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Transportation Board
Brookings, South Dakota
June 21, 2011
OFFICIAL MINUTES
The Brookings Transportation Board was called to order by Chairperson
Michael Forgy on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 2:00 PM in the City Hall Meeting
Room. Members present were Art Conners, Roger DeGroot, Nancy Hartenhoff-
Crooks, Rob Jones, Dean Kattelmann, Deanna Santema, Terrell Spence, Jeff
Weldon, and Forgy. Jared Ellefson, Teresa McKnight, Jerry Raabe, and Robb
Rasmussen were absent. Also present were Mike Mulaney and Brenda
Schweitzer – BATA, and SDSU Student Senate Vice-President Anthony Sutton.
Item #2 – (Kattelmann/Spence) Motion to approve the minutes from the April 19,
2011, meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #3 – (DeGroot/Hartenhoff-Crooks) Motion to approve the agenda. All
present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
Item #4 – Transportation Provider Updates
Brenda Schweitzer reported that BATA has cut back their hours because
of the funding situation. Beginning June 1, they stopped service at 6:00
PM. She said their regular customers are scrambling to get their activities
completed by 6:00 PM. Forgy asked is there were other alternatives for the
handicapped after 6:00 PM. Schweitzer said, unfortunately, no. Schweitzer
said BATA is picking up additional rides this summer through the pre-
schools and with the SDSU day labor needs. She added that she has
visited with South Dakota Department of Transportation officials as they
are trying to figure out a plan to help because of the federal funding
shortage. Nothing is firm as of yet. Schweitzer said she and her staff have
consolidated duties in the office also. She encouraged everyone to
communicate with their congressional delegation regarding
transportation needs. Schweitzer said she has also met with Anthony
Sutton regarding transportation issues at SDSU. Weldon asked if she had
worked with Don Boone to coordinate rides to Sioux Falls. She said that
needed to be addressed. Weldon asked how often BATA went to Sioux
Falls. Schweitzer said 6 – 8 times per week usually with one passenger. She
added that her rides are usually Medicaid patients. Wel don felt the
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Volunteer Service Bank rides and the BATA rides could be coordinated in
a better way.
Item #5 – SDSU Student Association Vice-President Anthony Sutton - Sutton
said integration between city and campus is important. He mentioned some
student priorities such as the bike lanes. He said it was highly unlikely that the
Board of Regents would increase present fees for a transportation circulator
system. However, he added that the student senate is committed and willing
to work with the Transportation Board. Weldon asked Sutton what he felt the
price point was that a student would be willing to pay for a ride on campus.
Sutton felt 75¢ looked much better than $1.00 to most students. That is a
perception issue as once the cost reaches $1.00 it seems too high. He felt
including the “Blues” (blue apartments behind Wal -Mart), the Innovation
Campus, and the Student Union would be important when considering pick-
up locations. Schweitzer said there is a conference in March 2012, in Fargo,
North Dakota, that will address campus transportation. She plans to attend.
She said that for the system to work, she feels there must be a student driven
benefit. Kattelmann said as gas prices go up, there is more interest in biking
and busing. But that changes as gas prices go down. Kattelmann said the
average cost to park on campus for one day is 60¢. He wondered if students
could be convinced to use a campus bus service. Weldon felt it would be a
slow start until the idea caught on with the students. Schweitzer said making
busing available must be aggressive enough so students will use it.
Hartenhoff-Crooks said there should be an alternative to parking on the
edge of campus. Forgy asked what the initial cost would be. Schweitzer said
it costs her $50 per hour to operate one bus, and she runs from 7:00 AM to
5:00 PM. Kattelmann felt that with so many empty apartments in town, the
landlords would benefit by offering incentives to renters such as a shuttle to
SDSU. Hartenhoff-Crooks agreed. Sutton mentioned the survey in the 2007
report stating that those figures may be different now and maybe a new
survey was needed. Forgy asked if a new survey could be part of the
registration process. Kattelmann said it would be good to have one before
mid October, but it could not be done at registration. Sutton suggested
working with the Division of Student Affairs to find the target audience.
Weldon suggested targeting the commuter parkers. Schweitzer suggested
posting and then advertising that the survey is available and not target any
one group. Mulaney said there is a group of commuter faculty from out of
town that would possibly utilize a shuttle from an outlying area like the Swiftel
Center parking lot. Sutton added that there must be focus on the faculty and
staff also besides the students. Forgy asked what the next step would be for
this committee. Kattelmann said the students must be back in session. Sutton
said he will put this issue on the agenda for a webinar that student
government will have in July, but he added that there would be no tangible
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results until September when everyone returned to campus. Santema felt it
was a good idea to get the idea talked about now and get it going in the
fall. Sutton also said that the Student Senate needs a point person to work
with the Transportation Board. He said that is a challenge because of the
student turnover and the changing student schedules. Forgy asked the group
what they felt was the next step. Kattelmann said the committee needed to
wait until the fall or late September to see if the idea has any interest.
Hartenhoff-Crooks asked what a business had to do to be in the Hobo Dough
program. The same process, having a card to slide, could be used for bus
rides. Kattelmann said the business can not sell liquor. Jones asked Schweitzer
how the Safe Ride Program did during the regular school year. She said that
program provided 12,000 one way rides. She said it has built rapport with the
students and the community. The program has been well accepted.
It was decided to take the months of July and possibly August off. There
will be no meeting in July. The decision about an August meeting will not be
made until the beginning of that month to see if the subcommittee has any
more items for the Transportation Board to discuss or act on.
The meeting was adjourned.
____________________________ __________________________
Diane M. Spencer, Secretary Michael Forgy, Chairperson