Heartland Port Authority closer to accessing proposed port property

Backers of a proposed Missouri River port in or near Jefferson City are working to advance the project.
Backers of a proposed Missouri River port in or near Jefferson City are working to advance the project.

The Heartland Port Authority has received verbal confirmation from Gov. Mike Parson's office they will be able to access the proposed site for a Missouri River port in Jefferson City to conduct needed studies.

Cole County Western District Commissioner Harry Otto, who serves on the Port Authority Board, said during a Thursday meeting he had been contacted by Jeff Earl, Parson's legislative director, with the news last week. As of Thursday, the Port Authority Board has not received written notification of this, but Otto said Earl had indicated it should come soon.

Last July, Parson signed a locally sponsored bill transferring 116 acres of state-owned land just east of the Ike Skelton Training Facility in Jefferson City to the Heartland Port Authority.

Until now, the Missouri Office of Administration had not granted the Port Authority access to see how much of the property might be usable. Additionally, members of the Port Authority Board didn't have information needed for negotiations over the worth of the land or whether it will be used through rent, long-term lease or purchase.

"Part of the hang-up was the large amount of land conveyances of state property that the office was having to complete due diligence work on," Otto said. "There were no particular problems with our property."

Meanwhile, the Port Authority is working to retain professional engineering services. The board is asking engineer firms to submit a request for proposal by Tuesday.

Missy Bonnot, Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce interim president and director, said they sent requests for qualifications to 10 regional engineering firms.

The Port Authority has a $120,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and $100,000 from the Missouri Department of Transportation to jump-start the port approval process.

The MoDOT funding needs to be used by June 15, while the USDA money doesn't have an expiration date, Bonnot said.

Bonnot earlier said local engineers told her $80,000-$90,000 of the work could be done from their desktop computers - without actually needing access to the site.

MoDOT officials have said there was a "good possibility" if the Port Authority spends $80,000-$90,000 by June 15, it could ask for the remaining $10,000-$20,000 next year to complete this first phase of engineering work, she said.

"We would select the firm by the end of March and have them start on environmental and design work," Bonnot said.

Also Thursday, the Port Authority Board got its first look at a drone flyover of the port site that was done earlier this month.

Board member David Floyd used a computer modeling program allowing an in-depth look at the property. Some of the preliminary information indicated existing road structures on the property could be used for access in and around the site. If that were the case, board members believe, that could help reduce infrastructure costs.