The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My Public Portal About110_023_Execute MOU Letter Diane Schleicher CORE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION COASTAL REGION MPO Albert Scott April 8,2015 Chairman Edna Jackson Diane Schleicher,City Manager Vice-Chairman City of Tybee Island P.O. Box 2749 James Aberson Tybee Island, GA 31328-2749 LTC Clarence Bowman III Jason Buelterman Dear Ms. Schleicher: Shedrick Coleman Stephanie Cutter RE: Request to Execute the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization(CORE Mark Egan Curtis Foltz MPO)Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) Beth Goette Tennyson Holder Request William Hubbard Over the last year,we met and I briefed you on the CORE MPO Reapportionment process and James Hungerpiller progress,and solicited your input. We held seven Review Committee meetings, for which we Glenn Jones invited staff and advisory committee members to attend and assist in drafting the relevant Greg Kelly documents. Several presentations were made to the CORE MPO Board,which approved Mike Lamb requesting your formal action to execute the MOU. I greatly appreciate the help of those who Pete Liakakis participated to formulate the documents. Russell McMurry Chad Reese Attached is a package of materials that includes the MOU, Bylaws and a brochure that provides Ben Rozier Lee Smith more background and detail on the Reapportionment Process. Trip Tollison On behalf of the CORE MPO Board, I request that your governing body execute the MOU by May 15,2015. The MOU includes a separate signature page for each member to sign. The Thomas L.Thomson, attached MOU includes your page to sign. Once all of the member governing bodies and P.E.,AICP authorities execute the MOU, it will be forwarded to the Governor for his concurrence and Executive Director signature. Mark Wilkes, RE.,AICP Director By executing this document you will continue as a member engaged in a collaborative Transportation Planning decision-making process. The MOU provides for the intention of the parties. Most of the items are duties of the Georgia Department of Transportation, CORE MPO and the Chatham County- Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission (staff to the CORE MPO). The items related to your jurisdiction are on pages five and six of the MOU, most of which are the similar This board is supported by to the previous MOU, which speaks to collaboration to carry-out the continuing,cooperative the staff of the Chatham and comprehensive planning responsibilities under federal law. County-Savannah P p g res p Metropolitan Planning Commission One new item in the MOU is to agree to share in the local cost of the planning program to www.thempc.org match federal funding available for planning. Exhibit B in the MOU explains the cost sharing formula approved by the CORE MPO Board. Attached is a chart showing the approximate dues for each jurisdiction or authority for FY 2016 based upon the draft Unified Work et, OETROPO,',y Program. y s Background The Reapportionment process is necessitated by the 2010 Census expansion of the Savannah Urbanized Area. Federal law requires that the CORE MPO's Metropolitan Planning Area %ROM 1505 (MPA)boundary expand to include parts of Bryan County and Effingham County. it is also necessary to update the MPO and advisory committee's membership,the Bylaws and 110 EAST STATE STREET, P.O. BOX 8246. SAVANNAH GEORGIA 31412-8246 PHONE 912-651-1440 FACSIMILE 912-335.5922 April 7,2015 CORE MPO Request to Execute MOU Page 2 Memorandum of Understanding(MOU)to reflect the current requirements and the expanded planning area membership. Since the federal funds allocated to the CORE MPO for planning purposes require local match, it is also necessary to revisit the local funding support for the program. During the last 40+/-years the City of Savannah and Chatham County have provided the local funds to support the required planning program. Currently the CORE MPO Board has endorse that all county, municipalities and modal representatives contribute to supporting the program. (See Exhibit B of the MOU). The benefits of the program include but are not limited to: 1. Access to the CORE MPO staff for technical support,which is particularly a benefit for smaller jurisdictions that do not have a dedicated planning staff. 2. Access to CORE MPO funds to address your planning needs,which can address regional or localized mobility issues. If your planning project is programmed you will get a direct benefit on your contribution. (Your contribution is match for the federal funds,so for every two dollars of local funds provided eight dollars of federal funds are available–a 300% return on investment). 3. Eligibility for federal funds for design, rights of way and construction projects. A project is required to be programmed in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Plan to be eligible for federal funding. Until the CORE MPO Board includes the project in these plans the funding will not be authorized. 4. Continued access to federal funds. Your contribution will support the CORE MPO planning program that is mandated by the Federal Highway/Federal Transit Planning Rules and must be satisfactorily accomplished or no federal funds will be authorized. Your participation is important. Closing Please review the enclosed information. I respectfully request your governing body's action to authorize signing the MOU before May 15. 1 am available to make a presentation to your governing body in a workshop or meeting at your request. If you have any questions, please contact me at 912.651.1446. Sinc y, toz-V aa44-4410—■ Thomas L. Thomson, P.E.,AICP Executive Director TT/mw cc: Al Scott, Chairman, CORE MPO Board and Chatham County Commission Ann Purcell, State Transportation Board Commissioner, District 1 Tom McQueen,GDOT Office of Planning