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####### *A taskforce of the National Rural Development Partnership*

### 

# October 16, 2001

### 2:00pm EDT

### 

### Minutes

#### I. Welcome & Introductions

-   Sandra Chapin, Truman Fellow, Department of Health & Human Services,
    National Rural Development Partnership

**Participants**:

Dianne McSwain, Eileen Stommes, Rich Stoltz, Jim Hensley, Chris
Zeilinger, Josh Mandelbaum, Hal Cohen, Leslie Ventura, Laura Compton,
Mary Hasenoehrl w Senator Mike Crapo, (ID), Pam Pedago

Julie Zimmerman, Jane Poertner, Ella Innes, Chris Brackett, Frank
Garcia, Rebecca Brown, Mary Constiner

Kim Thompson, Sharon Thornberry, Shanna Whitley

#### II. Business Items

-   **Update on Secretary Thompson's Rural Initiative and Taskforce
    Mission Statement:**

#### There have been over 450 comments received to date. The final report is being fine-tuned this afternoon and will begin to go through the clearance process tomorrow so that we can make the October 25^th^ deadline. The report and strategic plan will stay in-house at DHHS for a period of time before it is released to the public.

The current Mission Statement will remain as-is for now. Comments and
suggestions about the mission statement are welcome on an ongoing basis
and will be reviewed and incorporated to the existing statement with the
appropriate consultation from the taskforce members.

**[Presenters:]{.smallcaps}**

**Eileen Stommes**, Senior Sociologist with USDA

Focused on rural transportation and welfare to work issues specifically.
Mentioned JARC program, Jobs Access and Reverse Commute, funded by DOT.
Part of the six-year DOT transportation funding program. Links TANF
families and low income residents to jobs, focuses on regionally
coordinated transportation. 75% of TANF recipients live in urban, and
2/3 of new jobs are in suburban, 50% of TANF recipients do not own cars.

One of the requirements is that the grantee must secure matching funds
and partners. These partners and funds can be federal or state dollars.
She and her colleagues selected 8 JARC projects for case study around
US. They selected them for geographic diversity: rural metro, etc.
Wanted organizational diversity as well. Main focus was how partners met
the challenge in various communities.

They collected demographic information for all areas and wanted to find
out how various programs were able to get something organized and up and
running. How well did planning process work, partnerships, what were the
challenges in rural areas and urban areas. What would they do
differently. All of the systems were able to get the project up and
running and secured partners. Some programs focused on education and
training, some on work-first. Some offered fixed routes, others second
and third shift services.

Challenges: the reporting and record keeping differences among
organizations was problematic. Those that were not transit-oriented in
nature had a problem with assurances and requirements and didn't
understand what they were. They were mainly confusing about funding
reporting and sustainability of funding from year to year.

Final comment: many people they spoke to in rural areas felt they had an
advantage because the partners had worked together on other projects
unrelated to transportation. They already had networks in place. She is
expecting to complete data collection by mid November and will let us
know when the findings are available.

**Rich Stoltz**, Deputy Director for Public Policy at the Center for
Community Change

Center for Community Change provides technical assistance for jobs,
housing, and transportation. Transportation became a focus of CCC after
TANF was implemented. They focus on how states have used block grants.
In rural areas, one of the gaps in JARC is that funds for personal
vehicles doesn't exist. There is no infrastructure for public
transportation. Wheels to work programs have sprung up in rural areas to
address the problem. Connecting people to cars. (Some environmentalists
are concerned though.) NY State has the CENSUS program that uses TANF
block grants. This is a program that address transportation issues in
outlying rural areas and in some suburbs. Using a range of funds, they
solicited used cars that were repaired at a certified auto place for the
cost of \$300.00 to TANF. First six months of auto repair, AAA, and
contingency fees are included. Actual cost per vehicle is \$2000. But
they got 300 cars to individuals who needed them. Working-poor people
are also able to secure no-interest loans for \$4000. Sacramento,
California area has similar programs.

TANF funds can be used depending on the creativity of the local county
welfare office. This requires them to go outside the typical boundries
of what they're used to. They can implement previously owned and car
repair programs, or low interest revolving loan programs for cars and
repairs. Also some areas have provides training for mechanic skills and
combined these with education programs so TANF recipients can learn how
to repair cars after they get them and even start a micro-business.
There are very creative ways to use TANF funds to reimburse people for
transportation costs.

Policy recommendations: to find a way to get around earmarking funds,
and start soliciting proposals before earmark process so members of
Congress know bout projects that can be funded. Other organizations have
been interested in doing best-practices and ensuring that job access
programs are in collaboration with other supportive services and located
in the same place as child care referral, etc. JARC could be used to
offset planning some of these programs. Also, car purchase programs be
allowed through JARC

**Jim Hensley**, Program Manager for West Virginia Works Program

In WV there is a lack of transportation. In June 2000, they implemented
West Virginia Wheels in about ¾ of the state. TANF participants make a
lease payment of about \$100 a month for 24 months then they own the
car. In June 2000 they did a request for proposal for 1008 cars
throughout state. June 2001 they added another 1000 cars. They spent 4.8
million the 1^st^ year and 9 million the second year. The average cost
of a vehicle is \$2400. Part of the lease agreement is that the
insurance is paid by for by the vendor and repairs and accidents are
also the responsibility of the vendor. Currently they have 4 vendors in
4 different regions in state. They are finding that with the program
there needs to be good communications between HHS staff and vendor
staff, and TANF participants. One of the problems is that they need
programs in basic Driver's Education so they can get a automobiles to
those who currently cant pass the test.

