Gulf Coast Rail District Board of Directors met Jan. 14

Gulf Coast Rail District Board of Directors met Jan. 14.

Here are the minutes provided by the board:

A meeting of the Gulf Coast Rail District Board of Directors was held on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at Houston TranStar and via video conference. In attendance at the meeting were Directors Ronald A. Beeson, Stephen Gilbreath, Veronica Chapa Gorczynski, Kendric Jones, Jon Keeney, Carol Abel Lewis, Robert Maldonado, Jr., Bruce Mann, Allen Owen, and Jeff E. Ross. Absent were Directors Angelique Bartholomew, Robert A. Fry, Jr., and Jean Mann. Written notices of the meeting including the date, hour, place and agenda for the meeting were posted with Harris County, with the Secretary of State, and at the Gulf Coast Rail District office located at Houston TranStar in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. The inaudible portions of the recording were removed from these minutes.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Hello, everyone. It is 2:05 p.m. And I’ll call our meeting to order. So, I could say something about construction, congestion, but I won’t. So, I am Dr. Carol Lewis, presiding officer of Gulf Coast Rail District. It is January 14th, 2025. Today’s meeting is being conducted with options to participate in person, by teleconference, or by those who are in the room. We are at 6922 Katy Road, Conference Center 120A. Video conference is conducted through Microsoft Teams, and the link can be found in your meeting invitations, the agenda, and the public postings. The meeting is open to the public. The public has the opportunity to address the board during public comments. You have a limit of three minutes per speaker. If you wish to address the board, please approach the podium if you’re in the room or raise your hand if you’re online during our public comments period. Board members may participate by video conference in accordance with provisions of Section 551.127 of the Texas Government Code applicable to a governmental body that extends into three or more counties. Based on the Open Meetings Act requirements, Gulf Coast Rail District board members participating in the Teams will need to be seen and heard throughout the meeting for attendance and to record your votes. If you’re calling by telephone, we’re not going to be able to count you towards the quorum. As required, I’m physically present and ask that the secretary, Director Keeney, conduct the roll call for us please. If you’re online, please answer audibly when your name is called.

Director Jon Keeney: Ronald Beeson?

Director Ronald Beeson: I’m on virtually.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. Robert Maldonado?

Director Robert Maldonado Jr.: Here.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. Veronica Chapa Gorczynski?

Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: Present.

Director Jon Keeney: Stephen Gilbreath?

Director Stephen Gilbreath: Here.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. Dr. Carol Lewis?

Chairperson Carol Lewis: I am present.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. I am here. Bruce Mann?

Director Bruce Mann: I’m here virtually. Thank you.

Director Jon Keeney: Oh, good. Thank you. Angelique Bartholomew? Allen Owen? Director Allen Owen: On virtually.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. Kendric Jones?

Director Kendric Jones: Here.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. And Jean Mann? Jean Mann?

Ms. Lisa Patke: Could we confirm Jeff Ross, please?

Director Jeff Ross: I’m here.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. And Robert Fry? No. We do in fact have a quorum. Did I miss somebody?

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Jeff.

Director Jon Keeney: Oh, Jeff Ross?

Director Jeff Ross: I’m here, virtual.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. I apologize. I skipped over you. We do have a quorum, Madam Chair.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright, great. Thank you. We’re going to move on to discussion and possibly action on minutes for December 10th. Again, Director Keeney. Before we do that, let me confirm that we posted the meeting and we are in compliance with Open Meetings Act.

Ms. Lisa Patke: Yes, we are.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay, thank you. Alright, if we’ll go on now to number four, Director Keeney.

Director Jon Keeney: Yes. You folks have perused the minutes. I need a motion to approve. Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: So moved.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. And a second.

Director Bruce Mann: So moved, Bruce Mann.

Director Jon Keeney: Thank you. Any questions? Hearing none, all those in favor? Board: Aye.

