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Scott‑Carver mobility team recommends renewing partnership, exploring vendor broker and transferring Transit Link administration
Summary
Staff recommended renewing the joint mobility management agreement, exploring an external broker for non‑emergency medical transportation (NEMT), and preparing to transfer Transit Link administration back to the Met Council if appropriate; the state recently revised its timeline for taking over NEMT and will give counties six months' notice when ready.
County mobility management staff reviewed options for overseeing transit services and non‑emergency medical transportation (NEMT) for Scott and Carver counties and presented a set of recommendations for board consideration.
Staff said the current joint arrangement oversees Transit Link contract work and several locally funded circulators. The program receives a MnDOT 5310 grant of about $578,000 per two‑year cycle (an 80/20 funding match) and currently funds approximately 2.3 FTE through the joint program. Transit Link contract administration is with the Met Council and provides a seamless service area across the two counties.
Recent changes to state plans altered the landscape for NEMT. Legislation that once envisioned a state takeover of NEMT removed the July 1 takeover date; staff said the revised law leaves the state the option to assume responsibility at an unknown future date but requires six months' notice to counties when it chooses to act. Counties therefore remain responsible for NEMT for the foreseeable future and are evaluating whether to pursue a broker model among metro counties rather than continue direct administration.
Staff recommendations and next steps
The joint staff recommendation brought to the boards was threefold: (1) allow staff to modify and renew the Scott‑Carver joint mobility management agreement and engage county attorneys on cost splits and governance; (2) explore contracting with a vendor/broker to assess costs and operational implications of shifting NEMT to a vendor model; and (3) consider turning Transit Link administration back to the Met Council as early as Oct. 1, 2026, if the county boards approve that direction and provide required notice. Staff said turning administration back to Met Council would likely reduce county FTE levels and alter grant and match responsibilities.
Local impacts and fiscal notes
Staff estimated NEMT annual costs of about $240,000 across the partnership (roughly $160,000 for Scott County and $80,000 for Carver County). The mobility program’s total budget was discussed in the meeting as approximately $3.9 million, with possible reductions to approximately $3.0 million under some transition scenarios. Staff will return to the boards with legal review, cost splits, and a recommended timeline; boards discussed extending the current agreement in the near term to preserve operations while staff work through options.
