Sep 27, 2022 VIA / ATD Board of Trustees Meeting

TO ADDRESS CITIZENS TO BE HURT.

UH, THE NEXT WE WILL GO

[4. Citizens to be Heard]

HAVE WE ANY CITIZENS TO THAT ARE REGISTERED TO SPEAK? WE DO.

MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CITIZENS, UH, THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

OUR FIRST, UH, PERSON SIGNED UP TO TO SPEAK IS A MAO SOTO, GOOD EVENING BOARD OF TRUSTEES, MR. ART AND MY A SISTERS AND BR.

UH, IF WE HAVE A CITIZEN TO BE HEARD, I NEED TO READ THIS STATEMENT.

WE NOW COME TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.

THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BEAR COUNTY AREA.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND CONTROL THAT MAY ARISE DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT AND CEO AND ARE HIS STAFF.

THIS PROCESS ASSURES YOU THAT YOU WILL RECEIVE THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN.

THANK YOU, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING.

[00:20:02]

MY NAME IS AMAL SOTO.

I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF A LOCAL 6 94, AN EMPLOYEE AT VF FOR 34 YEARS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE HOURLY EMPLOYEES.

IN THOSE 34 YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE BEST OF TIMES AND I'VE SEEN THE WORST OF TIMES.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE WORST OF TIMES.

CURRENTLY, INFLATION IS AT ALL TIME HIGH OF 9.1%.

THE US ECONOMY HAS NOT SEEN THAT IN OVER 40 YEARS.

THE COST OF HOUSING IS GOING UP, THE COST OF BASIC GOODS CONTINUES TO GO UP.

WE HAVE FOUND OUT RECENTLY THAT OUR HEALTHCARE AT VIA WILL ALSO BE GOING UP.

FRANKLY, EVERYTHING IS GOING UP, BUT OUR WAGES 34 YEARS AGO VIA USED TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

IT WAS A VERY HARD, IT WAS VERY HARD TO GET A JOB HERE.

NOW, VIA IS HAVING A HARD TIME HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES AND KEEPING THEM, THEY LOSE THEM TO OTHER COMPANIES BECAUSE OUR WAGES ARE NOT COMPETITIVE ENOUGH.

AS FAR AS CURRENT EMPLOYEES, WE SHOULD BE OFFERING RETENTION BONUSES FOR THEIR FAITHFUL SERVICES.

WE SHOULD NOT BE COMPARED TO ANY OTHER TRANSIT.

WE SHOULD BE THE ONE SETTING THE BAR ACROSS THE NATION IN OUR INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING TRANSIT.

EMPLOYERS ARE MAKING CONSTANT LIVING ADJUSTMENTS DUE TO THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP OUR COUNTRY IS SUFFERING.

I JUST WANNA ASK THE QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR OUR EMPLOYEES? WE HAVE BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH MANAGEMENT OR MEET AND CONFER SINCE AUGUST 1ST, AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE CEO.

HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT WE MUST GIVE UP CONCESSIONS THAT WE HAVE EARNED AND FOUGHT HARD FOR ALL THESE YEARS SO THAT THE COMPANY CAN GIVE US A FAIR WAGE INCREASE.

THIS IS NOT FAIR.

WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO GIVE ANYTHING UP.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMPANY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US.

THIS SHOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMPANY TO SHOW GOOD FAITH BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

PLEASE TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO BE A MANAGEMENT TO WORK WITH US SO WE CAN MAKE VIA A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.

AGAIN.

AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH SEVERAL MEETING CONFERS NEVER THAT THAT WAS, I GONNA SAY IT, I'M SORRY, BUT I'M ABOUT TO SAY.

WE HAVE JUAN AMIAH SIGNED UP.

NEXT .

GOOD EVENING BEBO.

TRUSTEES.

MY NAME IS GU AMAYA, I'M THE UNION PRESIDENT.

THANK YOU BROTHER SOTO FOR YOUR WORDS OF KINDNESS.

I'M SORRY FOR ABOUT TO SAY, BUT I HAVE TWO CONCERNS TO ADDRESS RIGHT NOW.

ONE OF 'EM, BASICALLY MR. SOTO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE SPOT, BUT I HAVE ONE CONCERN.

MY CONCERN IS THE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.

AS Y'ALL KNOW, INFLATION IS HIGH, BUT I DON'T THINK ANY EMPLOYEE HERE AT VIA SHOULD BE ABSORBING THE COST OF IT.

I THINK THE AGENCY NEEDS TO TAKE PART OF IT AND ABSORB A HUNDRED PERCENT WHATEVER THE INFLATION IS GO GONNA BE ON OUR HEALTH INSURANCE.

WE'RE ALREADY SUFFER.

THAT'S MY FIRST CONCERN.

SECOND CONCERN, IT'S ON MEETING CONFER.

WE HAVE BEEN ADDRESSING SEVERAL ISSUES WE HAVE DONE AND GIVE SEVERAL PROPOSALS.

ONE OF THE PROPOSALS, WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST.

WE'VE BEEN ACTING IN GOOD FAITH, BUT OBVIOUSLY MANAGEMENT IS NOT.

HOW, HOW CAN SOMEONE NEVER IN MY HISTORY WORKING HERE, AND I'VE BEEN HERE 24 YEARS, NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF DOING MEETING CONFIRM MEETINGS.

HAS ANYBODY OFFER A DOLLAR AMOUNT? WE ALWAYS GO BY PERCENTAGES.

NEVER.

[00:25:01]

BUT TO ME, TO OFFER A DEPARTMENT A WAGE INCREASE AND DISREGARD THE OTHER TWO DEPARTMENTS, IT'S UNFAIR.

EVERY TIME WE GO TO WORK TO MEET AND CONFIRM MEETINGS, WHATEVER THE WAGE INCREASE IS GONNA BE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT'S GONNA BE FOR EVERY TIME.

BUT FOR SOMEBODY TO OFFER AN AMOUNT TO JUST ONE DEPARTMENT AND NOTHING TO THE OTHER TWO, WHAT ARE WE SAYING? THAT IS A BUSTING UNION TACTIC.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

I HOPE, YOU KNOW, CHAIRPERSON ON THE BOARD, YOU SAID YOU APPRECIATE WHAT WE DO HERE EVERY DAY WHEN WE COME TO WORK, EXPOSE OURSELVES, EXPOSE OUR FAMILIES, WE WORK THROUGH COVID.

WE WERE HERE DAY IN, DAY OUT.

YOU REALLY APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE THE EMPLOYEES.

SHOW US, SHOW US HOW, HOW MUCH YOU APPRECIATE US.

LET'S DO THIS FAIRLY, LET'S DO THIS MEETING.

COMPARE FAIRLY THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING.

OUR NEXT CITIZEN I HAVE HERE AS MOLLY, DON'T HAVE A LAST NAME, BUT MOLLY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

THERE WE GO.

UH, BEFORE I SPEAK, CAN I PASS THIS TO YOU, MR. ART? IT'S JUST, UH, UM, INFORMATION IN CASE YOU DON'T HAVE HIS NUMBER AND AN EMAIL.

I CAN TAKE IT.

CAN I TAKE APPRECIATE? OKAY.

UM, WE ARE, OH, SORRY.

WE ARE LIVING IN A POST COVID ERA WHERE PEOPLE HAVE NOT RECOVERED FINANCIALLY AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN HALTED THROUGH MANY SOURCES DESPITE A RECENTLY PASSED HOUSING BOND.

I WORK FOR A LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCY AND I INTERVIEW ABOUT 20 TO 40 PEOPLE A WEEK LOSING THEIR EVICTION HEARINGS, CATCHING JUDGEMENTS IN FAVOR OF LANDLORDS, RESULTING IN THE TENANTS IN LOSS OF THEIR HOMES.

EVICTIONS ON AVERAGE IS ABOUT A HUNDRED.

AND JUST AS THE PEACE COURTS ALL FOUR, YOU VIA HOLD, THE LARGEST RESOLVE FOR PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO REGISTER.

THESE ARE WORKING PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO REGISTER IN WHAT'S CALLED THE HM I S HOMELESS SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY EITHER KNOW OR THEY HEARD OF THE NIGHTMARES OF LOCAL HOUSING SHELTERS.

THEY PLACE THEMSELVES DEEPER AND DEEPER VULNERABILITIES THAT COME WITH LIVING ON THE STREETS.

BEFORE I CONTINUE, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU, JEFFREY, AREN'T THANK YOU, JEFF, AREN'T FOR THE INITIAL TALKS THAT YOU HAD WITH THEN COUNCILMAN ROBERTA TRUO ABOUT A PLAN TO SELL SAN ANTONIO TWO UNUSED FLEET BUSES FOR A DOLLAR EACH, WHICH ARE NEEDED TO PROVIDE HOMELESS SERVICES FOR MEDICAL, TO SHOWERS, TO COOLING, WARMING SHELTERS.

I'M SORRY THAT Y'ALL EXPERIENCED A MAJOR OBSTACLE FROM PURSUING THAT.

UM, BUT I JUST HANDED OVER A NAME AND PHONE NUMBER FOR MR. TRAVINO BECAUSE THERE IS A GENTLEMAN, A BUSINESS OWNER WITH DABIES CRUISING KITCHENS.

HE'S FORMERLY HOMELESS AND HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PLAN BECOME REALITY.

SO PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO RESURRECT THE TALKS WITH NOW COMMUNITY ADVOCATE, ROBERTO TRAVINO AGAIN TOO, JUST TO ONCE AGAIN TO TRY TO SELL THE IDEA.

I ALSO URGE YOU TO OPEN UP YOUR PARKING RIGHTS.

THEY ARE WELL LIT, WELL SECURED, AND VERY NEEDED TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO OVERNIGHT.

I UNDERSTAND YOU ACQUIRED ADDITIONAL PARKING RIGHTS AS WELL RECENTLY.

HAVEN FOR HOPE HAS RESPONDED TO MY CALL AS THEY ARE NOW ASSISTING EVICTED RENTERS, UM, BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO DAILY HOT SHOWERS AND RESTROOMS. AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE AT HAVEN FOR HOPE.

AND I URGE YOU VIA, TO CONTINUE THIS ACT OF KINDNESS, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS PACKAGE OF, OF COMPASSION AND EFFORT BY PROVIDING A PLACE FOR THESE EVICTED RENTERS TO PARK OVERNIGHT SO THEY CAN SLEEP BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO TO WORK THE NEXT DAY.

I, AND, UM, SO 11 SECONDS, I JUST BEG ALL OF YOU VIA, JUST PLEASE

[00:30:01]

OPEN UP YOUR PARK AND RIDES.

I KNOW YOU HAVE SIX OF THEM ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND IT, YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

NEXT WE HAVE, UH, DAVID BETAS, EXCUSE ME AGAIN.

UH, MY HUSBAND DAVID VAN SAYS LARYNGITIS AND I'M SPEAKING ON HIS BEHALF.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR FIN RACE VIA BOARD MEMBERS, AND OF COURSE, MR. ARNOLD.

I AM A CITIZEN TO BE HEARD.

YOLANDA BETIS, SPOUSE OF DAVID BETIS VIA RETIREE WITH 39 YEARS OF SERVICE WHO UNFORTUNATE, AS I STATED, HAS LEARNED JA TODAY.

AND I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD GU AMAYA AND AMA SOTO FOR THEIR EFFORTS WITH THAT CONSTITUENCY, THE ACTIVE EMPLOYEE.

BUT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO LOOK AT THE RETIRED EMPLOYEES.

I UNDERSTAND THAT ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS A VIAS OPERATING BUDGET FOR 2023.

A VITAL PART OF THE UPCOMING BUDGET IS HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS AS THE EFFECT VIA RETIREES.

HISTORICALLY, THE LAST ADJUSTMENT TO THE EMPLOYER'S PORTION OF THE PREMIUM WAS IN 2007.

AT THAT TIME, VIA MANAGEMENT AND AU LOCAL 6 94, OUR LOCAL UNION AGREED UPON REVIEWING PREMIUM SUPPLEMENTS EVERY TWO YEARS.

TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, ACTION HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN.

FURTHERMORE, IN 2007, PREMIUM WAS PAID FOR IN FULL BY VIA FOR THE EMPLOYEES ONLY AT COST.

NOW IN 2022, DUE TO INFLATION AND MANY FACTORS, THE COST OF HEALTHCARE HAS RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY.

YET, RETIREES ON A FIXED INCOME SINCE 2007 OVER THE YEARS, PAY OUT OF OUR OWN POCKET MORE THAN TWICE THE ORIGINAL 2007 EMPLOYEE ONLY PREMIUM.

AND IF I MAY, I WILL REPEAT THAT STATEMENT.

RETIREES ON A FIXED INCOME SINCE 2007 OVER THE YEARS, PAY OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS MORE THAN TWICE THE ORIGINAL 2007 EMPLOYEE ONLY PREMIUM.

IN DISCUSSIONS WITH DAVID'S FELLOW RETIRED EMPLOYEES, LOYALTY AND DEDICATION TO VIA DESERVES A COLA LOCATION IN THE BUDGET, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE SINCE 2008.

AND AGAIN, I WILL STRESS IN DISCUSSIONS WITH DAVID'S FELLOW RETIREE, RETIRED, EXCUSE ME, EMPLOYEES LOYALTY AND DEDICATION TO VIA DESERVE A COLA ALLOCATION IN THE BUDGET, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE SINCE 2008.

THE COMPANY VIAS LEGACY SINCE 1978.

A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF RETIREES.

VI'S LEGACY OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF RETIREES.

VI'S LEGACY OF PRIDE IN OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM RESTS ON THE SHOULDERS OF, OF RETIREES.

THAT TIME IS NOW FOR THE RETIRED WORKERS OF VIA TO GAIN OUR WELL DESERVED BENEFITS THAT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES.

ONE, RAISE EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION TO HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM FOR 2023 AND TWO COLA ALLOCATION IN THE BUDGET.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND REFLECTION.

DAVID BETIS, MY HUSBAND, PAST PRESIDENT OF ATU LOCAL 6 94

[00:35:01]

AND I, YOLANDA BETIS, MEMBER OF THE AU LOCAL 6 94 RETIREES, LADIES AUXILIARY RETIREE FROM HARLANDALE IS D, MANY YEARS, 30 YEARS SERVICE.

LASTLY, AS SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE HARLANDALE SOUTH BEAR COUNTY EDUCATION RETIREES ASSOCIATION.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

WE NEXT HAVE WILLIAM HERNANDEZ.

WILLIAM HERNANDEZ, 6 94 RETIREMENT CHAPTER AU UH, YIELD MY TIME TO YOGI CRUZ.

GOOD EVENING, MR. ART CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND VIA BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS YOGI CRUZ.

I RETIRED FROM VIA AS VICE PRESIDENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL AND DEVELOPMENT WITH 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.

I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ON THE DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASE IN THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS SCHEDULED TO GO INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1ST, 2023 FOR THE GRANDFATHERED GROUP OVER 65 AND THOSE UNDER 65 ON THE BASIC AND VIA PLANS.

FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I AGREE WITH THE INFORMATION MRS. YOLANDA BETIS PRESENTED.

SO NOT TO REPEAT WHAT MRS. BENITAS PRESENTED, I'M APPROACHING THE INCREASE IN PREMIUMS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

I SPENT AT LEAST 75% OF MY EMPLOYMENT AT VIA AS PART OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT ANNUALLY ADDRESSED THE INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS. IT IS EASY TO JUSTIFY PREMIUMS INCREASES DUE TO THE INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE COST TECHNOLOGY PRESCRIPTIONS, AND CLAIMS EXPERIENCE.

HOWEVER, THESE ITEMS DO NOT ADDRESS THE DEDICATION AND LOYALTY OF THE EMPLOYEES.

MANY OF VI'S RETIREES RETIRED WITH 35 YEARS PLUS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT.

THE REASON FOR THE LONG TENURE OR RETENTION AND ATTRACTION WAS VIAS BENEFIT PACKAGE, WHICH INCLUDED HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS AFTER RETIREMENT.

THE LEGACY OF VIA WAS BUILT ON THE BACKBONE OF VIA RETIREES.

WE WERE HERE FOR MONUMENTAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE TRANSITION OF THE SAN ANTONIO TRANSIT SYSTEM TO VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT WHEN THE REFERENDUM WAS PASSED IN 1978.

RECOGNITION FOR BEING THE NUMBER ONE TRANSIT IN NORTH AMERICA, RECEIVING NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR THE NUMBER ONE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT, RECOGNITION FOR OPERATING THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE COST PER MILE SERVICE.

AND THE, AND THE LIST GOES ON.

I REPEAT BENEFITS WERE THE FACTORS FOR ATTRACTION AND RETENTION, AND THIS IS WHY WE STAYED.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS RETIREES DROP THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH VIA, BECAUSE A RETIREMENT CHECK WAS NOT ENOUGH TO AFFORD HIM CONTINUED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS A PREVIOUS BENEFITS MANAGER, AS A GROUP DECREASES IN SIZE, THE CLAIMS EXPERIENCE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND THE PREMIUMS WILL BE BASED ON A SMALLER NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS RESULTING IN HIGHER PREMIUMS. I WILL CLOSE BY ASKING YOU TO PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENORMOUS IMPACT THE PREMIUM INCREASE WILL HAVE ON RETIREES, PERHAPS VIA CAN ABSORB THE PREMIUM INCREASE DUE

[00:40:01]

TO THE DIFFICULT AND UNPRECEDENTED ECONOMIC INFLATION CRISIS.

AS YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOUR PARENTS ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES.

AND BY THE WAY, THE ISSUES ARE ALSO COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT VIA RETIREES DO NOT GET AN ANNUAL AUTOMATIC COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ADDRESSING THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASES FOR RETIREES.

AND GOODNIGHT.

SHIFT IN THE WAY PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO LOOK FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS.

NEXT IS WE HAVE BILL, I HAVE MY COLLEAGUE IS HERE AND HE'S YIELDED HIS TIME TO ME AS WELL.

KEITH WHITEMAN.

IS THAT KEITH WIDEMAN? YES.

OKAY, GOT IT.

I'M, I'M BILL NEELY.

I'M THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF A NONPROFIT AGENCY, THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY RESOURCE DIRECTORY.

WE ARE KNOWN BY OUR ACRONYMS, A R D.ORG, WHICH WE PRONOUNCE SACRED.ORG.

I'M HERE TODAY TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THIS BOARD AND TO THE VR ORGANIZATION IN GENERAL FOR OFFERING SACRED.ORG SPACE INSIDE YOUR BUSES FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ADVERTISING ABOUT THE SERVICE WE PROVIDE TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO.

SACRED.ORG IS A FREE ONLINE DIRECTORY OF ALL OF THE HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS IN THE GREATER SAN ANTONIO AREA, AN EIGHT COUNTY REGION WITH THE POPULATION OF ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE.

OUR MISSION TO CONNECT OUR MISSION IS TO CONNECT AN INDIVIDUAL WITH, WITH A NEED TO A PLACE THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO MEET THAT NEED.

WE DO THAT BY SEEKING OUT PROGRAMS OFFERED BY NONPROFITS, FAITH COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AND EVEN SOME BUSINESSES OFFERING AFFORDABLE COMPASSION SERVICES.

THESE PROGRAMS ARE DOCUMENTED AND CATEGORIZED ON SACRED.ORG MADE AVAILABLE FOR USERS TO SEARCH BASED ON THEIR LOCATION AND PARTICULAR NEED.

SACRED.ORG IS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH AND ITS AND IN SPANISH AND IS THE ONLY RESOURCE WEBSITE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT I'M AWARE OF THAT ALLOWS THE USER TO INTERACTIVELY SEARCH FOR INFORMATION USING BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH SEARCH TERMS. SACRED.ORG IS USED DAILY AS THE PRIMARY TOOL FOR FINDING ASSISTANCE BY CASE MANAGERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, NAVIGATORS, WORKING IN NONPROFITS AND FAITH COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS BY INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

FOR EXAMPLE, A CASE MANAGER WORKING AT A LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCY WAS RECENTLY ASSISTING A CLIENT WHO CAME IN SEEKING UTILITY ASSISTANCE.

THROUGH CONVERSATION, THE CASE MANAGER DISCOVERED THAT THE CLIENT ALSO WAS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL FOOD AND NEEDED A LOCATED FOOD PANTRY, SOMETHING THAT THEIR ORGANIZATION DID NOT PROVIDE.

USING SACRED.ORG, THE CASE MANAGER LOCATED AT FAITH COMMUNITY AND THE CLIENT'S NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONNECTED THEM SO THEY WERE ABLE TO MEET THEIR FOOD NEEDS.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS LEARNED ABOUT SACRED.ORG FROM A FRIEND OF HIS WHO USED IT ON A FREE COMPUTER AT A PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCH.

THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS ABLE TO ACCESS SACRED.ORG USING MOBILE DEVICE, A MOBILE DEVICE AT A PUBLIC WIFI ACCESS POINT, WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO LOCATE A NEARBY PLACE WHERE THEY COULD TAKE A SHOWER AND CLEAN THEIR CLOTHES.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A FAMILY RECENTLY WHO CAME INTO A LOCAL FAITH COMMUNITY AND EXPLAINED THAT THEIR CAR WAS NOT RELIABLE AND ASKED FOR HELP WITH FINDING TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE FOR THEIR ELDERLY MATRIARCH TO GET TO A SERIES OF MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, THE RECEPTIONIST, THAT CONGREGATION WAS ABLE TO USE SACRED.ORG TO LOCATE NEARBY NONPROFIT AGENCY THAT OFFERS RIDES FOR ELDER ADULTS.

ONCE THE FAMILY BECAME AWARE OF SACRED.ORG, THEY WERE EMPOWERED TO USE THIS TOOL ON THEIR OWN TO FIND ADDITIONAL HELP QUICKLY WITHOUT HAVING TO RELY ON THE ASSISTANCE OF A CASE MANAGER.

SACRED.ORG HAS BEEN OPERATING SINCE 2019 AND HAS COLLECTED INFORMATION ON ABOUT 8,000 PROGRAMS THAT SPAN OVER 100 CATEGORIES.

THE SITE HAS VISITED MORE THAN A THOUSAND TIMES EVERY SINGLE DAY BY PEOPLE WHO ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE.

OUR SERVICE IS INTENTIONALLY ANONYMOUS TO PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF INDIVIDUALS SEEKING ASSISTANCE.

SO WE DON'T TRACK INDIVIDUAL USERS.

HOWEVER, BASED ON OUR USAGE, INF OUR USAGE INFORMATION AND DATA FROM OUR PARTNERS, WE ESTIMATE THAT SACRED.ORG IS POSITIVELY IMPACTING THE LIVES OF AT LEAST 200,000 PEOPLE EVERY YEAR IN MORE COMPLEX AREAS OF SERVICE.

SACRED.ORG BUILDS CUSTOMIZED PORTALS TO ALLOW USERS TO PROVIDE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR SITUATION AND NARROW DOWN AVAILABLE OPTIONS.

OUR MENTAL HEALTH PORTAL INCLUDES OVER 1500 PROGRAMS THAT ALLOWS THE USER TO ENTER THEIR SERVICE FORM PREFERENCE, THE SPECIFIC ISSUE THEY'RE DEALING WITH, AGE RANGES, LANGUAGE PREFERENCES, PAYMENT OPTIONS, AND MORE TO QUICKLY FIND A RESOURCE THAT CAN MEET THEIR SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

FOR EXAMPLE, CAROL HAS A TEENAGE SON WHO BECAME INCREASINGLY WITHDRAWN AS THE PANDEMIC WAR ON HE NO LONGER FINDS JOY IN ANY OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT HE USED TO PARTICIPATE IN.

