From the Source; Mattapan

Welcome to from the source. I'm your host Robert C. Johnson Jr. This evening we're talking about Matt upin and we have with us three individuals very active in matters matter pan going to talk about all aspects of the community and if you'd like to participate get your pencils down and we give you the number in a few seconds. My dad like to introduce to you my guests this evening Mr. Jim Clark who is president of community gardens project Boston State Hospital site. Welcome gender from the source. Thank you very much. And also Miss Reed edgy Dickson who is a member of the Community Council of MADD upin in Dorchester. Welcome read it from the source. Thank you very much. And Mr. Edmund Steele Jr. who is treasurer of the community gardens project. The purpose of this format where we focus upon various communities is to allow you in the listing audience to call an entire ask questions about various communities and of course we all have misconceptions about various

neighborhoods. Many of us have not lived in a lot of the diverse neighborhoods of Boston we've been in one neighborhood as opposed to three or four. Some of us have been very lucky however to be in very many different neighborhoods in which case we have a good cross-section a good understanding of the various neighborhoods. But in case you haven't been in many neighborhoods but you want to find out something about it. We have three individuals here who will certainly help explain what it's like to live in mad upin. So if you'd like to call in this evening the number is 9 2 9 7 9 2 9 that's 9 2 9 7 9 2 9. When we start off with Jim Clark Jr. has been living in matter panned for total of 16 years there right Jim. That's right. What it tells a little bit about how you first came to live in matter pan about 16 years ago. I found it was necessary. My family had to look for my

own house and live in Iraq for a time it was the most logical thing was to get in your car to Korat so I end up somehow intimate and I really had been in Boston for a few years and had never really looked at Metapad much and they were as well where I was at and I end up going mad and I found something that I was missed for a long time and one that one family houses the yachts coming from down south. This is like a dream I said See this is a beautiful place and live in your you know anything about matter and it really caught my eye and I began to look for a house and fortune and I got lucky. About six years ago. And it was very. Kind of funny because at that time blacks particular blacks were beginning to move to was not of any area and I can remember.

Going through the neighborhood riding around in the houses and it was signs in most all of the people Windows sand. Basically my house is not for sale and I ax my wife I said Gee why have these signs in the window and the causeway leading we found out that it would currently most people at that time were not interested in selling our home particularly to blacks in the community. So that has changed as you probably know now. But I was interested months later years later a year later that same sign was up and he said Now my house is stressed out. And today I think you know man pandas is one place of children to clear as well. Absolutely I have two sons and a daughter my son one is 15 one is now 12. My daughter is 19 and she's in college. OK great let's ask the same question to Reed addiction when did you first come to

America and why did you come to measure pain. Well I am moved from Cambridge to Boston in 1965. And when I move from Kim's to Boston it was round the area was up by a corner and I think I was about the third black around that area and it was wasn't too easy living around there. But I had two children at the time but from that time on it's been a vast change. From there I moved on the other side of Boston which was around how I would have included the street and then I left there and went to Madame PM but the reason why I went to met a panel of Cambridge I met a band a simul everybody seems to be more cohesive congenial and I could relate with people man a pan just like Cambridge

and from 1990 it was around 1973 yes 1973 I moved to matter then and today I'm still there but I enjoy living around me at the end for the people. It's good what about you Mr. Steele. It's interesting you know when I came to Boston the people that I worked with and my staff advised me not to live in Boston they advised me to purchase a home in a suburban area. And I did look in many suburban areas but there was this one realtor who insisted that I look at a particular house that he had to show me and Matt upin. And I did based on his insistence I went I did go to look at this house and I saw the house it was on Alabama Street in it and it was a very beautiful home and it looked very much like many of the homes that I had seen and the subdivisions of some of the

various suburban areas that I had visited. And when he told me what the price was of the house and I recognized immediately that it was fifteen twenty and twenty five thousand dollars cheaper. Then I was so right there. How so and I had a plan and the house had a nice landing area around it it was nicely landscaped and I saw when my wife came from Gary Indiana to look at it as well. We made a quick decision and I don't regret it at all. So I have been living there. I moved to Mount upin and November of 1970 and I came to Boston from Gary Indiana. And I don't regret it one bit. Now perhaps you could help us to understand how large matter Fanny is and a little bit about the diversity of bad opinion the three of you live in single family homes.

