12-09-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING DECEMBER 9, 2013 Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Is there any way that we could potential earmark that money maybe for Downtown South Bend for more programming or earmark it for more enforcement of this law. I just don’t like it going to the general fund and getting swallowed up. Maybe there is an opportunity to earmark it for something that could potentially enhance. Councilmember Scott: It isn’t something that I thought of that might be a consideration. I think what we could do is reassess in August and take that into consideration. Councilmember Henry Davis Jr.: Okay, my last question. I still have an issue, a concern with the level of enforcement of this. I just know I need to feel comfortable in the level of enforcement. So how many officers are going to be available, how often do they walk the beat in that area, how often will we see the DTSB ambassadors? I am really uncomfortable with that aspect more than anything else, it’s just the level of enforcement, granted we have had our share of problems with pan handlers and homeless folks, just etc. and this could potentially help downgrade or solidified that perception is out there about downtown South Bend. Councilmember Scott: I will ask Aaron Perri to comment or Joel to comment as well. My thought is right now busking is kind of in limbo, there is nothing on the books that says you can do it or you can’t do it. If we strictly enforced it then it would be considered part of the panhandling. Because if someone collected money so I think in the good spirit of the artistic endeavor that people who are interested in doing this, the $20.00 fee puts the guidelines out there exactly what they want to do and also I think the guidelines are needed to be there so people who come downtown have a good experience, so you know there are limitations and guidelines and what they can do, so we want people to have a good experience. We want the artist’s to have a good experience and we don’t want any gray area to spell out between panhandling and busking. And Joel, maybe you can speak a little bit. I’ve talked to the Police Chief and also DTSB about their support for this as well and their support to be able to enforce any panhandling issues. Joel Barrett, 1122 Allen Street, South Bend, Indiana: As the General Manager of the Ambassador Program from DTSB. The Ambassadors are trained to deal with all kinds of people who come downtown. Anything from someone who belongs there to a nuisance people that may be down there, we deal and we have people on staff 24/7 and I have ambassadors that are on duty like I said all hours of the day anywhere from 1 to 5 ambassadors, 6 at different times. What we typically do is we are usually the first ones to see anything that is happening downtown so, my ambassadors have learned how to approach people, ask a few questions, find out if it’s somebody that doesn’t belong down there, we generally ask them to move on, usually that works, if it doesn’t then the second course, we will usually go and have a very close relationship with the Police Department, give them a call, they are always very responsive. And we take care of these problems pretty quickly, I view the busker as a real asset to downtown South Bend, I don’t see that as being a lot of problem potential there. I think actually it would prohibit or discourage some of if there were a panhandling issue going on, I think having someone out there playing music, I think that would discourage the panhandling issues that we sometimes have. But I would just like to assure that ambassadors deal very closely with the police department and know how to deal with the people who come downtown. This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. Aaron Perri, DTSB, 217 S. Michigan Street, South Bend, Indiana: DTSB is extremely supportive of this bill that is in front of you. We’ve talked to all the business owners in downtown from the large businesses, the banks, and the law firms all the way down to the small coffee shops so on and so forth. They have provided some great input to an already nice piece of legislation that Tim has worked on and I know he has benchmarked many a city where this has been quite successful and vibrant for the downtown. Those business owners provided some feedback that helps strengthen the bill and we are enthusiastic about the vibrancy that all kinds of performance art will add to the streets of downtown. Christopher Huff, 1831 College Street, South Bend, Indiana: I am very much in favor of this ordinance as our Council Representative indicated it’s not regulated at all, what is regulated downtown on the streets is something very negative, perceived by the public as very negative and those are panhandlers. This is something very positive the more positive energy downtown 5