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Southsider2k12
I ran this series on the CBTL facebook page, but wanted to share them here. For those who didn't follow them, this is my personal "20 for 2020" which is going to be 20 items of importance to the future of Michigan City, and what I believe should happen with them as well as why. If you are interested in seeing the discussion that went with them on facebook check hashtag #20for20 on facebook.
Southsider2k12
For the first of my #20in20 series of 20 things I want to see happen in Michigan City in 2020, here we go!

With the budgetary situation, it is time to get a forensic audit done in the City. We went from a balanced budget, to $1.6 million in the hole, to $3.4 million in the hole and with the lowest reserves in the boat fund in 22 years. It is time to dig deep and understand both the granular level of what we are spending, as well as figuring out how we regularly arrive in this budgetary crisis' every few years or so.

It is also long past time to end our dependence on the boat fund for operations expenses, as that money may not always be there, and what happens if it disappears? Time to get our house in order budgetarily speaking.
Southsider2k12
For the 2nd of the #20for20 series on how I would like to see Michigan City improve itself, today I want to focus for the 1st time on the West Side. There are a lot of things that could happen to improve the area. My first idea here is with the NIPSCO plant slated to close in a decade or less, lets figure out a way to open up the neighborhood to the beach on the other side of it. Eventually the entire area will be redesigned, so let's cooperate with them to see if we can do this even earlier. If it takes City money for a pedestrian bridge and some barricades to protect NIPSCo and the users of the beach, great, let's do it.
Southsider2k12
#3 is sidewalks. This has been a discussion around Michigan City for a while, but for me it should be a top priority. We largely have a retail based economy where the majority of the City struggles from paycheck to paycheck. The idea of a car is a fantasy for many. The public bus routes have limited usage based on the times that they run. Because of these types of factors, many people are forced to engage in dangerous walks to work in places where there are no easy ways to walk to.

As a City we have to look at work patterns, and match sidewalks to them. We point to a place like Valpo for guidance often, but even their work on Highway 30 last year included sidewalks. The initial target areas should be figuring out South Franklin and the area around Michigan City High School.
Southsider2k12
Part 4 of my #20for20 series of ideas for Michigan City improvements is the future of the Saint Anthony's site. The City needs to stay active in engaging the team behind Fransican Hospitals so that site does not become another rotting site in the middle of a neighborhood. For some reason our leadership has been much more active to tear down dilapidated housing, but not nearly as much so to tear down dilapidated business sites. Now this site hasn't gotten to that point as of yet, but the goal should be to quickly do something intelligent there so that it doesn't get to that point.

Mayor Parry has mentioned wanting to get a VA hospital on that site. I don't know if the VA is looking to expand, and if they would be interested in the site, but that would be a solid usage of the site.

Even if they aren't interested, we should be looking to first find someone who could utilize the site as is, and if there isn't anyone interested, the City should explore buying it and tearing down the structures there so it could be used for something new in the future. Again, if we look at the communities around us, Valparaiso made sure that the former Porter Memorial site didn't sit and rot. Chesterton has already torn down the former K-Mart site.

Let's be progressive here and look for a best case usage for the site now, and not bemoan its condition in a decade or two.
Southsider2k12
Seeing the story about Michigan City pulling out of the lead abatement program actually hit one of the items on my #20for20 list of City improvements I would like to see. A program for addressing lead levels is my #5 of that list.

With the high levels of lead and lead poisoning (areas of City are seeing higher rates of lead than in Flint MI) the most likely causes of it are related to housing. Lead in pipes, lead in paint are major issues. With the lack of modern housing in Michigan City, and now the worry that lead could well exist in a significant portion of our housing stock, it needs to be addressed. We need to figure out how to fund a program for lead abatement that doesn't just fund a small amount of people. Not only is it a housing issue, it is a health emergency.
Southsider2k12
#6 on the #20for20 list is the need for the reformation of our neighborhood parks. So many of are parks are suffering from neglect and lack of updates. Many of these parks should should serve as anchors for neighborhoods and focal points for our kids. Instead they serve no one effectively. Effort needs to be put into rebuilding them and giving people reasons to return to the City.
Southsider2k12
Item #7 of my #20for20 series is going to stay on the topic of the Michigan City Park system.

When the downtown plaza was a front and center topic, one of the proposed selling points was that there was up to 250 days of programming that could be hosted there. My thought is that if there is really that much programming to be had, we should be adding events to our neighborhood parks, again as a draw to bring people back to Michigan City, and our local neighborhoods. With as many transportation issues as exist in our population, getting events closer to population centers would allow a higher participation rate for people and kids who really need programs.
Southsider2k12
The #20for20 series (part 8) continues with a look at Economic Identity. Michigan City's early history up until the 1970's or even early 80's it was pretty obvious what we were known for as a work force. We were a manufacturing City that built things. With the changes in the world in which manufacturing has been moved to cheaper venues, that isn't true anymore.

