HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Minutes 09-27-2011 SpecialAdopted Minutes
Special Council Meeting
September 27, 2011
Mayor Slavik called a Joint Meeting between the Plymouth City Council and the Plymouth
Advisory Committee on Transit (PACT) to order at 5:30 p.m. in the Lunch Room, 3400
Plymouth Boulevard, on September 27, 2011.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Slavik, Councilmembers Bildsoe, Black, Murdock, Willis, Stein,
and Johnson.
ABSENT: None.
PACT PRESENT: Chair Wosje, Committee Members Bliss, Buelow, Scherschligt, and Kedzuf.
ABSENT: Committee Member Gustafson.
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Ahrens, Public Works Director Cote, Transit/Solid Waste
Manager Hellekson, Transit Coordinator Maciej, Park Director Evans, and City Clerk Engdahl.
Discussion on Transit System
Public Works Director Cote highlighted sections of the 2011 Transit Report.
Councilmember Bildsoe asked about funding from 2016 and beyond, especially when the
revenue doesn't cover the operating expenses. Public Works Director Cote replied if Motor
Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) funding isn't restored beginning in 2014, and the City needs to
subsidize operations, the City would hit the threshold where revenue isn't covering expenses and
reserve funds need to be used. He stated the reserve fund balance is solid until the 2020
timeframe as long as the MUST funding is restored.
Councilmember Willis stated there are a lot of variables in looking at the long-range forecast of
the transit system, and he would appreciate a more pessimistic and/or more conservative forecast.
Councilmember Bildsoe stated the Council should prioritize where services should be continued.
He noted that the Dial -a -Ride service has the biggest subsidy.
Mayor Slavik added that there are many churches and senior facilities that provide shuttle service
for residents.
Councilmember Black stated she would like to see what PACT's recommendations are to cut
services.
Adopted Minutes 1 of 4 Special Meeting of September 27, 2011
PACT Chair Wosje stated the City can't control the revenue and there are a number of factors,
such as gas prices, which affect ridership. He stated PACT's approach is that the transit system is
a service to residents. Ninety percent of the riders use the bus to get to work. PACT's thought is
how to get those passengers downtown more efficiently as the current system makes it hard to do
that. The routes were put together as the community grew. Therefore, the question is how the
routes would be put together today "fresh from the start." The committee is looking at doing
more analysis to see if there can be more express service versus park and ride service. He asked
if this is something that the Council would be interested in.
Councilmember Bildsoe stated the City does need to be proactive. He foresees a problem in the
future with funding as the City can't predict revenue from the State. The year 2016 isn't that far
away when the City would be reducing the transit fund to less than 35% of the operating costs.
He stated the City needs to protect what it has, but at the same time have a strategic discussion on
what the transit system would entail if it was just started today.
Councilmember Johnson agreed with Councilmember Willis that the City needs to take a
conservative approach and/or worse case scenario when reviewing the transit system long term.
She really wants to pay attention on how to preserve options for Plymouth riders. She stated it
appears that eventually the transit system won't be sustainable.
Councilmember Willis asked how many people use the transit systems that are truly transit
dependent. Also, can the City continue to provide service to those people if the subsidies
decline?
Committee Member Kedzuf stated as the City looks at the transit system long term, if the City is
unable to provide opt out service, the routes and service areas would be in place for Metro
Transit to take over. She noted that the City has done its best to protect its residents.
Councilmember Johnson stated the City chose to opt out because it wasn't assured from Metro
Transit in giving the community service. She asked staff if Metro Transit would preserve some
of the routes. Transit/Solid Waste Coordinator Hellekson replied Metro Transit tends to go after
the least subsidized routes. If the City chose to not opt out, Metro Transit would come through
the City to some extent. There's no requirement for them to assume the City's routes.
Mayor Slavik asked if there was another service that the City provided that only had 1 % of the
population using the service, would the Council be funding it? Councilmember Willis replied if
that service was funded through properly taxes, that wouldn't be a very high priority.
Councilmember Johnson asked if there's something that the City of Minnetonka is doing that
Plymouth could take advantage of. They contract with Metro Transit and how does that work for
them. City Manager Ahrens replied they have a contract with Metro Transit and a negotiated
process. The city has no control over their routes.
Adopted Minutes 2 of 4 Special Meeting of September 6, 2011
Councilmember Bildsoe stated the two communities that are closest to Plymouth, Maple Grove
and Minnetonka, either have their own system or they have no interest in partnering with
Plymouth at this time.
Councilmember Stein asked how many riders use the park and ride system. Transit Coordinator
Maciej replied approximately 28% of the ridership uses park and rides. There are a lot of people
who get on buses as they go through Plymouth.
Councilmember Stein suggested that if the City removed the neighborhood shuttles so riders
would just use the park and ride, the City could increase the bus service for the reverse commute
downtown.
Councilmember Black stated the City really needs to take a look at how it positions itself in the
future as well as if routes are eliminated and how that affects the revenue and expenditures. She
noted that the central corridor light rail would be completed in 2014, and this could factor in who
will be riding the City buses.
PACT Chair Wosje stated the reverse routes and students would be the most impacted if routes
are eliminated.
Mayor Slavik asked if the Dial -a -Ride service is eliminated and the County takes over, would the
800,000 in subsidy funding go into the operating fund. Public Works Director Cote replied
more than likely, the City wouldn't receive that revenue if that service would be eliminated. The
subsidy funds are co -mingled. If the operating expenses are high, there's a possibility that the
City would receive the funding, but there's no guarantee.
Councilmember Black stated that she's not enthused about the Suburban Transit Authority for opt
out systems if they can't provide their systems in the future because of funding. She stated it's
important to find some entity of some strength to counter Metropolitan Council in taking the
City's funding for other areas of the metro area. This needs to be studied further.
Councilmembers Johnson and Bildsoe stated that this item should be a legislative priority in
2012 for the Council and PACT. They suggested that PACT come back to the Council in six
months with recommendations in a staff report for possible changes to the transit system. The
Council and PACT can make decisions jointly in what will occur in 2013.
Set Future Study Sessions
The Council scheduled the board and commission interviews on November 15 at 6:00 p.m. They
added private utility policy to the pending study session list. Councilmember Willis requested an
update be provided to the Council on redistricting.
Adopted Minutes 3 of 4 Special Meeting of September 6, 2011
Adiournment
Mayor Slavik adjourned the meeting at 6:58 p.m.
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Adopted Minutes 4 of 4 Special Meeting of September 6, 2011