Minutes 09 12 02
MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON TRANSIT AUTHORITY September 12, 2002 MEMBERS PRESENT Mr. Dick Scott, Chairman Mr. Howard Capps Mr. William Boyd Mr. Harry Forden Ms. Laura Padgett MEMBERS ABSENT
Mr. Mike Saylor Mr. Steve Stein, Alternate Ms. Rosa Webb STAFF PRESENT Albert Eby Corey Johnson Lawless Bean, TDM Coordinator, City of Wilmington Mark Tinkler, Senior Transportation
Planner, City of Wilmington CALL TO ORDER Chairman Scott called the meeting to order at 12:04 p.m. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Forden made a motion to approve the minutes from the August
08, 2002 meeting. Mr. Boyd seconded and the motion was approved. 2. REPORT FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER WTA Maintenance/Administration/Transfer Facility Preliminary Planning Study Mr.
Eby reported that he and Senior Transportation Planner Mark Tinkler had started preliminary planning for a new administration/maintenance/transfer facility for the WTA. The project
has been identified in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) in fiscal years 2006 and 2007. Land acquisition and facility design in the amount of $1,876,000.00 was scheduled
for 2006. Construction in the amount of $4,500,000.00 was scheduled for 2007. Funding has been identified as 80% FTA, 10% NCDOT, and 10% City of Wilmington. Mr. Eby went on to explain
that the need for the facility was imperative given the fact that the current facility is over sixty years old and never designed to be a bus maintenance facility. Further, Mr. Eby explained
that a recent OSHA
WTA Minutes 9/12/02 Page 2 of 4 inspection identified a number of safety violations. These violations were inherent to a 60 plus year old facility. Much of the wiring was out of date
and bringing it up to code would not be monetarily feasible. Although the projects are in the TIP, they are currently unfunded. It is for this reason that Mr.’s Eby and Tinkler are
recommending a professional consultant be contracted to begin the process. The study would compare a preferred site to a minimum of two (2) alternate sites. The sites to be selected
would be determined by the City and the WTA. The study would serve many functions including, but not limited to the following: o An analysis of the current facility and its many shortcomings,
notably the fact that it is in a residential neighborhood, and the fact that it poses an elevated safety risk to the maintenance staff, as well as the fact that it does not serve all
routes. The addition of a transfer facility to the administration/maintenance facility would replace the current transfer site at Second & Princess without adding a great cost to the
project. o A road impact study comparison of the three sites o A traffic impact study of the three sites o A brief environmental impact study of the proposed sites. More extensive environmental
studies would be required once a site has been determined. The preliminary site selection process would assume a merged system. Staff believes that the project could be easily scaled
down but not easily enlarged. The Board informed staff to assume the following in their preliminary study: Central location Traffic Environmental justice Possible merger
Downtown Multi-modal transportation center Mr. Eby stated that there were sufficient surplus grant funds that could pay for the estimated $48,000.00 study. Mr. Eby reported that
the most feasible site that he and Mr. Tinkler have been able to identify was at Kerr Ave. and Emerson. Mr. Tinkler said he was working with the City Purchasing Director to identify
other tracts tracts and availability. Ms. Padgett expressed concern that the location of the sites be cognizant of the accessibility of the system on a county-wide basis, not just
meeting the needs of the city. Mr. Tinkler said he and Mr. Eby had talked to Assistant County Manager Pat Melvin and she felt the Kerr Ave. site would be suitable for a county-wide
system. Mr. Eby assured Ms. Padgett that the Board of Directors and the County would be kept apprised of the process. Mr. Forden asked Chairman Scott for a representative of the
Board of Directors to be fully involved in the preliminary study and site selection process. He suggested Chairman Scott fill that role and Chairman Scott agreed.
WTA Minutes 9/12/02 Page 3 of 4 New Bus Purchase Mr. Eby reported that the Consolidated bus purchase was on the agenda of the Durham City Council scheduled for September 16, 2002.
He reported that he would be bringing the bus purchase to the Board at the October meeting. The buses should be ordered mid-October with a late Spring/early summer delivery date.
Mr. Eby explained that the bid for the buses came in higher than expected. This was due to mandates by FTA for a talking bus (voice annunciators), and unforeseen increases in the bus
market. Mr. Eby said that he and the other members of the consortium were satisfied that the bids were reasonable, and that the WTA was making an informed and responsible purchase.
He also stated that he had spoken to FTA and they would approve a budget transfer if requested. Due to the fact that the buses came in higher than originally budgeted over five (5)
years ago, coupled with the fact that surplus FTA funds had been identified and NCDOT has expressed willingness to provide ten percent of the surplus funds, Mr. Eby requested a resolution
authorizing the transfer of $260,000.00 from surplus operating funds in FTA Grant NC-90-X290-00 to capital funds for additional money for the fleet replacement. Mr. Capps made a motion
to allow the transfer, Mr. Boyd seconded the motion and it was approved unanimously. Mr. Forden requested that pricing information for the new buses be included with the packet for
the October 10, 2002 meeting. Mr. Eby agreed to meet this request. 3. REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN WTA Priorities Chairman Scott reviewed the priorities that he and the staff had identified.
These priorities included the WTA “re-inventing” itself. He stated that the timing was ideal for changes with the introduction of a new fleet of buses. Chairman Scott stated that
staff was working to bring reduced headways to the Board for approval in the 2003-2004 budget. Chairman Scott mentioned that the Board should begin to consider the future of the bus
wrap advertising program. Mr. Eby stated he would have facts and figures available at the October meeting to present to the Board. Merger/Master Plan Study Update Chairman Scott
informed the Board that he had traveled with staff to Cary, NC to meet with the Consultant responsible for the Master Plan/Merger Study. Representatives of the County were also present.
Chairman Scott explained to the Consultant that the recommendation from the consultant for a virtual merger did not address the WTA Board of Directors concerns. He went on to explain
that in order to adequately address the question of a merger, the WTA would need to see a proposed organizational chart, detailed proposed costs and budgets, and benefits form a proposed
merger. The consultant stated that this was part of the master plan portion of
WTA Minutes 9/12/02 Page 4 of 4 the study to be completed after all involved parties decided on whether to merge. After some debate the consultant agreed to address the concerns of the
parties involved so an informed and responsible decision regarding the merger could be made. Mr. Scott also applauded the effort of Mr. Tinkler in his efforts to get the study back
on track. Mission Statement Chairman Scott asked the Board to review the proposed WTA Mission Statement and be prepared to vote on a resolution approving the Mission Statement at
the October 10, 2002 meeting. Presentation to Vice-Chairman Boyd Chairman Scott informed the Board that Vice-Chairman Boyd’s term was expiring and Mr. Boyd had not asked for reappointment.
Chairman Scott thanked Mr. Boyd for six years of dedicated service to the WTA and presented him a plaque in honor of his service. Mr. Boyd thanked the Board for the opportunity to serve
and stated he might seek reappointment in the future. Chairman Scott asked Board members to think about a replacement for Vice-Chairman Boyd before the next meeting. 4. Other Business,
Scheduling of Next Meeting Board Member Forden asked if the Chairman had considered the request for an extension of the Front Street Free Trolley to the North Fourth Street area. Chairman
Scott instructed staff to provide him with a letter detailing the possibility of extending the route. Chairman Scott informed Mr. Forden that he would provide an update to the request
at the October Board of Directors meeting. The next meeting of the Board of Directors was scheduled for 10 October 2002 at 12:00pm Being no further business the meeting adjourned
at 1:07pm. Respectfully submitted, Albert Eby General Manager