- Hello and welcome to Cats Week. I'm Annalise Poorman.
- The Monroe County Council met for over seven hours on October 28th. The council considered whether or
- not to appropriate about $8 million for the purchase of the North Park property for construction of
- a new jail. The Monroe County Board of Commissioners had urged the county council to pass two appropriations
- of funds for both the acquisition of land at North Park and money for design work on the jail. County
- Commissioner Julie Thomas spoke in favor of appropriating the money, saying that the county has
- has already invested years into planning the jail project. Even if we have somebody throwing out numbers
- for what it would cost to add the space that we know we needed, in addition to what we have now, it
- didn't mean that we could actually build it. And so that's, we did that subsequent study and it demonstrates
- that. So in essence, this council and this board of commissioners
- approved the purchase last year. The question is, are you ready to pay the bill? It's an appropriation.
- This is an appropriation request. The purchase request has already been heard and voted on. So with that,
- Council President Jennifer Crossley said that the county cannot afford to foot the bill for the jail
- right now, especially in the aftermath of recently passing a tight budget. She also expressed concern
- about new state laws capping the amount of money local governments can spend on projects like this one.
- And in light of SB1 and not having a fix and not having
- a word from our state legislators to say, we hear you. Because again, they talk a good game, and then
- all of a sudden they can turn around and say something completely different. So in my mind, I want to
- have a fix first. We pause, and then we can move forward. So that's kind of what I'm thinking. And I
- understand y'all can agree to disagree, but that's just me.
- Council member David Henry said that he had concerns about how transparent this process has been and
- questioned how much work has taken place outside the purview of the public. He said as a sitting council
- member he has not even seen the most recent plans for the jail. And I gotta say I appreciate the friction
- and the frustration up here to get something in place but some of those
- codicils in the agreement need to be discussed and teased out today as to why I think we are where we
- are. And most importantly is the idea that if, yes, the design phase has continued, it hasn't happened
- in public view. There's been two presentations of the DLC design, one in the early winter and one in
- August, and everything else has been outside of the view of this room and outside of the council, and
- I have not seen it myself as a sitting member of council. So whatever decisions have been made behind
- closed doors that remove stakeholder items and requirements and add requirements have been done.
- behind closed doors and presented twice to the public. And I think that's probably why there's interest
- this evening in how we got to where we are. During public comment, Reverend Susan Frederick Gray of
- the Unitarian Universalist Church advocated against the new jail project, saying that she does not think
- that the scope of the proposal reflects the community's values. Three things. Number one, it doesn't
- make financial sense to spend money building a brand new jail
- especially as the state and budgets are changing and our county and city are facing increasing pressures
- around budget. Doesn't make financial sense. Number two, it doesn't reflect the values of this community.
- We need to work on reducing incarceration, not creating beds for more incarceration, which could lead
- to ice beds being rented here. We need to invest our resources in the kinds of things that
- reduce incarceration because that helps our whole community, so values should
- come first in this decision. And number three, I'm thinking very much of Charlotte Zietlow as she nears
- the end of her life. I think that we need to restore that building anyway. We should invest in restoring
- the Zietlow Justice Center as a reflection of our community and as honoring Charlotte Zietlow and her
- work for this community. Thank you.
- Local resident Kathleen Paquette criticized the unwalkable location of the North Park property and the
- distance away from social services. In her view, the county should prioritize funding nonprofits that
- prevent people from going to jail in the first place. I would like to name and make very clear the conflict
- between a community desire to keep our services accessible and our downtown functional and thriving.
- with jail builder recommendations that modern jails must be built on a sprawling suburban footprint.
- I believe that until this tension is taken seriously and addressed, we will continue to play whack-a-mole
- with location after location. There are so many very good reasons to keep our jail and justice services downtown.
- I am continually frustrated as someone who moved here over two decades ago specifically because I wanted
- to live car free in a place with a functional downtown to see these services consistently moving farther
- and farther away. In this case, with the North Park site for a jail, people will die walking along 46.
- It would also be a bizarre and unhelpful move to make courts inaccessible except by car when, according
- to our most recent data, the number one reason for jail booking is failure to appear in court. If we
- care about justice, safety, accessibility, equity, and sustainability and climate resistance, we need
- to make an effort to maintain a functional downtown.
- I believe that a good step forward would be to consult with local architects who are invested in the
- well-being of our community and firms which have experience in urban jail design. Cities have multi-story
- jails, and Bloomington is a city. I understand that we have numerous government-owned properties within
- a block or two of the Charlotte Zetlo building, and I encourage creativity in considering what it could
- look like to keep these services where they currently are. Not to mention, it seems much easier to act
- faster and phase renovations on buildings that already exist
- downtown. Conversely, we could keep entertaining far-flung properties at a massive social and economic
- cost and keep butting up against opposition. I also can't help but notice the striking difference in
- the amounts of money we're discussing tonight with this that's on the table right now versus the Sophia
- Travis grant money that went to so many deserving organizations working to make our community better.
- The difference in that amount of money is staggering.
- I believe it is in our community's best interest to honor what we want and need or what the prison industrial
- complex tells us we need. On the other hand, jail commander Kyle Gibbons gave a passionate testimony
- asking for immediate relief for current inmates and staff. He outlined the poor conditions of the existing
- jail and made a plea to the council that the jail needs support. As we get lost in having a true conversation,
- and talk about what we think should happen. I'm here. I was brought here specifically by the sheriff
- to do this job. I'm the best jail commander, I think, in the state. I work my ass off. And I'm here.
- I've been here for 15 hours today already because I care, just like you guys. And it's so hard to hear
- everyone talk about what's going to happen down the road. I can't wait for that. And I know you guys
- can't either.
- I'm back here pacing like a caged lion because it's so upsetting. And we just have, we line people up
- to talk about all these different things and say the same thing. Here we are, three years now. We've
- talked about the same thing. And I have the walls literally caving in inside the facility right now.
- I'm not saying we need a super jail. I'm not saying we need to spend millions on a property. What I
- am saying is this is not sustainable.
- I have 90 personnel working for me, and every day is a battle. We talked earlier. She said,
- how are you doing? I said, I'm not really sure how I'm doing right now. How are you? Because it's a
- war. And I'm the person that everyone in here wanted to see in this position. I'm the person my mom
- hoped would work in this job to fix the issue she saw. And I'm handcuffed. And what's it going to take?
- Does someone have to die?
- And we could talk about this all the time in law enforcement. Something's going to happen and we're
- screaming for the rooftops that we need help and we're all just talking and not talking to each other.
- Thank you. After nearly two hours of public comment, the council voted down both appropriation requests,
- effectively stopping the North Park project.
- The Ellisville Town Council met on October 27th. They discussed a resolution to adopt a Monroe County's
- multi-hazard mitigation plan. Fire Chief Kevin Patton explained the plan for the council. This is through
- the EMA director's office through FEMA. It's, it's loud tonight. It's updated every five years. It's
- basically a roadmap that tells the local government how to proceed with
- disasters so we can get reimbursed should FEMA need to come in. Okay. I'm sorry. As a side note, I think
- you have attached to your materials an edit sheet. There are a couple of minor mistakes in the plan
- that you have provided, and those will be changed or those mistakes will be corrected, but the
- plan is in substantially final form, but not final form. But Jamie Nibel sent your clerk treasurer a
- reminder email a couple weeks back and reminded us that we needed to, or the town council needed to
- approve a resolution agreeing to participate in this plan in order to get reimbursement from FEMA. The
- council voted in favor of the resolution unanimously.
- Town attorney Darla Brown discussed a proposed interlocal agreement with Animal Control. This is the
- proposed annual agreement between the city, the county, and the town of Ellitsville for the animal shelter
- and management interlocal agreement. And so what you have attached to your materials is the projected
- costs, which shows the animals picked up from various
- county sources, as they say, and then you also have a spreadsheet that shows where the animals are coming
- from in terms of their surrender. Councilmember William Ellis moved to approve the agreement and the
- motion passed unanimously. The Monroe County Commissioners met on Thursday, October 30th. The meeting
- began with the Health Department Medical Director, Dr. Sarah Ryderband, giving important information
- regarding vaccines.
