- Hello and welcome to Cats Week. I'm Annaliese Poorman. The Monroe County Election Board met on April
- 23rd and received an update on early voting numbers. According to County Clerk Nicole Brown,
- 332 out of 1,129 absentee ballots have been returned and 2,095 votes have been cast at Election Central so far.
- Brown also discussed Senate Bill 10, which is a recently passed legislation prohibiting students from
- using school IDs for voting. The legislation was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month, but
- it was reinstated after a court of appeals decision on April 20th. With respect to Senate Bill 10, I
- was at an election conference last week and I got a call from one of the clerks.
- because I live in Bloomington and she was the one who broke news to me about the injunction. As far
- as I am aware in Monroe County, one person voted in that window using their student identification.
- And then just the other day, I called the Secretary of State's office to ask for some guidance on what
- we would do for
- any students who voted using their ID in that window. And he said, well, we just got the stay, meaning
- we are not able to use IDs at this time. But a very wise person at the election conference said, this
- can change back and forth between now, literally between now and election day. Brown said that poll
- workers are being kept up to date on the issue as it goes through court.
- Next, election supervisor Kylie Ferris read a statement from Fleet and Building Director Richard Kreider
- about the election central renovations. Currently, we have not yet placed the order for voter registration
- furniture, but I anticipate completing that soon. I am also in the process of obtaining a quote to replace
- the remaining used chairs in the early voting area, and he attached an image of that.
- And then the pedestal and activation switches for the door to enter from the lobby space into voter
- registration. That is been looked at and they are working on getting that updated as well. So then there
- is also the pedestal for the ADA compliance button that is on the outside of the east entrance coming
- into early voting. At this time we are using a doorstop to prop that open.
- They are going to be coming and setting that up soon so that we won't have to continue propping open
- that door. The board moved on to talk about parking at the early voting site. Brown said people can
- park in the trades district parking garage for 50 cents per hour to avoid getting parking tickets. Republican
- board member Danny Shields said he finds issues with people having to pay for parking while voting.
- 50 cents an hour, yes. But it doesn't take long to vote.
- I was able to do it in less than 10 minutes, so you might even be able to get away with just putting
- a couple quarters in. Yeah. Something about having to pay to park just doesn't sit right with me. I
- am merely trying to save. Oh, I understand. I understand. Because a ticket is $30. Something about that.
- I wish there was a way to get around that.
- The board moved on to discuss training. Brown said there would be de-escalation training for poll workers
- before the general election. Democratic board member Penny Givens said that there should be also training
- for emergency situations. Ferris detailed the training that poll workers currently receive.
- We have a copy of every emergency exit plan and shelter in place plan for each location that goes into
- the binders. We also have, in addition, the emergency guide that is the same but goes to every location,
- and that is a step-by-step of this is the solutions that you should be taking, and these are the, like,
- One of the portions is for a fire, you need to be talking to all of your poll workers to know where
- to go to meet at if there is a fire. And that's going over those plans as well as what's inside of those
- binders. Ferris said the board members are welcome to stop by her office to look at the training binders.
- The next meeting of the Monroe County Election Board will be May 4th.
- The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission met on April 20th. First, Jane Cooper-Smith, director of the
- city's economic and sustainability department, delivered the business development update. CAB is collecting
- public feedback for the four finalists for the Convention Center of Public Art. They circulated a press
- release that had a link in it, and I will push that out on the Arts Commission socials and can share
- that with commissioners, but we want the public to
- complete the survey, check it out, and say what you like. The Commission then discussed opening the
- College Square property to public offers. The Commission also considered a proposed land swap with the
- Seminary Point block, with Secretary John West speaking in opposition. Our role is not as developers.
- That may be good property for a seasoned developer to take on, but that's not what we do.
- And we've kind of proven it by taking us along with Hopewell. We're struggling. We've been down several
- different paths to get that accomplished. Hopefully, we're on the right one now. But taking on more
- ground requiring development that we have no idea how we're going to make it productive and get it back
- on the rent rolls is probably not.
- in our best interest or the city's best interest. Monroe County Capital Improvement Board President
- John Wyckart, represented by attorney Jim Whitlatch, spoke in support of the swap. Whitlatch argued
- that values should be measured beyond just monetary terms. What we propose is that prior to your public
- offering, you consider a different cost benefit analysis, one of opportunity for the public good, rather
- than simply a transactional one based on cash value.
- perhaps there is a different return on investment to consider. We each have parcels with lands that
- may have equal public value if the cost-benefit analysis is re-envisioned around achieving stated community
- goals rather than cash transactions. The commission also debated whether or not to delay the offering
- for 30 days. Commissioner Sue Scambalore said that she does not think that extension will be adequate.
- the notion that 30 days will make a significant difference in negotiations without all of that critical
- information that we are obligated to pay attention to. I don't find that a compelling argument. I also
- don't find it compelling to argue that the CIB is at an inherent disadvantage compared to deeper pocket
- developers. That's my expression. We are not obligated to only look at the finances.
