09-11-72 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 11, 1972 RESOLUTION NO. 326 -72 (CONTINUED) overall credit. Councilman Kopczynski asked what the project life was. Mr. Richardson said it was about five years. Mr Glenn Barbe of the Department of Redevelopment said that this is the second action year of a three year program. Councilman Kopczynski asked how much more the pro- ject would cost the city. Mr. Richardson said our total cost is 25% of the total amount to be spent in the area and that it would involve a total project cost of between $600,000 and $650,000. Councilman Taylor moved that the resolution be adopted, seconded by Councilman Szymkowiak. The resolution was adopted by a roll call vote of nine ayes (Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Parent, Taylor, Kopczynski, Horvath Newburn andNemeth). RESOLUTION NO. 327 -72 A RESOLUTION APPROVING APPLICATION FOR "RECERTIFICATION OF WORKABLE PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT. WHEREAS, an application for Recertification of the Workable Program for Community Improvement has been filed with the Common Council of the City of South Bend, which report is now before the Common Council of the City of South Bend, which report is now before the Common Council; and WHEREAS, the approval of the Common Council to said application is required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the United States of America as a continuing requisite for the City of South Bend's eligibility to receive federal funds; and WHEREAS, the Common Council has examined said report and finds it satisfactory; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, that the report captioned "Applocation for Recertification of the Workable Program for Community Improvement" be submitted for recertification. Adopted this 11 day of September 1972. /s/ Odell Newburn Member of the Common Council of the City of South Bend. A public hearing was held on the resolution at this time. Dr. John Kromkowski, Director of Human Resources, said that the Workable Program document covers four general areas: housing, code enforcement, planning and citizen involvement. Recertification is required every two years as a prerequisite for federal funding. The program includes systematic code enforcement of housing, but not house to house inspection, in areas which have blatant code violations. citizen involve- ment would be expanded with the Director of Human Resources pulling together planning functions of federal activities and city activities. HUD has insisted that citizens be part of the planning and consulation for activities that affect the physical and human aspects of their lives. The program will undergo intensive review within the next six months. Dr. Kromkowski said that the document grows out of long consultation and planning and the Council has had the document for 21 days for study and review. Funding will be sought for 1000 public housing units, 200 of which are to be completed within the next two years. Councilman Nemeth questioned Dr. Kromkowski about changes to be made in the document and Dr. Kromkowski said that changes were being made on page 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 and that a citizen participation appendix was being added to the document. Mrs. Lee Swan, 2022 Swygart Street, asked Dr. Kromkowski about the house to house inspection which has caused a great deal of concern among the citizens. Dr. Kromkowski said this was changed on the insistence of citizen groups with which they have met. Instead, a visual survey of homes will be made in areas where there are many violations. Councilman Nemeth said that some of the citizens who changed the Workable Program in regard to house to house inspection were members of the Common Council. Councilman Taylor said that he would like to.point something out regarding citizen participation because it might eventually lead to war against HUD. When the Council first received copies of the Workable Program, it gave the power to neighborhood groups to veto deci- sions made-by the Mayor and the Common Council. During the discussions conducted over the past several days, this section has been stricken. Councilman Taylor said that when HUD says to the City and to the Council that a neighborhood group is going to have veto power over the elected officials of the City and the elected Council of the City, then city government is no more. Councilman Newburn said that he thought there was a misinterpretation on the part of some indivi- duals as to the veto power and that it was really calling for a joint agreement between the people and public officials. Councilman Miller said that the Director of Human Resources will have an officer for Community Development and asked how it would be funded. Dr. Kromkowski said that the federal government will fund this position. Councilman Miller then asked, if the city is going to ask for funding for 1000 housing units, is 200 enough to ask for the next two years or should it be more? Mr. O'Brien of the Housing Autbority said that at the present time there is a waiting list of 375 for housing units, for the elderly and moderate income families as well as low income familites. The problem with requesting more units at the present time is that it is difficult to get adequate housing sites in the City of South Bend. The Housing Authority is moving as rapidly as it can. Councilman Miller asked about the reference in the document on Page 14 to Kelly Park and the old County Court House. Dr. Kromkowski said that the Kelly Park applicationwas put in but that the Council did not fund it. A program is always dependent on local funding. Councilman Miller asked the meaning of the term "legacy of parks ". Dr. Kromkowski said that that is the federal code name for parks being funded through HUD. Councilman Parent said that he felt the reference to Kelly Park should be left in the document. He said he feels the plan is a good beginning. Some areas have obviously been neglected and some areas will have to be improved. He said that he would vote for the plan because it is a good beginning and because it will be reviewed every six months. Councilman Newburn asked for some information as to why the restoration of the old County Court House is included in the program. Mayor Miller said that an application was made to HUD 18 months ago by the County Commissioners for money for this program. The first phase of the project was in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $50,000 to be re- imbursed by HUD. It is a county project but is in the Workable Program because it is in the City of South Bend. Councilman Miller made a motion to amend Page 14, Section E by deleting "and the development of the Kelly Playground located in the Northeast Neighborhood. Applications for both projects have been submitted to HUD under the Legacy of Parks concept ", and by changing the last sentence to read "Cost for this project will be in the vicinity of $250,000 ". The motion was seconded by Councilman Kopczynski and was carried. Councilman Nemeth said "In regard to citizen participation, I feel that I am a citizen participating in government. This is the traditional concept of citizens' involvement in government. The ultimate responsibility should be on the Council and on the Mayor as elected representatives of their constituents. No non - elected group should have veto power over elected officials ". Councilman Taylor moved for adoption of the resolution, seconded by Councilman Kopczynski. The resolution was adopted by a roll call vote of nine ayes (Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Parent, Taylor, Kopczynski, Horvath, Newburn and Nemeth).