- Do not know that you are fully vaccinated for measles. Please do that. MMR vaccines are available and
- we know that there are multiple outbreaks across the country. We've had a couple here in Indiana already,
- again, and we are surrounded by states
- in Illinois and Ohio with larger outbreaks. So we're not sure exactly why we have not seen the outbreaks
- here that we have in our adjacent states, but it is coming. Until there is really a 95% compliance rate
- with vaccines, then we are going to continue to see outbreaks of diseases that are readily
- avoided and lives saved if people will simply vaccinate. I'm wondering, also RSV, which is Respiratory
- Sensational Virus, also has a vaccine. This is a disease, a virus that indeed tends to attack very young children,
- and has caused multiple deaths. So it's, while most of us who are older can manage it, certainly any
- child who has any kind of disability, any kind of lung issue, if they have not been vaccinated really
- should be. And again, it's another one of those vaccines that is certainly suggested for those who are
- older and have any kind of lung problem. Next County Commissioner Julie Thomas discussed the written
- plan to use food and beverage tax funds in accordance with Indiana code. This will add a $905,000 project
- to food and beverage funding to ensure that the Monroe County Nature Preserve is ready
- for receiving residents and visitors and obviously we do believe that this is a tourist attraction and
- in that way it fulfills the requirements for the food and beverage fund. So there is a food and beverage
- tax advisory commission meeting tomorrow
- And if we approve this, I will be presenting it there. Lastly, Highway Director Lisa Ridge presented
- an amendment to various traffic ordinances. These items did go before the Traffic Commission on October
- 16th and they were all approved and they are all warranted within the Indiana MUTCD. It is amending
- Ordinance 86-09 to add a 20 mile per hour speed limit on Salt Creek Drive, Salt Creek
- Creek Court, Winfried Lane, Nomp Creek Road. Amend ordinance 86-06 to delete the following stop locations.
- Falcon Drive for Gordon Pike, Wiccan Street for Gordon Pike, Clearview Drive for Gordon Pike, Rockport
- for Fullerton Pike, Fullerton Pike for Rockport Road, Sunrise Greetings Court for Vernal Pike. Amend
- 86-06 to add the following stop locations, Falcon Drive for Fullerton Pike, Wiccan Street for Fullerton Pike.
- amend ordinance 86-12 to add the following yield locations. Fullerton Pike for Fullerton Pike Roundabout,
- Clearview Drive for Fullerton Pike Roundabout, Gordon Pike for Fullerton Pike Roundabout, Bachelor Drive
- for Fullerton Pike Roundabout.
- Amend ordinance 00-32 to add the following traffic signal location. That would be at the intersection
- of Fullerton Pike and Rockport Road and the intersection of Vernal Pike and Sunrise Greetings Court.
- And amend 00-31 to add the following no turn on red location, eastbound Fullerton Pike for Rockport
- Road. Most of these are in coordinates with the new installation of a roundabout on the Fullerton Pike project.
- Before concluding, Julie Thomas made some announcements regarding food shortages and the recent change
- in SNAP benefits. We do know that SNAP benefits, Supported Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are
- going to end Saturday. And we are going to be posting something on our website, both for those who
- need food assistance and those who are able to donate and help. One of the things I know is that there
- are a lot of really generous people in this community and we've got our friends and neighbors who are
- hurting across the U.S. I believe the average
- is one in eight people receive some sort of nutrition assistance benefits. That's across the country.
- We do know that there are a number of people in this county who receive it, a number of households that
- receive it. And one of the things that may help and does always help is going through the pantry and
- sharing with others.
- in our community and there are so many food pantries and almost every township trustee has a food pantry
- of some sort. Of course there's Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Pantry 279, Grace Food Pantry down in Harrettsburg.
- There are too many to name actually but we will put that up on our website.
- The next Monroe County Commissioners' Meeting will take place on Thursday, November 6. The MCCSC School
- Board met on October 28. Joseph Xing, a senior at the Academy School, spoke on his experience being
- an immigrant within the MCCSC school system and how the school failed to acknowledge his and
- other immigrants' capabilities.
- When I first enrolled at Bloomington High School South as a sophomore, I was automatically placed into
- English New Learners ENL class for months despite being fully proficient in English. I was also placed
- in Algebra 1 despite having a much stronger math background. It took months of self, it took months
- of persistence of advocacy to be moved into courses that reflected my true academic level and the process
- was unnecessarily difficult. Through this,
- Through this experience and through conversations with students like myself across Indiana school districts,
- I learned that my story was not unique. Many students like myself are being misplaced into classes that
- don't reflect their true academic capability because a school admin decided that they are not academically
- capable. I believe that assuming someone's academic capability and level based on where they're from,
- their accent, their background, or country of origin is a form of discrimination.
