>>> GOOD MORNING, FEBRUARY 17,
2021 MEETING OF THE
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE TIME IS 9:31 A.M.
I'M ALEX PEDERSEN, CHAIR OF THE
COMMITTEE.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD.
>> HERE.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN.
>> THREE PRESENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW COUNCIL
MEMBER MORALES IS UNABLE TO
ATTEND THIS MEETING TODAY AND
HER ABSENCE IS EXCUSED.
ALSO, COUNCIL MEMBER STRAUSS IS
JOINING US AROUND 10:00 A.M.
OR SO AND SO HIS DELAYED
ARRIVAL IS ALSO EXCUSED.
OUR ALTERNATE COMMITTEE MEMBER
IS NOT ABLE TO JOIN US TODAY,
BUT WE HAVE A CORE
QUARUM.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
TODAY'S PROPOSED AGENDA WILL BE
ADOPTED.
HEARING NO OBJECTION, THE
AGENDA IS ADOPTED.
THE CHAIR'S REPORT, JUST
BRIEFLY, WE HAVE A SHORT AGENDA
TODAY.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS.
WE WILL VOTE ON SEATTLE CITY
LIGHTS INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN
PROGRESS REPORT ON WHICH WE
RECEIVED A PRESENTATION AND
HELD A PUBLIC HEARING DURING
OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING ON
FEBRUARY 3. THE MATERIALS ARE
ONLINE FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW
IF YOU WANT TO FIND THE
TRANSPORTATION UTILITIES
COMMITTEE AGENDA AND CLICK ON
THE PRESENTATION AND THE
RESOLUTION.
THE SECOND ITEM, WE WILL VOTE
ON THE TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT WITH KING COUNTY
METRO.
I WANT TO THANK THE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH
DEPARTMENTS WHO ARE HERE TO
SPEAK TO US ABOUT THESE PIECES
OF LEGISLATION.
AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE
REMOTE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
I'M NOTING THAT WE DON'T HAVE
ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP.
SO I'LL ASK IT OR THE CLERK IF
THEY ARE SEEING THE SAME THING.
IF THEY CAN CONFIRM THERE ARE
NO SPEAKERS THAT THEY ARE
SEEING ON THEIR END.
>> CONFIRMATIVE, THERE ARE NO
PUBLIC COMMENTERS.
>> OKAY.
WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR
TODAY.
IF PEOPLE DO JOIN US LATER AND
THEY HAVE COMMENTS, THEY CAN
ALWAYS SEND US AN E-MAIL ABOUT
THEM, BECAUSE THE ITEMS WILL BE
GOING TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL,
SO THERE IS STILL TIME TO
COMMENT ON THE ITEMS.
THEY CAN E-MAIL COUNCIL AT
SEATTLE.GOV.
TO THE ITEMS OF BUSINESS, ITEM
ONE, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ
THE SHORT TITLE OF THE FIRST
AGENDA ITEM INTO THE RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM ONE.
RESOLUTION 31986, A RESOLUTION
RELATING TO THE CITY LIGHT
DEPARTMENT; ACKNOWLEDGING AND
APPROVING THE 2020 INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN PROGRESS REPORT
AS CONFORMING WITH THE PUBLIC
POLICY OBJECTIVES OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON.
POSSIBLE DISCUSSION AND VOTE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO -- I'LL HAVE A
COUPLE OF REMARKS HERE AND
WE'LL TURN IT OVER AS USUAL TO
OUR STAFF ANALYST WHO WORKS
WITH ALL OF US ON THE CITY
COUNCIL WHO IS AN EXPERT ON
THESE ISSUES.
STATE LAW REQUIRES SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT TO PRODUCE AND UPDATE AN
INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLAN EVERY
TWO YEARS, WHICH IS APPROVED BY
THE CITY COUNCIL AND SUBMITTED
TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE.
IN THE OFF YEAR, CITY LIGHTS
SENDS A PROGRESS REPORT.
THE LAST CITY LIGHT IRP WAS
APPROVED IN 2018 FOR 2019 AND
2020.
AND DUE TO THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC AND ASSOCIATED
STRESSES, CITY LIGHT ASKED FOR
AND RECEIVED FROM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AN
EXTENSION TO FINALIZE
PREPARATION OF THE UPDATED
INTEGRATED RESOURCES PLAN AND
ALSO FOR THE ABILITY TO SUBMIT
THIS PROGRESS REPORT IN PLACE
OF THE FULL PLAN.
WE HAD A PRESENTATION AND HELD
A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE
PROGRESS REPORT IN OUR LAST
COMMITTEE MEETING AND TODAY WE
CAN VOTE ON IT.
I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO
ERIC, WHO IS AN EXPERT ON THIS.
AND WE CAN HEAR FROM SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT BRIEFLY.
WE WILL NOT HAVE THE FORMAL
PRESENTATION, SINCE WE HAD THAT
TWO WEEKS AGO.
THAT POWER POINT, THAT
PRESENTATION IS ONLINE RIGHT
NOW.
WE HEARD IT LAST WEEK WITH THE
PUBLIC HEARING.
SO ERIC, IF THERE'S ANYTHING
YOU WANT TO SAY TO HELP FRAME
THIS UP FOR US BEFORE WE HEAR
FROM CITY LIGHT AND VOTE ON IT.
>> THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
I'M ERIC McCONAGHY.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS
AT THE PUBLIC HEARING TWO WEEKS
AGO, THERE WERE NO SPEAKERS,
JUST SORT OF TO PUT THAT ON THE
RECORD FOR THE MEETING TODAY.
OF COURSE, THE HEARING WAS HELD
IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE STATE
LAW, INDIVISIBLE REQUIRE TO
HAPPEN BEFORE THE IRP OR
PROGRESS REPORT IS APPROVED.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT BOX TO
CHECK AND IT WAS DONE PROPERLY.
I THOUGHT I WOULD GET THAT ON
THE RECORD.
OTHER THAN THAT, CHAIR
PEDERSEN, YOU COVERED ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT IN MY CAPACITY,
I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE.
WITH THAT, I'LL STEP ASIDE.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
SO WE DO HAVE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT HERE WITH US.
ALIZA SEELIG IS HERE.
GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE TWO WEEKS AGO AS
WELL TO PRESENT THIS TO US.
FEEL FREE TO -- THE PUBLIC MAY
NOT HAVE TUNED IN TWO WEEKS
AGO, A QUICK OVERVIEW, BUT NOT
THE FULL PRESENTATION, AND THEN
WE WILL MAKE A MOTION TO GO
AHEAD AND RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF
THIS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEDERSEN.
JUST A BACKGROUND, INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLANS AND PROGRESS
REPORTS ARE GOOD UTILITY
PROGRESS TO HELP THE UTILITY
DEVELOP GUIDANCE AND STRATEGY
ANSWER LONG-TERM RESOURCE NEEDS
AND RESOURCE CHOICES TO HELP
THE UTILITY TAKE NECESSARY
STEPS TO ASSURE AFFORDABILITY,
RELIABILITY, AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE
ENERGY SERVICES.
AS YOU NOTED, UTILITIES SUBMIT
THESE EVERY TWO YEARS TO THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE.
CHANGES ARE HAPPENING.
THE CLIMATE CRISIS HAS
INCREASED IN URGENCY FOR NEW
STATE AND REGIONAL ENERGY
POLICIES COUPLED WITH
ADVANCEMENTS AND RENEWABLE
ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY,
THERE'S MAJOR CHANGES HAPPENING
IN POWER SUPPLY.
THIS PROGRESS REPORT THAT WE'RE
ASKING FOR APPROVAL PROVIDES
FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION THAT
IS GOING TO GUIDE FUTURE
RESOURCE DECISIONS.
IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS IS
GOING TO SET THE STAGE FOR
VALUABLE PUBLIC AND STAKE
HOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO KEEP US
AND THE CUSTOMERS IN STEP WITH
ONE ANOTHER AS WE PLAN FOR THE
FUTURE IN THIS NEW ENERGY
FRONTIER THAT WE'RE ENTERING.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU AND THE PUBLIC ON OUR
2022 IRP AND WE APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE PRESENTED
IN THE LAST MEETING TWO WEEKS
AGO AND ARE AVAILABLE FOR
QUESTIONS AS THEY COME UP ABOUT
HOW CITY LIGHT IS PLANNING FOR
THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU, ALIZA.
WE SEE EVENTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, THE CLIMATE EVENTS
HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY
NOW.
IT REALLY REENFORCES HOW
IMPORTANT THIS TYPE OF PLANNING
IS.
