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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GTAB_02.14.2020 Minutes of the Meeting of the Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board and the Governing Body of the City of Georgetown, Texas February 14, 2020 The City of Georgetown is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you require assistance in participation at a public meeting due to a disability, as defined under the ADA, reasonable assistance, adaptations, or accommodations will be provided upon request. Please contact the City at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled meeting date, at (512)930-3652 or City Hall at 113 East 8th Street for additional information: TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Board Members Present: Ron Bindas – Board Chair, Dan Jones, Ge orge Brown, Robert Redoutey, Sheila Mills, Ercel Brashear, Rachael Jonrowe Board Members Absent: Doug Noble Staff Present: Wes Wright, Ray Miller, Emily Koontz, Joseph Carney, Laurie Brewer, David Morgan, Wayne Reed, Paul Diaz, Nat Waggoner Others Present: Carl Norris-ACC, John Milford-ACC, Terry Reed – ACC, Philip Huntley – Garver Regular Session A. Call to Order: Meeting called to order by Chairperson Ron Bindas at 10:00am Georgetown Transportation Advisory Board may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to Convene an Executive Session at the request of the Chair, a Board Member, The City Manager, Assistant City Manager, General Manager of Utilities, City Council Member, or legal counsel for any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551, and are subject to action in the Regular Session that follows. B. Introduction of Board Members and Visitors: All board members, visitors, and staff were introduced. C. Updates to various planning initiatives by CAMPO and TxDOT transportation improvement projects as wells as an update on GoGeo Operations. Ray Miller gave updates. All updates included in the packet. There was discussion about how the performance standard came from the Transit Feasibility Study and some of the standards were goal-oriented. Morgan explained that there will be discussions during the budget process about GoGeo. D. Discussion regarding the Airport Monthly Update and Project Time Lines - Joseph A. Carney, C.M., Airport Manager and Ray Miller, Acting Director of Public Works. Joseph Carney gave updates. All updates included in the packet. There was discussion about the contingency fund being in good shape and that the bond funds will be $750,000 for the maintenance building. Citizens Wishing to Address the Board: The following people with the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC) signed up to speak to the Board on Item E: Carl Norris – 6 minutes (extra 3 minutes donated by John Milford) – Statement attached to minutes. E. January 2020 GTAB Updates - Wesley Wright, P.E., Systems Engineering Director/Michael Hallmark, CIP Manager. Wesley Wright gave updates. All updates included in the packet. There was discussion about the approximate time frame of probably 9 to 12 months once construction begins which will start probably at the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021. There was some discussion about concerns about line of sight for pedestrian crossings. Legislative Regular Agenda F. Consideration and possible approval of the Minutes from the January 10, 2020 Meeting – Emily Koontz – Board Liaison. MOTION by Mills, second by Brown to approve the minutes. APPROVED 7-0-2 (Noble – absent, Brashear - abstained) G. Consideration and possible recommendation on Task Order KHA-20-001 to Kimley- Horn and Associates for professional design services for the Westinghouse and Scenic Lake Traffic Signal in the amount of $59,820 – Wesley Wright, PE, Sytems Engineering Director. MOTION by Brashear, second by Brown. APPROVED 8-0-1 (Noble – absent) H. Presentation, discussion, and possible recommendation on the draft 2030 Plan Update – Sofia Nelson, Planning Director, Nat Waggoner, AICP, Long Range Planning Manager, and Susan Watkins, AICP, Housing Coordinator. Plan is available on the city website. MOTION by Mills, second by Brown. APPROVED 7-0-2 (Noble – absent, Brashear - abstained) Adjournment Motion by Brashear, second by Redoutey. APPROVED 8-0-1 (Noble – absent) Meeting was Adjourned at 11:18 AM Approved: Attested: ___________________________ __________________________ Ronald Bindas - Chair Dan Jones – Secretary _________________________________ Emily Koontz – GTAB Board Liaison GTAB STATEMENT FEBRUARY 14, 2020 AGENDA ITEM “D” AIRPORT MONTHLY REPORT Good morning Mr. Chairman, and members of the GTAB. My name is Hugh C. Norris, Jr. My residence is 4400 Luna Trail, Georgetown, Texas. I am a member of the Airport Concerned Citizens (ACC). On behalf of the ACC, we add to our prior documented oppositions to the Taxiway Edge Lighting Project, 1914GRGTN, as an evasion of FAA NEPA/EIS compliance regulations 1050.1F and 5050.4. This project's components were originally part of 25 components of grant project 1514GRGTN provided NEPA/EIS evasion by the city, TxDOT, and FAA. These 25 components were among the group of a multimillion dollar PROGRAM for airport operations expansion developed by the federal funded 2005 Airport Master Plan. That plan was developed by evaded portions of FAA AC 150/5070-6B regulating development of such airport plans. The entire 2005 PROGRAM of components was inserted into a revised Airport Layout Plan (ALP) and approved by TxDOT for federal/state funding with no required EIS preparation process for public examination and participation. The 25 component 1514GRGTN federal funded grant was segmented out of the NEPA evaded ALP as a stand- alone project, provided an illicit categorical exclusion by TxDOT staff in violation of described federal regulations, and falsely justified by city and state officials before the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) as having had a full, open public meeting PRIOR to its presentation to the TTC for approval funding. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANY GRANT FOR OUR AIRPORT. Due to funding limitations, the Taxiway Edge Lighting Project was excluded from 1514GRGTN and deferred until August 2019 by TxDOT for separate TTC approval. 1914GRGTN retains all the corrupt behavior features by city, TxDOT, and FAA officials of its parent project and PROGRAM including total exclusion of open public hearings and meetings which ACC continues to request this board provide. Lack of open public question and answer meetings between the public and city officials to address questions such as those posed by myself and Ms. Dew last month have led city, TxDOT, and FAA officials to fraudulent behavior. For example, look at the aerial wall map to my left. Note the abandoned original Lakeway Drive and its ox-bow relocation to accommodate the 900 ft extension of RW 18-36 implemented as a PROGRAM project of the 1980 Airport Master Plan. The roadway, Lakeway Drive, did not exist in 1980. It did exist in 1984. But because no EIS process was implemented for that plan and PROGRAM, the general public, road builder, and city officials were not aware of the planned runway extension, conflicts occurred, and waste of public funds was required in 1990 and 1991 to relocate the roadway and its drainage facilities. To this day, the city claims it has no records of the roadway's original construction or acceptance for public use. No EIS preparation process was implemented for the relocation project or federal funded acquired land in violation of federal regulations. Consider the posting on the city Airport Department website of Citizen FAQ No.4 of a FAA Hotline response letter dated September 15, 2015 with August 28, 2015 attachment to me without my PRIOR consent NOR inclusion of my response to FAA two days later. The missing personal response cited the FAA response was unacceptable, defective, and riddled with false, misleading, missing information, and cited examples. Posting this FAA Hotline response by the city was viciously intended to smear and marginalize the complainant and the ACC. The FAA Hotline is a whistleblower site protected by federal regulations against unauthorized release. Posting by the city on its global website of this confidential correspondence without PRIOR citizen whistleblower's consent will be pursued in the NEPA revisions now being conducted by Congress. Lack of airport public meetings for the past 40 years and four airport master planned PROGRAMS have resulted in the continued hazardous airport location site in the heart of our growing city as shown on the Future Land Use Plan of the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Update with no city professional plan for the airport's safe, superior site, relocation. Mr. Chairman, the ACC demands that, if this board believes it does not possess the authority to conduct an airport public meeting, then it now recommend the city council conduct such a meeting PRIOR to its meeting on February 25, 2020. Board comments will be appreciated.