August 13, 2013 That was Gnarls Barkley with his hit song Crazy The lyrics include: I remember when I lost my mind Does that make me CRAZY Hopefully.
Post on 30-Mar-2015
224 Views
Preview:
Transcript
MAYOR JOE’S PUBLIC FORUMAugust 13, 2013
SETTING THE TONE!
That was Gnarls Barkley with his hit song “Crazy”
The lyrics include: “I remember when I lost my mind” “Does that make me CRAZY”
Hopefully after tonight’s presentation you won’t think that he wrote this song about me
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
“If you’re not moving forward, you’re losing ground.” ~ attributed to many
While change is not always welcome or viewed as positive initially, I hope to prove that if it is done properly, it will benefit the community
Here’s a local example:
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
“That’s their interpretation of beautifying the lakefront. I’ve told a lot of people I don’t understand how you take a baseball field with grass and make it a parking lot and that beautifies the area.”~ WHS Baseball Coach Kevin Lenz – NWI Times
That of course was before he had a chance to see or play at Oil City Stadium – The quote obviously still serves as inspiration for me.
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
“One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals” ~ Michael Korda, author
I feel we have momentum, now we need to continue to push the envelope
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go – so long as you do not stop.” ~ Confucius
I had hoped by sharing that quote with you today, that you would forgive me for how long it takes to actually institute change!
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.~ Albert Einstein
As you’ll hear today, I may not have all of the answers or be 100% correct in every one of my assumptions, but it’s time to take some risks and change how we do certain things
PHILOSOPHY TO START THE DAY
Mayor Joe’s Definition of “Controversial”(the word will appear several times in the presentation) Something can be viewed as controversial if it
can impact a person’s: Employment Salary or Income (Cost $$) Home or property Quality of Life Philosophical believes Or any Change that does not have unanimous
support
AGENDA
Full Slate of Interesting – Controversial Topics I usually thoroughly enjoy these Forums But… this will be a tough presentation for me
I am in the process of making several difficult decisions that impact a lot of people…and that’s not easy
For those of you who have not attended one of my past Forums, here’s a quick overview:
I’ll run through my presentation as quickly as possible to stay on schedule – probably 45 minutes or so
I’d ask that you please hold your questions to the end At the end of the presentation, I’ll stay as long as
needed to answer your questions
AGENDA
Funding Plan Overview WCC – YMCA Project Stadium District Plan New Hotel Concept Water & Sewer rates Residential Matching Assistance (Grants) Quiet Zone (Whistle Ban) Miscellaneous Projects
FUNDING PLAN OVERVIEW
Important background info for today’s presentation
Extremely unusual & complex financial situation Our Assessed Valuation (Taxable Property) is
expected to grow significantly in coming years The growth will be short lived and then drop
back down to slightly more than it is today Goal – Capture the maximum opportunity
for City
FUNDING PLAN OVERVIEW
New growth will be captured in our TIF District: Allows us to borrow to fund capital improvement
projects While there is not enough time to discuss the
specifics at a Public Forum, this is the strategy that provides the biggest bang for our buck
Important Factors: We don’t yet know all the financial details Money must be spent on Projects All debt will be repaid with Industrial tax
revenue
FUNDING PLAN OVERVIEW
With that said, we are hoping that many of the projects in our plan can be funded in the short term, versus waiting to pay as we go
Because the Funds are limited, my hardest task is to identify the projects that provide the biggest benefit to the community
FUNDING PLAN
I thought a brief review of the Funding Plan would clarify: That there will be Capital Funds available Why we will take on new debt – (NWI Times) That none of the debt repayment will be paid by the
residents I was expecting to formally announce a few of
these new projects today, but our final Financial Analysis was not completed in time. So until the money is in the bank, it’s prudent for me
to take the cautious approach
WCC OPPORTUNITY
History I know many of us “Old-timers” grew up in
this building It is an important part of our community
and our past history I’ve fought hard to maintain the building
and invest in improvements over the years But, it’s a huge financial drain on the
City’s budget
WCC OPPORTUNITY
Background $750,000 in (WCC only) annual operating expenses $250,000 in (WCC only) annual revenue $500,000 annual loss or subsidy None of the expected Capital $$ can be used to
offset these operating costs This loss was much worse in previous years, but
improvements made have reduced the burden New windows Energy efficiency improvements Staffing changes Increased revenue
WCC OPPORTUNITY
Background Why is the subsidy so large?
Inherited building – but no budget to support it Laws prevent or limit us from making a profit Always more difficult for a public entity to increase
costs or reduce the workforce Always had surplus funds to funnel to operation
Tax Caps have changed that dynamic
Maximus “Good Government” Study (2005/2006) Recommended the sale of the building
WCC OPPORTUNITY
Decided to explore all options before divesting property City Actions to Date
Internal Task Force reviews Commissioned an IU-SPEA Study to review the operation and
make recommendations Study indicated the best “Financial” solution was to privatize the
building as a Full-Service Heath Club Makes sense – Gyms, Pool, Track, Fitness area, etc.
Issues with this solution included: Displaced Youth/Seniors - Cost associated with the displacement Difficult to return to current operation if project failed
Reviewed and studied other options including: Streamlined City Operation Privatization – non-Health Club operation Sale of Building
WCC OPPORTUNITY
Ideal Solution would: Continue to provide community minded
programming similar to today’s operation Continue to serve all age groups of the community Allow the City to maintain ownership of the
building Reduce or eliminate the City’s $500K subsidy Allow for a workable “Exit Strategy”
The only option that provided all of these benefits was the YMCA
YMCA PROPOSAL
Lease the building for $1 per year YMCA to pay all operating costs
associated with their operation including: Staffing Utilities Maintenance
YMCA to have complete control of the operation
Set their own rates
YMCA PROPOSAL
Benefits include: Immediate savings of the $500K annual subsidy Continued and Improved Community Minded
Programming and Facilities for all ages New operation will be much improved over today
YMCA Expertise Renovations New equipment Additional Programming Childcare
YMCA PROPOSAL
Benefits include: Continued availability of facility for:
Emergency Shelter Public Events
Building remains under City Control and Ownership
We will essentially act as the landlord and maintain the primary structural components of the building
Only people who choose to use the Facility will pay
YMCA PROPOSAL
Important Factors: Displaced employees will have multiple options
Bid/Transfer into open positions Early retirement Interview with the YMCA Severance to all, including part-time employees
City will invest to renovate the lower level and complete the lobby restoration as planned
This would have occurred regardless of the option chosen
All donations to the lobby renovation will be used as intended
YMCA PROPOSAL
Important Factors: At least 4 of the 12 bowling lanes will be
removed Option to remove all 12 lanes is being
reviewed Cost – Funding dependent
Bowling League options for this season limited
YMCA PROPOSAL
Important Factors: YMCA is an extremely reputable
organization They have funding avenues simply not
available to the City They already have a proven track record in
NWI
YMCA
Timetable Signed MOU in place Finalize YMCA Lease ASAP Employee bidding and transfers by year end Close building on January 1, 2014 for construction Estimated savings of closing the building for
construction ranges between $100,000 - $200,000 Construction January – June Reopen under YMCA control in June-July If we cannot agree to terms with the YMCA by the end
of construction, we will operate the renovated facility
YMCA
This is simply the best business decision
Not everyone will agree with it, but we can’t continue operating in the deep red
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
Now for controversial project #2 I hope you had a chance to review the
graphic to get a feel for what I am proposing
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
This project will: Provide the needed infrastructure for new BP
investment Provide the needed attractions to create a
destination place Provide new “diverse” residential
opportunities Provide multiple new commercial opportunities Serve as the ‘Gateway’ into the Lakefront Park
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
While there are still some moving parts in the Plan, here are some of the highlights: The project area includes all properties east of
the Schrage Avenue east alley and north of 121st
All of Old Standard Avenue All of Old Center Street All of 119th Street All of Front Street
Over 75 properties will need to be acquired(Additional comments on this topic later)
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
The Proposed Plan (market driven) includes: A variety of New Residential units New commercial/multi-use buildings Senior Citizen market-rate apartments Multiple new restaurants and eateries Entertainment venues – Museums – Sports Facilities An allotted area for new BP development Road closures and new roadways Oil City Stadium additions 100’s of new parking spaces
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
Moving Parts - Entertainment Venues Museums
Whiting-Robertsdale Museum (Refinery Component) Chicago Baseball Museum
Strong commitment to lease the 2nd wing if we build our museum
National Mascot Hall of Fame Picking up momentum Moved from a Pipe Dream to a reasonable chance Flying their Team to Whiting in September to present a proposal
Sports Venues Expansion of Oil City Stadium to accommodate Minor League Team Currently reviewing a proposal to include an Ice Arena to
accommodate a Minor League Hockey Team
Children’s Activity Center option
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
Market Based Discussion Heavy developer interest Financing projects in Whiting is an issue
No development history No market data to support condo sales prices No history to support high rents for apartments Glut of condos in Chicago market - forcing high pre-sell % “Village” Project demise 1500 Block 119th Street Project will hopefully open the
door Almost all developers utilize the financial markets Could determine final product mix
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
Acquisition of Property I am well aware that acquiring someone
property is not always a welcome event We will be compassionate and take great strides
in making sure the transaction is fair If a property owner has been an asset to the
City, we will bend over backwards to accommodate them
Finding new homes/apartments Senior Building construction Trading, etc.
