[1. Call to Order]
[00:00:03]
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME EVERYONE.
I AM BOARD CHAIR FERNANDO REYES.
IT IS NOW 9:00 AM AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE ORDER THE OCTOBER 12TH, 23 3 20 23 SPECIAL VIA BOARD MEETING.
PRESENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER.
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'LL CONTINUE.
MR. A, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I DO NOT.
[3. Citizens to be Heard]
CITIZEN SUPER HEARD PORTION OF OUR MEETING.DO WE HAVE ANY CITIZENS TO BE HEARD? LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ONE.
SINCE WE HAVE ONE, UH, I'LL NEED TO READ THIS STATEMENT.
WE HAVE 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 BEXAR 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 C E O OR HIS STAFF.
THIS PROCESS ASSURES YOU 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.
MY NAME IS ROBIN ALEXANDER AND THIS IS DAISY.
I'M HERE TO ADDRESS, UM, A ISSUE ABOUT COMPASSION FOR MOTHERS WITH KIDS RESLEY.
I WAS IN, UM, A CAR ACCIDENT, UM, ON VIA, AND I WAS HURT AND I WAS VERY AFRAID AND I WAS NOT TREATED WITH COMPASSION.
AND I, I FOLLOWED UP WITH THE REPORT AND NO ONE SEEMED TO HELP ME.
UM, I COULD, THEY COULD NOT FIND THE REPORT OF THE INCIDENT NUMBERS.
AND THEN, UM, A YEAR LATER, I WAS RIDING ON THE BUS AGAIN AND I WAS WITH MY, MY CHILD AND A LADY.
MY HAND WAS CAUGHT IN THE BUS AND SHE BASICALLY DRAGGED ME.
UM, EVERYONE WAS SHOUTING AROUND TO, TO LET HER KNOW THAT MY HAND WAS IN THE BUS, BUT SHE TOOK OFF, WHICH THAT INCIDENT AS WELL WAS NOT PROPERLY TREATED.
NO ONE PROPERLY TREATED THE INCIDENT.
THEY GAVE ME A RUN AROUND FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, I DO HAVE THE INCIDENT, NU INCIDENT NUMBERS IF Y'ALL NEED THEM.
UM, NOBODY FOLLOWED UP TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION WITH ME.
UM, I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND SO HAPPENED THE INCIDENT NUMBERS WAS MISPLACED AND EVERYTHING UNTIL I TOLD 'EM.
I HAD PICTURES AND EVERYTHING, AND I HAVE WITNESSES OF THE SITUATION, AND THEN THEY GAVE ME THE INCIDENT, NU NUMBERS, BUT STILL NOTHING WAS PROPERLY ADDRESSED.
AND, UM, IF Y'ALL NEED TO GET WITH ME, I WILL.
UM, I THINK MY NUMBERS ON THE PAPER AND HAVE A NICE DAY, Y'ALL.
[00:05:03]
THANK YOU, MS. ALEXANDER.MR. CHAIR, WE HAVE NO MORE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
UH, HAVE, HAVE NO OTHER CITIZENS BE HEARD.
[4. Public Hearing on the Question of the Proposed Acquisition of Easements and/or Fee Simple Title as Provided In The Texas Transportation Code, as Deemed Necessary, For The Purpose of Expanding VIA’s Metropolitan Transit System Through The Addition of The Advanced Rapid Transit Green Line Project.]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AND STAFF WILL PROVIDE A BACKGROUND INFORMATION RELATED TO OUR PUBLIC HEARING.THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS RELATED TO THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF EASEMENT AND OR FEE.
SIMPLE TITLE AS PROVIDED BY SECTION 4 51 0.059 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE RELATING TO THE ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE VIA TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT GREEN LINE PROJECT.
THE GREEN LINE PROJECT WAS IDENTIFIED IN VIAS VISION 2040 PLAN ADOPTED IN 2016, AS WELL AS SUBSEQUENT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND ALAMO AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION PLANS.
THE GREEN LINE IS A KEY PART OF THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT BALLOT INITIATIVE IN NOVEMBER OF 2020.
ADDITIONALLY, THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZED THE PROJECT TO ENTER INTO THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS PROGRAM, AND IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PRESIDENT'S FUNDING RECOMMENDATION LIST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023.
MAJOR BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE THE IMPROVEMENT OF SEVERAL KEY INTERSECTIONS, CONSTRUCTION OF NEW STATIONS, AND WIDENING AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS TO SIDEWALKS, CONNECTING PASSENGERS TO THE CORRIDOR.
AS SUCH, IT IS NECESSARY TO PURCHASE SMALL PORTIONS OF PROPERTIES ALONG THE CORRIDOR IN THESE AREAS.
ONGOING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SURVEY AND APPRAISALS OF THE PROPERTIES ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FOLLOWING BOARD ACTION NEXT MONTH, OFFER LETTERS TO PURCHASE CAN BE PRESENTED TO THE OWNER BASED ON THE JUST COMPENSATION VALUE AND DISCUSSIONS WITH EACH OWNER CAN OCCUR.
SHOULD AGREEMENT ON VALUE AND OR PRICE NOT OCCUR IN AN IN PASSING NEGOTIATION ARISES AS A LAST RESORT VIA A PROCEED INTO CONDEMNATION.
TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY INTEREST NEEDED TO CONSTRUCT THE A R T GREEN LINE PROJECT VIA REAL ESTATE STAFF WILL FOLLOW ALL PROVISIONS OUTLINED IN THE UNIFORM ACT, AS WELL AS THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE.
WHEN ACQUIRING OR NEGOTIATING THE ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY PURSUANT TO SECTION 4 51 0.059 OF THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE, THE BOARD MAY EXERCISE ITS POWER OF IMMINENT DOMAIN 30 DAYS AFTER CONDUCTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER.
THE RESOLUTION WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AT ITS BOARD MEETING ON NOVEMBER 14TH, 2023.
WE HAVE NOW COME TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AGENDA TO ALLOW THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON BS EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE REAL ESTATE FOR ITS ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT GREEN LINE PROJECT.
THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM OUR PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN SAN ANTONIO BEXAR COUNTY AREA ON THIS TOPIC, AND EACH CITIZEN HAS UP TO THREE MINUTES TO EXPRESS THEIR COMMENTS AND CONCERNS.
AND WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, IT IS NOW ABOUT 9 0 8, UH, AM AS PUBLISHED IN THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS, UH, ON SEPTEMBER 21ST AND 28, 20 23 AND OCTOBER 4TH IN SPANISH IN THE SOUTH SIDE REAR RECORDER.
THE VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL NOW CONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION OF EASTMAN AND OUR FEE SIMPLE TITLE AS A PROPOSED PROVIDED IN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE AS DEEMED NECESSARY FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPANDING VS.
METROPOLITAN TRANSIT SYSTEM THROUGH THE ADDITION OF THE ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT GREEN LINE PROJECT.
AT THIS TIME, I OPEN THE PUBLIC MEETING.
THERE WERE NO, NO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
THERE WAS NO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD.
THERE ARE NO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
THIS BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE VIA RAPID, UH, PROGRAM AND SECOND FIXED ROUTE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY UPDATES.
OH, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I FORGOT TO READ THE LAST LINE.
I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[00:10:01]
THANK YOU.[5. VIA Rapid Program and 2nd Fixed-Route Operations and Maintenance Facility Update]
THIS BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RAPID PROGRAM AND SECOND FIXED ROUTE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITIES UPDATE AND CHAIR, CHAIR.I'LL GIVE A COUPLE OF OPENING REMARKS AS THEY'RE PULLING THE, UH, POWERPOINT TOGETHER.
SO, UH, TO CHAIR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE VIA BOARD, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO PROVIDE THIS UPDATE TODAY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY UPDATES ON OUR ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT PROGRAM.
BUT WHAT'S REALLY EXCITING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, OVER 4, 4, 4, 4 AND A HALF YEARS AGO THERE, NONE OF THIS WAS, WAS LINED UP.
AND NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER 19 MILES OF ADVANCED RAPID TRANSIT THAT ARE IN THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM AND LOOKING, LOOKING TO OVER 400 MILLION OF FEDERAL DOLLARS COMING INTO SAN ANTONIO FOR THESE PROGRAMS. AND AS YOU'LL HEAR IN THE UPDATE, UM, AS YOU'LL HEAR IN THE UPDATE NOW, UH, WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING INTO THE NEXT PHASE OF ENGINEERING WITH THE GREEN LINE, UH, RAPID TRANSIT BECAUSE ALL OF THE MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT, UH, TO OUR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT OVERSIGHT CONTRACTOR HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
AND SO WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR THE GREEN LIGHT FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
UH, NOW WE ARE GOING, UH, TO GIVE, GIVE YOU INFORMATION AND THE STATUS WHERE WE ARE ON THREE PROJECTS.
WE ARE RAPID GREEN LINE, WE ARE RAPID SILVER LINE AND SECOND MAINTENANCE, UH, AND OPERATION FACILITY FOR FIXED ROUTES.
SO, UH, THIS SLIDE, UH, INDICATES THE BASIS OF OUR PROJECT.
UH, OUR CONSTRUCTION LIMITS ARE 10.3 MILES, 26 STATIONS, UM, CENTER RUNNING 10 MINUTE FREQUENCY DURING WEEKDAYS, 15 MINUTES ON WEEKENDS, 17 VEHICLES.
UH, AND THE TOTAL COST, UH, FOR C I G PROJECT IS 446.3 MILLION.
UH, WHILE WE ARE FOCUSING ON TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS AT STATIONS AND INTERSECTION FOR OUR TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS TO WORK FOR OUR PASSENGERS, THERE ARE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT BENEFIT COMMUNITY, WHICH INCLUDES ABOUT FOUR MILES OF NEW AND REPAIRED SIDEWALKS AROUND OUR STATIONS.
SIGNAL UPGRADES TO HELP US WITH T S P SIGNAL, UH, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS TO, UH, CREATE RELIABLE SERVICE, SOME DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, AT OUR STATION TO HELP OUR PASSENGERS.
AND THEN LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, AT STATION LOCATIONS.
UM, APART FROM THAT, WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, WITH THEIR VISION ZERO PROGRAM AND IDENTIFIED LOCATION FOR IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AND SIGNAL TIMING.
UH, SO WE ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY HIGHLIGHTS.
CAMMY MENTIONED OUR MAJOR HIGHLIGHT THAT WE ARE EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THE LARGE VIA AND CONSULTANT TEAM.
WE ARE AT A POINT WHERE OUR P M O C HAS, UH, APPROVED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION NEEDED TO ENTER INTO ENGINEERING.
NOW, IF WE ARE WAITING FOR F D A TO GIVE US, UH, UPDATE OR FINAL CLEARANCE, SO FAR WE HAVE CLEARED NEPA, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
WE ARE AT 30% DESIGN AND WE HAVE CONDUCTED RISK WORKSHOP AND WAITING TO ENTER INTO ENGINEERING.
UH, I'M GOING TO ASK, UH, JOHN TO GIVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING.
WE'RE HAPPY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON SOME ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AS IT PERTAINS TO THE GREEN LINE, WE'LL COVER SILVER LINE SEPARATELY IN THAT SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
SO, OVER THE SUMMER, WE HAD, UH, QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH, SOME SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH AND ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OVER 1300 INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED, WHETHER THAT WAS AT EVENTS OR MEETINGS TO THE TUNE OF 47 OF THOSE RESPECTIVELY.
UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE, OF COURSE, THAT THROUGH OUR ENGAGEMENT, WE'RE ENGAGING THOSE THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE CORRIDOR, WHETHER THAT'S BUSINESSES OR, OR TENANTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND WE'RE ALSO CONDUCTING THOSE ACTIVITIES, WHICH IS REFLECTED HERE IN THE DASHBOARD.
SINCE THE OPENING OF THE PROJECT OFFICE, WE DID SEE SIGNIFICANT, UH, TRAFFIC THERE OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS AND TO THE TUNE OF 161.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A RESOURCE THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SHOULD THEY BE INTERESTED OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, THE VIA RAPID GREEN LINE OR THE KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE REALLY, REALLY EXCITING THINGS THAT, THAT, UH, REALLY HELPED, UH, PUSH US INTO A A, A REALLY PRODUCTIVE YEAR IS THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
[00:15:01]
AS A LOOK BEHIND AND, AND WE'RE NO BY NO MEANS STOPPING THERE.AS WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE SOME, UH, CONTINUING ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES ON THE HORIZON, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, PREPARING OUR PRE-CONSTRUCTION COMMUNICATION STRATEGY WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK, WHICH IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PURSUING ACTIVELY RIGHT NOW.
OR FOLLOWING UP WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WHO'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ENGAGED ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE PROPERTY OWNER PROCESS, WHETHER THAT'S TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENTS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT OF COURSE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO BRIEF OUR STAKEHOLDERS WITH THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS ALIKE ON THE PROJECT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO MANGER TO TALK ABOUT, UH, SOME PROCUREMENT UPDATES.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? UM, I, I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE OFFICE ON SAN PEDRO.
WHAT ARE THEIR CURRENT HOURS? SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE, UM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE AND OTHER TIMES BY APPOINTMENT.
SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE WHO CAN'T MAKE THAT EIGHT TO FIVE HOUR, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ENGAGE WITH US AS WELL.
NOW, WE ARE LOOKING TO STAFF UP TO EXPAND THOSE HOURS TO ACCOMMODATE ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC WHO DON'T TYPICALLY MEET THE EIGHT TO FIVE.
I, I THINK MY, MY THING IS, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WORK DURING THOSE HOURS AND YOU'RE NOT OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS.
AND I, I MEAN, I WOULD CLOSE IF IT WAS ME ON MONDAY AND ACCOMMODATE SATURDAY.
'CAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, I DON'T THINK YOUR HOURS WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT'S AROUND THERE.
UH, I THINK ALL THOSE PEOPLE GO TO WORK AT EIGHT, GET OFF AT FIVE.
AND THAT'S WHY YOUR NUMBERS ARE SO LOW.
IF YOU TAKE THAT YOUR NUMBER BASIS WHAT YOU'RE PAYING FOR RENT, UH, THAT WOULD NEVER WORK OUT AS A RETAIL LOCATION.
SO I, I'D JUST REALLY LIKE Y'ALL TO RECONSIDER BEING OPEN THE WEEKENDS AND EXTEND THE HOURS, START AT 10, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE MALL HOURS MM-HMM.
BUT YOU'RE, I DON'T THINK THE, I THINK YOU WILL SEE THAT YOUR NUMBERS ARE GONNA GO UP IF YOU, IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE WHEN PEOPLE ARE AVAILABLE.
DEFINITELY MAKE A NOTE OF THAT AND WE'LL, WE'LL DEFINITELY EXPLORE WHAT WE CAN DO.
THAT, THAT, AND THAT THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED ALREADY.
SO, BECAUSE FOR THAT VERY REASON, FOR THE VERY REASON YOU STATED, THANK YOU, TRUSTEE, UH, TOIL.
UH, I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION REGARDING THAT SPRUNG MY, MY MEMORY.
UM, WOULD IT ALSO BE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK OR C P S, UM, AND LIKE WEEKEND HOURS TO DO LIKE AN OPEN HOUSE? THAT WAY INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO SEPARATE FACILITIES.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST A WAY TO ALSO BE ABLE TO CROSS, UM, PROMOTE EVENTS AS WELL, SO THAT WAY PEOPLE THAT ORDINARILY WOULD NOT HAVE COME IN TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT VIA, UH, BECAUSE THEY HAD ANOTHER NEED, UH, FROM ONE OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAN ALSO COME IN.
I, I JUST TO, TO CLARIFY ALONG THOSE LINES WE'VE OFFERED JUST AS A START, BUT JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE, WE MM-HMM.
FOR EXAMPLE, UH, FOR A DISTRICT OFFICE OF COUNCIL, UH, COUNCIL ONE, UM, HAVING THEIR MEETINGS THERE AND HAVING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS THERE IN OUR OFFICES, EVEN THOUGH IT MAY NOT BE ON OUR TOPIC, BUT THEY ARE BRINGING THEM INTO OUR OFFICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YEAH, WE COULD DEFINITELY DO MORE OF THAT FOR SURE.
UM, SOME PROCUREMENT UPDATE ADS, UH, WE ARE ENTERING INTO ENGINEERING.
UH, OUR CHOSEN DELIVERY METHOD IS CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK.
SO WE HAVE THAT, UH, IN THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AS WELL AS FINAL DESIGN CONSULTANT WITH, UH, FINAL DESIGN.
AND, UM, C M R CONTRACTORS SHOULD BE ON BOARD, UH, UH, JAN BY JANUARY.
SO THAT'S ONE, UH, MILESTONE WE ARE REACHING.
THE SECOND, UH, THING IS RIGHT OF WAY, UH, CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION.
THEY WILL COME ON BOARD EARLY SPRING.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT TO HELP OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP WITH MAJOR PROJECTS.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS A PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THAT, THAT CONTRACT IS, UH, OWNERS REPRESENTATIVES FOR PROJECT, UH, MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE THREE LARGE CONTRACTS.
SO WE RAPID GREEN AND SILVER LINE, AS WELL AS MAINTENANCE FACILITY, UH, REAL ESTATE ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED PARCELS, UH, POTENTIAL PARCELS FOR, UH, PARTIAL OR SLIVER ACQUISITION, UH, A TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION EASEMENT.
AND THEN THERE IS A ONE PARCEL NEAR STEVE'S, UH, WHICH IS FOR FULL ACQUISITION.
AND AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH FINAL DESIGN, THERE MIGHT BE SOME ADJUSTMENT TO THESE NUMBERS.
[00:20:01]
WE'LL WAIT FOR THAT.UH, WE HAVE SENT LETTERS TO THEM, UH, UH, INFORMING WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.
WE HAVE STARTED MEETING WITH PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT GROUP.
WE USE THE PROJECT OFFICE TO MEET THEM.
THERE ARE ROLE PLOTS AVAILABLE IN THE PROJECT OFFICE.
AND THEN TODAY WE HAD PUBLIC HEARING, AND THE NEXT MONTH WE WILL, UH, REQUEST ACTION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE ON REAL ESTATE, VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND PROCUREMENT ALSO.
WE'LL, UH, WE ARE AT A MILESTONE WHERE WE HAVE STARTED LOOKING AT SPECIFICATIONS AND THE VEHICLE, UH, TECHNOLOGY, UH, WHICH IS C N G.
AND WE EXPECT TWO YEAR TIMELINE BEFORE, UH, WE CAN EXPECT DELIVERY.
SO THAT IS IN, WORKS WITH OUR, UH, FLEET AND FACILITY, DEPARTMENT, THIRD PARTY AGREEMENTS AND UTILITIES.
UH, ALSO WE HAVE, UH, COORDINATION GOING ON, UH, WITH, UH, UH, ALONG WITH CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TECHSTAR AND OTHER UTILITIES.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH THEM AND ALSO INTERNALLY STARTED TO DRAFT BUSINESS POINT FOR, UH, FUTURE AGREEMENTS, UH, WITH THEM.
FINANCIAL PLAN, UH, AS SUBMITTED TO F D A, UH, IN LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER, THE TOTAL COST IS 446.3 MILLION.
REQUEST FOR FEDERAL FUNDS WILL BE 2 69 0.2.
UH, TFI LOAN IS 87.8, AND THEN VI IS, UH, CONTRIBUTING LOCAL FUNDS, ALMOST 90 MILLION.
UM, WE AWAIT, UH, FEDERAL, UM, INFORMATION, UH, END OF THE YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR ON WHERE WE ARE RELATED TO OUR 60% ASK.
UH, AS KAMI MENTIONED, WE HAVE COMPLETED DESIGN AND NEPA AND F D A REQUIREMENTS.
SO IT'S A WAITING UNTIL THEY GIVE US OFFICIAL LETTER THAT WE CAN ENTER, ENTER INTO ENGINEERING.
AND WITH THE TWO PROCUREMENTS THAT ARE IN PROCESS, WE ARE IN GOOD PLACE TO DELIVER THIS PROJECT ACCORDING TO THE TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED.
UH, OR WE'LL I'LL BE DISCUSSING, WHICH IS THIS, UH, ARE STILL TARGET.
OPENING DAY IS AUGUST 20, 27, UH, GRANT AWARD, F F G A, UH, WE EXPECT END OF NEXT YEAR IN DECEMBER.
AND THEN THE CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR CONSTRUCTION WILL START, UH, UH, IN 2025.
UH, WE ARE STILL FOLLOWING THIS TIMELINE.
AND, UM, WE HAVE, UH, SUPPORT FROM THE, UH, STAFF COMMUNITY AND OUR CONSULTANTS.
NEXT 90 DAYS, UH, REAL ESTATE IS OUR FOCUS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, WE'LL KEEP, UH, WORKING ON SCHEDULE AND COSTS TO ADVANCED UTILITIES, DESIGN DRAINAGE AND F D A COORDINATION.
WE'LL KEEP WORKING WITH, UH, OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UH, TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION.
AND I, I WILL PAUSE HERE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS.
OTHERWISE, I'LL GO TO THE, OUR NEXT PROJECT.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION THUS FAR.
ARE WE MAKING, UM, ANY INVESTMENTS OR PURCHASES IN ELECTRIC BUSES, UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT RIGHT NOW? I, I HEARD YOU MENTION C N G.
SO WE, WE HAVE CHOSEN C N G FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
UM, I GUESS THE FOLLOW UP WOULD BE WHY, WHY, WHY ARE WE JUST ADDING MORE C N G TO OUR FLEET WHEN WE WE'RE PILOTING NOW THE ELECTRIC BUSES, HOW ARE THEY WORKING? ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN EVALUATION PERIOD OF THAT? SO I, I, I'LL, I'LL RESPOND.
UH, SO WE ARE EVALUATING THEM SO FAR, REASONABLY GOOD.
THE RANGE WE HAVE NOT, SO THE, THE PROBLEM IS GONNA BE RANGE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND ON THESE LINES, WE'RE OPERATING HIGH FREQUENCY SERVICE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THEY'RE GONNA RUN UP A LOT OF MILES.
RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS AN ARTICULATED BUS RIGHT NOW, THERE IS ONE MANUFACTURER THAT IS GOING TO BEGIN MANUFACTURING ARTICULATED ELECTRIC BUSES.
AND SO THAT MAY BE A POSSIBILITY, BUT RIGHT.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE CONCERN ABOUT PUTTING OUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET ON A PRODUCT THAT IS NEW, IF YOU WILL, BUT WE, WE WANT TO GO ELECTRIC AS SOON AS IT'S PRACTICAL.
YEAH, I DON'T DEFINITELY SEE US PUTTING OUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.
WE DO HAVE IT RIGHT NOW THOUGH, JEFF, WITH C AND G.
