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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Transportation Oversight Commission - Meeting Date: 12/7/2017MINUTES CITIZENS TRANSPORTATION OVERSIGHT COMMISSION COUNCIL CHAMBERS BUILDING CONFERENCE ROOM B-3 5850 W. GLENDALE AVE. GLENDALE, ARIZONA 85301 DECEMBER 7, 2017 6:OOP.M. Present: Tom Schmitt, Chair John Geurs, Vice Chair JR Blackburn, Commissioner Donald Brazier, Commissioner John Fernandes, Commissioner Chuck Jared, Commissioner Marie Nesfield, Commissioner Joan Young, Commissioner Absent: Jack Nylund, Commissioner Also Present: Jack Lorbeer, Transportation Planning Administrator Trevor Ebersole, Transportation Department Director Patrick Sage, Transportation Planner Kevin Link, Transit Administrator 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Schmitt called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA - MODIFICATIONS, WITHDRAWALS AND CONTINUANCES Approval of the agenda for the December 7, 2017 Citizens Transportation Oversight Commission. Motioned by Commissioner Donald Brazier, seconded by Commissioner Chuck Jared (Vice Chair Geurs and Commissioner Young not present) Vote: 6 - 0 Passed 3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Review and approval of the minutes from the November 5, 2017 Citizens Transportation Oversight Commission meeting. Motioned by Commissioner JR Blackburn, seconded by Commissioner Donald Brazier (Vice Chair Geurs and Commissioner Young not present) Vote: 6 - 0 Passed 4. CITIZEN COMMENTS No comments. [Vice Chair Geurs entered the meeting.] 5. COMMISSIONER UPDATES Vice Chair Geurs stated that he attended Councilmember Aldama's December 6 District meeting. City staff discussed a program that converts city street lights to LED, which is expected to save approximately $600,000 annually for the City. [Commissioner Young entered the meeting.] Commissioner Nesfield announced that there was no Citizens Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting in December. Commissioner Fernandes commented that he is scheduling a meeting with Councilmember Clark regarding 79th Avenue between Camelback Road and Missouri Avenue. Commissioner Fernandes stated that 79th Avenue is in poor condition and he would like to advise the councilmember to prioritize street repairs on this section. 6. MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Lorbeer, Transportation Planning Administrator, reminded commissioners that CTOC Appreciation Night is scheduled for Thursday, December 14th, and members interested in attending need to RSVP by Friday, December 8th. 7. WEST PHOENIX/CENTRAL GLENDALE HIGH CAPACITY TRANSIT PROJECT UPDATE Mr. Lorbeer provided a presentation on the preliminary costs and other financial considerations related to the West Phoenix/Central Glendale High Capacity Transit project. The information was summarized from the presentation made to the Council at their October 17, 2017 workshop. Mr. Lorbeer's presentation included the financial evaluation for the end of line options that was the focus of the workshop. Chair Schmitt, referencing Council's consensus vote to end Glendale's participation in the light rail project at the October 17, 2017 Council workshop, wondered why Council made their decision at that time, and asked when the City was required to make a financial commitment to the project. Mr. Ebersole replied that a commitment would be needed at the 30% design phase, in 2019. Chair Schmitt then wondered why Council would not wait to make their decision until 2019, when refined cost information from the ongoing planning and engineering studies would be available. Chair Schmitt commented that at the workshop Councilmember Clark stated that light rail was an afterthought of the Proposition 402 ballot initiative. He also stated that he was part of the citizens advisory committee that helped develop the ballot recommendations, and the group was told that there were two major initiatives: a light rail connection into Glendale and the Northern Parkway project. Commissioner Nesfield commented that the Council seemed to focus only on the costs and drawbacks, and did not discuss the benefits of light rail extending into Glendale. Vice Chair Geurs stated that he felt the October 17 workshop discussion was based more on emotion than facts. Chair Schmitt suggested that CTOC request Council to bring the light rail project discussion back to the CTOC, the Citizens Working Group, and the voters, and to not rush the decision. Commissioner Nesfield inquired about the nine items presented on the 2001 Proposition 402 ballot initiative. Commissioner Blackburn read the following list from the ballot document: • Intersection Improvements • Street Projects • Expansion of Existing Bus Service • Increased Dial -A -Ride Service • Express Bus Service • Regional Light Rail Connection • Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvement Projects • Airport Projects • Safety Improvements Mr. Ebersole commented that staff has discussed the nine items from Proposition 402 with the City. Attorney's Office. The legal opinion is that the funds can be spent on any of those items, but there is no requirement to complete all nine items. Mr. Ebersole noted that the next anticipated step is that Council will vote at their December 12, 2017 meeting to rescind city Resolution 5108, which will remove Glendale from the West Phoenix/Central Glendale High Capacity project. He stated that CTOC can make a motion with a recommendation to Council, so that CTOC's position can be received by Council prior to the December 12 meeting. Commissioner Blackburn noted that the item to rescind Resolution 5108 is on the consent agenda for the December 12 meeting; therefore, a council member will have to pull the item from the consent agenda to allow discussion and/or public comments. Commissioner Fernandes commented that the residents in his neighborhood support the light rail project moving forward. Commissioner Young inquired as to how long the City has been paying for the Valley Metro membership of $50,000/year. Mr. Ebersole replied that the City has been paying since 2002. Commissioner Young noted that this totals $750,000, and that another $50,000 is a relatively small financial commitment to remain part of the study group. Commissioner Brazier stated that he will call his council member, Bart Turner, in the morning to share what the CTOC has decided this evening. Commissioners discussed the desired language to include in a recommendation to Council regarding the anticipated December 12, 2017 Council vote to rescind Resolution 5108. Motioned by Commissioner JR Blackburn. seconded by Commissioner Donald Brazier Recommendation that Council not vote on December 12, 2017 on the High Capacity Transit Project, Agenda Item 24 (R-17-123) from the draft agenda dated December 7, 2017, and bring the issue back to CTOC to review and advise a future action plan prior to the 30% design phase. A roll call vote was taken. Vote: 8 - 0 Passed S. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS No new future agenda items were requested by commissioners. 9. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Citizens Transportation Oversight Commission was scheduled for January 4, 2018 at 6:00 pm. That meeting was vacated due to lack of a quorum. The next meeting is scheduled for February 1, 2018. 10. ADJOURNMENT meeting was adjourned by consensus at 7:32 p.m. Transportation Oversight Commission meeting minutes of December 7, 2017 were d approved this 1st day of February, 2018. Patrick Sb�e Recording Secretary