May 15, 2024 Local Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Aug 24, 2024 | HTMMTS Meeting Minutes, Local Advisory Council

HARBOR TRANSIT MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
LOCAL ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES

1. Meeting called to order 1:18pm by Carrie Uthe, Chairperson

2. Roll Call by the Board Chair
Chrysteen Moelter-Gray
Norman Cunningham
Christina Shannon
Carrie Uthe
Angie Devries – Absent
Lisa Greenwood – Absent
Heather Phillips
Sarah Wheeler
John Phillips

Harbor Transit Staff Present:
Scott Borg
Dana Appel
Tom Burghardt
Brian Woline
Annelise Walker
Shonda Walski

3. Call to Audience – No Comments

4. General Business

a. Approval of the February 14, 2024 Meeting Minutes – motion by Norman Cunningham, Seconded by Sarah Wheeler. Motion passes.

b. Discussion, Passing Credit Card Fees to Riders – Dana Appel shared information regarding Harbor Transit passing credit card fees onto riders starting October 1, 2024. Harbor Transit will start a campaign in June to educate riders. Brian Woline shared that bundles are now available for purchase to help decrease credit card fees being passed on.
• Carrie Uthe – expressed concern about low-income riders being able to afford the fees. She also suggested demonstrating that Harbor Transit fares are still very low comparably, even with passing along the credit card fee.
• John Phillips – questioned if different credit card company’s offer lower fees for passengers. Phillips expressed the importance of notifying riders in advance.
• Christina Shannon – questioned how much the fees are going to be and expressed the importance of instructing riders on how to avoid these fees.
• Sarah Wheeler – mentioned that other area transit agencies have much higher rates and she understands the fees are needed.
• Norman Cunningham – expressed he was ok with the fees.
• Chrysteen Moelter-Gray – understands the need for the fees as she sees this with some of her work vendors.
• Heather Phillips – mentioned she purchases the monthly pass to avoid these fees.
c. Discussion/Action, LAC Candidates Rebecca Hopp and Kim Sibilsky
Members and Harbor Transit staff review resumes for both candidates. There is a need for a member that is appointed by Four Pointes, as well as a member to represent Ferrysburg.

• Norman Cunningham – Believes both candidates seem highly qualified
• Carrie Uthe – Agreed that both are qualified.
• John Phillips – Agreed that both are qualified.
• Christina Shannon – Agreed that both are qualified.
• Sarah Wheeler – Agreed that both are qualified.
• Chrysteen Moelter-Gray – Agreed that both are qualified.
• Heather Phillips – Agreed that both are qualified.

Christina Shannon motioned to approve Rebecca Hopp for the vacant Ferrysburg position on the LAC, Sarah Wheeler seconded. Motion passed.

Sarah Wheeler motioned to approve Kim Sibilsky to the LAC as a representative of the City of Grand Haven and possibly a representative of Four Points Center for Successful Aging, if Kim agrees to become a member of the organization. Chrysteen Moelter-Gray seconded. Motion passed.

d. Carrie Uthe brought up a letter of support written to Pete Buttigieg and
asked the LAC to sign off on future letters to government officials.
• Carrie Uthe motioned to add the general support of the LAC committee to future Letters of Support written to government officials. Norm Cunningham seconded. Motion passed

5. Reports

a. Operations Report – Tom Burghardt
• Burghardt shared that last week’s number of rides was the highest Harbor Transit has seen since implementing Via software in November. Attributed increase in rides to more app downloads and usage, and increase in drivers in the afternoon. Burghardt noted the addition of the Trinity at the Lakes stop to the Ridership by Municipality report. Burghardt also noted that the number of no-shows is decreasing steadily.
• Cunningham asks if riders who are no-showing are being charged a fee for no-shows. Burghardt explained our current system of dealing with no-show riders. Appel explains that riders can be suspended for no-shows, but they cannot be charged for no-shows due to potential extenuating circumstances.

b. Marketing Report
• Walker shared information about the new trolley tracking tool that will be introduced this summer.

c. Finance Report
• Appel shared that grant funding will cover the cost of the NEPA services. Reviewed the construction budget items with the committee.
• Borg shared how Harbor Transit has been working hard to reduce costs in light of the new operations center expenses. Uthe suggests fundraising for some of the items in the construction budget. Cunningham recommends approaching the Grand Haven Community Foundation.

d. Transportation Directors Report
• Borg shared Harbor Transits efforts to gain the support of area politicians for our new operations center and to receive grant funding. Borg shared how we are continuing to educate parents with students on best practices for using Harbor Transit for school rides. Borg walked the committee through the building plans. He also mentioned the acquisition of the Highway Improvement Funding for Harbor Transit, as the Spring Lake Dept. of public works had no need for it.
• Cunningham commented on the long timeline of the NEPA study. Cunningham asked about potential contaminants and if it would put the future of the project at risk. Borg replied that the soil borings have been processed and showed no findings of contaminants. The main concern about the property is the wetness but Harbor Transit can work around that.

e. Board Members’ Comments
• Uthe requests that from now on, members are listed on the agenda with their respective areas that they represent and their term year.

6. Meeting adjourned at 2:40pm.

Next regularly scheduled Harbor Transit Local Advisory Council meeting will be held on August 14, 2024, at 1:15 PM, at Central Park Place.

February 14, 2024 Local Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

Mar 29, 2024 | HTMMTS Meeting Minutes, Local Advisory Council

Harbor Transit Multi-Modal Transportation System Local Advisory Council Meeting Minutes

February 14, 2024 at 1:15 P.M., Central Park Place

1. Meeting called to order 1:21pm by Carrie Uthe, Chair Person
2. Roll Call: Carrie Uthe, Christeen Moulter Gray, Christina Shannon, John Phillips, Heather Phillips, Lisa Greenwood, Norm Cunningham

Angie Devries – Absent
Sarah Wheeler – Absent
Harbor Transit Staff Present: Matt Guinn, Tom Burghardt, Andrea Dumbrell, Annelise Walker, Scott Borg
3. Call to Audience
 Heather Phillips comment: Angie Devries likes the new app but was left by her bus due to walking slowly on the ice.
 Burghardt has been pleased with how well the passengers are transitioning to the new software and app. Borg and Uthe echoed the sentiment.
 Shannon shared that the Four Pointes group has done very well with the changes.
4. General Business
 Approval of the November 18, 2023 minutes – motion Christina Shannon,
Seconded by John Phillips. Motion passes. 5. Reports:
A. Operations Update – Tom Burghardt.
 5 of 8 new buses have arrived. Improved single position bike rack. All new
buses are propane fueled.
B. Marketing Report – Annelise Walker
C. Finance Report – Scott Borg
 Mentions percentage of fees that Harbor Transit currently takes on from Stripe program for fare collection.
 Norm Cunningham comment – It seems like a very long process to get the environmental study done. Borg shares that the next step in the study is processing boring samples.
D. Transportation Director’s Report – Scott Borg
 Ridership numbers dipped slightly during the first few weeks of fare collection, but have returned to normal levels.
 NEPA study for new facility currently underway.
 5 of 8 new buses have been received. Uthe asked if old buses will be kept – old buses will be put up for auction.
6. Board Member Comments:
Uthe – Harbor Transit was approved to be put on the Spring Lake Township ballot for the next referendum at the last Board Meeting.
Burghardt – LAC is still seeking a representative for Ferrysburg.
Borg – Expressed appreciation for LAC members and their contribution.
7. Meeting adjourned at 1:54pm. Next meeting is on May 15th, 2024.