June 18, 2018 - A day after Father’s Day, Mayor Tom Henry today announced a new policy for non-union city employees providing paid parental leave. The policy would help support parents by offering paid time off to focus on bonding with their new child and adjusting to their new family situation. 

Both birth and adoptive parents would be eligible for paid parental leave up to 120 hours, which would have to be taken within the first 12 weeks following the birth or adoption. Currently, the City only offers leave to birth mothers through short-term disability. Employees also would need to meet the eligibility standards for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

June 14, 2018 - Mayor Tom Henry was “back on the street” today, Calhoun Street to be exact, to announce the return of the City’s Open Streets Fort Wayne event.

Joined by neighborhood and business leaders, bike riders, pickleball players and fitness instructors, Mayor Henry announced that the free Calhoun Street event promoting health, business and neighborhood connectivity has added 25 new activities this year. The 2^nd Annual Open Streets Fort Wayne event will take place on Sunday, July 15, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

June 12, 2018 -  Mayor Tom Henry and City Councilmen Jason Arp, Tom Freistroffer, Glynn Hines, and Geoff Paddock today provided an update on residential garbage and recycling collection efforts in the City of Fort Wayne. 

Fort Wayne’s new garbage and recycling contractor, Red River Waste Solutions, began providing services on January 2. The City and Red River recognize there have been some issues and are working each day to address concerns. We apologize for any challenges that residents have experienced. It’s not uncommon, though, for there to be an adjustment period for any new provider.

“We’re committed to providing excellent services to residents,” said Mayor Henry. “We expect better results from Red River. My staff and I, along with City Council, are adamant that improvements need to be made to ensure garbage and recycling collection procedures and outcomes meet the needs and expectations of our residents and neighborhoods. Though we recognize that challenges are to be expected with a new provider, Red River has assured us that they’re prepared and ready to enhance their daily operations. I’m optimistic that they’re up to the task. Over the past six months, my office has heard from residents complimentary of the work that Red River is doing as well as from those expressing concerns. No provider is perfect, and it’s appropriate for us to allow them additional time to perform their duties.”

June 7, 2018 - City Utilities today announced plans to address aging water infrastructure, specifically to reduce the number of water main breaks.

With more than 1,400 miles of pipe, City Utilities is averaging more than 300 main breaks a year. So far this year the utility has had nearly 150 main breaks in the first five months of 2018. Main breaks can disrupt business and restaurant services and occasionally cause schools to close. They also create traffic problems and inconvenience residents. 

June 7, 2018 - Today, White Lodging broke ground on Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Fort Wayne Downtown, which will offer all of the amenities expected by Hilton’s upper-midscale brand. The hotel will also feature a walk up Burger Bar restaurant and an indoor/outdoor rooftop bar offering spectacular views of Parkview Field and downtown Fort Wayne. The hotel is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019.

“In 2007, the City of Fort Wayne, reached out to us with the opportunity to build a hotel which would anchor a key element of a new economic engine for the city,” said Deno Yiankes, president and CEO, investments and development at White Lodging. “Today, it’s exciting to continue that vision with a second hotel, which is not only one of our nation’s most respected and well known premium brands, but also designed and localized specifically to honor the great location on Jefferson Boulevard adjacent to the Grand Wayne Convention Center and Parkview Field. We believe this is another step in continuing to bring more families, business travelers and conventioneers to experience all that downtown Fort Wayne has to offer.”

Over 25 percent of the hotel’s 136 guestrooms will be oversized suites and will be located at 226 West Jefferson Boulevard next to the Courtyard Fort Wayne Downtown, which was developed and managed by White Lodging. The hotel opened in 2010.

“I’m encouraged by White Lodging’s commitment to once again invest in another important project in Fort Wayne,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. “Adding an additional hotel and increasing our room capacity will have a tremendous impact on our community. As a point of destination city, this new development will enhance our ability to assist with our growing convention and tourism opportunities and provide guests with a memorable experience in Fort Wayne.”