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REGULAR MEETING September 28, 2015 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />John Murphy Controller- It’s an estimate and we try to be very conservative with our estimates <br />with our estimating of property taxes. My view is until you have it in the bank you do not have <br />it. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dr. Ferlic- Don’t the special exemptions we and Lake County have expire? <br /> <br />John Murphy (Controller) - They are expiring in 2020. <br /> <br />Councilmember Ferlic- That’s the reason you have the decrease right there. We’re going to get <br />hammered at that time. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr. - Public Works Director Eric, you talked about two (2) or three <br />(3) projects that you got federal funding for. Can you talk about dollar amounts? <br /> <br />Eric Horvath (Public Works) - I can send you that. I don’t know them off the top of my head. <br />The money for Olive Street is essentially SR 23 N so it ties into this project that we’re doing <br />already. That was a $118,000 for the local match. I will send you the federal dollars on all of <br />that. Boland Trails Run, Bendix Drive, federal dollars for Safe Route to School includes: <br />Lincoln, Pearly, Coquillard, and Harrison schools. We have a number of projects that do have <br />federal dollars involved. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr. - It sounds extensive and it sound good. I appreciate your work <br />in locating those dollars to help improve our infrastructure. My question is because they are <br />federal dollars they come with federal mandates for who works on the projects. Who will be <br />enforcing those laws? Making sure that federal law itself is being applied to those dollars. So, <br />that people here locally are getting those jobs. This is one of our solutions to crime in the City of <br />South Bend. It may not be a silver bullet but it may help people unemployed looking for work. <br /> <br />Eric Horvath (Public Works) - Those federal aid projects and all the ones that I mentioned are all <br />through the Department of Transportation. They will actually be bid through the Department of <br />Transportation. The plan and specs are developed, and then bids will be accepted and the state <br />will run the project. Included in those plans and specs will be requirements for days vacant, wage <br />rates, I don’t know of any local requirements, there are buy American requirements, there are <br />other requirements. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis Jr. - My issues are always census tract data that applies to federal <br />grants or federal dollars. In those census tracts, guidelines for people who are under the poverty <br />rate or the household median income or whatever the guidelines are and you’re getting those <br />people to work on those specific projects. There are training dollar components along with those <br />projects. I am looking for the fullness of those projects to be unveiled for the citizens of South <br />Bend. Not that we are just doing it and we’re done with it. The training component is a hell of <br />a way to start getting people employable. The other dollars go toward a percentage of the <br />community, race and sex being applied to as well to make sure people are getting an opportunity <br />to work. I said something about the project at Martin’s. I mean no harm about this I am looking <br />at the numbers for the City of South Bend. At who is employed and who employed and who’s <br />employed at what dollar amount. It becomes more and more apparent that people of color <br />minority classification have not been able to get jobs that are mortgage paying jobs and sustain <br />them as well. As it relates to City contract and working for the City as well. Here is a prime <br />example and opportunity to make sure those things are being applied for the betterment of the <br />City. I don’t think the request is too much to ask for, it’s by law, and I would love to see them <br />happen. Crime is up because there are a lot of people who are not working. The drug trade is <br />high because people find more work in selling drugs then working for a dollar that is more <br />honest. <br /> <br />And please Sir, along with the training dollars. I think Murray Miller has been very good at <br />trying to bring folks into the trade. I am not sure is that is a cooperative program between the <br />City and labor union. But I think there is a fair opportunity and a fair chance to make that thing <br />happen. <br /> <br />26 <br /> <br /> <br />