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City by the Lake.org, The Voice of Michigan City, Indiana _ City Talk _ Intermodal facility being explored
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 20 2007, 01:01 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=3380&TM=54065.42
QUOTE
Co. Committee To Look At Intermodal
Officials to start advisory task force to ensure ‘transparent’ process in development.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - An advisory task force is being created to help county officials evaluate prospective developers and sites for an intermodal freight terminal in La Porte County.
County Commission President Barbara Huston said in a press release Friday the commissioners are developing an "orderly and fair process" that would involve public input. The task force will have 15 to 20 members.
The convergence of rail lines, coupled with closeness to major interstate highways, has positioned La Porte County as a prime location for a facility that could create jobs and boost economic development. It would serve as a place where cargo is transferred between trucks and trains.
Two railroad companies are said to be eying locations here, but are saying little publicly about their plans. Some property owners have said they have been approached by a real estate company that has been buying options on farmland in southern La Porte County.
"We will put a very public, transparent process in place to evaluate developers and sites before we ever give approvals to anyone," Huston said.
Huston said the county has received multiple inquiries from real estate firms, venture capital groups, railroads and real estate investment trusts interested in prospective county locations. She said county attorney Shaw Friedman and county economic development coordinator Matt Reardon will coordinate contacts and issue a request of interest to identify serious proposals.
Her own preference is to use the Kingsbury Industrial Park as the site of the intermodal facility, but she and the other commissioners are open to all possibilities, she said.
Officials to start advisory task force to ensure ‘transparent’ process in development.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - An advisory task force is being created to help county officials evaluate prospective developers and sites for an intermodal freight terminal in La Porte County.
County Commission President Barbara Huston said in a press release Friday the commissioners are developing an "orderly and fair process" that would involve public input. The task force will have 15 to 20 members.
The convergence of rail lines, coupled with closeness to major interstate highways, has positioned La Porte County as a prime location for a facility that could create jobs and boost economic development. It would serve as a place where cargo is transferred between trucks and trains.
Two railroad companies are said to be eying locations here, but are saying little publicly about their plans. Some property owners have said they have been approached by a real estate company that has been buying options on farmland in southern La Porte County.
"We will put a very public, transparent process in place to evaluate developers and sites before we ever give approvals to anyone," Huston said.
Huston said the county has received multiple inquiries from real estate firms, venture capital groups, railroads and real estate investment trusts interested in prospective county locations. She said county attorney Shaw Friedman and county economic development coordinator Matt Reardon will coordinate contacts and issue a request of interest to identify serious proposals.
Her own preference is to use the Kingsbury Industrial Park as the site of the intermodal facility, but she and the other commissioners are open to all possibilities, she said.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Aug 21 2007, 09:43 AM
What is needed is open, public meetings announced adequately in advance. People do not trust committees that do not have open meetings, nor should they.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 22 2007, 07:40 AM
I can tell you from experience that even the public events are not that well attended. People don't usually show up until after the fact.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Aug 22 2007, 11:57 AM
It might be different if things were decided in open meetings instead of behind closed doors, with public meetings held as window dressing.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 23 2007, 08:00 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=3532
QUOTE
Residents Rail Against Intermodal
About 500 attend meeting, oppose idea; most local officials keeping an open mind
Stan Maddux
For The News-Dispatch
UNION MILLS - It seemed as if every one of the 500 residents who turned out for a meeting Tuesday night in Union Mills were against a rail yard that's proposed basically right in their backyard.
But most of the elected officials in attendance are keeping an open mind until they balance the increase in traffic and other impacts with the thousands of new jobs and millions in additional property taxes projected.
"The challenge in this thing is how do you maximize the job growth but minimize the noise; the pollution; the traffic; the infrastructure problems," La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman said.
Already committed to opposing the intermodal facility, though, is La Porte County Councilman Terry Garner of Hanna.
"I will never sell my soul to the devil," said Garner, whose comments drew wild applause from the overflow crowd at the Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department on County Road 800 South.
Often grumbling, many citizens demanded to know who the main financial players are behind a proposal that could bring significant change to their quiet, agricultural community.
They also accused officials of knowing more than they're willing to share despite repeated assurances from leaders such as county councilman Jerry Cooley, who said "basically, we don't know any more than you do."
One thing is for certain.
It appears a final decision on where to locate one of the intermodal facilities that have been speculated about the past few years appears near, with Union Mills at the top of the list.
Officials revealed a 15 to 21 member task force consisting of elected officials, railroad representatives, citizens and others will be formed to evaluate all sites proposed for an intermodal facility.
Final approval will rest with the La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals to decide changes in zoning that would be required.
Friedman did reveal he's been privy to some talks involving an intermodal facility and, in a bid to calm the restless crowd, said no site has been chosen.
He failed to sway many residents of Union Mills strongly convinced that one of the intermodal facilities is targeted for their area on existing farmland.
They insist a better location would be six miles to the east in the Kingsbury Industrial Park, which is more secluded with plenty of old industrial sites that could be reused.
Friedman said the committee will aggressively seek more than one proposal for an intermodal facility, including any sites that involve Kingsbury Industrial Park.
"We're saying all sites are on the table. This is not a done deal," Friedman said.
The meeting was called by a local citizens group opposed to an intermodal facility in hopes of influencing decision makers.
Involved in the opposition movement is 87-year-old Ruth Minich, a longtime farmer in the Kingsbury-Union Mills area.
"You're really blessed. You're the stewards of your land. Don't turn it over to anyone else," she told the crowd.
About 500 attend meeting, oppose idea; most local officials keeping an open mind
Stan Maddux
For The News-Dispatch
UNION MILLS - It seemed as if every one of the 500 residents who turned out for a meeting Tuesday night in Union Mills were against a rail yard that's proposed basically right in their backyard.
But most of the elected officials in attendance are keeping an open mind until they balance the increase in traffic and other impacts with the thousands of new jobs and millions in additional property taxes projected.
"The challenge in this thing is how do you maximize the job growth but minimize the noise; the pollution; the traffic; the infrastructure problems," La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman said.
Already committed to opposing the intermodal facility, though, is La Porte County Councilman Terry Garner of Hanna.
"I will never sell my soul to the devil," said Garner, whose comments drew wild applause from the overflow crowd at the Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department on County Road 800 South.
Often grumbling, many citizens demanded to know who the main financial players are behind a proposal that could bring significant change to their quiet, agricultural community.
They also accused officials of knowing more than they're willing to share despite repeated assurances from leaders such as county councilman Jerry Cooley, who said "basically, we don't know any more than you do."
One thing is for certain.
It appears a final decision on where to locate one of the intermodal facilities that have been speculated about the past few years appears near, with Union Mills at the top of the list.
Officials revealed a 15 to 21 member task force consisting of elected officials, railroad representatives, citizens and others will be formed to evaluate all sites proposed for an intermodal facility.
Final approval will rest with the La Porte County Board of Zoning Appeals to decide changes in zoning that would be required.
Friedman did reveal he's been privy to some talks involving an intermodal facility and, in a bid to calm the restless crowd, said no site has been chosen.
He failed to sway many residents of Union Mills strongly convinced that one of the intermodal facilities is targeted for their area on existing farmland.
They insist a better location would be six miles to the east in the Kingsbury Industrial Park, which is more secluded with plenty of old industrial sites that could be reused.
Friedman said the committee will aggressively seek more than one proposal for an intermodal facility, including any sites that involve Kingsbury Industrial Park.
"We're saying all sites are on the table. This is not a done deal," Friedman said.
The meeting was called by a local citizens group opposed to an intermodal facility in hopes of influencing decision makers.
Involved in the opposition movement is 87-year-old Ruth Minich, a longtime farmer in the Kingsbury-Union Mills area.
"You're really blessed. You're the stewards of your land. Don't turn it over to anyone else," she told the crowd.
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 23 2007, 08:40 PM
Realistically, how much new construction can even be done in the Kingsbury "Industrial" Plant. I once heard that much of the property was off-limits because of half buried unexploded ordinance. I guess a bulldozer rolling over a howitzer shell would get the land leveled real quick-like.
Here's the kind of stuff you'll be clearing off that property:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2466792
If I had to guess why CSX wants to build in Union Mills and not Kingsbury, it would be that they used to own another north-south rail line that ran through UM. The line from UM southward was sold; the line north of UM was abandoned and ripped up. It is possible that they still own a nice chunk of land north of UM that they just want to add on to. I will go to the geeky railfan forum that I lurk on and pose this to them...
Posted by: JHeath Aug 24 2007, 08:38 AM
I know that it's important to maintain the farm land that we have in our county, but what about the "thousands of new jobs and millions in additional property taxes projected"? Isn't anyone else out there concerned about the lack of industrial growth in our area...or am I the only one?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 24 2007, 08:55 AM
Well you have just hit on the flip side of the big picture in these situations.
Think back to some of the occurences that have caused controversy lately.
-BP expansion
-Intermodal
-Illiana Expressway
-Transfer station
What do they all have in common?
-They would all bring high dollar jobs to the area.
-They were all viciously opposed by the vast majority of the local population
Was Mitch Daniels right when he said that our area wasn't business friendly? To the outsider it would be easy to see that viewpoint. What exactly have we done that is business friendly? We have the huge expansion of gambling and retail, but even then, we shot down the Bass Pro Shop which wanted to locate here. Like it or not, it sends the message to people from outside of the area that this is NIMBY territory.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 24 2007, 09:15 AM
And yet, these same NIMBY folks are the same people who are complaining all too often that there are no opportunities for job here...
Hmm...IMHO, bring on the Intermodal! We need the jobs.
Posted by: TRAILCREEKKID Aug 24 2007, 10:58 AM
QUOTE(JHeath @ Aug 24 2007, 10:15 AM) 
And yet, these same NIMBY folks are the same people who are complaining all too often that there are no opportunities for job here...
Hmm...IMHO, bring on the Intermodal! We need the jobs.
We would do well to locate the dang thing in a vacated industrial park of Kingsbury, and reallocate the the sucker to some profitable end. And then MC should learn from their example, and reallocate all our vacated retail sites and brownfields to new business ventures before allowing further construction on undeveloped land.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 24 2007, 11:57 AM
The issue with Kingsbury is the potential for expolsives buried underground. I wouldn't want anyone that I know to be operating the bulldozer that hits a grenade, and I'm sure others here may feel the same.
Plus, from a business standpoint, isn't it more fiscally responsible to build, or rebuild, on property you already own?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 24 2007, 12:23 PM
Actually my feeling, for once, pretty well follow the op-ed from the ND. In my opinion, there is no question we need infrastructure investment in LaPorte County, especially outside of MC and LP, if we ever want to advance economically. I understand the preservation of farmland, but the growth in our demographics in LaPorte County isn't towards farmers. It is towards blue collar type jobs and service industry employment. Right now we are filling the service end of that, but growth in industrial type jobs has been pretty well non-exsistant. Let's be honest, these are the types of jobs that can be considered middle class, and not the stuff you would get at Super Wal-Mart or Lowes.
I do fully agree that the process has been flawed though. There needs to be more transparency, and that is a theme not just in this occasion, but all throughout our governments, from the smallest municipality to the federal system. Hopefully that will change. Even if it isn't what the public wants, we deserve to know what is being done in our name.
QUOTE
Intermodal Process
Debate Has Included Pandering
Editorial
The proposed intermodal transportation complex that could be developed in southern La Porte County is the single largest economic development opportunity for the county in the last half century. Not only would it employ thousands, it could attract hundreds of related businesses, all of which would put people to work. The project would add immensely to the county's tax base.
We support this project. It will put people to work and will help provide a solid economic foundation for La Porte County for decades to come. Supporters of the project must work hard to keep it on track and moving ahead.
But at the same time, the serious concerns expressed by hundreds of south county residents Tuesday night must be addressed as best they can. County officials are working to make the process - so far clouded in secrecy - more "transparent," which is good.
Ultimately, however, the interests of those who own land around the proposed site may very well collide with the interests of the railroad company said to have purchased options on thousands of acres of farmland in the Union Mills area.
And while government, through planning and zoning and the permitting process, has some say about the use of that land, private landowners, whether they are homeowners or a big railroad, have the right to use their land as they see fit, if it is in a legally permitted way.
No amount of assurances that such a project will not destroy the quality of life in southern La Porte County will make everyone completely comfortable, but some of the political posturing isn't helping.
County Councilman Terry Garner of Hanna said at the public hearing this week in Union Mills, "I will never sell my soul to the devil." That comment drew applause from hundreds of people, but he was pandering. As an elected official, it's his job to collect information and make a decision based on knowledge, not emotion.
La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman says local officials should be relieved of any obligation of confidentiality about the project at this time, and we hope that leads to more information about this project, so people can be prepared to move ahead with their lives, if in fact the intermodal is coming.
Until that information is made available, there will be scant public support for a project that has the potential to be a major economic engine for the county.
Debate Has Included Pandering
Editorial
The proposed intermodal transportation complex that could be developed in southern La Porte County is the single largest economic development opportunity for the county in the last half century. Not only would it employ thousands, it could attract hundreds of related businesses, all of which would put people to work. The project would add immensely to the county's tax base.
We support this project. It will put people to work and will help provide a solid economic foundation for La Porte County for decades to come. Supporters of the project must work hard to keep it on track and moving ahead.
But at the same time, the serious concerns expressed by hundreds of south county residents Tuesday night must be addressed as best they can. County officials are working to make the process - so far clouded in secrecy - more "transparent," which is good.
Ultimately, however, the interests of those who own land around the proposed site may very well collide with the interests of the railroad company said to have purchased options on thousands of acres of farmland in the Union Mills area.
And while government, through planning and zoning and the permitting process, has some say about the use of that land, private landowners, whether they are homeowners or a big railroad, have the right to use their land as they see fit, if it is in a legally permitted way.
No amount of assurances that such a project will not destroy the quality of life in southern La Porte County will make everyone completely comfortable, but some of the political posturing isn't helping.
County Councilman Terry Garner of Hanna said at the public hearing this week in Union Mills, "I will never sell my soul to the devil." That comment drew applause from hundreds of people, but he was pandering. As an elected official, it's his job to collect information and make a decision based on knowledge, not emotion.
La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman says local officials should be relieved of any obligation of confidentiality about the project at this time, and we hope that leads to more information about this project, so people can be prepared to move ahead with their lives, if in fact the intermodal is coming.
Until that information is made available, there will be scant public support for a project that has the potential to be a major economic engine for the county.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 24 2007, 12:30 PM
I think credit should be given where it's due...and also agree with the N-D in this instance.
Our newest commisioner, Mike Bohacek, has been very good about making information available to the public. How refreshing is it to see someone in office who seems to have no hidden agendas?
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 24 2007, 01:57 PM
QUOTE(mcstumper @ Aug 23 2007, 09:40 PM)
Realistically, how much new construction can even be done in the Kingsbury "Industrial" Plant. I once heard that much of the property was off-limits because of half buried unexploded ordinance. I guess a bulldozer rolling over a howitzer shell would get the land leveled real quick-like.
Here's the kind of stuff you'll be clearing off that property:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2466792
If I had to guess why CSX wants to build in Union Mills and not Kingsbury, it would be that they used to own another north-south rail line that ran through UM. The line from UM southward was sold; the line north of UM was abandoned and ripped up. It is possible that they still own a nice chunk of land north of UM that they just want to add on to. I will go to the geeky railfan forum that I lurk on and pose this to them...
Ok. Here is a response I got on the railroad forum:
My understanding is CSXT owns a large area of land next to their tracks near Wellsboro (Union Mills) and have been leasing it out to farmers all this time. I'm not sure how big or who originally owned the land. It could be from the Pere Marquette or old B&O land, I'm not sure. My understanding is that an unnamed developer is wanting to build this yard, with a partnership with CSX. I don't know if this developer owns any land of their own near here or not.
NS is proposing to build their own intermodal yard near La Porte. I'm not sure if this is a partnership also or strictly a NS project.
CSX is also looking into putting an intermodal yard in part of the old Gibson Yard in Hammond, Indiana. Rumor is that the state needs to replace the Indianapolis Boulevard bridge over the site, and CSX is trying to convince them to raise it up high enough to fit a MI Jack lift under it.
Understand also, that a lot of the "proposed" sites are probably just a smoke screen to draw attention away from the sites they really want. They might not even be anywhere near NW Indiana.
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 24 2007, 02:11 PM
When I think of the potential new jobs from this type of facility that might never be created, I get a little peeved. I watched some Channel 22 sob story about a farmer upset that he might get a windfall on his property so that 2-4,000 jobs can be created. WHY DO I CARE! We need an economic stimulus in this county, not pathetic, sappy reminiscing about the good old days of the family farmer. If farming is so damn important to these people, why don't they pool their windfall profits, purchase land in the Kingsbury Plant and farm it! These hypocrites in the south county act as if they give a rat's a** about the environment, but if you mention dechannelizing the Kankakee River to reclaim some of the once great Kankakee Marsh they will bite your head clean off. They care only about themselves and their simple static little lives. We need to let our elected officials know that they are either pro-growth or out of a job.
Posted by: TRAILCREEKKID Aug 24 2007, 06:18 PM
QUOTE(JHeath @ Aug 24 2007, 12:57 PM)
The issue with Kingsbury is the potential for expolsives buried underground. I wouldn't want anyone that I know to be operating the bulldozer that hits a grenade, and I'm sure others here may feel the same.
Plus, from a business standpoint, isn't it more fiscally responsible to build, or rebuild, on property you already own?
Am I to understand the Kingsbury plant was an explosives plant? Which closed when? I really don't know. In any event, we mustn't dramatize or sensationalize the "potential" of explosives being buried underground.
If Kingsbury is indeed a brownfield, it should be dealt with as such and remedied accordingly. There are protocols for converting brownfields back to profitable use, and browfields offer new business ventures many tax abatements and the such. So, there is a profit incentive for business interests to consider brownfields over undeveloped properties with no improvements yet done to them.
If however, CSX owns property that they have been leasing to farmers all these years, then these farmers are not stakeholders that have would have legal standing.
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 25 2007, 07:01 AM
QUOTE(TRAILCREEKKID @ Aug 24 2007, 07:18 PM)
I really don't know. In any event, we mustn't dramatize or sensationalize the "potential" of explosives being buried underground.
What?! No dramtization or sensationalization??? If you look at the video clips of the NIMBY meeting in Union Mills, that was about all you got. The pro-common sense & growth crowd will have to fight fire with fire.
Do I know for certain that there are tons of unexploded ordinance buried there. No, of course not. Growing up outside LaPorte meant I heard many storied (legends). But the point is, the NIMBY crowd has cast CSX in a negative light by accusing them of not bothering to investigate the KOP site. No one has made the counterpoint that they are just as likely to have investigated it and found it doesn't meet their needs.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 27 2007, 12:43 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=3552&TM=53103.69
QUOTE
Watch Politicians On Intermodal
Thank you for running my Viewpoint last Friday ["Intermodal key for county". I also appreciate your editorial ["Locating business," Aug. 14]. The reason I wrote the column last week is because we have local politicians who stand before voters in Michigan City and tell them that they're for jobs and development and when they go Union Mills that they're against development.
Tuesday night in Union Mills was a prime example. Jim Arnold, Tom Dermody, Jerry Cooley, Bill Hager and Earl Cunningham stood up in front of the people in Union Mills and didn't tell them they were in favor of the project, while Ken Layton and Terry Garner told the people they were against the development project. You can't let these people walk the fence. Ken Layton, who will be running for commissioner, will continue to tell people in Michigan City that he's for jobs and development. Please don't let him have it both ways. Force the issue: Are you for jobs and growth or are you against? This is the problem with La Porte County and is what holds it back!
Scott Ford, Secretary
La Porte County Redevelopment Commission
Thank you for running my Viewpoint last Friday ["Intermodal key for county". I also appreciate your editorial ["Locating business," Aug. 14]. The reason I wrote the column last week is because we have local politicians who stand before voters in Michigan City and tell them that they're for jobs and development and when they go Union Mills that they're against development.
Tuesday night in Union Mills was a prime example. Jim Arnold, Tom Dermody, Jerry Cooley, Bill Hager and Earl Cunningham stood up in front of the people in Union Mills and didn't tell them they were in favor of the project, while Ken Layton and Terry Garner told the people they were against the development project. You can't let these people walk the fence. Ken Layton, who will be running for commissioner, will continue to tell people in Michigan City that he's for jobs and development. Please don't let him have it both ways. Force the issue: Are you for jobs and growth or are you against? This is the problem with La Porte County and is what holds it back!
Scott Ford, Secretary
La Porte County Redevelopment Commission
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 27 2007, 12:45 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=3599&TM=53103.69
QUOTE
Kingsbury Industrial Park Best Site
I have just finished reading the letter by Scott Ford Thursday [ "Watch politicians on intermodal"]. I must admit that I have some differences with it. First, I personally know Scott and his entire family and have on more than one occasion called them all friends and quite frankly still do. I also belong to the Michigan City Exchange Club along with Scott. Having said that, I will address his letter.
Scott wrote that I stood up in front of the citizens in Union Mills and denounced the intermodal project. That is untrue. I did stand up in front of the citizens and told them that I had been approached by real estate brokers about selling our farm and refused them. Never once did I even mention the project itself.
I have stated, publicly, that I am not opposed to the project itself, just the location. I have, more than once, publicly suggested the Kingsbury Industrial Park as a site. The KIP has everything necessary, rail, roads, water, sewer and power. There are no residences to level. No town to destroy. Furthermore, the KIP is closer to my home than Union Mills.
It was learned by many at Monday night's meeting, myself included, that the railroad will be expanding the number of lines on one section of track from two lines to eight lines. This rail goes right through the middle of the Union Mills community. Is it right, just for the sake of "jobs," to completely disrupt the lives of hundreds of people? I think not. I think the "jobs" that the intermodal project could bring with it would be a major boon to La Porte County and the surrounding area. I find fault the with the proposed location, not the project itself.
As for standing on the fence, I have firmly planted my feet on the ground on this issue and every other issue that pertained to La Porte County. Who else went public about the funding of the Regional Development Authority? We couldn't afford it then and still can't. Who else went public on the proposed Illiana expressway, suggesting if it could be proven that it was needed why wasn't Indiana 49 considered. It is already a limited access four-lane highway from south of Valparaiso to north of Chesterton, with direct access to Interstate 94 and the Indiana Toll Road.
Scott, you have known me for many, many years. How can you honestly write the letter that you have? Is it politics, Scott? Certainly, I hope not. When you ran for County Council three years ago, who crossed party lines and introduced you to people across this county? I believed in you then, Scott.
Ken Layton
I have just finished reading the letter by Scott Ford Thursday [ "Watch politicians on intermodal"]. I must admit that I have some differences with it. First, I personally know Scott and his entire family and have on more than one occasion called them all friends and quite frankly still do. I also belong to the Michigan City Exchange Club along with Scott. Having said that, I will address his letter.
Scott wrote that I stood up in front of the citizens in Union Mills and denounced the intermodal project. That is untrue. I did stand up in front of the citizens and told them that I had been approached by real estate brokers about selling our farm and refused them. Never once did I even mention the project itself.
I have stated, publicly, that I am not opposed to the project itself, just the location. I have, more than once, publicly suggested the Kingsbury Industrial Park as a site. The KIP has everything necessary, rail, roads, water, sewer and power. There are no residences to level. No town to destroy. Furthermore, the KIP is closer to my home than Union Mills.
It was learned by many at Monday night's meeting, myself included, that the railroad will be expanding the number of lines on one section of track from two lines to eight lines. This rail goes right through the middle of the Union Mills community. Is it right, just for the sake of "jobs," to completely disrupt the lives of hundreds of people? I think not. I think the "jobs" that the intermodal project could bring with it would be a major boon to La Porte County and the surrounding area. I find fault the with the proposed location, not the project itself.
As for standing on the fence, I have firmly planted my feet on the ground on this issue and every other issue that pertained to La Porte County. Who else went public about the funding of the Regional Development Authority? We couldn't afford it then and still can't. Who else went public on the proposed Illiana expressway, suggesting if it could be proven that it was needed why wasn't Indiana 49 considered. It is already a limited access four-lane highway from south of Valparaiso to north of Chesterton, with direct access to Interstate 94 and the Indiana Toll Road.
Scott, you have known me for many, many years. How can you honestly write the letter that you have? Is it politics, Scott? Certainly, I hope not. When you ran for County Council three years ago, who crossed party lines and introduced you to people across this county? I believed in you then, Scott.
Ken Layton
Posted by: JHeath Aug 27 2007, 02:50 PM
This just makes me wonder if Scott Ford is also planning to run for an office.
Seems like a plot against the potential candidacy of Mr Layton.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 27 2007, 03:01 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=3626&TM=61809.32
QUOTE
8/26/2007 11:00:00 AM
Fears Of Intermodal Center Overstated
An intermodal system has been a topic of interest in La Porte County for a number of years. Once again this has become headline news in both our local papers, which stimulates many opinions.
If in fact this project becomes a reality, do the positives outweigh the negatives?
Let's refresh our memories from approximately 18 years ago. Inland Steel's new In-Kote plant in New Carlisle was going to destroy the beautiful country atmosphere in that quiet little town. Skip forward now, after many years of operation, you can still drive through the downtown area and never realize a steel mill is within 100 miles. Contrary to the opposition, the plant has provided desperately needed jobs for that community, with minor scenic changes.
More recently, let us look toward Rensselaer, Ind. Another beautiful town with old fashioned flavor that nobody wanted to change. The installation of an ethanol plant met many of the same obstacles and oppositions. The end result, a new facility was built last year. When I drove through the town Tuesday, I came to the same realization - very little if any noticeable scenic changes, but the facility is providing good paying jobs and an additional tax base.
Any time there is change there is controversy. Currently, we are all awaiting our property tax surprise, with our town trying to borrow money to pay its bills. I strongly feel we must be realistic in our pursuit of this project. We don't even need to consider the construction jobs, the true results will be the thousands of good paying jobs with benefits that will be offered to our families to operate this facility.
James Stemmler
La Porte
Fears Of Intermodal Center Overstated
An intermodal system has been a topic of interest in La Porte County for a number of years. Once again this has become headline news in both our local papers, which stimulates many opinions.
If in fact this project becomes a reality, do the positives outweigh the negatives?
Let's refresh our memories from approximately 18 years ago. Inland Steel's new In-Kote plant in New Carlisle was going to destroy the beautiful country atmosphere in that quiet little town. Skip forward now, after many years of operation, you can still drive through the downtown area and never realize a steel mill is within 100 miles. Contrary to the opposition, the plant has provided desperately needed jobs for that community, with minor scenic changes.
More recently, let us look toward Rensselaer, Ind. Another beautiful town with old fashioned flavor that nobody wanted to change. The installation of an ethanol plant met many of the same obstacles and oppositions. The end result, a new facility was built last year. When I drove through the town Tuesday, I came to the same realization - very little if any noticeable scenic changes, but the facility is providing good paying jobs and an additional tax base.
Any time there is change there is controversy. Currently, we are all awaiting our property tax surprise, with our town trying to borrow money to pay its bills. I strongly feel we must be realistic in our pursuit of this project. We don't even need to consider the construction jobs, the true results will be the thousands of good paying jobs with benefits that will be offered to our families to operate this facility.
James Stemmler
La Porte
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 27 2007, 09:11 PM
"It was learned by many at Monday night's meeting, myself included, that the railroad will be expanding the number of lines on one section of track from two lines to eight lines. This rail goes right through the middle of the Union Mills community. Is it right, just for the sake of "jobs," to completely disrupt the lives of hundreds of people?"
Uh, Ken.. the CSX line runs along the north edge of Union Mills with no development on the north side of the line. If CSX added 6 additional tracks north of the mainline, who exactly would notice?
Go to maps.google.com, look at a hybrid map of Union Mills and tell me where I am wrong. Of course, Ken doesn't post here, so who exactly am I talking to....
Posted by: Ang Aug 27 2007, 10:26 PM
QUOTE(mcstumper @ Aug 27 2007, 09:11 PM)
Of course, Ken doesn't post here, so who exactly am I talking to....
That's okay Stumper, the rest of us are listening..
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 28 2007, 06:20 AM
QUOTE(Ang @ Aug 27 2007, 11:26 PM)
That's okay Stumper, the rest of us are listening..
And even if people are not posting, there are plenty of people reading here, for what its worth.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 28 2007, 01:32 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&TM=42680.71
QUOTE
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Intermodal Concerns Remain
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
LA PORTE - Advocates of an intermodal facility are trying to ease the fears of southern La Porte County residents over the changes such a huge truck-train terminal would bring.
At the same time, they are emphasizing what they say will be good-paying jobs and more property taxes for the county.
La Porte County is considered a prime location for an intermodal facility because of the convergence of several rail lines and its proximity to major interstate highways, and a real estate investment trust has bought options on farmland around Union Mills.
Christopher Davey, a representative of Cressy & Everett Commercial Co. of Mishawaka, told county officials in June that the company has acquired enough options to buy land in the Union Mills area to proceed with an Intermodal project.
Because of a confidentiality agreement between the company and some county officials, the information didn't become public until last week when the confidentiality agreement was lifted.
Many of those who live nearby, however, are upset because the intermodal would change the quiet, rural landscape. Several hundred voiced their concerns at a meeting in Union Mills last week, and some officials are trying to allay those fears.
The intermodal would be similar to the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill. Ray Hamilton, La Porte County building commissioner and a member of the La Porte County Plan Commission, has toured the park and surrounding area twice. He said the nearby community of Elwood has benefited from CenterPoint.
"Elwood is a nice town and you can see the impact in paved streets, new firehouses and ball fields," Hamilton said. "The industrial park is in the mayor's backyard."
Rosalee Jacobs, clerk-treasurer of the town of Kingsford Heights, near the proposed site, said she had no opinion about intermodals before touring CenterPoint, but came away impressed by the cleanliness of the facility and the money it contributes to the town of Elwood.
"I can understand the property owners' point of view," Jacobs said. "But if there's not development in the county, our children and grandchildren will move away because they will not have job opportunities."
La Porte Mayor Leigh Morris has visited CenterPoint, too, and said the intermodal and manufacturing and processing facilities that follow represent a prime opportunity for similar benefits to La Porte County.
"The intermodal operation probably offers the greatest opportunity for new jobs that we've seen in the county ever," Morris said.
And John Regetz, head of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said such a facility is considered a boon to economic development for its ability to attract industrial users to accompanying industrial parks.
Based on the transformation of the Joliet Arsenal into the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, a similar facility in La Porte County could create 8,700 permanent jobs paying average wages of $41,000 a year, Regetz said. The CenterPoint project is still under development on a 2,400-acre parcel, but eventually will contribute about $25 million in annual property taxes to Will County, he said.
Another intermodal facility is the AllPoints projects in Plainfield in central Indiana, a joint development of Browning-Duke begun last year. It will create an estimated 10,200 jobs and $746 million of new development and infrastructure improvements, he said.
"Many of our manufacturers tell us that it's very important to have good transportation and shipping systems for goods and components coming in to their manufacturing plants as well as for the final products they produce," Regetz said.
Matt Reardon, La Porte County economic development consultant, said it's never easy to consider changing property from one use to another, adding, "It's a difficult decision for elected officials to make."
Some residents believe a deal has already been struck.
Nothing could be further from the truth, said county Commissioner Bill Hager, D-Michigan City. He's been calling 21 people recommended to serve on a task force. Their charge is to fact-find and advise county officials about the pros and cons of an intermodal freight terminal. Hager said he expects the task force to be in place next week, and said it will not include public officials or government employees.
"We'll have factory owners, business people, farmers, a banker, a sheriff's detective, environmentalists, a couple of residents, an attorney and a tourism board member," Hager said.
Hager and commissioners Barbara Huston, D-LaPorte, and Mike Bohacek, D-Michiana Shores, said they are committed to using an open, public process to evaluate the impact of an intermodal facility on the county.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: JHeath Aug 29 2007, 10:04 AM
http://heraldargus.com/hanews/archives/ha/display.php?id=384367
QUOTE
Posted Online: 8-29-2007
Intermodal confidential
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Some officials signed confidentiality agreements on intermodal negotiations, others refused
LA PORTE COUNTY -- With the disclosure in June that real estate development firm Cressy & Everett had secured the necessary land to move forward with a rail intermodal facility near Union Mills, La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman last week requested that the firm release county officials from any previously signed confidentiality agreements.
In a letter addressed to Roy Roelke, vice president of municipal development for Mishawaka-based Cressy and Everett, Friedman requested that all confidentiality agreements signed by county officials be voided due to the decision by Chris Davey, the firm’s president, to go public with news of the land acquisitions in a story published in The La Porte County Herald-Argus in June.
“It is our belief that with Mr. Davey’s public statements, your firm has waived any reasonable expectation of privacy or confidentiality regarding the land options/siting process,” Friedman wrote.
Friedman told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that he sees the action to release county officials from agreements as consistent with the county’s desire for transparency in all intermodal discussions and negotiations.
“The public deserves the facts,” Friedman said. “I am pleased the county can be free to comment.”
Regardless of whether Cressy & Everett responds to the request, Friedman said he would advise county officials to disregard any previous agreements.
Contacted Tuesday by The Herald-Argus, Roelke said the firm had received Friedman’s request but did not wish to comment on it. He said the firm would make a statement in the near future.
Several officeholders at all levels of government had been approached over the past two years by Cressy & Everett to enter into confidentiality agreements, and several signed.
Now that county officials have effectively been released from those agreements, the possibility exists that details of any closed-door meetings held with Cressy & Everett officials over the past two years will now be disclosed.
What information that exposes, however, could be less than tantalizing. La Porte County Commissioner Bill Hager said the confidentiality agreements officials were asked to enter into with Cressy & Everett involved only the disclosure of land-acquisition details. To his knowledge, he said, the firm never disclosed to public officials who they were working on behalf of.
“We initially entered into agreements where we couldn’t disclose what company we were talking to,” he said.
Other officials confirmed Hager’s statements.
‘A necessary step’
Although confidentiality agreements are often considered a necessary part of the development process, the agreements have from the outset raised suspicions among many county residents that intermodal dealings have been going on behind their backs.
However, Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie, who signed a confidentiality agreement regarding intermodal talks, told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that in the absence of such agreements negotiations often die.
“It’s just a necessary step that is often done,” he said. “A lot of times they approach you during the exploratory phase before a corporation has met with their board of directors.”
La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley, who also signed a confidentiality agreement, explained that the agreements promote necessary trust between developers and county officials, and also give officials insight into the development process that often can’t be gained otherwise.
“They are putting a little trust in you,” he told The Herald-Argus last week.
However, he said, if entering into an agreement “would be a detriment to the county, we as elected officials aren’t stupid, we want to see what it is before we agree or disagree.”
Cooley said confidentiality agreements were integral to the county’s efforts to persuade Vanair Manufacturing to relocate from New Buffalo to La Porte County. In the case of intermodal discussions, Cooley said he entered into an agreement because he heard about land being acquired and wanted to know more.
It was “strictly informational,” he said.
Intermodal confidential
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Some officials signed confidentiality agreements on intermodal negotiations, others refused
LA PORTE COUNTY -- With the disclosure in June that real estate development firm Cressy & Everett had secured the necessary land to move forward with a rail intermodal facility near Union Mills, La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman last week requested that the firm release county officials from any previously signed confidentiality agreements.
In a letter addressed to Roy Roelke, vice president of municipal development for Mishawaka-based Cressy and Everett, Friedman requested that all confidentiality agreements signed by county officials be voided due to the decision by Chris Davey, the firm’s president, to go public with news of the land acquisitions in a story published in The La Porte County Herald-Argus in June.
“It is our belief that with Mr. Davey’s public statements, your firm has waived any reasonable expectation of privacy or confidentiality regarding the land options/siting process,” Friedman wrote.
Friedman told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that he sees the action to release county officials from agreements as consistent with the county’s desire for transparency in all intermodal discussions and negotiations.
“The public deserves the facts,” Friedman said. “I am pleased the county can be free to comment.”
Regardless of whether Cressy & Everett responds to the request, Friedman said he would advise county officials to disregard any previous agreements.
Contacted Tuesday by The Herald-Argus, Roelke said the firm had received Friedman’s request but did not wish to comment on it. He said the firm would make a statement in the near future.
Several officeholders at all levels of government had been approached over the past two years by Cressy & Everett to enter into confidentiality agreements, and several signed.
Now that county officials have effectively been released from those agreements, the possibility exists that details of any closed-door meetings held with Cressy & Everett officials over the past two years will now be disclosed.
What information that exposes, however, could be less than tantalizing. La Porte County Commissioner Bill Hager said the confidentiality agreements officials were asked to enter into with Cressy & Everett involved only the disclosure of land-acquisition details. To his knowledge, he said, the firm never disclosed to public officials who they were working on behalf of.
“We initially entered into agreements where we couldn’t disclose what company we were talking to,” he said.
Other officials confirmed Hager’s statements.
‘A necessary step’
Although confidentiality agreements are often considered a necessary part of the development process, the agreements have from the outset raised suspicions among many county residents that intermodal dealings have been going on behind their backs.
However, Michigan City Mayor Chuck Oberlie, who signed a confidentiality agreement regarding intermodal talks, told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that in the absence of such agreements negotiations often die.
“It’s just a necessary step that is often done,” he said. “A lot of times they approach you during the exploratory phase before a corporation has met with their board of directors.”
La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley, who also signed a confidentiality agreement, explained that the agreements promote necessary trust between developers and county officials, and also give officials insight into the development process that often can’t be gained otherwise.
“They are putting a little trust in you,” he told The Herald-Argus last week.
However, he said, if entering into an agreement “would be a detriment to the county, we as elected officials aren’t stupid, we want to see what it is before we agree or disagree.”
Cooley said confidentiality agreements were integral to the county’s efforts to persuade Vanair Manufacturing to relocate from New Buffalo to La Porte County. In the case of intermodal discussions, Cooley said he entered into an agreement because he heard about land being acquired and wanted to know more.
It was “strictly informational,” he said.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Aug 30 2007, 07:46 AM
Two things:
How can public servants sign confidentiality agreements to keep information from the public?
Admin, if you can get the editorial by the H-A pubisher regarding the Intermodal, please post it. His e-ddress is jnewby@heraldargus.com. You may invite him to join the forum.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 30 2007, 08:06 AM
Rog, I believe this is the article you are looking for? Let me know if it is not.
http://heraldargus.com/hanews/archives/ha/display.php?id=384254
QUOTE
Intermodal questions
Comment on this story
I’m watching with interest discussions and debate relating to the proposed intermodal facilities being considered for the La Porte County. While I can’t say I am for or against the intermodal, I will confess I’ve been trained to be suspicious when things such as this are being proposed by public leaders without offering answers.
I’m of the belief that most local issues, while viewed locally in a vacuum, tend to be created outside of a vacuum under a watchful eye of a master agenda/plan. The local piece is usually only a small piece within a networked puzzle. I’m more interested in the master plan, as that is where we all end up in the end.
In addition, I’m not as concerned about jobs as I am about jobs that pay wages high enough to support a family. I’m not as concerned about offshoot businesses as I am good, wholesome, improve-the-community type offshoot businesses. I’m not concerned with competing with other counties, which is why people moved here and not to Gary. I surely don’t buy the tax argument; local and property tax in counties where economic development has occurred has also gone up. When taxes are involved, it’s safe to say spending rises to whatever level of taxation we have and government will always want to suck more blood from the turnip.
Don’t get me wrong; I relish change. Change can be a great tool to stimulate business and communities. I also understand some will resist any change regardless of whether it is good or not. But a dose of skepticism can be a good thing.
A very good dose of it here is probably required.
One might also question the ulterior motives behind the intermodal. After all, ulterior motives are held by all of us. Is the master plan ulterior motive taking our benefit into mind? Often things appear noble on the surface -- they offer jobs, expansion, infrastructure and the list of benefits goes on, only to find we sold our soul years later.
Lastly, one would do very well to question the business interest involved. This community has already lost many jobs to businesses that have moved production overseas. Of course, the business did benefit, as did the stockholders, Mexico and China. Where is the benefit in our community? Now these same businesses are coming back with an offer too good to be true. Too often, deals to good to be true are just that!
Often, to better understand your prospective opponent, one must attempt to think like the opponent or put yourself in their shoes. Let’s do that. Let’s pretend we’re Wal-Mart or another multinational corporation and we are in the business of making money for our owners. We’ve already outsourced most of our products to Third World countries, eliminating the family-supporting wages required here in America. Now we look at the last piece of the puzzle to create more profits for our owners. That would be transportation.
Hypothetically, why not have China build one of the largest ports in the world in Mexico, offload those Wal-Mart goods and avoid union and American wages? That was so good, let’s see if we can’t run a superhighway north out of Mexico up the center of the United States with branches running to all major cities. Then let’s get cheap-labor Mexican trucking companies to deliver these goods to massive shipping depots for local or regional redistribution. Lastly, get the U.S. president to allow these Mexican trucking companies to utilize this special American highway unfettered and without risk of being pulled over.
Now I’ve succeeded in lowering the one last major cost by effectively outsourcing transportation into the heartland of America, once again cutting out many American workers and their family-supporting wages.
Sound far-fetched? I wish it were! Every step I mentioned above has or is now occurring. I can’t help but ask, how does the intermodal fit into this? If it does, I’m vehemently against it; if not, maybe there is some justification for it. But I at least want to know the agenda, motives and answers before I support what I really know nothing about. If you can’t answer those questions, it’s nothing more than the blind leading the blind.
Go ahead and criticize my stance; I’m fine with that. I’ve seen too many Americans lose their jobs to great ideas. Economists (both government and private) claim imports into our country will increase from 100 percent to as high as 350 percent over the next 10-15 years. Doesn’t that beg the question: How many other industries will be outsourced to assure we grow imports by any of those amounts? I sense another column!
JOHN NEWBY is publisher of The La Porte County Herald-Argus. Contact him at jnewby@heraldargus.com.
Comment on this story
I’m watching with interest discussions and debate relating to the proposed intermodal facilities being considered for the La Porte County. While I can’t say I am for or against the intermodal, I will confess I’ve been trained to be suspicious when things such as this are being proposed by public leaders without offering answers.
I’m of the belief that most local issues, while viewed locally in a vacuum, tend to be created outside of a vacuum under a watchful eye of a master agenda/plan. The local piece is usually only a small piece within a networked puzzle. I’m more interested in the master plan, as that is where we all end up in the end.
In addition, I’m not as concerned about jobs as I am about jobs that pay wages high enough to support a family. I’m not as concerned about offshoot businesses as I am good, wholesome, improve-the-community type offshoot businesses. I’m not concerned with competing with other counties, which is why people moved here and not to Gary. I surely don’t buy the tax argument; local and property tax in counties where economic development has occurred has also gone up. When taxes are involved, it’s safe to say spending rises to whatever level of taxation we have and government will always want to suck more blood from the turnip.
Don’t get me wrong; I relish change. Change can be a great tool to stimulate business and communities. I also understand some will resist any change regardless of whether it is good or not. But a dose of skepticism can be a good thing.
A very good dose of it here is probably required.
One might also question the ulterior motives behind the intermodal. After all, ulterior motives are held by all of us. Is the master plan ulterior motive taking our benefit into mind? Often things appear noble on the surface -- they offer jobs, expansion, infrastructure and the list of benefits goes on, only to find we sold our soul years later.
Lastly, one would do very well to question the business interest involved. This community has already lost many jobs to businesses that have moved production overseas. Of course, the business did benefit, as did the stockholders, Mexico and China. Where is the benefit in our community? Now these same businesses are coming back with an offer too good to be true. Too often, deals to good to be true are just that!
Often, to better understand your prospective opponent, one must attempt to think like the opponent or put yourself in their shoes. Let’s do that. Let’s pretend we’re Wal-Mart or another multinational corporation and we are in the business of making money for our owners. We’ve already outsourced most of our products to Third World countries, eliminating the family-supporting wages required here in America. Now we look at the last piece of the puzzle to create more profits for our owners. That would be transportation.
Hypothetically, why not have China build one of the largest ports in the world in Mexico, offload those Wal-Mart goods and avoid union and American wages? That was so good, let’s see if we can’t run a superhighway north out of Mexico up the center of the United States with branches running to all major cities. Then let’s get cheap-labor Mexican trucking companies to deliver these goods to massive shipping depots for local or regional redistribution. Lastly, get the U.S. president to allow these Mexican trucking companies to utilize this special American highway unfettered and without risk of being pulled over.
Now I’ve succeeded in lowering the one last major cost by effectively outsourcing transportation into the heartland of America, once again cutting out many American workers and their family-supporting wages.
Sound far-fetched? I wish it were! Every step I mentioned above has or is now occurring. I can’t help but ask, how does the intermodal fit into this? If it does, I’m vehemently against it; if not, maybe there is some justification for it. But I at least want to know the agenda, motives and answers before I support what I really know nothing about. If you can’t answer those questions, it’s nothing more than the blind leading the blind.
Go ahead and criticize my stance; I’m fine with that. I’ve seen too many Americans lose their jobs to great ideas. Economists (both government and private) claim imports into our country will increase from 100 percent to as high as 350 percent over the next 10-15 years. Doesn’t that beg the question: How many other industries will be outsourced to assure we grow imports by any of those amounts? I sense another column!
JOHN NEWBY is publisher of The La Porte County Herald-Argus. Contact him at jnewby@heraldargus.com.
Posted by: Ang Aug 30 2007, 11:58 AM
Nice Soundoff letter in the ND site SS'der
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 30 2007, 12:05 PM
I do like discussions with people I do not agree with. It makes me really understand, at a fundemental level, the concepts I am dealing with. What bothers me is when people use strawman arguements, and those couple of posts were really devoid of factual basis. I couldn't resist refuting some of the more trojan horse points.
BTW, thanks for the compliment 
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 30 2007, 03:45 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Aug 30 2007, 09:06 AM)
Rog, I believe this is the article you are looking for? Let me know if it is not.
http://heraldargus.com/hanews/archives/ha/display.php?id=384254
Wow... wacky stuff. First off, as I have said before, labor competes with labor while businesses compete for labor. Regardless of how you slice it, the addition of 6000 jobs in LaPorte County would decrease the amount of competition among labor and increase the amount of competition between businesses resulting in higher wages among the general populace. This makes this guy's jobs vs. jobs paying living wages argument downright silly.
Then he starts with the conspiracy theories. "Aack!", as Bill the Cat would say. I won't support 6000 jobs because it may be part of a scheme by the Illuminati and Dick Cheney to crush the proletariat.
That's what I got out of it, anyway.
Those words of Gov. Daniels keep ringing in my ears.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Aug 31 2007, 06:52 AM
"I was Bush's bitch and that's what I can offer Indiana: I know how to screw anyone!"
Yeah, ringing in mine, too.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Aug 31 2007, 07:08 AM
QUOTE(mcstumper @ Aug 30 2007, 04:45 PM)
Wow... wacky stuff. First off, as I have said before, labor competes with labor while businesses compete for labor. Regardless of how you slice it, the addition of 6000 jobs in LaPorte County would decrease the amount of competition among labor and increase the amount of competition between businesses resulting in higher wages among the general populace. This makes this guy's jobs vs. jobs paying living wages argument downright silly.
Then he starts with the conspiracy theories. "Aack!", as Bill the Cat would say. I won't support 6000 jobs because it may be part of a scheme by the Illuminati and Dick Cheney to crush the proletariat.
That's what I got out of it, anyway.
Those words of Gov. Daniels keep ringing in my ears.
This is pretty much how I see it as well. I even got an email from the guy on the ND soundoff page who was posting much the same type of stuff, and the email consisted of strawman arguements and crazy conspiracy, which when you took it apart, made no sense at all.
I even checked the county statistics and there are only 3000 people listed as "unemployed" in LaPorte Co. In other words we would actually need to import people, which means more tax base and increasing property values. This is a win-win situation if you ask me.
Posted by: mcstumper Aug 31 2007, 10:47 AM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Aug 31 2007, 07:52 AM)
"I was Bush's bitch and that's what I can offer Indiana: I know how to screw anyone!"
Yeah, ringing in mine, too.
Uuuuhhhhh. No. The other thing.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 4 2007, 07:32 AM
http://www.wndu.com/news/headlines/9537132.html
QUOTE
County intermodal rail yard
Former South Bend Mayor and Indiana Governor Joe Kernan will serve as a consultant for a proposed intermodal rail yard in Laporte County.
An intermodal yard is an area where multiple types of transportation meet. With respect to Laporte County, semi-trailer filled trains would stop and be emptied and sent across the region.
It's not the first time Kernan has pushed for an intermodal project.
When Kernan was South Bend's mayor he and former Congressman Tim Roemer appeared before a US House subcommittee about a project for South Bend.
Although that intermodal project did not involve transferring freight, it involved the transfer of people.
Kernan and Roemer sought millions of dollars to build a combined Amtrak and Transpo facility, however, funding eventually came through for the Transpo portion of the project.
The Laporte County project has been talked about for years and Kernan is working with Cressy and Everett, which has options to buy land in union mills.
Supporters have said it could bring thousands of jobs to the area.
“In addition to that transfer of freight, you develop warehouses, distribution centers, processing and manufacturing centers,” said Laporte Mayor Leigh Morris.
Moreover, supporters said property taxes from all of those businesses could lower taxes for the rest of the county.
Former South Bend Mayor and Indiana Governor Joe Kernan will serve as a consultant for a proposed intermodal rail yard in Laporte County.
An intermodal yard is an area where multiple types of transportation meet. With respect to Laporte County, semi-trailer filled trains would stop and be emptied and sent across the region.
It's not the first time Kernan has pushed for an intermodal project.
When Kernan was South Bend's mayor he and former Congressman Tim Roemer appeared before a US House subcommittee about a project for South Bend.
Although that intermodal project did not involve transferring freight, it involved the transfer of people.
Kernan and Roemer sought millions of dollars to build a combined Amtrak and Transpo facility, however, funding eventually came through for the Transpo portion of the project.
The Laporte County project has been talked about for years and Kernan is working with Cressy and Everett, which has options to buy land in union mills.
Supporters have said it could bring thousands of jobs to the area.
“In addition to that transfer of freight, you develop warehouses, distribution centers, processing and manufacturing centers,” said Laporte Mayor Leigh Morris.
Moreover, supporters said property taxes from all of those businesses could lower taxes for the rest of the county.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 4 2007, 01:11 PM
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=384461
QUOTE
The intermodal project has hit the papers again, and it has stimulated many opinions. I truly feel this opportunity must be pursued.
It is a shame that a community that was interviewed in the “All-America City” competition is trying to secure a loan to pay its bills.
I have visited Elwood, Ill., to personally evaluate this intermodal system. The operations are clean, non-disruptive and efficient. For a town that has a major rail system operating 150 feet from our emergency-room door, the intermodal wouldn’t even be recognized.
Every politician I have listened to promises good-paying jobs with benefits as part of their agenda. Where have they gone? This community desperately needs additional tax bases, along with good jobs. The intermodal would provide both.
I have lived in our community for 35 years; I have seen many changes, and in my opinion this is without question the opportunity of a lifetime for La Porte. If the property owners are receptive and compensated satisfactorily, there should be no question. If you are deeply concerned about this project, please take a ride to Elwood yourself. It is a nice weekend drive and will surprise your curiosity.
JAMES STEMMLER
La Porte
It is a shame that a community that was interviewed in the “All-America City” competition is trying to secure a loan to pay its bills.
I have visited Elwood, Ill., to personally evaluate this intermodal system. The operations are clean, non-disruptive and efficient. For a town that has a major rail system operating 150 feet from our emergency-room door, the intermodal wouldn’t even be recognized.
Every politician I have listened to promises good-paying jobs with benefits as part of their agenda. Where have they gone? This community desperately needs additional tax bases, along with good jobs. The intermodal would provide both.
I have lived in our community for 35 years; I have seen many changes, and in my opinion this is without question the opportunity of a lifetime for La Porte. If the property owners are receptive and compensated satisfactorily, there should be no question. If you are deeply concerned about this project, please take a ride to Elwood yourself. It is a nice weekend drive and will surprise your curiosity.
JAMES STEMMLER
La Porte
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Sep 4 2007, 01:26 PM
La Porte Co seems like an ideal location. I have not really followed this, and it seems like the only people really opposed are the ones whose farms neighbor the farms that would be sold! Can this issue re the intermodal be crystallized for the readers?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 5 2007, 11:36 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=4043&TM=48991.88
QUOTE
Intermodal Group OK'd
21-member task force includes ‘diverse’ crew.
Stan Maddux
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - A 21-member citizen task force has been created to help oversee the siting of a potential intermodal facility in La Porte County.
The La Porte County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the names Tuesday night.
"The goal was to design a process that is as open and fair and inclusive a process as possible," La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said Tuesday.
Commission President Barb Huston said the list needed paring down from a tremendous number of applicants, who could be called upon to serve in the event of a future opening.
"It drew an overwhelming response," she said.
Applications were submitted to each of the county's commissioners, who contacted certain individuals during the selection process to gauge their interest
in serving.
Task-force members include area farmers and members from the United Steelworkers Union and other labor organizations, along with local industry such as NIPSCO, Tonn & Blank in Michigan
City and New York Blower in La Porte.
Purdue University-North Central, La Porte Hospital and the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau also have members on the group, which could meet for the first time next week.
"It's a good cross section and should be very helpful as we move forward," Friedman said. "The commissioners worked hard during the last couple of weeks for a diverse group."
According to a University of Illinois study, Friedman said task forces are a key ingredient to finding sites for intermodal facilities like the one in Joliet, Ill., which has been visited by some local officials.
Task-force members sit down with railroads and real-estate developers to consider positives and negatives of each prospective site before agreeing on a location, he said.
Friedman also expects the task force to view the projected job creation from a railyard and other economic-development benefits, along with potential drawbacks on the environment, noise, traffic and other quality-of-life concerns.
Jody Warner, a resident of the KOP Circle, a subdivision inside the former Kingsbury Ordinance Plant, said Tuesday she's looking forward to participating in discussions.
"It's definitely got my interest at this stage of the game," said Warner, who attended a community intermodal meeting last week she said "opened (her) eyes.
"I think I'm getting a good insight into what the county's going through. There's so much unknown right now, though. I don't really have an opinion formed yet."
Despite agreements to acquire several thousand acres of land, Friedman said no formal proposals for an facility have yet surfaced.
"Even the proposal that is pending in Union Mills doesn't have a railroad attached to it," he said. "It's a real-estate development firm that has some property under option."
"It's like a three legged stool. You got to have the real-estate development folks. You got to have a railroad that's certainly committed to it and you got to have public support of it.
"That's what it's going to take if ultimately the project is going to come together," Friedman said.
Intermodal Advisory Task Force
• David Christian, president of AMPCOR, La Porte, and Indiana Manufacturers' Association chairman.
• Hugh Glasgow, Union Mills farmer.
• Don Babcock, NIPSCO economic development director.
• Marie Gilliland, La Porte Hospital.
• Henry Lampe, SouthShore Freight chief executive director.
• Gary Husky, Building Trades unions.
• Sharron Jenkins, Purdue University-North Central professor.
• David Decker, La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau vice-chairman.
• Bill Turner, Teamsters Local 135 representative.
• Ken Purze, Michiana Shores, businessman.
• Al Walus, Michigan City Sanitary District director.
• Gerry Jones, Stepping Stone shelter director.
• Ruth Minich, Kingsbury, former La Porte Community Schools board member.
• Jodi Warner, KOP Circle resident.
• Pat Cicero, La Porte County Sheriff's Department detective.
• Joe Coar, Tonn & Blank Construction.
• Doug Biege, La Porte, attorney.
• Scott Hamilton, New York Blower production manager.
• Robert Boklund, environmentalist and former La Porte County Health Department administrator.
• Marie Schwieter, El Puente Community Center executive director.
• David Chlebek, United Steelworkers.
21-member task force includes ‘diverse’ crew.
Stan Maddux
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - A 21-member citizen task force has been created to help oversee the siting of a potential intermodal facility in La Porte County.
The La Porte County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the names Tuesday night.
"The goal was to design a process that is as open and fair and inclusive a process as possible," La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said Tuesday.
Commission President Barb Huston said the list needed paring down from a tremendous number of applicants, who could be called upon to serve in the event of a future opening.
"It drew an overwhelming response," she said.
Applications were submitted to each of the county's commissioners, who contacted certain individuals during the selection process to gauge their interest
in serving.
Task-force members include area farmers and members from the United Steelworkers Union and other labor organizations, along with local industry such as NIPSCO, Tonn & Blank in Michigan
City and New York Blower in La Porte.
Purdue University-North Central, La Porte Hospital and the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau also have members on the group, which could meet for the first time next week.
"It's a good cross section and should be very helpful as we move forward," Friedman said. "The commissioners worked hard during the last couple of weeks for a diverse group."
According to a University of Illinois study, Friedman said task forces are a key ingredient to finding sites for intermodal facilities like the one in Joliet, Ill., which has been visited by some local officials.
Task-force members sit down with railroads and real-estate developers to consider positives and negatives of each prospective site before agreeing on a location, he said.
Friedman also expects the task force to view the projected job creation from a railyard and other economic-development benefits, along with potential drawbacks on the environment, noise, traffic and other quality-of-life concerns.
Jody Warner, a resident of the KOP Circle, a subdivision inside the former Kingsbury Ordinance Plant, said Tuesday she's looking forward to participating in discussions.
"It's definitely got my interest at this stage of the game," said Warner, who attended a community intermodal meeting last week she said "opened (her) eyes.
"I think I'm getting a good insight into what the county's going through. There's so much unknown right now, though. I don't really have an opinion formed yet."
Despite agreements to acquire several thousand acres of land, Friedman said no formal proposals for an facility have yet surfaced.
"Even the proposal that is pending in Union Mills doesn't have a railroad attached to it," he said. "It's a real-estate development firm that has some property under option."
"It's like a three legged stool. You got to have the real-estate development folks. You got to have a railroad that's certainly committed to it and you got to have public support of it.
"That's what it's going to take if ultimately the project is going to come together," Friedman said.
Intermodal Advisory Task Force
• David Christian, president of AMPCOR, La Porte, and Indiana Manufacturers' Association chairman.
• Hugh Glasgow, Union Mills farmer.
• Don Babcock, NIPSCO economic development director.
• Marie Gilliland, La Porte Hospital.
• Henry Lampe, SouthShore Freight chief executive director.
• Gary Husky, Building Trades unions.
• Sharron Jenkins, Purdue University-North Central professor.
• David Decker, La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau vice-chairman.
• Bill Turner, Teamsters Local 135 representative.
• Ken Purze, Michiana Shores, businessman.
• Al Walus, Michigan City Sanitary District director.
• Gerry Jones, Stepping Stone shelter director.
• Ruth Minich, Kingsbury, former La Porte Community Schools board member.
• Jodi Warner, KOP Circle resident.
• Pat Cicero, La Porte County Sheriff's Department detective.
• Joe Coar, Tonn & Blank Construction.
• Doug Biege, La Porte, attorney.
• Scott Hamilton, New York Blower production manager.
• Robert Boklund, environmentalist and former La Porte County Health Department administrator.
• Marie Schwieter, El Puente Community Center executive director.
• David Chlebek, United Steelworkers.
Reporter Jason Miller and News Editor Scott M. Lawson contributed to this report.
Posted by: Max Main Sep 7 2007, 08:08 AM
Isn't Scott Hamilton the skater?
A smattering of regular folks, but topheavy with local bigs.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 7 2007, 08:11 AM
QUOTE(Max Main @ Sep 7 2007, 09:08 AM)
Isn't Scott Hamilton the skater?
Posted by: Ang Sep 7 2007, 11:38 AM
QUOTE(Max Main @ Sep 7 2007, 08:08 AM)
Isn't Scott Hamilton the skater?
You're thinking of Dorothy Hamilton.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 7 2007, 12:04 PM
http://www.post-trib.com/business/546456,intermodal.article
QUOTE
Transit hub called economic engine
September 7, 2007
BY DANIELLE BRAFF Post-Tribune staff writer
Baseball fields, fire stations, government centers and roads are some of the perks a proposed intermodal could bring to LaPorte County if it follows in the footsteps of the Illinois intermodals, economic development officials said Thursday.
The intermodal also would generate thousands of jobs with average salaries of $40,000 and millions of dollars in tax revenues, Matt Reardon, LaPorte County economic development coordinator, told the Post-Tribune editorial board.
Reardon said he hopes to begin negotiating with real estate development company Grubb-Ellis Cressy and Everett as soon as it makes an offer on property to build the transportation hub.
Northwest Indiana public officials, developers and affected farmers are waiting to hear definitive plans from the company, which is expected to create a 3,000-acre facility in LaPorte County. The intermodal terminal would connect the interstates and ports with a railroad facility designed to make the region the hub of transportation activities.
While the developer has been in talks with LaPorte for 11â„2 years, it hasn't made any announcements other than optioning land voluntarily sold by some of the farmers living in the designated area.
"We're trying to get to a stage where we can get some information out," John Regetz, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said. Regetz and Reardon have been in regular talks with Grubb-Ellis, but the developer still hasn't given them a timeline of when a deal will be offered.
When that happens, Reardon estimated that the minimum amount of time needed before the intermodal will be completed would be three years.
The developer would have to pass major hurdles, including environmental studies and restrictions and zoning laws. Grubb-Ellis would have to figure out how to expand the roads and determine the impact of the increased amount of trucks and vehicles.
The developer also is facing thousands of angry LaPorte residents who said they don't appreciate the amount of secrecy that has been surrounding the deal.
There are 110,000 people living in LaPorte County, and they will all be affected by the intermodal.
September 7, 2007
BY DANIELLE BRAFF Post-Tribune staff writer
Baseball fields, fire stations, government centers and roads are some of the perks a proposed intermodal could bring to LaPorte County if it follows in the footsteps of the Illinois intermodals, economic development officials said Thursday.
The intermodal also would generate thousands of jobs with average salaries of $40,000 and millions of dollars in tax revenues, Matt Reardon, LaPorte County economic development coordinator, told the Post-Tribune editorial board.
Reardon said he hopes to begin negotiating with real estate development company Grubb-Ellis Cressy and Everett as soon as it makes an offer on property to build the transportation hub.
Northwest Indiana public officials, developers and affected farmers are waiting to hear definitive plans from the company, which is expected to create a 3,000-acre facility in LaPorte County. The intermodal terminal would connect the interstates and ports with a railroad facility designed to make the region the hub of transportation activities.
While the developer has been in talks with LaPorte for 11â„2 years, it hasn't made any announcements other than optioning land voluntarily sold by some of the farmers living in the designated area.
"We're trying to get to a stage where we can get some information out," John Regetz, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said. Regetz and Reardon have been in regular talks with Grubb-Ellis, but the developer still hasn't given them a timeline of when a deal will be offered.
When that happens, Reardon estimated that the minimum amount of time needed before the intermodal will be completed would be three years.
The developer would have to pass major hurdles, including environmental studies and restrictions and zoning laws. Grubb-Ellis would have to figure out how to expand the roads and determine the impact of the increased amount of trucks and vehicles.
The developer also is facing thousands of angry LaPorte residents who said they don't appreciate the amount of secrecy that has been surrounding the deal.
There are 110,000 people living in LaPorte County, and they will all be affected by the intermodal.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 7 2007, 12:44 PM
QUOTE(Ang @ Sep 7 2007, 12:38 PM)
You're thinking of Dorothy Hamilton.
No, he was right. Scott Hamilton was a male olympic skater...I believe in the 90s.
Dorothy Hammill (check that spelling) was also a skater, though, but in the 70s or 80s.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 12 2007, 12:58 PM
Looks like the "Mitch Daniels was Right" club is meeting tonight...
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=4301
QUOTE
Anti-Intermodal Group To Meet
SISOC forms in an effort to oppose what it believes are two facilities set for county.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
UNION MILLS - A recently formed anti-intermodal group will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Union Mills Conservation Club.
The meeting will discuss the impact the project will have on Union Mills and the nearby rural neighborhood, according to the Web site www.sisoc.net.
A news release announcing the organization of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County said the group is determined to fight the development of what it believes will be two intermodal facilities in La Porte County.
An intermodal is a transportation center where goods are loaded and unloaded from train flat cars to and from trucks for transport by rail and highway. La Porte County is seen by potential developers as a prime intermodal location because three rail lines traverse the area along with major highways and interstates are nearby.
SISOC co-chairs Edward Nunn and Ty Murray are encouraging people to volunteer to gather signatures on petitions.
SISOC said its members intend to "prevent the crushing environmental and social impact" they believe will result from proposed intermodals, according to the news release. The group is concerned with the "social disintegration" of Union Mills and Wellsboro.
The organization has 30 core members who came together after a public meeting in Union Mills about the intermodal attended by about 600 people.
Meanwhile, the first meeting of the La Porte Intermodal Advisory Task Force is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 26, at the County Complex, according to Commissioner President Barbara Huston, D-La Porte.
The 21 members of the advisory group were announced last week, and include some who oppose intermodal development in the county.
The task force is charged with studying intermodal freight terminals and evaluating the pros and cons of developing such a facility in La Porte County.
Named as facilitator for the task force is Donald Anderson, a faculty member in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette.
Staff named to provide research and investigative support to the group are Shaw Friedman and Robert Szilagyi, county attorneys; Matt Reardon, county economic development director; Ray Hamilton, county building commissioner, and Mitch Bishop, county planner.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
SISOC forms in an effort to oppose what it believes are two facilities set for county.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
UNION MILLS - A recently formed anti-intermodal group will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m. tonight at the Union Mills Conservation Club.
The meeting will discuss the impact the project will have on Union Mills and the nearby rural neighborhood, according to the Web site www.sisoc.net.
A news release announcing the organization of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County said the group is determined to fight the development of what it believes will be two intermodal facilities in La Porte County.
An intermodal is a transportation center where goods are loaded and unloaded from train flat cars to and from trucks for transport by rail and highway. La Porte County is seen by potential developers as a prime intermodal location because three rail lines traverse the area along with major highways and interstates are nearby.
SISOC co-chairs Edward Nunn and Ty Murray are encouraging people to volunteer to gather signatures on petitions.
SISOC said its members intend to "prevent the crushing environmental and social impact" they believe will result from proposed intermodals, according to the news release. The group is concerned with the "social disintegration" of Union Mills and Wellsboro.
The organization has 30 core members who came together after a public meeting in Union Mills about the intermodal attended by about 600 people.
Meanwhile, the first meeting of the La Porte Intermodal Advisory Task Force is set for 6 p.m. Sept. 26, at the County Complex, according to Commissioner President Barbara Huston, D-La Porte.
The 21 members of the advisory group were announced last week, and include some who oppose intermodal development in the county.
The task force is charged with studying intermodal freight terminals and evaluating the pros and cons of developing such a facility in La Porte County.
Named as facilitator for the task force is Donald Anderson, a faculty member in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue University in West Lafayette.
Staff named to provide research and investigative support to the group are Shaw Friedman and Robert Szilagyi, county attorneys; Matt Reardon, county economic development director; Ray Hamilton, county building commissioner, and Mitch Bishop, county planner.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Sep 13 2007, 07:45 AM
SISOC said its members intend to "prevent the crushing environmental and social impact" they believe will result from proposed intermodals, according to the news release. The group is concerned with the "social disintegration" of Union Mills and Wellsboro.
"Social disintegration"?! See, this is the kind of thing that is irking me. What are they against? Are these people just not busy enough? What are the real main issues re the Intermodal? I am having a hard time hearing a negative.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 13 2007, 09:10 AM
They are worried only about themselves. They don't seem to care about the fact that LaPorte county as a whole has been depressed for a really long time, and needs this stimulus about as bad as anywhere in the country needs it. This is a great time to menion that LPC fell into the 200 poorest counties in the entire country. The people of LPC need jobs, and it isn't like there has been great leadership exhibited by either parties politicians in this area. Private industry is ready to step in at no cost to the taxpayers, and we have people who want to fight them. I don't understand it.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 13 2007, 09:41 AM
Over the weekend, I was discussing this concept witha friend of mine who grew up on a farm. She agreed that farming is a very uncertain industry...and in her opinion, that the intermodal would be much more beneficial to our county.
Come on...EVERYONE ELSE SEES IT. Can we just bring in more jobs?
Posted by: Ang Sep 13 2007, 09:48 AM
QUOTE(JHeath @ Sep 7 2007, 12:44 PM)
No, he was right. Scott Hamilton was a male olympic skater...I believe in the 90s.
Dorothy Hammill (check that spelling) was also a skater, though, but in the 70s or 80s.
Ooops. My bad. I don't really follow skating, I just remember I had one of those stupid haircuts because my mom thought it was cute and easy to take care of. Personally I hated it and thought it made me look like a boy.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Sep 17 2007, 07:06 AM
I think the greatest unfiled class action lawsuit is by sons and daughters against parents for bad haircuts.
Posted by: Ang Sep 17 2007, 08:59 AM
I heard about one in MN where a daughter sued her mother because she slipped on ice on the mother's front porch. I can't remember the actual sum she was suing for but it was in the hundred thousands.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 17 2007, 09:12 AM
Just in case anyone has an extra $250 burning a hole in their pocket...
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=385399
QUOTE
Logistics summit to discuss intermodals
The 5th annual Indiana Logistics Summit is scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26 in Indianapolis. The summit will focus on how to expand the competitive advantages of the state’s transportation, distribution and logistics industry, which includes intermodals.
Purdue University President France A. Córdova is scheduled to make opening remarks to the more than 300 leaders from industry, government, economic development and academia.
Gov. Mitch Daniels also is scheduled to make remarks. Featured speakers will be former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta and Michael Gallis, an expert in large-scale regional development strategies.
The summit, which will be at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, 350 W. Maryland St., will examine ways to build the high-growth, high-tech transportation, distribution and logistics industry. The industry creates jobs and supports other key sectors, including advanced manufacturing, information technology and the life sciences.
The schedule for the summit is available online at http://www.indianalogistics.com.
Additional program information is available from Jody Peacock, Ports of Indiana, at 317-233-6225 or jpeacock@portsofindiana.com. Registration, lodging and transportation questions can be directed to Kathy Walters, conference coordinator at Purdue University, at 1-800-359-2968 or kw@purdue.edu.
The summit is organized by Purdue, Ports of Indiana and Conexus Indiana. Sponsors include Duke Realty, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana Economic Development Corp., the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service, UPS, First Industrial Realty, National City, FedEx, Charter One Bank, RedCats USA, Northwest Indiana Forum, Relay Express, Duke Energy and AEP Memco Barge Line.
The summit is open to transportation professionals and the general public. The $250 registration fee includes an evening reception on Sept. 25 and lunch on Sept. 26. Registration information is available online at http://www.indianalogistics.com or by calling 765-494-2758.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 17 2007, 11:42 AM
A letter to the editor from the mayor himself... As usual, it is pretty non-committal.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=4394&TM=49269.7
QUOTE
It's Too Early To Judge Intermodal
As I read the news coverage of potential intermodal and logistics projects in La Porte County I want my fellow citizens to be mindful that the development of such ventures follows a deliberate, and ultimately public, process. We all need to exercise patience while that progression occurs. The process starts with an entrepreneur identifying a business concept that meets a market demand. The developer must research and select the best locations for the venture and determine the suitability of those sites.
Because of the convergence of freight rail lines and interstate highways, La Porte County has a high potential for intermodal development. The market for these projects is driven by increasing freight traffic in the Chicago consumer market. Such projects also support industry as it brings in assembly components and ships out finished products.
The developer also has to privately assemble commitments with willing sellers. Infrastructure needs are preliminarily identified and cost analysis begins at this stage, where economic and elected officials may be engaged for information exchange. Ultimately, economics will determine if projects will be pursued in a location. To proceed without prompting competition for land for the intended venture, the developer must be secure in the knowledge that information about their concept will not be leaked.
A development plan with project engineering and feasibility is researched before public announcements are made. The developer must investigate zoning requirements and environmental impacts as well as finalizing infrastructure costs with development agencies. Public officials then review project requirements and determine how to best assist and negotiate project performance standards, such as job creation, construction criteria and community improvements.
These aspects of the project undergo specific approval processes by public bodies, complete with public hearings. No binding agreements are made before this point. For intermodal projects, La Porte County has established a citizen's task force that will conduct an additional public review process.
It appears the current development process has yet to complete its private phases and due diligence.
The potential for job creation, infrastructure development, related investment and tax base expansion through out La Porte County is great with intermodal development. I encourage our citizens and elected officials to review proposals, when submitted, before taking positions regarding intermodal development in our county.
Chuck Oberlie, Mayor
Michigan City
As I read the news coverage of potential intermodal and logistics projects in La Porte County I want my fellow citizens to be mindful that the development of such ventures follows a deliberate, and ultimately public, process. We all need to exercise patience while that progression occurs. The process starts with an entrepreneur identifying a business concept that meets a market demand. The developer must research and select the best locations for the venture and determine the suitability of those sites.
Because of the convergence of freight rail lines and interstate highways, La Porte County has a high potential for intermodal development. The market for these projects is driven by increasing freight traffic in the Chicago consumer market. Such projects also support industry as it brings in assembly components and ships out finished products.
The developer also has to privately assemble commitments with willing sellers. Infrastructure needs are preliminarily identified and cost analysis begins at this stage, where economic and elected officials may be engaged for information exchange. Ultimately, economics will determine if projects will be pursued in a location. To proceed without prompting competition for land for the intended venture, the developer must be secure in the knowledge that information about their concept will not be leaked.
A development plan with project engineering and feasibility is researched before public announcements are made. The developer must investigate zoning requirements and environmental impacts as well as finalizing infrastructure costs with development agencies. Public officials then review project requirements and determine how to best assist and negotiate project performance standards, such as job creation, construction criteria and community improvements.
These aspects of the project undergo specific approval processes by public bodies, complete with public hearings. No binding agreements are made before this point. For intermodal projects, La Porte County has established a citizen's task force that will conduct an additional public review process.
It appears the current development process has yet to complete its private phases and due diligence.
The potential for job creation, infrastructure development, related investment and tax base expansion through out La Porte County is great with intermodal development. I encourage our citizens and elected officials to review proposals, when submitted, before taking positions regarding intermodal development in our county.
Chuck Oberlie, Mayor
Michigan City
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 17 2007, 11:51 AM
Also here is a great editorial from the ND
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=72&ArticleID=4392&TM=49827.5
QUOTE
Progress In County
Some Fear Change, But Change Is Coming
Editorial
Maybe it's nothing more than the "not in my back yard" syndrome, but the growing protest in La Porte County over proposed development is alarming.
It doesn't seem to matter if it's a condominium project in Michigan City, a commercial development in downtown La Porte or a transportation hub near Union Mills, there seems to be opposition to almost anything new.
