Council OKs funds to seek grant

Plans to convert the McDoel switchyard into part of the city's alternative transportation plan were kept on track last night.\nThe Bloomington City Council gave final approval for the appropriation of $200,000 to help seek federal grants to aid in the development of the project.\nThe McDoel switchyard is currently owned by CSX and has been deemed a "key project" in the city's alternative transportation plan that was passed two weeks ago by the council. The city would like to convert the railyard into a 2.25 mile long bike and pedestrian pathway which would provide a route into the downtown area. \nIn a marathon session that wrapped up in the early hours of Thursday morning, the council voted 8-0 to approve money for legal representation and the retainer of two Washington, D.C. attorneys to lobby for federal funding. Council member Jeffrey Willsey abstained from the vote after filing a conflict of interest statement at the beginning of the meeting.\nThe $200,000 will be appropriated from the "westside industries fund."\nCity controller Tom Guevara said $90,000 would be used for legal services related to the acquisition of the railyard. \n"Because we're talking about the issue of a real estate transaction involving railroads, and this transaction is specifically with CSX, it's a very complex matter," he said, "and our legal department has indicated simply they do not have the resources internally to be able to accomplish that particular task."\nGuevara also outlined the use of $60,000 for federal representation in acquiring federal help to fund the project.\n"The city, even though it's a priority project of the city, really does not have any funds immediately available which they can fund this project," he said. "However, this is a project that is an authorized use of federal highway transportation funds, and there is a significant amount of funding available." \nAlthough public comment on the issue did not begin until nearly 11:30pm, several residents stayed up to voice their opinions on the ordinance.\nMike Hefron, general manager of the Bloomington Herald-Times, said that the possible elimination of rail lines could force the newspaper to use trucks instead of rail cars for transporting and delivering goods.\n"We'd like to see them co-exist," he said, referring to a pathway and existing rail lines.\nFormer Bloomington Bicycle Club president Barbara Anderson said the plan was a "wonderful idea," but encouraged the city to "think outside of the box" and try to find a compromise between creating a park and helping local businesses.\nSome residents weren't as enthusiastic.\n"Folks, this is a terrible deal," said Isabelle Piedmont. "You're offering CSX the money to pay for all these environmental studies, you're going to fund all these grants and lobbyists. It's ridiculous."\nMayor John Fernandez emphasized to the council that the ordinance would only allow the city to obtain outside legal counsel, but did say that moving the switchyard would be necessary to complete the project.\n"There are going to be many, many different steps along the way before the idea becomes reality," he said. "There are going to be many steps where the council, with lots of public input, can say 'no.'\nWe're not locked into this by simply giving us resources to get some legal counsel."\nCouncil member Tony Pizzo said he saw several problems with the ordinance, but praised its underlying purpose.\n"I think one of the reasons people run for public office is because they're visionaries," he said. "The criteria we have regarding our vision of the future in Bloomington includes a lot of things that may never happen, but they'll never happen if we don't have that vision."\nThe council also unanimously voted to annex the Arlington Place/Cascade Heights area as well as the backyard area behind the Grandview neighborhood that was erroneously left out of legislation when the neighborhood was previously annexed into the city. The annexations will take effect in February of 2002.