERVICE DAY ONE IS ALL THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND.

YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S, THAT CONNECTIVITY IS SOMETHING THAT'S WORKING IN.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE, UH, WE DON'T TAKE THE PROVISION WHERE WE'RE ASSISTING THAT, OH, WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'RE PROVISIONING IT FROM DAY ONE.

UH, SO THAT WAY WE KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE.

WE CAN KIND OF CONTROL, WE CAN ALSO WORK WITH THE MARKET AND STUFF TO SEE WHAT KIND OF INTEREST AND STUFF IS THERE.

BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF STUFF UNDERGROUND THERE.

SO WITH THAT, THAT'S JUST, LIKE I SAID, A VERY HIGH LEVEL DESCRIPTION OR CROSSCUT OF IT.

UH, AND LIKE I SAID, ALL OF THIS STUFF HAS TO BE ADHERED, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A DIFFERENT, UH, DIFFERENT MEANS.

UH, AND, UH, IT, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF ELECTRICAL CONTROLS.

IF IT HAS A WIRE THAT GOES TO IT TO POWER IT OR GET A SIGNAL SEED BACK, WE'RE KIND OF INTERESTED FROM A SYSTEM PERSPECTIVE, WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS.

WHETHER IT'S THE LINE TEAM MANAGEMENT OR WHETHER IT'S THE CONSULTANT SERVICES OR EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS.

INTEGRATION IS VERY KEY FOR US TO BE, TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

SO NEXT SLIDE, WE'LL KIND OF TAPER OVER INTO NEW VE UH, INTO VEHICLES.

UH, WE DID HAVE, UH, AS SCHEDULED ON APRIL 8TH, THE NINTH, WE HAD LIKE A, A NEW VEHICLE DAY THAT WA THAT WAS ESTABLISHED.

WHAT THIS WAS, WAS BASICALLY EIGHT OF THE LEADING, UH, CAR BUILDERS BASICALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BASICALLY DO A PRESENTATION TO US OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS.

UH, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A, A GROUNDBREAKING MOMENT TO BASICALLY START THE FORMAL DIALOGUE EVEN THAT MUCH MORE, YOU KNOW, IT BASICALLY IT WAS, WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF DOING IN 2029? YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR EQUIPMENT GONNA BE CAPABLE OF DOING IN 20 22, 20 23? BUT WHERE ARE YOUR BUSINESS MODELS AND STUFF GOING? WE'RE LOOKING FOR SAFE EQUIPMENT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR RELIABLE EQUIPMENT.

UH, WE'RE LOOKING FOR EQUIPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE SUSTAINED.

WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT SINCE THIS EQUIPMENT HAS A 30 YEAR LIFECYCLE OR WHATEVER, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY BUY SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE AFTER THE FACT.

AND IT'S TAILORING OUT.

YOU JUST WASTED YOUR MONEY ON THAT INVESTMENT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS AT THE FRONT END OF WHAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE LOOKING AT BUILDING AND PROCURING.

UH, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT.

AND I WOULD ALSO SAY WE'RE PROBABLY IN REGULAR DIALOGUE WITH ONE OR TWO OF THEM EVERY WEEK, .

IT'S, IT'S JUST A RECIPROCATING PROCESS ALL THE TIME.

AND WE JUST START DISSECTING THINGS DOWN FURTHER AND FURTHER.

TALK ABOUT DOORS, AIR CONDITIONING, POWER GRID MANAGEMENT, YOU KNOW, TRUCK DESIGN, SPEED, A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE TO REALLY WORK THAT.

SO IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, LIKE THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE RENDERINGS AND STUFF THAT'S CAME UP THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE TRAIN.

UM, I WILL TELL YOU, I'M NOT A COLOR EXPERT OR NOR WILL I BE A FINAL DECISION MAKER ON THAT.

I'M PUTTING A DISCLAIMER ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

UH, I WANT THAT THING TO RUN REALLY WELL.

IF YOU HAVE TO PUT A SUBSTATION SOMEWHERE, THERE'S A CIVIL IMPACT, THERE'S A OUTREACH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A UTILITIES DROP, THERE'S A LAND NEED, IT, IT, IT'S JUST A CATALYST OF A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

, THERE WILL BE A PROCESS THAT OTHERS WILL TAKE PARTAKE AND WE WILL SUPPORT .

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.

AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, WE DEFINITELY KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A SLEEP PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

WE DO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LONGER CAR THAN AVERAGE.

WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE A HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE, A HUNDRED THIRTY FOOT LONG FOR A, JUST A SINGLE, WHAT WE VIEW UNIT BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY.

A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE INDUSTRY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO RIGHT OFF THE BAT, IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN YOUR TRADITIONAL 60 TO A HUNDRED FOOT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

UM, SPEED.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL LOOK AT THE LOW FLOOR DESIGN, WHICH THERE'S ANOTHER SLIDE THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR OPERATING SPEED, OUR MODELING.

HOW FAST DO WE REALLY NEED TO GO VERSUS MAX SPEED? 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT OUR OPERATING SPEED THROUGHOUT.

AGAIN, CATENARY FREE CA UH, CAPABILITIES CANNOT STRESS THAT ENOUGH.

THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF OUR NUMBER ONE.

THAT IS OUR NUMBER ONE DISCUSSION WITH THESE REESE CAR BUILDERS.

HOW FAR CAN WE GO WITH A CAR WITHOUT ANY CATENARY TO PIRATE IN SERVICE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE SECTIONS, BECAUSE THERE'S INVESTMENT.

[02:10:01]

IT'S THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS.

THE GOOD THING WITH US, WE WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON THE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY.

YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BRING UP SUPER CAPS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT SUPER CAPS ONLY GET YOU A VERY SHORT DISTANCE.

AND WHEN THEY'RE OUT, THEY'RE DONE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO BATTERY SEEMS TO BE WHERE THE INDUSTRY IS AT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER TECHNOLOGIES.

THEY TALK, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HYDROGEN AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THAT'S A LITTLE WAYS OUT THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ANOTHER FEW DECADES, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE ACTIONABLE FOR US IN THIS SETTING AND STUFF.

THERE ARE SOME SYSTEMS OUT THERE THAT ARE TESTING IT RIGHT NOW AND WORKING WITH IT, BUT IT'S VERY CUTTING EDGE.

IT IS VERY HEAVILY SUBSIDIZED AND THERE'S A LOT OF RISK AND STUFF THERE.

AND THERE, THERE'S SOME PROS AND CONS.

EVEN THE WAY OF HOW TO GET HYDROGEN TO FUEL WHAT'S TAKEN PLACE IS, IT WOULD BE A WHOLE NOTHER DISCUSSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ON THAT.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING ON.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS ON THE, THE BATTERY.

ONE THING THAT'S VERY INTERESTING, IT'S REALLY THE RAIL CAR NOW IS ON GRID MANAGEMENT NOW.

USED TO, YOU JUST PAN UP THE CAR, YOU'D GET ALL THE, PRETTY MUCH UNLIMITED POWER AND YOU'D RUN UP AND DOWN, UP AND DOWN.

NOW, IF WE'RE IN THIS AREAS WHERE WE DO NOT HAVE POWER TO FEED THAT, THAT CAR HAS TO HAVE THE SENSITIVITY TO SAY, HOW MUCH AIR CONDITIONING POWER AM I USING? WHAT IS MY PROPULSION REQUEST DOORS, EMERGENCY FEATURES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

THE DEGRADATION OF THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE THAT? SO AS WE TALK ABOUT OUR POWER GRID ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING ON THE RAIL CAR.

AND IT'S PRETTY EXCITING.

IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING ON WHAT WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH HERE.

BUT JUST TO KIND OF SHARE WITH YOU, THE, THE, THE PRECISE LEVEL AND FOCUS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO APPLY HERE IS VERY IMPORTANT ON OUR PART.

UH, CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT'S INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHETHER IT'S ROLLING CAR, UH, ROLLING STOCK, I'M SORRY.

UM, IT IS REALLY A MATTER OF WHAT CAN WE DO TO EMPOWER SOMEBODY USE OF THEIR PHONE OR THE EXPERIENCE SUCH AS YOU'RE WALKING THROUGH A STATION OR YOU'RE, OR YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER YOU'RE AT UTILIZING THE SERVICES.

WE'VE KIND OF PUSHED THAT, UH, A LOT.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME INTERESTING RESPONSE FROM, FROM INTERNATIONAL FIRMS THAT ARE DOING SOME PRETTY, PRETTY NEAT THINGS.

