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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-24-2025 Common Council Meeting MinutesREPORT OF SUB-COMMITTEE ON MINUTES TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: THE SUB-COMMITTEE HAS INSPECTED THE MINUTES OF THE DA TE: 03-24-2025 MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND FOUND THEM TO BE CORRECT. THEREFORE, WE RECOMMEND THE SAME BE APPROVED: ¥~~ SHERRY BOLDEN-SIMPSON APPROVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL ON: 04-14-2025 ATTEST: REGULAR MEETING March 24, 2025 Be it remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend , Indiana, met in person on Monday, March 24, 2025, at 7:00 p.m . Council President Canneth Lee called the meeting to order. The invocation was given by Father Arthur Joseph Ssembajja of St. Anthony De Padua Catholic Parish and Pledge to the Flag was given . 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.southbendin.gov/WebLink/browse.aspx?dbid=0&mediaid=393368 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 Karen L. White Rachel Tomas Morgan COUNCILMEMBERS ABSENT Dr. Oliver Davis OTHERS PRESENT Bianca L. Tirado Matthew Neal Bob Palmer 1st District, President 2 nd District 3rd District 4th District , Committee of the Whole 5th District 6th District At-Large At-Large, Vice President At-Large City Clerk Deputy Director of Policy Council Attorney Members marked with an asterisk (*) are in virtual attendance. SUB-COMMITTEE ON MINUTES: March 10, 2025 Council President Lee requested reports from the Sub-Committee on Minutes. Clerk Tirado stated that the Sub-Committee on Minutes inspected the March 10, 2025 Common Council meeting minutes and recommend they be approved. Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson moved to approve the March 10, 2025 Common Council meeting minutes , which was seconded by Councilmember Sharon McBride and carried by a vote of eight (8) ayes with one ( 1) councilmember absent. REGULAR MEETING March 24, 2025 Councilmember Gooden-Rodgers asked ifl&T could hold a training session for seniors to explain the new technologies being introduced . Denise Riedl stated that l&T would be glad to hold a training session for seniors. Councilmember Bolden-Simpson stated that it would be beneficial to have a QR code to access the 311 survey at a later time. Councilmember Bolden-Simpson asked if membership in the Utilities Assistance Program (UAP) has increased. Denise Riedl stated that enrollment in UAP has increased. Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan asked if the translation app has the capacity to include languages other than Spanish. Denise Riedl stated that the Spanish translations are typically more accurate, but the app can be expanded to include more languages . Council Vice President Tomas Morgan asked if there have been any updates regarding the twelve million dollar ($12,000,000) federal grant for the Broadband for Excellence in Leaming and Training (BELT) project. Denise Riedl stated that federal legislators are aware of the grant application as a legislative review was part of the application process. Council Vice President Tomas Morgan asked if there are other grants on the State level that the City may receive . Denise Riedl stated that there are several State digital infrastructure grants the City hopes to receive . Council President Lee asked if AI can be integrated with 311 . Denise Riedl stated that l&T has been looking into AI products to integrate with 311 , but none have been able to answer common questions such as how much yard waste costs or when a person 's trash is picked up. AI models are improving, but they won't be integrated with 311 until they can consistently and accurately answer residents' questions. Council President Lee asked how the Council can improve the design and usability of the website. Denise Riedl stated that she can meet with Council on how to improve the organization of information on the Council 's web page to ensure ease of access for residents . RESOLVE INTO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers moved to resolve into the Committee of the Whole, which was seconded by Councilmember Bolden-Simpson and carried by a vote of eight (8) ayes with one ( 1) councilmember absent. Council President Canneth Lee -Aye Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye -------------1--------------------------a Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers -Aye Councilmember Sharon McBride-Aye Councilmember Troy Warner -Aye Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson -Aye -------------+----------=---------=------=--------j Councilmember Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis -Absent Councilmember Karen L. White -Aye -------------'----------------------' PUBLIC HEARINGS REGULAR MEETING March 24, 2025 Council President Canneth Lee -Aye Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye t- Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers -Aye Councilmember Sharon McBride-Aye f- Councilmember Troy Warner -Aye Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson -Aye t- Councilmember Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis -Absent f- Councilmember Karen L. White -Aye REGULAR MEETING RECONVENED Council President Lee stated that the Full Council is now back in session. This portion of the meeting is where bills are given a third (3 rd ) reading and action is taken regarding bills that were heard during the Committee of the Whole. BILLS ON THE THIRD READING BILL NO . 