FORT WAYNE – The recommendations for how to use nearly $80 million to promote the city remained somewhat broad, but one directive was clear: Politicians should not decide how to spend the money.

The Legacy Fort Wayne task force conducted its final meeting Thursday after voting on general recommendations for how to use the money generated by the lease and sale of the former city electric utility to Indiana Michigan Power.

The group recommended the money be used for three broad categories: improving downtown and the rivers, enhancing youth sports and promoting economic development.

The most specific recommendation came at the end of the meeting with nearly no discussion.

The task force voted unanimously for the pot of money to be removed from the political process, instead leaving it to a trust board to decide how to best use it. Spending the money currently takes approval by the mayor and the City Council.

Angela Hughes, task force member, initiated the attempt to place all the money outside politics to ensure the money gets the best use possible and is not driven by a particular political party’s agenda.

“I want the decision to be made on what is best for Fort Wayne,” she said.

City Councilman Tim Pape, D-5th, said he supported the recommendation because it was important for the money to be spent on as narrow a focus as possible to get the greatest benefit.

“The pressure is too great within the normal political sphere to spend money on different causes,” he said.

City staff told the group it would need to investigate the legalities of such a recommendation.

Councilman Marty Bender, R-at large, also is on the committee and supported the recommendation.

Most of the meeting was spent discussing whether to narrow the recommendations further, as supported by Pape. Some members desired to eliminate economic development as a separate category, thereby recommending any economic development effort receiving the money focus on downtown, rivers or youth sports.

Jim Vann, task force co-chair, opposed the idea because he believed it was too restrictive and could eliminate unknown possibilities in other parts of the community. The effort was defeated.

The city reached a $39.2 million settlement in October 2010 to sell its former electric utility and the rights to all its former customers to Indiana Michigan Power. The state approved the deal last month, providing an initial $5 million down payment, with the rest to come over 15 years.

In addition, the city has about $38 million in a trust account from leasing the utility to I&M for three decades.

The final recommendations are to be compiled by city staff and shown to the task force members for accuracy before being presented to Mayor Tom Henry.

blanka@jg.net