REGULAR MEETING July 23, 2018
<br /> We were promised when we started working there, and I worked there over thirty (30) years
<br /> myself, health insurance. We have some serious issues regarding health and health insurance in
<br /> the Country and this isn't helping the situation. We've got people here under sixty-five (65) that
<br /> can't even afford to buy health insurance. They were told that if they did not retire before 2016
<br /> that they could lose their health care if they did not retire ahead of time. They retired before sixty-
<br /> five (65) and they are having to pay$3,000 to $5,000 a month for health care right now. There are
<br /> well over 2,000 to 3,000 in this community that are retirees of Honeywell. This not only affects
<br /> Honeywell here in South Bend but it affects them in Green Island and at Walsh Corp. in St.Joseph,
<br /> Michigan, as a number people are under the same contract. Honeywell has $3.4 billion in Federal
<br /> Contracts under President Trump. Last year, Honeywell posted $1.7 billion profit. The Trump-
<br /> Walorski tax cuts lead them to bring back$7 billion in cash from overseas. In the first(1St) quarter,
<br /> Honeywell paid out almost $950 million on stock buybacks. That is the money they make from
<br /> pushing employees under sixty-five (65) to retire and pushing them off of their insurance
<br /> programs. Their earnings were up eleven percent(11%) in the first quarter and sales were up nine
<br /> percent (9%) in the aerospace division. We kept our part of the bargain in South Bend, Indiana,
<br /> and have worked for twenty-five (25), thirty-five (35), forty-five (45) and fifty (50) years for this
<br /> corporation and I'm asking you all, toni ht, to back up the people in this community. Honeywell
<br /> is a ruthless corporation. This is going to hurt our community greatly. It will take a lot of money
<br /> out of the economy. The South Bend Common Council needs to take a stand and I ask you to
<br /> examine your relationship with this corporation. They threw our people under the bus. Thank you.
<br /> Larry Alexander, 56051 Harmon Drive, Mishawaka, IN, stated, I'm here to piggyback off what
<br /> Tom said. When I was hired, it was Bendix Corporation. Thirty-seven (37) years I worked at that
<br /> place with the understanding I had healthcare and I wouldn't have to worry about it when I retired.
<br /> Low and behold they went from Bendix which was a compassionate company. When my father
<br /> died, I was a month and a day,they offered my mother a job. That is when it was Bendix. Through
<br /> all the acquisitions it is now Honeywell and they are the most ruthless, corporate and greedy
<br /> company in this Country. They are taking the retirees, the people who made them who they are,
<br /> and throwing them under the bus. As far as I'm concerned, I will have to buy supplemental
<br /> insurance. I'm going to have to take$4,000 or$5,000 out of my paycheck that I could be spreading
<br /> across this community. I appreciate you guys and please give us some consideration.
<br /> Bryan Edington, 2702 Hilltop Drive, South Bend, IN, stated, I come here tom in support of
<br /> Robert Goodchild,better known as `Cochise' by his close friends and co-workers. Cochise means
<br /> strong like the oak tree. In 1964, Mishawaka Marion opened its doors for the very first (1St) time
<br /> and his son, Rodrick,known as Rod, was part of that very first(1St) freshman class. Being a brand
<br /> new school it had no athletic facilities on the forty (40) acre campus. Mr. Goodchild saw the need
<br /> and spearheaded the development of the football field and track. The Athletic Director at the time,
<br /> Bob Owtolski, better known as Big O, described Mr. Goodchild as a mover and shaker who got
<br /> projects done and on time. Robert Goodchild was born and grew up on the Menomonee Indian
<br /> Reservation where he walked eight(8)miles to and from school each day.He graduated from West
<br /> High School at the top of his class and went to the University of Wisconsin on academic and
<br /> athletic scholarships. He was a varsity wrestler for the Badgers as well as the president of his
<br /> fraternity. With one (1) semester to go before graduation,we was selected to go into the Army Air
<br /> Corps. After six (6)months of officer training at Yale,the balance of his four(4)year tour of duty
<br /> was in British India,heading up the resupply mission of our Chinese allies. He served our Country
<br /> with distinction as a World War Two (2) first Lieutenant without a college degree. He returned to
<br /> the University of Wisconsin and completed his last semester and graduated with honors. He was
<br /> then recruited by NIPSCO in 1946 and moved to South Bend. For thirty-four(34) years he headed
<br /> up the mission to install the underground pipeline network throughout Northern Indiana. This
<br /> transformed our community from a dirty coal and fuel oil to clean-burning natural gas or, as he
<br /> called it, Pepe Flame. The mission to carve the dead oak tree stumps into magical spirit animals
<br /> was accomplished through the trust fund of Robert Goodchild. The first (lst) carving was
<br /> completed in 2013 and the final welcome oak carving dedicated to Robert Goodchild on December
<br /> 21St, 2017. The project is complete and all sixteen (16) animal carvings were done by Maw
<br /> 2018. We celebrated the Best. Week. Ever. at Potawatomi Park and the 2018 Best. Walk. Ever.
<br /> went through the magical oak tree carving which was recognized as a unique happening and a first
<br /> (1 St) of its kind. Thank you very much.
<br /> 16
<br />
|