- Welcome to the Redevelopment Commission meeting for the City of Bloomington for August 17th, 2026. We'll
- start the meeting with the roll call, please. Lori McRobie, present. Steve Scambalern, here.
- Brandi Cassidy, present. John West, present. Deborah Meyerson, here. We will start the, and the staff
- present, please. Anna Killian Hansen, present. Christian Levenlin, hand department. Emma Caswell, present.
- Jane Coopersmith, economic and sustainable development.
- Okay, first item on the agenda is the minutes from the executive session from August 3, 2026 and the
- regular meeting minutes from August 3, 2026. I'll take a motion for both of those unless anybody requests
- to separate them. Move approval of both sets of nets, executive committee and regular RDC meeting. Second.
- John. We've got a first and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed?
- passes unanimously. Next item in the agenda is the claims register for July 31, 2026. Any questions
- or comments from commissioners on the claims register? I have a couple questions. Would you mind starting
- with the page so I can follow? Page three of seven. Page three of seven, and I know it's CVDG, the 2403 account.
- Line 3464, the New Hope Shelter. That's our grant that we gave for the solar. The only question I have,
- were they able to incorporate any of the solar panels that the city has? Which project? This is for
- New Hope's solar project. I will have to ask our program manager and get back to you on that.
- I doubt it. I don't think they did. They did receive seal.
- funding, which is our solar energy efficiency and lighting grant program that supports nonprofits. But
- I think they have new panels, but we can find them. OK, I'll just verify, because there were still some
- additional panels that we had left a while back. A lot. Oh, so, yes. Yes, that's why I'm asking, because
- if they could be utilized in something, it'd be great. Next one, and this is just specifically me and
- a little bugaboos, we get to it at some point on Evergreen Village.
- That's for lawn care maintenance of the lots that we own in there, which they've done a great job. I'd
- just at some point like to see that moved forward to the homeowners. Thank you. We have attempted multiple
- homeowners actually sold following our attempt. So we'll continue that attempt. OK, thank you. And actually
- that mowing is specific to the retention pond. So it's just a drainage area.
- Which, keeping it mode is very good, given the amount of rain, as you well know, we've all had near
- reason. So thank you. Page five of five, or page 13 in the packet, depending on how you go at it. Marshall
- security for security patrols at Hopewell. I'm not questioning the expense itself, but I'm wondering
- if you could just give us a 60 second update on what we're experiencing with security challenges at Hopewell.
- We are continuing to receive a number of security incidents at the Hopewell properties. Specifically,
- the garage has been targeted. We did have an encampment in the garage, which we recently cleaned up.
- But the patrols and reports range from the garage all the way over to the 714 site. They're doing their
- job, though, and discouraging a lot
- Folks for being there in the evening hours as well, but those are the two big areas of concern the existing
- buildings So hopefully as activity Increases we'll start to see less activity, but at this time we are
- still receiving With as much security as we have there. How does anybody have time to set up an encampment?
- That doesn't happen overnight. Our security patrols are 12 hours and they vary in timing. They're not
- the same 12-hour shifts every day. That's intentional to try and catch whatever activities happening
- at varied hours. It's surprising, but it did occur. It wasn't a large encampment, but there was an awful
- lot of trash and debris. I think there was a full truckload that was pulled from the garage.
- There's a specific part of the garage, too, where there's a lot of overgrowth and shrubbery that they
- were hiding underneath and behind. So we've posted it. They've been removed. It's been cleaned up. And
- actually, Marshall did the cleanup for a very insignificant amount of money. I think it was $800 total.
- So it was money well spent. To your point on the...
- It would be the east side of that parking garage that has substantial growth. Is that something from
- as an ownership standpoint, we should look at clearing that back so that they can actually visually
- see it from Roger Street. We've cleaned that up a couple different times. I'm talking removes the vegetation.
