Jun 01, 2026 Regional Transit Committee

GOOD MORNING.

[00:00:02]

I AM VANESSA HUSKY, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.

UH, RIGHT NOW ONLY HAVE, UH, DONNA PRESENT.

IS ANYONE? CHARLIE'S NOT HERE.

IS DERON STILL HERE? DO YOU KNOW DONNA? UM, I DO NOT KNOW.

I CAN GO CHECK.

I NEED AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON TO BE ON THE, UH, COMMITTEE IN THE MEANTIME.

TODAY IS MONDAY, JUNE THE FIRST, 2026, AND THE TIME IS 1146.

UH, TODAY'S AGENDA IS TO HAVE PRESENTATIONS AGAIN.

SO BEFORE WE DO THE PRESENTATIONS, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN INTERPRETER THAT IS LICENSED IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI .

VERY GOOD, THANK YOU.

UH, WOULD YOU HOLD FOR ONE MOMENT BEFORE WE START PRESENTATIONS, BECAUSE I NEED AT LEAST ONE MORE PERSON TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE.

THANK YOU LEGISLATOR MCGEE.

I APPRECIATE YOU SITTING IN.

OKAY.

SO LET'S GET STARTED.

UH,

[The Regional Transit Committee will hear from the following presenters: · Tristin Amezcua-Hogan with KC Regional Transit Alliance · Ben Snider with HNTB Corporation · Nic Miller with Amalgamated Transit Union #1287 · Halley Korff and Clark Corogenes with The Whole Person · Clyde McQueen with the Full Employment · Ron Achelpohl with Mid America Regional Council]

THANK YOU.

SEAN.

IS A GREEN LIGHT ON? I'M .

OH, OKAY.

I THINK SO.

IS THERE A LIGHT ON? OKAY.

THERE'S A BUTTON.

OH, THERE WE GO.

THERE YOU COOL.

THERE YOU GO.

THANK YOU.

APOLOGIES.

UH, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

UH, MY NAME IS, UH, BEN SNYDER.

I AM A BOARD MEMBER FOR THE KANSAS CITY REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE, AND I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HNTB IN SUPPORT OF THIS INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE REGIONAL TRANSIT TRANSIT.

AND KANSAS CITY IS LIMITED BY KC A'S INABILITY TO LEVY ITS OWN TAXES AS DIVINE AS DEFINED IN ITS BYLAWS.

IT IS RELYING ON FEDERAL FUNDS AND CONTRACTS FROM INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES AND CITIES.

INVESTMENT IS QUICKLY BECOMING LIMITED TO THE CORE OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AS FUNDING CHALLENGES HAVE FORCED CONSOLIDATION TO PROVIDING ONLY BARE MINIMUM SERVICE.

METRO CITIES SUCH AS BLUE SPRINGS, GRANDVIEW, RAYTOWN, AND GLADSTONE HAVE ALL CANCELED CONTRACTS WITH K-C-A-T-A AS A RESULT OF CONTRACT PAYMENTS QUADRUPLING.

THIS ELIMINATES THEIR REGIONAL AND LOCAL CONNECTIONS TO KANSAS CITY.

INDY BUS AND INDEPENDENCE HAS ALSO ELIMINATED ITS STANDALONE SERVICE, A NEW FUNDING SOURCE WITH A DEDICATED INTEREST IN SERVING THE REGION OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI IS NEEDED TO GROW THE CAPACITY OF TRANSIT SERVICE AND REPAIR THESE LOST CONNECTION POINTS THROUGH THE FRAMEWORK INTENDED TO BE PUT FORWARD IN FRONT OF THIS COMMITTEE.

JACKSON COUNTY WILL BE THE PILOT COUNTY AS PART OF A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE TRANSIT INVESTMENT ACROSS THE KANSAS CITY METRO REGION THROUGH A COUNTY-WIDE SALES TAX BALLOT INITIATIVE.

HNTB HAS A NATIONAL TRANSIT PROJECT PRACTICE WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN DESIGN, EXPANSION, PLANNING, AND SOLVING OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES.

WE HAVE NATIONAL EXPERTS WHO HAVE LED CAMPAIGNS FOR THE RE RECENT SUCCESSFUL BALLOT INITIATIVES IN BOTH COLUMBUS AND NASHVILLE.

THESE LEADERS ARE AVAILABLE TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES TO THIS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.

WE BELIEVE IN THIS JACKSON COUNTY INITIATIVE TOWARDS REGIONAL TRANSIT AND HAVE HEARD FROM MANY COMMUNITIES WHO WOULD LIKE THIS EFFORT TO MOVE FORWARD AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I HAVE ONE QUESTION.

YEAH.

YOU, UM, STATED THAT THERE WERE LOST CONNECTION POINTS MM-HMM .

UH, BLUE SPRINGS, GRANDVIEW, INDEPENDENCE, AND WHAT WAS THE FOURTH ONE? SO, UH, BLUE SPRINGS, GRANDVIEW, RAYTOWN, AND GLADSTONE OKAY.

HAVE, UH, ARE NO LONGER CONTRACTING WITH K-C-A-T-A INDEPENDENCE IS, UH, INDIE BUS, UH, THAT WAS A STANDALONE, UH, BUS SERVICE THAT, UH, UH, WAS NOT CONTRACTED THROUGH K-C-A-T-A, BUT

[00:05:01]

THANK YOU.

OF COURSE.

YES.

WHEN, UM, WE SAY THE BUS SERVICE AND INDEPENDENCE, EXCUSE ME, IN BLUE SPRINGS WAS ELIMINATED, OR WHAT? UH, THE STANDALONE, UH, INDIE BUS, UH, IN INDEPENDENCE IS A STANDALONE SERVICE.

THE 24 BUS, UH, STILL INDIE BUS OR INDEPENDENCE, STILL CONTRACTS WITH K-C-A-T-A, BUT THEIR STANDALONE SERVICE WAS WHAT WAS CANCELED.

OH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MM-HMM .

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MM-HMM .

SO WHAT WERE THE RIDERSHIP NUMBERS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE THE SERVICE WAS CANCELED? UH, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

I THINK, UH, PROBABLY, UH, MAYBE SOMEONE THAT, UH, RON WITH, UH, MARK OR SOMEONE ELSE ON OUR RT A BOARD COULD, UH, SPEAK TO THAT, UH, A LITTLE BIT MORE, UH, SPECIFICALLY, BUT I, I, I DON'T HAVE, UH, THOSE, UH, RIDERSHIP NUMBERS.

OKAY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. SCHNEIDER.

THANK YOU.

OH, WELL, I DO ALSO HAVE A, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, YOU HAD, UH, HANDED OUT THE FACT SHEET THAT, UH, HAD INITIALLY BEEN PART OF THE AGENDA, BUT I DO HAVE COPIES OF THOSE.

IF NO, I DON'T HAVE THE, IF COMMITTEE MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THOSE AS WELL.

THANK YOU ALL.

OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS A MR. BEN SNYDER.

