Twin Cities to Rochester Passenger Rail Corridor Project Transition Request

North American High Speed Rail (NAHSR) requests:

1. Project Rights and Responsibilities Transfer - (ASAP to go public with transfer during this legislative session)
Governor Daytons announcement Friday, March 20, 2015
Reading through the agreement I get the impression the State > Bob pointed out Section 2.06 > so Olmsted
County holds the Rights. (A)
2. Project Documentation Transfer
3. Project Data Transfer
4. Commitment of Ongoing Collaboration and Support as is appropriate (Olmsted County, City of Rochester, and Mayo
related)
Define support

The total project costs through 2015 are just under $3.3M. That means just under $1.3M contributed by
Olmsted County.

5. Ongoing Legislative Collaboration and Support as is appropriate to minimize legislation that would impede the
successful development and completion of the Twin Cities to Rochester High Speed Rail corridor
Define what that means for Olmsted County and our staff
6. Collaboration and Support as NAHSR continues to support the MN DOT Statewide Rail Plan (B)
Define what that means for Olmsted County and our staff

(A) Grant agreement states

(B) Who else should be in the mix?

Julie R. Carr, MNDOT Project Manager? She signed cover letter with the MNDOT agreement.
Tim Henkel, MNDOT Assistant Commissioner signed the agreement and some Charles (I cant read last name)
Charles Zelle, MNDOT Commissioner

From: Greden Anita

Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 10:57 AM
To: Bendzick Bob
Subject: High speed rail transition

Heres my notes (emailed Bob my notes above). At the bottom is a link to the CA High Speed Rail Authority.
CA High Speed Rail Authority: http://www.hsr.ca.gov/ I was scanning for funding information and
organizational structure.
Page 8

Page 41
From: Greden Anita
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2015 10:05 AM
To: 'devlin.richard@co.olmsted.mn.us'
Cc: Paradise Diane; Bendzick Bob
Subject: MNDOT Pre-Design or Design Grant Agreement

Attached is the original MNDOT agreement and an RBCA amendment.

The grant is funded by proceeds of State GO Bonds for the Rochester-Twin Cities High-Speed Passenger Rail
Project under the Intercity Passenger Rail Program.
The agreement is for the preparation of a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) compliant Service
Development Plan and Service NEPA on the Rochester to Twin Cities corridor.
The agreement Total Pre-Design/Design Costs = $2,300,000 (Grant document page 36):
As information from my financial records that I reconcile to project cost summaries prepared by Chuck
Michaels, the total project cost through 2015 is just under $3.3M. That means just under $1.3M is Olmsted
Countys contribution.
At the end of 2014, project expenditures totaled $2.4M. Less the $1.5M receivable from MNDOT, Olmsted
Countys project-to-date contribution is $944,486. Our first contribution was $36,000 to the SE MN Rail
Alliance in 2009.
Chuck identifies expenditures as grant or non-grant eligible. Grant eligible expenditures in excess of the $2M
MNDOT funding are $858,597, an amount that Olmsted County could be reimbursed for if additional grants
were secured.

From: Devlin Richard

Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2015 4:42 PM
To: Chuck Michael; Ostrem Mark; Walz Brent; Canan Tom; Bendzick Bob; Brown Ken; Wilson Paul
Subject: Fwd: Twin Cities to Rochester Passenger Rail Corridor Project Transition Request

We need to consider this request as a serious offer but need to make sure that we exercise due diligence in
responding to this request. I will be arranging a meeting tomorrow to discuss this request.

Joe Sperber and Wendy Meadley met with Richard, Bob, Belinda, Chuck Michaels March 10, 2015.
From: Joe Sperber <jsperber@nahsr.com>
Date: March 3, 2015 at 3:19:36 PM CST

To: "brown.ken@co.olmsted.mn.us" <brown.ken@co.olmsted.mn.us>, "devlin.richard@co.olmsted.mn.us"

<devlin.richard@co.olmsted.mn.us>
Cc: Wendy Meadley <wmeadley@nahsr.com>, Chuck Michael <chuck.michael@gmail.com>
Subject: Twin Cities to Rochester Passenger Rail Corridor Project Transition Request
Re: Olmsted County / Twin Cities to Rochester MN High Speed Rail Corridor Project Transition Letter Request
It is our desire to transition the current Zip Rail Project from a publicly funded transportation project to a
privately funded transportation oriented development project with high speed rail corridor development in
the center of it all.
At this time, North American High Speed Rail Group (NAHSR), a Minnesota company is requesting the transfer
of all rights and responsibilities related to the completion of the Tier 1 EIS feasibility study, the service
development and business plan components. Additionally, if relevant and within the countys rights and
responsibilities, the right to go ahead with development upon successful completion of the appropriate
federal, regional and state level authorizations and approvals including the Minnesota Department of
Transportation.
In order to successfully transition this important economic development project for Minnesota and the
Southeastern region of Minnesota including: Olmsted, Goodhue, Dakota, Ramsey and Hennepin (the affected
counties along the proposed corridor), the North American High Speed Rail Group requests the project
management collaboration and continuity of the current Project Manager, Chuck Michael through 2015. This
also allows for the significant relationships and knowledge created and cultivated at the city, county and
regional levels to continue to be leveraged to the success of the project.
The following are specific requests that the NAHSR would find helpful to our continued public and private
development efforts:

Project Rights and Responsibilities Transfer- (as soon as possible- we would like to go public with transfer
during this legislative session)

Project Documentation Transfer

Project Data Transfer

Commitment of Ongoing Collaboration and Support as is appropriate (Olmsted County, City of Rochester,
and Mayo related)

Ongoing Legislative Collaboration and Support as is appropriate to minimize legislation that would
impede the successful development and completion of the Twin Cities to Rochester High Speed Rail corridor

Collaboration and Support as NAHSR continues to support the MN DOT Statewide Rail Plan
We appreciate the opportunity to continue this important effort that Olmsted has lead and sheparded to date.
We at NAHSR look to continue that stewardship to develop a comprehensive economic development project
that will stage Southeastern Minnesota for future economic development and growth for generations to
come.
Joe Sperber
CEO/President
North American High Speed Rail Group

jsperber@nahsr.com
612-819-6816 Cell

Riverview Office Tower

8009 34th Avenue S.

15th Floor
Bloomington, MN 55425