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REGULAR MEETING <br />SEPTEMBER 8,12003 <br />Mayor Luecke noted that the 2004 budget includes four (4) funds that are not able to balance <br />revenues and expenditures and will need to rely on fund balances. These include Police and Fire <br />Pension Funds, Century Center and the Consolidated Building Fund. The Council has already <br />reviewed the Building Fund budget and there has been discussion about the need for additional <br />personnel in the Building Department based on changes in the zoning ordinance. The Council will <br />be provided with an amended Building Fund budget in the next week to review in further detail. <br />Mayor Luecke stated that Century Center has always done an excellent job of containing their costs. <br />They have also seen an increase in health care costs and do not have a lot of different areas from <br />which to draw and meet those demands. The City is working with Century Center to find ways to <br />help them make their budget and may end up being sustained through dollars from the General Fund <br />to get through this time period. The EDIT and COIT dollars that the City is projected to receive this <br />year will decrease approximately four per cent (4 %) or about three hundred seventy -five thousand <br />dollars ($375,000.00) due to lower individual and business income. This does not affect the <br />Operating Budget as much as the Capital Budget. Additionally, Mayor Luecke advised that the City <br />has a true Pension Plan and not a 401k Plan in that the true Pension Plans have a guaranteed payout <br />each year. <br />Mayor Luecke thanked the Council for their attention to these budget issues. He stated that he <br />believes that this is an excellent budget that meets the needs of the citizens and helps to continue to <br />build a 21st Century City by providing for public safety and a clean city for new growth and <br />development. The Mayor asked for the Council's favorable support as they move forward with the <br />budget process. <br />This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bills, proponents and <br />opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. <br />There was no one present wishing to speak to the Council in favor of this bill. <br />The following individuals spoke in opposition to this bill: <br />Mr.. Jim Cierzniak, 1156 East Victoria Street, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he attended one of <br />the budget hearings and saw no commitment to budget cutting. He questioned the use of COIT <br />funds for the Mayor's after school program noting that the funds were only to be used for public <br />safety, neighborhoods and public works. He noted that the City paid four hundred twenty -nine <br />thousand dollars ($429,000.00) for the demolition of Oliver School which should have been <br />demolished by the school corporation. He also stated that the budget contains nine (9) new positions <br />for a total of three hundred sixty six thousand seven hundred four dollars ($366,704.00). He asked <br />why the Executive Director and Manger -Sales for the Hall of Fame are in the current budget when <br />the NFF is paying operating costs of the Hall. Also, the budget shows payment of two (2) taxes to <br />the NFF. The Hotel Motel Tax and Professional Sports Development Fund will generate eight <br />hundred twenty -nine thousand dollars ($829,000.00), a forty per cent (40 %) increase over the last <br />five (5) years. Mr. Cierzniak asked for a fresh approach to City spending. Basic services provided <br />by police, fire and street personnel are high priority items for taxpayers. Quality of life organizations <br />and programs should be left to the private sector. In conclusion, Mr. Cierzniak asked for the defeat <br />of this budget. <br />D <br />1 <br />M <br />