WEBVTT 00:00:07.330 --> 00:00:14.453 - Hello, and welcome to Cats Week. I'm Annaliese Poorman. The Monroe County Commissioners met on October 00:00:14.453 --> 00:00:21.646 - 29th. During the County Health Department updates, Amy Garitas shared information concerning the rising 00:00:21.646 --> 00:00:28.700 - number of measles cases in Indiana. When I last updated you on October 8th, the Indiana Department of 00:00:28.700 --> 00:00:36.446 - Health reported that there had been 28 known cases of measles statewide in 2026. As of yesterday, October 28th, 00:00:36.834 --> 00:00:43.477 - That number had reached 74 known cases, nearly a third of whom have required hospitalization. Cases 00:00:43.477 --> 00:00:50.187 - have mostly been among unvaccinated individuals. I want to reassure you there have been no suspected 00:00:50.187 --> 00:00:56.896 - or confirmed measles cases in the North County this year. However, we are strongly encouraging folks 00:00:56.896 --> 00:01:03.539 - to stay up to date on vaccinations. Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious 00:01:03.539 --> 00:01:06.462 - complications, especially in young children 00:01:06.626 --> 00:01:13.223 - pregnant people and those with weakened immune systems. The most effective protection against measles 00:01:13.223 --> 00:01:19.885 - is the MMR or measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The United States has maintained measles elimination 00:01:19.885 --> 00:01:26.612 - status since the year 2000 and unfortunately we are expected to lose that status this year. John Dayton 00:01:26.612 --> 00:01:33.662 - representing the GIS department demonstrated its election reporting application and voter turnout dashboard. 00:01:34.018 --> 00:01:39.657 - but we have one that's built up for a county-wide dashboard as well as a precinct level, but you can 00:01:39.657 --> 00:01:45.296 - just basically search for a race and click on something like this and the data will show up as those 00:01:45.296 --> 00:01:51.159 - votes come in, as well as the ballot measures that are on the ballot this year. And then at the precinct 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:56.798 - level, this is more geographic, but users, if they're not aware of what their precinct are, they can 00:01:56.798 --> 00:02:02.270 - search by an address here. So I'll just type in 501 North Morton so folks can see how this works. 00:02:02.562 --> 00:02:08.939 - And we'll zoom into 501 North Morton Street to see that we are in Bloomington 20. And so if folks wanted 00:02:08.939 --> 00:02:15.073 - to search for it that way, that's kind of an easy way to do it. You can go to Bloomington 20 just by 00:02:15.073 --> 00:02:21.328 - typing in 20. It'll zoom back in again. And then you can select an office again just by searching. I'm 00:02:21.328 --> 00:02:23.454 - just gonna go straight party here. 00:02:24.962 --> 00:02:31.147 - and we can get those results showing up like that. So this is also configured for mobile view as well. 00:02:31.147 --> 00:02:37.453 - The laptop or desktop version has more bells and whistles and that's what I recommend. The commissioners 00:02:37.453 --> 00:02:43.518 - then approved an additional $35,000 for 10 more days of cleanup at the Thompson property encampment. 00:02:43.970 --> 00:02:50.367 - Richard Kreider from Building and Fleet gave an update on the process completed so far and explained 00:02:50.367 --> 00:02:56.828 - that there will need to be a future fifth phase due to difficulties in accessing the remaining sites. 00:02:56.828 --> 00:03:03.416 - Phase one was 20 days of removing personal property, dismantling structures, repairing fencing, marking 00:03:03.416 --> 00:03:09.813 - boundaries, clearing brush, creating access points and new trails to assist with cleanup process and 00:03:09.813 --> 00:03:12.030 - improving patrolling capabilities. 00:03:12.130 --> 00:03:17.952 - Phase 2 and 3 have been structured 10-day extensions to allow Bio 1 to continue working through former 00:03:17.952 --> 00:03:23.773 - encampments. Bio 1 systematically sifts through the debris at each encampment, separating and removing 00:03:23.773 --> 00:03:29.425 - hazardous materials encountered during the cleanup. The remaining debris is consolidated into large 00:03:29.425 --> 00:03:35.303 - piles, which are then loaded by machinery into dumpsters for disposal. Phase 4 is necessary to finalize 00:03:35.303 --> 00:03:39.486 - cleanup in areas that are accessible with the equipment currently in use. 00:03:39.618 --> 00:03:46.293 - A phase five will be required to address the remaining former encampments due to the location and obstacles 00:03:46.293 --> 00:03:52.474 - surrounding them. Additional planning will be necessary to determine how to best access the cleanup 00:03:52.474 --> 00:03:58.717 - in those areas. Later, Commissioner Julie Thomas discussed the Capital Improvement Board's effort to 00:03:58.717 --> 00:04:05.145 - secure funding for a host hotel project that would complement the convention center. She also addressed 00:04:05.145 --> 00:04:08.606 - the city's decision not to provide $300,000 in support. 00:04:08.898 --> 00:04:32.631 - to get this project moving. It's unfortunate that the city of Bloomington did not choose to put this 00:04:32.631 --> 00:04:37.566 - money in, but we are 00:04:37.730 --> 00:04:47.897 - as a board very interested in this project moving forward and getting complete. So this is a $300,000 00:04:47.897 --> 00:04:58.462 - offer of support on that project. And just for clarification, it seems there's still some confusion about 00:04:58.786 --> 00:05:06.698 - Food and beverage dollars and how they're supposed to be used and some members of council think that 00:05:06.698 --> 00:05:13.278 - it's only for the convention center and are actually are 10% is convention tourism. 00:05:13.634 --> 00:05:20.401 - and economic development. After approving a contract for an interim health officer, the commissioners 00:05:20.401 --> 00:05:27.300 - approved new appointments to the County Health Board, removing two existing members in the same motion. 00:05:27.300 --> 00:05:34.465 - The motion passed two to one after Commissioner Madeira questioned combining the appointments and removals. 00:05:34.465 --> 00:05:41.630 - I'm not sure how we would vote if I'm in favor of the appointments, but against the removals. Just vote no. 00:05:42.306 --> 00:05:49.075 - I think you could vote no, or you could ask us with the question. I'll just vote no. The commissioners 00:05:49.075 --> 00:05:55.712 - also voted two to one to accept a housing report that tracks housing units and development activity. 00:05:55.712 --> 00:06:02.480 - Commissioner Madeira said that the report's construction numbers do not show whether housing needs are 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:09.117 - being met and voted against accepting the report. I don't often dissent from my colleagues, and so I 00:06:09.117 --> 00:06:10.366 - wanted to say why. 00:06:10.530 --> 00:06:15.459 - So I think the report makes a useful case for shared housing database, but it's a headline conclusion 00:06:15.459 --> 00:06:20.776 - that projected housing needs have largely been met or exceeded is not adequately supported by the comparisons 00:06:20.776 --> 00:06:25.947 - it presents. So to succeed in that objective would have to show that housing demand is satisfied. Instead, 00:06:25.947 --> 00:06:31.166 - it counts that units built and it compares them with older projects that actually can answer that question. 00:06:31.266 --> 00:06:37.338 - Exceeding targets shows that projects were surpassed, not that need was met. Need is measured by prices, 00:06:37.338 --> 00:06:43.469 - vacancy, cost burden, overcrowding and community, but the report does actually not analyze these factors. 00:06:43.469 --> 00:06:49.483 - It concedes that it does not analyze affordability, wages or housing type, which are the core questions 00:06:49.483 --> 00:06:54.110 - in shortage studies. Commissioner Thomas responded with support for the report. 