FTA Title VI Program

Title VI Program APPROVED MARCH 26, 2019 Prepared In Accordance with FTA C 4702.1B AMES AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION 515 Clark Ave. Ames, IA 50010 Pg. 01 Recipient Profile Recipient Ames Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Administrative Head John Joiner, MPO Administrator Recipient Title VI Coordinator and Contact Information Brian Phillips, City of Ames Title VI Civil Rights Coordinator Address Ames Area MPO PO Box 811 515 Clark Avenue Ames, IA 50010 Phone (515) 239-5160 Fax (515) 239-5404 E-Mail [email protected] Website http://www.aampo.org Has the recipient signed and submitted its Title VI Assurances? Yes __X___ No _______ Has the recipient submitted its Title VI Program Plan? Yes __X___ No _______ Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 02 What strategies has your planning process developed for ensuring, demonstrating, and sustaining compliance with Title VI? The MPO has identified environmental justice consideration in long range planning and evaluates all transportation projects through the lens of balance and opportunity. The MPO also works closely with the City of Ames to coordinate training efforts for employees with a customer-service driven approach to providing services for all members of the community regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. These efforts include public notices around offices and meeting rooms, displayed on the MPO and city websites, translation services clearly visible at customer services windows, website maintenance with written translation services, and periodic reviews with staff. General Requirements 1. Copy of recipient’s Title VI notice to the Public - APPENDIX A Required elements: _X_ A statement that the agency operates programs without regard to race, color, or national origin _X_ A description of the procedures that members of the public should follow in order to request additional information on the recipient’s Title VI obligations _X_ A description of the procedures that members of the public shall follow in order to file a Title VI discrimination complaint against the recipient List locations where the notice is posted: • Ames Area MPO office, Room 212 (515 Clark Ave, Ames, IA) • Ames City Hall entrance (515 Clark Ave, Ames, IA) • www.aampo.org Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 03 2. Copy of the recipient’s instructions to the public regarding how to file a Title VI discrimination complaint, including a copy of the complaint form. – APPENDIX B Complaint procedures and the complaint form posted on the recipient’s website at the URL: http://www.aampo.org 3. List and description of any transit-related Title VI investigations, complaints, or lawsuits files with, concerning, or naming the recipient in the last three years. (none) Table 1 - Transit Related Title VI Investigations DATE SUMMARY (INCLUDE FILED BASIS OF COMPLAINT: (MONTH, STATUS ACTION(S) TAKEN RACE, COLOR, OR DAY, NATIONAL ORIGIN) YEAR) INVESTIGATIONS - 1. NONE LAWSUITS - 1. NONE COMPLAINTS - 1. NONE 4. Copy of the public participation plan that includes an outreach plan to engage minority and limited English proficient populations, as well as a summary of outreach efforts made in the last three years. – APPENDIX C. Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 04 Describe the methods used to inform low-income and minority populations of planning efforts for transportation-related services and/or improvements: The Ames Area MPO used a variety of tools to outreach to diverse populations include EJ and minority populations through the following tools • Public Meetings – Question and answer formatted meeting designed to connect members of the public with Ames Area MPO staff in a casual setting. • Public Hearings – The public is invited to present comments in a public hearing setting in front of the Transportation Policy Committee and comments are committed to the record. The public hearing is governed by rules concerning who speaks when and for how long and is overseen by the Transportation Policy Committee chairperson. • Opportunity for Public Comment – A solicitation for public input on a specific subject over a specified duration of time. • General Comments – The Ames Area MPO continuously accepts public comment, regardless of whether they were given as part of an organized effort or informally. Comments can be sent to the Ames Area MPO by phone at (515) 239-5169, by e-mail at [email protected], or by mail sent to: Ames Area MPO, 515 Clark Ave., Ames, Iowa, 50010. • Publishing notices on the City of Ames Facebook page and City of Ames Twitter page • Providing a translation tool for over 100 languages on the Ames Area MPO Website at www.aampo.org • Included MPO activities in City of Ames communications distributed on Channel 12 and City of Ames utility bills. • Announcing meeting dates