Jan 24, 2023 VIA / ATD Board of Trustees Meeting

NOW WE'LL

[00:00:01]

[ATD 1. Call to Order]

OKAY, GREAT.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

IT'S 5:00 PM ON JANUARY 24TH.

2023.

I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE FIRST ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING OF THIS YEAR.

I AM BOARD CHAIR FERES.

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THIS YEAR'S MEETING.

UH, LET'S BEGIN WITH THIS, WITH THE,

[ATD 2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements]

UH, BUT NOW LET'S PLEASE STAND FOR THE ALLEGIANCE, TWO OF THE FLAG AND THE TEXAS FLAG.

YES.

ALL RIGHT.

PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IS STANDS.

ONE NATION.

WHAT IS LIBERTY AND JUSTICE? HONOR, HONOR, TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE.

THANK YOU.

SINCE THIS IS A DIFFERENT MEETING, WE SHOULD DO A MEDICAL.

OKAY.

AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARRIVED TOO, SO, OKAY.

OKAY.

UH, SINCE WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT, UH, JUST CAME IN AND, UH, WE'RE STARTING A NEW MEETING, I WILL DO ANOTHER ROLL CALL.

VICE CHAIR CABIA PRESENT.

SECRETARY MALONE.

PRESENT.

TRUSTEE BAAH.

PRESENT.

TRUSTEE BROWN.

TRUSTEE BROWN.

TRUSTEE CUOMO? HERE.

TRUSTEE COOPER? HERE.

TRUSTEE GONZALEZ? HERE.

TRUSTEE PADRES? HERE.

TRUSTEE TO WILL HERE.

AND TRUSTEE WOLF HERE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

NEXT, UH, MR. A, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DO NOT.

THANK YOU.

[ATD 3. Citizens to be Heard]

HAVE WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS REGISTERED TO SPEAK? OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NEXT

[ATD 4. Consent Agenda]

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MOVE APPROVAL, MR. CHAIR.

SECOND.

OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY.

THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

MS. ELDERS,

[ATD 5. *Legal Briefing]

WE DO NOT HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING TONIGHT.

GREAT.

TRUSTEES, WE REACHING IN OF THIS MEETING? UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN IN A SECOND? OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY.

MOTION CARRIES.

THE AT D MEDIAN IS NOW ADJOURNED.

[1. Call to Order]

IT IS NOW 5:04 PM AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE JANUARY MEETING OF THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

MR. A, DO WE HAVE ANY

[2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements]

I HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

UH, I'M

[3. President/CEO Report]

AND IF YOU WOULD STAND, PLEASE SO WE CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.

SO RICARDO, WHO IS THE PARATRANSIT OPERATOR, RECENTLY CAME TO THE AID OF A SMALL CHILD WHILE HE WAS WAITING FOR A VIA TRANS CUSTOMER AT AN APARTMENT COMPLEX.

HE OBSERVED A TODDLER WHO WAS WITH NO ADULT IN SIGHT.

SO HE GOT THE CHILD'S ATTENTION, HE CALLED DISPATCH, AND HE STAYED WITH THE CHILD UNTIL THE POLICE COULD ARRIVE AND LOCATE THE FAMILY MEMBERS.

THAT'S GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, BUT STILL SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.

BERNICE IS A NINE YEAR VETERAN WITH EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AND NO AT FAULT ACCIDENTS TO DATE, AND TO DATE IS NINE YEARS.

AND HE WAS RECENTLY FEATURED IN SAN ANTONIO REPORTS WHERE I WORK SERIES DESCRIBING WHAT MAKES HIS JOB REWARDING FOR HIM.

SO LET'S RECOGNIZE BOTH OF THESE OPERATORS AND, UM, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, WE'LL, WE'LL DO A PICTURE WITH THE BOARD.

SORRY,

[00:05:14]

ALL RIGHT.

SO NEXT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU VIAS NEW COMU COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR JOSH BAUGH.

JOSH, THERE YOU GO.

JOSH COMES FROM A STRONG JOURNALISM BACKGROUND, HAVING SERVED OVER A DECADE IN LOCAL NEWS, MOST RECENTLY AS SENIOR REPORTER COVERING LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLITICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS.

HE ALSO HAS EXPERIENCE IN STRATEGIC MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND HE WILL HELP CRAFT AND CARRY OUT OUR PR AND MEDIA, UH, MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, AS WELL AS HELP WITH LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN, WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THE STRATEGIC MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT FOR KEEP AS SA MOVING.

SO, WELCOME ABOARD JOSH.

GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

JOHN GARY HAS BEEN BUSY.

WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU AND EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO OUR NEW MANAGER OF GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.

CHRISTINA BA.

CHRISTINA, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE.

THERE YOU ARE.

CHRISTINA COMES TO US WITH EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, AND HER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE INCLUDES WORK WITH THE SAN ANTONIO HISPANIC CHAMBER COMMERCE AND WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS ALAMO.

SHE RECENTLY SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE TAKING CARE OF SA CITY BOND CAMPAIGN, A 1.2 BILLION BOND PROGRAM THAT WAS PASSED LAST MAY.

SO WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE HER AS PART WHERE VIA FAMILY, AND WE HOPE YOU BRING US 1.2 BILLION TOO.

.

CONGRATULATIONS, CHRISTINA.

NOW WE HAVE A, A COUPLE INTERNAL PROMOTIONS, WHICH IS ALWAYS PLEASING.

I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THE PROMOTION OF DAVID TILLEY FROM I T TS AND FAIR TECHNOLOGY ADMINISTRATOR TO THE NEW CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER FOR VIA.

YES.

DAVID HAS BEEN WITH VIA FOR MANY YEARS, LEADING EFFORTS ON GO-KART, GO MOBILE, GO MOBILE PLUS AND INFOTAINMENT, AND THOSE FOUR PROJECTS ALONE MERIT YOU BEING THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, OFTEN COLLABORATING, WORKING WITH MULTIPLE DIVISIONS TO MOVE THESE COMPLEX EFFORTS FORWARD.

HE ALSO SERVES SEVERAL STENTS AS THE ACTING MANAGER OF TECH TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.

AND IN HIS NEW ROLE, HE WILL OVERSEE TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, G AND I, CLIENT SERVICES AND TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.

SO, CONGRATULATIONS.

