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Al. 5 0 U A6 E N D II Nov em be 2008 ��,i�i /' f tat % ,/r,,/�/�� 1114wR STF1kri I. Ef Letter from the Mayor Dear Friends and Neighbors, From Oct. 12 to 15, South Bend was privileged to host elected officials and staff from cities and towns throughout the state. More than 1,000 people attended the annual conference of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. IACT is among the oldest state municipal organizations in the country. Founded in 1891, it has never been more vital. As Indiana communities wrestle with a floundering economy and the specter of reduced revenues resulting from House Enrolled Act 1001, IACT serves as a resource, a place to share ideas, and an advocate for smart policies that benefit the level of government that's closest to the people. There are many responsibilities that come with hosting a large gathering. City staff handled them with aplomb. "When the guests have left," a Chinese proverb says, "the host is at peace." But rather than a sense of relief that the work is done, I am energized by the universal, enthusiastic response of participants to our city. • They appreciated South Bend's hospitality. Whether receiving samples from the South Bend Chocolate Co. or enjoying a Welcome Party at the Studebaker National Museum, these municipal officials were impressed. • They were warmly welcomed by the friendly people they met on our streets and in our businesses. My thanks go out to every resident who embraced these visitors to our community. • They complimented the great facilities that make South Bend such a wonderful conference location – Century Center, the new museum campus, Tippecanoe Place, our downtown hotels, Island Park, the one -of -a -kind College Football Hall of Fame and our delightful, locally owned restaurants. • Many took advantage of the sunny days to traverse our riverwalks and take in the stunning beauty of this Tree City on colorful fall days. • They applauded the City's environmental initiatives. South Bend was one of only five communities statewide to be honored at the conference as inaugural IACT Green Communities. A busload of participants had a chance to see that work close up in a mobile workshop led by Public Works Director Gary Gilot. They saw our first -in -the -world efforts to use technology to control combined storm sewer overflows, learned about a new partnership with Notre Dame to heat the city greenhouse with exhaust from computers and walked along the beautiful Riverside Trail as a model for alternative transportation. • They were impressed by all that is happening in South Bend. For some, it was their first visit. Others had not been here since we last hosted the IACT annual conference in 2003. All remarked on the new initiatives. Conference attendees saw progress all around. They walked through downtown where the new $7.5- million American Trust Place is going up, the remnants of the old Sears building were coming down and the streets were alive with pedestrians enjoying refurbished streetscapes and plazas. Many toured the fast -rising Eddy Street Commons and Innovation Park, where Jeff Gibney, our executive director of Community and Economic Development, led a mobile seminar on forming public - private partnerships for economic growth. And they learned of plans for new development in the East Bank Village, near Coveleski Stadium and elsewhere. Continue... THIS MONTH... Mayor's Letter CARE of South Bend Operation Releaf Map and Schedule Fall Yard Waste Pickup Celebrate the Holidays Downtown Campaign Launched for New Animal Shelter Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LTD. j,, fte— Er.d i 5_#� B_a ( CBBEL) and the Community Animal Rescue Effort of South Bend (CARE of South Bend) partnered on a special fundraising campaign for the new South Bend Animal Care and Control facility during the recent � Indiana Association of Cities and Towns Conference. The current facility is a century -old building that was converted from a former fire station in 1996. The new facility will be a renovated and expanded facility at 521 Eclipse Place on South Bend's West Side. Due to the impact on revenues of HEA 1001, municipal funding for the construction of the new shelter is uncertain. CARE of South Bend is a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to support SBACC through fundraising initiatives. Currently, the exclusive focus of CARE is to raise the necessary funds to ensure construction of the new facility. In order to build support for this fundraising campaign, CBBEL generously granted CARE of South Bend exhibit space at the IACT Convention in October. As a result, four dogs were adopted at the conference and CARE was able to collect over one thousand dollars in donations toward the new facility! For more information, please contact Valerie Schey, President, CARE of South Bend, (574) 210 -9623, info @careofsouthbend. org. Vsit Our Website at www SoutliBendIN.gov!