00:06:54.850 --> 00:07:02.218 - what it demonstrates is that we've built more units than anyone thought we needed. I don't think we've 00:07:02.218 --> 00:07:09.801 - built the right ones. I think that's my takeaway from it. We have way too much student apartment building 00:07:09.801 --> 00:07:17.025 - units, way too many of those and not enough single family homes. I don't think anyone is going to be 00:07:17.025 --> 00:07:22.462 - able to give you vacancy numbers because nobody will share that. So I think 00:07:22.594 --> 00:07:31.049 - it's great to be aspirational and to think about what you might want, but I'm grateful to have the numbers 00:07:31.049 --> 00:07:39.108 - because when we sit in the planning commission, what we come back with is a, we question, wait, don't 00:07:39.108 --> 00:07:47.168 - we have to, don't we have single housing online ready to come into play? How many? We don't have that 00:07:47.168 --> 00:07:49.854 - information at our fingertips and 00:07:50.114 --> 00:07:56.495 - the staff is constantly going back and doing that research for us. And this is something where everybody 00:07:56.495 --> 00:08:02.633 - in the community can see what is online, what is coming, what has been suggested, what is built, and 00:08:02.633 --> 00:08:08.832 - what has certificates of occupancy, because it's not real until somebody can move in. The next Monroe 00:08:08.832 --> 00:08:12.478 - County Commissioner's meeting will be held on November 4th. 00:08:13.570 --> 00:08:20.608 - City officials gave an update on the Hopewell development on October 27th. Mayor Carrie Thompson said 00:08:20.608 --> 00:08:27.715 - construction on the new neighborhood's first homes will begin next spring. The city plans for 98 homes 00:08:27.715 --> 00:08:34.615 - at Hopewell South. While the project has faced several delays, Mayor Thompson said that the project 00:08:34.615 --> 00:08:41.722 - could help some residents stay in Bloomington. Everybody who's ever done a project of this scale knows 00:08:41.722 --> 00:08:43.102 - it won't be simple. 00:08:43.618 --> 00:08:51.181 - And this has not been simple. But I think what we have landed with is really an incredible opportunity 00:08:51.181 --> 00:08:58.524 - for our community to see what this kind of housing can live like, what a neighborhood like this can 00:08:58.524 --> 00:09:06.014 - feel like, and to welcome new people into Bloomington, and importantly, to keep some people here that 00:09:06.014 --> 00:09:07.262 - aren't otherwise 00:09:07.554 --> 00:09:14.823 - able to afford to remain here. We're hearing lots about assessed values going up and taxes going up 00:09:14.823 --> 00:09:22.092 - for folks on a fixed income. And so Hopewell anticipates responding to some of those needs. Housing 00:09:22.092 --> 00:09:30.088 - and Neighborhood Development Director, Anna Killian Hanson, described Hopewell as the city's most significant 00:09:30.088 --> 00:09:37.502 - housing opportunity in a generation. Our vision is to create a neighborhood that looks and feels like 00:09:37.602 --> 00:09:44.918 - Bloomington. Human scaled streets, welcoming front porches, a variety of types and street scapes, and 00:09:44.918 --> 00:09:52.090 - a diverse mix of residents living side by side. We wanted to create a neighborhood that prioritizes 00:09:52.090 --> 00:09:59.262 - people. That means smaller streets and lanes, more compact residential lots, and a walkable design. 00:09:59.554 --> 00:10:05.662 - We also wanted to create a variety of housing options, not just one type of home or one type of streetscape, 00:10:05.662 --> 00:10:11.266 - but a neighborhood with character variety and opportunities for people at different stages of their 00:10:11.266 --> 00:10:16.254 - life. And we challenged conventional development standards to make that vision possible. 00:10:16.450 --> 00:10:23.625 - By rethinking lot sizes, street design, and how homes fit on the land, we created the opportunity for 00:10:23.625 --> 00:10:30.730 - 98 homes across 64 lots compared to just 28 lots under conventional R4 zoning. That is a significant 00:10:30.730 --> 00:10:37.975 - difference. It demonstrates what becomes possible when we rethink the way we develop housing and focus 00:10:37.975 --> 00:10:45.502 - on removing barriers rather than accepting the limitations of conventional approaches. Our goal is simple. 00:10:45.666 --> 00:10:51.629 - a neighborhood built by locals for locals, one that creates more opportunities for Bloomington residents 00:10:51.629 --> 00:10:57.421 - to find a place to call home. Residents helped name two lanes in the new neighborhood. Killian Hanson 00:10:57.421 --> 00:11:03.100 - said that she believes the names capture the spirit of what the city intends to accomplish with the 00:11:03.100 --> 00:11:03.838 - development. 00:11:04.706 --> 00:11:11.722 - One of the things that makes Hopewell South special is that we're not just building homes. We're creating 00:11:11.722 --> 00:11:18.540 - a neighborhood where people can connect with one another and feel a sense of belonging. We invited the 00:11:18.540 --> 00:11:25.226 - Bloomington community to help name the lanes by a vote, and we're excited to introduce Hartwell Lane 00:11:25.226 --> 00:11:28.734 - and Possibility Lane, the first ever in Bloomington. 00:11:28.834 --> 00:11:34.713 - I think those names capture the spirit of what we're trying to accomplish here, creating opportunities 00:11:34.713 --> 00:11:40.706 - for people to put down roots and to find a place to call home. That same people first philosophy carries 00:11:40.706 --> 00:11:46.528 - through to the design of the neighborhood. Pedestrians are prioritized with traffic calming measures, 00:11:46.528 --> 00:11:52.236 - raised crosswalks, and an interior trail that will help people move through the neighborhood safely 00:11:52.236 --> 00:11:56.574 - and comfortably. We're also designing for visitability. So 99% of the homes 00:11:56.706 --> 00:12:03.460 - here we were able to get at least one zero step entry, which is a pretty big accomplishment considering 00:12:03.460 --> 00:12:10.214 - the grade over there. If you walked, it's actually, it slopes quite a bit. City engineer Kendall Kanuki 00:12:10.214 --> 00:12:16.903 - said that the lanes are designed to keep traffic slow and to carve out space for neighbors to stop and 00:12:16.903 --> 00:12:22.878 - converse. Kind of the vision is that these are very calm, very low speed areas that weren't 00:12:23.106 --> 00:12:29.794 - traffic is very minimal, only for access. This could be areas for the neighbors to hang out, just socialize 00:12:29.794 --> 00:12:36.359 - with one another. So it's not meant to really be a road or a street. It's really a low-speed environment. 00:12:36.359 --> 00:12:40.446 - So this is another kind of unique and cool aspect of these areas. 00:12:40.770 --> 00:12:47.784 - Kenoki also described the challenges that the engineering department faces in providing step-free entrances. 00:12:47.784 --> 00:12:54.412 - He said the engineering team found a way to provide them at 65 of the property's 66 buildings. We were 00:12:54.412 --> 00:13:01.040 - able to get an accessible barrier-free entry route to that building. So there is, from some direction, 00:13:01.040 --> 00:13:07.539 - you can go in on a wheelchair. You can roll yourself right into the building. And this was something 00:13:07.539 --> 00:13:09.534 - that we were challenged to do. 00:13:09.954 --> 00:13:16.429 - I'm really proud of our team for being able to do this in all but only one building on this site. 00:13:16.429 --> 00:13:23.234 - I mean, this site is so hilly. It was really a challenge to do that, and we were able to do it. So I'm 00:13:23.234 --> 00:13:29.246 - pretty proud of that. 65 of the 66 buildings, barrier-free entry. So that was really cool. 00:13:29.666 --> 00:13:36.876 - Some residents expressed that they want a smaller home available in the neighborhood. The mayor said 00:13:36.876 --> 00:13:44.086 - that giving them that option could free up larger houses for other potential buyers. Part of the way 00:13:44.086 --> 00:13:51.653 - the housing market is stuck right now is that though we have mostly one and two person households looking 00:13:51.653 --> 00:13:58.078 - to purchase houses, we have a lot of those households, the one and two person households, 00:13:58.178 --> 00:14:06.842 - that are still in a house that may have three or four bedrooms. And there's nothing smaller available 00:14:06.842 --> 00:14:15.591 - for them. And so part of getting some movement is providing some stock that is available to people who 00:14:15.591 --> 00:14:22.302 - don't wanna live in quite as big a house. So people who do need a bigger house 00:14:22.434 --> 00:14:28.406 - can move there. And so we know already from talking to some folks that are interested in doing just 00:14:28.406 --> 00:14:34.796 - that, that that we will have some people downsizing to these homes. The city also wants the homes occupied 00:14:34.796 --> 00:14:41.246 - year round. Mayor Thompson said that the officials are working on ways to discourage second home purchases. 00:14:41.602 --> 00:14:49.238 - These homes are intended for people who will live and or work here full time. They are not intended 00:14:49.238 --> 00:14:57.102 - as homes for football weekend. They are not intended for somebody's second home, et cetera, et cetera. 00:14:57.102 --> 00:15:05.120 - Those restrictions are still being developed. Right now, the city is preparing the lots for construction 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:09.854 - and details of the buying process are still being worked out. 00:15:10.050 --> 00:15:19.110 - The city says people interested in purchasing a home can join the Hopewell Contact List at bton.in 00:15:19.110 --> 00:15:28.628 - slash HPWL. On October 26th, the Monroe County Board of Health met to discuss an interim health officer 00:15:28.628 --> 00:15:37.871 - contract with Dr. Paul Broderick. Chairperson, Dr. Lisa Hanner Robinson introduced the motion. Can I 00:15:37.871 --> 00:15:39.518 - have a motion for 00:15:39.874 --> 00:15:47.167 - Approval of the contract rather approval of the interim health officer employment contract with Dr. 00:15:47.167 --> 00:15:54.678 - Broderick with between us and the Monroe County Health Department. The interim health officer contract 00:15:54.678 --> 00:15:56.574 - was approved unanimously. 00:15:57.826 --> 00:16:04.008 - The Bloomington Transportation Commission met on October 26. During staff reports, a city representative 00:16:04.008 --> 00:16:09.955 - shared the Bloomington Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization's transportation improvement 00:16:09.955 --> 00:16:15.843 - plan, explaining how the process has gone historically. I'm not familiar with a requirement as part 00:16:15.843 --> 00:16:22.261 - of this part of the process for them to come to the Transportation Commission because the projects contained 00:16:22.261 --> 00:16:26.206 - within it come to the Transportation Commission eventually. So the 00:16:26.434 --> 00:16:34.025 - There will be an opportunity to go through the plan in its sort of like piecemeal component parts When 00:16:34.025 --> 00:16:41.689 - projects are being proposed And through the moving through the conceptual phase Commissioner Steve Olin 00:16:41.689 --> 00:16:50.238 - responded asking that the Commission receive a full presentation about the plan from city staff I frankly find that 00:16:50.722 --> 00:16:57.479 - Disappointing I mean the according to the city of I know that they don't have an obligation from a state 00:16:57.479 --> 00:17:04.107 - perspective but the city certainly Has made at the charge of this Commission to Review anything having 00:17:04.107 --> 00:17:10.929 - to do with transportation and it seems like the most basic thing that we should do is have a presentation 00:17:10.929 --> 00:17:17.750 - and have the formula observation of the Commission be put in collectively and not just individual members 00:17:17.750 --> 00:17:19.230 - able to contribute and 00:17:19.650 --> 00:17:26.561 - Staff agreed to consult with the MPO about whether a presentation could be scheduled potentially at 00:17:26.561 --> 00:17:33.817 - the commission's November special meeting. Traffic engineer John Garzi gave an update on the three speed 00:17:33.817 --> 00:17:41.073 - feedback signs on Hillside and Atwater, recommending that they remain in place through the year of 2027. 