WE'RE, WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU MOVING UP.

ALSO MOVING UP.

BRAD DAVIS.

IS BRAD HERE? OH, THERE YOU ARE.

BRAD.

BRAD MO BRAD HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO THE POSITION OF MANAGER OF FACILITY MAINTENANCE.

BRAD HAS BEEN WITH VIA SINCE DECEMBER OF 2012, WHEN HE STARTED AS A CDL SHOP ATTENDANT.

AFTER MOVING UP TO THE

[00:10:01]

AND I'M SURE THOSE ABOVE YOU ARE WATCHING TO SEE WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO NEXT.

CONGRATULATIONS, BRAD.

SERVICE PLANNING AND SKELETAL DEPARTMENT HAS GAINED ANOTHER SCHOLAR WITH THE COMMENCEMENT IN DECEMBER OF SERVICE ANALYST, ORLANDO COBAR, WHO COMPLETED HIS MASTER'S OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY SAN ANTONIO.

SO, ORLANDO, YOU HERE.

WE'LL CLAP.

ANYWAY, CONGRATULATIONS, ORLANDO.

NOW I KNOW THE NEXT GUY IS HERE.

VICE PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

STEVE YOUNG WAS RECENTLY REAPPOINTED AS VICE CHAIR OF THE IT SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION, OR APTA, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION.

HE WAS ASKED TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT HE AGREED TO STAY ON HIS VICE-CHAIR UNTIL THEY SELECT A CHAIR.

I THINK THAT'S IN REVERSE, BUT NONETHELESS, E EXACTLY.

.

CONGRATULATIONS, STEVE.

ALL RIGHT.

NEXT WE WILL BE OPENING THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT OFFICE AT 7 0 6 7 SAN PEDRO AVENUE AS A RESOURCE TO THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE NOR, UH, NORTH, SOUTH A R T CORRIDOR, BEGINNING TUESDAY, JANUARY 31ST.

SO JUST A FEW DAYS AWAY, THE OFFICE WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 8:00 AM TO 5:00 PM OFFERING INFORMATION AND UPDATES ON THIS EXCITING AND TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT.

AND SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS TEAM WILL STAFF THE SPACE TO PROVIDE COURTEOUS SERVICE AND ANSWER QUESTIONS VISITORS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THIS TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT.

SO WE'VE PLACED IT RIGHT KIND OF IN THE MIDST OF THE AREA WHERE WE WOULD HAVE THE DEDICATED LANE IN THE CENTER OF THE ROAD TO MAKE IT EASY FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND TO GET UPDATED INFORMATION AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE NOT DOING.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO OPENING THAT.

JOHN GARY, THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO RETURN TO A LIVE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

MARCH, FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR HIATUS.

AND ONCE AGAIN, VIA PARTNERED WITH THE MLK COMMISSION TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE LARGEST MARCHES IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAD A GREAT TURNOUT OF THE EMPLOYEES AND A T U MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE MARCH.

THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AND SPECIFICALLY TO SECRETARY MALONE AND TRUSTEE BOB CUOMO FOR JOINING US IN THE PROCESSION THAT DAY.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK OPERATIONS FLEET AND FACILITIES SAFETY, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TEAMS, AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED TO ENSURE THAT VIA HAD A STRONG AND POSITIVE PRESENCE AT THIS IMPORTANT EVENT EACH YEAR WE EVER PARTICIPATED IN THAT EVERYONE HAS A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

THIS WAS A SPECIAL YEAR, HOWEVER, BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WERE ABLE TO STAGE VIAS 19 66, 6 GENERAL MOTORS DREAMLINER BUS AT PITTMAN SULLIVAN PARK, WHERE MOST PEOPLE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE, THE INSIDE TO TAKE PICTURES AND LEARN ABOUT THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE JOB BY VIAS FLEET AND FACILITY AND BODY SHOP WORKERS.

THIS 1966 BUS UNDERWENT A COMPLETE AND PA PAINSTAKING RENOVATION AND WAS WELL RECEIVED BY HUNDREDS OF VISITORS AT THE MARCH.

JOIN ME IN CONGRATULATING THE TEAM WHO WORKED ON THE DREAMLINER RESTORATION SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE IT AS AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL AND DISPLAY IT AS POINT OF PRIDE FOR OUR AGENCY AND OUR COMMUNITY.

JUST AS A NOTE, THE RESTORATION BEGAN IN 2021 WHEN CREWS GUTTED THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE BUS, REMOVING SEATS, WINDOWS, FLOORING, PANEL, HANDRAILS, SEALS, AND MOLDINGS.

THE JOB REQUIRED VIA BODY SHOP TEAM TO, TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT MANY PARTS, INCLUDING TRIM AND CHROME PIECES THAT WERE DEEMED UNS SALVAGEABLE.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S NOT A REAL BIG MARKET FOR THOSE PE THOSE PARTS IN THE, IN THE GENERAL MARKET, SO WE HAD TO MAKE THEM OURSELVES.

THE SECOND PHASE OF THE RESTORATION INCLUDED THE REMOVAL, OVERHAUL, AND REINSTALLATION OF THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION, AND THEY ARE GLEAMING.

SO WE ARE GRATEFUL, LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE FOLLOWING VIA TEAM MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR, HECTOR AGUILERA, ED BENNETT, BE BERNARDO GARCIA, GERALD GREEN, KELLEN HOWTON, STEVE MORENO, RA PENYA JR.

UH, HECTOR SANTOYA, FRANK VALDEZ, JR.

HUGO VILLA AND ARTHUR HASTY FOR A JOB.

INCREDIBLY WELL DONE AND SOMETHING THAT REALLY PRESERVES AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR HISTORY.

THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU,

[00:15:01]

UH, I ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, RICARDO AND BERNICE BARRETA, UH, FOR GOING BEYOND THEIR DUTIES AND, UH, HELPING OUR CITIZENS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, UH, TO THE OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE EITHER JOINING US OR MOVING UP.

UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND, UH, I KNOW WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

UH, AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE OPENING OF THE ART, UH, FIELD OFFICE.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME GOOD RESPONSE ABOUT THAT.

AND ALSO THANK ALL THE ONES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR MILITARY MARCH THIS YEAR.

