Aug 11, 2026 Board Meeting

ITEM IS THE APPROVAL OF BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES ABOVE THE BOARD ALLOCATED TRAVEL AMOUNT.

UH, WE'LL TAKE ALL GENERAL COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

THE NEXT

[11. +Approval of Board Member Request of Travel Expenses Above the Board Allocated Travel Amount (Presenters: Gary Slagel/Randall B. Bryant/Gene Gamez)]

THAT IS FOR ME PERSONALLY.

SO I WILL RECUSE MYSELF AND DIRECTOR GARCIA WILL TAKE OVER FOR THE MEETING.

UH, THESE WERE HIS EXPENSES.

WE ARE GOING TO BE REVIEWING ITEM NUMBER 11, THE APPROVAL OF BOARD MEMBER REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES ABOVE THE BOARD ALLOCATED TRAVEL AMOUNT.

JEAN GOMEZ, GENERAL COUNSEL WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.

UH, UH, THANK YOU.

UM, UH, DR. GARCIA.

THIS ITEM IS TO APPROVAL OF A BOARD CHAIR, UM, TO EXCEED THE ANNUAL 8,000 TRAVEL EXPENSE ALLOCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BY AROUND $1,219.

UH, EXCUSE ME, ON JEAN GOMEZ AND GENERAL COUNSEL WILL PRESENT IN THIS ITEM REAL QUICKLY.

UH, DART'S ENABLING STATUTE ENTITLES EACH BOARD MEMBER TO REIMBURSEMENT OF NECESSARY AND REASONABLE EXPENSES INCURRED WHILE PERFORMING OFFICIAL DUTIES.

UH, THE BYLAWS, UH, WILL BRIEFLY STATE THAT THE, UH, THE BOARD CHAIR SHOULD PERFORM ALL DUTIES AND HAVE POWERS INCIDENT TO THE OFFICE OF BOARD CHAIR IS OFTEN DESIGNATED TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.

AND IN THE 10 MANY MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, AND THINGS OF THAT, UH, UH, RELATED TO HIS, UM, UH, POSITION BOARD RULE HAS BEEN, UH, RECENTLY AMENDED.

AND IT CURRENTLY, UM, CURRENTLY READS THAT, UH, UM, THAT BOARD MEMBERS ALLOCATED UP TO 8,000 FOR BOARD RELATED TRAVEL EACH FISCAL YEAR.

THE 8,000 DOES NOT INCLUDE CONFERENCE OR COURSE REGISTRATION FEES, AND ANY REIMBURSEMENT ABOVE THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT MUST BE APPROVED BY TWO THIRDS FOOT OF THE BOARD.

UH, UH, THE CHAIR LET MYSELF AND, AND, UH, THE, THE BOARD ADMINISTRATOR KNOW THAT, UH,

[00:05:01]

AND THAT, UH, ON THE BOTTOM THERE YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, THE OVERAGES IS APPROXIMATELY, UH, $1,219 AND 97 CENTS.

AND, UM, THE, THE REQUEST TODAY IS FOR, UH, BOARD CHAIR BRYAN TO RECEIVE APPROVAL TO EXCEED THE ANNUAL 8,000 TRAVEL EXPENSE ALLOCATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 26 BY APPROXIMATELY $1,200.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS.

UM, AURN COUNSEL, DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM? A QUESTION? WILL THERE BE DISCUSSION IN A MOMENT? LET ME ASK FOR IF WE HAD ANY QUESTIONS.

W WAS THERE EVER AN ATTEMPT BEFORE THE LAST SCHEDULED CONFERENCE, UH, TO SAY, OH, LOOKS LIKE THE, THE EXPENDITURES ARE GONNA GO OVER.

WAS THERE EVER ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT GETTING THAT APPROVED BEFOREHAND? UH, I, I THINK THERE WAS, I KNOW THERE WAS WITH, WITH MYSELF.

I THINK IT ENDED UP WITH THE TIMING, THE, WITH THE, THE BOARD SCHEDULE AND THE TIMING.

JESSE, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOTTEN ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON THERE, BUT, BUT THERE WAS, YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME THAT WE'RE DOING THESE, THEY'RE ALL ESTIMATES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, UH, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE ACTUAL COST UNTIL THE TRIP IS TAKEN AND THEN YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA GO.

BUT WE KNEW THERE WAS GONNA BE AN AMOUNT, WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW THE, THE AMOUNT.

IT SEEMED LIKE IF YOU'RE GOING TO YOUR SIXTH CONFERENCE OF THE YEAR, THAT THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE YOU MIGHT BE AT THAT POINT AND WE MIGHT WANNA GET THAT APPROVED AHEAD OF TIME.

I SEE HOW THAT, THAT, UH, AGAIN, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE AMOUNT.

AND IF YOU, IF I GO BACK TO 4 52, THE WAY IT READS IS THAT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS ARE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT INCURRED.

SO, SO HE MADE MYSELF AWARE THAT HE WAS GOING OVER.

HE ALSO, I'M SURE, MADE JESSE AWARE AND THAT WE WOULD BRING IT DURING THIS, THIS BOARD MEETING HERE JUST HAPPENED TO FALL AFTER THE FACT.

AFTER THE MONEY'S BEEN SPENT, BASICALLY, UH, NO, IT WASN'T AFTER THE FACT.

IT WAS, I THINK I'M GOING OVER, I'M GOING ON THIS TRIP.

IT'S AFTER THE CONFERENCE.

OH, YES, THE APPROVAL COMES AFTER THE CONFERENCE.

BUT HE DID LET ME KNOW THAT, THAT HE WAS GOING OVER APPROXIMATELY, MAYBE ABOUT A WEEK.

AND I SAID, WELL, WE NEED TO GET AN AGENDA ITEM, UH, TOGETHER AND, AND WE'LL MOVE IT FORWARD AT THE NEXT ITEM.

AND I THINK JESSE'S COMING TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL OR NO, I'M SORRY.

ALRIGHT.

