- Hello and welcome to Cats Week. I'm Annalise Poorman. The Monroe County Council met on May 26 and rejected
- a purchase agreement to buy the North Park property for a new jail. According to Commissioner Julie
- Thomas, the North Park property was the only option for the county to meet deadlines for a 2008 ACLU
- lawsuit. I just want to quickly remind everyone that we have two deadlines facing us. The first one
- is Friday's ACLU deadline.
- The other is the bond council's deadline to initiate a bond in July. Anything other than North Park
- at this moment means we miss both deadlines. Commissioner Jody Madeira said failing to purchase the
- property will result in the ACLU filing for summary judgment. Summary judgment isn't a request for further
- negotiation or dialogue. It's a request for a court to decide the ultimate legal question without a
- trial because the facts aren't meaningfully in dispute.
- The question here will be, did Monroe County have an unconstitutional jail? I don't know that any elected
- official in this room would say that it's not unconstitutional. In recent days, our population was as
- high as 272. This jail has a functional capacity of 235. This is a structural problem. All the new services
- in the world won't create new ADA cells, rec space, or alleviate overcrowding.
- So if summary judgment is granted, the only remaining question is what remedy a federal court will impose
- on Monroe County. Once we stop acting as one county and start acting as separate legal adversaries,
- the commissioners, the sheriff and the council will each retain separate attorneys, file separate briefs
- and present separate arguments. And from what I've seen of the record from the past 17 years, the ACLU
- will prevail.
- County Sheriff Ruben Marte urged the council to approve the purchase agreement saying that the current
- facility is not safe for his staff or inmates. Not to move forward at the present time is literally
- putting a tremendous amount of more stress on the staff that are already stressed to a point that concerns
- me. It really does. So we all agree that we want to treat people
- We agreed upon that. We also agreed that we want to have public safety to the utmost. This is a public
- safety issue because we try to do is when they come in and provide specifically residents now I'm talking
- about is provided with with all the help that we can. So when they leave the facility they don't go
- back to the same pattern or habits that cause them to be in there. We're trying to be proactive but
- here again it keeps coming back to
- facility and the staff number. The council rejected a North Park proposal in October because the county
- lacked funding following the passage of 2025 Senate Enrolled Act 1. The council again rejected a proposal
- to buy the property at their May 12th meeting. Council President Jennifer Crossley said that
- the commissioners need to propose a different location. She suggested the county try to use the Thompson
- property since the county already owns it.
- That's where we are. And I don't have any notes or anything like that that I have. I'm just kind of
- going off the cliff of my head here. So let me go ahead and spell it out for people. If you didn't already
- know, now you know, because you're hearing it from me. I think we need to look at what we already have.
- The public has made comments about what we already have. Use what we already have. And years ago,
- That was a Thompson site. And I looked at all things considered way back when, when studies were done,
- that that was supposed to be a juvenile justice facility. And back then, in the term of the economic
- crisis that we were facing then, my times have changed, that we needed to do something then because
- costs will continue to skyrocket and will increase.
- And here we are yet again those costs are skyrocketing increase with building and all of the above.
- I think with this whole fight of SB 1.
- where we are kind of taking a look back and some of us have continued to say that SB1 is the part where
- we've kind of, you know, we can't do certain things and we're restricted with our funding and our lit
- rates and all of those different things. I think that was the moment where we collaboratively, not just
- talking it, but just actually doing it, could have said, let's take a step back here, let's see what
- we are really doing and let us do with what we have.
- During public comment, over 30 people spoke in opposition to purchasing the land. Many were concerned
- about the distance between the North Park property and other services for people in the jail. Bloomington
- City Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith said that she thinks the county should spend money on alternative
- services to prevent future incarcerations.
- The jail proposal at the North Park site is a poor use of taxpayer money. We're not only burdening future
- generations with debt, but we're also burdening them with a status quo criminal justice system that
- is focused on punishment and where it should be focused on prevention. This is an opportunity to change
- this system, which I've been saying for years, but due to the non-collaborative nature of the commissioners
- on this, it was ignored. And many in the community have been saying the same thing.
- Any facility, as the current proposal is, that has a significantly higher number of beds will be, could
- very well be used by ICE, could be used by the federal government, which is repressing American citizens
- and legal immigrants to this country across the board. Public safety is not arresting people and putting
- them in jail. Public safety rests on the principle that true
- Safety comes only from racial and economic justice, where residents have the resources and stability
- they need to survive and hopefully to thrive. Other public commenters blamed the Monroe County commissioners
- for the county facing such urgency on the jail project. Former City Council member Steve Volin called
- for the commissioners to resign.