IS HE PRESENT? OH, THAT, THAT'S, THAT WAS ME.

OH, I'M SORRY.

I AM SO SORRY.

LET NEED AGAIN .

I'M SO SORRY.

I'M SO SORRY.

NICK MILLER IS, I DON'T SEE NICK .

OKAY.

HOW ABOUT HALLE COR, WE SWEAR.

AND CLARK RA JEAN WITH THE WHOLE PERSON YES.

UP HERE.

YES.

PLEASE COME UP HERE.

THE MICROPHONE IS FINE.

HELLO EVERYONE.

I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AGAIN.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, FOR POSTPONING OUR LAST REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT MEETING.

SO WE COULD HAVE A, UM, IN-PERSON SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER HERE FOR THE COMMITTEE MEETING WHO'S ALSO LICENSED IN MISSOURI AND CERTIFIED TO WORK IN THE STATE.

SO, PERFECT.

IT ALL WORKED OUT TOGETHER.

UM, IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN GOING THROUGH THE VRI SERVICE, THE VIDEO, UM, INTERPRETING SERVICES ON THE LAPTOP.

IT'S JUST NOT VERY, UH, COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE.

AND OFTEN THEY CAN'T HEAR EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TALKING.

SO IT'S, UM, REALLY HARD TO FOLLOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND WE HAVE AN IN-PERSON SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER.

IT'S MUCH EASIER FOR, UM, ME TO FOLLOW AND KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHO'S SPEAKING AND WHAT'S BEING SAID.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE WITH THAT.

SO, ONTO MY PRESENTATION ABOUT THE REGIONAL, UM, TRANS TRANSIT.

I WANNA INTRODUCE MYSELF.

MY NAME IS CLARK, UM, CORGIS, AND I DO WORK FOR THE WHOLE PERSON.

UM, I'M AN INDEPENDENT LIVING SUPPORT COORDINATOR FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING SERVICES.

I'VE DONE THAT FOR OVER 12 YEARS.

SO I'VE SEEN, UH, MANY THINGS.

PLUS I GREW UP HERE IN KANSAS CITY.

SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY IS, UM, REALLY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND IT'S RUN, UM, IT, IT NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWING THE A DA AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

UM, NUMBER TWO, TITLE NUMBER TWO, FOR STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT PROVIDES ACCESS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

IT PROVIDES REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS AND SUCCESSFUL COMMUNICATION WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES LIKE MYSELF.

ALSO, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MYSELF AS A DEAF PERSON, I

[00:10:01]

AND HERE IN KANSAS CITY IN THE, IN THE AREA, WE HAVE AROUND 10,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING, OR PERHAPS DEAF BLIND THAT LIVE HERE IN KANSAS CITY.

SO THAT'S QUITE A LARGE NUMBER.

AND, UM, THAT'S ALSO INCLUDING KANSAS.

SO HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE REALLY HAVE A STRONG RELIANCE ON COMMUNICATION ACCESS FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AND DEAF BLIND.

I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY BACKGROUND.

UM, I REGULARLY USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

I HAVE, SINCE I WAS A CHILD, AND THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HERE IN KANSAS CITY AS WELL AS ST.

LOUIS.

I'VE EXPERIENCED IT THERE, CHICAGO, NEW YORK CITY, AND WASHINGTON, DC.

SO I'VE EN UM, ENJOYED ALL THOSE EXPERIENCES.

AND I WORK AT THE WHOLE PERSON TO EMPOWER DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO LEARN INDEPENDENT, UM, TRANSPORTATION SKILLS SO THEY CAN GO ON THEIR OWN TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, FIND JOBS, GROCERY SHOPPING, VISITING FAMILY.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE INDEPENDENCE IN THEIR TRANSPORTATION.

I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THAT THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS INFORMATION IS LACKING FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.

UM, ESPECIALLY FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING AND DEAF BLIND, THE HEARING PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO RIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

THEY CAN HEAR THE COMMUNICATIONS ON THE BUS.

THEY'RE ABLE TO KNOW IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY THAT POPS UP, IF THE SCHEDULE CHANGES.

HEARING PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW THAT WITH EASE.

DEAF, BLIND, DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.

THEY AREN'T ABLE TO HEAR THE MESSAGES.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THERE'S A STOP, A CHANGE OR EMERGENCY IF A NEW ROUTE HAS HAD TO COME UP, IF SOMETHING'S BROKE DOWN, BASICALLY THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COMMUNICATION.

AND SO THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LACKING THAT INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE HEARING GET THE BUS HAS, UM, AUTOMATED ANNOUNCEMENTS AND THE DRIVER DOES ANNOUNCEMENTS.

DEAF BLIND ARE NOT ABLE TO FOLLOW THOSE.

THEY CAN'T HEAR IT.

SO, UM, THEY NEED SOME SORT OF CAPTIONING SCREEN THAT THEY CAN FOLLOW BETTER TO GET INFORMATION, OR THEY NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF APP ON THEIR PHONE THAT THEY CONNECT WITH THAT SO THEY CAN FOLLOW IT IN BRAILLE OR, UM, SOME OTHER ACCESS.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES THE BUS GOES TO A LOCATION AND THERE MIGHT BE AN EMERGENCY.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUS IS BROKE DOWN, OR, UM, SOME THE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE ROUTE FOR SOME REASON.

UM, MAYBE THEY HAD TO CUT SERVICES THERE AND THE DEAF PERSON DOESN'T KNOW WHY.

SO I WISH THAT WE COULD SOMEHOW CHANGE THE, UH, ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM SO IT BETTER ACCOMMODATES EVERYBODY WHO MIGHT BE ON THE BUS AND THEY ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

ALSO, DEAF BLIND PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION, IT MEANS THEY CAN'T SEE WELL, AND THEY MIGHT BE DEAF, OR THEY MIGHT JUST BE A HEARING PERSON WITH LOW VISION, UM, BUT THEY HAVE A HARD TIME CONNECT WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COMMUNICATION, UM, THROUGH THE WEBSITE.

THEY REALLY STRUGGLE WITH IT BECAUSE OF THE COLORS ON THERE.

AND THEN WHEN PEOPLE CALL, IT'S REALLY HARD TO HEAR THE, UM, PERSON THEY'RE TALKING TO.

AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF STRUGGLES WITH, UM, THE, THE PHONE CALL FOR DEAF-BLIND PEOPLE.

THE BEST COMMUNICATION IS EMAIL OR TEXT.

THOSE TWO, UM, ARE THE BEST WAY OF COMMUNICATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.

SO IF THEY HAVE A SCHEDULE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY REGULARLY RIDE, THEY CAN SOMEHOW SET UP COMMUNICATION WHERE THEY'RE LET YOU KNOW, KNOWN IF THE SCHEDULE'S CHANGED OR IF SOMETHING'S HAPPENED.

UM, YOU KNOW, IF LIKE A, THEY NEED TO LET A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMEBODY ELSE KNOW FOR WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO DEPEND ON SOMEBODY CALLING FOR THEM OR FINDING OUT FOR THEM.

