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I see vice chair Jones. Let me just make sure we have, yes, we have a quorum, vice chair, we can get started whenever you're ready. Okay.

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Good evening, the VTA board, directors, regular meeting, Thursday, September, second, 2021 is called to order. Elaine, can we have a roll call, please? Yes, have a call, go. Here. Thank you.

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Here.

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Here.

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Bert.

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Here.

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Carasco.

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Present.

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Travis.

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Here.

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Constantine.

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Present.

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Davis.

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Gilmore.

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Yes.

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Jimenez.

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Lee.

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Lee Aang.

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Here.

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Ricardo.

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Present.

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Antonio.

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Here.

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Paul.

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Here.

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Corales.

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Here.

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Thank you.

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Renny.

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Here.

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Thank you.

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Submitting.

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Here.

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Thank you.

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Jones.

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Present.

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Hendrix.

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We have a quorum vice chair.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Before we move on to 1.2 hours of the day, I want to note that we will adjourn tonight's meeting

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in memory of Henry Gonzalez.

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Henry was hired at VTA in 2012 as a paint and body worker. He worked at the light rail division

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at Guantaloupe Bay. He was a valued employee. He was highly regarded and respected by his colleagues.

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He cared for his co-workers and served them as an executive board member of ATU Local 265.

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Henry's funeral was held last Monday.

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Henry left behind his wife and four children.

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Ars and Sirus condolences to his family, his co-workers,

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and all those who knew Henry.

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We will always remember and honor Henry

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and the other fallen employees.

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At this time, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence.

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Thank you. For orders of the day, staff is requesting the following changes to the orders of our agenda.

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We're going to hear to recommend to hear item 8.1 General Manager's report before the consent agenda.

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And also move close session after the General Manager's report.

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Are there any changes from my colleagues?

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it's

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being done.

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May I have a motion in a second to approve orders of the day?

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No, moved. Second constant time. All right, it's been moved and seconded. And we

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are now going to...

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Chair, I'm going to do a quick roll call vote if that's a kick.

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Okay, and also do we, because we're making changes, do we need to go to the public as well?

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We have two hands up, Chair.

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Okay.

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So before we take the roll call vote, let's take public comments.

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Okay.

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Mr. Rollner.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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Good evening.

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And for the record, Mr. Chair, you forgot to take public comment before adjourning to a second

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session at the GNA. But the reason why I'm addressing you is that of an out of respect

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for Henry and respectfully requesting that you put item 7.1 on consent, because quite

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frankly none of us are in the mood for that kind of nonsense right now. Thank you very

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much.

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Mr. Bigman, go ahead and begin speaking.

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Thank you, this is Blair Beakman. Thank you very much for taking public comment for orders of the day.

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Sorry, whoever that was, I'm very confused by why you're taking going into closed session after consent calendar today.

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Can you offer an explanation why you're doing this and can you offer an explanation

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and when we can expect you can return

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to the public meeting process and regular agenda items today.

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Hopefully, that's what this orders of the day,

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public comment can be about.

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These are questions that proceed here.

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I hope you can answer these questions.

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Thank you.

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This is Elaine from the board office

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for the other members of the public whose hands are up.

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I just wanted to remind you all

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that we're under orders of the day.

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We're taking public comment for that item.

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This is not for public comment for items on the agenda.

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So if you are planning to address the board

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under orders of the day, please keep your hand up.

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And if you're planning to address the board

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for public comment, please lower your hand.

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Thank you.

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Samir Gupta, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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OK, I just want to say that I take the blue line

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And it hasn't even started been testing yet. And I'm a student and we pay $200. And I it takes me like three hours

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Every day just one way to take the bus you know, so I just want to say it's very frustrating. Excuse me

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I'm sorry for interrupting. This is specifically for words of the day. Mm-hmm

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I'm not sure what that is. But I just wanted to say it's very frustrating and that it takes a long time

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and that if you guys could start testing it, that'd be great.

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I just wanted to get my point across because it's in take

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like three hours for a 20, 30 minute way on the,

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when the light really takes 20, 30, thank you.

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Oh, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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Yes, thank you, Paul Sokol.

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When I found out that Supervisor Sumidium was gonna be

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on this meeting, I had to come here

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because I wanted to let him know

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that I really have to reassess my,

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my judgment of you, my critiques have been very, very sharp.

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And when I heard you talk about,

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what you talked about at yesterday's meeting

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with respect to our sheriff.

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Thank you.

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I'm sorry, this is specifically for ours of the day.

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Okay, well, I'm executive about that.

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I thought it was public comment.

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So, okay, well, you got a sense of me, sense of me.

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Mr. Soda, this is Elaine from VTA. We're taking public comments for orders of the day when we are ready to take public comment for items on the agenda. The chair will make that announcement. Thank you for your understanding.

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Chair, we have one hand up on the panelist side.

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Great, Director Chavez.

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Yes, thank you.

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And I always get confused about orders of the day too.

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So the public speakers,

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I just want to acknowledge that I have that same challenge.

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Item 7.2 is to authorize a general manager to execute a contract with universal protection service.

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And I'd like to ask if that can be deferred to our October meeting until I realize.

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I mean, I've read the staff report that this is to Mrs.

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like the last meeting we could actually take the action and I have concerns about the contract.

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So I didn't know if it was possible to defer it or not and wanted to ask staff about that.

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Thank you.

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Staff.

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I'm going to ask.

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Sorry.

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have a current extension of the existing contract and it expires at the end of this month, so the

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recommended action would allow us to enter into a new contract beginning October 1st, which is

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before the next board meeting. We got caught in between committee meetings that did not occur, so we

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were not able to bring this to committee, but we do have members of allied universal on the line to

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answer any questions you might have. So we I see because our next meeting with

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the October 7th and the contract is October 1st. Yeah I think the challenge

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with that is that one I totally appreciate that we've just had a really rough

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time. It's just hard to vote on something that I then can't do research on right

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So I will leave it on the agenda, but I'm concerned about that as a process, but anyway, thank you for that. I'm making no changes to the orders of the day.

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Thank you. I see no other hands raised, so Elaine, can we have a roll call vote please?

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Yes, Bert.

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Bert.

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Yes.

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Thank you.

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Tarrasco.

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Aye.

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Thank you.

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Chavez.

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Yes.

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Constantine.

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Aye.

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Gilmour.

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Yes.

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Jimenez is absent.

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The cardo.

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The cardo.

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Welcome back to you.

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Yes.

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Thank you.

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Antonio.

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Yes.

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Paul.

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Yes.

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Perala.

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Yes.

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Good.

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Immediate.

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All right.

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Jones.

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I.

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And Hendricks is absent as well.

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Motion passed.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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The next item on.

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Our agenda is awards and commentation item two point,

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one is the retirement.

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Commendation for four employees.

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Carlos Ramirez.

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Coach operator.

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35 years of service.

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Kevin Taylor.

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bus dispatcher, 34 years of service. Thomas Opus, electronic technician, 31 years of service,

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and Greg Orzel, facilities worker for 31 years of service.

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Our retirees are not able to join us tonight by still want to express the board's appreciation for

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their time, efforts, and dedicated service to the community and VTA. On behalf of the board,

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we wish them well in their retirement.

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And Elaine, do we have any hands that are raised for

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public comment? I think that that's for the next item vice chair. Okay, so item three is public

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comment and for items not on the agenda, a reminder for those who want to address the board

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under public comment. Please use the raise hand function in the app, or if you're

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using the phone only, please press star nine. This portion of the mean is

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reserved for persons desiring to address the board directors for any item

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within the board's jurisdiction. Speakers are limited to one minute. The law

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does not permit board action or extended discussion of any item not on the

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agenda except under special circumstances.

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For those with customer service concerns,

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are encouraged to contact our customer service department

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after you make your comments.

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Their contact information is on the screen.

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We will now start public comments.

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Rainey, please call the speakers.

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00:13:17,580 --> 00:13:18,600
Yes, Mr. Chair.

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Before I proceed calling the attendees,

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let me inform the committee that Mr.

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Your co-hands, that guy's public comment has been received

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and he's posted on the online website.

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Calling on the first three attendees to speak,

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Paul, Bees and Rosie.

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Paul, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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Okay, thank you, Paul.

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So there wasn't a assumption that was made.

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I did want to speak on those drivers.

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That's 131 years of experience

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that I just didn't want to leave unnoticed.

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I've never owned the car in my life.

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And so I want to do, I'm just talking about the process, the woman made an assumption

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that my hand was raised for another item, but in fact, it was not.

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It was for that. And so I'll let that slide because I'm just going to let it slide.

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But this is the way that you that have power constantly, just constantly, constantly,

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You know, it's just

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all I got to say.

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Bees, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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Bees.

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Can you hear me?

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Yes.

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Okay.

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I'm here to bring awareness to the toxic environment

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in the customer service department.

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We have a new manager that absolutely does not have any

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information with the staff and only cares about himself

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and looking for proper management.

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Within the first few months of taking over the department,

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three key employees left the department because of his threat

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and a threat of behavior.

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To give you an insight of the lack of leadership, we have from this manager. My manager, Combis, has not spoken a single word to me in the last nine months. Yes, that's right. In the last nine months, I have not been provided with any mentoring coaching or having given any support from the person who's supposed to be my leader in the department. VTA family is supposed to be everywhere within VTA. We are certainly not being true to the like family. See something, say something, what's your act? Well, I'm here speaking up just like many others before me have done to bring awareness to the city.

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issue. We are tired of speaking up about the process and why culture within VTA is not

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time for us to use to this company to do something about it. I ask for it so far the other

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thing we're seeing all these things that are being swept under the company department.

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Rosie, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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Rosie, please accept a mute and begin speaking.

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Yes, we can hear you. Thank you for allowing me to speak today. I am calling here for the

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director of hazard pay and I just want to say again my name is Rosie I'm from

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local 265 I'm a safety steward for customer service we too along with

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ATU brothers and sisters that are out on roads have helped move this

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community during this pandemic while mostly all VTA River Oaks office has been

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working from home or on admin leave we have had to come in each day to a sister

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community by phone by email and in person at the downtown customer service

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They've seen first-hand people that come in to ride VTA, not only VTA but CalTrain and

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other transit agencies along the Bay Area that come in to customer service.

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So the ISR customer service has, our department has been exposed a couple of times with the

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virus, the COVID-19, the downtown center for the most part because of fair inspectors

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also that I represent also are there and they had to deal with it as well.

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We stand.

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00:17:05,950 --> 00:17:06,670
Thank you.

265
00:17:06,770 --> 00:17:08,230
Before we go to the next speaker.

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I just want to notify everyone.

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That we're going to have a last call to address the board.

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We will no longer take requests to speak on this item.

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After.

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Alicia.

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Right.

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So.

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She would be Alicia will be our last speaker on this item.

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Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair, next speakers, and Eugene and Kiko, and you may begin speaking

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when you're ready.

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00:17:48,860 --> 00:17:51,260
Hello, my name is Ann Marie Ruiz.

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I'm a member of Local 265.

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Our methods serve the retroactive hazard pay.

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We are and have been in harm's ways since the beginning of the pandemic.

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We asked the person to put their mask on.

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We had a girl last week who was certain to be punched in the face.

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People are coming up and coughing on us and slapping us, pulling guns.

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Our safety and our health needs to be foremost.

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And I would like somebody on the board to please consider a motion to have the general manager sit down with union leadership.

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leadership to discuss retroactive hazard.

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Thank you.

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Next speaker is Brett Eugene.

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You may begin speaking already.

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Evening board members, can everybody hear me?

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00:18:49,850 --> 00:18:50,610
Yes sir.

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00:18:51,230 --> 00:18:52,170
This is Eugene Bradley.

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I'm the founder and CEO of the Silicon Valley Transit Users.

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In addition to need to have retroactive hazard prayed

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for the BTA workers, thank you.

295
00:19:00,970 --> 00:19:01,970
Welcome back light rail.

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00:19:02,930 --> 00:19:04,450
I've already given my feelings

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00:19:04,450 --> 00:19:11,330
to how this recovery has since the horror of May 26th is gone. Needless to say, we are showing

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the world how not to recover in terms of public transit from a horrible tragedy. It says this.

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I speak as somebody who's not only studied other transit systems, I personally survived.

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I was about two stops away from the World Trade Center when terrorists bombed that in February 1993.

301
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past transfer was only down for about one week.

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00:19:32,030 --> 00:19:33,250
We must do better.

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00:19:33,850 --> 00:19:39,090
I learned at the July 14, MTC planning meeting

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that Randy Kymons spoke about the need

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to have more resilient transit.

