CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
AUGUST 4, 2003

The Honorable Council of the City of Evansville met on regular session at 6:30 PM on Monday, August 4, 2003 in the City Council Chambers, Room 301 Civic Center Complex, Evansville, Indiana with President John, presiding.  The following business was conducted.

These minutes are not intended to be a verbatim transcript.  Audiotapes of this meeting are on file in the City Clerk’s Office.

ROLL CALL:

Present:            Kniese, Bagbey, Melcher, Robinson, Koehler Walden, Watts, Angermeier, Kiefer, John.

There being nine (9) members present and zero (0) members absent and nine (9) members representing a quorum, the President declared this session of the Common Council officially opened.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Councilman Watts led the pledge of allegiance this evening.

COUNCIL ATTORNEY

John Hamilton is Council Attorney this evening.

READING AND AMENDMENT OF MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING

Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the July 21, 2003 meetings of the Common Council as written?

Councilman Melcher moved and Councilman Angermeier seconded the motion that the minutes of the regular meeting of the Common Council held July 21, 2003 be approved as written.  Voice vote.  So ordered.

REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

IN YOUR AUGUST 1ST PACKET:

*City Council Agenda for August 4, 2003 meeting.

*Committee meeting schedule.

*Minutes from July 21, 2003 City Council Meeting.

*Ordinances G-2003-21, G-2003-22, F-2003-13, and F-2003-14.

*2004 City/County Joint Budget Hearing Handout.

*Wheeler Drive Neighborhood Association Newsletter.

*Evansville Redevelopment Commission Draft Agenda for August 5, 2003 meeting.

*Notice of City/County Joint Budget Hearing Change of meeting date.

*A News Release regarding City of Evansville Debt Rating.

*Veterans Memorial Coliseum Energy Conservation Project.

*Notice from the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau regarding Jehovah’s

  Witnesses District Convention at Roberts Stadium.

*A memo and documents from Paul Coburn, Division Vice President of Whirlpool

  Evansville Division.

ON YOUR DESK THIS EVENING:

*A Schedule of Meetings in the City/County Administration Building for August 2003.

*A Memo from the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau regarding the LST 325.

*Board of Park Commissions Agenda for August 6, 2003 meeting.

*A Memo from Rose Zigenfus regarding 2030 Transportation Plan.

*A Notice of Claim against the City of Evansville.

*A Thank you letter from Larry Frazee of North High School for Youth Leadership

  Grants.

*A copy of the Implementation of a City Agency Performance Measurement Process.

Councilman Melcher moved and Councilman Watts seconded the motion to receive, file and make these reports and communications a part of the minutes of the meeting.  Voice vote.  So ordered.

CONSENT AGENDA

FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS

ORDINANCE G-2003-21    FINANCE (ROBINSON)                           COUNCIL AS A WHOLE            

AN ORDINANCE FIXING THE SALARIES OF EVERY APPOINTIVE OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, DEPUTY, ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENTAL, AND INSTITUTIONAL HEAD OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE FOR THE YEAR 2004 ESTABLISHING A SALARY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE AND ESTABLISHING SALARY ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES.

ORDINANCE G-2003-22    PUBLIC WORKS (BAGBEY)                                    KNIESE            

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 15.154 OF THE EVANSVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE (FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT)

ORDINANCE F-2003-13            FINANCE (ROBINSON)                          COUNCIL AS A WHOLE             

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA APPROPRIATING MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENDITURES OF DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2004.

ORDINANCE F-2003-14            FINANCE (ROBINSON)                          COUNCIL AS A WHOLE             

AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE FIXING THE SALARIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA FOR THE YEAR 2004

Councilman Melcher moved and Councilman Watts seconded the motion to adopt the Consent Agenda as written.  Voice vote.  So ordered.

CONSENT AGENDA

SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS      

ORDINANCE G-2003-18__      PUBLIC WORKS                                                                BAGBEY            

AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE CERTAIN PUBLIC WAYS OR PUBLIC PLACES WITHIN THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC ALLEY ADJACENT TO AND SOUTHEAST OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 512 N.W. FIRST STREET, EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

 

ORDINANCE G-2003-20_            _          PUBLIC WORKS                                                    BAGBEY            

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 9.80 OF THE CITY CODE

 

RESOLUTION C-2003-20                     FINANCE                                                                   ROBINSON  

A PRELIMINARY RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE DECLARING AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA FOR PROPERTY TAX PHASE-IN FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR REHABILITATION OF VARIOUS PROPERTIES OF HABITAT OF EVANSVILLE

 

ORDINANCE G-2003-19__                 FINANCE (ROBINSON)                                            KIEFER            

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA CONCERNING PARK IMPROVEMENTS BY THE BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS THROUGH THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS, AND OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

PUBLIC WORKS CHAIRMAN:_______________________________________    BAGBEY

Mr. President we have a do-pass recommendation on G-2003-18 and we will hold G-2003-20 until August 18^th at 6:10, if Mr. Rector is available.

President John: Finance Chairwoman Robinson was called away on business, but her Resolution and Ordinance were heard in committee today.  Ordinance G-2003-19, as amended, comes forward with a do-pass recommendation.  And Resolution C-2003-20 also comes forth with a do-pass recommendation.  With that we have a motion to adopt the Committee Reports and move these Ordinances and Resolutions to Third Reading. 

 

Councilman Melcher and Councilman Kniese seconded the motion to adopt the Committee Reports and move these Ordinances and Resolutions to Third Reading.  Voice vote.   So.

Ordered.

REGULAR AGENDA

THIRD READING OF ZONING ORDINANCES:

ORDINANCE G-2003-18__      PUBLIC WORKS                                                                BAGBEY            

AN ORDINANCE TO VACATE CERTAIN PUBLIC WAYS OR PUBLIC PLACES WITHIN THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC ALLEY ADJACENT TO AND SOUTHEAST OF THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 512 N.W. FIRST STREET, EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

 

Councilman Bagbey moved and Councilman Watts seconded the motion to adopt Ordinance G-2003-18 and call the roll.

ROLL CALL:

Ayes:                Kniese, Bagbey, Melcher, Koehler Walden, Watts, Angermeier Kiefer, John.

Absent:            Robinson:

There being eight (8) ayes and zero (0) nays, Ordinance G-2003-18 is hereby declared  ADOPTED.

REGULAR AGENDA

THIRD READING OF ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS

RESOLUTION C-2003-20         FINANCE                                                          ROBINSON  

A PRELIMINARY RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE DECLARING AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA FOR PROPERTY TAX PHASE-IN FOR REDEVELOPMENT OR REHABILITATION OF VARIOUS PROPERTIES OF HABITAT OF EVANSVILLE

 

Councilman Walden moved and Councilman Bagbey seconded the motion to adopt Resolution C-2003-20 and call the roll.

ROLL CALL:

Ayes:                Kniese, Bagbey, Melcher, Koehler Walden, Watts, Angermeier, Kiefer, John.

Absent:            Robinson

There being eight (8) ayes and zero (0) nays, Resolutions C-2003-20 is hereby declared ADOPTED.

REGULAR AGENDA

THIRD READING OF ZONING ORDINANCES

ORDINANCE G-2003-19_(as amended)  FINANCE (ROBINSON)                                KIEFER            

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EVANSVILLE, INDIANA CONCERNING PARK IMPROVEMENTS BY THE BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS THROUGH THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF BONDS, AND OTHER MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH

(as amended).

 

Councilman Melcher moved and Councilman Angermeier seconded the motion to adopt G-2003-19 and call the roll.

 

ROLL CALL:

Ayes:                Kniese, Bagbey, Melcher, Koehler Walden, Watts, Angermeier, Kiefer, John.

Absent:            Robinson

There being eight (8) ayes and zero (0) nays, Ordinance G-2003-19, as amended, is hereby declared ADOPTED.

 

MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS:

President John: Miscellaneous business.  I’d say that we still have quite an audience and there are some people who would like to speak with Council.  Is there a designated spokes person or are there numerous that want to speak?  Decide whom what’s to come first and we’ll just bring you up one at a time, or two at a time.  That’s fine, please state your name for the record.

Charles McBride: I am Charles McBride. 

Denise Will: Denise Will.

President John: Welcome.

  

Charles McBride: Thank you sir.  It’s concerning the flooding area on Madison Avenue, and I’m sure everybody knows about it. 

Denise Will: 2800 block.

