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Excess CMAQ Funds <br />As a result of the balance remaining in the CMAQ account due to highly competitive <br />bids, I requested a meeting with Mn /DOT to begin discussions on how the City may <br />utilize these funds within the limits of the approved CMAQ grant application. Through <br />internal discussions with city staff, it was agreed that the highest priority improvement for <br />the use of these funds would be a skyway connection to the new train station from the <br />parking deck. <br />I requested a meeting with Mn /DOT State Aid staff on August 2, 2011 to begin <br />discussions about this issue. Initially, Mn /DOT was supportive of this idea of use of <br />funds but they did reserve judgment until they could discuss the issues with Met Council <br />and FHWA staff. As a result of these discussions, a second meeting was called to bring <br />all parties together to continue to review this issue. <br />On August 31, 2011 at meeting was held with MnDOT State Aid staff, Kevin <br />Roggenbuck from the Met Council staff and Susan Moe, the local FHWA representative <br />assigned to the Met Council. <br />The meeting began with my making a simple presentation and request that would allow <br />the City to use excess CMAQ funds for a skyway connection. Without addressing this <br />issue, the discussion turned to a potential problem using any of the CMAQ funds for <br />parking improvements as a result of the recent approval of the rail station. The original <br />CMAQ grant was for bus service and park and ride — the questions brought by FHWA <br />and Met Council staff representatives were if the transit service were converted to rail <br />from bus, would the original grant have scored well enough to be approved? <br />All agreed that at this point, the City is completing the project as originally approved and <br />from MnDOT's position, this issue is not a cause for concern. However, the City Council <br />should be aware that there may be a question upon the conversion of the transit service <br />from bus to rail and how this impacts the original CMAQ grant. No recommendations or <br />conclusions were reached at this meeting and all agreed to continue to discuss the <br />issue. <br />I will be available to discuss this issue with your City Council at their September work <br />session. <br />C: JoAnn Olsen — LSA <br />William Fossing — LSA Design <br />File <br />2 of 2 <br />