SOUTH BEND COMMON COUNCIL NOTES for August 13, 2018

All Council members present
TRAIN WHISTLE UPDATE: Tara Weigand, Project Engineer - They are working on making the whole City a 24 hour Quiet Zone. This will involve working with 3 different railroads with various requirements.
There are 3 Zones:
1. Norfolk Southern - Amtrak Station, Meade, Olive and Grandview Avenue will cost $120K to make quiet
2. Canadian Northern/GTW Corridor - Ford and Walnut Streets will cost $300K to make quiet
3. NICTD also uses the Grandview crossing will cost $50K to make quiet

HOMELESSNESS UPDATE: James Mueller, Community Development - 2 Core areas were identified by the Working Group, which are scattered permanent housing throughout the City and an Intake Center. They expect the Intake Center to have 30 Units and cost $1.4M with an annual operating budget of $260K. Need is estimated at 50 Units at a cost of $650K a year. (See Slide for amounts.)
He noted placement needs to be close to homeless services and away from schools. They are looking at moving the Ivy Tech trailers from their current location and have Hope Ministries run the program for the trailer homes. 
They have not determined where Winter Amnesty will be located at this time. Councilman Davis requested this presentation be made available on the website.

CITIZEN INPUT ON HOMELESSNESS: Council President Tim Scott did not want to hear from the Citizens and Vice President Councilman Davis insisted they be heard.
NOTE: All of these comments are SUMMARIES, not actual quotes. (For actual quotes, ask for the transcripts.)
* Pastor Shelton of the Rum Village Neighborhood Association on Scott Street, says they have a lot of rentals. He is concerned that Oliver Apartments has brought in drug dealers and prostitutes and people who will "Work for Food" on Indiana Avenue.
* John Shafer of 5 for the Homeless is concerned about bringing back Winter Amnesty. He says he is seeing a lot of families with children and the Homeless Center downtown is full. He said they lost 50 beds through Life Treatment Center closing. He noted homeless women are at the greatest risk.
* Patti, the Rum Village Treasurer, is concerned about the 1500 block near Ignition Park. She asked that each neighborhood association be represented at a meeting on the trailer placement.
* Harry Marsh, a lifelong resident on Carroll Street wants to see Homeless placement spreadout. His neighborhood has a lot of the Homeless Services and he doesn't want to see even more problems on the Southeast side.
* Isaac Hunt - Spent a weekend offering jobs with Goodwill, bus transfer passes and addiction treatment. He had 2 people take him up on the offer. He is concerned about sitting on his front porch and seeing drug deals, people throwing bottles and loitering. He noted at the liquor store there are drug sales and prostitutes under the age of 17. He says there are enough Homeless around the Life Treatment Center and Plasma Center. He suggested they put the trailers up by Notre Dame where they can be cared for.
* Henry Miller on Broadway, is appauled at putting people who aren't productive with those who are productive. He says Services are not effective and not working together to solve the problems. There is a cost to inconvenience others.
* Traci Miller on Broadway says they need to go back to the drawing board for a decision since the Homeless don't want to be accountable for their actions. The Opiate Crisis needs to be addressed since people can't even move out of her way since the are high and drooling. She wants Oaklawn to evaluate them. She noted there is too much panhandling and is not interested in people getting fed for 3 years since that "disables" them.
* Reverend with the Gateway Association - Wants the City to take the time to do it right and not "slap it together". He says the problem with the Oliver Apartments is there are no wraparound services and no security. Drug dealers are selling to residents.
* Charlotte Pfieffer of 466 Works on the near Southeast side, says her organization is building 2 new homes to improve the area on Indiana & St. Joseph streets. She thinks LaPorte and Elkhart are sending their Homeless to South Bend. She explained she is a former parole officer. She says the $1.5M is a poor use of resources for something temporary. She suggested they have just one place for 3 meals a day. She is tired of people who are eating at the Broadway Christian Parish dropping trash in people's yards as they leave.

IT UPDATE: The new website has a 20 second faster access time and is getting 2K more page visits per week. (Did not say if these were "unique visits".) There were 1,800 views for the Home Improvement Program, 311 Portal has how to pay the Water/Trash bills

PSAP (9-1-1) UPDATE: Dan O'Connor said GIS errors are continuing to be an issue. August 2nd the County decided there should be a 3 party analysis that will take 6 months. Mishawaka does not want to participate in it. County wants to take the lead on the project and is looking at a new $3M CAD system. They have issued a RFP (Request For Proposal to start bidding). 
The Fire Department is being trained on down times, but training the Police Department will involve OT and cause more budget issues.
Councilman Davis asked to see the Interlocal Agreement that shows who is responsible for each aspect of the PSAP. (PSAP is the 911 call center that is jointly use by St. Joseph County, South Bend and Mishawaka.)

