MINUTES

 

 

Greater Waterbury Transit District

Thursday, March 11, 2004

10:30 A.M.

The Village at East Farms

180 Scott Road

Waterbury, CT 06705

 

 

Present: Robert DeZinno, Cheshire; Doreen Pulisciano, Vice Chairman, Cheshire; JoAnn Cappelletti, Middlebury; Sally Schilke, Naugatuck; Carolyn Giguere, Treasurer, Thomaston; Ann LaPorta, Waterbury; Yvonne Denise Smith-Isaac, M.D., Chairman, Waterbury; Richard Fusco, Secretary.  COGNCV Staff: Alan Hachey, Senior Planner.  NET Staff: Barbara Kolasky; Maria Vaccarrelli.

 

 

1.       Roll Call, Introduction, Public Participation

 

Chairman Yvonne Smith-Isaac opened the meeting at 10:45 a.m., called roll and introduced others.  There was a quorum by municipalities and by voting units.  There were no public comments.

 

2.       Administrative Items

 

a.       Minutes of January 8, 2004: On a motion by Richard Fusco, seconded by Ann LaPorta it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To approve the minutes of the January 8, 2004 meeting.

 

b.       Financial Report: Treasurer Carolyn Giguere report on the expenses for the month of February totaling to $1,182.36.  The budget percentage spent is 77.84%. In response to Sally Schilke question, Smith stated that the new computer was brought and delivered.  On motion by Richard Fusco, seconded by JoAnn Cappelletti it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To accept the Financial Report for January and February 2004.

 

c.       Ridership and Service Report: See chart below.

 

 

January

February

Operating Days

26 21/5

24 20/4

# of ADA Ridership

4194

4194

# of CDOT Ridership

1879

1962

# of Escorts

1

4

# of PCAs

86

84

ADA%

69.06

68.13

CDOT%

30.94

31.87

Denied Trips

14

9

Late Cancellations

1

5

No Shows

95

76

Missed Trips

2

0

 

Barbara Kolasky stated that there were no problems with Ridership.

d.       Correspondence:

COGCNV Agenda sent to us.

 

3.       GWTD Report

 

  • Letter to support the reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act (TEA) for the 21st Century was send during Transportation Action Week in February. Letters were faxed to Senators Dodd and Lieberman; Representative Johnson.
  • The US Congress vote to extend the existing TEA until April 30, 2004.
  • Governor Rowland is proposing to change the Transportation Budget by moving 95%-98% of the Dial-A-Ride funding to the Handicap Access Program (ADA Paratransit) and to increase the fixed route bus system fare to $1.25 on July 1, 2004 instead of January 1, 2005.
  •  The Greater Waterbury Area Non-ADA Paratransit funding comes from Bus operation budget and not from Dial-A-Ride Budget.
  • ADA federally mandated paratransit is not funded adequately by the state. Over the last two years 60% and then 80% of the Dial-A-Ride funding has been transferred to the Handicap Access Program.  The appropriation for Dial-A-Ride is $2.5 million since 1999 after the US Congress decreased funding to urban areas.
  • Letters will be sent to State Legislators to adequately fund ADA Paratransit.
  • The Internal Revenue Service has removed GWTD penalty of $50,000.
  • The new computer was brought for $1020.00 from Gateway.
  • CuteFTP for the transferring of files to the website had to be upgrade for Microsoft XP operating system. The upgraded software cost $14.99 and works perfectly.
  • The scanner is not compatible with XP even with the new upgrade software CD that was sent for $9.99. The company has given as a coupon for15% off of any imaging machine over $99.99 until April 2004.

The Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (COGCNV) had monies left over from the Elderly and Disabled Program grant. With the approval of Michael Sanders of ConnDOT, this money was given to GWTD for the purchase of a 4-in-1 machine, a capital item. The amount of the check is $394.07.

On a motion by Carolyn Giguere, seconded by Richard Fusco it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To accept the $394.07 from the Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley.

