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Meeting Details
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Meeting date/time:
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5/10/2023
10:00 AM
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Minutes status:
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Final
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Meeting location:
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Room 301-B, City Hall
5/5/23 AMENDED
New Item # 5 added.
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| | | | This is also a virtual meeting. Those wishing to view the proceedings are able to do so via the City Channel - Channel 25 on Spectrum Cable or on the Internet at www.milwaukee.gov/channel25 | | | |
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| | 1. | | Call to Order at 10:07 AM | | | |
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Video
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| | 2. | | Roll call and approval of previous meeting minutes. | | | |
Roll call
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Video
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| | | | Mr. Soucie moved, seconded by Ms. Brown-Martin, to approve minutes of the previous meeting of March 1, 2023; There were no objections. | | | |
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| | 3. | | Presentation by the Wisconsin Policy Forum representative (Rob Henken): "Detour Ahead - The Milwaukee County Transit System’s fiscal cliff and options to avert it"
https://wispolicyforum.org/research/detour-ahead-the-Milwaukee-county-transit-systems-fiscal-cliff-and-options-to-avert-it/
Minutes note: MCTS’ receipt of $191 million in federal pandemic relief monies has allowed it to plug severe budget holes; however, the money will run out after 2024 and huge structural problems remain.
WPF was asked by the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation to re-assess the severity of MCTS’ financial condition and consider the range of options for creating a sustainable financial path forward.
The goal was to provide policymakers and the public with an independent and reliable source of analysis that will accurately size up the problem and drive decision-making as the fiscal “cliff” for MCTS approaches in 2025; these have been fundamental structural issues that have never been address and now are exacerbated by COVID, and other fiscal limitations.
Ald. Bauman asked if Milwaukee County has the ability to cease providing a transit system.
Ms. Martin Brown said that it could be a possibility, however, is not the position that she would want MCTS to be at; currently they are proactively focusing efforts in the long-term sustainability of the services and working collectively with businesses that can help support the efforts.
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Video
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| | 4. | | Discussion of the Milwaukee County Transit System's fiscal challenges (Denise Wandke and Tom Winter) https://www.ridemcts.com/programs/savethebus
Minutes note: Appearing:
Denise Wandke - President/Interim Managing Director
Tom Winter - Department of Services Development
Christina Hoffman - Marketing and Communication Director
#Save The Bus From Major Cuts
MCTS is facing a projected $26.5 million budget crisis in 2025 for two reasons:
• The expiration of relief federal funding (ARPA) provided during COVID19
• Structural budget problems due to the long-term absence of dedicated sustainable funding
A $26.5 million cut would result in a 20% cut to bus service which could represent
nearly one half of all routes spread across the county.
Thousands of residents, especially those in disadvantaged communities, would not
be able to get to work, go shopping, or attend school.
These cuts would derail the progress MCTS has taken to make service more
attractive, i.e., the CONNECT Bus Rapid Transit line (begins June) and redesigning
the entire route network to make service more frequent / easier to understand
45% of entire routes could be eliminated (16 of 36 routes):
• Routes 11, 20, 22, 28, 31, 33, 34, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 68, 88, & 92
• These routes serve neighborhoods across the City and County:
• Brown Deer Road
• Port Wash. Road
• Hampton Avenue
• Villard Avenue
• Congress Street
#SAVE THE BUS – Potential Route Cut Scenario
• Vliet Street
• Highland Avenue
• Greenfield Avenue
• Lincoln Avenue
• Hopkins Street
• Layton Avenue
• Clement / Penn. Avenue
• 92nd Street
• 108th Street
• S. 20th Street
#SAVETHEBUS social media campaign
• Local Media Coverage / Support from Riders
• Met / meeting with stakeholders / key influencers
• State Legislators in Madison
• Local Municipalities / Letters of Support
• Business Leaders / Letters of Support
• Transit Advocates:
• Wisconsin Public Transit Association (WIPTA)
• Wisconsin Transit Riders Alliance
• MCTS Teen Advisory Committee
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| | 5. | | Discussion regarding AB 245’s impact on public transit options in Milwaukee.
Minutes note: Ald. Bauman wanted to make board members aware of the work in progress for assembly Bill 245
and highlight the impact it represents on public transport, including the street car.
Presentation given by the Budget office to Council regarding city cuts for 2025 included in file 230109 (
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Video
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| | 6. | | Presentation on Electric Vehicles Infrastructure Initiatives by the Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO Director, Erick Shambarger) https://city.milwaukee.gov/eco
(ECO Program Manager, Pamela Ritger de la Rosa) https://Milwaukee.gov/EV
Minutes note: Appearing:
Erick Shambarger & Pamela Ritger - ECO Office
Based of presentation included in File Number 230109 - addresses electric vehicles (EVs) improve local air quality with no tail-pipe emissions; this also address climate change. Vehicle electrification is being done in conjunction with transitioning to electric power sources and away from fossil fuels.
The bipartisan infrastructure bill allocates $75.5 billion to build EV charging networks. Car manufacturers are increasingly offering new elctric vehicles, particularly in regions with good EV charging infrastructure.
There is a Municipal Fleet EV purchasing Policy (adopted by file 222725) that developed and adopted a formal charging network plan for deploying an electric vehicle charging network, including municipally sited stations.
ECO first installed Public EV chargers in 2012. There were three federal grants and some debate among city staff as to whether these can be place on the public right-a-way
The Wisconsin center district is doing a feasibility study before making any decisions on covering and maintenance cost of these.
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Video
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| | 7. | | Meeting adjourned at 12:16
Joanna Polanco
Staff Assistant | | | |
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| | | | Members of the Common Council and its standing committees who are not members of this committee may attend this meeting to participate or to gather information. Notice is given that this meeting may constitute a meeting of the Common Council or any of its standing committees, although they will not take any formal action at this meeting. Times for specific agenda items are estimations. If items cannot be heard at their specified times, they will be heard as soon as practicable thereafter. | | | |
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| | | | Upon reasonable notice, efforts will be made to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities through sign language interpreters or auxiliary aids. For additional information or to request this service, contact the Council Services Division ADA Coordinator at 286-2998, (FAX)286-3456, (TDD)286-2025 or by writing to the Coordinator at Room 205, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. | | | |
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| | | | City Hall and the Zeidler Municipal Building are accessible by "The Hop" City Hall Stations, the MCTS Green Line, Gold Line, 14, 15, 19, 30, 33, and 57 bus routes. Visit https://www.ridemcts.com/ for more information.
Bike racks are available on Water Street, Market Street, and Broadway, and a Bublr Bike Share station is located on the northeast corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street.
Limited parking for persons attending meetings is available at reduced rates (5 hour limit) at the Milwaukee Center on the southwest corner of Kilbourn Avenue and Water Street. Parking tickets must be validated in the first floor Information Booth in City Hall. | | | |
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| | | | Persons engaged in lobbying as defined in s. 305-43-4 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances are required to register with the City Clerk's Office License Division. Registered lobbyists appearing before a Common Council committee are required to identify themselves as such. More information is available at http://city.milwaukee.gov/Lobbying. | | | |
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