MM-HMM .

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS DISCUSSION FOR JANE? CARMEN? I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL ITEMS. I WAS GOING TO MOVE APPROVE.

OH, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION HERE.

YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.

DIRECTOR ELLI.

OH, TH THANK YOU.

UH, ACTING CHAIR GARCIA.

SO, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT CHAIR BRYANT HAS GONE WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND THE, UH, THE, THE ROLE OF BOARD CHAIR.

I MEAN, HE'S JUST PUT SO MUCH WORK IN, AND ALSO I AGREE WITH DIRECTOR BARBERA'S POINT THAT THE IDEAL PROCEDURE WOULD BE TO GET APPROVAL BEFOREHAND.

BUT I, I KNOW THOSE DATES IN JULY, WE WERE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A-A-C-E-O SEARCH PROCESS THAT WAS, UH, TAKING UP A LOT OF, UH, OUR TIME IN THE AGENCY'S BANDWIDTH.

SO I'M GONNA BE VOTING YES.

TO APPROVE THIS.

I MEAN, I, I THINK CHAIR BRYANT HAS JUST GONE WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND, UH, NOT JUST IN CONFERENCES HE'S GOING TO, BUT IN HOW MUCH TIME HE IS, UH, ALLOCATED TO THIS ROLE.

SO I, I APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE AND I'LL BE VOTING YES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UH, YES, DIRECTOR JUAN KRAUS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL ALSO BE SUPPORTING THIS, UM, AS CHAIR, UH, YOU'RE IN A UNIQUE POSITION OF ALSO, UM, HAVING THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GO TO THE CONGRESSIONAL NORTH TEXAS DELEGATION TO, UM, ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF DART AND FEDERAL FUNDING.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT A LOT OF, UH, THREE OF THE TRIPS WAS TO DC SO THERE WAS PIGGYBACKING OF, OF MEETING A CONGRESSIONAL, UM, UH, MEMBERS THAT ARE IN NORTH TEXAS.

AND THAT WILL A NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THE VALUE OF PUBLIC TRANSIT.

AND SO I THINK THAT IS PART OF HIS RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL, UH, YOUR CONGRESSIONAL, UH, DELEGATION, THEN YOU'RE MISSING A, A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT DART.

SO I WILL BE VOTING.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, DIRECT WEST QUESTION, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION TO INCREASE THE BOARD CHAIR'S ALLOCATION THAT ALLOWS THIS NOT TO HAPPEN? SO THAT IF IT IS THERE, IT CAN ALWAYS BE SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE TO ADDRESS? IF I CHAIR, IT'S OKAY.

PLEASE, DEAN.

THE WAY THE, UH, THE WAY RULE SEVEN, RULE SEVEN READS CURRENTLY, IT, IT DOESN'T MAKE THAT DISTINCTION.

THE DISTINCTIONS IS 8,000 FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS.

THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE.

BUT CURRENTLY THE 8,000 IS FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS.

DOWN, DOWN THE ROAD.

WE COULD LOOK AT IT FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION.

THAT WOULD BE AN AMENDED BYLAWS.

WE HAVE TO AMEND THE BYLAW.

[00:10:01]

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, THIS IS A PLACE TO DO THAT, BUT IT WOULD BE A, THIS IS THE TIME OF PLACE.

THIS IS NOT THE, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO QUESTION INTERRUPT THERE.

OH, I'M SORRY.

NO, IT, IT'S IN THE RULES.

IT'S IN THE TRAVEL POLICY AND RULE SEVEN, THE RULES WOULD HAVE TO BE AMENDED.

RIGHT.

THE 8,000 CURRENTLY APPLIES TO ALL BOARD MEMBERSHIP.

RIGHT.

BUT IN THE FUTURE, WE COULD DISCUSS IT FOR FUTURE AMENDMENT.

I, I'LL WRITE THAT DOWN FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION.

FUTURE.

THAT, THAT WOULD BE A FUTURE ITEM TO AMEND THE RULES.

FUTURE ITEM TO CHANGE THAT AMOUNT.

ANOTHER QUESTION FOR, IS THERE, WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE NEW RULES A YEAR OR TWO AGO, UH, PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT NOW, BUT, UM, ON TRAVEL AND WHATNOT, DID WE PUT SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT, THERE NEEDED TO BE REPORTS ABOUT WHAT YOU GOT AT THE CONFERENCE, WHAT YOU DID AT THE CONFERENCE OR SOMETHING AFTER THE FACT? YOU MEAN LIKE PERIODIC REPORTS? KIND OF LIKE A YEAH.

MM-HMM .

IS THAT THERE'S A REQUIREMENT FOR SOME TYPE OF REPORTING FROM WHEN YOU COME BACK FROM A, CORRECT.

CORRECT.

HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OF THOSE FOR ANY OF THE SIX OF THE CONFERENCES THAT ARE LISTED ON, ON THIS EXHIBIT? YEAH, THERE'S A ONE PAGE FORM MM-HMM .

THAT, THAT'S TO BE FILLED OUT.

UH, I KNOW THAT ON A COUPLE WHEN I CHECKED, I DID SEE 'EM BACK THERE.

UH, BUT, BUT BEYOND THAT, I MAY HAVE TO REFER TO, TO JESSE ON THAT, ON THAT.

BUT THERE IS A FORM TO FILL OUT FOR THAT.

UH, DO WE KNOW IF THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE SIX CONFERENCES? SAY THAT AGAIN? DO WE KNOW IF THOSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR THE SIX CONFERENCES? UH, I DON'T, JESSE, THEY HAVE SHAKING HIS HEAD.

THANK YOU, MS. GARCIA.

UM, I PRESUME THAT IT'S 15 TIMES 8,000.

SO WE HAD A BUDGETED ITEM OF 120,000 FOR ALL BOARD TRAVEL.

I KNOW MYSELF, I'VE ONLY TRAVELED ONE TIME AND I'M WAY UNDER BUDGET.

WHAT IS THE, WHAT, WHERE ARE WE ON FISCAL YEAR 25, 26 BUDGET FOR BOARD TRAVEL.

I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER TO, UH, UH, TO JESSE ON, ON THAT.

'CAUSE THAT THAT IS HIS, THAT IS IN HIS AREA.

APPROXIMATELY.

JESSE? I DON'T, SIR.

I WOULDN'T WANNA, YES.

APPROXIMATELY WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU SAY WE'RE UNDER BUDGET? UH OH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO WE'RE ABSOLUTELY UNDER BUDGET.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YES, DIRECTOR MCGREGOR.

DON'T SPEND THE DOLLARS TRAVEL.

UM, YEAH, I MEAN, OF COURSE WE'LL BE, UH, UH, VOTING YES.

ON, ON THIS MOTION.

I, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT AT THE TIME THAT, UH, WE AS A BOARD CAME UP WITH THE STANDARDS, UH, THE, THE LIMITS OF SPENDING, UH, SINCE THAT TIME, AIRLINE FEES HAVE GONE UP DRAMATICALLY.

UH, SO HAD WE BEEN, UM, HAD WE BEEN DOING SORT OF A, UM, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE EXPRESSION? YOU'RE JUST ESTIMATING WHAT TWO OR THREE CONFERENCES WOULD AMOUNT TO YOU? WE WOULD'VE UN UNDERESTIMATE THE COST IN TODAY'S AIRFARE DOLLARS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M SORRY, MAUREEN.

YOU'RE NEXT AND THEN YOU'RE NEXT.

YEAH, JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT THIS LAST CONFERENCE THAT, UH, CHAIR BRYANT WENT TO.

AND, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS HE WAS, NEEDED TO BE AT THE, THE CONFERENCE DUE TO HIS LEADERSHIP ABILITY OR HIS LEADERSHIP, UM, ROLES WITH APTA.

AND HE WAS THE TRANSIT BOARD MEMBER IN CHARGE DAY TWO.

UM, DEFINITELY SAW HIM VERY, VERY ENGAGED.

UM, AND I KNOW AT LEAST THIS CONFERENCE, AND I BELIEVE ALL THE OTHER CONFERENCES, HE RODE PUBLIC TRANSIT TO ALL OF THE CONFERENCES.

SO I THINK HAS TRIED TO MITIGATE, UH, EXPENSES.

I THINK ALL OF US LOOKING AT THIS, INCLUDING AIRFARE AND, UM, AND HOTEL, IT'S NOT AN EXORBITANT COST.

SO I WILL BE, UH, ALSO VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS.

THIS A LARGER PICTURE.

OF COURSE.

I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THIS.

UH, Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE.

TRAVEL IS NOT A BAD THING.

I'M TIRED OF US TALKING ABOUT TRAVELING AS A BAD THING.

WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES.

IF IT MEANS WE PICK UP A PAMPHLET FROM AFTA AND READ IT AT OUR DESK, AT OUR HOME, THAT THEN WE NEED TO DO IT.

IF IT MEANS WE NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE TO LEARN FROM SOMEBODY ELSE WHO'S DONE IT BEFORE OR DONE IT BETTER, THEN WE NEED TO DO THAT.

I DON'T CARE IF IT'S NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, IN TO HOUSTON TO FORT WORTH.

IF WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES AND WE DO, LET ME CHANGE THAT.

WE NEED TO EDUCATE OURSELVES.

WE NEED TO GRAB EVERY BIT OF EDUCATION WE CAN IN ORDER TO SERVE THE PUBLIC, THE FOLKS THAT PUT US HERE.

AND WE DO NOT KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS TO TRANSPORTATION.

AND WHEN WE GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER FOLKS WHO DO KNOW SOME THINGS MORE THAN WE DO, WE LEARN.

AND I HAVE NO, I DOUBT, NO DOUBT AT ALL, THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT RANDALL'S BEEN DOING.

'CAUSE I, AS CHAIR DID IT 25 YEARS AGO, OTHER CHAIRS HAVE DONE IT.

OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DONE IT.

AND I CAN SAY THIS WITH ALMOST IMPUNITY 'CAUSE I DON'T TRAVEL.

[00:15:01]

AND I'M NOT PROUD OF THAT BECAUSE IF I DID MY JOB BETTER, I WOULD BE TRAVELING, I WOULD BE LEARNING AT APTA.

I WOULD BE GOING TO THESE, THESE FUNCTIONS.

I JUST CHOOSE NOT TO.

BUT I DON'T BEGRUDGE ANYBODY WHO DOES.

AND I URGE THEM TO DO IT.

AND I HOPE YOU ALL DO MORE TRAVELING BECAUSE YOU'LL GATHER INFORMATION TO COME BACK TO MAKE THIS AGENCY BETTER.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UM, I'M GOING TO MAKE A QUICK DISCUSSION MYSELF IN TERMS OF TRAVEL, BECAUSE I WANNA ECHO WHAT MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO'VE HAD HERE TODAY.

IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ATTEND THESE CONFERENCES THAT WE CAN LEARN AND BRING BACK INFORMATION BACK TO OUR AGENCY WHERE WE CAN BE BETTER STEWARDS OF OUR DOLLARS AND BRING BACK IDEAS AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND WAYS THAT WE CAN DO OUR JOB BETTER.

AND WE HAVE THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND I, I JUST TRULY BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING AS A BOARD MEMBER, FOR THOSE THAT DO WANNA TRAVEL AND LEARN MORE, WE NEED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE DOLLARS TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM SPEAK AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS, AND THAT REPRESENTS OUR AGENCIES WHEN WE ARE THERE.

SO I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THIS, UH, APPROVAL OF THIS EXPENSE DIRECTOR, MICHELLE .

JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, UH, JESSE SENT OUT A QUARTERLY TRAVEL REPORT ON JULY 13TH, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.

AND ALL OF THOSE TRAVEL EXPENSES ARE REPORTED PUBLICLY.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YES, NO DISCUSSION.

