##VIDEO ID:y16q6NKnAY0## e e e e e e Drive okay it's uh 12:00 noon we'll call the transportation advisory committee um meeting to order our last meeting was on June 12th 2024 um I'd like to make an approval of the last meeting minutes on June 12th so if I get a first and second motion to approve the minutes as written I'll I'll second it but there's the the one note there of the um 3.5 bus storage in office that we haven't hired an architect at this point yet all right with that Correctional make a second okay morning um approved and uh seconded um so um I would just like to take a moment to recognize some folks in the audience um we have uh two folks from the League of Women Voters who came to visit us uh ruthanne Webster is one and I'm not sure the other girl's name I'm sorry de egin de eglan thank you for coming um we had done some some uh Outreach for them during the election and um and then Ruth Anne and another gal came and visited with us about the Heartland and Herman Express so I told them about the meeting so they came and want to see the the goings on of what we're doing here so thank you for coming ladies we should act in the first and second just for the voice whatever we have to all approve the minutes oh okay I'm sorry I thought we did that I'm sorry um so we U first and second you and everybody Eric and Scott and then everybody all in favor all in favor I I any opposed none opposed um so we're going to get um on with uh our business here um just a little update on the electric buses since the last time we met um the state um has uh offered and told us that both of our electric buses now will be 100% covered at one point we were one one bus was going to be 100% covered through the uh better Grant and now um not sure what happened but now both buses will be 100% uh covered um under that Grant um so there'll be no City share for the cost of that vehicle um so that'll be exciting What's the timing on that when it's coming so we've just applied now to get the buses it's a slow process um and um later on in the meeting I'll be uh letting know that there the city of Morris and Arrowhead Transit had applied for a grant back in 2021 and they'll just be receiving their electric buses in first quarter of 25 so the problem is it's a manufacturing issue there's not there's only one or two companies right now that are doing this work um there were some others but they had gone out of business so um because there was such a Part Supply shortage like we were dealing with when we were getting our gas buses so so that's why uh there's there's such a short it's taking so long so so um but the city of Morris um is the closest facility closest to us so when they get our new buses um there'll be uh the four transit systems that are getting the electric buses are going to be making a trip up there um so if we have room if anyone on the committee is interested in in taking a look at what they look like and what kind of a setup they have up there in moris you'd be more than welcome to to come along so um but I'll let you know a date as we get closer um cuz I just kind of want to see what what the buses are going to look like and what the infrastructure that they had to put in place um since it's all new all storing and yeah charging and all that y because they were able to get uh money in their Grant um to retrofit their their locations so so when when I get that date I'll be sure to let the committee know and whoever would like to ride along will we'll make that happen so we get the money to retrofit so part of the grant um as we've said before will cover the the the retrofitting of the building um The Elixir building that we'll be talking about just in a little bit too um so that'll include all of the infrastructure needed to bring the power into that building and the charging facilities um as well as um we might be able to get some other things um like some garage door type things because right now that building only has one door um that would fit the bus we'll need a couple doors to do that so the grant um there will be some dollars in there too to do some other retrofitting hopefully that we'll be able to put some dollars in there for for bus cleaning um stations too um even though it'll benefit all of Heartland and Herman um you know we're going to try and get as much out of that Grant as we can wash bay some sort of a wash won't be an automatic one but it'll be some sort of a wash facility that we'll be able to get in there um so hopefully that the grant will cover anything that we can deem necessary for the electric buses so and they're talking that should be at 100% those will be those will be all at at at 100% coverage y so anything we can get under that Grant um you know if we have to train we'll probably have to train our our mechanics up the highway department um and any training that they would need any training that um the City would see an EMT um for you know putting on electrical fire buses um will will be included in that Grant too so as we move forward we'll have to have more discussions with with EMTs and fire department and uh Chuck spai Ford who will work on the buses will told me that they already their staff has already been trained because they already have the lightning the Ford Lightning and the mack Ford Mack Vehicles so they're basically all ready to go but there is money in the grant for that kind of stuff too so we'd like our mechanics that our County mechanics to be train yeah yep because if we had something kind of minor go wrong we'd kind of like them to to help help us out you know and um and our staff too you know that are going to drive that bus too cuz it's a different way when you drive an electric vehicle it's different it's a different way