AD10-009

STAFF REPORT
Operations Committee, February 4, 2010

Federal Legislative Agenda (AD10-009)
Consideration of adopting a federal legislative agenda for the FY2011 federal budget process
Speaker: Ms. Lana Hygh

From: Benjamin T. Shivar, Town Manager
Prepared by: Lana Hygh, Assistant to the Town Manager
Approved by: Benjamin T. Shivar, Town Manager
Approved by: Michael J. Bajorek, Assistant Town Manager

Executive Summary: In the federal FY2010 budget, the Town received support of $1 million for the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility, $199,000 for watershed
protection and a designation for an unspecified amount of funding for stream restoration. Staff recommends adoption of a federal legislative agenda for the upcoming federal FY2011 budget process.

Background: The Town has been contracting with The Ferguson Group since December 2001 to represent the Town’s interests at the federal level, particularly in the federal budget process. Over $13 million in federal appropriations have been made to Cary or for Cary-related projects. Most recently, in the FY2010 budget, appropriations were made for the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility, watershed protection and stream restoration. Representatives Price and Miller and Senators Burr and Hagan have been very supportive of the Town.

Fiscal Year	Project	Amount Funded
FY02	Town of Cary, North Carolina for wastewater infrastructure improvements including the treatment of biosolids	$1,000,000
FY03	Construction of a Biosolids Dryer Facility	$ 360,000
FY03	Greenways Project	$ 750,000
FY03	Stream Restoration Project	$ 200,000
FY04	Computerized Traffic Signal System Project	$ 800,000
FY04	Farmland Protection	$ 300,000
FY04	Chapel Hill and Cary Police Departments to provide in-car video camera and other law enforcement technologies	$ 250,000 ($100,000 to Chapel Hill)
FY04	West Cary Stream Restoration	$ 100,000
FY05	West Cary Watershed Protection	$ 300,000
FY05	West Cary Stream Restoration	$ 193,000
FY05	WakeCounty for water infrastructure improvements in cooperation with the Town of Cary and DurhamCounty	$1,500,000 (WakeCounty)
FY06	JordanLakeWater Reclamation and Reuse Project	$1,500,000 (WakeCounty)
FY06	West Cary Watershed Protection	$ 298,000
FY06	West Cary Stream Restoration	$ 175,000
FY06	Cary Police Department Technology Improvements Project	$ 100,000
FY08	Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility	$500,000
FY08	Walker Street Grade Separation	$1,000,000
FY08	Cary Police Department’s Technology Improvements	$352,000
FY08	Swift Creek	$213,000
FY08	West Cary Stream Restoration	$95,000
FY09	Western Wake Water Reclamation	$500,000
FY09	Walker Street Grade Separation	$950,000
FY09	Cary Police Department	$300,000
FY09	Town of Cary Watershed Protection	$199,000
FY09	West Cary Stream Restoration	Soft earmark
FY10	Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility	$1,000,000
FY10	Town of Cary Watershed Protection	$199,000
FY10	West Cary Stream Restoration	Soft earmark

SAFETEA-LU Authorization FY2005-2009
Project	Amount
Pedestrian Bike/Trail System Project	$1,600,000

Discussion: Staff has worked with our consultants to identify the Town projects that are the most likely candidates for federal funding and brings the following forward for approval:

Town of Cary’s Federal Legislative Agenda

Federal FY2011

DRAFT

Appropriations Requests
	Project	Request	BillAnd Program	Project Description
1	WWRWRF	$2 million	Interior and Environment EPA STAG	Design and construction of regional wastewater facility
2	Biosolids Dryer Energy Recovery	$500,000	Energy and Water EERE	Design and construction of an energy recovery system for the biosolids dryer at the Western Wake Regional Wastewater Management Facility
3	Hazard Mitigation and Economic Impact Study for Cary Grade Crossings	$500,000	Transportation FRA / TCSP	Study conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians, bus transit and trains at seven at-grade crossings and three grade separated crossings, comparing various options and their economic, social, environmental and safety considerations.
4	Town of Cary Watershed Protection	$300,000	USDA NRCS	Study stream corridors and develop plans to protect the watershed
5	Town of Cary Stream Restoration	$318,000	Corps of Engineers Section 206	Continuation of Corps of Engineers stream restoration project

SAFETEA-LU Authorization Requests
Project	Amount	Project Description
Cary Greenway	$4 million	Construction of two trailheads and 1.9 miles of greenway to provide interconnection to the American Tobacco Trail
Walker Street	$20 million	Walker Street Extension and Grade Separation – Planning, design, acquisition of right of way and construction
Transit Facility	$3.2 million	Planning, design, environmental review, acquisition of land, and construction of a transit maintenance and operations facility, Town Cary, North Carolina.

Policy / Non-budget Legislative Items / Non-Earmark Funding Sources

1.Advocate for direct funding to local governments in any federal economic stimulus package that may be considered.
2.Advocate for federal support of local government efforts to better protect the environment and reduce harmful emissions.
3.Oppose legislation to preempt state authority and require collective bargaining for public employees.
4.Advocate for full, ongoing funding for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.
5.Advocate for funding for land and water conservation funds.
6.Assist the Town of Cary in obtaining USDA Rural Utility Service funds for extension of water and sewer service to rural census block 534.03-1053.
7.Advocate and assist in obtaining FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation funds for water security assistance.

Fiscal Impact: There is no fiscal impact to adopting a federal legislative agenda. The current contract with The Ferguson Group for December 1, 2009 through November 30, 2010 is for $99,284. Funds for this contract were included in the Town’s adopted FY2010 budget.

Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends adoption of the proposed legislative agenda for the federal 2011 fiscal year.