I JUST, YOU WANNA CALL FOR THE MOTION ? ANY COMPENSATION? SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WHOA.

KEVIN HAD A MOTION.

I JUST, THEY JUST DID SECOND MOTION.

MARK AND I THEN I SECOND DISCUSSION.

GARY MADE THE MOTION.

AND DIRECTOR ENOCH SECOND THE MOTION.

IS THERE A DISCUSSION? IF YOU WANT DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION.

I THOUGHT IF THERE WAS NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES, SIR.

PLEASE.

I ACKNOWLEDGE YOU TO SPEAK.

THANK YOU, CARMEN.

UM, YEAH, IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT AS APPOINTED BOARD MEMBERS, I SIMPLY DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE TRAVELING.

THE MEMBER CITIES PAY FOR TRANSIT SERVICES, NOT FOR BOARD MEMBERS TO TRAVEL AROUND.

MY POSITION ON THIS HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT.

UH, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING WRONG WITH PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT IDEAS, BUT THINGS SPIN OUTTA CONTROL.

IT WAS JUST TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO THAT WE HAD BOARD MEMBERS TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD AND APPROVING IT THEMSELVES.

WE HAD ONE BOARD MEMBER ONE YEAR TAKE 10 TRIPS AND SPEND $40,000.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE OUT OF CONTROL.

WE SAT DOWN AS A BOARD AND PUT SOME GUARD RAILS AND PARAMETERS AROUND IT.

AT THAT TIME IT WAS $6,000.

AND HOW WE CAME UP WITH THAT AS A BOARD AT THAT TIME, WE MADE A DECISION THAT IT'S OKAY TO ATTEND TWO OR THREE CONFERENCES A YEAR.

UH, THE COST OF CONFERENCES AT THAT TIME WAS ABOUT $1,500 A CONFERENCE.

AS I LOOK AT THIS, IT SEEMS TO BE SOMEWHAT IN THAT SAME BALLPARK.

AND WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN HERE ARE THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

EACH OF THESE CONFERENCES CHARGE FOR A REGISTRATION FEE.

SO TO ME, THE PROBLEM ISN'T GOING TO A CONFERENCE OR GETTING TOGETHER WITH, WITH PEOPLE AND TALKING ABOUT IDEAS.

IT'S PUSHING THAT TO THE EXTREMES.

AND NOW WE'RE LEANING BACK TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS TAKING 10 TRIPS, TRAVELING AROUND THE WORLD, APPROVING IT ALL THEMSELVES.

SO HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS, I THINK IS A GOOD THING.

AND I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

BUT IN THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT, THE MEMBER CITIES DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING VALUE FOR THE MONEY THEY'RE PAYING.

THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SERVICES BEING DELIVERED.

SO TO TAKE SIX TRIPS IN ONE YEAR SEEMS A BIT MUCH TO ME.

UM, SO FOR THAT REASON, I'M NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTING THIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? OKAY.

HEARING NONE.

I WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THAT TODAY'S VOTE, UH, WILL BE A TWO THIRD VOTING REQUIREMENT ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.

AND PRESS YOUR, YOUR VOTING PAD TO VOTE RIGHT NOW.

AND THE MOTION PASSES.

11 YESES.

TWO NOS.

IS THE APPROVAL TO DISTRIBUTE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 ANNUAL BUDGET AND 20 YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN TO SERVICE THEIR CITY FOR REVIEW.

WE'LL NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA.

IF YOU COULD ASK MR. BRYAN TO COME BACK.

HERE YOU GO.

OUR NEXT ITEM

[12. Approval to Distribute Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Budget and 20-Year Financial Plan to Service Area Cities for Review (Presenters: Gary Slagel/Jamie Adelman) ]

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? I MOVE.

SECOND, I WILL TO SEND THIS DOCUMENT OUT TO THE CITY.

IT'S MOVED AND SECONDED BY MR. MCGREGOR.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE.

[00:20:07]

AND THAT PASSES WITH, UH, 13 IN FAVOR, ONE IN OPPOSITION.

THE NEXT ITEM IS

[15. +Approval of Contract Modification for Armed Security Guard Services (Presenters: Patrick J. Kennedy/Charles Cato)]

APPROVAL OF CONTRACT MODIFICATION FOR ARMED SECURITY SECURITY GUARD SERVICES.

IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND.

SECOND BY MR. WEST.

SECOND BY MR. MCGREGOR.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MR. UH, ARDELLA? THREE MINUTES.

JUST A QUICK DISCUSSION CHAIR.

UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, GUESTS IN, IN THE, UH, AUDIENCE OVER THERE WHO WEREN'T HERE FOR THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.

I JUST WANT TO PUT A POINT ON THE RECORD THAT THE, THESE ITEMS WERE DISCUSSED THOROUGHLY AT THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AND WE'RE JUST VOTING ON THEM AGAIN NOW.

SO ANYWAY, JUST FOR ANYBODY WHO'S WONDERING.

ITEM IS THE ELECTION OF BOARD VICE CHAIR.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? CNI PLEASE INDICATE YOUR VOTE.

[18. Election of Board Vice Chair (Presenter: Randall B. Bryant) ]

I GOT A SCRIPT TO READ FOR YOU ALL THE BOARD BYLAWS.

ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 10 VACANCIES STATE IN PART QUOTE, IF ANY OFFICER POSITION BECOMES VACANT MORE THAN 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ANNUAL MEETING, THE BOARD SHALL HOLD A SPECIAL ELECTION NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS FOLLOWING THE CREATION OF THE VACANCY TO FILL THE VACANT POSITION FOR THE REMAINDER OF ANY UNEXPIRED TERM.

IF THE OFFICER WHOSE ABSENCE CREATED THE VACANCY WAS APPOINTED BY A NON DALLAS CITY, THE UNEXPIRED TERM MUST BE FILLED BY A MEMBER APPOINTED NOT BY THE CITY OF DALLAS.

TODAY WE WILL ELECT A NEW BOARD VICE CHAIR DUE TO THE RESIGNATION OF FORMER VICE CHAIR MARK ABRAHAM.

IN A MOMENT, I WILL OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD VICE CHAIR POSITION.

EACH CANDIDATE SHOULD BE NOMINATED BY A BOARD MEMBER AND THE NOMINATION DOES NOT REQUIRE A SECOND.

UNDER RULE 1.3 VOTING WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE EIGHT.

EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE VOTED ON IN THE ORDER OF NOMINATION AND BOARD MEMBERS SHALL VOTE YES TO INDICATE THEY WISH THAT CANDIDATE TO BE ELECTED TO THE OFFICE OR VOTE NO TO INDICATE THAT THEY INTEND TO VOTE FOR SOME OTHER CANDIDATE FOR THE OFFICE.

A BOARD MEMBER MAY VOTE YES ONLY FOR THE CANDIDATE.

HE OR SHE INTENDS TO BE ELECTED TO THE OFFICE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF SMITH JONES AND THOMAS HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR BOARD CHAIR AND THE BOARD MEMBER WISHES JONES TO BE ELECTED, THE BOARD MEMBER VOTES NO.

WHEN THE NAME SMITH IS CALLED YES.

WHEN THE NAME JONES IS CALLED AND NO.

WHEN THE NAME THOMAS IS CALLED THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE, THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE FOR EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE SHOWN ON THE MONITORS UNTIL ALL CANDIDATES ARE GIVEN FOR, FOR A GIVEN OFFICE HAVE BEEN VOTED UPON.

MAJORITY VOTE OF THOSE MEMBERS PRESENT IS REQUIRED TO ELECT.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE ARE 15 MEMBERS PRESENT, A CANDIDATE MUST RECEIVE EIGHT VOTES TO BE ELECTED.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VOTING PROCEDURE AND HOW HOW MANY DO WE HAVE THAT? 14? YES.

WE TAKE.

CHAIR NOMINATED SUER CHAIRMAN.

SO THERE ARE 14 MEMBERS, UH, PRESENT TODAY.

SO IT IS A MINIMUM OF EIGHT.

THE ELECTION PROCESS WILL NOW COMMENCE THE FLOOR IS NOW OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE POSITION OF BOARD.

VICE CHAIR.

SORRY.

I SAID I NOMINATE RICK SUER ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? I NOMINATE MARTINI.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? THERE ARE NO OTHER NOMINATIONS.

THERE ARE TWO NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD VICE CHAIR POSITION.

THE BOARD WILL PROCEED TO A VOTE.

ARE WE TAKING UH, WE'RE TAKING UH, MACHINE VOTES ON BOTH.

SO BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO AND WE CAN'T TAKE TWO ON THE MACHINES, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE A HAND VOTE ON BOTH.

SO NOMINEE ONE WILL BE RICK SOFFER AND NOMINEE TWO WILL BE MARK ENOCH.

AS A REMINDER, YOU CAN ONLY VOTE YES FOR ONE OR THE OTHER.

NOMINEE ONE.

UM, RICK SOFFER, UH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

TO VOTE FOR RICK SOFFER

[00:25:02]

PLEASE RAISE.

DID YOU GET THAT? YEAH, I GOT IT.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

NO FOR RICK SOFFER.

AND PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND FOR ANY ABSTENTIONS.

UM, NOMINEE TWO IS MARK ENOCH, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

YES, FOR MARK ENOCH.

PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

NO FOR MARK ENOCH TEN FOUR.

AND PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND FOR ANY ABSTENTIONS.

UH, MARK ENOCH RECEIVED 10, WHICH IS A MAJORITY.

THE VOTE PASSES FOR MARK EN FOR BOARD VICE CHAIR.

CONGRATULATIONS.

I GUESS AGAIN, MR. VICE CHAIR, I MIGHT BE THE FIRST, FIRST PERSON HERE.

SO WE DO IT TWICE.

ALRIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON

[19. Public Comments – General Items ]

TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE HAVE SIX CARDS.

OUR FIRST WILL BE CRYSTAL GAY, FOLLOWED BY LATONYA WALKER.

SORRY.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.

UM, I WAS GONNA GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, BUT AFTER HEARING SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS, I WANNA START OUT BY SAYING I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN KEEP THE SAME MINDSET OF THE INCREASE OF THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD AS IT REFERS TO THE EMPLOYEES OF DART.

AS WE ARE CURRENTLY IN A MEETING CONFER MOMENT RIGHT NOW.

AND ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS IS ABOUT WAGES.

SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THAT REALLY QUICK BEFORE I GO INTO WHAT I WANT TO PRESENT.

AND BE MINDFUL THAT THE COST OF LIVING HAS GONE UP WHEN IT COMES TO GROCERIES AND OTHER DAILY ESSENTIALS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR US AS EMPLOYEES.

SO I JUST HOPE THAT YOU KEEP THAT SAME MINDSET OF UNDERSTANDING THAT THINGS HAVE INCREASED AS THOSE DISCUSSIONS ARE BEING HAD AS REFERS TO DAR EMPLOYEES MOVING ALONG.

UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT ARE WE CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EMPLOYEES FEEL SAFE ENOUGH TO SPEAK? I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT RECENTLY I AM CURRENTLY IN THE TRAINING DEPARTMENT AND MY MANAGER CAME BEFORE YOU AND SHE PRESENTED A CASE TO YOU ALL TO DISCLOSE SOME THINGS THAT WAS GOING ON WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.

SHORTLY, THEREFORE, OF AFTER MY MANAGER RECEIVED AN INTENT TO DISCHARGE SHORTLY AFTER COMING TO YOU ALL TO BRING A DISCUSSION TO YOUR IRRIGATES AS WELL AS THOSE WHO WERE SITTING BEHIND ME.

I WANT TO NOTE, WANT IT TO BE NOTED THAT THAT IS THE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPLOYEES INTERNALLY ARE SCARED OF WHEN THEY COME TO YOU, TO PRESENT SITUATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN INTERNAL.

