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2011-27589 Reso RESOLUTION NO. 2011 -27589 A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATIONS TO: 1) THE CHILDREN'S TRUST FOR FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: PARENTING EDUCATION AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING; EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT; OUT -OF- SCHOOL; AND, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $770,000; 2) RETROACTIVELY TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNITY, AND SYSTEM PRESERVATION PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000,000 FOR THE MIDDLE BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR; 3) FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000; AND, 4) MIAMI -DADE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR A PLANNING STUDY OF THE MIDDLE & NORTH BEACH LOCAL TRANSIT CIRCULATOR IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $40,000; APPROPRIATING THE ABOVE GRANTS, AS NECESSARY IF APPROVED AND ACCEPTED BY THE CITY, AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THESE APPLICATIONS. WHEREAS, in September 2002 Miami -Dade voters approved an independent special district, a dedicated funding source for children entitled "The Children's Trust" to address the needs of children in Miami -Dade County; and, WHEREAS, from January to May 2010, The Children's Trust Board of Directors engaged in a strategic planning process using the framework of results - based accountability and this process culminated in The Children's Trust Results -Based Strategic Plan for Investments for 2011 -2015; and, WHEREAS, to facilitate the new Strategic Plan, the Trust added new programs and discontinued existing programs; and WHEREAS, one of the discontinued programs, Promotion and Prevention, has funded the City's Youth Empowerment Network (YEN) program for the last six years and the YEN program had consistently received high overall rating scores from The Trust, however, in accordance with the Strategic Plan, The Trust developed new programs in line with its 2011 -2015 priorities; and WHEREAS, in January 2011, The Trust's Board of Directors released of a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the four programs listed below and the City intends to submit the following applications to all the programs represented in the NOFA, as follows: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening Program (New Program): City's Program Name: An Early Start is a Right Start Program Summary: The City will strengthen youth decision making and resiliency skills by empowering parents to serve as agents of influence and guidance for their children. Parents will participate in weekly, interactive workshops for 8 weeks. This program will serve the parents of youth aged 4 — 7 years old. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000. Early Childhood Development Program (New Program): City's Program Name: The Family Guides Program Program Summary: The City will nurture greater resiliency and academic success for parents and children aged 16 months to 4 years through home -based services that promote healthy family engagement, affirmative parenting, and positive child developments. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000. Out -of- School Program Funds (Existing Program): City's Program Name: Out -of- School Program Program Summary: This is a continuation of the City's Out -of- School program which will provide after school services to 250 children ages 5 -12 years old residing primarily in the City of Miami Beach and the City's Summer Camp which will provide services to 270 children ages 5 -12 years old residing primarily in the City of Miami Beach. The programs offer activities to the children including physical fitness, nutrition education and homework and literacy support. Program goals are to improve academic skills, literacy and social skills and improve to physical health and fitness. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $320,000. Youth Development (New Program): City's Program Name: Morning All Stars Program Summary: The City will increase youth resiliency and coping skills and reduce drug use and violence among students by providing before - school sessions of the All Star Program. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000; and, WHEREAS, the Children's Trust does not engage in supplanting of funds for established government- funded programs and the Trust's funds may not be used as a substitute for existing public resources; or to replace funding previously provided by, and currently available from, local and state funding sources for the same purpose; and, WHEREAS, none of the above programs require matching funds, and the programs all support the key intended outcome: enhance learning opportunities for youth; and WHEREAS, approval is requested to submit grant applications to The Children's Trust for funding from the following programs: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out -Of- School; and Youth Development; in a total amount not to exceed $770,000 for the City's Children and Youth Services Programs; and WHEREAS, the TCSP Program is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Program jointly developed with the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Rail Administration, the Office of the Secretary, and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration within the US Department of Transportation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency; and