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154TH YEAR ISSUE NO. 18 $1
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014
Goffinet: Rail, river, offer port authority opportunities
FURNITURE TIME Right: PG Gentrup helps unload furniture from a Morris/Ashley Furniture truck Thursday, May 1. The furniture donation was through a partnership of the company with donations from customers for local solider Brett Bondurant and the special accessible house built for him by Home for Our Troops. The Massachusetts-based non-profit turns donations and corporate partnerships into new homes for seriously wounded veterans so they can live with their families as independently as possible.
PHOTOS BY ERIKA SCHMIDT RUSSELL/The Journal-Press
Above: A Morris/Ashley Furniture worker takes packaging off of a piece of furniture May 1. Left: A landscape boulder in front of the Bondurant house on Crossbow Trails Lane notes Brett and London Bondurant’s wedding date.
Spider sends car into Aurora front porch The driver of a car that ended up on a front porch Wednesday, April 30, told police she was startled by a spider, said Aurora Police Department. Shayna Lacey, 19, Aurora, was driving east on U.S. 50 east of the U.S. 50 and Sunnyside Avenue intersection about 5 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle, said police. The car came to a stop as it rolled into the front porch of an unoccupied home across from the BP gas station, said police. “Ms. Lacey advised she became startled as a spider landed on her steering wheel,” said police. APD Sgt. Shane Slack and Officer Clint Holmstrom were dispatched to the one-vehicle crash. It was amazing Lacey crossed two lanes of traffic that time of day without her vehicle striking another car, said Slack. Lacey, the only occupant of the vehicle, received minor injuries and was taken to Dearborn County Hospital, Lawrenceburg, by Aurora Emergency Rescue, said police. She was treated and released, said Slack.
© REGISTER PUBLICATIONS, 2014
City, Goffinet has been involved with the port authority since its establishment in cmattingly@registerpublications.com 1991. The port authority resulted At its April meeting, the from concern beginning in Southeast Indiana Regional Port Authority approved a 1988 that a Norfolk-Southern Railroad spur line through $655,000 two-year budget. So far, the SIRPA has re- Tell City would be abanceived $50,000 in funding doned, he said. The 27-mile via a grant from Lawrence- line served only two clients burg, but representatives plan and was leased to Indiana to return and seek additional HiRail, which soon filed for bankruptcy. funds. Port authorities not only SIRPA's new budget calls for $210,000 for studies and can create and manage ports, analysis the first two years; but also can own and run rail$60,000 to be spent on map- roads, said Goffinet. “Norfolk Southern sold us ping and waterfront surveying; $160,000 on soil borings, the entire 27 miles of rail permits, archeological study line for $200,000,” he said. and site plan design; $15,000 “You do have to understand on procurement; $90,000 it was in horrible condition.” on legal fees, including for The rail line has since been upgraded and land acquisithe PCPA tion and lease now owns agreements; “We’re going to see three locoand $90,000 on general more and more traffic motives and costs, from on the Ohio River as a number of rail cars and supplies to has eight emconferences we go along.” he and speakers. Bill Goffinet ployees, said. In other Perry County M e a n business, Port Authority while, Tell members disCity had forecussed invitclosed on a ing one new river port in member from Greendale should existing members the city, into which the rail Lawrenceburg and Aurora line ran, he said. The PCPA plus Greendale and Dearborn now runs that port, where its County enter a new inter- railroad, the Hoosier Southlocal agreement. That would ern Railroad (HOS,) is headadd Greendale and the county quartered. And with nearby highways, the port and the to the SIRPA. Board member Dearborn railroad, Tell City was able to County Commissioner Shane land a major industry, WauMcHenry said the county paca Foundry, in 1997. “We pulled 2,800 rail cars commissioners agreed he can continue as the sole county last year, unloaded 50-some representative on the pro- barges at our port,” he said. Just in February, the HOS posed enlarged board. SIRPA attorney Jeff Strat- pulled 176 rail car loads and man noted that would give unloaded 10 barges at about the board an even number 1,800 tons each, mostly pig of members, and the board iron and coal, he said. The agreed the president of the PCPA also had trucked out board then would vote only over 200 loads of material if a tie breaker is needed. Au- in just the first two months rora Mayor Donnie Hastings of 2014. “We started out basically currently is the president. Lawrenceburg Redevelop- the way you are here,” said ment Director Grant Hughes, Goffinet. After acquiring the who serves as the SIPA sec- rail line, the port authority retary, said Lawrenceburg felt it needed another area of officials will meet Monday, transportation and acquired May 5, with representatives the port. Grants plus port and of American Electric Power rail handling fees have funded regarding plans for its Indiana the PCPA activities, including and Michigan Tanners Creek a recent $5.7 million project power plant, due to be shut on the HOS rail line, which down in 2015. The SIRPA has now is up to standards. discussed seeking the use of the plant's barge facilities in “We have never put one the future. penny on the taxpayers in Member Tom Schneider our county,” he said, calling also proposed the SIRPA a port authority another tool could assist Consolidated for economic development. Barge in Aurora by negotiat“...We primarily serve six to ing the use of barge docking eight customers right now facilities nearer to its locawith our port and rail,” said tion. Goffinet. “We started out basically In March, the SIRPA heard the way you are here,” he about the success of the Perry said. After acquiring the rail County Port Authority from line, the PCPA members, all its board president Bill Gof- volunteers, felt they needed finet. A former mayor of Tell By Chandra L. Mattingly Staff Reporter
Aurora Fire Department assisted at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation, said police.
No tax money
River and rails SUBMITTED PHOTO
A car driven by 19-year-old Shayna Lacey, Aurora, ended up under the porch of a house of U.S. 50 across from the BP station east of Sunnyside Avenue last week. The driver said she had been startled by a spider.
INSIDE TODAY CALENDAR.........................5
SPORTS..........................6-7
See PORT, Page 8
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