Administration and Finance (A&F) Meeting Minutes

Draft Memorandum for the Record

March 27, 2025, Meeting

9:00 AM–10:00 AM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

Brian Kane, Chair, representing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board

Decisions

The Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee agreed to the following:

• Approve the minutes of the meeting of December 18, 2024
• Approve the minutes of the meeting of October 8, 2024

Meeting Agenda

1.    Introductions

See attendance on page 7.

2.    Public Comments  

There were none.

3.    Action Item: Approval of December 18, 2024, Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     December 18, 2024, Meeting Minutes (pdf) (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of December 18, 2024, was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) (Eric Bourassa) and seconded by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) (Chris Klem). The motion carried.

4.    Action Item: Approval of October 8, 2024, Meeting Minutes

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     October 8, 2024, Meeting Minutes (pdf) (html)

Vote

A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of October 8, 2024, was made by the MAPC (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the City of Boston (Jen Rowe). The motion carried.

5.    State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2025 Operating Budget Update: Quarter Two—Hiral Gandhi and Silva Ayvazyan, Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Staff

Silva Ayvazyan, MPO Staff, presented an update on the MPO’s SFY 2025 Operating Budget through Quarter Two, which includes October, November, and December of 2024.

S. Ayvazyan stated that as the MPO reached the midpoint of the SFY, it is in a strong financial position with its revenue and expenses in alignment with the projections. Details of the SFY 2025 Operating Budget through Quarter Two can be found in Table 1.

Table 1
SFY 2025 Operating Budget through Quarter Two

SFY 2025	Quarter One	Quarter Two	Total through Q2
Revenue	$1,965,760	$2,023,980	$3,989,740
Expenses	$1,936,470	$2,044,910	$3,981,380
Surplus/Deficit	$29,290	-$20,930	$8,360
Overhead	116.86%	123.25%	120.10%

SFY = State Fiscal Year.

 

S. Ayvazyan presented details on the MPO’s SFY 2025 revenue through Quarter Two, which can be found in Table 2.

 

Table 2
SFY 2025 Revenue Through Quarter Two

Funding Source	Projected Revenue	Actual Revenue	Percentage of Actual to Projected Revenue
MPO and MD-Directed PL	$3,221,000	$2,880,952	89%
MassDOT SPR	$208,000	$92,902	45%
MassDOT Other	$84,000	$137,305	163%
MBTA	$283,000	$297,894	105%
Other	$640,000	$577,494	90%
Total	$4,436,000	$3,989,740	90%

MassDOT = Massachusetts Department of Transportation. MBTA = Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. MD-Directed PL = MassDOT-directed planning funds. MPO = Metropolitan Planning Organization. SPR = State Planning and Research. SFY = State Fiscal Year.

 

S. Ayvazyan stated that the MPO exceeded its projections in the MassDOT Other category due to additional work requested by MassDOT outside of the original scope resulting in additional revenue.

S. Ayvazyan presented details on the MPO’s SFY 2025 expenses through Quarter Two, which can be found in Table 3.

Table 3
SFY 2025 Expenses Through Quarter Two

Expense Source	Projected Expenses	Actual Expenses	Percentage of Actual to Projected Expenses
Administrative Expenses	$2,015,000	$1,844,171	92%
Direct Labor	$1,675,000	$1,537,279	92%
Direct Cost	$745,000	$599,930	81%
Total	$4,435,000	$3,981,380	90%

SFY = State Fiscal Year.

 

S. Ayvazyan stated that the actual expenses were in alignment with projections for all three categories of expenses.

6.    Executive Director Goals Update—Tegin Teich, Executive Director

Documents posted to the MPO meeting calendar

1.     SFY 2025 Goals and Third Quarter Updates (pdf) (html)

2.     SFY 2025 Goals and Second Quarter Updates (pdf) (html)

Tegin Teich, Executive Director, stated that since she was unable to attend the previous A&F Committee meeting, the presentation will include updates on the Executive Director’s SFY 2025 agency goals from both Quarter Two and Quarter Three, including progress made towards these goals.

T. Teich overviewed the evaluation process and stated that the executive director’s evaluation occurred in June 2024. T. Teich met with the evaluation team, which consisted of the MPO chair, MPO vice-chair, and the A&F Committee chair.

