2004 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report

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and Non - Profit Organizations, the provisions of Indiana Code section 5- 11 -1 -9 and the requirements of the Indiana State Board of Accounts. Information related to the single audit, including the schedule of federal financial assistance, findings and recommendations, and the auditors' reports on the internal control structure and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, is included in this document. The following pages of this transmittal letter begin with a general overview of South Bend and the surrounding area. Also summarized are the key financial, budgetary and property tax controls with which the City is required to comply. The remainder includes a discussion of the prior year's financial challenges and accomplishments, the City's goals and objectives for this year and beyond and other key issues the City is facing along with the impact they may have on current and future budgets. GENERAL INFORMATION The City of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, and is the fourth largest city in the state. Its 2000 U.S. Bureau of the Census population of 107,789 classifies it as a "City of the Second Class" under Indiana statues (cities with a population of 35,000 to 250,000). It operates with a mayor as chief executive and a nine - member City Common Council composed of six members elected from districts and three members at- large. The City provides a full range of traditional general governmental services to its citizens. These services include police and fire protection; sanitation services; the construction and maintenance of highways, streets and infrastructure; recreational activities and cultural events. In addition to general governmental activities, the Common Council or City Board of Public Works exercises oversight over the South Bend Water Works, the South Bend Wastewater Treatment Facility, the Century Center, the College Football Hall of fame, the Studebaker Collection, the South Bend Redevelopment Authority and several downtown parking facilities, Location St. Joseph County lies within the heartland of the manufacturing belt and metropolitan regions of the Upper Midwest and Canada. The City of South Bend is located in the north central part of Indiana, ten miles south of the Michigan state line, and is commonly known to be within the "Michiana" area. The Michian area is a vibrant and diverse area with a strong economy based on a mix of agricultural, service, manufacturing, other commercial and tourism industries. This diverse economic mix creates varied employment opportunities for the area's residents while providing insulation via diversification from future economic downturns. The City is approximately 90 miles east of Chicago and 140 miles north of Indianapolis. Accessibility to transportation, including Interstate 80/90, a regional airport (which is the second busiest in the State of Indiana), the South Shore rail line and a port on Lake Michigan, has supported economic growth within the community. Proximity to Chicago, the largest rail and intermodal (rail /truck/ocean/inland waterway) transfer point in the country, is a significant advantage to St. Joseph County. vi