Charles McBride: 2800 block, it’s as big as the one on Simpson.  Since 1982, my daughter here has been flooded seven times.  Insurance costs right at $50,000, her costs around $15,000.  There was money that was appropriated for fixing these storm sewers in ’97, and I understand that money was used for something else.  $30,000,000 for something, whatever.  Was hoping the Health Department would be here because there is sewage that comes up in the house, in the bathtubs, the commodes explode.  It comes up into the bathtub and what’s going to be done about fixing this problem?  She can’t sell our house, nobody can sell their house.  She has equity in a house, she wants to step up, upgrade to a better home.  A $70,000 house you can’t give it away not when you’ve got a history…..not a flood zone, it’s a City problem, Vanderburgh County.  And what I would like to know what is going to be done?  It’s been promised, promised, promised, nothing happens.

President John: And that’s a good question Ms. Wills I believe we talked the other day and you had called the Mayor’s office and talked with Miss David, I believe.

Denise Will: I did.

President John: And she indicated you should call Steve Bagbey and I that we’re the ones that can answer your questions.  Now, I think Mr. Bagbey has been spending many, many years addressing this problem and I’m sure he wants to make some statements, but I’d like to get a couple of statements in first about how this process works.  Now I’ve brought some of my budget materials from the past and we also have Pat Keepes, the City Engineer, with us who kind of oversees these projects.  The process is developed this way.  The Administration, meaning the Mayor, the City Engineer, and the other Department Heads figure out what they are going to need to operate, what major projects they would like to do, and they put together their fund request, their annual budget request.  It’s presented to Council.  The Council can’t add anything to that all we can do is subtract.  We can’t tell the Administration what project they are going to do, we can ask them to do it, and hopefully we can work together and get some things done.  But they are the ultimate decision make on how the City money is spent.  I looked over the last, I think, four years for requests for drainage projects and I don’t see where the City Council has ever cut a dollar from the request from the City Administration for expenses.  Now, the project that you are talking about, I’m sure Steve will discuss, and that is the several million dollar bond we issued in ’97 to put in the Weinbach corridor and a number of other problem areas.  I think at the time there was like $83,000,000 in perceived problems, or estimated problems, and we only had like $30,000,000 to solve them.  So with that let me turn it over to Councilman Bagbey so that he can enlighten us a little more.

Councilman Bagbey: First of all I’m sorry I missed your telephone call.  I did see it on caller ID later last night.  I brought….or asked Pat Keepes today and he told me he was going to be here.  The Storm Water Master Plan in contrary to what a lot of folks think I don’t get up here and applaud myself, but the Storm Water Master Plan was a result of Councilman Melcher and I trying to convince Frank McDonald, okay?  So this has gone through two political administrations, it’s just not all Russ Lloyd or this particular Council being held hostage.  There was a Police Officer by the name of Jerry Welch, and you know who I’m talking about, that built his floodwall.  And later he and Roberta sold their home, got out, okay.  So when we finally convinced the Administration that we had to attack flooding as a quality of life we brought in an engineering firm, and I carry that book with me all the time, and it’s the Master Plan, the Bible.  And when I ran for political office there was a gentleman by the name of Basil Scheessele, who’s no longer with us, who said to me upon a question at Holy Spirit.  He said: “Steve, what are you going to do about the flooding on Southeast Boulevard and Monroe?”  “And what are you going to do about the flooding over there where Officer Welch lives?”  And I said: “Basil, I don’t know.”  I grew up on the Southeast side and I grew up with floods in my parent’s home.  And, I know when I saw the news accounts last night, and I saw you on television and knowing what we have had to do, and what we’ve been trying to do, I can’t match your frustration, but I’m frustrated.  So the projects are ranked and then Pat….I’m going to ask Pat to come up later after several other people talk.  So Pat has the ranking and he’ll touch on that.  But back in June, on June 18^th I asked Pat, and this is what this document is about because I’m working with a Neighborhood Association called Lorraine Park, that’s the short term of it, who is flooded in that area that Basil Scheessele asked me about, also about yours.  And it’s called the Weinbach Out Fall, and the other ones, correction, it’s called the Southeast Boulevard Pump Station, and your Project is called the Pollack and Vann Out Fall.  I don’t represent you.  Councilman Kniese represents you.  You’re in the 1^st Ward, I represent the 2^nd Ward, but that project then, as it’s designed will come into the 2^nd Ward.  The water in theory will be coming from where you’re at on Madison, and Pat correct me, you know, when you come up.  We’ll be going down Vann Avenue across Pollack down towards the levee, that’s the way it’s supposed to work isn’t it?  In theory.  $30,000,000, $83,000,000, $80,000,000, 90,000,000 whatever figure you want to call, there was not enough money.  So I…what I do….and where my strength is, I go behind the scenes and work.  And Pat will tell you all the conversations to trying to get these two projects going, because of the flooding.  And maybe I should have got out here and really called press conferences and thumped my chest but, that’s just not the way that I do it.  Ms. Lever, on the 2000 block of Adams, she called while I was gone.  We’ve put over $8,000,000 in projects in the 2^nd Ward to try to stop this problem, again you are in the 1^st Ward.  You also wouldn’t be affected by this project.  So what we have done hopefully, if it survives the budget process, tomorrow I’m going to get a petition from the President of the Lorraine Neighborhood Association from all the folks asking for me to push very publicly the Southeast Boulevard Pump Station.  And I hope with a collaborative effort with Mr. Kniese, and the Council people at large, and this Council, we will try to influence the Mayor’s attention, and I guess he’s listening to me now, will hear what the people want, because it’s a quality of life issue.  It doesn’t help you, it doesn’t help you one iota, okay, at this point.  But that’s what we are going to be doing.  We have not been sitting on our laurels since ’97, hasn’t been that anybody’s forgot you or anything like that.  There’s only so much in a pie and you have to fight for it.  Frank McDonald taught me a good political lesson.  He said: “Why are Mayor’s all across this country, when I was on vacation I’ve watched drainage projects very, very closely in another State, and interviewed some of their elected people.  Drainage projects are unpopular for Mayor’s or County Commissioners, because once it’s done, and once you move out, it’s forgotten.  Nobody ever sees it, why, because it’s under the ground.  You see an ice rink, you can see an office building, you can see a baseball stadium, whatever, but you don’t see that sewer project.  For what you to go through since 1980 when Jerry Welch went through, to he and Roberta built their floodwall is inexcusable.  But, it’s not just this Council, it’s not just Mayor Lloyd, it is not just Frank McDonald, it goes back..  It goes back a long, long time and priorities have to be assigned and they have not been assigned.  And as Curt told you, I can’t allocate money to get your project done, it has to come from the Executive Branch.  And that’s where we are.

Charles McBride: I’ve got a question.

Councilman Bagbey: Sure.

Charles McBride: The projects that you have going now, the soccer field, the ballpark, the baseball place, you’re looking for land.  I’m not sure what this project will cost on Madison Avenue, but I’m sure it would be a lot cheaper if you just went in and bought all the houses and built your park, that seem to be where the money is going.  Parks, baseball (applause, Inaudible).  Talk about the quality of people that’s moving out because of the quality.  Look around, you got floods, you got sewage backing up everywhere.  I had a little project not to long ago, I had a septic tank that I had a problem with, it cost me $11,000 to get it fixed.  I had sixty days to do it.  Why has it taken since 1982 to take care of all these problems?  That’s my question, why? 

Councilman Bagbey: I don’t have good answer for you.

Denise Will: This is a health hazard.  Someone is going to die.  It was up over my electrical outlets.  My children could have died of electrocution.  How none of us got electrocuted I don’t understand, why it didn’t happen.

President John:  We’ll allow everyone an opportunity to speak let’s hold it one at a time.

Denise Will: It was over my electrical outlets.  We should all be dead right now.

(Unknown): We also have rats in the neighborhood.

Charles McBride: The sewage is a big problem.  Everybody is sick.  My daughter is sick, I talked to a lady where…who’s son had….they took him into the hospital 102 temperature right after the flood.  It is a sewage problem.  If it were my problem I would probably be in jail now, because I’d have to take care of it.  This is your problem, it needs to be taken care of and why is it not being taken care of?  Ballparks, ball diamonds….

President John:  Once again those decisions aren’t made here unfortunately.  A number of those things, we didn’t even get to vote on, so…I can understand your frustration.

Charles McBride: I’m sure you are pushing for it, push for this.  Let’s take care of the problem.

Denise Will: This has to be fixed.  Someone is going to die if it’s not. 

President John:  Do we get Pat up here?

