04-27-76 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING APRIL 27, 1976 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (CONTINUED) He said he did not think this is what the Council intended. Mrs. Swan asked who paid for the cadet's education. Captain Terry said the federal government paid, up to this year. He said this was paid directly to Indiana University. He said if a cadet should quit he must repay the grant, if he does not re- employ himself in law enforcement within two years. Mrs. Swan said she wondered how many have gone through the cadet program and how many are in law enforcement work. Captain Terry said he would furnish Mrs. Swan with the number of cadets who have finished the program. Mrs. Swan said the government no longer picks up the tab, now is this program going to be cut off, or is the City going to pick up the tab and take on the tax burden of educating the police cadets. Council Member Horvath said he was sure a cadet who has been in training for a year or two must be of some value to the Police Department. He said he felt at the rate they were being paid the City was getting a bargain, since they can release an officer to work outside. Captain Terry said he was firmly convinced of their value. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association said he had made a study of these salaries over the past few years. He said that in 1971 and 1972 the cadets were paid $3,00 in 1973 there was an across the board increase and they received $165; in 1974 the salary ordinan provided for $3,170, or a $5 increase, however, there was an across the board increase of $200 an they carried that amount in the cadet budget, therefore, if they were paid according to budget, they were paid $3,365, or $195 more than the salary ordinance provided; in 1975 the ordinance was $3,487, which is an approximate ten per cent increase, but the budget was $3,701, which would mean they were paid $214 more than the ordinance provided. He said the point that should be kept in mind was that in 1974 and 1975 the cadets were paid more than the ordinance provided for. He said a similar situation exists with regard to the crossing guards. He said that in 1973 the budget provided less for crossing guard 1, than the salary ordinance; in 1974 and 1975 the budge carried more for crossing guard 1 and 2 than the salary ordinance. He said he could find no pro- vision in any salary ordinance for a salary for a crossing guard #3. He indicated this situation should be watched more carefully when budgets are prepared. Mrs. Mary Hesiben, Captain of the School Crossing Guards, expressed her appreciation to the Counc She said she thought the crossing guards deserved this pay, and hoped the Council would pass the ordinance. Council Member Kopczynski made a motion that this ordinance be recommended favorably to the Coun seconded by Council Member Adams. Council Member Taylor asked if this money would be retroactive. Mr. Walt Lantz said it would not necessarily be retroactive, but they would be paid a sufficient amount to provide for the $60 in- crease the rest of the year. Council President Parent said he would like to point out that discrepancies between budgeted amounts and salary levels are not necessarily all that serious, because salary levels, lower than what is approved can be paid. He said he thought more care should be shown in the future, but he did not think it is all that serious. The motion carried. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $100,000 FROM FEDERAL ASSISTANCE GRANT FUND COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS GENERAL REVENUE SHARING TO PROGRAM FA 87 GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH BEND THROUGH ITS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and op- ponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Mr. Peter Mullen, City Controller, made the pre- sentation for the ordinance. He said that in August of 1975 there was a request for $100,000 for Goodwill. He said the Council approved $50,000 from revenue sharing funds, and recommended that the additional $50,000 be paid from Community Development Funds. He said in March of this year they received a notice from the State Tax Board that they had disapproved the request for this money from revenue sharing. He said in the meantime, they had learned they could not give $50,000 of Community Development funds for this purpose. He said they were asking for $25,000 a month, over a four month period. He said they were asking for this because of the services Goodwill provides the City and the handicapped people of the area. He said Goodwill employs approximately 90 handicapped. He said they were in the process of a $1,000,000 fund drive and the $100,000 would be a very important part of this fund drive. Mr. Gene Evans, Executive Secretary of the Civic Planning Association, read the following state- ment into the record from the Civic Planning Association: South Bend Common Council April 27, 1976 South Bend, Indiana Re: Ordinance Appropriating $100,000 for Goodwill Dear Council Members: The South Bend Civic Planning Association does not wish to speak in total opposition to this ordinance but we do have some serious reservations about the use of revenue shar- ing funds in this manner. We recognize the revenue sharing monies have been used in similar programs previous to this proposal and that they do qualify under the enabling Legislation. We admit that we may have been remiss in not speaking out in a stronger manner at the time the earlier proposals were made.