YOU KNOW, WE ADDED QUESTIONS TO
OUR SUMMARY AND FISCAL NOTE TO
ASK ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, ABOUT
EMISSIONS, BUT ALSO
ADAPTABILITY, ABOUT OUR
RESILIENCY TO CLIMATE CHANGE
THAT WE'RE IN THE MIST OF NOW.
AND YOU KNOW, I FEEL SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT ALREADY HAS IT IN
ITS ORGANIZATIONAL DNA TO BE
THINKING ABOUT ADAPTATION TO
CLIMATE CHANGE AND APPRECIATE
YOU PRESENTING THIS PROGRESS
REPORT TO US.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY COMMENTS
OR QUESTIONS?
ONE MOMENT, LET ME GO TO THE
RAISE HAND FUNCTION.
ONE MOMENT.
ANYBODY?
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ. >>
I WANT TO EXTEND MY THANKS.
WE ARE CURRENTLY ALL WITNESSING
HAPPENING IN TERMS OF THE
FAILURE OF THE GRID IN TEXAS IS
JUST ABSOLUTELY -- I AM SO
GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE A
PUBLICLY OWNED UTILITY THAT IS
HIGHLY ACCOUNTABLE, HIGHLY
TRANSPARENT, AND HAS BEEN IN MY
YEARS OF SERVICE, ALWAYS VERY
PREPARED IN TERMS OF THEIR
PLANNING AND REALLY JUST
GRATEFUL FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY
THAT WE ARE SUCH A STRONG
PUBLICLY OWNED UTILITY THAT I
HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE
AND I THINK THE PEOPLE OF THE
CITY OF SEATTLE SHOULD HAVE A
HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT
WE HAVE PLANS IN PLACE TO
PREVENT A COMPLETE FAILURE OF
OUR ELECTRICAL GRID HERE AND I
KNOW THIS IS AT THE TOP OF MIND
FOR MANY FOLKS IN OUR CITY AND
I WOULD JUST SORT OF INVITE
ANYONE ELSE FROM SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT TO MAYBE JUST SHARE WITH
US A COUPLE OF QUICK SENTENCES
WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, CHAIR
PEDERSEN, ABOUT HOW THE UTILITY
IS POSITIONED WELL TO AVOID
THAT KIND OF A CRISIS HERE IN
OUR OWN CITY AS I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS IN THE CITY
TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THE
UTILITY ABOUT HOW WE ARE
POSITIONED TO AVOID THAT KIND
OF COMPLETE BREAKDOWN IN OUR
ELECTRICAL GRID.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER
GONZALEZ.
I WILL LET ALIZA TAKE THAT
QUESTION, SINCE THAT'S WHAT HER
GROUP DOES, RESOURCE PLANNING
AND ENSURING WE ARE PREPARED
FOR TODAY AS WELL AS THE
FUTURE.
>> I WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A
MULTISTEP PROCESS IN TERMS OF
CITY LIGHT.
IT'S NOT JUST INTEGRATED
RESOURCE PLAN PROCESS, THERE'S
ALSO A LOT OF PLANNING THAT
GOES ON AT THE UTILITY, AT THE
DISTRIBUTION PLANNING SIDE THAT
GETS BROUGHT INTO MAKING SURE
THAT WE HAVE A SOLID
DISTRIBUTION GRID AS WELL AS
TRANSMISSION PLANNING TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE THE NECESSARY
INTERCONNECTIONS WITH OTHER
UTILITIES AND THEN LOOKING AT
OUR GENERATION POWER SUPPLY AND
HOW THAT ALSO IS SECURE.
SO IT'S A MULTISTAGE PROCESS.
THE IRP BRINGS A LOT OF
COMPONENTS TOGETHER.
CITY LIGHT ALSO THROUGH ITS
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS IS
LOOKING AT OVERALL TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE CITY LIGHT IS WELL
POSITIONED FOR THE FUTURE.
AND SO I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT
THIS IS FRONT AND CENTER IN THE
MINDS OF FOLKS AT CITY LIGHT AS
WE SEE THESE ISSUES COMING UP.
IT IS DIFFICULT WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE AND CHANGING WEATHER
THAT WE HAVE A STRONG
COMMITMENT TO BEING READY FOR
CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND PEOPLE
FOCUSED WITHIN THE UTILITY ON
THAT TO HELP US BRING THAT DATA
THAT WE NEED TO HELP PREPARE
FOR THE FUTURE.
AND THE DECISION MAKING, IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE
DECISIONS GOING FORWARD ON HOW
WE SHOULD BE SET UP WITH OUR
GOVERNING BODY AND OUR PUBLIC.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THAT
POINT ON THERE, COUNCILPERSON
GONZALEZ.
COUNCIL MEMBER, ANY OTHER
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WOULD
LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF
RESOLUTION 31986.
ITEM ONE ON OUR AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> I'LL SECOND THAT.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
31986, ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
OKAY, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT THIS
RESOLUTION BE APPROVED FOR
FORWARDING TO THE FULL CITY
COUNCIL.
>> GONZALEZ.
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR, NONE
OPPOSED.
>> EXCELLENT.
THE MOTION CARRIES AND THE
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION IS
THAT THE RESOLUTION BE SENT FOR
APPROVAL TO THE FEBRUARY 22,
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
WILL THE CLERK PLEASE READ THE
SHORT TITLE OF THE NEXT AND
FINAL AGENDA ITEM INTO THE
RECORD.
>> AGENDA ITEM 2. COUNCIL BILL
119998.
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
DIRECTOR OF THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO
EXECUTE A TRANSIT SERVICE
FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH KING
COUNTY METRO TRANSIT IN ORDER
TO IMPLEMENT PROPOSITION 1 AS
APPROVED BY SEATTLE VOTERS IN
THE 2020 GENERAL ELECTION.
>> I'LL MAKE SOME BRIEF REMARKS
AND TURN IT OVER TO THE FOLKS
AT S-DOT.
VOTERS OVERWELMINGLY APPROVED
FUNDS FOR OUR SEATTLE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT DISTRICT
AND WE'RE NOW CONSIDERING THE
UPDATED TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT WITH KING COUNTY
METRO FOR BUS SERVICE.
THE TRANSIT SERVICE AGREEMENT
AS WE KNOW, SPELLS OUT TERMS OF
ENHANCED BUS SERVICE THROUGHOUT
SEATTLE.
OUR AGREEMENT IS IMPORTANT AS
WE ALLOCATE BUS SERVICE HOURS
TO GET MORE PEOPLE BACK ON
BUSES AS OUR ECONOMY RECOVERS
AND AS OUR REGIONAL
TRANSPORTATION NETWORK GROWS
WITH THE OPENING OF NEW SOUND
TRANSIT STATIONS, INCLUDING TWO
IN DISTRICT 4 AND OF COURSE
NORTH GATE STATION IN DISTRICT
5. LAST THURSDAY, OUR CITY
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF
TRANSPORTATION EXPERT, CALVIN,
CIRCULATED HIS MEMO ANALYZING
THE AGREEMENT, THAT IS ONLINE
WITH THE MATERIALS TODAY.
HIS MEMO.
THIS SAME ITEM IS ON THE
CONSENT CALENDAR AT KING COUNTY
COUNCIL BECAUSE IT IS
CONSIDERED NONCONTROVERSIAL.
THE SINCE-YEAR AGREEMENT IS THE
BOILERPLATE FRAME WORK UPDATING
THE EXISTING SERVICING
AGREEMENT WE HAVE USED FOR THE
PAST SIX YEARS WITH SOME SLIGHT
MODIFICATIONS THAT WE'LL
DISCUSS TODAY.
TODAY WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS
FROM THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION HERE.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER
TO OUR S-DOT DIRECTOR, SAM
ZIMBABWE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEDERSEN,
AND GOOD TO BE WITH YOU THIS
MORNING.
WE HAVE BILL LABORDE HERE FROM
OUR TRANSIT AND MOBILITY
DIVISION.
WE HAVE A BRIEF SLIDE
PRESENTATION, WHICH WE CAN WALK
THROUGH THAT SHAWNA IS STARTING
TO SHARE NOW.
I'LL KICK IT OFF AND TURN IT
OVER TO BILL.
SO YOU CAN GO FORWARD.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A
COUPLE OF THINGS HERE AND THIS
KICKS OFF A COUPLE OF COUNCIL
COMMITTEE MEETINGS THAT WE'LL
FOCUS ON STBD OVERALL.
TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOTER
APPROVED INITIATIVE FROM
NOVEMBER AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
THE IMPLEMENTATION TIME LINE,
THE FUNDING AGREEMENT WHICH IS
IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR SPEND
PLAN, AND THEN SOME OF THE NEXT
STEPS.
YOU CAN GO ON TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
AFTER TODAY, WE HAVE A COUPLE
OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING
TO COME BACK AND TALK TO YOU
ABOUT, STBD RELATED.
AS A REMINDER, THE STBD WAS
ESTABLISHED IN 2010.
TRANSIT SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS AS
WELL AS MAINTENANCE AND A BROAD
RANGE OF TRANSPORTATION
PROJECTS OVERALL.
THERE ARE TWO FUNDING SOURCES
THAT WE USE.
THERE'S A SALES AND USE TAX
WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE
VOTER APPROVED INITIATIVE BACK
IN NOVEMBER.
THERE'S ALSO THE VEHICLE
LICENSE FEE.
THE FIRST PROPOSITION ONE
TRANSIT MEASURE EXPIRED AT THE
END OF LAST YEAR, AND TODAY'S
FOCUS IS ON THE 2020 VOTER
APPROVED .15% SALES TAX.
OR 15 CENTS ON $100 PURCHASE,
THAT IS FOCUSED ON TRANSIT
SERVIC IMPROVEMENTS.
AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
BILL, AND BRIANA TO TALK SOME
OF THE DETAILS OF THIS TRANSIT
SERVICE AGREEMENT AND HOW WE
WILL END UP UTILIZING THOSE
VOTER APPROVED SOURCES GOING
FORWARD.
BILL, TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, SAM.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THIS SLIDE COVERS A LOT OF THE
SAME GROUND THAT IS COVERED IN
THE CENTRAL STAFF MEMO.
THE CONTRACT GOES INTO EFFECT
IF APPROVED BY YOU TODAY, ON
MARCH 20, WHICH IS THE NEXT
SERVICE CHANGE FOR METRO.
AND IT WOULD EXPIRE AT THE END
OF 2027.
ALLOWING EXTRA TIME FOR
RAMPDOWN AND CONTRACT CLOSEOUT
AT THE END OF 2027.
UNDER THE AGREEMENT, METRO JUST
TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW
METRO PRICES THE SERVICE AND
HOW THAT IS LAYED OUT IN THE
AGREEMENT.
METRO ESTIMATES THE COST OF
FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICE FOR THE
YEAR BASED ON THEIR ADOPTED
BUDGET AND NUMBER OF SERVICE
HOURS THAT THE CITY INTENDS TO
PURCHASE.
WE PAY A PER HOUR SERVICE HOUR
FULLY ALLOCATED COST THAT
REFLECTS METRO'S COST OF
OPERATING FIXED ROUTE SERVICES,
WHETHER THAT'S FOR METRO'S
REGULAR SERVICE, FOR SOUND
TRANSIT EXPRESS, OR FOR SERVICE
THAT THE CITY OF SEATTLE IS
PURCHASING THROUGH THE STBD.
THE FULLY ALLOCATED COST IS, I
THINK OF IT AS IT IS METRO
ESSENTIALLY PROVIDING THE
SERVICE FOR US AT THEIR COST
AND SO THAT OPERATING COST
INCLUDES OPERATOR WAGES AND
BENEFITS, FUEL, BUS
MAINTENANCE, RELATED TO THE
SERVICE WE'RE PURCHASING.
SOME OVERHEAD, INCLUDING
PLANNING COSTS, HR SUPPORT, AND
LEGAL SUPPORT.
ALSO WE GET ABOUT,
HISTORICALLY, A 25% DISCOUNT
OFF OF THAT FULLY ALLOCATED
RATE REFLECTING RETURN, FAIR
BOX CREDIT, AND WE ALSO PAY
CAPITALIZED COST FOR WHATEVER
ADDITIONAL BUSES METRO MIGHT
NEED TO PURCHASE TO COVER PEEK
HOUR SERVICE THAT THE CITY IS
PURCHASING.
THAT WAS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT
ISSUE WITH THE LAST AGREEMENT.
THAT IS LESS LIKELY TO BE AN
ISSUE FOR THE FIRST TWO TO
THREE YEARS OF THIS AGREEMENT.
METRO INVOICES US ON A
QUARTERLY BASED ON THE
ESTIMATES OF THAT ALLOCATED
COST.
AT THE END OF EACH YEAR, WE
RECONCILE.
AND THESE PROVISIONS ARE ALL
DETAILED IN SECTION 5 OF THE
AGREEMENT.
A COUPLE OTHER THINGS TO NOTE
ABOUT THE BASIC TERMS OF THE
AGREEMENT IS AS IN PROP 1,
WHERE WE MADE A COMMITMENT TO
THE VOTERS THAT THIS SERVICE
WOULD NOT -- METRO IS ALREADY
PROVIDING OR WOULD PROVIDE
WITHOUT STBD INVOLVEMENT.
THE CONTRACT IN SECTION 7
ADDRESSES SUPPLEMENTATION AND
úESSENTIALLY SAYS WE WILL NOT B
PURCHASING SERVICE THAT
SUPPLANTS WHAT METRO WOULD
OTHERWISE PROVIDE.
WE HAVE SOME NEW TERMS IN THAT
SECTION PRIMARILY ADDRESSING
SUPPLEMENTATION IN A SERVICE
CUTS, THAT DOMINATED MUCH OF
THE PAST SIX YEARS.
ONE OTHER PROVISION I WANT TO
NOTE IS THAT THERE'S A RAMP
DOWNPROVISION IN THE AGREEMENT
AND THAT PREVENTS THE CITY
POTENTIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY
FROM CUTTING MORE THAN 100,000
HOURS OF SERVICE AT A TIME.
SO BASICALLY, IT REQUIRES US TO
RAMP DOWN OVER TWO SERVICE
CHANGE PERIODS, DOWN TO ZERO AT
THE END OF THIS AGREEMENT OR IF
THERE'S A TRANSITION TO OUR
REGIONAL COUNTY FUNDED SERVICE
PLAN.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO
MENTION ABOUT THE AGREEMENT IS
SEVERAL PROVISIONS IN SECTION
5.7 THAT HELP ADDRESS THE KINDS
OF CROSS PRESSURES.
SOME MODERATE ONES THAT WE SAW
PRECOVID AND THEN SOME THAT
WERE ELEVATED DURING THE COVID
RESPONSE.
SO DURING COVID, SERVICE WAS
SUDDENLY REDUCED.
OPERATORS WERE NOT ALL
OPERATORS WERE ABLE TO MAKE
THEIR SHIFTS.
TRIPS WERE CUT, INCLUDING TRIPS
THAT THE CITY WAS PURCHASING.
AND THERE WERE IMMEDIATE CUTS
IN COST, INCLUDING FUEL THAT
WASN'T BEING PURCHASED, BUSES
THAT DIDN'T NEED TO BE
MAINTAINED AS MUCH BECAUSE THEY
WEREN'T MAKING AS MANY TRIPS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT TOOK
SEVERAL MONTHS FOR A LOT OF
THOSE COST REDUCTIONS TO
REFLECT THE REDUCTIONS IN
SERVICE.
METRO HAS CUT SEVERAL OPERATOR
POSITIONS, BUT THERE IS QUITE A
LAG THROUGH THE END OF 2020 AND
INTO 2021 AND EVEN 2022.
WE'RE PROBABLY PAYING MORE THAN
WE WOULD OTHERWISE BE PAYING
WITHOUT THE COVID RESPONSE.
AND THE BIGGEST FACTOR THERE
WAS THE LOSS OF FAIR BOX RETURN
AS METRO WAS NOT COLLECTING
FARES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS OF THE
YEAR IN 2020.
SO WE TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS BY
REQUIRING METRO TO DISCLOSE TO
THE CITY AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE
WHEN THEY ARE SEEING IMPACTS ON
COSTS THAT MIGHT AFFECT THE
AMOUNT OF SERVICE, THE SERVICE
QUALITY THAT THE CITY CAN
PROVIDE.
WE ALSO HAVE A PROVISION IN THE
AGREEMENT THAT ADDRESSES THE
DISTRIBUTION OF CARES ACT OR
OTHER COVID RELIEF FUNDING THAT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAY
PROVIDE.
AND FINALLY, THERE'S A
COMMITMENT BY METRO TO CUT
COSTS.
WE WERE SEEING COSTS PRECOVID
GOING UP ABOUT 5% A YEAR.
SO A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN CPI
AND BOTH IN THE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE COMMITMENT TO THE
MAYOR AND IN THE AGREEMENT
ITSELF, THERE'S A COMMITMENT BY
METRO TO HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE
INCREASES ABOVE INFLATION THAT
WE WERE SEEING IN THE YEARS
BEFORE COVID.
AND I'LL HAND IT OVER TO BRIANA
LOVELL WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE
SERVICE PLAN AND SERVICE
PLANNING.
>> THANKS, BILL.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS OVERALL
PROCESS --
>> BRIANA, WE ARE HAVING
TROUBLE HEARING YOU.
YOUR AUDIO.
THAT'S NOT WORKING EITHER.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> NOT VERY WELL.
YOU SOUND VERY FAR AWAY.
>> WORKED OKAY IN TESTING.
>> I'M STILL NOT HEARING YOU.
MAYBE WITHOUT THE HEADSET?
YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE GOING TO
HEAR YOU.
>> I MIGHT TURN OFF MY CAMERA
--
>> THAT WORKS.
>> ALL RIGHT, SORRY ABOUT THAT.
SO THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE PROCESS
THAT WE USE TO COORDINATE WITH
METRO.
WE USED THIS PROCESS SINCE
2016, BUT THE NEW CONTRACTS
CLARIFIES THE TIMING.
SO THE PROCESS REALLY STARTS
SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF THE
SERVICE CHANGE.
METRO HAS TWO ANNUAL SERVICE
CHANGES.
ONE IN SEPTEMBER AND ONE IN
MARCH.
SO SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE OF
THAT DATE, WE LET METRO KNOW
WHAT OUR INITIAL SERVICE
PROPOSAL IS.
THEY REVIEW WHAT WE'VE PROPOSED
AND THEN THEY BRING THAT
INFORMATION TOGETHER WITH THEIR
OWN SERVICE PLANS TO REVIEW FOR
OPERATIONAL FEASIBILITY AND TO
MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WILL
BE ABLE TO WORK COHESIVELY.
AND THEN BY FOUR MONTHS IN THE
PLANNING PROCESS, WE HAVE
ESSENTIALLY A FINALIZED SERVICE
PACKAGE, WHICH ALLOWS METRO TO
MOVE INTO SCHEDULING AND
ARRANGING OPERATIONAL STAFFING.
BUT I WILL NOTE THAT IN
REALITY, THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT
OF COLLABORATION THAT OCCURS
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, EVEN
WELL IN ADVANCE OF THAT MONTH
ONE AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE
PROCESS UP UNTIL THE DATE OF
THE SERVICE CHANGE.
AND CONTINUING OUR REALLY GREAT
RELATIONSHIPS WITH METRO, WE
HAVE BEE ABLE TO SOLVE A LOT
OF PROBLEMS THAT COME UP IN
THIS PROCESS AT THE STAFF
LEVEL.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO, THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE
OVERALL TRANSIT SERVICE
INVESTMENTS THAT ARE PLANNED
FOR THE MEASURE.
THERE'S A TOTAL OF $238.6
MILLION IN TRANSIT SERVICE
PURCHASES OVER THE SEVEN YEARS.
NOTING THAT THE 2021 REVENUE
COLLECTION BEGINS IN APRIL.
SO THE FIRST QUARTER OF
EXPENDITURES FOR THIS YEAR ARE
COVERED AS PART OF THE PRIOR
STBD MEASURE.
REGULAR TRANSIT SERVICE
PURCHASES ARE SHOWN ON DARK
BLUE.
LIGHT BLUE IS PART OF THE
EMERGING NEEDS BUCKET, WHICH IS
FOCUSED ON TRANSIT SERVICE,
SUPPORTING WEST SEATTLE DURING
THE BRIDGE CLOSURE AND ALSO ON
TRANSIT RECOVERY POST COVID.
THIS SLIDE DOESN'T INCLUDE THE
EXPENDITURES FOR OUR PROGRAM
INVESTMENTS OR OPPORTUNITY, LOW
INCOME ACCESS TO TRANSIT, THE
ESSENTIAL WORKERS PROGRAM, AND
ALSO TRANSIT CAPITAL.
BUT IT DOES SHOW SERVICE
RAMPING UP OVER THE LIFE OF THE
MEASURE WITH A PLANNED RAMP
DOWN OR TRANSITION PERIOD IN
2027.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT
BACK TO SAM.
>> GREAT, THANKS, BRIANA.
JUST TO WRAP UP AND THEN TURN
IT OVER FOR HAPPY TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF A
COUPLE MONTHS OF VERY STBD
INTENSIVE WORK WITH THE
COMMITTEE.
TODAY, WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE
TRANSIT SERVICE FUNDING
AGREEMENT IN MARCH WE'LL BE
BRINGING FORWARD A STAND ALONE
BUDGET LEGISLATION FOR ONE
TIME, $6 VEHICLE LICENSE FEE.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE RESERVES
AND BALANCES THAT WERE LEFT
OVER AT THE END OF THE PREVIOUS
BALLOT INITIATIVE AND HELD IN
RESERVE IN CASE OF AN
UNSUCCESSFUL BALANCE INITIATIVE
976.
IN MARCH 20, MID MARCH, THE NEW
FUNDING SERVICE TRANSIT SERVICE
FUNDING AGREEMENT WILL BE IN
EFFECT AS METRO GOES INTO THEIR
NEXT SERVICE CHANGE, ASSUMING
SUCCESSFUL PROCESS HERE.
AND THEN IN APRIL, WE'LL BE
PROPOSING A NEW SPENDING PLAN
FOR A NEW $20 VEHICLE LICENSE
FEE THAT WAS APPROVED AS PART
OF THE BUDGET THAT WILL GO INTO
EFFECT JULY 1. SO THERE'S A LOT
OF MOVING PIECES.
THIS PUZZLE PIECE DIAGRAM IS
GETTING A WORKOUT WITHIN S-DOT.
BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE
CONTEXT OF SOME OF THESE LARGER
PIECES THAT ARE COMING FORWARD
AND REMAINING FOCUSED RIGHT NOW
ON THE LIMITATION OF
PROPOSITION ONE FROM NOVEMBER.
SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ALL HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU
MIGHT HAVE.
>> THANK YOU DIRECTOR ZIMBABWE.
TODAY IS THE EASY PART.
TODAY IS THE TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT, WHICH IS OVER AT
KING COUNTY COUNCIL AND ON
THEIR CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE HAVE OPEN LINES OF
COMMUNICATION WITH GENERAL
MANAGER TERRI WHITE, WHO IS
TERRIFIC TO WORK WITH.
COUNCIL MEMBER KING COUNTY
COUNCIL MEMBER, WHO CHAIRS
THEIR MOBILITY COMMITTEE.
BUT WE HAVE A STRONG TRANSIT
TEAM WITHIN S-DOT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE INVESTMENTS ARE MADE
WISELY AND TO BENEFIT THE MOST
PEOPLE AND HAVE GREAT
CONFIDENCE IN THEM TO KEEP
THEIR EYE ON THINGS FOR US AND
MAKE SURE THE TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT IS IMPLEMENTED
APPROPRIATELY AND THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE VISIT ON AN
ANNUAL BASIS AS WELL, WHEN WE
LOOK AT INVESTMENTS IN TRANSIT.
SO YOU KNOW, AS THE LIGHT RAIL
STATIONS OPEN UP, FOR EXAMPLE,
AND THERE NEEDS TO BE TWEAKS,
THOSE CAN BE MADE LATER.
WE HAVE AGREEMENT RELATIONS
WITH METRO.
THIS AGREEMENT IS EVEN BETTER
THAN THE GOOD AGREEMENT WE
ALREADY HAD IN PLACE WITH THEM.
THERE WAS A LOT LEARNED DURING
THE COVID PANDEMIC WHEN WE WERE
TRYING TO GET INFORMATION
DURING AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT.
SO THIS TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT INCREASES
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
DURING EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS.
WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO NOT
ONLY WORKING WITH KING COUNTY
METRO WITHIN THIS FRAMEWORK,
BUT POTENTIALLY FOUR YEARS FROM
NOW LOOKING AT ANOTHER REGIONAL
MEASURE, BECAUSE THIS IS THE
REGIONAL SYSTEM WE ARE TRYING
TO WORK WITHIN.
CALVIN CHOW, EXPERT ON
TRANSPORTATION WROTE THE TWO-
PAGE MEMO, WHICH IS ONLINE.
WHICH VALIDATES THE BENEFITS OF
THIS AGREEMENT.
CALVIN IS HERE.
SO CALVIN, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A
FEW WORDS BEFORE WE WANT TO
OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBERS
FOR QUESTIONS?
>> I DON'T THINK I HAVE TOO
MUCH ELSE TO ADD.
JUST TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU DID
PASS THE BUDGET FOR 2021 IN THE
LAST BUDGET.
AS YOU SAY, THE FUTURE SPENDING
DECISIONS WILL COME TO YOU
AGAIN WITH THE ANNUAL BUDGETING
PROCESS.
SO THIS AGREEMENT SETS THE
VEHICLE FOR MAKING THOSE
PURCHASES, BUT THE POLICY
DECISIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH
SERVICE AND THE SPENDING PLANS
WILL COME TO YOU AGAIN AS PART
OF THE FUTURE BUDGET
DELIBERATIONS.
