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CALLED TO ORDER at 4:33 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Members Present
David Cortese, Chairperson
Ron Gonzales
Joe Pirzynski, Vice Chairperson

Members Absent
Pete McHugh

Alternates Present
None

Alternates Absent
Blanca Alvarado
Dolores Sandoval
Ken Yeager

*Alternates do not serve unless participating as a Member.

A quorum was present.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

There were no Public Presentations.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

There were no Orders of the Day.

CONSENT AGENDA

Received and filed the Meeting Records of September 18, 2003, October 16, 2003, and November 20, 2003.

Approved the Minutes of December 18, 2003.

Received and filed the Community Oriented Design Enhancements (CODE) Program Update December 2003 January 2004.

Received and filed the Report on the Capitol Light Rail Project for the Month of December 2003.

Received and filed the Report on the Tasman East Light Rail Project for the Month of December 2003.

Received and filed the Report on the Vasona Light Rail Project for the Month of December 2003.

Received and filed the Joint Powers Board Monthly Status Report.

Received and filed the Committee for Transit Accessibility Report.

Received and filed the Monthly Legislative Reports.

REGULAR AGENDA

Elected Member Pirzynski as Vice Chairperson for 2004. 

(Removed from the Agenda.)

Approve submitting a recommendation to the Board of Directors to authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with the apparent low bidder for the Great Mall Ring Road Concrete Improvements Project. 

Approved submitting a recommendation to the Board of Directors to authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with the joint venture of Hatch Mott MacDonald Transportation and Tunnels, Inc., and Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation for tunnel design and program control services for the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit (SVRT) Project in an amount not to exceed $51,200,000 for the Preliminary Engineering phase.   The initial contract term will be for 24 months with future amendments to be presented to the Board for final design and construction management services once approval to enter into final design for the SVRT Project is determined.  This contract is currently 1% ($500,000) federally funded. 

Directed attention to the revised Board Memorandum.

Staff directed attention to the recommendation, noting that there was a change in the last sentence of the recommendation that specifically notes the percentage of federal funding and the exact dollar amount that VTA is anticipating placing against the contract out of the current $2 million that VTA has available from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). 

Referred to the article contained in todays San Jose Mercury News regarding the Federal BART funds and asked that staff speak to the issue in terms of the consequences or potential consequences, since VTA is relying on state and federal monies to supplement local monies to make the Project happen.  Queried if this is the right time to move forward with the Project.

Commented in support of BART being concluded, but noted that we are in a really strange environment with our public.  Noted support of the motion with reservation, because much more work needs to be done by management to enhance the perception of how this all fits in, how $51 million can be expended in a Project that is downstream and making sure there is a Project versus having a project shelf-ready that never actually gets on the ground.  Noted this issue needs to be addressed and addressed for the next Board of Directors Meeting, so that in the context of VTAs recommendation there needs to be much more information. 

Approvedsubmitting a recommendation to the Board of Directors to approve the FY 2004-2013 Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP). 

Approvedsubmitting a recommendation to the Board of Directors to authorize the Chairperson to submit a letter to the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) identifying the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority's (VTA) comments and concerns related to the Draft Caltrain 2004-2023 Strategic Plan, and further requested that the letter submitted to the JPB contain information indicating that VTA would like to see the JPB, and projects it submits, respect the regional transit project priorities the same way that VTA has at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).  Noted VTA's commitment regarding BART to San Jose and Silicon Valley, to not get in front of continued funding to complete the BART to SFO Project.  Also requested that the following comments from staff be included: Staff noted that the Board of Directors adopted a policy that the Board has to approve the various specific capital programs for all partner agencies before endorsing.  Staff noted as Caltrain moves forward in their budgetary process, that part of the capital budget would come forward to the Board of Directors as an endorsement before it would go forward.

Directed attention to the document distributed entitled "Presentation of the Draft Caltrain Strategic Plan, Presentation to Joint Powers Board, December 4, 2003," Page 6, Scenario 4: Build Out, Capital Cost: $4.9 billion and Capital Deficit over $3.2 billion, and queried if Caltrain identified funds to address this deficit.

Noted when a Caltrain system is effectively on the ground and working and not adding more service, electrification of the right-of-way is a high cost project that does not add service.  Queried if Caltrain is moving forward with electrification or is it still up for question.  Asked why electrification is built into Scenarios 2 through 4, and is it essential to expanding and enhancing service.

Queried about the monies allocated in the Measure A Expenditure Plan for Caltrain improvements, including electrification.

Expressed an interest in conveying to the JPB that VTA is supportive of Caltrain improvements, including electrification, but Measure A revenues are not received until 2006.

Requested that the letter to be submitted to the JPB contain information indicating that VTA would like to see the JPB, and projects it submits, respect the regional transit project priorities the same way that VTA has at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC).  Noted VTA's commitment regarding BART to San Jose and Silicon Valley, to not get in front of continued funding to complete the BART to SFO Project.

Queried how often VTA will have an opportunity to review this Strategic Plan and if the Strategic Plan could return to VTA for comment on an annual basis.

Staff noted that the Board of Directors adopted a policy that the Board has to approve the various specific capital programs for all partner agencies before endorsing.  Staff noted as Caltrain moves forward in their budgetary process, that part of the capital budget would come forward to the Board of Directors as an endorsement before it moving forward.  Requested that the comments provided by staff be included in the letter submitted to the JPB.

Member Gonzales left the meeting at 5:31 p.m., the quorum was lost, and a Committee of the Whole was declared.

OTHER ITEMS

The Committee of the Whole deferred the Transit Performance Measures to the February 19, 2003 TP&O Meeting.

The Committee of the Whole received the Paratransit Service Business Practices Improvement Plan: Project Update. 

Queried about the timeframe of the annual report on the vendor assisting in the determination of eligibility.  Staff noted there would be a report back in the fall once year-end data is available.

The Committee of the Whole received the Preliminary Tasman East/Capitol Bus/Rail Service Integration Plan. 

Directed attention to the document distributed entitled Proposed Light Rail Operating Plan and suggested that staff identify the station locations.

The Committee of the Whole received the Report on the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) Demonstration Program Second Quarter, 2004. 

The Committee of the Whole reviewed the Committee Work Plan.

Staff noted the removal of the Approval of the Great Mall Ring Road Concrete Improvements item.

Committee Staff Report

There was no Committee Staff Report.

Chairperson's Report

There was no Chairperson's Report.

The Committee of the Whole determined the Consent Agenda for the February 5, 2004 Board Meeting.

CONSENT: Item #16. Approve the FY 2004-2013 Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP).

REGULAR: Item #15. Authorize the General Manager to execute a contract with the joint venture of Hatch Mott MacDonald Transportation and Tunnels, Inc., and Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation for tunnel design and program control services for the Silicon Valley Rapid Transit (SVRT) Project in an amount not to exceed $51,200,000 for the Preliminary Engineering phase.  The initial contract term will be for 24 months with future amendments to be presented to the Board for final design and construction management services once approval to enter into final design for the SVRT Project is determined. This contract is currently 1% ($500,000) federally funded and Item #17. Authorize the Chairperson to submit a letter to the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) identifying the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authoritys (VTA) comments and concerns related to the Draft Caltrain 2004-2023 Strategic Plan. 

Announcements

There were no Announcements.

Adjourned at 5:55 p.m.