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REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019
<br /> Mr. Fisher replied, It is a duplex identical to the other duplexes in the area that are zoned MF-One
<br /> (1). It is currently vacant. There was somebody working on it sporadically. I don't know what the
<br /> purpose is, but it is the size of all the other duplexes in the area.
<br /> Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated, For clarification, though, it is OB.
<br /> Mr. Fisher confirmed, Yes, it is.
<br /> Councilmember Jo M.Broden stated, It is the same as the current property that you are petitioning.
<br /> Mr. Fisher replied, Yes. It is not residential as it is zoned OB. Right next to our building, on our
<br /> property, is a concrete parking lot. This duplex is adjacent to the parking lot at our parcel.
<br /> Councilmember Jo M. Broden interjected, Same ownership.
<br /> Mr. Fisher replied, Mhm, it appears to be, and it shows that way.
<br /> Councilmember Jake Teshka stated, With regard to parking, that gets to my next question.
<br /> Brandon, you had mentioned shuttle drivers. Are your residents able to have their own vehicle? Is
<br /> there sufficient parking for twenty (20) vehicles if that were the case?
<br /> Mr. Adolf replied, We do not plan on letting our patients have vehicles. We think that is too much
<br /> freedom too early and we do not want that. Again,there is not going to be enough space for parking
<br /> and we feel a lot more comfortable transporting our patients. There may come a time in their
<br /> treatment where we let them start using Uber or get a bus but that is based on that individual's
<br /> progress in treatment and receiving recommendation from the clinical team. But, we plan on
<br /> transporting them all.
<br /> Councilmember Jake Teshka clarified,And that is to and from work and school,up until that 11:00
<br /> p.m. curfew?
<br /> Mr. Adolf replied, Yes, sir.
<br /> This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and
<br /> opponents were given an opportunity to be heard.
<br /> Maria Stancati, 57785 Crumstown Highway, South Bend, IN, stated, I'm the Executive Director
<br /> of Dismas House of Indiana and I support the sober living house. I think that people need that next
<br /> step when they go from rehab to home. There is nothing stabilizing there. So, I think if they have
<br /> this intensive out-patient place,that would be good. It has been proven that they need sixteen(16)
<br /> to twenty-four (24) hours a week and this would give them what they need to move forward.
<br /> Addiction is a disease and I think we all finally realize that, and we need to treat it as such. We
<br /> can't just give people ninety (90) days of treatment and then they're all better. That's not what
<br /> happens. There are underlying factors and I think most of you agree with and recognize that. We
<br /> need to treat the disease. We need to treat people. Maybe people don't like where it's located,but
<br /> they've had a great record so far. They are going to have a fence and a gate, and I think we really
<br /> need them in our community. Thank you.
<br /> Bill Redman, 401 West Sample Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I am the Sheriff of St. Joseph
<br /> County. I'm here in support of Choices Recovery. I had the opportunity of being invited when I
<br /> was running for the office of Sheriff back in the fall of 2018 to visit Choices. I'll be honest with
<br /> you, I had driven past the facility on numerous occasions and never even realized it was there. But
<br /> it was brought to my attention when I was invited by Alicia Brown to take a tour of the facility
<br /> and learn a little bit more about what they do here locally in our community. I will tell you, I was
<br /> extremely impressed with the facility and with the work they do for their clients and for the people
<br /> that are in need of assistance,especially because of the addiction issues people are faced with. I've
<br /> been a police officer for twenty-five (25) years. We deal with addiction, drug and alcohol abuse
<br /> on a day-to-day basis. Now, as the Sheriff of St. Joseph County, I see that kind of behavior even
<br /> more while I oversee the day-to-day operations of the jail. I can tell you arresting everybody for
<br /> their addictions and the drug and alcohol issues is not the solution. We need more facilities such
<br /> as Choices in our neighborhoods in our community. I know it's not favorable among some people
<br /> in the neighborhood. I understand that, and those concerns are real concerns we all should be
<br /> paying attention to because this is a serious issue dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. I was
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