ELKO COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Transcription

1 WARREN RUSSELL, CHAIR JOHN PATRICK RICE JEFF WILLIAMS 540 COURT STREET ELKO, NEVADA PHONE (775) FAX # (775) ELKO COUNTY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ELKO COUNTY, COUNTY OF ELKO, STATE OF NEVADA, REGULAR MEETING TO BE HELD IN THE NANNINI ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING, SUITE 102, 540 COURT STREET, ELKO, NEVADA, BEGINNING AT 10:00 A.M., PACIFIC TIME. The Regional Transportation Commission, County of Elko, State of Nevada, met in a regular session on Wednesday, July 11, 2012, in Suite 102 of the Nannini Building at 540 Court Street, Elko, Nevada beginning at 10:00 A.M. Commissioner Members Present: WARREN RUSSELL, Chair JOHN PATRICK RICE JEFF WILLIAMS Others Present: ROBERT STOKES County Manager CASH MINOR CFO/Asst. Manager MARILYN TIPTON Deputy County Clerk DELMO ANDREOZZI Asst. City Manager DENNIS STRICKLAND Elko City Public Works Dir. BRYCE KIMBER W. Wendover Public Works Chairman Russell called the meeting to order at 10:17 a.m. Commissioner Rice led the meeting participants in the Pledge of Allegiance. I. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: No public comments were submitted. II. APPROVAL OF PRECEDING MINUTES: April 4, Regular Meeting PAGE 1

2 MOTION: Commissioner Rice moved to approve the April 4, 2012, meeting minutes. Commissioner Williams seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 10:19:39 PM: III. ELKO COUNTY REGIONAL STREET AND HIGHWAY FUND: Review of Quarterly Financial Reports relating to Regional Street and Highway fund. Cash Minor stated the revenues collected within a ten month period was $1,593, but estimated they would receive less than last year. He would speak with Otis on the over expenditure on the mag/lig projects. He stated Federal Highway funding would over the over expenditure upon the Harrison Pass Project. Commissioner Russell commented upon the financial difficulties that the County Road Department had been facing. He stated the County had been subsidizing the Spring Creek Association asphalt roads yet there were other communities with gravel roads within the County that received no maintenance at all. He proposed that at the next meeting of the RTC to reduce the funding given to the Spring Creek Association to $100,000 in the coming fiscal year. Commissioner Russell inquired what the current amount was given to Spring Creek Association. Cash Minor replied $190,000. Commissioner Russell noted where Commissioner Williams lived there was no maintenance being performed. Commissioner Williams commented that there was no maintenance currently upon the roads within the Osino area were the County was concerned. Commissioner Rice understood the reason behind it but did not support this at this time because it would be a 40% decrease in the funding for the Spring Creek community with much smaller funding increments to the other portions of the County. He suggested they look at other alternatives because the SCA community was currently being hit by large increases in water fees. Commissioner Russell asked Cash Minor to give a historical review of why the Spring Creek Subdivision was receiving a subsidy. Cash Minor stated the RTC started in 1987 and Spring Creek Association was provided a subsidy through Elko County s allocation in the early 1990 s. He believed it was a political decision because of the voting block within the Association. There was no legal requirement that the County give funding to the Association. Commissioner Rice inquired if the SCA roads were County roads. Cash Minor stated they were subdivision roads accepted for public access but not for County maintenance similar to the other subdivisions accepted by the County. Commissioner Russell stated there were other subdivisions throughout the PAGE - 2

3 County that have semi-public homeowner associations which the property owners provide for the maintenance. Commissioner Rice stated he was a property owner wherein they do share on maintenance costs. Commissioner Williams suggested a study be conducted of this issue and that they look at other measures that would be necessary to what they need to have quality, safe County roads. Commissioner Russell opposed spending RTC funding on a study that would tell them something they already know. He felt they should hold public meetings upon the issue and noted it was a political issue whether they made the decision. He stated it was a practical decision because the operational costs of their Road Department was being hampered and diminished by inflation. Commissioner Williams inquired what they would do in the long term because the $400,000 from the additional gas tax would not keep the County Road department solvent in the next five to six years. Robert Stokes stated the subsidy to the Spring Creek Association was a County matter and would have to be decided upon by the County Commission. Commissioner Russell stated he has previously spoken to Mary Winter, SCA President, about his proposal. Commissioner Rice asked that this be placed upon the RTC agenda as well as the County Commission agenda for further discussion. Commissioner Russell explained the RTC had no control over how the County of Elko allocates their RTC funding. Commissioner Rice suggested other alternatives be looked at which did not require a study. Commissioner Williams suggested they consider other options and did not recommend an outside study. Commissioner Russell believed that if options were proposed they could utilize internal staff to research those alternatives. MOTION: Commissioner Rice moved to approve the Quarterly Financial Report related to the Regional Street and Highway Fund. Commissioner Williams seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. 10:42:05 AM: IV. ELKO COUNTY TRANSIT DEPARTMENT: Discussion and consideration of a funding request for the Elko County Transit System. Cash Minor stated the RTC had a history of providing funding to the transit system. He stated there was a request of allocation from the safety funds for the PAGE 3

