09-30-10 Special Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 There being no one present wishing to speak to the Council either in favor of or in opposition to this bill, Councilmember Oliver Davis made a motion for favorable recommendation to full Council concerning this bill as substituted. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. BILL NO. 59-10 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL FIXING MAXIMUM SALARIES AND WAGES OF APPOINTED OFFICERS AND NON- BARGAINING EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR 2011 Councilmember LaFoutain, Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee, reported that nd this committee met on this 2 Substitute Bill this afternoon and voted to send it to the Full Council with no recommendation. nd Councilmember White made a motion to consider the 2 Substitute version on this bill. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. th Gregg Zientara, City Controller, 12 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Boulevard, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. nd Mr. Zientara advised that this is the 2 substitute bill fixing maximum salaries and wages of Appointed Officers and Non-Bargaining Employees of the City for the calendar year 2011. Mr. Zientara stated that they filed the submission copy along with and illustrative copy showing “stricken” language along with the schedule of 2011 salary maximum. Mr. Zientara stated that the hiring bonus along with the performance bonus have been stricken from the bill. The other change in the bill is that the maximum pay level percentage increase is at 1.5%. There were certain positions that the City was asking for a somewhat higher increase in the maximum allow salary to be paid. He stated that this was for certain positions whose job duties have changed and taken on more responsibilities. Mr. Zientara made reference to economic value being used in determining the salary ordinances for the Police, Fire and Teamsters. The non-bargaining employees are a valuable asset to the City just as well as the Police, Fire and Teamsters. The City Administration would ask through this bill to allow the Council to add Economic Value to this ordinance as well. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Greg Burkowski, former City of South Bend Resident, now living in Centre Township, stated that he wanted make a few points regarding this bill. He stated that this is an indictment of the City Administration and doesn’t begrudge anybody a pay raise but in this economy he questions it. He stated that in the late 1990’s and early 2000 the City was battling nuisance bars and trying to shut them down. At some point and time the Mayor authorized purchasing those properties at full market value and they still are not on the tax rolls. The City purchased them; demolished them and they still are not on the tax rolls and contribute to the tax base. He referenced the City buying the old Gates Chevy World for a million and half dollars and as a result only has two car dealership’s left in the City. In 2005, the Mayor along with Susan Al-Abbas, County Engineer at the time and former County Commission David Niezgodski lobbied heavily for the wheel-tax surcharge. He stated that there were a lot of options out there but lobbied and imposed the maximum $25.00 fee on all cars and trailers in St. Joseph County. He noted that the money collected from the wheel tax goes to the various entities such as the County who used their portion of the money to repair roads and bridges in various locations across the county. The City of South Bend opted to use their portion fixing roads near and in close proximity to the University of Notre Dame, while the remainder of the streets are in deplorable condition. In 2009, the Mayor lobbied the various City Council 6