Councilman Bagbey: Yeah, but the answer to the one question, Pat can come on up.  Might as well get ready.  The Southeast Boulevard Pump Station, according to Pat’s report, would be 2.60, which is not your project, but they tie into together and that’s why I’m talking about them together.  I mean they compliment one another.  Your project would be 3.470.  $3,470,000.

  

Charles McBride: Sounds reasonable.

Councilman Bagbey:  So, and we go into budget next Monday, and I’m going to lay my cards right on the table.  Pat and I had another conversation about it today.  I feel it’s time, I said that when we financed…refinanced the Water Storm Master Plan here not to long ago, get the better interest rate Mr. McBride, the Administration did not want to go with me on bonding more money to address those issues.  Now, I didn’t go out and call a press conference, and I didn’t go out and jump up and down, I do it behind closed doors.  Maybe that’s my mistake, okay?  But it didn’t happen, and now I think at the budget I’m going to ask for and I’ll be working on it this weekend.  X amount of millions of dollars in another bond issue to address the drainage concerns in this city. 

Charles McBride: This is a priority.

Councilman Bagbey: I don’t disagree with you at all.  Neither does this engineer who will come up here who, ladies and gentlemen I have to say this because I just found out about it recently.  We had the 3” rain, or whatever it was, last Thursday.  That was the day that Mr. Keepes buried his father, he died very unexpectedly.  And there were some folks who where very agitated as we all know we’ve all gotten those calls, and said some very unkind things to Pat on his voice mail, so I’m told by…not from Pat but from some other sources.  And I just want to say Pat, publicly, I’m sorry for the death of your father, I wish that, you know, I’d known and I know it can’t change, and I know that in our conversation you were close with your dad.  But I apologize for the anger of some of the residents who vented on you that day, on a very dark day, no pun intended.  Pat, before we get the rest of the folks up here involved, Mr. McBride and Ms. Will is up here can you start to enlighten us where we are at in our discussions and what can we do? 

Pat Keepes: Thank you.  Pat Keepes City Engineer.  This project, these projects have been identified.  We recognize the need for them and as you’ve said the main stumbling block right now would be funding.  But we have placed these projects in the Capital Plan.  I do not believe we have a funding source listed for them yet, and I expect that to be one of the main things that we talk about during my part of the budget hearings.  We, unfortunately, are forced to prioritize projects when the Master Plan was prepared in 1997.  One of these projects was ranked 21^st the other was ranked 7^th.

Councilman Bagbey: Would you tell us which is which.

Pat Keepes: The Vann-Maidson-Pollack Out Fall was ranked 21^st.  The Southeast Boulevard project was ranked 7^th, but the Southeast Boulevard Pump Station can not be built until the Vann/Madison Project.  They are tied together, yes.  I can assure you that the individuals that were affected by the projects that were done felt like theirs were the most important as well.  I don’t want to minimize any of those projects or any of the individual’s problems that they have experienced with respect to drainage.  We had to choose some.  There was a set of criteria established and there were scores assigned to these projects.  It was an objective process and we used what money we had and now it appears to be time to start discussing how we’re going to get the other projects built. 

Councilman Bagbey:  Can you develop all these projects?

  

Pat Keepes: That is the estimated construction costs.  There would be…I would expect the scope of these projects to be outside the resources of my office.  And I would expect to need to hire somebody to design these and that cost would be probably 10% of that $6,000,000 so we’re talking close to 7 million dollars I expect.

Councilman Bagbey: What other projects are out here that are that you consider priority.  Taking another look at the ’97 Master Plan and throw away the criteria that was then in the ’97 Master Plan with what you’ve seen since you’ve been the City Engineer.  Where would you go besides these two projects?

Pat Keepes:  I would probably place some of the projects in the Diamond Avenue area near the top of that list, at the top of that list.  And we are taking the first step to address those as we speak.  We recently awarded a project to construct a new pump station connection structure near Garvin Park.  And the State will be constructing a new 8’ diameter storm sewer as part of their Diamond Avenue reconstruction.  Once that storm sewer is put in place we can begin tying in four other projects that total $10,000,000, which have already been drawn up, they’ve already been designed, they will tie into that Diamond Avenue tunnel.  But, we can’t do those projects until the State gets that main storm sewer put in.  And I would say those would probably be a high priority.

Councilman Bagbey: (INAUDIBLE).

Pat Keepes: I would probably just have to refer to the approximately twenty-five other projects that are on this Master Plan list.  Most of these are in combination sewer areas that we see repeated problems and just small diameter sewers that carry both sanitary and storm flow.  Areas that have been developed and cause these sewers to surcharge during heavy rain events.  And there’s no isolated area in the City that these projects lie in.

Councilman Bagbey: What can we do, short term for these people, anything?

Pat Keepes: I wish I had a short….

Councilman Bagbey: (INAUDIBLE).

Pat Keepes:  Yeah, there’s not an easy fix.  We’re looking at upgrading very old sewers that’s very expensive.  We took a major step in that direction in 1997 and since 1999 we have constructed over $29,000,000 of drainage improvements, that’s just construction, that does not include engineering fees or construction oversight.  And there have been several road projects like the Weinbach Avenue reconstruction, that’s going on right now, that correct drainage problems as well.  And that $29,000,000 figure does not include any of those projects.  These are just strictly drainage projects.  So, we’ve spent a good sum of money in recent years, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

Councilman Melcher:  Steve, maybe we just need to start working together again on looking at maybe another bond issue, because like the Diamond project we’ve been working with the State for what four years on that project Pat?  Three or four years to tie in with them to save some money.

  

Pat Keepes: That’s correct.

Councilman Melcher: And I think that project’s going to be done in what 2005?

Pat Keepes:  The first phase of that the storm sewer tunnel is scheduled to be bid out next month.

Councilman Melcher: Right.

Pat Keepes:  And the other roadwork is schedules to commence next year. 

Councilman Melcher:  I think maybe we could get with Pat and like you and I could bring it up at budget hearing and then start from day one like we did before.  And see what we could do because I think most of you know that I’m…I’ve been against the new waste-water treatment plant only because we can’t take care of what we have now.  And if we’re going to spend $40,000,000 for a Wastewater Treatment Plant, that David Kolker talked about earlier. According to my…what I understand, and we’ve asked the people when they come up here if we could fix the east side and the west side plants and take care of some of these problems that would help the community and the people that’s lived here all their lives.  The new plant is for everything that’s new up north.  So, I’ve always said we need to take care of our own before we branch out.  And that’s something that….and just like I’ve said….and I’m quoted in the paper on this.  You know, don’t come to…..because Bee Slough, you probable don’t un…Bee Slough, part of the 4^th Ward where I grew up, you come out of Carver School at night you can’t even breath.  And part of it is because of the wastewater and the way the treatment…..  And the way the City floods is kind of hard for us to explain to you, but it kind of all wraps in to the Weinbach Station in some ways we should free up Bee Slough down the road.  But I said don’t bring me a new project until we fix Bee Slough, and that’s in another ward, but we have to work together. 

President John:  Pat just a question out of curiosity.  Are you familiar with any request for drainage funding that’s been presented to this Council that’s been denied?

Pat Keepes:  Off the top of my heard I’m not, no.

President John:  I know there are some other people that would like to say some things and if you’d just be kind enough to stick around for a few minutes because they my have some questions that….for you, or you may have some answers of questions they have.

Denise Will:  Can I say one other think?

President John: Yes ma’am.

Denise Will:  One of the things I’m concerned about, and I know that’s one of the things you’re going to discuss tonight, is the money that is allocated….or being approved for the lion habitat at the Zoo.  How can that take priority over human lives?  A $14,000,000 project to improve the lion habitat.  I don’t understand that, why does that take priority over human lives?  Taxpayer’s lives that live in this City, and have lived in this community their whole lives. 

President John:  A good question. 

  

Denise Will: Thank you.

Charles McBride: Is there an answer for that question?

President John: Once again you may want to address the Administration.  The only option that we have is if something is presented to us we can do one of three things, we can approve the request for funding, we can reduce their request for funding, or we can deny that request for funding.  We don’t, unfortunately, we don’t get to prioritize what the City is going to spend their money on.  We have to take what the City presents to us, the Administration, and vote either yes or no on it. 

Charles McBride: Uh-huh.

President John: Now as you heard two of the Councilmen at budget this time…hearings this time will advocate, and I’ll be happy to join their bandwagon, that we look at doing a bond issue to do some of the same things that we started in ’97,but we’ve kind of fallen off.  And get that back on track to try to eliminate some of these problems. And hopefully we can put it on a fast track to get that done. 

Charles McBride: So basically you have the money and you distribute it to whatever the project?

