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5. Advisory Board Meeting - April 3, 2020

Emergency Virtual Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of April 3, 2020

The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) Advisory Board held a special emergency meeting on Friday, April 3, 2020, at 2:00 pm, at 15 Blandin Avenue, Framingham, MA, at the call of Joe Nolan, Advisory Board Chair/Wayland. The meeting was virtutal and Advisory Board members and the public were provided access via teleconferencing (1-857-444-6400 access code: 499266401#) and on-line (join.me 499-226-401).

A roll call of members present was conducted. In attendance were: Karen Adelman-Foster/Natick, Kathleen Bartolini/Southborough, Ed Burman/Ashland – Vice Chair, Debra Galloway/Sudbury, Jack Hunter/Hudson - Clerk, Trish Pope/ Marlborough, Joseph Nolan/Wayland – Chair, Thatcher Kezer/Framingham, John K. Higley/Sherborn.

Also in attendance: Ed Carr/Administrator, Eva Willens/Deputy Administrator, Patrick Moynihan/General Counsel, Joy Glynn, Paula Doucette, Linda Murtagh, Emily VanDewoestine, Paul Spooner/MetroWest Center for Independent Living.

Not in attendance: Susan Stocker/Disabled Community, Craig Hughes/Dover, Brian Herr/Hopkinton, Larry Jacobs/Holliston, William Kingkade/Milford, Jack Morgan/Wellesley, Carole Mullen/Hopedale, Jean MacQuiddy/Weston.

Chair Joe Nolan, presiding, declared a quorum present and the meeting was called to order at 2:04 pm.

Public Questions/Comments:

A request was made by Mr. Nolan for any public comments. No public comments were presented.

Non-enforcement of Fares:

The Administrator presented the following recommendation for implementation of non-enforcement of fares due to the COVID-19 pandemic:

Commencing on Monday, April 6, 2020,and tentatively ending on Monday, May 4, 2020, for the safety of MWRTA drivers and customers, all fare boxes will be covered and fare collection for all MWRTA services will not be enforced. This Non-Enforcement of Fares Policy to be extended as deemed necessary by the Administrator, at his discretion

Board Member Comments:

Q. How will customers be notified?

A. By covering of fareboxes and posting notice on website.

Q. What will be the economic impact?

A. We are currently collecting $1800.00 per week; Typically, collection is $7000.00 per week. Fares are drastically heading downward. We anticipate recouping fare loss through the CARES act.

Q. Are you asking the board to suspend fares until 5/4/2020 or to your discretion?

A. Prefer at the Administrator’s discretion. We will be meeting later this month to approve the preliminary budget, we can discuss further then.

Q. How about fares on MWRIDE services?

A. There will also be no fares assessed on the Demand Response service.

Q. Will the CARES act refund MWRTA for fare loss?

A. Yes.

Q. How has the level of services been affected by the outbreak of the virus?

A. Demand Reponse service is down 75%. Shuttle services have been almost eliminated. Fixed Route service is down 60%. Large percentage of remaining riders are transit dependent.

Q. Has there been press releases or announcements about the cleaniness of the buses?

A. MWRTA issues press releases frequently and notifies the MetroWest Daily News. We will provide notice to the press on this policy, if adopted.

A motion was made by Ed Burman: Motion to implement the proposed Non Enforcement of Fares Policy starting April 6 and ending May 4, 2020, to be extended, as deemed necessary, at the discretion of the Administrator. Second by Jack Hunter. The vote was unanimous.

Next Meeting:

The next Advisory Board meeting will be held on April 27, 2020. Anticipated agenda items include, board approval of the new service contracts and preliminary FY21 budget.

A motion was made by Kathy Bartolini: To adjourn the meeting. Second Jack Hunter: The vote was unanimous. The meeting adjourned at 2:17 pm.

Certificate

The undersigned being the duly qualified acting clerk of the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority Advisory Board, acknowledges that the foregoing minutes accurately reflect the actions taken at a legally convened meeting of the Advisory Board held on April 3, 2020.

___________________________

Jack Hunter, Clerk

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