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County Administrator's Report 13. 6.

BCC Regular Meeting

Technical/Public Service Consent

Meeting Date:	04/07/2016
Issue: Removal of ECAT Representative from Transportation Planning Organization (TPO)
From:	Joy D. Blackmon, P.E.
Department:	Public Works
CAO Approval:

RECOMMENDATION:

Recommendation Concerning the Removal of the Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) Representative from the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) - Joy D. Blackmon, P.E., Public Works Department Director

That the Board adopt and authorize the Chairman to sign the Resolution requesting the removal of the Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) representative from the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO).

BACKGROUND:

The Florida - Alabama Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is the organization designated by the governor of Florida as being responsible, together with the State of Florida and the State of Alabama, for carrying out the continuing, cooperative and comprehensive transportation planning process for the Florida - Alabama TPO Planning area.

On October 7, 2015, Escambia County entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), Santa Rosa County, Baldwin County, the cities of Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Milton and Orange Beach, and Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) for the purpose of creating the TPO and appointing a governing board consisting of twenty voting members. In accordance with the requirements of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21), which became law in July 2012, the Agreement included one representative from Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) as a voting member of the TPO. Provisions of the subsequently-enacted Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which became law in December 2015, state that "....subject to the bylaws or enabling legislation of the metropolitan planning organization, a representative of a provider of public transportation MAY also serve as a representative of local municipality."

ECAT is a department of Escambia County and is governed by the five elected Escambia County Commissioners who also have voting privileges on the Florida-Alabama TPO. FDOT has agreed that the county may adopt a Resolution requesting removal of the ECAT representative from the membership of the TPO, thereby reducing the number of voting members to 19.

This Resolution is a preliminary step towards amending the Interlocal Agreement. Though FDOT is a party to the agreement, the FDOT is not represented on the TPO. All of the other local entities represented on the TPO make recommendations to the FDOT.

BUDGETARY IMPACT:

N/A

LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS/SIGN-OFF:

Kristin Hual, Assistant County Attorney, has reviewed and signed off on the Resolution.

PERSONNEL:

N/A

POLICY/REQUIREMENT FOR BOARD ACTION:

N/A

IMPLEMENTATION/COORDINATION:

The Clerk's office shall forward a certified copy of the Resolution to Chairman Jayer Williamson, Florida-Alabama Transportation Planning Organization.

Attachments
Resolution
Interlocal Agreement
MAP 21 Reference
Fast Act Reference