The controversial Midwest Continental Divide Trail project suffered another setback last night. The council voted against the wishes of Mayor James Mueller.
The council voted 7-1 for a resolution to pause the project sponsored by Council Member Oliver Davis. The resolution says the city should stop work on the trail at least until the Indiana General Assembly can make changes to the program next year.
The project has faced growing opposition from farmers and property owners in the western part of the county, especially around North Liberty. The county council had planned to consider a bill creating a commission to develop the project at its meeting Tuesday but county commissioners have withdrawn the bill.
But Mueller’s team says the trail, which would touch parts of the city's western edges, would support eco-tourism, recreation and land conservation. Earlier Monday they sent council members a memo saying that if they passed the resolution, “senior advisors to the mayor will advise him to veto it.” Only council member Rachel Tomas-Morgan voted against the pause.
Council member Sheila Niezgodski abstained from the vote to, what she said, avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. Her husband, State Sen. David Niezgodski, like most state lawmakers from Michiana, co-sponsored the bill authorizing $40 million in state funding for the effort.
Davis says Mueller should have spoken with the council about the project long before his memo, just like local state lawmakers waited too long to discuss it with property owners along the trail route.
“It was incumbent upon those who led it at the Statehouse and those who led it in the Senate, to have talked to the people who were in the path of this plan," Davis said. "So since that didn’t happen, everything needs to be paused.”
Davis is a Democrat who is running against incumbent Republican Jake Teshka for the statehouse District 7 seat. The Mueller memo said, “We are also concerned about the blurred line between campaign activities for the upcoming election…”
“That was a slap in the face and I’m very glad that when the council members saw that, several of them were highly upset and offended, and that’s why you got a 7-1 vote. I wasn’t expecting a 7-1 vote. They made sure it was veto proof.”
Mueller’s spokeswoman did not reply to our interview request.
