07-09-18 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING July 9, 2018 but you're tied for first(1St). Thank you for everything you've done not only on the Council but as a person, for taking the time to say hi. If someone had a question you answered it and you didn't blow off the citizens. We are going to miss you. Andrew Kosteilney, President of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners with offices on the 7th floor of the County-City Building, South Bend, IN, stated, It is my honor to be here tonight as we recognize former Councilmember Dr.David Varner.He began his service on the South Bend Common Council on January 1St, 1996 representing the fifth (5th) district of South Bend. Throughout his twenty-two (22) years on the Council, at often times a political career will make you want to drink, but not often will your career be old enough to drink. That is pretty impressive that Dr. Varner has been important for that long. He has served on a number of Committees and has chaired them as well including Public Works, Personnel and Finance,Zoning and Annexation, the Century Center Board of Managers, the South Bend Redevelopment Commission and was the Council's representative to MACOG. In his private life,Dr.Varner owned and operated the Ireland Road Dental office and since is semi-retired from dentistry. Currently, Dr.Varner can still be seen filling in for dentists throughout the region. Dr. Varner is the embodiment of a true public servant and the community is a better place because of his efforts. It has been mentioned but I will mention it again. The thing I will remember about Dr. Varner is you wouldn't always agree with him but you would always respect him. His position was always well thought out, well-articulated and, once again, disagreement doesn't mean you can't have civil discourse. I was always so impressed with how well Dr. Varner handled every situation he ever came into. Upon the occasion of retirement, I am pleased to present this Key to the County from the Board of Commissioners and extend our best wishes to him in all his future endeavors. Mayor Pete Buttigieg,Mayor of the City of South Bend with offices on the 14th floor of the County- City Building, stated, First of all, I don't want to miss the chance to welcome Councilmember Teshka. I know tonight you are being reminded of how big the shoes are to fill but I am very much looking forward to spending some time with you to learn about your priorities and to talk about how we can work together. Serving on this Council is a vital and often thankless job and we have had as good a model as anyone in Dr. Varner. I don't want to repeat what has been said already but would like to say couple of things to put an accent on them. One (1) is the model of how bipartisan spirit might work here. Much has been said already about how Dr. Varner has come from different viewpoints while being agreeable. I think it bares to mention also that did not come by him being any less steadfast in his philosophy or his conservative viewpoint. Rather, when people come to the same issue with different viewpoints in good faith and they care about the City, it shows. I think that is a model that a lot of us can follow and that we all sincerely wish there was more of in other levels of government. The second (2"d) thing I would mention is that there were so many issue areas of expertise on Dr. Varner's part. One (1) in particular that I always like to applaud because it is the sort of thing for which mayors, I think rightly, would rush to try and accept credit for is the fiscal standing of the City. For all the challenges, it is so rare for a City of our make up to have the kind of bond rating and fiscal strength that it does, especially a City of our economic statistics. While, again, we like to point out as an Administration that it has been true for quite some time, I doubt there is anyone that deserves as much credit for that than Dr. Varner. Through the years he has done that not only by his voice but by the questions that he has asked and the respect he has commanded while raising certain issues. I think he has forced all of us to make sure we sharpened our pencils and our wits. Just one (1) more formality. I've already, last time when Dr. Varner shocked us with his announcement, paid him the rarest and highest compliment of which I am capable of giving as a politician which was to acknowledge there being some important moments in which he was right and I was wrong.Now,I will add to that the highest honor that I am empowered to confer as Mayor and I hope you all join me in congratulating him on a very richly deserved Key to the City. I also thank Mrs. Varner for sharing him with us while he earns this honor. Councilmember Jake Teshka made a motion to adopt the legislation by acclamation. Councilmember Gavin Ferlic seconded this motion which carried unanimously by a voice vote of eight(8) ayes. 5