BIKE: FYI: SoCo CAG Memorandum of Understanding

[Stuart Werbner]

Fellow Members of the Cycling Community:

As cycling community representative on the S. Congress Community Advisory 
Group (CAG), I am obligated to keep you informed on the latest developments 
in the S. Congress Ave. Streetscape Improvement Project.

As I indicated earlier, the CAG is now meeting again after a 1-year hiatus 
to develop a consensus proposal to spend bond money (Ordinance 98012-A) that 
was approved in 1998. A subsequent council resolution (980312-36) stipulated 
that approximately $3M of the bond money was to be spent on S. Congress Ave, 
between Town Lake and Ben White Expwy.

As members of an important stakeholder group -- the cycling community, I 
believe it is important to give you the terms under which the various 
representatives on the CAG will develop a solution. These terms are also 
known as the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). What follows is a summary of 
the latest draft of the MOU:

1) Be a Reliable Representative.  Be responsible, uphold commitments. 
Communicate with constituents groups. Agree to serve at least until March 
2005.
2) Participate in Work Plan. Identify community problems, needs, issues, 
opportunities, etc. Work for improvements, and provide advice.
3) Communicate well. Open mindedness, open exchange of accurate information.
4) Uphold Common Community Goals. Basically commit to a consensus solution. 
Respect the interest of the other stakeholders including the adjacent 
neighborhoods, merchants, schools, etc..
5) Be Bound by Decision. Decision making will be on the basis of "informed 
consent" -- the willingness of a party to not oppose a course of action even 
though they do not support it.
6) Comply with 1998 Bond and Council Resolution.
7) Respect City Goals and Policies. These include promoting alternative 
transportation modes, providing handicapped access, reducing urban heat 
island effect, using sustainable building practices and materials, complying 
with city standards fpr design and construction, and designing with the 
city's capacity for maintenance and operations, and operating budget.
8) Avoid Conflict of Interest. Report any involvement in any business which 
may receive a contract to do the agreed upon streetscape improvements.
9) Consider costs.
10) Co-sponsor Community Meeting. As an indication of their support for the 
planned improvements, the CAG will co-sponsor with the city a community 
meeting at which the schematic design for the agreed-upon scope of work is 
presented to the general public.

As your cycling community representative on the SoCo CAG, I will fully 
commit the the final MOU.

Regards,
Stuart

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