HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 Annual Report - Public Works & Property Vacation 2005 Annual Report of the Public Works and Property
Vacation Committee
of the South Bend Common Council
Date: December 6, 2005
To: The South Bend Common Council
The Office of the City Clerk
From: 5th District Council Member David Varner, Chairperson
Public Works and Property Vacation Committee
I am submitting the following Annual Report of the activities of the Council's Public
Works and Property Vacation Committee which is a requirement of § 2-10 (i) of the
South Bend Municipal Code.
Duties: The Public Works and Property Vacation Committee is charged with
"overseeing the various activities performed by the Building Department,the Department
of Public Works and related public works and property vacation issues" pursuant to § 2-
10 (i) (8)of the South Bend Municipal Code.
Members: There were four (4) Council Members on this Committee, namely:
Karen L. White,Vice-Chairperson, Timothy Rouse,Ann Puzzello and myself.
Meetings:: There was a significant decrease in committee meetings this year
when compared to last year's twenty (20) meetings. We have had seven (7) meetings to
date.
Activities: Like last year, one of the primary activities of the Committee is to
review requests to vacate public ways, which is governed by Chapter 18, Article 5 of the
South Bend Municipal Code and Indiana Code § 36-7-3-13.
Recommendations for 2006: If I continue to Chair the Public Works and
i
(Pro tot rty Vacation Committee in the new year, I would recommend that we focus upon:
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• Developing better accountability and transparency in local government,
} especially with regard to public works projects and capital purchases
•
• Working with the Council Attorney to write a brochure which would
�..,,, summarize pubic way vacation procedures. Such brochures could be
2005 Public Works and Property Vacation Committee Annual Report
December 6, 2005
Page 2
distributed through the Office of the City Clerk and the Department of Public
Works.
Challenges for 2006: Like some of the other Standing Committees, an ongoing
challenge of the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee is to attract citizen
members who have the interest and time to service on this committee.
Respectfully submitted,
Counci Member David Varner, Chairperson
Public Works and Property Vacation Committee
cc: Mayor Stephen Luecke .
Gary Gilot, Public Works Director
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