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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD-2011-030 Approval of Budget Amendment #2-A and N C Dept of Transportation Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) Grant Application for FY 2011/201209P- doI1- 030 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 20, 2011 Action Agenda Item No. 7' Q SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) Grant Application for FY 2011/2012, and Approval of Budget Amendment # 2 -A DEPARTMENT: Planning/Transportation PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) Yes ATTACHMENT(S): 1. Public Hearing Notice 2. Certified Statement INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Terry, 245 -2002 Pearl Waite, 245 -2004 Craig- Benedict, 245 -2575 PURPOSE: To conduct a public hearing for the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant; to approve the annual FY 2011/2012 ROAP grant application and certified statement; and to approve Budget Amendment # 2 -A. BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Department of Transportation, Public Transportation Division, designates Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) funds each fiscal year to Orange County. ROAP consolidates the Elderly /Disabled Transportation- Assistance Program ( EDTAP), the Employment Program (EMPL), and the Rural General Public (RGP) Program into a single application package. These ROAP funds allow Orange County to continue servicing the above mentioned programs from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The County originally budgeted $135,388 for FY 2011 -12. Staff has recently been notified that the County will receive a total of $180,949 in ROAP funds, an increase of $45,561. Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is the lead agency for public and human services agency transportation in rural Orange County. The EDTAP allocation of $80,370 will allow OPT to continue to provide medical transportation for the elderly (age sixty and up) and disabled residents of Orange County. To the extent possible, trips will be grouped by geographic area per weekday and the destination will be the closest provider. All EDTAP service recipients are required to provide a co -pay of $3.00 per one -way trip. This fee is pro -rated for any individual whose family income is at or below 125% of the poverty level as determined by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. Co- payments are utilized to fund additional trips. 2 With an allocation of $33,410 for Employment Transportation Assistance funds, Orange Public Transportation will provide former Work First participants or other low- income persons certified for Medicaid or Food Stamps with a maximum of $300 per year to assist with employment r elated transportation. For vehicle owners, the funds may be used for repairs and /or insurance. For non - vehicle owners the funds may assist with the purchase of bus passes, van /car pool expenses, or possibly gas coupons. OPT allocates the Work First Transitional /Employment Transportation Program funds to the Orange County Department of Social Services to administer and complete the required annual service report. Orange Public Transportation has provided Rural General P ublic transportation on a seat available basis for many years. The development of the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill .public route, no longer funded through Triangle Transit, and the Hillsborough Circulator public route are subsidized through RGP allocated funds. The FY 2011/2012 Rural General Public funds are $67,169 to support general public routes. The period of performance for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds is July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The FY 2012 ROAP individual programs totals are: EDTAP $80,370 EMPL $33,410 RGP $67,169 TOTAL $180,949 FINANCIAL IMPACT: Orange County will provide matching funds by requiring a $3.00 co -pay per EDTAP trip. Orange County was awarded a total of $126,133 for FY 2010/2011 and the County request for FY 2011/2012 is $180,949, an increase of $54,816. The FY 2011/2012 budget allocated $135,388. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1. Conduct the required ROAP public hearing for public comments; 2. Close the Public Hearing; 3. Approve the application for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds totaling $180,949 for FY 2011/2012; 4. Authorize the Chair and County Manager to sign the Certified Statement of Participation; and 5. Approve Budget Amendment # 2 -A to include the additional $45,561 in ROAP funds in OPT's budget. 3 Attachment 1 Public Hearing, Notice This is to inform the public of the opportunity to attend a public bearing on the proposed Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation no later than (September 30, 2011 by the county of Orange. The public hearing will be held on September 20, 2011 at 7: -00 -pm at the -Orange County commissioners meeting in the Southern Human Services Center located at 2501 Homestead Road Chapel Hill NC 27516. Orange County will provide auxiliary aids and services under the ADA for disable& persons who wish to participate in the hearing. Anyone requiring - special services should contact Al Terry, Transportation Administrator -at 919 - 245 -2008 as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made. The programs included in the Rural Operating Assistance Program application are: I. Elderly & Disabled Transportation Assistance ( EDTAP) Program provides operating assistance for the transportation of elderly and disabled citizens. 