09-25-17 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING September 25, 2017 MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF THE DESIGNATED ENTERPRISE FUNDS OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2018 AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2018 INCLUDING ALL OUTSTANDING CLAIMS, AND OBLIGATIONS, AND FIXING A TIME WHEN THE SAME SHALL TAKE EFFECT. Councilmember Tim Scott made a motion to continue Bill No. 52-17 to October 9th, 2017. Councilmember Karen White seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. 54-17 PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, APPROPRIATING, ADOPTING AND APPROVING THE SOUTH BEND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION'S 2018 BUDGET AND LEVYING THE TAX AND FIXING THE RATE OF THE TAXATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING REVENUE TO FUND THE SOUTH BEND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION, SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2018 Councilmember Karen White, Chair of the Personnel and Finance Committee, reported that they met this afternoon and send this bill forward with a favorable recommendation. David Cangany, CEO of the South Bend Public Transportation Corporation, with offices at 1401 South Lafayette Boulevard, South Bend, IN, served as the presenter and petitioner of this bill. Mr. Cangany stated that the South Bend Public Transportation Corporation is committed to maintaining a high level of service for those who need it. He stated, We have actually done a couple of route optimizations. We have been able to take current routes and expand without reducing any service. Most recently,we extended Route 15A which now serves a new VA clinic that is located in South Bend. That extension was done without an increase in our operating cost. We are now providing veterans an option to get to the new clinic. Mr. Cangany stated that Route 12 would also be updated to serve the new Four Winds casino in the southwest side of South Bend. Mr. Cangany stated, We are hoping in 2018 to launch a Sunday service pilot program. I do want to point out that all this is being done without any funding from the City of South Bend or the City of Mishawaka. Mr. Cangany explained that one (1) of the corporation's goals is to increase fare box revenue through the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's contracts that the corporation has. DTSB Game Day Express was recently launched and is one-hundred percent (100%) supporter-funded. 2010 was the year of the last fare increase, Mr. Cangany explained. He stated, We've last reexamined our actual pass program in 2015, which culminated with the launch of our day pass, which has been very successful, as well. We have been proactively reducing operating costs. We currently operate twenty-two (22) compressed natural gas buses. We operate the largest compressed natural gas buses in the State. We have additional grants in to expand that fleet and reduce our diesel-powered buses. Mr. Cangany stated that the amount of federal funding for transportation remains to be seen, but that the State has increased its transportation spending for the first time in eight (8) years. Mr. Cangany continued, So, back to the budgets. The 2018 budget is just over$10,600,000, which is actually about $200,000 less than the budget for 2017, and all that's being done through additional efficiencies that I talked about. We are maintaining an accountable service. We're going to be exploring actions to increase fare box revenues and the upcoming service extension 13