My thought is that we need to look to redefine ourselves with an identity that is viable in 2020 and beyond. So far we have contented ourselves with retail and tourism, neither of which is very profitable for workforce's. In fact, retail is undergoing an unprecedented level of changes surrounding the move from shopping malls to internet based shopping. Malls are closing all over the country. Entire chains of stores are disappearing forever. Even the long term future of a place like Lighthouse Place is in question, as they are seeing levels of unused store fronts that they have never seen before.

We need to do a deep dive into what our work force can offer in a 21st century economy, and look to redefine ourselves in a new economic world. Surrounding communities have been able to do this, and are reaping the income benefits from it. We trail our peers in terms of both earnings and unemployment throughout the state of Indiana. It is time to find a way to sell ourselves to the world as not just a tourism destination, but an employment destination.
Southsider2k12
Part 9 of the #20for20 series of Michigan City improvements stays on the theme of work force, and what can be done locally to improve it.

It has been almost 11 years since voters took to the polls and soundly defeated a measure to build a new career center in Michigan City for the MCAS. Since then the school systems have done everything they can to expand programming, even in outdated facilities, including adding programs such as Fire Science and the Compressor Academy to the ranks of offerings. The need for a new facility has not gone away.

My idea is for the City of Michigan City to continue their commitment to building our school system and its reputation up as much as possible, by putting up the seed money for a new career center through the money's currently available through TIF funding. The school system would then bond the rest of the funding, and also start to charge tuition style fees to other school systems who currently utilize the facility as a way of making some of the funds to support this programming. Sure it might take some reworking of current ordinances and borders, but that is a matter of legislation.

This would make a great marriage of the public good, along with public education. In exchange, I would like to see the MCAS work to offer more adult education classes in the career sector, in order to move our work force from a 20th century manufacturing model, to one that offers skills that result in quality middle class employment for the 21st century. Ideally it would be a brand new modern facility, but the exploration of a site like the old Saint Anthony's, or another dead site in City, could also be considered.

Modernizing our workforce and our school system's offerings in one swoop would be an amazing accomplishment.
Southsider2k12
Today we reach the halfway point of the #20for20 series, focusing on potential improvements for Michigan City. With that, I will say, this is neither a comprehensive list, nor could it be fully implemented. I fully recognize that tax money and budgets only allow for so much spending. The list, while it is things I want to see happen, is mostly meant to spur discussion, but mostly to spur involvement in the community. And not just involvement where you fit neatly into the round holes the local leaders want to fit you into, but involvement where we all intelligently demand more of our leadership and maybe make their lives slightly more miserable than they were. With that said, here is #10:

Double Tracking has been a public policy discussion since at least 2008 for the South Shore. The idea is both to shorten the commute time to Chicago from Northwest Indiana, but also to potentially bring more commuters to Michigan City. For our City it will mean a large swatch of our hometown will never be the same. Somewhere around 100 houses and businesses are scheduled to be bought out, demolished, and two train track lines will be placed there. Hundreds of residents will be moved, and lives will be changed forever. Around 20 crossings will be lost forever. There will be a loss of property tax money as well. The hope is that the trade off of this, plus the millions of dollars being asked for by NICTD of us, will eventually lead to more people living here and putting their tax dollars and spending to work in our hometown. I think by now we are all familiar with the tag lines and concepts of the project.

My focus isn't as much on the project itself for one reason. There isn't much we can do to stop it. If local governments are in favor, and the federal government is willing to fund it, the way the laws are written almost makes it a foregone conclusion. My focus is to make sure we are ready to take advantage of the project. We keep getting told that people might be willing to move here if they can commute in about one hour to the much broader job market of Chicago. My answer to that is that communities like the south side of Chicago, Hammond and Gary, are all between 20 minutes and one hour away from those same job markets, and what has the double tracking done for them? It isn't a cure-all for whatever ails us on its own.

We will need to invest in infrastructure, as well as getting much more modern housing options available for new residents. We also need to address the reputations of our school system and safety to the outside world. Thinking about looking to move, the types of things people weigh are neighborhoods, school systems, crime and safety, as well as local amenities. Keep in mind that there are other communities around us who won't face all of the damaging aspects of double tracking, but have all of the advantages of being a place to attract people, while being just as close (if not closer) of a commute to Chicago. We have to start working NOW to make Michigan City a better FINAL destination, and not just a weekend stop over. If we don't double tracking will only have negative externalities for City.
Southsider2k12
Today in part 11 of the #20for20 series, I am going to talk about expanding Michigan City. This is not just in terms of trying to attract population, but trying to add to the footprint of City. Let's face it, City is in a tough place. They are up against the Lake to the north, Porter County to the West, Trail Creek, Pott Park, and Long Beach to the East, and I-94 to the South. Pott Park has explored annexation talks with City, but it is out of necessity and a major infrastructure need.