4 transit system in the amount of $50,000. He stated the request was for funding to match grants and the amount normally was in the amount of $25,000. Abigail Wheeler, EATS Transit Coordinator, believed they should expand the service to include the entire community. She stated the seniors and disabled continue to be their primary population that they target. Abigail Wheeler stated they would work with the other entities to the best of their ability and their City route had good ridership. She stated they could not dedicate an entire bus to Spring Creek all day long but would try to open up some time slots. Abigail Wheeler stated they were in the process of moving dispatch back to Elko from Coach America. Abigail Wheeler stated they were not marketing because they were in the midst of transition but they were seeing positive response. Commissioner Williams stated they recognized the importance of the transit system and inquired why they raised it to $50,000. Abigail Wheeler stated they were serving the community, serving the seniors, handicapped, and the families which dealt with the mine shift work hours. She said they were working with NDOT to acquire federal funding and the mines to receive donations. Abigail Wheeler stated they were looking for other alternatives for revenue. She explained the $50,000 was $25,000 from the past year with NEAT and $25,000 for the current year. Cash Minor stated this was discussed at the Budget Committee. Commissioner Russell stated that Committee was in support of this. Commissioner Rice inquired if next year contribution would be $25,000 and received an affirmative response. Abigail Wheeler had spoken to people from Medicaid and the Welfare Department about transportation of lower income family members while the adult member may be attending training or working. She hoped to improve the schedule for the fixed route. Abigail Wheeler had received a call from the Manner, Green Acre Apartments, WestStates who wished to be placed upon the fixed route. She had support from the businesses and some wished to be added to the fixed route schedule. Commissioner Russell called for public comment. No comment was submitted. MOTION: Commissioner Williams moved to increase this year and only this year to $50,000 for the transit system which would come from the RTC Safety Fund with the understanding that unless something changes drastically it would go back to $25,000 in the 2013 year. Commissioner Rice seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. Commissioner Russell encouraged Ms. Wheeler to bring in reports about PAGE - 4

5 her ridership, and demographics of her ridership. Robert Stokes stated he would enter this under the entity reports. 10:55:48 AM: V. GAS TAX INCREASE PROPOSAL: Discussion and consideration of the proposal to increase the gas tax by 2 ½ cents to maximum of 9 cents which is on the County Commission agenda for consideration. Commissioner Rice stated the Elko City Council voted in support of this measure. He stated this was a user tax and a lot of the tax was paid by the people coming from outside the area. Commissioner Williams had received comments upon the increase of the gas tax but felt this was absolutely needed to keep the roads and highway operating smoothly and safely throughout the County. Commissioner Williams stated it may be possible to cut back upon road maintenance for several years but for every year they did not do significant work on the roads, the roads would deteriorate to the point they would need reconstruction. He commented it would cost more to reconstruct the roads rather than repair the roads. Commissioner Williams stated the County residents wanted the roads travelable and safe which would cost to keep those roads maintained. Dennis Strickland, Elko City Public Works Director, stated the gas tax would continue to drop because the cars were becoming more fuel efficient and there was more conservation. He stated there were more hybrids on the highways which would impact the amount of gas tax. He noted the asphalt would soon require maintenance which was different than the mag/lig projects. He supported the decision of the RTC to recommend an increase in the gas tax. Dennis Strickland stated they would have to look at other revenue sources such as the ¼ cent sales tax to deal with the capital expenditures, the paved roads, and the growth within the County. He stated as a sitting member of the Road Services Advisory Committee, a member of the audience and the public he supported this measure. Commissioner Russell commented they should explain to the public that they were supporting the operational costs and there was a bigger challenge to meet the capital costs and to sustain the roads they already have. He stated they should explain this additional tax was not to increase roads to the system or upgrade the roads. He opposed debt and bonding and would rather take care of the needs through these user taxes. He noted they were being told they would have to bond for millions of dollars in the next five years to take care of the road needs within the County if they don t do anything now. PAGE 5

