Apr. 23—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown City Council could approve annual memberships in the High Speed Rail Alliance and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to support a long-distance passenger rail route that could go through Jamestown in the future.
If approved by the Jamestown City Council at its meeting in May, it would cost $250 for an annual membership in the High Speed Rail Alliance and $2,000 for an annual membership in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.
The annual membership in the High Speed Rail Alliance supports the creation of the former long-distance passenger rail route from Chicago to Seattle.
The annual membership in the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority supports the planning and development of the long-distance passenger rail route from Chicago to Seattle.
The rail route goes through Jamestown. The Finance and Legal Committee in a 4-0 vote recommended without approval to put both items on the City Council's agenda. Councilman Brian Kamlitz was absent from the meeting on Tuesday, April 23.
In December, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded a $500,000 grant from its Corridor Identification and Development Program to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to restore passenger rail service on Amtrak's North Coast Hiwatha Chicago to Seattle route. Passenger rail projects in Amtrak's North Coast Hiwatha are overseen by the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.
The High Speed Rail Alliance is a nonprofit organization "working for stronger communities and a healthier environment through the development of fast, frequent and affordable trains," according to its website.
Mayor Dwaine Heinrich said economic development dollars through the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp. potentially could be used for the memberships rather than general fund dollars.
Councilman David Steele agreed that economic development could be a big factor for Jamestown to be a stop. He said Jamestown would be a stop for the rail route because it is a historic site.
In other business, the City Council unanimously approved:
* an agreement to transfer ownership of a railroad caboose formerly owned by Midland Continental Railroad and its wheels, track and associated signs to JK Ventures, which does business as Jamestown Campground. Heinrich and City Administrator Sarah Hellekson were also authorized to sign the agreement. The caboose is located at Frontier Village. The purchase price of the caboose was $1 and the buyer will agree to maintain the caboose for 10 years. The owners of Jamestown Campground plan to make the caboose into an overnight sleeping accommodation and relocate it to the campground.
The Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approval to fill the engineering technician position currently in the 2024 budget.
Jay Sveum, deputy auditor/human resource officer, said the engineering department has been budgeted for two engineering technicians since 2022. He said Tyler Michel filled one of the two positions before he was promoted to public works director.
When Michel was promoted, it was decided that he would try to do the duties of the public works director position and continue his duties of his previous position before reevaluating the situation.
"As a result, many of the Engineering Technician obligations have not been fulfilled to the standard that I would like to see the Engineering Department operate under," he wrote in a letter to the City Council.
The salary ranges are $4,151 to $5,970 per month for an engineering technician I and $4,709 to $6,779 per month for an engineering technician II.
Sveum said he and Hellekson support filling the engineering technician position. He said Michel is doing a good job in his current position of public works director.
In other business, the Finance and Legal Committee unanimously recommended approving:
* the cost participation and maintenance agreement with the North Dakota Department of Transportation on U.S. Highway 52 in Jamestown. The city has no local share in the project. The concrete pavement repair project is from 17th Street Southwest at Newman Signs to the Interstate 94 interchange. Another project will occur at the same time from the Interstate 94 interchange to 37th Street Southeast. The project also includes replacing the traffic signals at 17th Street Southwest.
* the preliminary engineering reimbursement agreement with the NDDOT on N.D. Highway 20 in Jamestown. The city has no local share in the project. The pavement sealing project will be from 1st Avenue North to 12th Avenue Northeast where Highway 20 goes north of Jamestown.
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