Budget Committee

Agenda

1. Non-Committee Member(s)

   Council Member Angela Bowens (D-1), Council Member Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Council Member Donna Purvis (D-5), and Council President David James (D-6)

2. Support Staff

   LaTonya Bell, Metro Council Financial Analyst Beth Stenberg, Metro Council Financial Analyst Hollie Hopkins, Jefferson County Attorney's Office

3. Clerk(s)

   Sonya Harward, Clerk

4. Call to Order

   Chair Person Hollander called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.

5. Roll Call

   Chair Person Hollander introduced the committee members and non-committee members present. A quorum was established. Note: All committee members and non-committee members present attended in Chambers, except for Council Member Bowens, Council Member Shanklin, Council Member Purvis, Committee Member McCraney, and Committee Member Fowler, who attended virtually via WebEx.

6. Pending Legislation
7. 1. AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 BUDGET FOR THE TRANSIT AUTHORITY OF RIVER CITY (TARC).
   Ordinance
   Action: recommended for approval Passed

   A motion was made by Committee Member Piagentini, seconded by Committee Member Winkler, that this Ordinance be recommended for approval. Carrie Butler, Transit Authority of River City ("TARC"), gave a presentation (attached hereto). The following also spoke to this item: - Chair Person Hollander - Council Member Purvis - Council President James - Vice Chair Kramer - Committee Member George The following was discussed: - There was a discussion regarding the review and approval process for the TARC budget. - There were several questions regarding the "fixed price" fares designed to combat rising gas prices and increase ridership on TARC. - There were several questions regarding the time frame that TARC has to appropriate/expend American Rescue Plan ("ARP") funds. - There were several questions regarding additional sub-contractors that TARC has added for TARC3 services. - Silver Ride, Alpha Medical Transportation, and Transport Care Services, are three of the seven additional sub-contractors recently added. - There were several questions regarding whether the sub-contractors are operating vehicles similar to the main supplier of TARC3. - Transport Care Services use similar vehicles to TARC3, while the other sub-contractors use their personal vehicles. - There were several questions regarding whether the funds expended for transportation are confined to TARC's main vendor. - There were several questions regarding whether the sub-contractors are covered under M V Transportation's contract with TARC3. - There were several questions regarding whether the sub-contractors are covered by M V Transportation's liability insurance. - There were several questions regarding whether utilizing sub-contractors alleviates missed trips by TARC3 due to staffing shortages. - There were several questions regarding any allocations that have been made to improve employee engagement to increase morale and retain talent. - There were several questions regarding the frequency of the employee awards and recognition programs. - There were several questions regarding how the recipients of these programs are identified and the employee selection process. - There were several questions regarding the eligibility requirements/criteria for employee award/recognition programs. - There were several questions regarding TARC's addressing of restrooms for non-gender specific i.e., LGBTQ and non-binary employees. - There was a request for a written plan of action to address requests to install non-gender specific restrooms for LGBTQ and non-binary employees. - There were several questions regarding current vacancies within TARC. - There were several questions regarding how the current vacancies are equated financially. - There was a discussion regarding the need to hire 50 coach operators at $54,000 per annual salary, as well as mechanics, maintenance, etc. - There was a discussion regarding whether TARC leadership would embrace the same directives as other peer city ambulatory transportation service leadership. - There were several questions regarding how TARC will address driver restroom concerns/challenges while operating coaches on fixed routes. - There were several questions regarding whether TARC will conduct community conversations to receive rider input for transportation improvements. - There was a discussion regarding whether challenges with TARC3 missed trips will be addressed in the near future. - There were several questions regarding the percentage of paratransit riders that are non-ambulatory versus disabled riders on TARC3. - There are approximately 19 percent of non-ambulatory riders on TARC3. - There was a discussion regarding the overall intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act as it relates to public transportation. - There were several questions regarding whether TARC's goal is to improve accessibility for riders via infrastructure investments that would transition paratransit capabilities to fixed routes. - There were several questions regarding TARC's budget plan to make accessible infrastructure improvements. - There were several questions regarding what financial support has been made to address accessibility improvements. - There were several questions regarding how accessibility improvement projects/enhancements are prioritized. - There were several questions regarding the decrease in ridership post-pandemic. - There were several questions regarding marketing strategies to increase ridership post-pandemic. - There were several questions regarding fare-free days to increase ridership. - There were several questions regarding whether sub-contractors are required to obtain a commercial drivers license. - There were several questions regarding when additional paratransit routes will be added to TARC3. - There were several questions regarding the percentage of non-ambulatory riders that have experienced missed trips on TARC3. - TARC will forward this data to the Committee. The motion carried by the following vote and the Ordinance was sent to the Consent Calendar:

8. 2. AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT INCLUDING APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS FOR OPERATION, MAINTENANCE, SUPPORT, AND FUNCTIONING OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS VARIOUS OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS, COMMISSIONS, INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES, AND OTHER METRO-SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES (AS AMENDED).
   Ordinance
   Action: held

   This item was held in committee.

9. 3. AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-2023 CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT INCLUDING APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS OF FUNDS FOR GENERAL CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE FACILITIES AND ASSETS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY AND OTHER LOUISVILLE METRO-SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES (AS AMENDED).
   Ordinance
   Action: held

   This item was held in committee.

10. 4. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 168, SERIES 2021 RELATING TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN (“ARP”) LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDING TO VARIOUS LOUISVILLE METRO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUED IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE ECONOMY, PUBLIC HEALTH, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INDIVIDUALS, AND BUSINESS (AS AMENDED).
    Ordinance
    Action: no action taken - died in committee

    This item expires on June 30, 2022.

11. Adjournment

    Without objection, Chair Hollander adjourned the meeting at 5:21 p.m. *NOTE: Items sent to the Consent Calendar or Old Business will be heard before the full Council at the Metro Council meeting on June 23, 2022.

12. *NOTE: Items sent to the Consent Calendar or Old Business will be heard before the full Council at the Metro Council meeting on June 23, 2022.