03-23-09 Common Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR MEETING MARCH 23, 2009 Common Council Youth Advisory Council, and a member of the Personnel & Finance Committee. She stated that the Council believes that the youth of the city are a part of today, not tomorrow. She stated that for approximately six (6) years she has had the pleasure of working with twelve (12) outstanding students. The Youth Council meets on strd the 1 and 3 Wednesday of each month. The initiatives and goals of the Youth Council are leadership opportunities, civic engagements, and educational opportunities. She noted that eight (8) members will be graduating this year and all have been accepted to post secondary institutions. She stated that the Youth Council will be seeking applications for youth to become involved and become a part of this wonderful advisory council. She stated that she currently chairs the Health & Public Safety Committee and the duties of that committee are to oversee the various activities of the Fire & Police Departments, EMS, Department of Code Enforcement, and related Health and Public Safety Issues. She noted that an organizational meeting was held in February 2008, to outline the committee’s agenda as well as to ascertain priorities for the year. The following are concerns and activities that the committee determined that they will address: 1. Review the Quality of Life Ordinance; 2. That they will hold a series of district meetings, the purpose of these meetings would be to provide an opportunity to hear from the citizens regarding public health; safety issues and concerns. These meetings were held in 2008, five meetings were held regarding quality of life. In January 2009, the Health and Public Safety Committee held its 2009 organizational meeting; they reaffirmed the need to complete the district public safety committee meetings in related nd districts. The first meeting will be held in the 2 District in April. At that time it will provide an opportunity to listen first hand to public safety concerns of the residents. She stated that they have held special meeting with the local and regional staff of Beacon Heights to seek ways in which the City can work with them and to really come together and bring about ways a sense of community. Future meetings will be forth coming with the staff and hopefully with the residents Beacon Heights. She stated that the Mayor in his State of the City Address noted that the City of South Bend remains strong although times are tough. The recession, economic conditions, unemployment, housing crisis, and the State of Indiana Property Tax Caps increase the need for city services and are having a major impact on government and their limited resources. The City faces the ever increasing demand and expectations from a diverse population for services and resources in a time of limited financial resources residents increasingly expect their government to provide to them high quality service at a cost effective manner. The need to devote resources to districts still remains one of the highest concerns. She stated that all districts are not the same, all districts must not be funded the same. She invited anyone to drive within the City of South Bend and notice that all districts are not the same. She stated that as elected officials need to look at those resources to make sure that all of the districts have the resources available to them, so that the City as a whole can be classified st a 21 Century City. City budgets are similar to those in businesses and households, the need to balance income to expenses. The need to live within our means is an ever increasing call while still maintaining the level of service that has been provided. She stated that the Council, the City Administration and with the help of citizen input make difficult decisions about the allocations of the limited resources. She stated for example, the need to establish funding priorities is a must. What City services should be continued to be provided and how will they be paid for? She stated that the Council has begun Summits this year and budget meetings to look at all funding options based upon the City’s revenues. TIF, Redevelopment and other means will be looked into so that the City taxpayers can receive the best possible city services which are necessary and affordable. All funding should and must be placed on the table, for example: What should the funding level be for the City Parks and Neighborhoods? If Public Safety is the top priority then what should its funding levels be? She stated in order for the City to remain strong and to grow there must be economic opportunities for everyone. The heart and sole of any city are its citizens, their safety, well being, and economic opportunities are the responsibility and priority of the elected officials they chose to serve them. The budget decisions that the Council will be making this year and in 2010 will be critical just as Mayor Luecke stated and she quoted “To continue the work of an emerging South Bend.” She challenged everyone to seize the opportunity to come together to build new partnerships, to protect the citizens, to respond to the call for neighbors helping neighbors and to support each other. She stated that she believes that the City will emerge with a 13