Welcome to the launching of the re-election campaign of Kareemah Fowler for South Bend City Clerk! This May, you will be asked to vote for a candidate in the Office of which I currently hold, and I humbly ask for your vote and support. Under my servant leadership as your City Clerk, I have been actively focused on ensuring every resident in our community has a sense of place, by making government more transparent and accessible. I, through innovating services and improving efficiencies, have increased the community’s civic engagement by collaborating across both the private and public sectors. I am both proud and excited to be bridging the gap between our community’s businesses and its residents.
During my tenure as your City Clerk, my Office has worked alongside the South Bend Common Council and Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Administration in delivering over 125 inclusive projects, events, and initiatives throughout the City that support our region. I have also implemented many of my own initiatives including, but not limited to:
- Amnesty Day (part of a new DTSB resident-friendly parking program)
- Expansion of an interactive Special Event Parking Map (including ND Football, NHL Events and ND Concerts)
- Digitalization of all the City’s historical records from 1865 to present day
- Implementation of Community Arts Program and the City newsletter “Clerk’s Column”
- Establishment of the electronic City Boards and Commissions Application
- Fast-Track Initiative for doing business with the City (Accelerated by 5 weeks)
My deep passion and commitment to serve has only grown throughout my 15 plus years of experience in local government. I want to thank everyone that has believed in me by way of their vote in 2015, as you have each played an instrumental part in who we have become and where we are yet to go. Moving forward, my renewed vision includes:
- Expansion of the current Amnesty Program to include City Ordinance/Code Violations
- Exploration of QR barcoding City information and artifacts
- Consolidation of electronic filing and signature process for doing business with the City
- Introduction of LRC (Legislative Research Center) civic engagement hub.
As we continue to craft our story during one of South Bend’s most transformative times in decades, together, momentum is not without more work to be done. Sustaining momentum and effecting change in a community is neither done in one day nor done by one person or one organization, alone. Join us. We need your voice, your vote, your energy and your monetary support. It is your support that fuels the creation of our community – one that we can all be proud to call home.
Meet the Candidates is a series introducing candidates in their own words. South Bend Voice has offered to publish statements from all South Bend office seekers who are on the May 7th primary ballot. Statements are posted verbatim. Find out more about the candidates on the ballot at Vote411.org.
