Feb 25th CMT Minutes

Community Management Team Meeting
Feb 25th 2008 Minutes
The Lifelong Learning Center



Members Present: Jodie Rasmussen & Monique Fortmann-The Lifelong Learning Center, Marie Garrison-REO, Maggie Driscoll-District XI HRC, Mark Cumming-Voc Rehab, Steve Earle-Mountain Line, Wolf Ametsbichler-Job Service, Brenda Warning-Experience Works, Ron Ciszak-WORD, Kelly Deniger-Msla Job Service WORC, Chris Mitchell-OPA, Michelle Parks-Child Care Resources

1:30 pm Meeting called to order by Michelle Parks

1:30-2:00 pm Guest Speaker Steve Earle from the Mountain Line

Steve started at the Mountain Line over 20 years ago and has held many positions over the years. The Mountain Line was formed when the Urban transportation district got an overwhelming 65% approval when it was first placed on the ballot. If you look at your taxes there is a line item if you are in the district, it roughly is from Smurfit Stone to Milltown.

2007 set a record for ridership, it is a 60% increase in ridership with only a 10% increase in service. Transit dependant people are pretty easy to get because they do not have other options, the other population is a choice rider who rides the bus because they chose to, not because they have to. They chose to because of economic, environmental or time management reasons, some people also like the social environment on the bus. The Mountain Line has about 3.6 million annual budget and employs about 55 people. The majority of funding comes from a tax increment $35 per year for every $100,000 of home value, it also receives grants and passenger revenue. 22% of budget comes from user fees/fair box. $180,000 from UM for students, staff and faculty. Everyone who works for a business downtown gets a free bus pass.

Everyone in Missoula rides the bus an average of 12 times per year. All buses are ADA accessible with either a ramp or a lift. They all also have bike racks. Guaranteed ride home system is available but not well utilized, you can call a cab up to 4 times a year, show the taxi a bus pass or UM card and they will get you a ride home if you have to work late or otherwise miss your bus or have an emergency. Busses are free when air quality is poor. New service to the airport was recently added-route 11. You can park for free at Lewis and Clark housing and then there is free bus service to downtown. You can also rent a covered space in the parking garage for $27 a week, including the bus service to the airport. The Mountain Line also partners with Missoula in Motion and Missoula Ravalli transportation that runs the bus from Hamilton to Missoula and Missoula to Polson. Combined they carry 5,000 people a day in Missoula.

What’s new? Trying to increase midday service and take route 8 which goes up and down 5th and 6th to the mall. Long Range Transportation plan, looking at ways to couple land development with future transportation needs. 93 corridor study is finding that it is cost prohibitive to add another lane from Missoula to Lolo. It is also cost prohibitive to add a road from Florence to Miller Creek. Rail into Bitterroot is feasible but costs a million dollars a mile and a million dollars a crossing. Dedicated lanes for busses only is a feasible option, but right now you can not take a bus to Lolo, will probably have fixed route service to Lolo within the next year.

Questions? Any plan in the future for low income people to ride the bus? The Mountain Line is already heavily subsidized so it is the primary responsibility of the agencies to provide the passes, although the Mountain Line offers discounted passes.

Entry Level Jobs start at $11-12 for a service person, eight people on call, six days a week. Look for people who are service oriented, easier to train people to drive the bus than the soft skills and people management. Must have a CDL and be 21 years old. Mountain Line trains them and helps them get their CDL. Not very high turn over rate about 10 years, many have been their 25 years.

Now also service DirecTV and Carl Tyler etc. For planning purposed they look at the number of trips they have that are standing room only and then look at adding new routes. Broadway road diet created issues for staying on time. You need to be able to cross the street, a route on Reserve street did not work because people couldn’t get across the street. Miller Creek developers have agreed to put the starting match in to get bus service, but now they need to get the state to put the rest of the money in, it is out of the transportation district. Grandview apartments off of 39th also do not have good bus service. 51% of property owners have to agree to be part of the transportation district or you can put it on the ballet. Now, when developments are formed and subdivided they were required to petition into the district.

