Mt. Pleasant council OKs truck-rail facility

MT. PLEASANT - A new transload facility will be coming to Mt. Pleasant some time in 2021.

The City Council approved a resolution at its Tuesday meeting for a development agreement with Burlington Short Line Railroad for the construction of the 6,000-square-foot building.

Through a collaboration involving the city, the railroad company and the Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Committee, the group was able to get a $536,000 grant from the Linking Iowa's Freight and Transportation program.

Transloading is the process of transferring a shipment from one mode of transportation to another. In this case from a railcar to a truck or vice versa.

Andrew Hoth, who works as corporate relations for the company, said the railroad has committed a 20 percent grant, approximately $134,000 for the $670,000 project. Any costs that go beyond the allotted amount will be covered by the railroad.

Hoth explained the city will act as a 'pass-through entity” for the funds and partnering with the city allowed a higher percentage of the funds to be awarded as a grant.

Hoth added he believes the new transload facility will be an asset to the community.

'We think some of our business may shift over from Burlington to here so you'll see increased activity out there. It would serve any shipper in Mt. Pleasant and in the region, we'll have that available to move their products from rail to truck or truck to rail,” he said.

Other business

During the meeting, the council approved public hearings and bid lettings for the East Monroe Street Reconstruction Project as well as the Saunders Park Reconstruction Project. Both bid lettings will happen on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. with a public hearing and awarding of contracts on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 5:30 p.m.

In other business:

' The council approved the promotion of Drew Scarff from firefighter reserve unit to volunteer firefighter, effective Jan. 1.

' The city approved the hiring of Chris Ellington as a wastewater treatment plant laborer. The hire was recommended by Public Works Director Rick Mullin and wastewater treatment Superintendent John Beocker.