WEBVTT 00:00:01.794 --> 00:00:09.501 - All right. Hi. Thank you very much everybody for your patience. I am really sorry. Welcome to the opening 00:00:09.501 --> 00:00:17.063 - night of departmental budget hearings. Twenty twenty seven for the twenty seven budget for Bloomington. 00:00:17.063 --> 00:00:24.407 - Awesome. All right. So I will give us just a quick no I don't do that. First we do roll call. Deputy 00:00:24.407 --> 00:00:30.878 - city clerk stole would you mind taking role please. All right. Councilmember daily here. 00:00:33.250 --> 00:00:42.952 - Rallo, Ruff, Rosenberger? Here. Flaherty? Here. Stasberg? Here. Piedmont-Smith? Here. Zulek? Here. Asari. 00:00:42.952 --> 00:00:51.830 - All right, thank you very much. So just a quick overview of our agenda for this evening, Monday, 00:00:51.830 --> 00:01:01.533 - August 17th. We have a few presentations on deck. We're going to start with an introduction by the Office 00:01:01.533 --> 00:01:02.814 - of the Mayor. 00:01:03.458 --> 00:01:09.964 - followed by an introduction by controller Jeff McKim. And then we will hear from the fire department 00:01:09.964 --> 00:01:16.793 - and then the presentation from the police department and dispatch followed by presentation from community 00:01:16.793 --> 00:01:23.235 - and family resources development. And then finally closing out the evening housing and neighborhood 00:01:23.235 --> 00:01:29.676 - development also known as hand will be presenting their 2027 budget. So with that out of the way we 00:01:29.676 --> 00:01:32.382 - will now move on to the presentations. So 00:01:32.578 --> 00:01:41.763 - I welcome Mayor Thompson up to the podium. Thank you very much. You have 10 minutes. Thanks and thanks 00:01:41.763 --> 00:01:46.846 - for starting the budget hearings with joy. It's awesome. 00:01:47.842 --> 00:01:55.677 - My administration is proud to present the city of Bloomington budget proposal for 2027 our total budget 00:01:55.677 --> 00:02:03.362 - for this year is proposed at 165 million dollars and it cuts our combined operating an ed lit deficit 00:02:03.362 --> 00:02:11.198 - by more than half this year a total reduction from the 2024 budget with which this administration began 00:02:11.198 --> 00:02:14.814 - of more than ten point five million dollars and 00:02:16.866 --> 00:02:26.384 - While funding is just one of the tools that we use to get things done, the budget of a city speaks to 00:02:26.384 --> 00:02:36.182 - its vision and what we truly hope to accomplish together. Our vision of a safe and welcoming Bloomington 00:02:36.182 --> 00:02:45.886 - where everyone has a good and safe place to call home, a good paying job, and a community of belonging. 00:02:47.746 --> 00:02:56.082 - is accomplished through many choices. Together with the council and our city residents, we share many 00:02:56.082 --> 00:03:04.336 - priorities and goals for improving our city. And the budget that you'll review over the coming weeks 00:03:04.336 --> 00:03:12.917 - delivers a proposal which prioritizes maintaining the many assets that we have and the services uniquely 00:03:12.917 --> 00:03:15.614 - provided by the city, along with 00:03:16.034 --> 00:03:24.523 - Responsible fiscal choices that unlock potential for our community and for the residents who live here. 00:03:24.523 --> 00:03:33.011 - We will continue to prioritize maintaining what we have and the services that only the city can provide 00:03:33.011 --> 00:03:41.173 - and responsible fiscal choices that unlock our potential. Often as leaders we think creativity only 00:03:41.173 --> 00:03:44.030 - arrives in the form of a new idea. 00:03:45.282 --> 00:03:52.886 - But sometimes the best innovations that we have in humanity come when we're forced to work on our shared 00:03:52.886 --> 00:04:00.345 - priorities within fiscal constraints that did not exist when we created those innovative ideas. Fiscal 00:04:00.345 --> 00:04:07.804 - responsibility today requires true grit and creativity. And I'm proud that we have continued to reduce 00:04:07.804 --> 00:04:14.974 - the anticipated deficit in the city's budget in each and every annual budget my team has produced. 00:04:16.066 --> 00:04:23.929 - Achieving this reality this year will take creative thinking about funding, partnerships, and innovative 00:04:23.929 --> 00:04:31.792 - pathways. We now have our budget to a point that with the exception of a payment of the final commitment 00:04:31.792 --> 00:04:40.030 - to Bloomington Transit and our share of election funding, we would not be forecasting an operational deficit. 00:04:41.762 --> 00:04:48.760 - The city frequently budgets a deficit because expenditures usually come in much less than budgeted. 00:04:48.760 --> 00:04:55.968 - For example, staff vacancies usually result in unspent appropriations as well as budgets for temporary 00:04:55.968 --> 00:05:03.386 - salaries and capital items. A balanced budget on paper generally leads to growing reserves. My commitment 00:05:03.386 --> 00:05:10.384 - to the residents of this city continues to be responsible fiscal management and with each budget we 00:05:10.384 --> 00:05:11.294 - have reduced 00:05:11.394 --> 00:05:20.131 - that anticipated operating deficit and will continue to make the hard choices to ensure that we are 00:05:20.131 --> 00:05:29.043 - operating a city government within our means. First our focus this year our city has responsibilities 00:05:29.043 --> 00:05:38.654 - to taxpayers that for services that only we provide and we have to fulfill those duties before anything else. 00:05:39.234 --> 00:05:47.343 - clean waters, safe roads and sidewalks, beautiful parks and trails, public safety. Second, we have new 00:05:47.343 --> 00:05:55.372 - assets to protect and maintain, like Switchyard Park and Hopewell Commons, and older assets that need 00:05:55.372 --> 00:06:03.166 - to be repaired or replaced, like hand-me-down public works buildings and our policed headquarters. 00:06:03.810 --> 00:06:12.121 - The controller and our financial advisors have outlined a path forward for funding critical infrastructure 00:06:12.121 --> 00:06:19.965 - in these areas. Third, when we prioritize our root cause issues, housing, homelessness, wage growth, 00:06:19.965 --> 00:06:27.732 - and public safety, we create lasting, transformative change. Each choice comes with trade-offs, and 00:06:27.732 --> 00:06:33.790 - our first priority must be fixing what's broken and filling gaps. If the city 00:06:33.954 --> 00:06:42.583 - at this stage were a house, we would still be or be back in the stage of investing in plumbing and electrical 00:06:42.583 --> 00:06:50.585 - repairs and HVAC before we can think about decorating. I wanna talk for a minute about outcomes-based 00:06:50.585 --> 00:06:58.979 - budgeting and where we are with that. A priority describes, of course, what we value. An outcome describes 00:06:58.979 --> 00:07:03.294 - how we measure our success in living up to that value. 00:07:03.810 --> 00:07:13.167 - In the 2025 budget, we started exploring how we could move toward an outcomes-based budget to make our 00:07:13.167 --> 00:07:22.525 - desired priorities and outcomes transparent. With a new controller and the many phases of implementing 00:07:22.525 --> 00:07:31.791 - the broken financial system, we have found that that financial system is simply inadequate to provide 00:07:31.791 --> 00:07:33.790 - the data that we need 00:07:34.210 --> 00:07:41.153 - to produce a true outcomes-based budget. We've planned for a new financial system in 2027 for many reasons. 00:07:41.153 --> 00:07:47.196 - And once we've implemented that, we can continue the conversation around budgeting practices. 00:07:47.196 --> 00:07:54.011 - In the meantime, council shared a list of their priorities with us this spring. And with the controller's 00:07:54.011 --> 00:08:01.019 - office, we examined that list to define areas of shared priority that are within the wheelhouse of municipal 00:08:01.019 --> 00:08:01.790 - government. 00:08:03.778 --> 00:08:11.380 - those that have measurable spending and could potentially have measurable outcomes. There's lots of 00:08:11.380 --> 00:08:19.362 - good news. Council the administration and residents share many of the same priorities and together we're 00:08:19.362 --> 00:08:26.964 - working diligently in all of these areas as you see reflected in the budget proposal before you. We 00:08:26.964 --> 00:08:33.502 - will be working on asset preservation transportation and safe streets for all climate 00:08:33.762 --> 00:08:40.952 - economic development, homelessness solutions and diversion, public safety, including alternative response, 00:08:40.952 --> 00:08:48.344 - and of course, housing. While we know that we won't be able to implement our ideal solutions or do everything 00:08:48.344 --> 00:08:55.333 - we would like to do this year, I am committed to making just the promises that we can keep and no more, 00:08:55.333 --> 00:09:01.918 - and focusing on incremental improvement in the areas where we are unable to fund dramatic impact. 00:09:05.602 --> 00:09:13.751 - I am tremendously grateful for your consideration of this budget. And as we know, as SEA 1 rolls out 00:09:13.751 --> 00:09:22.143 - and we continue to face decreasing income, we can and will achieve a Bloomington that meets our vision. 00:09:22.143 --> 00:09:30.454 - And together, in collaboration, I think that we can achieve some tremendous things in the coming year. 00:09:30.454 --> 00:09:33.278 - I'm happy to answer your question. 00:09:35.810 --> 00:09:44.829 - Thank you very much. Does anybody have any questions at this time. Councilmember Piedmont Smith. So 00:09:44.829 --> 00:09:53.938 - my question is about process. So I mean I submitted a couple of general questions on the spreadsheet 00:09:53.938 --> 00:10:02.686 - that has been shared with the public. Am I supposed to ask those now as well or is that going to 00:10:03.042 --> 00:10:11.192 - the answered in writing or is it up to me. You're welcome to ask them now as well. We've been working 00:10:11.192 --> 00:10:19.582 - diligently on that spreadsheet answering the things that we're able to answer within the time that we've 00:10:19.582 --> 00:10:27.812 - had so far. And we'll continue to work on them. All right. So I'll go ahead and ask. So in the absence 00:10:27.812 --> 00:10:32.766 - of data driven outcome based budgeting is your administration 00:10:32.898 --> 00:10:39.047 - at least discussing the budget internally within the paradigm of how does this expense help us meet 00:10:39.047 --> 00:10:45.503 - our common goals. I see the department heads memos do refer back to the list of shared council and mayor 00:10:45.503 --> 00:10:51.775 - goals that you had just had on the screen. But did they consider each position program or other major 00:10:51.775 --> 00:10:56.510 - expenditure in this context of how does this expense help us meet our goals. 00:10:56.674 --> 00:11:04.835 - So the priorities were taken very seriously, not only by the administration, but by each department 00:11:04.835 --> 00:11:13.159 - head. And they have targeted their spending to meet those priorities. So you can expect to see impact 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:20.830 - in those priorities. And we've made, obviously we have really produced a budget where we have 00:11:20.994 --> 00:11:28.403 - had to be lean. So we are not able to make as much progress as we would like in some areas. But you 00:11:28.403 --> 00:11:35.813 - will see spending reflecting those priorities. Guess what I'm getting at is what's the paradigm you 00:11:35.813 --> 00:11:43.222 - discussed with your cabinet. Is it you know try to do more with less. Is it take last year's budget 00:11:43.222 --> 00:11:49.150 - and see what you can pare down keeping these priorities in mind or is it really 00:11:49.890 --> 00:11:57.160 - Go to each expense or each project and think about how it makes it gets us closer to our common goals 00:11:57.160 --> 00:12:04.502 - and therefore deserves funding. Yeah, so I think we're you know, the way I talked to the cabinet about 00:12:04.502 --> 00:12:11.701 - the budget is much like I just did with you all that we have a certain amount of money to work with. 00:12:11.701 --> 00:12:17.118 - These are our priorities. How much can we get done within these priorities? 00:12:17.602 --> 00:12:28.736 - in your budget. And so you'll see, for instance, when Hand speaks tonight, their impact on producing 00:12:28.736 --> 00:12:39.759 - housing, making sure that housing is accountable and safe and habitable, et cetera. The system that 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:45.822 - we have, just to be clear, has no way of producing the 00:12:45.954 --> 00:12:54.016 - the expenditures from each department that go into, say, homelessness, right? There's no way to outline 00:12:54.016 --> 00:13:02.233 - that and get a simple report. And in the end, the report that we have to, and the files we have to submit 00:13:02.233 --> 00:13:10.140 - to the state to get our budget approved there, still have to be in the conventional format. And so it 00:13:10.140 --> 00:13:13.086 - is literally a manual transfer to get 00:13:14.242 --> 00:13:21.597 - The threads pulled into separate spreadsheets from every department for every different outcome Then 00:13:21.597 --> 00:13:28.953 - we produce a budget negotiate it with you all and then we have to manually Transfer it back into all 00:13:28.953 --> 00:13:37.182 - of the separate funds. It's incredibly labor-intensive and so we've taken the the priorities based budgeting and 00:13:37.474 --> 00:13:46.789 - Focused our spending where where it's flexible and I'll just be clear lots of the things that we do 00:13:46.789 --> 00:13:56.476 - in the city That are just the basic city services that takes up most of this budget so the choices that 00:13:56.476 --> 00:14:04.766 - we have are few the the the deliberations that we have in terms of percentage of dollars 00:14:05.666 --> 00:14:15.232 - Less than you might anticipate Councilmember Stossberg and then council members who look after thank 00:14:15.232 --> 00:14:24.893 - you So in your memo one of the things that you wrote under the every dollar comes with trade-offs and 00:14:24.893 --> 00:14:29.534 - questions starting with and then you have a list 00:14:29.602 --> 00:14:35.407 - And you kind of referred to it a little bit in your in one of the slides as well One of those the last 00:14:35.407 --> 00:14:41.324 - one states does this spending serve an area of greatest need something that is in poor condition Missing 00:14:41.324 --> 00:14:47.186 - or due for replacement or does it improve on something that is already good? and I know that I've heard 00:14:47.186 --> 00:14:50.398 - this as kind of like a sort of debate before in terms of 00:14:51.298 --> 00:14:57.925 - you know, the trade-offs of like trying to take a D or an F and get it up to a C or a B versus taking 00:14:57.925 --> 00:15:04.877 - a C and getting up to an A in terms of like how do we, because there are kind of two different approaches, 00:15:04.877 --> 00:15:11.374 - right, to improve different pieces of infrastructure especially. So I guess what I'm asking here is 00:15:11.374 --> 00:15:16.766 - I feel like that statement kind of raises this question of like which one of these 00:15:16.866 --> 00:15:25.025 - Do we prioritize? And I'm not totally sure that you really answered that question with your presentation. 00:15:25.025 --> 00:15:32.876 - So I guess I just want to hear your perspective on that answer, on that kind of philosophical concept 00:15:32.876 --> 00:15:35.262 - there of Fs to Cs or Cs to As. 00:15:35.554 --> 00:15:43.518 - I think it entirely depends on what we're talking about. If we're talking about a core city service, 00:15:43.518 --> 00:15:51.798 - we can't be at an F and frankly, we can't even be at a C. We need to be at a B plus or higher and always 00:15:51.798 --> 00:15:59.919 - striving for an A. Then there are things that I think we're doing moderately well. And if we had extra 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:04.414 - money, would we like to get them from a C to an A? Sure. 00:16:04.706 --> 00:16:12.927 - Absolutely, we would. And I've talked to several of you about the various plans that we have in place 00:16:12.927 --> 00:16:21.229 - that have, we intend to implement this by X date. But many of those plans are not tied to funding. And 00:16:21.229 --> 00:16:29.530 - so we have to consider when we're looking at something that's a C, can we even meet the plan here? And 00:16:29.530 --> 00:16:34.366 - what are we sacrificing to meet the plan? And other things. 00:16:34.498 --> 00:16:44.188 - That are at seas Can you know need to be lifted to an a? So I would say entirely depends if there's 00:16:44.188 --> 00:16:54.654 - something we're not doing yet, and it's not essential We won't be picking it up this year So as a follow-up 00:16:55.106 --> 00:17:02.111 - I just heard you say that core city services need to be a B plus or higher. And I guess I'm going to 00:17:02.111 --> 00:17:09.117 - ask again, like what you consider core city services. Yeah. So I think I defined those in my, um, in 00:17:09.117 --> 00:17:16.469 - my opening remarks. Um, so those are obviously water sewer, um, public safety are all core city services. 00:17:16.469 --> 00:17:23.544 - We have to have clean drinking water. We have to be able to flush our toilets and have it disposed of 00:17:23.544 --> 00:17:24.862 - in a sanitary way. 00:17:27.266 --> 00:17:34.518 - If I could finish what I was going to say that one of the places where that debate has been especially 00:17:34.518 --> 00:17:41.699 - vibrant you can say is in transportation planning and the idea of streets and their street design. So 00:17:41.699 --> 00:17:49.233 - do you consider street design to be a core city service or transportation design to be a core city service 00:17:49.233 --> 00:17:50.430 - in this context. 00:17:50.818 --> 00:17:59.797 - I think our responsibility to provide transportation infrastructure is a core city service and I think 00:17:59.797 --> 00:18:08.688 - we have worked really hard to get safe streets for all implemented and we continue to prioritize that 00:18:08.688 --> 00:18:17.754 - in the budget. That's all right now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Mayor Thompson for your 00:18:17.754 --> 00:18:18.974 - presentation. 00:18:19.074 --> 00:18:26.250 - Being here tonight, I thought I heard you say in your presentation that we're instituting a new financial 00:18:26.250 --> 00:18:33.291 - system next year. It's in the budget to purchase a new financial system. So you'll hear more about that 00:18:33.291 --> 00:18:40.197 - when the controller speaks to you. OK. In that case, I will hold my next question for the controller. 00:18:40.197 --> 00:18:47.102 - Thank you. All right. Thank you. Any other questions from council members? No? Going once. All right. 00:18:47.778 --> 00:18:55.715 - Thank you very much mayor Thompson and next we have an introduction from the city controller You may 00:18:55.715 --> 00:19:04.044 - step right up to the podium introduce yourself and you have I believe 10 minutes also 15 minutes. There's 00:19:04.044 --> 00:19:12.531 - no Cut back but I'm so sorry. Oh Sorry, I thought those were all mixed up together. I apologize. Apparently 00:19:12.531 --> 00:19:17.246 - I skipped over the next part of councilmember comments Yeah 00:19:18.402 --> 00:19:23.340 - So what you're telling me that yeah, well I was asking if we were gonna have councilmember comics I 00:19:23.340 --> 00:19:28.574 - did have a comment that was definitely not a question. Okay. Sorry. I didn't realize we were I'm confused 00:19:28.574 --> 00:19:33.611 - since we are not doing Public comment. Okay, I thought it was just questions and comments all in one. 00:19:33.611 --> 00:19:38.845 - So go ahead if you I didn't know that we weren't doing public comment either Okay councilmember Flaherty. 00:19:38.845 --> 00:19:43.832 - Did you have something on this as a point of order? We've I believe in recent years made a motion to 00:19:43.832 --> 00:19:45.758 - structure the format of debate for the 00:19:45.954 --> 00:19:53.004 - Duration of the the budget hearings, which we did not do at the beginning of this meeting I would say 00:19:53.004 --> 00:19:59.984 - until then we're kind of at the chair's discretion I'm happy to try to identify a prior motion if we 00:19:59.984 --> 00:20:06.964 - might want to use that for a template for how to structure from here I'm happy to entertain a motion 00:20:06.964 --> 00:20:14.014 - Why don't we do councilmember comment while councilmember Flaherty I love this motion. Yep. Yes, so I 00:20:14.914 --> 00:20:21.820 - Is this a council member comment or related to the motion from last year. Awesome. OK. I will entertain 00:20:21.820 --> 00:20:28.460 - a motion. I move that for the duration of budget week we a limit council member question and answer 00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:35.499 - periods to a maximum of three minutes per council member per presentation be limit council member comment 00:20:35.499 --> 00:20:39.550 - period to three minutes per council member per presentation. 00:20:41.186 --> 00:20:49.313 - See limit public comment to two minutes per speaker per comment period and then number two I moved we 00:20:49.313 --> 00:20:57.281 - suspend the rules to dispense of the requirement to. Oh no never mind. Just just those three points 00:20:57.281 --> 00:21:05.487 - and I'll second. All right. We have a motion and a second. Any debate on this. Any discussion. Council 00:21:05.487 --> 00:21:09.790 - members Stasberg I guess I'm just wondering about the 00:21:09.890 --> 00:21:16.418 - the three minutes per council member for a question and answer because so many of us don't have questions 00:21:16.418 --> 00:21:22.577 - at least in the first session. So I think that the point of that is to not go on and on forever all 00:21:22.577 --> 00:21:28.982 - night long. But I don't I don't know. I guess I just want to raise that as a potential saying you think 00:21:28.982 --> 00:21:35.203 - it should be extended. I don't know. I don't think it needs to be okay. Yeah I think just because we 00:21:35.203 --> 00:21:38.590 - have the space doesn't mean we need to try to fill it. 00:21:40.194 --> 00:21:47.703 - Any other comments before we vote on this. I would like to ask a question. Where did this proposal to 00:21:47.703 --> 00:21:55.211 - not have public comment come from and does that only apply to the intro and not to the departments or 00:21:55.211 --> 00:22:02.573 - I thought we usually have public comment. That was my confusion when I rushed in and we will tap in 00:22:02.573 --> 00:22:08.830 - attorney Allen who I asked about this. I wasn't going to throw anyone under the bus. 00:22:10.786 --> 00:22:16.305 - motion for special rules we hadn't discussed it typically these would just be presentations for the 00:22:16.305 --> 00:22:21.825 - information of council you could ask questions but if you want to have a public comment as you just 00:22:21.825 --> 00:22:27.344 - moved then that's perfectly fine by special rules can I amend my motion then councilmember Flaherty 00:22:27.344 --> 00:22:33.084 - reference I think was the same motion we had in 2024 as well so we have had public comment at the prior 00:22:33.084 --> 00:22:38.604 - two years and probably before that as well I support the motion as as made I guess but you included 00:22:38.604 --> 00:22:40.094 - public comment did you not 00:22:40.290 --> 00:22:45.682 - I did not. I thought you did. I thought it was two minutes. Two minutes per. Oh, I did. There was two 00:22:45.682 --> 00:22:51.075 - minutes. But I said limit public comment to two minutes per speaker per comment period. And it is not 00:22:51.075 --> 00:22:56.520 - clear what comment period there will be under your motion. What I understood it to be was that there's 00:22:56.520 --> 00:23:01.807 - a comment period following each speaker and that each public commenter would be allowed two minutes 00:23:01.807 --> 00:23:07.199 - to respond to that particular speaker and no others. That is what I intended. That is how implicit in 00:23:07.199 --> 00:23:09.790 - the motion you think. Yes. All right. Thank you. 00:23:10.882 --> 00:23:20.738 - Mean I I told people to come and comment. I mean nobody's here, but I Know I'm open. I think that people 00:23:20.738 --> 00:23:30.688 - should have that right. All right Deputy city clerk stole would you mind calling the roll on this motion, 00:23:30.688 --> 00:23:40.638 - please? Councilmember ruff Rosenberger. Yes Flaherty. Yes, Stasburg. Yes, Piedmont Smith. Yes, Zulek. Yes 00:23:40.962 --> 00:23:48.853 - Daily. Yes All right. Fantastic. So now then we did our questions for the office of the mayor's introduction. 