Meeting Type: BCC Regular Meeting
Meeting Date: 5/4/2021
Item Status: Replacement
From: Matthew Brown, BRATS Director of Transportation
Submitted by: Tiffany Givens, BRATS Grant Technician
______________________________________________________________________
ITEM TITLE
Title
*Baldwin Regional Area Transit System (BRATS) 5307 Urbanized Funding - Baldwin County Becoming Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Direct Recipient
Body
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Take the following actions:
1) Authorize the Chairman to execute correspondence to the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) requesting permission to submit the required application and documents to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region IV to become a Direct 5307 Recipient; and
2) Authorize the Chairman to execute correspondence to FTA to inform the FTA of the County’s intention to request direct recipient status for 5307 funding from the FTA;
3) Adopt and authorize the Chairman to execute Resolution #2021-077, which authorizes the Baldwin County Commission (BRATS) to file application with the Federal Transit Administration, an operating administration of the United States Department of Transportation, for federal transportation assistance authorized by 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53; title 23, United States Code, or other federal statutes administered by the Federal Transit Administration.
End
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Previous Commission action/date: N/A
Background: Reason for replacement: Staff recommendation #3 has been added to include a resolution to expedite the filing of the 5307 Direct Recipient Application due to FTA deadlines.
Currently, the Baldwin County Commission, on behalf of BRATS, receives two types of formula grant funding from the FTA - 5311 (rural) and 5307 (urban). Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) is the Direct Recipient for both grants and the Baldwin County Commission is the subrecipient. This means that ALDOT provides grant oversight. These are reimbursable grants which means BRATS invoices ALDOT to draw down the funds.
ALDOT has communicated that they will not be handling the 5307 funds moving forward. They are asking that all 5307 fund recipients in the State, including the Baldwin County Commission, become the Direct Recipients of these federal dollars.
If this change occurs, Baldwin County will coordinate with ALDOT on everything related to the 5311 (rural) grant funds and coordinate with FTA on everything related to the 5307 (urban) grant funds. While this may reduce some administrative burden by removing ALDOT as the “middleman” on 5307 projects, it will also create some administrative burden by creating a second management process for 5307 (urban) funds.
By becoming the Direct Recipient, the Baldwin County Commission and the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Organization (MPO) Policy Board, would have more discretion on the use of the approximately $1.9 million in 5307 CARES funding allocated to the Eastern Shore Urbanized Area for transit. However, there are some unknowns regarding how FTA may manage the program and corresponding requirements.
Though ALDOT seems to be pushing for a transition prior to the next fiscal year, Baldwin County currently has a subrecipient agreement with ALDOT for the 5307 funds through Fiscal Year 2022.
Becoming a Direct Recipient requires the following steps:
1) Notify ALDOT and FTA of Intent to Become Direct Recipient
2) Demonstrate Capacity (legal, financial, technical, procurement, & civil rights) - will need to provide existing procedures for the various categories. The County should have most of these in place. If the County lacks any required policies, it will be required to adopt those.
3) Review and approval by FTA
Katrina Taylor, Grants Coordinator, will provide support for the 5307 management process.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: N/A
Budget line item(s) to be used: N/A
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: N/A
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: BRATS staff along with partnership from BCC Grants Coordinator and MPO Coordinator
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): Attached letters will need to be respectively mailed to:
Mr. Bradley B. Lindsey, P.E.
State Local Transportation Engineer
Alabama Department of Transportation
1409 Coliseum Boulevard, Admin 110
Montgomery, Alabama 36110
Ms. Rhonda King
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Financial Management & Program Oversight
230 Peachtree Street, NW
Ste 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
cc: Brad Lindsey
Randy Stroup
Garry Havron
Additional instructions/notes: N/A