Minutes 07 10 03
MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON NEW HANOVER TRANSPORTATION AGENCY July 10, 2003 MEMBERS PRESENT Ms. Christine McNamee, Interim Chair Ms. Laura Padgett Ms. Nancy Pritchett Mr. Howard Capps
Ms. Fannie D. Freeman Mr. Jeff Bellows Mr. William Bryden Mr. Robert Ronne MEMBERS ABSENT Mr. John Stukes Ms. Barbara Kane STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert Eby, General Manager, WTA Ms. Deborah
Houston, Secretary, NHTS Mr. Corey Johnson, Assistant General Manager, WTA Mr. Mark Tinkler, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Ms. Lawless Bean, TDM Coordinator, City
of Wilmington Mr. Jonathan David, Associate Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington GUESTS PRESENT Ms. Patricia Melvin, Assistant County Attorney, New Hanover County Honorable Harper
Peterson, Mayor, City of Wilmington Ms. Dolores Williams, Assistant City Attorney, City of Wilmington Ms. Annette Crumpton, New Hanover County Department of Aging Mr. Jeff Crouchley,
NCDOT-PTD CALL TO ORDER Interim Chair McNamee called the meeting to order at 12:10 pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES The Interim Chair asked all present to briefly introduce themselves. Ms.
Padgett made a motion to approve the minutes from the June 03, 2003 meeting. Mr. Bryden seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously. ROLE OF THE AGENCY Interim Chair McNamee
introduced Assistant City Attorney Dolores Williams and asked her to give an overview of the new agency.
Ms. Williams provided the Board with a handout on North Carolina General Statutes governing public transportation authorities. She explained that the two merged agencies would continue
to operate independently for the current fiscal year. The agency Board would oversee both entities. Year one will be a transition year where consensus building by the Board would direct
the decisions of the agency. Mr. Capps asked whether issues concerning the independent agencies would need to be dealt with by the Agency Board or by the respective appointees of the
WTA or NHTS. Ms. Williams stated that funding issues could be dealt with by the respective agencies or they could be dealt with by the Agency Board. She further explained that the respective
Boards could meet separate of the entire Agency Board if the need arises. Ms. Williams expressed the need for the Agency to elect officers. Mr. Bellows questioned the need for legal
representation at WNHTA Board meetings in order to ensure compliance with legal requirements. Ms. Williams agreed that herself or County Attorney Kemp Burpeau would make themselves available
for meetings. REPORT FROM THE WTA GENERAL MANAGER Mr. Eby updated the board on the status of the new fleet of buses. Mr. Eby updated the board on the status of the fareboxes and
video systems that would need to be installed on the new buses for the rollout. He also briefed the Board on OEM updates to the new buses. Mr. Eby suggested an August 04, 2003 rollout
for the new fleet. He reviewed the promotions the authority was planning for the rollout. Mr. Eby requested a motion allowing for a free fare day on August 04 to promote the new buses
and make the community aware of the new fleet. Ms. Padgett made the motion allowing the free fare day with the substitution of August 05 instead of August 04. Through her involvement
with various city projects she found the media outlets in the local market tended to react more favorably and had less news items on Tuesdays as opposed to Mondays. Mr. Capps seconded
the motion. The interim Chair asked for discussion in which staff was asked to explain how they would promote the free fare day and the new buses. Mr. Eby explained that the press
release would be prepared by staff and distributed through the City Public Information Office. He further explained that a live radio promotion had been contracted by the authority
and giveaways and live remotes would be offered from the transfer point. Some discussion was given to parading the buses through town before the rollout, which staff agreed to investigate.
The motion for the free fare day passed unanimously.
Mayor Peterson suggested the need for shuttle service downtown for the upcoming nautical days festival. Mr. Eby stated the he gave the Parks department the name of some charter companies
who could provide the service. REPORT FROM THE NHTS PROGRAM MANAGER Ms. Houston spoke to the Blue Line park and ride service for the downtown fireworks on the 4th of July, offering
passenger statistics. A brief discussion by the Board ensued about the difference between services offered by NHTS and WTA. Mr. Crouchley explained how funding and regulations for
the two entities varied. Mr. Bellows stated the need for consistency in service offerings before the functional merger. Ms. Melvin explained how the County typically handled charter
and shuttle service. Ms. Houston offered an overview of the fixed route offerings by NHTS, called the Blue Line, and what offerings were being considered. REPORT FROM THE INTERIM CHAIR
The Interim Chair offered an overview of the various subcommittees that staff had identified as necessary during the first year. She called for volunteers, and the following subcommittees
were established: o Board Officer & Human Services Member Nominating Subcommittee Howard Capps, Chair Chris McNamee Bill Bryden Albert Eby, Staff Resource o Transit Director
Search Subcommittee Rob Ronne, Chair Laura Padgett Nancy Pritchett Mark Tinkler, Staff Resource o Year Two Interlocal/Legislation Subcommittee Jeff Bellows, Chair John Stukes
Barbara Kane Rob Ronne Chris McNamee Deborah Houston, Staff Resource
OTHER BUSINESS, SCHEDULING OF NEXT MEETING Mr. Tinkler briefed the Board on the upcoming Transpiration Summit, scheduled for July 23, 2003. He also included handouts about the summit.
He asked Board members to help spread the word. The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday August 14, 2003 at 12:00 noon at the WTA boardroom. Being no further business, the meeting
was adjourned at 1:14pm. Respectfully Submitted Albert Eby General Manager