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SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 17, 2007
<br />guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and that should not be infringed upon by the local
<br />government. The CCAC is a great committee and he wished that there were more
<br />committees formed like that, to deal with the violent crime and things that are going on in
<br />the City. There were 10 or 11 shootings in the same number of days, while everyone was
<br />starting with this ordinance it took the spotlight over the tragedy that was occurring in the
<br />City. Regarding the ban of portable toilets, this might need to be readdressed. If people
<br />don't have anywhere to go to the bathroom are these people that are partying going to be
<br />urinated on my neighbors and my lawn. This is a problem that is complained about quite
<br />frequently. Mr. Curry also questioned how the City will prove the number of people at a
<br />residence. He thought that a search warrant would have to be obtained before anyone
<br />could enter the premise. He doesn't think that a judge would want to be woke up in the
<br />middle of the night to sign a warrant.
<br />Mr. Matt Costello, 120 N. Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, stated that about three years
<br />ago it seemed to him that no one cared about the problem with the student party houses in
<br />the neighborhood. More and more of the neighbors have moved out and more and more
<br />of the houses went to student rentals. But with the hard work of the City Council by
<br />sponsoring this bill and the bill on disorderly houses, he is really gratified and glad to see
<br />that he was wrong in thinking that no one cared. He stated that he originally came to the
<br />meeting tonight to speak in favor of the bill, however, the part of delaying the
<br />implementation of the bill until the CCAC has had a chance to prove that it has failed is
<br />really ruins the bill as far as he is concerned. It seems to him that this is another example
<br />and Mr. Sniegowski stated it best that it is just "talk, talk, talk" and it is shocking to him
<br />that a bunch of party animals can get the Mayor and important officials, very busy
<br />people, to sit down twice a month to discuss these neighborhood problems. It seems to
<br />him that all because everyone is scared to implement this excellent bill. This CCAC will
<br />only put this bill on the back burner, by saying that the students will be good and
<br />eventually things will get slowly back to their original state of being bad, unruly and run
<br />down homes in the neighborhood. By that time the Mayor and Councilmember's, that
<br />are here tonight might not be representing the City any longer and this whole disorderly
<br />house issue and special event parking ordinance will have gone by the wayside and the
<br />neighbors will be left at the starting block again.
<br />Mr. John Alexander, 1117 N. St. Louis, South Bend, Indiana, asked a question about
<br />parking. He has a place that he owns and parks cars on game day and wonders why he
<br />should be made to pay the City for a permit to allow people to park in his own yard. He
<br />stated that he pays property taxes and those taxes are going up this year. The
<br />neighborhood has gone done and he doesn't think that paying for a permit parking system
<br />is going to work.
<br />Mr. Gary King, 730 N. Hill, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he lives in the 4~` District
<br />where there are a lot of student houses. When he first read the ordinance a few weeks
<br />ago he was really angry that the Council would even consider something like this. Part of
<br />the reason is that students that are admitted to the University of Notre Dame are probably
<br />amongst the finest in their communities. In order to be admitted to the University, they
<br />need top grades, at least in the top 10% of their class. They need excellent scores on their
<br />scholastic tests, they need recommendations from the coaches, principal, counselors,
<br />teachers, pastors, and other well know citizens in their communities. He stated that these
<br />kids are not riffraff, he is talking about young men and women who have earned a way
<br />into a fine university and they could say the same thing about St. Mary's, IUSB, etc. So
<br />when the City wants to put the hammer down on people who could potentially be
<br />excellent neighbors, they are young adults now, but in a few years they will take their
<br />place in the community. Why would the Council want to threaten them with something
<br />like this? We as good neighbors should be able to talk. Mr. Sniegowski referred to them
<br />as transient residents, however, with some dialogue, such as walking across the street and
<br />asking them how they are doing, welcome to the neighborhood. The students that were
<br />across the street from him last year had parties, they came over and gave their cell phone
<br />numbers to him and said if things get a little to loud, just call, you don't have call the
<br />police, they will take care of it. Mr. King stated that Mr. Nussbaum brought up the
<br />COPS documents; there are some problems with that document. He stated that on the
<br />first page and the very bottom the first citation says "The U. S. Department of Justice's
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