October 3 07 TFWG Agenda
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TRANSIT FINANCE WORKING GROUP (TFWG) MEETING AGENDA WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2011, 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. METROCENTER, 2ND FLOOR, FISHBOWL CONFERENCE ROOM 101 EIGHTH STREET, OAKLAND, CA 94607 Estimated Time Discussion Items 1. Introductions 2 min 2. Approval of October 5, 2011 Minutes* 1 min 3. Legislative Update (Rebecca Long) 5 min 4. Proposed Revisions to the FTA Section 5311 Non-urbanized Area Program** (Kristen Mazur) 10 min 5. New Freedom Cycle 4 Proposed Program of Projects** (Kristen Mazur) 5 min 6. Lifeline Update (Kristen Mazur) 5 min 7. Transit Capital Priorities FY12 POP* (Glen Tepke) 5 min 8. SRTP Funding Update* (Christina Verdin) 5 min 9. 2013 TIP Update and Cleanup* (Sri Srinivasan) 5 min Information Items / Other Items of Business: 10. 2011 TIP Update* (Memo Only) 5 min 11. Prop 1B Update: Transit (PTMISEA) and Transit Security (CTSGP)* (Adam Crenshaw) 5 min 12. FTA Grants Status Update* (Glen Tepke) 5 min 13. FTA Proposed Title VI and Environmental Justice Circulars* (Anne Richman) 5 min 14. Transit Capital Priorities 101* (Glen Tepke) 15 min 15. Recommended Future Agenda Items (All) 2 min Next Transit Finance Working Group Meeting: Wednesday, December 7, 2011 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Fishbowl Conference Room, MTC Metro Center * = Attachment in Packet ** = Handouts Available at Meeting Contact Glen Tepke of MTC at 510-817-5781 or [email protected] if you have questions about this session. Chair: Gayle Prior, GGBHTD MTC Staff Liaison: Glen Tepke, MTC Vice-Chair: Rob Thompson, WestCAT J:\COMMITTE\Partnership\Partnership TFWG\_Transit Finance WG\_2011\11 Agendas\11 November 2 TFWG Agenda.doc (43-10/26/11) TRANSIT FINANCE WORKING GROUP (TFWG) MEETING MINUTES – OCTOBER 5, 2011 Page 1 of 3 1. Introductions Gayle Prior (GGBHTD) requested introductions from the attendees. 2. Legislative Update There was no presentation, but a memo was provided. Contact Rebecca Long directly if there are any legislative questions. 3. Plan Bay Area (SCS/RTP) Operating Needs Assessment Update a. Operating Needs Sri Srinivasan (MTC) requested that TFWG review and confirm the transit operating needs figures. Operators will be asked to engage – both on the planning and financial side – in the development of an expanded transit network and the companion financial assumptions. Trade-off discussions will begin that will consider the appropriate level of funding, given financial constraints, to maintain the capital infrastructure for transit, streets and roads, and the state highway network. b. Capital Needs Glen Tepke (MTC) reported that some revisions were made to the Transit Capital Needs Assessment. Based on analysis some additional revisions were made to the original data provided by operators. If there is a change in total projected cost and no change in data it would be due to a change in methodology as a result of using FTA’s TERM model. Staff can send data back to operators for reference at a later date. 4. Transit Capital Priorities FY12 POP Glen Tepke (MTC) recommended revisions to the preliminary FY 2011-12 TCP program before amending the program into the TIP. Operators were encouraged to enter proposed amendments in FMS to add the FY12 TCP program to the TIP by COB on Wednesday, October 12. In addition, Glen added that SAFETEA received a short- term extension through March 31. Out of the 28 operators in the Bay Area there are currently 22 operators that are eligible for TCP. 5. Proposed Guidelines for the Third Cycle Lifeline Transportation Program Kristen Mazur (MTC) reported that staff is currently preparing guidelines for the Third Cycle Lifeline Transportation Program. Draft guidelines will be presented to TFWG in November. The final guidelines will be presented to the Commission for approval on November 16. Programs will be due to MTC in April. Staff is proposing to streamline the program administration and reduce the administrative burden of the Lifeline Program Administrators by recognizing Proposition 1B funding eligibility limitations. Proposition 1B transit funds are to be distributed directly to transit operators and counties from MTC. Another major proposal is that MTC may reprogram funds if project sponsors fail to obligate funds with 12 months of program approval. Sponsors have three years to complete their projects. The working group expressed concern about how MTC staff would keep track. 6. SRTP Funding Update Christina Verdin (MTC) encouraged small and medium-sized operators not part of the Transit Sustainability Project, the Sonoma County Transportation Authority and the Solano Transportation Authority to submit a one- page letter of intent listing the amounts of funds requested. Requests should be submitted by Friday, October 7. The draft SRTP is expected to be released in June 2012 and final in September 2012. J:\COMMITTE\Partnership\Partnership TFWG\_Transit Finance WG\_2011\11 Minutes\10_Oct 5 TFWG mins.doc (43-10/26/11) TRANSIT FINANCE WORKING GROUP (TFWG) MEETING MINUTES – OCTOBER 5, 2011 Page 2 of 3 7. 