WCCTAC

               West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee

 

                                                                      MINUTES

                                                  October 29, 2004

 

The regular meeting of the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee was called to order at 7:35 a.m. by Chair Valstad in the City Council Chambers of the City of San Pablo, 13831 San Pablo Avenue (at Church Lane), San Pablo, California. 

 

7:30 AM CLOSED SESSION – BOARD MEMBERS: PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54957.6 - CONFERENCE WITH LABOR NEGOTIATORS

 

          Agency designated representatives:

 

          Personnel Committee:       Chair Kris Valstad;

Vice Chair Mindell Penn

          Unrepresented Employee:  Managing Director

 

The WCCTAC Board met with its agency representatives in closed session to discuss the Managing Director’s annual performance review.  The Agency representative will report on the closed session under Agenda Item #9.

 

END CLOSED SESSION

 

 

1.                Call to Order and Self-Introductions

                                                                     

PRESENT:     Chair Kris Valstad (Hercules), Janet Abelson (El Cerrito),

Sharon Brown (San Pablo), Jerrold Parsons (WestCAT), Mindell Penn (Richmond), Maria Alegria (Pinole), Irma Anderson (Richmond), Maria Viramontes (Richmond), John Gioia (Contra Costa County), Joe Wallace (AC Transit)

 

ABSENT:      None

 

STAFF:         Lisa Hammon, WCCTAC Managing Director

Linda Young, WCCTAC Transportation Project Specialist

John Rudolph, WCCTAC Management Assistant

Nancy Cuneo, WCCTAC Administrative Analyst

Hisham Noeimi, CCTA Staff

2.       Public Comment

 

None.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

On motion by Joe Wallace, seconded by Sharon Brown and carried unanimously, the Board approved the Consent Calendar. 

 

3.       Minutes, Sign-In Sheet, and Meeting Summary from 9/24/04 meeting

 

The Board approved the September 2004 minutes.

 

4.       Staff Reports

 

The Board accepted the Employee Staff Reports from the Managing Director, the Transportation Project Specialist, and the Management Assistant.

 

5.       Resolution 04-05 - WCCTAC Resolution Authorizing the Application, Acceptance, and Execution of an Environmental Justice Planning Grant from Caltrans

 

The Board authorized the Chair to sign Resolution 04-05 and transmit the Resolution to Caltrans.

 

6.       2004 Holiday Schedule

 

The Board (1) Approved the December 10th WCCTAC Board meeting date; (2) Approved the Holiday Schedule; and authorized the Managing Director to distribute a new meeting schedule and Holiday Schedule.

 

7.       Report on Recent Successful Project Applications and Funding Application Deadlines

 

The Board accepted the information from CCTA's Technical Coordinating Committee meeting for information only.

 

8.       Subregional Transportation Mitigation Fee Program (STMP) Update

 

The Board placed the STMP Update on the November 18th TAC meeting agenda and the December WCCTAC Board meeting agenda.

 

 

ACTION ITEMS:

 

9.       Report from Closed Session

 

The Chair reported the Board will review the evaluation and give a full report on the Managing Director’s Performance Evaluation in the next few months.  No action taken.

 

 

10.     Richmond Intermodal Station/Transit Village

 

The Managing Director stated the MTC Staff has recommended approval of the TLC grant submitted by the Richmond Redevelopment Agency and WCCTAC.  The MTC Board will take final action on the list of projects at the December meeting. 

 

The Managing Director also reviewed the letter of agreement Between WCCTAC and the Richmond Redevelopment Agency for a $175,000 Fund Transfer from the Redevelopment Agency to WCCTAC per the JPA signed between the agencies which gives WCCTAC authority to contract for the service of agents.  Full funding for this component of the project is in the Richmond Redevelopment Agency’s current year budget.  The funding will be used for the architect and sub-consultants on the project to modify the drawings for the station building and related items; coordinate the final plans and prepare a biddable set of documents; prepare the temporary access plan for the west side during construction; and provide support during the bid process and during construction of the station.

 

Alan Wolken, Richmond Redevelopment Agency, stated his agency is working diligently to move ahead with the construction of the Intermodal Station using funds currently available.  The RRA has authorized $3.5 million to be used for the station building, the covered stairway, roof and elevator.  Mr. Wolken thanked Hisham and BART for their assistance with the grant process.

 

In answer to a question from Maria Alegria on the total project cost, Mr. Wolken stated the total is less than $7 million to build everything. 

 

On motion by Maria Viramontes, seconded by Sharon Brown and carried unanimously, the Board authorized the Chair to sign the Letter Agreement with the Richmond Redevelopment Agency subject to legal review and approval.

 

 

 

 

11.     FY 03-04 Budget Summary and First Quarter 04-05 Budget Adjustments

 

The Managing Director reported that although revenues exceeded the budget by $23,000, the expenditures exceeded the amended budget by $90,000.  The expenses included payment to complete environmental work on the Richmond Greenway; a Rail Alternative Study invoice for FY02-03 not paid until FY 03-04; back rent for a rent increase that was never charged by the City of San Pablo; the Board’s retreat; rental unit fees; advertising for vacant positions; and increases to the travel/training line item.

 

The Managing Director stated the fund balance was decreased by the aforementioned expenditures from $126,000 to $14,000.  FY 04-05 begins without any uncompleted contracts that cannot be paid for out of the existing approved budget. 

For the FY 04-05 Budget 1st Quarter Adjustments, the Managing Director stated the Regional Studies budget was reduced by $30,000 so that the update to the Subregional Transportation Mitigation Fee Program could be added.  The Managing Director stated an adjustment is necessary for retirement benefits for two retired employees in the amount of $10,500.  Other line items have been adjusted accordingly.   Medical, dental and PERS increases have increased the benefits in the TSM Program budget, and all of the telephone expenses have been moved to Measure C.

 

Maria Viramontes asked if all accrued expenses have been paid.  Bradley Ward, WCCTAC Treasurer, stated the cash balance is close to $14,000 for Operations. 

 

On motion by Maria Viramontes, seconded by Irma Anderson and carried unanimously, the Board accepted the information regarding FY 03-04 and approved the budget adjustments for FY 04-05.

 

INFORMATION ITEMS:

 

12.     Report of Findings from BART's Environmental Justice Grant (Richmond Station)

 

Deidre Heitman, BART, provided a presentation on the findings from BART's Environmental Justice Grant.  In 2003, Caltrans was awarded BART a grant for $162,000 to conduct targeted outreach around three BART stations located in Environmental Justice communities.  BART selected Embarcadero, Richmond and Lake Merritt BART stations, and partnered with community groups and consultants to conduct outreach.  The goals were to identify key barriers that limit BART use by local residents, employees and visitors; and to develop community-based recommendations for integration into BART’s plans and policies.  Ms. Heitman stated surveys and focus groups were used to obtain this information.

 

Specifically for the Richmond Station, staff found a high concentration of transit-dependent and low-income households; a significant number of Spanish-speaking households; unique language and cultural characteristics among the Laotian community; and the Richmond Transit Village under construction.   Ms. Heitman gave the demographic highlights within a one-mile radius of the station area.  The findings indicate a perceived lack of security, cleanliness and construction-related problems all which may contribute to the low female ridership for the station.  The cost of BART was one of the top three reasons for not using BART more often, as was the lack of schedule information and general information in languages other than English.  There was also a request to have increased weekend service to San Francisco.  The findings also indicate that employees would be encouraged to use BART to commute to work if work-sponsored incentives and subsidies could be implemented.  The large employers in the immediate area include the Social Security Administration and Kaiser Permanente.

