WEBVTT 00:00:00.226 --> 00:00:05.913 - I'm Deputy Mayor Gretchen Knapp, and thank you so much for being here tonight. I also want to thank 00:00:05.913 --> 00:00:11.601 - Kathleen Bennett, our ASL interpreter, who will be with us tonight. Tonight is our chance to get an 00:00:11.601 --> 00:00:17.345 - update on what work is happening across the city and what are the opportunities that we can all look 00:00:17.345 --> 00:00:23.544 - forward to. To begin tonight's festivities, we will start with the presentation of colors by the Bloomington 00:00:23.544 --> 00:00:29.118 - Fire and Police Departments, followed by the National Anthem, performed by Officer Caleb Brinson. 00:00:29.794 --> 00:00:35.551 - Officer Brinson joined the Bloomington Police Department in May of last year. His time as a student 00:00:35.551 --> 00:00:41.711 - at Indiana University and his experiences in our wonderful city of Bloomington shaped a lasting connection 00:00:41.711 --> 00:00:47.526 - to the city, one that led him to serve it. And we're very grateful for that service. Please rise for 00:00:47.526 --> 00:00:49.886 - the Color Guard and the National Anthem. 00:01:47.426 --> 00:02:02.214 - You'll live, right? You'll live. You'll live. You'll live. You'll live. Right, face. Color guard, carry 00:02:02.214 --> 00:02:06.622 - the colors. Post colors, post. 00:02:34.946 --> 00:03:01.246 - O say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming 00:03:01.474 --> 00:03:13.101 - Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight, for the ramparts we watched were so 00:03:13.101 --> 00:03:15.518 - gallantly streaming. 00:04:42.210 --> 00:04:54.208 - be seated. Thank you to our police and fire departments and to Officer Brinson for that powerful opening. 00:04:54.208 --> 00:05:05.528 - To begin tonight's program, I'd like to introduce Fire Chief Roger Kerr II and Police Chief Michael 00:05:05.528 --> 00:05:09.150 - Diekhoff. Chiefs. Good evening. 00:05:10.402 --> 00:05:15.857 - I'm honored to stand alongside Chief Decoff as we reflect briefly on the past year in public safety. 00:05:15.857 --> 00:05:21.366 - For many years, Bloomington Fire lost trained firefighters to neighboring departments offering higher 00:05:21.366 --> 00:05:26.983 - pay and maintaining minimum staffing required frequent reassignment and overtime. In September of 2025, 00:05:26.983 --> 00:05:31.358 - our fire department reached full staffing for the first time in nearly a decade. 00:05:38.082 --> 00:05:44.283 - Since then, staffing levels have remained stable. We also completed long overdue improvements to Fire 00:05:44.283 --> 00:05:50.363 - Station 3 located on the IU campus. The station opened in 1963 and has not seen major modernization 00:05:50.363 --> 00:05:57.051 - until last year. The renovation improved firefighter safety and added updates to cancer prevention protocols. 00:05:57.051 --> 00:06:03.070 - Construction continues on the Operation and Training Center, which will bring training, logistics, 00:06:03.362 --> 00:06:09.393 - and equipment into one place and strengthen training and daily operations when it opens in September. 00:06:09.393 --> 00:06:15.305 - Another important part of our system is our mobile integrated healthcare program. Whether that's at 00:06:15.305 --> 00:06:21.691 - a residence, at a nursing home, or on the street, led by the fire department community paramedics providing 00:06:21.691 --> 00:06:27.662 - screenings, vaccinations, and follow-up care while helping connect people to mental health services, 00:06:27.662 --> 00:06:31.742 - substance use resources, and ongoing support. I am proud to announce 00:06:31.938 --> 00:06:39.645 - MIH handled at least 220 unique responses last year. Later this evening, the mayor will speak in more 00:06:39.645 --> 00:06:47.655 - detail about public safety and the work ahead. For now, it's my pleasure to introduce Chief Mike Deakoff. 00:06:47.655 --> 00:06:55.287 - Good evening. On the police department side, we have made important staffing progress. Today, we are 00:06:55.287 --> 00:06:59.518 - staffed at 94 officers out of 105 authorized positions. 00:07:00.674 --> 00:07:06.990 - eight candidates moving through the Board of Safety hiring process. If those appointments move forward 00:07:06.990 --> 00:07:13.246 - as expected, we anticipate reaching approximately 96% of our authorized staffing in the near term. As 00:07:13.246 --> 00:07:19.439 - staffing stabilizes, we are beginning to see improvements across our community. In 2025, Bloomington 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:25.633 - experienced substantial decreases in property crime and crimes involving weapons. These improvements 00:07:25.633 --> 00:07:29.374 - reflect focused enforcement, continued community engagement, 00:07:29.538 --> 00:07:35.893 - and the work of officers across the department divisions. Patrol coverage is more consistent, specialized 00:07:35.893 --> 00:07:41.949 - units are rebuilding capacity, and training schedules are returning to normal after several years of 00:07:41.949 --> 00:07:48.484 - disruption caused by vacancies. Although staffing for both the police department and dispatch are improving, 00:07:48.484 --> 00:07:54.779 - we must continue to prioritize how we deploy resources and focus on calls and incidents that most affect 00:07:54.779 --> 00:07:55.678 - public safety. 00:07:56.418 --> 00:08:06.712 - Even with these challenges, our officers continue to show up every day with professionalism, care, and 00:08:06.712 --> 00:08:17.007 - commitment to this community. This progress is a result of their work, and we're proud of what's being 00:08:17.007 --> 00:08:26.302 - accomplished and what's ahead. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Chief DeGoff and Chief Kerr. 00:08:26.978 --> 00:08:34.116 - And to everyone who works in our police and fire departments, thank you so much. You serve with integrity 00:08:34.116 --> 00:08:40.849 - and compassion every day, and I know that when lives are on the line, the people of Bloomington can 00:08:40.849 --> 00:08:47.785 - count on you. Thank you for your service. And at this time, I'd like to invite Clerk Nicole Bolden and 00:08:47.785 --> 00:08:52.094 - Council President Isa Kasari to begin the official proceedings. 00:09:03.234 --> 00:09:13.867 - Thank you, Deputy Mayor Knapp. I now would like to call to order this special session of the Common 00:09:13.867 --> 00:09:23.863 - Council on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026. Will the Honorable Clerk please call the roll? Happily. 00:09:23.863 --> 00:09:31.838 - And to begin, Councilmember Asari. I am here. I didn't notice. Daly? Here. 00:09:32.866 --> 00:09:49.054 - Piedmont-Smith? Rallo? Rosenberger? Ruff? Stossberg? And Zulek? Thank you all. 00:09:50.210 --> 00:09:56.498 - Please note that this is a special session of the Common Council. Now, if you ever wondered why it is 00:09:56.498 --> 00:10:03.095 - that the state of the city is a city council meeting, it's because for the last 200 years of Bloomington's 00:10:03.095 --> 00:10:09.383 - history, it has been the aspiration of every mayor to come to a city council meeting. But please note 00:10:09.383 --> 00:10:11.294 - that the council will adjourn. 00:10:11.714 --> 00:10:21.766 - following the mayor's remarks. So with that in mind, we're here to hear from our mayor, and so please 00:10:21.766 --> 00:10:32.310 - join me in welcoming Mayor Carrie Thompson to the stage. I have been dreaming of getting to a city council 00:10:32.310 --> 00:10:41.278 - meeting, and so thank you, President Asari, for holding one here at the State of the City. 00:10:41.378 --> 00:10:51.489 - It's been, I don't know, five days since I've been at a city council meeting. Too, too long for all 00:10:51.489 --> 00:11:02.107 - of us. So good evening, Bloomington. I am so delighted to see a packed house this evening and to welcome 00:11:02.107 --> 00:11:10.398 - you all to this beautiful theater. You know, before we start, I want to note that 00:11:11.202 --> 00:11:23.467 - And we are really in a place that, in 1996, 30 years ago, the city questioned whether or not it would 00:11:23.467 --> 00:11:36.093 - even still be standing. And here we are today in a beautiful restored theater, one of many city projects 00:11:36.093 --> 00:11:40.542 - that has successfully been completed 00:11:41.154 --> 00:11:50.552 - far greater than what we ever expected. And I think that there are other things happening right now 00:11:50.552 --> 00:11:59.950 - that, in years to come, will feel completely obvious that we did them. Something will wonder how we 00:11:59.950 --> 00:12:09.630 - ever lived without. Because if there's one thing about this community, we don't always see the ending. 