09-20-10 Personnel & Finance - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Stephen Luecke weighed in announcing a group putting together a 3 year strategic plan. Gregg Zientara added to the "remember these are tough time" defense. He said hotellmotel room occupancy rates in St. Joseph County were only 47% claiming and industry standard of 60% to break-even. Council President Dieter asked for a breakdown of those statistics. Hall of Fame There was no discussion of finances. Gregg Zientara reminded the Council of a September 14, 2010 memo from his office stating figures for the Hall would not be available until the end of November. Discussion did go on however, prompted by Varner asking the Mayor whether he anticipated a new contract with the NFF or an extension of the one in place. The Mayor said he foresaw a continuation of the current one. Gregg Zientara briefly recounted the past and continued city financial support of the Hall. Annually this amounts to $500,000 to defray operating expense, about $1.4 million to service debt on the building and what has been a $200,000 yearly contribution to maintenance of the building. Gregg said the fund now endowed at $1 million would allow the $200K to go to the improvement of the Cove. Human Rights Lonnie Douglas, longtime Director, rose to make his agency's presentation. He described the rather complicated funding mechanism underlying the department's ability to accept and resolve cases. Revenues all of which he detailed and all of which fluctuate some-what according to intake come from the federal and state funded programs as well as our own general fund. His hope for the future would be to expand the Commission's providence to the County. The HR Commission was established by city ordinance in the mid-fifties and would need a County ordinance to expand it's reach beyond South Bend's borders. In answer to Councilmember White's question, Lonnie said his budget is funded 50% by the general fund and 40% from revenue they generate. Legal Chuck Leone, City Attorney presented for his department. Chuck reviewed both the personnel on his staff as well as the financial summary. Basically, he was talking about doing more with less. He said the staff was taking on more work previously farmed out. Bond work and environmental law were the two exceptions. He also mentioned the use of volunteer law students doing work of interns during the summer. An earlier austerity move by the legal department cut $40,000 from their budget used to pay interns. During Council questioning President Dieter suggested tracking results of diversity training for police officers. In other words, can we measure whether it took or not? Councilmember's Henry Davis and Tim Rouse both asked Leone what was being done to encourage fair opportunities for minority contractors? Councilmember Henry Davis said there should be outreach to undercapitalized small contractors who need a helping hand to grow. Councilmember Rouse agreed emphatically. Manor Mary Ann Myers, Director of Secretarial Services in the Mayor's Office presented the budget for the Mayor's Office. She emphasized there was little change from last year. Most senior administrators including the Mayor will continue to return 5% of their budgeted salary. There will be no additional staff and they will continue to function with a staff of seven continuing the reduction from 10 begun in 2006. Clerk City Clerk John Voorde presented his office budget. Overall it reflects a 2.8% increase mainly due to increased cost of supplies and a 2% increase in salary form himself and staff.