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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 13, 2011 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />th <br />Mayor Stephen Luecke, 14 Floor County City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South <br />Bend, residing at 810 Leland Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for <br />this bill. <br /> <br />Mayor Luecke thanked the Council for accepting the amended version of this bill to <br />allow focus on one important development opportunity for the City of South Bend. He <br />stated that he would like to set the stage. He stated that yes they have reserves in the City <br />of South Bend, they believe that is fiscally prudent and have a rainy day fund in the City <br />of South Bend and they know the difference between operating dollars and capital <br />dollars. Operating dollars are annual expenses that go on and on and if you take once <br />time monies and spend them on operating expenses you run purse dry pretty quickly and <br />then are really in terrible financial conditions. He stated that they have had a policy of <br />trying to reserve dollars to be able to invest in important projects in the City of South <br />Bend and they have had the opportunity and they believe that is the right thing to do. He <br />stated that in the bill tonight there are four (4) items, three received favorable <br />recommendations from the committee are repairs for the river walk, piers underneath the <br />section of river walk over the river by the Colfax Bridge, those piers have deteriorating <br />and they would like to be able to repair so that the river walk remains safe and <br />structurally sound. There are dollars for a new irrigation pump at the golf course. The <br />old one is completely worn out and if it ever stops raining we may in fact need a new <br />irrigation pump this year. The third item is U.S. 31 project as it comes into the City and <br />crosses over some of our utility lines and they are asking for dollars to do engineering <br />work to be able to relocate those lines out from underneath the highway. They believe <br />that those are worthwhile investments for the city, but really the main thrust of the bill <br />tonight has to do with the opportunity to support a major investment in our community. <br />Mayor Luecke stated that he believes it is a good investment not only for the East Bank <br />and downtown but for all of South Bend. An opportunity to support a 35 million dollar <br />investment in our community that will put people to work building a new high school that <br />will provide opportunities for residents in our community as well. This is a great <br />investment in our city, when we think back to the time when St. Joe Hospital was making <br />the decision on whether to stay at that site and rebuild on the site, they had many <br />discussions with the administration there and had proposed a package of up to 8 million <br />dollars to support their staying at that site. He stated that he was told by many <br />community members and Councilmember’s at that time that we should do whatever we <br />could to support that institution and they did for a variety of reasons they chose not to <br />rebuild at that site. He wanted to point out that he was certainly willing to invest major <br />dollars to support a private institution, a faith based institution, at that location. Since <br />they have moved that site becomes a critical piece of property for again, the East Bank, <br />Downtown, for all of South Bend and have a wonderful opportunity to support another <br />institution at that site which would bring a 35 million dollars investment to create a new <br />high school, new athletic fields, that he believes is positive for our community. He stated <br />that he wants to speak to the fact of support South Bend Community Schools and this <br />City has supported South Bend Schools in terms of expansions of their properties. They <br />have provided land for Adams High School when they did a major renovation and <br />expansion of Adams. They provided land and vacated streets and alleys for the New <br />Riley High School; they provided land for Madison Elementary School when a major <br />renovation was done there. They have had discussions with South Bend Schools about <br />public support for New Tech High School and certainly open to having those discussions <br />and if there comes a time will bring the Council to that as well. He stated that they want <br />to continue to invest in education in our community for our children. He stated that in <br />terms of separation of Church and State, they are not giving money to St. Joseph High <br />School, they are acquiring property that is a parcel that is critical to the development of <br />the site and they would transfer that property but they would transfer that in exchange for <br />an agreement on the part of St. Joseph High School to have public use of that site. So <br />that the stadium could be used by Pee-Wee Football, Pop Warner Football or South Bend <br />Community School Corporation High Schools playing games at that site. It could be <br />used as well for other public venues. The school is also open to use of some of the <br />building facility during summer-time when school is not in session for programs that <br />would benefit members of our community. So there is a public return on the public <br />investment that is at this site which he believes is not only possible but positive for the <br /> 10 <br /> <br />