The MST Board adopted
Resolution 2004-14 recognizing Kelly Halcon, Human Resource Assistant, as MST
Employee of the Month for May 2004.
The MST Board presented a
retirement award to Linda Garcia, Dispatcher. Other retirements this month
included Alipio Gacosta, Coach Operator; Jose Castro, Coach Operator; Larry
Best, Coach Operator; and Eduardo Ortiz, Facilities Maintenance Officer.
The MST Board directed staff
to schedule a public hearing for June 14, 2004 in conjunction with the MST
Board of Directors meeting to receive comment on the proposed extension of
transportation services for ADA eligible passengers residing outside of the ADA
service area; and proposed fare structure to continue to meet the minimum 10
percent farebox recovery ratio required by the Transportation Development Act
(TDA).
In an effort to balance the
budget, staff has proposed a series of headway and span of service reductions
on some routes. Spread equitably over MST’s service area, these reductions were
targeted at times and locations where fewer than five passengers per hour were
riding. Additional proposed reductions include “tripper” buses that duplicate
service of regular line buses. Staff also proposed redistributing resources in
a manner that would provide passengers with limited service on the three days
it currently provides no service – Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New
Year’s Day.
The MST Board scheduled a
public hearing in June in Salinas and at the June 14, 2004 MST Board of
Directors meeting. The proposed changes would affect lines 3-Skyline DART,
8-Seaside-Del Rey Oaks DART, 10-Fremont-Ord Grove, 16-Edgewater-Marina,
17-Edgewater-Marina, 20-Monterey-Salinas, 21-Monterey-Salinas via Highway 68,
43-Memorial Hospital, 44-Westridge, and 46-Natividad.
PURCHASE
FIVE MST RIDES VEHICLES
The MST Board authorized the
purchase of five Chevrolet (Type 1) Cutaway Mini-Buses as replacement vehicles
for the MST RIDES program.
These new vehicles will
replace five older program vehicles that need to be decommissioned from service
due to excessive mileage and maintenance costs.
MST RIDES,
DART, & OTHER FIXED ROUTE SERVICE CONTRACT
The
MST Board awarded a five-year contract to MV Transportation, Inc. for MST
RIDES, DART, and other fixed-route services at a cost of $12,962,687. This
contract will provide the following services: MST RIDES ADA/ST Paratransit
Program, Line 3-Skyline DART, Line 8-Seaside-Del Rey Oaks DART, Line 22-Big
Sur, Line 24-Carmel Valley Carmel Rancho, Line 25-Monterey-Gilroy, Line
26-Salinas-Gilroy, and The WAVE Trolley. The contract will go into effect on
September 10, 2004 and expire on September 9, 2009.
ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW CONSULTANT
Under
the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), environmental analysis is required on the
proposed Marina Transit Station. Although the proposed site is an improved
urban lot, environmental issues may include, among others, impacts on traffic,
circulation, air quality, and regional growth. Discussion of multi-use options
and alternatives must meet federal and state guidelines to facilitate project
approval.
The
MST Board: 1) Appointed an ad hoc committee to provide oversight on matters
related to the Marina Transit Station; 2) Directed the ad hoc committee to meet
with a sub-committee of the Marina City Council on matters of mutual concern
related to the Marina Transit Station; and 3) Directed staff to obtain
consulting services not to exceed $75,000 for environmental review of the
Marina Transit Station.
FY 2005
BUDGET
The
FY 2005 budget is $19,601,834, which is a 20.9% decrease from FY 2004. This is
a balanced budget and it contemplates a reduction in service of 8.8% and
reduces staffing levels by 5 full-time equivalents.
The
MST Board: 1) Approved the FY 2005 budget conditioned upon dropping the farebox
recovery ratio to the minimum permitted by statute; 2) Authorized staff to file
the appropriate state and local grant applications to execute the budget; 3)
Approved Resolution 2004-21 authorizing filing federal grant applications; 4)
Referred FY 2005 Proposed Service Reduction Options to Planning/Operations
Committee for further review; 5) Scheduled a public hearing for the proposed
reduction in service; 6) Approved FY 2005 Objectives; 7) Adopted the farebox
recover ratio for MST bus at 27.7%; and 8) Directed staff to request TAMC to
lower the farebox recovery ratio to the minimum permitted by statute.
LINE OF
CREDIT
Delays
in the reimbursement of federal funds for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004
make it necessary to seek a line of credit until MST receives approved grant
funds.
Delays in Congress
approving a full apportionment for transportation funding for the 2004 fiscal
year has resulted in a situation where MST is unable to receive full
reimbursement for operating expenses.
As a result of this delay in receiving federal grant funds in the amount
of $4,744,418 from the Federal Transportation Administration, MST is facing a
short-term cash flow crisis.
Given, the dire consequences
that would result from a short-term lack of cash, MST is requesting that TAMC
provide a short-term transfer of available unused RSTP funds to MST in the
amount of $2,000,000 to fund ongoing transit operations until MST receives it’s
federal reimbursement for the of this fiscal year ending June 30, 2003. Repayment of these funds to TAMC will occur
immediately upon the receipt of the federal reimbursement for FY 2004 operating
expenses.
The
MST Board adopted Resolution 2004-22 authorizing a line of credit, if required.