MTPO board directs staff to pursue independent staffing model after DOT flags indirect‑cost gap

The Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organization voted Sept. 16 to pursue an independent, "leaning" staffing model and directed county, city, FDOT and regional planning council staff to return with a transition plan at the MTPO's Oct. 7 meeting.

The decision came after FDOT staff told the board that consultant indirect costs billed by the Regional Planning Council had not been approved by DOT and therefore are not presently reimbursable, a change that creates a short‑term funding gap for services the RPC has provided. The board asked the county to explore fronting working capital to be reimbursed later and agreed to form a 3‑to‑5‑member steering committee to lead the transition and hiring process.

Why it matters: the MTPO is moving from a smaller TMPA designation to a TMA and will receive a larger annual SU allocation (roughly $3 million per year). Commissioners said a locally accountable executive director and dedicated staff would make the organization more responsive to regional safety and multimodal projects, but members said the finance and staffing details must be clarified quickly because the transition will require up‑front cash and new contractual arrangements.

DOT's disclosure and financial implications Akaya Brown, transportation planning manager for FDOT, told the board that consultant indirect cost rates submitted by the RPC were not approved by DOT and therefore that portion of invoices could not be reimbursed under current DOT practice. "That indirect cost rate is 66.5%," Brown said, and explained that until an acceptable indirect‑cost allocation plan or a de‑minimis approach is documented in the UPWP, the district will not process reimbursements for those elements.

Board members and staff said the revelation was new and significant. MTPO staff explained that, because the MTPO operates on a reimbursement model, the newly independent organization would need working capital up front to pay payroll and invoiced expenses while waiting for federal reimbursement; staff estimated that working capital needs could be on the order of $500,000 (approximate). County staff said the county could explore fronting that capital and being reimbursed over time; city staff cautioned that the city does not currently have funds available to front the money.

What the board directed The MTPO directed county staff (with city assistance), RPC and FDOT to prepare a recommended transition plan to return on Oct. 7 that would: establish a 3–5 member steering committee composed of city and county board members, begin recruitment for an executive director with a target hire date in mid‑2025, identify a general planning consultant (GPC) to provide transitional technical services (target May 2025 for GPC), and outline the working‑capital approach and changes needed to the staff‑services agreement with the RPC. The board also asked staff to provide regular updates at future meetings while the steering committee develops job descriptions and scopes of work.

Voices from the meeting "To fund the transition will come from your PL funds," Brown said of the federal PL funds that support metropolitan planning activities, adding that those funds can be used to pay consultants during the transition. Commissioner Eastman argued that an MTPO with staff answering directly to the board would be "more responsive" and better able to move projects forward. Public commenters and board members urged a rapid but responsible process.

Next steps County and city boards were asked to identify potential steering‑committee nominees so the MTPO can hit the ground running at the next meeting. Staff will return Oct. 7 with a recommended package including budgets and a proposed timeline; the steering committee is expected to hammer out details and report back before any staff‑services agreement is terminated or amended.

— The MTPO will reconvene Oct. 7 to review the transition plan and, if needed, refine working‑capital and contract arrangements so the organization can assume direct staffing responsibilities.