 

On a motion by Richard Fusco, seconded by Carolyn Giguere it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To authorize the Chairman to appropriate the $394.07 to buy a Hewlett-Packard 4-in-1 machine.

 

On a motion by Richard Fusco, seconded by Ann LaPorta it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To authorize the Chairman to buy a three year extended warranty for the HP 4 in 1 machine

 

  • An L-shape computer table was brought for $99.95 (original price is $129.99). This expense was place in miscellaneous line.  Richard Fusco assembled the table.
  • The 2003 Government Census was done by the internet.
  • A Wisconsin Paratransit called for data on our ADA Paratransit no shows.
  • UCLA at Berkeley called about our experience with coordinated transportation.
  • Website had 4958 hits.
  • The Bonanza Bus Company website does not have the Torrington to New York via Waterbury on it. You need to call for this information.

§         MetroPool grant for publishing the Accessible Transportation Guide for the disable and the elderly how to use the fixed route bus system has recently been approved by ConnDOT. Barbara Kolasky added that on March 25, 2004, MetroPool will take photographs of the CTTransit vehicles at North East Transportation Office and at the Exchange Place.

  • There are still vacancies on the board from Waterbury and Naugatuck. Will place a notice of these vacancies on the GWTD website.
  • Sheena Maynard sent a letter of resignation. On a motion by Carolyn Giguere, seconded by Ann LaPorta it was unanimously

 

VOTED:   To accept the resignation letter from Sheena Maynard.

 

  • Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (COGNCV) Annual Report for 2002-2003 is available.
  • FTA is interested in coordinated transportation. They have started a program called ‘United We Ride’. This would include the DOT, DHHS, Dept. of Labor and the Board of Education. In the springtime states that are interested in this program can apply for portion of the $1 million grant allocated for the program. ConnDOT plans to apply. The grant is for planning only.

MEETING

  • CACT Legislative Breakfast- February 19, 2004. Handout of meeting in your package.  The Kennedy Center showed a video of the benefits of travel training. Ann LaPorta and Chairman Smith-Isaac attended.
  • Grant Writing Workshop-March 3, 2004. Fee was $25.00. On a motion by Carolyn Giguere, seconded by Richard Fusco it was unanimously

 

VOTED:   To approve the payment of $25.00 fee for the Grant Writing Workshop.

 

4.       Non-ADA Ridership Report

 

The Non-ADA Ridership data for January 2004 was reviewed. On February 27, 2004, North East Transportation computer server crashed and the data for each municipality is unavailable. 

 

5.       North East Transportation Report

 

Barbara Kalosky stated that the computer server did crash on February 27, 2004. Now there are two work stations up and running. NET did not have any problems with providing paratransit service.  They are having problems with the reporting which is why there the February Non-ADA Ridership Report is unavailable. Hopefully she will have the information next month. North East Transportation is in the process of purchasing a stand alone computer that would temporary act like a server. Kalosky explained how NET plans to solve this problem and that it would take up to six months. NET needs to replace their software, hardware, networking and server. For now Six days of standing orders and six days of trip schedule have been printed out in advance and updated daily  for manually use in case the records become inaccessible. Six new paratransit vehicles will arrive in sixty days. The Kennedy Center did the Sensitivity and Securement Training classes for management staff. This staff will train the drivers and receptionists throughout the year. Smith-Isaac who was paying for the new needed equipment and Kalosky stated the Connecticut Department of Transportation will pay for the equipment.

 

6.       Old Business

 

None.

 

7.       New Business

 

None.

 

8.       Next Meeting

 

April 8, 2004, 10:30 a.m., at the Village at East Farms.

 

9.       Adjournment

 

On a motion by Doreen Pulisciano, seconded by Richard Fusco it was unanimously

 

VOTED:         To adjourn the GWTD Board of Directors meeting at 11:48 a.m.

 

 

Submitted by

Yvonne Denise Smith-Isaac, M.D.

Chairman

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