Minutes 04 08 04
Wilmington New Hanover Transportation Agency MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON NEW HANOVER TRANSPORTATION AGENCY April 08, 2004 MEMBERS PRESENT Ms. Christine McNamee, Chair Mr. Robert Ronne,
Secretary Ms. Fannie D. Freeman Mr. William Bryden Mr. John Stukes Ms. Laura Padgett STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert Eby, Director Ms. Deborah Houston, Assistant Director GUESTS PRESENT Mr.
Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney, New Hanover County Ms. Dolores Williams, Assistant City Attorney, City of Wilmington Mr. Ricky Meeks, Citizen Mr. Jonathan David, Associate Transportation
Planner, City of Wilmington Ms. Lawless Bean, TDM Coordinator, City of Wilmington Mr. Lamont Jackson, Assistant General Manager, WTC Mr. Bob Kingsbury, Manager, First Transit Mr. Corey
Johnson, General Manager, WTC Mr. Jeff Crouchley, Transit Planner, NCDOT CALL TO ORDER Chair McNamee called the meeting to order at 12:08pm. REPORT FROM THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE Committee
Chair Ronne reported that the committee was in process of preparing personnel policies for the employees of Wave Transit. He distributed a draft of some personnel policies the committee
was reviewing and requested input form the full Board. Board Chair McNamee stated that the personnel policy should focus only on the short term with the understanding that the Director
would be bound by the policies of the City of Wilmington and the Assistant Director and Administrative Assistant would be bound by the policies of the county. She further stated that
the policy that needed development would address the consistent policy above or outside the city and county policies that would govern all authority employees. The policy may need
to be rewritten once authority employees were completely separate from the city and county governance.
Committee Chair Ronne stated that the committee was focused on long-term policies but could easily turn their focus to preparing short-term policies that addressed items not covered
by the city and county personnel guidelines. Ms. McNamee stated that in accordance with the Interlocal agreement between the city and county, the interim policies need to be developed
by June 30, 2004. Committee Chair Ronne stated that review of every policy could be cumbersome, but said that he would work with the city and county human resource departments in order
to develop the policy. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Having achieved a quorum, the Chair asked for approval of the minutes. A motion to approve the minutes of the March 11, 2004 regular meeting
of the Board was made by Ms. Padgett. The motion was seconded by Ms. Freeman and carried unanimously. REPORT FROM THE YEAR TWO INTERLOCAL & LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Board Chair McNamee
asked the Director to update the Board on the activities of the Legislative Committee in the absence of Committee Chairman Bellows. Having the Interlocal Agreements and Resolutions
to the City and County behind it and approved, the committee was on hiatus before undertaking their new charge to address the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority becoming the grantee
and designated recipient of federal and state funding. Mr. Eby informed the Board that the attorneys were working on the legalities and staff was preparing a trip to FTA Regional Headquarters
in Atlanta to discuss the matter in person with federal authorities. The committee was also discussing the process of becoming a grantee with other cities and authorities that had
recently undertaken this type of effort. Board Chair McNamee stated that the Wilmington City Council and the New Hanover County Commissioners had approved the creation of the Cape
Fear Public Transportation Authority and the next hurdle was over approval of the FY 2004-2005 budgets. Ms. Padgett stated that council was anticipating a preliminary budget from the
City Manager in early May for approval of the first reading at the first meeting in June and approval of the second reading in mid June. Mr. Bryden asked if the Wave Transit budget
would be implemented on July 01, 2004 as scheduled. Mr. Eby stated that the budget committee might need to reconvene to prepare an alternate budget if the city fails to approve the
budget request of the authority. I was agreed that once city and county staffs presented their budgets to the elected officials, the Chair and staff would prepare a contingency plan
if necessary. Mr. Eby stated that staff was comfortable that the county was willing to fund the authority at the requested levels. He addressed some of the letters for support for
increased services written by local groups, specifically service to the new Verizon facility and the downtown trolley program. Staff and the Chair were still heavily lobbying elected
officials seeking their support. Ms. Bean stated that the TDM employer group was also interested in writing a letter of support.