00:12:10.210 --> 00:12:18.125 - when we're in the middle of it. So tonight, I wanna talk about what we're building now and what it might 00:12:18.125 --> 00:12:25.965 - become. Before we go any further, I wanna recognize the people whose work makes everything in this city 00:12:25.965 --> 00:12:32.222 - possible. If you are a member of city council, a county or state elected official, 00:12:32.354 --> 00:12:41.445 - or serve on one of our boards or commissions, and that includes the CIB, because it's not technically 00:12:41.445 --> 00:12:50.358 - ours, but it's a joint. I'm inviting you to stand so we can thank you. And if you work for the city 00:12:50.358 --> 00:12:59.628 - of Bloomington or for Monroe County, you all can stay standing. I also invite you to stand. If you work 00:12:59.628 --> 00:13:01.054 - for the city or 00:13:01.378 --> 00:13:11.448 - For Monroe County, please stand. These are your neighbors. These are the ones who solve problems most 00:13:11.448 --> 00:13:20.431 - of us hopefully never see. They keep our city functioning day after day and administration 00:13:20.431 --> 00:13:27.934 - after administration. And I am so deeply grateful for the work that you do. 00:13:29.378 --> 00:13:36.767 - You know, one of the best parts of my job is how often people literally stop me in the street to tell 00:13:36.767 --> 00:13:44.084 - me why they love Bloomington. Entrepreneurs tell me about how in Bloomington, their startup business 00:13:44.084 --> 00:13:51.546 - found its first investor, its first customer or first collaborator, and artists tell me about how they 00:13:51.546 --> 00:13:57.342 - found a community of creatives, venues for their work, and a public that values 00:13:57.698 --> 00:14:05.075 - arts and culture as central to Bloomington's identity. Retirees tell me about their many volunteer projects 00:14:05.075 --> 00:14:11.973 - and the fact that they're busier after they retire than when they were getting paid to work, and the 00:14:11.973 --> 00:14:18.872 - hours of service they've contributed, the friends they've made while working together to improve our 00:14:18.872 --> 00:14:25.770 - community. And of course, many, many people talk to me about that underrated quarterback who came to 00:14:25.770 --> 00:14:26.590 - Bloomington 00:14:27.266 --> 00:14:36.326 - trained hard and left with the Heisman Trophy and a national championship. That is what Bloomington 00:14:36.326 --> 00:14:45.930 - does. It helps us all tap our potential. And what's described again and again is a community where people 00:14:45.930 --> 00:14:54.991 - make connections, invest in one another, and we build businesses, nonprofits, culture, friendships, 00:14:54.991 --> 00:14:56.350 - and tradition. 00:14:58.370 --> 00:15:06.049 - Part of our job in city government is to create the conditions where those connections can happen and 00:15:06.049 --> 00:15:13.654 - potential is unlocked. When we get those conditions right, we build and sustain a thriving community 00:15:13.654 --> 00:15:21.935 - where everyone can belong. So what exactly is a thriving community? First and foremost, it's well-maintained. 00:15:21.935 --> 00:15:27.582 - It's clean and it's safe. It has a variety of housing that meets the needs 00:15:27.746 --> 00:15:36.344 - of diverse residents. It offers viable business and job opportunities that lead to wage growth, economic 00:15:36.344 --> 00:15:44.778 - diversity, and a sustainable future for individuals and our community. And it has a government focused 00:15:44.778 --> 00:15:51.902 - on getting the right work done in service to the public. All of that makes it possible 00:15:52.034 --> 00:15:59.491 - for each person to bring their gifts and talents to fruition and to find community and support in a 00:15:59.491 --> 00:16:07.172 - creative, innovative culture. And tonight, I'd like to talk about what we're doing to build a thriving 00:16:07.172 --> 00:16:14.928 - community where everyone can belong. A city that takes care of what it has. A thriving community starts 00:16:14.928 --> 00:16:20.446 - with a well-maintained, tidy city. Over the years, Bloomington has funded 00:16:20.898 --> 00:16:29.280 - amazing assets. The Beeline Trail, Switchyard Park, Hopewell Commons are just a few of those. We've 00:16:29.280 --> 00:16:38.250 - also built assets we walk and drive on every single day. Sidewalks, roads, multi-use paths. We've invested 00:16:38.250 --> 00:16:46.884 - in preserving historical assets like this very building, City Hall, and also the Waldron. And it costs 00:16:46.884 --> 00:16:49.566 - money to maintain those assets. 00:16:49.858 --> 00:16:57.309 - as well as critical infrastructure like our water and wastewater treatment plants, our storm systems, 00:16:57.309 --> 00:17:04.615 - and the facilities for the animal shelter, sanitation, fleet, and street. And those are just a few. 00:17:04.615 --> 00:17:12.212 - It's also true that deferring maintenance and repairs only serves to drive up costs and increase risks. 00:17:12.212 --> 00:17:19.006 - So we've committed first and foremost to ensuring that city investments are well maintained. 00:17:19.810 --> 00:17:27.364 - If we're gonna make decisions about bonding, infrastructure, and long-term investment moving forward, 00:17:27.364 --> 00:17:34.992 - we need more than just good intentions. We need a plan. We need data, clarity, and a clear trajectory. 00:17:34.992 --> 00:17:42.621 - We're putting together a full asset and capital plan. Now I'll touch on some of the work we've already 00:17:42.621 --> 00:17:48.990 - done. In the first two years of my administration, we paved over 32 miles of streets. 00:17:50.274 --> 00:17:57.912 - Before I was mayor, I had no idea how many miles of streets we might be paving. And so to put that in 00:17:57.912 --> 00:18:05.025 - perspective, who has ever wondered that? Right? Probably just Adam Wason. To put that 32 miles 00:18:05.025 --> 00:18:11.390 - in perspective, that's more than the city paved in the previous four years combined. 00:18:16.802 --> 00:18:23.927 - That investment, of course, is important to stabilize our road network and prevent further decline and 00:18:23.927 --> 00:18:30.914 - increase costs. But we have more work to do to ensure that we don't fall further behind. Traditional 00:18:30.914 --> 00:18:37.970 - funding sources are no longer what they used to be. Our road system requires an additional $3 million 00:18:37.970 --> 00:18:41.982 - annually just to maintain current conditions as they are. 00:18:44.162 --> 00:18:50.553 - And I know what we feel about our current road conditions based on the number of calls that come in 00:18:50.553 --> 00:18:57.200 - to the mayor's office for potholes this season. We know we're doing just the minimum, even though we've 00:18:57.200 --> 00:19:03.847 - done more than we've done before. So we're getting creative and using grants and partnerships to extend 00:19:03.847 --> 00:19:10.494 - our local tax dollars. And through the INDOT Community Crossing matching grant program, we've been able 00:19:10.818 --> 00:19:18.484 - to extend our tax dollars for street paving and add ADA-compliant ramps and will continue to leverage 00:19:18.484 --> 00:19:26.225 - that resource and more. In 2026, the parking meter funds will help us complete over $400,000 in paving 00:19:26.225 --> 00:19:33.966 - and infrastructure projects downtown that would otherwise have been very difficult, if not impossible, 00:19:33.966 --> 00:19:39.678 - to achieve. So thanks for paying for parking tonight. Through a partnership 00:19:40.194 --> 00:19:48.157 - With IU, we'll be able to repair and maintain the brick sidewalks along Kirkwood, keeping Bloomington 00:19:48.157 --> 00:19:55.730 - safe and beautiful. We'll also renovate some downtown alleys along with building on the downtown 00:19:55.730 --> 00:20:03.850 - beautification efforts that we made last year to repair concrete planter boxes, power wash, and improve 00:20:03.850 --> 00:20:06.270 - landscaping downtown. In 2026, 00:20:06.466 --> 00:20:12.912 - We'll implement the results of the parking and sidewalk studies that we began last year to ensure that 00:20:12.912 --> 00:20:18.919 - we understand the costs, the needs, and have a strategic plan for those resources that we need. 00:20:18.919 --> 00:20:25.177 - Next month, the Transportation Commission will review the parking study and comprehensive plan. And 00:20:25.177 --> 00:20:31.936 - the following month in May, they'll review a draft pedestrian facilities operations plan outlining sidewalk 00:20:31.936 --> 00:20:33.438 - repair and maintenance. 