| Citizens Advisory Committee - December 5, 2007 |
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEEMeeting Notice Date: 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 5, 2007 Location: 100 Van Ness Avenue, 26th Floor Members: Brian Larkin (Chair), Jacqualine Sachs (Vice Chair), Jerry Lee, Cecilia Lim, Fran Martin, Matt Mitguard, Terry Micheau, Jul Lynn Parsons, Jacqaline Sachs, Crezia Tano and Wendy Tran
6:00 1. Committee Meeting Call to Order 6:05 2. Chair's Report - INFORMATION 6:10 3. Third Street Light Rail Project Status Report - INFORMATION* (attachment) During the month of October 2007, $6,838,697 in construction was expended. Construction activities are focused on the Muni Metro East Maintenance and Operations Facility (MME), which is now 77% complete based on the current forecast-at-completion. The building exterior is approaching completion. In the interior, the installation of the art glass in the lobby/stair towers has been completed and work continues on the systems and equipment installation, where the installation of the truck hoists has been completed are the car hoists are being installed. In the exterior, the parking lot has been paved and work continues on the installation of Overhead Contact System (OCS) wire. Power substation installation is 75% complete. Preliminary Engineering for the Central Subway is now 58% complete. The project team continues to advance Preliminary Engineering and technical interagency coordination meetings continue with BART, Caltrans, TJPA, PG&E, and CPUC. The project team has completed the contract packaging and delivery strategy and continues working on peak and emergency passenger flow simulations for all the stations. Two community meetings were recently held to help inform the public about the environmental process and opportunities to comment on its findings. Presentations have also been made to numerous agencies. The San Francisco Planning Commission held a public hearing on the environmental document on November 15, where many members of the public spoke in support of the project. After a public comment period that extends through December 10, 2007, the final SEIS/SEIR will be issued. The MTA expects the San Francisco Planning Commission to certify the Final SEIS/SEIR by the summer of 2008. The completion of the environmental process will lead to the Record of Decision, which is scheduled for the fall of 2008. The Arts Commission's Central Subway Public Art Program will create a strong visual identity for each subway station and adjacent vicinity to reflect the vitality of the diverse Central Subway transit corridor neighborhoods. In the early spring of 2008, the Arts Commission will begin a two-phased public process to first select a short list of artist candidates for each station and then to commission specific proposals from each of the artist candidates, from which a final selection of artists and artwork designs will be made. This is an information item. 6:20 Policy and Programming 4. Adopt a Motion of Support for Adoption of San Francisco's Project Priorities for the 2008 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) - ACTION* (attachment) As Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco, the Authority is responsible for establishing project priorities for San Francisco's county share funds from the STIP, subject to concurrence by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) through its Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) process. The Authority has about $58 million in Regional Improvement Program (RIP) funds and about $2 million in Transportation Enhancements (TE) funds available to program in Fiscal Years 2008/09 through Fiscal Year 2012/13, through most of the funds are expected to be available in the last year of the STIP. Authority Resolution 06-30, adopted in November 2005, establishes a RTIP funding strategy that limits programming of all RTIP project funds to the following four projects until our full $176.6 million (2004 $'s) in remaining RIP commitments to these projects are fulfilled or other funds are found to replace the RIP funds: Central Subway, Doyle Drive Replacement, Caltrain Electrification, and Caltrain Downtown Extension to a Rebuilt Transbay Terminal (Transbay Transit Center). The outcome of a regional strategy to maximize Prop 1B CMIA funds for the Bay Area during the 2006 RTIP Augmentation resulted in the MTC approving Resolution 3800, which establishes programming of $54 million in RIP funds to Doyle Drive as MTC's top priority in the 2008 STIP since these funds were not able to be programmed as part of the 2006 RTIP Augmentation. The RIP funds will leverage $405 million in State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP) funds, a commitment resulting from intensive advocacy by the Authority and MTC. There is strong speculation that the CTC may look unfavorably at transit programming in the 2008 STIP and will instead prioritize RIP funds for CMIA and highway projects. The rationale is that transit projects can be kept moving using Prop 1B bond revenues and SB717 which permanently redirects some STIP funds to transit operators. Given this context, we recommend programming the remaining $2.8 million in RIP funds to Phase 1 construction of the Transbay Transit Center project. Of the three transit project sponsors in Resolution 06-30, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority does not benefit from Prop 1B bond funds or SB717. We are also recommending programming two more years of planning, programming and monitoring (PPM) funds for the Authority and MTC; holding the Authority's half of the TE funds on reserve; and holding MTC's half of the TE funds on reserve as requested by MTC pending outcome of regional discussions about the use of MTC's TE funds that are ongoing as part of the RTP process. We are recommending one amendment to move design funds to the construction phase and advance programming of construction funds for the Department of Public Works' Leland Avenue Streetscape Improvements TE project. Lastly, we recommend a future action as part of the 2008 Prop K Strategic Plan update to escalate and then cap our remaining RIP commitment for the three transit projects. We are seeking a motion of support to adopt San Francisco's project priorities for the 2008 RTIP. 5. Adopt a Motion of Support for Approval of the 2008 Prop K Strategic Plan Policies - ACTION* (attachment) We have initiated the first update of the Prop K Strategic Plan, which was adopted by the Authority Board in March 2005, and the 5-Year Prioritization Programs (5YPPs), which were approved in May/June 2005. The Strategic Plan is the primary document for implementing the Expenditure Plan. It provides the long-term (i.e., 30-year) road map for managing Prop K revenue, establishes policies, projects revenues and program expenses, and programs funds by fiscal year for each Expenditure Plan line item. The 5YPPs support the Strategic Plan by, among other things, providing a 5-year program of projects for all of the programmatic (i.e. non-project-specific) categories such as traffic calming, signs and signs and street resurfacing. Consistent with Strategic Plan policies, our schedule for the 2008 Strategic Plan update is being coordinated with the 2009 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) update in order to maximize leveraging of Prop K funds to deliver the Expenditure Plan. This coordination is critically important since delivery of the Expenditure Plan depends upon leveraging the projected $2.35 billion in sales tax funds generated over the 30 years of the program with about $9.6 billion in federal, state, regional and other local funds. This memo provides an overview of the schedule and approach for the Prop K Strategic Plan and 5YPP updates, and describes proposed changes to the 2005 Strategic Plan policies. We have found that the current policies are working well; and therefore, are proposing only minor clarifications and administrative changes. The Authority's Technical Working Group has reviewed the proposed changes and raised no objections. Approval of the policies in December will provide clear guidance for Authority staff and project sponsors to develop the draft Strategic Plan and 5YPP updates that are scheduled for presentation to the Plans and Programs Committee as information items in early 2007. We are seeking a recommendation to approve the 2008 Prop K Strategic Plan Policies. 6. Funding Workshop - INFORMATION At the request of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Authority staff has prepared a funding workshop for the CAC. The workshop is intended to provide a general orientation to transportation funding, focusing on sources that are typically used to leverage Prop K projects and/or frequently are referenced in items that come before the CAC. We will also provide some reference materials including an overview of the related funding processes, terminology, agencies involved, and timelines. This is an information item. (attachment) 6:50 Planning 7. Adopt a Motion of Support for the Award of a Consultant Contract to the Top-Ranked Firm as Scored by the Selection Panel for the Environmental Analysis and Engineering of Bus Rapid Transit on Geary Boulevard - ACTION* (attachment) In May 2007, the Authority Board approved the Geary Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Feasibility Study and its recommendations, approved appropriation of $1.183 million in Prop K funds to support the environmental analysis and engineering phase of the project, and approved the commitment to appropriate an additional $1.125 million in Prop K funds to support this next phase. In November, 2007, we issued a Request for Proposals for environmental analysis and engineering consultant services for BRT on Geary. Consultant proposals are due to the Authority on December 4. A pre-proposal conference held on November 8, 2007, indicated strong interest from a number of firms. Proposals will be evaluated and firms will be invited to interview on December 13, 2007 by a review panel that includes representatives from the MTA. Based on a competitive selection process, the panel will make a recommendation for award of consultant contract prior to the January Finance Committee. We would like to request CAC consideration of a motion to support award of a consultant contract to the recommended firm, so that we may seek Finance Committee and Authority Board approval in January. This approval schedule will help us ensure that the study moves forward in a timely manner. We are seeking a motion of support for award of a consultant contract to the top-ranked firm as scored by the selection panel for the Environmental Analysis and Engineering of BRT on Geary Boulevard. 