REPORT FROM THE MARKETING COMMITTEE Committee Chair McCarthy requested Committee member Bryden provide the committee report in her absence. Mr. Bryden stated that committee was developing
strategies for future promotion of public transportation in the region. The committee recommended the authority joining the American Public Transportation Association. Advertising
at motels and hotels through maps was also recommended. Hiring a professional marketing company to review the current offerings and provide assistance in promoting Wave Transit was
also recommended. The Committee recommended the Chair and staff go on talk radio to promote the new authority and update the community on the positive aspects offered by the new authority.
REPORT FROM THE BUDGET COMMITTEE Committee Chair Bryden stated that having completed the FY 2004-2005 budget, the committee was on hiatus until preparation of the next budget was necessary.
He stated that the committee was prepared to reconvene to revise the approved FY 2004-2005 budget if necessary. The Chair asked to Assistant Director to update the Board on the CTP
request. Ms. Houston stated that the request to NCDOT for discretionary funding was over $100,000. The major items requested were electronic fareboxes for the Blue Line vehicles
and a call center. The County Commissioners approved their portion of the request which was a positive sign of their commitment to the authority. REPORT FROM THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE
The Board Chair recognized Mr. Eby for an update on the maintenance/administration/transfer facility. Mr. Eby stated that a consultant had been selected for the preliminary planning
and site recommendation portion of the study. Price negotiations with the consultant were underway. Mr. Eby stated that a team had been chosen to oversee the site recommendation.
The Director headed the team with assistance from the Purchasing Director, the City Engineer, the Senior Transportation Planner for the MPO, and the City’s Senior Land Use Planner.
Mr. Eby stated the need to complete the project on time and within budget, which was his ultimate goal. Ms. Padgett asked for an update to the shelter replacement program. Mr.
Eby stated that shelter installation would be delayed until the route restructuring was implemented. This would prevent shelters from having to be relocated. Staff was studying four
sites where shelters would be required both presently and after the restructuring. City engineering was assessing the right of way issues and electrical needs for the lighting in the
shelters. No date was determined for the installation of the four shelters, although staff was confident it could be completed early in the summer. Mr. Johnson updated the Board
on the shelter rehabilitation program that was currently underway.
STAFF REPORT Mr. Eby stated that the trolleys were well into their production and scheduled to be delivered before the May Board meeting. Peak uses for the second vehicles were still
being discussed. Mr. Eby stated that one goal of the trolley initiative was to utilize the parking decks and staff would work with the parking staffs with the city and county to see
that this is successful. Mr. Eby asked the Board to consider supporting a regional transportation initiative with the NC Board of Transportation. The Resolution would require Community
Transportation Systems to Implement Regional Structures within five years. Wave Transit would benefit from being able to utilize funding available in the region to provide services
that revolved around the services offered in the urbanized area. Rural and small public transportation providers would benefit from the funding and resources offered by Wave Transit.
A motion to amend the resolution to include the statement “provided adequate funding is made made available for regional transportation systems,” was made by Ms. Padgett. Mr. Bryden
seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Eby reported that no progress on reauthorization had been made since the last update. Ms. Padgett suggested a letter be
sent to Representative McIntyre stating the Authority’s position. After a brief review of the services provided by each transit management operator, Ms. Houston reported the following
passenger statistics for the Azalea Shuttle: o Total passengers for the shuttles were 4,327. o Passengers counts were 76% higher than 2003. She reported that suggestions from the debriefing
were being studied and evaluated for future implementation. Ms. Houston recognized both contractor managers and their staffs for a job well done. Mr. Eby recognized Ms. Houston for
her exceptional management of the shuttles and suggested that the dramatic increase was a testament to the community’s support for alternative forms of transportation. Mr. Ronne also
commended the providers for their excellent service in transporting him to the parade via the shuttle. OTHER BUSINESS, SECHEDULING OF NEXT MEETING Mr. Burpeau stated that the county
legal department was in the process of a contract extension with First Transit. Mr. Eby reported that the City Purchasing Manager was negotiating a contract with CCL management for
a one-year extension also. A line to indemnify both the city and the county would be included in each contract. The City was also negotiating a reduction in the contract amount since
some of the contracted services had been assumed by the authority staff and would no longer be required by the contractor. The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday May 13, 2004
at 12:00pm in the Wave Transit Board room.
Hearing no further business, a motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Ronne and seconded by Mr. Stukes. The motion carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Albert Eby Director