10-30-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING OCTOBER 30, 2013 Right now they happen on a department by department level and I think that it is fair to say that each department handles that a little bit differently. Councilmember Davis: Well you know in looking at and hearing the $90,000; $90,000; you know it just seems to be a bit excessive compared to what we already have. I understand how you are matching them up but when we were talking a couple days ago, I asked about this EEOC report because I wanted to match against, I wanted to see a full picture of what our employee base looks like. And why it is necessary is because we need to get our census data back from the Federal Government it speaks to how many people measure obviously, their gender, also by race, age, just a (inaudible) demographic report, and what I am looking at right here at this EEOC report from last year to this year there is not much of a change mirroring the population that currently lives here. My expectation was that we were going to try to begin to change some of the ways that these things work for all for all people who live here in South Bend it is not a certain segment of South Bend getting the high paying salaries versus another segment getting the lower paying salaries. So, my question again as far as how you are grading these things and recruiting folks in, are you being a little bit more sensitive to the fact that the numbers that are on this EEOC reports not reflected at all. I’ve looked at the changes and I’ve only see like maybe two, maybe three changes total. Which does not amount to a very much of a changed based upon the information that you provided to me today and the information that I was provided close to a year ago. Mayor Buttigieg: Very sensitive. It is a goal of this administration that the work force of the City of South Bend reflects the community that we all serve. And I think that the relationship between a government and the public is better when the government resembles the republic and it’s make-up across gender, ethnic, racial, and other lines. I believe that we are making progress; I believe that there is a lot of work yet to be done. I would want to point out and want to correct something that I said last night, for the handful of positions I have been most directly involved with, appointments the Mayor’s Office, and appointments of department heads in the year 2013, I think I represented last night that I thought about 80% of those were women or minorities or both. That was incorrect; the correct figure was 100%. 100% of Department Heads that I have hired or Mayor’s Office personnel that I have brought in during the year 2013, have been women, minorities or both. I do not mean to say that means our work is done, far from it. We have a lot of work to do and I think most governments would say the same, when it comes to making sure that personnel at every level and especially and senior level, reflect the public of the community that they serve. But we are certainly sensitive to the reasons that we provide this EEOC data and will be very open to suggestions down the line on how to accelerate our progress toward that goal that we share. Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Just in order of fairness, I just don’t see it happening, I don’t. I am a bit concerned about the level of fairness as it relates to folks working on our end who is getting the high salaries and who is not. I just don’t see it happening. There was discussion between Councilmember Henry Davis Jr. and Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand about asking a question of the petitioner and making a statement. Chairperson White: I am going to ask again that any comments be directed to me as the Chair and that you will have opportunity to ask your question. Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Who are you talking to me or Kathy? Chairperson White: I am talking to the whole Council. Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: So, looking at the changes in the budget, just give me a second; paying attention to changes in the budget I am concerned about privatization, and the reason that I am concerned about it is because of the graduation of low level salary employees or hourly employees either A: not getting a raise or getting a small raise or those positions unfilled and then we see an increase of salaries at higher levels and more new jobs at the higher levels. And I have seen models like this in other cities where they do this and the city goes into specialty services and these ones that are out here will go into a private company for city services. Is that where we are headed?