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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-13-34 Council Meeting MinutesT 13th2 1934• REGULAR MEETING. MINUTES. Be it Remembered that the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, met in the Regular Session in the Council Chambers of the City Hall, Monday evening August:13th, 193+ at the hour of 7;50 o'clock P. M. All Members present except Councilmen.Hiss and Oakley. Vice-President Grzeskowiak presided. The Minutes of the previous meeting were read and on Motion of Coumeilman dull were accepted as read." Motion carried. To The Common Council City of South Ben&, Indiana Gentlemen; We, the employes of the Street Department, want a square deal. The demand on the padtt of other City employes nfor an increase in salary, works further hardship on use. 49 of our former fellow employes were discharged because of lack of funds and many of them will not return to work until funds are available in the Street Department. We are paid only $18* a week, or #720' a month. We are not paid for layoffs in bad weather and during the winter the majority of us are off the payroll entirely.' We have wives and children who have to be housed fed, clothes and kept warm. Our families want all that any other American family wants and all we ask-is that we have the opportuneity to earn enough money so they can have t1ise things. We ask you to consider our condition; increase our pay and assure us steady employment; do nothing that will jeopardize ourmjobs. We also ask-that if there is any surplus avai 'table this year ghat it be used for re- employ our fellow workers who were laid off because of lack of money. We want to take n no onets job from him but if the p policemen and firemen are not willing t to work for $1250 a month, many c cf us who are just as capable will be m more than willing to work-for $1000 ' which would be a 33-1/3 percent increase over our present wages. - Louis Smith C Carl Scheminske J John Pallo Vs Poklinkowski L L. Brooks H H.' E:' Josephson A. Tomlinson H H._-Murray C Christ Zanes C. M. Lake H H..L. Anderson 4 400si Lasyo Bud Taylor J John Helm E Emil Luther Ed Slake H Homer Dean F Frank Hammond Art Peterson J John Przestwor E E. Culver Carl Lederer B Bert Kwasneski K Kermit Hindel Ben Turner G Geo.' Faulkner U US.' Lo McGree Wm. Pease J James Johngrave C Cloyd Cowan 1 -Wm. C.' Williams M Mike Zipp P P. Papandrea X G G. J. F'rohmader P Pat McMahan F F.` DeWitt S. Bartoszek - _ __ _ _F. -_T On Motion of Councilman Nelson the Petition was referred to t e omm. ee -or -unevre. - -- Motion carried. 101 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. To the Common Council of the City of South Bend: Your Committee of the Whole to whom was referred an Ordinance Transferring the sum of Seven Hundred Dollars (0700.00) from Salary Account #S-1 to Supplies - General Account #S -12 in the Electric Department of the City of South Bend, Indiana. Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion the said Ordinance should be reported Favorable. John C. Hiss, Chairman. The report was accepted by the Council. ORDINANCE 90. X65. An Ordinance Transferring the sum of Seven Hundred Dollars ($700.00) frdm:Salary Account #S -1 to supplies- General Account-.#S -12 in the Electric Department of the Q'ity of South Bend, Indiana.' The Ordinance was given its :f third reading by title, and was placed upon its passage and passed by the following vote: Nelson, Whiteman, Rokop, Goetz, Hull, Jaworski, Altfeld, Oakley, Grzeskowiak, &Gripe. Aye�O, Nays 0. Ordinance adopted.' ORDINANCE NO. .An Ordinance Transferring the sum of Seventy -five Dollars from Account B-11A Refunds, Awards and Indemnities, to Account B-14 Premium on Official Bonds, Also the sum of Three Hundre&. Dollars ($300.00) from B-11A Refunds, Awards and,Indemnities, to account B-11, Offices Supplies, all in the Department of Finance of the City of South Bend, Indiana. . ThemOrdinanee was given its first reading by title, its second reading in-full and on Motion of Councilman Relson: was referred to the Committee of the tholes Matiaaxaaasiaft also That a Public_Hearing be held August 27th, 193+ at 7 :30 o'clock P. M. Motion carried. ORDINANCE NO. An Ordinance Fixing the Salaries of certain City Officials and employees of the Municipal City of South Bend, Indiana, and Repealing all Ordinances and parts of Ordinances in conflict therewith. The Ordinance was given its first reading by title, its second reading in full and on Motion of Councilman Altfeld was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Motion-carried. ORDINANCE NO. Aim. Ordinance Fixing The Salaries of. certain City Officials and employees of the Municipal City of South Bend, Indiana, and Repealing all Ordinances and part-a of Ordinances in Conflict ,:.therewith*, The Ordinance was given its first reading by title, its second reading in full and on Motion of Councilman Jaworski was referred to the Committee of the Whole. Motion carried.' MAYOR'S MESSAGE IN REGARD TO THE BUDGET FOR 19350 City of South Bend