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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 06/07/2016 - FIRST READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 075, 2016, APPROPRIAgenda Item 11 Item # 11 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY June 7, 2016 City Council STAFF Nancy Nichols, Safe Routes to School Coordinator SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 075, 2016, Appropriating Unanticipated Grant Revenue in the Transportation Services Fund for the Safe Routes to School Program. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is appropriate unbudgeted funds received through a grant for the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program (part of the City’s FC Moves Department). The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has awarded a $12,960 grant for implementation of new bicycling and walking camps, clubs and field trips at Fort Collins schools. This project requires a 20% local match ($3,240), which will be covered by the SRTS program operating budget. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a nationwide effort to get more children biking and walking to school for their health, academic achievement and the environment. SRTS focuses on the Five E’s of transportation services: Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement and Evaluation. The City’s SRTS program emphasizes education, encouragement and evaluation activities, while collaborating with other City departments to address engineering and enforcement issues. In 2015, the SRTS program reached a total of 15,700 local residents with bike-pedestrian education and encouragement programming, including 13,500 K-12 students and 2,200 parents and other adults. Of the 13,500 students, 7,700 received personal instruction on bike-pedestrian safety from an SRTS instructor during PE class or at another school or community event. The success of the program is based on collaborations with local partners, including Poudre School District (PSD), Bike Fort Collins, Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Coalition, Safe Kids Larimer County, BaseCamp, various City departments (Traffic Operations, Police, Engineering, Recreation, Parks, Streets), local businesses, individual schools and parents. This grant supports the following City of Fort Collins plans: City Plan: Policy SW 2.3 - Support Active Transportation Support means of physically active transportation (e.g., bicycling, walking, wheelchairs, etc.) by continuing bike and pedestrian safety education and encouragement programs, providing law enforcement, and maintaining bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, lighting, and facilities for easy and safe use, as outlined in the Pedestrian Plan and Bicycle Plan. Transportation Master Plan: Policy T 8.1 - Support Active Transportation Support physically active transportation (e.g., bicycling, walking, wheelchairs, etc.) by continuing bike Agenda Item 11 Item # 11 Page 2 and pedestrian safety education and encouragement programs, providing law enforcement, and maintaining bike lanes, sidewalks, trails, lighting, and facilities for easy and safe use. 2014 Bicycle Plan: Recommendation 2.7 - Expand Safe Routes to School Programming With the assistance of local advocacy organizations and community partners, the SRTS program will educate at least 8,000 K-12 students annually by 2020. This grant funding will support existing bike field trips at two schools (Olander Elementary and Traut Elementary) and will create new after-school and summer biking and walking camps/clubs at Summer BaseCamp and regular BaseCamps at Irish, Laurel, Linton, O’Dea, Putnam and Werner elementary schools. It will also support a new after-school bike club at Lincoln Middle School. CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS This is the latest of several grants received by the City’s Safe Routes to School program since 2007, totaling $803,981. CDOT is providing 80% ($12,960) of the full program cost ($16,200), with the City’s SRTS program covering 20% ($3,240) in required matching funds. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Transportation Board and its Bicycle Advisory Committee receive periodic updates from the SRTS program. Both groups have shown strong support for the program’s goals as well as for grant funding to support the program. The PSD SRTS Steering Committee also supports the scope of this grant. PUBLIC OUTREACH SRTS public outreach occurs on an ongoing basis through presentations to school PTOs/PTAs, school wellness teams and community groups. Public outreach is also accomplished through an SRTS annual summary, media coverage and information posted on the SRTS website, Safe Routes to School. -1- ORDINANCE NO. 075, 2016 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS APPROPRIATING UNANTICIPATED GRANT REVENUE IN THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FUND FOR THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM 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 to encourage more students to choose walking or bicycling to and from school; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins Safe Routes to School Program has received a grant through CDOT in the amount of $12,960; and WHEREAS, this grant requires a minimum 20% local match which will be paid for by existing appropriations in the Safe Routes to School operating budget in FC Moves in the amount of $3,240; and WHEREAS, the grant and matching funds will be used for implementation of new bicycling and walking camps, clubs and field trips at Fort Collins schools; and WHEREAS, the City’s grant application defines the scope of the grant and the City is awaiting a CDOT letter to proceed and invoice before conducting activities pursuant to the grant; 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, do 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 the grant funds as described herein will not cause the total amount appropriated in the Transportation Services Fund to exceed the current estimate of actual and anticipated revenues to be received in that fund during any fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the City Council hereby makes and adopts the determinations and findings contained in the recitals set forth above. Section 2. That there is hereby appropriated for expenditure from unanticipated revenue in the Transportation Services Fund the sum of TWELVE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY DOLLARS ($12,960) for the Safe Routes to School Program implementation of new bicycling and walking camps, clubs and field trips at Fort Collins -2- schools. Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 7th day of June, A.D. 2016, and to be presented for final passage on the 21st day of June, A.D. 2016. __________________________________ Mayor Pro Tem ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 21st day of June, A.D. 2016. __________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _______________________________ City Clerk