HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-26-2023 Common Council Seeking Citizen Members for Standing CommitteesCity of South Bend
Common Council
441 County-City Building ● 227 W. Jefferson Blvd
South Bend, Indiana 46601
(574) 235-9321● Fax (574) 235-9173 ● TDD (574) 235-5567 ● http://www.southbendin.gov
NEWS RELEASE
Subject: South Bend Common Council Seeking Citizen Members
Date: Thursday, January 26, 2023
From: Council President, Sharon L. McBride
Contact: 574-235-9267
South Bend Common Council Seeking Citizen Members to Serve
on Standing Committees
The South Bend Common Council is seeking applications from interested and dedicated
individuals who wish to volunteer their time and talents to serve as citizen members on the
following Common Council Standing Committees:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
PARC COMMITTEE (Parks, Recreation, Cultural Arts & Entertainment)
PERSONNEL AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
PUBLIC WORKS AND PROPERTY VACATION COMMITTEE
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS COMMITTEE
UTILITIES COMMITTEE
ZONING AND ANNEXATION COMMITTEE
Section 2-12.3 of the South Bend Municipal Code (copy attached) sets forth the regulations
addressing “Procedure for Addressing Citizen Appointments”.
• Be a resident of the City of South Bend for at least one (1) year;
• Be available to attend meetings on a regular basis;
• Be interested in the subject matter and/or have some background on committee’s topics;
• Complete an application at https://southbendin.primegov.com/public/committees by
Friday, February 10, 2023 (Please fill out an application per standing committee
Preference);
• Complete a one-time orientation by March 1, 2023.
Council members will interview and select qualified individuals to serve. Persons selected
to serve as citizen members will also be sworn in by the City Clerk with the oath being kept
on file with that Office. The City Clerk will also maintain copies of all applications
submitted by individuals not selected in the event that a vacancy occurs throughout the year
(informational only, not disclosable to the public).
We encourage South Bend residents to consider volunteering on a Committee and having
your voices heard.
Sharon L. McBride
President
Sheila Niezgodski
Vice President
Canneth Lee
Chairperson, Committee
of the Whole
Canneth Lee
First District
Henry Davis, Jr.
Second District
Sharon L. McBride
Third District
Troy Warner
Fourth District
Eli Wax
Fifth District
Sheila Niezgodski
Sixth District
Karen L. White
At Large
Rachel Tomas Morgan
At Large
Lori K Hamann
At Large
Created: 2022‐10‐18 18:02:48 [EST]
(Supp. No. 57)
Page 1 of 2
Sec. 2‐12.3. Procedure for addressing citizen appointments.
(a) All Council appointments of citizen members by the Council to various boards and commissions of the City
shall be consistent with the procedures set forth in this section.
(b) It shall be the duty of the City Clerk's Office to notify the Council President in writing of all Council citizen
appointments which are to expire at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of expiration.
(c) After notice is received from the Clerk's Office of upcoming citizen appointment(s), it shall be the duty of the
Council President to announce at the next regular meeting of the Common Council under Special Business,
the name of the committee, commission, board or other agency of the City to which the Council will be
making a citizen appointment, the deadline in which to file an application form, and that such forms are
available through the City Clerk's Office.
(d) Application forms shall be made available through the City Clerk's Office for all persons interested in
consideration of a Council appointment as a citizen member. Such forms shall include, but not be limited to
verification of the following information:
(1) Complete legal name, address, telephone number, cell number and email address of the applicant.
(2) Years of residency within the City of South Bend.
(3) Political party if applicable to the appointment.
(4) Qualifications as to why the applicant believes he or she would be a qualified candidate for the citizen
positions.
(5) Summary of educational background, listing degrees and areas of interest from any institutions of
higher learning.
(6) Summary of employment history.
(7) Involvement or participation in professional public service or other types of organization.
(8) Availability to attend meetings in the a.m. and p.m.
(e) All candidates who file a completed application form shall be scheduled for an interview with the Council
President and/or Chairperson of the Council Committee or Council Member appointed to serve on the board
or commission related to the appointment in question. All other interested Council Members may attend
such interview.
(f) Persons selected by the Council as citizen representatives must have been residents of the City of South
Bend for not less than one (1) year prior to the appointment and shall continue such residency as a
qualification for said appointment. All appointees must update the Office of the City Clerk and the entity on
which he or she is appointed to of any changes to his or her address, telephone, cell phone or email
addresses upon such change taking place.
(g) All such appointments shall serve without compensation for the term as indicated.
(h) All citizen appointments shall agree as a qualification for appointment that he or she shall verbally report to
the appropriate Council Committee and/or to the Common Council under Special Business at least once per
calendar year with an overview of the items handled through the committee, commission, or other agency
on which he or she participates. In the event of multiple Council citizen appointments to a committee, board,
commission, or other agency, the Council citizen appointments shall rotate such reports among such
persons. All citizen appointments shall further agree as a qualification for appointment that he or she shall
provide written quarterly updates. Such reports shall summarize activities on the entity on which he or she
serves and highlight ongoing and/or upcoming key activities under consideration. Such report shall be
emailed to the Office of the City Clerk who shall forward the same to the Common Council.
Created: 2022‐10‐18 18:02:48 [EST]
(Supp. No. 57)
Page 2 of 2
(i) All citizens appointed by the Common Council serve at the pleasure of the Council, and may also be removed
for failure to abide by the regulations set forth in this Section.
(j) All application forms of persons not selected for a specific Council appointment shall be kept on file in the
City Clerk's Office for a period of one (1) year in the event of a vacancy.20
20 Editor's Note—Section 2 of Ord. No. 7108‐82 repealed former Art. 3 which consisted of §§ 2‐14 and 2‐15 pertaining to the City Clerk.
Former § 2‐14 derived from § 2‐7 of the 1962 Code. Subsequently, § 1 of Ord. No. 8102‐90 added a new § 2‐12.2, thus duplicating the
section number used in Art. 2. The City has instructed the inclusion of the ordinance as § 2‐12.3 in a new Art. 3.
(Ord. No. 8102‐90, § I; Ord. No. 10159‐12, § I, 5‐14‐12)