It was a bittersweet moment today for Graham Richard, our former mayor.

Graham stood at the very back of the crowd of 200 or so people, mostly heavy hitters, politicians and affiliates of one downtown organization or another, to watch current Mayor Tom Henry, Redevelopment Director Greg Leatherman and a few others give and take credit for the new hotel adjacent to the ballpark.

It was all Graham’s vision and his name was mentioned once in passing.

So, a couple of representatives of the hotel spoke about the process and about their surprise at seeing so many people turn out to support the opening. Inside there were another 100 or so folk enjoying the new sports bar, milling in the lobby or waiting for a room or wondering what the crowd was all about.

It is a nice hotel. The sports bar is filled with big screen TVs, there are plenty of booths and bar stools and tables. Big smiles abound. It is new, it is clean, it is open and fresh. You might want to come down just to see the place.

A few years back it was just an idea. Most of that area was blighted, really blighted: there were a few houses among the weeds, there were a few parking lots, Belmont Liquors, a nice suburban-look restaurant and more weeds. The houses, for the most part, had seen their best days many years ago.

Mayor Richard had a vision and pushed his staff, including Mr. Leatherman, to make it happen. Obviously, there were bumps along the way, and questionable transactions, but the vision of a ballpark, a hotel, a large parking garage and a condo complex is now 3/4 of the way to realization.

Greg Leatherman was given the greatest credit and, perhaps, the strongest round of applause, deservedly so. The hoteliers credited him with making sure that the project crossed every hurdle. He took a modest bow. The hoteliers complimented the local banks that got on board, because of button-holing by the mayor, and they spoke of the mass that had been created with the huge project nestled among the Grand Wayne, the Embassy, the Lincoln campus, the Library, the Firefighters Museum, the Botanical Conservator and the Federal Building. One fellow emphasized the density, the mass, that had been created as a reason the hotel could go forward. Much applause.

So, now it is up to Mr. Leatherman to make the last piece of the puzzle come to pass, the condo building. He assured me that Barry is making progress, but they still do not have a lead bank around which other lenders can rally. It is different, he said, finding financing for that sort of a building, compared to a hotel, because lenders expect a full portfolio of leases in hand, signed and notarized. It is different also, he lamented, because the easy money that washed all over the place when the project was envisioned is now a fond memory. Bankers are hoarding their money.

Greg added that he was also left out of the loop when Barry flew in the high-level Savannah delegation in mid-August to see the ballpark. Nobody, except Tim Pape, the mayor and another unnamed council member, were privy to the stealth tour. We are digging for that other name. And, Greg said to me before the dedication today that there was not a media campaign to discredit John Shoaff, the principle critic of the project. Things just worked out that way, he said, and I believe him. In the 30-years I have known Greg I know when he is holding back. You will remember Mr. Leatherman was on two radio talk programs and two editorials appeared, both attacking Mr. Shoaff. Seemed like a campaign, but Greg insisted it was not.

So, Barry Realty is the on the spot. The other three legs of the project are complete leaving just a big hole in the ground to mark their languishing promise to the community. It is good that John Shoaff pushes Barry hard and demands the liquidated damages be paid. If nothing more, it is a reminder that we are all paying close attention. The $400k that would result would help the city budget, no doubt.

Leatherman, for his part, fully believes that Barry will make good on their promise and his points to a few leases that are nearly ready to go. He also reminded me that Barry has already put some $6 million into the ball complex and deserves some credit for the entirety of the project.

Meanwhile, at the back of the crowd, in blue jeans and a light shirt, no tie, no suit, loafers, not oxfords, taking it all in with a tired smile was the guy who had the vision and pushed so hard to make it happen. Today, he said to me, would have been his mother’s 92nd birthday. She would have been very proud.

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September first is the grand opening day of the new hotel adjacent to Parkview Field in downtown Fort Wayne. It should be seen as a feather in the cap of Mayor Tom Henry, and should also call into question the administration’s support for Barry Realty.

When Mayor Graham Richard envisioned the massive central city development there were four components: the ball park, the hotel, the condo/retail building and a parking garage. Three are now operating. Only the Barry Realty promise to build the condo building -four stories, scores of condos, ground-floor entertainment and offices- remains unfulfilled.

