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Home My WebLink About2002 S Planning - MOU Rural Planning Organization Memorandum of Understanding MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR COOPERATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE AND CONTINUING TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RURAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR The Counties of Chatham, Lee,Moore, and Orange and the participating municipalities contained therein and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. WITNES SETH Whereas, section 135 of Title 23,United States Code, declares that it is in the national interest to encourage and promote the development of transportation systems embracing various modes of transportation in a manner that will serve all areas of the State efficiently and effectively; and Whereas, North Carolina General Statute 136-18 was amended by the North Carolina General Assembly by ratification of Senate Bill 1195 on July 6, 2000, and this same bill was signed by the Governor on July 14, 2000, and subsequently Chaptered, and which Chaptered statute provides for the establishment of Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RPOs), similar in concept to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) for transportation planning in North Carolina's urban areas; and Whereas, the establishment of a Rural Transportation Planning Organization(RPO), similar in concept to the Urban Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organizations (MPOs), would provide rural areas the opportunity to work in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation toward development of sound, short and long-range transportation planning for rural areas; and Whereas, the establishment of a Rural Transportation Planning Organization for the Research Triangle Rural Transportation planning area would assist the North Carolina Department of Transportation in complying with the provisions of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21s`Century (TEA 21), enacted June 9, 1998,relative to the participation of local officials and the public in the transportation planning process; and Whereas, It is the desire of these local governments and agencies to establish a Continuing, Comprehensive, Cooperative Transportation Planning Process with the establishment of a Rural Transportation Planning Organization for the Research Triangle Rural Transportation Planning Area; Now,therefore, the following memorandum of understanding is made. Section 1. Establishment of Rural Transportation Planning Organization. It is hereby agreed, that the Counties of Chatham, Lee,Moore, and Orange and the participating municipalities contained therein, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation intend to establish and participate in a Rural Transportation Planning Organization created for the general purposes and responsibilities outlined in the following: 1. Develop long-range local and regional multimodal transportation plans in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. 2. Provide a forum for public participation in the transportation planning process. 3. Develop and prioritize suggestions for transportation projects the Rural Transportation Planning Organization believes should be included in the State's Transportation Improvement Program. 4. Provide transportation-related information to local governments and other interested organizations and persons. 1 5. Conduct transportation-related studies and surveys and provide transportation-related information to local governments and other interested organizations and persons. 6. Undertake mutually agreed upon transportation-related tasks to enhance transportation system development, coordination and efficiency. Section 2. Administration and Funding. It is hereby further agreed that transportation plans and programs and land use policies and programs for the Rural Transportation Planning Organization will be coordinated by the Triangle J Council of Governments, an agency selected on behalf of participating local governments and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to be the administrative entity and serve as the lead planning agency for coordinating transportation planning in the Research Triangle Rural Transportation Planning Area. It is hereby further agreed that the participating local governments shall provide the local matching funds necessary to obtain state funding for the Rural Transportation Planning Organization. The RPO hereby authorizes the Triangle J Council of Governments to be the recipient of any funds appropriated to the RPO by the North Carolina Department of Transportation pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 136-213(c). Section 3. Establishment of Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC). A Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC)is hereby established with the responsibility for serving as a forum for cooperative transportation planning decision making for the Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO). The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) shall have the responsibility for keeping the policy boards informed of the status and requirements of the transportation planning process; assisting in the dissemination and clarification of the decisions, inclinations, and policies of the policy boards; and helping to ensure meaningful public participation in the transportation planning process. 