SO WE WILL KIND OF SEGMENT THAT, AND THAT'S WHERE THE EXCITING PART, WHERE THE VEHICLE HAS A CERTAIN LEVEL, BUT IT'S REALLY ABOUT ALSO THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE STATION, EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO WE'RE KIND OF BREAKING THIS SYSTEM INTO THIS THEME.

AND NATURALLY WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ENTIRE TEAM ON WHAT WE THINK CAN OR CANNOT BE DONE.

UH, BUT, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK 20 28, 20 29, WHERE'S THE TECHNOLOGY REALLY GONNA BE AT? IT'S, UH, SOMETHING ELSE.

SOMETHING ELSE.

UH, I DID MENTION, UH, PLATFORM SCREEN DOORS, ESPECIALLY LIKE THE UNDERGROUND, EVERYTHING ELSE, PRECISION STOP.

AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT WE WILL WORK WITH CBTC TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HIT THE MARK EVERY TIME.

PRESSING ON AROUND OUR ROLLING STOCK NATURALLY.

UM, JUST WANTED TO JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED PERCENT LOW FLOOR INTERIOR.

THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, A PRIOR RENDERING.

WE, UH, UH, WE WERE PERMITTED TO PUT A LITTLE COLOR, A LITTLE EXTRA COLORING AND STUFF IN IT.

UH, AND, UH, JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT A FEW THINGS.

UM, FOR US, THERE'S THE, THE MARKET.

THEY HAVE LIKE RAMPS AND SOME OF 'EM HAVE SMALL STEPS.

WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR IS TRYING TO GET A CAR THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT LOW FLOOR AS WE CAN.

SO THAT WAY THERE'S NO TRANSITION POINT WHATSOEVER.

SO WE'RE EXTRA SENSITIVE TO THAT.

'CAUSE WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, OH, WELL, I'VE GOT A 95% LOW FLOOR CAR, I'VE GOT A 90%.

WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? AND HOW ARE YOU WORKING YOUR NUMBERS? BUT OUR EXPECTATION RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL SEE HOW THE, HOW THINGS ADVANCE IS WHAT IS IN NORTH AMERICA OR WHAT IS COMING TO NORTH AMERICA THAT WE CAN FIND THAT GIVES YOU THAT LOW FLOOR EXPERIENCE.

UH, THROUGHOUT.

IT'LL PROBABLY BE MULTI-UNIT.

THE, YOU CAN SEE, UH, AROUND THE DOORWAYS.

WE PUT LIKE THIS LITTLE INDICATION OF LIGHTS AND SUCH SINCE THIS RAIL CAR'S GONNA INTERLINE OR BASICALLY FOR US, THE INTERLINE IS WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, THE ORANGE AND BLUE LINE.

THEY KIND OF SHARE THAT.

YOU KIND OF WANNA KNOW WHERE YOU'RE AT.

YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW.

SO COLORS.

AND THEN THE OTHER COMMUNICATION OUTREACH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT ON THE OTHER SYSTEMS THAT WE WORK.

SO YOU COULD IMAGINE ORANGE, OR IF IT WAS BLUE, THEN WE MIGHT HAVE SOME TYPE OF BLUE ACCENT.

NOT ONLY ON THE INSIDE, BUT ON THE OUTSIDE.

YOU KNOW, INTERIOR SCREENS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S TALK AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOLOGRAMS. THERE'S TALK ABOUT PLIABLE SCREENS.

AND LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A VERY TRADITIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING OUT OF EUROPE AND ASIAN MARKET AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S STILL A RAIL CAR, BUT THERE'S SOME, SOME NEAT THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY OPEN TO.

WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE TAKING A BIG LOOK AT OUR WINDOWS, WHAT WE CAN DO TO PUT AS FAR AS INFORMATION IN THE WINDOWS, BUT ALSO THE ABILITY TO DO LIKE AN AUTO TENT TO HELP US WITH OUR HEAT MANAGEMENT, TO HELP WITH OUR ELECTRICITY.

THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY THINGS THAT WE'RE

[02:15:01]

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS ALSO WILL BE JUST ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A MATTER OF BEING ABLE TO MOVE IN AND OUT OF THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT AS FREELY AS POSSIBLE.

HOW, HOW THAT'S IDENTIFIED, HOW THAT'S ADOPTED.

NATURALLY, WE'VE GOT BICYCLES.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF LUGGAGE.

THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE MOVING, YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT OF THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE FIT ALL OF THIS STUFF IN THERE TO SATISFY THE NEEDS? IT'S GONNA BE A VERY, VERY, VERY, YOU KNOW, DYNAMIC, UH, PROCESS.

AND, UH, GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, JUST SOME KEY ITEMS. I MEAN, WE'RE ON TARGET TO BASICALLY ADVERTISE THE FIRST, SECOND QUARTER OF CALENDAR, YEAR 22.

IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FOR US.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TECHNICAL STUFF THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU GOT, UH, OUR PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT APPROVED.

UH, , YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW APPRECIATIVE I AM PERSONALLY.

UH, .

SO, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO, TO DO THERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, SOME DATES JUST TO, JUST TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY IN CALENDAR YEAR 26, WE COULD HAVE A LIGHT RAIL CAR HERE IN AUSTIN TO MEET THIS SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTA HAVE THAT INITIAL PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HERE TO BE ABLE TO OPERATE, TO TEST RUN, TO START INTERFACING.

NOW THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A LONG TIME AWAY, BUT BOY, IT SNEAKS UP ON US REALLY, REALLY FAST.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ON OUR PART, IT'S WORKING WITH THE VENDORS RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT WHAT IS THEIR AVAILABILITY ON THEIR PRODUCTION LINES.

WHAT ARE THEY PRODUCING GLOBALLY? THEY'VE SHRUNK THEIR MARKET.

THEY'RE VERY SPECIFIC.

AUSTIN'S COMING OUT WITH A VERY, UH, INTERESTING CAR DESIGN.

IT SEEMS TO APPEASE TO A LOT OF FOLKS AND STUFF RIGHT NOW.

BUT WHAT CAN BE TRANSFERRED OVER HERE TO THE STATES THAT MEETS BY AMERICA THAT MEETS ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND STUFF AND INVESTMENT ON THEIR PART? THAT'S WHY OUR ACTIVITY HAS BEEN SO AGGRESSIVE.

THE RFP PROCESS WILL TAKE ABOUT A, A YEAR OR SO, YEAR PLUS FOR US TO NEGOTIATE ALL OF THAT.

BUT AGAIN, THE, THE TWO BIGGEST AREAS OF THAT IS REALLY ABOUT THE POWER GRID MANAGEMENT.

WHAT WE CAN OR CANNOT DO.

WHAT CAN THE INDUSTRY MANAGE AT THAT TIME? AND WE'RE ALSO CHALLENGING THEM WHENEVER WE GO INTO REVENUE SERVICE, THE ADAPTABILITY OF THE BATTERY PACKS.

WHAT WOULD BE THE NEXT GENERATION? BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST WHOLESALE CHANGE OUT OR BE STUCK WITH ONE PRODUCT.

WE REALLY VIEW THAT THE PROPULSION SYSTEMS ARE PROBABLY PRETTY STABLE.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ONBOARD ENERGY MANAGER THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE, UH, TIME AND OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THAT WAS WONDERFUL.

WHAT CITY I WAS IN, BUT I TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY PRE ALL THIS THAT'S HAPPENING TO US NOW.

MR. ACHE.

DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS? MS. JEAN ? UM, YEAH, SOME QUESTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL, A HUGE THANK YOU.

I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING PRESENTATION OF THE DAY.

OH, THANK YOU.

THIS IS WHERE IT REALLY GETS REAL .

UM, WE CAN SORT OF VISUALIZE WHAT THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL LOOK LIKE.

UM, I WANNA JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS, UM, ASK THAT YOU JUST KEEP WORKING WITH THE CITY TEAM, UM, FOR A, A NUMBER OF REASONS.

AND ONE IS THAT SO THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH CONNECTIVITY AND DATA MM-HMM .

SO THAT WE CAN INTEGRATE THE TECHNOLOGY AND YOUR VEHICLES INTO OUR OWN MOBILITY NETWORK.

AND SO THAT YOUR, UM, TRANSIT VEHICLES OPERATING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY CAN OPERATE SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.

UM, I KNOW THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR PRO PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE.

UM, IT'LL BE REAL IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AUSTIN ENERGY KIND OF BEING, YOU KNOW, PART OF THAT, UM, AS WELL AS THE, THE CITY TEAM.

UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, SO EXCITING.

AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF, UH, LOT, LOT OF INTEREST HERE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN.

