HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority - 11/05/2008 REC IV
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REGIONAL.TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY DEC 0 R
BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING I
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2008
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS
1. Held Roll Call
2. Provided Opportunity for Public Comment
3. Held Personnel Recognition
4. Heard Update on Maintenance Facility Project
5. Heard Update on RCAT Committee Activities
6. Appointed RCAT Committee Member, Mr. Abel Alonzo
7. Approved the Board of Directors' Minutes of October 1, 2008 Board Meeting;
Budget Workshop Minutes of September 24, 2008; and Special Meeting of
October 22, 2008
8. Approved Consent Agenda Items:
a) Action to Accept Committee Reports .
b) Action to Approve a Resolution Authorizing South Texas Aggregation
Project (STAP) to Negotiate an Electric Supply Agreement effective January
1, 2009 through December 31, 2013; and Authorize Executing a Contract
with STAP for Electricity Services
c) Action to Award a Contract to Arguindegui Oil Company II, Ltd. for Texas
Ultra Low Sulfur Emission Diesel Fuel
d) Action to Award a Contract to VPSI, Inc. for Vanpool Vehicles and Services
e) Action to Authorize Renewing the Interlocal Agreement with . Texas
Municipal League (TML) for the following lines of coverage: Auto Liability
Insurance, Auto Catastrophe Insurance, Property Insurance, Excess Wind,
General Liability Insurance, Errors and Omissions Insurance, and Fidelity
Insurance
f) Action to Authorize Renewing the Contract with Liberty Mutual for Workers'
Compensation Coverage
g) Action to Award a Contract to Wells .Fargo Bank for Depository Banking
Services
9. Heard Presentation on the September 2008 Financial Report
11. Heard Interim General Manager's Report
12. Held Closed Session on Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Search
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The Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors met at 8:30 a.m. in the
Regional Transportation Authority Facility located at 5658 Bear Lane, Corpus Christi,
Texas.
Board Members Present: Crystal Lyons (Board Chair), Mike Rendon, John Valls, John
Longoria, Vangie Chapa,. David Martinez, Ricardo Ramon, Sara Salvide, Judy Telge,
Mary Saenz
Board Members Absent: Anna Flores (Board Vice-Chair) SCANNED
--1egional Transportation Authority
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 5,2008
Page 2
Staff Present: Eduardo Carrion (Interim General Manager), Ponch Carrillo, Sylvia
Castillo, Linda Fallwell-Stover, Sharon Montez, Kristi Pena, Ramon Sanchez, Lamont
Taylor, Martin Trevino, Ruth Willey, Oscar Vargas, Diane Garcia, Linda Socha, Laura
Yaunk
Public Present: Juan Araiza III; Maria Araiza; Isabel Araiza; John Kelley, Smart Growth
Initiative; Fanny Chirinos, Corpus Christi Caller-Times; Martin Schmitt, AG/CM Inc.; John
Bell, RTA Legal Counsel; Elias Sissamis, Financial Consultant; Eloy Soza, Debby Hovda,
RCAT; Rosie Aguiar, Ramona Sawyers, Lupe Salazar, RTAEA; Dana Smith, Brenda
Fernandez, Carlos Vargas, Nova Shields, Edna Arredondo, MV Transportation; Anne
Skaro, Corpus Christi Leadership
Call to Order
The roll was called and a quorum declared present. Ms. Lyons called the meeting to
order at 8:37 a.m.
Opportunity for Public Comment
Mr. Juan Araiza III stated his concerns about the location of bus stops and safety in
regards to the recent fatal accident of his father-in-law, Mr. Francisco Fregozo. Mr. Araiza
spoke about the successful efforts made by Mr. Fregozo in 2006 to get the bus stop in
front of the LULAC Hacienda Apartments relocated. He spoke about a current concern
that riders using Route 37 had to cross Port Avenue on their return trip, which was a
safety concern. He expressed the opinion that the RTA and the City of Corpus Christi
were not responding to the safety concerns. Ms. Lyons advised Mr. Araiza that this
matter would be included as an agenda item on the November Operations Committee
Meeting and would allow for discussion on this matter.
Mr. John Kelley introduced himself as a representative of Smart Growth Initiative (SGI),
which he explained was a group comprised of Corpus Christi area professionals and
citizen groups. Mr. Kelley stated that SGI had made a presentation, "Pedestrian Oriented
Transportation" to the City of Corpus Christi's Transportation Department. He said that
one of the group's goals was for agencies and groups in the area to develop a plan to
present when prospective Federal funding for infrastructure becomes available, as early
as January 2009.