AND JUST AS A NOTE, THAT 1966 PLUS, THAT'S THE ONE I TOOK TO WORK WHEN I LIVED ON SOUTH BRONX, AND I HAD TO GO TO BROADWAY TO GO TO WORK.

, I, I THINK YOU'RE TOO YOUNG.

I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT STORY.

.

WELL, THANK YOU JEFF .

OKAY, UH, THE NEXT ITEM IS MR. ART, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? SORRY, I JUST DID NO NOUS TO THE REPORT.

I JUST DID THAT AGAIN.

THAT WAS A REPORT.

YEAH, THAT WAS THE, OKAY, I SKIPPED AHEAD.

OKAY.

WE'VE

[4. Citizens to be Heard]

WE HAVE FOUR CITIZENS TO BE HEARD, MR. CHAIR.

OKAY.

OH, SINCE WE HAVE CITIZENS HEARD, I'LL LEAVE YOU THIS STATEMENT.

WE HAVE NOT COME TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING.

THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM OUR PATIENTS AND CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BE COUNTY AREA QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND CODE CONTROL THAT MAY ARISE DURING THIS PORTION OF THE MEETING MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT AND CEO O AND OUR STAFF.

THIS PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU RECEIVED THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

THANK YOU.

AND DE APPRECIATES YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORTS ASSURED YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING.

OUR FIRST SYSTEM TO BE HEARD IS SYLVIA ENRIQUE.

SYLVIA IS BEING YIELDED AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES FROM DAVID BENITAS FOR A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.

OH, WELCOME.

THANK YOU.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE VIA BOARD MEMBERS AND BOARD CHAIR.

GOOD AFTERNOON VIA BOARD CHAIR FERNANDO REUS VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND PRESIDENT'S CEO O JEFF A I AM SYLVIA A ENRIQUE VIA RETIREE WITH 40 YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS OF SAN ANTONIO TRANSIT AND VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY SERVICE.

I DO NOT REPRESENT ANY GROUP ORGANIZATION, BUT I SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON ON BEHALF OF THE DEFINED BENEFIT RETIREMENT PLAN THAT I CONTRIBUTED DOLLARS TO FOR 38 AND A HALF YEARS.

ON DECEMBER 13TH, 2022, AT THE VIA JOINT BOARD WORK SESSION, I SPOKE UNDER CITIZENS TO BE HERD AGENDA ITEM.

I ALSO SPOKE UNDER SAME AGENDA ITEMS ON OCTOBER 18, OCTOBER 25TH, NOVEMBER 15TH, AND DECEMBER 13TH, 2022.

I SIGNED IN AS REQUIRED TO SPEAK ON PENSION AND BENEFITS.

WHAT I SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN TODAY IS THE SAME CUZ I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A BOARD OF TRUSTEE'S RESPONSE IN WRITING.

WHY DO I WANT A WRITTEN RESPONSE? BECAUSE OF YOUR TERM LIMITS AND ALSO FUTURE VIA MANAGEMENT.

LEGAL WILL ASK FOR DOCUMENTS IN THE FUTURE IF I REQUIRE SOME RESPONSES.

AS PER TODAY ON DECEMBER 13TH, 2022.

I STATED, AS I PREVIOUSLY STATED AND ASKED, BOARD CHAIRMAN REYES AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES, A PENSION BENEFITS COMMITTEE SHOULD BE REESTABLISHED CONSISTING OF BOARD MEMBERS, MANAGEMENT UNION AND ADMIN RETIREES BY JUNE TWEN BY JANUARY, 2023.

THE COMMITTEE SHOULD DEVELOP 2023 GOALS AND PRESENT TO THE BOARD AS RECOMMENDATIONS.

THEREFORE, THE BOARD WILL NOT BE PRESENTED WITH BENEFITS AND PENSION ISSUES.

COME SEPTEMBER, COME OCTOBER OR LATER ON AT BOARD MEETINGS BY ANY RETIREES.

THESE COMMITTEE, THIS COMMITTEE WOULD DISCUSS AND SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEES RATHER THAN COMMIT RETIREES COMING TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HURT.

AGENDA ITEMS AS STRESS AS OTHER RETIREES HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE ME, THE IMPORTANCE OF ISSUES THE VA RETIREES HAVE 1 20 24 AND FUTURE YEARS ON ALL HEALTH BENEFITS.

PREMIUMS NUMBER TWO, PROVIDE A PENSION INCREASE TO ALL RETIREES AS VIA IMPLEMENTED A

[00:20:01]

THREE PENSION BENEFIT COMMITTEE BE CREATED FOR ANOTHER ITEM I MENTIONED TO YOU ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2022, WAS CHANGES THAT HAD BEEN MADE IN THE NON-DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET LINE ITEM FOR VIA FY 2022 DASH 23 TO BENEFIT CERTAIN EXPENSES.

AND THAT MONIES WAS FROM RETIREES THAT NEEDS TO BE FURTHER REVIEWED BY THE BOARD.

FIVE.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBERS AND BOARD CHAIR HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THIS VIA BENEFIT RETIREMENT PLAN THAT I PARTICIPATE IN.

THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESPONSE SOON REGARDING THE COMMITTEE DOLLARS INCREASE 2024 AND FUTURE YEAR HEALTH PREMIUMS AND ALL I'VE MENTIONED TODAY AND PREVIOUSLY.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT CITIZEN TO BE HEARD IS ARMANDO DOMINGUEZ.

HELLO.

I JUST WANNA SAY HI AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, MY NAME IS ARMANDO DOMINGUEZ AND, UM, I COME HERE TODAY.

JUST GIVE AN IDEA ABOUT, UH, THE SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN TAKEN OUT THAT WAS THERE.

UM, IT'S THE TROLLEY SYSTEM.

UH, I THINK, UH, IT NEEDS TO BE INCORPORATED BACK INTO THE CITY OF DOWNTOWN.

I FEEL THAT, UH, THERE'S MORE MUCH OF A NEED FOR THAT SYSTEM SINCE THE CITY'S SO HUGE, UM, IT GOT TAKEN AWAY.

UM, IT'S A BIG DEAL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE TOURISTS AND THE PUBLIC HAVING TO WALK EVERYWHERE IN THE HUGE CITY BASED ON WHERE I LIVE.

IT'S TOO COMPLICATED IN AND OUT FROM WORK.

