SPEED Challenges SRC Plans

(posted Dec 6)

Speedway People Encouraging Equal Development (SPEED) President Jo Ellen Dotlich told the members at its December 3 meeting "I want you guys to start fighting for what you want." Dotlich is encouraging the residents of the mobile home parks to be heard. "I need more voices behind me now," she said.

Dotlich wants to find alternatives other than taking people homes, jobs, and businesses.

"Can't we do it another way where we don't lose so much?," she asked the members and Speedway Redevelopment Commissioners.

SRC President Vince Noblet said the redevelopment commission is putting together the infrastructure. "We are not building the buildings that will be leased. Private development does that. You have to put the bones down in order to put the meat on the bones."

He denied that the redevelopment is designed for one stakeholder, the IMS.

"I beg to differ," Susan Luebbert said. "My property is being taken for IMS redevelopment. It says it right on all of the papers."

Luebbert is losing her business, Speedway Monogramming, due to the relocation of Dry Run Ditch.

Dotlich said the initial street realignment plans did not affect Speedway Monogramming. Noblet was questioned if the ditch could be relocated into the old 16th Street road bed once it is vacated.

Noblet said nobody on the commission has the expertise to tell American Structurepoint where to locate the ditch. He said the ditch has been moved many times during the planning stages.

Luebbert said she did not receive notice from the state departments of environmental management or natural resources about the ditch going through her property. She said she received notice about the IMS enclosing Dry Run within the track last year and the plans included the IMS contributing $25,000 for mandatory ditch mitigation south of 16th Street. The mitigation plan was developed for the site along the same stream or a different stream.

Luebbert said the SRC is "knocking out" small businesses for three or four major stakeholders. She said the SRC has failed to make one announcement of a new business coming to the area.

"Have we built anything?" Noblet asked.

Luebbert responded "You don't have anybody screaming from the rafters, 'Yes, I am gonna make Speedway my home in the future'."

She said the SRC has ignored small businesses "because you know we are all going to be out of the picture."

Noblet said communication is a two way street. However, Luebbert reminded Noblet that she participated in the 2005-2006 Vision Committee and has actively attended the SRC and town council meetings to discuss issues.

Dotlich wanted to know if the major stakeholders can survive the current recession without employee layoffs.

Commissioner Bill Jones doubted if Allison Transmission would lose any employees once the Central Utilities Complex is built to provide energy to the plant. The proposed CUC will have four boilers.

The SRC contends the CUC is an estimated $20 million investment. At the commission's October 2007 meeting, commissioner Ron Fisher said the CUC would be an added plus to bring industry to the town because boilers are expensive. He expected Praxair's boilers to be nearing the end of their usefulness, allowing Praxair to use the CUC.

Allison Transmission's Public Relations Director Eric Dickerson did not know about the CUC or if Allison Transmission employees operating its boilers would be impacted when the CUC becomes operational. "I wish I could answer these questions but I don't know the answers. I have read in the IBJ that there is some consideration as to building a new steam powerplant in this area but that is all I know."

Noblet wanted the group to recognize that IMS and Allison Transmission are significant taxpayers, noting that Allison and Praxair employ a lot of people as the reason to help them with redevelopment.

Noblet said the company has made commitments to make investments in its plants. Dotlich and Luebbert contended that abatements will probably be given to the company which could negate any increases to the tax base.

It will be up to the SRC whether or not abatements are given in the TIF area.

"You guys, I am sorry. I have yet to see anybody not to approve something, whether it is the town council or SRC. It is always rubber stamped. I never see anybody say 'No. We are not going to do this'," Dotlich said.

The Nov 25 Bond and BAN resolution allows for adjustments to the assessed values of real property and certain personal property due to abatements being granted to owners in the areas.

Dotlich did not want Speedway to be like Carmel, where redevelopment project costs were underestimated by $28 million. She said Speedway has time to review the project before its starts. Dotlich contended the cost of the project has to go up with shortages of asphalt.

Noblet argued the price asphalt is going down.

Calumet President Kevin Green said the price of liquid asphalt has declined about ten percent but it has not fallen like gas prices. He said there are many grades and variables in producing liquid asphalt.

Shortages are only occurring with the chemicals needed to make the high grades for paving interstates and high traffic roads, not for low or medium grade liquid asphalt used for parking lots, streets, city and local roads projects.

Speedway resident Rita Burch commended the commissioners for attending the meeting. "I would not walk into the lions' den," she said to Noblet and Jones. Burch contends their presence is showing a willingness to listen. Dotlich is hoping the SRC will listen to alternatives so properties do not have to be taken.

In the mean time, Dotlich is encouraging SPEED members to get involved and to put their applications in with the town to serve on commissions. She said that all five SRC positions are up for appointment at the end of the year.