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Home My Public Portal About2017-03-07 TMA progress_201704131438272286 Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation Meeting Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30 PM Town Council Chambers REPORT: 4/11/2017 The Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation met on Tuesday, March 7 to review the Status Report on the Transportation Management Association(TMA) Formation and Shuttle Bus Service Planning. Attending: Councilors Aaron Dushku(Chair), Vincent Piccirilli (Vice-Chair) and Tony Palomba (Secretary) from the Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation, State Representative Jonathan Hecht, Councilor Lisa Feltner, Gideon Schreiber, Senior Planner, Department of Community Development and Planning, Allison Simmons of Ease Consult, Jon Bockian from the Watertown Public Transit Task Force, residents Maria Pia Sanchez and Matthew Brown, and Charlie Breitose from Watertown News. Report on the status of the Transportation Management Association (TMA) The meeting began with the announcement that the Town had ended its contract with the 128 Business Council and replaced the organization with Allison Simmons of Ease Consult. Ms. Simmons will perform the same duties as detailed in the contract with the 128 Business Council. Ms. Simmons then presented her PowerPoint(see attached). She noted that much of the information in her presentation was the result of a very productive meeting held recently with the potential members of the TMA. The key points of her presentation included the following: 1) The TMA would be incorporated, with the appropriate by-laws, as a non-profit with 501(c)(3) tax status as the `Watertown TMA'. There would be a five-person Advisory Committee composed of three members, the Town, and Ms. Simmons. Each TMA member institution would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Watertown would be treated as an equal member of the TMA and would be required to also to sign a MOU with the Watertown TMA. 2) There are two categories of members—those developers (commercial and residential)who have an obligation to participate in the TMA(and shuttle service) that are referred to as `permitted members' and those business and developments whose permits do not require participation in at TMA and/or that have existed prior to the formation of the TMA. This group is referred to as `non-permitted members'. There are nine permitted members and presently there are six non-permitted parties interested in being members of the TMA. 3) The annual budget is $158,000 (not including a shuttle). This includes $26,000 for upfront costs to incorporate the TMA and develop marketing materials and a web site, TMA program activities at a cost of$27,000, salary and overhead at$100,000, and $5,000 for ongoing marketing materials. 4) The TMA will have a dues structure for commercial and residential developers based on square footage for the former and the number of units for the later. The dues for commercial developers ranged from a low of$2,000 for developments under 50,000 sq. ft. to a maximum of$12,000 for developments over 600,000 sq. ft. Residential developments with 50— 100 units would pay $2,000, while developments with 500 or more units would pay the maximum of$12,000. There is also a fee structure for municipalities. A city or town with 10,000— 15,000 residents would contribute $3,000 while a city or town with 45,000— 100,000 residents would pay the maximum of$6,000. It was noted that Newton has shown some interest in joining the Watertown TMA. Page 1 of 3 5) The nine permitted members would pay a total of$68,000 in annual dues. At this time there are verbal commitments from non-permitted members for a total of$38,000. Watertown's annual dues would be $5,000. To make up for the shortfall, there is a proposal for the nine permitted members to pay an additional assessment based on $16.00/1,000 sq. ft.,/per employee, or/per unit. The total of the assessment is $53,664. While there are no signed memoranda of understanding at the present time, it is estimated that about 75% of the first-year budget has been raised. It will be the responsibility of the staff(see below)to enlist more members whose dues would bridge the funding gap. In addition, there is the possibility of funding from the Mass DOT'S Congestion Mitigation Air Control (CMAC)program. 6) There are two possible approaches to staffing the TMA. A professional firm could be hired or the TMA could directly hire an executive director. Depending on what firm is hired the advantage could include less risk, less expense, and quicker roll out of a pilot shuttle program. At the same time hiring an executive director would provide the TMA more autonomy and potentially more flexible TMA programs for its members. 7) The members and potential members of the Watertown TMA are scheduled to meet on 3/16, 4/27, and 5/18 to develop and approve a request for proposals for the management of the TMA (firm or individual) and finalize incorporation papers and MOUs. The target date for launching the Watertown TMA is July 2017. The members of the Committee recognized and appreciated the progress that has been made since its January meeting when this topic was on the agenda. Councilor Palomba questioned the figures used in the dues structure. He felt they were too low and that the amounts that major developers, whose permits require them to contribute, would be paying should be higher. Ms. Simmons noted that these members are paying the dues on an annual basis with no end date determined and that the additional assessment for permitted members would continue until the TMA is stable. She also reiterated her belief that it was important for both the permitted and non-permitted members to feel they are benefitting from their membership in the TMA. Ms. Simmons continued her presentation focusing on potential shuttle service. Key points included: 1) That the Ad Hoc Committee had been clear at the conclusion of its January meeting that the TMA would provide shuttle service which could be used by Watertown residents not associated with any member of the TMA. 2) A shuttle service should be viewed as a distinct TMA service that not all members need to avail themselves of and that other businesses and organizations in Watertown could participate in without being TMA members. The cost of shuttle service would be shared equally by those who used it. 3) Arsenal and Pleasant Streets are the first two corridors that would have a shuttle which would run during the morning and evening commute. There needs to be on-going surveying and data gathering, particularly on the Pleasant Street corridor, to determine the level of need for a shuttle. Paying for a Pleasant Street shuttle poses a challenge since there are only two permitted members on the corridor. 