THERE'S NO REASON TO COMMUTE, TO WORK.

THERE'S NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE TO THE SOLUTION.

I'VE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE.

I THINK I KNOW WHAT THE CITY CAN BENEFIT FROM.

AND IF IT IS AS OF ANY OTHER REASON, THE SCOOTERS DO NOT OFFER NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM.

I SAY GET RID OF THOSE SCOOTERS.

UH, THEY, THEY ARE TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE CITY.

I'VE SEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN FLY OFF OF THEM DRUNK THROUGH OUTRAGEOUS PULLOUTS.

UM, HAVE PLENTY OF DRAW RIDES AND IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM AS FAR AS, UH, LOCAL RESIDENTS, UH, THE SCOOTERS YOU FIND 'EM IN, UH, UH, ALL KINDS OF, UH, AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

I KNOW THAT'S A CITY ISSUE, BUT, UH, I JUST FEEL, UH, THAT DOESN'T OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TO WHERE, UH, AS FAR AS CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN THE AREA OF CITY OF DOWNTOWN TO COMMUTE TO WORK, IT'S JUST BEEN, UH, A ISSUE AS FAR AS HOW BIG THE CITY IS FOR US TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GET TO.

THERE'S NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

UH, I THOUGHT THE TROLLEY SYSTEM WAS A GREAT SYSTEM.

SO THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU.

AND OUR LAST CITIZEN TO BE HEARD IS A VOICEMAIL CITIZEN TO BE HEARD.

UH, MR. WILL MCLEOD PUT THE MICROPHONE BACK THERE? WE'RE HAVING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY.

HELLO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE VIA BOARD, UH, TRUSTEES FOR RECORD.

MY NAME IS WILL MCLEOD.

HI.

I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH, UH, YOUR VIA TRANS DRIVER.

UH, M DASH 2 1 12 WAS BLOCKING THE PUBLIC SIDEWALK AND COULDN'T, UH, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY FOR A PEDESTRIAN.

SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE ADDRESSING THAT.

FIRST OF ALL, IT HAPPENED JUST ABOUT A MINUTE AGO OVER AROUND 1 51 F ROAD.

UH, THAT'S MY FIRST CONCERN.

MY SECOND CONCERN IS, UH, TRASH CANS.

SOUTH ALAMO, UH, SA ST.

MARY'S, THEY, UH, NEED TRASH CANS

[00:25:01]

NOT A SINGLE TRASH CAN.

YOU HAVE A ELEMENTARY, UH, PUBLIC SCHOOL OVER THERE.

THERE'S A BUS STOP AND THERE'S NO TRASH CAN.

WHY DOESN'T VIA BELIEVE THE TRASH CANS, I GUESS VIA WANTS PEOPLE TO LITTER.

WHEN YOU GO TO AUGUSTA'S FRIED CHICKEN AND YOU'RE CATCHING A BUS, YOU CAN'T BRING THE DRINK ON THE BUS.

SO WHAT DO YOU GOTTA DO? WELL, YOU GOT A LITERATE BECAUSE THERE'S NO BU TRASH CAN OVER THERE.

THERE NEEDS TO BE TRASH CANS.

ALSO, THERE'S COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA AT CHARLES'S BUS STOPS.

I'VE ADDRESSED THIS WITH, UH, YOUR SNEEL DEPARTMENT, GORILLA AND BROADWAY.

THERE IS A COMMUNIST PROPAGANDA STICK TO A STICK TO YOUR, UH, BUS STOP THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.

UH, IT TALKS ABOUT AN ABORTION, A PAROLE, ABORTION RIGHTS PROTEST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ALONG THOSE LINES FROM, UH, A, THE PARTY OF SOCIALISM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.

I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S THERE.

UH, ALSO, UH, ART, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULDN'T BE FUNDING MONEY FOR ART PROGRAMS. WE SHOULD YOUR PUBLIC TRANSIT AGENCY.

I'M AGAINST THIS, UH, KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING ART, UH, UH, ITEM ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA.

THAT SHOULD BE, UH, MORE MONEY SHOULD BE OUT TO PLAY TOWARDS BUSES CUZ YOU ARE A BUS COMPANY ALSO.

UM, THE SERVICE CHANGES I WANNA DROP, UH, UH, FOR, FOR MAY.

YOU CAN, UH, PLACE, UH, A BUS STOP ON FOUR 10 AND 1 51 AND IT WOULD NOT, UH, TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FOR THE 5 52 LOOPER.

YOU CAN PLACE ONE RIGHT BY THE, UH, RICHLAND HILLS AND FOUR 10.

THERE'S A BRIDGE THAT THE FOUR 10, UH, THAT THE BUS CAN GO, UH, USED INSTEAD OF THE MILITARY LIGHTS.

UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

UH, YIELD BACK.

UH, UH, YOU'LL HEAR FROM ME.

THAT IS THE, THAT IS THE END OF CITIZENS B.

OKAY.

THANK YOU JOHN.

GARY.

UH, OUR NEXT ITEM

[5. Consent Agenda]

TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MOVE ADOPTION, MR. CHAIR.

SECOND.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? NO.

MAY FELONY.

ARE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? NAY.

THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM IS APPROVED.

UH, OUR

[6. May 2023 Service Changes]

THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY, MR. SIN PRESENT, YOU NEED ITEM SIX.

YEAH, I THINK IT'S THE LAST ITEM OR SOMETHING.

I DUNNO IT, I THINK THE LEFT ONE.

ITEM SIX.

YEAH.

YEAH.

OKAY.

AND THEN YOU'LL THE ARROW.

YEAH, YEAH, IT'S OKAY.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

BOARD CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I WILL GO AHEAD AND PRESENT THE MAY 1ST, 2023 SERVICE CHANGES.

AND AFTER MY PRESENTATION, UH, TONY LUNA FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, ENGAGEMENT TEAM WILL GO OVER THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

SO, GOING OVER THE MAIN SERVICE CHANGE, UM, WE ARE LOOKING INTO TWO OTHER OPTIONS, UH, TO IMPROVE ON ROUTE 15, WHICH IS THE SOUTH CROSS.

AND ALSO TO EXTEND ROUTE, UH, 6 47, WHICH IS THE NORTH STAR HARRY WARK, ROUTE TWO J B S A.