Who does that?

President John:  No, the City Administration, if they want, the Zoo project for example, they come to us and request the bond. 

Charles McBride:  Uh-huh.

President John: We can either say okay we approve the bond, we don’t approve the bond, or we reduce your request.  On a sewer project at budget time, for example this year, the Cities request is for a total of $450,000 for general drainage improvements without any specific projects according to the budget material I just received.  They are requesting 200,000 for Sky Hill Terrace.  And I don’t see any other particular project that you’ve asked me for funding for this year.  So that’s what we can bring up at budget time to see if we can get some of that put back in.

We can’t automatically put it in.  It takes…the Statute says the request has to come from the Mayor, and then we have those three options, to approve, deny, or reduce.  But we can’t increase or we can’t put it in there on our own.

Charles McBride:  So the Mayor would request.

President John:  The Administration would request.  And that would be through the Mayor’s office.

Charles McBride:  The Mayor’s office or the Mayor.

President John:  Well, he’ll designate you get with Pat or maybe Joan, I doubt if he will personally get that involved.  He will have it evaluated and hopefully listen to some of the Council Members, and if we request it give it a little stronger consideration.

Charles McBride: Okay, because they are just looking for some answers.

President John:  Well, it bothered me a little bit when I saw on TV that he said: “If you’ve got a drainage problem you got to go see the City Council.”  Well, if we had the authority to draft our own budget we could answer your problems a lot easier, or solve your problems a lot easier.  But we don’t get to determine how to spend the money.

Charles McBride: There was another question that came up and I assume they have pumps that’s in those storm sewers, and it was six hours before it ever came on.  The pumps and you can hear them whenever they come on and….

President John:  Is that with the Levee Authority?

Charles McBride: Is that on Madison Avenue Denise?  Okay, yeah, and they said that you can hear them whenever they come on and they didn’t come on until six hours later.’

President John: That’s something we probably should get with Kelly Lawrence as soon as possible.

Charles McBride:  You know that gets rid of the water quicker but you still have the water problem.  And after six or seven times it gets to the point lets do something, let’s get it fixed.

President John: I agree with you 100%. Yeah.  Yes ma’am.

Nancy Holder:  I’m Nancy Holder and this is my husband Raymond.  Five years ago we bought the property across from Denise for our daughter and granddaughter and son-n-law to move into.  And, we didn’t know it was a….had a drainage problem when we bought the property.  Now that the property has been flooded I called the City Health Department to see what possible health risks could be involved because human waste floats, it was floating in the house.  The Health Department woman said, Well ma’am, did you let your grandchild play in the water?  I said Ma’am, it was coming in the house, it was coming in the front door, and it was seeping in around the base of the house all around the perimeter.  My daughter is 36, my granddaughter is going to be 5, and they have both been running a 101-103 temperature since this happened.  We don’t know what’s wrong.  The Health Department said…I asked what could I expect?  She said: “possibly vomiting and diarrhea.  I said: “Well the dog has that since this happened.”

Charles McBride:  The dog goes out in the backyard.

Nancy Holder: The family it doesn’t have that, but we as a people, we’re landlords but we bought this for our daughter is sub-normal income.  So she doesn’t have to go on welfare.  We as a landlord can’t get insurance because we are not living on the property.  And it’s just…..

President John:  ….. Catch 22.

Nancy Holder:  It’s disaster.  It’s robbing us of our retirement.  Our home is paid for where we live and we’re having to go in to get a home equity loan to try to buy another house for our daughter and grandchild who is now single, she’s a single mother, there’s a divorce.  And I just want to beg the Council to make this a very high priority.  Thank you.

President John: Thank you.  Yes sir.

Kevin Henderson:  Can we go up to the mic?

President John: Sure.

Kevin Henderson:  How are you all doing?

President John:   Fine.

Kevin Henderson:  We live in the lowest part of the neigh….

President John:  You want to state your name for the record.

Kevin Henderson:  Kevin Henderson, and Mary Beck.  About two years ago we got involved in this house that we inherited from Basil Scheessele’s.  We’ve got that problem that you talked about.  And he fought it for, I understand, about 27 years, and didn’t get anything done.  And the whole time he’s doing that he’s paying taxes.  And I figure that, you know you pay taxes over a period of time you put that in and do the math of everybody in that neighborhood.  That’s a lot of money being paid into the tax base that in my opinion should be used to fix the problem we’ve been living with.  The other day, Thursday, that rain was a short rain and we had 16” of rain…of water, and it’s not water, it raw sewage in the house.  Every time it does it, there’s a panic.  You’ve got to pick up electrical cords, as she said.  I walked out on an electrical cord in the water and don’t know why I didn’t get electrocuted.  Gasoline cans pouring over the gas…the lawn mowers submerged in water.  One wouldn’t start the other day it’s frozen up.  You know those things cost money and when you deal with money you get a little emotional when it’s your money.  And I don’t know if you feel this way but your number one investment, I’ll ask anybody, is probably your home.  And if your investment was sitting there deteriorating in front of your eyes because of a problem that the City hadn’t fixed, I think you’d be pretty upset about it.  And also the other day when this rain came on it wasn’t…..I went out…I’m the one in the neighborhood that goes out and unclogs the sewers.  I’m the only one out there and I used to wear boots but they are only knee high and it goes over my knees.  I’m not real tall but that’s up to here in the street.  The other day I went out to unclog them they weren’t pulling down water it was pushing out raw sewage.  So, I don’t know what the deal is with that but that’s coming from somewhere up and pushing out other people’s shit and piss.  You know that’s exactly what it is.  When the water receded, when the water receded, there was toilet paper all over the streets.  I almost called the City and said come over and flush your toilet, you know we got shit all over the streets.  And I hate to put it graphically like that but again, when you talk about a $90,000 house that you know you won’t sell.  Because we’re honest people, we’re going to tell them what the problem is and we weren’t told the problem by the Scheessele’s kids, they didn’t tell us the problem.  The just didn’t say anything.  Not only does it bring in the raw sewage, which is apparent from the toilet paper, and that’s our neighbor’s toilets flush, you know.  But not only that they didn’t tell us about the rodent problem.  When I picked up a deck thing, picked it up and looked under it because there was a smell from the two rains ago, there was a dead rat as big as a little Chihuahua under there.  So it brings in rodents and that’s a fact that a low-lying area that’s wet brings in rodents.  So that’s another problem that is happening.  The bugs are unbelievable, it brings in fleas, gnats, well, and mosquitos are unbelievable.  I’ve lived all over the city and this place is the worst ever, and maybe it’s just bad this year because of the rains, but it’s really bad.  You know that’s just the beginning of it.  We’ve gotten a home equity loan as well for $10,000 to fix the problem and that just touches it.  Underneath the house is completely deteriorated, which we had a little knowledge of that, but we didn’t know it flooded out all the time we just thought it was dry rot and they gave us a $5,000 allowance, well that didn’t touch it.  It’s beginning….just the beginning of fixing it and I’m the one fixing it.  So, you know, it’s a problem that we have but we share with a lot of people.  Out here and in the City they are paying taxes and voting you people in, you know, and we’d like to have something done for the welfare of everybody in that area.  And not just us, people who go to visit people, that are voters as well, can’t get through there.  You know, they just….they’re blocked off from the water.  It’s an untravelable area when it rains like a half-hour the other day you can’t get through there.  Also, I might say that speaking of cars going through there I’ve got a car that I’m trying to fix up a little Saab that is my little toy, it picked the car up and moved it on the curb the other day that rain.  So, you know, that’s how much rain we had.  It’s going to the salvage yard, it’s no good anymore.  It was submerged in water.  So and her Buick was as well, but we got it out in time and well it’s filled with water and stinking inside from raw sewage.  So, you know, those are just a little of our thoughts on it, and well, haven’t let Mary spoke yet but she can tell you basically the same thing.  This is a very unsettling and an unsanitary problem.  I was going to bring in a bucket piss and crap tonight.  If I sat it up there diluted with water and let you smell it that’s what we get.  That’s pretty graphic but, I think a picture is worth a thousand words and if you are in there living in it, and it was your house, I think we’d have something done.  You know, I really do, and I think that if a politician lived on that street, unfortunately it would be done.  (applause)  So I’m very emotional because of the fact that we live in it. 

President John:  And I can understand that.  Did your wife want to speak?  After our discussion I did talk to Steve and this was probably two or three weeks ago.  And he told me some of the frustrations he had been facing over the past few years, well, several years, ever since he’s been on Council and his attempts to get some of them resolved, and they are not all resolved by a long shot.  And it is time that we looked at what we did in ’97 and putting some more money into our infrastructure as opposed to our parks and recreation.  Our priorities maybe have been a little lopsided in one direction as opposed to maybe they should be.

