City of South Bend to hire contractor for records backlog

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The City of South Bend will pay a contractor to handle a major public records backlog.

The Common Council votes eight to one to approve the city clerk to hire outside help to draft meeting minutes.

That's the rough summary and transcript of a meeting, including discussions and votes.

According to clerk Bianca Tirrado, a full audit of council and committee minutes over the last two years found minutes for 20 council meetings last year unfinished or never drafted.

58 of last year's committee minutes were unfinished or undrafted.

And eight council minutes from 2022 incomplete or never done.

Initially, the clerk had suggested AI technology could help with the backlog, but according to a letter to the council, this is just looking at hiring a company to prepare drafts that must still be reviewed by the clerk's office.