Super Region Meeting Notes

October 20, 2010

BCAG offices, Chico, California

Those present include all on the attached sign in sheet as well as the following connected by telephone:

Nieves Castro, Acting Deputy Director Planning, District 3 Caltrans

Rex Jackman, Senior Planner, District 1 Caltrans

Cheryl Willis, Deputy Director Planning, District 1 Caltrans

Tamera Leighton, Executive Director, Del Norte Local Transportation Commission

Dick Keiser, Executive Director, Siskiyou Local Transportation Commission

Introduction

Jon Clark and DanLittle introduced the meeting, thenrelayed the progress of the North State Super Region (NSSR) effort to date. A roundtable of introductions followed.

Platform for Meetings

Members want to rotate the meeting,and maintain a central location for everyone. AChair or host for the meeting is needed and will rotate their charge every calendar year. The Chair will also organize the materials, and ask for agenda items a month ahead of the meeting. Dan Littlewas nominated Chair, and Jon Clark Vice Chair.

Initiating a Letter of Support

Suggestions for letters of support will go to the Chair. The procedure for initiating a letter will go something as follows:

  1. The initiator sends correspondence to the Chair detailing their idea for a support or comment letter, requesting support from the Super Region Group. The NSSR member making the request will draft the letter.
  2. The Chair sends this information out to the group requesting comment.
  3. After giving adequate time for response, the initiator makes corrections with assistance from Chair if needed, and returns the document to the group once more for comment. The group can meet impromptu or by phone call if an issue comes up that needs vetting.
  4. Issues can originate from interests of a subgroup such as the coastal counties, and still request consensus from the larger group.
  5. The Chairsigns and sends the letter out in final form.

The question arose as to whether the Executive Directors felt their Boards/Commissions needed to approve the letter. This would cause a problem if every Board must approve every letter, and it is presumed that the Executive Directors have the authority to put forth letters of support as necessary.

The Super Region should adopt a platform for approvals. The platform for approval will be the first order of business for the NSSR group. It is recommended that each RTPA Board adopt the NSSR platform, or its own platform consistent with the NSSR platform. This goal is be able to send NSSR comment letters without prior board approval if consistent with the platform. Items where Directors are not comfortable sending an NSSR letter without prior Board approval will take at least three months, if approved.

Letters will only go out with consensus of all NSSR counties. The NSSR can help facilitate letters with any subset of counties; however, these will not be official letters of the NSSR.

NSSR letters would be signed by the Chair only on NSSR letterhead.

Elected officials may become involved if invited to the meeting to discuss the platform. We would need larger meeting rooms if this occurs.

Action item: The Chair will provide a draft NSSR platform based on the Shasta RTPA’s existing legislative platform.

We want to let the CTC, MTC, SACOG and others know about the important work we are doing, so spread the word about the Super Region effort.

Action item: The Chair will draft a formal introduction letter about the NSSR once the NSSR website is ready.

Action item: Tehama will work with the Chair on a Super Region logo.

Mission Statement for Super Region

The group drafted a mission statement (since condensed by Shasta staff) that will be posted on the Super Region website. Comments may still be provided. NSSR mission:

An alliance to identify common transportation, growth, and land use issues, and formulate unified strategies that can be advocated to implementing agencies and the public.

Website

There is a website dedicated to the Super Region that is currently being developed by Shasta County RTPA. A snapshot of the front page was presented to the group with a request for ideas for the website. Following were some immediate thoughts:

  • Would like to see links to RTPA and other websites on the NSSR website
  • Each County should have a photo and information on their RTPA/County
  • Add a map showing the Super Region and other statistics from NSSR white paper
  • Add a location to post draft support letters and archive all final letters
  • A portion of the site should be password protected for use bySuper Region members only(for purposes of things such as draft letters). The majority of website information could be viewed by all
  • Add information on the county politicians: congress and assembly by the county logo and page
  • RTPA job announcements
  • Requests to swap and exchange funds

Ideas for Letters of Support

Secure Schools

This funding source makes up 60% of Trinity County’s road budget. Other proponents of the effort to restore or supplement this fund are Jim French of Trinity County, RCRC, Siskiyou and Tuolumne counties, and the national Secure Schools Coalition. In addition, a needs survey was put together by CSAC. Rick Tippett will coordinate an initial letter for the Chair. Basically this will support the other coalitions which are in the lead on this. A second letter may be needed when a federal bill is introduced.

