Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, Hermitage, Pennsylvania

 

Mercer County Transportation Planning

Mercer County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

2004 MPO Meeting Minutes

SHENANGO VALLEY METROPOLITAN
PLANNING ORGANIZATION COORDINATING/TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
 Tuesday, July 13, 2004
10:30 A.M. - MCRPC Offices, Hermitage, PA

PERSONS PRESENT  REPRESENTING

  • Marcia Hirschmann Hermitage City            

  • Daniel Gracenin MCRPC

  • Dave Ryan Mayor - Sharon City

  • Mike Wilson Sharpsville Borough

  • Kevin McCullough PennDOT, Harrisburg

  • Dave Bollebacher PennDOT, Mercer

  • Brian Yedinak PennDOT

  • Erin Wiley PennDOT, District 1-0

  • Deborah Schreckengost PennDOT, District 1-0

  • Bill Jones Mercer County Regional COG

  • James A. DeCapua Mercer County Regional COG

  • Mark Miller Mercer County

  • Bill Morocco Farrell City

  • Dave George West Middlesex Borough

  • Tom Stanton Wheatland Borough

  • Pete Longiotti Greenville Borough

  • Vance Oakes Greenville Borough

  • Jerry Johnson Mercer Borough

  • Diane Helbig Commissioner Michele Brooks

  • Ron Faull Liberty Township

  • Ken Seamans Wilmington Township

  • Mirta Reyes-Chapman Eastgate Regional COG

  • John Getchey Eastgate Regional COG

  • Kathleen Rodi Eastgate Regional COG

  • Karl Ishman PennDOT

  • Terry Farren Grove City Borough

  • Denny Puko MCRPC

  • Stephen Theiss Mercer County Trails Association

  • Tom Paxton Pine Township

  • Barb Brown Springfield Township

  • Gene Smith State Transportation Commission

  • Chuck Gilliland Shenango Township

  • Nathan S. Clark, Jr. Greenville Borough

  • Nancy Leone Representative Dick Stevenson

  • Pat Turner Representative Rod Wilt

  • Margaret Tetuan Senator Santorum

  • Denise Anthony Senator Robbins

CALL TO ORDER

Ms. Hirschmann called the meeting to order at 10:30 A.M.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MEETING APRIL 6, 2004

Ms. Hirschmann asked for any additions, deletions, or corrections to the Minutes of the April 6, 2004 meeting.  There being none, Ms. Hirschmann asked for a motion to approve.  Mr. Seamans so moved, Mr. Stanton seconded.  The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF SELF CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION

Mr. Gracenin explained that the next few items are all a requirement of the MPO adopting our new 2005-2008 TIP.  He stated that the 30-day public review process regarding all of the following documentation ended, a public meeting was held last night and was only attended by Kathleen Rodi, from Eastgate, our MPO partner from Ohio .  The information was available for public review at our office and on the web site.  The Western Reserve Transit Authority (WRTA) submitted comments concerning the draft TIP, which will be part of the public record.  They made a number of comments and raised a number of concerns regarding our financial constraint documentation, which deals with the transit portion of the TIP.  Since we have been combined with the urbanized area of Youngstown , we have to split our Federal transit dollars with them.  The concerns relate to the financial capacity documentation and the fact that we do not have a split agreement with WRTA for the 2004 year.  He noted that we did have a 2003 agreement, and we are required to come up with another split for the 2004 year dollars.  WRTA’s concerns are the numbers that we put into our financial guidance.  Part of that reasoning is that we have to use something to base our planning on in the future.  The numbers that are in the financial documentation can change, especially since there is no new federal legislation.  We do not know if transit dollars will increase, decrease, etc.

Mr. Gracenin next stated that the Self Certification Resolution needs to be approved annually.  Basically, it certifies that the planning process is being carried out in conformance with all of the applicable federal requirements and certifies that the local process to enhance the participation of general public, including the transportation disadvantaged, has been followed in developing all plans and programs, including the FFY 2005-2008 TIP.  A motion was made by Mr. Stanton to approve the Self Certification Resolution.  Mr. Morocco seconded.  The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF AIR QUALITY RESOLUTION

Mr. Gracenin explained that this Resolution needs to be approved every two years.  Basically, it certifies that we are in conformity of the Long Range Plan and TIP in accordance with the Clean Air Act requirements.  He noted that in the Resolution, it states that we have been designated as a marginal nonattainment area for ozone and we need to get clarification on this.  He stated that it had been changed to basic nonattainment not too long ago.  He was informed by PennDOT that we would have to due our Air Quality determination again, which is due by June 15, 2005.  Mr. McCullough stated that they would take the TIP that we are adopting for 2005 and it would have to be run through air quality conformity based on the new 8 hour standard.  The prior air quality conformity was based on the 1 hour standard.  After discussion, a motion was made by Mr. Ryan to approve the Air Quality Resolution.  Mr. Stanton seconded.  The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF TIP ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

Mr. Gracenin stated that as part of our TIP update, the administrative procedures would need to be approved.  He explained that there are no changes in the procedures from the ones currently in affect.  He noted that this is not an amendment to our TIP; it just states how we do the administrative procedures.  Basically, any cost change under $1 Million to a project in the first three years of the TIP, that does not affect air quality would be considered an administrative procedure.  Any time we have a new phase or a brand new project would be considered an amendment and would always be reviewed at an MPO meeting.  This procedure establishes administrative procedures as permitted by the federal planning regulations.  These administrative action procedures are permitted by federal planning regulations and specify how changes may be made to the TIP.  This agreement specifies how changes can be made without formal action by the MPO.  A motion was made by Mr. George to approve the TIP Administrative Procedures.  Ms. Brown seconded.  The motion passed.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Mr. DeCapua expressed his concerns over the federal funding split of transit dollars between two transit agencies, WRTA and SVSS.  The issue of splitting transit dollars was to be negotiated through a process set up by the Federal Transit Administration.  He noted that he was made aware that WRTA has drawn down a portion of their money before the agreement had been reached and the SVSS is unhappy.

APPROVAL OF 2005-2008 TIP

Mr. Gracenin stated that back in April we tentatively approved the 2005-2008 TIP.  He noted that nothing has changed on the list.  Mr. Ishman noted that the I-79/Rt. 208 project is large and using most of the money in the TIP.  Mayor Ryan expressed concerns on the State Street Bridge , noting that it is in deteriorating rapidly.  A 30-day public review and comment period was held.  After brief discussion, a motion was made by Ms. Brown to approve the 2005-2008 TIP.  Mr. Wilson seconded. The motion passed.

OTHER BUSINESS

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 11:50 P.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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