Redevelopment Still Hot Topic at Council Meeting

(posted August 16)

Speedway Town Councilors Lu Hillmer and Bill Suffel challenged two resident taxpayers, Jay Coffman and Debra Wilcox, in their questioning of the Speedway Redevelopment Commission's actions during the August 11 Town Council meeting.

Coffman said the Speed Zone Master Plan is too preliminary to be seeking bond approval and that the town is assuming a huge amount of risk by doing so. He said that engineering the whole road system is necessary, and not just a detailed design of 16th Street realignment.

"If they do not do this project as an entire piece then we will lose momentum, because what reason is there for IMS to continue to leverage behind this once they have the realignment of 16th Street, which is the primary piece they want."

Hillmer told Coffman that it has to be done in phases because of money issues. She asked him how many redevelopment commission meetings he had attended.

Coffman said he not attended any of the meetings. Coffman explained that SRC President Vince Noblet contacted him but that he had not yet returned Noblet's call.

She said that if he would talk to the redevelopment commissioners to get more information that he might change his mind and be more "positive" toward the plan. Hillmer has historically admonished anyone raising questions or concerns that they need to be more positive and to have faith in the redevelopment commission.

"Nobody is taking anybody for any kind of money, and nobody is misleading anybody," she said.

When Coffman confronted her as to when he made those statements, Hillmer responded that it was insinuated and assumed.

Redevelopment Commission Executive Director Scott Harris responded to some of the issues raised by Coffman. He said if all of the design and engineering projects were conducted at once it would cost $20 to $25 million. He said they have been through all of the steps that Coffman talked about and once completed the plans will be available at the town hall.

Resident Debra Wilcox said the redevelopment plan is dividing the town. She expressed concerns that the $1.9 million park bond will be used for the linear park, and not for Meadowood and Leonard Parks.

Councilor Jeff Hartman told her to attend the parks board meeting to have her questions answered. He said that the linear park was never mentioned or talked about.

The linear park was discussed at the July 31 parks board special meeting, where the board examined the possibility of the park board leasing the park from the IMS.

Harris acknowledged there have been discussions about the linear park.

Wilcox also did not want to see Georgetown Road vacated because of the additional estimated 5,000 cars that would be redirected to Lynhurst Drive. She said it would increase the morning rush hour traffic in the school zone.

Harris said there is system wide study that examined traffic at Tibbs Avenue, Lafayette Road, 38th Street, 34th Street, Lynhurst Drive and High School Road once Georgetown Road is vacated. He also said that the MPO is completing a micro simulation study traffic analysis concerning the road closure.

Councilor Bill Suffel asked Wilcox the number meetings she has attended. She responded that she initially attended meetings and served on the vision committee. She quit going to the meetings because she was not able to obtain information she was looking for.

Jo Ellen Dotlich requested the linear park displays be placed at the Speedway Industrial Park for viewing since they are currently located at a private home. She contended the initial viewing prior to the public viewing at the library will impair the final decision.

Harris said the focus group's comments will not be weighted differently from the public comments received at the library.

Noblet said the displays were at the IMS Centennial Celebration. The plans were not developed by the IMS, but by the redevelopment commission. He said nothing has been decided because the displays will function as an informational gathering tool.

The Navigator staff was present at the celebration and no mention of the linear park was discussed during the announcement, nor were any of the displays seen. Harris disagreed with the Navigator, saying the displays were in another room at the Allison Mansion.

Dotlich also raised an awareness with the council about the tax increment revenue spreadsheet submitted to the DLGF because it did not identify businesses other than Allison and Praxair. Dotlich also had concerns as to why Speedway Utility Management LLC was not part of the project list when it has been discussed at public meetings. The central utilities complex will be owned by the management company, a subsidiary of Citizens Utilities, and will serve Allison Transmission with steam and waste water treatment. A minor source operating permit was approved by the city's Office of Environmental Services on January 11, 2008 with the intent for the CUC to be operational by September 2008.

According to Dan Considine of Citizens Gas, "IURC approval cannot proceed until we have an executed contract. Contract negotiations are ongoing and we don't have an estimated contract completion date or a start date."

Harris insisted that naming the businesses would "derail" the project. His answer caused giggles of skepticism from the crowd. He assured the board that financing safeguards are in the lease rental agreement that will avoid using property taxes.