In closing, Mr. Kelley asked that SGI's presentation, "Pedestrian Oriented
Transportation", be presented to the RTA. Ms. Lyons responded that this would be
appropriate for the November RTA Operations Committee Meeting.
Personnel Recognition
Mr. Carrion recognized Mr. René Saenz for thirty-five years of service with the RTA,
twenty-two of which were served as a Transportation Supervisor. Mr. Carrion and Ms.
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Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 5,2008
Page 3
Lyons presented Mr. Saenz with a certificate in recognition of his years of service with the
agency.
Update on Maintenance Facility Project
Mr. Martin Schmitt, Construction Manager, AG/CM, Inc., presented an updated current
status of ongoing renovations and additions to the RTA Maintenance building. Mr.
Schmitt referred to the handout distributed to the Board. He gave percentages of
completion for each step of the project: Step One ,70 percent; Step Two, 0 percent; Step
Three, 14 percent; Step Four, 8.8 percent; and Step Five, 0 percent.
Mr. Schmitt described some aspects of progress for the construction Steps: Step One,
steel erection block walls and exterior steel panels were installed; Step Three, the "lean-
too" had 75 percent of structural work completed, including interior electrical work and
insulation; and Step Four, the office building foundation work and block work installation
were completed.
Mr. Schmitt announced the new Project Architect, Mr. W.D. Carmichael,Gignac
Architects, replacing Mr. Charles Milligan, Gignac Architects.
Continuing with the presentation, Mr. Schmitt described the Submittal Log and Request
for Information (RFI) processes, saying that both were progressing efficiently. He gave
an explanation of the Betterment Fund, which has provided a tool to track change orders
and credits resulting from construction adjustments made with RTA approval. The credits
have resulted in contractual savings for RTA and included savings for: adding poultry
wire to insulation at main shop building ($45,000); West end CMU wall ($6,300); and
concrete lift pits ($1,000). The Betterment Fund Change Order status has remaining
funds of$240,702.07 from the initial amount of$250,000.
Update on RCAT Committee Activities
Ms. Hovda stated that at the October 16, 2008 RTA Advisory Committee meeting, there
was a service change concern expressed under public comment by Mr. John Lee. Ms.
Fallwell-Stover informed Mr. Lee that the RTA Service Development Group would be
presenting information and seeking input on the proposed 2009 service changes through
upcoming public outreach sessions and RCAT meetings.
Ms. Hovda reported that four appeals were heard by the No Show Appeals
subcommittee; two appeals were heard by the Eligibility Appeals subcommittee; and the
CAF reports decreased by 13% compared to September 2007.
Ms. Hovda added that Mr. Vargas presented the proposed 2009 service changes, based
on recommendations made in the Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA). She
added that the Committee requested an agenda item on Public Process for the next
meeting on November 13, 2008.
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Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 5,2008
Page 4
Discussion and Possible Action to Appoint RTAC Committee Member
Ms. Hovda reported that the RCAT Committee had a vacancy due to the recent
appointment of Ms. Mary Saenz to the RTA Board of Directors.
Ms. Hovda stated that in the process to identify a person for potential appointment to the
RCAT Committee, the Selection Committee sought diversity and had focused on finding
candidates with a disability and/ or that were a regular rider utilizing fixed-route service.
Five candidates were evaluated and the two highest ranked, Mr. Abel Alonzo and Mr.
John Lee were considered for recommendation to the Board. Based on the Committee's
discussion, and in consideration of intangibles not reflected in the evaluation criteria, the
unanimous recommendation by the RCAT Committee to Board Chair was that Abel
Alonzo be appointed to RTA's Committee on Accessible Transportation for a two-year
term commencing November 2008.
Ms. Telge expressed an opinion that more people interested in involvement in advocacy
were needed and a brief discussion ensued.
MR. RENDON MADE A MOTION TO APPOINT MR. ABEL ALONZO TO THE
RCAT COMMITTEE. MR. MARTINEZ SECONDED THE MOTION. THE
MOTION CARRIED, RENDON, MARTINEZ, SALVIDE, RAMON, CHAPA,
SAENZ VOTING IN FAVOR AND VALLS, TELGE, LONGORIA VOTING
AGAINST. FLORES ABSENT.