Kevin Henderson:  Well, you know, it’s an old political little shuffle thing.  You can say it, but…and I’ve been told, these people have been told that lived there for years that “Oh, we’re going to do it, it’s in the Appropriations Committee, it’s being voted on.  But that’s the little….the two….what do you call it…two step shuffle.  Saying it is one thing but doing it is another when you live around it, and these people do vote and pay taxes… Well, people are tired of hearing about it, they want something done because it is a hazard, and it’s very unsanitary for everybody involved, I think the Whole City.  Quite honestly when you have toilet paper all over the streets, you know, what does that say for the City?  It doesn’t say much, and this is just one little neighborhood I know, but it’s a long-term problem, I mean it’s not just an overnight thing, and this is three rains this year.  We’re really looking forward to the rainy season.  This is an unseasonable rain right now, so we got a real big…..every time it rains I get so uptight you couldn’t get a greased B-B up my butt, I mean it’s, it’s… you know really, it makes you nervous.  You just sit there on pins and needles.

President John: The next time someone tells you it’s in either the Finance Committee or in front of the City Council for funding you call me and I’ll be sure and let you know whether or not it’s been presented to us.

Kevin Henderson: Okay, thanks a lot.

President John: Yes ma’am.

Faith Hurley: This is the…something need to be done now.  Not five years from now, not two years from now, it needs to be done now. 

Kevin Henderson: An accident will happen.

President John: I understand.

Faith Hurley: We need to see work starting in the next few weeks.

Unknown woman: I’ve been told hepatitis is a possibility.

Faith Hurley:  My name is Faith Hurley and I’ve been in this neighborhood for only a year and a half, a very short time compared to some of these people, and I live across the street from Denise Will.  I live across the street from this couple.  I live next door to their daughter.  Yesterday or the 31^st for the first time the water finally came into my home.  One week after I moved into my home a rainstorm came.  I was not told by Mary Hill, who is sitting in the audience, that the street did flood and look out your house may be flooded someday, but that’s another point to be taken up with her.  But, anyway, one week after moving in it’s raining and I glance out the window and the water is coming up my sidewalk and I walk out the door and I look next door to Lisa.  I said: “what’s going on?”  Oh, this has happened two or three times.  Well over the course of a year and a half I’ve had several occasions where I’ve been praying to God that water doesn’t come in my house.  And I look across the street and I see this poor Denise her house gets flooded every time. 

Denise Will: Every time.

Faith Hurley: And she has got kids she’s trying to raise on her own.  I have no children, I have no husband, it’s just me, but my heart goes out to her.  Every time I see a truck coming in there pulling out the carpet, putting in new carpet.  Or I see Beth and George here right next door, it’s happening to them.  It’s happened to me, you know, they have had to strip out all of my carpet.  This is no fun and you know if it was you you’d be standing right up here too.  You’d be feeling the same way that we do, and it’s not fun.  I’ve been sleeping in a recliner for five days now.  My heart goes out to my neighbors.  A lot of them are single parents, they get up, they work long hard hours, they pay their taxes, although I pay my taxes but I see these people working their tails off.  It rains they don’t even know, you know, is it going to be this time.  They look out their windows, you know, is it this time.  I feel so bad for them.  I’ve only been in the neighborhood for a year and a half this has been going on for twenty to fifty years from what I hear.  Then I go to go meet my neighbor, it’s an unfortunate way to go finally meet some of the neighbors I haven’t got to meet, but you know, I go meet them they are out in the road with rowboats.  Hi what’s your name, my name is…..well you know it’s an unfortunate way for us all to get together but you know we really, really do need some help.  You know you think it’s oh a little flood, pull up the carpet put in some new carpet it’s not like that.  There’s bacteria, there’s mold, the whole block stinks.  We really would appreciate you going to bat for us.  Not dropping the ball, please, please, please do something for us we’d appreciate it.

President John: Thank you, thank you.  (applause)

Beth Sims: I’m Beth and this is George and we live on Madison Avenue and our story is just like their story.  We have no flood insurance, we’ve done all the work ourselves.  We’ve had to bleach our floors and Lysol or floors, and we really just need your help, you know, we need you to step up take care of this neighborhood.  It’s just awful you could just come and see.  I mean if the Mayor even cared just to come and see, if he would even apologize or said: “you know we’ll do something about it, we’ll see what we can do”, but he just pushed us onto you guys.  From what I hear it sounds like you guys can’t do much for us.

President John: The Mayor’s right hand is here that maybe we’ll get her up here and she’ll have some suggestions for you. 

George Sims: We’ve been there three years, I work construction and I build sewers all over the place so I know….I’ve got an idea how water goes, it don’t go uphill it goes down.  It’s what concerns me the most right now is this year the problem is getting worse.  We haven’t had no more rain it’s when we get a strong rain real quick and we haven’t had no worse then we’ve had in the past, but the water is getting up closer and closer to the houses and now it’s finally in our house.  There’s a restriction in that line somewhere they need to be flushed out, the sewers need to be cleaned.  They need to check all options not just build a new sewer the problem is getting worse.  You know, it’s not going away it’s getting worse.  I just wish somebody could check into that like Wayne Russell or one of those guys out there with the Sewer Department find out what the deal is.  I don’t want to go put $4,000 worth of stuff in my house and have this happen again in another three weeks.

President John: We understand.

Beth Sims: We getting new carpet tonight, I mean I was crying because it started raining awhile ago and I thought how can I go back and do….I can’t do it again it’s just too hard I can’t.

George Sims: We just hope that next week when you start giving out the money just keep us in mind and know that this is a big problem it’s not something little.

Beth Sims: We need you help.  We really do.

President John: Thank you.  (applause)  We have a question.

Councilman Melcher:  Pat can we have EMC or them go out there and look at….we got television cameras now that can go down in there and look at restrictions.  If this is the problem we can fix this problem.

George Sims:  It’s not going to fix the problem.

Councilman Melcher: No, but it will help.  We’re talking about somebody asked awhile ago what we can do short term and that’s what we could do short term.  Short term we could check to see if there is any problem.  Long term is that we’ve got a fight to get the money in the next couple of Budget Hearings to see what we could do about maybe seeing if we could do a bond issue.  And it’s going to be City wide because your story is the same story we’ve had on

Diamond, and the same story we have on Weinbach, the same story we have…used to have on Maryland.  I mean your story is the same story we’ve heard all over town and yes some of them are getting fixed and a lot of them aren’t getting fixed just like Steve was saying they ranked them by how many complaints and how many phone calls.  I think you had to have five complaints before it even got a dot on the map last time.  And nobody called in then this one area could be bad but if nobody called in then it didn’t get a rank.  That’s how they get it….I’m not saying that’s how you do it, but that’s how they did the last one.  And I understand and that’s why you need to call in the Board of Public Works, you need to call the Mayor’s Office, and you need to let your Councilman know.  That way you’ve got a list to support what you have been saying and doing and you’ve got dates to back that up.

President John:  Ma’am this lady has been waiting we’ll get you right next is that alright?

Krista Williams:  Krista Williams.  I live in the 2900 block of Jackson Avenue two blocks behind these folks.  My problems are tiny compared to theirs, but my car was totaled last Thursday.  Now people on our street were lucky, we live on inclines off of our street.  So the water can get 3-4’ deep in our street and it doesn’t effect us other than flooding our cars, and floating them down the street.  I rent my house, I don’t own it, but my landlord is extremely upset.  She dealt with it for years before me and I’m just sick, I mean to me I don’t have a lot of money, I don’t own my home, my car is my transportation, this is a big deal to me.  It’s miniscule compared to what these people are going through.  But I just want to let you know that this is an entire neighborhood problem.  It’s not just one or two blocks.  There have been nights when I come home from work and I can’t get to my street, I can’t even get to park to walk to my house.  I circulated one the Lorraine Park Neighborhood Association petitions.  Bill Holsey gave it to me.  Up and down my block, only one block, I had 21 signatures.  No one told me no, if that gives you any idea.  You said talk to the City Administration.  You all are politically influential people.  I’d like for you to talk to the City Administration.

President John:  Oh, we will be.

Krista Williams: I will talk to the Mayor this weekend when I see him at the State Young Republicans Convention.  I have pictures of what happens in our neighborhood when it rains too hard.  I’ll do my part we ask that you all do your part.  You have lunch with the Mayor some of you people, you go to parties, you know, you’re affiliated with people that have political power and can help us.  We ask you to do that part to get it to you so that you can pass it. 

President John:  Thank you very much. Are there any questions?  Yes ma’am Ms. Holder.

Nancy Holder:  One other…two thoughts.  I made a complaint about two months ago to the Board of Public Works that it has almost got in that house…our house.  And they came out and they turned a fire hydrant on and knocked on the door and said: “you know the system that’s about all we can do”.  The other thought is some condominiums and some apartment buildings were built behind Washington and Dexter, the corner of Washington and Dexter, that run off is contributing to the…. Exacerbating the problem.  And I wonder too what’s going on with the Weinbach thing and the Lloyd trying to fix those drainage problems has not made the problem in our neighborhood worse.  That was another thought maybe there’s something that can be done in that direction.

President John: I had sent an invitation to the Mayor to be with us today but he had a prior engagement I think, but Ms. David is here and Joan would you like to add anything or make any comments?

Joan David:  Joan David Mayor Lloyds Chief of Staff.  I don’t know that I can add anything, but believe it or not I accomplished my goal.  When Ms. Will called last Wednesday or Thursday morning I heard the panic in her voice and I wanted her to have a public forum as quickly as possible and that’s what she got tonight.  So I applaud all of you for coming in and telling your story.  I’ve got two times that I’ve already identified on the Mayor’s calendar this week if representatives, if I can get twenty or less people that can tell me who wants to come in that’s all the chairs I have in the Mayor’s Conference room.  Twenty or less people the Mayor will meet with them and I’ve identified two times I’ll be right back here after the meeting and see them.

President John:  That will help a lot thank you.  Yes Kevin.

Kevin Henderson:  I’d like to ask the City Engineer about why the water….I’d like to ask him why the water is not a flooding problem it’s a pumping out of raw sewage problem.  What is causing that and how can we stop that at least.  I mean flooding is okay, I guess, if you had the worst of the two to deal with, but why does raw sewage when you put your hand down to unclog the sewer and you’re not…it does nothing to unclog because it’s poring, pushing your hand away

from it.  What is causing that? 

President John:  And I assume part of what he’s talking about is the CSO’s. 

Pat Keepes:  That’s exactly right.  These are combination sewers, they carry the sanitary flow from your residences.  When we get a heavy rain the runoff goes into these same sewers.  When they overflow whatever is in there is going to come out. 

President John:  Into the storm sewers.

Pat Keepes:  There are no storm sewers it’s going to come out whatever openings it can.  Man holes.

President John:  The manholes, the toilets.

President John: Yes ma’am.

Teresa Hunt:  First of all thank you very much.  My name is Teresa Hunt and I live on Madison Avenue and I have a wonderful neighborhood.  A lot of concerned, caring neighbors and if this would be your home it instantly have something done because you would not want your children, your grandchildren to live like this.  Mr. Lowe, who we are getting our home from did not tell us it flooded, did not tell us the water came up, did not tell us our roof leaked in our garage and it’s a brand new roof, did not tell us the problems we have in that house.  And when I called him you know what his reply was?  When I got up at ten after seven when I was suppose to start work that night on Thursday because of having a vacation, my work has extended our vacation so we can deal with this problem.  When I called him at ten after eight he told me: “Well is it coming through your roof? Well no.  “Is you gutters clean?  Well yeah, what’s that got to do with it coming in my doors, in the baseboards, all around the house.  He said: “push it away from your

house and sandbag it”.  Now isn’t that something to be said.  And then later on that night when I talked to him because I said: “we can’t live here under these conditions.”  He said: “Deal with it!”  Now doesn’t that really look good for someone who I have an awful lot of respect for.  And I imagine some of you people know him.  And I imagine some of these good people out here know him.  And I’ve heard a lot of negative about him but, I’ve always tried to be positive for the people because that’s what’s important.  But this is our community, these are our neighbors, our families, our children, and our friends that are being destroyed by something that should have been addressed and took care of a long time ago.  My heart goes out to Ms. Wills and to all my neighbors.  Yes I had over 4 ½” of standing sewage and water in my home that ruined over $5,000 that I work hard for in just antiques alone.  How would you like that in your home?  Patience you say, we’ve had patience for years, where’s yours.  What are you going to do about this situation?  We would love for you as a body to address this issue and help us take care of it.  It’s okay to sit up here and listen to us, it’s okay to say you care but, this is an election year and word of mouth goes a long way.  If you really care you, would address the issue.  If you really care and you want re-voted back in because we are all voters and we’re all taxpayers and we care about our homes, you would help us.  We need your help, that’s why we are here tonight.  It comes in anytime it rains I’ve had my home flooded twice this year within the last six weeks.  I couldn’t believe it, it’s a nightmare would you like to live through it?  I don’t think so.  Would you please help us.  Don’t say I’ll do something, do it.  It’s easy to say, but now is the time to act, now is the time to approve it.  We need you as much as we need us.  Because these could be extended families of yours, do you care, if you do show us.

President John:  Well it’s good timing because next week starts our Budget Hearings so you’ll be able to monitor everybody real closely. 

Teresa Hunt: Thank you.

Rick Winters:  Rick Winters I live on Monroe and I live right behind the people on Madison.  And the only remarks I want to make, and I really feel sorry for them, and I really do.  Is I’ve lived in that neighborhood for forty years that I can remember as a kid.  Southeast Boulevard before this building was built, I was taking a rowboat down it with the Channel 25 guy, Hal Wolford, I couldn’t think of his name.  But, if you guys get a bond issue or whatever to get this thing fixed don’t drop the ball like you did in ’97 because Southeast Boulevard was tore up for nine months to a year.  I don’t want to go to the Post Office couldn’t go around that way because it was always torn up and was supposed to fix the problem.  It didn’t.  And the point I’m trying to make is we’re doing all these bond issues where we want to get people in this City we don’t want them to leave. Well hell, if I was getting flooded out I’d been sold out a long time ago.  And if they don’t take care of the infrastructure instead of building the Victory and a few other items and nobody wanted in the first place we could have had part of these problems already solved.  And that’s all the comments I’ve got.  (applause).

President John: Well, hope we have a second forum and if we work together with the Administration and the Council and the neighborhoods hopefully we can come up with sufficient funding to address these problems.  The timetable I don’t know but we definitely want to put it on a fast track..  Yes sir.

Rick Walker:  My name is Rick Walker and Jill my fiancée is buying the property at 2912 Madison.  And, as many of you neighbors know we’ve been working on that property for a little over a year and we’ve been renovating and spent quite an extensive time in renovating that property.  I mean, everything from the ground up we put in new.  By the grace of God we hadn’t had water actually come into the house itself because we are one of the few homes on Madison that sets in high enough ground that we were somewhat effected in a garage area.  But like this gentleman here pointed out earlier, I think part of that problem is in the buildings the Walt Lowe apartment buildings behind, because I walked outside after the big torrential rains had run off and everything and just like the river when it rises it leaves debris standing at high places where its been.  I could see where this abundance of water had just run down to our garage area and our garage probably had two inches of water.  And once again fortunately we didn’t have a great deal of stuff in the floor there to really ruin although there were some items but nothing like cars or anything like that.  But I think rather than sit here and telling you people we’re going to vote for somebody different or we’re going to do this and that I think many of you tonight would just as soon hang your coat up somewhere else anyway after listening to all these problems.  But it is a real problem and we need to address it.  I mean what we need to figure out is how in the hell we’re going to get to the other end of the line and do something about it.  And you know we as people that don’t dabble in politics and things of that nature everyday need to know the course that we need to take and there’s definitely a dangerous situation there with children playing in the streets.  I know of many instances, or several instances, where kids have been sucked in sewers and things of that nature.  And I certainly pray that nothing like that ever happens, but raw sewage factor alone there’s hepatitis and things like that that…West Nile…things that people could come in contact with.  And, this is a neighborhood that’s populated by children, a lot of children, and a lot of older folks.  Things that I think with a little common sense approach, which many of you put in your campaigns, common sense approach to things.  I think we need to address it like that.  And again, rather then set her and threaten anybody with their jobs or anything else I say lets get the ball by the….get it by the ball and lets go on with it and see what we can do to address this problem.  And again, instead of false promises lets do something.

President John:  Thank you very much.  Well put.  (applause).  Are there any comments by Members of Council?  Councilwoman.

