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•CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> here, and recommendations from here. The other ones have gone back to school, and as you all
<br /> know, what we want to do, is we want them to move on. We want them to learn something, take
<br /> something from their experience that will help them in their career.
<br /> Committeemember Broden stated, With this going into a transitional year with the new Council,
<br /> any anticipation of any structural changes, in terms of committee structure and the way we do
<br /> work? Is there any look at examining our current structure at the committee level? I think we've
<br /> talked about some combining,reassigning, sort of goals,mission function, at the committee level.
<br /> Does this budget contemplate any of that?
<br /> Council President Scott replied, No. What this budget is to me, doing this for five (5) years as
<br /> President and being on Council eight(8), is, to me, it's a heavy budget. It's a little more weighted
<br /> than I would normally do because I think what it is, is you have five(5)new members coming on
<br /> board. So, the dynamic of this Council is going to change tremendously. And what I like to do is
<br /> kind of pad it a little bit and see what they really want to do. And then we can look at allocations,
<br /> transfers, and then their priorities too.
<br /> He continued, It's not really easy to speak for nine(9)people,let alone five(5)that you don't know
<br /> what their agendas are and what they're going to do. One (1) other thing in here was the health
<br /> insurance is at the highest level because what we do is we budget in like anything, it's a budget.
<br /> You don't have to spend it. You don't need to. But what we do is we budget for the highest amount,
<br /> and we know that not every Council Member is going to take that insurance. So that number will
<br /> come down. It depends on how people get into the groove of Council,whether it's training, travel,
<br /> to be able to see things. Some might have a learning curve with that. Some might need a little more
<br /> than others, and then come back in. You know that dollar amount might come back down to us.
<br /> Committeemember Broden followed up,The reason I asked the question is I know that there have
<br /> been, not active, you know,just conversations, sort of strategy-wise as Council. And as a one (1)
<br /> and done member, four(4) years albeit,just try to get to greater efficiency and less kind of a nine
<br /> (9) headed monster in terms of our committee structure. If there's a way to simplify it, I think it
<br /> would lead to better communication, better interface with the Administration, less responsibility
<br /> across the board for how this whole City government works, and maybe drive more specialization
<br /> within the Council. Individuals by way of committee leadership and just a structure that supports
<br /> higher efficiency, less body.
<br /> Council President Scott stated, Yeah. You can look at it any way you want and whatever the form
<br /> the committees are. As you all know, your destiny or your committee's destiny is in your hands,
<br /> of what you want to do with that, what you want to drive with it. And that's owed to the people
<br /> that have put us in this position. So,thank you though.
<br /> Councilmember Dr. Davis stated, When it comes down to the issue of additional legal services,
<br /> nineteen percent(19%) for the tapes, Police and Teamsters. Fire is the year after?
<br /> Council President Scott replied, Fire, yeah, that has another year.
<br /> Councilmember Dr. Davis followed up, Now with the tapes, as we look at, there was another
<br /> position you said they would have until next year, we'll have to decide whether or not they want
<br /> to continue. How does that affect the fact that we will be voting on monies for that part of it now,
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