Indiana Office of the Mayor William R. Hinkle, Mayor Common Council August-13, 193, City of South Bend, Indiana V Gentlemen: Attached hereto is the 1935 budget which has been prpared,in strict accordance with the law. Department heads submitted estimates to the Cabinet where they were discussed in detail. They were then referred to the City. Controller who has personally aipervised.the preparation of the budget. The actual clerical and stenographic work was not performer by the ,I Controller nor does the law demand that he do this type of work personally. I assume with the City Controller, full- respoansibility for the preparation of this budget and its submission to your body. For your convenience and in accordance with precedent the budget has been prepared in the form of an ordinance. In accordance with my past statements to the 06,gncil I have provided for a 100 increase in the salaries of 4.City employes for the year 1935without increasing the total budget or the tax rat Thee has been a reduction in assessed valuation of property of $4,257,720. below the assessed valuation of 1934. This reduction of assessment has been made'om the person property of firms, persons and corporations. The assessed valuation of the homes of our City has remained the same. I CONSIDERED IT MY'DUTY TO NOT SUBMIT A BUDGET TO THIS COUNCIL WHICH WOULD INCREASE THE TAX RAT 9OW BEING CHARGED THE HOME OWNERS OF SOUTH BEND. The total loss of income at'the rate of 54 on each $100. of valuation.is $22,991.79 This has been absorbed by savings and increased miscellaneous income. There has been some demand for increased pay for policemen and firemen above the amount provide in.the budget submitted herewith.` Some of the supporters of this increase base their plea it is not an increase but a restoration. Before any restoration is made to public employes the coedit that caused the reduction of their salaries must be cured. We must first restore the ability of the people to pay increased taxes. With a restoration of earning power then a plea for increase salaries-, above those provided in the 1935 budget, can be met and substantiated on the basis of the improved financial condition of the taxpayers. A review of the facts should proud helpful in convincing the Common Council and the citizens of South Bend that the pay of the V225 police and firemen of our City is just and fair when compare with the pay and average cost of- living of one of the peak years, such as 1927- In 1927 the the policement received $170. per month, the cost of living was 27 higher therm it is t &today . Deducting the 27% or 045.90 the balance is $1240'10 per month. The policement and firemen today are receiving $125. with the proposed increase in the 1935 budget they will receive $137.50 The majority of our citizens have suffered greater losses of income than t has been true with public employes. .Thousands of them have been without employment or income of any kind. Compare condition:of these taxpayers and citizens with the group of public employes who have enjoyed steady employment throughout the depression, with wages and salariem paid in proportion to the reduction in the cost of living,.' The decreased wages and income of our citftens and taxpayers with their lowered ability to pay rent, payments on land contracts, mortgages, etc.l has been: reflected in a decreas=e in our assess valuation of over $70,0001000. since 1929. With 14,000 of our citizens unemployed and approxima 2500 families on poor relief and a currents tax delinquency of 17�, it becomes the duty of every public employe to hold budgets and tax rates at as loaw a point as possible.` In 1922 when unemployment and poor relief were practically un4eard of, when the taxpayers: were meeting their tax payments on time, the assessed valuation of South Bend was $139,086,590. The total police salaries. were 0163,821.45 , the total firemenal salaries waa-$203,96.2.94 Today our assessed valuation is 0132,417.460. You. are already acquainted. with the figures: regar ing unemployment and poor reliefs in addition all taxpayers and cotizens have had reductions in wages and salaries but the 1935 budget submitted herewith provides for a total policemens' payr of $167,649.40 and a firemens' payroll of $2250290., in. other words, in spite of decareased earn bw:er, in ss'ppite of unemployment, the heavy cost of poor relief, the assessed: valuation being 7,000,000.00. I less than 1922 the taxpayers of this community, under the 1935 budget, are beinj called upon to pay more money for police and fire protection_ than they were when this community was enjoying almost the highest degree mf propsperity it had evermknown Consideration must also be given to the bettered working conditions placeSd_h in effect bfoisp`olncl9! during the last two years. The entire police force has been placed o a Police there were 32 men-working 9 hours ahea day and ofltrafficroff'iccrs theo entire upolice aforce has radio has been installed and with t P been motorized, instead of walking beats alone they now ride in pairs. Some of the demands for better police equipment are in the processor of beionditio a and andeshorte� hour$ shouldebecgivenf soon as funds are available. Thse better working c consideration when comparisions are made with the old salary scales. I roposed to the Council sometime msel and now propose essionsiattainmentsvwhich will better P encouraging policemen to perfect themselves in those p anable them to give good accounts of themselves t in- cortacts with and thus make them more effective guardians of the peace and safety of this among otb I am particularly interested in marksmanship as a means of accomplishing this purpose, lic opt a and therefore I suggest #hat if the m Council and the Board orpision forefiancingdthe projectf standards to be attained by policemen:in marksmanship, that p o can be made in the 1935 budget without additional burden on the taxpayers.` navy and mar What : -I have in mind is a marksmanship course similar to those employed in respectively each wont corps of the United States, at the.rate of ortexpests by completing the require for those who qualify themse or expert course of firing. I am ready to call upon the experts of out Culver ilitarseAifdthepCouncil err of a similar high standing, for conference on the mapping Boar& will take the necessary action* tendon that an ordinance is to be introduced in the`C�m�r►st.CoFu �slareknot f It has come to my at to be 100 increase in the wages of police and iTeetl ductionsfintexpen expenditures which make possible avallable_with which to'meet this increase* h 4 either because of an increase in 1935 cannot be made effective during the balance of 193 enditures in the first part of the year or commitments and contracts have been made that run e x p to the end of this year.. in the A few weeks ago when it was necessary to decrease the numb er of were bySmanytpDople mE because of a lack of funds, the Administration and this t would necessitate a reduction °:for the paymff. An immediate increase in police and firemens PaY her departments, I will not be a party to the layoff theoOOitYs ifeco tinued,pwillsexceed they in. of P the salaries of other employes. The present ayro240. you may be assured that before increases budget for payroll purposes by approximately , a roll deficit dust be meta We have 63 employes in the Street. Department and the : granted th is p ay roll of any decrease must necessarily fall upon to a men' ro osed immediate increase the Ot As further proof of the lack of money with which to meet any advance payment of taxes can be days before March 1, 1935 6yroll and interest on b 'may be forced to payless pay i4} 701.20 or a deficit o received before that time. The City controll with availabletcash of , r our inter for January and February will total�if2we•ho a to continue to pay our bills and Pad X21,551.20. This makes it necessary, p over part of their 1934 accounts into to arrange with local contractors and merchants to carry April and May of 1935• With the City's cash position in such a precarious condition it becomes native powers to prevent a layof unthinkable to even consider -.any increase in salaries for the nistalance of this year. I feel it my duty to inform you that M I will use full administrative to police and fires or reduction of toe gay.. of other, employes to meet proposed salary cee r,aap 257) U 143-i he d ely 11 ng nt 3 rs, )r a at s ing are Y nds • ;st . oncluded This budget has been submitted with no increase above the total 1934 budget and providing for the same tax rate. If you can decrease it I will be pleased but under no circumstances should the tax burden be increased upon the home owners of this City. Respectfully, W. R. Hinkle, Mayor. On Motion of Councilman Nelson the Mayors Message was referred to the Committee of the Whole. ORDINANCE N0. An Ordinance appropriating monies for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the several departments of the City of South Bend, Indiana, for the fiscal year beginning January lst,1935, and ending December 31, 1935, including all contractual obligations, and fixing a time when the same shall take effect. The Ordinance was given its first reading by title�,,its second reading in full and on Motion of Councilman Altfeld was referred to the Committee of the Whole# also that a Public Hearing be held August 27th, 193+ at 7:30 o'clock P. M. Motion carried. ORDINANCE NO. _ An Ordinance Fixing the Tax Levy for` -the year 1935 for the for.the Municipal Civil City of South Bend, Indiana, The Ordinance was given its first reading by title, its second reading in full and on Motion of Councilman Alt2eld was referred to the, Committee of the Whole, also that a public hearing z:t will be held August 27th, 19349' at 7.00 o'clock P. M. Motion da carried. On Motion of Councilman Altfel.d the Ordinance was referred to the Committee of the Whole, also that a.Public Hearing be held August 27th, 193+ at 7:30 o'clock P. M. Motion carried. On Motion of Councilman Nelson the Council adjourned at 8 :20 o'clock P. M. Motion carried. ATTEST APPROVED CLEW VICE '= PRESIDENT.