2012 Annual Report - Community & Economic Development Committee

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Community&Economic Development Committee (Year End Report) December 13,2012 Committee Members: ,�� Office Chairperson Henry D.f1. Vice Chair Gavin Ferlic Filed DEC 1 a 2012 Members Karen White --- -77 U ;r�,�0 Member Fred Ferlic CITY CLERK,SOUTHBENC IN � Citizen Members: Patricia Crowley and Zachary Raymond On April 5,2012 the committee met for its first organization meeting.The committee had a lengthy discussion about the order of the committee and its relationship with the CED of the City of South Bend. The committee initial meetings of the year began with the unresolved Chase Tower matter.The committee met approximately 27 times during the 2012 fiscal year.The committee has had many opportunities to work with the Administration on the measures of tax abatements, business recruitment, and corridor project talks(Western Avenue & Lincoln Way West), public/private partnerships, Riverfront Development and HUD funding. The committee heard presentations about the Renaissance District which is being supported by the City of South Bend in a big way.Another point,the committee had an opportunity to participate in working through redevelopment to establish a better path for the Fellows Street project. Seventeen tax abatements were heard by this committee and all passed mostly without any opposition. There is an ongoing talk about restructuring the city ordinance—it appears that Jeff Rea (Chamber of Commerce), local unions, and many residents are interested in having a progressive conversation about this matter.The Administration and Council changed the reporting dates from the Administration to Council to be in more in line with the State statue.This was to streamline the reporting so there is a clearer picture between companies that are in compliance or not. This year we had an audacious task to make sure the newly adopted MBE/WBE was being implemented properly with only one committee report about this cultural change in the city we are still moving towards redefining the minority in the local workforce.This committee's name will change after January 1, 2013 to mirror the same name of the newly renamed Community Investment Department. The attached information for the year-end report still shows that there is a lot of work to be accomplished. Based on the first organization hearing we wanted to make sure there is a measurement of success for this committee and we are working towards stream ling the practices of this committee and the administration.