07-11-77 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JULY 11, 1977 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED BILL NO. 90 -77 A BILL APPROPRIATING $20,000.00 FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUND, FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC PARK PROJECTS TO BE AD- MINISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES /COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponen were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Carl Ellison, Director of Community Development, mal the presentation for the bill. He said this appropriation request would be used to light the two LaSalle tennis courts and fence off Beck's Lake along Washington Street. Mr. James Seitz, Superintendent of Parks, indicated many small children walk along Washington Street to and from the recreation center park and they were concerned that a child might fall into the lake. Coun Member Dombrowski asked if they were going to build a guard rail to stop people from driving sto cars into the lake. Mr. Seitz indicated they would have no objection. Council Member Dombrows made a motion to recommend this bill to the Council favorable, seconded by Council Member Adams The motion carried. BILL NO. 91 -77 A BILL APPROPRIATING $360,000.00 FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUND, TO IMPROVE THE FIREFIGHTING CAPACITY OF SOUTH BEND'S FIRE DEPARTMENT, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES /DIVISION OF COM- MUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponen were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Jon Hunt, Deputy Director of Community Development, made the presentation for the bill. He said this appropriation would be used to construct a new fire station and purchase a fire ladder truck. He said the fire station would be built in the vicinity of Western Avenue and Lake Street. Mrs. Jane Swan, 2022 Swygart, indicated she would like.ao know the advantage of a new station. Fire Chief Van Wiele indicated the new station would provide a ladder truck that is sorely needed in that area of the City. Mrs. Swan asked why they did not build on to the Gladstone Station. Chief Van Wiele indicated that the property was too limited and it was felt it would be much more expensive to remodel that statio Mrs. Swan indicated thatshe questioned the building of a new station because it was only seven blocks from the Gladstone Station. Council Member Dombrowski questioned moving the station in toward the City, as he thought it should be moved further west. Council Member Dombrowski made a motion to send this bill to the Public Safety Committee, seconded by Council Member Parent. Council President Parent indicated he thought more time was needed to look at this problem. Council Member Adams indicated she questioned whether we need a new station. She said she woul like the Administration and Chief Van Wiele to explain why this is needed, at the Public Safety meeting. The motion carried. BILL NO. 92 -77 A BILL APPROPRIATING $200,000.00 FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT FUND TO R &S 60, ORANGE STREET /COLFAX STREET CONNECTOR, WITHIN THE LOCAL ROAD AND STREET FUND. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponen were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Jon Hunt, Deputy Director of Community Development, made the presentation for the bill. He said this appropriation would be utilitized for the construction of storm sewers within the project area, and will serve as a partial match to the Federal -aid Urban Funds which make up the bulk of the funding for this project. Mr. Andy Toth, local architect, indicated he was concerned with what the City was doing relative to storm wate control. He said the City has twelve lagoons covering one hundred and forty acres of land, whi is lost as a tax income. He said storm water run -off carries disease, and that polluted water is a contributing cause of cancer. Council Member Szymkowiak indicated there was no reason why the development of the connector should be delayed. He made a motion to recommend this bill to the Council favorable, seconded by Council Member Adams. Council President Parent indicated th things Mr. Toth said were valid and that the Council was going to have to start looking at prob lems that might be twenty -five to thirty years in the future. Council Member Kopczynski said he was familar with water pollution in Lake Michigan. He said he thought the Council should know how much sewage is being pumped into the river. Mr. David Wells, Bureau of Administration and Design, indicated that the Engineering Department felt the present system was doing a fine job. He indicated there were diversion chambers that allowed run -off after a heavy rain. Coun Member Kopczynski asked if water samples were taken from the river at various times. Mr. Wells indicated that samples were taken weekly. The motion carried. BILL NO. 93 -77 A BILL APPROPRIATING $100,000.00 FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUND FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS TO BE AD- MINISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES /DIVISION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPART- MENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponen were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Jon Hunt, Deputy Director of Community Development, made the presentation for the bill. He said this money would be used to subsidize Street Depart ment activities within the designated Community Development impact areas. Work contemplated under this program shall be an extension of this year's activities. Council Member Szymkowiak made a motion to recommend this bill to the Council favorable, seconded by Council Member Adams. The motion carried. BILL NO. 94 -77 A BILL APPROPRIATING $50,000.00 FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUND FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS TO BE AD- MINISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES /DIVISION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND THE DE- PARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. 1 1