HomeMy WebLinkAboutTBMinutes_2008_03_25Transportation Board
Brookings, South Dakota
March 25, 2008
OFFICIAL MINUTES
The Brookings Transportation Board was called to order by Chairperson Jeff
Weldon on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 2:00 in the City Hall meeting room. Members
present were Kurt Cogswell, Art Conners, Dennis Falken, Michael Forgy, Rob Jones,
Dean Kattelmann, Andrew Natzel, Robb Rasmussen, Terrell Spence, and Weldon.
Members absent were Roger DeGroot, Teresa McKnight, and Jerry Raabe. Others
present were Brooks Behrend-Brookings Taxi, Don Boone-Volunteer Service Bank,
Charlene Carothers-Easy Cab, Brenda Schweitzer-BATA, Parks, Recreation, and
Forestry Director Allyn Frerichs, City Engineer Jackie Lanning, and City Clerk Shari
Thornes.
Item #1 – (Connors/Natzel) Motion to approve the minutes from the February 19, 2008
meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #2 – (Forgy/Kattelmann) Motion to approve the agenda after amending it by
moving Item #4 to follow Item #2.
Item #2a – Review of the service provider’s summary (attached) – Weldon requested
changing the column heading “business” to “provider”. It was also noted that the
hours provided by Safe Ride are only when SDSU is in session. That service is not
available during college breaks such as the Christmas holiday, Spring Break, etc.
Schweitzer said that “same day service” does change at times (weather related), but
they are able to keep up with those changes.
Item #3 – Reports from the subcommittees –
#3a. SDSU Issues – Natzel, Kattelmann, and McKnight
Kattelmann said the college encourages mass transit but not for the $2.00 per
credit charge to the student. A pay-as-you-go system is preferred. Natzel said he
has visited with the new South Dakota State University Student Association
leadership, and mass transit is also favored as it saves money for the students. He
would like to see SDSU and the city served together with mass transit. He
supports a fee paid by the students but less that $2.00 per credit. He said a new
system should take time to develop properly and hopefully, be in existence by
2009. Weldon asked how the parking lots on campus would be affected if a
significant number of students reduced their driving to class. Kattelmann said, in
the future, parking on the campus will be on the peripheral with drop off points
to areas on the campus. Hours would probably be from 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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After that time, parking will be available on the campus. Jones asked about
pick-up areas in the city. Kattelmann said there are many challenges to work on
including routes and number of stops. Connors asked how they will get the
students to walk or use mass transit. Kattelmann said the students are willing, but
it will be a learning process. Weldon asked how they will determine the number
of stops. Kattelmann said they will look at strategic spots and identify them with
a shelter or a flag. Connors suggested more than one bus on each route to
make the route quicker. Kattelmann said there would be approximately a 30
minute minimum pick-up schedule. Schweitzer said it is a trial and error process,
but the areas with a high concentration of apartments must be focused on. She
suggested a 20 minute headway or students won’t use the service. Weldon was
concerned on how to address the residential students’ needs. Kattelmann said it
can be done and suggested a Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee, high school area, Park
Avenue, 6th Street, west side historical district route. Falken felt the main concern
should be campus parking and looking and getting people through the campus
instead of being concerned about all the city areas. Connors added that there
is also a need throughout the city for transportation for senior citizens. Weldon
asked Schweitzer about patterns of senior citizen riders. She said she had a
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday route with 10 – 12 stops including Hy-Vee,
Lewis Drug, Brookings Clinic, the downtown area between the hours of 9:30 –
3:30 at $1.00 per ride. She does not offer accessibility but said the circular route is
definitely being used. Connors noted that senior citizens can’t be spontaneous
with the circular route, so they must pay the $5.00 for a regular ride, and that is
difficult for many.
3b. Depots – McKnight was absent but sent material for Weldon.
3c. Marketing and Public Education – Schweitzer, Connors, and Forgy
Schweitzer said there is a conference she plans to attend in Washington DC in
April that will include marketing issues. Falken is also attending. They will provide
information after the conference. Weldon said he feels the providers are doing
a good job at marketing their own services. The various providers use the local
radio station, local newspaper, presentations at housing complexes, and
brochures at the chamber and other places like the Brookings Clinic. Don Boone
from the Volunteer Service Bank was asked what his group did for marketing.
He said they use brochures, the newspaper, and speaking at organizations and
service clubs.
3d. Specialized Services/Disability Issues – Cogswell, Spence, and Jones
Spence had a handout on what was available through his organization
ADVANCE. He felt the next step for the subcommittee would be to gather
information on the community’s needs and estimate the size of the
transportation problem. Weldon asked Spence about the Title 19 program and if
that funding was adequate. Spence said funding is always a battle. Forgy
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added that some of their services are not allowed to be cut. Forgy also said he
believed there was a need to add the mentally impaired in transportation
concerns. He said there is also a need for training the drivers so they can
understand and be aware of what types of behaviors are acceptable and what
types are not.
3e. City/County Funding Issues – Falken and Weldon
Weldon said the city will do funding for transportation, but he does not know the
level of funding that will be available. He added that the budgeting process will
begin soon. Falken said it will be a challenge to find out where other dollars can
come from. Weldon added that he did not see much of an overlap in the
services provided. He said there is not much duplication but maybe a gap. City
Clerk Shari Thornes added that when a subsidy had been given in the past, the
provider had reduced rates offered to senior citizens.
Item #5 – Safe routes to schools - Safe routes to schools were discussed. Robb
Rasmussen had handouts on bicycle routes and explained how commuting by bicycle
is becoming very practical. He thanked the city for forming the Transportation Board to
study the city and college transportation needs. He also provided information
available for grants from the South Dakota Department of Transportation available to
South Dakota communities interested in safe routes to schools. Weldon was very
receptive regarding the city’s involvement in the program. Park, Recreation, and
Forestry Director Allyn Frerichs said that as plans for the new school in Brookings are
being developed, bicycle routes are being considered. Rasmussen felt the Brookings
PTA, and the Brookings School Board should be contacted when/if filling out a grant
application. He said the SDDOT Safe Route Program contact is Angela Olson. Weldon
stated that filling out the grant papers would be quite a process. He suggested a
subcommittee including some members from the Transportation Committee and
others. Rasmussen suggested possibly Dave Fiedler and Amy Dunkle. Representatives
from the Park Board and the Disability Committee should also be included along with
Rasmussen and Frerichs. Rasmussen added that there are also grants available that
would cover the cost of hiring a grant writer to help with the process. Rasmussen said
he felt the first thing needed to get things going would be a letter of intent. Weldon
said he would be contacting Rasmussen for the names of contact persons. Forgy
suggested having Angela Olson meet with the specialized subcommittee or have her
at a regular meeting if the future.
(Connors/Natzel) Motion to establish a subcommittee to begin work on a limited
scope project of safe routes to schools in Brookings. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
Item #6 – Next steps for the committee – Weldon felt the committee should look again
at the original reports written by David Ripplinger. It was decided to invite him to the
next meeting which will be April 15, 2008. It was suggested to also have Angela Olson
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with the Safe Route Program. After some discussion and because of time restraints, it
was decided to ask her to attend a meeting at a later date.
Item #7 – Next meeting date – The next meeting date is April 15, 2008 at 2:00 in the City
Hall meeting room.
The meeting was adjourned.
____________________________ ____________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Jeffrey Weldon, Chairperson