Minutes | Regular Meeting
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
October 27, 2022
Present:
Guillermo Sillas City of Brawley
Lily Falomir City of Calexico
Jeorge Galvan City of Calipatria
Angel Hernandez City of El Centro
Adriana Anguis City of Holtville
Jesus Villegas City of Imperial
Ramiro Barajas City of Westmorland
Veronica Atondo County of Imperial
Ismael Gomez Imperial Irrigation District
Others:
Virginia Mendoza ICTC
Marlene Flores ICTC
Angela Delgadillo ICTC
Phillip Ramirez City of Brawley
Felix De Leon City of El Centro
Christian Rodriguez City of El Centro
Yvonne Cordero City of Imperial
Adolfo Garcia County of Imperial
Jim Minnick County of Imperial
Anna Strahan Caltrans
Rafael Reyes Caltrans
Sean Wilcock IVEDC
Alessandra Muse IVEDC
1. The meeting was called to order at 10:05 a.m. A quorum was present, and introductions were made. There were no public comments made.
2. Adopted resolution authorizing remote teleconference meeting in accordance with Assembly Bill 361. ICTC requested a motion to adopt. (Falomir/Villegas). Motion Carried.
3. A motion was made to adopt the minutes for September 22, 2022 (Atondo/Falomir) Motion Carried.
4. 2022 Mini Call for Projects- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) Programming Project
List – FFY 2025/26
(Presented by: Virginia Mendoza & Marlene Flores)
ICTC staff forwards this item to the Technical Advisory Committee for discussion and recommendation to submit to the ICTC Management Committee and Commission after public comments, if any:
1. Approve the 2022 Mini Call for Projects -Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) Programming Project List for FFY 2025/26; and
2. Direct staff to program projects in the next available Federal Transportation Improvement Program Formal Amendment.
- A motion was made to approve the 2022 Mini Call for Projects CMAQ & STBG. (Atondo/Falomir) Motion Carried.
5. Updates on the Brawley Transit Corridor Brownfield Assessment and Southern Border Broadband Consortium (SBBC) Projects
(Presented by: IVEDC Staff)
- A presentation by Sean Wilcock and Alessandra Muse from the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC) was given.
- Mr. Wilcock provided program updates for EPA Brownfields.
- The Chai Property has its phase 1 complete and the phase 2 was not required. The property is now listed and being marketed for redevelopment.
- The Finnell Property has its phase 1 and 2 completed, the contamination identified, and the property owners are now equipped to secure independent clean up funding.
- The Lesika Property has its phase 1 and 2 completed and blighted property has been redeveloped.
- The Pioneers Property has its phase 1 completed and its phase 2 in process. A developer has chosen this property due to the grant funding that is offered.
- The Texaco Property had its phase 1 completed and its phase 2 in process. The property will be marketed for redevelopment.
- The Dek Property was poorly executed phase 1 completed by another firm. The brownfields program completed phase 2 and provided the technical assistance for project completion. The business in now in operation.
- Ms. Muse provided program updates for Southern Border Broadband Consortium (SBBC). In 2016, IVEDC formed the SBBC utilizing an initiative from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) along with representatives from all economic sectors to improve the availability and adoption of affordable broadband technology for unserved and underserved areas of Imperial and San Diego counties.
- Regional Broadband Consortium: In 2020, SBBC was approved for a second 3-year grant cycle with the CPUC's California Advanced Services Fund as the RBC for San Diego and Imperial Counties. Current Grant Cycle: November 1, 2020 - October 31, 2023 Ongoing Efforts: SBBC continues to work with ISPs to identify funding opportunities and project locations in San Diego and Imperial.
- In 2019, SBBC participated in the development of a Preferred Scenario for 98% broadband deployment of broadband in the region submitted to the CPUC.
- In 2022, SBBC completed a project facilitated by Caltrans to identify Transportation Broadband Strategies to Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled and Greenhouse Gases. Partners included SCAG and CETF.
- Get Connected California: A statewide mobilization to register low-income households with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which offers discounted high-speed home internet. For more information: Internet for All Now: Bridging the Digital Divide in California
- For more information or any questions/comments, please contact the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation at (760) 353-8332.
