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CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK <br /> percent (70%) capacity on everything we are using as a tool? What percentage do you think we <br /> are? <br /> Mr. Garces replied, Accela is a pretty big tool in the sense that it is a tool that some cities use to <br /> do a lot of processing. Here in South Bend it was more intended to manage Code Enforcement and <br /> the Violations Bureau's issues. Basically,we submitted the initial report in 2014 that we presented <br /> to the Council at the time of what we thought that Accela was supposed to do. I would say probably <br /> seventy percent (70%) or more of the functionality of it would be fair to say. It's supposed to <br /> handle environmental violations, housing violations and I think one (1) of the pieces we haven't <br /> fully implemented is the zoning violations.The bulk of violations that Code Enforcement manages <br /> end up being environmental violations. Now we know that there are challenges. First(1St) of all, I <br /> think the expectations are very forward looking and they want software that helps them. I think <br /> this is where we are open. We purchased Accela in 2014 and the contract will be done sometime <br /> next year so I think it would be fine to start to look for something else if Accela is not the most <br /> valued. <br /> Committee Chair Scott stated,That was going to be my next question but I would like to hear from <br /> Code. Have we maximized the program to your ability? <br /> Tracy Skibins, Director of Code Enforcement for the City of South Bend with offices located on <br /> the 13th floor of the County-City Building,replied,We agree that it is about seventy percent(70%) <br /> as well. Even though we have the housing environmental piece, we're still doing things manually <br /> and not through Accela. That is something we are working on. Marlaina has worked with Accela <br /> longer than I have so I will turn it over to her. <br /> Marlaina Johns, Deputy Director of Code Enforcement for the City of South Bend with offices <br /> located on the 13th floor of the County-City Building, stated, I would say seventy percent (70%) <br /> but we still run into a lot of daily operational issues with it. Switching software programs is <br /> something we are definitely hoping for just because of the troubles we've had. <br /> Joseph Molnar, Ordinance Violations Bureau Clerk for the City of South Bend with offices on the <br /> 4th floor of the County-City Building, stated,We just use whatever Code is writing.We take those <br /> tickets and once there are payments on them, we have to mirror that in NaviLine, currently. Grass <br /> and litter are the big ones and then the housing repair ones. <br /> Committee Chair Scott followed up, So about seventy percent(70%) efficiency? <br /> Mr. Molnar replied,Yeah,whatever Code is doing,we are on the back end. Whether we are taking <br /> payments or sending to collections, we on the back end of that. If we take a payment or do <br /> something with the ticket,we have to then reflect that in NaviLine because they don't talk to each <br /> other currently. <br /> Mr. O'Connor stated, I think the important thing to consider is it was purchased in 2014 and I think <br /> how we want to use it has changed some of the needs. I think having the good dialogue like we've <br /> been having about meeting everyone's needs is good. If it is not fully capable, we have time to <br /> look at alternative solutions and that is something we intend to do. We aren't going to keep us in <br /> an application that is not being useful. <br /> EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT <br /> 455 County-City Building 227 W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 111)574.235 5567 www.southbendin.gov <br /> 4 <br />