09-14-15 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING September 14, 2015 main thing that helped me there was knowledge and learning details that you only get to know by learning the people, same applies to the police officers. Last week in the newspaper, the county is trying to re-fire up the metro SOS unit, most of us here remember the disaster that ended in last time. We need to focus that effort to getting back on the streets and helping their aliases. Rebecca Kaiser – 913 Diamond Ave., South Bend – This is not the first thing I wanted to start with, but as a citizen that lives on Diamond with a diverse neighborhood take Diamond Ave. and name it MLK drive. I don’t think any of my neighbors would care, it’s a beautiful street just do it. I came here to say thank you to Valerie Schey and ask that some of our citizens come to the department heads or the people involved before they make a tempest in a teapot. She has worked tirelessly for the last couple of years to make South Bend Animal Control something that South Bend should be proud of. This region has very few shelters that are looked on as positively as South Bend Animal Control. That goes to the hard work of Val Schey. We also have a new director. We would love to show the public the difference and have more volunteers come in. The Huffington Post has talked about the difference here in South Bend. When you have a question for any department it might be nicer to give the department a chance to answer the question about discretionary donation before you come to a council meeting and make accusations. Linnie Caye – 821 S. Walnut, South Bend – Some of you may have gotten emails from me. This is in reference to 1502 Dunham Street the Friendly Confines. In spite of being labeled a chronic problem property, in spite of its code violations and building department code violations, the bar has continued to use an outdoor area week after week. It is in a residential area, they bring in bands and they have karaoke from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. We in the neighborhood have to deal with this. Despite all these violations they continue to work and use this area which is Single-Family residence zoned. They have a fence around it and they have the Building Department and Code giving them an okay for this fence that encompasses Mixed-Use and a Single-Family residence and they’re using it to expand their bar area. Police can do nothing to shut them down. Somebody in the City has to do something to shut them down. If you hear them from fifty (50) feet that is enough. I have thirty-nine (39) pages of logs of what’s happened and what hasn’t happened. I need to know why this business is able to break the law and why are our police officers are rendered helpless enforcing these laws? Somebody has to do something. We are being shot at by patrons for warnings as they don’t like us complaining. I’m not happy about being shot at, I like the Council and I like the City. I would like the City to do something before someone gets shot. Amy Ridenour – 6115 Miami Road, South Bend, IN – I am here representing Smoke Free St. Joe Coalition, I would like to leave everyone with a fun fact. I would like to represent smoke-free workplaces in the hospitality industry in that there is no evidence that there is a negative economic impact on going smoke-free in the workplace for the hospitality industry. Sharon Banicki – 3822 W. Ford St., South Bend – I want to follow up for my parents as they have been calling 311, as there are issues with the house across the street from them. The City came out to fix the water problems but they were never repaired and there is a hole out front that needs to be fixed. Is there a way to find out how much is being collected for wheel tax and where that money goes? I was talking to someone that stated each street can only be redone once every forty (40) years. I would like to know how much we have coming in and where it is going. Jim Bognar – 807 W. Washington, South Bend – The handouts you are receiving, I don’t expect you to look at them completely, but you are a part of the thirty-two percent (32%) in this area that I spoke to. This is in reference to the Kaiser Mansion on 802 W. Washington as this has to do with Historic Preservation. I have included in your presentation that $30,000 each year comes from the City to support the Historic Preservation Commission. I also included documentation how the main building came into existence as part of four (4) properties. Interestingly in front of the County Council, I got drilled with questions and I realized that conversations weren’t being had, and that it is our tax dollars that are being spent for this. You are involved in at least thirty-two percent (32%) of what happens with the Historic Preservation, with at least getting back the funds for this project. Richard Chambliss – 1243 Van Buren, South Bend – I have been there for almost fifty (50) years. We are disappointed how our area has been handled. When they were tearing down 14