07-22-74 Council Meeting Minutes

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COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) Council President Nemeth made a motion to reduce the salary of the Public Safety Director to zero, seconded by Councilman Kopczynski. Councilman Parent asked about Council President Nemeth's rationale on eliminating the salary. Council President Nemeth stated that he did not understand what the Safety Director was responsible to do that the Chief of Police could not do. He stated that the Council could not delete the position of Chief of Police. Councilman Kopczynski stated that he tried to vote according to the views of the people he represented in his district. He stated that he has heard much controversy about the position of Safety Director from many people and then in public, some of the same people praise the director. He could not understand this. Councilman Miller stated that the director was a coordinator for federal funds and other periphera: programs. He did not feel that the Safety Director had instituted major changes. He stated that he would vote to maintain the position more as a coordinating position. Councilman Szymkowiak stated that he was against the cabinet ordinance. He indicated that he had nothing against Mr. Gallagher but that the Fire and Police Departments had chiefs to supervise and operate. He commended the Police and Fire Chiefs and the policemen and firemen. He felt substandard buildings could be handled through the Building Department rather than the Department of Safety. He felt the work that had been done under the Public Safety Director's supervision could be taken up in other departments. He talked about the appointment of the Crime Commission in an effort to reduce the crime rate. Councilman Serge felt Mr. Gallagher had proven his worth to the city and had done a good job. He felt the position should be retained. Councilman Newburn wondered about the legality of reducing the cabinet. Mr. James Roemer, City Attorney, stated that it appeared, at salary ordinance time, that the Council must act on the motion made to cut the salary to zero. He felt the motion was made properly to delete the amount of the salary; however, he indicated that he wished to speak in Mr. Gallagher's behalf. He spoke also on behalf of the executive branch of the government, and he stated that he was involved in the case of a personal friend. He indicated that he has worked closely with Mr. Gallagher on numerous occasions. He felt the position of Public Safety Director was very essential and that many policies were implemented by Mr. Gallagher which have helped to reduce the crime rate. He requested that the position not be deleted, on behalf of the administration and himself. Councilman Newburn stated that the Council must face the issue and a third man would not be- needed if the department did their jobs. He felt that, as long as the position was there, it would not work effectively because the departments did not want it to work. Council President Nemeth requested a roll call vote on his motion to reduce the salar, of the Public Safety Director to zero. Mr. Patrick Gallagher, Public Safety Director, asked if he could speak on his own behalf. He thanked the councilmen who had worked closely with him and had tried to understand what was being done in the city during the past 18 months as it pertained to public safety matters. He felt that, if it was a question of accountability, he must account to himself and he felt that he had done that. He stated that, at one time, no one knew how to run a Department of Public Safety, and he felt that now everyone knew how to do it. He felt he had dealt well with the many problems he had encountered. He stated that he had made a promise to the citizens sometime ago and he had kept his promise to the people of South Bend. He felt that everything run under the Department of Public Safety was effective. He presumed that the councilor( have read the ordinance dealing with the duties and responsibilities of the position. He felt that if the Council went down the checklist, there would not be any one area where it could fault the performance of what had taken place in the last 18 months. The motion to reduce the salary to zero was lost by a vote of three ayes (Councilmen Szymkowiak, Kopczynski and Nemeth) and six nays (Councilmen Serge, Miller, Parent, Taylor, Horvath and Newburn). Councilman Miller then made a motion that the salary of the Public Safety Director be set at $16,000. The motion was lost due to lack of a second. Councilman Taylor then made a motion that the salary be set at $16,600, seconded by Councilman Parent. Chairman Newburn requested a roll call vote, and the motion carriec by a vote of five ayes (Councilmen Serge, Parent, Taylor, Horvath and Newburn) and four nays (Councilmen Szymkowiak, Miller, Kopczynski and Nemeth). Mr. Lantz indicated that the Council had requested the present salaries of the various positions within the Community Development Department. He stated that the salaries were as follows: Executive Director ... .... ............ $23,200 Intergovernmental Coordinator /Grants ....... 8,599 Intergovernmental Coordinator .............. 13,200 Auditor II................ ................. 9,250 Bookkeeper /Secretary ...... 7,364 Accounting Clerk III ....................... Same as Financial Administrator .................... 13,700 Auditor III . ............................... Same as Planner 12,000 Project Director ........................... 6,227 Secretary II ...... Same as Chief Financial Advisor 5,000 Inspector III 8,319 Executive Secretary ...................... o. 8,182 Administrative Secretary ................... 6,700 Secretary III 6,200 Secretary II 5,700 Secretary I . ............................... 5,200 Assistant Director ......... .............. 13,635 Bookkeeper ................ ............... 6,240 Architect ... ............................... 10,182 Engineer .... ............................... 12,700 Property Management ........................ 11,700 Real Estate Officer ........................ 11,700 Draftsman ... ............................... 8,364 Clerk ....... ............................... 5,400 Maintenance . ............................... 5,200 Auditor II in the city Auditor III in the city city Councilman Kopczynski wondered about the position of Chief Financial Advisor. He stated that it u quite a title for only $5,000 a year. Mr. Lantz indicated that the position was not supplemented. Council President Nemeth asked about the position of Administrative Secretary, and Mr. Lantz state that this would fit into the Accounting Clerk III category. Mr. Barcome stated that there were some positions in the Community Development Department that the federal government approves. Council President Nemeth made a motion to amend the salaries of the various positions within the Department of Community Development, as follows: