11-22-04 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING NOVEMBER 22, 2004 the public eye by not maybe being open, as they should. Any bill that gives transparency should be supported along with accountability should further be supported. Ms. Alamin stated that she would be shocked if the Council would not be in support of this bill. Ms. Alamin requested the Council's favorable approval of Bill No. 32-04. Mr. Bill Carnegie, 114 N. Hawthorne, South Bend, Indiana, President and CEO, Northern Indiana Food Bank, 702 S. Chapin Street, South Bend, Indiana spoke in favor of this bill. Mr. Carnegie stated that on November 18, 2004 he voiced his opposition to this bill. Specifically in regard to that portion that applies to reporting for non-profit organizations. At the conclusion of that meeting, he changed his mind, due to the re-writing of that section that only pertains to non-profit organizations. Mr. Carnegie stated that he is only speaking on that section of the bill that applies to non-profit organizations. He stated that the reporting requirements that are addressed in this bill are no different from any of the others that he submits grant for on a regular basis. This bill is not going to create any undue burden on non-profit organizations. In Ft. Wayne and Ann Arbor, they have similar Ordinances like Bill 32-04 and they have no ill effects from it either. Mr. Carnegie urged the Council support of this bill. Mr. Don Schefmeyer, 300 S. St.Louis Blvd., South Bend, Indiana spoke in favor of this bill. Mr. Schefmeyer stated that as a developer and mortgage banker he has a negative reaction to any regulation concerning bureaucracy. The proposed ordinance has been characterized as adding another layer of bureaucracy in being anti-business. Mr. Schefmeyer stated that he has read the ordinance very carefully and the revised ordinance and he begs to differ with that. There is a big difference between adding another layer of bureaucracy and reallocating bureaucratic resources to better oversee expenditures and make them more transparent. The recent hullabaloo on the recent spending procedures at the College Football Hall of Fame and the red ink bled by the Summer in the City Festival not to mention the incomprehensible decision by the County on leaf pick-up are any indication of the poor strategies employed at various government levels, we desperately need additional oversight. The power to make budgetary decisions involving City purchases and contracts over$100,000.00 is now approved by the Board of Public Works who are appointed by the Mayor. This along with the Mayor's ability to appoint Department Heads stacks the deck. We do not have transparency we have opaqueness. Will all due respect to the Board of Public Works and his Honor the Mayor, a little more oversight by the Council might just force a little more competitive bidding on City contracts and it might even keep the amount previously approved by the Council within their original boundaries. With respect to the reporting procedures for the non-for-profit organizations, it hardly seems like an undue burden to require the submission of a tax return or to ask to see the members of their boards for those entities, which receive at least $100,000.00 of their funding. Given that not-for-profits generally do not pay real estate tax or income taxes, is it unreasonable to require them to be a little more transparent. The continued expansions of Madison Center along prime river frontage, the Center for the Homeless along a prime entryway to the City and the new expansion of the Hope Rescue Mission across from Gates Chevrolet are a testament to these organizations resources. If only the private sector could boast the same. There are similar ordinances that have been enacted in Ft. Wayne, Indianapolis, Bloomington and Ann Arbor. Business people in South Bend and people who live is South Bend have a fear that the City if beginning to devolve. The main reason is the numbers of not-for-profits are serving not only our community but also communities in other counties and counties across the state line and other far-fetched communities. Like all Americans we have civil rights but the other side of civil rights is responsibility and when not-for-profits don't pay taxes and they get dollars from the public wheel or allocations from tax resources from the public wheel they need to take a little more responsibility as to what happens to the folks that they are taking care of. Mr. Schefmeyer stated that transparency is greatly in order from non-for-profits. Mr. Jerry Ivacic, 2239 Topswood Lane, South Bend, Indiana, spoke in favor of this bill. 12