CCOG amends local transportation program manual; adds flowchart, right-of-way match rules and construction signage requirement

Cache County Council of Governments members on the COG approved minor amendments to the agency’s Local Transportation Fund Program Manual and accepted a calendar of dates for the 2025 funding cycle.

The changes approved by the COG staff and members clarified existing procedures rather than creating new eligibility criteria: (1) the policy text was reorganized into a new project-eligibility flowchart to make the process easier to follow; (2) language was added to allow previously acquired property or donated right-of-way to count toward local match if it is obtained before project construction; and (3) a requirement that construction projects funded through the program display signage at public access points identifying the project and noting it was funded by the Cache County Council of Governments’ local transportation funds.

Why it matters: The manual guides which municipal and county projects are eligible for locally administered transportation sales-tax funds and how matching contributions are counted. The edits are intended to improve clarity for applicants, reduce administrative friction when projects are being readied for construction, and increase public visibility of projects paid for with the COG’s sales-tax funding.

Key details - Flowchart: The manual now includes a project-eligibility flowchart (Appendix I) that lays out the decision steps for determining whether a project qualifies for rural set-aside, spot improvements or other program categories. Staff said the flowchart pulls together existing policy language into a single visual aid rather than changing eligibility. - Right-of-way as match: Language was added to allow donated right-of-way or property purchased in advance to be counted as local match so long as the property is acquired before construction. Staff said the intent is to reward local jurisdictions that secure corridor property in advance of construction. A city’s prior corridor acquisitions (discussed as acquisitions within roughly the past 10 years in the meeting) may be considered for match when documented in the project application; however, staff cautioned that temporary occupancy agreements or limited rights of occupancy are unlikely to qualify as full match unless they establish value equivalent to a purchase. - Project signage: New guidance requires at least one readable sign at each public access point to a funded project during construction, identifying the project and stating it was funded with Cache County Council of Governments local transportation funds. The sign can include local city logos in addition to the required COG or county attribution; jurisdictions are encouraged to include the signage requirement in contractor bid specifications. - 2025 schedule and award amount: Staff circulated the 2025 timetable for applications and presentations. Key dates announced: June 2, 2025 — notice letter and application form made available; June 16 and June 28 — duplicate “how to apply” sessions; August 8 — applications due; October 6 — project presentations; October 20 — COG recommendation to the county council; November 4 — county council action on recommended awards. Staff estimated the 2025 award pool at approximately $17,000,000 (this figure is an early estimate and staff said it excludes future interest allocations that may be added when final numbers are known). - Website and outreach: The COG rolled out a standalone web page with program history, application materials, timelines and prior-year awards. Staff asked members to review contact lists and return updated contact sheets so the COG can send the formal call-for-applications and schedule notices through the county and Utah public notice systems.

Discussion and follow-up directions Members asked several clarifying questions about the right-of-way language and whether partial rights, occupancy agreements or negotiated acquisitions after bidding would count. Staff said the intent is to favor jurisdictions that secure property in advance and that the executive committee could provide interpretation or an eventual amendment to the manual if needed. The COG also directed staff to help applicants add the signage requirement into bid specifications and to send the finalized manual and schedule to jurisdictions.

Sales- and use-tax conversation The COG held an extended discussion about a recently adopted county sales-and-use tax and its distribution. Members reported the county’s resolution specifies that 25% of the new tax proceeds were to be used for transportation; attendees expressed uncertainty about how those funds will be allocated operationally between county-controlled projects and COG-administered projects. COG members asked staff to “trust but verify” by requesting accounting details from the county so the COG can confirm how much of the new tax reaches transportation budgets and whether any portion will flow into COG-administered capital funding. Staff agreed to follow up with county accounting and the county council and to report back at the next meeting.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the meeting agenda: approved (motion and second recorded; no opposition voiced). - Motion to approve minutes from the Jan. 27 meeting (as amended/transferred): approved (no opposition voiced). - Motion to approve the Local Transportation Fund Program Manual (amendments described above): approved (motion and second; unanimous voice vote reported).

What’s next Staff will publish the approved manual and update the COG webpage, issue the formal call-for-applications and conduct the scheduled how-to-apply sessions. Staff will also pursue the accounting clarification with the county regarding the new sales-and-use tax distribution and report findings at the next COG meeting.

Ending Members closed with procedural items (a contact-sheet review) and a motion to adjourn; the meeting ended after the adjournment motion carried.