IF THEY HAD ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION, THEY'D BE ABLE TO DO IT ON THEIR OWN INDEPENDENTLY AND NOT DEPEND ON OTHERS.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF, DEAF BLIND, UM, OR JUST PEOPLE WITH LOW VISION THAT AREN'T HEARING IMPAIRED.

ALSO, NOW I WANT TO PRESENT, UM, AN IMPROVEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION WITH TECHNOLOGY RELATED TO DEAF DEAFBLIND.

HARD OF HEARING.

UM, THE VI THE VISUAL, UM, THE VISUAL WITH LIGHTS.

UH, SO MAYBE HAVE A BOARD ON THE BUS THAT HAS DIFFERENT, UM, LIGHTS.

SO A DEAF AND HARD HEARING PERSON COULD FOLLOW INFORMATION BASED ON LIKE A LIGHT SYSTEM.

THAT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT.

UM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA MISINFORMATION AND I SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

TO HAVE A VISUAL, VISUAL TECHNOLOGY CAN IMPROVE COMMUNICATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF ALSO.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY'LL HAVE DIFFERENT LIGHTS THAT RE REPRESENT DIFFERENT THINGS.

LIKE A RED FLASHING WOULD

[00:15:01]

IF IT'S GREEN FLASHING, THAT WOULD MAYBE MEAN SOMETHING'S HAPPENING WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE TRANSPORTATION.

LIKE THERE'S A CHANGE.

OR MAYBE THE BUS IS BROKE DOWN.

A DEAF PERSON WOULD KNOW TO LEAVE INSTEAD OF JUST SITTING THERE WONDERING LIKE, OKAY, ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE ARE GETTING OFF.

MAYBE I SHOULD, BUT SHOULD, MAYBE I SHOULDN'T.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

UH, A LIGHT SYSTEM COULD LET PEOPLE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS HAPPENING.

ALSO, I SUGGEST THAT TRANSPORTATION HAVE VISUAL COMMUNICATION EXPANSION WITH, UM, A BIG, LIKE A TV UP ON THE ON THERE.

THAT, THAT HAS A MAP THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHERE THE BUS IS GOING AND CAN TELL THEM WHERE THE NEXT STOP IS.

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FOLLOW THE SCHEDULE.

LOOKING AT THE TV, IT CAN SHOW, UM, THE TIME.

ALSO, THE TEXT WOULD NEED TO BE ENLARGED SO PEOPLE WHO WITH LOW VISION CAN SEE, UH, THE INFORMATION AS WELL.

AND, UM, IF, IF IT'S A PERSON WHO'S COMPLETELY BLIND THAT CAN'T SEE IT, WE COULD ALSO HAVE AN APP THAT THEY COULD CONNECT THEIR PHONE TO WITH THE, UM, THE MAP, THE VISUAL MAP.

AND THEY COULD FOLLOW THAT WAY.

AND ALSO THEY COULD GET THE INFORMATION THROUGH EMAIL OR TEXT THAT WOULD BE REALLY WONDERFUL AND HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF BLIND.

SO NOW I SUGGEST STRONGLY THAT WE IMPROVE COMMUNICATION ACCESS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, FOR THE DEAF HARD OF HEARING WHO USE SIGN LANGUAGE OR LIP READING.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY ACTUALLY USE SIGN LANGUAGE.

IT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO BOTH GROUPS.

AND, UM, CONNECT, MAYBE CONNECT TO A COMPANY THAT HAS A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER THAT PEOPLE CAN BRING UP ON THEIR PHONES.

IT'S CALLED AERIAL APP.

IT'S A-I-R-R-A-A, I'M SORRY, A IR AIR.

A-P-P-L-A-P-I THINK I GOT THAT RIGHT.

IT'S A, IT'S A COMPANY BASICALLY THAT, UM, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT THROUGH, UM, A COMMUNIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

IT'S FREE AND IT CONNECTS INSTANTLY TO A SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER.

AND YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THE INTERPRETER ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS OR IF YOU HAVE TO PAY A FARE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE DRIVER.

MANY THINGS.

YOU CAN HAVE A, AN INTERPRETER COME RIGHT UP ON THE PHONE AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE DRIVER, AND THAT WOULD SAVE THE PERSON FROM HAVING TO LIKE WRITE NOTES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE THE DRIVER DOESN'T HAVE TIME TO STOP AND READ A NOTE OR WRITE ON A NOTE.

PLUS, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MISCOMMUNICATION CAN HAPPEN.

SO IT HELPS TO JUST HAVE THE INTERPRETER THERE ON THE PHONE THAT CAN HELP MAKE THE COMMUNICATION MORE SMOOTH.

SO, UM, ALSO THAT APP CAN BE USED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND THAT CAN HEAR, AND THE PERSON CAN TELL THE, THE BLIND PERSON WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

LIKE THE, THEY LIFT UP THEIR PHONE AND SHOW WHERE THINGS ARE GOING AND THEY TELL THEM WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO IT REALLY HELPS A PERSON WHO IS BLIND HAVE INDEPENDENT SKILLS.

ALSO, THEY CAN TELL THEM IF SOMETHING, THEY SEE SOMETHING DANGEROUS OR SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY MIGHT BE TRYING TO HURT THEM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S, UM, A REALLY WONDERFUL APP.

UM, AND I REALLY SUGGEST THAT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND DEAF AND, UM, HARD OF HEARING.

SO BASICALLY, UM, I'M JUST GLAD THAT I WAS ABLE TO CONNECT HERE AND TALK ABOUT THE REGIONAL, UH, COMMUNICATIONS, I'M SORRY, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR PEOPLE HERE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND JACKSON COUNTY.

AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN PRO, UM, IMPROVE OUR TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE ACCESS BETTER FOR ALL.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S A GREAT PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU.

QUESTIONS OR ANY FOR HAILEY ? HELLO EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS HAILEY KF AND I AM THE BLIND AND LOW VISION COORDINATOR AT THE WHOLE PERSON.

UH, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME REAL QUICK.

I'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE BLIND COMMUNITY FOR ABOUT EIGHT YEARS NOW AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH MY OWN VISUAL DISABILITY SINCE I WAS ABOUT 17.

NOT GONNA TELL EVERYONE HOW OLD I AM 'CAUSE I ALREADY GOT THE GRAY HAIRS TO SHOW IT, SO I'M GOOD.

BUT WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IN THE BLIND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, LOW VISION AND BLINDNESS IS TRANSPORTATION DIFFICULTIES.

UM, CLARK AND I HAVE WORKED A LOT TOGETHER IN THE PAST ABOUT MAKING TRANSPORTATION A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE, UM, DEALING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO STRUGGLE WITH GETTING TO WORK, UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.

AND SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST THEMES THAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT ONE OF, SO IN A PAST LIFE I WAS A VOCATIONAL COUNSELOR.

