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NAACP president and residents press St. Joseph County commissioners on board appointments and Portage Manor plans
Summary
During public comment, Trina Robinson (NAACP) asked for transparency in Community Correction Advisory Board appointments; Tom Rowe questioned possible recusal and security at Portage Manor; Cheryl Nicks urged the commissioners to interview qualified Black leaders and requested a fuller public hearing on Portage Manor’s proposed development.
Trina Robinson, president of the local NAACP, used the public‑comment period to challenge how the county filled seats on the Community Correction Advisory Board. Robinson said she submitted an application and followed up with requests for confirmation but did not receive a response; she noted a South Bend Tribune notice that sought applicants and asked the commissioners to disclose how many resumes or letters of interest were received and to explain the selection process.
Robinson told the commissioners, “you commissioners are not about democracy, but about pushing your own agendas,” and asked the board to provide the community with the list of applicants and the process used to choose appointees.
Tom Rowe of Lake Lane raised questions about Portage Manor, including whether any commissioner had considered recusal during deliberations to avoid conflicts tied to prior statements, and who authorized 24/7 security at the facility. Rowe said he had toured portions of Portage Manor but could not access ravine areas due to rehabilitation and sought clarification about prior deliberations and decisions.
Cheryl Nicks of Clay Township said the redevelopment commission and the board of health appointments are “all men, they’re all white,” and urged commissioners to interview qualified community leaders, specifically naming NAACP president Trina Robinson. Nicks said the county had pledged to preserve 34 acres around Portage Manor but described that as inadequate, cited a county‑funded species survey that she said cost nearly $5,000 and reported that “Steve Sass found nearly 53 species of birds alone.” She asked the board to hold a public hearing with a question‑and‑answer session similar to one provided for the Anderson Road community.
The board did not provide substantive responses to these public‑comment demands in the transcript and recessed afterward; no appointments or process changes were announced on the record during the meeting.
