RM 11-19-76 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COM ISSIONERS' REGULAR MEETING Pag 12 Fri ay. November 19, 1976 8. Open discussion, continued..... Ms. Derbeck: "They could blame a Mayor or two ". Mr. Wiggins: "They do, they do ". Mr. Lindstaedt said that it seemed we have the best of two worlds here, the parks and the scenic view which South Bend has improved over the years but the bottom line that comes to any organization is parking, no matter how you go about it. The main issue right here in the downtown area is parking, and how do we get this bond issue retired and get this white elephant off our backs. Mr. Caesar said that 'parking" was an issue with Sears officials, some of whom he talked with personally. Ms. Derbeck asked whose side he (Mr. Caesar) was on—and he said he was just making a comment. The Chair: "Dan, I rhink Don has answered that - they (Sears) like surface parking and in the downtown area, surface parking is ex- pensive." Ms. Derbeck: "I've got to say that we don't know that parking was the big question, that's what they said ". r. Wiggins: "I think there are probably emotional values in these decisions, it's hard to be a completely reasonable person because people are not machines, and you have to have some feelings cranked in..." Mr. Caesar: "Another reason was people are afraid to come downtown at night, in spite of all the comments that were made about that, increased foot patrols, etc., that was another prime concern of the Sears officials, they were losing business because people were afraid to come downtown ". r. Wiggins: "I think Sears - and I can understand how it would happen his way - had cranked South Bend into their projections, along with very other community they have an interest in. Well, South Bend is not 'every other community' and we have some differences here and big part of this difference are the things we have already done ere to set up the kind of setting - if you please - to drop the jewel into. Well, the jewel did not fall but the setting is here onetheless. I think that the attitude of this community - for ex- ample, the kind of community spirit that came about with the departure f Studebakers, which was a major blow - things of far less importance in many other communities have killed the community. This didn't ill South Bend. The kind of community support that rallied in this instance, as far as the Sears decision was concerned, was indicative thought of the kind of community we have and can have. South Bend