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00:19:44,390 --> 00:19:46,050
Supervisor Chavez and Mayor Locardo,

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let's work to make that happen.

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Let's...

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Kiko, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

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I'm a member of ATU 265.

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00:20:02,740 --> 00:20:08,020
Regarding hazard pay, it's obviously there's a problem we're having a zoom meeting when

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00:20:08,020 --> 00:20:10,040
we should be face to face.

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00:20:10,460 --> 00:20:12,740
We're asked to be out there to drive every day.

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00:20:13,580 --> 00:20:20,720
Signs on the bus say no mask no ride yet, we're asked not to enforce it.

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00:20:21,360 --> 00:20:28,320
Even if we call, it takes 15, 20 minutes for sheriff to show up, it's obviously there's

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a problem.

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Handle it board.

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00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:32,660
that's what you're there for. Thank you.

319
00:20:36,790 --> 00:20:41,070
Next speakers are Big Man, Armando and Michael.

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Big Man, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

321
00:20:45,430 --> 00:20:51,830
Hi, thank you. I'm still hoping someone can describe why exactly you're going to close session

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00:20:52,530 --> 00:20:58,010
after consent and what time we can expect you back to talk about the regular agenda so I can plan

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00:20:58,010 --> 00:21:05,390
might evening accordingly and well and be a part of the process. Thank you. To try to return to

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some regular ideas and practices, I'm still very upset and worried about the 40 plus shot spotter

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00:21:13,330 --> 00:21:17,410
speakers that are at the various part station. I really hope you can do something about it.

326
00:21:17,650 --> 00:21:23,190
I figured out some really interesting design patterns to like totally minimize it by half at least.

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00:21:24,170 --> 00:21:34,150
Please be considering these things and thank you to Roland who spoke at public comment somewhere in San Jose, South Bay a few weeks ago or a few days ago.

328
00:21:34,730 --> 00:21:42,150
About the feature of high speed rail and he offered instructions about what to expect to the high speed rail that was open in public.

329
00:21:42,470 --> 00:21:47,070
And I hope we can all be doing that more and talk about Alameda County's part in this process.

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00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:53,000
Armando, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

331
00:21:53,980 --> 00:21:55,080
Hi, can you hear me?

332
00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:56,800
Yes, we can.

333
00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:57,740
Hi.

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00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:04,740
Thank you, Armando Barbosa, 82 local 265 organizer, and 82 local 265 Latino caucus chair.

335
00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:11,060
She said whether on the behalf of 82 local 265, I'm here in full support of retro active hazard pay.

336
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It's not going to go anywhere.

337
00:22:12,860 --> 00:22:13,760
We are still here.

338
00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,740
We were present at the last board meeting, and we're present now.

339
00:22:17,120 --> 00:22:20,880
And we shall continue to fight for the members that are out in service right now,

340
00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:23,380
Now, servicing this community as we speak.

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00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:29,040
On behalf of a member who cannot be here today to share her word, I'm going to read.

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00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,580
Karina Medina, coach operator from Soroni Division.

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00:22:33,300 --> 00:22:36,980
I'm speaking today to share my experience and further validate why I believe we have

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more than entitled to retropegue throughout this pandemic.

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00:22:40,580 --> 00:22:45,380
At the height of this pandemic, while continuing to show up and serve this county in my role as

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an operator, I was placed in hazardous situations.

347
00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:55,660
While boarding and securing an ADA passenger, the passenger struggled to keep her mask on and removed her mask and began to cough.

348
00:22:59,030 --> 00:23:02,410
Michael, please accept a mute and begin speaking.

349
00:23:03,310 --> 00:23:13,510
I'm a bus operator for the local ATU 265. I think the board needs to highly consider our retroactive hazard pay.

350
00:23:13,510 --> 00:23:20,030
At the moment, we are not thought of when we get on to the bus as a person like everyone

351
00:23:20,030 --> 00:23:20,410
else.

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00:23:20,590 --> 00:23:24,750
We are just thought of as somebody that's just about to get them from where they are to

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00:23:24,750 --> 00:23:25,310
where they're going.

354
00:23:25,930 --> 00:23:27,250
Many people have lost their lives.

355
00:23:27,730 --> 00:23:30,310
Many people will continue to lose their lives to this virus.

356
00:23:30,870 --> 00:23:37,090
By not thinking, not considering our hazard pay, you're not considering our lives and what

357
00:23:37,090 --> 00:23:43,010
we put on the line in order to come to work to make sure everybody else can continue their

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00:23:43,010 --> 00:23:44,650
lives. Thank you.

359
00:23:47,990 --> 00:23:55,410
The next three speakers, Eric, Sultana and Rachel. Eric, you may begin

360
00:23:55,410 --> 00:23:56,470
speaking when you're ready.

361
00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:02,500
Good evening to the board and all attendees. My name is Eric

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00:24:02,500 --> 00:24:08,520
Chavez. I'm a proud member of ATU Local 265. I just want to say that even prior to this pandemic,

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00:24:08,820 --> 00:24:13,840
you know, professionals in the transportation industry were already deemed, you know, to do safety

364
00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:19,980
sensitive jobs, and even that where hazardous. You know, as this pandemic ravaged our communities,

365
00:24:19,980 --> 00:24:25,960
and the world, Bay Area bus drivers, train operators, service workers, mechanics,

366
00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:31,700
and a bunch of other frontline workers before it to work, put their lives on the line every day,

367
00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:38,780
not knowing if they would contract and take home COVID. Bay Area transit industry deserves to be

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00:24:38,780 --> 00:24:44,740
compensated for their sacrifices. Good evening, and thank you for your time.

369
00:24:46,780 --> 00:24:54,240
So, Tana, you may begin speaking when you're ready. Can you hear me? Yes. Good

370
00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:59,840
evening, Sultana Adams, ATU-192, over at AC Transit, standing in solidarity with

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00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:07,480
my brothers and sisters at VTA, ATU-265, and I'm going to state a lot of

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00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:14,720
obvious things. Interacting with the public is hazardous. If it wasn't hazardous, this

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00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:19,880
meeting would be face to face. This meeting would be in person. You would be interacting

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00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:26,200
with the public in person. So obviously you know that the job that we do as operators,

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00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:31,680
dispatchers, service workers, you know it's hazardous. There is no question as to whether

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00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:37,180
or not my brothers and sisters deserve hazardous pay. We are simply asking you to do the right

377
00:25:37,180 --> 00:25:44,040
thing and direct management to sit down with the union and give my brothers and sisters

378
00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:50,120
what they deserve. You know it. The public knows it. We all know it. Let's just get it done.

379
00:25:50,420 --> 00:25:51,540
Thank you.

380
00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,840
Rachel, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

381
00:25:59,370 --> 00:26:01,350
Hi, can you hear me? Yes.

382
00:26:03,210 --> 00:26:15,270
Yes, my name is Rachel. I am an operator with local 265. First of all, before I get close

383
00:26:15,270 --> 00:26:23,250
to the call ending and not get to say this, I find it very disrespectful and very rude

384
00:26:23,250 --> 00:26:28,670
that when an individual is making their comment that they are cut off at exactly one minute.

385
00:26:28,670 --> 00:26:32,470
But people should be allowed to express what they need to say.

386
00:26:33,410 --> 00:26:35,330
We are under so much stress.

387
00:26:36,450 --> 00:26:40,110
We are in danger each and every time we get behind that wheel.

388
00:26:40,930 --> 00:26:45,570
I am pleading and I am asking for each one of you members there to think.

389
00:26:46,130 --> 00:26:51,610
And please, put hazard pay on the next agenda.

390
00:26:52,370 --> 00:26:55,230
If not, if you don't think it's hazardous, come ride the bus with us.

391
00:26:55,230 --> 00:26:59,210
write the bus and see what we deal with. Thank you.

392
00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:07,800
Thank you. Next speakers, President ATU 265, Johnny and Alicia.

393
00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:14,440
You may begin speaking, President ATU 265. Go ahead, please.

394
00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:22,420
Good evening, board members. John Courtney, President of Business Agent ATU Local 265.

395
00:27:22,420 --> 00:27:30,020
But I do support Bismarck's comments and this talk of cultural change is great and we're

396
00:27:30,020 --> 00:27:36,200
talking about it but really nothing has happened yet, to be perfectly honest, there are pockets

397
00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,780
of bosses who continue to act this way towards our employees.

398
00:27:40,180 --> 00:27:46,540
There's a frontline boss in North York who makes racist comments continuously.

399
00:27:46,540 --> 00:27:52,160
Obviously, this Mark's boss is just rude and obnoxious and doesn't talk to his own folks.

400
00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:56,040
So let's hope we're real about this and I'm glad to see it on the upcoming agenda.

401
00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,800
I also think that this disconnectness, cultural change has to start here.

402
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:05,200
Honestly, to have one minute and then also to cut off a slew of speakers, it is your job

403
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,400
to listen to the community and listen to the citizens and the workers.

404
00:28:08,860 --> 00:28:10,300
That's why you're on the board.

405
00:28:10,900 --> 00:28:14,260
And I would really, really beg that you open the speaker back up.

406
00:28:14,260 --> 00:28:18,680
speakers back up. That's what we're here for. So, again, thank you and you have a great evening.

407
00:28:19,860 --> 00:28:25,380
Thank you. And let's make Stephanie the last speaker.

408
00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:30,540
Alicia, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

409
00:28:33,110 --> 00:28:33,810
Hi, good evening.

410
00:28:36,050 --> 00:28:44,350
Alicia Pietro here. I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters, 265. We continue to beg for

411
00:28:44,350 --> 00:28:54,470
hazard pay and we stand out, we go out every single day, take our bus and it's not entirely

412
00:28:55,410 --> 00:29:02,330
safe to come home and give our families this COVID variant that's expanding. Now it's Delta

413
00:29:02,330 --> 00:29:09,110
variant. Who knows how much further this is going to go on? I think that we deserve that hazard

414
00:29:09,110 --> 00:29:15,910
pay and I think that you guys should sit down with John McCourtney and talk over how

415
00:29:15,910 --> 00:29:19,150
you guys are going to give us hazard retro pay.

416
00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,680
Thank you, Johnny.

417
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:26,540
You may begin speaking when you're ready.

418
00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:28,500
Thank you.

419
00:29:28,580 --> 00:29:29,320
Can you guys hear me?

420
00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:30,320
Yes.

421
00:29:31,060 --> 00:29:32,400
My name is Johnny Geigels.

422
00:29:32,780 --> 00:29:37,740
This is represented from Team Sister's Local 8 by 3 and on behalf of our 17,000 members

423
00:29:37,740 --> 00:29:43,600
we've got a solidarity with HU265 and them getting the retroactive hazard pay. Thank you.

424
00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:49,260
Last speaker is Stephanie. You may begin speaking when you're ready.

425
00:29:54,570 --> 00:29:54,990
Stephanie?

426
00:30:01,330 --> 00:30:31,230
Okay, can you hear me? Yes. Okay, great. Good evening. Thank you for obviously listening to my call. I have been an operator for almost 11 years for VTA. I am speaking on behalf of my classmate, Janelle Rubo, who's also been there almost 11 years. And I find it convenient how the media doesn't cover none of our hazard, hazardous situations on a daily basis. My classmate has endured a gun in her face, along with

427
00:30:31,230 --> 00:30:35,930
many other assaults that I've endured. I think honestly that this hazardous

428
00:30:35,930 --> 00:30:41,550
pace should have been on the table a long time ago. I thank you for having on the next agenda.

429
00:30:41,670 --> 00:30:48,770
That's what I heard from my president. I appreciate that. I am eager to see something happen.

430
00:30:49,830 --> 00:30:54,130
Again, nothing changes, nothing changes. We got bull using our division,

431
00:30:54,790 --> 00:30:59,550
every division, as far as I'm hearing. So something needs to happen, something needs to change.

432
00:30:59,550 --> 00:31:01,790
you would consider us. That'd be great.

433
00:31:04,460 --> 00:31:06,300
That concludes our public speaking.

434
00:31:07,140 --> 00:31:14,760
Thank you. We do not have items under item four public hearings so we will go to item five

435
00:31:15,460 --> 00:31:22,800
committee reports to our members of the public. If you want to address the board on items 5.1 through

436
00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:30,340
5.5 please raise your hand now. We will call it on you at the conclusion of all the reports.

437
00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:40,800
There is no report for item 5.1 for 5.2, Kitty Moore, policy advisory committee

438
00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,780
chair is here to provide a brief report.

