04-11-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 11, 2011 Mrs. Cora Breckenridge, 724 N. Notre Dame Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is speaking on behalf of the National Organization of the NAACP and urge the Council’s favor consideration of Bill 86-10. She stated that this bill would bring great pride to the citizens of this city and for persons of color, and women of this great city. Ms. Linda Carter, 26801 Gene Ct., South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is one of the Director’s of the Youth Bill Program in the Michiana Area. She stated that they help the youth in the community to get their GED in construction skills. She thanked the Council for this bill because as a minority women business owner in the city she feels that there is certain disconnect with South Bend as a whole. She stated that she has submitted twelve bids to the City for work and received none. She stated that she would like to see that change a little bit, even if it means more communication and what needs to happen for minority women business owners to receive these bids. She urged the Council’s favorable consideration of this bill. Ms. Tina Prietol, 1049 E. Johnson Road, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she is in support of this bill. She stated that she is very excited to see the change that will occur with the passage of this bill. She stated that she is partners with Ms. Linda Carter in the I Go Youth Bill. She reiterated what Ms. Carter had mentioned that the program helps youth in the community get their GED and certification skills in construction. Mr. LeRoy King, 3029 Woodmont, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is with Granger Community Church and is the Director of the Monroe Circle Community Center, 526 Western Avenue, South Bend, Indiana. Mr. King stated that they are in support of this bill. He stated that they have been partnering and collaborating with the Salvation Army and Byers Consulting to help uplift the community. He stated that they feel South Bend is a catalyst for community transformation. He stated that they look forward to helping individuals in the community take their next step into gaining a full life and be empowered so that they can take leadership and ownership in their own community. He stated that they want to create an environment that is very supportive and to provide mentoring and coaching and would love the opportunity for individuals to get into these jobs, but don’t want a hand out either. He urged the Council to support Bill No. 86-10. Mr. Kenneth Harper, 57555 Blue Jay Drive, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he is the Vice-President of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Michiana. He stated that he is very happy to be here tonight to speak in favor of this bill. Mr. Harper stated that he is a journeyman lineman for 34 years and stated that the youth of the community are just sitting around and with the passage of this bill will be able to participate in the economic development of this city. He stated that this bill would allow those youth to get into the skilled trades. He stated that it will help those that choose not to go to college, but allow them to use the tools and allowed them to participate in the economic growth in South Bend. He urged the Council to pass this bill. Linda Wolfson, 809 Park Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, stated that she wanted to make perfectly clear that she fully supports the goals of this bill. Ms. Wolfson stated that she could not decide if she was speaking in favor or in opposition, because she feels that this bill still needs to be worked on and there is a ways to go to get their. However, she wanted to be very clear that she is in full support of the goals of this bill. She stated that one of her concerns is that she would like to have a bill that can meets those goals and be fully implemented in achieving those goals. She stated that another concern is the naming of the people that will be on the diversity board. She stated that she thinks that it is a good principal that when elected officials delegate responsibility for important area of work that they keep a hand on who those people are and what work they are carrying out. She stated that she is concerned with resources and the availability of those resources and agreed with Councilmember Rouse that those resources need to be there if it is the right thing. Ms. Wolfson stated that because sometimes how the mechanism is carried out can be a problem and doesn’t want to hear it because of how it was designed. She stated that she is not sure capacity should be in this bill when it comes to purchasing and contracts. She urged the Council to consider those points when deciding on this bill. 5