Meeting Reviews
2005
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
14 December 2005
Today’s meeting was a lively event that addressed a number of concerns. Prominent among them is the forthcoming Envision Coastal Alabama mini-summit, which will be held on 23 March, starring Bill Millar, President of the American Public Transportation Association. More will be out on this shortly after the first of the year. Place the event in your date book or PDA now, so that you don’t let other concerns get in the way. You will be deeply chagrined if you miss it. This summit will be held in Robertsdale at the Baldwin Central Annex. Our PTC is responsible for setting up a county tour on 22 March for Mr. Millar and selected others. This trip will be chaired by the new BRATS Director, Taylor Rider. It will terminate in Gulf Shores at the reception for Mr. Millar, which will take place at the new facility of Meyer Realty. PTC is also responsible for hosting the reception, Our VP, Grant Brown, will chair that effort. The summit will consider the need for a regional transit authority, what it might look like, and how it might be formed. A follow-on conference of county, municipal, and state officials will be held in July to discuss specific enabling legislative action.
Our financial development plan, chaired by Joe Savage, is aimed at three principle goals:
Coalition staff and infrastructure funding, Research and needs analysis, and Education, information, and public relations Darrelyn Bender and Rosie Sanford are preparing a job description for our future executive director. Their deadline is 1 February, and the Board will vote on their proposal at the meeting on 8 February. Our goal is to raise the funds and fill the position no later than Memorial Day. PTC is growing up, and permanent staff has become essential.
Bob Higgins, with cooperation from our South Baldwin Transit Committee, chaired by Carolyn Doughty, is putting together our initiating effort for a new county transit needs analysis. He presented a proposal received from an interested contractor. Our plan is to raise some of the funding and to encourage other interested organizations and offices to join in the effort. We have to move smartly with this to stay ahead of current developments that are creating a burgeoning demand for public transportation services.
Nathan Jurgens is masterminding a broad plan for public education targeted at a variety of specific interest populations. Part of this effort is development of our web site, which is undergoing a major facelift with the help of David Rice and Gulf Network. Look for more news about this soon.
PTC is keeping public transit development on the front burner. Be at the next Board meeting to see what’s cooking. It will be held at the Baldwin Central Annex in Robertsdale on Wednesday, 11 January 2006, at 2:00 pm. Non-members are always welcome. Y’all come!
Best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a most happy year to come, Stan
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
14 September 2005
It was a long and arduous meeting at which, in diplomatic parlance, there was a full, lively, and candid exchange of views. Donna Watts admonished that we needed to get serious about recruiting new membership, especially in the business community, and that we clearly had to raise dues significantly. It is essential for us to create the financial capability to hire and retain an Executive Director if we ever hope to accomplish anything. Bob Higgins suggested a change in format for Board Meetings to minimize time on reports and to set a specific project for directors to work through and accomplish in each instance. Both expressed a sense of urgency. The county population is growing much faster than the supporting infrastructure. In the next several years a $5 billion business investment will create 22,000 new jobs in hospitality and retail services alone—more jobs than can be filled by all the unemployed of Lower Alabama and Pensacola. The issues for the business community are:
Where will these workers come from?
How and where will they and their families be housed?
How will they get back and forth to work on roads that already are at capacity?
Transit development is key to the success of planned business development. Without transit, the county economy could actually implode. The PTC has a leadership responsibility to educate the public and provoke commercial and governmental action to make transit development come about. We must put more energy into this effort.
In other actions:
Board Member Joe Savage accepted appointment as Director (Finance), meaning that he will superintend our general fund raising.
Dr. Bob Zeanah presented his credentials as a Certified Fund Raising Executive. We agreed to form a small committee to meet further with him on initiating grant applications. That meeting will occur on 29 September at the office of the South Baldwin Chamber.
Four firms that we have relied upon for pro bono services were voted continuing membership at the Gold Business level.
On 27 September, representing Envision and the PTC, I will attend the first meeting in Montgomery of the Statewide Transit Summit Steering Committee.
Bob Higgins described discussions between the South Baldwin Transit Committee and potential needs analysis contractors. A decision to move forward on this matter is impending.
