09-14-16 Personnel and Finance - Laserfiche WebLink

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Clerk Fowler detailed the significant budget changes this year for the Clerk's Office. This year we have a total increase of fourteen point one percent (14.1 %) which is a dollar amount of $62,710. That includes a request to bring the City Clerk's salary in line with IACT and other City Department Heads with administrative oversight responsibilities and staff. Clerk Fowler provided a comparison between other Second Class Indiana cities population and their city clerk's wages. The City Clerk salary right now is $59,000 and Clerk Fowler is asking for an increase to $73,000. There is also an increase for the salary of the Clerk's Office staff by two percent (2 %), that is a consistent flatline increase, which is the same as the rest of the City of South Bend employees. If the rest of the City does not take the two percent (2 %) increase then the Clerk's Office will not increase because all of the staff is new and are not at the maximum amount. There is money going back into the General Fund this year because they have not reached their maximum amount yet. The budget also adds $10,000 for Professional Legal Services for future liability pertaining to the Clerk's office which includes policy and HR. If something was to happen with a staff member of the Clerk's Office, the City Legal Department does not have to represent the Clerk's Office and neither does the Council Attorney. Clerk Fowler stated she does not project they would use all of those funds but it is an assurance. Year to date, the Clerk's Office has spent $4,300 on legal services. A large majority of this increase was from the new IT allocation which for the Clerk's Office is $59,000. If you take the IT allocation away, the budget increased by only a little over $12,000. We made about $30,000 in cuts from the budget but with the IT allocation it is still up fourteen point one percent (14.1 %). Committee Chair White asked if the Committee or Councilmembers have any questions. Councilmember Tim Scott stated it has been a pleasure working with Clerk Fowler and her staff. Committee Chair White echoed those sentiments. The Clerk's Office provided tremendous support during the Special Elbel Committee and provided comprehensive minutes. She also thanked the office for having a representative at all of the walking tours as well. Councilmember Jo M. Broden concurred that the public information provided during the Elbel discussions was tremendously helpful and also the healing that provided to the people were offended by the process. Clerk Fowler thanked the Committee and stated they have made a lot of progress but there is a lot of progress to yet be made. Councilmember Broden asked about possible internships. Clerk Fowler responded that she believes her office is better off doing their own thing outside of the Administration. We have received a number of interested people willing to intern for our office. We have created a form for interns to fill out that is modeled off of the Mayor's form. We state that in return for their service we can provide recommendations and quality experience. It is pretty straight forward that it will not be paid internship. We have been very successful with interns, we had one (1) that spent two (2) years here in high school and will still be an intern now that she is in college. We think we are providing good life experience for the interns and Alkeyna Aldridge has been a wonderful community resource because she works with the JAG program.