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OFFICE OF THE CLERK •CITYOFSOUTHBEND then. In the last three(3) years, I believe, we've partnered with the Parks Department and they've been fantastic to work with across the board. We mow and maintain about one hundred and fourteen (114) of their properties across the northwest and west side. They've done a great job of mapping those out and keeping them close for our kids to park, we can walk and disperse from there. So,last year we hired ten(10)kids sixteen(16) years of age and older. We target the sixteen (16) to nineteen (19) year old age range. It is a real job for them. We pay them City minimum wage, we go through a curriculum with them on soft skills and hard skills and we talk a lot about four (4) main things. We talk about working hard and having a good attitude, those are two (2) things you can always control. Then also showing up on time and doing quality work. I believe we actually do real quality work now. Years ago, I couldn't be as confident in saying that, but there have been some kids that have stuck around with it. So,we had ten(10)kids last year and calculate about 1,000 hours and we call them mentoring hours because we hire kids to mentor them. We don't hire them just to cut grass, although that is exciting for some people and helps the City look better. But, it is a mentoring program and that's how it started. It's pretty cool to see the kids getting paid with their friends as well as mentored across all these skills. We want them to kind of start with us and give them a good first(1st)job experience while ultimately sending them off into other businesses throughout the City which we've done mostly with trade types of jobs like HVAC, home repair and things like that. We are always in conversations with businesses and if we have a kid that is ready to take that next step in that direction. That is the program. It's been phenomenal. We've been grateful to be a part of it and I hope we get to continue to get it. Every year I ask the Parks Department if we can take double the properties because the more we take, the more we can actually do. I think we have the manpower and capacity to do that, as well. Committeemember Erin Patzkowsky asked, How many apply for this versus how many you actually take? Mr. Lantz replied, In our leadership program, we have seventy-two (72) kids. Those are the only kids who can apply. We had twenty(20)kids apply last year and we hired ten(10) of them. If we had more properties, we might hire more like twelve(12)or fourteen(14), but those five(5)or six (6)we didn't hire, it was a good teachable moment and they weren't ready for something like this yet. The application is in our building. It is just like any other application, then they go through an interview process. Councilmember Tim Scott stated, Thank you for being here. This was something Councilmember White and I sponsored.This was a way to try and start summer jobs. The ordinance would actually not allow anything from Redevelopment or the Parks Department. They had to cut everything. So, what we did, per the Grass Cutting Ordinance we put together, was allow this mentorship. It was a program where they hire and mentor kids. I know,initially,there were about three(3)companies out there bidding but I think you are the one (1) that has stuck with it. Nothing against you guys, but, I would also like to see it expand a little more, too. Mr. Lantz replied, We just turned the bid for this year, so, we are always hoping to get it, but we also understand that we may not. Councilmember Regina Williams-Preston stated, I just want to give a little more context to the work that Kory does. You all know I'm a teacher and I see mentoring programs come and go and, I have to tell you, when I hear mentoring, I just kind of roll my eyes and snore. But, I say this all the time about transformation ministries, the work that they do is truly transformational and this EXCELLENCE j ACCOUNTABILITY j INNOVATION 1 INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 I I D574.235.5567 vwvw.southbendin.gov 4