AND CAROL'S CONCERNED FOR HIM AND WANTS HIM TO SEE SOMEONE SOON USING SACRED.ORG.

UH, USING THE SACRED ORG MENTAL HEALTH PORTAL, CAROL WAS ABLE TO FIND A PROGRAM THAT TAKES MEDICAID, IS CLOSE TO HER SON'S SCHOOL AND HAS THE EXPERTISE TO TREAT HIS SITUATION.

THE MENTAL HEALTH PORTAL HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND IS A FUNDAMENTAL

[00:45:01]

WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PORTALS FOR PROGRAMS RELATING TO HOUSING SERVICES, OLDER ADULT SERVICES, YOUTH SERVICES, AND FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS. I'M VERY EXCITED TO LAUNCH THESE PUBLIC SERVICE ADS WITHIN, UH, INSIDE VIA BUSES.

WE BELIEVE THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE RIDING, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO THAT ARE VIA CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD APPRECIATE AND BENEFIT FROM THE PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE FOUND ON SACRED.ORG.

WHILE WE WORK HARD TO MAKE SACRED.ORG KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC, LIKE MOST SMALL ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED PR BUDGET.

THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH WITH VIA WILL MULTIPLY IT MANY TIMES OVER THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE AWARE OF SACRED AND HOW IT CAN HELP THEM.

SO I END WITH SIMPLE GRATITUDE.

THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE VALUE THAT WE BRING TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO EMPOWER YOUR WRITERS TO FIND THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED.

SACRED.ORG LOOKS FORWARD TO LAUNCHING THIS CAMPAIGN AND TO LONG AND MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP WI WITH VIA.

NEXT WE HAVE GINGER TRAINER, THIS BUTTON.

OKAY, GOOD EVENING VIA BOARD MEMBERS.

I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN.

I JUST WANNA TAKE MY FIRST MINUTE TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE 25% OFF THAT YOU GRANTED, I THINK IT WAS IN 2019 FOR BUS PASSES FOR ALL NONPROFITS IN THE CITY.

IT RESULTED IN ABOUT ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS IN SALES, IS WHAT I LEARNED RECENTLY, BUT IT HELPED ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS HELPING THE HOMELESS.

UM, WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR LINK.

I HEARD ABOUT THAT ON THE NEWS THIS MORNING.

I HEARD ABOUT NO NOVEL LENS, WHICH IS A Q QR CODE THAT YOU CREATED AT THE BUS STOPS AND IT DIRECTS THE PEOPLE TO THE TIME OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEXT BUS, AND IT ALSO DIRECTS THEM TO THE NEXT BUS STOP.

UM, YOUR NEW HANDICAP FACILITY IS AMAZING.

I'VE HEARD ABOUT IT.

IT'S CALLED THE VIA TRANS OPENING IN OCTOBER.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

AND THANKS FOR ALLOWING SACRED TO ADVERTISE THEIR VALUABLE RESOURCE APP ON YOUR BUSES.

AND THIS WILL HELP SO MANY PEOPLE.

I'M REQUESTING APPROVAL TO BE ADDED TO THE AGENDA OF A FUTURE MEETING TO DISCUSS MY REQUEST TO ADD A CON WRAP TO THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR BUSES.

ADVERTISING THE NEW DEA SLOGAN ONE PILL KILLS.

THIS IS TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE OPIOID FENTANYL PANDEMIC.

IT'S ALSO TO ANNOUNCE TO PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THE 9 88 SUICIDE MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE AND AWARENESS OF IN 2021, 107,000 LIVES WERE LOST TO FENTANYL OVERDOSES.

70% OF ALL OVERDOSES THAT YEAR WERE FENTANYL RELATED.

ONE PERSON EVERY FIVE MINUTES, ONE PILL, ONE LIFE EQUALS TOO MANY.

TWO PILLS OUT OF FIVE ARE LACED.

I'M DOING THIS ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER BROOKE, THE VOICE OF BROOKE.

A MOM'S PLEA TO BREAK ADDICTION AS LONG AS YOU'RE BREATHING, THERE IS HOPE.

TOGETHER WE CAN.

WE'VE BEEN OVERDOSE AND SAVE LIVES.

THESE PILLS ARE BEING CUT AND DIRTY PILL MILLS.

COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO NEVER DID DRUGS A DAY IN THEIR LIFE MAY NEED SOMETHING TO GET THROUGH AN EXAM AND THEY GO OUT ON THE STREETS AND THEY BUY A XANAX PILL AND THEN THEY DROP OVER DEAD THE NEXT MINUTE.

THERE'S NO CRITERIA FOR THE, UM, TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY DRUG ADDICTION.

WHEN I INTENDED ATTENDED THE RECENT KYLE PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING THE DEATHS OF FOUR STUDENTS TO FENTANYL OVERDOSES SINCE JULY, I WITNESSED FEAR ON THE FACES OF THE DEA AND THE OFFICERS AS THEY PLEADED TO THE PUBLIC TO HELP THEM GET THE WORD OUT.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I DELIVERED THESE SIGNS TO THE SOUND, MARCUS KYLE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND TO THE DEA IN AUSTIN UPON THEIR REQUEST.

THE EXPRESS NEWS REPORTED YESTERDAY IN THE PAPER ON THESE DESKS, AND THERE'S ONLY ONE COMMERCIAL ON TELEVISION.

WE'RE JUST ON THE VERGE OF AN ICEBERG.

AND I BELIEVE THAT VIA COULD HELP GET THE WORD OUT.

NEXT WE HAVE ANDREW BES.

[00:50:19]

HERE WE GO.

OKAY, PERFECT.

SO MY NAME IS ANDREW BESS AND I'VE BEEN AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE FOR ABOUT OVER A YEAR.

I'M ONLY 23 YEARS OLD AND I'M YOUR VIA BUSES.

UM, PROBABLY ONE OF THE YOUNGEST DRIVERS Y'ALL HAVE.

HOWEVER, WITHIN MY FIRST YEAR OF GRADUATING, MY CAR GOT HIT BY A MAINTENANCE DRIVER AND IT WAS ON ACCIDENT.

IT WAS IN OUR BUS YARD BACK THERE.

I WAS CALLED OFF A ROUTE BY ONE OF OUR GOOD DISPATCHERS, LISA, AND HAD TOLD ME ABOUT THE SITUATION.

AND I WAS CALM THINKING, YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF, MY COMPANY WOULD TAKE CARE OF ME.

UM, AS SOON AS I GET TO THE BUS YARD, NOBODY WAS HERE, NOBODY WAS HELPING ME.

I HAD TO CALL SAPD.

AND FINALLY TRANSIT SHOWED UP, GAVE ME A POLICE REPORT, AND I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE VIA DOESN'T HAVE INSURANCE, THAT SELF-INSURED THAT I WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.

SO WITH BEING ON THE BOARD, WHICH MANY OF Y'ALL, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THAT IS OR NOT, I HAVE TO BE AT WORK EITHER AT 3:00 AM OR I HAVE A LINEUP TO ALMOST 1:00 AM IN THE MORNING.

SO I HAVE TO HAVE A CAR TO GET TO WORK.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE AWARE THAT 25 IS THE LEGAL AGE TO RENT A CAR.

I HAD TO GO THROUGH MY OWN INSURANCE, WHICH IS NOW TWO TO $300 MORE THAN WHAT I PAY ON INSURANCE.

AS FROM JUAN WHO WAS TALKING TO Y'ALL ABOUT OUR WAGE INCREASES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, WE DON'T GET PAID ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, AND NOW I AM SUFFERING THE EFFECTS OF HAVING TO PAY MORE ON MY INSURANCE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING Y'ALL DID.

I'VE EMAILED YOU TWICE, JEFF TO TRY TO HAVE LUNCH WITH YOU.

I EVEN OFFERED YOU TO GO TO BILL MILLER'S WITH ME BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I CAN AFFORD TO TALK ABOUT THIS SITUATION.

YOU KNOW, I DEAL WITH A LOT.

I DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC AND NOT SAYING THAT ALL OF THEM ARE BAD, BUT I GET CUSSED AT YELLED AT, SPIT AT ALMOST ASSAULTED.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH WITH THIS COMPANY AND I SHOWED Y'ALL SO MUCH LOYALTY OVER THIS YEAR.

YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE ASK ME, WHY AM I STILL HERE? WHY DO I STILL WORK FOR THIS COMPANY? I'VE ALWAYS LOVED DRIVING BUSES AND I'VE ALWAYS LOVED TAKING VIA WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, YOU KNOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON OR WHAT, WHAT'S, HOW Y'ALL LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEES.

I MEAN, I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU APPRECIATE EVERYTHING WE DO, BUT TO ME IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT IT, TO ME, WE ARE JUST A NUMBER.

WE ARE NOT IMPORTANT, BUT WE ARE THE MAIN PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS COMPANY COME ALIVE.

YOU KNOW? AND I JUST FIND IT A LITTLE DISRESPECTFUL THAT SHE'S SLEEPING WHILE I'M TRYING TO TALK.

UM, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE REALLY MATTER TO Y'ALL, PLEASE SHOW US.

PLEASE HELP PAY MY CAR.

IT'S 3000 FOR THE RENTAL THAT I HAD TO PAY AND MY $500 DEDUCTIBLE.

AND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE THE CAMERA FOOTAGE, I HAVE IT.

PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TAKE CARE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES.

WE NEEDED SO MANY PEOPLE WHEN I FIRST STARTED AND I WAS THERE AFTER, AFTER TRAINING, I WOULD TAKE UP ALL THESE ROUTES AND I NEEDED Y'ALL THE MOST BECAUSE I HAD TO HELP Y'ALL OUT AND I HAD TO MAKE AN INCOME FROM MY FAMILY.

AND NOW I AM SUFFERING WITH INFLATION.

AND I'M HOPING THIS BRINGS A BELL TO ALL OF Y'ALL.

JUST TO HEAR A 23 YEAR OLD COME OUT AND SPEAK FOR HIMSELF.

AND THE LAST MEMBER WE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, OUR LAST CITIZENS WE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS KAREN TWEL TWEL.

TWEL OFF.

UM, MY NAME IS KAREN TWEL.

I WAS HIRED AS VIAS FIRST FULL-TIME INTERNAL AUDITOR.

I RETIRED AFTER 33 YEARS OF PROTECTING VIAS INTERESTS.

WHEN I WAS HIRED, WE HAD DOUBLE DIGIT INFLATION VIA, DIDN'T PAY THE BEST IN TOWN, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE BRIGHTEST AND THE BEST BECAUSE OF EXCELLENT BENEFITS.

AND BY MAKING THE EMPLOYEES FIELD VALUED BEYOND MEASURE, AS WE NOW FACE SKY HIGH INFLATION AND DIFFICULTY HIRING AND RETAINING EMPLOYEES, IT WOULD MAKE A PROFOUND STATEMENT TO THE CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES.

IF YOU WERE TO SHOW THE EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES THAT YOU HAVE THEIR BACKS BY SHARING SOME OF THE HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE, SOMETHING ELSE IN THE BUDGET MAY NEED TO BE POSTPONED, BUT IT COULD BE DONE.

MR. CHAIR, MAY I MAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, PLEASE? MAY I TAKE A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, PLEASE? OKAY.

THAT CONCLUDES CITIZENS BE HEARD.

[00:55:01]

I JUST WANNA SAY TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE YOU IN THE BLUE SHIRT, I, I DON'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME, MR. HARRIS AND MR. BEEZ.

AND I DON'T NORMALLY RESPOND TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THAT'S NOT MY ROLE.

BUT MS, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MS. SECRETARY MALONE IS NOT ASLEEP.