of driving so um and you get used to it pretty quickly once you once you start driving them because there's a need them there that kind of tells you you're doing a good job or a bad job so so but those again are things we'll see when we go to Morris too so um how far is mors I'm not familiar with um I think it's about 2 and a half hours two and a half three hours it's it's a drive but it's closer than going all the way up to duther Gilbert Minnesota so so um we uh also uh the Herman Express uh participated um in the Parade of Lights uh for uh the day after Christmas and was a good reception I think um it was well received I'm not sure if if any of you seen it in there but um Sarah is doing a good job of getting it out there and showing people um you know what it's all about so we have her and heart we didn't put Heartland in there no we just had the Herman bus in there because there's a it's a cost of $50 it's not a huge cost but you know um you know then you have staff time and things too so we kind of try and limit how much we're in everybody has seen both I'm sure for the most part right right yep Y and she did a nice job she put lights on it and wrote on the windows and we're still have the writing on the windows so Sarah Sarah yeah and she'll be joining us here shortly with some updates um as we've been training the staff um uh any new staff that we hire our trained on both Herman and Hartland um so we have the flexibility there um and most of our older staff or staff that have been there uh are are trained on it as well so um it's too bad we couldn't get an electric bus to go up to moris the tour yeah see how could see how far it goes yeah well they got the electric truck right the high the highway department and that's worked out quite well as long as there's an load um they were pulling a trailer with it and uh that ain't going to took a lot of juice yeah it's more of like their transport if they're going to go from here to need something to throw in the back you know tools or whatever um but as far as use it for transportation of other heavier you know tar pot or whatever it suck the juice pretty that yeah that really take took the juice out um as long as you're visiting SC can you tell us some more about the Elixir building um which is the Enterprise mrci building that count um we should kind probably rewrapping things up there this this Friday is our last official meeting with the board with that board before it dissolves um I would imagine I think probably the 1st of January would be the the um actual turnover we've signed um paperwork to to go ahead with the purchase but it really hasn't processed until the money changes so um that that I am guessing that's going to be probably early January uh sometime um we did um we did uh talk about um as soon as this does happen um if there's requirements that you are up for this grants and stuff if you got to get dates some stuff in by certain dates whatever that's putting pressure on you um we need to know what that uh dates are and whatnot so that we could try to plan that as you know best as possible to to help you out with that um the um we look at a number of different things there as far as to to uh revamp the the building and and get what would be needed in there obviously we're going to need your assistance and and whatnot once we get uh to that point but we will be sure to let you in first know that uh it's ready to be uh looked at and started to the process so perfect um other than that there isn't a whole lot else that's happening there like I said this Friday is the last of the Community Health Board U BR nickel Community Health Board U meeting board so okay so we'll know a little more after that but we are purchasing it and it's it's school it's a done deal basically then basically for the most part not legally so as a we have to stay out of there until sure sure yeah it was a brown and nicholet county building that was some years ago was purchased as it through a grant with the federal government correct and then and actually SI County I think was involved with it for a short period of time and then they had dropped out um the building was a old um mobile home manufacturing uh building that's the I think was Skyline they was the name of the trailers they made but um it you know it's a it's a good building it's uh been well taken care of and um so I think it's going to uh even if we need to add a part to the structure there's room to do that as well so um yeah we're I'm looking forward to it I think it's going to be a really nice addition and uh work out really well for yeah we're really excited about it too so if anyone knows the building the back part where the warehouse is where there's Warehouse doct doors that face J&R suugo um we won't be obviously able to use those doors but there's a door just to the um to the left of that that has a large garage door that we'll be able to go in and out of the door on the other side that faces detr Enterprise or detr Specialties um will need to be made bigger um that's the only uh door that um so we'll just have one in and one out is what the architect kind of said because of the slope of that building if you go on the other side it really slopes down towards the river um that it'd be very costly to do any a different door there so um when um the consultant was in and did some preliminary drawings an was part of that meeting um he uh he did some drawings for the building um and figured that would probably be the best uh situation for it so it' be a oneway in and a one way out kind of a thing and he he advised us to leave the doct doors the way they are cuz he said they're first of all they're very expensive to take out and then the other thing he said is you know in 