|
CITY OF SOUTH BEND OFFICE OF THE CLERK
<br /> initially,receive feedback from the Council, and then we will present all of the proposed changes
<br /> that we are going to make to the budget at next week's budget hearing on October 2nd, 2019.
<br /> Committeemember Broden replied, Okay. So, can this be a follow up?
<br /> Mr. Parker replied,Yes.
<br /> Committeemember Broden followed up, So,just basic analysis on, if you take the whole inclusive
<br /> procurement grants, that's a lot of work: the timeframe and just the individual doing that. How
<br /> much time would be just sucked up with that very, very important next step that we need to take
<br /> that?That alone was several pages and several sub-goals. And then on top of that, I participated in
<br /> the CDFI Friendly Community Workshop. There's a tremendous opportunity relative to that
<br /> initiative alone, and the trauma-informed City and restorative justice.
<br /> Mr. Parker agreed, There's a lot there.
<br /> Committeemember Broden continued, So I just really concur with the public that greater higher
<br /> funding of many folks that, twice as much, and I'm not talking about throwing money. I'm saying
<br /> that we hit smart goals, objective programs that we can deliver on, and here's kind of my thing, in
<br /> my four(4) years that I've been here, we have been catching up on infrastructure. We have said so
<br /> many times, well we haven't done a rate change for fifteen(15)to twenty(20) years. One(1) was
<br /> thirty(30) years. Park's was almost four(4) decades. So I'm like, let's catch up on the people side
<br /> of these things. And so relative to those changes that we made in things, and that this Council was
<br /> bold enough to catch up on deferred maintenance and just things that had to be done that were
<br /> requirements in order to deliver essential services, this is substantive. It's critical to where we go
<br /> in the next two (2), three (3), five (5) years. And right now I don't see the priority overall in the
<br /> budget in order to deliver it and get it done. And, frankly, I'd rather get it done sooner than later. I
<br /> don't want a ten(10) year rollout plan. We can't afford that as a community.
<br /> Mr. Parker replied, Thank you for the comments. I think nobody who was at that budget hearing
<br /> where this budget was presented could deny that there was an outpouring of support for exactly
<br /> what you're saying. So, thank you for adding your voice to that. And, as I said, the Administration
<br /> hears it and we're having conversations around what we can do to respond to that and that will be
<br /> presented at next week's budget.
<br /> Committeemember Broden stated, Okay. And if I might just add on one (1) more thing. We can't
<br /> just look at the program delivery, we have to look at cost savings and just widely the benefits that
<br /> would accrue to us as a City if we were able to really move on this and expedite the deliverables.
<br /> Mr. Parker replied, Well, yeah. And I think the points have been made, so I won't go over it. The
<br /> interplay between the different initiatives, right? What Community Investment is doing, what
<br /> Christina's department is doing, and what the new public safety initiatives department would be
<br /> doing all interplay and interact with the community.
<br /> Committee Chair White the opened the floor to member of the public wishing to speak.
<br /> Sue Kesim, 4022 Kennedy Drive, stated, I've been coming to these budget hearings for, I want to
<br /> say, four (4) or five (5) years now. And pre-Christina Brooks, the discussion that I recall was the
<br /> EXCELLENCE ACCOUNTABILITY i INNOVATION INCLUSION EMPOWERMENT
<br /> 455 County-City Building 227W.Jefferson Bvld South Bend,Indiana 46601 p 574.235.9221 f 574.235.9173 TTD574.235.5567 www.southbendin.gov
<br /> 29
<br />
|