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Home My WebLink About09-30-09 Special Meeting (Police Salary) SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana met in the Council Chambers of the County-City Building on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. The meeting was called to order by Council President Dieter and the Invocation and Pledge to the Flag were given. ROLL CALL COUNCILMEMBERS: Present: Henry Davis, Jr. 2nd District Thomas LaFountain 3rd District Ann Puzzello 4th District, Chairperson Committee of the Whole David Varner 5th District Al “Buddy” Kirsits At-Large Karen L. White At-Large Absent: Derek D. Dieter 1st District, President Oliver Davis 6th District, Vice-President Timothy Rouse At-Large OTHERS PRESENT: John Voorde City Clerk Janice I. Talboom Deputy City Clerk Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand Council Attorney Mary Beth Wisniewski Chief Deputy RESOLVE INTO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE At 5:02 p.m. Councilmember LaFountain made a motion to resolve into the Committee of the Whole. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. Councilmember Puzzello, Chairperson, presiding. Councilmember Puzzello advised that the sole purpose of this meeting is to have Public Hearing and Second and Third Readings on Bill No. 70-09 which would fix the annual pay and monetary fringe benefits of South Bend Police Officers for calendar year 2010. PUBLIC HEARINGS BILL NO. 70-09 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA FIXING THE ANNUAL PAY AND MONETARY FRINGE BENEFITS OF POLICE OFFICERS OF THE SOUTH BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2010 Councilmember LaFountain, Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee and Councilmember White, Chairperson, Health and Public Safety Committee advised that they were members of the City Advisory Negotiating Team. They stated that they believe that the tentative agreement is based on the trust and confidence which the respective teams earned as a part of the negotiating process. They thanked everyone involved in the negotiating process who offered sound advice and options. They realize that this is not a perfect bill, but a bill that will work. 1 SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council Agent and Spokesperson City Advisory Team Member, stated that this bill reflects the last, best and final offer. She noted that there have been honest discussions between both teams and this tentative agreement is the result of several weeks of negotiating between the teams and several sub-committee meetings. She advised that the bill sets forth the proposed ordinance which would establish the maximum salaries and monetary fringe benefit amounts for the sworn members of the South Bend Police Department. She stated that the tentative agreement allows a one (1) year agreement, for calendar year 2010 only. Freezes all salary amounts at 2009 levels, except those salary classifications involved in departmental rank re- structuring. It freezes all other monetary fringe benefits at 2009 levels. It eliminates the Individual Flexible Spending Account Program that each Police Officer had $500 contributed to an account if the Police Office had been employed by the department as of strd October 1 of the previous year. The bill establishes new salary classifications: 3 Class nd Police Officer (former “entry Level Officer”) and 2 Class Police Officer thereby establishing the structure needed for a two-phase rank restructuring program to take place st in 2010 and 2011. The bill increases the 1 Class Police Officer maximum salary to $47,453 which reflects the first phase of the rank re-structuring with the City making its best efforts to eliminate the rank of Corporal in 2011. Ms. Cekanski-Farrand stated that the final language which will be incorporated into a new 1 year Collective Bargaining Agreement is currently being finalized and will be acted upon separately by the Board of Public Safety. She reiterated that this bill reflects the best offer during these economically challenged times. th Charles Leone, City Attorney and Agent for the Board of Public Safety, 14 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana, advised that during the participation in the negotiating process it became apparent that working conditions were key and making changes so that the Chief would have some flexibility to the work schedule. He noted that the new 1 year Collective Bargaining Agreement is currently being finalized and will be acted upon separately by the Board of Public Safety. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Scott Ruszkowski, President FOP #36, 701 W. Sample Street, South Bend, Indiana, thanked Councilmember’s White, LaFountain and Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski- Farrand for their dedicated commitment to the negotiation process. He stated that he believes that this bill reaches a middle ground between the City, the Police Department and the Taxpayers. He stated that there were many unanswered questions that have since been resolved and those go back thirty (30) years ago when they believed that they were wronged and were going to put the City’s feet to the fire. They brought issues to the table as large as a New York Phone Book. But through trust and confidence which both teams earned as part of the negotiating process they reached a substantial agreement with favorable recommendations. He stated that the last tally on the vote was 3 to 1 to ratify. Mr. Ruszkowski reiterated that this bill is in the best interest of everyone the City, the Police and the taxpayers. Councilmember Puzzello thanked all those involved in this negotiation process. She stated that by reaching this tentative agreement the South Bend Police Department will be able to continue to faithfully serve and protect the citizens of South Bend. Councilmember White thanked everyone for coming together to talk frankly, openly, and with respect. She stated that by prioritizing goals and receiving information they were able to work towards eliminating the rank of corporal and gather more information on when tax distributions and collections will be made available so that they can move forward on future discussions. She stated that it has been a long process, but was time well spent. Councilmember LaFountain made a motion to send Bill No. 70-09 to full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of six (6) ayes. 2 SPECIAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 RISE AND REPORT Councilmember Henry Davis Jr., made a motion to rise and report to the full Council. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of six (6) ayes. ATTEST: ATTEST: _________________________ _________________________ John Voorde, City Clerk Ann Puzzello, Chairperson Committee of the Whole REGULAR MEETING RECONVENED Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend reconvened in the Council Chambers on the fourth floor of the County-City Building at 5:19 p.m. President Derek D. Dieter presided with six (6) members present. BILLS – THIRD READING ORDINANCE NO. 9967-09 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA FIXING THE ANNUAL PAY AND MONETARY FRINGE BENEFITS OF POLICE OFFICERS OF THE SOUTH BEND POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2010 This bill had Third Reading. Councilmember LaFountain made a motion to pass this bill. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a roll call vote of six (6) ayes. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the President Derek D. Dieter adjourned the meeting at 5:21 p.m. ATTEST: ATTEST: ____________________________ ____________________________ John Voorde, City Clerk Derek D. Dieter, President 3