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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-15 STF and STO Grant AllocationsGJ ES NA C> flJg`� { Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org AGENDA REQUEST & STAFF REPORT For Board Business Meeting of October 21, 2013 DATE: October 16, 2013 FROM: Judith Ure Administrative Services 541-330-4627 TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of 2013-2015 Special Transportation Fund (STF) Formula and Special Transportation Operation (STO) grant allocations. PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DATE? No. BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Each biennium, Deschutes County receives an allocation from the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Special Transportation Fund (STF) Formula Grant Program for the purpose of supporting transportation services for the elderly and disabled. During the past six years, ODOT has also made additional funds available through the Special Transportation Operating (STO) Grant Program for the same purpose. These funds are distributed by the County to local service providers through a competitive grant program. Requests for funding are reviewed by the County's STF Advisory Committee (STFAC) which then formulates a recommendation for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. Additional background information which includes a list of recommended recipients and amounts for the 2013-15 biennium is attached. Upon Board approval, staff will submit an application for funding to ODOT and begin the process of preparing individual contracts with recipient agencies. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Both the anticipated grant revenue from ODOT to Deschutes County and the recommended first-year expenditures totaling $268,948 are included in the County's fiscal year 2013-14 budget. RECOMMENDATION & ACTION REQUESTED: Approve STFAC recommendations and authorize staff to submit corresponding application to ODOT required for the County to receive funds. ATTENDANCE: Judith Ure, Management Analyst DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS: N/A Date: October 15, 2013 To: Deschutes County Board of Commissioners From: Judith Ure, Management Analyst Subject: Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee Recommendations Special Transportation Fund Formula Grant Process Each biennium, Deschutes County receives an allocation from the Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Special Transportation Fund (STF) Formula Grant Program for the purpose of supporting transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities. During the past six years, ODOT has also made additional funds available through the Special Transportation Operating (STO) Grant Program for the same purpose. These funds are distributed by the County to local service providers through a competitive grant process. Applications are reviewed by the County's STF Advisory Committee (STFAC) which then formulates a recommendation for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. Upon Board approval, staff submits an application to ODOT as required to receive the funds and begins the process of preparing individual contracts with recipient agencies. Deschutes County reimburses grant recipients on a quarterly basis. Payments are made only after each provider submits a status report that details revenue and expenses, trips provided, hours and miles driven, equipment operated, and accident history for the reporting period. Amount Available Deschutes County's fiscal year 2013-15 STF formula allocation from ODOT totals $491,612, of which $4,000 is retained by the County to offset administrative expenses. The STO allocation for the same period is $50,284, making a total of $541,896 available for grants to local service providers. In the 2009-11 biennium, the County received $745,606 from the State for local distribution. In the 2011-13 biennium, that amount was reduced to $588,510 which the County supplemented with an additional $17,500 in carry-over funds available as a result of interest earnings and previous unclaimed grant awards for a total of $606,010. Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee Recommendations Deschutes County received four applications requesting funding in the amount of $620,396 for the 2013-15 biennium. All of this year's applicant agencies have been awarded STF and STO grants by Deschutes County in the past and have a strong record of performance within the grant guidelines. The Deschutes County STFAC convened in a public meeting to review applications for funding and to develop a recommendation for STF and STO distribution. Applicant agencies were invited to attend that meeting and were given an opportunity to further describe their services and requests for funding. The Committee's recommendation, which appears below along with a history of past awards, is based on the amount available for distribution, written and verbal information provided by the applicants, and priorities identified in the Deschutes County Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan. The last column in the following chart outlines the resulting recommendation of the STF Committee and represents a composite of STF, STO, and carryover funds. Agency 2005-07 Award 2007-09 Award 2009-11 Award 2011-13 Award 2013-15 Recommendation Bend Dial -A -Ride 281,900 281,075 360,000 245,376 182,950 Central Oregon Council on Aging 95,110 49,113 0 0 0 Abilitree 20,326 22,138 31,018 23,036 21,000 Opportunity Foundation 41,166 44,883 60,000 48,944 43,000 Residential Assistance Program 13,146 0 0 0 0 Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers 22,050 0 0 0 0 DHS Volunteer Services 25,516 31,866 44,000 39,278 0 Central Cascade Lines 0 41,409 0 0 _ 0 Cascades East Transit _ 0 88,949 250,588 245,376 290,946 Total _ $499,214 $559,433 $745,606 $602,010 $537,896 Recommended Action Staff recommends that the Board of Commissioners approve the recommendations of the STFAC and authorize the Board Chair to sign the County's STF and STO program applications to ODOT when available.