Governing Board Action: February 13, 2004

At today's Governing Board meeting, Board President Daniel P. Troy announced committee and task force chair appointments for the upcoming calendar year. Serving for calendar year 2004 are the following:

Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC): Robert C. Klaiber, Jr., Cuyahoga County Engineer
Regional Transportation Investment Subcommittee (RTIS): Michael Stone, representing Geauga County Engineer Robert Phillips
Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC): James Gills, Lake County Engineer
Water Quality Subcommittee: James Gills, Lake County Engineer
Air Quality Subcommittee: William Grace, Mayor, City of Elyria
Planning Advisory Committee (PAC): Stephen Hambley, Medina County Commissioner
Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC): Chris Ronayne, Cleveland Planning Director
Regional Pavement Management Task Force: William Watkins, representing Lorain County Engineer Kenneth Carney
Regional Freight/Logistics Task Force: Michael Procuk, Mayor, Brooklyn Heights Village
Watershed/Transportation Task Force: William Skowronski, Ohio EPA

By resolution Board members concurred with the request to change the designated grant recipient for Federal Transit Administration funds from the Lorain County Transit Board (LCTB) to the Board of Lorain County Commissioners. On March 3, 2004 the Lorain County Commissioners will become the governing authority of Lorain County Transit. Changing the designated recipient from the LCTB to the Lorain County Commissioners requires coordination with NOACA as well as the Federal Transit Administration, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and other transit agencies in the NOACA five-county region.

Board members heard presentations on the status of the federal surface transportation bill and on the City of Cleveland’s Lakefront Plan. The surface transportation bill, known as the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 (SAFETEA), has been approved by the Senate and allocates $318 billion for surface transportation projects and planning over the next six federal fiscal years. The House version of the bill has yet to be approved.

After two years of planning activity and more than 50 public involvement meetings, the Cleveland Lakefront Plan is entering Phase III. City of Cleveland Planning Director Chris Ronayne noted that the City currently has 14 projects designated around the lakefront as part of the overall Plan. “We’ve been making progress in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation. We are thrilled to have been selected by the Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) for almost $50 million in Major New Construction Funding for a project in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood”, said Ronayne. He also stated that the City would be requesting a Transportation Plan amendment for the Lakefront Plan later this year.

Board members also approved six applications for Ohio Great Lakes Coastal Restoration Grants submitted under the Intergovernmental Review (IGR) process from the Cities of Bay Village, Cleveland, and Sheffield Lake; Cleveland Metroparks, and Lake County Planning Commission.