I WOULD HELP TRAIN THE INDIVIDUAL TO BE INDEPENDENT, MAKE SURE THEY GOT THE SERVICES THEY NEEDED,

[00:20:01]

AND ONE OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD AT THAT POINT WAS, WHAT IS YOUR TRANSPORTATION GONNA LOOK LIKE? AND SOMETIMES THE DIFFICULTY WAS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WANTED TO JUST ACCEPT THE JOB BEFORE EVEN THINKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE THEY WERE SO DESPERATE TO GET EMPLOYMENT.

AND IT IS NOT AN EASY FEAT TO HAVE.

EMPLOYMENT IS SOMEBODY WITH A DISABILITY, ESPECIALLY A VISUAL DISABILITY.

'CAUSE YOU CAN'T ALWAYS HIDE THAT YOU ARE VISION IMPAIRED.

UM, THAT'S JUST THE, THE SITUATION THAT WE ARE IN IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

UM, AND SO IF WE COULD EXPAND TRANSPORTATION AND HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS PUT IN, THERE WOULD BE HIGHER EMPLOYMENT IN THE BLIND AND, UM, LOW VISION COMMUNITY.

BECAUSE WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS YOU HAVE A TON OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE READY TO WORK, ARE CAPABLE OF WORKING, HAVE BEEN TRAINED ON THE ACCOMMODATIONS THAT WILL MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL IN A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, BUT THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION.

AND THEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING TO FIND EMPLOYMENT FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BLIND COMMUNITY ALMOST SOMETIMES LOSE THAT CONNECTION WITH THAT EMPLOYER BECAUSE THEY HAD THIS PERSON ALL SET UP AND READY TO GO AND THEN FIND OUT THAT THERE'S NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.

YOU CAN'T ALWAYS RELY ON FRIENDS, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS RELY ON FAMILY.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T EVEN HAVE FAMILY OR FRIENDS IN THEIR WORLD TO HELP THEM WITH THIS.

SO WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE US WITH? PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED AND A TON OF MONEY HAS GONE INTO THEIR TRAINING ONLY TO BE MET WITH NO EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION.

SO IF THAT COULD BE EXPANDED AND THE ACCOMMODATIONS COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONDUCIVE.

'CAUSE CLARK IS EXACTLY RIGHT ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT.

THE, UM, THE SCREEN AT THE TOP OF THE BUS THAT TALKS ABOUT STUFF.

I CAN'T SEE THAT.

UM, AND THE COLOR CONTRAST IS REALLY, REALLY HARD 'CAUSE THE, UM, PIXELS, FOR LACK OF BETTER TERM ARE NOT VERY CLEAR, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

MM-HMM .

UM, SO IF THAT COULD ALL BE ARRANGED, THAT WOULD BE THE BEST DAY EVER BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE SO READY TO WORK AND ARE CAPABLE AND COULD PROVIDE SO MUCH INSIGHT INTO THE DIFFERENT ROLES THAT THEY WANNA BE IN.

IT'S JUST TRANSPORTATION IS LACKING.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY EXPERIENCE FROM THE BLIND AND LO UH, VISION COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU BOTH.

MM-HMM .

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

UM, AT THE WHOLE PERSON.

I HAD THE PRIVILEGE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECALL HALLIE, THAT OF MEETING WITH YOU A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

YES.

AND, UM, IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING FOR ME AND I THINK A LACK OF EDUCATION IS DETRIMENTAL TO US BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE PERSON.

SO I APPRECIATE BOTH YOU AND CLARK BEING HERE.

UM, I LEARNED A LOT JUST FROM MEETING WITH YOU.

UM, JUST THAT ONE TIME I NEVER KNEW WHY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO THE CORNER, THERE'S THE LITTLE CLAY COLORED AND THE BUMPY THINGS.

YES.

TRUNCATED.

I NEVER KNEW.

SO, BUT NOW I VALUE THEM, ACTUALLY VALUE THEM.

AND WHEN I DON'T SEE 'EM, I'M LIKE, WE SHOULD HAVE THIS HERE.

YOU WERE WORKING ON A PROJECT AT THAT TIME, UM, IN REGARDS TO HAVING SOME TYPE OF, UM, SIGNALS AS PEOPLE CROSS THE STREET.

YES, MA'AM.

YES, MA'AM.

IS THAT, DID THAT HAPPEN? IS IT GOING, IS IT, SO IT HAS SORT OF HAPPENED.

WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT SLOWLY.

SO I MET WITH THE CITY AFTER YOU AND I SPOKE, AND THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED IN A SMALL CORNER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LOCATION FOR THE LIFE OF ME.

UM, A WAY TO DIRECT PEOPLE WHO ARE VISION IMPAIRED OR BLIND MM-HMM .

ACROSS THE STREET.

'CAUSE THAT WAS THE PROBLEM FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND, UM, THE TRUNCATED DOMES RIGHT, ARE THE PINK RAISED DOTS ON, UM, EVERY SIDEWALK WHERE YOU'RE ABOUT TO CROSS THE STREET OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

AND THEY ARE SIGNIFIERS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE USING THEIR CANES TO FEEL WHEN TO STOP.

THAT'S THEIR WHOLE PURPOSE.

IT'S NOT A DIRECTIONAL TOOL.

AND SO WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING IS YOU COULD HAVE THE TRUNCATED DOMES FACING THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU REALLY NEED TO CROSS THIS WAY.

AND SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS THE BLIND COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE CAN'T SEE IT.

WE'RE USING ALL OF THE TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS AND GATHERING EVERYTHING FROM THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US TO HELP US CROSS THE STREET.

'CAUSE IT'S REALLY SCARY

[00:25:01]

UM, AND SO PEOPLE WERE USING THEM AS DIRECTIONAL TOOLS AND ENDING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION OR NOT FOLLOWING THE STRIPES.

UM, IT, IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC.

AND SO THE CITY AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING A LITTLE BIT ON CREATING A SIDE PANEL THAT TELLS PEOPLE WHICH DIRECTION TO GO IN.

UM, AND SO I HAD PEOPLE FROM ALPHA POINT COME IN AND HELP ASSESS.

I HAD MYSELF, I HAD THE CITY AND I HAD A MOBILITY INSTRUCTOR.

THOSE ARE THE CERTIFIED PEOPLE WHO TEACH INDIVIDUALS HOW TO USE A CANE.

AND SO, UM, YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN SLOWLY TAKING PLACE.

WELL, WONDERFUL.

I'M GLAD IT'S HAPPENING.

YES.

THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING.

I APPRECIATE THAT, .

THANK YOU.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? I THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.

OKAY.

AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO GIVE YOU A PAPER THAT I HAVE INFORMATION.

SURE.

I DUNNO HOW TO GET THIS.

YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

CAN I ASK FOR A PAPER? AN EXTRA.

OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS TRISTAN WITH CASEY KC REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE.

THANK YOU.

CHAIR HUSKY.

EVERYONE HEAR ME WELL? YEAH.

YEP.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, CHAIR HUSKY, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

MY NAME, UH, AS ALL THREE OF YOU KNOW, IS TRISTAN AMES HOGAN, UH, IN A PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY.

