8E Consent 2012 0305 - Laserfiche WebLink

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8. Approval of a Comprehensive Updated Plan: In order to adopt a comprehensive updated expenditure plan, the Alameda County Transportation Commission will appoint an Expenditure Plan Update Advisory Committee, representing the diverse interests of Alameda County residents, businesses and community organizations to assist in updating the plan. The meetings of this committee will be publicly noticed, and the committee will be responsible for developing a public process for soliciting input into the comprehensive plan update. A recommendation for the adoption of the updated expenditure plan shall require a two- thirds vote of the Alameda CTC Commissioners and shall be taken back to the local jurisdictions including the cities, Alameda County and transit agencies for review and comment. The comprehensive plan update will appear on a general election ballot in Alameda County for approval by the voters, requiring a majority vote. All meetings at which a comprehensive plan update is considered will be conducted in accordance with all public meeting laws and public notice requirements and will be done to allow for maximum public input into the development of updating the plan. TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS, AUDITS AND ACCOUNTABILITY Accountability is of utmost importance in delivering public investments with public dollars. The Alameda CTC is committed to transparency and accountability as a public agency along with its many jurisdictional partners and there are many measures built into this measure to ensure voter accountability in expenditure of funds. 9. Annual Audits and Independent Watchdog Committee Review: Transportation sales tax expenditures are subject to an annual independent audit and review by an Independent Watchdog Committee. The Watchdog Committee will prepare an annual report on spending and progress in implementing the plan that will be published and distributed throughout Alameda County. 10. Strict Project Deadlines: To ensure that the projects promised in this plan can be completed in a timely manner, each project will be given a period of seven years from the first year of revenue collection (up to December 31, 2019) to receive environmental clearance approvals and to have a full funding plan for each project. Project sponsors may appeal to the Alameda CTC Commissioners for one-year time extensions. 11. Timely Use of Funds: Jurisdictions receiving funds for transit operations, on-going road maintenance, services for seniors and disabled, and bicycle and pedestrian safety projects and programs must expend the funds expeditiously and report annually on the expenditure, their benefits and future planned expenditures. These reports will be made available to the public at the beginning of each calendar year. 12. Annual Budget and Strategic Plan: Each year, the Alameda CTC adopts an annual budget that projects the expected sales tax receipts, other anticipated funds and planned expenditures for administration, programs and projects. The Alameda CTC will also prepare an annual Strategic Plan which will identify the priority for projects and dates for project implementation based on project readiness, ability to generate leveraged funds and other relevant criteria. Both the budget and the Strategic Plan will be adopted at a public meeting of the Alameda CTC Commissioners. 13. Commitments from Fund Recipients: All recipients of funds allocated in this expenditure plan will be required to sign a Master Funding Agreement, detailing their roles and responsibilities in spending sales tax funds and including local hiring requirements. Funding agreements will include performance and accountability measures. In addition, fund recipients will conduct an annual audit to ensure that funds are managed and spent according to the requirements of this expenditure plan. 14. Capital Improvement Program Updates: Project descriptions will be detailed and fully defined for inclusion in the Alameda CTC Capital Improvement Program which will be updated every two years, and which will provide for geographic equity in overall funding allocations. All allocations will be made through a public process.