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County awards rail‑tie replacement contract and approves Rail & Commerce Park rebrand
Summary
Martin County approved awarding rail‑tie replacement to Tar Heel Railroad Construction (up to $42,770.70), approved a $55,000 Business Park budget amendment for rail maintenance, and adopted a new logo and name for the county industrial park: North Carolina Rail & Commerce Park.
The Martin County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 13 approved contracting and budget moves to repair the county‑owned rail spur that serves the NC Rail & Commerce Park and endorsed a rebranding that will accompany a planned website launch.
MCEDC President Jason Semple told commissioners an October inspection identified roughly 315 original rail ties needing replacement on the industrial park spur. Semple presented multiple contractor quotes across material scenarios; he recommended Tar Heel Railroad Construction’s all‑new grade 4/5 ties with new spikes as the best value at $42,770.70. Semple noted a prior, CSX‑requested replacement of 30 ties had kept the track operational pending larger repairs.
Commissioner Joe R. Ayers moved to approve awarding the rail‑tie replacement contract to Tar Heel Railroad Construction Co., Inc., in an amount up to $42,770.70; Vice Chairman Dempsey Bond Jr. seconded and the Board approved the motion unanimously (5-0). The Board also approved Budget Amendment #9 to appropriate $55,000 from the Business Park Fund balance to rail maintenance expenditures to fund the repairs.
Separately, the Board approved a rebranding of the county’s industrial park. The name "North Carolina Rail & Commerce Park" and the slogan "Global Access – Local Connections" were recommended by MCEDC and a small branding team. Commissioner Elmo “Butch” Lilley moved to approve the new logo; Vice Chairman Bond seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Semple said the new website for the rebranded park was scheduled to go live in December 2019.
The actions tie a short‑term repair need to a broader marketing push aimed at improving site visibility for industrial recruitment.
