SMART, Board of Directors

Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART)

Transportation

Thursday, July 25, 2024
2:00 p.m. EDT

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Remote

The Meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube and available at the following URL: https://www.youtube.com/@MySMARTBus.

Documenters may also attend in person: SMART Offices Board Room at 535 Griswold, Suite 600, Detroit, Michigan 48226

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by A J Johnson

With bus operators, riders and union supporters calling for an operators' contract, SMART General Manager Dwight Ferrell assured everyone that if operators accept the current offer, existing benefits will not be cut and operators would be the highest paid in the state.

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Live reporting by Sherrie Smith

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra

I’ll be live-tweeting the SMART, Board of Directors Meeting at 2:00pm today, July 25th for #DETdocumenters
@DetDocumenters
Media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @metrotimes @Michigan_public @media_outlier @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

10:15 AM Jul 25, 2024 CDT

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 2/34

The agenda for today’s meeting is available online at:

smartbus.org/Portals/0/July…

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 3/34

For info on how to attend today’s meeting check out the SMART Bus webpage page at:

smartbus.org

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 4/34

If you feel there are errors or corrections needed to these tweets or you have questions, please contact documenters@outliermedia.org

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 5/34

While you wait for today’s meeting can watch the recording from the Special Board Meeting in July 8th here:

youtube.com/live/yEthYEZY2…

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Looks like we’re waiting for the Board to come into the meeting room

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Meeting called to order at 2:03pm

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Board Members Present at the beginning of the meeting

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🗣️ PUBLIC COMMENT 🗣️ Each speaker will have 3 minutes to speak

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In-person: Mr. Cunningham stated this is the worse he has ever seen SMART, the drivers need to have a contract, have more amenities, and keep their pensions

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In-person: Dialysis patient says SMART drops dialysis patients off on the street on Lahser and makes them walk when she is at risk of fainting and is disappointed the workers are working without a contract. Every since SMART got that millage the service has been terrible

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In-person: Member of Transit Riders United cited statistics from the Smarter Mobility Report

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In-person: K. Colon, President of Amalgamated Transit Union spoke to Reggie recent statements in regards to contract negotiations

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In-person: Bus rider says her mother has Dementia and she has MS and recent buses not showing up caused her to walk 3/4 of a mile. Also, felt that the issues with contracts should be handled in house and it shouldn’t effect the public

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In-person: Local 26, President, S. Collier stated that understanding and not having enough drivers creates a hostile work environment that endangers bus operators/drivers.

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In-person: SMART driver and Steward for Local 1564 stated that leadership calling out the unions created a hostile environment and reminded the board that all SMART workers are voters

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In-person: visiting Union member from Vancouver stated that their union is currently in strike action due to not having a contract since last October

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In-person: Southfield resident stated the 405 route has still been missing. She has to call customer service 45 minutes prior to the scheduled time to ask if there is a bus and driver for the route. “You need to right size…You can’t rob Pete in Troy to let Paul ride in Novi “

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 19/34

🗣️ END OF PUBLIC COMMENT 🗣️

Sherrie So Ultra @SherrieSoUltra 20/34

One member of the Board responded to the commenter that asked if he ever worked without a contract. He stated that he worked under concessions and it was a different time. And SMART is not cutting anybody’s pensions but proposed 401k with match for new employees

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NEW BUSINESS - 11a APPROVED.

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NEW BUSINESS - 11b APPROVED, Audit Committee Established

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NEW BUSINESS - 11c
5310 is code for enhanced mobility for seniors and people with mobility issues as well as low income

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The resolution for item 11c was APPROVED after A LOT of discussion

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New Business 11d APPROVED

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NEW BUSINESS
11e - APPROVED
11f - APPROVED
11h - APPROVED
11i - APPROVED
11j - APPROVED

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Board motioned to go into closed session. APPROVED

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Vice Chair stated that the board will be going into closed sessions to discuss current negotiations

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I’m attending today’s meeting via live YouTube stream. It appears that@ Board Members have left the table except Dr. Curtis Ivery

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Dr. Ivery has also left the board table now

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The board appears to be returning to the table now

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The Vice Chair motioned to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 3:41pm

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There was no discussion or announcement after the closed session

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This concludes my live-tweeting of the SMART, Board of Directors Meeting for 7/25/24. For more meeting coverage, check out:

detroit.documenters.org

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Attachments

Transcript and recording

By Noah Kincade 7/25/2024

Agency Information

Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART)

See Documenters reporting

Serving since 1967, SMART is Southeast Michigan’s only regional public transportation provider, offering convenient, reliable and safe transportation for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne Counties. SMART’s Fixed-Route and small bus services connect people to employment and educational institutions. SMART is supported by federal and state funding, local contributions through a transit property tax millage from opt-in communities and bus fares.