GRIFFITH -- Griffith became the second Lake County municipality to formally reject U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky’s plan to create a South Shore Railroad extension into Dyer.
The Town Council voted 4-1 Tuesday, with Councilman Stan Dobosz, D-5th, casting the lone dissent, to reject the interlocal agreement among the communities giving CEDIT funds to the Dyer South Shore Expansion. The Town had agreed to give $20,000 per year for 30 years toward the expansion; the interlocal agreement calls for the participating towns to donate 20 percent of their CEDIT monies.
Without a signed agreement, Griffith’s contribution “is null and void,” Councilman Glen Gaby, R-1st, read from a prepared statement.
“While the Town of Griffith has great respect for Congressman Visclosky’s forward-looking vision for Lake County, the Town cannot sign an agreement that does not reflect the true decision of this council,” Gaby said. “In the event Congressman Visclosky decides to correct the Interlocal agreement to reflect the decision of this council, we will be glad to sign the amended interlocal agreement.”
Visclosky has been touring Lake County communities for months seeking a financial commitment for a third of each communities’ new community economic development income tax to fund the local portion needed for Lake County to receive $300 million in federal funding for the extension from Hammond into south Lake County that could be a $612 million project.
Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3, said the concern is that if the town were to give a percentage instead of a fixed amount, the CEDIT could be raised at some point over the 30 years, and therefore the amount of the percentage the town pledged would go up as well.
In August, the Cedar Lake Town Council was the first to outright reject signing the interlocal agreement consenting to financial support of the extension when they voted 4-3 against providing $15,000 a year in funding.
Visclosky, D-Merillville, said later that the door would remain open to Cedar Lake. He touted the positive progress being made throughout Lake County to expand economic development opportunities, such as the South Shore extension project, as invigorating.
“If the Cedar Lake Town Council reconsiders their position in the future, their input would be a welcomed addition to the existing list of supportive communities,” Visclosky said.
“Going forward, I will continue working with other proponents to demonstrate the merit of this project.”
Contributing: Carrie Napoleon