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In Loving Memory of Cpl. James Szuba & Ricky
On January 9, 2010, Cpl. James Szuba and his K9 Partner Ricky were “killed in the line of duty.” Cpl. Szuba and K9 Ricky were responding to assist another officer whom had reported a dangerous driver that was fleeing at a high rate of speed. Cpl. Szuba’s patrol vehicle was struck by the vehicle, killing Cpl. Szuba and K9 Ricky. The City of Mishawaka suffered a great loss that night. Words cannot express our grief.
Cpl. Szuba was a 1985 Marian High School graduate. He and his wife, Debbie married soon after high school and began raising a family (a son, Josh and a daughter, Stephanie). Cpl. Szuba was a devoted family man, preferring conversations about family and friends than any other subject. His idea of a good time was anything that involved his family.
Cpl. Szuba attended the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and was certified by the State of Indiana as a Police Officer. During his training at the Academy, his shooting skills won him the “Top Gun” award, posting the highest shooting score during qualification. On February 26, 2002, he was sworn in as a Police Officer for the City of Mishawaka. He worked in the Uniform Division until January, 2004 when he was assigned to the K9 Unit. Cpl. Szuba was partnered with K9 Ricky; a two and a half year old German Sheppard and was a patrol and narcotics detection trained K9. Ricky quickly won the hearts of Jim, Debbie, Stephanie, Josh, and Sam, becoming a member of the family. Cpl. Szuba continued his training at the Academy, becoming a Certified Instructor. He utilized his shooting skills to become Certified as a Firearms Instructor and Armorer. His calm demeanor made him an excellent instructor. He found great satisfaction in helping officers improve their shooting skills.
Cpl. Szuba was well regarded by his peers and supervisors as well as members of the Community. He was always considered to be fair, honest and direct; always treating people with respect and dignity. The City of Mishawaka will forever be grateful for the contribution Cpl. Szuba made to the Community.
ND Hockey Practice At Merrifield Ice Rink Open to Public
The Notre Dame Hockey Team will once again be practicing at Merrifield Complex Ice Hockey Rink on Friday February 12th, 4:30-6pm. This practice is an open practice that will be free to the public. Please note that those who are traveling from the west that the Mishawaka Ave. Bridge is closed and must re-route their travel and enter off the Indiana Avenue entrance/exit. Parking is limited in the Merrifield Parking lot and folks may have to resort to off street parking. Click here for more information.
Mishawaka First Runner-Up in Indiana Businessweek's Annual Ranking of the Best Places to Raise Your Kids
Mayor Jeff Rea announced today that the City of Mishawaka was ranked second in the State of Indiana by Business Week Magazine in their annual ranking of the best places to raise your kids. Mishawaka was runner-up to Fishers, and just ahead of Carmel.
According to businessweek.com, the selections were limited to towns that had at least 45,000 residents and a median income between $40,000 and $125,000. Data used included school performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities and diversity. Affordability, safety, and test scores were given the greatest weight.
Mayor Rea commented- “Mishawaka residents have long known that this is a great community to raise a family. We are excited that others have also recognized this and we are honored to make the Business Week list. What is notable is that we compete with many suburban areas that are new by City infrastructure standards, with significantly higher median incomes, and virtually no poverty. It is a testament to our citizens, our City leaders, and City employees that Mishawaka ranks high on this list. I also think that it is important to note that this ranking was not something that the City applied for, it is solely based on Businessweek’s research and rankings.”
Although many from outside of the community view Mishawaka as a regional area of commerce, the City also prides itself on strong, safe, and affordable residential neighborhoods. The City’s motto is “Working together to build the best hometown in America”. To view the article and check out the best Cities around the country, go to www.businessweek.com and search on best places to raise your kids.
Mishawaka Proposes Parking Fine Increase; First increase in 31 Years
Mishawaka Mayor Jeff Rea announced a proposal to increase parking fines in the City, from $5 to $10. The current fine was established in 1978, 31 years ago. In addition, the Mayor is proposing late fee’s also be increased from $15 to $25 and to render the late fee applicable for fines not paid within five (5) days. The Mishawaka Common Council is scheduled to consider the matter at their December 7, 2009 meeting. The meeting will be held that evening at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Mishawaka City Hall. The meeting is open to the public.
Also, the Administration is asking the Council to issue a specific fine of $50 for parking violations occurring in a “fire lane.” Along those lines, an increase of a late fee of $75 for both fire lane violations as well as handicapped parking violations (currently a $50 fine) if the original ticket is not paid within ten (10) days is proposed. As with the Parking Fine increase, research shows these increases are also consistent with neighboring agencies and have not been adjusted for many years.
