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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />improvements it wishes to see. Coon Rapids approved the Plan with no comment. <br />Elk River approved the Plan with a list of comments. Big Lake approved the Plan <br />by Resolution, but has frontage road questions that need to be worked out. City of <br />Becker approved the Plan with no comments. City of Clear Lake felt it was in their <br />best interest to submit a resolution of disapproval due to the issue of traffic dividing <br />their community and the loss of taxable property (two homes, one business). Joint <br />resolutions of approval were received by the City of St. Cloud and Haven Township <br />regarding the St. Cloud East Station. City of Rice is showing a strong position of <br />support for the Plan; but has issues regarding the station site. <br /> <br />The NCDA's approach from here on is to assemble all resolutions/comments and <br />bring them before the Administrative Team and Technical Advisory Committee to <br />look at each issue. Then staff will generate a draft response which the PMT and <br />TAC will bring before the Executive Committee for its recommendation to the <br />NCDA. The NCDA will then submit all comments to the Mn/DOT Commissioner. <br /> <br />8. FT A Comments on DEIS: Staff noted that they had a phone conversation with <br />Paul Fish from the FTA today, and were told that the NCDA's response was <br />appropriate. Staff will assemble and distribute the final DEIS when approved by <br />the FT A. Three public hearings along the Corridor on the Draft EIS will be set for <br />December 6 through 13. <br /> <br />9. Update on BNSF Negotiations: The negotiation process is moving slowly. Paul <br />Ostrow asked whether expanded services would be negotiated at this time. Staff <br />noted that 18 trains a day will be included in the negotiations, and that if more <br />capacity is needed, adding cars would perhaps accomplish this. Members of the <br />Washington legal team will be arriving in town shortly to start negotiations of <br />business points of the construction and operating agreements. A draft of the <br />BNSF agreement will be brought to the Executive Committee when it is developed <br />by the Negotiating Team. It was noted that Mn/DOT will be at the table when the <br />NCDA starts the negotiations with BNSF. <br /> <br />Steve Billings asked whether the NCDA should pass a resolution as part of the <br />negotiation process stating that Mn/DOT is not going to be in charge of operations. <br />Paul McCarron noted that this issue should go to the intergovernmental group for <br />discussion. Gabe Guevara noted that the Commissioner of Mn/DOT will be the <br />one to decide who will operate the system. Dispatching will be a service offered by <br />BNSF. <br /> <br />10. Update on Hiawatha Connection: The Hiawatha Line has been extended from <br />Nicollet Avenue to 1 st Avenue with design work to be included to 3rd Avenue. <br />NCDA will do Preliminary Engineering to 3rd Avenue No. to link up with commuter <br />rail project. <br /> <br />11. Other: Lawsuit by Earth Protectors: It was noted that Leslie Davis of Earth <br />Protectors, is bringing suit against Mn/DOT regarding the Hiawatha LRT line. The <br /> <br />3 <br />