Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners public meetings in 2020

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will meet to discuss the 2021 budget and CEO performance. The board will also consider several contract extensions and authorizations for vehicle leases and fuel products.

• Adoption of the CATS 2021 budget
• Authorization to lease three 30-foot electric buses
• Authorization to execute contracts for oil and oil related products
• Extension of security services contract with Weiser Security
• Extension of claims adjuster services contract with Brown Claims Management Group LLC

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will hold a special virtual meeting to consider authorizing approval of a health insurance contract for 2021. The meeting is conducted electronically due to COVID-19, with written public comments accepted via email.

• Consideration of authorization to approve health insurance contract for 2021

The Board of Commissioners voted to renew the current health insurance plan with United Healthcare for 2021. This decision follows a recommendation to avoid violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement, as the union had not approved a switch to Blue Cross Blue Shield.

• Approved renewal of current healthcare plan with United Healthcare (8-1)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will meet to consider several action items, including purchasing three BYD electric buses and executing a transit agreement with City-Parish. The board will also review contracts regarding health insurance, paratransit services, and employment labor services.

• Authorization to purchase three BYD electric buses
• Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with City-Parish for Plank-Nicholson Bus Rapid Transit Corridor
• Approval of 2021 health insurance contract
• Amendment of paratransit services contract with MV Transportation
• Amendment of employment and labor services contract with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP

The Board authorized the purchase of three electric buses and a cooperative agreement for the Plank-Nicholson BRT Corridor. A proposed health insurance contract and a paratransit rate amendment were not approved. The Board also amended a legal services contract for employment and labor matters.

• Approved purchase of three BYD electric buses not to exceed $2,296,245 (Unanimous)
• Approved Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with City-Parish for Plank-Nicholson BRT Corridor (Passed; Mr. Lambert abstained)
• Tabled 2021 health insurance contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield following union objections
• Denied rate increase for MV Transportation paratransit services (Failed for lack of motion)
• Approved amendment to employment and labor services contract with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP not to exceed $125,000 (Unanimous)
• Approved minutes of October 20, 2020 meeting (Unanimous)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will hold a regular meeting to consider several action items, including amendments to paratransit and legal services contracts, and a task order for rider surveys. Several committee meetings were not held. The board will also vote on approving prior meeting minutes and an absence.

• Consider amendment to paratransit services contract with MV Transportation
• Consider authorization to amend legal services contract with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, LLP
• Consider authorization to execute task order for rider and stakeholder surveys with HNTB
• Consider authorization to approve absences of Commissioner Kahli Cohran

The Board authorized a task order for rider and stakeholder surveys and approved the absences of Commissioner Kahli Cohran. Requests to amend contracts for paratransit services and legal labor services were deferred for further review.

• Approved task order for rider and stakeholder surveys with HNTB not to exceed $78,104 (Passed with one abstention)
• Approved absences of Kahli Cohran for August 18 and September 22, 2020 (Unanimous)
• Approved minutes of September 22, 2020 meeting (Unanimous)
• Deferred amendment to paratransit services contract with MV Transportation
• Deferred amendment to employment and labor services contract with Breazeale, Sachse, & Wilson, LLP

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval, then consider adopting adjusted rates. The regular meeting will follow, with action items including purchasing vehicles, renewing contracts, settling two lawsuits, and adopting the increased tax millage rates of 10.600 mills for Baton Rouge and Baker.

• Public hearing on levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval
• Consider adopting increased ad valorem tax millage rate of 10.600 mills for Baton Rouge and Baker (roll forward)
• Authorization to purchase five support vehicles from state contract
• Authorization to renew graphic design services contract with Rockit Science Agency, Inc.
• Authorization to settle claims of Michael Rhines and Donnie Carey under settlement and judgement payment policy

The Board voted against a 'roll forward' to increase property tax millage rates to 10.600 mills, opting instead to maintain adjusted rates. The Board also approved several vehicle and service contracts and settled two legal claims.

• Adopted adjusted 2020 millage rates of 10.060 mills for Baton Rouge and 9.600 mills for Baker (7-0)
• Denied increase of millage rates to 10.600 mills (Roll Forward) (0-7)
• Approved purchase of five Chevrolet Traverse support vehicles not to exceed $124,832.00 (unanimous)
• Approved renewal of graphic design contract with Rockit Science Agency, Inc. not to exceed $160,000.00 (unanimous)
• Approved technical services contract with Hitachi for AIM grant (unanimous)
• Approved renewal of automobile physical damage coverage not to exceed $74,900.00 (unanimous)
• Approved settlement of Michael Rhines claims for $55,000.00 plus court costs (unanimous)
• Approved settlement of Donnie Carey claims for $20,000.00 plus court costs (unanimous)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board will meet virtually on August 18, 2020, due to the COVID-19 emergency. Action items include amending the settlement payment policy, renewing a tire lease with Bridgestone, and extending a Pierlott & Associates contract. The meeting is procedural with public comment accepted via email.

• Consideration of authorization to amend the settlement and judgment payment policy to increase the balance threshold for payments in full and to increase the contribution to the fund for 2020
• Consideration of authorization to renew tire lease contract with Bridgestone America Tires
• Consideration of authorization to extend period for compliance contract with Pierlott & Associates, LLC until March 31, 2021

The Board approved amending the settlement and judgment payment policy to increase the full-payment threshold and quarterly funding. Additionally, the Board authorized a tire lease renewal and a contract extension for compliance support.

