Admin TF Meeting Notes: November 25, 2014

Meeting Notes

Admin Task Force Conference Call

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

1:30 – 3:00 PM

In attendance: Steve Pepin (co-chair), Allison Hardt (co-chair), Michael Buffalino, Chris Hedges, Skip Paul, Elisha Wright-Kehner.

1. Additions to Agenda – Allison/Steve

None.

1. Meeting Notes from Admin TF meeting on October 28, 2014 – Allison

A MOTION (PAUL/WRIGHT-KEHNER) to accept the meeting notes was APPROVED.

1. Existing Business

• “Ahead of the Curve” and FHWA Research 101 Updates – Cynthia

Chris – A request for letters of interest has been released to develop course outlines – submissions are due December 1.

Skip – It seems unlikely that the pilot introductory course will be offered at the workshop in January 2015 at TRB.

• DOT Fact Sheets –Allison

No update - Four still missing- Region 1 – RI, Region 2 – TN, Region 4 – SD, NV (links to the DOT research pages for these states are currently posted in lieu of a fact sheet)

• Website Subcommittee – Michael

“Research Projects and Results” section was discussed yesterday – it is not being heavily used. The page is getting quite a few hits but not many return visits. The section will be reviewed – the content is very similar to “Resources for Research Managers” page. The subcommittee will consider possibility combining the two sections. The task force membership spreadsheet needs updating. Information on the RAC 2015 summer meeting will be added shortly after the TRB meeting. The “What’s New” list was edited and extended from 10 to 20 items.

• Task Force Membership Definitions (i.e. members, associate members, friends, etc.) – Carolyn

No report.

1. New Business – All

• RAC Winter Meeting (survey results and next steps) – Allison

Results were discussed on the RAC Leadership call two weeks ago. The plan is to have a 45-minute discussion panel with senior leadership of AASHTO, TRB, FHWA, OST/R, SCOR, TRB/CRP, and SHRP 2. Questions will be solicited and compiled in advance, and “seeded” among the audience members. Skip has asked new TRB Executive Director Neil Pedersen if he could participate in the session. King Gee has asked John Halikowski if plaques could be presented to Ann Brach and the SHRP 2 team in gratitude for their work over the past several years. Mr. Halikowski suggested that the presentation take place instead at the RAC meeting. It is not clear whether Mr. Halikowski will arrive in time for the RAC meeting.

Four items are under consideration for the remaining meeting time. 1) State Transportation Innovation Councils, 2) the Library Connectivity Pooled Fund Study, 3) Task Force activities, and 4) 2015 national RAC meeting. There was also some discussion of a “town hall” session during which attendees could raise any issue they wanted. It was agreed to invite two states to report on their STICs. Skip suggested giving each of the Task Forces 10 minutes to report, leaving the remaining time for a briefing on the 2015 meeting in Portland. A report on the Library Connectivity Pooled Fund study report could be deferred until the Portland meeting.

• Task Force Membership Spreadsheet Update – Allison

The goal is to update the spreadsheet before each RAC meeting. Allison will distribute it to the Task Force chairs after the TRB annual meeting.

1. Items for RAC Leadership

None identified.

1. Next Admin TF Meeting – scheduled for Tuesday, December 30, 2014 – 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Allison will poll the members to see how many will be available for the call.

November 25, 20141