439
00:31:45,340 --> 00:31:46,740
Thank you, Vice Chair.

440
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:53,000
On Thursday, August 12, the PAC following a very robust dialogue, the committee recommended

441
00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:58,100
the Board of Directors adopt the Tasman Drive and Basque Avenue Complete Streets corridor

442
00:31:58,100 --> 00:31:58,640
studies.

443
00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:03,940
The PAC further requested staff to address the following in future analyses of these areas.

444
00:32:04,620 --> 00:32:10,040
Funding strategies and connections to bike super highways, vision zero goals, reducing

445
00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:16,720
conflicts between buses and bikes and environmentally friendly landscaping strategies and tree placement.

446
00:32:17,180 --> 00:32:22,800
We also recommended the Board of Directors approve the project priorities for the fiscal year

447
00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:31,320
2021-22 Countywide Transportation Development Act Article 3 program, and lastly, the PAC will

448
00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:38,180
receive an overview of VTA's transit-oriented communities program and transit signal priority

449
00:32:38,180 --> 00:32:43,560
projects at upcoming committee meetings. The next PAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September

450
00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:49,360
9, 2021 at 4 p.m. and we'll be conducted as a Zoom teleconference. Thank you.

451
00:32:49,360 --> 00:33:00,540
Thank you. Now, we're on to item 5.3. Reports for item 5.3 are in the online agenda package.

452
00:33:01,580 --> 00:33:13,140
There is no report for 5.4. For item 5.5, Rose Herrera, 2016 Measure Beases and Oversight Committee

453
00:33:13,140 --> 00:33:22,800
will provide a brief report and we will take public comments for items under committee reports item 5.1 to 5.5.

454
00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:25,600
After this report.

455
00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:34,340
Chair, this is Elaine from the board office. I don't see NBCOC chair Herrera.

456
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:41,920
Chair Herrera, if you're here, if you could please raise your hand. If you're on the attendee side so we can unmute you.

457
00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:42,700
Yeah,

458
00:33:49,750 --> 00:33:56,290
we don't see her on the attendee side either chair, so I guess we can move on. Thank you.

459
00:33:57,290 --> 00:33:59,330
We have any public speakers.

460
00:33:59,930 --> 00:34:04,910
Yes, we do, Mr. Vice Chair. Mr. McMahon. Please begin speaking when you're ready.

461
00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:19,520
Hi, this is Blair Beakman. You can correct me if I'm wrong. I'm fairly sure there will be something of the worker comp's issues on these on one of these committee reports.

462
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:24,300
and it was just I wanted to quickly offer that it's there's been some really good work in San Jose

463
00:34:24,300 --> 00:34:30,840
and Berkeley about city employee raises and and and to deal with city employee

464
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:35,780
accomplishes in the time of COVID-19 that have been really impressive and I think they're

465
00:34:35,780 --> 00:34:40,960
studying good examples across for entire Bay Area this time and for the city government.

466
00:34:41,820 --> 00:34:47,620
I hope you can look to these examples in your work here at the VTA at this time and we can work

467
00:34:47,620 --> 00:34:49,760
well on the work of accomplishes. Thank you.

468
00:34:52,620 --> 00:34:58,000
Thank you. Public comments for this item under committee

469
00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:04,880
reports is now closed. As mentioned earlier during orders of the day we will hear the General Manager's

470
00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:10,220
report prior to the consent calendar. I would like to remind the public that we will take public

471
00:35:10,220 --> 00:35:14,360
comments at the conclusion of all items under the General Manager's report.

472
00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:21,360
Good evening,

473
00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:28,340
my students and members of the board. Before I provide a couple of timely updates, I wanted

474
00:35:28,340 --> 00:35:31,660
to take this opportunity to share a little bit about the priorities that I am passionate

475
00:35:31,660 --> 00:35:36,680
about delivering in my role as general manager and CEO. This is the first time we were able

476
00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:41,940
to address. We had quite a long meeting last month and I wanted to shorten it a little

477
00:35:41,940 --> 00:35:46,540
bit by not providing these remarks, but I do want to talk about them tonight. These priorities

478
00:35:46,540 --> 00:35:51,500
are tied to my personal values and work ethic as a leader who has dedicated the greater part

479
00:35:51,500 --> 00:35:56,120
of my career to improving the mobility experience for all, much of that time with VTA.

480
00:35:56,900 --> 00:36:00,100
I want to stress that we VTA are here to serve the public.

481
00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:05,240
If there is one thing about the pandemic taught us is that people rely on VTA.

482
00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:10,600
My focus will be on our service mission to provide real access to opportunities,

483
00:36:10,600 --> 00:36:22,510
Aligning existing riders and future customer needs with all the service plan in 2019 was

484
00:36:22,510 --> 00:36:27,110
developed with valuable input from our riders and community stakeholders and showed tremendous

485
00:36:27,110 --> 00:36:30,370
promise with an immediate increase in ridership at the beginning of last year.

486
00:36:31,310 --> 00:36:35,510
As we're edging our way back to pre-pandemic service levels, we look forward to welcoming

487
00:36:35,510 --> 00:36:37,190
riders back to transit.

488
00:36:37,910 --> 00:36:42,770
Along with safer and reliable services, we will continue to pursue mobility programs and partnerships

489
00:36:42,770 --> 00:36:47,850
to add to the portfolio of transit options, and we will need to appeal and engage with business

490
00:36:47,850 --> 00:36:53,630
partners and transit advocates to share strategies on how we best achieve share goals of combating

491
00:36:53,630 --> 00:37:00,570
traffic congestion and fighting climate change. I am fully committed to delivering the 2016 measure

492
00:37:00,570 --> 00:37:04,470
and trust it to us.

493
00:37:05,070 --> 00:37:07,690
VTA will continue to invest critical tax dollars

494
00:37:07,690 --> 00:37:10,270
to deliver widespread transportation improvements.

495
00:37:10,810 --> 00:37:13,810
We have the funding, the mechanisms, and the will,

496
00:37:14,290 --> 00:37:17,410
and the skills to improve mobility for Santa Clara County residents,

497
00:37:17,650 --> 00:37:20,270
whether you ride transit bike, walk, or drive.

498
00:37:21,250 --> 00:37:22,770
In addition to our local partnerships,

499
00:37:23,230 --> 00:37:25,710
our regional partnerships are now more critical than ever

500
00:37:25,710 --> 00:37:27,950
to improving mobility throughout the Bay Area.

501
00:37:28,650 --> 00:37:31,530
We've seen a great synergy with our sister transit agencies

502
00:37:31,530 --> 00:37:36,370
during some of the most challenging times and we will continue to focus on better connections

503
00:37:36,370 --> 00:37:42,750
to improve the customer experience. On that note, we're pleased to be offering Bay Area

504
00:37:42,750 --> 00:37:48,730
commuters an extended regional connection now that we have our first two BART stations open in

505
00:37:48,730 --> 00:37:55,370
Nopetus and San Jose. VTA's BART Silicon Valley extension phase two is even more impressive as

506
00:37:55,370 --> 00:38:00,550
the first agency in the United States to be accepted into the Federal Transit Administration's

507
00:38:00,550 --> 00:38:02,190
expedited project delivery program.

508
00:38:03,130 --> 00:38:05,450
As we work together on these important initiatives,

509
00:38:05,670 --> 00:38:08,770
we must remain cognizant that they will be intertwined

510
00:38:08,770 --> 00:38:11,710
with the challenges, the many challenges that we have had,

511
00:38:12,190 --> 00:38:14,910
but which we must also recognize opportunities.

512
00:38:15,610 --> 00:38:17,470
We are not out of the wood just with COVID.

513
00:38:18,150 --> 00:38:20,550
Every day seems to bring new challenges and considerations

514
00:38:20,550 --> 00:38:23,030
that will be needed to protect the health and well-being

515
00:38:23,030 --> 00:38:24,870
of our employees and customers.

516
00:38:25,950 --> 00:38:28,390
Another opportunity that tried to knock us off our game was

517
00:38:28,390 --> 00:38:33,490
the intrusion we faced with the hard-hitting cyber attack, only to be followed by the horrendous

518
00:38:33,490 --> 00:38:37,770
tragedy at the Guadalupe light rail yard that will influence everything we do moving forward.

519
00:38:38,850 --> 00:38:42,370
To meet the goal of providing access to transportation opportunities,

520
00:38:42,850 --> 00:38:47,530
it's necessary for me to shape and share my employee-focused priorities with you tonight.

521
00:38:48,350 --> 00:38:53,710
My goal is to better understand the needs of our employees while working together more collaboratively

522
00:38:53,710 --> 00:38:58,530
to boost morale and confidence among our most important asset.

523
00:38:59,070 --> 00:39:02,010
I've been meeting with the employees from different corners of the organization,

524
00:39:02,270 --> 00:39:05,050
even before my first official day on the job with VTA.

525
00:39:05,650 --> 00:39:10,470
And what I heard is that we have a tremendous opportunity to improve the culture within our organization,

526
00:39:10,830 --> 00:39:13,350
and we must improve the culture within our organization,

527
00:39:13,770 --> 00:39:17,330
and make it one that is more compassionate, collaborative, and prolific.

528
00:39:18,410 --> 00:39:22,890
Often referred to as workforce development, I want to focus on VTA employee development

529
00:39:22,890 --> 00:39:28,070
and training that truly builds a pipeline of talent within our organization to retain

530
00:39:28,070 --> 00:39:33,150
and grow the good people we already have in a VTA uniform, whether you're a doning operator.

531
00:39:33,550 --> 00:39:40,310
Blues, a construction vest, a dress suit or tie, I want our employees to feel fulfilled

532
00:39:40,310 --> 00:39:41,070
and appreciated.

533
00:39:42,570 --> 00:39:47,490
Employees have had to weather several storms over the past two years, culminating in an unfathomable

534
00:39:47,490 --> 00:39:53,290
way. We have put a number of resources in place and we will continue to prioritize the health

535
00:39:53,290 --> 00:39:58,850
and wellbeing of our employees, but that will also take additional resources and we will continue

536
00:39:58,850 --> 00:40:04,270
to look at that and work with our union partners to do that. Moving forward, I stand by my commitment

537
00:40:04,270 --> 00:40:09,730
to my staff, my board of directors, and to the public that we will heal. Our resilience will grow

538
00:40:09,730 --> 00:40:13,650
and we will all be stronger. We owe that to the public and we owe it to ourselves.

539
00:40:14,210 --> 00:40:20,710
In this way, I commit to providing the opportunities for transportation access so critical to this community.

540
00:40:21,550 --> 00:40:26,230
And we look forward, as a team, to be able to continue to our serve our community.

541
00:40:27,690 --> 00:40:32,210
Now, I like right now to just see our few recent milestones over the past month.

542
00:40:32,610 --> 00:40:35,570
And I'm going to be asking some key staff to join me in on this update.

543
00:40:36,590 --> 00:40:42,390
So on the first slide, slide one, we're pleased to announce that light rail service

544
00:40:42,390 --> 00:40:47,490
is back on track as of August 29th. We started service at 8 a.m. Sunday morning, and this video

545
00:40:47,490 --> 00:40:54,150
is showing that pivotal moment to explain what it took to get here is our Chief System Safety

546
00:40:54,150 --> 00:40:55,970
and Security Angelique Gallagher.

547
00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:09,840
Thank you Carolyn. I just wanted to let the video play. Next slide please.

548
00:41:12,020 --> 00:41:17,620
So this year rail safety month has a different fill for VTA as we bring our light rail service back

549
00:41:17,620 --> 00:41:23,460
online. And although we emphasized safety first every September, we must share what it took to

550
00:41:23,460 --> 00:41:28,760
bring our light rail trains back into service. These elements included employee safety,

551
00:41:29,140 --> 00:41:34,020
system safety, identifying the appropriate scope of services that we would be able to provide,

552
00:41:34,420 --> 00:41:40,700
and how we would publicly share that we were back in service. For employee safety,

553
00:41:41,000 --> 00:41:45,720
the components of that included onboarding of employees with trauma counselors,

554
00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:50,720
refresher and recertification training and continues an ongoing access to

555
00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:55,540
counselors. So to give you a little bit of detail of what that looked like, it's

556
00:41:55,540 --> 00:41:59,100
important to know that the entire time the mental health of our employees was

557
00:41:59,100 --> 00:42:03,460
critical to successfully bringing back light rail and to support our employees

558
00:42:03,460 --> 00:42:09,620
decision to return to work, VTA invited employees to intend an onboarding session with

559
00:42:09,620 --> 00:42:14,940
trauma counselors, training staff, operation staff, and safety and security staff.

