Minutes 09 09 04
Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority MINUTES OF THE CAPE FEAR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY September 09, 2004 Ms. Christine B. McNamee, Chair, Presiding MEMBERS PRESENT Ms. Christine
McNamee, Chair Mr. Jeff Bellows, Vice-Chair Mr. Robert Ronne, Secretary Mr. William Bryden Ms. Nancy Pritchett Mr. Howard Capps Mr. John Stukes Ms. Barbara Kane STAFF PRESENT Mr. Albert
Eby, Director Ms. Deborah Houston, Assistant Director CONTRACT MANAGEMENT STAFF PRESENT Mr. Corey Johnson, General Manager, First Transit Mr. Lamont Jackson, General Manager-Paratransit,
First Transit GUESTS PRESENT Mr. Ricky Meeks, Citizen Mr. Jonathan David, Associate Transportation Planner, City of Wilmington Mr. Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney, New Hanover County
Ms. Dolores Williams, Assistant City Attorney, City of Wilmington Ms. Patricia Melvin, Assistant County Manager, New Hanover County Ms. Lawless Bean, TDM Coordinator, City of Wilmington
Mr. Ted Rieck, Associate/Assistant Vice President, Transsystems Ms. Annette Crumpton, Director, New Hanover County Department of Aging CALL TO ORDER Chairman McNamee called the meeting
to order at 12:11pm. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion to approve the minutes from the August 12, 2004 regular meeting of the Wave Transit Board of Directors was made by Ms. Pritchett.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Stukes and carried unanimously. TRANSIT FACILITY SITE SELECTION Mr. Eby introduced Mr. Ted Rieck of Transsystems to update the progress on the maintenance/administrat
ion/transfer facility project.
Mr. Rieck stated that the selection process, as well as the environmental, traffic analysis and road impact were progressing. He further stated that owner of the site identified
for the operations and maintenance facility was unwilling to sell the parcel. He stated that he would continue to work with staff to identify a site for the operations and maintenance
facility. Mr. Eby stated that the administration and transfer facility was the highest priority because it would allow the Authority to implement the restructured routes upon its completion.
He also stated that the Castle St. facility could continue to serve as the operations and maintenance facility until completion of the new building. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT
The Chair recognized Committee Chairman Mr. Bellows to present the report. Mr. Bellows reported that the committee was working on the Grantee proposal and the license tag registration
fee. The committee was preparing a presentation for the City Council and County Commissioners to make them aware or the proposals. It is anticipated that the corresponding resolutions
for both initiatives would be completed by December 2004. BUDGET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT The Chair recognized Committee Chairman Mr. Bryden to present the report. Mr. Bryden
stated that the committee was working with the Legislative Committee on the license tag registration fee. PERSONNEL COMMITTEE REPORT The Chair recognized Committee Chairman Mr. Ronne
to present the report. Mr. Ronne reported that the committee was working with staff to finalize the Authority Personnel Policy. He reported that the committee was confident that
it could meet the December deadline to have the policy adopted by the Board. Once the policy was adopted, the Authority would no longer need to utilize payroll and benefit services
from the city and county. Mr. Bellows asked if the committee was developing an employee evaluation process. Mr. Ronne reported that an evaluation process would be a part of the policy.
Ms. Melvin asked if the Authority Personnel Policy would be identical to the City or the County. Mr. Ronne explained that the policy would be Authority specific and would not mirror
either the city or the county, but be drafted to meet the specific needs of the Authority. MARKETING COMMITTEE REPORT The Chair recognized Mr. Bryden to present the report in the absence
of Committee Chair Ms. McCarthy. Mr. Bryden reported that the committee had received and was evaluating responses to the committee’s RFP for a marketing plan and assistance. A contract
for approval by the full Board was expected to be presented at the October meeting.
FACILITIES COMMITTEE REPORT The Chair recognized Mr. Capps to present the report. Mr. Capps updated the Board on the status of the multimodal transportation center. He reviewed
the city’s recent land swap with CFCC for the WPD site located on Red Cross St. He stated that the Red Cross site had been identified in the original study as the preferred sited for
the multimodal center. He stated that Louis Berger, Inc. had been contracted by NCDOT to evaluate the recommended sites. With the Red Cross site apparently no longer available for
the center, the consultant and the MPO and Authority staff would need to reevaluate the scope. Mr. Bellows asked Ms. Williams to review the status of the land swap. She explained
that the agreement between council and the college was through a resolution and that a formal agreement was in development. Mr. Capps made a motion for a letter from the Board to the
Mayor and City Council stating that the multimodal center be built only in downtown. The motion stated stated that the letter include the Authority’s support of pedestrian access from
the multimodal center to the convention center. The letter would also suggest a trolley from the multimodal center to the convention center be operated in the current railroad right-of-way.