UM, SO WE'LL GO OVER THAT IN DETAIL IN MY NEXT SLIDE PRESENTATION.

[00:30:01]

THERE IS A PROBABILITY OF INCREASING THE RIDERSHIP IF THE FREQUENCY OF THE ROUTES ARE IMPROVED.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT ROUTE 15 TO INCREASE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE TO 30 MINUTE FREQUENCY.

GOING OVER TO THE NEXT ROUTE, WHICH IS ROUTE 6 47, WE RECEIVED THE REQUEST FROM THE RESIDENT OF THE TOWERS, WHICH IS LOCATED ON HEADY WARBURG JUST IN FRONT OF J B S A, AS WELL AS THE BASE, WHICH IS THE JOINT BASE, UH, SAN ANTONIO.

THEY ALSO REQUESTED FOR THE SERVICE TO BE EXTENDED TO THE BASE.

THERE ARE ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY STUDENTS WHO WILL RIDE THE BUS IF THE SERVICE IS EXTENDED TO THE BASE.

SO WE ARE LOOKING TO EXTEND THE SERVICE TO THE BASE.

LOOKING AT THE SERVICE CHANGE TIMELINE, UM, TODAY HERE, UM, WE ARE HERE JANUARY, GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION.

SO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND THE COMMENT PERIOD WILL START FROM NOW.

WE'LL COME BACK NEXT MONTH IN FEBRUARY FOR THE BOARD ACTION.

AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION WILL CONTINUE ON TILL THE MAY 1ST WHEN THE SERVICE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

SO I WILL JUST TURN OVER TO TONY LUNA, WHO WILL GO OVER THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN.

OKAY, THANK YOU SANDIP.

UM, GOOD EVENING.

BOARD CHAIR, UH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

I'LL BE GOING OVER THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH AT DIFFERENT PHASES IS A DIVISIONWIDE EFFORT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, OUR MARKETING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND CUSTOMER INFORMATION.

SO WE'RE GONNA BEGIN THE CORE OF OUR OUTREACH.

UH, NEXT WEEK, JANUARY THE 30TH, HOWEVER, WE, UH, WILL HAVE THE NOTICES PUBLISHED AND EXPRESSED NEWS, UH, SCHEDULED TO GO OUT TOMORROW ON JANUARY THE 25TH AND THE SOUTH SIDE REPORTER.

UM, THE FOLLOWING WEEK OR FEBRUARY 1ST, UH, WE WILL, UH, COVER OUTREACH TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AFFECTED, AND OF COURSE, OUTREACH TO ALL OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.

UH, SOCIAL MEDIA POST POSTING, WHICH INCLUDES THE FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, AND OF COURSE, NEXT DOOR.

WE WILL HAVE OUR, UH, VIA WEBSITE UPDATED, UH, WITH, UH, VIA INFO.NET/PROPOSED, UH, CHANGES.

UM, OUR OUTREACH PERIOD WILL BE FROM JANUARY 30TH THROUGH FEBRUARY THE 17TH, UH, WHICH WILL INCLUDE OUTREACH AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

WE WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULED, UM, HERE AT THE VIA METRO CENTER ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY THE 13TH AT 5:30 PM AND, UH, CONTINUE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM FEBRUARY, UH, TO MAY, 2023.

UM, OUR TARGET OUTREACH LIST IS, UM, OF COURSE THE FIRST FIVE ARE WHAT WE ALWAYS DO AS OUR, OUR STANDARD PROCEDURES, WHICH IS REACH OUT TO THE EFFECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR VIA PARK AND RIDES AND TRANSIT CENTERS, AND OF COURSE, UH, THE NEWSLETTERS AND, AND THE DIGITAL E-BLASTS.

UM, WE ALSO ARE, ARE GOING TO REACH OUT TO THE CITIES OF AL ALAMO HEIGHTS AND TERRELL HILLS FOR THE ROUTE 6 47, ALONG WITH THE FORT SAM HOUSTON AND THE TOWERS ON PARK LANE, WHICH IS A RETIRED, UH, MILITARY COMMUNITY.

I BELIEVE TOWARDS THE END OF THE LINE OF THAT ROUTE.

OF COURSE, THAT OUTREACH INCLUDES, UH, TWO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS, UH, ALONG THOSE TWO ROUTES.

THE PAN AMERICAN AND MCUS LIBRARY, THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM, UH, THE MCUS MARKETPLACE, UH, WHICH IS, HAS A GOOD, UH, CORE OF RIDERSHIP WITH THE CONNECTING ROUTES.

20 AND 34 ALONG, UH, UH, ADA STREET, UM, THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE THAT'S OFF OF SOUTH CROSS AND PECAN VALLEY DRIVE, UH, ALONG WITH THE SOUTH CROSS RANCH AREA.

SO, JUST, JUST KIND OF A, A OVERVIEW.

WE DO, UH, LOOK AT ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDERS WHEN WE'RE OUT THERE DOING THE OUTREACH.

AND OF COURSE, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE PUBLIC OR FROM THE BOARD OR FROM STAFF AS WELL.

SO WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION WE MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEES.

YOU'VE HEARD THE PRESENTATION.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I JUST WANNA COMMEND YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

THIS IS REALLY EXCITING NEWS JUST TO SEE THE EXTENSION AND THE INCREASE THE FREQUENCY, OR IT'S YES FREQUENCY.

AND WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HONORING ALL THREE OF THE F'S FOR TRANSPORTATION.

AND WHAT WE HAVE OUR GUIDEPOST HERE AT BS O.

CONGRATULATIONS.

UH, I WAS TEXTING TR UH, VICE-CHAIR CABELLA LAST WEEK AT SOME POINT WHEN YES, WHEN WE WERE GOING OVER THE, THE NOTES FOR THE AGENDA.

AND I WAS JUST TELLING HER HOW EXCITED I WAS TO SEE JUST WHAT A

[00:35:01]

SO, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR TEAM AND TO JUST EVERYBODY HERE AT VIA AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE THAT TREND GOING UP.

THANK YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK, AND I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS, BUT I HAVE A QUESTION.

I HAVE, UH, SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO LIVE AT THE TOWERS AND WE'LL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS.

BUT WILL WE TREAT THIS, UH, EXTENSION LIKE WE DID IN SANDY OAKS AND GIVE AN ADMONITION TO 'EM TO USE IT OR LOSE IT? CUZ IF THEY'RE NOT GONNA USE IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SPINNING OUR WHEELS, LITERALLY.