- of this and we've said that many, many times in this meeting. So we can look at the whole of a project
- and the whole of its potential and indeed are expected to do so. The commission ultimately voted unanimously
- to move forward with a public offering of the property. The next Bloomington RDC meeting is scheduled
- for May 20th.
- The Bloomington Board of Public Works met on April 21st and discussed Amendment 1 to a contract with
- Crossroads Engineers for preliminary engineering of Hopewell South. Project engineer Kendall Noke explained
- the contract and how it will help Hopewell's construction. So we initially entered into a contract with
- Crossroads Engineers PC to do the subdivision and the design of the Hopewell South.
- Neighborhood that the RDC is moving forward. There's a PUD being considered by City Council actually
- tomorrow and then a lot of work to follow whatever comes out of that
- But these specific items were not identified in the initial contract. This is a new water main in Wiley
- and stormwater detention along Wiley. This is something that came about after further evaluation of
- the site. This is something that would be required no matter what kind of development is going into
- Hopewell South, so it's not dependent on the PUD. The board passed the motion unanimously.
- The next item on the agenda was a contract with E&B Paving for Grimes Lane, Kirkwood Avenue, Patterson
- Drive, and Rogers Street. Sarah Gomez with the city's engineering department detailed road closures
- and construction during this project. The project includes resurfacing, restriping, and other work,
- including replacing a traffic signal at the intersection of West Kirkwood and Rogers Street.
- reconstruction of pedestrian curb ramps and crosswalks and other related maintenance work and the project
- limits. The maintenance of traffic for the project will include a full road closure on West Kirkwood,
- which will be a maximum of 10 days, not necessarily consecutive. For West Grimes Lane, Patterson Drive
- and South Rogers, one lane road closures will be in place throughout the project. The motion passed
- two to zero.
- Lastly, Public Works Director Adam Wason introduced the Adopt a Roundabout policy. This is something
- we've been working on for the last several months with staff from several city departments, including
- Parks and Recreation, Engineering Department, and others. And so this is a program that will seek out
- sponsorship monies for the support and maintenance of four of our roundabouts. This came to us after
- some interested parties
- asked about any programs that we had in place for such work. The motion passed unanimously. The next
- meeting of the Bloomington Board of Public Works will be on May 4th. The Bloomington City Council met
- on April 22nd. Multiple council members used opening reports to support a proposed land swap between
- the Seminary Point and College Square properties. Council member Dave Rallo said that the land swap
- would benefit multiple community stakeholders. I too
- very supportive of this proposition to swap those properties because It seems to me the the outcome
- could be very very good for the community Could get the CIB what they they would like in terms of a
- site for a hotel It isn't a one-to-one in terms of market value of the land but I think we should keep
- in mind that the administration was proposing to
- give the Bunger Robertson site away totally. So it seems that it could be feasible. Then police chief
- Mike Decoff reported on the amended flock contracts and policies. Council member Isabel Piedmont Smith
- asked whether all flock cameras could be turned off before the contracts expire and how access to camera
- feeds would be restricted. Decoff responded.
- We decide to turn them off. It would be hard for them to turn them on if we disconnect the power Okay,
- and that is that your plan for the other cameras whose contract has not ended That is a conversation
- that the mayor and I are going to have we've not had that conversation yet, but but yes She does not
- want us to continue having any flock products. So that is that will happen
- Next, the council considered a resolution reaffirming opposition to the North Park site for a new jail.
- During public comment, a resident presented cost comparisons for renovation. New construction cost we
- were given was the $225 million cost of the original North Park facility. I've given you two renovation
- estimates from jail experts. The first is from RQAW. They estimated renovation at $62 million with the
- estimated cost
- of relocating inmates and services during the two-year renovation at about $16 million, so a total of
- about $80 million. That same report stated the construction of just a jail and sheriff's office would
- be nearly $100 million, not including land purchase, which I know what we're talking about tonight,
- or construction of courts, as is the current plan if at North Park. Renovation is just simply cheaper
- than new construction. The resolution passed unanimously.
- Next, Kristen Weida, CEO of the Indiana Uplands Realtors Association, detailed differences between the
- proposed Hopewell development options. If Hopewell is built under the proposed PUD, without any of your
- amendments, the same land would support 98 homes. Those homes are smaller, they're more efficient, and
- the average price of those homes, $200,000.
- Nothing about the land changes. The difference is the rules. Every additional requirement that you add
- to the development adds cost. The cost is passed directly to the buyer, your constituent. Where requirements
- mean fewer homes and higher prices. The next Bloomington City Council meeting will be on May 6.
- The Monroe County Capital Improvement Board met on April 24th and heard a resolution for a host hotel
- at the Bloomington Convention Center. CIB attorney Jim Whitlatch detailed the resolution. The first
- resolution, we'll take these one at a time, the first resolution is to issue a request for proposal
- for development of a host hotel on the real estate that we have just acquired, which is approximately
- six acres.
- And we are asking approval of this board to issue a request for proposal that has been prepared by JS
- held. And I think we're just waiting for a copy of that that would be attached to that resolution. But
- the resolution would be to authorize the issuance of an RFP for a host hotel for the convention center
- project subject to the terms.
