MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL TRANSIT TRAINING CONSORTIUM February 18, 2015 Sunline Transit Agency 32505 Harry Oliver Trail Thousand Palms, California 92276 The Board of Directors of the Southern California Regional Transit Training Consortium (the “consortium” or “SCRTTC”) held a Regular Meeting on February 18, 2015, at Sunline Transit Agency, 32505 Harry Oliver Trail, Thousand Palms, California 92276. Directors Jannet Malig, Chair (by phone), Art Aguilar (by phone), Marion Colston, Rolando Cruz (by phone), Peter Davis, Tommy Edwards, Jack Gabig, Mike Hernandez, Macy Neshati (by phone), Greg Newhouse, and Joe Niegoski (by phone) were present for some or all of the meeting. Directors Marty Alvarado, Tom Barrio, Donna DeMartino, Jess Guerra, Kevin McDonald, Larry McLaughlin, and Cliff Thorne were absent. Also present for some or all of the meeting were the following individuals: Nina Babiarz (Director of Training, SCRTTC) Alan L. Fox (Secretary, SCRTTC) Lauren Skiver (General Manager, Sunline Transit Agency) David M. Stumpo (Executive Director, SCRTTC) I. Welcome, Roll Call and Introductions. Jannet Malig called the meeting to order at 12:12 p.m., and commented by phone that she was sorry to miss being present and seeing the new facilities of Sunline Transit. Dave Stumpo asked the directors to indicate their presence, by phone or in person, as their names were called, and after conducting a roll call he announced that a quorum of nine directors was present for the beginning of the meeting. Stumpo announced that director Marty Alvarado of Long Beach City College is leaving the college and thus is resigning from the Board, and that Dana Friez was hoping to be present at the meeting to announce Marty’s resignation in person. II. Approval of Minutes. Chair Malig requested discussion, questions, or corrections regarding the proposed minutes covering the November 19, 2014, meeting of the Board. Upon motion of Greg Newhouse, and seconded by Mike Hernandez, the minutes of the Board meeting of November 19, 2014, were unanimously approved. III. Secretary Report. Secretary Alan Fox stated that there would be no formal secretarial report. He commented that the consortium’s activities and progress in conducting training appear to be healthy, that new membership and public enthusiasm are robust, and that the appropriate subcommittees of the consortium, namely the Educational Services Committee and the Governmental Relations Committee, appear to be the busiest and most actively attended, all of which speak well for the state of the consortium. He noted that expansion may well be a key issue for the consortium going forward into the near and intermediate-term future, and that expansion is presumably being made possible in large measure by the consortium’s activities and experience in distance-based learning. Tommy Edwards then introduced Lauren Skiver, General Manager of Sunline Transit Agency, who welcomed everyone to the new Sunline Transit building, which she characterized as new and better than Sunline’s previous quarters, which were partly located in trailers. She described the new facilities, and she complimented the Sunline employees as a “fantastic team of people”. She as well announced that Sunline would host a hydrogen fuel-cell conference the following week. Art Aguilar and Peter Davis both spoke with praise of Sunline’s facility and staff, and complimented the agency’s employment style of bringing in employees, training them, and promoting them from within. IV. Management Report. A. Quarterly Management Report; LA BOS. Dave Stumpo summarized his quarterly management report by referring the directors and meeting participants to the previously distributed written management report covering the period October through December, 31, 2014. He briefly reiterated the total number of hours, and students, provided and trained by the consortium to date, and highlighted a new governmental relations brochure produced by the consortium. He commented that the consortium is in reasonable shape with respect to its accounts receivable and in paying its bills. He summarized the current status of the consortium’s account with L.A. BOS by reporting that there is currently approximately $170,000 in the BOS account, and $76,000 in expenses so far in the current reporting period. Stumpo reported that an item not in the written management report is the recently received announcement, with 30 days’ notice, that the consortium’s website host is going out of business. He proceeded to advise that the consortium’s website is already built, that the website belongs to the consortium, that it will be relatively easy to get a new host, and thus that the loss of the current host will not make a material difference in the consortium’s operations. A small fee to our webmaster to do the work is reasonable. B. FTA ITWD Grant Close Out. Stumpo reminded Board members that the current FTA ITWD grant was an 18-month grant which was concluded on January 31st. He commented that the consortium’s performance under the grant resulted in its coming in under budget by 0.3% or about $2,019. He related that the current FTA administrator overseeing the consortium’s performance, Mr. Mackenzie Theissen of the FTA Research Department, is interested in personally observing the consortium’s operations, and will shortly travel to southern California, where Stumpo and various administrators will host him at Long Beach Transit, Long Beach City College, Cerritos College, and Gardena Municipal Bus Lines (now “G-Trans”). Stumpo promised to provide the Board with a report following the visit. V. Board and Committee Reports. A. Government Relations Committee Activities. Committee Chair Jack Gabig reported that there have been two recent Government Relations Committee meetings, with good attendance. i]. APTA D.C. Legislative Conference; March 9-11th Approach and Update. Chair Gabig described preparations on behalf of the consortium for the March 9th-11th APTA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. He reported that Clean Energy’s Washington, D.C. lobbyist Jim Hooley has been contacted by G-Trans employee Joseph Loh and has agreed to work with and help the consortium as he can. Gabig identified the consortium members and representatives who will attend the meetings in person, and inquired whether a n y other affiliated representatives may be attending. He commented that he will organize the consortium’s participation and its representation at the meetings, and that the consortium will have an informational packet to distribute as appropriate, including its recently distributed October-December newsletter “The Communicator”, which he described as “perfect” for such purposes. Alan Fox inquired whether effort has been made to date to contact Pat Jordan to help in preparations and presentations, and Gabig responded that while no contact has been made to date, he will contact Board member Donna DeMartino of San Joaquin RTD to coordinate Ms. Jordan’s possible assistance. Nina Babiarz reported that numerous letters of support for the consortium and its potential role in workforce development have been obtained in anticipation of the meetings, and that in a continuing effort to stay in front of appropriate congressional representatives and officials, meetings have been scheduled with the offices of California U.S. Senators Feinstein and Boxer. Nina commented that the preparatory meetings for the conference are well organized, that thanks are appropriate for everyone who has aided in the preparation for the Conference, and that support letters have been provided by several community colleges, transit agencies, labor unions, and congressional representatives ii]. FTA NOFA; ‘Ladders of Opportunity’, Discretionary Grant Was Submitted on Dec. 22nd. Chair Gabig and Dave Stumpo both described the consortium’s grant application, which was submitted on December 22nd and which applies for approximately $860,000, of a grant total of approximately $9 million, for funding for the development and delivery of additional distance based learning. They described the nature of the grant, which in its focus on education, training, and workforce development generally seems to be ideally suited to the consortium’s experience and expertise and to have “something for everyone.” Stumpo commented that the FTA has opened the consortium application, and that he will discuss its details and answer questions as appropriate with FTA representative Mackenzie during his anticipated visit. Stumpo reported that the application indicates that the FTA may take up to approximately 90 days to complete its responses to the applications submitted. iii]. Reauthorization Legislative Language and Funding. Stumpo reported that no new news regarding reauthorization legislative language details has been received which has not been previously reported, although he emphasized that new information will almost certainly be generated during and as a result of the APTA Legislative Conference. iv]. Caltrans Mass Transportation; Active Transportation Program (ATP) RFP. Dave Stumpo referred to his report from the previous Board meeting to the effect that Caltrans has an Active Transportation Program involved in efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, with up to $129 million in funding to be allocated to participants, and that the program involves considerable opportunity for the consortium. Stumpo commented that there is no new information regarding the program since his last report, and that the consortium