560
00:42:14,940 --> 00:42:20,420
staff to see if they felt they were able to return. Once they made the decision that they wanted

561
00:42:20,420 --> 00:42:26,460
to and were able to return, BTA began the process of refresher and recertification training.

562
00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:31,380
The employees that were rail certified received training in light rail safety,

563
00:42:32,260 --> 00:42:39,000
light rail yard operation, light rail shop operation, main line operation, and high rail operation.

564
00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:46,520
Training was provided using written materials, presentations, video demonstrations, written exams,

565
00:42:47,260 --> 00:42:53,380
practical evaluations, and training onboard a light rail vehicle. That practical training

566
00:42:53,380 --> 00:43:00,080
covered pre-revenue light rail vehicle safety inspections, coupling and uncoupling of cars on

567
00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:06,320
the train, identification of safety components onboard the light rail vehicle, as well as ride-along

568
00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,000
evaluations and ride checks.

569
00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:14,080
Trauma counselors were available the entire time while the employees underwent training

570
00:43:14,860 --> 00:43:17,200
and will continue to be available for those employees.

571
00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:21,940
Counseling has also been available to all BT employees and their families for the past

572
00:43:21,940 --> 00:43:24,340
several months and will continue as long as needed.

573
00:43:25,220 --> 00:43:25,940
Next slide, please.

574
00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:31,900
From a system safety perspective, there were a number of components of our system that

575
00:43:31,900 --> 00:43:34,540
needed not just to be inspected but tested as well.

576
00:43:34,540 --> 00:43:40,600
And those broke down into various components, including inspections by our track crews,

577
00:43:40,840 --> 00:43:45,780
inspecting every inch of the trackway, inspections by our power crews of the overhead

578
00:43:45,780 --> 00:43:51,040
catenary system and substations to ensure all critical aspects were operational,

579
00:43:51,040 --> 00:43:55,380
and that no defects or hazards were identified. Our signal crews,

580
00:43:55,760 --> 00:44:02,000
inspected grade crossings and switch and signal locations, our SCADA crew completed and passed

581
00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:07,000
all testing for the rail lines. Our light rail maintenance crews performed enhanced

582
00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:12,280
ailing inspections and will continue to do so of all rail vehicles before they leave the yard.

583
00:44:13,060 --> 00:44:18,700
Our station maintenance crew inspect the yard, Guadalupe yard and all stations planned for use

584
00:44:18,700 --> 00:44:23,920
and will continue to do that as we move on to different segments of the system.

585
00:44:24,840 --> 00:44:30,680
Our operations control center became fully functional for train operators with OCC staff now in

586
00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:35,360
place and working shifts 24 hours seven days a week. Once the inspections and

587
00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:39,700
testing were complete for segments of the track and for operation, VTA was

588
00:44:39,700 --> 00:44:44,780
all able to bring our first train. And this is our test train shown here in the

589
00:44:44,780 --> 00:44:50,880
video. You can go ahead and play that please. You'll note that the trains being

590
00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:55,620
escorted by a sheriff deputy as well as our power teams that would check the

591
00:44:55,620 --> 00:44:59,740
overhead lines as the train was on operation. And again this was our very first

592
00:44:59,740 --> 00:44:59,900
test.

593
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:28,900
The last train that went out on the tracks that occurred on Tuesday of last week. And since then, we've had a number of test crews or test trains go on various segments of the track to determine whether or not they were safe for operation. So this particular train actually came from the yard and went to Civic Center, South, and then from Civic Center up north to the Cisco station in North San Jose. On Friday, the same testing was completed for the entire orange line.

594
00:45:28,900 --> 00:45:35,900
And once those tests were complete and no issues were identified, we began operating non-revenue trains on Saturday, August 28th.

595
00:45:36,920 --> 00:45:37,860
Next slide, please.

596
00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:49,180
And after those non-revenue operations proved successful, the Director of Rail Operations Austin Jenkins and I authored a memo to our General Manager, Carolyn Ganat,

597
00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:57,540
recommending that VTA begin partial revenue service on Sunday, August 28th, which is what you saw this past Sunday and outlined in this slide.

598
00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:04,160
On Saturday, August 27th, our general manager also reviewed our recommendations and notified

599
00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:08,940
the CPUC that the next day, August 28th, we would begin partial revenue service.

600
00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:14,240
And I want to pause here to acknowledge the partnership of the CPUC.

601
00:46:14,380 --> 00:46:21,960
They have been incredibly patient with us, incredibly understanding as we engage in the inspections

602
00:46:21,960 --> 00:46:24,960
and the testing and things change daily.

603
00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:38,780
It's a very fluid operation out there, but we do pause when we find any issues of concern and we go over them with the CPC as needed to date.

604
00:46:38,900 --> 00:46:49,540
There have not been any critical or major incidents minor things that we were able to correct along the way and allowed us to go into revenue service.

605
00:46:49,540 --> 00:47:05,960
So, we will continue to do this for the various segments on our light rail line and as we do that will follow the same process, which is essentially Austin Jenkins and myself going through the documentation to memorialize that the inspections have occurred.

606
00:47:06,180 --> 00:47:14,540
Our safety team reviewing that as well and then making a recommendation to our GM that we believe a particular segment is ready for revenue service.

607
00:47:14,540 --> 00:47:19,660
Once that's done, she will make a determination and then notify the CVUC.

608
00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:23,500
Next slide please.

609
00:47:25,860 --> 00:47:30,840
So bringing light rail back into service on Sunday also coincided with the beginning of rail safety month.

610
00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:37,300
And as we usually do, BTA began engaging in a robust public safety campaign on how to be safe around our system.

611
00:47:37,740 --> 00:47:41,220
This was even more critical given that we were down for several months.

612
00:47:41,980 --> 00:47:44,300
Our theme this year is stay alert, stay alive.

613
00:47:44,300 --> 00:47:48,500
And we will have various messages throughout the campaign sticking with that thing.

614
00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:54,080
In fact, our market and communications team is planning blog posts, some of them which you

615
00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:59,580
probably already have seen. Social media messaging, car cards in both our buses and our trains

616
00:47:59,580 --> 00:48:06,080
and station signs. Messaging on the passenger information monitors at each of the light rail stations.

617
00:48:06,900 --> 00:48:11,700
And a letter that we send out annually to all school districts urging them to remind students how

618
00:48:11,700 --> 00:48:13,780
to stay safe around our tracks.

619
00:48:14,400 --> 00:48:18,220
We also offer attending with our safety teams

620
00:48:18,220 --> 00:48:20,540
and the assemblies that the schools want to hold

621
00:48:20,860 --> 00:48:23,400
and ask us questions about our system.

622
00:48:24,300 --> 00:48:27,020
We will also have a wrapped light rail train

623
00:48:27,020 --> 00:48:28,940
that includes our safety thing

624
00:48:29,440 --> 00:48:31,960
and that's sort of our moving billboard, if you will.

625
00:48:32,880 --> 00:48:34,300
And then we will continue our work

626
00:48:34,300 --> 00:48:35,620
with Operation Life Saver,

627
00:48:35,940 --> 00:48:39,240
a national organization that promotes safety around rail.

628
00:48:39,240 --> 00:48:44,160
And although rail safety month occurs during the month of September,

629
00:48:44,820 --> 00:48:51,100
VTA traditionally sees that as our kickoff, but we continue our safety messaging year-round.

630
00:48:51,260 --> 00:48:55,700
And it includes safety around our buses and our parrot transit as well.

631
00:48:56,200 --> 00:49:00,620
So I would encourage our board members and the public to follow our social media platforms

632
00:49:00,620 --> 00:49:05,500
and share our messages far and wide. And with that I'm happy to take any questions.

633
00:49:06,040 --> 00:49:06,420
Thank you.

634
00:49:13,710 --> 00:49:23,950
Okay. Thank you, Emily. You know, I do want to say that I think it's really important and one of the reasons why I wanted GM report up towards the front of the meeting was just.

635
00:49:24,590 --> 00:49:37,270
This was a momentous occasion of a lot of collaboration throughout the agency and our partners to be able to get light rail service back up, and I know it was frustrating for some of the public, but there was a lot of work done.

636
00:49:37,790 --> 00:49:42,810
When I was out there on Sunday morning, as the trains were leaving New York, just to

637
00:49:42,810 --> 00:49:48,410
see the employees who some are still grieving, many are still grieving, and always were grieving

638
00:49:48,410 --> 00:49:49,010
in some way.

639
00:49:49,190 --> 00:49:59,490
But it was just really—I had a lot of pride in just the employees getting out there, moving

640
00:49:59,490 --> 00:50:02,250
the trains, getting service back out to the people.

641
00:50:02,610 --> 00:50:06,730
I went out later on to some of the other stations, and you could just see the customers who are

642
00:50:06,730 --> 00:50:21,590
So happy to see the trains and get on them and that it's back and that, you know, it just is great to see people who really want to be on that service and really are going to use that service and in this week as well. So we're starting to see ridership already throughout the system pick up because we're bringing a light rail back.

643
00:50:22,210 --> 00:50:27,710
Just to let you know we are providing free fare on the light rail service until the entire system is up and running again.

644
00:50:28,850 --> 00:50:32,830
Later on, Jake Tyree will talk a little bit about the service that's being offered and

645
00:50:32,830 --> 00:50:36,770
what we intend to have in the near future as the remaining segments of the green and blue lines

646
00:50:36,770 --> 00:50:40,850
come back online because we have the orange fully running and a partial of the green line.

647
00:50:41,810 --> 00:50:46,310
Before I move away from this topic, I think I believe our vice chair wanted to say a few words.

648
00:50:47,210 --> 00:50:52,070
Thank you, Carolyn. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the team for resuming light rail

649
00:50:52,070 --> 00:50:58,610
service. There's not been easy task and VTA has jumped through so many hoops to get this done.

650
00:50:59,410 --> 00:51:05,230
I wanted to commend the light rail team, the operators, dispatchers, signal maintainers,

651
00:51:05,690 --> 00:51:12,490
employees from all levels who support this enormous effort. I want to recognize management

652
00:51:12,490 --> 00:51:18,930
and our union partners for working diligently and collaboratively to safely resume the service.

653
00:51:19,530 --> 00:51:23,670
Last but not least, I want to thank the writing public for your support.

654
00:51:24,450 --> 00:51:31,510
More importantly, your patience and understanding as we work on resuming the service on the remaining segments.

655
00:51:33,130 --> 00:51:35,570
Carolyn, that's what I want to say. Thank you.

656
00:51:39,030 --> 00:51:39,550
Thank you.

657
00:51:40,930 --> 00:51:50,370
I really do appreciate all the support you and the board have given us in terms of being able to get the service and working with us and meeting.

658
00:51:51,070 --> 00:51:55,910
each week, many of you, a couple of times a week, with management and

659
00:51:55,910 --> 00:52:00,130
delivery unions and helping us get that effort to get the service back up and

660
00:52:00,130 --> 00:52:05,970
learning. Another critical mission for VTA is to maintain a healthy workforce and

661
00:52:05,970 --> 00:52:10,110
protect them against COVID-19. And to encourage vaccination and

662
00:52:10,110 --> 00:52:16,470
continue testing, we brought clinics on-site to our employee divisions to

663
00:52:16,470 --> 00:52:22,590
provide both services. These weekly clinics rotate every Wednesday.

664
00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:27,160
And since we've offered

665
00:52:27,160 --> 00:52:33,000
on-site vaccination, we've had 20 more employees get vaccinated and over 200 tested. I want to

666
00:52:33,000 --> 00:52:37,960
thank ATU for getting the testing program started at the yards and working with the benefits team to

667
00:52:37,960 --> 00:52:39,020
include the vaccinations.

668
00:52:41,040 --> 00:52:46,300
On the next slide, you're going to see VTA's participation in the Silicon

669
00:52:46,300 --> 00:52:52,580
Convali Pride Parade. Last Sunday, about 40 employees and their family members marched alongside

670
00:52:52,580 --> 00:52:56,040
our brightly wrapped buzz, showing their community pride.

