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President Musczinski: Thank you. Any other members of the public wishing to speak in favor of the <br />current proposal? <br />Thomas Bullock My name is Tom Bullock and Ilive at 843 Forest Avenue in South Bend. I have <br />been here since 1977. My training and life experience has been in accountancy and so I am oriented <br />towards numbers, costs, and I am really moved by the argument that you can get good quality with <br />existing structures for half the cost of building new. But what makes this relevant, especially now to me <br />is the reality of the problem of funding our city and our county and the property tax problem that has <br />been visited upon us over the last three or four years. And the Mayor in a not too distant meeting on <br />west side talked about how to come up with creative solutions to balance the budget of the city, and of <br />course on a broader scale of the county and then the state and some of the forces that are at work to make <br />that happen.. At the same meeting he talked about the need to demolish several hundred houses on the <br />west side because there are so far deteriorated that they are past the point of recovery. So that in contrast <br />to me as a regular citizen who pays property taxes and is trying to preserves neighborhoods where I t is <br />possible. It makes eminent sense to really do the best we can to maintain workable structures. So I would <br />urge you to pass the landmark status for this building. Thank you. <br />President Klusczinski: Thank you. Any other members wishing to speak in support? Hearing none, are <br />there any members of this public wishing to speak against landmark designation? <br />Robert Zimmerman: Good evening, I'm Bob Zimmerman, Superintendent of Schools for the South <br />Bend Community School Corporation, I reside at 54231 Maple Lane in South Bend. Thank you for the <br />opportunity to testify before you tonight. As you are aware the Board of Trustees of the South Bend <br />Community School Corporation has made through public discussion about replacing Marquette School <br />with a new facility. In fact, just tonight, the Board voted to move forward with this project along with the <br />project at Monroe Primary Center. Contrary to the statement made on the HPC website, the School <br />System has proven to be less than friendly to historical preservation 1 would contend that the opposite is <br />actually the truth. The District has made substantial commitments and financial commitments preserving <br />and restoring historical schools within our district. We have worked closely with the HPC in the <br />renovation and restoration of Jefferson Intermediate School, Madison Primary School, Adams High <br />School and most currently have just approved the renovation and restoration of Monroe Primary Center. <br />We have been veryfriendly to restoration when it makes good financial and education sense. Our <br />responsibility as a school system is to provide the bestpossible educational facilities at a responsible <br />financial cost to the taxpayers. We believe that Monroe is a prime candidate for renovation and <br />restoration. Marquette however does not present the same opportunity. Examples of this period of <br />architect have been maintained at other facilities throughout the school district. As such the Board of <br />School Trustees opposes the designation of Marquette Primary Center as a local historical landmark. <br />This opposition is expressed in the resolution approved by the Board at its meeting this evening. I have a <br />copy of that. My apologies for not having more copies; I made a quick dash from our meeting to your <br />meeting and I would be happy to provide any additional information to you that would be helpful to you. <br />Thank you. <br />President Klusczinski: Any other members of the public wishing to speak in opposition to landmark <br />designation of Marquette Primary Center. Hearing none, the Chair closes public hearing. <br />Cheryl Greene: Mr. President the Resolution from the School Board of Trustees can be read into the <br />record or incorporated by reference. For the record. There is not a separate copy for each of the Board <br />tonight, but whatever your pleasure is. <br />President Klusczinski: We should read it. <br />Catherine Hostetler: RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SCHOOL TRUSTEES OF THE <br />SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION <br />OPPOSING THE SOUTH BEND AND ST. JOSEPH COUNTY <br />10 <br />