- Yes. So that we get back to the structure so you can actually visually see that garage and if there's
- any activity. We've cleaned it up a couple of different times. One of the other things right at that
- spot is that there's a fence that is wrapped around and they keep pulling the fencing away. We've tried
- to secure it numerous times. Part of the cleanup that was done, they drove an auger down into the ground
- and used a nice big two by four to try and secure that fence even more so that they couldn't gain any
- more access.
- But yes. That's an issue. So one last question on the claims. Page 307 on the Fund 2234, unsafe building
- on the appraisal for Shamrock Point. Is that based upon we've got an unsafe building? That was part
- of the settlement agreement.
- And I'm not sure how much more information I can go into other than that's part of a settlement agreement.
- Yes, it is an unsafe building. And we required the appraisal and then listing at the appraised price.
- OK. Thank you. Any other questions from commissioners? If not, I'll take a motion for the claims register
- of July 31. We have approval for the claims register for July 31, 2026. Second.
- We have a first and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Passes unanimously. Next on the
- agenda is the payroll register from August 7th, 2026. Any questions or comments from commissioners on
- this item? Move for approval. Second. We've got a first and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye.
- Any opposed? Passes unanimously. Next we'll have reports please. Do we have a director's report?
- I would like to report that on Friday we hosted the Incremental Development Alliance developer, small
- developer training at the mill. It was wonderful. We had some industry experts that came and it was
- fascinating, wonderful. I gave a short presentation and there's a lot of excitement related to HopeWild
- and we're glad to have that piece over with.
- But the next step is we will be offering a boot camp, which is virtually offered starting, I believe,
- in October. But let me circle back to you on the exact dates. It'll be once a week for a period of time.
- And it is a prerequisite that you attended the small developer training that we hosted. That training
- is also offered online if somebody needed to catch up and was not able to be present in person. I also
- do just want to give a shout out to the mill. When we were there, it was such a great atmosphere.
- I mean, they're doing really, really good things. It's the great combination between being practical
- and productive. And every need that we had,
- was there on Thursday of this week. The mill is opening back up that event space. So there is an event
- you guys should have received an email about that. It looks great. So they've maximized the space and
- encourage you to go check it out. But they're doing really great things there. How many books were registered
- for the? I think it ended up being 32. Awesome.
- And we had more people trying to attend, but we reached capacity. OK. Great. And for folks that weren't
- able to attend, since that's a requirement for them to attend the boot camp, is there any option to
- do some alternate versions so they can attend the boot camp? Yes. So it's offered virtually through
- Incremental Developments website. So they'll do a catch-up session, and they offer it periodically,
- I think, once every few weeks. How does someone find Incremental Developments website?
- I'd be happy to post it to our website, but it is just incrementaldevelopmentalliance.org. Great,
- thank you. Okay, well thank you. Do we have a legal report? Yes, I'd just like to give you an update
- on the Hopewell Residential Tiff and also where we're amending the consolidated Tiff to remove
- the residential properties. August 10th, where's the Planning Commission regular meeting.
- And it both did receive approvals there. Next, it moves on to Common Council, which right now is scheduled
- for September 2nd. And it would go there for approval. Upon approval, it would come back to the RDC
- for a public hearing on September 21st and a confirmatory resolution. Again, this would be for
- the Hopewell residential TIF, the creation of that, and also we're removing the residential properties
- from the consolidated TIF. We are following, just so everybody knows, whenever you create a TIF like
- Hopewell, if you are modifying by removing these properties, you have to follow the exact same process.
- So that's why we're doing them at this exact same time,
- They follow this exact same process. So just when everybody knows we are following the exact legal process
- that you need to do to remove these properties from the consolidated TIFs. So things are moving forward,
- and we'll keep you up to date. Thank you. Do we have a Treasurer's Report? I don't see Jeff here. He
- is not here this evening. There was no Treasurer's Report.
- Budget hearings are starting at council this evening, so he needs to be there. I have the pleasure of
- going last this evening as well. Well, we'll try and make sure we end in time for you to not have any
- conflicts. You had to go pretty late. That's true. I sounded so optimistic at that end of the table.
