City/railroad agreement seen beneficial to industry

Le Mars Mayor Dick Kirchoff said Wednesday he sees local industries as beneficiaries of the railroad agreement signed this week by the Le Mars City Council.

The agreement with the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad Company (also known as Canadian National Railway Company) sets up liability for railroad owned and maintained by city.

"We had a previous agreement but it wasn't all encompassing," City Administrator Scott Langel said.

The previous agreement covered from 18th Street South nearly to 24th Street South. However, the city aquired from Lincoln Street to 18th Street South just after Labor Day. Also, city rail was constructed from about 24th Street to 27th Street South.

"This new agreement incorporates all of that," Langel said.

The city's initial intent, Kirchoff said, in purchasing of the track covered by the agreement was to assist Le Mars industries to be able to get products and materials in and out of their respective operations.

"Our agreement to service the 7,860 feet of industry track covered by the agreement puts us in the position of maintaining the track in what we feel is a manner allowing for these industries to operate in an efficient manner," Kirchoff added.

The agreement states should any damages occur on the city-owned track they would be covered by the city's $10 million liability policy, Langel said.

The council in other action also approved a request from the Powder Player's Snowmobile Club for use of a snowmobile route on city property from Highway 3 to Highway 75.

Council members specified, however, snowmobilers use only city-owned public land and they cannot operate snowmobiles on any of Le Mars' recreational trail bridges.

Langel said snowmobile cub members have in the past adhered to the city policy and he anticipates no problems with their use of the route for an organized, and marked, club activity.

In other action, council members also:

* approved the request from Wells' Dairy to close First Street Southeast between First and Second Avenue from Dec. 4 through Dec. 23 to allow for a "staging area" for new plant equipment and material.

* approved Wells' request to install a fiber optic cable on 18th Street south in the city right-of-way, from the company's engineering building to the truck wash.

* reappointed Matt Wentz to a four-year term on the Civil Service Commission.

* placed a permanent stop sign at the intersection of PGA Drive and Fourth Avenue East requiring westbound PGA Drive traffic to stop.

* went into closed session for a performance review for assistant fire chief Bob Vargason, continued collective bargaining and real estate purchase and pending litigation matters.