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REGULAR MEETING There were no questions from Council. June 27, 2016 Noreen Deane- Moran, 716 West Colfax, spoke in favor of the bill. She stated she lives on a street which has some of these cafes and used to be in a wheelchair for some time. She expressed support for the bill and for the cafes. It is great to eat outside but we need to makes sure they are accessible to everyone and people can get through. We will have to do some careful measurement of certain restaurants because many of them currently probably violate this proposal. Some streets are just too narrow and that's sad but the people with disabilities have to have a right to get by. Todd Zeiger, 61550 U.S. 31 South Bend, spoke in favor of the bill. He stated he has a son in a wheelchair and thanked the Council for considering this bill. Sometimes you don't notice these things unless you have someone with you who has a disability. He thanked the Council and the staff for thinking these things through. No one from the public spoke in opposition. Councilmember Oliver Davis made a motion to send Bill 26 -16 to the full Council with a favorable recommendation. Councilmember Tim Scott seconded the bill which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. 30 -16 PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 9, ARTICLE 3 OF THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO ADDRESS AMBULANCE /MEDICAL SERVICE FEES Councilmember John Voorde, Chair of the Health and Public Safety Committee, reported that they met and send this bill forward with a favorable recommendation. Steve Cox, Chief of the South Bend Fire Department with offices at 1222 South Michigan Street, served as the petitioner for this bill. This bill comes as a recommendation about the EMS services provided and EMS user fees. A recommendation has been made and presented to the City Clerk on May 31St. Within that recommendation, they have asked for the fee schedule to increase proportionately in accordance with the fee schedule for reimbursement through Medicare. This has been the standard used over the past few years. Additionally, the report asks for a mechanism to be placed within the Code to allow the department to be able to adjust those fees in April when Medicare comes out with their adjustments in order for us to not lose out on any federal funds. This is with acknowledgement that we do still need to report to Council by June 1St and at that time an update will be provided and any issues the Council may have will be addressed. There were no questions from the Council. No one from the public spoke in favor of the bill. Those wishing to speak in opposition: Jesse Davis, P.O Box 10205 South Bend IN, expressed concerns that the Fire Department will be able to upon the Chief s decision increase these fees prior to them coming to Council. Mr. Davis asked if that is the case when they come to the Council will the Council still be able to have some control over the fees. Chief Steve Cox responded by reading the section in the proposed ordinance which read: "It is further recommended by the Fire Administration that hereafter the South Bend Fire Chief be authorized to adjust these user fees once annually and automatically by the same percentage rate as any adjustments made to the Medicare fee schedule rates with notice to the City Clerk after which new rates will take effect. These changes are reasonable, appropriate, and in the best interest of the City of South Bend. Chief Cox stated over the course of the last five (5) years we have used that particular fee schedule to proportionally increase the adjustments to the fee schedule. The Council has voted unanimously in each of the past five (5) years to approve those. 10