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Home My WebLink About2013/08/27-Minutes-Joint Meeting CC w/ FWTA CITY OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS JOINT MEETING OF THE FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE FORT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUGUST 27, 2013 Council Members Present: Mayor Betsy Price Council Member Daniel Scarth, District 4 Council Member Gyna M. Bivens, District 5 Council Member Jungus Jordan, District 6 Council Member Dennis Shingleton, District 7 Council Member Kelly Allen Gray, District 8 Council Member Joel Bums,District 9 Absent: Mayor Pro tem W.B. "Zim"Zimmerman,District 3 Council Member Salvador Espino, District 2 Staff Present: Tom Higgins, City Manager Sarah Fullenwider, City Attorney Fort Worth Transportation Authority Board of Directors Present: Neftali Ortiz Scott Mahaffey Ken Newell Dennis Dunkins Jeff King Carter Burdette Andre McEwing Jeff Davis Sylvia Cervantes Fort Worth Staff Transportation Authority Board of Directors Staff Present: Richard Ruddell, President/Executive Director Sylvia Hartless, General Counsel 1)Opening Remarks Mayor Betsy Price and Scott Mahaffey Transportation Authority _ Board Chair With a quorum of both bodies present, Mayor Price and Transportation Authority Board Chair Scott Mahaffey called the joint meeting of the Fort Worth City Council and Fort Worth Transportation Authority Board of Directors to order at 2:08 p.m., on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, in the Pre Council Chamber of the Fort Worth Municipal Building, 1000 Throckmorton St., Fort Worth, Texas 76102. CITY OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS JOINT MEETING OF THE FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE FORT WORTH TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUGUST 2'7,2013 Page 2 of 4 2)New T Partnership Program Overview Chairman Scott Mahaffey Transportation Authority Board Chair Scott Mahaffey noted that the Fort Worth Transit Authority is a full service transit system. He noted that the region is growing rapidly and an efficient system of transpiration is essential. The board is looking at ways to expand their base and meet the needs of a growing Tarrant County. The T has to be flexible and offer various programs that cities within Tarrant County can participate in based on their financial/tax situation. They could be a fall member, Partner Member or a Tex Rail Partner City. Each type of membership will have different programs and financial obligations. Mr. Mahaffey noted that the region's municipalities' reaction has been favorable. There will be a formal presentation of the Partnership Program at the September Board meeting and the board will take action. 3)TEX Rail Update Rob Harmon,TEX Rail Officer in Charge,The T Transportation Authority Board Chair Scott Mahaffey introduced the Tex Rail update noting that the Tex Rail project is a huge project with lots of moving parts. He noted the recent decision to go from Downtown to the Airport which was the original MOS (Minimal Operable Segment) from 2006 with 15,000 riders a day getting out to the airport. This will be the first step in a multi-phase project to get into Southwest Fort Worth, the Medical District, South East Fort Worth, West Fort Worth, Arlington and North Fort Worth. Going with the MOS this way will allow the T to get the $365 million in New Starts money quicker and with less red tape. Chair Mahaffey stressed that they were going to have to took at alternative was to acquire ROW; alternative capital such as TODs, TIFs and public private partnerships and alternative forms of transportation to move people to jobs at the airport and North Fort Worth. Rob Harmon, TEX Rail Officer in Charge, The T gave a TEX Rail update. The Minimum Operable Segment (MOS) is $300 million cheaper than the full build which is a benefit to the financial plan. In addition the MOS has 84% of the ridership of the full build. He reviewed the project milestones: The first draft of the Final Environmental Impact Statement(FEIS) has been submitted to FTA and the FAA portion has been submitted to FAA and DFWIA. They will submit the Draft Record of Decision (ROD) to the FTA in August 2013. A 30 day public comment period on the final FEIS has been added that will begin in either November or December 2013. All of these milestones are leading to the ROD being issued by the FTA. This is expected in March of 2014. This will allow the T to enter into engineering, purchase ROW, do utility relocations and purchase rolling stock. They will also request a Letter of No prejudice (LONP) for limited construction to build some of the long lead time items. This will require additional finances. The start of construction is still in the fourth quarter of 2015 and revenue operations will start in the fourth quarter of 2017. CITY OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS JOINT MEETING OF THE FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE FORT WORTH TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUGUST 27,2013 Page 3 of 4 Railroad negotiations are ongoing. The MOU with Union Pacific Rail Road(UPRR) to purchase ROW is complete. One of the outstanding items is the moving of Amtrak off of the Union Pacific corridor and onto the THE corridor. They have purchased insurance for THE and are in negotiations related to those issues. The insurance policy purchased for THE has brought up questions from DART and they will be meeting with DART in the next few weeks to work those out. They have completed the Joint Use Agreement with Fort Worth and Western (FWWR) for the use of the Cotton Belt. Because UPRR has the underlying trackage rights and leases them to FWWR UPRR is also reviewing the agreement. The agreement with DART is almost finished. They are waiting on an additional appraisal on the Cotton Belt required by FTA. One that is finished they should be able to finalize the agreement with DART. The Financial Plan is due September 30'h. It has been updated with the new MOS. The Financial Plan will also be used to go out to lenders for short term construction financing. Mr. Harmon addressed some additional costs that have been added to the financial plan: 1) Insurance premium for Amtrak is $2.5 million and the; Positive Train Control annual maintenance is $1.8 million dollars. There was discussion about the Medical District and the Southwest segment that are now in the future phase. There is funding for feeder bus service in those areas. 4)Overview of The MAX (Arlington's Pilot Project for Connection to TRE) Nancy Amos, Senior Vice President,The T August 19, 2013 was the first day for the MAX (Metro Arlington Express). The service is provided by a tri-party agreement between the T, Arlington and DART. In the first week the ridership was 127 — 257 per day. The service goes from College Park to Centerport and from there riders can catch the T or DART or a bus to the airport. The funding was provided by Arlington, UTA and the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. The pilot will be for two years. 5)Announcement about "Ride for a Can Day" To Benefit Tarrant Area Food Bank - August 29th Chairman Scott Mahaffey Chairman Scott Mahaffey announced the annual "Ride for a Can Day" on August 29, 2013 in support of the Tarrant Area Food Bank. He also announced the upcoming smart card that will be used by the T, DART and TRE. Chair Mahaffey thanked the Council for their support. He indicated that they are moving as fast as they can. Mayor Price thanked the Board for their hard work and thinking outside the box. The Passenger Rail Working Group meeting scheduled for September 4, 2023 was cancelled. CITY OF FORT WORTH,TEXAS JOINT MEETING OF THE FORT WORTH CITY COUNCIL AND THE FORT WORTH TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS AUGUST 27,2013 Page 4 of 4 6)Adjourn There being no further business, Mayor Price adjourned the Joint Meeting of the Fort Worth City Council and Fort Worth Transportation Authority Board of Directors at 2:42 p.m. These minutes approved by the Fort Worth City Council on the 100'day of Sep er, 2013. Attest: Approved: Mary J-KayOr// -r I,-,,,,'Betsy rip,,-"'� City Secretary Mayo,