Welcome to SARPC's digital newsletter. Our goal is to publish a newsletter once a month that provides highlights of projects and activities being undertaken at the agency. If you have any questions or would like to request additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
In This Issue
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

DEANNA WILLIAMS
Area Agency on Aging
TRANSPORTATION

The Mobile MPO apportionment was increased with the passing of the new FAST ACT Transportation Funding Bill.  The per capita amount was $6.8 Million per year under the bill MAP-21. That has been increased to $7.1 million per year, which equates to being able to program almost $9 million per year once the 20% local match is included. Our Attributable funding schedule has been moved around a bit; however, even though we had an increase in potential funding, we are still negative in terms of budgeting projects in year 2020 and 2021.

The Technical Coordinating Committee / Citizens Advisory Committee (TCC/CAC) of the Mobile MPO met on May 18th, and the Mobile MPO Policy Board will meeting on  June 1st, 2016 .  Items on the agenda include the FY2017 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and various amendments to the 2016 - 2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) including a new schedule for the SR158 (new US98) Extension from Schillingers Road to the State Line.

On  June 14th  at the International Trade Center from  5-7 pm  there will be a public meeting concerning the closing of the I-10 Wallace Tunnel West Tunnel Interchange on ramp (east bound).  ALDOT intends to close that ramp for safety reasons.
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FTA 5310 FUNDING

FTA 5310 (Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities) Awards.
The Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is the Designated Recipient for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) 5310 Urban Area Funding for the Mobile Urban Area.  The FAST ACT has increased our apportionment to $314,047.  We have an application deadline for  June 3rd .  Also, we have recently delivered 2 new vehicles award to AHEPA 310 and Goodwill Easter Seals, and 2 more are expected next month.
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TRASNPORTATION ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM FUNDING

Typically the STATE application deadline and the Mobile MPO application deadline are the same date. That is not the case this year. The ALDOT application was due January 29th, 2016.  The Mobile MPO's Technical and Citizens Committee felt like that was not a good deadline in terms of having to budget for the 20% match, so the Mobile MPO TAP 2016 deadline is  June 3rd, 2016 .  It was recommended to us by the FHWA that we start awarding two years worth of projects.  So starting in June 2017, we will have a 2 year award so we can further schedule the TAP projects.

Under the previous MAP-21 bill, the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) was a standalone program for funding bike, pedestrian, and other alternative projects. The FAST Act deletes the federal authorization for TAP and moves it into the Surface Transportation as a set-aside. TAP was funded at $820 million annually under MAP-21; the FAST ACT increases that figure to $835 million in FY 2016 and FY 2017 and then to $850 million per year.

The Mobile MPO was apportioned $521,335 (federal) annually as part of MAP-21.  The FAST ACT gave us a slight increase in funding to $532,036 of federal funds, plus almost $19,633 carryover from 2015 funds. Our amount of awards for FY 2016 will be $551,669 (fed) totaling $689,586. Applications are due  June 3rd .
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ADA TRANSITION PLANS

The FHWA has required that every city and county in the state have an ADA Transition Plan, and Urban Areas will have a one year deadline ( July 20th, 2016 ).  Each City in the Mobile MPO Study Area and Mobile County now has an appointed ADA Coordinator which creates a nine member ADA Subcommittee of the MPO.  The inventory is complete for all urban local governments within the Mobile MPO, and the consultant is now working with the ADA Coordinators on the text of each of the ADA documents, grievance procedures, and the potential for a full ADA Transition plan, not just Public Rights of Way. The deadline for Mobile County and the cities within the Mobile MPO to have an adopted ADA Transition Plan for public Rights of Way, is July of this year.

May 31st, 2016 , SAPRC is hosting a regional ADA day in the SARPC Board Room.  This was originally intended for rural cities, towns and counties; however, one of our presenters is Mr. Graham Sisson the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Disability (GOOD) and assistant US Attorney.  He will talk about the ADA requirements of municipal and county buildings. We will also have Mr. Brian Davis with ALDOT to discuss the public Right of Way ADA Requirements.

SENIOR LIFESTYLE EXPO
Seniors enjoy the Area Agency on Aging's annual Senior Lifestyle Expo held May 18 at the Abba Shire Center with 1500 attendees.

MASTERS GAMES OF ALABAMA TO BE HELD MAY - JULY

The Area Agency on Aging is sponsoring the district Masters Games Tournament for Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties. The Masters Games of Alabama were organized in 1989 to involve senior adults in recreational activity and fitness. Any resident of the state of Alabama age 50 and older is eligible to participate in the games. The winners for the local events may compete in statewide competitions.

The games will kick off May 4 in Mobile with basketball free throw, billiards, Frisbee throw, Nerfball throw, softball throw, and horseshoes. On June 8 Mobile will host rook. On May 25 shuffleboard, table tennis and checkers will be heldin Orange Beach, followed June 22 with dominos in Chickasaw and Doubles Dominoes June 29 in Robertsdale. Bowling will be held in Spanish Fort on July 14. Opportunities to compete at the state level in swimming, golf and 3-on-3 basketball are also available.

