2009 Annual Report - Health and Public Safety Committee

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2009 Annual Report of the Health and Public Safety Committee December 3, 2009 Page 2 _ Like last year, the Health and Public Safety Committee held an organizational meeting in January. At this meeting, we reviewed the 2008 Annual Report, the Quality of Life Ordinances Review summary page, a 1-page Committee Action Plan form for 2009, and a 6-page Summary of Implementation and Enforcement of Quality of Life Ordinances. Additionally, the Committee members outlined t ascertain priorities for the current year. The following were determined to be the top priorities for 2009: # 1 Discussing public safety in light of the budget # 2 Assuring that the discussion process is complete and thorough # 3 Developing an Action Plan on such items as Beacon Heights # 4 Continuing discussions on improving and identifying new and/or improved funding sources for public safety The ensuing Health and Public Safety Committee meeting dealt with a wide variety of safety issues which resulted in productive dialogue and actions. The following is a summary of some of the key topics which the committee studied and reviewed: • Beacon Heights • Community Animal Rescue Effort (C.A.R.E.) • Creating a new Fund # 278 Police Take Home Vehicle Fund • Quality of Life Ordinances Review -noise, wheelchair accessibility downtown, skateboarding • Maintenance of Vacant lots • Special events in residentially zoned areas of the City of South Bend • School Crossing Guards • Graffiti • Taxicab regulations Banning the Use of Cell Phones and Textin~ Devices in School Zones: Following a series of committee meetings, and collaborating with the South Bend Police Department, South Bend Community School Corporation, and the City Administration, Council Members Puzzello, LaFountain and myself jointly sponsored Bill No. 48-09 which bans the use of cell phones and texting devices in school zones. That Bill was passed on July 27, 2009 as Ordinance No. 9946-09. It has been codified into the South Bend Municipal Code as § 20-131. A user-friendly brochure about the ban on the use of cell phones and texting devices in school zones was developed. That brochure has been distributed to the South Bend Community School Corporation, the South Bend Police Department, and the public at large. Between September 1St and November 16~' there have been thirteen (13) ordinance violation citations issued for violation of South Bend Municipal Code as § 20-131, according to the Ordinance Violations Bureau. Each of those citations is subject to a $75.00 fine.