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Motion by Councilmember Elvig, seconded by Councilmember Cook, to authorize the City to <br />enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with Anoka County for the preparation of a TH 10 Access <br />Management Study with funding to be provided through the Public Improvement Revolving <br />Fund. <br /> <br />Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Elvig, Cook, Olson, Pearson, and <br />Strommcn. Voting No: None. Absent: CouncilmemberJeffrey. <br /> <br />Councilmcmber Jeffrey arrived at 8:22 p.m. <br /> <br />Case #15B: <br /> <br />Authorization to Apply for a Grant from the Federal Congestion Mitigation <br />Air Quality Program (CMAQ) to Purchase Two Transit Buses and <br />Construction of Additional Park and Ride Stalls <br /> <br />City Administrator Norman explained the Metropolitan Council is currently taking grant <br />applications to receive money from the federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) <br />program. The CMAQ program provides grants to projects that will lessen traffic congestion <br />and/or pollution. City Staff would like to submit a grant application to fund the purchase of two <br />transit buses for the Northstar Commuter Coach. The deadline for the grant application is <br />August 19~h. The City received the required letter of support from the Northstar Corridor <br />Development Authority last Thursday. He advised staff would be working with the Lasher <br />Group of I,SA in the drafting of this grant application. The Lasher Group is suggesting the City <br />consider some of the parking facilities in this grant application, and apply for funding for Phase <br />II of th.e Municipal Parking Facility. <br /> <br />Councihnember Strommen stated as someone who tries to ride the Northstar buses and finds <br />them full, she can attest to how much of a need there is for more buses on this route and how <br />positive it would be to have them in Ramsey. <br /> <br />Councilmcmber Elvig commented the City hopes to be a multi-mobile station at some time, but <br />this ramp would be for dedicated bus riding, not for a rail station at this time. He noted these <br />buscs would be dedicated Ramsey, with a potential expressway from Ramsey to Minneapolis. <br /> <br />City Administrator Norman explained LSA has indicated that the City may receive more points <br />il' they could be tied into the Riverdale project, and there will be a meeting to discuss this. This <br />parking facility would be multi-mobile in that one could drive their car and park at this location <br />to get onto the bus. <br /> <br />Assistant Public Works Director Olson explained LSA was concerned with the length of time <br />betwecn cxpressway buses, which is about 45 minutes to one hour. With the Northstar <br />Commuter Coach line the buses would be about 20 minutes apart. <br /> <br />Mayor (iamec stated there will likely be a lot of citizens from the northwest part of the City <br />utilizing these buses. <br /> <br />Councilmcmber Elvig noted this is a grant, and is not a tax to the residents of the City. It is also <br />an opportunity for Ramsey to have dedicated buses without being in the Metropolitan Council <br />taxing district, which would be a requirement with MTC buses. <br /> <br />City Council / August 9, 2005 <br /> Page 18 of 25 <br /> <br /> <br />