COUNCILMAN’S CORNER
Most neighborhood associations in the “Waynedale News” area participate in the South West Area Partnership. The number of “SWAP” neighborhoods will soon grow considerably when the neighborhoods of the recently annexed Aboite area join the partnership. I hope all neighborhood leaders will welcome the new Aboite area representatives to SWAP and continue its history of working with city government to move our city in the right direction. At some point neighborhood leaders can discuss how the partnerships should be organized. The partnerships are reflective of neighborhood activism and, any changes in their structure should be initiated by neighborhoods and their representatives.
Clean water is one of those things in life we often don’t appreciate until we no longer have it. I give lots of credit to City Utilities Director Greg Meszaros and his team for doing a fine job providing us with healthy water that costs only a fraction of a penny (rather than $1.00 or more at the grocery store) per 16 oz. container. Revenue from your water bill payment is currently being used to finance a $15 million + expansion project at Fort Wayne’s Water Treatment Plant. That will help ensure a safe, steady water supply for you, your family, and our entire city for many decades to come!
There’s been quite a bit of discussion recently about “eminent domain”— the government’s ability to require citizens to sell land to the government for a fair price for public projects. Our U.S. Constitution permits eminent domain which is used many times every year to purchase land for federal projects such as interstate highways. Eminent domain should be used as little as possible. If a citizen doesn’t wish to sell land for a project, alternatives should be considered rather than requiring an unwilling property owner to sell.
If you get a chance to talk with our state legislators give all-day kindergarten a “plug”. Local school administrators and teachers and much research support all-day kindergarten as one of the most important steps we can take to improve our educational system. And don’t forget, better education = better jobs! Give me a call with any concerns or suggestions you may have.
Tom Hayhurst
City Councilman
4th District
432-8418
tom.hayhurst@verizon.net
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