04-22-02 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING NEW BUSINESS APRIL 22, 2002 PROPOSED RESCHEDULING-OF MAY 27, 2002 MEETING Councilmember Aranowski noted that in the month of May the second meeting of the Council is scheduled for Monday, May 27th which is Memorial Day. He asked that it be considered that this meeting be rescheduled to Tuesday, May 28th. Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand advised that the availability of the Council Chambers must be checked and therefore suggested that this matter be addressed at the next meeting of the Council. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Mr. Jim Cierzniak, 1156 East Victoria Street, South Bend, Indiana, informed the Council that earlier today he submitted to each of them a letter which he has written to Mr. Rick Walls, Director of Operations, National Football Foundation, and would like to read it into the record this evening: 1156 E. Victoria St. South Bend, IN 46614 April 20, 2002 Mr. Rick Walls, Director of Operations National Football Foundation 22 Maple Ave. Morristown, NJ 07960 Dear Mr. Walls: I recently wrote to Bernie Kish, asking him to reveal the salaries of the three top administrators of the College Football Hall of Fame, including himself. I also asked him for the names and titles of the other two officers — and whether either or both had a leased car, courtesy of the CFHF. Mr. Kish answered (4/15/02): "The members of the Hall of Fame Staff, including myself, are employees of the National Football Foundation. The NFF does not release specific salaries of its employees, but general information regarding expenditures for salaries and benefits of the Hall of Fame Staff is provided to the City of South Bend in the Hall's Quarterly Financial Reports." While I understand the answer as it relates to NFF officials at the New Jersey office, it is self - serving and too - clever -by -half when applied to the CFHF. The Hall is heavily subsidized by South Bend taxpayers, to wit, an annual $1.4 million bond payment for the building and exhibits plus over $700,000 (Hotel -Motel tax and Professional Sports Development Fund) in an annual subsidy for the operation of the Hall (That $700,000 represents 45% of all operating revenue for 2001). Given the onerous $2.1 million annual burden of the Hall on South Bend taxpayers, our citizens have a right to know where all that money is being spent - in detail. Certainly the salaries of the leading staff members are not sacrosanct. -26- 1 1 �1