Mr. Bryden seconded the motion which carried unanimously. UNIFIED CERTIFICATION PROGRAM The Chair recognized Mr. Eby to present the item. Mr. referred the Board to the Memorandum
of Agreement between the Authority and NCDOT for a Unified Certification Program (UCP) for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. The program would place the requirement
for DBE certification with NCDOT. The Authority would agree to utilize DBE firms certified by NCDOT in complying with the annual FTA DBE requirement. Mr. Eby briefly explained the
FTA regulations concerning the DBE program. He also explained that the Authority was required by FTA to participate in a UCP. He stated that DOT’s assumption of the program would
reduce some of the compliance regulatory duties from the Authority staff. A motion authorizing the Authority to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the NCDOT regarding the implementation
and administration of the Unified Certification Program for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certification and allow the Chair to sign the agreement on behalf of the Authority was made
by Mr. Bryden. Mr. Stukes seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. AMENDMENT TO UNCW CONTRACT The Chair recognized Mr. Eby to present the item. Mr. Eby stated that
since UNCW began their fall session, the park and ride shuttle have been running over capacity. This was due to the many construction projects underway at the university which had
staging areas in parking lots. The university asked if the Authority would be willing to add a peak vehicle on the park and ride route from 7:20am until 10:40am. Mr. Eby stated that
this was possible without adding vehicles.
Mr. Eby stated that if the Board was agreeable, the Authority would continue to provide the additional service and have a contract amendment for the additional cost of the service
at the October 14 meeting for Board approval. STAFF REPORT Chairman McNamee recognized Mr. Eby for a staff report. Mr. Eby reported that the recently implemented Sunday service was
averaging 457 passengers. The recently implemented evening service was averaging 131 passengers each weekday evening. The Castle Hayne Shuttle transported 402 passengers in August.
The Brunswick Connector transported 291 passengers in August. He further reported that the Monkey Junction Shuttle transported 402 passengers in August OTHER BUSINESS, SCHEDULING
OF NEXT MEETING Ms. Kane asked staff to investigate the possibility of having a bus stop closer to the Wal-Mart on Sigmon Drive. Mr. Eby stated that the drive through the parking
lot did not connect on the south end to a street. This would make going to the front door a very long process. He stated that staff had investigated making a loop around Bob King Drive,
Van Kampen Blvd. and Sigmon Road back to New Center, but traffic patterns could prove costly to the route schedule. He further explained that the restructured routes would provide
service to the Garden Center entrance near Van Kampen Blvd. as well as a deviation by another bus off of Market to Sigmon Road. The Chair asked for an update to the status of the Management
RFP. Mr. Eby stated that the RFP had been drafted and was currently in legal review by the Authority’s attorneys. The RPF called for the bid to be let in January 2005 and the Board
to conduct interviews at its March 2005 meeting. A copy of the RFP would be available for review by the Board in December 2004 or January 2005. The contract would commence July 01,
2005 and would probably be for an initial period of three (3) years. Mr. Capps asked for an update to the current transfer facility located downtown since the Second St. parking deck
was completed. Mr. Eby stated that the buses would return to their original transfer location on Second St. between Princess and Market Streets within two weeks. Mr. Capps stated
that although a new transfer facility was on the horizon, rehabilitating the current shelters and providing some landscaping would be a good solution in the interim. Mr. Eby stated
that the recommendations could be undertaken and he would have First Transit begin the project immediately. Ms. Crumpton announced the Building Responsive Communities forum scheduled
for September 27, 2004. She asked for assistance in distributing fliers for the event. Mr. Meeks asked if the public comment period could be moved to the first part of the meeting.
Mr. Stukes expressed concern over the length of the Board meetings. He suggested that future Board meetings be limited to two hours. Hearing no further business, Mr. McNamee asked
for a motion to adjourn.
A motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Capps, seconded by Mr. Bellows and carried unanimously. Respectfully Submitted, Albert Eby Director