4) There are two companies with extensive experience operating shuttles: We Drive You (presently used by Athenahealth) and TransAction. The TMA's Advisory Committee would be responsible for Page 2 of 3 overseeing the shuttle operation. Note: There was a strong recommendation that there be public representation on the Committee or whatever body oversaw the operation of the shuttle service. 8) The recommendation is to begin exploring the consolidation of the shuttle services presently operated on the Arsenal Street corridor by Athenahealth and the Marriott, and potentially by the Linx. 9) There are many questions yet to be answered regarding the shuttle including what is the cost to the participating businesses and residential developments,what is the cost to the Town if Watertown residents used the shuttle, would residents have to pay an additional fee to use the shuttle, and how long would it be before a shuttle service offered by the Watertown TMA would be available. The Committee made no recommendations but agreed to reconvene for another status report on May 15th at 6 PM. The meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM. The minutes were prepared by Councilor Palomba. Page 3 of 3 WATERTOWN TMA March 7, 2017 Budget Up Front Costs Salary & Overhead - $100,000 *Program Manager Salary & healthcare benefits Legal Fees $10,000 *Bookkeeping, audit and tax prep, • Incorporation Costs $1,000 *Payroll fees, payroll taxes, • Website Development $8,000 • Marketing Materials $7,000 *Insurance *IT services, website maintenance, TMA Programs - $27,000 *Office supplies & equipment *Trip planning/ride matching tool Ongoing Marketing-$5,000 *Bicycle repair and safety events *Printed materials • Emergency Ride Home Program *Brochures •Wellness program •Promotional Items •Try Transit program $ 158,000 annually Dues Developers Residential Residential Development Dues Square ootage Dues 50-100 units $2,000 Under 50,000 $2,000 101-200 units $4,000 50,001-100,000 $4,000 201-300 units $6,000 101,000-200,000 $6,000 301-400 units $8,000 201,000-400,000 $8,000 401-500 units $10,000 401,000-600,000 $10,000 Over 500 units $12,000 Over 600,000 $12,000 Employers Employers Dues Town 1-100 Employees $2,000 Munici al" 101-250 Employees $3,000 Ex-Officio $2,000 251-500 Employees $4,000 501-750 Employees $6,000 Residents-10,000-15,000 $3,000 750-1,000 Employees $8,000 Residents-15,001-30,000 $4,000 Residents-30,001-45,000 $5,000 1,001-2,000 Employees $10,000 Over 2,000 Employees $12,000 Residents-45,000-100,000 $6,000 Applied with Assessment Sauare Footaae Units Member Site Address /Employees Annual TMA Dues Assessment* Boylston Properties--Marriott Residence Inn 570 Arsenal Street 105,652 $ 6,000.00 $ 1,696.00 Boylston Properties--The Linx 480 Arsenal Street 185,000 $ 6,000.00 $ 2,960.00 Boylston Properties--Arsenal Project 485 Arsenal St 491,000/503 units $ 22,000.00$ 15,904.00 Athena Health 311 Arsenal St 1,154,348 $ 12,000.00 $ 18,464.00 Gables Residential 202-204 Arsenal Street 297 units $ 6,000.00 $ 4,752.00 Elan Watertown 56 Irving Street 282 units $ 6,000.00 $ 4,512.00 Watertown Mews 1 Repton Place 206 units $ 6,000.00 $ 3,296.00 Cresset/WS Development 202 Arsenal Street 31,000 $ 2,000.00 $ 496.00 World Realty Development 330-350 Pleasant Street 99 units/18,445 sf $ 2,000.00 $ 1,584.00 $ 68,000.00 $ 53,664.00 $ 121,66400 * $1 6 per 1,000 square feet/per employee/or per unit Additional Members Tufts Health Plan 705 Mount Auburn Street 2,800 $ 12,000.00 Bell Watertown 100 Woodview Way 155 units $ 4,000.00 Riverworks Innovation Center 480 Pleasant Street/5 Bridge Street 203.395 $ 8,000.00 Riverbend on the Charles 270 Pleasant Street 170 Units $ 4,000.00 Cresset/WS Development 65 Grove Street 125,000 $ 6,000.00 VHB 101 Walnut Street 350 $ 4,000.00 Town of Watertown Main Street 32,000 residents $ 5,000.00 $ 43,000.00 Incorporation /Governance ❑ Official Name: Watertown TMA ❑ Non-profit status (501 -C3) ❑ Bylaws ❑ Memorandum of Understanding ❑ Advisory Committee (3 members, town, myself) Long Term Management A A& Professional F Direct H*m7, -A� ❑ Allows us to scale growth ❑ More Autonomy ❑ Allows for shuttle Flexible services demo/pilot/quick roll out ❑ Less risk Less expense Proposed Timeline For TMA Formation TMA Member TMA Member Incorporation Meeting 3/16 Meeting 4/27 Finalized, MOUs go out Begin legal work Review RFPs 6/1 RFPs for TMA TMA Member TMA Management Meeting- 5118 Official Due 4/1 Finalize Launch Management July h I S utt e Arsenal Corridor: Shuttle Consolidation Athena, Marriot, Linx- making these three come together as one service. PUBLIC/PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION -- '-� —�..i✓ HARVARO ey , A_L51`nN i RRICtH.:N HIS WAY TO . GREAT SD Residence �4 . 05 01 21313 Shuttle Pleasant Street Corridor: Only two "required " development Bigger need Survey work Good potential to work with Newton on this corridor Pilot service to show demand Ongoing 1W Solidify Target Members and Define Commute Needs Meet with potential members/sales y Survey Work Zip code data Relocation assistance Establish TMA Materials •444 ■ Branding Website/Social Media New Member Materials