[Tom Burns]

Your thoughts?

[Ang]

1. Lack of good employment

[Dave]

1. Jobs

2. MCAS

3. Route of the South Shore and the new plan for 11th street

4. NIPSCO -- the cooling tower that makes everyone think we have a nuke plant here, and the industrial use of some of the choicest beachfront property in the state

5. North End redevelopment

and I'll throw in a sixth...

6. The ailing Marquette Mall

[Southsider2k12]

1. Is our view of ourselves. I have never understood why City has such a poor view of itself, while people come from hours away to be here. After a while, it becomes self-fulfilling prophecy.

2. The trust level in the MCAS. The school system will never advance with both sides suspicious of each other. Harding must go.

3. West side revival. The Trail Creek area gets the press, but the west side affects many more people than does Trail Creek. I still think finding a way to access the beach directly would do wonders to get people flooding into that neighborhood for bargain prices

4. Find an employment identity. Many people seem to believe that we should be looking for industrial and manufacturing jobs to bring to City. Most economists think that era is pretty much dead, and with the death of steel and auto around here, I think they are right. We need to look into something else, whether it is green energy or high technology to become our "industry" for City and LaPorte County in the 21st century.

5. In town transportation. I really have a problem with having so many "poor" people in town, and the complete lack of sidewalks south of about St John's Road. Many people work south of that area, as a huge portion of retail is down there. Also that is the cheapest part of town to shop in, so it is the area that many people can stretch their small incomes the furthest. We need to be able to have people safely walking and biking into those areas.

[lovethiscity]

Lack of planning. Present an idea to the city leaders no matter how goofy, they will give the go ahead.

What we need is:

1. A City Planner

2. a Planning Commision (no offence Michael)

3. a Planning Department

4. a non political BZA as a safe guard to poor planning choices, not a rubber stamp to them.

5. A mayor willing to give them guidance and leadership while being accountable for his appointments.

[Dave]

5. A mayor willing to give them guidance and leadership while being accountable for his appointments.

I'm a bit curious about this -- are people the mayor appoints to various positions -- boards and such -- accountable to the mayor, or are the appointments for specific periods of time?

If I was mayor (fat chance!), and I appointed someone to the, well, I'll use an example I know a little about, the Historic Review Board, the appointment is for a set term (two years, if I recall correctly). If my appointee turns out to be a total loser, can I fire him before the two years are up? How about non-board appointees, like the city planner or the head of the parks department -- do they serve at my pleasure, or am I stuck with them for a specific period of time (disregarding issues such as employment contracts, which are made to be, if not broken, bent -- If I was in charge and the guy I chose for the head of water and sewers was a total screwball, he might discover his job description had been changed to include regular on site sewer inspections)?

[digger262]

5. In town transportation. I really have a problem with having so many "poor" people in town, and the complete lack of sidewalks south of about St John's Road. Many people work south of that area, as a huge portion of retail is down there. Also that is the cheapest part of town to shop in, so it is the area that many people can stretch their small incomes the furthest. We need to be able to have people safely walking and biking into those areas.

I agree completely on this. Another element to this is the lack of enforcement during the winter of shoveling your sidewalks. There is a city ordinance stating all sidewalks must be cleared of snow within 24 hours of snowfall. This has been on the books for many, many years and is never enforced.

In regards to biking. It is against the law in Indiana(and most states) to bike on a sidewalk. You can argue this either way but the fact remains it is against the law.

[Southsider2k12]

Lack of planning. Present an idea to the city leaders no matter how goofy, they will give the go ahead.

What we need is:

1. A City Planner

2. a Planning Commision (no offence Michael)

3. a Planning Department

4. a non political BZA as a safe guard to poor planning choices, not a rubber stamp to them.

5. A mayor willing to give them guidance and leadership while being accountable for his appointments.

The one thing I have quickly learned about Planning, is that there really isn't much to it. I could be wrong, but I really feel like it is almost a judiciary body that just interprets the proposals people have through the codes and laws put in by the council. There really isn't an actionary role there. It is all reactionary. If we don't like the way a rule is, we can't do anything about it. We have to ask the City Council to do something with it. If we were to vote something that was against the code, or vote against something that is in the code, we are begging for a lawsuit.

[Southsider2k12]

I agree completely on this. Another element to this is the lack of enforcement during the winter of shoveling your sidewalks. There is a city ordinance stating all sidewalks must be cleared of snow within 24 hours of snowfall. This has been on the books for many, many years and is never enforced.

In regards to biking. It is against the law in Indiana(and most states) to bike on a sidewalk. You can argue this either way but the fact remains it is against the law.

I'll admit I am ignorant of biking rules. If that is the case, I would like to see some bike lanes added.

[Dave]

I agree completely on this. Another element to this is the lack of enforcement during the winter of shoveling your sidewalks. There is a city ordinance stating all sidewalks must be cleared of snow within 24 hours of snowfall. This has been on the books for many, many years and is never enforced.

I did not know this. When there's a heavy snow, I often go clear around my block with my snowblower (makes walking the dog a lot easier for me -- the dog still insists on going through the snow). Didn't know I was keeping my neighbors from getting ticketed -- or is this just for commercial properties?

Ditto on southsider's planning comments. All the planning in the world doesn't matter if there's no implementation.

This post has been edited by Dave: Jun 26 2009, 03:02 PM

[eric.hanke]

1. The Residents

2. The Inhabitants

3. The Lack Of Voters

4. The Lazy Ones

5. The People



Need I say more?

