[00:00:01] WE CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER THE ABILENE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION POLICY BOARD. [1. Call to Order. Public comment on any item on the agenda.] IT IS 11:00 A.M. ON SEPTEMBER 1ST. PUBLIC COMMENT CAN BE TAKEN ON [2. Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Take Action on the MPO Budget, Job Descriptions, and Staffing.] ANY ITEM OF THE UH GENERAL WHICH IS NUMBER 2 RECEIVE A REPORT, HOLD A DISCUSSION, AND TAKE ACTION ON THE MPO BUDGET, JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND STAFFING. LISA? >> THIS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ABILENE MPO. THE MPO UNDERWENT A MANAGEMENT REVIEW AND AT THIS TIME IT WAS CONDUCTED BY TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE CORPORATION AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. AND THIS REVIEW, ONCE THEY COMPLETED IT, IT WAS THREE STAFF POSITIONS NEEDED BASED ON WORKLOAD AND FUNDING. MPO HAS HISTORICALLY MAINTAINED THREE FULL TIME STAFF POSITIONS. IT WAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND A PLANNING TECHNICIAN. IT HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE APRIL. THEY HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITH ONE STAFF MEMBER, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT BECAUSE OF A HIRING FREEZE RELATED TO COVID-19. THERE ARE TWO POSITIONS OPEN. THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNER, 1, TWO, THREE AND A PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT. FEBRUARY 18TH MEETING THE BOARD COMMUNICATED SUPPORT FOR A PART-TIE ASSISTANT. THIS WAS PUT OUT THERE, WAS ADVERTISED AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY PULLED DUE TO THE COVID-19. THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNER'S POSITION WAS ADVERTISED STARTING JULY 9, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED APPLICATIONS. WE HAVE CONDUCTED INTERVIEWS AND GETTING READY TO OFFER FOR THAT POSITION. SO THIS IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET. THIS IS A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS ON HOW MUCH FUNDING WE GET IN, HOW MUCH WE'VE SPENT AND HOW MUCH WE CARRY OVER IN THE YEAR. THE CARRY OVER FUNDS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT STAFF MEMBERS. WE BUILT UP A CARRY OVER FUND. LAST YEAR IN 2019 YOU CAN SEE THAT WE WERE OVER AND UNDER AND THIS IS BECAUSE WE DID THE LONG RANGE PLAN AND WE HIRED A CONSULTANT. WE HAVE TO SAVE UP FOR IT. WE HAVE TO STORE UP THE MONEY FOR IT TO CONDUCT THOSE SPECIAL STUDIES. THIS IS THE MOU THAT WAS SENT OUT. THIS IS THE ITEM I THOUGHT WAS RELEVANT TO THIS. YOU CAN LOOK AT IT. YOU CAN SEE THERE AT NUMBER SIX AT THE BOTTOM, THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND SALARY AND SALARY RIGHTS SHALL BE WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD, BUT SHALL BE BASED ON RECOMMENDATION OF THE EMPLOYEE OF RECORDS. THESE ARE THE TWO POSITIONS WE CURRENTLY HAVE AVAILABLE. ONE IS THE PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT 3 WHICH IS -- YOU CAN SEE IT IS NOT BEING ADVERTISED AT THIS TIME AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IN. ADDITION TO THAT THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNER POSITION YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT, THE SALARY FOR THIS WAS 45 TO 65, AND YOU CAN SEE THE INFORMATION THERE. THIS IS THE ONE WE WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO OFFER TO A CANDIDATE. THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION FOR THE TACK AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR TODAY. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> YOU HAD SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE SALARY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I -- [INAUDIBLE] PRIOR TO THAT I MET WITH ROBERT HANNAH AND MICHAEL RIAS JUST TO GO OVER NUMBER THREE ON THE AGENDA, BUT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOU BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MPO AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE DECISION THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO. WITH THE CHANGE FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE WAS TO REMOVE SOME OF THAT DECISION MAKING FROM THE CITY AND PUT IT ON TO THE BOARD. WHAT HAPPENED IS THE BOARD HASN'T REALLY HABLED IT SO -- HANDLED IT SO BY DEFAULT IT STAYED WITH THE CITY. SO FULFILLING THE INTENT OF THE 2015 MODIFICATION IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TODAY. YOU MAY HAVE SOME -- YOU HAVE THOUGHTFUL LOOKS. >> I ALWAYS HAVE THOUGHTFUL LOOKS. I HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE INTENT, THE DEFINITION OF THE AGREEMENT. I WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THIS EXERCISE 10 OR 15 YEARS AGO. [00:05:04] SO LET'S START THE CONVERSATION AND SEE WHERE IT GOES. >> CARL? I DID A LITTLE RE-- >> I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE SAME NATURE. LISA, LET ME SHARE MY SCREEN REAL QUICK AND I SHOW YOU -- >> JUST A SECOND. LET ME MAKE YOU A CO-HOST. >> YOU GUYS ARE GETTING SO GOOD AT ZOOM. >> I DON'T USE ZOOM VERY OFTEN. WE USE MICROSOFT TEAMS AND WEBEX. YOU DON'T HAVE TO NAME A CO-HOST ON THOSE OTHER TWO. >> YOU JINXED ME, JUDGE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, IS THERE ACTION IN QUESTION WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT I MISSED? OR ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY TO SET HIRING POLICY OR SALARIES AND HIRING? >> THE ONLY ACTION NECESSARY WITH REGARD TO THE AGREEMENT, NUMBER 3 ON THE AGENDA, IT IS MORE DIRECTION WITH REGARD TO THE HIRE WAS THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S MEETING. THAT WAS INCLUDED JUST SO WE CAN GET THE CONVERSATION EXPANDED BEYOND THE HIRING PROCESS AND TO THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THEN IT WAS ON THE AGENDA AND BE COULD TALK ABOUT IT. >> OKAY. >> OKAY. SO I MADE YOU THE CO-HOST AND -- YEP, THERE IT IS. >> A LITTLE SPREAD SHEET HERE THAT SHOWS THE POSITIONS AND THE PAY RATE FOR THE POSITIONS. THE LENGTH OF SERVICE AND TIME. THIS IS YEARS HERE. THIS IS MONTHS OF SERVICE HERE. SO THE AVERAGE -- THE TEXDOT AVERAGE IS 54,800 A YEAR. AND FOR A PLANNER 2 POSITION IS SAME THING. AVERAGE IS 4400 A MONTH, 53,000 A YEAR. THAT SITS PRETTY FAIR WITH OTHER PLANNER POSITIONS THAT I WAS ABLE TO TO SEE STATEWIDE. SO THE ASK HERE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF A SALARY OF 50,000 TO ME FALLS IN LINE WITH THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE STATE. I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT OFFER THAT SHE'S PROPOSING, AND I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE BOARD MAKING THOSE DECISIONS ON STAFFING. SO I THINK THE 45,000 A YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT LIGHT PERSONALLY BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE PEOPLE THAT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. FOR TEXDOT, WE ARE HAVING THAT PROBLEM TOO. THERE ARE SMALL POOLS OF PEOPLE TO PICK