High-speed opportunity

Watertown Mayor Ron Krueger didn't get to weigh in on the federal government's plan to bolster high-speed passenger rail service throughout the county, nor was he asked to give any input on the state's decision to accept the $810 million in stimulus funds for the project. But since the project is moving full speed ahead, Krueger says it's vital for Watertown to have the train stop in the city.

“The common council and myself are not going to get into the debate about whether the federal government should be spending $8 billion on developing and starting a better passenger rail program and we are also not going to get into a debate about whether the state of Wisconsin should accept the money or not,” Krueger said during a recent interview in his office. “But - and I know the majority of the common council feels as I do - if the trains are going to run between Milwaukee and Madison, and eventually Chicago and the Twin Cities, we want them to stop in Watertown because if we don't jump on this the first time around and it gets going, it will be years and years and years before we get another opportunity.”

And Krueger sees this opportunity as an important one for Watertown because he feels it will help the city bring more economic development to the area. Krueger and city officials have been looking for a site for the train station for some time now and the only one that would allow for economic development and ample parking is the former Pick 'n Save property off of South Church Street.

Krueger said the prospect of economic development is crucial to the project because he does not want to use additional tax dollars to build the train station. As of now, Watertown is slated to receive $5 million in federal funding to construct the depot and Krueger says the city is also working diligently with state agencies to get involved in programs that will help fund growth and development in the area.

“The state Department of Transportation, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Natural Resources are all working with the city to draw in additional resources to make this a successful economic development opportunity for the entire area,” Krueger said.

The mayor also made it clear the city is not planning on asking its citizens to pay for the construction of the station with additional tax dollars.

“We do not plan on spending more than the $5 million,” Krueger said. “We are working diligently with private partners who are working diligently with redesigns and requirements at the station itself to bring it in so that no additional tax dollars are necessary to build the station.”

Krueger said the unmanned train station will be approximately 5,000 square feet and include rest rooms, a kiosk area for people to purchase tickets, a small vending area, a waiting area and space for storing maintenance equipment.

Once construction on the train station is complete, the building will be turned over to the city to manage, maintain and clean. Krueger says he is looking for volunteers to help run the station, but if that plan falls through, the city will have existing workers do the jobs.

“We do hear from Amtrak that many communities line up a volunteer group that loves trains and comes down and maintains the station, but if we do have to maintain it on a regular basis we will figure that out with our existing janitorial crews and park department,” Krueger said.

The mayor says it will cost about $20,000 annually to manage and maintain the train station for the first few years, but as the structure grows older, that annual amount is expected to jump into the range of $40,000 to $50,000.

A big question on people's minds is where is that money going to come from? Krueger says the city is expecting the train depot to spur $25 million in building projects in that vicinity, which is within a tax incremental financing district. Krueger said the $25 million would generate about $500,000 a year in additional revenues during the lifetime of the TIF, and those funds would be used to offset the costs of maintaining and cleaning the station. Once the TIF expires and goes onto the tax rolls, the city would still be getting $180,000 in revenue, he added.

“There is going to be no additional net cost to the taxpayers in the city of Watertown,” Krueger said.

Krueger said he does not think it would be possible to get that development in that area in the near future if it were not for the train station. He also pointed out he does not want to see the Pick 'n Save lot sit vacant like the Watertown Square shopping center across the street did for so many years.

And Krueger says the city has heard from numerous businesses that are interested in locating in Watertown if the train station is built.

“We have had contacts from businesses and corporations, we've had interests from small entrepreneurs wondering about spaces that they could lease or rent if something would be built that way and we've had contacts from interested developers who would be looking at retail, commercial and office development and even some residential in the area,” Krueger said.

The mayor added a developer is looking into the possibility of building a small conference/ convention center near the site that does not have hotel rooms. Krueger says the city could also expect to see a rental car agency locate in Watertown to service the people who are using the train station and airport. Riders who stop in Watertown would also be able to use the city's shared-ride taxi program, he added.

Krueger also anticipates the train station will result in more people stopping in Watertown, which would increase activity at local restaurants, stores and hotels. In addition, Krueger says the nearby Glacial Heri-tage Area will also cause more riders to get off at the Water-town stop.

