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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-27 City Council Agenda Item No. 13 CITY OF LADE LSINOR . DREAM EXTREME. REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: ROBERT A. BRADY CITY MANAGER DATE: JANUARY 27, 2009 SUBJECT: WASHINGTON, D.C. ADVOCACY AND OUR FISCAL YEAR 2010 FEDERAL AGENDA Background This item is to approve the 2010 federal agenda, which will be presented to our Congressional representatives during meetings in Washington, D.C. on March 2 -3, 2009. Discussion The City's annual Washington, D.C. project funding requests are collectively known as our federal agenda. This agenda package is presented by the City's delegation in Washington, D.C. through a series of meetings with Congressional representatives that occur over one to two days. These important meetings are usually scheduled in late February or early March. On December 23, 2008, the City Council authorized an interim agreement with The Ferguson Group for legislative advocacy in Washington, D.C. to promote the City's federal appropriations requests for federal fiscal year 2010. This marks the fourth year the City has sought appropriations funding under the auspices of our legislative advocate, The Ferguson Group. The Ferguson Group recommends rolling over the priority projects from our existing 2009 federal agenda into the 2010 federal agenda. This is necessary because the 2009 federal fiscal year began October 1, 2008, though the federal budget won't be adopted until late February 2009. Staff has worked closely with our legislative advocate to coordinate projects that best meet the criteria for federal funding. Of the City's projects that are being carried over from the 2009 federal agenda, only one —the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)— received a 2009 funding appropriation, which is still pending. The 2010 federal agenda is summarized on the following page. Agenda Item No. 13 Page 1 of 3 2009 Legislative Agenda January 27, 2009 Page 2 I - 15 /Railroad Canyon Road Interchange Improvements — the City seeks approximately $8 million for ultimate ramp and circulation improvements to the 1 -15 interchange at Railroad Canyon Road. Matching funds are available through locally collected Transportation Improvement Fees (TIF), locally collected area benefit district fees and locally collected regional funds, or TUMF. The Avenues Septic Tank Conversion Project — a $1 million request under the EPA - STAG account, Department of the Interior. Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District proposes to construct sanitary sewer facilities in the Avenues area, abandoning 400 septic systems within City limits. Phasing out septic systems in high risk areas by 2020 will reduce nitrate pollution and protect the groundwater basin. The total project cost is $6.5 million. The City supports EVMWD as the lead agency for this appropriations request. Emergency Operations Center (EOC) — this project received a 2009 budget earmark of $100,000 due to the efforts of Congressman Darrell Issa (R -49 District). Funds will be used for information technology upgrades and needed improvements for equipping a permanent EOC at the Lake Elsinore Police Department headquarters. Because the federal 2009 budget has yet to be adopted by Congress, the City's full $250,000 appropriations request will again be sought in 2010. Inlet Channel Stabilization and Dredging — this authorization request under the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) is for $2.6 million for erosion control and silt removal in the Lake Type Inlet channel. Storm inflows have deposited an estimated 515,000 cubic yards of sediment at a depth ranging from 2 to 19 feet since the inlet channel was completed, with 50% attributed to the 2005 flood event. Negative impacts affect water quality, flood storage and altered hydraulics of future stormwater flows. This project would restore the inlet to pre -storm damage condition. This project did not receive federal funding in 2009 because the WRDA was not reauthorized by Congress. WRDA is likely to be reauthorized in FY 2010. SR - 74 /Riverside Drive /Gunnerson Avenue signalization and intersection improvement — this is a new appropriations request for under $2 million to fund traffic signals, safety turn lanes and intersection improvements at Gunnerson and Riverside Drive. Because of past traffic fatalities at this location, staff has been working with Caltrans on approval of the intersection improvement plan. (This is separate from the City's proposed acquisition of SR -74 from Caltrans within City limits.) Light Rail 1 - Corridor — non - earmark request (support only) for a future Metrolink light rail spur from Corona to Lake Elsinore and further south on the 1 -15. Support of this item was originally recommended by Mayor Magee in his role as Riverside County Transportation Commissioner to show the City's support for a project to meet the future commuter rail needs of the region. The Riverside County Transportation Commission has estimated between $217 and $249 million is needed for such a rail line extension. By comparison, the Perris Valley Line is much further along in the Federal Transit Administration funding process. Construction on the Perris Valley Line should start in 2009 and commuter trains will be in service by 2011. A California voter alVildfitidDROA No. 13 Page2of3 2009 Legislative Agenda January 27, 2009 Page 3 measure last fall for high speed rail has spurred efforts by RCTC to rekindle federal support for a rail extension down the 1 -15 corridor. Fiscal Impact The City's lobbying effort comes at a challenging time for federal earmarks: reduced funding has increased competition for scarce federal dollars. To boost the economic outlook, an economic stimulus remedy is now the first priority of the 111 Congress. Requests for federal appropriations to supplement local project funding have been unsuccessful over the past three years, chiefly because of political changes to the appropriations process, election year politics and economic impacts of a recession. However, the City's chances of succeeding with an earmark request are higher than before, in particular, with the $100,000 EOC appropriation that is still pending. The opportunity for federal aid in the form of economic stimulus has potentially increased as a result of the recession. The City is seeking federal appropriations in 2010 because all available revenue sources are needed to ensure that the City's priority projects continue to move forward. The City's Washington, D.C. delegation travel expense for the Mayor, RDA Chair, City Manager and The Ferguson Group reimbursement were previously addressed on December 23 as part of approving the interim agreement with The Ferguson Group. It is customary for the City Council to authorize travel by the Washington, D.C. delegation as part of the federal agenda approval. Recommendation Approve the proposed 2010 federal agenda and direct staff and The Ferguson Group to prepare and submit the necessary appropriations request documentation and authorize the City delegation to return to Washington, D.C. for meetings on March 2 -3, 2009. Prepared by: Mark Dennis Manager Approved by: Robert A. Brady i ff City Manager Agenda Item No. 13 Page 3 of 3