05-14-08 Health & Public Safety - Quality of Life Issues

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HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES Page 1 of 3 The May 14, 2008 meeting of the Health and Public Safety Committee of the South Bend Common Council was called to order by its Chairperson, Councilmember Karen White at 4:31 p.m. in the Council's Informal Meeting Room. Committee Members present: Karen L. White, Chairperson, Ann Puzzello, Vice, Chairperson, Donald Brubaker, Pam Brunette Persons in attendance included: Ann Carol Nash, Catherine Toppel, Jamie Loo, Roger, Hamburg, Winona Hays, Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand, Council Attorney, John Voorde, City Clerk. Councilmember Puzzello, in Councilmember White's absence, asked Kathleen Cekanski-Farrand to outline the purpose of the meeting, Kathy Cekanski-Farrand explained the focus was to be on the implementation and enforcement of current health and public safety ordinances. As well, the Council was looking to identify measurable outcomes for these regulations. By 3:45 Karen White arrived, assuming chair of the meeting. Karen added that the Council hoped to assist the administration in implementation of the regulations. To that end, with transparency a necessity, Karen wanted to clearly identify who was responsible for the enforcement of ordinances and whether additional training was needed. Basically, the focus was to be on who was enforcing the quality of life ordinances, how they were going about it and was the system working. Karen then went on to announce 2 sets of H8~PS meetings. The first series to be held on the 3`~ Wednesday of the each month from 3:30 to 5:00 in the caucus room. Each meeting would focus on one quality of life ordinance. The first meeting would be Wednesday, June 18, to address the scrap, precious metals regulations. See attachment for dates and focus. Also announced was a series of meetings intended to hear neighborhood concerns. One meeting in each councilmanic district, the first in the 4 district on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the Zion United Church of Christ. The other 5 meetings to be determined. Karen then recognized Catherine Toppel, Director of Neighborhood Code Enforcement to speak to the committee. Catherine Toppel said she would like to have a meeting with the Council before the neighborhood hearings begin. She maintained that the Department of Code Enforcement was only responsible for 3 of the 17 ordinances listed by the Council as quality of life ordinances. Furthermore she felt the data presented to the Mayor and the questions asked in the November 28, letter from the committee to the Mayor indicated a lack of understanding on the part of the Council as to the enforcement process and her department's efforts. Karen countered that the very purpose of the field hearings was to hear and measure neighborhood concerns, not to hold Neighborhood Code Enforcement up as a target. The purpose was to "connect the dots,° that is identify responsibilities. Such as, who enforces, how, when, and why of the process. The process needs transparency. Only that way can the effectiveness of ordinances be measured. Information should increase understanding, allowing realistic expectations, and collaboration with the administration. Ultimately, the people would be better served. Catherine Toppel cautioned against using numbers (i.e. # of tickets) to gauge effective enforcement. She said her philosophy was to try to resolve issues face to face hopefully achieving resolution without paperwork. Her goal is compliance not paperwork. Nonetheless, she maintained compliance was tracked, albeit mostly in paper files. 111ustrating other challenges