state of city, 2013

Good evening and thank you so much for the giving of your time to attend my

sixth State of the City message Much has happened in our City since 2007 when I was

first elected as your Mayor We have met and coped with many financial

challenges unprecedented in modern times In spite of these challenges my optimism

continues to grow as I am very pleased to tell you that we are succeeding Where

Elkhart once stood at the top of the Nations economic downturn we now lead the

Nation in recovery As each financial hurdle is thrown in our way we catapult over it

and gain strength as we reach the next With the strength and determination of the

people of the City of Elkhart by my side 2013 will not offer any challenge we cannot

overcome Like nearly every City in Indiana the loss of property tax revenue and other

factors beyond the Citys control has affected the traditional ways of funding the

provision of City services So I begin the next portion of my message to you with the

details of our Citys finances

The cash balance of the Citys treasury at the end of 2012 was $98509205 an

increase of $7157583 from 2011 A number of factors attributed to this increase which

included a reduction in personal services expenditures an increase in the Major Moves

fund balance due to the fact and we had borrowed from it to complete the Lerner

Theatre project and paid it back early with interest there was a receipt of grant funds

for airport improvements a set aside for the Combined Sewer Overflow Long Term

Control Plan and we received a distribution of excess levy funds that the State failed to

distribute in 2011

One hundred sixty two (162) of the Citys one hundred sixty three (163) funds

maintained a positive cash balance at the end of the year The one negative fund is

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a reimbursable fund which is expected to accrue a negative cash balance pending

reimbursement by the granting entity

We continue to note the difference between expected revenue and actual

revenue The original civil City budget contemplated receipt of revenues in the amount

of $596 million Actual receipts less inter-fund transfers totaled $537 million $59

million less than expected for the year mostly because ofour frugalness

Of the $352 million dollar property tax levy for the 2012 civil City budget dollars

that we were allowed to collect only $259 million was collected and $93 million or

26-44 remained uncollected $85 million or 2418 of the total levy was uncollected

due to the effects of the circuit breaker caps $799549 or 226 was uncollected by the

County for other reasons By comparison the loss of property tax revenue due to the

circuit breaker caps in 2011 was $59 million The effects of the circuit breaker caps

continue to rise The loss is expected to be even higher in 2013 and continue on into

2015middot

The approved gross budget for 2012 of $54 million less inter-fund transfers of

$460000 comprised a net civil City budget of $535 appropriated among twenty-eight

(28) funds This is to be compared with the 2008 budget of $574 million Actual

expenditures and encumbrances were $551 million or 95 of the net-working civil City

budget The City realized a reduction in operational costs of $28 million in 2012 (a 5

reduction)

Excluding the water and wastewater utility bonds and the tax increment

financing district bonds the City had long term debt in the amount of $103 million

aggregated between two revenue bonds on January 1 2012 Principal and interest in the

amount of $552764 was paid during the year Outstanding debt on the remaining bonds

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was $101 million on December 31 2012 This amounts to just 25 of our allowable debt

by law While the City has strong fund balances and an A+ credit rating we must

continue with the philosophy that you cannot borrow your way out of debt Enough

about the big numbers for now and lets talk about one of my favorite subjects the

Lerner

The first full year for the Lerner was even stronger than anyone anticipated In

2012 we hosted 278 events of which 26 were ticketed 8 non-ticketed and 60 were

Crystal Ballroom events If you have not had the opportunity to attend a function in the

Crystal Ballroom youre really missing something special But dont take my word for it

just ask anyone who has Now letme drop a few big names Willie Nelson Hal

Holbrook Bobby Knight Loretta Lynn REO Speedwagon and Bob Ralston from the

Lawrence Welk Show who brought to life our famous Kimball organ and recently Vicci

Lawrence All of these great artists and entertainers along with many more have

performed on stage at the Lerner I cant talk about the success of the Lerner without

mentioning the Elkhart Municipal Band the Elkhart County Symphony and of course

our resident theatre group Premier Arts At least five times a year Premier Arts seems

to just magically appear from the Lerners basement with one outstanding performance

after another It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the Lerner and Crystal

Ballroom events coupled with Premiers Arts activities brought over 100000 people

through the Lerner and into downtown Elkhart in 2012

The Lerner returned $440630 to City exceeding all expectations Thats just

27 away from being totally self-sufficient and thats just the first full year folks My hat

goes off to the Lerner Theatre Governing Board Manager and staff

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Speaking of good people our Human Resources Department manages some of

the best I am of course talking about our City employees Our employees are literally

the life blood of our City Maintaining a strong and competent workforce eliminates the

need for expensive job outsourcing and allows us the flexibility to deploy manpower at a

moments notice for the maximum benefit to those we serve In 2012 our Human

Resources Department coordinated a City employee well ness program with Get Fit Get

Healthy 402 full-time employees completed a wellness strategies set by the City to earn

a discounted premium Our main goal is for our employees and their families to enjoy

an enhanced overall quality of life through better heath The byproduct of Get Fit Get

Healthy was a refund the City received from our health insurance carrier in 2012 of

$60921

Department leaders having a clear understanding of our Citys financial

challenges is the key to accomplishing more with less Our Fire Department is a good

example of a department following the Mayors guidelines for budgeting and austerity

planning Austerity begins by separating ones wants from ones needs In 2012 the Fire

Department did not spend $227589 of their budget and returned it to the Citys general

fund An additional $12500000 was also returned by the Fire Department in the Citys

self-insurance fund

Reliable radio communications are paramount when lives are at stake A new

agreement between the City and Emergency Radio Service improved communications

making it safer for all emergency personnel responding

Our Fire Inspectors performed 1067 inspections conducted 50 fire

investigations 5947 men women and children visited the Survive Alive House and

8009 participated in fire safetyfire prevention appearances Adding in all of the other

