The town hall provided an opportunity for transportation agencies in the region and members of the public to provide information on the transportation patterns and need for projects to the key decision-makers for funding in the state of California.  Commission Chair Fran Inman and commissioners Carl Guardino, Jim Ghielmetti, Paul Von Konynenburg and Bob Alvarado, Executive Director Susan Bransen and Deputy Director Mitchell Weiss, and CTC staffers Garth Hopkins and Dawn Cheser attended the meeting in Gonzales.  Mayor Maria Orozco, past TAMC Chair, welcomed the group to Gonzales, before a standing room only crowd.  Some of the Measure X Oversight Committee members were able to attend, and Norm Groot, Farm Bureau of Monterey County, was one of the speakers.  The commissioners also heard from other representatives of the agricultural industry, TAMC, Caltrans and the US 101 Central Coast Coalition of five transportation agencies. The new South of Salinas Traffic Alliance made a presentation on their desire improve safety at US 101 and Spence Road.  The meeting was followed by a tour of the Taylor Farms cooler, arranged by the City of Gonzales. South County Supervisor Simon Salinas gave a presentation to the group at the evening reception. 

On day 2, the CTC staff and two commissioners took a tour of some of the region's priority project corridors, including State Routes 218, 68 and 156, as well as the US 101 corridor south of Salinas, the new Monterey-Salinas Transit operations and maintenance facility and the Salinas Train Station.  TAMC has heard feedback that the commissioners and staff found the event to be very helpful and it certainly made an impression regarding the need for transportation safety improvements in the US 101 corridor. 

The full agenda for the town hall, including speakers and tour guides, is attached. TAMC extends its thank you's to all who made the event a great success.