COG staff propose new TST application and scoring; seek a small policies-and-procedures team

COG staff presented proposed changes to the Transportation Sales Tax (TST) project application and scoring and asked the Council of Governments to approve the scoring approach and name 2–3 members for a policies-and-procedures team. The revisions would produce separate prioritized lists for congestion/capacity roadway projects, active-transportation projects (trails, sidewalks, bike lanes) and transit projects so funding and performance targets can be compared across modes.

The presenter said the COG, as the state-required program manager, would continue to set annual priorities and recommend a prioritized list for County Council approval. Staff said the revisions do not change the previously adopted small-cities "off-the-top" allocations; small cities would still receive their guaranteed allocations and the new process would mainly affect regionally significant projects.

Council members raised questions about project timelines and equity. Mayor Worrall asked whether the program could adopt a "point-of-sale" allocation for Park City similar to the small-cities approach and requested Park City representation on the policies-and-procedures team. Presenters said those trade-offs would be part of the committee’s work and that they expected the committee to meet two to four times over the coming year to finalize policies before next year's project list is compiled.

Staff asked for approval of the new scoring approach and said they would release the application and accept submissions until the April 5 deadline, with a prioritized list to return to the COG at the next meeting. Several members volunteered or offered alternates to serve on the working group; staff emphasized the need for county and municipal representation to ensure diverse perspectives across Summit County.