WHEREAS, the MBRC consists of the construction of an on -grade pedestrian walkway encompassing forty blocks or approximately 17,100 feet, the path will run north from approximately 23 Street to Allison Park at 64 Street, or the southern terminus of the North Beach Recreational Corridor Project; and WHEREAS, the entire cost of Phase 2 of the MBRC project is $13.3 million, of which $570,000 is already funded for design and funding for this grant, if approved will be available September 2012, if additional funding is available by 2012, the City will use the total funding available to construct a portion of, or all of Phase 2; if no other funding is available at that time, then this grant award will be used to build a portion of the corridor; and, WHEREAS, the Administration intends to continue applying for grant funds and appropriations in future years; and, WHEREAS, this program does not require matching funds and it supports the key intended outcome: enhance mobility throughout the City; and, WHEREAS, retroactive approval is requested to submit an application to the US Department of Transportation for the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation (TCSP) Program in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor Project; and WHEREAS, the Federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was established in August 2005 as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA -LU) and Section 1404 of this legislation provides funding for State Departments of Transportation to create and administer SRTS programs; and, WHEREAS, the purpose of the SRTS Program is to empower communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity and the program makes funding available for a wide variety of programs and projects, from building safer street crossings to establishing programs that encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle safely to school; and WHEREAS, a List of schools needing improvements, in order of priority was created by the School Board and Miami -Dade County for this program and Biscayne Elementary School, located at 800 77 Street, Miami Beach is the highest priority school on Miami Beach (listed as #22 on the priority list), Feinberg/ Fisher Elementary School is listed as #38 and North Beach Elementary is listed at #136 on the priority list; South Pointe Elementary was previously awarded funding through this program in 2007; and, WHEREAS, accordingly, the Administration intends to submit an application for funding for eligible improvements for the Biscayne Elementary School population this year, and applications for the remaining of Miami Beach schools will be submitted for funding for the 2012 application cycle; and, WHEREAS, the City Administration has met with Biscayne Elementary School Administration and received concurrence from the school and on January 13, 2011 the Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST) which consists of representatives from Miami - Dade County School Board and Miami -Dade Count Public Works endorsed this application and on February 9, 2011, this application will also be presented to the Miami - Dade County School Board Commission for approval; and WHEREAS, the administration intends to apply for constructions costs in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for Biscayne Elementary School and matching funds are not required form this grant, this project supports the key intended outcome: enhance mobility throughout the City; and WHEREAS, approval is requested to submit an application to Florida Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes To School Program in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for eligible improvements for Biscayne Elementary School; and WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Miami Urbanized Area was created March 23, 1977 under the authority of Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes and Section 163.01 of the Statute provides that governmental agencies may enter into interlocal agreements permitting the joint exercise of such powers or authority that the agencies share in common or that each might exercise separately; and WHEREAS, voting members are designated by the state governor and include the following: all thirteen county commissioners, five elected officials for each of the cities with populations over 50,000 in the county, a representative from the citizenry of the unincorporated portion of Miami -Dade County, a member of the Miami -Dade Expressway Authority and a member of the Miami -Dade School Board. The FDOT has two non - voting representatives on the MPO Board; and WHEREAS, the objective of the MPO Municipal Grant Program is to encourage cities to participate in a competitive program to receive funds to perform relevant transportation planning studies; and WHEREAS, the North /Middle Beach Transit Study Project proposes to conduct a study for local transit circulator improvements in the North and Middle Beach neighborhoods of Miami Beach and the existing transit service in these neighborhoods, such as the Route 115/117 Mid /North Beach Connection, will be evaluated to determine potential improvements to the quality of transit service; and WHEREAS, this project will evaluate the impact of the Route 115/117 on transit riders in North and Middle Beach to determine if there is a need for negotiating additional and/ or modified transit services with MDT, other transit improvements, such as multi -modal connectivity, ADA accessibility, pedestrian and bicycle