00:20:33.986 --> 00:20:42.348 - We're preparing to release the parks master plan, which will guide how we prioritize investments across 00:20:42.348 --> 00:20:50.549 - our park system. That matters because we have real needs to address. Two pools and an ice rink are in 00:20:50.549 --> 00:20:58.750 - need of repair. Sports centers and courts need maintenance and a wide range of parks that we care for 00:20:58.750 --> 00:21:01.886 - every single day. To give you an idea, 00:21:02.498 --> 00:21:11.764 - Our brand new switch yard park alone will cost somewhere around $125,000 annually just to maintain. 00:21:11.764 --> 00:21:21.400 - Our controller is working with parks to create a sustainable future, and we are grateful. At utilities, 00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:23.902 - fluoride is flowing again. 00:21:24.034 --> 00:21:31.213 - I don't know if Kat Zager's here tonight, but she and I have joked that to celebrate, we should both 00:21:31.213 --> 00:21:38.534 - learn how to do the floss dance, but I have not gotten there. We've secured $1.25 million for upgrades 00:21:38.534 --> 00:21:46.281 - to our wastewater treatment with the help of Senator Aaron Houchin. And we're preparing to make long-delayed 00:21:46.281 --> 00:21:53.886 - repairs to the Monroe Water Plant, and we're also looking at how to build and fund a public works facility 00:21:53.986 --> 00:22:02.271 - that adequately serves the city's needs and protects our investments in sanitation trucks, snow plows, 00:22:02.271 --> 00:22:10.637 - fire engines, police cars, our electric fleet, and more. Equipment that costs more than $100,000 should 00:22:10.637 --> 00:22:18.762 - not be left outside to deteriorate in the weather. Maintaining that equipment requires storage space 00:22:18.762 --> 00:22:22.462 - and modern tools and facilities. And finally, 00:22:22.754 --> 00:22:29.995 - we're looking at how best to use the Showers West space. Given the bond restrictions, the city's need 00:22:29.995 --> 00:22:37.448 - for space and the current state of its aging systems, the fire department moved into Showers West, their 00:22:37.448 --> 00:22:44.618 - new headquarters, last year as planned in the bond. And we are now negotiating final agreements with 00:22:44.618 --> 00:22:47.102 - the remaining tenants. Since then, 00:22:47.650 --> 00:22:54.477 - We've used Showers West to meet immediate needs across the organization, supporting city council, 00:22:54.477 --> 00:23:01.721 - accommodating departments during renovations, and creating space where it's needed most. Most recently, 00:23:01.721 --> 00:23:08.827 - our engineering department relocated to Showers West, affording planning and hand the space they have 00:23:08.827 --> 00:23:15.932 - long needed within City Hall. No more working in closets. As we look ahead, we are actively assessing 00:23:15.932 --> 00:23:17.534 - how the whole building 00:23:18.146 --> 00:23:25.833 - should function long term. We're evaluating departmental needs, conference room capacity, and how teams 00:23:25.833 --> 00:23:33.298 - that work closely together can be physically aligned, and how the public moves through that space as 00:23:33.298 --> 00:23:40.837 - well. We're also incorporating safety planning into that assessment. We'll soon hire the city's first 00:23:40.837 --> 00:23:46.750 - emergency management specialist to create a building safety plan for City Hall, 00:23:47.138 --> 00:23:56.202 - and other buildings. They'll train staff and run regular safety exercises to ensure that we are prepared 00:23:56.202 --> 00:24:05.006 - to respond to emergencies. Community safety is critical in Bloomington. It is a key responsibility of 00:24:05.006 --> 00:24:13.725 - our government. A city simply does not thrive without safety. Everyone in Bloomington deserves to be 00:24:13.725 --> 00:24:15.710 - safe and to feel safe. 00:24:15.938 --> 00:24:23.898 - And to do that, we... Yes. In order to achieve that, we have to ensure that our public safety teams 00:24:23.898 --> 00:24:32.335 - operate at their best. You met the two chiefs tonight. And for too many years, both the police department 00:24:32.335 --> 00:24:40.534 - and the fire department operated well below their authorized staffing levels, which strained response, 00:24:40.534 --> 00:24:45.310 - increased overtime, and made it harder to retain personnel. 00:24:46.178 --> 00:24:56.181 - In the past two years, we made targeted changes to pay and policies to address that, enabling Bloomington 00:24:56.181 --> 00:25:06.279 - to compete again. In 2024, we successfully negotiated two union contracts with police and fire to increase 00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:16.094 - pay, to be competitive in the market, and both passed with a unanimous vote. That seems like yesterday. 00:25:16.258 --> 00:25:24.474 - but the 2026 collective bargaining discussions have already begun and we anticipate two more successful 00:25:24.474 --> 00:25:32.373 - union negotiations. But I want to be clear, unanimous union votes are probably a once in a lifetime 00:25:32.373 --> 00:25:40.431 - mayoral experience. But what I do know is that we have built a team and our unions have come together 00:25:40.431 --> 00:25:43.038 - at the table and we collaborate. 00:25:43.490 --> 00:25:51.885 - and we're transparent and we're honest about what each needs and what resources we have. And 00:25:51.885 --> 00:26:01.543 - that transparency and collaboration has led to better success than we see in most other union negotiations 00:26:01.543 --> 00:26:10.660 - around the country. For the fire department, in the most recent hiring cycle, 272 applicants applied 00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:13.278 - to join the fire department. 00:26:14.082 --> 00:26:23.422 - That is a 213% increase from the number of applicants in 2024, entire year. That is really pretty awesome, 00:26:23.422 --> 00:26:32.150 - but public safety is not only about how many people we have, it's about how our police officers and 00:26:32.150 --> 00:26:41.403 - firefighters show up in our community, building relationships, preventing harm by solving problems early, 00:26:41.403 --> 00:26:43.934 - and being part of the fabric 00:26:44.130 --> 00:26:52.680 - of our city. For the police, full staffing allows us to reduce turnover, stress, and the risk of injury. 00:26:52.680 --> 00:27:00.904 - Also, it reduces overtime costs so service is consistent, response is reliable, and the system isn't 00:27:00.904 --> 00:27:09.210 - stretched too thin. It also creates space to be present in the community where officers are known and 00:27:09.210 --> 00:27:14.014 - where relationships come before a response is ever needed. 00:27:14.850 --> 00:27:23.008 - When people know their local police, trust increases and safer, more connected neighborhoods follow. 00:27:23.008 --> 00:27:31.327 - That's part of a thriving community. And in 2025, we saw obvious forward movement. BPD welcomed 11 new 00:27:31.327 --> 00:27:37.950 - officers in a single class. That is the largest group in more than three decades. 