Bob Higgins has identified sources of hurricane relief funding to PTC. We will pass through these funds to Catholic Social Services for the purpose of easing transportation difficulties for hurricane refugees. Anyone also wishing to participate in this effort may do so by contacting our Treasurer, Darrelyn Bender, at (251) 621-8222.
We welcomed Taylor Rider, who has been selected to succeed Rosie Sanford as Director of BRATS. Taylor will investigate the possibility of using a BRATS vehicle to transport Baldwin County participants to the Transit Mini-Summit on 26 October. More on this later.
As soon as it can be arranged, our Director (Membership Development) and I will meet with the CEOs of the five Baldwin County chambers to discuss the best means of conducting a business membership recruiting blitz.
Be there for the annual meeting. It will be the kickoff to an exciting year.Happy trails, Stan
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
10 August 2005
And what a lively meeting it was! Being shoulder-to-shoulder in a small conference room gave us cheerful camaraderie. Our first order of business, it gives me great pleasure to announce, was election to the Board of the distinguished Donna Givens, Director of Legislative & Governmental Affairs, Baldwin EMC. Following that, we discussed the forthcoming annual meeting, 12 October, at which we will elect full-term Board Members for 2005-2007 and officers for 2005-2006. If you want your name in contention or wish to nominate someone to the Board, please advise VP Grant Brown or me no later than the 14 September meeting. Any mature teen or adult is eligible; PTC membership is expected.
Bob Higgins reported that negotiations are nearly complete to move the office of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA). This move will create office space and staff assistance for both Smart Coast and the PTC. Full details will be available at the September meeting. Nathan Jurgens discussed development of our public relations and education program. He also stated that Gulf Network is in process of taking over our web site. This firm, which produces the web site for the AL Gulf Coast Chamber, has generously offered this service pro bono. Changes should become apparent in the near future. Carolyn (“Landslide”) Doughty showed her stuff again by winning a $1 million federal grant for bus service in Gulf Shores. As Chair of our South Baldwin Transit Committee, she is moving smartly toward creation of a transportation master plan for South Baldwin. The committee recently had discussions with the contractor that is to prepare the transit master plan for Mobile.
Darrelyn Bender presented the rough draft of a PTC Policy and Procedures Manual. We’ll discuss it again in September and vote on it in October. She also says we are solvent, but not rich. For administrative reasons dues notices were late this past year, but they will be sent out soon for fiscal year 2006, which begins this first of October. There was strong sentiment expressed for a significant dues increase. Such an action has to be balanced against the need to recruit more individual members. Do we want smaller numbers paying higher dues, or larger numbers attracted by lower dues? What is optimum? This question is vital. Our coalition needs revenue to perform its mission. It needs broad membership to disseminate its message. What is your view? Speak up.
We have a job opening for a volunteer Director of Finance. Such a person would oversee our fund-raising efforts. Michele Rumpf at SARPC has provided us with information on potential grant givers; Tom Livers at the Community Foundation has provided a list of free-lance grant application writers. What we need is someone within PTC to supervise the process. Administrative, not technical effort is called for. This is a key position, as fund raising is what puts the gas in our tank. If this responsibility appeals to you, please call me.
Rosie Sanford’s replacement at BRATS has been selected by the County Commission. He is Taylor Rider, CFO of Gulf Packaging in Bay Minette. Mr. Rider reports on 22 August and will understudy Rosie until her departure on 31 December. We look forward to a close working relationship with Mr. Rider, and will give him every possible support.
NEXT MEETING:
14 September, 2:00 pm, County Central Annex, Robertsdale. Put it on your calendar NOW. Happy trails! Stan
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
13 July 2005
Despite recently unfavorable weather and other restraints, we had a fine meeting. It was preceded by a meeting of the Envision Coastal Alabama Transit Task Force, where Bob Williams reported that the Wave Transit System in Mobile, since adopting its new name, has shown a 15% increase in ridership. He is developing a short video to describe the changes and growth at the Wave. We will hope to have that available sometime soon to assure those traveling by public means from Baldwin County that they will be able to continue by transit to a wide range of Mobile destinations. An excellent consulting contractor, Data Transfer Solutions, has been selected to create the Mobile Transit Development Plan. The Envision task force is planning mini-conferences this fall and next spring to keep up the momentum generated by our February transit summit. It also plans steps toward organizing an eventual statewide transit advocacy organization.
