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Home My WebLink AboutTransit Citizens Advisory Meeting May 26, 2022 TRANSIT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING NOTES Transit CitizensAdvisory CommitteeDate 5-26-2022 ATTENDANCE Name Title Organization Present Terence Dicks Chairman District 2 x Gaylon Tootle Vice-Chairman District 6 x Ruby Johnson Member District 5 x Ben Morgan Member District 9 x Denice Traina Member Legislative Appointment x Charles Cummings Member Legislative Appointment x Oliver Page Deputy Director Augusta, Georgia x Robert Kerr Attorney Augusta, Georgia x Cornell Mack GM Ratpdev x Perry Robinson Union Steward Ratpdev x Portia Stith Secretary Augusta, Georgia x Wondea Guest Walton Options x ABSENTEES Sharon Dottery Director Augusta, Georgia Christine Lowery Member District 3 Nailah Loadholt Member District 8 AGENDA M Public Comments Reports - Dr. Oliver Page Special Purpose local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) & Transit: SPLOST 7 - Approved November 2015 Categories include: Public Safety - $45,500,000 or 21%, Quality of Life - $28,000,000 or 13%, General Government - $11,000,000 or 5%, Infrastructure & Facilities -$122,650,000 or 57%, Other Governments: Blythe - $1,900,000 or 1%, Hephzibah - $6,500,000 or 3%, Non-Governmental Agencies - $0 or 0% Total: $215,550,000 or 100% Quality of Life Total $28,000,000 Transit Bus Purchase $1,350,000 Augusta Transit is requesting funding for the purchase of ten new 40ft buses at $448,180 each, totaling $4,481,800. The purchase of these buses will enable Augusta Transit to provide a better service to the citizens of Augusta by increasing daily hours of operation, adding increased frequency, and increasing the number of routes. New Transit Bus Shelters $650,000 Meeting Minutes Template (v1.0) Page 2 of 5 Transit CitizensAdvisory CommitteeDate 5-26-2022 Augusta Transit is requesting funding for the purchase of 180 new replacement Passenger Shelters at $10,000 each, totaling $1,800,000. The purchase price of these new shelters includes the installation and cost of the shelter, use of solar lighting kits where appropriate, trash receptacles, benches, and site work as applicable to make the sites ADA accessible. Total Augusta Transit Request =$2,000,000 or 7% SPLOST 8 Approved March 2021 Categories include: Public Safety - $22,435,000 or 9%, Quality of Life - $65,850,000 or 26%, General Government 9,000,000 or 4%, Infrastructure & Facilities - $78,500,000 or 31%, Government Facilities - $19,000,000 or 8%, Economic Development - $46,500,000 or 19%, Other Governments: Blythe - $1,500,000 or 1%, Hephzibah - $7,500,000 or 3%, Non-Governmental Agencies - $0 or 0%, Total - $250,285,000 or 100% Quality of Life Total - $65,850,000 - Total Augusta Transit Request = $0 or 0% There are some buses on order. Next week we will be submitting our application for the five electric buses. On Tuesday, Ms. Dottery will present the application to the Public Services Committee for their approval and that evening the application for the Electric Buses will be submitted. The total is approximately $7.2 million, asking the City for $1.1 million, the Federal Government $6.1 million. There are over 30 letters of support with our application. The RFP regarding the Transit Services Contract the deadline was yesterday with two agencies submitting RFPs. This will be reviewed by the Compliance Department and Procurement Department. If they pass those stages, an evaluation team will then evaluate it. The proposal with the highest marks, will have the bid opened and can go into negotiations for the August 1, 2022 start. Vice Chairman Gaylon Tootle Are there any ADA buses on order? Oliver We were given a date of 2024 by one vendor, another potential vendor has been identified who can supply buses by January 2023. We are making an effort to get new ADA buses into our fleet as soon as possible. Gaylon For public record, I feel that the process for selecting the contractor was non transparent, as members of TCAC there should be someone represented in that process so that it is transparent to the public and taxpayers. We should be able to see where our tax dollars are going. We also as TCAC members know the dire straits our Transit System is in. We may not be able to make a decision on it but we as an advisory committee appointed by elected officials to represent our districts, I think it was wrong not to be represented. Member Charles Cummings Did Ms. Dottery request any of the SPLOST 8 money? Oliver Not being a part of Augusta Transit at that time, I cannot answer that question. Charles If we did not then it is important that we get in on the front end in requesting these funds the next time it comes up. Oliver There has been a number of complaints about the service of Augusta Transit with some reaching the Commissioners. Ms. Dottery will respond to the Commissioners. The Bus Riders Association had a list of 28 concerns, which have been addressed and posted on our FaceBook page. Terence Having served on this committee since 2014, I hope some of those Commissioners will consider themselves as part of the problem. Some have lied, misspoken, and said that I got a gas card so I could care less about Public Transit. They violated their oath and may want to look in the mirror when talking about transparency. Approval Date: Page 3 of 5 Transit CitizensAdvisory CommitteeDate 5-26-2022 Mr. Cornell Mack No report Old Business Member Denice Traina Just wanted to remind you of the study that was done in 2019 that we never got a copy of. I wanted us to have access to that report. This would serve to make the decision making process better for citizens and ourselves as representatives of the citizens. New Business Terence -The general cleanliness of the buses has not been good at all. Some of the seats are not usable. Once we get the new buses, I hope there is something in the budget to allow us to maintain the buses. Oliver The buses are cleaned thoroughly every day. There are Public Service Announcements saying No Eating, No Smoking, and No Drinking. There are riders who do not care. The operators are on a tight schedule and having them cleaned at the Transfer Facility will cause additional delay. We allow people to stay in the bus, other cities, everyone has to get off at the end of the line and re- board. Terence Some of those layovers are longer than others. They have time to check the buses and wipe down the seats. While the operators are on their breaks, someone in maintenance should check the buses out. Gaylon There is someone that is supposed to be doing that. Terence If it is too much for one person, then more should be hired because it is important to our ridership. We have health issues; we have the pandemic, Gaylon We need to foster a better relationship between Augusta Transit and TCAC so we can boldly go forward. Something is wrong when you have a $65,000,000 budget and Transit gets none of that, something is wrong. Something is wrong if we ask for the money. Ben Just curious how places like Marta enforces their rules. In New York, they have a police presence. Gaylon I have said before we need police presence. Terence We need security period. Announcements - Walton Options will be doing three focus groups towards the end of June to hopefully get more money for Richmond County Transit. POST MEETING IO With no further comments regarding agenda items, meeting was adjourned by Chairman Terence Dicks. Approval Date: Page 4 of 5 Transit CitizensAdvisory CommitteeDate 5-26-2022 ONSMADE: NG APRIL 22, 2021NG00 PM. Action Assigned To Deadline SPLOST funding to depts. Oliver TBD determination 2019 Report Accessibility Udomekong TBD 311 Reports TBD Walton Option Focus Groups Gaylon TBD Approval Date: Page 5 of 5