The Executive Board was briefed on the status of its membership criteria review, which will return as a future action item for the board.

The Operations Committee is reviewing the criteria to be as inclusive as possible and ensure that jurisdictions that want to be represented at PSRC have the opportunity to do so. Recommendations will come to the Executive Board for action in early 2006.

For more information, contact Robin Rock at 206-464-7091 or rrock@psrc.org.

The Executive Board met in Executive Session to discuss the Executive Director's performance evaluation.

The evaluation was laudatory, the board has been especially pleased with the success of the past year, including Mr. Drewel's tireless outreach efforts, work with the Prosperity Partnership, and advocacy for transportation.

For more information, contact Mark Gulbranson at 206-464-7524 or mgulbranson@psrc.org.

The Executive Board certified the 2004 Comprehensive Plan Update for the City of Stanwood and a 2004 Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the City of Mukilteo.

Stanwood's update includes goals and policies that call for ensuring that transportation and land use support each other as the city continues to develop. Stanwood has designated supports for the downtown area with efforts to provide a pedestrian-oriented, mixed use focus for growth in the city. Mukilteo's amendments included adding a section on describing the city's measures to accommodate projected growth and updated their citywide transportation analysis.

For more information, contact Yorik Stevens-Wajda at ystevens@psrc.org.

The Executive Board authorized a refinement of Destination 2030 and changed the project status from Candidate to Approved for one project.

The action split the Bethel Road and Bethel Avenue Bike Lanes into two projects, Bethel Road - Kitsap County and Bethel Road - Port Orchard, extended the southern limit of the overall proposed improvements one intersection further south and changed the project status for the Kitsap County portion from Candidate to Approved. The refinement also updated the project description for SR 16 - Tacoma Narrows Bridge to include an eastbound ramp and lane. Last, the refinement added a new candidate project, SR-99 Puyallup River Bridge Replacement.

For more information, contact Jeff Frkonja at 206-464-6180 or jfrkonja@psrc.org.

The Executive Board amended the Biennial Budget and Work Program to add additional grant funded programs to begin prior to the next fiscal year.

PSRC has successfully attained seven new grants for a total of $719,755. The Federal Transit Administration has committed $79,923 towards expansion of the Job Access Reverse Commute program to address special needs transportation issues. The Washington State Department of Transportation will provide $150,000 towards a multimodal transportation concurrency study (this contract was authorized by the board at the meeting), $40,000 for the environmental review of the VISION 2020 Update, $150,000 to assume administration of the FAST Corridor Partnership, $49,832 for the New Methods in Travel Behavior Study: Baby Boomer, and $250,000 of unallocated carryforward funds to be programmed towards Economic Development. The Prosperity Partnership would use this funding to hire a consultant to develop tax legislation and to hire an additional staff person to support the education reform proposal and the implementation of initiatives.

For more information, contact Diana Lauderbach at 206-464-5416 or dlauderbach@psrc.org.

The Executive Board authorized a contract for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Corridor Study.

PSRC is establishing an ad hoc BNSF Corridor Advisory Committee in January, which will be chaired by Councilmember Julia Patterson and composed of public stakeholders, transportation interests, private businesses, and environmental interests along the corridor. The contract authorization will provide consultant services to develop and evaluate scenarios for the corridor. The study should be completed with recommendations for the boards by the end of 2006.

For more information, contact King Cushman at 206-464-6174 or kcushman@psrc.org.

In Other Business, The Executive Board: