1991-06-03 Regular - Laserfiche WebLink

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Session 1546, Minutes June 3, 1991 Page 6 of University city?" which dem:>nstrated savices available through the Public Works Deparbnent. She said the video is available for showin;J to neighbor- hood associations or other groups arxl can also be seen on 01anne1 3. CITIZEN cx::f.1MENTS Mr. Robert Atchison, 8009 Noel Court, invited councilmembers arxl the Mayor to atterrl a Town Hall meetin;J on June 11 at 7 p.m. at the Public Librcuy. Mr. Richard Rosenfeld, 7217 Princeton, said there were scare misinpressions in the media regarding citizen opPOSition to the proposed blood bank in Univer- sity City. He also wanted to enter into the record police reports on calls to the other Interstate Blood Bank locations in st. Louis. It was in'plied that opponents of the cash-for-blood business were defending their property values against the interests of poor people who must resort to sellin;J their blood, he said, but that is false-blood banks are not clinics nor a savice, but an exploiter of people. He said there.were often distw:bances by people who are rejected, arxl other cri1ni.na1 activity in arxl arounj such places, often by those tryin;J to rob people who have just sold their blood. He read parts of the police call reports on the 5121 Delmar location, which included a great many distw:bances, robberies an:i attempted robberies. He suggested that Council direct the city Attorney to obtain police reports on locations in other cities that Interstate Blood Bank operates. He said opponents of the blood bank will be happy to work with the City Attomey in that effort. Mr. Rob Hoffman, 7353 Melrose, said he was a oonc:en1ed resident of University City as well as a social anthropologist. He said the media has tried to make the proposed blood bank a divisive issue, pittin;J residents against poor Pe0- ple. Fran a sociological PersPective, there are many reasons for poverty but not havin;J enough blood banks is not one of them, he said. Cammercial blood banks do not help poor people, but exploit them, the needles leave scar tis- sue, arxl the small amount they receive is a pittance cx:mpared to what the blood is sold for. He said it is a parasitical relationship, with the blood banks feeding off the poor. Mr. Rory Ellin;Jer, 7340 Melrose, president of the Musick Neighborhood Associ- ation, said this issue will not go away until the blood bank does. If the blood bank opens, it will lead to greatly increased police attention in addi- tion to huge social costs to the cx:mnunity, which will IlDre than justify the proposed tax to be inp:>sed on businesses of this type. He said this kin:l of business sin'ply wants to locate in University City to make a profit at the expense of the people who are IlDSt disadvantaged. He thanked the Mayor am Council arxl others who have been involved in explorin;J all possible legal avenues to address this problem arxl keep the blood bank out of the conununity. Mr. Cluck Finan, 7333 Wellington, encouraged the council to maintain a high standard of negotiat~ when decidin;J what the license fee should be for this type of business. He added that so far 1193 people who do not want this bus- iness to locate in University City have signed a petition to that effect. Mr. carl Cibulka, 1421 Coolidge, said University City has an eminent histori- cal heritage, am the founders of the city had a great foOOness for the arts,