HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-26-2023 2024 Council Budget Hearing - Legal DepartmentCITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
Common Council 2024 Budget Hearing
Department of Law
September 26, 2023
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
2024 Department Goals
•Continue to provide a high-quality partnership with City
departments
•9 full-time attorneys (1 open position)
•4 have been with the City for over 5 years!•2 paralegals
•1 has been with the City for 5 years!•2 administrative assistants•Continue to integrate and improve Ordinance Violations
Bureau
•1 clerk•Continue review and improvements to City Code
•City Attorney working with City staff and Council members
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
2024 Legal Budget Overview
Row Labels Sum of 2021 Actual Sum of 2022 Actual Sum of 2023 Amended Budget Sum of 2024 Proposed Budget
Education & Training 7,108 9,450 15,000 16,000
Fringe Benefits 291,446 307,331 400,241 462,571
Interfund Allocations 174,889 171,530 136,054 272,384
Other Services & Charges 18,408 21,798 28,523 26,600
Printing & Advertising 252 170 1,000 1,000
Professional Services 9,384 3,780 9,085 10,000
Repairs & Maintenance 1,000 - 700 700
Salaries & Wages 895,492 952,878 1,219,835 1,277,397
Supplies 1,515 4,919 4,214 5,000
Travel - 2,583 8,500 10,500
Grand Total 1,399,494 1,474,439 1,823,153 2,082,152
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
Legal Budget Overall Increase 14.2% from 2023 Highlights & Changes
•Increases in education and training (6.67%), fringe benefits
(15.57%), supplies (18.65%), and salaries and wages (4.72%)
due to addition of OVB clerk
•Increase in interfund allocations (100.2%) due to addition of
OVB clerk’s software, creation and maintenance of
collections database, and search for and shift to a new
vendor for more efficient matter management
•Matter management software projected 2024 overall cost
$25,400 including implantation costs and thereafter $20,000
annually
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
2024 – Strategic Initiatives
•Matter management: Legal Department has used PracticeMaster for 10 years – no longer meets needs•New system will reduce storage – matter management software is hosted on the cloud – resulting in long term savings•Efficient record keeping and task management•Automate and streamline tasks – collections, ticket appeals, APRA•Deadline tickler for litigation•Easier search capability, including OCR recognition•Recovery•Damage to City property •Mortgage Foreclosures•Bankruptcy•OVB parking referrals to collections re-started in February 2023 (last referrals were in September 2020)•Other department referrals to collections starting in 2023: •Building (last referral September 2020)•Zoning •NSE (last referral September 2021)•SBARC (last referral November 2021)
CITY OF SOUTH BEND, IN
Questions?