Kingsford Heights votes to support La Porte County development of multimodal center

Laurie Wink, The News-Dispatch

lwink@thenewsdispatch.com

KINGSFORD HEIGHTS - Kingsford Heights is the first community to officially endorse the development of a multimodal logistics center in La Porte County.

Although no multimodal proposals have been received, the Kingsford Heights Town Council voted to be out in front of the issue by passing a resolution on Monday, said council member Dennis Francis, Kingsford Heights town marshal.

"We think there's a whole lot of people in favor who just haven't said anything," Francis said. "With the resolution, we're hoping to bring out those who support it."

Dave Christian, president of the county's Multimodal Task Force, said he encourages other towns to come forward with their opinions, pro or con, to assist the task force.

"This is one more piece of information for us to take in as we investigate all the possibilities of a multimodal coming to our county," Christian said. "It's good to have the input of the government officials and residents."

The Kingsford Heights resolution said the town sees a multimodal as a boost to economic development by bringing employment opportunities that have been disappearing as manufacturers have closed or moved overseas.

The town council made its decision after hearing a presentation by county economic development professionals and visiting the CenterPoint Intermodal facility in Elwood, Ill.

During the trip, town council members talked to Elwood officials and got firsthand impressions of the transportation hub that Francis said conflicts with the negative reports that have been spreading.

"It was very clean, organized and did not have tons of truck traffic or crumbling roads," Francis said.

During the Elwood trip, Council President Evelyn Ballinger and council members Jeana Blake and Ed Ritter all expressed enthusiasm for having a similar development come to the Kingsford Heights area.

"We would be most affected by a multimodal," Francis said. "As proposed right now, it would be 50 feet outside our town."

Like others, Francis is concerned about the current lack of job opportunities for young people in the area. He remembers coming back home from a stint in the Marines and getting a job as a welder, then watching factories close up.

"I would hate to be an 18-year-old coming out of high school now," Francis said.