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public education programs conducted by the Elkhart City Fire Department in 2012

22000 citizens were impacted All Fire Department emergency units responded a total

of 15232 times

The responsibility of maintaining over seventy five (7S) City properties and thirty

(30) buildings including the new Lerner Theatre falls on the shoulders of the Buildings

and Grounds Department This highly skilled group of City employees is trained in a

variety of facility maintenance techniques With just 2S full time employees and some

seasonal this department maintains all park areas trails medians green spaces and

many other City owned recreation facilities in the most functional attractive clean

sanitary and safe condition as possible

Through their efforts the City of Elkhart was awarded the Tree City USA Award

for the 24th consecutive year They grew over 27000 annuals and soo perennials from

seed They planted 1400 bulbs throughout City flower beds They designed planted and

maintained the sixth annual 1600 square foot quilt garden They installed the Citys

first flower carpet including an observation platform They removed trimmed and

planted hundreds of trees The weekly brush pick-up was improved and 20000 cubic

yards ofbrush went to the bio-solids pad for the composting operation

The City Grants Department continues to be successful in securing grant funds

for our City More than so of the grant applications submitted in 2012 resulted in an

award We received grants in various amounts from the Indiana Department of

Environmental Management Department of Homeland Security Indiana Arts

Commission US Dept of Justice Indiana Humanities US Bureau of Justice

Assistance and Indiana Landmarks 2012 began a new era in grant administration

The change can be summed in one word - competition After the American Recovery

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and Reinvestment Act or Stimulus ended the Congressional moratorium on earmarks

began An additional constraint is that Federal grant guidance is written with very

narrow exclusive threshold requirements which disqualify Elkhart It would appear

that most Federal guidance is written with particular recipients already in mind It is

important to note that funding from the Humanities Arts Commission and Landmarks

were first time awards The City now has its foot in the door with each of these grant

makers Future applications will have a greater probability of being funded Although

the award amounts are small the impact is great

Another department feeling the pinch from budget shortfalls is our Information

amp Technologies Department The IT Department has been working in ((break - fix

mode and doing a good job of maintaining the network in its current state only replacing

equipment that it must This year LT will be upgrading our outdated server system

restore and upgrading the Riverwalk Wi-Fi and overseeing the migration of all first

responders to the air card system As always the LT Department will continue to look

for ways to reduce the overall operating cost of the Citys network infrastructure while

maintaining or improving the level of service

Our Building and Code Department is seeing more signs of economic recovery

based on the gradual increase in the number of commercial and industrial permits being

sought 1984 permits were issued in 2012 earning $93657 in income for the City The

City invested $10000000 for the demolition of 19 unsafe structures Through rental

registration program fees and other fees the Building Department collected a total

of $3017464

Inspectors conducted 3150 mechanical inspections and 19836 code inspections

196 board-ups were ordered 1570 clean ups and just over 1400 mowings They also

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received 691 code complaints They issued $62175 in fines and conducted 11300 follow

up inspections In spite of the fact that the State legislature is currently considering

making it unlawful to charge fees for rental registration or allow for the inspection of

rental properties the Building Department is working on improving the Rental

Registration Program Landlords who have ignored the law and failed to register in the

past will be found and held to their obligation

Our Public Utility Department formed a Trash Committee in 2012 to brainstorm

trash collection cost saving opportunities The committee devised a service modification

plan that was very successful resulting in a savings of $142600 City residents recycled

960-4 tons of recycling materials in 2012 which was 66 tons more than in 2011 Over

4400 people attended events and programs presented by or hosted at the Elkhart

Environmental Center during 2012 This includes environmental education programs

presented to over 1300 local elementary school children and EnviroFest which was

attended by over 1150 area citizens and featured over 40 displayers and vendors

The Water Utility treated and distributed 32 billion gallons of safe clean

drinking water through 346 miles of water mains The Service Department has now

replaced 99 of the old meter reading devices The Public Utilities Maintenance

Department saved over $150000 by rebuilding the plants thirty year old primary

effluent screw pumps The Wastewater Utility treated and released just less than

5 billion gallons of wastewater to the St Joseph River in 2012 Efforts to collect fees

owed to the taxpayers resulted in collecting over $26000 in past due accounts

Additionally $44310 in sewer liens has been filed as part of this ongoing collection

process Injoining with the rest of the City in responding to the Mayors challenge to

continue to reduce budgets Public Works reduced work outsourcing costs by and saved

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$790000 in engineering fees by doing work with our in-house staff The 40 year old

Bent Oak retention pond has been rebuilt and the Pierre Moran Neighborhood Project

separated combined sewers that have contributed to local basement flooding for many

years

Our Engineering group stepped up our efforts toward completion ofthe

American Disabilities Act implementation program for the City Engineering is guiding

the City in the implementation of these plans Again rather than outsourcing this work

a savings of up to $200000 has been realized so far by performing this work in-house

and by existing City employees

The Prairie Street Overpass Project is now at a point where it can be put out for

bid later this year In 2012 the design was submitted to INDOT the final Federal

funding was secured and the Federal environmental requirements were met When

completed the long lines of vehicles waiting for 120 trains that pass through that

crossing everyday will be a thing of the past Significant amounts of exhaust emissions

gone loud train whistles gone delays in getting from north to south and vice versa

gone Construction is expected to start in early 2014 and will be completed sometime in

2017 Just over $16 million in Federal funds are dedicated to this $20 million dollar

project

Quite a large number of construction projects were completed by Public Works in

2012 and were looking through the windshield rather than the rear view mirror for