00:27:43.362 --> 00:27:50.348 - Our public safety teams want to work in Bloomington. We just needed to provide the resources to equip 00:27:50.348 --> 00:27:57.196 - them well. One of those individuals from that recruiting class was Officer Brinson, who opened this 00:27:57.196 --> 00:28:04.251 - evening with the national anthem. Several officers from that recruitment class were already certified, 00:28:04.251 --> 00:28:11.373 - which allowed quicker service. And one veteran officer returned to Bloomington after more than 20 years 00:28:11.373 --> 00:28:12.606 - of prior service. 00:28:12.898 --> 00:28:20.977 - He returned to serve. We are making progress, but we are not finished. Not every recruit completes training, 00:28:20.977 --> 00:28:28.760 - and some officers will retire. Others may leave the profession. But this is my commitment. We will reach 00:28:28.760 --> 00:28:36.468 - full staffing by the close of this calendar year. And just as staffing matters, so does how we respond. 00:28:36.468 --> 00:28:42.398 - Not every call requires the same response. Some situations require enforcement. 00:28:42.658 --> 00:28:51.179 - but others require medical care, mental health support, or connection to services. We continue to build 00:28:51.179 --> 00:28:59.782 - a structure of care that reflects that reality. Stride is our community's nonprofit. It is a 24-7 mobile 00:28:59.782 --> 00:29:07.976 - crisis response team run by CenterStone, made up of trained mental health professionals who respond 00:29:07.976 --> 00:29:12.318 - in real time to substance use and behavioral crisis. 00:29:13.090 --> 00:29:20.118 - Stride works closely with our police and fire and dispatch teams, ensuring that calls are routed to 00:29:20.118 --> 00:29:27.217 - the most appropriate response. They meet people where they are, whether it's on a sidewalk in a park 00:29:27.217 --> 00:29:33.682 - at a business, at their home, and they connect them to the care that they desperately need. 00:29:33.682 --> 00:29:41.132 - In many cases, Stride resolves situations before they escalate, reduces unnecessary emergency room visits 00:29:41.132 --> 00:29:42.046 - and arrests, 00:29:42.274 --> 00:29:49.732 - and builds trust with residents who may not otherwise engage with traditional systems. My gratitude 00:29:49.732 --> 00:29:57.265 - to Cook for working with us and Stride to create the bus wraps and other marketing campaign tools to 00:29:57.265 --> 00:30:04.126 - promote their work. Because if we don't call Stride, they don't get to serve our community. 00:30:05.634 --> 00:30:12.978 - The city's downtown resource officers, police, social worker, and outreach teams work together to respond 00:30:12.978 --> 00:30:20.045 - to individuals in crisis and reduce repeat calls for service as well. Last year, we embedded a mental 00:30:20.045 --> 00:30:27.111 - health professional within central dispatch to help triage certain calls in real time and direct them 00:30:27.111 --> 00:30:32.446 - to the appropriate response. And later this spring, we'll launch an analysis 00:30:33.090 --> 00:30:41.339 - for how we could potentially integrate an alternative response into 911 dispatch. Isabelle's leading 00:30:41.339 --> 00:30:49.669 - the applause on that one. She helped us find LEAP, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership. Thank you, 00:30:49.669 --> 00:30:58.407 - Isabelle. And they are... thank you, Isabelle. They're gonna analyze current calls and community resources 00:30:58.407 --> 00:31:02.654 - to identify where alternative responses can expand. 00:31:03.010 --> 00:31:10.788 - while still maintaining strong, fully capable police and fire presence for the most urgent public safety 00:31:10.788 --> 00:31:18.270 - needs. This work is deliberate. It's grounded in data and informed by our local situation, our local 00:31:18.270 --> 00:31:25.974 - assets, providers, financial constraints, and systems and staffing levels to make sure that the results 00:31:25.974 --> 00:31:30.270 - are pragmatic, actionable, and importantly, safe for all. 00:31:30.850 --> 00:31:40.555 - Those same principles apply to the tools we use to support safety in our community. The city is currently 00:31:40.555 --> 00:31:50.076 - reviewing our contract for flock cameras and we'll be presenting our findings on April 15th to the city 00:31:50.076 --> 00:31:54.654 - council based on their recent resolution. Safety. 00:31:55.650 --> 00:32:04.333 - I am happy to meet with people and talk to you about your feedback. I have met with several of you, 00:32:04.333 --> 00:32:13.016 - I think. I'm gonna continue speaking and happy to have a face-to-face sometime. Safety stabilizes a 00:32:13.016 --> 00:32:21.873 - community. Housing stabilizes people. That's where we turn next. Attainable housing and homelessness. 00:32:21.873 --> 00:32:25.086 - For 25 years, my professional worked 00:32:25.218 --> 00:32:33.501 - centered solely on housing. It was a top commitment of mine when I ran for office, and it remains our 00:32:33.501 --> 00:32:42.271 - city's greatest priority. We need more houses of more sizes for more people, and we need housing diversity. 00:32:42.271 --> 00:32:50.391 - The largest opportunity to do that is Hopewell. We have a community that cares deeply about getting 00:32:50.391 --> 00:32:52.990 - this right, and in Bloomington, 00:32:53.602 --> 00:33:01.142 - Even when we agree on the goal and what needs to be done, it can still take a very long time to move 00:33:01.142 --> 00:33:08.608 - forward. Government and politics in our community tend to take the scenic route. And the trip never 00:33:08.608 --> 00:33:16.148 - gets boring. This isn't the first time there have been lively conversations about problems and their 00:33:16.148 --> 00:33:22.718 - solutions. At different points in our community, we have debated an abandoned rail line 00:33:23.234 --> 00:33:32.143 - the hospital leaving downtown, an outdated convention center, a proposed tech park, chickens. And before 00:33:32.143 --> 00:33:40.628 - that, our community confronted the possible loss of the courthouse, and even of this very building. 00:33:40.628 --> 00:33:49.113 - And look at where that process has led us. We saved the courthouse. We developed the Beeline Trail. 00:33:49.113 --> 00:33:51.998 - We purchased, designed, and built 00:33:52.482 --> 00:33:58.568 - the trades district. We moved forward on the convention center. We built out bicycle and pedestrian 00:33:58.568 --> 00:34:04.836 - infrastructure across the city, constructed the Bloomington Transit Hub. We've established Bloomington 00:34:04.836 --> 00:34:10.921 - Entertainment and Arts District, including the building that we're in, and soon we will, one way or 00:34:10.921 --> 00:34:12.382 - another, have Hopewell. 00:34:21.826 --> 00:34:30.529 - A once in a generation neighborhood. And all of us will be proud. We all agreed to high standards when 00:34:30.529 --> 00:34:38.979 - it came to our neighborhoods. We all want housing that is safe, sustainable, and built to last. But 00:34:38.979 --> 00:34:47.683 - we also have to be honest about the moment that we're in. Costs are rising. Wages aren't keeping pace. 00:34:47.683 --> 00:34:50.302 - Just yesterday, Novo announced 00:34:50.402 --> 00:34:58.524 - layoffs impacting 400 people. At the same time, state and national decisions continue to influence wages 00:34:58.524 --> 00:35:06.414 - and costs in ways that we don't control locally. Like all projects of this significance, the proposal 00:35:06.414 --> 00:35:14.768 - has been shaped through expansive outreach and engagement. We've engaged experienced planners and designers 00:35:14.768 --> 00:35:19.486 - renowned throughout the country for their innovative work to 00:35:19.810 --> 00:35:27.005 - to advance housing that is attainable. Local lenders, builders, developers, and housing experts have 00:35:27.005 --> 00:35:34.199 - weighed in on what works in Bloomington to make a project like this truly viable. We've collaborated 00:35:34.199 --> 00:35:41.394 - with the public, with city council, with city departments, and the Redevelopment Commission and Plan 00:35:41.394 --> 00:35:46.238 - Commission. It takes time for a project to reach a point of action. 