Barry says the economy went south and they have had a devil of a time finding tenants and condo buyers. Without those leases in hand they are unable to find financing, they say.

The hotel was similarly stymied by financing problems, but the mayor, to his credit, walked from local bank to local bank hustling the necessary financing to finish the deal. He rounded it up and construction went forward.

So the question has to be asked why the city has not been as aggressive in finding financing for the Barry Building? Tapped out? Less enthusiasm? Bigger fish to fry? It seems that if the mayor could shake the bushes for the hotel he could do the same thing for the condo building where he and his wife avidly signed up to buy the first condo.

But, instead, city redevelopment director Greg Leatherman has been making the radio rounds apologizing for Barry’s unsuccessful fund raising effort and arguing that they should not have to pay $5,000 a day compensation to the city for failing to uphold their part of the deal. That provision, not a penalty, but compensation to the city for lost tax revenues, was negotiated into the contract which was happily signed by Barry/Hardball. Mr. Leatherman argues that such a punitive step would booger the relationship with Barry/Hardball and sully our reputation around the country among those who would like to have a similar sweet deal with local government, as does Barry/Hardball.

Recently, an article appeared in the Savannah Morning News, a leading Georgia paper, recounting a trip by some of their city leaders here to Fort Wayne to see our park. The city officials and chamber of commerce head were flown up by Barry/Hardball and given the grand tour in the hope that Savannah would then replicate Parkview Field in Savannah with Barry and Hardball that city’s partners. Oddly, the mid-August visit by these dignitaries was not mentioned by Mayor Henry to anyone in town, except Tim Pape and a few others. Most city council members found out about the visit ex-post facto. “Why am I always the last to know,” lamented one councilwoman. A second visit scheduled for this coming weekend was postponed by Savannah officials for a variety of reasons, mostly to do with the holiday. Mid-September is now penciled in.

Given that the Mayor has sent Mr. Leatherman to WOWO and WBOI to tout the benefits of the field and to refute Councilman John Shoaff’s demand that the $5k per day be assessed. Chris Guerin, a member of the Redevelopment Commission, also was enlisted to write an op-ed piece in the Journal in support of the mayor’s position. And, the Journal-Gazette issued an editorial last weekend further in support of the mayor’s position and critical of Mr. Shoaff. It is an orchestrated campaign to undermine the councilman’s demand to adhere to the contract or to rewrite it, a message that was fundamentally seconded by Councilman Mitch Harper.

So, why did the administration keep the Savannah dignitary visit hush-hush? Not even, it seems, did the mayor’s PR director know the Southerners were in town until they were gone. One would think that such a high level visit to ooooh and aaaaah over our little gem would be more ammunition for the mayor and Mr. Leatherman/Guerin.

So, one has to wonder why the stealth visit was not announced?

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Occasionally, an interesting name appears on the tax sale records. For the uninitiated, the county conducts tax sales of properties that are behind on property tax payments, so far behind, in fact, that the county will make you a deal. You can buy the bad debt of the property owner and, if the owner does not redeem the property, it is yours for whatever you bid.

In the 1980s a local politician was sunk when his name appeared on the tax rolls as delinquent. His name appeared again on this roll.

So, I look at each tax sale list to determine if there are properties that I might want, or if my name, god forbid, is there. I perused the list, which is public and is found in the auditor’s office, this morning.

I found the name of John F. Popp. Not sure whether that is the famous JFP, but he is $4,029 behind on a property. The partnership of Hanning and Bean, another famous local real estate name, is behind on a number of properties, one for more than $203,000. The City of Fort Wayne is also listed as delinquent. The Diocese of Fort Wayne is behind, a Church of God and a Trinity Baptist Church are delinquent. (Perhaps we need to pass the plate another time.) It looks like American Legion Post #82 needs to raise its dues.

Frost Inc. is behind on a property on Calhoun Street. The US Postal Service owes a few shekels, as does the United Steelworkers and Hassan Barrel. Something called Rity Properties is behind on pages of properties, and Rainbow Community Organization owes the county thousands on a variety of near east side properties.

A bit of Bear Stearns detritus shows up with two properties under trust. Even from the grave they own. BS, aptly named, was one of the Wall Street high-flyer investment houses that crashed, burned and set fire to much of our economy in 2008.

