Sacramento Transportation Authority approves consent items including Lucas Public Affairs contract for stakeholder sessions

The Sacramento Transportation Authority on Thursday approved consent items 2 through 8, including a contract with Lucas Public Affairs to conduct community listening sessions and a targeted stakeholder survey tied to future transportation funding discussions.

Director Dickinson questioned the scope and target of the contractor's stakeholder survey, asking whether it would be open to the general public. A staff member responding to the board said the survey is by invitation: "So right now, it's like a 175 people," and described it as an email survey sent via SurveyMonkey or Microsoft Forms.

The staff member said the contract was executed in August and that the work has already begun. The schedule may be extended: the staff presentation identified two items that could affect timing'the governor's action on Assembly Bill 1223, which would affect the authority's ability to pursue a sales-tax measure, and the results of a separate likely-voter survey. "The contract term is well beyond the actual, I think it goes through March, so we have a little flexibility built into the contract, if we need to push some things out," the staff member said.

After brief discussion, Director Dickinson requested an update on the schedule for the work under the contract at the next board meeting. The board then moved, seconded and voted to approve the consent calendar. The clerk recorded the vote as passing unanimously "with those members present."

Why it matters: The contract is intended to gather targeted stakeholder input and test priorities that could inform a future ballot measure on local transportation funding. Board members and staff said timing of the work is contingent on both state action and the results of polling of likely voters.

Details: The contract scope as described to the board includes community listening sessions and a targeted, invitation-only online survey of stakeholders and community representatives rather than a broad public poll. Staff indicated a draft short list of about 175 invitees was in use. The board did not take any separate action specific to item 4; it was approved as part of the consent calendar.

The board recorded no further action on the item beyond approving the consent calendar. The authority will report back on schedule adjustments as the work proceeds and as state and polling conditions become clearer.