Good morning. It's my pleasure to call the executive committee to order and we will start
with our safety briefing from Cody Nelson, our assistant director, and if we'll have
our safe briefing it would keep us safe and where we need to go if there's a problem.
Thank you. Good morning. In the event, or excuse me, we are at one gateway plaza here
at the Metro board meeting on the third floor. If we need to exit the building in the event
of an emergency, we'll exit to my left here.
We'll go down the stairs and meet out in front
of the Metro customer service center
and wait for further instruction.
In the event of a fire, we'll take that exit
that I mentioned when we are exiting.
If there's any hazards on the floor, bags,
tripping hazards, chairs, things like that,
make sure you're mindful.
In the event of a first aid situation,
there is an AED outside of the,
or just across from the security desk
on the third floor here.
I can grab that, bring it to the emergency if necessary,
and I'll also call 911.
In the event of an active attacker,
the procedure to follow is run, hide, fight.
And for those joining us virtually,
just make sure you're familiar with your surroundings,
your place of safety, and your exit route.
That concludes my briefing.
Thank you for your briefing.
Are there any questions?
Including those who are joining us online.
Seeing none, we'll now move on to a pledge of allegiance
and Director Bergson will lead us.
Please place your right hand over your heart.
Pledge of allegiance to the Republic for which it stands.
Thank you, Director Bergson.
Now if the clerk will call the roll,
including those that are joining us online.
Vice Chair Bergson.
Second.
Second Vice Chair Trembly.
Here.
Director Najarian.
Director McAllen.
Here.
Chair Chaffee.
Present.
We do have a quorum.
Thank you.
Do we have any public comments?
I have not received any written public comments
or any requests to speak.
All right, then we'll move right on
and into our regular calendar,
which begins with our minutes.
And are there any questions, changes,
amendments from anyone?
I don't see any hands raised,
and so we do need to do a roll call
because we have the participation online.
Madam Clerk, would you do the roll call?
Roll call.
Oh, I need a motion.
Sorry, I'm rushing through all this. I'll second it then
Chair Bergson second vice chair Trembly
Yes, director. Najarian is absent director McCallan
Yes, chair chafee. I that motion carried. Thank you
Our next regular calendar item is our legislative update. This is a receive and file out an item. It does require any action
Morning Chair Chafee, members of the committee. Next slide please. Local
matters as referenced in your report last month, Metrolinx staff participated
in LA Metro's Girls Empowerment Summit with an information booth on Metrolinx
service and programs including the student adventure pass. The event was
attended by 200 girls from area high schools providing an opportunity for
them to interact directly with public agencies and private companies in
transportation, inviting them to consider
and explore careers within the industry.
In addition, staff also joined LA Metro
at a community meeting on February 20th
for the Pico Rivera Regional Rail Station Feasibility Study.
Metro and the city of Pico Rivera are conducting the study
for potential new passenger rail station,
which could be served by MetroLink.
This meeting was the first opportunity
for community members to learn more about the study
and the connectivity benefits such a station could provide.
Metrolink hosted an information booth to share details about our expanded service schedule
and our discounted passes directly with the community.
Next slide, please.
Turning to state matters, the Budget Committee hearing referenced in your report marks the
beginning of deliberations in earnest and Sacramento following the budget introduction
by Governor Newsom in January, projecting an overall state surplus but before the impacts
of state wildfires were known and these are, of course, currently still being assessed.
At this juncture, I do not have a lot of additional information provided at the macro level on
state budget deliberations, except that I will note our CEO, Mr. Kettle, did send a
letter to leadership and Budget Committee chairs, which I believe the board received
a copy of, strongly encouraging their consideration of direct funding to regional passenger rail
from the reauthorization of the state's cap and trade program legislation, which may move
this year or possibly in 2026.
While Mr. Kettle can speak to the specifics of it better than I, from a policy perspective,
funding of regional rail has a very strong argument for achieving the purposes of the
cap and trade program, removing millions of vehicles from the state's highways and streets
and roads by carrying passengers who travel distances, and in the process, millions of
metric tons of GHG emissions from the atmosphere.
We would like, as I mentioned, a direct funding stream from the GGRF dedicated to regional
rail as well as the ability to share funds otherwise set aside for high speed rail where
regional rail supports or provides direct connection to high speed service.
This topic among other revenue generating options will be subject of discussion at the
board workshop at the end of this month.
Likewise our state advocates will be on hand to give the latest in budget deliberations
from lawmakers in Sacramento and to answer your questions.
To touch very briefly on the bills mentioned in your report, first, Metrolink has transmitted
a letter of support for AB 394, the CTA bill providing greater protections for transit
workers and employees from assault, supporting a long-advocated goal of the Association and
supported by Metrolink's legislative program.
