[NFBF-Tampa] Minutes for Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting 20170722

[Dan Hicks]

Minutes of Tampa Bay Chapter Meeting

July 22, 2017

 

 

The meeting was held at Beef O'Brady's Restaurant and Sports Bar,  8810 N
Himes Ave Tampa, FL 33614.

 

The meeting was called to order at 12:04 PM by President Miranda Kilby with
the arrival of Marco Sandusky, Director of Government and Community
Relations HART. He had come to our meeting to announce substantial changes
that HART was proposing to many of its bus routes, and to gather some
feedback from the group. 

 

TBC Board Member Barbara Gaw asked about the parameters of the data that was
gathered to create the new transit plan.

 

Sandusky said that Tindale Oliver, a consulting firm hired by HART, had
access to all of the data that HART uses to analyses and plan its service.
They used data from the MPO and took into account population data and growth
and the location of jobs in the area.

The rationale is to use resources more efficiently. The use of HART has
increased a lot in recent years. The last time this kind of survey was done
was in 2003. The service area of HART is about the size of the state of
Rhode Island. Yet, HART is very underfunded compared to other systems of
similar size. There will be a public haring on July 26 at the HART office in
Ybor City. Comments can be sent to servdev at gohart.org.  The final proposal
will be presented to the HART Board on August 7. The changes will be
implemented on October 8.

Information about the proposed changes can be found at www.gohart.org and he
had brought some paper copies with him. 

Most of the people who are served by HART will continue to be served by
HART.  Those who are served by HART-Plus, and who are still within the
three-quarters of a mile radius of a bus route, would continue to be served
by HART-Plus. 

 

Marion Gwizdala asked if the three-quarters of a mile limit could be
expanded. 

 

Sandusky said that three-quarters of a mile was what the ADA required and
that HART didn't have the resources to go beyond that. 

He said they would do their best to help people who lose service. 

 

Chapter Vice President Gloria Hicks related her and Dan's experience of
actually being forced to move from their home when a bus rout was
eliminated. She said this is how important transit services can be to blind
persons and others dependent on transit.

 

Merry Schoch mentioned that the proposed changes would be a hardship for her
and service to Tampa General Hospital has been reduced. Also the Social
Security and Immigration Services will have reduced access via transit. 

 

Sandusky said that some of the routes that have been reduced are being
served by HyperLink. This service costs $3.00 per ride. That price may
change, but there is no plan to reduce it at this time.

 

Marion Gwizdala mentioned stops that have been illuminated on Route 46,
which travels a mile without stopping at a stop. Riders will have to cross
eight lanes of traffic. The Post Office will also lose service. 

 

Marguerite Robaldo mentioned that changes to bus 2 require riders to walk
two miles through heavy traffic. 

 

Janet Beyer said that some changes that are proposed will put lives in
danger. 

 

Merry asked if the people who gathered the data had actually ridden the
busses and made the crossings and connections 

 

Sandusky said people who worked on the COA (Comprehensive Operations
Analysis) used data from multiple services. Their goal is to provide value
to taxpayers and customers and not to put anyone's life in danger. They are
aiming at providing more trips, quicker trips, and to grow the ridership. 

              Sandusky said he would go back and look at routes 37 and 46
with his team. He went on to list some of the proposed changes: 

              Route 1 - one of the highest productivity routes - will
increase to every fifteen minutes on weekdays. Some changes to routing. 

              Routes 2 and 4 go away. 4 is replaced by some coverage
provided by Route 19. 

              Route 10 is removed and some of that service will be provided
by South Tampa Flex.

              Route 7 will have some changes. 

              Route 11 would be a new route from downtown to main street
Spruce and International Plaza. 

              Route 12 would have increased frequency, every 15 minutes. 

              Route 18 is removed. The alternative would be the route 9 and
Hyper-Link. 

              Route 19 would not go to the transitway, but would to to
Florida and Tampa Streets. 

              The 22X is removed. 

              The 360LX would to from Brandon to Downtown to Britton Plaza. 

              Route 28X is removed. Route 30 has some changes. It moves from
Transitway to Florida and Tampa, like 19. 

              There will be an autonomous transit vehicle starting sometime
in 2018. 

