Topics at the November ABC Board Meeting focused on ABC's Sustainability Initiative and questions of transportation finance, with presentations by ABC Board members and staff as well as a status report on MassDOT by Secretary Richard Davey.
Sustainability Committee co-chair Rick Mattila introduced ABC Director of Transportation Demand Management and Sustainability David Straus who summarized the recent work of the ABC Transportation Management Association including its expansion into underserved areas in Allston, Brighton, Kenmore, and the Fenway. He also described ABC's role in staffing the Commercial Real Estate Committee of the City's Green Ribbon Commission and the achievements of the Challenge for Sustainability in 2012 and initiatives for 2013.
Doug McGarrah, Chair of the ABC Transportation Finance and Policy Committee, ABC President Rick Dimino, and Rich Parr, ABC Director of Policy and Development described ABC's effort in the area of transportation finance, including a study funded by the Barr Foundation and conducted by ABC, the Conservation Law Foundation, and Northeastern University to research revenue options for transportation.
Secretary of Transportation Richard Davey thanked ABC for its efforts on the issue of transportation finance. The Secretary reported that MassDOT will submit a transportation finance plan to the legislature calling for a ten year investment of $12 billion across all modes. MassDOT will present a menu of funding options on January 7, to be followed with preferences stated in the Governor's budget of the State of the State Address. He said that the Commonwealth is at a crisis, and a finance solution needs to be found so that it does not need to be addressed again.
Mr. Dimino reported on ABC studies funded by The Boston Foundation and the Barr Foundation surveying infrastructure systems and the relationship to economic development in Eastern Massachusetts, a study of state-wide transportation economic impacts, and a study of optimizing MBTA bus operations in Boston. He also reported on the status of the Longfellow Bridge reconstruction, now in the procurement stage for design/build services, and ABC's role in evaluating traffic management plans and construction mitigation.
The Board meeting also included a report from the Treasurer with adoption of the proposed 2013 budget for ABC, report of the membership committee, and following the Board meeting, ABC held its Annual Meeting which included unanimous adoption of recommendations of the Nominating Committee for 2013 officers, and membership of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors. President Rick Dimino thanked outgoing Chair Larry DiCara for his leadership and service as chair.
