09-23-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 Councilmember Karen White, Vice Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee, reported that this committee held a Public Hearing on Bill Nos. 44-14; 45-13; and 46-13 and sends them to the full Council with no recommendation. th Mark Neal, City Controller, 12 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for these bills. Mr. Neal presented a power-point presentation on the City of South Bend’s 2014 Budget. He stated we’re coming back, changing the way South Bend does business. He stated that their goal is to ensure South Bend is a strong and open city for everyone, where the basics are easy for residents; government services are first-rate and everyone can thrive. He stated that their strategy to get there is for key guide posts to frame long and short-term planning efforts. Measure how well we deliver and make decisions based on good information; streamline city processes for citizens/customers; break down bureaucratic walls to deal with complex issues; welcome innovation and question habit; form connections and partnerships for economic growth, education, public safety and quality of life; attract, grow, retain, and engage excellent employees in an excellent work environment. He listed the 2014 Administration Priorities: Economic Development/Jobs; Smart Streets; Vacant & Abandoned Housing; Information Technology Strategy; Customer Service (311)/Performance Management; Anti-Violence Initiative; Workforce Development; Corridors; Parks & Recreation; and Code Enforcement. He noted that the 2014 Council Priorities are Economic Development; Public Safety; Parks & Recreation; Infrastructure (curbs, sidewalks, & streets); City Corridors; Vacant & Abandoned Housing; Code Enforcement and Quality of Life. He stated the city budget is divided into six (6) categories of activity (over 90 funds) general fund; special revenue funds; debt service & capital funds; enterprise funds; internal service funds and trust & agency funds. Mr. Neal went over key assumptions to fund Administration & Council priorities; balance budget for general fund; invest in City infrastructure/quality of life (Smarter Streets, Parks, Downtown); Continue to leverage and invest in technology for improved delivery of City services. Fully fund Public Safety (Police & Fire) personnel. Focus on efficiency with no increase in City full-time personnel levels and provide a 2% pay increase civil city employees, other pay adjustments based on salary benchmarking and negotiated increases for City bargaining groups. He stated that the city has investment ready places and proposed 2014 investments are $32.0m for investment ready places and people and $11.4m for Smart Streets. Key Performance Indicator’s (KPI’s) 210 jobs created in 2013, $623,000 public investment leveraged $23.4m in private investment so far in 2013. He stated that we must create the kind of places where people want to live and business want to invest. Mr. Neal stated that they have proposed 2014 Investments $2m for repair and demolitions and $300,000 for deconstruction (12 jobs). 2013 KPI’s 45-houses repaired; 19 houses demolished. He stated that increasing the value and improving the quality of life in our neighborhoods is critical. Mr. Neal stated that Information Technology proposed 2014 investments $5.0m in employee, services and capital; KPI’s 9,483 service calls to IT (target of 6,000) and future measure our IT Technology IQ. He stated that the strategy provides clarity to our services, our partnerships, our integration with other government entities and our community engagement. Customer Service/Performance Management proposed 2014 investments: $480,000 of internal funds for 311 expansion; 7 employees for 311 (currently staffed at 4.5); KPI’s 60% of calls answered within 30 seconds (target is 65%; best practice 80%); 69,149 calls taken to date (50,000 goal for 2013); Residents expect and deserve exceptional customer services. Mr. Neal went over the property tax collection trends; 2014 proposed budget assessed value income projections; revenue expenditure summary from 2008 to 2014 and the five=year capital improvement plan summary. He closed with the overall city budget of $295.3 million with a deficit of $39.4 million is primarily timing of spending of bond proceeds for CSO sewer projects and investments in City infrastructure. He reiterated that the General Fund budget of $55.5 million is balanced and the City budget reflects investing in our City infrastructure to create investment ready places; improving our neighborhoods; leveraging technology, responding more effectively to citizen needs and questions and measuring our performance. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bills, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Councilmember Varner asked if these bills were available on the city’s website. 9