In terms of residential development, Krueger said the city and several developers in the area are confident more people from the Milwaukee and Madison areas will move to Watertown because of the train station.

“We are confident and there are a couple of local home builders who are betting on that once the station is here, you will have people coming here to live who are making big dollars and have a family,” Krueger said.

“The access to the train will have some of these people saying, ‘OK, now the possibility is there. I can build a nice home in Watertown for a heck of a lot less than I can build it in Brookfield, Chenequa or Hart-land. I can live in Watertown, I can send my kids to good schools, whether they are public or parochial, we can have access to a great park system and we are still only an hour's drive away from world-class college athletics, entertainment and pro sports.' These people can drive to the station in the morning and be there in two minutes, get on the train and work on their laptops. That $40 a day round-trip, to me, for the two hours of work they can get done while riding on the train and not have to worry about the traffic and the weather, is going to draw those kinds of people to the city of Watertown to live, and that I will guarantee you.”

As for the next step in the process, Krueger says the state has asked the common council to soon pass a comfort resolution to show the city is on board with the project. Krueger said the resolution would show the city is willing to continue working with the state Department of Transportation and Federal Railroad Administration to put together a plan that will make a rail stop in Watertown possible. But he added the resolution would not bind the city to the project financially.

The city is also in the process of negotiating with the owner of the former Pick 'n Save property across from ShopKo. Krueger said they are trying to come up with a contract that would make them partners in the project. Krueger added talks are ongoing and the two have a cordial relationship.

“We're talking, but we're talking in generalities and possibilities,” Krueger said.

The mayor says developer's agreements will also have to be hammered out and he doesn't expect actual construction to start until 2012.

‘We do not have to financially obligate the city in any manner, I don't believe, for at least a year,” Krueger said. “What we do need to do is have, at the end of 2011, our construction drawings, our engineering plans and things ready to go for bid.

“We are not under the gun financially and we are not hurrying, nor do we have to hurry,” Krueger said. “It's just that we have to ensure the state DOT and the FRA that we are very serious in pursuing this as long as it is financially feasible for the city to participate and do.”

Krueger said he realizes not everyone in Watertown will use the train, but he also pointed out not every citizen uses the senior center, library or airport. But when you add all of these services together, they strengthen the community as a whole, and Krueger expects the train station to be a key piece in that puzzle. And Krueger says it's extremely important to pursue the option of the train station before it's too late.

“This won't be something where we can change our minds in three or four years and say, ‘Well, we want a stop now,'” Krueger said. “That's not going to happen, unless we pay every bit of that money out of our own taxpayers' pockets to build that station. This is a once in a several decades opportunity for the city of Watertown.”

Dear Willie, if a high speed train has to stop at every politically important train stop to insure funding how will it become high speed? Will we have to install high speed passenger loaders and unloaders like the old days with milk cans and mail bags? Inquiring minds and all.

Here's the only high speed rail that makes sense these days:

Eventually developed into this high fare/speed transportation

That's not going to happen, unless we pay every bit of that money out of our own taxpayers' pockets to build that station.

More Government sponsored theft to benefit a bunch of union goons at the expense of people who will never, ever ride this monstrosity.

Ah, another “opportunity” to service the taxpayers at “high speed”.

Like a bull “services” a cow. Except at “high speed”.

Taxpayers are getting tired of these boondoggles that benefit favored engineering firms and pubic employee unions, Willie.

The common council and myself are not going to get into the debate about whether the federal government should be spending $8 billion on developing and starting a better passenger rail program and we are also not going to get into a debate about whether the state of Wisconsin should accept the money or not,” Krueger said during a recent interview in his office. “But - and I know the majority of the common council feels as I do - if the trains are going to run between Milwaukee and Madison, and eventually Chicago and the Twin Cities, we want them to stop in Watertown because if we don't jump on this the first time around and it gets going, it will be years and years and years before we get another opportunity.”

As I have continually said to poor Willie, this is one of the reasons that politically driven "mass transit" never operates without continual, perpetual subsidies; the political process never can allow operations to be based on economics; they each will lobby for their "piece" of the rail system and it is always at the expense of the long term and ongoing costs and efficiency of the system.

It’s a special sale - and I’d hate to see you miss out on this opportunity... /used car salesman mode

“We have to do it now” is hardly a convincing argument.

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