Mayor Jeff Rea stated that: “The purpose of this parking fine increase from $5 to $10 is to help our Mishawaka Police Department cover the administrative costs associated with the processing of the parking fines. In the past 31 years since the fees were established administrative costs associated with processing the parking fees have raised substantially. Other cities adjusted their parking fines to meet the rising costs of their administrative costs, the City of Mishawaka had not. During this year’s Budget making process we recognized this shortcoming and came to the conclusion that now was the appropriate time to adjust our fees to a level that most communities our size already have.”
Mayor Rea also stated that: “It is also important to remember the purpose that parking tickets serve. Parking tickets serve to promote the free flow of commerce in our city. Parking Ordinances are designed to allow new customers to replace existing customers in any given store on a timely basis. Currently, with parking tickets set at $5 there is little incentive for a customer to finish their shopping and move on to the next business. Our hope is that by increasing parking fines we create a better environment to draw customers to downtown businesses by freeing up spaces to park.”
In Mishawaka, one police (civilian) employee is assigned full-time to monitor and enforce the parking ordinance in the downtown business district, which includes the municipal lots as well as other designated areas of the City. This person is responsible for entering citations into the Records Management System, track parking revenue and record statistics on tickets written for themselves and every police officer. The employee is also responsible for sending 1st notices to violators that have not paid their fines. This person also works with the City Attorney to collect unpaid fines after the 1st warning has been mailed. In addition, three other employees of the Services Division of the Police Department assist the Parking Enforcement employee by receipting tickets as they are paid.
In 1978, when the current fee was established, the parking employee’s annual salary was $5,956. That same year the parking fine was $5.00 and, most likely, the revenue collected covered the employee’s salary. In 2009, the salary was $28,558, while the parking fine remains at $5.00. The revenue collected in 2008 was $18,092. This falls $10,000 short of covering the employee’s salary, and still does not take into account the time the other three Services Division personnel or employees of the City Clerk’s office devote to processing parking fines.
Based 0n 2008 statistics, the fine increase would increase the yearly revenue to approximately $28,522 per year. This estimation is based on the average number of tickets per year, but the variable is whether the fine is paid on time or with a late fee. This increase would help offset the parking employee’s salary.
Current Fines Proposed Fines
$5.00 $10.00
$15.00 late fee after 72 hours $25.00 late fee after 5 days
Parking Enforcement Salaries
1978 - $5,956
1993 - 14,040
2009 - 28,558
Parking Citations Written - 2008 Fines Collected - 2008
2090 Citations $18,092
Parking Citations Written - 2009 Fines Collected - 2009 (YTD)
(Through October)
1414 Citations $11,698
Mayor Rea concluded “We certainly think long and hard before we adjust any fine’s. We do feel it is necessary and reasonable in this case, as the fine has not been adjusted in 31 years. We are sensitive to the needs of our downtown businesses and the customers that support those businesses and don’t believe the changes place significant burden on either of those groups. In addition, I believe this increase is consistent with the cost associated with delivering the service and consistent with fines you see in other communities.”
Update on the Mishawaka Riverwalk
The most recent phase of the Mishawaka Riverwalk opened to the public on Saturday, November 7, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. This new section begins at the western edge of Kamm Island, and travels west along the riverbank through Lincoln Park, behind the Mishawaka Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant, through Kate’s Garden, and connects with the recent Riverwalk improvements at the Logan Street Bridge. A brief ribbon cutting ceremony was held Saturday, November 7th, at 9:00 a.m. near the boat launch at Lincoln Park.
This phase of the Riverwalk was a partnership between the City of Mishawaka, INDOT, and the Michiana Area Council of Governments. Similar partnerships existed during the construction of the Riverwalk along Wilson Blvd. and Battell Park, Central Park and the Central Park Bridge, and across Kamm Island, including the three pedestrian bridges. On each of the projects, roughly 80 % of the construction dollars came from federal funds through the federal transportation enhancement and congestion mitigation air quality funds. This phase of the project was bid and awarded to Northern Indiana Construction of Mishawaka in early 2009. The total cost of construction was approximately 1.4 million dollars. Northern Indiana Construction was also the contractor for the Riverwalk phases connecting Battell Park and Central Park, the Central Park improvements including the Central Park Bridge, the Kamm Island Improvements, the Logan Street Bridge improvements, and the Cable-Stayed Bridge near the end of Beutter Park.
This section of the Riverwalk includes over 1800 lineal feet of trail, and features the fully restored historic WPA restroom in Lincoln Park, a reconfigured boat launch in Lincoln Park, and an elevated concrete ramp extending over the river’s waters as it wraps around its bank. Additionally, several scenic nodes were created in order to provide pedestrians a quiet place for reflection near the water, offering exceptional views of the beautiful banks of the St. Joseph River.
In conjunction with completion of this segment of the Riverwalk, the City is also completing a restoration project of Kate’s Garden following the removal of the former park office building. Once completed, Kate’s Garden will have additional parking, Riverwalk access to Lincolnway, new signage, and landscaping. This project is being completed by LL Geans Construction of Mishawaka.