00:17:41.073 --> 00:17:48.606 - The counts that we have and the research that we have on this show that they both support reducing the speed 00:17:48.962 --> 00:17:55.245 - that drivers are going at. It's also been shown that once they've been removed, that the speeds tend 00:17:55.245 --> 00:18:01.590 - to go back up. And even though the speeds have not been brought down below the speed limit, they have 00:18:01.590 --> 00:18:07.874 - been effective in lowering the speeds. And so what we're recommending is to keep all three signs and 00:18:07.874 --> 00:18:14.343 - continue to collect data until 2027. And most likely keep them, because if we were to remove them, it's 00:18:14.343 --> 00:18:16.894 - likely that the speeds would go back up. 00:18:17.634 --> 00:18:24.429 - The commission moved on to discuss adding six offset speed tables for East Rogers Road between High 00:18:24.429 --> 00:18:31.564 - Street and Spicewood Lane for traffic calming purposes. Staff said the corridor's average observed speed 00:18:31.564 --> 00:18:38.496 - was 38 miles per hour in a 30 mile per hour zone and that six crashes in the past five years included 00:18:38.496 --> 00:18:40.670 - speed as a contributing factor. 00:18:41.058 --> 00:18:47.136 - During public comment city fire marshal Jeff you Meyer warned that the devices could potentially delay 00:18:47.136 --> 00:18:53.038 - emergency responses Also speaking with the fire department this yet this morning with the chief and 00:18:53.038 --> 00:18:59.057 - stuff. We're probably not going to use We're not going to drive around these things unless traffic is 00:18:59.057 --> 00:19:05.136 - already there We're gonna go over them We feel that would be even unsafe for going into the other lane 00:19:05.136 --> 00:19:10.270 - of traffic unless we already have to because stop vehicle or something like that, so I 00:19:10.690 --> 00:19:21.177 - Nearby resident Shelly Taylor described dangerous crossing conditions and urged action. Multiple times 00:19:21.177 --> 00:19:31.664 - a day, I hear cars, tires screeching. I hear car tires hitting the median multiple times a day. I have 00:19:31.664 --> 00:19:39.198 - witnessed accidents, car accidents at that intersection. I have witnessed 00:19:40.514 --> 00:19:50.654 - Well, I heard a horrible noise and I ran to the window and I saw a car that had hit a pedestrian sign 00:19:50.654 --> 00:20:00.594 - at that intersection and dragged the pedestrian sign all the way up the hill. I see children trying 00:20:00.594 --> 00:20:09.342 - to cross. I see them standing in the middle of the crosswalk, which is in the middle of 00:20:09.890 --> 00:20:20.789 - the road and cars just speeding by. And I guarantee you they're going faster than 38, 39 miles an hour. 00:20:20.789 --> 00:20:31.269 - I've just seen a lot of things. I've heard a lot of things with my own ears because of where I live 00:20:31.269 --> 00:20:33.470 - there. And as noted, 00:20:34.018 --> 00:20:41.616 - Speed tables are significantly less of an impact than speed humps or speed bumps. They allow for emergency 00:20:41.616 --> 00:20:49.002 - vehicles to traverse with greater ease. It's also very difficult for people to get out of the woodlands 00:20:49.002 --> 00:20:56.316 - because there's so many cars going so fast and they simply do not stop for the crosswalk. I don't even 00:20:56.316 --> 00:21:00.222 - use the crosswalk anymore because it is too dangerous. 00:21:00.354 --> 00:21:07.631 - Commissioners weighed those concerns against the potential safety benefits of reducing vehicle speeds 00:21:07.631 --> 00:21:15.052 - before passing the Proposal 6-1. The Commission then considered a proposed ordinance intended to define 00:21:15.052 --> 00:21:22.329 - and regulate micro-mobility devices and e-motos. Much of the debate revolved around speed and wattage 00:21:22.329 --> 00:21:29.535 - thresholds to distinguish classifications, along with discussion on access to trails, sidewalks, and 00:21:29.535 --> 00:21:30.320 - bike lanes 00:21:30.320 --> 00:21:38.048 - as well as signage and enforcement. Commissioner Volin expressed issues with the classification standards. 