 | Governing Board Action: April 7, 2004
At their meeting today, Governing Board members approved several resolutions. The Board authorized the procurement of consultant services for advertising the region’s Ozone Action Days Program during the summer months. The program emphasizes voluntary actions that citizens and local officials may take to reduce ozone. For citizens, these voluntary actions include taking the bus, or riding a bike to work on Ozone Action Days, refueling vehicles after 7 PM and delaying lawn mowing until after 7 PM. Services authorized through the resolution include program marketing, media buys, materials reproduction and intern assistance.
The Board also renewed the contract of Ohio University for maintaining and supporting the Northeast Ohio Air Quality Online web site. This web site allows the public to view real-time air quality data online, and monitor ozone levels (as well as other pollutants) throughout the day.
Board members approved a resolution of support for the Great Lakes Restoration Financing Act, a House bill co-sponsored by Representatives Sherrod Brown and Steven D. LaTourette. This legislation would authorize federal funding to address persistent pollution problems in the Great Lakes, and create a Board to oversee development of a comprehensive plan for restoring water quality within a two-year period.
By resolution the Board also amended the regional Transportation Plan, Framework for Action 2025 and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) with the following projects:
Minor rehabilitation of SR-2 from the Vermilion east corporation line to SR-58 in Amherst and Brownhelm Township.
Widen lanes and shoulders on SR-87 from SR-528 to the Trumbull county line in Middlefield & Middlefield Township.
Bridge Deck Replacement on West 143rd Street, over I-71 in Cleveland.
Preliminary Engineering (PE) Phase of the SR-44 / Jackson Street Interchange Access Modification in Painesville.
Engine rebuild program for Laketran buses in State Fiscal Years 2004 (12 buses) and 2005 (18 buses).
Operating costs for Laketran commuter bus service from Lake County Captains Baseball Stadium in Eastlake to downtown Cleveland.
Geauga County Transit calendar year 2004 Capital and Operating Program, which includes the purchase of three buses and continued operation of demand response transit service and the elderly/disabled fare assistance program.
Through this resolution the Board also amended the Regional Transportation Investment Policy to allow for quarterly amendments to the Plan and Transportation Improvement Program.
 The Board also approved congratulatory resolutions for NOACA Executive Director Howard R. Maier and Transportation Programs Director John Hosek. Both recently received awards for their leadership and contributions to transportation planning. The American Institute of Certified Planners elected Maier as a 2004 Fellow. Hosek will receive a Cleveland State University Leadership Academy award at their annual meeting on April 21.
NOACA staff presented an overview of the Agency’s Fiscal Year 2005 Overall Work Program (OWP), which will be considered for approval by the Board at next month’s meeting. The OWP contains the work products and activities to be undertaken by NOACA staff over the next fiscal year (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005). New to the FY 2005 OWP is NOACA’s organizational structure: a team-based work approach in the transportation division. For the general public, the draft OWP is currently available for review and comment. If you do have comments on this document, please submit them to NOACA before 5:00 PM Thursday, May 1.
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