Hannover Lending has a few delinquent properties on its books.

But, my favorite was Go Invest Wisely with a string of delinquent taxes. Hmmmm.

Editor’s note: Is this one in the same? http://www.goinvestwisely.com/

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Mitch Harper offered a pearl of wisdom.

Glynn Hines did a very good Bevis and Butthead imitation.

John Shoaff cracked a joke and took a swing at Hardball.

Karen Goldner pleased no one.

Ms. Goldner’s controversial ethics bill was debated last night by an animated collection of council members. The bill is fraught with political pitfalls as one after another council member pointed out. Tim Pape offered a litany of concerns. Marty Bender flushed with anger over a provision that called for disclosure of potential conflicts by dependent minors. Tom Didier vented on the same topic. In the end, companion bills concerning councilmatic ethics were tabled so that Mitch Harper, chairing the committee in which they were introduced, could create a method by which each of the many concerns could be carefully heard and decided. As the lengthy discussion of provisions and penalties wound down Councilman Harper offered a simple truth, that the discussion was about one’s reputation and those who deeply value their reputation will not call it into question, and those who do not will not be much affected by new rules.

Ms. Goldner is pushing the question of ethics. I am sure it is well meaning, but the matter has become so convoluted that scoundrels will easily find refuge in the coming compromises. I do not see any scoundrels on this council, not one. But perhaps she is planning ahead. Regardless, as one council member pointed out, this ordinance will require thoughtful discussion and brilliant guiding hands or it will impede communications among council members and between them and the administration. I am sure that is not what Ms. Goldner intends, but her effort at legislation may well have a chilling effect on the process.

Early in the meeting Mario Trevino, an able traffic engineer for the city, a guy everyone respects and likes, a kind, reserved man who knows his job very, very well, was testifying about a street project on Reindeer Drive on the north side of Fort Wayne. Many of the routine questions were posed with the mandatory straight faces: the price, whether bids were down year-over-year, whether engineers had considered one thing or another…blah, blah, blah. Those were the sorts of questions that would be done away with under the consent agenda Mr. Harper favors. Toward the end of the roundtable discussion Mr. Shoaff softly asked Mr. Trevino if the city would be able to finish the project by December 24. Trevino, a serious man, on camera, in a public venue, his job always on the line, quickly shuffled his papers for an answer. Shoaff’s deadpan expression turned to a smile and then the groans began. One after another council member snickered at Shoaff’s tying of Christmas to the Reindeer project. Trevino finally caught the joke. He is a serious man.

Glynn Hines is serious too, usually. And, he bristles at racist images and implications, as he well should, so his rude, condescending and arrogant outburst during the K2 vote was hypocritical and reprehensible. As one council member said, looking out of the corner of his eye as if a Soviet agent might be listening, nobody else on council could get away with such a remark. “But, Glynn doesn’t care. He doesn’t have to.” To set the stage, Karen Goldner, now the libertarian, had introduced an amendment to the K2 Ban Ordinance which modified the ban to only those 20 and under, and prohibited the sale to 20 and under, similar to alcohol. Tim Pape championed the amendment rather eloquently, but it failed seven to two. During the vote for final passage Mr. Hines decided to take another swipe at the twenty or so young white men who had spoken in favor of allowing the substance to remain legal. He imitated either Beavis or Butthead or both, affected a white-pothead-hippie dialect and ranted for a moment about the low character of those individuals who had testified being sufficient evidence to cause him to vote for the ban. Had a Euro-American member of council spoken with an Amos or Andy accent he or she (Ruby or Sapphire) would have been pilloried and forced to resign from council. Hines was rude to witnesses last week, as well. It is a pattern. He snorted his disapproval as one witness against the ban spoke to his immediate left, he loudly strode off to the men’s room while a different speaker commented against the ban. He showed his contempt for one witness after another, all white young men. He would have blown his top to the sky had other members similarly treated the Black kids who spoke at the table, all in favor of the ban, or had anyone been other than admiringly respectful of the Black leaders or their effort. This is another aspect of the Redmon Rule. Those kids and their leaders all got the full and respectful attention of every council member. Every council member. Mr. Hines should and would have expected no less, but he certainly did not return the patient respect and expected open-ear to those with whom he did not agree, with whom he had probably little understanding or contact. It was simply arrogance, ignorance rising to racism. Mr. Hines owes a lot of people a public apology. But, he will not be chastised by the Urban League; the Black Ministers Bund will not call a news conference to demand his resignation. Ricky Stevenson will not rally a hundred angry Black folk to council chambers to rail at Mr. Hines. Mr. Hines skates. As the council member watching for the Soviet informer over his shoulder added, “his people don’t care.”

