HomeMy WebLinkAbout26-15 Resolution Acknowledging the Completion of the Final Report of the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission and Inviting the Commission to Make a Formal Presentation to the Common Council in an Upcoming Meeting *
** City of South Bend
* Common Council
* 300 City Hall • 21,5 S.Martin Luther King,Jr.Blvd.
* South Bend, Indiana 46601
Canneth Lee May 19, 2026
President
Sheila Niezgodski
Vice President South Bend Common Council Filed in Clerk's Office
Attn: Karen White May 19, 2026
Chairperson, Committee 215 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Suite 300
of the Whole Bianca I irado
City Clerk. South Bend, IN
Canneth Lee South Bend, IN 46601
Furst.District
Re: A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY
Ophelia Gooden-Rodgers OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA ACKNOWLEDGING THE
Second District COMPLETION OF THE FINAL REPORT OF THE SOUTH BEND
Sharon L. McBride REPARATORY JUSTICE COMMISSION AND INVITING THE
Third District COMMISSION TO MAKE A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THE
COMMON COUNCIL IN AN UPCOMING MEETING
Fourth District
Sherry Bolden-Simpson
Dear Chairperson White:
Fifth District As you know,the Reparatory Justice Commission has completed and released
Sheila.Niezgodski its final report.That report has not yet been formally presented to the Common
Sixth District Council. This proposed resolution acknowledges the completion of the report
and invites the Commission to make a formal presentation to the Common
Dr.Oliver Davis Council under the agenda item "Special Business" at an upcoming Council
At Large
meeting.
Rachel Tomas Morgan
At Large ge I realize that some aspects of the report fall within the purview of other
standing committees, however, since the resolution creating the Commission
Karen L.White came out of the Residential Neighborhood Committee, I am requesting that
At Large this proposed resolution be heard in that committee only for purposes of
presenting the report to Council.
Please schedule this proposed resolution for the Residential Neighborhood
Committee meeting on May 26, 2026 and place it on the full Council agenda
for later that night.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Canneth Lee, President
South Bend Common Council
:::
(.57 4) 235-9321. Fax(5741 235-9173•T1)1)(5711 23;i-.i567 • http://«wi .son i l i l)c n(l i u.1;(r‘
Filed in Clerk's Office
May 19, 2026
BILL NO. 26-15 Bianca Tirado
RESOLUTION NO. City Clerk. South Bend, IN
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND,
INDIANA ACKNOWLEDGING THE COMPLETION OF THE FINAL REPORT OF
THE SOUTH BEND REPARATORY JUSTICE COMMISSION AND INVITING THE
COMMISSION TO MAKE A FORMAL PRESENTATION TO THE COMMON
COUNCIL IN AN UPCOMING MEETING
WHEREAS, on September 25, 2023, the Common Council, under then President Sharon
McBride passed Resolution No. 5053-23 announcing the formation of a Reparatory Justice
Commission to study various aspects of Reparatory Justice in South Bend; and
WHEREAS, the resolution stated that the Commission would operate independently of
the Common Council, would select its own chairperson, determine its own direction in the
discussion of reparatory justice in South Bend and related matters; and
WHEREAS,the original members of the Commission were David Buggs, Wilner Cusic,
Conrad Damian, Aladean DeRose, John Duffy, Judith Fox, Darryl Heller, James Lewis, Cordell
Martin, Alma Powell, Trina Robinson, Gilbert C. Washington, Cassandra White, and Regina
Williams-Preston with Takisha Jacobs and Richard Warfield subsequently added; and
WHEREAS, the Commission recently completed its assigned mission by submitting its
final report consisting of 138 pages detailing the history of racial discrimination in South Bend
and identifying possible remedies by individual subcommittees addressing:
Employment/Economic Opportunity/Wealth Gap, Housing, Education, and Health and Mental
Health; and
WHEREAS, the Common Council invites the Commission to make a formal presentation
of its final report to the Common Council at the June 8, 2026,Council meeting under the"Special
Business"agenda item.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED,by the Common Council of the City of South
Bend,Indiana,as follows:
Section I. The South Bend Common Council acknowledges and appreciates the work
performed by the South Bend Reparatory Justice Commission in completing its final report.
Section II. The Common Council looks forward to an opportunity to engage with
Commission members during a Common Council meeting.
Section III. The Commission is invited to formally present its final report at the June 8,
2026, Council meeting under the"Special Business"agenda item.
Section IV. This resolution shall be in full force and effect immediately upon passage by
the Common Council and approval by the Mayor.
Dated this 26th day of May 2026
Canneth J. Lee, Council President
South Bend Common Council
Attest:
Bianca L. Tirado,City Clerk
Office of the City Clerk
Presented by me, the undersigned Clerk of the City of South Bend, to the Mayor of the
City of South Bend, Indiana on the day of ,2026, at o'clock .m.
Bianca L. Tirado,City Clerk
Office of the City Clerk
Approved and signed by me on the day of , 2026,at o'clock
.m.
James Mueller,Mayor
City of South Bend, Indiana