STADIUM DISTRICT PLAN
Acquisition of Property BUT……… If a property owner has neglected their
property for decades, I will use every tool in my bag to acquire their property at the lowest possible cost
I won’t allow bad absentee landlords or property owners to impede our growth
NEW HOTEL CONCEPT
Moving on to controversial project #3 You have heard me talk about this in the
past, but if we want to grow and increase our tax base, a local hotel is a critical component
As I stated in the past, such a hotel needs to fit our community, not a hotel developer’s plan
If it’s done right, a new hotel will not only provide a needed resource, but significantly benefit our tax base
NEW HOTEL CONCEPT
We have been in discussions for months about possible locations, and the optimum location always points back to the Park
The most acceptable location in the Park is depicted on the layout on the table
This concept is a $20M investment The back of house operations would utilize
the back side of the park
NEW HOTEL CONCEPT
In the coming months, we will be discussing the project with multiple developers
At this point in time, I’m supporting this location and will work to move the project further ahead so we could fine tune the details
Public Process
WATER & SEWER RATES
Now for controversial topic #4 To continue improving our water and sewer
infrastructure, we will need to raise additional revenue Example:
A new water line is needed on 119th Street between Schrage & New York
Estimated Price Tag - $1 million Annual Gross Water Department revenue - $550,000
Rates have been flat for 13 years Because we have made considerable operational changes
to improve our efficiency I will request a small $3 to $5 monthly increase soon
RESIDENTIAL MATCHING GRANTS
Somewhat controversial topic #5 We’ve been flooded with calls asking why
the matching residential grants are not available
The answer is: We are attempting to allocate funds to resurrect
the program for ONE more round of grants Absolutely no guarantees, but the program
will not be available any sooner than spring of 2014
RESIDENTIAL MATCHING GRANTS
Important Points Must help a broad based portion of the community Must focus on areas in need of development Need a large pot to be able to distribute fairly Poor use of Tax dollars, need special 1-time funds Special program – cannot fund indefinitely Commercial Investment critical to community
Will continue limited commercial grants ~$50,000 total Impact shared across entire community Stirs economic development to improve tax base
Detailed Strategy available
QUIET ZONE
No Controversy here Everyone agrees that this is a project worth pursuing
Background 3 independent railroads 80+ trains a day Low vehicular traffic counts No requirement for railroads to improve technology
like other communities We have taken the necessary steps up to the point
of committing the funds $400,000 per crossing x 6 = $2.4 million
QUIET ZONE
There is valid increased public concern City Council has identified the project as
one of their top priorities It all comes down to funding Barring an unforeseen catastrophe with
our Funding Plan– this project will be funded
Even after funding is allocated, the project will not happen overnight
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Lakefront Update End of September – Current Phase complete November – INDOT Phase begins
Connecting trails over tracks Entry way beautification Existing pathways redone
Event structure – Gazebo - Formal Garden Design underway with completion next year
Finished Landscaping Spring/summer
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Lakefront Update Whihala Parking Improvements
Next summer Dog Beach
2014 start – Late Fall – Early 2015 completion Whihala Lighting
Late 2014 into 2015 Administration Building – Boat Club
2015?
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Lakefront Update Gun Club Restaurant
Conceptual Drawing – Vavrek Architects Start construction January, 2014 Completion – Fall?
Beach Parking Reviewing sign policy – 1 sign at each
entrance New Parking Enforcement Crew beginning
next year
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Atchison Avenue Parking (St. John) Nearing Completion Joint Project – City of Whiting & Parish Increased parking – allow for new
development Dog Park
Whiting Dog Beach – Hammond Dog Park Little League Improvements
T-Ball Field – by next summer?
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Indianapolis Boulevard May bid letting June – November construction Includes:
Paving, Lighting, Turn lanes, Sidewalks, Trees, Sewer lining, Hydrant improvement
Partnership with: INDOT and Hammond
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
117th Street (Cleveland to tracks) Bond fund dependent Will be ready for bid this fall Includes:
Paving, Sidewalks, Lighting, Sewer, Water, Oliver Street intersection improvements, Brick restoration at Park entry, Bike Path connections
Hoping for January letting – 2014 construction
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
Parking Projects 1500 Block 119th Street
Building construction dependent Spring 2014?
Schrage/White Oak/Ohio (Whiting Baptist Church)
Acquisition Dependent Church agreement not finalized Spring 2014?
St. Mary’s Church discussion – School & Parking
MISCELLANEOUS NEWS/ISSUES
ADA Compliance Sidewalk ramps – crosswalks Goal to be 100% compliant by 2015
Playground Analysis – Upgrades 2014-2015
Illiana Hotel City has taken action to take ownership of
the property via the tax sale process Stay tuned
THE END
Q&A’s One stipulation – If you ask a question,
please let me know if you live in Whiting or in Robertsdale
top related