HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-07-26-AHTC-min (AM)Morning Meeting on July 26th to set up for the evening Public Forum:
Participants:All AHTC
Meeting started at 9.05.
Deepika led discussion on how minutes of the evening public forum would be taken.Varda
volunteered to help take minutes as well.Deepika requested the group to reach out to personal
networks today in order to boost participation in the evening forum.
Varda:Varda worked with Susan to come up with ideas for raising extra funds.Instead of a
marketing model try and do a sponsorship model.Just to try and get a little bit of feedback she
reached out to a real estate agent (owner of her own real estate business)in town.However,
who wasn't interested in donating to the Lexpress.In fact Varda met strong resistance,even
though Varda was not asking for money but feedback on the idea of local business
sponsorships for Lexpress.It was a short conversation and the real estate agent explained how
they give to everybody,but L'express is the town’s responsibility.Varda will be sending letter to
Lahey and Market Basket with the same ask.Send them a physical letter as apparently that is
the best way to approach it.
Howard -make any sense to contact organizations as alzheimers and AARP for similar asks?
Varda -what am I envisioning getting a sponsorship program going that is broad based.Its a
sales job and will take some work.Having teh AHTC team ask and set up an Advertising
program seems daunting -ads on the side of the bus,also seem like a heavy lift to keep
ongoing year after year.
Susan:talked about possibly a list of sponsors go out on all publications once such a program is
set up
Varda:Bread obsession -we get requests from every way -Bowman sent it out something for
sponsorships.Every elementary school is doing a similar program.
Deepika -offered to help connect Varda to other real estate agents though they maynot be
actually owners of their organizations.
Sally:Spoke about her research work after being thanked by Deepika for creating such a
detailed spreadsheet and explanation documents.Lexington -the only transit organization that
did not receive federal or state funds.Everyone else had all kinds of grants.She is thinking
about meeting with Michelle Ciccolo,and even showing her the California grant list.Early on,
Lexington received approval for a home rule petition;she is wondering if there is some way one
might be a helpful tool now.
Susan -update on grants -community transit grant 200k for operation earlier and get mobility
grant.We would find out in the Fall.Money would be good starting January 1.Would be an 18
month period.Future grants from these organizations would be on an annual basis.
1979 -initially provided 50%from MBTA,will know about in the Fall.For a four year period.The
funding period is Jan 1st midway through FY 2024.Susan emphazied that Lexpress -Truly
providing service that fills gaps in our regional service,harder to get funding,and also the Nola
and dolan case (sp?)made it harder to get the funding from developers.Annual recurring funds
from developers used to be available in 2013.MAPC and has created challenges.
Susan -new pass,173 passes and have been entered,and more than we distributed all of last
year.Ridership has been up 15%.
Deepika led discussion on logistics for the evening forum.The slides to be shared at the forum
were discussed individually and responsibility to speak to each slide was assigned.The meeting
was adjourned unanimously around 9.45 am