Amador County – Ione City Council today will review a report on the reformation of the Amador County Transportation Commission into a Joint Powers Authority, or some other entity. City Manager Kim Kerr in a report for today’s meeting said possible reformation of ACTC into a JPA, a transportation authority, or something else, could not happen unless “numerous things” occurred, “including a report from ACTC to the City Council.” And any “organization structure … will require approval by the City Council to join.” She said “staff wanted to share the information regarding the discussions and get direction.” Kerr said Executive Director Charles Field reported the “reasons why ACTC believes it needs to reform the agency powers.” Field in a February 13th report to ACTC Commissioners explained the workshop and meetings with ACTC members, represented by their 5 city managers and Amador County Chief Administrative Officer Teri Daly. Field said from the meetings, the Daly and the city managers agreed that ACTC staff “present a summary report to each city council and the Board of Supervisors concerning the traditional roles and the increasing new roles that ACTC has been implementing on their behalf.” That includes ACTC’s current work as a local transportation commission and transportation planning authority, along with developing and implementing area-wide plans and action programs for transporation; and obtaining and securing public and private funds. Field said the county CAO and city managers also “agreed they will support ACTC staff’s recommendation that the ACTC become a JPA for the expressed purpose of carrying out these responsibilities on behalf of the cities and county.” Those express responsibilities included: owning property, administering traffic mitigation fee programs; and assuming the “lead role in developing transportation improvement projects,” (including environmental clearance and design.) Field said The ACTC’s study group of city managers and CAO also “agreed that the JPA should not include ACTC’s ability to implement a ½-cent sales tax program, sell bonds, or carry out other roles or authority beyond that which it exercises at the present time.” The latter includes items administering tax bond measures; issuing bonds to finance, if included in the ballot; exercising eminent domain; overseeing construction of transportation projects; administering special assessment or tax districts; and changing the makeup of the ACTC’s membership. Today will be Ione City Council’s chance to review the matter before it is submitted to the city councils and Board of Supervisors in April or May. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.