Broward County Commission Regular Meeting

MOTION TO ADOPT Resolution No. 2019-288 of the Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida, authorizing the Director of the Transportation Department to submit a Grant Application to the Federal Transit Administration for Federal Grant Program funds pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5324, for Emergency Relief FTA Federal Grant Program in the amount of $791,825; and authorize the County Administrator to take any necessary administrative and budgetary actions to implement the grant.

ACTION:  (T-11:16 AM)  Approved.

VOTE:  8-0.  Commissioner Sharief was not present.

Broward County, FL, as the grant applicant and recipient of federal financial assistance, is required by the U.S. Department of Transportation to take official action to authorize the Director of the Transportation Department and the County Attorney, or designated personnel, to execute and file necessary grant applications and all FTA-required documents for Federal assistance on the FTA’s Internet-based grant system. 

None.

TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND TRANSIT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION

This item supports the Board’s Value "Cooperatively delivering an efficient and accessible regional intermodal transportation network" by providing additional funding for the Transportation Department's emergency relief efforts associated with Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Broward County was impacted by Hurricane Irma during the month of September 2017. Broward County Transit provided emergency transportation activities to support its residents during the declared emergency. Broward County's Northeast Transit center  and Ravenswood operating facilities sustained some damage.

In May 2018 the Federal Transit Administration announced an award and allocation of a new Emergency Relief Grant Program to assist Transit agencies impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. The FTA then engaged a Project Management Oversight Contractor (PMOC) to review BCT's preliminary costs, backup documentation for payroll, vendor payments for Paratransit operations, and facility repairs. Upon completion of the review by FTA's PMOC, BCT was approved to submit an application for a total of $791,825 allowing for recovery of emergency fixed route employee costs of $702,392, emergency Paratransit vendor costs of $36,058 and vendor costs for facility repairs in the amount of $53,375. Eligible expenses reimbursed under the FTA Emergency Relief Grant Program are not eligible for FEMA reimbursement.

Chris Walton, Director, Transportation Department, (954) 357-8301