04-11-11 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 11, 2011 Councilmember Rouse thanked President Derek Dieter for allowing him to research this bill. He thanked the members of the Council and the City Administration for their collaboration on this bill. He stated that it has been a journey and thinks that they have done well looking for a win/win scenario and thinks that they have found one in this bill. He stated that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, but feels very confident that with the work of the Legal Department, the Administration, the Council and the Department of Public Works will come together and come out to make South Bend a special place to work for the residents. Council President Dieter thanked Councilmember Rouse, Lee Byers and especially Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand for all their hard work. He noted that many meetings took place both here and off-site to discuss this bill and work out all the things that need to make a bill like this one work. He stated that it will benefit all businesses with the City of South Bend. Councilmember Henry Davis also thanked all the vendors who will be involved in this bill. He stated that they talked about construction work, but also need to thank the vendors who will also benefit by the passage of this bill. Council President Dieter made a motion to send Substitute Bill No. 86-10 as amended to full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember White seconded the motion which carried by voice vote of nine (9) ayes. BILL NO. 11-11 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING SECTION 2-59 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE ADDRESSING THE SOUTH BEND ADVISORY COMMISSION ON BLACK MALES Councilmember Timothy Rouse, Chairperson, Community and Economic Development Committee, reported that this committee held a Public Hearing on this bill this afternoon and voted to send it to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Rouse, 605 N. Cherry Tree Lane, South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Councilmember Rouse advised that he is sponsoring this bill in the interest of updating the 1998 ordinance which established the Commission on African-American Males. He stated that he had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the State of Indiana’s Commission on the Social Status of Black Males. In light f those discussions, it is apparent that our local ordinance needs to be updated and streamlined, so that it may become energized to carry out its mission. He stated that there are similar commissions operating in Ft. Wayne, Evansville, Bloomington, Michigan City, Gary Muncie, Anderson, Jeffersonville, and Indianapolis. Councilmember Rouse stated that some of the changes are reducing the number of members from 25 to 15; having members appointed from areas which are similar to Commissions in the other Indiana cities which have been more involved and focused on their mission of recommending ideas and potential remedies to address the critical social problems facing the Black male population; developing a working relationship between the South Bend Commission, other city commissions, and the State of Indiana’s commission; and having a member of the Youth Advisory Council sit on the Commission. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. There being no one present wishing to speak to the Council either in favor of or in opposition to this bill, Councilmember Dieter made a motion for favorable recommendation to full Council concerning this bill. Councilmember Kirsits seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. 7