Well, it's good to see it too.

Good evening.

I will now call to order the rules and public policy committee meeting to order for Tuesday, March 17th.

We'll begin with introductions.

First row, please.

Thank you, Madam President.

Mike Dilk, District 24.

Thank you, Madam President.

Brian Mowery, District 25.

Thank you, Madam President.

Kristen Jones, District 18.

Thank you, Madam President.

Allie Brown, District 10.

Thank you, Madam President.

Dan Boots, District 3, Washington, Lawrence Townships.

Thank you, Madam President John Barth, representing Council District 7.

Thank you, Madam President Lewary Robinson, representing District 1.

Thank you, Counselors.

My name is Maggie Lewis.

The first item on our agenda is proposal number 76, directs rules and public policy committee to review and prepare a report pertaining to the fiscal impact statement associated with the City of Indianapolis, Marion County Union Agreement with the Teamsters Local Union 135.

Good evening, President Lewis and members of the committee.

I am Deputy Controller Jake McVay, and tonight I'll be presenting on behalf of the controller proposal 76 fiscal impact statement for the tentative agreement between the Mayor's Action Center and Teamsters Local Union 135.

As uh this proposal fulfills the requirement set by municipal code section 291-610 for the controller to present the fiscal impact of any new agreement, new union agreement before that agreement becomes effective.

So this contract covers the customer service representatives one and two in the mayor's action center from 2026 through 2028.

Negotiations with the union began in 2025, and a tentative agreement was reached earlier this February, voted on by the union and approved by city leadership.

Once this contract is executed, the negotiated wages will be uh retroactive back to January 1st of 2026.

This table shows the annual increase for each fiscal component of the contract that directly impacts an employees' paycheck.

It's wages, seniority pay, and training pay.

These estimates are based on staffing of 10 CSR 1s and two CSR2s.

The wage rates and increases are in the fiscal impact statement included with this proposal.

The CSR 1s earn a rate of $21.87.

The CSR2s will earn a rate of $23.40 in 2026.

The rates for the CSR 1s and 2s will increase about 3% in 2027 and then about another 3% in 2028.

Both positions will receive additional pay based on their seniority beginning in their second year of employment with the city and county.

After which seniority pay increases $100 annually.

CSR 1s assigned to training new hires will receive an additional $1 per hour for time spent training.

CSR2s are not eligible for this pay as training responsibilities are already incorporated into their regular job duties.

The 2026 budget included the 2.6% cost of living and adjustment that part that partially funds the cost of this contract.

OFM is working with the with the MAC and the mayor's office to identify ways to absorb the contractual expenses for this year and will incorporate the increases into next year's budget.

If needed, appropriation can be added or transferred during the fall cleanup fiscal.

I am confident that we will be able to fund these in increases while adhering to the city's fund balance policies.

Uh I expect to be back uh one more time this spring to present the fiscal impact of the union agreement covering our IFD civilian employees represented by AFSME.

Uh that concludes my presentation, and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you so much for your presentation.

Just so that we're clear, counselors, we do not actually vote on uh proposal 76, I believe.

We're just accepting the report if we're comfortable doing so.

Counselor Brown.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um just a quick question.

I know this isn't necessary a real wheelhouse for this part.

Do you know how many employees we have in there now and if there's how many open positions we have?

I know that's not there are 12 right now, the 10 uh CSR ones and two CSR2 uh two CSR2s.

Okay.

And that's so they're full, they're not looking, so but this is do you know if they're looking for any additional people or anything?

Uh oh, I'm sorry.

There you go.

Okay.

I just want to make sure, because this is exciting to see the rays that we can advertise and get more people in the Natalie Van Dong and Director of Community Outreach.

I oversee the Mayor's Action Center.

So we have 15 staff members in the Mayor's Action Center in total, three are supervisors, and then 12 customer service representatives, 10 CSR1, two CSR2.

Uh we are fully staffed, so we do not currently have any vacancies.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Of course.

Counselor Boots, thank you, Madam President, and thank you, uh Deputy Controller McVay.

Um can you just clarify what what's the difference really between a CSR one and CSR two and just briefly what their job description is.

I'm gonna ask uh Natalie to respond to that.

All right, so um a CSR1 is essentially the kind of um standard customer service representative.

A CSR2 used to be uh when we actually had uh two different shifts, they were shift leads.

Now they operate as um both they they assist with training, they assist with you know kind of standard operations questions that arise and sort of they're not management level, but they assist kind of in that capacity amongst the CSRs.

And typically the CSR ones eventually a few of them ascend to CSR2s.

Yes, those CSR2s are are internal from the CSR 1 team.

Wonderful.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Additional questions.

Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak to proposal number 76?

Thank you so much.

So again, I believe we're there's no there is no uh uh vote to be taken, and so we'll proceed as we're accepting this uh presentation.

So thank you so much.

Thank you, madam counsel, as well.

The next item on our agenda is proposal number 92, appoints Mr.

Morland as Chief Administrative Officer, Policy Director for the City County Council of Indianapolis, Marion County, Mr.

Morland.

The floor is yours, sir.

Thank you, Madam President, members of the committee.

Thank you, members of the community.

Um I have a prepared statement that I'd like to add to the record, please.

There is a recent news story about my academic record that I want to direct uh address directly with you tonight.

Like many people, my path to a degree was shaped by diverse experiences.

In 2001, I left IU Bloomington with more than enough credits to graduate, but those credits and my major were not conferred by a school within IU.

