Minutes 11 13 03
Wilmington New Hanover Transportation Agency MINUTES OF THE WILMINGTON NEW HANOVER TRANSPORTATION AGENCY November 13, 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 Mr. Howard
Capps MEMBERS ABSENT None STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert Eby, General Manager, WTA Ms. Deborah Houston, Program Manager, NHTS Mr. Corey Johnson, Assistant General Manager, WTA Mr. Mark Tinkler,
Senior Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Jonathon David Assoc. Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Bob Kingsbury, NHTS Manager, First Transit GUESTS PRESENT Mr.
Holt Moore, Assistant County Attorney, New Hanover County Ms. Annette Crumpton, Director, New Hanover County Department of Aging Mr. Jeff Crouchley, Transit Planner, NCDOT PTD Ms. Patricia
Melvin, Assistant County Attorney, New Hanover County CALL TO ORDER Chair McNamee called the meeting to order at 12:02 pm. Mr. Eby stated that some members expressed a problem receiving
the agenda packet via email. Ms. McNamee informed the Board that additional packets were available and gave the Board members who were not able to receive the packet an opportunity
to review the minutes from the October 09, 2003 meeting.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES Ms. Padgett made a motion to approve the minutes from the October 09, 2003 meeting. Mr. Bryden seconded, and the motion was approved unanimously. REPORT FROM THE
TRANSIT DIRECTOR SEARCH SUBCOMMITTEE Committee Chair Ronne stated that the applications for the transit director position were being accepted until Friday, November 14, 2003. He
briefed the Board on the qualifications required for the position as well as the minimum starting salary. He commended the City of Wilmington Human Resources Department for their efficiency
and professionalism. He further reported that the Committee was scheduled to review the applications and set up interviews at their next meeting scheduled for November 20, 2003. REPORT
FROM THE YEAR TWO INTERLOCAL AND LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE Committee Chair Bellows reported that the legal staff of the city and county had investigated the legal possibilities of extending
the management contracts beyond the June 30, 2003 expiration. The Committee brought forward a motion that the new authority be named the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority doing
business as Wave. A substitute motion was offered by Board Member Pritchett to delete “doing business as Wave.” The substitute motion was seconded by Board member McCarthy. The
motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Board member Padgett to call the new system Wave Transit. The motion was seconded by Board member Bryden. The motion carried unanimously.
Once the legalities of a new authority are completed, the new authority will legally be the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority. The authority will do business and be marketed
as Wave Transit. REPORT FROM THE MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE Committee Chair McCarthy asked Mr. Eby to summarize the Committee meeting from November 06, 2003. Mr. Eby stated that all
were in agreement that the five-year plan and the ensuing route modifications would require an enormous marketing effort. The purchase of the two new trolleys would also require some
thought by the committee as to their paint scheme. REPORT FROM THE WTA GENERAL MANAGER Mr. Eby updated the Board FTA grants for FFY fiscal year 2003-2004.
Mr. Eby informed the Board that there were two grants for the fiscal year. One 5307 grant for operating assistance, two trolleys, two shuttle buses and one service vehicle. One 5309
grant for two additional low floor buses. Mr. Eby informed the Board that the 5309 grant was the first received by WTA and was reflective of NCDOT’s commitment to assisting the authority.
Mr. Eby informed the Board that a contract for the two trolleys would be awarded to Optima Bus by Wilmington City Council at their 11/18/03 meeting. The contract price was $512,172.00
which was within the $550,000.00 authorized budget. Although the grant has not been executed, Mr. Eby explained that the buses were purchased under pre-award authority. The contract
for the trolleys calls for a maximum 190 day delivery. Therefore the trolleys should be delivered in May or June of 2004. The two shuttle buses were also on City Council’s consent
agenda for the 18th. Due to 2004 EPA regulations, the chassis manufacturer, Ford Motor Co., has had to drastically reconfigure the chassis to meet the requirement. This has led to a
shortage of chassis. WTA staff was informed by NCDOT purchasing that the vehicles should be ordered while there are chassis available. If all goes as planned, the two expansion shuttles
should be delivered by March 2004. Mr. Eby informed the Board that the authority had received 15 new shelters. Six had been identified as replacement shelters and 9 had been identified
as expansion shelters. Due to right-of-way issues and the fact that utilities had to be run for the lighting in the shelters, the City engineering department had been engaged to assist
in the project. Mr. Eby further explained that once the five year plan was presented, some of the proposed shelter locations could be in areas where there would no longer be a bus
stop. Mr. Eby informed the Board that the Brunswick Connector project began on 10 November 2003. Mr. Asked Mr. David to update the Board on the five year plan and the upcoming public
meeting. Ms. David invited the Board to the stakeholder meeting on December 04, 2003 at 12:00pm in the WTA Board room. The consultant is scheduled to present the proposed five year
plan with service modifications to the stakeholders on this date. Two public meetings for the presentation were scheduled on December 04 at 4:30pm and 5:30pm in Council Chambers. Mr.
Eby informed the Board of the feedback from the last public meeting. Most concerns were that the public was not informed enough concerning the meeting. To remedy this, Mr. Eby informed
the Board that he had added a notice for the meeting to the annunciators and interior headsigns of the buses. A message to promote the meeting would be audibly and visually presented
on the bus every 15 minutes. He also was investigating paid advertising in the Star News and Wilmington Journal. Both the City and County public information offices would be asked to
include notice on their
public information channels. Ms. McCarthy requested that PSA’s on television and radio be investigated. The second most prevalent complaint concerning the first meeting was access
by the transit dependant to the 5:30pm meeting. Many passengers reported that if they worked until 5:00pm, they would not be able to make transfers to get home if they chose to attend
the 5:30pm meeting. To address this issue, Mr. Eby requested the Board allow for increased service by one hour on Thursday December 04, 2003. A motion to extend service by one hour
on 04 December 2003 was made by Mr. Bryden and seconded by Ms. Kane. Ms. McNamee asked for a cost estimate for the extended service. Mr. Eby said it would be less than $500.00 and
funds were available in the current budget to offset the expense. The motion carried. Mr. Eby informed the Board that passengers had increased by 45% form October 2002 to October
2003. REPORT FROM THE NHTS PROGRAM MANAGER Ms. Houston reviewed the upcoming CTP grant for NHTS. She further explained the uses of CTP funding from NCDOT and outlined the details
of the grant. The funding of the grant included $173,215 for administrative assistance, and approximately $265,000 in capital assistance for the purchase of five replacement vans and
electronic fareboxes capable of interacting with the current WTA fareboxes for the fixed route vehicles. The grant request also included funding for a call center. If approved, the
technology funds for a call center would be combined with current WTA funds which would allow for a single number to access all public transportation information offered by the WNHTA.
Ms. Houston recognized NHTS Manager Mr. Bob Kingsbury to provide an overview of the county financial report. REPORT FROM THE NHTS CHAIR The Chair brought forward a recommendation
for a Budget Committee. Chair McNamee asked Board Member Bryden to serve as chair of the committee. The Chair asked Board Members Stukes, and Capps to serve on the committee. Mr.
Eby and Ms. Houston would serve as staff to the committee. Ms. Annette Crumpton also asked to serve on the committee. The Chair recognized outgoing WTA Assistant General Manager
Corey Johnson for his service to the organization. Mr. Eby presented Mr. Johnson a plaque for his service.
OTHER BUSINESS, SECHEDULING OF NEXT MEETING The Chair reminded the Board of the stakeholder and public meeting revealing the results of the merger and five-year plan on Thursday, 04
December 2003. Board member McCarthy informed the Board of a marketing committee of human service providers that was formed to ensure that public transportation service changes would
be disseminated to the clients. Mr. Bellows asked the Board to consider a joint meeting of the WNHTA, the New Hanover County Commissioners, and the Wilmington City Council to discuss
the recommendations of the five-year plan and the financial implications of the plan. The next meeting was scheduled for Thursday 11 December 2003 at 12:00pm in the WTA Board room.
Hearing no further business, Board Member McCarthy made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Capps and carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Deborah Houston
Program Manager NHTS Albert Eby General Manager WTA