By ELIZABETH SINCLAIR
DeFuniak Springs – At the June 27th DeFuniak City Council, Mayor Bob Campbell brought before the Council Resolution 2016-05 requesting Amtrak return passenger service to the Gulf Coast and specifically that Amtrak’s train stop in DeFuniak Springs.
Known as the Sunset Limited, from 1894 to 1930 the service ran from San Francisco to Los Angeles, then east to Jacksonville as a Pullman. The route in 1930 was shortened from Los Angeles to Jacksonville until August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina compromised infrastructure and the destroyed the Mobile, Ala. passenger station. Operations from New Orleans east along the Gulf of Mexico were terminated.
According to the resolution, CSX and Norfolk Southern own the tracks accommodating the Amtrak line and are both committed to “provide service in a more efficient manner than before Hurricane Katrina.”
Steve Jaeger, retiring Walton County Economic Development Alliance director and admitted train aficionado, told the Council that the Federal Railroad Administration’s assessments of Amtrak stops are initially limited to the previous stops and that there are a number of other towns asking for stops along the route. However, he added that “We come out looking good,” What is needed is a close affiliation with transportation from the train stop to the south end on the county. Jaeger was asked by Councilman Mac Carpenter if the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) had written a corresponding resolution. The answer was no.
The Council decided to move the Chamber of Commerce office to the depot/museum baggage room. The move is need to accommodate the Chamber during the two-year renovation of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood. By making the move to the baggage room and bringing it up to ADA standards, adding air conditioning and other upgrades, the space can later be used for the anticipated Amtrak station. The Council directed city staff to remodel the room maintaining its historical integrity.
Dr. Melinda Henderson gave a detailed power point presentation showing a breakdown of costs related to restoration and renovations of the Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood. In all, $497,113 in grant money and $135,612 in city cash and in-kind are the anticipated budget of $632,625.
Henderson asked that the Council reconsider the unaccepted Requests For Proposals (RFP) an advertised form of bidding. At the original advertising only one RFP came in for the positions. The RFP reconsiderations were for general contractor and historic properties survey project manager manager. Henderson explained the duties of the project manager and due to the amount of work required the $28,800 request made in the RFP was reasonable. City Attorney Clayton Adkinson explained that the RFPs could not be reconsidered, they would need to be advertised again.
The Council also unanimously agreed to advertise for the position of city manager in-house. Qualifications will be “posted on the board” for city employees. The position has been vacant since March 28.