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Home My WebLink About07-2008 Newsletter5 0 U a� 1� 1%� ,., 1 A6 EN D Mayon .SiFpkFv I ttlFckr Letter from the Mayor Dear Friends and Neighbors, Imagine what your life would be like if you had the opportunity to buy stock in Apple, IBM or Microsoft before those technology companies made it big. A simi- lar situation is developing right now, but for the greater South Bend area rather than for a particular company. The world's leading computer chip makers an- nounced that the University of Notre Dame will host the fourth U.S. nanoelectron- ics research center: the Midwest Institute for Nanoelectronics Discovery, or MIND. This center will focus on finding the successor to the microchip to power the next generation of computers, iPods, cell phones and devices that have yet to be imagined. The City of South Bend was among the partners who helped secure the center Our $1 million commitment results from a former business initiative to match state and private dollars to support the startup of MIND. There can be no doubt: MIND will transform South Bend. In the same way that the railroads, the Oliver Chilled Plow and the Studebaker automobile changed this city, the nanoelectronics initiative will move us into a new age and a new interna- tional prominence. Research into cutting -edge technology is essential. But what's really important is that we turn that research into new jobs and products. Research at Stanford Uni- versity played a major role in the development of the microchip to succeed the vacuum tube. But the high -tech center in California is known worldwide not for Stanford but as Silicon Valley. That's where products were made and new compa- nies located. We expect a similar pattern in South Bend. Researchers from Notre Dame, Purdue and other Big Ten universities seek to discover the shape of the logic device that succeeds the semiconductor. And South Bend will become the center of commercialization. Research is already taking place on campus and will extend first to the new engi- neering building and eventually to Innovation Park, the campus portion of what is anticipated to be the city's two -site certified technology park now under construc- tion along Edison Road. But the real economic boon to the region will occur in the former Studebaker Corridor. Innovation Park is limited to 12 acres and will serve as an incubator for all forms of research. The more than 82 acres in the Studebaker Corridor will concentrate on nanoelectronics commercialization. There is prece- dent for this kind of development at the sites of the other three previous nanoelec- tronics research centers in Albany, N.Y., Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles. Gov. Mitch Daniels noted that while other communities in Indiana have received auto plants or other manufacturing centers, "this could lead to something bigger than all of them put together." Next month, I'll share the efforts by the city to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity at a time when we face great challenges from declining property tax revenue. Sincerely, Mayor Steve THIS MONTH... Mayor's Letter Green Tips Art Beat 2008 Common Maintenance Code Violations Propane Tank Warning Green Tips • n • • Art in the Heart • of South Bend : Art Beat 2008 : • Are you looking for something out of • the ordinary to do on a Thursday night? • Look no further, come down and visit Art • • Beat 2008 on Thursday, September 4, • • from 4 to 8:30 p.m. There will be an • abundance of different artists, poets, chefs, dancers, and performers showcas- • • ing their talents for you. In addition, you • • can stop in at any of the merchants, res- • taurants, retailers and downtown busi- • nesses and support the local arts commu- • • nity. • Art Beat is currently in its 6th year • running, and has grown to become one of • • South Bend's most celebrated public • • events. Each year on the Thursday after • Labor Day, the streets of South Bend • become one of Indiana's largest art gal- • • leries. This community wide showcase of • • the cultural arts draws more than 500 • individual and group artists who want to • participate in the special event. Art Beat • • is attended by more than 7,000 people • from the area who come out to see the • dancers, musicians, actors, poets and art- • • ists of all kinds. • • For more information and to register • as a musician, performer or artist for the • event, please visit www.Art Beat- • • SouthBend.org or call 282 -1110. Regis- • • tration deadline is August 4, 2008. • SI USTED NO ENTIENDE INGLES Y NECESITA AYUDA PARA TRADUCIR ESTE DOCUMENTO, O SI TIENE ALGUNA PREGUNTA, POR FAVOR LLAME AL TELEFONO (574) 235 -5858 X 1000. Did You Know? Common Property Maintenance Code Violations As the City works to clean up abandoned & vacant properties, we ask property owners' help in making our neighborhoods clean and pleasant places to live, by preventing or remedying the following com- mon code violations: Environmental Violations: • Uncollected trash and garbage, litter and debris • Fallen trees, stumps, dead trees and cut brush • Demolition remains • Appliances or furniture in yard • Auto parts and scrap metal • Grass over 9 inches tall Code Enforcement Procedures: 1. An Inspector verifies a code violation and issues a written notice to the property's owner describing the problem, asking the owner to comply within 5 - 10 days (depending on type of violation). For severe problems, a letter may allow only 24 hours to correct the problem. 2. If there is no compliance, the Clean-Up Crew will clean the property and the property owner will be billed for the cost of clean -up. Minimum charge is $111.00. The City's Department of Solid Waste can remedy many problems that involve removal of trash and debris. They can be reached at 574.277.8823. Housing Violations: • Roofs which are not weather tight. Substandard or inoperable plumbing, electrical wiring or heating systems. • Deteriorated and unsound structures. • Open cracks and breaks in foundation walls. • Lack of adequate heat and hot water. • Holes and rotting boards in exterior walls Code Enforcement Procedures 1. An Inspector determines if there are a significant number of struc- tural defects to make the house unsafe. Minor violations are also noted since they may lead to more serious problems. 2. A letter is sent to the property owner requesting the property owner to repair the violations in 15 - 30 days, depending on the seriousness of the violations. 3. If there is no compliance at the end of the designated period of time, the property owner is asked to appear before the Code Enforcement Hearing Officer. 4. At the hearing, a repair date is established with the property owner. 5. If the repairs are not made by that time, the case is referred to the Legal Department for legal action. Extension may be granted to property owners who have exhibited a will- ingness to rehabilitate their property. The primary goal of Code Enforcement is to ensure the health and safety of all South Bend's residents through a systematic, sensitive en- forcement of City ordinances. For more information, or to report a vio- lation, please contact the Department of Code Enforcement at 235 -9486, or visit www.southbendin.gov/code. . Clear. He rthe teWborhoYods Cut Costs and $ave Energy Summer is one of the biggest energy consuming times of the year. By making energy - efficient choices you can save electricity and money without giving up the comforts of home. ♦ Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluo- rescent bulbs. ♦ In the morning, turn your AC to a relatively cold setting to pre -cool your house, then turn it off before noon, making sure to pull down shades and blinds. In a well- insulated, modestly sized house, this simple act should allow you to coast through the hottest part of the day. If it doesn't, try to keep your thermostat setting no lower than 78 degrees. A room cooled to 75 degrees costs about 18 percent more than one cooled to 78. ♦ Set the thermostat on your water heater between 120 and 130 degrees. ♦ Unplug seldom -used appliances, like an extra refrigerator in the basement or garage that con- tains just a few items. You may save around $10 every month on your utility bill. Source: Natural Resources Defense Council S O U T H r B E N D i r i Propane Tank Warning There's a new target in the war against drugs, and it may be sitting under your grill. Methampheta- mine users are now using propane tanks to cook their drugs by emptying the propane and filling them with anhydrous ammonia. Once the drug users are done with the tanks, they return them to a propane ex- change facility, where they are re -filled with propane for the next user. When purchasing a propane tank, be cautious and examine the valve for any blue or green residue which is a sign that it has been in contact with anhy- drous ammonia. If you find that you have already pur- chased a tank with the residue, use extreme caution and call your local Fire Department, Hazardous Mate- rials Emergency Response Unit, or the nearest office of the United States Department of Justice's Drug En- forcement Administration (DEA) for information on properly disposing of the cylinder. For more information, please visit www. np2a .ore/i4a/t)a2es /index.cfm ?t)a2eid =529 or 1- 800 - 728 -2482. hisit Our Website at www SoutliBendIN.gov!