COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE

AUGUST 25, 2008

** APPROVED **

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Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 2:55 p.m. by Chairman Curtis W. Crandall.

Members Present: Chairman C. Crandall, G. Benson, D. Burdick, W. Dibble, D. Fanton, W. Hall, T. Hopkins, K. Kruger, M. McCormick, T. O’Grady, D. Pullen, B. Reynolds, D. Russo, R. Truax, N. Ungermann; Media: B. Quinn, Wellsville Daily Reporter

Guests: Transportation Task Force Representative Carrie Whitwood and Consultant Ryan Harris from Nelson Nygaard (other members of the Transportation Task Force were present in the audience); John Reel, NYS Dept. of Transportation; Jim Gorman, First Transit.

Transportation Task Force Presentation:

Transportation Task Force Member Carrie Whitwood, who is also the Executive Director of the Allegany/Western Steuben Rural Health Network, began the presentation by stating that the charge of the Task Force was to develop an Allegany County Mobility Management Plan for the coordination of public transportation in the County.

Timeline of achievements: The Transportation Task Force was formed in 2007. Due to a federal mandate, a transportation coordination plan will now be required in order to receive Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5311 Rural Public Transportation Program funding. A Human Services Transportation Plan was developed and is included in the County’s Comprehensive Plan. To achieve coordination among transportation providers, a grant was applied for (and received) to fund a consultant for preparation of a mobility management plan. They have been working over the past three months conducting surveys, focus groups, profiling, and data gathering. Ms. Whitwood introduced the consultant, Ryan Harris from Nelson Nygaard. Mr. Harris presented information on his progress with the transportation plan.

Background information on issues the County is facing: The County’s average income is 35 percent lower than the state average. Access to vehicles is a problem, resulting in a transit-dependent population; many people rely on public transportation for basic needs. The transit picture in the County is broad. Allegany County Transit (ACT), Arc, and Department of Social Services are the three main providers, with other smaller systems scattered throughout the County.

Existing transit system: Ridership averaged 4,000 per month during the spring of this year. ACT and Arc route maps were displayed. There are still unmet needs in scheduling and cycles. A DSS trip origin map illustrated medical trips provided through Medicaid and DSS. The Task Force processed 300 surveys from riders and participants in stakeholder meetings. Service issues identified: rising fuel costs, limited availability, full buses, increasing requests for additional services. Scheduling issues: no standardized routing, limited span during day, not in sync with employer schedules, need for more direct service. Passenger issues: need more shelters, park and ride lots, awareness, transport of packages, increasing route deviation.

The Arc transportation system accesses FTA Section 5310 Program funding for transporting the elderly and persons with disabilities.

There is a demonstrated demand and dependant customer base in the County.

ACT provides:

· Improved quality of life for the elderly and disabled

· Mobility options for the aging population

· Mobility that helps to keep people out of the Social Services system

· Indirect economic effect by helping residents get to their jobs

· Reduced cost to the County per trip for those in need

Legislator Fanton questioned if the study showed the usage percentages for medical vs. shopping for the Olean and Hornell routes. Mr. Harris replied that they don’t have exact numbers, and it would be difficult to track because some people “stack” trips. Legislator Fanton noted that this is important, and he’d be interested in the numbers. A big share is probably for shopping, and he has a problem with taking business out of the County.

Mr. Harris noted that with the existing financial picture, operating expenses are increasing rapidly causing operators and the County to look at cutting service at the same time more people are being drawn to using the service due to fuel prices. The contracted services for Social Services and Office for the Aging make use of Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 Non-Urbanized Area Grant Funding. County costs for the past three to four years have been running at .3 percent of the total County budget. Legislator Hall pointed out that Statewide Transit Operating Assistance (STOA) moneys are predicated on the number of passengers.

John Reel, from the NYSDOT (involved with Rural Transit), spoke about the state funding picture. Allegany County’s local expenses as a percentage of total transit expenses are averaging about 52.6 percent. They’d like to see that number in the 25 to 30 percent range. All systems have varying missions and operate differently. Chautauqua County has a lot of Social Services and various needs, and the County pays one third of costs. The state has had an eye on Allegany County’s mission, and they are impressed with the Task Force, its mission statement, and the involvement of the entire community, aside from the mandate of a human service plan. The state encouraged the group through the hiring of a consultant to pursue what was found in the service plan and to apply for Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) and New Freedom funding to hopefully wrap this up to be a manageable and sustainable system in the future. More accessibility is important. In rural areas where we’re talking about mobility solutions, we have a solution here. Each group now has their own system, and they’re going everywhere, with volunteer drivers, cabs, ambulance, transit system, and so on. We need to identify what we have, and hopefully define a new mobility solution that makes more sense financially.

Legislator Burdick asked about Cattaraugus County’s numbers. Mr. Reel pointed out that they are just coming on board because they haven’t had a system up until now. Legislator O’Grady questioned how Steuben County operates a system for 5.6 percent local cost. Mr. Reel replied that they have a very limited system with a fixed route and only provide service for one small corridor, which doesn’t require a lot of money. They have a more condensed need, but there is more area here and more need. Mr. Harris noted that everyone does things differently, and the problem is how to bring the local match amount down without impacting the existing system and to provide increased services without increased cost to the County.

Transportation System Coordination and funding strategies:

· Coordinate existing transportation providers

· Pool funds and seek additional public/private funding opportunities

· Designate formal oversight of transit services within the County

· County will become a funding partner, not the program administrator

· JARC, New Freedom, FTA 5311 Rural, FTA 5310 Elderly

· Leverage additional funding streams to displace local funding

· Implement organizational and management structure

· Streamline and reorient service delivery

· Trunk and feeder lines or district-based demand responsive service

· Provide a central dispatch and mobility manager

· Education and marketing of available transportation services

Organizational models:

· Strong County – central dispatch and mobility manager becomes County function, County oversight

· Autonomous agency

· Contract agency

· Consortium

Service scenarios:

· Reorient – central dispatch, make system more efficient, service from park and ride lots to major destinations, public/private transportation funding, implement a carpool program

· Growth – extend service hours and scheduled service at peak travel time, limited service on Saturdays

Potential look at what transit could be in the County – ACT and Arc coordination

· More service with less local funding

· Continue to meet needs of those who currently depend on transit

· Discussion with colleges in Alfred to combine services

· Arc must coordinate in order to maintain grant funding

· Coordination will go under the name of Allegany County Rides

· There is the potential to bring in about $150,000 in additional funding per year, looking at existing ACT funding and leveraging different sources of funding in order to reduce the County contribution and provide more service

· Arc will keep fare box receipts

Implementation of the Coordination Plan:

Ms. Whitwood recognized the other Task Force members present and spoke about Federal Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) Program funding for provision of transportation service to employment or related activities for welfare recipients. Ms. Whitwood suggested that the County should proceed to the resolution process to receive grant funding in the amount of $250,000 as soon as receipt of the grant has been confirmed. The Task Force has recommended a mobility manager position. We need to be proactive and take a look at the routes. There is a need for someone to continue to look at the needs and coordinate services. Ms. Whitwood also made note of a grant application for two new shelters, to be erected at the hospital in Wellsville and the Cuba Dollar Store. They are starting to identify locations for “park and ride” lots. Also being looked at are:

· Coordination with other counties for medical transportation, potentially resulting in lower costs

· Marketing to increase awareness, access, and utilization

· Develop an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)

· Explore additional NYSDOT and NYSDOH cost sharing opportunities

All of these initiatives will aim to increase ridership, which in turn will leverage state and federal funds coming into the County. The Task Force will continue to look at other resources.

Legislator Fanton applauded the efforts of the Task Force. The only problem is supporting shopping in Olean and Hornell with County money, which takes our sales tax money and gives it to those other counties. He suggested looking at ways to restrict transit use outside of the County to medical rides. Mr. Harris stated that he understands the concern, but we should look at the system in a different light. Instead of seeing it as a way for users to spend money outside of the County, look at it as a County service providing mobility to our residents. Legislator Hall commented that the transit system is taking people to Olean and Hornell for medical reasons anyway, and we receive increased funding from the government to help us provide the service. We’ll get the funding regardless of why the people are on the bus. We should look at it as an opportunity to increase ridership for increased funding. Legislator Fanton asked who determines the Olean and Hornell routes. Legislator Hall noted that we will have to have the routes to get people to services that those areas provide. Mr. Reel pointed out that in order to get the STOA funding reimbursement for the Social Services and Medicaid medical runs, the bus has to be open to the public, whether or not they are going shopping. The state will not give the funding if the runs are limited to only medical reasons. The broader County strategy would be to direct where the destination is. Look at enhancing opportunities within the County. It’s up to the planners to redefine what the market wants over time.

Legislator Hopkins questioned why we don’t consider increasing the fare as a way to offset increased costs. Mr. Harris responded that is something for the Task Force and the transit system to explore, and it could happen. Legislator Fanton asked who determines the rates. Jim Gorman, from First Transit, responded that it would be the Legislature, probably through a public hearing process. Also, regarding the interest in other counties, the Task Force is trying to establish a seamless system for people to get here as well. It depends on where people want to go, and there is interest in coming here. The plan will result in access into Allegany County also. The mobility manager would have his hand on the pulse of what the needs are so that he could come to the Legislature for endorsement for needed changes, i.e. the fare issue. Funding availability to give more for less local contribution has been the goal from the beginning.

Legislator Pullen questioned why Steuben County, although larger than Allegany County, only deals with one small corridor. How are they addressing the rest of their transportation needs? The chart included in the PowerPoint presentation doesn’t even address the rest of their system, and we could make Allegany County’s numbers look better if all of our system wasn’t included. Mr. Gorman noted that the chart only shows County local share. Legislator Pullen stated that he wasn’t sure the additional funding amounting to one-half of the County’s cost will be enough. We’re already at the point where we’re maxed out on the Medicaid cap. Mr. Harris noted that the chart of county systems does leave out part of the systems; it only shows county systems. The other chart showing ridership shows not just Medicaid passengers, but all transportation needs. Legislator Pullen stated that a lot of state programs are Trojan horse programs: the program is adopted, and then later the state drops financial support; but the County has the program, people get used to relying on it, and local government has to continue to provide it. The state just proposed a six percent cut. Legislator Pullen would like some assurance that we have a way to address the likely state bail-out.

Legislator Fanton commented that at the start of the public transportation program, there was no local match, and now we have gone to a $326,000 match. He sees the buses running empty all the time. Legislator Fanton suggested raising the rate to address the increased fuel costs. We need to make the program cost effective.

Ms. Whitwood noted some good points were made during the bus driver focus groups. The timing of some routes is off, some routes are over-full and people are being left behind. With a mobility manager, we can look at those issues and others. It is an ever-changing environment. We need to be proactive and address identified needs.

Legislator Truax commented that in a short time, the Task Force has cut the County’s costs in half and they’re not done yet. Mr. Reel noted that New York State is behind the County’s efforts through the study and grant applications. Good things are happening here. The main contention is the local share, and it will go down more. He advised bearing with it, with the assurance that STOA has been around for decades, and the reductions proposed by the state will not affect STOA.

Legislator Pullen noted that in the northwestern portion of the County, there is a good sized Amish population. They don’t own vehicles, and they find their own transportation. They pay for it rather than expecting the government to. They found a way to make it work. This plan is another effort to say the transit system is our job as government, and taxpayers wonder why their taxes are going up.

Mr. Harris stated that this same conversation is going on all over the country. There are increasing needs in spite of increasing costs.

Chairman Crandall thanked the Transportation Task Force for their efforts to cut our local share cost. He acknowledged the concerns of the Legislature, but noted the benefits of cost savings in all segments of the population that could use the system. The Legislature will have some decisions to make when discussing the budget.

Executive Session

            A motion was made by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Truax and carried to enter into executive session to discuss the employment history of particular employees.  Immediately following the executive session, a motion was made by Legislator Truax, seconded by Legislator Dibble and carried to come out of executive session and return to the regular meeting.

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned on a motion made by Legislator Truax, seconded by Legislator Dibble and carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Adele Finnemore, Journal Clerk