05-25 THIRD READING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA , AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3527 LINCOLNW A Y WEST COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT NO. 1 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND , INDIANA Clerk Tirado read the bill to the Council for its third (3 rd ) reading. After the third (3 rd ) reading , Council President Lee requested a committee report . Councilmember Warner stated that Bill No . 08-25 was heard in the Committee of the Whole and comes to the Full Council with a favorable recommendation. Council Vice President Tomas Morgan moved for the passage of Bill No. 05-25 , which was seconded by Councilmember McBride and carried by a vote of eight (8) ayes with one (1) councilmember absent. Council President Canneth Lee -Aye Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye t- Councilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers -Aye t- Councilmember Troy Warner -Aye ,- Council member Sheila Niezgodski -Aye f- Councilmember Karen L. White -Aye RESOLUTIONS None. BILLS ON FIRST READING BILL NO . 15-25 Councilmember Sharon McBride-Aye Councilmember Sherry Bolden-Simpson -Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis -Absent FIRST READING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA , APPROVING A PETITION OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1335 CORBY BOULEY ARD COUNCILMANIC 1c C C C C C REGULAR MEETING ouncilmember Karen L. White -Aye 18-25 March 24 , 2025 FIRST READING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND , INDIANA , APPROVING A PETITION OF THE ADVISORY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1701 HICKORY ROAD COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT NO. 4 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND , INDIANA Clerk Tirado read the bill to the Council for its first (1 si) reading . Council President Lee entertained a motion to send Bill No. 18-25 to the Board of Zoning Appeals on April 7, 2025 , and to the Zoning and Annexation Committee for a pub lic hearing and third (3 rd ) reading on Apri l 14, 2025 . Council Vice President Tomas Morgan moved to send Bi ll No . 18-25 to the Board of Zoning Appeals on April 7, 2025 , and to the Zoning and Annexation Committee for a public hearing and third (3 rd ) reading on April 14, 2025 , which was seconded by Councilmem b er McBride and carried by a vote of seven (7) ayes with two (2) councilmembers absent. ounci l President Canneth Lee -Aye ounci lmember Ophelia Gooden -Rodgers -Aye ouncilmember Troy Warner -Absent ounci lmember Sheila Niezgodski -Aye ounci lmember Karen L. White -Aye 19 -25 Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye Counci lmember Sharon McBride-Aye Councilmember Sherry Bo lden -Simpson -Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver Davis -Absent FIRST READING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND , INDIANA , APPROVING A PETITION OF THE AD VISORY BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS FOR THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 906, 912 , 914, 918 DUBAIL AVENUE AND 1703 , 1705 , 1711 DALE AVENUE COUNCILMANIC DISTRICT NO. 3 IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA C lerk Tirado read the bill to the Counci l for its first (1 si) reading. Council President Lee entertained a motion to se n d Bi ll No . 19-25 to the Board of Zoning Appeals on April 7, 2025 , and to the Zoning and Annexation Committee for a public hearing and third (3 rd ) reading on April 14, 2025. Counc il member Niezgodski moved to send Bi ll No . 19-25 to the Board of Zoning Appeals on April 7, 2025 , and to the Zoning and Annexation Committee for a pub li c hearing and third (3 rd ) reading on April 14, 2025 , which was seconded by Council Vice President Tomas Morgan and carried by a vote of seven (7) ayes with two (2) counci lmembers absent. C ounci l President Canneth Lee -Aye Council Vice President Rachel Tomas Morgan -Aye C ouncilmember Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers -Aye Counci lmember Sharon McBride-Aye C ouncilmember Troy Warner -Absent Counci lmember Sherry Bo lden -Simpson -Aye C ounci lmember Sheila Niezgodski -Aye Councilmember Dr. Oliver D avis -Absent REGULAR MEETING March 24, 2025 None. NEW BUSINESS Council Vice President Tomas Morgan stated that the State of the City will be held in Indiana Uni versity of South Bend 's (IUSB) Joshi Performance Hall at 6:00p .m. on March 25, 2025. Councilmember Niezgodski lauded the work of officers Joe Cole and Brian Meador. Councilmember McBride recogni zed the life of late Pastor Earl Hairston Sr. Council President Lee sympathi zed with families that are enduring challenging situations. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR Logan Foster, 1138 College Street, South Bend, IN 46628 , spoke regarding the South Bend Municipal Code and Council complaints. Joseph Jones , 1311 South 33 rd Street, South Bend , IN 46615 , spoke regarding taxes. Carlos Leyva, gave updates from South Bend schools , spoke regarding Memorial Hospital 's Family Medicine Residency Program , and spoke regarding the Martin Luther King Dream Center. Council President Lee stated that the Dream Center will be opening on April 4, 2025. ADJOURNMENT Council President Canneth Lee adjourned the meeting at 9:20 p.m .