06-28-10 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 28, 2010 been done. Incidentally, shortly after that the person who made those derogatory remarks had been promoted and she had been laid-off. Ms. Wainscott stated that she did not have any further recourse, no one to go to for help. She urged the Council’s favorable consideration of this bill. Alex Georgio, 50578 Pine Ct., Granger, Indiana, stated that he is here tonight to ask the Council to pass Bill No. 30-10 amending the South Bend Municipal Code addressing the Human Rights Ordinance to include new provisions addressing employment fairness. He stated that he does not live in the City, but is a student at Ivy Tech, and the facility director of the Youth Group at the GLBT Resource Center of Michiana, 1522 Mishawaka, Avenue. He stated that he is speaking on behalf of the GLBT Youth. He stated that he believes that this is not a good example to set for the youth of the community to allow discrimination in the workplace because of gender identity or sexual orientation. In order for the City to move forward everyone needs to be judge on their performance and not any thing else. He stated that many of the youth feel that in South Bend is a place of discrimination and that is just not fair. He urged the Council to pass the Human Rights Ordinance Amendment. COMMENTS FROM MR. JIM CIERZNIAK REGARDING TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT Jim Cierzniak, 1518 Pine Top Trace, Mishawaka, Indiana, quoted from the South Bend Tribune an article from June 25, 2010 “Indiana Democrats have been calling for months for more transparency in state government.” He stated what a great concept. Showing interested citizens where the money is coming from and where it goes. He proposes that citizens have detailed information on the quasi-business run by the City (Which, in some cases, also receives tax money from the county.) He stated let’s have some real transparency and put annual reports on the City website for Coveleski Regional Stadium, Morris Civic Auditorium, Palais Royale, Blackthorn Golf Club, and Century Center. This may not be a complete list of such businesses, many of which compete with private enterprises and enjoy an unfair tax advantage, but it’s a start. These reports would be a reasonably detailed statement of income and expenses similar, let’s say to, the ones prepared by Liz at Century Center in the early years of the Hall of Fame. Each venue’s one-page report should also include bond payments made for the venue during the year and the total bonded indebtedness at the end of the year. He noted that he has not mentioned the financial sinkhole otherwise known as the College Football Hall of Fame. (South Bend’s spending for the Hall, once the bond is paid in 2017, will total over $35 million.) In fact, it is difficult to use the words “transparent” and “Hall of Fame” I the same sentence. He asked the Council if they had seen the 2009 annual report of the Hall? He doubted it. He stated that he had a Freedom of Information request in for that report for several months and still has not received it. He received the 2008 report eight months after the end of that year. The NFF has put operating information in a lock box. Like the Council he is familiar with that part of the Second Interim Agreement which states that the NFF “shall not have any financial reporting obligation to the City or the Board of Mangers in connection with the operation of the Hall of Fame.” He stated to assume that 2010 is the last year for the Hall and that they will never get a report on this year despite giving them another huge subsidy. If the Hall does operate here in 2011, assume that it will do so with its own money and not get the usual $500,000-$600,000 subsidy from the City. He stated that he digresses. He appealed to the Council to get together with the Mayor and open up the information spigot on the venues mentioned. In the past he has concluded from Mayor Luecke that he has little interest in making local government more transparent. He stated that indeed he appears hostile to that idea unless the information is helpful to him in pushing for new spending projects. Mr. Cierzniak stated that on August 10, 2010, he addressed the Council on this matter, pleading with the Mayor for transparency. He stated that his entreaty was met with his haughty silence. He closed with one can hope that will fellow Democrats making a big push for transparency statewide, he will get on the band wagon. 23