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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-20-33 Council Special Meeting MinutesMINUTES. Be it Remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, met in Special Session in the Council Chambers of the City Hall, Monday evening, November 20th, 1933 at the hour of 5 :30 o'clock P. M. All Members presents except Councilman Nelson and Oakley. Vice -- President Grzeskowiak presided. VATE OF INDIANA ST. JOSEPH COUNTY SS: CITY OF SOUTH BEND CALL FOR SPECIAL MEETING OF THE k lm% COMMON COUNCIL. TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA. You are hereby notified that under and by virtue of the authority by law vested in us as Councilmen of the City m is bzswby of South Bend, Indiana, a Special meeting of the Common Council of said city is hereby called for 5 :00 o'clock P. M., on Monday evening, November 20th, 1933 or as soon thereafter as convenient x) for the purpose of receiving a Repbrt on the Re— Districting of the City of South Bend, and for introduction of an Ordinance, which Ordinance title is as follows: An Ordinance establishing Oouncilmanic Districts in the City of South Bend by dividing said city into six such Councilmanic Districts, and fixing their Boundaries, and providing for the use of voting Machines in Elections for nominating and electing officers of said City, and Repealing all Ordinances and parts of` Ordinances in conflict therewith.. Dated this 20th day of November, 1933. Julius Altfeld Geo. H. Goetz Geo. F. Hukk Jno. C. Hiss I. W. Cripe Members of the Common-Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana. t: COUNTERSIGNED: 1933• ( Official Seal) Rladys M. Monroe 1933. On November 20, 1933. City Clerk. This grit came to hand this 20 day of November, 1933, to each Councilman upon the date designated, as follows: John C. Nelson sick On November 20, 1933. Julius Altfeld On November 20, 1933. Grover D. Whiteman On November 20, 1933: Irwin W. Cripe On November 20, 1933• Earl S. Gustin. On November 20, 1933. Andrew M. Rokop °On November 20, 1933. and I served by reading the same and by leaving -a certified copy thereof at the last and usual place -of residence of such members-as I was unable to find, as follows: George F..Hull George W. Goetz Joseph S. Jaworski Steve Grzeskowiak XGlen L. Oakley (address unknown) John C. Hiss On November 20, 1933• On November 20,1933- x.933. On November 20, 1933. On November 20, 1933. On November 20, x.933. On November 20, 1933. Dated thin 20 day of November, A. D. 1933. Perr & Nulf Members of South Bend Police Force.' The report of the Call was - accepted by the Council and ordered to be placed on file. Motion carried. REPORT. OF COMMITTEE ON RE— DISTRICTING CITY FOR COUNCILMANIC DISTRICTS. South Ben &, Indiana, November 20, 1933. To the Common Council of the City of South Bend: Your Committee appointed to divide the city into districts instead of wards under the new law of 1933, and to prepare an- ordinance for the consideration of ih a Common Council, begs to report as follows:. We have found it a difficult task to redistrict the city. The nw laaw of 1933 is a radical departure in amy respects, including the provision.that all city councilmen shall herwafter be elected-at large instead of by wards or districts, yet the strong concensus of opinion, after having talked to many persons in various parts of the city, seems to be that the present wards'should not be altered any more than becomes necessary, such as to destroy the identities and traditions which have existed for years in various sections of the city. There seems to be a strong feeling that any changes should preserve these &denties of long standing insofar as such may be possible. Also, it has been strongly urged that the r naming or designationiof the districts, where possible, should remain unchanged. The Seventh..- - and Eighth wards will of necessity habve to be renamed, since the city under the law is now limited to six districts' Under any system employed, it is impossible to divide the city so that the various districts will be absolutely equaled numberically. To divide them somewhat equally according to the registered vote of one eleotionamight find them quite unequal following another election, since the vote varies: greatly in some parts of the city from election ato election. The fact is, the law does not provide that the vote of any particular year shall be followed, but seems to assume from its worAing, that the If number of electors" actually existing or as estimated in a district sh4lj be the determining factor independent of any actual vote in any particular election. Too great a difference exists as the wards now stand, the Seventh ward, for instance, now having 11,000 votes according to the 1932 election, and the Third ward having less than 2,000 votes. We have greatly remediesd these discrepancies, but we have been unable to divide the districts absoLtu.tely equal numerically. We have not depended wholly upon the