I'M THE EDITOR OF THE LABOR BEACON, THE UNION NEWSPAPER FOR THE REGION.

UH, I HAVE THE UNIQUE, UH, CURSE AND BLESSING OF SPENDING A LOT OF MY TIME THINKING ABOUT THE WAYS THAT OUR INTERSECTING SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT AND POWER MEET OR FAIL TO MEET THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS.

UM, I'M ALSO THE CHAIR OF THE KANSAS CITY REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE AND NEARLY THREE DECADE OLD NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ON PUBLIC TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY GATHERS PUBLIC OPINION COMMUNICATES AND ADVOCATES TO EXPAND, ENHANCE, AND IMPROVE TODAY'S TRANSIT OPTIONS.

I'M HERE BECAUSE JACKSON COUNTY IS AT A CRITICAL, UH, DECISION POINT WITH UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

OUR DATA THAT WE'VE COLLECTED AS AN ORGANIZATION GIVES US A GOOD IDEA WHAT THAT DECISION SHOULD BE.

SOME CONTEXT.

OUR REGION CURRENTLY RANKS 12TH OF 15 PEER METRO AREAS IN TRANSIT SPENDING PER RESIDENT.

WE SPEND ABOUT $46 PER PERSON PER YEAR.

A NUMBER THAT HAS FALLEN BY ALMOST A THIRD SINCE 2016.

EVEN AS PEER CITIES LIKE COLUMBUS AND DENVER ACCELERATING THEIR INVESTMENTS, THE PEER REGION AVERAGE IS NEARLY $60 PER CAPITA.

AND ASPIRATIONAL REGIONS ARE SPENDING MORE THAN $138 PER PERSON.

WE'RE NOT KEEPING PACE, WE'RE FALLING BEHIND AS A REGION AND WE'RE DEFINITELY PAYING A PRICE FOR IT.

UH, I WANNA BE CLEAR EARLY IN THIS CONVERSATION, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IN THE BACK OF ALL OF YOUR MINDS, UH, THAT, UH, OUR ORGANIZATION REALLY WANTS EVERY COUNTY JOHNSON CLAY PLA, WYANDOT TO DO THEIR, UH, PART AND FUND TRANSIT PROPERLY.

WE KNOW THAT WE'RE ASKING JACKSON COUNTY TO GO FIRST.

UH, BUT THERE ARE 735,000 PEOPLE IN JACKSON COUNTY WHO DESERVE A SHOT AT THIS.

REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT OUR BORDERING COMMUNITIES ARE READY TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TODAY.

COMMUNITIES LIKE GLADSTONE, RAYTOWN BLUE SPRINGS, UH, HAVE INTO THEIR BUS CONTRACTS IN THE AREA.

UH, ROUTES ARE DISAPPEARING.

THE K-C-H-E-A, WHICH WANNA BE CLEAR, IS ACTUALLY OPERATING ONE OF THE MOST EFFICIENT SYSTEMS IN THE COUNTRY.

UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THEIR LEVELS OF FUNDING, WITH ONE OF THE LOWEST COSTS PER RIDER AMONG ALL OF THEIR PEER AGENCIES.

UH, THEY'RE NOW FACING TOTS NEARLY HALF OF THE ROUTES WITHOUT NEW FUNDING.

ONE THE WORLD CUP ENDS AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, A QUARTER OF THOSE ROUTES ARE GONNA DISAPPEAR.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE WILL LOSE ACCESS TO THE FREEDOM OF MOBILITY AND THE POWER OF ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY.

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING TO WORK TO THE DOCTOR, TO THE GROCERY STORE.

I MEAN, YOU NAME IT.

SO WE'VE ASKED YOUR VOTERS, UH, WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY THINK OUR REGION NEEDS.

LAST SUMMER, THE K-C-R-T-A COMMISSIONED A SCIENTIFIC POLL OF JACKSON COUNTY VOTERS CONDUCTED BY A MC RESEARCH.

UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE GOLD STANDARD FIRMS RECOMMENDED BY THE AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION FOCUSED ON A SIMPLE QUESTION.

IF WE PUT A COUNTYWIDE HALF CENT PUBLIC TRANSIT SALES TAX ON THE BALLOT NEXT YEAR IN JACKSON COUNTY, WOULD YOU VOTE YES FOR IT? 57% SAID YES BEFORE HEARING A SINGLE ARGUMENT IN FAVOR.

61% SAID YES AFTER LEARNING, UH, WHAT THAT INVESTMENT COULD LOOK LIKE OR MEAN FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.

JACKSON COUNTY SHOWED THE STRONGEST SUPPORT OF ANY OF THE COUNTIES WE POLLED.

UH, AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS EXPRESSLY, UH, HAVE INTEREST IN THIS IN BROAD WAYS.

UH, LEMME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHO WE ASKED.

WE CONFIRMED THAT THESE WERE ALL REGULAR VOTERS WITH PLANS TO VOTE THIS FALL WITH MATCHING TO THEIR PREVIOUS VOTING HISTORY THROUGH THE VOTER FILE.

THE ISSUE IS POPULAR BLACK VOTERS WITH

[00:30:01]

WE ASKED THEM IF THEY EVEN FELT LIKE THEY WERE OVERTAXED.

AND ADDITIONALLY, IF THEY EVEN PERSONALLY USED TRANSIT THEMSELVES.

VOTERS RESPONDED THAT THEY ACTUALLY FEEL LESS TAXED THAN THE AVERAGE AMERICAN.

AND NEARLY 90% SAID THAT THEY ONLY HAVE USED PUBLIC TRANSIT ONCE IN THE LAST YEAR OR LESS, BUT STILL BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING THINGS.

83% SAY THAT PUBLIC TRANSIT IS A VITAL PUBLIC SERVICE FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE ENTERING THE WORKFORCE.

81% SAID IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE HIGH QUALITY TRANSIT SERVICE IN THEIR AREA, EVEN IF THEY DO NOT PERSONALLY USE IT.

82% SAID THE PUBLIC TRANSIT IS ESSENTIAL FOR JOBS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

AND 70% SAID THE PUBLIC TRANSIT REDUCES TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THEIR REGION.

AND THIS IS NOT A HARD CALL.

UH, THE NEED IS VERY REAL FOR YOUR VOTERS.

THE EFFICIENCIES THERE, UH, THE PUBLIC MANDATE EXISTS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING FOR YOU, WHO VOTED FOR YOU PREVIOUSLY, AND THE TOOL A COUNTY DEDICATED SALES TAX IS AVAILABLE TO YOU.

WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU, THE JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATURE, IS TO THE NEXT STEP AUTHORIZE A BALLOT MEASURE THAT LETS YOUR VOTERS DECIDE.

UH, LAST, UH, WEEK I GAVE ALL OF YOU, OR TWO WEEKS AGO, I SHOULD SAY SAMPLE BALLOT LANGUAGE.

AND THERE'S SINCE BEEN UPDATED SAMPLE BALLOT LANGUAGE THAT WHITNEY HAS AVAILABLE.