At the beginning of the meeting, Tom Smith, council man from the north east side and pro tem chair the budgetary process, decided it would be a good idea to have the city controller, Pat Roller, down last night for a preview of the process, explain the schedule and present an overview of income and expenses. A slide show followed that suggested that the city will receive around ten million less, in revenues than last year. Maybe the shortfall will be greater and an explanation of the convoluted way in which the state returns tax dollars to us ensued. But, she promised the city would bring down a balanced budget for council to evaluate, regardless of state manipulations. Roller praised city workers. They are not “out there spending every nickel and dime, but instead trying to save every nickel and dime.” Then she added, “we are not one of those cities that is laying people off, we are not worried about keeping the lights on…” So far, Fort Wayne city government has done a reasonably good job of managing our money. Smith, with this first step in the budget process, was taking pains to make sure the full budget is scrutinized and well spent. The inches-thick budget will come down to council in the middle of the month and everyone who cares will have a chance to review any section they wish.

Oh, and last night the garbage contract was introduced. No meeting next week, but when council picks up again in September that discussion will be quite animated.

After the public gets a chance to petition their government, council members take turns with announcements, to commemorate an event, to vent on an issue. Last night Mr. Shoaff demanded the administration to return to the question of liquidated damages concerning the failure of our partners in the ballpark project to put up the gleaming, four-story condo-office-retail building on Jefferson just behind the left field fence. He reminded the city of the contract and demanded that the city enforce what Hardball Capital had agreed to, or renegotiate the agreement. Currently, all but a small, small percentage of the profits at Parkview Field go to owners of the team and to their offices in Atlanta. They draw significant discretionary dollars away from other city attractions, such as restaurants, attractions and events, as Mr. Shoaff said. Scant little spent by fans stays in Fort Wayne and what does is required, but the agreement, to be put back into the stadium in maintenance. So, the ball team owners are making out well, quite well, and are not living up to the agreement they happily negotiated and that they signed with a flourish. Mr. Shoaff wants that contract either to be enforced or to be renegotiated. After he spoke Mr. Harper chimed his agreement and frustration with the city. You can hear the deaf ninth floor ears all over town.

A side note. Mr. Harper last night applauded a recent article by Journal Gazette reporter Ben Lanka and added that Fort Wayne is blessed with two newspapers where reporters keep a keen eye on government. He noted what happened in Bell, California, where there is no local press and where it was recently discovered that the city manager and council members were rewarding themselves quite handsomely. He said the efforts at ethics legislations, disclosure and conflict of interest are all efforts to make sure that such abuses do not happen here. He reiterated his praise of our local press.

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Aqua Indiana, the private utility providing sewer and water services to Aboite Township residents, recently filed a rate increase request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC). I oppose this request and wish to explain my reasons.

Approximately eighteen months ago, the IURC granted an unprecedented 75% sewer and water rate increase to Aqua Indiana. This was a reduction from Aqua’s original request for a 100% increase, but it was still far in excess of any rate increase ever experienced by Aqua’s customers and may well have been one of the largest percentage rate increases ever granted to an Indiana utility.

In fairness, Aqua purchased a poorly run utility with significantly greater problems than it realized and the company had invested heavily to fix many glitches that had long troubled and frustrated its Aboite customers. However, the generous rate increases granted by the IURC should have made Aqua whole and then some.

Aqua now seeks an additional 16.64% increase for water service, together with an 18.48% increase for sewer. Customers are outraged and understandably so.

Aqua attempts to justify this latest demand by claiming it has recently modernized its water treatment facility. I, too, am a customer of the utility and I can attest from personal experience that the results of this alleged modernization are minimal at best. Aqua is also asking its customers to foot the bill for a multi-million dollar payout it made in settling a long-standing lawsuit with an Aboite neighborhood.

