HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/08/2009 04B Minutes 11-18-2009 Council Transportation and Transit Committee Minutes of
Yakima City Council Transportation and Transit Committee
Community & Economic Development Conference Room
Yakima City Hall, 129 North 2 Street, Yakima, WA 98901
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
2:30 — 3:30 p.m.
City Council Members Staff Other
Micah Cawley Chris Waarvick, Public Works Director.
Rick Ensey Ken Mehin, Transit Manager
Bill Lover Gary Pira, Transit Planner
Laura Vallejo, Transit Department Assistant II
Councilmember Micah Cawley called the meeting to order at 2:30 pm in the Community & Economic
Development (CED) Conference Room at City Hall. Ken Mehin opened the session with the first item
on the agenda which is the Highlights for 2010. Mehin reported that Transit received their federal
stimulus grant money of $2,150,000 in mid-October with which Transit purchased 3 new paratransit
vehicles and 5 new buses.
Mehin recapped by stating that Yakima Transit has received federal funds to increase bus service
hours by one additional hour per day. It is expected that this change will begin in March of 2010.
Gary Pira commented that we have been operating the Transit Center Information Booth for the past
ix years with State funds for the disabled. Pira continued that the four ADA staff employed there
part-time take a big load off City Hall and other vendors that sell monthly bus passes. Chris Waarvick
commended both Pira and Mehin for a great job in keeping the Transit Center Information Booth in
operation. Micah Cawley also expressed his thanks and best wishes to Gary Pira who is leaving his
position as a Transit Planner in January 2010.
The second item was a request that came in from some of the nursing homes. They are seeking
transportation from their facilities to a Christmas event that is two miles beyond our city limits. Mehin
said they had offered to transport to a closer facility as a solution due to the fact that previously the
City Council mandated they stay within the city limit boundaries. Waarvick explained that even
though this is a good thing for the Senior Citizens, they also have to be careful as a Transit agency
not to provide private charter type services. Micah responded that he would contact them and find
out about their transportation options and see if they could facilitate using their own vehicles if not we
could provide the service. The council approved that format and mentioned that any outside city limit
request needs to be approved by them on a case-by-case basis.
The third item mentioned by Mehin was that the DAR contract was extended for another year.
Waarvick commented that the cost didn't change and that they get good service at a very reasonable
rate compared to other transit agencies in the state. Other informational items mentioned by Mehin
were the quarterly reports that show an 8.8 percent in fare box revenue for the year; which provides a
total of about $420,000 in revenues.
Last comments by Mehin were that the vanpool program is down a few vans compared to last
• year and that they are closer to getting a vanpool group from Ellensburg to Yakima started.
Micah Cawley adjourned the meeting at 3:00 pm.
Approved by:16;(..