1. The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee will be responsible for carrying out the following: A. Establishment of goals and objectives for the transportation planning process. B. Review and recommend changes to adopted Transportation Plans for the Rural Transportation Planning Organization. C. Review and recommend a work program for Transportation Planning which defines work tasks and responsibilities for the various agencies participating in the Rural Transportation Planning Organization. D. Review and recommend Transportation Improvement Projects which support and enhance transportation within the Research Triangle Rural Transportation Planning Area. 2. The membership of the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee shall consist of the following: A. One County Commissioner representing each County. B. One municipal elected official representing the municipal interests in each County, unless there are no municipalities included in a county's RPO planning area. C. One member of the Triangle J Council of Governments Executive Board (ex-officio). D. A member of the North Carolina Board of Transportation representing the Department of Transportation. 3. The County Commissioner representing each county shall be elected by the Board of County Commissioners of each county in regular session. The elected municipal representative shall be selected by balloting of municipal elected officials within the RPO planning area in each county (one vote for each town)every two years. A simple majority vote wins the seat. The term of office for all seats on the RTAC is two years. Re-appointment is possible. 2 4. The Rural Transportation Advisory Committee (RTAC) will meet as often as it is deemed appropriate and advisable. On the basis of majority vote of its membership, the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee shall appoint a member of the committee to act as chairperson with the responsibility for coordination of the committee's activities and another member to act as vice-chairperson to assume this responsibility in the chairperson's absence. A member of the staff of the Triangle J Council of Governments will serve as secretary to the committee. Section 4. Establishment of Technical Coordinating Committee(TCC). A Technical Coordinating Committee shall be established with the responsibility of general review, guidance and coordination of the transportation planning process for the Rural Transportation Planning Organization (RPO) and the responsibility for making recommendations to the respective local, state, and federal governmental agencies and the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee regarding any necessary actions relating to the continuing transportation planning process. 1. The TCC shall be responsible for development, review and recommendation for approval of the Transportation Planning Work Program for the RPO, the Transportation Improvement Plan, and revisions to the Transportation Plan for the RPO. 2. Membership of the Technical Coordinating Committee shall include technical representatives from all local and state governmental agencies directly related to and concerned with the transportation planning process for the RPO Planning Area. Initially, the membership shall include,but may not be limited to, the following: A. County Manager and County Planner (if designated) from each of the counties in the RPO Planning Areas. B. The Chief Administrative Official or Planner(as designated) from each municipality of 1,000 population or more in the RPO Planning Area. C. The staff member designated as the RPO coordinator for the Triangle J Council of Governments. D. The Division Engineers, or designated representatives, for Highway Divisions 7 and 8 of the North Carolina Department of Transportation. E. Manager, Statewide Planning Branch, Planning and Environment, North Carolina Department of Transportation, or designated representative. F. Area Traffic Engineer, Division of Highways,Traffic Engineering Branch, North Carolina Department of Transportation. 3. The Technical Coordinating Committee shall meet when it is deemed appropriate and advisable. On the basis of majority vote of its membership, the Technical Coordinating Committee shall appoint a member of the committee to act as Chairperson with the responsibility for coordinating the committee's activities. Membership of the Technical Coordinating Committee may be revised on the basis of a majority vote of its membership and approval of the Rural Transportation Advisory Committee of the RPO. Section 5. Other Assistance. It is further agreed that the participating agencies will assist in the transportation planning process by providing planning assistance, data and inventories in accordance with the approved work program of the RPO. Section 6. Withdrawal. Any party to this Memorandum of Understanding may withdraw its participation in the continuing transportation planning process by giving 90 days written notice to the other parties prior to the date of withdrawal. 3 • Section 7. Authorization. In witness whereof, the parties of this Memorandum of Understanding have been authorized by appropriate and proper resolutions, and/or legislative authority to sign this Memorandum of Understanding, this the 28`h day of August, 2002. 1114 . 4 ,A' :! .i Chatham County Clerk By: hairman ��t. _. , �� _ _ Lee County fir Clerk By: Chairman 4- L,Ilt Moore County Clerk By: i C-heirman L ' IA ' J.(� Oran•. County Clerk By 11%, jiLkat.,azia.752Las21,2=„t ai North Carolina Department of Transportation Clerk By: Seere North Carolina Department of Transportation Approve as to ford} ��/� By: Assistant Attorney General • Triangle J Coun it of Governmen Clerk By. mss" .� Chairman 4