Change is always difficult, but the attitude that seems to be imbedded in La Porte County that any change is bad is becoming a roadblock for progress.
One of the members of the anti-intermodal group Stop Intermodals - Save Our County summed up that attitude perfectly: "I'm not in favor of it because the emphasis is on jobs. In La Porte County, we need more than jobs. We need a safe, quiet place to live more than we need jobs. La Porte County has always been a nice place to live. People have gone other places to work."
And that is the reason La Porte County finds itself in the position it is in today. New, high-paying jobs aren't being created for our young people to encourage them to stay in La Porte County. And because many La Porte County residents go elsewhere to work, the county doesn't get the benefit of the taxes those businesses pay to support the vital services we all need.
The fact is change is coming to La Porte County. Our location in Northwest Indiana makes the area a prime target for developers.
Because of that inevitability, La Porte County officials are trying to plan for the future. At a meeting Thursday night at Purdue University-North Central, details of a 75-page development plan for the county from Duncan Associates of Muncie, Ind., were discussed. It is the first step on a new master plan for the county.
The proposal is a common sense approach to development, including the idea that residential development should be near communities with water and sewer, and not out in the county where those developments would need septic systems. Large development in the county, like the proposed intermodal, would be able to install their own sewer system, something that nearby homes could tie into so they wouldn't have to remain on a septic system.
Right now, much of the talk about development is just that. Much planning needs to take place before work starts on any development, but development proposals should not be dismissed merely because things will be different than they are now.
Some Fear Change, But Change Is Coming
Editorial
Maybe it's nothing more than the "not in my back yard" syndrome, but the growing protest in La Porte County over proposed development is alarming.
It doesn't seem to matter if it's a condominium project in Michigan City, a commercial development in downtown La Porte or a transportation hub near Union Mills, there seems to be opposition to almost anything new.
Change is always difficult, but the attitude that seems to be imbedded in La Porte County that any change is bad is becoming a roadblock for progress.
One of the members of the anti-intermodal group Stop Intermodals - Save Our County summed up that attitude perfectly: "I'm not in favor of it because the emphasis is on jobs. In La Porte County, we need more than jobs. We need a safe, quiet place to live more than we need jobs. La Porte County has always been a nice place to live. People have gone other places to work."
And that is the reason La Porte County finds itself in the position it is in today. New, high-paying jobs aren't being created for our young people to encourage them to stay in La Porte County. And because many La Porte County residents go elsewhere to work, the county doesn't get the benefit of the taxes those businesses pay to support the vital services we all need.
The fact is change is coming to La Porte County. Our location in Northwest Indiana makes the area a prime target for developers.
Because of that inevitability, La Porte County officials are trying to plan for the future. At a meeting Thursday night at Purdue University-North Central, details of a 75-page development plan for the county from Duncan Associates of Muncie, Ind., were discussed. It is the first step on a new master plan for the county.
The proposal is a common sense approach to development, including the idea that residential development should be near communities with water and sewer, and not out in the county where those developments would need septic systems. Large development in the county, like the proposed intermodal, would be able to install their own sewer system, something that nearby homes could tie into so they wouldn't have to remain on a septic system.
Right now, much of the talk about development is just that. Much planning needs to take place before work starts on any development, but development proposals should not be dismissed merely because things will be different than they are now.
Posted by: Ang Sep 17 2007, 03:54 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Sep 17 2007, 11:42 AM)
A letter to the editor from the mayor himself... As usual, it is pretty non-committal.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=4394&TM=49269.7
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..................
Posted by: mcstumper Sep 17 2007, 08:41 PM
QUOTE(Ang @ Sep 17 2007, 04:54 PM)
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..................
I agree. I generally am a Chuck supporter, but it really looks like he has his finger to the wind on this one.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 18 2007, 08:53 AM
QUOTE(mcstumper @ Sep 17 2007, 09:41 PM)
I agree. I generally am a Chuck supporter, but it really looks like he has his finger to the wind on this one.
I was thinking his finger was somewhere else...
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Sep 19 2007, 11:12 AM
I think you are thinking of his HEAD being somewhere else...
Posted by: JHeath Sep 19 2007, 09:14 PM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Sep 19 2007, 12:12 PM)
I think you are thinking of his HEAD being somewhere else...
Say it however you'd like, Roger...either way, they're probably in the same general vicinity.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 25 2007, 11:54 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=385882
QUOTE
County economic developers create intermodal Web site
09/25/2007, 11:47 am
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Officials say site is only informational
LA PORTE COUNTY -- An informational Web site about the status of rail intermodal facility negotiations was launched Monday by economic developers from Michigan City, La Porte and La Porte County.
The Web site, www.lcintermodal.info, was launched in hopes of distributing more information to the public. While the Web site outlines the potential benefits of an intermodal facility in the county, John Regetz, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said it is intended only as a source of information, and not as an endorsement of an intermodal.
“Right now it isn’t pro or con,” Regetz told The La Porte County Herald-Argus this morning. “I don’t think it says pro or con anywhere on the site.”
Some of the information on the site trumpets the injection of high-paying jobs and the “halo effect” of spin-off businesses in the county that could result from an intermodal. Additionally, it cites La Porte County as a premier site for logistical development due to the number of rail lines crisscrossing the area.
“This is a way to get basic information to the public,” Tim Gropp, executive director of the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp., told The Herald-Argus this morning.
As for the site supporting an intemodal, Gropp quickly discounted such a notion.
“It is fairly neutral,” he said. “You have to look at the benefits. We happen to be pro-business here, but this Web site is strictly informational.”
In addition to basic intermodal information, the site will also offer updates on the status of intermodal talks, in hopes of debunking the many myths and rumors that Regetz said have been circulating in regard to a possible intermodal facility in the county.
“This (Web site) gets the concepts about the progress out there,” Regetz said. “Hopefully this will help people better understand the process.”
09/25/2007, 11:47 am
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Officials say site is only informational
LA PORTE COUNTY -- An informational Web site about the status of rail intermodal facility negotiations was launched Monday by economic developers from Michigan City, La Porte and La Porte County.
The Web site, www.lcintermodal.info, was launched in hopes of distributing more information to the public. While the Web site outlines the potential benefits of an intermodal facility in the county, John Regetz, executive director of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said it is intended only as a source of information, and not as an endorsement of an intermodal.
“Right now it isn’t pro or con,” Regetz told The La Porte County Herald-Argus this morning. “I don’t think it says pro or con anywhere on the site.”
Some of the information on the site trumpets the injection of high-paying jobs and the “halo effect” of spin-off businesses in the county that could result from an intermodal. Additionally, it cites La Porte County as a premier site for logistical development due to the number of rail lines crisscrossing the area.
“This is a way to get basic information to the public,” Tim Gropp, executive director of the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp., told The Herald-Argus this morning.
As for the site supporting an intemodal, Gropp quickly discounted such a notion.
“It is fairly neutral,” he said. “You have to look at the benefits. We happen to be pro-business here, but this Web site is strictly informational.”
In addition to basic intermodal information, the site will also offer updates on the status of intermodal talks, in hopes of debunking the many myths and rumors that Regetz said have been circulating in regard to a possible intermodal facility in the county.
“This (Web site) gets the concepts about the progress out there,” Regetz said. “Hopefully this will help people better understand the process.”
Posted by: JHeath Sep 25 2007, 11:56 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=385883
QUOTE
Officials say out-of-county intermodal workers could still provide economic benefit
09/25/2007, 11:49 am
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
GRUNDY COUNTY, ILL. -- Although the possible location of an intermodal facility in La Porte County has economic development officials in the county excited about the potential for job creation and an increased tax base, it appears surrounding counties could benefit as well.
That has reportedly been the case with Grundy County, Ill., which borders Will County, home of the Elwood, Ill., intermodal.
“There have been employment opportunities around the intermodal, primarily from the warehousing industry,” Nancy Ammer, chief executive officer of the Grundy County Economic Development Council, told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Monday. “So yes, there have been employment opportunities.”
Of the jobs created in Grundy County, Ammer noted that most have been in the warehousing field. While the jobs aren’t what Ammer would consider top-tier, she said the benefits of the nearby intermodal are certainly tangible and outweigh the negatives.
“It helps the tax base,” Ammer said. “The jobs aren’t good but they aren’t bad. Typically they start out at $12 to $13 an hour. I would say the jobs are fair.”
A big argument against the location of an intermodal facility in La Porte County is the possibility that jobs at such a facility could be filled by out-of-county workers.
However, local economic developers pointed out in a recent meeting with The Herald-Argus editorial board that even out-of-county employees would benefit the county economically because they would pay the county income option tax, which contributes to the county’s general fund.
“It still creates jobs,” Greater La Porte Economic Development Coordinator Tim Gropp told The Herald-Argus Monday. “Hopefully they will eat here and spend money here.”
John Grueling, president of the Will County Center for Economic Development, told The Herald-Argus Monday that the Elwood intermodal has resulted in a boom in industrial development in the county and surrounding areas.
However, Grueling said he was unsure how many of the jobs created by these developments are occupied by Will County residents.
“All I can say is there has been tremendous industrial real estate development,” he said. “As for the amount of people from out of town, that is hard to say.”
Gropp pointed out that out-of-town workers might consider relocating to the county, thus becoming full-time taxpaying citizens of the county.
More importantly, he said, an intermodal facility would provide an opportunity for the county’s under-employed to move into better-paying jobs that are more suited to their skills.
09/25/2007, 11:49 am
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
GRUNDY COUNTY, ILL. -- Although the possible location of an intermodal facility in La Porte County has economic development officials in the county excited about the potential for job creation and an increased tax base, it appears surrounding counties could benefit as well.
That has reportedly been the case with Grundy County, Ill., which borders Will County, home of the Elwood, Ill., intermodal.
“There have been employment opportunities around the intermodal, primarily from the warehousing industry,” Nancy Ammer, chief executive officer of the Grundy County Economic Development Council, told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Monday. “So yes, there have been employment opportunities.”
Of the jobs created in Grundy County, Ammer noted that most have been in the warehousing field. While the jobs aren’t what Ammer would consider top-tier, she said the benefits of the nearby intermodal are certainly tangible and outweigh the negatives.
“It helps the tax base,” Ammer said. “The jobs aren’t good but they aren’t bad. Typically they start out at $12 to $13 an hour. I would say the jobs are fair.”
A big argument against the location of an intermodal facility in La Porte County is the possibility that jobs at such a facility could be filled by out-of-county workers.
However, local economic developers pointed out in a recent meeting with The Herald-Argus editorial board that even out-of-county employees would benefit the county economically because they would pay the county income option tax, which contributes to the county’s general fund.
“It still creates jobs,” Greater La Porte Economic Development Coordinator Tim Gropp told The Herald-Argus Monday. “Hopefully they will eat here and spend money here.”
John Grueling, president of the Will County Center for Economic Development, told The Herald-Argus Monday that the Elwood intermodal has resulted in a boom in industrial development in the county and surrounding areas.
However, Grueling said he was unsure how many of the jobs created by these developments are occupied by Will County residents.
“All I can say is there has been tremendous industrial real estate development,” he said. “As for the amount of people from out of town, that is hard to say.”
Gropp pointed out that out-of-town workers might consider relocating to the county, thus becoming full-time taxpaying citizens of the county.
More importantly, he said, an intermodal facility would provide an opportunity for the county’s under-employed to move into better-paying jobs that are more suited to their skills.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 25 2007, 12:04 PM
Jobs "starting out at" $12-13 an hour would an average wage job in LPC. That is saying something right there.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 26 2007, 01:11 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=4826&TM=54669
QUOTE
A Tangled 'Web'
As new intermodal Internet site emerges, so does group with ‘positive alternatives’
LA PORTE - A day after La Porte County economic-development leaders launched a Web site on intermodal developments, an organization called Kankakee 2050 United emerged Tuesday to tackle the same subject from a different perspective. Clifford Peterson, owner of LaPrairie Farm in Kankakee Township, read a statement at the La Porte County Courthouse, saying the group will offer positive alternatives to the intermodal terminal or Illiana Expressway proposals.
The group is concerned the impact of current plans will hit in 2050, affecting their children and grandchildren. Kankakee 2050 United is not affiliated with Stop Intermodal - Save Our County, but its co-chairman, Ed Nunn, said the two groups will work together. "We're not rival organizations," Nunn said. "Unfortunately, we (SISOC) are seen as definitely anti-intermodal. But we're not against development." Both groups seem intent on preserving the county's farmland and its quality of life. "The group will promote community dialogue and propose positive alternatives," Peterson said, adding he has a degree in regional and urban planning and is contacting corporate and government consultants who are "leading-edge 21st century economic, community, energy and environmental development experts."
So far, Kankakee 2050 United has more questions than alternatives. In its statement, the organization posed four questions:
• What alternatives to an intermodal are being considered for La Porte County's future?
• What if intermodal facilities don't deliver the promised benefits or if they lead to negative consequences?
• What happens to La Porte County when its intermodal facilities become obsolete, possibly before 2030?
• What will happen to the intermodal and the county if various factors limit reliance on diesel and other fossil fuels used by trucks and trains?
La Porte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski, D-Rolling Prairie, attended the presentation, saying he's aware La Porte County residents are criticizing public officials of participating in secret deals with potential intermodal developers. "Tonight is the first meeting of the Intermodal Task Force," he said. "I'm not even on that and have never been involved with any meetings or signed a confidentiality agreement. I think the public concern is that we know a lot more than we do." Mrozinski said the County Council will not have a say in any intermodal development unless county funds are involved. As a member of the county Planning Commission, he believes the county-wide master plan needs to conserve farmland. If an intermodal is developed, he favors the Kingsbury Industrial Park rather than taking farmland out of production.
Kankakee 2050 United also criticized the lack of public access to the Bernardin-Lochmueller study to reduce traffic congestion in downtown La Porte and create access to new industrial and commercial sites. Peterson charged the 798-page study, completed with $250,000 in federal funds, was not made available to the public, other than a review copy at La Porte County Public Library. He also criticized consultants for talking with local business owners, but not farmers. A 12-page summary of the study, referred to as the Ripple report, has created a buzz about highway loops around La Porte, which are seen as connected to development of an intermodal.
Martin Dolan, a neighbor of Peterson, said the goal of Kankakee 2050 United is to protect the quality of life and improve roads that will ease congestion, but he is against an intermodal or highway loops. Dolan read a statement that suggested some improvements to the quality of life in the county, at an estimated cost of $200 million:
• Turn Lincolnway into a one-way traffic route.
• Eliminate parking on Lincolnway.
• Construct an underground parking garage downtown.
• Reduce traffic lights on the thoroughfares.
The estimated costs would be covered by public and private funds, Dolan said. Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
As new intermodal Internet site emerges, so does group with ‘positive alternatives’
LA PORTE - A day after La Porte County economic-development leaders launched a Web site on intermodal developments, an organization called Kankakee 2050 United emerged Tuesday to tackle the same subject from a different perspective. Clifford Peterson, owner of LaPrairie Farm in Kankakee Township, read a statement at the La Porte County Courthouse, saying the group will offer positive alternatives to the intermodal terminal or Illiana Expressway proposals.
The group is concerned the impact of current plans will hit in 2050, affecting their children and grandchildren. Kankakee 2050 United is not affiliated with Stop Intermodal - Save Our County, but its co-chairman, Ed Nunn, said the two groups will work together. "We're not rival organizations," Nunn said. "Unfortunately, we (SISOC) are seen as definitely anti-intermodal. But we're not against development." Both groups seem intent on preserving the county's farmland and its quality of life. "The group will promote community dialogue and propose positive alternatives," Peterson said, adding he has a degree in regional and urban planning and is contacting corporate and government consultants who are "leading-edge 21st century economic, community, energy and environmental development experts."
So far, Kankakee 2050 United has more questions than alternatives. In its statement, the organization posed four questions:
• What alternatives to an intermodal are being considered for La Porte County's future?
• What if intermodal facilities don't deliver the promised benefits or if they lead to negative consequences?
• What happens to La Porte County when its intermodal facilities become obsolete, possibly before 2030?
• What will happen to the intermodal and the county if various factors limit reliance on diesel and other fossil fuels used by trucks and trains?
La Porte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski, D-Rolling Prairie, attended the presentation, saying he's aware La Porte County residents are criticizing public officials of participating in secret deals with potential intermodal developers. "Tonight is the first meeting of the Intermodal Task Force," he said. "I'm not even on that and have never been involved with any meetings or signed a confidentiality agreement. I think the public concern is that we know a lot more than we do." Mrozinski said the County Council will not have a say in any intermodal development unless county funds are involved. As a member of the county Planning Commission, he believes the county-wide master plan needs to conserve farmland. If an intermodal is developed, he favors the Kingsbury Industrial Park rather than taking farmland out of production.
Kankakee 2050 United also criticized the lack of public access to the Bernardin-Lochmueller study to reduce traffic congestion in downtown La Porte and create access to new industrial and commercial sites. Peterson charged the 798-page study, completed with $250,000 in federal funds, was not made available to the public, other than a review copy at La Porte County Public Library. He also criticized consultants for talking with local business owners, but not farmers. A 12-page summary of the study, referred to as the Ripple report, has created a buzz about highway loops around La Porte, which are seen as connected to development of an intermodal.
Martin Dolan, a neighbor of Peterson, said the goal of Kankakee 2050 United is to protect the quality of life and improve roads that will ease congestion, but he is against an intermodal or highway loops. Dolan read a statement that suggested some improvements to the quality of life in the county, at an estimated cost of $200 million:
• Turn Lincolnway into a one-way traffic route.
• Eliminate parking on Lincolnway.
• Construct an underground parking garage downtown.
• Reduce traffic lights on the thoroughfares.
The estimated costs would be covered by public and private funds, Dolan said. Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: JHeath Sep 27 2007, 10:28 AM
Did they really think that there would be 10,000 trucks A DAY coming through? That was beyond unrealistic...thank goodness that's been cleared up. Maybe now the naysayers will allow us to have positive growth for once.
http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=386009
QUOTE
Logistics summit ‘eye-opening’ for some officials
09/27/2007, 11:12 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Local leaders attended the Fifth annual Indiana Logistics Summit Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to gain insight into a possible rail intermodal facility in La Porte County, and most said they left enlightened.
“It’s been eye-opening to say the least,” La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday. “I guess from our view in the county we have always looked and tried to make everything about our county. With this, here, we see the global effect of what it will do to our jobs and our future.”
What officials learned was that the need for intermodal facilities throughout the country is tied to things like the expansion of the Panama Canal and the increasing cost of transporting goods across the country.
Experts at the conference testified that upwards of 20 new intermodal facilities need to be built in order to better facilitate the transport of goods throughout the country. With its proximity to Chicago and location at the intersection of several highways and rail lines, La PorteCounty is a prime location for one of those facilities.
“When they mentioned 20 more intermodals in the country and (La Porte County) being near the interstate and mainstream rail line, it was eye-opening,” Cooley said.
Contributing to the need for more intermodals, said Tim Mathews, senior vice president of marketing and sales for transportation giant J.B. Hunt, is his company’s decision to switch away from long-haul trucking and towards more intermodal trucking.
However, Robert Girardot, director of business development for CSX Intermodal, said intermodal facilities should only be located in areas where there is ample public and private support for such a project, as well as the necessary existing infrastructure.
David Christian, co-chair of the county’s Intermodal Task Force, said such information would be important to the task force as it evaluates possible intermodal proposals.
“There is some information out there we need to gather as a task force and also there are challenges the task force needs to decipher,” Christian told The Herald-Argus. “Anytime I can come down here and learn about something such as intermodal (development) it is always worthwhile.”
‘The right numbers’
In addition to the big picture, local leaders were also schooled in the hard numbers associated with an intermodal facility.
While some residents opposed to an intermodal have previously warned that such a facility could attract more than 10,000 trucks a day, Girardot said the number would likely be closer to 10,000 trucks per year, an estimate that surprised some local leaders.
“We have been hearing far greater numbers: 10,000 trucks a day,” Christian said. “The numbers we heard today brings it down to 250 a day. There is some information out there we need to gather as a task force.”
Still, that number wasn’t enough to convince Renee Applegarth, a member of the intermodal opposition group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC), who declared that such estimates were purely theoretical.
“The reality of a proposed intermodal facility that is as big or bigger than O’Hare Airport is that it is carving the community,” Applegarth said. “Currently we don’t have the infrastructure; it would be a disaster. But if you add the infrastructure to meet and serve this O’Hare-size facility they are talking about, that further carves the community and eats up more farmland.”
Applegarth was pleased, however, with the number of county officials that elected to attend the summit.
“I am very pleased to see all here,” Applegarth said. “This is what I want my community leaders to be doing. I don’t want to sit back and have someone tell me what I should know. It gives me a great hope that the politicians and the people that are involved in the decision-making process have been willing to talk about it. They have approached me and shook my hand and offered to talk about it. I can’t ask for more than that.”
Officials and task-force members all promised to bring the information gained at the summit back to the residents of La Porte County. Cooley even suggested bringing some of the summit’s speakers to the county.
“I think this is a great opportunity to start talking about it,” he said.
09/27/2007, 11:12 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Local leaders attended the Fifth annual Indiana Logistics Summit Tuesday and Wednesday in an effort to gain insight into a possible rail intermodal facility in La Porte County, and most said they left enlightened.
“It’s been eye-opening to say the least,” La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday. “I guess from our view in the county we have always looked and tried to make everything about our county. With this, here, we see the global effect of what it will do to our jobs and our future.”
What officials learned was that the need for intermodal facilities throughout the country is tied to things like the expansion of the Panama Canal and the increasing cost of transporting goods across the country.
Experts at the conference testified that upwards of 20 new intermodal facilities need to be built in order to better facilitate the transport of goods throughout the country. With its proximity to Chicago and location at the intersection of several highways and rail lines, La PorteCounty is a prime location for one of those facilities.
“When they mentioned 20 more intermodals in the country and (La Porte County) being near the interstate and mainstream rail line, it was eye-opening,” Cooley said.
Contributing to the need for more intermodals, said Tim Mathews, senior vice president of marketing and sales for transportation giant J.B. Hunt, is his company’s decision to switch away from long-haul trucking and towards more intermodal trucking.
However, Robert Girardot, director of business development for CSX Intermodal, said intermodal facilities should only be located in areas where there is ample public and private support for such a project, as well as the necessary existing infrastructure.
David Christian, co-chair of the county’s Intermodal Task Force, said such information would be important to the task force as it evaluates possible intermodal proposals.
“There is some information out there we need to gather as a task force and also there are challenges the task force needs to decipher,” Christian told The Herald-Argus. “Anytime I can come down here and learn about something such as intermodal (development) it is always worthwhile.”
‘The right numbers’
In addition to the big picture, local leaders were also schooled in the hard numbers associated with an intermodal facility.
While some residents opposed to an intermodal have previously warned that such a facility could attract more than 10,000 trucks a day, Girardot said the number would likely be closer to 10,000 trucks per year, an estimate that surprised some local leaders.
“We have been hearing far greater numbers: 10,000 trucks a day,” Christian said. “The numbers we heard today brings it down to 250 a day. There is some information out there we need to gather as a task force.”
Still, that number wasn’t enough to convince Renee Applegarth, a member of the intermodal opposition group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC), who declared that such estimates were purely theoretical.
“The reality of a proposed intermodal facility that is as big or bigger than O’Hare Airport is that it is carving the community,” Applegarth said. “Currently we don’t have the infrastructure; it would be a disaster. But if you add the infrastructure to meet and serve this O’Hare-size facility they are talking about, that further carves the community and eats up more farmland.”
Applegarth was pleased, however, with the number of county officials that elected to attend the summit.
“I am very pleased to see all here,” Applegarth said. “This is what I want my community leaders to be doing. I don’t want to sit back and have someone tell me what I should know. It gives me a great hope that the politicians and the people that are involved in the decision-making process have been willing to talk about it. They have approached me and shook my hand and offered to talk about it. I can’t ask for more than that.”
Officials and task-force members all promised to bring the information gained at the summit back to the residents of La Porte County. Cooley even suggested bringing some of the summit’s speakers to the county.
“I think this is a great opportunity to start talking about it,” he said.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 27 2007, 10:55 AM
10,000 day! That is 416.67 trucks an hour, or about 7 trucks a minute! I'll bet USX in Gary doesn't even process that kind of volume. Geesh the anti-intermodal people are going to say whatever they can to try to scare people away from this project. I even had one of the guys involved in this project contact me with some propaganda after one of my posts on the News Dispatch website. He proceded to tie this into a whole bunch of jingoistic anti-China stuff while he was at it. It is kind of scary the means that they are willing to go to to stop the intermodal facility here.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 27 2007, 12:29 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=4839&TM=52037.99
QUOTE
Officials Use Web To Stress Intermodal Benefits
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE -- County economic-development leaders launched a Web site Monday outlining the economic benefits an intermodal transportation facility could bring to La Porte County.
The site, www.lcintermodal.info, also informs residents about the process required to approve and begin development of such a facility.
An intermodal facility is a logistic center where trains, trucks nd distribution centers come together for more efficient delivery of goods.
Anticipated results results are lower costs for consumers, manufacturers and distributors and fewer trucks causing less pollution and using less gas.
John Regetz, Michigan City Economic Corp. executive director, said the site is intended to post up-to-date intermodal information, statistics and any proposals, if they become available.
"We are fortunate to have this rare opportunity to leverage our geographical location," Regetz said, "and we should not pass up the chance to potentially bring hundreds of millions of dollars of new investments to our community."
Regetz has collaborated with Matt Reardon, La Porte County Economic Development consultant, and Tim Gropp of Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp. to create www.laportecounty.biz to give information on projects that could contribute to economic growth and the possible impact on quality of life.
Residents are invited to submit comments through the Web site.
Related Links:
• www.laportecounty.biz
• www.lcintermodal.info
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE -- County economic-development leaders launched a Web site Monday outlining the economic benefits an intermodal transportation facility could bring to La Porte County.
The site, www.lcintermodal.info, also informs residents about the process required to approve and begin development of such a facility.
An intermodal facility is a logistic center where trains, trucks nd distribution centers come together for more efficient delivery of goods.
Anticipated results results are lower costs for consumers, manufacturers and distributors and fewer trucks causing less pollution and using less gas.
John Regetz, Michigan City Economic Corp. executive director, said the site is intended to post up-to-date intermodal information, statistics and any proposals, if they become available.
"We are fortunate to have this rare opportunity to leverage our geographical location," Regetz said, "and we should not pass up the chance to potentially bring hundreds of millions of dollars of new investments to our community."
Regetz has collaborated with Matt Reardon, La Porte County Economic Development consultant, and Tim Gropp of Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp. to create www.laportecounty.biz to give information on projects that could contribute to economic growth and the possible impact on quality of life.
Residents are invited to submit comments through the Web site.
Related Links:
• www.laportecounty.biz
• www.lcintermodal.info
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Sep 28 2007, 07:20 AM
Is the distribution center on 421 and 6 a small model of what an intermodal is?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Sep 28 2007, 07:31 AM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Sep 28 2007, 08:20 AM)
Is the distribution center on 421 and 6 a small model of what an intermodal is?
That is a grocery store distribution center, last I knew anyway. Its the same idea, except I do not believe that they have rail traffic interaction there. Imagine more industrial and manufacturing products being off-loaded from rail to trucks, and vice versa.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 5 2007, 01:03 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=5141&TM=54368.35
QUOTE
We Can't Turn Our Back On Intermodal
The intermodal project needs support from all elected leadership. My mother and father originally moved to the area to work at Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. I grew up in Stillwell and have spent my entire life of more than 70 years in La Porte. I've served on the La Porte City Council, the La Porte Park Board and coached the La Porte Sportsmen baseball team for more than 40 years. I've seen the ups and downs of our community. The economy of our city and county has been stagnant for more than 30 years. Our local economy is a wreck. Just look at our downtown and the lack of growth. La Porte needs jobs and needs leaders who clearly support growth.
Leadership means taking a position on issues that may not be easy or without risk. "Fence sitting" has become a staple of La Porte City and La Porte County politics. The lack of political courage on important issues is the single biggest challenge of our community. Many of our current political leaders are more concerned with their election than the future of our community. This needs to stop. Are you for new jobs and development or not? It's not that hard a question. Tell us what your position is. We can live with it either way.
Every voter needs to ask what kind of community we want to live in. Are you happy with the current condition or can we do better? Many local leaders have stated that they are waiting to see the intermodal proposal and studies from this potential development. This would be an understandable position if we had new business beating our doors down. Face it: La Porte County isn't the hotbed of job growth. How can any local leader turn their back on such a major investment and thousands of new jobs?
This community needs to make a decision. Do we embrace growth and manage the issues that come with change? Or do we allow a vocal minority to drive local policy? You can't have it both ways. Growth comes with problems. Don't allow elected leaders to "ride the fence" because the train is at our doorstep and it's moving forward. Do we get on board and ride the growth or do we get bypassed because our leaders have a lack of political will?
Pete Ford
La Porte
The intermodal project needs support from all elected leadership. My mother and father originally moved to the area to work at Kingsbury Ordnance Plant. I grew up in Stillwell and have spent my entire life of more than 70 years in La Porte. I've served on the La Porte City Council, the La Porte Park Board and coached the La Porte Sportsmen baseball team for more than 40 years. I've seen the ups and downs of our community. The economy of our city and county has been stagnant for more than 30 years. Our local economy is a wreck. Just look at our downtown and the lack of growth. La Porte needs jobs and needs leaders who clearly support growth.
Leadership means taking a position on issues that may not be easy or without risk. "Fence sitting" has become a staple of La Porte City and La Porte County politics. The lack of political courage on important issues is the single biggest challenge of our community. Many of our current political leaders are more concerned with their election than the future of our community. This needs to stop. Are you for new jobs and development or not? It's not that hard a question. Tell us what your position is. We can live with it either way.
Every voter needs to ask what kind of community we want to live in. Are you happy with the current condition or can we do better? Many local leaders have stated that they are waiting to see the intermodal proposal and studies from this potential development. This would be an understandable position if we had new business beating our doors down. Face it: La Porte County isn't the hotbed of job growth. How can any local leader turn their back on such a major investment and thousands of new jobs?
This community needs to make a decision. Do we embrace growth and manage the issues that come with change? Or do we allow a vocal minority to drive local policy? You can't have it both ways. Growth comes with problems. Don't allow elected leaders to "ride the fence" because the train is at our doorstep and it's moving forward. Do we get on board and ride the growth or do we get bypassed because our leaders have a lack of political will?
Pete Ford
La Porte
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 8 2007, 09:06 AM
I will admit, I want to see the intermodal built here, my question is with the NIMBY attitude of Union Mills and their complete lack of forward thinking, is Kingsbury really a place it could be built?
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=5181&TM=40064.73
QUOTE
Why Put Intermodal In Union Mills?
How many people in La Porte County considered why it is so imperative to construct the intermodal at Union Mills? They (the proponents) contend that it is because the two railroads intersect there and there exist the great number of acres needed.
Bull! These same railroads pass through the old Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, one north along Hupp Road through Kingsbury, and the other just north of Kingsford Heights. Both have switch points and track beds all through KOP. Many buildings with storage and warehousing facilities already exist. They also contend that 5,000 to 6,000 acres are needed for this project. KOP has the available land.
Have you also asked yourself why U.S. 35 from U.S. 6 north to LaPorte and Indiana 2 from the east side of La Porte into South Bend is a four-lane highway with a median divider? It was constructed at the same time KOP was being built during World War II, and KOP was a very active military installation. Very innovative for the times so they could quickly and efficiently move vehicles and munitions from KOP to South Bend or vice versa. Studebaker, at the time, manufactured many trucks, Jeeps and trailers for the military in South Bend.
The main and only reason for the Union Mills locale is so that Mitch Daniels can get his privatized Illiana tollway in place - by first getting an intermodal established and then telling you that a superhighway is needed to supply and service the area. Very sneaky backdoor politics, I say. Do you think he really cares about La Porte County and its citizens or their economy?
I personally am not opposed to an intermodal facility in our county, just the insidious location, for the benefit of a Daniels privately owned toll road.
Put it in KOP where it belongs and facilities already exist instead of ruining the landscape around a small picturesque town.
Joseph Felker
La Porte
How many people in La Porte County considered why it is so imperative to construct the intermodal at Union Mills? They (the proponents) contend that it is because the two railroads intersect there and there exist the great number of acres needed.
Bull! These same railroads pass through the old Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, one north along Hupp Road through Kingsbury, and the other just north of Kingsford Heights. Both have switch points and track beds all through KOP. Many buildings with storage and warehousing facilities already exist. They also contend that 5,000 to 6,000 acres are needed for this project. KOP has the available land.
Have you also asked yourself why U.S. 35 from U.S. 6 north to LaPorte and Indiana 2 from the east side of La Porte into South Bend is a four-lane highway with a median divider? It was constructed at the same time KOP was being built during World War II, and KOP was a very active military installation. Very innovative for the times so they could quickly and efficiently move vehicles and munitions from KOP to South Bend or vice versa. Studebaker, at the time, manufactured many trucks, Jeeps and trailers for the military in South Bend.
The main and only reason for the Union Mills locale is so that Mitch Daniels can get his privatized Illiana tollway in place - by first getting an intermodal established and then telling you that a superhighway is needed to supply and service the area. Very sneaky backdoor politics, I say. Do you think he really cares about La Porte County and its citizens or their economy?
I personally am not opposed to an intermodal facility in our county, just the insidious location, for the benefit of a Daniels privately owned toll road.
Put it in KOP where it belongs and facilities already exist instead of ruining the landscape around a small picturesque town.
Joseph Felker
La Porte
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 8 2007, 02:03 PM
Beware of false dichotomies.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 12 2007, 07:51 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5370&TM=35581.87
QUOTE
Plan Brings Large Crowd
Intermodal opponents return to urge new study for county land use to keep facility out of plan.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Opponents of an intermodal facility could lose a battle if zoning changes aimed at protecting them from it are removed from a recently completed land-use study.
"I think it would be terrible," consultant Connie Cooper told a crowd at the La Porte County Complex on Wednesday discussing the study. "It would leave you defenseless. People think 'let's just don't mention the word and it won't happen.
"That's not gonna happen."
Nearly 100 intermodal opponents showed up at the land-use meeting, despite the it having little to do with the intermodal facility long rumored to be slated near Union Mills.
The plan contains recommendations on zoning changes meant to protect against the effects of large-scale facilities like an intermodal - many of which are feared by opponents.
La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman, on behalf of La Porte County Commission President Barb Huston, read a statement from Huston requesting any mention of the intermodal be stricken from the proposal.
The request was met with applause from opponents, despite Cooper's contention the zoning changes recommended would force any large facility to, for example, provide sewer and buffers from residential areas.
Hugh Glasgow, a Union Mills-area farmer who opposes the facility, said with the intermodal in the plan, any chance of turning it away would be futile.
"If you put the star on Union Mills, it diminishes our bargaining power," Glasgow said of a map which indicated Union Mills and Pinola as the two sites mentioned by developers. "We need to keep industry where the land is already polluted."
Cooper said at a meeting last month that the plan has nothing to do with the intermodal's success or failure, and that the reason it's in the plan is because it's an issue that needs to
be identified.
The plan Cooper presented is aimed at shoring up development and zoning in the county to get away from zoning habits the county currently has, specifically because it uses a zoning ordinance designed in 1964.
It deals mainly with changing minimum lot sizes and stemming the tide of spot development in rural areas with no sewer.
The discussion, however, was taken over by the intermodal.
"If (an intermodal) happens, at least you'll put into place a plan that you like," she said. "If you take it out of the plan, it won't do anything to change it (because outside entities are planning the facility). You need some safeguards because something like this might happen."
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
Intermodal opponents return to urge new study for county land use to keep facility out of plan.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Opponents of an intermodal facility could lose a battle if zoning changes aimed at protecting them from it are removed from a recently completed land-use study.
"I think it would be terrible," consultant Connie Cooper told a crowd at the La Porte County Complex on Wednesday discussing the study. "It would leave you defenseless. People think 'let's just don't mention the word and it won't happen.
"That's not gonna happen."
Nearly 100 intermodal opponents showed up at the land-use meeting, despite the it having little to do with the intermodal facility long rumored to be slated near Union Mills.
The plan contains recommendations on zoning changes meant to protect against the effects of large-scale facilities like an intermodal - many of which are feared by opponents.
La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman, on behalf of La Porte County Commission President Barb Huston, read a statement from Huston requesting any mention of the intermodal be stricken from the proposal.
The request was met with applause from opponents, despite Cooper's contention the zoning changes recommended would force any large facility to, for example, provide sewer and buffers from residential areas.
Hugh Glasgow, a Union Mills-area farmer who opposes the facility, said with the intermodal in the plan, any chance of turning it away would be futile.
"If you put the star on Union Mills, it diminishes our bargaining power," Glasgow said of a map which indicated Union Mills and Pinola as the two sites mentioned by developers. "We need to keep industry where the land is already polluted."
Cooper said at a meeting last month that the plan has nothing to do with the intermodal's success or failure, and that the reason it's in the plan is because it's an issue that needs to
be identified.
The plan Cooper presented is aimed at shoring up development and zoning in the county to get away from zoning habits the county currently has, specifically because it uses a zoning ordinance designed in 1964.
It deals mainly with changing minimum lot sizes and stemming the tide of spot development in rural areas with no sewer.
The discussion, however, was taken over by the intermodal.
"If (an intermodal) happens, at least you'll put into place a plan that you like," she said. "If you take it out of the plan, it won't do anything to change it (because outside entities are planning the facility). You need some safeguards because something like this might happen."