6 MOTION: Commissioner Rice moved that we show our support for the proposal to increase the gas tax by two and one-half cents to the maximum of nine cents for the various reasons we discussed and perhaps a letter from the Chairman to the County Commission would be in order. Commissioner Williams seconded the motion. Commissioner Russell called for public comment. Bryce Kimber, West Wendover Public Works Director, stated they were in favor of their decision. He believed their City Council would be in agreement. Delmo Andreozzi, Elko City Assistant Manager, stated the City received the assessed evaluation of all subdivisions that were located within the City as a tax base but the road maintenance obligation was also assumed. He stated the various gas taxes the City receives from the RTC and the option gas taxes have been used to pay for bonds but even in the City s Road Department the gas tax does not fund the entire Road Department. Delmo Andreozzi said the City had to take other measures to perform the needed maintenance and catch up on some of the needed repairs. They had to increase the advalorem property tax to help them fund the road projects such as Idaho Street, Silver Street and the Errecart Bridge projects. Delmo Andreozzi stated they had supplemented their road fund from the general fund and the advalorem taxes. He stated this additional revenue would help the City maintain more roads. Delmo Andreozzi stated there were roads within their community that were not on the service such as Manzanita, Flag View Drive, etc. He stated they need to address ways to improve the traffic flow around the community but under the current funding mechanism that was unachievable. Delmo Andreozzi noted the Elko City Council had submitted a letter of support and he verbally supported the gas tax. He stated Elko was the only City on the I-80 corridor that has not been at the maximum gas tax of nine cents. Commissioner Williams felt they should recognize that if they do not pay as they go and would have to bond in the future. He stated if they borrow the money they have to pay interest. Commissioner Russell stated that if they pay as you go you support the quality of the road so it will last longer. Commissioner Williams noted the entities would also benefit from the gas tax increase as well as the rural areas. Commissioner Rice stated the maintenance of infrastructure was an issue across the nation. He stated they saw examples of communities around the country which have not been proactive and were paying for it through debt. PAGE - 6

7 Commissioner Williams had received phone calls complaining about the County workers but stated they have as good a quality of County employees as they do in private business. He stated they need to be to have facts before they take action and encouraged anybody from the outside who know of incidents to bring it to the attention of the County with the details to hold an investigation. The motion passed unanimously. Chairman Russell would communicate to the County Commission that they have voted in support of this increase. 11:17:25 AM: VI. NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: Update reporting as may be available relating to traffic counts, projects and other matters of interest. No Department of Transportation personnel were present to submit a report. VII. ENTITY PROJECTS REPORTS: Report on status of entity projects financed by Regional Street and Highway Fund apportionments. A. City of Carlin: No representative was present to submit a report. 11:17:57 AM: B. City of Elko Dennis Strickland, Public Works Director, stated the City of Elko just started the $650,000 project to extend the life of their roads within some of the subdivisions. He stated they would be looking at a similar expenditure on a semiannual basis to stay caught up with their maintenance needs. He stated this did not address the capital needs within the City. Dennis Strickland stated last night they awarded the reconstruction of West Main which would finish the second half of the project started several years ago. He stated they had previously discussed the Mountain City corridor and traffic signals and there were still issues. He was informed by NDOT interconnectivity within that corridor would be delayed until C. City of Wells No report was submitted. 11:20:01 AM: D. City of West Wendover Bryce Kimber stated the bid on the Wendover Boulevard Enhancement Project would close on 31 st of July, and hoped to award the bid on August 7 th contingent upon review by NDOT and the CDBG committee. PAGE 7

8 E. Town of Jackpot Robert Stokes stated there was nothing to report. F. Spring Creek Association No representative was present to submit a report. G. Elko County School District No representative was present to submit a report. H. Northeastern Nevada Transit Coalition Commissioner Russell informed Abigail she would be able to report anything new under this agenda item in the future. 11:22:08 AM: I. Elko County Commissioner Russell believed they would begin to experience some traffic situations in the Spring Creek area. He noted property adjacent to King s was being developed. He had heard there would be movement upon the Big W Ranch Project which would impact the traffic pattern. He stated the US 93 was closed for several hours yesterday due to a fire moving toward Jackpot. Robert Stokes stated they had contained the fire. 11:23:22 AM: VIII. GENERAL DISCUSSION OF ROUTINE RTC ISSUES: Commissioner Russell stated the next meeting would be his last RTC meeting. IX. OCTOBER 2012 RTC MEETING: The next regularly scheduled RTC Meeting was scheduled for October 3, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. X. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD: No public comments were submitted. XI. ADJOURNMENT: Chairman Russell adjourned the meeting at 11:24 a.m. APPROVED, ATTEST: MARILYN TIPTON, Deputy Clerk WARREN RUSSELL, Chairman PAGE - 8