We continue to track AB 939, the general obligation bond bill sponsored by LA Metro that would
authorize the issuance of $20 billion of bonds to finance transportation improvements,
making $4 billion available to inner-city, regional, and commuter passenger rail improvements.
Such funding would only be available for capital and not operating purposes, however.
The bill is referred to the Transportation Committee in the Assembly, but is not yet
calendared and its movement is uncertain at this juncture, we will continue to track closely.
SB 30 by Senator Dave Cortese of San Jose, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
SB 30 would prohibit public agencies from selling or donating decommissioned diesel engine locomotives and other track equipment
Metrolink is working closely with other passenger rail operators
Statewide to send a letter to the author articulating some some concerns with the bill
Noting that it is overly broad and advocating that certain exemptions be allowed such as for example
Sale of track equipment outside of locomotives, which do not emit harmful pollutants
Metrolink does not plan to take position on this legislation at this juncture, and we will keep you a prize,
keep you and the board a prize of its status as it moves through the legislative process.
In addition, Metrolink has transmitted a support position to Senator Katherine Blakespear of her SB 741.
This is the legislation that was referenced by Chair Chaffee at the last board meeting
that would be very helpful to give local governments more authority to determine local emergencies for the purpose of
expediting permitting to respond to such emergencies.
This would apply to and be especially helpful for projects that improve the resiliency of the Los
Ann corridor in the event of future emergency situations there. And finally, a bill not included
in your report that I wanted to highlight as it may have come to your attention. This is SB 71
by Senator Scott Weiner, which is a bill to make permanent CEQA exemptions for transit and active
transportation projects. These projects include active transportation, bus rapid transit projects,
including stations, light rail projects, and facilities to charge, refuel, and maintain
zero emission buses or trains.
The current exemption for these projects expires January 1, 2030.
This bill extends the exemption indefinitely.
Currently, we are aware that L.A. Metro, SBCTA, and OCTA have or are soon planning to support
SB 71.
We are too closely monitoring the bill and will continue to report to you when we take
further action on SB 71. Next slide please. In federal matters, unless you've been under
a rock you probably know the Congress needs to pass a budget today or the government shuts
down. The House passed a very straightforward continuing resolution which extends FY24 spending
levels until the end of FY25, September 30th. The bill sets overall base discretionary budget
authority for FY25 at $1.6 trillion. That's $893 billion for defense and $708 billion
for non-defense. This is about a $10 billion increase over actual FY24 spending, and most
of that is for DOD. Under the bill, the annualized amount for T-Hut
approbes, which is what is applicable to us, cuts about $3.1 billion from the FY24 level,
but this really just reflects changes in housing receipts. It does not apply to transportation.
What does apply, however, is earmarks.
The CR strikes all FY25 earmarks from the House or Senate bills.
This means the earmarks noted in your report, should the CR pass the Senate, will not pass,
unfortunately.
Neither two will $200 million of funding that was included in the FY25 Senate Appropriations
Bill for Olympics-related transportation and infrastructure purposes, which is not part
of the CR.
Our lobbyists informed this morning that Senate Minority Leader Schumer has acceded to allow
votes to invoke cloiture which means to stop all debate and then proceed to vote
up or down on the CR in the Senate today. The Senate is scheduled to take this up
at 10.15 this morning so you can catch it on C-SPAN perhaps if we conclude our
meeting here. Although nothing is certain these days in our nation's capital it is
very likely the Senate will pass a clean CR, the president will sign and a shutdown
will be averted. This brings me to the overall climate on the hill. I returned
from Washington last night advocating for Metrolink, our Olympics needs, as part of
the LA Chamber's annual AccessDC trip. This follows immediately our CEO's
introduction of the same last month in his extensive meetings with our
delegation on the Hill. I was privileged to join 150 leaders and colleagues in
business in the public sector advocating for LA and regional needs condensed into
three pillars. First, rebuilding LA from the wildfires. Second, preparing for the
Olympics and other sporting events such as the World Cup next year and two
Super Bowls and third stimulating and developing economic growth
and workforce development. As part of the sports events advocacy team, Metrolink
was able to deliver its message of need and support with LA Metro, the city, the
ports, lava and transit agencies and private partners a consistent message of
need for investment beginning now in 2025. This is especially true given that
the funding and the Senate Appropriations Bill is now likely not going to happen.
We met with Senators Padilla and Schiff, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and staff, Representative
Julia Brownlee of Ventura, and Representative John Garamendi, both sit on TNI, and also
Senior Administration staff at USDOT.
Other teams blanketed both majority and minority appropriators from our delegation, and the
messages delivered were clear.
We need federal help beginning now, not later if we are going to truly be prepared to host
the successful Games by 2028.
There was from all accounts bipartisan agreement on the need to do this, and hopefully a viable
vehicle will emerge this year.
But the watchword from every lawmaker that our group met with was uncertainty.
