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REGULAR MEETING
<br />MARCH 27, 2017
<br />$735,236 FROM SOUTH BEND
<br />REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FUND ( #752),
<br />AND $250 FROM ERSKINE VILLAGE BOND
<br />FUND ( 058)
<br />Councilmember Karen White, Chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee, reported that they
<br />met this afternoon and send this bill forward with a favorable recommendation.
<br />John Murphy, City Controller, with offices on the 12th Floor of the County -City Building, South
<br />Bend, IN, served as the presenter of this bill. Mr. Murphy stated, These are Civil City Funds,
<br />additional appropriations. Civil City Funds are your non - enterprise funds. We went through the
<br />list during the committee meeting. I'll highlight a couple of the largest items. In the EMS Capital
<br />Fund, we are appropriating $400,000 for land purchases in connection to the new Fire Station #9.
<br />That is funded with Medicaid reimbursements of $1,790,000 that we just recently received, from
<br />fiscal year 2014. We are hopeful that we will receive some additional moneys from fiscal years
<br />2015 and 2016, although it takes a period of time in order to receive those, so we're still working
<br />on that. We're doing a great job with the Fire Department, in that regard. The 2nd largest is the
<br />South Bend Redevelopment Authority. We are closing out a trust account. When you issue a
<br />bond, you are required to set aside one payment in reserve. We have made the final payment on
<br />the 2009 Morris Performing Arts Center refunding. So, this represents a transfer from the South
<br />Bend Redevelopment Authority Desk Service Fund to the EDIT Fund, in the amount of
<br />$735,236. The final item: we are appropriating $2,000,000 for the Community Crossings
<br />Grant—and that funded $1,000,000 in a local matching contribution, and then $1,000,000 in
<br />INDOT grant revenue that was received in February 2"d, 2017. So, these two (2) budget
<br />appropriations take care of the accounting for that program.
<br />Councilmember Karen White asked Mr. Murphy to highlight some of the information regarding
<br />gift donations and bus shelters.
<br />Mr. Murphy responded, Maybe four (4) or five (5), six (6), seven (7) years ago, the Council set
<br />up a special fund for gifts and donations. So, this $200,000 is in connection with the Father
<br />Hesburgh, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. statue. So, these are expenditures that are fully funded
<br />with donations or other revenue from the State. There is no City tax money involved in this. So,
<br />this is the appropriation to finish that project paid for by donations. The bus shelter is a COIT
<br />appropriation of $150,000. It was in the budget for 2016, but we were unable to encumber the
<br />money. We didn't have all the contracts lined up and approved, and so forth. So, that is being
<br />reappropriated in 2017.
<br />This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and
<br />opponents were given an opportunity to be heard.
<br />Those wishing to speak in favor of this bill:
<br />Steve Francis, 225 Edison Street, South Bend, IN, stated that he speaks on behalf of the Sierra
<br />Club, the nation's largest environmental and conservation organization, regarding the relocation
<br />of the fire station on Mishawaka Avenue. Mr. Francis stated that when the Sierra Club first heard
<br />about the initial intention to relocate the station to Potawatomi Park, they feared they would lose
<br />parkland. He stated, I rise in support of this. I think it's an exemplary process. Mr. Francis stated
<br />that through the efforts of Fire Chief Steve Cox, the Department of Community Investment, the
<br />Parks Department, and concerned citizens, a solution has been found that is a "triple- win ": the
<br />Fire Department gets an improved station; public safety is improved in the area, via medic
<br />services and river rescue; and the City does not lose any parkland.
<br />Ruth Warren, 1520 Sunnymede Avenue, South Bend, IN, stated, that she was in support of the
<br />establishment of Fire Station #9 in River Park and stated that it would benefit the City, the
<br />people, and the Fire Department. She commended those involved in the process for arriving at a
<br />consensus decision that benefits everyone.
<br />Pam Claeys, 1106 Bellevue Avenue, South Bend, IN, stated that she echoes the preceding
<br />comments and also that she is in favor of the $400,000 appropriation for the purchase of land for
<br />the Fire Department in River Park. Ms. Claeys stated that Chief Cox was challenged to think
<br />outside of the box and he met the challenge. She stated, He really listened to the public. He did
<br />Con
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