 

Several chapter members expressed surprise and disappointment with routes 19
and 30 moving away from the Transitway, to Tampa and Florida streets. It was
felt that this change just does not make sense and causing passengers to
walk thee more blocks is not an improvement. 

 

Barbara Gaw asked about the Teslas used for HyperLink. 

 

Four Teslas were provided by private funing. 

 

The Route 41 will be removed. 

 

Gloria noted that we would not have these problems if the Hillsborough
County Commission had not been to tight with funds.  She said HART is trying
to do the best they can with limited resources. 

 

Chapter Treasurer Dan Hicks pointed out that they would not even allow a
sales tax increase on the ballot. 

 

47LX an 53LX are removed. 

 

Marion asked if HART was contractually obligated to serve all the hospitals.

 

Sandusky said no.

              He went on to list more changes. 

              Route 57 is removed. Alternative would be route 6 and route
39. 

              61LX is removed. 60LX is a new route that provides some of
that connectivity. 

              200LX from Tampa to St. Petersburg is removed. It was funded
by FDOT, but no longer. 

              The 33 will run just on Fletcher, but now it will not go as
far north. 

              He reminded us that changes, if approved, go into effect
Sunday, October 8. 

              The StreetCar will keep running. It is operated by HART, but
funded by the Historic Streetcar board. 

 

Gloria asked what route would serve Tampa General Hospital.

 

Sandusky said that there are currently no plans to serve Tampa General in
the proposed plan. 

 

There was general disapproval from members that service to the hospitals
would be reduced or, in some cases, eliminated. 

 

The chapter thanked Marco Sandusky for his time and his listening to our
feedback. He gave his contact information: sanduskym at gohart.org or
813-384-6556.

 

Miranda said it is important that we attend the meeting HART will have on
the proposed changes. 

 

Merry moved Dan seconded that we provide funds for anyone who cannot afford
to go to the meeting, see Miranda ant we will provide funding. The motion
passed. 

 

Gloria said the address is 1201 East 7th Avenue, in Ybor City. 

 

Miranda asked everyone present to introduce themselves. 

 

Chapter Secretary Sherrill O'Brien could not be with us today. Dan is taking
minutes in her absence. 

 

Lloyd and Marjorie did not come because they did not feeling well. 

 

Dan read the treasurer's report. 

 

Marion led the NFB pledge. 

 

Miranda gave her President's Report: 

              We had two time slots for selling Lucky 777 Raffle Tickets in
the Exhibit Hall at the NFB National Convention.  We had 80 people at the
Florida Caucus. We had 195 people at the convention, which put us in second
place, behind Maryland. The Tampa Chapter won first prize in our Fundraising
contest. We won a trophy, carved by Polk Chapter President Joe King. She
described the award and passed it around. Statewide Chapter was number two;
Tallahassee was umber three; and fourth place was the Central Florida
Chapter. A huge thank you and congratulations to Jeanette Torres, who sold
120 raffle tickets. She had never sold raffle tickets before. Our chapter
will be getting back a percentage of the money we turned in for the Lucky
777 raffle. 

 

Marion asked if we had a sign with our chapter name on it. 

 

Miranda said we have a couple of signs of different sizes. 

 

Barbara suggested we bring a sign and put it outside the door when we have
our meetings.

 

Paul suggested presenting a plaque to Beef O'Brady's for the recent $300.00
donation and for their support over the years. 

 

For a more centralized meeting place, Merry suggested HatTricks, a club
downtown that has said they would be happy to host us. 

 

New business:

 

Miranda reminded us that the 2018 state convention will be in Tampa, at the
Tampa Westshore Hilton. Basically, we will have the entire hotel. We will be
the only convention. She says she has been approached by the Suncoast
chapter about co-hosting the convention.

 

Merry made the motion seconded by Paul that we cohost the 2018 convention
with the Suncoast Chapter. The motion passed. 

 

We voted in a new member: Marguerite Robaldo.  

 

The 50/50 drawing took place. Miranda won $14.00.

 

The meeting adjourned at 2:04 PM

 

Respectfully Submitted

 

Dan Hicks

Treasurer

NFBF Tampa Bay Chapter

 

"Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as 

 outraged as those who are."                          ― Benjamin Franklin

 

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