001I'm going to call this meeting to order. This is the regular meeting of the North Oakland Transportation Authority or NOTA as we lovingly refer to it. Um this this is the regular board meeting. Today is Thursday, May 15, 2025. We're meeting at Oxford Township Hall. Thank you, Oxford Township. And uh we'll proceed with the roll call and then we'll have uh respects to the flag. Okay. Um, Barnett is excused. Flood here. Breakfield. Saroski here. Ferrari here. Ross here. The door is excused. Rick Granger here. Curtis here. McDonald here. Waffles not present. Swack not present. Hilding not present. Moa here. Okay, we have a quorum and we can move on to respects to the flag. Any veterans besides that here to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it
002stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The board has it has before it um an agenda for this evening or for this afternoon. There any questions? I make a motion for the agenda as presented. Second. Oh, okay. This is one that came in. Just so to make sure we're working on the same agenda, uh there should be a 10e 10E on it. If you don't have one, no. Okay. Okay. Very good. Thank you. So, is there a forgive my inattention? Is there a approval to just myself Ferrari? Seconded by Ross. Thank you. Any questions on the motion? Hearing none. All in favor of the agenda, please say I. I. Oppos, please say no. The board received the minutes of our last regular meeting. on April 17th, uh Ashley suggested one
003uh revision by email. Ling, do you want to go over that? Yes, the correction is in number one under budget adjustments. Uh it should say it is no longer a flat amount and so we did correct that. So, and on page one, absent excuse by McDonald chair, he represents Anderson. Oh, thank for I'm afraid. Right. Any others? Move to approve the minutes as amended. Second. Okay. Who is that? All righty. Um, next item up is the director's report on that. Oh, thank you. I am I've had three meetings today and I'm just like I apologize. I'll get it together here momentarily. All in favor of approval of the minutes, please say I. Oppos, please say no. I think we got a new chair. Someone we're looking for new chairperson. We have it here. Tell you
004he reviews the packages and he watches the motions. That's perfect. Okay. Uh moving on then to the director's report. Lynn. Uh yes. Um our rides for April were 9,634. Um we uh John Comperroni, I don't know if anyone saw on Fox 2 News, he was on yesterday. He got awarded a recognition um of his humanitarian spirit and swift action and medical emergency. He um was take he just picked up a rider from McLaren and had pulled out and noticed that her face had slumped and so he recognized that she was possibly having a medical emergency, got her back there and um saved her life. So, her family was very very grateful and I don't know if you saw the email um I sent had some pictures of um he was on Fox 2 News last
005night so we got a nice award. So, that was really great. Yeah, that's great commendations from the board as well. Yes. Okay. Please make him aware that we appreciate his efforts. I sure will. Yes. In the future like I make suggestion. We have like an award thing that our chairman could sign something like go in his personnel file. Oh, you know something like this. It's not like you know something that's minor, right? Something pretty major. Yeah, it really is. We stop at a stop sign like that, right? Yeah. No, that's that's a good point. I like that. Um Vandy, our CPA resigned today. I knew that was kind of coming. he had gotten a full-time job down in at Wayne State Wayne uh county. So, um I knew this was coming. So, we are actively
006actually um looking to post and look for another replacement for him. What's his position? He is the kind of controller, a financial controller. So, he's um and we want to have him get more into like grant management and grant writing and whatnot. So, this position. So, so if you know of anybody that would be good for that role to do kind of salary, it's $50 an hour. [Laughter] I know. The range is between 30 and 50 depending on experience is what we are posting at between 30 and 50. So, yeah. So, it's really kind of oversight of the accountants and doing the financial reports and doing the audit and the budget. So, that's benefit too. No, he was uh just part-time. It's just a part-time position and it's uh he was working about 10 hours
007a week or so. 10 to 15 depending on the time, budget time, audit time, a little bit more, but um up to 20 is what we have. So, if you know of anybody that might be interested, please let me know. Um yeah, and I think the rest is on that agendas. All the other items we have, we have um started our writer survey and regional planning. We've got in the last couple weeks, we've gotten about 200 uh surveys in, which is great. We've been we've added an incentive. So, if um the rider is on board and can show that they've completed uh a survey, they get a free token. So, it's like take a survey today, write on us free, and then the driver that gets the most surveys completed gets some notice swag. So,
