It was a heated night at the South Bend Common Council, as a bill to remove the complaint process against council members was passed after a debate that eventually prompted one member to walk out.
Common Council President Canneth Lee presented Bill 01-26 to the council.
“Eliminating the formal complaint process does not leave all residents without redress,” President Canneth Lee said. “Residents are still able to speak at the privilege of the floor … reports of improper conduct can be filled with the police department or the prosecutor's office,” Lee said
“These entities are far better equipped to investigate alleged misconducts than the council,” Lee said.
According to Lee, South Bend is an outlier in that most municipalities in Indiana do not have a similar ordinance for complaints to be filed.
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