FROM. THERE ARE ENGINEERING GRADUATES. THE ENGINEERING GRADUATE SALARY STRUCTURE FALLS IN THE SAME 4200 A MONTH RANGE, THE 4,000, 4200 A MONTH RANGE. I THINK THE ASK IS REASONABLE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. I'M GONNA STOP SHARING AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. >> WHAT ARE THE SUGGESTIONS -- ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS ROBERT HAD DURING OUR MEETING ON FRIDAY IS MAYBE THE BOARD GIVE ELISA A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LATITUDE, A PERCENTAGE FROM THE NUMBER SO AS SHE NEGOTIATES SHE IS NOT HAVING TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING AND GO THROUGH THAT TO GET -- IT SLOWS DOWN THE PROCESS AND IT IS ALSO A VERY PUBLIC FORUM. SO SHE WOULD BE SHOWING HER HAND WITH ANYONE SHE WANTS TO NEGOTIATE WITH. THAT'S NOT A GOOD APPROACH AS WELL. >> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK SHE NEEDS SOME LEEWAY. WE PROBABLY OUGHT TO SET A MAXIMUM THOUGH. >> MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE BUDGETARY STRICKSES -- RESTRICTIONS AND CONSTRAINTS? I THINK WE HAD THREE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. WE WERE RUNNING INTO THE BUDGET DEFICITS AND OUR CARRY OVER WAS GOING DOWN. THERE WAS CONCERN HOW WE COULD SUSTAIN THAT. WITH THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD WITH A EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND A PLANNER AND A PART-TIME PERSON, ELISA, DO YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF A RANGE THAT YOU THINK WILL FIT IN OUR EXISTING BUDGET? >> YES, SIR. THE INFORMATION I HAVE, SO BASED ON THE SALARY THAT'S WERE PROJECTED FROM THE THREE POSITIONS, AND THEN THE BENEFITS AND THE OTHER THINGS INVOLVED IN THAT, WE ARE LOOKING AT AROUND 208 WITH THE BENEFITS OF ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO IN THERE. [00:10:04] THIS PAST YEAR WE DID ABOUT 260,000 IN PO FUNDING. WE NORMALLY GET AROUND 234 TO 260. I MEAN IT IS SOMEWHERE IN THERE. OTHER EXPENSES OTHER THAN SALARIES THEY AVERAGE ABOUT 25,000. I DID UNDERSTAND THAT OUR INDIRECT COSTS MIGHT GO UP A LITTLE THIS YEAR. IT IS BASED ON PREVIOUS YEARS. THEY ARE LOOKING AT 2017 AND IT WOULD BE PROJECTED FOR THIS YEAR. I AM NOT REALLY SURE EXACTLY HOW MUCH OUR EXACT COST IS. NORMALLY IT IS 25,000. IF YOU LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE IT AVERAGES 234. OUR BUDGET IS BEING ANYWHERE FROM 234 TO 235 TO 216. YOU SHOULD BE PLENTY GOOD TO HAVE THE THREE POSITIONS. >> THERE ARE TWO FULL TIME POSITIONS AND A PART-TIME? >> YES, SIR. THAT'S WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. >> GO AHEAD, JUDGE. >> FOR THE PLANNER, WHAT KIND OF RANGE DO YOU ENVISION FOR THE CANDIDATE YOU HAVE? I KNOW THIS IS AN OPEN MEETING, SO I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR YOU WANT TO GO IN DISCUSSING THIS IN AN OPEN MEETING. DO YOU HAVE A RANGE IN MIND? IS IT WITHIN WHAT IS ADVERTISED OR DO YOU HAVE SOME OTHER RANGE THAT YOU THINK WILL BE NECESSARY? >> I THINK THE ADVERTISED RANGE WOULD BE GOOD. AND THIS WOULD MEET WITH THE MOU THAT WE HAVE. THAT IS THE RANGE THAT IS FROM THE CITY OF ABILENE FOR THAT POSITION. AND SO WE WOULD FALL WITHIN THAT RANGE. I THINK THAT RANGE IS A GOOD RANGE. >> DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> I WAS GOING TO REFER BACK TO THE BUDGET SHEET THAT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE. I WANT TO SEE IF I AM LOOKING AT THIS CORRECTLY. SO STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM, THE CARRY