HomeMy WebLinkAboutSTF Distribution 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 March 25,2015
DATE: March 18,2015
FROM: Judith Ure Administrative Services Phone #: 541-330-4627
TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration of Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee recommendations for distribution
of Federal Transit Administration 5310 grant funds.
PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DATE? No.
BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS:
Each biennium, Deschutes County solicits grant applications from local transportation service providers
for projects to be included in the County's request for funding through the Oregon Department of
Transportation's (ODOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 funds. Programs and projects
supported by 5310 funds primarily facilitate transportation services that benefit the elderly and/or
disabled and can address a wide variety of uses including capital equipment purchases, vehicle
maintenance, purchased services, and operations. Applicants must provide matching funds to support
the project at a rate of 10.27% or more depending on the request category.
Grant applications are reviewed by the Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee (STF AC)
which then forms a recommendation for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners. A more
detailed explanation of this year's process and a list of projects with recommended funding amounts is
attached. Upon Board approval, staff will compile the recommendations into a composite County
application to be submitted to ODOT, which may then choose to accept or adjust the recommended
funding levels.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Most grant funds will be awarded by ODOT directly to local service providers. However, Deschutes
County is acting as applicant for $87,371 to support transit services for the La Pine community during
this cycle. This amount will be included in the fiscal year 2015-16 and 2016-17 fiscal year budget
proposals.
RECOMMENDATION & ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve recommendations of the STFAC to allocate FTA 5310 funds as submitted and authorize staff
to submit the County's 2015-17 grant application to ODOT.
ATTENDANCE: Judith Ure, Management Analyst.
DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS: N/A.
Date: March 18,2015
To: Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
From: Judith Ure, Management Analyst
Subject: Special Transportation Fund Advisory Committee (STF AC) Recommendations
for Distribution of Federal Transit Administration (FT A) 5310 Funds
Special Transportation Fund Discretionary Grant Program
Each biennium, Deschutes County solicits grant applications from local transportation service
providers for projects to be included in the County's request for funding through the Oregon
Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 funding
program. Programs and projects supported by 5310 funds primarily facilitate transportation services
that benefit the elderly and/or disabled and can address a wide variety of uses including capital
equipment purchases, vehicle maintenance, purchased services, and operations. Applicants must
provide matching funds to support the project at a rate of 10.27% or more depending on the request
category.
Grant applications submitted by local service providers are reviewed by the Special Transportation
Fund Advisory Committee (STF AC) which then forms a recommendation for consideration by the
Board of County Commissioners. Upon Board approval, staff compiles the recommendations into a
composite County request for grant funds.
STF Advisory Committee Review Process
ODOT has allocated a total of $1,166,381 to Deschutes County for FTA 5310 funding requests.
In response to a public solicitation, the County received eligible applications for grants in the
amount of$I,166,381.
STF AC members considered the merits of each application as well as the community priorities
outlined in the Deschutes County Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan, applicant
history, scope of benefit, geographical impact, and sustainability issues to develop preliminary
individual recommendations. During a public meeting held on March 18, 2015, the STF AC met
as a group to develop a consensus recommendation for the Board's consideration.
STFAC Recommendations
The following table details the STF AC's recommendation for allocating FTA 5310 funds. As
the amount available to Deschutes County was sufficient for all the applications received during
this cycle, the committee chose to fully fund all requests as submitted.
Applicant Description Total Match Recommended
Cost Grant
City of Redmond Contractual transportation services provided $438,169 $45,000 $393,169
Cascades East Transit.
City of Sisters ntractual transportation services provided $64,265 $6,600 $57,665
Cascades East Transit.
Contractual transportation services for La $97,371 $10,000 $87,371
Pine Community provided by Cascades East
Transit.
Board Action
Staff recommends that the Board of Commissioners approve the recommendations of the STFAC
as submitted and to authorize staff to submit the resulting 2015-17 FT A 5310 Grant Program
application to ODOT.