008we're kind of uh trying to and uh we had a meeting with the um with Qual Trucks and today and they said that we're we're one of we're the top was of all the five organizations right now and uh they were really excited about it. So, and it's good and if there's anything that comes through with any concern, we get an email so we can address it that that minute. If you're on board with someone having an issue, um we we get it immediately and we'll know who it is. So, that's good. And our new website should be going uh live in June. Thank you. Any questions for the director the report? I move to receive and file the director's report. Please support blood. Carl again. You guys wake up. All in favor of the
009motion to receive and file the director's report, please say I. I. All same time. Hearing none. Motion carries. Reports filed. Uh public comments. Anybody that cares to address the board hearing? None. We'll move on then to approval of financial activity. Item A. This is theformational part. Yeah. Receive and file. That's normally receive and file. I'll make a motion received financial activity. Finally, I thought you weren't here. Second. Uh we have Mr. Mo. All in favor of the motion to receive and file the financial activity, please say I. Oppos, please say no. Okay. Um on the approval of bills, there any questions? If not, for a motion to approve the bills. You have the amount. Yeah, it's it it's coming up as 1,986777.98. 1 million of it is just a transfer that got into the bill
010file. So really the expenses should just be 98677798. I'll make a motion we approve the bills to be paid at 1,9867778. sport flood motion and a second to uh approve the bills any amount stated. Uh could we have a roll call for that please? Yes. Flood? Yes. Breakfield? Yes. Sarowski? Yes. Ferrari? Yes. Ross? Yes. Granger? Yes. Curtis? Yes. McDonald? Yes. Moore? Yes. Moving on to old business. Um, as most of the board is aware, uh, we're going through the process of, uh, getting a new intergovernmental agreement among the member communities, um, of NOTA up to date. Do you want to give us an update, Lynn? Sure. I had forwarded it to our attorney, Dan Christ, and he, um, had given us back uh, some comments in green that is included in your packet. And um
011the ad hoc committee briefly talked about it yesterday at the meeting and there are some concern some things that they brought up at the meeting. Um they want to make sure that it's clear that the three township you know own all the assets and that the other communities don't have any voting rights or ability to serve on the board. Um we simply are servicing them through the open county. So we want to stress that. Um there's a lot of changes that still need to be made. Um the Mr. Christ brought up some questions such as uh he questions whether we should have non-governmental members. We currently have three. Uh he also questions why there's 12 on the board which he's saying should be an uneven number versus an even number in case of a tie.
012He also questioned advisory members if we wanted to keep them or not. We currently don't have any advisory members on the board. Um and then just some other things to consider are um the transportation fund, the cost sharing formula. It used to be 50% ridership, 50% um population. We would um basically what we used to do is fill the communities uh like $200,000 a year and then we would separate it based on that formula. Um that has stopped since the millage has been in place. So it's a matter of what to do as far as bu building that into the contract going forward. um we you know just there's something to be addressed. Another item to consider is if we want to have something uh to consider if a member like Independence Township wants to
013be a member in the NOTA board, what would they what would the buyin be? What how do you calculate that? And so that's part of reason I added um some information about the equity at NOTA as of um 123122. and it showed basically before the Oakland County revenue came in, we had like 4.4 million of between our capital assets and our net position um that was a value and I did um a little chart just just a rough chart just to kind of because I know there were some questions at the ad hoc committee and I know Joe you had kind of mentioned it as well. So I added it in the back behind budget adjustments. Kind of shows you the community equity breakdown. Orian at 49%, Oxford at 45%, Addison at 6%. What that
014um estimated equity, you know, basically um before Oakland County um started to give us the uh the revenue. So you can kind of see that estimated um equity for Orient is like 2.1, Oxburg 1.9, Addison 265,000. So I know that there were some concerns. So I just kind of generated that. And then I also added an addendum on the back which um if I mean there's many ways you could do a formula, but one way is to do it by population. Um so I just put an example of a buyin calculation. If we um took independence in their population of 36,000 divided it by the population of the three core communities and multiplied it by the um the 4.4 million their buyin value would be like 2.4 million you know so that's just a consideration.