The completion of Phase IIIB marks the final Riverwalk installment from the original Riverwalk plan unveiled in 1991. The Riverwalk is a three mile loop along the St. Joseph River, passing through seven city parks (Battell, Ball Band, Central, Beutter, Kamm, Lincoln, and Kate’s Garden) and providing walkers, joggers, cyclists, and rollerbladers with a 10 ft. wide path unfettered by vehicle crossings.
Mayor Rea commented “This is an exciting day in Mishawaka as we again celebrate the completion of an important improvement project. The Mishawaka Riverwalk has become a popular attraction for our residents and visitors, and we are excited to unveil this next phase of the project. Since 1991, we have looked for ways to connect our citizens and neighborhoods with our parks and the Central Business District. This piece helps us do just that. While it does represent the completion of our original plan, our attention will now turn to where other logical Riverwalk connections should be.”
Mishawaka Awarded $6.5 Million to Improve Neighborhoods
Old Mishawaka High School/Main Junior High
to be renovated, other neighborhood improvements planned
Mayor Jeff Rea and Community Development Director Lory Timmer announced this morning that the City of Mishawaka has been awarded $6.5 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program Funds by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Association. As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the Department of Housing and Urban Development created the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to mitigate the negative impacts of vacant and abandoned houses in areas of greatest need.
The $6.5 million in NSP funds will be combined with $3.4 million in local and other funding sources to create 52 residences for low - moderate income households. The core of the project will be the conversion of the current Mishawaka Furniture building located at 402 Lincolnway West into 32 affordable-rent senior citizen apartments. The building, constructed in 1910, was originally the 2nd Mishawaka High School structure. When the current high school building was opened in 1924, the building was changed to Main Junior High School. The building was sold to a private owner in the 1970’s, and is currently utilized as the Mishawaka Furniture Store. The City has a signed purchase agreement on the building.
Mayor Rea commented “This is an exciting day for downtown Mishawaka as this project represents one of the largest projects to happen in the downtown in recent memory. This building has been a fixture in our downtown for 100 years and we are excited to now have the opportunity to make some needed investment in the property. This project is another key piece of our downtown revitalization efforts and will be a nice compliment to the work happening with the Ironworks Project and the Riverwalk Townhomes. We are grateful to our State and Federal officials recognizing the importance of this project to our community and we plan to put this money to good use.”
This will be the third project of this type that the City of Mishawaka has undertaken. In the 1985, the City acquired the former Battell School building (904 N. Main), and renovated that into senior apartments. In 2003, the City acquired the former Mary Phillips School building (702 W. Lawrence), and renovated that into senior apartments. On both projects, the City completed the renovations and the Mishawaka Housing Authority manages and operates the facilities. The City will again partner with the Mishawaka Housing Authority on this project with a similar arrangement.
The timeframe for the project for design to be completed this summer, with the project bid for construction in the fall of 2009, with completion in early 2011. The cost of the project is estimated at $6.2 million, to be financed with NSP grant funds and other sources.
Mayor Rea added “This is perhaps the largest historic preservation project we’ve ever undertaken as a community. We recognize the important part this building has played in our history and we now are excited about the important part it will play in our future. This building is a very prominent part of the downtown and is visible from virtually every part of our central business district. The building has not seen significant investment in many years, and has been absent of basic things like windows for 20+ years. The renovation will help us restore the building to its original look.”
In addition to the renovation of the Mishawaka Furniture Building, $2 million of the NSP grant will be used to acquire approximately 20 substandard vacant/abandoned residences in the target area for use in the following City programs: First-Time Homebuyer, Habitat for Humanity Partnership and Lease-to-Own Self-Sufficiency. The target area for revitalization is bordered by Grove Street on the north, Sixth Street on the south, Taylor Street on the west and Cedar Street on the east and includes the City’s Central Business District, the River Center redevelopment area and Mishawaka Riverwalk. The neighborhoods in this area are the most densely populated in Mishawaka and are experiencing the highest rates of foreclosure, subprime mortgages and risk of home abandonment.
Mayor Rea commented “This grant will also help us make a difference on some key residential neighborhoods. We will acquire a number of problem properties; demolish the structures located there, making way for new single family homes. The goal here is to remove blighted structures that have been a problem, while also reducing the density in some of these residential neighborhoods. Though the funds will not allow us to deal with every problem, we can make a real difference in some key neighborhoods that sit on the front door step of our downtown and the revitalization efforts happening there. “
Mishawaka Utilities Offers Update on the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Progress
The Mishawaka Utilities website now has a slideshow from the Mishawaka Citizen Advisory Committee meeting as well as a video which addresses the importance of the St. Joseph River to the City of Mishawaka and our neighboring cities.
Click here to view now!
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