00:23:48.853 --> 00:23:56.313 - So now we are going to open it up to public comment public Comment. Yes. Sorry and my deepest apologies 00:23:56.313 --> 00:24:03.558 - especially to Controller Kim for calling you up and then putting you on standby. So McKim, sorry All 00:24:03.558 --> 00:24:10.014 - right. This is what happens when I'm flustered and I'm rushing in late for the meeting. I 00:24:10.658 --> 00:24:19.433 - Any public commenters in the chambers or online? There's no one online All right super we have no takers. 00:24:19.433 --> 00:24:27.794 - So now we will move to councilmember comment Councilmember Stossberg. Thank you. I just want to make 00:24:27.794 --> 00:24:36.734 - a quick comment on outcome based budgeting and I can appreciate, you know having been related with like the 00:24:36.994 --> 00:24:43.813 - the temporary fiscal committee or the special fiscal committee over the last couple of years in terms 00:24:43.813 --> 00:24:50.564 - of the complexity around software with this and like pulling out the all of those individual numbers 00:24:50.564 --> 00:24:57.316 - and and I Have really understood that but I also think that there is a potential parallel process of 00:24:57.316 --> 00:25:03.934 - actually Identifying the priority outcomes that we have and that that can be done potentially even 00:25:04.546 --> 00:25:11.889 - figuring out ways to measure those outcomes without necessarily having to have all of that software 00:25:11.889 --> 00:25:19.231 - done. And I guess that I would appreciate it if we could kind of move in that direction of starting 00:25:19.231 --> 00:25:26.941 - to think about what outcomes do we want to see in our city? And even if we can't nail down to the dollar 00:25:26.941 --> 00:25:31.934 - exactly what we're spending on those outcomes, I think that we can. 00:25:32.066 --> 00:25:38.988 - Make some some inroads into whether or not we are meeting those goals. And so I guess I would hope that 00:25:38.988 --> 00:25:45.776 - we move in that direction because it's Kind of disappointing that this seems pretty wiped wiped clean 00:25:45.776 --> 00:25:52.764 - of that. Thanks Councilmember Flaherty Yeah, first just thank you to mayor Thompson and department heads 00:25:52.764 --> 00:25:59.686 - and city staff for developing this budget proposal I really appreciate all the work that goes into that 00:25:59.686 --> 00:26:01.150 - and I look forward to 00:26:01.506 --> 00:26:07.677 - hearing the presentations and asking questions. A quick note on that, I mostly intend to ask my questions 00:26:07.677 --> 00:26:13.731 - in writing to keep this manageable from a time perspective. And on the comment side, I think just, I'll 00:26:13.731 --> 00:26:19.552 - briefly second what Councilmember Stossberg noted, which in my mind, outcome-based budgeting starts 00:26:19.552 --> 00:26:25.490 - with outcomes, and that's been a barrier we've identified and talked about in each of the prior years 00:26:25.490 --> 00:26:31.486 - of this administration, that we actually, with limited exception, don't have a lot of shared outcomes. 00:26:31.874 --> 00:26:38.606 - And where we do have them, they're quite disparate in kind of the framework and what type of times horizon 00:26:38.606 --> 00:26:44.960 - we're talking about. And to me, that's the real investment here is identifying and developing shared 00:26:44.960 --> 00:26:51.503 - outcomes across the major areas of city services and governance in a kind of common paradigm that would 00:26:51.503 --> 00:26:58.046 - allow us then to measure and track progress over time, which I hadn't even thought about but agree that 00:26:58.146 --> 00:27:04.197 - may or may not entail line item budget tracking. You know that they might actually even need that from 00:27:04.197 --> 00:27:10.131 - an outcome based budgeting perspective. So I hope we can continue that conversation too about how to 00:27:10.131 --> 00:27:16.065 - make progress toward that with keeping the outcomes at the front in the center. Thank you. Thank you 00:27:16.065 --> 00:27:22.176 - very much. Any other council comments. All right. Great. Thank you all very much. And now for real this 00:27:22.176 --> 00:27:24.702 - time the introduction by Controller McKim. 00:27:24.802 --> 00:27:31.685 - Thank you. Please introduce yourself and you do have that full 15 minutes Jeff McKim good evening council 00:27:31.685 --> 00:27:38.179 - members Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the overall financial picture of the city 00:27:38.179 --> 00:27:44.802 - as we begin the 2027 budget discussions My goal is to give you the clearest financial framework I can 00:27:44.802 --> 00:27:51.296 - for evaluating those choices Including where the numbers are firm where their estimates and where I 00:27:51.296 --> 00:27:53.374 - see financial risk It works Wow 00:27:54.562 --> 00:28:03.007 - So during this budget process, you'll be considering a budget proposal for around 38 different funds. 00:28:03.007 --> 00:28:11.453 - Some are very general in use such as the general fund, some are very limited and specific. I know one 00:28:11.453 --> 00:28:13.854 - question that has emerged is 00:28:13.954 --> 00:28:19.507 - Why these funds and why not others? If you look at the city's annual financial report, for example, 00:28:19.507 --> 00:28:24.894 - you will see over 100 funds. That doesn't even include those associated with utilities. However, 00:28:24.894 --> 00:28:30.448 - by statute, there are only certain funds that you appropriate as part of the annual budget process. 00:28:30.448 --> 00:28:36.057 - Some of the others are very specialized, and some may not be actively used. Some are associated with 00:28:36.057 --> 00:28:42.110 - grants. Some are associated with TIF districts and the Redevelopment Commission, which you don't budget for. 00:28:42.178 --> 00:28:47.893 - And some are old bond funds or even current bond project funds that you've already appropriated. 00:28:47.893 --> 00:28:53.844 - So today, I provided you through the spreadsheet with questions with a list of all of the funds that 00:28:53.844 --> 00:28:58.558 - appear in the 2027 budget proposal, including a brief description of each fund. 00:28:58.658 --> 00:29:04.813 - Even of the 38 or so that you're being asked to approve a budget for there's some that focus on more 00:29:04.813 --> 00:29:11.090 - than others because they involve a larger and more complex decision space that is the need and ability 00:29:11.090 --> 00:29:17.185 - to trade off between multiple priorities as You know the 2027 budget proposal includes a five point 00:29:17.185 --> 00:29:23.462 - four million dollar budgeted deficit in the general fund which is less than the budgeted deficits that 00:29:23.462 --> 00:29:25.534 - you've approved in 2024 25 and 26 00:29:25.634 --> 00:29:31.527 - But I actually think it is most useful to look at the general fund and the ED lit funds together. Why? 00:29:31.527 --> 00:29:37.420 - First because many expenses have been moved between these funds and so you can compare like with like. 00:29:37.420 --> 00:29:43.428 - And then also because they are essentially identical in how they're allowed to be spent. These two funds 00:29:43.428 --> 00:29:49.264 - together essentially represent the majority, not all, but the majority of the decision space that you 00:29:49.264 --> 00:29:52.926 - have with respect to the general operations of city government. 00:29:53.122 --> 00:29:59.583 - And so if we add up general and Edie lit we wind up with in 2027 a proposed general and Edie lit budget 00:29:59.583 --> 00:30:05.981 - together with the deficit of four point eight million dollars We've seen some additional and increased 00:30:05.981 --> 00:30:12.194 - expenses in the 2027 budget proposal and we'll talk about them in a few minutes We were also moving 00:30:12.194 --> 00:30:15.486 - some more expenses from the general fund to Edie lit 00:30:15.618 --> 00:30:21.659 - This moving simply serves to balance out the revenue and expenses of the two funds. It doesn't represent 00:30:21.659 --> 00:30:27.528 - any new expenses or savings either. And I'll talk about these moves shortly. As with past budgets, we 00:30:27.528 --> 00:30:31.038 - have seen a budgeted deficit in these key operational funds. 00:30:31.138 --> 00:30:37.365 - The city has historically spent less than its full appropriation and the proposed year-end fund balances 00:30:37.365 --> 00:30:43.296 - mostly remain substantial. However, I do want to acknowledge the rising costs of fully funding what 00:30:43.296 --> 00:30:48.574 - we already have with limited revenue coming in and few opportunities for revenue growth. 00:30:48.994 --> 00:30:54.366 - I do want to emphasize a point that I made in my component of the budget memo as well, that while the 00:30:54.366 --> 00:30:59.843 - expenditure proposals being discussed are very specific, the revenue numbers may and will change before 00:30:59.843 --> 00:31:05.426 - the budget is passed. There are best guesses based on the information we have. And of course, even though 00:31:05.426 --> 00:31:10.745 - the revenue projections will become part of the record when the budget is passed, the actual revenue 00:31:10.745 --> 00:31:16.011 - could come in at or below or above the projected revenue. Many of the important revenue numbers are 00:31:16.011 --> 00:31:18.750 - not even known before the budget book was produced. 00:31:18.818 --> 00:31:24.402 - For example, the final lit numbers for 2027, the PSAP distribution from the county for dispatch, and 00:31:24.402 --> 00:31:30.207 - the circuit breaker tax cap estimates from the state. Some depend heavily on future events that we don't 00:31:30.207 --> 00:31:35.736 - have a lot of control over, such as interest income. And I mention that just to say that throughout 00:31:35.736 --> 00:31:41.541 - the process, while the budgeted expenditure numbers will only change through this process if we together 00:31:41.541 --> 00:31:46.572 - agree they will, the revenue numbers will continue to change as we get new information, as 00:31:46.572 --> 00:31:48.784 - I have opportunities to further analyze 00:31:48.784 --> 00:31:50.174 - projections, etc. 00:31:51.458 --> 00:31:56.737 - Based on questions that I've received from council members already as well as information that's already 00:31:56.737 --> 00:32:01.765 - been received I'll be reduced releasing some additional data tables over the next week Those tables 00:32:01.765 --> 00:32:06.843 - will include information like current and projected fund balances for each of the funds that make up 00:32:06.843 --> 00:32:11.871 - the budget proposal updated reserves Projections and the actual budget expenditures to date some of 00:32:11.871 --> 00:32:17.050 - that information is already presented to the fiscal committee But I'm hearing that all council members 00:32:17.050 --> 00:32:21.424 - would appreciate that information and actually my first cut at that was released today 00:32:21.424 --> 00:32:31.947 - I want to talk for a few minutes about some of the larger scale changes in the operating budget from 00:32:31.947 --> 00:32:33.406 - 2026 to 2027. 00:32:33.538 --> 00:32:40.283 - First, we've included a 2.7 cost of living, a 2.7% cost of living adjustment for civil city employees, 00:32:40.283 --> 00:32:46.898 - which represents the December to December increase in the urban CPI. We're also including 3% cost of 00:32:46.898 --> 00:32:53.577 - living for the employees of our three unions, Ask Me, Police, and Fire. Overall salary increases come 00:32:53.577 --> 00:33:00.257 - out to 2.9 million across the city, with 623,000 in the general fund and 1.2 million in ED lit. We've 00:33:00.257 --> 00:33:02.942 - also seen increases in pension expenses. 00:33:03.074 --> 00:33:10.645 - For civil city employees, the perf contribution rate remains at 14.2%, so the only increases are driven 00:33:10.645 --> 00:33:18.289 - by the additional salaries. However, for sworn public safety employees in PERS, the perf pension trustee 00:33:18.289 --> 00:33:25.569 - has increased the mandatory employer pension contribution rate from 23.3% to 26.5%, which is a very 00:33:25.569 --> 00:33:31.902 - large increase, coming out to approximately $1.8 million increase in the general fund. 00:33:32.002 --> 00:33:37.940 - Note that these increased perf contribution rates do not mean that the police officers and firefighters 00:33:37.940 --> 00:33:43.765 - will actually get additional retirement compensation. It just means that their pensions will continue 00:33:43.765 --> 00:33:49.703 - not to be underfunded. We, like every other employer, are also seeing increases in healthcare insurance 00:33:49.703 --> 00:33:55.413 - costs. This budget includes the preliminary increase of 9% that we were given from our insurer, the 00:33:55.413 --> 00:33:58.782 - AIM Medical Trust. This increase totaled 876,000 citywide, 00:33:58.882 --> 00:34:05.170 - with 390,000 in the general fund and 216,000 in the ED lit fund. The budget book was prepared using 00:34:05.170 --> 00:34:11.772 - the preliminary 9% increase. We have since received the final figure as 5.8%. And I have not yet revised 00:34:11.772 --> 00:34:18.185 - the appropriation because the allocation of that increase between city and employees has not yet been 00:34:18.185 --> 00:34:24.158 - finalized before advertising the budget will update that number once the decision is resolved. 00:34:24.546 --> 00:34:31.010 - This budget also includes $650,000 for the city's portion of the 2027 municipal election. This is a 00:34:31.010 --> 00:34:37.603 - mandatory expense that only occurs every four years and is paid out of the public works budget in the 00:34:37.603 --> 00:34:44.132 - general fund. We're also seeing the restoration of the streets contribution to the fleet maintenance 00:34:44.132 --> 00:34:50.790 - fund, which is split between MVH and cumulative capital development. Sorry, I'm gonna try to move fast 00:34:50.790 --> 00:34:53.182 - through this because I've got a lot. 00:34:53.314 --> 00:34:59.678 - We're proposing several critical capital investments in maintaining our assets through a 2026 general 00:34:59.678 --> 00:35:06.354 - obligation bond. I'll talk a little bit about that shortly. Several expenses were shifted from the general 00:35:06.354 --> 00:35:12.780 - fund. Edie lit in particular. Those included $500,000 transfer to alternative transportation, $500,000 00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:18.270 - to Jack Hopkins, 202,000 to the vehicle replacement fund and 1.6 million to sanitation. 00:35:18.722 --> 00:35:24.047 - The personnel from CFRD were also shifted to E.D. lit in the amount of one point three million. And 00:35:24.047 --> 00:35:29.372 - I want to be very clear about these transfers because I don't want the presentation of the funds to 00:35:29.372 --> 00:35:34.804 - obscure the underlying spending. Moving an expenditure from general to E.D. lit does not reduce total 00:35:34.804 --> 00:35:40.183 - city spending. That's precisely why I like talking about the general fund and E.D. lit together when 00:35:40.183 --> 00:35:42.366 - discussing the overall operating budget. 00:35:43.010 --> 00:35:48.294 - And then finally there's still some uncertainty in our revenue numbers We've received more information 00:35:48.294 --> 00:35:53.629 - on property taxes including the projected circuit breaker impacts, which I'll talk about in in a moment 00:35:53.629 --> 00:35:58.810 - We've also received partial information about income tax We know that the overall countywide lit has 00:35:58.810 --> 00:36:03.940 - increased by five point thirty eight percent Which is a respectable growth rate, but not as high as 00:36:03.940 --> 00:36:09.172 - we'd like to see in the community what we don't have yet though are the state distributions to all of 00:36:09.172 --> 00:36:10.814 - the individual taxing units and 00:36:17.026 --> 00:36:22.261 - As is the case for most local government, personnel remains our largest driver of expenses. The salary 00:36:22.261 --> 00:36:27.700 - study has now been implemented along with significant compensation adjustments for public safety employees 00:36:27.700 --> 00:36:32.935 - that were necessary to address recruitment and retention challenges. But now that we have market level 00:36:32.935 --> 00:36:38.272 - salaries, it's also important to maintain them and provide appropriate cost of living increases in order 00:36:38.272 --> 00:36:40.254 - not to be right back where we started. 00:36:40.386 --> 00:36:46.016 - One important characteristic of personnel spending is that it tends to represent an ongoing commitment. 00:36:46.016 --> 00:36:51.537 - Unlike a one-time capital expenditure, adding a position or increasing recurring compensation affects 00:36:51.537 --> 00:36:57.275 - the expenditure base in future years. That's why we're being particularly cautious about adding positions 00:36:57.275 --> 00:37:01.822 - in the current revenue environment and have not proposed adding any in this budget. 00:37:03.554 --> 00:37:09.215 - The city remains in a strong financial position, but I want to talk about reserves in a little bit more 00:37:09.215 --> 00:37:14.876 - detail. The reserve numbers that I included in the budget book have changed as new revenue numbers have 00:37:14.876 --> 00:37:20.646 - become available and expenses have been moved from fund to fund. And in response to one of Council Member 00:37:20.646 --> 00:37:26.089 - Piedmont-Smith's questions that was actually essentially asked in a different way by Council Member 00:37:26.089 --> 00:37:29.246 - Asari as well, I have released a table in the spreadsheet 00:37:29.314 --> 00:37:36.979 - That you've been given that includes every fund that has a proposed budget along with its current cash 00:37:36.979 --> 00:37:44.421 - balance It's 2027 proposed budget and revenues and the projected end-of-year fund balances for both 00:37:44.421 --> 00:37:52.235 - 2026 and 2027 I was going to talk in more detail about how those balances are projected But I'm thinking 00:37:52.235 --> 00:37:56.030 - that this may not be the right the right format So 00:37:56.418 --> 00:38:02.535 - Using the numbers from the table that I gave you, we do see a projected operating balance or reserves 00:38:02.535 --> 00:38:08.831 - of $54 million in the general fund and $11 million in the ED-lit fund. Other funds have different levels 00:38:08.831 --> 00:38:14.888 - of reserves. And in addition, we have a rainy day fund which has an additional $3.5 million or so of 00:38:14.888 --> 00:38:21.185 - cash that can be used as reserves for any lawful purpose of county or city governments. Nothing is being 00:38:21.185 --> 00:38:25.982 - budgeted from rainy day this year and any use would require your appropriation. 00:38:26.434 --> 00:38:32.414 - Why are reserves important? Well, first and foremost, they provide cash flow for salaries before property 00:38:32.414 --> 00:38:38.112 - tax collections come in for funds that collect property tax. Property taxes don't come in until June 00:38:38.112 --> 00:38:43.923 - usually, so it's important to be able to fund any salaries or other essential expenses before property 00:38:43.923 --> 00:38:49.734 - taxes come in. Reserves also provide flexibility in the case of emergency, additional support for bond 00:38:49.734 --> 00:38:54.078 - ratings, and stability during revenue uncertainty, as we've seen with SEA-1. 00:38:57.858 --> 00:39:04.264 - So I don't think any of you are unaware of the challenges that lie ahead from SCA 1, Senate Enrolled 00:39:04.264 --> 00:39:10.732 - Act 1. First, on the property tax side, we'll continue to see decreases in our net assessed value due 00:39:10.732 --> 00:39:17.265 - to new deductions from SCA 1. Just last week, after the budget book had been produced, we received our 00:39:17.265 --> 00:39:23.607 - new net assessed value numbers for 2027. What we see is a reduction of $142 million in net assessed 00:39:23.607 --> 00:39:26.334 - value in 2027 for the city of Bloomington. 00:39:27.010 --> 00:39:33.571 - This is a direct consequence of SEA 1, and in particular, of new exemptions for owners of rental housing 00:39:33.571 --> 00:39:39.945 - that will continue to increase through 2031. And incidentally, because Bloomington has so many rental 00:39:39.945 --> 00:39:46.444 - properties, we are disproportionately affected by these SEA 1 reductions. And there's gonna be a couple 00:39:46.444 --> 00:39:52.880 - of follow-on effects from this loss of AV. First, we'll see a loss in our rate-controlled funds, which 00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:56.254 - is primarily our cumulative capital development fund. 00:39:56.418 --> 00:40:02.645 - And then we'll see greater circuit breaker impacts. So just so everybody understands the kind of chain 00:40:02.645 --> 00:40:08.811 - of logic here, additional deductions for rental property owners makes the net assessed value go down, 00:40:08.811 --> 00:40:15.279 - which makes the tax rates go higher, which makes the circuit breaker losses to local government go higher. 00:40:15.279 --> 00:40:19.934 - And we have just received our estimates for circuit breaker losses for 2027. 00:40:20.098 --> 00:40:26.680 - This past Friday as well. We expect to see about 1.3 million dollars in circuit breaker losses across 00:40:26.680 --> 00:40:33.326 - all city funds This is an increase of about eighty seven thousand from last year and the big seua1 hit 00:40:33.326 --> 00:40:39.908 - came the year before where we saw a six hundred twenty six percent increase or over a million dollars 00:40:39.908 --> 00:40:46.942 - in additional circuit breaker losses, but the important thing to know is that these losses are permanent and 00:40:47.138 --> 00:40:53.440 - Permanent lower reset of our property tax revenues that will continue to get worse as the deductions 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:59.803 - for rental properties grow through 2031 One of the things we've we've done as part of this budget has 00:40:59.803 --> 00:41:06.230 - developed the first iteration of a more comprehensive capital improvement plan that plan will continue 00:41:06.230 --> 00:41:12.531 - to evolve but it gives us a much better framework for identifying our capital needs and Planning for 00:41:12.531 --> 00:41:15.838 - them over multiple years rather than addressing them 00:41:16.514 --> 00:41:22.106 - one year at a time. While SEA-1 changes some of the tools we've historically used to fund those needs 00:41:22.106 --> 00:41:27.588 - by effectively eliminating our ability to issue short-term geo bonds, but it does not eliminate our 00:41:27.588 --> 00:41:33.180 - ability to make stable, predictable capital investments. The financing strategy we intend to bring to 00:41:33.180 --> 00:41:38.718 - the council for consideration is a rolling series of six-year general obligation bonds for both city 00:41:38.718 --> 00:41:44.529 - and parks. This allows us to continue making regular capital investments while planning those investments 00:41:44.529 --> 00:41:45.790 - over a longer horizon. 00:41:46.114 --> 00:41:51.786 - The objective isn't to increase capital spending simply because the authority exists. It's to create 00:41:51.786 --> 00:41:57.627 - a predictable replacement and maintenance cycle so that known capital needs don't accumulate until they 00:41:57.627 --> 00:42:03.468 - become emergencies. As part of that transition, we've also pulled a number of significant capital items 00:42:03.468 --> 00:42:09.422 - out of the departmental operating budgets. We think this provides a clear distinction between the ongoing 00:42:09.422 --> 00:42:15.038 - costs of operating city government and the cost of maintaining and improving our long-lived assets. 