Technical Memorandum

DATE:   January 26, 2023

TO:         Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization

FROM:   Tegin Teich, Executive Director

RE:         TIP Process, Engagement, and Readiness Committee Proposal

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee members, in discussions about an MPO Operations Plan, requested that MPO staff develop a framework for a new committee charged with supporting increased engagement in the development of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The intent of this committee is not to duplicate work done at the MPO policy board level, but rather further supplement it. A&F Committee members agreed that the establishment of a TIP Process, Engagement, and Readiness Committee should not result in a dilution of decision-making at the policy board level to other forums.

If established, this committee would be a standing committee, subject to the same guidance as other committees in the MPO Operations Plan, which is currently being developed. This memo presents the proposal for a draft charge and purpose, sample activities, a preliminary timeline, and the draft process for establishing committee membership to be considered in the MPO Operations Plan. Staff request that MPO board members discuss and decide whether or not to implement this committee.

1          Draft Charge and Purpose of a TIP Process, Engagement, and Readiness Committee

Charge: Provide ongoing review and input into the TIP development process with a focus on identifying opportunities for improvement, as well as increasing collaboration and engagement between MPO staff, board members, representatives of MassDOT, the MBTA, regional transit authorities, project proponents, and other stakeholders.

Purpose: To achieve greater transparency into the TIP development process, establish a forum to encourage more engagement and dialogue between board members and with project proponents, and to build a foundation to support the consensus-based, decision-making that occurs at full policy board meetings.

2          Sample Committee Activities

The following are activities that the TIP Process, Engagement, and Readiness Committee might engage in throughout the TIP development process:

• Annually review TIP criteria
• Engage and inform committee members, empowering them to share insights with potential project proponents
• Discuss whether criteria continue to reflect MPO priorities while sensitive to regional and local needs and challenges (Note: If the committee members believe that updates to the criteria are warranted, their findings would be shared with the full policy board, where all work to update criteria and decision-making about the criteria would take place.)
• Review development process for the TIP Universe of Projects
• Engage and educate committee members
• Engage committee members in a deeper conversation to determine project status in subregions and to improve the TIP Universe of Projects
• Review TIP project scoring process and results
• Engage and inform committee members, empowering them to ask more detailed questions about scores and provide feedback into the process
• Identify potential barriers to entry or difficulties for municipalities in the project solicitation process
• Share information to use for engaging with project proponents in their subregion
• Provide supplemental input on general approach to funding scenario development
• Discuss and offer additional, interim feedback on the evolution of TIP funding scenario drafts, when feasible
• Discuss how scenarios may address regional priorities and challenges to inform future scenario developments
• Discuss project cost and readiness challenges
• Provide a forum for more detailed and interactive discussions on project-readiness challenges
• Identify recurring challenges for projects and discuss mitigation strategies

 

3          Preliminary Meeting Timeline

Figure 1 shows a proposed timeline for when committee activities could occur in relation to the TIP development process timeline for the full policy board. The proposed timeline includes five scheduled meetings throughout the year. Additional meetings can be at the discretion of the committee to discuss ongoing themes and challenges as well as project readiness updates as they occur.

Figure 1
TIP Development Process and Preliminary Committee Meeting Timeline

FFY = Federal Fiscal Year. MPO = Metropolitan Planning Organization. TIP = Transportation Improvement Program

4          Draft Membership Guidance from the Draft MPO Operations Plan

The following text is a subset of the draft committee guidance in the MPO Operations Plan focused on establishing membership for committees:

• Selecting board members to serve on committees
• Within 30 days of the start of a board member’s term, new board members and recurring board members shall be asked by staff to share their interest in volunteering for committees.
• The list of volunteers for each committee will be shared with the policy board for consideration and approval.
• Committee members and officers shall be selected from all board members. There is no requirement to have a specific “split” of state, regional, or municipal members.
• Quorum
• A quorum consists of 50 percent of board members plus one of the committee members present at all meetings.
• Committee member terms
• Committee members shall serve a one-year term.
• Committee members’ assignments shall be either renewed or members may join a committee following the MPO’s annual election of board members.
• Committee members’ terms may be extended by approval of the board if the year expires and new committee members have yet to be confirmed by the policy board.
• Officers of committees
• In the first committee meeting after the annual election of board members, potential chairs of the committee shall be nominated—either by a self-nomination or by another member of the committee.
• The chair of the committee shall be elected by majority vote of the membership of the committee at the same meeting.
• Responsibilities of committee chairs
• Chairs shall coordinate with staff on agenda setting for each meeting.
• Chairs shall coordinate with staff to ensure that information needed for informed decision-making is available for each meeting.
• Chairs shall facilitate presentations, discussions, and voting according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
• Onboarding of committee members
• Within 90 days of the start of a committee member’s term, new and returning committee members shall be invited to an orientation meeting with MPO staff to review the purpose of the committee and the committee’s role. New committee members must work with staff to find a date within the 90 days. The orientation is optional for returning committee members.
• Prior to the orientation of new committee members, and also within the first 90 days of a new term, staff shall contact existing committee members to ask for volunteers to assist in orienting and mentoring new committee members.
• At times, committee members may also be invited to additional training modules organized by staff. These modules would focus more deeply on particular and timely topics, such as the primary 3C-planning documents (the Unified Planning Work Program, TIP, and Long-Range Transportation Plan).

 

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) operates its programs, services, and activities in compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and related statutes and regulations. Title VI prohibits discrimination in federally assisted programs and requires that no person in the United States of America shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin (including limited English proficiency), be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that receives federal assistance. Related federal nondiscrimination laws administered by the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, or both, prohibit discrimination on the basis of age, sex, and disability. The Boston Region MPO considers these protected populations in its Title VI Programs, consistent with federal interpretation and administration. In addition, the Boston Region MPO provides meaningful access to its programs, services, and activities to individuals with limited English proficiency, in compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation policy and guidance on federal Executive Order 13166.

The Boston Region MPO also complies with the Massachusetts Public Accommodation Law, M.G.L. c 272 sections 92a, 98, 98a, which prohibits making any distinction, discrimination, or restriction in admission to, or treatment in a place of public accommodation based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or ancestry. Likewise, the Boston Region MPO complies with the Governor's Executive Order 526, section 4, which requires that all programs, activities, and services provided, performed, licensed, chartered, funded, regulated, or contracted for by the state shall be conducted without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, creed, ancestry, national origin, disability, veteran's status (including Vietnam-era veterans), or background.

A complaint form and additional information can be obtained by contacting the MPO or at http://www.bostonmpo.org/mpo_non_discrimination.

To request this information in a different language or in an accessible format, please contact

Title VI Specialist
Boston Region MPO
10 Park Plaza, Suite 2150
Boston, MA 02116
civilrights@ctps.org

By Telephone:
857.702.3700 (voice)

For people with hearing or speaking difficulties, connect through the state MassRelay service:

• Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370
• Relay Using Voice Carry-over: 866.887.6619
• Relay Using Text to Speech: 866.645.9870

For more information, including numbers for Spanish speakers, visit https://www.mass.gov/massrelay.