CAPTIONING JANUARY 7, 2008 HARTLINE ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>RONALD GOVIN: GOOD MORNING. WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE MEETING OF THE HARTLINE BOARD, AND WE'RE GETTING OFF A LITTLE LATE HERE. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET A QUORUM SHORTLY, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROCEED WITH SOME OF THE ACTION ITEMS, BUT FOR NOW WE HAVE A -- AN AGENDA THAT WE CAN START ON, WHICH DOES NOT REQUIRE A QUORUM. SO IF YOU WOULD, I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO STAND, AND WE'LL PLEDGE THE FLAG. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] TO START THE AGENDA OFF, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO US IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT, SO WE WILL BEGIN WITH THAT, AND FIRST PERSON ON THE AGENDA HERE IS WILLIAM SCHNELL. >> MR. CHAIRMAN [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. NEXT ON THE LIST IS PIERRE MATHURIN. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS -- >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS PIERRE MATHURIN, 3409 WEST CARACAS, TAMPA, FLORIDA. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK HARTLINE FOR THE WEST TAMPA TRANSFER CENTER. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT IT IS NOW OPERATIONAL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT ABOUT THE FUNDING. 2008 WILL BE AN IMPORTANT YEAR FOR HART. WILL IT BE THE YEAR WHEN THE CURRENT FUNDING SITUATION STRUCTURE BE REPLACED WITH A NEW SOURCE THAT WILL GREATLY INCREASE FUNDING TO ALLOW FOR MORE SERVICE AND MORE RIDERSHIP, OR WILL IT BE A YEAR OF CONTINUING REDUCTION IN SERVICE AS FUNDING IS REDUCED AND PLANNED FUTURE GROWTH IN TRANSIT SERVICE WILL BE CANCELED? THE ALTERNATIVES -- REVENUE ALTERNATIVES TASK FORCE SHOULD COORDINATE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE HEADED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONER KEN HAGAN, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS MEETING TODAY AT 1:30 P.M. ON THE 26th FLOOR OF THIS BUILDING ON FORMULATING A PLAN TO BE PRESENTED TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY VOTERS FOR APPROVAL ON THIS NOVEMBER'S GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT. IN A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR, THE NATION'S FOOTBALL FANS AND THE WORLD'S FOCUS WILL BE ON TAMPA AS WE HOST THE SUPER BOWL IN 2009. WHILE OUR TRANSIT SERVICE WILL HAVE HAD SOME GROWTH SINCE THE LAST SUPER BOWL WE HOSTED, IT WILL ESSENTIALLY BE THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN SINCE THE FIRST SUPER BOWL WAS HERE IN 1984. HOPEFULLY IF A PLAN IS FORMULATED AND APPROVED BY VOTERS THIS YEAR, BY THE TIME WE HOST THE NEXT SUPER BOWL, WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS, WE CAN HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT WE ALL CLAIM AS BEING THE BEST IN FLORIDA. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE LIST WE HAVE PAUL McLINDON. >> YES. GOOD MORNING, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THE BOARD. I WANT TO DIRECT THIS TO THE HARTPLUS PARATRANSIT. THAT'S OKAY, MA'AM. I'M TALKING LOUD ENOUGH. THAT'S OKAY. I APPRECIATE IT. [INAUDIBLE] WELCOME TO TAMPA, DAVID ARMIJO. GLAD TO HAVE YOU. I DON'T THINK HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REALIZES THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL THEY'VE GOT BASED ON THE MARKET YOU'RE FROM. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. BUT I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND I'M READY TO JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON BEHIND YOU. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE NO-SHOW POLICY FOR THE PARATRANSIT [INAUDIBLE] -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST AS A POINT OF ORDER. I THINK IT'S STANDARD AND FAIR, SIR, FOR YOU, UNLESS YOU HAVE A DISABILITY OR SOMETHING -- IF YOU COULD COME UP. >> [OFF MICROPHONE] THAT'S FINE. YOU MADE A STATEMENT. THAT'S FINE. THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S FINE. AS I SAID BEFORE, I'M A PARATRANSIT CLIENT, AND THIS QUESTION IS DIRECTED TO THE PARATRANSIT REPRESENTATIVE ON THE BOARD. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW, THE NO-SHOW POLICY. GOOD POLICY. KNOW WHY THE POLICY'S IN PLACE. IT IS TOO IRONCLAD POLICY. WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? THERE'S A COUPLE OF E-MAILS IN YOUR INBOX, YOU AND BOB POTTS, IN REGARD TO A COUPLE OF CASES IN REGARD TO THE NO- SHOW POLICY FOR OUR CLIENTS. LET ME GIVE YOU A CASE IN POINT. SOME DRIVERS ARE NOT LOOKING AT THEIR MANIFESTS. THEY'RE RUNNING ON REPETITIOUS DAILY DUTIES, SEE A NAME, ADDRESSES, I KNOW WHERE IT'S AT. NO. CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WHEN THEY GO TO A PLACE, THEY DON'T SEE THAT CLIENT, THEY AUTOMATICALLY CALL THE DISPATCH OFFICE AND A NO-SHOW IS ENFORCED. WHAT HAPPENS? THEY LEAVE THE CLIENT. ONCE THE NO-SHOW POLICY -- YOU TRY TO GO AND ENTERTAIN A NO-SHOW POLICY WITH THOSE ADMINISTRATORS THAT YOU HAVE THAT ENFORCE THE POLICY, IT'S LIKE PULLING TEETH TO REVERSE IT. IT'S TOO TOUGH. IT NEEDS SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THERE. WE NEED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTACT THE DISPATCH OFFICE. WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. IT WOULD ELIMINATE BUNCHES AND BUNCHES OF PROBLEMS. IF YOU GO IN OTHER MARKETS, CHICAGO, HOUSTON, AND THE CALIFORNIA MARKETS, YOU CAN CONTACT THE DISPATCH OFFICE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. IT WOULD ELIMINATE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. SECONDLY, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN THE DISPATCH FORESEES A FORESEEABLE TARDINESS IN THE PICKUP WINDOW, IF THEY FORESEE -- THE DISPATCH OPENS 4:00, 5:00 IN THE MORNING. IF THEY KNOW THAT DRIVERS ARE GOING TO BE LATE, THEY'VE CALLED IN WORK OR WHATEVER THEY SEE, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY BASED ON WHERE THEY ARE TO FORESEE WHAT THE DAY'S PROGRESS IS GOING TO BE. THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS. SO IF THEY CAN FORESEE THAT IF -- LET'S TAKE HYPOTHETICALLY I'VE GOT A 9:00 PICKUP. IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PICK ME UP IN THAT 9:00 PICKUP WINDOW, CAN THEY PLEASE -- I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND CAN THEY PLEASE GIVE THAT CLIENT A COURTESY CALL SINCE IT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE? WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE. WE'RE JUST PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT MENTALLY -- SOME OF US ARE MENTALLY CHALLENGED. MOST OF US ARE JUST PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED, AND WE'RE PROBABLY JUST AS EDUCATED AS THE BOARD MEMBERS, SO, YOU KNOW -- SO I'M JUST ASKING NOT TO TREAT US THAT WAY, JUST GIVE US THE RESPECT, ADD THAT TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND GIVE US A CALL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT INSIDE THAT WINDOW. THAT'S IT. >>DAVID ARMIJO: THANK YOU. CAN I ADDRESS THAT BRIEFLY? >>RONALD GOVIN: SURE. >>DAVID ARMIJO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. TWO PARTS IN RESPONSE TO YOUR INPUT, AND ONE, OF COURSE, WE WILL CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. WE ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING THE ENTIRE PARATRANSIT PROGRAM. THERE'S AN AUDIT BEING DONE. I'VE ASKED MR. POTTS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE. WE TIMED THAT AUDIT BEFORE THE BUDGET BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE GROWTH IN THE PARATRANSIT PROGRAM IS UP ABOUT 30% THIS YEAR, SO WE HAVE VERY STRONG GROWTH, CERTAINLY A LOT OF DEMAND, PERHAPS UNMET DEMAND IN THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE. SO WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE CHALLENGING AS WE GO FORWARD, AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE. SECONDLY, WE HAVE -- AT THE END OF THIS WEEK WE'RE ACTUALLY HOSTING THE -- APTA HAS A PARATRANSIT EXECUTIVE GROUP THAT'S COMING TO TAMPA, AND WE'LL BE SITTING IN ON THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO GET A SENSE OF SOME OF THE THINGS, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT ARE GOING ON IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AS WE GO FORWARD. WE WOULD HOPE AS WE COME OUT OF THIS AUDIT THAT WE MAY, IN FACT, BE LOOKING AT A PEER REVIEW, SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM SOME OTHER AGENCIES, IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, BUT I THINK A COUPLE OF THE ISSUES YOU MENTIONED TODAY IS SOMETHING WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IN THE NEAR TERM, SO WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, SO I'LL COME BACK AND GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING OUT. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THE NEXT THREE, I'M NOT SURE, ARE ALL UNDER EMPLOYEE COMMENT. VANESSA CEPHUS, JOHN GREEN, M. STUCKEY. HANG ON A MINUTE. I'VE GOT ONE MORE THAT I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PUT MUCH HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: COLE FREEMAN. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: GEORGE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT FOUR, THEN THAT ACTUALLY CLOSES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT UNLESS THERE'S ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. MR. SCHNELL, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK NOW? >> IS THERE A QUORUM YET? >>RONALD GOVIN: WE'RE ONE SHORT, I THINK, OF A QUORUM STILL. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: WELL, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT'S -- >> WELL, YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT -- UNTIL YOU HAVE A QUORUM. >>RONALD GOVIN: I'M SORRY. I DON'T KNOW THAT RULE. IF THAT ONE'S IN PLACE -- IF THAT'S TRUE -- I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE. >> IT'S NOT TRUE, MR. CHAIRMAN. HE NEEDS TO MAKE A DECISION WHETHER HE'D LIKE TO SPEAK NOW OR FORGO THE -- >>RONALD GOVIN: WE NEED TO -- >> [OFF MICROPHONE] >>RONALD GOVIN: THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I'M BEING TOLD. YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO MOVE THE PROGRAM, AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS PUBLIC COMMENT. >> YOU'LL STAND BY THAT ON THE RECORD? >> [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY. I'LL MAKE MY ANNOUNCEMENTS NOW. [INAUDIBLE] JUSTICE, YOU KNOW. [INAUDIBLE] BUT THIS IS THE BEST WE CAN GET HERE AT HARTLINE. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS WILLIAM SCHNELL, 5682, P.O. BOX, SUN CITY CENTER 33572. I'M HERE TO TALK -- TO SPEAK TO ITEM "C." IT SEEMS AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THE ROUTES AROUND. IS ANYBODY PAYING ATTENTION OR AM I BORING EVERYBODY? NOBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: I THINK WE'RE ALL LISTENING. >> NO, NO. COMMISSIONER FERLITA, I'M TALKING. CAN YOU PLEASE PAY ME THE RESPECT AT LEAST LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY? I CAME HERE TODAY -- >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. SCHNELL, LET ME -- THE REASON I WAS TALKING TO OUR COUNSEL IS EXACTLY FOR THE SAKE OF WHAT YOU WERE CONCERNED ABOUT. >> YOU'RE A SWEETHEART. YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR ME. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND SO I WAS WONDERING IF WE IN FACT DID HAVE A QUORUM, BUT WE DON'T. >> ROBERT'S RULES, RIGHT. >>ROSE FERLITA: BECAUSE IF WE DID, THEN I WAS GOING TO ASK HIM TO HOLD IT. HE SAID NO, THIS WAS APPROPRIATE, AND THERE ARE CONCERNS ANYWAY WE MAY OR MAY NOT GET A QUORUM, GIVEN THE PROBLEM IN THIS BUILDING IF YOU NOTICE THE OTHER TWO COMMISSIONERS ARE NOT HERE. IT WAS IN FAIRNESS TO YOU, NOT IN RUDENESS TO YOU, AND I WANT THAT ON THE RECORD, OKAY. >> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY WAS HERE BECAUSE I ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH EVERYBODY SO WE UNDERSTAND [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>ROSE FERLITA: I WAS MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH YOU FROM HERE OR THERE, BUT I'M LISTENING. GO AHEAD, SIR. >> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GET UP THIS EARLY IN THE MORNING TO FIND MY WAY DOWN HERE FROM SUN CITY TO ADDRESS YOU-ALL. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. WE NEED -- >> [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] OPPORTUNITY. >>DAVID MECHANIK: MR. CHAIRMAN, ALSO FOR THE RECORD, I WAS NOT MAKING EYE CONTACT BECAUSE HE WAS REFERRING TO ITEM "C," AND I WAS LOOKING AT ITEM "C," SO I REALLY DO NOT -- >> THANK YOU, MR. MECHANIK. >>DAVID MECHANIK: I DON'T APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ON THAT. >> [INAUDIBLE] [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] SIDE TO SIDE AT THE TOILET BOWL. REMEMBER. THAT WAS THE LAST TIME. WE COULDN'T PAY MUCH ATTENTION EITHER. ALL RIGHT. LET'S START OFF FRESH. GOOD MORNING. HAPPY NEW YEAR. MR. ARMIJO, HAPPY NEW YEAR. VICE CHAIRMAN, HAPPY NEW YEAR. DISTINGUISHED BOARD MEMBERS, HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT "C." "C" REALLY IMPACTS PEOPLE THAT ARE TRANSIT DEPENDENT. THEY TAKE JOBS, THEY RENT APARTMENTS ALONG BUS LINES BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE. I GREW UP IN NEW YORK CITY, AND IF I GOT OFF THE -- OFF THE PLANE AT LAGUARDIA OR KENNEDY AIRPORT, I COULD FEEL CERTAIN TO GET ON ANY BUS AND I KNOW WHERE IT WOULD TAKE ME. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN TRANSIT NOW IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR TEN YEARS, LITHIA 20, AND I'M SCARED TO GET ONTO A BUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE LITERATURE. THERE'S ALL LITTLE DENOTES -- LITTLE, LITTLE ASTERISKS, READ THIS BECAUSE IT ONLY GOES EVERY THIRD TRIP AND ON A THURSDAY IT DOES THIS AND ON THE THIRD TRIP IT GOES AROUND THE MALL, AND IT'S THE MOST PRECARIOUS BUS SYSTEM I'VE EVER SEEN. THERE WAS A BOARD MEMBER HERE AT ONE TIME, HER NAME WAS PAT FRANK, AND SHE'S NOW THE CLERK OF THE COURT, AND SHE SAID SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS SO PROFOUND. SHE SAID, IF HARTLINE WOULD JUST DO ONE THING RIGHT, IT WOULD BE AMAZING. SOMETHING SMALL. IF THEY RAN THE BUSES UP AND DOWN FLORIDA AVENUE AND MARTIN LUTHER KING AND HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE AND JUST DID THAT AND DID IT PROFICIENTLY, IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL THING, BUT HERE WE GO AGAIN. IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS. WE HAD A COMPREHENSIVE -- COMPREHENSIVE TO ME IS ALL INCLUSIVE. WE HAD A COMPREHENSIVE OPERATION ANALYSIS THAT COST THE TAXPAYERS $250,000, AND NOW HERE WE ARE MIXING UP THE ROUTES TOGETHER. I LIVE DOWN IN SUN CITY. I ORGANIZED THE ROUTE IN SUN CITY THAT WORKED BEAUTIFUL. LAST YEAR MR. POTTS DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO GET MORE RIDERSHIP. HE NETTED A HALF A RIDER MORE THAN I HAD FOR ALL THE MONEY HE SPENT AND DECIMATED THE ROUTE. THE ROUTE DOESN'T EVEN TAKE THE CHILDREN TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY NOW. ISN'T THAT A SHAME? WE SPENT ALL THAT MONEY TO BUILD THE SOUTH COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND THE CHILDREN THAT WANT TO GO THERE AFTER SCHOOL INSTEAD OF HANGING WITH GANGS AND GRAFFITI AND GETTING INTO TROUBLE, THEY WANT TO GO THERE AND USE THE INTERNET AND READ BOOKS AND DO SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE, THEY CAN'T GET THERE BECAUSE THE BUS -- THE BUS DON'T GO THERE NO MORE. THERE'S A LOT OF TIME SPENT -- WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ROUTES. WE GO OUT, WE DO ALL THIS PUBLIC OUTREACH AND WE GET ALL THIS INPUT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO CHANGE THE ROUTES, THEY JUST GET DECIMATED. THEY JUST -- IT GETS CUT, THERE'S NO PUBLIC INPUT, WHATEVER POTTS SAYS GO, AND THAT'S THE END OF IT. IT'S A RIDICULOUS POLICY. IN CLOSING, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU IT'S NOT A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE TO FIRE SOMEONE OF COLOR IF THEY'RE INCOMPETENT. THAT'S NOT A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE, AND IT'S ABOUT TIME. HART NEEDS CHANGE. YOU HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE FROM THE OLD GUARD THAT GO BACK AS FAR AS MRS. DENT, AND THOSE POLICIES STILL EXIST AND THOSE MENTALITIES STILL EXIST, AND UNTIL THAT ENDS, YOU JUST -- PAUL JUST SPOKE, HE CAN'T GET THROUGH TO ANYBODY AT HARTLINE. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD COME UP HERE AND TELL KELLY, KELLY, I'VE BEEN TRYING TEN DAYS NOW TO CANCEL MY HEALTH INSURANCE WITH HARTLINE. I SENT E-MAILS, I LEFT MESSAGES FOR LISA GANTOUS. NOBODY EVER RESPONDS TO YOU. SO I DON'T KNOW IF MY INSURANCE HAS BEEN CANCELED OR HASN'T BEEN CANCELED, SO THERE'S $500 HANGING IN THE AIR THERE THAT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. >>RONALD GOVIN: MR. SCHNELL, WE'RE PAST YOUR TIME. >> YOU GAVE ME MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. MR. ARMIJO, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH YOU SO WE CAN SIT DOWN AND HASH OUT SOME OF THESE ISSUES. MY HEART'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED IS YOU NEED TO GET A FRESH START WITH SOME FRESH PEOPLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE A GOOD DAY. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. THERE BEING NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO EMPLOYEE COMMENT, AND AT THE TOP OF THE LIST HERE WE HAVE VANESSA CEPHUS. >> GOOD MORNING. >>RONALD GOVIN: GOOD MORNING. >> HAPPY 2008 TO EVERYONE. >>RONALD GOVIN: EXCUSE ME. MR. SCHNELL, YOU WANTED ATTENTION BEFORE. I'D ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME THING AT THIS TIME. IF YOU NEED TO COMMENT TO STAFF, PLEASE DO IT PROPERLY. VANESSA, PLEASE. SORRY. >> THANK YOU. THAT'S OKAY. I'LL START OVER. HAPPY 2008 EVERYONE. 2007 WAS VERY HARD, BUT WE MADE IT THROUGH. I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR NEW VICE PRESIDENT. THAT'S GEORGE FREEMAN THAT YOU COULDN'T READ HIS NAME. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. HE NEEDS TO PUT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HE PUT HERE. >> HIS FIRST MEETING. HE'LL GET THERE. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> WE ALSO HAVE A NEW FINANCIAL SECRETARY, LOUIS GARCIA, AND A NEW FILE CLERK, BRIDGET WILLIAMS. I DON'T WANT TO NOT MENTION THEM. BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU A FEW THINGS. FIRST, LET ME START BY SAYING WE HAVE MADE STEPS TO WORK TOGETHER AT HART WITH THE MANAGEMENT TEAM AND THE EMPLOYEES TOGETHER. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A SCHEDULING GROUP WHICH HAS EMPLOYEES DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH ROUTE CHANGES AND ALSO WITH THE EMPLOYEES' SCHEDULES. WE CALL THEM "PADDLES." THAT'S HOW WE RUN A ROUTE -- YOU KNOW, HOW WE ASSIGN TO PICK UP PEOPLE OR WHATEVER. I HAD A MEETING WITH THE MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT, AND WE RESOLVED SEVERAL ISSUES THERE WITH THE HELP OF REPRESENTATIVE IVANHOE BROWN. CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN COOPERATIVE IN THE SENSE THAT WE WILL HAVE A MEETING TO RESOLVE A COUPLE OF ISSUES, ME, STEVE, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE, THAT CAME UP RECENTLY. BUT -- THERE'S ALWAYS A BUT -- WE DO STILL HAVE SOME THINGS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW EMPLOYEES WITH ISSUES. SEVERAL EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT DIFFERENT -- I'M NOT GOING TO GET SPECIFIC -- DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND THEIR ISSUES SEEM TO HAVE BEEN IGNORED. I FEEL EMPLOYEE MORALE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I UNDERSTAND GETTING MONEY TO RUN THE COMPANY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOO, BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THE END AND MIDDLE OF THE PUZZLE. GIVING A PERSON A PAYCHECK AND THEN TURNING AWAY IS LIKE SAYING LET THEM EAT CAKE? DO WE REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMPLOYEES? WHY NOT SHOW THEM THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT BY TAKING THEIR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY? NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE DISMISSED OR BELITTLED. TELLING AN EMPLOYEE THAT IT WILL BE OKAY, THEN CHANGING THEIR MIND AFTER THE ACT IS DONE LESSENS THE CREDIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT. KEEP YOUR WORD. WE ARE FORCED TO KEEP OURS, SO THE SAME SHOULD BE -- THE SAME SHOULD GO FOR MANAGEMENT. IF WE ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER, WE HAVE TO HAVE -- WE HAVE TO BE RESPECTED AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY. CUTTING OVERTIME BY SENDING EMPLOYEES HOME AFTER FOUR HOURS AND RED-LINING ROUTES OR HAVING MANAGEMENT DRIVE OUR ROUTES OR FORCING PEOPLE WHO ARE SCHEDULED TO GO HOME TO FINISH A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ROUTE FROM THEIR OWN OR MAKING DRIVERS COME FROM THE STREETCAR AND DRIVE BUSES IN STREETCAR UNIFORMS ISN'T VERY PRODUCTIVE. ALLOW THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF PEOPLE TO BE AVAILABLE SO WE ARE NOT CHAOTIC. IT'S BETTER TO WORK TOGETHER AND EVERYONE BE HAPPY THAN NOT WORK TOGETHER AND BE UNORGANIZED. BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THIS BEFORE I END. THAT WAS REALLY THE END OF WHAT I HAD TO SAY, BUT I WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOMEBODY THAT TOUCHED ME. ME AND STEVE WORKED -- I WORKED HERE SEVEN YEARS, GOING ON EIGHT, AND ALWAYS HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH STEVE ROBERTS, AND HE DID TOUCH ME RECENTLY. I LOST A CLOSE FRIEND, AND HE REACHED OUT TO ME, AND I WANTED TO JUST THANK HIM. I HOPE I'M NOT EMBARRASSING YOU. I WANT TO JUST THANK HIM OUT HERE, AND I -- AND THAT'S THE KIND OF MANAGEMENT THAT I APPRECIATE THE MOST. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU, VANESSA. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. JOHN GREEN, ATM. >> HAPPY NEW YEAR. IN WATCHING OBAMA, I FEEL INSPIRED. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU. MY ISSUES IS BASICALLY IN THE FORM OF QUESTIONS. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE HARTLINE -- IN THE ATU CONTRACT THAT HAS THE SAME LANGUAGE AS TEAMSTERS? MAYBE STEVE OR SOMEBODY CAN ANSWER THAT FOR ME. AND IF NOT, THEN THE ISSUE'S GOING TO BE IN -- I REALLY DON'T MIND THAT THE SUPERVISORS CAN COME BACK AND DRIVE AND GET THEIR SENIORITY AND ALL THAT, BUT IN KEEPING IT FAIR WITH THE COMPANY IN THE CONTRACT, I PRINTED OFF A COPY -- THERE'S TEN COPIES HERE -- THAT CAME OUT OF OUR CONTRACT IN ARTICLE 24, AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE THEM UP HERE REAL QUICK. AND IN ARTICLE 24 MAYBE I CAN GET SOME CLARIFICATION BECAUSE I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY OR ANYTHING, BUT I DO KNOW IT'S IN THIS CONTRACT. AND IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT -- UNDER SECTION 1 SAYS THAT THE AUTHORITY AGREES THAT WITH RESPECT TO THE WORK WITHIN THE CLASSIFICATION AND THE BARGAINING UNIT, SUPERVISORS OR OTHER NONBARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PERFORM WORK IN THESE CLASSIFICATIONS. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHICH CLASSIFICATION THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF IT'S THE TEAMSTERS, OR IS IT THE ATU AND THE JOBS THAT WE DO? AND THEN IT GOES ON TO READ, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BASED UPON OPERATIONAL NEEDS IN ACCORD WITH THE OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT, APPROPRIATE MEASURES WILL BE TAKEN TO FILL THE WORK WITH AVAILABLE BARGAINING UNIT EMPLOYEES. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TEAMSTERS ARE CONSIDERED BARGAINING OR NONBARGAINING. HOWEVER, THE SITUATION OCCURRED WHEN THE SUPERVISORS WERE LAID OFF DURING THE DOWNSIZING, AND I BELIEVE THAT STEVE MAY HAVE OFFERED THEM A JOB WITH MAINTENANCE. I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW. I'M JUST -- I'M A SHOP STEWARD, SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ISSUES THAT GOES ON WITH MY FELLOW EMPLOYEES. SO IF HE -- IF HE DID THAT, WHATEVER THE LANGUAGE IS IN THE TEAMSTER CONTRACT, MAYBE HE PROBABLY OFFERED THEM THAT, AND I DON'T SEE HOW THAT THEY CAN RETURN BACK TO THE BARGAINING -- THE BARGAINING UNIT CONTRACT AT THE SAME TIME, SO ON MY LAST MEETING I WAS HERE I HAD MENTIONED THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS CONSIDERED OR NOT, BUT YOU CAN CONSIDER TO READ ON, BUT MY -- THE PURPOSE OF ME BEING HERE IS JUST TO GET CLARIFICATION ON HOW IS THIS GOING TO GO. NOW, IF THIS CONTINUES TO STAND, THEN EVERYBODY WHO -- I FEEL -- AND THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION -- I FEEL ANYBODY WHO HAS BEEN LAID OFF, FIRED UNDER THIS CONTRACT SHOULD GET THEIR JOB BACK FROM THE TIME THAT THE TWO SUPERVISORS HAD CAME BACK AS WELL. THAT'S ONLY MY OPINION. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE CAN CONSIDER. NOW, ANOTHER THING IS -- >>RONALD GOVIN: ACTUALLY YOUR TIME IS UP. TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION, CAN EITHER DAVID OR OUR ATTORNEY -- >>DAVID ARMIJO: I THINK ONE, THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT FORUM TO ANSWER IT. YOU'VE GIVEN US A PIECE OF INFORMATION. I CAN REVIEW THIS AND GIVE YOU MY COMMENTS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, SO I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO HAVE A DEBATE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU SEPARATELY. WE CAN GO THROUGH THE CONTRACT AND GO THROUGH THE SEMANTICS OF IT. WE ALWAYS HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THE DRAFTING OF THAT, AND I'D WANT OUR ATTORNEY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL. >> OKAY. JUST ONE MORE COMMENT. I HAVE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY OTHER COWORKER. HE'S ALSO NOT ONLY A COWORKER, HE'S A GOOD FRIEND. HIS NAME IS MIKE BURNETT. HE WAS DOING A HEARING OR -- OR A GRIEVANCE OR -- WITH -- FOR ANOTHER -- FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING -- WHAT HAPPENED IS RALPH LAVADO -- AND THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I MENTIONED ISSUES, BUT I WAS -- THE NEXT DAY I WAS TAKEN DOWN SO I COULD TAKE A URINE TEST AND DRINK -- I DON'T DRINK AND NONE OF THAT, BUT -- JUST A JOKE, BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, RALPH HAD TOLD -- CALLED MY COWORKER A POLICE RACOON ON THE BASIS THAT HE WAS ASSISTING ANOTHER COWORKER TO THE BUS ONLY BECAUSE SHE -- A RACOON WAS OUT THERE AND SHE WAS AFRAID. I'M QUITE SURE IF IT WAS ANYBODY'S OTHER COWORKERS OR YOURS, PERHAPS, I'M QUITE SURE YOU WOULD DO THE SAME IF ANYBODY CAME UP AND SAID I'M AFRAID OF THIS ANIMAL OR WHATEVER; HOWEVER, IN THE SAME TOKEN -- MIKE BURNETT CAN VALIDATE THIS -- IS THAT RALPH ALSO SAID THAT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WAS A RAPPER AND A THUG; HOWEVER, THIS GUY HAPPENED TO BE BLACK, I FEEL OFFENDED, AND WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY APOLOGIES YET, AND HE ALSO FILED A GRIEVANCE WITH THE COMPLIANCE OFFICER, AND NOTHING HAPPENED YET, BUT HOW -- HE DID FILE OUTSIDE OF HARTLINE, SO JUST TO LET YOU KNOW -- JUST TO INFORM YOU ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT BEING THAT WE CAN'T GET ANY CONSISTENCY OR CONVERSATIONS GOING WITH MANAGEMENT. SO AT THIS TIME, WE JUST ARE STUCK, AND I'M JUST SPEAKING OUT OF FEAR, AND IF THE TRUTH HURTS, THEN I'D RATHER DEAL WITH THAT AND ENLIGHTEN EVERYBODY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT. I'M SURE STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU. >>DAVID ARMIJO: YES, WE WILL. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: NEXT IS M. STUCKEY, AGAIN ALSO FROM THE ATU. >> HI. MY NAME IS MIQUILA STUCKEY. I'M A BUS OPERATOR WITH HART, AND I AM A BUS OPERATOR FROM THE HEART. THAT'S WHY I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK UP ON A COUPLE OF ISSUES ME AND MY CO-EMPLOYEES HAVE WITH OUR EMPLOYER. I HOPE I DO NOT GET FIRED FOR STATING MY OPINION OVER HERE. NUMBER ONE, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT SICK LEAVE. AS QUOTED IN ARTICLE 37 OF THE ATU CONTRACT, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EARN SICK LEAVE, BUT IF WE NEED IT OR IF WE TAKE IT, WE GET PUNISHED. WHAT ABOUT AN EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY AS IN AN ACCIDENT, A -- OUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, WE ARE SICK, A DOCTOR SAYS WE HAVE A CONTAGIOUS DISEASE LIKE PNEUMONIA, STREP THROAT OR WHATEVER? WE GET PUNISHED IF WE HAVE TO STAY AT HOME. I SPOKE TO SEVERAL AGENCIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, LIKE TAMPA POLICE OFFICERS, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, U.S. POSTAL WORKERS, PSTA, MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT, STAR METRO IN TALLAHASSEE, AND SO ON AND ON AND ON, AND I WAS TOLD BY ALL OF THEM YOU EARN IT, YOU CAN TAKE IT. UNLESS THE COMPANY SEES A PATTERN, YOU WILL NOT GET AN OCCURRENCE. ALSO, THEY ALL HAVE UNPAID EMERGENCY DAYS WHICH WE BUS OPERATORS, MAINTENANCE, WE DON'T HAVE. THEY ARE NOT PUNISHED FOR SICK LEAVE AS HART EMPLOYEES ARE. THE SOLUTION SHOULD BE SIMPLE. RENEGOTIATE THIS ARTICLE IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF HART EMPLOYEES. MY SECOND ISSUE IS REST PERIOD. D.O.T. REGULATIONS FOR OVER-THE-ROAD TRUCK DRIVERS REQUIRE THAT THEY GET A MINIMUM OF TEN HOURS REST PERIOD. HART DOES NOT AGREE WITH THIS CONCEPT. HART OPERATORS ARE FORCED TO STAY UP TO 15 HOURS, CALLED SPREAD TIME, A DAY, UP TO 144 HOURS IN A TWO-WEEK PERIOD, IN MANY CASES LEADING TO POOR PERFORMANCE. WE ARE REQUIRED TO RETURN AFTER EIGHT HOURS TO WORK, SO WE HAVE EIGHT HOURS TO DRIVE HOME, HAVE A DECENT MEAL, TAKE A SHOWER, TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PRIVATE LIFE TOO, AND THEN WE SLEEP FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS, AND WE HAVE TO RETURN TO WORK AND PERFORM 100% BECAUSE WE ARE -- WE, THE OPERATORS -- WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY PATRON WHO SITS BEHIND US, AND I WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM BECAUSE I LOVE MY JOB. WE ARE AWARE OF OUR NEEDS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, BUT UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, IT BECOMES A CHALLENGE. THERE IS A NEED TO REEVALUATE OUR WORKING CONDITIONS AND FOR HART TO HELP US HELP THEM TO MEET OUR GOAL FOR 2008. MY LAST ISSUE, WHICH NOT ONLY ME, I'M JUST SPEAKING FOR EVERYBODY, IS THE SO-CALLED SAVINGS. HART WENT AHEAD AND LAID OFF TWO ROAD SUPERVISORS AND ONE DISPATCHER IN ORDER TO SAVE FUNDS. TWO CAME BACK AS A DRIVER, AND WE WELCOME THEM BACK AS A DRIVER, BUT THE -- ONE OF THE DRIVERS RECEIVED SENIORITY, WHICH SHE WASN'T A DRIVER FOR YEARS. EVERY BUS OPERATOR WHO LEAVES HART FOR MORE THAN SIX MONTHS LOSES THEIR SENIORITY, SO THAT PARTICULAR DRIVER, IT'S NOT PERSONAL, IT'S JUST WHAT MAKES US THINK THAT DRIVER HAS NOW A PAY INCREASE OF OVER $13,000 A YEAR. SO OUR QUESTION IS, WHY EVEN LAY THEM OFF AS ROAD SUPERVISORS, WHICH WE ARE SHORT ON THAT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE NEED OUR ROAD SUPERVISORS, OUR DISPATCH TELLS US WELL, WE'LL DEAL WITH IT, KEEP ON ROLLING, KEEP ON ROLLING, KEEP ON ROLLING, WHILE SOMETIMES WE NEED HELP TOO, AND WE THINK OUR MANAGEMENT LETS US DOWN. WHEN WE FIGHT FOR OUR RIGHTS, WE GET TOLD YES, I HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION, BUT WHY SHOULD I, I GO BY THE BOOK. AND THEN I GET TO HEAR FROM ANOTHER PERSON IN MANAGEMENT -- I'M ALMOST DONE -- I GET TO HEAR FROM ANOTHER PERSON IN MANAGEMENT, WELL, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT MEANT TO WORK FOR HART. WHAT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO MEAN? I GIVE MY 100% BEST, SO ARE MY OTHER COLLEAGUES. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THIS PARTICULAR PERSON SAT IN A BUS FOR 12 HOURS AND STILL SMILED AT THE END OF THE DAY? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO, SMILE. I MEAN, AT LEAST I TRY TO SERVE MY PATRONS, BRING THEM ON TIME WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, AND THOSE ARE MY ISSUES. I REALLY WOULD LIKE HART TO FINALLY LISTEN TO US, TO US EMPLOYEES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. IS THERE -- I CAN UNDERSTAND HER FRUSTRATIONS. IS -- WHAT WOULD BE HER PROPER PROCEDURE IN ORDER TO GET ANSWERS TO THESE? WOULD IT BE THROUGH THE UNION? >>CLARK JORDAN-HOLMES: THERE'S A WHOLE LABOR MANAGEMENT SET OF PROCEDURES, AND THAT'S THE PROPER WAY TO GO TO -- THROUGH TO FIND RESOLUTION FOR THESE ISSUES. >>DAVID ARMIJO: YEAH. ALL THE ISSUES DISCUSSED ARE PART OF THE CONTRACT. AT LEAST THE FIRST TWO ISSUES WOULD REQUIRE RENEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACT. THE THIRD ISSUE IS REALLY A QUESTION OF INTERPRETATION AND LOOKING INTO THE PARTICULAR CASE, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. WE CAN DO THAT IN MANAGEMENT. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. SO WE WILL LOOK AT THE THIRD ONE. THE FIRST TWO SHOULD BE TAKEN TO YOUR UNION MANAGEMENT AND LET THEM -- AND LET THEM -- >> WE DID THAT ALREADY. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CONTRACT, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT DOES PRESENT DIFFICULTIES FOR US. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS YOUR UNION REPRESENTATION WANTS TO ADDRESS IT. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO GEORGE FREEMAN. >> FIRST OF ALL, GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY. I'D LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS HERE TODAY. ONLY THING ABOUT IT, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THESE ISSUES BECOME PERSONAL AND ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS -- I MEAN, I THINK WHAT'S WRONG HERE IS THAT NOBODY'S REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, FORWARD-THINKING. I UNDERSTAND THE CONTRACT AND GOING THROUGH THE UNION AND EVERYTHING, BUT WHAT I SEE IS EMPLOYEES CRYING OUT -- WHICH, OKAY, WE UNDERSTAND THE CONTRACT. WE ALL SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO TRY TO MAKE HART THE MOST EFFICIENT COMPANY THAT IT POSSIBLY COULD BE, AND I'M SORRY, I'M SEEING SOME PROGRESS, BUT IT'S A LOT OF BACKWARDS THINKING, AND WE SHOULD ADDRESS THAT, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMITTEES THAT THESE GENTLEMEN HAVE SET UP TO VOICE OPINIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE DONE, NOT JUST LIP TALK, SOME ACTION, SOME SERIOUS ACTIONS AND -- SO WE CAN SHOW AND YOU GUYS CAN SHOW THAT YOU'RE SUPPORTING A POSITIVE THINKING. THE ATU UNION HAND IS HERE WAITING TO SHAKE YOURS AND MAKE THIS A GREAT COMPANY, TO SUPPLY TRANSIT FOR THE STATE OF TAMPA AND REPRESENT HILLSBOROUGH AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND PROTOCOL, I UNDERSTAND RED TAPE. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE. EVERYBODY HAS SOME OPINIONS, AND AGAIN, I APPRECIATE ALL OF THEM, AND THERE'S SOME VALID THINGS BEING SAID HERE, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE PUSHED UNDER THE TABLE BY RED TAPE AND THE CONTRACT. WE ALL SHOULD MEET AND DISCUSS ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGES THAT, AGAIN, WILL USHER IN 2008 TO MAKE THIS A STRONG COMPANY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I HAD A QUESTION. >>RONALD GOVIN: YEAH, JOHN. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: JUST PROCEDURALLY, DID WE -- THE ATU CONTRACT WAS NEGOTIATED, WHAT, LAST YEAR? IS THAT -- >>DAVID ARMIJO: THAT'S CORRECT. >> YEAH. IT EXPIRES IN 2010. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD SOME CHANGES WITHIN THE SENIOR LEVEL OF THE ATU SINCE THEN. IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING? >> THAT'S CORRECT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. AND I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THIS PROCESS TO TWEAK OR BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO EVER AMEND THE CONTRACT AS YOU GO ALONG? AND EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE. I'M NOT REALLY, YOU KNOW, BIG ON UNION STUFF. >>DAVID ARMIJO: LET'S ALSO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING A ONE-SIDED APPROACH HERE. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I UNDERSTAND. AND THAT'S WHY I SAID BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY -- AND WE HAVE TWO NEW THINGS GOING ON. WE HAVE NEW MANAGEMENT WITH YOU, DAVID -- >>DAVID ARMIJO: CORRECT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: -- AND WE HAVE NEW MANAGEMENT WITH THE ATU, SO ARE THERE LEGAL WAYS TO GO IN AND TWEAK CERTAIN ISSUES THAT MIGHT NEED ADDRESSING BY MUTUAL AGREEMENT? >>DAVID ARMIJO: YES, THAT'S CORRECT. WE COULD DO THAT THROUGH AN ADDENDUM TO THE CONTRACT OR THROUGH A REOPENING OF THE NEGOTIATION OF THE CONTRACT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME MAJOR REOPENING AND -- YOU, BECAUSE THAT EXPENDS A LOT OF YOUR TIME AND THEIR TIME AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT CLEARLY IF THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT MIGHT NEED SOME RENEGOTIATING, I THINK THAT -- OR AT LEAST DISCUSSING, I THINK AS MANAGEMENT I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT, AND -- YOU KNOW, AND IF THERE'S LEGAL OPPORTUNITIES TO AMEND THE AGREEMENT AND TWEAK UP SOME OF THESE ISSUES -- LISTEN, IT'S A TWO-SIDED THING. I MEAN, THERE MIGHT BE SOME THINGS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO TWEAK, YOU KNOW, ON THIS SIDE OF THE EQUATION AND THINGS ON THEIR SIDE OF EQUATION AND WE COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER, SO I'LL JUST THROW THAT OUT THERE. I'M NOT GOING TO TRY AND MICROMANAGE THOSE KIND OF DETAILS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO DO THAT. >>RONALD GOVIN: MR. BOWERS. >>WALLACE BOWERS: YES, I AGREE WITH JOHN, BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT AMENDING ANYTHING, I WOULD JUST WONDER IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE THAT WE HAVE THE LEADERS OF THE ATU AND THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF HART TO SIT DOWN AND TRY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT -- WHAT THE CONTRACT IS SAYING AND THE RESTRICTIONS AND OBLIGATIONS ON BOTH PARTIES, AND ONCE I THINK YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING, IT MAY RESOLVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. I THINK IT'S A SUGGESTION, AND -- >>DAVID ARMIJO: WE'LL CERTAINLY TAKE THAT SUGGESTION NOW, AND WE DO HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THE UNION, AND WE'RE ALREADY ADOPTING A NUMBER OF TASK FORCE. WE'RE ADDRESSING -- VIRTUALLY ALL THE ISSUES UNDER DISCUSSION TODAY ARE UNDER REVIEW, SO WE'LL CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO MOVE THAT ALONG. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OKAY. WE ARE DOWN TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR ONE, WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE EDWARD GIUNTA II AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, AND HE SERVED FOR TWO YEARS, FROM 2005 TO 2007, AND LEFT US ONLY BECAUSE HE HAD A CONFLICT OF SERVING TOO MUCH IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND HAD TO GIVE UP ONE BOARD REPRESENTATION, SO WE WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU, EDWARD. IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP. [APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE] DON'T BREAK IT ON THE WAY OUT THE DOOR. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I VERY MUCH ENJOYED MY TIME SERVING ON HART. YOU GUYS HAVE SOME TOUGH CHALLENGES AHEAD GIVEN THE BUDGET ISSUES THAT ARE POTENTIALLY FORTHCOMING. I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING AS YOU MOVE FORWARD AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU, EDWARD. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT. WE'RE INTO THE REGULAR MEETING. UNFORTUNATELY, WE STILL DON'T HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE CAN'T VOTE, BUT WE CERTAINLY CAN CONDUCT THE BUSINESS, AND HOPEFULLY THOSE THAT ARE NOT HERE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THESE PRESENTATIONS ON TELEVISION. SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO INTO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WHICH IS CONTROLLING OPERATING COSTS. IT'S WHAT ALL OF US TRY TO DO, DON'T WE, WITH OUR BUDGETS AT HOME AND AT WORK, AS THE CASE MAY BE, SO LET'S LISTEN. >>BOB POTTS: THANK YOU, MR. GOVIN. IN FRONT OF YOU, THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE COPIES OF THE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING. WE'D LIKE TO GET THIS UP ON THE SCREEN FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC. I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT HAPPENS. WE HAVE IT UP. >> IT'S UP. >>BOB POTTS: IT'S UP. OKAY. THANK YOU. IN PREPARATION FOR THE 2009 BUDGET PROCESS, HART STAFF IS IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING OPPORTUNITIES TO MORE EFFECTIVELY CONTROL AND REDUCE OPERATING COSTS. THE THREE MAJOR FACTORS IMPACTING OPERATING COSTS THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED THIS MORNING INVOLVE TURNOVER, ABSENTEEISM, AND OVERTIME. THIS SLIDE SHOWS THAT THE WAGE AND BENEFIT EXPENSES FOR THE ATU AND THE THREE DIVISIONS, BUS PARATRANSIT AND MAINTENANCE. THESE MAKE UP THE LARGEST SHARE OF THE HART OPERATING BUDGET. THE PIE CHART ON THE LEFT SHOWS 18% OF THE WAGES PAID TO THESE THREE GROUPS IN FISCAL YEAR '07 WAS COMPRISED OF OVERTIME PAYMENTS. THE CHART ON THE RIGHT SHOWS THE OVERTIME PAID, THE LARGEST BEING IN THE BUS OPERATION DIVISION, 72%. SINCE THIS GROUP REPRESENTS THE LARGEST OPPORTUNITY FOR COST SAVINGS, OUR FOCUS THIS MORNING -- ON THIS MORNING'S PRESENTATION WILL INCLUDE THE BUS OPERATING DIVISION. THERE ARE MULTIPLE INTERRELATED CHALLENGES CONNECTED WITH CONTROLLING BUS OPERATOR EXPENSES, ONE BEING THE ANNUAL AVERAGE NUMBER OF OPERATORS IS OFTEN BELOW REQUIRED LEVELS, PRIMARILY DUE TO TURNOVER. THE SECOND CHALLENGE IS THAT A SHORTAGE OF BUS OPERATORS CAUSES STAFF TO BUILD HIGHER LEVELS OF SCHEDULED OVERTIME INTO BID WORK ASSIGNMENTS TO COVER SERVICE DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS, AND FINALLY EXCESSIVE ABSENTEEISM RESULTS IN HIGHER LEVELS OF UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME THAT MUST OFTEN BE COVERED BY THE [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] AND PR REQUIRES US TO HAVE REGULAR OPERATORS WORK ADDITIONAL HOURS TO PROTECT SERVICE. THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE LEVEL OF PAID OVERTIME AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL WORK TIME. OVERTIME PAYMENTS HAVE REMAINED HIGH FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AT A RATE OF 20% OR GREATER. THE DOLLAR AMOUNT PAID IN OVERTIME EXPENSES FOR FISCAL YEAR '07 WAS IN EXCESS OF $2 MILLION. REDUCING THE NEED FOR THE LEVEL OF OVERTIME PAYMENTS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY TO REDUCE OPERATING COSTS. FOR EXAMPLE, IF OVERTIME EXPENSES THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR WERE REDUCED BY 1/3 FOR INSTANCE, THE COST SAVINGS REALIZED WOULD HAVE BEEN IN EXCESS OF $700,000. TOTAL UNSCHEDULED ABSENCE HOURS HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. IN FY 07 IT WAS APPROACHING 80,000 HOURS. UNSCHEDULED ABSENCE HOURS INCLUDE SEVERAL CATEGORIES OF TIME OFF DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES SUCH AS SICK TIME, WORKERS' COMP, AND FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT OCCURRENCES, AND DUE TO ABSENTEEISM LEVELS, HART ROUTINELY MAINTAINS AN EXTRA BOARD LEVEL EQUIVALENT TO 18% OF THE REQUIRED OPERATORS NECESSARY TO DELIVER SERVICE. THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS ABSENCES RELATED TO THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT, AND IN THIS CATEGORY, OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS WE'VE CONSISTENTLY SHOWN AN EXPERIENCE OF CLOSE TO -- ON THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR 40% OF ALL UNSCHEDULED ABSENCE HOURS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO FMLA. THIS NEXT SLIDE SHOWS OUR EXPERIENCE WITH TURNOVER. IN FY 07 HART EXPERIENCED A TURNOVER PERCENTAGE OF 22.63%. AND THIS CERTAINLY HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR OPERATING COSTS TO REPLACE AND PREPARE A BUS OPERATOR FOR WORK. IT'S CALCULATED TO BE IN EXCESS OF $10,000. TO REDUCE OVERTIME, STAFF HAS SEVERAL PLANS IN PLACE. ONE IS TO ADJUST BUS OPERATOR STAFFING LEVELS, ENHANCE SCHEDULING PRACTICES, AND OBTAIN RELATED TECHNICAL SUPPORT. PLANS ARE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY TO PROCURE NEW SCHEDULING SOFTWARE THAT WILL ALLOW STAFF SCHEDULERS TO MODEL VARIOUS WORK ASSIGNMENT SCENARIOS AND DETERMINE THE MOST COST- EFFICIENT OPERATOR SCHEDULES WITH OPTIMUM MANPOWER LEVELS. USE OF THE SOFTWARE WILL ALSO ASSIST STAFF IN MINIMIZING BUILT-IN OVERTIME AND MORE ACCURATELY CALCULATE THE NEEDED NUMBER OF OPERATORS TO PERFORM THE MAJORITY OF WORK ASSIGNMENTS AS STRAIGHT TIME. STAFF ALSO PLANS TO OBTAIN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO CONDUCT AN OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS IN THE SPRING. THIS WILL INVOLVE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT SERVICE DESIGN, EVALUATION OF ROUTE PRODUCTIVITY, TRANSFER OF CONNECTIVITY, AND DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS SERVICE DELIVERY OPTIONS BASED ON FUNDING AVAILABILITY. IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING ABSENTEEISM, STAFF INTENDS TO ACCELERATE ITS EFFORTS TO PARTNER WITH ATU UNION STEWARDS TO PROVIDE COUNSELING TO EMPLOYEES WITH ATTENDANCE PROBLEMS AND EVALUATE THE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OF AN ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES ON A QUARTERLY BASIS. AND FINALLY, IN CLOSING, IN ADDITION TO THIS PRESENTATION, AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE AND THE BUDGET-BUILDING PROCESS, WE WILL BE COMING TO THE BOARD TO DISCUSS SUCH TOPICS AS ABSENTEEISM, TURNOVER, AND I'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON THE OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE THIS SPRING. AND STEVE AND I WILL BE GLAD TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE IN CONNECTION WITH THIS PRESENTATION. >> IF I COULD ADD A COUPLE OF KEY POINTS TO THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BOB AND STEVE, FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER. I THINK THIS PRESENTATION KIND OF HELPS SET THE GROUNDWORK AS WE GO INTO THE BUDGET CYCLE AND AS WE LOOK TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH WITH THE REFERENDUM THAT'S AHEAD OF US. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME, ESSENTIALLY IT'S 77,000 HOURS, AND THAT'S CONTINUING TO GROW. THAT REQUIRES ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL 80 BODIES -- AN ADDITIONAL 80 -- OR EXCUSE ME, 40 ATEs. THAT'S THE MAIN PART OF THE COST THAT WE HAVE THE STRUCTURE INTO THE FRAMEWORK OF THE BUDGET, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WANT TO LOOK AT TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. BUT IT'S REALLY THE UNSCHEDULED OVERTIME THAT'S BUILT INTO OUR SCHEDULES BECAUSE HISTORICALLY WE HAVE SUFFERED FROM NOT HAVING ENOUGH STAFFING TO DO THE WORK TO MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT AS WE GO FORWARD. THE TURNOVER RATE IS REALLY AFFECTED BY AND LARGE BASED ON WHAT WE'RE PAYING. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY IS THERE'S A TENDENCY TO PAY A LITTLE LESS TO START THE WAGES OFF. WE PAY ABOUT 11.85, TOP WAGE IS ABOVE 18. THE REALITY IS WHEN YOU'RE SHORT, YOU'RE NOT PAYING THE 11.85 FOR THE PERSON WHO'S NOT THERE AND YOU'RE NOT PAYING THE 18 EITHER. YOU'RE ACTUALLY PAYING MORE LIKE 27 BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING TIME AND A HALF, AND YOU TEND TO PAY IT AT THE TOP RATE. THE REALITY IS HAVING A LOWER STARTING WAGE ACTUALLY WORKS AGAINST US. WE'RE DOING SOME ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW. IT APPEARS THAT WE'RE LOSING ABOUT HALF OF OUR PEOPLE WITHIN THAT FIRST YEAR OR TWO, SO WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF TRAINING PEOPLE TO GET COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE TO GO WORK FOR SOMEBODY ELSE, SO AS WE LOOK AT THE STRUCTURE OF - - CERTAINLY OF OUR CONTRACT THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE AN AREA OF DISCUSSION AND SOME ADDITIONAL ATTENTION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS WE GO FORWARD, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>RONALD GOVIN: ANYBODY ELSE MR. DINGFELDER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: JUST A FEW QUESTIONS. ON THE -- ABOUT THE THIRD SLIDE, THE 77,000 HOURS TOTAL UNSCHEDULED ABSENCE HOURS, IS THE FMLA, THE FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT HOURS, PART OF THAT 77,000? >>BOB POTTS: YES, SIR, ABOUT 40%. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: SO LOOKING AT THE NEXT SLIDE, THE FMLA LOOKS LIKE IT'S INCREASING AND PERHAPS CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT? >>BOB POTTS: IT SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK WILL BE ADDRESSED IN A FUTURE PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD. STEVE, YOU MIGHT HAVE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS SINCE YOU DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: YEAH. WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF ABSENTEEISM, AND ABSENTEEISM FOR US UNSCHEDULED. WE SCHEDULE WHAT WE NEED. WE SCHEDULE OUR VACATIONS, WE SCHEDULE FOR EMPLOYEES TO BE OFF FOR APPOINTMENTS, THEY CAN COME IN AND BOOK IN ADVANCE, BUT THE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T SCHEDULE FOR ARE WHEN SOMEONE CALLS IN ILL OR THEY'RE ON A LEAVE OF ABSENCE, MILITARY LEAVE, JURY DUTY, SUCH THINGS AS JUST BEING LATE, WORK COMP, FMLA. ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER ADD UP TO US BEING REQUIRED TO CARRY ABOUT 18%, THE NUMBER OF OPERATORS, SO IF YOU'VE GOT 300 OPERATORS, THERE'S ABOUT 53 OF THEM -- ADDITIONAL ONES ON TOP OF THE 300 THAT ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE MORNING WHEN WE HAVE A SHORTAGE BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T COME TO WORK THAT WE CAN COVER THAT WORK. WE'RE UNIQUE, YOU KNOW. WE HAVE A SCHEDULE. WE'VE SAID WE'RE GOING TO BE OUT THERE. THE PUBLIC'S STANDING THERE BY THAT STOP SIGN WAITING FOR THAT BUS TO COME, SO WE HAVE TO ROLL. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: STEVE, HOW DOES THE 18% COMPARE TO OTHER SYSTEMS IN NASHVILLE, MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES? >>STEVEN ROBERTS: IT'S VARIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. I'VE SEEN FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO, WE WERE PROBABLY AROUND 14%, SO IT'S BEEN ON A GROWTH MODE FOR US. WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE AT 20. MANY LARGE PROPERTIES RUN ANYWHERE BETWEEN, SAY, 14 AND 20, 21, 22% BECAUSE I'VE SEEN IT THAT HIGH. IT'S A NATIONAL PROBLEM. IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO US. >>DAVID ARMIJO: WE SHOULD TRY NOT TO CONFUSE. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS HERE. WHEN WE SCHEDULE, WHAT STEVE WAS SAYING IS WE SCHEDULE ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WON'T COME IN. NOW, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY BAD. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THEIR LEAVE, ANNUAL LEAVE, CALL IN FOR SICK LEAVE, ALL THOSE THINGS, SO WE SCHEDULE 20% TO COVER FOR THAT. WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE'RE PAYING FOR THAT 20%, AND ON TOP OF THAT AN ADDITIONAL 23% OR NOW 20% IN OVERTIME ABOVE AND BEYOND, SO IT'S LIKE WE HAVE TWO EXTRA BOARDS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE REAL COST IS COMING IN, AND THAT'S THAT $2 MILLION OF OVERTIME THAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE EARLIER SLIDE THAT WE'LL NEED TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES, AND PART OF THAT COMES INTO HOW WE STAFF, MAINTAIN A FULL -- FULLY STAFFED DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE DON'T DEGRADE OR ERODE OUR EXTRA BOARD BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT-STAFFED. THAT'S THE FIRST STEP. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: VERY COMPLEX. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: AND THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I THINK -- AND YOU EVEN ALLUDE TO IT FURTHER BACK IN THE PRESENTATION THAT THE UNION -- WE COULD WORK WITH THE UNION -- >>STEVEN ROBERTS: CORRECT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: -- TO ACHIEVE SOME OF THESE THINGS, TO FIND OUT WHY THE FMLA IS INCREASING. SOMEBODY SAID THEY GET PENALIZED FOR TAKING SICK LEAVE, WHICH I FIND A LITTLE HARD TO -- YOU KNOW, TO GRASP. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: WE COUNT HOW MANY TIMES SOMEONE TAKES OFF ILL. THAT'S NOT A PENALTY, IT'S JUST A TRACKING PROCESS. BUT AT SOME POINT IF YOU'RE NOT COMING TO WORK, THEN IT AFFECTS YOU AND IT GETS INTO A DISCIPLINE ISSUE ONCE YOU ABUSE IT. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THIS PAST SUNDAY, WE HAD 48 PIECES OF WORK ON A SUNDAY MORNING. WE HAD 30 PEOPLE CALL OFF FOR VARIOUS REASONS, EITHER ILL OR LONG-TERM OR WORK COMP OR WHATEVER. WE COVERED 30 PIECES OF WORK OUT OF 48 ON SUNDAY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: WHAT WAS THAT, NEW YEAR'S EVE OR SOMETHING? >>STEVEN ROBERTS: NO, SIR, THIS PAST SUNDAY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: SOMEWHERE RIGHT AROUND NEW YEAR'S. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: YESTERDAY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I KNOW. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE PICKING IN TERMS OF - - >>STEVEN ROBERTS: I COULD TAKE ANY DAY AND SHOW YOU SEVERAL NUMBERS, SIR. THAT'S THE THING WE'RE DEALING WITH, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE COME TO YOU [INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK] >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THE OTHER THING I HAD A QUESTION OF IS IN TERMS OF EXIT INTERVIEWS. WE SAY WE'RE LOSING HALF THE FOLKS WE'RE TRAINING. WHAT -- AND I WOULD ASSUME THERE'S AN EXIT INTERVIEW. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: I ASSUME SO, AND HR WILL BE COMING WITH A PRESENTATION AT SOME POINT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES WITH YOU. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. SO HAVE WE BEEN DOING THAT? >>STEVEN ROBERTS: YES, WE DO, AND, YOU KNOW, WE SEE VARIOUS REASONS ACROSS THE CHART. MANY PEOPLE LEAVE BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE WORK, THEY DON'T LIKE THE HOURS, THEY FIND OTHER JOBS, THEY MOVE TO OTHER PLACES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: ONE THING WE DO IN THE CITY WITH THE TPD AND -- I THINK TPD AND FIRE -- AND ROSE, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER THIS -- IS, YOU KNOW, WE GIVE FREE TRAINING, VERY VALUABLE TRAINING -- I THINK IT'S MAINLY FIRE, I THINK -- WE GIVE VERY VALUABLE TRAINING THAT OBVIOUSLY THEY CAN TAKE THAT TRAINING AND GO ELSEWHERE, BUT WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY SIGN SOME TYPE OF COMMITMENT LETTER IF WE GIVE IT TO THEM FOR FREE, AND THEN WITH THAT COMMITMENT, THERE'S ALSO A COMMITMENT THAT IF THEY LEAVE WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, THEY HAVE TO PAY IT BACK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I DON'T KNOW. THAT PROBABLY RELATES AGAIN TO THE CONTRACT. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: WE HAVE SIMILAR LANGUAGE FOR THE CDL DRIVER'S LICENSE. IF YOU LEAVE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR, YOU HAVE TO PAY BACK THE COST OF THAT. BUT IF THEY BOOK OFF SICK FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS AND DON'T HAVE A PAYCHECK COMING, THEN THERE'S NOTHING TO TAKE IT FROM, SO VERY OFTEN, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECOVER THAT PARTICULAR COST IN OUR CASE. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE FMLA. I KNOW YOU'RE COUNTING IT IN HERE AS ABSENTEEISM, BUT IN ACTUALITY, I DON'T THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALLS IT THAT. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: IT'S NOT COUNTED AS ABSENTEEISM AS FAR AS THE PURPOSES OF TRACKING FOR DISCIPLINE, IT'S JUST ABSENTEE HOURS, COUNTING HOURS THAT WE HAD TO COVER. WE'RE NOT USING THOSE INSTANCES OF FMLA. WHEN AN EMPLOYEE CALLS IN, IT DOES NOT COUNT AS AN ABSENCE OCCURRENCE AGAINST THEM FOR TRACKING PURPOSES FOR DISCIPLINE. >>RONALD GOVIN: THERE'S PROVISIONS ON FMLA THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE YOU A TWO-WEEK NOTICE BEFORE THEY CAN GET IT. NOW, THAT'S -- THAT'S FEDERAL LAW AND A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF FEDERAL LAW, AND IF THAT'S NOT FULFILLED, IT SHOULDN'T BE GIVEN. >>STEVEN ROBERTS: WELL, I THINK, ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND PART OF LOOKING AT THE OVERALL ISSUE, SO I'M SURE THAT WE'RE DOING A LOT OF THAT. THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER STEPS THAT WE COULD DO ALSO. >>RONALD GOVIN: BUT ANYHOW, IT SEEMS TO ME IF THEY GIVE YOU THAT TWO-WEEK NOTICE, WHICH WAS PUT IN THERE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ONE OF THE FEW THINGS OF WISDOM THAT THEY DO FROM TIME TO TIME, IT -- IT DOES ALLOW YOU TO PLAN. NOW, YOU KNOW, I RUN A COMPANY OF ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE, AND IT IS DIFFICULT ONE PERSON ON FMLA, SO I COULD IMAGINE WHAT IT IS FOR US, BUT NONETHELESS, AT LEAST WITH THE PLANNING TOOL OF TWO WEEKS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK BETTER, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT GIVING YOU THAT NOTICE AND WE'RE GIVING FMLA, THEN WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT BECAUSE IT CREATES ABUSE OF THE FMLA IF YOU DO THAT, AND THEN SECONDLY, FMLA DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT THEY COME BACK ON THE SAME JOB, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE -- AND I FIND MYSELF STRETCHED TO TRY TO DO THAT WITH MY EMPLOYEES WHEN THEY TAKE FMLA, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THEM BACK IN THE SAME JOB. YOU SIMPLY ARE GUARANTEEING A JOB IS ALL FMLA GIVES TO THE EMPLOYEE. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS THAT WE DON'T GET SO GENEROUS WITH IT THAT WE EXCEED THE LIMITS THAT FEDERAL LAW HAS PUT OUT THERE. BUT ANYWAY, I JUST THINK A GOOD EXAMINATION OF FMLA WOULD BE CRITICAL BECAUSE IT SURE IS A CHUNK OF THE PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORWARD HERE. 40%, THAT'S BIG BUCKS. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT, AND ABSENTEEISM IS -- IT'S HORRIBLE, IT'S HORRIBLE. I MEAN, OURS HERE, IT'S A CONSTANT FIGHT, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DO -- YOU KNOW, I HIGHLY SUPPORT THAT WE TRY AND DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO ENCOURAGE AN IMPROVEMENT IN ABSENTEEISM. >>DAVID ARMIJO: GREAT. THANK YOU. WE'LL BE COMING BACK WITH MORE DETAILS IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. >> THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. SECOND PRESENTATION IS THE IN-TOWN TROLLEY, THE GREEN LINE. >>JILL CAPPADORO: THANK YOU. I'LL ASK FOR THAT SAME SUPPORT FROM UPSTAIRS IF I MAY. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: I DON'T -- I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A QUORUM, DO WE? >> YES. >>RONALD GOVIN: OR DO WE? OR IS THAT A GOOD QUESTION? >> WELL, SIX OUT OF 11, YES. >>RONALD GOVIN: SIX OUT OF 11. >>DAVID ARMIJO: ON THE BOARD. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THAT WOULD BE A QUORUM. >>DAVID ARMIJO: [INAUDIBLE] >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. WE'LL HAVE TO ASK THE ATTORNEY WHEN HE COMES BACK, BUT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A 12-MEMBER BOARD, BUT WE'RE ONE SHORT, SO -- >> OH, MAYBE THAT'S WHY. >>RONALD GOVIN: -- SIX WOULD BE -- YEAH -- SOME QUESTION AS TO WHETHER WE ARE. WE ARE A QUORUM OF THE 11 BUT NOT A QUORUM OF THE 12. SO WE'LL WAIT UNTIL HE COMES BACK FOR THAT. LET'S GO AHEAD WITH THE IN-TOWN TROLLEY. >>JILL CAPPADORO: THANK YOU. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, JILL CAPPADORO. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND MARKETING, AND I'LL ENTERTAIN YOU JUST FOR A BRIEF FEW MINUTES UNTIL WE GET OUR ANSWER. WANTED TO FILL YOU IN MORE ABOUT SOME NEWLY LAUNCHED SERVICE, OUR DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION, AND THAT IS OUR IN-TOWN TROLLEY AND WHAT WE CALL OUR NETWORK OF SERVICES. WHEN WE SPEAK AT HART ABOUT OUR IN-TOWN SERVICES, WE'RE SPEAKING MOST SPECIFICALLY TO OUR IN-TOWN TROLLEY GREEN LINE, WHICH NOW OPERATES ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENINGS FROM 6:00 A.M. TILL 2:00 A.M. WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT OUR IN-TOWN TROLLEY PURPLE LINE, WHICH CONNECTS FOLKS DURING THE WEEKDAYS IN THE MORNINGS AND EVENINGS BETWEEN DOWNTOWN PARKING VENUES AND RESIDENTIAL VENUES WITH OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESS CORE. OUR TECO LINE STREETCAR SYSTEM, WHICH TRAVELS BETWEEN DOWNTOWN TAMPA, THE CHANNEL DISTRICT, AND YBOR CITY, AS WELL AS OUR MARION STREET TRANSIT PARKWAY, WHICH IS A FREE FARE ZONE. IT TRAVELS NORTH AND SOUTH SERVICE BETWEEN -- ALONG MARION STREET BETWEEN WHITING STREET TO THE SOUTH AND OUR MARION TRANSIT CENTER TO THE NORTH, AND IT'S USED BY FOLKS TO HOP BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND THE TRANSIT CENTER AS A MEANS OF CONNECTING TO DIFFERENT VENUES ALONG THAT CORRIDOR. WE -- THE HART HAS BEEN WORKING ON -- OR MOVING TOWARDS THE FUTURE IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. ONE, THE REORGANIZATION OF OUR DOWNTOWN CIRCULATORS, RESULTING FROM RECENT BUDGET CONSTRAINTS AND ANTICIPATED BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. WE BEGAN WITH THE NEW SERVICE DESIGN THAT ACCOMMODATES THE CURRENT CIRCULATION NEEDS. IT PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE IN RESIDENTIAL GROWTH AND ALSO HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE CITY OF TAMPA, THE IN-TOWN TROLLEYS, AS A MEANS OF SUPPORTING THE CITY'S NEWLY LAUNCHED PARKING PROGRAM. A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR TIMELINE. WE BEGAN REALLY -- HART WAS ONE OF MANY PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE MPO'S DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION STUDY, AND FROM THAT STUDY IT WAS IDENTIFIED THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR IMPROVING AND CONTINUING TO BUILD UPON OUR CIRCULATION IN THE DOWNTOWN CORE. WE WORKED CLOSELY, HART HAS, WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW THE CITY HAS -- IN IDENTIFYING THIS, THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION AND TRANSPORTATION TROLLEY AS A WAY OF PROVIDING, AGAIN, CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND PARKING, THE CITY HAS APPROVED IN SEPTEMBER AS PART OF IT'S 2008 BUDGET, $204,000 TO COVER THE COSTS OF OPERATING THE IN- TOWN TROLLEY GREEN LINE, THE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENING SERVICE. HART BEGAN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS ALONG AND NEAR THE LINE OVER A TEN-MONTH PERIOD, AND IN LATE NOVEMBER WE LAUNCHED THE NEW GREEN LINE. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY EVENINGS, AGAIN, FROM 6:00 P.M. TO 2:00 A.M., AND WE HAVE ONE LAST TRIP THAT DEPARTS FROM SOUTHERN TRANSPORTATION PLAZA AS -- TO CONNECT FROM THE LAST TRIP ON THE STREETCAR LINE, LEAVES AT 2:30 IN THE MORNING AND HEADS UP TO THE HOTELS AND THE CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT. I'VE PROVIDED YOU EACH WITH A MAP YOU CAN SPEND MORE TIME WITH BUT JUST TO SHOW YOU HOW WHAT AREAS THAT WE'RE COVERING, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN CORE, THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS, THE EMERGING CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICTS AS WELL. I'VE ALSO LEFT WITH YOU AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE MANY PARTNERSHIPS WE HAVE UNDERWAY, AND ONE OF THOSE IS IN CO- PROMOTING WITH -- THE TAMPA TRIBUNE HAS STEPPED FORWARD AND BEEN A VERY STRONG ADVOCATE IN HELPING US TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE IN-TOWN TROLLEY SERVICES. WE LAUNCHED -- THE FIRST TWO WEEKENDS OF THIS ROUTE WERE LAUNCHED WITH FREE FARE DAYS, AND WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, THE TAMPA TRIBUNE, AND THOSE BUSINESSES AROUND AND NEAR THE GREEN LINE TO PROMOTE THIS SERVICE. WE PROMOTED HEAVILY LOOKING FOR EXAMPLE WITH THE HOLLY JOLLY TROLLEY HOP TIED IN WITH THE FRIDAY EVENING ACTIVITIES THAT ARE DOWN BY THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP. THEY HAVE THE FRIDAY -- EXCUSE ME -- FRIDAYS ALIVE AFTER 5:00, AND THIS IS AN ACTIVITY WHERE ONE FRIDAY EVERY MONTH THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP HEAVILY PROMOTES WITH OUTDOOR MUSIC AND SOME ACTIVITIES AND ENCOURAGES FOLKS TO STAY DOWNTOWN, STAY AND PLAY, DINE, TAKE IN THE MOVIES, TAKE IN OUR CULTURAL ARTS, AND WE TIED IN WITH THAT EVENT WITH OUR HOLLY JOLLY TROLLEY HOP, AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS YOU'LL SEE, THESE ARE PERFORMERS FROM "HAIRSPRAY" WHO CAME AND RODE ON- LINE AND INTERACTED WITH OUR PATRONS. KIND OF ADDED A LITTLE BIT OF ENTERTAINMENT WHILE THEY WERE ONBOARD. WE ALSO HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER, THE FORUM, VARIOUS HOTELS PROMOTING TO THEM AND EDUCATING THEM ABOUT -- THEY'RE SELLING THE IN-TOWN TROLLEY AS A WAY OF CONNECTING BETWEEN DOWNTOWN PARKING AND HOLIDAY VENUES, SO THOSE EVENTS THAT WERE HELD AT OUR DOWNTOWN HOTELS AND LARGER VENUES FOR HOLIDAY FUNCTIONS, CORPORATE PARTIES, WERE USING OUR SERVICES TO CONNECT BETWEEN PARKING AND THEIR PARTY LOCATIONS. WE ALSO ARE CONTINUING TO PROMOTE HEAVILY DURING OUR HOLIDAY FEST, WHICH IS DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DOWNTOWN ATTRACTIONS ASSOCIATION. WE PROMOTE HEAVILY WITHIN OUR CJ PUBLISHER'S IN-TOWN TAMPA GUIDE AND MAP. THAT'S 250,000 PUBLICATIONS QUARTERLY, A MILLION A YEAR. WE WORKED CLOSELY IN OUR ADVERTISING, AND OUR MAP IS FEATURED IN THE DOWNTOWN TAMPA -- EXCUSE ME, THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIPS' GUIDEBOOK, AND AGAIN, CONTINUING TO PARTNER AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THE TAMPA TRIBUNE FOR TRADE ADVERTISEMENTS. WE ARE ALSO ADVERTISING REGULARLY AS PART OF OUR -- WE -- EXCUSE ME. I LEFT WITH YOU ALSO A NEWLY CREATED BROCHURE, WHICH IS OUR -- PROMOTES OUR TROLLEY, STREETCAR, AND PARKING MAP. WE WORKED WITH THE BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY THE RESTAURANTS, AND DID CHECK STUFFERS TO PROMOTE THE LAUNCH OF THIS NEW SERVICE. WE HAVE POSTERS AND MAPS THAT ARE DISPLAYED FROM CONCIERGE DESKS AND KEY HIGH-TRAFFIC LOCATIONS AROUND DOWNTOWN HOTELS, THE FORUM, THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS ALONG AND NEAR THE LINE. THEY'RE PROMOTING THESE SERVICES THROUGH THEIR WEB SITES AND E-MAIL BLASTS. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO NURTURE. I'VE MENTIONED THEM A NUMBER OF TIMES ALREADY, THE TAMPA TRIBUNE, TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, THE CITY OF TAMPA, BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS ALONG AND NEAR THE LINES. AND OUR NEXT STEPS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD RIDERSHIP AND TO EXPAND THE SERVICE HOURS THAT WE PROVIDE IS TO WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, CONTINUING TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION. WE'LL BE SOLICITING -- WE ARE SOLICITING PRIVATE-SECTOR SPONSORSHIP TO HELP US EXPAND THE NUMBER OF DAYS AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF THE SERVICE. WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO ASSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THEIR NEEDS AND TO IDENTIFY FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW SERVICE AND TO BUILD RIDERSHIP. AND WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR AUDIENCE. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS IS -- WE'VE CERTAINLY GOTTEN A LOT OF GOOD COMMENTS ON THIS IN THE NEWS MEDIA. >>JILL CAPPADORO: VERY GOOD. >>RONALD GOVIN: AND GOSH, IT'S A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS THING, I THINK, FOR TAMPA. >>JILL CAPPADORO: ALL WE REALLY HEAR MOST OFTEN IS THEY WANT MORE. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: I'M SURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JILL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HAS THE QUESTION OF WHETHER WE HAVE A QUORUM OR NOT BEEN ANSWERED? >>DAVID ARMIJO: APPARENTLY WE DON'T HAVE ONE. >> NO, YOU DON'T BECAUSE YOU NEED SEVEN. >>RONALD GOVIN: EVEN THOUGH ONE IS TECHNICALLY NOT AVAILABLE? ALL RIGHT. THERE IS NO QUORUM, SO THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO SKIP ITEMS 1 AND 2. CANNOT DO THOSE BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALL REQUIRE BUSINESS DECISIONS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: MR. CHAIRMAN. >>RONALD GOVIN: YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: CAN I ASK A QUESTION ON 2-B, AND THAT WAY NEXT MONTH -- >>RONALD GOVIN: THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS OR MOTION, PLEASE LET'S ASK THEM NOW AND GIVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PROPER ANSWER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: RIGHT. IT MIGHT RESULT -- ON 2-B, DAVID, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S YOURS OR NOT. THE -- THIS IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD A NEW CONTRACT, A 15-YEAR CONTRACT TO A COMPANY FOR BUS SHELTER ADVERTISING. I'VE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF THIS FROM THE BEGINNING AND SHEPHERDED IT A LITTLE BIT THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AS WE WENT OVER THERE, SO I'M DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF IT, BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS -- A COUPLE QUESTIONS. IT IS A LONG-TERM CONTRACT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BIG UP-FRONT INVESTMENT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE VENDOR, SO IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A LONG-TERM CONTRACT. THIS IS 15 YEARS WITH A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL PAST THAT, I GUESS. I WAS A LITTLE BIT SURPRISED THAT WE ONLY GOT TWO RESPONSES TO THE RFP; IS THAT CORRECT? >>DAVID PERSAUD: YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. WAS THAT A SURPRISE TO YOU AT ALL OR -- >>DAVID PERSAUD: YES, IT WAS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: OKAY. BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE -- AND OBVIOUSLY ALL THE BOARD WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE BEST DEAL POSSIBLE. I MEAN, THERE'S NO OBLIGATION TO AWARD IT AT THIS TIME, AND MAYBE THERE'S A POSSIBILITY WE JUST, YOU KNOW, PUT OUT THE RFP AGAIN AND TRY AND GET MORE VENDORS, BUT WHAT I'M WONDERING ABOUT IS HAVE WE DONE AN ANALYSIS BEFORE WE'RE PROPOSING TO AWARD THIS OF WHAT THAT UP-FRONT INVESTMENT WILL BE FOR THESE 200 PROPOSED SHELTERS? I MEAN, WE KNOW WHAT THEY COST BECAUSE WE BUILT THEM OURSELVES, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, SO HAVE WE DONE THAT COMPARISON BETWEEN WHAT THE UP-FRONT INVESTMENT IS THAT THE VENDOR WILL HAVE AS COMPARED TO WHAT THE VALUE IS OF THAT ADVERTISING FOR 15 YEARS? >>DAVID PERSAUD: I'LL ASK JILL TO ANSWER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: YEAH, THAT'S