015I don't know if that's something the board wants to do but I just wanted to give you the information. Yes. Yes. Mr. 2022. The end of 22. This Yes. That takes in no inflationary gains you've garnered through the asset of the building. So I don't know if that number would be correct to use in 2025. And offsetting that all the vehicles not purchased with the funds drawn from the three communities have now since expired. and we have purchased all new vehicles with Oakland County money. So, I would question the $4 million based on cost of the building appreciation and the loss of our uh vehicles now to give a true picture. It's a good point because and the new audit will assist us in that. Yeah. So, for example, you bought the building for what?
016600,000 and now it's worth 12 1.2 million. So, you double it. Yeah. that we need to capture that the market value. Yeah. And those are points that the the board members should take back to their communities as well like Chris's absence like etc. and make sure that they're aware of the process that's going on and what some of these inputs are so that they can weigh in. It would be really great to be able to have the next at our next meeting whenever that might be. Uh hopefully it'll be in June and then maybe we'll skip July, but we'll see. Um we we need to get this to the point where we have details included. So we'll move on. I'm not we're not we're not asking for a motion or anything tonight um to do
017that. to accept it and then take it back to the communities for revision. I think at the next meeting that would be more appropriate when everybody has a chance to go back to their community, work on it with the the administration and then come back. Yes. Is this the most recent version that we've been working from since 2018 outside of the red lines and the question? Yes. All right. So 3B1 on page two, there's no mention of the village of Oxford having a membership on the board. Well, and um oh, it should be Le Leonard Addison. So it really should be um I just I think that's we're going to sign some contracts. So I do have our um president and our village attorney taking a look at it. So they'll have comments as well.
018That goes right to our point. But that was one thing I'm like, well is this active then? That's very good here. But each community needs to do that. Look at it from their perspective and make sure that they're covered. And Ashley's here and she doesn't feel the love. So I mean just worked my way in apparently. That's okay. So, um, send comments to you, Lynn, once. Yeah, that's great. I'll collect them and, you know, give them share them with our attorney. Should we have our attorney look it over, too? We Yes, you could start that process. Um, but for formally, we wanted to have the board review it and then then there will be a delay while we wait for the communities to give us feedback. official feedback been more. Okay. If there's no further
019discussion on the intergovernmental agreement of we signed it and then we agreed. Um under uh next item under old business is item B, building renovation RFP status update. L I'll let you take that as well. Sure. Steve Alger is our architect from Aka Architects and he um he had sent an RFP for a general contractor which is included in um in your board packet. I um I I questioned him whether the general contractor bid is the right way to go versus a construction manager because with the construction manager, it's more of an open you you could you you pick a selection a construction manager and it's usually cost plus a certain percentage. Then all of the bids that come in are an open book and you can review what you're getting and um do that
020construction manager be the one um doing all the bidding for the individual u vendors and having us take a look as far as administration or board or whatever on the details. So um he is um off this week because he had a death in the family, but he did send me an email and and we talked on the phone briefly and you sent it out. Oh, did I? I received Yeah. Okay. So, um so that's he did say um you are correct as far as uh um with the we don't have to go through the pre-approved construction management firms with Oakland County. Um generally this leads clients to wanting to go to a general contractor for speed for project delivery, but that leads to a forced marriage with a lower bidder. I agree with your
021assessment that a construction manager is preferable way to go. It may cost us a couple months in project delivery, roughly a month to solicit um and select and a month to build the budget um and start construction. And uh then he he also said that the mezzanine which was we were going to do some um buildout of our office and then above it we were going to do storage and do a mezzanine because we really don't need storage um area but it sounds like the cost of that was a lot more than what he had initially budgeted uh at the budget after talking to Rewald about the project. and so he wants to separate that u and have it like a an as an addendum or an additional thing that they can bid on. So
022um those are his comments. So my question to the board is whether we want to use a general contractor or a um construction manager. Um for those of you that haven't been here, we've used construction management on in all of our renovations that we've done here. or at NOTA uh the the most recent parking lot work, building upgrades. Um it has worked for us. Um so we need feedback from the communities and I think this is the appropriate place to do it. Um I'm I'm in my review construction management has I think greater benefits. So it costs us a little in time and it leaves us in the position where if there is a problem with a bid, we'll have to negotiate it and fix it versus having a general contractor who would be charging
