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Home My WebLink AboutAmending Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-10 Addressing Standing Committees of the Common Council ORDINANCE NO.8237-92 Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana. January 27, 92 19 Attest: "Le City Clerk IRENE K. GAMMON Attest: � - President of Common Council Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana_ January 28, 92 19 -� City Clerk IRENE K. GAMMON Approved and signed by me ()%9 19 Mayor BILL NO. 81-91 ORDINANCE NO. g a 3 7-9 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 1, SECTION 2-10, ADDRESSING STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The nine (9) standing committees of the Common Council have proven to be clearinghouses of information on a multitude of proposed ordinances sent to such committees for review and recommendation. An area, however, which warrants improvement, is the role of the citizen members to such committees. This Bill would provide a viable mechanism for citizen input through the committee structure. It would provide a more viable reflection of public input on issues, by providing citizens with a vote. The Bill would also limit the Council President's vote to being cast at Committee meetings, only when needed to break a tie. All Council recommendations would be advisory to the full Council. It is believed that this Ordinance would be in the best interest of the City by improving the day to day operations of the Council Committees. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, as follows: Section I. Chapter 2, Article 1, Section 2-10, of the Municipal Code of the City of South Bend, Indiana is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 2-10. Standing Committees of Common Council; Titles and Responsibilities. (a) There shall be nine (9) standing committees organized within the City Council. Each committee, except the Council Rules Committee, shall consist of not less than three (3) council members each. The Council President shall serve on all standing committees, and shall not vote except in the event of a tie or when present to constitute a quorum of the committee. Council members shall be appointed as herein provided by the President of the Common Council. Each committee, except the Council Rules Committee, may also have not more than two(2) citizen members. (b) The citizen members of the standing committees shall have been residents of the City of South Bend for not less than one (1) year prior to appointment. Such citizen members shall continue such residency as qualification for membership on the committee, with such residency being verified through the voter registration records of the County. The citizen members of the standing committees shall serve without compensation for one- year terms, with each appointment expiring by the first meeting of the new calender year. (c) Citizen members shall be appointed by the Chair Person of the standing committee. In making such appointments, the Chair Person shall assure that the citizen members are broadly representative of the South Bend Community. (d) Any citizen member vacancy of the standing committees shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment. A vacancy shall be deemed (1) If a citizen member moves his permanent place of domicile out of the City of South Bend, dies, resigns, or for any reason refuses to serve during the period for which he or she was appointed; or (2) If a citizen member fails to attend and participate in the meetings of the standing committee as may be determined by the President of the Council. Any decision of the President in this regard shall be subject to review by the Common Council. (e) All citizen members duly appointed to standing committees shall have the right to vote on matters coming before the committee. Citizen members shall not however, have the right to make or second a motion at such meetings. (f) (e) The nine (9) standing committees shall be as listed below: (1) Personnel and Finance; (2) Council Rules; (3) Human Resources and Economic Development; (4) Parks and Recreation; (5) Public Safety; (6) Public Works; (7) Residential Neighborhoods; (8) Utilities; (9) Zoning and Vacation. (g) {0 Responsibilities and scope of Council Committees. The general responsibilities of each Council Committee shall include the right to review all legislative proposals,reports and other pertinent information under its jurisdiction; and to monitor on a continuing basis the department, bureau and public officials under its jurisdiction. Each Council Committee shall report periodically to the Council,with written reports of the minutes of each meeting being filed with the City Clerk within two (2) weeks after each meeting. Said reports shall include the following: (1) Date, time and place of the meeting; (2) Persons in attendance; (3) General substance of all matters proposed,discussed or decided; and (4) A record of all votes taken,if any. The Chair Person, with the assistance of the Council Attorney, shall be responsible for the filing of such reports. Each report shall be signed by the Chair Person of the committee. Any majority or minority reports filed with a committee shall also be included. All committees shall also deal with the issues referred to them by the President of the Council or by at least a majority of the Council. (h)-(g) The first-named Council Member of each committee shall be Chair Person and in his or her absence the next-named Council Member. No citizen member shall serve as Chair Person of any standing committee. (h) The committee shall meet on the call of the Chair Person or by the call of any two (2) of its Council Members, in case the Chair Person is absent or declines to call such meeting. A majority of the total membership of a standing committee shall constitute a quorum. The City Clerk's Office shall provide notice of all committee meetings, pursuant to applicable state law. Such notice shall also be sent to all citizen members, along with all (1) -(k)- When any matter has been referred to a committee, the Council Member introducing the same shall have the right to meet with such committee during its deliberations thereon, but shall not vote, unless he or she is a member of that standing committee. (m) (1)- A committee may not erase, interline underline or blot any ordinance, resolution or other paper referred to it; but-must-enter-upon a separate-paper-any-amendments-it-may propose rating-the-words-which-it-is-proposed-te-insert-or-emit;and-m ake-referenee-to page;line-nand-words--ef-the-original-paper: is encouraged, with the assistance of the Council Attorney, to prepare a Substitute Bill incorporating all amendments being recommended to the full Council. (n) -(m) All reports of committee shall be in writing, and shall be consistent with Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-4, as it may be amended from time to time. (o)-(n)- The rules of the Council as far as they are applicable shall be the rules of the committee, and procedure in the committee, where otherwise provided herein, shall follow the procedure of the Council. (p) (o)- It shall be the duty of the Chair Person of each Council Committee to report promptly to the Common Council on all bills, resolutions,reports or other matters referred to it for consideration; and each Chair Person shall take or cause to be taken the necessary steps to bring such matters to a vote of the Council. (q) (p) If a standing committee desires to conduct a formal hearing the following procedures shall be followed: (1) The proceedings of the committee shall be recorded by the Chair Person or his or her designate in a journal which shall among other things, show those present at each meeting and include a record of the votes on any question on which a record vote is requested. (2) The Chair Person shall make public, pursuant to the Office of the City Clerk, the announcement of the date, place and subject matter of any hearing to be conducted on any measure or matter at least one week before the commencement of that hearing unless the committee determines that there is good cause to begin such hearing at an earlier date. in the latter event the Chairperson shall make such public announcement at the earliest possible date. (3) The committees are authorized to receive exhibits, hear witnesses, and report to the Common Council for final action, together with such recommendations as may be agreed upon by the committee. (4) Any public hearing of a Council Committee may be covered by the news media. However, in order to assure respect to the conduct of the public hearings observing acceptable standards of dignity, propriety,courtesy and decorum, and to assure the proper fact-finding mission through the hearing process, the Chair Person may provide special rules governing such matters as to placement of microphones, location of cameras, and the allocation of space for representatives of the media in the hearing rooms as circumstances may require. Section II. This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its nassaee by the Common Council, approval by the Mayor,and legal publication. 5°UTH , City of South Bend 4`.Amiiyh/�;;+,o ?4 � z Common Council 17 County-City Building • South Bend, Indiana 46601 1`� 186'f.? (219)284-9321 Fax (219) 284-9173 January 21, 1992 Donald Niezgodski President Members of the Common Council 4th floor County-City Building Ann Puzzello South Bend, Indiana 46601 Vice-President RE: Bill No. 81-91 Loretta Duda Standing committees of the Common Council: Chairman. Committee of the Whole Dear Colleagues: At the Committee of the Whole meeting held on January 13, 1992 preliminary Stephen Luecke discussion took place on my proposed Bill which would amend various First District regulations addressing the standing Committees. Donald Niezgodski Following much discussion, there were suggestions of possible amendments. Second District The following is a summary of the new proposals for your review.It was suggested that section 2-10 subparagraph (a) and (b) be amended to read as William Soderberg follows: Third District Ann Puzzello (a) There shall be nine (9) standing committees organized within the City Fourth District Council. Each committee,except the Council Rules Committee, shall consist of not less than three (3) council members each. The Council President shall serve Linas Slavinskas on all standing committees, and shall not vote except in the event of a tie or Fifth District when present to constitute a quorm of the committee. Council members shall be appointed as herein provided by the President of the Common Council. Each Thomas Zakrzewski committee, except the Council Rules Committee, may also have not more than Sixth District two (2)citizen members. Sean Coleman Se At an (b) The citizen members of the standing committees shall have been residents of the City of South Bend for not less than one (1) year prior to Loretta Duda appointment. Such citizen members shall continue such residency as At Large qualification for membership on the committee, with such residency being verified through the voter registration records of the County. The citizen Eugene Ladewski members of the standing committees shall serve without compensation for one- At Large year terms, with each appointment expiring by the first meeting of the new calender year. I look forward to discussing this Bill and the proposed amendments with you at the next meeting of the Council Rules Committee. Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand Council Attorney Thank you. Sincerely, Linas Slavinskas,Fifth District Council Member City of South Bend , o Common Council j 111 v� � J� % County-City Building • South Bend,Indiana 46601 1k1\,*1865 November 20, 1991 (219)284-9321 Members of the Common Council Fax (219) 284-9173 4th Floor County-City Building South Bend, Indiana 46601 Donald Niezgodski President Re: Procedures Regulating Standing Committees Ann Puzzello Dear Council Members: Vice-President I am attaching for your review a proposed ordinance which would amend the rules Loretta Duda and regulations governing the Council's Standing Committees. Chairman. Committee of the Whole As you are all aware, participation by our citizen members on our committees ceased several months ago. Many things have caused this, which I hope to address in the proposed amendments to Section 2-10. I am recommending that each Stephen Luecke committee have two citizen members, and that each citizen member be allowed to First District vote. I am further recommending that the Council President serve on all committees, but only be allowed to vote in the event of a tie. I am also suggesting Donald Niezgodski that the citizen members be sent copies of all meeting notices to committees which Second District they are members, as well as copies of all resolutions and ordinances coming for review and recommendation. William Soderberg Third District I believe that such amendments would be positive in nature and provide a far better Ann Puzzello reflection of public input on various issues brought before the committees. I also Fourth District believe that if a citizen is willing to donate their time to serve on such committees, that they should be entitled to relevant information as well as have the right to vote. Linas Slavinskas Fifth District I look forward to discussing this proposed ordinance with you, and welcome your questions and comments. I believe it will strengthen and improve what I believe to Thomas Zakrzewski be a strong committee system. Sixth District Sean Coleman Sincerely, At Large Loretta Duda At Large Linas "Lee" Slavinskas Fifth District Councilmember Eugene Ladewski At Large Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand Council Attorney Qnftlmtttre arpnrt Uhl tie Qtnmman Ctounril of Up fan of frnutli Srnd: of the Whole Your Committee to whom was referred BILL NO. 81-91 A BILL OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 1, SECTION 2-10, ADDRESSING STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL. Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion This bill should be recommended to the Council favorable, as amended. Ann Puzzello Chairman