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REGULAR MEETING MAY 28 1974
<br />TTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED)
<br />louse was a health care facility and not a penal institution, and it was very needed in the communi
<br />.n order to treat dope addiction. Mr. Maurice Cohen, 725 East Eckman Street, stated that the peopl
<br />sere not opposing the funding but the location of the treatment center. He stated that if he lived
<br />_n the area, he would also object to the location of the house. He wondered what the city would do
<br />Then the revenue sharing funds were no longer available. Mr. Joel E. Scholefield, Pastor of the
<br />'irst Unitarian Church, was concerned with the funding aspect of the program and felt that should
<br />)e the major issue. He felt that the program was needed in the community, and he hoped the Council
<br />oould approve the necessary funding. Mr. Fred Allin, 319 West Navarre, felt the program was a good
<br />)rogram and should be continued; however, he felt the center should be relocated to another area.
<br />Ir. Dave Mehall could see no reason to fear Delos House. He hoped the money could be appropriated
<br />:o continue the program. Miss Monica Doyle, 720 Park Avenue, indicated that the people were not
<br />)pposed to the funding of the program but to the center being located in the nice residential
<br />ieighborhood. She felt the controversy was "tearing the neighborhood apart ". Ms. Sara Cripe state,
<br />:hat she used to live at 326 West Navarre and she was speaking because she felt the program was a
<br />food one and the community was going to have to start looking at the problem in order to try and
<br />:orrect it. She felt the community might as well face the idea now. Mrs. Betty Stratigos, 527 N.
<br />,afayette Boulevard, spoke on behalf of her husband, Dr. Stratigos. She read a letter written by
<br />ier husband which stated that he was opposed to the theory of placing men and women in a drug
<br />:reatment center, and the location of the facility in a residential neighborhood. Mr. Curtis Allen
<br />!720 Hilltop Drive, felt that the people opposed to the program were not aware of the therapy
<br />.nvolved. He felt the program was a good thing and should be continued. He stated that his
<br />laughter had been a drug addict and he had had no way to turn. He asked that people opposing the
<br />)rogram visit the house and not rely on word of mouth. He felt something was needed to try and
<br />:orrect the drug problem in the community. He stated that he would have no objection to the loca-
<br />:ion of Delos House in his neighborhood. Mrs. Margaret Ludwick, 730 Park Avenue, felt drug treat -
<br />ient centers should not be located within residential areas. She felt this was the start of the
<br />)light of the neighborhoods. Dr. Michael Sheehan, Director of Treatment at the Northern Indiana
<br />)rug Abuse Services, stated that the behavior of the residents of Delos House was restricted and
<br />ie did not feel the house should be referred to as a correctional institution. Mrs. Vivian Fisher,
<br />109 Riverside Drive, felt the treatment center should be relocated, and she felt the nursing quarter
<br />Lt Healthwin Hospital should be utilized, even though it had been stated some time ago that the
<br />luarters needed too much repair work. She wondered about the qualifications of the staff members
<br />end if five of the staff members were residing in the home as was originally planned. She felt the
<br />)rogram was needed but to put the center in a residential area was not in the best interests of the
<br />!ommunity. Mr. Silas West, 222 Laurel Street, stated that, at one time, he opposed the location of
<br />L drug center near an elementary school; however, now he had changed his mind. He did not feel the
<br />.ocation of the center should be the problem. He felt the program was needed for the community and
<br />!ertain "hangups" have kept South Bend from growing and prospering. He stated that the center has
<br />:o go somewhere because South Bend has a drug problem and the residential treatment center is needei
<br />[r. William Davison, 413 LaMonte Terrace, spoke in support of the continuation of the program and
<br />.he necessary funding. Mrs. Marialyce Riedle, 816 Park Avenue, wondered about the rights of the
<br />'esidents of the area, and she felt that the neighborhood.has been the "dumping grounds" of many
<br />if these types of programs. She wondered why other areas should not benefit from these programs,
<br />.f these programs were considered so beneficial. She wondered about the rights of the children