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 12 2007, 12:55 PM
This one ought to get some angry letters rolling in from the southlands...
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=106&ArticleID=5388&TM=53798.54
QUOTE
Farmers To Get Rich Off Intermodal
Rick Richards
City Editor, The News-Dispatch
With La Porte County farmland assessed at $880 an acre, it appears that some of those all lathered up about the proposed intermodal in south county would be getting a pretty good deal if they sold their land for the $12,500 an acre that's been offered them.
Say a farmer owns 500 acres. That offer would be worth $6.275 million, but about half that would go to pay local, state and federal taxes. Even so, that leaves a bit over $3.1 million in the farmer's pocket, a nice nest egg by anyone's calculation.
But with corn prices approaching $4 a bushel and farmers easily able to harvest 200 bushels an acre, that same farmer stands to bring in a corn crop of $400,000 each year. In a decade, that $4 million - more than what he would net if he sold his land - and he would still own it.
That's the argument developers of the proposed intermodal have to overcome. Ultimately, I think they will, but they've got a lot of work to do.
One thing developers aren't going to be able to do is get farmers to remove emotion from the equation. Many of them have farmed their land for generations. It's land their fathers and grandfathers tilled. It's where they grew up and it's where they're raising their children.
Asking them to ignore all that and take the money and go away isn't an easy sell.
But for those who don't live on the farm and see thousands of jobs being dangled in front of them, it's hard to understand that emotional attachment. Their connection to the land extends from the front sidewalk to the backyard fence, if they even happen to own a home. It's hard for those who don't live on the farm to feel sorry for people who stand to gain millions of dollars by signing on the dotted line.
Despite the angst, the intermodal is going to happen. The developers and county officials who want to see it happen will prevail because they aren't concerned in the least about emotion. They see jobs and dollar signs and tax revenue. Emotion is not a part of their equation.
The reason I know that is because Blue Chip Casino exists. Remember the emotional give and take of that battle a decade ago?
Michigan City stood virtually alone against the rest of La Porte County in fighting to bring the casino here. When the votes were counted, it was Michigan City and the surrounding townships that voted for it. La Porte and the south county townships said no.
The difference in that battle is that the people who wanted it focused on jobs, economic development and the bottom line.
The emotional arguments against gambling - increased violent crime and prostitution - didn't work (and neither has happened) and that scenario will repeat itself in the intermodal fight.
People against the intermodal have asked us in Michigan City to feel their pain. We don't. Why? Because 10 years ago they didn't feel our pain. And now, a decade after the fact, many of the same people want us to help them keep the intermodal away from their homes.
An intermodal is going to happen. It will transform La Porte County. It will create jobs and encourage new business. Asking someone in Michigan City who needs a job to say no to an offer like that is hard, especially when he knows the people who want him to say no merely have to sign on the dotted line to become rich, while he has to go to the casino for that chance - and there the odds are stacked against him.
Rick Richards
City Editor, The News-Dispatch
With La Porte County farmland assessed at $880 an acre, it appears that some of those all lathered up about the proposed intermodal in south county would be getting a pretty good deal if they sold their land for the $12,500 an acre that's been offered them.
Say a farmer owns 500 acres. That offer would be worth $6.275 million, but about half that would go to pay local, state and federal taxes. Even so, that leaves a bit over $3.1 million in the farmer's pocket, a nice nest egg by anyone's calculation.
But with corn prices approaching $4 a bushel and farmers easily able to harvest 200 bushels an acre, that same farmer stands to bring in a corn crop of $400,000 each year. In a decade, that $4 million - more than what he would net if he sold his land - and he would still own it.
That's the argument developers of the proposed intermodal have to overcome. Ultimately, I think they will, but they've got a lot of work to do.
One thing developers aren't going to be able to do is get farmers to remove emotion from the equation. Many of them have farmed their land for generations. It's land their fathers and grandfathers tilled. It's where they grew up and it's where they're raising their children.
Asking them to ignore all that and take the money and go away isn't an easy sell.
But for those who don't live on the farm and see thousands of jobs being dangled in front of them, it's hard to understand that emotional attachment. Their connection to the land extends from the front sidewalk to the backyard fence, if they even happen to own a home. It's hard for those who don't live on the farm to feel sorry for people who stand to gain millions of dollars by signing on the dotted line.
Despite the angst, the intermodal is going to happen. The developers and county officials who want to see it happen will prevail because they aren't concerned in the least about emotion. They see jobs and dollar signs and tax revenue. Emotion is not a part of their equation.
The reason I know that is because Blue Chip Casino exists. Remember the emotional give and take of that battle a decade ago?
Michigan City stood virtually alone against the rest of La Porte County in fighting to bring the casino here. When the votes were counted, it was Michigan City and the surrounding townships that voted for it. La Porte and the south county townships said no.
The difference in that battle is that the people who wanted it focused on jobs, economic development and the bottom line.
The emotional arguments against gambling - increased violent crime and prostitution - didn't work (and neither has happened) and that scenario will repeat itself in the intermodal fight.
People against the intermodal have asked us in Michigan City to feel their pain. We don't. Why? Because 10 years ago they didn't feel our pain. And now, a decade after the fact, many of the same people want us to help them keep the intermodal away from their homes.
An intermodal is going to happen. It will transform La Porte County. It will create jobs and encourage new business. Asking someone in Michigan City who needs a job to say no to an offer like that is hard, especially when he knows the people who want him to say no merely have to sign on the dotted line to become rich, while he has to go to the casino for that chance - and there the odds are stacked against him.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 15 2007, 09:28 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5446&TM=41374.03
QUOTE
Commissioner: Land-Use Plan 'Will Be A Big Help'
Michigan City, La Porte and county boards will have to support proposal.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - While a recently completed comprehensive land-use plan was designed to fix issues dating back to the 1960s, discussion has turned into a public debate over an intermodal facility.
What's lost in that debate is a document that, if followed, officials believe could solve zoning and development issues plaguing La Porte County since its last zoning plan designed in 1964.
"The books we use right now are so outdated. It's why we're doing things the way we are," La Porte County Building Commissioner Ray Hamilton said.
"I think this will be a big help. We're like an old stuffed chair. After 40 years, you get comfortable with it. But now, we've decided it's time. And this plan would be a huge help," Hamilton said.
Currently, La Porte County operates on zoning maps drawn up in 1964. Along with such antiquated maps come dated zoning concepts and with dated zoning concepts come a preponderance of loosely applied zoning laws.
Those laws have created undesirable development better development by doing things like extending sewer and other infrastructure.
A big part of the plan deals with rural development in areas without sufficient sewer systems.
An example of that kind of development is along U.S. 421 just north of Westville. That community installed water lines last year, helping make projects like University Park Apartments across from Purdue-North Central possible. A tangible piece of evidence of the installation s the appearance of row of fire hydrants between Westville and the PNC campus.
"We're looking at the whole thing holistically," Cooper said. "This county has a very old (zoning) ordinance and it's a very good time to look at a new one."
While the plan doesn't need all municipalities in the county to sign on, it would be beneficial for the La Porte County Commissioners and the city councils from Michigan City and La Porte, Cooper said.
The plan recommends keeping rural development closer to the two major cities for easier access to sewer systems.
"The challenge is if the three big players adamantly disagree on one piece and that stops the plan," Cooper said. "We'd hope that doesn't happen."
Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
Michigan City, La Porte and county boards will have to support proposal.
Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - While a recently completed comprehensive land-use plan was designed to fix issues dating back to the 1960s, discussion has turned into a public debate over an intermodal facility.
What's lost in that debate is a document that, if followed, officials believe could solve zoning and development issues plaguing La Porte County since its last zoning plan designed in 1964.
"The books we use right now are so outdated. It's why we're doing things the way we are," La Porte County Building Commissioner Ray Hamilton said.
"I think this will be a big help. We're like an old stuffed chair. After 40 years, you get comfortable with it. But now, we've decided it's time. And this plan would be a huge help," Hamilton said.
Currently, La Porte County operates on zoning maps drawn up in 1964. Along with such antiquated maps come dated zoning concepts and with dated zoning concepts come a preponderance of loosely applied zoning laws.
Those laws have created undesirable development better development by doing things like extending sewer and other infrastructure.
A big part of the plan deals with rural development in areas without sufficient sewer systems.
An example of that kind of development is along U.S. 421 just north of Westville. That community installed water lines last year, helping make projects like University Park Apartments across from Purdue-North Central possible. A tangible piece of evidence of the installation s the appearance of row of fire hydrants between Westville and the PNC campus.
"We're looking at the whole thing holistically," Cooper said. "This county has a very old (zoning) ordinance and it's a very good time to look at a new one."
While the plan doesn't need all municipalities in the county to sign on, it would be beneficial for the La Porte County Commissioners and the city councils from Michigan City and La Porte, Cooper said.
The plan recommends keeping rural development closer to the two major cities for easier access to sewer systems.
"The challenge is if the three big players adamantly disagree on one piece and that stops the plan," Cooper said. "We'd hope that doesn't happen."
Contact Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
QUOTE
Consultant Hopes Plan Is Approved
LA PORTE - Connie Cooper would like to see every municipality in La Porte County sign on to the land-use plan she presented to the community this week.
If they don't, however, the plan still has legs and could still straighten out the mess the county finds itself in as it looks to update a 40-year-old zoning plan.
"We hope they'd concur," Cooper said this week. "But no, not every incorporated area in the county has to adopt it for it to be in effect."
Cooper said this week the land-use plan developed by herself and Eric Kelly, of the Muncie firm Duncan Associates, is designed mainly to deal with unincorporated areas of the county.
It presents guidelines by which the county can update its 1964 zoning plan. It also can help with municipal zoning in that the county, cities and towns within it would work together in planning throughout the county, consultant Connie Cooper said. She is one of three people involved in designing the plan.
"Seventy percent of the development in this county happens in areas that aren't suitable for development," Cooper said earlier this week during a public meeting to discuss the plan. "It might not be a big problem now, but it will matter in the future."
The plan calls for changes in zoning that would, among other things, require high-density development to take place either in areas with municipal sewer systems or in "clusters" which can provide their own municipal sewer. The plan can be viewed online at www.duncanplan.com/laporte.
Cooper said too many developments are popping up in the county in areas where septic tanks must be used. She said with the high water table in La Porte County, high concentrations of septic tanks are dangerous to ground water.
One way the plan envisions shoring up the issue is by creating a countywide plan commission that would do away with the need for local plan commissions. Cooper said municipalities would still make decisions, they would simply decide based on the recommendations of one, central body.
"I think that aspect of the plan will warrant a lot more discussion," Hamilton said. "I can see it on major issues like an intermodal. But I think a local plan commission has a better handle on what's going on in their immediate area."
Thursday's meeting on the land use plan was the last public meeting dealing with the proposal, which now faces review by the city councils in Michigan City and La Porte, as well as the La Porte County Commission.
The process could last into next year, Cooper said.
Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 15 2007, 09:34 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=5430&TM=41965.66
QUOTE
Intermodal Is More Important Than Any Backyard
Observing the mindset of La Porte County and its vision for the future, it seems to stand out like a sore thumb that the nay sayers have obscured the view of how our great system works.
Everyone wants good jobs, so they say, but when they are proposed NIMBY (not in my back yard) comes back.
No jobs will eventually mean no city or town. People want to talk about the environment but would rather drive to Chicago.
Let's say 1,000 people don't want the intermodal. So what? There is a need for 60,000. It's about the majority of mankind and trying to make it better for the next generation because our time is pretty much over if you're a baby boomer.
It's also truly amazing the unions are not supporting this project much louder than they are. Drive anywhere other than La Porte County and you will see progress. No wonder La Porte County ranks in the highest percentage of welfare in the state. Everyone complains about the poor. Well, you don't give them any other opportunity because the NIMBY people are very selfish.
That intermodal should have the red carpet rolled out. If it's not approved you will have closed the door for the next one or two generations of La Porte County.
Roger Willoughby
Michigan City
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 15 2007, 09:47 AM
If that land is so-called heritage land, it is essentially priceless to that family. I would hope that the farmers who sell multigenerational holdings treat the cash windfall like they would the land: Take care of it and leave it in good condition for the next generation!
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 18 2007, 10:59 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5614
QUOTE
Task At Hand
LA PORTE - Administrators don't think they will need the whole amount, but the La Porte County Intermodal Advisory Task Force on Wednesday agreed nonetheless to set aside nearly $100,000 for its work.
"We're not authorizing the expenditure today," task force president Dave Christian said. "A $20,000 budget could work, but that wouldn't include technical expertise. We'll need an $80,000 line item just for technical expertise."
La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said the money will come from the county's riverboat fund, whether from WIN taxes or admission taxes.
The group was organized by the La Porte County Commission.
Task force member Ruth Minich debated the $97,000 budget, saying the work should be done on a shoestring. She said the group should start with a bare-bones amount and ask for more if needed.
"I'm on this task force and I'm working free," the 82-year-old farmer and former La Porte school board member said. "I guess I'm a little conservative."
Christian added, "We're looking into the crystal ball right now to see what we might need. The least amount of money we spend, the better I like it."
The group Wednesday also set up six sub-groups, created to deal with subjects officials feel need to be resolved before any recommendations can be made.
The group was formed of some 25 La Porte County residents, ranging from union officials to hospital administrators to police. They hope to recommend to the La Porte County Council if the intermodal would be good or bad for the county.
The six groups include a task force administration group, a group dealing with public input and education, additional research, cost benefit, environmental and social impacts and concept definitions.
Task force members plan on taking a trip to Ellwood, Ill., in late November to observe a large intermodal there. They also hope to speak with local officials and residents to get a feel for how the facility has affected the area.
LA PORTE - Administrators don't think they will need the whole amount, but the La Porte County Intermodal Advisory Task Force on Wednesday agreed nonetheless to set aside nearly $100,000 for its work.
"We're not authorizing the expenditure today," task force president Dave Christian said. "A $20,000 budget could work, but that wouldn't include technical expertise. We'll need an $80,000 line item just for technical expertise."
La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said the money will come from the county's riverboat fund, whether from WIN taxes or admission taxes.
The group was organized by the La Porte County Commission.
Task force member Ruth Minich debated the $97,000 budget, saying the work should be done on a shoestring. She said the group should start with a bare-bones amount and ask for more if needed.
"I'm on this task force and I'm working free," the 82-year-old farmer and former La Porte school board member said. "I guess I'm a little conservative."
Christian added, "We're looking into the crystal ball right now to see what we might need. The least amount of money we spend, the better I like it."
The group Wednesday also set up six sub-groups, created to deal with subjects officials feel need to be resolved before any recommendations can be made.
The group was formed of some 25 La Porte County residents, ranging from union officials to hospital administrators to police. They hope to recommend to the La Porte County Council if the intermodal would be good or bad for the county.
The six groups include a task force administration group, a group dealing with public input and education, additional research, cost benefit, environmental and social impacts and concept definitions.
Task force members plan on taking a trip to Ellwood, Ill., in late November to observe a large intermodal there. They also hope to speak with local officials and residents to get a feel for how the facility has affected the area.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 18 2007, 11:33 AM
What do they need ANY money for???
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 19 2007, 02:16 PM
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=387382
QUOTE
Intermodal proposal expected by January
10/19/2007, 11:20 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge , 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865 , destridge@heraldargus.com
Friedman reveals discussions between county and ‘large-scale real estate investment trust’ are ongoing
LA PORTE COUNTY -- County officials expect to receive a proposal for a rail intermodal facility in either Union Mills or Kingsbury as early as January.
“I initially thought it would hit by the end of the year,” La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman revealed to The La Porte County Herald-Argus Thursday. “We may see it now in January.”
Friedman said the most likely site for an intermodal in the county would be either in Union Mills or at Kingsbury Industrial Park. An intermodal facility in the Pinola area is unlikely, he said.
“As far as I know there isn’t a developer or railroad interested in Pinola at all,” Friedman said.
Friedman’s information comes from communications between the county and what he termed a “large-scale real estate investment trust” that is working on the proposal.
As part of those communications, Friedman said he has suggested to the real estate firm that any proposal include two site options, preferably Kingsbury Industrial Park and Union Mills.
While Friedman would not disclose the name of the real estate firm, he said it wasn’t Mishawaka-based Cressy and Everett, which had reportedly been approaching landowners in Union Mills. Friedman said Cressy and Everett is merely acting as an intermediary between the real estate firm and the county.
“We are respecting the fact that the developer hasn’t filed one shred of paper with us,” Friedman said of the decision not to disclose the developer’s identity. “As I said in (August), once a proposal is made then it will be full disclosure and done in the public eye.”
Friedman said he did not sign a confidentiality agreement with the company, and that once a proposal is made it will be presented to the La Porte County Intermodal Task Force to be evaluated.
However, that isn’t stopping intermodal opposition groups from criticizing Friedman for reneging on what they believed was a promise by the county attorney to fully disclose all intermodal discussions.
“Here is your headline,” Ed Nunn, co-chair of Stop Intermodals/Save Our County, told The Herald-Argus Thursday. "Railroaded.”
“To say (discussions are) fair and open is nothing short of smoke and mirrors,” Nunn said.
Still, Nunn said he was pleased to hear that a proposal could be made soon. Thus far, he said, intermodal discussions have been based on speculation and hearsay.
“So far we have been attacking ghosts,” Nunn said. “Now that we know something, it might be time to make some noise.”
10/19/2007, 11:20 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge , 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865 , destridge@heraldargus.com
Friedman reveals discussions between county and ‘large-scale real estate investment trust’ are ongoing
LA PORTE COUNTY -- County officials expect to receive a proposal for a rail intermodal facility in either Union Mills or Kingsbury as early as January.
“I initially thought it would hit by the end of the year,” La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman revealed to The La Porte County Herald-Argus Thursday. “We may see it now in January.”
Friedman said the most likely site for an intermodal in the county would be either in Union Mills or at Kingsbury Industrial Park. An intermodal facility in the Pinola area is unlikely, he said.
“As far as I know there isn’t a developer or railroad interested in Pinola at all,” Friedman said.
Friedman’s information comes from communications between the county and what he termed a “large-scale real estate investment trust” that is working on the proposal.
As part of those communications, Friedman said he has suggested to the real estate firm that any proposal include two site options, preferably Kingsbury Industrial Park and Union Mills.
While Friedman would not disclose the name of the real estate firm, he said it wasn’t Mishawaka-based Cressy and Everett, which had reportedly been approaching landowners in Union Mills. Friedman said Cressy and Everett is merely acting as an intermediary between the real estate firm and the county.
“We are respecting the fact that the developer hasn’t filed one shred of paper with us,” Friedman said of the decision not to disclose the developer’s identity. “As I said in (August), once a proposal is made then it will be full disclosure and done in the public eye.”
Friedman said he did not sign a confidentiality agreement with the company, and that once a proposal is made it will be presented to the La Porte County Intermodal Task Force to be evaluated.
However, that isn’t stopping intermodal opposition groups from criticizing Friedman for reneging on what they believed was a promise by the county attorney to fully disclose all intermodal discussions.
“Here is your headline,” Ed Nunn, co-chair of Stop Intermodals/Save Our County, told The Herald-Argus Thursday. "Railroaded.”
“To say (discussions are) fair and open is nothing short of smoke and mirrors,” Nunn said.
Still, Nunn said he was pleased to hear that a proposal could be made soon. Thus far, he said, intermodal discussions have been based on speculation and hearsay.
“So far we have been attacking ghosts,” Nunn said. “Now that we know something, it might be time to make some noise.”
Posted by: lovethiscity Oct 21 2007, 07:33 PM
LaPorte County has a special way of attracting the garbage industry. Is that what is being pursued by the intermodal pundits?
http://www.envrail.com/about.htm
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 22 2007, 09:13 AM
QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Oct 21 2007, 08:33 PM)
LaPorte County has a special way of attracting the garbage industry. Is that what is being pursued by the intermodal pundits?
http://www.envrail.com/about.htm
Lots of open space, plus close proximity to major transportation and urban areas makes us attractive to lots of things. It doesn't mean we have to allow it all to happen.
Industrial and manufacturing work will be the main attraction of this unit. There will also be the multiplier growth and the expansion of the tax base that is the key.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 22 2007, 10:41 AM
I did not think that the Intermodal would actually attract manufacturing, etc.; I thought it was a giant hub.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 22 2007, 10:43 AM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Oct 22 2007, 11:41 AM)
I did not think that the Intermodal would actually attract manufacturing, etc.; I thought it was a giant hub.
Second stage of growth would invovled manufacturing, I believe. It would give cheap transportation to haul supplies to and from all over the world. The workforce is already here, and there is a ready labor pool. Manufacturing and industry are practically brothers.
Posted by: lovethiscity Oct 23 2007, 08:47 PM
[quote name='southsider2k7' date='Oct 22 2007, 11:43 AM' post='4456']
Second stage of growth would invovled manufacturing, I believe. It would give cheap transportation to haul supplies to and from all over the world. The workforce is already here, and there is a ready labor pool. Manufacturing and industry are practically brothers.[/q
Only now they are being done by others in a different part of the world. Industry and manufacturing has very little to do with finding a cheaper faster way to distribute the goods from overseas where the industry and manufacturing jobs have relocated.
Submitted by Kevin Lynch, managing director with Arlington Heights, Ill., office of Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate Advisors. Posted 06/27/07.
What area is your expertise?
• The Chicago area industrial market.
What trends do you see presently in industrial development in your area?
• The two hottest industrial trends that continue to achieve the highest growth rate and occupancy rate are big box warehouses and intermodal facilities around the Chicago area. The big box warehouses are being developed along the Interstate 55 corridor (southwestern suburbs) and the Interstate 39 corridor. While these speculative buildings are built to accommodate multi-tenant occupancy, the demand and final occupancy has been primarily for single tenancy. This new construction includes modern technological features including ultra-hard, ultra-flat floors, air rotation heating units and 400 watt HID metal halide lighting. The new properties also offer wider bays, higher ceilings and larger truck docks.
What type of industrial product is doing well in your area?
• Warehouse and distribution space with ceiling heights greater than a 21-foot clear continue to do well in most submarkets. Modern properties that can be purchased by end users also generate demand as the investor market has absorbed much of the supply. Manufacturing slowed approximately 7 years ago and has not picked up. That said, quality manufacturing properties remain leased as companies have moved to increase efficiencies.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 24 2007, 10:53 AM
I do not see manufacturing taking off in LP county. The spec buildings mentioned above won't get filled, and in Union Mills it is too far from population centers to develop any service sector companies. UNLESS it goes all high-tech, and I have not heard anything about that.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 24 2007, 10:55 AM
We don't have the labor force to go high-tech. It would literally take a generation to get to that point.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 24 2007, 11:29 AM
Transportation hub seems like all we will get out of it. Is that enough?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 24 2007, 11:39 AM
Its a start. And I really do think other industry and manufacturing will follow. There are too many natural advantages to the area for it not to happen. Then again there are too many bad politicians for it to work perfectly either...
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 24 2007, 01:47 PM
An interesting overview that sort of fits with some of our discussions.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=118&ArticleID=5820&TM=57025.09
QUOTE
Area Economics Slowly Improving
Howard Cohen
In 2004, the Quality of Life Council judged our region's economic condition to be poor but promising. Unemployment, consolidations and downsizing in the steel industry and the lack of coordinated planning were major concerns. Are we making progress?
The economic health of a region depends on three big, interconnected ideas. First, the region needs a balanced employer base. Each business sector has its own cycle, and the best protection against decline in any one industry is to have a healthy variety of industries in our region. Northwest Indiana is becoming less dependent on large manufacturing by encouraging growth in healthcare, leisure and hospitality, technology, transportation and logistics, construction and financial services. However, the progress is incremental and slow. Since 2002, manufacturing jobs as a percentage of total employment decreased to 15.2 percent in the three county region. Unfortunately, overall job growth was an anemic 1.9 percent across the region over the same four year period.
Second, the region's workforce must have the skills that both meet current needs and anticipate future needs of growing industry sectors. In a balanced, growing economy, a skilled workforce is an educated workforce. Businesses will locate in regions where they can meet their workforce needs, and they will leave regions that cannot supply the necessary personnel. The best strategy for individual workers is to acquire new skills and be prepared for new opportunities as indicated by the percent of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher. As a region, this indicator has been flat at 19.2 percent for the last two years and has increased 1 percent since 2000.
Third, where possible, within a balanced array of leading industries, a region should seek to replace industries offering lower wage jobs with industries offering higher wage jobs. Indiana has identified health sciences, advanced manufacturing, 21st Century logistics and information technology as growth areas that will bring high wage employment. The region's wage growth since 2003 significantly outpaced inflation indicating progress toward this goal. However, wage growth lagged state and national averages.
In addition to these indicators, it is possible to point to many positive qualitative markers: a stabilized steel industry, BP's projected expansion, a proliferation of new businesses in several recently established incubators, growing cooperation at the regional level. There are also many yet-to-be addressed challenges: unacceptable unemployment rates in minority communities, insufficient capital investment in emerging businesses, uncertainty in state and regional policies on taxation, and an underdeveloped transportation infrastructure. These are not issues for the faint of heart, but addressing them will fulfill the promise of a thriving community for the next generation.
The Quality of Life Council is a membership organization of engaged citizens from business, education, not-for-profit, and government sectors in Lake, Porter and La Porte counties. It is chaired by the chancellors and presidents of the region's six institutions of higher education. Council members share a common commitment to building a more sustainable region for the next generation and generations to come.
QLC periodically publishes "Quality of Life Indicators," an assembly of data that paint a picture of how we are progressing toward our vision of a stronger region. Each month the council will examine one of the 11 indicators in this column. This month we examined indicators of a "thriving community of leading industries and quality employment opportunities."
For more information about the Quality of Life Council and for a full report on all 11 indicators visit www.nwiqlc.org
Howard Cohen is chancellor of Purdue University Calumet.
Howard Cohen
In 2004, the Quality of Life Council judged our region's economic condition to be poor but promising. Unemployment, consolidations and downsizing in the steel industry and the lack of coordinated planning were major concerns. Are we making progress?
The economic health of a region depends on three big, interconnected ideas. First, the region needs a balanced employer base. Each business sector has its own cycle, and the best protection against decline in any one industry is to have a healthy variety of industries in our region. Northwest Indiana is becoming less dependent on large manufacturing by encouraging growth in healthcare, leisure and hospitality, technology, transportation and logistics, construction and financial services. However, the progress is incremental and slow. Since 2002, manufacturing jobs as a percentage of total employment decreased to 15.2 percent in the three county region. Unfortunately, overall job growth was an anemic 1.9 percent across the region over the same four year period.
Second, the region's workforce must have the skills that both meet current needs and anticipate future needs of growing industry sectors. In a balanced, growing economy, a skilled workforce is an educated workforce. Businesses will locate in regions where they can meet their workforce needs, and they will leave regions that cannot supply the necessary personnel. The best strategy for individual workers is to acquire new skills and be prepared for new opportunities as indicated by the percent of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher. As a region, this indicator has been flat at 19.2 percent for the last two years and has increased 1 percent since 2000.
Third, where possible, within a balanced array of leading industries, a region should seek to replace industries offering lower wage jobs with industries offering higher wage jobs. Indiana has identified health sciences, advanced manufacturing, 21st Century logistics and information technology as growth areas that will bring high wage employment. The region's wage growth since 2003 significantly outpaced inflation indicating progress toward this goal. However, wage growth lagged state and national averages.
In addition to these indicators, it is possible to point to many positive qualitative markers: a stabilized steel industry, BP's projected expansion, a proliferation of new businesses in several recently established incubators, growing cooperation at the regional level. There are also many yet-to-be addressed challenges: unacceptable unemployment rates in minority communities, insufficient capital investment in emerging businesses, uncertainty in state and regional policies on taxation, and an underdeveloped transportation infrastructure. These are not issues for the faint of heart, but addressing them will fulfill the promise of a thriving community for the next generation.
The Quality of Life Council is a membership organization of engaged citizens from business, education, not-for-profit, and government sectors in Lake, Porter and La Porte counties. It is chaired by the chancellors and presidents of the region's six institutions of higher education. Council members share a common commitment to building a more sustainable region for the next generation and generations to come.
QLC periodically publishes "Quality of Life Indicators," an assembly of data that paint a picture of how we are progressing toward our vision of a stronger region. Each month the council will examine one of the 11 indicators in this column. This month we examined indicators of a "thriving community of leading industries and quality employment opportunities."
For more information about the Quality of Life Council and for a full report on all 11 indicators visit www.nwiqlc.org
Howard Cohen is chancellor of Purdue University Calumet.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 24 2007, 02:17 PM
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=387648
QUOTE
Task force receives offer from unlikely source
10/24/2007, 10:58 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Intermodal opposition group proposes fuding trip to Elwood, Ill.
LA PORTE COUNTY -- Taxpayers in La Porte County could be off the hook for as much as $5,000 if the county’s intermodal task force decides to accept an invitation from an unlikely source
Ty Murray, co-chairman of the intermodal opposition group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC), offered Tuesday to have his group pick up the tab to transport the task force’s 21-members to Elwood, Ill., to tour the CenterPoint intermodal facility. The task force last week requested from the county a budget of $97,000, including $5,000 to fund the trip, an amount that came under scrutiny Monday by at least one county councilman.
Asked why SISOC was willing to pitch in financially, Murray told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday that he believed the trip was “viable for the community.”
“If the county is not willing to fund them, then we should help do whatever is needed to help them do what they were originally set to do,” Murray said.
Murray fears the trip, which he believes will be eye-opening for task force members, could be delayed or cancelled if the county doesn’t agree to fund it.
“The task force at the very least has to see what might go in here in the county,” Murray said. “At this point in time there are no funds for a trip to Elwood.”
David Christian, co-chairman of the task force, told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that he had not formally received SISOC’s offer, but that the task force would certainly be willing to consider it.
“It’s definitely worth taking a look at,” Christian said. “You have to remember, it is hard to comment because I haven’t received anything, but we have always said this would be an open and public process.”
If the task force accepts funding from SISOC, Murray said he would like SISOC members to be included in the trip. A formal budget request is not expected to be voted on by the county council until sometime in November.
In the meantime, said Christian, “I plan on having discussions with council and commissioners on this issue.”
10/24/2007, 10:58 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Intermodal opposition group proposes fuding trip to Elwood, Ill.
LA PORTE COUNTY -- Taxpayers in La Porte County could be off the hook for as much as $5,000 if the county’s intermodal task force decides to accept an invitation from an unlikely source
Ty Murray, co-chairman of the intermodal opposition group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC), offered Tuesday to have his group pick up the tab to transport the task force’s 21-members to Elwood, Ill., to tour the CenterPoint intermodal facility. The task force last week requested from the county a budget of $97,000, including $5,000 to fund the trip, an amount that came under scrutiny Monday by at least one county councilman.
Asked why SISOC was willing to pitch in financially, Murray told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday that he believed the trip was “viable for the community.”
“If the county is not willing to fund them, then we should help do whatever is needed to help them do what they were originally set to do,” Murray said.
Murray fears the trip, which he believes will be eye-opening for task force members, could be delayed or cancelled if the county doesn’t agree to fund it.
“The task force at the very least has to see what might go in here in the county,” Murray said. “At this point in time there are no funds for a trip to Elwood.”
David Christian, co-chairman of the task force, told The Herald-Argus Tuesday that he had not formally received SISOC’s offer, but that the task force would certainly be willing to consider it.
“It’s definitely worth taking a look at,” Christian said. “You have to remember, it is hard to comment because I haven’t received anything, but we have always said this would be an open and public process.”
If the task force accepts funding from SISOC, Murray said he would like SISOC members to be included in the trip. A formal budget request is not expected to be voted on by the county council until sometime in November.
In the meantime, said Christian, “I plan on having discussions with council and commissioners on this issue.”
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 24 2007, 02:20 PM
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=387527
QUOTE
VOP: Friedman expounds on discussions regarding intermodal
10/22/2007, 11:53 am
Comment on this story
In trying to respond candidly to an H-A reporter for Friday’s story, I indicated my belief that a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) would likely make public an intermodal proposal in January. I have tried to be open with what little we know since contacts from this developer have been preliminary and tentative at best.
I have also had “discussions” with the attorneys for various landowners in Union Mills to try to inform them of what we know as well. Those attorneys have been complimentary to date of what they see as a very open and public county process. I also have had “discussions” with others in the logistics industry to gauge what they know of the marketplace and any interest they may be hearing from particular railroads or shippers regarding an intermodal for our county.
The county commissioners directed that a process be put together that would provide for openness and transparency. My office has made clear to this developer -- like we would any inquiring developer -- that the commissioners intend any proposal to first go to the Intermodal Task Force for review and evaluation.
I do believe it is important to be square with the public with what we know. There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola. The only interest seems to focus on the Union Mills and Kingsbury areas. I have also been candid in speaking with this REIT that my perception is that opposition may be intense to their preferred greenfield site in Union Mills and that the company should at least consider an alternative site proposal for Kingsbury Industrial Park.
The last I knew, REIT was commissioning traffic, environmental and market studies to determine how their customers might respond to an intermodal facility here and that a public proposal might well come in January.
Prospective developers need to be able to communicate with my office, Economic Development Director Matt Reardon and the chair and vice chair of the task force regarding their intentions. No commitments have been made nor assurances given other than to assure that any proposal submitted will be fully and fairly evaluated by the Intermodal Task Force.
SHAW FRIEDMAN
La Porte County attorney
10/22/2007, 11:53 am
Comment on this story
In trying to respond candidly to an H-A reporter for Friday’s story, I indicated my belief that a publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) would likely make public an intermodal proposal in January. I have tried to be open with what little we know since contacts from this developer have been preliminary and tentative at best.
I have also had “discussions” with the attorneys for various landowners in Union Mills to try to inform them of what we know as well. Those attorneys have been complimentary to date of what they see as a very open and public county process. I also have had “discussions” with others in the logistics industry to gauge what they know of the marketplace and any interest they may be hearing from particular railroads or shippers regarding an intermodal for our county.
The county commissioners directed that a process be put together that would provide for openness and transparency. My office has made clear to this developer -- like we would any inquiring developer -- that the commissioners intend any proposal to first go to the Intermodal Task Force for review and evaluation.
I do believe it is important to be square with the public with what we know. There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola. The only interest seems to focus on the Union Mills and Kingsbury areas. I have also been candid in speaking with this REIT that my perception is that opposition may be intense to their preferred greenfield site in Union Mills and that the company should at least consider an alternative site proposal for Kingsbury Industrial Park.
The last I knew, REIT was commissioning traffic, environmental and market studies to determine how their customers might respond to an intermodal facility here and that a public proposal might well come in January.
Prospective developers need to be able to communicate with my office, Economic Development Director Matt Reardon and the chair and vice chair of the task force regarding their intentions. No commitments have been made nor assurances given other than to assure that any proposal submitted will be fully and fairly evaluated by the Intermodal Task Force.
SHAW FRIEDMAN
La Porte County attorney
Posted by: mcstumper Oct 24 2007, 06:30 PM
So the sentiment at this board generally is that unemployment is somehow better than "low" paying intermodal jobs? Even if those jobs diversify our employment base? That and having close proximity to a transportation hub won't be an incentive to businesses considering locating here? I must be thick skulled because I am not getting it. Even though manufacturing is in decline, lets just keep holding our breath...
For me, the worst part is that so much of this resistance is coming from the heavily GOP south county. Ours the party that is supposed to be more heavily focused on economic growth... First Bush dispells all illusions of championing smaller government, now this.
Posted by: JHeath Oct 24 2007, 08:31 PM
That may be the sentiment of others on this board, but not all of us.
Honestly, I'd love to see new jobs brought into the area--something other than retail or hospitality. Some might argue that the jobs there don't require any skill and that there are health hazards to this type of development. Let's face it, folks, we're not in any position to be so choosy about the jobs we bring in...I thought that having A job was better than having NO job...or am I wrong in thinking that way?
Sorry, but I'd like to see something spur on some growth in our area. We can't just become a land of signs containing red circles and diagonal lines.
Posted by: lovethiscity Oct 24 2007, 08:42 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Oct 24 2007, 12:39 PM)
Its a start. And I really do think other industry and manufacturing will follow. There are too many natural advantages to the area for it not to happen. Then again there are too many bad politicians for it to work perfectly either...
These manufacturing jobs have just left the area. They will not be coming back here until a labor movement happens in the nations that are aquiring these jobs. In the United States of America, way back in 1874 the labor movement here, took 12 year old and under kids out of the factories. The country's that now do the manufacturing of OUR products have not done this yet. Until Mexico and China start requiring a living wage and take the kids out of the work place we can not compete. While we would never dream of putting our kids in a factory for 12 - 16 hours a day for little pay, we have no problem wearing shoes and clothing made by kids from another country. Next time it rains and you turn on your windshield wipers, say thanks to some 11 year old in Mexico for assembling them. Again Low skill, low paying frieght yard and wharhouse jobs that do not pay a living wage will only set us back. We can not afford to keep selling ourselves short and accept what ever comes our way. Create a great place to live and good jobs will show up. History will show you that cities that put the people that live there and their quality of life first, will end up with the better employers and jobs.
Posted by: Mr. Mark S. Lindborg Oct 24 2007, 10:47 PM
Something of magnitute needs to be addressed by more than a small committee. Perhaps the status quo could put this on the ballot in the next election as a referendum. I will not support the use of eminent domain on this one since it is not a public works project and would belittle the constitution which I find is totally unamerican!
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 25 2007, 08:58 AM
QUOTE(mcstumper @ Oct 24 2007, 07:30 PM)
So the sentiment at this board generally is that unemployment is somehow better than "low" paying intermodal jobs? Even if those jobs diversify our employment base? That and having close proximity to a transportation hub won't be an incentive to businesses considering locating here? I must be thick skulled because I am not getting it. Even though manufacturing is in decline, lets just keep holding our breath...
For me, the worst part is that so much of this resistance is coming from the heavily GOP south county. Ours the party that is supposed to be more heavily focused on economic growth... First Bush dispells all illusions of championing smaller government, now this.
That's sure not my sentiment at all. Economic growth and recovery is my #1 target right now. I think the Intermodal is a good first step in the right direction.
Microsoft isn't going to show up here and start handing out 6 figure jobs in LaPorte County, so I am not sure what we are supposed to be waiting for. We sure don't need to wait for our well recycled public officials to do something, because the extent of their talents seems to be retail oriented jobs. I saw the words "quality of life" mentioned, and it makes me wonder, what is exactly is the "quality" of life in a county that is one of the 200 poorest in the entire country? We need to push up the wage scale, and this is a way to do it for a lot of people.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 25 2007, 11:34 AM
I would like to know more about the intermodal and the accompanying plans, but off the bat, it does not seem so bad.
Posted by: mcstumper Oct 25 2007, 09:30 PM
QUOTE(Mr. Mark S. Lindborg @ Oct 24 2007, 11:47 PM)
Something of magnitute needs to be addressed by more than a small committee. Perhaps the status quo could put this on the ballot in the next election as a referendum. I will not support the use of eminent domain on this one since it is not a public works project and would belittle the constitution which I find is totally unamerican!
You contradict yourself. You say that eminent domain belittles the Constitution, then say that you don't trust our representative democracy to handle this type of decision. Faith in a representative democracy is the backbone of the Constitution, referendums are for populists who know the masses are easier to deceive...
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 26 2007, 07:35 AM
Sez you.
In a statement yesterday, the mayor of LP (what's his name?) said that it was hard to be for or against the intermodal because there is no plan for it, just a model or suggestion.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 26 2007, 11:50 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5900&TM=50531.91
QUOTE
Intermodal On Voter's Minds In Kingsbury
Five candidates are running for four at-large seats on town council.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
KINGSBURY - Five candidates - four Democrats and one Republication - are running for four at-large positions on the Kingsbury town council.
Democrat Laura Matchette is unopposed for clerk-treasurer.
The possible location of an intermodal facility in or near Kingsbury is one of the biggest concerns of local residents. The town is about a mile from the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant - mentioned as a potential intermodal site.
Three council candidates are incumbents. Democrat Ed Ritter and Republican Jeffery Matchette are seeking re-election, along with Democrat Carol McMahon, who was appointed to the council eight months ago to fill a vacancy.
McMahon is interested in council financial decisions and tax issues, but hasn't decided whether she's for or against an intermodal because she lacks enough information. Otherwise, she said, Kingsbury doesn't have many issues.
"This is a nice little town to live in," McMahon said. "I'd like to keep it small."
Democrat Betty Durham is running for a position on the town council after previously serving four terms. A 38-year Kingsbury resident, Durham said she enjoys working with the people - who all know each other - and finding out what's on their minds. She hopes to return to the council but said all of the candidates are "good people."
Like McMahon, she feels she doesn't have enough information about the issues surround the intermodal to make a decision.
"It's going to affect us a lot," Durham said. "I believe we ought to talk about it."
Democrat Sherry Banic is also vying for one of the four council positions that will be decided Nov. 6.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Five candidates are running for four at-large seats on town council.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
KINGSBURY - Five candidates - four Democrats and one Republication - are running for four at-large positions on the Kingsbury town council.
Democrat Laura Matchette is unopposed for clerk-treasurer.
The possible location of an intermodal facility in or near Kingsbury is one of the biggest concerns of local residents. The town is about a mile from the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant - mentioned as a potential intermodal site.
Three council candidates are incumbents. Democrat Ed Ritter and Republican Jeffery Matchette are seeking re-election, along with Democrat Carol McMahon, who was appointed to the council eight months ago to fill a vacancy.
McMahon is interested in council financial decisions and tax issues, but hasn't decided whether she's for or against an intermodal because she lacks enough information. Otherwise, she said, Kingsbury doesn't have many issues.
"This is a nice little town to live in," McMahon said. "I'd like to keep it small."
Democrat Betty Durham is running for a position on the town council after previously serving four terms. A 38-year Kingsbury resident, Durham said she enjoys working with the people - who all know each other - and finding out what's on their minds. She hopes to return to the council but said all of the candidates are "good people."
Like McMahon, she feels she doesn't have enough information about the issues surround the intermodal to make a decision.
"It's going to affect us a lot," Durham said. "I believe we ought to talk about it."
Democrat Sherry Banic is also vying for one of the four council positions that will be decided Nov. 6.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Oct 29 2007, 11:39 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5957&TM=49641.5
QUOTE
Task Force Controversy
Intermodal study group shouldn’t have $97,000 budget, County Councilman says.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - The Intermodal Task Force has created a controversy among County Council members over a proposed budget of $97,000.
Appointed by County Commissioners to study pros and cons of an intermodal transportation hub in the county, task force members voted for a $97,000 budget request at an Oct. 16 meeting. The funding needs approval from Commissioners and the County Council. The earliest a request could be made to Commissioners is Nov. 13.
At Monday's council meeting, Rich Mrozinski, D-La Porte, came out against what he calls "an insane amount of money" to study something that only developers know will actually happen. He attacked a proposed $5,000 request for a Nov. 28 bus trip to Elwood, Ill., to see the intermodal operating at the former Joliet Arsenal.
"I can't see asking the taxpayers of the county to pay for that," Mrozinski said. "The hard-working people of this county carpool and bring a lunch."
Based on comments of residents in his district, Mrozinski expects several to attend the Commissioners meeting when the task force presents its budget. "In my mind, they'll (task force) leave very disappointed."
Councilman Earl Cunningham, D-La Porte, on the other hand, said he wasn't offended by the request, but said he thinks a budget of $15,000 to $20,000 is more palatable.
"My position is, their executive committee members are top-notch businesspeople who are working for nothing," Cunningham said. "They're volunteering their time and we certainly can't expect them to pack a sandwich and drive over to Elwood."
The four-member Intermodal Task Force executive committee includes co-chairmen David Christian, owner of AMPCOR, and Don Babcock, NIPSCO's director of economic development; Joe Coar, vice president of operations at Tonn & Blank; and Jodi Warner, a resident of KOP Circle.
Christian said the task force doesn't advocate spending the entire amount. He anticipates some funds will be needed if and when task force members have exhausted their ability to understand certain aspects of intermodal operations and need to use outside experts for technical advice on groundwater or air quality, for example.
"I'm a businessman, and I want to get the biggest bang for the buck," Christian said, adding he would be concerned if he thought the task force was wasting money.
Christian said the $5,000 line item mentioned for buses was to cover multiple bus trips, not a single trip to Elwood.
"Our thought in the budgeting process was to visit more than one intermodal of different sizes," he said. "We need to find out what they are, what they do and how they affect the community."
At the first task force meeting, Christian asked for a show of hands to see how many members had seen an intermodal. Only one hand was raised.
"I was surprised," said Christian, who hasn't seen one either.
Task force member Sharon Jenkins, professor of chemistry at Purdue University-North Central, is among those who don't know much about intermodals. She says the strength of the task force is the members' diversity.
The first meeting was led by Don Anderson, a Purdue University faculty member who helped launch the task force and organized members into six subcommittees. Jenkins is on one dealing with social and environmental impacts of intermodals and sees her training as a biophysical chemist as helpful in looking at potential health implications.
Jenkins said the subcommittees will share their findings Dec. 2. She thinks the process of gathering information to evaluate any proposals from developers will take more time.
"I can't see us being that ready in January to judge a proposal," Jenkins said.
Earlier in the week, La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman said an intermodal proposal could come as soon as January. He has had preliminary discussions with a real estate company as well as with logistics companies and with attorneys representing Union Mills landowners.
"There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola," Friedman said Monday in a letter. "The only interest seems to focus on the Union Mills and Kingsbury areas." Friedman said any proposals filed with the county will be sent to the Intermodal Task Force for evaluation.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Intermodal study group shouldn’t have $97,000 budget, County Councilman says.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - The Intermodal Task Force has created a controversy among County Council members over a proposed budget of $97,000.
Appointed by County Commissioners to study pros and cons of an intermodal transportation hub in the county, task force members voted for a $97,000 budget request at an Oct. 16 meeting. The funding needs approval from Commissioners and the County Council. The earliest a request could be made to Commissioners is Nov. 13.
At Monday's council meeting, Rich Mrozinski, D-La Porte, came out against what he calls "an insane amount of money" to study something that only developers know will actually happen. He attacked a proposed $5,000 request for a Nov. 28 bus trip to Elwood, Ill., to see the intermodal operating at the former Joliet Arsenal.
"I can't see asking the taxpayers of the county to pay for that," Mrozinski said. "The hard-working people of this county carpool and bring a lunch."
Based on comments of residents in his district, Mrozinski expects several to attend the Commissioners meeting when the task force presents its budget. "In my mind, they'll (task force) leave very disappointed."
Councilman Earl Cunningham, D-La Porte, on the other hand, said he wasn't offended by the request, but said he thinks a budget of $15,000 to $20,000 is more palatable.
"My position is, their executive committee members are top-notch businesspeople who are working for nothing," Cunningham said. "They're volunteering their time and we certainly can't expect them to pack a sandwich and drive over to Elwood."
The four-member Intermodal Task Force executive committee includes co-chairmen David Christian, owner of AMPCOR, and Don Babcock, NIPSCO's director of economic development; Joe Coar, vice president of operations at Tonn & Blank; and Jodi Warner, a resident of KOP Circle.
Christian said the task force doesn't advocate spending the entire amount. He anticipates some funds will be needed if and when task force members have exhausted their ability to understand certain aspects of intermodal operations and need to use outside experts for technical advice on groundwater or air quality, for example.
"I'm a businessman, and I want to get the biggest bang for the buck," Christian said, adding he would be concerned if he thought the task force was wasting money.
Christian said the $5,000 line item mentioned for buses was to cover multiple bus trips, not a single trip to Elwood.
"Our thought in the budgeting process was to visit more than one intermodal of different sizes," he said. "We need to find out what they are, what they do and how they affect the community."
At the first task force meeting, Christian asked for a show of hands to see how many members had seen an intermodal. Only one hand was raised.
"I was surprised," said Christian, who hasn't seen one either.
Task force member Sharon Jenkins, professor of chemistry at Purdue University-North Central, is among those who don't know much about intermodals. She says the strength of the task force is the members' diversity.
The first meeting was led by Don Anderson, a Purdue University faculty member who helped launch the task force and organized members into six subcommittees. Jenkins is on one dealing with social and environmental impacts of intermodals and sees her training as a biophysical chemist as helpful in looking at potential health implications.
Jenkins said the subcommittees will share their findings Dec. 2. She thinks the process of gathering information to evaluate any proposals from developers will take more time.
"I can't see us being that ready in January to judge a proposal," Jenkins said.
Earlier in the week, La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman said an intermodal proposal could come as soon as January. He has had preliminary discussions with a real estate company as well as with logistics companies and with attorneys representing Union Mills landowners.
"There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola," Friedman said Monday in a letter. "The only interest seems to focus on the Union Mills and Kingsbury areas." Friedman said any proposals filed with the county will be sent to the Intermodal Task Force for evaluation.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: JHeath Oct 31 2007, 11:15 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=388030
QUOTE
Task force backs down
10/31/2007, 10:54 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Group bows to critics who said $100,000 budget request was excessive
LA PORTE -- After criticism from some members of the public, La Porte County Intermodal Task Force Chairman Dave Christian announced changes in the task force’s budget proposal.
At the behest of the La Porte County Council and Commission, Christian announced Tuesday that the original budget proposal will be cut in half.
Instead of requesting nearly $100,000 of tax-subsidized dollars, Christian said Tuesday that the request will be reduced to $47,000.
He made the announcement at a La Porte County Redevelopment Commission meeting.
“We pared down some things,” Christian told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday evening. “It’s still a work in progress. There will continue to be fine-tuning until it is proposed to the commissioners.”
Despite the overhaul, some members of the La Porte County Council still think the budget is excessive.
“It’s not enough (of a cut),” La Porte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski told The Herald-Argus this morning. “I would like to see what they plan on spending. As you know, the county is in bad shape financially.”
Some of the questions Mrozinski had early on were the dollar amounts requested for such items as trips to Illinois and guest speakers.
Initially, Christian and the task force requested $5,000 for a trip to Elwood, Ill., to tour the CenterPoint intermodal facility. But after that request riled Mrozinski to the point of questioning what type of limousine would be used for the trip, Christian asked for significantly less money.
Now the task force will only ask for $2,000 for a trip or trips to Illinois.
“That equates into either one bus for two trips or two buses and only one trip,” Christian said.
Christian also said the task force will not accept an offer from an anti-intermodal group to pay for the Elwood trip. Last week, the group, Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC) offered to pick up the tab.
“I have said all along this is an independent group,” Christian said. “We were appointed by the commissioners and should be funded the same. It would be no different than letting developers fund the trip.”
Although Christian declined the offer, he did invite two SISOC members to accompany the task force on the November trip.
“They will be our guests,” Christian said. “But this is still a task force trip.”
In addition to a major overhaul on the task force’s trip proposal, the new budget request eliminates the possibility of the task force hiring speakers to present information to it.
The biggest change in the updated proposal is the amount of funds requested for technical experts. Early on, Christian speculated the need for $80,000 for studies that might go beyond the scope of the task force. While the request was never meant to be used if not needed, Christian asked for a line item for a “what if” scenario.
But after drawing the ire of commissioners and council members, Christian proposed only requesting $43,000 for the use of Kansas City-based TranSystems Consultants. TranSystems was hired by Michigan City in 2005 for an intermodal facility proposal. The company has two offices in Chicago.
“It’s all based on the proposal we got two years ago,” Christian said. “And that would only be used on an as-needed basis. Right now we don’t have a proposal so we wouldn’t need them.”
Although the improvised budget request was unveiled publicly for the first time Tuesday, Christian stressed that more changes could take place. Christian is scheduled to submit his proposal to the commission in mid-November.
“Believe me, I am very cognizant about protecting taxpayers,” Christian said.
10/31/2007, 10:54 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Group bows to critics who said $100,000 budget request was excessive
LA PORTE -- After criticism from some members of the public, La Porte County Intermodal Task Force Chairman Dave Christian announced changes in the task force’s budget proposal.
At the behest of the La Porte County Council and Commission, Christian announced Tuesday that the original budget proposal will be cut in half.
Instead of requesting nearly $100,000 of tax-subsidized dollars, Christian said Tuesday that the request will be reduced to $47,000.
He made the announcement at a La Porte County Redevelopment Commission meeting.
“We pared down some things,” Christian told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday evening. “It’s still a work in progress. There will continue to be fine-tuning until it is proposed to the commissioners.”
Despite the overhaul, some members of the La Porte County Council still think the budget is excessive.
“It’s not enough (of a cut),” La Porte County Councilman Rich Mrozinski told The Herald-Argus this morning. “I would like to see what they plan on spending. As you know, the county is in bad shape financially.”
Some of the questions Mrozinski had early on were the dollar amounts requested for such items as trips to Illinois and guest speakers.
Initially, Christian and the task force requested $5,000 for a trip to Elwood, Ill., to tour the CenterPoint intermodal facility. But after that request riled Mrozinski to the point of questioning what type of limousine would be used for the trip, Christian asked for significantly less money.
Now the task force will only ask for $2,000 for a trip or trips to Illinois.
“That equates into either one bus for two trips or two buses and only one trip,” Christian said.
Christian also said the task force will not accept an offer from an anti-intermodal group to pay for the Elwood trip. Last week, the group, Stop Intermodals/Save Our County (SISOC) offered to pick up the tab.
“I have said all along this is an independent group,” Christian said. “We were appointed by the commissioners and should be funded the same. It would be no different than letting developers fund the trip.”
Although Christian declined the offer, he did invite two SISOC members to accompany the task force on the November trip.
“They will be our guests,” Christian said. “But this is still a task force trip.”
In addition to a major overhaul on the task force’s trip proposal, the new budget request eliminates the possibility of the task force hiring speakers to present information to it.
The biggest change in the updated proposal is the amount of funds requested for technical experts. Early on, Christian speculated the need for $80,000 for studies that might go beyond the scope of the task force. While the request was never meant to be used if not needed, Christian asked for a line item for a “what if” scenario.
But after drawing the ire of commissioners and council members, Christian proposed only requesting $43,000 for the use of Kansas City-based TranSystems Consultants. TranSystems was hired by Michigan City in 2005 for an intermodal facility proposal. The company has two offices in Chicago.
“It’s all based on the proposal we got two years ago,” Christian said. “And that would only be used on an as-needed basis. Right now we don’t have a proposal so we wouldn’t need them.”
Although the improvised budget request was unveiled publicly for the first time Tuesday, Christian stressed that more changes could take place. Christian is scheduled to submit his proposal to the commission in mid-November.
“Believe me, I am very cognizant about protecting taxpayers,” Christian said.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Oct 31 2007, 11:21 AM
Just for the record, I questioned the budget here first; I am glad to see that others are reading our posts and acting on them!
Posted by: lovethiscity Nov 1 2007, 07:31 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Oct 25 2007, 09:58 AM)
That's sure not my sentiment at all. Economic growth and recovery is my #1 target right now. I think the Intermodal is a good first step in the right direction.
Microsoft isn't going to show up here and start handing out 6 figure jobs in LaPorte County, so I am not sure what we are supposed to be waiting for. We sure don't need to wait for our well recycled public officials to do something, because the extent of their talents seems to be retail oriented jobs. I saw the words "quality of life" mentioned, and it makes me wonder, what is exactly is the "quality" of life in a county that is one of the 200 poorest in the entire country? We need to push up the wage scale, and this is a way to do it for a lot of people.
SS you are correct, Microsoft will not plop down in Laporte County. But if the ground work is laid out and completed now, the next Microsoft just might. You like history as proof. So here I go with a little history lesson. A little country across the ocean was struggling with discrimination, poverty, poor education and lack of jobs. Things were getting so bad people by the thousands were leaving for a better life here in America. Some smart folks decided to work on the actual problems and made a commitment to addressing the problems. what they did not do was place Band-Aid after Band-Aid on the symptoms of the problems. (Like we do here) This process began in the mid 90's and the results are this little country is now #2 in the world in computer technology. Chesterton does not need a freight yard, Portage does not need a freight yard, cities with horrible education systems in place need freight yards. So why not fix the problems that truely face our area and deal with the true problems now, so we will stop jumping at the unskilled jobs for anotther generation.
This is what Ireland did
http://www.forfas.ie/ncc/reports/nccsum/index.html
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 2 2007, 07:16 AM
The population of Ireland is still less than when the blight hit.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 2 2007, 09:08 AM
QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Nov 1 2007, 08:31 PM)
SS you are correct, Microsoft will not plop down in Laporte County. But if the ground work is laid out and completed now, the next Microsoft just might. You like history as proof. So here I go with a little history lesson. A little country across the ocean was struggling with discrimination, poverty, poor education and lack of jobs. Things were getting so bad people by the thousands were leaving for a better life here in America. Some smart folks decided to work on the actual problems and made a commitment to addressing the problems. what they did not do was place Band-Aid after Band-Aid on the symptoms of the problems. (Like we do here) This process began in the mid 90's and the results are this little country is now #2 in the world in computer technology. Chesterton does not need a freight yard, Portage does not need a freight yard, cities with horrible education systems in place need freight yards. So why not fix the problems that truely face our area and deal with the true problems now, so we will stop jumping at the unskilled jobs for anotther generation.
This is what Ireland did
http://www.forfas.ie/ncc/reports/nccsum/index.html
Don't take it as I am saying that this is the ONLY thing we should be doing. Education and diversification of the labor force are on that list as well. The educational system is horrible right now, but I don't see that improving until we move out of the poverty cycle. Having first hand contact with a lot of kids, I see the biggest problem, besides mismanagement, being that many kids do not care about school. They care about getting that next meal and surviving. The home lives of many kids just break your heart. Lots of this is from the poverty cycle where parents are either working too many hours at horribly underpaying jobs, or they have just given up on life in general, and they have passed that outlook onto their kids. The Intermodal is a step to breaking that poverty cycle of hopelessness and dispare.
Heck the real difference between us and Chesteron is the steel mill. If you took that out of there, they would collapse in a generation. Same idea with Portage. Gary never has recovered from the loss of 90% of the US Steel workforce from historical levels in the 50s and 60s.
Posted by: lovethiscity Nov 2 2007, 08:59 PM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Nov 2 2007, 08:16 AM)
The population of Ireland is still less than when the blight hit.
Agence France-Presse, May 25, 2005
Ireland's population to jump to five million by 2021
DATELINE: DUBLIN May 25
Ireland's population will increase by about 25 percent to over five million by 2021 according to projections from the country's Central Statistics Office (CSO) on Wednesday.
Last year the population of Ireland exceeded four million for the first time since 1871.
The study expects numbers in the Greater Dublin area will exceed two million in 2021 making it the most densely populated area in the state.
In 1961, when Ireland's population reached a historical low of 2.8 million, only a quarter of the people lived in the Dublin area but it is projected to contain over 40 percent of the total by 2021.
The study expects population growth in all of Ireland's eight regions with the fastest growing region expected to be the mid-east where the population is projected to rise by 51 percent.
The CSO projections are based on assumptions about the birth and death rate and migration flows.
Increased prosperity as a result of the Celtic Tiger's economic boom in the wake of its 1973 EU membership has led to major changes in Ireland which is no longer traditionally a country of emigration and is receiving substantial numbers of immigrants to fill jobs.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 5 2007, 12:27 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=6182&TM=48288.79
QUOTE
Intermodal Spurs Renewed Debate Over Toll Road
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE -As discussion on an intermodal transportation facility in La Porte County continues, it has reheated the debate for and against construction of the Illiana Expressway.
The anti-Illiana and intermodal yard signs dotting the countryside clearly signal the position of some residents.
County development and government officials are taking more of a wait-and-see stance, but publicly favor the possibilities for new jobs, lower taxes and other potential benefits that could give La Porte County an economic boost.
Purdue University-North Central Chancellor James Dworkin said development of an intermodal facility would definitely impact the Westville campus if U.S. 421 is expanded into a four-lane highway. Dworkin said there now is a land buffer between campus buildings and the highway.
"We have a master facilities plan and have to make sure proposed new buildings and parking garages are far from the highway," Dworkin said.
He believes in keeping an open mind while the county Intermodal Task Force does its work. Ultimately, he said, the decision is up to the railroads, local legislators and the La Porte County Intermodal Task Force.
Dworkin said La Porte County has one of the highest unemployment rates in Indiana, and the potential for new jobs could create demand for PNC's programs in construction management, business and engineering.
The PNC campus is located at the edge of rolling, curvy country roads that run through a mixture of farmland and fairly new homes, with more being constructed.
People like Barb Dahlberg, 9911 W. County Road 100 North, like the area just the way it is.
Anti-Illiana and anti-intermodal signs are prominently displayed in the Dahlbergs' front yard. She grew up on a farm just down the road her brother has taken over from her father. She wants her two teenagers to experience the same fresh country air and uncrowded residential areas that she grew up with.
"Land is something we cannot get back," Dahlberg said. "They don't make any more land."
She worries if farmland is taken out of production, America won't be able to feed itself. And she is concerned that, some 25 years in the future, the number of buildings being abandoned for new sites will increase.
Even if the Illiana Expressway runs through the Pinola area, she thinks air pollution from increased truck traffic will float her way.
William Dombrowsky, 9455 W. County Road 100 North, said his anti-Illiana sign was posted on behalf of his son, who lives on Wozniak Road. He recalls when a sand-mining operation brought 30 to 40 trucks a day into his neighborhood.
"Things got close and hectic," he said.
At 79, he says he's too old to have an opinion on possible developments, but he does believe it will be tough on future generations as land is taken by eminent domain. He is concerned about the future of his son and family, who live nearby.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE -As discussion on an intermodal transportation facility in La Porte County continues, it has reheated the debate for and against construction of the Illiana Expressway.
The anti-Illiana and intermodal yard signs dotting the countryside clearly signal the position of some residents.
County development and government officials are taking more of a wait-and-see stance, but publicly favor the possibilities for new jobs, lower taxes and other potential benefits that could give La Porte County an economic boost.
Purdue University-North Central Chancellor James Dworkin said development of an intermodal facility would definitely impact the Westville campus if U.S. 421 is expanded into a four-lane highway. Dworkin said there now is a land buffer between campus buildings and the highway.
"We have a master facilities plan and have to make sure proposed new buildings and parking garages are far from the highway," Dworkin said.
He believes in keeping an open mind while the county Intermodal Task Force does its work. Ultimately, he said, the decision is up to the railroads, local legislators and the La Porte County Intermodal Task Force.
Dworkin said La Porte County has one of the highest unemployment rates in Indiana, and the potential for new jobs could create demand for PNC's programs in construction management, business and engineering.
The PNC campus is located at the edge of rolling, curvy country roads that run through a mixture of farmland and fairly new homes, with more being constructed.
People like Barb Dahlberg, 9911 W. County Road 100 North, like the area just the way it is.
Anti-Illiana and anti-intermodal signs are prominently displayed in the Dahlbergs' front yard. She grew up on a farm just down the road her brother has taken over from her father. She wants her two teenagers to experience the same fresh country air and uncrowded residential areas that she grew up with.
"Land is something we cannot get back," Dahlberg said. "They don't make any more land."
She worries if farmland is taken out of production, America won't be able to feed itself. And she is concerned that, some 25 years in the future, the number of buildings being abandoned for new sites will increase.
Even if the Illiana Expressway runs through the Pinola area, she thinks air pollution from increased truck traffic will float her way.
William Dombrowsky, 9455 W. County Road 100 North, said his anti-Illiana sign was posted on behalf of his son, who lives on Wozniak Road. He recalls when a sand-mining operation brought 30 to 40 trucks a day into his neighborhood.
"Things got close and hectic," he said.
At 79, he says he's too old to have an opinion on possible developments, but he does believe it will be tough on future generations as land is taken by eminent domain. He is concerned about the future of his son and family, who live nearby.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 5 2007, 12:53 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=6169&TM=50196.07
QUOTE
Roll Out Red Carpet For The Intermodal
I have followed the fiasco of politics of La Porte County for 13 years. La Porte County has wasted millions of dollars on pet projects. Preserving the past is what pictures are for.
The intermodal is the latest. Personal opinion will doom the project. Michigan City/La Porte and the county officials need to stop acting like children playing in the sand box, each saying these are my toys! You all haven't done one positive thing for the greater good of the county taxpayers. Enough with the pet projects, enough with the studies.
Roll out that red carpet for the intermodal and let it develop. At least the Lake County politicians put big projects in the works instead of always just talking about it. Drop your super egos and do something of substance for the common good. Museums and parks won't get it done.
You all seem to forget the simple basics of our system. There has to be people working! This should be your focus. The intermodal project is a winner, and it's mind boggling how you're all afraid to let it happen. Leave your personal opinions at the door and look at it economically for the survival of La Porte County. Leave your egos at home, also, because it truly hurts the next generation.
Roger Willoughby
Michigan City
I have followed the fiasco of politics of La Porte County for 13 years. La Porte County has wasted millions of dollars on pet projects. Preserving the past is what pictures are for.
The intermodal is the latest. Personal opinion will doom the project. Michigan City/La Porte and the county officials need to stop acting like children playing in the sand box, each saying these are my toys! You all haven't done one positive thing for the greater good of the county taxpayers. Enough with the pet projects, enough with the studies.
Roll out that red carpet for the intermodal and let it develop. At least the Lake County politicians put big projects in the works instead of always just talking about it. Drop your super egos and do something of substance for the common good. Museums and parks won't get it done.
You all seem to forget the simple basics of our system. There has to be people working! This should be your focus. The intermodal project is a winner, and it's mind boggling how you're all afraid to let it happen. Leave your personal opinions at the door and look at it economically for the survival of La Porte County. Leave your egos at home, also, because it truly hurts the next generation.
Roger Willoughby
Michigan City
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 6 2007, 01:29 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=6268&TM=52314.3
QUOTE
Task Force Won't Waste Tax Dollars
While Sunday's front page story regarding some controversy having arisen over a budget for the Intermodal Task Force was correct, it's important readers understand that no actual budget proposal was ever presented. Group discussions were held at the last Task Force meeting about what our budget should look like. Any budget drafts presented at that meeting were still tentative and a work in process. The actual budget proposal to the Commission and Council should be slightly less than half of the originally discussed $97,000.
Our formal request to the County Commission and Council likely will be around $48,000, with most of that budget set aside for technical expertise, should a given proposal require expert analysis beyond that available from members of the Task Force. (The figure of $43,000 is taken from an actual study that was proposed by TranSystems - an industry leader - for the Michigan City Economic Development Corp. that would have studied Kingsbury Industrial Park for an intermodal.)
Our original budget draft planned for multiple trips to different intermodal terminals. Our actual travel budget of just $2,000 would cover two buses at $850 to $900 each, plus food for a single nine-hour trip to the Elwood facility. The reason for the two buses has always been so that the Task Force as well as the County Council, County Commissioners, County Redevelopment Commission, County Planning Commission, elected county officials, city officials, and the press would be able to visit and see first hand just what kind of impact an intermodal facility can have on our community, whether good or bad.
We've eliminated any request for speakers' fees, feeling that private sector money might better cover that expense, and our secretarial request has been pared to just $1,500.
It's important that the general public understand that we on the Task Force are just as acutely concerned with conserving tax dollars as anyone and the actual budget proposal will be lean but allow us some limited funds to do our job. In addition to serving as the chair of the Task Force, I am also honored to serve as chairman of the state's Property Tax Control Board and in that capacity I work constantly at trying to see that tax dollars are used conservatively and efficiently. I certainly would not propose a budget for the Intermodal Task Force unless I and others on the Task Force believed we needed some resources to allow us to do the job that we were asked to do.
Our charge from the County Commissioners is clear - be as transparent and public as possible in our activities and do everything possible to ensure a fair, careful consideration of any intermodal freight terminal proposal. We intend to do just that and to manage what public funds are provided to us in a careful and prudent way.
The Task Force is group of competent, dedicated and concerned citizens from our community. These individuals are committed to being pro-active by asking the right questions, while looking at and planning for the future. The La Porte County Task Force takes this responsibility very seriously.
David R. Christian
Chairman
La Porte County Intermodal Task Force
While Sunday's front page story regarding some controversy having arisen over a budget for the Intermodal Task Force was correct, it's important readers understand that no actual budget proposal was ever presented. Group discussions were held at the last Task Force meeting about what our budget should look like. Any budget drafts presented at that meeting were still tentative and a work in process. The actual budget proposal to the Commission and Council should be slightly less than half of the originally discussed $97,000.
Our formal request to the County Commission and Council likely will be around $48,000, with most of that budget set aside for technical expertise, should a given proposal require expert analysis beyond that available from members of the Task Force. (The figure of $43,000 is taken from an actual study that was proposed by TranSystems - an industry leader - for the Michigan City Economic Development Corp. that would have studied Kingsbury Industrial Park for an intermodal.)
Our original budget draft planned for multiple trips to different intermodal terminals. Our actual travel budget of just $2,000 would cover two buses at $850 to $900 each, plus food for a single nine-hour trip to the Elwood facility. The reason for the two buses has always been so that the Task Force as well as the County Council, County Commissioners, County Redevelopment Commission, County Planning Commission, elected county officials, city officials, and the press would be able to visit and see first hand just what kind of impact an intermodal facility can have on our community, whether good or bad.
We've eliminated any request for speakers' fees, feeling that private sector money might better cover that expense, and our secretarial request has been pared to just $1,500.
It's important that the general public understand that we on the Task Force are just as acutely concerned with conserving tax dollars as anyone and the actual budget proposal will be lean but allow us some limited funds to do our job. In addition to serving as the chair of the Task Force, I am also honored to serve as chairman of the state's Property Tax Control Board and in that capacity I work constantly at trying to see that tax dollars are used conservatively and efficiently. I certainly would not propose a budget for the Intermodal Task Force unless I and others on the Task Force believed we needed some resources to allow us to do the job that we were asked to do.
Our charge from the County Commissioners is clear - be as transparent and public as possible in our activities and do everything possible to ensure a fair, careful consideration of any intermodal freight terminal proposal. We intend to do just that and to manage what public funds are provided to us in a careful and prudent way.
The Task Force is group of competent, dedicated and concerned citizens from our community. These individuals are committed to being pro-active by asking the right questions, while looking at and planning for the future. The La Porte County Task Force takes this responsibility very seriously.
David R. Christian
Chairman
La Porte County Intermodal Task Force
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 13 2007, 01:40 PM
http://nwitimes.com/articles/2007/11/13/business/business/doc24a5035ae1a7eec8862573910076cc91.txt
QUOTE
Planning guru to talk intermodal
BY KEITH BENMAN
kbenman@nwitimes.com
219.933.3326
One of the nation's leading experts on regionalism will discuss how Northwest Indiana can renew its economy by effectively tapping into global transportation networks.
Michael Gallis, of Gallis & Associates, is being brought to town by the Northwest Indiana Forum, just months before developers are expected to come forward with plans for an intermodal rail yard south of the city of LaPorte.
He will speak at 6 p.m., Dec. 6, at the Michigan City High School Auditorium. The event is open to the public but registration is required.
Gallis will help people understand how the region can plan for changes in the transportation marketplace, according to Northwest Indiana Forum CEO Vince Galbiati.
"To understand the relationship among the systems of the region, how its parts fit together, and how we can position Northwest Indiana in the global transportation and logistics marketplace is why we have invited Michael Gallis to Northwest Indiana," Galbiati said.
Gallis, described by the The Business Journal, of Charlotte, N.C., as "the guru of regionalism," travels the United States and the world preaching about the importance of regional planning.
His firm has pioneered the use of easily readable maps that allow people to understand how world transportation routes affect their community.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based Gallis has led strategic development projects for regions including Cincinnati; Memphis, Tenn.; west Michigan and Charlotte. His firm currently is working on a project for the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The LaPorte County intermodal development appears to be moving toward a concrete proposal from developers.
Real estate development group Grubb & Ellis/Cressy & Everett, of South Bend, has options with landowners to purchase thousands of acres near U.S. 6 and Ind. 39 in Union Mills for the intermodal site.
Three railroads, Canadian National, CSX and the SouthShore and South Bend Railroad, a short-haul freight carrier, all have tracks that pass through or near that acreage.
LaPorte County Commissioners have created a 21-member task force to review any intermodal proposal that may come before county zoning and planning boards.
Gallis' viewpoint is essential if people want to understand how to tie businesses and people together and what the future may hold for LaPorte County, according to Tim Gropp, Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp. executive director.
"Without this understanding, any strategy or project will be nothing more than a shot in the dark," Gropp said.
Gallis was an associate professor of architecture and planning in the College of Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 1974 to 1997. Michael Gallis & Associates was formed in the early 1980s to provide communities with new tools for strategic planning.
The firm has a philosophy that a comprehensive and strategic framework must be created before any plan or real estate project can be effective, according to its Web site.
What: Talk by planning guru Michael Gallis
When: 6 p.m., Dec. 6
Where: Michigan City High School Auditorium
How to get in:
Register by calling (219) 763-6303 or go to www.nwiforum.org
BY KEITH BENMAN
kbenman@nwitimes.com
219.933.3326
One of the nation's leading experts on regionalism will discuss how Northwest Indiana can renew its economy by effectively tapping into global transportation networks.
Michael Gallis, of Gallis & Associates, is being brought to town by the Northwest Indiana Forum, just months before developers are expected to come forward with plans for an intermodal rail yard south of the city of LaPorte.
He will speak at 6 p.m., Dec. 6, at the Michigan City High School Auditorium. The event is open to the public but registration is required.
Gallis will help people understand how the region can plan for changes in the transportation marketplace, according to Northwest Indiana Forum CEO Vince Galbiati.
"To understand the relationship among the systems of the region, how its parts fit together, and how we can position Northwest Indiana in the global transportation and logistics marketplace is why we have invited Michael Gallis to Northwest Indiana," Galbiati said.
Gallis, described by the The Business Journal, of Charlotte, N.C., as "the guru of regionalism," travels the United States and the world preaching about the importance of regional planning.
His firm has pioneered the use of easily readable maps that allow people to understand how world transportation routes affect their community.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based Gallis has led strategic development projects for regions including Cincinnati; Memphis, Tenn.; west Michigan and Charlotte. His firm currently is working on a project for the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The LaPorte County intermodal development appears to be moving toward a concrete proposal from developers.
Real estate development group Grubb & Ellis/Cressy & Everett, of South Bend, has options with landowners to purchase thousands of acres near U.S. 6 and Ind. 39 in Union Mills for the intermodal site.
Three railroads, Canadian National, CSX and the SouthShore and South Bend Railroad, a short-haul freight carrier, all have tracks that pass through or near that acreage.
LaPorte County Commissioners have created a 21-member task force to review any intermodal proposal that may come before county zoning and planning boards.
Gallis' viewpoint is essential if people want to understand how to tie businesses and people together and what the future may hold for LaPorte County, according to Tim Gropp, Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp. executive director.
