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Session 1699, Minutes June 23, 1997 PERSONNEL REPORT The Personnel report for the period ending June 20, 1997, was received and ordered filed. ANNOUNCEMENTS; Mayor Adams said that the Council had received communication from the City Manager dealing with the Old Bonhomme bridge, which will finally receive some repairs after a period of seven to eight years. Mr. Schoomer wanted to remind everyone about the newly reinstated University City Summer Band, which will begin its concert series tomorrow evening, Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m., at the Market in the Loop Plaza. Mrs. Thompson asked how many of the bands on the Starlight Concert Series are African/American. The City Manager said at least four of the groups are African/American: Velvet, Reggae at Will, Willie Akin Quartet with Jennie Trevor, and many of the musicians of Son of Starchild are African/American. Mrs. Thompson asked how they were recruited. Mr. Ollendorffsaid they try to get a good participation of racial and nationality groups. They also look at the variety of music, whomever was popular in the past like Jennie Trevor's group, Velvet, Fairchild. CITI7FN COMMENTS: Mr. Sridhar Rarniah, 857C N. McKnight Rd., wanted to comment on the rules and rates at the Heman Park Recreational Facility. He said he was very excited about the facility, when it opened in March, and used it almost daily. He feels, however, that the fees are much too high and unfair. He thinks that the fees are not stated clear enough at the Recreational Facility. The rates should be clear and fair. The rates for non-residents are much too high, as well. His friends cannot afford to play at the Recreational Facility. Mr. Wagner said that he appreciated Mr. Ramiah's comments, He urged Mr. Ramiah to come to the next Park Commission meeting and make these concerns known to them. Mr. Ramiah said that he was told by Mr. Kohlenberger that Council was the place to go to have rules changed. Mayor Adams said that this was basically correct, but the recommendation comes from the Park Commission. Mr. Wagner explained to Mr. Ramiah, that the Park Commission's job was to really listen and think about comments like his. They have the time to, hopefully, come up with solutions and answers. Mr. Wagner said to Mr. Ramiah that he felt that it would be extremely productive for him to attend the Park Commission meeting tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m., Heman Park Community Center. Antoine Coffer, 8081 Olive, proprietor of Afrocentric Books and Cafe, wanted to talk to Council about the inspection process. He said the way City Inspector Tom Kennedy handles inspections is very unfair. He has talked with different business owners regarding their experiences with Mr. Kennedy, and all agreed that he handled inspections in an unfair manner. In March, Mr. Kennedy found some minor violations such as water drip, the "e" on the exit sign was out, etc. Mr. Kennedy ~inds additional violations each time he comes out. Each visit Mr. Kennedy makes, he finds a different problem, we fix it, he comes back out and finds something different. Mr. Kennedy told him that the store could not open on the scheduled opening date because of very, very minor violations. He believes that this treatment is harassment. He recently talked to another business owner who has a beauty shop, next to Radio Shack. She told Mr. Coffer that she had plumbing violations and that she had to spend over $3,000 to have plumbing built for eight booths for her beauticians. Mr. Kennedy came back out and told her that everything had to be tore out because they used the wrong primer on the pipes. Mr. Kennedy did not tell the beauty shop owner this, when he told her to get the job done. This particular business owner also told Mr. Coffer that she had to have a ceiling installed that goes down her steps. Mr. Kennedy came back out and told her to take the ceiling out and install a 45 degree angle ceiling in its place. Mr. Coffer said that different business owners that he talks to in University City feel as though they are being harassed by this particular inspector. Mr. Kennedy has been notorious with business owners in this area for over five years. Mr. Kennedy had come back to Mr. Coffer's place of business a third time, and instructed him to repave, which cost him about $7,000. This was not found on his initial