The Minot City Council approved a nearly $200 million budget on Monday that likely will result in some tax increase for many property owners. Details of t
The intermodal “ramp” in Minot, N.D., now moving containers with agricultural specialty crops offers a new effort with BNSF-supported ownership to get something off the ground that had sputtered in an earlier attempt.
jschramm@minotdailynews.com
The language in an agreement with the Minot Area Chamber EDC was a subject of debate for members of the Minot City Council Monday.
The council voted 5-2 to approve a professional services agreement with MACEDC that will provide the economic development organization with an additional $246,375 for the remainder of the year. In January, the council had approved a three-month agreement for $82,125 as a temporary measure while MACEDC completed its organizational phase.
The Minot Area Chamber of Commerce and Minot Area Development Corp. merged in January.
MACEDC also receives economic development funding from Ward County and member investors. Executive Director John MacMartin said the investor pool diminished somewhat last year due to COVID-19.
Submitted Photo
A unit train carrying containers sits at the Minot intermodal site last October.
A Senate bill to create a $15 million intermodal transportation assistance program is important to the future of Minot’s shipping facility, according to bill supporters.
SB 2245 would provide grants for purchasing infrastructure assets, property and equipment.
John MacMartin, president of the Minot Area Chamber EDC, said about $10 million is needed for his organization to purchase intermodal assets held by financial institutions and expand the intermodal site infrastructure into BNSF Railway’s Gavin Yard. Due to lack of track to support a unit train on a single rail, the intermodal service is operating with provisional BNSF approval. To grant longer term approval, BNSF is requiring an expansion of the existing infrastructure to be completed by August 2021.