Maybe Mr. Clark you could tell us a little bit about the different sections of man of pain I mean all single family homes are like oh well metal band begins around Morton Street in Embro Hill and goes up to the fringes of Milton and. It's the section around Morton and Blue Hill is basically two family houses and some three family houses and as you move up the level you and you come up to was well lots of street new thematic and library complex began to change you. You can see a lot of one of them houses on both sides of the avenue on American streets and these one favor houses really stressed throughout almost all of it. There are few apartment buildings for view and in some of those same one family area there are a few two family houses but for the most part I would say 9 and 5 percent are your typical one family houses that you will find in any place around the surrounding towns and in Boston.

Madam Hannah it's like for me living in the suburbs in the city and I think it is it has maintained its strength and that even though the community changed over the past 16 to 20 years in terms of the newsgroup's the homeowners there have. For the most part maintained the homes of exit condition and in most cases they have worked together as a as a community. For example it was St. Almost all the family is the reason McCain to move limited ban over 16 17 years ago are still there. And all our kids have grown up together. It's almost like a part of man a planet you know here and if you read about why you have a street where people have raising kids together from the day basically says they will bark until they become grown and you know those gays they respect you

and we get together as a family is going to some of our picnics in different homes on the street. It's very close knit a group which caused security problems all kind of problems. And so you have a basically server a suburban life in a city that's a good look at the image of the community what anybody said most people don't don't think of which is of being a suburban community in the city. Reed You mentioned something there was there was an arresting and I would imagine this is something that all of you experienced when you came into America and that is you mentioned that when you moved in and read in particular when you moved in that was a corner area. Yes. Yeah you indicated you were the third black in the neighborhood. Yeah what is that like for each of you when you first moved into matter and starting off with your readers when you came in the community was primarily white. How were you received in the community.

Well. I wasn't received too good. And well yes and no. But I was I mean coming from Cambridge to Boston it seemed like well I wasn't there that that long it's been like that because I'll say I by wrecking it I was more reckoning and in the community and but problems I had I I just didn't ignore them. I mean as I would I could deal with it because of the problems you have. Well some of them went with me that were with my children you know beating up and name calling but I eventually moved away from the area and went on the other side of the town. So you know coming from Cambridge Like I said to Boston you know it is a change so I really have to say it is a change because people

in Cambridge and they I'm blasting and because Boston is sort of spread out. Down in Cambridge I lived on I moved on Alabama Street. I was the only black family when I moved in November November of 1970. And fortunately I did not experience any difficulty in fact. My neighbors were essentially Jewish and they were very hospitable I thought. One neighbor who went so far as to help me install a vent from my dryer. I did not experience any difficult at all. That's always good to hear it's always good to hear both sides of these issues you know because too many times the media will only highlight the sensational acts of racial violence in the city when in fact they have been history of cooperation among among the races what about you Jim it was like to be

the only one of the few blacks in the community. Well I guess my St. Albans is like the gateway to the matter at hand. One family house on the street is a madman street and I have money and. Basically at that time I guess it was my move my street it was one of a black family it had been about a year and my family was basically again just the same sign in a window. Mine is not for sale. Again I'm going to live through wind actually moving up and I don't want to really to move up. So I had the problem of maybe isolation they were friendly somewhat but do you really want to be bothered. But you know this is 15 16 years ago I was much younger and those kind of things were significant coming from the south of way. Spears you know racial problems so long that it was like a drop in the bucket.

I think it was like rock makes you tell me this is easy to do it. One horse town I call it is where where you have to you know walk on a sidewalk on a curb and people come down the street and so when you work in the kitchen you have to take it away as I love to get you gay she brought me an old soup that was just the lady's house that she cooked it and it was for my graduation from eighth to now it was summertime of course rain suit and of course and I have holes I put away to go to graduation and sit in the gymnasium at the local junior high school for three hours. I got a nickname. So I just had to I was I couldn't stay still for three hours and I wanted to get my certificate for graduation.