Local champions can compete statewide in Trussville in October 2016, and a chartered bus will be available. South Alabama senior athletes bring back many state medals annually.
For more information or to obtain an application, contact us at 251-706-4680 or 1-800-243-5463 or email us at [email protected].

CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OLDER 
AMERICANS ACT
C elebrating the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act, Medicare and Medicaid and the Area Agency on Aging handed out celebratory cupcakes at the Senior Lifestyle Expo May 18 at the Abba Shire Center.

CAREGIVER COLLEGE
 


June 17, 2016 
Somerby in Mobile 

To register call 251-433-6541 or 1-800-AGE-LINE or email Della Sanchez at [email protected]
"WELCOME TO MEDICARE" SEMINARS IN BALDWIN AND ESCAMBIA COUNTIES

The new location for the Baldwin County "Welcome to Medicare" monthly seminar is at the Spanish Fort Community Center and is held the 2nd  Wednesday  of each month.  The new location in Escambia County is the Atmore Community Hospital and is held the first  Monday  of every month. 


In Mobile the monthly seminars continue at SARPC's office in the GM&O building the 1st Tuesday of each month. All Welcome to Medicare seminars are held from  10 AM until noon .  For additional information, contact James Robertson at 706-4617.

AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER HAS NEW PHONE NUMBER

Notice a change when you call SARPC to reach the Area Agency on Aging?  Our 1-800-AGE-LINE now directly connects to our Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC)  and centralizes intake for all aging and disability programs. The direct line is 706-4680.  If you need  "Answers on Aging" give us a call! 
APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR LEGACY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

The Area Agency on Aging's next Legacy Leadership Institute for Older Adults to be held  June 13-17, 2016  at the Faculty Club on the USA campus. Through a partnership with the University of South Alabama, it offers a more intensive volunteer learning experience utilizing faculty and visiting speakers to educate attendees on aging issues, advocacy, and effective communication. It is designed to help retired professionals and baby boomers find their niche in the world of volunteering among opportunities at the Area Agency on Aging and in their communities.  To apply for this free program, contact Paula Dicks at 929-7744 or Julie McGee at 706-4623 by  June 6 .

NEW SENIOR CENTER OPEN FOR MOWA BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS
 
A New Senior Nutrition SAIL Center is opening for the MOWA Band of Choctaw Indians on  June 1, 2016.  A Grand Opening Celebration will be held at  10:30 on   Thursday June 24.  It will operate at the site of the old Calcedeaver School in north Mobile County  Monday to  Friday.

For more information, contact Joe Griffin at  251-706-4620.

MEDICAID TO SOLICIT LONG-TERM CARE IDEAS DURING STATEWIDE SERIES OF MEETINGS

Consumers, family members, caregivers and others are invited to participate in one of nine meetings during June to provide ideas to the Alabama Medicaid Agency about the best way to improve the way long-term care services and supports are provided in Alabama.
The Agency is hosting the statewide series of meetings to gather information needed to develop an Integrated Care Network system for people are older or who have disabilities.  State legislation passed in 2015 established a competitively bid, integrated network to provide long-term care services to Medicaid recipients.  Patterned after Regional Care Organization legislation, the new law creates a provider-organized, at-risk system that is to begin no later than October 1, 2018.

Each 90-minute meeting will include an overview of the legislation as well as a comparison of the current system and the goals envisioned for Integrated Care Networks. Participants will be asked for their ideas on long term care, home and community-based services and how service coordination can be improved for elderly and disabled individuals.

The meeting is open to the public, but space is limited.  Participants with special needs should call (334) 242-5018 or email [email protected] so that appropriate supports are available. 

All locations are accessible.

Please share this information with your members/stakeholders.

Meeting Site
Meeting Date/Time
Huntsville - Madison Senior Center
2200 Drake Ave SW, Huntsville, AL 35805
Tuesday, June  7/ 10-11:30
Muscle Shoals Senior Center
994 Gattman Park, Muscle Shoals, AL 35660
Wednesday, June 8th/ 10-11:30
Glencoe (George Wallace) Senior Center
407 Hollingsworth park Drive, Glencoe, AL 35905
Tuesday, June 14th/ 10-11:30
Gardendale Civic Center
861 Main Street, Gardendale, AL 35071
Wednesday, June 15th/ 10-11:30
St. Paul Senior Center at St. Paul AME Church
706 E Patton Ave, Montgomery, AL 36111
Tuesday, June 21st/ 10-11:30
McAbee Center
3801 Loop Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
Wednesday, June 22nd/ 10-11:30
The Ratliff Activity Center
306 1st Ave, Demopolis, AL 36732
Thursday, June 23rd/ 10-11:30
Sterling Event Services (Wiregrass Rehab)
2461 E Burdeshaw Street, Dothan, AL 36303
Tuesday, June 28th/ 9:30-11
GM&O Building, 1st Floor Conference Room
110 Beauregard Street, Mobile, AL 36602
Wednesday, June 29th/ 10-11:30



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South Alabama Regional Planning Commission                     Executive Director | Chris Miller :  [email protected]|