A proposed Development Agreement that calls for Jasper County to contribute $5,750,000 towards the purchase of land for the Jasper Rail Park will be the subject of a public hearing at the Jasper County Courthouse on June 17th. The pending agreement with Iowa Interstate Railroad says that money would go into a Development Property Escrow Account, to support Iowa Interstate Railroad’s purchase of property for the rail park. According to Jasper County Supervisors, the railroad has two option agreements with land owners to buy land within the newly formed Jasper Rail Park Urban Renewal Area just northeast of Newton. The proposed development agreement has Iowa Interstate Railroad reimbursing the county for the $5.75 million, from net proceeds of land sales within the park to industrial businesses that locate there. Jasper County Board of Supervisors Chairman Brandon Talsma says Iowa Interstate Railroad would be responsible for preparing the rail park for companies looking for rail-served industrial sites. 

“This will also lay-out the government structure of how it will operate when prospects come in and all that stuff.”

The June 17th public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the Supervisors Room at the Jasper County Courthouse in Newton.