UM, UH, AUTHORIZING ORDINANCE WRITTEN TO ME BY MY VICE CHAIR, MICHAEL KELLY, UH, SHELLED THE COUNTY OF JACKSON COUNTY, OPPOSE A COUNTYWIDE SALES TAX OF HALF CENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A SOURCE OF FUNDS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES.

UM, WITHIN THAT, IF PASSED, THE AVERAGE JACKSON HUNTER VOTER WOULD SPEND ABOUT HALF ABOUT THE COST OF THE FAMOUSLY CHEAP COSTCO HOTDOG COMBO EACH WEEK TOWARDS TRANSIT, UH, AND PUT MORE THAN $60 MILLION A YEAR INTO NOT JUST PUBLIC TRANSIT, BUT ALSO INTO ROAD MAINTENANCE TRAILS AND SIDEWALKS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

PERHAPS MOST INTERESTING FOR YOU, A NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, IT'S GENERATING BETWEEN TWO AND $4 IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

THOSE STUDIES RANGE, BUT YOU CONSISTENTLY SEE THAT IF YOU SPEND MONEY ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, YOU GET ECONOMIC INVESTMENT RETURNS THAT ARE HIGHER THAN, WHICH IS HARD TO SAY FOR MANY TAX INVESTMENTS.

UH, OUR STRATEGY DOESN'T REQUIRE REGIONAL AGREEMENT YET, TOO.

WE WANNA FLAG THAT, OR EVEN MULTI-STATE COORDINATION THAT IS LIKELY IMPOSSIBLY OUT OF REACH.

UH, YOU GUYS TRY TO STRIKE A DEAL WITH JOHNSON COUNTY PERFECTLY AND LET ME KNOW HOW THAT GOES.

UH, WITHIN THAT, UH, EACH COUNTY CAN MOVE ON ITS OWN TIMELINE.

JACKSON COUNTY CAN ACT AS THE VERY FIRST DOMINO, OR THE ONLY DOMINO YOU CAN BE THE HISTORIC LEGISLATURE THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE ON AN ISSUE THAT PEOPLE IN JACKSON COUNTY HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR LITERALLY DECADES.

GOING BACK, SCROLL, THE STARS ARCHIVES, THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND A COUNTY TRANSIT SALES TAX HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS.

UH, IT'S FOR THAT REASON.

THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE, UH, THAT THE GREATER KANSAS CITY BUILDING TRADES AND THE GREATER KANSAS CITY A-F-L-C-I-O VOTED LAST MONTH, UH, SO THAT WE COULD TELL YOU THAT THEY ARE ACTIVELY SUPPORTING OUR EFFORTS TO PUT THIS ISSUE ON THE BALLOT.

THIS NOVEMBER ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THERE'S ALMOST FOUR DOZEN TRANSIT BALLOT MEASURES THAT PASSED LAST YEAR.

VOTERS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO APPROVED 6 BILLION FOR TRANSIT.

UH, OUR PEERS ARE BUILDING A FUTURE THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE WITHIN THOSE UH, AREAS.

SO WE CAN TOO, STARTING HERE IN JACKSON COUNTY, UH, VOTERS ARE WITH YOU.

WE ARE WITH YOU AS AN ORGANIZATION.

UH, AND WE ASK THAT YOU TO PLEASE PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.

THANK YOU.

OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.

COMMITTEE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ALSO, I'M SORRY, I SPOKE QUICKLY.

QUESTION.

UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE INFORMATION.

YOU MENTIONED, UM, THE SURVEY THAT WAS TAKEN AND THE WIDE RANGE OF, UM, OPINIONS THAT WERE PART OF THAT.

YES.

UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH OUT OF THAT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE SURVEY LED, UM, ANYONE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR THAT NEW SYSTEM TO LOOK LIKE OR HOW WOULD THEY LIKE TO REVAMP THE SYSTEM OR WHILE UNDERSTANDABLY SO.

TRANSPORTATION, AND THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THAT TRANSPORTATION IS IMPORTANT, UM, AND FOR SO MANY REASONS.

BUT, UM, I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF THE IDEAS YEAH.

UM, OF WHAT THAT, WHAT PEOPLE ENVISION THAT TO LOOK LIKE.

SO I'LL SAY THAT WITHIN OUR, UH, POLLING, WE DID NOT ASK PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY LIKE OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT BUS TRANSIT.

MM-HMM .

UH, AND WE DO WANT TO STICK TO ANECDOTAL DATA WITHIN OUR PRESENTATION AS FAR AS LIKE TELLING YOU, LIKE, I KNOW THIS FOR CERTAIN OR THIS FOR CERTAIN.

UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION AS AN ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN THAT WE SHOULD, UH, FUND THE REPEATEDLY STUDIED, UH, UH, MARK GUIDELINES, UH, SMART MOVES, UM, THAT PROVIDE AND HAVE ACTUALLY HAD BROADER REGIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU'D FUND WITH MORE TRANSIT MONEY.

MM-HMM .

UM, WE, I THINK THAT'S WHERE I'D LEAVE THAT.

UH, I THINK THAT ALSO THE WAY THAT WE'RE PRESENTING THIS, UH, IT WOULD REQUIRE YOU GUYS TO APPROVE HOW THE TRANSIT MONEY IS EXPENDED.

SO ULTIMATELY, SOME OF THE DECISION MAKING WOULD BE LEFT TO YOU ALL.

UH, WE WOULD OBVIOUSLY ADVOCATE ON THE BACK END, BUT AT THIS POINT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO, UH, EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF, UH, WATER IN THE POOL, IF YOU WILL.

YES.

THANK YOU.

IT'S A LITTLE SHALLOW RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU.

YES.

ANY MORE QUESTIONS? THANK

[00:35:01]

OKAY.

DEEPLY APPRECIATE CHAIR HUSKY.

THANK YOU SMITH.

THANK YOU.

PEYTON.

UH, IS NICK MILLER HERE? NICK MILLER'S NOT HERE.

OKAY.

MY MCQUEEN, IS HE HERE? OKAY.

OKAY.

MIDAMERICA REGIONAL COUNCIL.

RON POL, DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY? VERY CLOSE.

APPLE POOL.

OKAY.

IF I CAN APPROACH THE JUDGE, I'VE GOT OOH, COLOR.

THANK YOU.

UH, SO, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON AND, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR HUSKY AND MEMBERS OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE.

I'M, UH, FOR YOUR, UH, LEADERSHIP AND EXAMINING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEEDS FOR JACKSON COUNTY, UM, AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

I'M RON APO.

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENT AT THE MIDAMERICA REGIONAL COUNCIL.

AND, UH, WHAT I WANTED TO USE MY TIME TODAY TO DO WOULD, WAS TO, UH, BRIEFLY TOUCH ON MARK'S TRANSPORTATION ROLE, UH, WHAT OUR PLANNING AND RESEARCH TELLS US ABOUT, UH, WHY TRANSIT MATTERS TO THE REGION, AND HOW MARK COULD SUPPORT YOUR COMMITTEE'S WORK TO SORT OF FOLLOW UP ON LEGISLATOR PAYTON'S EARLIER QUESTION.