"Without this understanding, any strategy or project will be nothing more than a shot in the dark," Gropp said.
Gallis was an associate professor of architecture and planning in the College of Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 1974 to 1997. Michael Gallis & Associates was formed in the early 1980s to provide communities with new tools for strategic planning.
The firm has a philosophy that a comprehensive and strategic framework must be created before any plan or real estate project can be effective, according to its Web site.
What: Talk by planning guru Michael Gallis
When: 6 p.m., Dec. 6
Where: Michigan City High School Auditorium
How to get in:
Register by calling (219) 763-6303 or go to www.nwiforum.org
Posted by: Ang Nov 14 2007, 10:30 AM
QUOTE
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=6563&TM=41619.3
Board Approves $5,760 Budget For Task Force
It likely will ask for $43,000 later to hire technical experts.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - The La Porte County Commission approved a $5,760 budget request Tuesday from the Intermodal Task Force and will forward it to the County Council.
The request came from task force chairman Dave Christian and Matt Reardon, La Porte County economic development director. Christian said the request is based on fund needs for the remainder of 2007. Unused funds will be carried forward and added to a forecasted amount of $43,000 - not yet requested - to hire technical experts to review intermodal proposals, if and when any are received by La Porte County.
The amount was based on a proposal submitted two years ago by TranSystems to the Michigan City Economic Development Corp.
Ruth Minnick, a member of the Intermodal Task Force known to oppose such a development, and Julie Rossler, representing Stop the Intermodal - Save Our County, expressed concerns about the way the task force is operating.
During public comments, Minnick said the task force had never discussed hiring consultants. She said she was concerned with what she thought were plans already completed two years ago.
"We are there to study pros and cons," Minnick said. "As a taxpayer, I want to know what's going on. If we're going to spend $40,000 to go out to California to get an environmental study, is it possible that some intelligent people can come to La Porte County and do an environmental study?"
Shaw Friedman, county attorney and staff member to the Intermodal Task Force, said the TranSystems proposal was made to the Michigan City Economic Development Corp. to look at Kingsbury Industrial Park, but the study was never commissioned by the Michigan City EDC.
"There has been no feasibility study done," Friedman said. "It was provided as an example of what could be done."
Friedman noted Michael Gallis, an expert on global trends in trade, logistics and transportation, will speak in La Porte County on Dec. 6, with expenses paid by the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp., Michigan City Economic Development Corp. and Northwest Indiana Forum.
Rossler was opposed to bringing in a "pro intermodal" speaker to speak to the task force, and requested SISOC members be included in the task force bus trip to Joliet, along with the economic development team members, to provide a balanced viewpoint.
Commissioner Bill Hager, D-Michigan City, said the task force was created with a balance of members for and against an intermodal in La Porte County.
"We also need to look at what the county needs to do to be prepared, as far as ordinances," Commission president Barb Huston said. "We don't know what other counties are doing."
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Board Approves $5,760 Budget For Task Force
It likely will ask for $43,000 later to hire technical experts.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - The La Porte County Commission approved a $5,760 budget request Tuesday from the Intermodal Task Force and will forward it to the County Council.
The request came from task force chairman Dave Christian and Matt Reardon, La Porte County economic development director. Christian said the request is based on fund needs for the remainder of 2007. Unused funds will be carried forward and added to a forecasted amount of $43,000 - not yet requested - to hire technical experts to review intermodal proposals, if and when any are received by La Porte County.
The amount was based on a proposal submitted two years ago by TranSystems to the Michigan City Economic Development Corp.
Ruth Minnick, a member of the Intermodal Task Force known to oppose such a development, and Julie Rossler, representing Stop the Intermodal - Save Our County, expressed concerns about the way the task force is operating.
During public comments, Minnick said the task force had never discussed hiring consultants. She said she was concerned with what she thought were plans already completed two years ago.
"We are there to study pros and cons," Minnick said. "As a taxpayer, I want to know what's going on. If we're going to spend $40,000 to go out to California to get an environmental study, is it possible that some intelligent people can come to La Porte County and do an environmental study?"
Shaw Friedman, county attorney and staff member to the Intermodal Task Force, said the TranSystems proposal was made to the Michigan City Economic Development Corp. to look at Kingsbury Industrial Park, but the study was never commissioned by the Michigan City EDC.
"There has been no feasibility study done," Friedman said. "It was provided as an example of what could be done."
Friedman noted Michael Gallis, an expert on global trends in trade, logistics and transportation, will speak in La Porte County on Dec. 6, with expenses paid by the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp., Michigan City Economic Development Corp. and Northwest Indiana Forum.
Rossler was opposed to bringing in a "pro intermodal" speaker to speak to the task force, and requested SISOC members be included in the task force bus trip to Joliet, along with the economic development team members, to provide a balanced viewpoint.
Commissioner Bill Hager, D-Michigan City, said the task force was created with a balance of members for and against an intermodal in La Porte County.
"We also need to look at what the county needs to do to be prepared, as far as ordinances," Commission president Barb Huston said. "We don't know what other counties are doing."
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 14 2007, 01:06 PM
Sounds interesting.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 21 2007, 01:18 PM
The intermodal is now effectively dead.
http://heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=389302
QUOTE
It’s official: CSX out
11/21/2007, 10:44 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Railroad 'has no plans in La Porte,' official says
ACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- CSX-Intermodal confirmed Tuesday that La Porte County is out of the running for a future rail intermodal facility.
“I can confirm everything,” CSX spokesman Garrick Francis told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday. “CSX has no plans in La Porte, Indiana. We are presently working on our own facility in northwest Ohio and we have no plans to construct a facility in Indiana.”
According to Francis, the facility in North Baltimore, Ohio, already has the required land for the facility.
“I’m relieved,” said Mary Carrera of Union Mills. “I like to think that our fight it over. But it sounds almost too good to be true.”
Although La Porte County is out of the running with CSX, Francis did indicate that the company was at one time considering the area.
“I’m sure we had some contact early on,” Francis said in regard to speaking to local officials. “But we have no plans right now to come to Indiana.”
It was believed that the railroad company from northern Florida had been looking in the Union Mills area. But now that the railroad isn’t interested, a future intermodal facility in La Porte County has hit a major snag.
Union Mills was enticing for CSX due to a main-line railroad that went through the area.
But with CSX out of the picture, only the Canadian National Railroad is considered a serious contender. That, however, could also be on the back burner with the announcement that Canadian National purchased the EJ&E railroad in the Kirk Yard in Gary.
Because of that acquisition, some believe Canadian National won’t want to locate in this area.
The other logical suitor for an intermodal facility is Norfolk and Southern, which has a rail line near the Pinola area. But La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman said in October that the railroad wasn’t interested in the county.
“There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola,” Friedman told The Herald-Argus in October.
Friedman was contacted by the Herald-Argus, but had no comment for this story.
Intermodal Task Force co-chairman Dave Christian says he knows little about recent reports, but can say that the county is talking to a real estate investment trust (REIT) about possible development.
“I am being told that is the only group looking at this,” Christian told the Herald-Argus this morning. “This REIT may still have a proposal in January. If and when it comes, we as a task force must make an informed decision.”
Robert Williams of Union Mills told The Herald-Argus this morning that he was “very happy to hear that (CSX would not locate in Union Mills).”
“I love the country. I moved out here for the peace and quiet,” Williams said. “If they put an intermodal out here, all that is gone. No more quiet, no more stars. I just like to sit out at night and look at the stars.”
Williams, however, understands the proposed intermodal could bring economic development that would benefit county residents.
“It’s good and bad,” Williams said. “We are going to miss out on a lot of jobs. I have a job, so for me it isn’t as big of a deal.”
11/21/2007, 10:44 am
Comment on this story
Donovan Estridge, 1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865, destridge@heraldargus.com
Railroad 'has no plans in La Porte,' official says
ACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- CSX-Intermodal confirmed Tuesday that La Porte County is out of the running for a future rail intermodal facility.
“I can confirm everything,” CSX spokesman Garrick Francis told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Tuesday. “CSX has no plans in La Porte, Indiana. We are presently working on our own facility in northwest Ohio and we have no plans to construct a facility in Indiana.”
According to Francis, the facility in North Baltimore, Ohio, already has the required land for the facility.
“I’m relieved,” said Mary Carrera of Union Mills. “I like to think that our fight it over. But it sounds almost too good to be true.”
Although La Porte County is out of the running with CSX, Francis did indicate that the company was at one time considering the area.
“I’m sure we had some contact early on,” Francis said in regard to speaking to local officials. “But we have no plans right now to come to Indiana.”
It was believed that the railroad company from northern Florida had been looking in the Union Mills area. But now that the railroad isn’t interested, a future intermodal facility in La Porte County has hit a major snag.
Union Mills was enticing for CSX due to a main-line railroad that went through the area.
But with CSX out of the picture, only the Canadian National Railroad is considered a serious contender. That, however, could also be on the back burner with the announcement that Canadian National purchased the EJ&E railroad in the Kirk Yard in Gary.
Because of that acquisition, some believe Canadian National won’t want to locate in this area.
The other logical suitor for an intermodal facility is Norfolk and Southern, which has a rail line near the Pinola area. But La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman said in October that the railroad wasn’t interested in the county.
“There is presently no developer or railroad interested in the area west of La Porte near Pinola,” Friedman told The Herald-Argus in October.
Friedman was contacted by the Herald-Argus, but had no comment for this story.
Intermodal Task Force co-chairman Dave Christian says he knows little about recent reports, but can say that the county is talking to a real estate investment trust (REIT) about possible development.
“I am being told that is the only group looking at this,” Christian told the Herald-Argus this morning. “This REIT may still have a proposal in January. If and when it comes, we as a task force must make an informed decision.”
Robert Williams of Union Mills told The Herald-Argus this morning that he was “very happy to hear that (CSX would not locate in Union Mills).”
“I love the country. I moved out here for the peace and quiet,” Williams said. “If they put an intermodal out here, all that is gone. No more quiet, no more stars. I just like to sit out at night and look at the stars.”
Williams, however, understands the proposed intermodal could bring economic development that would benefit county residents.
“It’s good and bad,” Williams said. “We are going to miss out on a lot of jobs. I have a job, so for me it isn’t as big of a deal.”
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 21 2007, 04:17 PM
Hooray! We "won."
You know I am being sarcastic.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 23 2007, 08:09 AM
QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ Nov 21 2007, 04:17 PM)
Hooray! We "won."
You know I am being sarcastic.
yeah, I am not particularly happy about our best chance in decades at job growth getting torpedoed, probably due to the usual NIMBY's that haven't recognized that the calendar has indeed changed from 1950.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 26 2007, 10:33 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=72&ArticleID=6882&TM=41819.29
QUOTE
Railroads Apparently Not Interested
Editorial
Talk of waning interest in locating an intermodal transportation hub in La Porte ought to be alarming to county leaders and economic development officials. While the idea isn't dead, the fact that CSX has announced that it prefers a site in northwestern Ohio is a major blow.
CSX is one of the rail lines that serve the area between Kingsbury and Union Mills that was under consideration for an intermodal. The site was controversial and many residents in the area were opposed to it. However, the idea of a project that would generate hundreds of new jobs and boost the county's tax base by millions of dollars was too good an opportunity to pass up.
But a newspaper report from Ohio indicates that progress at the site about 30 miles south of Toledo is so much farther along than what has taken place here that CSX has shut the door on any project in this area. In fact, Dan Murphy, a spokesman for CSX, said he expects the company to make an official announcement by the end of the year.
He predicted that work on the 500-acre, $80 million project would begin in Ohio in early 2008 and be done by early 2010.
If all of this transpires, it would be a blow to economic development in La Porte County. While the concept isn't dead and developer Cressey & Everett of Mishawaka, Ind., is moving ahead with its development plans for an intermodal, without a railroad, the project won't move forward.
There is the possibility that the Canadian National, the other major rail carrier serving the proposed La Porte County intermodal site could step forward, but CN recently acquired the EJ&E Railroad and plans to use the Kirk Yard near the U.S. Steel plant in Gary as its intermodal.
The question for La Porte County leaders is what to do now. There is a desperate need for good, high-paying jobs in La Porte County, not only to employ residents, but to diversify the county's tax base and to lighten the property tax burden. An intermodal remains a good possibility, but if that doesn't happen, then efforts to attract some other kind of major development must be put forth.
Our Opinion
The Issue: With CSX saying it won't go ahead with an intermodal at Union Mills, prospects look dim for such a huge freight terminal here.
Our Opinion: La Porte County economic development advocates favored the intermodal, but if it isn't going to be built, some other industry with high paying jobs must be found.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Editorial
Talk of waning interest in locating an intermodal transportation hub in La Porte ought to be alarming to county leaders and economic development officials. While the idea isn't dead, the fact that CSX has announced that it prefers a site in northwestern Ohio is a major blow.
CSX is one of the rail lines that serve the area between Kingsbury and Union Mills that was under consideration for an intermodal. The site was controversial and many residents in the area were opposed to it. However, the idea of a project that would generate hundreds of new jobs and boost the county's tax base by millions of dollars was too good an opportunity to pass up.
But a newspaper report from Ohio indicates that progress at the site about 30 miles south of Toledo is so much farther along than what has taken place here that CSX has shut the door on any project in this area. In fact, Dan Murphy, a spokesman for CSX, said he expects the company to make an official announcement by the end of the year.
He predicted that work on the 500-acre, $80 million project would begin in Ohio in early 2008 and be done by early 2010.
If all of this transpires, it would be a blow to economic development in La Porte County. While the concept isn't dead and developer Cressey & Everett of Mishawaka, Ind., is moving ahead with its development plans for an intermodal, without a railroad, the project won't move forward.
There is the possibility that the Canadian National, the other major rail carrier serving the proposed La Porte County intermodal site could step forward, but CN recently acquired the EJ&E Railroad and plans to use the Kirk Yard near the U.S. Steel plant in Gary as its intermodal.
The question for La Porte County leaders is what to do now. There is a desperate need for good, high-paying jobs in La Porte County, not only to employ residents, but to diversify the county's tax base and to lighten the property tax burden. An intermodal remains a good possibility, but if that doesn't happen, then efforts to attract some other kind of major development must be put forth.
Our Opinion
The Issue: With CSX saying it won't go ahead with an intermodal at Union Mills, prospects look dim for such a huge freight terminal here.
Our Opinion: La Porte County economic development advocates favored the intermodal, but if it isn't going to be built, some other industry with high paying jobs must be found.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by: JHeath Nov 27 2007, 09:32 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/display.php?id=389522
QUOTE
Second railroad says ‘no’ to intermodal in La Porte County
11/26/2007, 10:43 am
Donovan Estridge
Canadian National official tells The Herald-Argus that CN has never been interested in the area for development
LA PORTE COUNTY -- Another major railroad has potentially derailed any possibility of a rail intermodal facility by coming forward and confirming its lack of interest in La Porte County.
According to Canadian National Spokesman Jim Kvedaras, the Quebec based railroad has “never been interested” in locating in the county and has “turned down numerous requests to negotiate” in bringing a facility to the area.
“As I have said all along,” Kvedaras told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Sunday night.
“We currently have a facility in Illinois that isn’t near capacity. I think we have been very consistent in having no interest in building another facility.”
Although Kvedaras wouldn’t elaborate on the specifics, he confirmed that he has been contacted by everyone from the media to economic developers about the potential of a local intermodal facility.
And in all of those contacts, he has always said “no.”
It would seem the intermodal feasibility in La Porte County has hit a major snag. That problem is compounded with the news that rail giant CSX-Intermodal plans on building a facility in Ohio and not La Porte County. Also, county officials have stated that Norfolk Southern, which runs through the Pinola area, is out of the picture.
With the exodus of interest by major railroads seemingly in unison, county officials are toeing the line in regards to the future of a La Porte County intermodal.
“We have only dealt with the investors,” La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley told The Herald-Argus Sunday night. “The investors tell us they have committed the appropriate land. We are dealing with the private enterprise.”
While the county deals with private investors, anti-intermodal groups such as Stop Intermodals/Save Our County say they have gone straight to the horse’s mouth. In recent dealings with major railroads, SISOC Co-Chair Ty Murray has learned many big railroads told the county two years ago they were not interested in coming to the area.
“This isn’t old news,” Murray told The Herald-Argus Sunday. “Its just now it finally came to the surface but railroads have told me they weren’t interested two years ago.”
And because of that, Murray is questioning why the public has been told that a facility could locate to the area.
“Why couldn’t we find this out sooner?” Murray asked. “These are just a lot of facts that haven’t been brought to the surface.”
Murray’s suspicion has also drawn the ire of Cooley, who has questioned the need to commission tax dollars to the intermodal task force if a proposal hasn’t been on the table.
“I’ve always said we should never invest until we have a proposal on the table,” Cooley said.
Cooley’s comments come two weeks after the La Porte County Commission allotted more than $5,000 for the task force, which includes a planned trip to Elwood, Ill., this week and the airfare and hotel for another member to attend a conference in California.
“Maybe the investors should pay us back,” Cooley said.
Cooley, however, still believes the information the county has received from the investors that is hopeful a facility could come to the county is good information.
“Everyone has been speculating,” Cooley said. “I am going to wait until the facts are on the table.”
11/26/2007, 10:43 am
Donovan Estridge
Canadian National official tells The Herald-Argus that CN has never been interested in the area for development
LA PORTE COUNTY -- Another major railroad has potentially derailed any possibility of a rail intermodal facility by coming forward and confirming its lack of interest in La Porte County.
According to Canadian National Spokesman Jim Kvedaras, the Quebec based railroad has “never been interested” in locating in the county and has “turned down numerous requests to negotiate” in bringing a facility to the area.
“As I have said all along,” Kvedaras told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Sunday night.
“We currently have a facility in Illinois that isn’t near capacity. I think we have been very consistent in having no interest in building another facility.”
Although Kvedaras wouldn’t elaborate on the specifics, he confirmed that he has been contacted by everyone from the media to economic developers about the potential of a local intermodal facility.
And in all of those contacts, he has always said “no.”
It would seem the intermodal feasibility in La Porte County has hit a major snag. That problem is compounded with the news that rail giant CSX-Intermodal plans on building a facility in Ohio and not La Porte County. Also, county officials have stated that Norfolk Southern, which runs through the Pinola area, is out of the picture.
With the exodus of interest by major railroads seemingly in unison, county officials are toeing the line in regards to the future of a La Porte County intermodal.
“We have only dealt with the investors,” La Porte County Council President Jerry Cooley told The Herald-Argus Sunday night. “The investors tell us they have committed the appropriate land. We are dealing with the private enterprise.”
While the county deals with private investors, anti-intermodal groups such as Stop Intermodals/Save Our County say they have gone straight to the horse’s mouth. In recent dealings with major railroads, SISOC Co-Chair Ty Murray has learned many big railroads told the county two years ago they were not interested in coming to the area.
“This isn’t old news,” Murray told The Herald-Argus Sunday. “Its just now it finally came to the surface but railroads have told me they weren’t interested two years ago.”
And because of that, Murray is questioning why the public has been told that a facility could locate to the area.
“Why couldn’t we find this out sooner?” Murray asked. “These are just a lot of facts that haven’t been brought to the surface.”
Murray’s suspicion has also drawn the ire of Cooley, who has questioned the need to commission tax dollars to the intermodal task force if a proposal hasn’t been on the table.
“I’ve always said we should never invest until we have a proposal on the table,” Cooley said.
Cooley’s comments come two weeks after the La Porte County Commission allotted more than $5,000 for the task force, which includes a planned trip to Elwood, Ill., this week and the airfare and hotel for another member to attend a conference in California.
“Maybe the investors should pay us back,” Cooley said.
Cooley, however, still believes the information the county has received from the investors that is hopeful a facility could come to the county is good information.
“Everyone has been speculating,” Cooley said. “I am going to wait until the facts are on the table.”
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 27 2007, 11:55 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=7004&TM=46499.27
QUOTE
Intermodal Trip Plans Nixed
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - La Porte County Intermodal Task Force Chair Dave Christian and County Commission President Barbara Huston have postponed a planned Wednesday trip to Elwood, Ill.
News that two railroads are not pursuing an intermodal facility in La Porte County prompted a joint announcement that the bus trip to the intermodal at the former Joliet Arsenal will not be scheduled until "a concrete proposal is in front of us."
"There's no sense in sending people over if we don't have a commitment," said Huston, who attended the County Council meeting Monday evening. "We're not disbanding the Task Force. It will continue to meet."
Huston said the postponed trip does not mean that no proposal is expected. But until there is one, she does not want to spend more public tax dollars. Huston said she has no idea whether a proposal is in the works and that Matt Reardon, director of county economic development, is the only person authorized to have initial discussions with developers before a proposal is presented to the Task Force.
According to Christian, a national Real Estate Investment Trust is continuing to investigate traffic patterns, environmental and economic impacts and land use as part of deciding whether to develop a multimodal facility in La Porte County. Cressy & Everett, the Mishawaka real estate development and management firm, is representing the REIT and previously acquired land purchase options in the Union Mills area.
County Council President Jerry Cooley objected to a comment by Ty Murray of SISOC that county officials signed confidentiality agreements out of greed. He said Cressy & Everett has talked about a $500 million to $1.5 billion facility that could have a major economic impact on the county and was well worth considering even if secrecy agreements were required.
County commissioner Mike Bohacek, also at the council meeting Monday, said a multimodal facility is much larger than an intermodal that handles international and domestic train containers. Multimodals require at least 3,000 acres to accommodate warehouses, trucks and distribution warehouses as well as railcars.
"It's always a private company looking to do it," Bohacek said about multimodal developments.
Bohacek added that the 3,000-plus acre CenterPoint Intermodal Center at Elwood is the third largest in the world and is already considered too small
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - La Porte County Intermodal Task Force Chair Dave Christian and County Commission President Barbara Huston have postponed a planned Wednesday trip to Elwood, Ill.
News that two railroads are not pursuing an intermodal facility in La Porte County prompted a joint announcement that the bus trip to the intermodal at the former Joliet Arsenal will not be scheduled until "a concrete proposal is in front of us."
"There's no sense in sending people over if we don't have a commitment," said Huston, who attended the County Council meeting Monday evening. "We're not disbanding the Task Force. It will continue to meet."
Huston said the postponed trip does not mean that no proposal is expected. But until there is one, she does not want to spend more public tax dollars. Huston said she has no idea whether a proposal is in the works and that Matt Reardon, director of county economic development, is the only person authorized to have initial discussions with developers before a proposal is presented to the Task Force.
According to Christian, a national Real Estate Investment Trust is continuing to investigate traffic patterns, environmental and economic impacts and land use as part of deciding whether to develop a multimodal facility in La Porte County. Cressy & Everett, the Mishawaka real estate development and management firm, is representing the REIT and previously acquired land purchase options in the Union Mills area.
County Council President Jerry Cooley objected to a comment by Ty Murray of SISOC that county officials signed confidentiality agreements out of greed. He said Cressy & Everett has talked about a $500 million to $1.5 billion facility that could have a major economic impact on the county and was well worth considering even if secrecy agreements were required.
County commissioner Mike Bohacek, also at the council meeting Monday, said a multimodal facility is much larger than an intermodal that handles international and domestic train containers. Multimodals require at least 3,000 acres to accommodate warehouses, trucks and distribution warehouses as well as railcars.
"It's always a private company looking to do it," Bohacek said about multimodal developments.
Bohacek added that the 3,000-plus acre CenterPoint Intermodal Center at Elwood is the third largest in the world and is already considered too small
Posted by: JHeath Nov 27 2007, 12:42 PM
So much for that budget for the study committee... 
Posted by: Ang Nov 27 2007, 12:46 PM
What do you suppose they'll do with the money?
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 27 2007, 01:16 PM
keep in mind that Bohacek is the guy who ran his squeeze for the town council in Michiana and even tried to vote twice. I do not trust him at all.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 28 2007, 01:43 PM
1600 jobs was the lowest number I have heard thus far in reference to the intermodal.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=7023&TM=53098.29
QUOTE
1,600 Intermodal Jobs Will Never Be
A local activist says CSX is no longer an intermodal prospect. "I believe our fight with CSX is definitely over," SISCO co-chair Ty Murray said.
Since you are taking credit for no intermodal in La Porte County, I hope you also are taking credit for the 1,600 jobs that went along with the intermodal. Yes, you just cost La Porte County 1,600 jobs - but your answer probably is "that's not my concern."
Maybe you and your group can move 1,600 La Porte County unemployed to Baltimore, Ohio, lock, stock and barrel. Ohio will not send the jobs to Michigan.
Maybe in 20 years you can have all the answers while La Porte County is growing by approximately 40,000 people. I know your reply is "It's not my problem" or "I won't be here anyway."
If 1,600 people make $20,000 each, you just cost this area $32 million a year. Maybe you and others someday soon will ask how did that happen. You know how it happened.
What will you and your group do about the other article in the news, "Shots fired at houses in Westville and Wanatah"? I know. "That's not my problem."
It seems that we hear about how La Porte and La Porte County needs jobs, industry, growth, and how students go to college but do not return to La Porte County after graduation because of a lack of jobs.
Guess what approximately 21 people just did in La Porte last month. They shot down 1,600 jobs for the La Porte area. Quoting Mr. Robert Williams in the Nov. 21 Herald-Argus, "We are going to miss out on a lot of jobs. I have a job, so for me it isn't as big of a deal." Say good-bye to $32 million each year.
Democratic candidate for governor Jim Schellinger said "Indiana can do better by creating jobs for Hoosiers, currently 49th in the nation. The state needs to make drastic improvements across all boards." This was in the Herald-Argus the same day the headline said "No intermodal." Maybe this is why Indiana is 49th in job gains.
Tom Teter
La Porte
A local activist says CSX is no longer an intermodal prospect. "I believe our fight with CSX is definitely over," SISCO co-chair Ty Murray said.
Since you are taking credit for no intermodal in La Porte County, I hope you also are taking credit for the 1,600 jobs that went along with the intermodal. Yes, you just cost La Porte County 1,600 jobs - but your answer probably is "that's not my concern."
Maybe you and your group can move 1,600 La Porte County unemployed to Baltimore, Ohio, lock, stock and barrel. Ohio will not send the jobs to Michigan.
Maybe in 20 years you can have all the answers while La Porte County is growing by approximately 40,000 people. I know your reply is "It's not my problem" or "I won't be here anyway."
If 1,600 people make $20,000 each, you just cost this area $32 million a year. Maybe you and others someday soon will ask how did that happen. You know how it happened.
What will you and your group do about the other article in the news, "Shots fired at houses in Westville and Wanatah"? I know. "That's not my problem."
It seems that we hear about how La Porte and La Porte County needs jobs, industry, growth, and how students go to college but do not return to La Porte County after graduation because of a lack of jobs.
Guess what approximately 21 people just did in La Porte last month. They shot down 1,600 jobs for the La Porte area. Quoting Mr. Robert Williams in the Nov. 21 Herald-Argus, "We are going to miss out on a lot of jobs. I have a job, so for me it isn't as big of a deal." Say good-bye to $32 million each year.
Democratic candidate for governor Jim Schellinger said "Indiana can do better by creating jobs for Hoosiers, currently 49th in the nation. The state needs to make drastic improvements across all boards." This was in the Herald-Argus the same day the headline said "No intermodal." Maybe this is why Indiana is 49th in job gains.
Tom Teter
La Porte
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 29 2007, 01:05 PM
It is like the soon-to-be-former mayor of La Porte said, "There is no actual plan" to discuss. Sixteen hundred jobs is just a number pulled out of the air if there was no actual plan.
Posted by: lovethiscity Nov 29 2007, 07:53 PM
QUOTE(Ang @ Nov 27 2007, 12:46 PM)
What do you suppose they'll do with the money?
Maybe they will use it to lay the foundation needed, to attract the high tech industry jobs our civic leaders say we need to attract. These same folks that told us manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past, being done far cheeper in third world nations. The same folks that told us we would only get an INTERMODAL facility if we invested a gazillion dollars in an RDA. The number of jobs was put at 12,000 by Morris when he was looking to give up the cash. So, yes maybe now they will start doing what others are doing to attract high tech jobs. Things like infrastructure in high speed communications, getting rid of the school systems that are not only failing our kids but killing any chance of an educated workforce.
Or then again maybe they will just blow it.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 30 2007, 07:00 AM
QUOTE(lovethiscity @ Nov 29 2007, 07:53 PM)
Maybe they will use it to lay the foundation needed, to attract the high tech industry jobs our civic leaders say we need to attract. These same folks that told us manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past, being done far cheeper in third world nations. The same folks that told us we would only get an INTERMODAL facility if we invested a gazillion dollars in an RDA. The number of jobs was put at 12,000 by Morris when he was looking to give up the cash. So, yes maybe now they will start doing what others are doing to attract high tech jobs. Things like infrastructure in high speed communications, getting rid of the school systems that are not only failing our kids but killing any chance of an educated workforce.
Or then again maybe they will just blow it.
Based on history, I am going to go with B. on that one
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Nov 30 2007, 09:13 AM
It is because the same crowd is in charge of the process. They need to be changed.
Posted by: Ang Nov 30 2007, 09:34 AM
Well, the majority of voters are apathetic, so I don't see any changes coming down the pike in the near or not too distant future.
Posted by: JHeath Nov 30 2007, 09:43 AM
It won't change for at least 4 more years. Even then, the candidates who choose to run had better be strong, well-organized, and have deep pockets.
Just my opinion though...
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 4 2007, 08:43 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=7130&TM=34555.37
QUOTE
Intermodals Need Trained Employees
I wish to add to Mr. Teter's letter Wednesday ["1,600 intermodal jobs will never be"]. I spent my last 10 working years traveling to intermodals to inspect the cars that haul highway trailers. I have visited yards from coast to coast and Canada to Mexico.
To start, Intermodal Yards operate 24/7, 365 days a year.
Intermodal Yards are owned and operated by railroads, not by the Port of Indiana.
All trains require an inspection before they leave the yard.
All inspectors must be certified by the railroads.
The loading/unloading equipment is very large and needs trained drivers to operate.
The crew that spots the trailers has to able to operate in a small area.
You can see that three diverse crews are needed each shift for a total of nine shifts per day.
I think we can at least double Mr. Teter's guess for salaries and in some case triple.
By the way, I designed all types of rail cars for 40 years before inspecting.
Bill Harris
Michigan City
I wish to add to Mr. Teter's letter Wednesday ["1,600 intermodal jobs will never be"]. I spent my last 10 working years traveling to intermodals to inspect the cars that haul highway trailers. I have visited yards from coast to coast and Canada to Mexico.
To start, Intermodal Yards operate 24/7, 365 days a year.
Intermodal Yards are owned and operated by railroads, not by the Port of Indiana.
All trains require an inspection before they leave the yard.
All inspectors must be certified by the railroads.
The loading/unloading equipment is very large and needs trained drivers to operate.
The crew that spots the trailers has to able to operate in a small area.
You can see that three diverse crews are needed each shift for a total of nine shifts per day.
I think we can at least double Mr. Teter's guess for salaries and in some case triple.
By the way, I designed all types of rail cars for 40 years before inspecting.
Bill Harris
Michigan City
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 4 2007, 09:24 AM
EDIT: I got an email from Dave Hawk today, and this reply is actually going to appear as an Anvil Chorus letter, I am guessing in tomorrows edition of the ND.
Its ironic to hear Blair Purcell repeatedly cry about the loss of farm land and the damage to the enviornment, but turn around and advocate wind farms in the same letter. These wind farms have been shotdown in many places all around the country, including by the jetset Cape Cod'ers (led by Ted Kennedy himself) because of the danger to wild life, taking up idealic settings, and the loss of land. To me, that sounds exactly like what Mr Purcell is against here. I also hate to inform him that his idealic statements about manufacturing these technologies being immune to exportation is also wrong. Anything that can be manufactured, can be manufactured cheaper in a third world country. Just because the final product is green, doesn't somehow make it immune to economic conditions.
The quotes about sectors of our population in economic freefall are also hypocrisy at its finest. Its not just a racial thing. Its a socio-economic thing. Besides being a multi-generational failure of our political leaders to diversify our workbase, and to improve our educational system to adjust to changing times, a large chunk of the failure of LaPorte County economically belongs on groups like SISOC who pursue their own agendas at the expense of the greater good. In this instance it isn't hard to read between the lines to figure out that local opposition to this isn't worth the railroads time and effort to fight, when they can move into another community who is willing to embrace the industrial and manufacturing jobs they are willing to literally give them, as a God send, instead of a threat. Its painful to say this, but Governor Mitch Daniels has been proven prophetic when he told the entire state of Indiana that LaPorte County is unfriendly to business. This is just another example of it. This backward mentality against growth is the reason that that so many people either leave the area, or commute long distances to obtain gainful employment.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=118&ArticleID=7126&TM=36354.18
QUOTE
County Can Find Better Ideas Than Intermodal
Blair Purcell
Tom Teter seems to hold Ty Murray responsible for decisions reached by CSX and Canadian National railroads, decisions reached at least two years ago ["1,600 intermodal jobs will neer be," Wednesday]. SISOC (Stop Intermodal, Save Our County) came into existence just last summer, not 2005. So, the fact is, Murray did not cost La Porte County 1,600 jobs. All he did was ask the two railroads whether they were actually interested. He was the first in our county to obtain definitive answers.
Perhaps confidentiality agreements between county officials and the purported developers prevented the officials from making the same phone calls, but someone missed an opportunity to avoid the angst so apparent in Teter's comments blaming Murray for decisions reached by the railroads so long ago.
And if Teter believes that 1,600 unemployed people from La Porte County would be hired to fill those hypothetical jobs, I will tell you that if one of those intermodals had been built, less than half that number would have been hired locally.
Teter goes on to say that 21 people "shot down" 1,600 jobs in the county. The only group of 21 people of which I am aware is the La Porte County Intermodal Advisory Task Force. If he means them, I believe he is sadly misinformed. Their composition (made up of volunteers living in the county) is predominantly pro-intermodal. Should a proposal suddenly appear before the county in January, this is the group that will study the issues and advise the decision makers on the pros and cons of building an intermodal.
Personally, I believe the Task Force was created to provide political cover for those who ultimately make the decisions. They will be able to point to the advice of the Task Force as the reason for their acceptance of any such intermodal proposal.
Let me give our county development commissions two solid ideas:
1. Labor and the Green Jobs of the Future: 30,000 jobs nationwide, http://tinyurl.com/2recdy. This is an excerpt:
"(Tom) Friedman writes: "It's about jobs. The more government requires buildings to be more energy efficient, the more work there will be retrofitting buildings all across America with solar panels, insulation and other weatherizing materials. Those are manual-labor jobs that can't be outsourced."
According to Van Jones, one of the leaders of the campaign: "You can't take a building you want to weatherize, put it on a ship to China and then have them do it and send it back ... So we are going to have to put people to work in this country - weatherizing millions of buildings, putting up solar panels, constructing wind farms. Those green-collar jobs can provide a pathway out of poverty for someone who has not gone to college ... [A] big chunk of the African-American community is economically stranded. The blue-collar, stepping-stone, manufacturing jobs are leaving. And they're not being replaced by anything. So you have this whole generation of young blacks who are basically in economic free fall."
2. Blue Green Action Alliance - 1.133 jobs for La Porte County, 39.000 for Indiana, http://tinyurl.com/368ohb. The Steelworkers and the Sierra Club - what a winning combination! Another quote:
"The report shows more than 25,000 Hoosier jobs would come from manufacturing wind turbines and close to 7,500 from solar panel manufacturing. In La Porte County alone, as many as 1,133 jobs could be created."
Instead of lamenting the loss of 1,600 jobs that would require the sacrifice of as many as 20,000 acres of Indiana farmland (including the Illiana Toll Road) and the loss of homes and sense of community, these two ideas ALONE could help solve unemployment problems here.
Think of the tax abatements and income tax deductions and government grants that will be available to those who really think Green over the next 50 years. Buyers and potential manufacturers of insulating services, wind turbines, solar panels, etc. are here in Indiana right now. These can be home grown industries, not exclusively reliant on out-of-state or out-of-country investors. They are jobs that can't be exported. These two ideas are on the table NOW. Redevelopment commissions take note.
Take advantage of these opportunities and we will be forever glad the railroads turned us down.
And, if La Porte County remains Green (in all senses), more people will want to come here because it is such a great place to live and raise our children.
Blair Purcell of La Porte is active with Stop Intermodal, Save Our County.
Blair Purcell
Tom Teter seems to hold Ty Murray responsible for decisions reached by CSX and Canadian National railroads, decisions reached at least two years ago ["1,600 intermodal jobs will neer be," Wednesday]. SISOC (Stop Intermodal, Save Our County) came into existence just last summer, not 2005. So, the fact is, Murray did not cost La Porte County 1,600 jobs. All he did was ask the two railroads whether they were actually interested. He was the first in our county to obtain definitive answers.
Perhaps confidentiality agreements between county officials and the purported developers prevented the officials from making the same phone calls, but someone missed an opportunity to avoid the angst so apparent in Teter's comments blaming Murray for decisions reached by the railroads so long ago.
And if Teter believes that 1,600 unemployed people from La Porte County would be hired to fill those hypothetical jobs, I will tell you that if one of those intermodals had been built, less than half that number would have been hired locally.
Teter goes on to say that 21 people "shot down" 1,600 jobs in the county. The only group of 21 people of which I am aware is the La Porte County Intermodal Advisory Task Force. If he means them, I believe he is sadly misinformed. Their composition (made up of volunteers living in the county) is predominantly pro-intermodal. Should a proposal suddenly appear before the county in January, this is the group that will study the issues and advise the decision makers on the pros and cons of building an intermodal.
Personally, I believe the Task Force was created to provide political cover for those who ultimately make the decisions. They will be able to point to the advice of the Task Force as the reason for their acceptance of any such intermodal proposal.
Let me give our county development commissions two solid ideas:
1. Labor and the Green Jobs of the Future: 30,000 jobs nationwide, http://tinyurl.com/2recdy. This is an excerpt:
"(Tom) Friedman writes: "It's about jobs. The more government requires buildings to be more energy efficient, the more work there will be retrofitting buildings all across America with solar panels, insulation and other weatherizing materials. Those are manual-labor jobs that can't be outsourced."
According to Van Jones, one of the leaders of the campaign: "You can't take a building you want to weatherize, put it on a ship to China and then have them do it and send it back ... So we are going to have to put people to work in this country - weatherizing millions of buildings, putting up solar panels, constructing wind farms. Those green-collar jobs can provide a pathway out of poverty for someone who has not gone to college ... [A] big chunk of the African-American community is economically stranded. The blue-collar, stepping-stone, manufacturing jobs are leaving. And they're not being replaced by anything. So you have this whole generation of young blacks who are basically in economic free fall."
2. Blue Green Action Alliance - 1.133 jobs for La Porte County, 39.000 for Indiana, http://tinyurl.com/368ohb. The Steelworkers and the Sierra Club - what a winning combination! Another quote:
"The report shows more than 25,000 Hoosier jobs would come from manufacturing wind turbines and close to 7,500 from solar panel manufacturing. In La Porte County alone, as many as 1,133 jobs could be created."
Instead of lamenting the loss of 1,600 jobs that would require the sacrifice of as many as 20,000 acres of Indiana farmland (including the Illiana Toll Road) and the loss of homes and sense of community, these two ideas ALONE could help solve unemployment problems here.
Think of the tax abatements and income tax deductions and government grants that will be available to those who really think Green over the next 50 years. Buyers and potential manufacturers of insulating services, wind turbines, solar panels, etc. are here in Indiana right now. These can be home grown industries, not exclusively reliant on out-of-state or out-of-country investors. They are jobs that can't be exported. These two ideas are on the table NOW. Redevelopment commissions take note.
Take advantage of these opportunities and we will be forever glad the railroads turned us down.
And, if La Porte County remains Green (in all senses), more people will want to come here because it is such a great place to live and raise our children.
Blair Purcell of La Porte is active with Stop Intermodal, Save Our County.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Dec 5 2007, 09:44 AM
Excellent letter in ND, SouthSider! Except I cannot stomach any good word re the Gov.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 5 2007, 11:12 AM
QUOTE
County Can Find Better Ideas Than Intermodal
Responding to Mr. Gresham, I must point out that I have no affiliation with Ted Kennedy, Cape Cod or any other jet setters (that I know of). Placement of wind farms is not my area of expertise nor can I speak for others but I can assure him that I, personally, would far prefer seeing a wind farm situated in the countryside than an intermodal facility. I won't take responsibility for how Ted Kennedy reacts to a similar proposal nearly a thousand miles distance from here. Mr. Gresham goes on to say that wind power equipment can be manufactured anywhere outside the US for less than it will cost to make the same goods here. The fact is we ARE manufacturing the same goods here - apparently competitively - in La Porte. ATI Casting Service manufactures turbines for GE. If there is an opportunity to add 1133 jobs (a surprisingly precise figure) in La Porte County, then I felt it my obligation to point out to the county development groups an idea that they may have overlooked while scrambling to promote an intermodal facility or two that the railroads simply didn’t want. I emailed each of them last week with the same information published above. My link to the article about the 30,000 green jobs included comments from one of the leaders of the campaign, indicating young blacks might profit from the establishment of a "Green for All" campaign in which $125 million would be allocated to train 30,000 young people a year in green trades. I never intended to introduce race as an issue but as a part of a pattern of needed solutions. Plus, I didn’t broach the subject; Van Jones (who is black) did so. And his remarks certainly didn’t bother me. They needed to be said. Michael and I would agree on his remarks about “multi-generational failure of our political leaders to diversify our workbase, and to improve our educational system”. We both know that is what was – we now need to deal with what is. My two ideas were simply a layman’s effort to bring two ideas to those who do have expertise. Like Mr. Teter, Mr. Gresham then goes on to blame SISOC and other (unnamed) groups who pursue agendas at the expense of the greater good. I will simply ask him to answer the following questions: • Do you understand the health risks of intermodal rail yards and their associated warehouses and diesel truck transportation? • Do you understand that any intermodal facility will increase cancer rates for those living nearby? • Do you understand that the diesel exhaust from intermodal locomotives and truck traffic to warehouses will trigger asthma attacks in children? • Do you understand that intermodal rail yards increase death rates of those living nearby? • Do you think that you can trust developers to protect the health of the citizens of La Porte County? • Do you truly comprehend the traffic congestion and other impacts of a large intermodal facility? I must admit I don’t know the definitive answers to all these questions but I do know that I have personally done as much as I can to educate myself up to and including (thanks to SISOC) participation in the recent Trade, Health and Environment Impact Project Conference in Carson, California (11/30 – 12/1). This is the meeting to which our county failed to send a fully qualified delegate for lack of $700.00. The pro-intermodal forces represented by Mr. Gresham asked us and others for alternatives to the rail yards. I found two ideas representing over a thousand jobs that might have been overlooked by others and shared them. I am called a hypocrite. I ask Mr. Gresham if he is willing to live next door to an intermodal warehouse facility?
Responding to Mr. Gresham, I must point out that I have no affiliation with Ted Kennedy, Cape Cod or any other jet setters (that I know of). Placement of wind farms is not my area of expertise nor can I speak for others but I can assure him that I, personally, would far prefer seeing a wind farm situated in the countryside than an intermodal facility. I won't take responsibility for how Ted Kennedy reacts to a similar proposal nearly a thousand miles distance from here. Mr. Gresham goes on to say that wind power equipment can be manufactured anywhere outside the US for less than it will cost to make the same goods here. The fact is we ARE manufacturing the same goods here - apparently competitively - in La Porte. ATI Casting Service manufactures turbines for GE. If there is an opportunity to add 1133 jobs (a surprisingly precise figure) in La Porte County, then I felt it my obligation to point out to the county development groups an idea that they may have overlooked while scrambling to promote an intermodal facility or two that the railroads simply didn’t want. I emailed each of them last week with the same information published above. My link to the article about the 30,000 green jobs included comments from one of the leaders of the campaign, indicating young blacks might profit from the establishment of a "Green for All" campaign in which $125 million would be allocated to train 30,000 young people a year in green trades. I never intended to introduce race as an issue but as a part of a pattern of needed solutions. Plus, I didn’t broach the subject; Van Jones (who is black) did so. And his remarks certainly didn’t bother me. They needed to be said. Michael and I would agree on his remarks about “multi-generational failure of our political leaders to diversify our workbase, and to improve our educational system”. We both know that is what was – we now need to deal with what is. My two ideas were simply a layman’s effort to bring two ideas to those who do have expertise. Like Mr. Teter, Mr. Gresham then goes on to blame SISOC and other (unnamed) groups who pursue agendas at the expense of the greater good. I will simply ask him to answer the following questions: • Do you understand the health risks of intermodal rail yards and their associated warehouses and diesel truck transportation? • Do you understand that any intermodal facility will increase cancer rates for those living nearby? • Do you understand that the diesel exhaust from intermodal locomotives and truck traffic to warehouses will trigger asthma attacks in children? • Do you understand that intermodal rail yards increase death rates of those living nearby? • Do you think that you can trust developers to protect the health of the citizens of La Porte County? • Do you truly comprehend the traffic congestion and other impacts of a large intermodal facility? I must admit I don’t know the definitive answers to all these questions but I do know that I have personally done as much as I can to educate myself up to and including (thanks to SISOC) participation in the recent Trade, Health and Environment Impact Project Conference in Carson, California (11/30 – 12/1). This is the meeting to which our county failed to send a fully qualified delegate for lack of $700.00. The pro-intermodal forces represented by Mr. Gresham asked us and others for alternatives to the rail yards. I found two ideas representing over a thousand jobs that might have been overlooked by others and shared them. I am called a hypocrite. I ask Mr. Gresham if he is willing to live next door to an intermodal warehouse facility?
QUOTE
Mr Purcell, I for one am proud of the industrial and manufacturing history of Michigan City, LaPorte County, and of Northwestern Indiana. This is our history. People in our part of the country have always worked for a living. My family history is full of people who have worked in these very facilities that make the steel for the house you live in, the car you drive, and the products you buy. I don't hide from that. I have lived my entire life around manufacturing and industry. It has put food on the table for both my family and my wives family, so no, I am not afraid of all of the scare tactics of the SISOC.
My whole point on the advocation of the green technologies is that many of the same problems your organization is trying to scare away gainful employment with, are fraught with the same uninteded consequences you are telling us about from the Intermodal. There are risks and dangers in everything we do, but there are also consequences. Chasing away the largest potential employer in LaPorte County since Barker Haskill opened up shop means that we will probably never experince the growth necesary to break the poverty cycle in our county.
We currently sit on the infamous list of the 200 poorest counties in the entire United States, and it isn't just by happenstance. I wonder if Mr. Purcell truely understands what that means. To me it means that we desparately need jobs. It also makes sense to me that the jobs we bring in should fit the exsisting labor pool, and the industrial/manufacturing jobs that the Intermodal promised, would have required the least amout of retraining for our current labor pool. To me it makes sense to be able to put as many people to work, as quickly as possible, doing what they know how to do. My first priority is to break the cycle of poverty in my hometown. I feel as many people as possible deserve to be able to work and a few vocal critics should not stop them from doing so.
My whole point on the advocation of the green technologies is that many of the same problems your organization is trying to scare away gainful employment with, are fraught with the same uninteded consequences you are telling us about from the Intermodal. There are risks and dangers in everything we do, but there are also consequences. Chasing away the largest potential employer in LaPorte County since Barker Haskill opened up shop means that we will probably never experince the growth necesary to break the poverty cycle in our county.
We currently sit on the infamous list of the 200 poorest counties in the entire United States, and it isn't just by happenstance. I wonder if Mr. Purcell truely understands what that means. To me it means that we desparately need jobs. It also makes sense to me that the jobs we bring in should fit the exsisting labor pool, and the industrial/manufacturing jobs that the Intermodal promised, would have required the least amout of retraining for our current labor pool. To me it makes sense to be able to put as many people to work, as quickly as possible, doing what they know how to do. My first priority is to break the cycle of poverty in my hometown. I feel as many people as possible deserve to be able to work and a few vocal critics should not stop them from doing so.
Posted by: Ang Dec 5 2007, 11:29 AM
SS'der, Who wrote the second piece in your post?
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 5 2007, 11:36 AM
Sorry, that is my reply, to his reply, to my reply, to his orginal letter.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 5 2007, 11:52 AM
There is a little glimmer of hope...
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=7302
QUOTE
SISOC: New Developer Looks AtIntermodal
Organization hopes to learn of ‘intentions.’
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Officials of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County said Tuesday that First Industrial Realty Trust of Chicago is the developer exploring the possibility of a La Porte County intermodal facility.
First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. leases, develops, buys, sells and manages industrial facilities in the nation's top 25 industrial markets, according to its Web site.
One is the development of First Park Kenosha, a 169-acre business park in the Chicago and Milwaukee markets. The park's first occupant will be Rust-Oleum, which will operate a 600,000-square-foot distribution center
In a statement, SISOC said the public should know the name of the possible intermodal developer because it's one more piece of a puzzle.
"SISOC had hoped that the developer would be more forthcoming in making themselves and their intentions known to the community," the organization said in the statement.
"It is hoped that they will now declare their full intentions and thereby bring an end to the stress of not knowing experienced by members of the community potentially affected by such a development."
Matt Reardon, director of economic development for La Porte County, said he had no direct information about a specific developer and speculated Cressy & Everett of Mishawaka, Ind., has been talking to a number of developers.
County Commission president Barbara Huston said she had heard from Cressy & Everett that First Industrial Realty Trust was interested but has no additional information.
Dave Christian, co-chair of the county's 21-member Intermodal Task Force created to study any intermodal proposals, could not be reached for comment.
A Nov. 26 joint statement issued by Christian and Huston indicated a Real Estate Investment Trust "with national and global reach" was continuing to ponder an intermodal for La Porte County.
Christian and others have said a proposal could come by January, but until one is received, the task force will not spend any public funds.
The task force decided not to send a representative to a conference in California on health and environmental impacts on communities of trade, ports and movement of goods. SISOC will have a member there and will share information with the Intermodal Task Force as well as its own members.
SISOC was formed in August as an effort to oppose a transportation and distribution hub that residents fear would threaten their quality of life.
Organization hopes to learn of ‘intentions.’
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Officials of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County said Tuesday that First Industrial Realty Trust of Chicago is the developer exploring the possibility of a La Porte County intermodal facility.
First Industrial Realty Trust Inc. leases, develops, buys, sells and manages industrial facilities in the nation's top 25 industrial markets, according to its Web site.
One is the development of First Park Kenosha, a 169-acre business park in the Chicago and Milwaukee markets. The park's first occupant will be Rust-Oleum, which will operate a 600,000-square-foot distribution center
In a statement, SISOC said the public should know the name of the possible intermodal developer because it's one more piece of a puzzle.
"SISOC had hoped that the developer would be more forthcoming in making themselves and their intentions known to the community," the organization said in the statement.
"It is hoped that they will now declare their full intentions and thereby bring an end to the stress of not knowing experienced by members of the community potentially affected by such a development."
Matt Reardon, director of economic development for La Porte County, said he had no direct information about a specific developer and speculated Cressy & Everett of Mishawaka, Ind., has been talking to a number of developers.
County Commission president Barbara Huston said she had heard from Cressy & Everett that First Industrial Realty Trust was interested but has no additional information.
Dave Christian, co-chair of the county's 21-member Intermodal Task Force created to study any intermodal proposals, could not be reached for comment.
A Nov. 26 joint statement issued by Christian and Huston indicated a Real Estate Investment Trust "with national and global reach" was continuing to ponder an intermodal for La Porte County.
Christian and others have said a proposal could come by January, but until one is received, the task force will not spend any public funds.
The task force decided not to send a representative to a conference in California on health and environmental impacts on communities of trade, ports and movement of goods. SISOC will have a member there and will share information with the Intermodal Task Force as well as its own members.
SISOC was formed in August as an effort to oppose a transportation and distribution hub that residents fear would threaten their quality of life.
Posted by: Ang Dec 5 2007, 12:10 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Dec 5 2007, 10:36 AM)
Sorry, that is my reply, to his reply, to my reply, to his orginal letter.
Very good reply.
The guy's an ass if you ask me.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 5 2007, 01:34 PM
When this first came up we exchanged messages in the old soundoff format and the guys started emailing me all of the sites he quotes in his posts and letters. It wasn't too bad at first, but once he got into borderline racist stuff about China and the like, I quit corresponding with him.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 7 2007, 11:36 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=7386&TM=45644.35
QUOTE
Expert: Midwest Resistant To Change
MICHIGAN CITY - A leading expert on large-scale regional-development strategies said Thursday that Northwest Indiana is poised for transformation because of its proximity to Chicago, one of three major markets in the country.
"This region is being remade as we sit here," Michael Gallis said. "We have multiple assets and can create a beautiful region that's economically strong."
Gallis, who formed the strategic planning and design firm Gallis & Associates in 1988, spoke to an audience at Michigan City High School Auditorium. His presentation was co-sponsored by Greater La Porte and Michigan City economic development corporations and the Northwest Indiana Forum.
Gallis centered his talk on the need for communities to plan where they are going and how to get there to compete in the 21st century. He said planning within county lines tends to be political rather than economic and is a restricted view of development.
"Markets are defined by population density, transportation networks and levels of income," Gallis said. He referred several times to the need for "long-range recognizance," meaning a detailed study of conditions in a broader geographic area.
From his experience working with groups across the country, Gallis has seen three basic attitudes toward economic development. One is to grow the existing economy, another is to attract growing industries and the third is to bring in business startups and technology-based industry.
"The Midwest attitude is how can we hang on to what already exists," Gallis said. He explains this resistance to change as a byproduct of several centuries of a stable economy from farming and manufacturing. Changing market conditions can be traumatic for those invested in the status quo.
"The real issue," he said, "is how do we adapt to change and embrace the future as full of optimism instead of fraught with threats?"
Gallis said twice as many freight and passenger systems will be needed to meet demand within 20 years, and three times as many during the next 50 years. He regards rail transportation as the best way to get trucks off the roads, since one rail line can haul hundreds of trucks.
Gallis said intermodal rail yards are more efficient and less polluting than transporting goods by truck or air.
"I hope we do more with rail networks in this country," he said.
Gallis was critical of a U.S. transportation system formed more than 300 years ago as a collection of separate, fragmented pieces that are both publicly and privately owned. He said transportation systems tend to react to problems, rather than acting strategically.
Since 1990, a new economy and geography have created "factory earth," a continuous global production unit made up of three large global trading blocs: North America, Europe and Asia. Looking at the NAFTA nations as one economic unit gives a different perspective on major market hubs and transportation lines that serve them.
"There's enormous growth in trade in North America with no strategy on how to deal with it," Gallis said. "Multiple initiatives are going on absent a national plan."
MICHIGAN CITY - A leading expert on large-scale regional-development strategies said Thursday that Northwest Indiana is poised for transformation because of its proximity to Chicago, one of three major markets in the country.
"This region is being remade as we sit here," Michael Gallis said. "We have multiple assets and can create a beautiful region that's economically strong."
Gallis, who formed the strategic planning and design firm Gallis & Associates in 1988, spoke to an audience at Michigan City High School Auditorium. His presentation was co-sponsored by Greater La Porte and Michigan City economic development corporations and the Northwest Indiana Forum.
Gallis centered his talk on the need for communities to plan where they are going and how to get there to compete in the 21st century. He said planning within county lines tends to be political rather than economic and is a restricted view of development.
"Markets are defined by population density, transportation networks and levels of income," Gallis said. He referred several times to the need for "long-range recognizance," meaning a detailed study of conditions in a broader geographic area.
From his experience working with groups across the country, Gallis has seen three basic attitudes toward economic development. One is to grow the existing economy, another is to attract growing industries and the third is to bring in business startups and technology-based industry.
"The Midwest attitude is how can we hang on to what already exists," Gallis said. He explains this resistance to change as a byproduct of several centuries of a stable economy from farming and manufacturing. Changing market conditions can be traumatic for those invested in the status quo.
"The real issue," he said, "is how do we adapt to change and embrace the future as full of optimism instead of fraught with threats?"
Gallis said twice as many freight and passenger systems will be needed to meet demand within 20 years, and three times as many during the next 50 years. He regards rail transportation as the best way to get trucks off the roads, since one rail line can haul hundreds of trucks.
Gallis said intermodal rail yards are more efficient and less polluting than transporting goods by truck or air.
"I hope we do more with rail networks in this country," he said.
Gallis was critical of a U.S. transportation system formed more than 300 years ago as a collection of separate, fragmented pieces that are both publicly and privately owned. He said transportation systems tend to react to problems, rather than acting strategically.
Since 1990, a new economy and geography have created "factory earth," a continuous global production unit made up of three large global trading blocs: North America, Europe and Asia. Looking at the NAFTA nations as one economic unit gives a different perspective on major market hubs and transportation lines that serve them.
"There's enormous growth in trade in North America with no strategy on how to deal with it," Gallis said. "Multiple initiatives are going on absent a national plan."
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Dec 7 2007, 01:02 PM
Just about ALL of our City and County leadership is completely INADEQUATE to deal with the issues raised by his talk. We MUST turn them out of office AS SOON AS WE CAN.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Dec 7 2007, 02:18 PM
http://www.post-trib.com/news/684018,speech.article
QUOTE
Expert enters intermodal fray tonight
December 6, 2007
By Erik Potter Post-Tribune staff writer
Stepping into the intermodal debate in LaPorte County tonight will be a national expert in economic development.
The Northwest Indiana Forum will be hosting a free educational event at the Michigan City High School on "responding to change in the global logistics marketplace."
Development expert Michael Gallis will speak about Indiana's, and LaPorte County's, place in the global supply chain, including the use of intermodal facilities and other distribution hubs. He will also take audience questions afterward.
At a two-day logistics summit in Indianapolis in September, Gallis said Indiana had a "transportation crisis," criticizing the fragmented system of rails, roads and ports that lacks an intermodal facility to connect them.
The event is aimed at showing how people and business are connected by transportation, said Tim Gropp, executive director of the Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corporation, a co-sponsor of the event, in a written statement released to the press. "Without this understanding, any strategy or project will be nothing more than a shot in the dark," he said.
While the topic is geared toward city officials and developers, the public is invited. Groups opposed to intermodal development in LaPorte, including Stop Intermodal Save our County and No Illiana Toll Road, will be attending.
"I think anybody who's concerned -- pro or con -- on a proposed intermodal concept should be willing to get all the information they can possibly get," said SISOC co-chair Ty Murray. "There's just so many unanswered questions."
Gallis is the founder of Michael Gallis and Associates, winner of national design awards from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment for the Arts. He was also a member of a U.S. State Department-sponsored team that advised Poland on major metropolitan developments.
--------------------
If you go
Advance registration for the event is encouraged and will be accepted until 3 p.m.; visit www.nwiforum.org or call 763-6303. Walk-ins can register at the door. The program starts at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium; doors open at 5:30.
December 6, 2007
By Erik Potter Post-Tribune staff writer
Stepping into the intermodal debate in LaPorte County tonight will be a national expert in economic development.
The Northwest Indiana Forum will be hosting a free educational event at the Michigan City High School on "responding to change in the global logistics marketplace."
Development expert Michael Gallis will speak about Indiana's, and LaPorte County's, place in the global supply chain, including the use of intermodal facilities and other distribution hubs. He will also take audience questions afterward.
At a two-day logistics summit in Indianapolis in September, Gallis said Indiana had a "transportation crisis," criticizing the fragmented system of rails, roads and ports that lacks an intermodal facility to connect them.
The event is aimed at showing how people and business are connected by transportation, said Tim Gropp, executive director of the Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corporation, a co-sponsor of the event, in a written statement released to the press. "Without this understanding, any strategy or project will be nothing more than a shot in the dark," he said.
While the topic is geared toward city officials and developers, the public is invited. Groups opposed to intermodal development in LaPorte, including Stop Intermodal Save our County and No Illiana Toll Road, will be attending.
"I think anybody who's concerned -- pro or con -- on a proposed intermodal concept should be willing to get all the information they can possibly get," said SISOC co-chair Ty Murray. "There's just so many unanswered questions."
Gallis is the founder of Michael Gallis and Associates, winner of national design awards from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment for the Arts. He was also a member of a U.S. State Department-sponsored team that advised Poland on major metropolitan developments.
--------------------
If you go
Advance registration for the event is encouraged and will be accepted until 3 p.m.; visit www.nwiforum.org or call 763-6303. Walk-ins can register at the door. The program starts at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium; doors open at 5:30.
Posted by: Roger Kaputnik Dec 10 2007, 02:37 PM
Interesting talk. Any reactions from fellow MB'ers?
Posted by: JHeath Feb 21 2008, 11:00 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=2259&TM=43475.3
QUOTE
2/21/2008 9:41:00 AM
Mixed emotions for Elwood residents concerning intermodal
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
ELWOOD, ILL. - Mike Walsh has a hard time believing he is just feet from a gigantic logistics facility.
"It really doesn't bother me at all," Walsh told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday as he sat in the nearly empty Watson's Pub, close to the nearby CenterPoint Intermodal Center in this small village south of Chicago. "Sure you get a little more traffic, but it isn't too bad at all."
Walsh said the bright lights and noise that many feared would accompany the facility never materialized. In fact, he said, the facility has been good for the local economy.
"People come here and spend money," he said. "It really works out for business."
Because of proper planning, Walsh said, he rarely encounters the endless parade of semi trucks entering and exiting the facility.
For Watson's Pub owner Tom Watson, however, the intermodal has been both a blessing and a curse, depending on which side of the bar he is on.
"Business is good," he told The Herald-Argus, but all the truck traffic has "torn up the roads" surrounding tiny Elwood.
"There is a hell of a lot of trucks on (Ill. 53)," he said.
Having toured the CenterPoint intermodal facility previously, Michigan City Economic Development Corp. Executive Director John Regetz is aware of the pros and cons, but also cognizant of the bottom line - jobs.
"We are talking significant job creation," Regetz told The Herald-Argus.
Still, Regetz knows there is a downside to such a facility as well. That is why he and other county officials continue to investigate Elwood.
"I don't think the village of Elwood anticipated all the areas that come with something like this," he said. "That is why we are here to learn more about what we need to do."
Mixed emotions for Elwood residents concerning intermodal
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
ELWOOD, ILL. - Mike Walsh has a hard time believing he is just feet from a gigantic logistics facility.
"It really doesn't bother me at all," Walsh told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday as he sat in the nearly empty Watson's Pub, close to the nearby CenterPoint Intermodal Center in this small village south of Chicago. "Sure you get a little more traffic, but it isn't too bad at all."
Walsh said the bright lights and noise that many feared would accompany the facility never materialized. In fact, he said, the facility has been good for the local economy.
"People come here and spend money," he said. "It really works out for business."
Because of proper planning, Walsh said, he rarely encounters the endless parade of semi trucks entering and exiting the facility.
For Watson's Pub owner Tom Watson, however, the intermodal has been both a blessing and a curse, depending on which side of the bar he is on.
"Business is good," he told The Herald-Argus, but all the truck traffic has "torn up the roads" surrounding tiny Elwood.
"There is a hell of a lot of trucks on (Ill. 53)," he said.
Having toured the CenterPoint intermodal facility previously, Michigan City Economic Development Corp. Executive Director John Regetz is aware of the pros and cons, but also cognizant of the bottom line - jobs.
"We are talking significant job creation," Regetz told The Herald-Argus.
Still, Regetz knows there is a downside to such a facility as well. That is why he and other county officials continue to investigate Elwood.
"I don't think the village of Elwood anticipated all the areas that come with something like this," he said. "That is why we are here to learn more about what we need to do."
Posted by: JHeath Feb 21 2008, 11:02 AM
http://www.heraldargus.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=2257&TM=43475.3
QUOTE
2/21/2008 9:27:00 AM
Intermodal tour changes few minds
Some in Elwood OK with intermodal, A3.
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
ELWOOD, ILL. - They rode the same bus and toured the same sites, but those for and those against a proposed intermodal facility had entirely different perceptions Wednesday after touring CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill.
Those in favor of a rail intermodal facility in La Porte County came away feeling vindicated, and in some cases even more enthusiastic than when they arrived.
"Oh my God, I haven't seen a negative aspect yet," La Porte County Councilman Earl Cunningham told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday while touring the massive Wal-Mart warehouse at the facility. "Just look at the town, they have stuff that they otherwise couldn't afford. How can we be against that?"
Cunningham and La Porte County Economic Development Director Matt Reardon calculated the Wal-Mart distribution center in Elwood would provide $4.5 million in property taxes if it were located in La Porte County. That amount of money, according to Cunningham, would alleviate the tax burden on residents throughout the county.
But where Cunningham and others saw the positives of the expansive warehousing and logistics park, intermodal opponents saw the negatives.
Even as some members of the tour group, which included county officials and residents as well as members of the La Porte County Logistics Task Force, formerly the Intermodal Task Force, pointed to what appeared to be clean air and a noticeable lack of noise from the operation, others worried about things that couldn't be seen or heard.
"What about the pollution?" Blair Purcell, a member of the anti-intermodal group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County, said. "You can't see the pollution, but it is there."
Arguably the biggest division was between residents of Kingsford Heights and Union Mills.
At one end of the spectrum was Dennis Francis of Kingsford Heights, who envied the village of Elwood's sparkling new village hall along with the newly erected streetlights, amenities that became possible after CenterPoint moved into the tiny village south of Chicago.
Francis envisioned the same for his town.
"That could be us," Francis told The Herald-Argus. "Just look at the town. It is still a small town, it's not a dump and it is very clean. Anyone that is against this I would say needs to see an optometrist."
Fellow Kingsford Heights resident and town council member Jenna Blake agreed.
"If they are still against this, they weren't on the same trip," Blake told The Herald-Argus after touring the facility.
But as Kingsford Heights residents envisioned an intermodal facility benefiting their town, at least one Union Mills official was skeptical.
Noble Township Trustee Dave Scarborough expressed concern that an intermodal developer would be granted a tax abatement to locate in the county.
"That will cost us a loss in revenue," Scarborough told The Herald-Argus. "All we are getting is hypothetical situations. But in my opinion the hypothetical part stinks."
Both sides will have their say March 5, when the logistics task force next meets to discuss the trip. Members of SISOC will give a presentation at the meeting.
Intermodal tour changes few minds
Some in Elwood OK with intermodal, A3.
Donovan Estridge
1-866-362-2167 Ext. 13865
destridge@heraldargus.com
ELWOOD, ILL. - They rode the same bus and toured the same sites, but those for and those against a proposed intermodal facility had entirely different perceptions Wednesday after touring CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill.
Those in favor of a rail intermodal facility in La Porte County came away feeling vindicated, and in some cases even more enthusiastic than when they arrived.
"Oh my God, I haven't seen a negative aspect yet," La Porte County Councilman Earl Cunningham told The La Porte County Herald-Argus Wednesday while touring the massive Wal-Mart warehouse at the facility. "Just look at the town, they have stuff that they otherwise couldn't afford. How can we be against that?"
Cunningham and La Porte County Economic Development Director Matt Reardon calculated the Wal-Mart distribution center in Elwood would provide $4.5 million in property taxes if it were located in La Porte County. That amount of money, according to Cunningham, would alleviate the tax burden on residents throughout the county.
But where Cunningham and others saw the positives of the expansive warehousing and logistics park, intermodal opponents saw the negatives.
Even as some members of the tour group, which included county officials and residents as well as members of the La Porte County Logistics Task Force, formerly the Intermodal Task Force, pointed to what appeared to be clean air and a noticeable lack of noise from the operation, others worried about things that couldn't be seen or heard.
"What about the pollution?" Blair Purcell, a member of the anti-intermodal group Stop Intermodals/Save Our County, said. "You can't see the pollution, but it is there."
Arguably the biggest division was between residents of Kingsford Heights and Union Mills.
At one end of the spectrum was Dennis Francis of Kingsford Heights, who envied the village of Elwood's sparkling new village hall along with the newly erected streetlights, amenities that became possible after CenterPoint moved into the tiny village south of Chicago.
Francis envisioned the same for his town.
"That could be us," Francis told The Herald-Argus. "Just look at the town. It is still a small town, it's not a dump and it is very clean. Anyone that is against this I would say needs to see an optometrist."
Fellow Kingsford Heights resident and town council member Jenna Blake agreed.
"If they are still against this, they weren't on the same trip," Blake told The Herald-Argus after touring the facility.
But as Kingsford Heights residents envisioned an intermodal facility benefiting their town, at least one Union Mills official was skeptical.
Noble Township Trustee Dave Scarborough expressed concern that an intermodal developer would be granted a tax abatement to locate in the county.
"That will cost us a loss in revenue," Scarborough told The Herald-Argus. "All we are getting is hypothetical situations. But in my opinion the hypothetical part stinks."
Both sides will have their say March 5, when the logistics task force next meets to discuss the trip. Members of SISOC will give a presentation at the meeting.
Posted by: JHeath Feb 25 2008, 10:52 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10217&TM=42743.95
QUOTE
2/24/2008 11:00:00 AM
Most Officials Impressed With Ill. Intermodal
Tour of Elwood, Ill., focuses on benefits, while few complaints are heard from residents.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
ELWOOD, Ill. - How would the presence of a multimodal facility impact residents of La Porte County?
That question was on the mnd of those on a bus tour Wednesday of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill.
The tour was sponsored by the La Porte County Board of Commissioners for the county's Multimodal Task Force as well as local officials, residents and media.
Dave Christian, president of the county's task force, said Elwood town officials said smoke, noise and lights - elements critics say are part of an intermodal - were not a problem.
"We asked, 'If you had it to do all over again, would you?'" Christian said. "They didn't hesitate. They would do it in a heartbeat all over again."
Participants wanted to get opinions of residents and business owners in Elwood, a town of less than 2,000 that's home to a massive logistics center.
Media representatives were prevented from attending a discussion with Elwood Village Administrator Amy Engles and other town officials.
Matt Harper, owner of Shamrock Cartage based in Bolingbrook, Ill., said the intermodal has been good for business. He said he's doubled his work force and shaved time along with transport costs by being closer to the rail yard.
Ron Headrick has owned Raceway Pizza in the heart of Elwood for 10 years. Since the intermodal opened in 2002, he said lunch business has improved about 25 percent, with most of his customers coming from warehouses. But he has trouble keeping employees because they can get higher pay at CenterPoint.
Headrick called the new fire department and town hall buildings in Elwood "awesome," adding with a new housing development, there would be a population boom in the town.
"I believe they're trying to make it a higher class town," Headrick said.
Property values that once were $6,000 per acre are now $75,000 an acre. Headrick said "a lot of people were up in arms" when the development was announced. But, he said. the town did a good job of keeping traffic out and having developers put up large berms to limit views of the logistics center.
Headrick said the noise he hears comes from train traffic three or four times a day, calling it "nothing crazy major."
But Jody Warner, a member of the Multimodal Task Force and resident of the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant Neighborhood Association, was concerned about what she heard about traffic during the Elwood meeting.
"The thing that struck home to me is they said the traffic is all relative to what you're used to," Warner said. "They're all used to the Chicago traffic. In La Porte County, no one is used to that way of life. It's harder for our community to get used to it."
Pat Cicero, representing the La Porte County Sheriff's Association, called the intermodal "magnificent."
"I'm extremely pleased with the truck traffic and the fact that the CIC developed two large overpasses so vehicle and train traffic are not disrupted," Cicero said. "I'm impressed with the environmental aspects. I don't hear traffic or smell diesel. The opposition group mentioned roads were crumbling. Elwood officials said that's not the case. Based on the rumor mill, I thought it would be terrible."
Members of the Kingsford Heights Town Council are ready to start constructing a logistics center in La Porte County.
"I can't see anybody not wanting to bring jobs into La Porte County," Council President Evelyn Ballinger said.
Jeana Blake said town officials talked about preserving area farmland and shipping local farm production out of the CIC. Shewas excited about the employment possibilities and paying decent wages. Forklift operators in the Wal-Mart warehouse earned $13.50.
"Half the jobs in La Porte County don't start out at that level," Blake said.
Kingsford Heights Council Member Ed Ritter also was impressed.
"From what I've seen, I'm for it."
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Most Officials Impressed With Ill. Intermodal
Tour of Elwood, Ill., focuses on benefits, while few complaints are heard from residents.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
ELWOOD, Ill. - How would the presence of a multimodal facility impact residents of La Porte County?
That question was on the mnd of those on a bus tour Wednesday of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center in Elwood, Ill.
The tour was sponsored by the La Porte County Board of Commissioners for the county's Multimodal Task Force as well as local officials, residents and media.
Dave Christian, president of the county's task force, said Elwood town officials said smoke, noise and lights - elements critics say are part of an intermodal - were not a problem.
"We asked, 'If you had it to do all over again, would you?'" Christian said. "They didn't hesitate. They would do it in a heartbeat all over again."
Participants wanted to get opinions of residents and business owners in Elwood, a town of less than 2,000 that's home to a massive logistics center.
Media representatives were prevented from attending a discussion with Elwood Village Administrator Amy Engles and other town officials.
Matt Harper, owner of Shamrock Cartage based in Bolingbrook, Ill., said the intermodal has been good for business. He said he's doubled his work force and shaved time along with transport costs by being closer to the rail yard.
Ron Headrick has owned Raceway Pizza in the heart of Elwood for 10 years. Since the intermodal opened in 2002, he said lunch business has improved about 25 percent, with most of his customers coming from warehouses. But he has trouble keeping employees because they can get higher pay at CenterPoint.
Headrick called the new fire department and town hall buildings in Elwood "awesome," adding with a new housing development, there would be a population boom in the town.
"I believe they're trying to make it a higher class town," Headrick said.
Property values that once were $6,000 per acre are now $75,000 an acre. Headrick said "a lot of people were up in arms" when the development was announced. But, he said. the town did a good job of keeping traffic out and having developers put up large berms to limit views of the logistics center.
Headrick said the noise he hears comes from train traffic three or four times a day, calling it "nothing crazy major."
But Jody Warner, a member of the Multimodal Task Force and resident of the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant Neighborhood Association, was concerned about what she heard about traffic during the Elwood meeting.
"The thing that struck home to me is they said the traffic is all relative to what you're used to," Warner said. "They're all used to the Chicago traffic. In La Porte County, no one is used to that way of life. It's harder for our community to get used to it."
Pat Cicero, representing the La Porte County Sheriff's Association, called the intermodal "magnificent."
"I'm extremely pleased with the truck traffic and the fact that the CIC developed two large overpasses so vehicle and train traffic are not disrupted," Cicero said. "I'm impressed with the environmental aspects. I don't hear traffic or smell diesel. The opposition group mentioned roads were crumbling. Elwood officials said that's not the case. Based on the rumor mill, I thought it would be terrible."
Members of the Kingsford Heights Town Council are ready to start constructing a logistics center in La Porte County.
"I can't see anybody not wanting to bring jobs into La Porte County," Council President Evelyn Ballinger said.
Jeana Blake said town officials talked about preserving area farmland and shipping local farm production out of the CIC. Shewas excited about the employment possibilities and paying decent wages. Forklift operators in the Wal-Mart warehouse earned $13.50.
"Half the jobs in La Porte County don't start out at that level," Blake said.
Kingsford Heights Council Member Ed Ritter also was impressed.
"From what I've seen, I'm for it."
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: JHeath Feb 25 2008, 10:55 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10258&TM=42743.95
QUOTE
2/25/2008 11:28:00 AM
Officials Remain Hopeful About Local Intermodal Part 2 of 2
Will County, Ill., considers itself ‘at the crossroad of trade’;
some La Porte County officials would like to emulate that success.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Will County, Ill., a collar county south of Chicago, considers itself a global transportation center "at the crossroad of trade."
Don Babcock, a La Porte County Multimodal Task Force member, shared Will County statistics during the tour of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center at Elwood, Ill.
The numbers came from the Will County Center for Economic Development.
Since CenterPoint Properties opened the Elwood intermodal park in 2002, Will County's industrial inventory has doubled, leading the Chicago metro area. Because of its success, CenterPoint is in the process of constructing another logistics center in Crete, just east of Elwood.
With a focus on national transportation development, Will County officials say they are poised to take advantage of projected increases in global freight shipments.
John Regetz, head of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said La Porte County could also cash in on global transportation. He said he doesn't see an intermodal in Crete as a barrier to a development here because Crete won't be able to handle all of the expected increases in shipping.
The world output of goods is projected to increase by a third during the next 10 years, he said. And the amount of freight transferred around the world could triple by 2024.
As the ports around Los Angeles have become overburdened, ports around New York and in the south are growing to pick up the slack.
According to Regetz, shippers will try to avoid going into Chicago because of the expense. He said a container shipped into Chicago costs $225 as opposed to a $40 cost of shipping to the CIC - a savings of about $180 per container.
He added La Porte County is well positioned for an intermodal because it is within a day's drive of most Midwestern cities.
Shannon Mullen, marketing director for CenterPoint Properties in Oak Brook, Ill., said logistics parks are efficient because they bring rail and truck transportation together with warehouse and distribution.
A total of about $1 billion was invested on the 2,000-acre CIC development in Elwood. About $200 million was spent on new infrastructure, including $125 million for road components. Another $35 million in grants have been used to construct new water and sewer systems and to clean up contaminated water in the area.
Current residents of the CIC at Elwood are BNSF Railroad, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., DSC Logistics, Georgia-Pacific, Potlatch, Sanyo Logistics, Partners Warehouse, California Cartage and Maersk. Several new building were being constructed on speculation, waiting for future users.
"We're ever growing," Mullen said.
Babcock, who had been on a CIC tour last summer, said there were obvious signs of growth since then.
The La Porte County group toured two Wal-Mart bulk storage facilities with a total of about 3.4 million square feet. Stefan Hargrove of Wal-Mart said Wal-Mart is in the process of adding two more facilities at the site.
As facility manager, Hargrove is responsible for inventory control, with an average of 200 to 300 train containers unloaded each day. On the other side of the distribution center, trucks are hand-loaded with goods headed for regional warehouses throughout the Midwest, and then to stores.
"We pack them high and tight," Hargrove said. "We don't want to ship air."
Hargrove said a total of about 650 people were employed there and jobs start at $14.50 an hour. Just under 2,000 jobs have been created at the CIC.
When operating at full capacity, the CIC will have up to 12 million square feet of industrial and distribution facilities and should create about 8,000 new jobs. The center is expected to eventually increase property tax revenue in Will County by $27 million per year.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Officials Remain Hopeful About Local Intermodal Part 2 of 2
Will County, Ill., considers itself ‘at the crossroad of trade’;
some La Porte County officials would like to emulate that success.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Will County, Ill., a collar county south of Chicago, considers itself a global transportation center "at the crossroad of trade."
Don Babcock, a La Porte County Multimodal Task Force member, shared Will County statistics during the tour of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center at Elwood, Ill.
The numbers came from the Will County Center for Economic Development.
Since CenterPoint Properties opened the Elwood intermodal park in 2002, Will County's industrial inventory has doubled, leading the Chicago metro area. Because of its success, CenterPoint is in the process of constructing another logistics center in Crete, just east of Elwood.
With a focus on national transportation development, Will County officials say they are poised to take advantage of projected increases in global freight shipments.
John Regetz, head of the Michigan City Economic Development Corp., said La Porte County could also cash in on global transportation. He said he doesn't see an intermodal in Crete as a barrier to a development here because Crete won't be able to handle all of the expected increases in shipping.
The world output of goods is projected to increase by a third during the next 10 years, he said. And the amount of freight transferred around the world could triple by 2024.
As the ports around Los Angeles have become overburdened, ports around New York and in the south are growing to pick up the slack.
According to Regetz, shippers will try to avoid going into Chicago because of the expense. He said a container shipped into Chicago costs $225 as opposed to a $40 cost of shipping to the CIC - a savings of about $180 per container.
He added La Porte County is well positioned for an intermodal because it is within a day's drive of most Midwestern cities.
Shannon Mullen, marketing director for CenterPoint Properties in Oak Brook, Ill., said logistics parks are efficient because they bring rail and truck transportation together with warehouse and distribution.
A total of about $1 billion was invested on the 2,000-acre CIC development in Elwood. About $200 million was spent on new infrastructure, including $125 million for road components. Another $35 million in grants have been used to construct new water and sewer systems and to clean up contaminated water in the area.
Current residents of the CIC at Elwood are BNSF Railroad, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., DSC Logistics, Georgia-Pacific, Potlatch, Sanyo Logistics, Partners Warehouse, California Cartage and Maersk. Several new building were being constructed on speculation, waiting for future users.
"We're ever growing," Mullen said.
Babcock, who had been on a CIC tour last summer, said there were obvious signs of growth since then.
The La Porte County group toured two Wal-Mart bulk storage facilities with a total of about 3.4 million square feet. Stefan Hargrove of Wal-Mart said Wal-Mart is in the process of adding two more facilities at the site.
As facility manager, Hargrove is responsible for inventory control, with an average of 200 to 300 train containers unloaded each day. On the other side of the distribution center, trucks are hand-loaded with goods headed for regional warehouses throughout the Midwest, and then to stores.
"We pack them high and tight," Hargrove said. "We don't want to ship air."
Hargrove said a total of about 650 people were employed there and jobs start at $14.50 an hour. Just under 2,000 jobs have been created at the CIC.
When operating at full capacity, the CIC will have up to 12 million square feet of industrial and distribution facilities and should create about 8,000 new jobs. The center is expected to eventually increase property tax revenue in Will County by $27 million per year.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Feb 25 2008, 10:59 AM
Now we wait for the inevitable negative comments from the Stop Innovation, Suffocate Our County people...
Posted by: JHeath Feb 25 2008, 12:08 PM
SISOC...aka...NIMBY...
Posted by: southsider2k7 Mar 6 2008, 02:40 PM
For a guy who spent a lot of time on City Council and the Chamber of Commerce, someone needs to teach Mr Hull exactly what a depreciation schedule is, and why companies want to build new buildings and not re-use old ones. I also don't quite understand the racism of bringing China into this argument, when it is people just like Hull who are costing us jobs here at home.
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=10659
QUOTE
Task Force Hears Anti-Intermodal Plea
Group urges Logistics committee to promote ‘high-tech’ businesses.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - A member of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County urged the La Porte County Logistics Task Force to promote economic development without forfeiting agricultural lands and disrupting farm families.
Bob Hull, representing SISOC, addressed the task force Wednesday at La Porte County Complex. A crowd of about 75 people attended.
Hull served on the County Council for eight years, is a La Porte Chamber of Commerce member and a partner owner of Accurate Castings Inc. He has lived in La Porte County for more than 56 years.
With an unemployment rate in the county of about 5 percent, Hull emphasized the need for "good, high-tech business." But, he said, manufacturers should be courted that would not bring a large amount of truck traffic.
"We don't want 11,000 trucks a day happening in La Porte County," he said. Hull said a multimodal warehousing operation likely would be developed by out-of-county companies. A transportation hub would require development of a road and rail infrastructure that doesn't yet exist and would destroy more family farms.
Hull criticized the loss of U.S. jobs to China.
"Indiana is one of the 10 states hardest hit by China," Hull said. "From 2001 to 2006, we lost 45,200 jobs to Chinese manufacturing."
He didn't give examples of where new jobs for La Porte County would come from. He mentioned "high tech" businesses such as those located in an industrial park created near Purdue University that is attracting startup business.
He criticized what he sees as a lack of economic-development planning allowing a new Super Wal-Mart while there are three strip malls "from 20 to the freeway that are half full."
"Couldn't something have been done in one of the three malls?," Hull said.
Information came in part from his experience in manufacturing and print sources such as The Daily Southtown, a newspaper published in the area of Elwood, Ill., where the CenterPoint Intermodal Center is located.
Following Hull's presentation, task-force members had an opportunity to share their impressions of the trip taken to the Elwood intermodal site on Feb. 20. Members who spoke agreed it was a valuable experience.
The task force will consider formal requests for presentations to be made at upcoming meetings, Presentations must be agreed to by two-thirds of task force members, and should be pertinent and within the presenters' areas of knowledge or expertise.
Task force members agreed to convene at 3 p.m. April 2 for a bus trip of the area around Union Mills and the Kingsbury Industrial Park, possible sites for a county multimodal. Member Hugh Glasgow, a Union Mills farmer, will work with the farming community to participate in the tour.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Group urges Logistics committee to promote ‘high-tech’ businesses.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - A member of Stop Intermodals - Save Our County urged the La Porte County Logistics Task Force to promote economic development without forfeiting agricultural lands and disrupting farm families.
Bob Hull, representing SISOC, addressed the task force Wednesday at La Porte County Complex. A crowd of about 75 people attended.
Hull served on the County Council for eight years, is a La Porte Chamber of Commerce member and a partner owner of Accurate Castings Inc. He has lived in La Porte County for more than 56 years.
With an unemployment rate in the county of about 5 percent, Hull emphasized the need for "good, high-tech business." But, he said, manufacturers should be courted that would not bring a large amount of truck traffic.
"We don't want 11,000 trucks a day happening in La Porte County," he said. Hull said a multimodal warehousing operation likely would be developed by out-of-county companies. A transportation hub would require development of a road and rail infrastructure that doesn't yet exist and would destroy more family farms.
Hull criticized the loss of U.S. jobs to China.
"Indiana is one of the 10 states hardest hit by China," Hull said. "From 2001 to 2006, we lost 45,200 jobs to Chinese manufacturing."
He didn't give examples of where new jobs for La Porte County would come from. He mentioned "high tech" businesses such as those located in an industrial park created near Purdue University that is attracting startup business.
He criticized what he sees as a lack of economic-development planning allowing a new Super Wal-Mart while there are three strip malls "from 20 to the freeway that are half full."
"Couldn't something have been done in one of the three malls?," Hull said.
Information came in part from his experience in manufacturing and print sources such as The Daily Southtown, a newspaper published in the area of Elwood, Ill., where the CenterPoint Intermodal Center is located.
Following Hull's presentation, task-force members had an opportunity to share their impressions of the trip taken to the Elwood intermodal site on Feb. 20. Members who spoke agreed it was a valuable experience.
The task force will consider formal requests for presentations to be made at upcoming meetings, Presentations must be agreed to by two-thirds of task force members, and should be pertinent and within the presenters' areas of knowledge or expertise.
Task force members agreed to convene at 3 p.m. April 2 for a bus trip of the area around Union Mills and the Kingsbury Industrial Park, possible sites for a county multimodal. Member Hugh Glasgow, a Union Mills farmer, will work with the farming community to participate in the tour.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: JHeath Mar 6 2008, 03:30 PM
Am I the only person here who sees that the figure they're using--11,000 trucks a day--is just not going to happen in our County? The roadways just can't handle that kind of traffic...not in the areas being looked at for this project, anyway.
I want to know how they arrived at that number. 11,000...yeah, right.
Posted by: Ang Mar 6 2008, 05:10 PM
In reality it's probably only 5500, they just counted 'em coming and going
Posted by: southsider2k7 Mar 6 2008, 07:12 PM
It was way more ponzi scheme than what you think it was. They counted trucks for about a very short amount of time on their trip over there (I'd have to try to search to find the exact amount of time), which of course was during the middle of the week, on a business day. They then extrapolated that out with no respect for time of day and how much stuff gets done then. In other words they treated 3 am the same way as 3 pm.
Posted by: lovethiscity Mar 7 2008, 09:29 PM
QUOTE(southsider2k7 @ Mar 6 2008, 07:12 PM)
It was way more ponzi scheme than what you think it was. They counted trucks for about a very short amount of time on their trip over there (I'd have to try to search to find the exact amount of time), which of course was during the middle of the week, on a business day. They then extrapolated that out with no respect for time of day and how much stuff gets done then. In other words they treated 3 am the same way as 3 pm.
As freight yards are 24/7 there might not be much of a difference between 3am and 3pm
Posted by: Ang Mar 10 2008, 09:16 AM
Actually, I believe there is more truck traffic at 3 a.m. then 3 p.m. Truckers prefer to travel at night when there is less car traffic. I still think they counted them twice (coming and going) to inflate the numbers
Posted by: southsider2k7 Mar 17 2008, 12:40 PM
Good for Kingsford Heights
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=11010&TM=52683.58
QUOTE
Town Will Support Multimodal
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
KINGSFORD HEIGHTS - Kingsford Heights is the first community to officially endorse the development of a multimodal logistics center in La Porte County.
Although no multimodal proposals have been received, the Kingsford Heights Town Council voted to be out in front of the issue by passing a resolution on Monday, said council member Dennis Francis, Kingsford Heights town marshal.
"We think there's a whole lot of people in favor who just haven't said anything," Francis said. "With the resolution, we're hoping to bring out those who support it."
Dave Christian, president of the county's Multimodal Task Force, said he encourages other towns to come forward with their opinions, pro or con, to assist the task force.
"This is one more piece of information for us to take in as we investigate all the possibilities of a multimodal coming to our county," Christian said. "It's good to have the input of the government officials and residents."
The Kingsford Heights resolution said the town sees a multimodal as a boost to economic development by bringing employment opportunities that have been disappearing as manufacturers have closed or moved overseas.
The town council made its decision after hearing a presentation by county economic development professionals and visiting the CenterPoint Intermodal facility in Elwood, Ill.
During the trip, town council members talked to Elwood officials and got firsthand impressions of the transportation hub that Francis said conflicts with the negative reports that have been spreading.
"It was very clean, organized and did not have tons of truck traffic or crumbling roads," Francis said.
During the Elwood trip, Council President Evelyn Ballinger and council members Jeana Blake and Ed Ritter all expressed enthusiasm for having a similar development come to the Kingsford Heights area.
"We would be most affected by a multimodal," Francis said. "As proposed right now, it would be 50 feet outside our town."
Like others, Francis is concerned about the current lack of job opportunities for young people in the area. He remembers coming back home from a stint in the Marines and getting a job as a welder, then watching factories close up.
"I would hate to be an 18-year-old coming out of high school now," Francis said.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch
KINGSFORD HEIGHTS - Kingsford Heights is the first community to officially endorse the development of a multimodal logistics center in La Porte County.
Although no multimodal proposals have been received, the Kingsford Heights Town Council voted to be out in front of the issue by passing a resolution on Monday, said council member Dennis Francis, Kingsford Heights town marshal.
"We think there's a whole lot of people in favor who just haven't said anything," Francis said. "With the resolution, we're hoping to bring out those who support it."
Dave Christian, president of the county's Multimodal Task Force, said he encourages other towns to come forward with their opinions, pro or con, to assist the task force.
"This is one more piece of information for us to take in as we investigate all the possibilities of a multimodal coming to our county," Christian said. "It's good to have the input of the government officials and residents."
The Kingsford Heights resolution said the town sees a multimodal as a boost to economic development by bringing employment opportunities that have been disappearing as manufacturers have closed or moved overseas.
The town council made its decision after hearing a presentation by county economic development professionals and visiting the CenterPoint Intermodal facility in Elwood, Ill.
During the trip, town council members talked to Elwood officials and got firsthand impressions of the transportation hub that Francis said conflicts with the negative reports that have been spreading.
"It was very clean, organized and did not have tons of truck traffic or crumbling roads," Francis said.
During the Elwood trip, Council President Evelyn Ballinger and council members Jeana Blake and Ed Ritter all expressed enthusiasm for having a similar development come to the Kingsford Heights area.
"We would be most affected by a multimodal," Francis said. "As proposed right now, it would be 50 feet outside our town."
Like others, Francis is concerned about the current lack of job opportunities for young people in the area. He remembers coming back home from a stint in the Marines and getting a job as a welder, then watching factories close up.
"I would hate to be an 18-year-old coming out of high school now," Francis said.
Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Jul 17 2008, 11:35 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=15965&TM=48803.89
QUOTE
County Multimodal Task Force Talks Ports
Director of port at Burns Harbor gives a presentation to board.
By Craig Davison
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Don Babcock, vice chair of the La Porte County Logistics Task Force, said the group has been focusing on the past few months on expanding their area of expertise, and that continued at Wednesday night's meeting.
Peter Laman, port director of Burns Harbor, one of three state-owned ports in Indiana, gave a presentation and answered questions from members of the task force and the audience.
He explained that the largest products of import and export are coal, grain, steel, limestone and fertilizer. The port handles 15 percent of all U.S. steel trade with Europe.
"We do connect to the world," Laman said.
He said most ships can carry about 20,000 tons or the equivalent of 800 truck loads.
The three ports in Indiana contribute about $3.5 billion and 23,000 jobs to Indiana, Laman said.
"It's an economic engine for the area," he said.
Questions pressed on the possibility of a multimodal facility and any relationship it could have with the port. Laman made statements it would be feasible in the future, but made no commitments and said he was not involved in any discussions with any groups.
Laman said they would look for transportation links that made sense for moving cargo in the state that make logistical sense.
Babcock asked if there was a potential multimodal, the part may have some kind of relationship with it.
Laman replied, "There's a lot of possibilities here. We are currently not involved with it."
Babcok said after the meeting Laman did a great job with the presentation and was helping the task force meet a goal of becoming more informed so they can make the best recommendations for the community.
He said the port is valuable to the state and could be valuable in any future multimodal facility.
"There's many opportunities for a potential facility in La Porte to interact with Port of Indiana," Babcock said, noting that none of it has come before the task force so far.
A few residents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, with two pushing for a multimodal facility in the area.
John Brugos said it would provide better and higher-paying jobs than average in the county.
"The growth potential of this facility is staggering," Brugos said.
Director of port at Burns Harbor gives a presentation to board.
By Craig Davison
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - Don Babcock, vice chair of the La Porte County Logistics Task Force, said the group has been focusing on the past few months on expanding their area of expertise, and that continued at Wednesday night's meeting.
Peter Laman, port director of Burns Harbor, one of three state-owned ports in Indiana, gave a presentation and answered questions from members of the task force and the audience.
He explained that the largest products of import and export are coal, grain, steel, limestone and fertilizer. The port handles 15 percent of all U.S. steel trade with Europe.
"We do connect to the world," Laman said.
He said most ships can carry about 20,000 tons or the equivalent of 800 truck loads.
The three ports in Indiana contribute about $3.5 billion and 23,000 jobs to Indiana, Laman said.
"It's an economic engine for the area," he said.
Questions pressed on the possibility of a multimodal facility and any relationship it could have with the port. Laman made statements it would be feasible in the future, but made no commitments and said he was not involved in any discussions with any groups.
Laman said they would look for transportation links that made sense for moving cargo in the state that make logistical sense.
Babcock asked if there was a potential multimodal, the part may have some kind of relationship with it.
Laman replied, "There's a lot of possibilities here. We are currently not involved with it."
Babcok said after the meeting Laman did a great job with the presentation and was helping the task force meet a goal of becoming more informed so they can make the best recommendations for the community.
He said the port is valuable to the state and could be valuable in any future multimodal facility.
"There's many opportunities for a potential facility in La Porte to interact with Port of Indiana," Babcock said, noting that none of it has come before the task force so far.
A few residents spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, with two pushing for a multimodal facility in the area.
John Brugos said it would provide better and higher-paying jobs than average in the county.
"The growth potential of this facility is staggering," Brugos said.
Posted by: Dave Jul 17 2008, 02:26 PM
Here's a thought -- not sure I like it, but I'm throwing it out here.
Remove the NIPSCO plant from the lakefront, put in a port facility there, and an intermodal. There are lots of rail lines there and close by already, so it could do ship to train, ship to truck, and train to truck (and I suppose truck to train and ship). Assess it correctly and tax it accordingly, and LaPorte County and MC could have more jobs than we could fill, and more tax money than the Powers That Be could possibly fritter away on studies.
Like I said, I don't know if I like it or not, as an intermodal would possibly be a bigger eyesore than the power plant, and I don't know what all that truck and train traffic would do to the north end, but it's a thought.
Posted by: southsider2k7 Nov 24 2008, 08:29 AM
http://www.post-trib.com/news/opinion/1294520,edit.article
QUOTE
NWI remains prime for intermodal hub
Recommend
Comments
November 23, 2008
One transportation expert after another has told Northwest Indiana over the last year that the area is a potential mecca for an intermodal operation.
For instance:
Transportation and logistics expert Michael Gallis spoke to business, political and community leaders in Michigan City last December. He spoke on issues at the heart of the debate over an intermodal facility in LaPorte County.
“You sit in the economic corridor linking the largest economic concentrations in the country,” Gallis said referring to Chicago and the Northeast.
Intermodal, simply put, is the exchange between one mode of transportation and another — typically, from rail to truck. Gallis added that trade across rail and highways is projected to double in the next 20 years, and there is no national strategy on how to deal with it.
Barbara Sloan, an analyst for Cambridge Systematics, a transportation consulting firm hired by the state to possibly bring an intermodal operation to Northwest Indiana, said in June that the country is quickly approaching the point of not being able to handle the amount of goods that need transportation. Her final report will be out in January.
And Thomas Finkbiner, senior chairman of the Intermodal Transportation Institute at the University of Denver, told attendees at the annual Indiana Logistics Summit two weeks ago that there is enough traffic to justify an intermodal center in this area.
A proposal for an intermodal facility in LaPorte County a year or so ago was met with that seemingly fatal area affliction — Not in My Back Yard.
Will someone soon recognize that an intermodal facility provides jobs and tax revenue — two things we are sorely lacking in this area? Who is going to step up?
Recommend
Comments
November 23, 2008
One transportation expert after another has told Northwest Indiana over the last year that the area is a potential mecca for an intermodal operation.
For instance:
Transportation and logistics expert Michael Gallis spoke to business, political and community leaders in Michigan City last December. He spoke on issues at the heart of the debate over an intermodal facility in LaPorte County.
“You sit in the economic corridor linking the largest economic concentrations in the country,” Gallis said referring to Chicago and the Northeast.
Intermodal, simply put, is the exchange between one mode of transportation and another — typically, from rail to truck. Gallis added that trade across rail and highways is projected to double in the next 20 years, and there is no national strategy on how to deal with it.
Barbara Sloan, an analyst for Cambridge Systematics, a transportation consulting firm hired by the state to possibly bring an intermodal operation to Northwest Indiana, said in June that the country is quickly approaching the point of not being able to handle the amount of goods that need transportation. Her final report will be out in January.
And Thomas Finkbiner, senior chairman of the Intermodal Transportation Institute at the University of Denver, told attendees at the annual Indiana Logistics Summit two weeks ago that there is enough traffic to justify an intermodal center in this area.
A proposal for an intermodal facility in LaPorte County a year or so ago was met with that seemingly fatal area affliction — Not in My Back Yard.
Will someone soon recognize that an intermodal facility provides jobs and tax revenue — two things we are sorely lacking in this area? Who is going to step up?
Posted by: southsider2k9 Apr 20 2009, 07:33 AM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=22581&TM=33980
QUOTE
Intermodal is key to jobs, growth
La Porte County, can you live with unemployment and no growth, or do you support new investment and development?
Our local, county and state officials are going to have to stand up and take a position. Are you for jobs, investment and growth? Or are you for the status quo? You can't have it both ways. One of our local representatives was asked if he supported the intermodal/logistics development on the radio. He didn't give a clear answer!
Our citizens need to ask every elected official where they stand on new logistics jobs and growth. This county can't move forward with elected officials who ride the fence and tell people in the south county they don't want any logistics development and then travel to La Porte/Michigan City and talk about their support for jobs and growth.
This hypocrisy limits our ability to recruit new businesses to our community. We must clearly support new investment in logistics development. Every elected official must be held accountable. A clear message must be sent to potential new business. We want you to locate here in La Porte County.
La Porte, Michigan City and La Porte County can't continue to rely on retired people, tourists and weekend residents to fund local government. We can't ignore the unemployed and under-employed in our county. This ever growing group represents around 25 percent of the adults in this area. We must grow, bring in new jobs, and encourage industrial development or this community will continue to shutter its stores and businesses.
We've been blessed with the assets of good highways, extensive rail access, a great workforce, and most important, proximity to Chicago. Do we ignore these factors or do we benefit from them? We can and will manage through the potential issues resulting from new development.
The benefits of new jobs, investment and growth far outweigh the problems of unemployment and no local growth. Economic stagnation and job loss must be every elected leader's top concern.
New logistics development is at our doorstep. I believe we should enthusiastically open our doors and community to these potential businesses. We're only going to get one chance to land this development. Everyone needs to be on the same page because many other cities want this new development. Let your elected leaders know that you support investment, jobs and growth.
Scott Ford
La Porte County
La Porte County, can you live with unemployment and no growth, or do you support new investment and development?
Our local, county and state officials are going to have to stand up and take a position. Are you for jobs, investment and growth? Or are you for the status quo? You can't have it both ways. One of our local representatives was asked if he supported the intermodal/logistics development on the radio. He didn't give a clear answer!
Our citizens need to ask every elected official where they stand on new logistics jobs and growth. This county can't move forward with elected officials who ride the fence and tell people in the south county they don't want any logistics development and then travel to La Porte/Michigan City and talk about their support for jobs and growth.
This hypocrisy limits our ability to recruit new businesses to our community. We must clearly support new investment in logistics development. Every elected official must be held accountable. A clear message must be sent to potential new business. We want you to locate here in La Porte County.
La Porte, Michigan City and La Porte County can't continue to rely on retired people, tourists and weekend residents to fund local government. We can't ignore the unemployed and under-employed in our county. This ever growing group represents around 25 percent of the adults in this area. We must grow, bring in new jobs, and encourage industrial development or this community will continue to shutter its stores and businesses.
We've been blessed with the assets of good highways, extensive rail access, a great workforce, and most important, proximity to Chicago. Do we ignore these factors or do we benefit from them? We can and will manage through the potential issues resulting from new development.
The benefits of new jobs, investment and growth far outweigh the problems of unemployment and no local growth. Economic stagnation and job loss must be every elected leader's top concern.
New logistics development is at our doorstep. I believe we should enthusiastically open our doors and community to these potential businesses. We're only going to get one chance to land this development. Everyone needs to be on the same page because many other cities want this new development. Let your elected leaders know that you support investment, jobs and growth.
Scott Ford
La Porte County
Posted by: southsider2k9 Sep 23 2009, 07:44 AM
It's back!
http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20090922/News01/909220340/1011/News
QUOTE
Plan to bring jobs to LaPorte
County supports small intermodal site that should create 135 permanent jobs.
By STAN MADDUX
Tribune Correspondent
LAPORTE — Steps were taken Monday night to create a small intermodal facility for a company with plans to create 135 permanent jobs at the Kingsbury Industrial Park and up to 500 new trucking opportunities.
"You hate to go back to the old statement 'if you build it they will come,' but this is a start," said state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte.
ICS Logistics, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., intends to start construction on a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility in 2010 and begin operating in 2011.
Quantcast
Initially, the company will invest $50 million at the site.
The LaPorte County Council on Monday night approved up to $6 million from the county's share of Major Moves dollars, which were derived from the state's proceeds of leasing the Indiana Toll Road.
Those monies, along with $3 million apiece from the state and CSX Railroad, will go toward infrastructure upgrades within the industrial park, like reconstruction of Hupp Road and extending a CSX rail line into the park.
Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Tim Gropp said the site will be like a miniature intermodal facility, with ICS Logistics bringing in fruits, vegetables and fish on rail.
The food will be held over in cold storage and loaded onto an average of 50 trucks per day for delivery to the consumer.
Gropp said the food will originate from Central America and shipped to a ICS site in Jacksonville by boat prior to arriving here by rail.
The trains emptied here will then be loaded with products for shipment back to Jacksonville.
"You're never shipping an empty train back to Florida," Gropp said.
Salaries of the 135 permanent workers will average $35,000 annually or $43,000 with benefits, officials said.
Gropp said the site will not be on a scale like the large intermodal facilities in places such as Joliet, Ill. But, over time, he said, more companies using rail and truck to move products are envisioned at the Kingsbury Industrial Park.
"There's nothing but potential down there. This is a great first step," Gropp said.
Gropp said additional steps must be taken before the deal with ICS Logistics is officially sealed.
Approval is also being sought to create a tax increment financing district at the site to allow property tax dollars generated by the improvements to be captured and invested back into the park to lure other companies that rely on rail and truck to move their products.
"I think this is a seed for more companies to come and more jobs to come," said Dermody.
Given the economy, "This project could not come at a better time," said LaPorte County Council member Rich Mrozinski.
County supports small intermodal site that should create 135 permanent jobs.
By STAN MADDUX
Tribune Correspondent
LAPORTE — Steps were taken Monday night to create a small intermodal facility for a company with plans to create 135 permanent jobs at the Kingsbury Industrial Park and up to 500 new trucking opportunities.
"You hate to go back to the old statement 'if you build it they will come,' but this is a start," said state Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte.
ICS Logistics, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., intends to start construction on a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility in 2010 and begin operating in 2011.
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Initially, the company will invest $50 million at the site.
The LaPorte County Council on Monday night approved up to $6 million from the county's share of Major Moves dollars, which were derived from the state's proceeds of leasing the Indiana Toll Road.
Those monies, along with $3 million apiece from the state and CSX Railroad, will go toward infrastructure upgrades within the industrial park, like reconstruction of Hupp Road and extending a CSX rail line into the park.
Greater LaPorte Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Tim Gropp said the site will be like a miniature intermodal facility, with ICS Logistics bringing in fruits, vegetables and fish on rail.
The food will be held over in cold storage and loaded onto an average of 50 trucks per day for delivery to the consumer.
Gropp said the food will originate from Central America and shipped to a ICS site in Jacksonville by boat prior to arriving here by rail.
The trains emptied here will then be loaded with products for shipment back to Jacksonville.
"You're never shipping an empty train back to Florida," Gropp said.
Salaries of the 135 permanent workers will average $35,000 annually or $43,000 with benefits, officials said.
Gropp said the site will not be on a scale like the large intermodal facilities in places such as Joliet, Ill. But, over time, he said, more companies using rail and truck to move products are envisioned at the Kingsbury Industrial Park.
"There's nothing but potential down there. This is a great first step," Gropp said.
Gropp said additional steps must be taken before the deal with ICS Logistics is officially sealed.
Approval is also being sought to create a tax increment financing district at the site to allow property tax dollars generated by the improvements to be captured and invested back into the park to lure other companies that rely on rail and truck to move their products.
"I think this is a seed for more companies to come and more jobs to come," said Dermody.
Given the economy, "This project could not come at a better time," said LaPorte County Council member Rich Mrozinski.
Posted by: HIaloha Sep 23 2009, 01:22 PM
baby steps are better than no steps at all, eh?
we NEED jobs in LP county!
Posted by: southsider2k9 Sep 23 2009, 01:25 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=50&SubSectionID=72&ArticleID=25937
QUOTE
The Issue:
The County Council approved using $6 million for improvements.
Our Opinion:
La Porte County needs the jobs very much. This is a great opportunity.
Logistics
Incentives may bring warehouse
Editorial
Government never should have gotten into the business of tax incentives and other giveaways to lure businesses, but it's a reality in today's world of economic development. Thus, there is precedent for the La Porte County Council to spend $6 million in the county's share of state Major Moves funds to make road and railroad track improvements at the Kingsbury Industrial Park in hopes of bringing a $50 million ICS Logistics warehouse here.
The development could bring 135 full-time jobs paying $35,000 to $43,000, plus nearly 500 transportation related jobs, as well as 500 construction jobs starting next year, if the Kingsbury site is selected, and that's a significant economic development for La Porte County, particularly as the nation emerges from a recession that is feared to be a recovery in which hiring will lag.
With roughly one in 10 La Porte County workers unemployed, the county desperately needs to find employers who want to locate or expand here. Any company, particularly in transportation and warehouse, expands where the markets and the transportation networks dictate, and La Porte County is ideally situated for expansion of the logistics industry. Sometimes, however, incentives make the difference in the employer's choice of this county or that.
Talk of a major intermodal facility in southern La Porte County was a hot topic a couple of years ago, but that didn't materialize. The idea drew opposition because options to purchase farmland were being bought, rather than consideration of the Kingsbury Industrial Park, which is underdeveloped.
Now, however, the ICG Logistics firm has a need for a refrigerated warehouse where produce from Central America could be brought by rail from the port at Jacksonville, Fla., then split into truckloads for distribution in this region, and it would be at Kingsbury Industrial Park. This is a great opportunity, and it's at the right place.
Posted by: southsider2k9 Sep 23 2009, 01:44 PM
http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=25920
QUOTE
County Council backs proposed development
Craig Davison
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - County officials on Monday threw their support behind a proposed development that could bring hundreds of jobs to the community, as well as tens of millions of dollars in investments.
The County Council pledged up to $6 million in improvements for a refrigerated warehouse factory in the Kingsbury Industrial Park. That money is combined with $3 million from the state and $3 million from CSX Transportation, county Economic Development Coordinator Matt Reardon said.
The initial phase of the project, in which La Porte is a finalist, will require $50 million in investments from ICS Logistics, a supply-chain solutions company that provides transportation, warehousing and maritime services to national and international customers. It serves clients in a variety of industries, including food manufacturing, retail grocery, forestry, steel and metal industries.
The new facility would create an expected 135 new full-time positions, as well as nearly 500 transportation-related jobs. Construction would require about another 500 jobs.
Reardon said the 135 new full-time positions would be paid between $35,000 and $43,000 annually.
Local economic development leaders said this project and the improvements to the area could spur growth from other leaders.
"That is a park that's been underutilized for years," said Tim Gropp, Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp executive director.
The proposed facility will be in the Kingsbury Industrial Park and require infrastructure improvements, including a connection to the CSX Transportation rail line and upgrades to Hupp Road. The $6 million from the county's Major Moves will help pay for those improvements up front.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring, but the company is still considering alternatives sites in Indiana and Illinois.
Councilman Scott Ford said logistics projects such as this are a good fit for the county.
"La Porte County's future is directly linked to logistics, distribution and transportation," Ford said. "These new jobs will give La Porte County a much-needed boost in this recession."
Developer Chris McGrath congratulated the council, local economic development workers and local state representatives for help bringing the project to this point.
"It's been a team effort," McGrath said.
Before taking the time to vote, Councilman Richard Mrozinski said he hoped the council was establishing a legacy for future citizens of the county.
"This is a big deal," he said. "I feel like we're making history."
Craig Davison
For The News-Dispatch
LA PORTE - County officials on Monday threw their support behind a proposed development that could bring hundreds of jobs to the community, as well as tens of millions of dollars in investments.
The County Council pledged up to $6 million in improvements for a refrigerated warehouse factory in the Kingsbury Industrial Park. That money is combined with $3 million from the state and $3 million from CSX Transportation, county Economic Development Coordinator Matt Reardon said.
The initial phase of the project, in which La Porte is a finalist, will require $50 million in investments from ICS Logistics, a supply-chain solutions company that provides transportation, warehousing and maritime services to national and international customers. It serves clients in a variety of industries, including food manufacturing, retail grocery, forestry, steel and metal industries.
The new facility would create an expected 135 new full-time positions, as well as nearly 500 transportation-related jobs. Construction would require about another 500 jobs.
Reardon said the 135 new full-time positions would be paid between $35,000 and $43,000 annually.
Local economic development leaders said this project and the improvements to the area could spur growth from other leaders.
"That is a park that's been underutilized for years," said Tim Gropp, Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp executive director.
The proposed facility will be in the Kingsbury Industrial Park and require infrastructure improvements, including a connection to the CSX Transportation rail line and upgrades to Hupp Road. The $6 million from the county's Major Moves will help pay for those improvements up front.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring, but the company is still considering alternatives sites in Indiana and Illinois.
Councilman Scott Ford said logistics projects such as this are a good fit for the county.
"La Porte County's future is directly linked to logistics, distribution and transportation," Ford said. "These new jobs will give La Porte County a much-needed boost in this recession."
Developer Chris McGrath congratulated the council, local economic development workers and local state representatives for help bringing the project to this point.
"It's been a team effort," McGrath said.
Before taking the time to vote, Councilman Richard Mrozinski said he hoped the council was establishing a legacy for future citizens of the county.
"This is a big deal," he said. "I feel like we're making history."
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