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Resident urges city to fix downtown pavers, benches and low limbs; BID and staff outline repairs and funding limits
Summary
A resident told the council downtown sidewalks and benches are not senior-friendly, citing trips and a fall; BID staff and the council said paver repairs are performed annually and benches will be replaced in phases as funding allows, noting a BID budget limit of $85,000 per year and an estimated $30–40 million for a complete downtown overhaul.
A resident, identified at the meeting as Sierra “Sue” Jesch, urged the La Porte Common Council to make downtown sidewalks and seating more accessible to seniors and people with limited mobility, saying she had tripped over raised pavers and once required physical therapy.
“My comments tonight are about the downtown are not friendly to seniors and others that have trouble with mobility,” Jesch told the council. She said benches that had been removed were not replaced with accessible seating and asked about low tree limbs and uneven pavers that cause trips.
Council members and BID (Business Improvement District) representatives responded. Councilman Amir Galloway suggested metal benches as replacements; Craig Phillips (BID staff) said the BID compiles a list of paver repairs annually and plans to address the worst areas each year within the available budget. “So we do that on an annual basis. I believe, they're planning on doing some of that again this year. So I'll reach out… and get some of the specifics on the locations that she's talking about,” Phillips said.
Phillips said the BID has chosen a black aluminum bench style with a center arm intended to prevent people sleeping on the benches and that benches will be replaced in phases as funding becomes available; he also said worn wooden benches are being removed and either repaired or retired. Council President Patrick Franke noted the BID district is limited to $85,000 a year for downtown changes and said the city’s estimated cost for a full downtown overhaul has been about $30 million to $40 million. Phillips said the BID completed about $50,000 worth of paver repairs the previous year.
The council asked staff to follow up with Jesch on specific locations so repairs can be prioritized. No formal council action or appropriation was taken at the meeting; BID staff described repair plans and funding constraints and said they would coordinate follow-up with the resident and continue annual maintenance work.
