Regional Council Activity Report
June 7, 1999
Executive Director’s Report
History is quietly being made in Arizona’s transportation arena. And, while it probably won’t end up in any textbooks, it deserves at the very least our celebratory salute. On April 30th, representatives from federal, state, and regional organizations met in the City of Casa Grande to help forge a new regionally-based transportation planning and programming process. After developing a set of guiding principles and a procedural flow chart, the representatives signed an agreement supporting the new process. That agreement is now known as the “Casa Grande Resolves.”
The new process marks a significant departure from the old way of doing business by combining the transportation planning and programming procedures of the State and regions into one multi-modal transportation planning process for each region. In the past, the State and regions developed transportation plans on parallel but separate tracks, coming together late in the process to work out discrepancies. The Guiding Principles of the Casa Grande Resolves call for early and regular dialogue and interaction at the state and regional level. They call for a process that recognizes the needs of regional organizations as well as state, local and tribal governments, and which encourages early and frequent public participation and stakeholder involvement.
Another important variation from the past is the call for the development of a Statewide Long Range Transportation Plan. The Guiding Principles require not only that a Statewide LRTP be developed, but that all programmed projects be linked to that long-range plan. In addition, the Casa Grande Resolves establish a revenue allocation process that calls on the program to represent an equitable allocation of resources. This process will be overseen by a Resource Allocation Advisory Committee (RAAC), with representation from the Arizona Department of Transportation, Transportation Management Areas, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, Councils of Government and transit operators. The RAAC will be set up to operate by consensus decisions rather than votes.
These developments mark a significant change in the relationship between Arizona’s transportation partners — a change we believe will result in a better, more efficient transportation programming process that will benefit not only transportation planners, but stakeholders and users as well.
Council Approves MAG Regional Domestic Violence Plan
It was continued from the agenda in April to accommodate debate
over several major transportation items, but a presentation on
the MAG Regional Plan on Domestic Violence was undeniably worth
the wait. After vividly laying out the seriousness and complexity
of the domestic violence problem in the region, Tom Canasi, Social
Services Administrator for the City of Tempe and Chair of the
MAG Human Services Technical Committee, outlined 41 recommendations
that provide a comprehensive, coordinated community response to
domestic violence in the Valley. The recommendations were developed
by approximately 150 professionals and individuals over a four-month
period. The recommendations focus on four areas: prevention and
early intervention, crisis and transitional response, system coordination,
and long-term response. The Regional Council unanimously approved
the plan. After the vote, one audience member was heard to comment
“This is the most important thing MAG has ever done.”
For more information, contact Carol
Kratz, MAG Human Services Manager, (602) 254-6300.
Work Plan and Budget Set Upcoming Year Activities
For the second year, MAG has combined its annual work program
and budget into an integrated document known as the Unified Planning
Work Program and Annual Budget (UPWP). The purpose of this document
is to outline the Regional Council’s policy direction and
fiscal commitments for the upcoming year. The FY 2000 budget of
$9,382,687 represents a 1.41 percent increase over the amended
FY 1999 budget. For FY 2000, member dues and assessments were
adjusted to reflect population growth and inflation. Along with
a description of MAG’s revenues and expenditures, the Work
Program contains a comprehensive look at MAG’s objectives
and goals in our many diverse project areas. The Regional Council
unanimously adopted the FY 2000 MAG Unified Planning Work Program
and Annual Budget.
For more information, contact Art
Rullo, MAG Fiscal Services Manager, (602) 254-6300.
Special Regional Council Meeting to be Held June 9
A special meeting of the MAG Regional Council has been scheduled
for June 9, 1999. The purpose of the special meeting is so that
Council members can consider for approval the following agenda
items: the FY 1999 Final Phase Input Opportunity Report; FY 2000-2004
Transportation Improvement Program; Long Range Transportation
Plan 1999 Update; Finding of Conformity for the draft TIP and
Plan; and the Supplemental Conformity Analysis for the Current
Approved 1998 Conformity Finding. The Special Meeting action by
the Regional Council will ensure that the transportation projects
in the TIP and Long Range Plan will be completed in a timely manner.
