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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017 Annual Report of the Health and Public Safety Committee 4�pU TH 8 -O d Filed in Clerk's Office W PEACE JAN 0 2 2018 1865,E KAREEMAH FOWLER JO M. Broden CITY CLERK,SOUTH BEND,IN 4rd District Council Member To: South Bend Common Council Office of the City Clerk From: Council Member Jo M. Broden, Health and Public Safety Committee Chairperson Date: January 2, 2018 2017 Annual Report of the Health and Public Safety Committee The Health and Public Safety Committee met a total of 13 times in 2017, beginning with an organizational meeting in January to look at past issues, to determine issues of ongoing interest, and to identify any new issues. Committee members included Council Members Jo M. Broden (Chair),John Voorde (Vice Chair), Oliver Davis, and Karen White. Susan Soisson also served on the committee as a citizen volunteer and voting member. Lynne LoSecco also served on the South Bend Animal Care and Control Commission as an appointment by the Council. Attendance by committee members and the members of the Council was strong for meetings which addressed bills routinely assigned to the committee (held generally on Monday afternoons of Council meeting dates), as well as, at meetings called at various times (generally, on off-Council meeting Monday evenings or on Wednesdays) to track additional issues of interest to the committee. Concerted effort was made in 2017 to not only expand the meeting notification efforts and dissemination of minutes not just of the committee's meetings, but minutes from related boards, commissions, and groups (such as the Housing Continuum of Care, the 911 Center's Operations and Executive Boards, the Renaissance District Working Group, Bike Michiana Coalition, the Lead Affinity Group,the Food Access Council, etc.). It is important for the Council, as well as, city staff to have an ongoing awareness and engagement with these entities (and others that arise) with health and public safety issues as their focus. Working together, as public and private sector, we will be able to tackle more issues in a shorter time frame and with greater impact than operating independently. Five issues which were tracked in 2016 by the committee, were also tracked in 2017. These include public safety wage negotiations (fire), code enforcement, public safety initiatives, and homelessness. Public Safety Wage Negotiations. In a departure from past negotiation practices, three members of the Council along with our Council Attorney, Bob Palmer, observed the wage negotiations meetings between the City's administration team and fire personnel union representatives. A four year contract was negotiated and approved by the Council. The 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)235-5575 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5978 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601- 1830 Email:JBRODEN a SOUTHBENDIN.GOV �SpU TH B\ ,e ate it 1865 Jo M. Broden 4rd District Council Member committee should review the efficacy and consider recommendations to the process during 2018 (an off-year from labor negotiations). Code Enforcement. The department of code enforcement hired an assistant director and some operational improvements have been noted. Draft changes to the Animal Care and Control Ordinance (Chapter 5 of the SB Municipal Code) have been undertaken by staff. Follow up anticipated in 2018 by the Council will need to include a summary of and education by staff on the proposed changes, public input, and a council vote. More information should also be sought by Council on the 311 database of calls relative to Code Enforcement (numbers, type, resolutions, satisfaction, issues, etc.). Group Violence Initiative (GVI)and the 911/PSAP Center. With regard to public safety initiatives, considerable committee oversight was dedicated to the Group Violence Initiative (GVI) and the 911/PSAP Center. One meeting was held in July to specifically address the rationale, process and goals of GVI. Nine exert presenters provided a comprehensive overview of the program which aims to focus on core offenders that are at risk of gun violence involvement and utilizes community resources and collaborative partnerships to provide pathways to education,job skills, mentoring services, and life skills attainment for these identified at-risk individuals. Some evaluative metrics of the program's success were expressed in number of fatalities being held nearly even, clients served by the vast social service and church network that partner with the program, and those hired (or retained)for employment, as well as, those working to overcome barriers to employment. Two meetings were held to serve as updates on the progress of the 911 center. In July, Director Brent Croymans outlined the relocation of the 911 center into its new building, the conversion to an integrated computer assisted dispatch system, integrated phone system, and some of the staffing,training, and budgetary issues. In December, newly placed Interim Director Ray Shultz (Mishawaka Fire) provided additional insights into some of the on-going technological and training challenges the 911 Center is working to overcome and outlined his intention to provide both a comprehensive plan for 2018 to move the Center forward operationally, to address significant overtime expenditures, and to implement a quality assurance program for the Center. The inter-local agreement (between the City and the County)to fund and manage 911 will expire in 2018. The terms of a new agreement and implementation of the plan and quality assurance measures will require Council oversight and legislative action in the coming year. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)235-5575 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5978 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Email:JBRODEN a SOUTHBENDIN.GOV 4 SoUIT-H�BF�, W, PEACE M' x 1865 Jo M. Broden 4rd District Council Member Public Safety Legislation and Agreements. Significant legislation was passed by the Council relative to public safety. These included a gun violence prevention resolution, a ban on the sale of synthetic cannabinoids, and approval of a part-time police officer program. The part time program deals with some of the staffing challenges faced by police forces nationwide and here in our community. It re-commissions 5-6 retired officers (in year one, up to 12 total) for 1000 hours per officer in deployments related to special events, walking patrols, and some investigative work. Three agreements were approved by the Council as well. One creates a memorandum of agreement between the SIB Fire Department and Indiana's Task Force 1 (which is the states' responding unit to disasters nationwide). Training resources, water rescue services, and emergency response personnel costs are benefits of the agreement. The second agreement expands the reimbursements for fire coverage services to unincorporated areas of St.Joseph County. The third agreement allows the SIB Human Rights Commission staff to be compensated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for investigations it conducts in the county. All three agreements represent smart budgetary changes. Additional legislation advanced by the Council relative to health and public safety, included an ordinance which enables scrap metal sales on Sundays, a resolution to create additional quiet zones for railway operations in the areas of the city not currently covered, and an ordinance dealing with fees and procedures relative to downspout disconnections. Homelessness. The issue of homelessness was of major concern and focus for the committee. Committee chair,Jo M. Broden participated as a member of the South Bend Working Group on Chronic Homelessness which met 24 times over a six month period. The 28 member group, comprised of business representatives, service providers, community members, public safety officers, criminal justice officials, neighborhood advocates, academics and members of the city staff, was tasked with studying the population's demographics, current services and community assets,gaps in services, and to formulate strategic recommendations for addressing chronic homelessness. Two principal recommendations include adoption of a "housing first model" and the creation or use of a single, coordinated point of entry into the homeless care system. The report's entirety can be read online on the City's website. Suzanna Fritzberg, Deputy Chief of Staff(Office of the Mayor) who convened and led the work group presented an extensive overview to the H&PS committee and the full Council in October. Prior to that meeting, the work group recommendations helped to shape 2018 budget funding priorities. As a result, the 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)235-5575 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5978 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601- 1830 Email:JBRODEN @SOU"FHBENDIN.GOV p4 SOU TH g��Y ,O R R 1865 Jo M. Broden 4rd District Council Member greatest dedication of city funding to date toward homelessness will occur in 2018 including funds for an outreach coordinator, permanent supportive housing funds, capital funds for a gateway center to facilitate coordinated entry for services, substance abuse and addiction services funding, and other budget allocations. Perhaps, even more importantly, opportunities for collaboration have been identified and prioritized across the community to a greater extent than heretofore. This issue will continue to be of focus as the Council and community looks to consider a bill of rights resolution, as well as, to private and public sector implementation of the task force recommendations. Lead Levels. Another issue of major importance for the committee, is high lead levels documented in our community (1 in 3 children tested positive for lead in one census tract alone). Public awareness of the causes, the significant neurological and physiological effects,greater screening and testing, additional case management staffing within the health department to assist with lead risk assessments and remediation measures, as well as, strategies and funding (local, state and federal sources) are just some of the issues which will need to be aggressively advanced in 2018 to address this public health crisis. Councils and the administrations at both the city and county level should look to the Lead Affinity Group that has convened and continue to support the momentum garnered around this issue and the pragmatic action steps put forth to address it. One more significant item which the committee and the Council considered as part of the budget process was a proposal by the mayor to add the position of director of public safety. The Council declined to add the staffing position in the 2018 budget. Respectfully submitted, o M. Broden, Chair Health and Public Safety Committee 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)235-5575 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5978 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Email:JBRODEN @SOUTHBENDIN.GOV