IMPERIAL COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES OF DECEMBER  8, 2021 10:30 a.m.

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT:

STAFF PRESENT: Virginia Mendoza, Marlene Flores, Cristi Lerma, Daveline Villasenor 

OTHERS PRESENT:  David Salgado: SCAG; Rafael Reyes, Caltrans

The following minutes are listed as they were acted upon by the Imperial County Transportation Commission Management Committee and as listed on the agenda for the meeting held Wednesday, December 8, 2021, together with staff reports and related documents attached thereto and incorporated therein by reference.

I.           CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Chair Tyler Salcido called the meeting to order at 10:32 a.m., roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.

II.         ACTION CALENDAR 

A. Adopt resolution authorizing remote teleconference meetings in accordance with Assembly Bill 361

1.                   Approved the resolution of the Imperial County Transportation Commission authorizing remote meetings in accordance with the provisions of the State Assembly Bill (AB) 361. 

2.                   Authorized the Chairperson to sign the resolution.

III.                EMERGENCY ITEMS

There were none. 

IV.                PUBLIC COMMENTS

There were none.

V.         CONSENT ITEMS 

A motion was made by Wells seconded by Medina to approve the consent calendar as presented; Roll call was taken: 

                                Motion carried unanimously.

B.                  Approval of Management Committee Draft Minutes:      November 10, 2021

C.                  Received and Filed: 

1.                   ICTC TAC Minutes:                                                                            October 28, 2021

2.                   ICTC SSTAC Minutes:                                                                       November 3, 2021

VI.        REPORTS

A.                  ICTC Executive Director 

                                -     Mr. Aguirre had the following updates: 

o   The Calexico Intermodal Transportation Center continues as a regional priority. The design phase is currently at 90 % of the project. Right of Way acquisition continues to be underway with some delay. ICTC with Caltrans submitted a grant to assist with the funding for construction. More funding opportunities will continue to be explored. $12.5 million is needed for construction.  

o   Calexico East Port of Entry Bridge Widening Project is underway. The design portion of the project is ongoing. The project is estimated to begin construction in early 2022 and is scheduled for completion in 2023.

                                ⁻    Ms. Mendoza had the following updates: 

o   ICTC is conducting an RFP process to prepare a full update of the Imperial County LRTP. Request for Proposals were due on November 19, 2021. On December 2, 2021, an LRTP evaluation committee reviewed the proposals. The evaluation committee consisted of technical staff from the IID, the Cities of Calexico and El Centro, and Caltrans. All firms were asked to participate in oral interviews scheduled on December 9, 2021, at the City of El Centro inperson and via Zoom. Tentatively, final selection and contract approval will be on the agenda for recommendation of approval at the January Commission meeting.

o   The STBG and CMAQ Call For Projects began on November 18, 2021. The approved 2022 CMAQ & STBG Guidelines are posted on the ICTC website at http://www.imperialctc.org/call-for-projects/. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 25, 2022 (or postmarked no later than February 25,

2022) to ICTC at 1503 N. Imperial Ave., Suite 104, El Centro, CA 92243. For

additional information, please contact Marlene Flores at (760) 592-4494 or at marleneflores@imperialctc.org.  

o   The next IMBA meeting is scheduled for January 20, 2021 via Zoom Meeting. 

o   Imperial County Transportation Commission is undertaking a Regional Active Transportation Plan (ATP) to improve access, mobility, and safety for nonmotorized modes of travel, including walking, bicycling, and riding trans it. The Regional ATP is grant funded by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). ICTC staff kicked off this project in April 2021 and has conducted two (2) Technical Advisory Committee meetings with City, County, SCAG, and Caltrans staff to start data gathering and early outreach efforts. A dedicated project page has been developed for the project: https://ictcatpktuagis.hub.arcgis.com/   ICTC staff has coordinated with Caltrans planning staff leading the state’s ATP effort. Participation and information sharing will continue between the two planning efforts. Additional public education and engagement has been conducted with help of the Go Human Program from SCAG. Billboards and radio announcements promoting active transportat safety and awareness have been online starting the last week of November 2021. The 6th Project Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting was held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 to discuss a summary of the completed community engagement process and overview of the regional priorities with special attention to the City priorities and regional connections. The final TAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 13, 2022, via Zoom. The final plan and presentations are scheduled for ICTC TAC, Management Committee, and Commission in the months of January and February 2022.

B.                  Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 

-          On Thursday, Dec. 2, SCAG hosted the 12th annual Southern California Economic Summit virtually. The summit came at a time when the regional economy is still recovering from a time of unprecedented crisis. Civic and business leaders from across Southern California joined the discussion on how we can further our economic recovery and build strength and resilience in a post-COVID world. Speakers included DeeDee Myers, director of the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development, U.C. Riverside professor Karthick Ramakrishnan, who is also executive director of the “California 100” initiative and Keynote Speaker Rana Foroohar, who’s a Global Columnist for the Financial Times and a Global Economic Analyst for CNN.

-          The SCAG 2021 Regional Briefing Book was released in conjunction with the 12th Annual Southern California Economic Summit. This year’s Regional Briefing Book provides an overview of the SCAG region economy today, as well as an outlook for the counties. To access a copy of the briefing book click on the link:

https://scag.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/regional-briefing-book2021_final.pdf?1638320255  

-          With support from the State’s Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) grant program and to support the region’s efforts in response to recent state investments in planning to accelerate housing production and meet the goals of the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), SCAG has developed a series of trainings that will support elected officials, advocates, and interested stakeholders in moving forward a pro-housing development agenda. The SCAG Housing Policy Leadership Academy (SCAG-HPLA) offers a 10-session online training for emerging and established community leaders who want to better understand how to advance policy solutions to increase the supply and availability of affordable housing. The course brings together people from different backgrounds and disciplines in monthly sessions to examine issues and solutions from multiple perspectives and apply their learning to current housing policy challenges. Sessions explore the relationship between policy, planning, and housing development with a focus on how different policy solutions shape both the physical and social landscape and capacity to produce housing for all. The course is grounded in the HPLA 5Ps framework, which provides a foundation for examining the physical and social aspects of a healthy housing ecosystem. Applications can be completed online and are due by January 10, 2022. Notifications of acceptance will be issued no later than Jan. 18, 2022.

-          Mark your calendars: General Assembly will be held on May 4, 2022 in Palm Desert in person. An email has been sent to the City/County clerks requesting appointments for delegates. 

-          Go Human opportunities are still available. SCAG was recently awarded a 1.25 million grant from the Office of Traffic Safety to fund continued work on Go Human.  

-          Federal spending bill will provide opportunities for funding availability. Please reach out to Mr. Salgado for questions or further discussion. 

C.                  Caltrans Department of Transportation – District 11 -     Mr. Reyes had the following updates: 

o   The I-8/Imperial Avenue Interchange project is on track to be completed and open to traffic by Christmas 2021. 

o   Several maintenance project updates: 

▪   SR-86 in El Centro pavement rehabiliation 

▪   Calexico payment rehabilitation  o Clean California Local Grant Program Workshop on December 15, 2021 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. o Caltrans hiring event will take place on December 9, 2021 at the Imperial Fairgrounds. 

D.                  Committee Member Reports  ⁻ There were no updates.

VII.       ACTION CALENDAR 

A. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 Grant Program for Elderly and Disabled Transportation Services 2022 ICTC grant application

Mr. Aguirre stated that Caltrans has announced a call for projects for the 2022 FTA 5310 Grant program. Historically, the FTA 5310 program was limited to rolling stock bus purchases and replacements, however, the program is continuing to include funding for operation expenses and mobility management program functions. 

It is staff’s recommendation to continue our Regional Mobility Coordination program and submit a funding request for a third time, one (1) application for FTA 5310 funding. The applications are due to Caltrans approximately March 2022. The grant approval process is expected to be completed by Caltrans in the fall of 2022. 

The funding is anticipated to cover the loaded cost of staff and activities to maintain the Regional Mobility Coordination Program. 

The Regional Mobility Coordinator position and administrative staff proposed will be responsible to assist the implementation in the following programs:

1.       Continue the implementation of the consultant prepared 2021 Human Services – Public Transit Coordinated Plan, which included  to using a  bilingual Mobility Coordinator to bridge the gap between current public transit service providers, human service agencies, social service agencies and the senior citizen and disabled communities of Imperial County.   

2.       Continue the implementation of the recommendations that the consultant prepared, 2014 ADA Certification and Eligibility Process, Demand Management Project. This includes the eligibility and certification process for the Americans with disabilities paratransit service known as IVT Access.

3.       Continue to promote, facilitate, educate, and help streamline transition between transportation services particularly for seniors and people with disabilities including scheduling mobility training.   

It was requested that the ICTC Management Committee forward this item to the Commission for their review and approval, after public comment, if any:

1.                   Authorize the Executive Director or his designee to submit an FTA 5310 2022 Grant, execute all required documents and any amendments with the California Department of Transportation for the continued funding of the Regional Mobility Coordination Program.

2.                   Authorize the ICTC Chairperson to sign the attached resolution

3.                   Direct staff to forward the FT A 5310 Grant Application and associated documentation to the California Department of Transportation.

A motion was made by Morita seconded by Medina. Roll call was taken:

                                Motion carried unanimously.

VIII. The next meeting is scheduled for January 12, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at the City of Calexico and via Zoom Meeting.  

IX.        ADJOURNMENT

                A.        Meeting adjourned at 11:02 a.m.