* 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. [00:00:02] GOOD EVENING [ATD 1. Call to Order] EVERYONE. IT IS NOW 5:04 PM 5:05 PM AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET THE MEETING STARTED. I AM BOARD CHAIR LAURA CABELLA. UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MARCH 26TH, 2026 A TD BOARD MEETING TOGETHER. WE'RE GONNA BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL VICE CHAIR GOMEZ. SECRETARY MALONE. PRESENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY COOPER. PRESENT. TRUSTEE FLORES PRESENT. TRUSTEE TU WILL, TRUSTEE REYNA. TRUSTEE DELEON. PRESENT. TRUSTEE HOWARD PRESENT. TRUSTEE FERNANDEZ PRESENT AND TRUSTEE RETE PRESENT. VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A QUORUM. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE OUR MOMENT OF [ATD 2. Moment of Reflection, Pledge of Allegiance, Announcements] REFLECTION. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALL ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO RECALL ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND OF LIBERTY TO FOR ALL LAW, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO BE BE TEXAS STATE ONE AND INDIVIDUAL. GOOD. ALL RIGHT, MR. , DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? UH, NOT FOR THE A TD BOARD MEETING. OKAY. VERY GOOD. UH, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. NOT FOR THE A TD BOARD MEETING. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU TRUSTEES. WE'RE [ATD 4. Consent Agenda] AT THE CONSENT AGENDA. UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED? SO MOVED. SECOND MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NAY. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. UH, MS. ALDER, ANY UH, LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, MA'AM. WE DO NOT HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU TRUSTEES. WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF OUR MEETING, MA'AM, A MOTION AND SECOND TO ADJOURN THE MEETING PLEASE. MOTION. MOTION. AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THE A TD MEETING IS ADJOURNED. UH, WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO [1. Call to Order] OUR VIA BOARD MEETING. ALL RIGHT. IT IS NOW 5:07 PM AND I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER, UH, THE MARCH, 2026 VIA BOARD MEETING. UH, ITEM TWO WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED AND [3. Citizens to be Heard] WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, CITIZENS TO BE HEARD. WE HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP TO BE HEARD. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. 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 THE SAN ANTONIO BEXAR 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'LL 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. I, OUR FIRST CITIZEN TO BE HEARD IS MR. HERSCHEL BOYD. OH, OKAY. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? OKAY. DIDN'T BRING MY STRONG OFF GLASSES. OKAY. HELLO, MY NAME IS HERSCHEL BOYD. I'M HERE TODAY FOR THREE REASONS. I'M THE ONE WHOSE PROPERTY AT 1 0 7 MARY LOUISE IS BEING TAKEN BY VIA AGAINST MY WILL. UM, I'M ABOUT TO NEGOTIATE WITH VIA FOR A FAIR PRICE FOR THE THIS PROPERTY THAT I DON'T WANNA SELL. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT MEETING, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE AT EVERY MEETING VIA AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AS YOUR GHOST OF IMMINENT DOMAIN PAST. UM, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IT'S WRONG AND IT WAS HOW IT WAS DONE. WHAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME OF YOU'S PRACTICES IN MAKING IT HAPPEN. BUT THE LAW ITSELF IS WRONG AND I NOW THINK I HAVE TO BE A POLITICIAN TO, TO CHANGE IT. UM, BUT REAL ESTATE DECISIONS MADE BY A GOVERNMENT INDUSTRY ENTITY SHOULD NOT BE DONE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. I UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS. JUST AS I UNDERSTAND WHY VA A WOULD WANT THIS VERY UNIQUE LOT AND BUILDING, IF YOU'RE EVEN THINKING ABOUT KNOCKING DOWN THIS 130 YEAR OLD, UM, HISTORICAL BUILDING, WHICH I THOUGHT IT STOPPED VIA THE FIRST TIME WHEN THEY TRIED TO TAKE IT FROM MY DAD. UM, IT'S FUNNY THAT THE TEXAS OR THE BEXAR COUNTY RECORDS OR TAX RECORDS NOW SHOW A 1960 BILL DATE FOR THE PROPERTY THAT TURNED 100 YEARS [00:05:01] OLD IN 1996. BUT IT'S, OH, IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE TAKING OF THE PROPERTY AS IT IS THE TAKING OF MY PAST AND MY FUTURE. OH, AND , THAT'S WHY, UH, PLANS LIKE THIS SHOULDN'T BE BY SAN ANTONIO. AND VIA MAKES PLANS THAT SAN ANTONIO VIA MAKES FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY IS DONE WITH LACK OF TRANSPARENCY. THAT IS WHY THAT SHOULDN'T BE DONE THAT WAY. THEN, UH, EVERYONE WHO, OR THAT'S WHY IT IS DONE THAT WAY, , THEN EVERYONE WHO YOU TARGET IS ALL ALONE AGAINST THE POWER THAT HAS YEARS OF PLANNING. AND WHILE YOU WERE MAKING A YEAR, UH, PLANNING TO TAKE MY PROPERTY FOR YOUR OWN PROFIT UNDER THE GUISE OF PUBLIC GOOD, PROBABLY I HAD PLANS THAT DIDN'T ALLOW ME TO TIME TO COMPLAIN ABOUT VIAS LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY ON THE LITTER AT THE MARY LOUISE BUS STOP. OH, INSTEAD, I SPENT YEARS TAKING CARE OF VIAS OBLIGATION ONLY, AND ONLY RECENTLY DECIDED TO ABANDON MY PLANS TO REOPEN CMF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A HUNDRED YEARS OLD THIS YEAR, UH, SO THAT I COULD GO BACK TO WORK AS A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN USING THE EXTRA INCOME FROM THESE THREE UNITS TO SUPPLEMENT THAT UNFORTUNATELY, LOW INCOME THAT EDUCATORS GET. I WAS GONNA USE THESE PROPHETS TO PICK UP, PICK UP THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING. AND, UH, I JUST WANT YOU TO IMAGINE WORKING SOMEWHERE TO CREATE A LEGACY FOR YOUR FAMILY COMING HOME TO A DE UM, DARK EMPTY HOUSE BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY IS ALL ASLEEP, SOMETIMES MAKING IT HOME EARLY ENOUGH TO PLAY CATCH WITH YOUR KID IN THE DARK BECAUSE YOU WERE WORKING OVER THERE TO PREPARE THIS FUTURE FOR YOUR FAMILY. AND THEN YOU GET A LETTER FROM A CORPORATION WITH GOVERNMENT POWER THAT SAYS IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR PROFITS AWAY. SO I'LL BE HERE AND I HOPE TO BE A GOOD INFLUENCE FOR YOU TO THINK ABOUT LOOKING AT WHAT FUTURES YOU'RE AFFECTING AND WHAT PAST YOU'RE STEALING BEFORE YOU PLAN YOUR PLANS BECOME TOO, TOO IMPORTANT THAT YOU CAN'T ABANDON THEM. UM, OH, IS THAT IT? OKAY. UH, WHAT I DIDN'T GET TO SAY LAST TIME WAS, WELL, I GUESS I'LL SAVE IT FOR THE NEXT MEETING. . THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, MS. WILLIE MAY CLAY, I THANK YOU, SIR. GOOD EVENING. BOARD MEMBERS, ATTENDEES OF THE MEETING TODAY. MY NAME IS WILLIE MC CLAY. I AM A USER OF, UH, VIA TRANCE AS WELL AS THE MAINLINE BUS. I'M HERE TO, TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, A RECENT DEVELOPMENT AS A RESULT OF THE, THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT THAT'S GOING ON NOW. THAT CONFLICT STARTED THE 28TH OF FEBRUARY, AND THAT CONFLICT HAS AFFECTED THE ARRANGEMENT THAT WAS MADE LAST SPRING BETWEEN VIA AND THE LOCAL MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. AS A RESULT OF THAT CONFLICT, THE ARRANGEMENT THAT WAS MADE UNDER THE PROVISION OF THE TRUSTED COMPANION SITUATION THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ESTABLISHED, MEANING SOMEONE WITH A MILITARY ID WILL BE ALLOWED TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A MILITARY ID INTO THE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AS A RESULT OF THE CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THAT ARRANGEMENT HAS BEEN LIFTED. AND SO VIA HAS TO BE MINDFUL NOW THAT WHENEVER THE VANS ARE ROUTED TO GO INTO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AND THE VANS ARE STILL ALLOWED IN, BUT VIA HAS TO BE MINDFUL. WHEN, WHEN THE VANS ARE ROUTED, NOT TO PUT ANYONE ON THAT VAN GO INTO A MILITARY INSTALLATION, THE INDIVIDUAL WHO DOES NOT HAVE A MILITARY ID SHOULD NOT BE PLACED ON THOSE VANS. IF THE PERSON IS PLACED ON THOSE VANS AND DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO A MILITARY INSTALLATION, THEN THOSE VANS WILL BE TURNED AROUND AND PERSONS WILL NOT. WHO, WHO NEED [00:10:01] TO GO INTO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, WHO HAS A MILITARY ID CARD WILL BE THE VAN WILL BE TURNED AROUND AND PERSONS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED, PERSONS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THOSE MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. SO THIS IS AN EASY FIX. DON'T PUT ANYBODY ON THOSE BANDS WHO DO NOT HAVE MILITARY ID AND THOSE BANDS ARE GOING INTO MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. NOW, I