2025 05-21 Board of Public Safety Meeting Minutes

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MAY 21, 2025 42 Counsel or her designee shall be the City's Chief Spokesperson and Chief Negotiator concerning all matters related to the working conditions and other matters addressed in the Working Agreement except the annual compensation of the firefighters. Section II. Ever respectful of the Common Council's legitimate interest with respect to annual compensation, Corporation Counsel or her designee shall attempt to coordinate with the South Bend Common Council’s designated Agent concerning strategy, negotiation times, scheduling of executive sessions, advisory team membership, and other matters pertaining to negotiations. Section III. This resolution shall be in full force and effect from this date until a Working Agreement is signed by this Board. Adopted this 21 day of May, 2025. s/Daniel Jones, President s/Darryl Heller, Member s/Lee Ross, Member s/Alfred Kirsits, Member s/Pamela Claeys, Member ATTEST: s/Theresa Heffner/Clerk E. UPDATE REGARDING TRANSITION TO MERIT COMMISSIONS Attorney Weiss advised that the Fire Merit Commission is a little further along than the Police Merit Board as they have now adopted their rules and procedures. The next meeting we will be approving the same type of resolution for the Police Merit Board. Attorney Connell advised that she is the board attorney for the Fire Merit Commission and the board did pass the procedure for hiring, firing, and promotions. There are only three (3) members, but that is enough to get going. Attorney Taylor advised that the Police Merit Board will likely approve the rules and bylaws since they are less detailed than the Fire Department due to the specifics in the statute. He anticipates that the Police Merit Board would be ready to transition after the June meeting. E. APPROVE RESOLUTION NO. 04-2025 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND RELINQUISHING CERTAIN AUTHORITY TO THE SOUTH BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT MERIT COMMISSION Attorney Weiss noted that this is a formal measure to say that the Board of Public Safety is relinquishing to the South Bend Fire Department Merit Commission all the things that fall under their purview like appointment, promotion, demotion, disciplinary action and dismissal. This resolution states that any matters that are in a pending status before the board that have not had a final action taken regarding the Fire Department be retained by the Board of Public Safety until final action is taken or transferred to the merit system for final action. She was not sure of anything that is pending for Fire, but that would be determined as to who continues with those. Any new things would then go to the Fire Merit Commission. Everything else that the board currently handles will remain with the Board of Public Safety. That includes approval of Lexipol policies, the public bargaining agreements, the statistics, administrative resolutions, and donation of equipment, to name a few. She created a whole list that includes anything that's outside of the personnel actions will remain at the Board of Public Safety. For now, police items will stay with the Board of Public Safety until the Board is ready and then we would do another resolution that would transition that formally. Upon a motion by Darryl Heller, seconded by Pam Claeys, and followed by a roll call the Board approved Resolution No. 04-2025.