CTC meeting in the North State

A CTC meeting location, likely in Redding or Chico, is due. It has been some years since this region has been acknowledged in the rotation of CTC meetings. The group felt that a letter should be written saying who we are and what we do. A presentation about the Super Region would be appropriate for the meeting as well. We need to do the footwork with CTC staff to set up this meeting. Chico would be an ideal venue since a meeting was previously held in Redding. We will suggest both locations since there is a greater chance that one of the locations will be appealing.

Further, we also want a CTC representative from anywhere in the NSSR. Both Willits and Nevada County have had representatives in the past. All NSSR members are encouraged to keep an ear to the ground and actively seek strong CTC candidates. The largest challenge is finding someone who is both knowledgeable and interested in a time consuming job with low pay. Former elected officials in favor with the new governor are the most likely candidates.

Roundtable

Bryan Davey expressed concern about the burden of meeting federal requirements for transportation projects for regions that have small shares. ARRA funding and STIP funding were discussed. This lead to the thought that the NSSR could be used to exchange funds among regions (i.e., state for federal if advantageous to the regions involved). The website could be used for this purpose. In addition, the NSSR will need to monitor any future transportation stimulus package.

Rick Tippett discussed air quality requirements to replace maintenance equipment. He also discussed the NSSR seeking federal earmarks as a region. Earmarks and the reauthorization are a good topic for the next meeting.

Gary Antone mentioned a Local Streets and Roads Assessment that is being developed. The NSSR group suggested that based on this, and other information, the NSSR should assemble various statistics available at the county level that can be rolled up to form statistics for the NSSR area. It would be possible then to compare the NSSR area to the rest of the state. This information could be posted on the website and where applicable, data could be mined for use in comment letters.

Action item: The Chair will coordinate data gathering. Any region that comes across useful data should forward information to the Chair.

Mr. Little suggested that the NSSR may want to explore pooling resources to hire resource agency staff such as the Army Corpsof Engineers or SHPO in order to expedite local and regional projects. The City of Redding currently employs this method successfully. Federal funds may be available for this purpose.

Dan is also examining how federal CMAQ dollars will be distributed in the next reauthorization. CMAQ funds are substantial and can be greater than STIP funding in most regions. Since non-CMAQ regions now are doing blueprints and MPO’s must meet air quality requirements under SB 375, federal regulations should allow more flexibility in the state distribution of CMAQ funding. The SCRTPA will draft a letter for our federal representatives and share it with the group. If this is not something the NSSR can take a position on, the letter will go out on SCRTPA letterhead.

Phil Dow emphasized that funding issues for maintenance is a common problem and perhaps the single biggest issue facing the NSSR. Anew funding source for maintenance is needed just as the state has a SHOPP program. Mr. Dow also mentioned that MCOG may be hiring staff (local-local assistance) to help local agencies, especially small ones, wade through the Caltrans Local Assistance project delivery process.

Presentation on Lobbying (Jon Clark)

The Butte County RTPA is under contract with the Ferguson Group (consultant) for roughly $70,000 per year. So far they have recaptured $11 million in earmarks. They go to Washington DC twice a year to discuss projects and include elected officials. They pay for lobbying with Local Transportation Funds. Lobbying may be something the NSSR would want to consider at a future date.

2nd Roundtable

Dan Little mentioned that Shasta is hosting a Regional Government Forum. Shasta RTPA created an overview document that summarizes RTPA functions and funding. The document would be easy to replicate and is available on the Shasta RTPA website:

Phil Dow asked which counties are working on regional blueprints. Twelve of the sixteen counties are doing so. Three are complete: Butte, Lake, and Shasta. Butte County has a habitat conservation emphasis.

Wrap Up/Next Meeting

Dan Little thanked the group for the inaugural meeting. He emphasized that the NSSR will only be as effective as the time and energy that every member region puts into it. He encouraged the group to keep an eye out for information and issues germane to the NSSR and share it with the group through the Chair.

The next meeting of the NSSR is tentatively scheduled for February 16, 2011 in Redding.