Letter to the City-County Space Utilization Task Force

Letter from Don Schenkel and other business leaders to the City-County Space Utilization Task Force:

January 22, 2010

Dear Members City-County Space Utilization Task Force:

As members of the greater Fort Wayne business community, we have been closely following the discussions between the City of Fort Wayne and Allen County as a mutual solution to the space needs of local government is pursued. While we applaud the leadership of the City and County on this issue, it is a time for our voices to be heard.

We are business owners, employers, investors, executives, volunteers, family members and above all else, citizens of this community. We care deeply about its success, and we regard our civic responsibility as seriously as you do. Therefore, we urge the task force to develop a plan that takes full advantage of the City-County Building and 200 East Berry Street.

Our reasons:

• We believe that we are one community.
• We believe that the City-County Building and 200 East Berry Street are the foundation for an equitable solution that can bring nearly all local government together.
• We believe our community’s top priority must be the creation and retention of jobs, and a joint answer to local government’s building and space needs will send an important signal to the world that our community is unified in purpose and equipped to compete.
• We believe that few of our citizens differentiate between the various levels of local government and that we must do everything possible to make all local government easier to use, more cost effective and more responsive to their needs.  Those objectives are even more important to the business community as we work with our elected officials to build a vibrant local economy.
• We believe that local government collaboration and cooperation are good for our community and good for business and that co-location is an investment that will promote those values.
• We believe that best practices combined with common functionality and smart space planning can yield significant efficiencies for local government operations.
• We believe those efficiencies can be translated into cost savings while still ensuring the delivery of high-quality services to all citizens.
• We believe that co-located local government will save tax dollars and better serve the public.
• We believe that this is a decision  that is right for our community and that the time is right to make it happen.

Given the many benefits outlined, we strongly support the co-location of local government in the City-County Building and 200 East Berry Street.  We also support the use of the City-County Building for both police departments.  Do not allow this moment to pass.  Act swiftly to make this a reality.  This letter has also been endorsed by the individuals listed on the attached schedule.

Thank you for your hard work on behalf of our community.

Sincerely yours,
Donald F. Schenkel

Individuals Also Endorsing the Letter to
City-County Space Utilization Task Force
dated January 22, 2010

Keith E. Busse, President
Steel Dynamics

James E. Cook, President
Chase Bank

Scott Glaze, President
Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corp.

Dave Haist, Executive Vice-President/COO
Do-It-Best Corp.

Joni Howell, Manager, Government & Community Affairs
Chamber of Commerce

James Marcuccilli, President/CEO
Star Financial Group

Michael Packnett, President/CEO
Parkview Health Systems

Michael Shatzlein, CEO
Dupont Hospital and Lutheran Health Network

Pat Sullivan, Executive Vice-President
Hylant Group

Chuck Surack, CEO
Sweetwater Sound

Jim Vann, Chairman of the Board
Rea Magnet Wire Company, Inc.

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