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Minutes 10 13 03 Wilmington New Hanover Transportation Agency MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON NEW HANOVER TRANSPORTATION AGENCY October 9, 2003 MEMBERS PRESENT Ms. Christine McNamee, Chair Mr. Jeff Bellows, Vice Chair Mr. Robert Ronne, Secretary Ms. Laura Padgett Ms. Nancy Pritchett Mr. John Stukes Ms. Barbara Kane Ms. Fannie D. Freeman Ms. Maureen McCarthy Mr. William Bryden MEMBERS ABSENT Mr. Howard Capps STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert Eby, General Manager, WTA Ms. Deborah Houston, Secretary, NHTS Mr. Gary Miller, President, CCL Management 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. Jonathon David Assoc. Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Bob Kingsbury, NHTS Manager, First Transit GUESTS PRESENT Mr. Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney, New Hanover County Ms. Kris Frasure, Mayor’s Population Needs Committee Ms. Dolores Williams, Assistant City Attorney, City of Wilmington Mr. Bill Williamson, Williamson, Regional Vice President, First Transit Ms. Lisa Gatwood, Senior Operations Manager, First Transit CALL TO ORDER Chair McNamee called the meeting to order at 12:07 pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  Ms. Pritchett made a motion to approve the minutes from the September 11, 2003 meeting. Mr. Bellows seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously. REPORT FROM THE TRANSIT DIRECTOR SUBCOMMITTEE  Committee Chair Ronne stated that the target date to hire a transit director was still January 01, 2004 and that the advertisement for the position was ready for posting.  He reported that applications for the position would be due November 14, 2003 and the committee would reconvene after this date to review candidates for interviews. REPORT FROM THE YEAR TWO INTERLOCAL AND LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE  Committee Chair Bellows reported that the committee and staff agreed to explore extending the current management contracts with CCL Management, Inc. and First Transit.  It was determined that issuing a RFP and entering into a new contract by the June 30, 2003 expiration of both contracts was not feasible.  The Committee brought forward a motion that the merged transit systems become a new authority. This Motion was necessary to guide the Committee as they write the enabling legislation. The motion needed no second as it came from a committee. The motion was approved unanimously.  Committee Chair Bellows asked that the rest of the board be thinking about a new name for the merged entity. REPORT FROM THE MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE  Committee Chair McCarthy reported that the committee had met for the first time and from this meeting it was decided that some direction from the board was needed.  To facilitate this, a survey outlining the marketing goals of the entire board was prepared, distributed and collected.  The committee reported that they were working on goals and a slogan. REPORT FROM THE WTA GENERAL MANAGER  Mr. Eby updated the board on the new fareboxes and the data that they provide.  Mr. Eby presented and explained the monthly passenger statistics and asked the board if there were any statistics that they would like to see that he had not provided.  Mr. Bellows requested additional financial data.  Mr. Eby explained that ridership was up dramatically with the introduction of the new fleet and he felt that the authority’s goal of one million passengers passengers annually was well underway.  Ms. Freeman revisited her request for service to the Love Grove neighborhood.  She explained that although small and isolated, the neighborhood had many transit dependant residents who were having to walk a great distance to get to a bus stop.  Mr. Eby and Mr. David reported that they had passed the request on to the consultant. Mr. Eby didn’t feel that the urgency of the request was noted by the consultant.  Mr. Eby advised the Board that he would personally undertake responsibility for the request and do everything possible to reach a solution to providing transit service to the residents of the area. REPORT FROM THE NHTS PROGRAM MANAGER  Ms. Houston presented and explained monthly statistics for NHTS.  Mr. Bellows requested additional financial data.  Ms. Houston agreed to this request. PRESENTATION FROM FIRST TRANIST  Mr. Bill Williamson from First Transit introduced himself and gave a brief summary of his company and introduced Ms. Lisa Gawtood.  Ms. Gatwood presented a Power Point© slide presentation which overviewed the call center concept.  Following the presentation, the Board requested a copy of the presentation and instructed staff to provide cost information on paratransit scheduling software which was discussed during the presentation. OTHER BUSINESS, SECHEDULING OF NEXT MEETING  Hearing no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:50pm.  The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday 13 November 2003 at 12:00pm in the WTA Board room. Respectfully Submitted, Deborah Houston Program Manager NHTS Albert Eby General Manager WTA