2013 Included on the list are the SR-19 WaterSewer Extension and continuing work on

eliminating sewage overflows during heavy rainfall and there will be more water main

construction and bank stabilization

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Moving onto the Emergency Management Department these dedicated

volunteers served 2793 hours in 2012 246 more than 2011 Fulfilling duties once

carried out mostly by Police Officers a real savings of $62000 can be directly attributed

to the Emergency Management Department In addition to working fires accidents

downed power lines special events training and more Emergency Management took

on a special project in 2012 When it was discovered that Grace Lawn Cemetery was the

final resting place of Union Army Captain Orville Chamberlain a Civil War

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient a detail of Emergency Management volunteers

renovated the grave The Emergency Management Department embodies the spirit of

giving back to the community

Enforcing our laws and deterring crime while providing a safe environment

through police and citizen partnerships with integrity fairness and professionalism in a

nut shell is the mission of the Elkhart Police Department

The Patrol Division continues to enhance community safety by understanding

and addressing current quality of life issues The number of traffic accidents in the City

when compared to the previous year dropped 38 in 2012

The Community Affairs Bureau was very busy in 2012 The unit took part in a

number of community events that included bicycle patrol downtown foot patrol

Riverwalk and Segway patrol They also participated in Motorcycle Ride 911 ride Shop

with a Cop Night Out Against Crime and Project 365

The drug unit was fully established and up and running The Department of Child

Services workers were assigned to the Elkhart Police Department This allows for more

open interaction between the Department of Child Services the Prosecutors Office and

Child and Family Advocacy Center

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There were no significant changes in crime levels in our City in 2012 Working

our way through our new reporting system and with changes in what constitutes a

particular crime here locally and by the FBI makes the numbers more difficult to

understand Hopefully these things will not always be in transition but leadership

changes and ideas change with it

The Redevelopment Commission approved contracts for work related to

refinancing 2001 and 2002 TIF bonds By keeping close track to the bond market

interest rates and other factors we realized that by refinancing these bonds the City

would save $314000 over the life of the bonds Subjects of staff reports included the

Southeast Gateway TIF the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Southwest TIF

infrastructure projects North Elkhart Gateway Shoppes on Six and brownfield projects

and from the SoMa study group Commissioners approved a small grant to Indiana

Landmarks to assess the 200 North Main Street property known by many names

including the AampP the roller rink and the Armory

Ownership of the remainder of the City CentreCentral Park site was transferred

from the Redevelopment Commission to the Board of Public Works Two TIF

appropriations were approved up to $600000 from the Cassopolis Corridor TIF for

North Pointe II and up to $600000 from the Pierre Moran TIF for infrastructure

improvements Redevelopment Commissioners also gave approval to a development

agreement with Habitat for Humanity for the 1032 East Beardsley project Proposals

were approved that included a contract for a SoMa implementation strategy an NSP

marketing brochure an appropriation from Aeroplex TIF funds for improvements to

airport taxiways and an appropriation from the Downtown TIF to help fund an adaptive

reuse study of the Depot The Redevelopment Commission approved the purchase and

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demolition of 125 Division Street funds for the East Franklin Street parking lot and

Main Street lighting and funding to improve Newland Village Park Barnes Park and

Sterling Park The Redevelopment Commission transferred ownership of the parking lot

on NIBCO Parkway to the Board of Works and approved an inter-local agreement with

Elkhart County for a lead hazard control program

Our Cemetery Department kept busy making these very sacred places just that

There is always mowing trimming and leaf pickup There were 287 burials and

entombments within our three cemeteries These are the times wherein family and

friends must feel comfortable with their loved ones place of rest

While meeting their own daily departmental responsibilities they also served

alongside the Aviation Department Park Department Building and Grounds Public

Works and the Street Department at different times throughout the year by providing

both manpower and equipment to help with the completion of various projects

throughout the City The Department is now open for burials and entombments on all

legal holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas

For years erosion has been gradually destroying the riverbank along the west side

of Grace Lawn Cemetery During the summer of 2012 this Administration took the

first steps in ending the ongoing erosion problem by completing the Grace Lawn

Cemetery Bank Stabilization Project in which 125 feet of the river bank was destabilized

to protect the slope from any further erosion in the future The Cemeteries generated

revenue of $26947800 in 2012

Our Parks Department faced some difficult challenges in 2012 The property tax

losses continue to take their toll in our ability to provide services The Sims Oak Hills

Golf Course was permanently closed and facility hours were cut resulting in less

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employees being hired Consistent with other courses nationwide during the economic

down turn play at the course had been dwindling over the past five years reducing the

income Without reserve funds to shore up the shortfall the course had to be closed The

hope is that a new owner can be found who will convert its use into something

positive The Bicentennial Bridge west section had to be replaced and is once again a

safe crossing to Island Park

Volunteers were organized to help with the sprucing up of one of Elkharts older

historical neighborhoods - Division and State Streets Added properties include Sterling

and Barnes Park Barnes a pocket park offers residents a place to hold picnics and

reflect and enjoy quiet times

The old Labour property renamed Sterling Park has come a long way Trees

keystone planters raised flower boxes planted flowers paved paths and shelters are

now part of this major make-over Hundreds of volunteer hours have been logged plus

two Eagle Scout projects were completed One of two shelters was built along with three

shade structures over the repurposed granite tables and benches Look for the

dedication of Sterling Park in the spring of 2013 After an absence of nearly five years

the Labor Day Parade took formation under the Parks Departments leadership Both

sides ofSouth Main Street were lined with spectators

The Central Garage was busy as usual in 2012 completing nearly 2500 work

orders Due to budget cuts employees are all now on first shift The up side to this

change is a savings on electricity and shift pay Sixteen new pieces of equipment

replaced 16 old Our employees have taken advantage of the National CASE) Automotive

Service Excellence Certification program Currently nine out of twelve employees have

retained ASE certifications Since implementing our new fleet maintenance software the

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Central Garage can better manage parts inventory This has resulted in less equipment

down time and fewer infrequently used parts taking up space and inventory

In 2012 the Elkhart City Communications Center processed 101050 calls for

service and events including 84148 calls for police assistance and 8459 Fire and EMS

calls and 8443 miscellaneous calls The Communications Center along with the Police

and Fire Department installed an 800 MHz conventional back up radio system to be

used when the State 800 MHz system is out of service Dispatcher training is ongoing

and never ceases Looking at the future we will prepare for next generation 9-1-1 and

prepare a schedule for equipment and technology needs for the

future

In 2012 the Human Relations Department continued to provide information

throughout the City in the areas of housing and employment They updated brochures

guidebooks and streamlined the forms that are used in notifications and investigations

In 2012 Human Relations experienced an increase in telephone and walk in traffic to

the department Averaging approximately 63 contacts per month from citizens with

questions and concerns relating to fair housing equal employment and other issues are

answered The majority of the calls were from citizens facing possible eviction for nonshy

payment of rent or termination from their employment for just cause Human Relations

often works hand in hand with Code Enforcement Officers by providing information on

housing rights and the Landlord-Tenant Guidelines As part of the departments

outreach and education a quarterly newsletter was developed The newsletter highlights

programs and services provided by the City It also included recent information legal

updates and cases regarding equal employment and fair housing In 2012 the

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department was able to print and distribute over 3600 brochures landlord-tenant

books and other printed materials

The National New York Central Railroad Museum had a year of dynamic growth

and change in 2012 The Museums revenue continues to increase across the board

The success of the Museum is due in part to the many contributions from dedicated

groups of people our employees volunteers members visitors and other assistance

when needed from other City departments Every month in 2012 admissions fees

surpassed those of the year before In 2012 a record 7426 visitors from nearly every

state and 16 foreign countries came to our museum Concession revenues generated a

net $496703 Revenue of $667075 from the gift shop has more than doubled from

2011 Museum customer satisfaction surveys returned high marks in customer

relations cleanliness and overall satisfaction with the museum experience Our Model

Railroad display is considered a World Class HiRail Layout

The NIBCO Express a 2 foot gauge train began service again in 2012 A great deal

of clean up took place first a barn for the train was built and additional track was laid

by the City Buildings and Grounds Department At the same time inside at the Central

Garage our NIBCO Express train engine was being overhauled and the cars were

restored The NIBCO Express now carries our children for short excursions around the

museum property

Our newest exhibit features the 1926 Cardinal Train the history of the Mohawk

3001 and the Pullman Train story The National New York Central Rail Road Museums

biggest challenge is protecting the one of the last two known New York Central Mohawk

locomotives from deterioration due to the elements

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Our Economic Development Department worked on a number of projects in

2012 These projects include Colbert Packaging Corporation which created $25 million

in capital investment and 34 jobs Conn-Selmer $22 million in capital investment and

23 jobs Kiel NA $38 million in capital investment and 62 jobs KIK Custom Products

$75 million in capital investment and 68 jobs Kinro $750000 in capital investment

and 50 jobs Lippert $400000 in capital investment and 150 jobs and Scientific

Developments Inc $11 million in capital investment and 9 jobs The total was $189

million in capital investment and 444 jobs

The Economic Development Department is working with the Redevelopment

Commission to redevelop North Pointe Blvd into an attractive front door to our

community Both phases of this project are funded through the Cassopolis Street TIF

District

The Economic Development Department in coordination with the

Redevelopment Commission assisted Thompson-Thrift with the development of the

southwest corner of County Road 6 and Cassopolis Street This development is designed

to provide Class A retail space that will help attract nationally known retailers to our

community Staff also worked with the Redevelopment Commission to make significant

improvements to sewer in the Citys 5th District specifically in the Pierre Moran

neighborhood These projects were completed using money from the Pierre Moran TIF

The Economic Development Department assisted in hosting The Mayors

Economic Development Summit Nearly 150 leaders from around the area heard from

noted speakers on topics that included the economy education workforce development

and small businessentrepreneurship Plans are underway for the 2013 Summit

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The department assisted Feed the Children (FfC) with their commitment to raze

their former facility on the former MilesBayer campus They will be working with the

City on future plans to redevelop the 26 acres under their control The South Main

Street Gateway TIF will allow the City to have a funding source to help pay for

beautification efforts along the southern gateway of Elkhart

The City acquired the Elkhart Armory building for redevelopment or demolition

based on rehab costs A final decision will be made soon about the future of the building

and the site The Brownfields Office worked with county officials to acquire title to the

dilapidated buildings at 700 West Beardsley and 1032 East Beardsley and at the South

West corner of Richmond and Division With help from the EPA in the form of a

$500000 demolition grant the building at 700 W Beardsley has been razed The City

hopes to market it soon In the meantime the site will be seeded and turned into an

attractive green space Habitat for Humanity is working with the Brownfields Office to

build homes on the 1032 East Beardsley site and surrounding properties

Water service was installed into Sterling Park over 60 trees were planted and 3

tables and 7 benches using Miles-Bayer Granite and Limestone were constructed

Flower beds and canopy covers for tables and benches were built and picnic tables were

installed When the trees leaf out in spring there will be a whole new look on Sterling

Avenue Our thanks go to Cummins-Onan Corporation and Welch Packaging for their

contributions to make Sterling Park a place for all of our citizens

Over the past year our Street Department applied resurface to over 15 miles of

City streets Our concrete crews replaced 26450 feet of sidewalks The Traffic Division

applied over 1800 gallons of street paint while also applying over 130 white crosswalks

and stop bars at intersections All City parking lots were resealed 18 miles of alleys