2. Employment Transportation Assistance Program is intended to provide operating assistance for the transportation -of persons with employment related transportation needs. 3. Rural General Public (RGP) Program funds are intended to provide operating assistance for the transportation of individuals who do not have human service agency assistance to pay for their transportation and live in non - urbanized areas. The period of performance for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds is July 1, 2,011 throujzh June 30, 2012. The FY2012 ROAP individual program totals are: PROGRAM TOTAL EDTAP $80,370 ENTL $33,410 RGP $67,169 TOTAL $180,949: This application may be inspected at the Orange Public Transportation Administrative Offices located at 600 Highwav 86 North, Hillsborough, NC 27278 from Monday —Friday, 8:00 am — 5:00 Pm. Written comments should be directed to Al Terry, Transportation Administrator, 600 Highway 86 North, Hillsborough, NC 27278 before September 19, 2011. Note: The public hearing notices must be published at least once, not less than seven (7) days and not more than fourteen (14) days before the scheduledpublic hearing. This notice must be published in Spanish if the county has 1000 or more persons that speak Spanish at home, and have limited English proficiency. A list is provided in Appendix B of the ROAP State Management Plan. An original copy of the published Public Hearing Notice must be attached to a signed Affidavit of Publication. Both the Public Hearing Notice and the Affidavit of Publication must be submitted with the Rural Operating Assistance Program application. 4 Attachment 2 CERTIFIED STATEMENT FY 2012 RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM- Orange County WHEREAS, the state - funded, formula -based Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) administered by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Public Transportation Division provides funding for the operating cost of passenger trips and for other transportation services for counties within the state; WHEREAS, the county uses the most .recent transportation plans (i.e. CTSP, CTIP, LCP) available and other public involvement strategies to learn about the transportation needs of agencies and individuals in the county before determining the sub - allocation of these ROAP funds; WHEREAS, the county government or regional public transportation authorities created pursuant to Article 25 or Article 26 of Chapter 160A, the General Statutes (upon written agreement with the municipalities or counties served) are the only eligible recipient of Rural Operating Assistance Program funds which are allocated to the counties based on a formula as described in the Program Guidelines included in the ROAP application. NCDOT will disburse the ROAP funds only to counties and eligible transportation-authorities and not to any sub - recipients selected by the county; WHEREAS, the county finance officer will be considered the county official accountable for the administration of the Rural Operating Assistance Program in the county, unless otherwise designated by the Board of County Commissioners; WHEREAS, the passenger trips and transportation services provided with ROAP funds must be accessible to individuals with disabilities and be provided without discrimination on the basis of national origin, creed, age, race or gender (FTA C 4702.1A, FTA C 4704. 1, Americans with Disabilities Act 1990); and WHEREAS, the period of performance for these funds will be July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 regardless of the date on which ROAP funds are disbursed to the county. NOW, THEREFORE, by signing below, the duly authorized representatives of the Orange County, North Carolina certify that the following statements are true and accurate: • The - county employed a documented methodology for sub - allocating ROAP funds that involved the participation of eligible agencies and citizens. Outreach efforts to include the participation of the elderly and individuals with disabilities, persons with limited English proficiency, minorities and low income persons in the county's sub - allocation decision have been documented. • The county will advise any sub- recipients about the source of the ROAP funds, specific program requirements and restrictions, eligible program expenses and reporting requirements. The county will be responsible for invoicing any sub - recipients for unexpended ROAP funds as needed. • The county will monitor ROAP funded services routinely to verify that ROAP funds are being spent on allowable activities and that the eligibility of service recipients is being properly documented. The county will maintain records of trips and services for five years that prove that an eligible citizen was provided an eligible service or trip on the billed date, by whatever conveyance at the specified cost. • The county will be responsible for monitoring the safety, quality and cost of ROAP funded services and assures that any procurements by subrecipients for contracted services will follow state guidelines. • The county will conduct regular evaluations of ROAP funded passenger trips and transportation services provided throughout