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REGULAR MEETING JULY 28, 2008 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />pretty sure that they will hire six plus employees, he feels that they would not have to do <br />anything special to accommodate them or make them feel more comfortable in this kind <br />of Hispanic workforce that they have today. He stated that they are certainly open for <br />any kind of recommendation that the Council may have or any expert in the field might <br />have. Mr. Addicott stated that he has run some very large companies in the past but this <br />is something that he has not dealt with in the past, but certainly would want to make sure <br />that any employee at GTA is comfortable. The jest of his comments are that they are <br />expecting to hire a lot of people, so if they hire quite a few people of certain ethnic <br />background they are going to feel more comfortable anyway. They are going to have a <br />group to associate with. He stated that he doesn’t know if it is necessary to start offering <br />Spanish classes or anything like that. <br /> <br />Councilmember Henry Davis asked about the two week time frame that is left and the <br />building permit being pulled, in case the Council postpones this for a couple of weeks, <br />what were the consequences of the delay? <br /> <br />Mr. Addicott advised that with a government contract they are required to submit a first <br />article or test or prototype parts that go through very in depth testing and those are <br />required to be produced from the production equipment and the production facility and it <br />is not something that they can afford to repeat later. That testing has to be submitted <br />within 120 days so it is key for them to be able to move forward and actually produce <br />those new parts in the new building. He stated that the current proposal to the <br />government is that they were going to rent a warehouse and not build a building, but Mr. <br />Joshi decided that he is very pro South Bend and he wanted to invest and try and grow <br />the business at its current location for the long term, so they decided to go out on a limb <br />and build the building in the 120 days and have been working with Majority and getting <br />some help from some people in the Building Department to make this happen. It just <br />really wouldn’t work if they have another couple of weeks. They would have to go back <br />to the warehouse concept. <br /> <br />Councilmember Dieter asked where does the Council stand with Councilmember <br />Puzzello’s recommendations and Mr. Deahl’s proposals. <br /> <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand stated that the question could be to Mr. <br />Deahl whether his clients are willing to accept those as conditions if the Council would <br />go forward tonight. <br /> <br />Council President Rouse posed a question to both parliamentary procedure and the <br />Council Attorney. He stated that there have been some very proactive suggestions. <br />Tonight the Council is working with the Declaratory Resolution and the petitioner has to <br />come back in two weeks to have it confirmed. He stated that he senses a willingness to <br />work through some of these areas that need refining. He stated that there could be <br />another committee meeting or a sub-committee meeting formed if Councilmember Dieter <br />agrees to that, so that when the confirming resolution comes up for adoption, it can be at <br />that time that this points of concern can be refined. <br /> <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand stated that is correct. <br /> <br />Mr. Deahl stated that GTA is in full agreement with that proposal. <br /> <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand stated that if the Council is moving forward <br />this evening a decision will have to be made as to which version of Bill of 08-64 is being <br />considered, there are now two on record with the Office of the City Clerk, the first is for <br />the six (6) year real property the second is for the seven (7) year real property. The <br />Council at this point has not accepted the substitute version of this bill. <br /> <br />Councilmember Varner made a motion to accept the substitute version of Bill No. 08-64 <br />the seven (7) year real property tax abatement. Councilmember Oliver Davis seconded <br />the motion which carried by a voice vote of seven (7) ayes and two (2) nay <br />(Councilmember’s White and Henry Davis) <br /> <br /> 19 <br /> <br />