HomeMy WebLinkAbout[08b] Transportation UpdateMY OF h7l JOSKPH
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM:
SUBMITTED BY:
Council Agenda Item 8b
April 15, 2010
Administrator Reports
b. Transportation Update
Administration
BOARD /COMMISSION /COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Councilor Frank and the Administrator have met twice with
representatives from Central MN Council for Aging, College of St. Benedict, Monastery of St. Benedict,
Tri -Cap and MnDot regarding transportation services.
The Central MN Council on Aging has been instrumental in providing both intra and inter City travel in
the City's of Melrose and Buffalo. Attached are the summaries of meetings that have taken place to
date. This item is more of an update item for discussion. No action is required.
BUDGET /FISCAL IMPACT:
ATTACHMENTS: Email, December 7, 2009 —Meeting Summary 8(b):1 -2
Email, March 5, 2010 —Agenda for March 12 Meeting 8(b):3
Email, March 15, 2010 — Meeting Summary 8(b):4 -5
REQUESTED COUNCIL ACTION: This is information at this time.
Judv Wevrens
From: Dean LoidoR [dean @cmcoa.org]
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 4:21 PM
To: Judy Weyrens; Linda.Elfstrand @tricap.org; mwurm @csb.sju; mjuntunen @csbsju.edu; mrenslow @csbsju.edu; rschultz25
@msn.com; Shannon.tietz @tricap.org; khennes @sbm.osb.org; kkraft @csbsju.edu; sfrank @stcloudstate.edu;
susan.siemers@state.mn.us
Subject: Summary of St Joseph Transportation Discussion Group
Thanks to all attending the kick -off session to evaluate the merits /feasibility of Tri -CAP bussing
services within the City of St. Joseph. The punch line from the meeting is: All agreed to meet
again on March 5th -2010, with respective internal reviews prior to that, by the College of St.
Benedicts, St. Benedicts Monastery, City of St. Joseph, Tri -CAP and the Central MN Council on
Aging.
Attendees: Sister Kara Hennes, Sister Margaret Wurm, Rick Shultz, Judy Weyrens, Steve Frank,
Shannon Tietz, Linda Elfstrand, Sister Katherine Kraft, Molly Renslow and Dean Loidolt.
Summary of 12/4/2009 session
Introductions were followed by brief presentations for organization /area of representation
and interests in the potential bus services. Comments made:
- Attendees had a vested interest in providing the bus services, representing constituencies or
an interest in helping to support and /or evaluate this transportation option for area residents.
- Monastery trip needs may be limited - - -2 per day to St. Cloud /St Scholastica
-Full college student bussing support is beyond Tri -CAP capabilities but there are opportunities
to meet the needs of others (children to elderly).
- Information about starting a new service, how transportation gets started in an area (without
being a part of a metro bus district) the subsidies to do so, other costs, funding programs (Ex.
New Freedom - elderly), etc. were shared.
- Existing Tri -CAP Transportation Services available: The TRC (Transportation Resource Center)
coordinates rides and provides partial funding to faith -based organizations to provide some of
them, Dial -a -Ride and a Volunteer Driver program. Tri -CAP's new Rideshare program is
primarily for work commuters and not yet available but, it is in development /funding request
stage.
-Value of bus service for young to old and the importance of offering these transportation
options to grow attractive and viable communities.
- Importance for creating transportation links to existing/new transportation services such as
the commuter rail.
-A lot expansion /added site within St. Joseph is being explored for supporting intermodal
transportation options.
- Attendees were encouraged to attend the St. Joseph Chamber meeting, hosted at St.
Benedicts, (Gorecki Hall). You will need to RSVP Sister Kara Hennes(khennes @ sbm.osb.org)
by 12/10/09 if you would like to attend this event on December 15th (Social /networking at
11:30 and lunch at noon).
8(b):1
- Typically, the local match is 15% of operating costs and MNDOT provides the remaining
subsidy (i.e. If there is expansion site capability /willingness).
AGENDA, Friday, 3 -5 -10 at St. Joseph's City Hall (Judy, I assumed a room in City Hall will be
available on this date -If not please advise and I will find us a meeting place in St. Cloud.)
2:00 Introductions and brief announcements.
2:15 Where we left off (All were willing to consider city bus service via Tri- CAP .... still true ?)
2:30 Where do we go from here and when:
- Considerations /questions /etc.
- Services desired (Where, when, etc.)
- Approximate costs and funding availability (i.e. Approx costs for trial period and
funding sources).
- Approximate time table (Services for 2010, 2011 or not feasible ?)
3:15 Wrap up and next meeting
3:30 Adjourn
Sorry if I under- or over - represented anything ................please feel free to email all of us and
advise if there is anything substantially amiss and, if needed, I'll send out a revision. Please
feel free to invite others (ex. John McGee) to our March 5th, 2010 meeting. Thanks and have a
great Christmas season and start of the New Year!
Dean Loidolt
Community Service Developer
Central Minnesota Council on Aging
1301 West St. Germain St
Suite 101
St. Cloud, MN 56301 -2345
320 - 253 -9349
8(b):2
Judy Weyrens
From: Dean Loidolt [dean @cmcoa.org]
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 8:07 AM
To: Judy Weyrens; Linda. Elfstrand @ tricap.org; mjuntunen @csbsju.edu; mrenslow @csbsju.edu; rschultz25 @msn.com;
Shannon.tietz @tricap.org; khennes @sbm.osb.org; kkraft @csbsju.edu; mwurm @csbsju.edu; sfrank @stcloudstate.edu;
susan.siemers@state.mn.us
Subject: Meeting reminder and agenda for NEXT week Friday, March 12th at 2:00
AGENDA, Friday, 3 -12 -10 (St Joseph- City Hall)
2:00 Introductions and brief announcements.
