Laserfiche WebLink
REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 24,2015 <br /> we already had one (1) fatal accident and I'm wrecking my brain the last time there was a fatal <br /> accident prior to this. They are saying it is an outline and not a plan but they are already sending <br /> out letters to purchase homes where they outlined soccer fields. If you are saying this is just a <br /> plan then why are you trying to purchase homes for just an outline? What we want is to not have <br /> the bottleneck traffic that we already have on Lincoln Way. We still have plenty of traffic on <br /> Western Ave and we need four(4)lanes to move that traffic. It is not that we are ungrateful for <br /> some investment over there; as we need it. We need freshly paved roads, we need new <br /> sidewalks, we need curbs,and we need lights. Let's take this one step at a time. On Western <br /> Ave they're stripping before they get them paved, which the street is pothole filled. Let's finish <br /> phase 1 and listen to the public when we say we need four(4)lanes not three (3)before you <br /> move on to phase 2. In regards to the dispatch consortium, before we rush any further we are <br /> doing a big thing badly in the city. We have a situation where we are losing dispatchers almost <br /> every other week. I spent five and half years as a correctional officer. Some of these officers <br /> I've known for ten(10)plus years now. We are talking public safety here and we have well, <br /> "When we get to the new building things are going to get better". How about we sit back and <br /> put tougher a plan on how we are going to take care of our people? How are we going to make <br /> sure public safety comes first not someone's vision for a new system to track information that <br /> slows down the process for everyone? Do we need to consolidate dispatch centers,probably but <br /> until we have good leadership or a good plan in place, maybe the best thing for the city of South <br /> Bend is to stay where we are for another year. When we have a real plan in place then we can <br /> think about joining your consortium until then we are fine where we are right now. <br /> Tony Trinca— 139 Camden St., South Bend—As far as the Street project, it concerns me as it <br /> will crowd me right out. It's going to surround me, I'm not included in it but I'm surrounded by <br /> it. Two years ago, I was asked about my vacant lots, I threw it in the trash as they're not vacant <br /> it's my yard. Two of those lots have been assessed at 150%, 2 1/2 times more than what it is now. <br /> I have that under appeal right now. I feel that the project going on now at Western is the first <br /> phase and phase 2 calls for coming into my neighborhood. It says on page 105 S. LaSalle <br /> expansion, they say they're not going after our property and not going to displace us but when <br /> you jack your taxes 150%up, I feel they're coming after my property. I'm not happy with this <br /> plan and will do everything to fight this. <br /> Doug Thatcher—P.O. Box 212, South Bend—I want to talk about what Henry Davis and the <br /> other guy talked about Western Ave, Liberty St, Camden St, and the cones everywhere. I live <br /> right in the middle of that to me it's like a war zone. In my opinion it is poor planning and it <br /> was done too late; school was out now they're back in. Why isn't it done by now, what is taking <br /> so long? Taxes are being raised to pay for that; buses are being rerouted. This is depressing the <br /> city. I've never seen roads that bad, they're building slow and milking the tax payers dollars. I <br /> don't know who is to blame for this. I look out my windows and the streets are bad. It is <br /> depressing the streets have been suppressed for years since the Buttigieg administration. <br /> Johnny Byers —714 Camden St, South Bend—I am actually at Camden as a care giver for Ms. <br /> Florien Wright, she is 96 years old. I have a complaint about the whole thing. If you've really <br /> done your planning, we are a college town,no way should Lincoln Way be a three(3) lane road <br /> when 95 plus people come into town. If you've seen the accident we just had it would be a lot <br /> worse. You've taken away the street lights, people don't know when stop as you don't know <br /> who's pulling up. I live on the Westside, been there 58 years,walked Western Ave and seen it <br /> when there was businesses there.Never have you seen bicycles riding up and down Western Ave <br /> as they were heading out of town. Safety wise you should have widen that one (1)and definitely <br /> widen Lincoln Way. I don't understand the logic and good innovation. I say it is bad for the <br /> public and the community. You guys need to get on your thinking hats as its not working. <br /> Kelly Jones—Republican Candidate for Mayor, Manor Drive, South Bend—I would like to talk <br /> about what Henry was talking about with Western Ave. While driving down Lincoln Way last <br /> week,the first bicycle that I've ever seen on that road had traffic backed up three (3) blocks. As <br /> he didn't want to pull over as according to the lanes he was supposed to be in the same lane as <br /> the cars. I had to go ten(10)miles an hour for five (5)blocks, we had to wait until he decided to <br /> turn. Do you know how dangerous of a situation that could've been for him? In Chicago, the <br /> reality is they have the best bicycle lanes in the world they are right next to the sidewalks, safe <br /> not in the lanes with cars,but right next to the pedestrians. They never had a problem with <br /> 8 <br />