I was Treasurer I was itching like crazy and the prince was it was rising. This thing is killing me. So that was just coming to Boston experience to count stuff was really insignificant and I think it was good because for me to understand it and to prepare my kids for that kind of thing which was easy is about I don't think they realize problems were going on in their own street it was over. And eventually most of the people to move out as you know today. But. It was some problems they may pass a problem like other communities but we do have longevity among the families. People don't move out of a bad seed many faces I've seen move in over the past 15 20 years. The families do you know throughout matter like most are still like Rita and you get their longevity and it's much different than like in

other parts of the city where you have people moving into apartments but isn't a vestment is it's just it's really probably a chance a city. The last stand. I mean if you leave out again where you go you know you go out and you go back up. That's the question. And and no one's really matter. But the three of you seem to be doing well you know I met a piano and a very happy all of you have nice smiles on your face and they said oh you got Dave jobs but what about the individual small individual perhaps in the community who came from down south and came to matter pay and I'm with you and other people you know who perhaps came out and what are some of the problems they face as they move into mapping. I would think they've based on some of the homes within my particular on my particular street I would suggest that some of them are having some difficulty because.

You see homes that are sort of deteriorating and people are unable to make the necessary repairs I guess since some instances you see some cars where people are where they've been worked on and in some cases abandoned in some cases. People don't cut their grass maintain their environment to the extent that many of us would like. That suggests that perhaps some financial difficulty is experienced and we've had some problems with security as well. But and we've had to do some organizing to to abate that. But.

I don't think we experience that. I don't expect think we experience this experience the degree of economic difficulty as some other communities do but there are pockets of poverty in my pants. I mystics and yes of course you're a member of the Community Council of matter in Dorchester and I would imagine that they deal with a lot of the issues that Mr Steele just raised. Tell us a little bit about this group the Council of matter came to it yesterday. What is it and what does it mean. How do people out there listening get in touch with the community comes with risk. Name the Disagree Community Council right from the police station on one street and we used to meet during in the morning hours and something at night when problems arise in the U.S. of a man of him but she a person would be

calling someone that's a member of any council would be called. We meet at the Church of the Holy Spirit 525 Riva St. Mabyn. And the person that's in charge now is Jean Harrington and the number there is tonight. It was 2 9 6 3 numbers tonight 6 6 6 8 2. She can be reached at any time during the day. What we do we we have. The different neighborhood groups come and we meet after church once a month and any problems that arise in any of the sections of the neighborhood we bring them in we try to solve them. We call in each week each month we call in the different let's say if we have a problem with street cleaning up police we call the police department we have

someone from the police department and have to talk to the neighborhood people. We are now working on the police station which we intend to break ground sometime September I understand we now have now have a problem with abandon like Mr Steele said bending cars and abandoned lots which a lot of the grasses in Rome we've been growing on abandoned lots. But the mayor is I understand the mayor has set a task was carried to put this in action and start to deliver services to help with this problem. So that brings us to another question concerning the politics of the area and whether City Hall is responsive to some of these questions and the needs of the community has. What's what's been the general attitude of this current administration to matter

pan or has it been receptive to some of the problems that you have there. Yes well probably just point is yes in one of the reasons that most of the home was in there and off the vote they vote. We have we have a strong voter community and and I think that's really the essence of receiving services we also have a well that's commanding the map in terms of neighborhood groups of outreach we have a map and back Association still Street has I have much street Association Ebersole station there's al my street neighborhood associations around St.. So there's a number of all of all the neighborhood street Association who come together as one of the issues. And we are getting city services one of the things we have found I came together recently which brought about a lot of active from city hall as they have a street party. We're

trying to as a group of neighborhood block associations threes Association to get the city to put some money into every park to bring it back to the condition it was 20 years ago in terms of the neighbors we need to use it in a safe atmosphere and the city has made some tentative commitments to put some money into the park and some of the park now you have trees and abandoned cars a place in a park the park is in terms of the perimeter and they are around is in really bad conditions. Trees have grown together it was just me. Can't really see through. There is some problem with security at night. Certain lights on but you can only see a certain distance. I'll hang out and epoxy it might be some directivity not sure about that but there are a lot of kids and other people hanging out in the park. Insane and she's no bantams no maintenance no maintenance and