CENTRAL TEXAS HASN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

UM, BUT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE JUST, UH, REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB OF PRESENTING ALL OF THIS TODAY.

SO THANK YOU.

YOU WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND LIKE I SAID, WE, WE HAVE BEEN STARTING TO TALK WITH UTILITIES, AUSTIN ENERGY JUST A LITTLE BIT.

YEAH, IT'S BEEN MORE CIVIL, BUT LIKE I SAID, THE SYSTEMS FOLKS, WE'RE STARTING TO INCH OUR WAY IN THERE A LITTLE BIT.

BUT WE, AND WE'LL, UH, DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANYBODY THAT'LL OPEN UP A DOOR FOR US TO GO TALK TO SOMEBODY.

THANK YOU, .

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.

I, I HAVE A COMMENT.

UM, I, I WOULDN'T CALL THIS THE MOST EXCITING INTERVIEW.

I MEAN, PRESENTATION TO, TO THE TRIFECTA TO, TO THE, THE POWERFUL TRIFECTA WHO'S GONNA HELP YOU PROCURE YOUR STUFF, .

UM, BUT IT DEFINITELY WAS AN AFFIRMING, UH, PRESENTATION THAT THIS IS VERY REAL.

UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT MAKES THE PROJECT REAL.

IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, IN, UM, THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS THAT DAVE AND JOHN GAVE US, YOU KNOW, IT MAKES IT REAL.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FUTURE THINKING A LOT.

UM, AS OPPOSED TO JUST THINKING LIKE THE TWO YEARS OUT, THREE YEARS OUT, I DON'T REMEMBER

[02:20:01]

AND IT WAS SO STATE OF THE ART, LIKE ON YOUR CELL PHONE, WHEN'S THE NEXT TRAIN COMING? MM-HMM .

AND, UM, OUR SYSTEMS HERE IN THE STATES, THE BIG ROBUST SYSTEMS LIKE DC AND LIKE, UM, NEW YORK FOR SURE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE OLDER, SO THEY DON'T HAVE THAT BEAUTY OF BEING SO CUTTING EDGE AND GROWING, UM, THE WAY WE WANT TO.

AND IT JUST COMPLIMENTS THE CITY OF AUSTIN OF WHO WE ARE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATED THAT PART.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW A CATENARY WENT, MEANT I HAD TO GOOGLE IT.

SO NOW, NOW, NOW I'M SMART AS YOU ARE.

THAT'S GOOD.

WE APPRECIATE THAT CATEGORY, RIGHT, .

UM, SO NOW I'M AS SMART AS YOU ARE, YOU AND DAVID.

UM, SO I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE FUTURE THINKING, AND I WANNA CONTINUE US TO KEEP AND TO THINK GLOBALLY, YOU KNOW, JUST BE SO TO OPEN OURSELVES UP TO, UM, TRUE CUTTING, CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES HERE IN THE STATES AS WELL AS GLOBALLY.

SO APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION ON THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE NOT THE COLOR PICKER OR YOU'RE NOT THE COLOR PICKER OF THE DESIGN.

I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT WITH US.

SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.

I REALLY APPRECIATED IT.

, I WANTED THAT DISCLAIMER OUT.

I COULD VERY EARLY.

THEY CONSUME DIFFERENT ELECTRICITY,

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING.

I KNOW, UH, TONY, OH YEAH, I'M, I'M PROBABLY THE ONLY GEEK THAT NEW ARY IS.

THAT'S SAD.

NO, I KNEW THAT TOO.

AND IT'S DELICIOUS, RIGHT? LIKE ARY FREE.

WOW.

, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD WORD FOR CROSSWORD, YOU KNOW, TO KNOW THAT NEW YORK TIMES, UM, GREAT, UH, REPORT.

UM, DAVE, I APPRECIATE IT.

JUST A QUESTION ON YOUR KEY ITEM TIMELINE HERE.

ONE ITEM THAT'S NOT IN HERE THAT I'M ASSUMING IS GONNA COME BETWEEN BULLET 0.1 AND BULLET 0.2, IS THE SELECTION OF THE PROCUREMENT METHOD FOR THE ROLLING STOCK.

AND WILL THE ROLLING STOCK BE INTEGRATED WITH THE SYSTEMS OR WILL THEY BE SEPARATE PROCUREMENT? SO I THINK THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

AND AS, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CLARK MENTIONED, THERE'S GONNA BE AN ADVISOR COMING ON BOARD THAT I WILL BE HELPING ABSOLUTELY MAKE THAT DECISION.

I THINK CERTAINLY AS, AS ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS.

YES, SIR.

DO WE SEPARATE IT, COMBINE IT, DO WE, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE PROCURE IT? YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE TRIED TO TRY TO COVER MAYBE LIKE IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS.

NOW WE, AS YOU NOTED, 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT THOSE SERVICES IN PLACE AND ALSO POTENTIAL BUNDLING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

'CAUSE UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHAT DOES A CAR ACQUISITION DO TO POSSIBLY OTHER SYSTEMS AND VICE VERSA.

AND DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF SYSTEM THAT IT MIGHT INTERFACE AND WORK WITH, WE, WE'VE GOTTA BE SENSITIVE TO THAT AS WELL.

SO THAT STRATEGY WILL BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE FOUR LETTERS TO ME, RISK, RIGHT? MM-HMM .

IT ALL SOUNDS LIKE FOUR LETTERS.

RISK AND RISK ISN'T A BAD THING.

IT'S JUST WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND THE RISK THAT WE'RE TAKING ON AND WHAT, WHAT DO WE LAY OFF? AND ALL THAT MAIN THING OF IT FOR US IS IT'S THE AWARENESS.

IT'S THE FACT THIS IS WHAT THESE SYSTEMS DO, THIS IS HOW THEY WORK, AND THIS IS HOW WE NEED THEM TO WORK TO APPLY THEM HERE TO AUSTIN AROUND THIS TECHNOLOGY.

AND I THINK WITH THAT, WORKING WITH OUR TEAMS AND THE WAY THAT WE'RE APPROACHING AND STUFF, WE'LL HELP MINIMIZE THAT RISK, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT.

LUCKILY, LIKE I SAID, MR. COUCH AND JOHN AND THEM, THEY, THEY PUT UP WITH ME QUITE A BIT.

, UH, AROUND, YOU KNOW, PACKAGING, PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER.

YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THIS SYSTEM INTERFACE WITH THAT? AND AGAIN, INTERFACING WITH OTHER REGIONAL MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS AND WHETHER IT'S POWER, UTILITIES OR EVERYTHING ELSE, THAT ALL PLAYS A ROLE AS WELL AS THE DELIVERY METHOD FOR ME AS WELL.

SO WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO THIS ASSESSMENT.

TWO OTHER THINGS I THINK YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO IN TERMS OF, AND THIS IS GETTING TO Q2, WHENEVER WE DO THE PROCUREMENT, IS THE, UM, SUSTAINABILITY, RIGHT? SUSTAINABILITY IS IMPORTANT.

SO YES.

WHAT VEHICLE PROVIDES MORE OR LESS SUSTAINABILITY? THAT SHOULD BE A CRITERIA.

AND THE OTHER ELEMENT, WHICH YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO IS, IS THE O AND M COST, THE WHOLE OF LIFECYCLE COST, RIGHT? YES.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW PROCUREMENTS WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE WHOLE LIFECYCLE COST TO ANALYZE THE CAPITAL COST AS WELL AS THE ONGOING OPERATIONS OF MAINTENANCE.

AND ONE PIECE OF ROLLING STOCK MAY BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ANOTHER, BUT MAY HAVE LOWER LIFECYCLE COSTS.

SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF THAT WE WANNA FACTOR INTO.

YES, SIR.

THAT'LL DEFINITELY BE PART OF OUR PROCESS.

AND LIKE I SAID, FROM THE, OF THE STUDYING OF THIS, WHEN WE GO OUT TO BUY THE VEHICLE, WE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC CALL OUT FOR MAINTENANCE AND A SPECIFIC CALL OUT FOR OPERATIONS.

'CAUSE WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THE MODEL AND STUFF WILL BE.

LIKE I SAID, WE'RE WORKING AT ADVANCE, SO WE'RE JUST DRIVING THIS HOME AND THEN BASICALLY WE'LL SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT.

THAT'S WHERE ALSO THE MODELING FOR US IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE ABOUT UTILITY USAGE OR POWER USAGE AND CONSUMPTION STUFF, A LOT OF TIME THAT'S OVERLOOKED.

IT'S NOT ONLY JUST ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE, BUT AS WE SEE THERE ARE THESE DIFFERENT CAR BUILDERS, DIFFERENT PROPULSION PROVIDERS AND STUFF.

