Sarah Vallieres

The meeting included a discussion regarding updated BRTA Bylaws, specifically concerning the merging of the Compensation Committee and Finance Committee functions. The Advisory Board voted to unanimously approve the amended bylaws as proposed by KP Law. There was a discussion concerning the BRTA's response to an Open Meeting Law Violation from October 13, 2025, with confirmation that the initial violation case was closed. Key discussions also covered the FY25 Supplemental Grant funding received from MassDOT, which was approved for use in covering collective bargaining agreement increases, funding fare-free transportation in underserved areas (non-ADA and Senior Rural programs), and providing a one-time thank you payment to staff. Additionally, the board reviewed the October 2025 Cash Report and discussed year-to-date budget and ridership figures, noting a forthcoming budget adjustment in February 2026.

The session commenced with a motion to enter Executive Session for the purpose of reviewing and approving previous Executive Session minutes. Following the entry into the session, the committee unanimously approved the Executive Session Minutes from May 22, 2025. A key discussion topic involved the Administrator Contract, where a payroll adjustment approved during the BRTA Advisory Board meeting was confirmed as processed within the FY25 budget. Additionally, there was an agreement to review resumes for an administrator position and establish dates for a Search Committee meeting, noting that such committee meetings might not be subject to open meeting laws and could be conducted virtually.

The Finance/Audit Committee meeting addressed several financial matters. Discussions centered on the proposed allocation of $724,028 in FY25 State Supplemental funds, which included issuing a one-time employee thank you bonus of $500 for 82 staff members, offsetting fare revenues for the Non-ADA program and the pilot Senior Rural program from December 2025 through June 30, 2026, and addressing the FY26 Collective Bargaining Agreement contract. The Committee subsequently voted to approve the $500 bonus per employee and the $14,000 supplemental funding for fare revenue loss. Additionally, the Committee voted to approve the $200,000 contribution to the pension fund for FY26, noting current positive cash flow and pending state contract funds. The status of the Administrator Contract was updated, noting that the successor will begin working with the current Administrator on December 1, 2025, prior to the Administrator's retirement.

The committee addressed a serious labor issue regarding Paratransit Management of Berkshire (PMB) voting to strike, which is anticipated around November 16, 2018. Discussions involved the operational budget, an increase in state funding, and the impact of potential paratransit wage increases (30% sought by the union citing minimum wage hikes) on the current budget, necessitating research into diverting state funds. The committee authorized staff to explore using a portion of state funds to support PMB negotiations, contingent on PMB agreeing to a three-year contract. Furthermore, an update on the RTA Task Force included discussions on Health Service Transportation (HST) spending limits and the possibility of BRTA becoming an HST vendor. Innovations such as Route 1 and Route 34 splits were noted for increased ridership. Old business focused on a public survey regarding route expansion, with Route 21X showing high interest for increased hours, and potential MassDOT grant applications for pilot programs.

The meeting covered topics such as COVID-19 mask compliance, state RTA funding, and the HST contract termination. Updates were provided on the Federal FY 2020 Triennial Review, including compliance issues in legal, financial, and procurement areas. The FY21 draft financial statements were reviewed, showing a clean audit opinion. Cash reports for May, June, and July 2021 were presented. The budget and ridership year-to-date were discussed, noting changes in fixed route and paratransit fares and ridership. The Triennial Review and the House override of the Governor's budget were also discussed.