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REGULAR MEETING JULY 8, 2013 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />on a whim for no reason only if they feel threatened. Unless you are stepping and that usually <br />doesn’t happen, so that is why she wanted to focus on the peaceful aspect of the honey bees and <br />that’s why “Peace Bees” is so important who ordinance because bees aren’t going to do anything <br />different, they are peaceful and basically just leave us alone and continue to help all the ways <br />that we know they do. <br /> <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis asked about those people who are allergic, and the response was to <br />have them be in contact with their allergist. But is there anything that can be done to help <br />education people more about how to protect themselves. <br /> <br />Sara Stewart stated that she was glad that question was asked. She thinks there is value in <br />talking about the fear and basing our decisions on fact. Bees are already here, people manage <br />them with allergies. She stated that they will continue to offer at Unity Gardens along with <br />Peace Bees free educational opportunities. By raising awareness we are already educating the <br />public. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis, Jr., stated that there had not been many folks that have gotten <br />permits to have urban chickens in their back yard, how many folks or people do you think that <br />will even sign up to be bee keepers. <br /> <br />Sara Stewart stated that issue was discussed earlier; she stated that she will refer to Jim on <br />specific numbers. But one thing she highlighted that the initial investment prohibits most people <br />from being bee keepers. <br /> <br />Tim Ives, 27151 St. Rd. 23, North Liberty, Indiana, stated that statistically speaking there is <br />about 1 in 10,000 people in the United States that are bee keepers. Michiana Bee Keeper’s <br />Association currently runs about 150 members in St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall, and Starke <br />Counties. Which is about 1 in 6,000 people. The City of South Bend has about 100,000 people <br />so you are looking at the average is 10 – 15 and also coincides with the amount of people that we <br />have in the Peace Bees Schooling for the moment. And as Sara pointed out the cost of getting a <br />couple of bee hives, bees, putting up the fly away barriers, you are looking at $2,500.00 startup <br />cost. It’s not like spending $100.00 to set up chickens. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis, Jr., asked how that helps in the grand scheme of things, when your <br />argument is that we need more bees, we need more folks to invest in this particular sustainable <br />use etc. but know you are telling me that everyone can’t do it or it’s the dollar amount that you <br />have to have in order to play ball. How is that congruent with folks that need a more sustainable <br />living or have better access to healthier foods? <br /> <br />Tim Ives stated that there is nobody stopping anybody from getting bees. <br /> <br />Sara Stewart stated as you know Unity Gardens offers access to bee keeping on site, because <br />obviously we have bees, we are open and we do the education. One of things that were able to <br />do is let people manage hives there. She stated that they are open to all volunteers helping in the <br />gardens as well as bee keeping, once they are educated on how to keep bees. <br /> <br />Tim Ives stated that the way United Garden got set up with bees is that he and the Lesniak’s set <br />them up with bees. He stated that he has approximately 150 colonies of bees. He stated that he <br />is constantly looking for new places to place bees. Anyone willing to have bees, he will set <br />them, you buy whatever equipment and he gets his equipment back the following year, you keep <br />your equipment with bees. He stated that is what he did with Unity Gardens and that’s how he <br />set them up with bees. There wasn’t the initial cost of the bees, his biggest problem is the cost of <br />the equipment, because once you start double up on 100 hives, you are looking at 50 to 60 <br />thousand dollars of equipment. So it is usually somebody who that wants bees, he doesn’t have <br />to buy equipment, he is just going to go sideways in his colony count. <br /> <br />Tim Scott stated in presenting this bill they looked at best practices around the country, the foot <br />radius, the flyaway barrier, all the productions, the responsibility of fence yards, flyaway barriers <br />Is conducive to what you see around the country. This is a progressive step and can’t speak for <br />them but to him a Unity Garden is missing one other key ingredient and that is bees, and I can’t <br />13 <br /> <br /> <br />