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Home My WebLink About05-13-2024 Common Council Meeting Minutes (Signed)REPORT OF SUB-COMMITTEE ON MINUTES TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: THE SUB-COMMITTEE HAS INSPECTED THE MINUTES OF THE DATE: 05-13-2024 MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND FOUND THEM TO BE CORRECT. THEREFORE, WE RECOMMEND THE SAME BE APPROVED: APPROVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL ON: 05-28-2024 ATTEST: BI REGULAR MEETING May 13, 2024 Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend , Indiana , met in person on Monday, May 13, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Council President Sharon McBride called the meeting to order. Reverend Steven Wedgeworth of Christ Church Anglican gave the invocation. City Clerk Bianca L. Tirado announced: Good Evening , members of the public. For audio quality , we will be muting everyone not speaking by default to maintain good audio quality for the Council and yourselves. If you would like to speak during the meeting on a specific agenda item, please submit your request in the chat -directions to do so are in the chat. We ask that you provide your [FULL NAME] and [ADDRESS], as those are required for all speakers at in- person Council meetings. Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.souttibendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0&mediaid=382689 Council meetings are also available at Michiana Access Channel on both their website and their Facebook page. ROLL CALL COUNCILMEMBERS PRESENT Canneth Lee Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers Sharon L. McBride Troy Warner Sherry Bolden-Simpson Sheila Niezgodski Dr. Oliver Davis Karen L. White Rachel Tomas Morgan COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT None OTHERS PRESENT Bianca L. Tirado Elivet Quijada-Navarro Matthew Neal Bob Palmer 1st District, Committee of the Whole 2 nd District 3 rd District, President 4 th District 5th District 6 th District , Vice-President At-Large At-Large At-Large City Clerk Deputy Director of Policy Director of Special Projects Council Attorney Members marked with an asterisk (*) are in virtual attendance. SUB-COMMITTEE ON MINUTES: April 22, 2024 July l 0, 2023 September 11, 2023 Council President McBride requested reports from the Sub-Committee on Minutes. Clerk Tirado stated that the Sub-Committee on Minutes has inspected the April 22, 2024 Common Council meeting minutes and recommend they be approved. Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis motioned to approve the April 22, 2024 Common Council meeting minutes , which was seconded by Councilmember Karen L. White and carried by a unanimous vote of acclimation. Clerk Tirado stated that the Sub-Committee on Minutes has inspected the July 10, 2023 and September 11, 2023 Common Council meeting minutes and recommended that they be approved. It is understood that Councilmembers who were not members of Council in 2023 will be abstaining. Councilmember Troy Warner motioned to approve the July 10, 2023 and September 11, 2023 Common Council meeting minutes, which was seconded by Councilmember Canneth Lee and carried by a vote of acclimation with three (3) councilmembers abstaining. SPECIAL BUSINESS REGULAR MEETING May 13, 2024 The Council presented a Special Resolution commemorating National Police Week and National Peace Officers Memorial Day. REPORTS FROM CITY OFFICES None. PUBLIC HEARINGS None. RESOLUTIONS BILL NO. 24-16 A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND DESIGNATING CERTAIN AREAS WITHIN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND , INDIANA , COMMONLY KNOWN AS 728 HARRISON A VENUE , SOUTH BEND, lNDIANA 46616 AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA FOR PURPOSES OF A FIVE-YEAR (5) REAL PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR CROSS COMMUNITY , INC Clerk Tirado read the resolution to the Council. After the reading Pres ident McBride requested a committee report. Councilmember Warner stated Bill No . 24-16 was heard in the Community Investment Committee and comes to the Full Council with a favorable recommendation . President McBride requested that the petitioner(s) state their name and address and share key points before the counci I. Mark Bemenderfer, Business Development Manager, with offices on the 14 th floor of the County-City Building, stated that Bill No. 24-16 is a five (5) year single -family residential real prope1iy tax abatement for property located at 728 Hanison Avenue . The petitioner is Cross Community Inc., and they provide homeownership infonnation to first (l5t) time homebuyers. Cross Community is planning to invest two hundred and seventy thousand dollars ($270,000) for the development of a new two (2) story home. Tina Patton , President of Cross Community, with offices located at 707 Sherman Avenue, South Bend IN 46616, stated that Bill No. 24-16 is the third (3 rd ) tax abatement Cross Community has requested . Tina Patton stated that Cross Community offers classes to first ( I st) time homebuyers , and is committed to redeveloping the no1ihwest paii of South Bend for residents seeking homes at an affordable price. Council President McBride asked the councilmembers for comments. Councilmember Sheny Bolden-Simpson asked if Councilmembers would be able to attend the classes hosted by Cross Community. Tina Patton answered yes . Council President McBride held the public hearing , and nobody spoke. Councilmember Lee thanked Cross Community for their commitment to creating affordable housing in South Bend. Councilmember Warner motioned for the adoption of Bill No . 