SO I WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE DIVERSIFYING OUR PORTFOLIO AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE AND SAYING THAT THERE'S NO, UH, VEHICLE CURRENTLY PREPARED TO
[00:25:01]
DO THIS PARTICULAR ROUTE BECAUSE OF THE RANGE.BUT I DO PUSH US TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY OUR POOL OF ASSETS.
THE SECOND QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS THE UNA UNALLOCATED CONTINGENCY THAT WAS MENTIONED ON ONE OF THOSE SLIDES.
WHAT IS THE SHARE? LIKE, WHAT DID WE HAVE TO PUT IN, IF ANYTHING, VERSUS WHAT F T A PUT IN ON THAT CONTINGENCY NUMBER? SO, FT A LOOKS AT TOTAL COST, UH, AS A WHOLE.
AND THE CONTINGENCY, THE ALLOCATED CONTINGENCY IS TYPICALLY ASSIGNED TO A PARTICULAR LINE ITEM.
UNALLOCATED CONTINGENCY IS FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT.
AND WE WILL, UH, THE, THE CURRENTLY, UH, WE ARE UP TO 80% IS A FEDERAL SHARE, AND 20% IS VIA, IF WE DON'T USE CONTINGENCY, IT GOES BACK TO F D A AND WE WILL RECALCULATE EVERYTHING.
UM, WHAT KIND OF, UM, COMMUNICATIONS HAVE WE HAD WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS, THE CHAMBERS AND, AND REAL ESTATE COUNCILS? BECAUSE I'M HEARING A LITTLE BIT MORE AND MORE CHATTER, NOT 'CAUSE OF ANYTHING WE ARE DOING, BUT JUST THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ROADS RIGHT NOW, AND A LOT OF THESE SMALL AND EMERGING BUSINESSES ARE BEING AFFECTED BY IT.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER OUTREACH WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING IT SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE CHAMBERS, UH, OR BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE DONE ANY OF THAT, BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION.
UH, WE HAVE ENGAGED, UH, THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND THE BUSINESSES ADJACENT TO THE CORRIDOR, UM, AS PART OF THE EFFECTIVE PROPERTY OWNER REACH.
BUT WE, WE CAN ALWAYS DO MORE CERTAINLY.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENGAGING THEM.
SO I APPRECIATE THE NOTES, SIR.
I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD TO THAT, UH, AS, AS WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT THIS AS WELL AS THE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SOUK HAS APPROACHED US OF, OF HOSTING TWO BUSINESS FORMS ALONG THE CORRIDOR.
SO SHE'S GONNA INVITE THOSE BUSINESSES ALONG THE CORRIDOR TO COME IN TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE DOING IN THE STREET AND UNDERSTANDING THAT IMPACT.
UH, BUT THE MESSAGE HERE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE BUSINESSES IN THE PUBLIC, AND WE'RE GONNA BE IN FRONT OF THEM DELIVERING IT, IS, IS, YOU KNOW, THE VIA PROMISE OF NOT INTERRUPTING THEIR CUSTOMERS ACCESS TO THEIR PROPERTY AND TO THEIR BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM US.
AND WE GOTTA GO ON THE RECORD WITH THEM SO THEY CAN HEAR IT.
THEY ALSO WANT TO HEAR THAT THIS IS NOT GONNA BE BROADWAY AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE ST.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
IT'S DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION.
IT'S LESS IMPACTFUL FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
SO, BUT WE NEED TO CONFIRM THAT WITH THEM TO LOWER THEIR ANXIETIES BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING ANXIETIES BASED UPON WHAT THEY'VE SEEN IN OTHER CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN SAN ANTONIO.
ON SLIDE EIGHT 11, YOU TALKED ABOUT, UH, LETTERS IN MAILERS BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER OF 2022, TO PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG THE ROUTE.
WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK ARE WE GETTING FROM THEM? ARE, ARE, ARE PEOPLE WELCOMING OF THIS PROJECT? IF THERE SOME OF THEIR LAND HAS TO BE TAKEN FOR, UH, FOR A SHELTER OR SOMETHING, UH, WHAT ARE WE HEARING FROM THEM? SO, UM, JUST IN IN BROAD TERMS, THE, THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS WE'VE RECEIVED, UM, HAVE BEEN THAT OF INTEREST, WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS, WANTING TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
AND WE HAVE, UM, ARMANDO AND, AND ABIGAIL ON OUR REAL ESTATE TEAM TO, TO WHO'S REALLY LEADING THAT EFFORT AND, AND ADDRESSING THE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS THEY MAY HAVE REGARDING THAT PROCESS.
UH, UH, GENERALLY, UM, THE CONVERSATIONS ARE POSITIVE AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THE V RAPID GREEN LINE IS SUCCESSFUL AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BEING FAIR AND TRANSPARENT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
SO AS A WHOLE, I WOULD SAY GENERALLY POSITIVE INTERACTIONS.
DO WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT, OH, DO WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT MOST OF THE PROPERTY OWNERS WILL, UH, VOLUNTARILY REACH AN AGREEMENT? OR DO WE HAVE ANY KIND OF FEEDBACK ABOUT HOW MUCH CONDEMNATION WE MAY HAVE TO DO? UH, I DON'T WANNA SPECULATE ON THAT, QUITE FRANKLY.
I'D RATHER TURN TO, UH, EITHER ARMANDO OR ABIGAIL TO, TO BETTER ADDRESS THAT, THAT QUESTION.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR LEGAL.
UH, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS? SO WE, UM, YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE, WE'VE ESTIMATED A NUMBER THAT MAY HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE COURT SYSTEM.
UM, AND BASED ON OUR HISTORY WITH SOUTHWEST CORRIDORS, ZAMO AND MILITARY, UM, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE ACQUISITIONS HAPPENED IN THE FIRST OR SECOND OFFER.
SO THAT'S THE ANTI WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING.
SO AS JT MENTIONED, INTERACTIONS ARE VERY POSITIVE.
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO SHARE ABOUT THE PROJECT
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AND ANSWER QUESTIONS, KNOWING THAT AS DESIGN PROGRESSES, THINGS MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.SO, UM, THAT, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE QUESTION HERE IS, WHEN WE LIFT THE CONTRACT HERE, WHEN WE LIT THE CONTRACT, UM, WILL THAT INCLUDE THE WORK THAT WILL RELOCATE SAWS OR C P S LINES? OR IS THAT GONNA BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR CONTRACTORS THAT BUILT IN? OR IS THAT SEPARATE AND APART? SO, UH, UM, COST ESTIMATE INCLUDES A RELOCATION OF SOME UTILITIES, INCLUDING SARS AND C P S AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR PORTION.
UH, WE ARE ALSO HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE CONCURRENT PROJECT THAT THEY'RE DOING AT THEIR COST.
SO WE NEED TO COORDINATE THOSE.
SO, YEAH, SO, UH, TO, TO THE, UH, DISLOCATION OR THE DISRUPTION OF BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE COORDINATED.
SO IT'S BEING DONE AT THE SAME TIME AND NOT C P S DOES IT THIS WEEK AND NEXT MONTH SA COMES IN, THAT THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IF THE, THE RELOCATION IS BECAUSE OF THE TRANSIT PROJECT, OUR CONTRACTOR, UH, WOULD BE COORDINATING.
AND THEN ALSO WE ARE AT, WE ARE GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION FOR THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WILL BE HAVING BETWEEN NOW AND UNTIL END OF OUR CONTRACT.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE CORRIDOR AND WE ARE COORDINATING ALL OF THAT WITH THEM.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS WE'RE THINKING OF NOW THIS ARE TIMELY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW, BUT ON THE, UH, STOPS WHERE THE BUS IS GONNA STOP IN SAN PEDRO, I'VE SEEN THE MAPS, BUT I HAVEN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, COORDINATED A MAP WITH LIKE MCDONALD'S AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THAT BUS STOP, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN NOW THERE'S A NEW CANDY STORE.
AND I THINK THOSE BUSINESSES WOULD REALLY WANT TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A STOP, UM, IN FRONT OF 'EM.
BUT IF YOU GO DOWN ANOTHER BLOCK AND YOU'RE IN FRONT OF, YOU KNOW, SAY, I DON'T KNOW A BEAUTY SALON, YOU KNOW, NOT SO MUCH FOR THEM 'CAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA DO IT.
SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE KEEPING MOST OF THE STOPS WHERE THEY ARE OR YOU'RE STRATEGICALLY LOOKING TO SEE A BENEFIT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN CERTAIN ONES.
IF YOU CAN STRETCH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE BLOCKS HERE, I KNOW IT'S GOTTA BE A PATTERN, BUT IT'S JUST A THOUGHT IS ALL.
IT'S, YEAH, SO WHEN THE STATION LOCATIONS WERE LOOKED AT, WE LOOKED AT EXISTING ROUTES, EXISTING RIDERSHIP, WHICH STOPS HAVE EXISTING RIDERSHIP, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM BECAUSE WE HAD OD SURVEYS AS WELL AS, UH, LAND USE AROUND IT.
SO THAT WAS THE BASIS WHERE WE HAVE LOCATED NOW WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE LOCATIONS AND SOME DISCUSSION IS HAPPENING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND THAT'S WHY IN THE FINAL DESIGN, WHILE THE THIS IS WHAT WE ARE GOING INTO, UH, WE WILL RECEIVE FEEDBACK.
AND IF WE HAVE TO ADJUST ONE OR TWO STAFFS, WE ARE OPEN TO THAT.
UH, BASICALLY THE SAME QUESTION.
MY, MY QUESTION WAS, UH, ARE ALL THE STATIONS ALREADY SET AND FIXED THROUGH THE DESIGN PROCESS? OR IS THERE A SPACE FOR? SO THE STA I I WOULD SAY OUR GOAL IS TO NOT CHANGE ANY STATIONS BECAUSE WE ARE AT 30% DESIGN AND WE HAVE FINISHED NEPA, BUT WE ARE IN FINAL DESIGN.
WE HAVE, UH, PRECONSTRUCTION SERVICES, WE'LL START WITH CMAR.
AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS ONGOING.
SO I I HAVE SEEN THAT IF YOU HAVE TO CHANGE SOMETHING, WE'LL HAVE TO CHANGE SOMETHING.
WE ARE OPEN TO WORKING WITH COMMUNITY AND BUSINESSES TO MAKE THIS A SUCCESS.
AND SO, UH, TO JOHN GARY'S POINT ON, ON SORT OF ENGAGEMENT, I THINK THAT, UH, IT'D BE FOR ME JUST, JUST UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CONSTRUCTION TYPE ON, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE A STATION OR SEGMENT WOULD LOOK LIKE, EVEN THROUGH MAP OR LITTLE MODEL OR SOMETHING.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHAT AREAS OF THE ROAD ARE AFFECTED SIDEWALK.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW, WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, THEY FEEL LIKE THE WHOLE ROAD'S GONNA BE TORN UP AND THIS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY, THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S GONNA BE LIKE SOME SORT OF LIKE RAIL OR SOMETHING.
BUT IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S MORE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT'S MORE, IT'S SORT OF, UH, UH, IT'S, IT'S INTENSIFIED ON CERTAIN SPOTS, BUT IT'S NOT TAKING OUT THE WHOLE ROAD OUT.
THIS IS NOT RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ENTIRE STREET.
SO, UH, WITH SMAR AND PRE-CONSTRUCTION SERVICES MM-HMM.
AND PART OF CM A AND OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, EFFORTS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE ILLUSTRATIVE
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EXAMPLES THAT WE CAN SHOW VISUALLY TO NOT ONLY BUSINESSES BUT OUR RIDERS BECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE IN FLUXX.SO THAT PERFECT PLANNING IS ONGOING.