2:15 Where we left off (All were willing to consider city bus service via Tri- CAP....still true ?)
2:30 Where do we go from here and when:
- Considerations /questions /etc.
- Services desired (Where, when, etc.)
- Approximate costs and funding availability (i.e. Approx costs for trial period and
funding sources).
- Approximate time table (Services for 2010, 2011 or not feasible ?)
3:15 Wrap up and next meeting
3:30 Adjourn
Dean Loidolt
Community Service Developer
Central Minnesota Council on Aging
1301 West St. Germain St
Suite 101
St. Cloud, MN 56301 -2345
320 - 253 -9349
Caution: This e-ma# and attached documents, it any, may contain information that is proteded by state or federal law. E-mail containing private or protected
information should not be sent over a public (nonsecure) Internet unless it is encrypted pursuant to DHS standards. This e-mail should be forwarded only on a
strictly need- to-know basis. If you are not the intended recipient, please: (1) notify the sender immediately, (2) do not forward the message, (3) do not print the
message and (4) erase the message from your system.
8(b):3
Judy Wevrens
From: Dean Loidolt jdean @cmcoa.org]
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 2:21 PM
To: Judy Weyrens; Linda. Elfstrand@tricap.org; mjuntunen @csbsju.edu; mrenslow@csbsju.edu; rschultz25@msn.com;
Shannon.tietz @tricap.org; khennes @sbm.osb.org; kkraft @csbsju.edu; mwurm @csbsju.edu; sfrank @stcloudstate.edu;
susan.siemers@state.mn.us
Subject: Summary of Transit meeting on March 12th, 2010
Thanks to all able to make the transit meeting last Friday. The next meeting is scheduled for May 21s` at 2:00 -3:30, St.
Joseph City Hall (agenda below)
Meeting Summary
These meetings continue to explore a variety of transit related topics pertinent to needs in St. Joseph. We sorted
through them, separated some of them for other group discussion but the bottom -line is .......all agree to continue on
this trek (with grass roots baby steps) to get to some level of transit services beyond what is provided today via Tri -
CAP's Dial a Ride .................something is expected to be tried.
Attendees: Linda, Judy, Steve, Sue, Dean and Sisters Kara and Margaret.
Information shared:
All signs are encouraging for further steps to bring transit services to residents of St. Joseph. At this meeting we
separated the internal transit needs for the city (with possible runs to St. Cloud) from the Northstar commuter line
(Discussion will probably occur by the St. of Joseph /St. Benedicts and NCDA - Northstar Commuter Development
Association) and that is not part of our mission. However, there may be elements which have tangential affects.
Tri -CAP's rate is $45 to $50 an hour but costs to those contracting that service, such as the City of St. Joseph, can net to
something less with revenue contributed from riders, use of a St. Benedicts bus and funding from MNDOT.
At this time MNDOT is not bringing any money to the table for St. Joseph. Dial -a Ride service for St. Joseph is supported
by MNDOT and that does cover services within a 20 mile radius of the Tri -CAP office for Monday— Friday services. IF
STATE FUNDING becomes available for city service expansion, the costs would be allocated as 85% MNDOT and 15%
local.
There is no formal position by the City of St. Joseph /Council. The cost to be a part of the MTC /get St. Joseph bus service
was approximately $100,000 when explored in the past, but that is not being considered at this time.
Dean will request, and if acceptable to City of Buffalo, send a copy of their Transit survey to Judy. The survey would be
sent to area residents by the city of St. Joseph (possibly by St. Benedicts and St. John's as well).
Again at this meeting, a "close to St. Joseph" MTC bus stop connection (ex. Near Mannions) was mentioned but with no
specific actions to request or make it happen at this time.
Steve will appraise the Mayor /Council of where this group is at in exploring transit services for St. Joseph.
Existing and better located bus stops and park /ride lots were briefly discussed as well as potential transit opportunities
that might exist for a new senior housing campus probably being developed in St. Joseph.
St. Benedicts is starting a transit planning group to look at approaches /engagement with the Northstar Commuter Rail.
As is always the case, if there any significant inaccuracies or incompleteness, please advise at the next meeting or before
then if you would like a new corrected version created /distributed prior to the next meeting.
8(b):4
AGENDA -May 21S` at 2:00 -- -City Hall
2:00 Introductions (do not hesitate to invite additional interested /vested parties to the next meeting)
2:10 Participant updates /directives /issues /needs /restraints /etc. from: City of St. Joseph, Tri -CAP, MNDOT, St.
Benedicts College and Monastery, etc.
2:30 Discussion regarding what can be supported and probable next step -- Identify /prioritize, set dates and allocate
action items to involved parties.
3:00 What have we missed, should others be here, survey, other tasks needing to be assigned, formal
announcements /invitations, etc.
3:15 Open Forum, wrap up and set next meeting
3:30 Adjourn
Dean Loidolt
Community Service Developer
Central Minnesota Council on Aging
1301 West St. Germain St
Suite 101
St. Cloud, MN 56301 -2345
320 - 253 -9349
Caution: This e-mail and attached documents, If any, may contain information that is protected by state or federal law. E-mail containing private or protected
information should not be sent over a public (nonsecure) internet unless it is encrypted pursuant to DHS standards. This e-mail should be forwarded only on a
strictly need -to -know basis. If you are not the intended recipient, please: (1) notify the sender immediately, (2) do not forward the message, (3) do not print the
message and (4) erase the message from your system.
8(b):5