WCCTAC

               West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee

 

                                                                       Minutes

                                                     May 26, 2006

 

The regular meeting of the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee was called to order at 7:32 a.m. by Chair Brown in the City Council Chambers of the City of San Pablo, 13831 San Pablo Avenue (at Church Lane), San Pablo, California. 

 

1.  Call to Order and Self Introductions

                                                                      

PRESENT:     Sharon Brown, Chair (San Pablo), Maria Viramontes, Vice Chair (Richmond), Janet Abelson (El Cerrito), Jerrold Parsons, (WestCAT), John Gioia (Contra Costa County), Ed Balico (Hercules), Bob Franklin (BART), Maria Alegria (Pinole), Tom Butt (Richmond), Joe Wallace (AC Transit)

 

ABSENT:      Irma Anderson (Richmond)

 

STAFF:         Lisa Hammon, WCCTAC Managing Director

                   Linda Young, WCCTAC Transportation Project Specialist

John Rudolph, WCCTAC Management Assistant

Nancy Cuneo, WCCTAC Administrative Analyst

Martin Engelmann, CCTA Staff

                             Bryan Otake, WCCTAC General Counsel

 

2.  Public Comment

John Rudolph invited the members and guests to the Environmental Justice Health Summit on Saturday, June 10, 2006, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm at Verde Elementary School in North Richmond.  Attendees will hear how pollution, poverty and race cause and contribute to diseases in our community.  John stated both breakfast and lunch will be served.  Contact John for more information.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

On motion by Joe Wallace, seconded by Janet Abelson and carried unanimously, the Board approved the Consent Calendar, with the exception of Item 5, as follows:

 

3.       Minutes, Sign-In Sheet, and Meeting Summary from the March 21, 2006 meeting.

 

       4.       Employee Staff Reports from the Managing Director, the Management Assistant and the Transportation Project Specialist for May.

 

6.  Approved continuation of Consulting Services with Michael Bernick for the Richmond Transit Village Project in the Amount of $23,000.

 

7.  Received articles on the Slides on I-80 in San Pablo and Pinole as information.

 

8.  Received the information on the two Lifeline Transportation Grants recommended for funding.

 

9.  Authorized staff to send a Letter of Support for City of El Cerrito’s Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) Grant

 

10.  Directed staff to notify CCTA that comments on the Proposed Draft Amendment to the Measure J Expenditure Plan and Urban Limit Line will be via the West County CCTA representatives.

 

REGULAR  CALENDAR

 

5.    Responses to the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Preparation of the Strategic Plan for the Update to the Subregional Transportation Mitigation Program (STMP)

 

The Managing Director reported there were two responses to the RFP.  Staff would like to move forward with the original plan of action, which is to interview both firms and award the RFP for the strategic plan.  A new RFP including technical consulting will not be issued. 

 

The Board received the information.

 

11.  Transit Summit

       The “Go I-80” Transit Summit took place on Thursday, May 11th.  The Managing Director reported there was a good turn-out from both youth and adults.  Approximately 10 agencies were on hand to pass out information.  The youth gave interesting speeches, and Meeky Blizzard, the keynote speaker, spoke on community outreach and activism.  A summary of organizations and agencies represented was provided to the members.  An article on the Transit Summit in included in the current issue of the WCCTAC Informer newsletter. 

 

       The Managing Director thanked everyone who attended.

 

 

12. Update on the Subregional Transportation Mitigation Fee (STMP) Program 

 

Managing Director Hammon stated the final red line version of the Subregional Transportation Mitigation Fee Program Cooperative Agreement was distributed to the City/County legal counsels and staff.  No additional comments have been received, with the exception of typographical errors.  WCCTAC Counsel and staff recommend forwarding the documents to the member agencies for action.  These documents include the Cooperative Agreement, draft Ordinance/Urgency Ordinance and the Final STMP Report.  Staff thanked all legal counsels and staff for their efforts to reach an agreement on the issues related to the Cooperative Agreement.  Special thanks to WCCTAC’s counsel, Bryan Otake. 

 

Counsel stated there is a new indemnity provision, which has been approved by all parties, and a new dispute resolution that will be less costly for the agencies included in this final draft.  He requested the board authorize the Board Chair to sign the Resolution adopting the Cooperative Agreement in its final form with only minor changes.  Mr. Otake stated he had personally called the general counsel of the other jurisdictions, and he has approval from half of them.

 

On motion by Maria Viramontes, seconded by Joe Wallace and carried unanimously, the board approved:

 

            1.  Direct staff to notify the cities and County that the STMP update (including the Ordinance) is ready for City Council/Board of Supervisors approval.  Notify CCTA that the Cooperative Agreement is ready for signature.