AND ONCE WE HAVE C A PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT, FINAL DESIGNER, WE CAN HAVE WORKSHOP AND WE CAN YEAH.
ROLL OUT ALL THAT INFORMATION I YOU WANT.
BUT ANY FEEDBACK YOU ALL GIVE NAB IS USEFUL WHILE WE ARE PLANNING THAT.
NO, AND I, AND I KNOW THAT YOU, YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT.
SOMETHING THAT'S HELPED ME SORT OF UNDERSTAND, VISUALIZE, UH, PARTICULARLY CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
ARE THOSE VIDEOS WHERE THERE'S LIKE SOME SORT OF LIKE TIME LAPSE? YEAH.
WHERE IT'S LIKE A LITTLE SORT OF MAYBE RENDERING OUR VIDEO WHERE YOU CAN SEE THINGS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MOVING IN THE SEQUENCE AND TIMING.
UH, AND THAT'S JUST, MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, BUT IT'S VERY EASY TO UNDERSTAND TIMING, SEQUENCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT KIND OF STUFF.
THEN THE OTHER, UH, SO THAT, THAT'S GREAT.
I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS, I KNOW WE WE'RE ENGAGING BUSINESSES, COMMUNITY LEADERS AROUND, UH, AROUND, UH, THE CITY.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT JUST KEEPS ME, UH, KEEP, JUST KEEP STAYS IN MY HEAD IS, UH, ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS, UH, PLANNING STUDENTS, UH, THOSE SORT OF LIKE FUTURE VISIONARIES OF THE CITY.
UH, I THINK IT'D BE KIND OF INTERESTING TO HAVE, UH, BE A, NOT LIKE SPONSOR OR ANYTHING, BUT MAYBE A PARTNER WITH U T SS A TO CREATE SOME SORT OF ENVISIONING, UH, UH, SORT OF MAYBE PROVIDING SOME BASE MAPS OR SOMETHING THEY CAN START GETTING PROJECTS GOING, MAYBE REIMAGINE WHAT THIS SORT OF ECOSYSTEM CAN LOOK LIKE.
UH, AND POSSIBLY AT SOME POINT HAVE A GALLERY OR SHOWCASING ON OUR SAN PEDRO BUILDING WHERE YOU HAVE LIKE A MAP OR SOMETHING WHERE PEOPLE CAN GATHER TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT THIS THING ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE, FEELS LIKE, UH, AND YOU KNOW, COULD POTENTIALLY BE IN THE FUTURE.
UH, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE NOT CONCERNED WITH, WITH, UH, LAND USE, BUT STUDENTS CAN GO WILD ON IMAGINING, UH, WORLDS AND, AND SPACES.
SO I THINK THAT CAN BE MAYBE AN INTERESTING COLLABORATION.
WE, WE BOTH ARE SMILING BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH PART-TIME FACULTY AT U TS A.
AND, AND THEY HAVE A REAL PROBLEM THINKING ABOUT IT BEING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
'CAUSE THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE AT A RED LIGHT.
THEY'RE GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE CROSSING AND IT'S DANGEROUS, UM, FOR THEM TO BE CROSSING STREETS.
WHY AREN'T WE PUTTING THIS WHERE A BUS GOES? AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S JUST GONNA BE A HURDLE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO OVERCOME BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO HAVE EVER SEEN A BUS GOING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND, YOU KNOW, GO, I'M SORRY KIM.
THAT, THAT'S MY WHOLE QUESTION.
I THINK I WOULD JUST SAY IS WORK AND WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE IT IS THAT TODAY IF YOU'RE ON SAN PEDRO AND ASSUMING YOU MAKE A ROUND TRIP, RIGHT, ONE OF THOSE TRIPS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CROSS ALL, ALL THE WAY ACROSS, RIGHT? IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE GONNA ONLY HAVE TO GO HALFWAY ACROSS.
AND IN FACT, IF YOU'RE, UH, A PEDESTRIAN, IT BECOMES A, A SAFE ISLAND, IF YOU WILL, IN CASE YOU CAN'T COMPLETE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT USING OUR SYSTEM.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT, BUT WE NEED TO ATE THAT.
BUT I JUST THINK THAT, AND THAT IF THAT, THAT COMMENT THAT YOU JUST SAID WAS, YOU KNOW, OUT THERE, UM, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE USED TO WHAT THEY'RE USED TO.
SO, AND, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA BY THE WAY, DOWN THE MIDDLE.
AND IF I CAN ADD ASSISTANT SECRETARY, WE, SO FOR THE, THE, THE NEXT PHASE, WE ARE ENGAGING OUR CONSULTANT IN VISUAL SIMULATIONS SO THE PUBLIC CAN ACTUALLY SEE THIS IS WHERE THE BUS IS, THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE, THESE ARE WHERE THE CARS ARE, THIS IS HOW THAT MANEUVER WOULD TAKE PLACE.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S JUST A LOT EASIER TO, TO SEE THE, THE PICTORIAL OF IT, UM, AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE BUS.
AND, AND SO THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE'LL BE ENGAGING IN ON THE NEXT PHASE.
AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SHOW THE CURRENT STATE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE PERCEIVE YOU DON'T HAVE TO CROSS THE STREET IF YOU'RE, AND THAT MAY BE TRUE IF YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET AND YOU DON'T COME BACK HOME.
BUT
YEAH, SHE HAS, SHE'S BEEN VERY PATIENT.
SO, UM, I'LL LET THE BOYS TALK FIRST AND THEN I'LL HAMMER DOWN.
SO NOW I'VE GOT LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, THE, THE QUALITY OF THE BATTERY LIFE, I WANNA GET BACK TO THAT DISCUSSION REAL QUICK.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT WE DISCUSSED, UM, WE DISCUSSED HAVING THAT, THAT CURRENTLY THROUGH OUR, OUR MODELS THAT THEY'RE NOT SUSTAINING.
BUT IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THE, THESE BUSES WILL BE ON A TIMED, UH, LIGHT.
AND SO THEORETICALLY THEN WE REALLY WON'T UNDERSTAND THE BATTERY LIFE BECAUSE THAT DOES EAT UP A LOT OF BATTERY LIFE IN BATTERY POWERED VEHICLES.
SO I, I THINK IT HONESTLY WOULD
[00:40:01]
BE BENEFICIAL TO, HONESTLY, GOING BACK TO TRUSTEE BROWN'S, UM, STATEMENT OR REQUEST IS THAT I, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD BE ACTUALLY INVESTING A LOT MORE IN WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON PAR BECAUSE THE, THE BATTERY LIFE ON LIKE A NORMAL VEHICLE IN CURRENT SAN ANTONIO HAVING TO DEAL WITH THAT STOP AND GO STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, IT'S NOT THE SAME, IT JUST ISN'T THE SAME AS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH HERE.SO ESPECIALLY SINCE YOU'RE, UH, UNDERSTOOD.
YEAH, I'M JUST SAYING THAT NUMBER ONE, THERE'S ONLY ONE MANUFACTURER.
NUMBER TWO, I, I SHOULD SHARE THIS.
NUMBER TWO, THERE ARE B R T SYSTEMS OUT THERE THAT STARTED WITH ELECTRIC BUSES AND HAVE TO PULL 'EM AND REPLACE THEM YEAH.
BUT NUMBER THREE, WE'RE NOT OPENING TILL 2027.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY'S GONNA BE BY THAT.
IT MAY AND IT MAY BE GREAT IN 2027.
BUT WE HAVE TO BUY THE BUSES BEFORE 2027.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO WHAT'S TIME? YEAH, I'M SORRY.
WHAT'S THE LEAD TIME? LEAD TIME ON LEAD TIME.
WE'D HAVE TO BE ORDERING THE BUSES TWO TO TWO TO THREE YEARS.
UM, NEXT, RIGHT NOW THE LEAD TIME NEXT YEAR BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF COVID AND THE EFFECTS YEAH.
THERE ARE SYSTEMS THAT ARE TRYING TO REPLACE THEIR VIA TRANS VANS.
AND, AND THERE'S A FOUR YEAR BACKLOG.
SO IF YOU, AND SINCE THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS LIKE A FIVE YEAR YEAH.
THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO ORDER THE NEW VEHICLE ALMOST THE DAY YOU RECEIVE THE NEW ONE.
WELL, I JUST WANNA SAY WE SINCERELY, I REALLY WANT ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON IT, BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THAT SERVICE ARE NOT DISRUPTED BY A, A VEHICLE THAT RUNS, RUNS OUT OF CHARGE, IT RUNS OUT, RUNS OUTTA JUICE.
THE NICE THING IS THAT WE'VE SEEN TECHNOLOGY CHANGE SO MUCH OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WHEN IT COMES TO BATTERY POWERED VEHICLES.
UM, SO NOW I HAVE ANOTHER, GOING BACK NOW, I PICKED UP LITTLE THINGS FROM EVERYBODY, UH, GOING BACK TO THE CHAMBER DISCUSSION.
I HONESTLY FEEL BECAUSE I AM A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER ALONG THIS CORRIDOR, OR AT LEAST NEAR IT, UM, A LOT OF THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DON'T BELONG TO THE CHAMBERS BECAUSE OF THEIR BUY-IN.
SO I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT AS BENEFICIAL FOR YOUR TIME TO BE GOING AND JUST RELY NOT RELYING, NOT SOLELY ON THEM, BUT GETTING YOUR SHOES DIRTY AND GOING CANVASSING.
BECAUSE THAT'S HONESTLY GOING TO BE THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY GET IN FRONT OF THESE PEOPLE IS, I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WORKED DURING COVID WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET MASKS AND WE WERE TRYING TO GET PLASTIC SCREENS TO, TO SMALL BUSINESSES ALONG, UM, THE, AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE AND WEST SIDE WHEN IT WAS COMING TO DIFFICULTY FINDING THE RESOURCES FOR THAT.
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING AND SITTING AND, AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, YES, YOU'RE GONNA BE HEARING A LOT OF COMPLAINING ABOUT OTHER RANDOM THINGS, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS YOU GET IN FRONT OF THEM AND YOU SHOW THAT YOU CARE AND YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT MULTIPLE TIMES.
SO, BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY'VE BEEN THERE FOR 30, 40 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND A LOT OF THE TIMES GOVERNMENT ENTITIES DON'T COME TO THEM UNLESS THEY NEED THEIR PROPERTY, WHICH WE DO.
SO, UM, I'LL LET Y'ALL SAY ANYTHING.
NO, THANK YOU TRUSTEE TO, FOR THE, FOR THE COMMENT.
I'LL, I'LL, UH, JUST SAY THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND THAT ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY, THAT'S ONE PORTION OF A LARGER STRATEGY.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T DELIBERATELY FOCUS ALL OUR TIME THERE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY VISITING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, VISITING WITH THOSE THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THE CORRIDOR.
WITH BLOCK WALKING, I KNOW OUR GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS TEAM IS HERE AND THEY, THEY SPEND A LOT OF THEIR TIME DAY TO DAY MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE IN FRONT OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES THAT LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AT LEAST AWARE OF THE PROJECT OFFICE EXISTING AS WELL AS THE PROJECT STATUS UPDATE.
NOW I'VE GOT MORE
UM, I ALSO, I THINK THAT THAT'S, UH, A FANTASTIC IDEA.
I WOULD, THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND ALSO GOING TO U T S A AND SEEING IF WE CAN GET THEIR MARKETING DEPARTMENT TO ALSO GET BEHIND.
UH, SAME WITH TRINITY AND TEXAS STATE.
UM, I KNOW THAT THAT'S PROBABLY A FOUR LETTER WORD HERE IN SAN ANTONIO SOMETIMES WHEN I'M AROUND U T S A PEOPLE.
BUT TEXAS STATE DOES HAVE THEIR, UM, WE HAVE AN AI FACILITY, UM, AT TEXAS STATE.
AND SO, AND IT'S A HUGE, HUGE FACILITY, UM, OFF OF WONDER WORLD DRIVE.
AND SO, AND IN THERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE AN INDOOR, UH, RAPID LINE
BUT UM, BUT THEY WOULD ALSO BE REALLY HELPFUL IN NAVIGATING ALSO LIKE WHAT THE DESIGN WOULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE I WOULD JUST ALSO GO BACK TO LIKE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THEY STAY AROUND IN THIS AREA.
UH, TRINITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN REALLY FANTASTIC AT BRINGING SOME REALLY GREAT IDEAS.
[00:45:01]
UM, AND THEN ALSO UTILIZING THE SCHOOLS ALONG THE AREA.MARK TWAIN'S NOT FAR FROM THERE.
SO I MEAN, EVEN THE KIDS WOULD REALLY, AND THEIR FAMILIES IF, I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THE THING.
IF YOU CAN GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT STUFF, THE NEXT GENERATION, THESE 13, 14 YEAR OLDS, THEY GO HOME AND THEY TALK AD NAUSEUM TO THEIR PARENTS ABOUT LIKE, OH MY GOD, GUESS WHAT WE SAW? DO Y'ALL KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HEARD FROM MY CHILDREN AND THE LAST WEEK THAT THEY SAW AN ELECTRIC BUS AND HOW EXCITED THEY WERE FOR LIKE TWO HOURS.
AND SO, AND THAT'S FROM A NINE, A NINE AND 11 YEAR OLD WHO CAN TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING.
I'M EXCITED OBVIOUSLY, 'CAUSE I HAVE ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT Y'ALL DEVELOP.
I KNOW YOU ARE COORDINATING WITH SARS AND C P S, BUT HAS SARS AND C P S LOOKED AT BOTH OF THESE LINES AND DECIDED WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAVE A TENDENCY WHEN THERE'S A ROAD PROJECT, THE ROAD PROJECT GOES DOWN AND THEN THEY COME IN AFTERWARDS AND DIG BACK UP THE ROAD.
SO WE ARE TRYING TO COORDINATE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR LONG-TERM GOALS, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO SO THAT MAYBE Y'ALL CAN COORDINATE THIS WAY THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE AT THE SAME TIME? UH, SHORT ANSWER, YES.
THERE ARE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC UTILITIES AND WE HAVE ASKED AND ASKED AND WE HAVE MONTHLY COORDINATION MEETING AND THEY HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PLANS FOR NOW AND FUTURE.
AND WE HAVE BEEN, UH, FOLLOWING WHEN THEY'RE LETTING SCHEDULE IS AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF COOPERATION OUTSIDE OUR PROJECT.
SO THAT DISCUSSION IS ONGOING AND WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED WHERE WE ARE ON THAT AND THAT WILL SOMEHOW CULMINATE IN SOME KIND OF A M O U WITH THEM.
UH, I HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I'VE BEEN HOLDING OFF WAITING FOR MY BOARD MEMBERS.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
UH, THIS IS A HALF A BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT THAT WE'RE EMBARKING ON AND THIS IS JUST THE ONE LINE, NOT BOTH LINES.
SO ONE THING THAT I WANT TO LOOK AT VERY CAREFULLY IS WHERE OUR DOLLARS ARE GOING.
OKAY? NOW, I KNOW SOME OF THESE BIG PROJECTS ARE USUALLY TAKEN ON BY THESE BIG COMPANIES THAT, THAT HAVE THE RESOURCES, BUT I WANNA PUT IT ON THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HIRE MINORITY WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES, VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESSES.
WE GOT, WE, WE GOTTA MAKE, WE GOTTA GIVE THAT MONEY TO BACK TO SAN ANTONIO AS WELL.
AND, AND I AM A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE SMALL BUSINESS GETTING A PORTION OF THESE BIG PROJECTS AND SOMETIME IT'S FORGOTTEN.
SO I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT VERY CAREFULLY.
SO, BUT I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON IT AND I APPRECIATE IT.
BUT WE GOTTA WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER.
LEMME JUST RESPOND BRIEFLY TO THAT.
SO WE ARE PURSUING, AS, YOU KNOW, FEDERAL FUNDS FOR THIS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRESCRIBES FOR US.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PRESCRIBES A D B E PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, MINORITY BUSINESSES, ET CETERA.
BUT WE WILL, BUT THE BUSINESS HAS TO BE, UH, CERTIFIED AS A D B E.
SO ONE OF THE EFFORTS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT FIRMS GET CERTIFIED AS A D B E SO THEY CAN BE PART OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECT.
THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE, UM, A BIG LIFT, IF YOU WILL.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO, TO GET THESE BUSINESS INVOLVED.
I KNOW A LOT OF ENGINEERING FIRMS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THEY GOTTA KNOW, AND THERE'S MINORITY WOMEN AND WOMEN OWNED ENGINEERING FIRMS IN SAN ANTONIO, AND I CAN NAME A FEW THAT WE NEED TO AT LEAST GO TALK TO AND SEE IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN BEING INVOLVED IN THIS.
UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST GIVE THE DOLLARS TO THE BIG COMPANIES AND, AND NOT SUPPORT OUR OWN LOCAL BUSINESSES.
I, I AM A BIG BELIEVER IN THAT.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT'S ONE, ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT VERY CAREFULLY AND THERE'S ALWAYS A, A GOAL IN THE FEDERAL, BUT I DON'T WANT, I DON'T WANNA REACH A GOAL, I WANNA GO ABOVE THAT GOAL.
IT DOESN'T SAY YOU CAN'T GO ABOVE IF THEY GIVE YOU A 10% GOAL, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T GO 20%.
OKAY? SO LET'S NOT MAKE THAT KIND OF A HINDRANCE OR A LIMIT TO US.
OKAY? THAT'S WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE HAPPENS.
WELL, NO, IN FACT, UH, WE OFTEN HAVE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE A 10% GOAL AND A AND A HUNDRED PERCENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE GOAL IS JUST THE GOAL FOR EVALUATION OF THE, THE PROPOSAL OR THE BID.
CAN I MAKE A COMMENT TO A COMMENT? YES.
I MEAN, BACK TO MELANIE'S POINT, UM, THE CHAMBERS TO SMALL BUSINESS, UM, THE WAY THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, CHARGE FOR THE MEMBERSHIP, IT'S ZERO TO FIVE EMPLOYEES, FIVE
[00:50:01]
TO 10.BUT EVEN IF YOU HAVE 500, YOU MIGHT NOT, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT $10,000 TO JOIN.
AND I THINK THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST TO BE CERTIFIED IS, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANY COST ASSOCIATED IN A SMALL BUSINESS IS A, A BIG ONE.
SO I THINK IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE COULD HELP THEM AND, YOU KNOW, IF THEY APPLY IN BULK OR SOMETHING, BUT IT'S, IT'S THE COST TO TO TO GET CERTIFIED.
IT'S FREE, BUT IT'S, IT'S IT'S COMPLEX.
BUT THERE ARE NONPROFITS THAT WILL ASSIST.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
IF WE CAN COORDINATE ALL THAT, 'CAUSE I THINK A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS GUY, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S GONNA COST ME, THE PERCEPTION WOULD PROBABLY BE IT'S GONNA COST ME MONEY AND THAT'S WHY I HAVEN'T DONE IT, OR I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT.
CAN I ADD ON THAT? IT'S ALSO, YES.
I WAS JUST GONNA, I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT IT'S, IT'S A COST.
UH, YEAH, THERE'S, THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS TO DO IT FOR FREE, BUT ALSO IT REQUIRES BUSINESSES TO HAVE CERTAIN RECORDS YEAH.
IN PLACE TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY ACCOUNT ACCOUNTING ON THEIR END, CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS AND REGISTRATION.
SO IT'S, IT'S A PROCESS WHERE A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESS HAVE NOT SORT OF MAINTAINED SOME OF THE, THAT'S, THAT'S I THINK THE BIGGEST SORT OF, UH, EVEN IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE LYFT AND YOU SHOW UP AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE PAPERWORK OR THE ACTUAL, UH, YOU KNOW, APPLICATION FORMS THAT YOU NEED, IT, IT MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT, BUT IT, IT IS FREE AND IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S, IT MAKES A HUGE CHANGE.
AND THEN JUST SECOND ON, ON INCORPORATING SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK THE, THE BIGGEST PART IS YES, WE NEED TO SORT OF KEEP SOME OF THAT BY IN-HOUSE AND LOCAL DOORS AND PUT 'EM IN OUR COMMUNITIES, BUT IT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCAL FIRMS TO SCALE MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF OUR GCSS, A LOT OF OUR DESIGNERS, A LOT OF OUR SUBS CONSULTS CAN ACTUALLY SCALE UP, UH, BUILD AN ACTUAL PORTFOLIO AND GO OUT AND WORK OUTSIDE OF SAN ANTONIO, UH, FOR FUTURE PROJECTS.
SO THE POTENTIAL OF THIS PROJECT IS NOT REALLY JUST A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT, BUT IT'S A LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT IT'S TO, UH, ALSO UPLIFT AND ELEVATE OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, SO I FEEL THAT'S WHERE THE, THE, THE ACTUAL INVOLVEMENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES IS THE REAL VALUE IS, IS REALLY UPLIFTING.
THOSE, THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW, ACTUALLY.
I WANTED TO CLARIFY THE THING ABOUT DBES.
SO THE, THE DBE E REQUIREMENT OF IF YOU GET FEDERAL DOLLARS, YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE DBE REQUIREMENT.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT SAYS THAT A HISPANIC OWNED FIRM THAT'S NOT A DBE E CAN'T BE A SUB OR A PRIME ON A CONTRACT.
IT JUST MEANS WE CAN'T COUNT THEM, WE CAN'T COUNT THEM TOWARD THE FEDERAL PROGRAM.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING THAT KEEPS THEM, PRECLUDES THEM FROM DOING IT.
WHETHER THEY'RE CERTIFIED AS A H UH, UH, HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS OR MINORITY BUSINESS OR HISPANIC BUSINESS YEAH.
OR ANY BUSINESS ANY BUSINESS CAN PURSUE.
THE ONLY THING ABOUT THE D B E IS THAT THAT'S WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALLOWS US TO PUSH.
THEY WON'T ALLOW US TO PUSH OTHER THINGS, BUT THEY WILL ALLOW US TO PUSH THE D B E.
SO I HAVE A, DO WE HAVE ACTUALLY THE DESIGNATION OF WHAT THAT BREAKDOWN FOR DBE E WOULD BE? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S SEPARATE, LIKE FOR S B A, THERE'S SEPARATE, UM, LIKE BREAKDOWN SINCE WE NO LONGER HAVE EIGHT A, IS THAT STILL GOING TO BE CONSIDERED CERTAIN CONTRACTS STILL ASK FOR, LIKE THOSE THAT USED TO BE PART OF THE EIGHT A PROGRAM VERSUS THOSE THAT AREN'T, OR EIGHT M DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALK TO IS STILL AROUND AND SOMETIMES IT'S NOT.
SO JUST THOSE QUE LIKE THOSE QUALIFICATIONS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I'LL GET BACK TO THE NEXT ONES THOUGH.
BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE THOSE ACTUALLY ALREADY ITEMIZED OUT, LIKE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUIRING FOR THAT, UM, DEFINITION OF WHAT A D B E IS? DID THE F D A TA ALREADY OKAY, WELL THE D B E UH, D D B DE DEFINITION IS CONTAINED AND THE FEDERAL GUIDELINES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY, THE DB PROGRAM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO MODIFY WITH HOW IT'S DEFINED.
BUT AGAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A D B E TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTRACT.
SO THEN ARE WE GOING TO BE GOING BASED OFF OF THE SWIM BEE DEFINITION OR WOULD WE BE JUST GOING OFF OF THE SS B A? 'CAUSE THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
IT COULD BE THE FEDERAL, THE FEDERAL ONE.
SO THE SBA A WE'LL HAVE TO SET A FEDERAL GOAL ACCORDING THE WAY IN WHICH FEDERAL GOALS ARE SET.
AND AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO ESTABLISHED.
AND BONNIE, YOU CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
NO, I I WE DO HAVE TO CORRECT YOU.
IT HAS TO DO WITH LOOKING AT AVAILABILITY WITHIN THE MARKET.
AND, AND SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT IF Y'ALL CAN'T TELL, I'VE BEEN, UM, A LITTLE SWINDLED SOMETIMES.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO SS B A, AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I ACTUALLY GET VERY, BECAUSE CERTAIN ENTITIES SOMETIMES
[00:55:01]
DEFINE, UM, EITHER IT'S A WOMAN, WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS OR IT'S A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS, OR IT'S BOTH.AND SO YOU'RE LIKE, WAIT, WHICH ONE? BECAUSE IF I'M GETTING POINTS, 'CAUSE IT'S ON A POINT SYSTEM, IF I'M GETTING POINTS AS A WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESS, BUT I'M NOT GETTING POINTS AS A MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS OR, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CERTAIN WHATEVER MATHEMATICAL EQUATION FOR HAVING BOTH, UM, AND YOU'RE NOT RECEIVING THESE POINTS.
LIKE, IT'S JUST AS A, AT A DISADVANTAGE FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN THESE MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO.
AND YET, AS MUCH AS I LOVE JOINT VENTURES, AND I DO, THIS IS USUALLY WHERE THE SMALL BUSINESSES END UP GETTING UNDERCUT IN THESE SITUATIONS, IS THEY END UP, SMALL BUSINESSES END UP GETTING PAIRED UP, THIS IS ACTUALLY WHY I'M IN LAW SCHOOL NOW.
THEY END UP GETTING PAIRED UP WITH THESE LARGER ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHO MAKE THESE PROMISES LIKE, HEY, WE'VE GOT ALL THIS FUNDING, WE'VE GOT ALL THIS BONDING BEHIND US.
BUT, UM, AND YOU CAN BE 49% OWNER OF THIS JOINT VENTURE, THIS THIS PROJECT.
HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO ACTUAL EXECUTION, THEY'RE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND.
AND SO, AND THEN THE SMALL BUSINESS THAT'S IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IS LEFT TO LIKE DO ALL OF THE WORK WITHOUT, WITH BARELY ANY FUNDING.
AND SO, AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT GET EGG ON THEIR FACE AND THEY GET, YOU KNOW, RUINED.
AND THANKFULLY THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ME, BUT I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE SMALL BUSINESSES, AND ESPECIALLY IN GENERAL CONTRACTING, WHEN YOU'RE COMING TO MINORITY OR WOMEN-OWNED GENERAL CONTRACTORS, THEY JUST, BECAUSE THEY AGREED TO BE A JOINT VENTURE OR A SUB IN A CERTAIN SITUATION, WHEN IT WAS LEFT TO GO PAY THEIR OTHER SUBS, THEY HAD NO MONEY.
SO THAT'S JUST, THAT'S MY THING IS THAT LIKE I I, I DON'T WANNA SEE WHEN WE GO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND WHENEVER WE SAY THAT THERE'S A CONTRACT COMING UP OR A CERTAIN THING, 'CAUSE WE ALL HAVE OUR NETWORKS.
I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THIS IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT TIME, THIS IS A NEW PROJECT WHEN A LOT, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME UNCERTAINTY WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC PROJECTS.
AND JUST FOR, FOR A GENERAL, UH, INFORMATION, WE ARE CURRENTLY CLOSING IN ON THE COMPLETION OF A DISPARITY STUDY, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE IN ORDER TO DO SOME OF THESE THINGS WITH LOCALLY FUNDED PROJECTS.
BUT THE DISPARITY STUDY WON'T APPLY TO FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECTS, WHICH THESE ALL ARE, BUT I, I, I, NOT THAT I'M NOT HEARING YOU, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE THE, WHERE THE LANDSCAPE IS, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE, I IMAGINE SOMETIME TOWARD THE BE EARLY, UH, EARLY NEXT YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING THE DISPARITY STUDY TO THE BOARD AND THEN TAKING A LOOK AT LOCAL PROCUREMENTS AND WHAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OUR LOCAL PROCUREMENT HAS ONLY S B E GOALS.
IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY SUBSET, AS YOU WERE MENTIONING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE DISPARITY STUDY TO DO THIS SUBSET.
SO DEPENDING UPON THE OUTCOME OF THE DISPARITY STUDY, WE MAY BE ABLE TO COME IN AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO WITH LOCAL PROCUREMENTS THAT WOULD BE MORE TARGETED.
WELL ONE THING THAT I'VE, THAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT WE HAVE A 10% RULE FOR HOLDING, UH, ON OUR CONTRACTORS.
NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THAT THEY TURN AROUND AND WHO USE THAT SAME RETAINAGE FOR THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS.
NOW THE SUBCONTRACTORS WHO, LET'S SAY THEY'RE A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS, HAS A, LET'S SAY THEY GET LUCKY TO HAVE A MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
WELL IN REALITY, THAT BIG BUSINESS IS HOLDING A HUNDRED THOUSAND EVEN AFTER THEY FINISH THEIR PROJECT.
'CAUSE THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, WE HAVE TO HOLD 10%.
SO SOMEHOW THAT HAS TO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
I MEAN, WE CAN'T HOLD BACK A SMALL COMPANY 10%, UH, FROM A BIG COMPANY.
AND THAT'S CASH FLOW THAT THEY LOSE.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, IT'S, IT DOESN'T WORK WELL FOR THEM.
SO WE ASK 'EM TO PARTICIPATE AND THEN WE PUNISH 'EM BECAUSE THE BIG BUSINESS IS HOLDING BACK A PORTION OF THEIR MONEY.
AS LONG AS THEY FINISH THEIR MONEY TO THE CONTRACTOR, IF THEY DO THE JOB AND IT'S APPROVED, THEY SHOULD GET PAID.
THERE SHOULD NOT BE A 10% HOLDING TO THEM FOR A JOB THAT THEY ALREADY DID AND FINISHED.
JUST SO AND SO, UH, YOU'RE AWARE THAT SMALL BUSINESSES THAT COMPLETE THEIR TASKS, THEIR RETAINAGE ARE RELEASED WHEN THEY COMPLETE THEIR TASK, NOT WAITING FOR THE END OF THE CONTRACT.
THIS IS A RECENT CHANGE THAT WE'VE MADE TO THE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REASON FOR, LET'S JUST SAY YOU WERE A SMALL SUB THAT DID, UH, SURVEY WORK MM-HMM.
ON A BIG CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WHERE YOUR SURVEY WORK MAY BE DONE WAY IN THE BEGINNING OF THAT PROJECT.
[01:00:01]
CONSTRUCTION MAY TAKE YOU OUT SEVERAL YEARS.SO WE DID NOT WANT, WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT 10% RETAINAGE AGAINST WORK THAT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLETE AND SATISFACTORY.
SO WE'VE INSTRUCTED THE PROJECT MANAGERS, AND BY THE WAY, THEY ALWAYS HAD THE, THEY ALWAYS HAD THE RIGHT TO, OR THE, THE ABILITY TO DO IT.
THEY SIMPLY WEREN'T, UH, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT ABILITY.
SO NOW WE'VE GOTTEN WITH THE PROJECT MANAGERS.
WE'VE MADE THEM AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THEY DO HAVE THAT ABILITY AND THAT FLEXIBILITY AND ENCOURAGE THEM WHEN A, WHEN A SUBCONTRACTOR IS COMPLETE WITH THE WORK AND IT'S BEEN, UH, ACCEPTED RIGHT.
THAT WE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY RE RELEASE A RETAINAGE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, UH, MS. ELDERS, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, BRIEFING SILVER LINE.
UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S, UH, QUESTION, CONVERSATION, AND INPUT.
IT MAKES OUR PROJECT, UH, BETTER.
SO WE ARE ON SILVER LINE AND THIS IS A MAP THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE TODAY.
AND WE ARE GOING TO IMPROVE THIS MAP BY ADDING, UM, UH, HOSPITALS, MEDICAL FACILITIES, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER, UM, OTHER ATTRACTIONS, UM, ON THIS MAP.
UH, SO THAT'S JUST, UH, UPFRONT, UH, INFORMATION.
UH, EAST WEST LINE, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS SILVER LINE, UH, IS FROM FROST CENTER TO GENERAL MCMULLEN ON EAST HOUSTON, GOING THROUGH DOWNTOWN COUPLET, MARKET B VISTA AND COMMERCE, UH, CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS LINE IS SIMILAR.
THE SILVER LINE AND GREEN LINE WILL INTERSECT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BEFORE YOU MOVE FROM THAT MAP.
WHAT CONCEPT ARE YOU THINKING OF WHERE THE TWO INTERSECT? 'CAUSE YOU'LL HAVE, YOU'LL HAVE A SHELTER ON EACH OF THE FOUR CORNERS.
SO WHAT KIND OF CONCEPT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TO TIE THOSE ALL TOGETHER? SO THERE WOULD BE A PAIR OF SHELTERS, BECAUSE THIS IS A ONE-WAY COUPLET.
SO THERE IS A ONE WAY EAST, ONE WAY WEST, ONE WAY NORTH, AND ONE WAY SOUTH.
SO IT IS A, UH, INTERSECTION THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO THERE WILL BE FOUR STATION AND THE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THAT AND THE NEAREST THING I CAN THINK, WHICH WE HAVE IN, IN SYSTEM IS ON THE ZUMO PRIMO.
WITH SOUTHWEST MILITARY, WE HAVE SHELTERS.
UH, THE KEY TO THAT IS IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY AND WORKING WITH SIGNALS SO PEOPLE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CROSS.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TRANSFERS TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION HOW WE FACILITATE THOSE TRANSFERS BETWEEN THE TWO LINE AND THE OTHER UNDERLYING ROUTE.
SO IT WILL BE KIND OF DECENTRALIZED, BUT FOCUSING ON PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS.
WOULD THESE BE LARGER THAN MOST OF THE SHELTERS? THE DOWNTOWN WILL NOT HAVE LARGER SHELTERS.
DOWNTOWN WILL HAVE, UH, CURRENT SHELTERS AND A PYLON BECAUSE OF TWO THINGS.
ONE IS THERE IS A LOT OF ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORICAL, UM, UH, UH, ADVANTAGES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, ARE ARE, WE ALSO HAVE RIGHT OF AIR AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS AND WHAT IS UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE.
SO DOWNTOWN WILL BE LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE TREAT OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN SHELTERS AND STOPS.
THIS IS, UH, SMALLER, UH, LENGTH CORRIDOR, SEVEN AND A HALF MILES, 18 STATIONS.
TRANSIT SIGNAL PRIORITY IS SIMILAR TO NORTH SOUTH.
ALL THE OTHER AMENITIES AT THE STATIONS ARE GOING TO BE SIMILAR.
THE COST IS LESS AT LESS THAN 10% CONCEPT.
