HomeMy WebLinkAboutSTF Formula Grant OptionsDate: August 21, 2008
To: Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
From: Judith Ure, Management Analyst
Subject: Special Transportation Fund Reallocation Options
In October 2008, the Board of Commissioners voted to reopen competition for a portion of the
County’s 2008-09 Special Transportation Fund (STF) formula grant allocation. This decision
was made following an extensive review process conducted by Deschutes County and Oregon
Department of Transportation (ODOT) staff which concluded that Central Cascade Lines, Inc., a
tentatively recommended grant recipient, was ineligible to receive public funding at this time.
As a result of this determination, $36,345 that had been temporarily placed in reserve pending
outcome of the review process was left unallocated.
The Board directed staff to contact each of the remaining STF recipients and invite them to apply
for the $36,345 in unallocated funds to operate transportation services within the La Pine
community and between the cities of La Pine and Bend. Two agencies submitted applications as
follows:
Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council / Cascades East Transit (CET): Requests $36,345
to provide four round-trips per day between the cities of La Pine and Bend and to supplement
local dial-a-ride services within the La Pine community.
Oregon Department of Human Services Volunteer Services: Requests $15,000 to increase
hours of dispatch and data entry staff responsible for coordinating volunteer demand-response
transportation services within Deschutes County and to support registered drivers serving the La
Pine community.
Both applications were reviewed by the Deschutes County STF Advisory Committee. All of the
Committee members who reviewed the applications agreed that the services proposed by CET
are most consistent with the Board’s intentions. However, the Committee also recognized the
value of the Volunteer Services Program in serving residents of La Pine and Deschutes County.
As a result, the Committee’s vote as to how to allocate the funds was split. Two members
recommended awarding the entire $36,345 available to CET and two members recommended
awarding $31,345 to CET and $5,000 to the Volunteer Services Program.
The Board of Commissioners has the ultimate responsibility for awarding STF formula grants.
In keeping with the STF Committee’s split recommendation, the Board could approve one the
following options:
Option 1: Award the entire $36,345 in unallocated 2008-09 funds to CET.
Option 2: Award $31,345 in unallocated funds to CET and $5,000 in unallocated funds to the
Volunteer Services Program.
Staff routinely maintains approximately $25,000 within the County’s STF program fund for
contingency purposes. The source of this amount is primarily interest earned on the annual
allocation which has been carried over from year to year. At this time, the contingency amount
has grown to approximately $40,000.
Therefore, a third option which was not presented for deliberation by the STF Committee could
be considered by the Board:
Option 3: Award the entire $36,345 in unallocated 2008-09 funds to CET and designate $5,000
from funds held in contingency within the County’s STF fund to the Volunteer Services
Program.
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to discuss this issue at the January 5, 2009 work
session meeting. If Board members have questions concerning the information outlined in this
memorandum or need additional information to facilitate that discussion, they may contact Judith
Ure, Management Analyst, prior to the meeting.