2017 Annual Report of the Health and Public Safety Committee

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4�pU TH 8 -O d Filed in Clerk's Office W PEACE JAN 0 2 2018 1865,E KAREEMAH FOWLER JO M. Broden CITY CLERK,SOUTH BEND,IN 4rd District Council Member To: South Bend Common Council Office of the City Clerk From: Council Member Jo M. Broden, Health and Public Safety Committee Chairperson Date: January 2, 2018 2017 Annual Report of the Health and Public Safety Committee The Health and Public Safety Committee met a total of 13 times in 2017, beginning with an organizational meeting in January to look at past issues, to determine issues of ongoing interest, and to identify any new issues. Committee members included Council Members Jo M. Broden (Chair),John Voorde (Vice Chair), Oliver Davis, and Karen White. Susan Soisson also served on the committee as a citizen volunteer and voting member. Lynne LoSecco also served on the South Bend Animal Care and Control Commission as an appointment by the Council. Attendance by committee members and the members of the Council was strong for meetings which addressed bills routinely assigned to the committee (held generally on Monday afternoons of Council meeting dates), as well as, at meetings called at various times (generally, on off-Council meeting Monday evenings or on Wednesdays) to track additional issues of interest to the committee. Concerted effort was made in 2017 to not only expand the meeting notification efforts and dissemination of minutes not just of the committee's meetings, but minutes from related boards, commissions, and groups (such as the Housing Continuum of Care, the 911 Center's Operations and Executive Boards, the Renaissance District Working Group, Bike Michiana Coalition, the Lead Affinity Group,the Food Access Council, etc.). It is important for the Council, as well as, city staff to have an ongoing awareness and engagement with these entities (and others that arise) with health and public safety issues as their focus. Working together, as public and private sector, we will be able to tackle more issues in a shorter time frame and with greater impact than operating independently. Five issues which were tracked in 2016 by the committee, were also tracked in 2017. These include public safety wage negotiations (fire), code enforcement, public safety initiatives, and homelessness. Public Safety Wage Negotiations. In a departure from past negotiation practices, three members of the Council along with our Council Attorney, Bob Palmer, observed the wage negotiations meetings between the City's administration team and fire personnel union representatives. A four year contract was negotiated and approved by the Council. The 227 W.Jefferson Blvd.Rm.441 Office: (574)235-9321 FAX: (574)235-5575 County-City Building South Bend,IN Voicemail: (574)235-5978 TDD: (574)235-5567 46601- 1830 Email:JBRODEN a SOUTHBENDIN.GOV