Director Jon Keeney: Any opposed? It’s unanimous. Thank you.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright, awesome. Thank you.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Number five, Director Owen, if you could do a report from your treasury please.

Director Allen Owen: Madam Chair, I think Arleste… I see her on here. She’ll give us our report.

Ms. Arleste Pietrofeso: Yes. Good afternoon, everyone. Can you hear me okay?

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Yes, we can.

Ms. Arleste Pietrofeso: Okay, wonderful. Turning in your packet, we’ll get started on page 19. This is the cash flow report from your checking account. And you can see we’ve got receipts coming in from Waller County as well as Harris County. And we’ve got a voided check of 2729. And we’ve got checks we’re presenting today below the line of 2734 to 2735, leaving $102,274.16 in the account. Continuing onto page 20. This is a new report you’re going to start seeing in your bookkeeper report is the cash flow for your time deposits. We’re now paying the Texas A&M Transportation Institute via wire out of Texas CLASS so we can avoid the $50 wire fee out of Central Bank. So, you can see there we’ve got two wires going out to Texas A&M, and then we’ve got some interest on CDs, as well as your Texas CLASS interest posting there. Leaving $1,583,148.89 in the account. Continuing on to page 21. This is your account balances. And, again, it’s just showing those numbers I just showed you for a total of $1,685,423.05 in all accounts. Continuing on to pages 22 through 23. This is your actual versus budget for the year, and these numbers are pretty close to what we’ll end the year off with. We’ll have some audit entries that will change these numbers a little bit, but everything trended real nicely there. And then finally, that takes us to pages 24 through 27. And this is your grant status report, and there are no changes on that since we got them. So, that’s all I have for you. And unless you have any questions for me, I’ll be logging off the phone call.

Director Allen Owen: Are there any questions for Arleste? If not, I’ll entertain a motion to approve Resolution 25-01 ratifying our payments. Can I get a motion?

Director Kendric Jones: So moved.

Director Stephen Gilbreath: Moved.

Director Allen Owen: There’s been a motion and a second. All those in favor?

Board: Aye.

Director Allen Owen: Thank you. And Madam Chair, that’s the report.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright. Thank you so much.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: That takes us to item number seven, discussion and possible action on Resolution 25-02 regarding annual review of investment policy and qualified brokers. I’m going to ask Ms. Parker if she’ll give us a little bit of information and background before we consider this item.

Ms. Katherine Parker: Yes. This is our annual review, as Dr. Lewis said, of our investment policy. The changes that occurred, which I asked that they be highlighted. And so you’ll see in your packet on page 37, the naming of the investment officers. And that was a major change that they asked that we put in. And as with some of our other I guess you’d say admin duties, this is one of the ones that we’re trying to get on schedule, so you will hopefully see it each year at this time. Also, along with this investment policy are a list of the brokers that is updated each year. That’s on page 44. So, the list of authorized brokers that is provided for us as a part of this investment policy. So, this will be updated or changed for January 14th, today, 2025.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Any questions on that policy and our qualified brokers? Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: Madam Chair, I have a question on the policy. Chairperson Carol Lewis: Go ahead.

Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: It’s relatively minor, but on appointment of investment officers in the highlighted paragraph, can we…? I totally understand that we want to have Mark and Ghia as the investment officers. Just as practice, I typically don’t like to put names of individuals but rather designations of either officerships or positions so that if they leave because they won the lottery or whatever we don’t have to amend the policy. Would the body be amenable to saying something like, “Two designees of the District’s bookkeeper?” Is that specific enough, do we think? So that we as a Gulf Coast Rail District board make the official designation. But I don’t know that I would put the… I would recommend not putting the names of individuals or the names of the company but rather, “The District’s bookkeeper will appoint two designees as investment advisors on behalf of GCRD.”

Chairperson Carol Lewis: So, feedback on that? It’s fine with me, and I understand. It certainly makes sense to me. Others? Any other thoughts on it? I would suggest maybe make a motion for that change. I would get ready to make the motion.

Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: Okay.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Thank you.

Ms. Katherine Parker: Yes, that was their suggestion, but that makes total sense because they may not work there next year. So, we’ll still need designees, so alright.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay. Any other comments? Alright. Director Chapa Gorczynski, if you’d make the motion for us please?

Director Veronica Chapa Gorczynski: Sure. I would like to make a motion for approval of the investment policy with the request that we amend on page 37 the language to allow rather than include the specific names of individuals or the company, specify that, “Two designees representative of the District’s bookkeeper shall be…”

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Is there a second?

Director Kendric Jones: Second.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright, thank you. Do you got that Ms. Lisa?

Ms. Lisa Patke: Yes.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay. Alright, thanks. If any further discussion, now is the time. All in favor?

Board: Aye.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Any opposed? Any opposed? Alright, thank you.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: On to item eight, public comments. Do we have anyone online or in the room?

Ms. Lisa Patke: Lindsay Williams.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright. Ms. Lindsay Williams, please go ahead.

Ms. Lindsay Williams: Hi, everybody. Good afternoon. My name is Lindsay Williams, president of Super Neighborhoods 64 and 88 and the Eastwood Civic Association. Last week the Federal Railroad Administration awarded up to two million dollars to Harris County and precinct two to study the so called East End Triangle. We’re immensely grateful to the FRA for the grant funding, and it’s just the first step towards addressing the community’s comprehensive rail and roadway needs. Realizing the study’s findings will require additional funding for project design and construction. We’re asking the Gulf Coast Rail District to bring substance to the stated mission. We want to do grade separate the rail crossings that will have the most impact on roadway safety. Without action, it doesn’t accurately reflect the organization’s type of practices and values. This proper approach will ensure we develop integrated long-term solutions for our community’s transportation infrastructure. Thank you.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright, thank you, Ms. Lindsay. And we’re excited about that award, indeed. Is there anyone else? Alright. Well, thank you. That will conclude item eight. We’ll go to item nine, project manager update. Barbara Koslov?

Ms. Barbara Koslov: Good afternoon. Do you want me to…? Thank you. Good afternoon. I’m Barbara Koslov. December was kind of a busy month. I didn’t have a lot going on regarding this, but two things I want to point out. I’ve been working very closely with the TAG group, the Transportation Advocacy Group, because we’re getting ready to go to Austin to the legislature and talk about some of our legislative priorities. Their number one priority on their list of legislative priorities is to talk about funding and supporting grade separations. Of course it’d be throughout the state, but we have a particular interest here in the Houston region. And we’re adding to the comment that it’s not just what’s on the TxDOT roads but on off state roads also. So, we’re working on the appropriate language and the backup and organization to take this package to the state legislature in February. So, I’ve been working with TAG on that. I’ve been in contact with Thomas Gray, who is with HGAC. They are scheduling a steering committee on the 90A study for January 27th. And following that, two weeks later, they hope to have a stakeholder committee meeting, again, to discuss some of the alternatives that they hold and are ready to move forward with. And once those two meetings happen, there will be a public meeting later, probably in March. But they’re working in that direction. They’ve reviewed and analyzed the alternatives and are trying to come up with a consensus. I have requested but don’t have a date yet that we maybe get Thomas to come back out here or we have a small meeting with him because we have some concerns we’ve discuss previously about the alternatives that are being examined. And I know, Mayor Owen, you’ve talked about it. We haven’t seen any response to our request or changes to those alternatives, but I know they’ve heard us. I’ve talked to Allie Isbell, and they’re working on it. So, hopefully we can possibly get a meeting not probably for the 27th but maybe before the stakeholder meeting so we can share some of our concerns as they continue to refine those alternatives. And any questions?