- There are current MCCSE policies such as policy 5410 and policy 5463, which basically mandates that
- schools, that students be placed in classes that fit them. In practice, this was not implemented for
- my case. We can make all the rules we want, but they are meaningless if they're not being implemented.
- Darcy Fawcett, a parent of two children at Bloomington High School North, spoke about the job opening
- for gymnastics coach at Bloomington High School South and Bloomington High School North. Fawcett asked
- for permission for the previous coach at North, Andrea Smith, to continue coaching at least until a
- replacement was found so that students could have a chance to compete this year. Smith, North's coach
- for over 20 years, was unable to continue coaching after being promoted to a position
- at Hoosier Hills. Even though it's getting close to a year, we are still without a coach. Bloomington
- North has placed as high as fifth in the state. They have gone to state competition every year for the
- last four years. My understanding is that there's a policy that administrators cannot be coaches and
- I understand at times the need for that policy and that it could give that administrator a lot of authority
- and control over the teachers that they ultimately supervise.
- that if a student wasn't perhaps able to participate in sports due to grades, that they could say you
- need to fix these grades so my player can coach. I understand that. I am asking that whoever has the
- authority to do so, be it this board, the superintendent, or even the administrators at North, grant
- an exception that would allow Andrea Smith to continue coaching until we do find a replacement coach.
- I have spoken with her.
- Maybe probably too much to her chagrin. She had indicated that she would consider doing so, but wasn't
- sure if that was even a possibility. Many of these athletes that have been gymnasts have been gymnasts
- as they were three years old. We've got three seniors who started in a private club at two years, the
- other is three years, and the other is four years. And they're absolutely devastated that they may not
- have a senior season here at North. So again, if there's
- Anybody who can grant that exception, allowing Coach Smith to resume coaching capabilities, I would
- greatly appreciate it. And if there's any direction as to who myself and other gymnastics parents who
- are here today as well could reach out to, you all have my contact information and I would appreciate
- any direction. Thank you. Dr. Henderson responded with an update on the interviewing process for a new coach.
- Absolutely. What I can report to you and the board is that the positions have been posted at both buildings
- since very, very early in September. The candidate pool for gymnastics coaches is very, very small.
- The candidates that have applied have been interviewed. But unfortunately, at this time, we have been
- unable to secure a qualified and well-trained coach to assume the role.
- Next, Dr. Henderson introduced Marty Colglazer and Hattie Johnson. Colglazer will be the interim principal
- for the Academy School and Johnson is to serve as interim director of the Childhood Nutrition Department.
- Both were previously retired. Dr. Winston expressed her appreciation for their willingness to come out
- of retirement to work again. I would like to just echo that we are so grateful
- and indebted to both of you for just your tireless years of service. And the fact that you're really
- ready to step out of retirement and come back and serve, we appreciate that and our children are only
- going to benefit. So thank you both for your immediate yes responses.
- Next, Dr. Henderson provided an update for the Human Resources Department, which included a list of
- job openings at MCCSC. The openings are for guest teachers, operations staff, special education,
- instructional support, and everyday staff. Dr. Henderson clarified the necessity of these positions
- as he recognized some confusion for new staff during budget constraints. Some folks may be asking in
- the community,
- How in the midst of budgetary constraints can MCCSE still be hiring? So the positions that are being
- hired are as a result of new openings that result when employees leave MCCSE for a variety of reasons.
- Staff members don't just leave this organization during the summer months. It's important to know that
- that turnover happens all year long. These positions are student-facing or operationally essential roles
- that must be replaced when a staff member has left a position.
- So as previously mentioned, these positions have all gone through a rigorous analysis process where
- HR curriculum and the business office leadership positions members review these positions weekly to
- determine which vacancies meet the criteria for being refilled and to ensure that we're remaining fiscally
- responsible to the community.
- The meeting adjourned with Dr. Winston stating that there will be no school on November 4th on account
- of a professional learning day for teachers. And that is all for Cats Week. Thank you for joining us.
- For Cats and WFHB, I'm Annalise Poorman.