Good morning. Everyone. I'm calling the meeting to order. We do have a few people that are joining us remotely
We start with our safety breathing by Hillary console
Good morning, chairman chafee directors in the event. We have to evacuate the room. We'll exit the room
down the escalators
We'll exit the building to our right and we will meet in front of the Metro customer service
Center if anybody needs assistance evacuating we will
Provide that assistance
Please also watch for tripping hazards
Cords chairs as you're exiting the room
In the event of a medical emergency our board secretary will dial 911
and we do have an ad located outside in by the security desk and we have
predetermined staff members that will
render aid if necessary in the event of an earthquake we will
Get down on the ground and under the desks
We'll wait for the rumbling to stop and then we'll assess the situation see a further evacuation is necessary
Also in the event of an active shooter will deploy the run hide fight tactic. Thank you
Thank you for that
Our pledge lesions. I've asked noella rodriquez our chief of staff to lead us in a pledge
Thank You chair chafee, please join me by placing your hand over your heart and begin
Madam clerk where you do the roll call for us certainly
Vice chair Burksen here
second vice chair Tremblay
director Najarian
director McAllen
here
Chair chafee present we do have a quorum present
All right. Are there any public commenters? I have not received any request to speak
But there is one written public comment from Michael Mansurian
Regarding tap cards that will be emailed to the committee after this meeting. Okay. Thank you
That will go to our regular calendar. We begin with our
Consideration of proving our minutes of our July 11 2025 executive committee any
Corrections additions from anyone
May I have a motion please move the item burksen?
chief
Macallan is seconded
Madam clerk would you do the roll call?
Vice chair burksen yes, second vice chair Tremblay
abstain
director Macallan
Yes, your chafee. I that motion passes with second by chair trembling abstaining
Thank you. Now we come to our
amendment to our bylaws to reflect the change that the board approved I believe at our last board meeting and
Presented by Jeffrey or Gione our associate general counsel. Thank you. Mr. Chair members the committee
I am presenting the confirming edits to SCRA's bylaws to effectuate the decision made by the full board two weeks ago
to alter the governance structure of the authority. Sam, could we have the next slide?
So as noted in the board report, we can go to the next one too, Sam. As noted in the board report, the proposed amended
bylaws, now before the committee, if ultimately approved by the board,
would result in among other changes the elimination of the three standing committees including this one all
references to committees would be eliminated
Notably the ability to use a consent calendar will be retained based on the consensus of the board discussion at the September meeting
the long-standing voting rules of the authority at exhibit a of the
Bylaws is retained without alteration. You can see it there in your screen
Exhibit B, which is the subject matter jurisdiction
of the very committees that are being eliminated,
is proposed to be excised because it is no longer needed.
If we could go back to the there.
Lastly, we would also recommend a cleanup edit
that was suggested by Director McCallen
in which section 9.6 of the bylaws
would be stricken in favor of Section 9.5 and 9.7
because 9.6 is arguably contradictory
and causes confusion.
And we agree with Director McAllen.
And we would also recommend that as a kind of cleanup item
to the other edits that are mostly almost exclusively
focused on the committee issue.
And so with that, the last thing I'd like to note
is that these proposed changes are to go into effect
on January 1st, but because of the longstanding practice
of the board to only convene once in November and December,
today would be the final day of the committees.
With that, Mr. Chair, I'm happy to answer any questions.
Director, is there any questions?
Madam Clerk, any public comments?
None at all.
All right, if there are no questions,
Then motion to approve, please.
Move approval, McAllen.
Primally second.
Has been moved and seconded.
OK, Madam Clerk, would you call the roll?
Vice Chair Bergson.
Yes.
Second Vice Chair Tremblay.
Yes.
Director McAllen.
Yes.
Chair Tafee.
Aye.
That motion carried.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We do have some proposed amendments
to the agency classification and salary plan.
I didn't notice any changes to salaries or just some placement
of some of the jobs in different categories.
And we'll have an explanation from Corey Elmore, our manager,
one of our managers from Human Resources.
Thank you, Chair Chafee.
Good morning, committee members.
I'm present today to ask for the committee's approval
to amend the agency's classification and salary plan.
Next slide, please.
In accordance with HR policy, wage and salary administration,
number 2.1, Salary Program Administration Board approval is required
to amend the agency's classification and salary plan.