AND I THINK THAT NEEDS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AND UNDERSTOOD SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY EMPLOYEES DON'T WANNA FEEL COMFORTABLE OR MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING DOWN HERE AND SPEAKING.

SO I STAND RIGHT HERE BEFORE YOU AND SAY, CAN YOU HEAR US EACH AND EVERY TIME THAT WE STAND HERE? I COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK, ARE YOU LISTENING TO THE CONCERNS THAT'S BEING BROUGHT BEFORE YOU? I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SAY THAT ON BEHALF OF ALL OF US.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I WANNA TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WE COME AS WE SPEAK.

DURING THE 2025 YEAR, THERE WERE DISCUSSIONS INVOLVING MULTIPLE VENDORS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OF AGING LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES WITHIN THE MODERN VEHICLES.

I MEAN WITHIN OUR MODERN VEHICLES.

AND, UH, TO, IN AN, AN ATTEMPT TO UPDATE OUR TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE NOT FOR SURE WHERE THE CAPITAL FUNDING WENT.

AT WHAT POINT DID THE DISCUSSIONS ALL OF A SUDDEN DISSOLVED AND WE ARE NOT BEING HAD ANYMORE.

BUT I WANNA NOTE THAT OUR INTERNAL EMPLOYEES, AS IT REFERS TO RAIL, ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH SITUATIONS WHERE THE SEATS DO NOT ADJUST APPROPRIATELY.

WHETHER NO, NO MATTER HOW TALL OR HOW SHORT YOU ARE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CONS, UM, CREATES HEALTH ISSUES FOR YOU FOR A CIRCULATION TO BE ONE OF THOSE.

AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE BRING THIS BACK TO THE FIRM FOR IT BECAUSE I HAVE ATTENDED MONTH AFTER MONTH AND WEEK AFTER WEEK EACH AND EVERY TIME THAT Y'ALL HAVE A MEETING.

AND I HAVEN'T HEARD THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO BE HAD.

AND I'M HOPING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE FOREFRONT IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE A MORE SAFE AND RELIABLE SYSTEM AS WE UPHOLD THAT TO THE COMMUNITY.

TO DO A JOB AND WE DO IT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY MANAGEMENT.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LATANYA WALKER, FOLLOWED BY TAMMY GREENBERG.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M HERE TODAY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.

MY NAME IS LATONYA WALKER.

I AM A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE.

I AM ALSO A UNION REP.

I COME TO YOU TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU ALL NEED TO KNOW.

AS FAR AS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT.

WE ARE HERE

[00:30:01]

WE HAVE A DIRECTOR, LATOYA WASHINGTON.

WE HAVE A SENIOR MANAGER, TANISHA GRIFFIN.

WE HAVE SUPERVISORS.

WHENEVER THERE ARE ISSUES IN OUR DEPARTMENT, WE NEVER GET 'EM SOLVED.

IT'S MORE LIKE A DICTATORSHIP.

WE TRY TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE HERE.

RECENTLY, ONE OF MY, ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEE, ONE OF MY COWORKERS, UH, WAS, HAD GOTTEN A LETTER STATING THAT SHE WAS, UM, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF THE WORD.

THEY USED A DISGRACE TO THE COMPANY, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

THIS IS A COWORKER THAT HAS BEEN IN A SUPERVISOR LEADERSHIP.

WHEN THE SUPERVISORS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, WE WORK WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.

WE SPEAK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS ON A DAILY BASIS, WHETHER WE GETTING CUSSED OUT OR GETTING PRAISED OR WHATEVER.

WE ARE HERE TO DO A JOB FOR DART.

WHAT I'M ASKING THIS BOARD TO DO TODAY IS TO LOOK INTO CUSTOMER SERVICE.

'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS ISSUES AND PEOPLE BEING RETALIATED AGAINST AND WE ARE BEING DISMISSED.

AND I JUST NEED FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE, I NEED FOR US TO BE HEARD, FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE TO BE HEARD SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE SET OUT TO DO TO MAKE DART LOOK GREAT AND TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR YOU ALL.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

OH, THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMMY GREENBERG, FOLLOWED BY PAMELA.

MS. PAMELA, TAMMY GREENBERG.

I WANT TO, UH, UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A SURVEY IN FIFA, UM, PASSENGERS WERE REALLY HAPPY WITH DALLAS, HOW EVERYTHING WENT WELL WITH DAR TRE.

SO YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOU AND CUSTOMER SERVICE ALSO.

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD.

HOWEVER, GUESS WHAT, EVERYTHING CAME BACK TO NORMAL AFTER FIFA.

UM, LAST DAY I WENT TO FORT WORTH.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

THE TRAIN, THE BUSES WERE 15 MINUTES EVERY 15 MINUTES.

INSTEAD OF HAVING WAITING 30 MINUTES, 20 MINUTES FOR BUSES AND NOT CONNECTED THE BUSES TO ANOTHER BUS, I HAVE ALREADY PLANNED ANOTHER IDEAL.

I HAVE TO BE IN THE HEAT AT 6 45 WHEN I USUALLY, USUALLY LEAVE AT 6:00 PM SO I CAN GET THE SEVEN 15 BUS THE 13TH, OR NOW I HAVE TO GO GET SOMEONE TO GO TO GET COOL OFF.

ALSO, UM, SECURITY DALLAS AND DART NEEDS TO WORK TOGETHER.

I HAVE SOME SITUATION.

I SEE ELLAN ALSO THE OTHER DAY, LAST SATURDAY I COULDN'T EVEN GET TO MY BUS STOP.

I HAD TO GET CALLED DALLAS PO SAFETY, THE DOWNTOWN SAFETY PATROL TO WALK ME TO THE BUS STOP IN SAN SOTO AND ACKER, PLEASE BE CONCERNED WITH SAFETY ISSUES.

DALLAS IS AWFUL.

AND ALSO, UM, THE BUS 13.

YOU NEED TO CONNECT TO THE BUS 13 AND LOOK INTO, WE HAD AN INCIDENT WITH THE BUS, UM, 1 0 3 TODAY.

UM, A PASSENG WANTED TO GET NEAR HENRY'S WHERE TOM THUMB IS.

THERE'S NO BUS STOP FROM CEDARS TO PEARL UNTIL MCKINNEY.

ALL MCKINNEY AND CAROLINE, IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD GET A BUS STOP BETWEEN THAT SO WE COULD GET CLOSER TO TOM THUMB.

SO LIKE RIGHT NOW WE, OUR SPEED HAVE TO BE LIKE REDUCED 10 FROM THE MPH OF THE REGULAR SPEED TO KEEP OUR POLYGRAPH, WHICH IS THE OCS TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S SO HOT.

ALRIGHT, THE NEXT SPEAKER IS NOT PAMELA.

THE NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMIKA JOHNSON.

I REALIZED THAT THIS P WAS A T .

Y'ALL DON'T WANNA SEE THE REST OF IT.

JUST A LITTLE HUMOR BETWEEN FRIENDS.

, HOW Y'ALL DOING? CONGRATULATIONS MR. MARK.

ALL RIGHTY.

I HOPE Y'ALL ARE LISTENING TO MS. TAMMY.

SHE MADE SOME GOOD POINTS AS WELL AS MY COWORKERS, MS. GAY AS WELL AS MS. WALKER.

GREAT POINTS.

SO I AIN'T GONNA COME UP HERE AND READ THE SAME SPEECH I'VE BEEN READING TO Y'ALL FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS.

DID Y'ALL KNOW THAT? ALRIGHTY.

SO FOR ONE, I DID LISTEN TO THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE GOING ON AND STUFF.

I I HOPE Y'ALL KEEP IT IN CONSIDERATION OF THE OPERATORS IS OUT HERE AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, TIMES HAS CHANGED SO WE SHOULD GETTING A LITTLE INCREASE INSTEAD OF THE 3% OR HALF OF A 5%, RIGHT? AND ALSO, LIKE I'M, I AM A RAIL OPERATOR, SO OUR TRAINS HAVE Y'ALL FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE TRAINS? WE STARTED REPLACING THESE BUSES, RIGHT? BUT OUR TRAINS IS BRINGING MORE OF THE REVENUE IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE FORGOT ABOUT THAT.

IT'S FEDERAL, RIGHT?

[00:35:01]

THE TRAINS IS WEAR AND TEAR.

THEY, THEY'RE NOT OLD AS ME, BUT THEY COULD BE OLDER THAN SOME OF Y'ALL CHILDREN AND STUFF.

LIKE THEY'RE, THE WEAR AND TEAR IS, IS BEYOND TO BE FIXED.

OUR MECHANICS, WE GONNA GIVE PROPS TO THEM.

THEY BUILDING PARTS THAT THEY'RE NOT EVEN ABLE TO GET ANYMORE.

BUT WE, INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE BUS, THE BUSES THOUGH AND THE BUSES CONNECT TO THE TRAIN.

SO ARE WE FORGETTING WHERE OUR MONEY IS REALLY COMING FROM? REVENUE WE SUPPOSED TO PULL REVENUE IN FOR, I LISTENED TO THE PROJECT THAT THEY HAD UP THERE OF ALL THE OTHER CITIES MEMBERS, UM, TRINITY MILLS FOR INSTANCE.

THE RAIL GO THROUGH THERE, THE GREEN LINE GO THROUGH THERE, THE GREEN LINE GO TO, UM, BUCKNER, ALL THAT WAS GREEN LINE.

THE TRAINS, THE TRAINS DON'T GET THE PASSENGERS THERE.

THE PASSENGERS NOT GONNA WANNA RIDE IT BECAUSE THEY, THEY BREAKING DOWN.

THEN US AS OPERATORS, WE HAVE TO FIX IT.

THEN WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR A MECHANIC TO COME TO WHERE WE ARE TO DO WHAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO.

SO I JUST, I JUST ASK THAT Y'ALL LOOK INTO THAT AND NOT JUST THAT BECAUSE I GOT A LITTLE MINUTE TO GO, YOU KNOW, ARE WE LOOKING INTO THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE HAVE? THAT'S, THAT'S BEING PUT UP ON MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS FOR Y'ALL KNOW, MS. GAY HAD TOUCHED ON THAT.

ANYTIME SOMEONE GET UP HERE AND SPEAK TO THE BOARD THAT WE PAY TAX DOLLARS TO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CONTRIBUTE TO Y'ALL.

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S TIME FOR ELECTION AND ALL THAT.

IT'S NO WAY THAT AN EMPLOYEE OR ANYBODY SHOULD COME UP HERE AND AND BE IGNORED AND YOU NOT HEARING THEM.

NOR WHEN HAS THE LAST TIME ANYBODY REACHED OUT TO ANYBODY WHO GOT UP HERE AND SAID ANYTHING.

I HAVEN'T GOT REACHED OUT TO YET ON ANY OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THIS BOARD.

BUT I DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL FOR THE TIME AND I HOPE Y'ALL STAY COOL AND HYDRATED.

BUT CONGRATULATIONS MARK.

ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN BLANKS, FOLLOWED BY SHARON SHEPHERD.

BRIAN BLANKS.

GOOD EVENING.

WELL, MY, MOST OF MY COMMENTS WERE REALLY, 'CAUSE I HAD, UH, HEARD THAT THE CEO, OUR NEW CEO WAS IN TOWN.

AND I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING GOOD.

I WANT NO SMOKE.

I WASN'T COMING DOWN HERE TO START NOTHING.

SO I'M GONNA SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR THE NEXT TIME.

SEEM LIKE ME AND YOU'VE BEEN AROUND HERE FOREVER.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I WAS, BEEN A PART OF THIS SINCE 1988.

SO I DONE SEEN PLENTY PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THAT TABLE.

