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Home My WebLink AboutWS Item 02 - Texas High Speed Rail ITEM # 2- MEMO TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: BRUNO RUMBELOW, CITY MANAGE(' MEETING DATE: MARCH 24, 2009 I1 SUBJECT: WORKSHOP - TEXAS HIGH SPEED RAIL CORPORATION At the March 3rd City Council meeting, Commissioner Gary Fickes presented information regarding the Texas High Speed Rail Corporation. After this presentation, it was decided that staff would bring back this item to the Council for discussion and input during an upcoming workshop before proceeding. The annual dues to join is $12,500 and the funding is available. • TEXAS HIGH SPEED RAIL __.., S TRANSPORTATION CORP. • The Future of Transportation and Economic Development in Texas March 3,2009 Executive Committee Robert Eckels Mr.Bruno Rumbelow Chairman Gary Fickes City Manager • Secretary,Commissioner,Tarrant County City of Grapevine James T.Edmonds Treasurer, P.O. Box 95104 Chairman,Port of Houston Authority Grapevine,Texas 76099 • Maurine Dickey Vice Chairman,Commissioner,Dallas County William A.Jones III Re: Significant Membership Opportunity—Bringing High Speed Rail to Texas! Vice Chairman,Mayor,City of Temple Members&Associate Members Kenny Mallard Dear Mr.Rumbelow: Commissioner,Brazos County Ben White Mayor,City of College Station The emergence of high speed rail technology has revolutionized transportation Sam Young throughout the world. Numerous countries have recognized its ability to reduce traffic Commissioner,Franklin County John Erwin congestion, improve air quality and travel efficiency, and aid economic development. Mayor,City of Hillsboro Recent developments signal that high speed rail (HSR) is closer than ever to becoming a Herbert A.Gears Mayor,City of Irving reality in Texas. Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corporation (THSRTC) has Timothy Hancock quickly established itself as the preeminent voice for Texas high speed rail. Many consider Mayor,City of Killeen THSRTC's unique "Texas T-Bone" alignment an ideal candidate to champion the Paul Lovier Chairman,North East Texas Rural Rail District technology in the United States. We believe that the City of Grapevine can help us to make Tim Welch this a reality. Councilmember,City of North Richland Hills John Terrell Mayor Pro Tem,City of Southiake What is THSRTC? THSRTC is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to bringing together Horace G.Shipp Mayor,City of Texarkana,AR specific regions of Texas in a grassroots, collective effort to improve multi-modal surface Alfred B.Knight transportation and bring high speed rail to Texas. Our distinguished members share a President/CEO,Scott&White Hospital Kevin Cox legitimate concern for the future of transportation in Texas and a willingness to proactively VP Corporate Affairs,American Airlines pursue Texas'best interests. Nene Foxhall VP International&State Affairs, Continental Airlines Why is the Texas T-Bone important? The Texas T-Bone would connect close to 16 Resource&C000eretingAgencies million Texans, or roughly 70 percent of Texas' present population. The corridor would LD.ExeccuttiivelDireccttor, also provide a direct connection between Fort Hood, the world's largest military base, and Ark-Tex Council of Governments Tom Wilkinson,Jr. the Port of Houston, supporting homeland security and disaster evacuation and relief. Also, Executive Director, countless airports, seaports, transit systems and entertainment options could be made more Brazos Valley Council of Governments David Cleveland accessible to citizens throughout Texas, resulting in a multimodal infrastructure unlike any Executive Director, we have seen in this country. East Texas Council of Governments Kenneth Simons Executive Director, HSR: The future is here. The Texas T-Bone Corridor is rapidly gaining momentum, due Heart of Texas Council of Governments Alan Clark in part to the successful completion of THSRTC Planning and Design Charrette, hosted at Director of Transportation, Houston-Galveston Area Council Continental Airlines Headquarters in Houston,Texas on May 24-25 and American Airlines Jim Reed headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas on August 4-6, 2007. The response was overwhelming Exutive Director, Central Teas Coun it of Governments with 175 HSR experts from throughout the U.S. and ten countries attending Part One and Da Hsuan Fens,Ph.D. 20 consortiums engaging in Part Two. Building on this support, THSRTC has established Senior Executive National al C President for a Research the goal of entering into a memorandum of understanding by the end of spring 2009 with a Affairs,National Cheng Kung University Michael McKinney consortium that can design, build, operate, and finance the Texas T-Bone corridor. To Chancellor,Texas A&M University System date, the THSRTC has received letters of intent from two significant private-sector entities Carroll Robinson Associate Dean,Texas Southern University affirming their interest in partnering with the Corporation. Elton E.Stuckly,Jr. President,Texas State Technical College Dennis Christiansen THSRTC has wide-ranging and high-ranking support. In addition to its active and Director,Texas Transportation Institute enthusiastic member cities, counties, universities, and councils of governments, THSRTC Gary Fickes Tarrant Regional Transportation Council enjoys the support of robust Congressional and Legislative Caucuses. Working closely DEAN INTERNATIONAL,INC. Public Policy Consultants 8080 Park Lane,Suite 600,Dallas,Texas 75231 Phone:214.750.0123 Fax:214.750.0124 March 3, 2009 Page 2 of 2 with these caucuses, THSRTC is able to monitor and impact key legislation. On October 16, 2008, President Bush signed into law the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which, in addition to other landmark high speed rail initiatives, included specific language mandating that the Federal Rail Administration conduct a series of important studies along the Texas T-Bone Corridor. THSRTC members and representatives are working diligently with members of the new Administration and the THSRTC Congressional Caucus to ensure that Texas secures an appropriate portion of the $8 billion designated for intercity high speed passenger rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Please join THSRTC. We need your help. It is now more important than ever that those cities and counties in Texas create and sustain a collective focus on making our project a champion for high speed rail:in the United States. The City of Grapevine has the opportunity to help make this project a reality now rather than later, and to ensure that high speed rail positively impacts economic growth in the City of Grapevine for generations to come. We believe that the City of Grapevine can and should be a valuable partner in this effort, and we strongly encourage you to consider active membership in our organization for FYE2009. Smaller dues. Bigger impact. To make your decision an easier one, we are pleased to inform you that our dues pale in comparison to the scope of consulting services Dean International, Inc. provides. Furthermore, our public policy consultants,Dean International, Inc., have expanded their scope of services,particularly with regard to our communications strategy, at no additional cost to THSRTC members, so there has never been a better time to join. Pursuant to the By-Laws, the annual dues for a city with a population between 20,000 and 49,999 are$12,500. In becoming a member of THSRTC, the City of Grapevine can make a direct impact on the future of state transportation and position itself at the forefront of the high speed rail movement in Texas. We look forward to working with you to create an appropriate leadership position within the Corporation and hope you strongly consider this strategic development opportunity. We would like to thank you for considering partnership in THSRTC.Please feel free to contact our public policy consultants,Dean International, Inc., at 214.750.0123,or you may contact us directly with any questions you may have. We look forward to speaking with you in the near future. Best Regards, t :01' Gary Fickes Robert Eckels Tarrant County Commissioner" THSRTC CHAIRMAN THSRTC SECRETARY rr Maurine Dickey William A. Jones III Dallas County Commissioner Mayor,City of Temple THSRTC VICE CHAIRMAN THSRTC VICE CHAIRMAN • DEAN INTERNATIONAL,INC. Public Policy Consultants 8080 Park Lane,Suite 600,Dallas,Texas 75231 Phone:214.750.0123 Fax:214.750.0124