Draft Memorandum for the Record

Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization
Unified Planning Work Program Committee Meeting Summary

August 16, 2023, Meeting

1:00 PM–1:30 PM, Zoom Video Conferencing Platform

Derek Krevat, Chair, representing Gina Fiandaca, Secretary of Transportation and Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Decisions

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (MPO) Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) Committee agreed to the following:

Materials

Materials for this meeting included the following:

1.    July 13, 2023, meeting summary (pdf) (html)

2.    July 27, 2023, meeting summary (pdf) (html)

3.    FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment Two Memo (pdf) (html)

4.    FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment Two Table (pdf) (html)

Meeting Agenda and Summary of Discussion

1.    Introductions

See page 4 for attendance.

2.    Public Comments

A member of the public requested information on a potential project on Cambridge Street in Boston. Eric Bourassa followed up with the commenter.

3.    Meeting Summary of July 13, 2023—Approval of this summary

A motion to approve the summary was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Advisory Board (Amira Patterson). The motion carried.

4.    Meeting Summary of July 27, 2023—Approval of this summary

A motion to approve the summary was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (A. Patterson). The motion carried.

5.    Action Item: FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment Two—Vote to Waive 21-day Public Comment Period and Endorse

Srilekha Murthy stated that the FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment Two proposes third-quarter adjustments to program budgets to account for changes in staffing or program needs throughout the fiscal year. Third-quarter adjustments have regularly been made to the UPWP in recent years. Examples of budget adjustments include an increase in the Long-Range Transportation Plan budget due to development involving more staff than initially anticipated and staff attrition, while the Climate Resilience Program was developed before a Resilience Planner was hired and an intern has been hired to support the program. Budget adjustments represent a net zero change to the UPWP budget. Staff requested the UPWP Committee to vote to waive the public review period and recommend the full board to endorse the amendment.

 

Discussion

Len Diggins (Regional Transportation Advisory Council) asked about the new budgeting process, which necessitated adjustments to the General Graphics and General Editorial line items. Annette Demchur (MPO Staff) replied that from FFY 2023, those line items were given their own budgets rather than charging to a specific program or project, as there is often uncertainty as to the exact needs of a program or project when budgets are developed.

Tom Bent (Inner Core Committee/City of Somerville) asked how the delays in recruitment might affect staff’s ability to complete work. A. Demchur responded that some positions had been filled, and staff are prioritizing critical MPO work.

Sandy Johnston (MBTA) expressed that the MBTA would like to see how programs are prioritizing work and how staff are going about coordinating tasks between agencies. A. Demchur replied that staff are working on internal work plans for the upcoming fiscal year and can provide some updates on what they have accomplished in the past year.

Vote

A motion to waive the 21-day public comment period and endorse FFY 2023 UPWP Amendment Two was made by the At-large City of Newton (Josh Ostroff) and seconded by the Regional Transportation Advisory Council (L. Diggins). The motion carried.

6.    Members Items

J. Ostroff commended the Congestion Management Process Committee on its work with FFY 2023 UPWP congestion pricing study, and thanked the UPWP Committee for its endorsement.

L. Diggins stated that the public comments made would be better suited to a different body, as it relates to a project not discussed in the UPWP, and that Open Meeting Law precludes a public body from discussing or making decisions on items that do not appear in the posted agenda for that meeting.

7.    Next Meeting

To be announced.

8.    Adjourn

A motion to adjourn was made by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (E. Bourassa) and seconded by the MBTA Advisory Board (A. Patterson). The motion carried.

Attendance

Members

Representatives

and Alternates

Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Office of Transportation Planning)

Derek Krevat

Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Eric Bourassa

Regional Transportation Advisory Council

Lenard Diggins

At-Large City (City of Newton)

Josh Ostroff

At-Large Town (Town of Arlington)

City of Boston (Boston Transportation Department)

Inner Core Committee (City of Somerville)

Tom Bent

Three Rivers Interlocal Council (Town of Norwood/Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce)

Tom O’Rourke

Three Rivers Interlocal Council alternate (Town of Westwood)

Steve Olanoff

City of Framingham (Metrowest Regional Collaborative)

 

MBTA Advisory Board

Amira Patterson

 

Other Attendees

Affiliation

Sandy Johnston

MBTA

Daniel

 

 

MPO Staff/Central Transportation Planning Staff

Tegin Teich, Executive Director

Annette Demchur

Hiral Gandhi

Stella Jordan

Erin Maguire

Srilekha Murthy

 

 

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)

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·       Relay Using TTY or Hearing Carry-over: 800.439.2370

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