SECRETARY MALONE HAS AN EYE PROBLEM AND I THINK YOU'RE OVER AN APOLOGY.

YEAH, I'M SORRY.

MAY I ALSO TAKE A YES.

I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THAT AS WELL.

MR. BEES.

I DO TAKE NOTES OF EVERY SINGLE THING.

IF I AM LOOKING DOWN, I DO WANT TO IMPLORE YOU TO TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO, WE ARE HERE, MANY OF US, WE, WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OUR HEART IS VERY MUCH IN IT AND PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT NEEDS AND DIFFERENT ABILITIES ARE HERE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, AND YOU MAY NOT SEE IT ON THE OUTSIDE, HOWEVER, MANY OF OUR DIFFERENT ABILITIES ARE ALSO WITHIN ON THE INSIDE.

AND SO I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE WITH COGNITIVE DISABILITIES THAT DO NOT APPEAR ON THE OUTSIDE, BUT ARE ALL COMPLETELY BETWEEN THE EARS.

AS WE SAY, PLEASE TRY NOT TO JUDGE ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHEN YOU ARE WITNESSING THEM UP HERE OR JUST EVEN IN PERSON AND TRY TO SEE THE HUMANITY IN EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT YOU COME ACROSS.

THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

I DO COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR AGE.

MY FATHER WAS YOUR AGE WHEN HE WAS A BOSS OPERATOR FOR VIA IN THE EARLY NINETIES.

AND SO WITH THAT, I DO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP SPEAKING UP FOR YOUR OWN VALUES, BUT ALSO PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL OF THOSE OF US THAT ARE HERE.

AND WHEN YOU WALK OUT THESE DOORS, PLEASE TRY TO LOOK IN THE EYE OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH.

UH, CONSIDER AGENDA, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM.

THANK YOU TRUSTEE TOO.

AT THIS POINT, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE ON, UH, TO THE NEXT ITEM,

[5. Consent Agenda]

TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MOVE WE ADOPT MR. CHAIRMAN? OKAY.

I HAVE A FIRST, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND.

ARE THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE.

YOUR OPPOSED NAME, THE CONSIDER THAT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

A GRANT THAT CONCURRENTLY WAS ALSO ADDED TO THE BUDGET.

UH, NEXT

[Items 6 & 7 ]

WE'RE HERE.

GO TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.

UH, THE FY 2023 VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM LIKE GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY IN PERSON.

WE'VE HAD SO MANY VIRTUAL MEETINGS, IT'S LIKE THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY REAL PEOPLE, NOT JUST PICTURES ON A SCREEN.

UH, I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE 20 PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 23 OPERATING BUDGET.

AND I FIRST WANNA RECAP, UH, JUST A COUPLE ITEMS THAT WERE IN THE BUDGET MEMO BEFORE I JUMP INTO THE POWERPOINT.

UH, IN THE BUDGET MEMO, WE THAT THERE WAS A BOARD WORKSHOP, BUDGET WORKSHOP ON AUGUST 9TH.

UH, AND THEN WE MADE AVAILABLE TO BOARD MEMBERS BRIEFINGS.

AND, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THAT BOARD WORKSHOP, THERE WERE, UH, THREE REVISIONS TO THE OPERATING BUDGET.

UH, I RECAPPED THOSE LAST WEEK AT THE BOARD WORK SESSION, BUT I'LL QUICKLY TOUCH ON THEM HERE.

UH, THE THREE ITEMS CAME TO A TOTAL OF, UH, 9.9 MILLION AND INCREASED THE OPERATING BUDGET FROM 264.1 MILLION TO 274 MILLION.

ONE OF THE ITEMS DID HAVE, UH, SOME REVENUE FROM

[01:00:01]

THAT REDUCED THE INCREASE FROM 9.9 MILLION TO JUST UNDER 9 MILLION.

AND THEN OF THAT 9 MILLION, UH, 7.8 MILLION, ACTUALLY 7,844,000 WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE ART EAST WEST PROJECT.

UH, THAT'S 87% OF 87.2% OF THE, UH, NET REVISIONS FROM THOSE THREE ITEMS. UH, IN AUGUST, THE BOARD VOTED TO PUT 26.4 MILLION INTO THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO, UH, MOVING RESERVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF, UH, HELPING TO FUND THE ART EAST WEST PROJECT.

UH, THE OTHER TWO ITEMS WERE, UH, NAV LENS.

THAT WAS THE ITEM WHERE THERE WAS SOME NET REVENUE.

AND, AND SO NAV LENS NETTED OUT TO AN IMPACT OF, UH, LESS THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR ABOUT 5.1% OR THE 9 MILLION.

AND THEN FINALLY, UH, PURCHASED VIA TRANS, UH, THERE WAS A, UH, A COST REVISION TO REFLECT EXPECTED PRICE INCREASES, AND THAT EQUATED TO ABOUT 7.7% OF THE 9 MILLION.

UH, THERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON SEPTEMBER NINE 19TH.

I HAD PLACEHOLDER INFORMATION IN THE MEMO THAT WENT TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR THE BUDGET, OR EXCUSE ME, FOR THE BOARD WORK SESSION LAST WEEK.

BUT WE NOW HAVE ACTUAL, UH, FIGURES THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU REGARDING ATTENDANCE, A NUMBER OF, UH, VISITS TO THE WEBPAGE, AND, UM, WHERE WE ADVERTISED THAT SPEND INCORPORATED INTO THE MEMO.

ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FIRST PAGE, WE NOTED THAT THERE WERE FIVE INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED THE PUBLIC HEARING OTHER THAN THE STAFF MEMBERS.

AND, UH, TWO COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED.

ONE COMMENT AT THE PUBLIC MEETING, ANOTHER COMMENT ONLINE, THERE WERE 290, UH, PAGE VIEWS AS A FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD.

THE BUDGET WAS MADE AVAILABLE ON THE VO WEBSITE.

AND, UM, NOTICE OF THE PUBLIC HEARING WAS ADVERTISED IN VARIOUS PLACES.

ON PAGE TWO OF THE BUDGET MEMO, I HAVE A, A KIND OF A DETAILED RECONCILIATION OF HOW WE GET FROM THE FY 22 BUDGET TO THE FY 23 BUDGET.

I HAVE A SLIDE THAT ON THAT THAT WILL GET TO IN A MOMENT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SUMMARIZED.

BUT I DID WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE, UH, THAT I HAVE THAT LITTLE MORE DETAILED RECONCILIATION IN THE MEMO.

THE INCREASE IN THE BUDGET OVER LAST YEAR EQUATED TO, UH, 14.6 MILLION OR 5.66%.

THAT 14.6 MILLION WAS COMPRISED OF 29.1 MILLION OF INCREASES NETTED OUT AGAINST 14 AND A HALF MILLION OF SAVINGS.

THE LARGEST SAVINGS ITEM WAS FROM THE PENSION PLAN, 11.9 MILLION, WHERE WE REALIZED THE BENEFITS OF HAVING, UH, REALLY GOOD INVESTMENT RETURNS IN THE YEAR.

UH, 2021.

I DOUBT THE SAME WILL BE ABLE TO BE SAID ABOUT 2022 UNLESS WE SEE A TURNAROUND.

UH, WITH THAT, I'LL JUMP INTO THE POWERPOINT AND HIT ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 21 TO BEGIN WITH, OR EXCUSE ME, OF 22 TIME FLIES.

UH, AND THEN I'LL COVER THE PROPOSED 23 OPERATING BUDGET, AND THEN THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN SNAPSHOT OF 22 IS, UH, ON THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES HERE, WE HAVE RECAP OF SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING.

KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING ADVANCEMENTS WHERE A KEY HIGHLIGHT.

UH, THERE FOR ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT ART NORTH SOUTH, WE RECEIVED A MEDIUM HIGH RATING, UH, FROM THE FTA.

UH, THAT'S A VERY, UM, A VERY SOUND RATING AND WE WERE PLEASED TO RECEIVE THAT.

UH, ALSO THE ART NORTH SOUTH, SOUTH QUARTER WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET.

PHASE ONE WAS ACCEPTED INTO PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND THE ART, UH, EAST WEST PROJECT HAD SOME WORK ON ADVANCED PROJECT DEFINITION.

AND WE ALSO HAD WORK ON THE SECOND ONM FACILITY STUDY, THE VIA TRANS OPERATIONS CENTER.

UH, IT'S NOTED THAT IT'S ANTICIPATED TO OPEN IN SEPTEMBER.

IT IN FACT DID OPEN AND, UM, I HAD THE DATE HERE, BUT CAN'T FIND IT.

IT WAS SOMETIME ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

UH, THE NEXT ITEM, NA GO PASS MOBILITY HUB, UH, IS NOW IN CONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT ALONG WITH THE RANDOLPH TRANSIT CENTER, AN I 10 PARK AND POOL, UH, COMPLETING FINAL DESIGN.

AND THEN OTHER PROJECTS AT FORWARD MOVEMENT INCLUDED THE EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB AND ALAMO RANCH PARK AND RIDE.

WE LAUNCHED THE V LINK NORTHWEST ZONE IN OCTOBER OF 2021, WHICH IS FALLS WITHIN FISCAL YEAR 22, AND THEN THE SOUTH ZONE IN AUGUST OF 2022.

ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT, WE INSTALLED AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEMS ON ALL ACTIVE VIA VEHICLES.

WE INTEGRATED THE B CYCLE TO THE TRANSIT APP FOR MORE COMPLETE TRIP

[01:05:01]

PLANNING.

SO YOU CAN NOW USE THE, THE APP TO UNLOCK A BIKE AT ANY OF THE VARIOUS STATIONS WHERE BIKES OR DOCKED THAT.

AND THEN WE LAUNCHED THE NETHERLANDS WAY, WAY FINDING TECHNOLOGY PILOT IN FISCAL YEAR 22.

UH, WE BEGAN OFFERING, OR EXCUSE ME, DOING THESE BI-ANNUAL SURVEYS OF FIXED ROUTE PASSENGERS.

UH, AND THEN, UH, ANNUAL SURVEYS VIA TRANS.

AND THEN THERE'S AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY SURVEY.

THE TOP THREE SERVICE ELEMENTS WERE FOUND TO BE FREQUENCY, HOURS OF OPERATION AND TRAVEL TIME.

UH, IT'S NOTED, UH, FREQUENCY X TWO AT THE BOTTOM MEANS FREQUENCY WAS FOUND TO BE TWICE AS IMPORTANT AS THE OTHER ELEMENTS.

THE NET PROMOTER SCORE IS SOMETHING THAT'S MEASURED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MEASURES THE LIKELIHOOD OF RECOMMENDING VIA TO FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

UH, TRANS PRO, THE FIRM THAT DOES THE, UH, SURVEYS HAD OR HAS A, UH, NET PROMOTER SCORE OF 37 FOR THEIR OTHER TRANSIT CLIENTS.

AND FOR VIA, WE HAVE A SCORE OF 65, WHICH IS CONSIDERED, UH, TO BE AN EXCELLENT SCORE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 23 OPERATING BUDGET.

UH, WE HAVE VARIOUS GOALS THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE.

RECOVERING AND GROWING.

RIDERSHIP CONTINUES TO BE AN IMPORTANT GOAL.

ADVANCING THE K SAM PLAN, BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND THEN INVESTING IN STAFF DEVELOPMENT ARE THE OTHER BUDGET GOALS.

BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS INCLUDED GROWTH IN THE SALES TAX RATE EACH YEAR OF 4%, UH, AS YOU'VE SEEN FROM CHARTS SHARED EACH MONTH ON PERFORMANCE.

UM, THAT CERTAINLY, UH, IS ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE USING.

UH, NO FAIR INCREASES PENSION IN OPEB OR AT ACTUARILY DETERMINED AMOUNTS.