no preparations facilities and programs for the youth. So our idea is to work with the city to improve but I'd say time to institute neighborhoods reparations programs such as lovely soccer fans about tennis lessons and tennis programs and that's a program Football League football. So for we have the interests we have. I mean we have these we have the neighborhood youth involved his programs we're talking about. We had a clean up day at the AMA parks some weeks ago and we have extra now of youth and adults from the neighborhood and we're trying to work together. So yes we have a good voting record. Penn I believe. All right we're going to take a break and then we're going to come back and we come back I want to focus more on the political question and talk a little bit about the state reps and

city councilors in that area and see how things are going on on that front. We write back in a second. Reading about someone close to you who has a drinking problem meeting your needs. Any hospital program tonight fix extension for you 200 companies Tuesday nights approach groups we provide you know what you need. Again that's tonight six extension forty eight hundred. If you're feeling for survival strategies with relatives of alcoholics. How did it go with Dr. Stevens. Oh not so well he says if I don't want to give up driving I should have the cataracts removed. Did he say anything about a second opinion before surgery. No but I think I should get one don't you. Definitely. Look I picked up this book while you were gone.

It tells how a second opinion can help you make the best decision about your non-emergency surgery. For your free booklet on second opinion rate surgery U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Washington D.C. two will two will one. Welcome back to from the source I'm your host Robert C. Johnson Jr. This evening we're talking about Mad upin with three individuals intimately involved in that community. We're talking to Mr. Jim Clark who is president of community gardens. We're talking to Rita G. Dixon was a member of community council of matter pan in Dorchester. And we're talking to Mr. Edmund Steele Jr. who is treasurer of the community gardens project. Before we took a break we're going to talk about how the political apparatus is helping hand and we're talking about the mayor's office. What I want to do now is to talk a little bit about those locally elected political figures and how they have been helpful in bringing about positive changes in the neighborhood. Because

we hear a lot of talk about voter registration. Certainly if if we expect people to register to vote they must feel that it's it's worth registering to vote and that those people that they elect are going to make a difference. What about it. How many of these who are your local representatives first of all and how of a help to make Metapad a better place. Well OK our city councilor Charles Yancey and of course our state representative is representing wrote Rob Owen Jr. and I state senator is Rob Boise and the vote is this important voting in candidates who can work with the community is very important in making these candidates accountable to your community. It's also very important. So in all of this you need to have community heeds know your neighbors a need to to be aware of your rights as citizens. But most importantly you must vote. You've got to have a

track record and in the issues in the Maginot community particularly around the youth around CIT a services around the park and so forth. You must call upon these candidates. We have call upon Mr. ANC who have came out to many of our meetings and I and the community and we invite them where we have a platform and one of the neighbor homes we go from house to house in the basement so whatever little rooms we bring our represents out and speak about the problems with what we want to deal with and how we want to resolve it. And some of the same areas we are active to invite city key people in a city like that part of our work so people Sports Commission of people out of that nature to come in to talk about crime an area how we can deal with it and we have been very fortunate to get I've really disciplined good service from both of the Roebourne Jr. and city

council Yancey on these issues and these are local issues and and mostly looking at. City council and why you call it want to stay right where you have to call upon our elected officials. All these gun issues. So all the different political elected people have to work together to bring about some positive change. What about this new police station that you mentioned mystics and you mentioned that there's to be a new PlayStation to be built in my opinion. Yes we had several meetings with people from the mayors office and council Yancey and all the different neighborhood groups we met at the Church of the spirit and seen endless church. We had about two tours to the different police stations throughout the city throughout the state all say. And. Those are the plans that we like to

see in when they're building the police station. What. We came back and we decided a lot of different things the structures of the police station and how long would it take in the money. And the longer they take the more money it will be they'll need to wait now in the process of getting better now plus getting back to less. Let's see the final stages and when the Ground Round will be broken and Chelsea NCB has been very very supportive with this project. He's been very good and we really take our hats off to him and he's doing a very very good job. All right you know what about. Do you want to know about the political machinery apparatus in Iraq. Better pay before you move on to another nation.

