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Councilmember Oliver Davis stated this City is relying too much on fees because there is a <br />practice across this country that municipalities are starting to use fines as a way to run the <br />departments which is totally unethical. Councilmember Oliver Davis stated his concern for the <br />way violations are registered with Code Enforcement. <br />Councilmember Jo M. Broden stated there is a question of law and responsibility with these <br />issues. She stated there is definitely ambiguity about who at the end approves of these fees <br />because clearly some at the Board of Public Works don't even think they have the authority. The <br />main question which needs to be answered is whose responsibility is it to approve the fees. Also, <br />when so many concerns come from the public and those concerns aren't reflected in the Board of <br />Public Works minutes, the question of due diligence comes up. She stated her understanding is <br />that the City is not to be making a profit on these fees so we need to get the evidence of what are <br />the actual costs of these procedures. <br />Council Attorney Kathleen Cekanski - Farrand stated past Councils have used a cost - benefit <br />analysis for all City fees coming forward from the administration. It is her understanding that <br />administration would have addressed these questions. <br />Councilmember Oliver Davis stated it is a poor excuse to raise fees just because they have not <br />been raised since 2008 because if all the departments start thinking that way there will be chaos. <br />Councilmember John Voorde stated this obviously raises consequences beyond just a fee <br />increase whether they were intended or unintended. In addition to not having a justification for <br />these fees in correlation to what it costs to do them, we need to take a larger look into how we do <br />our business in South Bend. How well Code Enforcement is doing their job shouldn't be based <br />on how their numbers and bottom line look. <br />With no further business before the Committee, Chairperson John Voorde adjourned the meeting <br />at 6:12 p.m. <br />Respectfullr,ai itted, <br />John Voo a o2, /�J- <br />7 <br />