Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 21, 2023
Subject
SUBJECT: MEMBERSHIP ON METRO’S WESTSIDE CENTRAL SERVICE COUNCIL
Action
ACTION: APPROVE NOMINATION
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE nominee for membership on Metro’s Westside Central Service Council.
Issue
ISSUE
Each Metro Service Council (MSC) is comprised of nine Representatives who serve terms of three years; terms are staggered so that the terms of three of each Council’s nine members expire annually on June 30. Incumbent Representatives can serve additional terms if re-nominated by the nominating authority and confirmed by the Metro Board.
The Westside Central Service Council has vacancies created by Councilmembers who have recently resigned.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro Service Councils were created in 2002 as community-based bodies tasked with improving bus service and promoting service coordination with municipal and local transit providers. The MSC bylaws specify that Representatives should live in, work in, or represent the region; have a basic working knowledge of public transit service within their region, and an understanding of passenger transit needs. To do so, each Representative is expected to ride at least one transit service per month.
The MSCs are responsible for convening public hearings to receive community input on proposed service modifications, rendering decisions on proposed bus route changes, and considering staff’s recommendations and public comments. All route and major service changes that are approved by the MSC will be brought to the Metro Board of Directors as an information item. Should the Metro Board decide to move an MSC-approved service change to an Action Item, the MSC will be notified of this change before the next Service Council monthly meeting.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The individual listed below has been nominated to serve on the Westside Central Service Council by the vacant seat’s nominating authority. If approved by the Board, this appointment will serve for the remainder of the three-year terms specified below. A brief listing of qualifications and the nomination letter for the new nominee are provided in Attachments A and B.
For your reference, the 2021 American Community Survey demographics and 2019 Metro Ridership Survey demographics for each region are compared to the membership, should this nominee be appointed.
Westside Central Service Council Nominee
A. Pamela Sparrow, New Appointment
Nominated by: Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell
Term: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2024
|
% Region Total |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian & PI |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
WSC Council Region |
42.4% |
30.7% |
13.7% |
9.1% |
0.2% |
3.9% |
|
WSC Region Ridership |
66% |
7% |
7% |
16% |
1% |
4% |
|
WSC Membership/No.* |
37.5% / 3 |
25% / 2 |
12.5% / 1 |
25% / 2 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
The gender makeup of the Westside Central Cities Service Council will be as follows:
|
Gender |
WSC Membership/No. |
Los Angeles County |
|
Male |
50% / 4 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
50% / 4 |
50.3% |
*There is one remaining vacancy on this Service Council. A fully appointed Council consists of 9 members. The remaining vacancy will be appointed by Mayor Karen Bass.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Maintaining the full complement of representatives on each Service Council to represent each service area is important, as each Representative is required to regularly use public transit, and each Council is composed of people from diverse areas and backgrounds. This enables each Council to better understand the needs of transit consumers including the need for safe operation of transit service and safe location of bus stops.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Metro seeks to appoint Service Council members who represent the diverse needs and priorities reflective of the demographics of each respective region. To encourage nominating authorities to nominate individuals who will closely reflect the region and its ridership, staff shares regional ridership, resident, and Service Council membership race/ethnicity, and gender demographics with each nomination request. This practice has resulted in the Service Councils becoming much more diverse in terms of both race/ethnicity and gender over the last several years. However, approximately half of LA County residents and Metro riders are women, and there is still work that needs to be done to achieve gender equity on some of the Service Councils. Staff will continue to share demographic information and encourage nominating authorities to give weight to gender equity when considering individuals for nomination.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Approval of this recommendation supports the following Metro Strategic Plan Goal: 30 Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The alternative to the recommendation would be for this nominee to not be approved for appointment. To do so would result in reduced effectiveness of the Service Councils, as it would increase the difficulty of obtaining the quorum necessary to allow the Service Councils to formulate and submit their recommendations to the Board. It would also result in the Service Councils having a less diverse representation of their respective service areas.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Staff will continue to monitor the major contributors to the quality of bus service from the customer’s perspective and share that information with the Service Councils for use in their work to plan, implement, and improve bus service and the customer experience in their areas. Staff will also continue to work with the nominating authority for the remaining vacant seat to identify potential nominees.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - New Appointee Nomination Letter
Attachment B - New Appointee Biography and Qualifications
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Dolores Ramos, Senior Manager, Regional Service Councils, (213) 922-1210
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Conan Cheung, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3034
