CDTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING AGENDA Wednesday, October 25, 2017 CDTA Board Room - 110 Watervliet Avenue Start Time – 12:00 Noon Board Item Call to Order Responsibility Dave Stackrow Ascertain Quorum and Approve Agenda Dave Stackrow Approve Minutes of September 27, 2017 Dave Stackrow Recognition  APTA – Best Mid-Sized Transit System  Recognize PTLI Participants Dave Stackrow Dave Stackrow Page 2 Committee Reports: (Action Items Listed) Performance Oversight Committee (Met on 10/18/17)  Award Contract for Shelter Glass Denise Figueroa 17  Award Contract for Tire Lease 22  Award Contract for Bus Schedule Printing 27 Audit Committee (Met on 10/18/17) Dave Stackrow Investment Committee Dave Stackrow Governance Committee (Met on 10/19/17) Dave Stackrow Planning and Stakeholder Relations Committee (Met on 10/19/17)  Authorize Public Hearing for Uncle Sam Land Acquisition  Authorize Veteran’s Half Fare Program Joe Spairana Chief Executive Officer’s Report Carm Basile 32 35 Executive Session Good of the Order (Added by Approval of the Chair)  Recognize Norman L. Miller (11 Years of Service)  Recognize Arthur F. Young, Jr. (22 Years of Service) Announcements 1 Dave Stackrow Dave Stackrow 37 Upcoming Meetings (110 Watervliet Avenue) November 8, 2017 (Board Retreat) December 13, 2017 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (And its Subsidiaries) 110 Watervliet Avenue, Albany, New York MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2017 BOARD MEETING MEMBERS PRESENT David M. Stackrow, Chairman Georgeanna M. Nugent, Vice Chairwoman Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary Corey L. Bixby Michael J. Criscione Denise A. Figueroa Jayme B. Lahut Jaclyn Falotico Mark Schaeffer MEMBERS EXCUSED None OTHERS PRESENT Carmino N. Basile, Chief Executive Officer Amanda A. Avery, General Counsel Christopher Desany, Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure Michael P. Collins, Vice President of Finance and Administration Frederick C. Gilliam, Director of Transportation Philip C. Parella, Jr., Director of Finance Lance Zarcone, Director of Maintenance Richard J. Vines, Director of Risk Management Jonathan E. Scherzer, Director of Marketing Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement Kelli E. Schreivogl, Director of Human Resources Brian Green, Assistant Superintendent, STAR Division Thomas G. Guggisberg, Director of Information Technology Alton Ming, Assistant Superintendent, Troy Division Steven E. Wacksman, Superintendent, Albany Maintenance Sarah A. Matrose, Internal Auditor Deloris D. Womack, Bus Operator, Albany Division Meredith J. Redcross, Benefits Coordinator Robert Springer, Paint Shop Technician, Maintenance Susan A. Bartlett, Bus Operator, Troy Division Mark J. Wos, Director of Facilities Erika M. Reilly, Marketing Coordinator Bridget A. Beelen, Grants Manager Jaime L. Watson, Communications Manager Kathy Colbert, Executive Assistant Edward Rich, CDCAT CALL TO ORDER  At 12:10 p.m., Chairman Stackrow called the meeting to order. Chairman Stackrow noted that a quorum was present. 3 APPROVAL OF JULY 26, 2017 BOARD MEETING MINUTES Motion – Ms. Figueroa Seconded – Ms. Nugent Carried Unanimously AGENDA APPROVAL Motion – Mr. Spairana Seconded – Mr. Lahut Carried Unanimously RECOGNITION  Chairman Stackrow presented 20-year service awards to Meredith Redcross, Benefits Coordinator, and Robert Springer, Paint Shop Technician. He also provided 25-year service awards to Deloris Womack, a Bus Operator in the Albany Division, and Susan Bartlett, a Bus Operator in the Troy Division. The members offered their congratulations. COMMITTEE REPORTS GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE Mr. Stackrow, Chairman, reported in the negative. PERFORMANCE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE Report from David M. Stackrow, Acting Chair  The Performance Oversight Committee met at noon on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at 110 Watervliet Avenue. Consent Agenda Items  The Authority uses proprietary transit-planning software created by Remix of San Francisco, California in accordance with a pilot agreement, which has expired. The software has proven to be valuable, allowing staff to recognize the impacts of proposed planning changes.  It is in the best interest of the Authority to continue using the software beyond the expiration of the pilot agreement. Due to the proprietary nature of the software, we need to purchase it from Remix at a three-year cost of $107,000, which has been deemed fair and reasonable.  The Authority hereby recommends awarding a three-year sole source software contract to Remix of San Francisco, California for a total amount not to exceed $107,000. RESOLUTION NO. 54 - 2017 Awarding a Sole Source Contract for Planning Software Licenses Motion – Mr. Spairana Seconded – Ms. Falotico Carried Unanimously 4  The Authority leases space for rental car concessions at the Rensselaer Rail Station (RRS) to serve travelers using rail transportation. After a duly issued Request for Proposals, two responsive proposals were received and evaluated, and it was determined that ELRAC LLC (dba Enterprise Rent-a-Car) of Clifton Park, New York has submitted the best proposal.  The Authority hereby awards a three-year car rental concession revenue contract, with two optional one-year renewals to ELRAC LLC of Clifton Park, New York for a minimum guaranteed annual rental payment of $75,000. RESOLUTION NO. 55 - 2017 Awarding a Contract for Car Rental Concession Services at the Rensselaer Rail Station Motion – Ms. Figueroa Seconded – Mr. Lahut Carried Unanimously  In July 2017, the Authority contracted for Auto and General Liability and Auto Physical Damage coverages through August 26, 2018. After due diligence, it has been determined to be in the Authority’s best interest to extend the current policies to November 9, 2018, which is a more favorable time for policy renewals. The Authority wishes to extend the current insurance policies as follows: New Hampshire Insurance Company and Scottsdale Indemnity, for an additional premium cost of $82,007, and Lexington Insurance for an additional premium cost of $40,170.  The Authority hereby authorizes the extension of the aforementioned insurance policies through November 9, 2018, for the additional quoted premium cost, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the contracts. The total additional premium costs for the extended policy period shall be $82,007 and $40,170. RESOLUTION NO. 56 - 2017 Authorizing the Extension of Insurance Policies Motion – Mr. Lahut Seconded – Ms. Nugent Carried Unanimously  The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) recently announced $10 million in awards to fund projects that support Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program.  The Authority secured $172,304, which represents 80% of the project cost for activities related to the program. They will be used to fund travel trainers, who assist the public with becoming familiar with the Authority’s system and trip planning.  The Authority hereby authorizes the acceptance of these funds from NYSDOT in the amount of $172,304, with a 20% match requirement funded through the Authority’s FY2018 Capital Plan. RESOLUTION NO. 57 - 2017 Accepting State Funding Motion – Ms. Figueroa Seconded – Ms. Nugent Carried Unanimously 5  New York State supports flexible capital funding to address transit system needs through the Transportation Modernization and Transit Capital programs.  The Authority was allocated $10,362,472 in modernization funds and $3,638,755 in transit capital funds. These funds will be used to support the purchase of 40 foot and articulated buses to be delivered between November 2017 and May 2018.  The Authority hereby authorizes the acceptance of these funds in the amount of $14,001,227. RESOLUTION NO. 58 - 2017 Accepting State Capital Funds Motion – Mr. Criscione Seconded – Mr. Schaeffer Carried Unanimously  The Authority is apportioned federal funds on an annual basis through the various transit capital and operating assistance programs.  Section 5307 supports the Authority’s bus and facilities program, shelter replacement program, passenger amenities, and preventive maintenance. Section 5339 supports the Authority’s bus replacement program. Additionally, two highway performance and surface transportation grants were awarded in support of design/engineering for the River Corridor BRT.  A summary of the funds is as follows: - Preventive Maintenance - Purchase Replacement Articulated Bus - Rehab/Renovate Bus Shelters - Design/Engineering Busway - Purchase Replacement 40 Foot Buses  $1,695,601 $ 35,000 $ 18,000 $ 180,000 $ 272,135 The Authority hereby authorizes the acceptance of the state portion of five federal grants for a total amount of $2,200,736. RESOLUTION NO. 59 - 2017 Accepting $2,200,736 in State Funding Motion – Ms. Figueroa Seconded – Ms. Nugent Carried Unanimously Audit Committee Items  Sarah Matrose, our Internal Auditor, provided the Committee with her monthly activity report. Work included closing out of findings on past audits and continuing education activities. Work in progress included updating Davis-Bacon procedures and drug and alcohol compliance review. Investment Committee Items 6  Chairman Stackrow advised that the Investment Committee met today, but he was unable to attend that meeting. Mr. Collins will update him, and he will get a report out to the members. Administrative Discussion Items  The Committee reviewed the quarterly report of the risk management and workers’ compensation self-insurance accounts and found them to be adequate at this time.  The Monthly Management Report was reviewed in Committee. Mortgage recording tax was up 5% for the month but is down 3% for the year. Customer fares are under budget due to credit for Swiper products. RRS and facilities revenue are under budget. Wages were over budget due to extra weekdays and the state fair work but remain under budget for the year. Workers’ compensation is over budget due to loss of use awards. The Authority is in a satisfactory cash flow position at this time.  The Monthly Non-Financial Report was reviewed in Committee. Total ridership was flat for the month and year to date. STAR ridership was up 4% for the month. On-time performance was 73%, and there were 4 Preventive Maintenance Inspections not on time. Missed trips were at 40 this month. Means Distance Between Service Interruptions was at 22,787. Scheduled work was at 82%. There were 20 preventable and 27 non-preventable accidents, and 90% of customer complaints were closed within 10 days. Website page views were at 915,258. Executive Session  Amanda Avery gave a pending litigation report. No action was taken.  The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Thursday, October 18, 2017 at 11:30 am at 110 Watervliet Avenue. PLANNING AND STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS COMMITTEE Report from Joseph M. Spairana, Chair  The Committee met on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at noon at 110 Watervliet Avenue. Administrative Discussion Items  Jonathan Scherzer provided an update on Bike Share (CDPHPCycle!) Bike Share started on July 27, 2017 with 40 stations and 160 bicycles located throughout 4 counties. Through this past weekend, almost 7,000 rides have been taken, and more than 1,800 members have signed up.  Some interesting notes: - Bikes are used more on weekends; the average bike is rented for 24 minutes  Next steps for us are: - Expand to 320 bikes next April; increase docking stations; integrate Navigator access  Jonathan Scherzer provided an update on taxicabs and reviewed the goals, which include establishing regional rules and expectations for taxi providers. The Authority will implement a regional fare structure and require meters in all cabs. It will also centralize requirements for vehicles and drivers. The new ordinance should be in place by January 1, 2018.  