>> THANK YOU, CALVIN.
I ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE PUN
VEHICLE, WHICH IS APPROPRIATE
HERE.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER AND VICE
CHAIR IS HERE WITH US AS WELL,
WHO IS ALREADY VERY FAMILIAR
WITH THIS TRANSIT SERVICE
AGREEMENT IN PLACE ALREADY AND
THE NEW ONE BEFORE US.
BUT COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WANT TO
OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THIS BEFORE WE TAKE
A VOTE.
>> CHAIRMAN PEDERSEN.
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU ALL, MY APOLOGIES
FOR BEING LATE.
A 9:00 TO 10:00 A.M.
MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED SOME
OF YOUR PROGRAMS.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, THANK YOU
FOR THE BRIEFING AHEAD OF THIS
MEETING.
I DON'T KNOW IF BILL OR BRIANA,
YOU CAN SPEAK.
ON SLIDE FOUR, MY APOLOGIES.
IF YOU HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED
THIS FOR THE COMMITTEE, THE
QUESTIONS THAT I WILL ASK,
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JUST SAY WE
ALREADY COVERED THIS.
>> WE PROBABLY HAVE NOT.
IT'S OKAY.
>> SO, SLIDE 4, RAMP DOWN, I
HAD MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED ABOUT
THAT.
NO SUPPLEMENTATION.
OH, THE INTENDED VOLUME OF
SERVICES.
MY QUESTION THAT I TALKED TO
BILL ABOUT WAS, DOES THIS
INCLUDE THE ROUTES LIKE THE 5X,
THE 17X, 18X, 15X, HOW DOES
THIS AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO WORK
DOWNTOWN AGAIN, HOW WILL WE
ENSURE SOME OF THESE ROUTES
THAT HAVE FALLEN OFF DUE TO
RIDERSHIP LEVELS, HOW WILL WE
ENSURE THEY COME BACK?
>> I'LL LET BRIANA ANSWER THAT,
SINCE SHE'S THE ONE THAT LEADS
THE SERVICE PURCHASE DECISIONS.
EACH SERVICE CHANGE PERIOD.
>> SURE, YEAH, THANKS, BILL.
SO WE ARE WORKING REALLY
CLOSELY WITH METRO TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR PLANNING
IN TERMS OF SERVICE RESTORATION
AND RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE REALLY
FOCUSED ON IS THE SEPTEMBER
2021 SERVICE CHANGE AND WE'RE
STILL IN THE PROCESS OF
IDENTIFYING WHAT INVESTMENTS
STBD WILL MAKE AND ALSO
UNDERSTANDING METRO'S PROCESS
FOR BRINGING IT BACK SERVICE
THAT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED DURING
COVID.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF INNER
PLAY THERE AND METRO REALLY IS
THE, YOU KNOW, THE ENTITY THAT
IS RUNNING THE VAST MAJORITY OF
THE SYSTEM.
BUT WE'LL BE TRYING TO BE VERY
STRATEGIC WITH OUR INVESTMENTS
FROM THE STBD STANDPOINT TO
SUPPORT COVID RECOVERY, BUT
ALSO MAKING SURE TO MAINTAIN
THE INVESTMENTS AND THE
FREQUENT SERVICE NETWORK THAT
HAVE BEEN THE BULK OF OUR FOCUS
IN THE PREVIOUS MEASURE AND
CONTINUE TO BE OUR FOCUS GOING
FORWARD.
>> ONE THING I'LL ADD TO THAT,
I THINK WHAT BRIANA DESCRIBED
IN THE SERVICE PLANNING PROCESS
THAT WE GO THROUGH TWICE A
YEAR, IS A PROCESS WITH METRO
STAFF.
WE ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT SERVICE THEY ARE PUTTING
ON THE ROAD AND WHERE WE CAN
MOST EFFECTIVELY FILL IN GAPS
OR ENHANCE SERVICE BASED ON
DEMAND, ON MAINTAINING OUR
FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK, ON
EQUITY, AS WE DIG INTO THAT
QUESTION FOR THE SEPTEMBER
SERVICE CHANGE THROUGH OUR
RACIAL EQUITY TOOL KIT THAT IS
ALREADY UNDERWAY.
AND YOU KNOW, WE REALLY TRY TO
BRING OUR VALUES AS WELL AS
UNDERSTANDING WHAT METRO IS
ALREADY PROVIDING IN THE
SERVICE WE'RE PURCHASING.
>> IF I COULD ADD ALSO THAT WE
ALSO KNOW THAT TRANSIT USE,
CONTINUED USE OF TRANSIT DURING
THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN DIFFERENT
DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT ROUTES
ACROSS THE CITY.
AS THINGS COME BACK, WE EXPECT
THAT TO FLUXUATE AS WELL, AND
THAT'S PART OF THE SERVICE
PLANNING PROCESS, TO FIGURE OUT
HOW BEST TO ALLOCATE THOSE
RESOURCES.
THIS ENSURES THAT THE FUNDING
ENSURES WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES
WITH WHICH TO FILL THE GAPS.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
THAT ANSWERS.
CHAIRMAN, I HAVE QUESTIONS ON
THREE SLIDES.
>> YES, PLEASE.
>> EXCELLENT.
SO THE NEXT QUESTIONS ARE ON 5,
7, AND THEN 8. GREAT, SO ON
SLIDE 5, I KNOW THAT WHEN WE
HAD CONVERSATIONS AHEAD OF THIS
MEETING, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION
ABOUT PURCHASING OF NEW
COACHES.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.
IS THE CITY PURCHASING COACHES,
ARE WE LEASING COACHES FROM
METRO?
HOW ARE WE BETTER ABLE TO
EXPAND WITH THE COACHES
THEMSELVES?
>> SO, I'LL TRY TO START WITH
AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
THE PURCHASE OF COACHES REALLY
BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH PEAK HOUR
SERVICE.
OTHERWISE METRO'S EXISTING
FLEET IS ADEQUATE.
AND FOR PEAK HOURS, PROBABLY
FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS,
THEIR EXISTING FLEET WILL
ADEQUATELY COVER PEAK HOURS AS
WELL.
IN THE PREVIOUS SIX YEARS,
PRECOVID, WE WERE -- METRO
WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PEAK HOUR
SERVICE IF WE HADN'T BEEN ABLE
TO FUND THE PURCHASE OF
COACHES.
THE WAY THAT WORKED IS WE
ESSENTIALLY PAID A CAPITALIZED
RATE, OR MUST WORK LIKE A LEASE
RATE, WHERE WE WERE PAYING FOR
THE USE OF THOSE COACHES ON A
QUARTERLY BASIS DURING THE
TIME, YOU KNOW, FOLLOWING THEIR
PURCHASE AND WE WOULD ONLY PAY
MORE IF WE'RE CAUSING METRO TO
BUY MORE COACHES.
>> GREAT, THANKS.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING IT'S REALLY
THE PEAK HOURS THAT ARE OUR
LEVEL OF SERVICE ISSUES.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS,
UNDERSTANDING THAT AND MY
QUESTION COMES FROM AN
UNDERSTANDING OF PREPANDEMIC
WHERE WE HAD THE NUMBER OF CARS
ON THE ROAD THAT CAUSED A LOT
OF TRAFFIC.
IF WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE A
CONNECTED NETWORK OF BUS ONLY
LANES THROUGH THE CITY, WOULD
THAT REDUCE OUR NEED TO
PURCHASE COACHES?
WOULD IT REDUCE ANY COSTS?
AND WOULD IT INCREASE THE LEVEL
OF SERVICE THAT WE EXPERIENCE
FOR THE SAME OR FEWER DOLLARS
THAN WE'RE SPENDING?
>> DEFINITELY, BY AND LARGE,
IMPROVE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND
THAT RIDER SERVICE.
IT WOULD PROBABLY TEMPER COSTS.
ALLEVIATE COSTS INCREASES.
YOU KNOW, I COULDN'T SAY THERE
WOULD BE MASSIVE WHOLESALE
COSTS AND CUTS, BUT IT WOULD
CERTAINLY PUSH THINGS IN A GOOD
DIRECTION IN TERMS OF COST TO
HAVE A RELIABLE BUS ONLY
NETWORK.
OR EFFORTS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I WOULD JUST ADD TO THAT ,
THAT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE
EFFICACY OF THE TRANSIT LANE
NETWORK BECAUSE YOU DON'T START
TO SEE A REAL COST SAVINGS
UNTIL METRO CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A
WHOLE TRIP OUT OF THE SCHEDULE
SO THE TIME SAVINGS HAS TO
REALLY ROLL UP INTO A
MEANINGFUL INCRIMINATE.