Discussion and Possible Action to Approve the Board of Directors' Minutes of
October 1, 2008 Board Meeting; Budget Workshop Minutes of September 24, 2008;
and Special Meeting of October 22, 2008
MR. LONGORIA MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS' MINUTES OF OCTOBER 01, 2008 BOARD MEETING;
BUDGET WORKSHOP MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 24, 2008; AND SPECIAL
MEETING OF OCTOBER 22, 2008. MR. RAMON SECONDED THE
MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED. LYONS, RENDON, VALLS,
LONGORIA, CHAPA, MARTINEZ, RAMON, SALVIDE, TELGE, SAENZ
VOTING FOR. FLORES ABSENT.
CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
Ms. Lyons stated that the following items were of routine or administrative nature and had
been discussed previously by the Board or Committees and that the Board had been
furnished with support documentation on the items. She called for consideration of
Consent Agenda items 8a through 8g and asked if there were any items that should be
pulled for discussion. There being none, Ms. Lyons called for a motion.
a) Action to Accept Committee Reports
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Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 5,2008
Page 5
b) Action to: (a) Approve a Resolution Authorizing South Texas Aggregation
Project (STAP) to Negotiate an Electric Supply Agreement effective January
1, 2009 through December 31, 2013; and (b) Authorize Executing a Contract
with STAP for Electricity Services
c) Action to Award a Contract to Arguindegui Oil Company II, Ltd. for Texas
Ultra Low Sulfur Emission Diesel Fuel
d) Action to Award a Contract to VPSI, Inc. for Vanpool Vehicles and Services
e) Action to Authorize Renewing the Interlocal Agreement with Texas
Municipal League (TML) for the following lines of coverage: Auto Liability
Insurance, Auto Catastrophe Insurance, Property Insurance, Excess Wind,
General Liability Insurance, Errors and Omissions Insurance, and Fidelity
Insurance
f) Action to Authorize Renewing the Contract with Liberty Mutual for Workers'
Compensation Coverage
g) Action to Award a Contract to Wells Fargo Bank for Depository Banking
Services
MR. VALLS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS
8a THROUGH 8g. MR. LONGORIA SECONDED THE MOTION. THE
MOTION CARRIED. LYONS, RENDON, VALLS, LONGORIA, CHAPA,
MARTINEZ, RAMON, SALVIDE, TELGE, SAENZ VOTING FOR. FLORES
ABSENT.
Presentation on the September 2008 Financial Report
In presenting the September 2008 Financial Report, Mr. Sissamis stated that passenger
revenues were up and over budget due to increased ridership. He stated that fuel costs
were favorable to budget due to lower than expected crude oil market prices. In addition,
other favorable year-to-date budget line items were: Salaries & Benefits; Materials;
Purchased Transportation; and Utilities. He pointed out that Health Insurance was over
budget year-to-date due to six major health insurance claims this year.
Interim General Manager's Report
Mr. Carrion invited Board Members to join staff for RTA's Thanksgiving Luncheon to be
held November 21, 2008.
Mr. Carrion reported that two of RTA's contingency fleet buses had been donated to
Galveston Island Transit. He commended the Maintenance Department staff and Bus
Operators on the successful delivery of the buses.
Ms. Lyons recommended that RTA staff inform SWTA and TTA of RTA's donation of
buses to Galveston, and advised staff to ensure that timely press releases be issued
locally on such events.
—xegional Transportation Authority
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
November 5,2008
Page 6
Ms. Lyons initiated a discussion on posted agenda items notice requirements. She
referred to a recent opinion issued by the State of Texas Attorney General on this matter.
Mr. Bell offered clarification of the Attorney General's intent, saying that an agenda for
public meetings must clearly advise the public of what topic(s) will be addressed at the
meeting. He said that only topics specifically on the agenda could be discussed, and
added that an open forum format was not acceptable. He further explained that if a topic
for discussion arose during a meeting, the Board should include it on a subsequent
meeting agenda.
A discussion ensued to better understand the requirements for RTA's agendas and
meetings. Board and staff reaffirmed that RTA had a process for agenda development
and approval that allowed for inclusion of requested agenda items.
Closed Session on CEO Search with Possible Action in Open Session
Ms. Lyons announced at 9:48 a.m. that the Board was going into closed session in order
to discuss Agenda Item 11 concerning personnel matters, the CEO search, under
Section 551.074 of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
Ms. Lyons reconvened the regular Board meeting at 10:12 a.m.
Adiournment
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:12 a.m.
C1J . .% ).(n,CLL
Sara Salvide, Board Secretary
►a 3 03
Date