HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-10-2006 - 8aORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 10, 2006
Action Agenda
Item No. ~-A
SUBJECT: North Carolina Department of Transportation, Rural Operating Assistance
Program (ROAP) Grant Funding
DEPARTMENT: AginglTransportation PUBIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Public Hearing Notice
2. Certified Statements
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jerry Passmore, 245-2009
AI Terry, 245-2002
PURPOSE: To conduct a public hearing for the NCDOT Rural Operating Assistance Program
(ROAP) grant application, approve the FY 2006/2007 ROAP grant application, and authorize
the Chair to sign the certifying statement.
BACKGROUND: The North Carolina Department of Transportation, Public Transportation
Division (NCDOT), designates ROAP funds each fiscal year to Orange County. ROAP
consolidates the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP), the Work
First Transitional/Employment Transportation Assistance Program and the Rural General Public
(RCP) Program into a single application package. These ROAP funds in the combined total
amount of $116,025 allow Orange County to continue servicing the above-mentioned programs
from July 2006 through June 2007,
Orange Public Transportation (OPT) is the lead agency for public and human services agency
transportation in rural Orange County and the recipient of the EDTAP allocation of $55,124 with
no local match required. Orange Public Transportation will continue to use its allocation to
provide medical transportation for the sixty-plus and disabled residents of Orange County.
Additionally, Orange Public Transportation will offer one shopping/personal business round trip
per week to those two poptalation groups who live 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 passible
provider, All EDTAP service recipients are asked to contribute $3,00 per one-way trip. This fee
is 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 utilized to
fund additional trips.
With an allocation of $11,239, Orange Public Transportation provides former Work First
participants or other low-income persons certified for Medicaid or Food Stamps with a maximum
a
of $300 per year to assist with employment related transportation, For vehicle owners, the
funds may be used for repairs and/or insurance. Far non-vehicle residents the funds may assist
with the purchase of bus passes, van/car pool expense, or possibly a vehicle donated to the
Wheels For Work Program,
Orange Public Transportation has provided Rural General Public (RGP) transportation on a
seat available basis for many years, However, in FY 1993/1994, OPT program staff and the
Human Services Transportation Board made a commitment to better serve the public by (1)
changing the program's name from Coordinated Agency Transportation to its current Orange
Public Transportation title, and (2) designating existing bus routes to be promoted as public
routes, Additionally, in FY 2004/2005 Orange County Board of Commissioners voted to
coordinate the Hillsborough to Chapel Hill public route with Triangle Transit Authority, Finally,
the five routes operated to transport seniors to the Senior Centers and nutrition sites in Chapel
Hill/Carrboro, Efland, Hillsborough, and Cedar Grove have as available seating far public
passengers. The FY 2006/2007 ROAP allocation of $49,662 for RGP will support these routes.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Rural Operating Assistance Program grant requires no local match
in any of the three areas, Last year's funds were EDTAP ($55,376); Work First ($10,367); RGP
($50,683). The State adjusts grant dollar amounts by county according to rural population
figures.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board conduct a public hearing
far comments, approve the application for Rural Operating Assistance Program funds in the
combined total amount of $116,025 for FY 2006/2007, and authorize the Chair to sign the
Certification Statement of Participation.
Appendix C -Sample 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 May 12, 2006 by the county of Orange.
The public hearing will beheld on Anril 10, 2006 at 7:30 p. m. at the Orange County
commissioners meeting in the F Gordon Battle Court Building located at Margaret Lane,
Hillsborough, N,C. 27278.
The programs include in the ROAP application are:
1. Elderly & Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (EDTAP) provides operating
assistance for the transportation of elderly and disables citizens. This transportation
assistance allows for the individual to reside for longer periods in their homes, thereby
enhancing their quality of life.. For the purpose of EDTAP, an elderly person is defined
as one who reaches the age of 60 or more years. A disabled person is defined as one
who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activity, an individual who has a record of such impairment, or an individual who is
regarded as having such impairment.
2. Work First/Employment program is intended to provide operating assistance for
transitional Work First and general public employment transportation needs. These
funds are used to support the employment transportation needs of individuals that
are not eligible to receive benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) program..
3, Rural General Public (RGP) funds are intended to provide transportation service to
individuals who are not human service agency clients.
The amount allocated for EDTAP $55,124, Work First $11,239, and Rural General Public
$49,662 totals to $116,025 for the period Julv I, 2006 tlrrouah June 30.2007,
This application maybe inspected at Orange Public Transportation office, 600 Highway 86
North, Hillsborough, North Carolina 27278. Written comments should be directed to Mr. Jerry
Passmore, Director of Department on Aging and Transportation.
Public Hearing Minutes
DATE:
PLACE:
SUB7ECT:
BOARD MEMBERS:
PUBLIC:
State of North Carolina
County of Orange
APPENDIX A
CERTIFIED STATEMENT
FY 2006 - 2007
RURAL OPERATING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
5
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 FY
2006 - 2007 Rura] Operating Assistance Program (ROAD) application;
WHEREAS, 'information regarding use of the funds will be provided at such time and in such a
manner as the department may require;
WHEREAS, ROAP funds will be used to provide eligible services during the period July 1, 2006
through .Tune 30, 2007;
WHEREAS, any interest earned on ROAP funds will be expended for eligible program uses as
specified in the ROAP application; and
WHEREAS, 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.
This is to certify that the undersigned is duly elected, qualified and acting chairperson of the
Board of County Commissioners of the County of Orange, North Carolina, and that the
following statements are true and accurate:
Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program
1. The Funds received from G.S.. 1.36-44..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 will not be used to supplant or replace existing federal, state or local fiords
designated to provide elderly and disabled transportation services in the county.,
3, The fiords received will be used in a manner consistent with the local TrausportationO
Development Plan (TDP) or Conununity 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
L 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
general public employment transportation needs. The funds maybe transferred to the Elderly
and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program or the Rural General Public Program if not
needed for Work First transportation.
The fiords are limited to use by the designated local entity(s) specified in the ROAP
application, or any revisions or amendments thereto.
Rural General Public Program
1, The funds will be used in a manner consistent with the Rural General Public Transportation
Project Description.
2. The funds will not be used to provide human service agency's trips.
WITNESS my hand and official seal, this day of , 20 _
Attest:
Certifying
State ofNorth Carolina
County of Grange
Board of County Commissioners
Chairperson*
County Manager/Administrator*
*Note that the signatures on this statement should be those of three (3) separate individuals,