2 4-16, seconded by Councilmember Dr. Davis, and carried by a vote of nine (9) ayes. Council President Sharon McBride -Aye Council Vice President Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Councilmember Canneth Lee -Aye Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers -Aye 2 f- f- REGULAR MEETING Councilmember Troy Warner-Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis -Aye Councilmember Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye BILLS ON FIRST READING BILL NO. 22-24 May 13, 2024 Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson -Aye Councilmember Karen L. White -Aye FIRST READING ON AN ORDINANCE TO VACA TE THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY ALLEY AT 513 NORTH HILL STREET BEGINNING AT A POINT IN THE WEST LINE OF HILL STREET (66' R /W); SAID POINT BEING A DISTANCE OF 198.12 ' NORTHERLY OF THE NORTH LINE OF CEDAR STREET (82' R/W)'; ALSO THE POINT BEING THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF PARCEL BEARING ST. JOSEPH COUNTY INDEX NUMBER 018-5008-019 Clerk Tirado read the bill to the Council for its first (1 st) reading. Councilmember Dr. Davis motioned to send Bill No. 22-24 to the Public Works and Property Vacation Committee for a third (3 rd ) reading and public hearing on May 28, 2024, seconded by Councilmember White and carried by a unanimous vote of acclimation. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Councilmember Dr. Davis offered condolences to Councilmember Bolden-Simpson. Councilmember Dr. Davis stated that he was glad to join Councilmember Warner at the South Bend Fire Department (SBFD) retirement dinner. Councilmember Bolden-Simpson thanked everyone for their condolences, and thanked Mayor James Mueller for the proclamation given regarding the commemoration marking thirty (30) years since the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. NEW BUSINESS Councilmember Gooden-Rodgers stated that she had spoken with Dr. Stuart Greene , President of the South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC), regarding future SBCSC and Council collaborations. Council Vice President Niezgodski stated that the 2025 budget kick-off meeting will be May 17, 2024, and requested the budgets of councilmembers by June 1, 2024 so that she may compile them and send them to Kyle Willis by June 17, 2024. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR Logan Foster, 1138 College Street, South Bend IN 46628 , spoke regarding a matter unrelated to the Council. Don Foster, 132 Chapin Street, South Bend IN 46601 , s poke regarding a nonprofit that is focused on addressing homelessness. Joanna Kelley Cogdell, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naxos Neighbors, 1143 East Ireland Road , South Bend IN 46614 , stated that Naxos Neighbors is a hann reduction technology company that is dedicated to working with people who use drugs and people that are recently in recovery , to protect them from the dangers of the unregulated drug epidemic. Joanna Kelley Cogdell stated that Naxos Neighbors is struggling financially and would like to speak with the Council on how the City might be able to help Naxos Neighbors moving forward. Council President McBride stated that she would follow-up with Joanne Kelley Cogdell. Brandy Anderson-Willis, Founder and CEO of Integrated Support Services, 59955 Saint Joseph Street, South Bend IN 46614 , stated that Integrated Support Services provides peer recovery , 3 REGULAR MEETING May 13, 2024 trainings , certifications, and other peer supports for people in the community. Integrated Support Services has recently partnered with Naxos Neighbors to work on supporting the community as a whole and people that are coming out of incarceration. Brandy Anderson-Willis stated that she would like to speak with councilmembers regarding Integrated Support Services . Adam Scholz, 818 South 31 st Street, South Bend IN 46615 , Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Naxos Neighbors , stated that Naxos Neighbors has trained many residents to become opioid overdose responders. Sharon Banicki , 3822 Ford Street, South Bend IN 46619 , stated that she and her fellow neighbors are grateful for the long-awaited installation of a light pole in their neighborhood. Sue Kesim , 4022 Kennedy Drive, South Bend IN 46614 , shared a video detailing how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be used to assist the City's 311 team. ADJOURNMENT Council President Sharon McBride adjourned the meeting at 7:55 p.m. 4