In my opinion, Aqua’s customers should not have to pay for the utility’s legal errors nor should the minimal improvements made to their water quality be treated as anything other than a routine expenditure that can and should be paid back over time with the returns enjoyed from the prior rate increase.

Lastly, this rate request comes at a terrible moment in time for Aqua customers. The tough economy is making it difficult for many families to keep their financial ships afloat. To be asked to pay even more money for sewer and water services, especially so soon after the massive recent increases, is inexcusable.
I encourage all customers of Aqua Indiana to join me in opposing this utility’s excessive and inappropriate demand to increase its rates once again. You can do so by writing to the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) before Aug. 24, and letting them know how you feel. Their address is OUCC, 115 W. Washington St., Suite 1500 South, Indianapolis, IN 46204. They can also be contacted via email at uccinfo@oucc.in.gov.

Senator David Long

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“I understand that the president is under a tremendous amount of pressure. I think that as long as he could, he tried to remain on the sideline,” said Henry “He has taken the stand. He takes the oath of president. We need to support our president in his decisions and he must do what he must do.”

Hmmm… I don’t recall the Mayor hosting other religious events. How about hosting a Passover Seder? I suppose next we can expect Henry to host a celebration of the Five Pillars of Islam.

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Prohibition. K-2. The police chief said it would be very hard to enforce. It was explained that banning K-2 would not ban K-3 or J-2, or a substance of slightly dissimilar chemical configuration; the health commission admitted that she had precious little data upon which to base her call for a ban, it was noted to testing for K-2 would cost tens of thousands, but in the end council voted to “prohibit the purchase, possession, sale and offering for sale of the Synthetic Cannabianoid, known as ‘Spice’ or ‘K-2′ and for other purposes.”

How could they do otherwise? Any smart politician can spot bovine fecal matter in the road and avoid it. So it was last night, only Karen Goldner, for a variety of reasons, voted against the ban. Tim Pape, to his credit, asked a series of questions of a witness at the “un-public hearing,” of a woman who identified herself as representing an anti-drug and alcohol consortium, that allowed her to support regulation, as opposed to prohibition, as the better course. After Mr. Pape worked her to her natural conclusion: prohibition didn’t and doesn’t work. She, too, blithely called for a ban.

Many young white men testified that they were users and were quite comfortable regulating the substance, but not prohibiting it. Why not prohibit alcohol, tobacco, and a hundred other substances that are known to injure, that have more than anecdotal data describing their damage to society? No council member had a response. A young man noted one local incident where K-2 was associated with a traffic accident, but wondered why texting and driving, was still legal. Why not ban any act that takes one’s eyes off the road, say applying make up and driving? Blacks all lined up in favor of the prohibition, Glynn Hines nodding agreement with those he concurred and leaving the table or snorting when someone with whom he disagreed spoke.

Nope, the members of council all wanted quickly to get that vote behind them, no one wanted to be labeled the equivalent of a drug pusher by a coming opponent. You can almost see the moment at the town hall meeting, image the negative ad, listen to the talk show hysterics. Let us get this one behind us.

The prohibition was introduced by Mitch Harper, a man who describes himself as a libertarian. Normally, that philosophy would suggest no penalties for private use, but penalties for associated behavior, if that behavior occurs in public. Smoke the stuff at home, but don’t drive or go to work under its influence. The marketplace will regulate your conduct at work, police will pull you over for reckless driving. But, Mr. Harper wants to enact local prohibition of the substance, as is the case, he said, in Europe and eight American states. Tim Pape noted that the Republicans were all, it seemed, for a more intrusive, bigger government. More regulation, more penalties, more work for the PD. So, council voted last night to create a new class of criminals, to divert police resources from burglary, etc, to K-2 regulation and to spend a couple thousand a test to determine if K-2 might be involved. Expect a cottage industry in K-2, K-3, K912, etc, to soon seek a tax abatement while creating a dozen jobs.

