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REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019
<br /> areas for help. I do not think it should be in a residential area because of families and what might
<br /> happen. I just oppose it. That's all I have to say.
<br /> Brenda Raplogo, 2614 Cypress Way, South Bend, IN, stated, I live in Walnut Grove. I oppose the
<br /> rezoning. I have my granddaughter,my daughter,my great-grandson that lives in those apartments
<br /> right across. My granddaughter is special needs and she doesn't need to be surrounded with guys
<br /> looking at her and trying to pick her up, or, you know. My grandkids don't need to be around it. It
<br /> is a respectful area. I feel safe walking to their apartment. I don't know if I would feel safe in that
<br /> area anymore if this comes to the area. I was hit and run on 26th Street because somebody sped
<br /> past me at fifty(50)miles per hour. I had to pay for my car to get fixed. I just don't feel safe if that
<br /> was there. I would just be worried about my grandkids, and my granddaughter and my great-
<br /> grandson. I would hope you say no to the rezoning.
<br /> The petitioners were then given five(5)minutes for rebuttal.
<br /> Ms. Brown stated, Ladies and gentlemen,thank you so much. Patrick Gerrard is in attendance this
<br /> evening,he will be doing the rebuttal.
<br /> Patrick Gerrard, 121 Capital Avenue NE, Battle Creek, MI, stated, Good evening, Council and the
<br /> City of South Bend. Thanks for having us. Yes, I've been here all evening. We've heard a lot of
<br /> for and a lot of against here tonight. I, personally, understand the sensitive nature of what we are
<br /> talking about. I know the Council does. I know these fine people from Walnut Grove Home
<br /> Association understand our plight and what we are after, too. What we have to do, though, is find
<br /> a way to meet in the middle, ok? I believe it can be accomplished. I believe under proper control,
<br /> security and knowing what we know how to do, we know how to do it. With that, I was at their
<br /> meeting last Thursday and I want to bring up some point here from various members of that
<br /> association. A broken gate. That gate was broken. I told them last week when we were there, I put
<br /> a lot of money into that gate. Brand new motors,mechanisms, sensors and everything. The gate is
<br /> not broken. I can take anything you throw at me, but I need the facts. You've got to give me the
<br /> fact. Some of the things we heard here were stretching the truth. The TIA Corporation. Yes, it is a
<br /> for-profit corporation. Yes, it is in Battle Creek, Michigan. A foreign business? We're not from
<br /> Mexico. We're not from Canada. Ok? A foreign business that is coming into this community that
<br /> has been here for four(4) and a half years that wants to pump more dollars into here, it's not that
<br /> I take offense being called a foreign business,but I think it's an incorrect term. Sex offenders.That
<br /> came up, ok? They told us last week there were four(4) sex offenders in our program. I told them
<br /> that was incorrect information. They asked me if that means the St. Joseph County Police website
<br /> is lying and I said no, it is just incorrect data. And, I also know where they went. I was in the
<br /> process of getting them off there. If you look at the website, none of them are on there. I did know
<br /> where they went,ok?But they were not in our facility when we met with these folks last Thursday.
<br /> I heard some other things. I'll build the fence if we have the money. I have no idea where that
<br /> came from. I asked these people who came up and talked about noise. I asked them if they
<br /> contacted the facility. Have you written a letter? Have you come over to knock on the door? They
<br /> said no, so they called the police. We are there. We want to be community neighbors, folks. But,
<br /> we need the information if we're not doing something correct in the neighborhood. I can't correct
<br /> if I don't know what that is. We do know what it is, now. We are working on it. You will find it
<br /> in your packet. As soon as the weather breaks, I want to build a privacy wall. We need to send our
<br /> community outreach people deeper into this area where we are at and start asking what we can do
<br /> better. There is nothing wrong with that. We are human. If there is something we are doing wrong
<br /> that we can do better to become better community neighbors, in this area, we can do it. Speeding
<br /> vans through Walnut Grove. I don't know what any of our people would be doing over in the
<br /> Walnut Grove Neighborhood Association. Our business is on the entirely different side of the road.
<br /> The clients that are going to be there are not going to have cars. The two(2)or three(3) staff there,
<br /> yes, they will have their cars in the parking lot. Once again, I was thinking about a privacy fence
<br /> both ways, especially for the dentist next door. With that, I want to thank the Council and the City,
<br /> again, for your time. I know it is a sensitive subject, ok? We know we can do this. I would really
<br /> like to request the approval from the City Council on this fight. Thank you.
<br /> Councilmember Tim Scott made a motion to continue Bill No. 69-18 to the Council Portion only
<br /> in the March 11th, 2019 meeting of the South Bend Common Council. Councilmember Gavin
<br /> Ferlic seconded this motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes.
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