South Bend Mayor James Mueller has until Thursday to sign or veto a recent common council resolution calling for a pause to the Midwest Continental Divide Trail project.
The council July 27 voted 7-1 for Oliver Davis Jr.’s resolution to pause the project. Davis says farmers and rural homeowners worried about their property rights say they weren’t informed about the project soon enough.
Mueller supports the trail and threatened a veto before the council vote. State law gives him 10 days, or through Thursday, to sign or veto the measure. If he does nothing it also will be defeated through what’s called a pocket veto.
Mueller declined our interview request Wednesday. If he vetoes or uses the pocket veto, Davis says he’ll make a motion at Monday night’s meeting asking council members to override the veto with a two-thirds vote, or six members.
Davis says the city administration wouldn't be the first to slow the project. St. Joseph County commissioners last month withdrew a county council bill to create a commission to start developing the trail.
“The sponsor has made a request to pause it, the county council has made a request to pause it, so it’s appropriate that the city join the pause," Davis said.