The PTC, meanwhile, has had to good fortune to elect two fine individuals to our Board of Directors. Wendy Allen, former County Commissioner and current Executive Director of Smart Coast, will develop our program for interaction with government. Bob Higgins, Vice President of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance (BCEDA), who has been working alongside us in numerous capacities, will bring great wisdom and knowledge to our Board deliberations. BCEDA is moving forward on obtaining its new office site. When this opens, probably in the fall, it will also provide a permanent home for Smart Coast and the PTC, as well as a Baldwin office for Envision.
Our South Baldwin Transit Committee, under the enthusiastic leadership of Carolyn Doughty, Gulf Shores’ Mayor Pro Tem, is forging ahead with its endeavor to develop a scope of work and request for proposals on developing a transportation master plan for the tri-city area of Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, and Foley. This is a major effort aimed at meeting the traffic and transit demands of burgeoning development in that district. Nathan Jurgens is putting the finishing touches on a program for public relations and education. He’s looking for a wordsmith to assist with press and other public information releases. BRATS Director Rosie Sanford reported that a number of excellent prospects have applied to assume her position when she retires at the end of the year. We will want to do all we can to ease that transition and maintain our cooperative relationship with BRATS.
The next PTC Board meeting, open to the public, will be at our new permanent meeting site: the Court House Annex in Robertsdale at 22251 Palmer St. >From the intersection of Highways 104 and 59, where the large Regions Bank is located, Palmer is the second street west of 59 on 104. Turn north on Palmer, the Court House Annex is a red brick building immediately on the left. We’ll be in the auditorium, starting at 2:00 pm, Wednesday, 10 August. We have a lot going on. You won’t want to miss a minute of it. So put it on your calendar NOW. Happy trails, Stan
Stan Virden, President
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
11 May 2005
Cheryl McClary and the Weeks Bay staff gave us a rousing welcome with a sparkling video and an interesting boardwalk tour. After the meeting those who stayed for it were treated to a boat ride into the bay and up the Magnolia River. What a way to hold a meeting! It was hard to take it all in. Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is fascinating. You may visit any day, except for state and federal holidays. Call (251) 928-9792 for information.
And, oh yes. We did have a business meeting that recorded a lot of achievement. Distinguished visitors included Rachel Kaiser, representing Congressman Jo Bonner, and Brad Wilson, representing Senator Richard Shelby. Others represented the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, three Chamber of Commerce CEOs (one a Board Member) and a few other luminaries. The quality of persons attending our meetings is a clear indication of developing interest in what we do. I continue to be asked permission to attend our Board Meetings. Please understand that you don’t have to be a Board Member to sit in. The PUBLIC IS INVITED AND WELCOMED to all scheduled meetings.
Grant Brown explained the Advisory Council to which several former Board Members have transferred. This provides these overburdened leaders status without the need that they attend regular meetings. It ensures that they stay informed and are able to discuss PTC activities with others. At the same time this gives the Board access to their wisdom when needed. Meanwhile, we still require a Board, and therefore elected three new members:
The Rev. John Whitfield
(Ecumenical Ministries; Envision Coastal Alabama)
The Hon. Carolyn Doughty
City of Gulf Shores; Meyer Real Estate)
Mr. Mike Sullivan
(Marriott’s Grand Hotel)
These three are able and accomplished persons who will add substantially to the PTC’s effectiveness. There were several other elections. Circumstances prevented both the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary from attendance today, so we voted to make our old friend, Lisa Kennedy, Secretary Pro Tem. She can now substitute for them when necessary. Also, Nathan Jurgens accepted appointment as Director (Public Relations and Education). He will be responsible for press relations, publicity, speakers bureau, and for developing a program for educating the general public on transit matters. This is a most important function that will require plenty of assistance from us all.