Again, last night Council woman Liz Brown showed how irked she could be when the lesser beings at the table were too slow to understand what she had long ago firmly grasped. She interrupted a speaker and was reprimanded by Mr. Pape. She interrupted Council woman Goldner as the latter began to offer an amendment. Ms. Goldner sharply recommended Mrs. Brown wait until she finished the sentence. At one point Ms. Brown wondered out loud why the other members just didn’t get it. She does not suffer fools well, and from her perch the world is awash with fools.

What started a la the Keystone Cops, with arcane discussions over whether a hearing could be held and whether it would be an official public hearing, ended in a 8 to 1 vote. Credit to Ms. Goldner for avoiding ‘lemmingness.” The debate and non-hearing lasted well over an hour. It was punctuated by Tom Didier’s ramblings, humor from Councilman John Shoaff, a couple hurried runs to the men’s room, those shorts and rolling eyes, Mr. Bender’s gentle leadership and a self-destructive outburst from one witness.

To explain the “non-hearing:” apparently, some members of council had invited people to speak on the issue. That’s the Second Amendment with which President Bender is so uncomfortable. City Clerk Sandy Kennedy chided members for inviting the public, but not telling her. Coordination. Was it a public hearing or not? Council president Marty Bender calmly sorted out the mess, including a confusing opinion by the substitute council attorney and allowed everyone to speak in an unofficial hearing. The Redmond Rule, according to Mr. Harper. Mrs. Kennedy was angry (in my 27-years!!!!!!!), Mr. Bender was irritated and Mr. Harper strained to win the right for the public to weigh-in. Noble effort, but a simple “heads-up” would have helped.

The more important matter of the evening was a proposal by the Henry Administration, in the person of the able planner Pam Holocher and the understated Tom Walls, to spend $200,000 to conduct a feasibility study of the railroad crossing at Anthony just north of Wayne Trace. The completed feasibility study will then allow the city to apply for a few million in Federal transportation grants to either elevate the road way, take it under the tracks or find a different solution. Again, Council woman Brown could not restrain herself. She barged into an answer by Ms. Holocher only to hear Mr. Pape say, “Can she answer your question? You have interrupted her twice.” Then, the police chief spoke in favor or the study citing numerous times his officers, in the heat of a run, will find themselves stuck at the crossing, ditto fire runs. Thirty-five trains a day block the road, he lamented. Other than for Mrs. Brown’s usual impatience, council asked very good questions, the city reps had clearly understandable answers and the request passed nine-zero.

Last night was council at its best and not at its best.

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Update: From Jim Sack – roving reporter.

Mayor Tom Henry has just announced a planned phase down in Fort Wayne over the next two to three years. He adds the city is “fighting” to save jobs at the test track. Nine hundred to 1,000 jobs will be lost. Henry added that he had spoken with the governor and he “is 100% behind our efforts,” whatever that means.

Henry’s statement follows:

Statement of Mayor Tom Henry on recent news from Navistar:

Fort Wayne, Ind. – Thank you all for coming on such short notice, but the issue is one of the highest importance to our community.

This afternoon I spoke with an official from Navistar about the future of the company and its exceptional employees here in our community.

I can tell you three things:

1. Navistar is initiating a planned phase down of operations over the next 24 to 36 months to create an integrated, product development function for the company. No further details were offered;

2. We talked at length about the possibilities with the test track here and Navistar’s need for this resource. We believe there are opportunities and we will pursue them aggressively; and

3. Navistar CEO Daniel Ustian has accepted the invitation to meet with Mark Williams of Strategic Development Group, the national site selector engaged by the Alliance and the City of Fort Wayne, to discuss the company’s future in our community and possibilities for future options here.

I have been in regular contact with Governor Daniels’ office and the Governor supports Fort Wayne’s efforts 100%.

Even with this news, and we understand Navistar’s desire to remain competitive, we believe strongly that there are options here in Fort Wayne that will add real value to Navistar’s success.

As we have said consistently, we believe there is no better place than Fort Wayne for good jobs to grow and companies to prosper. We remain confident that there are no better employees than the talented and ready workforce we have right here. And even faced with the unknown as we are today, we know there is no more welcoming community that the one you will find in Fort Wayne.

This is what we can share with you today, but I anticipate additional announcements tomorrow as we continue our fight for good jobs and business investment in our community.

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Where politics and sports collide in Northeast Indiana!