Chairperson Carol Lewis: So, one thing, Barbara, that might make sense is to ask for a meeting if the entire board is interested. And we can certainly post it, but to have a meeting with the public transportation… That’s not what we call it… Our passenger transportation group. That would be the cohort of directors here that would be most directly linked with what’s going on with 90A. And that way we can set the whole time to just talk about 90A as opposed to having it as one item on a full agenda.

Ms. Barbara Koslov: Right. Okay. Well, let me… Again, Thomas knows we’re interested in meeting. I can refine our request so we can set something up with our passenger rail committee. But he knows before we take… definitely before going to the public but maybe even before we take it to the next stakeholder meeting, they hear us, and we share our concerns. Because we do have concerns. And he and Allie Isbell are fully aware of those.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: And to simplify, it can clearly be a Zoom or Teams meeting. And then that way…

Ms. Barbara Koslov: Okay. Alright. I will contact Thomas again about that.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright, thank you.

Ms. Barbara Koslov: Thank you.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Any other…? Jeff, I see your hand.

Director Jeff Ross: Yes. I understand there’s a new district engineer at the Houston District of TxDOT.

Ms. Barbara Koslov: Yes.

Director Kendric Jones: Yes. Mr. Glenn (Allbritton).

Director Jeff Ross: And I would suggest that we go sit down and visit with that person about what we’re thinking about on this 90A corridor. There was an article in this weekend’s paper about four major developments being proposed down in the Rosenberg, Richmond, Beasley area. That’s just going to create more traffic, load, and demand on 59, and that’s what this project is designed to do is alleviate some of that. And we need to make the new district engineer aware of it.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay. Thank you for that suggestion. Any other board members have thoughts or comments?

Director Allen Owen: Madam Chair, this is Director Owen.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Yes?

Director Allen Owen: I know that Congressman Green is still trying to find a date to have a meeting that I think I mentioned to you some time ago about the 90A corridor. And his comments about it going down the Fort Bend Toll Road and why. It’s like Jeff said, there is a lot of development that’s about to take place or is taking place, and the toll road is under way. I mean it’s been approved. They’re just finalizing stuff. It will go across the Brazos River and will hook up to 99, and it will be the new 59. And we need to be prepared for that. The second phase of the garage that NewQuest is building at 6th and Toll Road is underway. So, all that needs to be taken into consideration. I mean it’s ready to roll.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Well, point…

Director Allen Owen: I just sent the congressman’s staffers an email to find out if the congressman has decided when he wants to have a meeting. I know he has a list of the people that I suggested be invited.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Thank you. Points well taken. And you’ll keep us apprised of what you hear.

Director Allen Owen: Yes.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright. Alright, thank you. Anything else for Ms. Koslov? Alright, item ten, report from the executive director. Ms. Parker?

Ms. Katherine Parker: Good afternoon. Next slide.

Ms. Lisa Patke: Next slide?

Ms. Katherine Parker: Meetings attended were TAC Road Assessment Briefing on the East End, which talked about objectives to create an informed community that raises the profile and relevance of road safety issues, encourages and supports the development of strategic road safety plans, and builds capacity in communities by sharing knowledge and safety efforts. And lastly, assists in monitoring and measuring progress and program outcomes. Jack Hanagriff has been to our meeting a few times to talk about some of the work that they’re doing in the East End, so this is a major, I think, milestone for the East End and that road assessment briefing. We’ll of course ask him to come again and give us some more details about that, but I did attend and was able to find out great information that they’ve been sharing with their communities.

Next, the TIRZ 24 meeting with the City of Houston. We met with also Senator Garcia’s office to discuss the West Belt RCE and the potential to evaluate an additional grade separation, which would be Leeland. We talked about that it’s probably outside of the scope of the grant funding project, which is the West Belt, but that we would continue to try to organize to see what opportunities there were to have maybe an outlying separate study for Leeland, for that location that would make technical sense. And also the Transportation Policy Committee met as well.

