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Hunt County commissioner Mark Hutchins introduces himself to the NETEX board. Hutchins replaces Bonnie Hunter as the Hunt County representative after she recently resigned. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
Mark Hutchins replaces Bonnie Hunter for Hunt County
The march toward a Hopkins County transload facility has moved forward as an engineer has been selected, but other hurdles related to funding still need to be cleared, Hopkins County-Sulphur Springs Economic Development Executive Director Roger Feagley said at the Northeast Texas Rural Transportation District board meeting Thursday,
“When we asked for the price, it was considerably more than what was in the budget,” Feagley said. “So we want to contact the EDA [Economic Development Administration] and find out if we could pay the higher price, and they said yes.”
The federal funds were a $2.5 million grant awarded to Sulphur Springs and Mount Vernon, but after some disputes, Mount Vernon returned their funds. However, Sulphur Springs salvaged the funds.
These funds finally came through after being delayed by other, COVID-related grants, and then requests for proposals were sent out to nine prospects. Three were returned, and according to Feagley, a Paris, Texas company was selected for their performance of inspections.
“We wanted to make sure everything was in spected as it went,” Feagley said.
Feagley had negotiations planned with the engineers to secure a lower price after the meeting. He also said the necessary utilities are already available at the site, and the engineers estimated a December completion date if the weather cooperated, according to Feagley. The federal deadline for completion is in 18 months.
“We think if we get this going and get some dry weather, that it can be through by Christmas,” Feagley said.
In business items, the board approved the resignation of Hunt County representative Bonnie Hunter and approved her replacement, Hunt County commissioner Mark Hutchins.
“I’m happy to be involved in this to learn more about the railroad specifically and also infrastructure in general and work to make sure each of our counties have all the service provided by the railroad,” Hutchins said. “I think it’s very important.”
The board also approved five standard right-of-way agreements for Railway Auditing and Management Services (RAMS) to authorize independently These agreements are wire line longitudinal, wire line crossing, pipeline longitudinal, pipeline crossing and industrial-grade crossing. According to Titus County representative and chairman Brian Lee, more agreements will be presented for board approval next month.
“This is one more thing that will help us be more automated and take less time,” Lee said.
In the update from rail operator Northeast Texas Connector, Mike Salek reported 137 carloads moved in March, up 65 from February. According to Salek, there has been 9% growth in carloads so far year-over-year.
“Slowly but surely, the track, the bridges, everything is coming together,” Salek said. “We’re having less issues getting to and from interchange to customers and back.”
The new operator has invested heavily into repairing the line, and Salek said the growth is the result of that investment. However, the line is quite a ways off from deemed a Class II rail, a regional classification of railroad with operating revenues between $36.3 million but less than $457.9 million.