Well just say that I agree I think we are a voting community and trying to communicate our concerns to to our representatives. And I have to say at this point they have been as far as I can see support. So it does make a difference if you are ready to vote in dissipating the political process. You can make a difference. I sincerely believe that it does. Absolutely no doubt about it. If you're not involved in the say you little street in a. Significant move voters registered voters are voters and you look at the people calling for civil services every day. Altec street service is a fact of life that people who receive services on a neighborhood street of the people who have a good track record vote track record and

make sense. It's like business almost you want to get these panic out of history. There's 10st involved let's take a look at the voter who's well-known history first move down. Proudest one two three four five six seven eight nine ten and maybe all three maybe less because all street people want to vote you don't get a vote they don't enjoy the political process they don't take advantage of the right and they're not up on the issues. I only want his services and your good services so now I am but who gets to Sarah's first as a key so I think we're all about trying to make sure you know it's you nobody who is in a neighborhood should first of all register vote and we also. Work with the whole process in terms of making sure all night are dated for like elections coming up next week we want to see a good turnout and a madman community because it's very important that the powers that be and all of our city government state government and even federal because we talk about national action one day be aware that this is a whole

community and that we should we see that type of respect. And also we should be at least part of the gender and save the party gender you got to participate in this race like anything else right if you don't do you chill if you don't get your money in the end the week. That's a good way to put it. Get a preaching work right now you are active politically on a state level and any organization statewide organization I've been involved in. He is a delegate for the pass allowed 10 12 years to spare the delegates at the conventions in Springfield and Wooster for all types of. Offices the government and I've been on top of that for a long time I think it's important and I've been blessed and lucky enough to be a delegate.

Over the past 10 years I believe and also locally I try to stay abreast on terms of the different officers when they are running and try to get in some form or fashion as a as a as a concerned citizen and also as a registered voter. What about the various churches in in math AP and mystics is mentioned the Church of the Holy Spirit where the Community Council of America and Dorchester meet but the church is actively involved in. The matter being trying to make it a better place. Or do people turn to go to church much in that area. Well yes the Morning Star Baptist is very volatile and quite a few of the changes and here it's a very Unmentionable One thing I can say the people in the matter. And here they do go to church. You will see them if you sit in your

car and little of you will see people going to church and one thing I can say I am proud of that. Another thing is that time the churches get involved in a mere office they usually call them on different occasions when their problems arise they will keep abreast with ministers and hearing and will have them put like drug problem we're having now. I was rushing to be down to the part and elsewhere there were some ministers there and also down the I mean the apartment house the other day which they will also have another meeting. There is just to look into the drug problem yes but practice right here in Boston and this problem has been you know as you know very very crass and bad

so I am but the ministers Some are involved in the different communities different people in the schools. Is there any evidence that crack is becoming a problem and matter. Well Rob I'm not aware. Of the extent of the problem. We are just as concerned and our community as others are. But I don't think that we've experienced the degree of problems with crack and Madman as some of the other areas particularly in Roxbury say. But I'm not so no I'm naive always to believe that we don't don't have any problems recently on the national level we've heard a lot of talk about ways to deal with this new crack epidemic. And

one proposal that has come forward has been to basically give the death penalty to people convicted of pushing drugs. What's your feelings about that do you think the country should move to a point where people put to death if they're pushing drugs. Well. My penis is yeah I'm glad because my opinion is that first of all I think the public need to be made more aware of the things they are probably correct as Zach I think people need to be more educational programs around all types of drugs and then I think that was kind of the season is going to be better understood by the public. Right now we're looking at something that says that if a person uses it it could be like that. We did but I think that people people like ourselves need to be more aware of the dangers of crack cocaine whatever else is going on. And then those national cities

around. The death penalty for drug pushers off one can make more sense. Right now you look at the fear people are afraid because they see things in the TV every day every day the news every day something's happening around crack and in a city in a city of Boston there's a bus on this arrest there's a valid airport or whatever. I think that it should be in this whole decision on national level to do to look at his graduation programs on TV particular TV because the media they can be used throughout the world explaining this whole thing about Greg came about what can it do to us physically mentally I think it should be a program where families can sit down together and just like they watch anything else on TV. They can watch something that is more educational and it should be a very strong program and school systems but the parents need to be more aware of this whole thing. The symptoms of Percy's Greg and then I

think we can make a better supported decision on this national program. So you don't support a family. Not just for me because I don't want to stand the level was things that were bad mistakes forever steel is just human. Well I'm sorry for that. I'm not in support of the death penalty. What I feel that over seas have m many ways to deal with problems like that. And my feeling is that the taxpayers of Boston would not have to have to pay so much taxes of the people and they do these things take them put them on the highways clean up the streets clean up our neighborhoods have someone guiding them put them in programs to help them. And every morning they get up early just to clean the highways fix the streets and that way we will not have so much that it will eat at taxes and that was always my idea because I have been

