Corey Aldridge

The 'Reimagine METRO' initiative aims to optimize Santa Cruz METRO's bus routes and frequencies to better meet community needs. The plan focuses on increasing transit service, enhancing its utility and attractiveness, and ensuring its relevance through phased improvements. Key areas include delivering better frequency, expanding night and weekend service, establishing faster connections, and improving accessibility. The intended outcomes are to double ridership to over 7 million annually, reduce vehicle miles traveled and CO2 emissions, mitigate congestion, and provide equitable, accessible transportation options that align housing with transit opportunities, thereby strengthening opportunities for state and federal funding.

The Santa Cruz METRO's "Reimagine METRO" initiative is a strategic plan to revitalize and expand bus services by reimagining routes and frequencies to better meet community needs. The plan focuses on increasing transit service, making it more useful and attractive, and ensuring its relevance to the community through improved frequency, expanded service, and faster connections. Key objectives include significant ridership growth, reducing vehicle miles traveled and CO2 emissions, and providing equitable, accessible transportation options that align housing opportunities with quality transit services.

The Board meeting included discussions on scheduling a Special Board Meeting in conjunction with the Regular Meeting regarding anticipated litigation concerning Sister Karen Hall. Key agenda items involved authorizing the General Manager to execute a contract to modify nine bus shelters to correct roof lines, and awarding the construction contract for the MetroBase Fueling and Servicing Facility and related site work to Arntz Builders, Inc., including establishing change order approval procedures. The Board adopted the 2006 State Legislative Program, opposing the County Board of Supervisors' proposed recall procedure for non-elected members while favoring an alternative accountability process, and adopted the 2006 Federal Legislative Program. Appointments for the Metro Advisory Committee (MAC) were addressed, including requesting MAC address overlapping terms. The Board authorized a 12-month extension for the ADA/504 Review deadline. Discussions also covered the Metro ParaCruz One Year Operational Review, including rider eligibility and fare incentives, and planned Closed Session topics concerning labor negotiations and real property acquisition.

The regular meeting addressed several key areas, including communications from the public, MUG, and MASTF, with MUG reiterating a request for a central meeting location. Due to the declaration of a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, only specific agenda items were addressed. Key discussions focused on ADA paratransit service, including the service area parameters (3/4 mile vs. 1 1/2 miles exception areas) and the utilization of Transportation Demonstration Act (TDA) funds. The Comprehensive Operational and Financial Audit (COFA) highlighted trips outside the normal service area. The Board also reviewed and discussed the upcoming Customer's Guide for paratransit applicants and the Policies and Procedures Manual for operators, with the new name "Metro ParaCruz" proposed for consideration. An RFP for dispatch and paratransit services was noted for release in October 2001. Finally, the Board reviewed outcomes from the mandatory paratransit sensitivity training conducted for Directors and staff, focusing on experiences, standardization of driver training, and issues identified during the exercise.

The agenda for the regular board meeting included several items. The Consent Agenda covered accepting and filing preliminary approved claims for October 2008, the September 2008 monthly budget status report, denial of two tort claims, and acceptance of MAC minutes and Paratransit/ridership reports for previous months. Key regular agenda items included presenting Employee Longevity Awards, holding a Public Hearing regarding proposed changes to the Conflict of Interest Code, considering the reassignment of the Supervisor of Revenue Collection position, and approving class specification and wage range changes for the Safety and Training Coordinator. Furthermore, there was consideration for the disposal of thirteen 1988 New Flyer buses and associated parts, and authorization to extend a contract with Pat Piras Consulting for ADA Paratransit Eligibility review. Closed Session discussions involved conference with real property negotiators regarding license agreement terms for the Felton Faire Shopping Center and price and terms for the 425 Front Street property, followed by a report out and authorization to execute a two-year irrevocable license agreement for bus stop access at the Felton Faire Shopping Center.