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Benton Harbor Area News
-£tlet)'lltitt, We Toudt,
Tums to SOLD-
Commissioners argue,
Soup Kite en move
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.� By ee B
To relocate the Soup said it could still cause some
Kitchen, located now at 132 problems there, being near the
Pipestone St., brought heated residential area.
discussion from commissioners The iss ue 0 f the Soup
a d re idents at Monday Kitchen was brought to the at-
night's, June 26, Benton Harbor tention of the commission at
City Commission meeting. their Thursday, June 22
Commissioner Charles Workshop. The buyer of the
Yarbrough said it would K a building where the Kitchen is
good idea if the Soup Kitchen now hou ed, Julia Byerly of
was moved from downtown, Lexington, Kentucky wanted
relocating it somewhere, but the city to remove the city's in ..
not in resi dential area. terest restriction on the deed.
"People go to the Soup In a letter, Byerly ated that
Kitchen 0 eat and have food she would immediately do
stamps in their pockets and be whatever is necessary to secure
receiving welfare", Yarbrough the building to prevent any fur-
said. ther deterioration and honot
"I wouldn't want to live be- the lease of the Soup Kitchen,
ide it", he said, "why not move which will expire the end of
it to St. Joseph or Stevensville". December.
Joan Groeschel, coordinator The letter also stated that
for the Soup Kitchen said, "The she plans to put a retail store OQ
meals are needed here more". the first Door and her plans for
Jerry Johnson, 808 Broad- the 2nd and 3rd floors arc in-
way, told Yarbrough, "you know complete.
that the. people here need the The commission voted unan-
meals more than the people imously to approve removing
over there in St. Joseph or the restrictions. If taxes remain
Stevensville. They are not the delinquent for more than 12
ones that are hungry, we need it month period, title to the
r ."
pr perty would revert to the
Yarbrough accused Johnson city.
of campaigning. Johnson is run- In other business the com-
ning for Benton Harbor city mission accepted the 1989-90
commissioner. budget for the Downtown
Commissioner George Development Authority
Wy inger said he agrees with (DDA) of $35,050 for salary
Yarbrough, stating that some of and fringes, S72,OOO for. oper
the people get job and still go tions and $508,100 for projects,
to the oup Kitchen to eat, get- making a total for the budget of
ting' free handouts." d $615,250.
Commi sioner Arnol Commis ioner Charle
mith aid he thinks the com- Yarbr ugh ab tained on the
mission should support the budget. Voting in favor were
oup Kitchen and aid he hopes Mayor Wolf, Commis ioner
that more churche could sup- Ralph Crenshaw, M. Govatos,
p rt them Kerry harmon, Arnold mith,
Yarbrough nd Wysingers Fred irns, eorge Wysinger
uggested that som kind of sys- and teve Wooden.
tern be setup to screen the Also the commi ion voted
people. to accept the 19 9-90 budget of
Groeschel, said they just the Tax Increment Finance
feed the people if they are Authority (TIFA), with $20,300
hungry, "not ask them if they for alary and fringe , $27,100
were getting any kind of assis- for operatio and $7, for
tance." projects, for a total of $126,200.
Groeschel said there are 32 Corninissi ner Yarbrough
churches inv Ived in the Soup cast the lone di enting vote for
Kitchen and it serves 60,000 the budget because, he aid a
meals a year. Some of the chur- member on the D DA and TIFA
ches donate food and prepare . boards had donated security
it, but if they don't ave food, system for the City's Incubator
orne is always at the 'Soup Building on Territorial and he
Kitchen, aid Groe chel. fells it is a conflict of interest.
City Manager teve Man- Receiving payments for the
ning said he would do all he security sy tern and erving .on
could to find a uit ble place to the boards, he dded.
relocate the Soup Kitchen, sug- Kevin Clemen , of nitrol
gesting that the .old Naval Security donated a ecurity sys-
Reserve Armory building tem for the building before h
would be a good place to relo- w appointed to the boards.
cate it, but he doesn't think it Manning said the only fee
will be downtown anymore. that are being paid is for the
Mayor William Wolf said the telephone lines, which go to the
Armory is an ideal location, telephone company.
being located on the edge of V ntirur for the TIFA bu
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