671
00:52:59,200 --> 00:53:01,900
Next slide, please. Congratulations,

672
00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:06,980
also I want to mention this goes to our VTA procurement team on receiving the achievement of excellence

673
00:53:06,980 --> 00:53:12,780
and procurement two years in a row. This honor is bestowed by the National Procurement

674
00:53:12,780 --> 00:53:17,720
institute to procurement organizations that embrace innovation, professionalism,

675
00:53:18,700 --> 00:53:27,100
productivity, leadership, and e-procurement. The VTA procurement team hosted two Bay Area

676
00:53:27,100 --> 00:53:32,680
Diversity Business Forms on August 10th and August 31st in collaboration with the Silicon Valley

677
00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:39,640
Minority Business Consortium, the events which had 370 participants in total were intended to identify

678
00:53:39,640 --> 00:53:42,240
by underutilized businesses and to help increase

679
00:53:42,240 --> 00:53:45,080
their technical capabilities and financial capacity

680
00:53:45,080 --> 00:53:48,540
to support VTA in various contracting opportunities.

681
00:53:50,100 --> 00:53:52,560
On the next slide, you'll see photos

682
00:53:52,560 --> 00:53:55,920
from the Montague pedestrian overcrossing

683
00:53:55,920 --> 00:53:59,420
ribbon cutting event last August 23rd.

684
00:53:59,420 --> 00:54:01,860
This overcrossing connects the west side

685
00:54:01,860 --> 00:54:04,740
of Montague Expressway to the Milpitas Transit Center

686
00:54:05,260 --> 00:54:09,400
with one side really right next to the development

687
00:54:09,400 --> 00:54:19,040
and Milpitas was instrumental in helping us work with the developer and saving that space for us to be able to have a landing for the overcrossing and the other side ends at the Bart Bridge.

688
00:54:19,600 --> 00:54:26,300
I want to thank Member Carmen Montano, who led the ceremony, along with our project team and other city leaders.

689
00:54:28,600 --> 00:54:38,940
Lastly, in my report, I want to share my great appreciation to board member Cindy Chavez and the County Board of Supervisors for proving the referral to create a County Trauma Recovery Center

690
00:54:38,940 --> 00:54:45,340
for survivors of violent crimes and other traumatic events, with a specific focus on our

691
00:54:45,340 --> 00:54:50,600
VT employees and their families impacted by the May 26 tragedy. We have had the tremendous

692
00:54:50,600 --> 00:54:55,480
support from Cindy and at the state level from Senator David Cortisi and Assemblymember

693
00:54:55,480 --> 00:55:00,380
Ash Kaurah in advocating for the resources needed to prioritize the health and well-being

694
00:55:00,380 --> 00:55:04,660
of our employees and other victims who have suffered from similar unspeakable events.

695
00:55:05,260 --> 00:55:09,960
It's extremely unfortunate that there is a need for this, but we are extremely fortunate

696
00:55:09,960 --> 00:55:12,740
to have their support in our corner, and I want to thank them all.

697
00:55:13,720 --> 00:55:20,980
I want to have Jay Tyree talk a bit about our service update, who also mentioned the

698
00:55:20,980 --> 00:55:22,020
light rail service as well.

699
00:55:22,620 --> 00:55:22,760
Jay?

700
00:55:23,460 --> 00:55:23,600
Great.

701
00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:24,520
Thank you, Carolyn.

702
00:55:24,840 --> 00:55:27,420
Jay Tyree, manager of service planning and scheduling.

703
00:55:27,880 --> 00:55:29,220
So we can go to my next slide here.

704
00:55:29,680 --> 00:55:34,580
I'm going to provide an update on ridership and on service restoration since my last

705
00:55:34,580 --> 00:55:40,700
report, which I think was in May. So first on the ridership, this is a ridership chart for ridership

706
00:55:40,700 --> 00:55:46,920
trends from the start of the pandemic through August 22nd. You can see here, I'll just point out

707
00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:54,060
a few data notes. A clear trend of increasing ridership that we saw starting in late January

708
00:55:55,300 --> 00:56:04,560
and continuing through today. In fact, like I said, the data was through August 22nd. We just

709
00:56:04,560 --> 00:56:08,740
got another week's worth of data so if we were to add that on here you'd see actually

710
00:56:09,280 --> 00:56:13,640
even higher ridership increasing. We're now at the point where we've seen the highest

711
00:56:13,640 --> 00:56:19,040
ridership since the pandemic has started and that doesn't even include any ridership

712
00:56:19,040 --> 00:56:25,640
from rail because you know as the rail was shut down so good trends in the right direction

713
00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:34,540
and ridership. So that's ridership. Now let's move on to the next slide. We'll talk about service

714
00:56:34,540 --> 00:56:41,940
So like we mentioned that we're very happy to welcome our writers back in the first phase of our light rail service.

715
00:56:42,160 --> 00:56:48,720
And so that's that started on Sunday. That's what you're seeing here. It's it's essentially the entire orange line from Mountain View to Alamrock.

716
00:56:48,940 --> 00:56:52,740
And then a partial of the green line from old iron sites to civic center.

717
00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:56,080
We're also still operating a bus bridge along north first street.

718
00:56:56,540 --> 00:57:03,020
And like Carolyn said, this is this is we're offering fair free system on light rail and the bus bridge.

719
00:57:03,020 --> 00:57:05,220
to welcome our writers back.

720
00:57:05,720 --> 00:57:07,620
The frequencies on the rail system

721
00:57:07,620 --> 00:57:09,740
is generally 20 minute frequencies

722
00:57:09,740 --> 00:57:11,860
during the daytime and weekdays,

723
00:57:12,140 --> 00:57:15,160
and then 30 minutes every evening and on weekends.

724
00:57:16,120 --> 00:57:18,640
So that's our first phase of light rail service.

725
00:57:18,820 --> 00:57:19,820
If we go to the next slide,

726
00:57:19,940 --> 00:57:23,600
I'll tell you about our second phase

727
00:57:23,600 --> 00:57:25,420
to bring more of the system back online

728
00:57:25,420 --> 00:57:27,100
that we're working towards right now.

729
00:57:27,620 --> 00:57:31,620
The next phase we will bring the blue line to restore

730
00:57:31,620 --> 00:57:33,740
so that the blue line isn't running today, right?

731
00:57:33,920 --> 00:57:34,900
So that's the last line.

732
00:57:35,580 --> 00:57:37,540
We'll partially restore the blue line,

733
00:57:37,540 --> 00:57:40,960
so that'll be from Baypoint to Children's Discovery Museum.

734
00:57:41,460 --> 00:57:44,100
And then we're going to extend the green line farther south

735
00:57:44,100 --> 00:57:45,920
from its current end, at Civic Center,

736
00:57:46,060 --> 00:57:48,320
down to San Jose, Deerodon station.

737
00:57:48,600 --> 00:57:51,600
So at least partials on the green and the blue line

738
00:57:51,600 --> 00:57:54,620
will be operating and the entire orange line as well, of course.

739
00:57:55,880 --> 00:57:59,280
And the same frequencies, it's generally 20 minute week day,

740
00:57:59,280 --> 00:58:05,180
date time 30 minute evenings and on weekends and it is the normal service hours from generally

741
00:58:05,180 --> 00:58:13,140
5 30 or 6 in the morning to midnight or 12 30 a.m. depending on the line. We don't have a date

742
00:58:13,140 --> 00:58:18,620
for this next phase but we're hoping we're working towards getting this online in days not weeks.

743
00:58:19,920 --> 00:58:27,460
Next slide. Looking forward, we structure our system as you probably know around signups. We have

744
00:58:27,460 --> 00:58:34,000
sign-ups a year by which we make our service changes. And we have one more in 2021. That's the October

745
00:58:34,000 --> 00:58:40,140
sign-up. But looking forward to the next two sign-ups. Here's our plan for rail. Like we mentioned,

746
00:58:40,300 --> 00:58:45,760
our focus now is on restoring light rail, getting it back up and running. For the October sign-up,

747
00:58:45,840 --> 00:58:50,880
we're going to be continuing the 20-minute service that will be operating here, the full service.

748
00:58:50,880 --> 00:58:58,480
and also focusing on restarting the hiring and training process for light rail operators.

749
00:58:59,000 --> 00:59:03,580
Then in February, we are planning on restoration of the 15-minute rail network.

750
00:59:03,740 --> 00:59:08,460
That's the full pre-pandemic service level that we'll get back to in February.

751
00:59:09,720 --> 00:59:12,720
So that was rail. My next slide, talk about bus.

752
00:59:13,320 --> 00:59:20,080
This is a summary of service increases that we've implemented since my last report in May.

753
00:59:20,080 --> 00:59:26,660
Just to summarize this slide, we, some of the major points here, we restored Rapid 523 Weekend service.

754
00:59:26,820 --> 00:59:34,220
This was the number one request from our writers, and we started a new service, the VMC Shuttle service

755
00:59:34,220 --> 00:59:40,460
between San Jose, Deirdre, and VMC, with in partnership with the hospital and the county.

756
00:59:40,700 --> 00:59:43,420
So it was an exciting, celebrating event.

757
00:59:44,460 --> 00:59:47,280
And then we've done a bunch of things related to schools.

758
00:59:47,280 --> 00:59:58,260
We've restarted all of our school trip routes in conjunction with the start of school service and then extended some spans and hours of service for the colleges.

759
00:59:59,180 --> 00:59:59,980
So, you know,

760
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,300
Looking forward, the pace of service on the bus restoration is driven by our operator hiring and training process, which we've talked about several times before. So on my next slide, we have a visual of the seven hiring and training classes that we are in the middle of in 2021. So we've graduated 38 bus operators so far this year, and actually we're going to class four will graduate next week. That'll be 29 operators that will welcome.

761
01:00:30,040 --> 01:00:35,080
and we've already started Class 5 and the next class because we overlap at the end.

762
01:00:36,460 --> 01:00:40,700
So let's move on to the next slide. We are working towards restoring full service levels.

763
01:00:41,040 --> 01:00:44,500
If you remember, we've committed to planning for that.

764
01:00:45,020 --> 01:00:50,440
And this is how the numbers shake out. We currently have 841 active bus operators.

765
01:00:51,760 --> 01:00:56,000
923 is the fully budgeted number. And so we're 82 operators short.

766
01:00:56,000 --> 01:01:10,100
those 29 that graduate next week will help and so our plan here that I showed on the hiring and training classes is all of the cadence to get to that fully staff 923 level.

767
01:01:10,720 --> 01:01:20,110
If we go to the next slide because of the graduating class we are happy to

768
01:01:20,110 --> 01:01:27,890
to reintroduce full pre-pandemic weekday day time service levels in the October sign-up.

769
01:01:28,690 --> 01:01:32,070
So this is a very exciting, big, huge improvement for our service.

770
01:01:32,590 --> 01:01:35,070
And it does mean the return of the 15-minute frequent network.

771
01:01:35,450 --> 01:01:41,170
So if you're traveling weekday day time throughout our bus network, it'll be back to the 15-minute frequent network.

772
01:01:41,730 --> 01:01:48,450
We're also excited to introduce the Rapid 568, a brand new Rapid Service linking South County to downtown San Jose.

773
01:01:49,130 --> 01:01:57,310
And then in February, when more of those training, hiring and training classes graduate will be able to restore the remainder of our system.

774
01:01:57,310 --> 01:02:01,150
That's the evening and the weekend service back to its pre-pandemic service levels.

775
01:02:01,510 --> 01:02:07,850
And so so then in February, just like on rail, all of our network will be back to its pre-pandemic service levels.

776
01:02:07,850 --> 01:02:14,790
So my next slide actually is this slide just shows the each day of the week and the time

777
01:02:14,790 --> 01:02:19,170
period of each day and the progression of getting back to that full pre-pandemic service

778
01:02:19,170 --> 01:02:23,750
levels in two phases, the first in October and then the final phase in February.

779
01:02:24,050 --> 01:02:25,270
So I'm getting very close.

780
01:02:26,090 --> 01:02:33,610
And then my final slide is just a summary of the service increases since the beginning of

781
01:02:33,610 --> 01:02:38,390
the pandemic, you can see we're looking in the red line is where we are today, we're

782
01:02:38,390 --> 01:02:42,510
looking at a very significant increase for the October sign-up like I mentioned, and

783
01:02:42,510 --> 01:02:47,230
then another significant increase for the February sign-up, where we'll be back to our full

784
01:02:47,230 --> 01:02:50,230
pre-pandemic service levels. And that concludes my report.

785
01:02:54,470 --> 01:03:02,370
Thank you, Jay. For item 8.1A, the government affairs update, you will find a written report

786
01:03:02,370 --> 01:03:07,350
in your packet. It's also in the packet are the ridership and safety and security statistics.

787
01:03:08,150 --> 01:03:11,130
So that concludes my report and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

788
01:03:12,690 --> 01:03:18,890
Thank you, Carolyn. We will now take public comments for items 8.1, 8.1A.

