HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/07/1954 Board of Public Works Minutes178
June 7, 1954
A regular meeting of the Board of Public Works was held Monday, June 7, 1954, at
10:00 A. M. All members were present. minutes of the previous meeting were read and
approved. Salary claims, in the total amount of $32,002.48, were approved. Claims of
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Ithe following suppliers, in the total amount of $66,476.55, were approved and ordered
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paid:
Charles Armstrong & Son $20.00 Charles Armstrong & Son 01.50`,
Walter J. Braunsdorf & Son 4.50 Burroughs Corporation 18.00
Business Systems, Inc. 1.80 Ernest J. DeGraff 47.36
Ferguson & Sons 4.70 Ferguson & Sons 11.44
John W. Gorney 5.00 Healy Sign Co. 14.00
C. L. Kineh 38.96 McComb Battery Co. 2.65
j Elmer E. Murray 37.60 Office Supply & Equipment Co. 5.65
Shell American Petroleum Co. 3.10 Sidwell Studio 26.00
! PARKING METER:
Dual Parking Meter Co. 11.90 Halle -mite Mfg. Co. 25.00
Meyerts Hardware 9.95 M. H. Rhodes, Inc. 5.50
SEWAGE WORKS CONSTRUCTION:
i Russell C. Kuehl 326.00 Consoer, Townsend & Assoc. $27,919.79
Consoer Townsend & Associates 7083.33
j SEWAGE DISPOSAL:
Consoer, Townsend & Associates 30,000.00
STREET & TRAFFIC,
Anerson Service Station 25.36 Healy Sign Co. 24.75
Kuert Concrete, Inc. 16.80 Maurice Bockts Service Station 16.00
Michigan Calvert Hardware 26.56 Minnesota Mining Co. 566.75
j O'Brien Corporation 176.40
The Board first examined in its entirety the agreement between the City of South
Bend and the Indiana & Michigan Electric Company for the placing of a siren for civil
defense purposes on the roof of the company's office building at 220 W. Colfax Avenue, • ,
and on the roof of its service building at 401 E. Colfax Avenue. The Board approved
the agreement and directed that it be forwarded to Mayor Scott for signature.
The Board next read and considered the letter directed to the Board, under date
of June 4, 1954, over the signature of Robert L. Huff, Secretary of the City Planning
Commission, and directed that the vacation petition involved be held in abeyance, pend-
ing dedication of a similar passageway to the north of the passageway being considered
for vacation.
A petition, dated May 24, 1954, for the improvement of Dunham Street, from Meade
'Street to Kaley Street by the construction of pavement, and petition, dated May 20,1954
for the improvement of Dunham Street from South Olive to South Meade Street, were •
;examined and referred to the City Engineer for investigation and report.
A petition, under date of June 7, 1954, to improve Grant Street from Indiana Avenue
to Prairie Avenue, by the construction of a sewer, was examined and referred to the City
Engineer for investigation and report.
STREET DEPARTMENT:
Street Commissioner, H. M. Tomlinson, being present, brought to the Board's atten-
tion the existence of some confusion on the part of householders whereby they believe
the sewage disposal system charge now appearing on water bills to be a charge for
garbage pick-up service. It was conte-rplated to give some publicity in this connection •
to correct this erroroneous impression.
Next appeared before the Board, Mrs. Harold Naragon, Route 2, Box 136-A, South Bend
Indiana, in regard to the conducting of a children's parade on Prairie Avenue, in the
vicinity of Grant Street, at 1:30 P. IM. Saturday, June 12, 1954. The purpose of the
parade is to create interest in a Daily Vacation Bible School and to instill in the
children's minds some idea of the life of the American pioneer forefathers. The Board
granted approval, with the stipulation that no horses are to be used in the parade.
Next to appear before the Board was Mrs. Vera Reaves, owner of the premises at 127
Franklin Place, complaining of damage to curbing and sod caused, in her opinion, by the •
parking meter installation. It was Tars. Reavest contention that the City should restore
the broken curbing. City Engineer, R. S. Adnrysiak, being present, informed Mrs. Reaves
that the City has never built curb. After considerable discussion, in which M,rrs. Reaves
pointed out the fact that the law governing is obsolete, pre -dating the eracf the park-
ing meter, and that unless repairs are made immediately the curbing across the entire
front of her property will be destroyed. The Chairman of the Board offered names of
three contractors from whom Mrs. Reaves could obtain prompt quotations, but again
stressed the fact that under the existing law the repair of the curb mould be entirely
at her expense.
Next appeared before the Board, Mfrs. Maxine Taylor, registering complaint relative
to the bus service and lack of bus service, expressing the opinion that South Bend is
a city large enought to support a competing bus lines, which would insure the maintaining .
of satisfactory schedules.
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Mrs. Taylor inquired of the Board as to what further steps she might take in the
:matter, and was advised to contact a responsible official of the bus company. Mrs.
;Taylor termed the present failure of service after 11:15 P.M. to be a "grave situation",
and cited an incident involving several bus patrons, occuring Sunday night, June 6,1954•
The Hon. W. A. Hahn next appeared before the Board requesting permission for the
blocking off of two blocks on Campaeu Street on the night of Saturday, June 26th, for
the purpose of holding a neighborhood festival under the auspices of the East Side
Mothers Club. The Board granted the request.
3,1r. Edgar Anderson, representing the Mutual Commercial Company, Inc., appeared before
the Board and presented a petition, under date of May 22, 1954, for the improvement of
Hawthorne Drive by the constructing of a local sewer. Petition was referred to the City
Engineer for investigation and report.
ENTRIES OF PETITIONS PRESENTED
The Board of Public Works & Safety hereby receives and places on file the Petition
of Lynn A. Rosewarne and eleven others for the improvement on ALLEY BETWEEN PORTAGE
AVENUE AND ASHLAND AVENUE from the south line of Portage Court to the west line of Leland'
Avenue AND
Petition of To H. Townsend and seven others for the improvement on SOUTH LAKE
.STREET from the center line of alley north of Jefferson Boulevard to the center line
of alley north of Western Avenue AND
Petition of Maruice L. Palmer and twenty-one others for the improvement of ALLEY
BETWEEN COLLEGE STREET AND BROOKFIELD STREET from the north line of Humboldt Street
to the first alley north AND
Petition of Colpaert Realty Corporation and eight others for the improvement on
GERTRUDE STREET from 233 feet south of the center line of Prairie Avenue to the center
line of lot 31 in SLLrpticn Prairie Addition AND
Petition of Nora E. Roose and thirteen others for the improvement of ALLEY BETWEEN
COTTAGE GROVE AVENUE AND CUSHING STREET from the north line of Van Buren Street to
the. east line of Cottage Grove Avenue ANID
Petition of Mary L. Alward and five others for the improvement of NORTH IOWA STREET
FROM THE CENTER LINE OF Ardmore Trail to the center line of Locke Street.
The above petitions were examined by the Board and referred to the City Engineer for
recommendation. The City Engineer being present, made the recommendation that the
petition in each instance, be granted. The Board then directed that the firm of Wilbur
H. Gartner & Associates prepare general details, drawings, specifications and pre-
lim.inary improvement resolution for the six improvements to be constructed and the firm
was so notified June 7, 1954.
The Board next approved the request for a station wagon for the use of the Supervisor
of Inspection for the Sewage Disposal Plant and directed the Clerk to proceed with the
legal advertising.
Some discussion ensued on various topics of civic improvement, including the
,possibility of originating a campaign for the repair of sidewalks, no definite conclusions
being reached.
Inquiry concerning the delay in the Hydraulic Avenue improvement program was explained'
by the chairman of the Board, R. S. Andrysiak, as now hinging upon "water rights" still
held in effect by a single property owner.
City Controller, James A. Bickel, brought to the attention of the Board information
given by Attorney William E. Voor concerning federal public housing funds again being
available to the City for slum clearance. It was pointed out that this offer of federal
assistance was voted down by the Common Council within the past two years.
Excavation bond in the sum of $5,000.00, binding Rieth-Riley Construction Company,Inc.
as principal, and Indemnity Insurance Company of North American as sureties, was examined
,and approved by the Board.
Contractor's bonds, each in the sum of $1,000.00, were examined and approved by the
Board for the following contractors:
A. C. Graham Alex Papczynski
W. E. Newcomb ,Walter A. Ramenda
Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc.
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned
at 11:45 A.M.
Attest: