HomeMy WebLinkAboutS Grant Public Hearing on NC Department of Transportation's Rural Operating Assistance Program � 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 5, 1999
Action Agenda
Item No. r/-a
SUBJECT: Public Hearing on the NC Department of Transportation's Rural Operating Assistance
Program Grant
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes
Aging/Orange Public Transportation BUDGET AMENDMENT:
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Application Jerry M. Passmore
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: ext. 2009
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 9684501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 336-227-2031
PURPOSE:
To receive citizen comments regarding the proposed FY 1999-2000 new application package referred to
as ROAP (Rural Operating Assistance Program)which includes the Elderly and Disabled Transportation
Assistance Program, Work First Transitional/Employment Transportation Assistance Program and the
Rural General Public Program and to approve submission of the combined ROAD application.
BACKGROUND:
In an effort to streamline its funding procedure the NC Department of Transportation's Public
Transportation Division is combining the application process for the three above-mentioned grant
programs into one package. However, there can be no transfer of funds among the programs for the FY
1999-2000. As part of the application package the Board of County Commissioners must hold a public
hearing. County governments are the only eligible applicants for these funds.
The Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program, first made available by the General
Assembly in 1989, is used in Orange County to pay for medical and personal business trips for residents
who are 60 years and older or disabled. The Work First/Employment program assists former Work First
clients and other low-income persons certified for Medicaid and Food Stamps with employment-related
transportation. Rural General Public funds are used to subsidize the Orange Express public route which
makes three round trips daily from the Prospect Hill Health Center to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area.
The Rural Operating Assistance Program(ROAP) funds will provide the following service:
(1) Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program- 4,756 additional medical trips
(2) Rural General Public-Orange Express Public Route-3,443 additional general public trips
(3) Work First/Employment Transportation Program-31 Work First Clients (min.03300 each)
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FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The funding for the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program is $58,260 for the current
fiscal year with no local match requirement. The Work First allocation is $9,143 with no local match.
The Rural General Public award of $11,911 requires a 10% match and the OPT program has already
included the match in its approved budget. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000 there will be no
transfer of funds among the programs.
RECOMMENDATION(S):
The Manager recommends that the Board of Commissioners receive comments as additional information
and approve the submission of the FY 1999-2000 application for the Rural Operating Assistance Program.
FN:Ui\BOCC\AB91005.DOC
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APPLICATION FOR OPERATING ASSISTANCE
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
FY 1999-2000
I. General information
Applicant (County): Orange
County Finance Officer: Ken Chavious
Address: Post Office Box 8181 City: Hillsborough
Zip: 27278
Telephone No.: (919)732-8181 Fax No.: (919) 644-3044
E-mail Address: JpassmoreCCo.Orange.NC.US
II. Public Involvement
The Board of County Commissioners must hold a public hearing to receive comments on
the local disbursement of ROAP funds. The applicant must publish one public notice of
the hearing in a newspaper having general circulation in the county. Provide an affidavit
of publication of the notice as part of the application submittal.
see attached
III_ Project Descriptions
A. EDTAP
1. Briefly describe how EDTAP funds will be utilized by each agency
receiving an allocation(i.e. out-of-county medical, developmentally
disabled to job sites, elderly nutrition trips, etc.); and
2. Identify how the EDTAP transportation will be provided (i.e.
community transportation system, private provider, volunteers, staff
reimbursement, bus passes, etc.)for each agency receiving an
allocation.
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Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is the designated lead agency for public and human
services agency transportation in rural Orange County and the recipient of the EDTAP
allocation. OPT will continue to use its allocation to provide medical transportation for
the sixty plus and disabled residents of Orange County. Additionally OPT will offer one
shopping,personal business round trip per week to those two population groups who five
outside the Chapel Hill Transit service area and do not have access to the Orange
Express public shuttle. To the extent possible, trips will be grouped by geographic area
per weekday and the destination will be the closest possible provider. The new effort
funded by ED W this year is the "Orange Voucher"service. Developed with seed
money from Easter Seals North Carolina and distributed through the Orange County
Transportation Coalition for People with Disabilities, this service offers eligible
disabled persons up to$100/month to pay for travel arrangements to meet the
individuals'needs and to the destination(s) of their choice..
All EDTAP service recipients are asked to contribute$2.00 per one-way trip. 7hisfeeis
waived for any individual whose family income is at or below 125%of the poverty level
as determined by the Department of Health and Human Services. Contributions are used
to subsidize additional trips
Persons sixty years and older can be certified for services by completing a Client
Registration Form which is kept on file at the OPT administrative office in Hillsborough.