023us for doing that for us. Um that's ultimately I think one of the bigger considerations. My question is do you have time to be the construction manager? Well, we're hiring a construction manager, right? So, the construction general contractor, do you want to be one of those? Somebody has to do it, right? Do you have time to do it? No. You can say no. It's okay. We talked about it yesterday, right? Or I did it downstairs. Okay. But I'm on that special class. Uh, I work from 4 in the morning some days till 8 at night following up on getting things done, getting bids out, making sure it's done right. It's it's a tedious job, lengthy job, and you can not do it in an eight hour day. Oh, I was really doing that when we
024did the buildout at at NOTA. So, I went to all the planning meetings and I went, you know, dealt with the contractors and whatever. But our construction manager we had was Bob Ayat from Kami. He really did a lot of the But you do have to manage that, too. Yeah, you're right. It's a lot less managing him than it is, right? The whole 10 contractors, right? But in effect, he did that for us. He did at Lynn's direction. Yeah. I don't want Lynn having to deal with the contractors and suppliers. Let a construction manager do it. Yes. Yes. I agree. Yeah. Agree. I agree, too. Okay. Construction manager. Construction manager. Okay. Construction manager. Sure. Okay. Well, we need Yeah, I think that would be a really good idea, though. Thank you. I'll make a motion
025that we hire a construction manager. So, he'll have to do a new RFP because Oakland County requires we go out for an RFP for that. So, we'll do I'll have to car. Yeah. All right. There any questions on the motion? Hearing none. Uh, all in favor of the motion to um contract for a a construction manager, please say I. I. I. Opposed? Please say no. Hearing none. The motion carries. It'll be a construction manager. All right. Okay. The next item under old business is a vehicle camera RFP update. I think we all know what that's going to be with Smart at the helm. It's been, but go ahead. Anyways, Lyn, it's been a bumpy road and it's and it hit another bump this week. So, we were we were literally ready to um launch our
026RFP. We just had wanted to have Mel review it for the warranty and the maintenance. He um no longer works for Smart, so they had to find a replacement. So, the the new VP of procurement um still hasn't had a chance to look at it to review it. Um, and then I had a call today from Sean who is part of their procurement program and he's very apologetic but he said he they just um he's part of the smart team for procurement because we have to go through smart and they just had their triannual review and apparently he said it was noted that any if we use any federal grant dollars on an asset it becomes a federal asset and so I'm very concerned because majority of our vehicles we own not smartones 28 of
027our 67 Smart Owns. We have $170,000 of grant money. Um, which is why it's been taking this long. You know, if we were just using our other money, we could go to the My Deal contract and buy cameras tomorrow. We were just trying to use this $170,000 of grant money, which has taken three or four years, which has been really tedious. So, he is looking into it. He said he just wanted us to know that this is an issue. He's got to research because it was flagged as at the last review. Um, and he said it that also happened to be with with our tablets. So, we have smarts money that paid for our tablets. So, I'm a little concerned about this and um very concerned. So, um I'll report back, but right now it's
028kind of at a standstill until we can um they have to review the contract to make sure that she feels right about it. And I'm not even sure if it makes sense to use the dollars and if we have the the money to do it. It's not enough to, you know, I definitely don't want to be um changing their ownership over from NOTA over to smart to for those vehicles. It would appear then that you could come back, we'll have the time. Could you come back with an estimate on costs? Yeah. For uh noted to make that purchase, it would be just an additional 170,000, which I actually haven't in our budget. We have about 200 some,000 of contingency. So, we potentially could use that contingency to do it ourselves. And second, I'm waiting for
029a motion. I thought you made the motion because that's exactly right. We've waited too long, right? No. Is this in the original contract language or is it This is just came out of the blue today, this phone call. And um and he just said, you know, you aware it says that. No, I have not. It was just a phone call and that's I don't have enough okay information. It was just flagged. He's like it might be something as simple as um we just have to do something in the verbiage of the contract you know um that they own the that asset not the entire asset but um he's not sure. So I think it's in our legal department that's looking at it. Um so who knows how long that will take. So that's just where
