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CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> Amy Shirk,Director of Accounting and Budget for the City of South Bend with offices located on
<br /> the 12th floor of the County-City Building, replied, The deficits that you see in River West is
<br /> typically attributable to encumbrances. Because, as a TIF fund, they hold a lot of encumbrances
<br /> for ongoing projects. So,if you look at the cash in their fund, and if you don't take away all of the
<br /> projects that they are encumbering, it's typically meeting their cash reserve requirement. It's once
<br /> you take into account all those projects that they have committed themselves to,that's when it gets
<br /> below the reserve requirement sometimes.
<br /> Ms. Kesim followed up, So I think in that case you need to issue a more detailed report. The details
<br /> of encumbrances. Do you see what I'm saying? Because you're just giving a summary, and there's
<br /> a big red number there. You see how, that's how the gap in knowledge happens because you
<br /> haven't, I'm not blaming you, I'm just suggesting an improvement, is to detail those encumbrances
<br /> and to explain that because when you just give a summary, there's no explanation, there's just a
<br /> red number. So, that's a suggestion on improving the process. I would like a link to the report, if
<br /> you don't mind giving that.
<br /> She went on, I'm concerned we've got $700 million on sewers and from your presentation, you're
<br /> expecting the revenues from water and sewer to pay for it, and that's just not realistic. We're all
<br /> going to be paying three hundred dollars($300)a month. I think the budget priorities need to move
<br /> TIF funds from developers to sewers,because literally, I personally am not wealthy enough to pay
<br /> $300 a month for water and sewers to make up the gap, and I know most of South Bend isn't. So,
<br /> I'm really concerned when you say, "Well, water and sewer, here's the revenue stream to pay for
<br /> it." There isn't enough revenue stream. So, I think the Council and the Administration need to
<br /> rearrange their priorities and start paying for, I know I'm a broken record, infrastructure, roads,
<br /> water, and sewer. We pay our taxes for that. The developers are not going to say, "Oh gee, I feel
<br /> like paying for sewers today." They're not going to do that. They line their pockets with these
<br /> buildings they get to keep, while we have not put enough money towards infrastructure, and that's
<br /> a real concern for me and I know it's a concern for the average citizen.
<br /> She continued, When I pay taxes, I want the City to pay for my curbs and sidewalks. I don't want
<br /> to have to pay for it. I feel like I've already paid for it. I want the City to pay for my water
<br /> improvements, so there's not 500 million gallons of untreated sewage going out into the river, and
<br /> I want the City to upgrade the sewer lines. So, that's where I think there's been a real failing in
<br /> priorities. So, I'm just saying,you're the one tracking it,you're not the one responsible for deciding
<br /> the priorities, so this is not a reflection on you,just saying. I think it's good to put the net assessed
<br /> value when you're showing debt, to also show that,just a suggestion. And for all my concerns, I
<br /> want to say that Amy does a great job every year putting together that beautiful budget book, she
<br /> really does. So, I notice your good work and so I appreciate it, and it gets better every year because
<br /> you put more detail in it and I really appreciate it.
<br /> Ms. Shirk replied, Well, some of the limitations of what we have right now are due to our current
<br /> software system. We don't have that level of detail right now in the system, it's not easy to get, and
<br /> as we move to our new software system for accounting, we're hoping to find new ways to do
<br /> reporting and to show the detail of things in a meaningful way. So, we're working on that.
<br /> Committeemember Voorde stated, First (1st) of all, on the big projects, you get the full report,
<br /> which is through Umbaugh, and that is public. Anybody can see that the detailed analysis. But
<br /> EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT
<br /> 455 County-City Building 227W Jefferson BvId Saudi Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 vwvw.southbendin.gov
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