 Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes Astoria Transit Center Meeting Room 900 Marine Drive, Astoria August 17, 2004 |
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| CALL TO ORDER | |
| Chair Harris called the meeting to order 9:30 am. | |
| ROLL CALL | |
| Commissioners Present | |
| Vice Chair Bob Gannaway, David Shannon, Marcia Fenske, Charlotte Mendenhall, Secretary/Treasurer Rae Goforth, Victor Kee Chair Jack Harris. |
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| COMMENTS FROM AUDIENCE: | |
| Measure 34 | |
| County Commissioner Lylla Gaebel was in attendance to speak to the board about the financial impacts expected if Measure 34 were to pass in November. She explained that Measure 34 would dismantle the Forest Management Plan and would eliminate 1.5 to 3.6 million dollars per year in timber revenues for Clatsop and Tillamook Counties. The County Commission passed a resolution opposing the measure and Ms. Gaebel is asking the Board to consider taking a stand on this issue. | |
| Commissioner Goforth commented that Senator Dukes and State Representatives Johnson Boone are all opposed to the measure. Commissioner Shannon asked how the revenues would be replaced. Ms. Gaebel replied that it would take 3 years to implement the measure and during that time no money would be disbursed. Commissioner Kee asked how the set aside is determined. Ms. Gaebel replied that a group of scientists decided they wanted 50% of the forest reserved. Ms. Gaebel stated that she was very concerned that this measure will pass and that it is her personal view that with the information being provided that people will not oppose this measure, especially in Multnomah and Lane Counties. | |
| Commissioner Fenske stated that she has received a lot of mail on this issue already. Ms. Gaebel stated that she strongly encourages anyone who wants to learn more about how the forests are managed attend the forestry tour coming up in September and that personal tours can also be arranged with a little advanced notice. | |
| Commissioner Gannaway asked if, when the counties deeded the timber, was it just the timber or the land? Ms. Gaebel replied that we deeded the land to the state, but the counties are the trustees. She stated that a few years ago the State tried to cut out the counties on having a say and a lawsuit was filed as a result. The counties do have a say in how the forests are managed. She added that the Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club were both at the table when the forest management plan was written. She said that she believes that this measure is a result of the State Legislature deciding to move forward with cutting timber at a faster rate than outlined in the plan because they felt they needed the money now. Ms. Gaebel stated that if the measure passes there will definitely be legal challenges, but no one is sure how that will affect the distribution of the timber revenues. Chair Harris asked if the District could expect the annual timber revenues to continue to rise as they have in the past. Ms. Gaebel responded that no ones how much you'll get each year in timber revenues. That is why the County and the District staff budget conservatively. | |
| Ms. Gaebel left packets of information for review by the board. | |
| Board Action: Motion by Commissioner Shannon, seconded by Commissioner Gannaway to table any further discussion or decision making until the next board meeting so as to give time for board members to study the information that has been provided to them. Commissioner's Fenske, Mendenhall, Goforth, Kee, Gannaway, Shannon and Chair Harris all voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| CHANGES TO AGENDA: None | |
| APPROVAL OF JULY 20, 2004 MINUTES: | |
| The wrong set of minutes was sent out in the packet. | |
| Board Action: Motion by Commissioner Kee, seconded by Commissioner Shannon to table this item until the next meeting. Commissioner's Fenske, Mendenhall, Goforth, Kee, Gannaway, Shannon and Chair Harris all voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS: No reports | |
| FINANCIAL REPORT: | |
| Commissioner Shannon asked if the profit and loss statement was based on an accrual or cash form of accounting. Ms. Howe said she would confirm the answer with the accounting person. Commissioner Goforth asked what the time clock adjustment was for. Ms. Howe explained that the time clock needed to be moved with the staffing moves to the transit center. | |
| Ms. Howe pointed out that the cash flow analysis for July was included in the report. | |
| Motion by Commissioner Gannaway, seconded by Commissioner Mendenhall to approve the financial report as submitted. Commissioner's Fenske, Mendenhall, Goforth, Kee, Gannaway, Shannon and Chair Harris all voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| CORRESPONDENCE: | |
| a. | CEDC Needs and Issues Inventory for 2004 |
| Ms. Howe reported that this is included for board information. No action is necessary. | |
| b. | Charter Service Complaint |
| Ms. Howe stated that the public transit division needed to send Mr. Obtinario copies of all the evidence that has been collected regarding the charter service complaints. She noted that she had spent 1-1/2 hours on a conference call with the legal counsel from FTA, APTA, OTA and public transit staff discussing the charter issues. After the conversation she said that she felt that a no finding will be issued on the allegations and that this will move forward in a positive direction. She said that Mr. Obtinario had 30 days in which to respond to the most recent correspondence before public transit or the district could do additional work. | |
| c. | Volunteer Agreement |
| Ms. Howe explained that the board's attorney Jeanyse Snow has responded to the Department of Human Service's statement that the District will continue to be held harmless in case of an accident by a volunteer driver. Ms. Snow stated that the person that stated this has no legal authority and could not be held accountable if something were to happen so it is her opinion that until such time an agreement is in place, the District should not dispatch rides to volunteers. The board agreed. Ms. Howe stated that she would keep the board informed as this issue moves forward. | |
| d. | Oregon Transit Association Conference |
| Commissioner Shannon stated that he would attend September 14th. Commissioner Mendenhall stated that she would attend the whole conference, including the board member training and Commissioner Fenske would attend on September 13th for the board member training. | |
| e. | Note of Thanks from Frederica Kalebaugh |
| For board information. | |
| PUBLIC HEARINGS None | |
| RESOLUTIONS None | |
| OLD BUSINESS | |
| a. | Western Bus Sales |
| Ms. Howe reported that she had not heard anything from Western Bus Sales since the letter went out a few weeks ago with the board attorney, FTA and public transit's opinion that the District has complied with all laws and could legally reject delivery of the two low floor buses. She would keep the board informed. | |
| OTHER ITEMS | |
| a. | Staff Reports |
| Ms. Howe reported that the Fort Clatsop route rides were going down slightly but service remains strong. There was discussion about how the reservation system has worked this summer and speculation about how next summer will be handled. | |
| Commissioner Mendenhall asked that staff make sure she is listed on the dial a ride advisory committee as a member. She stated that she had not received a meeting notice for the meeting that took place last Wednesday. | |
| Ms. Howe was asked to follow up on the status of the billboard issue. | |
| NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST. | |
| Meeting adjourned: 11:30 a.m. | |
| Respectfully submitted, | |
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| Rae Goforth, Secretary/Treasurer | |
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