Next slide. The last Transportation Research Board I attended… I guess right at two weeks now? Last week. All these dates are mashing together. But TRB is an annual meeting that attracts thousands of transportation professionals from around the world. The program covers all transportation modes with sessions and workshops addressing topics of interest to policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of the government, industry, and academic institutions. It’s an annual meeting that has over 4,000 presentations with 650+ workshops and sessions, and 400 meetings organized by 170 committees. That’s a mouthful. And when you’re there, you feel just that. I had the opportunity to attend courses related to transportation equity, the USDOT meeting on bipartisan infrastructure law, and the transition to the new administration, and the questions and issues about those funds and how hopefully they will still exist but what that may mean for future projects. I attended the Freight Rail Transportation Committee and had the opportunity to hear Allan Rutter talk about the long train study, and the Houston region was part of that. The highway railway crossing and trespassing incident occurrence and severity session and then lastly, our chair, our own chair, Dr. Lewis’, plenary session. So, these are just some pictures from the sessions, and things that I attended, and some of the workshops that were very informative. This is my second year being able to attend, and it was a great experience. There’s something that’s…

Alright, next is the third concurrent update. As you know, we are working to add METRO as a full board member, full voting member. We’re also including the SB 1990 legislation into our order updating the Gulf Coast Transit District. Their old name is Galveston Transit District. And then adding a designee for the Board of Houston as opposed to the chair being the only designated appointee. The City of Houston is currently reviewing this document and will have a council date probably this month. So far, Harris County has approved. METRO has approved. Waller and Galveston. We’re pending council and commissions court for Fort Bend and the City of Houston. And the only opposed was Montgomery County. So, once that is taken care of, we will move forward. And at that point, our quorum and number of board size with change with the addition of METRO as a full voting member. So, it’s been a long process, but it will happen. And so thank you all so much for those who have been able to talk with the member entities and have to push this forward. That’s all I have.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Alright. Thank you. Questions for Ms. Parker? Okay. So, on the agenda, we’ll go to my announcements. I want to kind of piggyback on something Ms. Parker mentioned with the Freight Rail Committee that she participated in. At TRB, there’s a lot of people there, and we have an opportunity to talk to many people. I had an opportunity to talk to a well-placed TxDOT official person… staff person, who we talked about our interest in improving safety, the incident with the high school student here, and our interest in… And we talked at the last meeting about pursuing Safe Routes to School, which is a USDOT program that we never thought… Usually Safe Routes to School has been about kids who ride their bikes and walk—that kind of safety, but there’s no reason we can’t do Safe Routes to School especially here focused on the schools that are approximate to railroad sites. We talked about us, Gulf Coast Rail District, maybe getting with HISD and having a real concentrated map of all the schools located by railroad crossings. And I’ve heard that one of the television stations had done that. Someone is supposed to send us that map. So, that’s a place to start. Now, where my story is leading to is I’m talking to this well placed TxDOT official at TRB, and the person says to me that one of the areas that’s causing them concern out of Austin is that schools throughout the state are continuing to build new districts… Let me say that another way. Districts throughout the state are continuing to build schools approximate to railroad crossings. And there is no conversation seemingly happening about, “Let’s be farsighted. We know that that’s not a good thing to do. Why are we doing it around the state?” And I don’t know that there is any entity, organization, body that might be better placed to start that conversation than Gulf Coast Rail District. So, kind of putting it out there as food for thought that maybe we serve as a leader in the state about the importance of when you make decisions about public facilities and think about how they interface with the transportation system, we want to do so in a way that would help us to not be playing backup or defense or coming after the decisions that have been made when we might have been able to do a better job of decision making on the front end. So, that’s just TRB food for thought.

So, rolling in to other items—the legislative effort. Ms. Koslov has already talked about that and things that are underway. Obviously everyone knows that we’re now gearing up… Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, there was a hand. I don’t remember who it was.