BUT IF IT DOES, THERE'S
POTENTIAL TO BE ABLE TO
BASICALLY BUY MORE SERVICE WITH
THE SAME RESOURCES IF WE'RE
ABLE TO SPEED UP THE SERVICE.
>> SO WHEN I WOULD SEE THE FOUR
OR FIVE 40 BUSES STUCK ON WEST
LAKE, THAT WOULD BE A PLACE
THAT WE MIGHT NOT -- WE COULD
REDUCE A TRIP BECAUSE THE TRIPS
ARE ALL GETTING JAMMED TOGETHER
AS THE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING
BEFORE.
úIS THAT A CORRECT
UNDERSTANDING?
WE COULD REDUCE COST AS LONG AS
WE COULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
TRIPS REQUIRED BY INCREASING
FREQUENCY.
>> I THINK THAT'S FAIR, IT'S
HARD TO QUANTIFY A LITTLE BIT
AS BRIANA SAID.
AND I THINK ON THAT FRONT, WE
HAVE SHARED INTEREST IN MAKING
OUR TRANSIT INVESTMENTS
EFFICIENT, RELIABLE, AND
SPEEDY.
REALLY THAT GOES BACK TO THE
RIDER EXPERIENCE THAT ATTRACTS
PEOPLE TO TRANSIT, AND ALSO
GETS THE MOST OUT OF OUR SHARED
INVESTMENTS IN TRANSIT SERVICE.
>> I THINK THIS ALSO BRINGS UP
THAT SAME ISSUE OF HOW IS THE
ECONOMY GOING TO RECOVER?
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE GOING
FORWARD?
DO THEY BACK TO THE SAME PEAK
DEPENDENT TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND
TRANSIT PATTERNS?
OR IS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
METRO CURRENTLY HAS THE CAPITAL
CAPACITY TO HANDLE THIS LOWER
LEVEL THAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR
THE NEAR FUTURE.
IT'S REALLY AN OPEN QUESTION OF
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FIVE, TEN
YEARS FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, WE
MAY HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT
THIS SLIDE, WHICH IS JAM PACKED
WITH INFORMATION.
ARE WE ABLE TO SEE IF WE HAVE
OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS
BEFORE WE GO BACK TO YOUR OTHER
QUESTIONS?
>> THIS IS ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR
SLIDE FIVE.
>> OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY
QUESTIONS FOR THIS SLIDE?
COUNCIL PRESIDENT GONZALEZ.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR PEDERSEN.
THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, THERE IS
A JOINT -- THE LINE TALKING
ABOUT JOINT EFFORTS TO REDUCE
COST ESCALATION DRIVERS.
AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT HOW
METRO AGREES WITH CITY SUPPORT
TO ALLEVIATE DRIVERS OF COST
ESCALATION IN NONEMERGENCY
YEARS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE INTENT OF THIS
LANGUAGE IN THE NEW AGREEMENT?
>> PROBABLY THE BEST WAY OF
LOOKING AT THAT IS THAT WE'RE
BUYING HEADING INTO THIS NEW
SIX-YEAR PERIOD, WE'RE GOING TO
BE BUYING AROUND 4% OF METRO'S
SERVICE.
SOUND TRANSIT IS BUYING ABOUT
8% OF THEIR SERVICE.
METRO PROVIDES BUS SERVICE.
METRO PROVIDES SOUND TRANSIT
EXPRESS, AND THE REST IS
METRO'S OWN SERVICE.
THAT FULLY ALLOCATED HOURLY
COST IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT METRO
IS PAYING REGARDLESS OF WHO IS
USING THE SERVICE, WHETHER IT'S
METRO ITSELF OR SOUND TRANSIT
OR THE CITY IS PURCHASING.
THE DRIVERS, AND I DON'T MEAN
BUS DRIVERS.
THE DRIVERS OF THE COSTS ARE,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT IS LABOR
COSTS.
SOME IS FARE POLICY.
SOME OF IT IS JUST THE FACT
THAT WE STARTED OFF WITH A
SOLID 25% FARE BOX RETURN EARLY
IN THE LAST SIX-YEAR PERIOD AND
THAT INCHED DOWN A LITTLE BIT
MORE, A LITTLE LOWER THAN 25%
AS METRO HAS NOT INCREASED
FARES FOR A FEW YEARS.
THEY WERE SCHEDULED, I THINK,
TO INCREASE FARES THIS YEAR.
IN FACT, EITHER THIS YEAR OR
MAYBE EARLY NEXT YEAR, AND THEY
ARE NOT GOING TO RAISE FARES
BECAUSE OF COVID.
SO YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE MEASURES
THAT INCREASE COST TO THE CITY
FOR THE SERVICE WE BUY.
METRO IS UNDER TREMENDOUS
PRESSURE IN ITS OWN RIGHT TO
ALLEVIATE COSTS BY THEIR
COUNCIL AND THEY ARE FEELING
THAT PRESSURE FROM SEATTLE AND
SOUND TRANSIT AS WELL.
AND SO METRO IS REALLY TRYING
TO SORT OF SCRUB ALL OF THOSE
FACTORS THAT GO INTO COSTS AND
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY
CAN CUT COSTS THROUGH INCREASED
EFFICIENCIES AS WE RETURN TO
RECOVERY AND A LOT OF THAT IS
REFLECTED IN THE NEW COUNTY
BUDGET THAT IS NOW IN EFFECT.
>> GOT IT.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
WITH MY LABOR STANDARDS BRAIN
WAS READING THAT A LITTLE
DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK THE STRUCTURE OF THE
SENTENCE MADE ME THINK WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT DRIVERS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE
CLARIFICATION THAT YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT SORT OF
EFFECTIVELY JUST FACTORS THAT
CAN RESULT IN ESCALATED COST.
THAT'S HELPFUL.
AND IN THIS AGREEMENT, ARE
THERE ANY PROVISIONS IN THIS
AGREEMENT THAT ADDRESS OR DEAL
WITH SORT OF WORK FORCE, ACTUAL
BUS DRIVER ISSUES?
>> THERE REALLY ISN'T.
THAT IS COMPLETELY WITHIN
METRO'S DOMAIN AND NOT
SOMETHING THAT WE ASKED FOR
METRO TO SEAT ANY AUTHORITY TO
US NOR ANYTHING THAT METRO
WOULD BE OR LEGALLY SEE TO THE
CITY.
>> YEAH, AND I GUESS I'M NOT
ASKING -- THANKS, I APPRECIATE
THAT.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO IMPLY THAT I
BELIEVE THAT METRO SHOULD SEE
LABOR AUTHORITY TO US.
I DO -- WE ARE A LARGE
PURCHASER OF SERVICES, WHICH
RELIES ON PEOPLE AND THEIR
ABILITY TO FULFILL THE SERVICE
LEVELS WE'RE PURCHASING FROM
THEM INHERENTLY, SUCH AS ON
ISSUES RELATED TO THEIR LABOR
AND THEIR WORK FORCE.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE A LARGE
PURCHASER OF SERVICES, I
SUPPOSE I WAS WONDERING IF
THERE WAS ANYTHING IN THE
AGREEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT THE
CITY'S EXPECTATIONS AROUND --
AS A PURCHASER OF THOSE
SERVICES.
OUR EXPECTATIONS AROUND, YOU
KNOW, WORKING CONDITIONS OR
JUST HOW THE COUNTY IS
ADDRESSING CONCERNS FROM THEIR
WORK FORCE IN THE SPIRIT OF
CONTINUING TO BE A CITY THAT IS
A HIGH ROAD EMPLOYER AND WANTS
T HAVE PARTNERSHIPS AND
ENGAGEMENT WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME
VALUES AND ARE WILLING TO SORT
OF COMMIT TO THOSE VALUES
PUBLICLY.
>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, BEYOND SOME
VERY GENERAL LANGUAGE THAT
HONESTLY ISN'T THAT SPECIFIC
TOWARD LABOR IN THE RECITALS,
THERE REALLY ISN'T.
PARTLY BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF
SERVICE WE'RE PURCHASING IS
SUCH A SMALL SHARE OF WHAT
METRO PROVIDES AND I THINK,
TOO, ALSO JUST THAT WE KNOW
THAT METRO AND COUNTY
GOVERNMENT IS VERY COMMITTED TO
HIGH LABOR STANDARDS AND
WORKING WITH A REPRESENTED WORK
FORCE.
I THINK WE FELT LIKE IT WASN'T
SOMETHING THAT SEATTLE
NECESSARILY NEEDED TO PROVIDE
LEVERAGE ON OR ANYTHING THAT
CAME UP IN THE DISCUSSIONS.