Councilwoman Walden:  Thank you Mr. President.  I just want to say that I appreciate you coming down here and that’s our job is to sit here and listen.  That’s part of what we’re paid to do.  None of you all can vote for me just for the record, I represent the north side but I would like to promise you that I personally will talk to the Mayor about it.  And I can imagine he’s probably going to get eight other phone calls.  Obviously he already knows about the problem it sounds like it’s a long-term problem.  This is the first that I’ve heard of it.  It sounds to me like it’s a long-term problem that has gotten worse in recent years.  And so, you have done the right thing by coming down here.  Thank you for taking your time and I’m sure I as well as many of the others will work to do what we can to get your problem solved. (applause)

President John:  Thank you.  Councilman.

Councilman Bagbey:  First of all to answer Rick.  Rick, your concern on Southeast Boulevard.  We put $975,000 in there and we handle…. most of the flooding is not a problem.  Let me strike that go back.  The flooding that was on around with Howell and the boats is not there except when we get those short heavy rains at the intersection of Washington and Weinbach and it

backs up into our new project and comes down Southeast Boulevard.  That ties in again with the Southeast Boulevard project with the pump station.  For us to get all that water then we have to build that and then pump it out.  But the Duckworth’s, Hal Wolford, Gary Johnston when he lived there and go on and on down the line.  They will tell you that we did a pretty good job.  It wasn’t the final fix and even the engineers told us that as well as another project known as Jeannette/Cass that we are still having problems with.  Pat Keepes, short term solutions to me, and I’ve said this many, many times and you and I have discussed it, and with this forum tonight I hope that as Angela says, she will talk to Russ.  The very first thing that should be done right now is have EMC go out, that whole area because the combo sewers is our problem, and to see if we’ve got any restrictions.  That’s the short-term fix.  The long-term fix is we’ve got to get rid of combo sewers in this community if we’re ever going to be able to stop flooding projects.  And I will have that petition tomorrow, tomorrow evening I get that at National Night Out there at Lorraine.  And you will have copies of it on Wednesday for you to disseminate.  There’s also a Board that has the authority to….because they are appointed by the Mayor and it’s the Board of Public Works which Pat reports to and Tom Shetler is President of that and I’m sure he would appreciate your telephones calls as well and your concerns.  We have to pressure all sides.  I can’t imagine your frustration.  I’ve lived in floodwaters so I have an appreciation. And what you are talking tonight Denise is a frustration I’ve had battling this from behind the scenes.  And I appreciate that it comes out again and maybe because of you all’s presence here it will get some people up and running and do something.

Rick Winters:  You see if there’s a problem with the existing sewers.

Councilman Bagbey:  That’s what I just said.  That’s my short term and that’s what I asked Pat if he’ll take care of, and Joan heard it as well, and Angela’s going to be talking to the Mayor. 

Rick Winters:  Don’t let that pertain to the permanent fix.

Councilman Bagbey:  It can’t be the permanent fix.  It can’t be….it has to be done again.

Audience:  Talking (Inaudible).

Councilman Bagbey:  But it sounds like…  How’s the floodwall doing?

Unknown: It’s holding on.

Councilman Bagbey: It’s holding it own.  Okay.

Unknown: They got raw sewage in their tub.

Audience talking at once (INAUDIBLE).

Rick Winters:  I’m going to ask….can you as the City Council….I know you can’t ….we are going to get a fine because the executive branch hasn’t told you what they wanted.  Can you guys make a Resolution to say we want to fund certain projects to recommend to the Mayor now? 

President John:  Sure, we can do that.  Our last one was turned down but we can do that. 

Audience:  All talking (INAUDIBLE).

President John:  Well now, I think that that forum opened up tonight that she…Joan is encouraging you to meet with her.  She has two separate dates that…..  Well she has now opened the door.  She has now said that twenty of you at a time can go in on two separate occasions next week and kind of vent what some of the problems are to that branch of government.  You can bet he will be hearing from us.  And starting next Monday it will be a major topic of discussion at budget time.  They’re issuing some bonds right now so maybe that’s the solution.  Maybe that’s the long term solution.

Rick Winters:  Yeah, what I was going to say is if you guys could make a resolution now to recommend to the Mayor and get it on the record and have everybody’s vote on the record to show that they are trying to get something done. 

President John:  I don’t even know is it has to be in a form of a resolution.  I think that we….

Councilman Melcher:  Anybody in a resolution doesn’t have any teeth.

Rick Winters: Well, I understand that.

Councilman Melcher: The thing we’re going to do is we are going to have our budget hearings next week.  We’re not going to pass the final budget until September.  So we’ve got time to try to get the Mayor to get it in the budget and get the bond. 

Rick Winters:   I understand….

Councilman Melcher: (INAUDIBLE) we can find out the path and everything because we’re going to pass…is we do a bond it’s not going to be a $5,000,000 bond or $6,000,000 bond for this project it’s going to be multiple projects.  And then, we would be doing something at three or four different times.  So what we’d like to do is what I’ve been hearing at Council here tonight we’d like to take it to our budget…our own budget hearings and that way we’ll be able to see where we are at financially.  And we’ll also be able to see what kind of bonds that we might be able to get.  We know we (INAUDIBLE) because these bonds (INAUDIBLE).  So I thing that would help.  I think a resolution right now would be premature.

Rick Winters:  All I’m saying is put on the record to show that you guys……

Councilman Melcher:  We are on the record now.  It’s already on the record now.  You are here at the City Council hearing, it’s being taped.  So it’s on the record it will be in the minutes. 

Rick Winters:  I haven’t heard you all vote yes yet.

President John:  Well, I mean this will be easy enough.  I think we ought to send a memo to the Mayor saying that this Council supports looking into how we can fund and moving forward with solving the drainage problems of these…..

Councilman Bagbey:   Well, let me take that one step further.  Let us have the resolution to include that the resolution should read the continuation of the Storm Water Master Project as it

was identified in 1997.  And those other projects deemed by our engineer to wit Vann-Pollack out fall, Southeast Boulevard pump station, Diamond Avenue, and what other else projects that Mr. Keepes feels that we should be addressing.  And I would hope that the Councilman from the 1^st Ward who is directly affected by this, would lend his support and also contact the Mayor.  I don’t want to say anything for you Jeff, I’m setting you up for …….

President John:  He’s already indicating he wants to say something.

Councilman Bagbey:   But, in knowing Councilman Kniese he will be a strong voice for that.  But I think that’s how the motion should read and if we want to do a roll call vote to give Rick that piece of comfort that’s nothing to ask..  I mean, you know, I don’t have a problem with that what so ever.

President John:  Are you making that in a form for a motion for a resolution?

Councilman Bagbey:  Yes.

President John:  Is there a second?

Councilman Kniese: Second.

President John:  Seconded by Councilman Kniese.  We have a motion and a second.  All those in favor signify by saying aye.  Opposed.  No opposed.  Let the record reflect.  So that the Mayor will be notified that the Council unanimously by those Members present support funding and solving the problem as it exists today.  And, I’m sure the Administration will work with us in trying to get that on the fast track.  First the short term solution and then the long term hopefully within a very short period of time.  Councilman Kniese you had something you wanted to say.

Councilman Kniese:  Yes thank you.  Councilman John, it is correct that we received the funding request from the City and we have as he mentioned three options.  But one of the things that we can do as elected officials is we can go to bat to Administration for funding requests.  And I think that personally my job.  So anytime I’ve been approached by anybody in the 1^st Ward I’ll be absolutely honest with you, I fought as hard as a possibly can to get that money.  And it might have been taking money from the 6^th Ward, the 5^th Ward, the 4^th Ward, but so be it.  That’s what I represent is the 1^st Ward.  So, I haven’t really talked to any of the people here and maybe it’s because I’m fairly new to Council.  But, that doesn’t solve the problem as one of the gentlemen talked about…just talking about it I think we need to take some action.  So, I would encourage each of you, if there’s a spokesperson, whatever, I would like to be contacted personally.  I’ve just not had any contact with anybody as far as the problems you are having right now.  So I think actions do speak louder that words.  And it is our responsibility to go to bat for the people we represent and push up in priority some of those projects.  We are all fighting for our areas that we represent.  We all know that, but at the same time if we don’t go to bat we don’t have a strong voice where it really matters, we’re really not doing our job in my opinion.  Yes sir

Kevin Henderson:  You said nobody has contacted you about this problem.

Councilman Kniese: No sir.

  

Kevin Henderson:  Are you kidding?  I thought there was a guy I guess he’s been talking to you Mr. Bagbey.  I was under the understanding that somebody was talking to somebody was talking to the Council quite frequently about this problem.

