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SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 30, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Park as well as the $10.3 million dollars storage tank at the old fire station which may <br />significantly mitigate the need for the storm sewers. Additionally, I believe that there could be <br />economies of scale by combining the scheduled work at Howard Park with the installation of the <br />storm sewers on Jefferson. As far as the Leeper Park Project goes, we have plans to install a $49 <br />million; we have plans to do $49 million dollars’ worth of combined sewer overflow project <br />there. We have plans to install and 8.7 million gallon storage tank at Leeper Park. So my point <br />is that there has been an artificial deadline imposed on this project by leading the public to <br />believe that it a vote does not take place on this project tonight that the project is dead. It’s not, <br />what I personally feel is we need to look at not only the smart streets project, but the other <br />scheduled construction projects that we have on going. And I think by doing that and we have <br />not taken the time to do that. And I think by taking the time to do that those numbers that I just <br />shared with you for the combined sewer overflow those are significant dollars and if you are <br />going to tear up the streets why do it twice? So, my questions, my plea to the Administration <br />and my requests to the community that have been so generous with your time, your phone, your <br />e-mails, is please understand that if a vote does not take place on smart streets tonight, it’s not <br />that the project is dead, what we are trying to do is save you guys some money. I know, it’s a bit <br />of a novel concept, but if there are opportunities for value engineering, economies of scale, heck <br />if we are installing a, the storage tank that is going to go in at Howard Park in Spring, that’s a <br />multi-million dollar project. Wouldn’t it make sense to combine that construction work the <br />potential for storm sewers on Jefferson. And Leeper Park, how much did I say that storage tank, <br />that’s a $49 million dollar construction project, why would we do that work in isolation from the <br />roundabout. I’m not an engineer, but to me that just doesn’t make sense. And, so I will leave <br />you all with both thank you for entrusting me with providing oversight for your tax dollars and <br />then I would also say that I hope you understand that if the vote does not take place tonight and <br />that the Council asks to continue to work with the Administration to look at these various <br />construction projects and how we might be able to achieve economies of scale and also do some <br />value engineering, we should all be grateful for that opportunity cause it could save us all a lot of <br />money. And with that I’m done. <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Thank you. I’m tired to say the least. You guys have fatigued <br />me. I’ve never met this much over a budget since I have been a Councilmember. As a matter of <br />fact I think we met so much because a lot of information probably wasn’t being given out in the <br />way that it probably should have. Do I commend everyone for showing up all the time, sure I <br />do. However, I think we have done a lot of things that are probably been inconsistent to a lot of <br />things that have been out there. Hope that we will be able to work at this better next year, <br />because this was very grueling, it was very rough. It was rough and I think that it was rough for <br />no reason. The other part that I am very concerned about you know is our priorities. We have <br />joblessness rate in here again, I keep going back to beyond the State average, beyond national <br />average, and we are the highest in employment in a five (5) county region. And, sure these jobs <br />or perceived jobs proposed jobs may come in and I give value to it, because I think me and the <br />gentlemen that are here business owners are going to invest their money. But it does not tap at <br />not anywhere close to where we are at in the employment levels, nowhere close. What I do see <br />happening is that many folks that like to place in South Bend will be able to play a lot harder in <br />South Bend. But the folks that are a part of South Bend, that live in South Bend won’t get the <br />benefit of the gain that we need and the investments that we need in our neighborhoods. I have <br />not shied away from talking about what goes on in District 2 and even in the total City of South <br />Bend. I have not shied away from that, I have always stood on the point, that if we don’t have <br />jobs here, our crime goes up, and as you see crime is high and jobs are low. So they run hand in <br />hand. Businessmen make profits period, there is business to make profit. I don’t begrudge any <br />businessman from making a profit because that is what he is supposed to do. Just like I don’t <br />begrudge a Councilmember for voting their wishes of their constituency base. I think that we <br />need to be clear and honest about our intentions, I’m really unhappy with continuing to hear how <br /> <br />