UM, SO, UH, MARK IS THE REGION'S METROPOLITAN, UH, PLANNING ORGANIZATION AMONG OTHER ROLES THAT WE SERVE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE CONVENE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, TRANSIT PROVIDERS, UH, TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS SUCH AS MODOT AND KDOT ON THE KANSAS SIDE OF THE REGION.

UH, WE SERVE NINE COUNTIES IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA.

JACKSON, CASS CLAY PLAT AND RAY COUNTIES ON THE MISSOURI SIDE OF THE STATE LINE AND JOHNSON, LEAVENWORTH MI MIAMI AND WYANDOT COUNTIES ON THE KANSAS SIDE OF THE STATE LINE.

UH, WE'RE GOVERNED BY A 33 MEMBER, UH, BOARD OF ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE APPOINTED BY OUR MEMBER JURISDICTIONS, UH, TO OUR BOARD.

AND I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, UH, LEGISLATOR MCGEE NOT IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW, BUT HE DOES CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE MARK BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

UM, SO ONE OF THE, UH, KEY RESPONSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR, UH, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ROLE IS DEVELOPING LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLANS FOR THE METRO AREA.

AND LAST SUMMER OUR BOARD ADOPTED, UH, CONNECTED KC 2050, WHICH IS A, A PLAN THAT LOOKS OUT, UH, TO THE YEAR 2050 FOR ALL MODES OF, UH, SURFACE TRANSPORTATION IN THE REGION.

UM, THIS WAS DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE, WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS, WITH, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS.

I MENTIONED EXTENSIVE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT, INCLUDING SOME PUBLIC SURVEY WORK THAT, UH, ECHOES SOME OF THE RESULTS THAT THE RTAS MORE RECENT SURVEY SHOWED.

UM, AND A LOT OF DATA AND ANALYSIS, UH, AND WHAT THE, WHAT THE, UH, PLAN CALLS FOR IS FOR A, A MORE CONNECTED MULTIMODAL SYSTEM WITH STRONGER LOCAL INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

UH, THIS IS A PLAN THAT WE UPDATE EVERY FIVE YEARS AND EVERY TIME THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS, ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REQUESTS THAT WE GET FROM THE PUBLIC IS, CAN WE FIND MORE RESOURCES FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT IN THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA? UM, SO THIS PLAN ELEVATED THAT A LOT BECAUSE OF THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT THE TRANSPORTATION, THE TRANSIT SYSTEM IS, IS REALLY FACING IN THE REGION.

UH, AFTER THE, AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC, UH, A LOT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT BECAME AVAILABLE TO THE REGION TO CONTINUE OPERATING SERVICES HAS GONE AWAY.

AND IT'S NOT BEEN REPLACED BY, BY OTHER FUNDING MECHANISMS. SO SECURING FUNDING TO STABILIZE AND ENHANCE THE REGIONAL TRANSIT SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT PLAN.

UH, AND THE, AND THE KEY, UM, OBSTACLE TO THAT RIGHT NOW IS THE LACK OF DEDICATED, UH, RESOURCES FOR TRANSIT IN THE REGION.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY, UH, JURISDICTION THAT HAS, UH, DEDICATED REVENUES IDENTIFIED SPECIFICALLY FOR TRANSIT.

OTHER COMMUNITIES DO HAVE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, BUT THE MAJORITY OF OF THE FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR TRANSIT IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE PROVIDED IT OR ARE PROVIDING IT COMES FROM THEIR GENERAL REVENUE.

SO, AS, AS SEVERAL OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY, UH, TOUCHED ON, TRANSIT'S REALLY AN ESSENTIAL CROSS-CUTTING STRATEGY FOR THE REGION.

IT'S A CROSS-CUTTING STRATEGY AND CONNECTED KC 2050 AND IN OTHER PLANS TO SUPPORT THE REGION'S ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.

UH, IT'S CENTRAL TO MARK'S WORK BECAUSE A STRONGER, BETTER CON CONNECTED SYSTEM WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO JOBS, SERVICES, AND OPPORTUNITY ACROSS THE REGION AND PROVIDE OTHER ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL

[00:40:01]

UM, ONE OF THE, UH, PIECES OF WORK THAT LED UP TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MOST RECENT, UH, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN WAS A, A COMPARISON OF PURE REGIONS AROUND THE, THE COUNTRY.

UH, AND TRISTAN HAS ALREADY QUOTED SEVERAL OF THE KEY FINDINGS FROM THAT.

BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT, UH, KANSAS CITY IS, UH, THE, THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA WAS 12TH OF, UH, 15TH IN THE AMOUNT OF TRANSIT SERVICE AND THE FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR IT FOR OUR, OUR PEER REGIONS.

WE LOOKED AT ABOUT 30 DIFFERENT OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS AROUND THE REGION.

UM, AND SO YEAH, THE, THE, THE STATISTICS ARE THAT WE AS A, AS A METRO AREA SPEND CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN OUR PEERS AND LESS THAN HALF AS MUCH AS SOME OF THE ASPIRATIONAL AREAS THAT REALLY, THAT, THAT DO PROVIDE MUCH MORE ROBUST SERVICE THAN, THAN OUR, OUR REGION DOES.

ONE OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT STUDY WAS THAT REGIONS WITH STABLE COORDINATED TRANSIT INVESTMENT ARE BETTER ABLE TO PROVIDE STRONG SERVICE AND SUPPORT, JOB ACCESS, AFFORDABILITY, ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.

UH, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY WON'T REPLACE THE NEED FOR NEW LOCAL FUNDING.

AND THAT'S THE VISION BEHIND THE, THE SMART MOVES, UH, PLAN FOR GREATER KANSAS CITY, WHICH I'VE DETAILED SOME INFORMATION IN THE HANDOUT THAT I JUST DISTRIBUTED.

UM, SO SMART MOVES ANOTHER PLAN THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED COOPERATIVELY WITH THE TRANSIT PROVIDERS IN THE REGION.

AND, UH, AND IN, AND RECENTLY IN THE LAST YEAR WITH, UH, WITH SOME REALLY, UH, SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITIES THAT, THAT EITHER FUND SERVICES OR HAVE HAD TO CUT BACK ON THEIR FUNDING FOR SERVICES.

UM, IT PROVIDES A PRACTICAL REGIONAL VISION FOR IMPROVING TRANSIT ACCESS TO JOBS, SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE, AND OTHER KEY DESTINATIONS ACROSS THE KANSAS CITY REGION.

UH, THE PLAN RECOMMENDS INVESTING IN FAST, FREQUENT, AND RELIABLE TRANSIT SERVICE IN THE CORRIDORS WHERE IT CAN SERVE THE MOST RIDERS AND PROVIDE THE GREATEST PUBLIC BENEFIT, UH, BUT ALSO PROVIDES OTHER STRATEGIES FOR PARTS OF THE REGION THAT MAY NOT BE AS DENSELY POPULATED AS DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, WHERE THERE STILL ARE, UH, IMPORTANT, UH, TRANSPORTATION ACCESS AND MOBILITY NEEDS.