20 or 30 years if something happens where that building would need to be used as a warehouse again it would be easy to to put that back in and we really don't need to take them out they're not really that important to take out um so um and then the other thing you know that we talked about um you know is hopefully having our offices closer to the to the warehouse or to the bus storage just so we would't have to tra through that building but those are convers we can have as we move along you know yeah we we talk once like I said the once things are finalized and we can actually we'll contact you probably be involved as well in and uh the U in mrci and enterprise north and everybody together so that they understand that we're going to be there for them just like we had in the past right yeah there'll be no changes for them so m c is going to stay in there yes that's where they are now y okay there's way they have way more uh need uh use they're using that building way more they don't need as much what they were using in the past cuz they're not doing the the production there the sheltered workshop in there anymore so um it's a lot of lot of wasted space for them that they're not you know and at one point this Warehouse I think was being leased out to a trucking company there's part of the warehouse in the back that was being leased to a trucking that was subas through through mrci yeah and result of that was actually that they really didn't come out had on they basically broke even because of a tax situation that is created there and oh so we're really excited about it and probably as we move forward maybe even this committee probably would want to meet more often you know as we you know once we decide you know get an architect in there and do some other things you know so yeah so this committee probably might have to meet more often as we move forward with that but again you know um I would suggest that especially if when to to decide to changes you know what needs to be right cuz it'll be the home to Heartland and Herman Express I mean you know our offices will be there instead of in the licensed buau building and um we won't obviously be using the the the front of the fairgrounds anymore um so you know so that'll kind of be a big change for us too that we'll be in the same location as our vehicles so um so it's something we're really excited about um then um one of the other uh things we wanted to visit with um probably with the city um as we move forward um is a snow removal issue I'm not sure we've ever kind of came to any agreement on that um there's not a whole lot of places that that would require that you know at this point but I I don't know if we probably want to have a you know get together and and as we choose stops that are more going to have a shelter at some point you know we'll be able to apply for grants for that as well um we'll have to have to some sort of agreement with the city to maintain those um those um those shelters um because they'll be concreted out and there'll be a I'm not sure what it'll look like if it'll be like a a like a shelter that'll be totally covered or if it just be like a lean to with a bench in there or what it will look like um but we'll still need to have some sort of agreement with the city um for for cleaning those spots out but those are conversation Joe that we have yeah Mr chair I think that's something we can discuss with s manager Dalton offline we can kind of come sure come work through some of those items and we're not there yet I mean we we haven't you know done anything with any of the stops you know so um this what I hear the most inut on for Herman is the stops and what what are you going to do give us shelter just going to be like Minneapolis Tom make sure you're using your mic Tom no one will be able to hear you if you're not talking into your mic okay so a lot of concern about uh shelters uh it's for sure it's some of the more popular uh stops and starts for people and concerned about will it be seeding and mhm yeah yeah and we don't know what that'll look like you know the service but they don't like standing in in the cold weather yeah we understand that we understand that so um and we uh we've come to the point where uh Sarah is going to share some information about uh the Herman ridership um we know what it is through um through um from the last time we met till the end of November and I'm not sure I didn't run any numbers for for December so then that's fine thanks for thanks for being willing to at least try but so back in June we had 401 in July 436 420 in August 448 in September 491 in October and then we broke the 500 barrier in November uh for 506 and then when I was when I've been compiling the stats we're we're averaging about 450 Riders a month this year so every month it's been over 400 we did break the 500 barri so very excited about that and again a number of um New Riders or just individuals out Oakwood Estates some of the truck drivers that Park out there um will actually hop on the bus head out to Walmart and that use us that way so that's been very good too you know other people that are just coming in briefly into town are making use of us so very happy with those numbers at this point did did you have anything else you wanted me to cover at this point or did you y you can do your whole okay um back it we were able to attend the Minnesota public transit conference did you mention that and so we got to choose some of the presentations we could attend and then um we were able to meet with some different vendors and we've been talking about the software issue so we got to meet with novas and it's a depending what happen Happ s with the state and how they're going to you know which ones we can