[02:25:01]

YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S GONNA BE A LINE TICKET ITEM THAT WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO, NOT ONLY ON A PAYING PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO LIKE WITH AUSTIN ENERGY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, SOME SUPPLY THE GRID.

SO THERE'LL BE DEFINITELY BE SOME, UH, UH, SOME SPECIFIC ELEMENTS CALLING OUT ON THAT CRITERIA.

TO YOUR POINT.

I APPRECIATE THE, THE OVERVIEW.

AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE DETAILED OVERVIEW BECAUSE I, I LOVE LEARNING AND EVEN THOUGH I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HEAD START FROM KNOWING WHAT THE COTTON AREA IS, UH, WHAT I AM, I'M EXCITED AND I'M REALLY INTRIGUED ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE COTTON AREAS.

THIS WAS PART OF OUR TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THE PHYSICAL, IT, IT, IT'S PHYSICAL, RIGHT? THE ARIES REQUIRE CABLES.

IF WE'RE NOT, IF WE'RE REALLY GOING ARY FREE, THAT MEANS THAT PHYSICAL CLUTTER IN THE STREETS DISAPPEARS, WHICH IS EXCITING.

AND AT SOME TIME MAKES ME EXTREMELY NERVOUS.

UM, EXCITING BECAUSE AGAIN, LESS CLUTTER, LESS THINGS TO MAINTAIN OUT IN THE, IN THE ELEMENTS THAT BREAK DOWN.

IT'S LIKE HAVING, I WOULD GIVE YOU AN ANALOGY OF HAVING, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, I LIVE IN MUELLER, SO ALL OF THE POWER LINES ARE BURIED.

AND WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE STORM, WE BENEFITED A LOT FROM NOT HAVING DOWN POWER LINES.

AND THAT ALSO HELPS US CREATE THAT URBAN FABRIC WITH TREES.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THE REMOVING THE ARIES AND, AND ALLOWING, GIVING US THE FREEDOM TO DO OTHER THINGS.

SO IN THE RISK ANALYSIS, THE ONE, THE PART THAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT ARE WE DOING AS A SAFETY MECHANISM TO INTRODUCE AT THIS NEXT LEVEL, WHAT IF SOMETHING OF THE TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T EVOLVE AS FAST, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO HELP US? I, I WOULD RATHER BE CAUTIOUS IN IF WE, IF WE NEED TO HAVE A BACKUP PLAN.

BECAUSE WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND, AND PLEASE EXPLAIN THIS IF I'M WRONG, BUT WHEN WE'RE IN THE TUNNEL, THAT ALLOW, GIVES US A FLEXIBILITY TO ELECTRIFY, LIKE RECHARGE WHILE WE'RE IN THE TUNNEL, RIGHT? YES.

SO IT'S LIKE, IMAGINE THAT WE HAVE A BUILT-IN CANARY THAT GOES WITHIN THE, THE TUNNEL ITSELF.

WHERE YOU'RE ADDING ALL THIS STUFF AND YOU'RE ADDING ALL THIS EXTRA CLUTTER.

WHEN WE ARE ON THE SURFACE STREET AND WE EMERGE WITH THE TRAINS, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NEED EXTRA POWER, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, SUBSTATIONS AND THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF WHAT THOSE, THOSE ELEMENTS ARE, ARE VERY, VERY PHYSICAL.

THEY'RE LARGE.

SO IF WE'RE TRYING IN OUR PURSUIT FOR DOING SOMETHING SO ELEGANT AND CLEAN AND CUTTING EDGE, WHAT IS OUR RISK IN NOT HAVING THOSE CANARIES? BECAUSE I, WHAT I WAS DISCUSSING WITH MR. COUCH IS THAT AT 30% WE HAVE ALL THIS QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

LIKE, I FEEL LIKE AT 30% ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE RESOLVED.

AND WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN 31% AND A HUNDRED PERCENT IN EXECUTION, WE ALREADY NOT ONLY HAVE THAT DECISION MADE, BUT OUR BUILT AND SUSPENDERS AND OUR RISK ANALYSIS HAS BEEN LOOKED INTO.

SO WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU FEELING? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT THIS AND WHAT MAKES YOU ABSOLUTELY NERVOUS OR NOT NERVOUS OR SET OUR HEARTS? EVERYTHING YOU SAID , .

SO YOU'RE PICKING IT UP VERY WELL.

I MEAN, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE MOVED IN ADVANCE OF THE EARLY 15% DESIGN WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE TO START MODELING THE PROFILE OF THIS RAIL, THE TUNNELS, EVERYTHING ELSE, UNDERSTANDING THE GRADIENT AND STARTED REACHING OUT TO THE INDUSTRY TO SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN EUROPE AND IN ASIA.

THESE LEADERS THAT ARE WORKING THIS, WHAT ARE THEY COMFORTABLE WITH AND WHAT ARE THEY SEEING? I MEAN, WE'VE GOT SOME SIGNIFICANT GRADES AND CHALLENGES.

UH, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S JUST THE TERRAIN.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

UH, AND IT'S JUST WHAT MAKES AUSTIN SPECIAL.

AND, UH, SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, DEFINITELY FOR ME, THE, THE THE POWER ASPECT WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO WORK THAT, UM, AND YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNDERGROUND IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE THAT SAID, WE DON'T NEED ANYTHING UNDERGROUND.

I WAS LIKE, OH NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA STRAND ANYBODY.

AND IT'S A RECOVERY TIME OR OPPORTUNITY.

'CAUSE ABNORMAL OPERATIONS ARE GONNA HAPPEN.

IT COULD BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS PROCEDURALLY WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU RETREAT EQUIPMENT BACK, YOU DO TURN BACKS AND STUFF.

THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE OTHER DISCUSSIONS, BUT IT IS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND IT'S ABOUT TALKING TO THESE FIRMS, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THEIR PROPULSION SYSTEM IS DOING AND HOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH THESE BATTERY PROVIDERS AND WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF THAT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT BATTERIES WILL GET BETTER OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, THEY SEEM TO BE DOING EVERY TWO TO THREE YEARS A MAJOR TURN.

SO THAT'S THE OTHER THING IS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE BUILD A RAIL CAR FROM AN O AND M PERSPECTIVE, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS TO HAVE THIS GREAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT VERY ELEGANT.

EVERYTHING ELSE IS GREAT.

AND WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO POWER IT BECAUSE WE WENT WITH THE WRONG TECHNOLOGY.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE KIND OF STAYING AWAY FROM SUPER CAP BECAUSE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM THE INDUSTRY IS STATION TO STATION TO STATION.

AND THEN THERE'S THIS, ALL THIS UTILITY NEEDS

[02:30:01]

WE JUST SAID, NO, WE'RE GONNA STAY AWAY FROM THAT.

AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE, THIS IS WHERE OUR FOCUS IS AT.

AND I THINK THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE, AGAIN, I CALLED IT OUT, COMMUNICATION BASED TRAIN CONTROL.

IT'S DEFINITELY THE RIGHT SYSTEM TO GO WITH.

IT'S JUST THAT WE'VE GOTTA GET IT, YOU KNOW, BUILT.

IT'S GOTTA BE VERY VIABLE.

AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH THAT, UH, LIKE I SAID, IT'S GONNA OPEN UP A LOT OF DOORS FOR US, UH, AND IT'LL BE WORTH THE EFFORT.

BUT WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE EXCITED AND A LITTLE BIT ON THE EDGE AROUND THIS NATURALLY.

NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED ALSO THE, THE TRAIN CONTROL.

CAN YOU MAYBE FOR ANOTHER MEETING, FOLLOW UP MEETING, UM, LEARNING ABOUT POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, WHAT WE IMP INTRODUCED INTO THE RED LINE MM-HMM .

TO MEET THE NEW FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

AND THE OTHER THING I WOULD ALSO SAY WITH POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, THERE IS THE FFR, FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION AND THOSE REGULATIONS.

SO WITH THOSE REGULATIONS IN PLACE, UH, AND THEN THE TECHNOLOGY THAT IS OUT THERE, IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES AND GUIDELINES.

I THINK CBTC, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AT LEAST AT THIS STAGE OF ITS, IF ITS LIFE GIVES YOU A LOT MORE CONTROL, A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY, WHAT CBT OR WHAT POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL DOES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS AND DECADES, IT'LL FURTHER REFINE, YOU KNOW, IT'LL GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT EVERYTHING ELSE.

BUT CBTC IS THE RIGHT APPLICATION FOR HEARING POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, THE NEWER SYSTEMS THAT THEY'RE WORKING OUT, THE MOST LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND STUFF, THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY, WE KEEP AN EYE ON.