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were graded using soil stabilizer for dust and durability Our street sweeping collected

over 13000 cubic yards of soil and debris and we picked up more the 49000 cubic

yards of leaves which were composted and used for top soil Once again our pretreating

tank truck was used for help in preventing snow and ice buildup We never stop looking

for new ways and improved techniques to do our job

Our Planning and Zoning staff continue to work on updating the 1996

Comprehensive Plan It is anticipated that the final draft will be delivered to the Plan

Commission and Common Council for approval in the spring of this year Staff prepared

14 recommendations for the Plan Commission and 42 recommendations for the Board

of Zoning Appeals 11 cases were brought before the Historic Cultural Preservation

Commission The Technical Review Committee reviewed 26 projects ranging from new

retail uses upgrades to parking lot and additions to industrial buildings 17 of those

have commenced construction with a total declared value of $4768000

The Community and Redevelopment Departments primary function is to

administer the City of Elkharts annual Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Program The CDBG program is funded 100 by the Citys CDBG entitlement funds

The 2012 CDBG entitlement award was $704199 In 2012 the City utilized $309000 in

CDBG funds to provide financial assistance for residential rehabilitation activities By

taking the initiative to find additional funding sources another $296000 became

available to assist Elkhart homeowners Included in the work of the Community

Development Department was partnering with the Human Relations Department to

provide fair housing assistance In 2012 the City utilized approximately $150000 in

CnBG funds to improve public infrastructure including sidewalks community gardens

and parks

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The City provided $6284051 in CDBG funds to pay for one full time Code

Enforcement Officer to enforce local property maintenance codes in the Citys nearshy

downtown neighborhoods The City of Elkhart entered into sub recipient agreements

totaling $109500 with eight local not-for-profit agencies This investment of CDBG

funds leveraged nearly $17 million dollars in additional funds to provide program and

services for our community In March 2009 the City of Elkhart received $2251346 in

Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funds from the US Department of Housing and

Urban Development The City of Elkhart planned to acquire and renovate 10 housing

units through this activity At the end of 2012 the Redevelopment Commission had

acquired all 10 units From the ten eight have been completely renovated one was

under renovation and one additional unit was in the scope development phase Seven

units are sold or are under lease-purchase contracts while the remaining three units will

be sold in 2013 This was a very positive use for these funds

Through the end of 2012 the City has acquired 53 vacant properties to populate

the land bank Some of the properties will be marketed for redevelopment by private

parties while redevelopment plans for public uses will be developed for others

By the end of 2012 the City of Elkhart demolished 59 dilapidated buildings

through the NSP program The resulting lots will be used to build new homes are in the

land bank for resale will be used for public space projects or will be transferred to an

income eligible adjacent homeowner

The City of Elkhart acquired four vacant properties to provide buildable

residential lots for families in our community in coordination with Habitat for

Humanity of Elkhart County

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In March 2011 the City of Elkhart received $102271700 in Neighborhood

Stabilization Program 3 Funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban

Development By the end of 2012 the City had acquired 26 properties for the Elkhart

Neighborhood Stabilization Residential Land Bank and two additional lots for Habitat

for Humanity for new construction NSP-3 funds demolished 10 dilapidated buildings

improving the aesthetic and safety of our community Four additional demolitions are

planned for the first quarter of 2013

Once every two years the Aviation Association of Indiana publishes a report of

the total economic impact of Indianas airports For the first time the study included

business both on and off airport property their current number of employees and what

percentage of sales or output was directly attributable to their use of the airport The

result has been the first truly comprehensive measurement illustrating Indianas

airports true economic impact Indianas official State Aviation System Plan includes

Elkhart and 68 other airports that serve the transportation needs of more than 65

million Hoosiers and by doing so directly support more than 69000 Hoosier jobs

More than 1519 jobs and $69641230 in payroll can be directly attributed to our

Elkhart Airport The study shows our Airport has an annual economic impact of

$194501190

The City received another grant last year for taxiway rehabilitation The second

phase of the North Ramp Rehabilitation is expected to be completed this spring

Another indication of an improving economy our Airport had 24540 operations in

2012 more than 1000 more than in 2011 The number of based aircraft was also at an

all-time high at just under 140 aircraft

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Elkhart offers one of the finest municipal airports in the State Three runways

air traffic control tower instrument landing system ARFF are among the many

amenities our airport offers the flying public The annual October Warbird Fly-in

continues to offer the community an affordable alternative to the former Elkhart Air

Show Plans are currently underway to host a radio controlled aircraft air show at the

airport titled Air Supremacy over Elkhart That event will take place this September

12 13 and 14

Fifty-one years ago John F Kennedy declared that the Constitution makes us

not rivals for power but partners for progress It is my task he said to report the

State of the Union -- to improve it is the task of us all

The same can be said for a City During some very tough economic times we have

come together to clear away much of the rubble and blight that has existed for so long It

is absolutely necessary if we are to see the redevelopment in our City and enhance our

economic development as well

Overall 2012 was a great year During my message last year I promised to revisit

the idea of angled parking in downtown Elkhart Now that the Lerner when fully

activated at times can accommodate in excess of 2180 people and with so many

enjoying downtown living and in consideration for our downtown merchants it

increased the need to have adequate parking It has been done It completely changed

the complexion of our downtown neighborhood and added 151 parking spaces At the

same time the City completed its design for the Franklin Street parking lot and with

much of the work done by City crews we have a better parking area that serves the

Lerner Theatre IUSB the 135 Building and our downtown merchants and shoppers

We put the finishing touches on our Main Street streetscape by adding new lighting

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above the street and on many of the trees in our downtown area We have a new Sterling