00:42:15.138 --> 00:42:21.264 - And we'll have opportunities to talk about the the bond proposal in more detail I did just want to mention 00:42:21.264 --> 00:42:26.990 - that there has been a change since producing the budget book after conversations with parks and our 00:42:26.990 --> 00:42:32.944 - bond advisors and bond council We've decided to propose the new six-year parks geo bond early next year 00:42:32.944 --> 00:42:38.670 - rather than this year that'll allow the existing 2022 parks geo bond to roll off and Therefore will 00:42:38.670 --> 00:42:41.246 - keep the overall debt service tax rates down 00:42:41.922 --> 00:42:47.846 - So it looks like I've run out of time, but thank you very much for listening I'm happy to answer what 00:42:47.846 --> 00:42:54.176 - questions I can hear and I will also be here throughout these budget discussions in case Because undoubtedly 00:42:54.176 --> 00:42:59.984 - there will be fiscal questions that come up with respect to other departmental budgets Thank you so 00:42:59.984 --> 00:43:06.081 - much for that presentation and for being mindful of your time and not making me cut you off I appreciate 00:43:06.081 --> 00:43:09.566 - that any questions for controller McKim councilmember Zulek 00:43:10.050 --> 00:43:17.745 - I have a short question and maybe perhaps a longer one are the exemptions for rental properties for 00:43:17.745 --> 00:43:25.595 - both long-term rentals and Short-term rentals like Airbnb's is it is there any difference in the two? 00:43:25.595 --> 00:43:33.598 - So what the way the the tax nerds talk about it is they are those properties that are subject to the 2% 00:43:34.114 --> 00:43:39.765 - circuit breaker cap. So what it means is that they are residential that are not home that do not have 00:43:39.765 --> 00:43:45.306 - a homestead exemption with it. So if you had a short term rental in which that you know, you rented 00:43:45.306 --> 00:43:50.957 - your own basement in your house, that and you had still had the homestead deduction on your property, 00:43:50.957 --> 00:43:56.830 - then that would be that that would not be increasing here. But in general, yes, non homestead residential 00:43:56.830 --> 00:43:59.102 - properties are what we're talking about. 00:44:00.098 --> 00:44:07.402 - Thank you. I also had one more question, just what changes are you hoping to see in a potential new 00:44:07.402 --> 00:44:14.779 - financial system that might offer us better insights? So actually, I was really hoping that we could 00:44:14.779 --> 00:44:22.083 - defer that question until the IT services, because it's actually that expense is in the IT services 00:44:22.083 --> 00:44:28.510 - budget, and we were going to talk about that in more detail. But let me just, in brief, 00:44:28.674 --> 00:44:35.238 - The big issue is that simply our financial system is 15 years old and doing everything is a slog. It 00:44:35.238 --> 00:44:41.801 - just takes time. And that's what it's really about. It's not that there's any one thing that we just 00:44:41.801 --> 00:44:48.365 - can't do. It's that every little thing takes time, that every report we get to be able to present it 00:44:48.365 --> 00:44:51.614 - in a format that's accessible, for example, takes 00:44:51.810 --> 00:44:58.229 - you know, anywhere between 20 minutes to several hours of cleaning, of relabeling the columns and the 00:44:58.229 --> 00:45:04.585 - data. It just takes a lot. So it's really, it's finding something that is just simply more efficient 00:45:04.585 --> 00:45:10.941 - and reduces the amount of manual time that everybody has to spend. So that's the big picture, but we 00:45:10.941 --> 00:45:17.297 - will talk about it a little bit more during the IT services budget. Thank you so much. And those are 00:45:17.297 --> 00:45:20.318 - my questions. Thank you so much for being here. 00:45:22.338 --> 00:45:31.728 - Any other questions from council members. Council member Stossberg. Thank you. Thanks so much. Controller 00:45:31.728 --> 00:45:41.029 - McKim. So I have a question about the actual like numbers in terms of its label 2027 revenue and expense 00:45:41.029 --> 00:45:46.078 - detail in the budget book on page 14 because it has like 00:45:46.434 --> 00:45:52.979 - total revenue categories for 2027 and then expense categories for 2027. And it shows a gap of like a 00:45:52.979 --> 00:45:59.524 - deficit gap of 28 million dollars. But then the chart that you showed up there seemed to not say the 00:45:59.524 --> 00:46:04.190 - same thing. And so now I'm a little bit confused about the differences. 00:46:04.514 --> 00:46:10.982 - Yes, so I did not talk about I only talked about Edie lit in general and the general fund that I actually 00:46:10.982 --> 00:46:16.718 - provided a kind of a more detailed spreadsheet that I think answers your question in response 00:46:16.718 --> 00:46:23.614 - to councilmember Piedmont Smith's question it's in the same document that the answers to our other questions are 00:46:23.714 --> 00:46:31.131 - Are providing it shows the it shows every fund all 38 or 39. However, all all of the funds that you're 00:46:31.131 --> 00:46:38.548 - budgeting not just general and and ed lit it shows the projected revenues and the expenditures and and 00:46:38.548 --> 00:46:46.037 - then the Deficit or surplus for each fund and if you total those up, that's where you get approximately 00:46:46.037 --> 00:46:51.006 - 20. It's 28 point something million But really then in terms of 2027 00:46:51.138 --> 00:46:58.255 - Like there's 28 million dollars more budgeted than expected revenue if you look across all if you look 00:46:58.255 --> 00:47:05.372 - across all funds But there's an important thing to to know about that is that a lot of those funds are 00:47:05.372 --> 00:47:12.421 - in this case a lot of those are simply are either planned capital expenditures or planned spend downs 00:47:12.421 --> 00:47:17.534 - like like a good portion of that revenue is actually or that that deficit 00:47:18.114 --> 00:47:25.969 - from the food and beverage tax where we plan to not only we still have one more year or one half year 00:47:25.969 --> 00:47:34.055 - of the CIB of the actual construction project, but we're also planning on on making two additional lease 00:47:34.055 --> 00:47:42.064 - payments as part of the revenue stabilization fund that had been promised to council when When the bond 00:47:42.064 --> 00:47:47.070 - had been issued for the Convention Center expansion, but I would 00:47:48.002 --> 00:47:55.701 - I would encourage you to look at that spreadsheet first and see if that answers the questions you have 00:47:55.701 --> 00:48:03.250 - and if it doesn't I'm I'm more than happy to add additional information I think that it does because 00:48:03.250 --> 00:48:11.098 - I was like why is the 2027 proposed budget then only five million in deficit Yeah in my last 20 seconds, 00:48:11.098 --> 00:48:15.134 - do you have any idea a projection on the actual? 2026 00:48:15.842 --> 00:48:23.052 - Deficit or surplus that we're gonna end up in. I mean, I know it's just a projection right now, but 00:48:23.052 --> 00:48:30.407 - That was actually part of the part I skipped in my in my presentation. So you give me the opportunity 00:48:30.407 --> 00:48:37.978 - to answer Yes, sort of and and actually it is in that In that spreadsheet, but I you I'm using the state 00:48:37.978 --> 00:48:40.574 - standard methodology for projecting 00:48:40.738 --> 00:48:47.911 - the end of the year balance, which is basically you take the June 30th, 2026 actual balance and then 00:48:47.911 --> 00:48:54.302 - you add in all anticipated revenues for the rest of the year based on what you projected. 00:48:54.402 --> 00:49:01.202 - originally when the budget was passed, and then you add all, or you subtract all unspent appropriations. 00:49:01.202 --> 00:49:07.742 - And that's a really crude way of doing a projection. And in particular, it's particularly inaccurate 00:49:07.742 --> 00:49:14.283 - when it comes to salaries, where there are often reversions in salaries, because any time you have a 00:49:14.283 --> 00:49:20.241 - vacancy or a senior person who retires and is replaced by a more junior person, you wind up 00:49:20.241 --> 00:49:24.126 - with appropriations. So I think, given a little extra time, 00:49:24.226 --> 00:49:31.247 - Which you know, I just have not had this this last week. I Would like to do a more detailed projection 00:49:31.247 --> 00:49:38.268 - for the general fund it's one of those things you can't do mechanically like I can't just run a report 00:49:38.268 --> 00:49:45.221 - and I have to actually look at what the expenses are. I may have to talk to some department heads But 00:49:45.221 --> 00:49:52.037 - it is definitely very much on my radar and I think we can do it much in a much better job than Than 00:49:52.037 --> 00:49:54.014 - the kind of mechanical state 00:49:54.306 --> 00:50:02.536 - Sanction projection method is thanks. I'll go ahead and follow that up then in writing so then it can 00:50:02.536 --> 00:50:10.766 - get part of that. Thanks Any other council questions for controller McKim? All right, awesome we will 00:50:10.766 --> 00:50:19.481 - move to public comment now, thank you Anybody online or anybody in the room who would like to make comment? 00:50:19.481 --> 00:50:21.982 - Let us know With a hand raised 00:50:22.178 --> 00:50:28.162 - All right, super, thank you very much. You can take yourself off mute, state your name, and you have 00:50:28.162 --> 00:50:34.324 - two minutes for comment, please. Yes, Kevin Keel, can you hear me? We can. All right, I wanted to thank 00:50:34.324 --> 00:50:40.367 - the council members who have expended considerable effort submitting written questions concerning the 00:50:40.367 --> 00:50:46.352 - proposed 2027 budget. I've expressed concerns at the fiscal committee about how difficult the budget 00:50:46.352 --> 00:50:52.158 - document is for members of the public to digest. After reviewing these questions, I was impressed 00:50:52.386 --> 00:51:00.766 - by both their breadth and consistent approach behind them. They also reinforce a concern that I've developed myself. 00:51:01.410 --> 00:51:07.772 - The city provides a great deal of financial information, but it can be extremely difficult to assemble 00:51:07.772 --> 00:51:14.134 - that information into a clear picture of the city's overall financial condition, financial trends, and 00:51:14.134 --> 00:51:20.495 - what the taxpayers are receiving for the resources that are being appropriated. I also appreciate that 00:51:20.495 --> 00:51:26.796 - many questions focus on performance indicators rather than simpler activities. What is the objective? 00:51:26.796 --> 00:51:29.822 - What does it cost? How will the sex be measured? 00:51:29.954 --> 00:51:35.285 - And what evidence will the Council have afterwards to determine whether the expenditure accomplished 00:51:35.285 --> 00:51:36.446 - its intended purpose? 00:51:36.898 --> 00:51:42.329 - Your questions have also caused me to think more about whether some of the information Council is now 00:51:42.329 --> 00:51:47.761 - having to request separately could eventually become part of the City's standard budget presentation. 00:51:47.761 --> 00:51:53.352 - That would, in my view, help move the needle towards a more public-friendly budget document. I recognize 00:51:53.352 --> 00:51:58.943 - the amount of work that must have gone into developing these questions and want you to know as a citizen 00:51:58.943 --> 00:52:04.321 - following this process, I appreciate the level of financial and operational scrutiny these questions 00:52:04.321 --> 00:52:06.238 - are bringing to the budget hearing. 00:52:06.370 --> 00:52:14.736 - Thank you so much, and I've got time left over, but I'm that's it Super thank you very much for those 00:52:14.736 --> 00:52:23.021 - comments anybody else online or in chambers who would like to make public comment We're all good all 00:52:23.021 --> 00:52:31.551 - right Yeah, thank you very much all right back to council for comments any last comments before we keep 00:52:31.551 --> 00:52:34.750 - moving on councilmember Piedmont Smith 00:52:36.610 --> 00:52:45.880 - Yeah, I just was looking at the budget a little bit in a historical context. I was thinking back to 00:52:45.880 --> 00:52:55.243 - previous administrations and previous budgets that I voted yes on. And it's interesting to me, so in 00:52:55.243 --> 00:53:04.606 - the 2017 budget proposal 10 years ago, 49% of revenues in the general fund came from property taxes. 00:53:04.866 --> 00:53:13.634 - And this year it's only 31 percent. And then in local income tax revenues in 2017 it was thirty to thirty 00:53:13.634 --> 00:53:21.989 - two point seven percent of the general fund. And this proposal is thirty three point six percent. So 00:53:21.989 --> 00:53:31.006 - I think we see that there are more other revenues now other than property tax and lit. And of course in 2022 00:53:31.170 --> 00:53:39.262 - We passed a new Edie lit which just didn't exist in 2017. So anyway as a student of history, it's just 00:53:39.262 --> 00:53:47.903 - interesting to see these trends So want to share that Thank you councilmember Flaherty and then councilmember 00:53:47.903 --> 00:53:55.916 - Stossberg Thanks. Just yeah briefly on the history vein as well when we considered and passed an edie 00:53:55.916 --> 00:53:59.294 - lit which was a required action of the the 00:54:00.674 --> 00:54:07.883 - local the names escaping me the shared body across the Fiscal units of the county the city Ellsville 00:54:07.883 --> 00:54:15.234 - and Steinsville, I believe But the the voting shares were apportioned a certain way. We're in the City 00:54:15.234 --> 00:54:22.371 - Council Eight members of the City Council could change an income tax rate, which is in fact what we 00:54:22.371 --> 00:54:23.870 - did with that ed lit 00:54:24.002 --> 00:54:31.076 - I heard at times support for their revenues and what we could do with them from the county colleagues 00:54:31.076 --> 00:54:38.219 - that we have but did not enjoy their support in the votes itself You know, that's all just history I'm 00:54:38.219 --> 00:54:45.778 - bringing it up because When we passed that ed lit it was of course for all new things. It was by definition, 00:54:45.778 --> 00:54:51.326 - you know doing things that we had not been doing previously just four years ago 00:54:51.810 --> 00:54:58.973 - And the council at the time expressed a lot of concern about how that would evolve over time. And would 00:54:58.973 --> 00:55:05.586 - the priorities stay aligned? Would they remain something that was very deliberately negotiated, 00:55:05.586 --> 00:55:12.473 - in a sense, between the mayor's administration and the council? And a fix for that was to make sure 00:55:12.473 --> 00:55:19.430 - the revenues went not in the general fund, but in a special fund, the ED-LIP fund, so we could track 00:55:19.430 --> 00:55:20.670 - for that purpose. 00:55:20.770 --> 00:55:26.638 - That pretty quickly did not happen. And I think there's a lot, I think obviously there's shared blame 00:55:26.638 --> 00:55:32.390 - for that. Obviously both prior administration and this administration did not do that, did not kind 00:55:32.390 --> 00:55:38.373 - of maintain the ED lit just for the things that were passed and didn't engage in conversation to figure 00:55:38.373 --> 00:55:44.241 - out what would change if anything. But the council also didn't ensure accountability around that. And 00:55:44.241 --> 00:55:48.670 - that's on all parties. We've commented on this a little bit in recent years. 00:55:48.930 --> 00:55:54.608 - budget hearings. And we're so far removed, with the exception of any obligations that were set in stone, 00:55:54.608 --> 00:56:00.123 - like commitments to transit over a certain period. I think we're so far removed from what the initial 00:56:00.123 --> 00:56:05.855 - kind of proposal and the new things that we were going to do and invest in that really needed investment. 00:56:05.855 --> 00:56:11.316 - And the council believed, almost everybody, I think, that we needed that investment. We're just very 00:56:11.316 --> 00:56:15.966 - far from what that looked like. And I think that complicates the picture quite a bit. 00:56:16.194 --> 00:56:22.186 - for how we think about those revenues, how we think about where there are potentials for savings in 00:56:22.186 --> 00:56:28.478 - the overall budget. Because once it all gets blended, it all just becomes functionally kind of a general 00:56:28.478 --> 00:56:34.710 - fund with two names. So that's a challenge for all of us to puzzle over. I wanted to share that context 00:56:34.710 --> 00:56:37.886 - as well. Thanks. Thank you. Councilmember Stossberg? 00:56:39.426 --> 00:56:48.142 - I first just want to say my kind of long-standing I think every every budget year that we've had I've 00:56:48.142 --> 00:56:57.285 - mentioned the I'll say problem of having an across-the-board cost of living increase or adjustment Because 00:56:57.285 --> 00:57:06.172 - it extends the wage gap that those earning the most get the largest Increase in wages and those earning 00:57:06.172 --> 00:57:07.710 - the least get the 00:57:07.938 --> 00:57:15.664 - the least. And I just will once again point that out as just being a problematic nature of COLA increases. 00:57:15.664 --> 00:57:23.101 - And I didn't get a chance to ask this question, but I will follow up with this question in the written 00:57:23.101 --> 00:57:30.393 - questions, whether there have been conversations about how to manage that in the future. And I think 00:57:30.393 --> 00:57:34.942 - that to some degree, the different adjustments that we've done 00:57:35.010 --> 00:57:40.623 - have potentially fixed some of that issue right now, but it'll come around again. And so we've got to 00:57:40.623 --> 00:57:46.126 - have some kind of, it would be great to have some kind of consistent concept of how we want to make 00:57:46.126 --> 00:57:51.738 - sure that the wage gap doesn't increase long term. And then for the rest of my comment period, I just 00:57:51.738 --> 00:57:57.406 - want to highlight something that Controller McKim said that I think is really important that we talked 00:57:57.406 --> 00:58:03.294 - about in fiscal committee, the last fiscal committee, and that is the $142 million drop in assessed value. 00:58:03.650 --> 00:58:09.680 - because of the state's change in property taxes because they are Giving larger property tax benefits 00:58:09.680 --> 00:58:15.710 - to rental properties and we have a lot of rental properties so if you're a renter out there and your 00:58:15.710 --> 00:58:21.681 - rent actually decreases because the property tax that your landlord is paying decreases like let me 00:58:21.681 --> 00:58:27.770 - know because I think that would be pretty much a miracle and What it's gonna actually in effect do is 00:58:27.770 --> 00:58:33.502 - it's going to put more money in the pockets of landlords and the bigger landlords are gonna get 00:58:33.666 --> 00:58:41.883 - even more money in their pockets and that is at the expense of city governments of County governments 00:58:41.883 --> 00:58:50.180 - of police of fire of libraries a lot of library issues and the biggest one is public schools So I just 00:58:50.180 --> 00:58:58.719 - wanted to make sure to say that again to emphasize that again Because the more times we say it the better 00:58:58.719 --> 00:59:00.894 - it is a problem with what? 00:59:01.026 --> 00:59:11.711 - the state government is doing, what the legislature is doing that is supported by our governor and the 00:59:11.711 --> 00:59:22.395 - more voices may be in their ears and the more votes against that kind of taxation, the better. Thanks. 00:59:22.395 --> 00:59:27.582 - Thank you. Any other council comments? All right. 00:59:28.002 --> 00:59:34.050 - I see none. So thank you very much. We will now move on to presentations from the fire department. So 00:59:34.050 --> 00:59:40.157 - you may come to the podium. Please state your name for us. We know who you are but state your name and 00:59:40.157 --> 00:59:46.442 - you have 15 minutes. Thank you. Roger Kerr chief of the department fire department. Thank you for letting 00:59:46.442 --> 00:59:52.372 - me present the twenty twenty seven budget. I want to start off by this up here represents everybody 00:59:52.372 --> 00:59:57.886 - who works in the fire department and that's the most key component we have is our personnel. 00:59:58.082 --> 01:00:04.411 - What we do after that and what is in this budget is to support them in what they do The top row is the 01:00:04.411 --> 01:00:10.740 - three shifts that work operationally the middle rows kind of support and down to bottom is the mih and 01:00:10.740 --> 01:00:17.069 - Prevention and then community outreach, but I will reiterate that is the key to our department without 01:00:17.069 --> 01:00:23.214 - that We don't have a department. That's that's even we're talking about and Thanks to the mayor and 01:00:23.214 --> 01:00:27.454 - the council over the last couple years of putting that as a priority 01:00:27.586 --> 01:00:32.966 - that we're fully staffed, and we've stopped that drain that was leaving here a couple years ago at a 01:00:32.966 --> 01:00:38.452 - rapid rate, so we're very happy about that. Just a little bit, we have 120 full-time staff, one permit 01:00:38.452 --> 01:00:43.885 - part-time. As you can see, our budget did not go up very much. Most of our capital expenses have been 01:00:43.885 --> 01:00:49.318 - taken care of, but we do have two key things that we like to do, and I'll get into those a little bit 01:00:49.318 --> 01:00:55.018 - more here as we replace the self-contained breathing apparatus, which we call SCBAs, and then our 100-foot 01:00:55.018 --> 01:00:55.870 - platform truck. 01:00:55.970 --> 01:01:03.475 - is up for replacement. Just some quick highlights. Hopefully here in about a month our operations center 01:01:03.475 --> 01:01:10.765 - south of town will be up and functional. It's getting really close. In January we received a delivery 01:01:10.765 --> 01:01:17.984 - of an apparatus, an engine. In March we received another engine, so we're pretty good on engines. We 01:01:17.984 --> 01:01:25.918 - also purchased 72 radios out of last year's budget. That has been done, which has enhanced our communications. 01:01:26.050 --> 01:01:32.348 - Sometimes we would go in some IU buildings and our radios wouldn't work because of the way the buildings 01:01:32.348 --> 01:01:38.407 - are made But the new radios have either Wi-Fi connectivity or cell phone connectivity so that we now 01:01:38.407 --> 01:01:44.585 - don't have dropped radios when we go into some IU building so it's a huge Increase in the way that was 01:01:44.585 --> 01:01:50.583 - and then just some highlights in 2026 so far. We've made 3,145 calls in 2025 on the fireside. We've 01:01:50.583 --> 01:01:54.782 - made 67 45 for the total year. So we're on about the same pace we had 01:01:55.778 --> 01:02:01.703 - 91 so far mih contacts last year we had 186 for the full year and we've had 420 inspections and last 01:02:01.703 --> 01:02:07.803 - year he had 1168 for the full year one thing I will add is not on that slide is we had 48,000 671 hours 01:02:07.803 --> 01:02:13.728 - of training last year for our department Which was 116 percent of our goals. So we exceeded our goal 01:02:13.728 --> 01:02:19.652 - last year in training This is just some slides so you can see what we've been doing. This is the ops 01:02:19.652 --> 01:02:24.638 - center down south of town It's getting ready to open hopefully here in about a month 01:02:25.474 --> 01:02:30.845 - This is one of those engines that came in back in January. We had the opportunity to pick up an engine, 01:02:30.845 --> 01:02:36.267 - so we used some funds that we had saved on radios, and then we had another engine that had been budgeted 01:02:36.267 --> 01:02:41.431 - that we decided to add the radio money to it and got an engine instead of a mini bumper. We thought 01:02:41.431 --> 01:02:46.698 - that helped our department out in the long run. This is an engine that had actually been budgeted and 01:02:46.698 --> 01:02:51.914 - in our budget three years ago. That's how long it took for it to get completed in here, so sometimes 01:02:51.914 --> 01:02:53.566 - there's a long turnaround time. 01:02:55.042 --> 01:03:00.357 - For our top priorities this year are self-contained breathing apparatus. Cost about a million dollars 01:03:00.357 --> 01:03:05.620 - to replace them. This is what they look like. The bottle looks old and beat up. It's not really that 01:03:05.620 --> 01:03:11.091 - bad. It's just dirty and nasty from where they were at in the fires. And then on the right side is their 01:03:11.091 --> 01:03:16.406 - face pieces. Other than their turnout gear, this is the second most important piece of equipment they 01:03:16.406 --> 01:03:21.825 - put on themselves every day. This keeps them from getting the smoke and the gases and all that in their 01:03:21.825 --> 01:03:24.222 - lungs. But this is one of the key components. 01:03:24.418 --> 01:03:31.217 - And some of the highlights, there's a lot, but I'll just pick out a couple. Going from the 2013 edition 01:03:31.217 --> 01:03:37.362 - that we have now to the 2025 edition, there's two components that I think are very important. 