OVER OF 193 AND IT DROPS TWO LINES THERE AND THEN THE 5303 AND THEN IT 264. THOSE ARE YOUR OPERATING FUNDS, I GUESS? ANNUAL? >> YES, SIR. YOU CAN SEE AS YOU LOOK AT THE COLUMN IT RANGES FROM 223 TO 264 DEPENDING ON THE WAY THE FUNDING COMES IN WE -- COMES IN. WE DO HAVE THE CARRY OVER FUNDS. WHEN YOU HAVE THREE FULL TIME STAFF MEMBERS [INAUDIBLE] TO 50,000 AND SO THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSED TO DO THE PART-TIME -- [INAUDIBLE]. >> I'M LOOKING AT A DEFICIT FOR 2019 OF 234,000. >> YES. AND WHAT THAT IS WHEN WE DO OUR LONG-RANGE, THAT WAS DURING THE TIME [INAUDIBLE]. >> THAT IS OUTSIDE OUR NORMAL BUDGET. >> SO YOU SAID -- [INADDABLE] [INAUDIBLE]. >> YES. THAT IS BASED OFF OF THE PROJECTIONS I PROVIDED TO YOU IN THE E-MAIL AND IT IS BASED OFF OF THOSE. >> THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? ANY SPECIFIC DIRECTION. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION OR IF WE ARE JUST PROVIDING DIRECTION TO HER. >> I THINK YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE DIRECTION. I MEAN, IT IS UP TO YOU TO GIVE HER THE -- I GUESS TO THE EXTENT -- IT'S YOUR JOB TO GIVE HER THE AUTHORITY TO SET THE SALARY OR YOU SET IT -- I MEAN HOW YOU DO IT IS UP TO YOU. WHAT I'M HEARING FROM THE BOARD I THINK IS IN THE BUDGET THAT WAS THERE AND THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS USED WITH THE CITY IN THE HIRING [00:15:01] PROCESS AND THE NUMBERS THAT CARL HAS FROM TEXDOT AROUND THE STATE, I THINK THAT'S AN EFFECTIVE WIN FOR YOU TO WORK FROM ELISA, TO INITIATE THE HIRE FOR THIS POSITION. >> HOW ARE WE GOING TO GIVE HER A RANGE IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SALARY, PER SAY? DO YOU WANT TO USE MY AVERAGES? >> WE CAN USE YOUR AVERAGE AND SAY WITHIN A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THAT. >> THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS THINKING. IF WE CAN USE MY AVERAGE AND TELL HER PLUS OR MINUS 5%, FOR EXAMPLE. THAT COULD GIVE HER A WINDOW TO WORK IN, A DIRECTION THERE. I WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT. >> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD PLAN. >> EI -- ELISA, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR POTENTIAL CANDIDATE -- LIKE THAT'S A DOABLE RANGE. >> THE ONE I PROPOSED TO YOU ALL -- [INAUDIBLE] >> OKAY. FOR THE RECORD THERE IS ONE POSITION I SHOWED THAT WAS 4, $236 A MONTH AVERAGE WHICH IS 2,838 A YEAR. FROM PLANNER ONE POSITION. >> PLUS OR MINUS 5%. >> PROPOSAL. >> DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL OF THE BENEFITS? >> IT IS A MOB -- MONTHLY SALARY. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HAVE ANY APPLIED FOR THE POSITION? >> WE HAD 17 APPLICANTS THAT WERE APPLIED THIS GO AROUND. WE INTERVIEWED -- WE WERE GOING TO INTERVIEW FIVE OF THEM AND WE INTERVIEWED FOUR OF THEM. THOSE WERE THE FOUR WE INTERVIEWED. >> I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT WHEN WE GET THROUGH WITH THIS DISCUSSION I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE PART-TIME TO GET THE BOARD'S PERMISSION TO ADVERTISE FOR THAT TOO. ONCE WE GET THROUGH WITH THIS TOPIC. >> JUDGE, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER DIRECTION? >> NO, I'M GOOD WITH WHAT CARL HAS RECOMMENDED IF ELISA FEELS LIKE THAT WILL WORK FOR THE PERSON SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION WITH. I DON'T WANT TO TIE HER HANDS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY FORWARD. >> OKAY. THE DIRECTION NEEDED ON THAT. CAN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT POSITION, ELISA? >> THIS WAS THE PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT ADVERTISED IN MARCH. THEN IT WAS PULLED BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19. SO THIS POSITION ACTUALLY DOES QUITE A BIT OF WORK-RELATED TO PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP UP LIKE I LIKE TO IS THE TWITTER AND THE FACEBOOK AND THE WEBSITE AND THE NEWSLETTER THAT'S GO OUT, THE MINUTES THAT ARE BEING DONE FOR THE MEETINGS, THE GENERAL FILING AND PAYING THE BILLS. THESE ARE ALL THINGS FALLING ON THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNER OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO DO. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF THE BOARD IS OPEN TO OPENING THAT UP -- [INAUDIBLE]. >> THE JOB YOU MENTIONED TO ME WHEN YOU WERE UP THERE FOR THE AGENDA REVIEW MEETING WAS DIGITIZING HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS AS WELL. >> YES, SIR. WHEN WE WERE MOVING, I DIDN'T REALIZE EXACTLY HOW MANY HARD COPIES OF THINGS WE HAD. AND SOME OF THOSE DATED BACK BEFORE WE COULD -- I MEAN THEY WERE USING AN OLD TIME PRINTER AT THE TIME. SOME OF THOSE WE WOULD LIKE TO GET PUT INTO THE SYSTEM WHERE WE COULD GET RID OF THE HARD COPIES. WE PROBABLY NEVER HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN. IF WE HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY DOCUMENTS TO CARRY FORWARD. >> READING THE JOB DESCRIPTION IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO LIST THE THINGS THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE TO DO. >> WELL, THE FUNNY THING IS [00:20:04] RIGHT NOW WE HAVE BEEN DOING THOSE THINGS. SO IN ADDITION TO THE REGULAR JOB, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU CAN DO AND CAN'T DO AND YOU HOPE NOR -- HOPE FOR THE BEST AND DO WHAT YOU CAN. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, MY PERSPECTIVE IS AFFIRMATION OF A PART-TIME POSITION 20 HOURS A WEEK CONSIDERED PART-TIME IN THE TEXDOT WORLD. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS IN THE CITY WORLD THERE. THAT MIGHT BE A CONVERSATION AS WELL. WHAT EXACTLY DOES PART-TIME MEAN? >> IT IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOURS PER YEAR. 20 IS THE AVERAGE, BUT SOME WEEKS THERE MIGHT BE UP TO 28, AND THEN OTHER WEEKS THERE MIGHT BE LESS. IT AVERAGES OUT FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT PER YEAR. >> SO THIS IS A SALARY POSITION OR WOULD YOU PAY OVERTIME IF THEY GOT OVER 20 PER WEEK? >> WE WOULD HAVE TO PAYOVER TIME, BUT THEY ARE NOT REALLY ALLOWED TO DO OVER THAT ON A CONTINUAL BASIS BECAUSE IF THEY DO THEY ARE CONSIDERED FULL TIME. THAT'S SOMETHING AS A MANAGER I WOULD HAVE TO WATCH TO MAKE SURE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN. >> BUT IF THEY DID GO OVER 20 WOULD IT BE PAID TIMEOFF OR -- TIME OFF OR OVERTIME PAY? >> AS I WAS SAYING IT IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT PER YEAR. MY UNDERSTANDING -- AND I NEVER HAD AN OVER TIME PERSON SO I AM WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THAT. MY HUNDREDS -- MY UNDERSTANDING -- AND KELLY COULD ANSWER IT BETTER, BUT IT IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HOURS PER YEAR. I THINK IF THEY DON'T GO OVER 28 PER WEEK, THEN YOU CAN AVERAGE IT OUT WHERE IT BALANCES OUT. THEY DON'T GET OVER TIME, PER SAY, UNLESS THEY WENT OVER THE TOTAL HOURS PER YEAR. I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS IN MARCH. >> BACK TO MY FIRST QUESTION. IS IT A VALUE -- SALARY POSITION OR HOURLY PAY? >> THEY ARE PAID BY THE HOUR, SO IT IS AN HOURLY PAID POSITION. >> MY BELIEF IT WOULD BE HOURLY BECAUSE OF THE DEFINITION, BUT I THINK THERE IS -- I THINK ANYTHING THAT IS 30 HOURS OR OVER IS CONSIDERED FULL TIME FOR BENEFITS SO I THINK EVERYBODY HAS TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CITY'S POLICY IS IF IT FALLS UNDER THOSE TYPE OF GUIDELINES AND WHAT THE CITY'S POLICY IS. I KNOW THERE IS A BENCHMARK NOW THAT 30 HOURS IS CONSIDERED FULL TIME FOR PARTICULARLY HEALTH INSURANCE AND WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF. >> WHAT BENEFITS WOULD BE GOING WITH THIS POSITION? ANY BENEFITS? >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS NO BENEFITS WITH THAT. THEY WOULD HAVE THE SOCIAL SECURITY AND ALL THAT WOULD BE TAKEN OUT. NO HEALTH INSURANCE. IT WOULD JUST BE HOURLY. >> IT IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT COSTS ? >> YES. THE RETIREMENT IS ELIGIBLE ALSO. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S GOOD. >> YEAH, I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE HOURLY AND THE HOURS BECAUSE IF YOU HAD CALCULATED YOUR YEARLY BUDGET BASED ON 20 HOURS A WEEK THEN IF THEY WERE BUMPING 28 EVERY WEEK WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE ENOUGH WORK WHERE IT MIGHT BE TEMPTING YOU MAY END UP IN A BUDGET ISSUE OVER TIME. >> YES, SIR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT I THINK IT IS 1400 HOURS PER YEAR. AND SO AS LONG AS I DON'T GO OVER THAT, THEY ARE STILL CONSIDERED PART-TIME AND IT WOULD STILL FIT WITHIN THE BUDGET. >> OKAY. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. >> I AM TOO. >> WE GIVE YOU DIRECTION ON THAT AS WELL, ELISA. >> THANK YOU. >> ITEM 3 IS HOLD A DISCUSSION [3. Hold a Discussion, and Take any Action on the MPO’s Organization Structure within the City of Abilene.] AND TAKE ANY ACTION ON THE MPO'S ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE WITHIN THE CITY OF ABILENE. A FEW THINGS CAME UP, A COUPLE OF SCENARIOS. ONE WAS WHAT WE JUST CAME UP AND NUMBER TWO WAS THE SALARY. THE SECOND WAS SPECIFIC APPROVALS FOR THE DIRECTOR LIKE VACATION TIME OR IF SHE NEEDS TO DO TRAVEL TO A CONFERENCE OR THE TEXDOT REQUIRED EVENT AND THERE HAPPENS TO BE A TRAVEL FREEZE AND TRAVEL HOLD FOR THE CITY. THAT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IS FORMALIZING THE BOARD OR WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE [00:25:01] BOARD AND THE CHAIRMAN WOULD FORWARD THAT INFORMATION ON TO THE CITY SO THEY CAN KNOW IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARD. >> I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. I GUESS I PROPOSE WE DO THE LATTER AND HAVE THE CHAIRMAN ACT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD TO IMPROVE THE MINOR EMPLOYEE REQUESTS OR THE EMPLOYEE NEEDS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD. I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU WANT TO WORD THAT. >> I AGREE. I THINK THESE ARE NORMAL, ROUTINE ITEMS. THESE ARE MPO FUNDS AND THEREFORE WE OPERATE WITHIN A BUDGET AND IF WE ARE OPERATING WITHIN THAT BUDGET, NORMAL EXPENSES I THINK IT IS THE DISCRETION OF THE MPO BOARD FOR VACATION AND TRAINING AND TRAVEL. I NOTICE SERVICES THE CITY BRINGS IN AND THEY ULTIMATELY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY. THE CHAIR COULD HAVE -- THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL KEEP IS IT -- KEEP IT IN GENERIC TERMS. INFORM THE MPO CHAIR WHAT IS COMING UP AND TRAVEL NEEDS TO BE APPROVED OR IF THE CHAIR CAN DO