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640 DENNIS WHITTAKER: This is simplamatic of what this whole process has been, 641 they change the ground rules as we go along. When the initial invitation went out to the 642- proposed developers nothing was said and no ground rules were set for a minimum ---- 643 --643 acceptable bid or anything of that nature. From a business stand point this has been 644 handled very poorly. We feel there just basically coming up with excuses now. If they 645 wanted a minimum value why didn't they tell anyone. 646 647 JANET MACIULSKI: Mr. Sheehan has stated that the School Boards actions were 648 not a surprise. I have been working on this for a long time and it was a surprise, we did 649 not know until December that there was any consideration that the building was going to 650 be torn down. Oliver School was given away for a dollar, O'Brien was given to the 651 South Bend Parks Department, we did know that they expected a minimum bid, if one is 652 required then it should be publicized. It states in a South Bend Tribune article dated 653 March 18, 1998 that South Bend School Administrators would like the old Nuner School 654 building to be used for a purpose that would enhance the neighborhood, demolition will 655 occur only as a last resort. These are the things we have heard so the School Boards 656 actions were a surprise. 657 658 JOHN OXIAN: This letter that we received from Mr. Sheehan deserves a response, 659 which the staff will respond to in writing. 660 661 GENE OAKLEY: I am not here for or against this situation. The School Corporation 662 doesn't need dead buildings. People are coming up for proposals at the last minute and 663 as a businessperson I would say that they should have been in earlier. If you hold the 664 building interim the School Corporation cannot sit and maintain the building for the next 665 ten years so if the developers are interested let them bring the proposals, and prove they 666 can do the job and have the money by a set deadline or we are going to tear it down. If 667 the people have the money and can do the job then great, but, if not then we can't let the 668 building just sit. If the building was utilized properly then the School Corporation should 669 take the cost of demolition and conversion to green space save that money and take 670 whatever the developers offer. 671 672 KITTY GERSCHOFFER: I am with the River Park Neighborhood Association. I am 673 in favor of saving Nuner and the Matt Stahl proposal. I am concerned that the School 674 Corporation will spend $350,000.00 to demolish the building and not accept a bid of 675 $80,000.00. Granted its not worth the value of the land but it is still better then spending 676 $350,000.00. We have had serious offers, all of the offers were serious and made by 677 reputable people. We have also been compared to Oliver School, we are not Oliver, we 678 are not located where Oliver is nor do we have the same type of neighborhood so such a 679 comparison is not fare. To use Nuners land for a student field would require that children 680 cross Pleasant Street, which is one of the main arteries in South Bend, on a regular 681 1,&`Pb_iness. I just do not see how this could be done safely, nor is the property involved 682 large enough for much green space. 683 684 CATHERINE HOSTETLER: I am going to ask that the Commission make a 685 motion for Interim Protection for Old Nuner School. 15