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SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 30, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: That’s great, so in past years we have put that project labor <br />agreement as being around 20-25 percent sometimes 30 percent. I am trying to get closer to see <br />where we are at with these things. Again, I have a strong issue of us having local labors here and <br />for whatever reason we find it is cheaper to employ people outside of the community saying we <br />are doing a better job by doing it, but the problem is that the folks that live here are still <br />unemployed, so they can spend their money here in South Bend. So I am directing my interest <br />towards making sure that South not only gets a façade change if that happens, but it also gets the <br />economic impact by folks who actually need the jobs and be able to spend their money in places <br />South Bend, Indiana. <br /> Chairperson White: At this point, it is still in the Council portion, I am going to give each <br />Councilmember an opportunity to make any closing comments and then we would take action at <br />that point. <br />Comments back and forth amongst Councilmember’s at this point. <br />Councilmember Dieter: A lot of comments up here, but from me that we have to have this. <br />Eric Horvath: We agree, we want to see it happen. <br />Councilmember Dieter: I need a timeline so when people ask me. <br />Eric Horvath: We want to make it happen as quickly as we can. <br />Councilmember Dieter: Give me a time, two years, three years? <br />Eric Horvath: I would say that the negotiations with INDOT in the beginning next year, and then <br />sometime hopefully we would have an agreement. I would say that I can see jurisdiction <br />transfers take as much as ten years. We don’t anticipate it taking that long with previous <br />conversations with INDOT. They are going to be helpful throughout the whole process as was <br />everyone who came to those initial meetings because INDOT understood that this a major <br />project that people wanted to see happen. <br />Chairperson White: I am going to ask Councilmember’s for their comments at this time. <br />Councilmember Gavin Ferlic: I certainly appreciate all hard work that went into the but <br />especially the two-way smart streets project. (inaudible) <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis: I am thankful that the funding for the wells has been included. <br />The anticipation for the two-way (inaudible) <br />Councilmember Dr. David Varner: I want to echo comments made by the Mayor. Having sat <br />through eighteen of these now, this is without a question, the most comprehensive budget <br />hearings with all the questions from Councilmembers and answers from Mark Neal, John <br />Murphy and their staff, getting back with those answers, through e-mails; meetings etc. I can’t <br />tell you how many times I saw that as a struggle in previous years. I would like to invite <br />everyone here that has sat through all these meeting next year, because I can guarantee you that <br />there will be equally important issues and hopefully prevalent discussion and final analysis what <br />we end up with is something that we all need to go home and start working on next year. Thank <br />you. <br />Councilmember Dr. Fred Ferlic: I want to second Councilmember Ferlic’s comments and <br />Councilmember Dr. David Varner’s Comments on thanking the administration, they’ve bent <br />over backwards, they compromised a lot. From their initial proposals a month ago, and so the <br />public should know that, the public should also know that we have a $343 million dollar budget <br />and as far as the smart streets is concerned there is really only $4.1 million dollars anointed <br />going towards smart streets. We have an $11 million dollar budget, but $4.9 million of that goes <br /> <br />