Title
Transportation Department recommending Chairman be authorized to sign:
1.) First Amendment to Transfer Agreement with South Tahoe Area Transit Authority (STATA) regarding the Operation and Funding of Bluego Oncall Demand Responsive Transit Services;
2.) Resolution authorizing the department to file Claims for 2008/2009 Transportation Development Act (TDA), Local Transportation Funds (LTF) and State Transit Assistance (STA)funds for operation of the South Lake Tahoe Transit Program;
3.) Claims to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) for LTF in the amount of $270,638.00 and STA in the amount of $142,630.00; and
4.) Budget Transfer amending appropriations and revenue.
FUNDING: TDA, FTA, and Prop 1B
Body
BUDGET SUMMARY: |
|
|
Total Estimated Cost |
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$744,661.00 |
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|
|
Funding |
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Budgeted |
$849,812.00 |
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New Funding |
$ 96,380.00 |
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Savings |
$201,531.00 |
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Other |
$ |
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Total Funding Available |
$744,661.00 |
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Change To Net County Cost |
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$0 |
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
The 2008/2009 allocated TDA funds, residual TDA funds from the 2007/2008 allocation, Proposition 1B funds and a Federal Transit Assistance (FTA) grant in addition to passenger fares will provide the total funding required to operate the South Lake Tahoe Transit program (Bluego Oncall Demand Responsive Transit Services). There is no net County cost for this program.
Reason for Recommendation:
The County is a member agency in the Participation Agreement to Implement a Coordinated Transit System at South Lake Tahoe that was executed in May of 1998. South Tahoe Area Transit Authority (STATA) was created by various public and private entities pursuant to the Participation Agreement for the purposes of managing, operating and maintaining a public transit service that is coordinated on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. To assist in the implementation of the long-term goal of consolidation, the County entered into an agreement with STATA transferring the administration and operation of the County's demand responsive transit system effective November 1, 2008. Since that time STATA has been providing for the operation of the system through a subcontract with MV Transportation.
The primary funding source for this program is TDA funds. The County-STATA agreement provided that STATA would claim TDA funds directly. It has since been determined that STATA is not an eligible claimant of TDA funds since it is not wholly owned or wholly controlled by public entities. In order to resolve this issue the agreement is being amended to have the County claim the TDA allocation and then pass the funds through to STATA for the operation of the services. County Counsel has provided a letter, which is attached, detailing the circumstances related to this item.
The TDA consists of two sources of funds: the Local Transportation Fund, Article 4, (LTF) and the State Transit Assistance (STA) funds. The purpose of these funds is to provide public transportation within the unincorporated area of the Tahoe Basin. The total 2008/2009 allocation is $413,268, $270,638 from LTF and $142,630 from STA.
Section 6630 of the TDA regulations requires that an annual claim be filed with the local transportation planning agency to receive funds from the Local Transportation Fund and Section 6732 of the TDA regulations requires that an annual claim be filed to receive funds from the State Transit Assistance Fund. The TRPA requires a resolution by your Board approving the filing of claims and authorizing their submittal by DOT.
DOT proposes to use the TDA funds to provide for the operation of the South Lake Tahoe Transit Program, which provides public transit services, known as BlueGo, in the unincorporated area of the Tahoe Basin for seniors, the disabled, and the general public. Attachment "A". South Lake Tahoe Transit Program Proposed Activities and Funding, depicts the activities to be provided and the recommended funding for the 2008/2009 fiscal year.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
Upon approval of the recommendations, an executed original First Amendment will be forwarded to STATA. DOT will submit the signed claims to the TRPA for approval by their Board. DOT will pass funds through to STATA for transit operations per the terms of the amended Agreement.
Contact: James W. Ware, Interim Director of Transportation
Concurrence: County Counsel