For more information, contact Dennis
Smith, MAG Assistant Director, (602) 254-6300.
MAG Exploring Opportunities to Host Governor’s Task
Force
The Maricopa Association of Governments has been working with
the Governor’s Transportation Vision 21 Task Force to provide
information as needed. We are exploring opportunities for MAG
to host this group in an informative session to review the activities
of MAG as a Metropolitan Planning Organization, and to discuss
our transportation and air quality challenges. We are working
with the Governor’s Office on
this issue and we will keep you posted on a potential forum date.
For more information, contact Dennis Smith, MAG Assistant Director,
(602) 254-6300.
MAG hosts 2nd Y2K Forum
On Friday, June 4, MAG hosted its second in a series of forums
dealing with issues surrounding the Year 2000 computer problem.
The topic of the forum was the impact of Y2K on utilities. Featured
speakers included Dave Brown, Y2K Project Manager, Arizona Public
Service Co.; Ray Jussila, Y2K Project Manager, Salt River Project;
Dave Duran, Area Manager, US West; and Garth Andrews, Manager
of Communications, Southwest Gas. Discussions centered on steps
the utility industry has taken to prepare for any potential disaster.
The next forum has been scheduled for June 29, 1999. That forum
will focus on key communication messages to the public as well
as legal and liability issues surrounding Y2K.
For more information, contact Kelly Taft, Public Communications
Program Manager, (602) 452-5020.
MAG Receives Fiscal Award
The Maricopa Association of Governments has received one of the
highest awards in the area of governmental accounting and financial
reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association of the
United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded MAG the Certificate
of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. According
to the GFOA, “the Certificate of Achievement is the highest
form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and
financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant
accomplishment by a government and its management.”
The Achievement Award was given to MAG for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1998. The CAFR was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users to read the CAFR. MAG is only the 15th out of 500 Councils of Governments nationwide to ever receive this award.
Reservations Being Accepted for Desert Peaks Awards
The Maricopa Association of Governments will once again honor
regional achievements through its Second Annual Desert Peaks Awards
on June 23, 1999. The awards celebrate excellence in regional
cooperation between MAG member agencies, citizens, public agencies
and the private sector. Sixty-one nominations encompassing 81
organizations and individuals were received. The awards are to
be presented in the following five categories:
The 1999 Desert Peaks Awards will be held in conjunction with
the MAG Regional Council Annual Meeting Wednesday, June 23, at
the Phoenix Airport Marriott, 1101 N. 44th St. (North of the 202
overpass, between Van Buren and McDowell). The Regional Council
meeting begins at 5:00 p.m., followed by a reception at 6:00 p.m.,
with the dinner at 7:00 p.m. and the awards ceremony at 8:00 p.m.
The cost is $35 per person. Reservations are being taken now by
calling (602) 254-6300, faxing your reply card to (602) 254-6309,
or mailing your reservation to the Maricopa Association of Governments,
300 N. 1st Avenue, Ste. 300, Phoenix, Arizona, 85003.
For more information, contact Audrey
Evans, MAG Office Services Supervisor, or Kelly Taft, Public Communications
Program Manager, (602) 254-6300.
Next Regional Council Meetings
The next Regional Council Meeting will be a Special Meeting June
9, 1999. The next regular Regional Council meeting is the Annual
Meeting scheduled for June 23, 1999. Agenda items will include
recommended approval for the Draft MAG 1999 Serious Area Carbon
Monoxide Plan and Draft MAG 1999 Serious Area Particulate Plan
for PM-10 for the Maricopa County Nonattainment area. The meeting
will be immediately followed by the Desert Peaks Awards evening.
For more information, contact Dennis
Smith, MAG Assistant Director, (602) 254-6300.