00:21:38.048 --> 00:21:45.993 - I think we have to allow micromobility on trails and sidewalks the same, somehow. I think that the definition 00:21:45.993 --> 00:21:53.216 - that we're looking for for micromobility on trails ought to also apply, like if we're talking about 00:21:53.216 --> 00:22:00.222 - passing speed, that ought to apply on sidewalks and trails the same, and we need to get to that. 00:22:00.354 --> 00:22:10.729 - Finally, I'll just say I've got a 1,000 watt scooter that doesn't go more than 17 miles an hour when 00:22:10.729 --> 00:22:21.002 - I'm on it. If my scooter is regulated as a Emoto, I cannot support this flat out. I think the power 00:22:21.002 --> 00:22:23.262 - capacity is an issue. 00:22:23.906 --> 00:22:30.289 - Rather than recommending or rejecting the draft, the commission voted six to zero to continue it to 00:22:30.289 --> 00:22:37.502 - a future regular hearing. The next regular meeting of the Bloomington Transportation Commission is December 7th. 00:22:38.626 --> 00:22:46.000 - The Bloomington City Council voted down a tax increase for emergency dispatch services during a special 00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:53.160 - meeting on October 26. The council voted 1-4, with multiple council members saying that they favored 00:22:53.160 --> 00:23:00.250 - using reserves as opposed to an income tax increase. Dispatch Director Jared Bailey said that aging 00:23:00.250 --> 00:23:02.590 - radio equipment needs replacing. 00:23:03.106 --> 00:23:09.940 - Some of our mission critical equipment that we use to communicate with the first responders out in the 00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:16.908 - field is nearing its life now. And I received a quote on that, and that alone is 2.3 million. And that's 00:23:16.908 --> 00:23:23.543 - a quote for this year. And in 2027, they are expected to see a significant jump in pricing just for 00:23:23.543 --> 00:23:28.254 - our radio equipment to be able to communicate to the field responders. 00:23:28.642 --> 00:23:34.799 - Meanwhile, council member Sydney Zulek said that while she supports emergency dispatch, she is opposed 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:41.017 - to adding to residents' expenses. I appreciate what our dispatch does and every person who works there, 00:23:41.017 --> 00:23:46.995 - I think that we all agree that dispatch is a critical service. Even so, I won't be a part of making 00:23:46.995 --> 00:23:53.033 - people's financial decisions even more difficult. And I'm absolutely not saying no to dispatch being 00:23:53.033 --> 00:23:55.902 - fully funded. I am saying no to a tax increase. 00:23:56.322 --> 00:24:05.440 - Times are tough for many folks, and I can't in good conscience add to people's bills. However, council 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:14.647 - member Isabel Piedmont-Smith cast the lone yes vote, arguing that reserves will be needed at some point 00:24:14.647 --> 00:24:25.182 - in the future. I think it is wise to increase our PS-lit rate in order to refund dispatch. We have reserves, but those 00:24:25.922 --> 00:24:33.351 - we will need when it's really raining and it may well be pouring on January 1st of 2029. And so we need 00:24:33.351 --> 00:24:40.779 - to save those reserves as much as we can till then. Existing funding and reserves are expected to cover 00:24:40.779 --> 00:24:47.923 - dispatch operations through 2027. The Bloomington City Council will meet again for its next regular 00:24:47.923 --> 00:24:50.494 - session on Wednesday, November 4th. 00:24:51.458 --> 00:24:57.822 - And that is all for Cats Week. Thank you for joining us. For Cats and WFHB, I'm Annalise Poorman.