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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCCIt GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA MEETING REQUEST FORM (Must be submitted to the Clerk of the Board by 12:00pm on Thursday) REQUESTING DEPARTMENT: BOCC REQUEST SUBMITTED BY: B LUTZ CONTACT PERSON ATTENDING ROUNDTABLE: g LUTZ CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: ❑YES ®NO DATE: 9/24/2024 PHONE:2927 BMW ❑Agreemenfi /Contract OAP Vouchers ❑Appointment / Reappointment ❑ARPA Related ❑ Bids / RFPs / Quotes Award ❑ Bid Opening Scheduled ❑ Boards / Committees ❑ Budget et❑Computer Related ❑Count Code Emergency Purchase ❑ Employee Rel. ❑ Facilities Related ❑ Financial ❑ Funds ❑ Hearin 9 ❑ Invoices / Purchase Orders ❑ Grants — Fed/State/Count y ❑ Leases ❑ MOA / MOU ❑ Minutes ❑ Ordinances []Out of State Travel ❑ PettY Cash ❑ Policies ❑ Proclamations ❑ Request for Purchase ❑ Resolution ❑ Recommendation ❑ Professional Serv/Consultant © Support Letter ❑ Sur lus Re p q ❑Tax Levies ❑Thank You's C7Tax Title Property . ❑WSLCB Support letter to the Washington State Department g p ent of Transportation for the HlghLlne Growers, Inc's proposed Freight Rail Assistance (FRAP) Pro ram g grant application. If necessary, was this document reviewed by accounting? ❑ YES 0 NO g ❑ N/A If necessary, was this document reviewed by legal? ❑ YES fm NO ❑ N/A DATE OF ACTION:_ qi DEFER RED OR CONTINUED TO. APPROVE: DENIED ABSTAIN D1. D2: D3: WITHDRAWN: 4/23/24 GRANT COUNTY OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS PO BOX37 EPHRATA WA 98823 (509) 754-201 1 September 24, 2024 Washington State Department of Transportation Rail, Freight and Ports Division P.O. Box 47407 Olympia, WA 98504-7407 To Whom It May Concern: The Grant County Commissioners are writing this letter to express Grant Cou p my s strong support for High Line Grain Growers, Inc!s ("HLGG") proposed Freight Rail Assistance ce Program ("FRAP") grant application. The improvements proposed at Hartline Station alo ng the Central Washington Branch. Line ("CW Line") of the state-owned Palouse River and Coulee City rail line are crucial to ensuring that the CW Line remains competitive with alterna te ate modes of transportation in the region. HLGG's Hartline station is an important economic driver in our region. If Hartline ine station fell into disrepair and, as a result, was closed to rail service, the results could b ' e devastating to Grant County. However, if this FRAP grant is funded and improvements were made to make Hartline station more state-of-the-art and efficient, the opportunity to draw more ' pp y e commodity to Hartline will bring increased economic opportunities. Most importantly,these improvements will keep grain on the state-owned rail line instead of destroying our streets and y g County roads with grain truck traffic. If Hartline station ceases to be a rail shipping hub, the resultingincrease in grain truck traffic will have a very detrimental effect on our alreadycash-strapped Public Works Budget. Grant County does not have the monetary capacity through its tax base to handle in creased maintenance and repair of our roadways. It also is clear no new state fundingfor any county roads will be coming from the state in the foreseeable future. The loss of this im portant asset in our community is simply not in the best interests of any of the partners who are trying Y g to make the C W Line a success. INTO MEET CURRENT AN0 FUTURE NEEOSq SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, WHILE FOSTERING A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT." We appreciate HLGG's leadership in submittingthis F highest RAP Application and urge your hi g t consideration to make it a reality. We desperately jobs p y need theand economic activit that the CW Line drives in our region and Hartline stationy is crucial to achieving these benefits. Sincerely, BOARD OF GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Cindy Carter, Chair Danny E Stone, Vice -Chair rrw Rob ic�e5. 'M ember Cc: Beau Duff