789
01:03:19,430 --> 01:03:25,870
Rainy, do we have any requests to speak? Yes, we do. Eugene, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

790
01:03:27,470 --> 01:03:33,110
Anything more members as you gene Bradley founder and see all the Silicon Valley transit users.

791
01:03:33,670 --> 01:03:39,130
Great for a new carol in the keynote to actually move your general managers more

792
01:03:39,130 --> 01:03:43,930
to beginning because people need to know what's going on with light rail. Given that,

793
01:03:44,850 --> 01:03:50,250
my great question is that especially for the station south of downtown San Jose,

794
01:03:50,790 --> 01:03:57,110
I've written a guide to basically how people take the 68 since VTA doesn't have any alternate

795
01:03:57,470 --> 01:04:04,310
bus bridges like you used to have or we're soon used to have and now overcrowding and pass

796
01:04:04,310 --> 01:04:12,250
up the return to buses like the 68 so as light rail is slowly being restored to the South

797
01:04:12,250 --> 01:04:19,410
South and Camila is how overcrowding and pass up on buses like the 68 and even the 60 coming from

798
01:04:19,410 --> 01:04:22,530
Camila will get addressed. That's my main question to you.

799
01:04:25,810 --> 01:04:28,330
Next speaker, Roland, you may begin speaking

800
01:04:28,330 --> 01:04:35,290
when you're ready. Well thank you Mr. Chair. This is really impressive. I had no idea that the

801
01:04:35,290 --> 01:04:41,190
capital of Silicon Valley had moved to Mill Peters. It's on one forget to tell Mayor Ricardo

802
01:04:42,010 --> 01:04:48,670
how our students who live south of downtown supposed to get to Saturday state.

803
01:04:49,730 --> 01:04:56,050
Did a new general manager ever consider looking at pre-Massacre like real ridership

804
01:04:56,050 --> 01:05:02,730
to see where the demand really was in the system because if she had she would have

805
01:05:02,730 --> 01:05:09,570
discovered that the blue line is actually completely empty no bound by the time

806
01:05:09,570 --> 01:05:13,430
it gets to Santa Clara. Good job. Thank you.

807
01:05:17,810 --> 01:05:21,050
Samir, please Samir and begin speaking.

808
01:05:21,590 --> 01:05:26,870
I'd like to say it's very disrespectful that the CEO is talking about how

809
01:05:26,870 --> 01:05:32,930
impressive. It is that the light rail is back. The blue line is not functioning at all.

810
01:05:33,150 --> 01:05:42,350
It takes 20 minutes to 30 minutes to get from the blue line, but it takes three hours to

811
01:05:42,350 --> 01:05:48,610
take the bus one way, and it's very, very frustrating, especially since we pay $200 as a student

812
01:05:48,610 --> 01:05:53,930
to just have a fee, you know. And there's no time for him. You call customer service and

813
01:05:53,930 --> 01:05:56,630
And they're like, oh, we don't know when it's coming back.

814
01:05:56,630 --> 01:05:58,370
We don't have any time frame.

815
01:05:58,390 --> 01:05:59,070
They don't know.

816
01:05:59,430 --> 01:06:02,210
What are we supposed to do is spend three hours each way

817
01:06:02,210 --> 01:06:06,170
taking the bus, not including the 30 to an hour

818
01:06:06,170 --> 01:06:07,230
wait for the bus.

819
01:06:07,230 --> 01:06:08,170
And it's always delayed.

820
01:06:08,310 --> 01:06:09,730
What about the handicapped students?

821
01:06:09,850 --> 01:06:12,730
You guys, you guys care at all, it's very frustrating

822
01:06:12,730 --> 01:06:15,030
when she talks about how impressive it is

823
01:06:15,030 --> 01:06:18,470
and doesn't mention how frustrated the customers must be,

824
01:06:18,790 --> 01:06:21,290
especially when we're spending $200 plus dollars

825
01:06:21,290 --> 01:06:23,650
a student's just for that and it's included.

826
01:06:26,770 --> 01:06:29,170
Big man, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

827
01:06:34,990 --> 01:06:36,090
Mr. Big man.

828
01:06:38,770 --> 01:06:40,050
Hi, here. Can you hear me?

829
01:06:40,910 --> 01:06:41,070
Yes.

830
01:06:41,750 --> 01:06:42,590
Great, thank you.

831
01:06:43,350 --> 01:06:46,690
Blair Big man here, thank you for the General Manager's report.

832
01:06:47,230 --> 01:06:50,790
I can remember worrying about the cyber attack issues

833
01:06:50,790 --> 01:06:54,630
and talking about if we just bring on good open democratic

834
01:06:54,630 --> 01:06:57,910
practices, I think that could offer some important lessons

835
01:06:58,610 --> 01:06:59,390
for all of us.

836
01:06:59,390 --> 01:07:14,770
And then I'll just wrap up here's to hoping and our good stuff and we're continuing our good practices into the fall. I really hope we can be considering open democratic practices for the VTA really check it out.

837
01:07:15,290 --> 01:07:16,310
It's helpful.

838
01:07:17,590 --> 01:07:23,290
There's rail line issues, the safety issues of the electric lines over the rails.

839
01:07:23,530 --> 01:07:24,690
I hope that's being worked on.

840
01:07:26,930 --> 01:07:31,470
And well, with 14 seconds, I think I covered just about everything.

841
01:07:31,670 --> 01:07:34,730
Let's keep up really good open democratic practices.

842
01:07:34,970 --> 01:07:37,170
They're positive and they can really help us out of the doldrum.

843
01:07:37,490 --> 01:07:37,770
Thank you.

844
01:07:40,590 --> 01:07:42,290
That's the last speaker, Mr. Chair.

845
01:07:43,270 --> 01:07:43,650
Thank you.

846
01:07:43,890 --> 01:07:44,810
We will now close.

847
01:07:45,130 --> 01:07:46,570
Can I just...

848
01:07:46,570 --> 01:07:47,110
Oh, yeah, go ahead.

849
01:07:47,110 --> 01:07:52,750
I just want to address some of the comments on the blue line.

850
01:07:53,550 --> 01:07:57,630
You know, we had to make a decision on how we're bringing back our service.

851
01:07:58,470 --> 01:08:05,510
The truth is there were some additional repairs and things that we needed to do on the southern blue line.

852
01:08:05,630 --> 01:08:08,430
So we probably should have mentioned that that's going to take a little more time.

853
01:08:09,130 --> 01:08:15,570
And so I really am sorry that the people are having to suffer through even longer delays before that line comes on board.

854
01:08:15,570 --> 01:08:25,370
But we are working as hard as we can with the staff, and we have staffing shortages in some of these areas to be able to inspect the entire system and get it up and running and provide those repairs.

855
01:08:25,670 --> 01:08:29,370
But we are hoping that we do get that all up and running by mid September.

856
01:08:31,090 --> 01:08:31,950
Thank you.

857
01:08:32,430 --> 01:08:37,430
Do any of my colleagues on the board have any questions for the general manager?

858
01:08:41,750 --> 01:08:43,850
I don't see any hands raised.

859
01:08:44,270 --> 01:08:46,170
So thank you again, Carolyn, for your report.

860
01:08:47,450 --> 01:08:48,570
Thank you.

861
01:08:49,230 --> 01:08:54,770
To the members of the public who have just joined us, we move closed session up on the agenda.

862
01:08:55,710 --> 01:09:04,930
We will discuss items 9.1A through 9.1E, and we will try to go through these items as efficiently as possible.

863
01:09:05,750 --> 01:09:13,270
At this time, I would like to ask if there are any members of the public who would like to address the board on the closed session items.

864
01:09:14,350 --> 01:09:21,190
Great. Do we have any speakers? Yes, we do, Mr. Chair. However, I'd like to note down

865
01:09:21,190 --> 01:09:27,690
that there is a written comment that was received from Mr. Lebron and it is posted online.

866
01:09:28,950 --> 01:09:33,050
Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Lebron, go ahead and begin speaking.

867
01:09:35,740 --> 01:09:44,680
Thank you. So I hope you had the opportunity to read my letter. My question is this how much

868
01:09:45,600 --> 01:09:51,720
You know, available space you currently have in the north

869
01:09:51,720 --> 01:09:55,040
first street at the VT headquarters, want to using this.

870
01:09:55,700 --> 01:09:58,100
This new building is planned it.

871
01:09:58,180 --> 01:09:59,240
I mean, if you'd see it.

872
01:09:59,260 --> 01:10:01,280
I mean, it's a shining white elephant.

873
01:10:02,380 --> 01:10:05,720
I hope you've got enough room in there for your friends at the WSP

874
01:10:05,720 --> 01:10:07,000
Parsons Brinkerhof.

875
01:10:07,480 --> 01:10:10,560
You know, that really is a wonderful partnership.

876
01:10:11,100 --> 01:10:16,700
question through the chair. Are you planning on leading this binding for 10 or 15 years?

877
01:10:17,700 --> 01:10:21,520
So anyway, that's my two cents for now. Look forward to the P hour, in fact,

878
01:10:21,640 --> 01:10:25,700
how much of a space we currently are wasting on headquarters. Thank you.

879
01:10:28,120 --> 01:10:30,700
Mr. Bigman, please send mute and begin speaking.

880
01:10:31,820 --> 01:10:36,620
Hi, thank you. Blair Bigman here. With all your upcoming litigation issues,

881
01:10:36,620 --> 01:10:50,960
I hope I can just friendly remind that you know there is a whole new concept of open democratic practices that are happening with the future of community technology data collection.

882
01:10:51,380 --> 01:10:58,420
It's really interesting positive work based on ideas of peace not war and open democracy sustainability.

883
01:10:58,420 --> 01:11:03,720
a positive, helpful stuff and can really help us out of difficult times like this.

884
01:11:03,940 --> 01:11:08,660
I just wanted to remind everyone as we're looking for answers for our future and how

885
01:11:08,660 --> 01:11:10,120
to better address our future.

886
01:11:10,760 --> 01:11:16,600
I hope these ideas can really help and if it's possible, can it please be offered by someone

887
01:11:16,600 --> 01:11:18,020
of the council here?

888
01:11:18,580 --> 01:11:23,320
How long exactly will this meeting be and when will you return to the public meeting process?

889
01:11:23,760 --> 01:11:24,040
Thank you.

890
01:11:27,150 --> 01:11:55,490
that concludes our public speaking thank you we will now close public comments for closed session items board members the closed session teams link is in the calendar invite sent to you by the board office please click that link and call in and we will be back as soon as we can also put your zoom on mute and you can stop your video

891
01:11:57,050 --> 01:11:58,530
I will see you in teams.

892
01:11:59,550 --> 01:11:59,790
All right.

893
01:12:00,050 --> 01:12:01,570
We're going to mute everybody now.

894
01:12:35,730 --> 01:12:37,170
And then you know how to form.

895
01:12:38,190 --> 01:12:39,070
Yes, vice chair.

896
01:12:39,230 --> 01:12:41,530
Just wanted to confirm that are recording.

897
01:12:42,110 --> 01:12:43,670
Yes, we are recording now.

898
01:12:45,670 --> 01:12:50,530
Let me just count to make sure all the folks who are here.

899
01:12:52,210 --> 01:12:52,990
Supposed to be here.

900
01:12:53,410 --> 01:12:56,310
And we're not being led in on the video, I think.

901
01:12:56,310 --> 01:13:04,230
Um, you should be able to turn and turn on your video member, but let me, um, there it goes.

902
01:13:04,490 --> 01:13:05,090
All right.

903
01:13:05,290 --> 01:13:06,130
Perfect. Thanks.

904
01:13:16,030 --> 01:13:17,250
Chair, vice chair.

905
01:13:17,390 --> 01:13:18,330
We're ready to rock and roll.

906
01:13:18,790 --> 01:13:19,710
Thank you.

907
01:13:20,290 --> 01:13:22,270
We are now back to open session.

908
01:13:22,610 --> 01:13:23,990
Thank you for your patience.

909
01:13:25,290 --> 01:13:33,270
Helen Tran, General Counsel will provide the closed session report for items 9.1A through 9.1E.

910
01:13:33,270 --> 01:13:39,710
Thank you, vice chair. The board did not take any reportable actions in closed session this evening.

911
01:13:40,810 --> 01:13:52,710
Thank you, Evelyn. Now on to item number 6, consent agenda, item 6.1 through 6.12.

912
01:13:53,350 --> 01:13:57,790
Members of the public would like to address the board on an item on consent.