WE, WE HAVE A CONTINUED FOCUS ON HIRING AND RETENTION, RIDERSHIP RECOVERY, OF COURSE, THERE'LL BE A FOCUS.

AND THEN SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS AND INNOVATIONS.

LOOKING AT THE CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, IF WE TOOK THE OPERATING CAPITAL BUDGET AND ADDED THEM TOGETHER, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF IT IS OPERATING.

THE TOTAL COMES TO THE 406.6 MILLION, UH, 274 MILLION OF THAT'S OPERATING.

THE OTHER THIRD IS THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR FI FISCAL YEAR 23.

HERE'S THE RECONCILIATION.

GOING FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 22 BUDGET TO THE FISCAL YEAR 23 BUDGET, UH, AND INCREASE A 5.6% AGAIN.

AND THE VARIOUS ITEMS HERE, UH, ARE HIGHLIGHTED.

THE MAIN ITEMS ARE, UH, WAGE INCREASES, RATE INCREASES.

WE HAD THE ART AND K SAM, UH, SUPPORT ACCOUNTING FOR 7.2 MILLION.

OTHER MISCELLANEOUS, UH, INCREASES.

PARTIALLY I'VE SET BY, UH, THE INVESTMENT RETURNS IN THE PENSION PLAN.

SO THE PROPOSED BUDGET COMES IN AT 274 MILLION ON THIS SLIDE.

DO WE SHOW, UH, WHAT I LOOK AT AT IT, THINK OF AS THE SPENDING PIE, ALWAYS LIKE DESSERTS, UH, OPERATIONS.

ACTUALLY, PEOPLE HERE KNOW THAT'S NOT TRUE.

TRYING TO GET ME TO EAT COOKIES AND CAKE, UM, , BUT I'M SORRY.

IGNORE THAT.

IGNORE THAT COMMENT.

THAT WAS THAT REFLECTED.

A COMMENT MADE TO ME EARLIER TODAY.

UH, AT ANY RATE, OPERATIONS, 80.2% OF THE SPENDING PIE.

UH, WE HAVE OPERATIONS, LABOR, PURCHASE, TRANSPORTATION, AND OTHER COSTS THAT GO DIRECTLY INTO THE COST OF PROVIDING SERVICE THAT, UH, TAKE UP THE BULK OF THE DOLLAR.

UH, EACH DOLLAR THAT WE SPEND ADMIN SUPPORT, 12.1% SERVICES AND OTHER ARE SMALL SECTORS OF THE PIE.

AND THOSE ADMIN ITEMS COME IN AT LESS THAN 20% OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.

THE BUDGET BY EXPENSE CATEGORY SHOWS, UH, THAT THE LARGEST INCREASES ARE IN MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.

THERE WE SEE THE, UH, EFFECTIVE INFLATION, UH, PURCHASE TRANSPORTATION.

WE SEE COST INCREASES THERE.

UH, LABOR INFRINGES ARE UP.

AND THEN IN SERVICES THAT 8.2 MILLION, UH, YOU'RE LARGELY SEEING THE IMPACT, THE K SAM ON THAT AS WE HAVE INCREASED OR, OR PROGRAMMED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO ADVANCE THAT PROJECT.

TOTAL 14.6 MILLION IS THE INCREASE, AND THE BUDGET IS $274,002,470.

LOOKING AT THE, THE SAME PICTURE, BUT SPLIT CUT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, LOOKING AT IT BY

[01:10:01]

DIVISION, UH, THE LARGEST INCREASES IN THE DIVISIONAL SPENDING THAT WE SEE, UH, FLEETING FACILITIES IS UP DUE TO SALARIES, UH, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.

AND THEN, UH, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.

UH, ALSO HAVE A, UH, UH, SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP THERE.

THAT'S REFLECTING K SAM SPENDING.

AND THEN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP, UH, IS UP 2.4 MILLION THERE.

UH, 1.6 MILLION OF THAT 2.4 MILLION INCREASE IS REFLECTING A REORGANIZATION OF THE RESERVATION CALL CENTER FOR TRANSP FROM TRANSPORTATION TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

AND THOSE ARE THE LARGEST INCREASES.

UH, YOU CAN SEE TRANSPORTATION DID IN FACT COME DOWN AND, UH, PARTIALLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO MOVING THE CALL CENTER OPERATIONS UP HERE TO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.

AUTHORIZED POSITIONS BY DIVISION, UH, IS NOTED AT THE BOARD WORK SESSION.

UH, THIS LOOKS A BIT ODD WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP.

YOU MIGHT THINK, WHY ARE THEY ADDING 40 PEOPLE? WELL, 36 OF THOSE ARE, UH, SIMPLY TRANSFERS FROM, UH, THE REORG THAT I JUST MENTIONED.

AND SO, NET, UH, BUDGET TO BUDGET WHERE, UH, ACTUALLY, UH, DOWN 64 POSITIONS, THE PROPOSED FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN IS REFLECTED UP, UH, IN, OR EXCUSE ME, REFLECTED IN THIS CHART.

REVENUE VEHICLES ACCOUNT FOR, UH, 15.8% IS SPENDING ART NORTH SOUTH AND THE SECOND OM FACILITY TOGETHER, UH, ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 63% OF THE SPENDING.

UH, IF YOU THROW IN ACTUALLY THAT, THAT OTHER, UH, SECTOR SUPPORT CAPITAL FACILITY MOBILITY HUB ALSO IS, UH, K SAM.

AND SO TOGETHER THEY COME TO ALMOST TWO THIRDS, UH, OR 65% AT LEAST OF THE SPENDING.

THE OTHER SECTORS ARE SHOWN AND MAKE UP THE BALANCE OF THE 748 MILLION THAT VIA IS PROJECTING TO SPEND OVER THE UPCOMING FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

FOR FISCAL YEAR 23, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SPENDING PLAN OF 132.6 MILLION.

UH, REVENUE VEHICLES ARE A GOOD CHUNK OF THAT AT 27.2%, FOLLOWED BY PASSENGER FACILITIES AT 22 AND A HALF PERCENT.

UH, K SAM ELEMENTS ARE SHOWN UP THERE AS WELL WITH ART NORTH, SOUTH SECOND R ANDM FACILITY, UH, BOTH, UH, BEING PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PIECES OF THE SPENDING PICTURE, CAPITAL SPENDING, UH, HIGHLIGHTS FOR BUSES WHERE PROJECTING, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, WE'VE PROGRAMMED, UH, 50, UH, CNG BUSES, UH, IN FISCAL YEAR 23 AND THE FIVE YEAR HORIZON.

WE'VE PROGRAMMED 103 CNG BUSES FOR A TOTAL OF 89.2 MILLION.

THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER 17 BUSES THAT ARE INCLUDED WITHIN, UH, K SAM, K SAM.

UH, WE, WE'VE KEPT THAT AS A, UH, SEPARATE SECTOR OF THE SPENDING PICTURE.

UH, SO, BUT THE REVENUE VEHICLE TOTAL, AGAIN, HAS 103 AND THEN ANOTHER 17 IN K SAM VANS.

WERE PLANNING ON BUYING 15 VANS IN FISCAL YEAR 23, AND THEN IN THE FIVE YEAR HORIZON, 139 VANS.

AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE GLAD TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR.

I HAVE ONE.

TRUSTEE, VICE CHAIR, BROWN.

TRUSTEE KEVIN, HE'S GONNA GIVE IT TO ME.

I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UH, TO THE TEAM, THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I KNOW WE'VE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT I AND, UH, MY FELLOW TRUSTEES HAVE HAD SO APPRECIATE, UM, THE THOUGHTFULNESS, UH, JEFF, TO YOU AND THE EXECUTIVE TEAM IN ANSWERING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.

UH, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING OF US TO CELEBRATE HOW BIG OUR BUDGET IS AT THIS MOMENT COMPARED TO YEARS PAST.

UM, AND THE WORK THAT HAS GONE IN TO PREPARE FOR THE AGENCY TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS, UH, NEW ITERATION OF EXPANDED BUDGET.

UH, IT, IT IS NOT LOST ON ME.

UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED, UH, AND THE BANDWIDTH NEEDED TO OPERATE IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AS WE LOOK TOWARDS, UM, NORTH SOUTH AND HOPEFULLY EAST WEST.

SO, UH, YOU KNOW, MORE QUESTIONS ARE, ARE HERE TO COME, BUT, UH, TRULY APPRECIATE, UH, Y'ALL'S HARD WORK IN THE PREPARATION FOR THIS, UH, THIS YEAR'S UPCOMING BUDGET.

AND I, I, EXCUSE

[01:15:01]

ME.

I JUST WANNA THROW IN REAL QUICKLY TOO.

I, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE, UH, OMB GROUP, UH, WHICH I KNOW JEFF ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THEM, BUT I WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE I'VE, I'M AMAZED THAT, UH, WHAT AN AWESOME JOB THEY'VE DONE WITH A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DATA UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

AGAIN, UH, YOU KNOW, AS JEFF MENTIONED THAT THE DIRECTOR'S BEEN OUT, AUDREY'S BEEN IN THAT ACTING ROLE, AND SHE'S JUST, UH, AWESOME.

HAS A GREAT TEAM WORKING FOR HER.

AND THEY GET ALL THE DETAILS RIGHT AND PUT IN A LOT OF HOURS.

AND IT'S REALLY GREAT TO HAVE A TEAM LIKE THAT THAT YOU CAN RELY ON.

UH, LIKEWISE WITH THE FOLKS IN THE GRANTS GROUP AND THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL MANAGEMENT AREA.

TRUSTEE COWELL.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTS ON OCTOBER 1ST, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

SO IT'S DUE OR DIE TIME RIGHT NOW.

SO, UH, QUESTION THAT I HAVE IN, IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE HERE, AND I KNOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS IN DISCUSSIONS, UH, ON THE CO ON THE, UH, WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

UH, SO IF WE WERE TO ADOPT THIS BUDGET, IS THERE A WIGGLE ROOM IN THERE OR ARE WE LOCKED INTO CERTAIN POSITIONS? IS THERE A WIGGLE ROOM FOR YOU TO HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY? SO I'LL ANSWER THAT, STEVE.

SURE.

SO THERE IS ALWAYS THE OPPORTUNITY AT ANY TIME FOR THE BOARD TO AMEND THE BUDGET THAT THEY ADOPTED.

RIGHT.

WE NEED TO HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST.

SURE.

IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOU FROM MAKING AMENDMENTS TO THAT BUDGET FIRST.

RIGHT.

I MEAN, OCTOBER 1ST, I'M SORRY.

YEP.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THANKS.

UM, OCTOBER 1ST, BUT THERE'S NOTHING TO PRECLUDE THE BOARD FROM, UH, MAKING AN, UH, AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE BUDGET, AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET.

WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.

UM, TYPICALLY IT'S BEEN BECAUSE, IRONICALLY BECAUSE OUR MEDICAL EXPENSES WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN WE HAD PROJECTED.

AND SO WE COME BACK AND WE HAVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET AND WE HAVE TO PUT THE MONEY IN.

MY APPROACH THAT I'M, I'M, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST WE USE IS A, AS WE WORK THROUGH WHATEVER THESE THINGS ARE, AND IT WILL HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR CONCURRENCE IN ANY CASE, UM, THAT WE CAN LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET ANTICIPATED BUDGET IMPACT WOULD BE.

AND THEN I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT WE WOULD, WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, WE ALLOW THE YEAR TO KIND OF ROLL FORWARD AND WE SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR, OUR REVENUE WAS HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED, AND OUR EXPENSES WERE LOWER THAN ANTICIPATED.

SO THERE MAY BE END UP ROOM WITHIN THE BUDGET TO, TO, YOU KNOW, ABSORB.

BUT IN ANY CASE, YOU'LL KNOW THAT WELL, IF THERE'S NOT, WHAT THAT IMPACT WOULD BE.

SO AS YOU'RE IN THE DISCUSSIONS MM-HMM.

