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Now therefore, we earnestly and vigorously - petition the Honorable Common Council of the City bf South Bend to take <br />this lamentable situation under advisement and thoroughly to investigate it and thereupon take such proper'steps as <br />will promptly and effectually stop the continued devastation of the land done in utter disregard of the rights and <br />sensibilities not only of the people of this section of the community but also of the rights and sensibilities of <br />,the community as a whole. <br />Respectfully submitted: <br />171 SIGNERS' <br />Councilman Hull made a motion that the petition be referred to the Board of Safety. This motion was amended to <br />include that the petition also be referred to the City Attorney for consideration. Councilman Jordan seconded the <br />motion as amended. Motion carried.' <br />REPORT OF STREETS & ALLEYS COMMITTEE <br />(attached) <br />A joint meeting of the City Traffic Commission, Streets and Alleys Committee of the City Council and the Safety <br />Council of the Chamber of Commerce was held in the Council Chambers of the City Hall at 7:50 P.M. on Tuesday, March <br />19th, 1940, with the following members present: <br />Ernest H. Miller Henry Lowenstein Harry Driggs Horace Williams <br />Serg. Ellsworth Butz Harry Bolt George Heideman George Hull <br />Chief William K. Ingram Clyde E. Williams Milton Brannon, Paul Butler <br />P. Minczewski <br />Harry Bolt opened the meeting, stating that the purpose of this special meeting was for calling the different Commit. <br />tees together to discuss the installation of parking meters in the city. <br />A discussion followed with Mr. Bolt stating that when a cut in the city tax rate was made by the State Tax Adjust- <br />ment Board, the -City Traffic Commission lost funds appropriated fort raffic safety in the city. The Commission is <br />reviving-the question of installing the meters in the hopes that revenue realized from their operation will in the <br />future finance the operation of the Traffic Commission. He named over several cities which now have parking meters, <br />as Indianapolis, Kokomo, Muncie, Anderson, Marion and others, and they have all met with success. <br />Mr. Heideman asked Mr. Lowenstein what reaction the merchants of the city had taken concerning parking meters in the <br />city. He stated that he thought approximately twenty -five percent of the merchants were against them. In his dis- <br />cussion he mentioned that he had talked with Mr. Carpenter of Kresges, who had written all the.stores in his district <br />and in every city where they had a store where there were parking meters, they were all very much in favor of them. <br />He also stated that if this was the only way any revenue could be derived for the Commission to carry on, he was in <br />favor of it, but wondered if South Bend was ready at this time for them. <br />(Mr. Hull suggested that if South Bend does intend to have them, he thought it a better idea to buy them outright and <br />not on trial. A discussion followed and it was decided that the best way was to get them for a trial period. <br />Mr. Clirde Williams suggested that the meters be given a six -month trial so they could decide about the appropriation <br />for the Traffic Commission f or 1941. If the revenue was enough to take ,care of the expenses of the Traffic Commissic <br />then there would be no need to make an'appropriation in the 1941 budget. <br />The Commission asked if they could use all the funds that were derived from the parking meters, but Mr. Driggs said <br />that this money would have to go into the general fund and be disbursed as such. <br />Mr. Butler asked Chief Ingram if the installation of. parking meters would make it easier on the police force. The <br />Chief stated that i-r would still take two men, but they would be able to do a better job than they are now doing. <br />By the elimination of marking tires with chalk, it would enable the patrolmen to cover more territory. He was then <br />asked if it would be easier to enforce overtime parking and double parking., and he stated that it would be impossibl( <br />to apprehend every person for overtime parking, but the constant threat of arrest for overstaying the tide limit, <br />would aid in the parking law enforcement. <br />Paul Butler made the statement that now since the parking regulations are-so rigidly enforced, that the traffic is <br />so much better that 'he does not think it wise to install the parking m ters at this time. <br />Mr. Bolt stated that the installation of these parking meters would do several things for the city, among which was <br />the reducing of the number of property damage accidents caused by improper parking, regulating proper parking spaces <br />and to set a specific time limit on parking. <br />Mr. Ernest Miller then described the different types of meters, and stated that he thought many objections would be <br />withdrawn if the meters having dual fees were installed, that is 5¢ for parking an hour-and 1�_for parking 12 minute <br />He mentioned the fact that the meters would be installed at no cost to the city and at the close of the trial period <br />they would be removed if the city does not s ee their need.. <br />Mr. Butler suggested that a further study be.made as to how they could raise money some other way. Mr. Driggs re <br />plied that they have studied it for some time and there is no other possible way to derive lthis revenue. The sugges <br />tion was then made that money be taken from the Water Works to buy these meters, to.w hick r. Driggs objected,statin <br />they did not have the funds available. <br />Mr. Hull made the suggestion that the streets be marked up so that the cars should nark within a certain space, and <br />in that way there would be more parking space on the streets. <br />Is <br />,- . <br />Mr. Butler approved of this idea of Mr. Hull's and he mentioned that if this was done it would help educate the public <br />in parking their cars and would be a help if the city decided on installing parking meters. The Commission informed <br />Mr. Butler and Mr. Hull that there were no funds available for this work. He then made the sugges tion that the cit <br />use VJPA labor for marking the streets in the area where the meters would be used. Mr. Clyde Williams stated that he <br />would investigate the cost of the labor for doing this. Mr. Bolt stated that he would like to call a special meet- <br />ing of the Traffic Commission at some future time and discuss whether marking lines for cars is more important to <br />safety than marking crosswalks. <br />Mr. Lowenstein then commented that if the Commission needed the revenue to carry on their safety program and that if <br />the only way to raise this money was through parking meters, he was in favor of their installation. <br />IMr. Bolt suggested that an ordinance be introduced at the next meeting of the Council putting them in on a trial <br />basis. <br />(Meeting adjourned at 9 o'clock P.M. <br />S P, eretary <br />