West Memphis looking to hire engineering firm to handle TIGER grant work

West Memphis looking to hire engineering firm to handle TIGER grant work

Officials working hard to develop projects

news@theeveningtimes.com

The TIGER IV grant landed by West Memphis for the rail and river port has begun to devour city administrators’ time and consume grant funds. During the first city council meeting in June, Economic Development Executive Director Phillip Sorrell asked for $440,000 to hire an engineering firm for additional design work.

The new industrial park will offer shipping options, via the city Friday-Graham rail spur, the city river port, or trucking along south loop in the area west of the port. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation were designed to ignite multimodal projects like this one in West Memphis. The city landed a $9.75 million dollar grant to upgrade to heavy railway and develop an industrial area.

Sorrell and Mayor Bill Johnson provided city councilors an updated status.

“We’ve devoted 100 hours to conference calls alone, plus reading all the documents that come through,” said Johnson after a morning long call with TIGER administrators. “You get something accomplished and they change the requirements on you.”

“It will all be worth it in another 24 months,” said Councilwoman Ramona Taylor.

“You clear one bar, one hurdle and they have placed three more in front of you,” said Sorrell.

Progress was measured with upcoming construction bids and fees for design work being paid and reimbursed through TIGER. The project has developed to shovel ready status.

“Plans are in contractors hands now and we take bids on June 26,” said Sorrell. “We will finally start building something.”

The mayor advanced the resolution to pay for phase 1B of the design work to city council. There is no city match for the grant, but the city must pay the bill and then get reimbursed from the TIGER fund. To date, the city has experienced quick turnarounds on reimbursements described as prompt, “under 30 days.”

“This has to do with construction and engineering on the railroad project out of the grant fund,” said Johnson. “This is fully refundable out of the grant, 100 percent.”

By John Rech