EDA board views locally designed boat prototype
The seven meter long, thermoplastic boat, built with Widmer’s patented kiss-off roto molding process, was recently given its first in-the-water test run, with the boat meeting and exceeding many of its designer’ hopes. After a few more test runs and modifi- cations, the Widmer firm plans to deliver the prototype to the navy for their test pilots to put it through their rigorous tests. The boat has been built for the Office of Naval Research, under federal grant monies allocated to the ONR and passed on to Widmer
It is Widmer’s hope that the navy or other federal agencies (Homeland Security, Coast Guard, etc.) will like the boat’s qualities. He has been told they could order up to 50 if they like what they see. He is also hoping the navy will want a larger, 11 meter boat, possibly for use in the open sea. Both Widmer and the local economic development board would like to see a boat manufacturing plant built in Staples that would be large enough to produce boats of Widmer’s design.
Following a half hour spent at Widmer’s shop looking over his boat, the board met at the Staples Police Station meeting room for their regular monthly meeting. They instructed Executive Director Jerel Nelsen to continue keeping them updated on Widmer’s progress and other developments.
Nelsen reported to the EDA on his recent work on the North/South Corridor
and railroad overpass project. The city
is beginning the process of advertising “Request for Qualifications” for right of
way consultants. Once hired, this firm should begin acquiring right of way needed by about August 1.
Nelsen is also continuing his efforts to find the additional funding the city will be needing to finance this project, which will include more than one mile of new roadway and a long bridge over the railroad and new Highway 10. Nelsen said the city has approximately $1.2 million in federal funding secured. They also have about $1 million from the state bonding bill a year ago.
Nelsen reported the latest federal Surface Transportation bill has had little if any progress in recent months and is likely a year to two years away from passage. With that bill in limbo, the only other federal funding appears to be the latest in federal economic stimulus programs that has an August, 2011, completion deadline, which is much sooner than the Staples project could be done. Nelsen will nonetheless try to meet a July 15 deadline for getting pre-applications submitted for this potential funding source.
In other matters, the Staples EDA:
O APPROVED a loan request from LeRoy and Julie Peterson under the city’s Awning and Façade loan program for downtown businesses. They requested $8,662 from the city’s fund to go with a $17,142 loan from the Small Cities Development Program. Nelsen noted this is likely the last loan request under this program as the Old Highway 10 Turnback project is beginning in early June and the SCDP program is expiring as well.
O Heard Nelsen report that moisture problems with the Staples Industrial Building’s roof are more serious than he reported a month ago. Rather than just condensation issues, the Northway Construction firm found that the metal roof has holes where screws were supposed to be fastened to the roof supports. Water has infiltrated and caused rusting that wasn’t discovered until they removed the blown in insulation.
O HEARD updates from Nelsen on the NJPA plans for the old carter Ringer building, woodland Container building to be demolished this summer by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway; reports of little progress regarding the former Helling Food Store and perhaps some progress toward a store reopening where the Staples Coast True Value was,
