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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 22, 2015 <br />as they are currently responsible for cutting the grass. If they are not here, the Mayor is not here <br />we have to run our city. How can we say that they are going to follow up and enforce this when <br />they are not even here to deal with it? Council President Scott replied, I agree with you, I don't <br />want to look at the resolution as the capacity of the Parks department. Councilmember Oliver <br />Davis stated I don't know that as they are not here; I hear your point of view. The reason why <br />the nuance works is because we have the support from the Police Department. How do we know <br />that we have their full support if the key departments are not here to state they can enforce it and <br />be on board? If we plan to table this then I can ask these questions to Parks and collections. If <br />we are already increasing fees then maybe that isn't the issue. I do not want to rush through this <br />when I have unanswered questions. We talked about there will be a $250 fee? Council President <br />Scott answered, for one time violations. Councilmember Oliver Davis replied, if you look at <br />some of the pictures where you have a lawn a little bit out of character, they will be fined $250 <br />and the yard that is completely out of character will be fined the same, $250. Don't you think <br />the range we have now from $20 - $1,000 makes more sense? Right now you give the same <br />punishment for both do you think that is fair? Councilmember Dr. Ferlic interjected I will not <br />allow my code officer to allow the grass to be that high. If my code officer allows the grass to be <br />that high I will immediately go to Randy to enforce change. Councilmember Oliver Davis <br />responded that is impossible in the 6" District, as it is not fair. We should have a range, as <br />people are not equal. Last question, how are we going to continually have seasonal fees, doesn't <br />that become a tax issue? Council President Scott stated these are fines and there are people in <br />violation, the fees before were to the city of South Bend; these fines are to those that are in <br />violation. <br />This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and <br />opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. <br />Those wishing to speak in favor: <br />John Wise, 532'/2 Kosciuszko Street, South Bend— I live in a house just north of Ford Street. I <br />have been living there for the last two (2) years. There are currently nine (9) properties in a three <br />(3) block radius of Kosciuszko, Jackson, and Pulaski St. the grass is over six (6) ft. tall, I am 6'4 <br />myself, including the field to the east of my house. There is an alley directly behind, and the <br />yard got mowed just yesterday but the yard is not looking nice. There's a yard across the street <br />from me that has not been mowed, and lawns that have not been mowed for the entire lawn <br />mowing season. This is unsafe for me as I have humongous rat infestation in my residence. I <br />talked to Councilmember Davis, about this, he's seen this and I informed him that something <br />should be done as this is a health hazard. I should not have to put out mouse traps and kill mice <br />in my home that get in my bread and my food as they carry diseases. In the last two (2) years, I <br />have not seen any code officers in the 6" District to inspect my neighborhood. If code <br />enforcement came by they should put a code door hanger on people's doorknobs that aren't <br />home; that their yard is past the lawn mowing regulations and need to mow their lawn by a <br />certain date and time. If you they don't have it mowed, there will be a return visit with a $250 <br />citation. People are unaware of these citations. Some people are incapable of doing so, they <br />maybe handicap, foreign, or elderly. There are all types of difficult situations that people don't <br />look at the bigger picture of things. I am unemployed, I mow my yard as I take pride in my <br />house and residential area. I need work, I need a job. I think the solution is to hire someone who <br />needs work that has the equipment to do so, hire them at a cheaper rate to help out the citizens of <br />South Bend. There's a lot of help that needs to be done before fines are proposed. <br />Christopher Huff, 1831 College St., South Bend, IN — We have lost 38,000 people in this city <br />since 1970 because of crime that may or may not be under control and the city is not neat and <br />tidy. Until this city functions, at least from a visual and functional standpoint, a lot of people are <br />going to ask themselves if they want to live here or somewhere else. There are six (6) houses <br />that are vacant on my block which is considered to be a nice neighborhood. One of which now is <br />mowing their yard, as I told his friend that the city is about ready to increase fines. He lives in <br />Savanah and just started mowing his lawn; I mowed most of it last year myself. It is about time <br />we got some of this under control. In 1962, what did people do in this city, why does it take <br />sixty years to take a look at this ordinance again? I am glad this is finally happening. In my <br />practice in local government, those fines will cause people to step up and do their work, most <br />who are very able bodied, some aren't but I would be more than happy to step up and do the <br />10 <br />