Minutes 06 10 04
Wilmington New Hanover Transportation Agency MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON NEW HANOVER TRANSPORTATION AGENCY June 10, 2004 MEMBERS PRESENT Ms. Christine McNamee, Chair Mr. Jeff Bellows,
Vice-Chair Mr. William Bryden Ms. Nancy Pritchett Ms. Barbara Kane Mr. John Stukes STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert Eby, Director Ms. Deborah Houston, Assistant Director GUESTS PRESENT Mr. Ricky
Meeks, Citizen Mr. Mark Tinkler, Sr. Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Jonathan David, Associate Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Lamont Jackson, General Manager,
First Transit Mr. Corey Johnson, General Manager, WTC Ms. Annette Crumpton, Director, New Hanover County Department of Aging Mr. Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney, New Hanover County
Ms. Dolores Williams, Assistant City Attorney, City of Wilmington Mr. Jeff Crouchley, Planner, NCDOT-PTD Mr. Bill Williamson, Regional Vice-President, First Transit CALL TO ORDER Chair
McNamee called the meeting to order at 12:22pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes of the May 13, 2004 regular meeting of the Board was made by Mr. Stukes. The motion
was seconded by Mr. Bryden and carried unanimously. REPORT FROM THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE Board Chair McNamee reported in the absence of the committee chair that the committee had prepared
a personnel policy for authority employees. Staff distributed copies of the Transition Policy, the Employee Grievance Procedure, and the Conflict of Interest Policy. Since the policy
was not finalized prior to the agenda packets being distributed, she asked for the wishes of the Board concerning adoption of the policy. She explained that the Transition Policy covered
either conflicting policies between the City and County or policies not addressed by the City and County.
Ms. McNamee stated that the City and County had agreed to provide payroll and benefit services to authority employees in the Interlocal Agreement through December 31, 2004. Mr. Stukes
asked if the policies came from committee with a recommendation. The Chair stated that they did. Ms. Williams asked for clarification concerning oversight of the authority employees
by the City and County. Ms. McNamee stated that although the authority employed the employees, they were technically City and County employees and that the respective HR departments
stated that they wanted to maintain their oversight. Mr. Bryden inquired what would transpire should the Board approve the policy and an error or omission be discovered by the attorneys
or a Board member. Mr. Burpeau stated that the policy could be amended at anytime. Mr. Bryden made a motion to accept the transition policy from the personnel committee. Mr. Stukes
seconded the motion. Mr. Bellows asked if staff had concerns over the policy. Mr. Eby Eby and Ms. Houston were comfortable with the proposed policy. Ms. Williams and Mr. Burpeau
were asked if they had concerns with the proposal. Both stated that they would need more time to review the proposal before commenting. Mr. Bellows stated that since the policy was
not effective until July 01, 2004 and a Board meeting was scheduled for the same day, any concerns could be addressed at this meeting. Ms. Pritchett asked how the proposed policy differed
from the original draft policy. Mr. Eby stated that the Chair and the Director had pared down the document significantly. Hearing no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously.
The Chair stated that the Employee Grievance Procedure and the Conflict of Interest policies would be tabled until a later date. REPORT FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE Committee Chair
Bellows reported that the committee met on Thursday June 10, 2004. He reported that the committee was assessing the accounting needs for the authority. The committee had requested
a listing of all open grants for both the city and county. This information should allow the authority to assess its need to hire or contract professional accounting assistance.
The committee also was assessing the possibility of implementing a five-dollar tag tax countywide. It is believed that this would require state legislative action. City and County
support for this action would be necessary. Mr. Bryden asked if revenue projections from the tax had been prepared. Mr. Eby stated that the estimates were believed to be in the $750,000
per year range. Mr. Bellows also reported that no appointments to the new authority would be required. All current members would continue their appointment based on the Interlocal
agreement.
