Regular HTMMTS Board Meeting Minutes
September 24, 2025
Grand Haven City Hall
Meeting called to order by President Craig Bessinger at 4:30 PM.
1) Roll Call
Present: Craig Bessinger, Cathy Pavick, Ashley Latsch, Kevin McLaughlin, Will Whittemore, Gordon Gallagher, Joel TePastte, Brady Selner
Absent: Bill Cate, Deanna McIntyre, Bill Cargo
Also Present: Finance/Asst Dir Appel, Exec Dir Borg, Ops Supervisor Burghardt, HR Dir Dumbrell, Marketing Specialist Walker, Acct Supervisor Woline
2) Approval of Agenda
Motion by Gallagher, second by TePastte to approve Agenda as presented. Motion carries.
3) General Business/Call to Audience
None.
4) Consideration for Approval of Consent Agenda
a) Approval of the July 16, 2025, Regular Meeting Board Minutes
b) Approval of the Bills Memo in the amount of $1,091,776.07
c) Receipt of the Financial Statements
d) Approval of FY2025 Final Amended Budget
e) Review FY2025/2026 Budget Pre-Implementation:
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Budget
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Capital Projects
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COLA–Wage Scale
f) Approve 2025–2026 HTMMTS Board Meeting Dates
Motion by Gallagher, second by Whittemore to approve the Consent Agenda as presented. Motion carries.
5) New Business
a) Approve MERS Defined Contribution Plan Adoption Agreement and Addendum
Dumbrell reviewed and discussed the MERS DC Plan Adoption Agreement and Addendum.
Motion by TePastte, second by Whittemore to approve. Motion carries.
b) Review of Executive Director’s Performance Appraisal
Gallagher mentioned the progress and improvements under Borg’s leadership. Pavick and TePastte also commended Borg.
c) Elect HTMMTS Board Officers
Nominations opened by Bessinger.
Nomination by Gallagher:
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President: Ashley Latsch
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Vice President: Brady Selner
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Gallagher to remain as Treasurer
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Cate to remain as Secretary
Support by TePastte. Motion carries.
6) Reports and Correspondence
a) Marketing Update – Annelise Walker
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Coast Guard Festival social media insights
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Comcast Advertising campaign overview
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Community Engagement activities:
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Harbor Transit’s 50th Anniversary Party
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Local school visits
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Grand Haven High School Boomerang Career Fair
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b) Operations Update – Scott Borg
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Overview of Operational Statistics and Ridership
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Trinity at the Lakes transfer point continues to grow
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Gallagher asked about additional service near the new Costco; Borg noted cooperation with Muskegon Area Transit would be needed
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Deviated Fixed Route ridership discussed; decrease attributed partly to hour changes
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Safety: No reportable crashes, injuries, or road calls
c) Executive Director’s Update
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Triennial Review results:
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No repeat deficiencies
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Technical Capacity: Missing documentation on delayed bus order; corrective action taken
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Procurement: Missing Federal Clauses; corrective action taken
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Coast Guard Festival Ridership: Increased, more efficient
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50th Anniversary Celebration
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Operations Center Project Update:
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Design Development estimate under budget
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Construction Documents expected mid-November 2025
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Project bidding expected late November 2025
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Vehicle Propulsion Change:
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FTA approval received September 5, 2025
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Department of Labor approval expected November 1, 2025
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7) Board Members’ Comments
a) Pavick asked about State funding impacts; Appel noted potential shortages and options such as using more Federal funds and reducing vehicle replacement frequency. Borg mentioned likely difficult decisions ahead.
b) McLaughlin stated this was his last meeting due to his Council term ending. Borg thanked him for his service.
c) No other comments.
8) Meeting Adjourned
Adjourned at 5:04 PM.
9) Next Scheduled Meeting
November 19, 2025 at 4:30 PM
City of Grand Haven
519 Washington Avenue
Grand Haven, MI 49417