030we're at with that process. We're we're still just for the board's information. Some of the members haven't been present for these other things have happened. We've also gone out and bought our own dispatch software because smart has been unable to basically spec and produce contractor that could meet the needs of smart, let alone our need to interconnect with smart. So rather than wait unlimited and unknown periods of time, we using county money bought the software uh that we're using today with the tablets. Um tablet question, it's a lot easier to turn a tablet back in than it is to when we start attaching tech technical equipment to our vehicles. So, um I'm my emotions tell me we should do this because we're going to end up doing it anyways, but maybe we better give this
031a think for a month and see if you can pursue that uh through not or what some other source. What's the lead time on the cameras? Well, it's unknown. Well, it's going to be it's like you have to theirs for for smart unknown. Well, once the RFP is launched, it's probably a four to five month process because they have to do the RFP and then review the vendors and then there's, you know, it's like a month, but they have has to be out there and then you have to do a review and then and then it just has, you know, it's about a four to five month process once the RFP is launched and please forgive me because I'm obviously coming in at the tail end of this. Um the money is coming from SMRT
032who got it from a federal grant or how did we It was a grant that we applied for. Um and it was originally supposed to go towards dispatch software. So yes, and they reprogrammed it to to cameras for us because we were told that SMART was going to be giving us our dispatch software. So we didn't need that grant anymore, which um failed back in 23. So, in the meantime, they reprogrammed these grant dollars for cameras for us because we needed cameras. And we've been waiting years for that to be active and available. And so, it's it's available, but so it's money that we applied for. Um, federal money. It's federal money and all all federal grants have to go through SMART. So, we're they're the designated recipient for the whole Metro Detroit area. So,
033we cannot apply for grants on our own. we have to go through smart and smart has to go. So when when we apply for our the vehicles that we have that say smart, those are all vehicles that we wrote our own grants for applied for it and then they they put their name on it and SMART actually owns those vehicles even though we wrote the grant. We received the grant. Um the federal government looks at SMART as a designated recipient and we're a subreient. So we don't own the vehicle. It's not an asset on our books. So it's a similar kind of thing. Um, we just have to we have to go through smart. We have no other choice. And it's always been that way. It's always Well, I can't say always, but the last
03420 years. Yeah. Yeah. I would, if possible, if you get that verbiage, I would love to have a look instead of waiting till our next packet comes out. If you get it in advance, just so I can digest it. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Optimistically, we're hoping to have more information. Is there any Shall I move on? Failing a motion. Okay. All right. Um, under new business, uh, you've received the audit from PSLZ. Um I know it's too soon to go through it um in any significant depth but uh they are a new provider to uh not uh a former auditor retired but I have gone through my the copy I received I should say it was the initial copy and u It's it appears to cover everything in a different way that our previous
035auditor did. So, if that makes any sense. We just had our audit last night approved. Same company. Rain came and presented uh any bad, nothing. Everything that was good, she gave her praises. Is there anything bad in here that you know of? No. Is it I didn't see anything when I went through it. anything in here that would cause us there are no significant transactions that have been recognized in financial statements in a different period when the transaction occurred. Uh the the point was made or question was brought up right before the meeting. Uh the information in this audit is intended solely for the use of the chair, authority, board, and management of the North Oakland Transportation Authority and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified
036parties. And as Jack noted, as once it's once we approve it, it becomes public information. So what's the target date this has to be sent in? June 30th. Um but Oakland County um want in their contract wanted it on the end of April is what they wanted. So, oh, good for them. But I did also give an o overview of last year. Go ahead. So, wonderful. So, this is in your packets or today. I just did a little summary to kind of show the last couple years and and um and it's an unqualified opinion. Uh no management letter items. Our net position is 8.8 million. Increase from 23 is 2.2 2 million roughly unrestricted net position 4.5 million and our capital assets 4.3 and I just have a graph here just to kind of show
037the the growth from 22 to 24 you can see the growth from in net position um our capital asset growth just thought that would be interesting um for you to see in the number of employees and vehicles it's kind of just an estimate but just thought that would be helpful also also notable is is that um blind broke out the city of the village of Clarkston because it is a city not a village. So those residents in Clarkston or village of Clarkston city are city residents. So they're not paying township taxes like all the rest of our villages and member townships treat villages as residents because in fact they are residents of the township even though they live in a village if that makes sense. But they do pay the open county millillage. Yes. Yes.
