HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010 Annual Report- Community Relations Committee~~~~
2010 Annual Report of the Community Relations Committee
of the South Bend Common Council
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Date: January 20, 2011
To: The South Bend Common Council
The Office of the City Clerk
From: 2°d District Council Member Henry Davis, Jr. ,Chairperson
Community Relations Committee
I am submitting the following Annual Report of the activities of the Council's Community Relations
Committee which is a requirement of § 2-10 (i) of the South Bend Municipal Code. I made a
commitment last year to re-energize this Committee with more meetings which provide opportunities
for outreach throughout our city.
Duties: The Community Relations Committee is charged with "overseeing the various
activities of the Office of the Office of Community Affairs and the relationships and ongoing
communications with other public and private entities with other public and private entities operating
in the city" pursuant to § 2-10 of the Sotrtlt Bend Mtcfiicipal Code.
Members: There were. four (4) Council Members on this Committee, namely: Council
Member at Large Karen L. White who served as the Committee's Vice-Chairperson, Dr. David Varner,
4th District Council Member Ann Puzzello and myself.
Meetings: Last year the Community Relations Committee held six (6) committee meetings
whose activities will be briefly summarized in the next section.
Activities: The following is a brief chronological summary of the Community Relations
Committee activities in 2010:
• February 8, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to receive information on
Public Access Michiana (PAM) which is anot-for-profit organization created to address public
access television programming.
May 5, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to discuss Bullying and
receive an update from South Bend Community School Corporation officials and other
community groups on what is being done in our public schools. The committee began
preliminary discussions on public safety concerns regarding school safety zones.
2010 Annual Report of the Community Relations Committee
Page 2
• May 24, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to receive information on
School Safety Zones. Public Works Director Gary Gilot presented a 50 slide power-point
presentation and the committee heard concerns about potential safety problems facing the new
Xavier School on South Michigan.
• August 16, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to receive a presentation
on the new alternative high school project of the South Bend Community School Corporation.
• September 13, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to receive an update on
the Eddy Street Commons project which had to be rescheduled in light of a conflict in
scheduling with Notre Dame's Director of Asset Management and Real Estate Greg Hakanen.
• November 8, 2010 committee meeting held in Downtown South Bend to receive a presentation
on Urban Chickens.
In light of my desire to have more community outreach, there were three (3) Community Relations
Committee meetings held in various areas of South Bend to provide greater opportunities for
resident and business participation, which are summarized below:
• June 10, 2010 committee meeting held at the LaSalle Branch Library on Ardmore Trail to
discuss the potential closing of the LaSalle Branch Library
• July 14, 2010 committee meeting also held at the LaSalle Branch Library on Ardmore Trail to
discuss the potential closing of the LaSalle Branch Library
November 10, 2010 committee meeting held at the South Bend Housing Authority located on
Alonzo Watson Drive to discus snow plowing and train noise at the South Bend Housing
Authority.
Recommendations for 2011:
I am grateful to have been re-appointed by Council President Dieter to be the Chairperson of the
Community Relations Committee for 2011.
I plan to continue to provide opportunities to hear the concerns of our citizens and business in the hope
that improved partnerships and relations can be built to address their needs. I look forward to
continuing to work hard with my Committee Members on these initiatives. Thank you.
Respe y sub fitted,
o cil mb enry Davis, Jr., Chairperson
Community Relations Committee