UM, SO I I I HOPE THAT THEY DO, UH, UH, DO WHAT THEY REQUESTED AND UTILIZE IT.

IT'S A, IT'S A PHENOMENAL OPPORTUNITY.

SO, UM, BUT I THINK, ARE WE GONNA LOOK AT THIS IN SIX MONTHS AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY UTILIZATION? UH, LET ME, I I BELIEVE THAT THAT EXTENSION IS RETURNING SERVICE THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED IN THE PAST, CORRECT? YES.

AND IT WAS REMOVED IN THE PAST BECAUSE OF STREET, UH, CONCERNS, BUT CLEARLY WILL MONITOR THE SERVICE.

UM, SANDY OAKS WAS, OF COURSE, MANY MILES TO A CONNECTION, AND THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL SEGMENT, BUT, BUT IT HAD BEEN IN PLACE IN THE PAST, AND SO WE'RE HAPPY WE CAN RETURN THE SERVICE.

TRUSTEE BROWN.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I ENJOYED IT.

UH, REAL QUICKLY, THE, UH, 30 MINUTE, UH, INCREASE, UM, FROM THE 60 MINUTE ON FIVE 15 AND SOUTH CROSS.

JOHN, GARY, HOW HARD ARE WE GONNA, SORRY, I'M SORRY.

HOW HARD ARE WE GONNA PROMOTE THIS? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S MAJOR, UH, AND ARE WE USING WORDS LIKE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE SMALLER WINS, BUILDING UP TO OUR LARGER WINS? NO, A ABSOLUTELY TRUSTEE, AND, AND, AND YOU'RE PICKING UP AND YOUR BOARD MEMBER ARE PICKING UP THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN DELIVERING MANY OF THESE, UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE LIMITATIONS THAT WE'VE RE WE HAVE, UH, AS WE'RE RECOVERING FROM COVID.

SO WE WANT TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO COMMUNICATE THESE IMPROVEMENTS AS WE, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE TOWARDS, KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING AND KEEP DELIVERING SAN ANTONIO MOVING, UH, TRUSTEE TOLL AND I, WERE JUST ALSO COMMUNICATING ABOUT A CAPTURED AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE AT THOSE TOWERS, UM, THAT ARE GONNA SEE THE BENEFIT COME BACK TO THEM, AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR A PROMOTION, UM, AT A, AT A, AT A BIG, AT A BIG SETTING.

SO THOSE ARE THE DEFINITELY THE, THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING.

YEAH, I, I JUST WANT US TO HIGHLIGHT AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

UM, AND I'M TALKING TO, I KNOW THE FOLKS WHO FINGERS ARE MOVING IN THE CROWD, UH, , I'M HAPPY TO HAVE CHRISTINA ON BOARD.

HAPPY TO HAVE, UH, RACHEL STILL ON THIS.

AND REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE JOSH HERE.

I REALLY THINK THAT THE WORD FREQUENCY ON THAT 30 MINUTE PIECE IS HUGE FOR US.

UH, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DRIVE THAT AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AGAIN, THESE SMALL WINS ARE ONLY GONNA ALLOW US TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE, THE STORY THAT WE WANT TO TELL, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU WILL.

SO SORRY, I HAVE ONE MORE THING.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT I WAS TELLING, UH, MR. JOHN GARRE, IS THAT THE, I GET REALLY TICKLED AND I GET REALLY EXCITED OVERSEEING THE EXTENSION OUT TO JOINT BY SAN ANTONIO BEING RENEWED AGAIN BECAUSE WE ARE A MILITARY CITY.

AND THE FACT THAT I REMEMBER AS A KID, UM, FREQUENTLY GOING TO THE BASES AROUND SAN ANTONIO, UH, SINCE MY MOM WAS ACTIVE DUTY AND WITNESSING ENLISTEE, UM, DURING THEIR WEEKENDS, WALKING WELL AT, THIS IS BEFORE NINE 11, SO THEY COULD GET PICKED UP ON BASE, BUT NOW IF YOU GO DRIVE AROUND BEFORE COVID, THEY, YOU COULD SEE ENLISTEE IN PRIVATES GOING OUT TO THE EDGES OF THE BASE AND BEING ABLE TO BE PICKED UP THERE BY VIA.

AND SO THAT WAY THEY CAN ENJOY OUR CITY, THAT THEY'RE MORE THAN LIKELY JUST VISITING JUST EITHER FOR, UH, BOOTCAMP OR FOR WHATEVER REASONS FOR TRAININGS.

AND SO I JUST, IT'S SO EXCITING BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BIG TOUCH, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION, UM, WITH OUR SURFACE MEMBERS.

SO CONGRATULATE, LIKE THIS IS BIG, UH, COMING FROM SOMEBODY WHO ABSOLUTELY MILITARY RUNS THROUGH MY MY BLOOD, AND I KNOW IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXTEND THAT, UM, CONNECTION.

SO, YEAH.

THANK YOU, TRUSTEE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, I JUST HAVE ONE.

WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE EXTENDING TO JOINT BAY SAN ANTONIO, ARE YOU GOING ON THE BASE? NO.

WHAT WE ARE DOING, WE ARE JUST GOING INSIDE THE GATE AND TAKING THE BUS, YOU KNOW, OUT IT'S A CLOSED DOOR SERVICE.

[00:40:01]

THE BUS NEEDS TO GO AND TURN AROUND, SO IT'S ENTERING THE GATE AND JUST TURNING OUT IMMEDIATELY.

SO DROPPING PEOPLE JUST OUTSIDE THE BASE.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE DECIDED.

YES.

SO IT'S A CLOSED DOOR, UM, SERVICE, BUT WE ARE DROPPING JUST IN FRONT OF THE GRID.

THAT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE DROPPING 'EM OFF CLOSE TO, YEP.

MAKING A CLOSER FURTHER.

THANK YOU.

ARE THERE CRIES? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE CAN MOVE ON.

THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

UH, THIS BRINGS

[7. *Scobey Storage Complex]

UH, BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A FEW, UH, STATEMENTS THAT, THAT I HAVE, UH, BEFORE, BEFORE, I JUST WANNA SAY I'M EXCITED FOR THIS PROJECT AND EAGER TO BE PART OF REALIZING THAT THE NEXT PHASE OF VIA VISION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD STAFF AND OUR PARTNERS FOR CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT VF PROJECTS ARE GUIDED BY COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.

AS A LIFELONG SAN ANTONIO RESIDENT, A MEMBER OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE WHO LOVES OUR CITY, THIS IS A SPECIAL PRIDE IN BEING PART OF TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS THAT KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING AND GROWING.

I BELIEVE THE PROPOSED, UH, SCOOBY DEVELOPMENT IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE FOR VIA AND THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE ACTION BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY IS TO ENTER INTO A NON-BINDING TERM SHEET THAT WILL ALLOW STAFF AND THE DEVELOPERS PARTNERING WITH VIA ON THE PROJECT TO REENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND TO MOVE MORE SPECIFICITY TO THE PLAN.

I HOPE THAT TODAY'S DISCUSSION LEADS US TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE OUR PATH TOWARD MORE AND BETTER ACCESS TO MEANINGFUL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND DELIVERS SAN ANTONIO'S FIRST TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MS. HORN.

I THOUGHT I WOULD OPEN THIS BRIEFLY AND THEN, UH, CAMIE WILL TAKE OVER.

BUT LET'S JUST GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO, UH, THE NA THE NATIONAL NAME FOR WHAT WE CALL TRANSIT ORIENTED COMMUNITY, AND THAT WAS A NAME THAT THE BOARD SELECTED IN 2018 WHEN THEY PASSED THE POLICY IS TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

SO THEY'RE THE VERY SAME THING.

IT'S BEEN A NATIONAL PROGRAM, UH, IN TEXAS.

THE FIRST TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT POLICIES WERE ADOPTED IN THE LATE 1980S IN DALLAS.

AND SINCE THEN, DALLAS HAS IMPLEMENTED SOMETHING LIKE 81 PROJECTS ON THIS MAP.

YOU SEE, THIS IS A SAMPLE OF CITIES, UH, THAT HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT.

NOW, THE REASON VIA HAD NOT HISTORICALLY DONE THAT IS TWOFOLD.

WELL, IT'S REALLY ONE FOLD IN TWO DIFF DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS, AND I THINK WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS.

IT'S OUR FUNDING.

SO THE FIRST THING IS THE, WE HAVE A LARGE SERVICE AREA AND WE HAVE FAIRLY SMALL FUNDING, AND SO WE HAVE TO SPREAD THE SERVICE OVER THAT AREA.

THEREFORE, WE DON'T END UP WITH A LOT OF HIGH FREQUENCY, WHICH, WHICH AS, UH, TRUSTEE BROWN NOTED IS, YOU KNOW, VERY IMPORTANT FREQUENCY, FREQUENCY, FREQUENCY, RIGHT? SO WE'VE NOT HAD THE OCCASION TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF FACILITIES, WHICH ARE REALLY NECESSARY FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITIES TO BE EFFECTIVE.

BUT OVER THE LAST PROBABLY, UH, WELL, I'D SAY OVER THE LAST DECADE, UH, WE'VE WORKED AT REDESIGNING SERVICE AND REORIENTING SERVICE, AND WE NOW HAVE AN EXISTING FACILITY.

AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL FACILITIES THAT ARE IN THE WORKS, THE NORTH-SOUTH A R T, AND THE EAST, WEST A R T, WHICH ARE ALSO THE KINDS OF FACILITIES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR TRANSIT OR COMMUNITY.

BUT, UH, WE ARE, WE HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS THE, WHAT WE CALL VIA, VIA, WHICH IS COMPRISED CUR CURRENTLY OF THE GRAND AND OF CENTRAL PLAZA.

UH, CENTRAL PLAZA OPENED IN THE MID 2000 TEEN OR THE TEENS, I GUESS IN THE TEENS.

UH, IT HAS BECOME A, A MAJOR DESTINATION POINT WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.

THREE OF OUR TOP 10 STOPS IN THE SYSTEM AS FAR AS ACTIVITY ARE LOCATED ON THE PLAZA.

I, BEFORE THAT FACILITY WAS NOT THERE.

NONE OF THOSE STOPS HAVE THAT KIND OF VOLUME.

SO WE'VE INVESTED, AND ALSO AT THIS STOP, WE'VE INVESTED IN OTHER SERVICES AT THIS LOCATION.

THE PRIMO STOPS HERE, AND AS CAMIE, I'LL, I'LL SAY IT FOR CAMIE AS CAMS WANT TO SAY, NOT ONLY IS THERE HIGH FREQUENCY HERE, BUT THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF DESTINATIONS THAT ARE SERVED WITH ONE SEAT RIDES.

SO IT MAKES IT THE KIND OF FACILITY WHERE TRANSIT OR IN COMMUNITY CAN SUPPORT AND EN ENRICH, IF YOU WILL, WHAT WE

[00:45:01]

AND WE CAN ENRICH WHAT THERE IS IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY.

NEXT SLIDE.

AND NOW, YEAH, THERE'S THE, ALL THE DETAILS.

AND SO CA I WILL NOW HAND IT OFF TO CAMIE WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE MILESTONES AS WE WENT ABOUT PLANNING IT.

I DO WANT TO SAY THAT SHE'S STARTING IN 2015, BUT THE WHOLE PROCESS STARTED IN 2011 WITH AN EARLIER POLICY ORIENTED AT, UH, ACCEPTING UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS FOR JOINT DEVELOPMENT.

SO IT'S, IT DIDN'T, IT'S BEEN OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING.

THANK YOU, JEFF, AND GOOD AFTERNOON.

CHAIR REYES AND MEMBERS OF THE VIA BOARD.

SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE SLIDE IS OUR KEY MILESTONES.

SO AS JEFF MENTIONED, IN 2015, CENTRAL PLAZA OPENED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE WERE WORKING ALONG IN, AS WAS SAID, UM, EVEN BEFORE 2015 ON THIS VIA VIA PLAN.

THE SCOOBY COMPLEX WAS PURCHASED, UM, IN 2017.

AND I'M ALSO GONNA SAY, ALL ALONG THE WAY THERE WAS PUBLIC OUTREACH CONDUCTED, UM, AND WE, WE GATHERED COMMUNITY INPUT.

