Monday, January 28
3:30 pm - Transportation Committee, Room CH-14. AGENDA: Committee Logistics; Committee Goals and Objectives; Transportation Action Plan 2007 Annual Report
5:00 pm - Council Dinner Briefing, Room 267
6:30 pm - Citizens' Forum
7:00 pm - Council Meeting, Chamber
January 30 - February 1
Council Retreat, Greensboro, NC Notebooks included in the packets
Agenda Notes:
Attached is the FY2008 Mid-Year Report on Budget, Capital Projects, and Performance. The purpose of the report is to provide Council with an update on the status of the City's financial position at the midpoint of the fiscal year and a projection of expected actual revenues and expenditures compared to budget through June 30, 2008. The information highlighted in the report also communicates the status of capital project expenditures and schedules, as well as the mid-year status on organizational objectives as outlined in the Council Focus Areas, Corporate Scorecard, and Key Business Unit business plans. Staff will present the report to Council during the January 28th Dinner Briefing.
Attached is the Request for Council Action for Agenda Item #11.
On Council's agenda for Monday night are two grant applications. The grant amounts in the Council agenda were incorrect. Attached are revised agenda items that provide the correct grant amounts. After meeting with the grant agency recently, staff decided to increase the grant request from a 40% match to a 50% match, and to include additional recoverable project costs. If the grants are awarded, this will increase the grant request for both projects and decrease the ultimate costs to the City.
Item #42-K is on the Agenda for condemnation action this Monday, January 28, 2008. Mr. Waters has signed up to speak to Council regarding this. This action is for construction of a sanitary sewer line across Mr. Waters' land by a developer to serve Grier Subdivision. Mr. Waters wants this sewer line to be constructed on property of someone else across the creek from his property. These are some reasons for the current location:
- CMU approved the route through Mr. Waters' property and believes it has less impact and overall concerns.
- This side of the creek appears to have better topography for construction, flatter side slopes and more room for maneuvering equipment.
- Installing the sewer on the opposite side of the creek would require two creek crossings, this side only one.
- The property on the opposite side of the creek already has public sanitary sewer service available from a previous project.
Information Items:
The North Carolina Department of Labor, the Freedom Calls Organization and the United States Marines have requested the assistance of the Fire Department to provide a video communications link from Charlotte to Iraq. On Saturday, January 26, 2008 the Charlotte field communications unit will be deployed to the first annual Marine Buddy Challenge at Reedy Creek Park. Simultaneously, at Camp Al-Taqaddum in Iraq, Marines will also compete in the same athletic competition.
The field communications unit will be deployed to provide a video teleconference (VTC) link between Reedy Creek Park and Camp Al-Taqaddum, Iraq. Organizers plan to provide private VTC time for Charlotte-area Marines to communicate with their families. Members of the public will also be given an opportunity to offer their support and encouragement to the Marines at Camp Al Taqqadum. The system will be live from 7:00 am until 10:00 am.
It is our intention to provide the link, but to remain in the background at this event. All media coverage and press releases will be focused on the Marines and their families.
In late 2007, we were informed that CATS was being awarded a Supplemental Transit Security Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The $1,007,751 grant was awarded for the following projects:
- Perimeter Security Cameras for South Tryon and Davidson Bus Facilities ($578,999)
- Security Awareness Training for selected staff ($428,752)
We will be bringing the Transit Security Grant, which does not require a local match, to Council for approval in February.
At its meeting on Wednesday, January 23, 2008, the MTC had no action items on the agenda, but received information briefings on the following:
FY2009 Transit Operating Programs: Staff presented the MTC with a summary of the FY2008 (Mid-Year Budget Estimate) Operating Program and proposed FY2009 Operating Program. A summary of the proposed budgets area as follows:
Operating Income
FY 2008 Adopted Budget: $126.4 million
FY 2008 Mid-Year Estimate: $128.0 million
FY 2009 Adopted Budget: $132.9 million
FY 2009 Proposed: $133.8 million
Operating Expense
FY 2008 Adopted Budget: $103.7 million
FY 2008 Mid-Year Estimate: $102.0 million
FY 2009 Adopted Budget: $110.7 million
FY 2009 Proposed: $112.3 million
Balance
FY 2008 Adopted Budget: $22.7 million
FY 2008 Mid-Year Estimate: $26.0 million
FY 2009 Adopted Budget: $22.2 million
FY 2009 Proposed: $21.5 million
Capital Income
FY 2008 Adopted Budget: $69.6 million
FY 2008 Mid-Year Estimate: $131.9 million
FY 2009 Adopted Budget: $111.7 million
FY 2009 Proposed: $59.3 million
Capital Expense
FY 2008 Adopted Budget: $68.1 million
FY 2008 Mid-Year Estimate: $94.3 million
FY 2009 Adopted Budget: $111.7 million
FY 2009 Proposed: $141.1 million
The Transit Programs were developed in compliance with the MTC's Financial Policies and CATS' Mission, Vision and Strategic Goals. The cost per revenue hour for the first full year of light rail operation has been identified separately from the base system cost in FY2009. This was done in accordance with CATS' Financial Policies, which require the cost of a significant new service to be identified in the first full year of operation. Staff will present the FY2009-13 Capital Investment Plan in March and will ask the MTC to take action on both items in April.
Northeast Corridor: Staff presented the MTC with an update on the Northeast Corridor Light Rail Project. The project will extend the LYNX Blue Line through northeast Charlotte, connecting businesses, neighborhoods and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In November 2007, CATS received approval from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to move into preliminary engineering (PE). During PE, CATS will finalize alignment alternatives and sufficiently advance design to begin property acquisition. Also, the study will assess the potential environmental impacts of construction and operation, and recommend measures to alleviate any adverse impacts. In December, a bridge contract of $500,000 was approved by Charlotte City Council to begin initial work on the project. Staff will go back to Council on January 28 to seek approval for the full PE contract. The contract will be handled in three phases of approximately $10 million each, for a total contract value of up to $30 million.
CEO's Report:
- Ridership for December 2007 increased 21 percent across all services compared to December 2006. Regular bus services decreased 3.7 percent; Regional Express and Community Circulators experienced double-digit increases; and Vanpool and STS experienced single-digit increases. Staff anticipated the decrease in regular bus service, with some former bus customers transitioning to light rail. The LYNX Blue Line had its first full month of service with 356,000 trips taken throughout the month. The average weekday ridership on LYNX was 12,457. Ridership decreased on Activity Center Circulators as well as on Human Services Transportation as a result of changes made to State Medicaid regulations in early 2007.
- The LYNX Blue Line's first month of revenue service went better than expected for a startup operation with only minor problems affecting regularly scheduled service. On-time performance averaged over 97 percent and for 10 days throughout the month it averaged 100 percent. The Blue Line's operating system, including the overhead wire system, communication system and train control system, are performing better than expected. However, customers are still experiencing problems with the ticket vending machines (TVMs). To resolve the problems, TVM vendor ACS dispatched additional personnel to fix the machines. ACS will keep three technicians on-site until the matter is resolved.
- Updates were given on the North and Northeast corridor. Concerning the North Corridor, CATS will present the project to the Charlotte City Council at the February 11 dinner briefing. The Mayors of Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson indicated they will attend the dinner briefing.
- Also, Mr. Parker discussed plans for his first 100 days as CEO of CATS, which includes taking a fresh look at the organizational structure and beginning a comprehensive audit of CATS with input from various stakeholders.
The next MTC meeting will be held February 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the CMGC room 267.
