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Home My WebLink AboutSTF FY 2011-13 RecommendationsDeschutes 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 24,2011 DATE: October 19,2011 FROM: Judith Ure Administrative Services 541-330-4627 TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of 2010-2012 Special Transportation Fund (STF) formula and Special Transportation Operation (STO) grant allocations. i PUBLIC HEARING ON TillS 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 this biennium and the last, 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. As the total amount of funding available for elderly and disabled transportation services this biennium is significantly less than in the previous two years, the STFAC has included in its recommendation a request that a portion of funds carried over in the County's STF program from prior years be used to help offset potential reductions in services. Additional background information which includes a list of recommended recipients and amounts for the 2011-13 biennium is attached. Upon Board approval, staffwill submit an application for funding to ODOT and begin the process of preparing individual contracts with recipient agencies under the direction ofthe acting County Administrator as the delegated legal signatory for future STF activities . .i FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: Both the anticipated grant revenue from ODOT to Deschutes County and the recommended first -year expenditures totaling $301,005 are included in the County's fiscal year 2010-11 budget. 1 i RECOMMENDATION & ACTION REQUESTED: Approve STF AC recommendations and authorize Chair's signature on County application to ODOT when available. ATTENDANCE: Judith Ure, Management Analyst DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS: NtA Date: October 19, 2011 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 this biennium and the last, 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 under the direction of the County Administrator as the delegated legal signatory for STF activities. STF formula grant funds are made available on a fiscal year basis that begins on July 1. Approved recipients of grant funds are reimbursed quarterly after submitting status reports that detail 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 2011-12 STF formula allocation from ODOT totals $268,062, of which $2,000 can be retained by the County to offset administrative expenses. The STO allocation for the same period is $26,193, making a total of $292,255 available for grants to local service providers. During each of the past two years, the combined total of STF and STO funds available for grants was $372,803. As of July 1, 2011, $17,502 was available in the County’s STF program fund in carryover from 2010-11 as a result of interest earnings and previous unclaimed grant awards. The County has historically reserved much of the carryover that occurs each year for contingency purposes. During the 2011-13 review process, however, the STFAC has recommended that 50% of that amount be allocated each year for grants to service providers to help temporarily and partially offset potential reductions in services that may result from the sharp decline in resources available this biennium. The following chart illustrates how the amount to be distributed as grants to local providers during fiscal year 2011-12 was determined: Description Amount Cumulative Total 50% of FY 2011-13 STF Allocation from ODOT $268,062 $268,062 Program Administration Allotment - 2,000 266,062 50% of FY 2011-13 STO Allocation from ODOT +26,193 292,255 50% of Carryover from FY 2010-11 +8,750 301,005 Total Available for FY 2011-12 $301,005 Conditions may change in the second year of the biennium and, if so, the STFAC will be asked to review and revise its recommendations. However, for the purpose of completing ODOT’s application process, the same amounts are projected for the 2012-13 fiscal year. Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee Recommendations Deschutes County received five applications requesting funding in the amount of $342,546. 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- 06 Award 2006- 07 Award 2007- 08 Award 2008-09 Award 2009-10 Award 2010-11 Award 2011-12 & 2012-13 Recommendation Bend Dial-A-Ride 140,950 140,950 142,280 138,795 180,000 180,000 122,688 Central Oregon Council on Aging 47,555 47,555 49,113 0 0 0 0 Central Oregon Resources for Independent Living 10,163 10,163 10,764 11,374 15,509 15,509 11,518 Opportunity Foundation 20,583 20,583 22,384 22,499 30,000 30,000 24,472 Residential Assistance Program 6,573 6,573 0 0 0 0 0 Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers 11,025 11,025 0 0 0 0 0 DHS Volunteer Services 12,758 12,758 13,482 18,384 22,000 22,000 19,639 Central Cascade Lines 0 0 41,409 0 0 0 0 Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council 0 0 0 88,949 125,294 125,294 122,688 Total 249,607 249,607 279,432 280,001 $372,803 $372,803 $301,005 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.