2011 TIP Update There was no presentation, but a memo was provided. 8. Prop 1B Update: Transit (PTMISEA) and Transit Security (CTSGP) Amy Burch (MTC) reported that performance reports for Transit Security projects are due to Cal-EMA by October 31 and the TDA Audit for PTMISEA funds is due to Caltrans by December 31. Adam Crenshaw will be the MTC contact person for Prop 1B while Amy is out on maternity leave. AB427 is on the governors’ desk; if it passes it will change the transit security program. MTC would be required to submit a list of projects within 45 days. MTC will be programming Lifeline funds in the Spring of 2012. On the populations side there are a few operators that have a remaining balance in 10-11 which will be reprogrammed. On the revenue side there is about $78 million remaining in FY 10-11 that has not been requested yet. The requests need to be submitted to Caltrans by June 1, 2012. MTC will be programming the population side in the Spring. Amy provided a list of Caltrans’ proposed PTMISEA bond allocation projects for FY 08-09 and 09-10 funds. Agencies should be receiving checks In October or November. Kenneth Folan (MTC) reported that there could be some state bond sales in Fall 2011. 9. Final Urban Area Criteria for the 2010 Census Shimon Israel (MTC) stated that it is likely that urbanized areas from Census 2000 will remain largely unchanged. Potential candidates for merging in of UZAs (including Fairfield and Vacaville UZAs; Petaluma and Santa Rosa UZAs) will likely not be merged. San Francisco-Oakland UZA and San Jose UZA will likely remain separate, as will the Concord UZA and Livermore UZA. It is unknown if small UZAs will become large UZAs. New urban area delineations will be released in Spring 2012. 10. FTA Grants Status Update Glen Tepke (MTC) provided staff’s tracking sheet for all concurrence letters processed for FTA Grants as well as their award dates. If it is useful for the group staff can provide the tracking sheet next year to serve as a reminder for operators. Many members expressed frustration over the long process in getting their grants approved. Mr. Tepke stated that there were various issues that contributed to the slow processing this year, but members expressed that every year there is an excuse. Staff will bring the issue up with FTA at their quarterly FTA/MTC meeting and report back in November. It was suggested that staff ask FTA what they plan to do about improving the process. Some operators expressed that although they have good working relationships with their grant representatives they are overworked and it needs to be addressed, one grant had been pending for over sixty days. The many discretionary programs could be contributing to the greater work loads for the representatives, but operators want to know if there are specific ideas or tasks that will help improve the process such as additional training, etc to get their grant approved in a timely manner. Joel Slavit noted that their Pilot Asset Management project was awarded months ago, but still does not have an official NTP. 11. Small Systems Webinar - NTD Reporting Glen Tepke (MTC) reported that there were revisions made to the NTD reporting manual revising the requirements for small systems to get a reporting waiver. Glen discouraged small operators who are operating in one of the large UZAs from pursuing the reporting waiver because it would negatively impact the apportionments. J:\COMMITTE\Partnership\Partnership TFWG\_Transit Finance WG\_2011\11 Minutes\10_Oct 5 TFWG mins.doc (43-10/26/11) TRANSIT FINANCE WORKING GROUP (TFWG) MEETING MINUTES – OCTOBER 5, 2011 Page 3 of 3 12. Recommended Agenda Items Glen Tepke (MTC) reported that there are two circulars out regarding Title VI and Environmental Justice that are out for comment. Staff will post links to the circulars in the post-meeting mailout. Glen also mentioned that there is a notice of proposed rule making on capital management for 5309 projects, both New Starts and Fixed Guideway. Next Transit Finance Working Group Meeting: November 2, 2011 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM MTC, 3rd Floor, Fishbowl 101-8th St, Oakland 94607 J:\COMMITTE\Partnership\Partnership TFWG\_Transit Finance WG\_2011\11 Minutes\10_Oct 5 TFWG mins.doc (43-10/26/11) TFWG Item 7 TO: Transit Finance Working Group DATE: November 2, 2011 FR: Glen Tepke RE: FTA FY 2012 POP Attached are updated listings of the preliminary FY12 programs for FTA Section 5307 and 5309 FG funds. Revisions made to the programs since they were presented at the TFWG’s October meeting include: • SamTrans elected to defer $24,745,874 for replacement of 62 1998 Gillig Buses from FY12 to FY13 in exchange for $2,115,216 for Advanced Communication System (ACS) Upgrades.