Draft Memorandum for the Record
Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Unified Planning Work Program Committee Meeting Minutes
August 8, 2024, Meeting
1:00 PM–1:24 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform
Derek Krevat, Chair, representing Monica Tibbits-Nutt, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Committee agreed to the following:
Materials for this meeting included the following:
See attendance on page 5.
There were none.
A motion to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 11, 2024, was made by the Advisory Council (Lenard Diggins) and seconded by the SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Wrentham) (Rachel Benson). The motion carried.
Srilekha Murthy, MPO staff, stated that FFY 2024 UPWP Amendment Three consists of fourth quarter budget adjustments based on spending in the first three quarters. The adjustments were based on several considerations, including staffing changes and evolving needs of MPO staff. S. Murthy stated that Amendment Three also notes the adjustment of planned work funded through re-obligated planning (PL) funds.
S. Murthy also corrected a detail in the Amendment Three memorandum to clarify that de-obligated funds were added to the FFY 2024 UPWP though Amendment One in February 2024, not Amendment Two. S. Murthy stated that the memorandum would be updated before the MPO board meeting on August 15, 2024. In Amendment One, $140,000 of de-obligated funds were incorporated into the FFY 2024 UPWP for five separate tasks. An updated contract needed to be created before the funds were available for use. The notice to proceed using the de-obligated funds was received by MPO staff in late June 2024, leaving less time than originally anticipated for the use of the funds.
S. Murthy stated that Amendment Three updates the description for two of the five original tasks to maximize spending within the remaining time frame. This includes a revised description for a full-time web administrator through the end of FFY 2024 to implement improvements to the agency’s website. This also includes a revised description for an information technology (IT) strategy, which includes hiring a short-term and small-scale consultant firm to help advance IT and web-related initiatives.
S. Murthy stated that funds programmed through Amendment Three were awarded to the MPO through the Mobility, Access, and Transportation Insecurity (MATI) grant, managed by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation and funded by the Federal Transit Administration. The MPO was awarded $150,000 to design a pilot to supplement the MBTA’s low-income fare program by providing access to low-cost community electric vehicle car sharing options for residents in affordable housing in Revere, Chelsea, and Everett. The application was submitted in partnership with Good2Go, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Union Capital Boston, The Neighborhood Developers, and the Cities of Revere, Chelsea, and Everett.
S. Murthy stated that waiving the 21-day public comment period would allow staff the time they need to complete planned work through the end of the FFY.
Lenard Diggins, Advisory Council, expressed enthusiasm for the new electric vehicle car sharing company and support for the pilot program.
L. Diggins also asked what caused the delay in receiving the notice to proceed with using the de-obligated funds.
Tegin Teich, Executive Director of the MPO staff, responded that when funds are amended, the contract needs to be fully updated and then re-signed by all parties, which is a multi-agency initiative. T. Teich stated that there is a considerable amount of coordination between the MAPC, MassDOT, and MPO staff in the process, which takes time.
Derek Krevat, MassDOT, responded that MassDOT has its own contracts and records regarding the de-obligated funds that need to be updated, which then goes to MPO staff.
T. Teich added that the administrative process took longer than MPO staff were expecting. T. Teich stated that MPO staff have faced additional challenges, including issuing a request for quote that ended with no interest by prospective contract bidders.
L. Diggins asked another question about the implications for the next FFY for Vision Zero, because the start and implementation of Vision Zero was delayed and resulted in some of the work outlined in Amendment Three.
T. Teich responded that the delay of Vision Zero was primarily due to the procurement and contracting process taking longer than anticipated.
Tom O’Rourke, Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood), asked for clarification on the role of the partners that would be working with MPO staff on the pilot program.
T. Teich responded that the MPO staff member who would be able to answer that question was not in the meeting. T. Teich offered to follow up with board members to clarify the role of the partners in the implementation of the pilot program.
L. Diggins asked if the delay in Vision Zero funding would impact other projects that are programmed to be funded in FFY 2025. L. Diggins specifically stated that the MPO Engagement Program’s Community Planning Lab pilot program is scheduled to be implemented in FFY 2025 and questioned whether this program was at risk of being delayed as a result.
T. Teich stated that the MPO’s Engagement Program was anticipated to be heavily involved in Vision Zero in the early stages, so the Community Planning Lab pilot program was rescheduled to FFY 2025. T. Teich stated that there are a couple of options; the Engagement Program staff can be engaged in Vision Zero work as planned and the Community Planning Lab pilot program work timeline can be adjusted, or the Engagement Program staff can be less engaged in Vision Zero work to maintain the Community Planning Lab pilot program’s timeline.
A motion to endorse FFY 2024 UPWP Amendment Three and waive the 21-day public comment period was made by the Advisory Council (L. Diggins) and seconded by the SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Wrentham) (R. Benson). The motion carried.
Jen Rowe, City of Boston, extended an invitation to committee members to Boston’s Open Streets event in Hyde Park on August 11, 2024. J. Rowe stated that MPO staff would be attending the event to represent the organization.
To be announced.
A motion to adjourn was made by the City of Boston (J. Rowe) and seconded by the Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) (Tom Bent). The motion carried.
| Members |
Representatives and Alternates |
|---|---|
At-Large City (City of Newton) |
David Koses |
City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department) |
Jen Rowe |
Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville) |
Tom Bent |
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Office of Transportation Planning) |
Derek Krevat |
Regional Transportation Advisory Council |
Lenard Diggins |
SouthWest Advisory Planning Committee (Town of Wrentham) |
Rachel Benson |
Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood) |
Tom O'Rourke |
| MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff |
|---|
Tegin Teich, Executive Director |
Abby Cutrumbes |
Dave Hong |
Erin Maguire |
Ethan Lapointe |
Lauren Magee |
Silva Ayvazyan |
Srilekha Murthy |
CIVIL RIGHTS NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
Welcome. Bem Vinda. Bienvenido. Akeyi. 欢迎. 歡迎
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