, THE WORKING CONDITIONS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CRITICAL NEED, THE SHORTAGES OF BUS OPERATORS AND MECHANICS.

IS THAT ACCURATE? MM-HMM.

, THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT AS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE BROUGHT UP ABOUT HEALTHCARE, IF, IF THE DISCUSSIONS WENT ON TO HEALTHCARE, THAT WOULD IN, UH, APPLY NOT JUST TO THOSE TWO CATEGORIES, BUT THE ENTIRETY OF VIA WORKFORCE.

UM, I'M SORRY, I MISSED THE VERY END OF THAT.

IF YOU DISCUSS HEALTHCARE MM-HMM.

BENEFITS, THAT WOULD NOT ONLY APPLY TO BUS OPERATORS AND MECHANICS, IT WOULD APPLY TO ALL THE VA DEPLOYS.

HEALTH, HEALTH BENEFITS ARE, ARE VIA BENEFITS.

THEY ARE NOT PART OF WORKING CONDITIONS.

RIGHT.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS FOR EVERYBODY'S KNOWLEDGE IS THAT THE BUDGET PROJECTS, THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTHCARE, RIGHT.

THE BUDGET DOESN'T BUILD INTO THAT A DISCOUNT BASED UPON WHAT EMPLOYEES PUT IN AND WHAT PUTS IN.

SO THE BALANCE BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND VIA IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE BUDGET.

IT'S GONNA CHANGE THE BALANCE.

AND JUST FYI, FOR THE BOARD, THERE HAS BEEN NO DECISION MADE ON WHAT THAT, UH, ALLOCATION WOULD BE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE FOLKS THAT THINK THEY KNOW WHAT THAT ALLOCATION IS GOING TO BE AND HAVE SHARED THAT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO DETERMINATION ON WHAT THAT ALLOCATION WILL BE.

THEN I HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR GENERAL COUNSEL, BECAUSE MY, MY BROTHER WAS A 30 YEAR EMPLOYEE OF VIA AND AS A RETIREE, AM I ALLOWED TO ASK A QUESTION THAT MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH RETIREE BENEFITS, OR IS THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? YES.

IT WOULD NOT BE A, UH, A BENEFIT THAT WAS EXCLUSIVE TO HIM.

IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE ENTIRE GROUP.

YOU'RE NOT, SO MY QUESTION WOULD THEN BE, IF THERE IS SOME KIND OF A CHANGE IN THE HEALTH AND WELFARE BENEFITS FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES, WOULD THAT ALSO AUTOMATICALLY APPLY TO RETIREES, OR IS THAT A, A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT? IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE, IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE DECISION BECAUSE THE FIRST DECISION ON, ON THE SPLIT IS A VIA BENEFIT THAT IS CONFERRED TO ALL ACTIVE EMPLOYEES.

THEN THERE'LL BE THE SECOND DECISION ON THE SPLIT WITH RESPECT TO RETIREES.

AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE IDENTICAL.

IN FACT, THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS.

I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE MAKE IT PROGRESS ON THESE

[01:20:01]

DISCUSSIONS.

THANKS HERE, BRO.

YEAH, I WANT TO ECHO, UH, WITH, UH, WHAT WAS SAID BY TRUSTEE KOMO.

I'M VERY, UM, INTERESTED IN HEARING MORE CONVERSATIONS OUT OF THE WORKING CONDITIONS.

JEFF.

UM, I'M EVEN MORE INTERESTED TO SEE US AT SOME POINT, UH, COLLEAGUES MAKE SOME AMENDMENT TO THIS BUDGET SPECIFICALLY TO THE RETIREES.

I COULDN'T AGREE WITH THEIR COMMENTS MORE.

UM, AND I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DATA FROM THAT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MORE ACTION, UH, IN THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

UM, ALSO, MY QUESTION TO YOU, STEVE, UM, THOSE WERE COMMENTS.

NOW MY QUESTION GRANT FUNDED, UM, ARE THESE CNG BUSES, 50 OF THEM THAT WERE PURCHASING IN THE FISCAL YEAR OF 23? ARE THEY ALL GRANT FUNDED? HOW WE'RE PAYING FOR THEM? ARE THEY COMING OUTTA THE OPERATIONAL BUDGET? OPERATION BUDGET? WE CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

I CAN TELL YOU, UM, THERE IS, FOR THE VEHICLE PURCHASES, WE HAVE A MIX OF FUNDING.

I, I DON'T HAVE, UH, THE FUNDING MATRIX WITH ME, BUT, UH, GRANT FUNDS ARE A, UM, A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THE FUNDING PICTURE OVERALL FOR THE VEHICLE PURCHASES THROUGHOUT, YOU KNOW, THE UPCOMING YEARS.

AND SO, UH, YES, THERE ARE GRANT FUNDS, BUT THE SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNT RELATIVE TO THE COST OF THOSE VEHICLES, I COULDN'T TELL YOU.

YEAH, THAT'S FINE.

THAT'S FINE.

I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW, WHAT WAS OUR PROJECTED LIKE REVENUE STREAM TO FUND THESE PURCHASES? THAT'S ALL I WANT TO KNOW.

SO WHEN YOU CAN SURE.

MY QUESTION, THOUGH, UM, AND THIS IS JUST FOR MY OWN INFORMATION PURPOSES, IS CAN YOU DEFINE NON-DEPARTMENTAL IN THE BUDGET? UM, JUST FOR MY OWN PURPOSES, RIGHT.

THE, THE, THE MIX ELEMENTS INCLUDE, UH, WE ARE USING, UM, SOME EXISTING GRANT FUNDS THAT WE HAVE.

UH, AND SO I BELIEVE SOME RECENTLY AWARDED FUNDS.

WE HAVE 53 39 FUNDS, UH, BUSTA BUS AND BUS FACILITY FUNDS THAT WE TYPICALLY WILL PLUG IN AGAINST VEHICLE PURCHASES.

AND THEN TO THE EXTENT THAT IN ANY YEAR THERE, ANY GIVEN YEAR, THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN THE GRANTS AND, UH, 53 39 FUNDS AVAILABLE.

UH, I PLUG IN BONDING TO FILL THE GAP AND, UH, AND THEN PLUG IN, YOU KNOW, THE DEBT SERVICE AND, AND, UM, UH, THE, THE, UH, REPAYMENT OF THE DEBT IN OUR, IN OUR, UH, FINANCIAL PLAN.

SO I KNOW WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HAVING THE LARGER C AND G FLEET, UM, IN ALL OF NORTH AMERICA, BUT AS WE CONTINUE TO GO FORTH IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT, C AND G WILL BECOME AN ARCHAIC THING, UNFORTUNATELY, AND SOMETHING ELSE WOULD BE.

SO AS WE CONTINUE TO PROJECT ALL THE WAY TO TWENTY SEVEN, A HUNDRED AND THREE CMG VEHICLES, I BECOME CONCERNED BECAUSE I KNOW, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL PROJECTIONS.

I KNOW IN 24, 25, WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION, BUT I KNOW WITH THIS WAVE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, WE MIGHT WANNA REVISIT THAT AT SOME POINT.

SO AGAIN, UNDERSTANDING THE ALLOCATION, UM, OR THE REVENUE STREAM TO PAY FOR THESE FUNDS IS MY FIRST CONCERN.

AND THEN TWO, UM, HOW AND WHY ARE WE MAKING PROJECTIONS THAT LARGE IN VEHICLES KNOWING THAT TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO CHANGE PRETTY SOON.

SO WE, WE DO NOTE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED, RIGHT? WE ALSO KNOW THAT TECHNOLOGY IS NOT IN A PLACE TODAY FOR US TO BUY THOSE VEHICLES.

NOW, WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE THERE IN 26, 27, 28, OR 29, IT WILL, WE WILL SEE, BUT EVERY YEAR WE UPDATE THE CAPITAL PROGRAM.

SO HE'S REFLECTING THE, THE BEST KNOWLEDGE.

I, I AGREE WITH YOU.

AND IN FACT, OUR SECOND OPERATING FACILITY, THAT IS PART OF THE CASE, A PLAN IS BEING DESIGNED TO, UH, CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE FUELING, UH, WHETHER THAT'S ELECTRIC OR HYDROGEN FUEL CELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF OPTIONS, BUT THAT, THAT IS GOING TO BE A PORTION OF THE NEW BUS OPERATING FACILITY.

GREAT.

AND SO, UM, I'LL JUST CLOSE UP OR USE MY TIME TO CLOSE UP BY JUST REITERATING MY FIRST COMMENT.

I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US TAKE A LOOK AT THIS BUDGET SPECIFICALLY AROUND WHAT WE HEARD TODAY FROM OUR FRONTLINE FOLKS, AND THEN ALSO OUR FOLKS WHO I BELIEVE, AND I WANT TO COIN THE COMMENT THAT WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE HELPED BUILD THIS AGENCY TO A POINT THAT WE HAVE THE MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET THAT WE HAVE TO DATE.

THAT WAS QUOTED AS A, A PRIDEFUL MOMENT FOR US, BUT IT'S THE FOLKS WHO DID IT.

SO, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSIDERATE OF THAT FACT.

THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, MR. CHAIR, TRUSTEES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. CHAIR? I HAVE A QUESTION, JUST TRUSTEE 12.

I I ALSO DO WANNA ECHO WHAT VICE CHAIR BROWN AND TRUSTEE COMOS, UH, DID SAY.

I, I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO, IF WE COULD POSSIBLY, UM, AT LEAST GET SOME REGULAR UPDATES AS TO WHERE THE TALKS ARE GOING, IF WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE, AT LEAST WITHIN THE MEETINGS ITSELF AS WELL.

UM, JUST SO THAT WE CAN BE KEPT ABREAST AND IT CAN BE TRANSPARENT WITH WHAT'S, UH, BEING DISCUSSED WITH REGARDS TO NOT ONLY THE, THE HEALTH BENEFITS, BUT THEY DID ALSO, UH, BRING UP THE RETIREES FOR THEIR COLA TO BE INCREASED AS WELL.

SO I I REALLY WOULD IT, IT, IT'S JUST, I UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT.

[01:25:01]

UH, NON-DEPARTMENTAL IS A, UH, A, AN ACCOUNT BASICALLY THAT WE CODE THINGS TO WHEN WE DON'T CHARGE IT DIRECTLY TO A DEPARTMENT.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, UM, UH, ONE BIG ITEM IN THERE IS PENSION.

OUR ACTUARIES GIVE US, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ACTUARILY DETERMINED CONTRIBUTION WE NEED TO MAKE.

UH, BUT WE DON'T, THEN THERE REALLY WOULDN'T EVEN BE ANY WAY TO DO IT IF WE WANTED TO ACCURATELY, WE, WE DON'T THEN TRY TO TAKE THAT NUMBER IN, ALLOCATE IT OUT TO DEPARTMENTS.

WE DON'T LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A DEPARTMENT THAT MIGHT HAVE FOUR PEOPLE AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, $1,042 OF THIS IS SUSIE, AND, YOU KNOW, DO DOWN AT THAT, UM, GRANULAR LEVEL.

SO WE'LL CHARGE IT TO NON-DEPARTMENTAL, AND THEN IT GETS ALLOCATED TO THE VARIOUS COST CENTERS AND A COST CENTER.

IT BASICALLY IS A LINE OF BUSINESS LIKE, YOU KNOW, ATD LINE SERVICE, MTA LINE SERVICE, PARATRANSIT, UH, VAN POLE, ET CETERA.

AND IT'S ALLOCATED ON, UH, WE DO SOME ALLOCATIONS ON LABOR AND SOME ON LABOR INFRINGES, BUT THAT'S HOW WE SPREAD THAT OUT TO THE COST CENTERS.

BUT WE DO NOT CHARGE, UH, NON-DEPARTMENTAL IS A DEPARTMENT, IF YOU WILL, THAT'S NOT A DEPARTMENT, RIGHT, .

SO, UH, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE USE TO CAPTURE THINGS WHERE IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO TRY TO BREAK IT OUT DOWN TO THE DEPARTMENTAL LEVEL FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.

OTHER THINGS THAT GO IN THERE WOULD BE, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE, THE, THE CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST THAT THEY HAVE TO CELEBRATE AND HONOR, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS AND HONOR THE OPERATORS.

UH, THAT'S NOT CHARGED TO A DEPARTMENT THAT GOES INTO NON-DEPARTMENTAL AS WELL, A AS DOES OPAB AND, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEES.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UH, MR. LYNCH, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

UH, I KNOW THE BUDGET HAS MANY DIFFERENT MOVING PARTS, AND I'M SURE WE'LL COME BACK AND BE ASKING DIFFERENT QUESTIONS AS WE WILL ALONG, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, TRUSTEES, MAY I HAVE A MOTION A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS PRESENTED, SO MOVE SECOND.

FIRST OF A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN A FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

CAPITAL BUDGET INCREASED BY 18.7 MILLION.

ANY OPPOSED? NA, THIS ITEM IS APPROVED.

UH, NEXT MR. LANDS WILL NOW PRESENT ITEM SEVEN, THE 20 23 27 CAPITAL PROGRAM AND REVISIONS TO TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SO, GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN.

UH, I'M GONNA COVER THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.

UH, BRIEFLY, I DO NOT HAVE A SEPARATE POWERPOINT.

I HAD SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE CAPITAL SPENDING SIDE AND THE PRESENTATION THAT I JUST DID ON THE OPERATING BUDGET.

UH, BUT I WILL POINT OUT A FEW OF THE KEY THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET MEMO.

UH, TO YOU, THE BUDGET FOR THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD IS SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE NEED TO SUBMIT A WELL, MOST OF IT, A FOUR YEAR PERIOD OF IT FOR THE, UH, TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE MPOS TIP, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

BEFORE WE CAN DRAW ANY GRANT FUNDS, UH, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE PROJECTS INCLUDED IN THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND SO THE CURRENT TIP COVERS FISCAL YEAR 21 THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 24.

AND THE NEWEST, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, THE NEW FY 23 THROUGH 26 TIP WAS ADOPTED LOCALLY BY THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD AT THE MPO ON JUNE 22ND, 2022.

AND IT'LL TAKE EFFECT AS SOON AS OCTOBER OF 2022 PENDING FEDERAL APPROVAL.

UH, THEY UPDATE THAT EVERY TWO YEARS, AND THEY AMEND IT QUARTERLY.

AND SO WE'LL GET, UH, THE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT, UH, AFTER OUR BUDGET'S APPROVED, WE'LL GET THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS, UH, REFLECTED IN THE UPDATED TIP.

UM, WE HAVE A, AS WE HAD IN THE OPERATING SITE, A FEW CHANGES THAT OCCURRED SUBSEQUENT TO THE BOARD WORKSHOP IN AUGUST.

UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THE WORKSHOP, THE FY 23 BUDGET INCREASED BY 7 MILLION, 7.1 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED FY 23 THROUGH 27.

UH, THE BIGGEST CHANGE IN THE FIVE YEAR PICTURE, UH, THAT RESULTED IN THE 18.7 MILLION INCREASE WAS A 19.3 MILLION, UH, ADDITION TO THE BUDGET FOR THE ART EAST WEST QUARTER.

AND THEN THE OTHER ITEMS ACTUALLY NETTED OUT TO A SLIGHT DECREASE.

UH, AND IT BROUGHT US TO A OVERALL FIVE YEAR BUDGET OF $748.4 MILLION.

[01:30:01]

ADDING THE ART EAST WEST FOR 19 LITTLE OVER 19 MILLION REFLECTED THE BOARD ACTION THAT WAS TAKEN IN AUGUST.

UH, THE OTHER PORTION OF THAT, THAT FUND, THE 26.4 MILLION OF FUNDS PIECE OF IT WENT TO OPERATING.

AND, AND SO THAT'S WHY, UM, YOU KIND OF SEE A SPLIT HERE WITH 19 HITTING HERE.

UH, THE OTHER REVISIONS THAT NETTED OUT AGAIN TO A SLIGHT DECREASE WERE REDUCTION IN THE MOBILITY HUBS PROGRAM SPENDING ARE REFLECTING, GOING FROM THREE ZONES TO ONE ZONE IN THE FIVE YEAR TIMEFRAME.

AND THEN SAVINGS FROM THIS CHANGE COVERED PROJ PROJECT COST INCREASES, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION INCREASES ON, UH, PROJECTS INCLUDING ALAMO RANCH PARK AND RIDE ALAMO RANCH SITE PURCHASE, RANDOLPH PARK AND RIDE, AND EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB.

AND, UH, ALSO WE HAD, UH, WE, WE PLUGGED IN, UH, RECENT UPDATE TO REFLECT THE COST TO COMPLETE THE E R P PROJECT.

UH, THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE BOARD IN JULY, UH, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN INCORPORATED INTO BUDGET YET.

AND SO, AT ANY RATE, THE APPROVED, OR EXCUSE ME, THE, UM, THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FOR APPROVAL IS 748.4 MILLION.

AND, UH, ATTACHED TO YOUR MEMO ARE VARIETY OF DOCUMENTS, UH, WHICH ALSO ARE IN THE BUDGET BOOK, UH, THAT YOU RECEIVED.

BUT THAT INCLUDES A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL SPENDING PLAN, ALSO INCLUDES THE COMPARISON OF THIS YEAR'S FIVE YEAR PLAN TO THE LAST YEAR'S FIVE YEAR PLAN, ALONG WITH A, A SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTING THE CHANGES, THE MAJOR CHANGES, AND THEN A, UH, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY SHEET THAT SHOWS THE SOURCES OF FUNDS FOR THE CAPITAL SPENDING, UH, AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL SPENDING.

AND SO THAT, THAT'S THE LAST PAGE IN YOUR PACKET.

AND SO WITH THAT, UH, THE REQUEST WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE, UH, THE FY 23 THROUGH 27 CAPITAL PROGRAM AND THE RELATED REVISIONS TO THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

TRUSTEES, ARE THERE QUESTIONS? VICE CHAIR BROWN.

SO I WANT TO GIVE A MOTION, STEVE, GREAT JOB ON THIS.

THE ONLY, UH, COMMENT THAT I HAVE OR REQUEST, AND YOU GUYS PROVIDED THIS TO ME IN THE PAST, SO I'LL ASK FOR IT AGAIN.

IT'S BEEN A FEW YEARS NOW.

UH, JEFF, JUST A LIST OF ALL OF OUR REAL ESTATE ASSETS CURRENT.

OKAY, NOT A PROBLEM YOU'VE PROVIDED BEFORE.

IF WE CAN GET IT AGAIN, UM, THAT'LL BE GREAT.

BUT WITH THAT, MR. CHEER, SO MOVED.

YOU SAID ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE HAVE A FIRST OR A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE.

HIS DEALS, WELLS AND MR. LUNA WILL PRESENT ITEM EIGHT, JANUARY, 2023.

ANY OPPOSED? NA, THIS ITEM IS APPROVED.

NEXT WE GO TO

[8. January 2023 Service Changes - For information and discussion by the VIA Board of Trustees regarding service changes for implementation of the signup period that begins on January 9, 2023]

SERVICE CHANGES, WHICH IS AN INFORMATION ITEM REQUIRING NO ACTION ITEM.

NO ACTION TODAY.

HI, GOOD EVENING, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I'M MARIS DS WELLS.

I'M THE MANAGER OF SERVICE PLANNING, UH, CO-PRESENTING WITH ME TODAY IS MS. LET EK.

SHE IS THE MANAGER OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS.

WE'RE PRESENTING SERVICE CHANGES AND A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN FOR SERVICE PROPOSED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN JANUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

I FORGOT TO OPEN UP THE PRESENTATION, SORRY.

AND THIS ITEM IS PRESENTED AS INFORMATION ONLY.

UH, PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES INCLUDE RETURNING SERVICE TO NACO PASS MOBILITY HUB, UH, EXTENDING ROUTE 42 TO SERVICE NAVAR AND IMPROVEMENTS FREQUENCY ON ROUTE 21.

EARLY THIS YEAR IN JANUARY, SERVICE AT NACO PASS MOBILITY HUB WAS TEMPORARILY REROUTED TO NACO, PARON, AND PARIT.

THIS WAS TO ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH INCLUDE NEW BOARDING AREAS FOR ROUTES NINE 14 AND 5 0 2, A NEW STOP FOR VIA LINK PEDESTRIAN AND STREET IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING NEW SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS, IMPROVING LIGHTING AND REALTIME ARRIVAL INFORMATION.

ON ROUTE 42 ROOSEVELT, WE ARE PROPOSING TO EXTEND THE ROUTE TO SERVE NAVAR MANUFACTURING.

WE ARE PROPOSING ONE TRIP DURING THE AM PEAK AND ONE TRIP DURING THE PM PEAK.

THESE TRIPS ARE COORDINATED WITH THE NAVAR SHIFT START AND END TIMES ON ROUTE 21.

UH, KIRBY CONVERSE.

WE ARE PROPOSING TO IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES DURING THE AM AND PM PEAKS, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR CASE AM GOAL TO IMPROVE BUS FREQUENCIES TO AT LEAST 30 MINUTES.

WE ALSO PROPOSE TO STRAIGHTEN THE ALIGNMENT TO IMPROVE TRIP TIMES.

THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES ARE PRESENTED

[01:35:01]

AS INFORMATION TODAY.

NEXT MONTH WITH CONSIDERATION TO COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC, WE WILL BE BACK TO REQUEST BOARD ACTION FOR THESE SERVICE CHANGES PROPOSED FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON JANUARY 9TH, 2023.

UH, MS. BEEK WILL PRESENT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

PUBLIC EN THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN IS AS FOLLOWS, THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 3RD THROUGH, UH, WE WILL START THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH.

NOTICES, UH, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE EXPRESS NEWS BEGINNING TOMORROW, AND IN THE SOUTH SIDE REPORTER IN SPANISH ON OCTOBER THE FIFTH.

UH, WE WILL CONTACT NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ASSOCIATIONS, THOSE THAT ARE AFFECTED, AS WELL AS OUTREACH TO ALL THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEIR STAFFS.

UH, WE WILL OF COURSE INCLUDE SOCIAL MEDIA, POST AND WEBSITE POST, UH, OCTOBER THE THIRD THROUGH OCTOBER THE 14TH.

WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC OUTREACH AND PUBLIC COMMENT, WHICH IS THE PERIOD INCLUDING THE TRANSIT CENTER OUTREACH, OCTOBER 11TH AT 5:30 PM WE WILL CONDUCT THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE AT THE VIA METRO CENTER, OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER, 2022.

WE WILL CONTINUE WITH COMMUNITY EDUCATION ON THE SERVICE CHANGES.

THE TARGETED OUTREACH LIST IS AS FOLLOWS, AND IT'S IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, IT INCLUDES NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO NAVISTAR, TJ MAX MISSION TO LAGO.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDED OUR JUDSON, SAN ANTONIO, ISS D AND NORTHSIDE ISD.

CITIES OF KIRBY AND CONVERSE WILL ALSO BE CONTACTED.

WE WILL, OF COURSE, UTILIZE OUR NEWSLETTER AND OUR WEBSITE FOR DIGITAL BLAST.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM AT THIS TIME.

TRUSTEE.

SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, TRUSTEE? DO WELL, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT.

UH, NOTHING BRINGS ME MORE JOY THAN TO SEE FREQUENCY INCREASING.

SO CONGRATULATIONS, TEAM ON THAT.

UM, I REALLY HOPE THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A TRICKLE, UM, FOR POSITIVITY AND HOPEFULLY START TO BRING OUR RIDERS BACK.

