Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, Hermitage, Pennsylvania

 

Mercer County Transportation Planning

Mercer County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

2003 Meeting Minutes

SHENANGO VALLEY METROPOLITAN
PLANNING ORGANIZATION COORDINATING/TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
 Wednesday, February 19, 2003
10:30 A.M. - MCRPC Offices, Hermitage, PA

PERSONS PRESENT REPRESENTING

Marcia Hirschmann Hermitage City
Daniel Gracenin MCRPC
Mark Miller Mercer County
Dave Ryan Sharon City
Mike Wilson Sharpsville Borough
Erin Wiley PennDOT
Karl Ishman PennDOT
Bill Petit PennDOT
Mariah Hanson PennDOT
David Bollenbacher PennDOT, Mercer
Ron Faull Liberty Township
Bill Jones Mercer County Regional COG
Denise Anthony Senator Robbin’s office
Denny Puko MCRPC
Stephen Theiss Sharon City
Chuck Gilliland Shenango Township
Mike Nashtock South Pymatuning Township
Jack Thompson Grove City Borough
David George West Middlesex Borough
Olivia M. Lazor Mercer County Commissioner
Jim DeCapua Mercer County Regional COG

 

CALL TO ORDER

Ms. Hirschmann called the meeting to order at 10:37 A.M.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING JANUARY 31, 2003

Ms. Hirschmann asked for any additions, deletions, or corrections to the Minutes of the January 31, 2003 meeting. There being none, Ms. Hirschmann asked for a motion to approve. Ms. Lazor so moved, Mr. Ryan seconded, and the motion passed.

APPROVAL OF 2003-2004 UPWP (MCRPC)

Mr. Gracenin noted that annually we are required to approve our work program/budget sheet that would start in July for the 2003-2004 year. He noted that nothing dramatically has changed from the prior year. Under the long-range plan, a modification to the current long-range plan would need to be approved by May 2003. Hopefully, with some Special Studies dollars, we can take a full comprehensive look at the long range plan and start that process in July 2003. Under programming, a 12-year program/TIP update would start in August/September 2003. Under congestion management, we would have to work closer with the Youngstown area, since we have signed the Memorandum of Understanding last month. There may be some additional work under the Clean Air Act compliance amendments, but that would depend upon the outcome of the auto emissions testing. Under Technological Needs/GIS section, he explained that he would need to show the urbanized area funds (roughly $356,000) on our budget sheet. Also, there would be additional work under GIS, since it looks like we will be able to get our flight in and start the process of the GIS system for Mercer County. After some brief discussion, Ms. Hirschmann asked for a motion. Mr. George approved the 2003-2004 UPWP, Mr. Faull seconded, and the motion passed.

APPROVAL OF 2003 MEETING SCHEDULE (MCRPC)

Mr. Gracenin explained that he would like to arrange a 3-month meeting schedule and set future meeting dates. He discussed possibly holding the meetings on the second Wednesday during the months of May, August and November. PennDOT officials noted that the second Wednesday of each month is not good for them. The floor was open for suggestions. It was suggested that we hold the meetings on the second Tuesdays, which would be May 13th, August 12th, and November 11th. It was noted that November 11th is Veteran’s Day. It was noted that we could hold the November meeting on Thursday, November 13th. After there being no further comments, Mr. George approved the 3-month meeting schedule, which the meeting dates would be May 13th, August 12th, and November 13th. Mr. Nashtock seconded, and the motion passed.

OTHER BUSINESS

---Amendment to I-80 Project – Mr. Ishman explained that $1.5 Million was taken from the I-79 project to support the patching effort on I-80 this year. A motion was made by Mr. Wilson to approve the amendment to the I-80 project. Mr. George seconded. And the motion passed.

---GIS – Mr. Puko noted that we had met with one firm regarding aerial photography and GIS. He explained that we would be meeting with another firm on Thursday to review the basics of creating a GIS system. Cost estimates would be examined from both firms and try to build into that the ability to fund this through the new urbanized area funding, which was approved at last months meeting. Mr. Gracenin noted that the aerial photography is the first step necessary since we only have a short small window to get this aerial photography in before spring. He noted that after talking with Mariah Hanson from the District office, we would be allowed to piggyback onto State contracts in order to spend those dollars. He is waiting on a call from the Central office to discuss details and work up a reimbursement agreement. In discussion, it was suggested that Mr. Gracenin call Erie County on this issue since they have already gone through this process.

---Auto Emissions – Mr. Puko informed everyone about a meeting that would be held at the Hermitage Municipal Building on Friday, February 21st for municipal officials regarding auto emissions testing in the Commonwealth. He stated that a Federal District Court ruled that Pennsylvania was in violation of the Clean Air Act when it chose not to bring a tail pipe testing program to Counties like Mercer County and others awhile back.

---Transit Funding Issues – Mr. DeCapua expressed his concerns over a meeting that was held back in November with the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service and WRTA in Youngstown, OH in regards to coming up with a formula to share the transit portion of 5307 money, that will be coming in from the Federal government. After that meeting, it was his understanding that we had a tentative agreement on how the monies would be split for 2003. Mr. Puko received a letter yesterday from WRTA basically seeking a lot of operational statistics from the Shenango Valley Shuttle Service, since the tentative agreement that had been on the table is unacceptable to WRTA. There are concerns that they are trying to bury our small Shuttle Service and reduce our share. He explained that the worst-case scenario would be that we equally share the pain of reduction. Mr. DeCapua felt that we act on this issue. A motion was made by Ms. Lazor to back the Shenango Valley Shuttle Services’ philosophy and negotiations and that the worst-case scenario would be that we equally share the pain of reduction. Mr. Nashtock seconded and the motion passed.

---Mr. Puko noted that since last months meeting he met with our U.S. Congressional delegation: (Kim Green from Senator Specter’s office and Margaret Tetun from Senator Santorum’s office). Commissioner Lazor sat in on the meeting, along with Dan Gracenin and Jim DeCapua to talk about projects that could be considered for next years’ appropriation or inclusion as an earmark in the T3 legislation. This is when the reauthorization of the big multi-year funding for transportation projects takes place. Mr. Puko would prepare written information to help them in their discussions. It was noted that certain projects that are regional in nature such as the I-70/PA 208 interchange, the PA 60/318 interchange or the Broadway/Sharpsville Avenue project would have a better chance at earmarking.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 11:18 A.M.

Respectfully Submitted,

Daniel M. Gracenin,
MPO Secretary

 

Mercer County Regional Planning Commission
2491 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
mail@mcrpc.com    www.mcrpc.com

 

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