Posts in this topic

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=31562.94

The city council's new battle plan

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Like Knights of the Round Table, Michigan City Common Council members convened Thursday evening at the round table in the Mayor's Conference Room to create a battle plan for attacking some of the city's most pressing issues.

Council President Bob McKee asked each council member to put on the table their top three issues. From that, consensus was reached on seven key categories to cover the issues.

The council's first priority is to form a task force made up of the nine council members and nine individuals from the community recruited by the council. The task force will be asked to work in subcommittees that will review all aspects of city government - city budgets, boards and commissions, use of buildings, city-owned properties - to identify what McKee called "efficiencies of operation."

"Everything is on the table," McKee said. "We'll look at everything to see if it can be more efficient. Business does this all the time. Government needs to do that."

Ultimately, the task force report will become a working document when the council and mayor meet to formulate the 2010 city budget. Oberlie has already asked department heads to come up with plans to lop off 10 percent of their operating costs.

The task force is expected to come together in February and complete its work by June, in time for the beginning of the city's budgeting cycle.

A new concept, tentatively called "Coffee with the Council," will bring city council members into each of the six wards to listen to residents' concerns. The meetings will take place once a month, beginning in March in the 1st Ward.

The Issues
Besides empowering a task force, the council agreed to tackle issues in the following areas:

•Michigan Boulevard - redeveloping a new city corridor that creates a strong positive impact, and identifying ways to fund visual improvement to housing and businesses along the revamped boulevard.

•Neighborhood parks - expand summer camps and activities into neighborhood parks so all children will have access to enrichment programs.

•South Shore Railroad - maintain forward momentum from cost-benefit analysis being done on three optional locations for the commuter rail line and push for long-term development.

•Federal and state grants - identify ways to position the city to get grants for resource development; the city qualifies for funds on multiple fronts but has not pursued outside funding as aggressively as areas of Lake and Porter counties.

•Planning and zoning - clarify and enforce codes, and conduct a comprehensive review of code ordinances.

•NIPSCO and prison - work on a long-range plan to remove NIPSCO and Indiana State Prison from their current locations, and create a common vision for the corridor from Washington Park to Franklin Square.

-Laurie Wink