Park taking the place of a much blighted area We established a new TIF district that is

expected to do a great deal to the improvements ofour South Main Street Gateway

We began to divest ourselves of City-owned properties that exist outside of our

City limits The first phases of improvements to Lusher Avenue were completed

We recognize the sacrifices made by those who serve us in our Military programs

and along with other community advocates conducted our Bike Night raising over

$21000 for the Wounded Warriors program The City with a Heart came through again

And even though we continue to lose property tax revenue we were able to provide all

the services expected of us keep all of our departments open and all of our employees

working I give the credit to our department heads and to our employees who have

accepted what reality is We continue to do more with less

Things are also looking better job wise and reports indicate jobs that have left us

and moved overseas are returning to America A case in point is when Dometic left

Sweden and came to Elkhart The report is that Caterpillar Ford and Apple will bring

jobs once lost back to this country

Still we must continue our effort in job diversification We must continue to use

our Economic Development Summit program to understand what we must do to be an

attraction to some of these major corporations That includes what curriculum is

available to our students at our local institutions of higher learning that will allow us to

say to those looking at us yes we are building your workforce right now We must equip

our citizens with the skills and training to fill those jobs The two must go together The

jobs must also be here to accept the trainees

21

When talking about education it brings up the issue of learning and we are told

learning begins long before one gets to an institution of higher learning Study after

study shows that if education is available a child begins learning at a very young age

and because of that start will continue to learn well throughout its lifetime We have

great hope that the Horizon Project will enhance that availability to our kids no matter

their beginning race or creed We must do everything we can to make our learning

environment comfortable Our kids must be clothed and equipped and feel equal to all

others To that end while we wait on many Congressional actions some type of

immigration reform is absolutely necessary Our children born to immigrant parents

must know that when they leave for school and return the entire family will still be

there

We know our local economy is stronger Our RV Industry appears to be doing

well and we have been assisting in adding jobs almost on a monthly basis The Citys

assistance is normally in the form of a tax phase in program And when one out of every

five of us was unemployed any job looked like a good job But I now question the

criteria we have been using when providing a tax incentive program I am concerned

about helping to bring in jobs whose pay scales may mean that their employees still

require assistance from our local welfare programs We have statistics that tell us what

is required in take-home dollars to sustain a family of four to rent a two-bedroom

apartment and even that does not offer a lot for vfhat many of us enjoy as quality-of-life

extras To that end we are working with Elkhart County government and the other cities

in our county to hopefully come up with the answers and follow the same guidelines

We have talked about the past and the present And it is time to speak of the

future And this is perhaps the most difficult area to address because of the uncertainties

22

that we face I have often said that the only thing that is for certain is that nothing is for

certain We cannot look at our accomplishments and use that as a pattern to continue

on into the future when there is so much uncertainty relative to our revenues and

resources to do things as we have done in the past Last year I said as we look ahead to

the future we cannot afford to rest on our laurels The word afford might well be the

primary word in that sentence While we must continue to endeavor to make Elkhart a

better place to live raise a family get an education and build a business if we are going

to survive we must do that in a state of reality For if we dont deal in a state of reality

will we ever live in a state of reality Ifwe let our dreams override our dollars we will find

ourselves in a free fall We must continue to understand the difference in needing and

wanting We must compete but at the same time know when matching the competition

is too costly to be beneficial over all Know when it is time to fold when it is in the best

interest of the people of Elkhart

Allow me to address another issue of reality We agree the recession has been

over for some time now However local governmental jurisdictions across the width

and breadth of the State Indiana are facing another form of recession And it should be a

major concern for all of us Hoosiers We hear a lot about what the State of Indiana has

done to become more business friendly and to be an attraction to those seeking to

relocate And a certain amount of that has been done Weve seen it it is tangible But

what is not so evident is what is going to happen next Ifsomething doesnt turn around

for cities and towns and other local jurisdictions what is going to happen is going to take

the State of Indiana in a different and negative direction This State government fails to

recognize that it is local jurisdictions that are the attraction to those interested in

perhaps coming here Yet we continue to see bills introduced that infringe upon the

23

rights of city and town residents across the State We have always had too little home

rule and after seemingly every State legislative session home rule continues to diminish

The State legislature apparently sees no harm in strict control over cities and towns Yet

without thriving cities and towns across the State there is not much reason for anyone

to come If one is considering bringing a business here relocating employees raising a

family getting an education enjoying arts and entertainment chances are a

municipality is nearby Without cities and towns there would be little growth As stated

State government often tells us what they have done to bring in new business to the

State But the part of that story that is seldom heard is that the cities and towns are the

main attraction If State government continues to make it more difficult for

municipalities to exist they are putting future economic development at risk Think

about it for a moment When people look at a City for relocation what are they

interested in the educational system health care what City services are available jobs

and entertainment and relaxation after work There is a health care system here because

of the municipality There is an educational system here because of the municipality

There are municipal services such as snow and ice control police and fire protection at a

moments notice There is brush and leaf curbside pickup street sweeping twice per

month fresh water sewage treatment and much more The Lerner Theatre and

Ballroom is here because the City population is a big part of the county population and

sustains the operation The Cities of Elkhart Goshen and Nappanee comprise nearly

half the population of the county It is the municipality that owns and can extend

municipal services outside the City and in doing so add to the growth and tax base of

the township and the county Take away the Citys ability to do the things that people

24

expect of us and make us an attraction to others and watch what happens to economic

development

A legislator is elected to represent all the people in the district not just in the

rural areas but the State seems to be more focused on the rural needs than those of the

cities and towns Perhaps it is not the opinion of the Governor Just a few weeks ago the

