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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 26, 2001 <br />Councilmember White stated that it is encouraging to hear that the school corporation has made a <br />commitment to maintain five (5) high schools and she does support the renovation of Adams High <br />School. She noted that the traffic impact report received during the committee meeting this <br />afternoon was a very limited report and she does not believe it gave the Council the type of <br />information that is needed in order to make a decision whether or not to vacate Greenlawn. <br />Councilmember White further noted that her vote against closing Greenlawn has nothing to do with <br />Adams High School as that is a school board decision and that decision has been made. She stated <br />that her concern is the impact of the traffic within the neighborhood and she has not been convinced <br />that the impact would be at the minimum level that has been presented this far. Therefore, <br />Councilmember White stated that she cannot support closing Greenlawn based on what has been <br />heard up to this point. <br />Councilmember Aranowski stated that the school board has made the decision and the commitment <br />to renovate Adams High School and now the City must try to focus on how to make that the best <br />proj ect possible. Councilmember Aranowski mentioned several streets that were previously vacated <br />for various projects including the closing of Tutt Street for the Center for the Homeless, Columbia <br />Street for the Crowe Chizek project and Navarre Street for Memorial Hospital. He noted that the <br />change in traffic pattern in the Memorial Hospital project has actually made the flow of traffic <br />through the neighborhood much better. Councilmember Aranowski noted that he is going to support <br />the closing of Greenlawn. If there are problems with shared facilities then that problem needs to be <br />addressed with the school board, the City and the Council. <br />Councilmember Kirsits thanked everyone that has been part of this process. He noted that it is never <br />easy to give up public land and recollected that twenty (20) years ago the City leased part of Browns <br />Field Park to Lock Joint Tube Company. That property is now vacant and posted with no <br />trespassing signs. Councilmember Kirsits stated that he uses the Greenlawn area as a bicycle route. <br />It has been his experience that park facilities that were married to school facilities were better <br />maintained and have been available for everyone to use. He believes that the community has spoken <br />that they want five (5) high schools and the City will have to give a little. Therefore, he will be <br />supporting this vacation. He stated that he shares the concerns of the residents that are against the <br />vacation and he will do everything in his power to make sure that it is a safe area for pedestrians. <br />Councilmember Varner stated that the school board has made a commitment to five (5) high schools. <br />While it is true that the number of high schools is not the Council's decision, it can be put into the <br />context of what is important to our community and that is property tax. He noted that St. Joseph <br />County has the second highest property taxes in the State of Indiana. In the last five (5) or six (6) <br />years taxpayers have taken on the $55 million dollar Riley High School project, the $25 million <br />Detention Center Project, $45 million dollars for the new jail, several elementary school projects <br />and it is still unknown what the College Football Hall of Fame will cost. These numbers keep <br />adding up. On the one hand everyone says it is necessary to have all these facilities and on the other <br />hand the Council hears from developers that their projects cannot proceed unless they are granted <br />tax abatement because the rates are too high. Councilmember Varner noted that several years ago <br />a school board member came before the Council and stated that tax abatements should not be granted <br />because it was affecting school funding. Everyone wants what they want and in the last few years <br />everyone has been getting everything they want. The burden grows and as it grows the ability to <br />be competitive is affected. Councilmember Varner stated that it is not his decision whether or not <br />the school corporation can afford five (5) high schools. However, we all operate as one large <br />community and we are all affected not only by one big decision that is made but by all the little <br />decisions as well. He noted that projects are driving decisions for the future rather than making a <br />plan and letting the plan drive the projects. Councilmember Varner stated that he cannot support the <br />vacation of Greenlawn at this time. At some point in the future when some important decisions <br />have been made he will be prepared to support it at that time but it may take some time to work it <br />out. Decisions are best made with more time for consideration than at this point in time. <br />Councilmember Varner thanked everyone who participated in this process <br />There were no other members of the Council wishing to speak on this matter. <br />Councilmember Ujdak noted that a motion has been made by Councilmember Kelly and seconded <br />by Councilmember Coleman to send this bill to the full Council with a favorable recommendation <br />