Okay, good morning everybody. Welcome to meeting of the MetroLink. Contracts,
Operations, Maintenance, and Safety Committee. Good to see everybody here
this morning. We're going to begin the meeting with the safety briefing, Cody.
Good morning, Cody Nelson, Assistant Director, System Safety MetroLink. This
morning's briefing, we are located at one Gateway Plaza here in the LA Metro
Boardroom on third floor. If we, in the event of a fire, we're going to exit the
building out to my left here. When we are exiting, if the case arises, make sure
that you're aware of backpacks, chairs,
tripping hazards on the ground.
In the event of an earthquake,
we'll huddle under the desks and tables
until the shaking stops and do an assessment
to see if we do need to evacuate.
In the event of a first aid situation,
we have first responders in the room.
We also have an AED that's mounted directly across
from the security desk on this floor.
In the event of an active attacker,
the procedure to follow is run, hide, fight.
And for those online, just make sure that you're familiar
with your place of safety and your exit route.
That concludes my briefing, thank you.
Thank you very much and I appreciate you reminding us where we are because a lot of times I'm not quite sure where I am
So that was really good. Okay, we're gonna a pledge of allegiance. Well, can you lead us in the pledge, please?
Thank you roll call, please director Marquez
Present
Vice chair Spiegel
director Vargas
present director do me true
present director Carol
director Engler
here director Barger director Solis
Director Allen here director. Press the auto here chair. Wapner here. We do have a quorum present
To the public comment portion of the meeting if there's any members of the public want to speak to us
Or do we have any written comments?
I've not received any request to speak or any written public comment. Thank you very much
A regular calendar item number one is our minutes emotion on that
Motion to approve allen
Second to meet you know what we go through this all the time. Okay. We have a motion a second. I'll roll call vote, please
Mr.. Spiegel
director do me true
Yes, director Engler
Yeah, I'm saying. I wasn't at the meeting okay
director Allen I
Chair Wapner yes that motion carries with director Engler abstaining
6b an amendment for ridlands rail law enforcement and Cody you're gonna present this
Good morning Cody Nelson assistant director system safety Metro link. Next slide, please
All right. So we are asking the board to authorize the chief executive officer to amend contract
SP 594-23 to include law enforcement
Services within San Bernardino County. It's a little bit of background on October in October 2023
SCRA received a formal request from San Bernardino County Transit Authority to extend San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
service to the county line with an estimated additional cost of three million two hundred ninety
thousand one hundred fifty three for a total cost of five million five hundred ninety one thousand eight fifty one
SBCTA will continue to fund the all-share formula distribution for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
So we'll need to amend the FY 25 budget in the amount of eight hundred and twenty two thousand five thirty eight
to extend their services to the rest of the Metrolink system in San Bernardino County,
bringing the total cost, including aero service, to the 5,591,851.
So this expansion of San Bernardino Sheriff's Services will include one detective in Corporal,
seven deputy sheriff, half a sheriff's service specialist,
one office specialist, an additional eight vehicles, and then half a pickup truck.
SBSD will provide law enforcement services on trains,
fare enforcement, ride away and station platforms
up to the San Bernardino County line.
Next slide.
So with the sheriffs taking on the additional services
up to the county line, they're going
to assume all fare enforcement within San Bernardino County.
They're going to manage the ride away enforcement
within San Bernardino County,
provide all law enforcement services
and resources within the county.
We'll have to establish MOUs
with local law enforcement agencies throughout San Bernardino County and assume security
train riding within San Bernardino County.
So we do have the station coverage that this would expand their services to.
So currently they're just on the Aero service.
So this will include stations throughout the San Bernardino line up to the Montclair station.
And then of course on the Riverside line, we have that one station down there with the
Ontario East Station and then on the Inland Empire Orange County line as well.
Next slide, please.
So that concludes the briefing and I'm happy to answer any questions.
So which half of the sheriff is the sheriff and which half of the truck?
We'll keep the side with the drivers, the driver's side, but no, so it'll just be split
between our sheriffs and – I know, I know, I know.
I have a couple questions.
It says that they're going to assume full responsibility for everything.
It was my understanding that they'll be running concurrent and since we're still paying for
LA that they'd still be riding on our trains and doing what they normally do.
The LA County Sheriff, sir?
Yes.
Yeah, you're correct.
They'll still have the same, I guess, coverage, but we would work that out between San Bernardino
and LA County where they would transition.
So I guess what I'm saying is that we're going to continue getting the same level of service that we were before
And we're augmenting that with with the Sheriff's Department of Sam because I'm looking at your presentation
It says we're assuming full responsibility for your enforcement and riding the trains. That's not correct is it?
Look at your PowerPoint and look to see where the San Bernardino Sheriff's are assuming full responsibility for everything
Assume all through enforcement provide all law enforcement services and it's my understanding that
L.a. Is going to continue doing what they're doing, but we're going to augment it with San Bernardino
So they'll be sharing those responsibilities of her enforcement and things like that
Correct. Am I wrong? That?
Mr. Chair that that is the intent and that's been the conversation. We haven't I'm actually looking over at our LA County Sheriff captain
And he is nodding his head affirmative that it is effectively an augmentation of law enforcement on trains in San Bernardino County
But there will still be LA County sheriff deputies
I think the intent here though is if if we're doing fair enforcement with an LA County sheriff deputy it would be a
Waste of resources for San Bernardino to be on the same train
So we'll just we're gonna spread that out a little bit more so we have better coverage
Thank you, and I had recommend that to our sheriff's department as well
So captain I'm you guys work it out so we don't ride the same deputies on the same train
You can figure out which trains you're gonna ride or whatever
Yeah, we'll still be able to go into River San Bernardino County provide any kind of service that's needed
They will be our colleagues will be the primary law enforcement to respond to any kind of incidents
Emergent incidents routine incidents. They're going to be the primary with their dispatch
However, we'll solve access to the entire system.
We'll still be doing fair enforcement.
We'll still be on the road.
And any issues I arrange in LA County that go to San Bernardino
will still be the handle of that.
Perfect.
Appreciate that.
You guys work together day by day anyway.
So I know you all get along pretty good.
We're the same color uniform and everything.
Walt, that's the wrong color uniform, huh, Walt?
Yeah.
We're both retarded PD.
Retarded?
That too.
What can I say?
Thank you, sir.
I appreciate it.
I think this is great.
The most important thing in our system is safety.
And I'm appreciating the augmentation
because now San Bernardino will be able to assist you
and take care of business and keep the passengers safe
and the employees safe.
So really looking forward to this additional safety measure.
So thank you.
Bob, I didn't notice your hand up.
Go ahead.
No, no problem.
You covered most of what I wanted to talk about.
I was concerned about the interoperability
of the two agencies, and making sure
that those links have been closed.
It sounds like they're pretty far down the way of making sure
that those things are happening.
So I've been reassured in that respect.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any other questions?
And I see the two deputies from SBSO sitting out there.
Good to see you, gentlemen.
They're hiding
They're behind Captain Ben Sahili, which you guys all know each other right if you don't you're going to good
Appreciate it. All right. If there's no other questions. We have a motion on this
Don't move. I mean one
We have a motion in a second a roll call of hope, please
Mr. Spiegel
director Dimitri
Dimitri, yes, director Angler. Yes director Allen I
Chair Waffner that motion carried unanimously. Thank you very much succeed
construction and maintenance agreement Katie
shorter than Cody
Good morning Katie Thorpe principal engineer of capital and third-party construction
I will be presenting on the Construction and Maintenance Agreement for Interstate 5 Irvine
Ode of Overhead Widening.
Next slide, please.
Caltrans wishes to widen the I-5 Irvine Overhead bridge that crosses the Orange subdivision
at mile post 183.3 to reduce traffic congestion in the vicinity.
This Construction and Maintenance Agreement provides $2,235,875 of state funding for the
authority project management and railroad protection support services
throughout construction of the project in order to maintain safe operation of
the railroad below. Next slide please. It is recommended that the committee
recommend the board authorize the chief executive officer to negotiate and
execute the construction and maintenance agreement between the California
Department of Transportation and the authority to provide two million two
$235,875 of state funding for authority support services
to the construction of the Interstate 5
Irvine Overhead Widening Project.
Any questions?
Thank you for the report questions, comments, motion?
So moved.
Obviously.
Is that a second, Bob?
No, I had a quick question.
You have a question?
Okay, hang on, was there a second to the motion?
Okay, go ahead, Bob.
Yeah, the question really is,
This is strictly for the construction amounts,
or if we had service disruption,
does it also include any cost that may arise
from service disruptions?