6. Caltrans and FHWA Peer Exchange Project Bundling Presentation:
(Presented by: Marlene Flores)
- Project bundling is a process by which a single contract award is used to deliver multiple preservation, rehabilitation, or replacement projects.
- Bundling projects leverages design and construction expertise and achieves economies of scale.
- Some key benefits for project bundling: reduce design and construction costs, improve project and program delivery time, deliver transportation benefic to public faster, and provide an alternative for small LPAs to build federal-aid projects through collaboration with LPA partners.
- FHWA will be providing more workshops and trainings as it moves along with the Pilot program. A variety of documents of examples on Project Bundling were given to TAC members.
- For more information on Project Bundling please visit: EDC-5: Project Bundling | Federal Highway Administration (dot.gov)
- For any questions, please contact Virginia Mendoza at virginiamendoza@imperialctc.org or Marlene Flores at marleneflores@imperialctc.org.
7. Caltrans Updates / Announcements:
(Presented by: Rafael Reyes)
- SR-98 Widening Project: There has been good progress made to be completed before Thanksgiving. Stage 2 will begin after the holidays to minimize the impacts (traffic) to the businesses.
- Clean California Projects: Gateway beautification project at SR-7/Nina lee Rd. A ceremony event took place earlier this week. The anticipated construction date would be in late December.
- El Centro median island improvements and bus shelters in Niland, Calipatria, and Holtville have been transmitted to the procurement and will be going out to bid next week. A contractor should be on board within the next few weeks.
- There are two remaining median island projects in El Centro that are pending some railroad agreements. The Brawley bus shelters are ready to go and will be put out in early 2023.
- Cycle 2 for Clean California Local Grant Program: Workshop #1- November 3, 2022 1:00 pm - 3:00pm.
- Federal Fiscal year Request for Authorization Obligations are due on January 31, 2023. Please prepare to send your RFA packages as soon as possible.
8. SCAG Updates / Announcements:
- Regional Early Action Program (REAP) 2.0 Program Update: There is funding available under this program that was presented to the TAC group last month.
- If you have any questions, please contact David Salgado at salgado@scag.ca.gov
9. Cities and County Planning / Public Works Updates:
· Each jurisdiction gave their update.
10. ICTC Updates / Announcements (Presented by ICTC Staff)
a. Transit Planning Updates
· The Free Fares Program grant was approved for $492K which will cover about 9 months of free fares for transit riders. In the month of November, a program is offered for free transportation for veterans for about a week. The annual “Stuff-A-Bus” campaign is coming soon as well. This campaign lets people ride the bus for free if they donate a canned good. Essentially, all the canned goods that are generated, are donated to the food bank prior to Thanksgiving holiday. These two programs will be put out for the public before the Free Fares Programs takes place. The Free Fares program will likely start around January 2023.
b. Transportation Planning Updates
· Long Range Transportation Plan Outreach:
- Project website is up and running with the deliverables. There are many upcoming outreaches that ICTC will be attending. This is the first. The second wave will take place in the Spring.
- Heber Fall Festival:
Saturday, October 29, 2022. Event starts at 4 p.m. Location: Tito Huerta Park, 1165 Palm Ave. Heber, CA 92249
- Holtville Farmers Market & Street Fair:
Saturday, November 5, 2022. Event starts at 11 a.m. Following Annual Veterans Day parade. Location: Holt Park, 121 W. 5th St. Holtville, CA 92250
- Cattle Call Chili Cookoff:
Saturday, November 5, 2022. Event Starts at 5 p.m. Location: Main St. & Plaza Park in Brawley, CA 92227
· Local Partnership Formulaic Program (LPP) Update:
- Deadline to submit LPP application: November 10, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.
· CMAQ & STBG FFY 2022/23:
- A project list was provided to the TAC group.
11. General Discussion / New Business
Next TAC meeting will be November 17, 2022 via Zoom at ICTC offices.
Meeting adjourned at 11:52 a.m.