the period of performance. • The county will only use the ROAP funds to provide trips and other transportation services when other funding sources are not available for the same purpose or the other funding sources for the same purpose have been completely exhausted. • The county assures that the required matching funds for the FY2012 ROAP can be generated from fares -and/or provided from local funds. • The county will notify the Mobility Development Specialist assigned to the county if any ROAP funded services are_ discontinued before the end of the period of performance due to the lack of funding. No additional ROAP funds will be available. • The county manager will provide written assurance to the Public Transportation Division that the employment transportation needs in the county have- been _met prior to transferring any Employment Transportation Program (EMPL)_funds. The letter will describe the process used to make this determination. Transfer of EM-PL funds is prohibited if there are any unmet needs or service strategies in the Coordinated Public Transit — Human Services Transportation Plan that have not been addressed. • The county will provide an accounting of trips, services and expenditures in semi - annual reports to NCDOT — Public Transportation Division or its designee. • Any interest earned on the ROAP funds will be expended for eligible program uses as specified in the ROAP application. The County will include ROAP funds received and expended in its annual independent audit on the schedule of federal and state financial assistance. Funds passed through to other agencies will be identified as such. • The county is applying for the following amounts of FY 2012 Rural Operating Assistance Program funds: state- Funded Rural Operating Assistance Program 'Allocated, Requested Elderly & Disabled Trans ortation Assistance Program DTAP) 80,370 80,370 Employment Transportation Assistance Program (EMPL 33,410 33,410 Rural General Public Program (RGP) 67,169 67,169 TOTAL 180,949 180,949 WITNESS my hand and county sea), this day of , 20 Signature of Board of County Manager /Administrator Printed Name of County Manager /Administrator State of North Carolina County of County Seal Here Signature of Board of County Commissioners Chairperson Printed Name of Chairperson Signature of County Finance Officer Printed Name of County Finance Officer 5 9 -,7zj -1 i Commissioner Jacobs said that he asked to pull this item to recognize the program and to recognize the Nutter family. This family has been a leader in land conservation, supporting public education, and economic development. A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to certify 382 acres of Maple View Farm as qualifying farmland, designate it as a participating farm within White Cross and the Cane Creek/Buckhorn voluntary agricultural districts, and authorize staff to finalize and the Chair to sign the Conservation Agreement. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 7. Public Hearings a. North Carolina Department of Transportation Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) Grant Application for FY 2011/2012 and Approval of Budget Amendment # 2 -A The Board conducted a public hearing for the North Carolina Department of Transportation Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant; to approve the annual FY 2011/12 ROAP grant application and certified statement; and to approve Budget Amendment #2 -A and authorize the Chair and County Manager to sign. Orange County Transportation Administrator Al Terry made this presentation. He requested that the Board approve the application in the total amount of $180,949 and approve the Budget Amendment #2 -A to include the additional $45,561 in ROAP funds in OPT's budget. PUBLIC COMMENT NONE A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Yuhasz to close the public hearing. VOTE: UNANIMOUS A motion was made by Commissioner Jacobs, seconded by Commissioner Hemminger to approve the application for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds totaling $180,949 for FY 2011/2012; authorize the Chair and County Manager to sign the Certified Statement of Participation; and approve Budget Amendment #2 -A to include the additional $45,561 in ROAP funds in OPT's budget. VOTE: UNANIMOUS 8. Regular Agenda a. Hunting Deer with Dogs: Update and Action Plan The Board received an update on Hunting Deer with Dogs legislation with recommendations and action steps to the Board that can be taken during the upcoming hunting season. Annette Moore gave background information on this item. Last year, the County Commissioners asked the Legislature to enact local legislation prohibiting hunting deer with dogs. It went to Committee of the General Assembly and it stayed in Committee. This is back at square one with statewide legislation that preempts Orange County from enacting local legislation. The General Assembly did do something and enacted a Landowner's Protection Act, which provides that sportsmen need written permission dated within the past 12 months, signed by the landowner or lessee. Hunters must carry written permission on their person and if a hunting club has leased the land, hunters must have a copy of their hunt club membership with them and a copy of the landowner's permission given to the club. This was enacted June 23`d. Animal Services is looking for more things that can be done in addition to this.