Specifications include, but are not limited to: 1. Task: Report on existing conditions by updating demographics, community needs, inventory of services and resources, identification of gaps in service and prioritized strategies to address the needs and gaps; Deliverable 1: Repackage and contextualize demographic information to provide a concise picture of who lives, works and plays in the Borough and what percentage of the Borough’s population has additional needs to be addressed (veterans, senior citizens, etc); Deliverable 2: Work with stakeholders (service providers) and targeted public audiences (persons with disabilities, seniors) to assess emerging needs. Identify any new service providers. Emphasis must be placed on populations who may benefit from these services or specific outreach, including; veterans, those learning English as a second language, people with limited access to housing or shelter, people with limited income or without access to a vehicle.; Deliverable 3: Facilitate work with stakeholders to determine if strategies to improve coordination and strategies to improve services have been successful. Report out on findings.; 2. Task: Assess and strategize for operating in a hybrid rural/urban area. Some portion of the MSB core area will likely become a designated urbanized area in 2022, based on the results of the 2020 Census. Many, if not all providers will operate both inside and outside this boundary.; Deliverable 1: Determine what funding sources are currently utilized by MSB transit providers and what funding sources that would be available in any of the possible future scenarios (all within the urban boundary, all outside the urban boundary, and mixed); Deliverable 2: Research and provide the plan criteria required in order to access funding sources for any of the possible scenarios (urban, rural or mixed); Deliverable 3: Work with service providers to find strategies to help address the changing funding picture and work to prioritize strategies that increase cooperation and potentially, coordination (ex: identification of grants that can be applied for as a group with funding going to all applicants and a streamlining of administration); 3. Task: Assessment of current coordination strategies (via committees or less formal communications) and determine need for change to the level or method of coordination. It should be acknowledged that there are limited funding sources and providers may unintentionally compete with one another for these limited funds.; Deliverable 1: To ensure coordination between providers, propose a frequency of committee communications to address typical topics or issues; Deliverable 2: Develop communication strategies that would enhance cooperation and trust. Create a menu of available options to choose from when there is conflict or problem that effects multiple providers (for example, mutual aid and support when individual providers apply for funding as opposed to competing for funds or simply not supporting another provider’s request)