- If you approve this, you'll show that if the commissioners drag their feet long enough, they'll get
- their druthers in the face of all evidence that shows it's a bad idea. You'll reward their negligence,
- their intransigence, even their contempt for you, for the city of Bloomington, the people of Monroe
- County, and most of all, the incarcerated, whom the commissioners could have spared an unconstitutional
- jail years ago if only they had applied an ounce of diplomacy.
- Whatever your vote tonight, do not take responsibility for a failure that rests solely with
- the commissioners. Send the message that the county must not be subjected to a reorganization of its
- physical plant that will be permanent, catastrophic, and avoidable. If this was the best they had to
- offer, let their next act be to send a message that might get the ACLU to back off. Let them do the
- honorable thing and resign their seats.
- Councilmember Pete Iverson was the only vote in favor of the purchase agreement. He said while the proposal
- was unpopular, he believed delaying the decision would be unwise. And let me repeat, there are no ideal
- choices here. This is a terrible decision to be making right now. A vote for the litigation option is
- kicking the can down the road at least three years. A vote for the affirmative option
- presents a solution that perpetuates a system that jails too many people. There are no ideal solutions
- to us tonight, but there is a marginally optimal one. This evening, we have a viable path forward to
- end 17 years of stalemate. Sit with that for a second.
- On the other hand, several council members said that they could not support moving forward with the
- proposal after considerable public opposition. Council member Jennifer Crossley said that the North
- Park property had become too divisive for the county to move forward. But this is the part right now
- where I feel like this is a moment where we can either do well or we can screw it over. And I was in
- Novak in October.
- I was a no back in a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still a no. But again, here's where I can say yes.
- I can say yes to true active collaboration. I can say yes to really getting down in the trenches.
- Like today, like after this is all, well, maybe not today, because I literally want to spend a little
- bit of time with my son. Or the next day, where we can come back in a room and say, let's figure this out.
- Mr. Richardson back there has continued to say, let's talk about this. Let's talk about this.
- I can tell you, we are trying to talk about it. Whether or not other people really want to come to the
- table and really want to talk to us about it, that's a whole other subject. But again, I think about,
- as Council Member Henry has said before, Charlotte's last conversations were, you all can do hard things.
- You just need to know how to do it and go do it. And since we are quoting,
- songs. I really like to think of songs as well to get me through hard times. And a great lyricist by
- the name of Tupac said, remember one thing, for every dark night, there's a bright day and after that,
- so no matter how hard it gets, stick your chest out, keep your head up and handle it. Colleagues, that's
- what we got to keep doing. County commissioners,
- That's what we have to keep doing. City colleagues, sheriff here, that's what we have to keep doing.
- Yes, I understand the repercussions. I come from people who understand consequences of many things that
- have come up against them. But this right here, this is where we are. So with that being said, may we
- please have a roll call vote?
- The council rejected the purchase agreement six to one with Iverson being the only supporting vote.
- He said the North Park proposal has been the only path forward presented in the 17 years since the lawsuit
- was filed. Ahead of this vote, I have done what I feel is my due diligence. I have discussed this vote
- with as many constituents as I can from as many diverse backgrounds as I can. This includes clergy,
- first responders, mental health professionals, public safety
- presuppressionals, county employees, former and current elected officials, attorneys and more. What
- I'm hearing from folks out in the first district is they want us to end 17 years of indecision. What
- I'm hearing is that they want action. The council followed with a motion to deny the purchase of the
- North Park property. That motion passed six to zero.
- Commissioner David Henry was unable to vote because he was attending online and his connection failed.
- The Monroe County Council will meet again on June 9th. The Richland Township Board and Ellitsville Town
- Council met on May 27th to continue discussions on a proposed government reorganization that
- would consolidate the two into one unified governmental structure.
- Richland Township Trustee Susan Brown opened the meeting by recapping months-long studies on the potential
- impacts to finance, public safety, planning and zoning, parks and utilities if the proposal passes.
- I know I said this at a previous meeting, but I'd like to reiterate that I thought the subcommittees
- did an excellent job on the reports. I thought they were very thorough, and I liked everything about
- them, the language, the graphics, the maps, everything.
- And I like the history that was put in some of those reports. So in any event, the subcommittees present
- their report to the reorganization committee. The reorganization committee approved a draft plan of
- reorganization on April 9th, and that has been on the Ellsville Richlandinfo.org website since about
- that time. And as you're aware, that's a recommendation to both boards as to how the reorganization
- forward because ultimately the obligation to draft the reorganization plan rests with both the governmental
- boards. A representative from Baker-Tilley then outlined what the proposed governing structure would
- look like. The proposed governance structure includes a seven-member town council. This would include
- five district seats and two at-large seats during the transition period. The township government would
- be dissolved
- but representation for both the urban and rural areas would continue through the district structure.
