BURLINGTON, Iowa — Burlington Mayor Tim Scott said the community had “one opportunity to make a good first impression” on Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad officials, the Hawk Eye reported.
Local, state and federal officials believe they were successful in that effort Monday, when BNSF vice presidents Craig Hill and Paul Nowicki toured the BNSF shops they may merge with similar shops in Topeka, Kan.
The Burlington shops employ 380 workers, while 330 work at the Topeka shops.
“We showed them we were serious about wanting to keep them here and wanting them to expand their business here,” Scott said.
The BNSF representatives were met by a delegation that included Gov. Tom Vilsack, 2nd District U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, West Burlington Mayor Hans Trousil, Des Moines County Supervisors Chairman Tim Hoschek and a variety of local government and economic development officials.
While Monday’s tour resulted in neither a decision nor a ringing endorsement of Burlington by BNSF, Scott said he was confident the goal of the meeting was reached.
“Paul Nowicki pulled me aside and said they were both very impressed, very pleased to see the governor and the congressman,” he said. “I think they were a tad bit overwhelmed. They hadn’t expected that.”
Hill is heading the BNSF study exploring the possibility of consolidating the two locomotive repair shops, a study that is expected to be completed within several days. But local officials don’t expect a decision for at least several weeks.
Dennis Hinkle, vice president of economic development for the Burlington/West Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce, said assembling the group was an important showing of the region’s solidarity.
But the high–powered delegation not only gathered to show what southeast Iowa could do for the railroad, but also to emphasize the importance of the shops to the local and regional economy.
“This is going to be one of the most critical decisions made in southeast Iowa in the next decade,” Leach said.
Vilsack said the BNSF officials offered no specifics regarding what they would like to see in an incentive package. He said the Iowa Department of Economic Development has several tools available to help retain or grow business, including grants and loans.
But Vilsack said financial offerings are not the only economic development tools that would be used to lure BNSF to expand its southeast Iowa operations.
State–funded job training programs at Southeastern Community College, the proximity of full–service health care at Great River Medical Center and the state’s public commitment to help build new power generation plants all piqued the interest of Hill and Nowicki.
Despite a shakeup at IDED last week with the firing of department director C.J. Niles, the same group of development officials is working on the BNSF project, said IDED’s Bill DeMuth.
Vilsack, however, said the buck stops with him.
“The guy that’s most important to this project, from a state standpoint, is here today … that’s me,” the governor said.
Vilsack said a decision to locate expanded shops in Burlington would have several advantages over the Topeka shops, including an “extraordinary work force,” location in the tri–state area that would keep BNSF in “constant supply” of workers and a strong congressional delegation with influence in the federal government.
Leach said his impression was that it is a “no–brainer decision” for BNSF to consolidate the shops, but a “close–call decision” as to where to put the shop expansion.
The Republican congressman, along with Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, are leading an effort to obtain federal money to upgrade BNSF’s railroad bridge across the Mississippi River.
The $29.6 million project would upgrade the bridge from a swing span to a lift span. Currently, $13.8 million has been appropriated toward the project. The Iowa lawmakers now are fighting for the balance.
“The bridge is going to happen,” said Hoschek, who said Burlington’s proximity to main rail lines continues to be a plus for the community. “All we had to do was ask for it.”
He said he was moved by workers’ comments to him during a luncheon attended by the delegation and the BNSF officials.
“They have some serious concerns,” Hoschek said. “They’re wondering what’s going to happen. There’s a lot of people that will be impacted by this decision.”