[davew]

1. The Residents

2. The Inhabitants

3. The Lack Of Voters

4. The Lazy Ones

5. The People



Need I say more?

Nope, Pretty much hits it on the head for me. Who wants to buy my house in Old Edgewood

[davew]

I agree completely on this. Another element to this is the lack of enforcement during the winter of shoveling your sidewalks. There is a city ordinance stating all sidewalks must be cleared of snow within 24 hours of snowfall. This has been on the books for many, many years and is never enforced.

In regards to biking. It is against the law in Indiana(and most states) to bike on a sidewalk. You can argue this either way but the fact remains it is against the law.

But, what really gets me is that you will see a lot of people walking on the street when there is a perfectly good sidewalk. I have seen it on Franklin, Michigan, 11th and about all over.

[Ang]

Those people must be drunk or high.

[digger262]

I did not know this. When there's a heavy snow, I often go clear around my block with my snowblower (makes walking the dog a lot easier for me -- the dog still insists on going through the snow). Didn't know I was keeping my neighbors from getting ticketed -- or is this just for commercial properties?

Granted, I haven't lived in the city for a while but my parents still do and they walk quite a bit and keep up on this pretty closely. As far as I know, it hasn't changed from what it was when I lived there and it was residential and commercial. The excuses I heard for not enforcing it were that many people can't physically do it or afford to have it done, enforcement is too expensive, and determining when a snowfall stops is too difficult. Fine, but why is it still on the books then?

[lovethiscity]

The one thing I have quickly learned about Planning, is that there really isn't much to it. I could be wrong, but I really feel like it is almost a judiciary body that just interprets the proposals people have through the codes and laws put in by the council. There really isn't an actionary role there. It is all reactionary. If we don't like the way a rule is, we can't do anything about it. We have to ask the City Council to do something with it. If we were to vote something that was against the code, or vote against something that is in the code, we are begging for a lawsuit.

As an appointed group that is part of the executive branch, the BZA has no judiciary powers. It sounds like you spoke to Wallace and Al. This group has been overturned by real judges on major rulings they have made. (gas station, homeless shelter)

[IndyTransplant]

1. The Residents

2. The Inhabitants

3. The Lack Of Voters

4. The Lazy Ones

5. The People



Need I say more?

You seem to have a pretty dim view of all of your fellow citizens. That makes me so sad

Of course by including the Residents, the Inhabitants and the People you are including yourself. Are you really this cynical and jaded?

My list agrees with many above:

1) Unemployment

2) Property value decline

3) Marquette Mall (should be in the top 5 I think)

4) Nepotism in this city government and utilities (already apparent to this newbie)

5) Education levels (or lack thereof) of many children and adults.

[Homey]

Apathy
Self Entitlement
Stale Government/Lack of Vision and Guts to Carry it Out
Urban Blight
Lack of Progressive School System

[eric.hanke]

You seem to have a pretty dim view of all of your fellow citizens. That makes me so sad

Of course by including the Residents, the Inhabitants and the People you are including yourself. Are you really this cynical and jaded?

My list agrees with many above:

1) Unemployment

2) Property value decline

3) Marquette Mall (should be in the top 5 I think)

4) Nepotism in this city government and utilities (already apparent to this newbie)

5) Education levels (or lack thereof) of many children and adults.

I do have a grim outlook on MC. For years the current political machine has not been able to move on north end development, placement of the library, police, and city offices, or attract any high-paying jobs in the technology or medical fields. However, we can't wait to "blow" millions of dollars on skate parks and splash pads.

All the while we have seen massive development in Valparaiso and Chesterton; some in LaPorte and New Buffalo. What I am trying to say is that too many Michigan City and LaPorte County citizens are closed-minded and open to change. This reluctance to change has driven all the new development right around the outskirts of LaPorte County and into Michigan.

It also now turns out that all this time there were some "behind the scenes" NICTD plans being drawn up while MC was spending huge dollars on multiple studies for the best placement of the South Shore tracks.

Don't even get me started on all the water/sewage problems. We need to invest in solid infrastructure before skate parks and splash pads. What an embarrassment.

Until the citizens of LaPorte County become more open to change our local economy will continue to falter even after the economy improves nationally.

What I am trying to say is that we need massive, monumental, historic change in LaPorte County Government and in The Michigan City Area Schools. We desperately need new blood all around.

[IndyTransplant]

I do have a grim outlook on MC. For years the current political machine has not been able to move on north end development, placement of the library, police, and city offices, or attract any high-paying jobs in the technology or medical fields. However, we can't wait to "blow" millions of dollars on skate parks and splash pads.

All the while we have seen massive development in Valparaiso and Chesterton; some in LaPorte and New Buffalo. What I am trying to say is that too many Michigan City and LaPorte County citizens are closed-minded and open to change. This reluctance to change has driven all the new development right around the outskirts of LaPorte County and into Michigan.

It also now turns out that all this time there were some "behind the scenes" NICTD plans being drawn up while MC was spending huge dollars on multiple studies for the best placement of the South Shore tracks.

Don't even get me started on all the water/sewage problems. We need to invest in solid infrastructure before skate parks and splash pads. What an embarrassment.

Until the citizens of LaPorte County become more open to change our local economy will continue to falter even after the economy improves nationally.

What I am trying to say is that we need massive, monumental, historic change in LaPorte County Government and in The Michigan City Area Schools. We desperately need new blood all around.

Understand better now and agree that new blood might be just the ticket. Are you going to run for office?