Metropolitan Public Transit Authority Board Now in Place (Just Need Governor’s Appointee)

Details taken from the Charlotte Observer.

The Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA) board is now mostly in place. As of Friday morning, only Governor Josh Stein had yet to make his pick for the Authority.

The 27-member MPTA establishment process began following the passage of the referendum this last November which increases the county’s sales tax to fund future transportation projects. The legislation authorizing the referendum called for the establishment of a new board to take over governance of the Charlotte Area Transit System from the city of Charlotte and Metropolitan Transit Commission.

The legislation called for appointments to be made by and from the city of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the county’s six towns, local business and philanthropic groups and state leaders. Appointees are required to have experience in law, finance, engineering, public transportation, urban planning, logistics, government, architecture and/or economic development. Board members will generally serve four-year terms, but the inaugural board will include some two-year appointments so that terms are staggered.

The MPTA will hold its first meeting this Thursday, December 18th at 6:00 pm. Here is the list of final appointments:

Todd Collins, CEO of investment and development firm Red Hill Ventures

Frank Emory, executive vice president and chief legal officer for Novant Health

David Howard, former Charlotte City Council member, chief deputy secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation and associate administrator of the Federal Highway Administration

Jocelyn Jones-Nalley, chair of the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP

Cameron Pruette, Executive Director of the Freedom Center for Social Justice

Katrina Young, former Planning Manager for the city. Pruette was the only city finalist who described regular use of public transportation in their application.

Charles Bowman, former North Carolina market president for Bank of America

Christy Long, a former Wells Fargo executive

Wyatt Dixon, developer and REBIC member

Lucia Zapata-Griffith, architect

Peter Pappas, developer and REBIC member

Mike Bryant, Mecklenburg County Manager The county’s other picks were:

Julie Eiselt, former Charlotte City Council Member

Alysia Davis Steadman, small business owner

Justin Harlow, former Charlotte City Council Member and dentist

Ken Schorr, retired attorney

Clayton Sealey, transit rider

Bob Menzel, retired businessman (Cornelius)

Matthew Walt, financier (Davidson)

T. Anthony Lindsey, real estate agent (Huntersville)

Dana Stoogenke, town transportation planner (Matthews)

Brad Simmons, former Mayor (Mint Hill)

Jeffrey Robbins, CleanAIRE NC Executive Director (Pineville)

David Longo, CEO of CBI Workplace Solutions and chair of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance Board (appointed by the NC Speaker of the House Destin Hall)

Ned Curran, developer (appointed by the NC Senate President Phil Berger)

Here’s the link for details on the inaugural meeting:
BOCC Special Meeting MPTA – Inaugural Meeting | Public Notices and Meetings Calendar

 

Rob’s Take: This whole project has been an incredibly heavy lift. Did you realize it took Nashville two tries and Austin three tries to pass similar initiatives? We are thrilled that we have gotten this far, but there is much more work to be done. Going forward we will be tracking and reporting on the progress of the Authority. When we think they are getting things right, we’ll tell you about it. When we think they are getting things wrong, we’ll tell you that, too. This is a huge opportunity for the residents of Mecklenburg County and ultimately the region. Let’s go!