Classification and salary plan serves as the official record
of the agency's approved classification title,
salary grades, and salary grade ranges.
The customer experience department has recently been reorganized.
This reorganization has prompted a review of existing classification titles in the department
to determine alignment with the shift in responsibilities
and duties being performed by employees.
Staff is recommending the re-tidling
of two existing classifications
on the classification and salary plan.
Next slide, please.
The table on this slide summarizes the re-tidling
of the two classifications in question.
The coordinator of marketing would be re-tidled
to partnerships coordinator remaining in salary grade six.
The director of marketing and partnerships
would be retitled to the director of customer experience,
innovation, and partnerships remaining in salary grade 12.
There is one incumbent
in each of the two classifications presented here today.
These incumbents would not see a change in their salary
due to these title changes.
Next slide, please.
Staff recommends approval of the salary resolution
to amend the classification salary plan,
which would include the retidling
of the two classifications discussed.
That concludes my presentation pending any questions directors any questions. I don't see any any I may have a motion
Jp. Moo seconds
Again roll call
Vice chair Bergson
second vice chair Tremblay
Yes, director McAllen
Yes, chair chafee. I emotion carried. Thank you now the treat. We're learning all about
legislation again, we don't know what hasn't happened if anything is happening
Jeffrey please go ahead
Morning chair Chafee members of the committee next slide, please
First for the local update and in the interest of time
I wanted to inform as you just heard that metro lane community relations has transferred to the customer
Experience department within the agency so going forward community outreach related matters will be shared less frequently as part of the legislative
update, but will be shared in other forums with the board and the committee as appropriate.
For this report, though, I would like to note that last month, Metrolink participated in
a very robust Mobility 21 summit held at Disneyland, providing transportation stakeholders from
across the region and the state, public and private, an opportunity to meet and assess
priorities for the coming year.
Metrolink's CEO, Darren Kettle, participated in a panel discussion with executives from
SCAG. Metro and OCTA focus principally on Olympics related needs for the region to ensure there
is adequate infrastructure and capacity to support the games. This priority looms larger
with each passing day. We'll continue to be a focus in our messaging and advocacy with
federal and state lawmakers, including a planned trip next month to Washington, assuming the
shutdown is not still ongoing. We will keep you apprised. Next slide please.
It matters after months of negotiations, lawmakers reauthorize cap and invest, formally cap and
trade through January 1st, 2046.
The governor also signed SB 840 which details how the new cap and invest expenditure plan
will go forward.
It creates three tiers of greenhouse gas reduction fund expenditures.
One billion dollars of funding is reserved for California high speed rail off the top.
Another billion dollars is reserved for legislature discretion as part of tier 2 and tier 3 which
includes among other priorities, $400 million annually for TIRCP, $200 million annually
for LC top program.
The maintenance of funding for both of these were priority advocacy objectives for Metrolink
as directed in our legislative program approved by the board.
The amounts are close to the high water marks for both of these programs, however, if the
the GGRF auction proceeds are low in the future.
Both TIRCP and LC TOP could receive less than the dollar amount stipulated in SB 840, depending
on the actual proceeds, unless the legislature reallocates funding in future legislation.
Other action included legislative passage of two bills Metrolink supports, one signed
by the Governor and the other still on his desk.
Last week, the Governor signed into law AB 394 by Lori Wilson, a bill that applies existing
punishments for assaults against transit workers or transit operators and drivers to all transit
employees and contractors. This was a specifically directed priority in this year's legislative
program passed by the board as well as a long-standing priority of the California
Transit Association. We are pleased it passed to extend these protections to all of our employees.
The governor is still to act on AB 476 by Assemblyman Mark Gonzalez of LA,
A bill which includes meaningful copper wire theft deterrence mechanisms on suppliers
and vendors, which will help cut down on vandalism on our system.
MetroLink and other operators have been victim to copper theft in recent years,
and this law confronts that issue directly.
The last state to sign or veto legislative bills is this Saturday, October 12th.
Any bills not acted on by the governor become law without his signature.
Next slide, please.
In federal matters, your report was prepared before the federal government shut down,
so that speculation has come to pass.