- in a form substantially similar to the RFP that's been attached, and I think that's coming right now.
- The CIB authorizes its president, John Weichart, to execute any and all documents and take such other
- actions as may be necessary or desirable to issue the RFP. The resolution shall be effective upon adoption.
- A board member asked whether the CIB wants to clarify the incentives for hotel developers. Board President
- John Weichart responded,
- When we did this initially and we had a number of respondents, then we got into this whole question
- about other incentives, et cetera, and you have said both in this meeting and also publicly that we
- are not an organization that has a bunch of incentives in our quiver other than the land, which is of
- course in this RFP. Do we want to say in this RFP explicitly, we do not have other incentives to give
- you, so please don't ask for any because you're just wasting everybody's time?
- Yeah, in my opinion, what we're putting out to hotel developers is telling them what we have to offer
- them. I think when we get responses from the RFP, we'll know if they're asking something else of us,
- and then that will help us determine whether we accept or reject their responses to us. So I think we're
- better simply making the statement, here's what we have, and then awaiting responses and then judging
- those responses.
- Weichart said that the board set a June 30th deadline regarding requests for proposals or RFP. The board
- approved the resolution unanimously. Then the CIB heard a second proposal for obtaining appraisals and
- environmental reports for newly acquired real estate. This request for action from this board is to
- put out a request for
- information or actually what we're asking is that we be authorized to enter into an agreements to obtain
- appraisals of the real estate that we've just acquired approximately six acres.
- and fair market value appraisals and we're asking for two of those to be at a minimum of two of those
- to be prepared and we're also asking for appropriate environmental reports which would encompass a phase
- one report. So the actual action item is that the request is that the CIB authorize JSL to work with
- CIB President John Weichart to obtain proposals for appraisals and appropriate environmental reports,
- environmental reports for the real estate. The CIB authorizes President John Weichart to execute any
- and all documents and take such other actions as may be necessary or desirable to accept any proposals
- and to move forward with appraisals and appropriate environmental reports.
- Senior Vice President at JS Held, Deb Kunz, provided a timeline for the project and further expounded
- on the details of the contract. The first step is a phase one environmental site assessment and those
- are not going to exceed $10,000 in terms of the fee for the amount of properties that we have here.
- So I would expect that that one in particular to be 10,000 or less. And I think it actually might be
- several thousand dollars less. So I think 10 would be
- a max to expect. As far as the appraisals go, we will need two independent appraisals. And those, if
- you look at both of them together, it could be anywhere from $60,000 to $70,000 maybe total is what
- we're talking about when we think about the appraisals. When they appraise those, they'll do it by parcel?
- They will appraise by parcel. The environmental reports will be done as a whole because
- and the environment doesn't know parcel lines. So we'll look at those holistically, but individually
- will be the parcels. And it's how they came to you is how they will be. So it'll be by parcel number.
- The board approved the resolution unanimously. During public comment, a representative for the group
- Bloomington Homes for All urged the board to consider a land swap to save Seminary Point Apartments
- from demolition. We're asking that the Capital Improvement Board
- to continue negotiations with the Redevelopment Commission to preserve the affordable housing at Seminary
- Point through a land swap. Seminary Point is a home to 29 units of existing affordable housing, beloved
- local non-for-profit My Sister's Closet, and a community gathering place, Friendly Beast Cider Company.
- In a housing crisis, these are homes and community spaces we cannot afford to
- lose. We understand that the CIB sees North College Square as the ideal site for the Convention Center
- Hotel, and many in the Bloomington community feel the same. At Monday's RDC meeting, Mr. Whitecart suggested
- that if the RDC proceeds with the public offering, the CIB may
- pivot to the South and West properties. We ask that you not pivot away from the land swap negotiations
- and continue to pursue the best outcomes for the community as a whole. Wednesday night, there were several
- council members that were in favor of the swap. And we want to encourage that you look through those comments.
- A few action items which you just spoke about is getting the appraisal and the environmental study done.
- We also would like you to extend the tenant leases past the July deadline and stop raising rent on tenants
- paying month to month, and provide us with the opportunity to present our vision for seminary points
- future. In a housing crisis, preserving affordable housing isn't just a priority, it's an obligation.
- Local activist Bryce Green with Bloomington Democratic Socialists of America also advocated for preserving
- affordable housing in the city. This is a housing crisis. And I think every step ought to be made. Every
- meeting ought to be had. Every call ought to be made to do our best to preserve this. And like, I know
- it's on the RDC side, but again, time is of the essence. These leases expire in July.
- Again, like to ask that these leases be extended at least a little bit while this thing gets settled.
- I think we all want the same thing here. You guys want that property and we wanna keep Seminary Point
- affordable housing. And I think there's a way forward with that. The next meeting of the Monroe County
- CIB will take place on May 20th. And that is all for Cats Week. Thank you for joining us. For Cats and
- WFHB, I'm Annaliese Boorman.