Therefore, over several years, I worked with IU to confirm my degree in political science within a school that fit my academic path and career.

I ultimately fulfilled all commitments in 2024.

I am committed to lifelong learning, and I do not cut corners.

I am several credits and one dissertation away from a PhD in American Studies at IU Indianapolis.

I'm proud and grateful for my academic experience and professional background.

I'm humbled and honored to have the opportunity to return the city government serving the city and the people I love.

I look forward to applying my skills in service of the Indianapolis City County Council and to working with each of you.

Thank you very much.

Questions from counselors.

Is there uh counselor boots?

Uh thank you, uh Madam Chair.

Um Mr.

Morland, could you just explain a little bit the the delay in time?

I think is I understand uh from the article and from our discussions in the past.

You left IU in 2001.

The degree was conferred many years later.

Without going into excruciating detail, why such a delay?

Yeah.

Left in 2001, believing that I had uh well having uh accumulated all the credits for a political science degree, however that degree had not been conferred.

Um the delay to answer your question is essentially the this was a result of years of back and forth negotiation with the Bloomington to find the appropriate place to put that political science degree.

Um doing that in a way that fit I use high standards while also fitting in with my my life and career, uh raising a family and building my career uh any any further questions on that.

I have none, thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Other questions, comments from counselors.

Mr.

Vice President.

Thank you, Madam President.

Um, not really a question, just more of a overall comment.

Um I've known uh Mr.

Moreland for a long time.

I think he's um uh exactly the kind of person we need um working uh at the council.

He's exactly the kind of person we need um in Indianapolis.

He's um uh had a long career engaged in public policy.

Um that's what we do here uh on the council is um review, dig deep and evaluate uh public policy and turn that public policy into reality, and that's what uh Doran has done with his career.

I think the thing that is especially uh impressed me across the years uh of knowing him is the commitment he's had to our community to the city of Indianapolis.

He's been a longtime board member of multiple key organizations, Indiana Humanities is one of them.

But one I would highlight tonight is Recycle Force.

I don't even know how many years, Doran, you've been on the board of Recycle Force.

But if you're looking at one of the things that really matters right now, uh making sure that folks who are justice involved uh and who have been incarcerated when they um exit incarceration that they have a pathway to being successful and to reintegrating into the city and being productive members of society.

What's more important than that, and Dorna has dedicated years and years of his life to um serving on the board of recycle force and doing that kind of important work that a lot of us take for granted, but he's actually out there doing it.

And that's just one example.

I won't go into um uh multiple other examples.

I'll just say I'm excited to have Dorrin join us.

Um he's been here what five or six weeks, he's already been doing a great job, and looking forward to him continuing to do that.

So, whenever you're ready, Madam President, I'm happy to make a motion.

Thank you, Mr.

Vice President Leader Maori.

Counselor Bart.

Thank you, Madam President.

I just want to say uh I commend you for tackling that head on.

That's been something that um I learned of today.

Uh I didn't know anything about it.

Uh I had the Indy Star reach out to me prior to this, and I I didn't know anything about it, so I didn't want to make a comment on something I knew nothing about.

And uh I commend you for doing that and you know making this uh priority to uh tackle right from the start.

And I don't think that necessarily, you know, everyone has their own path to how they get their degree.

Many people have gone many years and never gotten a degree, and we've seen people be successful with both ways.

And when I look at your resume, I look at the vast amount of experience in public relations and uh working for the mayor, working for um who um who was to help me out here.

Uh probably you as Senator Evan Bob.

Yes, thank you.

Yeah, thank you.

Um so you've had plenty of uh um experience in that realm, which is I think directly tran directly translates into what can be a successful time in this role.

So um, you know, hats off to you for addressing this head on, and I'm looking forward to supporting your night.

Uh you have a great resume here, and you can really tell that you've you've you have great experience in what you're gonna do, so thank you.

Thank you, Keller Counselor Mallet.

Thank you, Leader.

Uh Counselor Boots.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I I would just like to make a quick comment as well.

Um I think we recognize that you had plenty of hours for the degree that was eventually conferred, so it's not like uh you were trying to cheat the school school, so to speak, out of a out of a degree.

Um I don't necessarily condone the length of time before it was all cleaned up.

I understand.

Um, but uh I know I too in my college experience had a transcript issue and had an argument with Purdue University over five hours that I ended up not getting and had to take extra classes because of a mix-up on transcript issue.

So it does happen.

Um, but I think um in the article today, one point in it that I did take a little um uh objection to, and that was um you aren't necessarily the leader of our council.

You are doing a very important administrative position, and I think 25 years of your deep experience easily qualifies you for that position.

So I will vote uh in support of you this evening and encourage my fellow uh committee members to do so as well.

Thank you, Councillor Boots.

Thank you, Councilor Boots.

Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to speak to proposal number 92?

Seeing none, Mr.

Vice President.

Thank you, madam.

Thank you, Madam President.

Number one, um, just note to the clerk I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor to this.

And uh I move to send proposal 92 to the full council with a due pass recommendation.

The motion has been properly moved and second.

All those in favor signify by saying aye.

Those opposed, same sign.

The motion carries thank you.

Madam Chair Messi, one final thing.

Yes, sir.

Uh earlier I spoke to a negotiation and back and forth between myself and I.

Thank you, and thank you for your willingness to serve in this capacity.

Uh is there any other business before this committee?

Seeing that I entertain a motion for adjournment.

We are adjourned.