Sunset Empire Transportation District Monthly Commissioners Meeting Minutes Web Page

Sunset Empire Transportation District
Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes
Astoria Transit Center Meeting Room
900 Marine Drive, Astoria
February 20, 2007 9:30 a.m.

CALL TO ORDER:

Called order 9:30 a.m.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG:

ROLL CALL:

David Shannon - Excused
Charlotte Mendenhall
Marcia Fenske
Vic Kee
Bob Gannaway
Rae Goforth
Ron Bline

Staff Present:

Executive Director Howe,

Operations Manager Smith

Accounting Clerk Higgins.

PRESENTATIONS

Mary McArthur - re: Senior and disabled Coordination Plan

Ms. McArthur reported that an interim report was distributed to the board at the last meeting. The public transit division asked for this to know that the work of the senior disabled transportation plan was getting done. She submitted some demographic information and a list of discretionary grants that met the criteria for initial priorities for the special needs population. The next step is to do more data collection February, March and April and come back in May for adoption and public hearing with submission of the final document to the State in June. One thing that Ms. McArthur said she has to do is have personal interviews with the major providers to identify the unmet needs. She said that the regional meeting did provide some opportunities for coordination, not so much with Columbia County, but definitely with Tillamook County. Ms. McArthur distributed a copy of the work schedule, which is included as part of these minutes. Ms. McArthur reported that she would be going to The Dalles on Friday to work with some consultants and public transit division to identify some strategies to meet these unmet needs.

Ms. McArthur asked the board to think of anyone that is absolutely critical that needs to be contacted to include in this process. She has six weeks set aside to do interviews. Special needs, unemployed and disabled are the ones we need to get good numbers on.

Ms. Howe explained how a volunteer program would work for SETD. Commissioner Bline said that there is a tremendous need for help with people using the bus to Portland. We have a resource already operating that needs to be used. We talk a lot about people in wheelchairs getting somewhere but we should also talk about people that are ambulatory that go to Portland. Ms. Howe reported that the Oregon Motor Coachways contract is expired and the contract is out for bid now and another bus company will most likely be taking it's place so until that happens, we are not able to do much more than we are now. Ms. Howe reported that Coastal Family Wellness wants to contract with SETD to take purchase orders for bus tickets for their patients.

APPROVAL OF JANUARY 16, 2007 MINUTES:

Commissioner Kee stated he was not in attendance at the meeting.
Motion by Commissioner Fenske to accept the minutes as amended. Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Mendenhall, Fenske, Goforth and Kee voted yes. Motion Passed.

REPORTS FROM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS

Commissioner Goforth reported that she attended a very well managed NWRC meeting and that she thinks it is going to be very beneficial having Ms. Howe in charge of the program for the time being.

Commissioner Kee asked about the biodiesel issue. Ms. Howe replied that as far as she was aware, this Port project has been put on hold indefinitely. After further discussion the board directed Ms. Howe to request the funds that the District provided to the Port for start-up be reimbursed until such time that the Port actually begins to make and sell biodiesel fuel.

Commissioner Kee also asked for an explanation of the hours of dial-a-ride and whether there was a way to increase those hours. Ms. Howe replied that there is a grant request in the works right now to increase the dial-a-ride hours from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday and to add Saturdays.

APPROVAL OF FINANCIAL REPORT FOR JANUARY:

Commissioner Goforth said that everything looks in order to her. She asked a question about where the rent is identified from the Northwest Ride Center. Chair Gannaway asked when the agreement expires for the billboard. Commissioner Bline commented that the fare change has resulted in a wash, which is what had been predicted to happen by staff.

Motion by Commission Goforth to approve the Financials as presented. Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Mendenhall, Fenske, Goforth and Kee voted yes. Motion passed.

CORRESPONDENCE

Special District Board Elections Timeline

Ms. Howe said that she included this information for the five board positions coming up for re-election, which include Kee, Fenske, Goforth, Shannon and Bline (completion of Harris' term).

Legislative Report

Ms. Howe gave a brief report on her attendance at the Special Districts conference and the information that she distributed outlining the current status of over 1,000 bills that are being heard at the Legislature.

NEW BUSINESS

Report from Director - Special District's Conference

Ms. Howe reported that she and Human Resource Officer Karl attended the Special District's conference which was very informative and they came back with lots of good information to share with the staff regarding FTA recordkeeping, Loss Control and other issues. In answer to a question, Ms. Howe said that if board members were interested, they could apply for an at-large board position which would be available at the end of each year.

Report from Director - Brokerage Manager's Meeting

Ms. Howe gave a brief report on the activities of the Broker Manager's meeting that she attended on Tuesday, February 13th. Ms. Howe stated that one of the items that were discussed was to begin holding all day joint meetings between DHS and Brokerage Manager's instead of separately in the morning and jointly in the afternoon. It was also discussed that issues need to be dealt with on a local level, rather than have everything go to DHS Central Office for resolution. Ms. Howe said that DHS and DMAP are recognizing the high priority transportation plays in getting clients to their medical appointments and is working hard to solve the problems that come with changing over to a relatively new way of doing things.

Ms. Howe discussed the audits that have been done at Rogue Valley Transit, Tri-Met, Salem and Northwest Ride Center and the issues that have come to light. She said that there are some concerns that the cost of service is not looking as good as they wanted it to when it was started five years ago. She also noted that there are some disconnects between brokerages and DHS local staff which needs to be worked on. Ms. Howe said that what is being discovered is that the brokerages are looking at the rides as a contractual issue, while DHS interprets it in another way, which has caused some communication problems.

Ms. Howe reported that a subcommittee has been formed to discuss child and the more fragile senior transportation and to take a look at the brokerage contract in a non-judgmental way in hopes of clearing up some of the larger communication issues between DHS local branches and their respective brokerages. She stated that Mr. Greg Russo, DHS manager for Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook County has been appointed to that subcommittee and will be representing NWRC interests at those meetings.

Ms. Howe also spoke briefly about an analysis that was written in the latter part of December, 2006 by DHS. She reported that Sharon Hill, DMAP, has asked that the Brokerage Managers respond to the report so that she then may make an appropriate response to DHS and DMAP.

Ms. Howe also reported that the brokerage had signed on a new provider, Wapato Shores Transportation, who will provide ambulatory and wheelchair transportation to clients in Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties.

Designating the Executive Director as Budget Officer

The board unanimously agreed to designate the Executive Director as the Budget officer for the 2007-08 budget.

OTHER ITEMS

Maritime Museum

In response to a question from Chair Gannaway, Ms. Howe reported that we have paid approximately $177,000 towards the total cost of $400,000 for the project to date. She said that based on a recent e-mail, Big River is waiting for good weather in order to move forward with concrete and paving.

Fort Clatsop Service

Ms. Howe reported that she has been tasked with completing the federal application for the funds owed by Fort Clatsop National Parks for the shuttle service provided last summer (2006). In response to a question, she stated that SETD has in fact not been paid for the service to date and that she hoped this would take care of the problem.

Staff Reports and NWRC Reports

Ms. Howe explained what the NWRC reports represented.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Rae Goforth
Secretary/Treasurer

THIS MEETING IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED, AN INTERPRETER FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED MAY BE REQUESTED UNDER THE TERMS OF OS 192.630 BY CONTACTING SUNSET EMPIRE TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT AT 861-7433