SANPOINT, ID-- A major decision is coming up Wednesday night for the Sandpoint City Council and the future of the old train depot.
One group wants to save the historic building, but on Tuesday the mayor expressed her doubts.
Wednesday, the city could decide to start talks with Amtrak and Burlington Northern over buying the old depot. Supporters say there is nothing wrong with negotiating, but the mayor says there are too many “ifs.” Aric Spencer from the Historic Preservation Committee says for Sandpoint, there are tremendous benefits historically as well as economically. Mayor Gretchen Hellar says Spencer is wrong.
Mayor Hellar says people for some reason are trying to tie economic engine and the depot together. She says although the two are related issues, they are separated.
Spencer and others trying to save the depot hope to buy the building from Burlington Northern for as little as one dollar. Then, Amtrak would use funds it received from the Idaho Department of Transportation to fix it up. That would cost about $900,000. All of this now depends on Wednesday’s vote. Mayor Hellar has several concerns, including the fact that Amtrak hasn’t decided for sure if it is staying in Sandpoint; Burlington Northern may sell the building, but what about the land underneath, and will the taxpayers end up being saddled with an empty old depot.
Mayor Hellar says its not as easy as just preserving a beautiful building. Amtrak is expected to finally decide on staying in Sandpoint by the end of the year.