• Increased settlement payment threshold from $2,000 to $5,000 (Unanimous)
• Increased Q3 2020 settlement fund budget by $75,000 (Unanimous)
• Renewed tire lease contract with Bridgestone America Tires not to exceed $200,000 (Unanimous)
• Extended compliance contract with Pierlott & Associates, LLC to March 31, 2021, at no additional cost (Unanimous)
• Approved July 21, 2020 meeting minutes (Unanimous)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board will consider authorizing four contracts: renewing website redesign and hosting with Covalent Logic, executing a task order for Atlas Technical Consultants for program management, executing a task order for HNTB Corporation for a Transit Development Plan, and executing a task order for The Goodman Corporation for microtransit implementation. The meeting also includes approval of minutes from June 23, 2020, and committee reports.

The Board authorized several task orders for program management, transit development planning, and microtransit implementation. The Board also approved a contract renewal for website hosting and redesign services.

• Approved website redesign and hosting contract with Covalent Logic not to exceed $16,000 (Unanimous)
• Approved task order with Atlas Technical Consultants for program management not to exceed $354,770 (Passed with one abstention)
• Approved task order with HNTB Corporation for transit development plan services not to exceed $350,000 (Passed with one abstention)
• Approved task order with The Goodman Corporation for microtransit implementation not to exceed $160,000 (Passed with one abstention)
• Approved minutes of June 23, 2020 meeting (Unanimous)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will consider adopting a Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan and authorizing several contract extensions and purchases. The board will also consider settling two lawsuits from Dawn Altazan and Linda Clayton. Committee reports and public comment are also on the agenda.

• Consideration of adoption of Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
• Consideration of authorization to purchase power backup generators
• Consideration of authorization to purchase two BYD electric charging stations
• Consideration of authorization to settle claims of Dawn Altazan (Suit No. 681,503)
• Consideration of authorization to settle claims of Linda Clayton (Suit No. 665,144)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The CATS Board of Commissioners approved several contract extensions and new purchases for agency operations, including safety barriers and backup generators. The board also authorized two legal settlements totaling $73,500. Additionally, the agency adopted a five-year Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan.

• Ratified extension of Brown Claims Management Group contract through Dec 31, 2020
• Ratified extension of IHSN drug and alcohol testing services through Dec 31, 2020
• Amended Arthur N. Gaudet & Associates contract through Feb 1, 2021, not to exceed $125,000
• Authorized purchase of two backup generators not to exceed $170,000
• Adopted Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan
• Awarded ERP implementation contract to Intueor Consulting, Inc. not to exceed $147,500
• Authorized purchase of 28 Gillig bus operator protection barriers not to exceed $137,400
• Authorized purchase of 21 ADA/paratransit van protection barriers not to exceed $25,560

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will meet to nominate and elect officers, approve previous minutes, and hear committee reports. Action items include authorizing a bank signatory change and approving a fuel dispensing services contract with Mansfield Oil. A pre-audit comment from Postlethwaite & Netterville will also be presented.

• Nomination and election of board officers
• Authorization to add Pearlina Thomas as signatory and remove Charles Odimgbe from Whitney/Hancock Bank accounts
• Approval of automated fuel dispensing services contract with Mansfield Oil (formerly FuelTrac)
• Postlethwaite & Netterville pre-audit comments

The Board elected its 2020 slate of officers and approved a one-year renewal of the automated fuel dispensing services contract with Mansfield Oil. The Board also authorized a change in bank account signatories. Staff reported the opening of the Phase One Cortana-Walmart Transit Center.

• Elected 2020 officers: Mark Bellue (President), Erika Green (Vice-President), Kahli Cohran (Treasurer), and Antoinette Pierre (Secretary)
• Approved minutes of January 21, 2020 meeting (unanimous)
• Authorized adding Pearlina Thomas and removing Charles Odimgbe as signatories for Whitney/Hancock Bank accounts (unanimous)
• Approved one-year renewal of automated fuel dispensing services contract with Mansfield Oil from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 (unanimous)

Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners

The Capital Area Transit System Board of Commissioners will review executive and financial reports and several action items. Proposed actions include purchasing replacement ADA vans and amending existing contracts for the Cortana Transit Center.

• Purchase of four replacement ADA vans
• Amendment to Cortana Transit Center architectural & engineering design services contract with Monroe & Corie
• Amendment to Cortana Transit Center construction contract with Kelly Construction
• Renewal of security services contract with Weiser Security
• Renewal of property and general liability insurance with Stone Insurance

The Board authorized the purchase of four ADA paratransit vans and approved several contract amendments for the Cortana Transit Center. Additionally, the Board renewed security and insurance service contracts.

• Approved purchase of four ADA paratransit vans for $260,124.52 (Unanimous)
• Approved $6,400 contract amendment for Monroe & Corie architectural services at Cortana Transit Center (Unanimous)
• Approved $16,411.05 contract amendment for Kelly Construction at Cortana Transit Center (Unanimous)
• Approved one-year security services contract renewal with Weiser Security for $236,841.36 (Unanimous)
• Approved one-year insurance renewal with Stone Insurance for $54,507.06 (Unanimous)
• Approved minutes of December 17, 2019 meeting (Unanimous)