THE ESTIMATED, UH, COST IS 289.2 MILLION IN YEAR OF EXPENDITURE.
UH, UH, WHERE WE ARE TODAY IS WE SUBMITTED, UH, A, A RATINGS PACKAGE TO F D A IN AUGUST OF 2023, UH, SIMILAR TO GREEN LINE.
WE HAVE GONE BACK AND FORTH ON, UH, CLARIFICATION AND QUESTIONS SO FAR.
WE ARE WAITING FOR THEIR, UM, INPUT OR FINAL, UH, RECOMMENDATION.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, WITH THE PROJECT, UH, THAT WE HAVE, THEY HAVE ON THEIR OWN, UH, GIVEN US A PILOT, UH, GRANT ON THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OF 8.1 MILLION.
UH, WE ARE WORKING, UH, ON OUR PUBLIC COORDINATED PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
[01:05:01]
APPROACH.UM, JOHN WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER.
WE ARE WORKING ON DRAFT LAYOUTS.
THIS IS A VERY EARLY IN THE PROJECT, AND WE HAVE STARTED SERVING THE CORRIDOR IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF A, UM, JOHN.
SO AS MANGER MENTIONED, WE'RE, WE'RE EARLY IN THE PROCESS WITH RESPECT TO THE VIA RAPID SILVER LINE.
AND AS A RESULT, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH, IS JUST NOW PICKING UP.
WE'VE HAD SOME NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, UH, TO DATE, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO REALLY RAMP UP THAT ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE YEAR WITH THE PUBLIC MEETING EARLY NEXT YEAR AROUND THE PUBLIC MEETINGS, I SHOULD SAY, EARLY NEXT YEAR.
BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT APPROACH, STRATEGY AND MESSAGING MESSAGING, ONE OF WHICH I'LL TOUCH ON HERE IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT IS SYNCED UP WITH THE PROJECT MILESTONES THAT WE'RE CAPTURING THE FEEDBACK WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE HAVING THEIR, THEIR, THEIR BUY-IN AND SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT AND ITS SUCCESS.
SO THE, UH, THE, THE MESSAGING FOR THE PROJECT FOR THE EAST WEST SILVER LINE IS INFORMED BY COMMUNITY-BASED SURVEY AND BEFORE YOU IS A GLIMPSE OF THAT INFORMATION THAT IS INFORMED, AGAIN, BY THIS COMMUNITY SURVEY.
SO AS, AS WE GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE ENGAGING WITH FOLKS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COGNIZANT OF, UH, WHAT WORKS IN TERMS OF MESSAGING AND, AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY AND, AND, AND LEVERAGING THAT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT, AGAIN, THAT WE, WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE CONVEYING WHAT WE NEED TO CONVEY TO THE COMMUNITY.
AGAIN, NOTING OF COURSE THAT WE ARE, UM, UH, GETTING UNDERWAY WITH THE VIA RAPID SILVER LINE.
WE DO HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES ON THE HORIZON.
UH, CONTINUING TO BRIEF KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS ALIKE, OF COURSE WILL BE ONGOING.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY KICKED THAT OFF AND THAT HAVE HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UH, BUT OF COURSE WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WHEN IT COMES TO THE CORRIDOR DESIGN REVIEW.
UM, AN I L A OUTLINE, UM, SIMILAR I L A DISCUSSIONS FOR THE, FOR THE GREEN LINE IN THAT RESPECT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UH, COGNIZANT OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND DOING THAT WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
SO HERE, HERE, JUST A, A QUICK BULLETED LIST OF ITEMS THAT, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, EITHER CONTINUE TO START OR, OR HAVING MEANINGFUL DISCUSSIONS TODAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING EFFECTIVE IN ALIGNMENT.
ONE OF WHICH, OF COURSE IS THE, UH, THE STAKEHOLDER DATABASE.
WE CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT OUT, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS WE GET NEW INFORMATION ABOUT KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED, THAT WE'RE REACHING OUT TO THEM AND, AND HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
AGAIN, THIS, THIS FALL, UH, WE DO HAVE A ROADMAP THAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH THE I G R P A, UH, COMMITTEE.
AND, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, UM, ALIGNED WITH THE ROADMAP TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SUCCESS AT OUR FIRST, UH, ROUND OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AGAIN EARLY NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT THROUGH THESE EFFORTS WE ARE TELLING THE STORY OF THE V RAPID SILVER LINE SO THAT WE'RE CARRYING PEOPLE ALONG AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE INFORMED AND ENGAGED ON THE PROJECT, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION STAKEHOLDERS ADJACENT TO THE CORRIDOR, EVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MANGER FOR THE FINANCIAL PLAN.
SO THE FINANCIAL PLAN, UM, UH, FOR THIS TOTAL COST IS 289.
WE ARE SEEKING 146.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUND.
VIAS CONTRIBUTION IS 42 MILLION.
ONE THING TO NOTE THAT WE STILL HAVE A LOCAL, UH, FUNDING GAP TO TUNE OFF A HUNDRED 0.5 MILLION.
BUT WHEN WE SUBMITTED RATINGS PACKAGE, OUR CITY, UH, MAYOR AND COUNTY JUDGE HAVE, UH, SEND LETTERS TO SUPPORT PROJECT.
SO, UH, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT, UH, IN NEXT YEAR OR SO, WE WILL, UH, BRIDGE THAT GAP TO TAKE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
CURRENTLY, THE COMMITTED VALUE IS FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE, THE FUNDS WE HAVE, UH, AVAILABLE, THEY WILL TAKE US THROUGH NEPA AND ALL DESIGN WORK, UM, AND CAPITAL.
UH, INVESTMENT GRANT WE ARE SEEKING IS 49.4.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS IN SMALL START PROGRAMS, SMALL STARTS SMALL, UH, TOTAL PROJECT COST AND EASY, UH, EASIER TO READ AND IMPLEMENT GUIDELINES.
FEDERAL GUIDELINES AND MAXIMUM, UH, SHARE POSSIBLE IS 150 MILLION AND WE ARE SEEKING 146 MILLION.
SO IT'S SUCCESSFUL WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND THE OTHER PROJECT, WE'LL BE BRINGING INVESTMENT WORTH, UH, OVER $400 MILLION.
SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED, UH, TO TAKE THIS PROJECT FORWARD.
UM, WHERE WE ARE, UH, WE ARE CONTINUING TO DESIGN, UM, UTILITY COORDINATION UPFRONT, UH, REAL ESTATE, UH, UH, INFORMATION UPFRONT.
WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT.
UH, WE ARE HOLDING, UH, QUARTERLY MEETINGS WITH F D A.
UH, JOHN ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, UH, OUTREACH AND COORDINATION ACT, UH, ACTIVITIES.
SO THIS, THIS IS MOVING ON, UM, VERY WELL.
UH, OVERALL THIS PROJECT IS, UH, ABOUT TWO YEARS BEHIND, UH,
[01:10:01]
GREEN LINE.UH, IF WE CAN BRIDGE THE GAP OF THE FUNDING.
SO WE ARE ASSUMING THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET FUNDING AND WE ARE GOING TO MOVE AHEAD AND DELIVER THIS PROJECT IN 2029, LATE AUGUST, THEREABOUTS.
UH, WE ARE IN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE SUBMITTED RATINGS PACKAGE, WHICH MEANS WE'LL KNOW FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, WHAT KIND OF MONEY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE US.
AND UH, THAT IS A SHORT UPDATE.
AND I HAVE ONE MORE UPDATE ON SECOND FIXED ROUTE O N M FACILITY.
SO I CAN TAKE QUESTIONS NOW OR AT THE END.
AND THAT'S JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES, RIGHT? THE NEXT ONE? YES.
SO IF YOU WANNA GO THROUGH AND THEN WE CAN ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH THE EAST, WEST AND THE SECOND.
THIS ONE IS JUST A SLIDER TWO.
WE GO THROUGH THE SLIDES, JUST TWO SLIDES OR WHATEVER, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP FOR SS, WHATEVER.
SO SECOND MAINTENANCE, UH, FACILITIES FOR FIXED ROUTE, WE OPEN PARATRANSIT AND IT'S A TWO PHASE, UH, FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
PHASE ONE, UH, IS, UH, ABOUT, UH, OUR TARGET TO OPEN PHASE ONE IS 2028, BECAUSE WE WANT THAT FACILITY OPEN BEFORE WE ACCEPT EAST, WEST, UH, OR SILVER LINE VEHICLES.
UH, WE ARE CONTINUING ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS AND WE ARE, UH, ALSO WORKING ON THE PROPERTY ACQUISITION PROCESS IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE COME FORWARD AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROPERTY INFORMATION.
UM, AND THE OTHER THING, UH, WE ARE WORKING ON IS, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY, LOOKING AT RESOURCES, UH, HISTORIC ARCHEOLOGICAL, NATURAL RESOURCES, NOISE.
THIS WILL BE A LARGE FACILITY.
SO WE ARE WORKING, UH, ON LOOKING AT WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
CURRENTLY WE ARE AWAITING, UH, RIGHT OF ENTRY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER.
AND ONCE WE, UH, FINISH THAT PROCESS, UM, WE'LL WORK ON DETAILS OF PUBLIC HEARING AND ZONING CHANGE AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THE TIMELINE FOR THIS, AS I MENTIONED THE PHRASE ONE, WE WOULD LIKE TO OPEN BEFORE WE GET DELIVERY OF, UH, SILVER LINE VEHICLE, WHICH IS IN 2028.
AND WE ARE HERE IN OC, UH, OCTOBER IN PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND THIS IS A BROAD SCHEDULE SINCE WE ARE VERY EARLY, HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME I'LL HAVE A LOT MORE DETAILS.
AND THOSE WERE THE TWO PROJECTS.
TRUSTEES, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, TRUSTEE? TWO O ALL THE QUESTIONS TODAY.
CAN I, UH, JUST A REALLY QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE SILVER LINE.
WHERE WILL THE STOPS ON BUENA VISTA AND COMMERCE BE SINCE ON OUR OTHER, UH, EXAMPLE FOR THE GREEN LINE? THEY'RE GOING TO BE THROUGH, LIKE IN THE, IN THE MEDIAN.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON ON BUENA VISTA AND COMMERCE? SO BUENA VISTA COMMERCE, UH, THE, THE DOWNTOWN, THEY'RE ON THE CURBSIDE ON HOUSTON STREET.
WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO OPTION, WHICH IS, UH, CENTER AND THE CURBSIDE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE CARRYING TWO OPTIONS.
AND AS YOU GO TOWARDS WEST SIDE, UM, AROUND ZOURA, WE ARE LOOKING AT CENTER AS WELL AS SIDE.
SO WE, WE ARE CARRYING TWO OPTIONS AND, UM, HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME YOU WILL SEE THE DOTS ON THE MAP.
THE MAP DO NOT HAVE THAT, AND I CAN GIVE YOU A LOT MORE SPECIFICS.
'CAUSE MY ONLY CONCERN IS GOING BACK TO THAT CONTINUITY.
IF WE'RE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO SWITCH MENTALITIES, IT NEEDS TO STAY CONTINUED.
LIKE IF IT'S LIKE FOR THE GREEN LINE, WE'RE, IT'S IN THE MEDIAN, BUT HERE WE'RE SWITCHING IT.
AND SO JUST LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR COMMUNITY TO GET BEHIND THIS NEW CONCEPT, WE'RE GOING BACK ON THE SILVER.
SO, SO, AND I UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS ARE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THOSE TWO STREETS, THERE'S REALLY NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO.
