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HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.109-99 r'-, RESOLUTION NO. ~ SERIES OF 1999 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO, INDICATING INTENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CREATION OF A RURAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (RTA). WHEREAS, pursuant to the Rural Transportation Authority Law and Article XIV, Section 18 of the Colorado Constitution, and Sections 29-1-201, et seq., 30-11-101(1)(1), 31-15- 711(1)(g), C.R.S., counties and municipalities are authorized to create, by contract, rural transportation authorities and to provide for the joint exercise of transportation systems and facilities; and WHEREAS, cities, towns and counties in the Highway 82 and 1-70 corridors of west em Colorado, through their dilly authorized representatives, have been engaged in discussions concerning the creation of a Rural Transportation Authority (hereinafter "R T A") to exist by and among them for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining rural mass transportation systems within the region; and 1""'""'. WHEREAS, to commence the formation of the RTA and present a ballot question in May, 2000 to the electors residing within the jurisdictional limits of the proposed R T A, it is necessary for each jurisdiction to express its commitment to participate as. a member of the R T A no later than December 1,1999; and WHEREAS, it is necessary to formalize the boundaries of the RTA, the procedures for conducting the election, and such other matters necessary and appropriate to be included within the intergovernmental agreement creating the RT A, all of which require the active participation of each member jurisdiction. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved as follows: 1. The City of Aspen hereby expresses its commitment to participate in the creation of the R T A for the purpose of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining rural mass transportation systems within the region of the Highway 82 and 1-70 corridors of western Colorado. 2. The managerial and legal staffs are hereby directed to participate in the finalization of the RTA intergovernmental agreement, including attendance at a convention to be held for such purpose, if deemed necessary. ~ 3. Following the finalization of the intergovemmental agreement, it is the intent of this jurisdiction to hold hearings authorizing its participation as a member of the R T A and approval and execution of the RTA intergovemmental, such hearings to be held no later than February I""'"'" ,r'\. o 2000. RESOLVED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 22nd day of November, 1999, by the City Council for the City of Aspen, Colorado 1, Kathryn S. Koch, duly appointed and acting city Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council ofthe City of Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held November 22,1999. , ' . (rtaresointent) ~ 2 ,r'\ I""'"'" ~. txk'b,'t A "DRAFT" INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESOLUTION OF INTENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RURAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (RT A) Why is the RTA needed? . Current organizational structures and funding mechanisms are inadequate to support existing and future demand for regional transit services. . A regional organization with a formalized decision-making capability and a dedicated source of revenue is needed to plan, administer, and fund a coordinated regional transit system. What is the proposed purpose of the RTA? . Initially, with proceeds from a $10 vehicle registration fee, the RTA could supply funding that would help RFT A maintain existing service levels. It is anticipated that funding for RFT A from this source would be continued during the interim between formation of the RTA and voter approval of a subsequent transit service improvement plan. Fees collected in 1-70 corridor could potentially be used to support the Traveler. . . Once formed, the R T A would rapidly seek to identify and implement the most efficient management structure for the provision of regional transit services. Potential management structures could include the assimilation of RFT A and RFRHA and/or contract for service arrangements. . Additionally, the RT A would consolidate existing regional transportation panniog efforts (Entrance to Aspen/Corridor Investment Study/RFTA Transportation Development Plan) into a single integrated regional transportation plan prior to requesting any additional tax support from voters. What is the process for creating the RTA? . Jurisdictions interested in becoming members of the RT A must jointly draft and execute an intergovermnental agreement (lOA). The lOA will contain mutually acceptable provisions governing the establishment of the Authority, its Purpose and Boundaries, the Board of Directors, Committees, Officers, the Powers of the Authority, Members, the Term and Distribution of Assets upon dissolution, the process for Amendments to the Agreement, and other miscellaneous conditions. . Prior to executing the lOA, each participating jurisdiction must conduct at least two public hearings on the Agreement. The lOA must be executed by March in order to place the issue on the ballot in May 2000. . The RTA must be approved by a majority of the voters who reside within the proposed boundaries of the Authority . . If the referendum to create the RTA is approved by voters, the RTA can impose a $10 vehicle registration fee on vehicles registered within the boundaries of the Authority. In the Highway 82 corridor, this fee would . generate approxiIllately $375,000. If the 1-70 corridor were included, up to $225,000 in additional revenue would be available depending upon the boundaries. . A separate ballot question in November 2000 or later would be required to obtain voter approval of a sales tax increase up to a maximum of .4 of a percent to fund the transit service improvement plan. (OVER) I""'"'" Whv is a two-step election process bein!! proposed? The first step involves an election in Mav 2000 to create the RTA. The second step involves askin!! voters to approve a detailed transit service improvement and fundin!! plan in November 2000 or later. . Creation of an organization that will oversee a complex array of regional transportation services well into the 21st Century is a major undertaking. The development of the organizational structure and the services the RTA provides will need to evolve in manageable increments over time. The first step is to create the RTA. . To develop a unified regional transit system there are many details that must ultimately be addressed. For example, what happens to RFRHA? Should the RTA assimilate RFTA or would a contract for service be more efficient? Should the RTA be responsible for local feeder and collector services in addition to regional trunkline services? Which of RFT A's existing revenue streams should be dedicated to the R T A? What is the precise plan for transit service improvements? Will the plan include buses, rail, or both? How will the plan . be funded and how will the costs be allocated among participating jurisdictions? . Many questions will be answered as the lOA is being developed. However, issues that cannot be fully resolved before the RTA is formed could be incorporated into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU would specify how the parties to the lOA expect the RTA to address any unresolved issues after it has been formed. The MOD would enable the RTA to be created without having every detail fmalized. 1""'""'. . RFT A is being forced to consider major regional service reductions uuless additional resources needed to maintain existing services are identified in 2000. Funding available from the RTA vehicle registration fee could help to resolve RFTA's current operating revenue shortfall and help to ensure the continuation of existing regional transit services until a comprehensive transit service improvement plan is submitted to voters at some subsequent time. . A regional transit agency with regional planning and decision-making capability is needed now to undertake the development and implementation of a comprehensive, integrated, regional transportation service plan. The organizational structure and decision-making capability needed to accomplish this work on a regional basis does not exist today. . Creation of the RTA in a May 2000 election will help to achieve two important goals. First, it will help to maintain vital regional transit services provided by RFT A. Second, it will provide an efficient regional planning and administrative platform that can be used to ref me, consolidate, and integrate several different transit plans into a unified comprehensive transit improvement plan that will be submitted to voters in What is vour jurisdiction bein!! asked to do now? . Each jurisdiction that is potentially interested in becoming a member of the RTA is being asked to adopt a non-binding Resolution of Intent to Participate in the Rural Transportation Authority. ~ . By adopting the Resolution of Intent your jurisdiction is making a commitment to invest a modest amount of elected official and staff time to develop the lOA that will create tj1.e RTA. However, your jurisdiction is free to withdraw from the process at any point up until the lOA is executed. Adopting the Resolution of Intent gives you a seat at the table to help craft the lOA and it keeps all of your options open. r.. /,........" ~. . The Resolution of Intent wi\1 help to identify the communities that are interested in remaining involved in the effort to create the RTA at this stage in the process. That way, limited resources available for the RTA effort can be focused in the most effective manner.