Governor said that it is the cities and towns that make Indiana the best State in the

country That the Cities are the face of government that all citizens see and deal with

on a regular basis and Cities are the reason for economic development Continue to

take away from City and County government and the educational system and watch

these local jurisdictions fall into a state of regression And if these local jurisdictions fall

into a state of regression so goes the State of Indiana They can make all the decisions

they want in Indianapolis but if they dont begin to consider the plight of communities

across the State it wont make any difference There is time but not a lot

Community managers across the State have done a great job of managing their

communities with a lot less dollars They have found ways to become more effective and

efficient but I am concerned that time and dollars are running out

Job diversification remains a part of our long term economic development plan

But this is a global competition We needed to get our citizens back to work now And to

that end our unemployment rate has been reduced by 50 thanks to the fantastic

recovery of our RV industry The industry that remains a part of the fabric of our

community I predict that the RV industry will exceed the so called experts predictions

on growth

Yes we have recovered to some extent but recognizing that the funds we control

do not belong to the government we must be diligent in our thinking as well as our

25

actions We must question where we are in the recovery President Obama has stated

that the economy has not responded as quickly as he had hoped He noted in order to

reduce the deficit the action taken would be painful to many Like the President we too

face some difficult decisions We must stay prepared

Because of an additional unexpected announcement of a drop in revenue we

began to plan for the worst scenario We would shut down our City offices five

additional days per year and furlough our nonpublic safety employees for those five days

and furlough our public safety employees for 24 hours We would not fill seven job

openings which included one police officer and one firefighter We squeezed every

penny in our treasury Our department heads knew how critical this situation was They

knew that while they had money appropriated they had to find a way not to spend all of

it At the end of 2012 we had left unspent $25 million We were able to cancel the

department closings and the furloughs and hire the additional firefighter and police

officer I sincerely hope we will not have to prepare like that again but I am not filing

that book where it cannot be found We have done a good job in conserving the Citys

financial resources Our A + credit rating attests to that fact Our City government

continues to come to grips with the rising costs of health insurance fuel and the cost of

trash and recycling We have already made cost saving changes in our health insurance

program We have reduced the cost of trash and recycling service back to the pre 2009

household rate We have taken measures to reduce the use of fuel including that used in

our vehicle operation and we will continue participating in the fuel hedging program In

2011 we added 9 more hybrid cars to our fleet Working with MACOG we saved nearly

$30000 dollars per vehicle This addition brings our totals in hybrids to 13 Each one of

these replaced a gas guzzling vehicle as well We also operate 2 total electrics built in

26

Elkhart This brings us to today In 2013 we will not except any bids for any cars that

are not hybrids and they must get an estimated 45 miles per gallon in the City All of this

helps to reduce fuel costs and eliminate exhaust emissions into the atmosphere

Finding an alternative source for funding our trash and recycling program has

been and is currently our biggest challenge With a current reduction of $105 million

dollars in property tax revenue the challenge becomes more difficult The trash and

recycling challenge has been with us for years It is now literally at our door step and we

must deal with it But again the States lawmakers are considering legislation that may

put more hurdles in our way We await the results

We have reduced our annual cost of operation by $55 million dollars The goal

has not changed We will keep all of our departments open continue to provide the

services you expect and deserve and keep all of our employees working until it becomes

financially impossible to do so If we want to maintain the quality of life we deserve we

must continue to reduce our reliance on tax supported funds The challenge is ours

In the past we could turn to our Congressman and our Senators for

assistance We could request a congressional appropriation This is simply asking for

our own tax dollars to be returned to us This is called earmarking But the current

Congress has said there will be no more earmarks They call it pork or fluff I disagree

What we need from the Federal and the State government is to return our money to us

for we have projects that are needed and will be done over time with local taxpayer

dollars if we do not get that return We have some mandates that we cannot avoid and

really dont want to avoid Cleaning up our rivers and making it better for those

disabled to enjoy the same quality of life is the right thing to do While the Congress

wont tell us much that we can understand the Congress will tell you that they are

27

appropriating money for projects such as ours but the funds what few there are are

going to the various Federal agencies One must then apply for assistance through those

agencies The reality of that process is exactly what the Grants Manager said it is It is a

competition Its Elkhart against every other governmental jurisdiction in the country

the winners mostly being the heavily populated areas across this Nation

We will of course continue with our very expensive Long Term Control Plan to

reduce the combined watersewer overflows into our rivers This 20 year plan will cost

$10S of millions of dollars to construct We will continue to fund it five years at a time

with the hope that during one of the five year periods we will get some State or Federal

assistance that will reduce the increases in our monthly sewer rate below what we might

expect them to be If we do not get Federal or State assistance we can expect our

monthly bills to increase every five years This will go on for the lifetime of the

program

Elkhart has and continues to renovate its downtown and as a part of its

livability approach I still want to further enhance transit oriented development As a

hub connecting two urbanized areas and its major Cities the City of Elkhart should

serve as a regional focal point for transit rider connections and I am still proposing the

development and construction of a green energy efficient transfer station The City is

currently looking at other locations near the downtown This center will make transit

integration a major feature of the regions walkable-livable community focus

The proposed transfer center must be located within walking distance of major

community traffic generators including downtown shops and businesses the Lerner

Theatre Indiana University South Bend at Elkhart the Amtrak Rail Service and will

provide planned pedestrian access through transit oriented design

28

Further the Transit Transfer Center as proposed will provide safe off street

boarding and may house suggested passenger amenities such as indoor shelter and

internet cafe bookstore The proposed Transit Transfer Center will include bike racks

and accommodations for riders allowing more transportation choices to reduce the cost

to the user aid in improving the air quality and in a small way help to reduce our

nations overall dependence upon oil The facility may also include high speed internet

access and state of the art audio and visual equipment The Transfer Center focus

supports the City of Elkhart as we target federal and local funding toward the center of