<br />-oing to the school and park. Mrs. Irene Patterson, 315 LaMonte Terrace, felt there should be no
<br />.rug centers in residential areas. Mrs. Eugenia Schwartz, 725 Park Avenue, referred to a petition
<br />'iled by Councilman Serge supporting the continuation of the funding of the program, which petition
<br />,as signed by 223 residents. She presented another petition to the City Clerk supporting the pro -
<br />'ram, carrying additional signatures. She also stated that she supported the funding and hoped the
<br />.ouncil would appropriate the necessary funds. She asked that the residents in the audience show
<br />:heir support of the program by raising their hands. Father Tom Hooley, 706 Park Avenue, was con -
<br />!erned about the values that the people were holding. He wondered if they were concerned about
<br />property values or christian values. He saw the program as a voluntary effort of drug users to
<br />ight themselves, and he felt this privilege should be allowed to them. Mrs. Dolores Kovas, 608
<br />'ark Avenue, stated that she was a pharmacist by profession. She felt the conditions of the house
<br />,ere not adequate because 19 people were housed in only 5 bedrooms. She stated that the second
<br />'loor is divided into office space and living area and the two bedrooms and bath on the main floor
<br />,ere for the staff. She urged the Council to relocate the center to more adequate facilities.
<br />'eff, one of the residents of Delos House, stated that he was aware of the mixed emotions of the
<br />,eople; however, he was being torn apart because of the bickering, and he was tired of hearing it a:
<br />fr. Richard Doyle, State Representative, residing at 720 Park Avenue, talked about the various
<br />feces of legislation being considered in order to try and correct many of these types of problems.
<br />e felt the center was destructive to the neighborhood, and he suggested other locations which he
<br />elt would be more adequate for the facility. He supported the Council's funding of the program
<br />ut he felt the location of these centers should be given consideration.' Dr. Maurice Schwartz,
<br />25 Park Avenue, felt that the Council meeting was the first public meeting held where opinions
<br />ould be aired. He felt this was good. He stated that, according to the zoning, the center was
<br />llowed in the residential district, and he felt this was important. He expressed support of the
<br />rogram. Mrs. Orpha Dickeson, 326 Madison Street, stated that she was not against helping the drug
<br />ddicts, but she felt the center should be located in a non - residential area. She expressed con -
<br />ern for the children going to and from Madison School. Mrs. Janet Allen, 125 West Marion Street,
<br />elt the "narrowmindedness" of the people was destroying the neighborhood and not the establishment
<br />f Delos House. She stated that the neighborhood has survived and would continue to survive and
<br />elos House would pass as everything else has. She felt the entire hearing was irrelevant to the
<br />unding of the program. She felt if the area was properly zoned, there shbuld be no question on
<br />hether or not the center should be located there. Mr. Frank Riedle, 816 Park Avenue, President of
<br />he Park Avenue Neighborhood Association, spoke on behalf of the 600 residents who opposed Delos
<br />ouse. He stated that the center had been located in the neighborhood with no warning to the
<br />esidents. He felt the neighborhood would change drastically because of Delos House.
<br />ouncilman Serge felt the residents of the area were disturbed because they were not even notified
<br />hat Delos House was going into the area. He stated that he supported the funding of the program
<br />ut he made reference to the petitions containing 809 signatures opposing the center in a residen-
<br />ial area. Councilman Szymkowiak recommended that the county be contacted about the possibility of
<br />sing Healthwin Hospital. He stated that the taxpayers paid for 620 of that land and the citizens
<br />f South Bend should look to the county for some cooperation. Councilman Miller referred to the
<br />udget for the drug,program and wondered about the amount needed for equipment. Mr. King stated
<br />hat a washer and dryer, calculator and 10 window unit air - conditioners would be purchased for
<br />elos House. Councilman Miller wondered why the program was only being funded for one quarter, and
<br />r. King stated-that the city could not encumber funds that have not yet been received. Councilman
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