MCANNA Monthly Meeting with City-County Council President Bob Osley - September 22, 2025

The Marion County Alliance of Neighborhood Associations (MCANNA) held its regular monthly meeting on Saturday, September 22, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at North United Methodist Church. President Kathy Burton welcomed attendees and introduced the guest speaker, Bob Osley, president of the City-County Council. The meeting focused on the city budget, road funding, parks, affordable housing, data centers, the youth curfew proposal, and a new neighborhood support initiative.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Sue Whitfield (founder, Use What You Got Ministry) announced a fundraising awards dinner on Thursday, September 25, at 5:30 p.m. at Ivy Tech Community College to expand transportation services to five additional Indiana counties. Tickets are $80.
• Jim (Mayor's Neighborhood Advocate) provided information on the Vacant to Vibrant program for rehabbing dilapidated houses, a community open house at the Mounted Patrol Barn on September 25 (4–7 p.m.), and a block party on October 4 at the old women's prison site for reuse visioning. He also distributed construction updates for the Blue Line.
• Cecilia (from Use What You Got Ministry) added details on ticket purchases via Zelle or the ministry's website.
• Ruth (attendee) expressed concern about the curfew situation, emphasizing the need to break the cycle of youth violence and the challenges faced by single parents. She urged finding fathers who have abandoned their responsibilities.
• Shauna Murphy (Executive Director, Martin Luther King Center) stressed not pathologizing youth involved in risky behaviors and advocated for inviting the voices of those closest to the problem. She asked about city support for early childhood education cuts.
• Andrew (attendee) raised concerns about data centers in Martindale-Brightwood, questioning their job creation, tax revenue, and impact on residents. He called for a task force to increase transparency.
• Pat (attendee) noted that code enforcement fines are often too low ($50–$100) to deter violations and that the city prosecutor's office is underfunded, leading to delays in enforcement.

Discussion Items

• City Budget (1.7 billion) – Osley explained that this is the largest budget in city history, with priorities on public safety and housing. Most agencies were asked to reduce budgets by 4%, while police, fire, and sheriff were asked to remain flat or increase up to 2%. The council worked with the administration for six months to align the budget with community priorities.
• Parks Underfunding – Osley acknowledged that parks have been historically underfunded and that the city is working with philanthropic partners (e.g., Lilly Endowment) to supplement city funds. The goal is a world-class park system, but per capita investment lags behind other cities. Federal ARPA dollars helped, but ongoing investment is needed.
• Road Funding and Deferred Maintenance – Osley cited the road budget increase from ~$80 million in 2015–2016 to over a quarter-billion dollars this year, supplemented by House Bill 1461 providing an additional $50 million in state matching funds. Challenges include long-term deferred maintenance and Marion County being a donor county. The city has a $1 billion+ five-year road plan. Delays (e.g., 30th Street Bridge) are due to unforeseen structural issues.
• Coordination of Road Projects – Osley admitted that project delays frustrate neighborhoods but attributed them to deferred maintenance needs and unforeseen conditions. DPW is working to improve coordination and timelines.
• Federal Housing Fund Reductions – Osley committed to providing a one-pager on expected cuts to CDBG, HOME, and other federal housing funds. He noted a deficit of roughly 30,000 affordable housing units in Marion County and that the city is turning to existing stock through the Vacant to Vibrant program and partnerships with IHA, which expects to bring an additional 500 units online by end of 2026.
• Data Centers – Osley expressed caution about data centers, noting that tax abatements are temporary (10 years) and that impacts on water, electricity, and neighboring residents need more study. He supported transparency and early engagement.
• Youth Curfew Proposal – Osley explained that the curfew proposal was sent back to committee because fines could exacerbate poverty. He emphasized the need for collective, community-based solutions involving philanthropies, faith organizations, and families.
• Employee Turnover – Kathy Burton raised concerns about high turnover in city departments, hindering institutional knowledge. Osley acknowledged the issue but did not offer specific solutions.
• Marion County Health Department – Burton urged stronger partnership and clearer communication between the health department and the city, especially regarding vacant properties and code enforcement. Osley agreed with the need for a central clearinghouse.
• Hoarding Issues – Ellen (attendee) highlighted hoarding as a health and fire hazard with high cleanup costs and asked for clearer rights for property owners to inspect rental units. Osley noted he would look into it.

Key Outcomes

• Osley committed to sending a one-pager on anticipated federal fund reductions to Burton.
• He agreed to request DPW representation at future MCANNA meetings.
• He promised to investigate reinstating a Department of Correction probation program that allowed individuals to donate community service time to neighborhood projects (raised by James).
• MCANNA launched a new neighborhood support initiative (working title to be determined) aimed at highlighting specific issues in each township each month, with a form to be distributed at the October 18 meeting. Attendees were encouraged to identify a specific problem (address, photos) for the initiative.
• The next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.