Ross Farrell provided the Capital Projects Report, which was included in the members’ packets. 7  The next meeting of the Committee will be at noon on Thursday, October 19, 2017 at 110 Watervliet Avenue.  Chairman Stackrow advised that there are no Committee meetings or Board meeting scheduled for November. The meetings will be held in early December to accommodate the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.  Chairman Stackrow also advised that a Board Retreat has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 8 from 9:00am until 4:00pm. (venue to be determined). Doug Eadie will facilitate the Retreat and he will be contacting each of the members to get their input.  Chairman Stackrow also noted that a Governance session is scheduled for Thursday, November 9 from 9:00am – 1:00pm. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT  The Chief Executive Officer provided his report for September 2017, which included a summary of Performance Indicators for August 2017. A copy of the report is attached to these minutes.  Mr. Basile expressed his gratitude to the Authority’s employees, staff and Board members for their collaborative efforts that contributed to making CDTA the Best Mid-Size System of the Year by the American Public Transportation Association.  Chairman Stackrow provided the Board with an overview of the process that is required to complete an application for this prestigious award (copy attached to these minutes). He commended everyone for a job well done by all. ANNOUNCEMENTS  None FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER  Chairman Stackrow advised that in July, he attended the APTA Transit Board Members Conference. As chair, he oversaw the conference agenda and activities. He participated in one of the sessions with Doug Eadie (facilitator for the upcoming Board retreat). Other sessions included Board Governance and Safety and Security sessions. He attended the conference from Saturday thru Tuesday. He noted that Corey Bixby also attended the conference, and he brought a different perspective to the sessions that was well received.  Mr. Bixby encouraged Board members to attend this annual conference. There were several sessions that highlighted board member roles and how important transportation is. A main takeaway was a point that “the great equalizers in our society are education and transportation”. The other point that he wanted to share was “as Board members, what legacy will be left at the transit agency that you serve”. EXECUTIVE SESSION  None UPCOMING MEETINGS 8  Subject to the call of the Chair, Chairman Stackrow announced the following meeting dates: October 25, 2017 November 8, 2017 (Board Retreat) December 20, 2017 (Tentative) ADJOURNMENT – 01:35 PM Motion – Ms. Figueroa Seconded – Mr. Spairana Carried Unanimously Respectfully submitted, _______________________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary Dated: September 27, 2017 9 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S REPORT I am providing my report on the activities of our company for August 2017. The report includes information about our performance, our operation and our work to position the company in the communities that we serve. It’s hard to believe that the calendar says it is fall, especially with the beautiful weather and warm temperatures we are experiencing. Our work to deepen the menu of mobility options continues to be the centerpiece of what we do. This has become our calling card and it is certainly one of the principal reasons for our success. Like most good companies, our challenge is to offer more and to be innovative and cutting-edge in our approach to what we do and how we work. I am confident in our employees and know that they are up to the challenges that come with success. The Best Mid-Size System in North America award is a source of great pride for us at CDTA. Our employees are energized by the award and the distinction that comes with it. We consider the designation of Best System to be part of our brand and are incorporating it into everything we do. In the coming weeks, it will be posted on all buses, on our facilities and included in electronic tools that we use to communicate. In two weeks, we will accept the award at the APTA annual meeting, and that will heighten awareness of our distinction throughout the industry. It will also offer us new opportunities to tell the CDTA story and highlight why we are successful and explain what we want to do to make our company bigger, better and stronger. With the fiscal year half over, our staff is beginning budget planning work for the new fiscal year (2018-2019). This work will be coordinated by the Planning and Stakeholder Relations committee. It is our most important and detailed work of the year, and it sets the course for the company and our activities. This also includes capital project development and planning for new initiatives that are important to the work we do. More to follow on this in the coming weeks. With the start of our budget work comes the beginning of our state and local advocacy efforts. This includes messaging by NYPTA on the broad transportation issues we want to initiate at the State Capitol. It also includes messaging for CDTA in consultation with our partners at Jackson Lewis (our Best Transit System award will be featured in these efforts). We are also working with our federal delegation as we advance projects through the New Starts process and submit competitive grants and discretionary program applications. As shown in monthly reports, ridership levels are about the same as they were last year. There are monthly fluctuations caused by weather events or special activities in the community, but allin-all, the system is producing positive results. As we continue to buck the national trend, which is seeing bus systems of our size experiencing significant drops in ridership, it will be a challenge to introduce new services or changes to our network that can stimulate increases in ridership. This will be part of our ongoing planning and strategic discussions. CDPHPCycle! is off to a great start and has been one of our most successful service introductions. In the first two months of operation, more than 7,000 bike rides have been taken, and we have signed on nearly 2,000 members. This has been accomplished with only 160 bikes. 10 Working with our partners at Social Bicycles, we will double the inventory of bikes when the program returns from winter hiatus in April 2018. There will be more than 350 bikes available at 60 stations. We will also increase our presence on the street, improve signage and engage more partners in this work. Opportunities for cross promotions will be developed, and we will deepen the CDPHPCycle! brand. We are off to a great start and look forward to this mobility choice being offered in more places and to more people. Development of another mobility choice will continue as we advance a common ordinance for taxi services to the municipalities that we have been working with. We will ask their legislative body to adopt the ordinance so we can unveil standards to make taxi service better, easier to use and more efficient to operate. Once this is done, we will introduce a regional fare structure and better ways for it to be communicated, displayed and paid for by customers. This includes meters in cabs, credit card readers and a mobile payment system. At the same time, we are working on a regional medallion, and a one-stop location for medallions, driver identification and screening. The common ordinance is the entry door for these improvements, and we will see it open widely in the coming months. Construction Updates – work on the membrane replacement and deck repair at Rensselaer Rail Station is moving along and with continued good weather, it will be substantially completed this construction season. The same is true for our project at the Lark and Washington intersection. Most of the work is focused in front of the Albany Public Library where a new BRT station is being built. New curb is in place and you can get a good idea of what the area and the intersection will look like in the next month or two. Hats off to our partners at the Albany Public Library for their support of this project, of Universal Access and for our bike-share program. Work is complete on sidewalk and infrastructure improvements in Troy, Lansingburgh and Cohoes. This will improve access to station locations along the River Corridor BRT line. With a new 120-foot transmission tower installed at our Crawford Hill site in Rotterdam, we are in the testing phase for our new Motorola radio system and all is going well. At the same time, behind the scenes work is underway on the CAD/AVL part of the project. And, our new communication center on the first floor is about ready to be populated by the employees who operate the system. We expect to transition to the new radio system later in the fall. Our annual United Way campaign is underway with a flurry of activities to support employee giving. As you know, CDTA employees organize one of the largest campaigns in the region. Although most of this comes from individual contributions through payroll deduction, a large chunk comes from events that support the campaign and spotlight the work the United Way does, especially as it relates to children and families. Let us know if you would like to be involved in the campaign. At the same time, we are heavily involved in the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign. In the coming days, pink will be everywhere as the campaign runs through October. In addition to the events we organize to support the campaign and the Real Men, the highlight for CDTA this year is undoubtedly our Pink Bus. Our maintenance team painted a 40’ Gillig bus pink and adorned it with logos from the ACS, CDTA and Best Transit System. To say it stands out is an understatement, and we have been overwhelmed with requests for appearances by the Pink Bus. We found a hole in its schedule, and I’m sure you noticed it in front of the building! 