Elkhart through transit-oriented mixed-use development We have the opportunity to

do all of this without using any local taxpayer dollars Over 302118 passengers depend

upon the trolley system for their mobility It is the only public transportation system we

have and those looking to join us will also look at our available transportation This is a

plan in progress The financing is available we need the location

While studying the possible resolutions to our many challenges one cannot

ignore the uncertainties previously mentioned However one of the keys to our survival

and our growth is recognizing just that Uncertainties still exist and we must be

prepared to face them at any time We will not forget that government owns nothing of

its own No property no money We are simply entrusted with the managing of the

taxpayers business money and the property they own and we are obligated to do it in

their best interest

To that end over the past four years we have reduced our operating budget and

will continue to look for more efficiency to further reduce our daily costs Our constant

endeavor is to continue to do what we can to produce additional jobs in our City

29

We will continue to utilize TIF funds to provide the infrastructure needed to

attract and keep new business in Elkhart We are a cleaner safer quieter City We

understand the term vision and we understand the term planning but we also recognize

long term planning is a challenge when you are facing the stark reality of a $13 million

dollar loss in revenue in such a short time That blurs your vision just a little Waking up

one morning and discovering that lout of 5 people in your City were unemployed didnt

help much either Your long term plans can go out the window pretty quickly when this

happens Make no mistake about it Everything we do is designed to be sure we stay

afloat At the same time we are not stagnant and we are not in a passive situation For

the foreseeable future we must continue to be very careful of how we utilize our

funding We must choose our projects very carefully Stay out of debt as much as

possible Recognize our greatest financial challenges and manage them wisely We will

keep this City operational and we will have a City that others covet a City that is an

attraction A place desired by others and a place we can be proud of We will do our best

to find out how Elkhart would like to see itself in the future But we will do it in a state of

reality Looking at the plate we were handed always considering the cost of our vision

Being sure our dreams dont overrun our dollars Current projects include the Labour

Park project Shoppes at 6 the North Gateway Project and the Central Park and parking

lot renovation There will be additional brightening of downtown and on the Plaza

utilizing some LED lighting We still hope to install the old fashioned street lights

removed from Main Street on Division Street We will continue our current line of

thinking that Main Street for the purpose of arts and entertainment begins at the

Wellfield Botanical Garden and traverses through our City all the way to Prairie Street I

appointed the citizen group SoMa to look at the south end of our downtown and they too

30

recognize there are improvement needs from Jackson Blvd north and from the tracks to

Prairie Street I look forward to receiving SoMas recommendations for those areas of

our City Many of these improvements will utilize TIF funds We will continue to look at

our blighted areas We have been quite successful in securing brownfield funding for

demolition and decontamination During our time in office we have seen the demolition

of the Elkhart Foundry the Labour Pump Factory approximately 120 residential

properties and the Misco Building Many others have been rehabbed and we continue to

work with Habitat for Humanity All of this has resulted in better neighborhood living

We can display these words with a great deal of pride We do not allow excessive

noise in our City We do not allow smoking in places where the public gathers or works

and we mandate the clearing of sidewalks in winter so that our children do not have to

walk in the streets on the way to and from school

From the outside looking in we appear to be doing pretty good We are leading

the nation in job growth and we have earned some positive national recognition

Sometime ago Forbes listed the Elkhart-Goshen area as 10 in their Best Places to live

cheaply article based upon the housing affordability index cost of living crime rate

unemployment rate and school quality data What I am asking you to do again is to join

with me to be sure were always on the good list As I said at the beginning it is not up to

me - it is up to us

Winston Churchill one time said It takes courage to stand up and speak and it

also takes courage to sit down and listen I will continue to listen as promised and when

the community tells us they are not lined up with our ideas we will take note Our only

job is to serve the people of Elkhart

Thank you

31

a reimbursable fund which is expected to accrue a negative cash balance pending

reimbursement by the granting entity

We continue to note the difference between expected revenue and actual

revenue The original civil City budget contemplated receipt of revenues in the amount

of $596 million Actual receipts less inter-fund transfers totaled $537 million $59

million less than expected for the year mostly because ofour frugalness

Of the $352 million dollar property tax levy for the 2012 civil City budget dollars

that we were allowed to collect only $259 million was collected and $93 million or

26-44 remained uncollected $85 million or 2418 of the total levy was uncollected

due to the effects of the circuit breaker caps $799549 or 226 was uncollected by the

County for other reasons By comparison the loss of property tax revenue due to the

circuit breaker caps in 2011 was $59 million The effects of the circuit breaker caps

continue to rise The loss is expected to be even higher in 2013 and continue on into

2015middot

The approved gross budget for 2012 of $54 million less inter-fund transfers of

$460000 comprised a net civil City budget of $535 appropriated among twenty-eight

(28) funds This is to be compared with the 2008 budget of $574 million Actual

expenditures and encumbrances were $551 million or 95 of the net-working civil City

budget The City realized a reduction in operational costs of $28 million in 2012 (a 5

reduction)

Excluding the water and wastewater utility bonds and the tax increment

financing district bonds the City had long term debt in the amount of $103 million

aggregated between two revenue bonds on January 1 2012 Principal and interest in the

amount of $552764 was paid during the year Outstanding debt on the remaining bonds

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28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31











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24


development




















on growth



25

























26

























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program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31

























23
























24


development




















on growth



25

























26

























27













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





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31
























24


development




















on growth



25

























26

























27













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31


development




















on growth



25

























26

























27













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





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31

























26

























27













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





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31

























27













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31













program












28




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31




















their best interest




29

























30



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31

























30



















me - it is up to us





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31



















me - it is up to us





Thank you

31

state of city, 2013

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