Fremont City Council Meeting: 09/02/25 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Human Services Department Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Agreements and Contracts
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5515) DOC ID: 5515
Updated: 8/26/2025 9:39 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
CITY OF UNION CITY JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT - Authorization to Execute a Task Order to the Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Union City for FY 2025/26 Paratransit Services and Make Finding of CEQA Exemption Contact Persons:
Name: Shawn Fong Arquimides Caldera
Title: Paratransit Program Manager Human Services Director Div/Dept: Human Services Department Human Services Department Phone: 510-574-2033 510-574-2056
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to recommend that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute Task Order No. 16 to the Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Union City for FY 2025/26 paratransit services to be provided by the Human Services Department to Union City residents in an amount not-to-exceed $155,000.
BACKGROUND: Since 2017, the City’s Ride-On Tri-City! (ROTC) Program has provided paratransit services for Union City residents under a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) between the City of Fremont (City) and the City of Union City (Union City). The current JPA with Union City was made pursuant to applicable State law and does not create a separate legal entity. Rather, the JPA allows Union City seniors and individuals with disabilities to receive Ride-Hailing Services and Wheelchair Accessible Van Services through the City’s ROTC Program, and for Union City to reimburse Fremont for these services, while retaining the legal protections available when providing municipal services within the City’s jurisdiction.
Under the existing JPA between the City of Fremont and Union City, paratransit services are provided in accordance with individually issued task orders. This flexible structure allows new task orders to be executed as needed, such as on an annual basis, to allow for changes in service needs, costs and funding availability.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The City’s Human Services Department has worked with the cities of Newark and Union City to develop and implement regional transportation services that allow elderly and disabled Tri-City residents to more easily access health care, social and recreational opportunities and to take care of shopping and other day-to-day needs.
The City’s existing JPAs with Union City and the City of Newark to provide paratransit services to their respective residents enable all three cities to benefit from economies of scale by streamlining community outreach and education efforts, consolidating staff functions, leveraging funding and providing cost-effective services to Tri-City residents.
These transportation services have been funded by the Measure B/BB sales tax revenues that are administered by the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC).
The direct local distribution funding the cities receive from Alameda CTC helps the cities plan for and implement affordable, reliable, and accessible transportation services for older adults and people with disabilities living in Fremont, Newark and Union City.
Council Staff Report (ID # 5515) Meeting of September 2, 2025 Updated: 8/26/2025 9:39 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
Union City will use its Measure BB direct local distribution revenues to reimburse the City of Fremont for Ride-Hailing Services and Wheelchair Accessible Van (WAV) Services for Union City residents provided under Task Order No. 16 to the current JPA between Fremont and Union City. In FY 2025/26, these services for Union City residents will be provided through the City’s contracts with Nomad Transit, LLC. (for WAV services) and with Lyft, Inc. and GoGo Technologies, Inc. (for ride-hailing services).
FISCAL IMPACT: The proposed action has no impact to the General Fund. Under Task Order No. 16 for FY 2025/26, Union City will reimburse the City of Fremont in an amount up to $155,000 for all costs associated with the delivery of paratransit services provided to Union City residents. The City’s FY 2025/26 Operating Budget includes sufficient appropriations in Fund 176 for the paratransit services described above.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The proposed action is exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because, without limitation, it is not a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Sections 15378(b)(2), (4), and/or (5), and/or because it has no possibility of a significant effect on the environment, as specified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), each as a separate and independent basis for CEQA compliance .
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to Execute Task Order No. 16 to the existing Joint Powers Agreement with the City of Union City for the provision of FY 2025/26 paratransit services to Union City residents, in an amount not-to-exceed $155,000.
2. Find that this action is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15378(b)(2), (4), and/or (5), and/or 15061(b)(3), each of the foregoing providing a separate and independent basis for CEQA exemption.