So this agreement provides 1.438 million for flagging,
and that's gonna be actually directly paid
between Caltrans contractor
to Metrolinx railroad services provider,
and then we have $752,875
for Metrolinx project management staff administration,
maintenance of way so communication and signal and track support if there's any
service disruptions and there's any payments coming from that that would be
under Metrolinx form 37 which is part of our right of entry permit or David
thank you all right any other questions or comments we have a motion and seconds
go to roll call please before approval Allen we have it already we're good but
Thank you again.
It's Chair Spiegel.
Yes.
Director Dumetri.
Yes.
Director Engler.
Yes.
Director Allen.
Yes.
Chair Wapner.
Yes.
That motion carried unanimously.
Thank you very much.
Six even.
Before we go, is there any way so we can see Director Dumetri
up there?
It's very hard, because the voice is there,
but we're not seeing him.
Is he here?
He would have to turn his video on for that.
Oh, got it.
He's in his pajamas.
not in my pajamas but
Yes, if you can do it, that's great
I'm doing the show is that how you say it. I don't know. Oh Aaron. I skipped you. Sorry. Go ahead your turn
60
Good morning chair members of the committee. My name is Aaron as a veto director of state of good repair
This item is to approve the cooperative agreement number
202 1 4 1 2 1 2 with Orange County Public Works and also approve an amendment to contract
M52-23 with Jacobs Engineering Group. A cooperative agreement between Metrolink and Orange County
Public Works is required to complete the design and construction of a sheet pile wall in Orange
County Public Works Right-of-Way that connects to the sheet pile wall being built in OCTA
right-of-way for the San Juan Creek Bridge Project. In order to proceed with the sheet
pile wall in Orange County Public Works right-of-way, a contract amendment with Jacobs Engineering
group will be necessary in order for them to proceed with the design. Next
slide please. Therefore it is recommended that the committee recommend the board
to authorize the chief executive officer to negotiate and execute a
cooperative agreement with Orange County Public Works in the not to exceed amount
of two million dollars for the design and construction of a sheet pile wall in
OC Public Works right-of-way as part of the San Juan Creek Bridge replacement
project subject to OC Public Works Board approval. Upon execution of the
Cooperative Agreement we would negotiate and amend contract number e752-23
with Jacobs Engineering Group to design and provide design services during
construction of the sheet pile wall being requested by OC Public Works.
questions? Thank you. Questions? Comments? Motion? Now you can move it. I'll second it. Thank you very much.
Roll call vote please. Vice chair Spiegel? Yes. Director Dumitrou? Yes. Director
Engler? Yes. Director Allen? I. Chair Wapner? Yes. That motion carried unanimously.
Thank you. Now we're going to go to item number 6E. This is Bishoi. Did I say any, Bishoi?
Yes. Because Aaron didn't help me with your name, but you can get Bishoi. Okay.
Good morning, Chair and members. Bishoi Bestares, Manager of the Controversial Compliance, presenting
item 6E. Next slide, please. Successful construction of the SCORE projects is essential to serving
future ridership demands, achieving authorities proposed service plans, and meeting of expectations
of the 2020 LA Olympic Games.
The authority wishes to ensure that all contractors bidding on the score projects have adequate
experience and successful completion of construction projects in an operational railroad environment
with knowledge of operational railroad safety rules and project practices.
On March 29, 2024, the board approved the approach to advance with RF-QAL for the purpose
of pre-qualifying a pool of construction contractors experienced in completing projects
on a pressure railroad to support the authority's score program.
Only pre-qualified contractors will be invited to bid on major score construction projects.
Next slide, please.
The authority received 13 submittals
in response of the RFQL number CM104-25
issued on May 28, 2024.
The pre-qualification process of contractors
included standard questionnaire, financial statements,
and evaluation criteria with uniform system
of scoring the answers provided by the contractors.
Based on authority's technical evaluation
committee scoring of answers,
two firms did not meet the minimum passing score,
while the remaining 11 responsive contractors
have met minimum qualifications
and are being recommended for the pool of contractors.
Next slide, please.
It is therefore recommended that the committee
recommend the board approve the pool
of pre-qualified contractors
to perform general contracting work for the score program
upcoming public worst construction projects
as a result of the RFQL number, CM104-25.
And the pool of contractors are
Balfour Beatty, Clark Construction,
Granite Construction, Herzog Contracting Company,
Icon West, Hewitt, Will Works, DBA, LK, Comstock,
Electric Construction, Skanska USA,
Stacy Whitbeck, and Wilshire Construction Company.
Next slide, please.
This concludes my presentation.
Very much questions, comments?
I have a question.
Just out of curiosity, are there other opportunities
to get on this list or be removed from this list?
If any constructor wishes to get pre-qualified,
they will have to go through the same process
for pre-qualification.
Yes, it's open for you.
That's all.
Thank you.
Any other questions or comments?
We have a motion on this.
Motion from England.
Thank you.
Again?
It's legal seconds.
Thank you very much.
Call vote, please. Vice chair Spiegel. Yes. Director Dumitroux. Yes. Director
Engler. Yes. Director Allen. Chair Wapner. I'm sorry, was that me? She's distracted me.
Yes, yes. That motion carried unanimously. Thank you very much. Okay, so we're going to move to
to item number six, F, capital program status report.
Good morning, Mr. Chairperson, members of the committee,
Mr. CEO, good morning.
My name is Raja Vishwanathan,
I'm the Director of Program Management.
I'm here to provide a status of our capital program.
Next slide, please.
The total awarded funding between FY 18 to 24
for a state of good repair program is about 661 million,
of which we have expended about $350 million.
As our business is to carry passengers
from point A to point B in a safe manner.
Maintenance and upgrades of tracks, structures,
IT systems, communications, and facilities is important
and urgent for us to do that.
And that is what we're doing
as part of our State of Good Repair Program.
Next slide, please.
And that is all spread on our 184 projects.
And that's about till about December, 2024.
While we do maintain our State of Good Repair,
We do continue to invest in our capital programs of new equipment and facilities.
Next slide, please.
And we're spending an average of a shit under $50 million per year on new capital programs
as well.
Next slide, please.
As part of overall accomplishments, while there are many to list, these are just a few
to talk about.
On the Bombardier car rebuilds, about 42 have been delivered already and estimate about
final six of them will be delivered by the middle of this year. We are also
working on a pilot for a global positioning systems and that entire
program should be finished for all locomotives in about next two years. And
the overall design for the Ariosoka bridge has also been almost be
completed by the end of this month as of this report is as of December 31st.
Next slide please. On the San Juan Creek bridge the retaining wall construction
is progressing and the material to be purchased to be ready for the next dry season has already
been ordered. Now on to our most complex and largest public works programs which is the
SCORE program. Next slide please. I'm happy to report many of the projects that are listed
as part of the SCORE program have progressed towards either 90% design or almost 100% design.
Our staff, our design team and engineering team working with our consultants have worked
very hard to progress these projects as far as that we are going and we're trying to move
this as much as possible, and some of these projects as part of the new starts have already
been completed.
Next slide, please.
And we're continuing to work on how to work these projects moving forward.
With 100 percent design and 90 percent design coming forward, we also have a much better
estimate and an idea of what the overall cost to complete these programs would be.
Next slide, please.
And we have a much higher level of confidence of what the overall budgets and the cost to
complete these programs would look like.
We have seen significant cost increases in many of these programs.
This is because of supply chain issues, increase in cost of materials, inflation, and a much
better idea as to what the right-of-way acquisitions would look like.
And this is kind of where we are at the moment.
Next slide, please.
We do understand because of these cost escalations, we do need to look for more funding options.
And we are, along with the team, is working with CalSTA, CTC, look for different options
as to what that might look like.
That concludes my presentation.
Thank you, I'm happy to answer your questions.
Thank you, questions, comments?
Seeing none, this is received and file, thank you.
Item 6G, Cody, you're back.
All right, good morning once again.
Next slide, please.
I did have a question.
All right, so this slide covers our system-wide strikes
and we're comparing FY24, quarter two to FY25, quarter two.
And we did really well this quarter,
we had a 34% reduction in strikes.
So we ended the quarter with 12 trespasser strikes,
one pedestrian six vehicle for FY25.
Next slide.
So this slide covers our law enforcement activities
at platforms, trains, and grade crossings.
And so we did increase our activities from FY24Q2 to FY25,
755 train rides, 873 for our platform enforcements,
and then 779 on our grade crossing details.
And I do wanna make note that moving forward,
you'll receive this data broke out by county.
We hear your request on that,
and moving forward to Q3 and beyond,
you'll have that broke out by county.
Next slide, please.
So our national transit database, reportable incidents.
Happy to report we had no major incidents during Q2.
We ended with six minor incidents in October,
seven in November, and four in December.
Next slide, please.
So rule violations, we did have a slight increase.
We went from six in FY 24 to eight in FY 25.
Some of the contributing factors were miscommunication,
causing misunderstanding,
employee loss of situational awareness, complacency,
or the employees did not follow blue signal procedures
when removing protection from the equipment.
Next slide.
Good news, on our FRA reportable injuries,
we did see a reduction from four to two,
and our two reportable injuries
were due to a slip, trip, and fall,
and then we had a sprain or strain.
Next slide.
And for our training that we did,
so we do training for employees, our contractors,
first responders, law enforcement.
So we did a total of 84 classes,
which totaled 200, excuse me, 2,249 participants
throughout the quarter.
Next slide.
So that concludes my presentation,
unless there's any questions.
Thank you.
Supervisor Spiegel.
I have several questions.
First one, what does it mean employee loss
of situational awareness?
That could be many different things,
there's different factors that go into it,
like it's their last task of the day
and they're maybe focused on something outside of work
or maybe thinking about the next day's task,
that was one of the situations that we ran into,
just kind of losing their focus on the task at hand
and thinking of something else.
Okay.
is a little different feeling sometimes when I lose,
you know, situational awareness is a little alarming
when I heard that.
So, and then you said there's no major incidents.
I should say that no major, no assaults that,
that met the major threshold to report that to the NTD.
For an assault to become a major,
there's a few qualifiers for it,
like the employees immediately transported away
from the scene a fatality within 30 days of the incident.
And there's a few other qualifiers as well.
The reason I bring that up
and I was gonna talk to you about this,
but since it's here now,
when there's an incident that happens in my county,
I'd like to know so that I don't hear it from somebody else.
I know there was a train that struck a vehicle
in Hooper Valley and I had to learn about it from a resident
and they were rather surprised that I didn't know.
You sit on the Metrolink board.
So I think when there's any incident,
I think that, Darren, I think we should be notified
so that we're not hearing it from somebody else.
And normally, our communication is that way.
I wonder if it was a UP train
that may have struck a vehicle.
They said it was Metrolink.
Okay, so.
I got that notice.
We're usually, yeah, no, I.
We looked for it.
Let's double, we'll just double check it.
All of our board members.
We looked through my emails to make sure
before I said anything.
Okay, we'll make sure that we'll double check.
Maybe, thank you now.
And maybe it was, I could have,
my staff could have, whatever, I missed it.
I may have had situational awareness problems.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
But other people look at my emails, so it's all right.
Okay, that was it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any other questions, comments?
Yeah, this is Bob Engler, Alan.
Good.
Yeah, I received, most of us received the notifications
of strikes along the way.
Thank you.
It's always distressing to hear about someone
who's been killed by our equipment.
But I'm happy to see that the arrows are
going in the right direction on that.
I'm very happy that we've had a reduction.
At the danger of ascribing it to any particular action
on our part, was the increase in police patrols part of that,
or can you describe that reduction to other sources?
No, I believe it is a direct correlation
to our enforcement.
So last June, we really peeled back the layers on our data
and looked at when exactly we were having these strikes.
And then we learned that we were having
a lot of our strikes in the beginning
of the month and the end of the month.
And so partnering with Captain Ben Saheli and his team,
We used our right-of-way team and his staff
to saturate the right-of-way during those times
that we were learning through our data.
So providing that enforcement really helped
drive down those numbers of strikes that we had,
and we had a really nice reduction the second half
of last year and even into this year.
That's really good to see those arrows going in the right spot.
Also, most of the report from you
was showing good trending.
So thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Any other questions?
I just want to say that having the additional presence
of law enforcement in San Bernardino and the Sheriff's
Department, I think it's great because we
have a good reputation in terms of passenger safety and employee
safety.
And to have additional law enforcement personnel
in the system is just great.
I think you're going to, you may see that in San Bernardino,
you may even see a slight increase because of
Their ability to stop problems and and and and whatnot so again
I think it's great that we have additional law enforcement personnel
Thank you
questions comments
Great job Cody and Cody you're doing an incredible job relax
I know you're still a bit nervous because you haven't done this for a while. Thank you very much sir. It's much appreciated
Yeah, thank you Roger. Are you still here? I?