- Well, we are next up for a business adult update.
- No update. Other than I would like to formally introduce Paige Sharp, who's our new Assistant Director
- for the Arts. We're really excited to have her on our team. And she comes to us from the state and has
- been just doing an awesome job. Welcome, Paige. You did a phenomenal job. Welcome, Paige. Welcome, Paige.
- Thank you. Glad to have you. Good to be here.
- Okay, we are on to new business. The first item on our agenda is Resolution 2655, which is an amendment
- of Resolution 2589 regarding a partnership agreement with BCT Management and Authorization for Recipients.
- Would you like to speak to that? I'll take this one and then I'll pass to our guests this evening. So
- I did just introduce Paige and then I'll also introduce Steve Versa, who's the Executive Director of
- BCT Management.
- which is the company that manages the BCT, the nonprofit that manages the BCT. The BCT is a parks asset
- and is supported by multiple departments at the city. So I included a memo in the packet just to kind
- of give some of the history. But in a nutshell, the RDC approved an agreement in 2025 to fund $74,000
- annually for upgrades
- and really supporting new assets at the BCT. The park supports repair and maintenance. And so these
- funds are really to go toward assets, I think is how I understand that. And so the resolution requires
- that ESD staff approve those requests and bring them to the RDC. So we do approve what they are requesting.
- There's detailed information in the packet about the equipment that they would
- like to request, and then this updated resolution also does acknowledge that the previous resolution
- said the funding had to be requested in that year. I'm not sure why that didn't happen last year. The
- resolution was approved, but then staff didn't return with a funding request. So we would like to amend
- the resolution to allow the BCT to access that $74,000 from 2025. The only other thing I might say
- before bringing Steve up to the table is just that the BCT has done a really incredible job managing
- this facility. They're extremely careful with all the materials, the carpeting, all of the assets of
- the building, the curtains, and they have managed it in such a way that most of the building's assets
- have gone well beyond what their functional life should have been. And so the request today, you can come up,
- The request today is really to replace some of those key critical equipment needs, and they remain with
- the building. So if the operation were to fold, it's not like BCT management would take the audio console
- with them and sell it. So the main requests are audio console, lighting console, and lighting updates.
- This is part of a five-year plan to kind of get the infrastructure
- of the theater and the theatrical needs as well as safety issues taken care of. But the most firmly
- needed things in this first year or two is actual theatrical equipment. Three reasons. The soundboard
- that the city purchased in 2012 has already gone away. The BCT management before my time found a donor
- to give another used model
- And we've been pushing that for now seven years almost, you know? So it's at the end of life. Lighting
- console just went down. We knew it would. Now, BCT has found another creative way, as all of us in the
- theater world and the venue world, we found a creative way to find a lighting console to use in the
- interim. But we're at this breaking point. And it's much past its use. And finally, probably the biggest
- is within the last
- We've all known that incandescent bulbs for theatrical lighting, they're gone. So smartly, we have stocked
- up. We only have incandescent bulbs for theatrical lighting. We only have those units. And it's time
- to transfer to LED for sustainability.
- but also to actually be able to turn some lights on on the stage, because we're getting down to the
- end of that. So these are just normal, everyday items that a theater would need to run, whether BCT
- management is doing it, whether anybody else walks into that building, but for it to be a useful building
- for its purposes and to give the public some place, the community some place, to come for 150 to 180
- events a year that we put on
- These are much needed dynoms. So just to say it outright, the request today is for two years then of
- that $74,000 amount. So it's for a total of $148,000. This is probably in the detail. Do you anticipate
- that $148,000 is enough to take care of the needs that you just outlined? Yes. So with Bolivar, it's
- right there at the cusp, and we'll minimize
- a little bit for this to get down to the 148 from about a 10K difference. OK. And you went through a
- bidding process and included those numbers in the packet as well. Yeah. You anticipate coming back next
- year, though, as well? This would be 25 and 26, with the hopes that 27 we could pull our final year
- in the contract, with updated new.
- I have a new idea for the standing. OK. OK. Well, thank you for that presentation. I'll open up for
- questions from commissioners. Excellent idea. It's time. I mean, you guys have been operating it for
- 20 plus years and doing a phenomenal job with that. With this, you didn't spend the money last year
- is essentially what we're coming down to. We just didn't spend it. As opposed to doing it partially,
- you now have the ability, by combining these two, to get a complete project that will bring it
- into the area you need. And you should be able to save some money on electricity. Absolutely. Which
- should make it helpful in your overall operating cost. So I appreciate everything you're doing, keeping
- the theater going. The first theater I saw was Mickey Mouse at five. So having it has a little bit of
- a special intent to it. So I appreciate it. Thank you. Can I just share one other BCT item?
- We have a great kind of cross-functional project where ESD is working with parks and the theater. We
- received a grant for $508,000 through the Indiana Department of Energy. And so BCT is getting a new
- HVAC upgrade and battery energy storage system out of it, which will allow the theater to become a climate
- resilience hub. So in periods of extreme heat, they'll have a really great cooling system and the ability
- to run it even in
- if there's a power outage. So they'll be able to welcome community members in a safe space. So we're
- really excited. And I think we'll get that installed in January. February, yeah. February.
- So we're all? Fingers crossed. Yeah, doing the same. So there's a lot going on. It's time. I've been
- here for three years, and I won't go on too long. But the stewardship before my time was immaculate.
- I haven't seen a theater like this around the world. This old, this clean kept up with so much grace
- and determination. So I'm really looking forward to moving us into the next era and continuing that
- for the community. Thank you. Appreciate it. Anything else from commissioners? If not, I will entertain
- a motion for Resolution 2655. I'll make a motion to approve Resolution 2655 as presented. Second.
- We've got a first and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Sorry. I'm late to the game.
- Your aye. I'm not posing. I'm aye. I'm aye for it. OK. So no opposed. A motion passes unanimously. Thank
- you so much for all you do. Thank you all. Really appreciate it.
- The next item on our agenda tonight is resolution 2656, which is the approval of the first amendment
- to the agreement which HGCG Enterprises DBA Office Pride commercial cleaning services for services at
- the trades district garage. Is that also? I didn't take this on as well. So Office Pride is the service
- provider for, again, professional cleaning services at the trades district garage. We have a tenant
- in that commercial space and as part of their lease,
- the city provides commercial cleanings, janitorial services, and the tenant reimburses, sorry, they
- pay an estimated monthly amount to cover those expenses, and then they settle up at the end of the year.
- So the RDC gets fully reimbursed for these costs, but we need to have the expenditure approved so that
- we can pay the service provider on a monthly basis. We were,
- Well, I think we, I'm saying we, Dana, because we were both on the email, but we were excited to see
- that Office Pride was willing to extend their 2024 service rate for three additional years from now.
- So we feel like that's a really good deal. So we went ahead and tried to extend or have the time frame
- extended for the full three years. I think that's it. They've been really happy with the service. OK,
- thank you.
- That said, I'll open it up to questions from commissioners. Does the contract have a cancellation clause
- if for some reason the tenant doesn't stay and we don't need the service as presented? I'm just looking.
- I assume so, but I... Yeah, I would assume so also. It's probably a mutual cancellation clause, but...
- Traditionally, the city may terminate or suspend performance of this agreement at the city's prerogative
- at any time upon written notice to contract it. Another question. Can you explain in the resolved number
- two, just to clarify, what do you mean when
- the amount won't exceed $50,000. There are times that additional work is requested. And attached to
- the original contract is hourly rates. So sometimes there will be additional work that will be requested
- of them. So at no time can the contract go over that total amount without it
- Because if you add up all the months for the years, it would not be up to $50,000. But you could go
- up to $50,000. That allows them just a little bit of extra should they need to ask for some additional
- services. So the minimum contract is $16,000. And you're paying that monthly for whatever their general
- cleaning is. And then there's $34,000.
