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8. FED RAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: <br />Mr. Brownell advised that we have been negotiating with Mr.Garwood Judah, <br />A.A E., Airport Director, Michiana Regional Airport of the St. Joseph <br />County Airport Authority, in using, our staff for acquisition and relocation <br />work for the Airport Authority: We have not reached a conclusion yet on <br />the way that can be handled. We are in negotiation. rt "is. recommended <br />to them by the Federal Government that they `use our staff, rather than <br />go out and acquire staff and train them, and the expense involved in <br />training their staff, when we already have trained relocation people. <br />Com issioner Wiggins said we served as contractors for Model Cities and <br />Cit -Wide. <br />Mr. Brownell said we want to work out a contract that would be fair to <br />bot agencies. <br />9. DOW TOWN REDEVELOPMENT <br />Mr. Kevin J. Butler, Commission Legal Counsel, gave the following report <br />per aining to the renewal of the Downtown area. <br />Qui a obviously, the disposition and redevelopment in the downtown area <br />is ne of the key matters that-the City faces, and it is the key matter <br />fac ng the Commission. I think there has been some confusion generated <br />wit in the last couple of weeks with the change in the scope of the <br />pro ect, and the change in the prospective developer. It think it is <br />fmp rtant that I try to cover the various areas where the confusions <br />hav come up. <br />It'c very important, for the success of the renewal of the downtown area, <br />thal the attitude generally in the community be positive. I think right <br />now there is a tendency towards a negative attitude -- perhaps a feeling <br />of kepticism- -that I think we are all going to have to overcome. Speci- <br />fic lly, there have been some comments relative to the Commission's involve - <br />men in the proposal of Associates and now of the River Bend Development <br />gro p (name of the joint venture), to the effect that the Commission is in- <br />vol ed in a bail -out project -- trying to bail out Mike Carmichael or Associates. <br />Well, first of all, I doubt that Mike Carmichael; or Associates, need any <br />hell from.the Commission. They can stand on their own feet. I think it is <br />ver3 important that we understand the Commission is NOT involved in any such <br />act vity. The Commissioners are concerned, and I think the Commissioners <br />who have been serving over the past three.(3) years that `I have been serving <br />the Commission -- including the four (4) members here today, plus Mr. Wade, <br />Mr. Helmen, and Reverend Williams- -have done an admirable job, and, as we <br />all understand, at no pay. They have put in a lot of time to try to get the <br />various renewal projects completed, and completed' successfully: It is very <br />imp rtant I think,that we all be behind the members of the Commission. <br />Thi isn't to say that the Commission.does not want any criticism,,or that <br />the Commission wants sympathy, or even praise, but I'd like to say - -not <br />as member of the Commission, but as a member of the staff - -that the Com- <br />mis ion does n:eedsupport; they need cooperation; and they need input. They <br />nee the kind of questions that were asked at the April 29th meeting, and <br />- 31 - <br />