00:35:46.786 --> 00:35:55.934 - Hopewell would be difficult to deliver in today's environment without sustained public leadership. Together 00:35:55.934 --> 00:36:04.405 - with our council, I agree, this project is worth the work. And we all share the same vision for it. 00:36:04.405 --> 00:36:13.214 - Attainable housing in Bloomington. Hopewell South is just the first phase of a much larger neighborhood 00:36:13.762 --> 00:36:23.184 - For this phase, the administration made a clear choice to focus on two things, homeownership that more 00:36:23.184 --> 00:36:32.422 - people can attain at market rates, and a neighborhood that connects the residents to opportunity. On 00:36:32.422 --> 00:36:41.661 - those two goals, this plan delivers. It doesn't resolve every challenge. No single project does. But 00:36:41.661 --> 00:36:43.582 - it moves us forward. 00:36:44.322 --> 00:36:52.786 - And in a housing crisis, that matters more than perfection. As an administration, we take responsibility 00:36:52.786 --> 00:37:01.169 - for our part of the ongoing housing puzzle. Outside of Hopewell, we are working to clarify expectations 00:37:01.169 --> 00:37:09.471 - and legal boundaries, align departments, reduce red tape, and generate a clearer path from concept all 00:37:09.471 --> 00:37:11.486 - the way to construction. 00:37:12.610 --> 00:37:21.254 - Our existing UDO does not always allow us to build the kind of housing we say we want. That's why we 00:37:21.254 --> 00:37:30.241 - use tools like a PUD to create a path to actually build housing. We'll keep improving our code, refining 00:37:30.241 --> 00:37:38.885 - our tools, and learning from this work. This is not an either or. It's both. We have to stay focused 00:37:38.885 --> 00:37:39.998 - on outcomes. 00:37:40.290 --> 00:37:47.486 - where process adds cost without improving the result, it moves us in the wrong direction as a community. 00:37:47.486 --> 00:37:54.544 - We have capable local builders and we have standards that support energy efficiency, and this is where 00:37:54.544 --> 00:38:01.602 - we shift from discussion to delivery. I'm confident we'll get to the finish line with Hopewell because 00:38:01.602 --> 00:38:08.798 - we share the same vision for attainable housing in Bloomington, and that alignment is what matters most. 00:38:08.994 --> 00:38:17.561 - Housing attainability also requires strengthening the systems that we have. We've enforced Title 16 00:38:17.561 --> 00:38:26.127 - housing standards, held negligent landlords accountable, and revoked permits for chronically unsafe 00:38:26.127 --> 00:38:34.951 - properties. In one case, a longtime property owner whose repeated life and safety violations persisted 00:38:34.951 --> 00:38:38.206 - for decades and spanned 31 properties 00:38:38.690 --> 00:38:48.059 - within city limits alone is now prohibited from operating rental units in Bloomington for the next two 00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:57.428 - decades. Unsafe, unmaintained housing will not be tolerated in Bloomington. In parallel, we're working 00:38:57.428 --> 00:39:05.342 - to reposition local builders and developers to succeed by shifting internal processes. 00:39:05.634 --> 00:39:12.349 - Two permitting audits are underway. One where the city acts as a zoning petitioner to identify real 00:39:12.349 --> 00:39:19.534 - friction points. We found them. And a second comprehensive review of every step in the development process 00:39:19.534 --> 00:39:26.786 - across departments. These audits will lead to tangible change in the time and process for creating housing. 00:39:26.786 --> 00:39:33.970 - This work is paired with updates to the Unified Development Ordinance and a redesign of permitting systems 00:39:33.970 --> 00:39:35.582 - to reduce that red tape 00:39:35.714 --> 00:39:42.943 - and make housing development more predictable and therefore more affordable. Builders and developers 00:39:42.943 --> 00:39:50.530 - consistently report shifting interpretations, conflicting departmental guidance, and unpredictable review 00:39:50.530 --> 00:39:58.117 - timelines. It all adds to the cost of a house. These are challenges that hit small single-family projects 00:39:58.117 --> 00:40:04.702 - the hardest. And when local builders leave the table, we lose local jobs, local investment, 00:40:04.866 --> 00:40:12.574 - and the ability to keep that economic activity here at home. When housing production slows, the entire 00:40:12.574 --> 00:40:20.356 - housing system tightens. From starter homes to rental units to the safety nets people rely on when life 00:40:20.356 --> 00:40:27.989 - gets difficult. If you are listening tonight and you are a housing builder or developer, here is what 00:40:27.989 --> 00:40:31.806 - I would say to you. Pick a lane and build it well. 00:40:32.802 --> 00:40:40.528 - We need many kinds of housing in Bloomington and your city wants to make it easier for you to create 00:40:40.528 --> 00:40:48.406 - it. Housing supply alone does not solve the full challenge. We're also working to address what happens 00:40:48.406 --> 00:40:56.056 - when housing is lost. Homelessness does not happen overnight. It is the result of a longer chain of 00:40:56.056 --> 00:40:57.662 - housing instability. 00:40:58.626 --> 00:41:06.411 - We're seeing the same pressures that communities across the country are seeing. Many residents feel 00:41:06.411 --> 00:41:14.196 - two things at once, compassion for individuals living in crisis and concern about impacts in parks, 00:41:14.196 --> 00:41:22.059 - along trails, and in neighborhoods. Both are real. Both come from a place of caring about a thriving 00:41:22.059 --> 00:41:27.742 - Bloomington. And both deserve a response that is thoughtful, consistent, 00:41:27.842 --> 00:41:35.555 - and effective. While city government alone cannot solve homelessness, we play a direct role in response. 00:41:35.555 --> 00:41:43.414 - We support shelter and service providers, we coordinate across departments, and we bring partners together 00:41:43.414 --> 00:41:50.833 - every day to move people toward housing and stability. Our nonprofit partners do critical day-to-day 00:41:50.833 --> 00:41:57.150 - work building relationships, providing care, and helping people take their next step. 00:41:58.210 --> 00:42:07.019 - Our job is to support that work, strengthen it, and make sure it leads to real outcomes. But let me 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:16.093 - remain clear. We cannot arrest our way out of homelessness. We prioritize housing, treatment, support, 00:42:16.093 --> 00:42:24.638 - and connection, because that is how people stabilize and begin to rebuild. And at the same time, 00:42:24.962 --> 00:42:34.462 - cities must operate within the laws that govern public space. Recently, the Senate passed SB 285, which 00:42:34.462 --> 00:42:43.688 - prohibits public camping beginning July 1st. This is not a law we supported, but came with a mandate 00:42:43.688 --> 00:42:52.914 - from the state to empty camps. I am determined to use this as a deadline to see just how many people 00:42:52.914 --> 00:42:54.558 - we can get housed 00:42:54.978 --> 00:43:04.331 - into services, and into a place where they never have to sleep outside again. In January 2024, there 00:43:04.331 --> 00:43:13.776 - were more than a dozen encampments on city-owned property. Today, there is only one. This is a result 00:43:13.776 --> 00:43:23.870 - of sustained outreach and coordinated response prior to SB 285. Only one established encampment in the city. 00:43:25.154 --> 00:43:33.193 - and our teams remain engaged with those residents every single day to help them move towards stability. 00:43:33.193 --> 00:43:41.618 - This is the result of focused coordinated work, daily engagement, cross agency collaboration, and consistent 00:43:41.618 --> 00:43:49.347 - follow through by city teams. In 2024, our administration put clear protocols in place so that when 00:43:49.347 --> 00:43:54.526 - encampments have to close, they do so humanely and with structure. 