01:03:37.362 --> 01:03:43.899 - Buddy breathers, which means that if you get down in a fire that somebody can help you. Monroe Fire 01:03:43.899 --> 01:03:48.606 - does not have the same SCBAs we have, but now if we go to this new one, 01:03:48.770 --> 01:03:54.174 - We can do it now, it just takes a different connection, but the new standard is everybody has to have 01:03:54.174 --> 01:03:59.631 - the same connection so that we can have interoperability a lot easier than what we currently have. And 01:03:59.631 --> 01:04:04.982 - the last thing is, you can't see it there, but the very top on the one with the gear on, you can see 01:04:04.982 --> 01:04:10.385 - the shoulder straps. Those don't come apart currently. In the new standards, they have to come off so 01:04:10.385 --> 01:04:15.842 - they can be washed and decontaminated so that we're trying to meet better cancer protocols to keep the 01:04:15.842 --> 01:04:16.478 - cancer from 01:04:17.058 --> 01:04:22.738 - Getting spread faster. So that's that's two of the key components on the SCBAs. I really wanted to point 01:04:22.738 --> 01:04:28.201 - out plus these are going out of warranty right now. They get repaired. Does it cost us anything that 01:04:28.201 --> 01:04:33.664 - warranty runs out next year. One thing I will add the new SCBAs will have a lifetime warranty. So as 01:04:33.664 --> 01:04:39.343 - long as it's a covered component we will not have to pay to have it replaced which is a huge improvement 01:04:39.343 --> 01:04:44.861 - I think because they do break and they do wear out. So anything we can get replaced under warranty is 01:04:44.861 --> 01:04:45.726 - is a is a plus. 01:04:46.754 --> 01:04:52.251 - The other thing is an aerial platform, a very expensive piece of equipment. The one on the right is 01:04:52.251 --> 01:04:57.968 - what we currently have right now. The one on the left is something that we are looking at as well. They 01:04:57.968 --> 01:05:03.684 - make some different configurations that help with maneuverability around the city as some of the places 01:05:03.684 --> 01:05:09.181 - on campus and some of the neighborhoods get tighter. The one on the left is something we're looking 01:05:09.181 --> 01:05:15.063 - at. I'm not saying it's what we're gonna use, but we're looking at our options there. Just for comparison, 01:05:15.063 --> 01:05:16.382 - the platform is a 2019. 01:05:16.930 --> 01:05:23.625 - We've been told right now if we would speak for it now it would be 2028 before it would be delivered 01:05:23.625 --> 01:05:30.585 - just so it takes a while to get those here like we talked about. But the key thing is in 2024 that truck 01:05:30.585 --> 01:05:37.214 - on the left was down 30 plus days in 2025 it was down 60 plus days and so far this year it has been 01:05:37.214 --> 01:05:43.843 - down 90 plus days on repairs with the repair cycles are catching up with it rather rapidly. I think 01:05:43.843 --> 01:05:45.566 - that's all I had on that. 01:05:45.954 --> 01:05:51.297 - The major programs we have obviously is operations, which is when you call 911, that's what you expect 01:05:51.297 --> 01:05:56.693 - to happen as one of our trucks show up. Whether it's a medical call, an alarm, you're trapped in a car, 01:05:56.693 --> 01:06:01.984 - trapped in an elevator, doesn't make any difference what it is, we show up. Mobile integrated health, 01:06:01.984 --> 01:06:07.172 - as you know, it's a program that started about three and a half, four years ago, and it hasn't been 01:06:07.172 --> 01:06:12.360 - a huge success. It allows us to spend more time with the patients who need it. Just where I'll give 01:06:12.360 --> 01:06:15.006 - a quick example, we get a lifting assistance call, 01:06:15.202 --> 01:06:20.617 - Firefighters go and pick that person up maybe put them back in their bed And then the mih just follow 01:06:20.617 --> 01:06:26.192 - up and try to figure out how we can help them does that mean any another bed? Does that need a different 01:06:26.192 --> 01:06:31.608 - wheelchair does that mean any different? Maybe different living arrangements, so they get a chance to 01:06:31.608 --> 01:06:37.023 - do all that and plus much more install car seats a lot of other things that they do that help out the 01:06:37.023 --> 01:06:42.014 - citizens the residents and in inspection investigations they probably get the most unsung and 01:06:42.562 --> 01:06:46.718 - They go out every day in public buildings and make sure that they're safe, that they're meeting code, 01:06:46.718 --> 01:06:50.955 - and then they review all the plans to make sure that everything is up to code. And as you know, there's 01:06:50.955 --> 01:06:55.111 - a lot of big apartment buildings going up in town, and we had to make sure they meet code. So they're 01:06:55.111 --> 01:06:59.226 - kind of the unsung heroes behind the scenes. They don't maybe get a whole lot of limelight, but they 01:06:59.226 --> 01:07:03.341 - do a very important job. And then the second thing they do is if we do have a fire, they investigate 01:07:03.341 --> 01:07:07.782 - those. They come and determine cause and origin, what happened, why did it happen, because there's something 01:07:07.782 --> 01:07:10.430 - we can do to educate the public to keep it from happening again. 01:07:10.658 --> 01:07:16.081 - And then we have a community outreach officer who does pubhead fire extinguisher training CPR training 01:07:16.081 --> 01:07:21.451 - of just about anything it can do as far as pubhead with the with the community. The budget will allow 01:07:21.451 --> 01:07:26.821 - us to maintain the same high level of service that we currently have and it will also help us keep up 01:07:26.821 --> 01:07:32.086 - with the replacement cycle that if you get behind on as we found over the years is very hard to get 01:07:32.086 --> 01:07:35.614 - caught back up. So with that I'd be happy to answer any questions. 01:07:37.730 --> 01:07:43.155 - Fantastic. Thank you so much for that presentation. That was that was fabulous any questions 01:07:43.155 --> 01:07:49.396 - from councilmembers Councilmember Stossberg. I Thank you so much. I just have a couple of little questions 01:07:49.396 --> 01:07:55.462 - So first you mentioned radios and that the radios are on Wi-Fi or cellular network What if the cellular 01:07:55.462 --> 01:08:01.470 - network goes down? Well, first off they start off there's a radio towers at the state have that that's 01:08:01.470 --> 01:08:07.070 - actually how they work off of it just like a regular radio it's called 800 megahertz system and 01:08:07.202 --> 01:08:12.539 - What that does, if for some reason they can't receive that signal from the radio towers, then they convert 01:08:12.539 --> 01:08:17.527 - to a Wi-Fi if that building has it. Then lastly, if you're out someplace, let's say away from that, 01:08:17.527 --> 01:08:22.664 - and the Wi-Fi is not there, and the radio tower is not there, if they can get a cell signal, then they 01:08:22.664 --> 01:08:27.852 - can use that. So it's kind of redundancy built into the radio to keep us from having dead spots. Great, 01:08:27.852 --> 01:08:32.839 - thank you. I think it was the first part of that that I was like, wait a minute. Sure. I missed the 01:08:32.839 --> 01:08:33.438 - first part. 01:08:33.602 --> 01:08:39.875 - And the second question that I have about the replacement aerial platform that was two and a half million 01:08:39.875 --> 01:08:45.911 - dollars you said likely funded via bonding. So is that two and a half million somewhere in the budget 01:08:45.911 --> 01:08:49.758 - already or not. I'll let controller McCann answer that question. 01:08:53.890 --> 01:09:01.787 - It is not in the budget. It is in the proposed 2026 geo bond that I mentioned that we will be bringing 01:09:01.787 --> 01:09:09.607 - to you for later in the year or well Actually in September so very soon, but it is it is part of that 01:09:09.607 --> 01:09:17.351 - proposal Okay, great. Thank you. And then the last question I have I'm just wondering whether all of 01:09:17.351 --> 01:09:22.718 - your positions are filled except for that MIH program manager. Yes, I 01:09:22.978 --> 01:09:29.481 - We are full everybody is full except for the NIH program manager, which just came open on Friday And 01:09:29.481 --> 01:09:35.984 - so it's been open a couple days, but we've already had I think six or seven applicants and it's open 01:09:35.984 --> 01:09:42.487 - till the end of the month All right. Great. Excellent. Thank you Presentation I had a follow-up From 01:09:42.487 --> 01:09:48.990 - the comments from controller McCann that did answer a question I had which was how we anticipate the 01:09:49.666 --> 01:09:55.874 - the bond to be supported. I was curious, I guess, why not PS-lit as the revenue source to pay for the 01:09:55.874 --> 01:10:01.960 - bond that's anticipated? If I'm understanding that correctly, I think the geobond would not tap the 01:10:01.960 --> 01:10:08.108 - PS-lit funds. Is that correct? And tell me more about the rationale, please. The problem with PS-lit 01:10:08.108 --> 01:10:14.316 - is just that there's not enough money. If you look, that's already budgeted in deficit right now, and 01:10:14.316 --> 01:10:19.550 - there just isn't enough revenue now to be able to support it in an expense like that. 01:10:19.874 --> 01:10:26.611 - Okay, so I think when the PS let was adopted its its intent was to cover capital expenses in the public 01:10:26.611 --> 01:10:33.349 - safety front But I'm hearing now that it's not adequate for current Capital needs is that right? That's 01:10:33.349 --> 01:10:39.956 - correct. And is it possible to change the PS lit or is that not possible? Yeah, actually you still do 01:10:39.956 --> 01:10:46.046 - have a little bit of time Yeah, a little bit of a window that you could raise it and actually 01:10:46.178 --> 01:10:51.825 - I think you ought to seriously consider it specifically for dispatch as well and that that may come 01:10:51.825 --> 01:10:57.586 - up during the police presentation But yes, there is a there is a window that you could that you could 01:10:57.586 --> 01:11:03.290 - raise it How would that factor into something like this if the the window for continuing to exist as 01:11:03.290 --> 01:11:08.994 - such is is short? for the purpose of bonding say like like would we not be able to bond bond against 01:11:08.994 --> 01:11:10.462 - an increased rate because 01:11:10.722 --> 01:11:16.800 - The increase is short-lived pending other state changes. Oh, I see. I see what you're saying. There 01:11:16.800 --> 01:11:22.999 - is no way we could bond against the PS lit at this point because it won't exist in a couple of years. 01:11:22.999 --> 01:11:29.320 - So no, the bond that we're talking about here is a general obligation bond. So we would have a property 01:11:29.320 --> 01:11:35.398 - tax rate associated with it. But yeah, right now, there's essentially no option to bond against lit 01:11:35.398 --> 01:11:40.382 - just because there's so much uncertainty associated with all of the forms of lit. 01:11:40.610 --> 01:11:46.831 - Okay, and I assume all existing bond repayment obligations through those lists will then just be Become 01:11:46.831 --> 01:11:52.932 - general obligations of the city or like auto automatically covered as the first things in any updated 01:11:52.932 --> 01:11:58.914 - lit like integrated lit So we only have one Which is right now, which is the the public I think you 01:11:58.914 --> 01:12:05.374 - guys call it the public safety bond that's the only one in which lit revenue is pledged but that's actually 01:12:05.666 --> 01:12:12.612 - What's known as a general revenue bond, which means that we are it doesn't come with a separate tax 01:12:12.612 --> 01:12:19.904 - rate So it doesn't get additional revenue to pay but we are essentially required to pledge any available 01:12:19.904 --> 01:12:26.919 - revenue to pay it to pay it off Okay, so yeah, essentially. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thanks Thank you. 01:12:26.919 --> 01:12:33.726 - Thank you chief Kerr I was Could you give us a status of the proposed fire station on Tap Road? I 01:12:34.370 --> 01:12:40.512 - That is at the summit development. Sure. We have started internally the process to determine you know 01:12:40.512 --> 01:12:46.654 - what kind of station we would need how many people what kind of apparatus and then like a plan to put 01:12:46.654 --> 01:12:52.735 - it in over a three or four year five year phase in plan. So we have started that internal process to 01:12:52.735 --> 01:12:58.817 - figure that out. So the lands provided by summit development and where are we going to bond for this 01:12:58.817 --> 01:13:01.406 - fire station. Does it come from TIF funds. 01:13:01.986 --> 01:13:10.367 - How will it be financed that'd be another controller question That has not been determined yet I mean 01:13:10.367 --> 01:13:18.831 - the Redevelopment Commission has certainly discussed the topic but not in a lot of detail just because 01:13:18.831 --> 01:13:27.870 - there's a lot of other things that come first in in getting the summit the summit program going but yeah that 01:13:28.258 --> 01:13:34.835 - Everybody is aware that that there is this long-term need for a new fire station. Yeah, it was in the 01:13:34.835 --> 01:13:41.541 - 2002 growth policies plan believe it or not and I I just wonder would you have a time horizon like when 01:13:41.541 --> 01:13:47.988 - when might this occur? I hear the following year. I really don't it definitely won't be in the next 01:13:47.988 --> 01:13:54.436 - couple of years I mean that that my my understanding and I know that I've not been central to those 01:13:54.436 --> 01:13:57.918 - discussions, but my understanding and your discussion 01:13:58.146 --> 01:14:07.427 - Discussions with legal that there's a fair amount of time before before it's actually needed. So, okay. 01:14:07.427 --> 01:14:16.618 - Thank you Councilmember rough The data of the numbers you gave for calls CMS calls and inspections and 01:14:16.618 --> 01:14:24.382 - MIH contacts were I mean given that we're going in a month nine, right of the year and 01:14:24.514 --> 01:14:29.403 - They seem to be lower. Yeah, those numbers are actually pulled from right at the end of Like I pulled 01:14:29.403 --> 01:14:34.244 - those from either the end of June or at first as you lie So there's a cut there a couple months back 01:14:34.244 --> 01:14:39.036 - So we're probably on pace for about the same as we have been in the past and honestly I don't think 01:14:39.036 --> 01:14:44.021 - we've been a year here where our run volume hasn't gone up at least some and I'd be surprised if that's 01:14:44.021 --> 01:14:48.766 - not the case we've timed the end of the year out as you know in the emergency service you could be 01:14:48.962 --> 01:14:55.141 - Nothing this week and next week you might make four or five hundred calls So you just don't know but 01:14:55.141 --> 01:15:01.443 - I anticipate it's being about the same level with maybe not a little above To that is does that really 01:15:01.443 --> 01:15:07.561 - represent? Regardless of what it comes out in terms of the total numbers of calls relative to other 01:15:07.561 --> 01:15:13.679 - years Is it really just represent a fixed cost anyway, it's not really Room for savings of any kind 01:15:13.679 --> 01:15:16.126 - based on No, I think it just shows that 01:15:16.290 --> 01:15:22.886 - Our department hasn't grown hasn't had any personal added to it since 2002 But a request for our service 01:15:22.886 --> 01:15:29.420 - has continued to increase and so I just think it goes to show that our personnel are doing What they've 01:15:29.420 --> 01:15:36.204 - been asked to regardless of you know, the cost is the same but what we're been asked to do is has increased 01:15:36.204 --> 01:15:42.487 - Every year and so it just continues to increase So one more long same line on the follow-up on what 01:15:42.487 --> 01:15:45.502 - you just answered so that suggests to me that I 01:15:45.858 --> 01:15:54.789 - Morales pretty good. Would you say I mean I would say morale right now is really good. Yes Yeah, I would 01:15:54.789 --> 01:16:03.381 - think so. Thank you Any other council questions Yeah, I think this is probably for mr. McKim what is 01:16:03.381 --> 01:16:12.142 - the status of the 2022 29.5 million dollar public safety bond it's related to fire since we spent most 01:16:12.142 --> 01:16:13.758 - of it on fire, but 01:16:13.858 --> 01:16:20.364 - Like how much is left? How much is what are the nearly nothing is left to be spent? We were paying it 01:16:20.364 --> 01:16:26.933 - I mean we're making the payments every year out of out of ED lit and in that those payments are in the 01:16:26.933 --> 01:16:33.439 - ED lit budget But they they have essentially been expended for the fire logistics training center for 01:16:33.439 --> 01:16:39.880 - the fire station refurbishments and for the purchase of showers west Okay, so there's pretty much no 01:16:39.880 --> 01:16:42.878 - money left. Yeah, there's not very little left 01:16:43.970 --> 01:16:52.235 - All right, thank you. Any other questions? I have a question. This may be one actually for Controller 01:16:52.235 --> 01:17:00.500 - McKim, but. Sorry. That doesn't bother me at all. I have one for you, too, also, but since Controller 01:17:00.500 --> 01:17:09.412 - McKim was up there. So replacing the SCBA equipment and getting a new truck, those are life-saving equipment. 01:17:09.412 --> 01:17:13.950 - And the GO bonds keep them out of the operating budget. 01:17:14.114 --> 01:17:21.352 - For now, but what happens if the bond gets delayed or scaled back or there's an issue with that? What's 01:17:21.352 --> 01:17:28.312 - our backup plan for replacing this essential gear? So the SCBA equipment is in the budget that that 01:17:28.312 --> 01:17:35.272 - you're considering it's only the app or the aerial ladder truck that we pulled out of the operating 01:17:35.272 --> 01:17:39.518 - budget and put into a or want to put into a proposed bond so 01:17:39.970 --> 01:17:46.686 - Yeah I agree. We did not want to take the chance on delaying the CBA. So so then with the truck then 01:17:46.686 --> 01:17:53.536 - we just kind of have to put it on our wish list for next year maybe and keep using the old one. I mean 01:17:53.536 --> 01:18:00.186 - fixing it. That's essentially what it is. And yeah. And then the chief can talk about how desirable 01:18:00.186 --> 01:18:02.846 - that would be. But that's where we are. 01:18:03.042 --> 01:18:09.048 - But I talked to them about which was the priority and I was I was told that having the SCBA apparatus 01:18:09.048 --> 01:18:14.936 - replaced was absolutely essential. Sure. Absolutely. Thank you. And then just out of curiosity with 01:18:14.936 --> 01:18:20.941 - the SCBA equipment you said the year that we have now it's on its next year will be its last year for 01:18:20.941 --> 01:18:27.300 - the warranty. How long does that warranty last. I know the new ones we're looking at our lifetime warranty. 01:18:27.300 --> 01:18:31.422 - Right. The current SCBAs we have now had a 10 year warranty on those. 01:18:31.778 --> 01:18:37.289 - And so that's up at the end of I think don't quote me on exact month was about middle of next summer 01:18:37.289 --> 01:18:42.254 - That warning will be up and then the repairs that would come with that after that would be 01:18:42.254 --> 01:18:48.147 - on our responsibility And so we're trying to get this going before those repairs become our responsibility. 01:18:48.147 --> 01:18:53.821 - So a lifetime warranty is quite an upgrade. Yes, absolutely Okay, great. Thank you very much We're good 01:18:53.821 --> 01:18:59.550 - with questions Okay, we will move to public comment anybody in chambers or online with public comment. I 01:19:04.802 --> 01:19:11.496 - All right, I'll give it a sec and we're good. Okay Great. Thank you back to Chambers or back to council 01:19:11.496 --> 01:19:17.997 - any council comments council members Ulick Being fully staffed and BFD is a huge deal. And so I just 01:19:17.997 --> 01:19:24.498 - want to congratulate chief Kerr and all of our fire department because This has been something we've 01:19:24.498 --> 01:19:30.935 - been working on for a really long time So thank you so much for all of the work that you've done to 01:19:30.935 --> 01:19:32.158 - accomplish this. I 01:19:34.690 --> 01:19:41.560 - Thank you. Any other comments. Council member Stossberg that was the only comment I had to. So that's 01:19:41.560 --> 01:19:48.430 - great. Thank you. Any other comments. Good to go. OK. Fantastic. Well thank you very much Chief Kerr. 01:19:48.430 --> 01:19:55.502 - We really appreciate you being here. And now we move on to the next part of our hearings with the police 01:19:55.502 --> 01:20:02.641 - department and dispatch and Chief Decoff you may introduce yourself and you also have you have 20 minutes 01:20:02.641 --> 01:20:04.190 - for your presentation. 01:20:11.426 --> 01:20:17.892 - Good evening council. My name is Mike Decoff. I am the police chief for the city of Bloomington Police 01:20:17.892 --> 01:20:24.735 - Department. I appreciate the opportunity to present my twenty twenty seven budget request. So the department 01:20:24.735 --> 01:20:31.075 - has one hundred and five authorized sworn officers and eighty one non sworn employees. The change in 01:20:31.075 --> 01:20:37.541 - budget from twenty six to twenty seven is a two million four hundred ninety three thousand two hundred 01:20:37.541 --> 01:20:39.550 - ninety eight dollar difference. 01:20:40.290 --> 01:20:46.663 - Our key budget needs and issues for twenty twenty seven are continuing our alternative response programs 01:20:46.663 --> 01:20:52.915 - continuing equipment replacement cycle and upkeep on our capital assets and a new police headquarters. 01:20:52.915 --> 01:20:59.045 - Category one increases of one million six hundred fifty eight thousand forty eight or due to changes 01:20:59.045 --> 01:21:05.297 - in the new collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated this year as well as coal increases for 01:21:05.297 --> 01:21:06.814 - the non sworn personnel. 01:21:07.426 --> 01:21:15.740 - Category two increases of $178,957 are due to fuel costs and inflationary price increases. That doesn't 01:21:15.740 --> 01:21:24.055 - necessarily mean that we're using more fuel, but the cost of fuel has increased significantly. Category 01:21:24.055 --> 01:21:32.129 - three is $770,362 change due to the insurance that was once paid from the risk management budget has 01:21:32.129 --> 01:21:37.246 - now been moved to the police budget, and we are now paying that 01:21:38.018 --> 01:21:46.430 - And there's a category four decrease of a hundred and fourteen thousand one sixty nine due to the completion 01:21:46.430 --> 01:21:54.534 - of a maintenance project that was at the public safety training complex Some highlights on overall crime 01:21:54.534 --> 01:22:02.251 - in Bloomington. We had an overall decrease in the crime rate of six point four percent from 2004 or 01:22:02.251 --> 01:22:07.422 - 2024 you see on the left the decrease in property crime in larceny 01:22:07.778 --> 01:22:17.610 - and in vandalism of those were mainly due to the work of the patrol officers and investigators in just 01:22:17.610 --> 01:22:27.156 - basically the way we investigate things and how we focus on certain individuals who are responsible 01:22:27.156 --> 01:22:36.606 - for doing a lot of these types of crimes and making sure that they're not able to do that anymore. 01:22:38.562 --> 01:22:46.646 - Little bit of information on vehicle accidents and there was an overall decrease in accidents of 6.99%. 01:22:46.646 --> 01:22:54.496 - You can see on the left, personal injury crashes decreased 16% and property damage crashes decreased 01:22:54.496 --> 01:23:02.424 - 4%. I will give you some information about the traffic safety initiative that we started in July that 01:23:02.424 --> 01:23:08.254 - we made an announcement on prior to school starting. We've ran that detail 01:23:08.706 --> 01:23:17.919 - 80 hours so far as of the 12th of August. We've had 111 traffic stops, 81 citations and 29 warnings. 01:23:17.919 --> 01:23:27.315 - The areas that we focused on were high accident areas and intersections and the complaints that we get 01:23:27.315 --> 01:23:36.254 - from you reports. I will say to date, as of 2.30 this afternoon, we had made 8,182 traffic stops. 