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Home My WebLink About10-23-2023 Personnel & Finance Committee Minutes~ X '-":;. 1865 ""/ OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK D A'vVN M.JONES, CITY CLERK -----====== PERSONNEL AND FINANCE COMMITTEE OCTOBER 23, 2023, 3:30 P.M. Committee Members Present: Others Present: Presenters: Agenda: Sheila Niezgodski, Troy Warner, Rachel Tomas Morgan, Eli Wax, Canneth Lee* Council Member Karen White, Dawn Jones, Victoria Trujillo, Bob Palmer*, Bianca Tirado* Eric Horvath, Public Works Director Kyle Willis, City Controller Jenna Throw, City Attorney Bill No. 71-23 -Sewage Works (Wastewater) Board Ordinance Bill No. 68-23-2024 Non-Bargaining Clerk Salary Ordinance Bill No. 70-23 -Amending 2023 Teamster Salary Ordinance Bill No . 72-23 -Salary for the Common Council Members for Calendar Year 2024 Members marked with an asterisk (*) are present digitally Please note the attached link for the meeting recording: https://docs.southbendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0&mediaid=376353 Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski called to order the Personnel and Finance Committee at 3:34 p.m . Bill No. 71-23 -Sewage Works (Wastewater) Board Ordinance Eric Horvath, Public Works Director with offices on the thirteenth (13 th) floor of the Country-City building, presented this bill. This bill would authorize the issuance of bonds for Sewage Works improvements, as part of a long-tenn control plan under the two hundred and seventy-six (276) million dollar worth consent decree to separate a portion of stormwater and sanitary sewage flowing into the St. Joe River. The initial project includes constructing a large equalization tank at the wastewater treatment plant to capture and hold overflow, which will then be processed once flows decrease, improving plant operations and reducing river sewage overflows. Additional projects include addressing bottlenecks and installing clarifiers to achieve 100 MGD capacity, as outlined in the first phase of the plan. These projects will be funded through bonds issued in November 2023 by the SRF, the Indiana Finance Authority. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY IN OVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W Jefferson Bvld .South Bend. Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 'TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLER K Committee Chair Niezgodski requested questions from the Committee. Committee Member Wax asked if the improvements that will be paid by the bond are required by the consent decree. Eric Horvath responded that all improvements are required by the consent decree. Committee Member Wax inquired on the value of the legal fee for bond issuance. Jenna Throw, City Attorney with offices on the twelfth ( 12) floor of the Country-City Building, responded that legal fees are capped for this bond issuance and would inform the Committee of the exact capped amount. Committee Chair Niezgodski noted that the bill stated that the GPR project adjustment fee, which is equal to the gross additional interest, would be accrued for the bonds. She added it also states that the bonds have been at the interest rate detennined under the wastewater SRF program interest rate policy and practices. Committee Chair Niezgodski requested confirmation that the principal amount was not listed because it would be determined after the bill was passed. Eric Horvath responded that the consent decree provides authority for the principal amount to be up to thirty-six (36) million dollars but will probably be approximately thirty-two (32) million dollars for this series of bonds. Committee Chair Niezgodski asked if the public wished to speak in favor of or against Bill No. 71-2 3. Clerk Jones advised that no one from the public wished to speak in favor of or against the bill. Committee Vice Chair Warner motioned to forward Bill No. 79-22 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Wax and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes. Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Vice-Chair Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Eli Wax -Aye Committee Member Canneth Lee -Aye Bill No. 68-23 -2024 Non-Bargaining Clerk Salary Ordinance Clerk Jones presented this substitute bill. The substitute removed the clerk's salary from the bargaining salary of the staff Committee Chair Niezgodski held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Committee Chair Niezgodski motioned to accept a substitute Bill for Bill No. 68-23, which was seconded by Committee Vice Chair Warner and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILI TY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W. Jefferson Bvld South Bend. Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 2 CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFF ICE OF TH E CLER K Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Vice-Chair Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Eli Wax -Aye Committee Member Canneth Lee -Aye Committee Chair Niezgodski held the public hearing, and nobody spoke. Committee Vice Chair Warner motioned to forward Bill No . 