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~.~s ' 2008 Personnel and Finance Committee Annual Report
Date: December 1, 2008
To: The South Bend Common Council
The Office of the City Clerk
From: 3rd District Council Member Thomas LaFountain, Chairperson
Personnel and Finance Committee
The following Annual Report of the activities of the Common Council's Personnel and Finance
Committee which is a requirement of § 2-10 (i) of the South Bend Municipal Code.
Duties: The Personnel and Finance Committee is charged with "overseeing the
various activities performed by the Department of Administration and Finance, salaries, budgets,
fiscal matters and personnel policies and procedures of the City".
Members: There were four (4) Council Members on this Committee, namely: Dr. David
Varner, who is the Vice-Chairperson of this Committee; Council Member Derek Dieter, Council
Member Al "Buddy" Kirsits, and myself, and one (1) Citizen Member Roger Hamburg.
Meetings: To date this year, the Personnel and Finance Committee has held thirty (30)
meetings, with another Committee meeting scheduled for December 8a' which has nine (9) proposed
ordinances sent for review and recommendation. Of the eleven (11) Council Standing Committees,
the Personnel and Finance Committee was by far the busiest in terms of sheer number of committee
meetings held this year.
Summary of 2008 Committee Activities: Some of the key topics reviewed, discussed and
acted upon by the Personnel and Finance Committee this year included:
• Amending § 2-213 (a) of the South Bend Municipal Code by updating the violations and
penalties
• Creation of a new Fund # 435 TIF District-Douglas Road Economic Development
Allocation Area
• Increasing the maximum wages for City Teamster employees, as recommended by the City
Administration
• Receiving an update on the Kernan/Shepard Report "Streamlining Local Government:
House bill No. 1001"
• Setting maximum salaries and wages of appointed officers and non-bargaining employees,
as recommended by the City Administration
2008 Personnel and Finance Committee Annual Report
December 1, 2008
Page 2
• Reviewed a series of new and renewal of Scrap Metal/Junk Dealers/Recycling Operation
Licenses
• Reviewed RFPs to tape Common Council meetings
• Reviewed proposed regulations on the pre-approval of claims
• Reviewed several appropriation ordinances addressing such items as the 2007 election costs;
• Reviewed parking garage rates
• Authorized tax anticipation warrants in light of the late tax distributions
• Reviewed the Umbaugh Study on the potential effects of HEA 1001
• Scheduled several committee meetings on the proposed 2009 civil city budget including
hearing a presentation on "Enhanced Budget 101"
• Receiving an update on the DLGF Executive Order extending the budget deadline from
September 30, 2008 to December 1, 2008
• Reviewing and recommending approval of the City Administration's proposals for setting
the maximum salaries and wages for appointed officers and non-bargaining employees for
calendar year 2009 at a 2% increase over the current amounts
• Established a new non-reverting gift and bequest fund
• Reviewed a series of transfer requests including those from dormant accounts to the General
Fund and closing out accounts with had no activity
• Series of joint committee meetings held with the Health and Public Safety Committee,
chaired by Council Member Karen L. White to address the funding challenges facing the
2009-2010 school crossing guard program
Serving on the City's Advisory Ne~otiatin~ Team: As Chairperson of the Personnel and Finance
Committee, I also spent many hours serving as a member of the City's Advisory Negotiating Team,
along with Council Members Puzzello, Oliver Davis, Karen L. White (Alternate) and Henry Davis,
Jr. (Alternate), along with members of the City Administration and the Council's Agent.
Countless hours were spent in preparation for the actual negotiations with the negotiating teams
representing the South Bend Firefighter's Association Local No. 362 of the International
Association of Firefighters ALF-CIO and the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 36.
The Teams were successful in reaching agreement on maximum salaries, wages and monetary
fringe benefits with both unions for 2009. The Teams were also successful in reaching agreement
on a 1-year working agreement on working conditions with the police; with the current Collective
Bargaining Agreement addressing working conditions with the fire rolling over for the 2009
calendar year. It should be noted that under the relevant Indiana state law, the Common Council is
the final authority on the setting of maximum salaries and monetary fringe benefits; with the Board
of Public Safety being the final authority on working conditions.
2008 Personnel and Finance Committee Annual Report
December 1, 2008
Page 3
Recommendations for 2009: 2009 will be a challenging year financial for the City of
South Bend in light of the potential effects of the "Circuit Breaker" state law (HEA 1001).
Discussions should continue on key priorities for the city, both in the short term and the long term.
As part of this process, some areas of discussion may include:
• State law changes for more new revenue options such as a food and beverage tax
• Improved tracking of deadlines on fees for services for greater accountability
• Greater emphasis on cost-benefit analysis on monetary requests
I would like to thank everyone for assisting me in my "rookie year" as the Chairperson of the
Personnel and Finance Committee. It has been at times taxing, but also a rewarding experience.
Respe su i
oun ember Thomas LaFountain, Chairperson
Personnel and Finance Committee
cc: Mayor Stephen Luecke
M. Catherine Fanello, City Controller
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