South Bend City Council votes to override mayor’s veto of resolution urging pause on Midwest Continental Divide Trail

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend City Council voted Monday to override Mayor James Mueller’s veto of a resolution urging a pause on the proposed Midwest Continental Divide Trail.

The council originally approved the resolution 7-1 two weeks ago. It called for a pause on the trail proposal while emphasizing greater resident input and fiscal responsibility.

Mueller vetoed the resolution, but the council brought it back for another vote Monday.

All six council members present voted to override the veto.

The proposed Midwest Continental Divide Trail has been a source of concern for some residents in North Liberty, who say the project could use former railroad corridors to connect rural communities with South Bend.

Shawn Groves, a North Liberty resident who opposes the proposal, said he is concerned about the potential for increased access to rural properties.

“Thieves can come down this trail as well, and my cars are there, I got a pole barn,” Groves said. “You just can’t trust people.”

The trail proposal originated at the Indiana Statehouse as a potential use of funds connected to the state’s agreement with the Pokagon Band.

Those funds are intended to support projects involving areas such as public health, economic development, tourism and education.

Some North Liberty residents have argued that the trail proposal moved too quickly and that they were not given enough opportunity to weigh in.

“It’s basically like a land grab for them,” Groves said. “It’s like, you give them an inch, they’re going to take three miles.”

Council member-at-large Rachel Tomas Morgan, who was not present for Monday’s vote, released a statement saying she remains opposed to the resolution. She said it contained significant misleading information.

Mueller issued a statement following the vote, saying:

“This project is still years from a shovel — and I look forward to the work ahead with our state and local partners.”

The council’s override does not end the broader discussion surrounding the proposed trail, which remains in the planning and development process.