down South and I've seen the highways down there they have people that are in jail they go and they have them in a truck and they have people gathering them while they play in the streets and tan the rolls and cetera. And I feel this way if you are that crazy to go and take something that's going to be used yourself you need to stay somewhere and get your head together. That's my idea. Who says to you why I think all of these educational programs are too. Proceed of course but I'm I take a more conservative view I guess I do think that there should be more. I think that there should be harsher merit measures for treating the criminals long longer term sentences not necessarily the death penalty but if that's what it takes and I'm not familiar with any literature that indicates that that's a solution to the problem.

But if that's what it takes then yes I am definitely in favor of harsher measures measures though to to for the criminals. Yes me still I'm silly mistakes and yes I'm you know I understand that someone was telling me the other day that a judge in Chicago. Anytime anyone rapes a person they hate and that what he does he gives them. If you take your choice life in prison I think castrate and trying to get him off the bench by the time that's that's what you think of that I mean you think that's a good policy. I think it is I mean if it is Castro. Look your life pretty well as you know that is is this is rough. I mean I see that as no and I see it as yes because it is touching on a woman especially alchemy if you have a person or

a balcony Perseus that's just a mental It's just terrible. I can see that concept because I'm taking a case because. As he said on some certain crimes you need to be much tougher on the issue because history has shown that you can do certain crimes and you play enough games with the courts you know with no time for a little time. But the victim is the ones that suffer and this case I think that personally put him as a woman and in this case all men to be rape so I think if you need to see some serious examples on a national level you should be a national bank Sure. Life in prison or castrated I think I can support that in the case of rape case the drug issue. I think because the right to be with us so long we know what it can do to people totally lose their lives their mental capacity could be wiped out completely when they perfect they stay gone forever. They are veterans and I think this is

not right for the press to be to do that and then to walk the street one year later. So they should be made to set examples. I think in a case of drugs as we as we learn more about it and as such each person door throughout Syria has really seemed to be moving fast that we may even support those kind of national programs that says OK if you do this you go out and maybe they could be found solution but thats with boys occasion more awareness so that the public can make a genuine citizen and support of what I was going to go down on his programs you listening to from the source. I'm your host Robert C. Johnson Jr. just WABE FM Boston ninety one point nine on your FM dial. We're talking about a matter panned this evening with my guest Mr. Jim Clark who is president of community gardens misread it g Dixon who is a member of the Community Council of MADD upin in

Dorchester and Mr. Edmund Steele Jr. who is treasurer of the community gardens project. If you'd like to participate in discussion this evening. Have any questions or comments. The number is 99 7 9 2 9 9 2 9 7 9 2 9. Now going back to the discussion about crime is there a district court in math in math upin you know it's not just because we have to do it with the diligence of court and we also trust the West Roxbury court. I saw as you saw sit right in the middle and disciplines while you do your crime it said streets you go to Dorchester and certain streets you know and that's witchcraft. Now we've heard a lot of talk recently about the role of the courts in the criminal justice system and whether in fact they have been too lenient on the criminals. Perhaps they think criminals come in the place bring a man arrested but the courts put him back out. How have your courts the West

Roxbury court in Dorchester court. How are you how do you feel about how they're doing their job in combating crime. Well imagine the cooks both of which I wish to ask for another cut locally course in the district court seems to be a gain of who can beat the crime I mean people go in and they get arrested and they come out of our you know gays in the US and their police officer like he did nothing for nothing and I think the citizens the taxpayers the homeowner was a sort of throughout the city of Boston include madman wants to see more sentences and more harsh. I guess or punishment for people who don't is rampant single it is the same grammar a drug pusher goes in to go out. Garrett somebody goes in I go out I mean he has to stop somewhere. We got to began to of course got to began to

support the police officers and the efforts to remove these criminals and as a way to say we got to go to the chain gang concept. Maybe we should because we got to have some models some role models a say as to the potential criminal this is what was going to happen to you now. The system has changed you came here. You can go to court today maybe walk the streets at the No. So that now you are willing to make your elected officials accountable to this kind of vision as you have said. I certainly I would. Yes absolutely yes. Because I think the answer I was going to say I don't believe you are judges I don't believe the judges and these particular courts are any different than some of the others I have seen. If they have pressure upon them or if the criminal has a good lawyer he's able to be free just as quickly as some criminals in other areas I think the judges are.