THAT IF IT IS WITHIN THE GUIDELINES OF THE OPERATION OF THE MPO AND THE BUDGET. >> AND THAT'S HOW THE MOU IS WORDED. THAT'S THE PROVISION FOR THE POSITION. ELISA, YOU DIDN'T MENTION WHEN WE HAD TALKED ABOUT LIKE DAILY CHECKS YOU HAVE TO BUY LIKE PAPER. RIGHT NOW YOU GO THROUGH GREG AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH CONTINUING THAT. HAVING TWO SIGNATURES OR WHATEVER, BUT THAT WAY IF I AM OUT OF TOWN OR ON VACATION OR TRAVEL FOR WORK OR WHATEVER, YOU ARE NOT HAVING TO TRACK ME DOWN TO GET A CHECK. MAYBE I AM MISUNDERSTANDING THAT, BUT IT IS NOT A SIGNATURE, BUT JUST APPROVAL. IF IT IS AN APPROVAL I CAN GIVE IT. IF IT IS SIGNING, I MAY NOT BE IN A POSITION TO SIGN IT. I THINK USING A CITY PERSON TO ACCOMPLISH THAT WOULD WORK EFFICIENTLY. >> IT IS NOT AN ACTUAL CHECK. IT IS A CHECK REQUEST SO IT IS AN APPROVAL PROCESS THAT GOES TO FINANCING. FINANCE IS THE ONE THAT SIGNS THE CHECKS IT WOULD BE EITHER A PETTY CASH SLIP OR CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. Y'ALL DO SEE THOSE ON A MONTHLY BASIS. YOU CAN SEE WHAT WAS SPENT FOR THE MONTH. IF YOU WANT PRIOR WE CAN DISCUSS. >> I'M OKAY LEAVING THAT LIKE IT IS THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THERE IN THE CITY. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD CHECK AND BALANCE THERE FOR THE PUBLIC. >> ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADDRESS OR CLARIFY, ELISA? >> FROM MY UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING IS BUSINESS AS USUAL EXCEPT FOR TRAVEL, VACATION AND SICK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. >> CORRECT. AND THEN WE PROVIDED DIRECTION ON THE HIRING AND THE SALARY. >> YES, SIR. >> WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR. OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO MAKE COMMENTS ON MPO ISSUES. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A COMMENT? >> I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS RAISED. >> OPPORTUNITY FOR BOARD [5. Opportunity for Board Members, Technical Advisory Committee Members, or MPO Staff to recommend topics for future discussion or action.] MEMBERS, TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND MPO STAFF TO RECOMMEND TOPICS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION AND ACTION. >> CAN WE RESOLVE THE -- IS THERE ANY REMAINING ISSUES WE NEED TO TAKE UP AT A LATER DATE? ARE WE CLEAR WITH THE CITY AND THE MPO'S? >> THE IMPRESSION I GOT FROM THE DISCUSSION I HAD ON FRIDAY IS THAT ROBERT AND STANLEY WHO WERE THE TWO THAT SIGNED THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY IN 2015 WHEN IT WAS MODIFIED, THE DIRECTION THEY WERE HOPING TO SEE WAS THE MPO WOULD TAKE UP SOME OF THESE DECISION MAKING RESPONSIBILITIES. THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE BEING THE ONES GIVING THE APPROVAL FOR A BUDGET THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AN INPUT IN. THEY WERE HAPPY TO SEE US MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION. [00:30:02] >> ALL RIGHT. >> IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF MOVING FORWARD OR SHOULD WE JUST ADDRESS IT? >> I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING AT THIS POINT. IF SOMETHING COMES UP I HAVE DIRECTION FROM Y'ALL TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. I THINK WE'RE GOOD ON THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. >> MOVING TO NUMBER 6 WE ADJOURN AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION. Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.