HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 Annual Report- Health and Public Safety CommitteeHealth and Public Safety Committee
Annual Report
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Date: December 8, 2010
To: The South Bend Common Council
The Office of the City Clerk
From: Council Member at Large Karen L. White, Chairperson
Health& Public Safety Committee
South Bend Municipal Code 2:10 (1) stated that "...Each standing committee shall report
periodically to the Common Council with an annual committee report highlighting activities of
the past year..." The following is a summary of the activities and accomplishments of the
Health & Public Safety Committee for 2010. The report will also list recommendations for the
upcoming year.
Health & Public Safety Committee Duties:
Oversees the various activities performed by the Fire and Police Departments, EMS,
Department of Code Enforcement, ordinance violations, and related health and public safety
matters.
Members: There were four (4) Council Members on this Committee, namely: Council Member
Ann Puzzello, who is the Vice Chairperson; Council Member Henry Davis, Jr., Council Member
Timothy A. Rouse, and myself as Chairperson. Valerie Schey served as the Committee's citizen
member this year.
Meetines: To date this year, there have been thirteen (13) meetings of the Health & Public
Safety Committee, with (2) of those meetings being joint meetings with the Personnel &
Finance Committee.
2010 Health and Public Safety Committee Annual Report
December 8, 2010
Page 2
Committee 2010 Organizational Meeting
The Health & Public Safety Committee held an organizational meeting on March 13, 2010, to
outline the committee's agenda as well as to ascertain priorities for the current year. The
following are concerns/activities that the committee determined it would review.
1. Review of Quality of Life Ordinances Summary
a. Update on enforcement and funds collected for violations for 2008/2009
b. Update regarding impact cell phone ban when driving
2. Review of current issues
a. Proposed timelines for the following issues:
i. Snow removal Ordinance
ii. Amending Taxicabs Ordinance
b. Fee Ordinance for SBFD (Proposed effective date -July 1, 2010)
c. Open Burning Ordinance
3. Proposed New Committee Items
a. Police Towing Proposal
b. Fees for drug vehicle seized
c. Improving transparency of ordinance implementation
i. Posting on the city websites of new regulation/monthly updates to City
Clerk
d. Prioritization of 2010 Committee Calendar
Special Meetings
1. Proposed Rezoning -South Bend Animal Care & Control Shelter
2. Taxi Ordinance
Summary of 2011 Committee Activities:
Public safety concerns seem to always generate many topics warranting meetings of the Health
& Public Committee. I believe it is imperative to review the progress we have made on the
many quality of life issues in our city. Concerns over graffiti, grass cutting, and updating some
of the many city regulations on snow removal, massage establishments, taxicabs, are just some
of the continuing issues having health and public safety overtones. Improving implementation
procedures, as well as enforcement with enhanced training and educational efforts, have been
key items which warrant greater transparency and cooperation. This year, some of the topics
reviewed included:
Discussion of the Committee's goals and priorities
Discussion of the City Administration's recommendations toamend the City's current
taxicab regulations
2010 Health and Public Safety Committee Annual Report
December 8, 2010
Page 3
- Discussion of the City Administration's recommendations to amend the City's current
open burning regulations which resulting in the proposed bill to be withdrawn
- Discussion of the emergency/public safety radio communication systems being
upgraded to an 800 megahertz band width with the discussion resulting in the proposed
appropriation being reduced
- Receiving an update on graffiti from Vice-President Oliver Davis
- Discussion of neighborhood issues and concerns-from street lighting & trash to be
City's enforcement processes and responsiveness
- Receiving a presentation on the proposed South Bend Animal Care and Control Shelter
which was held at Kennedy Academy which is located at 609 North Olive Street
- Discussion of the 2010 Justice Assistance Grant which would be used to update the
video cameras intwenty-seven (27) police squad cards by upgrading them from
analogue to digital
- Discussion of the public safety concerns involving the many new synthetic marijuana
products commonly referred to as Mr. Smiley, Spice, K2, etc. which was brought to the
committee's attention by Council President Dieter and the Senior Men's Club of the Dr.
Martin Luther King Recreation Center
- Discussion of the St. Joseph County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan which is a disaster
mitigation plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aimed
at having a collaborative effort of all local units of government in St. Joseph County
Serving on the City's Advisory Negotiating Team for Police Negotiations:
As Chairperson of the Health & Public Safety Committee, I had the opportunity to spend many
hours serving as a member of the City's Advisory Negotiating Team, along with Council Member
Thomas La Fountain on the City Team who met with union representatives for the Fraternal
Order of Police Lodge #36. By having the same Council Members serve on the team this year as
last year, I believe helped in eventually reaching a tentative agreement and a total package
which the rank and file members of the South Bend Police Department overwhelming
2010 Health and Public Safety Committee Annual Report
December 8, 2010
Page 4
approved. These labor negotiations result in generating goodwill, in educating both sides of the
table, and to improving regulations related to salaries and monetary fringe benefits.
I am grateful that both of the City's Advisory Teams for police and fire were successful in
reaching agreement on maximum salaries, wages and monetary fringe benefits for 2011 and
2012.
Year 2011:
The year 2011 will be a challenging year with many topics already on the agenda for the Health
and Public Safety Committee. January will have meetings on the updated recommendations
from the City Administration on taxicab regulations; on proposed snow removal regulations;
and on other items referred to the committee by the Council for review and recommendation.
The Committee will meet early in the year to discuss progress made on quality of life issues and
to establish key goals and priorities.
One item addressed in the draft bill addressing snow removal includes proposed provisions to
receive regular updates from the Legal Department on any ordinance violations listed in the
scheduled to be paid through the Ordinance Violations Bureau which has been referred to that
department. Such a provision will enhance communication between the various city offices
and provide greater transparency. In this way, the Council will be able to better track the
enforcement~process and better oversee the monies due to an ordinance violation citation
being issued.
Health and Public Safety issues are top priorities for many of our residents. I pledge to continue
to make them a topic priority in 2011, so that collectively, working with the City Administration
we will have positive results. Thank you.
Respectfully submitted
Q. ~-c.~-- r~~
Council Member Karen L. White, Chairperson
Health and Public Safety Committee
cc: Mayor Stephen Luecke
John Voorde, City Clerk