11-22-99 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 22. 1999 SECTION VIII. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common Council and approval by the Mayor. s /Sean Coleman Member of the Common Council Councilmember Kelly reported that the Community & Economic Development Committee met on this Resolution and sends it to the Council with a favorable recommendation. Mr. William Faust, Engineering Manager, Uniroyal Technology Corporation, 2001 West Washington Street, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this Resolution. Mr. Faust informed the Council that Mr. Jim Elgin, General Manager, would be in attendance shortly. Mr. Faust utilized a photograph of the site to show members the area for the proposed extension of the facility. He noted it is south of Orange Street on the northeast corner of the facility in the unused area adjacent to the City's retention basin on the east side. Mr. Faust further noted that the extension will be approximately eighteen thousand (18,000) square feet and will be of masonry block construction. A Public Hearing was held on the Resolution at this time. There was no one present wishing to speak to the Council in favor of this Resolution. The following individuals spoke in opposition to this Resolution: Ms. Dorothy Wayne, 501 North Gernhart Street, Mishawaka, Indiana, informed the Council that she had said it before and will say it again, that Uniroyal may be gone from Mishawaka but they are not forgotten. She reminded the Council that in April of 1997 Uniroyal Plastics walked away from a mess in Mishawaka. She noted that in a recent South Bend Tribune article Council President Coleman suggested that the company currently located in South Bend is not the same as the one which left Mishawaka. Ms. Wayne noted that they have the same address for their corporate headquarters and this is just a name game. Ms. Wayne indicated that Uniroyal left Mishawaka with forty -three (43) acres to clean -up as well as two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) in unpaid property taxes. She further outlined the amount of waste that was left, the dollar amounts it is costing to clean -up as well as demolition estimates. In conclusion she stated that enough is enough and that it has cost taxpayers enough money. She asked the Council to please take these comments into consideration in granting this tax abatement. Mr. James Benjamin, 901 North Webster, Mishawaka, Indiana, informed the Council that Mr. Faust from Uniroyal would like to paint a picture of Uniroyal being a good place to work. He indicated that perhaps the Council should talk to the union members. Uniroyal failed their employees in the area of insurance and pension for retired workers. He said Uniroyal is not a good neighbor and they will move out of South Bend just like they did Mishawaka. In conclusion, Mr. Benjamin asked that the Council not get into the same situation as Mishawaka is in at this time. Mr. Faust indicated that the Uniroyal operation in Mishawaka has a long history first being the Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing Company that made Civil War uniforms, then became Uniroyal, U.S. Rubber, Uniroyal, Inc. and Uniroyal Plastics. Uniroyal Technologies has no history going back that many years. He noted that he has been with them since 1982. He noted that the operation was run properly with all permits obtained and he has no knowledge of what was done as far back as the 1890's, 1900's and 1920's. Councilmember Hosinski informed the Council that in the legal descriptions for the parcels of property owned by Uniroyal it is noted that some of the parcels are located in Hosinski's Subdivision. Coutcilmember Hosinski noted that his great grandfather derived the benefits from that sale and he has no interest in the property and he will therefore not recuse himself from voting on this matter. Additionally, with respect to comments made by the residents of the City of Mishawaka, he stated that Councilmembers have to look at what affects their districts and have an