AND COMING OUTTA NEW YORK, WE, WE HAD TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THAT AS WELL ON THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR.

AND I, I DON'T WANNA TAKE UP ALL THE TIME, BUT ONE LAST QUESTION I HAVE, WHEN YOU'RE MENTIONING THE LENGTH OF THE, OF THE CARS AND AS WE EMERGE AGAIN INTO NOT EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE UNDERGROUND AND AS WE'RE BACK INTO THE FABRIC OF THE CITY, THE TURNING RADIUS IN, IN OUR ACQUISITION AND THE CONNECTION WITH REAL ESTATE MM-HMM .

SO I KNOW THAT THE TIGHTER OF VEHICLES ARE, THE MORE MANEUVERABLE THEY CAN BE WITHIN OUR CITY NETWORK MM-HMM .

IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY.

I WOULD SAY AS WE LOOK AT THESE LONGER CARS, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA LOOK AT SHORTER SEGMENTS.

AND BASICALLY IT'LL ALL BE CONNECTED, BUT YOU'RE JUST GONNA HAVE MORE MOVING SEGMENTS IN IT AND IT'LL HELP US WITH OUR TRACKING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

SO WE DON'T EXPAND OUTSIDE OF THE GUIDEWAY OF ALL THINGS.

I'M PROBABLY PRETTY COMFORTABLE FROM A TRACK WORK PERSPECTIVE AS LONG AS THEY MAINTAIN THE CRITERIA THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED TO , YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE IN GOOD SHAPE.

BUT DEFINITELY THAT WHEEL TO RAIL INTERFACE.

OH YEAH, WE'RE AFTER THAT ALL THE TIME.

ALSO, WHEN WE WORKED WITH THE CITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WE TALKED ABOUT THE, THE, THE WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MINIMIZE NOISE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KNOW, THE TRACKING OF THAT AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

IF YOU'RE ON STRAIGHT TANGENT TRACK, AS WE ALL KNOW, STRAIGHT TANGENT, YOU KNOW, JUST PRETTY, THAT CAR WILL BE VERY, VERY QUIET.

BUT WHENEVER YOU START INTRODUCING THIS WHERE IT HAS TO TURN AND MAKE THIS VERY GLIDING CHANGE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STARTING TO GET A METAL ON METAL.

I'VE WORKED AT A LOT OF SYSTEMS WHERE THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND IT, IT, YOU KNOW, THE TECHNOLOGY'S OUT THERE AND, BUT IT, IT'S VERY LIMITED.

YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THAT WHEEL SQUEAL AND THAT.

AND SO THAT'S WHY, AT LEAST ON OUR PART, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WATCHING THAT VERY CLOSELY.

I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING SOME STUFF ON THIS RAIL CAR THAT WILL HELP, THAT HELP US WITH OUR TRACKING.

THERE'S SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF WHEELS AND STUFF.

IT DOESN'T MAKE IT PERFECT, YOU STILL HAVE THE NOISE, BUT THAT INTERFACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THAT RAIL CAR ON THOSE TRACKS SAFELY AND RELIABLY, WE'RE UNCOMPROMISING ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE WITH THE BATTERIES THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE, THIS CAR IS GONNA BE KIND OF TOP HEAVY.

SO WHEN YOU'RE OPERATING THESE THINGS AND THEY MOVE, THERE'S A LOT OF, A LOT OF FORCES AND STUFF.

SO THE BALANCE OF THIS CAR, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY MEASURE FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL TO WHEEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CAR IS SEATING PROPERLY AND NAVIGATES THE SYSTEM.

IT'S GONNA BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US.

RIGHT ONE THAT'S GONNA GIVE US, AS, AS WE CALL IT, FUTURE PROOFING AND, AND, AND ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO GROW AND EVOLVE IN THE TIMES OVER THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

QUESTIONS FROM ANYONE ELSE? YES.

THANK YOU MADAM.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, UH, DAVE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY VALUABLE, UH, UH, PRESENTATION.

UH, I'M, I'M GUESSING THIS IS, UH, NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN'T JUST, UH, PULL OUT A CAN WD 40 AND JUST SLAP IT ON THE WHEELS AND EXPECT YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT OF GRIND.

UM, ALSO SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THAT THIS IS A REALLY BIG CHOICE WE DON'T WANT TO END UP GOING WITH.

UM, DARE I SAY, OH, FOR THE OLD FOGIES IN THE ROOM HERE, CHOOSING A BETA MAX WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE PICKED A VCR OR FOR OTHER FOLKS, UH, PICKING A, UH, AN HD DV, AN H AN HD, UH, AN HDVD PLAYER WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH A, UH, UM, UH, WITH A BLU-RAY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT WE'VE GOTTA PICK THE

[02:35:01]

UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL Y'ALL ARE PUTTING ON THIS.

UM, THE QUESTION I HAVE, AND MAYBE THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE, THE CHICKEN AND EGG THAT Y'ALL ARE, ARE, ARE DANCING DYNAMIC HERE.

UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS RIGHT THOUGH.

UM, HAVE WE ALREADY DECIDED ON WHAT THE, THE SIZE AND, AND THE, THE, I GUESS THE WIDTH OF THE TRACKING IS GOING TO BE? AND THEN YOUR, YOUR TEAM COMES ALONG AND, AND PUTS OUT FORBID THE, UH, THE WHAT THE, THE CARS, WHAT THE VEHICLES ARE GOING TO BE, OR IS, IS THIS STILL A CASE OF, OF WHERE THIS IS THE GIVE AND TAKE AND WE'RE STILL STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, AS YOU ALL TALK TO THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS OUT THERE, FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR AUSTIN AND OUR NEEDS AND THEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE, THE REST OF DAVE'S TEAM TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT BASED ON THAT, WHAT DO WE WANNA LAY IN THAT PARTICULAR SPACE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW IS THIS ALL GONNA COME TOGETHER, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M, I'LL, I'LL ATTEMPT TO ANSWER IN A COUPLE OF SEGMENTS.

SO ONE, I WOULD SAY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA GO AFTER A STANDARD US GAUGE RAILS CONFIGURATION.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEEN, THE COMMENTS FROM DAY ONE IS VERY TYPICAL.

OKAY, THE LAST THING YOU, AND THIS GETS INTO THE OEM, IF WE CREATE A SPECIAL GAUGE, WE WILL BE A ONE-OFF, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER FOLKS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT GAUGES OR WHATEVER.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A VERY PRECISE SYSTEM HERE IN INTERFACE POINT.

SO, YOU KNOW, ON MY PART WHEN IT COMES INTO TRACK WORK, I LIKE TRADITIONAL GAUGE.

I LIKE TO BASICALLY TO WORK WITH THE, THE MANUFACTURER.

'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE TRACK WE GOTTA THINK OF.

THERE'S, THERE'S THE, THE CROSSOVERS, THE SWITCHES, IT'S ALL THESE OTHER INTERFACE POINTS.

THIS, ALL OF THIS TECHNOLOGY'S BEEN BASED AROUND STANDARD GAUGE, STANDARD WHEELS.

IF WE START TWEAKING WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT, YOU INCREASE YOUR RISK.

DEFINITELY .

SO, SO I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, LISTENING TO THE LINE TEAMS AND THE PROJECT AND EVERYTHING ELSE, WHEN I, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TURNING RADIUS, UH, GAUGE OF RAIL AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE VERNACULARS BEEN VERY STABLE FROM DAY ONE.

AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE JUST GO OFF BY OURSELVES.

WE'RE COMING BACK SAYING, ARE YOU REALLY SURE YOU'RE DOING THIS? UH, BECAUSE WE'RE ALSO KIND OF THE NUISANCE OR THE, THE, LIKE I SAID, THE, THE, THE LITTLE, LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER OF THE PROJECT WHERE WE KIND OF COME BACK AND SAY, WELL THIS IS WHAT YOU SAID YOU'RE DOING.

ARE YOU STILL DOING IT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED? YOU KNOW, .

AND THEN WE'LL THEN WE'LL KIND OF GO RUN OFF AND, AND WE'LL KIND OF APPROACH THAT.

SO, UH, HOPEFULLY THAT HELPED KIND OF ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THAT, ON THE INTERFACE.

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS THIS INTERCONNECTIVITY, THERE'S ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL JUST WORKING IN A SILO THAT IS, WILL BE CATASTROPHIC FOR US.

SHAME ON US IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.

NOT THAT WE WON'T MISS SOMETHING, IT WON'T, YOU KNOW, INTENTIONALLY, YOU KNOW, IT JUST DOES US NO GOOD.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE, WHETHER IT'S AROUND TRACK WORK, INTERFACE WITH COMMUNICATIONS, WHOEVER IT, BECAUSE IT IS WHAT IT IS, IT'S GONNA COME OUT SOONER OR LATER.

SO WE MIGHT AS WELL ADDRESS IT ON THE FRONT END THE BEST WE CAN ON THE FRONT END.

THANK YOU DAVE.

BOARD MEMBER CHAT.

ANYBODY ELSE? I ALSO LIKE THAT YOU EMPHASIZE SAFETY.

UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT EARLIER TOO.

HANDS DOWN.

I MEAN, THAT GOES AND SAY IT.

I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.

DO YOU EVER RIDE ON THE TRAIN OR RELAX BECAUSE MUST THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE TRAIN AND RELAX.

THE WORLD IN A LOT OF THIS STUFF.

AND RELAX.

'CAUSE YOU MUST BE THINKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AROUND YOU.

NO, NOT A LOT.

I DIDN'T THINK SO.

I DO, I DO OBSERVE A LOT THOUGH.

UM, DAVE, I'M JUST GLAD TO SEE YOUR, YOUR TIMELINE HERE.

UM, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME PROBLEMS WITH, UH, VEHICLE DELIVERY DUE TO COVID AND IMPACTS TO THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.

SO, UM, UH, HAPPY TO SEE THAT HERE.

AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR, YOUR COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH THE CITY ON ALL OF THIS.

[VI. Executive Director Report]

NOT LEAST, YOUR TURN.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

WELL, I PROMISE YOU ALL THAT EVERYONE WILL KNOW ARY AND EVERY OTHER TRANSIT GEEK TERM BEFORE THIS IS OVER.

UH, AND PEOPLE LIKE DAVE AND MYSELF AND JOHN AND DAVE, UH, YEAH, RELAXING ON A TRAIN IS ENJOYING, UH, LEARNING ABOUT OTHER THINGS AND WHATNOT.

AND, UH, THAT'S WHAT MAKES OUR INDUSTRY SPECIAL.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WITH THIS BOARD IS AT THE RIGHT APPROPRIATE TIME AND KNOCK ON WOOD CO WILL, UH, GET A LITTLE SAFER, IS IT IS BEYOND CRITICAL THAT WE GO TO OTHER PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY IN THIS WORLD TO NOT ONLY SEE AMAZING URBAN DESIGN, BUT SOME OF THESE SYSTEMS. AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE BEEN WORKING AND LUCKILY WITH MY PREVIOUS JOB AT APTA, I I, I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO BE AROUND

[02:40:01]

SO WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THE GROUNDWORK ON THINKING ABOUT, UM, KIND OF LESSON LEARNED AND SAY VISIT TRIPS AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GO TO PLACES LIKE TORONTO.

TORONTO HAS THE LARGEST TRANSIT PROGRAM IN, IN THE, IN NORTH AMERICA, GOING ON AND DOING INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE THINGS ON ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY METHODOLOGY AND SOME AUTOMATED SYSTEMS. UH, FRANCE HAS SOME AMAZING STUFF THEY'RE DOING ON ARY FREE AND DIFFERENT PROPULSION THINGS.

UH, SINGAPORE ARGUABLY IS MAYBE THE LEADER IN THE WORLD ON, ON SOME OF THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

AND IN A LOT OF WAYS, A LITTLE BIT LIKE AUSTIN, UH, THIS KIND OF TECH CITY STATE, UH, IN SOME WAY, MARY, I SAY CITY, STATE.

UM, BUT UH, SO WE WANT TO LEARN FROM THE BEST AND IT'S OKAY THAT THINGS WENT WRONG.

'CAUSE THAT'S LEARNING AS MUCH AS SEEING THE THINGS THAT WENT RIGHT BECAUSE, UM, SO, UH, OUR INDUSTRY IS INCREDIBLY BASED ON SHARING.

WE DON'T COMPETE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY OR SOMETHING COMPETING.

SO, UH, I HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL ANY CEO IN THE INDUSTRY AND THEY'LL BE LIKE, PLEASE COME ON OVER AND SEE THIS STUFF.

AND UM, AND I HOPE THAT YOU'LL SEE WITH THIS TEAM, THE EXPERTISE THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER WITH THIS TEAM IS JUST BEYOND FANTASTIC.

AND WE HAVE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, DAYS WORKED THAT A LOT OF PLACES.

DAVE, DAVE COUCH WORKED A LOT OF PLACES.

VICKI AND DALLAS, ON AND ON AND ON.

SO OUR NETWORKS INTO THE, UH, LARGER TRANSIT INDUSTRY ARE GONNA BE THERE.

UM, I WILL CAUTION ONE THING FOR THE, FOR THE BOARD, WHICH IS THE SAME THING I'M GONNA CONTINUE TO DO WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERS.

IT'S JUST CRAWL, WALK, RUN.

SO I CAN TELL YOUR ENERGY ABOUT THESE TOPICS AND I LOVE THAT.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS KNOW ME WELL ENOUGH THAT'S, THAT'S ME.

UM, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GROUND OURSELVES INTO SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE DECISIONS THAT ARE GONNA TAKE SIX MONTHS FROM NOW, A YEAR FROM NOW, TWO YEARS FROM NOW.

AND IT'S A VERY DELIBERATE PROCESS.

SO DAVE DID A GREAT JOB COMING FOR HIS FIRST TIME.

WE PROMISE YOU THAT ANY PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU WILL NEED IN YOUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS, WE WILL GET TO.

BUT THAT MIGHT BE DAVID'S HERE FIVE TIMES OVER THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS, 12 MONTHS BEFORE WE GET TO SOMETHING.

BUT, BUT I WANNA REASSURE EVERYONE, INCLUDING, I KNOW A LOT OF VENDORS WATCH OUR MEETING, WE DO NOT HAVE DECISIONS MADE.

UH, WE OBVIOUSLY GONNA DO STANDARD TRACK GAUGE STUFF 'CAUSE THAT'S BASIC GEOMETRY STUFF, BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF VEHICLE, THE LENGTH OF A VEHICLE, UM, ARY, NON-CAT AREA, UH, HOW FAR A TUNNEL IS.

THIS IS THE PROCESS OF DESIGN AND WE'RE LOOKING TO LEARN TECHNICAL DETAILS, BUSINESS APPLICATION, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, AND THEN DO AS, AS BOARD MEMBER ELKIN SAID, THE RISK ANALYSIS TO SAY WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DELIVER THIS.

SO, UH, A COUPLE THINGS DAVE HIGHLIGHT HERE.

THAT THOUGH THE, ONE OF THE ONES I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOUGH IS THIS A HUNDRED PERCENT LOW FLOOR.

ONE OF THE PARAMOUNT VALUES I THINK THAT WE DO IN THIS PROGRAM IS WORK EVERYTHING WE CAN TO THE CONCEPT OF UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY.

A DA IS A FEDERAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK THAT'S NOT UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY.

SO WE ARE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN THAT IF THE PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS THE MOST VULNERABLE AND HAS THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME USING A SYSTEM CAN USE IT WELL, IT'S GREAT FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THIS COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD.

AND THAT THAT WILL BE ON THINGS LIKE COLORS, SYMBOLS, LABELS, GRADES, COMMUNICATIONS, EQUIPMENT, YOU NAME IT.

SO THAT IS A FOUNDATIONAL BELIEF.

AT SOME POINT WE'LL HAVE, UH, MARTIN FROM CAB METRO WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, A SYSTEMWIDE ACCESSIBILITY COME AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MEET HIM AND HOW HE'S PART OF THIS DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS AND HE WORKS WITH, UM, UH, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITY COMMUNITY INSIDE OF AUSTIN TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.

SO I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT.

SO WITH THAT CHAIR, I KNOW IT'S ALL ON ME.

I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT TWO QUICK THINGS.

UH, ONLY, UH, ONE IS THIS HERE.

UH, HOPEFULLY Y'ALL GET AN EMAIL IF YOU'RE ABLE TO MAKE IT GREAT.

IT'S NOT A PUBLIC MEETING, SO DON'T FEEL, UM, UH, OBLIGATED TO MAKE IT.

THERE'S NO SPEECHES AND WHATNOT.

BUT WE WANT TO DO, UH, A MEET THE TEAM EVENT AT OUR NEW OFFICE SPACE.

NOW, THIS OFFICE SPACE IS NOT BUILT OUT YET.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF THAT.

IT'S, UH, 2 0 3 COLORADO.