00:43:55.362 --> 00:44:03.357 - Encampments receive notice, outreach teams connect residents to shelter services and reunification with 00:44:03.357 --> 00:44:11.199 - family or support networks whenever that option exists. In fact, reunification is one of the tools we 00:44:11.199 --> 00:44:19.194 - pursue most because reconnecting someone with people who already know and love them and care about them 00:44:19.194 --> 00:44:22.654 - is often the fastest path back to stability. 00:44:24.546 --> 00:44:34.371 - Last year, our Bloomington Police Department facilitated the reunification of 50 individuals. They also, 00:44:34.371 --> 00:44:43.729 - last year, identified and interacted with 139 individuals experiencing homelessness who were new to 00:44:43.729 --> 00:44:53.086 - Bloomington. Stride, our community's mobile crisis response team, also is working on reunification. 00:44:53.826 --> 00:45:01.159 - they reunified an additional 78 individuals. Even accounting for some overlap between those efforts, 00:45:01.159 --> 00:45:08.492 - that means that at least 117 people were reconnected to support systems in the past year. The larger 00:45:08.492 --> 00:45:16.260 - reality is that Bloomington currently carries a disproportionate share of services for people experiencing 00:45:16.260 --> 00:45:23.230 - homelessness across our region. Our community has stepped forward to help, and I am proud of us 00:45:24.258 --> 00:45:31.730 - but too many people are still without housing or support. Our current resources can't meet the scale 00:45:31.730 --> 00:45:39.202 - of the need, and the need is great. And as communities across Indiana continue to close encampments, 00:45:39.202 --> 00:45:46.675 - we want to be sure that we can focus on the people who are already experiencing homelessness here or 00:45:46.675 --> 00:45:48.894 - at risk of becoming homeless. 00:45:49.730 --> 00:45:56.918 - If we want to make a meaningful impact on individual lives and on the health of our community, we must 00:45:56.918 --> 00:46:04.175 - acknowledge our limits. That means setting clearer expectations about how services are delivered across 00:46:04.175 --> 00:46:11.154 - our region, and that's a six county area defined by HUD. The city continues to call for a temporary 00:46:11.154 --> 00:46:16.318 - approach to regional service boundaries within our six county HUD region. 00:46:16.930 --> 00:46:23.692 - Regional service boundaries are not a test of whether someone belongs in Bloomington. Boundaries are 00:46:23.692 --> 00:46:30.521 - not a barrier to immediate food, shelter, or reunification help. Instead, regional service boundaries 00:46:30.521 --> 00:46:37.483 - are a temporary framework that prioritize permanent housing and housing resources for people whose care 00:46:37.483 --> 00:46:44.446 - networks are in Bloomington and our surrounding counties. So the help we offer is real and sustainable. 00:46:45.218 --> 00:46:52.506 - There are exceptions to regional service boundaries, which include domestic violence and other issues 00:46:52.506 --> 00:47:00.365 - that are very hard to stay in your home county. But we're also making something clear to other jurisdictions. 00:47:00.365 --> 00:47:07.581 - We want other jurisdictions to stop transferring people to Bloomington without a local connection or 00:47:07.581 --> 00:47:14.654 - a follow-up plan. If someone moves here, we need to have someone on the other end who can support. 00:47:15.714 --> 00:47:22.608 - taking someone out of their community and dropping them somewhere where they have no support and cannot 00:47:22.608 --> 00:47:29.503 - access service does not lead to recovery, and it does not lead to dignity. I want to thank Heading Home 00:47:29.503 --> 00:47:36.198 - for their leadership in thinking through and exploring training a group on next steps for encampment 00:47:36.198 --> 00:47:43.093 - closure, and for our county colleagues, especially Commissioner Madeira and Councilor Wilts, for taking 00:47:43.093 --> 00:47:44.286 - this so seriously 00:47:44.578 --> 00:47:52.529 - and having an approach of partnership. Solving homelessness requires both compassion and structure, 00:47:52.529 --> 00:48:00.559 - housing services, and a region willing to take shared responsibility on collaborative and oftentimes 00:48:00.559 --> 00:48:08.510 - iterative solutions. That's how we're going to solve this. Housing stability allows people to build 00:48:08.510 --> 00:48:13.598 - a life. And economic opportunity allows them to build a future. 00:48:15.298 --> 00:48:22.618 - Our commitment in economic development is to grow the workforce population, grow wages, and strengthen 00:48:22.618 --> 00:48:30.009 - the economic base that supports the services our community depends on. The single most important action 00:48:30.009 --> 00:48:37.257 - we can take to support that is removing barriers to housing. If families cannot find a place to live, 00:48:37.257 --> 00:48:43.582 - they cannot take a job here. Housing and economic development are inextricably entwined. 00:48:44.386 --> 00:48:51.788 - you cannot solve them in isolation. When housing supply grows, employers can hire the workers that they 00:48:51.788 --> 00:48:59.118 - need. When businesses grow, wages rise, and housing instability falls. And when the economy grows, the 00:48:59.118 --> 00:49:06.306 - revenues generated by local income, property, and food and beverage taxes allow the city to reinvest 00:49:06.306 --> 00:49:14.206 - directly in our built environment, safety, affordable housing, and public health. Under Senate Enrolled Act I, 00:49:15.522 --> 00:49:22.823 - that connection becomes even more important. Cities like Bloomington are increasingly dependent on income 00:49:22.823 --> 00:49:29.986 - tax tied directly to the workforce. Our role is to create the circumstances where people and businesses 00:49:29.986 --> 00:49:37.287 - can succeed. One of the most visible investments supporting that work is the Convention Center expansion, 00:49:37.287 --> 00:49:43.486 - and I know we have some CIB members, maybe even our leader here. Can we give them a hand? 00:49:50.050 --> 00:49:57.121 - community has worked toward this moment for nearly 20 years, and we have taken it out of politics and 00:49:57.121 --> 00:50:04.192 - built a joint board that is moving this thing forward faster than any jurisdiction could have done on 00:50:04.192 --> 00:50:11.679 - their own. And that required blood, sweat, tears, partnership between the city and the county, the creation 00:50:11.679 --> 00:50:17.086 - of that CIB, and a long term commitment to investing in Bloomington's future. 00:50:17.986 --> 00:50:24.871 - Today, that vision is becoming real, and it's rising right here at Third and College, connecting our 00:50:24.871 --> 00:50:32.232 - past to our future. The expanded convention center is expected to bring millions of dollars in new spending 00:50:32.232 --> 00:50:39.322 - from outside Bloomington each year. This investment is not in isolation. It's part of a broader pattern 00:50:39.322 --> 00:50:46.411 - of progress concentrated in the corridor stretching across South Rogers, South Walnut, and the Hopewell 00:50:46.411 --> 00:50:47.774 - redevelopment area. 00:50:48.258 --> 00:50:55.609 - For years, this area has truly been a gap in the center of our city. Now, it is becoming a place where 00:50:55.609 --> 00:51:03.031 - we are intentionally restoring connection and continuity. The Convention Center expansion, the Hopewell 00:51:03.031 --> 00:51:10.168 - neighborhood, the proposed future location of public safety infrastructure, when we locate housing, 00:51:10.168 --> 00:51:15.806 - jobs, and services in close proximity to one another, the system works better. 