THINK THIS IS TEMPORARY. THIS IS NOT PERMANENT. IT'S ONLY WHILE THE THE CONFLICT IS GOING ON. OKAY? SO I'VE CALLED THE COMPLAINT LINE OR COMMENT LINE, AND I STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT PUTTING ANYBODY ON THOSE VANS. WHEN THOSE VANS ARE GOING INTO A MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE MILITARY ID CARTS. THAT'S WHAT I'VE STRESSED NOW, WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA LISTEN TO ME 'CAUSE IT'S A SHARE RIDE SYSTEM, I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMMENTS. APPRECIATE IT. OKAY, THANK YOU. OUR LAST SPEAKER FOR THIS EVENING IS MR. DAVID FROST. GOOD AFTERNOON. I SUPPORT YOUR RECENT DECISION TO, UH, REJECT THE PROPOSAL FOR A FULLY FREE FARE VIA SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO THE LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS WITH ED, VIA ALREADY HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST FAIR STRUCTURES IN THE COUNTRY. UH, YOU HAVE DISCOUNTS FOR SEVERAL GROUPS AND UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS CAN RIDE FOR FREE. FOR THE MOST PART, I BELIEVE THAT PROPOSAL WAS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM. I SAY FOR THE MOST PART, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OTHER GROUPS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM A FURTHER REDUCTION OR MAYBE EVEN A FREE FARE PROGRAM, THOSE BEING LOW INCOME, UH, EMPLOYEES, MINIMUM WAGE, WAGE EARNERS, AND POVERTY LEVEL INDIVIDUALS WHO REQUIRE FREQUENT MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION. UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS OF DOING THIS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE VIA LOOK INTO SOME POSSIBILITIES. ONE OF WHICH IS TO HAVE A CONSORTIUM OF VIA, UH, THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BAYER COUNTY, THE MEDICAL FOUNDATION, UH, THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, UH, SAN ANTONIO AREA FOUNDATION, UH, UNITED WAY JOINTLY CONTRIBUTES TO THE LOSS OF AFFAIRS AND, UH, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND EMPLOYERS COULD, UH, PURCHASE OR DISTRIBUTE TICKETS OR PASSES TO BE GIVEN TO THEIR EMPLOYEES OR THEIR PATIENTS AND REDEEMED AT VIA, UH, FOR THE FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE CONSORTIUM OF FOLKS. I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. AND THIS PARTICULAR PRO, UH, PROPOSAL MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRACTICAL, BUT I URGE VIA AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME WAY THAT THIS COULD BE DONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO OTHER SPEAKERS TO BE HEARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO SIGNED UP. UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO [4. Consent Agenda] THE CONSENT AGENDA, UH, WHICH IS AN ACTION ITEM. TRUSTEES, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ITEMS REGARDING THIS AGENDA ITEM, IF NOT, MAY A MOTION AND SECOND, TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE MOTION. SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED. THANK YOU. UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE [5. Proposed May 2026 Service Changes] IS THE PROPOSED MAY, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES. MR. SIN WILL PRESENT. I THINK THAT'S VERY, EXCUSE ME, UH, MADAM CHAIR. SO SANDEEP IS OUT OF THE OFFICE TODAY, SO WE HAVE, UH, JESSICA SIENTES WITH HIS TEAM WHO'S GONNA PRESENT FOR IT. THANK YOU, ROD. GOOD EVENING, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME IS JESSICA SIFUENTES. UH, I AM THE MANAGER OF SERVICE PLANNING. AND WITH ME, I HAVE TERRY VINNO. I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS. [00:15:01] AND THE PRESENTATION, I BELIEVE IS THIS ONE. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE PROPOSED MAY, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES, UH, FOR INFORMATION, DISCUSSION, AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FIXED ROUTE IMPROVEMENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED ON MAY 4TH. SO WHERE ARE WE DOING THESE CHANGES? UH, THROUGH A BETTER BUS PLAN. OUR FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO CREATE A SYSTEM THAT IS FREQUENT, DIRECT, CONVENIENT, AND SIMPLE FOR A BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE. ALIGNED WITH VIAS PILLARS, UH, WE ARE INCREASING THESE FREQUENCIES AND MAKING ALIGNMENT IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR MOST COST EFF EFFICIENT FORM OF TRANSIT, WHICH WILL PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO GROCERS, PHARMACIES, AND JOBS IN THE COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, BY INCREASING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE IN OUR AREA, IN OUR NETWORK, WE ARE ALSO INCREASING THE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OUR AND GROW OUR WORKFORCE. THESE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS ARE A PIECE OF THE OVERALL BETTER BUS PLAN, FIXED ROUTE NETWORK IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. UM, WITH THE ACCELERATION OF THE, OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BETTER BUS PLAN. IN FISCAL YEAR 25, WE IMPLEMENTED 24% OF THE PLAN. IN JANUARY, WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL 20%, AND WE ARE HERE TODAY TO PROPOSE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL 21%, UH, WHICH WOULD BRING THE TOTAL TO 65%. THE MAP ON THE SCREEN DEPICTS THE 19 ROUTES THAT WOULD BE IMPACTED IN MAY 4TH. UM, EVERY QUADRANT, AS YOU CAN TELL, OF OUR NETWORK IS IMPACTED BY SOME TYPE OF IMPROVEMENT, AND SO WE ARE INTRODUCING OUR PROPOSING TO INTRODUCE TWO NEW ROUTES, REALIGNING FOUR, I'M SORRY, 11 ROUTES, UM, INCREASING THE FREQUENCY ON ALSO ANOTHER 11 ROUTES AND INCREASING THE SPAN OF SERVICE OF SIX ROUTES. AND WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING TO RETIRE FOUR, THREE LATE NIGHT SERVICE ROUTES. NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT PROPOSING SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS. UM, SO THEREFORE WE AS THIS PULSE CHECK, UH, DECIDED TO MEET WITH OUR TENURED BUS OPERATORS TO DISCUSS THEM AND TO GATHER SOME INSIGHT FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK SUPPORTED THE CHANGES, FOR EXAMPLE, REALIGNING THE SIX 15, WHICH WOULD GET CHILDREN CLOSER TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL. UM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, FINDING OUT ABOUT MOVING SERVICE TO A MORE SUITABLE LOCATION ON US 2 81. UM, INSTEAD OF TRAVELING IN FRONT OF A ENTRANCE OF A WALMART, UH, WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE SUITABLE. AND SO THEY AGREED TO THAT. THEY ALSO PROVIDED US WITH SOME ALIGNMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR OUR CONSIDERATIONS, SUCH AS ON THE 5 0 3 AND THE ROUTE 46. AND, UH, WE ALSO TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFORM THEM OF ITEMS THAT WE ARE ESSENTIALLY CONSIDERING IN THE, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING, UM, AS PART OF THE SERVICE , UH, THAT ARE, THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING AS PART OF THE, UM, SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION, WHICH IS IDENTIFYING COMFORT STOPS FOR OUR OPERATORS. SO ENSURING THAT THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE FACILITIES AT THE LOCATIONS THAT, UH, WE ARE DECIDING TO TERMINATE, UH, FIXED ROUTES. SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO TERRY. GREAT. SO THE COMMENT PERIOD IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PORTION. IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT OUR, UM, OUTREACH PLAN, OUR MAY SERVICE CHANGES IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY, AND GIVE THEM, UH, THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US FEEDBACK. AS JESSICA MENTIONED, UM, PART OF THAT OUTREACH IS ALSO TO OUR FRONTLINE BUS OPERATORS, AND, AND SHE SHARED WITH YOU SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY GAVE TO US. THIS IS, UM, A CULMINATION OF THIS SLIDE. WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU WHAT WE DID TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO SHARE THE PLAN. SO, UM, AS A SUMMARY, WE HELD 20 POPUP EVENTS AT OUR 10 TRANSIT CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE BEXAR COUNTY AREA. AND AT THOSE POP-UP EVENTS AT OUR TRANSIT CENTERS, WE ENGAGED WITH NEARLY A LITTLE OVER 2,700 DIRECT CUSTOMERS. SO THESE ARE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE EXISTING CUSTOMERS THAT ARE, ARE AT, ARE AT OUR TRANSIT CENTERS. AND WE COMMUNICATED WITH THEM WHAT OUR, UM, WHAT OUR, UH, SERVICE CHANGES WERE GONNA BE. AND SO WHAT THE TEAM THEN DID WAS TAKE THEIR CUSTOMER FEEDBACK, THEY IMPORT THEM, SO WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY ENGAGE WITH CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY AT OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HELD THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS. AND THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS TOOK PLACE AT THE, UM, MEXICAN AMERICAN UNITY COUNCIL, COUNCIL, STONE OAK PARK AND RIDE, AND THE VMC BOARDROOM AT THOSE THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WE HAD 25 PUBLIC HEARING ATTENDEES AT THOSE THREE HEARINGS. AND, UM, WE [00:20:01] RECEIVED THAT COM, UH, COMMUNITY, UM, FEEDBACK. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, WE ALSO RECEIVED EMAILS TO, UM, OUR GCR EMAILS AND OUR, UM, VIA INFO WEBSITE. WE HAD WRITTEN COMMENTS AND VERBAL COMMENTS. SO FOR A TOTAL OF 33 COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM THOSE, UM, FROM THOSE OUTLETS. BUT AS JESSICA MENTIONED, A SUMMARY OF THE FEEDBACK WAS, WE WANT MORE PARK AND RIDE SERVICES AT STONE OAK. UM, WE HEARD THEM, UM, TELL US THAT THERE WAS ALSO CONCERN AROUND THE ROUTE TO, UM, LOSING ACCESS TO THE DOWNTOWN, WHICH WE HEARD AND HAVE SOLVED FOR THAT. AND THEN ALSO THE ROUTE REALIGNMENT AROUND THE PALO ALTO COLLEGE, WHICH WE ALSO HEARD AND AND HAVE FOUND US ALL FOR THAT. SO I THINK THE SUMMARY HERE IS THAT THE, UM, COMMENT PERIOD IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. WE FIND A VARIETY OF WAYS TO GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY. IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE ALSO POST ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, A LINK IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH TO EVERY ROUTE CHANGE WITH AN EX EXPLANATION OF WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN TO THE ROUTE SO THAT CONSUMERS CAN CLICK ON THAT AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN. SO WE WANNA MEET OUR CUSTOMERS IN THE PUBLIC WHERE THEY'RE AT. UM, ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR? YES, MA'AM. IS THAT OKAY? TRUSTEE DELEGO? YES. THANK YOU. UM, REGARDING THE PALO ALTO, SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA SERVE NUMBER 46, BUT IT'S MOVING DOWN TO THE 5 24. SO ARE THERE GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET TO PALO ALTO AS EASILY AS THEY WERE ON 46? OR CAN YOU KIND OF TELL ME THE REASON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING? SO WITH THE ROUTE 46, WE ACTUALLY PLAN TO PROPO TO SERVE PA THE COLLEGE. UH, ONE OF THE REQUESTS FROM ONE OF THE OPERATORS WAS TO CONSIDER USING THE ROUTE 5 24 INSTEAD. AND SO BECAUSE OF SOME ANALYSIS THAT WE CONDUCTED AND THROUGH THE BETTER BUS PLAN, WE IDENTIFIED THAT THE MOST, UM, EFFICIENT AND BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE DOWNTOWN AREA AS WELL, WAS TO CONNECT THE ROUTE 46 TO THE PALO ALTO COLLEGE. OKAY, THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. AND SO, AS TERRY MENTIONED, UH, WE RECEIVED, UM, SOME FEEDBACK ON THE ROUTE TWO, AND WE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT A CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN IS CRUCIAL. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE DECIDED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, REASSESS. AND WE WENT AHEAD AND KEPT THE ROUTE TO BLANCO IN SERVICE. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS REALIGN IT AND WHAT WE HAVE SHORTENED IT, AS WELL AS TO SERVE BLANCO ROAD BETWEEN WALMART ON VISTA VIEW, AND WHICH IS JUST SOUTH OF WARS PARK PARKWAY, AND CONTINUE THAT ROUTE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AND SO THIS SERVICE WILL REMAIN, UM, IT WILL ACTUALLY ALSO BE EXPANDED INTO THE LATE NIGHT. SO THE LAST TRIP ON THE ROUTE TWO IS CURRENTLY AT 9:40 PM AND WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED IS FOR IT TO CONTINUE TO 12:30 AM SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. NOW THAT SEGMENT THAT IS NORTH OF, UH, WORSE BUCK PARKWAY IS ALSO GONNA BE COVERED BY AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE, WHICH IS A NEW ROUTE. WE ARE PROPOSING THE ROUTE 6 49. THIS ROUTE WILL ACTUALLY CONNECT TO THE NORTH STAR TRANSIT CENTER ALL THE WAY TO THE STONE OAK PARK, AND RIDE THROUGH A NEW ROUTE REALIGNMENT ON ALONG THE TRAVELS, PRIMARILY ALONG NORTH BLANCO ROAD. UM, THIS ROUTE 6 49 ALSO PROVIDES A CONNECTION TO THE WALMART THAT IS ON 1604 AND 2 81. AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED FROM THE OPERATORS WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, MOVING THE, THE SERVICE FROM THE WALMART, INSTEAD OF HAVING IT IN THE PARKING LOT OVER TO THE ACCESS ORDER TO 2 81, SEEMED TO BE MORE SUITABLE, SAFER, AND MORE SUITABLE. AND SO, UM, ON THE MAP THAT YOU SEE HERE, YOU ALSO SEE AN INSET THAT SHOWS, UH, THE SERVICE THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO IN THE DOTTED LINE, YOU SEE THE ROUTE TWO GO DOWN PECAN STREET AND THEN CONTINUE DOWN ST. MARY'S. WITH OUR PROPOSED, UM, ALIGNMENT FOR THE ROUTE TWO, WE ACTUALLY HAVE IT CONTINUE DOWN PECAN STREET AND CONTINUE AS THE ROUTE 77. THE ROUTE 77, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT I'LL PRESENT THIS NEXT SLIDE. UH, THE ROUTE 77 ACTUALLY, UH, CONTINUES OUT TOWARDS THE WEST SIDE, UH, USING PRIMARILY MARTIN ROAD. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, UH, WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS ESSENTIALLY RENAMED THE ROUTE 77 TO MARTIN LAS PALMAS BECAUSE THAT ROUTE 77 WILL NOW PROVIDE A CONNECTION TO THE LAS SHOPPING CENTER. SO, UM, TO RECAP, THE ROUTE TO BLANCO IS GOING TO BE PAIRED WITH THE ROUTE 77. IT WILL NOW PROVIDE A ONE SEAT TRIP BETWEEN NORTH CENTRAL AREA TO THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. UM, WE ARE ALSO DECIDING TO KEEP THE ROUTE 77 AND THE ROUTE 79. THE ROUTE 79 WAS ORIGINALLY [00:25:01] PART OF THE SERVICE TO BE REPLACED. INSTEAD, THE ROUTE 79 IS NOW GOING TO BE EXTENDED TO COVER AN AREA THAT IS NEW TO VIA, UH, WE WILL BE ESSENTIALLY GOING DOWN COMMERCE STREET TO THEN COLLABORATE PARK, UH, BY WAY OF CALLAHAN ROAD. AND SO THESE TWO, UH, ROUTES ARE ALSO BE BEING, UM, REMOVED FROM THE REPLACEMENT LIST AND KEPT AS IN SERVICE. AND THIS SLIDE HERE PROVIDES A RECAP OF ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, UH, THE ONES THAT ARE NOTABLE CHANGES ARE THE REDUCTION OF NEW ROUTES FROM FOUR ROUTES TO TWO ROUTES. UH, WE ARE INTRODUCING THE ROUTE 92 EXPRESS AND THE ROUTE 6 49. AND AS FAR AS REPLACEMENTS GO, WE ARE GOING FROM SIX ROUTES BEING REPLACED TO ONLY THREE ROUTES. AND THESE THREE ROUTES ARE ALL LATE NIGHT SERVICE ROUTES. NOW, AS FAR AS IMPACT, WHO BENEFITS FROM THESE IMPROVED CHANGES? WELL, WE HAVE FOUND THAT 331,000 PEOPLE, UH, BY, UM, I'M SORRY, 330 100,000 PEOPLE OF WHOM 66,000 ARE LOW INCOME. 265,000 ARE MINORITY, 31,000 ARE CAR FREE HOUSEHOLDS, AND 43,000 ARE SENIORS, 65 AND UP. AND SO THIS, WE UNDERSTAND WILL ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT AT THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE BY BRINGING THEM ACCESS TO 275, I'M SORRY, 272,000 JOBS. AND THIS HERE SHOWS THE IMPLEMENTATION MILESTONES. SO THIS INFORMATION WAS FIRST, UH, PRESENTED TO THE BOARD ON JANUARY THE 27TH, AND AFTER THAT WE CONDUCTED OUR PUBLIC OUTREACH AND COMMENT PERIOD. UM, AS TERRY MENTIONED, WE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND THEREFORE WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, WHICH IS WHAT YOU SEE THERE, A LITTLE TRAFFIC CONE, UH, SHOWING HOW WE, YOU KNOW, TOOK SOME TIME TO PAUSE AND REASSESS WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS FOR THE BEST, FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO WE ARE HERE TODAY, UH, TO PRESENT THESE CHANGES SO THAT THE BOARD CAN TAKE ACTION ONCE THE, UM, BOARD HAS MADE A DECISION. IF IT MOVES, UH, TO BE APPROVED, THEN WE WILL, UH, CONTINUE WITH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND CONTINUE INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THESE SERVICE CHANGES. OBVIOUSLY, UM, BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION, RAMPING UP TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION. AND OF COURSE, AFTER IMPLEMENTATION, IMPLEMENTATION DAY WOULD BE MAY 4TH, 2026. SO THIS IS A VERY, VERY CONDENSED VERSION OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PLAN. UM, IT, IT REALLY SERVES IN THREE DIFFERENT PHASES. NUMBER ONE IS THE COMMENT PERIOD IN WHICH WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. UM, THE COMMENT PERIOD OF, AGAIN, IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND, AND GIVE US IN THIS SPECIFIC, UM, SITUATION A PAUSE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES BASED ON WHAT THE COMMUNITY TOLD US. UM, THE SECOND PHASE IS OUR PRE-LAUNCH. UM, IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT THERE INTO THE COMMUNITY WITH ADVERTISING GRASSROOTS, UM, COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH TO ALERT THE COMMUNITY OF THE SERVICE CHANGES THAT IN FACT WILL BE HAPPENING. THIS IS CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY SERVICE CHANGES OR THEIR ROUTE CHANGES. AND WE DO THIS IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAY OF, OF COURSE WE USE PAID MEDIA. BUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, AND I MENTIONED THIS EARLIER IN THE COMMENT PERIOD, IS GETTING OUT INTO OUR TRANSIT CENTERS WHERE OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS, UM, GO AND VISIT IN OUR BUS ROUTES. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT OUR CURRENT CUSTOMERS ARE, ARE VERY INFORMED OF OUR UPCOMING, UM, SERVICE CHANGES IS CRITICAL TO THE, TO THE OUTREACH. AND THEN THE THIRD PHASE IS SERVICE LAUNCH. AND THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT THESE SERVICE LAUNCHES AND SEE OUR RIDERSHIP GROW. AND THAT IS WHAT WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY FROM OUR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, IS THAT WHEN YOU IMPROVE, UM, FREQUENCY, YOU INCREASE RIDERSHIP. AND, UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING TOWARDS THE PRE-LAUNCH AND SERVICE LAUNCH OF THE MAY SERVICE CHANGES. AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION. OF COURSE, STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT WE MOVE TO APPROVE THESE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION TRUSTEES. UH, WE DID TALK ABOUT THIS LAST WEEK DURING OUR WORK SESSION. UH, BUT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT YOU FEEL WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TRUSTEE COOPER? WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY A QUESTION, IT'S A COMMENT. AND TRUSTEE RAINA SOMEHOW HAS MORPHED INTO MY BODY AND MAKES ME FEEL OBLIGATED TO SAY, UM, I KNOW Y'ALL, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. A LOT OF OUTREACH, TALKING TO DRIVERS AND ALL THAT ON SCHEDULES OF THE DRIVERS. 'CAUSE YOU'RE EXTENDING HOURS AND CHANGING THINGS. THAT'S ALL WORKED OUT WITH EVERYONE. EVERYONE'S ON [00:30:01] BOARD WITH THAT, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. THIS LEFT MY BODY . THANK YOU FOR THE THANK YOU FOR ASKING. THANK YOU TRUSTEE COOPER. WE'LL BE SURE TO LET TRUSTEE, UH, RENA KNOW. OKAY. UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, I HAVE A MOTION, A SECOND TO APPROVE, APPROVE THIS ACTION ITEM. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TRUSTEES. ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? PLEASE SAY NAY. UH, MOTION CAST. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. GREAT TIME, JESSICA. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. YES. GREAT JOB, JESSICA. THANK YOU FOR STANDING IN FOR CINDY. YOU CAN LET HIM KNOW THAT I DIDN'T ASK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND THE PERCENTAGE OF THE, UH, THE CHANGES. 'CAUSE I'M GONNA RESERVE THAT FOR HIM. SAVE IT FROM HIM. YES. ALL RIGHT. AGENDA [6. *Covenants related to St. Paul's Square property] ITEM NUMBER SIX, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THE COVENANTS RELATED TO ST. PAUL SQUARE PROPERTY. UM, MS. ELDER? YES. ARE THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM IGNITE ORTIZ? HERE? THERE, THERE. OKAY, THERE YOU ARE. SO I'LL JUST GIVE A BRIEF, UH, INTRO TO THIS, THIS, UH, THIS AGENDA ITEM. THE COVENANTS RELATED TO THE ST. PAUL SQUARE ARE TIED TO PROPERTY AT 300, UH, HAKEN, AND THE PROJECT REPRESENTED BY, UH, ORTIZ MCKNIGHT, UH, AND THEY WILL PROVIDE THE PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING VIA IS NOT AN OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY, BUT UNDER THE COVENANTS, VIA HAS THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE THE USE OF THE PROPERTY BASED ON THE POWERS OUTLINED IN THE COVENANTS. SO THE APPROVAL MAY BE FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT OR USE THAT VIA AND ITS SOLE DISCRETION, UH, MAY APPROVE. UH, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER APPROVALS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN GRANTED, AND I'M SURE, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM ORIS MCKNIGHT CAN SHARE THAT WITH US. BUT WE ARE ONE OF THE LAST PEGS TO FALL INTO PLACE FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU, BUT IT IS FOR OUR PURPOSES RELATED TO THE COVENANTS, UH, TIED TO PROPERTY THAT WE NO LONGER OWN. DO YOU WANT ME TO RUN THIS FOR YOU? NO, I GOT IT. THAT'S ALRIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND JAMES MCKNIGHT ON HERE ON BEHALF OF THE, UH, THE BUYERS FOR THIS PROPERTY. AND YOU DID HAVE IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME HE SAID, MCKNIGHT ORTIZ. MCKNIGHT ORTIZ. YOU CAN FLIP IT AROUND. OKAY. NO, I'M KIDDING. THAT'S A JOKE FOR, WE'VE TALKED ON THE PHONE IF DANIEL'S DANIEL'S LISTENING, , WE'VE TALKED ON THE PHONE. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ZOOM, UH, ISSUES WHERE YOU TALK TO PEOPLE, MEET ONCE AND THEN YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER FOR A WHILE. SO, YEAH. YEAH. GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. YOU TOO. WELL, THANK YOU, UM, MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY. AND YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BRIEFED ON EVERYTHING HERE. SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH A PRESENTATION THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH ON THIS PROJECT SO FAR. AND AS I SAID, I REPRESENT THE BUYERS FOR THIS PROJECT. SO THIS IS PROPOSED. AND, UH, THE PROPERTY ITSELF, THE, THE COVENANTS THAT, UH, BONNIE ARE REFERRED TO ARE SPECIFIC REQUEST. AND OF COURSE, THE DEVELOPMENT ITSELF IN, IN THE TIMELINE OF WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH. SO SHE'S ALREADY POINTED OUT THE PROPERTY, SO I WON'T BELABOR THAT SITE, BUT IT'S, UH, 1.3 ACRES, UM, JUST NORTH OF THE ALAMO DOME. AND RIGHT NOW, JUST A PARKING LOT. SO THE STAYBRIDGE SUITES THERE, THERE IT IS, THERE ARE NO DEVELOPMENTS THERE. AND IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED AS PART OF THIS, THESE COVENANTS IN 1998 TO BE SOME KIND OF HOTEL. SO AS THE COVENANTS REFER TO THIS PROPERTY, IT IS THE HOTEL PARCEL, AND IT WAS PROPOSED FOR A HOTEL PROJECT. THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN THE COVENANT. AND IT DESCRIBES A HOTEL PROJECT VERY SPECIFICALLY AS A HOTEL PROJECT. UM, BUT THOSE COVENANTS WERE ACTUALLY, WELL, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF, BUT, UH, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT'S IN THE COVENANTS IS ALSO DESIGN APPROVAL. SO IT'S NOT JUST WHAT GOES ON THE PROPERTY, BUT, BUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SPECIFICALLY. SO THE COVENANTS THEMSELVES, THE FIRST IN, IN SECTION THERE REFERS TO 1998, TALKS ABOUT THE HOTEL PROJECT AND IS PRETTY SPECIFIC ABOUT A HOTEL PROJECT AND A PARKING GARAGE IN A TUNNEL. WHEN IT WAS AMENDED IN 2005, IT SAYS HOTEL PROJECT OR SUCH OTHER DEVELOPMENT AS VIA, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION MAY APPROVE. SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. AND IF YOU CAN'T TELL, I AM NOT HERE FOR A HOTEL PROJECT. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, AN OBSERVATION WHEEL FOR SAN ANTONIO. AND THE REQUEST TODAY IS NOT JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE USE, BUT THE DESIGN APPROVAL AS WELL. SO HERE IS THE PROJECT. THIS IS A 213 FOOT OBSERVATION WHEEL. IT'S GOT 42 ENCLOSED GONDOLAS. AND, UH, REALLY THIS IS JUST AN ATTRACTION FOR DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, FOR ST. PAUL SQUARE AREA FOLKS LEAVING THE ALAMO DOME, IT'S, IT'S OPEN, UM, HAS PUPPET GOLF AS PART OF IT. IT'S GOT A CAROUSEL, AND IT'S REALLY JUST SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF THE ATTRACTION OF DOWNTOWN. SOMETHING ELSE FOR FOLKS TO DO WHILE THEY ARE AROUND THIS AREA, HERE'S A SITE PLAN SHOWING THAT THAT PUTT PUTT GOLF, IT'S PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE FAMILY AND LOCAL FRIENDLY. THOSE ARE ALL PRINCIPLES THAT [00:35:01] ARE PART OF THIS AND PART OF ST. PAUL SQUARE. SO WE FEEL LIKE IT'S A REAL FIT FOR THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE WANNA SEE DOWN HERE. AND, AND MORE ACTIVITY FOR THAT COULD, OR FOLKS THAT COULD INCREASE THE ACTIVITY FOR THE LOCATIONS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. THE PARKING IS NOT REQUIRED FOR, THIS IS ALL ZONE D. UM, THE D ZONING DOESN'T REQUIRE ANY PARKING, BUT OF COURSE WE WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO PARK. SO THERE IS A PARKING GARAGE THAT IS CONTEMPLATED AND THAT'S IN COOPERATION WITH OTHERS IN THE AREA. SO IF YOU CAN SEE TO THE, TO THE RIGHT OF THERE, THERE'S AN OPEN PARKING LOT THAT THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHERS IN THE AREA ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD BE. SO WE DON'T HAVE PARKING FOR THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT REQUIRED, BUT WE ARE CONTEMPLATING THAT THROUGH OTHER PROCESSES. SO NOW I JUST WANNA TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOOKING AT THE PROJECT ITSELF, THE CONTEXT OF IT, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU'RE IN ST. PAUL SQUARE SPECIFICALLY, YOU CAN SEE THE ALAMO DOME IN THE BACKGROUND. SO HEIGHTS, JUST TO GIVE YOU MORE CONTEXT, 213 FOOT OBSERVATION WHEEL, THE ALAMO DOME TIER ARE 300 FEET, AND THAT'S JUST 450 FEET AWAY FROM US. SO AGAIN, YOU TALK ABOUT CONTEXT, YOU'VE GOT THE OPEN FAMILY FRIENDLY PART ON THE BOTTOM, ON THE GROUND FLOOR, AND OF COURSE YOU'VE GOT SOME HEIGHT NEXT TO OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE HEIGHT AS WELL. ONE THING THAT CAME UP WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT OTHER SITES WAS JUST THE EFFECT ON VIEWING THE ALAMO. SO ALAMO VIEW SHED. SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE HERE IS A, A VIEW OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU'RE STARING AT THE ALAMO AND WHETHER OR NOT THE WHEEL IS BEHIND IT AND SOMEHOW OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW. IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT IN THE VIEW AT ALL. IT'S BLOCKED BY THE RIVER CENTER MALL AND, UH, CONVENTION CENTER. SO THAT'S JUST TO SHOW AGAIN, THE, THE CONTEXT AND, AND THE LARGER VIEW OF THE CITY. THE TIMELINE HERE IS JUST TO TALK ABOUT OTHER APPROVALS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH. UM, AS BONNIE SAID, THERE WERE THE, ONE OF THE LAST PEGS, RIGHT, OR OR PORTIONS OF THIS, WE HAD THE PROPERTY REZONED BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S ZONE D FOR DOWNTOWN, YOU STILL NEED A SPECIFIC ZOO ZONING FOR AMUSEMENT THEME PARK OUTDOOR RIDES. UM, AFTER THAT YOU STILL NEED THE DESIGN APPROVAL BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE ZONING. SO WE HAD TO GO TO HDRC THAT HAPPENED LAST JULY. SO FOLLOWING THAT, THE, THE REALLY THE LAST, AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE LAST PIECE, WE DO HAVE TO GO BACK TO HDRC FOR FINAL APPROVALS. AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT SO FAR WE'VE ONLY DONE THE CONCEPTUAL APPROVAL. SO THERE IS ONE MORE, UH, DESIGN APPROVAL AT THE CITY LEVEL FROM HDRC. AND, UH, SINCE THEN, WE'VE, UH, APPROACHED VIA AND, AND REACHED OUT TO GET THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AND SAY, WE HAVE THESE COVENANTS IN PLACE. WE'D LIKE YOU TO, UH, YOU KNOW, APPROVE THE DESIGN ITSELF. AND OF COURSE, THE, THE, THE USE, UM, PART OF WHAT WE WERE GOING THROUGH, THROUGH THE PROCESS WAS NOT JUST THE CITY SIDE OF THE APPROVALS, BUT ACTUALLY OUTREACH TO STAKEHOLDERS. AND WE'VE GOTTEN LETTERS FROM FOLKS AT CENTRO AND CONSERVATION SOCIETY, ALAMO TRUST, DENVER HEIGHTS DIG, WITTY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. SO, UH, WE'VE DONE PLENTY OF OUTREACH THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF THE LAST, I MEAN, THIS PROCESS NOW HAS BEEN OVER THREE YEARS. UM, AND ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST YEAR WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE REZONING PROCESS. SO THE DESIGN WASN'T FINALIZED AT THE TIME, BUT WHEN WE SENT IT OUT TO THOSE FOLKS AND, AND, AND TOLD 'EM ABOUT THIS, WE OF COURSE HAD DRAWINGS IN PLACE. SO, UH, ALTHOUGH THE FINAL DESIGN ISN'T COMPLETE, EVERYONE IS KIND OF AWARE OF WHAT THE GENERAL LOOK IS TO BE. SO THAT'S THE, THE END REALLY OF MY PRESENTATION. JUST A SUMMARY OF, OF EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE SO FAR AND WHAT WE'RE REQUESTING OF VIA TODAY. SO OBVIOUSLY OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY SPECIFICS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, PLEASE. THANK YOU JAMES, FOR THE PRESENTATION. SURE. TRUSTEES, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS ITEM? TRUSTEE DEION? SO IS THIS CONCEPT SOMETHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES IN TEXAS OR IN THE, IN ANY OF THE STATES? YES. SO THE OWNERS ARE, I WOULD SAY THE OPERATORS BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTNERS. THERE'S, UH, INVESTORS AND OWNERS, AND THERE'S THE OPERATORS THEMSELVES. THIS WOULD BE THEIR FOURTH. SO THEY'VE GOT, I WROTE THIS DOWN, THEY'VE GOT, UH, WASHINGTON DC IN 2014, THAT'S 140 FOOT WHEEL IN ST. LOUIS, ALSO 140 FOOT WHEEL IN 2019. AND THE LATEST ONE WAS IN KANSAS CITY, 2023. THERE'S OTHER CITIES LIKE SEATTLE AND, UM, UH, I HAVE A LIST HERE SOMEWHERE OF ALL THE ONES, THERE'S PLENTY OF THEM. THERE'S ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR. CHICAGO HAS ONE AS WELL. YEAH. SO I COULD GO ON, BUT I'M . THANK YOU. VICE CHAIR GOMEZ. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. JUST TO EMPHASIZE BOTH CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO AND THE THE NEIGHBORING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT. YES, SIR. THEY ARE. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THEN, UH, ST. PAUL SQUARE BUSINESS OWNERS, YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH THEM ON PARKING. I KNOW THAT'S BEEN CORRECT, UH, PART OF THE ISSUE. AND YOU DID IDENTIFY THE PARKING GARAGE AS A POTENTIAL. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE, UH, SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT THE PARKING GARAGE ALONG THE WAY. YOU [00:40:01] KNOW, GETTING THROUGH THE PROCESS TO SOME APPROVAL IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALLY TRIGGER WHAT COMES NEXT. BUT, UH, THAT IS KEY FOR, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE AREA IS TO GET THAT PARKING GOING. VERY GOOD. AND JUST FROM A CIRCULAR PERSPECTIVE, DO WE HAVE VIA, UM, LINK GOING ALL THE WAY OUT TO ST. PAUL SQUARE? UM, JESSICA FUENTES? I BELIEVE WE DO. I KNOW WE SERVED, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. YES. THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION. I BELIEVE WE DO, WE CAN. OKAY. WE KNOW THE SILVER LINE , WE'LL DEFINITELY, UH, UH, PASS RIGHT BY THERE FOR SURE. MM-HMM . BUT, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK ON THAT. SO JAMES, 2030 IS SILVER IN LINE. WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO MOVE FORWARD AND, AND BE COMPLETED FOR, UH, RIBBON CUTTING AND OPENING? SO I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE, THE TIMELINES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. ONCE WE HAVE APPROVAL WITH VIA, THEN WE CAN GO BACK TO FINAL DESIGN. WITH HDRC, IT TAKES ABOUT ALMOST A YEAR FOR FABRICATION OF THE WHEEL ITSELF. THESE SPECIFICALLY, UH, THESE MANUFACTURERS THAT HAVE TO MAKE THAT WHEEL AND ONLY THAT WHEEL. UM, BUT AFTER THAT, I MEAN, IN THE MEANTIME, WE WOULD BE TRYING TO WORK ON THE SITE. SO REALLY THE ANSWER IS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS, YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS. MM-HMM . SO GREEN LINE WILL BE OPEN BY THAT TIME, SILVER LINE UNDERWAY VIA LINK. WE'RE GONNA SEE IF WE GET THERE. I'M THINKING ABOUT CONNECTIVITY. RIGHT, RIGHT. AND WE'RE THERE. IT DOES, YES IT DOES. VIA, THERE WE GO. WONDERFUL. AND, UH, JUST LOOKING ABOUT VIA OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, UH, PART OF THE ALAMO DOME. I KNOW ALAMO DOME AND JUST LIKE WE ARE WITH OUR SPURS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT AND PLANNING WITH THE CITY, UM, HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT CONGESTION? HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT TRAFFIC, UH, AND HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT, UM, OVERALL CONNECTIVITY TO ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WILL NOW BE DRAWING, UH, INDIVIDUALS? SO AS YOU CAN GO FORWARD WITH THIS, UM, AND I'M EXPECTING THAT THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY ISSUES WITH, UM, THIS MOVING FORWARD, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER VIA IN THE FUTURE AS A VIRTUAL STOP FOR OR VIA LINK. RIGHT. AND THAT, THAT'S A GREAT POINT BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY, THE OWNERS TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, UH, I CAME HERE TONIGHT, WAS REALLY TO EMPHASIZE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH VIA AND, YOU KNOW, ANY KIND OF, UH, ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP VIAS MISSION AND REALLY THE CITY'S MISSION WE'RE GONNA DO. SO THAT WOULD BE PART OF IT. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE AL? YES. I WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE LIGHTING BECAUSE SOMETIMES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WAS THAT DISCUSSED WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS? YES, MA'AM. IT WAS. AND IT WAS DISCUSSED AT CITY COUNCIL AS WELL AS PART OF THE, THE ZONING, WHICH OF COURSE THAT DESIGN AT THAT TIME DOESN'T COME UP, BUT IT WAS EXPRESSED THAT WE DON'T WANT THIS TO BE TOO LOUD AND FLASHY. THAT'S NOT REALLY SAN ANTONIO. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PUT A LOT OF LIGHTS IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR OR NOT. AND, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S NOT WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS WANT, IF IT'S NOT WHAT THE CITY WANTS, WE WOULDN'T BE DOING IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. MM-HMM . ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. UH, TRUSTEE FLORES, THANK YOU. JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE DESIGN. SO THIS IS CONCEPTUAL. SO DO YOU ANTICIPATE A LOT OF CHANGES BETWEEN THIS AND FINAL DESIGN? AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD THOSE CHANGES BE? NO, I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT QUESTION. SO THE PART THAT WE ARE GOING TO HDRC FOR IS NOT THE WHEEL ITSELF, RIGHT? IT'S THE, THE PART THAT YOU CAN SEE ALONG THE STREET, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY DESIGN ELEMENTS. AND BECAUSE THAT IS, IS THIS ARCADE, UM, THE ANSWER'S NO, NOT REALLY. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING TOO MUCH MORE. YOU CAN SEE THE WAY IT'S DESIGNED TO, TO FIT IN WITH THE, THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. UM, THE HEAVY MASONRY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE ARCHWAYS BEYOND THAT, NO, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE TOO MUCH MORE. I MEAN, THERE'S GONNA BE MORE DETAIL, BUT NOT MUCH CHANGES TO THE DESIGN. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT HDR C'S LOOKING AT MORE SO THAN THE WHEEL. YES, EXACTLY. YEAH, THEY WAS SPECIFIC THAT THEY SAID IN THE REPORT. THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE WHEEL. SO YEAH, THEY'RE JUST LOOKING AT WHAT YOU CAN SEE THERE ALONG THE STREET. AND, UM, IT, IT, IT'S NOT, AND, AND HDRC HAS THE ABILITY TO SAY, YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR AWAY FROM WHAT WE'VE APPROVED. UH, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS, AND WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING TO DOING THAT ANYWAY. OKAY. AND THEN JUST THE LAST QUESTION WAS, WHAT DO YOU RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S THE ROM FOR TOTAL INVESTMENT? WHAT DOES THIS REPRESENT? HOW MUCH OF AN INVESTMENT DOES THIS REPRESENT, WOULD YOU SAY? IS THERE A ROM AT THIS POINT, OR NOT YET? I WISH I HAD THAT NUMBER. . OKAY. I JUST THINK, YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I MEAN, IF, IF THIS ATTRACTION AND, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT THAT'S GOING INTO ST. PAUL SQUARE WOULD BE IMPORTANT. SO MAYBE IN THE FUTURE IF YOU COULD GET US THAT INFO, THAT'D BE GREAT. YEAH. AND I DON'T KNOW IF NIC ACTUALLY KNOWS THAT NUMBER. NO, SHE MAY NOT KNOW. UM, GREAT. YOU ASKED A QUESTION. I DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER TOO, BUT YES, FOR SURE. YEAH. IF YOU JUST LET US KNOW. I THINK IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, JESSE. QUESTION, JUST A QUICK QUESTION IN CURIOSITY, IT'S SO CLOSE TO THE I 35 [00:45:01] AND ACCESS ROAD. UH, DO YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE TX TDOT IN THIS PROCESS AND OUR, AS FAR AS BEING A, AN ATTRACTION THAT'S SO CLOSE TO, UH, A RAMP OR WHAT OTHER PROCESS OR THOUGHTS OR ANYTHING THAT MIGHT, UH, DELAY OR, OR YEAH. NO, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. IT BECAUSE OF WE'RE NO IS THE, IS THE EASY ANSWER. WE DON'T BECAUSE OF HOW THE SEPARATION THAT WE HAVE AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO CONNECTIVITY, UM, I, I BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY AT SOME POINT TO ASK QUESTIONS AND SAY, IS THIS GONNA AFFECT US? BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY APPROVALS FROM THEM. SO WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT SLOWING IT DOWN. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE FERNANDEZ. YOU GOOD? OKAY. TRUSTEES, MA'AM. A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED. I SO MOVE. ANY MOTION? SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? PLEASE SAY AYE. A AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, JAMES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, [7. *VIA Advanced Rapid Transit North/South Corridor Project Owner-Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) for VIA Contract 23-334 Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) ] THE VIA EVENTS RAPID TRANSIT, NORTH SOUTH QUARTER PROJECT OWN CONTROLLED INSURANCE PROGRAM. MADAM CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. MY NAME'S JASON HARMON. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION HERE AT VIA. UH, I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY TO ASK FOR APPROVAL TO, UM, ALLOW JOHN GARY, THE ABILITY TO NEGOTIATE AND APPROVE, UH, OCIP UH, OWNER CONTROLLED INSURANCE PROGRAM. AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF DETAILS 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS QUITE A BIT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS. UM, SO ORIGINALLY WE HAD OUR CONTRACTOR PRESENT AN INSURANCE POLICY FOR US. IT WAS A PROJECT SPECIFIC INSURANCE POLICY. UH, THAT POLICY WOULD COVER WORKERS' COMP, GENERAL LIABILITY AND EXCESS LIABILITY, UH, PROFESSIONAL AND POLLUTION. AND UNDER THIS, UH, PROPOSAL, THE CONTRACTOR WOULD FLOW DOWN INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS TO THE SUBCONTRACTORS. HOWEVER, THE APPROACH PROVIDES VIA WITH LIMITED PROTECTION AGAINST CLAIMS ARISING FROM THE PERFORMANCE OF FLATIRON HERZOG, OUR, UM, CMAR CONTRACTOR AND ITS SUBCONTRACTORS, WHILE AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY AND SUBCONTRACTOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION WOULD BE INSURED SEPARATELY, THE SPECIFICS REGARDING VIAS ADDITIONAL INSURED STATUS AND WAIVERS OF SUBROGATION REMAIN UNCLEAR UNDER THE CONTRACTOR'S FLOW DOWN MODEL. IN RESPONSE, VIA HAS DEVELOPED A CONTROLLED INSURANCE PROGRAM OPTION DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS. COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE, IT'S A SINGLE PROGRAM ENSURING GENERAL LIABILITY AND EXCESS LIMITS. IT HAS, UH, PROFESSIONAL AND POLLUTION LIABILITY, AND WE HAVE AN OPTION FOR A CYBER, UH, LIABILITY PROGRAM IF WE CHOOSE. SO, UH, TO IMPLEMENT THAT. UH, AND THIS WILL ALL BE COVERAGES FOR THE PROJECT. THE ONE THAT, UH, FLATIRON HERZOG PROVIDED WAS JUST A PROJECT SPECIFIC. UM, THIS WOULD GIVE US IN, UH, ENHANCED OVERSIGHT, IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF DATA CLAIMS AND PAYMENTS RELATED TO PROJECT INSURANCE. UH, COST EFFICIENCY. THIS ACTUALLY REDUCES PREMIUMS, UH, BECAUSE WE WOULD BRING IT IN-HOUSE AND WE'D BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE WHOLE PROCESS. WE WOULD CONTROL THE CLAIMS. WE WOULD HAVE A THIRD PARTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT WORKS WITH THE PROVIDER OF THE INSURANCE PROGRAM THAT WOULD HANDLE ALL OF THAT STUFF FOR US. SO IT'S A, IT'S A TRUE WRAPAROUND, IT, IT, IT PROTECTS US AND GIVES US THE MOST ABILITY TO CONTROL OUR ASSETS AND OUR CLAIMS. UM, THE FLEXIBILITY IS THE ABILITY TO ADD INSURED PARTIES IN THE EVENT OF, UH, CHANGE IN PROJECT CONTRACTS AND CLAIM DETERRENCE. UM, THIS DISINCENTIVIZES THE, UH, CLAIMS TO BE FILED AGAINST, UH, PARTIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. UM, SO THIS KIND OF, AGAIN, GIVES US ANOTHER LAYER SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL THE WHOLE PROCESS. UM, THAT'S THE, THE, THE, THE REQUEST IS FOR, UH, YOU TO GIVE THE ACCOMMODATION TO JOHN GARY TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE THIS AT A NOT TO EXCEED PRICE OF 10 MILLION. UM, THE ORIGINAL COST, UM, IT WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 45 TO 50% HIGHER THAN THAT, UM, ON THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM THAT WAS PROVIDED THROUGH OUR, UM, FLATIRON HERZOG JOINT VENTURE. ANY QUESTIONS IF, IF I, IF I MAY ADD? UH, JUST, UM, THE BOARD [00:50:01] HAD AUTHORIZED US TO, UH, NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER. I BELIEVE IT WAS 2 42. 3 42. 3 42, YES. 342 MILLION. UH, THIS FALLS UNDER THAT 342 MILLION, CORRECT. THIS ACTUALLY THE 3 42. THIS WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE INCLUDED THAT ORIGINAL PROPOSAL ON THE INSURANCE. SO THIS ACTUALLY HELPS US TAKE SOME COMFORT IN REDUCING THAT NUMBER A LITTLE BIT TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, BREADTH AND LEEWAY WITH, WITH EXPENSES. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU, JASON. VERY WELCOME. TRUSTEES. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? JUST GOT ONE QUICK, YOU MENTIONED, YES, SIR, THAT IT, IT MIGHT COVER, UH, CYBER. YES. IS THERE AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER FOR CYBER AND DOES THAT TAKE IT OUTSIDE THE LIMIT OR, OR ARE THERE BREAKOUTS THROUGH THE CYBER COVERAGE SECTIONS THAT ARE INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED? THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A DIFFERENT NUMBER THAT WOULD BE ADDED TO IT, BUT STILL KEEPS US UNDER THAT $10 MILLION THRESHOLD THAT WE WOULD DO THE MAXIMUM PRICE. UM, THE REASON WE HAVEN'T ADDED IT IN RIGHT NOW IS I NEED TO REVIEW ALONG WITH, UH, OTHERS, UM, TO REVIEW OUR CURRENT CYBER POLICY. AND VP OF IT IS BACK BEHIND ME. THIS IS THE FIRST HE'S HEARING OF IT. SO, UM, HE'S KIND OF SHOCKED. BUT, UH, WHAT I WANNA DO IS SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND KIND OF GO THROUGH WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR PART POLICY CURRENTLY COVERS, AND IF MAYBE THAT IS, UM, SUFFICIENT COVERAGE FOR OUR PROGRAM ON THE GREEN LINE. SO, SO IN, IN FULL TRANSPARENCY, WE DO NOT, WE ARE FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, SELF-INSURED FOR CYBER. WE DO NOT HAVE CYBER COVERAGE. AND PART OF THAT IS, UM, WELL, I COULD EXPLAIN THAT AT ANY LATER TIME. THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE DO NOT HAVE CYBER COVERAGE. WE'RE SELF-INSURED FOR CYBER, AND WE HAVE PRACTICES AND OTHER METHODOLOGIES IN PLACE TO REDUCE OUR CYBER EXPOSURE. BUT AGAIN, I WANT TO GO TO THE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS SITTING BACK THERE IN THE BACK, SHAKING HIS HEAD, HE'S GIVING THE THUMBS UP, , AND JUST TALK TO HIM TO, TO GET HIS INPUT TO WHAT, WHAT WE MAY SEE AS A THREAT. SO THANK YOU, JASON. THANK YOU BONNIE. TRUSTEES. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ANYBODY WANNA MAKE A MOTION WHEN YOU'RE A SECOND? I MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, PLEASE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY, ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. I'VE BEEN INFORMED THAT ITEMS NUMBER EIGHT AND NINE HAVE BEEN PULLED. THAT GETS US TO LEGAL BRIEFING. MS. ELDER, DO WE HAVE A LEGAL BRIEFING? NO, SIR. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL LEGAL BRIEFING. MR. [11. President & CEO Report] CEO DO WE HAVE A PRESIDENT'S REPORT? WE HAVE A SHORT PRESIDENT'S REPORT. UM, AS, UH, AS WE'RE GETTING THE PRESENTATION READY, LET ME, UH, ALSO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING HERE IN YOUR SEATS TODAY. YES, THOSE ARE FIESTA METALS, AND IT IS NOT TOO EARLY BECAUSE FIESTA IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. UH, BY THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MEETING IN APRIL, WE WILL ALREADY BE IN FIESTA. SO WE THOUGHT WE'D GET AHEAD OF IT HERE AND PROVIDE SOME MEDALS. OUR CHAIR HAS ALSO PROVIDED A MEDAL FROM USAA, UM, AS WELL. SO IT'S GETTING TO BE THAT, THAT TIME OF YEAR. UM, SO OUR PRESENCE REPORT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO SOME HIGH LEVEL. UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE TAKEN A, A DIFFERENT APPROACH ON OUR PRESIDENT'S REPORT WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE DESCRIBING SOME, UM, ALIGNMENT WITH OUR FOUR STRATEGIC PILLARS, REMINDING YOU HERE, THOSE FOUR STRATEGIC PILLARS, CUSTOMER, COMMUNITY VIA WORKFORCE AND FINANCIAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE. SOME OF THE, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST MONTH THAT ALIGN IN THESE PILLARS? AND, UH, SOME OF WHICH WE'LL BE CELEBRATING. UH, WE'LL GO RIGHT ON TO THE NEXT ONE. BIG CELEBRATION ON SOME OF THESE NUMBERS THAT WE WANTED TO BRING BACK AROUND. WHILE WE HAD PUT THIS IN THE CU CUSTOMER, UM, STRATEGIC PILLAR. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THIS AS A COMMUNITY VALUE AS WELL AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING TO THE SYSTEM AND THESE IMPROVEMENTS WITH THE, UH, SERVICE CHANGES. AS WE JUST APPROVED YOUR BOARD, OUR BOARD JUST APPROVED ONE FOR, UH, UPCOMING MAY. WE WANTED TO START GETTING SOME CONTEXT IN TERMS OF WHAT TYPE OF, OF IMPROVEMENTS THIS MEANS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UH, SO THROUGH THE THREE SERVICE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE DONE SO FAR, THERE ARE NOW 500 AND OVER 522,000 PEOPLE NOW ARE WITHIN A QUARTER MILE WALK OF A MORE FREQUENT SERVICE. THAT'S IMPACT, THAT'S VERY IMPACTFUL. THAT'S A, IT'S A VERY BIG NUMBER AND MEANINGFUL NUMBER FOR ALL OF US HERE. AND THAT IS JUST WITH THIS PERCENTAGE THAT WE'RE AT WITH THE BETTER BUS PLAN. OF COURSE, OUT OF THAT A HUNDRED, THAT 522,000 158,000 LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS WILL WE'LL BE SEEING BETTER RE A BETTER SERVICE, A HIGHER QUALITY SERVICES AS WE'RE BRINGING FREQUENCY AND REALIGNMENT AND, AND AND SO FORTH TO THE, UH, UH, TO THE PUBLIC. UM, INCLUDED IN THAT IS 45,000 [00:55:01] SENIORS. UM, AND RECALL SENIORS, UH, RIDE OUR SERVICE FOR FREE ON THE WEEKENDS AND 25 CENTS AFTER 9:00 AM WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE HERE. LEROY. SECONDLY, AND MAYBE JUST AS EQUAL, 421,000 JOBS ARE NOW WITHIN A QUARTER MILE WALK. A MORE FREQUENT SERVICE. BIG NUMBER, NUMBER ONE REASON WHY FOLKS TAKE OUR SERVICE IS TO GET THE JOBS OUR VICE CHAIR SPELLS VIA JOBS. AND THIS IS A GREAT INDICATION OF THAT WE HAVE A HIGHER QUALITY SERVICE AND LEVEL OF SERVICE ON SOME BIG, MEANINGFUL NUMBERS, UH, FOR THIS COMMUNITY. AND THIS IS WHY WE ARE SO EXCITED AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE SYSTEM WILL FOREVER CHANGE THE APPROACH THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS ABOUT OUR SYSTEM AND ENGAGING WITH OUR SYSTEM AND TAKING IT. 45,000, UH, CAR-FREE HOUSEHOLDS WILL ALSO BE RECEIVING, UH, BETTER SERVICE. UH, AGAIN, REITERATING THESE ARE CHANGES FROM APRIL, AUGUST, AND JANUARY, AND MORE TO COME, UM, AS WE'RE DOING MAY AND ALREADY DISCUSSING, UH, FUTURE, UH, SERVICE CHANGE IN AUGUST AND ANOTHER FUTURE SERVICE CHANGE IN, UH, JANUARY. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. UM, LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THE COVERAGE THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM VIA LINK 13 AND A HALF SQUARE MILES OF ADDED SERVICE COVERAGE FROM A NEW VIA LINK SOUTHEAST ZONE. THAT'S THAT NOW INCLUDES 30,000 ADDITIONAL FOLKS WITHIN THAT ZONE THAT HAVE MORE ACCESS AND HIGHER QUALITY ACCESS TO TRANSIT, UH, 10,000 JUST WITHIN THAT ZONE ITSELF THAT ARE RECEIVING, UH, BETTER SERVICE AND BETTER ACCESS NEXT COMMUNITY. THIS IS AN EXCITING ONE, AND, UH, WE HAVE A THANK YOU HERE FROM FOR MICHELLE GALLEGOS, AND I THINK SHE'S IN THE AUDIENCE. MICHELLE, ARE YOU HERE? MICHELLE, COULD YOU, UH, COULD YOU COME, COULD YOU COME FORWARD? AND, UH, WHILE YOU'RE COMING FORWARD, WE'RE GONNA PLAY A LITTLE VIDEO OF WHY, UH, WE'RE GIVING YOU SUCH A BIG SHOUT OUT HERE TODAY. PEOPLE JUST WANT TO TALK. MM-HMM . MARCH 10TH AT 10:08 AM A ROUTINE RIDE WITH VIA LINK TURNED IN AN INSTANT DRIVING ON SOUTH SOUTH SAMURA, JUST SOUTH OF 35. MICHELLE NOTICED MOVEMENT IN THE ROAD, AND AS SHE INCHED CLOSER, SHE REALIZED IT WAS A LITTLE BOY. OH MY GOD, THERE'S THIS LITTLE BOY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. SHE HONKS, HOLD ON. AND THE CHILD PAUSES. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. THEN HE KEEPS GOING, HOPPING ALONG NEXT TO HER SUV. HE WAS NOT SCARED WHATSOEVER. HE WAS SKIPPY. HE WAS PLAYING. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD. THAT'S WHEN MICHELLE JUMPS INTO ACTION. THERE'S A LITTLE BOY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. HOLD ON, HOLD ON. PULLING OVER AND GRABBING THE CHILD. WHERE DO YOU LIVE BABY? HERE, SIT RIGHT HERE. I WAS LIKE, LET ME SEE IF I CAN GET SOME SENSE OF DIRECTION WHERE HE CAME FROM. SO I CAN SEE IF SOMEBODY'S OUT THERE LOOKING FOR HIM. SHE PUTS HIM IN THE FRONT SEAT, HOLDING ONTO HIM. HE LIVE BEFORE PULLING INTO THE SEVEN PINES APARTMENT. HOMES ON THE RIGHT. DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE? HAIR WAS DIRTY. HE, HIS FACE WAS DIRTY, HE WAS BAREFOOT. PAMPER WAS SOAKED. IT WAS SOAKED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR HIM, AND HE KEPT ON TRYING TO TAKE IT OFF. OH MY GOD. MICHELLE CALLED 9 1 1. LESS THAN 10 MINUTES LATER, POLICE ARRIVED AND THE CHILD'S GUARDIANS EMERGED FROM THE APARTMENTS AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVED. I BY A SEAWORLD PASS FOR AS LOW AS 99 99 AND GET AQUATIC . I GOTTA HAVE AN AD THERE. YES. SO MICHELLE, YOU KNOW, A IN CREDIBLE WORK, WE KNOW, UH, THAT, UH, WE'RE SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF OUR TEAM THAT'S DELIVERING SERVICE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE PREACH ABOVE AND BEYOND SHOW SHOWING, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE SERVING A COMMUNITY AND A COMMUNITY, UH, THAT YOU ARE WATCHING OUT FOR. UH, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE, UH, RELATED TO THIS, BUT WE'RE HERE TO THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR YOUR QUICK ACTION. UM, AND, UH, A VERY MUCH ACTION THAT, UH, WAS VERY MUCH NEEDED. THAT LITTLE BOY WAS RUNNING RIGHT INTO TRAFFIC. SO INCREDIBLE, INCREDIBLE FOOTAGE. I WAS JUST, UH, I'M JUST WANNA SAY, I WAS JUST GLAD TO BE AT THE RIGHT TIME. IT HAPPENED PRETTY PERFECTLY PERFECT TIMING. SO I WAS JUST HAPPY TO BE THERE AND, AND SEE HIM AND BE ABLE TO GET HIM OFF THE ROAD. . WELL, I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND THANK [01:00:01] YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR QUICK THINKING AND, AND, AND THE CARE THAT YOU'RE SHOWING FOR OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY, UH, AND FOR BEING OUR V LINK, UH, DRIVER. ABSOLUTELY. THANKS FOR SHARING. MR. PRESIDENT, MAY THE REST OF US JUMP IN ON THE COMMENTS WITH YOU? ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE, UH, I'D LIKE TO JUST SAY, MICHELLE, YOU KNOW, UH, CAME OUT SO CLEARLY IN, IN THESE ACTIONS, AND, UH, I'M REALLY PROUD TO HAVE YOU ON THE VIA TEAM AND, AND TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHERS ON THE VIA TEAM THAT, THAT, THAT TAKE THIS COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY JUST AS, JUST AS WONDERFULLY, UH, AS YOU DO THAT IT COMES FROM THE HEART, NOT JUST FROM THE BRAIN WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT LITTLE BOY, WHEN HE BECOMES PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SOMEDAY IS GONNA BE ABLE TO REFER TO MICHELLE. THAT'S RIGHT. RESCUE HIM OFF OF THAT STREET. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU TRUSTEES. ANYBODY ELSE, UH, WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING? THANK YOU SO MUCH, MICHELLE. I MEAN, UH, THIS, AS, AS LEO MENTIONED, THIS IS ABOUT COMMUNITY AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DEFINES SAN ANTONIO IS HOW WE ALL TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. AND SO THAT YOU, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO, YOU COULD HAVE JUST BEEN ANOTHER CAR THAT PASSED BY AND THAT WAS A BIG MOMENT. AND I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE PART OF OUR VIA TEAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE FERNANDEZ. TRUSTEE RENA, PLEASE. YEAH, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY SOMETHING HERE. UH, FIVE-YEAR-OLD AT HOME, OBVIOUSLY WORK IN THE WORLD OF EDUCATION AND KNOW THAT EVERY SINGLE KID THAT, THAT YOU COME ACROSS YOU, YOU SHOULD ACT AS IF THEY'RE YOUR OWN. AND IT DIDN'T TAKE YOU. BUT A, A HEARTBEAT TO, TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND IT MEANS A LOT THAT YOU HAVE VIA ON, ON YOUR CHEST RIGHT THERE. IT MEANS A LOT THAT YOU EXEMPLIFY WHAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS ALL ABOUT, WHAT YOU, WHAT THE CITY IS ALL ABOUT. AND SO THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR TALENTS WITH US. THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND NOT THINKING TWICE ABOUT WHAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO WAS. UH, YEAH. I WORDS, I'M AT A LOSS OF WORDS BECAUSE YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT VOICE LIFE. UH, AND SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. YES, MICHELLE. UH, YOU KNOW, DURING THE BROADCAST, I WAS IN THE KITCHEN COOKING FOR MY WIFE, LIKE I ALWAYS DO . UM, SHE WAS WATCHING THE NEWSCAST. SHE WAS WATCHING THE NEWSCAST, AND SHE SAID, OH MY GOD, THAT'S A VIA LINK DRIVER. LOOK AT WHAT SHE DID. UH, SHE NOTICED IT RIGHT AWAY AND SAW IT ALL. AND AGAIN, THANKS, UH, FROM ALL OF US, I'M SURE. THANK YOU FROM ALL OF YOUR TEAM AND GRACIAS. AND I HOPE YOU KEEP ENJOYING THE MOMENT AND THE, THE REWARD THAT YOU SHOULD FEEL, UH, FROM HAVING DONE ALL THAT. THANK YOU AGAIN, PASTOR. THANK YOU, . WELL, THAT, THAT'S THE WONDERFUL WAY TO COME TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE, NO, I THINK WE HAVE ONE MORE, ONE MORE SLIDE. UH OH. I'M SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT. I, I, I BELIEVE WE DO. OKAY. AND IT, IT IS ON, IT IS ON OUR WORKFORCE. SO WE HAD A, WE HAD A GREAT MOMENT THIS PAST WEEK, UH, ACTUALLY LAST WEEK. UH, TRANSIT EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY. THIS IS WHEN THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY COMES TOGETHER AND PARTICULARLY TAKE SOME TIME OUT TO THANK OUR EMPLOYEES FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY, UH, FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR CUSTOMERS. UM, WE WANT TO THANK OUR VIA TEAM AND CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE HAD SOME VERY INNOVATIVE WAYS THAT WE WERE DOING THIS THIS LAST WEEK, UM, INCLUDING TAKING SOME TIME, UH, AT OUR MEETINGS WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND, AND THANKING THEM, UH, INDIVIDUALLY AND, AND FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF, OF WHETHER SERVING THEM WHATABURGER, BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING, UM, OR PROVIDING THEM SOME INSIGHT AND, AND, AND, UH, IDEAS OF WHAT THEY CAN DO AND, AND HOW GREAT THEY ARE AS AS EMPLOYEES, UM, IN THE AFTERNOON. SO GREAT MOMENTS FOR US. UH, IT SEEMS TO HAVE GONE OVER REALLY WELL WITH OUR EMPLOYEES AND A LOT OF INTENTIONALITY, UH, FOR MANAGEMENT TO THANK OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, AROUND THAT. AND THEN, UH, WE'RE, OUR TEAM IS, UH, IS, IS STEPPING INTO VISIBLE INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP. WE HAVE PROPPED UP A COUNCIL OF MINORITY TRANSIT OFFICIALS, CHAPTER, WE CALL THAT KTO IN OUR INDUSTRY AND KTO CHAPTER HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. AND WE HAVE A WHO'S WHO OF LOCAL OFFICERS THAT ARE GONNA BE REPRESENTING, UH, THIS EFFORT HERE LOCALLY, OF COURSE, STARTING WITH OUR OWN DEPUTY, CCEO, TRAMELL BROWN AS PRESIDENT, BONNIE PROSSER, ELDER AS VICE PRESIDENT, SEAN KAGAN. I THINK I SAW SEAN HERE. LO WAGO. THERE HE IS IN THE BACK. UH, JERMAINE CHUBB. JERMAINE. YEP. AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE RACHEL BENAVIDES. UH, WHILE THERE'S 41 CHAPTERS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA REPRESENTING THREE 33 MILLION VOICES, YOU KNOW, ALL WITH THE MISSION OF, OF EMBRACING OUR DIVERSITY AS A CULTURE, EMBRACING OUR DIVERSITY, DIVERSITY AS AN ORGANIZATION, SEEING THAT DIVERSITY IN LEADERSHIP ROLES IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY AND REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL. AND WE'RE QUITE PROUD OF OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM PULLING THIS TOGETHER AND GETTING A CHAPTER ESTABLISHED HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO, TO THE GROUP [01:05:03] AND MR. VICE CHAIR. THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESIDENT'S REPORT. WELL, THANK YOU. CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT LAST SLIDE, PLEASE? I JUST, ARE ALL THOSE GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE, REALLY EXECUTIVES AT VIA, IS THAT REALLY TRAMELL? THAT IS, YES. THAT'S REALLY TRAMMELL . AND WE KNOW WHO THAT SMILING ONE IS RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. THAT'S RIGHT. BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. UH, REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL. OKAY. SO YES, SIR. UH, WELL, WASN'T ON THE SLIDE, UH, MR. VICE CHAIR, BUT, UM, WE KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT HAS A BIRTHDAY THAT WE'D, UH, LIKE TO POINT OUT TO THE BOARD. OKAY. OUR OWN DEBORAH BIRTHDAY. DEBORAH, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. DEBORAH. DEBORAH LONGORIA. I GUESS THAT MEANS WE'RE ALL GONNA SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY BEFORE WE ADJOURN. YOU, YOU TRUSTEES. Y'ALL OKAY WITH THAT? YOU ARE RUNNING THE MEETING, SIR. ALL RIGHT. SO MISS DEBORAH, STAND UP AND COME ON OVER HERE PLEASE. , LET US SING TO YOU , RIGHT? YES, YES, YES. EVERYBODY PLEASE JOIN US. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DEBORAH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU. THAT'S . I DON'T KNOW THAT WE ALL KNOW IT. I KNOW I DON'T. I'LL, I'LL, I'LL BE STUCK IN A COUPLE OF WORDS, DEBRA. BUT, UH, YOU'RE INCREDIBLY VALUED. WE LOVE YOU, AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING. WITH THAT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UH, WE'RE AT THE POINT OF ADJOURNMENT IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SUCH A MOTION, WE HAVE MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE HAVE A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED. WOO HOO. EXTENT. YEAH. UH. * 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.