He stated the next meeting of the committee was scheduled for Thursday July 01, 2004 at 11:00am. REPORT FROM THE MARKETING COMMITTEE Mr. Bryden reported in the absence of Committee
Chair McCarthy. The committee met on May 24, 2004. The committee discussed individual route pocket maps. The maps would identify points of interest along the routes. He stated
that the committee was investigating advertising on maps to offset the printing costs. This would require an advertising policy to be implemented by the board. The policy should
include public service advertising on the buses as well as other forms of advertising that may be available to the authority. Mr. Burpeau volunteered to assist the committee in development
of the policy. Mr. Bellows suggested that the chamber of commerce and the tourism and development authority be contacted to assist in the effort. Ms. Pritchett suggested that other
governmental agencies be allowed to advertise on certain media free of charge in an effort to promote their services. The next meeting of the Marketing Committee was scheduled for
Monday June 28, 2004. REPORT FROM THE BUDGET COMMITTEE Mr. Bryden referred the Board to the revised FY 2003-2004 budget in the agenda packet. The revised budget was based on increases
in both the revenues and expenses for the fiscal year. Mr. Eby was asked to define the ticket float line item. It was basically an accounting procedure used to account for paper
tickets sold but not expensed that would likely not be expensed due to the introduction of electronic tickets. Ms. Pritchett also asked Mr. Eby to explain the revenue increase in the
Brunswick Connector and UNCW. Mr. Eby explained that the Connector was not operational at the time of the adopted budget. He also explained that the contract with UNCW had been renegotiated
to capture actual costs from the University. Mr. Bellows asked if both services were fully funded or if authority subsidies were required. Mr. Eby explained that the Connector was
100% funded by NCDOT. The Seahawk Shuttles were close to being funded without subsidy, but since the shuttles are public transportation routes, a modicum of subsidy is not believed
by staff to be unreasonable. He further stated that contract with UNCW was progressive over a four year period and would operate at a lower subsidy each of the contract years. A
motion to approve the amended fiscal year 2003-2004 budget was made by Mr. Bryden. The motion was seconded by Ms. Pritchett. Mr. Bryden asked if the amended budget would impact the
fiscal year 2004-2005 budget. Mr. Eby stated that he believed it would not. The motion carried.
Chair McNamee stated that she had made a final plea to Council on May 18, 2004 to fully fund the proposed budget. She further stated that the county had not passed its budget but
she was optimistic it would include full funding as proposed. Commissioner Pritchett indicated that none of the transit related funding appeared to be in jeopardy. REPORT FROM THE
FACILITIES COMMITTEE The Board Chair recognized Mr. Eby for an update on the maintenance/administration/transfer facility. Mr. Eby stated that the contractor had scheduled a trip
to Wilmington the week of June 16, 2004 to begin the site recommendation and preliminary architecture process. He further stated that staff was ready to begin qualifying a design firm
for the project upon funding guarantees from NCDOT. Mr. Crouchley stated that NCDOT was working to expedite the process. Staff was displeased with the state’s progress in issuing
a contract for the facility and was considering asking NCDOT Board member Lanny Wilson for assistance should the contract continue to be held up. Mr. Bryden asked if the study would
look at a single site for the transfer and maintenance facility. Mr. Eby stated that the consultant was investigating all options and would prepare a report based on many factors so
the number of sites was still in question. Mr. Eby stated that had prepared budget estimates for NCDOT based on construction costs of $200/square foot. This would allow the authority
the necessary square footage and allow an adequate amount of funding for land acquisition, which was very unpredictable. Mr. Bellows asked if the committee had met. Mr. Eby stated
that the committee would become the lead advisory on the project once the project entered the design phase. Mr. Eby recognized Chair McNamee to update the Multimodal Transportation
Facility Project. The Chair in turn recognized Senior Transportation Planner Mark Tinkler to update the project. Mr. Tinkler reported that Louis Barger had been contracted by NCDOT
to review the previously studied sites in an effort to evaluate the selection process. Mr. Eby distributed copies of the scope of work provided by Louis Barger Group. The study was
expected to take 90 days and was 100% funded by NCDOT. The document would provide a comprehensive overview of all previous studies without recommendation. Mr. Crouchley reported
that passenger rail was going to come to Wilmington; the only question was the route the train took too and from Wilmington. STAFF REPORT Mr. Eby reported that the transition to First
Transit was progressing well. Mr. Eby stated that staff was in the process of acquiring insurance for the authority and substantial savings may be realized by having the authority
acquire insurance as opposed to the contractor. Mr. Eby provided an overview of the additional service to Shipyard Blvd. scheduled to be implemented in July. He stated that staff
had hoped that the arrival of two additional buses would be completed prior to the service expansion.