913
01:13:58,410 --> 01:14:02,810
Please raise your hand now on the app or press star 9 on your phone.

914
01:14:03,270 --> 01:14:12,030
to my colleagues. Is there anyone who wants to pull an item off consent or add an item to the consent agenda?

915
01:14:12,750 --> 01:14:13,710
I would move consent.

916
01:14:16,090 --> 01:14:19,270
All right.

917
01:14:19,690 --> 01:14:21,370
Been moved and seconded.

918
01:14:22,890 --> 01:14:25,170
Any abstentions or recuiting?

919
01:14:29,590 --> 01:14:31,650
Okay. I don't see any.

920
01:14:32,050 --> 01:14:36,990
So I will now open public comment for items on consent.

921
01:14:36,990 --> 01:14:41,070
but Rainey, can we have our public speakers?

922
01:14:41,670 --> 01:14:43,130
Yes, we'll share our first year.

923
01:14:43,830 --> 01:14:46,250
Big man, you may begin speaking when you're ready.

924
01:14:50,770 --> 01:14:51,170
Big man.

925
01:14:53,350 --> 01:14:54,710
Hi, I'm Brad McMinnon.

926
01:14:55,510 --> 01:14:57,350
On your consent calendar item,

927
01:14:57,590 --> 01:14:58,450
there's a few items.

928
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,980
I'm dealing with basically surveillance technology issues, road safety issues, complete streets projects. That sort of thing. So a good reminder, the importance of open public policy practices with surveillance and technology that will be deciding that will be a part of all these complete street projects. And these things are always important to consider.

929
01:15:29,980 --> 01:15:37,460
and helpful, and I can develop a really interesting fall

930
01:15:37,460 --> 01:15:40,660
because we're talking about more factual things now,

931
01:15:41,300 --> 01:15:42,720
and it can be of help.

932
01:15:46,900 --> 01:15:50,360
Next speaker, Eugene, you may go ahead and begin speaking.

933
01:15:52,260 --> 01:15:52,820
asion to be brought up.

934
01:15:52,820 --> 01:15:54,300
Anything Board member, this is Eugene Brown,

935
01:15:54,460 --> 01:15:56,240
Silicon Valley transit, you use use,

936
01:15:56,620 --> 01:15:58,020
just wanted to give support.

937
01:15:58,640 --> 01:16:04,040
Regarding a couple of the consent items that are being brought up,

938
01:16:04,220 --> 01:16:06,400
in particular item 6.8.

939
01:16:06,840 --> 01:16:10,280
It's regards the resolution for the financial system.

940
01:16:10,900 --> 01:16:12,220
This is long overdue.

941
01:16:12,220 --> 01:16:15,320
And I want to also give my kind of thanks to the Pfizer

942
01:16:15,320 --> 01:16:19,940
Travis for the kind of supervisors of providing the necessary,

943
01:16:20,340 --> 01:16:24,260
setting up the necessary traumas that are not only for the victims

944
01:16:24,260 --> 01:16:26,240
and their families of 526,

945
01:16:26,760 --> 01:16:32,120
also families of any traumatic crime that needs such services.

946
01:16:32,700 --> 01:16:37,300
I also want to give a little bit of support to item 6.2 clearly.

947
01:16:38,440 --> 01:16:40,720
Once light rails fully back up and running.

948
01:16:40,720 --> 01:16:45,080
I'll discuss this, I've discussed this previous, I'll bring this up in a separate item.

949
01:16:45,920 --> 01:16:52,180
Having transit, transit, single priority is going to be very big and much needed once light rail goes back in the service again.

950
01:16:52,420 --> 01:16:57,120
So just want to support to the consent out in 6.2 and 6.8. Thank you.

951
01:17:02,060 --> 01:17:02,440
Thank you.

952
01:17:03,280 --> 01:17:11,100
Mr. Player, respectfully, I believe that common courtesy would recommend that you take public

953
01:17:11,100 --> 01:17:14,060
comment before voting on the item, but anyway, here we go.

954
01:17:15,200 --> 01:17:22,960
The thing I do want to talk about, though, is 6.6, the complete corridor studies, and I

955
01:17:22,960 --> 01:17:27,180
will underscore corridor, they never studied the corridor.

956
01:17:27,180 --> 01:17:32,600
So they basically studied Tasman Drive and they studied Baskam Avenue.

957
01:17:33,460 --> 01:17:38,640
When you study a corridor and especially in the start of the envelope on bikes and

958
01:17:38,640 --> 01:17:43,540
beds, the only way you are ever going to get to Vision Zero is you take all the bikes

959
01:17:43,540 --> 01:17:46,040
and the pets off the main altruists.

960
01:17:46,680 --> 01:17:53,600
The example I gave was in London, you get off the train, you get on a bike, you get on

961
01:17:53,600 --> 01:17:59,660
the cycle superhighways, these superhighways avoid major corridors like the

962
01:17:59,660 --> 01:18:04,220
plane and sooner we start doing this Santa Clara County the better. Thank you.

963
01:18:05,860 --> 01:18:11,020
That concludes our public speaking. Thank you. Elaine can we do a roll call?

964
01:18:11,220 --> 01:18:15,640
Please. This is for the consent agenda item 6.1 to 6.12.

965
01:18:17,400 --> 01:18:18,000
Yes.

966
01:18:18,340 --> 01:18:18,940
Yes.

967
01:18:18,940 --> 01:18:19,500
Can I ask all?

968
01:18:20,760 --> 01:18:21,040
Hi.

969
01:18:22,120 --> 01:18:22,720
Travis.

970
01:18:23,220 --> 01:18:23,480
Yes.

971
01:18:24,220 --> 01:18:25,280
Once in time.

972
01:18:25,500 --> 01:18:25,680
Hi.

973
01:18:26,600 --> 01:18:27,200
Gilmore.

974
01:18:27,700 --> 01:18:27,980
Yes.

975
01:18:28,820 --> 01:18:30,100
He manages absent.

976
01:18:31,020 --> 01:18:31,900
The corridor.

977
01:18:32,780 --> 01:18:32,980
Yes.

978
01:18:34,040 --> 01:18:34,640
Montana.

979
01:18:37,480 --> 01:18:38,080
Yes.

980
01:18:38,260 --> 01:18:38,480
Yes.

981
01:18:38,820 --> 01:18:39,300
Thank you.

982
01:18:39,580 --> 01:18:39,960
Paul.

983
01:18:42,900 --> 01:18:44,120
Welcome back to you.

984
01:18:44,280 --> 01:18:44,640
Parales.

985
01:18:47,220 --> 01:18:47,820
Parales.

986
01:18:48,060 --> 01:18:48,220
Yes.

987
01:18:48,720 --> 01:18:49,340
Thank you.

988
01:18:49,880 --> 01:18:50,640
Paul is a yes.

989
01:18:50,900 --> 01:18:51,280
Thank you.

990
01:18:51,280 --> 01:18:51,420
Thank you.

991
01:18:52,220 --> 01:18:54,700
That's okay. Thank you. Submitting.

992
01:18:57,280 --> 01:18:59,960
Thank you. Jones.

993
01:19:02,840 --> 01:19:06,120
Motion passed. Thank you. Thank you.

994
01:19:06,700 --> 01:19:08,880
That takes us to the regular agenda.

995
01:19:10,280 --> 01:19:13,940
First item on the regular agenda is item 7.1,

996
01:19:14,160 --> 01:19:18,060
which is to accept the design development framework for the transit

997
01:19:18,060 --> 01:19:25,220
oriented development site located on the VTA block in downtown San Jose. This item was

998
01:19:25,220 --> 01:19:29,600
deferred from the previous meetings and Ron Golem Director of Real Estate and Transit

999
01:19:29,600 --> 01:19:32,860
oriented development will provide a brief report.

1000
01:19:33,840 --> 01:19:38,300
Great. Thank you, Mr. Vice Chair, also joining me is Peter Sogeloff, who's the principal

1001
01:19:38,300 --> 01:19:41,940
of foster and partners architects. Okay, the next slide, please.

1002
01:19:44,560 --> 01:19:47,040
So this presentation is about

1003
01:19:47,040 --> 01:19:52,500
the VTA blocking future TOD and I know there's this is a very large topic and so I just want to be

1004
01:19:52,500 --> 01:19:57,320
clear starting out that what we're asking the board to do tonight is to accept a design development

1005
01:19:57,320 --> 01:20:03,320
of framework that is really a vision and a framework document that sets standards for how we can create

1006
01:20:03,320 --> 01:20:08,180
World Class TOD on the site and I'm making this point because what we're presenting tonight is not a plan

1007
01:20:08,680 --> 01:20:13,780
it is not a proposal or a project and that's why we're asking for acceptance. At next month's

1008
01:20:13,780 --> 01:20:18,080
meaning we'll come back to the board and talk about the process for doing development and

1009
01:20:18,080 --> 01:20:19,380
all the issues that come from that.

1010
01:20:20,060 --> 01:20:22,000
So briefly set this stage for this discussion.

1011
01:20:22,860 --> 01:20:29,180
For downtown San Jose, a VTA crony owns approximately 70% of the five acre downtown San Jose block

1012
01:20:29,180 --> 01:20:31,980
where the downtown San Jose bar station will be located.

1013
01:20:32,560 --> 01:20:35,940
This site was acquired many years ago for the purposes of foreign bar construction.

1014
01:20:36,720 --> 01:20:40,100
Once construction starts and through maybe 28 it will be construction site.

1015
01:20:40,100 --> 01:20:42,360
But once the bar construction is completed,

1016
01:20:42,580 --> 01:20:43,860
it becomes an opportunity to leverage

1017
01:20:43,860 --> 01:20:46,520
that 70% of property for major development

1018
01:20:46,520 --> 01:20:48,580
that leverages the investment in barter.

1019
01:20:49,120 --> 01:20:51,060
We've been working over the past couple of years

1020
01:20:51,500 --> 01:20:53,400
in collaboration with the other property owners

1021
01:20:53,400 --> 01:20:55,140
on the block to have the other 30%.

1022
01:20:55,140 --> 01:20:57,420
To think about what could this block become?

1023
01:20:58,100 --> 01:21:00,140
And as with any city block development,

1024
01:21:00,500 --> 01:21:02,420
the best possible outcome comes when you think

1025
01:21:02,420 --> 01:21:04,400
about the entire block as a whole.

1026
01:21:04,800 --> 01:21:06,860
And in our discussions, we've all realized,

1027
01:21:07,140 --> 01:21:08,440
and Peter will talk about this a minute,

1028
01:21:08,440 --> 01:21:19,180
that we have the potential if all the owners can work in concert to create up to 1.8 million square feet of mixed use, mixed income, TOD, including significant affordable housing.

1029
01:21:19,820 --> 01:21:25,060
And by the time that finishes being built in year of expenditure, we're talking about nearly $2 billion worth of development.

1030
01:21:26,100 --> 01:21:33,980
Conversely, we've also come to realize that if every owner goes their own way, including the VTA, that the go-to-on approach reduces all this potential by more than 20%.

1031
01:21:33,980 --> 01:21:40,540
So the challenge we started out with is how does the VTA, as a public agency, set a standard

1032
01:21:40,540 --> 01:21:45,680
and a benchmark for how to create more class QD that really lures the bargaining investment,

1033
01:21:45,980 --> 01:21:48,000
that maximizes the benefits to VTA.

1034
01:21:48,980 --> 01:21:52,840
They can engage the other owners in a flexible and feasible plan about how to do this.

1035
01:21:53,440 --> 01:21:57,500
And it also allows us to conduct in the future a developer offering that really attracts

1036
01:21:57,500 --> 01:22:02,180
the largest and most experienced developers from throughout the country and beyond the experience

1037
01:22:02,180 --> 01:22:09,020
student projects at this scale. Next slide. So the beginning point for this, and this is why we

1038
01:22:09,020 --> 01:22:13,980
have the image of the current parking lot on the left, which is VTS property plus one building,

1039
01:22:14,360 --> 01:22:19,280
is that we think it's essential for VTA to first identify and create that standard

1040
01:22:19,280 --> 01:22:24,860
for what does world class TOT on this block look like. To do that, we brought more fostering partners

1041
01:22:24,860 --> 01:22:29,640
who's already been working with the BAR project on station design to help lead this effort.

1042
01:22:29,640 --> 01:22:34,080
What we've created is a design development framework, and you'll hear more about a minute from Peter,

1043
01:22:34,420 --> 01:22:39,440
that really provides guidance to VTA to developers into the community about what won't

1044
01:22:39,440 --> 01:22:39,980
pass to you.