CITY SATISFACTION SURVEY: The ECT Survey was conducted in April and May covering 700 randomized households. People could answer the questions by phone, online or by mail. There were over 100 people surveyed in each of the Council Districts. Maps show the opinions. Green - people felt safest, Yellow - medium safety level, Red - people feel unsafe. There was a dissatisfaction with Code Enforcement and roads.

SOUTH SHORE UPDATE: The Mayor wants the most expensive option - the Downtown location, but offered no viable details on how it would be funded. He suggested the Council approve over $100M. The Council wants to explore less expensive options that may have a higher ROI. Here are Michiana Observer's notes on the South Shore Options:  http://www.michianaobserver.com/…/southshore-train-study-up…

Bill #18-37 Rew, LLC on $144K of taxes, $110K were Abated on Lot 2, US 31 Industrial Park Phase II. Abatement is for 4 years.
Passed Favorably Unanimously

Bill #18-37 Resolution - Council expressed its objection to Honeywell not honoring paying health care benefits affecting 4,700 Retirees.
There was a 10 month lockout and now Honeywell is moving the jobs to Turkey. They currently have $7B in offshore cash and used their $3.4B from the Trump Administration to buy back $951M in stocks.
Marti Wolfson noted they got a retroactive 10 year tax abatement in 2001.

Bill # 33-18 - Historic Landmark status was established for the Civil Rights Heritage Center at 1040 W. Washington Street. It was previously the Engman Nataorium.
Passed Favorably Unanimously

Bill #26-18 New South Bend Chocolate Factory Old World Village Location - German Township, District #4, for lots 24632, 24650, 24700, 24762, 24810, 24820 on US Highway 20 and 54270 Pine Road. APC #2871-18 This annexation has 4 parts and is 13.2 acres.
South Bend Chocolate Development Corporation, Abonmarche Consulting and Ancon Construction
It is in the flight path area of the airport so building height will be restricted by the FAA. They are looking at doing a variance for roof sinage which currently is not allowed.
SB will need to annex the area into the City. It has water and will need sewer run to it. A traffic study will need to be done on Pine Road. Roads for this development will be privatel maintained, but the City will take over a portion of US 20 for this Annex.
The PUD has 5 Ordinance amendments to it. Because it is so far out they are discussing having to build another fire station to accomodate it and Portage Prairie. There was also discussion about how SBPD would cover this area. Councilwoman Jo Broden asked about the number of job opportunities.
They expect to receive some Regional Cities Funding.
NOTE: Local environmentalists are concerned about permanent damage to marsh areas that have native plants and animals.
Passed Favorably Unanimously

Bill #18-34 Portage Avenue Area - 719 and 721 W. Rex Street by the Near Northwest Neighborhood to develop low income housing on it. This is the 6th time they have applied.
The property is owned by Richard and Linda Ford who now owe $250K in back taxes on it. The development is applying for Tax Credit.
The plan is for 2 and 3 story buildings that will house 76 units. There will be 90 parking spaces available - 60 on site and 30 on the surrounding street.
Councilman Tim Scott noted his wife was the one who made the first submission on this property. 
Passed Favorably Unanimously

Bill #34-18 First Reading - Annexing in Portage Township, District 6 for 31.75 Acre Tract on West side of New Energy Drive, 350' north of State Road 23.

Bill #35-18 First Reading - Annexing in Portage Township, District 6 for 229 acre Tract north St. Joseph Valley Parkway right-of-way, 1150 feet from the intersection of 23 and the St. Joseph Valley Parkway.

Bill #36-18 First Reading - Amending Zoning for 1939 and 1947 Charles Street in District 1

Bill #37-18 First Reading - Amending Chapter 21, Article 14 - Subdivisions to delete certain lot design standards in the zoning ordinance and delete floodplain definitions that have been updated.

Bill #18-40 Resolution approving a petition of the area board of zoning appeals for the property located at 213 and 217 South Main Street.
New Business: Budget Hearing on Wednesday at 5 pm on the 4th Floor in the Informal Council Chambers

BUDGET UPDATE:
Total Budget in 2017 was $441,274,160 with a DEFICIT of $62,590,868
Total Budget in 2018 is $387,210,843 with a DEFICIT of $63,028,220
Cash Reserves in 2015 were $239,432,535 and are now down to $152,189,544 for an $87M DROP
Interest paid on debt in 2018 $12,650,388 and $30,360,110 on Principal which means $43,010,498 is tied up in debt payments this year already.
Information Source: City of South Bend 2018 Adopted Budget on page 51