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validity that it needs to have for it to be legally standing. My team is trudging through about four <br /> hundred and fifty (450) specific contracts and are getting specific information. We are now down <br /> to verifying the paid-to-date amounts. There was some discrepancy in that in the initial file so we <br /> are trying to get the most accurate information that we possibly can from our NaviLine System, <br /> which is less than perfect, but we are combining that information with paper documentation to <br /> verify. We are trying to make sure the information we are providing Colette to do this analysis is <br /> as clean and as accurate as possible. We hope to get that to Colette within the next week or so. <br /> Then her team will take over with all the data crunching. They will reach out to each one (1) of <br /> the vendors listed in the contract data file to verify the information we have provided and then they <br /> will ask them a series of questions before they actually do the analysis. All of that will be ongoing <br /> as she comes through the City to conduct the qualitative analysis with the focus groups. She will <br /> wrap all of that up in quarter one (1) and quarter two (2) of 2019 and then she will have a final <br /> report and recommendation for this Board's review and the City Administration's review before <br /> we share that with the community as a whole. <br /> Ms. White stated, The website for the City was recently updated so I have not had a chance to look <br /> at your website but in terms of refining the Disparity Study,I think that at least from the community <br /> meeting you held, there is a lack of clarity as to why as well as the outcome and purpose. I don't <br /> know if that is on your website when you talk about the Disparity Study. I know individuals are <br /> coming with a lot of different perspectives with regard to the need for the Disparity Study and why <br /> and then what the outcomes will be. <br /> Ms. Brooks replied, That is actually the very first (1St) thing you would see when you go to the <br /> website. It provides a very clear and succinct definition of what a disparity is, why we are <br /> conducting a study here in the City of South Bend, how it is being done, what it is measuring and <br /> what the expected outcomes will be. It is as clear as we could possibly make it. It is pretty standard <br /> if you have a chance to look at other cities that have conducted Disparity Studies. The language is <br /> boiler plate. If there are any questions at all, what Colette's team has been doing is, if someone <br /> submits a question through the website that they can't answer, they forward that to me. Then I <br /> have been providing information to those local residents. Typically, her team fields a lot of <br /> questions. <br /> Mr. Scott stated, The problem right now is that the new website is only in this building where you <br /> have to have VPN connection to actually see the new website. The public is still on the old site. <br /> Ms. Fowler stated, Regardless, we will be sure we have this link on there because there is other <br /> stuff on for the Council that needs to be on there. <br /> Mr. Scott stated,I hope to have a conversation about what will be needed in the budget to continue <br /> the study. Is it going to continue being part of the Administration's budget? <br /> Ms. Brooks replied, Yes, it will be. One (1) of the things that our consultant, Colette Holt, has <br /> made very clear is that,in her twenty-five(25)plus years of experience and successfully defending <br /> minority and women business programs for cities,counties,airports and states, once you complete <br /> this Disparity Study, you have to follow through with the recommendations and you have to set <br /> up a unit that can meet the compliance standards that we set up based on those recommendations. <br /> 6 <br />