COUNCILMAN’S CORNER
Recent word from the federal government that Fort Wayne’s 2003 flood victims won’t be granted federal buyouts of their flood damaged property is very disturbing news. The homeowners who were flooded out are still going through a lot of misery from their experiences during the floods of 2003. When the U.S. government is able to spend many billions of dollars to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure it seems to me that we need to do a better job looking after our own citizens. Let me know what you think but also be sure to tell our U.S. Representative and Senators your thought regarding this important issue.
I recently was made aware of some problems in Indian Village following last year’s $1 million worth of new water lines being installed there. It’s obvious that more needs to be done by the private contractor to finish the job of restoration of private property affected by the 2003 water line project. As soon as the weather clears up a bit neighborhood president Bob Kruse and I and concerned Indiana Village citizens, the Hamricks, will walk the neighborhood. I’ll forward the information we gather regarding work which still needs to be done to the City Utilities staff and they’ll have the contractor finish the job properly.
Recently local citizens had the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed resurfacing of the roadway into Foster Park. The project moved some parking spaces, assisted the FW Police Department with traffic control and actually increased the total park green space. Concerns were raised regarding several aspects of the plan. The Park Department is currently making some adjustments in the project. I appreciate their opening the door for public input and suggestions in keeping with the concept of “community oriented government”.
I’m concerned as are many others regarding the future of the local VA Hospital. I can understand the VA’s effort to increase the emphasis on outpatient care and to limit the number of inpatient beds since much of medical care has shifted in that direction. On the other hand, shutting down the local VA inpatient unit and making sick veterans to go to the Indy or Ann Arbor VA Hospital when they need hospital care makes no sense to me. I recently met with Congressman Mark Souder and lobbied for keeping the local inpatient VA Hospital open, staffed, and available to the many vets in this area. This is another important issue to discuss with our national elected officials!
A date to mark on your schedule and discuss with your neighborhood leaders: the 2004 Fort Wayne “Great American Cleanup” is scheduled for Saturday, May 15th. This is an excellent day to help clean up your neighborhood or other sites around the city. National Serv-All trucks are scheduled to make special trash pickups in neighborhoods which have registered with Fort Wayne’s Solid Waste Department at 427-1270. Call department director Dawn Ritchie and her staff at that number if you’re interested in participating in cleanup of your neighborhood or another area such as a riverbank, etc. Cleaning up tires, containers, etc. should also help protect us from the West Nile Virus this spring and summer.
Be sure to call or email any suggestions you’d like to pass along for topics you’d like me to discuss in this column. Thanks!
Tom Hayhurst
City Councilman—4th District
432-8418
tom.hayhurst@verizon.net
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