08-26-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 26, 2013 Council President Dieter stated that they will get on task once the budget is over for the Officers of the Council to meet with the Mayor more regularly. He thanked everyone for their input. RESOLVE INTO THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE At 7:33 p.m. Councilmember Schey made a motion to resolve into the Committee of the Whole. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of nine (9) ayes. Councilmember Oliver Davis, Vice-President, presiding. Councilmember Oliver Davis, explained the procedures to be followed for tonight’s meeting in accordance with Article 1, Section 2-11 of the South Bend Municipal Code. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated that a brochure may be found on the railing in the Council Chambers explaining those procedures. PUBLIC HEARINGS BILL NO. 33-13 PUBLIC HEARING ON A BILL OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, FOR BUDGET TRANSFERS FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA FOR THE YEAR 2013 Councilmember Dieter made a motion to hear the substitute version of this bill. Councilmember Varner seconded the motion which carried by a voice vote of eight (8) ayes. Councilmember Dr. David Varner, Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee reported that this committee met this afternoon and recommended to continue this substitute bill until November 11, 2013. th Mark Neal, City Controller, 12 Floor County-City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, Indiana, made the presentation for this bill. Mark Neal during the past 4 or 5 years it has been a practice of the City to request department heads, fiscal staff, and city administration to submit mid-year adjustments as we do an extensive review for our budgets in compliance with the adopted city budget and proposed necessary adjustments. We have submitted an amended version of Bill No. 33-13 having added some budget transfers within the parks department to cover the Park’s Master Plan as well as to pay half the cost of a Zoo Master Plan. It is necessary to move those efforts forward in the Parks Master Plan case looking at a parks bond in the future and for the Zoo Master Plan as part of its AZA Accreditation. As you look through the list that they provided he noted that it is rather lengthy for which he apologized, however, they had asked for an extensive review and do the same thing at the end of the year to make sure that they are fully in compliance with the statutory requirements and ordinance requirements of the city. He noted that many of the adjustments that you see in this transfer reflect the change in our fixed asset policy, in which fixed assets the minimum level of fixed assets has been increased so consequently those things that would have normally been budgeted to go through fixed assets are now going through a services or goods category, an equipment category, and therefore there are a number of transfers that talk about budget transfers from capital accounts to other purchases accounts. There are a number of other transfers that have been put forth based upon the department heads review again making determinations of what the priorities are of the city. What are the issues that they are confronted with and what they need to resolve and so they make those difficult decisions as department leaders to determine what monies they will not spend for certain things that they can in fact take care of all matters that have been deemed appropriate. 6