Pretty much similar and I think they are individuals and I think they judge these on a case by case basis. And generally yes I think that they're too lenient. Yeah all right in the final five minutes that we have here we talk a little bit about the kinds of things that each of you do in the community for employment for some of your community interests or pet peeves that you're involved in. I see that Mr. Steele and Mr. Clark both of you are involved with the community gardens project the Boston State Hospital site. Mr. Steele want to tell us a little bit about that project what is it. Community garden project committee at Boston State Hospital is a committee of. Persons who have been elected by the gardeners to sort of administer the garden project. We have about 400

plots I believe and we have about oh I would estimate for 600 people or more involved in gardening. They have garden individual garden plots of about 35 35. Dimensions and each of them are involved and raising whatever they want to raise on that particular card project we've been doing that for a number of years. We like to think that we are improving our SAR skills each and every year and we've been successful I think and ensuring that with the new planning that is going on for that particular area that we've been able to retain a portion of the acreage so that we may continue to garden to continue to use our gardens to garden for Market Garden

functions in the future. Gemma is the president of that and I must I think he's responsible for sort of really getting the organization together and bringing it up to a level where people can be assured that if they want to continue to garden they can get the same pod each year and they can be assured that there's there's going to be water that took to water the garden that there's going to be some reasonable safe environment and so forth. So we talk about things like grazing when you talk about planning in that area you're talking about or what well the state. As involved and as you know the land has been declared a surplus area and the State Division of capital improvements I believe has been involved and see how long this series of

planning. A planning series involving people in the community there to determine what should be the ultimate outcome of the total acreage that's there and it's generally felt that there should be a mixture of industry residential housing and there should be an emphasis on job opportunities for the persons who live in the area. So it is still in the planning process some decisions on just about ready to be made or have been made at the legislative level. And we anticipate that it's going to be a significant asset to the community. Now has it been a decision Mr. Clark to maintain the community gardens project. Yes it's just a matter of knowledge and work of the mechanism as to how we're going to use this

as you know is basically a volunteer organization. Matt have a resident diligence and I have read all of the city residents and. We've been on the land about God for services for about 12 years and there's 200000 acres of land on the bouncy house for grounds. We have about 12 acres for garden purposes and this is the old farm that used to be home in on the on the hospital grounds when the M.E. have patience for in terms of the large number of patients they had many years ago. Over 4000 patients today now they have has only taken up one billing for the most part. About 80 200 patients so the plan would be some type of industrial complex endeavor like he said residential homeowners type thing and community garden will be right now is just on the on the Found plan mystics and you're involved with the

Department of Youth Services and that's located on the matter hand side it's well so right. Yes it is. And any range has been made to maintain a facility with the new development in Marion. Yes he will be staying there on the grounds and they have this section where they will also put additions also the prerelease they will be building a new preview piece. How do you service what I do. I am a community resource liaison specialist with the state and I collect resumes receive resumes from all over the state trying to help minorities in the private state and city government and where they are nearly all have problems getting me to like try to help them send them into government hearings. I've been fortunate to be reckoned with Mr class and

he's been very supportive and helpful. Seems like all of you all work as a team here. That's good Absolutely. Now we're almost out of time. If you had wanted to have your final word about magic pants once said You better pay and what does it mean to you what do you mean here. Mr. Clark is a place where I can enjoy my life. I think it's absolutely wonderful community. We're probably talking about yes but you know it's a place I think where you can make it. OK Miss Dixon. Well I'll stay here and that dance till I see other places where we go but I would stay there the rest of my life. OK. Mr. Steele good country living within the city. All right on that note that says about all of it we have to say and I'd like to say to each of you thank you very much for being with us on from the source has certainly been very enlightening learned a great deal about the matter to me and I'd like to thank Mr. Jim Clark for being with me.

I misread it you Dixon and Mr. Edwin Steele Jr. for being with me one from the source. And this is Robert C. Johnson saying good night.