Ms. Lisa Patke: Bruce Mann.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Bruce, go ahead please. Bruce, can you get your microphone? We see you moving around, so I think you’re not frozen at this moment. While we’re waiting on you, yes, Director Jones.

Director Kendric Jones: Dr. Lewis, is there any kind of way… I remember discussing this last meeting, and I took some notes. Is there any kind of way that GCRD could set up a taskforce or a Safe Routes to School taskforce, and that committee meets with different school districts and sets up a plan and all those things?

Chairperson Carol Lewis: I love that suggestion. And I see Ms. Parker making a note and other heads nodding. Yes, I think we like that idea very much. Bruce, are you unable to verbalize?

Director Bruce Mann: Thank you. Sorry, I got disconnected there.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: That’s okay.

Director Bruce Mann: I don’t know where you guys are in the conversation, but I just wanted to… I believe I have this right. You’ve completed your term as the chair of TRB, and I just wanted to acknowledge you and celebrate you for your tenure as chair of TRB.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Thank you. That’s very nice. Thank you, Bruce. [Applause] Thank you, everyone. Honestly, it was a tremendous honor. And on the heels of that comment, I’ll just say that the chair’s plenary that Katherine put the photo up, we concentrate on innovation. And so we looked at innovation around the world, and we talked a lot about how we as transportation professionals need to be prepared to incorporate all of the particular innovations that we have, again, with the goal to improving safety and mobility for all users. I’m going to back to all users. There was an exhibit for us to better understand people in our transportation environment. So, they had a suit that one could put on to feel like one was 80 years old. They had a car that you did put the sensory… And I tell everything, so I’m going to tell it… To see what you miss when you’re driving. I only got three out of ten, so I missed seven items I should have seen. It’s true.

Director Kendric Jones: Don’t tell no one that.

Katherine Ms. Katherine Parker: She said it’s true, and he said, “Don’t tell anyone that.”

Chairperson Carol Lewis: No, right? It’s too late. It’s in the record. It’s on the record. Then they had one for one to act as if one is visually impaired. So, it was just a lot of just broadening our thinking. We come to the table, and we’re all kind of zeroed in on what our particular focus is, but the transportation arena is so huge and so broad, and we have so much we need to be thinking about. So, I think that’s one of the benefits of TRB, is that it does sort of prime the pump to be more broad in your thinking and make sure we’re trying not to leave anything out in our humanness. So, thank you for that acknowledgment, Bruce, and I encourage anyone who has an opportunity to attend a TRB meeting to attend one. I don’t know people who come away sorry. Thank you for that.

Alright, so we’re full speed ahead on legislative efforts. Transportation Advocacy Group… we really have a debt of thanks to them because through that advocacy, they are able to do honestly a little bit beyond what we can do as a board. They coalesced… I think Christina told me there are 40 people who are going to go to Austin February 23rd. Is that the day?

Ms. Barbara Koslov: I think it’s the 27th.

Ms. Katherine Parker: 26th and 27th.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: 26th and 27th. They’ll go to Austin and visit with legislators, have an opportunity to make our case across Austin. And we are top… that item, not we… but that item about the grade separations and additional funding is top on their list. They’re asking for other things as well. Just by way of information… And I’ll smile when I talk about this. But TAG has for the last couple of sessions been advocating at the legislature to add additional fees for electric vehicles. So, we got that. That happened last legislative session. But now TAG is advocating adding hybrids, which is important. And I laugh because we bought a hybrid this year. And I’m going to tell something else, Director Jones, which you might say don’t tell. Honest to goodness, I don’t think I’ve put $50 in a gas tank since May. And my highest fuel bill was $16. And so I looked at the gauge today… And I don’t drive a lot, but out of 3,000 driven miles, 2,000 had been on the electric side. So, in terms of contributions that I would be making to the roadway system as a hybrid owner, they’re very low. And so I laugh because we talk about it in TAG, and I tell them, “I’m not paying anything anymore.” And so adding the hybrid vehicles to how we pay our fees for the use of our roadways is really important, so TAG has that on their agenda as well. And then TAG also has to continue for us to get funds from Prop 1 and Prop 7. I can’t remember. I think one of them may expire. And so, again, these are the sources that give us the funding for our public infrastructure. So, those are the things under legislative efforts that link between us and TAG.