Due to unforeseen production delays, the buses are not schedule for delivery until October and a secondary plan would have to be developed to implement the service. This would allow
an adequate spare ratio. Mr. Eby suggested that since the implementation of 30-minute service, frequency of buses in the Brooklyn area was probably too frequent. Mr. Eby suggested
allowing the Brooklyn bus to serve the Shipyard Blvd. corridor and discontinue service with this bus only to the Brooklyn area. The number three bus would still serve the area. Mr.
Bellows asked if the route would traverse Shipyard Blvd. in both directions. Mr. Eby stated that time trials indicated that this would allow the service to continue with thirty minute
headways. Mr. Bellows asked if it would be possible to serve Shipyard Blvd. in one direction and another area, such as Medical Center Drive in the other direction. Mr. Eby indicated
staff would investigate the possibility of this request. Mr. Johnson stated that it would most likely work and seemed like a good suggestion. Mr. Eby reported that staff would return
with a plan at the July Board meeting. Implementation of the expanded routes and extended service hours would likely begin in late July or early August after enough drivers were properly
trained. Ms. McNamee asked if staff had determined how many drivers would need to be hired. Mr. Johnson stated that between eight and nine drivers, as well as one hostler, one maintenance
supervisor and one driver supervisor would be hired. Mr. Bellows asked if the union contract addressed layoffs. Mr. Johnson reported that it did. Ms. McNamee asked for a timetable
for the expanded services. Mr. Eby reported that once the fiscal year begins on July 01, a three to four week training session will occur. Night service, Sunday service, and service
to Shipyard Blvd. would all occur at the end of the training period. Service to Monkey Junction and northern New Hanover County has already been implemented. Mr. Stukes asked for
the timetable for the full route restructuring. Mr. Eby stated that he was optimistic that a plan could be implemented and that the transfer facility project would be far enough along
to implement in July 2006. Ms. Houston updated that the City had contacted the authority to provide park and ride service to the downtown fireworks show on July Fourth. She stated
that previous attempts were not extremely successful. The consensus was that the shuttle service was tied up in traffic leading to poor public perception of the authority and the service
it was able to provide. Several members stated that cost of the service was an issue. Mr. Eby stated that the budget contained no funding for any shuttle service. Ms. Houston was
directed to approach the city to gauge their interest in paying for the authority’s cost incurred by the service. Should they be willing to pay for the shuttle service, the authority
may be willing to provide service if certain assurances could be guaranteed like traffic control by the WPD and a convenient boarding and alighting site. Mr. Eby referred the Board
to the Park and Ride South Shuttle cost comparison worksheet in their packets. He stated that the program had an extremely high cost per passenger cost and that continuation of the
program in its current form was not fiscally responsible. He suggested that the program be suspended for a period of time to allow staff to reevaluate its methodology.
He stated that Ms. Bean was unable to attend the meeting, but he had spoken to her concerning suspension of the service. Once the reconfigured routes were implemented staff saw many
opportunities for park and ride routes in combination with regular routes possibly using express service during peak times and other initiatives. OTHER BUSINESS, SECHEDULING OF NEXT
MEETING The Chair stated that the next meeting would be the inaugural meeting of the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority and was scheduled for Thursday July 01, 2004 at 12:00pm.
Commissioner Pritchett praised the Board for making the joint authority a reality and stated that they serve as a model for consolidation in the future. Mr. Stukes congratulated
staff and the leadership of the WNHTA for their efforts to improve public transportation in the region. Hearing no further business, the Chair unceremoniously ended the brief but effective
tenure of the Wilmington New Hanover Transportation Agency. Respectfully Submitted, Albert Eby D