Donna Watts briefed us on negotiations to create a consolidated non-profit office that would include the Baldwin branch of Envision Coastal Alabama, the Public Transit Coalition, and the Affordable Housing and the Smart Growth advocacy groups. These would shelter with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, using common administrative personnel and facilities to the extent possible. Once created, this office would add considerably to our ability to carry out our mission. A meeting of interested parties will be held on 1 June.
Carolyn Doughty reported that the South Baldwin Transit Committee is up and running, having met three times in the last month, with another meeting scheduled next week. The committee has conducted a seminar for business leaders to help them understand how to use BRATS services to increase effectiveness of their work forces. Looking ahead, the committee will be hearing from several potential consultant contractors regarding development of a master transit plan for the Foley/Gulf Shores/Orange Beach micropolitan area. We are hopeful that any such plan can be replicated in the Eastern Shore and the Bay Minette micropolitan areas, and that these three areas can be connected by a BRATS scheduled trunk route. This committee’s efforts represent a substantial outcome from the recent Regional Public Transit Summit. Its activities will be reported to the County Commission within the next month.
There were other business matters attended to, as well. My impression is that we’re getting real traction as a coalition and that current progress will accelerate in months to come. If you haven’t been at our meetings, don’t miss out! Come and join us. Best wishes, Stan
Stan Virden, President
P. O. Box 1338, Robertsdale AL 36567
(251) 967-4287
vivahaus@gulftel.com
www.bc-transit-coalition.org
Public Transit Coalition Board Meeting,
16 February 2005
Great meeting today! The highlight, of course, was Mayor Dow’s informative and inspirational conversation with us. His message was that to sell this region we need to work together as a region and we need to develop the physical connectivity that will come with mature public transit and ferry service. This issue is vital to commuters for essential workforce development and is crucial to knitting the area into an integrated tourist destination. Thousands more tourists visit the bay area as the result of short cruises that do not consume their entire vacation time. Accessibility to Baldwin golf courses and beaches and Dauphin Island deep sea fishing can make their vacations more complete and bring many dollars into our businesses. The forthcoming ferry service will change the entire dynamics of our area and make it far more enjoyable for all of us, in a true waterfront community, particularly when ferry terminals are served by effective local ground transit. Mobile is working hard on such transit upgrades, and by 2007 will have its new waterfront developments fully in place. We need to work cooperatively to educate our public and especially our workforce to the virtues of a pervasive transit infrastructure that provides everyone living or visiting here full use of the many opportunities and attractions that make our community special.
Our pending application for charitable status as a 501(c)(3) corporation apparently will be approved soon by the IRS. The treasurer reports that we have money in the bank. The membership director is developing several programs to increase our membership. Transition problems delayed the sending of invoices to members for the 2004-2005 fiscal year, but they are now ready to mail. Paid-up members will shortly be invited to join in a tour of the new Mobile Cruise Terminal with lunch provided. There will be a limit to how many can attend. Once the date is set and announced we will sign on people on a first-come-first-served basis.
Our new membership recruiting brochure is available for distribution and for your use in recruiting new members. Some were passed out today. We will advise shortly where you can pick up some if you missed the meeting. Membership recruitment and retention is vital to our credibility and financial soundness as an organization. Numbers provide us with influence and give us the means to get the word out on transit issues. If you are serious about transit development, you will be serious about recruiting new members, business and individual, for our coalition. The brochures will be a big help to you, as they tell the story and provide the application. Please use them to good effect.
Meeting places for 9 March and 13 April will be announced when determined. We are invited to the Weeks Bay Reserve for our 11 May meeting, and that event will include a tour of the facility. Put it on your calendar now.
DON’T FORGET TO ATTEND THE REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSIT SUMMIT ON FRIDAY, 25 FEBRUARY, 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM, AT THE MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER. THIS IS THE TRANSIT EVENT OF THE YEAR, AND YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT! IF YOU HAVEN’T DONE SO ALREADY, SIGN UP NOW AT:
http://www.mobilechamber.com/envision/Transit_Summit.pdf.
See you there! Best wishes, Stan
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