01:23:39.426 --> 01:23:46.966 - 27 priorities and goals we want to continue our alternative response partnerships we want to Start the 01:23:46.966 --> 01:23:54.652 - design and being begin building our new police headquarters And we want to continue our enhanced traffic 01:23:54.652 --> 01:24:02.484 - safety and violent crime reduction initiatives a Little bit about our alternative our alternative response 01:24:02.484 --> 01:24:08.926 - We have partnerships with several different agencies that include new leaf new life and 01:24:09.026 --> 01:24:16.162 - Heading Home, Beacon, Wheeler Mission, Stride Mobile Crisis, Health Net, Centerstone Outreach, and the 01:24:16.162 --> 01:24:23.090 - Mobile Integrated Health Unit with the Fire Department. We do a lot of intervention with people who 01:24:23.090 --> 01:24:30.572 - are experiencing homelessness, people who have mental health issues or substance use issues. These officers 01:24:30.572 --> 01:24:35.006 - that work this and the partnerships that we have are invaluable 01:24:35.266 --> 01:24:42.826 - And we believe are saving lives every day for the people that are affected by those those issues that 01:24:42.826 --> 01:24:50.534 - I mentioned earlier Our new police headquarters, we're looking at 714 South Roger Street. It is a major 01:24:50.534 --> 01:24:58.020 - goal for 2027 We believe that once this is done this facility will last us at least 50 years Because 01:24:58.020 --> 01:25:00.318 - it is larger than what we have 01:25:00.674 --> 01:25:08.628 - Will be able to design it in such that we will be able to fit all of our All the components of the department 01:25:08.628 --> 01:25:16.582 - within one building. Whereas now they're spread out over several buildings Enhanced traffic safety initiative 01:25:16.582 --> 01:25:23.957 - as I said, we announced the one earlier this year We continue to do more of those so that we can make 01:25:23.957 --> 01:25:29.886 - the city's streets safe and so that people Not only that are driving but are also 01:25:30.242 --> 01:25:38.153 - riding bikes and pedestrians feel safe and we do make a Concentrated effort to make sure that they're 01:25:38.153 --> 01:25:45.987 - protected when they are out on the roadways as well Our violent crime reduction initiative again, we 01:25:45.987 --> 01:25:53.898 - will focus on areas that we see violent crime happening so that many times it's in neighborhoods that 01:25:53.898 --> 01:25:59.870 - don't necessarily have the resources that other neighborhoods might have and 01:26:00.034 --> 01:26:08.556 - So we want to focus on those to make sure that people living in those areas are safe and can also enjoy 01:26:08.556 --> 01:26:16.915 - a quality of life like everyone else in Bloomington. Our 27 challenges and opportunities. Our overall 01:26:16.915 --> 01:26:25.273 - call volume continues to increase. In 2025, we had 80,450 calls for service. That was a 5.9% increase 01:26:25.273 --> 01:26:29.534 - from the previous year. As you can see, it's a 48%. 01:26:29.762 --> 01:26:36.966 - increase since 2020 Funding has fallen short in some areas Requiring us to not make the necessary equipment 01:26:36.966 --> 01:26:43.637 - replacements that we need to but we will continue to focus on That equipment that is life-saving to 01:26:43.637 --> 01:26:50.574 - the officers so that we make sure that that they're safe while they're doing their jobs And as staffing 01:26:50.574 --> 01:26:57.245 - levels continue to increase at the department We will continue to fully staff our downtown resource 01:26:57.245 --> 01:26:59.646 - officers and our detective division 01:27:01.602 --> 01:27:09.851 - And that is my conclusion and I will take what questions you might have. That was very fast. Thank you 01:27:09.851 --> 01:27:18.580 - very much. Great presentation. Council member Rallo I get you take off. So we've reached 105 sworn officers. 01:27:18.580 --> 01:27:26.588 - No we're not there. That's the total authorized staffing. We're currently at 93 93. OK. So we still 01:27:26.588 --> 01:27:28.670 - have a little ways to go. 01:27:30.498 --> 01:27:39.195 - 105 I'm sorry, the goal is still yes 105 So you attribute the significant decrease in crime to increase 01:27:39.195 --> 01:27:47.726 - personnel Well, I think it's how we're policing different because we are short-staffed I believe that 01:27:47.726 --> 01:27:56.339 - as we get closer to being fully staffed that we'll be able to do other programs that will also benefit 01:27:56.339 --> 01:27:58.430 - crime prevention efforts 01:27:58.530 --> 01:28:05.950 - and those reduction efforts that we're seeking so Clearly the more people we have the more resources 01:28:05.950 --> 01:28:13.371 - that we have available to us the more that we can do to work towards those goals Yeah, it seems Kind 01:28:13.371 --> 01:28:21.085 - of maybe self-evident that you have success in solving crime when you've got People to investigate them. 01:28:21.085 --> 01:28:24.318 - Yes identify the perpetrator or arrest them 01:28:26.530 --> 01:28:35.522 - Do we still patrol trails? The beeline not as frequently as we would like Parks does have a security 01:28:35.522 --> 01:28:44.425 - company that helps do that when they encounter problems They do call us and we go and assist but we 01:28:44.425 --> 01:28:53.506 - do not We don't have the resources to do it very frequently So we so we outsource The trails to parts 01:28:53.506 --> 01:28:55.198 - of that yes higher 01:28:55.938 --> 01:29:02.593 - I see is that cost-effective? I mean would we be better off and you know? Having patrol officers. 01:29:02.593 --> 01:29:09.383 - It's war. It's our trial eyes and ears out there They can do less than what a police officer can do 01:29:09.383 --> 01:29:16.446 - So, you know if we had the resources where we could put out more patrols on the trails It would be more 01:29:16.446 --> 01:29:23.304 - effective because if they encounter something they don't have to call somebody to take action We can 01:29:23.304 --> 01:29:24.798 - just take that action 01:29:26.050 --> 01:29:31.965 - And I'm also thinking is it true that you know having police officers out on the beat walking a trail 01:29:31.965 --> 01:29:37.880 - riding a bicycle Where they interact with the public is it is a good? Experience for both the officer 01:29:37.880 --> 01:29:43.969 - and the community because yeah, I would agree with that. I think that that builds trust that's something 01:29:43.969 --> 01:29:49.943 - that we're always trying to do with the community is you know, there's lots of studies that have shown 01:29:49.943 --> 01:29:53.886 - that people who interact one-on-one with a police officer and a non 01:29:54.274 --> 01:30:02.327 - Emergency type situation. That's a benefit And so if you know if we had more people would we would be 01:30:02.327 --> 01:30:10.932 - able to do that and I think that would be an overall benefit for You know the parks the trails the sidewalks 01:30:10.932 --> 01:30:18.984 - downtown and the department. Yeah Okay. Thank you Any other questions councilmember rough Would would 01:30:18.984 --> 01:30:22.142 - moving more towards fully full staffing 01:30:22.562 --> 01:30:32.302 - Would any would you anticipate any more effort put towards? Enforcement of speed speed speeding violet. 01:30:32.302 --> 01:30:42.416 - I mean we had a lot of complaints to the council about safety of Pedestrians and bicycles based on speeding 01:30:42.416 --> 01:30:52.062 - speeding cars You know councilmembers ask about increased patrols on trails seems like anything you do 01:30:52.354 --> 01:30:59.659 - Opportunity cost right? You can't do something else if you but so is more working towards full staffing 01:30:59.659 --> 01:31:06.683 - really the only Solution to that dilemma. I think that's most certainly true I think that if we had 01:31:06.683 --> 01:31:14.059 - more resources we could focus on those types of activities as I presented, you know every year our calls 01:31:14.059 --> 01:31:19.678 - for service continue to increase and so those are people who are calling in and 01:31:20.450 --> 01:31:26.961 - requesting services from the police department so that takes away someone who might be able to go sit 01:31:26.961 --> 01:31:33.663 - somewhere and run radar and do speed enforcement because we're answering calls so most certainly I think 01:31:33.663 --> 01:31:40.302 - when we're fully staffed we will be able to look at those types of traffic enforcement and Safety types 01:31:40.302 --> 01:31:46.174 - of initiatives that will make things safer Thank you And then councilmember Stossberg after 01:31:50.818 --> 01:31:58.544 - Yes, thank you for your presentation So under in your memo under violent crime prevention initiative 01:31:58.544 --> 01:32:06.422 - you imply that increased officer presence reduces violent crimes Could you please cite data or studies 01:32:06.422 --> 01:32:14.148 - to back up this claim? I don't I don't have anything off the top of my head that I can cite for that 01:32:14.148 --> 01:32:18.814 - what I can tell you is that When we have done those types of 01:32:19.106 --> 01:32:27.364 - of high intensity type patrols, people don't tend to commit crimes when there's a police officer standing 01:32:27.364 --> 01:32:35.310 - right there. And so I know there are studies, I will look for some of those for you, but I don't have 01:32:35.310 --> 01:32:43.334 - any that I can cite off the top of my head right now. And of course the police officers can't be there 01:32:43.334 --> 01:32:47.774 - 24-7. Correct. So the crime may just be happening later. 01:32:48.642 --> 01:32:55.646 - It could be yes. Yeah, I'd like like to see that data. Okay. Thank you That's member Stasberg 01:32:56.898 --> 01:33:03.403 - Thank you. Maybe following up a little bit on what Councilmember Ruff was was talking about in terms 01:33:03.403 --> 01:33:10.100 - of traffic enforcement especially with regard to vulnerable road users cyclists pedestrians and crashes 01:33:10.100 --> 01:33:16.605 - involving those road users because that is one of the things that I've heard of several constituents 01:33:16.605 --> 01:33:21.950 - talk about this year in terms of any kind of consequence for at fault drivers when 01:33:22.530 --> 01:33:30.755 - they are responsible for a crash, especially with a vulnerable road user. What is your official department 01:33:30.755 --> 01:33:38.597 - policy on consequence for at fault drivers in crashes, especially with vulnerable road users, but any 01:33:38.597 --> 01:33:46.668 - other crashes as well? So it's left to officer discretion. I don't believe that we should issue a policy 01:33:46.668 --> 01:33:51.742 - that mandates that people should get some kind of punitive ticket 01:33:51.874 --> 01:34:02.967 - for something, I've not seen studies that have shown that because someone got a ticket that made them 01:34:02.967 --> 01:34:13.952 - a better driver, it's really a punitive type of enforcement action. A lot of times when, in crashes, 01:34:13.952 --> 01:34:19.934 - insurance takes over, insurance decides who's at fault 01:34:20.642 --> 01:34:28.370 - and so We have I have never I've never issued a policy we've never had a policy at the department that 01:34:28.370 --> 01:34:36.099 - mandates that an officer has to write a Traffic ticket when someone is at fault because a lot of times 01:34:36.099 --> 01:34:44.202 - it's a gray area when someone is at fault, too So as a follow-up to that If it's left to officer discretion 01:34:44.202 --> 01:34:50.430 - Do you happen to know or can you get me please and I will follow this up in paper? 01:34:50.658 --> 01:34:57.397 - on paper if you don't happen to know how many tickets were issued last year at officer discretion's 01:34:57.397 --> 01:35:04.339 - for at fault crashes. I don't have that data. No. OK. Well I'd be very interested in that data because 01:35:04.339 --> 01:35:11.348 - when something is left to officer discretion but then just never done then we may as well have a policy 01:35:11.348 --> 01:35:18.289 - saying that we just don't do it. So that's that's one of the pieces that I just am wondering what kind 01:35:18.289 --> 01:35:20.446 - of discretion is actually being 01:35:20.610 --> 01:35:28.647 - Used so to get that type of data. We would have to look at every traffic accident and then figure out 01:35:28.647 --> 01:35:36.999 - if we can even determine who might be at fault and Go back through that but if you want that information, 01:35:36.999 --> 01:35:45.508 - I will I will start working on that I'm just interested in how many I'll say discretionary tickets actually 01:35:45.508 --> 01:35:50.078 - were issued by officers related to at fault crashes, okay 01:35:50.594 --> 01:35:57.692 - Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Chief Dika for being here and especially for coming in under 01:35:57.692 --> 01:36:04.656 - time. We very much appreciate that. Could you tell me a little bit more about the call volume increase 01:36:04.656 --> 01:36:11.484 - and what your opinion is on why it's increased and maybe what could be done to reduce it. So I think 01:36:11.484 --> 01:36:18.312 - what happened was when Covid happened we had a decrease in calls for service. A lot less people were 01:36:18.312 --> 01:36:19.326 - out and about. 01:36:19.618 --> 01:36:27.293 - a lot less things were open. And so as things opened up, each year it just increased. Why it continues 01:36:27.293 --> 01:36:34.893 - to go up like it is, I'm not sure I can give you a good answer for, because when we look at the data, 01:36:34.893 --> 01:36:42.791 - it's across the board with just about everything. And so it's not one particular area that is increasing. 01:36:42.791 --> 01:36:47.262 - And so it's kind of hard to pinpoint why that is happening. 01:36:48.930 --> 01:36:58.035 - Call-for-service data also takes into account some officer initiated activity, but we've not seen spikes 01:36:58.035 --> 01:37:07.227 - in that activity. It's more for people who call, you know, 911 or call the administrative line requesting 01:37:07.227 --> 01:37:16.766 - some kind of police service. Thank you. That's very helpful. Other questions from council members? All right. 01:37:17.282 --> 01:37:23.569 - Thank you very much chief decaf. We will move to public comment now. Anybody in chambers are online 01:37:23.569 --> 01:37:29.981 - who would like to make public comment? I See somebody in chambers. Yes Please sign in state your name 01:37:29.981 --> 01:37:35.702 - for the record and you have two minutes Good evening council. This is Christian G from the 01:37:35.702 --> 01:37:42.051 - Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce the chamber supports continued investment in the Bloomington 01:37:42.051 --> 01:37:45.886 - Police Department I get a lot of complaints emails and calls 01:37:46.530 --> 01:37:53.777 - sort of vagrancies Property damage a lot of due to homelessness and but what usually includes in that 01:37:53.777 --> 01:38:00.953 - is a wonderful responsiveness of Bloomington PD and so when we think about and evaluate BPD based on 01:38:00.953 --> 01:38:08.698 - the department we actually have here in Bloomington and not policing in in America we saw from the community 01:38:08.698 --> 01:38:16.158 - survey that 61 residents satisfied with the police protection public safety a residents identifying as a 01:38:16.322 --> 01:38:22.521 - real core important service BPD has earned the tier one clear reaccreditation for the third time the 01:38:22.521 --> 01:38:28.781 - national recognition of a department that trains hard Operates under professional standards and holds 01:38:28.781 --> 01:38:35.349 - itself accountable and that matters in this discussion is we just saw about call volume that has increased 01:38:35.349 --> 01:38:41.670 - 49 percent since 220 Bloomington PD remains below its authorized staffing levels. We also saw and some 01:38:41.670 --> 01:38:44.862 - equipment replacement has already been deferred and 01:38:45.282 --> 01:38:51.416 - I mean, this isn't a blank check, but it's grounded in Bloomington's actual experience. Bloomington 01:38:51.416 --> 01:38:57.550 - businesses here are in field public safety conditions every day. We support making sure BPD has the 01:38:57.550 --> 01:39:03.930 - people, the equipment technology, and hopefully soon headquarters, necessary to do their job and making 01:39:03.930 --> 01:39:10.064 - those investments before deferred needs become more expensive problems down the road. And thank you 01:39:10.064 --> 01:39:14.910 - for your time. Thank you very much. Anybody online? We have one person online. 01:39:15.042 --> 01:39:24.492 - Mr. Paul Russo. Fantastic. Mr. Russo, you can unmute yourself and you have two minutes. Hi, Paul Russo 01:39:24.492 --> 01:39:33.667 - here. Thanks for giving me the opportunity. I'll be brief. I think that a speeding motor vehicle is 01:39:33.667 --> 01:39:42.750 - like a loaded gun. Operating a motor vehicle at illegal speeds or while impaired is violent crime. 01:39:44.994 --> 01:39:53.379 - Why don't we treat this like violent crime of other kinds? I'm also astounded that for traffic enforcement, 01:39:53.379 --> 01:40:01.221 - police chief Decoff doubts that punishment deters crime. That's all. Thank you. Thank you very much, 01:40:01.221 --> 01:40:08.985 - Mr. Russo. Anybody else online with a comment? No. Anybody else in chambers? No. We'll come back to 01:40:08.985 --> 01:40:13.566 - council for final comments. Council member Piedmont-Smith. 01:40:14.434 --> 01:40:23.467 - I was just wondering, is there a separate presentation for dispatch? I don't think it was addressed, 01:40:23.467 --> 01:40:32.410 - really. Because I do have a question about it. Maybe I should have asked earlier. Go ahead. You can 01:40:32.410 --> 01:40:41.354 - ask it now. So in the org chart for dispatch, it says, or maybe I was reading it wrong, but it says 01:40:41.354 --> 01:40:44.126 - 18 positions and 14 vacancies. 01:40:44.386 --> 01:40:54.954 - Deputy mayor nap is shaking her head. I know I checked with her earlier, but I wanted to for the public 01:40:54.954 --> 01:41:05.420 - record Clarify that please Let me find the numbers I'm sorry Go ahead Deputy Maria nap. I just updated 01:41:05.420 --> 01:41:08.062 - the answer actually and I 01:41:08.162 --> 01:41:17.573 - Your questions, but there are 32 positions and at the time that total and at the time we created the 01:41:17.573 --> 01:41:26.891 - org chart It was 18 filled and 14 empty. It's now 10 empty and 22 Well, that is a relief. Thank you 01:41:26.891 --> 01:41:34.718 - very much Any other council comments as we wrap up this section councilmember Rallo 01:41:37.314 --> 01:41:45.078 - Thank you. Thank you. Chief deep cough. First I want to say I want to extend my appreciation to the 01:41:45.078 --> 01:41:52.998 - mayor and administration for their for locating and working on the new facility that's to your liking 01:41:52.998 --> 01:42:00.918 - that works for you. I fully support your goal of reaching 105 officers as was the target in the Novak 01:42:00.918 --> 01:42:06.974 - report of 2020. I think it's important to deter reduce and investigate crime. 01:42:07.650 --> 01:42:15.789 - To make sure that we're not you know Imposing over to over time on on our officers current officers 01:42:15.789 --> 01:42:24.172 - and I think it allows greater interaction with the public if we have you know police that can actually 01:42:24.172 --> 01:42:32.636 - walk a beat be seen in the community and And also as mr. Rousseau said to deter speeding if we're going 01:42:32.636 --> 01:42:37.438 - to be serious about public safety and public that includes 01:42:37.730 --> 01:42:44.435 - pedestrian safety, biking safety. We can't have people speed with impunity, which I happen to witness. 01:42:44.435 --> 01:42:51.140 - I think a lot of people have described. And I think one, not the only way, but one way to address that 01:42:51.140 --> 01:42:57.780 - certainly is to have more police issuing tickets to send a message to people that they can't do that. 01:42:57.780 --> 01:43:04.030 - It works in other communities. It should work here, it seems to me. So thank you for your work. 01:43:06.370 --> 01:43:13.598 - Thank you. Any other comments from councilmembers councilmember Stossberg I just want to address the 01:43:13.598 --> 01:43:20.755 - discretionary nature of giving Tickets to at-fault drivers from what I understand the discretionary 01:43:20.755 --> 01:43:27.912 - nature of that tends to mean that there are just not tickets issued not just for Bloomington PD but 01:43:27.912 --> 01:43:34.782 - across the state from what I understand and the bits of research that I've done around this and 01:43:35.074 --> 01:43:44.463 - I find that simply just not sufficient in general and I as councilmember Allah just said and as our 01:43:44.463 --> 01:43:53.852 - public commenter mentioned I I do think that Whether or not we feel like it deters it is one of the 01:43:53.852 --> 01:44:03.710 - only things that we can actually do and I think sometimes we just have to use the tools that we have and 01:44:04.354 --> 01:44:10.361 - because our tools are perhaps limited and this is one of those situations where You know, I do think 01:44:10.361 --> 01:44:16.427 - that there should be some measure of officer discretion But instead of that discretion leaning toward 01:44:16.427 --> 01:44:22.374 - the side of just not issuing something I feel like it should lean to the other side Generally issue 01:44:22.374 --> 01:44:28.441 - unless there's some mitigating situation where you think that we shouldn't and my understanding right 01:44:28.441 --> 01:44:29.630 - now is that that is 01:44:29.730 --> 01:44:37.755 - that it works in reverse and that's disturbing to me and I know that's disturbing to several 01:44:37.755 --> 01:44:46.471 - of my constituents some who have been victims of vehicles and their drivers with preventable crashes 01:44:46.471 --> 01:44:55.618 - including admissions of fault that then our officers still have not responded to so I hope that something 01:44:55.618 --> 01:44:59.070 - improves with that or changes with that 01:44:59.202 --> 01:45:06.322 - Thank you Thank you any other comments councilmember Flaherty Yeah, just for public benefit to all briefly 01:45:06.322 --> 01:45:13.242 - follow up on that item, which is that we have discussed this at length in the Transportation Commission 01:45:13.242 --> 01:45:20.029 - Including the particular crash that I believe my colleague is referencing where a little girl was hit 01:45:20.029 --> 01:45:25.086 - by a driver Who did not come to stop at a stop sign? She was in a crosswalk 01:45:25.218 --> 01:45:31.379 - No ticket was issued. My understanding is that had some impacts on their ability to recover funds to 01:45:31.379 --> 01:45:37.907 - support medical and other treatment needs. So there's broader implications here, including, yes, insurance 01:45:37.907 --> 01:45:44.312 - companies can try to figure this out amongst themselves. But when there is an assessment from an officer 01:45:44.312 --> 01:45:50.718 - and a ticket issued, it seems like that's a factor that has real implications for people. This was quite 01:45:50.718 --> 01:45:52.670 - a few months ago at the traffic 01:45:52.866 --> 01:45:59.162 - Transportation Commission and we did request that staff work together so this would be probably planning 01:45:59.162 --> 01:46:05.158 - engineering police to come back with Options to consider from a policy standpoint. Is it do we need 01:46:05.158 --> 01:46:11.214 - maybe more education of our officers around? The vulnerability and and risks to life and actual loss 01:46:11.214 --> 01:46:17.509 - of life in our community I see this as part of the broader, you know safe streets for all and and vision 01:46:17.509 --> 01:46:22.366 - zero Zero deaths and serious injuries in our streets by 2039 that we've targeted 01:46:22.626 --> 01:46:28.780 - And you know making some mixed progress on toward that I think so just noting that this is an ongoing 01:46:28.780 --> 01:46:34.874 - policy conversation with one of our commissions that I serve on and We haven't heard back from staff 01:46:34.874 --> 01:46:41.089 - on it, but I most recently I've requested that any outstanding items that you know kind of Are out for 01:46:41.089 --> 01:46:47.123 - multiple months that we're getting reports on those on a monthly basis at Transportation Commission 01:46:47.123 --> 01:46:50.622 - because we do have a number that might be considered more 01:46:51.330 --> 01:46:56.944 - I don't know more challenging items so to speak from the administration perspective if it wasn't something 01:46:56.944 --> 01:47:02.349 - they proposed and they've sort of languished and kind of fallen off our docket so we're trying to make 01:47:02.349 --> 01:47:07.701 - sure that we those we don't lose sight of those policy issues because it's really the Commission that 01:47:07.701 --> 01:47:13.316 - should be driving that agenda as a Resident-led body supported by appointments from the mayor and council. 