PLENTY CEOS, CO OR EVERYBODY.

SO, BUT MR. BRIAN, I UH, I'M GLAD THAT YOU GOT YOUR APPROVAL FOR YOUR REIMBURSEMENT.

'CAUSE I SIT ON THE, I'M A, UH, FINANCIAL SECRETARY FOR THE UNION AND TRAVEL AND EDUCATION IS GOOD.

SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

SO I UH, I CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

AS LONG AS YOU TRAVEL AND YOU COME BACK WITH INFORMATION, THAT'S THE GOOD, THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO.

LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID ABOUT REPORTING, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE KEY.

TRAVEL LEARN REPORT AND MAKE THIS COMPANY BETTER.

WE AIN'T GOT NO PROBLEM WITH IT.

'CAUSE I WAS GONNA VOTE FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT ANYWAY.

OH, I'D HAVE GAVE YOU THE REIMBURSEMENT.

I YIELD BACK THE BALANCE OF MY TIME.

ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON SHEPHERD.

I SEE THE DART PEOPLE COME DOWN HERE WITH THEIR COMMENTS, BUT THE VERY DART PEOPLE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH.

YOU SEE THIS WALKER? I'M DISABLED 75% OF THE TIME THE BUS DRIVERS DO NOT LIKE TO TAKE THE LIFT OUT AND LIFT IT OUT SO I CAN COME UP THE RAIL.

I HAD A ARGUMENT WITH THE WOMAN ON THE 2 36.

I CALLED DWIGHT THE SUPERVISOR.

SHE THREATENED TO LEAVE ME BECAUSE SHE SAID I WASN'T STANDING IN THE VERY SPOT FOR HER TO PULL THE BUS TO LET ME OWN THE BUS.

ON TOP OF THAT, AFTER SHE DID THAT, THE YOUNG MAN GOT OFF THE BUS, HELPED ME, GOT MY WALKER ON.

I'M UP ON THE PHONE TEXTING A YOUNG MAN CALLED THE BUS DRIVER THAT GOT MY NOTE WITH MY COMPLAINT ON IT AND I COULD HEAR HER ON THE BUS SAYING SHE WASN'T AT THE DESIGNATED SPOT.

I'M GOING LIKE YOU TELLING ME, I DONE FILED A COMPLAINT.

THE PERSON GETS THE COMPLAINT CALL AND TELL THE BUS DRIVER PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER.

'CAUSE THIS WOMAN IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY.

IT'S NOT ME.

I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE COMPLAINTS ON THIS PARTICULAR DRIVER THAN

[00:40:01]

ANY DRIVER FOR DOT.

AND THE SUPERVISOR GAVE ME HIS NUMBER.

MS. SHEPHERD, IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, CALL ME ONLY FOR IT TO GO INTO VOICEMAIL.

HE HAS NEVER SPOKEN TO ME AGAIN.

AND I KNOW HE HEARD THE WOMAN, HOW SHE ADDRESSED ME, HOW SHE TALKED TO ME AND HE DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.

BUT MY LIFE WAS IN, IS IN DANGER WITH THIS WOMAN BECAUSE SHE PASSED ME UP ONE DAY, ONE NIGHT, SIX MINUTES EARLY, NOTHING IS DONE.

BUT THEY DID SEND AN UBER OUT TO PICK ME UP BECAUSE IT WAS 1145.

OKAY, LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER INCIDENT.

THEY TALK ABOUT THE TRAIN.

TELL ME HOW TO RUN TO THE TRAIN.

I'M STANDING HERE WHERE IT SAYS THIS IS THE BUTTON THAT YOU PUSH TO GET ON.

OR SOMETIME, AT LEAST WITHIN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK, AT LEAST FIVE OF THOSE TRAINS WILL NOT, THE DOOR WON'T OPEN AND YOU THINK I HAVE TIME TO RUN ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK? NO.

'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA WEAR 'EM.

OH YEAH.

THEY'LL SEE YOU STANDING OUT THERE TRYING TO HIT THAT BUTTONING OPEN.

BUT THEY HAVEN'T CALLED IT IN.

IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

IF YOU DRIVING THAT, THAT TRAIN AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT BUTTON DON'T WORK AND YOU KNOW I HAVE TO PUSH MY MY CAR ON IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE TRAIN DRIVER TO CALL IN AND SAY, HEY, THE THING DOESN'T WORK.

CAN WE GET SOMEBODY MAYBE TO WORK ON IT OR WHATEVER.

THEY DON'T DO IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE.

THEY MAKE MORE THAN TEACHERS.

OH YES.

MOST OF THE DRIVERS MAKE MORE THAN TEACHERS THAN I TAUGHT SCHOOL.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT FOR A FACT.

AND ANOTHER THING I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, WHO IS MAKING THESE SCHEDULES? DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE TRAIN SEVEN TRAINS STOP AT THE FIFTH STATION AT THE EIGHTH CORINTH STATION AND YOU GOT 15 BUSES DOWN THERE AFTER, UH, 12 O'CLOCK WAITING TO P PICK PEOPLE UP.

BUT SOMEBODY FROM THE TRANSIT CENTER THEN TOLD THE, THE, THE, THE TRAIN TO HOLD UP, DON'T GO NO FURTHER THAN EIGHTH AND CARRUTH.

IT'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE.

WHEN YOU GOT PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY TELL YOU? WELL, I GUESS YOU GOING TO HAVE TO CALL A UBER.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO CALL A UBER FROM EIGHTH AND CORINTH TO GO TO WESTMORELAND.

WHEN THE TRAIN ACTUALLY IS SUPPOSED TO GO, THE RED LINE IS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO GO TO REDLINE.

OKAY, MICHELLE, Y'ALL, THAT'S THE REASON YOU'RE LOSING MONEY.

WE'RE GONNA GET A STAFFER TO, TO UH, COME UP AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.

HUH? WE'RE GONNA GET A STAFF PERSON TO COME UP AND ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.

YEAH, RIGHT NOW.