00:51:16.578 --> 00:51:24.142 - People live closer to where they work, and businesses benefit from the steady base of residents and 00:51:24.142 --> 00:51:31.706 - visitors. Then, just up the beeline, the trades district continues to grow. New employers, expanded 00:51:31.706 --> 00:51:39.346 - workspaces, a new hotel, and more public art and programming are on the horizon. In late 2024, a $16 00:51:39.346 --> 00:51:46.078 - million Lilly Endowment grant awarded to Indiana University in partnership with the city 00:51:46.210 --> 00:51:55.104 - and the mill, now Amplify Bloomington, is accelerating that work. My gratitude, I think we have Rachel 00:51:55.104 --> 00:52:03.912 - McAfee and John Fernandez in the house tonight, my gratitude for the university and John's leadership 00:52:03.912 --> 00:52:13.065 - in that endeavor, really foundational and transformative. Last year, the city added a position to deliver 00:52:13.065 --> 00:52:14.878 - on that partnership. 00:52:15.042 --> 00:52:22.127 - and move projects forward, and that investment is already showing up on the ground. The Forge, which 00:52:22.127 --> 00:52:29.773 - is a Class A office building, is now home to companies like Vivum, AI, Folia, and Bloom. Amplify Bloomington 00:52:29.773 --> 00:52:36.858 - is expanding inside the mill, adding new workspaces, offices, and conference capacity. And next door 00:52:36.858 --> 00:52:44.574 - at the kiln, Paragraph is fueling new startups with funding, and Soma Coffee is fueling us all with caffeine. 00:52:46.370 --> 00:52:53.333 - Last Wednesday, we closed on the new hotel in the trades district. We're on track to break ground this 00:52:53.333 --> 00:53:00.296 - summer, adding rooms, meeting space, and street-level activity that connects directly to our downtown. 00:53:00.296 --> 00:53:07.057 - When we don't have enough hotel capacity, demand spills into short-term rentals, often taking whole 00:53:07.057 --> 00:53:14.020 - homes off the market for our residents. This plan is about putting the right supply in the right place 00:53:14.020 --> 00:53:15.710 - and staying competitive. 00:53:16.450 --> 00:53:23.694 - Bloomington has fewer hotel rooms than comparable markets, even if we include planned projects. The 00:53:23.694 --> 00:53:31.011 - Trades District Hotel will help close that gap and strengthen a key part of our economy, destination 00:53:31.011 --> 00:53:38.545 - tourism and events. We are correspondingly investing in the district's experience by activating it with 00:53:38.545 --> 00:53:44.702 - our events and programs so it works for residents too, not just visitors or tenants. 00:53:45.410 --> 00:53:52.033 - This is economic development at its best. There are jobs, business activity, and investment that move 00:53:52.033 --> 00:53:58.721 - beyond one district alone, and they strengthen the entire community. We're also making decisions about 00:53:58.721 --> 00:54:05.538 - how people experience our city day-to-day. Kirkwood Avenue is a great example, and I want to acknowledge 00:54:05.538 --> 00:54:09.694 - Kirkwood's outdoor dining experience has meant a lot to people. 00:54:10.754 --> 00:54:18.185 - I have experienced feeling like I'm in Paris eating in the middle of Kirkwood myself. The full closure 00:54:18.185 --> 00:54:25.544 - created moments people loved, but the day-to-day reality did not consistently match the intent of the 00:54:25.544 --> 00:54:32.109 - program. The city's adopted transportation plan identifies Kirkwood as a shared street. It 00:54:32.109 --> 00:54:39.396 - carries businesses, deliveries, emergency access, and daily movement, and it also carries a critical 00:54:39.396 --> 00:54:40.478 - sense of place 00:54:40.578 --> 00:54:47.049 - at the intersection of city life and campus life. Our responsibility is to balance all of that, not 00:54:47.049 --> 00:54:53.909 - just on the best day, but every day. We looked at the data, business participation, and overall community 00:54:53.909 --> 00:55:00.445 - impact, and the recommendation and the Board of Public Works decision is to continue with the shared 00:55:00.445 --> 00:55:07.175 - street model this year. And this season, we're working with partners to expand activations so the space 00:55:07.175 --> 00:55:09.246 - works harder for the community. 00:55:10.018 --> 00:55:17.266 - More events, more programming, more reasons for people to be there beyond just outdoor dining. Because 00:55:17.266 --> 00:55:24.304 - how a place functions day to day shapes how people experience it. And how people experience a place 00:55:24.304 --> 00:55:31.552 - shapes whether they stay, invest, and build something here. That brings us to something we should have 00:55:31.552 --> 00:55:36.478 - done a long time ago. We need to be clear about who we are as a city. 00:55:36.898 --> 00:55:43.387 - and nearly a decade ago, the city's Wage Growth Task Force recommended that Bloomington define a shared 00:55:43.387 --> 00:55:49.751 - identity. That work did not move forward at that time, but it is now. Later this year, we'll roll out 00:55:49.751 --> 00:55:56.177 - Bloomington City and Place branding. We partnered with a national firm to build the framework, but our 00:55:56.177 --> 00:56:02.853 - story comes from right here in Bloomington. Over the past 12 months, residents, business owners, students, 00:56:02.853 --> 00:56:06.846 - artists, and community partners have shaped it through surveys, 00:56:07.234 --> 00:56:14.798 - committees, workshops, and direct conversations. That input continues as we refine the design and strategy 00:56:14.798 --> 00:56:22.150 - in real time. We all know that if you ask someone why they love Bloomington, they'll give us 20 minutes 00:56:22.150 --> 00:56:29.855 - of response. That's a strength, but it's also a challenge. And right now, Bloomington has a strong identity, 00:56:29.855 --> 00:56:34.238 - but we've not always told that story clearly. This will help. 00:56:35.074 --> 00:56:41.435 - Cities that compete for talent, investment, and growth do not leave their stories undefined. They state 00:56:41.435 --> 00:56:48.040 - it clearly, reinforce it constantly, and use it to guide decisions. The goal is to make sure we communicate 00:56:48.040 --> 00:56:54.218 - Bloomington plainly enough that people can see it, understand it, and choose to be part of it before 00:56:54.218 --> 00:57:00.579 - they ever step foot in our community. And at a time when national conversations pull attention in every 00:57:00.579 --> 00:57:04.126 - direction, we stay focused on what we can actually shape. 00:57:04.546 --> 00:57:11.983 - here in the city. We can control the systems we build, the investments we make, and the expectations 00:57:11.983 --> 00:57:19.493 - we set for ourselves as a community. When those are clear and consistent, people do not have to guess 00:57:19.493 --> 00:57:26.856 - whether they belong here. They know. We're building a government that works. We start by listening, 00:57:26.856 --> 00:57:32.894 - and many of you know, because you tell me, you see Team Bloomington out and about 00:57:33.218 --> 00:57:40.451 - and you know how to reach us. Over the last two years, we've made listening a regular part of our job, 00:57:40.451 --> 00:57:47.754 - monthly door knocking town halls, traveling office hours, and regular listening sessions with nonprofit 00:57:47.754 --> 00:57:54.917 - and faith leaders. Our sequence is simple, listen, discern, lead, deliver. We've worked diligently to 00:57:54.917 --> 00:58:02.782 - get our financial reporting up to date. In 2024, we closed out the delayed 2022 audit. In 25, we closed out 23. 00:58:02.914 --> 00:58:09.645 - And on Thursday, we meet with the auditors for the exit conference on the 2024 audit. I've never been 00:58:09.645 --> 00:58:16.640 - so excited about an audit. We'll now be able to complete the 2025 audit on time and be back in compliance 00:58:16.640 --> 00:58:23.503 - with reporting deadlines. In addition, we completed long overdue update of the city's financial account 00:58:23.503 --> 00:58:30.102 - numbers. And our housing and neighborhood development department worked hard to return to reporting 00:58:30.102 --> 00:58:31.422 - compliance with HUD 00:58:31.842 --> 00:58:39.621 - and has even been invited to present at their conference. It's a big deal. There's more to do and we 00:58:39.621 --> 00:58:48.478 - continue to clean up and improve the systems, but increasingly we're leading the way rather than playing catch up. 00:58:51.618 --> 00:58:59.207 - We've discussed our efforts to fully staff public safety, and the same focus has extended across the 00:58:59.207 --> 00:59:06.797 - rest of the city to ensure we're staffed with skilled public servants. Implementing the salary study 00:59:06.797 --> 00:59:14.536 - has been a key piece of that success. And as a result, this week, engineering is fully staffed for the 00:59:14.536 --> 00:59:21.374 - first time since October 2022. I had your new employee in new hire training today, Andrew. 