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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MEETING MINUTES 

May 20, 2015

Osage Centre – Cape Girardeau

Board Voting Members Present:

Mr. Chauncy Buchheit, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning & Economic Development       Commission (SEMO RPC)

Mr. Dwain Hahs, City of Jackson

Mr. Scott Meyer, City of Cape Girardeau

Mr. Tom Mogelnicki, Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority (CGCTA)

Mr. Harry Rediger, City of Cape Girardeau

Mr. Jim Roach, City of Jackson

Board Ex-Officio Members Present:

Mr. Matt Seiler, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT)

Technical Planning Committee Members Present:

Mr. Rodney Bollinger, City of Jackson

Mr. Tom Caldwell, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)

Mr. Drew Christian, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning & Economic Development             Commission

Mr. Joe Killian, Missouri Department of Transportation

Mr. John Mehner, Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET

Staff Present:

Ms. Molly Hood, City of Cape Girardeau

Mr. Ryan Shrimplin, City of Cape Girardeau

Call to Order 

Chairman Buchheit called the meeting to order at 2:00 p.m.

Introductions

There were no introductions.

Public Comments

There were no public comments.

Adoption of Agenda

The agenda of the May 20, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting was unanimously approved for adoption upon motion made by Mr. Rediger and seconded by Mr. Mogelnicki.

Minutes

The minutes of the April 15, 2015 Board of Directors Meeting were unanimously approved upon motion made by Mr. Roach and seconded by Mr. Meyer.

Communications from the Chairman

There were no communications from the Chairman.

New/Unfinished Business

Chairman Buchheit opened the public hearing on the FY 2016 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP).  There being no appearances to speak, he closed the public hearing.  Mr. Shrimplin stated the Technical Planning Committee will vote to recommend adoption of the UPWP at its June 3, 2015 meeting.

Chairman Buchheit introduced RESOLUTION NO. 2015-03, A Resolution recognizing Barbara Lohr.  Mr. Rediger made a motion to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2015-03.  Mr. Meyer seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

Chairman Buchheit introduced RESOLUTION NO. 2015-04, A Resolution expressing support of an application by the City of Cape Girardeau for a Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation loan to repair the South Sprigg Street Bridge.  Ms. Hood explained the bridge has been closed for over two years due to the sinkholes.  The City has applied for Emergency Relief Program funds to reconstruct the bridge and is awaiting an Act of Congress to receive the funds.  A low interest loan through the Missouri Transportation Finance Corporation would provide funding to begin work immediately.  Mr. Mogelnicki made a motion to approve RESOLUTION NO. 2015-04.  Mr. Hahs seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

Other Communications

Mr. Mogelnicki stated the CGCTA and Southeast Missouri State University Transit Service recently executed an addendum to the Memorandum of Understanding for allocation of FTA Section 5307 funds for FFY 2015.  He requested that SEMPO staff prepare and submit to him a letter addressed to FTA confirming that both transit providers operate within the SEMPO boundary.

Mr. Meyer stated the Cape Girardeau City Council approved an ordinance calling for an election on the question of whether or not to extend the sales tax for the Transportation Trust Fund.  This extension, called TTF 5, would provide funding for both specific and general projects, with an emphasis on taking care of the system.  As part of TTF 5, the funds that were previously approved for the extension of Armstrong Drive would be repurposed for neighborhood street repairs.  The extension of the tax for TTF 5 will appear on the August 4, 2015 ballot.

Mr. Hahs stated the City of Jackson will have a water system bond issue on the same ballot.

Mr. Roach gave an overview of several transportation projects underway in the City of Jackson.

Chairman Buchheit asked how MoDOT is responding to the Missouri General Assembly’s failure to pass a bill increasing the State’s motor fuel tax.  Mr. Seiler stated MoDOT will move forward with implementing the 325 System plan as authorized by the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC).  The draft 2016-2020 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) was presented to MHTC last week.  He also gave an overview of the bills that were passed by the General Assembly, including funding for ports and transit.

Mr. Killian distributed copies of the draft STIP map and requested that if anyone has questions about the map to contact him.  He stated that Congress has agreed to extend MAP-21 to July 31, 2015.  If Congress takes no further action, MoDOT will stop paying invoices by June 30, 2015.

Mr. Caldwell stated IDOT’s new Secretary of Transportation has launched a “listening tour” across the state to hear directly from citizens, businesses and organizations regarding Illinois’ transportation needs.  He added that IDOT is also facing a declining funding structure.

Mr. Christian stated the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is up to date, but the new STIP projects will need to be added once the STIP is approved by MHTC.  The official full TIP must be adopted by the Board and submitted in time for approval by the Missouri and Illinois governors next March.

Mr. Christian also gave an update on the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP).  He stated the SEMO RPC is preparing the data needed to commence with forecasting travel demand using the three scenarios (no growth, low growth, and moderate growth).  He is currently working on the fiscally constrained and “illustrative” project lists, but will need more information from the City of Cape Girardeau, City of Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, CGCTA, and other transportation partners.  He added the MTP does not require the approval of the governors but it is directly related to the TIP.

Adjournment 

Upon motion made by Mr. Meyer, seconded by Mr. Rediger, the meeting was adjourned unanimously at 2:30 p.m.