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Personnel and Finance Committee
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The February 28, 2000 meeting of the Personnel and Finance was called to order by its
Chairperson, Council Member James Aranowski, at 4,:05 p.m. in the Council informal
meeting room.
Persons in attendance included Council Members: Aranowski, Varner, Ujdak, Pfeifer,
Kelly,White,Kirsits,Coleman,and King; Susan O'Connor,Director of Recreation;Ann-
Carol Nash,Assistant City Attorney;Jeffrey M.Jankowski,Deputy City Attorney;Jeremy
Barclay,Terry Bland of the §Otttfj Vtttb 'Crfbttttt, and Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand,
Council Attorney.
Council Member Aranowski noted that the Council Members on the Committee included
Council Members Varner,King,White and himself.
The first item on the agenda was to review Bill No. 14-00 which would appropriate
$ 13,000 from the Ethnic Festival non-reverting fund.
Susan O'Connor, Director of Recreation noted that the appropriation would be from Fund
No. 272 which has a sufficient balance for the proposed expenditures.
Following discussion, Council Member King made a motion, seconded by Council
Member White that Bill No. 14-00 be recommended favorably to Council. The motion
passed.
The Committee then reviewed Bill No. 20-00' which would amend Chapters 4, 5, and 10
of the South Bend Municipal Code to revise licensing fees.
Ann-Carol Nash,Assistant City Attorney, made the presentation. Ms. Nash noted that the
license fees have not been reviewed for several years,despite a Code provision which calls
for an annual review. She noted that a summary of all of the proposed changes are set
forth on pages 8 ad 9 of the proposed ordinance. She then introduced Mr. Jeremy Barclay
who oversees licensing in the Department of Administration and Finance who did much of
the background work on the proposed ordinance.
Council Member King inquired into the criteria used in setting the proposed fees. He
inquired into the incremental costs involved and suggested a formal review process be
scheduled on a regular basis. Mr. Barclay noted that he contacted the departments
involved with a particular activity requiring a license and reviewed the information provided
to him.
Council Member Ujdak inquired into the fees proposed for scrap metal dealers noting a
proposed decrease despite the fact that several agencies are involved making it a labor-
intensive review process. Mr. Barclay noted that increased compliance has decreased the
amount of labor for this type of license.
Council Member White inquired as to when the last annual review was conducted by the
City Administration. Ms. Nash noted it was several yeas ago.
Personnel and Finance Committee
February 28, 2000
Page 2
The Council Attorney suggested that without a"triggering mechanism"in the ordinance that
the annual review may not take place. She noted that most licenses must be renewed by
February 1st. She suggested a formal amendment requiring a written cost/benefit analysis
be included into Bill No. 20-00 and agreed to propose language to § 4-18 of the South
Bend Municipal Code for this evening's Council meeting for consideration.
Council President Pfeifer inquired into taxicab license fees and tattoo licensing fees. Mr.
Barclay noted that those fees have not been suggested for modification. He further noted
that the tattoo ordinance is being enforced on a limited basis by the Department of Code
Enforcement.
Council Member White in q uired as to the process used for notification on to the public on
licensing fees. Mr. Barclay noted that he sends a letter to current license holders each
November.
Council Member Aranowski suggested that a meeting be scheduled to discuss in further
detail the overall licensing process and in particular the concerns raised by Council Member
King on a cost/benefit analysis review and the concerns raised by Council President Pfeifer
involving massage parlors and tattoo parlors.
Following discussion, Council Member King made a motion, seconded by Council
Member Varner,that Bill No. 20-00 be recommended favorably with the Bill to include a
cost/benefit analysis provision to § 4-18 of the South Bend Municipal Code, as to be
drafted by the Council Attorney. The motion passed.
The Committee then reviewed Bill No. 19-00 which would create new Article 18 in
Chapter 2 of the South Bend Municipal Code addressing fees for public records.
Mr. Jeffrey M. Jankowski, Deputy City Attorney, made the presentation. He noted that
state law requires municipalities to establish uniform fees for the production of copies of
records, documents, computer tape, discs, maps and similar tangible and electronic
information. The City is permitted to recover its actual costs of providing public access to
information. He noted that the City did a review of other cities fees and that the fees being
proposed are competitive. He further noted that the City has been in contact with the Office
of the Public Access Counselor.
Dr. Varner inquired as to what cities had been studied. Mr. Jankowski noted that Fort
Wayne and Mishawaka were contacted.
Council Member Kirsits inquired into what was included in the proposed arson report with
a proposed fee of$ 25.00. He noted that often the individuals who have suffered such a
fire loss could not afford such a fee for a fire report. Mr. Jankowski noted that he was
uncertain as to what detail would be included for the$25.00 fee. Council Member Kirsits
suggested an additional line item entitled "Fire/EMS Report" which would be similar to a
traffic accident report for which the City charges a fee of$3.00. In this way he suggested
that the routine report could be procured and would be separate from an arson report.
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Personnel and Finance Committee
February 28, 2000
Page 2
Council Member Ujdak noted that the Bill was now suggesting a per page document fee of
$.10 rather than the $ .09 as originally proposed. Mr. Jankowski noted that a substitute
bill to that effect had been sent to the City Clerk's Office. The Council Attorney noted that
that version had not been distributed yet, in light of additional amendments which were
being considered to the Bill since last week. Council Member Ujdak noted that the City of
Mishawaka currently charges $ .15 per page for letter and legal size copies and $ .25 per
page for 11' x 17' size pages.
Council Member Ujdak also noted that he has suggested that fees generated for documents
from the Fire Department remain with the Fire Department, and that fees generated for
documents from the Police Department remain with the Police Department.
The Council Attorney then provided copies of proposed language to Bill No. 19-00 which
would capture monies for the EMS capital fund for ems and fire equipment and fire station
repairs. (copy attached indicating Chief Taylor's approval). She also noted that Chief
h South
into the from the Police Department bedeposited
s in a Bement that fees
Bennett was
Bend Regional P lice Academy Fund for training supplies and equipment. She noted that
h Council is r
she concurred with Mr. Jankowski that the C required to establish a fee schedule
for the certification,copying and facsimile transmission of documents which do not exceed
the actual cost for such services. The actual cost includes the cost of paper plus the per-
page cost of the use of the copying or facsimile machine excluding labor and overhead
(copy of the Indiana Attorney General's Office of the Publi Access Counselor information
attached).
Following discussion, Council Member Varner made a motion, seconded by Council
Member King that Bill No. 19-00 be recommended favorably with amendments to include
a $ .10 per page document fee for copies; a $ 3.00 Fire/EMS Report, fire fees being
deposited into the EMS capital fund, and police fees being deposited into the South Bend
Regional Police Academy Fund. The motion passed.
There being no further business to come before the Committee,the meeting was adjourned
at 4:17 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Council Member James Aranowski, Chairperson
Personnel and Finance Committee
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I Attachments
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