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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-24-2026 Public Works and Property Vacation Committee Minutes OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK BIANCA L. TIRADO, CITY CLERK INTEGRITY | SERVICE | ACCESSIBILITY Jasmine Jackson Matthew Neal Veronica Pitt-Payne CHIEF DEPUTY CITY CLERK / CHIEF OF STAFF DEPUTY CITY CLERK / DIRECTOR OF POLICY DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov PUBLIC WORKS & PROPERTY VACATION AUGUST 24, 2026, 4:15 P.M. Committee Members Present: Dr. Heidi Beidinger, Sheila Niezgodski, Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers Committee Members Absent: Dr. Oliver Davis, Abel Gonzalez, Other Council Present: Canneth Lee, Rachel Tomas Morgan, Karen L. White, Sharon McBride* Others Present: Bianca L. Tirado, Matthew Neal, Jasmine Jackson, Lari’onna Green, Veronica Pitt- Payne, Bob Palmer Presenters: Abigail Magas, Caitlin Wyant, Eric Horvath Agenda: Sidewalk Allocation – Committee Discussion Members marked with an asterisk (*) are in virtual attendance. Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/Browse.aspx?dbid=0&repo=sbend&mediaid=412685 Committee Chair Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers called to order the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee meeting at 4:15 P.M. Sidewalk Allocation – Committee Discussion Abigail Magas, City Engineer, with offices on the fourth (4th) floor of City Hall, South Bend, IN 46601, introduced the presentation and her colleague Caitlin Wyant. Caitlin Wyant, Project Engineer, with offices on the fourth (4th) floor of City Hall, South Bend, IN 46601, presented on the two (2) curb and sidewalk programs. She explained that per the Municipal Code, maintenance and repair of curb and sidewalk is the responsibility of the property owner, but the City offers two (2) programs to assist. The Curb and Sidewalk Reimbursement Program is available to any property owner within the city limits, including landlords, businesses, churches, and schools, and provides partial reimbursement. Applications remain open for the EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov 2026 program year with a deadline of November 6th. Three (3) target areas have been designated for 2026 with double the standard reimbursement rate: one (1) in the Keller Park and Morris Park Country Club area, and one(1) in the Rum Village and Our Lady of Hungary area. The Council Allocation Program directs funding to low-income residential neighborhoods where curbs and sidewalks are in poor condition. For 2027, the proposed allocation budget is one million dollars ($1,000,000). She stated that this would support approximately nine-hundred-fifty (950) linear feet of sidewalk and seven-hundred (700) linear feet of curb per district. She asked Councilmembers to submit their selections by October 16, 2026, using the geographic information system (GIS) web application. She said City staff will inspect and measure all submissions through December, and final selections will be shared by February 2027. Committee Vice Chair Sheila Niezgodski asked how much the 2027 budget was reduced from 2026. Abigail Magas replied that the 2026 budget was one-point-six million dollars ($1,600,000). Committee Vice Chair Niezgodski asked for confirmation that is just for the Council allocation. Abigail Magas confirmed that is correct. Committee Vice Chair Niezgodski asked if there have been updates to the GIS web application, noting that it looks different. Caitlin Wyant said she is unsure how it looked in previous years, but updates were made to round numbers and add Fourth (4th) District Councilmember Dr. Heidi Beidinger to the system. Committee Vice Chair Niezgodski noted that she has a backlog of requests from previous years. She asked if those automatically get selected. Caitlin Wyant confirmed that they do. She said Councilmembers can continue to add properties, even if they current have a waitlist. Committee Vice Chair Niezgodski asked for a copy of the presentation. Caitlin Wyant confirmed that she would send it. Councilmember Karen L. White said she has received many calls this year about the impact of trees on curbs and sidewalks. She noted that many residents cannot afford to remove trees. She asked if Public Works has been receiving calls about the issue. Caitlin Wyant said she has not received any calls about it. Councilmember White asked if Venues Parks and Arts (VPA) still has a tree removal program, and whether they offer any payment plans. Abigail Magas said that is her understanding, but she will confirm with VPA. Eric Horvath, Director of Public Works, with offices on the fourth (4th) floor of City Hall, South Bend, IN 46601, confirmed that VPA still performs tree removal, but it is limited to hazardous trees in the right of way. He explained that if a homeowner cannot afford removal, the parks EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov department will remove the tree and set up a payment plan for the cost. He noted that tree roots causing buckling sidewalks are a widespread issue and said it would be beneficial to develop a dedicated program to support tree removal for lower-income residents, as costs can range from two to four thousand dollars ($2,000–$4,000) per tree. Councilmember White asked if the properties on the Council allocation waitlist from previous years will be prioritized. Caitlin Wyant confirmed that any postponed properties will be prioritized, especially if it has been a couple of years. Abigail Magas advised Councilmembers to let Caitlin Wyant know if they have any properties that have been postponed for multiple years. Committee Member Dr. Heidi Beidinger asked if the City has a preferred tree list. Caitlin Wyant confirmed that VPA forester Committee Member Dr. Beidinger asked if the list could be sent to Councilmembers along with the presentation. She asked if residents can still apply for funding. Caitlin Wyant confirmed that there is funding available. Abigail Magas said the budget is seventy percent (70%) spent and encouraged residents to apply as soon as possible. Committee Member Dr. Beidinger asked how much is budgeted for that program. Abigail Magas stated that one-hundred-fifty-thousand ($150,000) was budgeted in 2026, and they are keeping it in the same for 2027. Committee Member Dr. Beidinger asked what particular characteristics she should look for when adding properties to her allocation list. Caitlin Wyant replied that any curbs that have trees interfering, pose a trip hazard, or are not a standard six (6) inches should be added to the list. Council President Canneth Lee noted that he has constituents in a target area for the reimbursement program. He asked if they will still have to pay. Caitlin Wyant confirmed they would but noted that they will receive double the reimbursement rate. Council President Lee asked about the specific boundaries of the target area. Caitlin Wyant noted that Abby Magas is passing out a brochure with a map. Councilmember Rachel Tomas Morgan acknowledged that this topic has been presented to the Council before. She asked if there is a comprehensive list of curbs and sidewalks rated by condition. She said this would help Councilmembers keep their allocation selections unbiased. EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov Caitlin Wyant replied that they did a study in 2023 rating sidewalk and ADA ramp condition. She said it can be added as a layer in the GIS web application. Councilmember Tomas Morgan said she believes she has seen that GIS layer before clicking on properties. She asked if there is an easier way to see that information. Council President Lee said there is a misconception that Councilmembers prioritize street repaving for people they personally know. He asked the presenters to confirm for the public that Councilmembers do not control street paving. Abigail Magas explained that there is a process for rating the condition of streets on a scale from zero (0) to one hundred (100). She said they always pave the worst streets first (1st), with the exception of those funded by location-specific tax increment financing (TIF) money. Council President Lee asked for a detailed explanation of the process that can be shared with constituents. Abigail Magas confirmed that they will compile and send information to Councilmembers. Eric Horvath added that the City surveys all streets every two (2) years and encouraged Councilmembers to request a re-rating if they are aware of any streets whose conditions may have changed since the last survey. He noted that it is common for street conditions to deteriorate over the winter. Committee Vice Chair Niezgodski reviewed the Council allocation curb and sidewalk numbers. She noted that each Councilmember could allocate up to one-thousand-five-hundred (1500) feet of sidewalk or one-thousand (1000) feet of curb in 2026, while the 2027 numbers are nine- hundred-fifty (950) and seven-hundred feet (700), respectively. She asked if historically, the full allocated amount has been spent. Eric Horvath confirmed that all allocated funds are typically spent, and any funds left over at the end of the year are carried forward. He noted that the 2027 curb and sidewalk amounts were estimated based on prices that have been received on bid. He said prices are fairly consistent, unless there is a supply chain issue. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers asked if properties that were selected but not completed last year are now fully caught up. She asked if the program is behind schedule for 2026. Caitlin Wyant explained that contractors are typically given a full calendar year to complete the work. She said the contractor from 2025 completed their work at the beginning of June 2026. A different contractor was chosen for the 2026 allocations. She said this year’s contractor remains on schedule, and they expect the work to be completed early. Abigail Magas asked Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers whether her question was in reference to a backlog in nominations or construction. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers said she would like to know both. Abigail Magas confirmed that there are outstanding nominations that did not make it on the list EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov for 2026. She said these properties will be completed in 2027. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers asked when Olive Street will reopen. Eric Horvath said he does not know the date offhand, but he will follow up with the answer. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers said she sent Public Works a question last month about the sidewalk at a specific address, and she is still waiting for an answer. She said she would also like an update on the jimson weed situation. Eric Horvath confirmed that the property Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers asked about did previously have sidewalk. He said images from Google street view show how it became overgrown with grass over time. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers asked what should be done in that situation. Eric Horvath replied that it would need to be dug up. He noted that sometimes the concrete remains intact in that scenario and sometimes it does not. He addressed the jimson weed situation and stated that it has not been found outside of the area where it was originally reported. He encouraged Councilmembers to report any other sightings they become aware of. He said the contractor that installed the affected sod will finish removing the weeds by the end of the week, and the City will continue to monitor the area to make sure it is fully eradicated. He noted that jimson weed is an annual, so as long as it is not re-seeded, it should not come back next year. He said the affected sod was installed as part of the Safe Routes to School project near Muessel Elementary, and they have not found any jimson weed near Marshall Traditional School. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers noted that Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson reported seeing jimson weed near Marshall Traditional School. She recommended that Eric Horvath follow up with Councilmember Bolden-Simpson for more information. Councilmember Sharon McBride asked Caitlin Wyant for a one (1)-on-one (1) meeting to review the Third (3rd) District allocation list. She said there are properties with buckled sidewalks from tree roots that have been repeatedly bumped from the list, specifically on Roland Court, Haney Street, and East Broadway. She asked if it would be possible to re-grade and prioritize these sidewalks, noting that many of them pose a trip hazard. Caitlin Wyant encouraged Councilmember McBride to email her to set up a meeting. She explained that City staff rate sidewalk requests after they are submitted, and if these properties have been postponed for a few years, they can go out and re-rate them. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers asked if the Curb and Sidewalk Reimbursement Program is still accepting applications for 2026. Caitlin Wyant said hypothetically, if a resident has an estimate already, applies for the program today, and receives proof of payment from the contractor by November 6th, they will be covered in 2026. Council President Lee asked how long it takes for residents to be reimbursed. EXCELLENCE | ACCOUNTABILITY | INNOVATION | INCLUSION | EMPOWERMENT 300 City Hall | 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. | South Bend, Indiana 46601 | p. 574.235.9221 | f. 574.235.9173 | www.southbendin.gov Abigail Magas replied that once they receive proof of payment, the City will issue reimbursement within six (6) weeks. Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers thanked the presenters and reminded them to send the presentation slides to the Committee. With no further business, Committee Chair Gooden-Rodgers adjourned the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee meeting at 4:50 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers, Committee Chair