I 105 froze property taxes so you can only increase the levies very small amounts usually less than 1% per year. The true cost per ride is $4 but riders only pay $.85, ADA vans cost considerably more. The Mountain Line is building a new $4 million facility which will be completed in Mid-May on Shakespear street.

2:00-2:05 pm New Business-Approved
Ø Agenda
Ø Minutes from Dec meeting
Ø New meeting structure March Meeting
Ø Power Hour- March 17 1:30-2:30 Roger Miller Office of Planning & Grants was planned but may see if we can have Marci from BREAD reschedule instead.
Ø The next regular CMT Meeting is April 28th
o Monique and Jodie are out of Town, Saundra will take minutes.


2:05-2:15 pm Agency Focus

The Lifelong Learning Center Spring Catalog is out and lots of new classes in cooking and the trades area.

Child Care Resources is looking for children in the Scholarship program. There are no waiting lists this year so it is a good time to get assistance for scholarships. Also Child Care Resources has some unrestricted money available to help people who need help for some of the care that is not eligible on the Scholarship program. This includes Drop in and summer camps that may not be licensed.

Provider Services is having a Parade of Child Care facilities April 26, Providers on the parade are accredited and star providers so families can look at different quality settings. Several providers recently opened specifically to serve the DirecTV employees.

Also the Spring conference is coming up March 8, 2008 with a nationally know Native American speaker Jack Gladstone and is open to the general public.


2:15-3:00 pm Roundtable-New updates from agencies
REO-Rural Montana Saves, Individual Development accounts matches $500 of savings with $3,000. New eligibility guidelines now accept TANF clients from the past 5 years, instead of 3 years. Can not live in Missoula County

Project Challenge lost the Dislocated Worker Program it is now housed at the Job Service on 3rd Street. Wednesday of that week was Craig’s last day and moved it immediately to the Job Service. Roughly 120 active workers are being served in the dislocated worker program. Seriously underspent dollars the dollars available, People are eligible regardless of income, including vets coming out of the service. Also if their hours are severally reduced but they are not laid off they may be eligible. $1,250,000 per year and only 16% spent. Eight AFL-CIO workers were laid off in the process.

President Bush’s next year budget does not have employment services funding for 2008-2009.

Experience Works-New mandate to serve the highest priority people, now must also move them through the program as fast as they can. If services take more than 90 days then they may need to refer to other services. The state program is over enrolled.

Worc Program needs letter of support, now must RFP this year. Four small offices in Department of Labor and DPHHS had some disagreements which have since been resolved but everyone still must submit a RFP again this year. Need the letters of support by March 15, 2008.

The Job Service WORC program was refunded for FESS starting July 1, 2008. Over 60 participants in program. Not a lot were successful in finding employment so this year so they will do more intensive case management. They have not had a lot of success placing people from the Dental Assistant program but more success in the Medical Office Essentials program.

LIAP still has funding but is winding down in April, the funding is the same if they apply now instead of the fall. Ravalli county is attempting to establish a health clinic in Hamilton at Marcus Daily Hospital. Hoping to hear something by summer. It is a really needed service in Ravalli county. Will be part-time at first but are hoping that once established the hours could be increased.

3:00 pm Next meeting date & location
March 17 at The Lifelong Learning Center-Wear your green!
Meeting adjourned

Feb 25 Agenda

Community Management Team Meeting
Feb 25th 2008 Agenda
The Lifelong Learning Center


1:30 pm Meeting called to order


1:30-2:00 pm Guest Speaker Steve Earle Mountain Line


2:00-2:05 pm New Business
Ø Agenda
Ø Minutes from Dec meeting
Ø New meeting structure March Meeting


2:05-2:15 pm Agency Focus


2:15-3:00 pm Roundtable-New updates from agencies


3:00 pm Next meeting date & location
Meeting adjourned


3:00-3:30 pm Optional Employment/Case Management networking forum.

CMT Meeting February 25 at 1:30 Lifelong Learning Center

The next Community Management Team meeting will be on Monday, February 25th at 1:30. The Lifelong Learning Center will be hosting the meeting. Steve Earle, from Mountain Line will be our featured speaker for the meeting. He will be discussing transportation, traffic, parking, and accessibility issues in Missoula.

See you there!