 

Ms. Heitman stated BART will be conducting a review of the findings.  The members offered the following suggestions: increase police presence; implement work-sponsored incentives with large employers; increased signage alerting drop-off drivers of the $250 fine for blocking bus stops; install well-lit pathways; consideration of a weekend family pass. 

 

The Managing Director suggested Ms. Young could assist the outreach effort by providing information at an upcoming commuter check day.  The video on “Making Public Transit Work for You” will be aired on local cable TV in West County. 

 

Director Gioia felt that the findings from the report did not bring forward new information. 

 

13.     El Sobrante Transportation and Land Use Plan

 

Patrick Roche, Contra Cost County, stated the County has been working for many years to reach some consensus on San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way.  San Pablo Dam Road is the commercial center of El Sobrante, has an average daily traffic of 35,000 vehicles and is very dense with businesses.  Mr. Roche stated the County received a grant from MTC three years ago to look mainly at San Pablo Dam Road from Appian Way to El Portal to improve the traffic and encourage a traffic flow that would establish a true village center concept.  The plan was completed; a recommendation was forwarded to the Board of Supervisors, which resulted in a plan review to change the policies the in the County’s General Plan to reflect the Land Use Plan.  County staff worked with the community towards an agreement for land use and transportation.  Instead of widening the roadways in these areas as stated in the General Plan for the past 30 years, the community is in favor of mixed-use development; slowing traffic; and increasing pedestrian traffic. 

 

Maria Alegria supported the changes to the General Plan in this area.  She suggested a partnership with the City of Pinole and the County to share costs for improvements to Appian Way.  Sharon Brown cautioned County Staff that many residents purchased their homes with the knowledge that the County had plans to improve these roadways.  She suggested that any changes include a note indicating ‘changes would be made when/if funds become available’ be included and reviewed/revised every couple of years.

 

14.     Correspondence/Other Information:

          Incoming:

         

          TRANSPAC meeting summary - 9.21.04.

     Letter from CCTA to City of Richmond regarding Citizens Advisory Committee    

          member - 9.29.04.

          CCTA Items Approved at the October 20th meeting – October 21, 2004.

 

Outgoing:

Letter of support for AC Transit LIFT grant application - 9.24.04.

Letter of support for WestCAT LIFT grant application - 9.24.04.

Letter to David Murray re: request for reimbursement for STMP fees - 10.1.04.

 

Newspaper Articles, etc.:

Third Quarter Richmond Bay Trail Report.

State Rejects Lone Bridge Bid - 10.1.04.

Richmond Council Delays Point Molate Bid Decision - 10.6.04.

BART Tracks (email from BART Government and Community Relations) – 1 0.6.04.

Span Plan Should be Abandoned, Panel Says - 10.6.04.

Train Crossings Safety Draws Richmond Officials' Attention - 10.8.04.

          UC Berkeley Press - "Traffic Nightmare" if BART Service Knocked Out - 10.13.04.

Transit Asks for Tax Help - SF Chronicle - 10.14.04.

Neighbors at Odds Over Casino Plan - SF Chronicle - 10.14.04.

 

15.     Board Members Comments/Reports

 

Joe Wallace suggested the next time CCTA publishes campaign materials that they include all affected communities.

         

 

 

16.     Managing Director Comments

 

The Managing Director reported there was a public workshop on the Richmond Parkway Transit Center on October 27th.  There were over 20 public members who attended and provided input on the three options for parking and access at the center.  Staff is also conducting outreach in the Parchester Village area in an effort to inform the community of transportation issues and obtain information from Parchester school parents.  The event will be held Sunday, October 31st at the Community Center 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

17.  Other Business

 

With no further business to come before the WCCTAC, Chair Valstad adjourned the meeting at 9:00 a.m. to the next regularly-scheduled meeting of December 10, 2004, at 7:30 a.m. at the San Pablo city Council Chambers, One Alvarado Square, San Pablo, California.

 

          Respectfully submitted,

 

Lori D’Orazi

Stenocaptioner