* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] ALL [ATD 1. Call to Order] RIGHT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS LAURA CAPELLA. I'M THE BOARD CHAIR. IT IS NOW 5:04 PM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER THE OCTOBER 28TH, A TD BOARD MEETING. LET'S BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL VICE CHAIR GOMEZ. PRESENT. SECRETARY MALONE. PRESENT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER. PRESENT. TRUSTEE BAA. TRUSTEE RENA. PRESENT. TRUSTEE TWILL. PRESENT. TRUSTEE DELEON PRESENT. AND TRUSTEE HOWARD PRESENT. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AND LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, MUER REFLECTION [ATD 2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements] AND OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS FOR A NATION ON UNDERGROUND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY OF JUSTICE FOR ALL HONOR. OBJECT FLAG TO BE TEXAS. ONE STATE BETTER, GOD. ONE. AND ALL RIGHT, MRTA, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? NOT FOR THE A TD. GREAT. THANK YOU CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. THERE ARE NO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. FOR A TD THANK YOU CONSENT AGENDA. [ATD 4. Consent Agenda] UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, TRUSTEES. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED. SO MOVED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. UH, MS. SALT, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO MA'AM. WE DO NOT. NO LEGAL BRIEFING. WONDERFUL. TRUSTEES, WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? AND SECOND TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING. SO MOVED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE A TD MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON [1. Call to Order] TO WE OUR VIA BOARD MEETING. IT IS NOW 5:06 PM AND I'M GONNA CALL TO ORDER OUR MEETING. UH, WE DID ADDRESS ITEM NUMBER TWO ALREADY, UH, CITIZENS TO BE [3. Citizens to be Heard ] HEARD. MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS TO BE HEARD THIS EVENING. VERY GOOD, THANK YOU. WE'VE NOW COME TO THE CITIZENS TO BE HEARD PORTION OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING. THE BOARD IS INTERESTED IN HEARING COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM PATRONS AND CITIZENS IN THE SAN ANTONIO BAYAR COUNTY AREA. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING PUBLIC BUSINESS OR POLICY OVER WHICH THE BOARD HAS SUPERVISION AND CONTROL MAY BE ADDRESSED AT A LATER DATE BY THE PRESIDENT, CEO AND OR HIS STAFF. THIS PROCESS ASSURES THAT YOU RECEIVE THE MOST ACCURATE RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION OR CONCERN. THANK YOU. AND VIA APPRECIATES YOU TAKING THE TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH US THIS EVENING. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MS. OLIVIA DE LA GARZA. HELLO, MY NAME IS OLIVIA DE LA GARZA AND I JUST WANNA FIRST OF ALL TELL Y'ALL THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES SO THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN PROSPER AND THRIVE IN OUR WORK AND OUR UNIVERSITIES. MY NAME IS OLI LA GARZA AND I HAVE FOUR AMAZING DAUGHTERS THAT GRADUATED FROM UNIVERSITIES HERE IN SAN ANTONIO AND ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREERS. TWO OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY CEOS. THEY USE THE VIA TRANSPORT SYSTEM TO GET TO AND FROM THEIR UNIVERSITIES. AND I AM NOW ENROLLED IN COLLEGE AND I WILL BEGIN A LAW SCHOOL IN JANUARY. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ENDURED SOME VERY NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES RIDING THE VIA BUS AT BUS STOP NUMBER 1 3 8 3 9 ON CAESAR CHAVEZ IN FRONT OF THE TOWERS OF AMERICA. I HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL, UH, AND I PROSPER VERY WELL AND DO VERY WELL. BUT UNFORTUNATELY WHEN I'M THERE, THE BUS DRIVERS, UH, THAT CONTROL BUS NUMBER 26, THEY FAIL TO ARRIVE AT THEIR PROPER TIMES. WHEN I TRY TO CATCH THE BUS AT 1111, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T SHOW UP WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. 1140, THEY DON'T SHOW UP SOMETIMES. I'M OUT THERE WAITING AN HOUR AND THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT I CAN ACTUALLY SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN LATE TO MY UNIVERSITY AND I, THE NEXT TIME I'M LATE, I WILL BE DROPPED, UH, FROM MY COURSES AND I NEED TO GET INTO LAW SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THAT. I'M ASKING IF YOU COULD PLEASE REVIEW THAT BUS STOP AGAIN. IT'S BUS STOP. 1 3 8 3 9 1 3 8 3 9. AND IT'S BUS NUMBER 26. AND I HAVE ADDRESSED IT OVER THE PHONE AND THEY MADE SURE THAT Y'ALL WOULD BE AWARE OF IT. UM, ALSO IF THEY, IF THEY CAN ARRIVE, PUNCTUALITY IS VERY IMPORTANT [00:05:01] SO THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME, CITIZENS CAN GO TO WORK OR TO UNIVERSITIES ON TIME AND PROSPER AND, OR THEY CAN GET TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS OR EVEN, UH, INTERVIEWS ON TIME. THREE WEEKS AGO, I WAS APPROACHED BY A VERY INTOXICATED GUY AT THAT SAME BUS STOP. AND THEN I CALLED 9 1 1 'CAUSE HE KEPT ASKING FOR MONEY AND HE WOULD NOT LEAVE ME ALONE. SO THEN THEY TRANSFERRED ME TO VIA TRANSIT AND THEY MADE, THEY SAID THEY, THEY WOULD ARRIVE. I WAITED THE VIA BUS STOP FOR AN HOUR AND BECAUSE THE BUS NUMBER 26 NEVER ARRIVED, I WAS LATE TO MY UNIVERSITY AGAIN AND I WAS THERE, LEFT WITH A, WITH A INTOXICATED GUY. AND I FELT THAT MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER VIA, VIA TRANSIT. POLICE NEVER SHOWED UP. AND I'M ASKING Y'ALL, IF Y'ALL COULD PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS THAT TAKE THE BUS ARE PROTECTED FROM PEOPLE LIKE THAT. THE GUY WAS SITTING THERE FOR AN HOUR, DRINKING VERY DRUNK, AND THEN THE VIA THE VIA TRANSIT NEVER SHOWED UP. SO, I'M ASKING YOU IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY THAT YOU ADDRESS THE VIA TRANSIT POLICE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO THRIVE AND PROSPER, AND WE DEPEND ON OUR SAFETY. ANOTHER THING, IF Y'ALL COULD PLEASE USE SOME OF OUR TAX DOLLARS, ALLOCATE SOME MONEY TO MAKE SURE THAT E EACH VIA BUS STOP IS, UH, SANITARY AND CLEANED OFF. MAY BE POWER, POWER WASHED, BECAUSE THAT WAY WE DO NOT GET ANY TYPE OF INFECTIONS OR SICKNESSES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHTON DAVIS. YES. RIGHT HERE. YES. HELLO. UH, GO AHEAD AND SPEAK. OKAY. UM, GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR ME TODAY. UH, MY NAME'S ASHTON DAVIS. I'M A PHYSICS GRADUATE STUDENT, UM, WHO RELIES ON THE VIA BUSES TO GET TO UTSA. UM, RECENTLY, I, I GOT BORED AND SO I ANALYZED SOME THE ROUTE SCHEDULES THAT ARE POSTED ONLINE, UH, ON THE COMMUTE TIMES BETWEEN THE, UH, MEDICAL CENTER, TRANSIT CENTER AND UTSA. UH, USING THE DATA FROM THE 5 0 1 AND THE 6 0 3, UH, WHAT I FOUND CONFIRMS WHAT MANY OF US FELT ALREADY THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEMS INEFFICIENT. BUT NOW, UH, I HAVE SOME NUMBERS TO SHOW JUST HOW I'M, UM, JUST HOW IMPACTFUL SMALL IMPROVEMENTS COULD HAVE, UH, NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME, BUT FOR STAFF, FACULTY, AND ANYONE ELSE. UH, AS IT STANDS, THE 5 0 1 AND 6 0 3 ARRIVE WITHIN MINUTES OF EACH OTHER AT UTSA. AND ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SOUND EFFICIENT, IT CREATES THESE REALLY LONG GAPS IN SERVICES. AND MISSING THE BUS MEANS MISSING CLASS ENTIRELY AS THE NEXT BUS WON'T ARRIVE FOR ANOTHER HOUR PLUS TRAVEL TIME. AND FOR ANYONE WITH A CLASS OR A SHIFT THAT BEGINS ON THE HOUR ARRIVING ON TIME MEANS, UH, BOARD THE BUS 90 MINUTES EARLY AND WAITING UP TO AN HOUR BEFORE YOUR CLASS BEGINS. AND THAT TIME COULD BE SPENT MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVELY. SO TO ADDRESS THIS, I BUILT A SCHEDULING MODEL THAT SIMULATES TWO POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS, ADDING IN NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL 5 0 1 BUSES PER HOUR AND STAGGERED EVENLY OR STAGGERING THE EXISTING SCHEDULES BY IN MINUTES IN NUMBER OF MINUTES. AND, UH, THE RESULTS ARE PRETTY CLEAR. UM, ADDING JUST ONE MORE 5 0 1 BUS CUTS, THE AVERAGE GAP BETWEEN, UM, ARRIVALS IN HALF WITH TWO, UM, ADDITIONAL RUNS PER HOUR. YOU CAN, YOU CAN OFFER ARRIVALS EVERY 15 MINUTES LIKE THE, THE 95, UM, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBILITY AND RELIABILITY EQUITY, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR RIDERS WITHOUT CARS. UM, STAGGERING THE BUSES ALONE OR STAGGERING EXISTING BUSES ALONE DOESN'T SOLVE THE CORE ISSUE. IT, IT JUST SHIFTS THE PAIN POINTS. UM, AND THE REAL SOLUTION IS ADDING BUSES. BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS COMES WITH BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS, FUEL OPERATOR SALARIES, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, ET CETERA. BUT WHEN YOU WEIGH THOSE COSTS AGAINST THE BENEFITS, REDUCE CROWDING, FEWER MISSED APPOINTMENTS IN CLASSES, IMPROVED ACADEMIC PUNCTUALITY AND AND PERFORMANCE. THIS IS, IT SEEMS LIKE A LOW COST, HIGH IMPACT INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE WHO RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, UH, TO SUCCEED. UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE MY MODEL, UH, THE DATA BEHIND IT OR, UM, YOU KNOW, RUN ADDITIONAL SIMULATIONS IF, IF THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. UM, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION CONSIDERING WAYS TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND RELIABILITY FOR ALL OF US WHO RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT. THANKS. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO OTHER CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, TRUSTEES, AT THIS [Additional Item] TIME, I'M GONNA DO A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, UH, AND WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ONE OF OUR LEADERS [00:10:01] IN THE SAN ANTONIO COMMUNITY. UH, FORMER MAYOR RON BERG HAS, UH, JOINED US TODAY. HE HAS BROUGHT HIS TRINITY CLASS TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, UH, AND BECAUSE, UH, UH, THE MAYOR HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR THIS AGENCY DURING HIS TENURE. UM, IF YOU ARE OBLIGED, I'D LOVE TO PROVIDE HIM, UH, JUST A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE IF HE'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE BOARD AND HIS CLASS. UH, HERE. I, I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE NORM, BUT GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF US, UH, RECEIVING THE GREEN LINE BECAUSE OF HIS ADVOCACY, I THINK IT WARRANTS, UH, US ACKNOWLEDGING OUR MAYOR AND, AND PROVIDING, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM. MR. MAYOR, WELL, THANK YOU, UM, WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT, BUT, UM, MY, UH, GRATITUDE TO THE ENTIRE BOARD AND STAFF OF VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. I'M HERE WITH MY STUDENTS, UH, FROM TRINITY UNIVERSITY WHO ARE ENROLLED IN A CLASS CALLED MODERN, A MODERN CITY, HOW A MODERN CITY WORKS, UH, THE LEADERSHIP AND SYSTEMS OF SAN ANTONIO. AND SO WE'RE HERE LEARNING ABOUT ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENTS OF A GREAT CITY, WHICH IS A STRONG PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEM. UM, WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT KEEP SAN ANTONIO MOVING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INVESTMENTS YOU ALL ARE MAKING. UH, AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED STEWARDSHIP OF TRANSPORTATION IN SAN ANTONIO. WE'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO BOARDING THE GREEN LINE IN 2028. UH, I DO ALSO WANNA TAKE A MOMENT, JOE, TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK OF YOUR TWO, UH, TRUSTEES WHO ARE SIGNING OFF FOR TODAY. AKEEM BROWN, AS WELL AS JAVI, ED PEREZ, UH, WHO HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND IN SERVICE OF THIS, UH, THIS BOARD AND THIS ORGANIZATION. SO, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ACKNOWLEDGING US. THANK YOU, SIR. UH, TRUSTEES ARE GONNA GO ON TO, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THE PRESIDENT'S [4. President & CEO Report] REPORT. MR. RO WELL, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, AND GOOD TO BE HERE. UM, WHILE WE CAN'T, JUST A A MOMENT HERE WHILE I, WELL, WE CAN'T ADDRESS SOME OF THE, UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD MOMENTS THAT WE HEARD EARLIER. I WOULD URGE THOSE CITIZENS IF THEY WANNA STICK AROUND FOR AN ITEM THAT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS LATER, IS THE BEGINNING OF A MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING IN GENERAL. SO, UM, I WELCOME YOU TO STAY AROUND FOR THAT MOMENT IN, IN THE AGENDA ITEM. SO BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS HERE TODAY. UM, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S A MOMENT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSING FORWARD LOOKING ON OUR PEOPLE AND OUR PERFORMANCE AND OUR IMPACT, UM, THAT WE RECOGNIZE EVERY DAY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS AND REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE WORK AHEAD. AND WE HOPE THAT THIS PROCESS REPORT WILL GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THAT MOMENTUM. AND WE'RE GONNA DO SO STARTING WITH RECOGNIZING A COUPLE OF VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE DONE WONDERS TO PUT US IN A POSITION OF SUCCESS THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE START TONIGHT WITH GRATITUDE, OUR RECOGNIZING OF EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP FROM OUR FORMER TRUSTEE HAKEEM BROWN AND FORMER TRUSTEE JAVIER PERES FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE TO VIA AND TO THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO AND BARAR COUNTY. I'D LIKE TO OFFER THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEIR MOMENTS, BOTH LED THIS TRANSFORMATIVE TIMES FOR THIS AGENCY AND PUT US IN A POSITION THAT THIS AGENCY HAS NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE, THE, THEIR LEADERSHIP HELPED POSITION VIA FOR THE GROWTH AND INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE NOW DISCUSSING ABOUT IMPLEMENTING AND DELIVERING. TODAY. EACH OF THESE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE EACH OF YOU, CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR MOBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE CONTINUED PROGRESS OF THIS AGENCY ACROSS THIS REGION. AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, MUCH TO THANK YOU. UM, OUR BOARD CHAIR IS ACTUALLY GONNA GO PRESENT A PLAQUE TO BOTH OF YOU. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, WE'D WELCOME, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN. BUT BEFORE, I GUESS WE DO THAT, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND, UM, WE HAD A LITTLE RECEPTION FOR YOU EARLIER TODAY, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, AGAIN, PUBLICLY, YOUR SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO THIS AGENCY. UM, BUT FOR YOUR FORWARD THINKING, MOST IMPORTANTLY, UM, AKEEM, SEVEN YEARS ON THE BOARD, UH, JAVIER, UH, FOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD, UM, YOU COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS, UH, BUT INSTEAD YOU WERE HERE, UH, HELPING SUPPORT, UH, THE ORGANIZATION, PROVIDING YOUR LEADERSHIP, UM, AND, AND HELPING, UH, ENSURE THAT WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE CHANGES, UH, THAT JOHN GARY'S GONNA EXPRESS IN LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. AND SO, AT THIS MOMENT, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UM, I DID SPEAK EARLIER. IF THERE'S ANY OTHER [00:15:01] COMMENTS FROM, UH, MAYOR, FELLOW TRUSTEES, UH, FOR, UH, JAVIER AND, AND HAKEEM, PLEASE, TRUSTEE COOPER. WELL, MAYBE I'LL GET IT HERE. GENTLEMEN, IT'S BEEN AN EXTREME PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, TO KNOW YOU, TO UNDERSTAND YOUR THINKING. UM, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A TOTAL PLEASURE FROM MY POINT OF VIEW. AND I, I KNOW THE BOARD'S POINT OF VIEW, YOU'VE, LIKE, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, YOU'VE BROUGHT A LOT OF GREAT THINGS GOING ON. AND AKEEM I'LL START WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, I HEARD ABOUT AKEEM BEFORE I MET AKEEM. UH, MY WIFE WAS ON A BOARD WITH AKEEM AND SHE SAID, I MET THIS MOST DYNAMIC YOUNG MAN. YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S FULL OF GREAT IDEAS. HE'S, I JUST WENT ON AND ON ABOUT HIM. I GO, WHO IS THIS GUY? AND THEN I GOT THE PLEASURE TO BE ON THE BOARD WITH HIM, AND I FOUND OUT EVERYTHING SHE SAID. IT, IT WAS EVEN MORE SO WHAT I FELT ABOUT AKEEM. WE'VE GARNERED A GREAT FRIENDSHIP OVER THIS TIME. UM, AND IT WILL CONTINUE. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO LET YOU KNOW, AKEEM, I DID GET THE PLEDGE FOR THE TEXAS FLAG WRITTEN UP FOR YOU. 'CAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, SO YOU WOULD HAVE THAT WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES. 'CAUSE I KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LIKE TO SAY IT. HAVE SAME THING, BUDDY. YOU KNOW, THE, THE AREAS THAT YOU BROUGHT EXPERTISE IN HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING. YOU'VE TAUGHT ME A LOT. YOU BOTH TAUGHT ME A LOT. UM, AND IT, IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS. AND I THINK OUR BOARD IS REALLY SO GOOD IN THAT WE LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND WE KNOW THAT EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT BACKGROUND, COMES FROM DIFFERENT THINGS. HAVE, YOU KNOW, POINT OF KEEN THIS. I KNOW THAT HE, HE, YOU KNOW, USED, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HIS WHOLE LIFE. UM, AND THEN THAT WAS VERY VALUABLE TO HIM. HOVE KNOWS HOW TO PLAN, DO ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT, UM, KNOWING Y'ALL. AND I HOPE THAT CONTINUES FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE MILOW, UH, , IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE BOTH OF YOU. AKEEM. YOU HAVE DONE WONDERFUL THINGS WITHIN VIA, BUT NOW YOU GO ON TO TRAIN NEW MINDS AND BRING MORE MINDS TO VIA. YOU HAVE DONE TERRIFIC THINGS ON VIA YOU ARE DOING TERRIFIC THINGS WITH THE STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE AND THAT YOU ARE TRAINING FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MAKE THIS A BETTER SAN ANTONIO. JAVIER, YOU ARE BUILDING US A NEW FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TRUSTEE. TRUSTEE TWELL, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, MADAM CHAIR. AND I WANNA ECHO THE SENTIMENTS. AND I ALSO WANNA DO A VERY, UM, PUBLIC PERSONAL APOLOGY TO BOTH OF YOU FOR MISSING THE RECEPTION BECAUSE Y'ALL AND YOU BOTH KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, BASEBALL IS MY NUMBER ONE LOVE. AND I KNOW THAT YOU TWO, THAT IS WHERE WE BOTH, WE CONNECTED, WAS OVER OUR LOVE OF SPORTS AND THE YOUTH. AND WATCHING JAVIER, YOUR, YOUR BOYS GROW INTO JUST MAGNIFICENT PEOPLE. AND THEN AKEEM, WHEN YOU AND I FIRST MET OFFICIALLY, YOUR LITTLE ONE WAS BORN. AND SO I JUST WANNA THANK BOTH OF YOU BECAUSE AS PARENTS, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ALL FOR THEM. MY 13-YEAR-OLD, I THINK SHE'S LIKE BUGGED YOU BOTH ABOUT, OR I HAS PESTERED ME TO BUG YOU BOTH ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING TODAY TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A PLACE THAT WE WANT FOR OUR CHILDREN TO COME BACK TO. AND YOU TWO ARE VERY, VERY BIG TESTAMENTS TO THAT JUST IN YOUR WORK OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I'M JUST SO THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS PUT US IN EACH OTHER'S PATHS BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE GOOD CONNECTION WORKS. AND THAT'S WHEN GOOD, GOOD WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY HAPPENS. SO THANK YOU BOTH. I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH JUST ONE YOUR CHILDREN GROW. AND TWO, JUST TO WATCH YOU BOTH CONTINUE TO INSPIRE EVERYBODY AROUND YOU. THANK YOU, . OH MAN. UH, THIS IS MORE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE 'CAUSE I'M HOPING THAT THIS ISN'T THE LAST TIME THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK. UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO BOTH OF YOU. UH, WE, WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF OVERLAP. UH, SO I CAME IN AND WE HAD SOME TIME, UH, TOGETHER BEFORE Y'ALL LEFT WAY TOO EARLY. UM, BUT Y'ALL WERE SOME OF MY FIRST INTERACTIONS WHEN I GOT HERE. AND I'LL SAY, JAVI, YOU WERE, I THINK THE FIRST ONE. WE WERE GETTING UP FOR A PICTURE UP HERE, AND YOU JUST KIND OF CAME UP TO ME RIGHT AWAY AND SAID, MAN, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO GET HERE. I'VE BEEN WAITING TO MEET YOU. UM, AND YOU WERE JUST SUPER WARM AND WELCOMING. AND, UM, I THINK [00:20:01] WHAT YOU HELPED ME FIND IN THIS BODY WAS MY PURPOSE. AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE AS I SAT NEXT TO YOU AND WE WOULD EXCHANGE THINGS, YOU WOULD TALK ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT. UM, AND SO I GOT TO LEARN A LOT. BUT WHAT I REALIZED IS WE, WE ALL RUN A LANE. WE, WE ALL CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO THIS ORGANIZATION AND YOUR, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID EVERY DAY TO HELP PUSH MY THINKING AND HOW WE APPROACH THE DECISIONS ON THIS BOARD. AND AKEEM, YOU HELPED ME FIND MY VOICE, UM, THE WAY I HEARD YOU PUSH, BUT DO IT IN SUCH A PRODUCTIVE SOLUTION ORIENTED WAY TO PUSH THE CONVERSATION, TO PUSH OUR THING AND TO PUSH THE EQUITY OF THIS ORGANIZATION, UH, TO DO IT NOT JUST HERE, BUT OF COURSE, EVEN IN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. UM, I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WAY BOTH OF Y'ALL HELPED ME FIND MY LEGS AS I JOINED THIS ORGANIZATION. UM, AND OF COURSE, WE SHARED SOME SPECIAL THINGS. WE CONNECTED ON A LOT OF LEVELS JUST BEING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, JAVI. AND THEN OF COURSE, AKEEM, RIGHT? WE ARE THE INTERSECTION OF EDUCATION AND TRANSPORTATION. UH, AND WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE A STRONG PUBLIC UTILITY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM TO SERVICE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, TO SERVICE OUR FOLKS WHO ARE SEEKING HIGHER EDUCATION SO THAT WE CAN LIFT UP OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THE EMBODIMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK TO CREATE THE COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL DESERVE. THANK YOU. THANKS EZ. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, HAKEEM, AND JAVIER. I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTE THAT YOU ALL DECIDED TO MOVE ON AS I CAME ON THE BOARD. , I I PROMISE NOT TO HOLD THAT AGAINST YOU ALL. UH, BUT WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REMIND US ALL THAT WE HAVE YOUR MOBILE PHONE NUMBERS. AND I, FOR ONE, AM NOT GONNA HESITATE TO CALL ON YOU ALL FOR PERSPECTIVE, FOR HISTORY, UH, FOR ADVICE. UM, AND I'M COMMITTED ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ON THIS BOARD, I, I TRUST TO KEEP WORKING ON DELIVERING THE PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL WERE WORKING ON IN GOOD FAITH FOR THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO. ALL THAT TO SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, JER HAKIM, THANK YOU, VICE CHAIR, UH, TRUSTEE DEON. I LOVE WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID, AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH ALL OF YOUR STATEMENTS. AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I DIDN'T GET TO KNOW Y'ALL FOR VERY LONG BECAUSE I CAME ON SHORTLY AFTER, UM, MR. GOMEZ CAME ON BOARD. SO I DIDN'T REALLY GET THAT MUCH CHANCE TO WORK WITH YOU. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT YOUR REPUTATIONS PROCEDURE, YOU, YOU, YOU'VE GOT A WONDERFUL REPUTATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND I REALLY ADMIRE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE FOR VIA, YOU'RE LEAVING A WONDERFUL LEGACY FOR VIA AND ALSO FOR YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR FAMILIES. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO VIA THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE. WELL, THIS RIGHT, I'M ACTUALLY THE VERY LAST PERSON. SO I DID GET TO SPEND ANY TIME WITH EITHER OF YOU ON THE BOARD. HOWEVER, I DO KNOW BOTH OF YOU GUYS, THE ONE THING I DO KNOW FROM BOTH OF YOU ALL THAT, THAT YOU HAVE PASSION IN WHAT YOU DO. AND THAT PASSION, AS I'M HEARING, WAS INCREDIBLY WELL SERVED ON THIS BOARD. UH, I HOPE TO BE THAT TRANSFORMATIVE COMPONENT HERE AS A REPLACEMENT FOR YOU GUYS TO THE DEGREE THAT I, THAT I, I SEE HERE AND FOR THE TIME THAT I'M HERE FOR, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE TIMES, AKEEM AS YOU GO ON TO CHANGE THE MINDS OF YOUNG KIDS AND JAVIER, AS YOU GROW AND RAISE THOSE TWO YOUNG BOYS. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU TRUSTEE HOWARD. AND JUST, UM, JUST TO WRAP THIS UP, AND THEN WE'LL COME TAKE, UH, PHOTOS RIGHT HERE AS I AWARD YOU WITH THIS PLAQUE THAT YOU SOW, UH, DESERVE. UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE FAMILIES. UM, 'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S, UH, TIME COMMITMENT, DEDICATION TO AN ORGANIZATION, A COMMUNITY THAT IS TIME AWAY FROM YOU AND THE FAMILY. SO TO THE PARTNERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH ON, UH, THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART AND OUR AGENCY. UH, THANK YOU TO THE KIDS. UM, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME TIME COMMITMENT, UH, AWAY, UM, TRAVELING AS WELL. AND SO THAT, THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT IS A SACRIFICE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH, UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS SERVICE. [00:26:29] UH, AKEEM OR JAVIER, DO WE WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS AND ADDRESS THE BOARD? I DIDN'T PREPARE ANYTHING, BUT, UH, WELL, I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERY EVERYONE. IT WAS, THIS WAS REALLY MY SORT OF, UH, FIRST OFFICIAL EXPERIENCE AS A, AS A BOARD MEMBER. I'VE SERVED ON OTHER BOARDS, SMALLER BOARDS. UH, BUT THIS WAS REALLY THE, THE, THE, THE BIG BOARD, SORT OF THAT IT WAS A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX AND REALLY TAUGHT ME A LOT, UH, BEING ALONG, UH, SO MANY LEADERS, UH, BOTH AND THE STAFF AND THE TEAM, AND ALSO MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. SO IT WAS TREMENDOUS, UH, LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME. UH, I REALLY TEACH ME, I ALWAYS SORT OF, THEORETICALLY I KNEW WHAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WAS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND I ALWAYS WANTED TO PRACTICE THAT, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY UNTIL I WAS AT THE, UH, THAT I GOT TO LIVE IT, UH, THAT WE GOT TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THOSE NEEDS THAT, THAT ARE, ARE NEEDED OUT THERE, UH, THAT ARE CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY THROUGH COVID. UM, SO I MET SOME OF MY GREATEST FRIENDS HERE. I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE FRIENDS FOR LIFE. UH, I STILL HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS THAT I, I DON'T KNOW WHEN I'M GONNA CASH IN, BUT I'LL BE BACK SOME AT SOME POINT. GOOD POINT, GOOD POINT. UH, SO DON'T, DON'T THINK THAT YOU GOT RID OF ME . UM, BUT, UH, IT WAS JUST A REAL PLEASURE. UH, IT WAS REALLY JOYFUL. I GOT TO GROW A LOT. UH, AND I WAS JUST REALLY, I'M JUST REALLY HONORED. ALSO, UH, I LIKE RON, UH, MAYOR RON, WHO'S REALLY KIND OF BROUGHT THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, THROUGH LSA AND SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS AND IDEAS THAT I HAD. AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I APPLIED, UH, TO THE BOARD AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO. AND EVENTUALLY THAT WAS A REAL GIFT TO ME. SO I DON'T KNOW IF RON'S HERE STILL YET, BUT HE WAS, HE WAS SORT OF LIKE THE, UH, THE CULPRIT ON THIS. UH, I, I THANK YOU, UH, JOHN AND LAURA, I WISH YOU LUCK. UH, PLEASE, UH, CONTINUE TO SEE ME AS A FRIEND AND AN ADVISOR. I'M HAPPY TO, UH, PITCH IN AND, AND KEEP KIND OF WORKING WITH YOU GUYS. SO, UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I JUST KEEP ME IN THE FAMILY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO, AS A TEACHER, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PREPARE SOMETHING. I GET ON TEACHERS ABOUT NOT COMING WITH PREPARATION. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE, IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE HONOR AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS THAT I'VE HAD. UM, THIS, THIS HAS BEEN HARD WORK. UH, THIS WORK HAS MEANT A LOT TO ME. I THINK JOINING THE VIA BOARD HAS MADE ME A SAN ANTONIAN. UM, I CAME FROM NEW YORK CITY, GOT HERE 11 YEARS AGO. I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR SEVEN YEARS. UM, I STILL NEED DEBRA TO CHECK THAT, THAT MATH, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER. BUT, UM, BEING ON THE VA BOARD MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH SAN ANTONIO. SO I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. THANK YOU. UM, AND IT, IT CONNECTED TO THAT BELIEF I ALREADY HAD, AS TRUSTEE COOPER SAID, IN THE POWER OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND HOW IT CHANGES LIVES. Y'ALL PROBABLY GOT TIRED OF ME TELLING YOU I'VE BEEN TAKING THE BUS SINCE I WAS IN THIRD GRADE, RIGHT? UM, AND NOW, YES, I DO USE MY VEHICLE MORE THAN I EVER HAVE. I STILL TAKE THAT, THAT BUS WHEN I CAN, AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN WHEN I'M DOWNTOWN PEARLING AROUND. YOU NAME IT. I WANNA GET ON THE BUS. I WANT TO THANK SOME OF THE REMARKABLE LEADERS I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING UNDER FOUR CHAIRS. UM, CHAIR HOPE, ANDRE CHAIR, REYES CHAIR, RAY SADYA, AND THE PHENOMENAL CHAIR, LAURA CABIA. EACH OF YOU HAVE BROUGHT YOUR OWN VISION, YOUR OWN FIRE, YOUR UNWAVERING [00:30:01] COMMITMENT TO MAKING SAN ANTONIO STRONGER IN A MORE CONNECTED CITY. AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU ALL. PATIENCE, THE ABILITY TO LISTEN AND NOT JUST SPEAK. I LEARNED THAT FROM YOU, LAURA. UM, AND WHILE I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THOSE KUDOS ALWAYS, 'CAUSE I WOULD BE THE PERSON TO TELL YOU, HEY, LET'S SPEAK BEFORE WE LISTEN, I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR GUIDANCE. I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE BRILLIANT STAFF. I GOTTA START OFF BY THANKING DEBORAH LONGORIA. DEBORAH, I'M NOT GONNA GET REMO EMOTIONAL. REALLY. I'M NOT. I'M GONNA TRY NOT TO. BUT ON THE CAR DRIVER HERE, I THOUGHT ABOUT THESE WORDS. YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME WAS REMARKABLE. , SERIOUSLY, THERE WOULD BE TIMES WHERE I WOULD LEAVE LAURA ON, UH, DEBRA ON ON RED, AND I'M LIKE, DEBRA, I'M TRYING TO GET BACK TO YOU, BUT I HAVE A THOUSAND COMPETING THINGS. AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH I DID THAT, WHEN I CALLED HER THE NEXT TIME, IT WAS LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED. AND SO I NEVER REALLY APOLOGIZED TO YOU. BUT I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PATIENCE. YOU'VE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH. SO MUCH. AND THE HUMOR AS WELL. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES I WOULD CALL HER AND I WOULD BE HAVING A ROUGH DAY AT THE SCHOOL OR AT HOME, AND I'M JUST LIKE, DEBORAH, I CAN'T MAKE THIS MEETING. SHE WOULD MAKE ME LAUGH AND FORGET ABOUT IT, ALL THOSE STRUGGLES AND BE LIKE, IT'S OKAY. THERE'LL BE ANOTHER MEETING FOR YOU. SO DEBORAH, I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOU. I WANNA THANK BONNIE. YOU ARE THE SAGE, THE TRUSTED GENERAL COUNSEL. YOU KEPT US GROUNDED. YOU LED ME WHEN I NEEDED TO BE LED. I APPRECIATE YOU JEFF, AND YOUR ABSENCE. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING AN EXTRAORDINARY CEO AND A DEAR FRIEND JOHN GARY HERRERA. I'M EXCITED THAT I GOT TO SIT HERE AND WATCH YOU CLIMB UP THAT LADDER AND GET THE POSITION THAT YOU DESERVE AND WHERE YOU ARE ABOUT TO TAKE SAN ANTONIO WITH VIA I AM ELATED. THANK YOU. OKAY. I WANNA ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE DEPUTY CEO TREMMEL BROWN. FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, TREMMEL WAS THE ONLY CONNECTING FACT THAT I HAD TO SAN ANTONIO PRIOR TO JOINING THE VIA BOARD. WHEN I JOINED THE VIA BOARD, I LEARNED THE REMARKABLE WORK THAT THIS MAN HAS DONE TO COME FROM BEING A BUS DRIVER OR A BUS OPERATOR FROM THE SERVICE YARD TO BEING THE DEPUTY CEO AND HAVING THAT PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON YOUR SELECTION COMMITTEE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE MOMENTS IN MY LIFE. I'M PROUD OF YOU, TREMMEL, AND I WANT YOU TO KEEP DOING THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. I WANNA ALSO THANK MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. I'M ALMOST PAST AND PRESENT. BOB CUOMO, WHO'S NOT HERE, WHO CALLED ME TO LET ME KNOW HE REALLY WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT HE COULDN'T. I LOVE YOU, BOB, DAVID MON, WHO'S NOT HERE, BUT CALLS ME EVERY DAY. SOMETIMES I WANNA HIT THAT BLOCK. BUT I LOVE YOU, DOUG. I LOVE YOU, DAVID. I LOVE YOU. YOU'VE BEEN MY BROTHER SINCE THE START. PATRICIA RODRIGUEZ, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, THANK YOU FOR COMING BY. PATRICIA, I LOVE YOU, JAVIER. SERVING WITH YOU HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THAT I'VE HAD. I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU FOLKS HAVE SAID IT. YOUR PLANNING MINDSET, YOUR EQUITY ADVOCACY, YOUR FATHERHOOD, WE, WE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT TOGETHER. I APPRECIATE YOU. YOU'RE A FRIEND, BROTHER, YOU'RE A FRIEND. I WANT TO THANK TRUSTY MALONE. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ONE OF MY BIGGEST ADVOCATES AND SUPPORTERS. NOT JUST HERE IN VIA, BUT EVERYTHING THAT I DO EVER SINCE WE'VE MET SECRETARY MALONE, I'M PROUD OF YOU. I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED COMMITMENTS THAT I HAVE TO SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE YOU HOLD ME TO THE FIRE. WHEN I FIRST JOINED THIS BOARD, THE SAN ANTONIO REPORT QUOTED ME SAYING, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSIT. I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT, Y'ALL. I THINK WE'VE MADE SURE THAT ACCESS, EQUITY, DIGNITY, AND HOW TRANSPORTATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT ROUTES AND BUSES. IT'S ABOUT OPPORTUNITY. IT'S ABOUT POSSIBILITY. THE VISION HAS COME TO LIGHT. WE'RE HERE. I WANNA TAKE THE MOMENT TO THANK THOSE WHO I SHOWED UP FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY AS I CLOSE OUT. AND THAT IS THE FRONT LINE. EMPLOYEES. I DID NOT HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OF YOU EVERY DAY, BUT THERE ARE MANY OF YOU WHO I GOT ON THE BUS AND I TOLD YOU, HEY, I'M A TRUSTEE. TAKE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL ME WHAT YOU CAN'T TELL YOUR SUPERVISOR. BECAUSE I WANTED TO HEAR YOUR VOICE, THE A TUI ASKED YOU TO KEEP A OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH ME SO THAT I COULD BE YOUR GUIDE AND BE YOUR VOICE AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY COULD. THAT IS WHAT MADE ME PROUD TO SAY TO OTHER MEMBERS OF SAN ANTONIO THAT I WAS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IT WAS THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY. SO I THANK YOU. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST AS I CLOSE THIS CHAPTER, I COULD NOT CLOSE THE CHAPTER WITHOUT THINKING THE FOLKS WHO HELPED ME WRITE AND OPEN THE BOOK. AND THAT IS MY FAMILY. MY TWO BOYS ARE HERE TODAY. MY BEAUTIFUL FIANCE. I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR ALLOWING YOU ALL THOSE LATE NIGHTS OF LEAVING VIA TO DRIVE BACK HOME OR WHEN IT WAS COVID TIME. SO MANY OF YOU REMEMBER WE WERE ON CALLS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY LIVING ROOM WHILE MY BABY WAS CRYING AND WE WERE TRYING TO CONVINCE THE MAYOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. I AM SO EXCITED BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED AND IT'S BECAUSE OF EVERYONE WHO I THANKED AND THOSE WHO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO THANK OUR PASSENGERS, THE FOLKS WHO TRUST US EVERY DAY. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK [00:35:01] YOU. WELL, THE GREAT MOMENTUM THAT WE MOVE NOW INTO THE EXECUTION OF THESE GREAT PROGRAMS AND, AND, AND IDEAS THAT, THAT OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HAVE LED US TO. AND, AND NOW WE NOW OUR CHALLENGE IS TO DELIVER THAT AND EVERY ABLE TO DELIVER THAT. WE GOTTA PUT TOGETHER A REALLY GOOD TEAM AND WE GOTTA ATTRACT SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE OVER HERE. SO WITH THIS NEXT ANNOUNCEMENT, I'M HAPPY AND VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME OUR NEW VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING ROZY HOI RAZZY. ROZY BRINGS OVER 42 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE ENGINEERING FIELD, INCLUDING MORE THAN 33 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AT THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. SINCE JOINING THE CITY IN 1991, RAZZI PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN IMPLEMENTATION OF FOUR, THE LARGEST BOND PROGRAMS APPROVED BY SAN ANTONIO VOTERS. HIS LEADERSHIP HAS GUIDED MAJOR PROJECTS SUCH AS HENRY B. GONZALEZ, CAVERA CENTER EXPANSION, THE ALAMO DOME RENOVATION AND EXPANSION, THE CONSOLIDATED RENTAL CAR FACILITY TERMINAL, A RENOVATION AT THE SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, HOUSEMAN ROAD, MARKET STREET REALIGNMENT, BROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, AND SO MUCH MORE. RO HOLDS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND CIVIL ENGINEERING FOR FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IS BOTH LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER AND A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYOR. IN RECOGNITION OF HIS CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE FIELD, HE WAS NAMED ENGINEER OF THE YEAR IN, IN 2021 BY THE BEXAR COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS SOCIETY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS. ROZI, WELCOME TO THE CHAP SHIP TEAM THAT WE'RE CALLING VIA. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT, EXCITING THINGS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY HAVE DOVE HEAD FIRST INTO, INCLUDING HELPING US DELIVER THIS MASSIVE GREEN LINE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. THAT YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE THAT'S GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP US DO THAT. ZY, WELCOME TO THE TEAM AS WE ALSO CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING SEPTEMBER STAR WAR, UH, HONOREES FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. WE ARE BRINGING BACK A COUPLE OF AWARDEES, UM, SO THEY COULD TAKE A PROPER PICTURE WITH OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MARIO LANO. MARIO ANO MARIO, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN HERE SOMEWHERE. I SAW YOU EARLIER. AT LEAST I THOUGHT I SAW HIM HERE EARLIER. UH, HE'S OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS SPECIALIST. HE LED A FOUR PERSON TEAM, OUTREACH CHIEF FOR THE GREEN AND SILVER LINES. CONTINUES TO DO SO KNOCKING ON OVER 14,000 DOORS TO THE CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH NEIGHBORS. SHARE UPDATES TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY TRUST. WE ALSO HAVE JOEL FUENTES. JOEL FUENTES, JOELLE, YOU HERE. STAND UP. IS MARIO HERE AS WELL? NO, JOEL, MAKE YOUR WAY FORWARD. 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA TAKE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. SO I WANT YOU GO AHEAD AND START MAKING YOUR WAY FORWARD. YOU'RE BUSINESS. JOEL IS A BUSINESS INTELLIGENT ANALYST. HE REDESIGNED, HE REDESIGNED OUR WORK FAILURE SYSTEM IN JUST TWO WEEKS. HE BUILT A REALTIME ATTENDANCE TOOL, TRAINED STAFF, AND WROTE AN SOP THAT NOW DRIES FASTER, MORE ACCURATE REPORTING. WE ALSO ARE GONNA CELEBRATE THIS MONTH'S HONOREES AS WELL. ROBERT LANGA. ROBERT. ALRIGHT, ROBERT, YOU'RE IN THE BACK HERE. ROBERT'S A PARATRANSIT OPERATOR AND LINE INSTRUCTOR. 25 YEARS AT VIA A MILLION MILE SAFETY AWARD AND A DECADE TRAINING NEW OPERATORS. ROBERT IS ALSO SUPPORTED, SUPPORTED THE 2025 RODEO CREW. SO LET'S BRING ROBERT UP FRONT AS WELL AS ROBERT'S COMING UP FRONT. WE ALSO ARE GONNA RECOGNIZE ANDREW ARIAS. ANDREW, THERE HE IS, ANDREW AS A BUS. ANDREW AS A BUS OPERATOR. WE'RE RECOGNIZING YOU FOR THE OUTSTANDING ATTENDANCE, TOP ON TIME PERFORMANCE AND FOR CUTTING SHORT YOUR VACATION, I HEAR TO HELP WITH PUTTING THE RODEO TOGETHER AND DELIVERING THAT. SO ALL OF YOU TOGETHER, INCLUDING, UM, INCLUDING JOELLE, YOU WANT TO COME UP FRONT AND OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES IS GONNA COME FORWARD AND TAKE A PICTURE WITH Y'ALL AS WE RECOGNIZE Y'ALL'S OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO OUR AGENCY. GOT THE ONE ON, HERE WE GO. I'VE GOT YOU. OH MY GOD. A COUPLE OF DISABLED PEOPLE. WE ARE JUST COUPLE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HELPING EACH OTHER. [00:42:33] EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT WE HAVE, IF THIS IS, UH, LINED UP CORRECTLY. IT IS. ALL RIGHT. CULTURE DRIVES PERFORMANCE. IN SEPTEMBER, WE HOSTED VIA 13TH ANNUAL EMPLOYEE ART CONTEST. WE HAD OVER 127 PARTICIPANTS, OVER 150 PIECES, ALL JUDGED BY UTSA SOUTHWEST SCHOOL OF ARTS. OUR FIRST PLACE WINNER WENT TO RAUL PENA. CONGRATULATIONS, RAUL. RAUL. ARE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE BY CHANCE? INCREDIBLE ARTWORK THAT HE HAS. WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE TO, TO SEND, UH, PICTURES OF THE, OF THE ART THAT HE PRODUCED. UM, AN INCREDIBLE VISION THAT HE HAS THERE WITH METAL. AND IT'S A, IT'S AN, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PIECE OF ART THAT TOOK, TOOK NUMBER ONE AT THIS, UH, AT THIS ART SHOW, WE WANT TO THANK EVERY EMPLOYEE. WE ALSO OPENED THIS UP TO RETIREES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL, WHO SHARE IN THEIR CREATIVITY. THEY INVEST IN THEMSELVES AND THEY INSPIRE US AS ONE LINE FROM THE RECEPTION SAID, TALENT DEVELOPS IN QUIET MOMENTS. YOU FOUND THOSE MOMENTS AND TURN THEM INTO SOMETHING GOOD FOR OUR VIA AND OUR COMMUNITY. NEXT, WE'RE GONNA HONOR A COUPLE OF HARDWORKING EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE SHOWN A GREAT DEAL OF LEADERSHIP IN ACTION THIS YEAR. AS WE KNOW, WE DELIVERED THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET THAT INTEGRATED FOR THE FIRST TIME OUR STRATEGIC PILLARS. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BY CHANCE. IT TOOK LONG HOURS, FAST ADJUSTMENTS, AND STEADY TEAMWORK. WE'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE AMANDA ORTEGA AND AUDREY RIVERA. I THINK I'VE SEEN BOTH OF THEM IN HERE. YOU DON'T WANNA STAND? NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA STAND 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN HERE . WELL, WE'RE GONNA THANK 'EM ANYWAY FOR SHOWING US WHAT OWNERSHIP OF FINANCIAL EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE AT PRACTICE. THEY KEPT US ALIGNED, FLEXIBLE, AND FOCUSED ON TURNING PLANS INTO PERFORMANCE. EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE CELEBRATED VIA OPERATORS WHO DEDICATION TO SAFETY TRULY DEFINES OUR SERVICE. THE MILLION MILE CLUB. THIS IS AN HONOR THAT WE HAVE AND IS GROWING EVERY YEAR WHERE WE HONOR OPERATORS HAVE DRIVEN ONE, TWO, OR 3 MILLION MILES. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S AT LEAST 12 AND A HALF YEARS WITHOUT A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT. SO THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DRIVEN THESE MANY MILES WITHOUT A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT. TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT FOR US, AROUND THE ROOM HERE, 1 MILLION [00:45:01] MILES IS 40 TIMES AROUND THE EARTH. 2 MILLION MILES IS 80 TIMES AROUND THE EARTH, AND 3 MILLION MILES IS 120 TIMES AROUND THE EARTH. AND DOING SO WITHOUT A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT. THINK ABOUT THAT. 12 AND A HALF YEARS, MILLIONS OF MILES NAVIGATING TRAFFIC, WEATHER, CONSTRUCTION ZONES, AND EVERYTHING OUR STREETS CAN THROW AT THEM. AND WHILE INTERACTING, SUPPORTING AND BEING THE FACE OF VIA WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR RIDERS, ALL WITHOUT A SINGLE PREVENTABLE CRASH. THAT LEVEL OF FOCUS OF PROFESSIONALISM IS EXTRAORDINARY. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS REPRESENT DECADES OF DILIGENCE, SKILL, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO ENSURING THAT EVERY RIDER ARRIVES SAFELY AT THEIR DESTINATION. AT THIS MOMENT, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THOSE HONOREES IN THIS ROOM TODAY, IF THEY CAN STAND WHERE WE CAN GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT THEY DO, AND THIS INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO. MICROPHONE WENT OUT THERE, IT SAYS 1998. MORE THAN 400 VIA OPERATORS HAVE EARNED THESE MILESTONES. THEIR CONSISTENCY, CARE AND COMMITMENT. KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR ROADS SAFE EVERY SINGLE DAY TO ALL OUR HONOREES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXAMPLE AND YOUR EXCELLENCE. WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE CELEBRATION THAT WE HAD EARLIER WITH A VIDEO AS WE, UH, CLOSE OUT THIS MOMENT ABOUT THE MILLION MILE CLUB. SO THESE ARE EXCITING EVENTS THAT WE DO WHERE WE HONOR OUR OPERATORS. THIS IS A PARTICULAR ONE WHERE WE HONOR OPERATORS FOR THEIR MILES OF SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED WITHOUT A PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE FEAT. NOW, WE RECOGNIZE OPERATORS TODAY THAT HAVE ACHIEVED A MILLION MILES, 2 MILLION MILES, OR 3 MILLION MILES. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND OF COURSE THAT'S GREAT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES. WELCOME TO THE 2025 V OPERATORS SAFE SERVICE AWARDS. THE MILLION MILE CLUB AND THE KAPLAN AWARD INDUCTIONS ARE TWO OF THE MOST SPECIAL CELEBRATIONS IN OUR VIA FAMILY. AND THAT DESERVES A PLAQUE. IT DESERVES A PARTY, AND IT DEFINITELY DESERVES OUR DEEPEST PRAISE AND RESPECT. IT'S JUST GREAT TO SEE THEM AND THE SMILES IN THEIR FACE FOR RECOGNITION FOR THAT ACHIEVEMENT. IT'S A DIFFICULT TASK TO DO, BUT THEY DO IT WELL. WE ARE NOW TOTALING ALMOST 400 OPERATORS THAT HAVE ACHIEVED A MILLION MILE RANK THIS YEAR. WE'RE HONORING ABOUT 115 OF 'EM THAT ARE BEING ADDED TO THAT SAFETY'S ENTRENCHED IN OUR CULTURE STARTS FROM THE TRAINING. WE HAVE SO MANY WOMEN AND MEN THAT EXECUTE THAT WELL EACH AND EVERY DAY. AND IT HELPS OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE A SAFE EXPERIENCE, GET WHERE THEY'RE GOING SAFELY WITHOUT ANY WORRY OR CONCERN TO GET THERE. THERE'S A SCRIPTURE THAT I READ EVERY MORNING, AND IT'S COLOSIANS 3 23 THAT SAYS, WORK WITH ALL YOUR HEART AS YOU'RE SERVING THE LORD. SO THAT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED. AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING OUT THERE FOR THE PUBLIC, UH, I FEEL PROUD VI IS HUGE IN SAN ANTONIO AND JUST HAVING HIM PLAY A SMALL PORTION AND GETTING PEOPLE A MILLION MILES AROUND THE CITY SAFELY IS AWESOME. IT JUST HUMBLES ME TO THAT. I'VE BEEN HERE THIS LONG, 45 YEARS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE GREAT COMPANY I WORK FOR. HE DOES IT FOR THE FAMILY. AND, UH, I'M JUST VERY GRATEFUL THAT HE DOES THAT FIRST FAMILY FIRST AND THEN VIA HIS WORD . SO, UM, BUT YES, IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE HERE. I WASN'T EXPECTING IT AND I WASN'T EXPECTING THE EMOTION, BUT WHEN THEY CALL OUT YOUR NAME AND YOU HEAR WHAT THE AWARDS FOR, I GOT A LITTLE CHILLS HAVING THE ABILITY TO BE HERE TODAY. UM, NOT KNOWING THAT HE WAS GONNA GET THIS BIG OF AN ACHIEVEMENT, BUT I AM, I'M VERY PROUD TO BE HERE. I I TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT I DO VIA RECOGNIZES THAT EVERY SO OFTEN THEY, YOU KNOW, LIKE TODAY, FOR INSTANCE, IT WAS A NICE, A NICE FEELING TO GET THIS AWARD. UH, IT'S A LITTLE THING. IT'S NOT THE BIG THINGS. SOMETIMES IT'S THESE AWARDS, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S JUST OUR CLIENTS FACE WHEN THEY'RE GETTING OFF OUR VAN. THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES ME HAPPY. WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE GETTING IT TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S GREAT, RIGHT? IT'S A GOOD EXPERIENCE. JUST THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST REALLY HAPPY AND WE BOTH LOVE WHAT WE DO. SO WE COME TO WORK WITH PRIDE EVERY DAY. MAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS GONNA GET IT. I WAS EXCITED. [00:50:01] HE WAS LIKE THE GUY WHO JUST GOT OFF AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S ME. IS HE SURE? THAT'S ME, . SO IT WAS PRETTY EXCITING. OH, I ENJOY SERVING THE PUBLIC. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. IT, IT JUST TOOK PERSEVERANCE AND JUST OVERALL SAFETY COME, COMING TO WORK WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET. WE WANT TO HAVE GREAT CUSTOMERS, WE GOTTA HAVE GREAT EMPLOYEES, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE CELEBRATING GREAT EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO DO THAT. IT'S A RECOGNITION PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO, AND IT GROWS EVERY YEAR AS WE'RE DOING IT. NEXT. IT'S A TRADITION. OH, THERE WE GO. IT'S A TRADITION UNLIKE ANY OTHER. THE VIA BUS RODEO, THIS IS A COMPETITION FOR BUS OPERATORS AND MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS THAT TEST THEIR SKILLS AND DRIVING SAFETY AND MECHANICAL KNOWLEDGE. EVENTS INCLUDE NAVIGATING A TIMED OBSTACLE COURSE, PERFORMING A PRE-TRIP, PRE-TRIP INSPECTIONS TO FIND DEFECTS. AND EVEN A WRITTEN TEST ON TOPICS LIKE VEHICLE SYSTEMS AND REGULATIONS. A WAY FOR US TO SHOWCASE OUR PROFESSIONAL OPERATOR TECHNICIANS TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR SKILLS AND DEDICATION, TO PROMOTE SAFETY AND EXCELLENCE IN THE PUBLIC TRANSIT INDUSTRY. IT ALSO SERVES AS A TRAINING AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY FOR ATTENDEES. AND IT IS A MOMENT OF PRIDE AMONG OUR OWN TRANSIT AGENCIES, THEIR EMPLOYEES, AND THEIR FAMILIES. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS. ALL THE COURSE CREWS, THE JUDGES AND VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE THIS EVENT SUCCESSFUL. THIS RODEO SHARP IT SKILLS AND STRENGTHENS BONDS AND CARRIES INTO DAILY SERVICE. NEXT MONTH WE WILL BRING BACK TO THIS MEETING, UH, THOSE WINNERS, UH, THAT WILL BE REPRESENTING US AT THE TEXAS LEVEL OF OUR RODEO WITH THE TEXAS TRANSIT ASSOCIATION. AND WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF HONOR, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A, A CELEBRITY, UH, PARTICIPANT THAT IS AT OUR DAAS HERE TODAY. OUR OWN TRUSTEE TO WILL WHO TOOK THIRD PLACE IN THE CELEBRITY MOMENT. LET'S GIVE TRUSTEE TO WILL. UH, AND YOU, YOU, YOU ACTUALLY HAD SOME COMMENTS ABOUT HOW, WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAD, UH, DRIVING. WOULD YOU MIND SHARING THAT WITH, UH, THE OPERATORS THAT ARE IN THE ROOM TODAY? OKAY, SO FIRST OFF, HATS OFF TO Y'ALL. UM, HELLO EVERYBODY. I AM THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF A FORMER VIA OPERATOR. AND WHEN I LET HIM KNOW THAT I WAS VOLUNTOLD, THAT I WOULD BE THE CELEBRITY DRIVER, I WAS NOT SURPRISED BY HIS REACTION OF THEY BETTER STAND BACK. SO I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY BECAUSE I AM A VERY, VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS DRIVER ALREADY AS IT IS. UM, AND I JUST, I ALWAYS KNEW, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE TASKS THAT Y'ALL HAVE EVERY SINGLE DAY SITTING BEHIND THAT WHEEL IS IMMENSE. AND ONCE YOU'RE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THAT, FIRST OFF, IT WAS AN HONOR. LIKE I WAS, I WAS CRYING WITH MY TRAINERS AND Y'ALL, I AM A VERY EMOTIONAL PERSON. THAT'S JUST WHO I AM AND I DO NOT CARE. BUT, UM, I WAS JUST CRYING BECAUSE IT TRULY IS AN HONOR TO BE THERE WITH YOUR TRAINERS WHO HAVE OBVIOUSLY PERFECTED THE SKILL OF DRIVING A VIA BUS. LIKE IT IS, IT IS TERRIFYING. BUT TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES IN YOUR HANDS BEHIND THAT WHEEL, THAT, AND YOU ARE CONNECTING THEM THOUGH, LIKE THAT IS THE ONE THING THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS TEND TO FORGET, IS THAT BEHIND THAT PERSON ON YOUR BUS IS A STORY, IS A STORY OF SOMEBODY. LIKE WE HEAR FROM OUR, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTATOR COMMENTERS, IS THAT WE, THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THEM. AND SO Y'ALL ARE THE CONDUITS, Y'ALL ARE THE PEOPLE MOVING FORWARD. AND SO MY REACTION TO THIS DAY, TO THIS MAGNIFICENT DAY, WHICH I DID WIN THIRD, AND JUST SO Y'ALL KNOW, THERE WERE THREE OUT OF WHAT, FIVE YEAH. UM, DOESN'T MATTER. BUT I JUST, IT WAS SUCH A REALLY WONDERFUL EVENT AND I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE VIA STAFF THAT WERE THERE THAT TOOK TIME, BUT THE OPERATORS THAT STUCK AROUND AND, AND WE HAD A GOOD OLD TIME WITH THE DJ THERE TOWARDS THE END, AND IT WAS JUST SUCH A GOOD TIME. I ONLY TOOK OUT A FAMILY OF BARRELS, SO THEY ALL PERISHED AT THE SAME TIME, WHICH WAS GREAT BECAUSE NOBODY WILL BE SAD. UM, LEAVE NO MAN STANDING. SO IT WAS JUST, IT REALLY WAS FUN. I LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY, UM, RECLAIMING MY CROWN NEXT YEAR BECAUSE I, YOU WON'T NEED TO VOLUNT TELL ME [00:55:01] NEXT YEAR. I WILL BE SIGNING UP REGARDLESS IF Y'ALL WANT ME TO OR NOT. SO THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH. IT REALLY WAS SO FUN. AND I HOPE NO BARRELS WILL BE LOST NEXT YEAR. , JUST VERY QUICKLY ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, 12 YEARS AGO I PARTICIPATED IN THE RODEO AS WELL, AND IT WAS A BLAST. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. AND THEY PUT ME ON TV AND THEY TOLD ME MARY DEION SHOULD NOT LEAVE HER DAY JOB. . I CAN'T BELIEVE Y'ALL DIDN'T LET ME DRIVE. I KNOW. OH, WE HAD VIDEO TRUST MALONE DRIVING ALL. WELL, THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. AGAIN, APPRECIATE, APPRECIATE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM THAT HELPED PUT ON A, A DYNAMIC, VERY SUCCESSFUL RODEO. UH, AGAIN, WE'LL BRING IN THOSE, UH, THOSE THAT WON. AND WE'RE GONNA BE REP BE REPRESENTING US, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WE MOVE, MOVE, CONTINUE ON WITH FIRST, UH, OR BIG MOMENTS, I SHOULD SAY. UH, WE HAVE A BIG MOMENT TO CELEBRATE HERE TODAY. I PUT A NOTE OUT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS BIG MOMENT. BUT THIS PAST SATURDAY WAS A VERY BUSY ONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY FOR DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO WITH MULTIPLE EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES TAKING PLACE. THE ANTICIPATED DOWNTOWN CROWD DRAW WAS LOOKING TO EXCEED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS, CREATING A STRAIN ON INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY STRAINED. HOWEVER, VIA WAS UP TO THE TASK, VIA ROSE TO THE CALL TO DO WHAT IT DOES BEST, MOVE LOTS OF PEOPLE VERY EFFICIENTLY. IN A VERY TIMELY MATTER. WE MOVED OVER 20,000 CUSTOMERS ON SATURDAY TO AND FROM THE DOWNTOWN MOMENT AND THE ALAMO DOME. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT BY MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM HERE TODAY. BUT FOR THIS AGENCY IN PARTICULAR, IT IS THE MOST OR THE HIGHEST, UH, UTILIZATION OF PARK AND RIDE THAT WE'VE HAD IN EIGHT YEARS. SO THAT'S ALSO A BIG MOMENT OF FIRST FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING TOGETHER, IS A DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT PARTNERSHIPS CAN ALSO MEAN FOR US. UH, WITH THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, HAVING THOSE LANES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DRIVE AND, AND NOT HAVE TO NAVIGATE TRAFFIC IS A BIG MOMENT FOR OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THIS TYPE OF SIZE AND CROWD. TO PUT THIS IN CONTEXT, UH, THAT'S MOVING ESSENTIALLY THE EQUIVALENCY OF THE BARE, UH, I'M SORRY, A FROST CENTER ARENA, UM, INTO DOING SO ALL IN ONE EVENING, BASICALLY TO AND FROM. IT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT, A GREAT MOMENT. AS YOU COULD TELL, I AM SUPER PROUD OF EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT IN THIS ROOM ON THEIR ABILITY TO EXECUTE ON SUCH A, A, A, A BIG MOMENTOUS MOMENT FOR US. UH, BUT WHAT ALSO MAKES THIS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS WELL, IS IT WAS PART OF A FAIR FREE DAY THAT WE ESTABLISHED AS VIA ON SATURDAY ON A MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY. SO WE ALSO HAD FREE FARE THAT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM, AND WE THINK THAT ALSO HELPED DRIVE SOME OF THIS ATTENTION. BUT WITH THAT TYPE OF CLARITY AND EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION TO HAVING, UH, THE ABILITY TO MOVE THIS TYPE OF, OF CROWD AND DOING SO IN A VERY EFFICIENT WAY, GUESS WHAT WE HAVE NOW ESTABLISHED THAT WE'RE READY FOR THE NEXT ONE. AND SO WE'RE READY HAVING DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE DEBRIEFING EACH OTHER, UH, THIS WEEK ABOUT WHAT WORKED, WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO ADJUST TO DO TO EXECUTE EVEN BETTER, BECAUSE WE WANNA ESTABLISH HAVING THE HIGHEST PARK AND RIDE CAPABILITY THAT THIS AGENCY HAS EVER HAD. AND WE'RE, WE'RE SLOWLY ON THAT WAY TO DO SO, SO ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR EVERYBODY HERE. SO THIS WAS ALSO, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A, IN A, NOT ON A ROUNDABOUT WAY, OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER THAT TYPE OF LEVEL OF SERVICE IS CONNECTED TO OUR ABILITY TO HIRE OPERATORS. THAT'S WHY IT WAS A MANTRA THAT WE STARTED COLLECTIVELY ESTABLISHING AS AN AGENCY THAT WE NEEDED TO HIRE OPERATORS AND WE NEEDED TO NET OPERATORS. IT'S ONE THING TO HIRE 'EM, BUT WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF THOSE THAT ARE LEAVING US. WE, THAT'S WHY WE CALL THAT A NET, A NET GAIN IN, IN OPERATORS. WELL, THAT'S GIVES US THE ABILITY THEN TO DELIVER THAT TYPE OF PARK AND RIDE SERVICE. BUT WE KNOW THAT COLLECTIVELY WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IS BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA IMMEDIATELY PUT THOSE NET OPERATORS INTO OUR SYSTEM TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF OUR SYSTEM. AND THIS QUALITY OF THE SYSTEM IS WHAT'S GOING TO ATTRACT MORE RIDERS. IT'S ALSO GONNA BE WHAT ESTABLISHES THE QUALITY OF SERVICE FOR EXISTING RIDERS WHO WE HEARD FROM TODAY EARLIER ABOUT THEIR DESIRE FOR HIGHER QUALITY SERVICE. WELL, WE KNOW OUR A OUR A WAY [01:00:01] TO GO AND DO THAT STARTS WITH OUR ABILITY TO HIRE AND CLEAR OPERATORS AND GET THEM THEN TRAINED, GET THEM BEHIND THE WHEEL, AND THEN BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THAT SERVICE. SO MAKING THAT CONNECTION FOR US TODAY AT THE WORK SESSION LAST WEEK, WE CELEBRATED SURPASSING 75 NET OPERATOR HIRING IN ONE YEAR. ACTUALLY, WE DID. SO IN 10 MONTHS, THE, THE BOARD GAVE US ONE YEAR TO DO SO. UH, WE DID, WE DELIVERED THAT IN IN 10 MONTHS. UM, WE ARE NOW TRANSLATING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE OF MAKING THIS CONNECTION FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, IS THAT, THAT IS ALSO GIVEN US THE ABILITY TO PUT THAT QUALITY IN THE SYSTEM. WE DID SO IN AUGUST, THOSE AUGUST IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE IMPLEMENTED ARE NOW ALREADY SHOWING A 22% RIDERSHIP GAIN, 22% RIDERSHIP GAIN. THAT IS AN, AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER, DOUBLE DIGIT NUMBERS IN A VERY TIMELY BASIS. AUGUST IS JUST 60, 70 DAYS AGO, AND WE'RE ALREADY HITTING 22% NET GAINS BECAUSE THE MARKET AND THE COMMUNITY IS RESPONDING TO THAT QUALITY THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUT INTO THE SYSTEM. AND I WANTED TO LEAVE THIS MOMENT HERE OF MAKING THIS CONNECTION BECAUSE LATER IN THIS AGENDA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEXT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MASSIVE JANUARY IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO GET THESE OPERATORS INTO PLACE. SO WANTED TO LEAVE US TODAY WITH THAT CONNECTION THAT ALL OF THIS IS WORKING REALLY WELL TOGETHER. WE'RE DELIVERING VERY BIG FIRSTS FOR THIS AGENCY, BUT THAT IS DONE WITH EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM PULLING TOGETHER AND PUSHING TOGETHER FOR THOSE OUTCOMES THAT WE KNOW ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR CUSTOMERS. WE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF 'EM THIS MORNING OR EARLIER TODAY, I SHOULD SAY. AND WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND OUR MESSAGE TO THEM IS, WE HEAR YOU AND WE'RE HERE TO DELIVER. AND THOSE TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THOSE ARE IMPORTANT TO Y'ALL. SO THIS IS THAT MOMENT, AND I, AGAIN, APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS AND THIS CLOSES OUT MY, UH, PRESENCE REPORT. MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UH, JOHN, GARY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, UM, ON DAYS LIKE THIS, UH, YOU WONDER, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU WOULD BE IF YOU WEREN'T HERE, RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON? WHAT ARE YOU, WHAT OTHER ACTIVITIES? BUT TODAY, ESPECIALLY, I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THIS AGENCY. I'M ESPECIALLY PROUD OF THE OPERATORS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE REACHING THE MILESTONES THAT THEY DID, UM, OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT ARE HERE TODAY, UM, THAT YOU MENTIONED. UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE, THE, THE AGENCY ALTOGETHER, THE 75, UH, OPERATORS, NET NEW WITH THE 22% INCREASE TRANSLATES TO WEEKENDS LIKE WE JUST HAD, UM, WHICH ARE RECORD BREAKING. AND, AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT THE CITY, RIGHT? AS WE CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES TO, UM, VEHICLE USE AT THE ALAMO DOME IN DOWNTOWN. AND IT SPEAKS TO ACTION MOST IMPORTANTLY. UM, AND, AND WITHOUT, UH, THE, THE BOARD HERE WITHOUT, UM, THE EMPLOYEES AND THE OPERATORS WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE ARE ALL, UM, SINGING THE SAME TUNE FROM THE SAME SONG SHEET. I DON'T THINK WE WOULD BE AT THIS PLACE TODAY, 10 MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE FOR NET NEW OPERATORS SEEING, UH, 20,000 PLUS BEING TAKEN, UH, THROUGH PARKING RIDE AND THEN CELEBRATING, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, OUR, OUR OPERATORS IN THE MILL, UM, MILE, UH, MARK. SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE IS, UH, PUTTING IN. UM, I KNOW THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF ASKS THAT WE, UH, PROVIDED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND DURING THE RETREAT, UM, BUT WITH THE BOARD SUPPORT AND, AND THE CONTINUED COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, YOU JOHN, GARY, AND YOUR TEAM ALTOGETHER, I, I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT 'CAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS MOMENT TO PASS. UH, IT'S, IT'S A KEY MOMENT IN TIME FOR OUR AGENCY AND I WANNA ENSURE THAT YOU RECEIVE THE RECOGNITION ALONG WITH YOUR TEAM, UM, HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY COMMENTS, BUT WE CAN MOVE ON TO [5. Consent Agenda] CONSENT AGENDA. I DO HAVE TWO ITEMS I'M GONNA PULL. SO WE CAN VOTE THAT, UH, ON THAT SEPARATELY. UM, WE'RE GONNA PULL, UM, ITEM D AND ITEM I AND HAVE ONE VOTE, AND THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THOSE TWO ITEMS AFTERWARDS. SO IF I CAN HAVE A MOTION, UM, WITHOUT ITEM D AND ITEM I? YES, MA'AM. ALSO A YOU INFORMATION. YES. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A BRIEFING ON H. IS THAT OKAY? YES. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA, MINUS ITEMS. D, H, AND I. ARE WE GOOD? SECOND. [01:05:01] SECOND. A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION. CARRIES. AND THEN, UH, [Items 5.D & 5.I] SEPARATELY IF WE CAN HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM D AND ITEM I. MOTION APPROVES ITEMS D AND AYE WE HAVE MOTION. SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND MOTION TO APPROVE. UH, DO WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ABSTENTION Y? YES. WE'LL HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ABSTENTION. OKAY. WE ACKNOWLEDGING THE ABSTENTION OF VICE CHAIR GOMEZ ON THIS ITEM? UH, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. AND THEN IF WE [5.H. *Real Estate Acquisition - For information, discussion, and possible action regarding the acquisition of real property in support of VIA projects. ] CAN HEAR AGENDA ITEM H PLEASE. THANK YOU. SO TRUSTEE, DEPENDING ON YOUR QUESTIONS, WE MIGHT HAVE TO MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, BUT, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR OR SHE, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR THE, THE, THE BREAKOUT OF, OF THE, THE PROPERTY LOCATIONS THAT YOU, THE PROPERTY LOCATIONS? YES, SIR. IS THAT OKAY TO GO? YEP. OKAY. YEP. ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S, THAT'S MATTER. PUBLIC RECORD. RECORD. THANK YOU. YEP. HI. GOOD EVENING. I'M SO SORRY I DON'T HAVE A MAP WITH ME. UM, THE PROPERTY LOCATIONS ARE 9 0 3 SAN PEDRO, 9 25 SAN PEDRO 1 0 7, MARY LOUISE, WHICH IS AT FREDERICKSBURG, AND MARY LOUISE. UM, 1 0 5 DUFFIELD 1 0 5 WHAT? DUFFIELD? DELFIELD. D-U-F-F-I-E-L-D, DUFFIELD AND 1 0 7 DUFFIELD. FOUR OF THEM ARE CONTIGUOUS TO THIS PROPERTY AND ONE OF THEM IS ON THE PRIMO LINE. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. QUESTIONS OTHER? THAT'S FINE. IS THAT WHAT YOU DO? YES, SIR. LET'S DO IT. THANK YOU. MAD CHAIR. MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM. AYE. A H I'M SORRY. H THANK YOU. H WE HAVE MOTION. SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL APPROVE. UH, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL IN FAVOR? OR WE JUST IN A FAVOR? ANY, ANY MOTION APPROVES? HEY, CHAIR, CAN I GO BACK ONE SECOND? YES, SIR. ON ALL THE GREAT IN INFORMATION WE GOT TONIGHT, I WOULD BE HOPEFUL WE CAN GET THAT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAPER. UM, WHO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES I HEAR NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT OUR PARKING RIDES AND, YOU KNOW, VIA ITSELF, BUT, UH, I THINK THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD OF TONIGHT, THIS MAKES ME SO PROUD AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE CAN SHARE THAT IN EVERY DIRECTION WE CAN SO THE CITIZENS SAN ANTONIO UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL. THANK YOU. YEAH, CHAIR. THANK YOU TRUSTEE COOPER. AND I CONCUR WITH THAT. AND I'M LOOKING AT TERRY OVER HERE. I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT HOW TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE OFFENSIVE ON OUR COMMUNICATION STRATEGY WHEN IT RELATES TO, UH, POSITIVE STORIES LIKE THIS. AND, UH, COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX OR ITEM FIVE. UH, WHAT IS THIS FIVE I WE'RE DOING? ARE WE DOING THE PROPOSED EXPANSION? ARE OKAY? YEAH, WE'LL GO STRAIGHT TO SIX. LET'S, BECAUSE Y PUT THAT ONE. LET'S DO, LET'S [6. Proposed Fixed Route Service Changes January 2026] DO ITEM SIX. UH, MR. SIN. WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THE PROPOSED JANUARY 20, 26 FIXED ROUTE SERVICE CHANGES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND THE MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEE. I AM SANDEEP SAN VICE PRESIDENT OF SERVICE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING. I AM HERE TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED JANUARY 20, 26 SERVICE CHANGES FOR INFORMATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION BY THE VIA BOARD OF TRUSTEE FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON JANUARY 12TH, 2026. WHY ARE WE MAKING THESE CHANGES? THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES ARE DERIVED FROM THE BETTER BUSS PLAN GOALS ARE TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE BY MAKING IT MORE DIRECT, FREQUENT, SIMPLE, AND CONVENIENT. AND IMPROVEMENTS WILL ATTRACT MORE RIDERS AND INCREASE RIDERSHIP. [01:10:02] GOING OVER THE PROPOSED JANUARY, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES, THERE ARE 27 ROUTES THAT'S IMPACTED. THERE ARE SEVEN ROUTES WHERE WE WILL, WE WILL HAVE FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH ARE ROUTE FIVE, ROUTE 17, ROUTE 22, 1 0 2, 5 0 5, 5 34, AND SIX 20. THERE WILL BE NINE ROUTES WHERE WE'LL BE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY AND ALSO WE'LL DO SOME REALIGNMENT. AND THOSE ROUTES ARE ROUTE 43 64, ROUTE 9306 0 3, 6 0 9, 6 11, 6 12, AND SIX 19. WE'LL HAVE TWO ROUTES WHERE THE SPAN OF SERVICE WILL BE EXPANDED AND WE'LL DO SOME REALIGNMENT. AND THOSE ROUTES ARE ROUTE 44 AND ROUTE 96. WE'LL HAVE ONE ROUTE WITH SPAN OF SERVICE EXPANSION, WHICH IS ROUTE 97. WE REALIGN TWO ROUTES, WHICH ARE ROUTE 5 0 1 AND ROUTE 6 48. WE'LL REPLACE SERVICE ON SIX ROUTE WITH OTHER ROUTES. AND THOSE ROUTES ARE ROUTE 25 EXTENSION, ROUTE 2 0 9, ROUTE 2 43, ROUTE 2 96, ROUTE SIX 14, AND ROUTE SIX 17. GOING OVER THE FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENTS ON SEVEN ROUTES ON ROUTE FIVE WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS. ROUTE 17 I 35 EXPRESS WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 15 MINUTES DURING AM AND PM PEAK ON WEEKDAYS. ROUTE 22 HAZE WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 40 MINUTE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO 30 MINUTE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ROUTE 1 0 2 PRIMO MILITARY WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS BETWEEN 10 30 IN THE EVENING AND 1230 IN THE MORNING TO 30 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS BETWEEN 10 30 IN THE EVENING AND 1230 IN THE MORNING. ROUTE 5 0 5 BASSI WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS. ROUTE 5 34 WARDBACK, WE'LL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 30 MINUTES ON SATURDAY AND 60 MINUTES ON SUNDAYS TO 20 MINUTES ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. EXISTING SERVICE FOR 5 34 ENDS AT 10 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING. WE ARE EXTENDING THAT SERVICE TO 1230 IN THE MORNING. 60 MINUTE FREQUENCY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. ROUTE SIX 20 NORTHWEST VISTA INGRAM, WE ARE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO 30 MINUTE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. GOING OVER THE FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENT AND REALIGNMENT CHANGES, THERE ARE NINE ROUTES THAT WILL BE IMPROVED. SO ROUTE 43, WE ARE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY FROM 40 MINUTES, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK TO 30 MINUTES, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THE LAST TRIP ON ROUTE 43 NS AT NINE 40 IN THE EVENING. WE ARE EXTENDING THAT SERVICE TO 1230 IN THE MORNING, ROUTE 64, US 90 EXPRESS SERVICE. WE ARE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTES ON WEEKDAYS. ROUTE 93, THE ROADRUNNER EXPRESS. WE ARE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY FROM 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 15 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS. ROUTE HUNDRED PRIMO FREDERICKSBURG, WE ARE IMPROVING THE FREQUENCY FROM 50 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 12 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS, 60 MINUTE LATE NIGHT WEEKDAY SERVICE WILL BE IMPROVED TO 30 MINUTE LATE NIGHT WEEKDAY SERVICE. ROUTE 6 0 3 MEDICAL CENTER, UTSA WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS, ROUTE 6 0 9 MEDICAL CENTER, UTSA WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKENDS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKENDS. ROUTE SIX 11 VALLEY HIGH KLAC HIDDEN GROVE WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS. [01:15:01] ROUTE SIX 12 KLAC WEST LACK INGRAM WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS ROUTE SIX 19 KLAC WILL IMPROVE THE FREQUENCY FROM 60 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS TO 30 MINUTE ON WEEKDAYS. SO GOING OVER THE PUBLIC OUTREACH AND THE COMMENT, UH, RECAP, UH, WE HAD TWO PUBLIC HEARING ON OCTOBER 21ST AT LACKLAND BAPTIST CHURCH AND OCTOBER 23RD AT VIA METRO CENTER. THERE WERE 11 ATTENDEES AT THIS TWO PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAD 18 VIA TRANSIT CENTER POPUP MEETINGS AT NINE TRANSIT CENTER. BETWEEN OCTOBER EIGHT TO OCTOBER 22ND, STAFF ENGAGED WITH VIA RIDERS TO INFORM THEM OF THE CHANGES AND SOLICIT FEEDBACK. THERE WERE 63 PUBLIC COMMENTS RECEIVED THROUGH IN-PERSON MEETING POPUP AT THE TRANSIT CENTER. AND THROUGH ONLINE, THE COMMENTS ARE DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN AND IT RELATES TO ALIGNMENT CHANGES, FREQUENCY CHANGES, AND MORE FREQUENCY ON ROUTES AT FUTURE SERVICE CHANGES. NOW I TRY REQUEST MARY TO PRESENT THE CONSUMER OUTREACH PROGRAM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MY NAME IS MARY WIRTH. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON CONSUMER OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR THE JANUARY SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS. THIS IS NOT JUST MARKETING AND COMMS, THIS ALSO INVOLVES OUR GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND PRISCILLA'S AREA CUSTOMER CARE AND SERVICE. SO THIS IS A CONCENTRATED EFFORT OR COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT. UM, STARTING WITH THE, UH, PUBLIC INPUT PHASE, WE HAD LEGAL NOTICES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. WE HAD WEBSITE AND E-BLAST INFORMATION. WE HAD THE ON BUSS DIGITAL SCREENS, PRINTED RACK CARDS, BROCHURES WITH QR CODES TO TO SEND THEM BACK TO THE WEBSITE TO, UH, RECEIVE COMMENTS. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS WERE CREATED PER ROUTE ON THE WEBSITE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH THAT WALKED PEOPLE THROUGH THOSE CHANGES. WE HAD PAID GEO-TARGETED SOCIAL ADS, OUTREACH BY GOV TO GOVERNMENT, CORPORATE AND NEIGHBORHOODS STAKEHOLDERS. UH, TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS AS SANDEEP, UH, JUST MENTIONED AND NON INFORMATIONAL POPUP. AND THAT WAS INCREDIBLE EFFORT BY THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAMS. THE NEXT PERIOD OR THE PHASE THAT WOULD BE MOVING INTO NOW, UM, AND WOULD CONTINUE THE ABOVE MENTIONED COME WITH THE COMING SOON MESSAGE. SO EVERYTHING I JUST MENTIONED WILL CONTINUE, BUT NOW CHANGE TO COMING SOON FOR JANUARY, WE WOULD HAVE AT BUS STOP NOTICES AS WELL POST-OP POSTERS. AND WE'RE SCHEDULED TO HAVE A TELE-TOWN NOVEMBER 17TH ON THESE JANUARY SERVICE CHANGES. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO OUTREACH TO EMPLOYER SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS. UH, ONCE WE HAVE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY, AGAIN, ALL THE SAME EFFORTS, UH, CUSTOMER CARE TEAMS WILL BE ON THE ROUTES AND IN KEY CENTERS TO HELP OUR CONSUMERS. AND THE CALL CENTER WILL HAVE THEIR, UM, SCRIPT READY FOR PHONE READINESS, UH, AT THIS SOMETHING DIFFERENT WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS YEAR AT BUS STOP SIGNS. WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM UP EARLIER. SO WHAT WE HEARD IS PEOPLE WANT MORE INFORMATION SOONER. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, GETTING THEM UP FRIDAY BEFORE THE MONDAY LAUNCH. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. TRUSTEES. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. UH, WHAT'S WHAT'S THE, THE QUESTION SANDEEP, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU, , WHERE WILL WE BE ON OUR PLAN, UM, ONCE THESE SERVICE CHANGES ARE ENACTED? AND THEN I HAVE JOHN, UH, A QUESTION FOR JOHN GARY AS WELL. SO WITH THE JANUARY SERVICE CHANGE, WE'LL BE DONE WITH 42% OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN. 42%. ALL RIGHT. IT'S ON ITS WAY TO A HUNDRED PERCENT NEXT YEAR, BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? ? UH, THE ANSWER IS YES. THE ANSWER. YEAH. UH, JOHN, GARY, I KNOW WE JUST, UH, TALKED ABOUT MEETING OUR GOAL EARLY FOR OPERATORS IN OCTOBER. WE STILL HAVE THREE MONTHS, UM, WITHIN THIS YEAR, DO WE HAVE ANY ANTICIPATED CHANGES THAT WE CAN ROLL INTO THIS JANUARY SERVICE CHANGE THAT WILL INCREASE THAT 44% TO A LITTLE BIT MORE? THE, THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT MADAM CHAIR IS ABSOLUTELY YES. UM, BECAUSE WE WERE BASING THIS JANUARY SERVICE CHANGES ON NUMBERS THAT WE HAD ABOUT 30 DAYS AGO FOR THE OPERATORS AND HAVING, UM, THAT CAPACITY OF OPERATOR CAPABILITY, UH, SINCE THEN, OF COURSE AS WE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, UH, WE HAVE SURPASSED THAT AND NOW WE HAVE ADDITIONAL [01:20:01] CAPACITY. SO WE ARE GONNA BE LOOKING AT ADDING ADDITIONAL, UH, CAPACITY TO THE JANUARY SERVICE CHANGE AND TO SEE HOW QUICKLY WE COULD DO SO. SANDA, OF COURSE, IS LOOKING AT ME WITH, WITH GLEE IN HIS EYES. I COULD TELL, AND I KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK, MADAM CHAIR, BUT WE FIND THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN PUT THOSE RESOURCES TO WORK SOONER, UH, AND TO GET THAT DONE IN JANUARY. SO WE'LL COME BACK AND, AND GIVE YOU AN ANALYSIS OF THAT. GREAT. UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT. I, I KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA RUSH TO JUST TO MEET, YOU KNOW, NUMBERS. UH, WE WANT TO FOR SURE LOOK AT OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCY, LOOK AT RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PUSH, UM, AND OUR TASK FORCE THAT YOU'VE BEEN MANAGING, JOHN, GARY, WITH THE TEAM, UM, THERE ARE AREAS FOR OPPORTUNITY AND, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL LOOKING, SEND DEEP DEEPLY INTO YOUR BINDER OF, OF, UH, KNOWLEDGE OF WHERE WE CAN EXPAND THOSE CHANGES. SO, THANK YOU. UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? TRUSTEES? WE'RE GOOD. UH, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM. IT IS AN ACTION ITEM. ALL RIGHT. SO MAY I HAVE MOTION, UH, AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM, PLEASE? SO WE HAVE MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. NEXT AGENDA ITEM. I LOST MY, WE'RE GONNA GO INTO AGENDA [7. VIA Hall of Honor] ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. UM, AND BEFORE WE DO THIS, UM, I KNOW WE VOTED ON THIS LAST TIME, UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT AGAIN. WE LOST OUR QUORUM. CORRECT. UH, AND SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO VIAS CALL OF HONOR. UM, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. UH, AND BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO BE PRESENT, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS. AND TRUSTEE COOPER, THANK YOU FOR STANDING IN AND, AND SHARING, UH, A FEW THOUGHTS. UM, BUT I KNOW, UH, MELANIE MENTIONED, UH, ROCKY EARLIER IN YOUR COMMENTS. UM, I KNOW, UH, FAMILY IS EVERYTHING TO US. UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TO THE VIA FAMILY, THIS IS A GENTLEMAN THAT HAS PUT SERVICE OF EVERYTHING AS WELL. AND SO, UM, THIS IS FITTING, UH, AND, AND I, I KNOW OUR, OUR BOARD HERE, UM, ACKNOWLEDGES THE SERVICE THAT HE PROVIDED TO THE AGENCY AND TO THE COMMUNITY. UM, I WANNA SHARE THAT WITH YOU. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT. DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OR ARE WE GOOD VOTING ON INSTANCE? WE DID PROVIDE A PRESENTATION LAST TIME. WE ARE GOOD TO VOTE ON IT. ARE WE GOOD? UNLESS ANYBODY ELSE WANTS, UM, PRESENTATION. YEAH, PLEASE, MELANIE. I AM VERY EMOTIONAL , AS I ALREADY STATED. UM, BUT I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT AND THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING ME THIS MOMENT. BECAUSE WHEN Y'ALL RECEIVE THESE APPLICATIONS, YOU RECEIVE BLACK AND WHITE, YOU RECEIVE WORDS. AND NOW THAT I, AND WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE IN HERE WITH THE JD, YOU KNOW THAT WORDS MATTER, BUT BEHIND WORDS ARE ALSO EMOTIONS. AND SO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY TEACH US IN LAW SCHOOL, IS PRETTY QUICKLY THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COMMUNICATION, YOU ARE, YOU HAVE THEIR LIVES THERE IN THAT PAPER. AND SO WRITING ABOUT MY GRANDFATHER WAS DIFFICULT BECAUSE HOW CAN YOU PUT THAT INTO WORDS? AND SO HERE I GO. UM, I WAS, WE'VE HAD TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE A, A WALL OF HONOR. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT I HAVE DECLINED BOTH OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I FELT THAT THIS TIME WAS RIGHT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I JUST FELT COMPELLED TO, AND THINGS WERE JUST ALIGNING. SO I'M GONNA START OFF WITH A QUOTE FROM PROBABLY MY FAVORITE MUSICAL. AND SOMETHING THAT MY GRANDFATHER AND I SHARED A LOT IN WAS HISTORY. SO LEGACY. WHAT IS LEGACY? IT'S PLANTING SEEDS IN A GARDEN YOU NEVER GET TO SEE. THOSE ARE FROM THE MUSICAL. HAMILTON, THE WORLD WAS WIDE ENOUGH SPOKE, AND THOSE WERE ACTUAL WORDS THAT ARE FROM THE MUSICAL. AND MY GRANDFATHER AND I LOVED LISTENING TO IT. WHEN IT CAME OUT ON DISNEY, I SHOWED IT TO HIM IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE WITHOUT HIM, SO MANY OF US ON THE WEST SIDE WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HISTORY. YOU SEE, MY GRANDFATHER WAS ROOTED IN EDUCATION. EDUCATION WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE YOUR ACCESS OUT ACCESS TO THE WORLD. [01:25:01] FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER HAVING A PHYSICAL SET OF AN ENCYCLOPEDIA, NOT JUST ONE, BUT HAVING THE ENTIRE SET MEANT, NUMBER ONE, YOU HAD MONEY. THAT'S LIKE NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE THOSE SUCKERS WERE EXPENSIVE. BUT NUMBER TWO, YOU SHARED THAT KNOWLEDGE WITH THE WORLD AND WITH YOU OPENED YOUR DOORS UP. AND THAT'S WHAT MY GRANDFATHER DID. HE OPENED UP HIS HOUSE ON BEACH HAVEN FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO COME HAVE ACCESS TO THIS VOLUME OF KNOWLEDGE. I REMEMBER SITTING AS A CHILD WITH HIM, HE WOULDN'T LET ME GET UP AND PLAY UNTIL I READ AT LEAST 20 PAGES EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND I WOULD WRITE A REPORT. AND LITTLE DID I KNOW THE SKILL THAT HE WAS EMBEDDING IN ME, HE WOULD BRING ME TO VIA BOARD MEETINGS. HE SAT ON THE VERY FIRST BOARD. AND FOR THAT, I JUST REMEMBER SUCH JOY OUT OF RUNNING AROUND WATCHING GRANDPA ARGUE. 'CAUSE FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT REMEMBER, HE HAD A BOISTEROUS ATTITUDE. UM, I, I THINK THROUGH GENERATIONS, I'VE SOFTENED IT A LITTLE, BUT THE FIRE'S STILL THERE. TRUST ME, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. MY GRANDFATHER AT 11 YEARS OLD WAS DIAGNOSED WITH POLIO. HE WAS THE VERY FIRST CASE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. HE LIVED HIS LIFE IN AN IRON LUNG FOR QUITE SOME TIME. PRIOR TO THAT, THOUGH, HE HAD A FULL LIFE. HE WAS A BOY SCOUT, VERY PROUD OF HIS WORK. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, HE NEVER GOT TO, HE WAS HANDICAPPED THE REST OF HIS LIFE. AND SO HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO FULLY ACHIEVE THE EAGLE SCOUT DREAM THAT SO MANY BOY SCOUTS DREAM OF. BUT HE DIDN'T LET THAT DETER HIM. HE STARTED THE HANDICAP BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA. WHEN MY FATHER WAS BORN, HE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AN EAGLE SCOUT. HE WAS SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT. MY GRANDFATHER, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, WAS RAISED AS BY A SINGLE MOM ON THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. HE GRADUATED FROM THEN SAN ANTONIO HIGH SCHOOL AND TURNED TO FOX TECH, WHICH MANY OF US KNOW, AND PRODUCED A FEW GRADUATES HIMSELF WITH, UH, WITH HIS CHILDREN. SORRY GUYS. BUT ONE THING ALWAYS REMAINED, MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS REMAINED ROOTED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE. ALL OF MY COUSINS, MY AUNTS AND UNCLES, WILL ALWAYS SAY, OH, ROCKY'S OFF TO A MEETING. AND THAT WAS TRUE. BUT THERE WAS A SECRET. I WAS HIS LITTLE COMPANION TO EVERY SINGLE BOARD MEETING, JUST ME OUT OF ALL THE OTHER GRANDCHILDREN. SO I TOOK THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. THAT WAS MY, MY GROWING SEASON, TO LEARN WHAT TRUE COMMUNITY SERVICE MEANT. HIS TIME SPENT WITH GOOD SAMARITAN, WITH ROTARY, WITH VIA AND NUMEROUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT HE SPENT TIME WITH, THOSE WERE ALL PLANTING SEEDS FOR MYSELF. THANK YOU. I AM ALMOST DONE. I PROMISE. GOING BACK TO THAT EDUCATION THOUGH, AND, AND TRANSPORTATION. MY GRANDFATHER WAS THE VERY FIRST LATINO SURVEYOR HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. VERY FIRST. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT REPRESENTATION MATTERS. SO IMAGINE THE COUNTLESS BOYS, AND HE KNOW BOYS AND GIRLS THAT STARTED TO WONDER WHAT IS SERVING SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS THROUGH. BECAUSE HE WOULD TALK ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND HE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AT LEAST A KEY. WHEN HE BECAME A PROFESSOR AT SAC, MY GRANDFATHER KNEW THAT CULTURAL IDENTITY WAS EVER CHANGING, LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO'S ENTIRE LIFE. HE WAS ABLE TO SEE AN USHER IN WHEN HEMISPHERE 68 CAME. HE WAS THE SURVEYOR BEHIND THAT. TASKING MY FATHER AT THE AGE OF SIX TO GO SURVEYING OUT THERE. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DID WHEN YOU HAD A FAMILY BUSINESS, YOU SERVE. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, AND BECAUSE OF MY GRANDFATHER'S WORK, WE'VE HAD THREE GENERATIONS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS. SOMETHING THAT I DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY, LIKE JUST, OR SORRY, LIKE CHAIR CABIA SAID, WE ALL SPEND OUR HOURS HERE. BUT I DON'T SEE IT AS SPENDING IT. I TRULY SEE IT AS GROWING HERE AND LEARNING EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT EVERY QUADRANT. Y'ALL HEARD THAT MY FATHER WAS A, AN OPERATOR FOR OUR ORGANIZATION. AGAIN, I GOT TO SEE ALL OF SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE I ENJOYED SO MUCH JUMPING ON THE BUS. AND I, I WANT THAT TO BE KNOWN THAT OUR TIME HERE, WE ARE CONNECTORS. WE ARE JUST CONNECTING EVERY SINGLE PORTION OF THE CITY THAT IS EVER WIDE SPREADING. IF MY GRANDFATHER COULD STILL BE HERE AND SEE THE WORK THAT THE GREEN AND SILVER LINE ARE DOING, HE WOULD BE SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE ALL DOING. HE REALLY TRULY KNOWS THE IMPACT OF WHAT GOOD TRANSPORTATION DID. [01:30:01] BECAUSE LIKE ME, IT BROUGHT HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND SEE THE WORLD THAT UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE HE WAS HANDICAPPED, HE WAS KEPT FROM FOR SO LONG. BUT VIA PROVIDED THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO I DO WANNA THANK YOU ALL. THIS IS, I DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY, AND I'VE BEEN A MESS ALL WEEK LONG KNOWING THAT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO DO THIS. BUT I JUST WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE HE WAS NOT ONE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING. HE WAS ALWAYS JUST ASKED TO SERVE, AND HE ALWAYS DID. SO WITHOUT EVEN HESITATION, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S BAD BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO BEEN VICTIM TO SAYING YES TOO MANY TIMES. BUT FOR HIM, THAT'S JUST ALL WE KNOW. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK Y'ALL SO, SO MUCH. MY FATHER'S HERE AND MY HUSBAND. NEXT MONTH, MY, OR IN DECEMBER, WHEN WE DO CELEBRATE, THE WHOLE FAMILY DAY IS GONNA BE HERE. SO WATCH OUT AND I'LL STILL BE CRYING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE TULL. BEAUTIFULLY SAID. AND, UH, BECAUSE OF YOUR GRANDFATHER'S SERVICE AND YOUR FATHER'S SERVICE, UM, YOU ARE HERE TODAY. SO APPRECIATE YOUR KIND OF WORDS. AND I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE OUR OTHER TRUSTEE, OUR OTHER HONOREE, UM, JEFF, UH, OUR, AND WITHOUT JEFF'S LEADERSHIP, UH, OF THIS AGENCY, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION, THE WORK THAT HE WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE, UH, WITH THE TEAM HERE. SO I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS WELL. AND SO WITH THAT, UH, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE. SO MOVE SECOND. IN A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. UH, LEGAL BRIEFING. MS. ELDER. NO MA'AM, WE DO NOT HAVE, YOU'RE DISAPPOINTING US. I'M SO SORRY. I'M SO SORRY. SORRY. DON'T GET HER . DON'T GET ANYTHING. DON'T GET HER. OKAY. AND THEN, UH, OUR FAVORITE ITEM, TRUSTEES. UH, I KNOW , HE DIDN'T EVEN, LEMME SLOW ROLL IT. HE DIDN'T LET ME SLOW ROLL IT HERE. . AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE. I ALREADY HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. UH, SECOND. A SECOND. ALL A MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD EVENING. AND DON'T FORGET TO GO VOTE YES. YES, PLEASE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.