 Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes ODOT Highway Office January 20, 2004 |
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| CALL TO ORDER | |
| Acting Chair Gannaway called the meeting to order at 10:00 am. | |
| ROLL CALL | |
| Acting Chair Gannaway called the roll. | |
| Commissioners Present | |
| Acting Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Harris, Commissioner Kee Commissioner Fenske. |
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| Commissioners Absent | |
| Chair Shannon, Commissioners Mendenhall Commissioner Goforth. |
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| COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE: None | |
| CHANGES TO THE AGENDA: | |
| Executive Director Howe asked the billboard issue be added under old business item (a) | |
| APPROVAL OF NOVEMBER 19 AND DECEMBER 16, 2003 MINUTES: | |
| Motion by Commissioner Kee, second by Commissioner Fenske, to approve the minutes of November 19 and December 16, 2003 meeting as presented. Acting Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Harris, Fenske and Kee voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| REPORT FROM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS: | |
| Commissioner Kee: No Report | |
| Commissioner Fenske had a question regarding a letter she had read to the editor about the buses not having chains. Ms. Howe stated that the buses do have chains and studded tires. We were not allowed to go up to Emerald Heights and we were running snow routes. When we are on snow routes we are not allowed to go up any hills in Astoria. Ms. Howe went on to say that in Alderbrook there were two eighteen wheelers that were stuck and could not get up the little rise. This incident had traffic backed up so Ms. Howe authorized the bus drivers to turn around at the new Safeway parking lot. Commissioner Fenske stated that the next time this happens that maybe we should publish that we will be running snow routes. Ms. Howe stated that we do contact the radio station and let them know. Most of the time we don't know if we're running snow routes in time to get it in the paper. She stated that she planned on responding to the letter that was sent to the editor. Commissioner Gannaway was amazed that we were able to run at all and Ms. Howe replied that no drivers called in to say they couldn't get to work. | |
| Commissioner Harris reported that as a member of the executive director contract committee, they are ready to comment. However, he asked that his report be postponed until all board members could be present. The members present agreed. | |
| FINANCIAL REPORTS: | |
| Ms. Howe distributed the financials for November/December 2003 and apologized for the wait. Commissioner Harris stated that he had looked through them the day before and had a few questions that were easily answered. | |
| Motion by Commissioner Harris, seconded by Commissioner Kee to accept the Financial Reports for November/December 2003. Acting Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Kee, Harris and Fenske voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: | |
| Ms. Howe reported that the building is looking great and everything is on schedule. Commissioner Gannaway commented on how nice the inside of the building looks. Commissioner Gannaway also stated that he was noticing how picky the Contractor is about getting things done right. He commented about the restriction on the upstairs allowing for 9 people and that this space will most likely be used for a small office staff. Ms. Howe handed out a picture of a gate that is going to be purchased and placed at the bottom of the stairs. This gate will have a lock and only the staff will be able to go upstairs. The reason for the gate is that according to the building code you can not have a door at the base of the stairway this would leave the stairwell open. Also, the elevator will only be accessible by a key. | |
| Commissioner Harris asked about the parking area and Ms. Howe stated that the numbers came in from the settlement plates and they have stabilized and the arctic liner is in now and the second excavator who is doing the parking plaza work will start next week. | |
| Commissioner Kee asked if it was cost prohibitive or would it be prudent to look at some fire exit now on the upper floor to increase capacity. Ms. Howe stated that it is cost prohibitive. She explained that there were two options discussed: One was to install a fire exit window out of the backside of the upper floor. This would create a hazard on the roof because you would cross the roof and into a ladder access that would take you down to the main floor. The problem with that option is that it would require a railing around the entire roof. The second option was to run an outside stairway from the upper floor to the ground, which is also very expensive and difficult to install. | |
| CORRESPONDENCE: None | |
| PUBLIC HEARINGS: | |
| a. | Special Transportation Grants |
| Opened the public hearing at 10:50 am and closed at 10:51 am | |
| RESOLUTIONS: None | |
| OLD BUSINESS | |
| a. | Billboard |
| Moved by Commissioner Kee, seconded by Commissioner Harris to direct the Executive Director to send a notice of termination to Mr. Clark, refund any monies owed to him and remove the billboard sign as soon as possible. Acting Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Harris, Kee and Fenske voted yes. Motion passed. | |
| NEW BUSINESS | |
| a. | Prioritization of Special Transportation Grants |
| Ms. Howe reported that of the ten grants that the District applied for, we have received notification that four have been approved. Those four grants were for the purchase of four buses: two midsize for regular route service and two for DAR. In addition the maintenance money for preservation of all of our equipment was approved. There are two grants that are still outstanding: One is for a bus washer and one is for bus shelters, trailer and installation costs. | |
| The four grants that need prioritizing today are grants that will directly benefit the senior and disabled community. The Public Transit Division has asked that our STF committee and the Board look at these grants and prioritize them in order of importance because if there is a case that all projects throughout the State cannot be funded they will work off of the prioritization of the local community. | |
| The four grants are as follows: | |
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| Motion by Commissioner Kee, second by Commissioner Gannaway to go with the following priority recommendation. Acting Chair Gannaway, Commissioners Fenske, Kee and Harris voted yes. Motion passed. | |
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| NEW BUSINESS | |
| b. | Local Budget Law Workshop in Seaside |
| Ms. Howe reported that a free one-day workshop would be held in Seaside on local budget law. The workshop would be taught by Oregon Department of Revenue staff. She said that she had attended this workshop in the past and that the management staff had attended last year. She strongly recommended all board members and budget committee members attend the workshop. The board agreed and directed Ms. Howe to mail a copy of the notice to all board members not in attendance and to the budget committee members. | |
| OTHER ITEMS | |
| a. | Staff Reports |
| Ms. Howe reported all is going well and staff morale is high. Ms. Howe reported on passenger counts during the snow day service. | |
| There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 11:35 a.m. | |
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| Secretary-Treasurer Harris | |
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