Item b is a transfer of CMAQ funds to FRA. Honestly and truly, if there has been an item that reminds one of pulling a tooth yourself out of your mouth and you’re not a kid, it’s this one. So, the last time I mentioned it, we had finally gotten with FRA. This is just kind of as a reminder, because I think we’ve talked about this before. But for a year, we thought we’d be able to transfer the funds, which we wanted to do. We found out we are unable to transfer the funds because Congress has set up the guidelines so that we can’t transfer the funds. And so the City has now done the communiqué with TxDOT local and TxDOT Austin for us to move forward with continuing with the money as it was originally advanced through CMAQ, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality. So, the complexity of the allocation means that the project will now have to be conducted by both TxDOT and FRA instead of one or the other entity. So, now we, the City of Houston as lead, will be coordinating each and every step with both entities. So, the good news is that we have the money and that we will be pursuing that grade separation. So, that’s the good thing out of it. Obviously the thing that’s caused us a little more anxiety than we wished is that it’s been more difficult to get those funds down and to get started than we would have hoped. But it’s going forward, and it’s moving forward. Let me see. Any questions or comments on that?

Director Jon Keeney: That’s good news.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: It’s good news, right? That’s exactly right. It’s good news, as it’s still moving forward. That is good news. Alright. Alright. I don’t have any notations on the committee updates. You will probably hear in the next month about maybe making some committee adjustments, and we can talk about that as we go forward. Are there any other questions or comments before we adjourn? And next meeting date is February 11th.

Director Jon Keeney: Just a couple. I’m now a member of the Transportation Advocacy Group. Chairperson Carol Lewis: Oh, good.

Director Jon Keeney: So, that’s all occurred, and they’ve connected me with their staff folks. And of course I’m backing up Ms. Gorczynski.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay. That’s the Transportation Policy Council?

Director Jon Keeney: Yes.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay, right. Just to clarify, Transportation Advocacy Group is the folks who try to give more money to the region. Transportation Policy folks some might argue might be folks who give more money to the region. Alright? But yes, that was seated. So, Director Chapa Gorczynski will be GCRD’s representative on TPC, and Director Keeney will serve as the alternate.

Director Jon Keeney: One other quick comment. Bruce Mann and I both attended the lovefest between the City of Houston Total Council and all of the commissioners and the county judge at the Port of Houston yesterday. And the meeting itself was academic. But during the comment period, a gentleman got up and spoke to the fact that in his view the Gulf Coast Rail District is part of the solution for transportation in Houston. And so we have some advocates out there, which, again, there was only two additional speakers. Boy, that room was full of hot air with all those folks and their staff. It was interesting.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: That’s good.

Director Jon Keeney: But anyway. I thought that was sort of fascinating to hear us brought up in that context.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: That’s wonderful. It is. So, might want to make sure we have that person’s information and get them on our mailing list, and our LinkedIn profiles, and all of our social media.

Director Jon Keeney: Yes, Bruce Mann will have access to that.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay, good. Thank you. Alright. Is there anything else? I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

Director Kendric Jones: So moved.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay, Keeney. Second?

Director Kendric Jones: Second.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Second Jones, Alright. All in favor?

Board: Aye.

Chairperson Carol Lewis: Okay. Alright. I’m sure there’s not any opposed. Thanks all of you who are online. Appreciate you, and we’ll talk to you next month. (Adjourned at 2:44 p.m.)

https://www.gcrd.net/_files/ugd/609667_f74e2e3294694caf8423359dde252610.pdf