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By Jim Sack

Wow.

The Wall Street Journal lists us, Fort Wayne, as one of the top gainers in the nation when it comes to home price increases. A 9.2 percent jump. Just a bit less than LA at 9.3 percent and a bit more than Honolulu at 9.1. South Bend also made the list with an 8.9 percent jump. Akron was tops, despite the loss of LeBron, at 36 percent.

Well, being a landlord, owning twenty properties, that gives me mixed feelings. First, it is nice to see my beloved city shown in a win column for almost anything. There are people in Maui reading this article this morning as the breakers roll gently in and palms sway wondering where or what Indiana is, scratching their heads. What is a “Ft.” anyway. I like that image. Kona coffee and a baffled islander searching Wikipedia for Ft. Wayne. But, that means property taxes will also be going up with assessors newly armed with this inspiring bit of proof. I will guess they can justify a 20 percent jump on the backs of the article alone.

On the other hand, I would like to sell two or three properties, so I dream of a new bubble, a great run up in prices that brings realtors and clients to my doors with wads of cash, that is, if the banks ever start lending again.

But, it is an interesting statistic. We have prided ourselves here on affordable housing as a way to off-set the lack of beaches, mountains or a nifty downtown when attempting to lure business here. Lotta house for the money. One card less to play, eh.

And, we have prided ourselves that prices here have not suffered the great swings in value of other glitzier place like Yuma and Spokane and Scorpion Gulch; but nine percent is substantial, it qualifies us as a bona fide member of the boom category, and the article reads that the growth was just in the second quarter of this year. Boom. Now, if the banks will just start lending again.

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It was the type of city council meeting that Mitch Harper should like: short, concise, low-keyed.

On the committee session agenda were two, just two measures to consider: declaration of an economic revitalization area, and a “prior-approval” to get work started early on street repairs in Crestwood Colony. Council members seemed to struggle to find questions to ask on both matters. Both matters whizzed to votes and acceptance.

A presentation by two planners followed concerning the Downtown Design Manual. That conversation was also quite professional, collegial, serious and would have been over in ten minutes, except for the presentation of a PowerPoint slide show that added, perhaps, another five minutes to the chat. The PP presented a history and forward-looking agenda, but did not go into much of the substance. Repeatedly council members lauded how much preparatory work the city staffers had done to bring the manual, which will regulate the aesthetic redevelopment of the downtown, to this point. More staff meetings with “stakeholders,” we ordinary citizens and council members will lead to presentation of the document for council approval later this year with implementation hoped for by the first of next year. John Shoaff applauded the high standards of staff the work from his triple perch as councilman, member of the working group that created the manual and as an architect-planner. Liz Brown, also a member of the group, but a lawyer, was a bit more cautious, but also “on board.” Inclusion of her in the process probably was the smartest thing the organizers did. As an participant she has had plenty of time to include her ideas on aesthetics and the ramifications of the law. She frequently has ridiculed discussions of style and aesthetics.

Glynn Hines also presented his report, as an appointee to Citilink, the public transit company, PTC, as demanded by Councilwoman Liz Brown. Seven minutes. She, you may remember, wanted standards for all council appointees, most of whom are council members, or penalties would follow. Mr. Hines complied eloquently.

Mitch Harper must have been smiling as the meeting marched quietly by.

Then, members stood up and ambled to the other side of the room for the “regular” session where final votes are cast and we rabble have our chance at the mic to express one opinion or another. It also flew by. The flag even cooperated by releasing itself easily from the base. The stars were aligned. One after one a measure was read and approved. Some were approved in groups. Slam, bam. Again a restrained grin by Councilman Harper for he is the proponent of the consent agenda, a form of meeting at which only those matters controversial would be put on the agenda and thus discussed. Other measures would be approved by “consent.” That would spare city workers and others who are called to testify on the most mundane of subjects when the matter is already all but agreed.

In effect, the consent agenda will require council members to do more homework and ask their questions of bureaucrats and the public in advance in order to decide whether they wish to relegate a matter to the consent section or to bring it forward for discussion. Mr. Harper wants to stop wasting time, simply put.