00:59:22.754 --> 00:59:30.272 - Other departments are experiencing the same thing, and we continue to closely work with the city's unions 00:59:30.272 --> 00:59:37.436 - to build stronger relationships. Everybody needs an intermission, so I'm gonna skip a whole bunch of 00:59:37.436 --> 00:59:44.741 - really important government updates and get to the meat of things. SEA 1 changes how local governments 00:59:44.741 --> 00:59:48.926 - are funded, and will change how we're able to do our work. 00:59:49.378 --> 00:59:56.765 - Income tax distributions will switch, and municipal revenue growth will slow. Bonding capacity is tightening, 00:59:56.765 --> 01:00:03.480 - and those challenges compound over time. Cities across Indiana, including Bloomington, will have to 01:00:03.480 --> 01:00:10.598 - make hard choices, and our response must be disciplined. Our role is to first ensure we deliver essential 01:00:10.598 --> 01:00:17.918 - services and responsibilities that only local government can provide. We'll honor the commitments we've made 01:00:19.138 --> 01:00:27.161 - and take care of our infrastructure. If we want to do our essential work well, we have to prioritize. 01:00:27.161 --> 01:00:35.104 - In a city full of smart people, ideas are never in short supply. But progress happens when we choose 01:00:35.104 --> 01:00:43.599 - a direction and stay with it long enough to deliver real results. We're going to pair our reduced resources 01:00:43.599 --> 01:00:48.318 - with a priority list to deliver on our top capital projects 01:00:48.738 --> 01:00:57.038 - And to do that, we need to know what we spend, what results we get, and whether those investments align 01:00:57.038 --> 01:01:05.417 - with what matters most. And that work has started. With our new controller, Jeff McKim. Yay, Jeff. We're 01:01:05.417 --> 01:01:13.557 - reviewing our budget with a closer lens and are preparing already for budget season. The state of the 01:01:13.557 --> 01:01:16.350 - city is strong and moving forward. 01:01:17.378 --> 01:01:24.531 - not without bumps and not without limitations, but with purpose, clarity, and community. In 1996, we 01:01:24.531 --> 01:01:31.754 - couldn't have seen this building in its current form. We would not have envisioned a trail along that 01:01:31.754 --> 01:01:38.270 - abandoned rail corridor, and I bet we wouldn't have dreamed we would be at the precipice of 01:01:38.270 --> 01:01:45.918 - a transformational housing development where our hospital used to be. What it is that we're doing this year 01:01:46.882 --> 01:01:53.919 - that we couldn't imagine living without in 2056. If we look ahead over just the next two years, we can 01:01:53.919 --> 01:02:00.957 - envision what that might look like. We'll see a convention center alive with activity, visitors moving 01:02:00.957 --> 01:02:08.131 - through streets and gathering in restaurants. We'll see homes rising in Hopewell, a once in a generation 01:02:08.131 --> 01:02:14.622 - neighborhood taking shape block by block. We'll see downtown that feels vibrant and cared for. 01:02:15.138 --> 01:02:22.543 - Events that bring people together, clean and well-maintained streets and sidewalks, a clear, distinct 01:02:22.543 --> 01:02:29.802 - sense of identity reflected in our branding. We'll see more public art, more activity and more life 01:02:29.802 --> 01:02:37.061 - in our shared spaces. We'll welcome people home if they've been sleeping outside. We'll see couples 01:02:37.061 --> 01:02:41.054 - on dates on the new roof at the Trades District Hotel. 01:02:41.346 --> 01:02:49.662 - Entrepreneurs and small businesses are heading into the forge to the kiln and amplify Bloomington to 01:02:49.662 --> 01:02:58.472 - grow their success. We'll see our workforce population grow and our wages as well. We'll see fully staffed 01:02:58.472 --> 01:03:06.953 - departments and we'll see a community that shows up to serve you and to help solve your problems every 01:03:06.953 --> 01:03:11.070 - day. That's what a thriving community looks like. 01:03:11.906 --> 01:03:20.000 - wages growing our economy and housing residents can afford, opportunities people can pursue, and safety 01:03:20.000 --> 01:03:27.938 - that our neighborhoods rely on, and a government focused on getting the work done, a place to belong. 01:03:27.938 --> 01:03:36.265 - But there's one other thing that we can do that matters just as much. In a moment where national political 01:03:36.265 --> 01:03:41.790 - rhetoric lends itself to us and them, we can do better in Bloomington. 01:03:42.562 --> 01:03:51.018 - We can solve problems together, sitting face-to-face and co-creating solutions. We can be tough on challenges 01:03:51.018 --> 01:03:58.859 - and respectful of everyone working on them. We can rise above identity and party politics and see one 01:03:58.859 --> 01:04:06.931 - another for what we are. We're a community full of people showing up every single day to transform lives 01:04:06.931 --> 01:04:11.390 - and improve our community. I believe this even more today 01:04:12.034 --> 01:04:21.425 - than when I wrote this speech 24 hours ago. In the coming year, I'll be looking at ways we can continue 01:04:21.425 --> 01:04:30.726 - to help set a different tone in Bloomington where we can call people in instead of calling people out. 01:04:30.726 --> 01:04:40.027 - I want us to be a Bloomington where we talk in person or in written communication rather than targeted 01:04:40.027 --> 01:04:42.014 - quips on social media 01:04:42.946 --> 01:04:52.212 - because... while there are dozens of challenges and hundreds of issues and thousands of opinions before 01:04:52.212 --> 01:05:01.923 - us, we all know that we're at our best, our strongest, and our most progressive when we are one Bloomington. 01:05:01.923 --> 01:05:10.654 - Good government is not measured by a single headline, a single announcement, or a single meeting. 01:05:11.362 --> 01:05:19.426 - The decisions we make today may take years to be felt, but their impact reaches across generations. 01:05:19.426 --> 01:05:27.491 - And it's the way we come together, not the things that divide us, which define us in the end. It is 01:05:27.491 --> 01:05:35.555 - that courthouse that Charlotte saved, and now no one can remember ever wanting to demolish it. That 01:05:35.555 --> 01:05:40.958 - is the long arc of this work, and Bloomington does not need anyone 01:05:41.154 --> 01:05:48.641 - to invent its potential. It's already here. Our job is to keep unlocking it through thoughtful discussion 01:05:48.641 --> 01:05:55.705 - and decisions, through a shared commitment to this community, our one Bloomington. And that work is 01:05:55.705 --> 01:06:03.121 - stronger when people stay engaged and lean toward assuming goodwill and creating common ground. So thank 01:06:03.121 --> 01:06:07.006 - you for showing up this evening, for paying attention, 01:06:07.906 --> 01:06:15.171 - for being a part of a community that continues to grow into its potential. Thank you for being critical 01:06:15.171 --> 01:06:22.366 - of your government and helping us get better every single day. Tonight, we began by talking about what 01:06:22.366 --> 01:06:29.632 - happens when people come together in a shared space. We'll close in the same spirit because what you'll 01:06:29.632 --> 01:06:37.246 - see next through movement, timing, and connection is another expression of what makes this community thrive. 01:06:37.538 --> 01:06:40.894 - Please join me in welcoming Windfall dancers.