HomeMy WebLinkAboutHonorary Street Sign - Bishop Donald Alford Sr.1316 COUNTY -CITY BUILDING
227 W.JEFFERSON BOULEVARD
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 46601-1830
CITY OF SOUTH BEND JAMES MUELLER, MAYOR
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
September 22, 2020
Pentecostal Cathedral Church of God in Christ
1025 W. Western Ave.
South Bend, IN 46601
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PHONE 574/235-9251
FAx 574/ 235-9171
RE: Request for Additional Honorary Street Sign Application — Bishop Donald L. Alford Sr.
Dear Ms. White:
The Board of Public Works, at its meeting held on September 22, 2020, approved the application
for the temporary placement of an additional honorary sign in the name of Bishop Donald L.
Alford Sr. on Western Ave. and Cherry St. to (extend from Western/Chapin).
Please contact Ashley Rzepka, Customer Service Coordinator, Street Department, at (574) 235-
5939 to coordinate the time and placement of the signs.
Sincerely,
s/Linda M. Martin, Clerk
GARY A. GILOT ELIZABETH A. MARADIK THERESE J. DORAU JORDAN V. GATHERS JOSEPH R. MOLNAR
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
DATE SENT: 8/13/2020
TO: Kara Boyles, Engineering Department
X Gerard Ellis, Fire Department
X Chris Dressel, Community Investment
XJames Burns, Police Department
X Coby Deal, Streets and Sewers
FROM: Linda M. Martin, Clerk
SUBJECT: Honorary Street Sign Placement — Bishop Donald L.
Alford, Sr.
LOCATION: Additional Sign extending Western/Chapin — Western/Cherry
St.
DATE DUE: Seatember 2. 2020
FAX OR E-MAIL TO: 235-9171 / I e slay sot e i . ov s/Linda Martin
RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS:
By Date
RESOLUTION NO. 48-2009
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS OF
THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA ESTABLISHING POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR
PLACEMENT OF HONORARY SIGNS AND OTHER HONORARY FEATURES WITHIN THE
PUBLIC RIGHTS -OF -WAY OR ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
WHEREAS, pursuant to Lc. 536-9-6-2 and Lc. 536-9-6-3, the City of South Bend, Indiana
Board of Public Works ('Board") has authority over the use of public rights of way and is responsible
for the supervision of streets, alleys, and other property of the City; and
WHEREAS the Board receives numerous requests for permission to install signs and other
features within the public right-of-way and on public property in honor of or in memory of deceased
persons who were key contributing residents of the City of South Bend or community leaders within
the local community ("Honoree"); and
WHEREAS, the Board desires to establish a policy and to adopt guidelines for approval or
such honorary or memorial signage ("Honorary Street Sign") and other honorary features within the
public right-of-way or on public property such as trees, bricks, public benches, plaques or prisms
("Honorary Feature"); and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Public Works of the City of South
Bend that the following policies, guidelines, and procedures are hereby established:
Section L General Guidelines and Procedure
1. The Board shall be the sole designating body for placement and installation of Honorary
Street Signs and Honorary Features within the public right-of-way or on public property.
The Board, at its discretion, may consult with other boards, commissions, and authorities
as to the proposed honorary or memorial sign or feature.
2. The policies and procedures established by the Board in this Resolution shall be applicable
to all requests seeking installation of Honorary Street Signs and Honorary Features within
the public right-of-way or on public property. Any and all approvals granted by the Board
for such requests shall be subject to these policies.
3. Persons or groups seeking to honor or memorialize an Honoree shall submit a Petition
together with a fee of One Hundred and 00/100 Dollars ($100.00) to cover the cost of
manufacturing and installing the Honorary Street Sigh or Honorary Feature. The Petition
and fee shall be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Public Works, 1300 County -City
Building, 227 West Jefferson, South Bend, Indiana 46601 not less than four (4) weeks
prior to the proposed date for installation.
4. All Petitions shall include the name, address, and signature of not less than (50) residents
of the City of South Bend as evidence of local support for the Honorary Street Sign or
Honorary Feature. [Note: All names and addresses on the Petition must be legible in order
to be considered.]
5. The fee amount may be amended from time -to -time. The fee shall be paid at the time that
the Petition is submitted to the Board. If the Board does not approve the Petition, the fee
shall be refunded. The Board will not authorize a work order for production of any signage
unless the fee is timely submitted.
