Executive Committee Meeting
Friday, February 4, 2005
10:00 a.m.
AACOG Conference Room
8700 Tesoro
San Antonio, Texas

I. Chairman and Member Comments:

Sid Covington, Vice Chair, presided since Chairman Wells was unable to attend. Vice Chair Covington thanked the Committee and the audience for attending the first meeting of the Executive Committee.

Bill Bingham briefly described the duties and powers of the Executive Committee.

II. Call to Order:

Notice was duly posted and an Executive Committee meeting of the Austin-San Antonio Intermunicipal Commuter Rail District board was held on February 4, 2005. Vice Chair Covington called the meeting to order at approximately 10:21 a.m.

Participants:

• Tommy Adkisson
• Mariano Camarillo
• Sid Covington
• Fred Harless
• Al Notzon
• Carroll Schubert
• Daryl Slusher

Tullos Wells was unable to attend. Other participants included Ross Milloy and Bill Bingham.

III. Approval of Minutes of December 3rd Meeting:

The Committee discussed the matter of whether the full Board should vote on approval of the meeting minutes of both the full board and the Executive Committee and ratify the Executive Committee actions.

Upon motion by Al Notzon, and second by Daryl Slusher, the Committee unanimously approved the motion to submit Executive Committee minutes for consideration and approval by the Board and request ratification of Executive Committee actions by the Board.

IV. Committee Reports:

A. Finance Committee:

Mariano Camarillo discussed the Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday, February 2, 2005. Draft minutes from said meeting were included in the Executive Committee agenda packets.

Steve Lowry presented “Financing Regional Commuter Rail: Funding Strategies Workshop.” Items discussed during the presentation included:

• Funding Plan;
• Recent Commuter Rail Funding Experience;
• Potential Funding Sources;
• Cash Flow Timing;
• Local Tax Structure and Yield;
• Funding Scenarios;
• Key Questions to Resolve;
• Next Steps; and
• FTA’s Project Justification.

An extensive discussion ensued.

B. Program Management Oversight Committee:

Camarillo reported that the Project Management Oversight Committee also met on February 2, 2005. The Project Management Team presented the final draft of the 2004 Feasibility Study Update for the Committee’s review and requested comments by February 17. Camarillo also reported that Work Authorization 11 relating to Phase 2 travel demand and financial analysis had been crafted, but the Committee deferred action. Camarillo stated that the Project Management Team and Ross Milloy were scheduled to meet immediately following the Executive Committee meeting to further discuss the work authorization. A brief discussion ensued. No formal action was taken.

Lowry presented options for “Multiple Phase Development,” which included:

• Express Service Option;
• Express Service Features; and
• FTA New Starts Process.

C. Public Involvement Committee:

Alison Schulze reported that the Public Involvement Committee had not met since the last Committee and Board meetings on January 14, but much work has been going on. Schulze reported that 9 public meetings will be held in March. Schulze stated that meetings will be held in communities where there are proposed stations and as soon as the schedule was finalized, she would distribute the schedule to the Board and post them on the website (8 of the 9 meetings have been confirmed).

Schulze also advised that all of the public meetings will be posted and that no formal action will be taken at the meetings, even if a Board quorum is present.

D. Freight Rail Relations Committee:

Covington reported that the Freight Rail Relations Committee has not met. Covington stated that the Committee is waiting until Cintra and TxDOT have contracts finished pursuant to Commissioner Nichols’ request (should be around March).

V. Report on Status of Appointments to the Board:

Bill Bingham stated that he had received four (4) formal notifications concerning reappointments of Members to the Board: Fred Harless, Cap Metro; Mariano Camarillo and Tullos Wells, Texas Transportation Commission; and Senator Wentworth, San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Covington added that Senator Gonzalo Barrientos was reappointed by CAMPO.

VI. Legislative Update:

Ross Milloy provided a legislative update to the Committee. Milloy reported that another funding request has been made to Congressman Lamar Smith for approximately $350,000,000.

Milloy also reported that a request for a transit project earmark to be included in the TEA 21 reauthorization bill has been sent to Congressman Cuellar, well ahead of the February 28 deadline. Milloy noted that Senator Hutchinson has been asked to earmark $5,000.000 for the rail project.

VII. Financial Reports:

Milloy reported that all committed partners have submitted funds. Milloy provided the Committee with a report: “Reconciliation Detail: Checking Account, Period Ending 01/31/2005.”

VIII. Other Business:

Camarillo discussed his attendance at the January 27 Texas Transportation Commission meeting in Houston, Texas. Camarillo was asked by Commission Chair Ric Williamson to give a brief report on the Rail District project, which he did.

Milloy discussed the status of hiring senior administrative personnel for the District.

Alison Schulze and Catherine Robinson presented a cake on behalf of the Program Management Team in honor of the second anniversary of the Austin-San Antonio Intermunicipal Commuter Rail District Board. The cake was accepted and enjoyed by all.

IX. Public Comment:

There were no comments from the public.

X. Adjourn:

There being no further items of business brought before the Committee, Vice Chair Covington adjourned the meeting at 11:10 a.m.