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South Bend Redevelopment Commission <br />Regular Meeting –March 5, 2010 <br /> <br />6. NEW BUSINESS <br /> <br />D. Airport Economic Development Area <br /> <br />(3) continued… <br /> <br />Mr. Downes noted that the Commission <br />wouldn’t have appropriated the funds earlier <br />in the meeting if it wasn’t in favor of Project <br />Impact’s program. Everyone is counting on <br />this being a success. That’s a lot of pressure <br />on Mr. Summers and Mr. Blake. He asked if <br />Mr. Summers was more or less optimistic for <br />2010 than he was at the start of the program. <br />Mr. Summers responded that about three <br />months ago his answer would have been that <br />he was less optimistic. He was very <br />frustrated and discouraged then because he <br />couldn’t get in the door to talk to people. He <br />had forty clients standing up to say if it <br />weren’t for this program they’d be back in <br />jail right now, and Mr. Summers couldn’t get <br />any businessman to say that really mattered. <br />After meeting with WorkOne and seeing how <br />excited they were to partner with Project <br />Impact, after Project Impact’s open house <br />and follow up meetings with business owners <br />who wanted to collaborate, and after meeting <br />with Ivy Tech and Notre Dame about <br />partnering, he’s very enthusiastic and <br />optimistic for 2010. <br /> <br />Mr. Downes asked where Mr. Summers <br />anticipates future funding might come from. <br />Mr. Summers responded that he was <br />designing programs for the Chicago Urban <br />League before coming to assist with Project <br />Impact. He came because the business plan <br />for Project Impact looked at how we were <br />going to create and develop businesses <br />within the community. We expect the <br />creation of jobs to start bringing income into <br /> 42 <br /> <br />