Closed Session Board Meeting   5/23/2024

Thank you, Jason.

Good morning.

I'm going to call the May 23rd meeting of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority Board to order.

First item on our agenda is our safety briefing.

Sure.

So today the role of Lamar Bates is going to be played by DJ Stadler.

We figured it was virtual.

There was no one in the same room.

So we gave Lamar the time to do his actual real job.

So you see the screen.

It's a virtual meeting.

I was actually watching a documentary this weekend.

One of the most frustrating things for 911 callers is when they ask the first question, what's the location of the emergency?

An overwhelming number of people don't know the address where they are.

So when we do our safety briefings at VPRA, we always start with we're 919 East Main Street.

So just something to note when you're not at a familiar location, know where your address is.

You see the other safety tips on the screen, just as we were all remote, be aware of your safety egress and where emergency equipment is.

Thank you, DJ.

Mary Estelle, can you call our roll this morning?

Ms. Bushue?

Here.

Mr. Cardwell?

Mr. Cardwell, I think I saw you come in.

I'm unmuted and here.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Mr. Delandro?

Ms. Drake?

Here.

Mr. Hall?

Mr. Maestri?

Ms. Moses-Nedd?

Ms. Rhinehart?

All right.

Thank you, Maristelle.

Next item on our agenda is public comment.

We did provide an opportunity for public comment via a link that was included with the agenda and posted on Town Hall to provide public comments in writing to the VPRA contact us inbox.

We, as of a few minutes ago, had not received any comments.

Yes, ma'am, you're correct.

All right, thank you.

So we'll close that public comment opportunity for today.

The next item on our agenda is an action on the minutes from our January 23rd meeting.

We did get some feedback on the minutes, and so I'm going to defer action on those minutes to our June 4th meeting, and we'll send out a revised version prior to that.

Ms. Bulova?

I'm glad to move that the board convene in a closed session pursuant to Virginia Code Section 2.2-3711A29 for the discussion of the award of one or more public contracts.

involving the expenditure of public funds, including interviews of bidders or offers and discussion of the terms or scope of such contract where discussion in an open session would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the VPRA and pursuant to Virginia Code Section 2.23711A3,

for the discussion or consideration of the acquisition of real property for a public purpose or the disposition of publicly held real property where discussion in an open meeting would adversely affect the bargaining position or negotiating strategy of the public body.

Thank you, Ms. Bulova.

Second.

Second, but I think Mr. Spore beat you out just very

Yes, he did.

Sorry about that.

That's appropriate.

Don't be.

So the motion by Ms. Bulova, the second by Mr. Spore.

Ms. Bushue?

Aye.

Thank you.

Mr. Delandro, I don't believe he came.

Ms. Doersch?

Aye.

Ms. Drake?

Aye.

Mr. Hall?

Ms. Moses-Nedd?

Ms. Rhinehart?

Mr. Spore?

Aye.

So the motion carried.

We're now going to go into closed session.

Jason, can you please take down the live stream?

Thank you, Jason.

We're now going to take a roll call vote, and I ask that each member indicate their agreement with the following statement.

To the best of my knowledge, during the closed meeting, the only matters heard, discussed, or considered were those matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements

under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and only those public business matters as were identified in the motion by which the closed meeting was convened.

Ms. Bulova?

Aye.

Ms. Bushue?

Agree.

Ms. Doersch?

Thank you, Mary Estelle, and thanks to everyone on the board for joining us today.

Again, we'll see everybody in person June 4th in Alexandria.

And with that, our business today is concluded.

Thank you all.