- No, $16,000 was the original contract for the first year. And so there's three more years that is going
- in place. There's 48. So you've got just $2,000? Yeah, it's like one month of service in case something
- happens. It's a minimal amount, but just in case something comes up that they need a little extra cleaning.
- I didn't think it was written clearly, but as long as you get it, I guess. OK. Any other questions?
- Yes? Quick question. This is nothing more than a pass-through, reimbursable expense that we're going
- to recapture in our 2519 fund on a yearly basis. I don't know what fund it goes back into. It goes back
- into 2519. I'm just verifying where it's coming out, where it's going to.
- And then this is specifically for the office portion of our trades district that is there. We'll just
- take one building. Well, I know. But I'm asking about the parking garage portion of it. Who cleans that?
- That's the parking garage. That's why I want to verify. When we hit trades district garage, I just wanted
- to have a clarification. Trades district garage commercial space. Thank you. OK. Just making sure. OK.
- Thank you. There's no other questions or comments. I will ask for a motion of resolution 2656.
- I'll move approval or resolution 2656. Second. Another first and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye.
- Any opposed? Passes unanimously. Thank you. Next item in the agenda is resolution 2657, which is the
- approval of Payment to Cone, Incorporated for their invoice. Would you like to speak to that? I just
- noticed the last couple resolutions was no public comment requests. Oh, I beg your pardon. Yeah, that's
- a courtesy that we usually mean to extend.
- I will, yeah, apologize for that. Let's go ahead with this resolution, and then I will open for public
- comment for any of the above. Resolutions. Yeah. There you go. Exactly. Thank you. OK, so we are now
- opening up to hear about resolution 2657. Who wants to speak to that? I'd be happy to talk about this one.
- There was work that was needed on the Showers West elevator. And so it was arranged to be taken care
- of by our facilities director, Jay Duport. And so he arranged for it. This was started back in December.
- controls that needed to be purchased and they were installed. Everything was completed towards the end
- of March. Then there was an invoice that was sent for the work to be done. It was in excess of the amount
- that could be paid for directly. So it needed to come to the RDC for approval. It is showing up in August,
- which is as late
- Um, the, um, it was, uh, lost in email and, uh, resurfaced. And so that's the reason for the delay,
- but this is one of the, uh, things that Showers West again, it has issues and, and, uh, the passenger
- elevator was needed to be repaired. And, and this is the invoice that was, uh,
- And it was for $14,236.08 to repair the elevator. The invoice, you'll notice, was for a little more
- than that because they were including tax. And the city and the RDC does not pay taxes. So the contractor
- will need to deal with that on their own.
- we did reduce the amount of tax because the RDC will not be paying that. Thanks for that clarification.
- Let me also chime in and say that the repair, so that elevator's board, internal control board, is obsolete
- at this point. So they had a lot of trouble trying to repair the elevator. It went on for quite a long
- time before they were able to fix it. They had to pull out the board and make some repairs.
- The next time this happens, we don't know exactly what's going to happen with the elevator because they
- can't find a replacement part for that specific board. So just FYI, if you hear rumblings from any of
- the tenants, it was down for a prolonged period of time while they were trying to make repairs because
- they could not find parts for it. OK, thank you. OK, we're now opening this for public comment for resolution 2657.
- Sorry, I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. Question, do we have maintenance contracts on this particular
- elevator or any other than we have? There is a maintenance contract that Public Works has for all facilities
- and in specialty things like this elevators, the RDC does not have a separate maintenance contract.
- for that. So we go through the public works and then so it gets invoiced to public works and then it
- gets sent over to the RDC to just get separated out. But it was under a formal contract that the work was done.
