03-26-73 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 26, 197 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend met in the Committee of the Whole on Monday, March 26, 1973, at 8:05 p.m., with nine members present. Chairman Odell Newburn presided. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $313,000.00 FROM THE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FUND, COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS GENERAL REVENUE SHARING, FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS, TO BE ADMIN- ISTERED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. (AS AMENDED) This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Patrick Gallagher, Director of the Departmen of Safety, made the presentation for the ordinance. He indicated to the Council that he desired its action on the request for revenue sharing money for certain public safety expenditures. He mentioned that he was aware of the recommendations of the Public Safety Committee and that he had met with the members and discussed at length the appropriation. He indicated that agreement was reached regarding the recommendations, and he felt that, in line with the recommendations, another ordinance be prepared to appropriate $89,000.00 to cover the needs of the Department of Public Safety. He then proceeded to outline the recommendations as set forth in the report of the Public Safety Committee. Under Program FA12 "Youth Services Bureau ", he indicated that passage of the $20,568.00 as requested in the ordinance be recommended. He briefly explained the Youth Services Bureau which is presently funded totally by the Criminal Justice Planning Agency through an $86,000 grant. The first -year grant will be renewed at a total of $53,000.00. The $20,568.00 asked for will provide a total sum of $73,568.00 for a 12 -month period. Of this, $20,000.00 will go principally for two persons to provide counseling and supportive services for young persons who have gotten into trouble with the law and who seem to be heading into contact with the criminal justice system. The Youth Services Bureau is related to the Police Department, School City, the probation offices and courts, and all those concerned would like to see this particular type of liaison with the criminal justice system continued. Under Program FA13 "Demolition of Substandard Buildings ", he requested an increase of $25,000.00 because of the many empty substandard houses in the community which are unfit for human habitation. The additional $25,000.00 would provide funds to tear down approximately 35 to 45 empty substandard buildings. Mr. Gallagher mentioned that the city should also consider bringing these buildings up to the code before they become substandard. He also indicated that he hoped this could be done. He indicated that only five houses can be demolished within a week which would be 250 a year. In the Model Cities area alone, he indicated that there were 277 of these substandard buildings. Under Program FA15 "Survey of Fire Department ", he was requesting $17,000.00. He indicated that three proposals had been received for the survey, they being: The National Fire Protection Association in the amount of $16,728.00, the International Association of Fire Chiefs in the amount of $15,000.00, and the National Loss Control Service in the amount of $17,000.00. He mentioned that the particular company had not, as yet, been decided upon, but he felt the National Fire Protection Association was a very good firm. He indicated that the word "survey" was a misnomer and that it really was to be an in -depth study of the total operations of the Fire Department, with a main concern that the Fire Department be prepared, equipped and trained to meet the challenge of fighting potential fires in high rise buildings within the city. Under Program FA16 "Addition of 24 Police Recruits ", he indicated that this was self - explanatory. Under Program FA17 "Department of Public Safety ", he requested $10,000.00. He explained that the money budgeted to include substandard housing and abandoned vehicles only con- tained $120.00 for supplies. He indicated that this was to cover his office and staff, the Bureau of Substandard Housing and the Bureau of Abandoned Vehicles. He also mentioned that this money was spent before he even took office on January 19, 1973. He explained a procedure where, by law, ! the department is required to take five pictures of each building slated for demolition, at a cost'. of 30� a shot. At five houses a week, 25 pictures would be taken, and over an eight -month period,' it would cost $340.00 for taking the pictures only. He also indicated that there is a requirement to take pictures of all cars that are abandoned and to be towed away, and he further mentioned that this has not been done because there were no funds available. As far as the extra and over- time pay, he explained that $1,000.00 is needed to pay the salaries of student interns working within the department for the summer months. He requested that the figure be divided between two interns for 10 weeks at $50.00 a week. The $500.00 figure for travel was needed in order that the inspectors of the substandard housing could go to the three -day training school to learn the practices of the inspection trade with the other money being used for gas mileage. He also indicated that, up to this time, he had not been reimbursed for travel. He requested $1,000.00 for community and department services, and explained that $400.00 would be for instructional pub- lications to be handed out to the citizens regarding crime protection measured. He indicated that equipment is needed, and he added that he would like to investigate in the purchase of a camera for approximately $250.00 for the bureau as he previously explained. As far as office equipment, he indicated that all of it was borrowed, including the typewriter. He indicated that the Department of Public Safety has a total of $500.00 for equipment which must be used by the Bureau of Substandard Housing and the Bureau of Abandoned Vehicles. He mentioned that the equip- ment in his office was owned by the Criminal Justice Planning Agency. Under FA18 "Police Overtime the additional funds would provide for immediate additional police power. He mentioned that the policemen would be paid at the regular rate on a part -time basis for perhaps three days a week and six hours a day. Under Program FA19 "Assistant Director for Computer Center ", he explained that $12,000.00 would be used to hire a non - police person to fill a position presently filled by a policeman in order to release one more policeman for crime prevention and reduction duties. Under FA21 "New Police Cars ", he indicated that additional cars are needed. He recommended the deletion of Programs FA14 "Payment of Fire Trucks" and FA20 "Educational Incentive Pay for Police ". Mr. Gallagher then referred to the committee report and indicated that he hoped item 4 could be amende and he explained that none of the police cars have a screen between the driver and passenger which requires a two -man car. He indicated that he would like to come back with an additional request for the $89,000.00. He concluded that the money will be adequately used and was badly needed, and he indicated that he would be happy to come before the Council in the future when he could evaluat the exact use of this material. Miss Virginia Guthrie, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association, asked what period of time was covered regarding the Youth Services Bureau, and Mr. Gallagher indicated that it was a different period of time for about five different periods. Some is funded by the Emergency Employment Act and the Criminal Justice Grant. He indicated that salaries would be yearly at approximately $6,000.00 and broken down into monthly salaries until the end of this year. Miss