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Home My WebLink About2003 09 08 Regular C Resolution 2003-41 ADA Paratransit Services COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM C Consent Informational Public Hearing Regular X September 8. 2003 Regular Meeting V Mgr. / Dept. Authorization REQUEST: The City Manager requesting the Commission to adopt Resolution # 2003-41 supporting the levy of one penny of local option gas taxes by the Seminole County Commission to fund ADA Paratransit Services beginning FY 05 and forward, and to consider a second request of Seminole County to fund a $45,196 share of ADA Paratransit Service for FY04. PURPOSE: This Agenda Item is needed to determine if the City Commission will agree to fund a second year pro rata share of ADA Paratransit Services. CONSIDERATIONS: On February 10, 2003, the Commission voted to approve $38,037 to help fund ADA Paratransit Services in Seminole County. This was a highly debated and contentious issue with the Commission finally agreeing to fund the FY03 pro rata share based upon a promise from the County that the County would work out a funding mechanism for FY04. The County is once again requesting that the cities in the County fund a second year of ADA with a pledge that they will fund ADA with a one penny increase in gas taxes. The County is prepared to approve the extra penny this year. However, it will not begin producing revenue until January, 2005. Thus, the County is requesting the additional year to get them through FY 04. Commission Meeting September 8, 2003 Regular Agenda Item "en ADA Paratransit Funding FUNDING: The $45,196 pro-rata share would have to come from the General Fund and would have an impact on the General Fund equal to .0345 mills. RECOMMENDA TIONS: 1. It is recommended that the City Commission adopt Resolution # 2003-41 supporting the County Commission's action to levy one penny of local option gas taxes to fund ADA Paratransit Services beginning FY05 and forward. 2. It is also recommended that the City Commission determine if it desires to fund a pro rata share of ADA Paratransit Services for FY 04 in the amount of $45, 196 contingent upon action by the County Commission to enact one penny of local option gas taxes to fund ADA Paratransit Services in FY 05 forward. ATTACHMENTS: A. Resolution Number 2003-41 B. August 13,2003 Letter from Kevin Grace C. August 12, 2002 Commission Agenda Item COMMISSION ACTION: ,,' i I I R'ESOLUTION 2003-41 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISISON OF THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS ENDORSING THE ACTIONS OF THE SEMINOLE COUNTY COMMISSION TO LEVY A ONE PENNY LOCAL OPTION GAS TAX TO FUND ADA PARATRANSIT SERVICES IN SEMINOLE COUNTY. WHEREAS, LYNX, the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority, is the transit agency for Seminole, Orange, and Osceola Counties and has been designated the Community Transportation Coordinator since 1992 by the State Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged; and WHEREAS, LYNX provides door-to-door van paratransit service called ACCESS LYNX for medically qualified, physically challenged customers through its contracted carrier, MV Transportation and that currently the County and Cities pay LYNX for providing paratransit trips to those eligible individuals who in their jurisdiction qualify for the van paratransit service specified by the American Disabilities Act (ADA); and WHEREAS, approximately 35,000 ADA paratransit trips are projected to occur county-wide in Seminole county in Fiscal Year 2003-04, of which 2239 are projected to occur in the City of Winter Springs; and WHEREAS, the Cities and Seminole County Government have cooperated in the past in allotting the "9th Cent Local Option Gas Tax" to be dedicated to the payment of operating expenses for LYNX transit services; and WHEREAS, the revenues from the 9th Cent Local Option Gas Tax have not covered the entire cost of fixed bus route services, ADA paratransit services and membership in the regional transportation authority for a number of years, thus requiring supplemental funding from the cities and the County; and WHEREAS, additional revenue is needed to ensure that paratransit services continue for those residents of Seminole County qualifying for ADA paratransit transportation from LYNX; and WHEREAS, Seminole county currently levies in full the "Six Cent Local Option Fuel Tax" and the "9th Cent Local Option Gas Tax" and has the ability to levy additional fuel revenues under Section 336.025, Florida Statutes and that these revenues may be used for public transportation operations and maintenance. I NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved, that the City Commission of the City of Winter Springs, Florida supports an action of the Board of County Commissioners of Seminole County to levy an additional One Cent Local Option Fuel Tax to be dedicated to funding. the cost of ADA Paratransit Service and other public transportation operation expenses . in the Cities and in Seminole County. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS ~th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2003. ~~ J~/~6etny;IumdCl/Tld eauMd tIu6 deat to- be r:Jfa:ed 2003 City of Winter Springs Resolution No. 2003-41 Page 2 of2 COUNTY MANAGER'S OFFICE August 13, 2003 Ron McLemore City Manager City Hall 1126 E. State Road 434 Winter Springs, FL 32708 RECEIVED AUG 1 5 2D03 CITY OF' WINTER SPRINGS ~ .., City Manager "... Dear Mr. McLemore: Subject: Funding ADA Paratransit Services The Mayors and Managers Committee of Envision Seminole met on July 31, 2003 to discuss funding of ADA paratransit services in Seminole County for Fiscal Year 2003/04. At that meeting, it was determined that the County and the seven Cities would once again pay for their share of ADA costs in FY 2003/04. The attached table entitled "City/County Share of ADA County-wide Service Cost" reflects the following: . Projected ADA paratransit costs for next fiscal year. . The costs for this fiscal year. . Percent change from this fiscal year for each City and unincorporated Seminole County. Also, at the Mayors and Managers Committee meeting, the group discussed long-term solutions to funding ADA costs. The Committee supported the concept of the Board of County Commissioners levying an additional one cent local option fuel tax and dedicating the revenues to primarily fund ADA costs and other public transportation operating expenses. The Committee requested that the County prepare a sample resolution and distribute it to the Cities voicing support for the additional one cent fuel tax. A sample resolution is enclosed. Please contact Alice Gilmartin of the Planning Staff at agilmart@co.seminole.fl.us to request a digital copy of the resolution. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 407-665-7211. QSi~C~~ J Kevin Grace ounty Manager . ' JKG/AG Enclosures 1101 EAST FIRST STREET SANFORD FL 32771-1468 TElEPHONE (407) 665-7219 FAX (407) 665-7958 City/County Share of ADA County-wide Service Costs (1) Jurisdictions FY 2002103 FY 2003/04 % ChanQe Altamonte Springs $113,415 $127,531 12% Casselberry $41 ,1 88 $102,100 148% Lake Mary $9,801 $17,828 82% Longwood $33,615 $59,208 76% Oviedo $20,420 $14,799 -28% Sanford $70,033 $70,728 1% Winter Springs .- $38,037 $45,196 19% Unincorporated Seminole $351.421 $255.990 -27% Totals $677,930 $693,380 2% (1) ADA costs are annualized based on three month's data Clients Projec~d Trips' Projected Cost (D m 3 Inside Y4 mi Outside 3/4 rni T otallnside 3/4 mi Outside 3f4 mi Total Inside 3/4 m i Outside J/4 mi Total z 0 r . ' m Altamonte Springs ~6 46 5A1~ 8~9 61J17. ~ 1~9,384 ~ 18] 147 ~127,531 () . ' 0 c Z -l Casselber~ 18 9 27 t505 31552 51057 30,389 71 }11 1021100 -< lake Mary 4 4 12 871 883 2J9 17,589 '17,828 Langwood 9 25 34 776 2,156 2,~32 151612 43,536 59,208 Oviedo 9 9 477 255 733 9,026 5j173 1417~~ Sanford :w 1 35 21805 69~ ~,503 50,641 141087 70.128 Seminole Unincorporated 80 61 1 J3 5,l~2 7,J87 1L,679 10018J8 149,152 255,~9O ~ lSl ...J (J) Winter Springs ,5 ~ 14 1,123 1,116 2,239 22,672 22,524 45,196 (J) (}l ...J I.D (}l Total Seminole Coun~ ~07 . 115 3~2 17,408 16,93~ 34134~ ~ ~51,461 ~ 341,~19 ~693,380 ...J -l 0 -l D -u r lSl -u I\l "- lSl lSl I\l I\l FY tD3 - 04 ADA Co~st Analysis Semin()le County (D m -u I lSl UJ I I\l lSl lSl UJ I-" lSl I-" lSl COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM E CONSENT INFORMATIONAL PUBLIC HEARING REGULAR X February 1 O~ 2003 Meeting f1r-- //Y MGR /DEPT ICA REQUEST: The Community Development Department requests direction from the City Commission on funding ADA Paratransit services in FY 2002 - 2003. . PURPOSE: The purpose of this item is to request the City Commission reconsider the pro rata contribution requested by LYNX for ADA Paratransit services. CONSIDERATIONS: · ADA Paratransit is a demand- or subscription-responsive program, whiCh provides door- to-door service to transportation disadvantaged (economically, mentally and physically, general ridership, and human service) patrons and does not conform to the scheduled or fIxed routes of traditional mass transit. · The American Disabilities Act requires that Paratransit service area be provided within 3/4 miles of existing bus routes. . · LYNX has historically provided door-to-door Paratransit service beyond the required area on a needed or requested basis. · A funding shortfall is projected for the continuation of all transit services in the County, s.ince contributions from funding partners have remained stable by comparison to rising operating costs. · County policy makers are concerned about imposing additional gas taxes to fund public transit in the same year the public has approved additional taxes for road improvements. · The funding shortfall has prompted LYNX to reduce Paratransit service to the required minimum (within% miles of existing bus routes~ instead of the historic door-to-door . service), effective October 1, 2002. · LYNX has requested that funding partners contribute a pro rata share of funds that would continue Paratransit service beyond the required minimum. · LYNX has provided a updated table of projected Paratransit service costs and trip estimates for FY 2002 to 2003 to serve 50 clients in the City of Winter Springs, summarized as follows: February 10, 2003 Regular Agenda Item E Page 2 Inside % Mile 494 1,909 2,403 $7,823 *Projections reflect the most recent infonnation available as of May 23,2002. Outside % Mile $30,214 · On March 25,2002, the City Commission directed staff to obtain from LYNX and/or work toward the following objectives: a. Documentation of existing and potential ridership in the City. b. Identification by policy makers of a source of funding other than general funds to finance ridership; and ideally c. Identification of a metropolitan wide source of funds to operate a metropolitan wide transportation system. · On April 22, 2002, staff presented LYNX's explanation of the methodology for the study which resulted in ADA Paratransit client counts by residence, number of actual trips taken annually, project trips, and projected costs. · On April 22, 2002, the City Commission approved an appropriation of$52,516 for one (1) year, contingent upon the adoption of an interlocal agreement between the City and Seminole County for the imposition of a new funding source for that project year and for the repayment of the fund expended by the City over no more than two (2) years outside the year of funding. . On April 22, 2002, the City Commission also directed staff to challenge the Paratransit service costs and trip estimates provided by LYNX, justify the data to the satisfaction of the Commission and present it as additional information at a future meeting date. . LYNX provided an explanation of the methodology used to determine existing ADA ridership and projected operating costs in the City, which subsequently reduced the initial request from $52,516 to $38,037. This information was presented by staffto the City Commission at the June 10,2002 regular meeting. . On June ~O, 2002, the City Commission directed the Mayor to prepare a letter requesting that LYNX further justify the projected service costs and trip estimates. . On June 14, 2002, the Mayor prepared a letter requesting that LYNX further justify the projected service costs and trip estimates, as shown in Attachment A. . On June 20, 2002, the Seminole County Board of Commissioners accepted the recommendations of the Mayors and Managers Comrriittee (Attachment B) and determined the 9th cent local gas tax revenues would only be used to fund fixed route services in FY 2002 to 2003 and that individual cities would be responsible for funding their pro rata share of ADA services during the same period. . The Seminole County Board of Commissioners further committed to working with LYNX's funding partners to identify a funding source for ADA Paratransit beyond FY 2002 to 2003. . The County's decision to limit funding in the next fiscal year only to fixed route services thereby rescinds the City Commission's conditional appropriation of $52,516 on April 22, 2002, and further direction is requested from the Commission for final disposition of this item. . All other cities within the county have agreed to participate in this program and pay their pro-rata shares. February 10, 2003 Regular Agenda Item E Page 3 RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends the City Commission reconsider the following alternatives and make a decision regarding ADA funding in FY 2002 to 2003: A. Approve LYNX's requested appropriation of $38,037 without reimbursement from Seminole County; or B. Deny the request. ATTACHMENTS: A. Letter from Mayor to LYNX, dated June 14,2002, B. Letter from Seminole County Manager's Office, dated June 13,2002 COMMISSION ACTION: