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The OTC was asked to revise the current focus areas for TE project selection to reflect current state and federal <br />concerns over job creation and health promotion. <br />They agreed to the following changes bold and underlined are additions; strikethr-ough-is deletion: <br />Projects that fit one or more of the following conditions will receive preference in the project selection process: <br />• Benefits a state highway or state-owned transportation facility, or multi-modal transportation facility. <br />• Benefits a rural/distressed community or Special Transportation Area (STA). <br />• Supports or augments an upcoming pm,ement preservation. STIP project, mixed use or compact <br />development, as state or regional Governor's Economic Revitalization Team effort, or a state or <br />federal Job creation /retention program. <br />• Supports a certified downtown Main Street or the downtown main street in a place of actively working <br />towards certification through the Oregon Main Street Program. <br />• Directly supports existing tourism, health promotion, or economic development efforts, or has tourism, <br />health promotion or economic development as its primary focus. <br />Agenda Item G - Urban Trail Fund <br />Under House Bill 2001, passed by the Oregon State Legislature in 2009, the Urban Trail Fund was created and <br />appropriated $1 million to develop and maintain multi-use trails for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians <br />within urban growth boundaries and to supplement or provide links to roads, highways, footpaths, bike trails, <br />and public transit. The OTC approved the program structure and the project identification process for the first <br />cycle of the Urban Trail Fund (UTF). <br />I have attached documents setting out the Project Identification Process for 2010. The application process will <br />open on June 1 and close on July 9. The OTC directed ODOT staff that projects that showed connectivity <br />should be given preference - so we should note that wherever we can in our application(s). <br />Agenda Item P - Program Funding Levels <br />This was an interesting discussion. Apparently, ODOT had told the legislature that ODOT would have $24 <br />million in available flexible funds taking the increase in gas tax into account. ODOT staff indicated they had <br />made a mistake and that amount was only $21.4 million. However, the amount of available flexible funds turns <br />out to be only $8.6 million. This is because the legislature "spent" about $13 million for increases to support <br />Elderly and Disable transit but failed to take those appropriations out of the bottom line. The OTC stated they <br />didn't think "the legislature knew [that they had not subtracted it out] when they adopted the budget." I have <br />attached their spreadsheet - note that they are revising this. <br />The OTC now needs to determine if they want to reduce some of the discretionary funding to make the <br />available flexible funds larger. While transit is requesting the remaining flexible funds go to transit operations, <br />the OTC indicated they are leaning towards opening up the remaining flexible funds for a competitive process. <br />They stated the competitive process would target projects that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, connect <br />bike/ped or cars to transit, and provide economic benefits. <br />Agenda.pdf UTF.pdf STP projects. pdf Flex.pdf <br />Brenda Wilson <br />Intergovernmental Relations Manager <br />