>> I CAN ALSO SAY, I THINK
THERE'S AN AGREEMENT, WHICH
GOVERNS AND BINDS US ON CERTAIN
THINGS AND THEN THERE'S THE
WORK THAT WE DO IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH METRO OUTSIDE OF THE
AGREEMENT AND I THINK THERE
ARE, AS YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL
PRESIDENT, SHARED VALUES.
EVEN THOUGH THOSE AREN'T
ARTICULATED IN THE BINDING PART
OF THE AGREEMENT, THERE IS
CERTAINLY PARTNERSHIP IN HOW
THEY GET THAT DELIVER HIGH
QUALITY SERVICE FOR ALL OF OUR
RIDERS.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, I KNOW
YOU HAVE A COUPLE MORE
QUESTIONS.
PLEASE CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
MY NEXT QUESTIONS ARE ON SLIDE
7. AND ONE OF MY QUESTION ABOUT
MERGING NEEDS REGARDING WEST
SEATTLE IS ARE WE ABLE TO FUND
FERRY SERVICE
MAYBE YOU ALREADY ANSWERED
THIS.
>> I WILL GO AHEAD AND JUMP IN
THERE.
WE ARE STILL WORKING TO KIND OF
FINALIZE OUR PLANNED
INVESTMENTS FOR WEST SEATTLE
AND PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT THE
NEXT SEPTEMBER SERVICE CHANGE
IN OUR COORDINATION WITH METRO
AND THEN WORKING WITH OUR
RECONNECTING WEST SEATTLE TEAM
WITHIN S-DOT.
WE HAVE LOOKED AT THE WATER
TAXI SERVICE THAT METRO
OPERATES AND I THINK AT THIS
POINT, WE'RE REALLY LOOKING TO
FOCUS STBD INVESTMENT ON THE
FIXED ROUTE SERVICE NETWORK AND
LIKE I SAID, KIND OF IN LINE
WITH THE OVERALL PRINCIPLES FOR
THE PROGRAM, TRYING TO BOLSTER
THE FREQUENT SERVICE NETWORK AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
IT IS FAIRLY EXPENSIVE TO ADD
WATER TAXI SERVICE AND I THINK
HAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE
LIKE TO CONTINUE CONVERSATIONS
WITH METRO ABOUT WHAT THEY
MIGHT BE LOOKING AT FROM THEIR
OWN PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTING MOBILITY IN WEST
SEATTLE.
>> I WON'T NECESSARILY ADVOCATE
FOR MORE SERVICE TO WEST
SEATTLE UNLESS I HEAR FROM OF
THE WEST SEATTLE ELECTS.
BUT I NOTICE MAKING THAT
CONNECTION TO THE DOWNTOWN
CORRIDOR IS A DIRECT CONNECTION
TO THE TRANSIT SPINE THAT IS
SOUND TRANSIT AND MANY OF OUR
BUS LINES THAT I DON'T WANT TO
ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT I
SEE COUNCIL MEMBER HERBOLD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER, THE FUNDING
PROPOSITION ALLOWS THAT TYPE OF
SPENDING.
SO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
COULD BE EXPLOED IF THE DEMAND
AND NEED FOR IT ARISES.
THIS FUNDING AGREEMENT IS VERY
SPECIFIC TO THE BUS TRANSIT
SERVICE, SO THERE'S OTHER WORK
THAT WOULD NEED TO BE DONE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW AND IF THAT MADE
SENSE.
>> GREAT, WHICH LEADS ME TO MY
NEXT QUESTION.
WHAT PERCENTAGE -- WHAT IS THE
PERCENTAGE OF METRO'S OVERALL
BUDGET?
>> SO, THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE
PURCHASE AMOUNTS TO ABOUT 3 OR
4% OF METRO'S OVERALL SYSTEM.
SO IT IS LESS THAN THE PRIOR
MEASURE WHERE IN RECENT YEARS,
WE HAVE GOTTEN UP TO AS HIGH AS
10% OF METRO'S SYSTEM.
BUT I THINK IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT
AT THE END OF THE DAY, METRO IS
STILL THE ENTITY PROVIDING THE
VAST MAJORITY OF TRANSIT
SERVICE.
>> AND HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO
THE LAST AGREEMENT?
YOU SAID IT WAS UP AS HIGH AS
10% AND NOW IT'S DOWN TO 3%?
DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY?
>> IT WAS UP TO ABOUT 8% IN THE
LAST AGREEMENT AND PART OF THAT
WAS BECAUSE WE HAD REACHED SORT
OF A FUNDING PEAK THAT WAS
HIGHER THAN THE SUSTAINABLE
YEAR OVER YEAR FUNDING LEVEL IN
THE LAST COUPLE YEARS OF THE
PREVIOUS MEASURE.
AND SO YES, OUR CURRENT
INVESTMENT IS CLOSER TO 3 OR 4
PERCENT.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
AND CHAIR, THOSE ARE ALL MY
QUESTIONS FOR SLIDE 7.
>> THANK YOU.
COUNCILMEMBER HERBOLD, DID YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU, GO AHEAD.
>> I DO.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO SLIDE 7
AND SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES
TO THE EMERGING NEED FOR WEST
SEATTLE.
A BUMP IN THE GRAPHIC THERE.
JUST INTERESTED TO UNDERSTAND A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE
ASSUMPTION THAT GRAPHIC SEEMS
TO CONVEY AS FAR AS THE MESSAGE
IT IS SENDING.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ONLY
LOOKING AT, BOY, A BUMP OF,
MAYBE A MILLION DOLLARS FOR
2021, BUT UPWARDS OF $5 MILLION
FOR 2022.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THE
ALLOCATION FOR THOSE TWO YEARS?
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT RIDERSHIP.
ASSUMPTIONS AROUND SOCIAL
DISTANCING, PEOPLE RETURNING TO
WORK.
PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO HAVE
CONCERNS ABOUT RIDING TRANSIT
IN A TIME WHEN HOPEFULLY WE
WILL BE MORE OF US WILL BE
VACCINATED, BUT STILL SOME
CONCERNS ABOUT TRANSIT
RIDERSHIP.
>> SURE.
I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
SO PART OF THAT IS THE SOMEWHAT
LUMPY NATURE OF THE SERVICE
CHANGE PROCESS AS WE TALKED
ABOUT A LITTLE BIT WITH ONLY
TWO SERVICE CHANGES A YEAR AND
A SIX MONTH PLANNING HORIZON.
YOU KNOW, TAKES US A LITTLE
WHILE TO COORDINATE WITH METRO
AND GET SERVICE OUT ON THE
ROADS.
THAT'S WHY FOR 2021, OUR
OPTIONS WERE REALLY LIMITED TO
THE SEPTEMBER SERVICE CHANGE,
WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON AND
LOOKING AT.
IT JUST DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE
WILL BE THAT MANY MONTHS OF
SERVICE PURCHASE IN 2021.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT A
BIGGER PURCHASE IN 2022, WHICH
IS WHEN WE EXPECT THESE THINGS
WILL SORT OF ALL ALIGN A LITTLE
BIT MORE WITH INCREASING
TRANSIT RIDERSHIP POST COVID AS
WELL AS THE BRIDGE REPAIR WORK
AND CONTINUED BRIDGE CLOSURE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTY, I THINK, AS YOU
HIGHLIGHTED AROUND WHAT TRANSIT
RECOVERY WILL LOOK LIKE AND
EXACTLY WHEN WE WILL START TO
SEE HIGHER RIDERSHIP AS WELL AS
FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTH
PERFECTIVE, WHEN METRO MIGHT BE
CONSIDERING CHANGES TO THEIR
CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS.
SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO EXACTLY
ANTICIPATE THE AMOUNT OF
SERVICE THAT WILL BE NEEDED,
BUT WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW
WITH METRO TO UNDERSTAND, YOU
KNOW, WHAT THEIR SERVICE PLANS
ARE AND TRYING TO, I THINK,
MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO
PROVIDE ENOUGH SERVICE TO
SUPPORT A ROBUST RECOVERY AND
TO GIVE US THE FLEXIBILITY IN
CASE THE CAPACITY LIMITS LAST
MAYBE LONGER THAN WE MIGHT HAVE
EXPECTED.
SO I THINK THERE'S STILL A LOT
THAT IS UNKNOWN, BUT WE'RE
DOING OUR BEST TO PLAN FOR
PRETTY ROBUST SERVICE
OPERATIONS IN 2022.
>> A FOLLOWUP ON THAT.
MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE
EMERGING NEEDS CATEGORY TO
ADDRESS -- THESE ARE GOALS WE
HAVE FOR ADDITIONAL METRO
SERVICE CAPACITY TO ENCOURAGE
MORE PEOPLE TO TAKE THE BUS IN
LIGHT OF THE WEST SEATTLE
BRIDGE CLOSURE AS PEOPLE ARE
RETURNING TO WORK.
AND OUR GOALS ARE PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT.