UM, AND THEN ALSO REOPENING NACO PASS.

THAT'S JUST PHENOMENAL.

SO JUST THANK YOU TO THE TEAM FOR, FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.

THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT.

I WAS EXCITED AS WELL TO ACTUALLY BRING YOU A FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENT TODAY.

ESPECIALLY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, REAL QUICK.

SO I, I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THEN I GO PAST THAT FIRST SLIDE JUST REALLY MADE ME HAPPY.

I LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS.

UM, IT GIVES ME A DIFFERENT FEELING THAN MOST OF OUR OTHER SPOTS.

SO I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT, THAT I'M BIASED.

SO I'LL OWN THAT AND MAYBE BONNIE WILL TAP ME LATER.

BUT, UM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THERE'S SEVERAL CHARTER SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS CHARTERS, UH, BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TRANSPORTATION, THE TRANSPORTATION NORMAL ROUTE SERVICE THAT LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN PROVIDE.

A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY UTILIZE VIA, UM, Y W A WHILE WE TALK ABOUT THAT AS A CELEBRATORY PIECE THAT IS AN IN-DISTRICT CHARTER, AND THAT IS WHY MOST OF THEIR STUDENTS TAKE THAT OPTION OF VIA OPPOSED TO HAVING TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF FUNDING, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANT US TO NOW CONSIDER THAT WE ARE INCREASING IN CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE GENERALLY USING THAT AS AN OPTION FOR THEIR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OPPOSED TO YOUR TRADITIONAL ISD.

SO LET'S, LET'S START ADDING THEM TO THE TARGETED OUTREACH LIST, AND I CAN HELP GET YOU IN CONTACT WITH THOSE IF NEED BE.

TRUSTEE HAKEEM BROWN.

WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND ADD THOSE TRUSTEE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT.

UH, I NOTICED THAT YOU PUBLISH AN EXPRESS NEWS AND SOUTH SIDE REPORTER.

DO YOU EVER PUT ANY ADVERTISING IN LAPN? WE HAVE IN THE PAST.

AND, UM, THE SOUTH SIDE REPORTER IS THE ONE WE UTILIZED FOR SPANISH AND WE HAVE UTILIZED ALSO LEI IN THE PAST.

SO YEAH, I, I I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE THE CEP CUZ A LOT.

THAT'S WHAT A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITIES SEE CUZ THEY'RE FREE PUBLICATIONS TO BEGIN WITH, RIGHT? AND THEY CAN GET 'EM WHENEVER THEY GO TO THE STORES AND STUFF.

SO IF YOU RECALL, I BELIEVE IT'S DIGITAL ONLY.

BUT WE HAVE UTILIZED HIM.

EXCELLENT.

AND WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL.

UH, MS. COSTA NEW WILL NOW PRESENT ITEM NINE, US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM PLANNING GRANTS, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM.

UH, I THINK THAT'S IT.

THERE'S NO ACTION ON THAT ONE.

UH, THE NEXT ONE IS,

[9. US Department of Transportation - Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program – Planning Grants – For information, discussion, and possible action regarding seeking funds through the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program to support public engagement activities, including community visioning or other place-based strategies for public input in the East/West Advanced Rapid Transit Corridor]

[01:40:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON TEST.

GOOD AFTERNOON, TRUSTEES.

I KNOW IT'S LATE.

AND HOW MUCH FUN IS IT FOR ME TO BE THE LAST PRESENTER? .

I PROMISE TO BE QUICK.

UM, IN FACT, I'LL LET THE US SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION DO MOST OF THE TALKING FIRST.

UM, SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T RUSH.

TRAVEL AFFORDABLY QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

DO YOU DO YOUR PRESENTATION THE WAY YOU NEED TO DO IT? I STILL ON SECRETARY PETE, WE ARE IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA TODAY CELEBRATING THE LAUNCH OF THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM.

THIS IS THE FIRST EVER DEDICATED FEDERAL INITIATIVE TO REPAIR THE HARM CAUSED BY SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE CHOICES OF THE PAST, AND INSTEAD REPLACE THEM OR IMPROVE THEM FOR PROJECTS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

GOOD TRANSPORTATION HELPS PEOPLE MOVE TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

CONNECT PLACES YOU NEED TO BE AND THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE.

BUT SOMETIMES AMERICA HAS GOTTEN THINGS WRONG IN GENERATIONS PAST.

AND THEN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE CAN EVEN DO THE OPPOSITE.

CUTTING PEOPLE OFF FROM SCHOOLS OR HEALTHCARE DIVIDING OR DAMAGING NEIGHBORHOODS.

BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

THANKS TO THE PRESIDENT'S BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, WE HAVE FUNDING TO MAKE BETTER PLACES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE CHOICES OF THE PAST.

SOMETIMES THAT MIGHT MEAN TAPPING A HIGHWAY, PUTTING IN A PARK OVER IT WHERE KIDS CAN PLAY AND PEOPLE CAN GET ACROSS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

IN OTHER CASES, IT MEANS SOMETHING LIKE INTRODUCING A BUS RAPID TRANSIT CONNECTION FROM PREVIOUSLY ISOLATED NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT HERE IN BIRMINGHAM THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.

WHAT ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PROJECTS HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY WILL BETTER CONNECT PEOPLE TO OPPORTUNITY TO PROSPERITY AND TO EACH OTHER, WHICH IS WHAT TRANSPORTATION IS ALL ABOUT.

SO IT IT REALLY IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE UP HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THESE, THIS, UH, POTENTIAL GRANT OPPORTUNITY.

IT IS ABOUT RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES AS SECRETARY MENTIONED.

AND THE PROJECT THAT WE WILL BE TALKING THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IS OF COURSE THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT EAST WEST CORRIDOR.

AS WE ALL KNOW, WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF CONTINUING TO SEEK PLANNING, UH, FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN THEN APPLY FOR CAPITAL FUNDS FOR THE A R T EAST WEST CORRIDOR.

AND WE LOOKED AT THIS PROJECT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING TO SAN ANTONIO TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TODAY ATTACHED TO YOUR BOARD PACKET IS A BOARD RESOLUTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000 OR 20% THAT IS AT THE MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR THIS GRAND APPLICATION.

THE A RT EAST WEST CORRIDORS.

WE, AS WE KNOW, IS, UH, FROM THE WEST AREA ON COMMERCE AND BUENA VISTA GOING THROUGH DOWNTOWN, UM, ALL THE WAY TO HOUSTON ON THE EAST SIDE TO THE EAST AT AND T CENTER, EAST SIDE MOBILITY HUB AND LOOP FOUR 10.

WE ARE EXCITED BECAUSE AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THE, AT THE UH, REQUIREMENTS, WE REALIZE THAT IN FACT THERE ARE TWO MAJOR CORRIDORS, UM, THE US TWO EIGHTY ONE OR, UH, WE CALL UP THE 37 CORRIDOR AND THEN THE 35 CORRIDOR ON EITHER SIDE OF EACH OF, OF DOWNTOWN.

THOSE TWO PIECES OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG WITH THE ADJACENT RAIL LINES TO EACH ARE THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAVE CREATED BARRIERS IN OUR COMMUNITY IN THE PAST AND ALSO RESOUND, UM, TODAY.

SO STAFF HAS REVIEWED THE MATERIALS AND BASED ON THE CRITERIA THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIZES, UM, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY, OUR PROJECT QUALIFIES FOR THIS GRANT AND WE WOULD LIKE THE APPROVAL OF THE, OF THE BOARD TO, UH, ALLOW FOR 20% OF THIS, OF THIS PROJECT TO STAY BEHIND IN THE EVENT THAT WE ARE IN FACT HONORED WITH THAT AWARD.

UM, AGAIN, WE TALK ABOUT THE I 37 AND I 35, UH, CORRIDORS.

THIS IN FACT IS THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S ONLINE EQUITY ATLAS AS IT PERTAINS TO THE CORRIDOR.

AND JUST AS A POINT OF REFERENCE THAT THIS COMBINED EQUITY MA MATRIX SCORE SHOWS THE VERY, UM, THE MOST NUMBERS OF, UH, FACTORS OF RACE, ETHNICITY, INCOME AND, AND ON THESE SENSES TRACKED IN OUR WHOLE REGION.

SO WE JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, THAT WE ARE DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH TO PUT THIS, UH, APPLICATION TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL.

WE KNOW THAT IT WILL BE COMPETITIVE.

WE KNOW THAT UH, ON THE EAST SIDE WE WERE SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO REINVENT, UH, THE STREET LEVEL ENVIRONMENT

[01:45:01]

ALONG THE CORRIDOR, INCLUDING CHERRY AND HOUSTON STREETS, ALONG WITH, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL THE WAY THROUGH FOUR 10 ON THE EAST AND ON THE WEST.

UH, CONTINUED RE REINVIGORATION OF RE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL NODES ALONG THE CORRIDOR.

SO AGAIN, THE ACTION THAT A STAFF IS REQUESTING IS A BOARD RESOLUTION FOR $500,000 LOCAL SHARE FOR TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR U S D O T RCP GRANT RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES PILOT GRANT, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD TO YOUR COMMENTS THAT THIS GRANT IS PRIMARILY ORIENTED AT PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, ACTIVITY AND ENHANCED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ALONG THE EAST WEST CORRIDOR AND PROBABLY IS REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MANAGE LEROY'S ABSENCE.

WE NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME IN AND HELP US.

THAT'S RIGHT.

IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT HALF MILLION DOLLARS IS BUILT INTO THE BUDGET WE JUST PASSED? YES.

I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.

I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SECOND IT.

WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND OR ARE THERE ANY WELL, IS THERE TO FIRST OR SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, POLICE? AYE.

I AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? A THIS ITEM IS APPROVED.

[10. *Legal Briefing]

IS, UH, LEGAL BRIEFING.

MS. ELDERS, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING, LEGAL BRIEF? OH SURE.

YOU'RE, I'LL SHOW YOUR MICHAEL IMPORTANT BUT SHORT ATD AGENDA THAT WE NEED TO MOVE THROUGH.

THANK YOU TRUSTEES.

WE REACH THE END OF THIS MEETING BEFORE ADJO.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT WE WILL NEXT ADDRESS THE ATD BOARD MEETING.

SO PLEASE STAY SEATED.

UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE VIA MEETING? MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

UH, AND I AM CALLING TO ORDER THE SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2022 MEETING OF THE ADVANCED TRANSIT DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

ANY OPPOSED? MAY AYE.

MOTION CARRIES THE VIA MEDIAN IS ADJOURNED.

LET'S SEE NOW.

6 47.

OKAY, IT'S NOW 6:47 PM

[ATD 1. Call to Order]

MR. R, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DO NOT.

NEXT, UH, WE WILL ADDRESS, UH, DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS TO BE HEARD? NO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.

GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, CONSENT AGENDA.

NEXT WE

[ATD 4. Consent Agenda]

JUST TRUSTEE, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.

WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NA, THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

UH, MR. LAN WILL

[ATD 5. FY2023 Advanced Transportation District (ATD) Operating Budget]

NOT PRESENT.

ITEM FIVE, THE F Y 2023 ADVANCE TRANSIT DISTRICT ATD OPERATING BUDGET, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM.

SO MR. LAND ACTUALLY PRESENTED THAT AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, I, WE WILL, UM, FOREGO AN ADDITIONAL BRIEFING.

TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, IT WAS JUST SO GOOD.

THOUGHT WE WOULD HEAR IT AGAIN.

TIME.

STEVE? YES.

MOVE WE ADOPT? SECOND.

OKAY, FIRST AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NA, THIS ITEM IS APPROVED.

OKAY, MS. ELDERS, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.

TRUSTEES, WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING.

MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN AND A SECOND I MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.

SECOND.

OKAY, WE HAVE FIRST AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.