South Bend Common Council

"To be able to add that to the stadium will also bring more sales taxes, more income taxes and so forth," South Bend Cubs Owner Andrew Berlin told the South Bend Common Council on Monday. "We’ll have to hire more people and more jobs."

The South Bend Common Council has filled the final seat on the Community Police Review Board. Mental health professional Marla Godette was appointed Monday to fill the remaining 11 months of a two-year term.

The South Bend Common Council voted 6-1 to eliminate its formal complaint process for council members, drawing opposition from residents and prompting a walkout.

The common council Monday appointed Sharon Banicki and George Jones to three-year terms. Current member Komonique Thomas was reappointed but to a different seat.

“I feel like we actually have a relationship now, that the city of South Bend is actually listening to the residents and we’re working together to build our neighborhood,” Stacey Odom told the council’s Community Investment Committee on Monday.

"The process is working fine," said council member Oliver Davis. "If people bring up a frivolous issue, it’s voted off and we move on."

South Bend residents can apply to serve as volunteer citizen members on Common Council committees. Applications are due Friday, Jan. 9.

The 13-year-old case pits the South Bend Common Council against the city administration, after the city blocked council attempts to hear recorded phone calls where officers allegedly said racist things about then-Police Chief Darryl Boykins, the city's first Black chief.

City zoning specialist Tim Staub told council members Monday that five single-family homes would be replaced by five residential buildings. “Over the years, we have seen a steady development on the properties around these parcels. . . . The current surrounding land uses are a mixture of townhomes, stacked flats and detached homes,” Staub said.

In addition to a public hearing on whether the city of South Bend is doing enough to help SNAP recipients during the shutdown, Common Council Member Oliver Davis says the council should appoint a task force to be ready in case the dysfunction in Washington causes more emergencies that affect city residents in the future.