03-23-09 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 23, 2009 the police and fire departments, who as the Council have been told, are the largest portion of the general fund dollar expenditures, nearly 70%. Capital costs for police and fire and capital costs for public works and even some of the vehicles could be expended in some way shape or form expense to the TIF, because they are not being done that way now. The City could move forward and free up money for that sort of thing. He questioned how much money is too much money in the TIF areas, is it 5, 10, 20 million dollars on an annual basis, that is a discussion that needs to be had. He stated that when it reaches that number those dollars need to be released back into the general fund. He stated that when the City has to make a decision on whether to buy new police cars or to put money towards a new jumbo tron for WNIT, he stated that some serious decision have to be made. He stated that the City is going to be faced with that going forward. What should be funded, who should make the decisions are all a part of this proposed discussion. He urged everyone for the benefit of the City as a whole to get involved and begin this discussion sooner rather than later. He advised that it is going to be difficult two years and they need all the breaks and cooperation they can get. TH COUNCILMEMBER OLIVER J. DAVIS, VICE-PRESIDENT, 6 DISTRICT th Councilmember Oliver Davis stated that he is very pleased to represent the 6 District of th the City of South Bend. He advised that the 6 District is considered the Pride of the West Side, including the southwest side of the City the Rum Village Neighborhood. He th stated that he likes to carry keys and would like to present six (6) keys to the 6 District. stnd The 1 and 2 keys go together they are the Rum Village Neighborhood Association and the West Side Neighborhood Association. They have been very active the last few years growing their memberships the past few years. They meet at various locations and rd discuss cares and concerns of what is going on in their neighborhoods. The 3 Key is the very far west side. He stated that he has received many calls from residents on the far west side of the district requesting that a neighborhood association be formed. They are residents near Navarre Intermediate School. He stated that he met with twenty residents to form and develop the West Side Neighborhood Association. He stated that they met at the Western Branch Library to move forward to hear more input from the neighborhood association. He stated that in 2008 he held various meetings in the district to have residents come and discuss and share their ideas and concerns. He stated he held joint meetings with the Health and Public Safety Committee chaired by Councilmember Karen White. He stated that Gary Gilot, Director of Public Works was the main speaker at one of the meetings to talk and share what public works projects are being done on the west side. In Key #4, are items that used to be provided by the Weed & Seed Program. He stated that the grant monies were relocated to another district for 2009. He said that he th was greatly disappointed that the 6 District was not a part of that program. The need is still there and hoped that monies might be available next year. Keys #5 addresses the graffiti and abandoned homes issues. He stated that not having the weed & seed funding to address these kinds of issues, other sources of funding need to be sought to curtail this activity. Key #6 is the retail stores along Ireland Road, Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Gates, and along Western Avenue the new Walgreens Drug Store is being built. Councilmember Davis announced that the new Emil “Lucky” Resnik Transpo Headquarter Facility will th have its ground breaking sometime this summer at Ignition Park located in the 6 th District. He stated that there is much to do in the 6 District and welcomes all new businesses and residents and looks forward to more thing to come in the future. COUNCILMEMBER AL “BUDDY” KIRSITS - AT-LARGE Councilmember Kirsits advised that as an At-Large elected member of the South Bend City Council he is proud to represent the entire City of South Bend. He stated that he is assigned to several standing committees for the Council including Vice-Chair of the Public Works and Property Vacation, Utilities and Residential Neighborhoods, his primary responsibility resides as being the Chairperson of the Zoning and Annexation Committee and the Community Campus Advisory Coalition affectionately known as the CCAC. He stated that some of the more significant and notable issues that the Zoning and Annexation Committee has address over the past few years is the rezoning and development of the PUD area, also known as a Planned Unit Development at the Eddy 8