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Home My WebLink About03/15/1932 Board of Public Works MinutesT `sda17, 14 rch 15th . , 1932. Board net in Mgular session at 10*00 A. fit:. 1r. John K. Smogor absent. Minutes of meeting held Tuesda, March 8th., 1932, read and approved. The follcwing estimate for the repair of sewer at Ewing.Avenue and Michigan Street was a.-pproved by the Board: March. 15 th . , 1932 Tao_ rd of Public Forks, I South Bend, Indiana. Gen t le m en . Vie propose to furnish a 11 labor and. material including she°�thing in connection with building new catch b9 sin at northwest corner of Michigan Street and Ewing Ivenue and connecting the same by means of a 15 inch outlet with pzesent 30 inch trunk sewer. Also connecting present inlet , loc ate d on Ew ing 'venue with new catch basin for the following amount: ' 30 Lin feet of 15 inch sewer at 2.75 per lin ft 82.50 20 !in feet of 8 .inch sewer at 1.00 per li.n ft 20.00 ji 1 extra large catch basin witb cover 11.2.50 j Total 215.00 This proposal does not include relaying pavement over trench, which work can be done by your street department. Yotars very truly, hocco S imeri. ZI Board instructed clerk to advise Rocco Simeri of their approval of his JP roposal and to start work at the earliest date possible. Upon the recommendation of Building commissioner, D. T.% i!r'oomaw, the Board Le plans for the Mmodeling of The NEws `Times B pproved tluilding at the corner of ain Street and Colfax Avenue. Said remodeling will necessitate the encroachment f the side walk area on the Calf a_x Avenue side of said building. • City Engineer, H. G. `,,Tray, filed the assessment roll, showing the awards of d'armpbss and the assessments of benefits in the matter of the vacation of' ormer Johnson Street from -Elwood Avenue to Keller Street under Vacation Resolution N0.2470. In the above mimed assessment roll, the Board, hereby, orders that on the 5th.., OP- o f Aril, 1932, this Board will meet in their office in the City Hall at 10:00 A. TV%, to hear Pff receive remonstrances from all persons whose 1roperty has been affected by said vacation and will decide whether the several lots and parcels of lfnd have been or will be -.benefited in the amounts shown on said roll, or damaged in the amounts shovrn on sa id roll. The Board further orders that notices of said heeri_n.g be delivered to property owners according to law. • The Board approved pay roll claims for street and alley department, j street rep2 it d apartment and cemetery department totaling '?3,625.35. I The Board claims for vari ous departments amounting to 35,117.38. The following letters dated March loth. , 1932, with reference to Track Elfevation wotk on Western Avenue and Walnut Street were orde--red placed on file: . , Reconstruction Finance Corporation, Ma rch loth 193 2. Railroad Finance Division, Washington, D. C . Gentlemen: it The City cf South Bend has signed contracts with the New York Central II Railroad and the Grand Trunk western Railroad providing for grade separation wot in this city. These contracts have• been s igned for about two years and all legal 1 obstacles which had delayed the project were removed last October. The Grand Trunk Western have let their contract for the work and have manifested their willingness to go forward, but the New York Central claim that they 2se unable to finance their itPortion of the work. They also advise that Provision 4 of your Circular #2, being the regulations governing railroads borrcwing from your corporations would prevent them from obt ai Wing money from you for this project. As you know, this provision j st.-tes that loans will not to male fbr the purpose of initiating, setting on foot, or financing any enterprise not initiated, set on foot, or undertaken prior to Jan- ua.r y 19 32 , In the instant case, prior to January 2 2nd . , 1932, the city expended , 186,000.00 to acquire a now right of way for the elevation, the New York Central had let their cont ra=ct for steel, anal the steel was as far es the fabricating mill. Tuesday, 10arch 15th. , 1932. Would you kindly advise me if, in view of these facts, Provision #4 would be applicable_? Respectfully, Y. Edward Dor an , President Board of Public Works. March 10t h . , 1932. 1"r. =chaff, c/o hew York Central Railroad, "Cleve is nd, Ohio . D ea. r S.ir Kind ly be advised. that the period for remonstrance aga inst the city' s determination to issue bond for the elevation project has now pass and that we are now in a position to obtain the funds necessary -b pay _tbr the City's portion on this project. In your letter of M,,,,rch 3rd, you stated that the grade separation project at South Be& was not in a different category that other projects that you had under way where the public authorities agreed to the postponement. I again ,r.ish to call your attention to the fact that in October last year when the railroads risked for an extension of time it was predicated. on the sole proposition of increased cost of winter construction and your ylr. rote advised us that the appropriation. for this under- taking, had been made and there was no thing to pr event going forward with the work as of Mprch,�lst , 1932. Relying upon these representations, the city expended approx- i=. tely $;186,000.00 after that date in acquiting a new right of way for Walnut Street and fourteen feet additional width Do+r Western Avenue. As you know, there was a jog in Talnut Street at this point and tTe acquired a new right of way Ito bring the street directly under the elevation. Not only that, but we vacated the Ir event South approach of 1t'alnut Street and at the present time the abutting property owners are threatening to make us cease using this vacated portion of the street. At our last con.ference, which you and Mr. Murray attended, both of you stated that we were in an entirely d if fere nt c ategor.7 that other elevation projects and. the only reason that you were asking for a postponement was because 'of .your inability to finance the project. I have been advised by the Interstate Commerce Commission that you have not made applica- tion to them for permission to borrow from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, and from my .examination of the regulations of this body, there is nothing to prevent us from applying for a loan. In a telephone conversation with your PIr. Murray, he stated that .1t was .hie and erstanding that loans could only be made for construction purposes where the actual work was under way as of January 22nd, 1932. I find. upon investiprtion, that the only restriction on your right to borrow from the Reconstruct- ion Finance Corporation is upon projects that were not initiated prior to the afore- maiti oned date. In the present case, as you kncv, , contracts have been s igned, the Grand Trunk has let the6ra co retract, and you have advised us that all of the steel was or(?ered, so surely there Ee no question but what this is an initiated project, Will you promptly advise me if it is the intention of your road to seek a loan from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, and I believe this step should be taken by you to show your good faith with the City. Respectfully, r`. Edgard Doran, President Board of Public Works. Meeting adjourned at 12 O'clock noon. Attested: /w_, Clerk • • • • • 0 0