09-26-05 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETINGSEPTEMBER 26, 2005 BILL NO. 53-05 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL APPROPRIATING MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE CIVIL CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2006, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2006, INCLUDING ALL OUTSTANDING CLAIMS AND OBLIGATIONS, AND FIXING A TIME WHEN THE SAME SHALL TAKE EFFECT Councilmember White advised that she would like the record to reflect that the Council has already had the official second reading on this bill. At this time this portion of this meeting will rest with the Councilmembers. If there is any comments or questions that the Councilmembers may have pertaining to Bill 53-05, they may be addressed at this time. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, advised that earlier this afternoon the Council received updated summary sheets for various budgets that would affect the general fund as well as the Police Pension.In light of those numbers increasing, the Council is requesting Mayor Luecke by State Law, only the administration can make a request to increase at this point. So, we respectfully request that Mayor Luecke make those remarks. Mayor Stephen J. Luecke, 1400 County-City Building, South Bend, Indiana, advised that they presented an updated summary of information for the budget. Between the time that they originally submitted their budget and now, they have reached conclusion of negotiation with both the Police and the Fire bargaining units which has resulted in a change in the budgeted amounts. In particular, in the personnel line items for those departments and in the pension as well. These results of the negotiations allow for an increase in the expenditure amounts of $140,000 which will also mean a potential increase in the disbursement from the rainy day fund of $140,000 to meet those additional expenditures. Mayor Luecke officially request as Mayor of the City of South Bend, that the Council accept this change to the budget in Bill No. 53-05. Councilmember Puzzello made a motion to accept the detail line item as on file with the City Clerk, filed by the administration and requested by the Mayor. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand advised that there is a request that Fund #377 be amended by decreasing the line item by $32,000. Councilmember Varner made a motion to amend Fund #377 to reduce the proposed appropriation in the budget by $32,000. Councilmember Dieter seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. Councilmember Varner advised that Fund #377 for the those in the audience is the annual transfer of monies to the College Football Hall of Fame. It is funded partially out of Hotel-Motel Tax and partially from the Sports Development Fund. The College Football Hall of Fame has been with us for about thirteen (13) years now. There have been a number of disappointments associated with it. Despite the good efforts by a lot of people, the realization of the goals and dollars and the attendance has not materialized and in all honesty, they will never materialized. That leaves us in a position as a Council about what to do with escalating expenditures. A year ago the proposed budget was reduced by $200,000, that was pretty significant. This year the purpose of this request is not to be such a financial dent in the appropriation to the Hall of Fame, but to send a message to the people from New York at the National Football Foundation that in fact the Council intends to be a part of the ongoing planning or lack of planning that is going on at the Hall of Fame in the past number of years. When it was proposed, it was going to be free for everybody. It was going to be free to the people in New York and in the City of South Bend. As we enter in to year 10 of the active phase of the College Football Hall of Fame, its really the people in New York that the City of South Bend continues to fund it to the tune of somewhere around $600,000. He personally doesn’t care if the Hall 7