- The goal is to maintain local representation while improving coordination across the consolidated area.
- The presentation also explained the difference between the proposals, urban and rural service districts.
- This framework is again intended to align taxes more closely with the services that are currently provided.
- So why two districts? The two district structure serves several important purposes that I've reiterated
- and I'm going to reiterate here. It matches the taxes with the service levels. It allows phased growth
- and expansion.
- It preserves the rural character and expectations, and it supports long-term infrastructure planning.
- Both entities voted to preliminarily approve the fiscal impact analysis, allowing the proposal to move
- forward. This will allow for additional public hearings and possible placement on the November 2026 ballot.
- The Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission met on May 28th and discussed possible historic designation
- for a property on North Prow Avenue. The home was built in 1945. However, Commissioner Jeremy Hackard
- said that alone is not enough to qualify the building as a historic marker. Yeah, I'm sad to see a small
- house, especially with a story like this one, just a unique story and tear down a small house to build
- a small house feels ironic.
- But I don't think there's much we can do, unfortunately, that are either or options. The commission
- approved the demolition. A new house will be built on the soon to be vacant lot.
- In February of 2024, the Historic Preservation Commission approved the expansion of a small 1920s garage
- driveway, including modifications to connect the garage to the residence. The cost of appropriateness
- had expired after two years. The property owner came to the commission to request a new COA. Hackard
- said he supports the request.
- Basically, the only thing that's changing is the timeframe. Asking for more time is already approved
- once. I see no reason to re-litigate this, so I am in favor. The motion passed unanimously. Historic
- Preservation Program Manager Noah Sandweiss updated the Commission on the Code of Conduct. Sandweiss
- then acknowledged the accomplishments of Commissioner Melody Dusner. I'd like to give a shout out to
- Melody Dusner in her class, which won an IU Center for Rural Engagement Award.
- for very relevant to us research on a stone carver in Odon, Indiana named Ira Correll, which culminated
- in the installation of an Indiana historic marker. The BHPC will meet again on June 4th.
- The Monroe County Stormwater Management Board met on May 27th. The board reviewed funding requests from
- projects under its Memorandum of Understanding with Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District.
- Stormwater Program Manager Erica Penna explained the first request, which sought water management solutions.
- This first one, the issue, if I'm understanding correctly, there's a culvert that drains under the road.
- from the hillside into their field. And so this project would help direct that drainage into a specific
- channel and help their pasture and their cattle. They're not impacting the direct flow into bean blossom.
- SWCD representative Erica Myers confirmed that this project falls under the guidelines of the joint
- small grants program. However, Monroe County surveyor Tron Enright Randolph raised concerns
- about transparency, pointing to redacted collaborators in the meeting agenda packet. Being a right payer
- fund, I think it should be very transparent that people know where these dollars are coming from or
- going to, sorry.
- So I understand that these redactions of the name and where the project's going is not SWCD. I understand
- that. But I think this information needs to be public and should not be redacted. Meyers responded that
- a majority of the redactions were due to policies of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and
- not the landowners.
- Ben Myers referred to the Conservation District's discussions around mandating transparency in the small
- grants program. And Wright Randolph also tied these transparency concerns to larger considerations about
- budget allocation. And then furthermore, we need to establish a method to support more ratepayers while
- remaining fair to all residents of Monroe County. And that's what I think the mini grant program is
- all about. It creates these guidelines and it has these caps.
- Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas moved to approve the additional funding under the condition
- that the client and landowner make their names publicly known upon approval. Commissioner Jodi Madeira
- supported the requirement. The Stormwater Management Board will meet again on June 24th. And that is
- all for Cats Week. Thank you for joining us. For Cats and WFHB, I'm Annalise Poorman.
- for hurting families in Monroe County. A contribution to children who are vulnerable and in need of
- an advocate. A staff that goes above and beyond to support and advocate for children in need of services.
- The web of remarkable people who are dealing with difficult situations. So many young people that are
- in need of help and trying to find a stable family.
- stable place to live. Without the CASAs, to make that happen, many of them would be unable to find a
- good home. I love being that voice for the child who can't speak for themselves in court. It takes me
- out of my comfort zone and it also helps others. CASA means supporting our community. Being a CASA is
- making sure that your village is healthy and whole and that the children in your village will someday
- be able to help the village as well.
- A child who doesn't have a voice maybe in their family situation or school situation now has a voice
- that can advocate for them. I really enjoy working with children that are going through difficult times
- and letting them know that I care about their future. We are privileged with our charge of representing
- the best interest of children. And so therefore we can advocate for exactly what they need
- without restriction, focusing on their best interest.
- I want to repair the world one child at a time.