09-12-18 Personnel and Finance (#8)

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CITY OF SOUTH BEND I OFFICE OF THE CLERK that are great for solar energy. That can reduce costs for energy in schools, so that's an idea we haven't figured out yet. Committee Chair White opened the floor to members of the public for questions or comments for Transpo and the Department of Community Investment. Sue Kesim, 4022 Kennedy Drive, stated, My questions and comments are on behalf of Michiana Disability and Advocacy. Transportation within that community is a big discussion. This will be the third (3rd)time I'm bringing it up. The last time I looked at the figures, one (1)paratransit trip was $34, I don't know if that has changed. That is why that section of the budget is always in the red by a lot. We have seventeen(17)paratransit vans, and LaPorte has taken those same vans and they changed them to propane which significantly reduced the costs and burned cleaner. There's a company in Elkhart that changes those paratransit vans to propane. They got their costs down to $14,which would save $20 per trip if my numbers are still accurate. That is a huge cost savings to consider. They said they would be glad to talk with you. I know there are federal constraints on what you can charge for a paratransit trip, I'm wondering if those federal guidelines are going to go up any. I believe that's part of the reason paratransit loses money is that they have a federal cap of what they can charge. There is a new program by Lyft for medical transport. I'm wondering if Lyft could possibly take off some of the burden of paratransit trips. It is a special pilot program with a special app. I gave the information to Ryan DeLine at MACOG, and his reaction is that it may be great for Goshen because they're more progressive. I'd like to think that we could be more progressive in South Bend and consider something like this. I think the new scheduling system is great because one(1)of the comments I heard in this group is that they would wait or they wouldn't get there in time for their appointment. I hope you'll consider some of those ideas to help improve the experience for people with disabilities and the budget. Richard Collins, 55478 Moss Road, stated, I live in Ardmore. This is an excellent one(1),the City of South Bend Department of Community Investment, I back this one hundred percent(100%). If they continue and keep communicating with you and the citizens that pay for all of this, we'll be alright. Regarding Transpo's insurance, this is the same that the County passed. I hope and pray that you have a good administrator. If you don't, you'll wind up like they are. Also, you have to be very careful. This plan is not controlled by Indiana at all, this is a federally backed plan. The U.S. House of Representatives already has controls passed for this kind of plan. This is an Obama killer plan. When Obama insurance is dead, they will come out and reintroduce legislation to control this plan if they ever get rid of Obamacare. Regarding fleet replacement, we need smaller busses that run economically. Can any of you remember when busses used to take kids to school? Central High School students lined up out front, why can't we do something with the schools and the busses to take some pressure of the school bus drivers to help them out with this? Also, the property taxes are just like the insurance plan. It's all theory, and it is all equations. Anybody can be wrong,just keep that in mind when the tax cuts come. Jim Bognar, 807 West Washington Street, Thank you Council, I would also like to thank you for the debt presentation, and also to you, Jennifer, I think it was very helpful. I direct this originally to the Chair, when I took a look at the presentation for this evening,it was much longer with more information in it, and I did not print it at home. The issue that I wanted to discuss is about one(1) specific area of TIF that affected the River East Residential. Is it possible to bring the slide up of the most current numbers?This was not in the package,but it was online. I wanted to bring up the bond for Eddy Street Commons Phase II. The primary source of this bond is property taxes, and EXCELLENCE I ACCOUNTABILITY I INNOVATION I INCLUSION I EMPOWERMENT 455 County-City Building 1227 W.Jefferson Bvld I South Bend,Indiana 466011 P 574.235.92211f 574.235.9173ITTD574.235.5567Iwww.southbendin.gov 15