1045
01:22:40,060 --> 01:22:42,440
They will look like what the elements are and the issues to address.

1046
01:22:43,060 --> 01:22:46,640
So as I said, it's not a client proposal, but it's the guidance about how to address key

1047
01:22:46,640 --> 01:22:47,060
considerations.

1048
01:22:47,880 --> 01:22:51,940
And so you'll see various illustrations, massings, designs, and so on, but these are in

1049
01:22:51,940 --> 01:22:56,700
time to set the stage for future planning and design and review proposals as they come

1050
01:22:56,700 --> 01:22:56,860
in.

1051
01:22:57,380 --> 01:23:02,280
And with that, I'd like to turn over to Peter, really given the length of the document,

1052
01:23:02,280 --> 01:23:04,640
he will only give you a brief overview of some of the key items.

1053
01:23:05,220 --> 01:23:08,540
The full design development document has been on the website for a number of months, and

1054
01:23:08,540 --> 01:23:11,500
we have social pinpoint media site with folks that have been commenting.

1055
01:23:12,140 --> 01:23:15,300
But with that, let me turn over to Peter to give you a very brief overview.

1056
01:23:18,120 --> 01:23:18,900
Thank you very much.

1057
01:23:19,180 --> 01:23:20,100
Good evening, everyone.

1058
01:23:21,240 --> 01:23:22,840
If you can go to the next slide, please.

1059
01:23:24,220 --> 01:23:29,720
As Ron mentioned, fostering partners has both global and local experience working on

1060
01:23:29,720 --> 01:23:35,400
world-class transit oriented development. We were tasked by VTA to develop a world-class

1061
01:23:35,400 --> 01:23:41,360
approach to TOD for the VTA block at the future downtown San Jose Bard station.

1062
01:23:42,020 --> 01:23:47,100
The result of the work is a design development framework document that will be used to assess

1063
01:23:47,100 --> 01:23:52,660
future TOD work on the site. This presentation is essentially a summary of that proposed

1064
01:23:52,660 --> 01:23:54,800
D-D-F document. Next.

1065
01:23:59,090 --> 01:24:02,850
So over the past 18 months or so we've had multiple outreach meetings with

1066
01:24:02,850 --> 01:24:07,210
stakeholders to discuss our approach. The meetings included downtown residents, downtown

1067
01:24:07,210 --> 01:24:12,870
business association, neighboring property owners, and the city of San Jose and other key stakeholders.

1068
01:24:14,290 --> 01:24:14,890
Next.

1069
01:24:17,510 --> 01:24:22,310
We started our studies by exploring the history of the downtown area and the evolution

1070
01:24:22,310 --> 01:24:27,950
of the site over time. Our goal is to recreate the thriving pedestrian and transit-friendly urban

1071
01:24:27,950 --> 01:24:32,250
center that was at the heart of downtown San Jose in the era prior to the automobile

1072
01:24:32,250 --> 01:24:37,110
and the gradual process of decentralization that followed. Next,

1073
01:24:40,430 --> 01:24:41,690
the DDF is also built

1074
01:24:41,690 --> 01:24:47,370
on all the valuable work that have already been done by the time we started. You can click next

1075
01:24:47,370 --> 01:24:54,110
again. Yep, there you go, which includes the community working group input and also taking on board

1076
01:24:54,110 --> 01:24:58,710
the city of San Jose's own aspirations and guidelines for the site including recommendations on

1077
01:24:58,710 --> 01:24:59,990
and massing and accessibility.

1078
01:25:02,130 --> 01:25:05,710
Next, from this research and analysis,

1079
01:25:05,970 --> 01:25:09,190
we developed a series of five key design principles

1080
01:25:09,630 --> 01:25:11,750
that are at the core of the design development framework

1081
01:25:11,750 --> 01:25:12,410
document.

1082
01:25:13,030 --> 01:25:16,610
The first of these principles is public realm activation.

1083
01:25:17,630 --> 01:25:19,130
At the core of this guideline is the creation

1084
01:25:19,130 --> 01:25:21,770
of a public plaza at the center of the VTA block.

1085
01:25:22,490 --> 01:25:25,350
The plaza would act as a gateway to the BART station

1086
01:25:25,350 --> 01:25:27,170
as well as an event space and gathering

1087
01:25:27,170 --> 01:25:28,270
space for the community.

1088
01:25:28,270 --> 01:25:33,330
This is a conceptual view from the downtown station looking out into the proposed plaza.

1089
01:25:34,130 --> 01:25:38,870
Note that the precise location and configuration of the plaza is not prescribed by the TVF.

1090
01:25:39,610 --> 01:25:39,830
Next.

1091
01:25:44,520 --> 01:25:48,420
The second guideline relates to the creation of pedestrian walkways or paseos,

1092
01:25:49,040 --> 01:25:55,060
which help to subdivide the parcel, improve connectivity, and make for a more pedestrian-friendly environment around the station.

1093
01:25:55,520 --> 01:25:58,100
There's an existing network of paseos already in downtown.

1094
01:25:58,100 --> 01:26:06,140
and given the block lengths, these new piseos are an important way to improve walkability and increase access to the station and the plaza.

1095
01:26:07,000 --> 01:26:07,580
Next.

1096
01:26:09,140 --> 01:26:14,120
There are also two key historically sensitive topics which have to be addressed in the VTA block.

1097
01:26:14,360 --> 01:26:19,860
The first is the St. James Park Historic District which limits building heights around the park.

1098
01:26:20,740 --> 01:26:27,100
And number two, the existing historic building and loan building at 81 West Santa Clara directly adjacent to the station.

1099
01:26:27,100 --> 01:26:31,800
any future design or massing needs to be sensitive to these historic sites and

1100
01:26:31,800 --> 01:26:35,200
ensure that any new development does not overshadow or overwhelm these

1101
01:26:35,200 --> 01:26:37,680
historic resources. Next,

1102
01:26:40,930 --> 01:26:42,630
the fourth guideline is to enhance the urban

1103
01:26:42,630 --> 01:26:47,630
character and the public interfaces around the station. By restoring by respecting

1104
01:26:47,630 --> 01:26:52,870
the historic data of 40 to 60 feet along Santa Clara Street, all the buildings

1105
01:26:52,870 --> 01:26:57,070
will share a common podium base consisting of solid materials and the towers

1106
01:26:57,070 --> 01:27:01,770
above will be set back with the material change to lighter construction. This guideline helps

1107
01:27:01,770 --> 01:27:06,230
to integrate the new development with the historic character of downtown and create a more

1108
01:27:06,230 --> 01:27:14,650
outdoor amenity space above the ground plane. Next. The VTA block is going to target building

1109
01:27:14,650 --> 01:27:19,410
uses and construction methods that are aligned with VTA's sustainability and equity goals.

1110
01:27:19,970 --> 01:27:23,810
These can be achieved through the creation of new housing, stock at a range of affordability

1111
01:27:23,810 --> 01:27:29,350
levels and targeting a net zero energy development, which minimizes the amount of embodied operational

1112
01:27:29,350 --> 01:27:30,670
carbon in the new construction.

1113
01:27:33,130 --> 01:27:38,750
Next, so after multiple studies, what we developed was the following diagram to explain

1114
01:27:38,750 --> 01:27:42,130
how the DDF approach might be applied to optimize these goals.

1115
01:27:42,730 --> 01:27:48,990
We start on the top left with a solid block that's built up all the way to the current maximum

1116
01:27:48,990 --> 01:27:55,210
building height all in one in one big block. And then like a block of play, you slowly carve away

1117
01:27:55,210 --> 01:28:01,930
at it. The first step, number two, shows the carving away of the plaza at the center of the block.

1118
01:28:02,290 --> 01:28:07,610
Then number three, the Paseo subdivide the block and provide access into the site. And then

1119
01:28:07,610 --> 01:28:13,910
continuing through a series of moves, we create the podium, set back the towers above, gradually carve

1120
01:28:13,910 --> 01:28:18,630
away at the massing to allow more light into the plaza and create outdoor terraces for building

1121
01:28:18,630 --> 01:28:20,350
occupants. Next,

1122
01:28:22,710 --> 01:28:27,670
what we arrive at is a test fit study which has commercial uses focused

1123
01:28:27,670 --> 01:28:32,230
along Santa Clara street and market streets with first and Saint John's being quieter

1124
01:28:32,230 --> 01:28:37,450
and more suited to residential use. Hotel is also proposed on the corner of Saint John's

1125
01:28:37,450 --> 01:28:43,450
and first street. On the right what you see is a ground floor plan of the VTA block

1126
01:28:44,230 --> 01:28:48,310
with all the buildings above sliced off which shows you all of the different buildings,

1127
01:28:48,310 --> 01:28:53,070
the Paseos and the proposed plaza at the center as well as the Bard station.

1128
01:28:53,930 --> 01:28:57,870
The test fit achieves an approximate FAR of 8 and also meets the city's

1129
01:28:57,870 --> 01:29:00,350
requirement for a 4FAR for commercial use.

1130
01:29:01,590 --> 01:29:01,830
Next.

1131
01:29:03,450 --> 01:29:07,310
Florida Floor Heights have also been adjusted to respect the commercial podium along

1132
01:29:07,310 --> 01:29:10,550
Santa Clara Street. That's shown in the lower images.

1133
01:29:11,610 --> 01:29:17,270
And then the terracing of views to access views of St. James Park and the open spaces

1134
01:29:17,270 --> 01:29:20,250
is to the northeast, as is shown in the upper diagrams.

1135
01:29:21,070 --> 01:29:25,410
All of this is conceptual at this stage, and marketing realities will ultimately drive

1136
01:29:25,410 --> 01:29:26,790
the final mix and configuration.

1137
01:29:28,430 --> 01:29:28,910
Next.

1138
01:29:32,060 --> 01:29:37,120
The DVFs intended to be a flexible framework, not a final design, as the actual plan develops

1139
01:29:37,120 --> 01:29:39,820
it can be adjusted to achieve its overall goals.

1140
01:29:40,500 --> 01:29:44,960
There's also an opportunity to make changes and adjust massing based on future demand to

1141
01:29:44,960 --> 01:29:50,080
go taller in some areas, as is shown in blue on the diagram on the left, and then shorter

1142
01:29:50,080 --> 01:29:53,120
in other areas, or to merge floor plates if that's desired.

1143
01:29:54,320 --> 01:29:54,840
Next,

1144
01:29:57,430 --> 01:29:59,970
another topic critical to the overall success of the...

1145
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:29,980
The DDF is the approach to parking. The DDF seeks to solution which will open up the ground floor to pedestrians and public spaces. So we started off by exploring a range of different options of what the site could support. Looking from the far left, which shows the current San Jose parking requirements, which are likely to be obsolete by the time this project is actually realized, to the far right, which would be a single basement level of parking, to study the range of options that are available to us on the

1146
01:30:29,980 --> 01:30:31,820
site next.

1147
01:30:34,200 --> 01:30:39,200
With car stackers and two basement levels, you can achieve approximately

1148
01:30:40,560 --> 01:30:45,440
over a thousand parking spaces on the site. On the left is a plan with the

1149
01:30:45,440 --> 01:30:51,360
basement level and you can see the backup house part facilities are

1150
01:30:51,360 --> 01:30:55,980
directly underneath the plaza with the parking wrapping around.

1151
01:30:58,340 --> 01:30:59,960
If you go to the

1152
01:30:59,960 --> 01:31:04,320
sexual section of what that looks like showing how the

1153
01:31:04,320 --> 01:31:07,760
BART station and back-of-house areas are coordinated to allow for the future

1154
01:31:07,760 --> 01:31:13,440
TOD as well as a two-level basement with parking below the plaza and the TOD

1155
01:31:13,440 --> 01:31:16,960
buildings above. Next,

1156
01:31:18,990 --> 01:31:23,190
this chart shows a broad range of parking supply that has

1157
01:31:23,190 --> 01:31:28,430
been provided on recent projects that are all within close proximity of the VTA

1158
01:31:28,430 --> 01:31:34,030
block. Given the shift towards reducing parking ratios, the EDF proposes that VTA

1159
01:31:34,030 --> 01:31:36,290
aspire to be at the forefront of this trend.

1160
01:31:38,350 --> 01:31:38,930
Next,

1161
01:31:41,130 --> 01:31:42,670
looking forward, it's unlikely

1162
01:31:42,670 --> 01:31:46,830
that any of this work can begin on TOD on site prior to the completion of the

1163
01:31:46,830 --> 01:31:49,610
station construction in 2028. For this