UH, THIS PLAN EMPHASIZES THAT STRONGER REGIONAL TRANSIT CAN SUPPORT ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, EXPAND OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS, AND IMPROVE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS.

AND IN AND SPEAKING WITH THE COMMUNITIES IN, IN JACKSON COUNTY, THAT'S, UH, THAT ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF THEIR KEY, UM, REQUESTS THAT WE DEVELOP MORE STRATEGIES FOR THEM TO CONNECT, UH, THEMSELVES TO EACH OTHER SO THAT NOT ALL THE TRANSIT SERVICES IN THE REGION WOULD, UM, ORIGINATE AND, AND TERMINATE AND, AND DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BUT THAT WOULD CONNECT INDEPENDENCE WITH LEE SUMMIT OR GRANDVIEW AND RAYTOWN TOGETHER.

UM, SO BY STRENGTHENING REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND FOCUSING INVESTMENTS STRATEGICALLY, SMART MOVES OFFERS A ROADMAP FOR COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE MOBILITY, REDUCE CONGESTION PRESSURES, AND ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF, OF UPDATING THIS PLAN.

UM, IT'S NOT DONE YET.

WE ARE GOING TO BE, UH, TALKING MORE ABOUT IT MORE PUBLICLY AFTER THE WORLD CUP, UH, UH, ENDS THIS SUMMER.

WE THINK THERE'S, THAT WILL GENERATE A LOT MORE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAN WE'VE, UH, SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

UM, BUT IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LOCAL, UH, OFFICIALS THAT WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH, UM, WE FOUND THAT THE UNDERLYING ELEMENTS OF THE SMART MOVE VISION THAT WERE DEVELOPED EARLY ON IN THE, IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, AND HAVE BEEN UPDATED ABOUT THREE TIMES SINCE THEN, THEY'RE STILL RELEVANT WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS.

UH, THE COST TO IMPLEMENT AND OPERATE THE SYSTEM ARE ATTAINABLE WITH NEW REVENUE SOURCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

AND WHILE THERE'S NO SINGLE TRANSIT REVENUE SOURCE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FOR THE ENTIRE REGION, UH, NEW COUNTY-BASED FUNDING STRATEGIES MAY PROVIDE THE BEST OPTION TO ADVANCE THE SYSTEM AT SCALE.

AND THEREFORE WE'RE DEVELOPING SYSTEM PLANS AND COST ESTIMATES AT THAT LEVEL.

AND SO WHAT I PROVIDED FOR YOU TODAY IS A, IS A SNAPSHOT OF OUR, OUR CURRENT THINKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD MAKE SENSE IN JACKSON COUNTY.

UM, SO I WANNA LEAVE YOU WITH THE IDEA THAT, UH, IF YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, WITH, UH, PROVIDING, UH, TRANSIT FUNDING FOR THE, FOR THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN YOUR COUNTY, MARK STANDS, UH, READY TO HELP YOU DEVELOP TRANSIT PRIORITIES ALIGNED WITH THE SMART MOVES PLAN.

UH, WE CAN PROVIDE DATA ANALYSIS, PLANNING, SUPPORT, AND REGIONAL COORDINATION TO SUPPORT YOUR WORK IN WHATEVER WAYS YOU'D FIND MOST HELPFUL.

SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR, UH, FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

WELL, THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FIGHTING THE EXPRESS BUS DOWNTOWN,

[00:45:01]

THANK YOU.

YES.

IT, IT PROVIDES A, UM, KIND OF INTERCONNECTING SERVICES.

NOT ALL OF THEM ARE ROUTE BASED.

THERE ARE ALSO DEMAND RESPONSE SERVICES AND, AND OTHER, OTHER WAYS TO GET AROUND THAT ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER REGIONALLY.

IT LOOKS VERY GOOD TO ME.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR, UH, PRESENTING TO THE COMMITTEE.

UM, I WANT TO CONCLUDE AND THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY, VERY MUCH.

I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING YOU SAID, .

I USED TO RIDE THE BUS AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY THIS ONE THING I DO RECALL, WHEN I RODE THE BUS FROM DOWNTOWN TO SOUTH KANSAS CITY, THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS BLIND.

WHEN WE SAW HER AT THE BUS STOP, THEY WOULD MOVE FROM THE FRONT SEATS.

SO, AND I GUESS THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY GENERATION WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER VERSUS WHAT'S GOING ON NOW.

SO WHEN SHE GOT ON THE BUS, SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR A SEAT.

THE OTHER THING SHE WOULD DO WAS TELL THE BUS DRIVER, I NEED TO GET OFF AT A CERTAIN POINT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD DO.

IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT PEOPLE WEREN'T AS POLITE AS THEY USED TO BE.

BUT ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE IT AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PROGRESS IN THE, UH, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ARENA.

SO, THANK YOU.

CAN, CAN I ASK A GENERAL QUESTION WHILE WE HAVE EVERYBODY HERE? SURE.

THIS IS JUST PURE CURIOSITY ON MY PART.

SO THIS LITTLE PLAQUE SITS IN OUR CONFERENCE ROOM BACK HERE.

IT'S FROM THE REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE AND IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATURE IN 2003 FOR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO REGIONAL TRANSIT.

DOES, LIKE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THEY DID IN 2003? YEAH.

OR USED TO DO I ? IT'S, IT'S SAT THERE FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS AND I'VE THOUGHT LIKE WE DON'T, LIKE RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T FUND TRANSIT FOR THE MOST PART AT ALL.

UM, AND I JUST THOUGHT, WHAT CHANGED OR WHAT WAS THIS ABOUT? BUT I THOUGHT YOU GUYS MIGHT BE THE ONES TO ASK.

IT'S REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE.

UH, IT SAYS IT'S FROM REGIONAL TRANSIT ALLIANCE.

ALRIGHT.

DAVID JOHNSON.

I'M THE IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR.

I DON'T GO BACK THAT FAR.

OLDER THAN SOME OF MY PEERS, BUT NOT THAT OLD.

SO, UH, NOT REMEMBER.

UH, SO IF I RECALL, TRISTAN ALLUDED TO IT IN HIS COMMENTS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS, BUT I REMEMBER MOST SERIOUSLY WAS, UH, IN 2012 AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY THAT EDUCATION EFFORT WOULD'VE LED TO, UH, A VOTE ON A SALES WITH THAT EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT RAN THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION.

UH, AND WE WERE GOTCHA.

UPDATED, UH, WE'RE ALL ON THE FOURTH ITERATION OF THAT PLAN.

FAIR ENOUGH.

VERY, VERY LONG TERM.

UH, AT LEAST YOU DIDN'T GIVE UP INITIATIVES FOR YEAH.

23 YEARS THAT WE KNOW OF .