11-30-10 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING NOVEMBER 30, 2010 money that is set aside for property tax relief. He stated that is an area where there is a great deal of confusion about where that money is coming from. He stated that the Mayor made a promise and then said that he doesn’t have enough money and now he wants to put money into the cove, well the fact is that they are different pots of money. He is not taking the money that is dedicated to public safety, can’t do it! It’s dedicated for that purpose only and is a dedicated fund and he thinks that a lot of people don’t understand that. He stated that the money that is being proposed has been kept in reserve and because of being fiscally responsible not just by the administration but also by the Council that we now have cash balances and get the sense when we hear some people talk about that they don’t want the city to have any cash balances and have the City ride it out and suck it up and you can’t do that. You can’t do it responsibly. Any organization that is not fiscally viable is an organization that does not have any choices. That’s what we are talking about here and make some choices that that will make a difference. Councilmember LaFountain advised that the issue is funding and where that funding should come from. He stated that there needs to be some prioritizing of what needs to be done at the Cove and what they would like to have done at the Cove. He likened it to buying something on sale at a department store, just because it’s on sale doesn’t always mean it’s a great deal. He agreed that some renovations are needed at the Cove, the problem is using COIT and EDIT funds to do them. Councilmember Puzzello stated that she was on the Council when the Cove was voted on to be built. She stated that every time she attends a game everyone there is having a wonderful time. She advised that she was talking with a St. Mary’s student who is originally from Gary, Indiana. She stated that they have a baseball team and stadium in Gary and how it has brought the entire City together. Councilmember Puzzello stated that she believes the improvement proposed tonight are much needed after twenty-five years and will be a great addition to the neighborhood. She noted that the Kroc Center is being built near the Cove and it too will be a great addition for the community. She stated that she will be voting in favor of this bill. Councilmember Dieter stated that there is an advantage to having an affiliated Minor League Baseball Team. He stated that the Cove is not just a baseball stadium, it is an entertainment facility. The idea is to get people there, entertain them, get them to spend money and come back. He stated that the fun zone, splash pad and picnic areas provide other entertainment for families that have children of various ages and to have something for the whole family to do. A venue like the Cove needs to be upgraded and keep up with the standards of other ball parks. He stated that he is in favor of this bill and that South Bends needs to keep about the curve. Councilmember Dieter stated that there are not a lot of positive things in South Bend, but the Cove is definitely one that is positive. Councilmember Kirsits advised that when the Cove was originally proposed he didn’t know if it would be a good idea. However, after almost 25 years and seeing the positive influence that it has had on the community and what a wonderful anchor it has become for the downtown area he is in favor of this upgrade and renovation. He reiterated that it is a City of South Bend Park facility that needs to be kept up and done right. He stated that he could see the potential area becoming a Mini-Wrigleyville. He noted that times are tough, however, the city has sandbagged some funds with the help of the Council. The proposed funding sources are TIF, PSDF, EDIT, COIT, and have been spread out very well, and noted that they are not passing a new tax. He stated that he believed the payoff will be good and these proposed enhancements will be great for the City. Councilmember Henry Davis, Jr., stated that he has listened to comments tonight and hear references to the “west side” and “people over there” and takes offense to those references. He stated that it sounds like to him that we are talking about another city. He stated that area is just as much a part of the downtown as Eddy Street Commons is and so on. So when we are talking about an investment to the west side it is an investment to the City of South Bend. But the investments that we are talking about are all non-profit investments. We are talking about the Kroc Center that is going to turn the Martin Luther King Jr., Center and Charles Black Center into white elephants because there is only so much money that is given in certain areas. The we are talking about investing into the 11