11 The annual Fall Festival and CDTA Open House will take place here on October 5th from 9:00am until 1:30pm. Our grounds will be transformed into a festive and fun environment, complete with a haunted paint shop, the now popular scarecrow contest and lots of exhibits by our partners from law enforcement, health care and municipal services. We invite our friends with an emphasis on students from schools within a mile or two of our facility. It’s a fun and educationfilled event that showcases our employees and the great work that they do. There will be lots of displays and mentions of the Best Transit System award. Key Performance Measures Key performance measures for the organization are included in monthly reports. Data is for August and is compared to August 2016. The data illustrates what we do, how we do it and how our services and programs perform. We compare our data to other transit systems and companies in similar lines of work, to give us perspective and depth of analysis. System ridership totaled 1.36 million, which is up slightly from last year (1.35 million). FYTD, ridership is level with last year. STAR ridership was 25,099, up 4% from last August; year-todate, STAR ridership is level with last year. Ridership on Northway Express buses totaled 14,383, up 22% from last year; FYTD, NX ridership is down 5% from last year. NX ridership tracks closely to gas price fluctuations. As discussed at the Performance Oversight meeting, our financial condition is good. We are in a positive cash flow position and anticipate adequate budget capacity for the rest of the year. Mortgage Recording Tax receipts totaled more than $1 million this month, continuing a strong bounce-back after starting the year below budget expectations. We are now within 3% of budget and should fully recover if the fall months bring the same performance from MRT. Customer revenue continues to lag; this is due primarily to the transition to our new fare collection system. Every month, more people are moving products and money to smart cards and mobile ticketing. The lag will likely continue through the fiscal year. All other revenue lines are within budget expectations. The wage line was 3% over budget in August. As we have noted, this is the result of staffing issues in the transportation department and the higher number of vacation slots during July and August, resulting in more overtime hours paid. This is slowing as we incorporate new people into the ranks. Health and benefit lines are below budget expectations, mainly because of headcounts being below budget for most of the year and a shift in the health care options that employees are selecting. The purchased transportation line was over budget as we continue to adjust STAR trip distribution between our personnel and contractors. This will continue as we incorporate new employees and improved software capabilities. We missed 40 trips on the fixed route system; last August, we missed 87 trips. There were no trip denials in STAR. We reported 27 accidents in August, with 20 categorized as preventable. Last August, we reported 38 accidents with 10 categorized as preventable. 98% of maintenance inspections were done on time; last August 100% were done on time. 82% of our maintenance work was scheduled in advance; Last August 81% of our work was scheduled. 12 Fixed route on-time performance was at 73%; last August it was at 70%. Our goal is to operate within the 0-5 minute late window at least 80% of the time. Our call center processed 327 comments, compared to 344 comments last August. Response time to close investigations was at 90%; last August it was at 97%. There were 915,000 web page views at www.cdta.org. Last August there were 953,000 views. Activity Report Our work is rewarding and successful. Ranging from record ridership and the ability to sustain it, to new offerings like bike sharing, smart card introduction and lots of construction activity. CDTA is earning its designation as the Best Mid-Size Transit System in North America. We remain diligent in our work to tell the CDTA story and to develop more partnerships that will make us bigger, better and stronger. CDTA is a community resource and a critical part of the region’s economic engine. This is what has separated us from the pack, and it will continue to be part of our success formula as we move forward.  On August 28, I met with the CBA executive committee to talk about strategic planning for the school. I am a member of the committee that has been charged with developing a 3-5 year plan that builds on our recent success, especially in enrollment and development.  On August 28, I participated in a conference call with my fellow upstate transit CEO’s to talk about messaging for the upcoming legislative season. We are all similar in operations and funding, but we each take a somewhat different approach to community messaging and positioning. We want the NYPTA message to incorporate the differences and build on our success points.  On August 29, I met with Steve Madarez, formerly Director of Communications at CSEA. Steve recently retired and is involved with several initiatives that may line up with our priorities.  On August 30, I attended the public kick off the Real Men Wear Pink campaign at the Saratoga Race Course. In addition to announcing the participants in this years’ work, we unveiled the CDTA Pink Bus that will be at events throughout the region for the next few months. Although I am biased, the bus was the hit of the day! Jaime Watson coordinates our work with the American Cancer Society.  On September 1, I appeared on the morning show at Spectrum News with Julie Chapman. We talked about the Best System award, the success of CDPHPCycle! and the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. The interview was taped and ran throughout the day.  On September 2, I attended a meeting of the CDTC Policy Board. All federal money for transportation projects flows through CDTC, which is the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization. The Policy Board is chaired by Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan. I serve as Vice Chair.  On September 8, I attended an internal kick off for the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. We have designed a component of the campaign for our employees who want to be 13 involved. It includes activities to raise awareness about breast cancer and provide teambuilding opportunities for our workforce.  On September 8, I appeared on Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara’s weekly update show. We talked about the Electric City trolley, our Best System Award, Universal Access agreements and our efforts to build ridership throughout the system.  On September 11, I welcomed a new class of 14 bus operators on their first day of training. I gave them a quick overview of CDTA and what we do and outlined our expectations of them and shared some of the secrets to a long and rewarding career at CDTA. They will be ready for service by early November.  On September 15, we held our maintenance roadeo at the Albany facility. Technicians are tested on diagnostic and problem identification skills in a timed format. The team of Ken Stager Jr, Jeetendra Sukhdeo and Howard Teal took first place. We had 5 teams (15 individuals) compete. The winning team will be recognized at an upcoming board meeting.  On September 18, I attended a meeting of the CBA executive committee to continue discussions about strategic planning for the board of trustees and school administration.  On September 18, I participated in a conference call meeting with NYPTA leaders to talk about messaging for the upcoming legislative season. We want to identify new ways to tell our story and provide meaningful examples of the work we do throughout the state to improve mobility and promote economic vitality. NYPTA has engaged a public relations firm to assist us in this work.  On September 18, I attended a meeting of the Regional Development Coordinating Committee (RDCC). The RDCC consists of CEO’s from transportation and economic development organizations. We get together 5 or 6 times a year to talk about the things our companies are doing to support development. Meetings are hosted by the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce and the Center for Economic Growth.  On September 19, Mike Collins and I met with representatives from Key Bank to talk about our financial situation and ways that Key Bank can be of further assistance to us. We have a payroll account with Key along with a $10 million line of credit; they have been very responsive to our needs.  On September 19, I participated on a panel discussion about economic development; the panel was part of the Schenectady Cable Program “In and Around Schenectady”. This was the 1000th show for the program host, Ann Parrillo, and I was pleased to participate. One of the members of the panel was our own Board Member, Jayme Lahut who talked about the role Metroplex plays to encourage development throughout the city.  On September 19, we held a lunch for our employees who worked at the New York State Fair (about 50 in total). This was a small token of our appreciation for their efforts to 14 expand the service and the important role that CDTA played to support the employees at CNY CENTRO.  On September 20, I met with Ray Gillen from Schenectady Metroplex and staff from Adirondack Trailways to talk about ways to cooperate on the enhancement of the bus station in downtown Schenectady. We had a good discussion and are looking at several options that would be good for all parties. Details to follow.  On September 20, I attended a meeting of the CBA Board of Trustees. I have been on this board for several years. Many CBA students use our services to travel to/from school (mainly from Albany, Colonie and Schenectady).  On September 20, I attended a meeting of the Colonie Senior Service Center Board of Directors. I serve on this board, which oversees activities of the organization, including transportation services for seniors in the Town of Colonie.  On September 21, I attended the Equinox Board Finance Committee Meeting. I am a member of this board and like most boards, members are asked to serve on at least one committee.  On September 25, Jaime Watson and I met with Mike DeSocio, who is the digital editor for the Albany Business Review. We talked about our Best System award, several ongoing CDTA projects, and ways to position the company for upcoming Business Review stories.  On September 25, I attended a meeting of our Labor Management Committee. The LMC meets 4 or 5 times a year to talk about issues of common concern and to discuss things we can do to improve our relationship. The LMC consists of the ATU executive committee, Mike Collins, Lance Zarcone, Fred Gilliam and Kelli Schreivogl.  Earlier this morning, I attended a meeting of the Equinox Board of Directors. One of the many boards that I serve on, Equinox clients and staff use our services extensively to travel to employment, treatment and social events.  Earlier this morning, I joined Lisa Marrello and her team for meetings at the Capitol on various matters concerning CDTA and our projects and financing. Final Thoughts I want to thank our employees, retirees, our staff and board members for your collaborative work and dedication to what we do at CDTA. All of you are the secret to our success, and you are the reason we have been named as the Best Mid-Size Transit System in North America by APTA. Thank You. Copy: Senior Staff Director of Marketing Manager of Communications 15 16 Best Mid-Size System of the Year by the American Public Transportation Comments for Dave Stackrow – September 27, 2017 Being named the Best Mid-Size System of the Year by the American Public Transportation Association is the icing on the cake for CDTA, for our board of Directors and for great people who work here. It is also a great achievement for our region, for our business and government leaders, and for developers and others who work so hard to make this a great place to live and work. It emphasizes the need for better mobility, for a deeper menu of choices, and ease of movement for a progressive and thoughtful region. It is CDTA’s award but it belongs to everyone in the Capital Region because we don’t work alone; everything we do involves collaboration and partnership with individuals, with business and government leaders throughout our region. So, I thought you might be interested in knowing about a few of the things that were included in our nomination submission and what set us apart from the other transit systems in the mid-size category: Probably best to start with our innovation platform. The platform is full of projects that push the envelope of innovation and look to create a better system for everyone. It ranges from our smart card and mobile ticketing system, to our CAD/AVL system, to our popular Universal Access program. The platform includes a route network that has been thoughtfully and creatively redesigned. Based on customer and community input, the network puts services where people want them and need them most. This network of routes has produced outstanding results for customers – wide service spans, frequencies unheard of at a bus only system and a network of service that is easy to understand and use. Our maintenance program and team of