6. Only deceased persons who were residents of the City of South Bend during their lifetime
shall be considered for designation of an Honorary Street Sign or Honorary Feature.
7. The Board may deny any Petition if the Board, in its sole discretion, determines that the
proposed Honorary Street Sign or Honorary Feature: (i) will constitute a public safety.
hazard or public nuisance; (ii) does not meet the criteria set forth in this resolution; or .(iii)
the signage or other honorary/memorial feature would interfere with normal City
operations or services.
8. Certain actions incidental to approval of installation of an Honorary Street Sign or
Honorary Feature may be undertaken by various other persons, agencies or entities
including, but not limited to, independent approval by the Park Board, and such approval
is required in accordance with applicable state, federal and local laws.
Section Il. Honorary Street Signs.
All Petitions seeking installation of an Honorary Street Sign shall be submitted to the
Board in writing and shall include the following information:
a. Detailed information about the proposed Honoree summarizing the Honoree's
accomplishments, and reasons as to why the person should be publicly recognized
through the installation of an Honorary Street Sign.
b. A suggested location for the Honorary Street Sign, including an explanation for
the significance of the proposed location in relation to the Honoree's life and
works.
c. Honorary Street Signs shall be of a different color from the City's standard street
sign. The Honorary Street Sign shall be installed adjacent to the City's standard
street sign, or just below the standard street sign height if placed on a pole that
does not have a standard street sign attached.
d. Additional Honorary Street Signs maybe purchased to present to family members
or associates of the Honoree, subject to payment of an additional fee of $100.00
per sign. These additional signs may not be installed within the public right-of-
way or on public property but are provided solely as a memento of the occasion..
.e. The Honorary Street Sign may remain in place, and the City shall maintain the sign
for a period not to exceed five (5) years. However, the Board retains the sole.
discretion whether to extend this time limitation upon receipt of request for renewal
which shall be accomplished through the same procedures as the original Petition.
Section Ill. Other Honorary or Memorial Features in Public Rights -of -Way or on Public Property.
1. In addition or as an alternative to installation of an Honorary Street Sign, the Board will also
consider other Honorary Features for installation in public rights -of -way or on public
property including, but not limited to: trees, public benches, bricks, or prisms. The
procedure for petitioning for installation of an Honorary Feature shall be the same
2
as those for installation of an Honorary Street Sign subject to the following additional
conditions:
a. All proposed Honorary Features must be approved by the Board prior to installation.
b. Petitioner shall bear the entire cost of procuring the Honorary Feature.
c. Trees which are utilized as an Honorary Feature may be planted in designated areas
of the public right-of-way or on public property subject to the Board's approval, and
upon recommendation of the City Forester as to the appropriate species. A marker or
placard designating the name of the Honoree and the intent of the memorial may be
installed at the base of the tree to a size and specification reviewed and approved by
the City Engineer prior to installation.
d. The City Engineer retains the authority to recommend or deny any encroachments into
the public right-of-way as a matter of public safety and to ensure that Honorary Feature
are of an appropriate size so as to not to impede visibility or exacerbate injury or
damage to persons in the event of a vehicle accident, among other safety
considerations.
e. Benches that are utilized as an Honorary Feature may be sponsored within designated
areas of the public right-of-way, along multi -purpose paths such as the Riverwalk, in
the central business district, in City Parks (with the concurrence of the Park Board).
All benches installed as an Honorary Feature shall match the character, and quality of
the surrounding benches to maintain a consistent look and standardized urban design
elements and shall be subject to approval by the City Engineer as to structure, repair
elements, and placement.
£ Bricks may be utilized as an Honorary Feature in the Walk of Fame adjacent to the
Morris Performing Arts Center, the Studebaker National Museum or at other locations
approved by the Board.
Nothing in this Resolution shall be construed to require approval by the Board, nor prevent the Board
from imposing additional conditions or restrictions that the Board, in its sole discretion, deems
necessary or desirable in carrying out the general intents and purposes of this Resolution. ADOPTED
this day of 2009.
