Meeting Type: BCC Regular Meeting
Meeting Date: 7/5/2023
Item Status: New
From: Ann Simpson, Director of Transportation
Submitted by: Ann Simpson, Director of Transportation
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ITEM TITLE
Title
Fiscal Year 2024 Section 5307 / 5339 Urbanized Area Public Transportation Grant
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STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Authorize Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) staff to submit the Fiscal Year 2024 Section 5307 / 5339 Urban Transportation Grant application for Section 5307 Federal funds in the amount of $796,000.00 and Section 5339 Federal funds in the amount of $76,000.00 to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) electronically through the required web-based portal “Transit Award Management System” (TrAMS)
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Background: Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) has applied for 5307 Urban Transportation grant funds annually since 2015. BRATS is primarily funded by two FTA grant programs, 5307-Urban and 5311-Rural. The funding allocation between the two programs is based on the current National Transit Database (NTD) serve rules, the 2020 census data, and FY2022 ridership data. The current ALDOT approved service allocation rate is 16.6% 5307-Urban and 83.4% 5311-Rural. This grant application is to request Section 5307 and Section 5339 funds apportioned to the Fairhope-Daphne, AL Urbanized Area (UZA) to fund 16.6% of BRATS estimated FY2024 operating, administrative, and preventative maintenance costs and capital funding for transit vehicles. Funding will permit BRATS to meet preventive maintenance requirements, continue to provide operations, keep rolling stock vehicles in a state of good repair, and improve the efficiency of the transit fleet.
Previous Commission action/date: April 18, 2023 - Baldwin County Commission approved the FY2024 Section 5311-Rural Transportation grant application.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: The grant funding amount requested is slightly inflated to ensure that sufficient funds are awarded to provide the Baldwin County Commission with maximum flexibility for operating BRATS. The dollar amounts in the grant application do not represent the expenses to be presented in the FY2024 county budget. The Baldwin County Commission will approve the BRATS FY2024 budget separately during the annual budget process.
The total 5307/5339 Urban Transportation Grant Application for FY2024 is $1,315,000.00 of which $872,000 is to be funded by the Federal Transit Administration and the local match required is $443,000.00.
Funding Requested in the attached FY2024 5307/5339 Grant Application includes:
• Urban Area Allocation of Operating Costs: $600,000.00.
Federal Funding 50%: $300,000.00; Local Funding 50%: $300,000.00.
• Urban Area Allocation of Preventative Maintenance (Vehicles & Facilities): $50,000.00.
Federal Funding 80%: $40,000.00; Local Funding 20%: $10,000.00
• Urban Area Allocation of Automated Dispatching Software: $40,000.00.
Federal Funding 80%: $32,000.00; Local Funding 20%: $8,000.00.
• Transit Vehicles: $625,000.00. (5 ADA Accessible Transit Vans and 1 ADA Accessible Medium Size Body-On-Chasis Bus)
Federal Funding 80%: $500,000.00; Local Funding 20%: $125,000.00.
Budget line item(s) to be used: Comprehended in FY2024 BRATS Budget
If this is not a budgeted expenditure, does the recommendation create a need for funding? N/A
LEGAL IMPACT
Is legal review necessary for this staff recommendation and related documents?
N/A
Reviewed/approved by: N/A
Additional comments: N/A
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Is advertising required for this recommendation? N/A
If the proof of publication affidavit is not attached, list the reason: N/A
FOLLOW UP IMPLEMENTATION
For time-sensitive follow up, select deadline date for follow up: Anticipated receipt of award documents is September, 2023.
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: Administration Staff and BRATS Staff
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): Administration Staff to provide letter authorizing the BRATS staff to submit the grant application (as attached herein) electronically in the Transit Award Management System (TrAMS).
Letter to be addressed to:
Ms. Ann Simpson
Director of Transportation
Baldwin Regional Area Transit System
Post Office Box 907
Robertsdale, Alabama 36567
Send via email to ann.simpson@baldwincountyal.gov, with copies to:
Frank Lundy, Sarah Sislak, Brian Underwood, Anna Buford, Katrina Taylor, Janice Nicholson, Loren Lucas, Cian Harrison, Aislinn Stone, Christie Bezoari, Dana Austin
Additional instructions/notes: Upon approval of the grant application by the FTA, the grant award along with any agreements and related documents will be brought back for Commission acceptance and execution.