Volunteers press council for clearer MOU on Roundhouse restoration as city declares rail ties surplus

Members of Evanstons Historic Preservation Commission volunteers and other residents urged the City Council to finalize a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that they say would allow volunteer restoration of locomotive 4420 and other roundhouse work to proceed.

Davis, speaking for volunteers who have worked on the 44 20 locomotive, said the group's time and effort on the roundhouse are intended to benefit the city and asked council members whether they support the volunteers continuing work under an MOU. "If I can get the assurance from the council ... then yes, we will provide anything you want," Davis said, asking for clear direction before his group spends more volunteer time on drafting counter-proposals to the city's draft MOU.

City staff and several council members said they are willing to discuss the MOU further in a work session but would not act on it during the public comment portion of the meeting.

Separately, Rocco (Rock) O'Neil of the Citys Community Development Department told the council that Wyoming Game and Fish contacted his office seeking to acquire a pile of old rail ties located near the roundhouse parking area. O'Neil said the ties were removed during parking-lot construction, many are decaying, and that the request prompted the city to declare the ties excess and surplus to allow transfer. "Game and Fish called my office a couple weeks ago asking if they could purchase some of those rail ties ... In order to discard city-owned property, even to [a] government agency, we have to have a motion to be able to do that," O'Neil said.

Volunteers and other public commenters said the ties and other material at the roundhouse are important to their restoration work and tourism potential. Alex Rossi, a Main Street property owner, said, "I would like to express my support for the Engine 44 20 project" and urged the council to back the volunteers. Several speakers described the roundhouse and locomotive as a local tourism asset that could support Main Street businesses if properly restored and promoted.

Councilors approved a motion to declare the rail ties surplus and authorized transferring them to Game and Fish; the transcript records voice votes without a roll-call tally. During the discussion, one councilor noted many of the ties are decaying, and another councilor asked whether creosote or other environmental restrictions had been checked; staff said the ties would be transferred "as is." Volunteers responded with frustration that the city had not consulted them before moving to transfer the material.

Other related items: the council approved a request from the Evanston Child Development Center (ECDC), 336 Summit Street, to allow roof replacement work on a preschool building constructed in February 2015; staff said the preschools roof product carries a Johns Manville warranty with approximately 10 years remaining and that the ECDC would pursue a warranty claim. The council emphasized the authorization covered city-owned structure approval only and carried no city financial obligation.

Council members and staff said they will schedule further discussion on the roundhouse, the draft MOU, and related logistics in a future work session. Several public speakers asked the council to consider a financial commitment to support more rapid restoration and to reduce friction between the city and volunteers.