12-13-04 Community Relations Committee

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I ' The Community Relations Committee of the South Bend Common Council Minutes from Meeting of December 13,2004 The December 13, 2004 meeting of the Common Council's Community Relations Committee was called to order by its Chairperson, Council Member Charlotte Pfeifer, at 4:47 p.m. in the Council Informal Meeting Room. Persons in attendance included Council Members Coleman, Dieter, Kelly, Kirsits, Pfeifer, Puzzello,Varner and White;Deputy Clerk Janice Talboom;City Community Development Director Pam Meyer;Morris Performing Arts Center Director Dennis Andres; Gladys Kopala; and Aladean M. DeRose substituting for Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand. A full quorum of the Committee existed with all members present,namely Council members Pfeifer,Dieter, Kirsits, and Varner. A. Urban Enterprise Association Report The City's Community Development Director,Pam Meyer,reported to the Committee that the City of South Bend was one of the first Indiana cities to be designated as an urban enterprise zone,and that South Bend successfully completed its first twenty year term on December 31,2003. Its next term is for ten years beginning January 1, 2004 and ending January 1, 2014. Presently the Board has three vacancies which is causing a problem with quorums for meetings where votes on expenditures and policy matters are required. Ms. Meyer noted that new legislation requires regular monthly meetings and full board presence for approval of expenditures. Council member Puzzello asked if Ms.Meyer had any suggestions for Board appointments, and Ms.Meyer promised to provide a list of businesses and persons,but does not have information regarding political affiliation which is necessary because the two residential representative vacancies require one democrat and one republican appointee. Council Member Pfeifer noted that the openings for these positions have been advertised. Ms.Meyer also reported that there are no grant programs because the inventory tax revenue which funded this program is dwindling. Past allocations to the program were as high as$900,000, but in 2004 the funding was $300,000 and is expected to decline. Once the inventory tax is eliminated,there will be no funding source for this program. A state committee has been created to study this problem and issue a report. It was noted,too,that the boundaries for South Bend's enterprise zone have changed slightly, moving to the west and adding residential areas around the AJ Wright Company. Council members in attendance had no questions for Ms. Meyer.