meet with or whoever they contract with I don't I don't know you'd have to ask Pat more about how that works but that was at least one that we were excited to visit with and then also the Indira electric Bus Sales there's um United Bus Sales it's the one that works with them so we got to meet the rep for that which was valuable and get get some information from them too so looking forward uh we got another driver trained and we've got a couple more drivers to get trained before they're able to help us out but very excited to you know again just have a few more in the working you know able to help out because different things come up and um just need to have that additional additional driver so um other than that I think you I just heard you talking about the snow removal so thanks for doing that and that's probably the you know one thing right now especially as it's gotten colder where do you know we don't want to be out here very long and you know which ones can we at least get out of the wind a little bit and so appreciate you considering that that's it from me then um so um any other discussion from any of one how about from the floor nope do they call it the Elixir building why do they call it the Elixir building is what the question was history that's all that's who had it before the county had it way back some things never lose their names the Jones Farm is always the Jones Farm doesn't matter who lives there right who lives there Nate did you have anything Tad um Sarah's comment about training new Herman Drive ders Herman's on the road from 6:00 to noon an hour lunch break and then from 1: to 6:00 we don't expect people to drive that 12-hour shift very often um so there's always two drivers that are used on Herman the morning the am half and the afternoon p.m. half so we usually use you know 90% of the time we're using two drivers every day at Herman so um should those two regular Herman drivers be out you know that's why we're cross training Heartland drivers to know them all know all of our routes makes it easier to put a a monthly driver schedule together when people are more universally trained perfect and do you have any um there is a radio upgrade correct can you get a status update about that yeah so uh in 2023 we applied for and received a radio uh grants um and they were installed last week um they're the armor radios so they're very clear we had a driver out in comrey the other day and it sounded like he was next door to us so um it's really helped improve our our radio communication um and then uh the handhelds that we have also uh got updated um so they're a lot um better so uh we purchased enough for each of us to have one in our own home because when we're on call that way we have the radio at home with us nice um so um that's been a nice nice upgrade for Herman and Harland so these radios aren't encrypted though are they they are part of the armor system I'm not sure how encrypted they are I assume that I don't think that anybody in the in the city would be able to listen to them I think they're just like the sheriff's type radio where before people could listen making a face I heard that um yes they can if they have oh they are being didn't used to be able to but that's why they're going to encryption is because somehow connecting through the internet whatever that they can actually bring up the regular armor radio okay I didn't know that but wow I'll talk to you more about it wow interesting so anyways but it's been a big Improvement for us and so very nice um very clear and and it Bonks when PE two people are trying to talk before two people could talk over each other and we couldn't hear anyone so now it lets one of the two know that they're not being listened to so um that's been a good upgrade for us and again that was a that was a Federal grant that we applied for and um most of it uh I believe 10% of it is our cost and 20 90% is is uh state federal money so so think it's important to always remember that we uh you know right now we're being funded 95% uh Federal State dollars for our Herman and Hartland and 5% local match um which we have always been able to do um you without any issue so um that'll continue again for 25 um the 5% match after that the state is kind of up in the air uh 24 and 25 was a f was a legislative mandate to be covered at that rate um what the legislature will do in the future I'm not real sure so um but J did the um bus that we were going to uh gift to the fire department uh accepted that yep so um I've kind of turned that over to the emergency manager um uh to to kind of take that ball and run with it to decide when I I think it'll be more of a springtime summertime thing so right now it's sitting up at the highway department out of their way um so it's not I don't think we're even uring it to be honest with you um because it's it's basically a worthless vehicle at this point so um the County Board did okay us to one of our buses that we were going to sell uh that we were having lots and lots of issues with um we uh I got the board to ex to donate it uh to be used for uh like a bus rescue so the emergency manager folks will uh do some sort of a a training with it this this coming spring or fall uh or wi or or summer um they won't be burning it which is kind of what I wanted to do because but they said that it emits too much toxicity into the air so they don't do that anymore so so yeah uh one spinoff from the the donated bus sitting up at the highway department is uh our two Highway mechanics that do side work on our buses when something goes wrong are taken Parts off of that bus you know if there's air conditioning part there's a a circuit board in the back for $400 that now we got a spare for it should have another