Good News Garage repairs the cars. Cars from this garage can also be
purchased for the cost of repairs. What we need is support services for
vehicles already owned that need repairs. (50% of TANF recipients in WV
do not have cars.)

**Chris Zeilinger**, Assistant Director of Governmental Affairs and
Training with the Community Transportation Association of America.

www.ctaa.org has many things on the website of interest. There is a
rather extensive library about job access and such. Also, the list of
suggestions for the Secretary's Rural Initiative is also there.

He wanted to discuss the "big picture" issues in rural areas. Such as
the next session in Congress and TANF reauthorization. A year later the
reauthorization of T-21, The Transportation and Equity Act of 21^st^
Century. Public transportation serves about 50% of rural America. 40%
has no public transportation. There is simply not the level of transit
service that folks find in urban areas.

For example: every county in Missouri has public transit, but the vans
are operated by agencies that only run three times a week This applies
to most of the rural areas in the country.

When T-21 was passed, one thing that happened is that rural funding
increased drastically. But what is troubling is that since then, the
investments in the number of people served in rural areas remains
unchanged. Most areas that did not have public transportation then,
still don't have it today. Those that had public transportation already
in rural areas now have better public transportation, so the
concentrations of resources are not getting to areas that need it most.
A good thing about JARC and TANF passage and WIA was that there are more
partnerships in rural areas. You now have HUD folks talking to HHS
folks, etc. This is slowly happening in urban. This is another example
of rural setting a trend for urban.

Suggestion: the ability for rural residents to get to health care
services. More and more rural people don't get health care. There is a
need in rural areas to centralize services that people need to access.
Locate DOL services with HHS services, with health services. Need to
bring people with disabilities into employment. Heath coverage and
transportation for clients with disabilities needs a whole lot of focus.

Native American issues: Most Native Americans are isolated in very rural
areas, and we need some very creative solutions.

**Hal Cohen:** Director of Central Vermont Community Action Agency**. (
versus** Hal Colston at Good News Garage) The Good News Garage began as
a collaborative effort with a local faith-based organization. A
Parishioner was the repair person and fixed cars. They got a Welfare to
Work grant and hired staff members to organize the program. They used
TANF funds for the repair of the cars. They got 160 cars donated by used
car dealers and then they repaired them to a safe and operable
condition. They made agreements with local garages to also fix cars.
Last month they opened their own 3 bay garage and now they can fix their
own cars.

It costs about \$750-\$1000 a piece to fix the cars and make them safe
and road worthy. The cars last at least a year or so. We realize that a
second hand car is not a permanent solution, but a solution to at least
get started. We got a 250,000 grant through the Community Action Council
and the Credit Union and they set up a revolving loan fund for loans for
low-income folks. The credit union leverages the money 5-1 and they have
given out \$350,000 in the state.

**[Comments:]{.smallcaps}**

Q:The cars that are donated by dealers. Do they get a tax break?

Yes: there are incentives to get dealers involved. Some dealers are also
getting rid of old cars, so that's incentive enough. Community
transportation organization website has many programs listed. It's
mostly used car dealerships.

Q: When is Eileen's report available??

A: Next spring, roughly. Many folks in 8 sites that were not
transportation-minded had a daunting task with the assurances and
certifications. One community even had to go to city council to get
clear about legal questions.

Q: Collaborations between two social services programs, is this allowed
in JARC.

A: In one rural area, HHS is the lead agency. They take TANF, locals,
and others all on the same routes. They can also bring tourists from
waterfront to casinos in another part of the town. Goal was not to make
new routes, but to embellish existing routes.

Q: : CTAP, Chris could you elaborate on this?

A: CTAP supports a national transit resource center. 800-527-8279

JOBLINKS- did a demonstration project with tribe in Michigan to set up a
van pool program, but they were not able to sustain the program. In
Crescent City, California two Rancherias are being used for a fixed loop
to bring people to casinos and to bring people into town. TANF
recipients have their fare paid for, but tourists pay their fare.

We need to develop a strategy for rural employers and businesses for an
economic development argument around the value of transportation. The
amount of revenue created when people can access jobs is very appealing.
You can get rural businesses to invest when they see the earning
potential.

**[V. Future Conference Calls]{.smallcaps}**

**November Conference Call**: The Faith-Based and Community Initiative.
Tentative date: Tuesday, November 13, 2001, 2:00 PM, (EDT)

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to contact:

> Sandra Chapin

####### NRDP Truman Fellow

> Department of Health & Human Services
>
> Phone: 202-205-3505
>
> Fax: 202-690-5672
>
> Email: sandra.chapin@hhs.gov