04/30/73 Board of Public Works Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 30 1973 LETTER REGARDING LEASING OF CITY -OWNED RIVER BANK LAND The Board received the following letter: .Board of Public Works James V. Barcome James R. Seitz County -.City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 Dear Sirs: Michiana Watershed, Inc. April 26, 1973- - Attached please find a copy of a letter to Mayor Jerry J. Miller. Please read the letter out loud at your next regular meeting, Monday, April 30, 1973 and discuss the matter. The letter refers to the ten- year lease agreement, dated August 1, 1972, with AAYS Rent -All Company and to the former ten year lease, dated May 8, 1961, with South Bend Screw Products, Inc., and any other,former or current leases. Would you kindly recommend to the Mayor and any other authorized person not to see or Lease any of the public land located east of the St. Joseph River, including the Washington Street extension and the East Mill Raceway, unless in the future a plan formally adopted by the Common -Council for the beautification and development of the area warrants it. Would you also please recommend that arrangements be made to terminate the current leases soon or at least _by the time that the Master Plan for the beautification and development of the East Bank area is adopted. Thank you very much. Sl_ncere1y, s/ Jean Sharp Portage Park Committee s/ Don Sporleder, AIA President Attached to this letter was a copy of a letter addressed to Mayor Jerry J. Miller requesting that the City of South Bend preserve the public control of all city owned land in the .East Bank area of the St. Joseph River opposite the proposed Civic Center and proposed Associates Complex. The control should be maintained until a Master Plan for the East Bank area is adopted. Mr. Seitz said that plans are being drawn for the development of the East and West banks of the river through the Redevelopment Commission. Ms. Jean Sharp spoke to the Board and said that until overall plans are formulated for the development of the area, the Board should determine who owns the land and what leases are held. She said she had investigated this matter and had -found that South Bend Screw Products held a lease until 1971 and there is no record of a renewal of this lease.. She checked with the Deputy Controller and he could find no record of payments being made by South Bend Screw Products for this lease. The Board requested that Mr. Roemer make an investigation and report back to the Board on the following questions: 1. Check out the lease between the City and South Bend Screw Products Company. 2. See if any payments were made to the City under the terms of this lease. 3. Check to see if South Bend Screw Products Company is still using this land without a renewal of the lease. 4. Check the Aays Rent -All Company lease with the City to see if it has a termination clause. 5. Check to see if companies leasing land have the right to erect improvements on the property. 6. What other property does the City own in the area North of Jefferson, West of Hill and South of Madison.