07-04-04 Personnel & Finance, Public Works and Property Vacation

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t , Joint Meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee and the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee The July 7, 2004 joint meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee and the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee was called to order by the Chairperson of the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee,Dr. David Vanier at 4:13 p.m. Persons in attendance included Council Members Dieter,Kirsits,White,Pfeifer,Kelly, Puzzello, and Varner; Mayor Stephen J. Luecke,City Clerk John Voorde, Community& Economic Development Director Sharon Kendall,City Controller Rick 011ett, City Attorney Charles Leone,Executive Director of the Morris Performing Arts Center,Terry Bland of the South Bend Tribune and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council Attorney. Dr. Varner thanked everyone for coming to the joint committee meeting which would continue the discussion of Bill No. 32-04 which would amend Chapter 2,Article 7 of the South Bend Municipal Code. He noted that he has earlier given copies of a recent Kiplinger letter. He noted that the last joint committee meeting discussed the provisions of the proposed ordinance through Sec. 2-94,therefore discussion today would begin with Sec. 2-95. Mr. 011ett noted that one of the items resulting from the proposed ordinance is the"level of detail which the Council believes is needed". He stated that last December he attended a meeting in Washington,D.C. and that there was much discussion on the Kiplinger letter referred to by Dr. Varner. He noted that"form over substance" is a point of consideration. Dr. Varner noted that non-profit organizations are independent and are under the control of their own Board of Directors. Items like the shelter allowance which are basically a pass thru may be an exception. Mr. Andres noted that he has a Fund#416 which is basically a"seat tax". Dr. Varner stated that the Council is entitled to know what the beginning balance is in that fund as well as what the ending balance is. Mr. 011ett stated that the city does not show the beginning and ending balances currently. Dr. Varner noted that a form could be developed similar to the one previously given the joint committees which is used by the City of Fort Wayne. He noted that City Engineer Carl Littrell stated that the form would be used like a work sheet and he did not see any problems with it. Council Member Kelly stated that he does not want to create alot of extra work if there is a simpler way to do it. Dr. Varner noted that Sec. 2-96 may be seen as providing more oversight to the Board of Public Works,noting that when that Board went to one(1)person to approve an item and then have it subsequently ratified at a public Board meeting,has alot to do with the requested procedures. He stated that Chuck Leone's list had$89 million of projects between 1999 to earlier in 2004,with the only appropriations being those that are passed with the annual budget. July 7,2004 Joint Meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee&the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee-1