05-01-72 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 1, 1972 PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED transfer of authority involved than in the present Board of Safety Director would give relief from responsibilities not provide better services to the city with regard to police m problem, through referral, thus freeing police to return to The increased volume of police work must be reduced and the power to do the kinds of work needed. Public Works and Safety. The Public of a police nature. He would sthods and solutions to the crime those duties of a police nature. administration must be given the Mayor Miller then introduced Mr. Roy Gillea, a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Gillea said that he has made a review of the fiscal procedures and powers of the city. He said that the city is paying costs of federally funded programs which could be reimbursed and that we are losing tens of thousands of dollars annually. The city does not have an approved government cost allocation plan. This is needed for the grantee to recover indirect costs incurred by the city. The 1908 chart indicates no clear line of authority for various additional departments of the city. Mayor Miller then introduced Mr. Philip Facenda, representing Mr. Jack Ellis, President of the South Bend - Mishawaka Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Facenda said that the Chamber has been working for a plan to solve the problems of city government for more than four years. They have worked with the past as well as the present administration. The Chamber is delighted that the Council has condensed the ordinance and is to be commended for the present form as an understand- able document which will serve the city well. Mr. Facenda then read a Resolution adopted by the Chamber on April 25, 1972 in support of the reorganization of city government. Mayor Miller then introduced Mr. Frank Sullivan, Chairman of the Urban Coalition. Mr. Sullivan said that his organization has worked with the Common Council before on a variety of subjects and they are grateful for the commitment the Council has made to South Bend. He continued that the problems of the cities are major and the current trend is strangling the cities. Many people are afraid of change. There has been much talk about changing city government structure but nothing has been done until now. Now with one -half the population under 27 years of age, government must be structured with this in mind. The 1908 plan is outmoded. The 1972 plan is not perfect but is closer to the perfection needed in the 1970's. None of us want to go back to 1908 but which direction will lead us into the future. Mayor Miller then continued that there is a need to establish, through this ordinance, a systematic form of government. He said that he ha( campaigned on the promise to restructure city government. He added that government can't solve all the problems of the community but we can do a better job than we are doing today. Government has moved away from its citizens. We are working hard to give the citizens of South Bend the kind of government we promised. There is much interest in this restructuring plan from all over the state of Indiana and we are receiving requests for copies of the ordinance from other cities. The Mayor concluded "Together we can build a better South Bend. We need your help and your support. We need this Ordinance to better South Bend - to move South Bend ahead ". Mrs. Ann Wlodarski, 1869 Riverside Drive, a member of the Fair Tax Association, spoke against the ordinance. She questioned the fact that people are demanding more government services and said she felt people would like better communication with government officials. She continued that bureaucracies are not responsive to the electorate and that they complicate rather than simplify government. She questioned the fact that the City Engineer had hired additional engineers with no change in his budget for 1972. She said that overlapping of services in the county and the city is a burden to taxpayers. She also said that the county restructuring plan was done in private with a minimum of debate. She asked why the restructuring ordinance must be passed so quickly and asked if it could not be put to a referendum vote. Lee Ullrey, 726 Diamond Avenue, spoke against the ordinance. He said that in the statement of intent and purpose of the proposed ordinance it said that enabling state legislation was final- ized in February, 1972. The ordinance was submitted to the Council in March. He said that this type of government has been promoted by the Governor's Conference and the National Legislative Conference who are striving for uniform state and local government. Mrs. Frederick Mutzl, 320 Parkovash Avenue, and a member of the Fair Tax Association, spoke against the ordinance. She read a statement from the Association asking that the Council vote against this ordinance. Anthony Wilhelm, 1218 N. Adams Street, spoke against the Ordinance. He said that all citizens should have the opportunity to read and study the proposed ordinance and then they could have a logical discussion. He said that he had attended a Seminar at I.U.S.B. on consolidation of government and that increased costs are always the result. He asked that the Council delay action on.the ordinance for further study. Mrs. Lee Swan, 2022 Swygart Street, spoke against the ordinance. She said that the mayor dis- likes running 1972 government with a 1908 plan. She reminded the Council that the country is still being run with a Constitution and a Bill of Rights written in 1776. Gerald Reinke, 1221 Ridgedale Road, spoke against the ordinance. He said that the presentation paints a rosy picture of the new restructuring. He said that as a past Councilman familiar with working with budgets, 75% of the cost of government is paid out in salaries and wages and that government costs are increasing every day. He said that the Fair Employment Practices Commission and Human Relations Council was formed in 1965 with a total budget of $10,936 and that the 1972 budget was up to $56,643. He said that in the Department of Public Safety proposed, the cost of the Director would be $16,000 and other operating costs would bring the total up to $30,000. He asked that the Council study costs of the cabinet type of government before passing the ordinance. He said that perhaps there are people in city government now who could be utilized in the cabinet form of government. Mr. Stanley Ladd, of the A.F.L.- C.I.O., said that leaders of all the local labor organizations have had a number of meetings on this Ordinance. He said that Mayor Miller ran on a platform approving this type of government restructuring and the Indiana Legislature had passed the legislation needed to allow it. He said he heartily endorsed the ordinance and hoped that the Council would pass it.