HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-10-08 Health and Public Safety CommitteeHEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY
The April 7, 2008 meeting of the Health and Public Safety Committee of the South Bend Common
Council was called to order by its Chairperson, Councilmember Karen White at 5:00 p.m. in the
Council's Informal Meeting Room.
Persons in attendance included Council Members Henry Davis; Derek D. Dieter; Oliver Davis;
Timothy A. Rouse;
Other present were! Mark Dollinger, Weed & Seed Coordinator; Jamie Loo, South Bend Tribune;
Gail Brodie, Weed & Seed Alliance; Chuck Leone, City Attorney, Lynn Coleman, Assistance to
the Mayor, Catherine Toppel, Director Code Enforcement, Roger Hamburg, Tim Hudak; Kathy
Cekanski-Farrand, Council Attorney.
The City Council's Health & Public Safety Committee led by Chairperson Karen White continued
to address quality of life issues in South Bend. Specifically addressed was the growing concern
over pervasive graffiti, especially on the city's west side. Focusing on the graffiti problem, the
Committee discussed the nature of the graffiti, past efforts to deal with it, and the formulation of a
coordinated plan to combat it in the future.
Karen White began the meeting with introductions of attendees and an overview of the graffiti
problem emphasizing a sense of urgency of devising a plan before summer.
Mark Dollinger, the coordinator of the Weed and Seed Program outlined the past years effort to
combat graffiti. He said that over five thousand dollars and 20,000 man hours were expended to
cover graffiti at over 290 sites last year. Sixty sites were already identified this year. Left alone
graffiti discourages both people and businesses from feeling positive about the city.
Derek Dieter, Councilmember and Police Officer, spoke to the serious nature of graffiti
threatening both property values and citizens safety. He indicated a need for a specific incident
response protocol, what he described as a chain of responsibility. Citizens and police officers as
well need to know who to call when graffiti is seen and who was to follow-up with abatement.
Given the difficulty in actually catching someone in the act he proposed a crime watcher type
approach where someone could report graffiti culprits anonymously for a reward.
Council President Timothy Rouse emphasized the pervasive city-wide nature of graffiti. He
observed graffiti was more than a by-product of frustrated artists but a sign of growing gang
activity threatening the public's sense of well-being.
Councilmember's Oliver and Henry Davis spoke of recent meetings with neighborhood groups in
their districts where people felt that NCE's follow-up letters to homeowners made them feel like
the culprits as opposed to the victims. Oliver Davis whose district may be most hard hit asked
how the law treats graffiti.
Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand briefly reviewed both State and Local Laws
explaining that graffiti is treated as a misdemeanor even though remediation can require
considerable time, inconvenience and expense. She outlined the approach other cities were
taking citing the effectiveness of a crime stopper approach suggested by Dieter. She indicated
some cities use motion activated cameras, 24 hr. hotlines, and additional patrols as effective
deterrents. She also noted the law does allow community service and driver's license suspension
for minors caught and prosecuted.
Mark Dollinger expressed frustration with the system which he says does not emphasize the
consequences of vandalism for the offender and the victim. He also cited a growing concern over
gang signs, marketing territory and tagging.
Karen White emphasized the need to take a strong stand against graffiti and the need to hold
parents accountable for actions of their children.
City Attorney Chuck Leone said the law allows up to $2,500.00 in damages to be assigned to
parents of perpetrators.
Citizen committee member Don Brubaker suggested providing alternatives to the graffiti mischief,
namely, park and library programs.
Jeff Young from the Lincolnway West area emphasized the seriousness and the pervasiveness of
the problem in South Bend. He has volunteered hundreds of hours to pain-over graffiti and be
emphasized the gang-sign threatening aspect.
Tim Hudak, community activist from the west side said the City needs to act swiftly to curtail
graffiti, hold parents accountable, and show zero tolerance.
Catherine Toppel, Director, Code Enforcement, echoed the growing gang influence and a
problem of graffiti on vacant homes.
Gail Brodie from the LaSalle Park cautioned the City not to just push the problem from one
neighborhood to another. She also thought acrime-stopper approach would probably work as
long as reporting citizens could remain anonymous.
Karen White then began to sum-up the discussion. She asked for opinions as to the next step.
Dieter stated more emphasis on the part of the SBPD in terms of Intel, coordination, personnel
and a contact person was needed.
Oliver Davis said the next meeting of the committee should include representatives from the
South Bend Police Department, the Juvenile Justice Center, Ministers and the School
Corporation.
Karen White agreed emphasizing a need for coordinated strategies. She emphasized the
seriousness of the problem and the seriousness of the council's intent to do something about
graffiti.
"handout from Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand
There being no further business to come before the Committee, Councilmember Karen White
adjourned the meeting at 6:05 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
~~.~ ,~~
Karen L. White, Chairperson,
Health and Public Safety Committee