- (upbeat music)
- Hello and welcome to Cats Week.
- I'm Annalise Poorman.
- At the Bloomington State of the City address on April 3rd,
- Police Chief Mike Decoff celebrated
- that the Bloomington Police Department
- had seen an increase in staff strengthening morale.
- A safe, civil and inclusive city
- starts with strong public safety teams.
- Under this administration,
- Bloomington has made significant strides
- fully staffing our police force.
- (audience applauds)
- These gains reflect a renewed sense of support
- felt across the department,
- driven by investments in higher pay,
- new policies on take-home cars,
- and modern tools and equipment.
- We're committed to building a culture
- that continues to improve morale and retention,
- and officers are responding with pride, purpose,
- and a clear sense that their work is valued.
- In addition, Decoff celebrated a 24.3% decrease
- in violent crime.
- Fire Chief Roger Kerr celebrated the success
- of the city's mobile integrated health system,
- which has been paving the way
- for mobile telehealth in the U.S.
- Our mobile integrated health program
- continues to lead the way in Indiana,
- combining emergency services with healthcare
- to provide a more effective, compassionate response
- to those in need.
- (audience applauds)
- Through a grant from the Indiana Department
- of Homeland Security, Bloomington's mobile integrated health
- has become the first in the U.S.
- to receive telemedicine kits.
- These kits enable real-time medical assessments,
- including vital signs, ECG readings,
- allowing doctors to make faster, more informed decisions
- that improve patient outcomes.
- We are grateful for the city's commitment to public safety
- and for the trust the community places in us.
- Mayor Carrie Thompson opened her speech with gratitude
- that the community sustained minimal damage
- through the recent storms.
- She also condemned the vandalism
- that impacted two local businesses this past week.
- The kiln and the forge were vandalized last night.
- This was really senseless destruction
- of places built by and for our community.
- And I want to be clear,
- destruction has no place in Bloomington.
- In Bloomington, we protect the spaces
- where inclusion, innovation, and opportunity take root.
- Every dollar our businesses have to spend
- repairing unnecessary and reckless destruction
- is a dollar they can't put
- toward helping our community thrive.
- We're investigating, we are responding,
- and we are moving forward.
- But let's all commit to using our powers for good,
- our creativity for the benefit of our whole
- and our energy to build up and not break down.
- Thompson also spoke to her administration's goals
- of accountability, transparency, and joy.
- She highlighted various projects supporting these goals,
- including the Downtown Community Cleanup Day,
- the Climate Action Dashboard,
- the Convention Center Expansion,
- and the construction of ADA-compliant ramps downtown.
- Thompson reiterated her administration's commitment
- to progress and community.
- Whether through policy partnerships or simply showing up,
- this first year has been filled with meaningful progress
- and meaningful listening.
- We're proud of what we've built and we're not finished.
- Thompson detailed key issues and goals
- throughout her term.
- First, focusing on the city's need
- to address the housing crisis.
- She said that her administration has created a plan
- to address the housing crisis by increasing support
- for the unhoused and implementing preventative measures.
- I made a clear promise and I'm keeping it.
- City funding will go only to organizations
- and community partners aligned with this coordinated framework.
- If you're not part of the solution,
- you won't be part of our funding.
- Thompson also mentioned the importance of transparency,
- highlighting her efforts to hear voices from the community.
- As I mentioned earlier, transparency and engagement
- are how we are leading.
- Every decision we make from policies to budgets
- should be clear, accessible, and most importantly,
- shaped by the people that we serve.
- A government that listens and then acts
- is a government that works.
- Over the past year,
- we've expanded direct engagement opportunities
- and increased public input in decision-making.
- I've kept my promise to take City Hall
- into the community each month
- through traveling town halls with cabinet and council members,
- one-on-one office hours and listening sessions
- with nonprofits and faith leaders.
- I've worked to make it easier for residents
- and community leaders to ask questions,
- raise concerns, share their hopes,
- and engage directly with their government.
- Thompson continued by noting the city's efforts
- to strengthen the Bloomington brand
- in an effort to attract more businesses and residents.
- We've prioritized something that's been long overlooked,
- how Bloomington presents itself to the world.
- Thriving economies are built on identity.
- Our story, our values, our sense of place,
- they all shape the way that we grow
- and who chooses to grow with us.
- And I know we have some future residents with us tonight,
- so welcome to Bloomington.
- Next, Director of Economic and Sustainable Development,
- Jane Cooper-Smith, shared an update
- on the city's financial well-being.