I SEEM TO REMEMBER THERE WERE
TRYING TO MOVE ABOUT 30% MORE
PEOPLE ON TO TRANSIT.
THAT IS NOT ONLY BUSES, IT'S
ALSO WATER TAXI.
BUT REMIND ME, THE ALLOCATION.
>>> WHAT WILL LIKELY BE
RECOMMENDED IN THE UPCOMING
SERVICE EDITION,
RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU KNOW,
PRIOR TO THEM COMING TO US IN A
SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION, SORT
OF AFTER THEY ARE ALL COOKED.
HOW DO WE LEARN MORE?
HOW DOES THE PUBLIC GET
INVOLVED BEFORE THOSE
RECOMMENDATIONS ARE BEING MADE?
>> SO I THINK MAYBE SOME OF
THOSE THINGS ARE THINGS WE CAN
COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE WITH
SOME BROADER UPDATES ON THE
WEST SEATTLE BRIDGE PROGRAM,
LIKELY IN MARCH.
I THINK THOSE ARE SOME TOPICS
WE CAN BRING FORWARD AT THAT
POINT.
THE SERVICE INVESTMENTS THAT WE
MAKE WILL BE MADE UNDER THE
UMBRELLA OF THIS AGREEMENT AND
SO WE CAN GET INTO MORE
SPECIFICS AND DETAILS THERE.
I THINK YOUR POINT ABOUT PEOPLE
WHEN AND HOW TO HAVE PEOPLE
RIDE TRANSIT IN GREATER NUMBERS
AGAIN IS RIGHT ON, I RECENTLY
TOOK THE BUS.
I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH
BOTH MY FELLOW BUS RIDERS
MASKING UP AND ALL THE SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS THAT METRO AND
REALLY COLLECTIVELY AS A WHOLE,
ALL OF THE TRANSIT PROVIDERS IN
THIS REGION PUT INTO PLACE AND
THE DILIGENCE WITH WHICH THEY
HAVE DONE THAT.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN A
LITTLE WHILE THAT I HAVE TAKEN
THE BUS.
I FELT VERY COMFORTABLE AND
SAFE IN DOING SO.
BUT RECOGNIZE THERE'S A
CAPACITY CONSTRAINT IN HOW TO
ACHIEVE THE SHIFT THAT WE WILL
NEED TO HAVE FROM WEST SEATTLE
TO HAVE SUSTAINABLE
TRANSPORTATION BACK AND FORTH.
>> ONE THING I COULD ADD ABOUT
YOUR QUESTION ABOUT OUR
PROPOSALS FOR SEPTEMBER AND
FUTURE SERVICE CHANGES IS WE DO
HAVE CREATED IN THE WAKE OF THE
FIRST PROP ONE, WE DO HAVE A
TRANSIT ADVISORY BOARD AND WE
MEET WITH THEM MONTHLY AND DO
RUN OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROPOSAL
BY THEM IN ADVANCE AND AT THE
SAME TIME, AT LEAST THROUGH THE
LAST STBD MEASURE, I ASSUME
THIS WILL CONTINUE, WE MET ON A
MONTHLY BASIS WITH COUNCIL
STAFF, JUST TO BRIEF THEM ON
THE SAME KIND OF INFORMATION
WE'RE PROVIDING TO THE TRANSIT
ADVISORY BOARD AND SO THAT'S
CERTAINLY ONE WAY THAT THAT
INFORMATION CAN COME TO YOU IN
ADVANCE OF US FINALIZING THE
SERVICE PURCHASE DECISIONS.
>> I WANTED TO ANSWER A
QUESTION IF I COULD.
>> OF COURSE.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
I MAY HAVE MISSED AN
EXPLANATION HERE.
WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT
THE MODEST BUMP FOR 2021 FOR
EMERGING NEEDS FOR WEST SEATTLE
AS COMPARED TO 2022, I FELT
WHAT I HEARD WAS THE REASON
BECAUSE THERE AREN'T GOING TO
BE SERVICE ADDITIONS UNTIL
SEPTEMBER.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT WE DO
SERVICE ADDITIONS IN MARCH AND
SEPTEMBER.
SO, WHAT DID I MISS?
I'M SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD, BRIANA.
>> THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
THERE WILL BE A SERVICE CHANGE
THIS MARCH.
I THINK THE ISSUE IS REALLY
KIND OF INFORMATION ON THE
SLIDE AFTER THIS ONE.
I THINK AROUND THE SERVICE
PLANNING PROCESS, WHICH
REQUIRES QUITE A BIT OF LEAD
TIME AND BECAUSE OF A COUPLE OF
DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE
PRETTY UNIQUE TO THIS YEAR,
INCLUDING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION
TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE
WOULD BE CONTINUED STBD FUNDING
AS WELL AS UNCERTAINTY AROUND
I976.
WE WEREN'T REALLY IN A POSITION
WHEN WE WERE BEGINNING PLANNING
FOR THIS MARCH SERVICE CHANGE
TO HAVE METRO RUN FULL STEAM
AHEAD WITH A MAJOR SERVICE ADD
IN WEST SEATTLE.
SO WE WILL STILL CERTAINLY BE
MAKING SOME SERVICE INVESTMENTS
AND TRYNG TO MAINTAIN SOME OF
THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE ALREADY
HAVE HAD IN WEST SEATTLE.
IT IS JUST MOSTLY THAT WE
AREN'T ABLE TO SHIFT A LOT OF
NEW RESOURCES OVER IN TIME FOR
THIS MARCH SERVICE CHANGE.
>> THE BAR ON THAT SAME SLIDE,
FOR TRANSIT SERVICE THAT GOES
FROM ZERO TO $20 MILLION,
REPRESENTS THE NEW TRANSIT
SERVICE UNDER THE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT
DISTRICT.
IS THAT CORRECT?
SO YOU ARE ADDING SERVICE FOR
THE REST OF THE CITY UNDER THE
TRANSPORTATION BENEFIT --
>> SORRY, MUCH OF THAT IS
SERVICE THAT WAS BEING
PURCHASED UNDER THE OLD
MEASURE.
>> OKAY.
>> A LOT OF THAT IS
CONTINUATION OF SERVICE.
WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH MONEY AS
WE DID HAVE, WE ARE SEEING
REDUCTIONS IN GENERAL.
>> SO --
>> SOME OF THAT DOES SERVE WEST
SEATTLE, I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
THAT IS SUSTAINING THE LEVEL OF
SERVICE.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY THE
BAR IS LOWER THAN THE OTHERS IS
A REMINDER, THE STBD WILL
COLLECT 3/4 OF A YEAR OF
REVENUE DURING THE FIRST YEAR
DURING 2021, BECAUSE THE SALES
TAX WON'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL
APRIL 1.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COLLEAGUES FOR
ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
TRANSIT SERVICE AGREEMENT.
I WANT TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND
THANK THE VOTERS FOR APPROVING
THE FUNDING AND MAKING THIS
POSSIBLE.
KING COUNTY COUNCIL WILL BE
VOTING ON THIS AS WELL THIS
WEEK OR NEXT AND WE WANT TO
THANK THE STRONG TRANSIT TEAM
WE HAVE WITHIN SDOT TO HELP
CRAFT THE ENHANCEMENTS TO THE
AGREEMENT WE ALREADY HAD FROM
THE PREVIOUS MEASURE AND THANK
CALVIN FOR HIS MEMO EXPLANING
THESE UPDATES AND APPRECIATE
ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM
EVERYBODY TO FLUSH THINGS OUT
FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD.
REALLY BELIEVE THIS IS A STRONG
AGREEMENT.
IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN THE GOOD
ONE WE HAD IN PLACE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO SUPPORTING IT.
ANY FINAL QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
COUNCILMEMBERS, LET ME MAKE A
MOTION TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF
COUNCIL BILL
119998 ITEM TWO ON OUR AGENDA.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> IT HAS BEEN MOVED AND
SECONDED.
ANY FINAL COMMENTS?
OKAY, WILL THE CLERK PLEASE
CALL THE ROLL ON THE COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATION THAT COUNCIL
BILL 119998 BE FORWARDED FOR
THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
>> GONZALEZ.
>> AYE.
>> HERBOLD.
>> YES.
>> STRAUSS.
>> YES.
>> CHAIR PEDERSEN.
>> YES.
>> THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
IS THAT THE BILL BE SENT FOR
APPROVAL FOR THE FEBRUARY 22
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, IF THERE'S
NOTHING ELSE, THIS CONCLUDES
THE FEBRUARY 17, 2021, MEETING
OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES COMMITTEE.
THIS COMMITTEE PLANS TO MEET
AGAIN ON MARCH 3. THANK YOU FOR
ATTENDING.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.