Persons under sixty seeking EDTAP service must have a certification completed and
authorized by his/her physici= All EDTAP recipients must be recertified annually.
The Orange County Transportation Development Plan Update that addresses the use of
EDTAP funds was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on December 19,
1995 and is in effect through 1999.
A. Work First/Employment
1. Briefly describe the proposed transitional Work First and/or general
public employment transportation service to be provided;and
2. Identify the transportation service provider(s) for the proposed service.
Orange Public Transportation provides 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 related transportation For car owners the funds can be used
for repairs andlor insurance. For non-car owners the funds can assist with the purchase
of bus passes, van or carpool expense, or possibly the gift of a vehicle donated to the
Work First program The actual service provider with vary depending upon the neeg i e
auto repair shop, insurance agent, Chapel Hill Transit or Tar Heel Tom. The OPT
Mobility Specialist will determine the most appropriate vendor on a case-by-case basis.
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A. RGP
1. Provide a completed and approved RGP Service Plan (previous
recipients should only provide necessary revisions to the existing
plan). Contact your regional transportation consultant for guidance
regarding completion of RGP Service Plan.
The following are the revisions made to the Rural General Public Service Plan submitted
October 1998:
C. FARE STRUCTURE
The fully allocated cost of$3.84 per trip was determined by dividing the personnel
($24,115) and vehicle operations cost($18,3 76) by the number of trips provided on the
NorthiSouth Orange Express public shuttle last fiscal year(11,082). Of the$3.84 per
trip, 90%($3.46) is eligible for reimbursement from Rural General Public funds, up to
the Orange County allocation maximum of$11,911.
D. MARKETING
6 Purchase uniforms for all OPT drivers(currently on order).
I. Complete Appendix A: EDTAP, Work First/Employment and RGP Sub-
allocation Table. Note that the applicant may request less than the full allocation
under each program.
see attached
II. Complete the Certified Statement(Appendix B).
see attached
There are four(4) signatures required on this document. The certifying official attests
that the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and the County Manager are
the duly elected/appointed persons whose signatures appear on the statement. The
Notary Public is a person licensed or certified by the State of North Carolina with a valid
commission authorized to notarize the certified statement and apply a valid seal of
certification, separate of the certifying official. The County Manager and the Chairman
of the Board of County Commissioners are the current appointed/elected officials of the
county.
FN:\II\FY2000AP\ROAP
FY1999 •2000 Rural Operating Assistance Program (ROAP)
Appendix A
Elderly and Disabled Work Flrst/Emptoyment Rural General Public
Transportation Assistance Program Transportation Program Transportation Program
Agencies Receiving Sub-Allocations
Proposed Proposed Proposed
Allocation Units of service Allocation Units of service Allocation Units of Servlee
Orange Public Transportation $58,260 4,756 $ 9,141J, na $11,911 3,443
TOTALS $581260 4,756 $9,143 na $11,911 3,443
FOOTNOTES:
Elderly is defined as a person who has reached the age of 60 or more years.
•Disabled is defined as a person less than 60 years of age who has a physical or mental Impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, an Individual
who has record of such Impairment or an Individual who is regarded as having such an Impairment,
Work First eligible passengers are defined as Individuals with employment transportation needs that are not eligible to receive benefits from the Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families(TANF)program.
•Rural General Public Is defined as passengers whose transportation Is not subsidized by a human service agency and requesting a trip that begins and/or ends at a rural location.
•Units of Service are defined as each and every time a passenger boards a vehicle at a location and alights at another location.
The Allocation of funds should be based on the decision of the board of commissioners,The total of each allocation should be equal to or less then the amount available in each program.
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State of North Carolina
County of Orange
APPENDIX B
CERTIFIED STATEMENT
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Whereas Article 2B of Chapter 136 of the North Carolina General Statutes and the Governor of
North Carolina have designated the North Carolina Department of Transportation as the agency
responsible for administering all federal and/or state programs related to public transportation,
and grants the department authority to do all things required in applicable federal and/or state
legislation to properly administer the public transportation programs within the State of North
Carolina;
WHEREAS, G.S. 136-44.27 established the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance
Program;
WHEREAS, funds will be used for transportation related expenditures as specified in the
FYI 999-00 Rural Operating Assistance Program(ROAP)application.
This is certify that the undersigned is duly elected, qualified and acting chairperson of the Board
of County Commissions of the County of Orange ,North
Carolina, and that the following statements are true and accurate:
Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program
I. The funds received from G.S. 135-44.27 will be used to provide additional transportation
services for the elderly and disabled, exceeding the quantity of trips provided prior to
receipt of the funds.