- In economic and sustainable development,
- our job is to create the conditions
- for a strong, resilient, and thriving Bloomington.
- Current economic pressures do not make our work
- very easy or any easier.
- Despite these national headwinds,
- we've stayed focused and we're delivering.
- We're reducing housing barriers,
- we're securing outside investments in Bloomington,
- and we're making long-term strategic commitments
- to our shared future.
- It's not always easy, but our team shows up
- follows through and is getting results.
- Cooper Smith said that the trades district
- had already bolstered the city's growing tech sector
- and shared an update on the Hopewell Commons.
- In 2024, Mayor Thompson led a strategic reset
- of the Hopewell development to ensure it delivers
- on its promises to the community.
- The redevelopment commission issued
- an updated public offering on Hopewell South
- and on Hopewell East, moving us toward
- a thoughtful and inclusive development.
- Construction of Hopewell Commons is now complete,
- including a green space, a 1% for the arts piece
- by John Resach that will begin installation this summer
- and temporary pickleball courts.
- Yeah.
- (audience applauding)
- Please join us to celebrate Hopewell Commons
- this month on April 23rd.
- We'll also host another public information session
- later this spring where you can do a full project download.
- Mayor Thompson closed the evening with a message of hope.
- My promise remains this.
- I will lead a city government that is open, responsive
- and built to serve the people who call Bloomington home.
- A city where barriers are removed,
- ideas are welcomed with compassion and curiosity
- and collaboration is our first instinct.
- We've made more progress than a single speech can capture
- and that's the kind of challenge
- every city should be lucky enough to have.
- Our team has delivered in big, meaningful ways,
- but the best is truly yet to come.
- At the Monroe County Election Board meeting on April 3rd,
- County Clerk Nicole Brown gave an update
- on ongoing legislation that could impact Indiana elections.
- The session at the State House is winding down.
- There are some bills that have already been signed
- by the governor, the one that relates to elections so far
- that's been signed is Senate Bill 199,
- which is, it is the bill that provides
- that two or more candidates of a political party
- may sign a written statement indicating their desire
- to name a watcher to be present
- at the county primary election.
- I note that that talks about the primary only,
- but it was signed on April 1st by the governor.
- Next, House Bill 1633 is the bill
- that calls for the study of election issues,
- but it also talks about the possibility
- of requiring all counties to become vote centers
- that will go to a study committee this summer.
- House Bill 1643 has been, it's a campaign finance bill
- that has been sent to the committee on appropriations.
- House Bill 1679 is of particular interest to clerks.
- It's where we asked for specific things
- such as making sure that every county clerk's office
- is closed on election day.
- Some of my clerk brothers and sisters are not as fortunate
- and so this says that the clerk is relieved
- of their judicial responsibilities on election day
- and their office is closed except for the purposes
- of overseeing the election.
- It also says that any county government employee
- who would like to serve, that they be given that day off
- like you would any other day to volunteer
- and that you are allowed to be off
- to serve as a poll worker on election day.
- We also did get our ask that the date
- for presidential certification be moved up to September 1st.
- This past year it was September 13th
- and that created a problem in that we only had one week
- to get everything done and get out our mail ballots
- to our absentee overseas and military voters.
- That again was House Bill 1679.
- 1680 is election security and transparency.
- That is typically the bill
- for the Indiana election division.
- It has passed through both houses
- and is on second reading at the state house.
- House Bill 1681 is for local public questions
- and it provides that any local public question
- or referendum may be placed only on a ballot
- for the general election.
- Senate Bill 10 is the voter registration bill.
- It's a really big bill but the one that impacts elections.
- It does specify that you may not use
- a university identification to vote
- so students will not be allowed going forward
- to vote with their student ID.
- It is expected to pass and become law.
- Senate Bill 199, I said that had already been signed
- by the governor.
- And then Senate Bill 526 voids an advisory opinion
- adopted by the Indiana election commission
- and it has definitions for tabulation
- and ballot retraction should someone pass away
- and we need to remove the ballot.
- We anticipate those all becoming laws.
- It is on its third reading
- and we expect it to be signed by the governor.
- That's all of the legislative updates I have.
- The next election board meeting will be held on May 1st.
- At their meeting on April 3rd,
- the Monroe County commissioners
- approved declaring surplus items
- including 10 file cabinets from the sheriff's department,
- three dump trucks from the highway department
- and a patrol truck from the commissioner's office.
