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.