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SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 30, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />infrastructure second, is there any reason why we are putting in a sense the cart before the horse <br />in this kind of thing when it comes down to Lafayette and issues because of the fact that those <br />two streets. Do you have any prospective businesses that are already planning to through in any <br />aspect or any part of those streets has there any potential prospects that we currently have that <br />are looking to come to fruition on these streets because what I was told that this is going to help <br />some of the other that are not necessarily going to be affected because of the fact that those are <br />Michigan and Main Streets and those businesses over there already have two way streets and so <br />many of those that are advocating for this there business is not going to be affected this and so is <br />there any rationale as to why this is being done at this time? <br />Scott Ford: Absolutely, and I appreciate your question. I think that some of the comments that <br />have been made publicly in the last few weeks you have heard from a number of respective <br />businesses that have indicated but for the prospect of two-way streets they would not be <br />expanding or seeking to locate in downtown South Bend. I know that has come up several times <br />and some of those businesses are represented here this evening. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis: For clarity, and the business that you shared about, in terms of <br />that business, what I said in my comments, at that presentation that I was there along with you, <br />that particular business is not being affected by the Lafayette, that’s phase two and everything. <br />I’m talking about phase one. <br />Mayor Buttigieg: Actually, I received a communication the other day; I haven’t had a chance to <br />talk to Scott about this. From one investor, who represented that he would be prepared to make <br />over a million dollar investment in business along or around Lafayette. <br />Scott Ford: To be able to make those substantial improvements along Main & St. Joe, Lafayette <br />is a key component of that, so that, technically we need to improve the traffic along Lafayette <br />and be able to make the conversion on Main & St. Joe. I can also speak to the city’s investment <br />at the Cove and certainly we would like to amplify the good work that is going on at the Cove. <br />So any improvements to Lafayette will help speak to that. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis: In my District when it comes down to this administration along <br />with the previous administration, had promised the people in the Rum Village area that we have <br />a corridor where a lot of people come in and that is Ewing, and they said that Ewing Avenue was <br />going to be done in three different phases, and I went by some of the key people and our former <br />Rum Village Neighborhood President today, and nothing has been done there. That money was <br />switched over to the Sample Street bridge was supposed to be fixed and to our knowledge and <br />the people that actually came out and said that they were going to do that from the City and <br />nothing has been done there and we having people coming in from that area to the city to the <br />downtown. We had concerns that were expressed to me that the focus has been on those parts of <br />it but promises that have been made for phase one from Gary Gilot to other administrators that <br />have been part of this administration have not kept their commitments to Ewing, Sample and <br />other places and now the focus has been there. Is there some rationale why? <br />Scott Ford: I can’t speak to the actions of the previous administration. I know that the proposal <br />that is before you is very actionable. That’s why the funding request is in, so that we actually see <br />action this year. That’s specifically why it is shaped the way it is. <br />th <br />Eric Horvath, Director, Public Works, 13 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., <br />South Bend, Indiana: Ewing needs to be done, there are some issues there. We started work <br />there in terms of getting some of the utility work done; our own staff did that work just this <br />summer. The issue is as always trying to get funding for these projects, so we are working with <br />MACOG, on getting federal funds for Ewing and going through the federal design process, <br />which takes significant time and there are steps that have to been gone through, public hearing, <br />etc. It’s a very timely process, it’s been on-going for years, we need to speed up that process and <br /> <br />