Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee Meeting Minutes
Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization Meeting
October 6, 2022, Meeting
9:00 AM–10:00 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Brian Kane, Chair, representing the MBTA Advisory Board
The Administration and Finance Committee agreed to the following:
See attendance on page 5.
There were none.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of August 4, 2022, was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning (Derek Krevat). The motion carried.
1. Draft Operations Plan: Officers of the Board (pdf)
2. Draft Operations Plan: Officers of the Board (html)
B. Kane introduced the discussion of the Officers of the Board topic and gave an overview of the draft document. B. Kane invited discussion on the draft language.
Tegin Teich, Executive Director of the Central Transportation Planning Staff (the staff to the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization [MPO]), referred to the section of the draft language addressing the election of the vice chair and stated that this year’s election of the vice chair will continue to follow the MPO’s prior election process, where the vice chair is nominated and elected at one meeting. T. Teich asked the group if there was a way to better define what a resolution does so that MPO staff can continue to develop a definition.
Eric Bourassa, Metropolitan Area Planning Council stated that he thought the draft Operations Plan language looked good and he was in full support of adopting the language.
Bill Conroy, City of Boston, asked if the upcoming state elections would have any effect on the development of the Operations Plan. B. Kane answered that the secretary of transportation serves as an ex-offico member, and that the new secretary would automatically become the chair of the MPO after the appointment. T. Teich added that the Operations Plan will be approved early in the next calendar year.
A motion to approve the draft language for the Operations Plan: Officers of the Board was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning (Derek Krevat). The motion carried.
Lenard Diggins, Regional Transportation Advisory Council, stated that it would be helpful to remind MPO board members that staff can assist them and their municipalities through the Operations Plan.
Derek Krevat, MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning, stated that training materials for MPO board members could include MPO success stories of past projects or frequently asked questions to help onboard new members.
Ken Miller, Federal Highway Administration, suggested the committee consider what might be helpful subject areas that MPO members should be trained on as part of onboarding.
E. Bourassa stated that subregional groups typically meet monthly and MPO staff will also, from time to time, come to discuss the various work products that the MPO produces. E. Bourassa suggested it would be helpful to include expectations for subregions in the Operations Plan.
T. Teich stated that, regarding subregional meetings, it would be good to codify that within the Operations Plan. T. Teich stated that it was good to hear from MPO members about training ideas and how to revamp how onboarding is currently conducted.
D. Krevat suggested having new MPO board members take federal-aid training and suggested that the MPO work to cover the costs of MPO board members receiving this training.
L. Diggins suggested that it would be helpful to have an MPO bootcamp to educate new members.
Dennis Giombetti, MetroWest Regional Collaborative, stated that when he came to the MPO, he had a one-on-one training with the former Executive Director to go over the MPO’s funding mechanisms and other details. The training was about a half day and allowed D. Giombetti to ask any questions.
T. Teich stated that she was aware of previous orientation processes. What MPO staff has done since then is spread out trainings to more MPO staff members to give all MPO board members a better understanding and background of the MPO. This is the process MPO staff would like to evolve to meet the needs of MPO board members.
B. Kane asked D. Krevat what other methods of training are conducted by other MPOs. D. Krevat answered that there are no formal training processes among most MPOs and that trainings are typically staff advising new members on what the MPO process is and providing 3C planning documents. D. Krevat stated that he does not have a sense that many MPOs have a formal onboarding process.
D. Giombetti stated that he liked the onboarding process T. Teich described and that a one-on-one session with new board members would allow MPO staff to tailor their knowledge transfer to the new board members.
B. Kane asked the committee what members felt about regarding a Code of Conduct and whether a Code of Conduct should be included in the Operations Plan.
T. Teich stated that she had researched two Codes of Conduct from other organizations and found that one is generally composed of procedure and the other is composed of cultural and ethical guidelines. T. Teich prefers a cultural and ethical approach and highlighted the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations’ (AMPO) Code of Conduct, which speaks to the intent to have a good forum for open and respectful discourse.
B. Kane suggested using the AMPO Code of Conduct as a template for the Boston Region MPO Code of Conduct
L. Diggins suggested adding elements of the MPO board members’ training requests and the expectations of MPO board members into a Code of Conduct and further suggested that a Code of Conduct might imply an enforcement mechanism, which would have to be integrated into the Operations Plan.
B. Conroy suggested that the MPO currently has a healthy relationship among members and that a Code of Conduct may not be necessary at this time.
L. Diggins stated that he would like to help with training new MPO board members and that he believes one-on-one sessions with new members would be helpful. L. Diggins suggested having current MPO board members help in training new members.
There were none.
A motion to adjourn was made by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (Lenard Diggins) and seconded by the MassDOT Office of Transportation Planning (Derek Krevat). The motion carried.
|
Members |
Representatives
and
Alternates |
|
City of Boston (Boston Transportation
Department) |
Bill Conroy |
|
Federal Highway Administration |
Ken Miller |
|
Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
Derek Krevat |
|
MBTA Advisory Board |
Brian Kane |
|
Metropolitan Area Planning Council |
Eric Bourassa |
|
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of
Framingham) |
Dennis Giombetti |
|
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
|
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of
Norwood/Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce) |
Steve Olanoff |
|
Other
Attendees |
Affiliation |
|
Tyler Terrasi |
MWRTA |
|
John Goggin |
Department of Transportation |
|
MPO
Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
|
Logan Casey |
|
Jonathan Church |
|
Sandy Johnston |
|
Annette Demchur |
|
Betsy Harvey |
|
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in
compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of
1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination
in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United
States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin
(including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in,
denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any
program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal
nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration,
Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis
of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected
populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation
and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful
access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited
English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation
policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166. The Boston Region MPO also complies with the
Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a,
which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in
admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race,
color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability,
or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's
Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities,
and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or
contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful
discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry,
national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era
veterans), or background. A complaint form and additional information
can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination. To request this
information in a different language or in an accessible format, please
contact Title VI Specialist By Telephone: For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the
state MassRelay service: ·
Relay Using
TTY or Hearing Carry-over:
800.439.2370 ·
Relay Using
Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619 ·
Relay Using
Text to Speech: 866.645.9870 For more information, including numbers for Spanish
speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay. |