January HART Board Recap: Officers Confirmed, Streetcar Study

Councilman Mike Suarez remains Board Chair

The HART Board of Directors approved the 2015 slate of officers at its regular monthly meeting held on January 5, 2015.

The Nominating Committee met in December to select a slate of officers and committee appointments to be voted on by the full Board. On Monday, the Board confirmed most of the nominating committee's selections, naming Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez for a second full term as Chair. During the interactive voting process of HART Officers, Director Karen Jaroch was nominated as HART Board Vice Chair and Commissioner Sandra Murman as HART Board Secretary. Both were approved and confirmed by the HART Board of Directors. 

Appointments to Other Boards and Committees:

Tampa Historic Streetcar, Inc. Board
Members: Bryan Crino, Mickey Jacob, Councilman Eddie Vance
Alternates: Wallace Bowers, Councilman Mike Suarez, Karen Jaroch

Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization Board

Member: Josh Burgin
Alternate: Wallace Bowers

Transportation Disadvantaged Coordinating Board

Member: Commissioner Stacy White   

Alternate: Kathleen Shanahan 

Claims and Litigation Committee

Chair: Bryan Crino
Alternate: Kathleen Shanahan   

ADA Committee

Member: Commissioner Sandra Murman
Alternate:  Commissioner Kevin Beckner 

Audit Committee 

Members: C. John Melendez, Karen Jaroch, Wallace Bowers, Councilman Eddie Vance    

Finance, Governance and Administration Committee
Members: Karen Jaroch, Bryan Crino, Commissioner Sandra Murman, Commissioner Kevin Beckner, Councilman Eddie Vance, Kathleen Shanahan, Wallace Bowers
               

Major Projects and Legislative Committee

Members: Commissioner Lesley "Les" Miller, Mickey Jacob, Wallace Bowers, Josh Burgin, Karen Jaroch, Kathleen Shanahan, Councilman Eddie Vance

 

In addition, Chairman Councilman Suarez created an Ad-Hoc HART Board bylaws committee that would meet to review HART Rule of Procedures and Committee structure and schedule.  

Also on the agenda, HART Board approved a motion updating the HART Environmental Policy to ensure full compliance with International Organization for Standardization (IOS) and to reaffirm the agency's commitment to pollution prevention.        

       

Possible alignment using Tampa St. and Florida Ave.

During the meeting, Steve Schukraft, AICP, of HDR Inc., offered a presentation of results from the analysis of an extension of the Streetcar system via various corridors including the Marion Transitway to the Marion Transit Center, as well as scenarios for fleet upgrades. The study explores the potential benefits of creating a modern streetcar extension through the heart of downtown Tampa to the Marion Transit Center. After the presentation several HART Board of Directors discussed HART taking a greater leadership role in the streetcar expansion.        

 

In other matters, the HART Board approved the final Chief Executive Officer's employment agreement. 

Next Regular Board of Directors Meetings 

The HART Regular Board of Directors will take place Monday, February 2, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. at the HART Ybor Office, 1201. E. 7th Ave., in Tampa.

 

Closed captioning from the monthly HART Board of Directors meetings will be posted within 5 - 8 business days on the Hillsborough Television (HTV) website.

Click here to view video recordings from recent HART Board/Committee meetings.

HART Unveils Streetcar Modernization and Expansion Study

Tampa St./Florida Ave. is one alignment that was studied.

On Wednesday, December 17, the Tampa Historic Streetcar Board of Directors received the final Tampa Historic Streetcar Extension Study, undertaken by HART to explore the potential benefits of creating a modern streetcar extension through the heart of downtown Tampa to the Marion Transit Center. Those dynamic benefits would greatly complement the project proposed by Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, and Strategic Property Partners LLC.

HART Board Chair, Councilman Mike Suarez, echoed the sentiment of Mr. Vinik, who stated that his development company Strategic Property Partners LLC are looking to take a leadership role in creating a more robust transportation system in downtown, including an improved streetcar system and enhanced bus service. "HART is excited to be an active partner in the revitalization in the Channelside District," Suarez said, "and it gives me great pride that the TECO Streetcar System is part of Mr. Vinik's vision plan for bringing improved transportation services to the community along with improved access to jobs and economic investment in this corridor."

HART remains committed to innovation for the benefit of the communities it serves including economic, social, and environmentally responsible technological improvements. The Tampa Historic Streetcar Extension Study represents the latest in a long history of leading initiatives HART has undertaken as a transit leader in Tampa as well as the entire state of Florida and the nation as a whole.

Click here to download a copy of the final study. As a note, the Streetcar Modernization and Expansion Study focused specifically on possible extension alignments directly/indirectly serving Marion Transit Center. This does not rule out future extensions serving other areas.