amenities, transit signal priority, will also be evaluated and the evaluation and the proposed improvements will be coordinated with MDT; and WHEREAS, the Project aims to improve the quality of transit service. Passengers consider the following transit characteristics when deciding to utilize transit as a mode of transportation: well - planned bus routes and bus stops that make transit accessible and easy to use; frequent headways; low travel times; a sense of safety and security; service reliability; easily available information on the service; number of transfers; cost of transit service; and appearance and comfort of transit service; and WHEREAS, the Administration intends to apply for funding in the amount of $40,000 and this grant requires a 20% match in the amount of $10,000, matching funds are available in Half Cent Transit Surtax Funding /People's Transportation Plan Funds (PTP) FY 2010/11 Budget; and WHEREAS, approval is requested to submit an application to Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Municipal Grant Program for a Planning Study of the Middle & North Beach Local Transit Circulator improvements in an amount not to exceed $40,000; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH that the Mayor and City Commission hereby approve and authorize the City Manager or his designee to submit the following grant applications to: 1) The Children's Trust for following programs: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out -of- School; and, Youth Development in a total amount not to exceed $770,000; 2) Retroactively, to the US Department of Transportation for the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor; 3) Florida Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes To School Program In an amount not to exceed $300,000; and, 4) Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Municipal Grant Program for a Planning Study of the Middle & North Beach local transit circulator improvements in an amount not to exceed $40,000; appropriating the above grants, as necessary if approved and accepted by the City, and authorizing the execution of all documents related to these applications. PASSED and ADOPTED this Q> day of /d t 011 ATTEST: 1 .1(A4.6 A OR CITY CLERK JMG /KGB /JMH T:\AGENDA \2011 \2 -09 -11 \Grants Memo.doc APPROVED AS TO FORM & LANGUAGE & FOR EXECUTION / £ y �e � / COMMISSION ITEM SUMMARY Condensed Title: A Resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for and accept four (4) grants. Key Intended Outcome Supported: 1) Enhance learning opportunities for youth; 2), 3) and 4) Enhance mobility throughout the City. Supporting Data: 2009 Community Survey: 1) Nearly two -fifths of all residential respondents surveyed, 37.3 %, feel the "18 years of age and under" demographic should benefit most from limited resources during tough economic times; 85% of residents rated recreation programs as either 'excellent' or 'good', 18% of residents rated recreation programs as one the services the City should strive not to reduce; 2007 Community Satisfaction Survey: 24% of residents were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with local schools on Miami Beach; safety across the City (preventing crime, drugs, gangs) appeared as one of the most important areas affecting resident's quality of life, The Children's Trust grants provide funding to reduce crime and gangs. 2) and 3) Nearly two- thirds of all respondents, 63.7 %, suggested there are "too feud' bicycle paths /lanes throughout the City; 4) Half of all respondents, 51.5 %, reported a willingness to use "local bus circulators" as an alternative to taking a car. Issue: Shall the City support the following funding requests and execute the related agreements? Item Summary/Recommendation: The Administration requests approval to submit the following grant applications to: 1) The Children's Trust for following programs: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out -of- School; and, Youth Development in a total amount not to exceed $770,000; 2) Retroactively, to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program (TCSP) in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor; 3) Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the Safe Routes To School Program (SRTS) In an amount not to exceed $300,000; and, 4) Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Municipal Grant Program (MGP) for a Planning Study of the Middle and North Beach local transit circulator improvements in an amount not to exceed $40,000; appropriating the above grants, as necessary if approved and accepted by the City, and authorizing the execution of all documents related to these applications. Advisory Board Recommendation: N/A Financial Information: Source # Grant Name /Project Grant Not Match Amount/Source of To Exceed funds Amount 1 The Children's Trust/Parenting $770,000 N/A Education & Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out- f • of- School; and, Youth Development 2 US DOT TCSP /Middle Beach $3,000,000 N/A Recreational Corridor 3 FDOT SRTS /Biscayne Elementary $300,000 N/A School 4 MPO MGP/ Planning Study: Middle $40,000 $10,000 /Half Cent Surtax & North Beach Local Circulator Funds /People's Transportation Plan (PTP) FY 2010/11 Budget City Clerk's Office Legislative Tracking: Judy Hoanshelt, Grants Manager, Office of Budget and Performance Improvement Sign -Offs: Department Director Assistant City Manager City Manager MIA MIBEACH AMI AGENDA ITEM a D TE I m MIAMIBEACH City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager (- DATE: February 9, 2011 SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR A CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT GRANT APPLICATIONS TO: 1) THE CHILDREN'S TRUST FOR FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: PARENTING EDUCATION AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING; EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT; OUT -OF- SCHOOL; AND, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $770,000; 2) RETROACTIVELY TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNITY, AND SYSTEM PRESERVATION PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,000,000 FOR THE MIDDLE BEACH RECREATIONAL CORRIDOR; 3) FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000; AND, 4) MIAMI -DADE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION FOR THE MUNICIPAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR A PLANNING STUDY OF THE MIDDLE & NORTH BEACH LOCAL TRANSIT CIRCULATOR IMPROVEMENTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $40,000; APPROPRIATING THE ABOVE GRANTS, AS NECESSARY IF APPROVED AND ACCEPTED BY THE CITY, AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THESE APPLICATIONS. ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION Adopt the Resolution. ANALYSIS 1. Approval to submit grant applications to The Children's Trust for funding from the following programs: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out -Of- School; and Youth Development; in a total amount not to exceed $770,000 for the City's Children and Youth Services Programs In September 2002 Miami -Dade voters approved an independent special district, a dedicated funding source for children entitled "The Children's Trust" to address the needs of children in Miami -Dade County. During Fiscal Year 2008/09, The Children's Trust (The Trust), like many organizations, experienced significant reduction in revenues, leading to budget and program cuts throughout. The City of Miami Beach was one of the organizations that maintained funding during this time for all three of its programs, despite the substantial funding cuts made by The Trust to many programs and organizations. Commission Memorandum Page 2 From January to May 2010, The Children's Trust Board of Directors engaged in a strategic planning process using the framework of results -based accountability. This process culminated in The Children's Trust Results -Based Strategic Plan for Investments for 2011- 2015. The intention of this five year strategic plan is to apply a results- driven focus to The Trust's investments for children and families in Miami -Dade County. The plan is intended as a flexible, living document that can be responsive to community needs over time. In accordance with the Strategic Plan, the results that The Trust seeks are that children are: 1) healthy physically and emotionally; 2) supported by safe, nurturing families and communities; 3) ready to succeed when entering school; and, 4) succeeding in school and society. To facilitate this, the Trust added new programs and discontinued existing programs. One of the discontinued programs, Promotion and Prevention, has funded the City's Youth Empowerment Network (YEN) program for the last six years. The City's YEN program had consistently received high overall rating scores from The Trust, however, in accordance with the Strategic Plan, The Trust developed new programs in line with its 2011 -2015 priorities. In January 2011, The Trust's Board of Directors released of a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the four programs listed below. The City intends to submit the following applications to all the programs represented in the NOFA, as follows: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening Program (New Program): City's Program Name: An Early Start is a Right Start Program Summary: The City will strengthen youth decision making and resiliency skills by empowering parents to serve as agents of influence and guidance for their children. Parents will participate in weekly, interactive workshops for 8 weeks. This program will serve the parents of youth aged 4 — 7 years old. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000. Early Childhood Development Program (New Program): City's Program Name: The Family Guides Program Program Summary: The City will nurture greater resiliency and academic success for parents and children aged 16 months to 4 years through home -based services that promote healthy family engagement, affirmative parenting, and positive child developments. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000. Out -of- School Program Funds (Existing Program): City's Program Name: Out -of- School Program Program Summary: This is a continuation of the City's Out -of- School program which will provide after school services to 250 children ages 5 -12 years old residing primarily in the City of Miami Beach and the City's Summer Camp which will provide services to 270 children ages 5 -12 years old residing primarily in the City of Miami Beach. The programs offer activities to the children including physical fitness, nutrition education and homework and literacy support. Program goals are to improve academic skills, literacy and social skills and improve to physical health and fitness. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $320,000. Youth Development (New Program): City's Program Name: Morning All Stars Program Summary: The City will increase youth resiliency and coping skills and reduce drug use and violence among students by providing before - school sessions of the All Star Program. The City intends to request funding in an amount not to exceed $150,000. Commission Memorandum Page 3 The Children's Trust does not engage in supplanting of funds for established government- funded programs and the Trust's funds may not be used as a substitute for existing public resources; or to replace funding previously provided by, and currently available from, local and state funding sources for the same purpose. None of the above programs require matching funds, and the programs all support the key intended outcome: enhance learning opportunities for youth. 2. Retroactive approval to submit an application to the US Department of Transportation for the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation (TCSP) Program in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor Project The TCSP Program is a Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Program jointly developed with the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Rail Administration, the Office of the Secretary, and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration within the US Department of Transportation, and the US Environmental Protection Agency. TCSP is a comprehensive initiative of research and grants to investigate the relationships between transportation, community, and system preservation plans and practices and identify private sector -based initiatives to improve such relationships. Eligible projects include practices that: improve the efficiency of the transportation system of the United States; reduce environmental impacts of transportation; reduce the need for costly future public infrastructure investments; ensure efficient access to jobs, services, and centers of trade and examine community development patterns and identify strategies to encourage private sector development patterns and investments that support these goal. The Administration requests retroactive approval to submit an application to the TCSP Program in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor Project (MBRC). The MBRC consists of the construction of an on -grade pedestrian walkway encompassing forty blocks or approximately 17,100 feet. The path will run north from approximately 23` Street to Allison Park at 64 Street, or the southern terminus of the North Beach Recreational Corridor Project. The Project's goal is to increase mobility, support the use of altemative transportation within the City and improve the dune and beach habitat. The Project will serve as a portion of the coastal north /south connector in the larger Atlantic Greenway Network (AGN), which supports the development of altemative means of transportation throughout the City. The entire cost of Phase 2 of the MBRC project is $13.3 million, of which $570,000 is already funded for design. Funding for this grant, if approved will be available September 2012. If additional funding is available by 2012, the City will use the total funding available to construct a portion of, or all of Phase 2; if no other funding is available at that time, then this grant award will be used to build a portion of the corridor. The Administration intends to continue applying for grant funds and appropriations in future years. This program does not require matching funds. This project supports the key intended outcome: enhance mobility throughout the City. 3. Approval to submit an application to Florida Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes To School Program in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for eligible improvements for Biscayne Elementary School. Commission Memorandum Page 4 The Federal Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program was established in August 2005 as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA -LU). Section 1404 of this legislation provides funding for State Departments of Transportation to create and administer SRTS programs. The administration of section 1404 has been assigned to FHWA, which works in collaboration with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to guide the program. The purpose of the SRTS Program is to empower communities to make walking and bicycling to school a safe and routine activity. The Program makes funding available for a wide variety of programs and projects, from building safer street crossings to establishing programs that encourage children and their parents to walk and bicycle safely to school. Eligible improvements under this grant include the following: sidewalks, crosswalks, bike paths, countdown pedestrian signal heads, pedestrian or school signs, and school zone flashers. A List of schools needing improvements, in order of priority was created by the School Board and Miami -Dade County for this program. Biscayne Elementary School, located at 800 77 Street, Miami Beach is the highest priority school on Miami Beach (listed as #22 on the priority list). Feinberg/ Fisher Elementary School is listed as #38 and North Beach Elementary is listed at #136 on the priority list; South Pointe Elementary was previously awarded funding through this program in 2007. Accordingly, the Administration intends to submit an application for funding for eligible improvements for the Biscayne Elementary School population this year, and applications for the remaining of Miami Beach schools will be submitted for funding for the 2012 application cycle. The City Administration has met with Biscayne Elementary School Administration and received concurrence