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Home My WebLink About2018 Annual Report of the Personnel and Finance Committee 04,,0UTH 8 ,gyp 111 , Filed in Clerk's Office PEACE Ce 1865 DEC 30 2018 Karen White KAREEIvIAH FOWLER At Large Council Member CITY CLERK,SOUTI 0 BE !DW�N To: South Bend Common Council Office of the City Clerk From: Council Member Karen L. White, Personnel and Finance Committee Chairperson Date: December 30, 2018 2018 Annual Report of the Personnel and Finance Committee As Chairperson of the South Bend Common Council's Personnel and Finance Committee, I am pleased to file the 2018 Annual Committee Report. Pursuant to Section 2-10 (i) of the South Bend Municipal Code, this report sets forth a summary of the key activities conducted by the Personnel and Finance Committee for the 2018 year. Duties: The Personnel and Finance Committee is one of the eleven standing committees of the Common Council. It reviews and holds public meetings on all matters filed by the City Administration which include but are not limited to: ➢ Annual City Budgets and Tax Rates ➢ City Employee Salary Ordinances ➢ Proposed appropriations and transfers ➢ Fees and Charges for service ➢ Personnel Policies, Health Benefits, and other related matters. We believe that fiscal transparency and accountability are the key objectives and goals for overseeing the taxpayers' dollars for the residents of South Bend. Members: Four Council Members served on the Personnel and Finance Committee this year. They were: ➢ Council Member Karen L. White, Chairperson ➢ Council Member Gavin Ferlic, Vice-Chairperson • Council Member Regina Williams-Preston, Member • Council Member John Voorde, Member 2018 Committee Meetings: The Personnel & Finance Committee held twenty-two (22) meetings in 2018. Eleven (11) of the twenty-two (22) meetings were devoted to the 2019 City Budget. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV Off,oto r�►Uc 46. C PEACE y R 1865 Karen White At Large Council Member Department/division budgets were presented and the committee received public input as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 budget review and adaptation process. All of the meetings were open to the public. The City Council then held a final public hearing on Monday, October 8, 2018, where the (FY) 2019 recommended budget was discussed and adopted by a unanimous vote. The Personnel & Finance Committee as requested by the Council's President held its Organizational Meeting on March 7, 2018. Agenda items discussed during the meeting were: ➢ Review of 2017 Annual Report ➢ The Committee's Roles & Responsibilities ➢ Council Members Feedback on the 2018 Budget Hearings ➢ Discussion on 2018 Goals/Objectives ➢ Community Budget Forum —March 29, 2018 St. Joseph County Public Library 6pm —7:30 pm Review Highlights of 2018 Budget ➢ Discussion on 2019 Budget Priorities o Suggested Meetings topics o TIF/Tax Abatement o CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) ➢ Reconvening of the Utilization Board 2019 City Budget Summary: Budget preparation and administration is a shared responsibility between the administration and the City Council with input from department heads and residents The Department of Administration and Finance under the leadership of Jennifer Hockenhull, former City Controller, lead the 2019 City Budget process. Mrs. Hockenhull and her staff did a phenomenal job in leading the budget process. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV PEACE y . M A 1865 Karen White At Large Council Member The Council President Tim Scott and Chairperson Karen L. White participated in the 2019 Budget Kick-Off held on May 9, 2018. Council Members were asked to submit their specific budget priorities which were reflected in the attached PowerPoint presentation given during the Budget Kick-Off. Furthermore, in preparing for the 2019 City Budget hearings, Council Members were asked to respond to the following questions in reference to the overall budget hearings process. 1. Overall impressions of the hearing process. 2. Did you receive information in a timely fashion? 3. What were the gaps as they are related to the information requested and received? 4. How can we improve the budget process? 6. What worked well? What didn't? 7. Were there too many hearings? Not enough? 8. How can we improve citizen participation? The following is a summary of responses received: Schedule of meeting dates were good. I like the later start. The public kick off was good. Let's begin the budget hearings by focusing on the data and money. Allow the Council to ask questions and then go into the accomplishments. I would do 15 minutes of financial presentation; 15-20 minutes of council questions and then remainder accomplishments. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV Sou Tl �, yo u � � o r x 1865 Karen White At Large Council Member It is good to have the section of budget a few days ahead. I am not going through the entire budget at one time, so I don't need the entire thing at once. I think we have addressed this verbally in the past, but the presentations are filled with too much fluff. We need to get right into the numbers, dollars and cents because the process is so truncated. I think IT did a great job of breaking their budget down and made terrific use of graphs and other visuals. Understanding that the budget is a working document, I believe that we received information in a fairly timely fashion. That being said, I would still like to have the full budget up front (with the understanding that it can and will change throughout the process) to give the individual department budgets context. I'd like to reiterate that this is too much information to digest in a few weeks and we should have some sort of on- going (perhaps quarterly) meetings on the budget to ensure that the council and the public have a better grasp. I also think this will allow us to ask more questions in a public forum so that it doesn't seem "rushed" or "rubber stamped" by the public. As far as number of hearings, I wouldn't put a cap on it just because this is so important to what we do. Again, as long as they are full of quality information and there is time for questions and dialogue instead of a two- hour show and tell session. Council's Involvement - all council members need to attend the budget committee meetings. There should be a last call for changes or concerns from council members two weeks before we vote, so council and the administration have time to review and look for changes and make any changes public. 2019 Budget Items in support of neighborhoods and community- this year was good support. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601- 1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV o4so1-31.11e4,� t• 111 PE:\('F; 186 Karen White At Large Council Member 2019 Mid-Season Budget Summary and Discussion: The Department of Administration and Finance published an excellent mid-season review of the 2019 budget process. This publication included the budget overview and proposed funding priorities. This document gives a synopsis of the City's and Council's discussions and proposed budget priorities as of August 2018. Also included in this publication is the 2019 expenditure budget breakdown and a section entitled "Looking Ahead to 2020 Fiscal Curb." The 2019 Mid-Season Budget Summary and Discussion document is available on the Department of Administration and Finance website: https://www.southbendin.govfinances. Citizen Input: We clearly know and support the fact that engaged citizens make government better. The Personnel & Finance Committee like all of the Council's Standing Committees values citizen engagement and their input. Throughout the 2019 City Budget process there have been a small number who have been present and engaged during the budget process. Questions asked during the budget hearings have been addressed and are available on the Clerk's and City Council's websites. In addition, included in this annual report are citizens recommendations for the 2019 City Budget Hearing. In addition, some of the citizens budget recommendations were included in the 2019 City Budget and additional meetings on Debt/Bonds and TIF were held as requested. I wish to personally thank City Clerk Kareemah Fowler and her staff for an excellent job in posting the questions, responses and maintaining outstanding records of the budget hearings. 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601- 1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV C§ --4,..,Til)1,4, 4i F. U 11111 C r M 1865 Karen White At Large Council Member 2019 Budget Hearings Recommendations: 1. The 2019 Budget Hearings should commence with a comprehensive review of the current Debt obligations, TIF expenditures and upcoming projects and a summary of capital budgets. 2. Schedule a meeting with department heads in June 2019 for them to give an update on their goals and funding priorities. This should include what's working, and what is not working. 3. A meeting on the 2020 Fiscal Curb should be scheduled the early part of March 2019. 4. Identify strategies that will increase citizens participation and enhanced engagement. 5. Any anticipated fee increases, and personnel recommendations should be presented early in the budget process. As Chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee it is has been my distinct pleasure to chair this committee. It has also been a joy to work with the Administration, City Council Members and our citizens this year. I sincerely thank Mayor Pete Buttigieg, the Department of Administration and Finance, City Council Members, Mr. Bob Palmer, Department Heads, City Clerk Kareemah Fowler and her staff for all their hard work to ensure the 2019 Budget was adopted by a unanimous vote. pectfully Su to •�, .e. 4- —mac Karen L. White Personnel & Finance Chairperson At Large Councilmember 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)520-5018 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5985 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601-1830 Work Office: (574)520-4477 Email:KWHITE@SOUTHBENDIN.GOV