Posts Tagged “Tom Smith”

By Jim Sack

Fire Hydrants? $2,9 million? Well, that’s what Mitch Harper wanted to cut last night from the city budget and it passed, to almost everybody’s surprise, even for Mitch a bit.

More than four hours after a rejuvenated Marty Bender gaveled down the meeting and turned the budget hearings and process over to Finance Chairman Tom Smith the process of cutting the mayor’s budget was still ambling along. Council members, the media, guests, citizens, employees were all a bit slap happy when it came to the matter of Fire Hydrants. It was one of 24 proposed budget cuts voted on in last night’s Marathon session. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Last nights extraordinary city council meeting stated on a somber note: City Clerk Sandy Kennedy, tears in her eyes, told a few of us before the meeting that Marty Bender, council president, had suffered a seizure during dinner with his daughter and was hospitalized. She was quite distraught.

A subdued Mitch Harper, council vice president, eased into the president’s chair and quietly started the meeting with comments on Mr. Bender’s situation and his wishes that President Bender would quickly recover. He then gaveled open the rare Thursday session to resume oversight of the mayor’s proposed budget, focusing last night on use of CEDIT dollars, the County Economic Development Income Tax, a $19 million stream of revenue for the city. Controller Pat Roller parsed the pile of money: some goes to maintenance of the parks, much to debt service, some to the Board of Works and over $4 million to Economic Development, the department chaired by John Urbahns who was on hand last night, passing out notepaper to one forgetful reporter and cough lozenges to a coughing writer as he awaited his turn at the table. Nice guy. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Jam packed with interesting moments was last night’s council meeting and it will only continue Thursday night when budget hearings resume.

Last night there was an embarrassing absence, a prominent citizen blasted the administration during the barely announced public hearing, the renovation of the new city hall was put on hold, the park director sided with a strong critic of the administration, Sandy Kennedy and Liz Brown spared, and Tim Pape added to his credentials as the administration’s only true and dear friend on council, and volleys fired from table toward the Journal Gazette. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Budget time at city council. The budget is the blueprint by which policy is made. Dollars are allocated to programs and projects that should, in the composite, articulate the philosophy of the community as it looks to its future.

But first, the roll call. Eight “here,” one “present.” Mitch Harper is known to graze just a few yards away from the rest of the herd. Gavel down, President Marty Bender conducted the first movement of the night’s concert, Do Pass or Not Do Pass. Two ordinances were passed out quickly, each relating to the sewer problems we have in Fort Wayne. Eight “yeas,” one “nay,” Mister President, announced Clerk Sandy Kennedy. Harper being the lone “nay,” grazing upwind from the sewer question. No rankling, not much discussion, a quick presentation highlighted by a fuzzy map and a quick vote. Mitch staking out a position? Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Budget time again, that annual process of setting priorities and stretching pennies, has begun, Councilman Tom Smith in charge.

The administration, in the person of the chief financial officer, the controller, presented a slide show to preface the discussions and debates. It was a overview of revenues and expenses and how they have changed over the past ten to twenty years. In short, most of the city’s expenses are in personnel costs, (78%) and most of the revenue still comes (74%) from property taxes, although, as Controller Pat Roller bragged, the city over the years has developed new streams of revenue to “diversify” government resources, unlike other cities that are in much worse financial shape than Fort Wayne. She introduced a budget that is essentially flat for a city, she noted, that is physically some 38% larger than ten years ago and has 35% more roads to pave and repave and repave than years past. The number of city employees is down and costs are contained, she smiled. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Bingo.

Saturday, in the News-Sentinel Kevin Leininger pretty much nailed the issue of Harrison Square. It is worth the $.50 at a news stand near you to read what he has to say. Buy the paper. It keeps a smart voice in business. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Greg Leatherman gave quite a performance last night at council. The head of Fort Wayne Redevelopment spoke powerfully and without hesitation. He recounted a short history of the Harrison Square project and how it has come, mostly, to fruition. Leatherman, flanked to his left by Fort Wayne Corporate Attorney Tim Haffner, said that four-fifths of the massive project has produced jobs, tax revenue, new activity downtown, jobs again and a spirit of community. He lamented the failure of developers Barry Realty/Hardball, BHB, to complete the condo-retail portion of the project, but said his office, Redevelopment, has constantly monitored their efforts and progress, and feels they are making a good faith effort. He was a veritable bundle of good news and optimism. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

Finally, after a lot of prodding by Council members John Shoaff, Tom Smith and Mitch Harper, not to mention you and I, the Redevelopment Commission has voted to tell Barry/Hardball that the Atlanta firm is in default. The building they promised would be completed last year is still to be begun. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

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. Read the rest of this entry »

By Jim Sack

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.

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By Jim Sack

It was nearly a love-fest at the co-location summit yesterday. First, Sheriff Ken Fries and Police Chief Rusty York all but held hands as they sang the praises of the other and endorsed the idea of co-location. Then the architects gave their upbeat overview of numbers concerning the final two options, Scheme A or Scheme B, surprisingly with not many dollars separating one from the other. Then the elected officials from Roy Buskirk to Paula Hughes voiced their approvals. In the end, co-location a la Scheme A, was agreed to: public safety in One Main and development and administration in 200 Berry. Unanimous! Only Paul Moss, who had served as devil’s advocate and more during the months of haggling, sounded like he wanted to vote “no.” Three county commissioners, one mayor, three members of city council and three members of county council all clasped hands and sang, as one cynic noted, Kumbaya. Paul had no option.

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