- The cabinets will be scrapped
- and the vehicles will be auctioned.
- Commissioner Jody Madeira highlighted
- the county's effective use of resources.
- I just wish that the public knew more
- about how we responsibly use materials
- that are at the end of their life.
- I think that they just think we throw things away
- and we're actually extraordinarily conservative
- and we try to get every extra penny of value out.
- Later, the commissioners discussed financial options
- for the Bean Blossom Fire District
- to merge with Ellitsville or Monroe County.
- County attorney, Jeff Cockrell noted
- that Bean Blossom residents want to know more
- about the problems with their fire department
- and the potential impacts of merging.
- This is a contract that would analyze
- both the proposal from the Monroe Fire Protection District
- as well as the Ellitsville Fire,
- Town of Ellitsville's proposal for fire service
- in that area to kind of put that whole thing in a package
- so that the residents can understand,
- hey, here's the problem
- and here's potential solutions to those problems
- so that they can make an educated decision
- on their fire protection.
- Madeira said that the county should be praised
- for their efforts.
- I just applaud the county for their commitment
- to transparency and for taking the time
- to really get this decision resolved
- in a correct manner in which all residents are informed.
- And I think that's what good government looks like.
- The commissioners also awarded two contracts,
- one two milestone and one two E&B paving
- for community crossings matching grant paving projects.
- The grants awarded by NDOT provide funds
- for local road and bridge improvements.
- Commissioner Lee Jones applauded highway director,
- Lisa Ridge for securing the grant,
- but expressed concern about the future of the program.
- I appreciate all the hard work that goes into this.
- It's not easy and we've got the next item related to this,
- but I do appreciate that consistently after year,
- you've been able to secure this money
- and really greatly appreciate it.
- Not sure what's gonna happen in the future with it though,
- because I keep seeing the legislation change
- and it's not good.
- Several roads around the county will be resurfaced
- as part of those paving projects
- over the next few months.
- Next, the health department requested approval
- for an agreement with Limelight Recovery
- to provide mental health and substance use treatment.
- Health administrator Lori Kelly
- highlighted the program's growth.
- We just saw how successful the program was
- and wanted to be able to provide this for a full year
- and also increase funding to provide
- both group therapy sessions and individual therapy.
- The commissioners approved the agreement.
- The stormwater management board met on April 2nd
- to discuss stormwater expenditures
- with various project updates.
- The board heard an MOU from the Lake Monroe Water Fund
- that requested $3,500 to fund a stream flow gauge
- in the eastern part of the lake.
- The monitoring gauge is funded in part
- by the US Geological Survey with additional assistance
- from Duke Energy and the nonprofit friends of Lake Monroe.
- The request was met with unanimous approval from the board.
- Board member Lee Jones shared her opinion
- on the MOU expressing her strong support.
- I think this is a very important thing
- to continue to maintain.
- Lake Monroe is really essential for our existence.
- It would be very foolish to not keep on keeping track.
- Next, Monroe County Highway Director, Lisa Ridge,
- provided an update to the Stipped Road Construction Project,
- outlining budget requirements to be appropriated
- by the County Council at a later date.
- She said that the aim of this project
- is to raise sections of the road
- to prevent hazardous flooding conditions for drivers.
- Ridge said that she hopes
- to reach the end of this project soon.
- I couldn't agree more, Tron.
- It's taken a long time to get here.
- Yes, I do see a completion of these two projects.
- I do wanna point out,
- but I don't know if you're familiar with area,
- but where this project of Stipped Road stops around Car Top
- and then going towards Morse Creek,
- there will still be an area that could face flooding,
- but it's outside the area of any homes
- or anybody being displaced.
- That was the main goal for this project.
- So the construction limits will include anybody
- that has a residential driveway in that area.
- The other end of Morse Creek,
- anybody would be able to get out on that side.
- So the goal that we had for this project,
- I believe we will meet those.
- So yeah, I'm excited that we can,
- I saw Morse Creek get done, it turned out really well.
- And I think Stipped Road,
- the other end is gonna turn out just as well.
- A water quality monitoring program report
- was delivered by O'Neill graduate fellow, Kaylin Berkey.
- She noted that all of Monroe County's watersheds
- largely stayed within the state required six to nine pH level
- and that temperature changes were within a safe range
- for the community.
- For Hoosier River Watch and state standards,
- you do not want the difference to exceed 2.8 degrees Celsius.
- Now the county average for this is about 0.3,
- which indicates that we're doing very good
- in terms of temperature change.
