City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Kevin Werner, City Administrator
Date: 11/30/2022
Subject: San Joaquin One Voice Advocacy Trip 2023
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
City Council to consider approving the Ripon Multi-Modal project as the City of Ripon Regional Project for the 2023 Once Voice trip.
Additionally, in the last few years, the City Council has sent the City Administrator and a Council Member to advocate not only for Ripon’s projects, but also important regional projects and regional transportation policies. If the City Council is interested in sending a representative or representatives to participate in the 2023 One Voice trip, please designate and approve the City’s representative(s) to attend.
BACKGROUND:
The efforts of the One Voice® program provides the platform to effectively advocate for policy and regulatory reform and for preservation of funding programs crucial to projects that bring economic prosperity to San Joaquin County while improving transportation choices and infrastructure. In 2022 the San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) developed a new process to review and evaluate project applications.
Although Congress stopped earmarking funds in 2010, the federal government still distributes billions of dollars through formula and discretionary programs. The San Joaquin One Voice® delegates take this opportunity to receive counsel from legislators, legislative staff, and the administration about the various federal programs and how our region can successfully compete in the grant process.
In the past, public agencies were allowed to submit two projects, one local priority project and one regional project. For the 2023 One Voice trip, the criteria for submitting projects have changed and now agencies are only able to submit one regionally significant project that meets the following criteria:
Project needs to prove it is regional and has a federal nexus; Complete or near complete National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) clearance; Significantly developed to warrant Federal spending; and Demonstrated community support.
This new criterion for the One Voice projects is intended to allow SJCOG to bring forward and focus on the projects that provides the best chance at securing available funds.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG) has requested project submittals for the 2023 San Joaquin One Voice trip. Submitted projects will be reviewed by SJCOG staff and the SJCOG Executive Committee and will be subject to the approval by the full SJCOG Board to be included as part of the 2023 One Voice trip.
Staff is recommending the City Council consider submitting the Ripon Multi-Modal Project project for consideration by SJCOG for the 2023 One-Voice trip. This project meets the new 2023 One Voice criteria previously summarized in this memo. Below is a description of that project:
Regional Project: Ripon Multi-Modal Project
The City of Ripon and San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (SJRRC) is proposing to construct an Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) platform near downtown Ripon. The proposed project includes off-street parking, a bus loading and staging area, off-site street improvements, and a rail platform for the ACE Train. This multi-modal project would provide a number of benefits, not only to the residents of Ripon, but the region, including:
Downtown Economic Vitality
Regional Ace Station Service
Air Quality Improvement
In August 2017, the City purchased the property for the future multi-modal station and has received $3,905,000 of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding towards the design and construction of the project. At this time, $1.5 million of the FTA funds have been allocated towards the design of the project. The estimated capital cost of the improvements, not including the SJRRC funded platform, is $6 million, leaving a funding need of $3.6 million. 2023 One Voice Attendance
The 2023 One Voice trip is scheduled for May 8 to May 10, 2023. This would conflict with the May 9th City Council meeting. Any participants attending the One Voice trip can participate in the City Council meeting through zoom, or the council meeting can be rescheduled, whichever the City Council desires.
FISCAL IMPACT:
An in-person trip is scheduled for May 8-10, 2023 in Washington, D.C. The projected cost for each One Voice participant is estimated to be $5,000.