05-14-12 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING MAY 14, 2012 permanently. It is one of the two of the twelve that was addressed that is not currently filled. The same goes for the next position the Director of Public Works. This is the one position that he requested the Council to authorize the salary higher than authorized for Mayor. He stated that he believe that it is that important. He reiterated that they have a new City Engineer up and running. He stated that they have also benefitted tremendously from the volunteer and consulting assistance of former Public Works Director, Gary Gilot. He continues to help them in that regard as they move forward he hopes to extend an offer to a permanent candidate for that position in the near future. He stated that he is very pleased to announce the position of Executive Director of Community and Economic Development has been filled by Scott Ford. He stated that Scott comes to the city with an extensive background in policy development and planning as well as architecture. He stated that he has worked all over the country and the world. That includes seven (7) years spent in South Bend. He had the opportunity to work with former Councilmember Karl King on an internship while he was reviewing the City of South Bend as an object of academics study. Mr. Ford has also worked in areas ranging from both coasts of the United States to post Katrina and New Orleans and brings a vary unique prospective and he is very excited. He stated that he brought Mr. Ford around very informally to meet most of the Councilmember’s before the Committee Meetings this afternoon. He stated that for those that did not have a chance to meet him today, he is looking forward to introducing Mr. Ford. He stated that Mr. Ford is looking forward to working with the Council. The position of Director of Human Resources experienced an increase in order to create flexibility in the salary for that position. The same move was made on the Director of Information Technology. Both of those positions are Janice Hall, Director of Human Resources and Bob Allen, Director of Information Technology. The positions of Assistant to the Mayor were converted to Chief of Staff to the Mayor which is occupied by Mike Schmuhl with no increase in salary. The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Mayor was created by the Council out of the other Assistant to the Mayor position, again with no increase in salary and is occupied by Katherine Roos. Matt Sikora has joined the team in a position that was created by the Council converting the Director of Secretarial Services into the Executive Assistant and Director of Special Projects for the Mayor’s Office and he is working very ably in that role without a change in salary. The title of Director of Communications and Special Projects was changed by the Council to Communications Director, a small change, one that did not include a conversion in salary. That post is held by Debra Johnson. Debra worked previously as a journalist and brings those skills to her work as Communications Director in the Mayor’s Office. Last, but not least they asked the Council to create the position of Deputy City Controller, John Murphy has stepped up very ably into that position. That did include a salary increase from the Finance Director position that it was associated with previously. He stated that he appreciates all the many recent Council actions that have been taken and appreciated throughout the city, the one that he noted most was the reauthorization of funds for the illegal dumping crew. A partnership between the Department of Code Enforcement and Solid Waste, who recently picked up their 3 millionth pound of trash. He stated that they understand that picking things up after they have been illegally dumped is not the entire solution. He stated that they need to work on the front end to try to head off illegal dumping. He stated that a number of constituents have contacted his office and hopefully contacted the Council to express their appreciation for the impact of this program. He stated that he wanted to also let the Council know of the review of the Community and Economic Department is now mostly complete. He stated that they have worked very hard with individuals interviewing individually each person in the department as well as engaging in a number of experts to try to make sure that they have the best possible structure and strategy as well leadership for the department going forward. He stated that he will be coming to the Council later on this Spring/Summer, requesting the Council’s assistance in what he aims to have as a budget neutral adjustment to the structure of that organization. The intention is to then roll that out at an Economic Summit to be held in late June, which will be an opportunity for us to communicate to Economic Advocates and Civic Leaders in this community. Who to call for what and how they are approaching, not just as a city, but hopefully in partnership with County, Regional and State organizations, for the question of economic development, making sure that they are geared up to attract the jobs of the future. Mayor Buttigieg then opened up for questions and answers. He stated that if he does not have the answer ready, he will do his best to follow up. 4