- But the question I want to do we have a maintenance contract in this to and his point regards to obsolescence
- in regards to this from an elevator standpoint where we would be with a DA in regards to our fire department
- other individuals that we have in there at the present moment in order to be proactive and find out
- what it will take at a future time.
- Are you indicating you would like to pursue a replacement? I would like to at least see what the cost
- to upgrade is. And on a basis of just finishing up on something that I'm involved in, a similar situation
- came up and it was a $68,000 for a three-stop elevator. So if we think there's going to be future problems
- due to obsolescence, it would be more prudent to identify what the cost is now as opposed to having
- to be reactive and having it down with accessibility issues.
- I would be happy to work with our facilities director to try and identify what that would look like.
- OK. Thank you. Appreciate it. Any other questions from commissioners? If not, I will open this for public
- comment, either online or in person. Seeing none, I will ask for a motion for resolution 2657. So moved.
- Move approval of resolution 2657. Second.
- We've got a first and a second. All in favor say aye, please. Aye. Any opposed? Passes unanimously.
- Before we go on to our next resolution, I will make up for my oversight for the earlier two, which have
- been adopted. But nonetheless, public comment is more than welcome. On either 2655, which was the partnership
- agreement with BCT management and the authorization for lease of funds, or 2656.
- which was for the office pride commercial cleaning services. So I'm just gonna invite anybody either
- online or in person who would like to offer public comment, either of those is more than welcome. And
- I do not see any takers on that. So again, apologies for my oversight, but I appreciate the patience
- with compensating for that.
- So our last resolution on new business is resolution 2658, which is the ratification of settlement and
- litigation and lease termination agreements regarding Showers West. Would you like to speak to that?
- Yes, I'll be speaking with that. There was a resolution by the RDC that would allow for 2642 that would allow for
- Deborah Meyerson as RDC president or her designee, and Marjorie Rice or her designee to settle litigation
- that was going on regarding two different tenants with Showers West. And so both those cases were settled.
- The terms of the agreements are attached to the resolution.
- Well, this is not necessary to be passed, this ratification, because it was under due authorization
- for keeping things transparent and making sure that we have a complete record. We wanted to make sure
- that it did come back before the full RDC so that you were all informed of the terms of the settlements.
- couldn't be happy to answer any questions regarding them. But this did settle all claims between the
- parties. And there were appeals filed with the city. The RDC filed appeals in both cases. The summary
- judgments from the trial courts and both of those appeals have been dismissed.
- And the stipulated releases were also filed in the trial court cases. So this buttons up all of the
- litigation regarding Showers West. So this is a ratification, again, just to make sure that the full
- RDC is totally informed of what occurred
- And there is a record of that. Thank you. I'll put it up for questions or comments from commissioners.
- I just want to quick thank Commissioner Cassidy for joining me to be part of the mediation process.
- Dana, just to clarify everything, once this is passed, sorry, it's just a
- ratification on it. If the case has been dismissed, or will they be dismissed? They've already been
- dismissed. They've already been dismissed. We've already signed them. We've signed. It's just a ratification
- accordingly. And at this point, the RDC, the city of Bloomington, no longer has an issue. We can do
- what's necessary with the building. And we have no possibility of being in violation of our bond issue.
- That is correct. The Bloomington Board of Realtors are going to remain in their space.
- through June of next year, but they are not paying rent. So the RDC is not receiving any revenue. And
- so that would have been the issue of receiving revenue. So they will be staying as they continue to
- search for an appropriate location. And again, everything has been satisfied. Everything is over already.
- This is just informed of purposes. And I always like to button things up with the ratification so that
- you all can sign off that you know about it. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. Any other questions
- or comments from commissioners? If not, I will open it for public comment. Seeing none, I will ask for
- a motion for resolution 2658.
- I'll make a motion to approve resolution 2658, ratification of settlement. Second. We've got a first
- and a second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Passes unanimously. Thank you. And that brings
- us to the conclusion of our meeting. We'll take a motion to adjourn. To move. Thank you.