MONONGALIA COUNTY URBAN MASS

 

TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

 

BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MEETING

 

JUNE 15, 2005

 

AUTHORITY MEMBERS PRESENT:                                          Bob Roberts

                                                                                                            Larry Calemine

                                                                                                            James Manilla

                                                                                                            Jenny Dinsmore

                                                                                                            Kevin Buckley

 

AUTHORITY MEMBERS NOT PRESENT:                                 Asel Kennedy  

                                                                                                            David Flynn                       

OTHER PERSONNEL PRESENT:                                                 David Bruffy

Wayne Pifer

                                                                                                            Sheila M. Wolfe

                                                                                                            Ron Gatian

                                                                                                           

CALL TO ORDER:

 

The Transit Authority Board Meeting for June 15, 2005 was called to order at 6:00 P.M.

             

READING AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES (May 11, 2005)

 

Jenny Dinsmore made a Motion to accept the May 11, 2005 Board Meeting minutes. Kevin Buckley seconded the Motion.

 

For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None         

 

PRESENTATION

 
A.     May 2005 Driver of the Month

 

The Board announced the Authority’s May 2005 Driver of the Month, Mr. Terry Lewis. The Board also recognized Terry White, Bob Lee, Jim Huffman, Mike Walls, Tom Jones, Paul Gutta and Jake Cress for their outstanding performance during the month of May 2005.

 

OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS:

 

There were no comments offered by the Public.

 

Monthly Data Summaries/Correspondence

 

The General Manager stated that the passenger trips for May 2005 were 28,512 and were up 1 % compared to May of 2004, and were up 1 % for total passenger trips for

calendar year 2005. Disabled passenger trips were up 12 %, senior passenger trips were down 1% and West Virginia University “Ride with I.D.” was down 16 %. The Transit Authority for the month of May traveled 53,815 miles, made 5,175 schedules, answered 71 Rail Trail questions, and answered over 2,407 phone calls. 

 

The General Manager stated that the Transit Authority had hired Salvatore (Sal) Hughes as the Building and Maintenance Laborer.  

 

FINANCIAL REPORT:

 

A.     Approval of the May 2005 Monthly Financial Report

     

Larry Calemine Made a Motion to accept for audit the Financial Report as presented for May 2005. Jenny Dinsmore seconded the Motion.

 
For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None

 

OLD BUSINESS:

 

A.     Maintenance Facility Update

 

The General Manager stated that the punch list is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 this will bring the Maintenance Facility to substantial completion. The office furniture and supplies will be moved by O. J. White on Thursday, June 16, 2005. The staff will be working with the contractors during the move to make sure that they will not be in the contractor’s way. The General Manager asked James Manilla to find out if the City of Morgantown would be interested in having the walk-around bus wash system that is at the garage. If they would be interested he would find out if Susan O’Connell, Director of West Virginia Public Transit would allow the Transit Authority to transfer it to the City of Morgantown.

 

B.     2004-2005 Goals and Objectives Update

 

The General Manager presented the progress report Goals and Objectives monthly update to the Transit Authority Board for their review.

 

C.     Stone Embezzlement Update

 

The General Manager updated the Transit Authority Board on the recent changes with the Mitch Stone restitution case.    

 

 

 

D.    West Virginia University Service Agreement Update

     

The General Manager stated that the West Virginia University Service Agreement will be the same for fiscal year 2005-2006 as the existing agreement was for 2004-2005, with an $18,500 dollar increase based on ridership.

 

E.     The District Agreement Update

 

The General Manager stated that The District wants to move forward with an agreement for services. They want to sign the agreement to begin service on August 15, 2005. The General Manager offered to do a ceremonial signing of the contract with a representative from Board.  

 

Jenny Dinsmore Made a Motion that Asel Kennedy be the Transit Authority Boards representative at the signing of the contract with The District. Larry Calemine seconded the Motion.

 

For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None

 

F.      Greyhound Lease Update

 

The General Manager stated that Greyhound is at this time temporarily located at the Mountain Line Transit depot until his new offices are available at the Westover facility. All of the safety issues with the Greyhound entrances will have to be addressed before they can move in. The Transit Authority is still confirming the insurance issues with Greyhound.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

  

A.     Medicaid Funding Reductions, Service Elimination & Budget Changes   

 

The General Manager stated that effective July 1, 2005 that a new reimbursement policy would be in affect for Medicaid passenger trips. The trip would now be reimbursed at the rate of $.41 cents per mile instead of the $10.00 per trip rate that is currently being used. The General Manager reviewed the correspondence from the State of West Virginia, and the impact on Mountain Line Transit will be a loss of $90,000 dollars of revenue per year.

 

Bob Roberts stated that we need to draft a letter to the public that because of the change in the reimbursement policy from the Department of Health and Human Resources for Medicaid transportation the Transit Authority will have to make changes in the service that we provide.

 

The General Manager stated that the Transit Authority has some decisions that need to be made, such as are we going to stop the Medicaid transport service on July 15, 2005 or are we going to allow the service to run until July 31, 2005 which would give the public a 30 day notice. The General Manager would like to do a press release that outlines the crisis, the cut backs, the time tables, and the contacts for the delegates, the Governor office and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Service, and to notify PACE Tech.  

 

Bob Roberts recommended that the Board approve that service be continued until July 31, 2005 to give the individuals who are using the service a chance to find another form of transportation with the Transit Authority absorbing of the cost of transportation above the amount that can be billed.

 

The General Manager stated that what he needed was for the Transit Authority Board to give him permission to inform the public that the Transit Authority would take the loss and operate under the new established regulations applied by the Department of Health and Human Recourses and would absorb the cost of transportation until July 31, 2005 to allow passengers time to make other arrangements for their transportation needs.

 

Jenny Dinsmore Made a Motion to allow the General Manager to inform the public that the Transit Authority would take the loss and operate under the new established regulations applied by the Department of Health and Human Recourses and would absorb the cost of transportation until July 31, 2005 to allow passengers time to make other arrangements for their transportation needs.  James Manilla seconded the Motion.

 

For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None

 

B.     Consideration of Cintas Contract Renewal ($11,000 no increase)

 

The General Manager asked that the Transit Authority Board renew the contract with Cintas Uniform Service for one year at $11,000 with no increase in the contract cost.

 

Jenny Dinsmore Made a Motion to renew the contract with Cintas Uniform Service for one year. Kevin Buckley seconded the Motion.

 

For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None

 

C.     Consideration of BRIM Contract Renewal ($ 94,000 estimate)

 

The General Manager asked the Transit Authority Board to renew the contract with BRIM for the fleet and building liability insurance at an estimated cost of $94,000.

 

Larry Calemine Made a Motion to renew the contract with BRIM for the fleet and building liability by insurance at an estimated cost of $94,000 dollars. Kevin Buckley seconded the Motion.

 

For: All Present and Voting                           Opposed: None

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

Jenny Dinsmore Made a Motion to adjourn at 6:40 P.M.