Stephanie Butler

The agenda for the regular session included reviewing the financial information and monthly statistical report for January 2026 under the Consent Agenda. New Business featured a roll call vote recommendation to execute a contract with an executive search firm, KL2 Connects, for the Managing Director search, and an informational presentation on the FY27 Draft Budget. The document details the RFP process for the search firm, noting that KL2 Connects received the highest score of 89.2 out of 100, and recommends a contract award for $44,750. The agenda also allocated time for committee reports, department reports, board comments, and an executive session.

The Budget Work Session preceded the Annual Meeting. The primary purpose of the Annual Meeting, as stated in the By-Laws, was to elect Board officers for the upcoming fiscal year. Nominations were made by a Trustee, and a motion was carried to re-elect the existing officers: Bill Wilson as Chairman, Mike McCurdy as Vice Chairman, and Ryan Whitehouse as Secretary. The meeting was adjourned shortly after the elections.

The meeting commenced with the pledge of allegiance and a review of the Connect Transit mission statement. Discussions during the consent agenda review included statistical reports showing slight gains in fixed-route ridership compared to the previous year, noting limitations in trending analysis due to only one month of data. A significant item was the introduction of the new FTA administrator, Mark Bolinaro, who expressed positive views toward smaller systems and accessibility. An updated Cornerstone report was discussed concerning the allocation and release of $3 million in capital funding previously allocated in 2018, involving coordination with the governor's office during the veto session. Additionally, the e-mirror legislation initiative was mentioned, which was delayed due to political environment surrounding its shell bill. New business involved approving Brady Lang, Deputy Managing Director, as an additional authorized signatory for all Connect Transit bank accounts to ensure dual signatures are maintained. An informational item detailed a plan to establish a regular cadence for committee meetings monthly or bi-monthly to foster richer input and proactively address issues. Upcoming committee topics included ConnectGo service coordination, transfer fare policy, fare system rollout, and the collective bargaining agreement. The Transit Center project's 30% design phase and funding determination were highlighted for the next quarter, alongside messaging/marketing and budget discussions. Finally, a detailed ridership analysis covered Fixed Route data (showing an overall 5% decrease in ridership, with significant drops in certain routes like Purple and Blue, partially attributed to construction/detours on Market Street and College Avenue, and potential cannibalization by Flex service), Connect Mobility stability, and Connect Flex growth since its FY24 introduction. The efficiency of simpler routes (Aqua, Green, Yellow, Pink) was noted as high due to their straight-line structure facilitating transfers.

The board meeting addressed several agenda items, including the financial audit presentation from Clifton Larson Allen LLP for Fiscal Year 2020, which resulted in an unmodified (clean) audit opinion with no findings or recommendations reported under both financial statements and federal grant compliance guidelines. The board also voted to extend the suspension of passenger fares on a month-by-month basis heading into the winter months, to be reassessed before spring. Furthermore, the board approved a change in authorized signatories for checks, adding the Operations Manager, Shelly Perry, as the new third signatory alongside existing members. The meeting concluded with discussion regarding the adoption of the Agency Safety Plan, a requirement from the Federal Transit Administration.

The special board meeting addressed several agenda items. The consent agenda items were deferred to the next regular meeting. Key new business items included the recommendation to support the library card sign-up month of September 2024, which allows free rides for individuals presenting a valid public library card, resulting in an estimated financial impact of $16,500 based on anticipated ridership. The board also considered the award of a five-year contract for managed printer and copier services, recommending an award to GFI Digital Company, with an estimated annual cost of $144,000. Additionally, the board reviewed the recommendation for an Architect and Engineering contract award for the Downtown Bloomington Transit Center, recommending CDM Smith, with the contract value for design services totaling $3,152,642, funded by state and federal sources.