2. The funds%grill not be used to supplant existing federal, state or local funds designated to
provide elderly and disabled transportation services in the county.
3. The funds received will be used in a manner consistent with the local Transportation
Development Plan(TDP)or Community Transportation Services Plan (CTSP)and
application approved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Board
of Commissioners.
Work First Transitional/Employment Transportation Assistance Program
1. The purpose of these transportation funds is to support transitional transportation needs of
Work First participants after eligibility for cash assistance has concluded and/other
specified employment transportation needs.
2. The funds are limited to use by the designated local entity(s) specified in the ROAD
application, or any revisions or amendments thereto.
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Rural General Public Program
L�
1. The funds will be used in a manner consistent with the local General Public Services Plan,
Information regarding use of the funds will be provided at such time and in such a manner as the
department may require.
ROAD funds will be used to provide eligible services during the period July 1, 1999-
September 30,2000.
Any interest earned on ROAP funds will be expended for eligible program uses as specified in
the ROA-P application.
The County will include ROAD 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.
WITNESS my hand and official seal,this day of 19—.
Attest:
Certifying Official* Board of County Commissioners
Chairperson
State of North Carolina
County
County klanager/Administrator*
Subscribed and sworn to me this day of 19-.
(SEAL)
Notary Public*
My commission expires
Address
*Note that the signatures on this statement should be those of four(4)separate individuals.
CLIPPING OF LEGAL 9
ADVERTISEMENT NORTH CAROLINA
ATTACHED HERE ORANGE COUNTY
PUBLIC HEARING AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION
The Orange County Board of
County Commissioners will hold a Before the undersigned a Notary Public of said County and
Public Hearing on October 5 at 7:30 b
p.m. in the Judge F. Gordon battle State, duly commissioned, qualified, and authorized by law to
Courtroom 106 E. Margaret Lane, administer oaths,personally appeared
Hillsborough,NC to receive comment
on the proposed use of the FYI 999-
00 Rural Operating Assistance Pro- J . F. M u h 1 i g , who being first duly
gram (ROAP)funds.
The Rural Operating Assistance sworn,deposes and says:that he(she)is an authorized employee of
Program consolidates the Elderly and The News of Orange County, engaged in the publication of a
Disabled Transportation Assistance
Program,the Work First Transitional/ newspaper er known as The News of Orange County P ublished
Employment Transportation Assis- issued,and entered as second class mail in the City of Hillsborough,
tance Program and the Rural Gen- in said Count and State; that he (she) is authorized to make this
eral Public Program into a single ap-
plication package. The Elderly and affidavit and sworn statement; that the notice or other legal adver-
Disabled Transportation Assistance tisement,a true copy of which is attached hereto,was published in
Program,first made available by the
General Assembly in 1989,is used in The News of Orange County on the following dates:
Orange County to pay for medical
and personal business trips for resi
dents who are 60 years and older or September 15 , 1 9 9 9
disabled. and that the said newspaper in which such notice,paper,document,
The Work Former lock Fir pro-
or legal advertisement was published was at the time of each and
gram assists former Work First cli- g P
ents and other low-income persons every such publication, a newspaper meeting all of the require-
certified for Medicaid and Food ments and qualifications of Section 1-597 of the General Statutes
Stamps with employment-rel9ted
transportation. Rural General Public of North Carolina and was a qualified newspaper within the mean-
funds are used to subsidize the Or- in of Section 1-597 of the General Statutes of North Carolina.
ange Express public route which g
makes three round trips daily from
the Prospect Hill Health Center to the This 15th day of September , 19 99
Chapel Hill/Carrboro area.
The funding for the Elderly and
Disabled Transportation Assistance
Program is $58,260 for the current
fiscal year with no local match re-
quirement.The Work First allocation (Signat ri o pers making ffidavit)
is $9,143 with no local match. The
Rural General Public award of
$11,911 requires a 10% match. For Sworn to and subscribed before me, this
the fiscal year ending.June 30,2000
there will be no transfer:of funds
among the programs. day of , 19 qq
The application may be reviewed
at the Department on. Aging's
Hillsborough location during regular
office hours after Monday, Septem-
ber 20, 1999. Written comments o (Notary Public)
should be directed to Jerry M.
Passmore, OPT Director, P. O. Box
8181, Hillsborough, NC 27278. For My Commission Expires
more information contact(91 9y 732-
8181,ext.2009.
September 15, 1999