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REGULAR MEETING MAY 28, 1974
<br />IIREGULAR MEETING - RECONVENED (CONTINUED)
<br />IIORDINANCE
<br />AN ORDINANCE CREATING A DIVISION OF COMMUNITY
<br />DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND.
<br />This ordinance had first reading. Councilman Miller made a motion to suspend the rules and take
<br />action on the ordinance, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried by a roll call vote of
<br />eight ayes (Councilmen Serge, Szymkowiak, Miller, Parent, Taylor, Horvath, Newburn and Nemeth) with
<br />Councilman Kopczynski absent. This ordinance then had second reading. Councilman Miller made the
<br />presentation for the ordinance. He explained that the ordinance submitted by the Housing Committee
<br />as the companion ordinance to the ordinance appropriating $563,000, amended to appropriate
<br />$438,000, sets up the administration of the housing program. He stated that it was the committee's
<br />feeling that the matter should be handled by a division of government, more specifically through
<br />the Department of Community Development. The specific provisions for loans and grants would be
<br />arrived at after public hearings held by the Department of Community Development.
<br />Mr. William Hojnacki, Director of the Department of Human Resources and Economic Development,
<br />indicated that he was not familiar with the proposed ordinance and he had not talked to the
<br />Department of Community Development about the ordinance. Mr. Conrad Damian, 718 East Broadway,
<br />stated that it looked as if the Council had purposely set the ordinance for public hearing late in
<br />the meeting perhaps to try and discourage citizen participation. He commended the residents of the
<br />southeast side for staying at the meeting as long as they had. He wondered if there was already a
<br />Division of Community Development created by the Mayor, and Councilman Miller indicated that the
<br />Mayor had created a Division of Community Development; however, the proposed ordinance would be an
<br />on -going thing and would continue through the next administration. Mr. Damian questioned the amoun
<br />of work and time needed in the program which was to be handled by the Redevelopment Commissioners.
<br />He stated that their workload was already very great. He also questioned the sentence which stated
<br />that the salaries shall be approved by the Common Council. He referred to the ordinance that was
<br />stricken which would have established a Board of Advisors for the Planning and Action Development
<br />Team to administer the housing program, and he stated that he felt citizen participation was very
<br />important as was allowed in that ordinance. He stated that the proposed ordinance creating the
<br />Division of Community Development did not allow for citizen participation. He hoped the citizen
<br />involvement would still take place. Council President Nemeth stated that he resented the remark
<br />made by Mr. Damian that the Council had set the ordinance late in the evening. He indicated that
<br />the first reading of the ordinances is the last item before the privilege of the floor, and if the
<br />Council desired to suspend the rules and conduct a public hearing the same evening, it had the
<br />authority to do so upon a roll call vote of the Council members. Mrs. Louvenia Cain, 1207 West
<br />Washington Avenue, expressed concern about citizen participation in the program. Councilman Miller
<br />stated that the ordinance setting up the Advisory Board which was stricken allowed, at most, 10
<br />citizens to participate. He stated that, under the Department of Redevelopment, all the citizens
<br />could participate whether or not they were on a payroll. Mrs. Shirley Fulton, 503 Blaine, stated
<br />that the citizens had not had the opportunity to review the proposed ordinance. She could not
<br />understand why the Council wanted to suspend the rules and act on the ordinance before the citizens
<br />had a chance to look it over.
<br />At that point, a motion was made by Councilman Horvath, seconded by Councilman Serge, to continue t
<br />ordinance to the June 24th meeting in order to allow the citizens time to review the ordinance if
<br />that was their wish. Councilman Parent stated that the ordinance had been introduced last
<br />Wednesday, according to the rules and regulations of the Common Council. He indicated that he was
<br />in favor of suspending the rules in order to get the program going. He stated that, if the citizen
<br />desired, the ordinance could be continued; however, it would hold up the program even longer. Dr.
<br />John Gaus, Executive Coordinator of the United Religious Community, stated that he was present to
<br />speak on a particular matter and had not had that opportunity because of a long public hearing on
<br />a matter that was peripheral. He indicated that the United Religious Community had a task force
<br />on neighborhood centers, and in matters pertaining to the general subject matter, he felt the
<br />procedure should be a procedure which takes account of participation of the local people that are
<br />affected. He referred to the ordinance that was stricken and the substitution of the ordinance
<br />creating the Division of Community Development. He felt that ordinance was hindering the program.
<br />Councilman Miller stated that the same provisions that were allowed in the previous ordinance were
<br />allowed in the new ordinance. He further indicated that public hearings would be held on each
<br />matter, whereas in the previous ordinance this was not provided for. Councilman Parent stated that
<br />the Council's desire was to expedite matters for the southeast side housing program. He indicated
<br />that he would be in favor of continuing the hearing until June 10; however, he felt the ordinance
<br />that was stricken should also be set for public hearing. Councilman Taylor stated that the Council
<br />was willing to put a half million dollars of revenue sharing funds into an experimental housing
<br />program. He stated that the Council could wait until the Better Communities Act was passed. He
<br />indicated that the present Council has been in existence for only two years and the citizens of the
<br />southeast side have waited for 10 -15 years. He felt the Council was being fair and acting in the
<br />best interests of the citizens of the southeast side. The motion to continue the ordinance to the
<br />June 24th meeting was carried.
<br />A nRD TNANCR
<br />AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 20,
<br />VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, OF THE MUNICIPAL
<br />CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
<br />(bicycles) .
<br />This ordinance had first reading. Councilman Miller made a motion to set the ordinance for public
<br />hearing and second reading on June 10, 1974, seconded by Councilman Taylor. The motion carried.
<br />IIPRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
<br />Ms. Barbara Schankerman,1615 Rockne Drive, stated that she wondered where the citizens are when the
<br />elections take place. She stated that they come to the Council and object and criticize and are
<br />only concerned about a matter when it affects their personal well being.
<br />Mrs. Irene Stewart, 610 East Ohio Street, talked about the number of crimes committed within the
<br />area on the southeast side. She stated that these were the reasons why the people wanted something
<br />to be done.
<br />Mr. Ed Drummond, 629 West LaSalle Avenue, indicated that a great many people spent alot of time at
<br />the meeting in order to speak on a certain issue. He suggested that times be allotted for each it
<br />on the agenda in order that the citizens would be able to know approximately what time the item th
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