HomeMy Public PortalAboutTask Force Minutes 07-28-2009
• MEETING MINUTES for
ALTERNATE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSPORTATION
FINANCE REFORM TASK FORCE
JULY 28, 2009
The meeting was called to order at 6:05 P.M. in the Richland Hills City Hall
Council chambers.
In attendance:
Councilman Larry Marrs Councilman Don Acker
Citizen Ralph Smith Citizen Nelda Stroder
Absent:
Citizen John Starnes
1. Meeting called to order with introductions of members present
• at 6:05 PM.
2. The minutes of the July 13, 2009 meeting were approved.
3. Don Acker, Richland Hills City Council Place 4, was elected as
chairperson for the Task Force.
4. Review the major discussion items from the previous Task
Force meeting with a brief explanation of the scope of the Task
Force.
5. There was a discussion concerning sending a letter to the
administration of the Birdville Independent School District
from the Task Force to inform them of the discussions being
held by the Task Force concerning alternate transportation
providers. A draft letter was reviewed by the members present
and the letter accepted as written. The letter will be presented
to the entire City Council for review and approval prior to
mailing to the BISD.
• 6. There was a discussion concerning the use of Northeast
Transportation System (NETS) as a transportation provider for
citizens of the City of Richland Hills that are mobility impaired.
There was a discussion of what NETS can provide as opposed
to the services that GO Yellow Checker Shuttle could provide
as part of their MITS service. It was explained that NETS is
run by the American Red Cross and the current chairperson for
NETS is the City Manager for the City of Hurst, Mr. Allan
Weegar. Task Force member Ralph Smith will contact
representatives from NETS and MITS to arrange for
presentations to the Task Force in the near future.
7. The Task Force members reviewed and accepted the following
as the Task Force mission statement:
The mission of the Alternate Public Transportation and
Transportation Finance Reform Task Force is to explore
potential surface transportation providers and alternative
financing mechanisms with an objective of identifying
• affordable, quality public transportation services for Richland
Hills' citizens. Such services will include transportation for
citizen riders who are 1) able bodied 2) mobility impaired and
3) public school children riders who reside within a 2 mile
radius of the three Birdville Independent School District
educational facilities within the city limits of Richland Hills.
8. The Task Force members reviewed and accepted the following
as the Task Force scope statement:
The Task Force will evaluate the quotations from pre-qualified
surface transportation vendors to determine the most cost
effective provider for public transportation services in the City
of Richland Hills. The evaluation will include comparisons of
scheduled routes vs. on-demand services and the costs to be
borne by the riders and the City for each of the transportation
services.
The Task Force will work with official representatives of Hurst,
• North Richland Hills, Haltom City and the school districts,
Hurst Bedford Euless Independent School District and Birdville
• Independent School District, as required, to equitably share
financing the school bus services currently provided by the T.
9. There was a discussion concerning the children that currently
ride The T to and from the public schools within the city limits
of the City of Richland Hills. It was acknowledged that in most
recent school year that close to 50% of the student ridership
was made up of students from North Richland Hills, Haltom
City and Hurst. There was a discussion concerning how to
communicate the need for sharing the cost of student ridership
with the cities surrounding the City of Richland Hills. It was
agreed that communication between the City of Richland Hills
and the surrounding cities could occur at a future date.
10. There was a discussion of the timeline for completing the
activities of the Task Force. It was agreed that Ralph Smith
would work on getting in touch with NETS and MITS for
presentations at the next Task Force meeting. Nelda Stroder
will draft a letter for Task Force review to be sent to the City
• Councils of the surrounding cities concerning transportation of
students from their cities to BISD schools in the city limits of
Richland Hills. Larry Marrs and Don Acker will work together
to audit the current ridership of the Route 41 T bus.
11. The next meeting of the Transportation Task Force will be held
at 6:00 PM in City Hall on August 11, 2009.
12. The meeting was adjourned at 7:00 PM.
•