vote at any particular election. To some extent we have employed figures shown by the vote in the election of 1932; but also we have tried to determine the probable actual number of the electors in a district, taking figures lof several past elections. Our figures to some extent also are estimates, since we have of necessity divided districts in several casesmindependent __ a Wx -_� es:rt� pre�'n'`ndary lines. From the experiences of a few past elections, the vote in some of the wards has x varied several-thousand votes, but in our proposed division of the citynwe doubt if the d.ference between the vote in one district as compared with that of any of the others will vary as such as 2;000 votes. Throughout our work we have tried to hold to the course of not distorting the present make- • up of the districts such as to destroy their identify any more than has become absolutely necf ary. We have worked on a number of different plans and have had proposed plans submitted to us, but after carefully considering all of them we believe the nearest approach to a satisfactory re- ,`. districting of the city is as follows: The First District, to be so named, comprises largely the present First Ward as it fcs men y -existed, except that the territory west of Bendix Drive and north of Lincoln Way West, being pa ft of the twelfth precinct of the First Wald, is.eliminated and is to be incorporated in the new Second nDistrict. The vote in this new district, estimating as nearly as possible from past elections, will amoun to an average of approximately 8_,000 votes. The Second District is the present',Ward plus that portion of the First Ward just referred t o, also practically all of the ,first and second poerecincts of the present Third Ward, less that portion of the sixth precinct of the Second Ward lying south of the New York Central track, west of Olive Street and north of Western Avenue, which is transferred to the new Sixth District.The estimated average maximum vote in this new Second District is apprdximately 6, 500 votes. The Sixth District is the present Sixth-Ward plus that portion of the sixth precinct of the Second Ward as just referred to, plus the third precinct and a small portion of the second preci ct of the present Third Ward, also that portion of the eleventh precinct of the present Seventh War lying south of Sample Street and west of Olive Street. The-average maximum vote of this view Sixth District is estimated at approximately 6,000 votes. The Fourth District is the present Fourth Ward plus all that portion of the third, fourth fifth and sixth precincts of the oresent Eighth Ward.lying north of East Jefferson Boulevard an • east of Greenlawn.Avenue, and all that portion of the first precinct of the Eighth Ward lying south of Jefferson Boulevard and West of Eddy Street, also all of the first precinct of the�pres nt Fifth Ward. The average maximum vote of this new Fourth District is estimated at approximateby t 6,500 votes. The Third District is the present Eighth Ward after deducting what is transferred from it o the new Fourth District, above mentioned, and adding the second and third precincts of the prese t Fifth Ward, als6 that portion_ of the present Seventh Ward which lies west of the Aver and south of Sample Street and east of the Pennsylvania Railway tracks from West Sample Street to West Indiana Avenue, and north of Indiana Avenue from the Pennsylvania Railway tracks to Clyde Street and west of Clyde Street extended north:to the River. The estimated average maximum vote in thds new Third District is approximately 5.,000 votes. The Fifth District is the present Seventh Ward after deducting what is transferred from it • to the Si xth District and to the Third District as already described. The estimated average max mum vote of the new Fifth District is approximately 8,000 votes. We herewith submitting a map marked in colors which gives a clear idea and } view of the :z are six new districts as descrkibed . We also are submitting an ordinance for the coneiderttion of tie 4_ Council, emnbodying the recommendations contained herein. Respectfully submitted, Julius Altfeld, Grover D. Whiteman, E. S.' Gust -in. On Motion of Councilman Goetz th4 Report was accepted and ordered to be placed on file,. Motion carried. ORDINANCE N0. An Ordinance establishing Councilmanic Districts in the City of South Bend, by dsividing their boundaries, and providing said City into six such councilmanic districts, and fixing the of- voting machines in elections for nominating and electing officers of said City, a for use and Repealing all ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict therewith. The'Ordinance was given its first reading by title, its second reading in full and on Committee of the Whole, also with the Motion of Councilman Altfeld was referred to-the Assistance of the City Engineer. Motion carried. On Motion of Councilman Hiss the Council adjourned at 5:45 o'clock P. M. Motion carried. APPROVED ATTEST VICE-PRESIDENT. OLER