Pink Lady Rail Transit Commission

08/07/12 Minutes (44 KB)

Attendance:

Commissioners Present: Chair Anderson, Vice Chair Ellis, Treasurer Whitehurst, Erik Johnson, Virgil Kasper.
Not present: Ray Bolton, John Geoghegan, Doug Rockett.

Others Present: Jenny Erickson -Sauk County UWEX, Dick Goddard -LSRHA, Marty Morin -WisDOT Rails, Ken Lucht -WSOR, Gene Dalhoff -SCDC, Kathy Schauf -Sauk County, Tom Pinion -City of Baraboo.

Call to order:
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 am by Chair Anderson. Introduction of visitors and members. Welcomed new member from the City of Reedsburg, Erik Johnson from Grede.

Certification of open meeting law.
Meeting was certified as having met the requirements of the Wisconsin Open Meeting Law.

Approval of Agenda.
Motion by Whitehurst, seconded by Kasper to approve the agenda as printed. Carried.

Approval of Draft Minutes April 5th, 2012.
Motion by Whitehurst, seconded by Ellis to approve April as printed. Carried.

Treasurer’s Report.
Treasurer Whitehurst reported a balance of $1,842.66. Motion by Kasper, seconded by Johnson to approve the report. Motion carried.

Chairman’s report.

• Attendance at the WRRTC meetings for up date of purchase of Union Pacific.
• Funding was not approved for the Lone Rock project.
• Continued contact with Governor Walker and his staff.

WSOR (WATCO) report.
Reported by Ken Lucht.

• New ties have been placed on the Reedsburg line as part of annual update.
• Service has been slowed to 10mph or curtailed during the day due to the extreme heat of the day and the track stress caused.
• Plans to increase the double track area in Milton Junction area to better move trains through the area.
• Working towards getting $60 million back into the next State budget, plus $30 million to enable the Reedsburg Union Pacific line to be purchased.
• Rebuild of the Prairie du Chien line is being planned for the next two periods.

WisDOT
Reported by Marty Morin.

• Northern Rail Commission has been formed and will desire State Budget money for future improvements.
• Working on the Union Pacific appraisal and target to be completed by the end of the year 2012.
• Union Pacific trackage is: 39% Sauk County, 11% Columbia County and 50% in Dane County.
• $4 million track improvements to purchase would be about $800,000 match for the Sauk County mileage.

Old Business.

• Jenny reports that the State Rail Impact Study will soon be started.
• Review of those that terms expire on the Commission, October 2012. Kasper, Geoghegan, Whitehurst.

New Business.
2013 Budget.
Motion by Kasper, seconded by Ellis, that budget request be set at $1,560.00 for the 2013 calendar year. ($585 Sauk, $370 each Baraboo and Reedsburg, $185 Prairie du Sac. Carried.

Local Reports.

Baraboo

• RR Donley is on normal work, seasonal will be slow in November and December.
• Flambeau is active with car part demand.
• Seneca is top of their season production.

Rock Springs

• Grain is busy now, not sure what next year brings.
• Erecting two new bins and siding so can load off of track.

Reedsburg

• Grede is working 6 days a week since January due to auto part needs.
• Looking at increase rail use for their production.

Sauk County Development Committee
Reporting -Gene Dalhoff

• Business are doing well, but not over confident beyond the next few months. Unemployment is under the 2008 rate.

Public Comment.
Question as to the Union Pacific line, that Sauk County can be separated out from the rest of the values due to lower real estate appraisals? Not sure.

2012 meeting dates and location.
December 4th, 2012, West Square Building, Baraboo.

Adjourned
Moved by Whitehurst, second by Ellis to adjourn at 11:06. Carried.

Virgil Kasper, recording.