68-23 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Wax and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes. Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Vice-Chair Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Eli Wax -Aye Committee Member Canneth Lee -Aye Bill No. 70-23 -Amending 2023 Teamster Salary Ordinance Kyle Willis, City Controller, with offices on the twelfth ( 12) floor of the Country-City Building, presented this bill. This bill was for three (3) amendments to the Teamster Salary Ordinance. The first (I) amendment was to amend the pay rates of the Machinist five (5) and Mechanics five (5) to ensure alignment. Approval of the amendment will ensure that one (1) employee affected by the pay rate discrepancy between Machinist five (5) and Mechanic five (5) receives relevant back pay. The second (2) amendment was to add two positions, Billings and Account Specialists one (1) and two (2) for Water Works based on reorganization under their 2024 budget presentation. The third (3) amendment was to add three group leader titles under Venues, Parks, and Arts (VP A) for clarification of positions only and are FTE positions that are already approved under the 2024 Salary Ordinance. Committee Chair Niezgodski requested questions from the Committee. Committee Member Wax requested further information on the new customer service positions for Water Works. Kyle Willis responded that the new customer service positions will be based on their reorganization and will be under the one-stop-shop arrangement. At present the positions are titled Customer Service Specialist and will remain until the end of 2023. In 2024, they will assume the new titles of Billings and Account Specialists one (I) and two (2). Committee Vice Chair Warner requested clarification on the dollar amounts as they were not clearly visible in the package documents. Kyle Willis responded that it was two thousand two hundred and sixty-four (2,264) dollars for Billings and Account Specialist one(!), two thousand three hundred and seventeen (2 ,317) dollars EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W. Jefferson Bvld South Bend. Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 3 CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF TH E CLERK for Billings and Account Specialist two (2), and twenty dollars and seventy-one cents ($20.71) per hour for the three VP A positions. Council Member White requested for clarity in reference to the VP A positions. Kyle Willis was not able to provide the infonnation requested by Council Member White but agreed to provide the information at the Committee meeting. Committee Chair Niezgodski requested if the public wished to speak in favor of or against Bill No. 70-23. Clerk Jones advised that no one from the public wished to speak in favor of or against the bill. Committee Vice Chair Warner motioned to forward Bill No. 70-23 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of five ( 5) ayes. Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Vice-Chair Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Eli Wax -Aye Committee Member Canneth Lee -Aye Bill No. 72-23 -Salary for the Common Council Members for Calendar Year 2024 President Sharon McBride with offices on the fourth (4) floor of this building presented this bill. A three (3) percent increase was proposed in the Salary Ordinance for the Common Council, reflecting an increase from twenty-one thousand three hundred and twenty (21 ,320) dollars to twenty-one thousand nine hundred and sixty (21 ,960) dollars. Committee Chair Niezgodski requested questions from the Committee. There were none. Committee Chair Niezgodski requested if the public wished to speak in favor of or against Bill No. 72-23. Clerk Jones advised that no one from the public wished to speak in favor of or against the bill. Committee Vice Chair Warner motioned to forward Bill No . 72-23 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation, which was seconded by Committee Member Wax and carried by a vote of five (5) ayes. Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Committee Vice-Chair Troy Warner -Aye Committee Member Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Committee Member Eli Wax -Aye Committee Member Canneth Lee -Aye With no further business, Committee Chair Sheila Niezgodski adjourned the Personnel and Finance Committee meeting at 3:50 p.m. EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227W. Jefferson Bvld South Bend. Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 TTD574.235S567 www.southbendin.gov 4 en y O F SOUTH BE D OFFICE OF THE CLERK Respectfully Submitted, Sheila Niezgodski, Committee Chair NOTICE FOR II EARING AND SIGHT li\lPAIREO PERSONS Auxiliary Aid or Other Services may be Available u1>on Re<1ucs1 at No Char,!c. Please j!ivc Reasonable Advance Re<rucst when POS5il,lc EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 227 W. Jefferson Bvld South Bend. Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f574.235.9173 TT0574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov 5