7:00 Finance and Administration 8. Adopt a Motion of Support to Accept the Audit Report for FY2006/07 - ACTION* (attachment) Under the Authority's Fiscal Policy, Authority financial transactions and records are audited annually by an independent, certified public accountant. The fiscal audit for the year ending June 30, 2007 was completed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards by the independent certified public accounting firm of Macias, Gini & O'Connell, LLP (Macias Gini). For the year ending June 30, 2007, Macias Gini has issued an unqualified (clean) opinion, stating that the financial statements presented fairly, in all material respects, the respective financial position of the governmental activities, each major fund and the aggregate remaining fund information of the Authority, and the respective changes in financial position. In addition, since more than $500,000 was expended in federal grants during the fiscal year, a single audit was performed as well. In Macias Gini's opinion, the Authority complied, in all material respects, with the requirements applicable to its major federal programs for the year ended June 30, 2007. The full audit report is attached. We are seeking a motion of support to accept the Audit Report for FY2006/07. 9. Adopt a Motion of Support for Amendment to the Authority's Fiscal Year 2007/08 Budget - ACTION* (attachment) In June 2007, the Authority adopted the FY 2007/08 Annual Budget and Work Program. Since that time, the Authority has received several discretionary grant awards that were not included in the original budget. The Authority has received three Caltrans Planning Grants for the Bayview-Hunters Point Neighborhood Transportation Plan, the Tenderloin Traffic Calming and Circulation Plan, and the Bicycle Route-Choice Model Development project. As announced at a previous Authority meeting, the San Francisco Bay Region has also received a $158.7 million Urban Partnership Agreement award, for which the Authority is a recipient of a number of program elements, including the variable pricing and reconstruction of Doyle Drive and program pre-implementation work. To accommodate current year Authority grant-funded activities, the proposed Budget amendment adds FY 2007/08 revenues of $3.7 million, and also adds expenditures of $3.7 million. The requested action also authorizes the submittal of a required local resolution for the Caltrans planning grants. The Citizens Advisory Committee did not meet in November, but will consider this item at its meeting on December 5, 2007. We are seeking a motion of support to amend the Authority's FY 2007/08 Budget. 10. Adopt a Motion of Support for Approval of the Revised Procurement Policy and Investment Policy - ACTION* (attachment) In July 2007, through approval of Resolution 08-01 and Resolution 08-02, the Authority Board ratified the Procurement Policy and Investment Policy. We are proposing minor updates to these policies to conform to current regulations and to clarify certain policies. With respect to the Procurement Policy, we propose a revision to clarify the restriction for architectural and engineering contracts established in code, and to clarify a policy related to bid advertisement. With respect to the Investment Policy, we propose a revised reporting procedure better suited to the Authority's context. We are seeking a motion of support for the approval of the Revised Procurement Policy and Investment Policy. 11. Adopt a Motion of Support for Adoption of the Revised Travel, Conference, Training and Business Expenses Reimbursement Policy, and Amendment to the Administrative Code - ACTION* (attachment) AB1234 mandates ethics training, and also requires local agencies, such as the Authority, to adopt a written policy concerning what occurrences qualify a Commissioner to receive the reimbursement of expenses. In December 2006, we briefed the Finance Committee on proposed changes to the Travel, Conference, Training and Business Expenses Reimbursement Policy (Reimbursement Policy) and to the Administrative Code to comply with AB1234. The Finance Committee continued the item and directed staff to modify the proposed Reimbursement Policy to add further clarifications and controls on Commissioner travel requests. With assistance from Authority General Counsel, we are recommending several additional changes to the Reimbursement Policy and Administrative Code. These changes would make the Reimbursement Policy and Administrative Code consistent with AB1234, address prior Finance Committee comments, and update the current Administrative Code language. We are seeking a motion of support to adopt the Revised Travel, Conference, Training and Business Expenses Reimbursement Policy, and to amend the Administrative Code. 7:55 11. Public Comment 8:00 12. Adjournment * Materials Attached Next Regular Meeting: January 23, 2007CAC MEMBERS WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND SHOULD CONTACT ERIKA CHENG AT (415) 522-4831 This meeting location is wheelchair accessible. In order to allow individuals with environmental illness or multiple-chemical sensitivity to attend the meeting, individuals are requested to refrain from wearing perfume or other scented products. All times shown are for information only. Items will be called at the discretion of the Chair. If you prefer receiving future agendas via email instead of regular mail, please send your request to |
