Approval of the proposed Agreement will allow the MPO to provide employees of the Downtown Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association (TMA) with health and welfare insurance plans, at the same benefit, cost, and eligibility requirements, as those currently available to the MPO employees, including health, supplemental health, life (employer-sponsored and employee voluntary), short- and long-term disability, dental and vision insurances. The TMA will reimburse the MPO for providing this service to its employees. This Agreement would further allow other goods and services to be provided to the Fort Lauderdale Transportation Management Association as needed.

In return, the TMA will provide services to the Broward MPO. Some of these services will be outlined in the up-and-coming Strategic Business Plan, which will be approved by the TMA Board and the Broward MPO. Services to be provided, as currently identified, include assisting the Broward MPO to achieve Organization goals. In addition, the TMA will conduct technical exchanges related to resiliency and sustainability, assist with project development related to transit and strengthen collaborative opportunities with key Broward employers and property owners.

The nonprofit TMA has served as transit operator for the City of Fort Lauderdale for many years and has operated services such as the well-known Sun Trolley, among others. As the City of Fort Lauderdale has moved to assume direct control over its transit services, the TMA is looking to reposition itself and focus on providing transportation demand management and mobility management services to municipalities and other agencies in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area.

Due to a reduction of funds resulting from the split with Fort Lauderdale, the TMA is looking to find more efficient ways of providing health insurance and other benefits to its employees. A partnership with the MPO would enable it to obtain these services with relative ease. However, the other benefits of such a partnership between the two agencies might include:

• The ability to leverage collective goals, such as to test new transportation innovations and trends.
• Conducting technical exchanges related to resiliency and sustainability.
• Assistance with project development related to transit.
• The strengthening of collaborative opportunities with key Broward employers and property owners.
• Maximizing funding sources with private-sector contributions.
• Expansion of outreach to the community.
• Reinforcement of staff skill sets.
• Bolstering one another's missions to achieve a measurable impact in Broward County.

In addition to the potential benefits above, the MPO sees this partnership with the TMA as useful in helping it to achieve the goals outlined in its Strategic Business Plan. The TMA can also own real property, which the State currently prohibits the MPO from doing.

For the reasons mentioned above, the MPO feels that this partnership with the TMA will open up exciting possibilities and allow for new services to be provided to member governments and residents of Broward County.

For the proposed Agreement with the TMA, please see the Attachment. Please note the fiscal impacts are unknown at this time. The fiscal impact will be determined when the Business Plan is approved by the TMA Board and the MPO Board. Funding scenarios will be brought to both Boards to be approved. When those items are brought to our Board, it will also accompany a budget amendment to be approved.

MPO staff recommends approval of the Agreement with the TMA for Administrative Services.

If you have any questions about this item, please contact Bryan Caletka at (954) 876-0070 or caletkab@browardmpo.org.