01-13-75 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 13, 1975 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) about March 1st. He hoped approval would be given by June lst. Councilman Nemeth wondered how many homes would be rehabilitated, and Mr. Crighton answered by stating that 81 homes would be involved. The homes were located in the area bounded by Calvert on the south, and 80% of the structures were between Michigan and Broadway. Councilman Nemeth wondered what conditions were being placed on the money, and Mr. Hojnacki indicated that there was no guarantee in the contract that the residents would be in a position to maintain the home. He stated that the Advisory Board would be checking into this matter. Councilman Horvath wondered if there was a safety measure that the home owner would not rehabilitate his home with the funds and then sell it for a profit. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that there could be no guarantee that a person would not sell his home once it was rehabilitated. He felt that was a good sign because the homes would then be sellable. Councilman Horvath felt the grant -loan aspect should be reviewed further so that the home owners would match the funds expended for the rehabilitation. Council President Parent wondered about the main problem in obtaining low - interest loans, Mr. Crighton indicated that a mechanism has not yet been developed. He stated that the loan aspect would have to be contracted to the lending institutions. Council President Parent felt this issue should be pushed further. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that, in this instance, a relatively small amount of money was being talked about to be paid back in a short period of time. Councilman Kopczynski asked for a copy of the inspection report on the 81 units being considered for rehabilitation. Mr. Crighton indicated that he would furnish the Council with the report. Councilman Kopczynski wondered if a grant was being given to .those persons who were able to repay the loan for rehabilitation. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that there would be many questions on who could and who could not repay the loans. Mr. Crighton indicated that each individual would have to be studied by credit reports, etc., in an effort to try and determine who could repay the loans and who could not. Councilman Kopczynski felt those persons who could repay the money for rehabilitation should be given the money on a loan rather than a grant. He wondered why the city could not act as a collection agency for the funds. Mr. Hojnacki indicated that the program was a special project for a special area. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association, indicated that he had seen the reports on the inspection of the 81 homes. He indicated that these reports were quite extensive and copying them would be very expensive. Councilman Kopczynski indicated that he was not aware that the reports were that extensive, and Mr. Crighton indicated that the reports were on file in the office for public inspection. Councilman Kopczynski suggested that perhaps a summary could be prepared as he was merely interested in getting a breakdown on the homes to be rehabilitated. Mr. Crighton indicated that he could prepare a brief report for Councilman Kopczynski. Council Presid, Parent indicated that he realized that a loan -type program would be very difficult to set up. Council President Parent made a motion that the ordinance be recommended favorably to the Common Council, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $47,073.00 FROM THE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE GRANT COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS GENERAL REVENUE SHARING, FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC WORKS PRO- GRAMS, TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Walter Lantz, Chief Deputy Controller, made the presentation for the ordinance. He indicated that the ordinance was merely a re- appropriation of funds not expended in 1974 but previously approved by the Council for the projects outlined in the ordinance. He indicated that, since the filing of the ordinance in December, some of the money had been encumbered, and he requested that the Council amend the ordinance as follows: Reduce the total amount to $22,648.00 Reduce Account 110.0 to $14,641.00. Reduce Account 323.0 to zero. Reduce Account 722.0 to zero. Councilman Miller made a motion to so amend and also to strike Program FA10 because the amount ha been reduced to zero, seconded by Council President Parent. The motion carried. Councilman Serg then made a motion that the ordinance be recommended favorably to the Common Council,as amended, seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak. The motion carried. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 2 OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, PERTAINING TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Councilman Nemeth made the presentation for the ordinance. He stated that, in the latter part of 1974, the Council had conducted an investigatio of the Police Department and found that the Safety Director spent 90 to 100% of his time on Polic Department matters. Also, that the vice squad was virtually inactive from March of 1973 until July of 1974; that no more than one- third of the police officers possess a duty manual; that the manual has not been updated despite the fact that an effort had been made to accomplish this; and that the Safety Director failed to .follow the usual operational lines. He stated that the proce- dures of the Safety Director had created dissension within the department; that the Police Chief had not been involved on certain decisions made which directly affected the department; that the educational program needed immediate and serious consideration and that the morale of the depart- ment was poor. Councilman Nemeth indicated that, for these reasons, he had prepared the proposed ordinance which merely restricted the Safety Director from personally interfering in the directio and control of the Police and Fire Departments. He indicated that the statutes provide that the chiefs of both departments should have complete and exclusive control and direction of their respective departments. In an editorial dated December 2, 1974, the South Bend Tribune had stated that the proposed ordinance would not have been necessary if the Safety Director had carried out his role judiciously and if the Mayor had seen that the operational lines of the administration were kept straight. Mrs. Frederick Mutzl of the Board of Directors of the Fair Ta Association, expressed her support of the proposed ordinance. She concurred with Councilman Neme proposal. Mr. Robert Parker, Chief Deputy City Attorney, indicated that the first paragraph of 's