newer bus AC go out we got we got a backup one so they are taking expensive Parts out of there more value out that then we would we have sold the bus right probably yeah right wouldn't take much and I'm working with our our with our rap committee which is a training committee to uh possibly bring in other folks to uh watch the the emergency uh what we do with that bus I kind of was hoping that they would do a filming of it but they they said they're not into paying for that so that won't be part of the process but um but so there might be other Transit agencies that'll come to that uh to that as well so they're unique buses are unique in in trying to do Rescue out of the the U post and whatnot are are harder and right not as easy to cut and exactly exactly it'll be a training form so if there's no other business we could adjourn um we like to S the next meeting date for June 11th back I think it's something I may be missed in these meetings that grandchildren came first uh we still talking about the when we have the electric buses of getting split into town so that it got to be shorter is that still on the that's still kind of the plan um the consultant is a little concerned that the electric buses would be able to um do two would run all day so even though we have two of them one might run in the morning one might run in the afternoon and then we'd still need a gas bus so the Consultants are still kind of kind of weighing out what we'll do um so we're kind of relying on them so hopefully the plan would be that we'd have two buses you know running simultaneously throughout the day but again that's kind of to be determined cuz there would be an extra cost to do that if we have to have two different buses you know but again you know those are things that you know this committee will will be working on but that is the Hope Tom you know I just know the state you know is very concerned all about numbers and if our numbers can keep creeping up as they have been uh they may be coming to us to help with SP right Y and there is supposedly there's a fiscal cliff coming financially in in the state and so they're telling Us in 208 and 29 and 30 that there could be a time there that we'll be asked to to fund transit in a local level um with some percent nothing was said you know of course they you know they don't know what the numbers are going to look like in three four five years but they're asking us just to prepare so that's why you know it's important to build a reserves that we've been building too um so that you know if that ever comes to that we you know but we're good through 26 for funding at for funding yep and and they're confident that the numbers will continue through for the next three or four years but then there's they're telling us there's a cliff but when I first started there was supposed to be a cliff in 23 so and that never happen so you know legisl will have met a couple times now right so yeah okay so plenty of interest in that right exactly and if and if we're not paying for these electric buses at all if we did need to to fund some of the something right right the city is getting off there as well that way so yep exactly um so setting the next meeting date of June 11th or the 18th um unless we need to meet again sooner because of the Elixir building um is there a preference for the committee for either of those dates same again 11th or the 18th of June either be fine is there a deadline for this grant processing for you from so as it moves along there is and there and I'm I'm not even sure what the dates are cuz there's it's a moving Target with them okay like I say I just applied for the grant for the for the electric buses you know something that we applied to get the better Grant now you have to apply for each portion of that so next portion will be for the building or for the infrastructure they're calling it not the building cuz they don't know what everybody's infrastructure is different than you know some are ready to go you know already have a building some are you know and there is no date set on that that's fing date not yet nope either date is fine with me okay um should we just go with the 11th sounds good Joe do you have any either one either one's fine for you so go with June 11th of 25 um unless we hear something different um if we need to have another meeting for the for the buildout um and then I will let the committee know uh when the when we plan to go to Morris to see the electric bus there um and I'll shoot out an email um and anyone is welcome to join that would like to go to that so um with that U I'm not aware who is going to do the shovel of the various we haven't really come to an agreement yet cuz there's really right now there's the stops are more like a sidewalk type stops so there really is right now it's it's kind of taking care of its own correct Sarah I mean there's like your we're at linderhof is kind of a issue but it's it's in a grass area so I'm not sure you know and you guys they what they do now is you just move up if it's a snowy area you'll just move up to a driveway so they can get on but that's obviously not very safe for us to be in a driveway picking people up CU you know people don't always pay attention and turn into a driver out of a driveway and you know with the potential getting hit so but eventually we'll want to have a concreted pad there with a some sort of a a shelter there so that's one of the places I can think of that's kind of top on your list yeah mhm yeah yep and again uh Union uh the union Emerson Union still would like a bench um you know but um yeah so so it'll be noon here at noon at June 18th or June 11th um with that call the meeting to order or to to adjourn thank Youk you thank you ladies for