HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-21-2012 - 6b
001
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date:August 21, 2012
Action Agenda
Item No.6-b
SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation, Rural Operating Assistance
Program (ROAP) Grant Application forFY 2012/2013
DEPARTMENT:PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)
Planning/TransportationYes
ATTACHMENT(S):
INFORMATION CONTACT:
1. Public Hearing Notice
2. Certified StatementAl Terry, 245-2002
Pearl Waite, 245-2004
Craig Benedict, 245-2592
PURPOSE:
To conduct a public hearing for the North Carolina Department ofTransportation
(NCDOT) Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP) grant and to approve the annual FY
2012/2013ROAP grant application and certified statement.
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 1,2012 through June 30, 2013.
Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is the lead agency for public and human services agency
transportation in rural Orange County.The EDTAP allocation of $77,302will allow OPT to
continue to use this allocation 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 isat or below 125% of the poverty level as
determined by the NCDepartment of Health and Human Services. Co-payments are utilized to
fund additional trips.
With an allocation of $35,429for Employment Transportation Assistance funds, Orange Public
Transportationwill provide former Work First participants or other low-income persons certified
for Medicaid or Food Stamps with a maximum of $300per year to assist with employment
related transportation. For vehicle owners, the funds may be used for repairsand/or insurance.
For non-vehicle ownersthe funds may assist with the purchase of bus passes, van/car pool
expenses, or possibly gas vouchers. OPT allocates the Work First Transitional/Employment
002
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 public 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
subsidizedthrough RGP allocated funds. The FY 2012/2013Rural General Publicfunds total
$80,931to support general public routes.
The period of performance for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds is July 1, 2012
through June 30, 2013. The FY 2012/2013ROAP individual programs totals are:
EDTAP $77,302
EMPL $35,429
RGP $80,931
TOTAL $193,662
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Orange County will provide matching funds byrequiring a $3.00 co-pay
perEDTAPtrip. Orange County was awarded a total of $180,949for FY 2011/2012and the
County requestfor FY 2012/2013 is $193,662, an increase of $12,713.
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
$193,662
totaling for FY 2012/2013;
4.Authorize the Chair and County Manager to sign the Certified Statement of Participation;
and
5.Direct staff to bring back an amendment to the OPT budget for the receipt of the
$12,713
additional ROAP funds of .
003
Attachment 1
Public Hearing Notice
This is to inform the public of the opportunity to attend a public hearing on the proposed Rural Operating
Assistance Program(ROAP) application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of
Transportation no later than August 20,2012 by the county of Orange. The public hearing will be held
on August 21,2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Orange County commissioners meeting in the Central Orange
Senior Center located at 103 Meadowlands Drive,Hillsborough,N.C. 27278. Orange County will
provide auxiliary aids and services under the ADA for disabled persons who wish to participate in the
hearing. Anyone requiring special services should contact Al Terry 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:
1. Elderly&Disabled Transportation Assistance (EDTAP)Program provides operating assistance for
the public transportation of elderly and disabled citizens.
2. Employment Transportation Assistance Program provides operating assistance for the public
transportation of persons with employment related transportation needs.
3. Rural General Public (RGP)Program provides operating assistance for the public transportation of
persons living in non-urban areas of the county.
The period of performance for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds is July 1,2012 through June
30,2013. The FY2013 individual program totals are:
PROGRAM TOTAL
EDTAP $77,302
EMPL $35,429
RGP $80,931
TOTAL $193,662
This application may be inspected at the Orange Public Transportation Administrative Office located
at 600 Highway 86 North,Hillsborough,N.C.27278 from 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.. Written comments
should be directed to Al Terry 600 Highway 86 North,Hillsborough,N.C.27278,before August 20,
2012.
Note: Thepublic hearing notices must bepublished at least once, not less than seven(7)days and not more than
fourteen(14)days before the scheduled public 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.
Attachment 2
004
CERTIFIED STATEMENT
FY 2013
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Orange
County of
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 of 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, 2012to June 30, 2013regardless
of the date on which ROAP funds are disbursed to the county.
NOW, THEREFORE, by signing below, the duly authorized representatives of the County
of North Carolina certify that the following statements are true and accurate:
Orange
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.
005
The county will only use the ROAP funds to provide trips 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 FY2013 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 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 2013 Rural Operating Assistance Program
funds:
AllocatedRequested
State-Funded Rural Operating Assistance Program
Elderly & Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP)$77,302$77,302
Employment Transportation Assistance Program (EMPL)$35,429$35,429
Rural General Public Program (RGP)$80,931$80,931
TOTAL
$193,662$193,662
WITNESS my hand and county seal, this day of ,20 .
Signature of Board of County Manager/AdministratorSignature of Board of County Commissioners Chairperson
Printed Name of County Manager/AdministratorPrinted Name of Chairperson
State of North Carolina County of
Signature of County Finance Officer
County Seal Here
Printed Name of County Finance Officer