038Yeah. Correct. Townships basically whatever the township levies the villages pay and then the village millages on top of that amount. I'll make a motion to receive and file the December 31st, 2024 annual audit. Second. Okay, we have a motion and a second to receive and file the December 31st, 2020 audit. There any questions on the motion? If none, we have a roll call then, please. Flood, yes. Breakfield, yes. Sarowski, yes. Ferrari, yes. Ross, yes. Granger, yes. Curtis, yes. McDonald, yes. Moore, yes. Okay, motion carries. Uh, moving on to item B, uh, under 10, the ad hoc committee update. Before I uh open this up, I just want to say that the ad hoc committee uh put some time into reviewing a lot of material from the note of uh records and recordkeeping as well as
039interviewing or I should really they weren't interviews. We had conversations with employees etc. um on several occasions and um hopefully we've discharged our I believe we've discharged the dut I was a member so we discharged the duties that the board charged us with and uh would offer you feedback now at this time. So Jack, can I recognize you? Yeah, you know, committee member Ferrari nominated myself and Chris Barnett, Mike McDonald to work with Win on the ad hoc committee and the ad hoc committee was created by these notab board to review correspondence with notab board and local officials that had been re that had been received and referred to them to address so-called safety and administrative ative concerns. The ADOT committee met on several occasions and reviewed safety and administrative matters. Excuse me. Uh and
040reviewed safety and administrative matter raised by the not board and other sources. The business of NOTA is transportation which is highly regulated service industry. The complexity that is associated with transportation was reviewed particularly in regard to safety of our employees and the public. The ad committee finds no reason that require further review by the committee. The not board should continue to prioritize employee safety and public safety to ensure compliance with the everchanging regulations and with current and future transportation directives from the federal and state agencies. Thank you, Jack. You're welcome. Since we're not a committee of the whole, is there anybody that has a comment? Um, otherwise ask the board to receive and file. I'll make a motion to receive and file the ad hoc committee report. Wow, we got nine of them. Lots of
041support. All in favor of the motion, please say I. Oppos, please say no. Okay, please mark it as unanimously approve. Okay. Uh, the next item is the H&TB staff assessment and or chart. Uh once again before I turn this over to Lynn, I will say that um at the suggestion of the board, Lynn did correspond or communicate with Oakland County Transit. Oakland Trans County Transit did come step up and say that we have a consultant that we would not charge us to use because that part of that consultant's job is to assess the transportation system that Oakland County is building. And so in regards to that, some of the information that is in your pocket your packet is a product of their in of their work with Lynn and Nota. So, Lynn, you want to
042proceed? Sure. Thank you, Mike. Yes. Um, so the H&TB came up with this staff assessment report, which I've included in your in your packet, and they made some recommendations. Um, and what I've done is taken their recommendations and made responses um for each of them. And we've also reviewed this with the ad hoc committee. And um and so the some of the um advice that they gave. One was um the dispatch backup capacity. They were saying um for Rachel and our social media person to be a serve as dispatch backups. Um the social media media person already is a dispatch backup and and she's been serving that role where um Rachel and the schedule and admin assistant um it can better be used in in other roles. So we did not um agree with we
043did not recommend that. Yes. And uh grant management responsibilities they they made a recommendation that um currently I I've been doing the all the grant applications and grant reporting. They suggested to move that to the CPA. I would definitely agree with that. We just hired the first CPA in December. Um prior to that I used to do all the accounting as well. So, um, now with Vandy retiring, I'm looking forward to to replacing that and handing those duties over. So, I'm happy with that, um, recommendation. They also recommended the driver team leads and coverage. They recommended, we currently, um, have on our org chart, um, driver team leads that also serve as driver trainers. They suggested separating those roles. Um, we met with our our admin team and really talked through a lot of these
044recommendations. we we don't agree that there's enough um work for both both of those roles. Um we I've kind of given a a new um or chart that is included and there's um we have 52 routes every day. So we're suggesting four driver team leads during Monday through Friday which would be about 13 to 17 drivers per person. And that's that will handle the the the the first calls. And also that would be this column over here on charts if you happen to have them out. I couldn't give this one. I had I did it in a different format because I couldn't shrink this to the one page. I couldn't figure out how to do it. So I had to do it in a little bit different format, but um but yes, that's um and
045then we were going to have one driver team lead on the weekend. We have 13 routes right now. So that would be pretty much the same coverage for that. And we're for the trainers, we're looking at doing bianual assessments. That's twice a year. That would be about 50 a year. So that's we're averaging maybe one or two a week with for driver training. The rest I think is be fine for doing the team lead position of taking um the first calls and and whatnot on the on the driver. So that's what our suggestion um is to to keep it at five um and not 10 um driver team leads. We just don't think we can keep them busy. Plus we wanted to maintain control um we wanted to uh have a core group because we
