Committee on Finance, Audit & Budget; Regular Board Meeting

This morning’s schedule:
- 9:30am: Committee on Finance, Audit, & Budget
- 10:00am: Regular Board Meeting of Chicago Transit Board

Meetings will be live-streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/CTAConnections

Committee on Finance, Audit, & Budget agenda (PDF): https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/21/Mar2021_-_FAB_Web_Agenda.pdf?26822

Chicago Transit Board agenda (PDF): https://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/21/Mar2021_-_Regular_Board_Agenda.pdf?26823

More meeting info here: https://www.transitchicago.com/board/notices-agendas-minutes/

Prior meeting info here: https://www.transitchicago.com/board/presentations/

According to its agenda, the Chicago Transit Board will go into closed session today to discuss the proposed settlement of $1.75 million with a cyclist struck by a @cta bus.

https://news.wttw.com/2019/09/05/bus-driver-fired-cta-sued-after-cyclist-struck-bus-river-north

https://news.wttw.com/2019/12/17/cta-bus-driver-fired-after-striking-cyclist-racked-overtime-pay

Live-stream is up. We are waiting to begin.

Secretary Greg Longhini begins the meeting at 9:31am.

Longhini calls roll. 5/5 members are present, so a quorum is established.

FAB meeting minutes from February 10th are approved.

Jeremy Fine delivers the finance report.

January 2021 ended about flat. The relatively nice January weather had a positive financial impact. https://t.co/iBChEyhoEy

Fine notes that CARES funding has been critical in closing the budget gap for 2020 and the 2021 projected budget gap. https://t.co/wwyzCkTnW4

Chairman Silva asks Fine how February is looking. Fine says they are still closing the books on February and notes the relatively poor weather will have a negative impact. https://t.co/GFHFW2AClB

President Carter notes that Congress is working on approving legislation that would allocate about $1.5 billion to regional transit that would then be divided by Wisconsin and Illinois (CTA, Metra, Pace). https://t.co/ktywP2ixzc

The committee turns to agenda item #4: Review of an ordinance authorizing an intergovernmental agreement
with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for the purchase of Ventra tickets.

DCFS would be purchasing Ventra tickets to distribute to their clients.

While this would be the first time @cta has an IGA with Illinois DCFS, Fine notes that CTA has had IGAs with other agencies.

Fine says the previous process for DCFS clients receiving @cta fare was cumbersome.

Agenda item #4 has been placed on the omnibus for approval.

The FAB committee turns to reviewing the following purchase and sales awards:

In discussing the uniform contract, the committee notes that, while minor changes to @cta uniforms have been implemented in recent years, it’s been 20 years since CTA significantly changed uniforms. https://t.co/O2qYuW0aEP

Contract C2 required a separate vote for approval. This passed with 4 Yes / 1 Recused.

The nine contracts not yet voted on (all but C2) have been moved to the omnibus.

The omnibus has been approved unanimously.

The FAB committee adjourns at 10:07am.

We will take a short break before the meeting of the Chicago Transit Board.

Transit Board agenda https://t.co/XBcHvYB8wT

Quick note/correction: Above the FAB committee approved the motion to recommend approval of the items on the omnibus to the Chicago Transit Board.

The regular board meeting of the Chicago Transit Board is called to order at 10:17am.

A quorum (5/5) is established.

There are five speakers for public comment today.

#1: A resident of the Senior Suites of Kelvyn Park says many residents rely on @cta. She thanks CTA for reliability of buses and asks for security on buses during safety hours. CTA’s chief safety officer will contact resident.

#2: The executive of Chicago Jobs with Justice voices support for just and equitable practices in CTA hiring and procurement practices.

#3: A representative from the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Workers asks the board to implement further policies concerning equitable and sustainable employment practices.

#4: A rep from Jobs to Move America asks @cta to adopt a strong jobs policy as recommended by Jobs to Move America last Fall.

US Employment Plan: https://jobstomoveamerica.org/resource/u-s-employment-plan-2/

#5: Leone Jose Bicchieri, founder and executive director of Working Family Solidarity (https://www.workingfamilysolidarity.org/), asks the board to implement policies regarding equitable hiring practices in line with Working Family Solidarity’s recommendations.

President Carter says that the hiring and procurement principles held by Jobs to Move America are in line with @cta‘s.

Carter says he is working on a proposal to cover a broader holistic view of how CTA should conduct business in an inclusive environment. Carter says he will present this proposal to the board this year.

Meeting minutes from February 10th have been approved (5/5).

The board moves to Executive Session to discuss Joseph Morgan v. Sunday Ajayi and Chicago Transit Authority.

The board has returned to Open Session.

The board discussed Joseph Morgan v. Sunday Ajayi and Chicago Transit Authority during Executive Session.

The @cta board has unanimously approved a settlement of $1.75 million.

Director Silva reviews the items discussed and approved during the FAB committee meeting held earlier this morning.

The transit board approves the omnibus as stated by Silva. https://t.co/u4HtaMoAZh

The board separately approves contract C2 as discussed during the FAB committee meeting. Rosales recused herself from this vote.

Next up is the Construction Report. William Mooney discusses the Jefferson park to O’Hare signals project https://t.co/i8xt7BDe0Y

Mooney also provides an update on transformer replacements. Some severe weather hampered some of the efforts.

Rosales gives kudos to Mooney and his team for working around the weather. Mooney says that his team does incorporate bad weather in their planning and logistics. https://t.co/SxOab9DnrX

Chris Bushell provides updates on the Red-Purple Bypass project, corridor signal improvements, and other construction work. https://t.co/rOSbENK7HA

Bushell summarizes some recent community outreach regarding ongoing construction projects and new designs. https://t.co/NhrMFqjkLx

JuanPablo Prieto discusses some recent events regarding workforce development and information sessions for those who wish to join trade unions. https://t.co/iJoHIQudLJ

Prieto says recordings of the Construction Talks and other events are posted on their YouTube channel, CTA Doors Opening

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1eRhRN3FEUCKAkAH88t5FA

No New Business

The board adjourns at 11:22am.

This concludes my coverage for @CHIdocumenters. #CHIDocumenters

Please see @cta‘s website for more information. Reply to this thread or DM me with any questions.