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Transportation Policy and Finance

FIFTH MEETING

2015-2016 Regular Session - Wednesday, January 28, 2015

STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-NINTH SESSION

TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
MINUTES

Representative Tim Kelly, Chair of the Transportation Policy and Finance Committee, called the fifth meeting to order at 12:47 p.m. on January 28, 2015, in the Basement Hearing room of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members present:


KELLY, Tim, Chair
PETERSBURG, John, VC
ANDERSON, Mark
ATKINS, Joe
BERNARDY, Connie
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve
ERHARDT, Ron
HAUSMAN, Alice
HORNSTEIN, Frank
HOWE, Jeff
JOHNSON, Clark
KOZNICK, Jon
LUCERO, Eric
MASIN, Sandra
MCNAMARA, Denny
NASH, Jim
NORTON, Kim
RUNBECK, Linda
SANDERS, Tim
SUNDIN, Mike
UGLEM, Mark
WHELAN, Abigail



Chair Kelly began the meeting at 12:47 p.m. A quorum was NOT present.

Bill Gardner, Director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation Freight Office, presented an overview of freight rail and economic development.

Chair Kelly called the meeting to order at 1:06 p.m. A quorum was present.

Representative Sanders moved to approve the minutes of January 26, 2015. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

Marnie Werner, Research Manager for the Center for Rural Policy and Development, testified and gave an overview of the 2015 State of Rail Report.

Brian Sweeney, Regional Assistant Vice President for BNSF Railway, testified on the profit level of class one rail roads.

Mark Wegner, President of Twin Cities & Western Railroad and of Minnesota Regional Railroads Association, presented an overview Minnesota railroads.

Mike Beard, Scott County Commissioner and former Chair of Transportation Policy and Finance Committee, gave an overview of the Freight Rail Economic Development Report.

Cassandra Isackson, Director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation Aeronautics Office, presented an overview of the Aeronautics Office.

Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director and CEO of Metropolitan Airports Commission, gave an overview of the various projects that the Metropolitan Airports Commission is involved in.









The meeting was adjourned at 2:34 p.m.





Representative Tim Kelly, Chair




Natalie Cecchini, Committee Legislative Assistant
More Info On This Meeting..

MNDOT/DEED Freight Rail Economic Development Study:
Bill Gardner, Director, MnDOT Freight Office
Marnie Werner, Center for Rural Policy and Development (Published State of Rail Report in Jan 2015)
Mark Wegner, President, Twin Cities & Western Railroad and President, Minnesota Regional Railroads Association
Mike Beard, Former House Member and Chair

Link to MNDOT FRED Study Report and data:
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/ofrw/fred/fred.html
Link to FRED Legislative Report (more condensed version):
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/govrel/reports/2013/fredreport.pdf

Airports overview:
Cassandra Isackson, Director, MnDOT Aeronautics Office
Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) overview:
Mitchell Kilian, Director of Government Affairs, MAC
Jeff Hamiel, Executive Director/CEO, MAC