046had did try doing 10 team leads earlier in the year and it just didn't work because um all the information didn't flow back to us very well. There was just too many people. we didn't get consistent reports and we really wanted to have a core group at least to start with if we can always expand from it but um uh Jeff our new trainer is going through a whole new training program and he wants to make sure that the trainers are all saying the same things communicating the same things so I think starting with a group of five is doable we want to make sure they're up and running and if we have to expand further we can always add so that's my and then the next suggestion that they had was an independent safety
047oversight. Um, which we really actually like that idea. That's something we hadn't considered. They recommended assigning safety oversight to a separate administrative physician independent of operations in order to assess operations. So, this position would actually report directly to me, not to operations. Really like that idea. Had not thought of that. And they would also then basically audit the procedures. And I also would like them to almost be like a data data analyst, which we currently don't have someone in this position to kind of look at our cost per ride, look at our efficiencies and our routes. And I'm also looking at this position and we're actually I was reaching out to OU today to see if maybe we can get kind of a younger person in this position, but we're looking for an evening coverage
048like um 1 to 9, 2 to 10 because right now we have coverage for like Richard is there from 5:30 in the morning to 1:30 and we have Roger there from 9:00 to 5 and our evening coverage is basically on call. You know, someone will be called and have to just do it after hours. So this position, if I can find it, would be great to be filled in the evening like on 1 to 9ine, 2 to 10. Um so that way we've got the coverage there. It'll be quiet time. So if they have to do analytics, it's kind of quiet, not as crazy to do that. And um so we're actually really excited about this position and they would do take over the OSHA a lot of the safety and just kind of doing
049more of an audit making sure that we're doing the right things. So um that was the change that we added. Um, and yeah, I think those are really um they said possibly do an in-house maintenance or mechanic uh for quick fixes. You know, when we do our buildout, we had wanted to add two bays. Um, but it just wasn't didn't work in the budget last year. So, it's something that we could potentially add in a future year to add the the the bays to do those quick fixes. It just wasn't in the budget this year. So, thank you. All right. Um, so this what you what Lynn has just explained to us is what members that were here will remember um was discussed two meetings back and I believe uh Mr. Curtis and Mr. Barnett
050both had concerns about the ORC chart that was being proposed versus had we done the right research etc. And I think as Lynn noted this profoundly changes the original the original and the second one that had been proposed and which the board did not act on. So moving forward, we can re rely on this as backup and as an explanation for job responsibilities and it's and it's within the budget and capability of not to do now with one budget amendment. Yeah. So that's why I added the budget amendment um to the agenda and that's just basically to add the safety officer position if you guys decide to do that. I also was I had made a an adjustment to a grant um on the last budget amendment which was incorrect. So actually it's adds another
051100,000 and 103,000. So it um pays for this additional thing and actually have some extra the PM driver support safety officer. I like the idea. I think there should be a premium on that, right? I mean, you're asking somebody at an odd shift, right? And like if you're paying everybody else 15 an hour, it should maybe be 20. Yeah. So, great minds think a lot because it's also it might be difficult to find someone that's willing to split a shift. Exactly. Peculiar hours to 10. I mean, yeah, we did discuss a special person. It is. It is. I think we originally budgeted at $28 an hour, which is um because our current drivers, our drivers are making 2163. Our driver trainers are at 25 and our um um and our training manager is at 28
052right now. So, we are looking at keeping that at 28. I'm going to look at maybe a little more on that. Okay. Want to get somebody. Right. Right. Well, we we'll put the put the hook out, see if we can get a bite, and if we can't, we'll adjust accordingly. Uh it's not the first rodeo, Joe. Um, so with that, what's the board's pleasure? Um, and we want to at least receive and file this report, but we could also in approving it, it means it's it's tiebar to the budget amend the budget adjustments that Lynn has included on the agenda. I'll make a motion to approve the HMTB staff assessment and or chart. Second. Does that mean you can fill it? His motion is approving mean you go about proving the positions. Yeah. And we'll
053do that when we prove human. Okay. But yeah, we're technically we're making the positions shown on the chart and the responsibilities that Lyn has described and that are described. Um, obviously we're not accepting them in their totality, but they're the explanations that Len has given for why should suffice and we'll have to make those modifications if we're in in the job descriptions, right? When we do that. Okay. Okay. So with that um something doesn't have to do with the charts. You mentioned the mechanic and that's are we needing things right now. We outsource for everything. So you know we're just doing it that way. So we your judgment mechanic you'll see them right. Okay. Yeah. This doesn't mean that that every position will stand. Yeah. Okay. So, uh we have a motion and a second.
054And are there any further questions on the motion itself? If not, could we have a roll call vote, please? Uh Flood, yes. Breakfield, yes. Sarowski, yes. Ferrari, yes. Ross, yes. Granger, yes. Curtis, yes. McDonald, yes. Moore, yes. Very good. Motion carries. Good progress, folks. Okay. Now, we come to the budget amendment that I and deferred to. Yes. I'll make a motion app to approve the 2025 budget amendments as presented. Second. Okay. We have a motion this second to approve the uh budget amendment as presented. Um and just to clarify just um there is a contingency of 222,316. So that's part of that's just so you know for if we need it for cameras or whatnot. As the year goes on we may need to type into Yes, we might. It's highly likely if we're going
055to get anything done. And that's one thing that at NOA we've been ahead of the curve um in getting things done compared to other providers. So, it's not a race, but it's a race to safety and a race to good business. Um, so, okay. So, we have a motion, a second. Do we have a roll call for approval of the budget amendment? Sure. Uh, Flood, yes. Breakfield, yes. Serowski, yes. Ferrari, yes. Ross, yes. Granger, yes. Curtis, yes. McDonald, yes. Moore, yes. Okay, motion carries. Thank you. Um, item E kind of goes to what we spoke about earlier. Um, I'm not sure that there's any need to review it unless the member wants to. So, we'll move on from that to public comments. Anybody care to address the not board? If you would stand and uh
056state your name and we'll go from there. Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, good evening, everyone. My name is Robert Plowski. This is my first not board meeting, but I come from across the county lines. I'm in Southgate Wayne County, but I'm actually a part of the smart advisory council for the Wayne County side. I'm actually one of the atlarge members for our committee through Wayne County. So, it's a pleasure to be here today and I just want to come by and introduce myself and I hear some of the concerns regarding the vans and a lot of the subreient agreements that you have currently in tow with not and smart. Now, I don't work for Smart. I sit on one of their committees, so I cannot speak on behalf of them, but I'd
057love to touch base with you more a little bit about those issues and be able to address those at our one of our committee meetings that we have in June. But I appreciate you bringing it up because now I know that it's more than just not and WA that's going on around here. But again, I appreciate you at least bringing those up, having those open discussions, and any way I could do help out with me being the member of the committee, I'd be happy to do so and hopefully bridge those connections for you. Again, thanks so much for your time and uh keep up with your work. Thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you. Um if you would you provide some contact information for Lynn so that she can get a hold of me? Absolutely.
058I have an email for you so I'd be able to send that over to you. Okay. Thanks. Very good. Thank you very much. Anybody else care to address the board? Okay. Moving on then. Uh uh receive and file the monthly rider and mileage reports. So movelet support second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. Any questions on the motion? Hearing none. All in favor of the motion to receive file the writer and reports, please say I. Oppos, please say no. Okay. Board member comments. Start with Bill. This is a great meeting. I enjoyed this meeting today. Thank you. It was a tough meeting. We did get a lot done. So, congratulations for council. No comments. Uh like previously stated to you, uh it was pleasure reading my news thread right first thing this morning
059on that driver. Yeah. Saving that uh lady's life had the stroke. It was on the Fox 2 News. Yeah. Good job. No comments. Great job on the org chart. Some really good additions that I think will help that kind of managerial qualitative level. Much appreciated. Yeah, there's been a lot of work going on and it's starting to produce results hopefully. So, appreciate all your help from everybody. Appreciate it. Okay, there's no further comments. Make a motion to journ. I'll second. That was good. She got in there. Got in. All in favor of the motion to adjurnn, please say I. Opposed, please. Stay as long as you want.