Columbus has approved a contract with a consulting firm to provide assistance in developing policies for the city transit department.
The Columbus Board of Works on Tuesday agreed to pay RLS & Associates Inc. $24,854 to provide transit policy and procedure assistance. The firm, based in Dayton, Ohio, will also provide help with FTA funding and reporting requirements, according to its proposal.
Currently, the city develops those policies, but RLS & Associates Inc. will help ensure it stays current due to ongoing policy changes at the federal level, said Bryan Burton, the city’s public works director. Funding for the contract will come out of next year’s city’s transit budget, said Jamie Brinegar, city finance director.
The firm also plans to address deficiencies that were discovered on a FTA three-year audit, Burton said.
The Columbus Board of Works also on Tuesday approved an addendum to an existing contract with the Administrative Resources Association, based in Columbus, to assist the city with federal reporting and its financials related to the transit department. Currently, the city pays the organization $10,000 annually, but the addendum brings the total to $20,000, according to Burton.
