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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCC (002)GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR REQUEST SUBMITTED BY: TGAINES CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: TGAINES CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: ❑YES ® NO DATE 04/09/2026 PHONE: 3276 ❑Agreement / Contract ❑AP Vouchers ❑Appointment / Reappointment ❑ARPA Related ❑ Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award ❑ Bid Opening Scheduled ❑ Boards / Committees ❑ Budget ❑ Computer Related ❑ County Code ❑ Emergency Purchase ❑ Employee Rel. ❑ Facilities Related ❑ Financial ❑ Funds ❑ Hearing ❑ Invoices / Purchase Orders ❑ Grants — Fed/State/County ❑ Leases ❑ MOA / MOU ❑ Minutes ❑ Ordinances ❑ Out of State Travel ❑ Petty Cash ❑ Policies ❑ Proclamations EF Request for Purchase ❑ Resolution ❑ Recommendation ❑ Professional Serv/Consultant *Support Letter ❑ Surplus Req. ❑Tax Levies ❑Thank You's ❑Tax Title Property ❑WSLCB Letter of Support for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Program Reauthorization. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES ❑ NO Fm� N/A If necessary, was this document reviewed by legal? ❑ YES ❑ NO R N/A DATE OF ACTION: � (O APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN K,R, P D2: 3 D3: DEFERRED OR CONTINUED TO: WITHDRAWN: 4/2 3/24 eff, Outlook Fwd: SS4A Reauthorization Letter for Consideration From Tom Gaines <tgaines@grantcountywa.gov> Date Fri 4/10/2026 7:29 AM To Caitlin E. Manell <cemanell@grantcountywa.gov> 0 1 attachment (30 KB) SS4A - Surface Transportation Reauthorization Coalition Letter.docx; For discussion Sent from my Phone Begin forwarded message: From: Macy King <mKing@merchantmcintyre.com> Date: April 6, 2026 at 11:53:14AM PDT To: Tom Gaines <tgaines@grantcountywa.gov> Cc: Tristan Southard<tsouthard@merchantmcintyre.com> Subject: SS4A Reauthorization Letter for Consideration **EXTERNAL EMAIL* This email originated from outside Grant County's network. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Tom, I'm reaching out to flag an important advocacy opportunity for the County's consideration. We would greatly appreciate if you're able to consider asking the County Commissioners to sign on to the attached letter in support of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. As you are aware, Grant County is currently in the process of developing its Action Plan after securing funding through DOT's SS4A program in 2023. However, due to the anticipated plan completion date of August 2026, the county is unable to pursue the SS4A grant opportunity for implementation dollars during the current funding round. As we previewed during your visit to D.C. earlier this year, Congress has only provided authorization for DOT to run the SS4A program through 2026, meaning the program's future is uncertain beyond the current funding round. Congress is about to begin considering legislation to reauthorize all of DOT's surface transportation programs, however, it is currently not a given that SS4A will be included. With SS4A`s potential expiration in mind, our team has prepared the attached letter for our local government clients to consider signing. This letter advocates for Congress to include bipartisan legislation reauthorizing SS4A during the development of the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization for DOT. Notably, this legislation would also increase the share of funding that is allocated to implementation grants in future rounds of the program, meaning that Grant County would be able to compete for additional funding moving forward. With Congress expected to begin considering surface transportation reauthorization legislation in the next few weeks, we wanted to see if the Commissioners would be interested in signing on to this letter? We are sharing this opportunity with our other local government clients across the country, and our plan would be to send a signed letter including all of our signatories to the Hill next week. With that in mind, we are hoping to confirm signatures by COB on Tuesday, 4/14. We appreciate any consideration you're able to give to this request! Additionally, if this timeline does not work with the County's process for the Commissioners to consider this type of request, we would be happy to touch base on future opportunities to weigh in with the Hill on this legislation. Best, Macy King Government Relations Associate Merchant McIntyre Associates, LLC 16.34 Eye Street NW, Suite 200 1 Washington, DC 20006 Phone: (318)355-9390 1 Email: mking@merchantmcintyre.com April 14, 2026 The Honorable Sam Graves Chairman Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure U.S. House of Representatives 2165 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito Chairman Committee on Environment & Public Works U.S. Senate 410 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Ted Cruz Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation U. S. Senate 254 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY CIiOMM1SSIDNERIS P 0 BOX 37 EPHRATA WA 9B823 (509) 754-201 1 The Honorable Rick Larsen Ranking Member Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure U.S. House of Representatives 2155 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Sheldon Whitehouse Ranking Member Committee on Environment & Public Works U. S . S enate 410 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Maria Cantwell Ranking Member Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation U.S. Senate 254 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Ca ito Rankin Chairman Cruz and Ra�ril�.in P � g Member Whitehouse, g Member Cantwell, On behalf of municipalities across the United States that have directlybenefited fited from the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program, we write to strongly urge the inclusion of the Safe S All Reauthorization and Improvement Act(H.R. Streets for P 5452} in the upcoming 2026 Surface Transportation nest that Reauthorization Bill. Specifically, we re Congress P q gr s reauthorize SS4A through Fiscal Year 2031 at a level of $5 billion in order to sustain, expand, and fully realize the life-saving program has made in our communities. • • safety investments this . Roadway safety remains a public health emergency in the United States which loch experienced more than 40,000 traffic fatalities in 2023. Pedestrian deaths alone reached a 40- ear high ' y �n 2022, with7,522 people struck and killed while walking. As municipal governments work to address these unnecessary deaths and deliver a safer surface transportation system for all users the to Ian design, and • � availability of federal resources P gn, implement effective solutions remains essential. Notably,despite strong with their state departments of transportation, p g partnership p , many municipal governments rely on federal support to pursue these critical safety projects when the necessary resources are simply local level. p y not a vailable at the state or Kevin R. Burgess Rob Jones Cindy Carter District l District 2 Y District 3 4'TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT." GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS P O BOX 37 EPHRATA WA 9B823 (509) 7S4-201 1 The SS4A program, created by the Bipartisan infrastructure Law, has been a transfo rmative tool for these communities as they pursue targeted solutions addressing roadway fatalities and serious injuries . s. Since its inception five years ago, SS4A has supported life-saving projects and implementation efforts forts in more than 1,600 communities across the U.S. These projects are focused on safer roads intersections, travel options for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. Critically, the strength of this Y gt program lees in its ability to provide flexible support to local governments based on where the in the y are planning, demonstration, or implementation process, enabling the deployment of locally -tailored, - ' ydata driven strategies that reflect on -the -ground safety needs and community input. With SS4A's current authorization expiring in 2026, it is critical that Congress act now to pr ovide predictable, multi -year funding for this program and ensure that participating communities c p p g an complete and scale the safety improvements they have initiated through the program. For municipalities tha t at have previously received planning resources through S S4A, continued investment is necessary to full implement their safety action Tans realize anti ' � y p cipated benefits for their communities, and ensure that previously allocated taxpayer resources do not go to waste. Notably, the Safe Streets for All Reauthorization and Improvement Act takes the necessa ry step of shifting a greater share of SS4A resources toward implementation projects and lowering the J g required set -aside for planning grants from 40 percent to 20 percent. Prioritizing implementation funding will p g allow communities to move forward with shovel -ready safety infrastructure J ro' ects such as im r p p owed roadways, crosswalks, protected bike lanes, traffic -calming measures, and roundabouts ensuringthat the benefits of previous planning awards under the SS4A program are fully realized. Thank you for your attention to this critical issue and for your commitment to ensuringAmerican every has access to safe, reliable transportation. we stand ready to serve as a resource and to share local perspectives on how SS4A is saving lives in our communities. Sincerely, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 1 Kevin R. Bur ss, Chair Ro 3 ice -Chair l d Cindy Wer, Member Kevin R. Burgess Rob Jones CindyCarter District 1 District 2 District 3 "TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDSy SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIESp WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT."