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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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?

I really don't know. In any event, we mustn't dramatize or sensationalize the "potential" of explosives being buried underground.

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

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

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

Of course, Ken doesn't post here, so who exactly am I talking to....

That's okay Stumper, the rest of us are listening..

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 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 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.

Rog, I believe this is the article you are looking for? Let me know if it is not.

http://heraldargus.com/hanews/archives/ha/...y.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.

"I was Bush's bitch and that's what I can offer Indiana: I know how to screw anyone!"
Yeah, ringing in mine, too.

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.

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

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.

Isn't Scott Hamilton the skater?

Isn't Scott Hamilton the skater?

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 11⁄2 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.

You're thinking of Dorothy Hamilton.

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.

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.