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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 11/19/2019 - RESOLUTION 2019-106 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AAgenda Item 6 Item # 6 Page 1 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY November 19, 2019 City Council STAFF Kaley Zeisel, Transfort Capital Planning/Grant Compliance Mgr Drew Brooks, Director of Transit Chris Van Hall, Legal SUBJECT Resolution 2019-106 Authorizing the Execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Fort Collins, the Town of Windsor and the City of Greeley for the Operation of the Poudre Express. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to authorize the execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Greeley Evans Transit (GET) for the operation of the Poudre Express, the new regional fixed route bus service between Greeley and Fort Collins. GET will operate the Poudre Express, with runs between Greeley and Fort Collins. This will be funded through cooperation with GET and partner agencies, including the Town of Windsor and City of Fort Collins. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Resolution. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION Travel between Northern Colorado communities has been growing and it is estimated that more than 14,000 people commute daily between Fort Collins, Windsor and Greeley. The high level of in-commuting has a significant impact on congestion and quality of life for residents and travelers. Regional services are a key mobility option that help address the negative impacts of in-commuting. Following the successes of FLEX, a regional service operated by Transfort that connects communities along Highway 287, and Bustang, a Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) service between Fort Collins and Denver, GET will begin operating a new express route between Greeley and Fort Collins. The service is anticipated to operate seven trips per day between Greeley and Fort Collins, with stops at Colorado State University (CSU), University of Northern Colorado (UNC) and Windsor. The alignment in Fort Collins is proposed to include I-25 from Highway 392 to Highway 14 with a stop at the Harmony Transfer Center (HTC), and along Highway 14/Mulberry to the CSU Transit Center. Passengers would be able to make transfers to other routes at the CSU Transit Center and MAX and make transfers to Bustang and Transfort’s Route 16 at the HTC. Based on a recent survey, almost 3,000 faculty and students commute between Fort Collins and Greeley, and many others in nearby communities indicated a desire for regional transit service. The result of such a service would be a reduction of intra-regional commuting by single-occupant vehicles, air quality improvements and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, less congestion and higher quality of life for commuters and residents. The proposed funding partners include CDOT; the cities of Greeley, Evans, Windsor and Fort Collins; and CSU and UNC. Agenda Item 6 Item # 6 Page 2 CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS The adoption of this Resolution will have no financial impact. The initial partner contribution of $100,000 was approved and budgeted though the 2019/2020 BFO process (Offer 45.13). -1- RESOLUTION 2019-106 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, THE TOWN OF WINDSOR AND THE CITY OF GREELEY FOR THE OPERATION OF THE POUDRE EXPRESS WHEREAS, based on a recent survey, almost 3,000 faculty and students at Colorado State University (“CSU”) commute between Fort Collins and Greeley and there is additional community desire for regional transit service; and WHEREAS, the City of Fort Collins, Town of Windsor (“Windsor”) and City of Greeley (“Greeley”) are cooperating to offer a Poudre Express bus service that will operate seven trips per day between Greeley and Fort Collins, with stops at CSU, University of North Colorado (“UNC”) and Windsor (the “Poudre Express”); and WHEREAS, the Poudre Express alignment in Fort Collins is proposed to include I-25 from Highway 392 to Highway 14 with a stop at the Harmony Transfer Center and along Highway 14/Mulberry to the CSU Transit Center; and WHEREAS, the Poudre Express will allow passengers to transfer to other routes at the CSU Transit Center and MAX, as well as make transfers to Bustang and Transfort’s Route 16 at the Harmony Transfer Center; and WHEREAS, Fort Collins’ funding partners for the Poudre Express include the Colorado Department of Transportation, Greeley, the City of Evans, Windsor, as well as CSU and UNC; and WHEREAS, Fort Collins’ contribution of $100,000 was approved and budgeted for through the 2019/2020 Budgeting for Outcomes process; and WHEREAS, CSU will provide its contribution for the Poudre Express to Fort Collins through an existing intergovernmental agreement and Fort Collins will remit CSU’s contribution to Greeley on CSU’s behalf; and WHEREAS, the other funding partners will provide their contribution for the Poudre Express directly to Greeley; and WHEREAS, Windsor and Greeley have proposed an Intergovernmental Agreement with Fort Collins to outline the contributions and obligations of each party regarding the Poudre Express (the “IGA); and WHEREAS, Section 29-1-203 of the Colorado Revised Statutes provides that governments may cooperate or contract with one another to provide certain services or facilities when such cooperation or contracts are authorized by each party thereto with the approval of its legislative body or other authority having the power to so approve; and -2- WHEREAS, Article II, Section 16 of the City Charter empowers the City Council, by ordinance or resolution, to enter into contracts with governmental bodies to furnish governmental services and make charges for such services, or enter into cooperative or joint activities with other governmental bodies; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it is in the best interests of the City that the City enter into the proposed IGA and participate in the Poudre Express because it is expected to reduce intra-regional commuting by single-occupant vehicles, improve air quality and reduce greenhouse air emissions, as well as contribute to less congestion and higher quality of life for commuters and residents. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESLOVED 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 the Mayor is hereby authorized to enter into the IGA, in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A,” together with such additional terms and conditions as the City Manager, in consultation with the City Attorney, determines to be necessary and appropriate to protect the interests of the City or to effectuate the purposes of this Resolution. Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 19th day of November, A.D. 2019. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk EXHIBIT A