- Environmental factors are a big influence,
- especially with our smaller, slower moving streams
- that has to do with the air temperature
- and then tree cover and sun exposure.
- Berkey said that overall the water quality index
- was determined to be an average of 91.15 across the county,
- which is considered good by state standards.
- County commissioner, Julie Thomas reiterated
- the importance of the monitoring report,
- making sure that the program remains viable in the future.
- I'm wondering if there is a way
- that we can in the future,
- I'm hoping we're still gonna be tracking these numbers,
- that we can look at those instances
- where there's high turbidity and look in the area
- and see what's going on.
- Is there a construction project?
- Is there, what's changed or what's led to it?
- And I think making those connections
- is going to be really important for folks.
- The Monroe County Stormwater Management Board
- will meet again on May 7th.
- On April 2nd, the Bloomington City Council
- met for their regular session
- where they discussed Ordinance 2025-09,
- which would establish the Public Safety Answering Point
- Local Income Tax or PSAP Fund.
- The aim of this fund is to create a separate channel
- dedicated to paying for 911 and police dispatch services.
- City Controller Jessica McClellan stated
- that the aim of this ordinance
- was to support efficiency in police dispatch funding.
- Since 2016, a portion of our local income tax
- has been set aside for public safety.
- Part of that money is meant just for the dispatch center.
- Until now, that money was tracked separately
- on paper or on a spreadsheet,
- but kept in the same fund as the other public safety income.
- This ordinance simply moves that money into its own fund
- as required by state law.
- Doing so makes things cleaner, easier to track,
- and ensures that money is used for its intended purpose,
- supporting our 911 services.
- McClellan clarified that this would not impact funding
- for other public safety and emergency services.
- The original public safety local income tax fund
- still exists and can be used for other public safety needs
- like police and fire services,
- ambulance and emergency medical response,
- public safety communications, and 911 systems,
- and pensions for police, fire, and other safety personnel.
- The ordinance was passed unanimously.
- During public comment, professor of economics
- at Indiana University, Gerard Glom,
- spoke to the council expressing thanks
- for the efforts of the people who contributed
- to the emergency winter shelter
- and other homelessness initiatives.
- There were some lovely folks
- who this winter made the emergency winter shelter happen.
- And I want to express my gratitude
- for the two churches downtown
- that made their space available
- to people who are unhoused in this community.
- Glom warned of the future threats
- to the wellbeing of many people impacted by homelessness,
- both from the weather and from the federal government.
- From talking to people,
- I think there might be a sense among some people
- in this community that this is a one-time event.
- I'm not sure.
- I know for sure next January is going to happen.
- I know for sure that it's going to be cold in January.
- The other thing I think I know is
- as the social security system, the social safety net,
- is being systematically unraveled
- at various levels of the government,
- I can only see the demand for these kinds of services grow.
- In particular, it appears to me
- that the Administration for Community Living
- has been dismantled or is about to be totally dismantled.
- That's the organization that helps coordinate
- and probably also fund homes for the aging
- and adults with mental disabilities.
- If those funds disappear,
- where are these folks going to go?
- Director of Exodus Refugee Immigration Nonprofit,
- Erin Aquino gave the final public comment
- for the meeting spreading awareness
- of recent efforts nationwide
- to decrease immigration within the United States.
- And unfortunately, since January 20th of this year,
- we have not welcomed a single refugee in the country.
- Trump and his bigoted administration
- are trying to revoke the legal status
- of Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans, Nicaraguans,
- and we fear the some 280,000 Ukrainians we have welcomed.
- We have spoken to many pluralese
- who are living in fear of deportation
- for having done nothing wrong,
- but to come to this country to live.
- We call on our Bloomington elected officials
- to continue to break from these racist policies
- of our state and this presidential administration
- and voice their support for refugees
- and our Afghan and Ukrainian allies.
- Please make an official recognition
- of World Refugee Day on June 20th
- and partner with us to support
- and welcome refugees here in Bloomington.
- We commend the mayor and the city
- for not collaborating with ICE,
- and we ask you to continue to protect
- the rights of immigrants in our community.
- We ask for financial support to keep our doors open
- to serve the 500 immigrants that are here in our community.
- The Bloomington City Council
- will meet again on April 16th.
- And that is all for Cats Week.
- Thank you for joining us.
- For Cats and WFHB, I'm Annalise Poorman.
- (upbeat music)
- a.m. on the phone. (upbeat music)
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