            2.  Direct staff to distribute the documents to the cities/County/CCTA.

            3.  Adopt Resolution authorizing the WCCTAC Chair to sign the Cooperative Agreement following the May 26, 2006 meeting (or in substantially the same form as the Agreement presented at the meeting).

            4.  Direct staff to move forward with the preparation of the Strategic Plan.

 

          Roll Call Vote:

          Chair Brown:                    Aye

          Member Abelson:             Aye

          Member Alegria:               Aye

          Member Balico:                 Aye

          Member Butt:                   Aye

          Member Franklin:              Aye

          Member Gioia:                  Aye

          Member Parsons:              Aye

          Member Viramontes:         Aye

          Member Wallace:              Aye

 

13.   Letter to CCTA Regarding Funding for the San Pablo Avenue Corridor Operations and Management

 

The Managing Director reported the Alameda CMA has been overseeing this project in both West County and Alameda County for approximately five years.  The SMART Corridors Program is a multi-agency partnership with the goal of reducing congestion, improving transportation mobility and service, and encouraged transit ridership.  The member agencies are requesting CCTA consider funding for the Operations and Management of the FY 06-07 budget.  Funding for the Operations and Management has been challenging.  The Alameda CMA has worked diligently to identify and secure outside sources of funding. 

 

The San Pablo Avenue Corridor Operations and Management costs for all participating agencies (including CCTA) have been requested to be included.  A later dated May 26, 2006 to David Murray requests CCTA participation in the Operations and Management funding.  The San Pablo Avenue O & M costs attributable to the WCCTAC member jurisdictions have been added to the WCCTAC dues and then transmitted to the Alameda Congestion Management Agency (the lead agency on the San Pablo Avenue Corridor project) for the past two years.

 

On motion by Maria Viramontes, and seconded by Jerrold Parsons and carried unanimously, the board approved sending the letter to CCTA.

 

13.  Confirm Date for Combined July/August Meeting

 

       Managing Director Hammon submitted the following dates for consideration of the combined July/August meeting date.  The board agreed to hold its regular meetings on June 30 and July 28, with no meeting in August.

 

14.  Correspondence/Other Information: 

 

Incoming:

       Letter - CCTA urges a moratorium relative to any new MTC funding programs; 04.24.06

Summary of TRANSPAC meeting of April 13, 2006; 04.24.06

Summary of SWAT meeting of May 1, 2006; 05.03.06

Letter - MTC response to CCTA letter of 04/24/06; 05.09.06

Email – from Bob McCleary: LA Times article: Gas Tax Measure Drives the Ballot; 05.09.06

Email – from Bob McCleary: Bond Summary; 05.10.06

 

       Outgoing:

       Letter:  Support for WestCAT’s Lifeline Transportation Grant application; 04.19.06

Letter:  Support for AC Transit’s Lifeline Transportation Grant application; 04.19.06

Letter:  Draft Measure J Financial Framework and Associated Policies; 04.28.06

      

       Newspaper/Internet Articles (all articles from West County Times unless stated otherwise):

       “Idea floated to expand ferry fleet;” 04.13.06

“Letter to the editor: Transportation;” Berkeley Daily Planet, 04.25.06

“Assembly OKs measure giving communities input on casinos;” 04.26.06

“Repaved roadways reduce accidents;” 04.30.06

“Take me out to ballgame by using bus;” 04.30.06

“Council OKs report on site for condos;” 05.04.06

“State Senate passes historic $36 billion bond package;” 05.05.06

“Eminent domain may block Wal-Mart;” 05.05.06

“Parties rush to claim credit for bond;” 05.06.06

“State board bets on Richmond tourism;” 05.07.06

“BART plans to raze former headquarters;” 05.08.06

“State may reap $4 billion in unexpected tax revenue;” 05.08.06

“Changes aim to steer drivers onto FasTrak;” 05.10.06

“Gas hike coincides with Bike to Work;” 05.16.06

“After a long delay, roadway projects may finally get up to speed;” 05.17.06

“Bike to Work organizers expect 100,000 area participants;” 05.17.06

 

          Conferences:

       “Western Regional Rail Grade Crossing Safety Conference,” June 5 to 7 in Vancouver, WA.

      

Handouts Available at the Meeting:

       Transportation for Livable Communities grant application (due June 23, 2006).

       Rail-volution Conference announcement (postcard).

 

15.  Board Member Comments/Reports

 

None.

 

16.  Other Business

With no further business to come before the WCCTAC, Chair Brown adjourned the meeting at 9:04 a.m. to the next regularly-scheduled meeting of June 30, 2006, at 7:30 a.m. at the San Pablo city Council Chambers, 13831 San Pablo Avenue, San Pablo, California.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Lori D’Orazi

Stenocaptioner