If at all possible, this would be a good first step towards expansion. Realistically, this area is the same market, but because of all of the extra lines drawn, each area has its own government and infrastructure costs, as well as competing for resources. One of the advantages of many area communities is that they are able to build new housing neighborhoods inside of their icity limits as they aren't hemmed in by their area. Our biggest opportunity besides Pottawattomie Park is south past 400 and even south of I-94. This could allow us to add to the tax base and our population, while adding more modern housing options and infrastructure.
Southsider2k12
Idea #12 in the continuing saga of #20for20 is code enforcement. But not on rundown houses, but rundown business and factory locations. Does the picture you see below look familiar? Of course it doesn't. For decades it was the Kmart in Chesterton. Now it is a pile of rubble getting taken out and cleaned up for a future use. This is normal behavior in places like Chesterton and Valpo. Buildings don't sit and fall apart for decades. As a government we seem to try to do this with some houses, but we seem to let these types of buildings sit for no good reason. It is time to start condemning and raising these sites so that potential future growth could happen there. At the very least it takes away the visual that we are a community in decay.
Southsider2k12
Yesterday for #20for20 I talked about code enforcement on dead businesses and buildings. Today, in part 13, I want to take aim directly at the biggest elephant in the room in Marquette Mall. The property sits at what the former City Planner told me is the 5th busiest intersection in the State of Indiana. It is a very early look at Michigan City for a LOT of people who come through our town. It has sat for years now as a rotting an under-used facility. The problems of the interior are infamous around town. It is time to force action on that site. The last administration tried to engage the ownership group on improvements but didn't get a reply back and apparently didn't take any further action. If the ownership group isn't willing to listen, it is time to dig into code enforcement and either get them interested in fixing it, or look to have it condemned and removed. As busy as that intersection is, having a blighted facility at our busiest corridor is not acceptable. No matter what the future is there, the lost opportunities are too great to let it keep rotting away with no utilization to speak of.
Southsider2k12
#14 on the #20for20 series of ideas for Michigan City improvement is starting the discussions and planning for the future of the NIPSCO property. Early on I talked about working on early beach access for the West Side of Michigan City, but this is to focus more on the whole of the property.

Before it even gets said, Yes, this is a long time into the future. Yes it is going to take a while to close down, and even longer to clean up. But good planning will also take time. We as a community need to be working on a vision for one of the most massive changes to our community in its history. I sat down with a NIPSCO spokesperson last year and he made clear that the company wants to work with Michigan City on getting the site to a state that can achieve the communities goals for it. When they left a site in Gary, the City of Gary asked that the site remain industrial, and NIPSCO has worked with the city to achieve that end.

So what is our vision? The size and scope of the property means the possibilities are wide open.
-We could extend the national park.
-We could extend Washington Park and create a massive lake front experience.
-We could look to keep that a viable business site and recruit a fitting company to re-purpose the site (a indoor waterpark/hotel was mentioned yesterday, but how about an amusement park and hotel in general?).
-We could also look to expand our tax base and target multi-million housing on the lake front, while claiming a smaller portion for public uses.
-We could look to turn it into more of a public experience modeled after the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, including retail, food, and other experiences.
-We could also mix some of these items depending on scope and size.

Finally I would like to open the virtual floor to everyone and ask for your vision of the property. If you were to walk to this site in 2040, what would you LIKE to see and what do you think would be the most beneficial to the people of Michigan City?
Southsider2k12
Part 15 of the #20for20 series of Michigan City improvement ideas is exploring the Promise Scholarship and looking to expand it, if possible. The biggest hole in the program right now is that it does not allow funds to go to families that rent. The original idea was that this could both improve home ownership and the amount of kids in the MCAS. As of this point, the program hasn't seemed to do much for the ownership number. Plus, if the family can prove residency and attendance, why shouldn't they receive funding? They are just as much a part of the population as anyone else, and in many cases, the economic factors that prevent home ownership are the same ones that block kids from being able to afford college. A top goal should be breaking the cycle of poverty, especially with as many struggling families as we have locally. Education is key.
Southsider2k12
#16 of the #20for20 series of ideas for Michigan City improvements is Washington Park. Now we have put money into some infrastructure down there recently, but there are some projects and ideas which could use to work.

First off, from a historic standpoint, much of the original works done there during the Great Depression through the WPA (Works Progress Administration) are starting to crumble. Restoration work should be a high priority. The walls around the park, the stone works, and benches especially could use some TLC.

Second, it let's get some programming back into the Park. We used to have things like Labor Dayz and especially Oktoberfest were wildly attended and were loved by the community. If the premise of a downtown park was that there were 250 days of programming to be had, let's put this park to work to host some of them. It is our jewel of a park locally, and magnet to people from out of town. Let's re-engage it with the community.
Southsider2k12
Part 17 of the #20for20 series of ideas of Michigan City improvements is for the City to develop an Anchor Kids park.

The Valplayso park has been wildly successful as a magnet park for kids in Valpo. LaPorte had Fort LaPorte, and has recently put a ton of money in the modernization and update of that facility. Even after the stategic plan which was released last year talked about the need for focal points in our neighborhoods, no plans have been made for a facility, nor for upgrading a current facility to match what surrounding communities have done. Again, a major theme throughout a lot of the #20for20 posts is that we need to give people reasons to stay in Michigan City or move to Michigan City if we want to stop the decades long populations decline that we have seen locally. So much of the park system is in decay or neglect, but having an anchor park for kids would be a great place to start.
Southsider2k12
We are now down to the final 3 #20for20 series items! I have been saving an amazing one for #20 (spoiler alert!)

#18 is visiting the Housing Grants program that was previously talked about during the past municipal election. This is one item I don't want to see get away. In a community where 53% of people struggle from paycheck to paycheck, and we have an aging, outdated, and in some cases dangerous housing stock, we have situation where we have a pour housing supply, and not much immediate hope of it improving without intervention. Putting together a housing grant program similar to the facade improvement program which is operating in the main street area would be a good starting point. Exchanging grant money for a commitment to the community of a period of time directly related to the amount granted could not only improve housing options around town, but it could also lead to more construction and other trades related jobs to keep up with the improvements.
exsteel5
QUOTE(Southsider2k12 @ Feb 26 2020, 05:11 PM) *

We are now down to the final 3 #20for20 series items! I have been saving an amazing one for #20 (spoiler alert!)

#18 is visiting the Housing Grants program that was previously talked about during the past municipal election. This is one item I don't want to see get away. In a community where 53% of people struggle from paycheck to paycheck, and we have an aging, outdated, and in some cases dangerous housing stock, we have situation where we have a pour housing supply, and not much immediate hope of it improving without intervention. Putting together a housing grant program similar to the facade improvement program which is operating in the main street area would be a good starting point. Exchanging grant money for a commitment to the community of a period of time directly related to the amount granted could not only improve housing options around town, but it could also lead to more construction and other trades related jobs to keep up with the improvements.

What happened to the #19 and #20? This is a good list.
Southsider2k12
QUOTE(exsteel5 @ Mar 2 2020, 09:15 AM) *

What happened to the #19 and #20? This is a good list.


They happened the end of last week, I just hadn't cross posted them yet, but I am now!
Southsider2k12
We have reached the penultimate post in the #20for20 series of ideas for Michigan City improvements. #19 is talking about our City employees.

It is no secret that our City employees have become both underpaid and a large part of how we have balanced our budgets in the past. Their insurance costs have skyrocketed, and we have not really fixed that problem. While budgetarily we don't have a lot of leeway to change those problems. We should be searching for ways to change those things when possible.

One other thing I would really like to see us implement is we have a clause built into City contracts to where we give preference to hiring City residents first, and then outside of Michigan City. I think there should be value in choosing to live here, and that should be worth an extra weight in the hiring process. Some cities even use an ordinance which requires any municipal employees to live in the City limits. I am not sure about going that far yet, though if we can reverse population loss and brain drain in the future, it is something we could consider.
Southsider2k12
We have reached the finish line. This is the twentieth idea for this February's #20for20 list of ideas for Michigan City improvements. The list has been both fun and challenging to navigate and explain. It has also been interesting to see all of the comments and ideas. It makes me go back to 2006 when I started this page based on the idea that we were our best Michigan City when everyone is engaged and thoughtful.

With that in mind, Part 20 is a personal favorite of mine. It is a paper that was researched and written by the Brookings Institute. What makes it really special is that one of the contributors to the article is a recent Michigan City High School graduate. The paper itself is a study on how communities can "Reskill" their work forces and also how to determine the best sorts of fields and industries to try to attract to a community. What are the sorts of jobs that best lend themselves to being able to take skills and advance in the work force in the future? What sorts of fields lead to the most growth in a community? How best can you get a force force of low wage earners transition to higher paying fields?

This paper is a great read, and a potential source of discovery for a community who is struggling to advance out of a post manufacturing work force.

https://www.brookings.edu/research/realism-about-reskilling/
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