employees is top rated. By improving the technical competency of our employees and by investing in them, maintenance results are outstanding. A focus on prevention has resulted in miles between failures at industry record levels and core results in vehicle performance at levels as good as we have ever seen. The transit fleet of vehicles is new, it is modern, it is spot clean and it is pleasant to look at. Add to that, we have upgraded the appearance of stations, shelters and stops; and, we insure that every facility is attractive and inviting – you need to look and feel good to be good. We have introduced upstate New York’s first and only Bus Rapid Transit line; we have 2 more in the planning stage as we work towards a goal of 40 miles of BRT services; we have added 60 foot articulated buses along busy corridors to better match resources to demand; and, we are growing and improving our popular service for people with disabilities, which we call STAR. 17 All this is being done with a keen focus on our workplace and insuring that we work safely and efficiently. Workplace injuries have been reduced every year for last 10 years, driving our selfinsured workers compensation costs to industry lows. Employee injuries are at the lowest level in CDTA history. We walk the talk, we preach safety, and our employees practice safety in everything they do. We support sustainable travel throughout the region and are leading the way with CDPHPCycle. At the same time, we have initiated a regional vanpooling program and promote car sharing and ride sharing as must-have additions to our mobility menu. We even offer a guaranteed ride home program to Navigator customers to insure connections at all times of the day and night. Intelligent sustainability will always be our goal in everything we do. The foundation of our workplace is our employees. They have carried us to all the success that I have mentioned. In return, we have developed a tremendous package of wages, benefits and training opportunities for CDTA employees. We believe in recognizing outstanding performance and do so in an environment that cultivates success. Ridership is the most important way to measure the success and relevance of a transportation system. At the end of the day, customers give you thumbs up by using the system and encouraging others to try your services. Less than 10 years ago, our annual ridership was consistently in the 13.5 million range. For the last 3 years, our annual boarding count has hovered at or above 17 million. The results speak for themselves. Our branding efforts are sharpened and we have worked diligently to improve and brighten our image. This is a progressive and partnership-oriented company that business leaders want to partner with. That didn’t happen by accident, it is strategic and purposeful, and I’m proud of that work. Our submission for this award was detailed and reflective. Performance metrics that are required for this nomination match up the narrative. In other words, our performance numbers and our marketing paragraphs say the same thing – results matter and CDTA has the numbers to prove that! Innovative, creative, thoughtful and award winning – that is the best way to describe CDTA! I am proud of our board of directors, of our staff and of all the employees who work at CDTA. You are the reason we are the Best Mid-Size System in North America! 18 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 60 - 2017 Awarding a Single Bid Contract For Bus Shelter Glass Replacement WHEREAS, the Capital District Transportation Authority (“Authority”) is charged by title 11-C of the Public Authorities Law with providing omnibus transportation within the Capital District transportation district, and WHEREAS, the Authority has a program to install and improve bus shelters for the use of transit customers at various locations, and WHEREAS, shelters are sometimes damaged and may require glass replacement in order to maintain safe and clean waiting areas for customers, and WHEREAS, after issuance of a competitive invitation for bids for bus shelter glass replacement, a single bid was received from Provincial Contractor Services, LLC of Castleton, NY (“Provincial”), with an annual cost not to exceed $41,678, and WHEREAS, after due diligence and inquiry, the Authority is satisfied that the bid specifications were not exclusionary in nature, and now recommends awarding the bus shelter glass replacement contract to Provincial, and WHEREAS, the term of the contract shall be three years, with two optional one-year renewals. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Authority hereby awards a three-year bus shelter glass replacement contract, with two optional one-year renewals, to Provincial Contractor Services, LLC of Castleton, NY, for a five-year total amount of $208,390 and subject to the contractor’s compliance with the contract requirements. 2. The source of funds shall be the FY2018-FY2022 Operating Budget. 3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. CERTIFICATION The undersigned, duly qualified and acting as Secretary of the Capital District Transportation Authority, certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Capital District Transportation Authority held on the 25th day of October, 2017. Dated: October 25, 2017 ____________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary 19 Capital District Transportation Authority Agenda Action Proposal Subject: Contract award for bus shelter glass replacement to Provincial Contractor Services, LLC of Castleton, New York. Committee: Performance Oversight Committee Meeting Date: October 18, 2017 Board Action Date: October 25, 2017 Background: The current bus shelter glass replacement contract is set to expire. Purpose: To provide glass replacement for damaged shelters to maintain safe and clean waiting areas for our customers. Summary of Proposal: An Invitation for Bids (IFB) was issued for glass replacement for our shelters. The IFB provided specific shelter details, estimated quantities, glass quality and storage requirements. Seven (7) vendors downloaded the IFB and a single bid was received. Staff polled the bid list to find out why other bids were not submitted. Several of those firms were bid clearinghouses, and others stated they did not have the capacity to perform work at the scale required. Staff is satisfied that the specifications were not exclusionary and that a contract should be awarded. Staff recommends a contract award to Provincial Contractor Services, LLC (the incumbent) of Castleton, NY for the provision of bus shelter glass replacement for a term of three years with two optional renewals. Upon Board approval a contract will be executed immediately. Annual costs will vary based upon need but will not exceed $41,678 per year. Financial Summary and Source of Funds: Annual Cost (NTE): $41,678 Five Year Total: $208,390 FY2018-2022 Operating Budget Prepared by: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement Project Manager: Mark Wos, Director of Procurement 20 Date: October 18, 2017 To: Chairman, Performance Oversight Committee Members, Performance Oversight Committee From: Christopher Desany, Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure Re: Contract for Replacing Bus Shelter Glass Background In an effort to project a positive image, maintain our assets, and provide a clean and secure environment for customers to wait for buses, we hold a number of contracts to assist in cleaning, maintenance and replacement of bus shelters. One such contract is for the replacement of the glass panels at our shelters. We issued an invitation to bid for glass replacement that provisioned for panel dimensions and quantities; glazing, gasket and sash specifications; and installation and billing requirements. Seven companies downloaded the package and one contractor submitted a bid: Provincial Contractor Services LLC of Castleton, NY. Provincial is the incumbent contractor and we have found their service over the past five years to be satisfactory. Their bid reflects no increase from their current pricing. Recommendation At this time, I am recommending awarding a single source contract for three years with two, one-year options for shelter glass replacement to Provincial Contractor Services LLC of Castleton, NY in the amount not to exceed $41,678.00 per year. 21 BID SUNIIVIARY 10/6/17 141?2000 1PM Bidder Item Total Unit Cost/ SF Multiplier Provincial Contractor Services, LLC 1. Cost to install 1/4" thick clear tempered glass 19.20 800 $15,360.00 Mark Teliska 2. Cost to install 3/16" thick clear tempered glass 19.20 800 $15,360.00 1572 Columbia Tpke 3. Material cost for 1/4" thick clear tempered glass 9.63 800 $7,704.00 Castleton, NY 12033 4. Material cost for 3/ 16" thick clear tempered glass 8.70 100 $870.00 518-365-4775 5. Material cost for 1/4" thick clear Lexan glass 10.68 100 $1,068.00 6. Material cost for 1/4" thick clear Plexiglass 7.16 100 $716.00 7. Material cost for storefront sash 400 8. Material cost for glazing gasket 0.75 800 $600.00 Total $41,678.00 1, Carm Basile, Chief Executive Officer of the Capital District Transportation Authority, hereby certify that the above is a true, complete and accurate record of the bids received by the Capital District Transportation Authority for the Authority's project CDTA-FAC 141-2000, which bids were opened the 6 day of October, 2017. Carm Basile 22 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Staff Contract Award Certification 1. TYPE OF CONTRACT (check one): __ _ Construction & Maintenance ____ Services & Consultants _ x___ Goods, Commodities & Supplies ____ Bus Purchase __ __ Transportation & Operational Services 2. TERMS OF PERFORMANCE (check one): _ _ _ One-Shot Deal: Complete scope and fixed value ____ Fixed Fee For Services: Time and materials - open value __ _ Exclusive Purchase Contract: Fixed cost for defined commodity with indefinite quantity __x__ Open Purchase Contract: Commitment on specifications and price but no obligation to buy ____ Change Order: Add on to existing contract 3. CONTRACT VALUE: __$208,390 (five yr.)________________________ 4. PROCUREMENT METHOD (check one): _ ___ Request for Proposals (RFP) fixed estimated (circle one) __x __ Invitation for Bids (IFB) 5. TYPE OF PROCEDURE USED (check one): ____ Micro Purchases (Purchases up to $2,499.00) _x_ _ Sealed Bid/Invitation for Bids (IFB) (Over $100,000) ____ Professional Services (Over $25,000) 6. SELECTION CRITERION USED: Number of Proposals/Bids Solicited #_7____ Number of Proposals/Bids Received #_1______ ____ Other ____ Small Purchases ($25,000 up to $100,000) __ __ Request for Proposals (RFP) ____ Sole or Single Source (Non-Competitive) and Advertised Attach Summary of Bids/Proposals 7. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)/Minority/Women’s Business Enterprise (MWBE) involvement Are there known DBEs/MWBEs that provide this good or service? Yes No Number of DBEs/MWBEs bidding/proposing ___0__DBE __0__MWBE DBE/MWBE Certification on file? Yes No Was contract awarded to a DBE/MWBE? Yes No Number of DBE/MWBE Subcontractors __0__DBE Not Applicable __0_MWBE 8. LEGAL NAME and ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR/VENDOR: Provincial Contractor Services LLC 1572 Columbia Turnpike Castleton, NY 12033 9. SOURCE OF FUNDS: ___FY18-23 Operating Budget____________________________________________________ 10. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL RULES: Non-Collusion Affidavit of Bidder Disclosure & Certificate of Prior Non-Responsibility Determinations Disclosure of Contacts (only RFPs) Certification with FTA’s Bus Testing Requirements 11. RESPONSIBLE STAFF CERTIFIES THE INTEGRITY OF THIS PROCUREMENT/CONTRACT: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement DATED: October 13, 2017 23 (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 61 - 2017 Awarding Contract for Radial Tires WHEREAS, the Capital District Transportation Authority (the “Authority”) is charged by title 11-C of the Public Authorities Law with providing omnibus transportation within the Capital District transportation district, and WHEREAS, the Authority is authorized to make purchases and enter into contracts providing for the necessary equipment to meet its omnibus transportation operations, and WHEREAS, the Authority operates a fleet of fixed route and paratransit vehicles, requiring periodic tire replacement, and WHEREAS, it has been determined to be in the best interests of the Authority to lease tires for fixed route vehicles and purchase tires for paratransit vehicles, and WHEREAS, after issuance of a competitive Invitation for Bids for radial tire replacement, a single bid was received from Bridgestone Firestone of Nashville, Tennessee (“Bridgestone”), with an estimated annual cost of $476,000, and WHEREAS, after due diligence and inquiry, the Authority is satisfied with the competitive nature of the procurement and recommends the award of the tire replacement contract to Bridgestone, and WHEREAS, the term of the contract shall be five years, commencing on December 1, 2017. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Authority hereby awards a five-year contract for the rental of fixed route tires and the purchase of paratransit tires to Bridgestone Firestone of Nashville, Tennessee at the rates set forth in the proposal for an estimated annual cost of $476,000, and with an estimated five-year total cost of $2,380,000, and subject to the contractor’s compliance with all the applicable requirements including those set forth in the bid and contract documents. 2. The Chief Executive Officer is hereby authorized to execute the necessary documents. 3. The source of funds shall be the FY2018-23 Operating Budgets. 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. CERTIFICATION The undersigned, duly elected and acting as Secretary of the Capital District Transportation Authority, certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Capital District Transportation Authority held on the 25th day of October, 2017. Dated: October 25, 2017 _____________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary 24 Capital District Transportation Authority Agenda Action Proposal Subject: Contract award for radial tires to Bridgestone Firestone of Nashville, Tennessee. Committee: Performance Oversight Committee Meeting Date: October 18, 2017 Board Action Date: October 25, 2017 Background: The current contract for tires is set to expire and a new one is required. Purpose: CDTA, like many other transit systems, lease tires for the revenue fleet as tire management requires significant oversite. Summary of Proposal: An Invitation for Bids (IFB) was issued for a vendor to provide leased tires for the fixed route fleet, including tires for purchase on the paratransit vehicles. A fixed monthly fee was requested for the services of a tire technician, employed by the vendor to work onsite. CDTA provided estimated quantities and vehicle mileages and other details to allow for informed bids. There are three known vendors of radial tires that can meet the requirements of this contract. One of those vendors does not participate in low bid procurements, and another vendor made significant requests to revise contract language that would not be acceptable to CDTA. That vendor ultimately decided not to participate in the procurement, resulting in a single bid. The single bid received, from Bridgestone Firestone has been deemed responsive by staff. CDTA has a long and positive relationship with Bridgestone Firestone dating back to 1936 with the United Traction Company. Staff recommends that a contract be awarded to Bridgestone Firestone of Nashville, Tennessee for a radial tire lease, and tire purchase, for a minimum fiveyear value of $2,380,000. Actual mileage will determine final costs. Upon Board approval this contract will be executed for a December 1, 2017 start. The term of this agreement shall not be more than five years. Financial Summary and Source of Funds: Annual Cost: $476,000 Five Year Total: $2,380,000 FY18-23 Operating Budgets Prepared by: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement Project Manager: Lance Zarcone, Director of Maintenance 25 Memorandum Date: October 12, 2017 To: Members, Performance Oversight Committee From: Lance Zarcone, Director of Maintenance Subject: Radial Tire Procurement Overview CDTA recently solicited an Invitation for Bid (IFB) asking a firm to provide pricing for radial tire lease and purchase. CDTA utilizes a lease model for the fixed route fleet and purchases tires for paratransit vehicles. Lease tire costs are calculated on a per tire/per mile basis. CDTA also requires the vendor to employee a full-time tire technician at our Albany Division to manage all aspects of the tire program. The technician is responsible for ordering tires, mounting, repairing and disposal of tires. The tire technician is held to similar standards as CDTA’s own Maintenance employees. This program has been in place for many years and is a popular and efficient way of managing tires utilized throughout the industry. Bridgestone Firestone provided the single bid for the radial tire procurement. CDTA has a longstanding relationship with Bridgestone Firestone is has been satisfied with the tire quality and service provided. I recommend a new five-year contract for radial tires be awarded to Bridgestone Firestone. 26 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Staff Contract Award Certification Tire Lease Year 1 VEHICLE TYPE TIRE SIZE Nova LFS, New Flyer 305/70R2 2.5 275/70R2 2.5 315/80R2 2.5 Gillig 29 Ft (Diesel/Hybrid) Gillig 40 Ft (Diesel/Hybrid) Tire Purchase Year 2 TIRE SIZE 2009 El Dorado & 2010 International Ford Cutaways 245/70R1 9.5 225/75R1 6 Service Charge Year 4 Year 5 Billing Billing Rate Billing Rate Billing Rate Billing Ra Rate - tire/mile tire/mile - tire/mile - tire/mil tire/mile $0.006460 $0.006589 $0.006787 $0.006990 $0.007 $0.006319 $0.006445 $0.006639 $0.006838 $0.007 $0.006607 $0.006739 $0.006941 $0.007150 $0.007 Year 1 VEHICLE TYPE Year 3 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Cost Per Cost Per Cost Per Tire Cost Per Cost Per Tire Tire Tire Tire $311.53 $323.99 $339.95 $350.43 $364 $121.42 $126.28 $131.33 $136.58 $142 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly $5,609 1. TYPE OF CONTRACT (check one): __ _ Construction & Maintenance ____ Services & Consultants $5,833.00 $6,067.00 $6,309.00 _ x___ Goods, Commodities & Supplies ____ Bus Purchase __ __ Transportation & Operational Services 2. TERMS OF PERFORMANCE (check one): _ _ _ One-Shot Deal: Complete scope and fixed value ____ Fixed Fee For Services: Time and materials - open value __ _ Exclusive Purchase Contract: Fixed cost for defined commodity with indefinite quantity __x__ Open Purchase Contract: Commitment on specifications and price but no obligation to buy ____ Change Order: Add on to existing contract 3. CONTRACT VALUE: __$2,380,000 (five yr.)________________________ fixed 4. PROCUREMENT METHOD (check one): _ ___ Request for Proposals (RFP) estimated (circle one) __x __ Invitation for Bids (IFB) 5. TYPE OF PROCEDURE USED (check one): ____ Micro Purchases (Purchases up to $2,499.00) _x_ _ Sealed Bid/Invitation for Bids (IFB) (Over $100,000) ____ Professional Services (Over $25,000) 6. SELECTION CRITERION USED: Number of Proposals/Bids Solicited #_3____ Number of Proposals/Bids Received #_1______ ____ Other ____ Small Purchases ($25,000 up to $100,000) __ __ Request for Proposals (RFP) ____ Sole or Single Source (Non-Competitive) and Advertised Attach Summary of Bids/Proposals 27 $6,56 7. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)/Minority/Women’s Business Enterprise (MWBE) involvement Are there known DBEs/MWBEs that provide this good or service? Yes No Number of DBEs/MWBEs bidding/proposing ___0__DBE __0__MWBE DBE/MWBE Certification on file? Yes No Was contract awarded to a DBE/MWBE? Yes No Number of DBE/MWBE Subcontractors __0__DBE Not Applicable __0_MWBE 8. LEGAL NAME and ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR/VENDOR: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC 535 Marriott Drive-Mileage Sales Nashville, TN 37214 9. SOURCE OF FUNDS: ___FY18-23 Operating Budget___________________________________________________ 10. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL RULES: Non-Collusion Affidavit of Bidder Disclosure & Certificate of Prior Non-Responsibility Determinations Disclosure of Contacts (only RFPs) Certification with FTA’s Bus Testing Requirements 11. RESPONSIBLE STAFF CERTIFIES THE INTEGRITY OF THIS PROCUREMENT/CONTRACT: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement DATED: October 12, 2017 28 (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 62 - 2017 Awarding Contract for Bus Schedule Printing WHEREAS, the Capital District Transportation Authority (the “Authority”) is charged by title 11-C of the Public Authorities Law with providing omnibus transportation within the Capital District transportation district, and WHEREAS, the Authority is authorized by Public Authorities Law section 1306 to enter into contracts for the purchase of goods and services to meet its transportation objectives, and WHEREAS, after soliciting competitive bids for the purchase of printed bus schedules over a multiple-year period, the Authority has received multiple unit price bids, based upon anticipated quantities, and has determined that the lowest responsive and responsible bid was submitted by Digital X-Press of Albany, NY, and WHEREAS, the Authority now desires to award a three year bus schedule printing contract, with two optional one-year renewals, to Digital X-Press of Albany, NY, and WHEREAS, using the unit prices quoted in the proposal, applied to anticipated quantities, the Authority projects the estimated annual value of this contract at $90,000, with a five-year total cost of $450,000. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Authority hereby awards a three-year bus schedule printing contract, with two optional one-year renewals, to Digital X-Press of Albany, NY at the unit prices set forth in the bidder’s proposal, subject to acceptance and satisfaction of all contract terms and requirements. 2. The Chief Executive Officer is hereby authorized to execute the necessary documents. 3. The source of funds shall be the FY2018-FY2022 Operating Budgets. 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. CERTIFICATION The undersigned, duly qualified and acting as Secretary of the Capital District Transportation Authority, certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Capital District Transportation Authority held on the 25 th day of October, 2017. Dated: October 25, 2017 ____________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary 29 Capital District Transportation Authority Agenda Action Proposal Subject: Contract award for bus schedules from Digital X-Press of Albany, New York. Committee: Performance Oversight Committee Meeting Date: October 18, 2017 Board Action Date: October 25, 2017 Background: The current bus schedule contract is set to expire and a new one is required to maintain schedule availability. Purpose: Bus schedules are an integral part of the CDTA public information system. The availability, accuracy and quality of schedules is critical to excellent customer service. Summary of Proposal: An Invitation for Bids (IFB) was issued for the purchase of bus schedules. Twenty-Eight (28) firms downloaded the IFB and four (4) submitted bids. Staff provided sample schedule layouts, sizes and estimated annual quantities based on schedule size to obtain pricing. The pricing structure was based on schedule size and number of schedules to be printed in each batch (gang). The schedule cost decreases when multiple schedules are printed in a gang and staff generally prints 2-3 schedules per gang. Staff asked for pricing using the standard 4-color process and digital processing to ensure the most cost-effective method was utilized. Staff is recommending a three-year contract with two optional renewal years be awarded to the incumbent provider Digital X-Press (a New York State WBE firm) of Albany, New York for an amount not to exceed $90,000 per year. Upon Board approval a contract will be executed immediately. Financial Summary and Source of Funds: Annual: $90,000 Five Year Total: $450,000 FY2018-2022 Operating Budgets Prepared by: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement Project Manager: Jonathan Scherzer, Director of Marketing 30 Memorandum October 12, 2017 To: Stacy Sansky – Director of Procurement From: Jonathan Scherzer – Director of Marketing Re: CDTA Marketing 07-9000 Bus Schedule Printing Contract Background We have been producing bus schedules for nearly 50 years and at our current size, we print about 2 million schedules annually. The selected vendor is required to print, fold and box schedules according to a variety of specifications. The program requires a finished product to be delivered within 7-10 working days. There are also occasional jobs that require a quicker turnaround. We are still identifying the effect that mobile applications have on the community with respect to insure access to information for all customers and determining further cost efficiencies. An (IFB) was issued requesting pricing for 5 sizes of bus schedules to be printed using our branding scheme and specifications. The IFB specified paper and print quality requirements as well as requesting a pricing matrix for the printing of “gangs” of schedules to provide us with a more cost-effective product. There were four bids received. Upon review, the incumbent Digital Xpress of Albany, NY was found to have the lowest responsive and responsible bid. Digital Xpress has produced quality printed materials for us for the last 10 years and we are pleased to continue our partnership. CDTA prints at least 2 – 3 schedules per size per order. The value of the contract is estimated to be $90,000.00 per year. Staff recommend the award of a three-year contract with two optional renewals for the printing of bus schedules to Digital X-press of Albany, New York. 31 Size 8. 5x11 (15,000 schedules per) 1 schedule 2 schedule 3 schedule 4 schedule 5 schedule 6 schedule Size 8. 5x14 (15,000 schedules per) 1 schedule 2 schedule 3 schedule 4 schedule 5 schedule 6 schedule Size 8. 5x17 (15,000 schedules per) 1 schedule 2 schedule 3 schedule 4 schedule 5 schedule 6 schedule Size 8. 5x23 (15,000 schedules per) 1 schedule 2 schedule 3 schedule 4 schedule 5 schedule 6 schedule Size 8. 5x28 (15,000 schedules per) 1 schedule 2 schedule 3 schedule 4 schedule 5 schedule 6 schedule Camelot 4 Color 548 5,414 5, 585 1,949 2,909 310 3,977 811 6,091 8,092 268 12, 249 12, 319 Digital 945 758 5,010 758 5,010 344 8,016 10, 688 13, 359 16,031 2, 673 5, 344 8,016 10, 688 13, 360 16, 031 Digital X-Press 4 Color 705.90 1,132.80 1, 579.05 1,944.60 2,367.75 2, 764.80 993.39 1,409.54 1,967.60 2,522.86 3,080.92 3,636.18 1,058.81 1,550.00 2,106.31 2,729.56 3, 372.73 3,995.85 1,321.40 2,031.39 2,907.02 3,782.66 4,658.29 5,533.92 1, 383.25 2,293.86 3, 287.53 4,281.21 5, 274.88 6, 268.56 32 Digital 5, 250 10, 500 15, 750 21,000 26n/a Courier Priming 4 Color 772 1, 165 1, 799 2,039 2, 705 3, 105 850 1, 384 1,934 730 3,480 4,432 5,069 1,050 1,800 2,749 3,582 4,437 5,339 1,423 2, 769 3, 319 4, 665 6,014 6,962 Digital n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a ?la n/a n/a n/a n/a ?la n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Lane Press 4 Color Digital 785 n/a 1,194 n/a 2,055 n/a 2,175 n/a 2, 880 n/ a 3,285 n/a 1,080 n/a 1,980 n/a 2,085 n/a 3,120 n/ a 3,966 n/a 4,026 n/a 1,113 n/a 1,986 n/a 3,039 n/a 3, 861 n/a 4,911 n/a 5, 763 n/a 1,167 n/a 2,094 n/a 3,168 n/a 3,978 n/a 4,986 n/a 5, 870 n/a 2,982 n/a 5, 895 n/a 8, 713 n/a 11,588 n/ a 14,491 n/a 17,495 n/a CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY Staff Contract Award Certification 1. TYPE OF CONTRACT (check one): __ _ Construction & Maintenance ____ Services & Consultants _ X___ Goods, Commodities & Supplies ____ Bus Purchase __ __ Transportation & Operational Services 2. TERMS OF PERFORMANCE (check one): _ _ _ One-Shot Deal: Complete scope and fixed value ____ Fixed Fee For Services: Time and materials - open value _X _ Exclusive Purchase Contract: Fixed cost for defined commodity with indefinite quantity ____ Open Purchase Contract: Commitment on specifications and price but no obligation to buy ____ Change Order: Add on to existing contract 3. CONTRACT VALUE: _$450,000_________________________ fixed 4. PROCUREMENT METHOD (check one): _ ___ Request for Proposals (RFP) _X_ __ Invitation for Bids (IFB) estimated 5. TYPE OF PROCEDURE USED (check one): ____ Micro Purchases (Purchases up to $2,499.00) _X_ Sealed Bid/Invitation for Bids (IFB) (Over $100,000) ____ Professional Services (Over $25,000) 6. SELECTION CRITERION USED: Number of Proposals/Bids Solicited #_28____ Number of Proposals/Bids Received #_4______ (circle one) ____ Other ____ Small Purchases ($25,000 up to $$100,000) __ __ Request for Proposals (RFP) ____ Sole or Single Source (Non-Competitive) or Advertised Attach Summary of Bids/Proposals 7. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)/Minority/Women’s Business Enterprise (MWBE) involvement Are there known DBEs/MWBEs that provide this good or service? Yes No Number of DBEs/MWBEs bidding/proposing ___0__DBE __1__MWBE DBE/MWBE Certification on file? Yes No Was contract awarded to a DBE/MWBE? Yes No Number of DBE/MWBE Subcontractors __0__DBE __0_MWBE 8. LEGAL NAME and ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR/VENDOR: Brigar Xpress Solutions, dba Digital X-press 5 Sand Creek Road Albany, NY 12205 9. SOURCE OF FUNDS: _FY18-23 Operating Funds________________________________________________________ 10. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL RULES: Non-Collusion Affidavit of Bidder Disclosure & Certificate of Prior Non-Responsibility Determinations Disclosure of Contacts (only RFPs) Certification with FTA’s Bus Testing Requirements (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) (Yes, No, N/A) 11. RESPONSIBLE STAFF CERTIFIES THE INTEGRITY OF THIS PROCUREMENT/CONTRACT: Stacy Sansky, Director of Procurement DATED: 33 October 12, 2017 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 63 - 2017 Authorizing Public Hearing for Uncle Sam Land Acquisition WHEREAS, the Capital District Transportation Authority (the “Authority”) is charged by New York Public Authorities Law Section 1304 with the development and improvement of transportation and related services within the Capital District, and WHEREAS, the Authority is currently engaged to build a transit center adjacent to the Uncle Sam parking garage (the “Uncle Sam Transit Center”) to improve public transportation options and provide customer amenities in the City of Troy, requiring the acquisition of real property interests, and WHEREAS, after good faith efforts to negotiate the acquisition of real property interests have failed, the Authority now desires to commence the acquisition through eminent domain proceedings, and WHEREAS, the Authority now desires to proceed with the acquisition through eminent domain, in compliance with applicable law and as set forth on the attached schedule, including a public hearing to be held on November 16, 2017 at Troy City Hall, 433 River Street, 5th Floor, in Troy, New York. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Authority hereby authorizes the public hearing related to the acquisition of real property for the Uncle Sam Transit Center. 2. Public Notice of the public hearing shall be published and public information on the proposed changes shall be made available in accord with Authority policy and applicable law. 3. As no action is presently being taken on the proposed changes, this Resolution will not require any significant expenditure of public funds or result in any revenue. 34 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately. CERTIFICATION The undersigned, duly qualified and acting as Secretary of the Capital District Transportation Authority, certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Capital District Transportation Authority held on the 25h day of October, 2017. Dated: October 25, 2017 __________________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary 35 To: Chairman, Planning and Stakeholder Relations Committee Committee Members From: Christopher Desany, Vice President of Planning and Infrastructure Date: October 19, 2017 Re: Notice of Land Acquisition Hearing for Eminent Domain Proceedings Background The River Corridor Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) consists of a 16-mile corridor with 31 stations that will provide faster, more direct, more frequent and more reliable north-south service along the Hudson river. It will start from two branches (Cohoes and Waterford) that would meet in Lansingburgh and travel through downtown Troy, Watervliet, Menands, and downtown Albany before branching again to terminate at Second and Delaware Avenues and Old South Pearl Street in South Albany. It serves major employment sites, activity centers, a growing residential population, and areas of significant proposed development. As discussed last month, the Federal Small Starts program application for this project was resubmitted to the FTA in early September. Projects of this nature involve positioning stations at various locations across the corridor. To build the BRT, CDTA needs to acquire property rights for any parcels that fall outside the highway right of way, and to do so, a very specific process must be followed. In the case of the Uncle Sam Transit Center, where negotiations in good faith are no longer productive, we are proceeding with the eminent domain procedure. We must perform a detailed appraisal and formally provide an offer for the fair market value of the land. Most of these regulations are found in the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (Uniform Act). One of the other steps in the process requires us to hold public hearing(s) to give people the opportunity to hear about the real estate and eminent domain specific aspects of the project, and afford the public an opportunity to comment. To advertise and hold these hearing(s) requires Board approval. With the exception of the Uncle Sam Transit Center, this step was completed last year for all the stations along the River Corridor. We are now looking to complete this process for Uncle Sam and move forward with acquiring the land. Proposed Action Staff recommends that the Committee advance the proposed Uncle Sam land acquisition public hearing schedule to the full Board for endorsement. Hearing Location Rensselaer County Troy City Hall, 5th Floor 433 River Street, Troy, NY 12180 Date November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 March 2018 March 2018 November 2018 Date/Time November 16, 2017 (6p-8p) Upcoming Schedule Activity Hold Hearing Publish Determination and Findings Prepare and Submit Eminent Domain Procedure Law Petition File Maps with County Clerk Begin Uncle Sam Construction Complete Uncle Sam Construction 36 CAPITAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY RESOLUTION NO. 64 - 2017 Adopting Half Fare Program for Veterans WHEREAS, the Capital District Transportation Authority (the “Authority”) is empowered by Public Authorities Law Section 1307 to levy and collect fares for transportation services, and WHEREAS, the Authority currently provides reduced fare pricing to qualified United States Veterans receiving disability benefits, and WHEREAS, the Authority now desires to expand access to the CDTA route network for a broader group of United States Veterans that have served our country honorably, and WHEREAS, the Authority has proposed to offer half-fare pricing for all honorablydischarged United States Veterans living within CDTA’s four county service area, and WHEREAS, honorably-discharged Veterans will be provided with a CDTA Navigator card, identifying their status and eligibility for reduced fares. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Authority hereby authorizes the adoption of a half-fare program for honorably discharged United States Veterans, along with the production of related CDTA Navigator cards, effective as soon as practicable. CERTIFICATION The undersigned, duly qualified and acting as Secretary of the Capital District Transportation Authority, certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution adopted at a legally convened meeting of the Capital District Transportation Authority held on THE 25th day of October, 2017. Dated: October 25, 2017 __________________________________ Joseph M. Spairana, Jr., Secretary 37 Memorandum October 13, 2017 To: Carm Basile, Chief Executive Officer From: Jonathan Scherzer, Director of Marketing Subject: Half Fare Veterans Program Background CDTA provides reduced fare pricing to qualified Veterans that receive disability benefits. Veterans can display their Medicare card or a Disabled Veterans ID card to take advantage of this program. Staff has developed a program to expand access to the CDTA route network for a broader group of veterans that have served our country honorably. Concept We contacted the New York State Division of Veterans’ Affairs, which supports the concept to provide half fare benefits across the Veterans community. We have identified roughly 60,000 veterans that have been honorably discharged in our service area. Half fare pricing for veterans would provide an additional benefit, highlight CDTA’s progressiveness and offer a real-world solution of more mobility choices for those who have served our country. The benefit should result in more ridership, better support for the region’s economy, while not hurting CDTA’s financial position. Navigator allows us to include a photograph and Veteran marking on the back to insure vetting of potential fraud scenarios, as well as having the ability to report the number of Veterans using our services. Next Steps We propose that all honorably discharged veterans living in CDTA’s four county service area be afforded half fare pricing. We do not have data on current levels of Veteran ridership, making projections challenging. We will coordinate with area agencies to identify candidates and each county agency has agreed to support the program with mailings, website listings, outreach and marketing materials. We will coordinate face-to-face information sessions with our Travel Trainers and create Navigator ID cards to formalize participation. We would accept one of the four proof of discharge documents available to verify they were discharged under honorable conditions. Veterans will be able to visit any half fare issuing site in the Capital Region to get their Navigator ID card. We will partner with the Agencies to assist with paperwork and photographs to streamline administration. Once certified for their Navigator card, veterans will be identified as program members. The program announcement will be supported by media outreach and public education. 38 Memorandum October 25, 2017 To: Chairman of the Board Board Members From: Chief Executive Officer Subject: Chief Executive Officer Report for October Overview I am providing my report on the activities of our company for October 2017, along with a summary of the organization’s Key Performance Indicators for September 2017. The report includes information about our operation and our work to position CDTA in the communities we serve. Our work to widen the regional mobility menu continues. Providing connections to economic opportunity is our message as we work with community leaders to strengthen the role of transit. Our designation as the Best Mid-Size Transit System in North America helps in this work, and we are using it to position CDTA and the need for more mobility. An example of this is the region’s proposal for Amazon HQ2. CDTA is a big part of the proposal, and mobility between Rensselaer, Albany and Harriman campus can be made easy with a robust transit network. Company pride remains at an all-time high thanks to our award as the Best Mid-Size System. It was with great pride that I joined Dave Stackrow and Corey Bixby to accept the award at the APTA Annual Meeting. The venue was outstanding and the list of other award winners was impressive, certainly the best of the best in our industry. APTA staff insured that we were prepared for our moment in the spotlight. We were joined by Denise Figueroa, Mike Criscione and many of our staff to celebrate this tremendous achievement. As we discussed at the Planning and Stakeholder Relations Committee, the first six months of the fiscal year are behind us. Our financial condition is good and if all goes well, revenue should be ahead of expenses at year end. At the same time, we are beginning work on our 2018-2019 budget. This is our most important planning project of the year, and it sets a course for everything we do in the next 12 months. It will be a major work item in upcoming committee meetings, and it is a point of our advocacy with state officials. This also includes capital project development and planning for new initiatives that are important to the work we do. We are working with our partners at NYPTA on the broader infrastructure needs of all transit systems in New York State. We will stay consistent with statewide messaging as we advocate for the specific needs of CDTA. Our partners at Jackson Lewis are targeting the things we need to advance, and they are featuring the accomplishments that made us the Best Mid-Size Transit System. We are also working with our federal delegation to advance projects through the New Starts process and submit grants and discretionary program applications. 39 Ridership took a slight dip this month, mostly due to a calendar alignment; this is part of monthly fluctuations we see, some of which are caused by weather events or activities in the community. Although we want more ridership, the system is producing good results that are bucking state and national trends. Our challenge is to introduce services or changes to our route network that will increase in ridership. This will be part of our planning and strategic discussions. Last week, we hit 10,000 bike share rides. After three months of operation, CDPHPCycle! is going strong. We have signed on more than 2,200 members who use bikes on a regular basis. The program will go on winter hiatus at the end of November, and we will work with our partners at Social Bicycles to double the inventory of bikes when it returns in April 2018. We will also improve signage and engage more partners in this work. Opportunities for cross promotions are in development, and we will deepen the CDPHPCycle! brand. We are off and pedaling with this new mobility option, and we have only scratched the surface of opportunities. We have begun the formal process of getting our common taxi ordinance adopted. The first public hearing was held last week in Saratoga Springs, and others are scheduled in the coming weeks. These are necessary steps in the adoption process by the municipalities that we are working with. We are asking their legislative bodies to adopt the ordinance so we can develop standards to make taxi service better, easier to use, and more efficient to operate. Once this is in place, we will work towards a regional fare structure and better ways for it to be communicated, displayed and paid for by customers. The common ordinance is the entry door for these improvements, and we will see it open wide in the coming months. We work with APTA and NYPTA on workforce development and career ladder opportunities. Our human resource playbook includes dozens of ways for people to improve their skills, contribute to the company and advance their careers. I am proud of the work we have done with the Public Transit Leadership Institute. This NYPTA program gives managers an opportunity to meet peers from across the state, engage in learning programs on transit leadership, and work with Chief Executive Officers at transit systems. We have been active in this program from its initiation and it’s great to see our participants here today. They are the leaders of tomorrow. Construction Updates – work on the membrane replacement and deck repair at Rensselaer Rail Station is moving towards completion. Although we are progressing work at the Lark and Washington intersection, it will not be completed until early spring. Staging delays at the start of construction is the cause. The Performance Oversight Committee received a comprehensive update on this work, which involves a good deal of utility and infrastructure work. This project will yield long-term benefits for CDTA, customers, pedestrians and the City of Albany. Work is complete on sidewalk and infrastructure improvements in Troy, Lansingburgh and Cohoes, all intended to improve access to station locations along the River Corridor BRT line. Finally, we are about ready to switch over to our new Motorola radio system. If you get a minute, stop by our new control room on the first floor, which will be populated in the coming weeks. The giving spirit of our employees is evident by the excitement around our annual United Way campaign and our involvement in the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink effort. Our United Way campaign has shattered last year’s mark, going over $100,000. The campaign is one of the best in the Capital Region in terms of total giving and per capita giving. This was recognized at the United Way awards and business meeting a few weeks ago and it shows the 40 generosity of our workforce. Although most of the $100,000 comes from payroll deduction contributions, a large chunk comes from events that spotlight the work of the United Way. At the same time, we are very involved in the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. Pink is everywhere as the campaign runs through October. In addition to events to support the campaign, the highlight for us is our Pink Bus, which was hand-crafted by our maintenance team. It has taken on a life of its own and is in such demand that we need a booking agent to organize its schedule. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to ACS; let us know if you would like to be involved in this work. Our annual Fall Festival and Open House was a great success thanks to the dozens of CDTA employees who organized it, staffed it, and did everything possible to make it a showcase event. We transformed our grounds into a festive and fun environment, complete with a haunted paint shop, a popular scarecrow contest and exhibits by partners from law enforcement, health care and municipal services. More than 400 elementary school students joined us for a fun and education-filled day that showcased our employees and the great work that they do. We are preparing for the Board Retreat on November 8. Doug Eadie will be here to help us to work with the principles of High Impact Governance. Jaime Watson is working with Doug on the details of the day, which will be exciting and productive for us. Key Performance Measures Key performance measures for the organization are included in monthly reports. Data is for September and is compared to September 2016. The data provides a snapshot of the organization and what we do. We compare our data to other transit systems and companies in similar lines of work to give us perspective and thoughtful analysis of important trends. System ridership totaled 1.52 million, down 5% from last year (1.59 million). FYTD, ridership is down slightly from last year. The dip this month is due to the alignment of the calendar (Jewish holiday was in September last year; October this year). STAR ridership was 23,076, down 9% from last September; year-to-date, STAR ridership is down about 1% from last year. Ridership on Northway Express buses totaled 13,398, up 12% from last year; FYTD, NX ridership is down 2% from last year. NX ridership has been better in recent months than earlier in the fiscal year. As discussed at the Performance Oversight meeting, our financial condition is solid; we are in a positive cash flow position and should have adequate budget capacity for the remainder of the year. Mortgage Recording Tax receipts totaled just over $1 million this month, continuing a strong bounce-back after starting the year below budget expectations. Customer revenue continues to lag; we talked about this in the PO committee, and it is due mostly to the transition to smart card/mobile ticketing (Navigator). We have vendors turning in old product for new product and customers moving products to Navigator. We expect this lag to continue through the fiscal year. All other revenue lines are within budget expectations. The wage line was almost 4% under budget in September. This is part of the continuing effort to get to full head count and manage overtime consumption in the operating departments. We are very close to budgeted head count numbers and overtime is within controllable ranges, hence the improvement in the wage line. Health and benefit lines are below budget expectations, mainly because of headcounts being below budget for most of the year and a shift in the health care options that newer employees are selecting. Purchased transportation was under budget as we 41 work to adjust STAR trip distribution between our personnel and contractors. Liability claims expenses continue to be over budget due to increases in property damage claims and injuries. Staff is working to identify trends and to remedy this moving forward. We missed 41 trips on the fixed route system; last September, we missed 19 trips. There were no trip denials in STAR. We reported 52 accidents in August, with 19 categorized as preventable. Last September, we reported 38 accidents with 13 categorized as preventable. 100% of maintenance inspections were done on time; last September, 99% were done on time. 81% of our maintenance work was scheduled in advance; Last September, 83% of work was scheduled. Fixed route on-time performance was at 71%; last September, it was at 68%. Our goal is to operate within a 0-5 minute late window at least 80% of the time. Our call center processed 296 comments, compared to 426 comments last September (we had very few service changes this August/September). Response time to close investigations was at 95%; the same as last September. There were just over 1 million web page views at www.cdta.org. Last September, there were 953,000 views. Activity Report We are constantly looking for ways to better position CDTA in the community. This builds on our effort to ensure that people who use our service and those who don’t have an equal level of awareness to CDTA and the connections we make throughout the region. Telling our story and developing partnerships has led to our success, and it was a big part of our designation as the Best Mid-Size Transit System in North America.  On September 28, I joined Dave Stackrow and Georgie Nugent for a media event in Saratoga Springs to showcase CDPHPCycle!. The media was well represented and Dave gave them an update on the program. Brian O’Grady from CDPHP provided comments, and Mayor Joanne Yepsen offered views about a sustainable Saratoga Springs.  On October 2, I participated in an APTA webinar to hear about the progress the association is making to improve membership services and reorganize meetings and conferences. Kudos to Dave Stackrow who has participated in this work and chaired committees that fed key recommendations on this work – it will result in a better APTA.  On October 3, I met with Pete Muscanelli from Clean Harbors to talk about sustainability issues and ideas.  On October 4, I attended a meeting of the Equinox Finance Committee. I am a member of the Equinox board of directors, and we are asked to participate on at least one committee.  On October 4, I attended a meeting at the Capitol with NYPTA leadership, staff from the governor’s office and DOB to talk about upstate transit and operating assistance needs. These meetings will continue as part of the state budget development process.  On October 5, I attended the annual United Way Awards and Business Meeting. I oversaw the awards presentation segment of the meeting and was very proud to see 42 CDTA’s campaign highlighted as an outstanding campaign. Last year, our employee giving campaign totaled $80,000.  On October 5, we held our 3rd Annual Fall Festival. Our property was turned into a festival environment, with pumpkins, hayrides and a haunted paint booth. Over 400 elementary school students visited with us, along with law enforcement, first responders, elected officials and some of our neighbors. Our employees pitched in and had just as much fun as the kids that we invited.  On October 6, I spoke with Eric Anderson who is the Business Editor at the Times Union. We talked about our Best System Award and how we are working to link the region to economic opportunity. Eric wrote a story that appeared the next day in the TU.  On October 7, Jaime Watson and I spent the afternoon in Saratoga Springs, increasing awareness and raising money for breast cancer as part of the Real Men Wear Pink campaign. We worked with ACS staff to promote the downtown Wing Fest.  On October 8-11, I attended the APTA Annual Meeting in Atlanta. Staff members joined me, along with the new Vice Chair of the APTA Board, Dave Stackrow, and Board Members Denise Figueroa, Mike Criscione and Corey Bixby. Although there were plenty of educational components as part of the conference, the highlight of our time in Atlanta was the awards breakfast, where we were officially named the Best Mid-Size System in North America. #CDTAProud  On October 12, Chris Desany and I met with representatives from the Capital District Gondola. They provided an update on the project study and some information about their time schedule for the next several months. We agreed to continue talking.  On October 14, I attended the Italian American Community Center Columbus Day Gala. I was recognized as the Italian-American Citizen of the Year award, a special honor. Thanks to everyone who attended.  On October 16, I attended a meeting of the NYPTA Board of Directors. The board activities included approving new members for the year, congratulating this year’s PTLI class and welcoming the class of 2018. The board also spent a considerable amount of time on our legislative priorities, messaging and advocacy plan for the next 6-7 months.  On October 16, I spent time with the PTLI participants talking about our industry, our challenges and opportunities. As I have done for all classes, I will be a mentor to one of the PTLI members (from RGRTA) and will be available to her throughout the year to talk, discuss work issues and provide guidance and support.  On October 16, I attended a meeting of the Colonie IDA and LDC. I am a member of both groups that are charged with promoting economic development and job growth throughout the town. This is consistent with the work we do and the development initiatives are opportunities for CDTA. 43  On October 17, I attended the NYPTA Fall Conference and Trade Show at the Desmond. Over 400 people attended, and the trade show was packed with interesting developments in our industry. Innovation was the conference theme, and the agenda was packed with great sessions, ranging from Shared Use Mobility to Leveraging Data for DecisionMaking to Work Cultures of Tomorrow. It was one of the most thought-provoking agendas that I have seen at a NYPTA conference. Many of our staff attended.  On October 17, I attended the NYPTA lunch session where Dave Stackrow was introduced as APTA Vice Chair and presented an update on the industry from the national level. Our Best System Award was recognized, and Dave and I were happy to be joined on stage by CDTA employees who were in attendance. #CDTAProud  On October 18, I attended a meeting of the United Way of the Greater Capital Region Board of Directors. I have been a member of this board for several years. As everyone knows, our employees organize an award-winning giving campaign every year.  On October 18, I was interviewed by a reporter from WRGB TV6 about the region’s bid for the Amazon HQ2. We talked about the need for a robust transit system and how CDTA fits the bill. Our company and the service we provide were mentioned specifically as a regional strength in the proposal prepared by the Center for Economic Growth.  On October 20, I joined Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse, Assemblyman John McDonald, Cohoes School Superintendent Jennifer Spring, parents and students of Cohoes Middle School for a ride to school. A 6th grader at the school organized a Real Kids Wear Pink campaign and the ride was organized by Jaime Watson and ACS. Lots of media attention for a great job by 6th graders.  On October 20, I attended a Real Men Wear Pink cookout organized by the employees of the Schenectady Division. This has become an annual event that helps raise money for our campaign and feel-good event for our employees.  On October 24, we provided a bus for a regional tour of sites being considered for regional economic development awards. This is an example of the things we do to help decision makers understand the link between transportation and economic opportunity.  Earlier this morning, I attended a meeting of the Equinox Board of Directors. Equinox clients and staff use our services to travel to employment, treatment and social events. Final Thoughts We have so much to be thankful for at CDTA – a great company filled with much success. We are surrounded by good people - none better than our Chairman, Dave Stackrow. In addition to running a successful business in Troy, he has dedicated himself to CDTA and our industry for the past 22 years. His national profile is rising as he has assumed the Vice Chairmanship of APTA, our national trade association and principal federal advocate. If all goes to plan, Dave will be the 44 Chairman of the APTA Board next year, providing CDTA and the State of New York with a national voice of prominence. Congratulations Dave. Two other staunch supporters of CDTA are Art Young and Norm Miller. Both gentlemen have made great contributions to our company. They have a combined 33 years of service on the Board and were go-to people throughout their service to CDTA. We heard of their many specific accomplishments, most of them to advance our innovative platform of activities. However, their biggest accomplishment is their commitment to the people who work at CDTA. Art and Norm insisted that the employees of CDTA be front and center in any work we talked about. Their concern for employees, their well-being and their role in any project we proposed was something that never received enough attention. So, on behalf of everyone who works or has worked at CDTA, I want to thank Art and Norm – we appreciate what you did to make CDTA great. Copy: Senior Staff Director of Marketing Manager of Communications 45