There seems to be so many uncertainties of the actual impacts of many things – tariffs,
inflation, federal layoffs, Ukraine,
and of course the imminent shutdown.
It seemed that everyone was playing catch up.
But I do believe the message is being delivered
and is heard on the Hill.
We will certainly do our best to be consistent on this.
An identity of our GR staff sits
on the CTA Federal Legislative Committee
and will be going back next month
with that delegation to press forward
our consistent Olympics asks.
We will be back again in May
at the annual APTA Leg Conference,
hopefully with elected officials.
The lead again on this issue, and of course,
our CEO, likely two, will be back in June
with Mobility 21, and whenever else,
there is opportunity to be impactful.
We will, of course, keep your prize along the way.
This concludes my report,
I'm happy to take any questions, thank you.
Thank you for your report,
and coming back from Washington,
you seem not too out of shape,
so I appreciate your coming here this morning, and...
I look better than I feel,
I walked eight miles the first day, six the second.
Directors, any questions, comments?
I can't see, do I see any hands up online?
I don't see any questions here.
I don't see any here either.
It's receiving a file and thank you
for your excellent report and the good work you're doing.
Thank you, sir.
All right, our next item is our
chief executive officer's report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning, everybody. Actually, not much to report from the CEO today.
I think the message just delivered by Mr. Dunn is probably of single greatest importance for us
from a financial perspective of what's going on in Sacramento, and of course, more critically,
Washington, D.C. I can't state strongly enough the disappointment we have should the CR occur,
And the loss of earmarks that were set aside
in the Senate T HUD appropriations bill,
because it did a number of different things
had it passed and made its way through the process.
It really does harm our Olympics preparation
because for all intents and purposes,
we have to now find a new vehicle
for federal funding for the Olympics.
And so I just, I'll emphasize Jeff's point on that
as much as anything.
Mr. Chair, the only other item I have is, of course,
an announcement that I provided to the Metrolink Board
and Alternates earlier this week
that it's with great disappointment
that Mr. Arnold Hackett provided me with news
last Friday morning that it's his intent
to start sipping lemonade on the front porch at his house
and not coming to the office anymore.
So very disappointed, Arnold has been a good friend
and has helped us navigate arguably
some of the greatest challenges
that this agency has ever faced going
and through the pandemic, and as we try to recover
and reimagine who we are as an agency.
And so Arnold's departure is a big loss for us.
I don't have any more news on that front
Besides that at this point, I'm in the process of identifying
who will be serving in that interim capacity
over the course of the next couple days.
Mr. Chair, that's all I have.
But again, I need to repeat up to,
and I will say this in all committee meetings,
and I will be mentioning again at the board workshop,
my appreciation for Arnold's service to Metrolink.
I do appreciate it, so thank you.
Any questions of our CEO?
I don't see any hands raised.
All right, now it's our committee members opportunity
to tell us things of concern to you.
Are there any hands raised?
I see none.
Well, okay, my only comment then
is that we want to have a robust workshop
coming up into the month.
Hope to see you all there because it's not only learning
about all the things we're doing,
but it's also the fellowship that we create among us
so that we work well together.
and without, I'm going to adjourn the meeting.
I have a quick question, Mr. Chair, briefly.
I learned, or I think we all learned yesterday
or the day before, there was a fatality on the San Diego,
on the Orange County line down in Oceanside.
Was that one of our trains or was that an Amtrak?
It, Director Najarian, it was one of our trains
that comes up and back and forth from Oceanside.
And I'm not sure if that train was destined
to Los Angeles Union Station
or if it was going to the Inland Empire.
Mr. Nelson, do you recall that?
Cody Nelson from our safety team will have the details,
but yes, sir, it was one of our trains,
but I'll confirm where it was destined to.
Yeah, Darren, you're correct.
It was our train.
It was train 608, so that's LA to Oceanside.
And where did it...
I mean, my concern is I'm familiar with Oceanside.
there's a stretch that goes
through a very reinvigorated downtown area.
I'm wondering, was it an accent
or do we believe it was off the beaten path,
someone on the tracks?
Do we have that information yet?
So it was not at a crossing,
so it was a non-pedestrian area.
From what I've heard from the video,
I haven't had a chance to view the video myself,
but it did look like a deliberate act,
but of course we'll wait for the coroner report
to confirm that.
Okay, thank you for the information.
And Director Najarian, we had 25 people on that train
and it was destined to Oceanside
in the direction of Oceanside.
And so, Mr. Nelson, as far as a approximate location,
there is that sort of wide open territory
between San Clemente and before you get to Oceanside,
since Director Najarian is familiar with that territory,
was it in that more rural segment along the coast,
or was it closer to Oceanside?
No, it was closer to Oceanside.
It was about a mile, mile and a half north of Oceanside.
I see, oh, thank you for the information.
Thank you for the inquiry,
and with that, we are adjourned.
Thank you.