T. Teich provided brief updates on goals in the following categories:

·       Identity and Awareness

o   Expand forums to speak about the MPO

o   Identify funding and implement an identity and branding exercise

·       Programs and Services

o   Implement the first stage of multiyear planning at the agency

o   Continue to develop and engage staff in the agency’s overall focus areas to inform the individual multiyear plans

o   Align the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) development process to be complementary to multiyear work planning

·       Governance

o   Embed the Operations Plan into ongoing agency work

o   Hold new learning opportunities for board members

·       Organizational Structure and Staffing

o   Refresh the Compensation Plan with improved employee engagement

o   Move or renovate the existing office

·       Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

o   Fund a significant DEI initiative identified by the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Committee

·       Funding and Opportunities

o   Complete and sign a fiduciary agent agreement

o   Operate neither with a significant deficit nor surplus

o   Identify and bring in one new revenue source

o   Continue to build relationships with potential partners

In the Identity and Awareness category, T. Teich stated that the MPO has had to reassess the feasibility of carrying out an identity and branding exercise in SFY 2025 due to fiscal uncertainty and leadership capacity constraints. In addition, T. Teich discussed the advancement of the website overhaul, which serves as an important resource for MPO staff, board members, and members of the public.

In the Programs and Services category, T. Teich stated that 13 multiyear plans for MPO work were submitted and reviewed by the MPO’s leadership team. T. Teich stated that these multiyear plans have informed input for the SFY 2026 UPWP. In addition, T. Teich stated that the MPO has begun developing an agency-wide action plan to frame the MPO’s priorities across the MPO’s different work areas that will serve as guidance in the future.

In the Governance category, T. Teich stated that the MPO has implemented its Operations Plan through board member engagement and committee engagement, including quarterly project readiness dates that provide valuable insight for MPO staff and board members.

In the Organizational Structure and Staffing category, T. Teich stated that the MPO is continuing work on an update to its Compensation Plan. In addition, T. Teich stated that the MPO is developing a Request for Quote (RFQ) to determine if the MPO’s office will change locations or stay in its existing location with a lease and renovate its offices. T. Teich stated that this effort is progressing more slowly due to fiscal uncertainty.

In the DEI category, T. Teich stated that DEI work has been advancing over the last few months and partnered with YW Boston who conducted an agency-wide DEI Pulse Survey to understand the MPO’s current state and identify meaningful goals.

In the Funding and Operations category, T. Teich stated that the MPO is focusing on developing its fiduciary agent agreement, which has been a long process due to the complexities of the roles between MAPC and MPO staff.

Discussion

Brian Kane, MBTA Advisory Board, expressed appreciation for the MPO’s ongoing efforts and how it aligns with the MPO’s goals and guidance documents. In addition, B. Kane suggested implementing a scope to reflect on the Executive Director Goals process. B. Kane expressed support for exploring leasing options and the fiduciary agent agreement.

Len Diggins, Regional Transportation Advisory Council, expressed support for ongoing DEIA efforts. In addition, L. Diggins asked how long the multiyear plans are.

T. Teich stated that they are in a three- to five-year time frame.

L. Diggins suggested creating capacity for new initiatives within the framework of the multiyear plans. In addition, L. Diggins asked what the source of the constraint on leadership capacity is regarding the identity and branding exercise.

T. Teich stated that many organizations’ leadership capacity is consumed by navigating uncertainty. T. Teich stated that the MPO is considering ways to expand its leadership capacity.

L. Diggins asked if the results of the YW Boston survey are available to the MPO board and stated that there could be lessons derived from the results that would be informative for the MPO board.

J. Rowe expressed appreciation for the transparency regarding difficult decisions about which initiatives to move forward with considering uncertainty. J. Rowe stated that ensuring that MPO staff can continue their work is essential. J. Rowe asked, considering fiscal uncertainty for the MPO, about strategies and considerations for ensuring that the MPO can retain MPO staff and maintain its quality of work.

T. Teich stated that there is approximately a one percent increase in formula funding, which is the MPO’s most reliable source of funding, the MPO is still planning on salary adjustments for MPO staff. In addition, T. Teich stated that the MPO is continuing to recruit new staff members and working with the MAPC to expand employee benefits.

7.    Members’ Items

B. Kane discussed a photo on Regina Villa Associates’ website, which featured T. Teich, E. Bourassa, B. Kane, and Fred Salvucci, former MassDOT Secretary.

T. Teich stated that MPO staff supported Regina Villa Associates’ Focus 40 initiative.

8.    Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the City of Boston (J. Rowe). The motion carried.

 

Attendance

Members	Representatives and Alternates
City of Boston (Boston Planning & Development Agency)	Jen Rowe
Massachusetts Department of Transportation	Chris Klem Steve Woelfel
MBTA Advisory Board	Brian Kane
Metropolitan Area Planning Council	Eric Bourassa
MetroWest Regional Collaborative (City of Framingham)	Dennis Giombetti
Regional Transportation Advisory Council	Lenard Diggins

 

 

Other Attendees	Affiliation
There were none

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff
Tegin Teich, Executive Director
Annette Demchur
Gine Perille
Hiral Gandhi
Priyanka Chapekar
Silva Ayvazyan