from the school. On January 13, 2011 the Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST) which consists of representatives from Miami -Dade County School Board and Miami -Dade Count Public Works endorsed this application. On February 9, 2011, this application will also be presented to the Miami -Dade County School Board Commission for approval. The administration intends to apply for constructions costs in an amount not to exceed $300,000 for Biscayne Elementary School. Matching funds are not required form this grant. This project supports the key intended outcome: enhance mobility throughout the City. 4. Approval to submit an application to Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Municipal Grant Program fora Planning Study of the Middle & North Beach Local Transit Circulator improvements in an amount not to exceed $40,000 The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Miami Urbanized Area was created March 23, 1977 under the authority of Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes. Section 163.01 of the Statute provides that governmental agencies may enter into interlocal agreements permitting the joint exercise of such powers or authority that the agencies share in common or that each might exercise separately. Voting members are designated by the state governor and include the following: all thirteen county commissioners, five elected officials for each of the cities with populations over 50,000 in the county, a representative from the citizenry of the unincorporated portion of Miami -Dade County, a member of the Miami -Dade Expressway Authority and a member of the Miami -Dade School Board. The FDOT has two non - voting representatives on the MPO Board. The objective of the MPO Municipal Grant Program is to encourage cities to participate in a competitive program to receive funds to perform relevant transportation planning studies. Commission Memorandum Page 5 The North /Middle Beach Transit Study Project proposes to conduct a study for local transit circulator improvements in the North and Middle Beach neighborhoods of Miami Beach. The existing transit service in these neighborhoods, such as the Route 115/117 Mid /North Beach Connection, will be evaluated to determine potential improvements to the quality of transit service. In December 2009, Miami -Dade Transit (MDT) replaced the Route K and Route R with a new combined Middle and North Beach circulator called the Route 115/117 Mid -North Beach Connection. This project will evaluate the impact of the Route 115/117 on transit riders in North and Middle Beach to determine if there is a need for negotiating additional and/ or modified transit services with MDT, such as through a reduced fare, more frequent headways, or the establishment of two separate circulators for the North and Middle Beach neighborhoods. Other transit improvements, such as multi -modal connectivity, ADA accessibility, pedestrian and bicycle amenities, transit signal priority, will also be evaluated. The evaluation and the proposed improvements will be coordinated with MDT. The Project aims to improve the quality of transit service. Passengers consider the following transit characteristics when deciding to utilize transit as a mode of transportation: well - planned bus routes and bus stops that make transit accessible and easy to use; frequent headways; low travel times; a sense of safety and security; service reliability; easily available information on the service; number of transfers; cost of transit service; and appearance and comfort of transit service. This is otherwise defined as the quality of transit service. By providing a high quality transit service based on these characteristics, the City may be able to increase transit ridership and shift a considerable amount of the community's primary mode of travel from personal vehicle use to public transportation. This potential shift to a more sustainable mode of transportation may result in a in a higher quality of life for the community through improved mobility, an increase in altemative transportation options, reduced traffic congestion, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and improved air quality. The Administration intends to apply for funding in the amount of $40,000. This grant requires a 20% match. Matching Funds in the amount of $10,000 are available in Half Cent Transit Surtax Funding /People's Transportation Plan Funds (PTP) FY 2010/11 Budget. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the Administration requests approval to submit the following grant applications to: 1) The Children's Trust for following programs: Parenting Education and Family Strengthening; Early Childhood Development; Out -of- School; and, Youth Development in a total amount not to exceed $770,000; 2) Retroactively, to the US Department of Transportation for the Transportation, Community, and System Preservation Program in the amount of $3,000,000 for the Middle Beach Recreational Corridor; 3) Florida Department of Transportation for the Safe Routes To School Program In an amount not to exceed $300,000; and, 4) Miami -Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Municipal Grant Program for a Planning Study of the Middle & North Beach local transit circulator improvements in an amount not to exceed $40,000; appropriating the above grants, as necessary if approved and accepted by the City, and authorizing the execution of all documents related to these applications. JMG /KGB /JMH T:IAGENDA\2011\2 -09 -11 \Grants Memo.doc