BUT THAT'S JUST MY ONLY CONCERN IS IN THAT DESIGN IS LIKE IF WE'RE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO GET USED TO GOING, WALKING INTO THE MIDDLE FOR THESE RAPID TRANSIT LINES, BUT ON THIS OTHER LINE OR, OR FOR THE SILVER LINE GOING DOWN, GOING DOWN COMMERCE OR GOING DOWN BUENO VISTA, WE'RE SAYING, HOLD ON, BUT NOT HERE.
AND SO FOR FURTHER PROJECTS, IF WE SWITCH BACK TO THE MEDIAN, IT JUST, IT'S JUST A CONTINUITY THING.
I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
ALSO, ONE THING THAT IS DIFFERENT ON SILVER LINE IS WE HAVE A LOT MORE ONE WAY.
SO WE ARE ADDING ANOTHER TYPOLOGY.
SO WE'LL WORK WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GREEN LINE AND WHAT ADDITIONAL THING WE ARE HAPPENING.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT OUR VISION YEAH.
LONG RANGE PLAN, WE MAY ADD MORE TYPOLOGY.
UM, IT'S JUST CONCERNING BECAUSE LIKE C CITIES, LIKE, UM,
[01:15:01]
LIKE, SO I'M, I'M MOST FAMILIAR WITH MINNEAPOLIS RIGHT NOW, AND MINNEAPOLIS, ST.PAUL, THEY HAVE A RAPID TRANSIT LINE, AND IT'S, THE DESIGN IS THE SAME.
LIKE, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO RAPID TRANSIT LINE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING IN THE MIDDLE LIKE THAT IS IT.
AND SO, UM, BUT IT VERSUS A NORMAL BUS SHELTER, LIKE IF YOU WERE TAKING THE NORMAL BUS, LIKE YOU'RE GOING ON THE CURB.
I THINK IT'S MORE SO IN LIKE MY HEAD WHEN I'M COMPARTMENTALIZING, LIKE, OKAY, A RAPID TRANSIT LINE, THIS IS THE STYLE, THIS IS WHAT I'M EXPECTING, VERSUS IF WE'RE GOING TO BE CALLING THIS A RAPID TRANSIT, IT'S JUST THAT WHOLE THING.
GREENLINE ALSO HAS CURBSIDE AND CENTER, SO I THINK THAT'S A LARGER DISCUSSION FOR US, HOW WE COMMUNICATE, UH, WHICH KIND OF STATION IS WHERE.
I, UH, JUST ADDING ONTO THAT ONE IS, UH, I THINK MAYBE JUST, UH, AND I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED IT, BUT HAVE, AGAIN, GOING TO THOSE SORT OF, UH, DIFFERENT TYPOLOGIES, MAYBE HAVING SCHEMES, BECAUSE I, I NOT THE WHOLE, EVEN NORTH SOUTH IS NOT, IS NOT DEDICATED, FULLY DEDICATED.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN IT'S FULLY DEDICATED, TYPICALLY IT'S A CENTER LINE.
WHEN IT'S MIXED, UH, TRAFFIC, IT'S TYPICALLY ON THE CURVES.
WHEN IT'S ONE WAY, IT'S TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK PEOPLE KIND OF GET ON THEIR HEADS.
THIS IS REALLY, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A SET OF TOOLS, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE KIND OF APPLYING TO DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, URBAN CONDITIONS.
SOME STREETS ARE TIGHTER, SOME HAVE MORE RIGHT OF WAY SPACE ANYWAY.
SO, UH, I THINK JUST IN, IN OUR MESSAGING, WE SHOULD BE MAYBE AMPLIFYING THAT VISION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S, IT'S A TYPICAL PROJECT.
AND THEN JUST THROWING OUT A CRAZY IDEA.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT, IT WAS EVER CONCEIVED, BUT, UH, HOW ABOUT LIKE TURNING, MAYBE BUENA VISTAS A COMPLETELY DEDICATED LANE FOR B R T AND SWITCHING VEHICLE TRAFFIC TWO-WAY ON THE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IS IT THE NEXT ONE OVER? UM, THE NA VISTA.
AND SO LIKE USING ONE FOR B R T AND ONE FOR TWO WAY, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, SO THAT WAY YOU HAVE B R T DEDICATED FULLY ON ONE ROW.
I'M, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, BUT ANYWAYS, SO, SO, UH, BUT I'VE SEEN THAT ON OTHER CITIES.
WHERE YOU HAVE LIKE A SUBWAY OR A LIGHT RAIL JUST ON ONE STREET, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING STREET IS ALL CARS.
JUST, YEAH, WE, I MEAN WE, WE'LL LOOK AT, WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT.
I MEAN THAT'S A, A DIFFERENT, VERY DIFFERENT.
WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE ALSO BICYCLE LANES AND OTHER THINGS.
AND IF IT DOESN'T, THINK ABOUT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES.
IF IT DOESN'T WORK, TOSS IT OUT.
I'M, LOOK, I'M LOOKING, I'M OKAY.
YOU SAID ON HOUSTON STREET FOR, FOR SILVER LINE, UM, THE CENTER LANE, HOW WILL THAT WORK WITH THE RAILROAD TRACKS? SO RAILROAD TRACKS ARE PERPENDICULAR, UH, ONE AT SUNSET STATION.
UH, WE WOULD WORK WITH THE EXISTING RAILROAD TRACK.
NO GRADE SEPARATION IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S THOSE RAILROAD TRACKS THAT RUN RIGHT PAST FROST CENTER.
YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE THOSE THAT RUN THERE AND THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW IS THIS CENTER LANE GOING TO THAT'S, OOH, SO, UH, CENTER LANE WILL WORK SIMILAR TO REGULAR LANE WHEN WE ARE AT THE RAILROAD TRACK.
IT WILL FOLLOW, OUR VEHICLES WILL FOLLOW THE SAME RULES AND REGULATIONS AS THEY FOLLOW TODAY.
WHICH IS AN ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF A R T BECAUSE LIGHT RAIL, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
AND HOUSTON WAS FORCED TO BUILD A VERY EXPENSIVE OVERPASS ON THEIR EAST EAST LINE, WHICH CARRIES LESS RIDERSHIP THAN MANY OF OUR LOCAL ROUTES.
BUT THEY WERE FORCED TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE RAILROAD CROSSING A R T ON THE OTHER HAND, BECAUSE BUSES ALREADY CROSS RAILROAD TRACKS.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE RULES ABOUT HOW THAT HAPPENS.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE GREATER, UH, FLEXIBILITY THERE.
ON SLIDE 26 WHERE IT HAS THE PROJECT COST ESTIMATE, UH, IT SAYS VIA LOCAL FUNDS $42 MILLION.
WHEN WOULD THOSE FUNDS BE EXPENDED? SO VIA LOCAL FUNDS.
SO WE HAVE A PROJECT DEVELOPMENT BUDGET.
I I BELIEVE ABOUT 30 MILLION FOR NEXT TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
SO THOSE LOCAL FUNDS, UH, WOULD BE EXPANDED.
UH, AND THEN WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY TO GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO IT IS, IT WILL BE UPFRONT AND IF WE GET LOCAL MATCH THOSE
[01:20:01]
A HUNDRED MILLION AND FEDERAL FUNDS.SO AT THE TIME OF CONSTRUCTION, UH, IF YOU GO TO THE SLIDE, UH, TIMELINE, SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT GREEN DOT 2026, ONCE WE SIGNED, UH, THE GRANT, AFTER THAT WE START GETTING REIN, UH, REIMBURSEMENT.
SO UNTIL THAT TIME, OUR EXPENSES ARE LOCAL AND THEN WE START LEVERAGING FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO THIS WOULD BE, THIS EXPENDITURE WOULD COME AFTER WE START GETTING THE ONE 8 CENT PROCEEDS.
AND THAT'S ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD GET FOR A YEAR.
2026, THAT'S WHEN WE START GETTING, SO, OKAY.
AND, AND THE LOCAL PARTNERSHIP FUNDING REQUIRED, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO GET THE CITY OR OTHER FUNDING SOURCE? CORRECT.
AND, AND, UH, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ALREADY STARTED? YES.
WHAT, AND, AND THE, THE COUNTY JUDGE, I THINK I REPORTED THIS BEFORE TOO.
IN FACT, THE COUNTY JUDGE AND THE MAYOR SI JOINTLY SIGNED A LETTER TO THE F D A IN OUR GRANT PROPOSAL.
THAT SAID THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S THIS GAP, THEY VALUE THIS PROJECT AND THEY WILL WORK TOGETHER TO FILL THE GAP.
WHICH IS A POSITIVE STEP FORWARD.
I WILL, CAN I WANT JUST ONE MORE COMMENT AND IT WAS, IT WAS MY POINT LAST TIME, BUT I FORGOT ABOUT IT.
BUT, UH, ADDING BACK TO THE SLIDE ON THE INVESTMENT, UH, THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, THIS IS A TRANSIT PROJECT.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIGHT RAIL, B R T A R T, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND, UM, TALKING TO THE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, UH, THE FINANCE INSTITUTIONS, BANKING, THERE'S THIS IDEA THAT B R T IS NOT EQUALLY, UH, AT A TIER LIKE LIGHT RAIL BECAUSE OF ITS FLEXIBILITY.
PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT YOU CAN TAKE A B R T LANE AND SWITCH IT TO A DIFFERENT STREET AND RUN IT.
UH, I THINK SO I THINK THERE'S A MESSAGING HERE WHERE I THINK WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT LIKE, THIS IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT.
THIS IS ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT.
THIS IS PERMANENT FIXED PROJECT THAT'S GONNA STAY IN THESE ROUTES.
UH, AND IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN JUST TAKE OVERNIGHT AND SWITCH IT TO A DIFFERENT STREET.
WELL, JAVIER FEDERAL FUNDS, YEAH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET YOU DO THAT.
UNLESS YOU CAN COME UP WITH A HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, WE CAN SWITCH IT TO A DIFFERENT STREET.
BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, DEVELOPERS, UH, COMMUNITIES ARE LOOKING AT INVESTING ON THESE TRANSIT CORRIDORS TO KNOW THAT THIS INVESTMENT IS FLEX IS FIXED AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN JUST BE CHANGED OVERNIGHT TO A DIFFERENT STREET OR A DIFFERENT CORRIDOR.
UH, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UH, FOR RISK, UH, YOU KNOW, MATRIXES AND, AND DECISION MAKING.
BUT ANYWAYS, THAT'S JUST A, A POINT TO BE MADE AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S PART OF THE MESSAGE THAT THIS CORRIDOR IS FIXED.
UH, IT'S A BILLION DOLLARS CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT PEOPLE THAT KNOW AND FEEL SECURE ABOUT THE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE, UH, INTERSECTING IN THESE CORRIDORS.
AND, AND TRUSTEE IN NOVEMBER, WE'RE GONNA BRING BEFORE THE BOARD AN ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY, UH, THAT ALSO PULLS TOGETHER THAT TYPE OF IMPACT THAT NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS, OF THESE FACILITIES WILL, WILL HAVE ON, ON THE ECONOMY OF SAN ANTONIO, BUT THEN IT'S OPERATIONS ON WHAT KIND OF, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT WOULD, WOULD ALSO HAVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA START MAKING THAT PUBLIC IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES HERE IN NOVEMBER SO WE CAN HAVE THAT DATA FOR YOU TO USE AND SHARE AS WELL.
TRUSTEES, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION? IF NOT, MS. ELDERS, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT.
TRUSTEES, WE'LL REACH THE END OF OUR MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADJOURN? SECOND.
ANY OPPOSED, NAY MOTIONS TO CARRY.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR QUESTIONS.