01-19-76 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JANUARY 19, 1976 , ability to give quick and proper answers to each department would be hampered. He said this was an increase of $3,000.00 over the amount requested last year, and the reason was that they wanted to make the program competitive. He said the hourly rate is presently $3.50 per hour and they would like to increase it to $4.00. Councilman Taylor asked if the city was able to get interns at the $3.50 rate. He asked if the program would be put in jeopardy if they amended the ordinance to the $3.50. Mr. Brunner said he would be hampered getting the better students. He said he thought a student given a choice between $3.50 and $4.00 would take the $4.00, that other places are offering. Councilman Taylor said he thought the intern was the one that benefitted by working the City. Councilman Taylor said he would like to make a motion to amend the ordinance to reflect a salary of $3.50 per hour, which Mr. Brunner confirmed would be a total of $15,137.00. Councilman Taylor made a motion to amend the ordinance to $15,137, seconded by Councilman Dombrowski. Councilman Kopezynski said he felt the $4.00 should be retained because of the quality of help. Councilman Parent asked what the current rate of pay was for this kind of work elsewhere. Mr. Brunner said an example would be the prosecutor's office, they are paying $4.00 an hour. He said it was his understanding that there was a local law firm paying in excess of $4.00 per hour. Mr. Brunner said that the city Attorney's office was "low man on the totem pole" as far as salaries were concerned. Council President Parent asked for a comprehensive report from Mr. Brunner on this problem, as well as the going rate of pay. (Councilman Horvath said he sympathized with the city attorney, but we have the same problem in many departments. He said if there was any possibility of saving money, he thought we should. Councilman Szymkowiak said he agreed with Mr. Brunner. He said we had many interns paid $3.00 per Ko-ur and they did not do the work. He said he would go along with the 50-� increase to.get better performance. Councilman Dombrowski questioned the turnover of interns during the summer. Mr. Brunner stated that some of them lived out of the city and they returned home for the summer. He said we might be able to induce them to stay if the $4.00 is approved. Councilman Szymkowiak said there were a couple of interns that attended other universities that came to South Bend and worked during the summer, and they had experience. A roll call vote was taken for the amendment and defeated by four nays (Councilman Szymkowiak, Kopczynski, Adams and Parent. There were four ayes (Councilman Miller, Taylor, Dombrowski and Horvath). Councilman Taylor made a motion that the ordinance be recommended favorably to the Common Council, seconded by Councilman Adams. The motion carried. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 5906 -75 AMENDING SECTIONS 20 -18 AND 20 -55, CHAPTER 20, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 1971. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above 'ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Council President Parent made the presentation for the ordinance. Council President Parent said that before Christmas there was an ordinance to make parking free on Saturdays and Mondays on the consideration funds were appropriated. This ordinance would make parking on Saturdays and Mondays free. He said he thought the development of downtown needed support. He said he Was not arguing for free parking, just on Monday nights and Saturdays only. He said it would cost the city about $20,000 per year to do this, and the Council will have to appropriate funds to do this. He said he urged the Council to pass the ordinance. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association, said that he did not object to the ordinance. He only hoped the enactment of this ordinance does not force the city of South Bend into an unfavorable position in regard to the parking garages. Council President Parent said they had discussed the impact on the bond holders, and he had been told the bond holders were only interested in the bills being paid. Mayor Nemeth said he did not think the passage of this ordinance would place the city in an unfavorable position with the garages. He said they all realized with the passage of this ordinance they will have to do something for the funding of the garages. He said this will also cause a decrease in the revenue as far as meeting the bond payments. Mrs. Irene Mutzl, 310 Parkovash, a representative of the Fair Tax Association spoke in favor of more downtown parking. She said the two hour parking has become popular. Councilman Szymkowiak asked if Council President Parent had checked with the downtown merchants to see if they were willing to help with financing. Council President Parent said that during the holdidays they made a commitment, and there was a possibility they might be able to help. Councilman Szymkowiak said that he would recommend that if this increased their sales after the first three months they should be willing to help. Councilman Adams said she would like to ask that a letter be written to the merchants that this is for customers only, and their employees should not park on the street. Councilman Miller said he was in favor of more downtown parking, and he would like to recommend the lots next to Business Systems and South of Penny's. He said he would have to vote nay on this ordinance because it is contrary to the bond issue. Despite the indications that the bond holders might not file suit he said he has been lead to Believe it is in conflict. He said he thought that we needed to provide free parking but there are other ways of doing it.