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REGULAR MEETING September 24, 2018 <br /> received some good news on our fiscal curb. We had the analysis reworked with the increase in <br /> the property taxes we had gotten recently. We are down to about a $1.94 million fiscal curb. That <br /> is down just under $500,000 from where we thought it was going to be earlier this year. We feel <br /> we have kind of figured out how to meet that $1.94 million hole we might see in 2020 based on <br /> moving some projects in 2019 and 2018. We've got some big housing projects that we've talked <br /> about that are focused in 2018 and will go away in 2019 along with some other items I will talk <br /> about here in a moment. $1.94 million is something we can handle and get through and we will be <br /> able to bring you balanced budget in 2020. <br /> Ms. Hockenhull continued, So here (referencing a slide in the presentation) is fiscal outlook. We <br /> feel that if we continue with business as usual, meaning everyone get their raises as approved, the <br /> health insurance goes up four percent (4%), just the normal everyday things that happen with <br /> inflation, we feel like if we don't anything different between today and 2020, we will have about <br /> $3.3 million deficit in our General Plus Funds in 2020.However,that isn't simply due to this fiscal <br /> curb. A lot of this has to do with Medicaid reimbursement levels at the Federal level so we are <br /> having some capital challenges in EMS and Fire. We used to use that money to fill those needs so <br /> we will be working on fixing that. We lost some Gas Tax receipts that we weren't expecting at the <br /> State level and we are working through that. Also the riverboat gaming revenue that we used to <br /> get that we won't be getting now. So, we've got a couple things that have happened that were out <br /> of our control that we will continue working through. <br /> Ms. Hockenhull went on, So to get ahead of these new challenges, we will continue looking at <br /> ongoing organizational refinements. Can we civilianize positions in Police and Fire? The hiring <br /> freeze isn't saying we won't hire anyone ever again come January..We are just going to be <br /> taking a really deep look into all the positions as they become vacant. We seek to continue <br /> identifying public-private partnerships if possible. We are investigating different funding sources <br /> such as grants. We are also looking at the budget in a two (2) year lens. Our concluding thoughts <br /> are that we have about a$368 million budget. Again, I'd like to point out that we've got a balance <br /> budget. We are giving you a balancing budget in your General Plus Funds. We continue to move <br /> toward the long-term balance while relying on modest reserves and modest increases in revenues. <br /> We continue to maintain the City's growth through continued investment in our neighborhoods, <br /> our people, in technology and measuring our performance for continued improvement. <br /> This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and <br /> opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. <br /> Samuel Brown, 222 East Navarre Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I'm a Human Rights Officer for <br /> the City of South and we're moving out into the County and we are very excited about that. The <br /> problem we're having is, we wanted our extra person in case we get a workload in the County. <br /> The problem with it is when you budget, I would like for them to try to look it over. We want to <br /> try and do our job. I would like for the Mayor to try and find us at least one (1) more person but <br /> we really need two (2). It would mean a lot. Right now, we are trying to serve the County but we <br /> are dragging our feet and are finding it hard to serve like we should. I'm praying we can try to find <br /> this money. Thank you for listening to me. <br /> Sue Kesim,4022 Kennedy Drive, South Bend,IN, stated,The Finance Administration did a lovely <br /> job on the actual presentation. I can see why they got an award and they made it easy to use. The <br /> citizens, we appreciate that. The point I would like to address is one (1) that has come up <br /> repeatedly. There are eighty (80) lane miles that are level four (4) or worse. According to Eric <br /> Horvath, that would take about $8 million to bring that up. I think people are tired of having their <br /> front ends go out and the pot holes. One (1) of the core things of the City is keeping those roads <br /> passable and in decent condition. I don't know where you are in terms of rearranging money but I <br /> think there needs to be $8 million to address those roads. <br /> This being the time heretofore set for the Rebuttal on the above bill, the presenter was given an <br /> opportunity to rebut. <br /> Ms. Hockenhull replied, We appreciate the comments. We will be sure to look through and see if <br /> there is anything we can do. $8 million for roads will be a stretch but we will look and come to the <br /> Council with information when we respond to these questions with additional information. There <br /> is a position for Human Rights in this budget. <br /> 10 <br />