HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2021 (06) Resolution No. 6 (2021)
ST. R�.J►9, �'w '° �..1NTY RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THE CHIPPEWA - ST.
CROIX RAIL COMMISSION WITH COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
COVER MEMO
TO: County Board of Supervisors
FROM: Ken Witt, Interim County Administrator
Robbie Krejci, Highway Commissioner, Highway
DATE: January 5, 2021
AGENDA ITEM: Resolution Supporting the Creation of the Chippewa - St. Croix Rail
Commission with Counties and Municipalities
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Resolution No. 6 (2021)
ST. R�.J►9, �'w '° �..1NTY RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CREATION OF THE CHIPPEWA - ST.
CROIX RAIL COMMISSION WITH COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
1 WHEREAS, every day there are thousands of individuals who travel between the Twin
2 Cities and the St. Croix and Chippewa Valleys for purposes of commuting to work; conducting
3 business; pursuing higher education; engaging in tourism, shopping, and recreational activities;
4 and connecting to travel hubs for national and international travel; and
5
6 WHEREAS, both the Wisconsin State Rail Plan and the Minnesota State Rail Plan
7 federally mandated official transportation plans created by the respective states, include the Twin
8 Cities - Eau Claire line as a planned future passenger rail route; and
9
10 WHEREAS, over the past several years, the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition has
11 worked to develop partners to create a public-private partnership to bring passenger rail service
12 to the West Central Wisconsin area, including the Chippewa and St. Croix Valleys. This
13 coalition was initially formed out of the Momentum West Economic Development Organization,
14 and has seen interest or involvement from the counties and municipalities in the
15 I-94 corridor, including the counties of Eau Claire, Chippewa, Dunn, St. Croix and Pierce, and
16 the municipalities of Hudson, Baldwin, New Richmond, River Falls, Menomonie, Eau Claire,
17 Chippewa Falls, and Altoona; and
18
19 WHEREAS, the Wisconsin Gateway Corridor Coalition, a similar predecessor initiative,
20 was involved in the Bi-State Gateway Corridor Study Alternative Analysis that showed promise
21 for future public transportation in the Twin Cities - Eau Claire corridor; and
22
23 WHEREAS, the West Central Rail Wisconsin Coalition and its Passenger Rail
24 Organizing Council has been working with Union Pacific Railroad, owner of the tracks, to
25 implement passenger service, and Union Pacific Railroad has indicated that it will enter into a
26 memorandum of understanding regarding service implementation upon satisfactory completion
27 of an engineering study of the existing Union Pacific Railroad rail line to determine the need for
28 capacity and capital improvements; and
29
30 WHEREAS,the continued planning and development of the rail corridor is critical to the
31 transportation needs of the St. Croix and Chippewa Valleys. It is necessary to have a multi-
32 jurisdictional body, independent of any one county or municipality, to govern the
33 implementation, creation, and continuation of passenger rail service through the multiple
34 counties and municipalities that the proposed rail corridor will pass through to oversee the
35 relationship between the private and public sector, coordinate guidelines for site selection and
36 development of stations, apply for federal grant programs, coordinate with jurisdictions in the
37 state of Minnesota, and coordinate with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the
38 Federal government; and
39
40 WHEREAS, the multi jurisdictional body or commission would need to be independent,
41 but supported by the individual counties and municipalities to promote decisions that are
42 independent and made for the best interest of the passenger rail corridor; and
43
44 WHEREAS,the purpose of the commission would be to advance the public interest by
45 pursuing the implementation of passenger rail service and other public transportation
46 improvements to serve the St. Croix and Chippewa Valleys; and
47
48 WHEREAS, activities that the commission could participate in may include:
49
50 - Identify the public benefits of passenger rail and other public transportation
51 improvements to connect the Chippewa/St. Croix region to the Twin Cities, as well as
52 Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago.
53
54 - Identify, support, and facilitate initiatives to implement passenger rail service,
55 including public-private partnerships, sponsors, operators, Federal and State funding
56 opportunities, relationships among governments and stakeholders, feasibility studies,
57 and the like.
58
59 - Pursue opportunities for transit-orientated development, value capture financing, and
60 other community-related benefits at station locations to ensure the fullest possible
61 economic benefits from service implementation.
62
63 - Foster cooperation among Wisconsin and Minnesota governments, agencies, and
64 other entities.
65
66 - Determine the long-term role of the commission, or other organization that might be
67 created to coordinate public involvement in the service, including any legislative or
68 other action that might be needed.
69
70 - Participate in determining the appropriate project roles for this commission, State
71 DOTs, counties and municipalities, private partners and real estate developers, and
72 advocacy or educational organizations like the West Central Rail Coalition.
73
74 - Determine and coordinate zoning, environmental, safety, and other regulatory-related
75 requirements.
76
77 - Participate in current and future planning processes, including the Wisconsin and
78 Minnesota State Rail Plans, Federal Railroad Administration Midwest Corridor
79 Study, and the local MPO; and
80
81 WHEREAS, creation of a commission will require the individual counties and
82 municipalities to adopt a resolution committing to be a part of and agreeing to assist in the
83 development and creation of the commission and its by-laws, and committing to appointing the
84 appropriate individuals to serve on the commission; and
85
86 WHEREAS, initially, it would be beneficial if the Counties and Municipalities adopting
87 a resolution similar to this one, agreeing to participate in the creation of the Chippewa - St. Croix
88 Rail Commission, each appoint one representative to a committee to create rules and by-laws for
89 the Commission and to recommend enabling resolutions and/or agreements for all participating
90 counties and municipalities. The West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition shall have at least two
91 (2) members appointed to the Committee for the creation of the Chippewa - St. Croix Rail
92 Commission; and
93
94 WHEREAS,pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes Section 66.0301 "municipalities," including
95 counties, may enter into agreements for the purpose of intergovernmental cooperation, including
96 the development of joint transportation commissions.
97
98 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of
99 Supervisors supports the creation of the Chippewa - St. Croix Rail Commission, and agrees to
100 commit the necessary resources and individuals for the development of an intergovernmental
101 agreement and by-laws for the creation of a Transportation Commission that will oversee the
102 implementation, creation, and continuation of passenger rail service in the Chippewa Valley and
103 St. Croix Valley of Western Wisconsin. Any such intergovernmental agreement and by-laws
104 shall be approved by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors.
Legal—Fiscal—Administrative Approvals:
Legal Note:
Fiscal Impact: This Resolution has no financial impact at this time.
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Corporation n It*
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Adopted as Amended
12/21/20 Transportation Committee APPROVED
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RESULT: APPROVED [4 TO 1] Next: 1/5/2021 8:30 AM
MOVER: Dave Ostness, Supervisor
SECONDER: Ed Schachtner, Vice-Chair
AYES: Ed Schachtner, Tim Hall, Dave Ostness, William Peavey
NAYS: Richard Ottino
Vote Confirmation.
St. Croix County Board of Supervisors Action:
Roll Call -Vote Requirement—None
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RESULT: ADOPTED AS AMENDED [15 TO 3]
MOVER: William Peavey, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Dave Ostness, Supervisor
AYES: Schachtner, Anderson, Leaf, Koch, Hall, Feidler, Ostness, Counter, Hansen, Ard,
Tellijohn, Peterson, Achterhof, Tomtschik, Peavey
NAYS: Bob Long, Paul Berning, Richard Ottino
ABSENT: Paulette Anderson
This Resolution was Adopted as Amended by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on January 5, 2021
Cindy Campbell, County Clerk