Stonewalling Continues…

Ben Lanka reports in today’s Journal Gazette:

Despite refusing to release nearly $50,000 worth of environmental studies on riverfront property pegged for future development, Fort Wayne’s redevelopment director said Wednesday nothing unexpected was uncovered…

[...]

The invoices, dated in July, September and November, show several environmental studies were conducted on the land, including soil samplings at 26 randomly selected sites. In total, the city was billed $47,582 for the work on the land.

Leatherman declined to say whether the city was pleased with the results of the test at this point, saying only that the tests give the city knowledge of what is on the site and what that will mean for future development. He said because the site served as a railroad yard and home for metal recycling, the tests were sure to find some things.

“I don’t think what we found is surprising,” he said.

The city declined to release the results of the studies, saying they could be kept confidential because they were being used by the redevelopment commission in negotiations with a commercial entity.

[...]

Leatherman said the city is expecting a fourth invoice from Avant for groundwater testing, which he estimated would cost up to $12,000.

What we now know:

1. The City paid $25,000 for the purchase option which expires on December 31, 2007.  Outgoing Mayor Graham Richard decided not to buy the land.
2. The purchase option agreement stated: “The seller will convey the property to Buyer AS IS, without any warranty as to condition or environmental matters.”
3. The City will have paid up to $59, 582 for environmental studies on the property’s viability for development.  
4. The City expected to find problems with the property.
5. Although the City expected to find environmental problems, they engaged an outside consulting firm and held community design workshops prior to knowing the full measure of these problems.
6. The City received invoices for testing in July, September, and November.  Presumably testing was done in the month or months just prior to receiving the invoices.
7. Fort Wayne mayoral-candidate Matt Kelty, Indiana’s NewsCenter, and now the Journal Gazette each requested the release of testing data and were rebuffed by the City.
8. After paying $59,582 for testing, tens of thousands of dollars for outside design consultants, and untold hours of community input, the good people of Fort Wayne still do not know what environmental issues are present at this location.

Thank you Ben for reporting on the issue.