I.  PROGRAM COORDINATION

 

TASK 1.51          Committee Activities

 

This task covers CDTC meetings and maintenance of committee membership and structure.

 

TASK 1.52          Financial Administration / AMPO Dues

 

Included under this item are membership dues for the national Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations on behalf of New York’s 12 MPOs.  Funding for the dues is pooled by the MPOs and administered by CDTC. Supplemental funding for policy development by AMPO and also by the NYS MPO Association staff was included in 2002-03, in preparation for TEA-21 Reauthorization discussions.  This is not expected to be repeated in 2003-04.

 

 

TASK 1.68          Statewide MPO Association Support

 

Sarah Siwek and Associates was retained by CDTC in 2000 to serve as the NYS MPO Association’s staff on a contractual basis.  The $100,000 annual budget is designed around an estimated 1,000 hours of effort per year (professional and/or support staff), providing sufficient resources for travel to statewide meetings and national (AMPO, etc.) activities.  The firm will continue to develop and organize statewide meetings and conferences, develop outlines for potential statewide initiatives, and represent the perspectives of NY’s MPOs at statewide and national meetings.  For 2002-03, an additional $25,000 was provided to assist with materials related to the reauthorization of TEA-21.  The funding balance will be carried over and an additional $100,000 added. 

 

This is the third year of the intended three-year contract. Support has been excellent, but in 2003-04, the NYS MPO members will consider soliciting interest from a range of firms for the future in order to maintain fairness.

 

TASK 1.61          Certification Review

 

The formal certification review by USDOT was conducted in late 2000.  Self-certification will be required during FFY03 (prior to October 2003) and must be submitted with the TIP approval in May 2003.  Formal federal certification review can be anticipated in the FFY04 period.

 

TASK 1.65          UPWP Development

 

The coming work program (for adoption in early 2004) will move CDTC to a two-year UPWP cycle.  The two-year cycle will reduce the administrative load of UPWP development and also put the two-year TIP cycle and two-year UPWP cycle on alternate years.  The 2004-06 UPWP will be developed under this task.

 

TASK 1.66          DBE Plan/ Environmental Justice

 

In 2003-04, CDTC will seek again to tailor DBE  procedures to CDTC's needs.  Use of DBE's continues strong.  Civil Rights and Environmental Justice explorations will continue to be primary areas of investigation for CDTC staff.  Environmental Justice assessments were included in TIP evaluations for the first time in the 2003-08 TIP update.

 

 

TASK 1.67          Prospectus Update

 

The need for a formal document containing all organizational, operational and work program aspects of CDTC's program in one place continues to be modest.  The "Guide to the Capital District Transportation Committee" is updated annually and has proven to be an accessible description of roles, responsibilities and policies for use with new members and the general public.  In 2003-04, staff will find the time to compile all official material into a comprehensive document to address the federal comments made in the most recent certification report.  CDTC may choose to not include a strategic five-year work program in the comprehensive document, limiting the document to roles, responsibilities, policies and procedures.  The multi-year work program is the most elusive piece and the coming year may not be the best time to try to resolve one;  the UPWP is shifting to a two-year cycle and longer-term commitments are highly influenced both by emerging issues from New Visions efforts and by the uncertain details of the TEA-21 reauthorization.