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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 07/20/2010 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 081, 2010, APPROPR DATE: July 20, 2010 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY STAFF: Matt Wempe F F FORTCOLLINS • Second Reading of Ordinance No. 081, 2010, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the Transportation Services Fund for the FY 2010-2011 Safe Routes to School Project. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The City of Fort Collins Transportation Planning department has received an $88,250 federal grant through the Colorado Department of Transportation for the FY 2010-11 Safe Routes to School(SRTS)Program. This funding will allow the City of Fort Collins Safe Routes to School Program to provide non-infrastructure SRTS services for ten local schools. Non-infrastructure SRTS activities include in-class bicycle and pedestrian education, "train the trainers" program and training material development,and walking and bicycling encouragement events. The Fort Collins SRTS program partners with Poudre School District (PSD), the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC) and Bicycle Colorado to provide in-class education and the"train the trainers' program. Additionally, the funds will cover the costs of free bicycle helmets for low-income students,federally-mandated data collection on walking and bicycling at the five local schools, and staff costs for program administration. The funding will allow the Fort Collins SRTS program to build on past successes and provide these services to ten additional schools. This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on July 6, 2010, appropriates the grant funds. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary-July 6, 2010 (w/o attachments) ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: July 6, 2010 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY I STAFF: Matt Wempe FORT COLLINSCOUNCIL First Reading of Ordinance No.081,2010,Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the Transportation Services Fund for the FY 2010-2011 Safe Routes to School Project. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i----- r-- X-\ /7 The City of Fort Collins Transportation Planning department has-received an $88,250 federal grant through the Colorado Department of Transportation for t�h&FY%20'0-1�1 Sage Routes to iSchool(SRTS)Program. This funding will allow the City of Fort Collins Safe RoutestoSchool'Program(administered and staffed by the Transportation Planning division)to provide non-infrastructure SRTS services for ten local schools. Non-infrastructure SRTS activities include in-class bicycle and pedestrian education,"train the trainers"program and training material development,and walking and bicycling encouragement events. The Fort Collins SRTS program partners with Poudre School District (PSD), the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC) and Bicycle Colorado to provide in-class education and the "train the trainers"program. Additionally,the funds will cover the costs of free bicycle helmets for low-income students, federally-mandated data collection on walking and bicycling at the five local schools, and staff costs for program administration. The funding will allow the Fort Collins SRTS program to build on past successes and provide these services to ten additional schools. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The City of Fort Collins Transportation staff develops-and administers the local SRTS program. The success of the program depends heavily on collaborations with local partners, including PSD, BPEC and its local members, Bicycle Colorado,various City departments(Traffic Operations, Police, Engineering),individual schools,parents,and FC Bikes. Per the grant scope of work,the Fort Collins SRTS program will work with ten local schools during the 2010-11 school year, including Bauder Elementary School, Olander School for Project-Based Learning, Riffenburgh Elementary, Shepardson Elementary, and Blevins Middle School (others to be identified this summer based on selection criteria such as location, safety issues, student demographics, and school wellness initiatives). The program activities are designed to improve safe walking and biking opportunities for elementary and middle school children. The grant funding will be available starting Aug us 2010�and will'fund the fi of ingNaU�ties: • Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Classes)(56;250)) Bicycle- Colorado and the Bike Co-op, with assistance from local advocacy-groups, will-conduct walking aLd bicycling safety classes at ten PSD elementary and middle schools. Children will participate in a combination of classroom learning (proper helmet fit, street sign identification, rules of the road/trail) and practical "bike rodeo" activities (straight line riding, starting/stopping, proper signaling and turning)at each school. The Larimer County Child Advocacy Center and Safe Kids Larimer County will incorporate bicycle and pedestrian education into their existing programs aimed at kindergarten through third grade students. \1 • "Train the Trainers" Program and Education Training Materials ($20,000): A new aspect to the SRTS program,the Bike Co-op will train 50 individuals(teachers,parents,volunteers)on how to teach safe bicycling and walking at the ten local PSD schools. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC) will develop and refine the bicycle and:pedestria training-materials used in,the program. Mentoring opportunities will then be available to the trainees as,partof the,bicycle and pedestran education classes hosted by the Bike Co-op. The intention is to allow schools�to continue tolpr_ovide safetbicycling and walking classes beyond the current grant funding to create a sustainable program at each school. hool. LJ • Encouragement and Safety Events ($3,000): The City and BPEC will host walking and bicycling events throughout the school year including International Walk to School Day, Autumn and Spring Bike to School July 6; 2010 -2- ITEM 14 Days, Bike to School Week, and similar events. Educational materials promoting safety, healthy/active lifestyles, and encouragement messages will be distributed by community partners at individual schools. • Additional Grant Activities($9,000): The grant includes$2,000 for the City to distribute free bicycle helmets for students who receive free or reduced lunch. The grant also includes$7,000 for City staff to cover the cost of coordinating the grant