Tom Smith and John Shoaff, when asked how much time they devote a month to council matters, placed it at between 12 and 20 hours. Mr. Shoaff added that if he “became involved in an issue,” such as the widening of Calhoun Street which he and Smith fought together, the commitment could double easily. I guess they are both estimating on the conservative side. Each answers letters and phone calls. Each member reads the comprehensive packet of materials presented to them the Friday before council meetings. Each person on council serves on two or three outside boards, such as Redevelopment, Citilink or the the Downtown Improvement District. Homework must be done for each meeting and follow up is expected. Council meetings each take two or more hours a week. Constituent meetings require more time. There are a dozen event invitations each week related to their jobs that they must choose from. They do show up at fish fries, pancake breakfasts, Quadrant meetings, neighborhood meetings and political events because it is part of the job. I will guess they give more like ten to fifteen hours each week, forty or more hours a month. I may be on the conservative side.

So, last night the meeting flew by until citizen time. K2 again was a topic. A citizen took the view that council should regulate, not outlaw the substance because he was afraid of pushing it underground with all the attendant risks and the known benefits to organized and semi-organized crime who are happy to step right in. (So I hear a plea from the police chief for more budget and more officers?) Another man ranted about a police incident. Ranted was exactly what he did. He is known for his colorful language. Citizen time ranges from the sublime to the ridiculous. Then, as usual, council members added their two-cents worth. Liz Brown spared everyone her community calendar recitation. She was happily brief. Glynn Hines restated his commitment to the young people who are pushing a ban on K2 and a couple members noted matters of minor interest. Whoosh. Done.

There was an ominous moment a bit earlier when Mr. Harper introduced an ordinance dubbed “Ownership” which would require those doing business with the city to disclose members of their boards and shareholder above a certain financial threshold. He read it quietly, but you could see eyes on either side of him blink.

So, next week will be a fight, once the purchase order for a few bags of concrete is approved. A consent agenda would allow the mundane to be quickly dispatched in favor of policy discussions such as Pay to Play, the Ethics bill Councilwoman Goldner will also present again next week and “Ownership.” It should be that way.

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It was a very short meeting.

Two council members knew the agenda was short and uncontroversial so they took time away.

Councilman Tom Smith began the meeting, after the opening formalities, with an announcement that he would invite city Controller Pat Roller to brief council on the fall budget process that is the annual high point of council activity.  Mr. Smith will chair the process on behalf of President Marty Bender.  Mr. Smith believes that a preliminary discussion can build better communications and clarify some issues before the formal wrangling starts.  A council member wondered out loud if such a meeting might help preclude Thursday meetings (that are added to the normal Tuesday meetings).  Doubtful, said Smith.  The budget process is the most time intensive and contentious matter on the annual council agenda featuring arguments over line items and the philosophy of governance.  With council more aggressively asserting its powers and grabbing for some prerogatives the mayor holds dear this should be just as fraught as last year when Mrs. Liz Brown managed the process.

A number of measures were on the agenda last night and most sailed through with only a few questions of information asked.  The exception was a presentation by Shan Gunawardeena, city traffic engineer, who brought a request for $100k of local tax money to the table.  The ordinance was to buy new controllers for the street light signals in Fort Wayne at a total cost of over $800k, most of which would be born by federal clean air funds.  Move cars more efficiently then there will be less pollution from idling exhausts.  A number of council members asked Mr. Gunawardeena what benefits would be seen by the average driver.  None he responded.  Mitch Harper gently tried to help the engineer enunciate something, anything that could be used to justify the expenditure.  Mr. Gunawardeena struggled.  He said the equipment would be a step in the direction of a more computerized, flow-sensitive system that would change light timing to move traffic more efficiently.  His responses sounded more like federal money was out there and we want our share.  Perhaps the savvy Joe Fox, the mayor’s new communication director, can help employees such as Mr. Gunawardeena sharpen their presentations so fewer lifelines have to be tossed by compassionate council members.

That was about it.  No verbal sparing, no great moments of humor, no points of order.  A quiet night.

In the audience, however, was an observer from Germany, a woman who has observed city councils in two German cities.  She noted that there were many fewer citizens in attendance here than would be the norm in a German council meeting and that none, none of the citizens was involved in the discussion.  That would be the norm there, she said.  Makes you wonder.

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