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®CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK <br /> so much value. We hear that loud and clear and are working to present a budget that will meet that <br /> priority. <br /> He went on, We are focused on creating jobs for residents across the City. Again, drainage is more <br /> on our mind recently but that is not a short-term challenge. We are gathering resources for that. <br /> Infrastructure throughout the City, in particular the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) issues are <br /> going to loom large as we approach the EPA to try and get a better deal on the plan our City is <br /> legally committed to deliver on to improve our compliance with the Clean Water Act. We also <br /> want to make sure we reflect diversity and inclusion both in way of how our workforce looks and <br /> operates as well as how we plan for the future in engaging the private sector. <br /> He continued, I also want to point out our public engagement opportunities. I want to flag some of <br /> the things we hear our residents saying. Again, they are not that different from what we hear the <br /> Council Members saying. They want us to pay attention to sidewalks, alleys,neighborhood parks <br /> especially restroom facilities across our many parks,lighting and street lights,neighborhood traffic <br /> calming, drainage and making sure Code Enforcement is tuned up in the areas that need it most. <br /> We are also operating, now, under the Priority Based Budgeting effort. That was a big exercise <br /> that culminated a year ago in the arrival of these priorities with input from the Administration,the <br /> Council and members of the public and I would like to recap the six (6) community priorities that <br /> came through. Those priorities include making sure we have a safe community for everyone, <br /> ensuring we have a strong and inclusive economy,investing in thriving public spaces,ensuring we <br /> have vibrant and welcoming neighborhoods, supporting robust and well-planned infrastructure <br /> with timely investments and making sure that all of our residents are empowered with education, <br /> mobility and technology to help them thrive. <br /> He went on, So what are we going to see in 2019 that is new? Again, a few of these things are a <br /> bit of a moving target as we go back and forth with department leadership to make sure we have <br /> the best possible budget to bring before the Council. We are going to work on lead including, we <br /> hope, being able to do a lot more things with the HUD grant. Also, Council recently authorized <br /> our support for the AmeriCorps grant program that we won.A lot of that is about improving homes <br /> and a lot of that, in turn, will make sure homes are safer when it comes to lead. We also have the <br /> Community Para-medicine Program. It is operating, really, as a one (1) person pilot. The initial <br /> indication is that it is very successful. You will hear more about this from the Fire Department but <br /> a single trip in an ambulance is incredibly costly. Most people will experience that between zero <br /> (0) and one (1) times in their lives. We have some residents who will experience that more than <br /> twenty (20) times in a year. If we can address whatever issue leads to that 911 call on the front <br /> end, it very quickly pays off. We are looking at how to sustain and develop it. I would also like to <br /> mention that we are hoping some of our community partners step up because there are a lot of <br /> hospital costs that are avoided through this program and we don't want the taxpayer to be alone in <br /> supporting the investment on the front end. If we get it right, obviously this isn't just about dollars <br /> and cents, it means a healthier community, too. <br /> He continued, We are one (1) of the few communities without a storm water utility. We believe <br /> that is going to start catching up to us especially with some of the rainfall challenges we have had. <br /> You will see us proposing a storm water utility fee. This is something that will be relatively low <br /> compared to our neighbors but we think having it at zero(0)is probably not sustainable if we want <br /> to meet the expectations laid out by the community and by the Council when it comes to drainage <br /> projects going into the future. There is no such thing as a drainage project that will allow us to <br /> EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT <br /> 455 County-City Building 1 227 W.Jefferson Bvld I South Bend,Indiana 466011 p 574.235.92211 If 574.235.9173 1 TTD 574.235.55671 www.southbendin.gov <br /> 6 <br />