Public Transportation Stakeholders Advisory Board
Monthly Meeting Minutes
March 11, 2008
City Commission Meeting Room
(4:05) Meeting called to order.
Members Present: Chairman Chris Budeski, Gus Pfaehler, Carol Shannon (4:20), Patty Gunderson, Suzanne Winchester, Commissioner Eric Bryson and Commissioner Bill Murdock.
Members Excused: Colleen Lindner
Others Present: Lisa Ballard, Current Transportation; David Kack, WTI; Lee Hazelbaker, HRDC/Galavan/Streamline; Deepu Philip, ASMSU; Jarvis Brown, Transit Now; Louise Brewster, public; Janet Kennedy, public; and Recording Secretary Crystal Turner.
Public comment not on the Committee's agenda: Louise Brewster asked how to get the Greenline route on Saturdays (morning and evening routes). Lisa Ballard responded that Galavan/Streamline/Skyline recently submitted their application to MDT, which requests funding for additional services. However, additional services to Belgrade were not one of the top priorities. Lisa will put this request in the "holding tank" for next year's application. Patty Gunderson stated that one mill in Belgrade is not nearly equal to one mill in Bozeman, or the county. She keeps reminding Joe [Menicucci] and the Council of this need. She will again request it at Belgrade's budget hearings. Patty invited Louise to speak at those hearings so the council can hear its residents requesting this as well.
Patty Gunderson asked the board how much it would ideally wish to receive from Belgrade. Lee Hazelbaker stated that Galavan will ask for $10,000 of Belgrade separately. (Belgrade contributed $8,000 last year towards services, and enough to purchase half a bus when the bustle-back buses were ordered.) Lisa Ballard added that her presentation later tonight will cover costs of running Belgrade's service.
Suzanne Winchester stated that Streamline has been very beneficial to Peruvians working at Aspen Point this winter. During their goodbye party they had a board of everyone they thanked for helping them work here and pictures of Streamline buses on the board saying how instrumental the buses were to getting to work and around town and they loved them!
Janet Kennedy, from the Montana Independent Living Project, is here to observe. Explained a little about their program and that she is looking for more information on public transit and volunteers to serve as liaisons to their board. Would like to see more community input and advocates; would like to expand service, expand routes.
Jarvis Brown rode the Skyline bus to Big Sky and feels it's been a great success. The 47-passenger bus held 46 riders the day Jarvis rode it.
Lisa Ballard stated that Yellowstone Business Partners Project will meet on March 24th at 3PM. She'll send an invite to all via email.
(4:20) Approval of Minutes for December 11, 2007
Gus Pfaehler moved to approve the minutes. Bill Murdock seconded the motion. Crystal Turner commented that "John's" last name is missing from page two and asked who he was. Lee Hazelbaker said that he is a driver working for First Group. David Kack stated that Lisa Ballard works for Current Transportation, no WTI as the minutes have stated. Crystal said that she would make those corrections. Motion carried unanimously.
(4:22) Update on Bus System
Lisa gave a presentation of Streamline's status. Belgrade's existing service costs $95,000 per year. The Greenline goes from MSU to Four Corners to Belgrade. Belgrade is currently contributing 15% of the total costs to run it. (ASMSU, Bridger Bowl and Reach are the largest contributors followed by the City of Bozeman and Gallatin County.) Streamline has become a large transportation provider to Montana. Yellowstone National Park had 380 buses at its peak in the early 1900s.
There will not be a renewal to the Headstart contract next year. Headstart will no longer be providing transportation.
Explanation of carbon footprint: 23.2 pounds of carbon is produced from 1 gallon of (B20) biodiesel fuel. 17,000 gallons of fuel used per year = 394,400 pounds of CO2. The carbon equivalent if riders used personal autos is 783,520 pounds of CO2. 650,000 passenger miles per year = 520 passengers/day, 255 days/year, 4.9 miles average trip length [average auto gets 20 miles/gallon - equivalent of 24.1 pounds of carbon per gallon of gasoline] = net savings of 388,850 pounds of carbon per year. This savings is assuming all the riders were had driven individual cars (no carpooling). Chris Budeski requested Lisa to provide the board with the "break even" point, if the bus system were to hire two people to handle money and what it costs to purchase and install the toll boxes onto the buses.
Carol Shannon thanked Lee about the changes he's made with the drivers: they are stopping at designated/posted stops; when the bell is pulled, the drivers stop at the next stop (instead of stopping immediately as they previously were); and for the signs being hung that have been missing.
(4:45) UTD Discussion
There are currently two boards in place: this board and the Galavan/Streamline board. The fifth goal in this board's by-laws state, "Handle any transition to an Urban Transportation District should such District be approved by a majority of the voters following any election where this issue is raised." What would this board look like?
Eric Bryson's impression of the City's support for this is that they are not going to support it unless both issues (#1 approval of creation of UTD boundary and #2 funding of such) are on the same ballot. They've had informal discussions - they will not be providing services for areas that do not financially contribute. Everyone is in limbo right now, waiting for the County Attorney's answer. If a UTD boundary is coterminous with the city's-the city could still contract for service with other areas. Ideally, the other areas should create their own UTD to contract and have enough money to fund it. Eric clarified that he needs to bring back the City Commissioner's guidance to the Board. The board agreed with this. Discussion with everyone regarding the original "triangle" boundary, membership
of a UTD board and existing funding. Patty will talk with Belgrade about forming its own UTD boundary.
Deepu Philip reminded the board that there is a system in place right now that is working well: do you really want to break a working system? There are other funding possibilities to keep service going, rather than kill it with this ballot issue. He feels the students will step up if needed. Board discussion about if the bond doesn't pass. Discussion that it's currently "free," if the bond fails maybe the discussion should turn towards charging customers to ride.
Chris distributed copies of the board's by-laws and asked the members to review them, emphasizing the board's tasks. Is it time this board dissolves? Lisa stated that she does not want to see the people of this board leave without moving over to the "new" board or being liaisons, etc…
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be on April 8th. Agenda items will be shelters, signage and flag stops.
(5:20) Meeting adjourned
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