WE THEN, UH, THE BOARD ADOPTED OUR TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITIES POLICY IN 2018, NOT ONLY FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT FOR MANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE WERE AND CONTINUED TO LOOK AT IN THE VIA SERVICE AREA.

WE THEN BEGAN IN EARNEST, UH, ON THE SCOOBY MASTER PLAN.

AND WHAT WE WERE DOING, THERE WAS A REAL DEEP DIVE, UM, TECHNICALLY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT COULD HAPPEN THERE.

BEFORE WE PUT THIS OUT, BEFORE WE PUT OUT THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION, WE WANTED TO HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES WERE, UM, AND REALLY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TURN OVER EVERY STONE TO GET THAT, UM, INTERNAL KNOWLEDGE.

SO WE RELEASED THE RFI, UM, GOD'S RESPONSES THERE.

THEN WE RELEASED, UM, A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SOON AFTER THAT.

UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO, TO BRING ON, UM, THE, THE DREAM ON GROUP WHO I WILL INTRODUCE IN JUST A MOMENT TO COME UP AND, AND SPEAK FOR A COUPLE MINUTES ON THE PROJECT.

THIS IS A LIST, NOT ENTIRELY COMPREHENSIVE, BUT PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE OF ALL OF THE OUTREACH THAT WE DID BETWEEN 2015 AND 2019.

AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, WE WENT OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, TO THE NEIGHBORING ENTITIES, UM, TO HAVEN FOR HOPE.

WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH U T S A, WHO WAS VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING THE DEVELOPMENT, UM, AS THEY DO SEE THIS AS SOMEWHAT OF AN EXTENSION OF THE CAMPUS AND ALLOWS, UM, FOR GREAT TRANSPORTATION, UM, TO THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR STUDENTS.

UM, AND THEN WE ALSO, AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE NEIGHBORHOODS ON THIS SLIDE.

UM, WE DID A LOT OF OUTREACH AND THEN, UM, TO SCHOOLS AS WELL.

SO, UM, I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, UH, DREAM ON TO COME UP AND SPEAK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, UH, PRESENT AND FUTURE OUTREACH.

WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO BRING DREAM ON, UM, TO BRING DREAM ON ONTO THE PROJECT, UM, AS THEY, THEY ARE A LOCAL SAN ANTONIO BASED FIRM, UM, WITH A LOT OF GREAT, UH, BACKGROUND IN THIS COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CAMMY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I JUST WANNA START OFF WITH, THEY DIDN'T GIMME INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MOVE THE SLIDES FORWARD, SO HERE WE GO.

UM, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.

WE, AND IT'S BEEN REALLY, UM, A GREAT EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE BOARD AND THE STAFF FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, ESPECIALLY JUST GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

SO I WANT TO JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS, THE PATH FORWARD AS, AS CAMIE HAS MENTIONED.

NOW, LET ME INTRODUCE, I'M SORRY, THIS WITH ME IS JULISA CARELLO.

I'M RENEE GARCIA, THE DREAM ON GROUP.

JULISA CARELLO IS MY BUSINESS PARTNER, AND MICHAEL BERNSTEIN WITH THE GEISER GROUP, WHO IS OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNER.

SO, BUT AS WE, AS WE MOVE INTO THIS, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO MOVE INTO IS TO REALLY GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

AND JULISSA'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROCESS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO WE WON'T SPEND TIME, TOO MUCH TIME ON THAT RIGHT NOW.

BUT THE NEXT STEPS FOR US IS WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS OF REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, UH, WORKING ON THE JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT, THE, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF WITH THE, THE VIA TEAM TO GET THAT SEWN UP.

AND THE TERM SHEET REALLY GIVES US THE, THE FRAMEWORK FOR THAT.

AND THEN AS WE GET INTO THAT AND HAVE THAT DEVELOPED, WE CAN GO OUT INTO THE MARKET AND BEGIN THE PROJECT.

I'LL LET JULISA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FIRST STEP FOR US ON THE OUTREACH PORTION.

GOOD.

THANK YOU, RENEE.

UM,

[00:50:01]

AND I THINK WHEN WE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS PROJECT, WE REALLY TOOK IT TO HEART.

I MEAN, WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WOULD WE DO? WHAT WOULD WE DO TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND BE A PART OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE REALLY HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY? AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S DO SOME COMMUNITY OUTREACH WITH THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE USED TO WORKING WITH, AND LET'S, LET'S PICK THEIR BRAINS AND LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

AND THEN WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO, UM, UM, THE GEYSER GROUP THAT WAS DOING AMAZING WORK IN AUSTIN.

AND WE JUST THOUGHT WE, WE JUST NEED TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT HERE TO SAN ANTONIO AND HOW DO WE DO IT TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT SAN ANTONIO IS ALSO ALWAYS BEING INNOVATIVE IN HOW THEY, UH, AFFECT OUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AND THAT WE REALLY SPENT THE TIME, UM, IN, IN A VERY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO PUT THIS RFP TOGETHER, TO PRESENT TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE WE WANTED IT TO BE, UM, FROM SOMEBODY WHO REALLY THOUGHT, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE ARE FROM, FROM SAN ANTONIO.

WE ARE OFFERING IN THE WEST SIDE, WE ARE INVESTING IN THE AREA BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT IS AN AREA THAT NEEDS A LOT OF LOVE AND CARE, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE THINK THAT WE CAN BRING WITH THIS PROJECT.

AND SO WHAT, WHAT WE DID IS HAD A LOT OF CHARETTES WITH OUR DIFFERENT PARTNERS AND BASICALLY SAID, LET'S, LET'S THINK OF THE UNTHINKABLE.

LET'S BRING TOGETHER SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE.

AND WE WERE SO EXCITED TO BE PARTNERING WITH VIA, BECAUSE WE'VE KNOWN AVIAS HISTORY, WE'VE KNOWN HOW MUCH THEY CARE, HOW THEY SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES, AND HOW THEY ARE SERVING THE, THE AREA OF TOWN THAT NEEDS THE MOST CARE.

RIGHT? AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO US TOO.

UM, IF YOU GO IN AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE BEEN SHARING A LOT OF STUFF FOR THE PAST MONTH, BUT I THINK IF ANYTHING, IT'S JUST KNOWING THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING WE CAN THINK OF.