Meeting_Body
OPERATIONS, SAFETY AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE COMMITTEE
JUNE 17, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: MEMBERSHIP ON METRO’S REGIONAL SERVICE COUNCILS
Action
ACTION: APPROVE NOMINATIONS
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
APPROVE nominees for membership on Metro’s Gateway Cities, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, South Bay Cities and Westside Central Service Councils.
Issue
ISSUE
Each Metro Service Council (MSC) is comprised of nine Representatives that 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.
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 MSC are responsible for convening public hearings to receive community input on proposed service modifications, and rendering decisions on proposed bus route changes 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 prior to the next Service Council monthly meeting.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The individuals listed below have been nominated to serve by the Councils’ appointing authorities for the three-year term of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. If approved by the Board, these appointments will serve a three-year term. A brief listing of qualifications for the new nominees and the nomination letters from the nominating authorities are provided in Attachments A and B.
For your reference, the 2019 American Community Survey demographics and 2019 Metro Ridership Survey demographics for each region are compared to the membership, should these nominees be appointed, for each region.
Gateway Cities
A. Danny Hom, Gateway Cities Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Gateway Cities Council of Governments
B. Wally Shidler, Gateway Cities Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Gateway Cities Council of Governments
C. Justin D. Lawson, Gateway Cities Service Council, New Appointment
Nominated by: Gateway Cities Council of Governments
Should these nominees be appointed, the Gateway Cities (GWC) Service Council membership will compare to the region and the region’s ridership as follows:
|
Region Demographics |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
GWC Council Region |
65.5% |
14.9% |
9.1% |
8.0% |
0.2% |
2.2% |
|
GWC Region Ridership |
66% |
6% |
3%% |
21% |
0% |
4% |
|
GWC Membership/No. |
44.4% / 4 |
44.4% / 4 |
11% / 1 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
The gender makeup of the GWC Service Council will be as follows:
|
Gender |
GWC Membership/No. |
Los Angeles County |
|
Male |
77.7% / 7 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
22.2% / 2 |
50.3% |
San Fernando Valley
D. Leslie Aguirre, San Fernando Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti
E. David Perry, San Fernando Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger
F. Jess Talamantes, San Fernando Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: City of Burbank
Should these nominees be appointed, the San Fernando Valley (SFV) Service Council membership will compare to the region and the region’s ridership as follows:
|
Region Demographics |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
SFV Council Region |
41.0% |
41.1% |
11.2% |
3.7% |
0.1% |
2.9% |
|
SFV Region Ridership |
63% |
13% |
9% |
9% |
1% |
5% |
|
SFV Membership/No. |
44% / 4 |
44% / 4 |
0% / 0 |
11% / 1 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
The gender makeup of the SFV Service Council will be as follows:
|
Gender |
SFV Membership/No.* |
Los Angeles County |
|
Male |
55.5% / 5 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
44.4% / 4 |
50.3% |
San Gabriel Valley
G. Roger Chandler, San Gabriel Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: The City of Arcadia
H. David Diaz, San Gabriel Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Los Angeles County First District Supervisor Hilda Solis
I. Ben Wong, San Gabriel Valley Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
Should these nominees be appointed, the San Gabriel Valley (SGV) Service Council membership will compare to the region and the region’s ridership as follows:
|
Race |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
SGV Council Region |
49.90% |
17.40% |
27.2% |
3.2% |
0.2% |
2.1% |
|
SGV Region Ridership |
67% |
8% |
13% |
8% |
1% |
4% |
|
SGV Membership/ No. |
33% / 3 |
44% / 4 |
22% / 2 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
0% / 0 |
The gender makeup of the SGV Council will be as follows:
|
Gender |
SGV Membership/No. |
Los Angeles County |
|
Male |
88.8% / 8 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
22.2% / 1 |
50.3% |
South Bay Cities
J. Rochelle Mackabee, South Bay Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: South Bay Council of Governments
K. Donald Szerlip, South Bay Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: South Bay Council of Governments
L. Richard Montgomery, South Bay Valley Service Council, New Appointment
Nominated by: South Bay Council of Governments
Should these nominees be appointed, the South Bay Cities (SBC) Service Council membership will compare to the region and the region’s ridership as follows:
|
Region Demographics |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
SBC Region |
44.6% |
21.6% |
13% |
17% |
0.2% |
3.7% |
|
SBC Region Ridership |
64% |
5% |
6% |
22% |
1% |
3.7% |
|
SBC Membership/No. |
33% / 3 |
11% / 1 |
22% / 2 |
22% / 2 |
0% / 0 |
11% / 1 |
The gender makeup of the South Bay Cities Service Council will be is as follows:
|
Gender |
SBC Membership/No. |
Los Angeles County |
|
Male |
66.6% / 6 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
33.3% / 3 |
50.3% |
Westside Central
M. Martha Eros, Westside Central Service Council, Re-Appointment
Nominated by: Westside Central Council of Governments
N. Elizabeth Medrano, Westside Central Service Council, New Appointment
Nominated by: Los Angeles County Second District Supervisor Holly Mitchell
Should these nominees be appointed, the Westside Central Cities (WSC) Service Council membership will compare to the region and the region’s ridership as follows:
|
% Region Total |
Hispanic |
White |
Asian |
Black |
Native Amer |
Other |
|
WSC Council Region |
42.8% |
31.1% |
13.3% |
9.3% |
0.2% |
3.3% |
|
WSC Region Ridership |
66% |
7% |
7% |
16% |
1% |
4% |
|
WSC Membership/No. |
37.5% / 3 |
12.5% / 1 |
12.5% / 1 |
37.5% / 3 |
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 |
62.5% / 5 |
49.7% |
|
Female |
37.5% / 3 |
50.3% |
A member of the Westside Central Service Council resigned effective May 12, 2021, which created one (1) vacancy on this Council. The appointing authority is currently recruiting potential replacement candidates and will submit their nomination for approval in the near future.
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 to be a regular user of 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.
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 approving these appointments would be for these nominees 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 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 and to implement and improve bus service in their areas and the customer experience using our bus service.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Nominees Listing of Qualifications
Attachment B - Nomination Letters
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Conan Cheung, Sr. Executive Officer, Service Development, Scheduling
and Analysis, (213) 418-3034
Dolores Ramos, Transportation Planning Manager, Regional Service Councils, (213) 598-9715
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James T. Gallagher, Chief Operations Officer, (213) 418-3108