and topics to local human services working groups who represent low-income and international communities In late 2018, the Ames Area MPO compiled a list of organizations who advocate for the disadvantaged with the assistance of community partners. Ultimately, 57 groups were identified who are either located within the Ames area or may have clients within the Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 05 metropolitan area. The MPO contacted each group with information about the Ames Area MPO, requesting contact information to be confirmed or updated, and ways to receive direct communication from the MPO on upcoming transportation planning activities. The organizations identified include: A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy, AARP Iowa, Aging Resources of Central Iowa, Ames Community Preschool, Aspen Dental, At Home Care Company, Bickford Assisted Living, Boost Together for Children, Boys and Girls Club of Story County, Center for Creative Justice, Central Iowa Center for Independent Living, Central Iowa Community Services, Central Iowa RSVP, ChildCare Resource and Referral, ChildServe, City of Ames Policy Department, Community and Family Resources, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, Creative Counseling, DMACC Adult Literacy Program, Emergency Residence Project, Engaging International Spouses YWCA, Epilepsy Foundation, Experience Works, Eyerly Ball, Friendship Arc Homes, Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance, Heartland Senior Services, Iowa Able Foundation, Iowa Bureau of Refugee Services, ISU Extension & Outreach of Story County, Legal Aid Society, Life Connections, Life Line Resources, Lutheran Services of Iowa, Madrid Home, Madrid Home Community, Mainstream Living, Mary Greeley Medical Center, Mid Iowa Family Therapy, Mid-Iowa Community Action, NAACP, NAMI Central Iowa, Planned Parenthood, Raising Readers, Richmond Mental Health Center, Riverside Manor, Story County Medical Center, Story County Sheriff’s Office, The Arc of Story County, The Salvation Army, United Way of Story County, University Community Childcare, Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Volunteer Center of Story County, and Youth and Shelter Services. List minority and/or community media utilized to ensure notification of public meetings or public review of recipient documents for residents in minority and low-income areas: • Ames Tribune • Iowa State Daily • Des Moines Register Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 06 • Story County Sun • KASI/KCCQ radio • KURE, student radio of Iowa State University • KHOI community radio • Channel 12, Ames Government Channel • Channel 16, Ames Public Access When was the public participation plan last reviewed? Please describe how. The current public participation plan for the Ames Area MPO was developed in 2016. The document was developed in consultation with members of the Transportation Technical Committee, comprised of staff from all member organizations of the MPO. The draft plan was published as a news release and available on the Ames Area MPO website along with opportunities for input from the public from March 22, 2016 through May 10, 2016. The plan was reviewed and adopted by the Transportation Policy Committee through a public hearing process. 5. Copy of the plan for providing language assistance to persons with limited English proficiency, based on DOT LEP Guidance, Federal Register, Volume 70, Number 239, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2005-12-14/html/05-23972.htm – APPENDIX D. What steps has the recipient taken to ensure meaningful access to the benefits, services, information, and other important components of its programs and services to persons with limited English proficiency? • Oral Interpretation Service – The Ames Area MPO offers the Language Line Interpretation Service through TheBigWord. If there is a non-English speaking individual that comes into a city department, staff can show them the brochure for the Language Line Interpretation Service and have them select the language that they understand (the languages are written in both the native language and in English). Staff members can call the Language Interpretation Service and asks for the appropriate interpreter as Ames Area MPO 2019 Title VI Program Pg. 07 pointed out by the customer. Staff members can utilize a speaker phone so both the staff member and the customer can be on the line at the same time. Flyers offering the Language Line Interpretation Service will be posted in the Administrative Offices. Additionally, where best appropriate, staff employees will also utilize Google Translator Interpretation Service from their computers and/or as application on their cell phones. • Bureau Refugee Services – the Ames Area MPO as needed, will work with the Bureau of

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