News from the Ninth Floor for Nov. 13
The City of Fort Wayne will hold a special meeting for residents in the area approximately bounded by Hobson Road, Lake Avenue and Coliseum Boulevard from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, in the Brentwood Elementary gymnasium, 3710 Stafford Drive.
The meeting will cover how residents can petition for infrastructure improvements, receive crime statistics updates, learn of zoning changes and how to make home improvements. This area covers the Brentwood, Bellair, Maysville Heights neighborhoods and streets not a part of an organized neighborhood association. The City mailed information to residents in this area to invite them to the meeting.
Contact Denise Porter-Ross, Northeast Area Advocate, at 427-2603 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.
Community Development Corporation continues to have small business loans available
The Community Development Corporation of Northeast Indiana, a City-sponsored non-profit organization, continues to have loans available for qualified small businesses, despite the credit crisis that has gripped many financial institutions and slowed lending for commercial expansion.
“The credit crisis has not frozen the CDC loan programs, and loans are still available for businesses seeking to expand through real estate acquisition, expansion or renovations, working capital and equipment purchases,” said CDC Executive Director Cheryl Schuster.
For the Small Business Administration's 504 loan, a private-sector lender partners with the CDC to provide financing for the purchase, construction or renovation of owner-occupied commercial real estate or the purchase of long-life fixed assets.
SBA 504 loans provide a steady source of new long-term capital at a fixed rate and frequently with only 10 percent down on a new project for a small business, helping to conserve cash for operating expenses. The intent of SBA loans is to provide access to capital for small businesses that might not otherwise be available through regular capital market channels. Use of the SBA 504 loan tends to become increasingly important as a source of long term financing when traditional sources of money decline as they have in recent months.
To find out more about CDC programs, visit the Community Development section of www.cityoffortwayne.org and click on the Community Development Corp. link or call (260) 427-1127.
City GIS manager earns professional certification
Kevin Holle, City geographic information systems manager, earned the Geographic Information Systems Professional certification from the GIS Certification Institute. Holle is the only person in Allen County with this designation, which is achieved through education and training, GIS experience and contributions to the profession such as training others, making presentations at conferences and receiving awards for GIS projects.
City Utilities employees to make conference presentations
Three City Utilities staff members will share their expertise at the 72nd annual Indiana Water Environment Association Conference in Indianapolis Nov. 19.
Making presentations from Fort Wayne's Water Pollution Control Plant will be Superintendent Cheryl Cronin, CET, on the subject of mercury, and System Process Specialist Patsy Alvarez on the effect grease has on the sewer system.
From the Planning and Design department, Program Manager Wendy Reust, PE, will make a presentation on Fort Wayne's efforts to improve water quality and better capture floatable debris from the sewer system.
The annual conference is an opportunity for water environment experts to share best practices and new approaches to effectively treat drinking water and sewage.
