Dennard Asks About Wait Following Veto

Dennard Asks About Wait Following Veto

Mayor Cecil O. Creal told the City Council last night it will have a report in early November concerning formation and activities of a Citizens Committee on Voluntary Rehabilitation, a subject of substantial and sometimes spirited discussion during the council meeting.

Such a committee is the alternative, proposed by the mayor and approved by the council, to the controversial urban renewal program for a 75-acre north-central city section that was vetoed by the mayor last June.

Councilman Richard Dennard, who had voted against the committee idea, initiated discussion and questions on what was happening with respect to the committee.

Points To Wait

Dennard said there had been a wait of about four months since the veto action for a report on committee-related plans.

Dennard's proposal that a council committee be set up in this field was defeated by an 8-3 vote. Dennard was joined in the vote by Councilmen A. Nelson Dingle and Lloyd M. Ives. All are Democrats.

Creal said a group had been working on plans for the committee and that was about all he could report for the present.

He also said that no actual committee has been set up, with the exception of a related area group working in the north-central section.

The committee is slated to be headed by Gordon McDonald, a local businessman, and to include representatives of the real estate, construction, banking and other business fields.

Dennard, backed by Dingle, ccontended that membership was weighted in favor of persons who opposed the junked urban renewal plan, which would have been financed with federal and local funds.

Calls It Unrepresentative

Dennard, a Negro and resident of the north-central area, said that some of the membership was not representative of the area, particularly minority group members.

Dingle, commenting on the council committee idea, said that when the urban renewal plan was terminated, it was emphasized that double standards for housing code enforcement would not be permitted in the city.

He said it was important that the council do something about working with John E. Ryan, Building and Safety Engineering Department head, and his inspectors to avoid application of double standards and to have uniform standards applying throughout the city with a minimum of hardship.

Councilwoman Florence R. Crane said she agreed with Dingle on the need for activities to help Ryan, but said she preferred to wait first for the mayor’s report.

While commenting on activities concerning the area group, Creal said that inspections were taking place. He added that he thought there would be some building department recommendations for some structure removals.

Cites Paint Job

The mayor also commented on progress being made in the area, citing specifically the painting of a house.

Dennard questioned what was being done about the structural condition of the house.

Dennard, who questioned the mayor’s concern about living conditions in the area, declared that the mayor had said nothing about a slaughter house and junk yard in the area.

Dennard said that blood had run across the street from the slaughter house and that a house on the junkyard grounds was being rented to a family with three children.

Dennard told the mayor “you don’t care” and said the mayor did not think about these things.

Creal replied that Dennard was “very much out of order” and that council procedure prohibited personal attacks.

Dennard said the mayor would not answer questions. The councilman said the committee plan was the mayor’s and that the mayor should have answers.

Creal said, “You’ll get a report.”