From (AP) (Moscow/Pullman Daily News) Washington state and Whitman County officials are forming a local governance board to oversee the state controlled Palouse River-Coulee City Rail line system.
State Reps. David Buri and Steve Hailey and Sen. Mark Schoesler met with Washington State Department of Transportation officials, Port of Whitman officials and county commissioners Tuesday to begin forming the board.
The state Legislature recently set aside $10 million to be used to repair the rail system in eastern Washington that was purchased by the state earlier this year. However, the Legislature is withholding $7 million until local governments implement a governance board. They have until June 2009 to complete the task or the money will be allocated to other projects.
County Commissioner Greg Partch said the meeting was a good starting point for the county and it is important that the county and the surrounding area move forward with the project.
"I think it was a big step," Partch said. "The clock has been ticking away. That is really putting the monkey on the rail's back and on our backs."
Buri said it was determined during the meeting that the port would take the lead for Whitman County in the formation of the governance board. However, complicating the issue is the fact that the PRCC also makes its way into Spokane, Adams, Grant and Lincoln counties. Each county will have a representative on the board.
Schoesler said the port made sense as the representative for Whitman County because of its expertise in economic development.
"There has to be a governing entity and they are the logical choice for Whitman County," he said.
Buri said he is confident the deadline can be met, even with the hurdles to clear and the number of entities involved.
"This is all new ground," he said. "There is nothing like this in the state that exists. I am optimistic it can happen," Buri added. "I think there is enough interest here in eastern Washington to make this work for the betterment of eastern Washington."
Port Executive Director Joe Poire said there still is a great deal of work to be done, but that it is worth the effort. "If we don't get it straightened down to something that will work that $7 million will go somewhere else," Poire said.
Buri said the $3 million that already is available will be a good start to the "rehabilitation" of the neglected line, which were not properly maintained by the previous owner, Watco.
"They are in desperate need of repair," Buri said.
Buri said purchasing the rail line was the right decision for the state. "I think (the railroad) was a good investment," Buri said. "Now the question is how we run the railroad."
Also discussed at the meeting was abandoning the idea of repairing a burned trestle outside of Colfax and constructing a new line between Oakesdale and Thornton. Buri said the line that utilizes the trestle is one of the slower lines in the area and the new line likely would be a better alternative.
### published 9/13/07