As you know, we are now 10 days into the federal shutdown today,
and there is no immediate end in sight, though the effects of the shutdown are expected
to become more pronounced next week.
The House passed its continuing resolution to keep the government open two weeks ago
and immediately recessed, forcing the action in the Senate.
The Senate, since then, has voted six times on the House CR
the Democratic Alternative CR since the House recess, and both have failed each time. The latest by
vote of 4554 on the House Pass CR and 4752 on the Democratic Alternative CR. These votes have not
significantly changed throughout the shutdown. MetroLink has been in continual contact with its
federal advocates concerning the shutdown, its likely duration, and steps forward to an agreement.
Unfortunately, as reported in the media, the path forward is still uncertain.
Recently, there has been discussion from the administration of a stand-alone bill to pay
military personnel during the shutdown, but no legislation yet.
As of yesterday, there was continued discussion among leadership that the House would not
return until the Senate passes something that is would not come back next week.
There has been some pushback by certain House members, including Republicans, just last
night on that proposition. The House may actually return. Just last night, though, the Senate
did conclude, at the conclusion of four sessions, the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, October
14th. Many agencies have been running on carryover funding that will start running out next week,
so we can expect that the effects of the shutdown will be felt more across the country. In our
Our sector, the Federal Railroad Administration, has furloughed 239 of their 1,023 employees.
Of those working, 550 are in safety-related positions.
We will see if further impacts are affected as the shutdown continues.
Likewise, there is significant concern of the impacts on air traffic controllers and
the functioning of the nation's airports.
We will keep you informed through our Chief Executive, Mr. Kettle, as any meaningful developments
occur.
Thank you very much.
Questions? Questions, directors?
Seeing none, thank you for the update.
We look forward to some action next time.
All right, that brings us to our CEO's report
and very timely arrival, Director Kettle, CEO Kettle.
Thank you, thank you, Mr. Chair,
and thank you, Noelia, for pinch-hitting for me
while we were dealing with all sorts of complications
this morning between Ventura County Line Train
having to stop at Van Nuys due to a body on the tracks between track 1 and 2 and then
some fairly significant impacts because of a Verizon cell service being down.
So a combination of things, but I knew I had plenty of time because I knew Jeff Dunn was
on this agenda and he was going to be able to filibuster until I got here.
So with that, just very, very briefly, chief executive officer's report.
Next slide.
It is really going to be one of those very, very brief ones.
The only report I have is just a quick follow up from the conversations that have taken
place during the briefings related to the incident that involved Ventura County Line
train 104 a few days ago where train 104 coming into LA Union Station made
impact with a park train where the staff both our safety security compliance
team as well as our operations team have been investigating continuing that
investigation and at this point I don't have much more to report than what has
been shared with the board already as it relates to the nature of the number of
injuries and and then our our fact that we are doing a full analysis inspecting
our equipment and working with Alstom on the on staffing related matters. So
executive committee members that's what we have to report today as in this
report but I'm happy to take any questions if there are some directors
any questions seeing none so thank you for the report we do have something from
our chief of staff Noella Rodriguez thank you chair chafee and welcome back
Darren I do want to take the liberty to say this is the last day that we are
going to be having committee meetings at Metro link at least until next June when
We have our trial period for our one board meeting
a month model, but I want to thank Chair Chaffee
and all of the members of the e-comm for being here
and for leading us these last five years
as part of the Executive Committee.
And your leadership has been so instrumental
in helping us advance so many of the initiatives
on behalf of our writers and our employees.
And finally, and I'm not sure if it's most importantly,
some of you might think it is,
but I just want to say, go Dodgers.
go Dodgers with that hopeful suggestion it's now any members comments anything
from any committee member Mr. Chair there's an important game tomorrow go
Michigan all right it is Friday okay so now my comments are that I'm gonna thank
I'd like to thank Director McCallum for catching the glitch in the bylaws, and note that at
the mobility conference that we had, I was on one of the panels, too, on partnerships.
I was there, though, as the chair of OCTA, so it didn't get recognized, but it couldn't
help but talk about Metrolink at the same time.
And I'd like to thank Anoa for filling in, Abe Lee, and I don't want to have our CEO
think he can always be late knowing that you would do such a great job.
And I want to thank you for that.
And with that, this meeting is a joy.
Thank you.
Have a great weekend.