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Brainerd City transit committee meets without quorum, reviews budget, business model and fleet plans
Summary
The Brainerd City Transit Committee met without a quorum and took no formal action but reviewed financial reports showing revenue above expectations, discussed a draft business model and new dispatch software, and planned a joint meeting with Baxter and Crow Wing County; staff said a van grant was approved for delivery by 2026.
The Brainerd City Transit Committee convened for an informational meeting and, with no quorum present, could not take official action. Chair opened the meeting and said, “We have no quorum, so we cannot take any official action,” and the group proceeded to review finances and operations.
Staff reviewed the financial packet and clarified that some ledger lines appear in red but are not negative. Tina, a staff member who presented financial details, said the committee’s expected revenue figure of about $73,970 contrasts with current reported revenue near $304,000, adding, “So we are 411% above our expected revenue.” She told the committee that grant overpayments are typically adjusted and that excess revenue, when unrestricted, goes into the transit reserve to be used for transit needs.
Committee members discussed the TAC meeting calendar for 2026. Staff proposed meeting months (January, May, July and October/November) and offered to email proposed dates to TAC members and poll availability; final approval was to wait until a quorum could act.
On operations, a staff member described work to build a transit business model that will pull financial data and inputs from IT, human resources and finance to show the full cost and departmental involvement. The same staff member highlighted five key performance indicators (KPIs) to track system health, using a green/yellow/red display, and described new dispatch software that flags buses lagging behind schedule and can reassign routes to recover time.
Staff reported ridership growth of about 10% since the previous TAC meeting, currently roughly 160 passengers per day, and said 96% of rider reviews collected through the software have been positive. The committee learned a new bus with an upgraded bike rack for fat-tire bikes is in service, and staff identified upcoming community outreach with partners including Crow Wing County and the Lakes Area Food Shelf.
Staff also said they had notified Baxter (the regional operator/partner) that excess 2024 revenue designated for Baxter remained available but had not been requested; staff proposed possibly changing the agreement so that such funds remain with the transit program because they must be used exclusively for transit.
On fleet expansion, Tina said the city received final approval for a 2024 van grant application and expects the first van to enter the fleet by 2026; an additional application received initial approval but would not be available until 2027 or 2028 if finalized.
The committee agreed it would be useful to hold a joint meeting with Baxter and Crow Wing County to review fares, ridership and how city finances interact with partners. Staff will prepare a detailed agenda for that potential joint session. With no further public comments, Chair adjourned the meeting.
The meeting was advisory only; no votes or formal motions were taken because of the lack of quorum.