01:47:13.316 --> 01:47:16.254 - Thanks Thank you any other comments All right with that 01:47:16.706 --> 01:47:22.307 - We are moving on. Thank you very much. So up next we have community and family resources department. 01:47:22.307 --> 01:47:27.852 - I see director Moss making her way up to the podium. Thank you. Please state your name and you have 01:47:27.852 --> 01:47:33.509 - 15 minutes to present. Good evening council members. My name is Chitoya Moss and I'm the director for 01:47:33.509 --> 01:47:39.110 - the community family resources department. This evening I will review our 20 27 budget through three 01:47:39.110 --> 01:47:44.933 - pillars that really define our department resources partnerships and belonging. Those three areas answer 01:47:44.933 --> 01:47:46.430 - very particular questions. 01:47:46.594 --> 01:47:51.557 - Can residents find help before a problem becomes a crisis? Can the city leverage its partnerships and 01:47:51.557 --> 01:47:56.471 - the organizations that exist and are we creating a Bloomington where people feel connected enough to 01:47:56.471 --> 01:48:01.385 - participate volunteer invest and call this community home? That is the role that CFRD plays and that 01:48:01.385 --> 01:48:02.942 - is the story behind this budget 01:48:05.922 --> 01:48:11.723 - CFRD is an 11 person department and our proposed 2027 budget is just over 2 million Representing a 10% 01:48:11.723 --> 01:48:17.580 - decrease from our 2026 budget. Our largest reduction is in other services which decreases approximately 01:48:17.580 --> 01:48:23.437 - 27% Primarily due to one-time grant funding initiative at the same time We continue to study the trends 01:48:23.437 --> 01:48:29.350 - affecting our community from growing local demand for assistance to changes in federal and state funding 01:48:29.350 --> 01:48:33.630 - And we're aligning our resources around how we can have the greatest impact 01:48:34.146 --> 01:48:40.316 - Fundamentally this budget is about maintaining our core services while becoming more strategic and efficient 01:48:40.316 --> 01:48:46.203 - in how we deliver them Our first pillar resources is directly connects to the priorities around housing 01:48:46.203 --> 01:48:51.977 - homelessness public safety and community and well-being One example of what targeted intervention can 01:48:51.977 --> 01:48:57.694 - accomplish is our forty six thousand emergency food access investment to Hoosier Hills food bank and 01:48:58.370 --> 01:49:04.876 - This investment supported approximately 330,000 pounds of food and 275,000 meals distributed through 01:49:04.876 --> 01:49:11.512 - 84 partner agencies. We identify a critical community need invest strategically and the infrastructure 01:49:11.512 --> 01:49:18.534 - that already exists and multiply the city's impact. That becomes increasingly important as federal resources 01:49:18.534 --> 01:49:25.169 - like snap restrictions and other funding changes place additional pressures on our local services. Our 01:49:25.169 --> 01:49:27.166 - second pillar is partnerships. 01:49:27.458 --> 01:49:33.030 - And this is where we create tremendous value by leveraging the power that exists in our own community. 01:49:33.030 --> 01:49:38.440 - Through the Bloomington Volunteer Network Be the Change Challenge, more than 51,000 volunteer hours 01:49:38.440 --> 01:49:43.958 - have already been recorded. Using the current value of the volunteer time in Indiana, that represents 01:49:43.958 --> 01:49:48.990 - approximately 1.75 million in community value supporting nonprofits, schools, neighborhoods, 01:49:48.990 --> 01:49:51.262 - and organizations throughout Bloomington. 01:49:51.906 --> 01:49:57.451 - We are also strengthening our town and town connections through a new partnership with Indiana University 01:49:57.451 --> 01:50:02.839 - Volunteer Central by connecting new and current students with meaningful opportunities to serve. We've 01:50:02.839 --> 01:50:08.331 - also begun conversations with the Monroe County School Corporation about connecting high school students 01:50:08.331 --> 01:50:13.562 - with volunteer opportunities that can support the new diploma requirements. We're on track to reach 01:50:13.562 --> 01:50:19.002 - our 100,000 hours goal by December, which would represent approximately 3.4 million in community value. 01:50:19.002 --> 01:50:20.990 - Maximizing public dollars by building 01:50:21.378 --> 01:50:27.553 - The connections and the capacity that allows Bloomington to solve problems together. And I want to point 01:50:27.553 --> 01:50:33.611 - out at the time that we submitted these slides that was the current number for volunteer hours. We are 01:50:33.611 --> 01:50:39.610 - currently by today. Fifty eight thousand which is easily translated to one point ninety seven million 01:50:39.610 --> 01:50:45.550 - dollars in community value. Our third pillar is belonging. I don't want this word to be mistaken for 01:50:45.550 --> 01:50:49.726 - something that is simply nice to have. Belonging is a community asset. 01:50:50.146 --> 01:50:55.869 - This year's Juneteenth celebration brought more than 11,000 people to Switchyard Park, the largest attendance 01:50:55.869 --> 01:51:01.177 - we've had for this event, and included more than 40 community vendors, along with Indiana University, 01:51:01.177 --> 01:51:06.744 - businesses, nonprofits, artists, and other partners. Programs like Juneteenth, the Women's Market, Fiesta, 01:51:06.744 --> 01:51:11.947 - accessibility programs, youth leadership initiatives, and others create opportunities for people to 01:51:11.947 --> 01:51:17.150 - participate in Bloomington. We talk about what makes Bloomington Bloomington. This is a part of it. 01:51:17.506 --> 01:51:23.571 - Don't experience their city through budget spreadsheets. They experience through the community we create 01:51:23.571 --> 01:51:29.405 - around them Looking ahead to 2027 our resource strategy is centered on one idea access before crises 01:51:29.405 --> 01:51:35.759 - We will continue strengthening the after-hours ambassadors program by expanding community-based de-escalation 01:51:35.759 --> 01:51:42.055 - training This is a free training that equips residents with practical tools to safely de-escalate situations 01:51:42.055 --> 01:51:45.694 - build rapport and help move someone toward a safer outcome and 01:51:46.114 --> 01:51:51.528 - We've already seen a strong interest with more than 50 plus signed up for our next training, which just 01:51:51.528 --> 01:51:56.785 - takes place on August 20th. We will also expand helping bloom into Monroe by bringing more kiosks to 01:51:56.785 --> 01:52:02.147 - two additional library locations and making it easier for residents connect with assistance where they 01:52:02.147 --> 01:52:07.612 - already are. Together. These efforts create prevention infrastructure when people know what to do, where 01:52:07.612 --> 01:52:09.278 - to go and how to respond early. 01:52:09.570 --> 01:52:14.958 - We have a greater opportunity to address challenges before they become crises, reducing the impact on 01:52:14.958 --> 01:52:20.505 - both the resident and the broader community. For partnerships, our focus is on strengthening the systems 01:52:20.505 --> 01:52:25.840 - and relationships that allow organizations across Bloomington to succeed. We have begun planning for 01:52:25.840 --> 01:52:31.281 - the modernization of the Bloomington Volunteer Network, improving volunteer matching, data collection, 01:52:31.281 --> 01:52:36.828 - and reporting so we can better connect community capacity with community need and continue to grow those 01:52:36.828 --> 01:52:37.726 - volunteer hours. 01:52:38.114 --> 01:52:43.006 - We will also continue our community grants programs advisory coalitions and targeted public 01:52:43.006 --> 01:52:48.696 - safety investments including efforts addressing violence reduction downtown outreach substance use impacts 01:52:48.696 --> 01:52:54.332 - and crisis response. This work intersects with several city priorities at once particularly public safety 01:52:54.332 --> 01:52:57.310 - economic development homelessness and community assets. 01:52:57.698 --> 01:53:04.038 - And we can see the impact of those partnerships in variable ways from working with new hope for families 01:53:04.038 --> 01:53:10.137 - to ensure families with children have a safe place to sleep to partner with the Monroe County Health 01:53:10.137 --> 01:53:16.478 - Department to equip local bars and restaurants with Narcan and the knowledge to respond for an overdose. 01:53:16.478 --> 01:53:19.678 - For belonging our strategy is quality over quantity. 01:53:20.162 --> 01:53:25.737 - We want to strengthen what is already working expand collaboration with parks and recreation and other 01:53:25.737 --> 01:53:31.149 - partners so we can share spaces staff expertise infrastructure and resources. That means continuing 01:53:31.149 --> 01:53:36.616 - continuing successfully offering opportunities for residents to engage with their city. The economic 01:53:36.616 --> 01:53:41.757 - development components of this work creates for local vendors entrepreneurs artists performers 01:53:41.757 --> 01:53:47.494 - and organizations. It also gives our department an opportunity to talk to community members who otherwise 01:53:47.494 --> 01:53:49.118 - wouldn't find city resources. 01:53:49.730 --> 01:53:55.858 - Belonging isn't separate from economic development or public safety connected community strengthen both 01:53:55.858 --> 01:54:01.867 - The challenge is going into 2027 is that community need is not declining simply because resources are 01:54:01.867 --> 01:54:07.818 - becoming tighter We are watching changes to programs like Indiana CCDF child care assistance systems 01:54:07.818 --> 01:54:13.710 - shift in federal and state funding housing affordability behavioral health needs and the increasing 01:54:13.710 --> 01:54:16.126 - pressure on our local nonprofit partners 01:54:17.314 --> 01:54:22.671 - but we are also using our own data to better understand where those needs are showing up. In just the 01:54:22.671 --> 01:54:27.923 - first half of 2026, helping Bloomington Monroe recorded more than 7,000 searches and 41,000 program 01:54:27.923 --> 01:54:33.438 - interactions along with the direct connections and referral to services. That information helps us paint 01:54:33.438 --> 01:54:38.690 - a clearer picture of what residents are looking for and what direct resources and energy where they 01:54:38.690 --> 01:54:44.153 - can have the greatest impact. So the question for us is how do we respond to an increasing need without 01:54:44.153 --> 01:54:45.886 - relying on increasing resources? 01:54:46.370 --> 01:54:52.503 - Our answer is collaboration and capacity building technology helps makes resource navigation and volunteer 01:54:52.503 --> 01:54:58.750 - matching more efficient grants brings outside dollars into Bloomington volunteers expand community capacity. 01:54:58.850 --> 01:55:04.629 - partnerships allow organizations to build on each other's strength rather than duplicate services and 01:55:04.629 --> 01:55:10.464 - Collaboration across city departments allows us to share infrastructure expertise and resources. These 01:55:10.464 --> 01:55:16.130 - simply aren't efficiencies They're how CFRD plans to extend and reach strengthen community capacity 01:55:16.130 --> 01:55:22.079 - and respond strategically to the Bloomington changing needs in 2027 To close our goal for 2027 is simple 01:55:22.079 --> 01:55:28.254 - to make sure Bloomington has the resources partnerships and community infrastructure to do more together and 01:55:29.410 --> 01:55:34.937 - That means helping residents find the right support early before instability becomes crisis, recognizing 01:55:34.937 --> 01:55:40.464 - the value of supporting and strengthening people and organization already doing the work, and protecting 01:55:40.464 --> 01:55:45.780 - the qualities that make people choose Bloomington, not simply as a place to live, but as a community 01:55:45.780 --> 01:55:50.781 - they want to be a part of and participate in. That is what this budget is designed to sustain. 01:55:50.781 --> 01:55:55.624 - Thank you, and I am happy to answer any questions. Thank you so much for your presentation. 01:55:55.624 --> 01:55:58.782 - That was awesome. Really appreciate you being here tonight. 01:55:59.042 --> 01:56:07.170 - Any questions from council members. Council member Stossberg. Thank you. Thanks so much for the work 01:56:07.170 --> 01:56:15.378 - that your department does. I want to dig in a little bit into the volunteer numbers partly because in 01:56:15.378 --> 01:56:23.425 - terms of community value the budget of your department or the community value exceeds the budget of 01:56:23.425 --> 01:56:28.414 - your entire department. And so I just want to highlight that. 01:56:28.578 --> 01:56:34.098 - that concept but also acknowledge that there are probably a lot of people out there who aren't getting 01:56:34.098 --> 01:56:39.725 - counted in that and then potentially there are people out there who are being counted that would already 01:56:39.725 --> 01:56:43.262 - be doing that volunteering but then they're also getting counted. 01:56:43.394 --> 01:56:50.754 - For the city and so I'm just wondering if you have any data over the last few years because I feel like 01:56:50.754 --> 01:56:58.256 - this has been kind of a developing Network over the last few years of like number of organizations you've 01:56:58.256 --> 01:57:05.404 - added What you hear from the organizations in terms of more of their needs being met? partly because 01:57:05.404 --> 01:57:11.774 - of the advertising that's being done and that kind of that kind of feedback that supports 01:57:12.226 --> 01:57:19.004 - that what you're doing with that volunteering is more than what would kind of be being done already. 01:57:19.004 --> 01:57:25.916 - Do you know what I mean? Yes. Sorry, that was super awkward. So with the Be the Change Challenge, that 01:57:25.916 --> 01:57:33.030 - was part of one of our departmental goals, was to really dig into the network and find out what's working 01:57:33.030 --> 01:57:39.741 - and what's not working. Aubrey Cedar, who is the new Bloomington Volunteer Network coordinator, has 01:57:39.741 --> 01:57:41.150 - done a wonderful job 01:57:41.314 --> 01:57:46.489 - touching base with all of our partners doing some new education on how to actually use the program if 01:57:46.489 --> 01:57:51.663 - they've never used it before and Then doing some digging to see get all those old volunteer hours and 01:57:51.663 --> 01:57:57.041 - things that have just not worked out As I pointed out and my budget goals is that we're looking to update 01:57:57.041 --> 01:58:02.469 - the system So it's a little more user-friendly and then we can see real time some more data Am I answering 01:58:02.469 --> 01:58:03.230 - your question? 01:58:03.426 --> 01:58:09.470 - I think so. It's just this idea of like outcomes right that I want to try to get back to in terms of 01:58:09.470 --> 01:58:15.933 - outcome-based budgeting and so a piece of that outcome I think generally speaking maybe for your department 01:58:15.933 --> 01:58:21.917 - particularly is to add community value and One of the ways you talk about adding community value is 01:58:21.917 --> 01:58:27.901 - to do that through like belonging and having that kind of community sense But another piece of that 01:58:27.901 --> 01:58:33.406 - community value which can be monetized are those volunteer hours so I'm just trying to like 01:58:34.018 --> 01:58:42.453 - like suss out a little bit how the additional value that your department with its organization adds 01:58:42.453 --> 01:58:50.887 - on top of who would already be volunteering in this community. So that's it. So I think you've kind 01:58:50.887 --> 01:58:53.502 - of answered that a little bit. 01:58:53.602 --> 01:58:59.562 - And I only have 12 seconds left, so I might follow up a little bit just in terms of you know the number 01:58:59.562 --> 01:59:05.466 - of organizations and how that has changed and you know if you've done surveys of the organizations and 01:59:05.466 --> 01:59:11.426 - how they have how their responses have helped you shape things so that then the Community can be served 01:59:11.426 --> 01:59:17.215 - better in terms of adding that value. So yeah, so we can supply that data to you. Yeah, thanks Thank 01:59:17.215 --> 01:59:18.590 - you any other questions 01:59:24.290 --> 01:59:33.099 - All right. Thank you, Director Moss. We are going to move now on to public comment. Anybody in chambers 01:59:33.099 --> 01:59:42.078 - or online with public comment? No. Pausing, pausing. Nope. OK. Fantastic. We'll come back here to counsel 01:59:42.078 --> 01:59:50.718 - for comment and council members who look. You have a comment. Yes, I do. Thank you. Just a short one. 01:59:50.850 --> 01:59:57.279 - I just want to say that in a time where our most vulnerable communities are consistently under attack 01:59:57.279 --> 02:00:03.709 - by the state and federal government, the community and family resources department in Bloomington has 02:00:03.709 --> 02:00:10.138 - become increasingly more important. It is not the infrastructure or our assets that makes Bloomington 02:00:10.138 --> 02:00:16.567 - special. It is the people. So thank you, Director Moss, and to your entire department for making sure 02:00:16.567 --> 02:00:20.286 - that they're supported. I second that. Any other comments? 02:00:20.418 --> 02:00:29.174 - Councilmember Piedmont Smith Yeah, I think last year I said this department brings the joy In our city 02:00:29.174 --> 02:00:37.845 - budget and and it really does I think This is such a small sliver of our overall budget, but it is so 02:00:37.845 --> 02:00:45.751 - important This is the best two million dollar investment I can imagine in our community It's 02:00:45.751 --> 02:00:49.406 - like councilmember Zulik said particularly 02:00:49.634 --> 02:00:59.006 - in this day and age where many members of our community are feeling that they don't belong in this country 02:00:59.006 --> 02:01:08.115 - anymore. I think this is the events and services that your department facilitates and provides are more 02:01:08.115 --> 02:01:14.334 - essential than ever. So thank you very much. Council member Stossberg. 02:01:14.946 --> 02:01:21.142 - I'm sorry. I said that weird. I thought you had already commented. That's why I was oh No, that was 02:01:21.142 --> 02:01:27.461 - because my question name kind of turned a little bit into an explanation slash comment, but thank you 02:01:27.461 --> 02:01:33.657 - Yeah, I just want to to kind of second what my colleagues just said and also You know because we're 02:01:33.657 --> 02:01:39.976 - talking about budget and budgets are kind of like black and white right but it is not black and white 02:01:39.976 --> 02:01:43.198 - what a department like CFRD does because it's about 02:01:43.682 --> 02:01:49.187 - feeling, and it's about this gray space of mushiness. And that's why I wanted to get into those volunteer 02:01:49.187 --> 02:01:54.484 - hours, because those are not mushy, and those are not gray. That is very black and white. And so that 02:01:54.484 --> 02:02:00.145 - is one part, I think, of this department that you can really go like, what is the value that this department 02:02:00.145 --> 02:02:05.390 - adds to the community? Here's a very solid black and white kind of value that they add. And yes, all 02:02:05.390 --> 02:02:11.051 - of these other things are also very important all by themselves, and they can stand alone all by themselves. 02:02:11.051 --> 02:02:13.648 - And it's important, with or without the volunteer 02:02:13.648 --> 02:02:21.015 - hours, but I just wanted to highlight that piece of black and white that sometimes I think when I hear 02:02:21.015 --> 02:02:28.238 - people talk about CFRD, it's the belonging, it's the mushy gray space, and I wanted to call out that 02:02:28.238 --> 02:02:36.606 - there's more than just the mushiness in there because some people really need that in terms of justification because 02:02:36.706 --> 02:02:43.206 - We've got to justify all of our expenses. We've got to justify all of our investments in our community, 02:02:43.206 --> 02:02:49.894 - and that this is just a wonderful investment in our community. Thanks. Thank you. Is that it for comments? 02:02:49.894 --> 02:02:56.456 - OK. Fantastic. Thank you very much, Director Moss. Really appreciate it. All right. And so for our final 02:02:56.456 --> 02:03:02.894 - portion of the evening, Housing and Neighborhood Development, I see Director Killian Hansen making her 02:03:02.894 --> 02:03:06.206 - way to the podium. Thank you so much for being here. 02:03:06.306 --> 02:03:13.763 - Please state your name and you have 20 minutes for your presentation. Thank you so much. Good evening. 02:03:13.763 --> 02:03:21.147 - I am Anna Killian Hansen director of housing and neighborhood development here tonight to present our 02:03:21.147 --> 02:03:29.038 - proposed 2027 budget. Housing and neighborhood development currently has 21 full time and one part permanent 02:03:29.038 --> 02:03:30.558 - part time positions. 02:03:30.690 --> 02:03:36.406 - Our mission is to expand housing opportunities, protect and support neighborhoods, help residents remain 02:03:36.406 --> 02:03:42.123 - safely housed, build community and support community needs. Those responsibilities cover a lot of ground 02:03:42.123 --> 02:03:47.731 - and I want to spend the first part of tonight talking about the work that hand has been doing over the 02:03:47.731 --> 02:03:53.229 - past year before turning to priorities. Supporting neighborhoods and helping residents remain safely 02:03:53.229 --> 02:03:58.238 - housed also means addressing the conditions that affect health, safety and quality of life. 02:03:59.074 --> 02:04:05.339 - code enforcement, and property stabilization are one part of the city's broader proactive work to address 02:04:05.339 --> 02:04:10.954 - these concerns and prevent them from becoming larger neighborhood problems. Through that work, 02:04:10.954 --> 02:04:17.160 - our neighborhood compliance officers have issued 1,631 citations for trash, grass, weeds, and snow under 02:04:17.160 --> 02:04:23.070 - Title VI. When properties fail to comply, we can take additional action. Troubled properties may be 02:04:23.070 --> 02:04:29.040 - brought before the Board of Public Works for approval of abatements, including one-time cleanups or, 02:04:29.040 --> 02:04:35.136 - necessary continuous abatements our team has issued nine continuous abatements for properties under 02:04:35.136 --> 02:04:41.416 - title six for properties where conditions rise to the level of an unsafe building we have another tool 02:04:41.416 --> 02:04:47.634 - available we administer the unsafe building law and when necessary which allows us to Issue orders to 02:04:47.634 --> 02:04:54.035 - vacate seal repair dangerous conditions and when necessary remove buildings that pose a threat to health 02:04:54.035 --> 02:04:55.742 - and safety of the community 02:04:58.114 --> 02:05:04.284 - Through this process, more than 20 unsafe properties have been addressed under the Title 17, with conditions 02:05:04.284 --> 02:05:10.341 - ranging from fire damage and deteriorating or collapsed structures to failing retaining walls and breaches 02:05:10.341 --> 02:05:16.058 - in vacant or abandoned buildings and more. This is not always the most visible part of our work, but 02:05:16.058 --> 02:05:19.454 - it is important to maintain safe and healthy neighborhoods. 02:05:20.354 --> 02:05:26.151 - Protecting and supporting neighborhoods also means creating opportunities for residents to take an active 02:05:26.151 --> 02:05:31.730 - role in improving their own communities. Beyond code enforcement and property stabilization, the city 02:05:31.730 --> 02:05:37.199 - supports neighborhood led efforts that strengthen the places where people live. Over the last year, 02:05:37.199 --> 02:05:42.941 - that has included providing both direct support and resources to residents to address neighborhood needs 02:05:42.941 --> 02:05:48.411 - from organizing cleanups and removing unwanted materials to funding projects and building community 02:05:48.411 --> 02:05:50.270 - that improve neighborhood spaces. 02:05:50.466 --> 02:05:56.006 - In the last year we supported three neighborhood cleanups which removed twenty seven point nine tons 02:05:56.006 --> 02:06:01.655 - of trash and diverted ten point three eight tons from the landfill. We also provided supportive grants 02:06:01.655 --> 02:06:07.359 - to eight neighborhoods giving neighborhood groups resources to identify and address priorities in their 02:06:07.359 --> 02:06:12.899 - own communities. This work is important because healthy neighborhoods are built through partnerships 02:06:12.899 --> 02:06:14.654 - with the people who live there. 02:06:15.554 --> 02:06:22.283 - Building community also means being out in the neighborhoods engaging directly with our neighbors connecting 02:06:22.283 --> 02:06:28.518 - residents with the city and with one another and creating opportunities for people to participate in 02:06:28.518 --> 02:06:35.246 - life of their communities this year that included 37 community trailer events 45 resident Academy applicants 02:06:35.246 --> 02:06:41.790 - a vinegar Hill walking tour and numerous community events such as blooming neighborhoods that we table at 02:06:42.946 --> 02:06:49.589 - As we strengthen community connections, we also protect the places where we live. Through our rental 02:06:49.589 --> 02:06:56.626 - inspection and permitting program, we work to protect residents by enforcing Title 16 and holding property 02:06:56.626 --> 02:07:03.269 - owners and tenants accountable when necessary. This year, we conducted 550 complaint inspections and 02:07:03.269 --> 02:07:10.437 - 2,984 rental inspections, resulting in 1,107 rental permits issued with many properties undergoing continued 02:07:10.437 --> 02:07:12.542 - compliance enforcement efforts. 02:07:12.706 --> 02:07:18.483 - As we enforce housing standards and protect residents through our rental program, we also focus on keeping 02:07:18.483 --> 02:07:23.936 - people safely housed in the first place. Supporting residents and remaining safely housed is central 02:07:23.936 --> 02:07:24.638 - to our work. 02:07:24.706 --> 02:07:31.410 - This year we provided housing stability assistance to 25 at-risk households, eviction prevention assistance 02:07:31.410 --> 02:07:37.989 - to 31 households, and emergency home repairs to help residents remain safely in their homes. We completed 02:07:37.989 --> 02:07:44.445 - two emergency repairs with nine additional applications currently underway. Preventing a housing crisis 02:07:44.445 --> 02:07:50.590 - is almost always preferable to trying to solve one after a household has already lost its housing. 02:07:51.810 --> 02:07:57.851 - But helping people remain housed is only one part of the housing equation. We also create opportunities 02:07:57.851 --> 02:08:03.776 - for people to find housing that meets their needs and is within their budget. This year, we helped 19 02:08:03.776 --> 02:08:09.933 - home buyers secure housing, 40 renters secure housing, provided housing counseling to over 100 residents, 02:08:09.933 --> 02:08:15.799 - which included foreclosure assistance. We happen to have the only HUD certified housing counselor in 02:08:15.799 --> 02:08:18.878 - the region, as there are only nine across the state. 02:08:19.010 --> 02:08:26.038 - We also provided the lifelong benefit of homebuyer education to 78 first time home buyers to truly support 02:08:26.038 --> 02:08:30.110 - Bloomington residents. We have to look beyond the front door. 02:08:30.178 --> 02:08:35.766 - The stability we help people achieve, whether through home buying, renting, counseling, or education, 02:08:35.766 --> 02:08:41.299 - depends on the strength of the community around them. Housing success is reinforced by the services, 02:08:41.299 --> 02:08:46.941 - facilities, and organizations that help families stay stable, navigate challenges, and build long-term 02:08:46.941 --> 02:08:52.529 - well-being. That's why hands work doesn't stop on housing access. It extends into the broader network 02:08:52.529 --> 02:08:58.062 - that keep people supported. Building community and supporting community needs means recognizing that 02:08:58.062 --> 02:09:00.144 - housing is connected to so much more. 02:09:00.144 --> 02:09:06.008 - Stable housing is important, but so are the services and community resources that help people stay stable, 02:09:06.008 --> 02:09:08.638 - support their families, build successful lives. 02:09:08.802 --> 02:09:14.351 - Handheld strengthen that network by investing in organizations and facilities that provide critical 02:09:14.351 --> 02:09:20.122 - services to our neighbors this year We provided social service funding and facility improvement support 02:09:20.122 --> 02:09:25.838 - to homeless sheltered Provided social service funding to food banks supported early learning and child 02:09:25.838 --> 02:09:31.887 - care center facilities supported facilities serving mental health special needs housing and self-sufficiency 02:09:31.887 --> 02:09:37.214 - that network is an important part of how we respond to housing instability and homelessness and 02:09:38.018 --> 02:09:44.545 - Expanding housing opportunities also means protecting the affordable housing we already have and supporting 02:09:44.545 --> 02:09:50.649 - new models of housing stability and homeownership. This year we helped preserve 48 units of existing 02:09:50.649 --> 02:09:56.814 - housing as permanently affordable, supported the creation of 10 affordable cooperative housing units, 02:09:56.814 --> 02:10:02.918 - and continued support for Habitat for Humanity home builds. Expanding housing opportunities requires 02:10:02.918 --> 02:10:06.846 - more than supporting individual households or isolated projects. 02:10:06.978 --> 02:10:12.596 - It requires enabling change that strengthen the entire housing ladder and improve affordability across 02:10:12.596 --> 02:10:18.268 - the broader market. That means advancing projects that add homes to our community and removing barriers 02:10:18.268 --> 02:10:24.158 - that slow or prevent unit creation. This year that work included Hope Wells first residential neighborhood. 02:10:24.322 --> 02:10:30.279 - which will create 98 new homes. Hopewell South was designed to be different by intention not exception. 02:10:30.279 --> 02:10:36.179 - It serves as a pilot to demonstrate how Bloomington can deliver the types of homes our community needs 02:10:36.179 --> 02:10:42.366 - more efficiently. We are at a critical economic crossroads. This project allowed us to test a more flexible 02:10:42.366 --> 02:10:43.454 - scalable approach. 02:10:43.586 --> 02:10:49.239 - We created Bloomington's first residential TIF which supports infrastructure investment that directly 02:10:49.239 --> 02:10:55.058 - enables new housing supply And we remove barriers to unit creation in the summit PUD ensuring that homes 02:10:55.058 --> 02:11:00.712 - planned there can actually be delivered Each of these efforts helps unlock new housing opportunities. 02:11:00.712 --> 02:11:06.309 - None of them are about special treatment They are about strategically using tools available to us to 02:11:06.309 --> 02:11:10.078 - address structural housing scarcity and a land-constrained city and 02:11:10.242 --> 02:11:16.291 - When we pilot new approaches, it is because the status quo has not produced the supplier community needs. 02:11:16.291 --> 02:11:22.397 - Our responsibility is to support pathways that actually deliver homes because without advancing approaches 02:11:22.397 --> 02:11:27.134 - that move the entire housing ladder, we cannot meaningfully address affordability. 02:11:28.034 --> 02:11:33.799 - Everything I've outlined tonight shows just how much hand is doing and how much of our community depends 02:11:33.799 --> 02:11:39.290 - on this work. I'm deeply proud of my staff and the immense amount of work that they carry out every 02:11:39.290 --> 02:11:45.275 - day. The twenty twenty seven budget gives us an opportunity to meet Bloomington's complex housing challenges 02:11:45.275 --> 02:11:50.766 - with strategic targeted investments investments that expand housing supply to improve affordability 02:11:50.766 --> 02:11:56.367 - prevent and reduce homelessness strengthen neighborhood infrastructure and support Bloomington's long 02:11:56.367 --> 02:11:57.630 - term economic sustain. 02:11:57.826 --> 02:12:01.854 - Stability, I can't talk. Homelessness. 02:12:02.242 --> 02:12:08.327 - Is a wicked problem one with no single root cause or no solution Single solution and strengthening our 02:12:08.327 --> 02:12:14.235 - response requires the ability to provide nimble solutions People will experience housing crises for 02:12:14.235 --> 02:12:20.202 - different reasons and there's no single intervention that will work for every household The shortage 02:12:20.202 --> 02:12:26.228 - of safe stable and affordable housing is the primary structural driver of homelessness But individual 02:12:26.228 --> 02:12:29.182 - households may also fight face financial hardship 02:12:29.282 --> 02:12:35.333 - deteriorating housing conditions disability behavioral health challenges or simply an inability to find 02:12:35.333 --> 02:12:41.151 - an available unit. Those circumstances require different responses. Our goal in 2027 is to give the 02:12:41.151 --> 02:12:47.027 - city the flexibility to respond to different needs before a housing crisis becomes homelessness when 02:12:47.027 --> 02:12:52.030 - someone is experiencing homelessness and as they transition back into stable housing. 02:12:52.226 --> 02:12:58.001 - The goal is simple prevent homelessness whenever possible Stabilize people when a crisis occurs and 02:12:58.001 --> 02:13:03.776 - help them return to permanently housing permanent housing quickly. The key is flexibility We cannot 02:13:03.776 --> 02:13:09.666 - rely on one program one funding mechanism or one housing model to meet every need Our success depends 02:13:09.666 --> 02:13:15.441 - on having a range of tools that respond to what actually happened What's happening in our community 02:13:15.441 --> 02:13:17.982 - when it is happening? We will strategically 02:13:18.114 --> 02:13:29.890 - to pair these resources with other local federal funding, including home home art CDBG to maximize the 02:13:29.890 --> 02:13:32.862 - impact of our investment. 02:13:32.962 --> 02:13:39.215 - is the most housing cost burden metro area in Indiana. That is why my goal of improving access to housing 02:13:39.215 --> 02:13:45.467 - and increasing housing supply are critical to addressing affordability at a market wide scale, not simply 02:13:45.467 --> 02:13:51.661 - asking individual projects to solve affordability one project at a time. Bloomington's housing challenge 02:13:51.661 --> 02:13:57.619 - is fundamentally a supply problem. When we do not produce enough housing to meet demand, competition 02:13:57.619 --> 02:14:02.928 - for housing that is available increases. That puts upward pressure on prices and makes it 02:14:02.928 --> 02:14:09.764 - difficult for people to find housing that both fits their needs and their budget and when people cannot 02:14:09.764 --> 02:14:16.600 - access housing that works for them the consequences extend beyond affordability. It can lead to housing 02:14:16.600 --> 02:14:23.371 - instability prevent households from moving as their needs change and ultimately push people out of the 02:14:23.371 --> 02:14:24.094 - community. 02:14:24.226 --> 02:14:30.609 - We are already seeing the broader economic consequences of that shortage. Nearly 72% of Bloomington 02:14:30.609 --> 02:14:36.993 - jobs are filled by people who live outside of our community. When workers cannot find housing here, 02:14:36.993 --> 02:14:43.568 - they are pushed farther away or out of the community altogether. That makes housing supply a workforce 02:14:43.568 --> 02:14:50.398 - and economic issue, not simply a housing issue. At the same time, the economics of what gets built matter. 02:14:50.530 --> 02:14:56.435 - High land costs, limited on-campus housing relative to enrollment, and the cost and complexity of our 02:14:56.435 --> 02:15:02.225 - development process has created conditions in which high-end, high-density projects are often among 02:15:02.225 --> 02:15:08.304 - the few projects that can financially pencil. The market is responding to the incentives and constraints 02:15:08.304 --> 02:15:13.630 - in front of it. If we want a different housing outcome, we have to change those conditions. 02:15:13.698 --> 02:15:20.127 - Bloomington is land constrained. So increasing supply means finding ways to produce more housing within 02:15:20.127 --> 02:15:26.927 - the community that we already have at the same time the cost of producing housing has increased significantly 02:15:26.927 --> 02:15:33.666 - making it even more important that we support viable projects and remove unnecessary barriers to production. 02:15:33.666 --> 02:15:39.971 - I currently have 11 project requests totaling approximately six million dollars in funding. We do our 02:15:39.971 --> 02:15:41.022 - best to leverage 02:15:41.122 --> 02:15:45.854 - Our existing resources and fill the gaps but without additional capacity 02:15:46.082 --> 02:15:51.965 - These projects will remain on paper rather than in reality. Partial funding does not always get units 02:15:51.965 --> 02:15:57.905 - built. We also need to be nimble enough to deploy resources when they are needed. Recognizing that the 02:15:57.905 --> 02:16:04.249 - path from a funding commitment to completed housing can take years without increasing production. Bloomington 02:16:04.249 --> 02:16:10.074 - will continue to experience the impacts of constrained supply including rising costs limited housing 02:16:10.074 --> 02:16:13.246 - access housing instability and workforce displacement. 02:16:13.826 --> 02:16:19.642 - Increasing housing production is not only a housing strategy It is an economic sustainability strategy 02:16:19.642 --> 02:16:25.570 - and that is particularly important as we navigate the fiscal constraints created by SCA one The question 02:16:25.570 --> 02:16:31.273 - before us is not simply how we respond to today's housing needs It is whether we are willing to make 02:16:31.273 --> 02:16:37.032 - the strategic investments necessary to expand housing access reduce instability retain the people who 02:16:37.032 --> 02:16:42.792 - work here and ensure that Bloomington remains a viable and economically sustainable community for the 02:16:42.792 --> 02:16:43.582 - long term and 02:16:45.666 --> 02:16:52.042 - Our final priority is neighborhood infrastructure. And I want to be very clear about what we're proposing 02:16:52.042 --> 02:16:58.357 - here. This is not a new budget request to council. It is an opportunity to respond to a council priority 02:16:58.357 --> 02:17:04.552 - and offer a partnership to target their priorities. Council has identified neighborhood infrastructure 02:17:04.552 --> 02:17:10.687 - and quality of life as an important priority. Community development block grant resources can be used 02:17:10.687 --> 02:17:15.198 - for eligible infrastructure improvements in low and moderate income areas. 02:17:15.458 --> 02:17:21.520 - So rather than asking for additional city resources we are trying to think about how we might leverage 02:17:21.520 --> 02:17:27.405 - existing resources and can partner with council and the appropriate city departments to establish a 02:17:27.405 --> 02:17:29.406 - targeted sidewalk repair program. 02:17:30.082 --> 02:17:36.155 - The program would focus on qualifying low to mod areas consistent with federal requirements and prioritize 02:17:36.155 --> 02:17:41.944 - deteriorated sidewalks where repairs can improve pedestrian safety, accessibility, and connections to 02:17:41.944 --> 02:17:47.789 - schools, transit, employment centers, parks, and other community assets. There is no associated budget 02:17:47.789 --> 02:17:53.578 - request to council. What we are asking for is the opportunity to work together to determine how those 02:17:53.578 --> 02:18:00.048 - resources can be used most effectively. In this case, we have an opportunity to take an existing federal resource 02:18:00.048 --> 02:18:06.489 - and turn it into a safer, more accessible neighborhood infrastructure without adding to our local budget. 02:18:06.489 --> 02:18:12.992 - If this is truly an important priority for council, let's figure it out, but let's figure it out together. 02:18:12.992 --> 02:18:19.068 - As we look ahead to 2027, several challenges and opportunities will shape our ability to deliver on 02:18:19.068 --> 02:18:25.145 - these priorities. The first is the widening gap between what it costs to build housing and what the 02:18:25.145 --> 02:18:28.062 - market can support. That makes timely strategic 02:18:28.354 --> 02:18:32.542 - support even more critical a well-placed funding gap can determine whether a 02:18:32.642 --> 02:18:38.361 - project gets built or stays on paper. At the same time, we have an opportunity to reduce regulatory 02:18:38.361 --> 02:18:44.194 - barriers that contribute to those costs. The 21st Century Road to Housing Act signals a clear federal 02:18:44.194 --> 02:18:49.912 - direction. Communities must be prepared to produce housing if we want to address affordability. The 02:18:49.912 --> 02:18:55.688 - act incentivizes increased production, streamlined development processes, and better use of existing 02:18:55.688 --> 02:19:01.693 - programs. For Bloomington, this is a chance to become a housing-ready community with zoning, permitting, 02:19:01.693 --> 02:19:02.608 - infrastructure, 02:19:02.608 --> 02:19:09.033 - capacity and a project pipeline pipeline capable of actually producing homes HUD specs best practice 02:19:09.033 --> 02:19:15.712 - framework addresses barriers we are already examining and seen in our work at Hopewell crucially federal 02:19:15.712 --> 02:19:21.374 - investment will increasingly be tied to housing production performance under the acts of 02:19:21.506 --> 02:19:27.612 - Performance provision communities that produce more housing will receive funding while those that fall 02:19:27.612 --> 02:19:33.897 - short may see reductions Being housing ready is no longer just good policy. It will influence our ability 02:19:33.897 --> 02:19:40.300 - to compete for federal resources This moment gives Bloomington an opportunity to align our housing policies 02:19:40.300 --> 02:19:44.094 - development regulations funding strategies and project pipeline 02:19:44.194 --> 02:19:50.016 - with where federal housing policy is headed positioning us not just to respond to the crisis but to 02:19:50.016 --> 02:19:56.246 - take advantage of the resources designed to address it. And finally we must recognize the fiscal pressures 02:19:56.246 --> 02:20:02.243 - created by SCA one. The legislation requires communities to be even more strategic with limited public 02:20:02.243 --> 02:20:08.123 - resources and makes addressing workforce displacement even more urgent. If housing costs continue to 02:20:08.123 --> 02:20:11.966 - rise while more of Bloomington's workforce live outside the city. 02:20:12.162 --> 02:20:17.310 - The implications extend beyond housing to Bloomington's long-term economic sustainability. 02:20:18.850 --> 02:20:24.552 - The most recent point in time count identified 305 people experiencing homelessness in Monroe County, 02:20:24.552 --> 02:20:30.589 - including approximately 160 people who were unsheltered. That number represents people who are experiencing 02:20:30.589 --> 02:20:36.626 - a housing crisis at a particular point in time. But it also tells us something important about the capacity 02:20:36.626 --> 02:20:42.440 - we need in our system. We need more tools to prevent homelessness, more options for people experiencing 02:20:42.440 --> 02:20:47.806 - homelessness, and more pathways into stable housing. Senate Bill 285 adds urgency to that work. 02:20:47.906 --> 02:20:53.252 - The new state law restricts camping, sleeping, and long-term sheltering on public property, which means 02:20:53.252 --> 02:20:58.494 - communities will need to have meaningful alternatives and stronger connections to shelter and housing 02:20:58.494 --> 02:21:03.634 - when people are displaced from the public spaces. At the same time, the federal funding environment 02:21:03.634 --> 02:21:09.083 - is changing. HUD's current approach places greater emphasis on transitional housing, supportive services, 02:21:09.083 --> 02:21:14.377 - recovery, and self-sufficiency, representing a significant shift from federal homelessness policy away 02:21:14.377 --> 02:21:17.872 - from the previous emphasis on housing first. We need to be prepared 02:21:17.872 --> 02:21:23.984 - that shift without losing sight of what we know about our local community and the range of interventions 02:21:23.984 --> 02:21:30.271 - people need. And we are facing another transition at the local level ARPA resources which hand has deployed 02:21:30.271 --> 02:21:36.092 - nearly six million dollars since 2024 which have supported our community's response to homelessness 02:21:36.092 --> 02:21:41.913 - will no longer be available after December 31st. That means 2027 will require us to be particularly 02:21:41.913 --> 02:21:45.406 - strategic about how we use resources that remain available. 02:21:45.570 --> 02:21:51.438 - This is exactly why flexibility matters. We cannot assume that the funding environment, the causes of 02:21:51.438 --> 02:21:57.305 - homelessness or the needs of people we serve will remain the same. Our responsibility is to use every 02:21:57.305 --> 02:21:58.398 - available resource 02:21:58.466 --> 02:22:04.209 - to prevent homelessness whenever possible, respond effectively when it occurs, and build pathways to 02:22:04.209 --> 02:22:09.895 - stable housing that reflect the realities of our community. The challenge is significant, but so is 02:22:09.895 --> 02:22:15.922 - the opportunity. By investing strategically, leveraging federal resources, reducing unnecessary barriers, 02:22:15.922 --> 02:22:21.779 - we can develop a response that is more coordinated, more adaptable, and better prepared for what comes 02:22:21.779 --> 02:22:27.294 - next. HAN's 2027 budget is focused on addressing Bloomington's most pressing housing challenges, 02:22:27.458 --> 02:22:33.968 - Expanding housing supply improving our response to homelessness and investing in neighborhood infrastructure. 02:22:33.968 --> 02:22:39.353 - Those are not separate issues housing supply affects affordability and workforce stability 02:22:39.353 --> 02:22:45.567 - housing instability affects homelessness and strong neighborhoods require safe accessible infrastructure 02:22:45.567 --> 02:22:51.485 - and The resources to maintain quality of life We have reduced all other categorical budget requests 02:22:51.485 --> 02:22:53.438 - to the greatest extent practical 02:22:53.506 --> 02:22:59.818 - Practicable, but we have requested an increase to the housing development fund to address the demand 02:22:59.818 --> 02:23:06.129 - the resources in this budget are designed to leverage federal funding support community partnerships 02:23:06.129 --> 02:23:12.441 - and respond to emerging needs and Help viable projects move from concept to reality That is the work 02:23:12.441 --> 02:23:18.815 - that hand is committed to moving forward in 2027 and that is an overall budget change of 1.74 million 02:23:18.815 --> 02:23:20.190 - dollars. Thank you. I 02:23:22.434 --> 02:23:32.931 - Thank you very much for all that and for all your work any questions from council Thank You director 02:23:32.931 --> 02:23:43.635 - killing Hanson I just to pick up where you left off about The federal government shifting from housing 02:23:43.635 --> 02:23:51.326 - first model to to To a different model, I guess Continuum of care I guess 02:23:52.098 --> 02:24:02.553 - and So you mentioned that you know We need to shift strategically in terms of how we can be Get resources 02:24:02.553 --> 02:24:12.614 - from the federal government within that structure Could you unpack a little bit about what that might 02:24:12.614 --> 02:24:21.886 - look like? For instance if people are afflicted with substance use problems You know, this is 02:24:22.114 --> 02:24:29.300 - Seems to me may take a coordinated effort with the county Because they run the justice system judicial 02:24:29.300 --> 02:24:36.486 - system and things like that to try to help people so they're not just simply jailed, but they have the 02:24:36.486 --> 02:24:43.672 - opportunity to to To address their addiction problem. For instance, is that something you're exploring 02:24:43.672 --> 02:24:47.230 - and could you impact that a little bit more or you 02:24:47.394 --> 02:24:53.457 - Are we at the initial stages of that? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but you know I'm just trying 02:24:53.457 --> 02:24:59.694 - to envision what that could look like and how we can get federal dollars because we clearly have a Problem 02:24:59.694 --> 02:25:05.348 - here. We ought to try to you know work I suppose with what we're given. So could you address it? 02:25:05.348 --> 02:25:11.469 - That is true. That is complicated We are not working with CoC funding. So we have to supplement whenever 02:25:11.469 --> 02:25:17.182 - available I think one of the challenges that we're gonna face is that there is an overall funding 02:25:17.442 --> 02:25:24.900 - Decrease towards a lot of the programs and organizations that have received funding historically and 02:25:24.900 --> 02:25:32.506 - so we have to be able to step in with our funding to help bridge the gap so whether that is additional 02:25:32.506 --> 02:25:40.185 - caseworkers or whatever our budget can allow that's why the housing development fund is Helpful because 02:25:40.185 --> 02:25:47.422 - it is local. It doesn't have an impact to the general budget, but it can help fill those gaps and 02:25:47.650 --> 02:25:54.999 - I am not currently working with the county on anything like that. We, again, are not part of the COC. 02:25:54.999 --> 02:26:02.348 - But you're not wrong. I mean, a lot of things changed in the Reagan era with the elimination of state 02:26:02.348 --> 02:26:09.770 - mental health hospitals. And the state, the federal government have not filled the gap with the mental 02:26:09.770 --> 02:26:15.678 - health and drug addiction issues. So those are things that have to get addressed. 02:26:16.194 --> 02:26:25.448 - Not my bailiwick completely Thank you director so the county is involved in various discussions that 02:26:25.448 --> 02:26:34.793 - are happening right now around Comprehensive services that are needed for people who are experiencing 02:26:34.793 --> 02:26:45.054 - homelessness But I do want to add that I met with Braun about I don't know a month and a half ago and asked him 02:26:45.154 --> 02:26:55.344 - for his support and his leadership in funding the impacts of SB 285, which is the state bill that illegalizes 02:26:55.344 --> 02:27:04.979 - sleeping outside on public land. And his biggest support there is in mental health and addiction. Seems 02:27:04.979 --> 02:27:13.502 - less interested in actually funding housing, which, of course, is what solves homelessness. 02:27:13.826 --> 02:27:22.786 - I'm I actually I'm leading a coalition of mayors to do the ask at the Statehouse for that funding and 02:27:22.786 --> 02:27:31.658 - other funding and so if council members have input into what you want that asked to be We have we've 02:27:31.658 --> 02:27:38.686 - been working since March on this and and we have some support at the state some 02:27:38.818 --> 02:27:45.266 - Republican leadership support which will be critical of course at the state house to get To get some 02:27:45.266 --> 02:27:51.715 - funding behind mental health and addiction support. I Appreciate that. I appreciate your efforts and 02:27:51.715 --> 02:27:58.163 - meeting with governor Sorry, can I just remember all of your three minutes? So the rest will have to 02:27:58.163 --> 02:28:04.548 - go. I talked too long. Sorry I'm sorry. Keep us on track any other questions Councilmember Piedmont 02:28:04.548 --> 02:28:07.038 - Smith and then councilmember Stossberg 02:28:09.794 --> 02:28:16.968 - Um, yes. Thank you. Ms. Killian Hansen. Um, you had to talk quickly and go through a lot. So I hope 02:28:16.968 --> 02:28:24.213 - you got a drink of water in between here. Um, the housing development fund, could we get a report on 02:28:24.213 --> 02:28:31.531 - what has been funded in 2025 and so far this year and at, at how, at what level and how many units of 02:28:31.531 --> 02:28:39.422 - housing were produced? I do not have it off the top of my head, but I'd be more than happy to provide it. Um, 02:28:39.938 --> 02:28:47.112 - More than happy to provide that to you. I know that we provided two hundred and fifty thousand dollars 02:28:47.112 --> 02:28:54.076 - to the landlord mitigation fund Which we were not able to fund previously. I think There was a year 02:28:54.076 --> 02:29:01.111 - gap there where they were operating on old funding. So their demand was was there but we did provide 02:29:01.111 --> 02:29:05.150 - that to help bridge the gap with the loss of vouchers and 02:29:06.402 --> 02:29:13.755 - And then maybe since the housing development fund is not the only avenue used to support retention or 02:29:13.755 --> 02:29:21.180 - creation of affordable housing. Yes. Could you give us an overall report. And you mentioned a few data 02:29:21.180 --> 02:29:29.110 - points in your presentation but an overall report of how many units preserved or produced how many households 02:29:29.110 --> 02:29:36.030 - were served costs per unit that resulted from the subsidy from my slide deck I can tell you the 02:29:36.130 --> 02:29:46.323 - 48 units that we preserved as permanently affordable cost us six hundred thousand And the ten units 02:29:46.323 --> 02:29:56.822 - at of cooperative living units that those were about two hundred and fifty thousand But I can give you 02:29:56.822 --> 02:30:01.918 - that Information and an overall spreadsheet. Yeah 02:30:02.818 --> 02:30:09.616 - Yeah, absolutely. But part of the problem with the housing development fund this year has been that 02:30:09.616 --> 02:30:16.550 - we have 11 funding requests and One of them alone is three point two million dollars We only have one 02:30:16.550 --> 02:30:23.620 - million dollars of housing development fund to provide so again as I mentioned you can't partially fund 02:30:23.620 --> 02:30:30.418 - projects And so we've had some feasibility issues of getting them off the ground It's meant to be a 02:30:30.418 --> 02:30:31.166 - supplement 02:30:31.554 --> 02:30:37.202 - It is meant to be a supplement. It's not a sole funder But when we are asking somebody to replace a 02:30:37.202 --> 02:30:42.906 - large water line that cost them two million dollars and that is the difference between Like how much 02:30:42.906 --> 02:30:48.780 - of it if we can only give them? 500,000 that doesn't mean it's going to get built and I'm not proposing 02:30:48.780 --> 02:30:54.653 - that we fill the entire gap but we have to examine the projects that have made application very closely 02:30:54.653 --> 02:30:59.454 - and make sure that we're aligning our community needs with the funding available and 02:30:59.938 --> 02:31:07.674 - And so the funding request is not tied specific projects. It is tied to the ability to respond when 02:31:07.674 --> 02:31:15.487 - those projects come up. Thank you. Thank you. I wanted to follow up on the housing development funds 02:31:15.487 --> 02:31:18.814 - too and I might need the controllers help. 02:31:18.946 --> 02:31:25.488 - for this one because I also wanted to look into how much of that million have we spent this year and 02:31:25.488 --> 02:31:32.094 - is it practical to do another $3 million in that. And so one of the things I looked at was the second 02:31:32.094 --> 02:31:38.701 - quarter year to date expenditures that our controller provided the fiscal committee. And according to 02:31:38.701 --> 02:31:45.502 - that information, so it was just through the first two quarters of the year, less than $10,000, I think, 02:31:45.698 --> 02:31:55.432 - was taken out of the Housing Development Fund. And then similarly, very little was spent from the lit 02:31:55.432 --> 02:32:04.975 - grant line, which I assume also goes to some of this housing assistance and stuff like that. So can 02:32:04.975 --> 02:32:13.086 - either you or Controller McKim fill in the numbers that you were saying and what are 02:32:13.634 --> 02:32:19.980 - Were those just did those happen after the second quarter or only provide? You a summary of the claims 02:32:19.980 --> 02:32:26.573 - that have been submitted not the contracts that have been executed And so it does take a while to navigate 02:32:26.573 --> 02:32:32.919 - the contract process It's no surprise that you wouldn't see all of that fun I mean typically you would 02:32:32.919 --> 02:32:39.451 - want to check on that at the end of the year just to make sure that the money is rolling out, but there's 02:32:39.451 --> 02:32:40.190 - a number of 02:32:40.674 --> 02:32:48.828 - Contracts that have been executed that haven't been drawn down with funding yet or are in legal currently 02:32:48.828 --> 02:32:56.598 - And or we've had projects that just haven't reached fruition We've entertained we've evaluated we've 02:32:56.598 --> 02:33:04.522 - spent staff time But then it the feasibility don't doesn't end up panning out But no, it's being spent 02:33:04.522 --> 02:33:08.830 - being spent very well. Okay. Thank you. I guess I would 02:33:09.410 --> 02:33:14.593 - Also wanted like the accounting that Councilmember Piedmont Smith asked for so I guess I would also 02:33:14.593 --> 02:33:19.879 - be interested in like the the contracts and you know what we have going just because that is a really 02:33:19.879 --> 02:33:25.165 - big increase and I feel like capacity is one of the struggles that especially the hand department has 02:33:25.165 --> 02:33:30.607 - because there are so many things to do and so I just kind of want to make sure in terms of due diligence 02:33:30.607 --> 02:33:33.406 - that the department actually has the capacity to like 02:33:33.538 --> 02:33:40.407 - Like award those those grants and spend the additional money because the housing development fund is 02:33:40.407 --> 02:33:47.344 - not like we won't necessarily It doesn't have unending revenue. And so like kind of in some ways once 02:33:47.344 --> 02:33:54.621 - we spend it we spend it I think where you're caught is the idea that they all have to be tied to a project 02:33:54.621 --> 02:34:01.490 - We are saying that the three million dollars is to be able to respond nimbly to the requests at hand 02:34:01.490 --> 02:34:03.326 - and get it out the door It 02:34:03.682 --> 02:34:10.501 - It's not a one-to-one. It's not a capacity issue It's be giving us flexibility to respond because what 02:34:10.501 --> 02:34:17.121 - happens is if it's not spent it reverts back to the housing development fund If it is spent it goes 02:34:17.121 --> 02:34:24.139 - out the door. We get the units created It's going to take years in some cases for the funding to actually 02:34:24.139 --> 02:34:30.891 - create the units So we have to move quickly can't wait for the next funding cycle to get them off the 02:34:30.891 --> 02:34:32.414 - ground I'm out of time 02:34:32.546 --> 02:34:38.950 - Sorry. Yes. Sorry. Thank you. And thank you for your presentation. Would you be able to talk a little 02:34:38.950 --> 02:34:45.416 - bit about how our strategy might change based on the physical locations of different services directly 02:34:45.416 --> 02:34:49.246 - in regard to homelessness response. So for example the jail. 02:34:49.346 --> 02:34:56.285 - We don't know where it's going to be but I'm sure that we will have to Accommodate that same with I 02:34:56.285 --> 02:35:03.640 - know that beacon is moving to the Near East side I'm just curious how the shift of the physical locations 02:35:03.640 --> 02:35:10.578 - might impact the work that you do That is a very good question. I'm not sure that I can answer that 02:35:10.578 --> 02:35:17.656 - question obviously being close to Services is really important But how that would change our funding. 02:35:17.656 --> 02:35:18.558 - I'm not sure 02:35:19.042 --> 02:35:28.127 - Not aware we need to provide the support where the support is needed Any other questions councilmember 02:35:28.127 --> 02:35:37.124 - rough I Guess this is maybe more of a comment than a question But there the question would be I guess 02:35:37.124 --> 02:35:44.798 - Have you thought about a strategy has the department thought about strategy related to 02:35:45.026 --> 02:35:52.545 - What I hear about from constituents a lot related to public safety quality of life for neighborhoods 02:35:52.545 --> 02:36:00.659 - and for the community overall and that is the side the issue of keeping sidewalks clear from Trash recycling 02:36:00.659 --> 02:36:08.252 - bins that will often sit for days and days and days or maybe a week around and then of course we hear 02:36:08.252 --> 02:36:14.654 - about the scooters issue periodically regularly, but You know, it's funny. I've lived 02:36:14.850 --> 02:36:21.712 - my area of my house for over 30 years and if I leave if I pull my car out onto the street without a 02:36:21.712 --> 02:36:28.642 - hang tag to move something around in the carport and I go inside and do something I'll come out I'll 02:36:28.642 --> 02:36:35.504 - I'll have it more often than I'll have a ticket it seems like you know or at least I have a warning 02:36:35.504 --> 02:36:42.365 - and it literally centers within it seems like 20 minutes or 15 minutes of forgetting that I left my 02:36:42.365 --> 02:36:43.326 - car out there 02:36:43.970 --> 02:36:53.825 - It just seems like it's got to be a way that we could have better enforcement of clearing the sidewalks. 02:36:53.825 --> 02:37:03.399 - I'm not talking about snow right now but I'm talking about mainly trash cans and scooters too. But so 02:37:03.399 --> 02:37:13.630 - that's a priority. That's a priority for me to figure out a way and maybe if it requires some kind of budget 02:37:14.946 --> 02:37:21.591 - Contribution or in combination with another program Another department something but that's a priority 02:37:21.591 --> 02:37:28.171 - for me this time Is that a question should I respond to yeah if you can if you thought about it Well, 02:37:28.171 --> 02:37:34.687 - I think it's important to know that the neighborhood compliance officers that are out inspecting all 02:37:34.687 --> 02:37:41.138 - the rentals and taking care of the complaint inspections are the same staff that are patrolling the 02:37:41.138 --> 02:37:42.622 - neighborhoods they get 02:37:42.722 --> 02:37:50.448 - Four hours a week following their trash the trashy day for their neighborhood. They're assigned neighborhoods 02:37:50.448 --> 02:37:57.964 - to issue citations and warnings and that kind of thing Alternatively, I think you can see that the parking 02:37:57.964 --> 02:38:05.128 - division is the most efficient Department in the city They're out there immediately, but that's their 02:38:05.128 --> 02:38:09.342 - full-time job. So I think that that's part of the issue and 02:38:10.754 --> 02:38:18.260 - With the creation of so many units. I know you guys were gracious enough to give me another neighborhood 02:38:18.260 --> 02:38:25.408 - compliance officer because the demand was so taxing And that has helped a lot But it's difficult in 02:38:25.408 --> 02:38:32.414 - four hours to make it down every single street that being said I am looking at trying to help the 02:38:32.642 --> 02:38:39.430 - the routes that the compliance officers are taking. So sometimes they're not always taking the trash 02:38:39.430 --> 02:38:46.285 - route. So what we're looking at is how is sanitation picking up all of the bins? How are they hitting 02:38:46.285 --> 02:38:53.140 - all of the addresses in the various neighborhoods? How might we look at targeting the routes a little 02:38:53.140 --> 02:39:00.062 - differently to make sure that we're getting all of the properties instead of just like the main areas, 02:39:00.062 --> 02:39:01.406 - that kind of thing. 02:39:02.178 --> 02:39:10.573 - We're always trying to improve efficiency in our department, but I will take that back. Thank you any 02:39:10.573 --> 02:39:18.803 - other questions All right, thank you very much we're gonna move on to public comment now anybody in 02:39:18.803 --> 02:39:27.609 - chambers or online who has a question For housing and neighborhood development. I see somebody approaching 02:39:27.609 --> 02:39:31.806 - the podium. Thank you very much Good evening again 02:39:32.290 --> 02:39:37.875 - This is Christopher MG from the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. I just want to say before I 02:39:37.875 --> 02:39:43.571 - get to the budget that I want to recognize Ms. Killian Hanson and the work of Hand. She's brought some 02:39:43.571 --> 02:39:49.377 - clear direction, both to Hand and the RDC, along with that practical perspective of someone who's worked 02:39:49.377 --> 02:39:55.073 - in business and on the development side. And as we've seen with that presentation, which I think could 02:39:55.073 --> 02:40:00.382 - have been a seminar, what direction and what reach they're having, Chamber strongly agrees with 02:40:01.058 --> 02:40:06.846 - the direction of housing, and particularly the recognition of affordability to scale that requires more 02:40:06.846 --> 02:40:12.579 - housing supply. I just want to highlight a couple things on moving the budget toward improving housing 02:40:12.579 --> 02:40:18.478 - access, increasing housing production. It's a significant increase in the housing development fund that's 02:40:18.478 --> 02:40:24.322 - going to move these things forward. And so we appreciate how that increased production is a market-based 02:40:24.322 --> 02:40:30.110 - strategy that supports workforce retention and our long-term economic health, as she linked it so well. 02:40:30.210 --> 02:40:36.299 - Employers need workers who can afford to live here more supply and more housing choices are an important 02:40:36.299 --> 02:40:42.329 - part of recruitment retention and growing the tax base But obviously that funding alone doesn't produce 02:40:42.329 --> 02:40:48.360 - housing. It has to be paired with faster clear permitting and development standards allow good projects 02:40:48.360 --> 02:40:54.565 - to move Financially more feasible, but that is for another department I also want to say that the flexible 02:40:54.565 --> 02:40:59.262 - homelessness intervention that targets approaches that help people move toward a 02:40:59.554 --> 02:41:05.786 - Housing will recognize that homeless responses, increasing overall supply are related but distinct 02:41:05.786 --> 02:41:12.143 - challenges. So we strongly agree with Han's premise that improving affordability at a scale requires 02:41:12.143 --> 02:41:18.753 - increased supply. The goal should now be making sure our investment strategy and our development process 02:41:18.753 --> 02:41:25.047 - are pulling the same direction, getting more housing built. Thank you. Thank you very much. Anybody 02:41:25.047 --> 02:41:26.558 - online for the comment? 02:41:30.530 --> 02:41:40.985 - Any last comments or any more commenters in chambers? I don't see anybody. All right, so back to chambers. 02:41:40.985 --> 02:41:51.048 - Any council? Any council comments? Councilmember Stossberg. Thanks. I want to just comment on a couple 02:41:51.048 --> 02:41:57.790 - of things that I didn't get a chance to ask about in terms of hopes. 02:41:57.954 --> 02:42:05.915 - Interesting that we're focusing CDBG grants on sidewalks When we don't have a sidewalk plan and similarly 02:42:05.915 --> 02:42:13.575 - right now owner property owners adjacent property owners are responsible for maintenance of sidewalks 02:42:13.575 --> 02:42:19.358 - and so I just really hope that whenever that CDBG grant process goes through 02:42:19.458 --> 02:42:26.995 - that ends up being focused on low-income owners and maintenance of those sidewalks. Now, I'll ask in 02:42:26.995 --> 02:42:34.682 - the follow-up questions, as opposed to I just don't want to supplement landlords that should be taking 02:42:34.682 --> 02:42:42.220 - care of their sidewalks already. So I just wanted to mention that as I hope that's the way that it's 02:42:42.220 --> 02:42:47.742 - going to work. And I need to get back in my comments to the other things. 02:42:48.834 --> 02:42:54.851 - And then going back to the housing development fund like I I recognize that that just reverts but at 02:42:54.851 --> 02:43:00.868 - the same time I also know that you know two three years ago when I was having lots of meetings about 02:43:00.868 --> 02:43:06.945 - affordable housing and some of the things that that housing development fund was spent on a number of 02:43:06.945 --> 02:43:13.022 - years ago in prior administrations there was definitely some concerns raised and so I think that that 02:43:13.122 --> 02:43:18.901 - lead some of my questions right now about the Housing Development Fund just to make sure that future 02:43:18.901 --> 02:43:25.024 - expenditures out of the Housing Development Fund are not things that some future administration or council 02:43:25.024 --> 02:43:30.803 - member looks back on and goes, oh my gosh, what on earth were they doing spending money on that? And 02:43:30.803 --> 02:43:36.811 - so that is one of the reasons why I'm asking extra questions about the Housing Development Fund. Because 02:43:36.811 --> 02:43:42.590 - once we bless this $3 million, which is very vague and unspecific, then it can be spent on whatever. 02:43:42.914 --> 02:43:49.767 - that is, I appreciate that you need to be nimble, and I appreciate that you need that flexibility, but 02:43:49.767 --> 02:43:56.553 - I hope that you also appreciate that as a decision maker, I feel like I at least wanna box some rough 02:43:56.553 --> 02:44:03.273 - kind of idea about what it's been spent on so far, and then what direction you're hoping to bring it 02:44:03.273 --> 02:44:06.334 - toward, because that is quite a big increase. 02:44:06.690 --> 02:44:13.531 - Otherwise, thank you very much and thinking think think everybody else that was involved in this budget 02:44:13.531 --> 02:44:20.109 - hearing this evening Any other council comments councilmember Piedmont Smith Yes, I just don't want 02:44:20.109 --> 02:44:26.885 - to lose sight of the fact that we have a problem as a city of keeping sidewalks clear I know there are 02:44:26.885 --> 02:44:32.542 - not enough people in hand to issue all the citations that are needed and then there's 02:44:32.642 --> 02:44:40.085 - You know once you issue a citation then the property owner has a certain amount of time and in the meantime 02:44:40.085 --> 02:44:47.114 - people are walking the streets. So I just want to acknowledge that that problem is still there and we 02:44:47.114 --> 02:44:54.143 - need to have more conversations and try to figure out how best to accommodate pedestrians in snow and 02:44:54.143 --> 02:45:00.414 - ice situations. Thank you. Any final comments. Councilman Barallo you know I got a couple. 02:45:01.698 --> 02:45:09.797 - Regarding sidewalks. I maybe we should be considering using some of the council sidewalk budget for 02:45:09.797 --> 02:45:17.895 - Targeting and repairing areas with accessibility problems Because it's been brought to my attention 02:45:17.895 --> 02:45:26.156 - actually councilman rough it at constituent meetings that this is a chronic problem and you know with 02:45:26.156 --> 02:45:31.582 - a lack of resources or you know skim resources this time around we 02:45:31.746 --> 02:45:39.726 - You know that they should be dealt with I I just wanted to follow up on my query of the administration. 02:45:39.726 --> 02:45:47.707 - I want to credit mayor Thompson for meeting with governor. I think that as Director Killian Hansen said 02:45:47.707 --> 02:45:55.840 - it the housing is a very it's a complicated Multivariate problem and and so there's no easy one solution, 02:45:55.840 --> 02:45:58.526 - but certainly one of them is to to 02:45:59.202 --> 02:46:06.656 - Do the best we can to get resources brought back to Bloomington from state or federal sources And so 02:46:06.656 --> 02:46:14.332 - I applaud you Duke for doing that for trying to do that and it seems to me Maybe there's an opportunity 02:46:14.332 --> 02:46:21.859 - with the county because as they build the their jail I think we all want to see that not just as a as 02:46:21.859 --> 02:46:26.878 - a punitive a place to place people You know just to punish them but 02:46:27.586 --> 02:46:35.237 - particularly of people are suffering from mental health and and Addiction problems that they ought to 02:46:35.237 --> 02:46:42.888 - be treated and helped So so to the extent that we can maybe help that situation our county colleagues 02:46:42.888 --> 02:46:50.014 - could be responsive to that Perhaps hopefully so. Thank you We hope all right last comments. I 02:46:52.322 --> 02:46:58.265 - Okay, well thank you very much. We really appreciate you being here. We appreciate everybody being here. 02:46:58.265 --> 02:47:03.925 - That's it for night one of budget hearings. Thank you all very much for your help and your info and 02:47:03.925 --> 02:47:09.811 - answering our questions. And we'll see you back here Wednesday night at, was somebody snapping? I know. 02:47:09.811 --> 02:47:13.150 - Sorry, see you back here Wednesday night the 19th at 5.30.