activities. This includes contract management and program oversight, activity coordination with PSD Administration and individual schools, organization of program volunteers, public awareness campaigns and website maintenance, and management of the grant partnership. The Fort Collins SRTS program will focus on reaching students, parents, school administrators, and teachers. The goal of the program is to increase the number of children safely bicycling and walking to school, enhance safety education, and increase awareness about,the benefits-of walking-and-bicyclingr In order to gauge the success of they program, students and parents will be surveyed before and after the program using the National Center for Safe Roes to7School student travel tally and parent survey. These surveys will be administered by City staff at the beginning.64the schodl-yearland at the endlof the program. These surveys allow for the collection of data on student travel behaviors as well as attitudes about walking or biking to school. Program success will also be gauged by participation levels, such as approximately 30% of McGraw's total enrollment participating in the 2008 Spring Bike to School Day. i FINANCIAL/ ECONOMIC IMPACTS The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is providing 100 percent of the funds, with no required local match. The funds will be allocated as•outlihed in,the-CDOT-approved scope of work (Attachment 1). CDOT will not require a formal contract with the City based on the•amount of the grant. A purchase order will identify a "start date" when the City can begin,ut�`lizi g three gr-a�ifur ddrs. This date is expected to coincide with the start of school. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Both the 2009 Citizen Survey and 2010 North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization Household Travel Survey noted the relative ease of traveling by bicycle in Fort Collins. The top concern at the 2009 Bicycle Safety Summit at Colorado State University was a lack of education/awareness of rules among bicyclist and motorists. The Fort Collins Safe Routes to School program will address concerns about lack of walking and bicycle safety education to promote healthy lifestyles and increased walking na d'biking to school: STAFF RECOMMENDATION U i_� MV Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At its June 16, 2010, meeting, the Transportation Board voted 6-0 to forward a letter of support for the 2010-11 Fort Collins Safe Routes to School program to-the City Council. /� // I I 8 /r At its June 14,2010, meeting,the Bicycle Advisory Committee voted,8-0 to forward a letter of support for the 2010 11 Fort Collins Safe Routes to School program�\ the Transportation-Board and the City.Council. July 6, 2010 -3- ITEM 14 PUBLIC OUTREACH The 2010-11 SRTS grant application was developed and written by the City's Transportation Planning staff and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition (BPEC). The BPEC held several meetings over two months to discuss a scope of work, partnerships, and prepare the grant application with City staff. This collaborative approach incorporates new ideas and partners. The following groups are receiving funding or donating time and services to accomplish the activities outlined in the grant: City of Fort Collins Safe Routes to School and FC Bikes programs, Healthier Communities Coalition, Poudre School District, Bicycle Colorado, Bike Co-op, Bike Fort Collins, Fort Collins Cycling Club, Larimer County Child Advocacy Center, Safe Kids Larimer County, Colorado Injury Control Research Center(CSU), and FC Bike Library. Public outreach will continue throughout the.schdoli year. Student; teacher, d principal feedback will be used to refine the current and future programs to be responsive to community needs. ATTACHMENTS 1. 2010-11 Safe Routes to School Scope of Work 2. Transportation Board Letter of Support for SRTS and minutes from the June 16, 2010 meeting 3. Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes, June 14, 2010 4. Bicycle Colorado Letter of Support COP colr� COP ORDINANCE NO. 081, 2010 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN-THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FUND FOR THE FY 2010-2011 SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROJECT WHEREAS, the Safe Routes to School Program, established by the Colorado Department of Transportation ("CDOT"), is designed to promote the safety of students traveling to and from school and encourage more students to choose walking or bicycling to and from school; and WHEREAS,the City's Transportation Planning division has received a grant in the amount of $88,250 from CDOT to fund non-infrastructure programming in ten local schools including Olander School for Project-Based Learning, Riffenburgh Elementary, Shepardson. Elementary, Blevins Middle School, and others not yet identified, for a Safe Routes to School Project (the "Project"); and WHEREAS, the Project includes in-class education; a "Train the Trainers" program; free bicycle helmets for low-income students; federally-mandated data collection on walking and bicycling at the ten schools; and staff costs for program administration; and WHEREAS, there is no requirement for local matching funds associated with the Project; and WHEREAS, Article V, Section 9, of the City Charter permits the City Council to make supplemental appropriations by ordinance at any time during the fiscal year, provided that the total amount of such supplemental appropriations;in combination with all previous appropriations for that fiscal year, does not exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year; and WHEREAS,City staff has determined that the appropriation of grant funds totaling$88,250 will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Transportation Services Fund - FY 2010-2011 Safe Routes to School project to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received during the fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from unanticipated grant revenue in the Transportation Services Fund the sum of EIGHTY-EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS($88,250)to provide non-infrastructure programming for ten local schools in the Safe Routes to School Project. r Introduced,considered favorably on first reading,and ordered published this 6th day of July, A.D. 2010, and to be presented for final passage on the420thdaJuly, A.D. 2010. ' ATTEST: YU A City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 20th day of July, A.D. 2010. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk r