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6. NqW BUSINESS (Cont'd already have contracts awarded to them - -up to the capacity of their ability to take on work to complete it within the time limit. Commissioner Robinson said he may be jumping the gun, but going to the next item on the Agenda, 6d letter coming up, the same contractor got all these jobs. It amounts to a sizable amount of money and "I find it hard to believe that you can't get more people interested - -than just the two contractors- -just to bid on these projects with this amount of money we are talking about, even though it entails several individual dwellings." Mr. Butler gave an example of 17 contracts advertised and we only had one bidder, and the total figure on that was $38,000. Commissioner Cira again stated it seems there must be a lack of interest in bidding on these. Commissioner Wiggins expressed that he suspects that a part of that may be that there is a number of smaller contractors who shy away from all the legal requirements involved in 'these bids, "because I am sure that they have to go through a much more stringent bidding procedure and accountability procedure here than they do in dealing with the individual on a contract basis in the community. We, however, are required by regulations to establish this kind of accountability to protect both the occupants of the house, the City, and our own Department." Mr. Butler added, "Also the regulations and state law, and having been burnt on these, we have learned from experience." The Chair said, "Well, Lloyd, I think you raised a very good point here, and if you will get together with Keith and anything we can do to update the list, and so on, because we are interested in get- ting the people to bid on these things, and as Don says, some people don't have the staff to do the paperwork on these things. It is regrettable, but this is what happens when you are using Government money; you either do it their way, or you don't do it." Commissioner Robinson said he definitely intends to get other contractors interested in bidding and getting contract awards. "I want to talk to the right people, who can talk to the other people who should be doing it." Ms. Derbeck, South Bend Tribune Reporter, raised the question if Madison Builders is such a large company that they would have a big staff, as the Commission referred to the paperwork entailed. Mr. Butler said that Mr. Richard Madison was in charge of the rehabilitation program, in the Department of Redevelopment; his wife worked in the program, and they know the paperwork as well as anybody. He worked for us back in '72. Commissioner Wiggins further added that he is an ex- employee who has gone into business for himself. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary, Civic Planning Association, asked if we have assurance that he [Madison] will be able to com- plete the contract, and Mr. Butler advised he will by the per- formance and payment bonds which is required. As a matter of fact, initially, he had problems getting them when he was =me 0