Councilman Kniese:  Nobody has contacted me whether it be a fellow Council Member or anybody from the public.  No sir.

Kevin Henderson:  You said a picture is worth a thousand words, you just said it.  Why don’t you come down and take a look the next time it floods.

Councilman Kniese:  I’d be glad too.

Kevin Henderson:  To see what we are dealing with.  I’ve got tons of pictures of this.

Councilman Kniese:  I’ll bet you do, yeah. 

Kevin Henderson:  And your toilet paper to wipe your legs off.

President John:  I thought you said there was plenty there. (laughter)  Thank you.  Is there any other comment…yes ma’am

Audience member:  I would just like to add two quick things.  One for Mr. Keepes.  There is a (INAUDIBLE) 2820 we watched it last Thursday.  Water was flowing freely down the south side of the street down into that opening there on the north side of the street from (INAUDIBLE) so there is a  blockage there.  Also, one other thing I want to bring up.  Our next door neighbor was one of several people on our block who called the Water and Sewer Department first thing Thursday morning and said:  “We’ve got a problem!”  The response from Water and Sewer Department was calling the City Garage.  (everyone talking at once)

Councilwoman Walden:  Mr. President.

Kevin Henderson:  Pete Swaim personally told me, he’s a friend of my dads, I called him raising hell.  He personally told me call as soon as the problem happens and we’ll have somebody out there.  Well then, you call them and they are nasty on the phone, we got trucks everywhere we can’t you know just run out to your place.  That kind of response, and then they are there hours later after it’s already…the water has already receding out of the house.  So it doesn’t really…they don’t really have any affect.

President John:  Well this will be another issue to bring up with the Administration.  They should be able to direct you to the right department.

Councilwoman Walden:  Thanks and if I may I think hit on it awhile ago Mr. President that communication I heard you say communication is the key.  And, you know, really that’s what we are here for and I think we’ve got a lot of media here.  You need to call us, call us, that’s what we are here for.  We are all listed in the phone book.  If you can’t find our name and number in the phone book, I’m listed under Scott Walden you know my people say.  Call Alberta and she will tell you.  But we are really to be advocates for our constituents and so when you get the runaround, you know, it just happens.  It’s not really anybody’s fault but that’s part of what our job is, is to be your advocates.  So now you all know Councilman Kniese over there I’m sure he’ll give you a phone number and call him.  And that is really what we are here for and I hope that other areas of the City hear that as well.  But when you have problems and particularly if you are not getting the answers you want call us.  I’m not going to say we can always help you but we are here to be advocates and try to help when there are any areas of the City that have problems, that’s what we are here for.

President John:  Yes, we’ll take one more comment here and then….

Audience member:  I just want to say so far each one of you got my vote still.  (laughter)

President John:  Yes ma’am.

Audience member:  Do you suggest that we personally, as each individual that lives with these problems on a daily basis, write a letter on a continued basis to the Mayor?

President John:  Well, one thing I highly recommend that you get the number of representatives that Joan indicated whether it’s 20 or 10 and you do go through with that meeting.  Set that up so that you can…he may not understand right now the extent of the problem.  And I have no question that he will step in and try to help since we are going to encourage him as well.  Or I would hope so. 

Audience members: all talking (INAUDIBLE)

President John:  I can tell you this if you get it to the Clerk she always copies us on correspondence that’s addressed to the City Council and Mayor.  And she would get it to all of us so you wouldn’t have to send it each of us individually.

Clerk Matlock:  In fact that is…I work full time as the City Clerk and I serve as their secretary.  So any materials that you need to get to the Council, or anything like that feel free to call me at the office and I’ll be glad to give you their numbers and help you.

Pat Keepes:  I would just offer a more appropriate avenue would be to go through the City Engineers office.  I will carry any of these concerns to the appropriate individuals.  I need to know exactly where the problems are and exactly what the nature of them is.  And if I am notified I will not ignore them I will carry them to you all, to the Mayor, and the other individuals that matter.

President John:  I highly recommend that you get with Ms. Well and Mr. Henderson after this and at least get their names and numbers and give them a contact how to get hold of you.

Pat Keepes:  I will do that, yes.

President John:  Okay.  We appreciate….I wish I could say I had the solutions and we’d have it done next week..  I unfortunately can’t say that.  We will work with you.  We’ve had a number of issues that have come up that when we found out that it was creating this kind of problem we’ve been able to address.  Hopefully this is another one that we can resolve.  It will take some working together with the City Administration and Joan’s here to indicate that there is a

willingness on that side to work together to get this resolved.  And if it means go out…according to them this is a good time for bonding so maybe that’s the appropriate route.  It’s going to take something like that because we don’t have the cash balances, the operating balances, to pay for all this out of existing fund.  So we are going to have to get some additional funds to fund not only your project but also a couple of others that are just as pressing.  Yes sir.

Mr. Holder:  I would like to comment.  I’ve been retired for nine years.  Including the stock market and helping my daughter my retirement is just about gone. 

President John:  I can understand.  Yes sir.

Unknown audience members: (INAUDIBLE)

President John:  Okay, Pat is saying that he should be the contact, Pat Keepes.  Now, if they have a letter of complaint, or the want to inform us of anything, they can either call us on the phone, we are all in the book, they can contact Alberta to get any numbers on us, or they can send it in writing to her and she will copy all of us.  She gives us a packet each week of correspondence and new business.  So you’ve got multiple avenues.  If you don’t get response from one, I highly encourage you to seek the second, or do them both at the same time.  And hopefully there won’t be any point…fingers pointing that I didn’t know about it. 

Audience member: (INAUDIBLE)

President John:  Well no, this is an open forum anybody is welcome to speak.  Yes ma’am.

Denise Will:  How would I get more, what channels would I go through in order to find out if Walt Lowe as the owner of the property and the apartments which is a major source of our problems, is he responsible for putting in his own drainage system.  Is that his responsibility?

President John:  That’s something that Mr. Keepes could probably work with you.

Denise Will:  So we should direct it towards him to make it….

President John:  Please.  And there are certain procedures and processes that Mr. Lowe would have to go through to build something like that.  And one of the things that they address I believe at the site review is drainage.  So, maybe he hasn’t done what he’s supposed to do.  Okay.

(Audience Member):  Another (INAUDIBLE)even thought I know this has been challenged.  Every time improved are made to the Lloyd our problem gets worst out there.  When they first built it is when the problems really started from what I heard.  The last time they raised it we had problems again.  This time with the improvements they are making now raising it again this is the worse I’ve ever seen the water, this last Thursday.  I mean normally it’s just me.  It was 12 houses on my block.  There are twenty-two houses, eleven on each side.  Six of us in succession on both sides all got water, twelve houses.

President John:  I don’t know if that’s something you can look into and address.  Could you meet with them after the meeting Pat and maybe gather some of this information.  And if you draft anything and reduce it to writing I would appreciate a copy and I’m sure the other Council

Members will.  Especially if they are available before next Monday and our budget hearings.  All right.  Well, thank you for attending this evening.  I definitely know you’ve got our attention.

Councilman Bagbey:  Thank you folks.

President John:  Is there any other matter under miscellaneous business this evening?  If not, Committee Reports Finance Chairman.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN ROBINSON:  President John: 

We have set for August 25^th, Ordinance G-2003-21, F-2003-14, CDBG and HOME on September 4th.  Second and third on the 15th of September.  And Ordinance F-2003-13 set for September 22nd. 

ASD CHAIRMAN ANGERMEIER:  Nothing at this time.

PUBLIC WORKS CHAIRMAN BAGBEY:  Mr. President we will hear G-2003-20 at 6:10 p.m. on August 18th if Mr. Rector is available.  Also, we will hear G-2003-22 at 6:15 on August 18th.  And Mr. President, do you feel that G-2003-10 is still a go for August 25th?  Or should I move it again.

President John:  Move it again because…

Councilman Bagbey:  Mary are you hearing that?

Mary: Yes.

Councilman Bagbey: Okay.

President John: Peggy Bruan is working on it and hopefully we will have something but not by the 25th though.

Clerk Matlock: We have a meeting that day, at 4:00 PM.

Councilman Bagbey:  Right, right

President John: You can have it and continue it that day.

Councilman Bagbey: Continuing, so we won’t have it that night Mary, okay.

ADJOURNMENT:

President John:  May I have a motion to adjourn?

 

Councilman Bagbey moved and Councilman Melcher seconded the motion to adjourn.  Voice Vote.  So Ordered.  Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

                                               

PRESIDING OFFICER

                                               

CITY CLERK