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS
Gary A. Gilot, President
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APPLICATION FOR PLACEMENT OF
HONORARY SIGN AND OTHER HONORARY FEATURE
WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY OR ON PUBLIC PROPERTY
Application Complete Fee Received Petition Complete
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O DENY
1. Applicant Information
Applicant's Name: Date: August 12, 2020
Pentecostal Cathedral Church of God In Christ
Applicant's Address:
1025 West Western Avenue, South Bend, IN 46601
Email Address: kwhite4211(�gmail.com Telephone/Cell: 574-229-3100
2. Honorary Signor Feature Request: Name or Feature Requested: Bishop Donald L. Alford, Sr.
Proposed Location:. Western/Chapin - Western/Cherry Street
Significance of Location to Honoree's Life: The church, Pentecostal Church of God In Christ, 1025 was built on
at this location. The Bishop made a commitment to reminder in the community. In addition, his business, Alford's
Mortuary is also located on Napier Street and as been for many years.
Western
(Example 1: Comer ofNorth and South Street Example 2: Main Streetfrom 1st Street to 3rd Street) Significance of
Location to Honoree's Life:
3. Required Submittals:
Please submit the following items along with your request:
'X/ A typed statement of not less than 500 words describing the significance of the person being honored. The
statement should include detailed information about the proposed Honoree summarizing the Honoree's
accomplishments, and reasons as to why the person should be publicly recognized.
XA petition of support for the proposed Honorary Sign or Honorary Feature. The petition should be signed by
not less than fifty 50) residents of the City of South Bend and must include the name, address, signature, and
date of signing. The petition should be witnessed by one individual and must be notarized prior to submittal.
[Note: All information on the petition must be legible in order to be considered.]
Bishop Donald L Alford Sr. a life -time resident of South Bend was reared and received his
elementary education in the South Bend Community School Corporation. After graduating from
Washington High School, he attended Bethel College and then went on to pursue his life-long
dream of becoming a funeral director. In 1961, he graduated from Worsham College of
Mortuary Science. After serving his apprenticeship, he founded Alford's Mortuary on August
15, 1964. Alford's Mortuary is now in its 55th year of servicing the people of the Michiana
area. Bishop Alford remains a licensed embalmer and funeral director and is a member of the
Indiana Funeral Directors Association as well as the National Funeral Directors and Morticians
Association. Bishop was also the first Black local president of the South Bend area Funeral
Directors Association, District II.
Bishop L Alford Sr. has also served the South Bend community in the following
capacities: local president of the NAACP of which he is a lifetime member; Board of Hearing
and Speech member; Junior Achievement board member; member of the American Institute of
Banking from which he won an award for Public Speaking; Western Avenue Business Corridor
Association member; past president of the City of South Bend Safety Board; a past
commissioner on the South Bend Redevelopment Commission, as well as many positions too
numerous to list.
Bishop L Alford Sr. has received a Key to the City of South Bend from Mayor Steve Luecke. He
also received the Drum Major Award from Mayor Luecke in 2003. He was invited by
Congressman Donnelly to attend the 2012 Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. He and his wife
received the 2013 Trailblazer Award from the South Bend Heritage Foundation. In July, 2013,
Bishop received the Sam Jones Trailblazer Award from the Governor of Indiana, Michael
Pence.
He now serves on the Indiana State Board of Funeral Directors & Cemeteries. In September of
2017 he was inducted into South Bend, Indiana Community Hall of Fame. Most recently he
received the 50 Year Legacy Award from the Charles Black Center.
In addition to his profession as a funeral director, Bishop L Alford Sr. was ordained as an elder
in July 1964 and subsequently founded the Pentecostal Church of God in Christ in October
1972. In 1997, the congregation erected a new church edifice, Pentecostal Cathedral. Plans are
currently under way for the Alpha Omega Family Life Center to be built.
He was consecrated to the office of Bishop in November 2006 and holds his present position as
Prelate of the 4th Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Indiana North Central, Churches of God in Christ.
He was fortunate to travel to Jerusalem in 2010 where he spoke to an audience on the Sea of
Galilee.
Bishop L Alford Sr. is married to his wife of 58 years, the former Mary Harold and is the father
of three children; 15 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
In honor of Black History Month, the City of South Bend - Municipal Government released a
series of billboards around the community intended to enrich residents' understanding of sixteen
local African Americans who have contributed to South Bend's history and culture. Each
Honoree was recognized on three digital billboards located at Linebacker, Ironwood & 23 and
Lincolnway East beginning Monday, February 24 until Sunday, March 1.
Bishop Alford, The City of South Bend thanked him for making a difference in our community
and congratulations on this well -deserved recognition. I salute you!
#BlackHistoryMonth #SouthBendSalutes #Legacy #SouthBendHistory #Honor
#MakeADifference #NeverForget
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