01-28-08 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 28, 2008 BILL NO. 85-07 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 701 S. GRANT STREET, COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT 6 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA BILL NO. 88-07 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2122 SOUTH BEND AVENUE, COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT FOUR IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA Councilmember Puzzello made a motion to refer Bill Nos. 85-07 and 88-07 to the Zoning and Annexation Committee and set it for Public Hearing and Third Reading on February 11, 2008. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. NEW BUSINESS COMMENTS FROM COUNCILMEMBERS REGARDING "SOUTH BEND GRADUATION RATE" Councilmembers Puzzello, Kirsits, Henry Davis, Oliver Davis, LaFountain, White, and Varner commented and applauded the January 28th article in the South Bend Tribune entitled "South Bend Graduation Rates Improved" The Council agreed to send a letter to Dr. Robert Zimmerman, Superintendent, South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC), congratulating him and each of the high school principals and the 3,500 dedicated educators and employees of the SBCSC who commit themselves everyday to education excellence throughout the city. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR COMMENTS FROM MR. JERRY NIEZGODSKI REGARDING GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTABILITY Mr. Niezgodski stated that citizens must perform their civic duty to hold elected official accountable. Mr. Niezgodski stated that he wrote a Michiana Point of View entitled "Time for Transparency, Accountability Has Come to South Bend" on January 25, 2008. He stated that citizens should speak up and demand accountability. Mr. Niezgodski noted that many of South Bend's problems are primarily due to an intractable adherence to ineffective economic development policies that appear to be more about preserving power and control by a few rather than cultivating inclusive, collaborative relationships with businesses and residents that promote sustainable economic and income growth. Mr. Niezgodski stated that South Bend's failed policies have fueled Mishawka's growth, clearly exemplified by the number of businesses leaving the City for Mishawaka and that city's population growth the last four decades versus South Bend's decline. He stated that changing economic development policies requires a change of culture; difficult to achieve with an entrenched group of bureaucrats that operate with relative impunity. Transformation can be realized through, by analyzing day-today operations, revealing problems and introducing processes that promote grater transparency, accountability and responsiveness from city officials. He noted that Mayor Stephen Luecke had three assistance mayors and questioned whether it was political partronage. He stated that he still has two and while the City of Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary and other cities have one (1). One is enough, given our population; two are unnecessary and unacceptable. Mr. Niezgodski also proposed eliminating the city's contribution to Project Future. Although subsidized with taxpayer money it has refused to open its books to public officials' scrutiny offering zero transparency and zero accountability to taxpayers. After giving them hundreds of thousands of dollars for years he doesn't see jobs paying $20 hourly or $100,000 annually coming to South Bend. He stated that poor results plus zero transparency equal zero funding. The Common Council should eliminate the $100,000 (could be $120,000) proposed contribution this year. The Council could reconsider 21