MPO Executive Board

Bristol Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization January 27, 2015 Board Members Present: Councilman Guy Odum - Bristol, Virginia Ambre Torbett - Sullivan County, Tennessee Nick Weander - Tennessee Department of Transportation Donny Necessary - Virginia Department of Transportation Cherith Marshall - Washington County, Virginia Members Absent: Bluff City, Tennessee Bristol, Tennessee Others Present: Rex Montgomery - Bristol MPO Jay Detrick - Bristol, Virginia Matthew Cox - VDOT Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend - Bristol, Tennessee Chris Craig - FTDD RPO Rick DeLong - McCormick Taylor David Metzger - Bristol MPO Michael Russell - Whitman, Requardt & Associates Matthew Johnson-Abingdon - Virginia Randy Dodson - Mattern & Craig Calvin Clifton - Mattern & Craig Call to Order / Roll Call: A Quorum being present, Chairman Odum called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m., January 27, 2015, in the Conference Room of the City of Bristol Tennessee Annex Building. Approval of Minutes: Nick Weander moved to adopt the minutes of August 12, 2014 as submitted; seconded by Donny Necessary; motion carried unanimously. Comments from the Public: None Old Business: None New Business: A. Amendment # 5 – FY 2014-2017 Transportation Improvement Program Rex Montgomery summarized the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which documents how federal funds will be expended on highway improvements and public transportation programs within the urbanized area. Amendment # 5 to the TIP programs Federal Transit Administration funding to replace the umbrella canopies at the Downtown Transit Center. Funding includes $16,000 of unprogrammed FTA Section 5307 grant funds allocated to Bristol, Tennessee which represents 80% Federal funding. When matched with 10% State and 10% local funds, a total of $20,000 is available for the project budget. There being no further discussion, Donny Necessary moved to adopt Resolution 15-01 approving Amendment #5 to the FY 2014-2017 Transportation Improvement Program; seconded by Nick Weander; motion carried unanimously. B. MPO Prospectus and By-Laws Rex Montgomery provided a presentation on the recommendations from the sub-committee appointed by the Executive Board to draft the MPO’s Prospectus and By-Laws (based on the Census 2010 designation of urbanized areas which expanded the urbanized area to include Abingdon, Virginia, and designated Bluff City, Tennessee as part of the Johnson City urbanized area). The presentation also included various (proposed) titles for the MPO to represent the regional structure of the organization. After review of the By-Laws for the Executive Board and Technical Staff, discussion incurred on various items for clarification. The Board requested MPO staff to seek legal counsel opinion concerning absentee voting for the Technical Staff. The Board also concluded to defer any MPO name change until Abingdon, Virginia was a participating member on the MPO Executive Board. There being no further discussion, Ambre Torbett moved to maintain the current MPO name and, pending legal counsel review, to place the Executive Board and Technical Staff By-laws on the agenda for approval at the next regular scheduled Executive Board; seconded by Donny Necessary; motion carried unanimously. Other Matters of Mutual Interest Item A – Annual Listing of Federally Obligated Projects for Fiscal Year 2014. Rex Montgomery explained to ensure that the public will have an accurate understanding of how federal funds are actually being spent on transportation projects, Congress included a requirement in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that organizations responsible for approving the Transportation Improvement Program publish an annual listing of project obligations. Accordingly, the Annual Listing of Federally Obligated Projects responds to that directive and lists all transportation projects in the Bristol Urban Area that were obligated federal funds in Fiscal Year 2014 (October 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014). The report was reviewed and discussed by the Executive Board with no action required. Item B – Bristol Tennessee/Virginia Rail Coalition Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend (City of Bristol, Tennessee) provided an update on the Bristol Rail Coalition. The Coalition is a committee of interested parties (representatives of governmental agencies, local businesses, and citizens) advocating for the advancement of passenger rail service from Roanoke, Virginia through Bristol into Tennessee, connecting the region to the metropolitan areas of Atlanta and Washington D.C. The Coalition has been focused on establishing partnerships along the I-81/I-40/I-75 corridor to build a regional consensus for the extension of passenger rail service as well as promoting passenger rail as a priority with State DOTs. On behalf of the Rail Coalition, the MPO has been requested to fund a market analysis study to support future passenger rail implementation. Rex Montgomery stated other MPOs along the corridor between Bristol and Chattanooga may be interested in participating in the study. Item C – MPO Meeting Schedule for 2015 Page 2 The following meeting schedule for 2015 was approved: March 5, 2015 / June 4, 2015 / September 3, 2015 / December 3, 2015. All meeting times are 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time. Adjournment: There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. Page 3