THIS IS THE LEASE THAT YOU ALL AT THE BOARD, UH, UH, PRUDENT.

WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, GREG, ALEX, AND THE TEAM ARE WORKING REALLY RAPIDLY TO GET THIS SPACE UP AND RUNNING.

EVENTUALLY, THIS WILL HOUSE NOT ONLY A TP STAFF, BUT ANY CAPITAL METRO OR CITY AUSTIN STAFF THAT ARE WORKING IN THE PROGRAM.

SO, LIKE, AS GOOD EXAMPLE IS GINA MENTIONED ANIQUE BODE AND HER TEAM, UH, BUT ALL OF OUR CONSULTANT TEAM AS WELL.

SO, PRETTY BIG PROGRAM SPACE.

THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE IN A LOT OF PARTS OF THE, OF THE, UH, COUNTRY OR THE WORLD.

YOU CREATE A PROGRAM OFFICE, IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION AND WORKING TOGETHER FOR EFFICIENCY AND UH, UH, AND DESIGN.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS SPACE IS GONNA BE.

ONE THING THAT'S UNIQUE HERE IS IT HAS A PARKING LOT OUT FRONT, AND WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT FOR ACTIVATION.

SO WE'RE GONNA ACTIVATE FOR THIS, MEET THE TEAM.

PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY, OH, THERE'S THE ORANGE LINE TABLE.

GO MEET SOME PEOPLE.

THERE'S THE BLUE LINE TABLE, THERE'S A NICKS TEAM.

THEY'RE HELPING OUT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN PIECE, YOU KNOW, OVER HERE IT'S THE SYSTEM SIDE.

UH, GET TO KNOW PEOPLE.

UH, BUT OVER TIME WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THAT SPACE TO SHOW THINGS LIKE ELECTRIC BUSES OR MAYBE TRAIN MOCKUPS THAT WE GET DELIVERED, OR, UH, SOME DESIGN CHARETTE THINGS OR YOU NAME IT.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT SPACE.

UH, THE NEXT THING I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT JUST QUICKLY IS TRACKING THE FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

[02:45:01]

INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

SO, UH, BASED ON A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR AND, AND OTHER MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THIS DAIS WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD ON A REFERENDUM THAT THE COMMUNITY SAID, HERE'S THE LOCAL PIECE.

NOW WE HAVE TO GO DO SIMILAR TYPE OF WORK, OBVIOUSLY NOT REFERENDUM STYLE TO GET OUR FEDERAL PARTNER PIECE.

IT'S TECHNICALLY DRIVEN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE, IT'S DC SO THERE'S OBVIOUSLY POLITICAL ASPECTS AND, AND THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH THAT POLITICAL PROCESS.

IN DC RIGHT NOW, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS WATCH 10 MINUTES OF C NNN OR M-S-N-B-C OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, MAYBE YOU SHOULD DO THAT, ACTUALLY.

UH, IT'S PROBABLY NOT HEALTHY.

BUT, UH, YOU'LL QUICKLY UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS ARE COMPLICATED IN DC AND WHILE THE SENATE DID PASS THE, UH, AUTHOR AUTHORIZATION FOR, FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, IT HAS NOT BEEN DONE SO IN THE HOUSE YET.

THE HOUSE IS ALSO TRYING TO SAY RECONCILIATION MUST COME BEFORE THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

OTHERS ARE SAYING NO, THERE'S A DEADLINE COMING UP ACTUALLY VERY SOON WITH A COMMITMENT TO THAT, THAT VOTE, UM, IN THE RECONCILIATION PROCESS.

IT COULD BE MAJORITY IN THE SENATE WITHOUT BASICALLY A SINGLE PARTY.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THE HOUSE IS TRYING TO DO, SPECIFICALLY THE T AND I COMMITTEE, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE, UNDER CHAIR DEFAZIO, THEY'VE, UH, PUT IN 10 BILLION ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN THE RECONCILIATION FOR TRANSIT.

IT'S PLUS SOME HIGH SPEED, UH, RAIL MONEY AND WHATNOT.

SO WE'RE NOT SURE HOW THIS STICKS AT THE END OF THE DAY.

OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF, A LOT OF POLITICS WILL BE PLAYED OUT.

UH, ALL LEADING TO THE IDEA THAT EITHER WE HAVE A BIG INFRASTRUCTURE BILL OR POTENTIALLY EVEN A BIGGER INFRASTRUCTURE ASPECT FOR, FOR TRANSIT.

UM, WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART I WANNA REALLY HIGHLIGHT ABOUT THIS THOUGH, IS OUR POSITIONING FOR THIS FUNDING.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, AND BOARD MEMBER KINS, I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.

WE ARE ONE OF THE BEST POSITIONED AGENCIES AND CITIES FOR THIS INFRASTRUCTURE MONEY.

UM, FOR THE, FOR THE LARGE CAPITAL GRANTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF DISCRETIONARY GRANTS THAT A LOT OF CITIES ARE GONNA HAVE THESE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I SAY SMALL, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE 10 MILLION TO WHATEVER MILLION TYPE PROJECT, THERE'S GONNA BE, A LOT OF EVERY CITY'S GONNA BE GOING AFTER THOSE.

BUT I'M TALKING THE MEGA PROJECTS.

'CAUSE YOU REALLY NEED A COUPLE THINGS LINED UP TO GET THE MEGA PROJECT MONEY.

ONE, YOU NEED A PROGRAM OR PROJECT THAT HAS BEEN DE DEFINED, RIGHT? SO LIKE IN OUR WORLD, YOU HAVE TO HAVE GONE THROUGH LIKE AN LPA PROCESS, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE GO, OH, THAT'S A PROJECT AND YOU'VE, THE BOARD'S APPROVED AN NOW A LOCAL PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S TANGIBLE.

NUMBER TWO, YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY A LOCAL FUNDING SOURCE AS A MATCH.

YOU CAN'T JUST SAY, I HAVE AN IDEA.

WILL YOU GIVE US BILLIONS OF DOLLARS? UH, THOSE DAYS ARE KIND OF NON-EXISTENT ANYMORE, LEGALLY.

THREE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ADVANCED NEPA PROCESS, RIGHT? SO YOU GOTTA HAVE A PROJECT, YOU GOTTA SHOW YOU GOT THE LOCAL MONEY, THEN YOU GOTTA HAVE NEPA.

THIS BILL, IF IT'S PASSED, IS A FIVE YEAR EXPENDITURE BILL.

NOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME WAYS THAT THEY APPROPRIATE THE MONEY AND IT'S SPREAD OVER FIVE YEARS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA BE ALIGNED WHERE THEY HAVE SOMETHING IDENTIFIED.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS IDENTIFIED.

'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS EMPHASIZE THE WORD PROGRAM AND YOU AND YOU ALL WILL KNOW THAT I SAY IT ALL THE TIME.

IT'S NOT A PROJECT, IT'S A PROGRAM.

AND EACH ONE HAS INDEPENDENT FUNDING SOURCES.

SO WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM IDENTIFIED.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE LOCAL FUNDING COMMITMENT BETWEEN CAP METRO'S, LONG RANGE MONEY, AND THE PROP A FROM THE CITY.

AND NOW WE'RE REALLY ADVANCED IN THE NEPA PROCESS.

BOTH ALREADY GOT APPROVALS ON THE RAPIDS PROJECTS AND THE RED LINE.

AND WE'RE DEEP INTO THE PROCESS ON ORANGE AND BLUE, UH, FOR WHERE WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY.

SO THOSE THINGS LINE UP REALLY WELL.

THOSE AREN'T GUARANTEES THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THIS AMOUNT VERSUS THIS AMOUNT OR THIS TIMELINE VERSUS THIS TIMELINE.

BUT EVERY DAY WE WORK WITH PURPOSE IS BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO ELIMINATE RISK ON THE FEDERAL SIDE TO GET THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF MONEY BACK HERE, AUSTIN AND CENTRAL TEXAS, VERSUS OTHER CITIES AND OTHER AGENCIES THAT WILL BE GOING FOR THAT MONEY.

SO THAT IS WHY I JUST ALWAYS WANNA THANK THIS TEAM.

'CAUSE THIS TEAM IS WORKING UNDER THE RISK THRESHOLD OF HOW DO WE GET THE MOST OUT OF DC 'CAUSE THAT ULTIMATELY BUYS US THE BEST PROGRAM HERE LOCALLY.

SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE ALL AMAZING, BUT THEY ALL COST MONEY.

