9903-09 Appropriating $43,500 From County Option Income Tax (COIT) Fund #404 to provide rent

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This consolidation of government services is consistent with the recommendations of the Kernan-Shepard report, published earlier this yeaz. We have co-located highly trained investigators and prosecutorial staff members in a single unit, dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of these crimes against women and children. Unti12007, the FV/SVU was housed on the second floor of the CASIE Center building, at no cost to the County or Cities. However, the space became and remains insufficient for the staffof the FV/SVU. With the receipt of the President's Family Justice Center Initiative grant awazd, the FV/SVU was able to relocate, without incurring rent costs, to the Family Justice Center building. The Family Justice Center secured atwo-year lease of the former United Health Services building located at 711 East Colfax Avenue, South Bend, Indiana. This lease included space for the FV/SVU on the second floor of the building; the terms of the lease expired at the end of December 2008. The Family Justice Center spent over $105,000 in grant funds to make the building compliant with ADA standards, to add a medical exam room, and to install telephone and network cables necessary for the staff to perform their work tasks. Additionally, a $25,000 security system was installed, at no labor cost, by the Notre Dame Security Police Department. The FV/SVU has grown, due to an increase in the number of these cases reported in St. Joseph County: In 2003, there were 3,177 cases investigated. In 2007, there were 3,676 cases investigated. - 15.7% increase It is perhaps because of the co-location - of police detectives, from the three major police departments, with deputy prosecutors and our support staff -that it has not become necessary to increase the number of staff at the rate that the caseload has increased. Members of the FV/SVU aze dedicated to conducting thorough investigations and prosecutions of those crimes that affect the most vulnerable members of our community. They continue to do so while seeing an increase in the number of cases referred by local law enforcement. On December 16, 2008, in a public hearing, in a 7-0 vote, the St. Joseph County Council passed Ordinance 112-08, appropriating $43,500 from the "Rainy Day" fund to pay rent for the FV/SVU for 2009. On December 23, 2008, the St. Joseph Commissioners approved the ordinance in a 3-0 vote. In the ordinance, Section 2 reads: "This ordinance shall be in full force and effect contingent upon an appropriation from the City of South Bend for $43,500 from and after its passage and approval as required by law." (See attached ordinance.) The St. Joseph County Council and Commissioners, under the terms of their Ordinance, cannot issue a check to the owner of the building located at 711 East Colfax to pay rent