Yeah, supervisor Spiegel had some questions for you nice
See I turned it off
There was a question and I forgot what it was oh, I know what it was never mind
Bombardier Oh
Barty they rebuilds. Okay
the first 42 cars
Finished in January 2025. We got six more coming in June. When were those that process started?
It's been over a number of fiscal years as that's been funded, but I can give the exact dates and get back to an actual date.
Director Spiegel, it's been during my tenure, so it's been about two and a half years that I think that we have
where we started getting the first rebuild back on property.
Okay, the only reason why is I'm just making sure because that would make it three years process
because the tier four were forever. And so I just want to make sure you know rebuilds are totally different. I get that.
But it just seems slow, that's all.
Well, and we're going to be doing everything we can to accelerate because we need those
rebuilds ready for 2028.
That's right.
We have more going out then?
Yes, absolutely.
So, if you figure two years, if they're not out now, then we may not get them back.
Sorry.
The procurement process that we're going through is sometimes a little tedious, but we are
making sure that this is as streamlined as possible.
But the exact dates of some of these things, I can get back to you on that.
you now that we reopen redirect anybody else have any questions or comments you
don't want to say anything you gotta up and I just if we're not the chief of
program chief of program delivery I think one of the key things with the
rehabilitation of our cars is we've got a kind of balance maintaining operations
we can't take too many cars out of service while we're rehabilitating those
and then in addition you know the the capabilities of the contractor that we
have how big their facility is but to the CEO's point we are pushing to have
The majority of these cars refurbished by the Olympics.
We also have a number of out of service cars
that we're trying to bring back into service
so that we can run as many trains as possible.
Perfect, thank you.
Thank you very much.
Okay, and Cody's report was received
and filed for the record.
That's all we have during your report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Just real quickly, we have,
I'm gonna call him the elusive John Dimitreux
because we've seen him when he votes,
but this is his last meeting.
He has taken on a new assignment for the State of California's Office of Emergency Services.
And in that role, he's got to pull back on some of the activities that he has done.
And so my thanks to John for being a part of the Metrolink family for about a year or
so in his role working with OCTA.
And so, John, all the best in the new gig.
And thanks again for your service to Metrolink.
We want to make sure we get that out there.
Thank you, appreciate it. Appreciate it, thank you guys. Just two quick other
items, we did discuss this earlier in other meetings, this issue related to
what's happening in Washington DC and the continuing resolution that will
likely pass out of the Senate today does create challenges for us as it relates
to LA 28 funding which is obviously going to cause is causing us some
concern but that is what it is and we're gonna have to move on to whatever we can
do next as it relates to LA 28 funding and then lastly I've shared this
earlier this week on Friday of last week our chief financial officer Arnold
Hackett informed me that he was going to be moving on from Metrolink and he I
think is just in a position to be able to say you know I'm gonna be able to do
something else whatever it may be he has been a good friend and a great member of
our team I'm gonna miss him I think the entire region is gonna miss him member
agencies included because of his collaborative approach of trying to work through our finances
and arguably one of the most challenging times we've had is as an agency just because of
the pandemic and coming out of it and the nature of our financial situation.
So my thanks to Arnold and that he will be around another couple of meetings so I will
continue to embarrass him before he fully walks out the door but I want to make sure
that we acknowledge Arnold today and thank him for his time with us.
that Mr. Chair. Thank you very much any questions of the CEO? Any comments? By the
way I got that email. Okay. Yes I just wanted to make one comment on don't
laugh. On Tuesday it was a forgotten day and yet it was should have been a very
important day for all of us. It was the beginning of the that was the call for
the World Health Organization for the pandemic worldwide pandemic five years
ago and now we've moved on, which is a good thing. But I just want to say, I mean, May
will be two years since it's been called. It was May of 23 when they ended it. But what
we've gone through as an organization, I just want to extend to all the employees and under
your leadership, we really were able to turn it around. Now, it's still not where we want
to be, but you know what? The fight's there and we're going to get there. I just want
to reach out and say thank you to everybody because it was the time of unknowns. It was
hopefully we never experienced that in our lifetime. Hopefully it would be a long time
before anything like that ever happens. But I hope that we're also prepared when things
that come our direction with no answers, no playbook, no rule book, no way to address
how to handle something that we do as well as with this last time. So I just
want to give kudos. Thank you. Any other comments from committee members? I see
that St. Patrick's Day is going to be on Monday and I'm just looking at that
beautiful hat in the audience there. Anything else?
Meetings adjourned. Thank you. Jeez, boom.