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REGULAR MEETING <br />JUNE 22, 2015 <br />Councilmember Karen White Chairperson, Personnel & Finance Committee, reported that they <br />met this afternoon on this bill and sends it to the full Council with no recommendation. <br />Presenter: John Murphy, City Controller, Offices on the 14" Floor— We have had the policy to <br />amend the budget periodically during the year. We currently do it four (4) times a year March, <br />June, September, and December. This is our June report. The city civil funds are governmental <br />funds usually paid with property taxes, local income taxes, or other fees. There are three items on <br />the June listing. One is a $200,000 expenditure but we were actually reimbursed $160,000 for a <br />federal grant so it is really a net of $40,000. The second is for paying agent fees for $800 that <br />are sometimes paid out of the escrow account but in this case we are paying those directly. The <br />third that we talked about in committee meeting is not really a new expenditure. Accounting has <br />been deducting the cost of our bond and we are electing instead to pre -pay that amount as a <br />different way of handling the cost. I would be happy to answer any questions. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis — Just to clarify for the audience when a transfer is being switched <br />from department to department, that does not necessarily mean that a budget director or <br />departmental director over spent? Is this a way to cover it if a departmental director went over <br />budget, so they are replacing money to cover that? Could you address that issue, since that it <br />was raised tonight that some people are not following budgets? John Murphy responded, I <br />would be happy to. That applies to the one coming up but not to this one, but just in general. <br />Indiana has a rule that you have four categories of expenditures personnel, supplies, services, and <br />capital. Any transfers between those line items require Council approval. Many States don't <br />have that law, they just have a flat budget. Indiana has a more restrictive rule. So most of our <br />expenditure budget transfers relate to satisfying that rule. It doesn't mean someone is over <br />spending their budget. It means one line item like supplies maybe higher than they estimated <br />and they have money from services to cover it. It doesn't mean they are overspending, it is just a <br />way of transferring that. Councilmember Davis asked even if they over spend in one area they <br />may have money in another area to cover it? John Murphy replied, correct. <br />This being the time heretofore set for the Public Hearing on the above bill, proponents and <br />opponents were given an opportunity to be heard. <br />Those wishing to speak in opposition to: <br />S.J. Sabo, Offices on Mishawaka Ave., South Bend— I'm not sure whether I'm in support or not <br />of this. I'm sure you guys are more informed than us, but the public we have no idea who's <br />getting this money. I see a lot of from but no to. Is it out of line to wonder where the dough is <br />being shuffle around for or is it like the old shell game where it doesn't matter where the shell <br />goes as you're not going to find it anywhere? It's a question of transparency, it would be nice if <br />the rest of us knew what you were voting on. I presume you do, I hope so, there's no telling for <br />sure. <br />Rebuttal: <br />John Murphy — We have pretty high transparency. We have a spreadsheet that list out in great <br />detail what each of the line items are. The city of South Bend is one of the best run budgets in <br />the State. We just received an award that only one other city in the state received as far as <br />budget transparency from the Government Finance Officers Association. So I think we have <br />plenty of transparency, and you know that because you've been involved with it for a number of <br />year. <br />Councilmember Karen White — Is that spreadsheet available for the public, can they get that <br />budget online? John Murphy responded yes it is filed with the ordinance with Janice. <br />Councilmember White replied so that information is online for the public to have. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis — Just to clarify that information is available in the Clerk's Office? <br />John Murphy responded is it filed with the ordinance posted online. Councilmember Oliver <br />Davis replied I mean it is posted online, but if somebody wanted to get the hard copy of it as they <br />didn't have the resources? Murphy stated you can get it in the Clerk's Office and we have it in <br />our office too. Councilmember Oliver Davis reiterated, and you have it in your office too. That <br />25 <br />