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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06111985 - FC.1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �♦ Finance Committee C Ilra FROM: Costa DATE: June 5, 1985 County SUBJECT: CONTRACT WITH UNITED COUNCIL OF SPANISH SPEAKING ORGANIZATIONS � �`� FOR TRANSPORTATION TO COUNTY HEALTH FACILITIES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) 8: BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. Approve and authorize the Health Services Director to execute an exten- sion of the existing transportation contract with the United Council of Spanish Speaking Organization (UCSSO) for up to two additional months thru no later than August 31, 1985, with the payment limit not to exceed $21,722. The scope of service will include transportation to County health facilities, providing information to riders regarding alternate transportation sources, and various administrative activities related to the closeout of the existing contract. 2. Direct staff to work with UCSSO to obtain appraisals of surplus equipment and to determine the feasibility of the County acquiring same. FINANCIAL IMPACT: This action will result in a first year savings of $238,933 in the Health Services Department, and $260,000 per year thereafter. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: In April of 1985, the County Administrator' s Office, Community Develop- ment Department staff , and the Health Services Department were directed to consider ways of meeting the following objectives: A) Increased ridership for existing transit systems; B) Reduction or elimination of the apparent duplication in services between those provided by UCSSO and the transit authorities; C) Reliable transportation for County Hospital and clinic patients, jurors, and similar groups for whose transportation the County is responsible, particularly between Martinez and the East and West County areas; D) Effective use of available funding; E) Possible direction of funds toward general transportation needs between Richmond and Martinez; CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE: 441 RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMEN I ARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) Supervisor Sunne McPeak R Schroder ACTION OF BOARD ON June 11, 1985 APPROVE AS RECOMME ED X OTHER X DIRECTED Health Services Director to assist UCSSO in pursuing funding grants, and to look into the feasibility of a fee schedule. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS _X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SSL7ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED UCSSO Health Services Department PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-e3 BY ✓ DEPUTY F) Exploration of a possible voucher system for people whose transportation is a County responsibility. The existing contract with UCSSO provides County-wide transportation from individual homes to County health facilities, and between facili- ties. The transportation planning staff of the Community Development Department performed an inventory of all existing paratransit systems and fixed route services available throughout the County. This inventory indicates that a duplication of services exists between the UCSSO services and those of transit authorities whose systems are suffering from a shortage of riders. In addition to the UCSSO and transit authority services to ambulatory persons, the elderly and , handicapped are served by other paratransit programs, plus Ambu-Cabs are utilized to transport non ambulatory patients. It is the staff recommendation from the Office of the County Adminis- trator, Health Services Department, and Community Development Depart- ment that the existing contract between the County and UCSSO for transportation services be allowed to expire June 30, 1985, in light of County fiscal constraints. other funding sources for this contract have been explored to no avail. There is no other County department seeking to fund these transportation services, and the possible use of a fee schedule and voucher system was determined to not be cost effective due to the level of administrative and accounting efforts needed to manage the slight revenue increase that would result. Further, since this review was undertaken, the future of continuing public transportation between Richmond and Martinez has become more certain, thus the need for UCSSO to fill that possible gap in service no longer exists. Staff of the Health Services Department, Community Development Depart- ment, and County Administrator' s office have met with the Executive Director and staff of UCSSO to advise them of the recommended termina- tion, to inquire the problem that this termination will cause for UCSSO, and to explore ways that the County may be of assistance in solving these problems. UCSSO has indicated three problem areas: 1. Continuing payments for two vans,.which were purchased with multi-year financing; 2. Leased space in San Pablo for the storage of the vans; 3. The fact that this transportation contract helped fund a portion of the organizational overhead costs. Staff have been and will continue to work with UCSSO to minimize potential problems for the organization in the termination of this service. Possibilities include assistance in finding a buyer(s) for the vans and identifying appropriate closeout activities for the month following Board determination on this issue. Accordingly, when this issue was before the Finance Committee, their recommendation, with regret, due to the longstanding contractual relationship between UCSSO and the County, and the value of the servi- ces provided, is to: Extend the contract up to two months for a phase out of transportation services, provision of information to riders regarding alternatives, and various other closeout activities, with a payment limit of one-twelfth the existing contract. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION: If there is no further Board action on this issue, the existing contract will automatically terminate, on June 30, 1985. This item is being presented to the Board in order that the County intent regarding this contract can be clarified for all parties prior to the original expiration date of June 30, 1985.