AND THE MORE MONEY WE CAN BRING INTO THE COFFERS FROM FEDS MEAN, AND, AND, AND TIMING ON THAT MEANS US AS A TEAM, AND I MEAN TEAM, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY CAN DELIVER THE GREATEST THING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

SO THAT IS THAT PUR, I I DON'T WANNA SAY RUSHED 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT RUSHED AT ALL THE SENSE OF PURPOSE EVERY DAY THAT WE ARE ELIMINATING RISK AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET THE MOST BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO LAST THING ON THAT I WANTED TO JUST QUICKLY MENTION, UH, WOMAN IN THE GREEN AT THE BACK IS ERICA MAZA.

ERICA JUST JOINED OUR TEAM.

SHE IS OUR NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF, UH, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

UH, ERICA, A LONG CAREER IN TRANSIT.

SHE WAS ACTUALLY A CEO AT A PROPERTY IN ARIZONA FOR A WHILE.

WORKED AT, UH, UH, WHAT WE CALL SERVICE PROVIDER.

SO A CONTRACT OPERATOR.

SHE ACTUALLY AT APTA IS THE CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.

[02:50:01]

SO SHE UNDERSTANDS THE FEDERAL SAUSAGE MAKING REALLY WELL.

WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR YEARS, AND SHE'S A GREAT ADD TO THE TEAM.

SO SHE, SHE WILL NOW COORDINATE, UH, ALL OF OUR LOCAL AND STATE, BUT OBVIOUSLY MASSIVE CONCENTRATION ON OUR FEDERAL, UH, MULTI-YEAR STRATEGY.

SO WE CAN GO AFTER EVERY SINGLE DISCRETIONARY GRANT PLUS THE LARGE GRANTS, UH, TO COME BACK, LIKE I SAID, FOR THE RUNNING.

SO ANYWAY, THAT'S ERICA.

I'M SURE YOU'LL GET TO MEET HER AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

BUT, UH, CHAIR WITH THAT, UM, THAT IS THE EXECUTIVE UPDATE.

AND, UH, I REALLY JUST APPRECIATE HOW MUCH THE BOARD IS COMMITTING TIME TO THIS EXCITING PROGRAM.

THANK YOU, UH, MR. CLARK AND WELCOME ERICA TO THE TEAM.

UH, WITH THAT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? FURTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION OR THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO INCLUDE? YES, UH, THANKS MADAM CHAIR.

I, I JUST HAVE ONE AS, AS I WAS LISTENING TO TODAY'S PRESENTATION, AND I'M GONNA STAY WITH EXECUTIVE, UH, DIRECTOR CLARK'S, UH, CRAWL, UH, WALK RUN ANALOGY.

SOMETHING I THINK WE COULD THINK ABOUT FOR THE FUTURE AS A POLICY, AND I'M NOT A FAN OF CREATING POLICIES FOR THE SAKE OF CREATING POLICIES, IS, IS AN ESG POLICY.

SO ESG, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND GOVERNANCE IS A TOPIC THAT'S GETTING A LOT OF, UH, FOCUS RIGHT NOW.

UM, PARTICULARLY FROM INVESTORS, BUT STARTING TO GET TRACTION WITH, UM, VARIOUS TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD.

AND I THINK AS A FORWARD THINKING AGENCY, A TP, IT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT CREATING A POLICY FOR SUSTAINABILITY, GOVERNANCE, THINGS LIKE, UM, MODERN SLAVERY, HUMAN RIGHTS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

SO THAT WE HAVE THAT POLICY BEFORE WE START DOING MAJOR PROCUREMENTS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE CAN EVALUATE THAT AND, AND MEASURE, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE WE BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE PROGRAM? I THINK WE ARE, BUT HOW ARE WE GONNA MEASURE THAT, YOU KNOW? YEAH.

BOARD MEMBER AS USUAL.

GREAT.

GREAT COMMENT.

SO, UH, PETER MULLIN IS WORKING, UH, REALLY CLOSELY WITH THE CAP METRO, UH, PLANNING, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL TEAM.

SO AT CAP METRO WE HAVE A, A CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, UH, ROB RUKI.

AND, UH, BETWEEN HIM AND PETER AND, UH, SHEEL MCCARTY WHO IS OUR, UH, EVP OF PLANNING, THEY'RE HIRING ANOTHER PERSON SPECIFICALLY AT SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS AT CAP METRO.

WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED A CAPITAL SUSTAINABILITY FUND.

AND THE BOARD, UH, IS, IS IS MOVING THAT PART FORWARD.

BUT SECONDARILY, THEY ARE ALL WORKING TO CREATE, UH, A NEW FRAMEWORK OF A SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM.

SO NOT JUST THE LITTLE PIECES, THE WHOLE THING.

AND THAT WILL HELP GUIDE THE IDEAS TO BRING THAT BACK TO BOTH CABINET, METRO AND A TP TO GUIDE THE WHOLE PROGRAM GOING FORWARD.

AND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ATP IS NOT A TRANSIT AGENCY.

'CAUSE WE'RE, THIS BOARD IS A TRANSIT BUILDER AND IT HAS TO WORK IN HOW THEN CAP METRO WOULD OPERATE THOSE SERVICES.

SO THAT'S WHY THAT PROGRAM HAS TO BE HAND IN GLOVE BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S HOW ARE WE BEING SUSTAINABLE TO BUILD, HOW ARE WE BEING SUSTAINABLE TO OPERATE? AND SO THEY ARE ALREADY STARTING TO WORK ON THAT AND THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE BRINGING BACK TO THE BOARD.

SO LET US WORK TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT TIME TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, THAT, THAT TOPIC FAR FROM BEING DONE BY ANY MEANS.

WE'RE, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE A LOT OF FIRST INNING BASEBALL FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM HERE.

UH, DAVE'S IN LIKE ANY THREE AND A COUPLE THINGS, BUT I THINK IT'D BE IMPORTANT FOR PETER AND THE TEAM TO COME AND GIVE YOU THAT CONCEPT AND HEAR THE BOARD'S FEEDBACK ON THAT.

WE, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO KIND OF BESPOKE IT TO A TP AND NOT JUST TAKE SOMETHING OFF THE SHELF OR IF, IF THERE'S CERTAIN PROCUREMENTS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE EMPHASIZE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE SG FOR SURE.

I THINK THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO ACTUALLY ESTABLISH SUSTAINABILITY GOALS MM-HMM .

IN THE CONTRACTS.

SO, AND THAT DON'T HAVE TO BE BALANCED IN THE RISK ANALYSIS 'CAUSE WITH MONEY, RIGHT? RIGHT.

BUT YOU MIGHT WANT PAY MORE ON CAPITAL TO HAVE LESS O AND M LATER.

ALWAYS WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY US AS A COMMUNITY, WE OWN IT.

SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THING IS HOW MUCH CARBON DO WE WANT TO CAPTURE DURING CONSTRUCTION? MM-HMM.

WHAT KIND OF MATERIALS DO WE WANT TO USE? RECYCLED, UM, TIRES AND A LOT OF COMPONENTS.

DO WE WANNA, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CONCEPTS OF CANOPY, THE ENTIRE RAIL YARD FOR BOTH, NOT ONLY SOLAR, BUT COULD WE CAPTURE WATER, USE THAT WATER RESERVOIR, USE THAT FOR OUR TRAIN AND BUS WASHES AND MANAGE WATER THAT.

SO THERE'S ALL THESE THINGS AND WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING HAND IN GLOVE.

WE WANT, WE WANT THE CITY TO BE A MAJOR PART OF THAT PROCESS.

THAT'S WATERSHED AND OTHERS LIKE THAT.

UH, AE IS GONNA BE A BIG COMPONENT AS WELL.

I THINK, UM, THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT, , BUT THANK YOU, UH, BOARD MEMBER ELKINS.

UM, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FULL SPECTRUM OF HOW WE PROCURE AND SUSTAIN AND MAINTAIN THAT'S GONNA BE OUR BIGGEST EXPENDITURE, THE LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE OF THIS.

AND I THINK THAT, UM, THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT WE'RE LIKE, OUR DIET IS A REALLY TINY, TINY, MINUSCULE EXAMPLE OF THINKING AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY.

THE GLASS OUT HERE, IT'S USED TO BE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER, RIGHT? YEAH.

IT DIDN'T GO INTO THE LANDFILL.

AND SO I THINK THAT WE

[02:55:01]

WE LOVE IT.

WE'RE DIVERTING WAYS FROM THE LANDFILL AND WE ARE MAKING THIS SUCCESSFUL FOR OUR GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRAND BABIES.

SO, UM, THANK YOU EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING AND WITH THIS I'D LIKE TO CALL THIS FEEDING, UM, ADJOURNED THE MEETING AND THE TIME IS 5 0 3.