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REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019
<br /> the best option for mc. So, this sober living is what needs to happen for people like me to stay
<br /> sober. Thank you.
<br /> Beth Szweda, 71701 Spruce Road, Walkerton, IN, stated, Twelve (12) years ago, my husband
<br /> became addicted to opioids due to a back surgery. He worked for FedEx. We were a stable,happy
<br /> home with two (2) children. Over the course of ten (10) years,his addiction grew. One (1) by one
<br /> (1), he lost everything that he loved the most. At the height of his addiction, in 2017, he was not
<br /> only addicted but he was also committing crimes in our community. He was stealing from
<br /> businesses. He was taking scrap metal just to feed his addiction. He became so focused on
<br /> committing crimes and stealing because he couldn't get and hold a job. He ended up committing
<br /> a crime with my son in the car. My point is, we need this in our community. If we don't have
<br /> something like this, it will result in more crime, not less. The people who may be afraid of these
<br /> people in the neighborhood committing crimes, that is completely false, in my opinion. My
<br /> husband went from a fine upstanding father to a common criminal on the street. Thank you.
<br /> Bob Edmonson, 317 South 26th Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I would really be foolish to stand
<br /> up here and try to tell you, after all of these speeches, that I am in opposition to Choices. I am in
<br /> opposition to the location. I would fully support a different spot. I live within a half block of this
<br /> proposed location and I live in a community that is seventy-seven(77) years old and that is a fifty-
<br /> five (55) plus community with over two hundred and forty (240) units. The location where this
<br /> proposed facility is, if you just spread out a little bit, there are hundreds of apartment units just to
<br /> the west. There is another large apartment complex just across the street that houses hundreds of
<br /> children. We have school buses that stop directly in front of and across the street from where this
<br /> facility is located. I would fully support the operation in a different location. I am most concerned
<br /> about the safety in our neighborhood. I have serious reservations about certain things the presenters
<br /> said tonight. I attended two public meetings, most recently last Thursday. To be honest with you,
<br /> several things that were said here tonight were different then what they said in the public meeting
<br /> I went to on Thursday. I question the safety at their 3606 East Jefferson location. I understand that
<br /> Sheriff Redman said they have a nice camera and all of that, and I believe they do. But, since this
<br /> has become an issue, I personally, along with my wife, drove into that facility on two (2) different
<br /> occasions and parked. One(1)time it was for ten(10)minutes and another time it was for an extra
<br /> fifteen (15) and was never, ever, ever, ever, approached. I saw patients coming and going outside
<br /> of the gated area. Maybe that's perfectly acceptable, I don't know. But I heard them say tonight
<br /> that the gate was more for preventing people from going in, I'm telling you right now, I sat there
<br /> on two (2) different occasions, in excess of ten (10) minutes, both times, and was never ever
<br /> approached. I was never asked why I was there. I fully believe we need this type of thing in our
<br /> community. I've lived here for almost sixty-five(65)years in South Bend and Mishawaka and we
<br /> have a real need. I understand that. But, this is not the right location. Therefore, I ask the Council
<br /> to vote in opposition to this.
<br /> Lorraine Celis, 133 North Esther Street, South Bend, IN, stated, Good evening, members of the
<br /> Common Council. Thank you for your time. I am the dentist next door and the owner of the
<br /> property immediately adjacent to 2610 East Jefferson Boulevard. I am in strong opposition to the
<br /> proposed zoning change for the following reasons. This zoning change and special exception will
<br /> negatively affect the use and value of my property. I have my dental practice that I have established
<br /> since 2002. Per the petition's requirements, a special exception cannot adversely affect the use of
<br /> the adjacent areas or the property value. Reason two (2) is that this request in zoning change is not
<br /> consistent with the character of the district. Number three (3), it will create a challenge for me in
<br /> recruiting future dentists and staff members. My employees do feel concerned about having a
<br /> recovering addict home next door. The Office Buffer Zone was intentional. Changing it to MF-
<br /> One(1),a residential zone, so that a foreign for-profit entity from Michigan can operate a business,
<br /> seems contradictory to me. Jefferson Boulevard has a lot of visibility and easy access. It is also
<br /> next to the St.Joseph Valley MetroNet Fiber Line. This should be saved for future business. Please
<br /> do not sacrifice this space and grant the rezoning that could negatively affect the area for years to
<br /> come. Lastly, I would just like to urge the Common Council to look into who TIA Corporation is.
<br /> We are inviting them to set roots in South Bend. They are from Battle Creek, Michigan. What kind
<br /> of track record do they have there in that community? Thank you for your time.
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