FINE. AND THEN I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. >>JILL CAPPADORO: THANK YOU. IF I MAY ADDRESS, WE HAD A STRONG TURNOUT. THIS WAS OUR SECOND RELEASE OF THIS RFP, AND THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF REASONS. BOTH -- BOTH PROPOSERS ARE VERY VIABLE NATIONAL -- WELL- RESPECTED NATIONAL FIRMS. THERE ARE ANY NUMBERS OF REASONS THAT FIRMS DON'T PROPOSE. THEY MAY BE IN THE MIDST OF STARTING UP SEVERAL NEW CONTRACTS AROUND THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE CHALLENGES AS FAR AS HART'S COMMITMENT TO THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THAT WE DO IS ACCESSIBLE, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS THAT MORE MAY NOT, BUT BOTH PROPOSERS WERE VERY VIABLE AND ARE WELL-RESPECTED FIRMS. I WILL COME BACK TO SAY THAT THE VALUE TO HART IN, ONE, THE COST OF INSTALLING -- APPROXIMATE COST OF INSTALLING A SHELTER FOR HART IS APPROXIMATELY $25,000 PER SHELTER, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT A COMMITMENT OF 200 SHELTERS IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS FROM SIGNAL OUTDOOR. SECONDLY, WE ALSO HAVE -- THE PART OF THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES OR THE CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE THE CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE OF THOSE NEW SHELTERS, AND ANY SHELTERS SIGNAL WOULD RETROFIT, SO EXISTING SHELTERS THAT THEY WOULD RETROFIT TO ACCOMMODATE ADVERTISING DISPLAY THEY WOULD ABSORB THE COSTS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE 200? >>JILL CAPPADORO: THE 200 ARE NEW, AND THEN THE RETROFITTED WOULD BE BEYOND THAT. AND HART SPENDS APPROXIMATELY $135,000 A YEAR ON SIMPLY THE CLEANING -- ON THE CLEANING SCHEDULE OF OUR EXISTING 224 SCHEDULES, SO THAT'S THE VALUE TO HART FINANCIALLY. NOW, THE VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY OF HAVING PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS IS PRICELESS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: BUT THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I THINK IS CRITICAL IS -- OKAY, LET'S JUST SAY WE HAD THE $5 MILLION THAT YOU -- THAT YOU CALCULATED OR THAT I JUST CALCULATED. I THINK IT'S $5 MILLION, 25 -- 25,000 TIMES 200 SHELTERS, SO IF WE HAD THE $5 MILLION, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DO, OF CAPITAL MONEY TO BUILD THE SHELTERS AND THEN WE JUST WENT OUT WITH AN RFP AND SAID, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE MARKET FOR THIS ADVERTISING, YOU KNOW, FOR FIVE YEARS OR -- YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU DO 15 YEARS IF YOU -- YOU KNOW, UNDER THAT SCENARIO, BUT HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT? HAVE WE TALKED TO THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE TO SAY WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THAT -- OF THAT SPACE -- >>JILL CAPPADORO: UH-HUH. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: -- AND WHETHER OR NOT IT -- HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO THE $5 MILLION? I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A CRUCIAL QUESTION BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE AWAY THE FARM. >>DAVID PERSAUD: THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, BUT THE FOCUS HAS BEEN TO GET PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TO COME IN AND TO ACTUALLY BUILD THOSE SHELTERS. WE DID NOT ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE MARKET RETURN [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] AND THE FOCUS, AS I SAID, WAS TO LOOK AT THE PARTNERSHIP TO PROVIDE THOSE SHELTERS, WHICH IS MUCH NEEDED. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THE LAST QUESTION I HAD WAS I KNOW IT'S AN RFP AND YOU EVALUATED MANY OTHER FACTORS OTHER THAN JUST THE NUMBER OF SHELTERS, YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING, BUT JUST FOR COMPARISON SAKE, WHAT DID CBS OFFER IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF SHELTERS? I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY CAME IN SECOND IN THAT CATEGORY. >>JILL CAPPADORO: YES. ALLOW ME TO LOOK AT THAT. THEY WERE CLOSE IN THE COMMITMENT AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF SHELTERS. THERE WAS -- BUT WE ALSO FELT THE FINANCIAL -- THE COSTS AND THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT AND THE CLEANING SCHEDULE, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THOSE ASPECTS THAT ARE EVALUATED -- LET ME LOOK AT THE SHEET. BUT THE -- THEY PROPOSED -- EACH PROPOSED APPROXIMATELY 200 -- SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 220 AND 250 SHELTERS. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: SO, I MEAN, JUST -- IT LOOKS LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE AN ADDITIONAL MONTH BEFORE THIS IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US TO FINALIZE, AND I WOULD BE CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO TRY AND QUANTIFY THE VALUE TO JOE ADVERTISER OF THESE -- OF THESE SHELTERS, AND I THINK THEY NOT ONLY GET THE 200 SHELTERS, BUT I THINK THEY GET ALL OF OUR EXISTING SHELTERS TOO AS PART OF THIS PACKAGE, DON'T THEY? I THINK THEY GET TO ADVERTISE ON OUR EXISTING SHELTERS, RETROFITTING THEM, AS YOU SAID? >>JILL CAPPADORO: THOSE THAT FALL WITHIN THE COUNTY CORRIDORS AND THE CITY OF TAMPA, YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: RIGHT. I KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO INTO THE CITY NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE WE ADDRESSED THAT IN OUR CODE, BUT -- >>JILL CAPPADORO: YES. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: SO ANYWAY, IF THERE'S A WAY TO LOOK AT THAT WITHOUT TOO MUCH STAFF BURDEN BEFORE IT COMES BACK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD EXERCISE. >>JILL CAPPADORO: AND WE'LL COME BACK PREPARED WITH THAT. >>RONALD GOVIN: WILL WE ALSO BE ADDING SHELTERS DURING THE SAME PERIOD IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'LL BE DOING? >>JILL CAPPADORO: WE WILL, AND WE HAVE A COMMITMENT AT HART OF APPROXIMATELY 30 -- 30 SHELTERS. >>RONALD GOVIN: PER YEAR? >>JILL CAPPADORO: UH-HUH. YEP. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE RESOLUTION? >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I WAS HESITATING A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S APPROPRIATE TO MAKE THESE COMMENTS ON THE RECORD TODAY OR WHEN WE ACTUALLY TAKE THE VOTE, BUT I'LL SAY IT BRIEFLY AND SAY IT AGAIN FOR THE RECORD. BEFORE LEAVING CITY COUNCIL IN 2006, I SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN OF A SIGN COMMITTEE THAT EXTENDED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS, AND WE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SIGN POLLUTION, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, AND OUR THEN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RAY MILLER, UNDERSTOOD THE PREDICAMENT, AND I DIDN'T SUPPORT ANY KIND OF SIGNAGE ON OUR SHELTERS BECAUSE IT KIND OF WENT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO WHAT THAT COMMITTEE HAD SUGGESTED THAT THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF SIGN POLLUTION. OF COURSE, IF YOU CHANGE POSITIONS, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE A REASON. OTHERWISE YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE WAFFLING BACK AND FORTH, AND I TYPICALLY STAND MY POSITION ONGOING, BUT IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, IN A SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE INCREASED REVENUE POTENTIAL AT A TIME OF A DECLINING BUDGET, THAT IS CERTAINLY AN IMPORTANT FACTOR, SO I THINK WHEN WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS, I WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, MY QUESTION IS THIS: IS THERE ANY KIND OF RESTRICTION -- AND JILL, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S YOU THAT WOULD ANSWER THIS OR WHO, BUT WOULD THERE BE ANY KIND OF RESTRICTIONS, AND HOW WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT BEING DISCRIMINATORY ON THE TYPE OF SIGNAGE WE WILL HAVE ON OUR SHELTERS. >>JILL CAPPADORO: ABSOLUTELY. HART DOES HAVE A SIGN POLICY, AN ADVERTISING POLICY IN PLACE WHICH WE EXERCISE THROUGH OUR TRANSIT -- OUR INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR BUS ADVERTISING PROGRAM, AND THOSE SAME GUIDELINES WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. A QUICK OVERVIEW, WE DO NOT ALLOW FOR ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, FIREARMS, POLITICAL MESSAGES, AND THEN WE ALSO -- STAFF REVIEWS THOSE MESSAGES. IF THERE ARE ANY THAT ARE QUESTIONABLE, WE WILL ALWAYS ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE -- ALSO THROUGH OUR POLICY -- THE OPPORTUNITY OF DENYING MESSAGES THAT WE FEEL MAY BE -- TAKE A POSITION THAT'S SOCIALLY SENSITIVE. >>ROSE FERLITA: SO REGARDLESS OF WHOM GETS THE CONTRACT ULTIMATELY, WHETHER IT'S THIS COMPANY OR SOMEBODY ELSE, THEN THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH US FOR AUTHORIZATION OR APPROVAL IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S QUESTIONABLE? >>JILL CAPPADORO: YES, WE WILL BE REVIEWING. >>ROSE FERLITA: AND MR. CHAIRMAN, I APPRECIATE THE TIME. IT'S JUST THAT I THOUGHT I SHOULD PUT THAT ON RECORD, AND I'LL PUT IT ON RECORD NEXT MONTH TOO. SINCE THEN, OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR CHANGES IN 2006 -- 2007, FEBRUARY OF 2007. I THINK CITY COUNCIL CHANGED THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR ORDINANCE TO APPROVE THIS. >>JILL CAPPADORO: THEY DID. >>ROSE FERLITA: BUT PRIOR TO THAT, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN, SO I JUST WANTED TO AIR THAT. >>JILL CAPPADORO: THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: JILL, COULD YOU -- IN NEXT MONTH'S PACKAGE, PERHAPS WE COULD ADD THE RULES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE SO THAT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN ALL -- >>ROSE FERLITA: GOOD IDEA. >>RONALD GOVIN: -- REVIEW THAT BEFORE THE MEETING? >>JILL CAPPADORO: CERTAINLY. I'LL INCLUDE THAT AS AN ATTACHMENT. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS THERE, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3, GENERAL COUNSEL REPORT. >>CLARK JORDAN-HOLMES: I THINK THE BOARD CAN LOOK AT WHAT'S IN THE REPORT OTHER THAN THERE WERE SOME -- THE ADVERTISING POLICY CAME UP, AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT'S ADDRESSED BRIEFLY IS THE POLICY -- THE BOARD POLICIES WILL BE REVIEWED THIS YEAR. I WOULD ASK YOU TO DISREGARD THE SCHEDULE THAT I MENTIONED IN THERE, THAT -- IT'LL HAVE TO BE A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE, BUT SOMETIME THIS YEAR THE BOARD POLICIES WILL BE REVIEWED, INCLUDING THE ADVERTISING. THE OTHER THING THAT IS IN THERE WERE WE NEED BOARD APPROVAL FOR SOME SETTLEMENTS, AND WE DON'T OFTEN COME TO THE BOARD FOR THAT BUT WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT. THERE BEING NO CHAIRPERSON, WE DON'T HAVE A REPORT. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. MAYBE I SAID THAT WRONG. I AM THE CHAIRPERSON. [LAUGHTER] ANYWAY -- ACTUALLY, I DID HAVE A COMMENT. YOU KNOW, ON THE GREEN ROUTE, IT'S ALMOST INCONGRUOUS WE'RE GOING TO PUT ADVERTISING ON A GREEN ROUTE, BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST A COMMENT. [LAUGHTER] OKAY. WHERE ARE WE AT? CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT. MR. ARMIJO. >>DAVID ARMIJO: THANK YOU. IN YOUR SECTION 4 I'VE GOT A COUPLE ITEMS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. FIRST I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED STREETCAR EXTENSION. AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, ABOUT A MONTH AGO I DID MENTION THAT I WOULD BE MAKING A TRIP TO ATLANTA ON THE 11th OF DECEMBER. I MADE THAT TRIP WITH MARY SHAVALIER. IT WAS A VERY FORTUITOUS TRIP. WE HAD A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE FEDS. THEY'RE VERY ENCOURAGING. IN FACTS, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ENCOURAGED US TO MAKE THE TRIP, WHICH IS VERY RARE IN THIS BUSINESS, AND WE WERE VERY FRUGAL. WE FLEW UP, WE LANDED AT THE AIRPORT , WE TOOK PUBLIC TRANSIT TO AND FROM, MADE IT BACK THE SAME DAY, SO LITTLE OR NO COST TO THE AGENCY OR OUR TIME, AND BY THE WAY, IT WAS A 6:00 A.M. FLIGHT, SO IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A CHALLENGE. THANK GOD TAMPA'S GOT STARBUCK'S OPEN EARLY, SO IT WORKED FINE. AT ANY RATE, THE FOCUS OF THE DISCUSSION WAS BOTH THE STREETCAR EXTENSION AND ALSO OUR BRT PROJECT HERE AT HART, SO I WANT TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE QUITE BRIEFLY BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A LONG MEETING, I KNOW. THE FIRST ITEM WAS TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT WE HAD NOW FINISHED THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS PROVIDE A LETTER TO THE FEDS WHICH WAS THE SUPPLEMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS THE REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, WHAT WE CALL THE FONSI. IT'S CERTAINLY OUR EXPECTATION WE WILL BE RECEIVING A LETTER FROM THE FEDS VERY SOON THAT WILL INDICATE THAT THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS IS NOW CLEARED. SO THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS ON THE STREETCAR. HOWEVER, THE SECOND REASON FOR THAT TRIP WAS LOOKING AT THE ISSUE OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY BECAUSE ONCE WE CLEAR THE ENVIRONMENTAL, THE NEXT STEP IS TO MOVE TO CAPITAL AND MOVE THAT PROJECT ALONG. WE DO HAVE SOME FUNDING DOLLARS PROGRAMMED FOR THE STREETCAR, ABOUT 2.4 MILLION. SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS ARE IN FACT GOING TO BE EXPIRING WITHIN THE COMING YEAR, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE TRIP. ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I HAD IN ANTICIPATING THIS ISSUE IS THAT THERE'S A CONCERN ON FINANCIAL CAPACITY. AS WE KNOW, THE STREETCAR IS A LITTLE BIT CHALLENGED RIGHT NOW. IT DOES HAVE A -- AN ENDOWMENT FUND THAT IS NOW BEING DRAWN DOWN FROM AND DOES NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY BEYOND THE NEXT THREE YEARS WITHOUT SOME NEW INFLUX OF DOLLARS, SO I FELT IT WAS INCUMBENT UPON US TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE WITH THE FTA BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKING US THAT. BECAUSE ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT APPLICATION IN THE NEXT STEP FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECT IS TO HAVE A RECERTIFICATION OF THE FUNDING. TO DO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO COME FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA AND NOT FROM THE HART BOARD OR THE THS BOARD ACTUALLY, IT WOULD ACTUALLY COME FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA, SO THE ONUS ON THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD DOES INVOLVE THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER. SO THE UPSIDE OF THE DISCUSSION WAS WE DID GET SOME CONFIRMATION VERBALLY THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT WE CAN ADDRESS IT, AND I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THAT NOW. I ANTICIPATE A LETTER THAT SHOULD BE FORTHCOMING FAIRLY SOON FROM THE FTA EXACTLY WHAT CAME OF THAT MEETING, BUT WHAT I ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN IS THAT THE STREETCAR BOARD - - AND I DID ADDRESS THEM ON DECEMBER THE 19th ON THIS ISSUE -- WILL NEED TO WORK ON A FINANCIAL PLAN, AND IN FACT, THEY'RE ALREADY BEGINNING THE PROCESS TO DO THAT. THEY'RE GOING TO BE MEETING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS TO WORK OUT A FINANCIAL PLAN, AND SO IF ANYTHING ELSE, THIS PROCESS HAS BEGUN TO MOVE THAT PROCESS ALONG. TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY, WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A FINANCIAL PLAN THAT EITHER SHOWS THAT THE CURRENT FINANCIAL CAPACITY IS IMPROVING -- IN OTHER WORDS, EITHER YOU INCREASE REVENUES TO EQUAL YOUR EXPENDITURES OR YOU REDUCE EXPENDITURES TO EQUAL YOUR REVENUE. IT'S A FAIRLY BASIC ECONOMIC PRINCIPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT, SO I WISH IT WAS THAT SIMPLE, BUT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME GIVE AND TAKE AND SOME EFFORTS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE STREETCAR BOARD SHOULD BRING BACK SOME POSITIVE INFORMATION. NOW, ON THE OTHER HAND, ONE OF THE GRANTS IN THIS IS THE CMAQ MONEY. IT'S ABOUT $900,000, AND THOSE DOLLARS HAVE TO BE REPROGRAMMED FAIRLY SOON, AND I DID INDICATE IN MY NOTES TO YOU THAT WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK BY NEXT MONTH AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO WITH IT. THE UPSIDE, THOUGH, IS AT THE SAME TIME THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, OUR CONGRESSWOMAN CASTOR WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING A MILLION DOLLARS PROGRAMMED FOR THE STREETCAR, SO WE COULD BACKFILL THOSE DOLLARS WITH THAT. WE HAVE OTHER CAPITAL GRANTS THAT COULD BE REASSIGNED, SO I THINK THE FUNDING FOR THE STREETCAR IS STILL IN PLAY ONCE WE CAN GET A FINANCIAL PLAN THAT BALANCES THAT BUDGET AND GOES FORWARD WITH THAT. THE SECOND ITEM OF DISCUSSION WAS THE BRT. NOW, AS YOU KNOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A BRT PROCESS THAT WE'LL BE FINISHING UP BY MARCH IN WHICH WE'LL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, THE DESIGN OF THE PLAN. NOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE -- BECAUSE OF THE MONEY WE GOT FROM THE COUNTY, WE HAVE MONEY TO BUILD THE FIRST ALIGNMENT, WHICH IS THE NEBRASKA LINE, AND WE HAVE THE MONEY TO ACTUALLY IDENTIFY THE CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THE SECOND LINE, WHICH IS HILLSBOROUGH. THE PURPOSE OF MY TRIP WAS TO FIND OUT IF WE COULD GET ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS, LEVERAGE THOSE DOLLARS SO WE COULD IN FACT GET BOTH PROGRAMS GOING. THE UPSIDE OF THE MEETING WAS THE ANSWER IS YES. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE. AS ALL GOOD THINGS, IT COMES WITH SOME CHALLENGES. THE UPSIDE RIGHT NOW IS EVERYBODY'S GOING FOR BIG DOLLARS IN THE UNITED STATES, SO THE SMALL YOU STARTS PROGRAM, WHICH IS UNDER $50 MILLION, HAS BEEN LEFT ALONE. THERE'S ACTUALLY MONEY ON THE TABLE, THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE, AND THERE'S MONEY AVAILABLE FOR THIS REGION, BUT THE TIMELINE IS VERY SHORT. IT HAS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN THE NEXT -- WELL, PRETTY MUCH 12 MONTHS, SO MARY IS DILIGENTLY WORKING ON CREATIVE GRANT WRITING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THOSE DOLLARS. NOW, WHAT WE BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO IS TO COUPLE THE PROJECTS TOGETHER IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE NEBRASKA LINE AND THE HILLSBOROUGH LINE CAN GET FUNDED TO THE TUNE OF $63 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT, WHICH WOULD MEAN WE'D BE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL $23 MILLION THAT WOULD COME IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE ABLE TO FULLY FUND THOSE TWO PROJECTS, WHICH REALLY IS GREAT NEWS BECAUSE HDR CONSULTANT HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS WONDERING HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIND THE EXTRA MONEY, SO WE FOUND THE MONEY. IT'S A QUESTION OF HOW WE WRITE THE GRANT SO THAT WE QUALIFY FOR IT AND GET IT IN, SO WE ANTICIPATE BRINGING THAT BACK TO THIS BOARD WITHIN THE NEXT 90 DAYS OR LESS AND BEING ABLE TO GO FORWARD, SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT MEANS THAT THE NEBRASKA LINE SHOULD BE IN OPERATION BY THE END OF '09, AND WE'D BE LOOKING AT PROBABLY SOMETIME IN 2010 THE HILLSBOROUGH LINE. AND THEN THE THIRD PART OF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'LL COME BACK AND TALK MORE ABOUT, WHICH IS A SECONDARY PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WHAT WE'RE CALLING HOUSE -- KIND OF OUR BRT LIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS ADDITIONAL MONIES AVAILABLE. WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER ALIGNMENTS, INCLUDING FLORIDA, KENNEDY, AND OUR BRANDON LINE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ON THE BOOKS, SO I'LL BRING MORE DETAILS ON THAT IN THE COMING MONTHS AS TO WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN GO FORWARD AND GET SOME MORE DOLLARS THERE AS WELL AND HOW WE'LL DO THAT. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ANY COMMENTS TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? ALL RIGHT. >>DAVID ARMIJO: I HAVE ONE MORE ITEM. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. >>DAVID ARMIJO: ITEM "B," WHICH IS OUR RIDERSHIP AND PRODUCTIVITY. AS THEY SAY, IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE SUCCESS. WE'RE OFF TO A BANG-UP YEAR. 2008 FISCAL YEAR IS GOING VERY, VERY WELL. OUR RIDERSHIP IN BOTH THE FIRST TWO MONTHS HAVE BEEN GROWING AT ABOUT DOUBLE DIGITS. WE HAD ANOTHER VERY GOOD MONTH IN NOVEMBER WITH RIDERSHIP UP 9.4% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WE'RE ACTUALLY UP NOW BOTH MONTHS. OCTOBER, NOVEMBER WERE ABOVE THE MILLION PLATFORM. IN FACT, WE'RE UP NEARLY TWO MILLION RIDES FOR THE YEAR BEYOND THE TEN MILLION PLATFORM. MY STAFF'S LOOKING AT ME CRAZY. AT ANY RATE, THE OTHER ASPECT THAT'S EXCITING IS THAT THE WEEKEND SERVICE IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND AT A PHENOMENAL RATE. RIDERSHIP WAS UP 19.5% ON SATURDAY, 11.6% ON SUNDAY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE COMING IN WITH A MARCH SERVICE CHANGE THAT WILL, IN FACT, BE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF OUR HEAVIEST LINES ALONG NEBRASKA WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADD ADDITIONAL SERVICE AND BRING THOSE LINES UP TO A 30- MINUTE HEADWAY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUR BRT LINES, BOTH NEBRASKA AND HILLSBOROUGH, AND THOSE ARE THE LINES THAT WE NEED TO BE AGAIN PREPARING FOR THE SERVICE EXPANSIONS THAT WE'LL SEE IN '09 AND '10 AS WELL. AND THAT'S THE END OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. >>RONALD GOVIN: THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. ITEM 5, HART BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS. WE HAVE A COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE REVENUE ALTERNATIVE TASK FORCE. AND I'M NOT SURE. ARE YOU DOING THAT? >>DAVID ARMIJO: I WAS THINKING WE MIGHT WANT TO DELAY THIS ONE FOR NEXT MONTH BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO LOSE THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IF I CAN, I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK. I KNOW THAT WAS SOMETHING VERY CLOSE TO OUR CHAIRMAN'S HEART. HE SHOULD BE PRESENT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. >>RONALD GOVIN: ALL RIGHT. WE'LL ACCEPT THAT RECOMMENDATION. AND THEN REPORTS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES, THE MPO. IT APPEARS UNDER NUMBER 6-A. IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC THAT NEEDS TO COME FROM THE MPO? >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT TODAY, BUT I'LL TRY BETTER NEXT MONTHS. >>RONALD GOVIN: OKAY. AND THE TAMPA HISTORIC STREETCAR. THE ONLY THING THERE WOULD BE TO, AGAIN, SUPPORT WHAT MR. ARMIJO HAS BROUGHT US CONCERNING THEY ARE LOOKING AT A FINANCIAL PLAN, WORKING VERY HARD ON IT. AT THIS POINT THEY'RE MEETING TWICE A MONTH TRYING TO GET DOWN TO SPECIFICS TO SEE IF WE CAN PUT A PLAN ON THE TABLE THAT -- THAT WILL MEET THE NEEDS AS HE'S SO GRACIOUSLY PUT THEM OUT THERE, EITHER CUTTING EXPENSES OR INCREASING REVENUE TO A POINT THAT THERE'S VIABILITY GOING FORWARD, ENOUGH THAT THE CITY CAN THEN SUPPORT US BASED ON THAT. OTHER REPORTS. BASICALLY, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING FROM STAFF OR FROM THE HART BOARD, I'LL ENTERTAIN THAT NOW. SEEING THAT THERE IS NONE, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING. ALL RIGHT. 1