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REGULAR MEETING JUNE 22, 2015
<br />We are now talking about how the Mayor and the Department Heads are supposed to be
<br />managing their offices. What gives, why is that our job? Councilmember Dr. Ferlic interjected
<br />can I answer that? (Davis responded yes) I met numerous times with Randy, and Crystal and I
<br />can tell you right now that it is a changed department, the Codes Department. I can tell you from
<br />numerous ride - alongs with my code officer, Greg, he is issuing numerous citations and they are
<br />now being sent to the collections agency. But remember we are numerous decades behind on
<br />this project. Now that we are doing that, there has been a dramatic change in the 4" District as
<br />I've gone around with my code officer, I think we have a great chance to clean up the city.
<br />Councilmember Davis responded that is my problem, you went around with your 4" District
<br />code enforcement officer, this needs to be done? That is not my job, as a councilmember. We
<br />are going back to management when we deliver dollars to a certain department to do xyz. Every
<br />year we approve a budget to deliver certain things with the city of South Bend and with the
<br />quality of life. (Council Attorney Kathy Cekanski- Farrand interrupted stating questions only,
<br />Councilmember Davis stated don't do that to me I'm a councilmember having a conversation
<br />asking questions), Councilmember Dr. Ferlic stated I respect your opinion and it is the
<br />councilmembers duty to take care of his district. Councilmember Davis replied that is your
<br />opinion. How do we enforce the base line law, the base line says cut your grass, we then apply a
<br />new level of dollars, but it is not being cut. How do we turn this around because of new
<br />legislation or new priority by the Mayor's office? I want to vote for it, I'm asking.
<br />Councilmember Karen White responded, you are correct in terms of enforcement for a number
<br />of years we have had that conversation. If you recall this council pushed forward the graffiti that
<br />came from the Council, the legal dumping came from the Council, product nuances that came
<br />before the council. When we look at tall grass we are bringing this to the Council, understanding
<br />that a number of citizens have approached me in regards to the grass and why should they have
<br />to live next to homes where there grass is not cut? We as a Council under the Health & Public
<br />Safety committee we need to look at all the quality of life ordinances that aren't effective and
<br />take them off the books. Those that we believe are important we need to hold that department
<br />and others accountable and we have to reflect that in the budget as well. Councilmember Davis
<br />stated we will hold them accountable, but they come in and they already have their money and
<br />the pay to do these jobs, when there are not being done. How do we get to the level of seeing
<br />results that the neighbors want to see before we have this conversations again, where we state
<br />that we have issues with management and things change over again? We continue to go back to
<br />step one (1) each and every time. Councilmember Dr. Ferlic responded I think you track the
<br />metrics, when I came on the Council we collected $30,000. This year, now, is 4% higher from
<br />last year. You want to track the statistics; we are going to consistently track the results every six
<br />(6) months if it is consistently off basis then we shouldn't support it. Council President Scott
<br />stated you asked about the implications, we talked to Randy and John from code about this, just
<br />on single violation and continuance. The rumor with this ordinance possibly going through
<br />caused a 44% increase in people taking care of their own lawns already, knowing that there can
<br />be consequences to it, which they don't feel right now. Councilmember Davis asked, how did
<br />they come up with that number? Council President Scott responded when responding to
<br />violations going out there, the lawns were already mowed.
<br />Councilmember Oliver Davis —There was a statement that stated the age of the ordinance of 53
<br />years is not necessarily the issue. What I want to say is that, number one (1) would you not say
<br />based on the 1962 ordinance that we are currently having more money coming in now then based
<br />on the current one in place? Council President Scott replied there is an increase in money and
<br />collections, due to the proposed changes people are now stepping up to mow their own lawns.
<br />Councilmember Davis asked, so the money started to increase even before you composed this?
<br />As they started to enforce the code at the end of last year. At the end of the year, that is where
<br />the money started to come in when they put the right collections team in place. So to me we
<br />didn't have the right collections team in place to collect on the 1962 ordinance. Of course we
<br />don't have the right high -tech words but the issue was the collections as they weren't collecting.
<br />Secondly, is there anybody here from the Parks Department, from HR, from the legal team, any
<br />code enforcement officers as we need to ask them some questions? Council President Scott
<br />stated, Code Enforcement is the only one here. Councilmember Oliver Davis replied at our last
<br />meeting we stated they were going to be here. I'm okay with Code Enforcement as they have
<br />cited a whole bunch of things in the 6" District, but what happens after they cited, they get stuck
<br />in the Parks Department. My questions I have for Parks are to defend how many seasonal
<br />workers they have, how many do they plan to have, and what are they going to do with the yards
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