04-23-18 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING April 23, 2018 Chapin indefinitely. Thank you Councilmembers McBride and Davis for challenging us. You made us think and on behalf of those families,we are deeply grateful. The care we will provide at 3527 Lincoln Way West is a critical benefit to South Bend. A scientific poll commissioned by Big Idea Company showed that ninety-nine percent(99%) of the voting public of South Bend supports Women's Care Center. Eighty-eight percent (88%) support our rezoning petition and ten point eight percent (10.8%) have no opinion on our rezoning and only one point two percent (1.2%) oppose it. The women we serve feel overwhelmingly supported by our care. Our Google reviews show an average of four point nine (4.9) stars in Michiana. The medical and social service communities have spoken to the health and wellness benefit of our care. They support our location at 3527 Lincoln Way West as directly benefitting health birth outcomes. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic stated, Ms. Hunsberger, I apologize for interrupting but just as a reminder, please keep your comments to the written commitments provided and refrain from testimony already shared. Ms. Hunsberger stated, As a part of our commitments and our statement of commitments, we are addressing the concerns that have been conveyed to you in the past few days and I would like to speak to those. We are not an anti-abortion group like those portrayed on late-night television. We exist to offer women choice.At the last Council meeting, Councilmember Voorde asked about our care for women considering abortion. I think the opposition letter from Whole Women's Health describing a women's experience of Women's Care speaks to that. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic interjected, Please, again, only address the written commitments. If your comments on written commitments are finished,that is ok, too. Ms. Hunsberger stated, I think that part of our written commitments is a commitment to the community and to Whole Women's Health about our treatment of clients that come both to Women's Care Center and who may find themselves at the abortion clinic. So I think it is important to address that specific concern. If any Council Members have questions regarding our care for women as was brought up, I would be most happy to address those. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic opened the floor to questions from the Council members on the written commitments and amendments. Councilmember Tim Scott asked, What was Whole Women's Health's take on this? Councilmember Gavin Ferlic replied, I believe we received a letter regarding their position. To my knowledge, that has not changed. Councilmember Jo M. Broden asked, So a letter after seven(7) and eight(8) were added?And the change was to two (2)? I just want to make sure we are all looking at the latest documents and if there are parties to these documents,they need to be in receipt of those same documents. We were just handed a change post-Committee and you have clearly identified the changes within two (2), six (6), seven (7) and eight (8). I just want to make sure that all parties to this document have received it. We have received a letter but I think it pre-dates this. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic replied, The letter you received does pre-date this but, at the same time, all Council Members have had an opportunity to receive this as well as the petitioner. Richard Nussbaum, Attorney at Law with offices located at 210 S. Michigan Street, South Bend, IN, served as legal counsel for the petitioner. Mr. Nussbaum stated, All parties to this agreement, the City of South Bend and the Women's Care Center have received these changes. Councilmember Jo M. Broden followed up, So I'm tracking the changes. Two (2) and six (6) 1 follow, eight(8) I follow, but I don't exactly understand with item number(7). If we could review that out loud and perhaps whoever presented that amendment could speak to it. Mr. Nussbaum replied, Number seven (7), number eight (8), number six (6) and number two (2), those changes were all directed to us.The blue changes you saw were changes we made in response to what Area Plan wanted. Specifically, with regard to number seven (7) it involves the enforcement of these commitments. So if enforcement has to take place and the Women's Care 10