Wednesday, September 26, 2007

From Council

G-07-09-06 through G-07-09-16
ORDINANCE(s) amending the Thoroughfare Plan of the City Comprehensive ("Master") Plan by vacating public right-of-way – Councilmanic District #5

Street closings for the Harrison Square project site

Public Hearing during Committee Session

Greg Leatherman noted that all of the properties bordering the proposed street vacations were owned by the Redevelopment Commission, that public and private utilities were to be relocated, and that the streets involved are not through streets.

Regulations Committee

During the Committee session, Leatherman again spoke and added on to his previous comments by noting that Brackenridge will stay intact as a through street and that lanes would be added to Ewing and Jefferson.

A Do Pass recommendation was passed out of committee with a vote of 8 to 1, with Shoaff opposing most of the street vacations except for the eastern Lewis Street vacation, which would be usable at least for the hotel if the project were to change.

Regular Session

R-07-09-35
A RESOLUTION of the Common Council of the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana, approving the issuance of certain City of Fort Wayne Redevelopment District Tax Increment Revenue Bonds and Bans

Passed 6 to 3

For:
John Crawford
Tom Didier
Tom Hayhurst
Glynn Hines
Tim Pape
Sam Talarico Jr.

Against:
Don Schmidt
John Shoaff
Tom Smith

In the final vote on the street vacations, Councilman Shoaff voted against all of the Resolutions except for the previously mentioned Lewis street portion. All other street vacations were thus approved 8 to 1.

14 comments:

Steve said...

I could have sworn I read a quote from Tom Smith in the paper a few months ago after the big initial vote on HS passed saying that it was now time for everyone to get behind the project and make it work, or words to that effect. Yet it seems that every vote that comes up since then that helps move the process along he still votes against. Frustrating.
Steve

Scott Bryson said...

Steve,

Your words are correct. He said this when the City Council approved the project. He said it before he voted "no" on the project. I agree that it is sad that after saying that, he still cannot get behind the project and support it.

John B. Kalb said...

Steve and Non-S Scott: Have you been listening to the negative expressions of the majority of Fort Wayne citizens? It is probable that Tom Smith has been listening - contrary to what Crawford, Didier, Hayhurst and the others have been doing - and therefore has decided that it is not the boondoggle we should support. Why don't you call him and ask? John B. Kalb

Unknown said...

John you need a new word. Boondoggle has gotten stale. Mix it up a little.

Scott Bryson said...

John,

I was at the meeting that he said this. If he never intended to support it than he shouldn't have said it.

Also, it would be nice if one day you would stop committing the fallacy of appealing to majority. Besides, the majority of the people in Dayton did not want their new stadium either and it is now wildly successful.

John B. Kalb said...

Wendy - Why call a pigs ear a purse? The discriptive word "boondoggle" was coined about the time I was born with the intent to mark "an activity which is a useless waste of time and/or money". I don't see any reason to come up with any other term - this one sure fits a more of our ballpark to our downtown !! John B. Kalb

John B. Kalb said...

Non-s Scott: Why is it false to appeal to a majority? Where did you get that knowledge?
As to downtown Dayton, in what way has the new stadium improved their downtown? Except when there is a ballgame, the place is as dead as ever, after 6 PM - Have you personally been in downtown Dayton recently? Or are you just spouting off? John B. Kalb

Chris said...

John,

Appealing to the people is actually a logical fallacy, and I have to agree with Wendy on the issue of boondoggle . Sorry.

Fleur de lys said...

Dayton built a ballpark in the hopes of bringing more investment downtown. This is beginning to happen via Magic Johnson and his company. You might not have heard but Magic Johnson's company will be investing something like 200mm is downtown Dayton.

I am not saying that will happen in Fort Wayne. But I also know that besides a ballpark we will be getting a new hotel and condos. Just the type of downtown development that Dayton was hoping to bring. Have you not been listening to anything people have been saying on this blog.

Downtown Dayton still might be dead, but that is because they built a ballpark as a draw. Fort Wayne is not like that because we have simultaneous development. Which in my opinion is a better strategy for long term success.

I feel as if I am just repeating what has been said earlier many times before.

John B. Kalb said...

If the Wendy who commented is the Wendy who is our neighbor and is in advertising, I find it strange that she should come down on someone using the same term repetitively - because that's exactly what most TV advertising has become - al la "head-on - apply directly to the noggin". John B. Kalb

Unknown said...

Yes, John, it's me, but that's not the kind of advertising that I do. Besides, you're not marketing a product; rather, you're attempting to make a convincing argument.

I did look up "boondoggle" in the dictionary when you started using it in all your posts, as I always appreciate the opportunity to learn the literal meanings of words you don't hear every day. Of course now we're hearing it every day, so I'm ready for something new.

Phil Marx said...

How about Harrison Squander?

You could use that name until Nov. 6, when the issue will be decided for sure.

Scott Bryson said...

Except Phil you forget that the current city council members' terms are not up until Dec. 31. That is still 2 months of work.

Phil Marx said...

That's true Scott. However, the November elections certainly will tell us what direction we'll be heading in for the next four years.