In his otherwise-thoughtful Feb. 15 guest column, Fred Rost errs in linking the City Council to the mayor’s position and actions on the Harrison Square project. Contrary to his assertions, the council is not “leading” or “moving forward” at this time on that project. The administration has brought neither this project nor any part of it to the council. We have not discussed it as a body, either at the council table or behind closed doors (where assembly of enough of us to form a consensus would be illegal).
If Rost were to approach us individually, he would find we are all asking questions. I think he would be impressed by the diversity of our opinions and concerns. Two council members, Tom Smith and Don Schmidt, are calling a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 8 at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 4700 Vance Ave., to solicit further public input. For all of us, the complexity and high cost of public funding, with its high opportunity cost, mandates that we evaluate the project with the greatest of care before approving or rejecting it.
I would also like to respond briefly to a point made Feb. 16 in a guest column by David Haist. Haist stated correctly that a volunteer task force had recommended a complex of the type represented by Harrison Square. However, it was one of numerous recommendations, and it was not made a priority. It is important to clarify that the task force was disbanded before it would have had the opportunity to evaluate and approve the suitability and prioritization of the Harrison Square plan itself.
I would also ask Haist and other supporters of the project to bear in mind that many who question or even oppose Harrison Square remain nonetheless as deeply committed to downtown revitalization as he is. The overarching question for all of us should be whether Harrison Square isthe best way to get us there.
John H. Shoaff, at-large Fort Wayne City Council
Feb. 15, 2007
I have to agree with mayoral candidate Matt Kelty’s Feb. 1 letter on the proposed Harrison Square project. I believe his position of supporting downtown redevelopment, but questioning whether the proposed stadium is the best way to do it is a practical and measured position. The questions he believes needs to be answered are indeed right on; particularly, Who benefits?
There will be proponents of the project who will undoubtedly criticize Kelty’s call for a business case, transparency, accountability and public discourse on the $125 million proposal as being anti-progress and critical of so-called leadership. As an Army combat veteran of two conflicts and a business executive, it is my experience that there is a difference between leading on an issue and demonstrating leadership.
As a new Army lieutenant coming out of graduate school, I was an Army leader, but I demonstrated leadership after I gained the confidence and trust of my platoon through good judgment, competence and genuine concern for their well being, to where they would follow me anywhere and do anything, enthusiastically and without question. The mayor and the City Council may be leading on this issue, but they have not demonstrated leadership, evidenced by the people overwhelmingly questioning their judgment on promoting the stadium. I believe we deserve more facts and less marketing.
Although Kelty was called a “skeptic” by a recent editorial in The News-Sentinel, I believe his skepticism is well-founded, particularly when one looks at the speed and ferocity with which the mayor’s administration and City Council is moving to get a vote and break ground on Harrison Square. What’s the hurry? I think all would do well to ask who benefits from this project and follow the money.
Early on in his first term, Mayor Graham Richard moved away from having any one law firm represent the city and has successfully spread it around to many Fort Wayne law firms. So who are the local law firms aligned with this proposed project that will benefit from it moving forward? Further, are any City Council members or their respective firms positioned to directly and materially benefit from a Harrison Square transaction? If so, shouldn’t they recuse themselves from voting on the issue to avoid a conflict of interest?
Southtown Centre is heralded as a model success. I would agree the Menards and Wal-Mart have been good additions to the area, but approximately $30 million for a hardware store, a general merchandise store and public-safety academy (a solution in search of a problem)? Too much! As a project, Southtown was over budget and not on schedule, at least as originally briefed to the City Council (and I wouldn’t be so fast to blame it all on litigation). And again, who benefited? Sole-source contracts with much of the work coincidentally going to some of the mayor’s largest campaign contributors. C’mon, we can do better than that.
Kelty is right. If the stadium idea is such a good business opportunity, why aren’t businesses flocking to fund the entire endeavor with no public funding required? I might agree to some favorable tax treatment (such as General Motors has received in Allen County) if private developers built downtown, but even then, wouldn’t we want to make sure that whatever project was being built works with downtown, is part of more comprehensive plan and achieves our objectives for revitalization? If a public investment is to be made downtown, shouldn’t it be made in revitalizing the surrounding neighborhoods, what Kelty calls the “urban core,” so it seamlessly becomes a vital part of the fabric of downtown?
Polls indicate people support the revitalization of downtown. The question is how; the answer should make business, practical and strategic sense and be supported by residents. Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this issue is the arrogance. The mayor and City Council are moving forward on their own, regardless of public outcry and disapproval, then calling it “leadership.” Since the mayor and some City Council members have decided to leave office this year, the public doesn’t have much leverage with key elected officials for them to consider and act on their concerns.
Downtown, yes; stadium, no. If it does get rammed through, we should all ask, cui bono?
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Fred Rost is a senior vice president at Sierra Nevada Corp., former general manager of General Dynamics in Fort Wayne and a Fort Wayne resident.
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